DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-225, December 14, 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: Mon 0515 on WBCQ 7415, 5105, webcast Wed 0400 WOR SIUE WEBRADIO http://www.siue.edu/WEBRADIO/ Wed 1030 WOR WWCR 9475 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 WORLD OF RADIO ON WBCQ 9330: totally inaudible here UT Sun Dec 14 at 0130. May well be typically above winter night MUF; did anyone hear it? WORLD OF RADIO on IBC Radio webcast: Sun Dec 14 at 1600 confirmed, but it was last week`s 1210 instead of 1211. Perhaps deliberately since they missed airing 1210 last week? Audio quality is good now, at least on the `dial-up` real link I check (gh) ** AFGHANISTAN. AFGHAN NATIVE SON, HOME FROM AMERICA, GIVES ORDERS By DAVID ROHDE --- Published: December 14, 2003 ABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 13 — Ali Ahmad Jalali logged off his Hotmail account on a recent Tuesday morning and turned to the five haggard Afghans seated in his office. For the last 20 years, the five men had endured the calamities that beset Afghanistan — a superpower invasion, civil war, an epic drought and harsh Islamic rule. During those same 20 years, Mr. Jalali lived cozily in suburban Washington, watching his son's soccer games and car-pooling to a job as a reporter and editor for the State Department's Voice of America radio network. Yet today, thanks in large part to the United States, Mr. Jalali is Afghanistan's interior minister and one of the country's most powerful men. The Afghans who stayed behind are his aides... http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/14/international/asia/14AFGH.html?th=&pagewanted=all&position= (via Fred Waterer, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 15820 kHz Radio Mitre, Buenos Aires (Argentina) 13/Dic/2003 - 1030 UT. This morning I heard Radio Mitre, Buenos Aires with a news program called "La Red" with news and ads. Said that the station (or just the news program?) was on until 1300. Björn Malm: "Den här feeder-frekvensen är helt ny för mig och det går förmodligen att logga fler stationer än ovan nämnda "La 101" och Radio Mitre. Mycket bra ljudkvalité. Tack till Arnaldo Slaen, Buenos Aires, ansvarig fär den utmärkta mailinglistan "Conexión Digital" för info om denna frekvens. Läs hans svar här nedan". ``Hola Björn!!! Espero te encuentres muy bien. FM101 sale esporádicamente en esta frecuencia. Fue reportada algunos meses atrás por el amigo Nicolás Eramo. Creo que yo nunca la escuché en esta QRG pero lo que es cierto es que en esta frecuencia, es habitual sintonizar distintas emisoras de onda media porteñas, lo mismo que dos FM`s (105.5 y FM 100) pero muy de tanto en tanto, como antes te decía, se toma la transmisión de esta FM. 73's Arnaldo Slaen (SW Bulletin Dec 14 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Katherine apparently didn`t switch to 2485 on Dec 13: was on 5025 at 0930 and still at 2030 UT the next morning (Chris Hambly, Vic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. THE RISKS OF JOURNALISM IN BANGLADESH Published: December 14, 2003 Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, a Muslim editor and commentator in Bangladesh, has a rare virtue — he champions dialogue and decency in a culture hemmed in by extremism and corruption. When his weekly newspaper, Blitz, published articles favorable to Israel, it was blacklisted by various companies. Some people demanded that the paper be banned. Mr. Choudhury was thrown out of a private television company. But all of this pales compared with what happened last month. As he boarded a flight in Dhaka, the capital, on his way to a writers' conference in Tel Aviv, Mr. Choudhury was arrested by security personnel, accused of being a spy and thrown in prison. The charges are a baseless sham. The Committee to Protect Journalists in New York and the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontières have vigorously condemned his arrest. Governments, including Washington, need to demand his release... http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/14/opinion/14SUN3.html?th (via Fred Waterer, DXLD) ** BELGIUM [non]. Extra DRM frequency for TDP Radio on http://www.airtime.be/schedule.html --- 5905 2000-2100 Saturday (Silvain Domen, Belgium, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BHUTAN [and non]. 6035, 9 Dec, 0120, Bhutan BS, Thimpu, was heard from a tip from Hard-Core. Beautiful music, almost described as a mix between Nepalese and Mongolian "throatmusic". Both Bhutan and "Thimpu" are mentioned several times in the announcements around the half hour. Of course the profit from this batch of tip! Have been chasing this one for years. Q3 HR. 6035, 9 Dec, 2315, Yunnan BC Station, with a program aimed for Taiwan with Chinese theatre music. Closedown at 0120. I don't think there is a risk for mix up between this one and Bhutan. Music and format of program differ too much. Q2 for Yunnan. HR (Hans Ostnell, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. [Note: the SW transmitter on 5952v was not harmed and has remained on the air in the meantime --- gh] RADIO PIO XII RESUMES ITS OPERATIONS IN ORURO ON DECEMBER 10th AFTER GOVT REPLACES TRANSMITTER Translated and reprinted from La Patria, Oruro, Bolivia. © Copyright 2003 by La Patria. Three separate attempts to reach them by e-mail have failed, with their firewall returning the message. My thanks to Conexión-Digital, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Señor Horacio Nigro of Uruguay. Oruro, Dec 2 (La Patria)--- Radio Pio XII Oruro will return to the air for the city and the province on Wednesday, December 10th, after the government replaced its transmitting equipment, station director Abenor Alfaro said today. He indicated that, as of December 2, they were doing equipment tests so that Radio Pio XII could resume its regular programming. ``We decided that it would be the tenth of December, remembering one day more of the liberty of expression, liberty of information, to which all citizens have a right, and which last month was deprived of this right,`` declared Señor Alfaro. On October 15 at 6:10 p.m. the transmitting equipment of Radio Pio XII and Canal 13 Televisión Universitaria were destroyed by a dynamite blast perpetrated by four assassins who acted with heads covered in hoods. Señor Alfaro said that in order to replace the equipment the directors of Radio Pio XII and the Radio and Televisión Universitaria System Channel 13 had to get together on various occasions with authorities of the Ministry of Government and the Presidency. Last week, the Yaesu firm, which had filed the necessary legal applications and the later acquisition of the transmitting equipment, newly installed the transmitters of these mass media on San Felipe Ridge. The cost was $13,680, which were paid by the Ministry of the Government. The director of Radio Pio XII indicated that the at the moment the transmitting equipment is found in a small building that does not belong to Radio Pio XII, but was loaned until a contractor constructs a new building. The Ministry of Government installed a transistorized FM transmitter with modulator and stereo exciter of 1,000 watts, equipped with a DB