DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-224, December 13, 2003 edited by Glenn Hauser IMPORTANT NOTE: our hotmail accounts are being phased out. Please do not use them any further, but instead woradio at yahoo.com or wghauser at yahoo.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits HTML version of this issue will be posted later at http://www.w4uvh.net/dxldtd3k.html For restrixions and searchable 2003 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1211: Sun 0130 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB [NEW] Sun 0330 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0530 on WRN to Europe only, webcast Sun 0730 on WWCR 3210 Sun 0845 on Ozone Radio, Ireland, 6201v, time variable Sun 1500 on WRN to North America, webcast Sun 1600 on IBC Radio, webcast Sun 2000 on Studio X, Milano, 1566, 1584 Mon 0430 on WSUI Iowa City 910 [last week`s 1210] Mon 0515 on WBCQ 7415, 5105, webcast . . . WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1211 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1211h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1211h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1211.html WORLD OF RADIO 1211 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1211.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1211.rm ** ADMIRALTY ISLANDS. Getting some nice DX during the early morning hours here in the White Mountains, though today conditions were so-so. Very windy outdoors creating static across my longwires! 3315, 1140-1151, Dec. 11, English, Elvis', "Love me Tender", different singer with "Have yourself a merry little Xmas". OM at 1145 followed by pop music. Very poor, // 4890 (Scott Barbour, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is R. Manus, in one of the numerous NASWA sub-radio-countries, which I find hard to swallow, for some reason, like Indonesia`s (gh, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 15820, Radio Mitre, Buenos Aires, 13/Dic/2003 - 1030 UT Quito 13/Dic/2003 11:50. Amigos DXistas! This morning I heard Radio Mitre, Buenos Aires with a news program called "La Red Cierto" [sic] with news and ads. Said that the station(or just the news program?) was on until 1300 UT (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 6215v, Radio Baluarte, Puerto Iguazú, Misiones province is off air from some weeks ago (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Dec 13, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** BELGIUM. Dag iedereen, De webstek Radio in Vlaanderen http://www.radioinvlaanderen.info is net in een gloednieuw kleedje gestoken: sober, maar makkelijk te navigeren en snel in te laden. Breng gerust een bezoekje en laat even weten wat jullie er van denken. Groeten, - Herman Boel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Author of the European Medium Wave Guide My web sites: personal: http://users.pandora.be/hermanb Radio in Flanders: www.radioinvlaanderen.info European Medium Wave Guide : http://www.emwg.info I am located in Aalst, Flanders (Europe) (BDXC via DXLD) --------------------------------------------------------------------- ** BOSNIA. ETHNIC PREFIXES BANNED IN BOSNIAN BROADCASTING MEDIA | Excerpt from report by Bosnian Croat radio on 12 December The Communications Regulatory Agency has reached a decision to abolish ethnic prefixes before the names of radio and TV stations in Bosnia- Hercegovina. Among the 12 radio and TV stations which have to remove national prefixes is the Croat TV Mostar station. The decision comes into force tomorrow. Croat TV Mostar editor-in- chief Ivan Bakovic told Bosnia-Hercegovina internet daily pincom.info that this TV station will be instigating court proceedings through the Bosnia-Hercegovina courts, even though, as he said, the proceedings will not postpone the decision. [Passage omitted] Source: Croat Radio Herceg-Bosna, Mostar, in Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian 1700 gmt 12 Dec 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ¿So whát were these prefixes, exactly? (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC RADIO ONE'S METRO MORNING TOPS IN TORONTO MARKET http://www3.cbc.ca/sections/newsitem_redux.asp?ID=3204 (via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CANADA. SERIOUS ABOUT CHOICE TORONTO (CP) - The CBC and the American satellite radio company Sirius have formed a joint venture to bring the service to Canada, CBC president Robert Rabinovitch announced Wednesday. An application will be filed with the federal regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, for a licence to provide the subscription-based service to Canadians. A hearing is expected in the spring. "By expanding the choices available to Canadians, this new service will enable the national public broadcaster to better fulfil its mandate by extending its reach and enhancing its services to Canadians," Rabinovitch said in a statement. Joseph Clayton, president and CEO of Sirius, said "60 of our 100 premier channels are commercial-free," making the service a good match for the CBC. The CBC says its Radio One and La Première Chaîne would be distributed on two of the Sirius channels, providing Canadian artists a showcase throughout North America. Both partners say they are holding talks and may add other Canadian financial or broadcast investors. A monthly subscription to Sirius in the U.S. is $12.95. In August, former Toronto Raptors owner John Bitove Jr. filed with the CRTC for a similar licence after striking a deal with Sirius's U.S. rival, Washington-based XM Satellite Radio Holdings, for a new company called Canadian Satellite Radio. XM has about 700,000 U.S. subscribers for its CD-quality music channels (Via Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, DXLD) ** CANADA. The following is from SkyReport.com newsletter today: SkyFILES: THE GREAT WHITE NORTH --- by Michael Hopkins Sirius is looking north of the border to expand its consumer footprint. And the company should make every effort to get its service to Canadians. The vast country offers immense potential, and can be easily served since most of the Canadian population lives within a few dozen miles of the U.S./Canadian border. Sirius isn't the first satellite-based platform to set sights on the neighbor to the North. Satellite TV has considered service to the country. And at the moment, unauthorized reception of U.S.-based satellite signals - though illegal in Canada - remains a hotbed of activity. Yet while there are opportunities, there are obstacles. And the biggest could be regulators in Ottawa. Satellite TV and cable operators are required to deliver a "preponderance" of Canadian programming services. Content must be Canadian in majority, and carriage of Canadian TV signals must be given priority. That includes providing some content in French. The preponderance issue is one reason why U.S. services aren't delivering "legit" services north of the border. It's unclear how the regulatory focus on Canadian programming impacts a relatively new service like satellite radio. But Sirius is making promises that appear to be an attempt to appease regulators. CBC/Radio-Canada, Sirius' partner in Canada, said it secured distribution of two of its main channels, Radio One and La Première Chaîne, for the future offering. Adding Canadian news and information channels is one thing. But how do you gauge the level of Canadian programming with the commercial-free audio channels? The all-music streams deliver Canadian artists, but the majority of performers aren't Canadian. And will there be public interest obligations for service into Canada? It may be an uphill battle for Sirius, but it is a challenge the company should take. And the Canadian government could consider allowing Sirius to serve the country in order to avoid the situation it has with illegitimate satellite TV. The proposed Canadian service has one strong element for Sirius: Pamela Anderson's nationality is Canadian. She has her own show on the satellite radio service. And all that could make Sirius a winner in the Great White North (via Joe Buch, DXLD) ** CHINA. FREEDOM OF THE PRESS --- By Edward E. Kaufman http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20031207-114042-9892r.htm Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the United States presents a perfect opportunity to raise an issue that has a potentially dangerous long-term effect on U.S.-China relations: Beijing's lack of freedom of information. At his meeting with Mr. Wen this week, President Bush should take the opportunity to discuss the Chinese government's untiring efforts to control the objective news and information its citizens hear about the United States and the world. Specifically, the Chinese jam the shortwave radio broadcasts of the Voice of America (VOA) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) and block their Internet sites. Both broadcasters are supervised by the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees all U.S. nonmilitary international broadcasting. As a result, the Chinese people — the world's largest population — have a distorted and unrealistic view of the United States, learned from Chinese government-controlled outlets, American movies, television shows and music videos. Those sources are hardly a reflection of the United States. Nowhere can the Chinese listen to discussions about our cultural and religious diversity or learn about First Amendment rights, U.S. democracy or developments in medicine and science. In fact, the information that 1.3 billion Chinese receive is often false, erroneous and damaging to the United States. In May, for instance, a Hong Kong newspaper, Wenweipo, speculated that SARS, the often-fatal respiratory disease, had originated in the United States. Rumor and conspiracy theories flourish in the news vacuum. One "outlandish rumor" cited by The San Francisco Chronicle posited that SARS could have been a biological weapon developed by the United States or Taiwan. Others even claimed SARS was a U.S. ploy to distract China from the war in Iraq, according to the paper. Despite differences over trade and Taiwan, U.S.-China relations are better than they've been in years, as the two countries cooperate on terrorism and North Korea, among other issues. Secretary of State Colin Powell recently referred to the "thriving relationship with many areas of cooperation." To date, however, the free flow of information has not been an area of cooperation. There's no reciprocity between the countries on media issues, with the United States — and the Chinese people — getting the short end of the stick. As relations have thawed in recent months — and the Chinese media have moved more assertively into the open U.S. marketplace — the Chinese government has stepped up radio jamming efforts. To overcome jamming with additional transmissions, the U.S. government spends about $30 million a year. But China's Central Television (CCTV) is available via satellite to anyone in the United States, and CCTV broadcasts on 27 channels. China Radio International's shortwave and terrestrial broadcasts to the United States are accessible to all. Moreover, U.S.-based Chinese-language Web sites are consistently blocked by the Chinese government, so that Web-loving Chinese, the world's second-largest online community, are forced to go to proxy sites to get information. Chinese Web sites suffer no such restrictions in the United States. Finally, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua and other government news organizations have as many as 40 bilingual correspondents in the United States, with an open request for six more. VOA currently has only two English-speaking journalists in Beijing. China is refusing to accredit two additional journalists on the grounds that they speak Mandarin. Mr. Wen recently told The Washington Post that friendship and cooperation between the United States and China "will not only bring benefits to our two people but will also be conducive to peace and stability in Asia and the world at large." He's right, of course, but that friendship won't truly blossom without openness, truth and the free flow of information. And as a saying from the Tang Dynasty goes: "Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened; listen to only one side and you will be benighted." Edward E. Kaufman, a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, is a senior lecturing fellow at Duke University School of Law (Op-Ed, Washington Times [Moony], via Artie Bigley, Dec 8, DXLD) ** CHINA. I heard 11460 kHz on Sunday, but I guess this was a typing error of the technician operator at Khashgar site; the Chinese used similar 11640 on Dec 1st-3rd (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Dec 11, BC-DX via DXLD) The new music station from China on Medium Wave 1422 kHz was heard continously from last nignt (it was there whenever I checked at random in between my sleep) till fade out around 0200 UT (7.30 am local time) today. Our local sunrise is at 0106 UT. No sign of it on 1197 and 1539 kHz which are its other frequencies. Yesterday evening (around 1100 UT) and today now till sign off at around 0655 the music station was heard on 11445. The music station from China noted just now from tune in at around 1445 UT (Dec. 13, 2003) on 7010 which comes under the Morse Code portion of the popular 40 Meter Amateur Radio Band (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, Hyderabad, India, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. During the 0200 UT hour, Dec 13 at 0210, noticed the squealing transmitter was on 9580 for CRI relay in Chinese. Even more astounding: the long hours the `new` RHC transmitters run with nothing but open carrier, as noted at the same time on 9550 and 9600. Turning the volume way up, not a trace of modulation. Burning up the kW instead of applying that cost to marginally improving the living standards of the dentro-Cuban people! Since no scripts for DXers Unlimited have been posted for a couple of months now, nor forwarded to Bob Chandler at ODXA, I thought I`d check an actual broadcast to see if Arnie is still around: Sat 2104 on 11760, yes, same old stuff, but a minute later the transmitter dumped off the air, so I switched to 9505, which this date Dec 13 was also running English. 11760 came back after a couple of minutes. The audio was OK on both, no squeal, but several times for a couple of seconds, the audio feed switched to something else briefly, music! Geez, what amateurs. Arnie says he is travelling outside Habana, and so can`t include up-to-date propagation info (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK [and non]. Please e-mail me not later than December 15th your reception quality of the following four daily broadcasts in Danish: 1130-1155 UT: Radio Denmark on SW 13800 and 21755 kHz. (Repeat of P 1 news). Radio Denmark on mediumwave 1062 kHz (Live P 3). 2030-2055 UT: Radio Denmark on SW 7490 and 9980 kHz. (Repeat of P 1 news). Radio Denmark on mediumwave 1062 kHz (Live P3). (Erik Køie, DR Radio, BC-DX Dec 12 via DXLD) Hmmm, some reprieve in the works?? (gh, DXLD) ** DEUTSCHES REICH. Re Lord Haw Haw`s SSB MW broadcasts: This 100 kW transmitter at Norden Osterloog, west of Bremen, did consist of ten[!] antenna masts. Used two beam masts of 150 meters height each. And was radiation coupled with four masts each as directors and reflectors. Power gain was five times, so the total output was of 500 kW power. Frequency usage was variable, between 500 and 1500 kHz. (taken from "Der deutsche Rundfunk" 1994, and "Technik im Rundfunk" 1985. wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Dec 11, BC-DX via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 4773.6, R. Centinela del Sur, Loja, 12th of december, 2310-0010, Spanish, advertisement, cultural information, press review, local news from the Ambato/Loja region, anthem at 0010, closedown 0013; ID: "... en la República del Ecuador transmitiendo Radio Centinela del Sur desde Loja, ... 1210 kilociclos ... 4770 kilociclos banda tropical de 60 metros ... gracias por su sintonía." Weak signal, but good audio. Saludos (Michael Schnitzer, Hassfurt, Germany, dxing.info via DXLD) And at the very same time: 4773.6v, R. Centinela del Sur, 12 Dec 2315-0013* Dec 13, Apparently a news program with W host and many actualities including one from Wáshington González. Mentions of presidente, Ecuatorian, Loja, ??bamba. Ads at 2352, one with "Silent Night", one with phone numbers, and a sports program promo. ID at 0003. Romantic song at 0005-0009. Full canned ID with freqs by M at 0009, then NA 0011-0013 and off. Fair signal but a lot of QRM from 4774.98. Slowly drifted up a little from 4773.57 to 4773.62. Audio level could`ve been a tad higher. Glad to see this one back on (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) See SURINAM ** ECUADOR. HCJB WORLD RADIO BEGINS FIRST CHRISTIAN BROADCASTS TO UNREACHED GROUP Posted by: newsdesk on Friday, December 12, 2003 - 03:03 PM For the first time, the 1 million speakers of a major language spoken in the North Caucasus region of Russia can hear Christian radio broadcasts in their own language. HCJB World Radio began airing weekly programs in the language Monday, Dec. 1, from a shortwave facility outside of the area. The name of the language and other details are omitted for security reasons. ``This is a historic moment for the mission and the answer to many people`s prayers over several years,`` said a spokesman from the Euro- Asia region. HCJB World Radio President Dave Johnson said he was ``delighted`` to see the introduction of the broadcasts after overcoming many hurdles in the last 10 years. Those who speak the language live primarily in the North Caucasus (between the Black and Caspian seas) and are among of the world`s least-reached people groups with only a handful of known believers. Their predominant religion is Islam. ``With so few believers and unrest in the area, it was a real challenge to find a native speaker who was willing to produce programs,`` Johnson said. ``The people who speak this language can only find the answers they`re looking for in Christ.`` The programs are produced with the understanding that the listeners have little or no interest in Christianity and would never listen to an evangelist or enter a church. ``Through radio we can reach more people over a longer period of time, building up their confidence,`` said a mission spokesman at HCJB World Radio`s international headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo. ``We`re not going to see immediate results. But Christian radio is probably the only practical way to reach them with the gospel.`` With this language on the air, Kituba is the only dialect on the HCJB World Radio`s original list of ``World by Radio`` languages that still needs Christian broadcasts. Through the World by Radio challenge (formerly called World by 2000), HCJB World Radio has worked with Far East Broadcasting Co., Trans World Radio, SIM, FEBA Radio and others to add Christian broadcasts in more than 110 ``megalanguages`` -- those with at least 1 million speakers. Today less than 70 of the world`s 372 megalanguages still are without Christian broadcasts. Meanwhile, work is progressing well on Kituba, a language spoken by 4.2 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo. ``We have a producer, programming material and a sponsor, but we`re still looking for a local station in the area from which to air the programs,`` said a ministry spokesman. ``I`m confident that a site will be found within the next year.`` (HCJB World Radio press release via DXLD) !? OK, I`ll bet our experts can figure out what language this is, and perhaps even find the times and frequencies --- probably SW, if the area is so hostile to HCJB`s religion. Security reasons? Are they even publicizing time and frequency in the area, or are people just supposed to run across it? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. Correxion to 3-223, Brian Alexander`s log of R. K`ekchí: should be 4844.98, not 4644.98 --- gh`s error, as he retypes Brian`s logs received by P-mail ** HAITI. TENSION ON THIRD DAY OF ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS; RADIO STATION ATTACKED | Text of report by Haitian Metropole radio text web site on 12 December The situation is quite tense in the Haitian capital this Friday, 12 December, on the third day of violent protests staged by students against President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Traffic continues to flow in the streets of Port-au-Prince where barricades of tyres which are later set alight, are being set up by members of the Lavalas People's Organizations (OPs). On the way to the International Airport heavily armed individuals are taking drivers' money, then they take their vehicles. The situation is being reported by various victims, who are asking the police to intervene. In Champs de Mars, in the vicinity of the National Palace, members of the OPs carrying firearms, clubs and machetes, are protesting in favour of President Aristide. The various representatives of Pouvoir Lavalas [the Lavalas Establishment] had announced a response to the demonstration yesterday, by all sectors of society. In the evening, government vehicles were carrying armed individuals who were putting down tyres all over the place. Likewise, the various media, Radios Metropole, Vision 2000, Kiskeya and Caraïbes FM, stopped carrying their news bulletins after threats, which were carried out with attacks staged by unidentified armed individuals against Radio Caraïbes. Despite the tense situation prevailing in Port-au-Prince, this Friday, anti-government demonstrators consisting of students, artists and members of civil society have at least taken back the streets. Leading them is the industrialist, Andre Apaid Jr, from the Group of 184 [Civil Society Organizations, G-184] and musician Theodore Beaubrun Jr, from Boukman Eksperyans. The demonstrators who have taken over the leadership in Petion-Ville noted their determination to fight "the Lavalas dictatorship". Source: Metropole radio web site, Port-au- Prince, in French 12 Dec 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. Tricks of the trade Hate radio has been back in the news again in recent weeks. In Denmark, the government has bowed to pressure and changed the law so it no longer has to subsidise a neo-Nazi radio station that operates legally in the Copenhagen area. And verdicts were finally passed on two of the people behind the notorious Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines that did so much to promote the genocide in Rwanda a decade ago. But this is just the tip of an iceberg. I believe it's general public ignorance of the way the media works that has allowed the purveyors of hate on the radio to get away with it for so long. http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/dossiers/html/hateradio031211.html (Media Network Newsletter, Dec 11 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. IBRA Radio B03 Reworked and updated from November PDF sheet on http://www.ibra.se 12 Dec. 2003 Many IBRA programs are incorporated into other broadcasters' programs. ---"STAND ALONE" TRANSMISSIONS: smtwtfs 5895 1200–1330 RUS Petropavlovsk Mandarin "Zhenguang Diantai" smtwtfs 5935 1900–2030 RUS Samara Arabic "Radio Al-Mahabba" smtwtfs 7115 1230–1300 RUS Vladivostok Mandarin smtwtfs 7260 2000–2100 D Julich Arabic -mt---- 9495 1900–1915 D Julich Bambara s--wtfs 9495 1900–1915 D Julich Fulfulde smt---- 9495 1915–1930 D Julich Hausa ---wt-- 9495 1915–1930 D Julich Zarma -----fs 9495 1915–1930 D Julich Tamajeq sm----- 9495 1930–1945 D Julich Moore -----fs 9495 1930–1945 D Julich Malinke --twt-- 9495 1930–2000 D Julich Songhai sm---fs 9495 1945–2000 D Julich Joula smtwtfs 9520 1730–1830 D Wertachtal