microwave link with transmitter and receiver, with two yagi antennas included by the Italian manufacturer. Besides two cable connectors for 7/8-inch coaxial cable, the replacement included 40 meters of that cable. The firm also did the installation of the equipment and is making the technical adjustments. Señor Alfaro emphasized that at no moment did he receive funds for the acquisition of the transmitter equipment, that it was representatives of the government and Yaesu who determined the costs, but that the director of Radio Pio XII selected the firm. The representative of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) Brother Gilberto Pawels stated that the Oblates are completing 50 years of service in Bolivia this year, a period in which they dedicated themselves to working with people looking for better days. ``We have always been at the side of the people and we now ratify our promise to be there with the people; our intention is to continue opening the station microphones to the people so that they can express their opinions and participate,`` Brother Pawels said. The director of Radio Pio XII in the town of Siglo XX, Félix Tórrez, indicated that finding work for the personnel of the station was one of the principal concerns that the journalists had during the situation when they were off the air in Oruro. ``Now we should indicate that the employment is guaranteed for all the personnel who were working at Radio Pio XII, indubitably that from this date (December 10) we have to reinitiate our work with one single intention, that of working with the people,`` said Señor Tórrez. ``We revindicate the right to a real democracy, to liberty of expression and communication, reaffirm our intention to continue working for the defense of life, human rights, the development of the sectors of society who are marginalized and excluded, for university autonomy, for participative democracy,`` said the joint document that the directors of both stations published. In the case of the equipment of Channel 13, these will be installed in the following days. Database Siglo Veinte: CP50 Radio Pio XII 710 AM (10,000 watts), 97.9 FM (1,000 watts TPO), y 5948 khz y 5955 khz [sic] onda corta. Apartado 434, Oruro. Señor Félix Tórrez, dtr. Teléfono: +591-52-53163. Fundada 1967, FM May 14, 2000. Repetidoras FM en Cochabamba, Oruro, Potosí. (Catholic Radio Update Dec 15 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. ZYG868 RÁDIO CANÇÃO NOVA IN CACHOEIRA PAULISTA REOPENS TROPICAL BAND TRANSMITTER Cachoeira Paulista, Dec 6 (Conexión-Digital) --- On November 25, Rádio Canção Nova in Cachoeira Paulista in the state of São Paulo, returned to the air its tropical band shortwave transmitter, ZYG868 on 4825 kHz (10,000 watts). The station was heard at 11:30 p.m., national time, with announcements of religious retreats and compact discs done by singers who belong to the Canção Nova community. Database Cachoeira Paulista: ZYK513 Rádio Canção Nova 1020 AM (10,000 watts días, 250 watts noches), ZYG868 on 4825 khz (10,000 watts), ZYE971 on 6105 khz (5,000 watts), y ZYE971 on 9675 khz (10,000 watts) y new–c.p. 96.3 FM (Class B1-E). Difunde sobre el Internet. Fundação João Paulo II. Rua João Paulo II s/n, Alto da Bela Vista 12630-000 o C.P. 57, 12630-070 Cachoeira Paulista, SP. Tel.: (12) 560-20222. Wellington Silva, Jardim, director. 24 h. Website: http://www.cancaonova.org.br E-mail: radio @ cancaonova.org.br (En la diócese de Cachoeira do Sur) Fundada el 25 de mayo 1980 (Catholic Radio Update Dec 15 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Recently a Sackville transmitter mixing product was found on 3530. This a result of their relay(s) between 1100-1200. Radio Korea on 9650 and Radio Japan on 6120. 9650 - 6120 = 3530 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, Drake R7, R8 and R8B, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** CHINA. CRI PLANS EXPANSION ON RADIO AND INTERNET From China Radio International's "Listeners' Garden" programme (in English) on December 13th: Presenter: ... and here Tahpash (Bangladeshi listener) has another request. He says, "Please broadcast the programmes twice a day so that we can enjoy it when I need". Well for this request we have here the deputy of our broadcasting section, Liao Jibuo, to give you an authoritative answer. Liao Jibuo: Actually this is exactly what we are doing. We are planning to broadcast to the area both in the morning and in the evening. So probably starting from some time next year listeners in South Asia and other regions around the world will be able to hear us in the whole morning and evening, local time, which we think's the most convenient time for listening. in addition we are also expanding our contents, that is to say listeners will find more variety in our programming. For example, at the moment we have news and reports and some daily feature programmes, but after the expansion listeners can hear things like the 'Real Time Beijing", which is one hour of news magazine show. We'll also have more music programmes, as well as programmes that teach listeners how to speak Chinese. In a word, longer broacasting, more programmes and better contents. And one thing I also want to mention here is the internet. In the near future we are going to provide 24-hour online broadcasting, so listeners around the world wherever you are, whenever your are, you're going to hear us live. (end of exerpt) It's interesting to note that CRI is already advertising for a news editor for the 24-hour service --- see http://www.crienglish.com/job.htm) Perhaps it'll be a kind of "Voice of China World Service" on the lines of the old "Voice of Russia" 24 hour service. We shall see. CRI is also recruiting monitors for the years 2004-2005. These are expected to report not only on technical quality but on programming and even to organise CRI events in their locality. There is also a new competition for US listeners on the theme of Sino-American relations, timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of China/US diplomatic relations. Details from http://english.cri.com.cn (Roger Tidy, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA [non]. I noted Radio Mundial Adventista - La Internacional Voz de Esperanza on December 13 from 2325 UT on 6165 kHz. Apparently the satellite programming from Alajuela in Costa Rica. Strong signal here in Sweden. Any ideas where this transmitter is located? (Christer Brunström, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Christer, Certainly. It`s Bonaire. We reported this new relay at the beginning of the B-03 season. 73, (Glenn, DXLD) ** CYPRUS [non]. (Cyprus/Norway) Sonnet Radio Europe now mentions on its webpage that it considers to use also Skelton, alongside the Riga- Ulbroka transmitter they're going to test next week. They issued a special QSL card for this test transmission, and it indicates that the refusal from Norkring must be quite new, since it shows nothing else than the Kvitsøy site: http://www.rtidigital.com/QSL%20Information.htm (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK. On WMR's website http://www.wmr.dk --- "WMR World Music Radio is currently building new offices and a new studio. These will be ready in January 2004. A new 10 kW short wave transmitter is expected late January 2004 and the official relaunch of WMR is planned February 2004. Frequencies will be 5815 and 15810 kHz - and WMR will also be available on the Internet." 