Swahili smtwtfs 9520 1830–1845 D Wertachtal English smtwtfs 9660 1730–1759 D Wertachtal Somali smtwtfs 9710 0500–0530 D Julich Arabic ---VIA FEBA Radio: -mtwt-- 6180 1700–1730 UAE Dhabbaya Oromo s-t---- 7265 1718–1748 AFS Meyerton Yao smtwtfs 9415 1530–1600 RUS Armavir Pashtu smtwtfs 9415 1600–1630 RUS Armavir Dari smtwtfs 9415 1630–1645 RUS Armavir Hazaragi sm---fs 9415 1645–1700 RUS Armavir Uzbek --twt-- 9415 1645–1700 RUS Armavir Turkmen -----fs 9465 0215–0230 AUT Moosbrunn Punjabi (uncertain) s------ 9465 0230–0245 AUT Moosbrunn Urdu (uncertain) -mt---- 9465 0230–0245 AUT Moosbrunn Hindko (uncertain) sm-wt-- 9485 1330–1345 UZB Tashkent Bengali s----fs 9485 1415–1430 RUS Armavir Hindi smtwtfs 11690 1728–1757 RRW Kigali Tigrigna s------ 11695 1300–1315 RUS Samara Kangri --t---s 11885 1545–1600 AFS Meyerton Makonde smtwtfs 11885 1629–1658 AFS Meyerton Amharic s---tfs 11995 0200–0215 UAE Dhabbaya Pashtu ---VIA FEBC: ---w-f- 7375 1245–1300 PHL Iba Khmer smtwtfs 9405 1500–1515 PHL Iba Chinese ---VIA GOSPEL FOR ASIA: --twt-- 15170 1230–1245 UAE Dhabbaya Kashmiri ---VIA HCJB: --t---- 12025 2115–2130 CAN Sackville Arabic s------ 12025 2130–2200 CAN Sackville Arabic ------s 12025 2200–2215 CAN Sackville Arabic --t--f- 12025 2200–2230 CAN Sackville Arabic ---VIA KFBS: -m-w-f- 11580 1600–1615 MRA Marpi-Saipan Uighur ---VIA RADIO RWANDA: s------ 6055 1515–1530 RRW Kigali Kinyarwanda ---VIA WRN (uncertain): smtwtfs 9635 1230–1300 RUS Chinese (Silvain Domen, Belgium, 12 Dec 2003, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Sirius: see CANADA ** IRAQ. U.S. FORCES BATTLE TO INFLUENCE IRAQI OPINION By TARA COPP, Scripps Howard News Service, 09-DEC-03 http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=IRAQ-MEDIA-12-09-03 BAGHDAD, Iraq -- On a bench outside the Al Fazma Ice Cream Shop, 21-year-old Ali Ahmed says with frustration that he knows the United States isn't leaving anytime soon _ he heard President Bush say so on TV. "The Americans say they are occupiers, George Bush said that on TV, 'We came to occupy Iraq,' " says Ahmed, a builder. When pressed on whether he was sure that was what Bush said, Ahmed is more resolute: It was the American-run TV station he heard it on. And besides, Ahmed says, "newspapers, even newspapers are saying this stuff." Since May, Iraq's news networks and other media outlets have grown with the frenetic pace of an adolescent boy. While Saddam Hussein's security forces monitored Web use, Iraqis now can find an Internet café on most street corners, with active Arab chat rooms. More than 100 new newspapers publish throughout the country, operating out of small buildings and identified mostly through cloth banners draped over their front doors. TV satellite dishes perch off the balconies of thousands of Iraqi apartments. They sell on street corners for about $150. Iraq's airwaves have at least 20 new local FM stations that broadcast news, sports and music in Arabic. There are also half-a-dozen international radio stations like the BBC and Radio Free Iraq reaching Iraqi ears for the first time since Saddam's regime ended. Even without a satellite dish, news from the U.S.-founded Iraqi Media Network (IMN) and Al-Jazeera pours into most Iraqi homes. A third station, Al-Arabiya, was shut down by the Iraqi Governing Council in late November after it broadcast a tape allegedly by Saddam inciting attacks against Iraqis who support U.S. efforts here. That decision was blasted by the press, and it cemented opinion among some Iraqis that the information coming through "supported" channels is just a lot of propaganda. The "American (network) and Al-Jazeera are two faces to a single coin," said Ra'ad Gatie, a 19-year-old homebuilder. The Iraqi Media Network was launched in May by U.S. forces, and is being built up by the Coalition Provisional Authority to become the official communications channel of the country. Both IMN and Al-Jazeera broadcast news, local soap operas and sports, but have decidedly different political views. IMN's news is often coalition-generated, and its newscasts have a more Western appearance and delivery. Al-Jazeera's graphic broadcasts of violence, and often antagonistic approach to U.S. efforts, have led the station to be frequently criticized and warned of sanctions by coalition forces. Riadh Jawad, a 41-year-old taxi driver, likes Al-Jazeera and trusts it. He hates the American-run channel. "America just wants to stop every patriotic voice like Al-Jazeera," he said. There isn't direct censorship of the stations, but the coalition will fine a media outlet up to $1,000 if it incites violence, expresses support for the Ba'ath Party or encourages war along Iraq's borders. Coalition forces have a full-time staff closely monitoring the papers; as many as possible are translated daily for a media wrap-up for coalition leaders. Mostly, the coalition says, it monitors what is being said in the Iraqi press to see if it's getting its message across. Despite the proliferation of news outlets, the war didn't change the most trusted and traditional way Iraqis get their news --- by word of mouth. Jawad said through a translator that he gets his news by speaking "with everyone who goes into his taxi." One quick road trip in a taxi leads to a discussion of local politics, or pasme [sic] of the bigger newspapers, the U.S. forces try to set up meetings to get more of their story into print. The most coalition-friendly is also the largest. It's the 30,000- circulation daily Azzaman, which was started in the mid-'90s and is run out of London. Each political party also has its own paper. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan runs the Al-Ittihad, and the Kurdish Democratic Party runs Taakhi. But even when the press writes favorably about U.S. troops, there can be risky returns. When Azzaman covered a recent school opening here, it published a picture of a smiling Sgt. Omar Masry, with the 490th Civil Affairs Battalion, who had worked on the project. The press was welcomed. But a few days after the picture was published, the risk of exposure came full circle. "I learned I now have a price on my head," Masry said (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. RADIO FREE IRAQ FINDS AUDIENCE FOR INCREASED NEWS BROADCASTS (Prague, Czech Republic -- December 11, 2003) RFE/RL's Arabic-language Radio Free Iraq (RFI) service, which has significantly increased its news broadcasting presence since the fall of the Hussein regime, is attracting a strong audience in Iraq with listening rates of more than 10 percent in three major cities, according to a recent survey. RFI Director David Newton said that listeners appreciate the in-depth original programming from all areas of Iraq that can be heard in RFI's broadcasts. Iraqis identify with the voices of RFI's Iraqi reporters and presenters, and rely on the service's ability to provide broader coverage of issues of local importance to its listeners. Staffed primarily by Iraqis based in Baghdad, Basrah, Irbil, Kirkuk, Mosul, Sulaymaniyah and at RFE/RL's Prague Broadcast Center, RFI provides its listeners insight into breaking news, political, and military developments as well as in-depth reports and interviews on issues of special interest. The station also features a number of weekly programs on Iraqi cultural life. RFI's special programming this month includes an on-going series on democracy in action, which follows the work of local neighborhood councils in Baghdad and focuses especially on the work of female council members. The service has also produced a 60-part serialization of Iraqi scholar Kanan Makiya's ground-breaking book "Cruelty and Silence," which details the atrocities of the deposed Hussein regime and the failure of Arab and pro-Arab intellectuals to recognize the brutality of the regime. RFI's regular programming includes 12 five-minute news updates per day, in addition to its thirty-minute morning program five days per week, which closes with a three-minute news update; RFI's flagship program "Iraq File," a 25-minute program featuring correspondent reports and interviews; and the weekly Baghdad-based "Dialogues," with feature-length interviews with Iraqi political, cultural, and religious figures. The survey, conducted from October 19-November 3, 2003 by D3 Systems Inc., of Vienna, Va., consisted of 1,000 face-to-face interviews: 500 people were interviewed in Baghdad; 300 in Mosul and 200 in Basra. Researchers for the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), which oversees all U.S. nonmilitary international broadcasting including RFE/RL and Radio Free Iraq, said the survey data should be considered preliminary but indicative of current international radio use. RFI is currently on the air 17 hours a day in Arabic on FM frequencies in Baghdad (102.4 FM) and Basrah (105 FM). Plans are also underway to increase RFI's FM broadcasting in the northern Iraqi cities of Irbil and Al-Sulaymaniyah from nine to 15 hours per day. All of the service's programs can also be accessed on shortwave and mediumwave frequencies, via direct-to-home satellite on the Hotbird3 and AsiaSat- 2D satellites and on the Internet http://www.rferl.org/bd/iq/ RFI, which has been broadcasting to Iraq since 1998, is one of three U.S. international broadcasting entities serving the Iraqi audience. Radio Sawa, a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week Arabic-language network, broadcasts news and news analysis combined with an upbeat mix of the best Western and Arabic pop music. The Kurdish Service of Voice of America broadcasts four hours of programs daily on the latest U.S., world and regional news, along with correspondent reports on local developments in Iraq, and features on science, technology, and American culture. For expert commentary on developing events in Iraq, and to learn more about RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq service, please contact: • David Newton, Director of Radio Free Iraq (newtond@rferl.org; telephone in Prague: 011-4202-2112-2651) • Kathleen Ridolfo, Editor of "RFE/RL Iraq Report" (ridolfok@rferl.org; telephone in Prague: 011-4202-2112-7711) Learn more about Iraq and Radio Free Iraq at RFI's Arabic-language website: http://www.iraqhurr.org Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty is a private, international communications service to Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe; the Caucasus; and Central and Southwestern Asia funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting Board of Governors (RFE press via DXLD) ** IRAQ. WORLDSPACE BIDS ON $98 MILLION DEAL TO REBUILD IRAQI MEDIA NETWORK --- Digital Satellite Radio Pioneer Teams With Nine Other Experienced, Niche Providers WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- WorldSpace Corporation, the pioneer of direct satellite delivery for digital audio radio services (DARS), announced its Government Sales Unit has submitted a proposal in partnership with nine other companies and institutions to rebuild Iraq's news media institutions. The Iraqi Media Network operates the country's national television and FM radio networks and Al-Sabbah newspaper. WorldSpace is leading a team of companies with specialized experiences and a track record of success in rebuilding journalism communications in countries formerly under totalitarian regimes. With 40+ years of related expertise and $4.5 billion of combined DoD contracts, partnering companies include TFS Group; The Rendon Group; East-West News Service; Oracle Surveillance (security); and Harris Corporation, Broadcast Communication Division. "WorldSpace has hand-picked the most qualified and experienced group of companies to bid on the Iraqi Media Network contract. They are companies that have demonstrated a track record of successfully serving the DoD and other internationally-focused government agencies," says Noah Samara, CEO of WorldSpace. "We are confident in our proposal, knowing that WorldSpace and its partners have the talent and technology to begin the staggering task of rebuilding a critical communications outlet for the Iraqi people." Scheduled to begin January 1, 2004, the $98 million, one-year Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) contract to reconstruct the Iraqi Media Network also has two six-month extension options. The main objective of the contract is to ensure the Iraqi network is brought up to professional standards in media. This will include the refurbishment and repair of infrastructure, the provision of programming, the expansion of the national newspaper network and the training of a local workforce. The final component is to develop an exit strategy by privatizing the media network and turning the control back to the Iraqi nation of over 24 million people. In addition to fulfilling the requirements for a prime government contractor, WorldSpace also has satellite assets which currently broadcast information, news and entertainment to portable receivers in Iraq. With dozens of channels in 15 different languages, WorldSpace's radio service has been broadcasting into Iraq and the Middle East since 1999. Further leveraging the advantages of satellite technology, WorldSpace will be able to datacast content across Iraq to strengthen and build the news services, including Al-Sabbah, the country's largest daily newspaper which has a circulation of 60,000 and only one working printing press. The second printing press was bombed. SOURCE WorldSpace Corporation -0- 12/11/2003 /CONTACT: Ted Kelly of WorldSpace Headquarters, +1-202-969-6478, or tkelly @ worldspace.com or Susan Gunther of Strategic Communications Group, Inc., +1-301-408-4500, or sgunther @ gotostrategic.com for WorldSpace Corporation/ /Web site: http://www.worldspace.com/ (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** ISLE OF MAN. DATE SET FOR ISLE OF MAN LONGWAVE HEARING | Paul Rusling of Isle of Man International Broadcasting plc informs us: The Petition of Doleance against the Communications Commission has finally been listed for hearing in January. The case will commence on Monday 19th at 10am in the High Court in Douglas and, due to the length of the pleading by the Petitioner, is scheduled to last four days. The Petition claims that the Communications Commission (part of the Isle of Man Government) acted unreasonably in awarding the Broadcast Licence, considered things they ought not to have done and ignored matters they should have considered. The claims will be robustly rejected by the Government Advocate, Stephen Harding and by Seth Caine, Advocate for Isle of Man International Broadcasting plc. The Petition, a form of request for judicial review, alleges noise, interference, health risks, dangers to navigation and a host of other emotive and imagined effects, all of which have been judged by experts to be unfounded. Economic Advantages "Our original schedule would have seen us launch into a period when the broadcast industry was suffering from a slump in advertising," said Geoffrey Holliman, IMIB's Director of Marketing. "This may have made life a little difficult for us in our launch year, however radio revenues are now improving with most other stations experiencing substantial increases in revenues of late, particularly national AM stations. The delays caused by the legal challenge may well prove to be fortuitous, moving our launch into this rather more bouyant period for radio." # posted by Andy @ 08:15 UT Dec 11 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. STUDIO DX News: Tomorrow Sunday 14 December, inside STUDIO DX over AWR in Italian on 11730 kHz at 1000 utc, there will be the first number of "Free Radio News" with Chris Ise of Crazy Wave Radio, with lot of pirate news and jingles. The "Listeners corner" will follow. Please remind that Sunday 21 December STUDIO DX will be on the air for ONE HOUR, between 1000 and 1100 UT, always on 11730 kHz, with a LIVE show. You can call +39-055-414040 during the live broadcast. Updated news on http://www.studiodx.webport.it Best 73's (Stefano Mannelli, Italy, via Jem Cullen, Dec 13, ARDXC via DXLD) ** JAPAN. Station JG2XA, reported by John Wilkins in DXLD 3218, is an HF experimental station of The University of Electro- Communications, located in Chofu City, western suburb of Tokyo. Exact details are given in the following URL [illustrated] http://ssro.ee.uec.ac.jp/lab_tomi/HFD/project-info/site/vericard-e.html (Takahito Akabayashi, Tokyo, Japan, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: The HFD Radio Station JG2XA is transmitting at 5006 and 8006 kHz for 24 hours a day from Chofu, Tokyo, for the study of ionospheric disturbances. We appreciate your reception report especially describing reception date & time, frequency, signal strength, interferences, fading condition, and so on, because your report helps our propagation study. We will issue a verification card (vericard) for the useful report. If you want to accept the JG2XA vericard shown below, please send your report with IRCs to the following address: c/o Tomizawa Laboratory Sugadaira Space Radio Observatory, The University of Electro- Communications 1-5-1 Chofugaoka, Chofu-shi, Tokyo 182-8585, JAPAN (via Akabayashi, DXLD) ** JAPAN. Nagasaki Pearl Harbor radio station website, from JARL I got this message forwarded to me about the station that sent the attack on Pearl Harbor; he mentioned there were 3 stations actually involved. 1. CHIBA Gyoda station 2. NAGASAKI Hario 3. AICHI Aichi He was uncertain as to whether it`s in use but he thinks not, which is contrary to what I was told at the Navy base in Sasebo, Japan. http://www.yado.co.jp/kanko/nagasaki//nagasaki/hario/hario.htm I am still checking two other sources including the MWR office which my boss is following up on for me. I will let you know about anything I find out (Larry Fields, n6hpx/du1, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Later: Looks like bad news about the Nagasaki -- confidential callsign (Field, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nagasaki station update Part 1: good news and bad news I am sorry for the delay to Glenn and others who might be interested in this station. My ship went to sea after I mentioned it that the station was operating as was told to me by the US Navy office. I ended up sending messages to 4 different spots trying to find out more. One of those was Radio Japan and they sent this back to me: Please find the following contact information: Hario Transmission Station Maritime Safety Agency Sasebo Branch Address: 4-1 Senjin-cho,Sasebo-shi,Nagasaki-ken, 875-0852,Japan Telephone number: 81-956-31-4842 |bad news part| For your information, the transmission site is not in use at present (contradicts what I was told). Best Regards, Radio Japan info @ intl.nhk.or.jp One thing that was also mentioned to me that According to JARL contact the Call letters were confidential and there was no way to find out. I am planning to write to them and ask anyways (Larry Fields, n6hpx/du1, enroute to Guam/Saipan, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Subject: hello from N6HPX in Guam I have a question and hope you can answer it. I was recently in Sasebo Japan and had the chance to visit the Saikai Bridge, near Nagasaki. It also has a Radio Transmitter that has been on my mind since I saw it. They tell me this is the station that sent the transmissions to the Japanese fleet to attack us at Pearl Harbor, and I was also told that this station is still in use today. Is this true and is there anyway of finding out what the call sign is for this station. I have been bugged by the comment and would love to hear it on my shortwave radio. Is there any way to find out a email or address to contact on this. Thanks, (Larry Fields, n6hpx to Radio Japan, via DXLD) Dear Mr. Larry Fields, We duly received your inquiry on the radio station in Sasebo. However, as we do not own the facility, we are not able to be of your assistance. We ask for your kind understanding. With best of regards, (Radio Japan, NHK World, via Fields) Thanks anyways and hope if possible if you can direct me to someone who does know. Thanks, (Larry Fields, n6hpx, to NHK) Dear Mr. Larry Fields, We duly received your message. Please find the following contact information: Hario Transmission Station Maritime Safety Agency Sasebo Branch Address: 4-1 Senjin-cho, Sasebo-shi, Nagasaki-ken, 857-0852, Japan Telephone number: 81-956-31-4842 For your information, the transmission site is not in use at present. With best of regards, (Radio Japan, Dec 12, to and via Fields, DXLD) Dear Mr. Fields, There are various opinions, but according to my investigation, it seems like the Great Imperial Navy of Japan sent a code message of "Climb Mt. Niitaka" from one of under mentioned stations to the Japanese carrier-based aircraft. "Climb Mt. Niitaka" means "attack the U.S. Pacific fleet anchored at Pearl Harbor." 1. Hario Station (Nagasaki) 2. Gyoda Station (Chiba) 3. Yosami Station (Aichi) | 1. I heard the station is still in use. Is this true? No, the Hario Station is not in use. | 2. What are the call letters of the station. I couldn't find it. I asume it was confidential. | 3. If possible can you tell me who I can ask or email about the station. For your reference, there are some Web sites on them. Please refer, but all of them are in Japanese. http://www1.bbiq.jp/rainbow/ruins-01.htm http://www.yado.co.jp/kankou/nagasaki/nagasaki/hario/hario.htm http://www.intwk.co.jp/YAMADA/build7/hario/IMAGES/hario.html http://homepage3.nifty.com/8137/zanei-funabasi.html http://www.mpchiba.com/fn/totsugeki/ http://www.ricoh.co.jp/net-messena/NDTWW/NDTVM/NIWA/PHOTO.html#P4 Sincerely, Mitsuhiro SUGAWARA(Mitsu) Manager, International Section The Japan Amateur Radio League, Inc. E-mail: sugawara@jarl.or.jp Website: http://www.jarl.or.jp Tel: +81-3-5395-3106 Fax: +81-3-3943-8282 (via Larry Fields, DXLD) ** LIBERIA. ORANGEBURG MISSION GROUP TAKE CLOTHING, BIBLES, PRAYERS AND HUGS TO WARTORN LIBERIA ...The first broadcast on the Christian radio station ELWA, "Eternal Love Winning Africa," was in 1954. "Since then, ELWA, has been proclaiming the unchanging Gospel of Jesus Christ to the people of Liberia," said Moses Nyantee, the station general manager. ELWA has been silenced periodically by civil war and now, at reduced strength, maintains a broadcast schedule on FM with 250 watts and shortwave kilowatt transmitter of 1000 watts. "For now we broadcast eight hours a day. It's all because we don't have sufficient funds to fuel the generator to keep us on the air for longer hours," Nyantee said... http://www.timesanddemocrat.com/articles/2003/12/11/pm/pm1.txt (Times & Democrat, Orangeburg SC, 12 Dec 2003 via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** MALTA [non]. VOM MALTA REDAZIONE ONDE RADIO - COMUNICATO - (gr 5 b) VOM - Redazione "Onde Radio" - Alfredo Gallerati - - COMUNICATO - =================================== Cari amici ascoltatori, a pochi giorni dalla fine dell'anno 2003 devo, con rammarico ed ormai con certezza, darvi notizia della prossima chiusura della VOM di Malta. Ho ricevuto comunicazione dal nostro Direttore Richard Muscat, il 16 Novembre 2003 ma, essendo in attesa di eventuali comunicazioni dal Governo di Malta, ho voluto attendere prima di passarvi la notizia. Dal prossimo gennaio 2004 la VOM chiuderà le sua attività lasciando il panorama radiofonico europeo privo di una voce che in questi ultimi anni ha occupato un ruolo centrale nell'interesse dei radioascoltatori, specialmente per gli appassionati delle trasmissioni in lingua italiana. Il programma "Qui Malta" era iniziato il 1 dicembre 1997, sei mesi dopo aveva inserito la rubrica di radioascolto "Onde Radio" che curavo grazie all'attiva collaborazione dell'AIR --- Associazione Italiana Radioascolto --- ed a gran parte degli amici sostenitori a cui è indirizzato