73's, (Dave (Bristol, England) Harries, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** ECUADOR [non]. The ILG database of Dec 1st contains the 5970 kHz CRI entry ! - already. Thursday 11th: I noted nothing of HCJB program on 6015 kHz here in Stuttgart, 128 kilometers away of Wertachtal in the skip zone. Despite thiny 17 kW Berlin Britz 6190, and DLR 6005, BR 6085, and Muehlacker 6030 kHz locals could be heard fair to well. (wb) Many greetings from Quito - Ecuador (sunny and warm). Just two things I like to mention: 1. Mid November 2003 we choose the old QRG occupied former by Evangeliumsradio Hamburg. Because this QRG was not free anymore, T- Systems recommended 6045 kHz. According T-Systems the ILG listed in November this QRG as free. 2. I know that the 49 m-band is not appropriate during December- January. But most of the listeners did not own receivers with 75 m_band. Other TX-side: Merlin Network is pretty expensive!!! It seems, that we may use the 5925 kHz. Signal will be weak in Germany, but interference free. Any comments are welcome! Sincerely, Horst. (Horst Rosiak, Ekuador, HCJB German Dec 11, BC-DX via DXLD) I've heard the HCJB ID on 6015 and the signal here is peaking 9+15dB. But I can hear a co-channel fairly well too, and especially in fades. I've done a quick scan of the low end of 49 mb and there are channels available higher than 5810. I seem to recollect that DTK once used 5850, and that is clear - at least at 1830 - and also 5900 seems clear, but with splash from VRT 5910. With some "real" planning, all of this could have been avoided (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Dec 11) 5970 German service 1800-1900 UT: Hallo nach Quito, betreffs der neuen Abendsendung von HCJB ueber Wertachtal habe ich mich bisher mit Kontaktmail zurueckgehalten. In der DXer Gemeinde war schon wenige Tage vor der Aufnahme des HCJB Abenddienstes klar, das eine Aussendung auf der CRI Beijing Abendfrequenz 5970 kHz nach Europa nicht erfolgreich sein koennte, war doch dieser Kanal schon seit verschiedenen Wintersaisonen durch eine starke Station aus China belegt. Wir nahmen an, das Douglas Weber diese Frequenz von Quito/Florida aus, ausgesucht hatte. Ich habe gehoert, dass HCJB nunmehr nach einer Ausweichfrequenz im 49/50 Meterband sucht. Nach eingehender Analyse des Bandes in dieser Woche kommen nur folgende Kanaele infrage: am besten 5870 kHz, danach 5905 oder 5860 kHz. Die Frequenz 5925 kHz ist eingeklemmt zwischen zwei starken Signalen von Radio Prag, Czech Republic auf 5930 kHz sendend, und der Voice of Russia Moscow auf 5920 kHz aus Koenigsberg/Kaliningrad in Balkansprachen. Dies kann nicht gut gehen, und das Geld waere fuer HCJB wieder zum "Fenster hinaus geworfen". Die moechte ich HCJB empfehlen, bei der neuerlichen Frequenzauswahl in Betracht zu ziehen. Mit herzlichem Grüss (Wolfgang Bueschel, Stuttgart, Deutschland Dec 5) HCJB Stoersituation 5970: Lieber OM Wolfgang, Vielen Dank fuer die Muehe, eine Ersatzfrequenz zu suchen. Zuerst muss ich aber unseren Doug Weber in Schutz nehmen, der mit der Frequenzwahl nichts zu tun hatte. Die Regulierungsbehoerde ist uns aber sehr entgegen gekommen und wir duerfen die "out of band" Frequenz 5810 kHz belegen. Die Aenderung tritt am Dienstag in Kraft. Danke, wenn Du es ueber deine Kanaele publik machen koenntest. Also noch einmal zum mitschreiben: HCJB taeglich ueber Wertachtal um 1759 UT Station ID, 1800 UT Plattdeutsches Programm, 1830 UT Hochdeutsches Programm auf 5810 kHz. Herzliche Gruesse und eine gesegnete Adventszeit, dein Horst (Horst Rosiak, Radio HCJB - Deutschsprachiger Dienst, "Die Stimme Der Anden", Casilla 17-17-691, Quito - ECUADOR Dec 5 (via BC-DX via DXLD) Liebe Freunde (oder Sympatisanten) der deutschsprachigen Sendungen von HCJB, Leider bekamen wir heute Ueberraschend folgende Absage vom T-Systems Management: ... Leider hat die RegTP wider Erwarten Ihre Zustimmung fuer die Nutzung der "out of band" Frequenz 5810 kHz wieder zurueckgezogen. Als Grund wurde ein zu starke militaerische Nutzung dieser Frequenz ausserhalb Europas angegeben. Aus diesem Grund wurde uns leider untersagt, die 5810 kHz ab 09.12.2003 fuer HCJB zu nutzen, so dass nur noch entweder die 5925 kHz oder 6015 kHz eingesetzt werden kann. ... Nun habe ich vorhin den T-Systems Manager Walter Brodowsky angerufen und folgenden Entschluss gefasst: Obwohl bereichsweise RFI vom Mittleren Osten die Frequenz stoeren koennte (besonders in der Umgebung Wertachtal durch die Skip-Zone), sollten die 125 kW in Westeuropa die Frequenz reinwischen. Bis vor einigen Wochen hatte T- Systems diese Frequenz noch in Betrieb. Wir hoffen, das die RegTP (Regulierungsbehoerde) morgen im Schnellverfahren die Aenderung genehmigt und wir morgen Abend auf 6015 kHz auf Sendung gehen duerfen. Danke fuer Euer/Ihr Verstaendnis! Herzlichst aus Quito, Horst. (HCJB, Dec 8, ibid.) Ich nehme mal stark an, der typische HCJB Hoerer hat gar keine Moeglichkeit das 75 mb zu hoeren. 3985 kHz, direkt neben Biblis in Ukrainisch auf 3980 waere frei. Gibt es ueberhaupt eine zweite 75 mb Antenne in WER? Und hat JUL die 75 mb Antenne abgebaut? Oder HCJB sollte via broker MERLIN in Norwegen senden. Am besten waere es vielleicht doch, dass T-systems die norwegische Doppelstationen aufkauft, dann kann man das Predigergeschaeft noch weiter ausbauen, und auch das katholische Allgaeuer Wertachtal schoen ausleuchten, hi ! (wb, Dec 11, ibid.) Nein. Die jetzt bestehende ist auch erst extra fuer 3995 gebaut worden, als sich die DW damals aus Juelich zurueckzog. Und hat JUL die 75 mb Antenne abgebaut? Sicher nicht, angeboten wird sie jedenfalls nach wie vor. Das muesste also gehen, sofern nicht zu der Zeit schon alle Sender belegt sind (Kai Ludwig-D, BC-DX Dec 11) Kann man ja zwischen Juelich und Wertachtal umshiften, oder? (BC-DX via DXLD) ECUADOR/? HCJB in Russian is also heard on 9845 kHz at 0330. So, as you see, all three declared test frequencies are now active. The best one in Astrakhan is 9765 kHz, the worse one is 6125 kHz (open_dx - Vasily Gulyaev, Astrakhan, Russia, via Signal Dec 14 via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. The Voice of the Revolution of Tigray transmits its programs in Tigrigna language from 10 kW transmitter in Mekelle, the center of Tigray autonomous province. Frequencies are 5500 and 7515 kHz. The total amount of broadcasting is 51 hours per week: Mo-Fr 0400-0500, 0930-1030, 1500-1900 Sa/Su 0400-0900, 1100-1630. The station itself says these broadcasts are well heard in Ethiopia, Eritrea and other African Horn countries, as well as in the Middle East (Sergey Kolesov, Kyiv, Ukraine, Signal Dec 14 via DXLD) ** FINLAND. 11690, 6 Dec, 1515, Scandinavian Music Radio. Ugly as usual. Very strong this time, but some form of loose contact made the usually incomprehensible program impossible to listen to. Curtain down! Q4-5 HR (Hans Ostnell, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GEORGIA. Re R. Khara reported on 4540 until 1545: I checked it today. They ID'ed rather clearly as "Khosume Tbilisi", so the language is most probably Armenian and the station Georgian Radio Foreign Service using this frequency instead of 6080 kHz. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, Dec 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Mission Fridderstimmer (the name sounds so by my ear, maybe incorrect) is on the air in Russian on Saturdays: 1100-1130 15225 kHz for Siberian part 1500-1530 9635 kHz for European part Address: Mission Fridderstimmer, Post Box 1006, 51606 Cummersbach, Germany (Sergey Kolesov, Kyiv, Ukraine, Signal Dec 14 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Re discussion in 3-221: PUSHING FOR MORE POP 'AUF DEUTSCH' 09.12.2003 English-language music dominates the airwaves in Germany. But some are calling for a radio quota that would force stations to play more German songs, saying it would help homegrown artists and the local music industry. Take a stroll down the radio dial in Germany and you might get confused about what country you`re in. News and talk is in German, mostly, but the music is overwhelmingly sung in the language of Shakespeare or, rather, a rock or pop version of it. Ask any German young person what they like to listen to and it`s far more likely they`ll know latest song by American pop music idols Justin Timberlake or Christina Aguilera than releases by German acts. Now a coalition of artists, music industry representatives, economists and self-styled defenders of the German language are now saying enough is enough and that it`s time that the German radio landscape became a little more Teutonic. They are demanding the introduction of a music quota for radio stations that would require their deejays to play 40 percent German music --- less Britney, more Nena (photo). ``There are many talented people in Germany who often sing in their mother tongue. But it looks as if there are fewer and fewer radio stations that are prepared to fit them into their programs,`` wrote Gerd Gebhardt, Chairman of the German Phono Association, on his organization's Web site. ``Love`` not ``Liebe`` The amount of German music on German radio is miniscule. On pop music stations, only 1.2 percent of the songs played are in German, or about one in a hundred. Among public broadcasters, who are seen in Germany as having a cultural duty to fulfil, the numbers are slightly better, but not by much. German-language pop and rock makes up just six percent of their playlists. ``No other country in the world is so indifferent towards its language as Germany,`` said Gebhardt. ``German-language music urgently requires platforms where it can be presented to its audience.`` The call for more Musik on German radio is more than just a paroxysm of national pride. According to quota proponents, there are economic reasons behind it. Besides the big conglomerates like Universal or the Bertelsmann-owned BMG, most of the music sector in Germany is made up of small and medium-sized enterprises. They are the ones who suffer when the German-language artists on their labels don`t get airplay. A lack of radio time means these homegrown artists remain largely unknown to the larger public. Their CDs gather dust on store shelves and smaller production companies watch as insolvency looms. This market phenomenon has also pushed many German artists to forego their native tongue all together. Popular acts like No Angels (photo), Bro`sis, and Jeannette Biedermann all sing in English. Only a few well-known artists, like Ben and Xavier Naidoo, choose to croon auf Deutsch. ``It`s simply impoverishment,`` German songwriter Reinhard Mey, who is among the most vocal proponents of the quota, told the newsmagazine Der Spiegel. ``There is no way getting past putting a quota system (in place),`` he said, which would provide badly needed assistance to a cultural and economic sector that is being drown out by ``Anglo- American mass production.`` French example Proponents point to their western neighbors, the French, who implemented a quota system eight years ago, which requires stations to play 40 percent French music including 20 percent new artists or new releases. ``France has shown us very clearly how such a system can work. Since the introduction of the 40 percent quota in 1995, the French music industry has seen sales increase markedly. At the same time, the German music industry has lost a quarter of its market,`` said Mario Ohoven, president of the Federal Association of Small and Medium-Sized Companies. The French government, which has a tradition of vehemently protecting its cultural players and institutions, has helped in other ways to increase domestic music sales. French artists receive social security, unemployment benefits, and subsidies for touring and rehearsal spaces. A 3.5 percent tax is levied on all concert box office sales and the revenue is used to support new artists, the export of music, and even the purchase of new equipment for artists. Public wants it According to the German Language Association, which is an advocate for both more German on the radio and fewer English words in German, the public is ready to hear its own artists and its own language on the airwaves. A poll that was conducted in April of this year found that 62 percent of those asked want more music with German lyrics. They aren`t alone. Across the world, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry points to the emergence of new sales patterns, with the sales of American artists beginning to decline across the world. While 93 percent of sales in the U.S. market come from domestic artists, in 2001, sales of local repertoires across the world grew to 67.5 percent. This shift in buying patterns has caused other broadcasters to change their music strategies, even without quotas enforced from above. MTV Asia has begun shunning international acts to play up to 90 percent domestic music in each of the countries in which it broadcasts. Autor: http://www.dw-world.de © Deutsche Welle (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** HONDURAS. 3340, R. Misiones Internacionales 0033-0130+ 12/13. Religious music in various styles; frequent time checks and IDs as "R. Misiones Internacionales" and one as "La Voz del Evangelio Completo"; the only frequency mentioned was 1480 AM; frequent mentions of telephone number 238-49-33, apparently for requests and dedications; 0102 program of Bible-reading, with man reciting Chapters 1-3 of Book of Números. Good signal, in spite of the fact that I had to use the "Attenuate" setting to eliminate the 3340 mixing product of local stations 1650+1690 (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INDIA. AIR Special broadcasts --- Due to cyclone threat to the South Eastern Coast of India, All India Radio, Hyderabad operated continuously last night giving out regular updates on the cyclone. The frequencies were 738 khz (200 kw), 4800 (50 kw). Look out also AIR Visakhapatnam on 927 (100 kw) kHz till the warning is withdrawn. ===== 73 de (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Instiute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, dx_india Dec 14 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. IBRA Radio B03 via FEBA Radio. s----fs 9630 1415-1430 UAE Dhabbaya