questo Comunicato. Vi ringrazio di cuore e senza riserve perchè si è trattato di un'avventura radiofonica che ci ha consentito di sperimentare da vicino la forza interattiva della collaborazione tra ascoltatori ed emittenti. Intanto ho ricevuto richieste da molti tra voi che vorrebbero sapere se la trasmissione "Onde Radio" proseguirà e/o renderà disponibile l'ascolto dell'archivio delle trasmissioni svolte. Da gennaio l'ascolto di "Onde Radio" dovrebbe essere reso disponibile sul web all'indirizzo che forniremo in seguito. Con successivo comunicato via e-mail vi informerò non appena il programma sarà disponibile sul web. Intanto stiamo costituendo un gruppo di radioascoltatori che, dopo la chiusura della VOM, sonderà le diverse opportune strategie per sollecitare le competenti Autorità maltesi, sull'esigenza di riattivare una voce radiofonica importante per i radioascoltatori europei. Fateci avere intanto le vostre impressioni ed i vostri contributi sulla possibilità di riattivare le trasmissioni di VOM da Malta scrivendo all'indirizzo e-mail alfredogallerati@v... [troncatto] Rinnovo i più sinceri ringraziamenti a tutti, in particolare a quanti con me hanno collaborato alla grande affermazione del programma "Onde Radio". In attesa, vi leggo con piacere e vi saluto tanto cordialmente. Auguri per sempre nuove trasmissioni in lingua italiana! ...................................................................... Alfredo Gallerati - IK7JGI - A.I.R. Associazione Italiana Radioascolto Redazione "Onde Radio" Voce del Mediterraneo-Malta - "Onde Radio" on line: http://www.vomradio.com AIR web: http://www.arpnet.it/air/onderadio.htm P. O. Box 21 -70051 Barletta (Bari) -Italia- (via Pedro Sedano, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Blobmitter check: Dec 13 at 1452 centred on 9427, covering only 9422-9432, extremely distorted Spanish talk, presumed XERMX. Nothing audible on \\ 11770 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non]. XEKTT / Tecate --- XEKTT on 560 has fewer conflicts than 550, but has major overlap of contours with adjacent channel KLAC 570 Los Ángeles. Today Dec. 12, 2003 at 3:50 pm PST, I could hear them in Hollywood on my car radio despite KLAC. I estimate that XEKTT is running at least 2 [sic] kW. Their daytime interference contours on 560 would significantly interfere with KBLU 560 Yuma, AZ, unless XEKTT 560 is directional away from Yuma. At night, interference to KBLU 560 will be severe, unless XEKTT 560 is limited towards Yuma. Judging by the XEKTT signal in Los Angeles, XEKTT is not directionalized away from KSFO 560 San Francisco; this will interfere with the KSFO night signal beyond their 6 mV/m contour, if I'm right about XEKTT using 2 kW (Donald Wilson, Venture Technologies, Dec 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) XEKTT has moved to 560! I noticed them on the way home tonight "La nueva romántica 560 AM, tu nuevo amor." They're blasting in. Now 550 is a wasteland between the XESURF and XEKTT slop. 570 is pretty messy now too. They actually did less damage when they were on 550. At least they're not playing those same 10 songs over and over again now :) 73, (Tim Hall, Chula Vista, CA, Dec 11, IRCA via DXLD) Jim Hilliker forwarded this from laradio.com: PIRATE RADIO SHUT DOWN (December 11, 2003) About six weeks ago, an illegal pirate radio station went on the air from Tijuana. They were located at 550 AM, which has destroyed the listenership to K-SURF at 540 AM. The Mexican government has now taken them off the air. "We're back to being normal again," said a relieved Saul Levine, owner/gm of the 540/1260 AM Pop Standards signal. "This hurt us because we were doing a tremendous job with 2/3rds of the audience of Clear Channel's KPOP-San Diego. People in L.A. were using 540 as fill-in in areas where 1260 was not strong. And we've just totally lost that. It has been a tremendous burden, but fortunately they've been taken off the air. 540 is back and now heard all over the Southland. We're just very grateful that the Mexican government moved in and stopped this," said Levine (via Rich Toebe, Davis CA, IRCA via DXLD) Is this a pirate or part of the station on 1600? Does anyone know for sure? 73s, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) [Greg Hardison already explained here how it started on 550 instead of 560 due to illegible data somewhere in the Mexican government; NOT a pirate and NOT off the air, just moved! --- gh] Well XEKTT is back, but now on 560. It is still under KSFO as I type this. Earlier they were on top (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, bid.) This from 12/12 laradio.com, courtesy of Jim Hilliker: Bakersfield Interference. "Saul Levine isn't the only one glad the Mexican government shut down the pirate on 550 AM," emailed Mark Howell, news director, KUZZ AM/FM, KCWR/fm. "It was also ruining reception of Bakersfield's KUZZ [AM] in northern Los Angeles county - a signal normally listenable at least as far south as the I-5-Highway 14 junction. I personally received several complaints about it from listeners." Phoenix Interference. "I was delighted to read here about Mexico's pirate radio station at 550 AM being closed down, and was glad to read Saul Levine's reaction as well," emailed Austin Hill. "Saul isn't the only one who has been frustrated about this situation - - myself and my colleagues at NewsTalk 550 K F Y I here in Phoenix have been impacted, with lots of Mariachi music in the background of our talk shows." (via Rich Toebe, IRCA via DXLD) Last night turned by KSFO 560 several times . New station from the south land doing a pretty good job of beating up the "right" wing. Perhaps a DA is in order for the new kid on the block. Regards (John KF6GNI, Novato CA, Dec 13, IRCA via DXLD) ** MEXICO. XEMO ups power --- Measurements made in the LA and Orange county areas show that XEMO-Tijuana [860] is running somewhere between 4 and 5 times its previous 5 kw power. It is hashing KRLA-870 in all of Orange County (David Gleason! Dec 12, NRC-AM via DXLKD) ** NEW ZEALAND. BOARD CHANGES AT RADIO NEW ZEALAND | Text of report by New Zealand government web site on 11 December Appointments to the board of Radio New Zealand have been announced today [11 December] by Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey. Radio New Zealand is a public service broadcaster, operating in accordance with its charter, providing four networks: Concert FM, Parliamentary Radio, Radio New Zealand International and National Radio. Steve Maharey said current board chair Brian Corban has been reappointed for a further three year term and [IT firm] EDS managing director Rick Ellis has been appointed to the board, also for a three- year term. "Through its four networks, Radio New Zealand provides an essential service reflecting and analysing our people and their culture and issues. The reappointment of Brian Corban will provide the company with stability as its new chief executive, Peter Cavanagh, takes up the reins. "Rick Ellis brings his extensive knowledge of the New Zealand broadcasting scene to the board. He was previously chief executive of TVNZ and currently chairs the Television Local Content Group, which is working on the development of industry-led voluntary targets for locally-made programming on New Zealand's major free-to-air networks. He replaces Liz Hickey who has resigned from the Radio New Zealand board," Steve Maharey said. Source: New Zealand government web site, Wellington, in English 11 Dec 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Snowstorms are not that rare in northern OK, and the present one had been predicted for at least a week --- but some stations still weren`t ready for it. Tuned in KOSU 91.7 at 1807 UT Dec 13 and heard open carrier for 14 minutes, when the manager finally came on and explained that they had to scrape the snow out of their satellite (receiving) dish, and should have it done in time for the Met Opera at 12:30 CST. Unfortunatley, the opera started early this week for its season première at noon! Finally joined at 12:32 after the GM personally took a broom to the dish. Was KOSU running OC all night and all morning? Maybe not, as the fill music at 1821 UT apparently came from Classical 24. Perhaps the Met is on a different satellite and dish. But why wasn`t anyone scraping all the dishes ASAP before they were needed? Classic Arts, which local cable access Pegasys runs on channel 12 most of the time, had a very snowy signal, breaking up, obviously another case of dish-full-of-slush; KXOK-32 plus cable 18 had more or less black screen and `no signal` for hours and hours --- but that even happens on bright, sunny warm days with them. It may be an unpleasant task, but if you are in the TV or radio biz and depend on satellite downlinks (and who doesn`t anymore?), keeping the dish clear of obstruxions is an essential part of the job. The named stations around here obviously aren`t serious about keeping a modulated signal on the air. Then checked the local dial, and found only one of the local gospel- huxter translators, Family Radio on 88.3, was missing. That might have come in handy for the Mexican Es opening on ch 2-6 poking into the FM band, clearing 88.1, 88.3 and 88.5 for DX. But nothing heard there before it came back on at 1957 UT (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5906.3, 0920 Dec 12, Radio Melodía, Arequipa, fair sig midst heavy static with canned IDs and lively programming. Slight freq shift from 5906.45 (Paul Ormandy, ZL4PW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. [continued from 3-223]. R. Cielo: Just got home and tuned them in (ID assumed at this point) at 5632.8 (now just past 7 PM EST) at 0019 UTC. Also hearing a growl but definite OA music (John Sgrulletta, NY, Cumbre DX via DXLD) John, 5632.8 Radio Cielo? 0025-0059 Dec 13. Signal strength has been as high as S7 on the NRD535D. Same growl as you report. Predominately lively music with heavy rhythmic drumming and chants. OM on at 0054 with "echo" sound, perhaps ID (Dave Palitsch, Averill Park, NY, "Long" Inverted L, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Yes, I heard them this morning and the male announcer said "Radio Cielo, Cielo, Cielo --- as an echo announcement. But each Cielo had its own echo, not one Cielo that was echoed three times, if you know what I mean (John Sgrulletta, NY, ibid.) ** ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON. FWIW, from the current Industry Canada database, there are four FMs in this French territory off the south coast of Newfoundland: Cap Aigle, St. Pierre: 94.9 1,000h 91m (da) 46-47-45N 56-09-39W St. Pierre Ville: 102.1 100h 20m 46-46-51N 56-10-35W Miquelon: 101.5 500h 60m (da) 47-01-02N 56-22-19W 103.3 100h 50m (da) 47-01-02N 56-22-19W -- (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN, Dec 12, WTFDA via DXLD) The 102.1 is Radio Atlantique. Are the others RFO? (Mountaintop Media [a.k.a. Rick Shaftan, NJ], ibid.) No way to know from the I-C information (probably). (how's that for ambiguous grammar?) I meant, the others are probably RFO (Doug Smith W9WI, TN, ibid.) It would be most interesting to know their directional patterns, as if they are favorable, these wouldn't be impossible targets for those near the coast in New England and the Maritimes (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) ** SURINAM. 4990, R. Apintie, 13 Dec. 0210-0215, End of "Oye Como Va" by Santana, M in English with "Relax and enjoy, nonstop music", then very brief song announcement, and into soft Soul song. No ID, but I'll go out on a limb and say it`s the exact same anncr hrd in the past!! 12-13 December 2003: Even though it was quite cold and snowing, I decided to take a chance and drive up to the local micro-DXpedition QTH for an evening of DXing. As soon as I started, I noticed conditions from LA were better than they have been. In fact there were so many target stations coming in, I was awestruck. It was the proverbial "kid in a candy store"!! When conditions arise like this, its nearly impossible to resist the urge to tune around. RX: NRD-535D ANT: Beverage of 500' at 170 degrees QTH: Dunlo "Dip" reclaimed stripmine Duration: 2310-0215 UTC Solar Indices: Didn't check, but they were: S.F.=87, A=23, K=3. It appeared to be a decent CP and southern OA opening. WX: steady light snow, cold 17 degrees. (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** TIBET. Tibet B.S. heard at 1100-1130 in English on 4920, 6110, 9490 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, Hyderabad, India, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Another tradition bites the dust at BBC WS: no sign of Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols this year, per BBC On Air. In fact, not much special Xmas programming at all (Chris Hambly, Victoria, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. UK GOVT LAUNCHES REVIEW OF BBC'S ROYAL CHARTER LONDON, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Britain launched on Thursday a public consultation into the future of the BBC, inviting suggestions as to how the broadcaster that recently clashed with the government over Iraq should be funded and regulated. The consultation will pave the way for a review of the BBC's royal charter, which is due to expire at the end of 2006. The start of the review process caps an eventful year for the BBC after it became embroiled in a bitter, lengthy spat with the government over the Iraq war that led to the suicide of an expert on Iraq's banned weapons. Government scientist David Kelly killed himself after being outed as the source of a BBC report that claimed Prime Minister Tony Blair had hyped the threat from Iraq's arms to justify war. The BBC, affectionately referred to as "Auntie" and funded through a license fee, has frequently feuded with governments in past decades but the Kelly affair raised questions about its standards and put it in a difficult position. Senior Judge Lord Hutton will report on his inquiry into Kelly's death in the New Year and is expected to criticise the BBC's reporting as well as the government's treatment of Kelly. The government has said the Kelly affair will not impact the renewal of the BBC's charter -- the wording of which the government must agree -- or the broadcaster's independence. "The one certain outcome of the review will be a strong BBC, with the courage to be editorially autonomous and independent from government," Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Tessa Jowell said in a statement on Thursday. The BBC, lauded worldwide for its gold-standard reporting, has already taken steps to tighten editorial guidelines and management practices to defuse any criticism from Hutton. The BBC's first charter ran from 1927 to 1936 and the corporation is now approaching the end of its seventh charter (RTw 12/11 1255 via Mike Cooper, DXLD) 'BRITISH PEOPLE TO DECIDE FUTURE OF BBC' Your BBC, Your Say: read the consultation leaflet Jason Deans, Thursday December 11 2003, The Guardian The government today launched its biggest ever public consultation about the future of the BBC, appealing to the millions of licence fee payers to air their views on the corporation's funding, structure and obligations. The culture secretary, Tessa Jowell, launched the consultation as the first stage of a review of the BBC's 10-year charter, which runs to the end of 2006. Ms Jowell said that for the first time the future of the BBC would be decided by the "British people", rather than the "great and the good". A consultation leaflet published by the culture department today called Your BBC, Your Say asks members of the public whether they think the licence fee is the best way of paying for the BBC and, if not, for suggestions of alternative ways of funding the corporation - a potentially explosive question. The document also invites licence fee payers to say whether they think the BBC governors should have responsibility both for how the corporation is run internally and its regulation in the public interest. How the BBC should be regulated is another contentious issue, particularly in the light of the Iraq dossier row with the government, when critics accused governors of abandoning their role as independent guardians of the public interest in leaping to defend the BBC's journalism so quickly. The leaflet, which will be available in public libraries and online, provides a total of eight questions to help people formulate their responses on the future of the BBC. "Rapid change means that we must consider how the BBC should be adapted for the future. The one certain outcome of the review will be a strong BBC, with the courage to be editorially autonomous and independent from government," Ms Jowell said. "Previous charter reviews have been conducted in a range of ways. By the great and the good. By ministers and civil servants. "But this review will be different. For the first time the driving force will be the British people. Through the licence fee, they are in effect the BBC's shareholders." Licence fee payers are invited to email or post these responses to the culture department by the end of March 2004. The consultation process will also include market research and public meetings. Commercial rivals of the BBC are also certain to use the consultation to voice their opinions about how the corporation should be funded and run in future, which are likely to include calls for its commercial activities to be restricted. The eight questions asked by the Your BBC, Your Say leaflet are: What do you value most about the BBC? How should the BBC adapt to cope with changes in technology and culture? What do you think of the television, radio and online services the BBC provides? Should the BBC run commercial services? How should we pay for the BBC? Is the BBC organised in the most effective and efficient way? How should the BBC be governed and regulated? How do we ensure that the BBC is properly accountable to the public and parliament? The BBC director general, Greg Dyke, welcomed the launch of the government's public consultation and said the corporation would play a full part in the charter review debate. "We are pleased that the secretary of state is committed to the continuation of a strong, independent BBC and that she recognises that the BBC plays a unique role in defining what Britain is as a nation," Mr Dyke said. "The secretary of state is asking interesting and challenging questions and we look forward to an open and rigorous debate in which, of course, the BBC will be playing its full part." "Given the changes we are witnessing in both technology and society we also believe she is right to stress in the document that charter review will be both complex and significant." The BBC is planning to publish its own response to Ms Jowell's eight questions in March and will also be using its TV, radio and online services to "stimulate debate" about the charter review. Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited (via John Figliozzi, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. VOICE OF AMERICA ENGLISH BROADCASTS TO AFRICA Programs in shaded cells are produced by the VOA English-to-Africa Service [we can`t show shaded cells here --- but there weren`t any on the original either!] Morning Transmission 0300-0700 UT Sunday 909 1530 4960 6035 6080 7265 7290 7340 7415 9575 9885: 0300 News and Reports 0323 Sports 909 1530 4960 6035 6080 7265 7290 7415 9575 9885: 0330 News Headlines 0333 Encounter 909 1530 4960 6080 7290 7415 9575 9775 9885: 0400 News and Interviews 0423 Sports 909 4960 6080 7290 7415 9575 9775: 0430 News Headlines 0433 Main Street 0455 Editorial 909 6035 6080 6105 7295 11835 13710: 0500 News and Interviews 0523 Sports 0530 News Headlines 0533 Issues in the News 909 1530 6035 6080 6105 7295 11835 11995 13710: 0600 News and Interviews 0623 Sports [same frequencies as 0600? Not clear]: 0630 News Headlines 0633 Main Street Monday through Friday 909 1530 4960 6035 6080 7265 7290 7340 7415 9575 9885: 0300 Daybreak Africa 909 1530 4960 6035 6080 7265 7290 7415 9575 9885: 0330 News Headlines 0333 Business News 0344 Opinion Roundup 0347 Dateline 0355 Editorial 909 1530 4960 6080 7290 7415 9575 9775 9885: 0400 News and Interviews 0415 Focus 0423 Sports 909 4960 6080 7290 7415 9575 9775: 0430 Daybreak Africa 909 6035 6080 6105 7295 11835 13710: 0500 News and Interviews 0523 Sports 0530 News Headlines 0533 Business News 0544 Opinion Roundup 0547 Dateline 0555 Editorial 909 1530 6035 6080 6105 7295 11835 11995 13710: 0600 Daybreak Africa 0630 No Transmission Saturday 909 1530 4960 6035 6080 7265 7290 7340 7415 9575 9885: 0300 News and Reports 0323 Sports 909 1530 4960 6035 6080 7265 7290 7415 9575 9885: 0330 News Headlines 0333 Our World 0355 Editorial 909 1530 4960 6080 7290 7415 9575 9775 9885: 0400 News and Interviews 0418 Point of View 0423 Sports 909 4960 6080 7290 7415 9575 9775: 0430 News Headlines 0433 Main Street 909 6035 6080 6105 7295 11835 13710: 0500 News and Interviews 0523 Sports 0530 News Headlines 0533 On the Line 0555 Editorial 909 1530 6035 6080 6105 7295 11835 11995 13710: 0600 News and Interviews 0618 Point of View 0623 Sports [same frequencies as 0600? Not clear]: 0630 News Headlines 0633 Main Street 0655 Editorial Evening Transmission 1600-2230 UT Sunday 909 1530 6035 13710 15225 15240 17715 17895: 1600 Nightline Africa 13710 15240 15445: 1700 Reporters` Roundtable 1730 Music Time in Africa 909 6035 11975 13710 15240 15580 17895: 1800 News and Reports 1823 Sports 1830 News Headlines 1833 On The Line 1855 Editorial 909 4950 6035 7415 11975 13710 15240 15580 17895: 1900 News and Interviews 1923 Sports 1930 Music Time in Africa 909 1530 4950(exc Mon-Fri 2030-2100) 6035 7415 11855(to 2030) 11975 13710 15240 15580 17885 17895: 2000 Nightline Africa 909 1530 6035 7415 11975 13710 15240 15580 17895: 2100 News and Reports 2106 Jazz America 2200 No Transmission Monday through Friday 909 1530 6035 13710 15225 15240 17715 17895: 1600 News and Reports 1615 Focus 1623 Sports 1630 Africa World Tonight 13710 15240 15445: 1700 News 1706 Talk to America 1755 Mon, Fri: Editorial Tues-Thurs: Opinion Roundup 1730 Studio 7 (for Zimbabwe) (on 909 13600 17895 kHz) 909 6035 11975 13710 15240 15580 17895: 1800 Africa World Tonight 1830 Wed: Straight Talk Africa 909 4950 6035 7415 11975 13710 15240 15580 17895: 1900 News 1906 Border Crossings 1933 Fri: VOA News Review Tues: Housecall Wed: Straight Talk Africa - - - - - - - - - - 1930 World of Music [unclear what this means, below a dotted line; days of the week other than the above? alternate not on SW??] 909 1530 4950(exc Mon-Fri 2030-2100) 6035 7415 11855(to 2030) 11975 13710 15240 15580 17885 17895: 2000 Africa World Tonight 909 1530 6035 7415 11975 13710 15240 15580 17895: 2100 News and Reports 2106 Mon: American Gold Tues: Roots & Branches Wed: Classic Rock Thurs: Top 20 Fri: Country Hits 909 1530 6035 7415 11655 11975 13710: 2200 News and Reports 2215 Close of Business Saturday 909 1530 6035 13710 15225 15240 17715 17895: 1600 Nightline Africa 13710 15240 15445: 1700 News and Interviews 1723 Sports 1730 News Headlines 1733 Press Conference USA 909 6035 11975 13710 15240 15580 17895: 1800 News and Reports 1823 Sports 1830 News Headlines 1833 On The Line 1855 Editorial 909 4950 6035 7415 11975 13710 15240 15580 17895: 1900 Hip Hop Connection 1930 News Headlines 1933 Press Conference USA 909 1530 4950(exc Mon-Fri 2030-2100) 6035 7415 11855(to 2030) 11975 13710 15240 15580 17885 17895: 2000 Nightline Africa 909 1530 6035 7415 11975 13710 15240 15580 17895: 2100 News and Reports 2106 Jazz America 2200 No Transmission Medium wave: 909 kHz [Botswana] to southern Africa, 1530 kHz [São Tomé] to central and western Africa. All other frequencies are shortwave (VOA via Kim Elliott, reformatted by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. The