Hindi (ex-9485 RUS Armavir) FEBA Radio change as reported by Observer (Silvain Domen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. Glenn. I have not seen any B-03 frequency schedules for the VOIRI, so I have attempted to make up one for shortwave only. The listings below, except where indicated, were taken from the VOIRI website at http://www.iribworld.com There are 25 languages there to click on to and I have managed to copy/decipher 21 of them. Bengali, Chinese, Japanese and Urdu I could not decipher. Farsi, Azeri and Uzbek are not there to click on to. I also referred to the Nagoya DXer's Circle B-03 frequency list December 10 at http://www.ndxc.org/framepage.html Many other frequencies are included there that I assume are registered frequencies but not presently in use. VOIRI Some B-03 SW Schedules Albanian 0630-0730 15235 17680 1830-1930 6100 7165 Arabic 0530-1630 15545 1630-0530 9935 Armenian 0300-0330 7295 0930-1000 13740 15260 1630-1730 6185 7230 Bosnian 0530-0630 15235 17680 1730-1830 11660 2130-2230 7235 7295 9710 Dari (UT?) 0630-1000 13740 1200-1530 9855 1530-1830 5050 English 0030-0230 6120 9580 (DXLD) 1030-1130 15480 15550 21470 1530-1630 7190 9610 1930-2030 6110 7320 Farsi 1630-1830 7580 (ex 11520) (DXLD) 2030-2130 7350 (NDXC) French 0630- 0730 21645 1830- 1930 6180 9565 9755 German 0730-0830 9500 15084 21770 1730-1830 6110 9500 Hausa 0600-0700 17600 21810 1830-1930 11930 15435 Hebrew 0230-0300 6010 6120 (DXLD) 1900-1930 3985 7120 Hindi 0230-0300 15165 17635 1430-1530 11640 11840 13745 15490 Indonesian 1230-1330 15200 15585 2230-2330 9785 11895 Italian 0630-0730 15084 17605 1200-1300 15084 15275 1930-2000 7295 9615 Japanese 1300-1330 9510 9770 (NDXC) 2100-2130 6125 7180 (NDXC and DXLD) Kazakh 0130-0230 11930 13770 1300-1400 11665 13755 15330 Kiswahili 0330-0430 13640 15260 1130-1230 17630 21550 1730-1830 9595 11750 Kurdish 0330-0430 13720 1130-1430 13790 1430-1630 6140 Pashto (Pushtu) 0230-0330 3985 6095 9525 0730-0830 15440 1230-1330 9790 11870 13720 1430-1530 3965 1630-1730 6005 6015 7195 Russian 0300-0330 7225 6040 0500-0530 12025 15530 1430-1530 9735 7165 1700-1900 6035 7170 1930-2030 3985 7205 Spanish 0030-0130 5965 7220 9555 (and DXLD) 0130-0230 6015 9555 9750 0530-0630 15320 17590 (and DXLD) 2030-2130 7130 9750 (and DXLD) Tajik 0100-0230 4000 (ex 7180) 1600-1730 4000 (ex 5950) Turkish 0430-0600 15260 15365 1600-1730 7125 9735 (Bernie O'Shea, Ottawa, Ontario, Dec 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH. WORLDDAB WELCOMES INNOVATION FROM SOUTH KOREA South Korea is set to become the first country in the world to launch a national Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) platform, using the Eureka 147 standard. The World DAB Forum, an international organisation tasked with promoting the awareness and adoption of DAB Digital Radio worldwide, welcomes and congratulates South Korea's farsighted initiative. The project to develop DMB receiver technology has the full support of the South Korean government which will invest around $41.5 million (W46 billion) over the next five years in bringing mobile TV services to the country. World DAB President, Annika Nyberg , has just returned from a DMB fact finding mission in South Korea, where she met with leading manufacturers, researchers, broadcasters and government representatives. Says Ms. Nyberg: "We are delighted that South Korea has chosen Eureka 147 as the standard on which to base this exciting development in digital broadcasting. With an impressive timetable for rolling out DMB, we believe South Korea will be the first to take mobile video streaming commercially forward." The Eureka 147 DAB standard is ideal for broadcasting to many receivers at the same time for less cost than other technologies. Already international companies such as Texas Instruments in the US, and VDL in France, have announced they are making chips and systems for use in DMB, while manufacturers such as Samsung, Freesat, and PersTel are developing receivers to handle this exciting new technology, and the potential to export such technologies to other countries which already have a DAB infrastructure is an attractive one. The World DAB Forum will cooperate with the proponents of DMB to enhance the ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) standard EN 300 401 whilst ensuring compatibility with existing receivers. Three national multiplexes will be on air in South Korea by the end of 2004 and competition to win these licences is fierce. Along with audio services, South Korea's DAB multiplexes will ultimately be able to deliver video and data streaming to consumers who can tune in on handheld mobile devices. ENDS Date: 10th December 2003 For more information, contact Rebecca Dorta, WorldDAB Forum on +44 20 7288 4642 or email dorta @ worlddab.org Editor`s Notes: DAB Digital Radio has become an internationally adopted standard that can be heard in at least 28 countries from Canada to Australia, across Europe and the Far East. Another 12 countries, including India, China and South Africa, are testing DAB and developing consumer trials. More than 300 million people worldwide are within range of a DAB Digital Radio transmitter, and there are nearly 600 services on air. About The World DAB Forum The World DAB Forum is an international, non-governmental organisation whose role is to promote the awareness, adoption and implementation of DAB Digital Radio worldwide. Its members include public and commercial broadcasters, receiver manufacturers and other companies and bodies committed to converting the technology behind DAB Digital Radio - the Eureka 147 system - into a commercial marketing success. http://www.worlddab.org (worlddab.org via Scott Hatley, DAB yahoogroup via PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, England, DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. Radio Korea International, 13670 kHz, after 83 days, the brand new card depicts an art work of "Koryo Dynasty", v/s nil (Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, Dec 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. Full data QSL certficate from Radio Ezra within 13 days for their 30th Nov '03 broadcast on 7560 kHz, signed by station owner John D. Hill, This is no. 5 of limited edition 10 QSL (Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, Dec 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non]. Re 3-224, XEKTT move to 560: I *wondered* what was wrong with KSFO at night here in San José; this is the explanation. I listen to Coast to Coast AM via this station, though only when the interviewee is a real scientist, professor, or other legitimate expert, studiously avoiding the wackos. This means that I hear about 1 out of 3 or 4 shows, which I tape onto a VHS cassette by a video recorder for auditing the next day. I had noticed about a week and a half ago that KSFO's signal was becoming useless here, only about 40 miles away from the stick in San Francisco. The receiver used is an excellent Kenwood AM tuner with a RS tunable loop, which had been providing excellent service for the prior year. Now, XEKTT causes severe carrier beats; their transmitter apparently drifts badly -- (I know KSFO's doesn't! I conducted one of the world's