new Aap Ki Duniya program from VOA to Pakistan was heard in Urdu today on 15540 at tune in around 1330 to sign off at 1430. They identify as "Aap Ki Duniya from Voice of America" (Aap ki Duniya means "Your World") (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, Hyderabad, India, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 7555, KJES at 0242 7 Dec. Kiddie chants. They`re speaking in tongues. Sounds like one of the Robo Kids is moving his lips with his finger. I should QSL this (Liz Cameron, Brighton MI DXpedition, MARE via DXLD) but how do you write the programme details :o) (MARE ed. via DXLD) ** U S A. 26190, KSL 11m studio feeder 6 Dec at 1709-1800+. History of the poinsettia. Ads for Deseret Book, car dealers, LDS website. Program was the "Greenhouse Program". Good catch. I sent a QSL letter (Liz Cameron, Brighton MI DXpedition, MARE via DXLD) In NBFM, right Liz? (MARE ed., ibid.) ** U S A. ONLY RADIO PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY DEBATE NPR News and The WOI Radio Group will co-sponsor the only radio debate this primary season with the Democratic presidential candidates on Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004 at Iowa State University Extension campus, 700 Locust Street in downtown Des Moines. The debate will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. CST [1906-2059 UT] and will be hosted by NPR's Neal Conan, host of NPR's Talk of the Nation. The debate will be heard on more than 243 public radio stations around the country, across the crucial caucus state of Iowa, and the primary state of New Hampshire. Greater Des Moines Partnership and NPR press release, 11 Dec 2003 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. WKNO MOVE WOULD BE A BOOST FOR GPAC By Clay Bailey, Contact, December 11, 2003 Moving WKNO's operations to Germantown has presented an array of partnership ideas with the suburb's Performing Arts Centre. . . http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/germantown_collierville_neighbors/article/0,1426,MCA_447_2483573,00.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Clear Channel - WWVA story in 3-223 also via (John Wesley Smith, Hallsville, MO; Kim Elliott, DC) ** U S A. HARRY HELMS RETURN APPEARANCE ON ART BELL/COAST TO COAST A scheduled guest had to cancel and --- |joke| perhaps showing how desperate Art is for guests? |/joke| --- I'll be doing another stint on Art Bell's "Coast to Coast" this Sunday night/Monday morning beginning at 11:00 pm Pacific/2:00 am Eastern [0707 UT]. I'll have what producer Lisa Lyons calls "the center ring of the circus," meaning a full three-hour slot complete with phone calls. I'll mainly be plugging my new book, "Inside the Shadow Government," but may get into some radio topics --- three hours is a long time to fill on one subject! At any rate, I hope some of you get to listen and call in (Harry Helms W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, Dec 12, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. While listening yesterday afternoon, I noticed that KPUR Amarillo is still way off frequency, at about 1439.7 kHz. I recall them being off frequency last winter, but had assumed they would have it fixed by now. That kind of technical performance is something I'd expect from Latin American stations, but it surprises me a U.S. station would be allowed to carry on this way for so long (Nigel Pimblett, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Dec 12, IRCA via DXLD) Yes, I hear that het all the time, and there is another one off 1600, whence? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. RADIO TOWER CRASHES DOWN Friday, December 12, 2003 By JUSTIN ELLIS and DAVID HENCH, Portland Press Herald Staff Writers Copyright © 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. http://www.pressherald.com/news/local/031212tower.shtml A 550-foot radio tower in Portland came crashing down during Thursday afternoon's rainstorm, snapping power lines and interrupting transmissions from two southern Maine radio stations. The tower almost struck one of Nappi Distributors' buildings on Presumpscot Street, landing just 18 inches from the company's office. It destroyed a pickup and a car parked there, but nobody was injured. "All you heard was a loud 'crack' and then the whole thing came down. . . . It shook the whole building," said Carol Murray. Murray and her Nappi co-workers thought they heard a train passing through, only to look out the window and see the tower coming straight at them. The tower, which had been clearly visible from Interstate 295 at the Portland-Falmouth line, fell about 1:45 p.m. Peak wind in Portland was 35 mph during the day Thursday, and a half-inch of rain had fallen by midafternoon. Construction specifications typically call for towers to be able to withstand an inch-thick crust of ice and 85 mph winds, according to industry officials. Representatives of the tower's owner still were investigating the cause of the collapse, but one of the structure's support lines apparently gave way. The tower, composed of a grid of red, gray and white steel rods, knocked down two overhead power lines as it toppled onto a railroad bed. Firefighters worked quickly in a steady downpour to cordon off the area because of the danger of electric shock from the live power lines. They could not check to see if anyone was in the tower's transmitter building until after Central Maine Power Co. cut electricity to the lines, which also left several businesses along Presumpscot Street without electricity Thursday afternoon. "We're extremely lucky no one got hurt here today," said John Beatty, public information officer for the Portland Fire Department. Rescue workers were worried about the potential hazard to children leaving nearby Presumpscot School. The downed electrical lines no longer pose a threat, officials said. FM stations WMGX 93.1 and WYNZ 100.9 were broadcasting from the 17-year-old tower. The Portland Radio Group, which owns the two stations and the tower, had engineering crews working to get both stations back on the air. The Portland Radio Group is a subsidiary of Michigan-based Saga Communications and also owns four other Portland radio stations, which were not affected. Cary Pahigian, president of Portland Radio Group, said workers were able to transmit WYNZ from another of its radio towers immediately after the incident. He said WMGX should be broadcasting by this morning. "We've never had a tower collapse ever. . . . It's very unusual," he said. "Everyone is dedicating themselves to getting this thing rectified." Pahigian said engineering crews inspect the tower weekly to ensure their transmitter is working correctly. He would not speculate how much it would cost to build a new tower, or how soon the company would begin construction. Insurance adjusters were examining the wreckage Thursday night. Although unusual, several broadcast towers fall every year, sometimes in hurricanes, sometimes because of poor maintenance and sometimes because they are hit by aircraft. "There are 50,000 broadcast towers across this country between 100 and 2,000 feet tall. Our experience is there are three or four or five a year that come down," said Daniel Ozley, a vice president of Dielectric Communications in Raymond, a national leader in providing FM broadcast antennas and other communications equipment. Dielectric has erected 2,500 towers since it began doing business in 1949, though it did not construct the tower that fell Thursday, Ozley said. Construction of towers must meet industry standards. The standards have evolved over time, but not to where changes would have to be made to an existing tower's construction. "Typically, a tower in Portland, Maine, would be designed for a certain amount of ice loading and certain wind," Ozley said. "If it was good enough in '86, it should be good enough today." Ozley said he is unaware of any ongoing structural certification process other than Federal Aviation Administration lighting requirements. But he said companies typically suggest annual maintenance checks that include greasing the cables and checking the metal supports. Usually when towers fall, they crumple to the ground near the base because the guy wires prevent them from toppling outward, Ozley said. Because this tower fell away from Interstate 295, the guy wire closest to the highway likely gave way, although whether it was the wire itself, a connection or the anchor that fixes it to the ground is unclear, city officials said. Transmission towers are given site plan approval by the city when built, and currently are required to provide engineering studies that show the tower construction is adequate, said Michael Nugent, head of the city's inspection department. Companies also have to provide similar documentation if they want to add to a tower, though this tower has not had any modifications at least since 1997, he said. Nugent said he does not know what the requirements were when the tower was built in 1986. He was unable Thursday afternoon to find the original application and permit for the tower or identify who built it. Towers are built to include "drop zones," an area around the base extending out as far as the tower's height, within which no homes or business can be built in case the tower does fall. Murray and other employees at Nappi Distributors - just at the edge of the "drop zone" - sat in the dark Thursday afternoon watching firefighters and CMP workers clean up outside the office. She said it was a matter of moments between when the lights went out and when the radio tower thundered to the ground. "You could feel the ground shake and then the power blinked out for a second," said Shaun Doiron, who was with other drivers in a separate warehouse when they heard the tower fall. City inspectors, engineers and representatives of the tower owner plan to meet today to explore further the cause of the collapse (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** U S A. CHANGING OF THE GUARD: JULIAN HIRSCH Some sad news. Famed technical writer Julian Hirsch, W2KFB, who spent most of his life testing the latest developments in stereo equipment and explaining them for Stereo Review magazine has died. Hirsch was a graduate electrical engineer from Cooper Union University. He and Gladden Houck created the Hirsch-Houck Laboratories to test electronic equipment in 1957. Hirsch went on to author more than 4,000 reports on stereo systems, speakers, turntables and other equipment until his retirement in 1998. He was 81 when he passed away on November 24th (LA Times, other published news reports via Amateur Radio Newsline via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Different version in 3-222 ** URUGUAY. 9620.7, SODRE (presumed), Montevideo, 12th of december, 2245-2254, Spanish, classical music, short announcement by woman, blocked by REE at 2254, O=1-2. Saludos cordiales desde Alemania, (Michael Schnitzer, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** VANUATU. I don´t know if anybody else has noticed the recent variants of Vanuatu's "yellow bird" IS. I had three or four different versions on tape before but now they vary the IS almost on a daily basis. This means that the IS can no longer be used as a foolproof means of identification of this station. The "original" version of the YB can still be heard at 0659 before the news. 73, (Enzio Gehrig, Denia / Spain (38.50N 0.04E), dxing.info Dec 13 via DXLD) Well, how many stations would be playing any version of YB on 7260? (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. LA 4562v, 0142-0201 13 Dec., Romantic music program with M host in Spanish. Severely distorted carrier, but almost readable in AM mode. Impossible in SSB. Fair strength. Seemed to be drifting down, and was on about 4561.7 at tune-out. Who would this be?? Uno?? (Dave Valko, PA, via Malm, DXLD) Quito 13/Dic/2003 12:05. Hello Dave! I have listened to your recording and I can not think of anything else than Radio Naylamp, Lambayeque (Perú). I do not hear any ID but the type of "sound" indicates Naylamp, a station that you can find in the region 4500 - 4700 kHz (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ ANALYSIS: USING BROADCASTING AS A TOOL FOR PEACE Text of editorial analysis by Peter Feuilherade of BBC Monitoring at the World Electronic Media Forum in Geneva on 12 December Media that actively promote peace and post-conflict reconciliation are part of a wider trend of journalists questioning and fulfilling their responsibilities to society, said participants on the last day of the World Electronic Media Forum (WEMF) in Geneva today. The world's media now share a growing awareness that the output of journalists often has social consequences. Jean-Marie Etter of the Swiss-based Hirondelle Foundation, a group that promotes independent media in crisis zones, recalled the long prison terms given earlier this month to three officials from a radio station in Rwanda. The role of Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) in inciting violence against ethnic Tutsis during the 1994 genocide was a grim reminder of the destructive effect that so-called "hate radio" can have, he said. Peace radio and TV in three continents Hirondelle, set up in 1995 by three Swiss journalists, runs radio stations and a news agency in seven zones of past or present conflict ranging from Africa and East Timor to Kosovo. The group's largest project is Radio Okapi, a network of 10 radio stations run in cooperation with the UN in Democratic Republic of Congo. Radio Okapi carries a mix of news, political debates, vox-pops, sport and music, but avoids broadcasting its own political commentaries or messages from donor countries. It is the only radio heard across DR Congo, a country larger than Western Europe. Hirondelle is planning new projects in Sudan and Angola, and for Roma minorities in Europe. In Sri Lanka, where conflict has claimed 80,000 lives since 1983, the Young Asia TV channel has broadcast peace programmes since 1997 on four terrestrial channels, reaching a wide local audience as well as the Tamil diaspora in Europe. Separate programmes in Tamil, Sinhala and English target the Tamil minority, the Sinhalese majority and urban decision-makers in government respectively. Since the cease-fire in Sri Lanka, Young Asia TV has shifted its focus to "reconstructing the hearts and minds" of Sri Lankans to help sustain reconciliation, the network's managing director Hilmy Ahamed told the Geneva forum. Fighting "law of the jungle" Media workers who want to engage in pro-active journalism that focuses on the needs of ordinary people, rather than the narrow interests of governments, are joining forces with NGOs like Hirondelle, Search from Common Ground and PANOS to produce output that promotes peace around the world. But although donors are becoming more ready to fund radio and TV projects, "peace journalists" are still in a small minority. They cannot resolve conflicts on their own, one speaker cautioned, but maybe they can help to start the healing process. "Technical improvements are making peace journalism easier and cheaper. But in areas where the law of the jungle rules, and might is right, those in charge aren't always sympathetic to our aims," said Hirondelle editor-in-chief Philippe Dahinden. Web links Hirondelle Foundation - http://www.hirondelle.org Young Asia TV - http://www.yatv.net World Electronic Media Forum - http://www.wemfmedia.org Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 12 Dec 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) DRM +++ NEW DRM STANDARDS Dear all, The DRM system specification will be upgraded in the near future. These upgrades will be submitted to ETSI. The upgrades are mainly related to the audio source coding part of the standard. They will increase the audio quality of the DRM system, and will align it with existing, open, audio codec standards. Specifically, the DRM system upgrades will: - Change the SBR implementation to the MPEG-4 format - Replace the low complexity stereo tool with the parametric stereo tool - Introduce the combination of HVXC and CELP speech coders with SBR - Implement the MPEG-4 scalable syntax for the audio source coding As a consequence of these changes, the new format will no longer be compatible with the current format. Therefore an upgrade of all transmitters and receivers in use is currently underway. The date for the switch between the current and the new format will be 15 December 2003, at 01:00 UTC. Please note that it is possible that some transmitters will not be able to broadcast in the new format exactly at 01:00 UTC on December 15th. We anticipate a system upgrade transition period of approximately one week, so please don' t worry if not all broadcasts are available immediately. New software releases are already available for download for the new system specification. For all users of the Fraunhofer Software Radio (professional version): Version 4.0.26 is available. All customers will be informed how to update direct by email. For all users of the DRM Software Radio (60 EUR version): Version 2.0.34 is available. You are kindly requested to upgrade your existing software by downloading the file from http://www.drmrx.org For any questions regarding update of the DRM Software Radio please refer to http://www.drmrx.org We advise you to save the new versions of the software in a different directory, so you can keep both old and new versions during the transition period. Thank you for your kind consideration. Many greetings, Gerd ------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -------- Gerd Kilian FhG, Communications Department phone: +49 9131 776-6327 Am Wolfsmantel 33, FAX : +49 9131 776-6399 D-91058 Erlangen, Germany WWW : http://www.iis.fhg.de (Dec 12 via Joe Buch, swprograms via DXLD) Joe: Could this be the reason (or a reason) for the further delay in the production of the MAYAH DRM2010, now pushed off until late January '04? (John Figliozzi, ibid.) I certainly would hope that any DRM receiver worthy of the name would have the capability to update its capability by a software plug-in, internet connectivity, or over the air transmission. But you very well be onto something. It brings home the importance of software upgrade ease when considering the purchase of a stand-alone DRM radio (Joe Buch, ibid.) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ WHO IS LG? LG, formerly Goldstar, is a Korean firm of some significant international reputation. They have been a "marketing force" in the Pacific, Asia and Europe for ten years plus. Like many Korean firms, they build just about anything that might make them money including automobiles! When Zenith finally threw in the sponge (as in being on the verge of bankruptcy) a few years back, LG stepped in and purchased Zenith rights to most of the (still valuable) Zenith patents. And the right to market in the USA using the Zenith name. Thus anything that says Zenith on it today, or has said Zenith for perhaps four years, is in fact LG - Korean made - possibly using original Zenith designs. Zenith continues to have a "name corporate presence" in the USA, but it is in fact LG. If memory serves me correctly, Zenith (the brand and manufacturer) was the last of the American manufacturers to close down US production of consumer electronics. Goldstar branding preceded LG and was in the mid 90s considered innovative in design but in fact only moderate in performance. LG as a brand name surfaced at the time Zenith became a part of the firm, primarily to meld their Zenith acquisition into the firm and to rid themselves of a "nice but modest" reputation which Goldstar had earned for them. The DTH operator here in New Zealand (Sky NZ) uses "Zenith" branded set top boxes but of course it is a name only in this case - manufactured by LG for Sky (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, Dec 12, WTFDA via DXLD) When I was in India in 1993 they were selling "Goldstar" water, "Zenith" toilet paper, and "Sony" bread. Same logos, but the Sony looked a bit different (Jeff Kadet, IL, ibid.) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ You should check out their site just to read the corporate image stories in Korean English. Here is my favorite featuring "pregnant wife:" http://www.lge.com/experience/yourbetterlife/digitalTV.jsp (Karl J. Zuk, WTFDA via DXLD) I cried when I read the story. Please be with us. LG Digital TV... (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT, ibid.) I found a whole site with ridiculously funny examples of English like that or worse! http://www.engrish.com (Chris, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ QST DE W1AW PROPAGATION FORECAST BULLETIN 51 ARLP051 From Tad Cook, K7RA Seattle, WA December 12, 2003 To all radio amateurs SB PROP ARL ARLP051 ARLP051 Propagation de K7RA Declining sunspot numbers and high geomagnetic activity made rough conditions this week. Average daily sunspot numbers for the week dropped 57% from the previous week, and average daily solar flux was down by 34%. The average daily planetary A index more than tripled to 28.7. Currently earth is inside a high-speed solar wind. The interplanetary magnetic field points north, and geomagnetic conditions would be even more active if it pointed south. The wind is from a large coronal hole, and the stream began affecting earth on December 8. There aren`t any sunspots currently facing the earth, and sunspot 517 is leaving the visible solar disk, while 520 and 521 are coming around the opposite limb. The active region that caused all the wild space weather in October and November is around sunspot 488, which is now crossing the sun`s far side. Its return to the earth side should cause a rise in the sunspot and solar flux numbers. Solar flux is expected to stay below 100 until next Tuesday, December 16, and then rise suddenly from December 18-19, next Thursday and Friday. Unfortunately, conditions should be rough for the ARRL 10 Meter Contest this weekend. Predicted solar flux values for Friday through Monday, December 12-15, are 85, 90, 90 and 95. Predicted planetary A index numbers for the same period are 40, 35, 25 and 20. 10-meter paths really need a high MUF value to sustain them, and the low sunspot numbers we`re seeing now don`t help. You can get an idea how conditions might differ from past years by trying some historic numbers on the W6ELprop program, mentioned frequently in past bulletins. For this weekend, a path from California to Cleveland (W6 to W8 in the program`s atlas) using a flux of 90 and K index of 4 would yield a rather narrow opening, probably only reliable from 1800-1900z. A path from Dallas to Brazil (W5 to PY in the atlas) shows a poor probability for a path (although Seattle to PY looks much better). On the ARRL website you can sample values from past bulletins at http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/ Looking back at 2002 to bulletin number 53, the average solar flux for Friday through Sunday of the 10-meter contest weekend was 185, and the K index must have been quite low, because planetary A indices were 7, 11 and 9. Using the flux value of 185 and a K index of 2, the California to Cleveland path looked fantastic from 1530 through 2330z, and the other paths looked much better as well. What a difference a year can make in a changing solar cycle. As mentioned in past bulletins, you can download the W6ELprop software free at http://www.qsl.net/w6elprop/ Sunspot numbers for December 4 through 10 were 115, 88, 87, 53, 49, 23 and 46 with a mean of 65.9. 10.7 cm flux was 115.8, 111.7, 108.9, 92, 93.7, 92.2 and 89.2, with a mean of 100.5. Estimated planetary A indices were 9, 43, 22, 15, 39, 31 and 42, with a mean of 28.7. Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###