first on-air tests of the then-new Orban Optimod[tr] at KSFO's transmitter around 1977 and have fond memories of the experience, and working with their CE Bruce Hunter) -- and when the beats are in the range of a few Hertz per second, KSFO is utterly unintelligible. When the frequency drifts far enough away, I can hear both stations, with Mexican music almost as loud as KSFO's programming. My locale is well within the primary coverage area of KSFO, so the Mexican station is surely in violation of international treaties: I cannot imagine that a station five hundred miles away would be permitted to cause this much interference. Unfortunately, the second-best service for me to be able to record the show is via KMJ, Fresno, which has bad selective fading at night. Even much less sensitive radios cannot pick up KSFO clearly after dark here; so, KSFO's management and ownership must be quite upset with this state of affairs! Yours, (Steve Waldee - retired broadcast station engineer, San Jose, CA, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR. An article by Win Kyaw Oo in the Myanmar Times no 104, 25 Feb - 4 Mar 2002, explains why the Myawaddy radio station has been silent on 5973 kHz since 1999. It was also listed on 1440 kHz. It's not clear to me whether the Thazin Radio mentioned is the same as the Defence Forces Broadcasting Station on 6570 kHz, whose listed location is Taunggyi, not Maymo. The following excerpts with my comments are taken from http://www.myanmar.gov.mm/myanmartimes/no104/New/4.htm Lt-Col Maung Maung Oo, from the Directorate of Public Relations and Psychological Warfare at the Ministry of Defence which operates the channel [...] said Myawaddy television needed to cut operating costs because it relied on its own income, generated mainly by advertising revenue. [...] Myawaddy was officially launched in early 1995 and operates from a broadcast centre [at Hmawbi] about 22 miles north of central Yangon. Myawaddy’s broadcasting operation also includes two radio stations. They include Thazin Radio, which operates from studios at Maymo [east of Mandalay], more than 400 miles north of Yangon. It broadcasts programs in nine national languages. Each is broadcast for a total of seven hours a day. Its other service, Myawaddy Radio, based at the television centre, is expected to resume operations later this year following repairs after being hit by lightning in 1999 (Regards from Surabaya, Alan Davies, Dec 13, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Kia Ora! - Reuniting Maori People With Their Language The Weekly Documentary. The South Pacific island New Zealand has two official languages - English and Maori. In 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed, declaring the Maori's country a British colony. This saw a great increase in the number of British migrants. In the nineteen fifties, a huge emphasis was placed on teaching English and in some schools, children were punished for speaking Te Reo Maori, the Maori language. Twenty years later, several groups predicted that Maori would be a language without native speakers within one generation. Since then many organizations have been set up and laws have been introduced to revitalize the language. Max Miliaan Ohlenschlager reports on the current status of Te Reo Maori. Broadcast times (UT): Wed Dec 17 10.30 (Pacific/Asia/Far East), 12.30 (Eastern USA), 14.30 (South Asia), 18.30 + 20.00 (Africa), 22.30 (Europe); Thu Dec 18 00.30, 01.30 + 04.30 (North America) (Radio Netherlands previews via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. [This is apparently in response to the item here recently that R. Renascença is the country`s ``largest`` radio station --- gh] The myth... Radio Renascença is, unfortunately, allowed to exist as a radio station, and it operates but on mainland via three national networks, viz.: MW - 13 transmitters with powers of 2, 10, 20 & 100 kW VHF - "RR-FM" with 24 transmitters and "RFM" with 19 transmitters Plus what's more a local / regional network called "Mega FM", the station`s newest channel aimed at 15-25 year old range, aired via just three transmitters in the country`s largest cities (Porto, Coimbra and Lisboa). Apart from that, the programs are also available through the www and satellite. Its very small external HF [shortwave] service, served by just one 100 kW transmitter housed together with their only-100 kW MW unit in Muge, was dropped years ago, and is unlikely to be reactivated, given the satellite facilities and the cost of keeping an HF station; stemming from such reasoning, the Muge site became unmanned. Those who donated funds to RR during their what they called "campaign for the new transmitters" should just watch the Muge site, note the rusty plate identifying the station and wonder what the station did with their money, well, at least part of it. A number of private local FM stations relay RR for some programs and news, both on mainland and in the Açores and Madeira archipelagos. Being no joint stock company but a limited liability firm, the control on the (possibly few) shares is stiff, and this is why the firm that owns RR didn't switch hands during this decade long period except perhaps for minor changes, if any! RR may have almost as many listeners as the public broadcasters, RDP (the article mentions the RTP, which is for TV only), but fortunately, it's well far from having reached a dimension such as that of the RDP whose purpose is to provide public broadcast services to audiences living both at home and abroad. Having said that, one ought not compare the size of peanuts against that of an orange for instance! After the pathetic military/left wing coup d`état on 25th April, 1974, RR was the sole Portuguese broadcaster not be nationalized and merged into what then became as known as the RDP. Now, why and how was it? Too tough to imagine? Don't infer I approve what was done re the other private stations; what I`m just saying is that this religious station owned by the Church had not the same fate. I cannot understand the comparison against the RTE (R. Telefis Eireann?): what does RTE, a public station like the RDP, have to do with this? (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, BC-DX Dec 7 via DXLD) Maybe that was supposed to be RTVE as in Spain? (gh) ** ROMANIA. Current schedule for Radio Romania International in English: Western Europe: 0700-0726 on 11775 and 15105; 1300-1356 on 15105 and 17745; 1730-1756 on 9570 and 11940; 2030-2100 on 6110 and 7105; and 2200-2256 on 5975 and 7250. North America (East Coast): 2200-2256 on 9550 and 11830 and 0100-0156 on 9510 and 11740. North America (West Coast): 0100-0156 on 6040 and 9530 and 0300-0356 on 6040 and 9515. Australia: 2300-2356 on 11840, 11940, 15145 and 15370. Programme quality is variable. I've always found that some of their announcers read in a rushed and mechanical manner as if they were not concentrating on what they are saying, and often it's difficult to determine where one sentence ends and the next begins! But there are other announcers who are much better, and overall I get the impression that this station, for all its faults, is trying hard to provide a decent service for its listeners. Probably the best show is "Sunday Studio" aired every week during the 56-minute periods. This is one of three shows in which RRI answers listeners' mail. The other two are "Listeners' Letterbox" (Thursdays) and "DX Mailbag" on Saturdays (Roger Tidy, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Radio Rossii now (after 1930) on 5895 is a quite good signal, obviously the 250 kW at Taldom as reported, not the 100 kW Tbilisskaya it used to be. Would be interesting to watch the frequency changes; I could imagine that the xx20 times are the official versions while in practice the transmitter will be fired up again as soon as the retuning procedure was completed, i.e. after just a few minutes, as it was a while ago the chase with Radio Maryja at Tbilisskaya, moving down from 12010 to 41 metres during the evening slot (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ST. PIERRE & MIQUELON. There is a lot of conflicting info concerning the FMs on the islands; however, I would think (hope!) that Industry Canada has it right. Cap Aigle, St. Pierre: 94.9 1,000h 91m (da) 46-47-45N 56-09-39W That "would be" RFO -------------------------------------- St. Pierre Ville: 102.1 100h 20m 46-46-51N 56-10-35W That's "Radio Atlantique", the local FM station. Which for now seems to be in operation, which is not always the case --- lack of funding/revenue etc. Main web page: http://www.cheznoo.net/radioatlantique/ Live radio link: http://www.cheznoo.net/radioatlantique/raonline.htm -------------------------------------------- Miquelon: 101.5 500h 60m (da) 47-01-02N 56-22-19W 103.3 100h 50m (da) 47-01-02N 56-22-19W Now, one of them is RFO, don't know which one. RFO doesn't list the frequencies for these islands on their awful website. Also, I found a document from the French equivalent of the FCC for a license to operate relays of "Radio Archipel" on 103.3 St-Pierre and 98.5 Miquelon. So lots of confusion here, I'm gonna try to find somebody who actually lives there to get additional info (Charles Gauthier, Dec 13, 2003 11:42 PST, St-Lambert, QC, WTFDA via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. Since DW dominates 9545 in the evenings here, I have suggested to Nigel Holmes, that SIBC shift to 9550 when this transmitter is reactivated (Chris Hambly, Vic., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SURINAM. 4990, Radio Apintie, Dec 13 2230-0445 Dec 14; Sounded like a news report when I tuned in. Then about an hour long talk by a male. Mentions of the Netherlands and Radio Apintie in passing. Around 2350 a pop music program began. Call-in show when I tuned back at 0445, again with a mention by the caller of Radio Apintie. During the whole time I listened however, there was no "official" station ID, not at ToH or BoH. Although conditions were auroral last night, they also must have repaired or replaced their transmitter and/or antenna. They never used to come in this well, and were always off-frequency. SINPO 33333, with S8 signal strength (George Maroti, NY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) 4990, 13/12, 0355-0450 Radio Apintie, Paramaribo, música variada (norte-americana, caribenha, latino-americana), ID às 0448 "Radio Apintie" em Holandês. 35443. Escutada depois de longa ausência nesta freqüência. Reativada? (Samuel Cássio Martins, São Carlos SP, Brasil, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. New offshore station in 2004? --- Just when some people have been saying that European offshore radio is dead, we've heard from Roy Sandgren of AMRADIO in Sweden that they hope to have their radio ship St. Paul on the air with 2500 watts in the first quarter of 2004. This will not be a "pirate" station, but a licensed community station in Malmö, which will effectively cover the greater Copenhagen area as well. The planned format is "music and old time radio 1900- 1969." See http://www.offshore-radio.de/fleet/stpaul.htm for a photo of the ship and further information. # posted by Andy @ 17:58 UT Dec 14 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** SYRIA [non]. CLANDESTINE TO THE MIDDLE EAST --- 7470, Arabic Radio, 13 Dec, 1600 and later, in Arabic. SINPO 45444 initially, but gradually decreased then. Schedule announced at 1601. By the way, time for each broadcast was given twice - Middle Eastern and European. ID "Al idhaat ul arabiya". Talks followed; one of them was around Syria and democracy. Arab songs heard as well. Nothing heard on 12085 kHz which is scheduled as parallel. There's another broadcast in the morning, at 0430-0500 on 7510 (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, Signal Dec 14 via DXLD) ** U K. CHRISTMAS AT THE BEEB --- With reference to DXLD 3-224, I was somewhat surprised to find a message suggesting no sign of the Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols on 24 December, as "Braille BBC On Air", lists the Festival in its usual time slot of 1502 UT on 24 December, pre-empting the regular programmes for that day, until 1630. They also indicate special sports programming on 26 December replacing regular programming from 1500-1700 UT. Admittedly there is little else Christmasy, as I can't even find reference to the Queen's Christmas message, though that must surely appear as usual, despite her recent hospitalisation (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, England, Dec 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I meant to confirm that item before running it, and did look for Dec 24-25 schedules at the BBCWS website --- but that only runs one week in advance, and I had misplaced my hardcopy BBC On Air. Now I`ve found it, and see that FONLAC ``will be broadcast live, 1502-1630`` on Dec 24, all streams, including Au/NZ --- but could be overlooked since it`s asterisked at the bottom of each page. And there are no repeats shown on the Ams stream in the local evening. Nor is there any sign of the Queen`s Xmas Message anywhere on the Dec 25 listings! However, Richard Cuff must have other sources!: (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC WORLD SERVICE XMAS SPECIALS [Americas stream times only] Wednesday, December 24th (Christmas Eve), 1306 UT, repeated Christmas Day 0006: Outlook will broadcast live from the courtyard of Somerset House, across from the World Service headquarters; each year this courtyard becomes a giant ice rink in December, and is one of the highlights of London over the holidays. Wednesday, December 24th (Christmas Eve), 1502 (repeated Christmas Day 0132): It`s the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, from King`s College in Cambridge. This is a service of bible readings and beautiful choral music celebrating the birth of Christ. Traditional music and new music specially composed for the occasion will be featured. Thursday, December 25th (Christmas Day) 1606: It`s the annual Queen`s Christmas Message to the Commonwealth, a traditional component of the BBC`s Christmas programming. Friday, December 26th features a special Boxing Day edition of Sportsworld at 1506 UT. It`s a day of special sporting events in many places. Sunday, December 28th, 1332 and 2232: In Praise of God features a special on the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Friday, January 2nd, 1406, repeated Saturday, 0106: Colin Maitland looks back at the highlights of the 2003 sporting year in Review of the Year; you can send your thoughts on the most important sporting events of the year to sportsworld@bbc.co.uk (Richard Cuff, Easy Listening Dec NASWA Journal via DXLD) ** U K. JIMMY YOUNG IS BACK, FOR ONE DAY ONLY! From :http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds12684.html btw, Radio Gloucestershire are at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/england/radiogloucestershire/ They appear to be unavailable via the web, but are on 104.7 FM and 1413 AM to those who are close enough. --- Sir Jimmy Young to record special show 19:32 GMT, Thursday 11th December 2003 -- by James Welsh Former Radio 2 presenter Sir Jimmy Young will present a special Christmas Day show on BBC Radio Gloucestershire. The pre-recorded programme will air on the station between midday and 2 pm on Christmas Day, and will be repeated between 1-3 pm on New Year's Eve. BBC Radio Gloucestershire's editor, Mark Hurrell, said: "It's really exciting to have such a legendary broadcaster as Sir Jimmy joining us on BBC Radio Gloucestershire for this special show over Christmas. "It'll provide our listeners with a rare insight into the world of one of the nation's best-loved broadcasters. "After starting out from Gloucestershire many years ago, it'll be great to have him back broadcasting to the county!" (via Clarke Rice, uk-radio-listeners yahoogroup via Paul David, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. IN THE BALTICS, COMPLAINTS ABOUT LOSING RADIO FREE EUROPE --- By MICHAEL TARM Associated Press Writer TALLINN, Estonia (AP) -- Some key figures in the Baltic states want the United States to reverse a planned decision to halt daily broadcasts of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, insisting the station first set up during the Cold War remains a valuable resource. American officials said last month that the U.S.-financed broadcaster would drop its schedule of programming that reaches Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, as well Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Slovakia, by the end of the year. Instead, resources will be focused on troubled regions like Iraq and Afghanistan. But some said the radio broadcasts still fill a need, despite the Baltics' independence amid the 1991 Soviet collapse. Former Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus said Friday that a political scandal involving President Rolandas Paksas' alleged ties to organized crime illustrated the need for outside news sources. "These broadcasts are especially important to Lithuania today, when a political crisis is rocking the country," he said. "The radio should continue with its mission." Paksas, who faces likely impeachment, has denied the claims. Baltic governments appeared to have accepted the U.S. decision -- even though many conceded that they would have preferred a year's delay, if not longer. "Sure, we'll miss the international news of RFE," said Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Estonian parliament's foreign affairs committee. "But it had to happen sooner or later. It's understood RFE's meant for countries that have problems with freedom of speech. Ours doesn't." "We are a democratic country now and we can't demand that the U.S. Congress goes on financing this service," concurred Guntars Krasts, a leader in Latvia's coalition government. But Mari-Ann Kelam, a recent Estonian parliamentarian, said she was lobbying for RFE's Estonian-service to stay on the air. "U.S. international broadcasting as a public diplomacy tool is cost- effective and cheap, by U.S. budgetary standards," she said. "There is growing anti-Americanism throughout Europe which is expanding, unfortunately, to the Baltic States as well." Uldis Grava, head of Latvia's state-run television, agreed. "Even though the Baltic states are more stable than the Balkans, for instance, democracy and free enterprise still need to be supported and strengthened for some time to allow them to truly take hold," said Grava, a Latvian-American who once headed RFE's Latvian-language service. ------ On the Net: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: http://www.rferl.org (APws 12/12 1046 via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Haven`t heard WJCR on 7490 for several weeks, but there it was Sun Dec 14 at 1359 with ID, preceded and followed by preaching. ID also claimed 13595, but not heard there. ``WJIE`` was also the station featured on this week`s Radio NASB on WRMI, UT Sun 0330 on 7385 --- starting right off with more preaching, no info about the station`s plans for new transmitters, etc. Possibly the only media outlet in the world not covering the capture of Saddam :-) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. TWO YEARS AFTER SUFFERING A MAJOR STROKE MOTHER ANGELICA LIVES HER LIFE OF PRAYER Irondale, Ala. Dec 11 (EWTN) --- As the Nuns at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama prepare to celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ, they can`t help but be reminded it was on Christmas Eve two years ago that Mother Angelica suffered her second major stroke, leaving her with partial paralysis and a speech impediment. As she nears the second anniversary of that incident, the Foundress of EWTN Global Catholic Network has improved greatly while quietly living a cloistered life, according to Sister Mary Catherine, Vicar of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery. ``She has shown tremendous improvement since her stroke, although her verbal communication is still difficult. Mother is able to lead prayers and gently encourages her sisters in their daily lives,`` she said. ``While she is not as mobile as she once was, using a wheel chair and walker to get around, Mother Angelica herself decided several months ago to stop her rehabilitation and speech therapy sessions,`` Sister Mary Catherine continued. ``Mother is content living her life in whatever physical condition Our Lord wills for her.`` Sister Mary Catherine said that Mother still receives letters, cards and emails from her friends around the world who offer her prayers and good wishes. ``Many thousands of people have offered prayers for her in the past two years and she is so grateful for them all,`` she said. Sister Mary Catherine said Mother Angelica takes a very active part in her religious community. ``Mother is with us at daily Mass, prayers and devotions. She is with us for meals and community time. And, her sense of humor continues to show itself in unexpected ways,`` Sister Mary Catherine exclaimed. ``Recently, when Mother was leading a ceremony for one of the new brothers in the lay community that serves the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, who was eagerly waiting to hear his new religious name, Mother Angelica playfully withheld the information from him for a few minutes. Then, with a gleam in her eye, she gave him his new name, much to his delight.`` According to Sister Mary Catherine, in addition to prayer time, Mother spends much of each day reading. ``She is currently reading a book about the life of St. Benedict,`` she said. Mother Angelica celebrated her 80th birthday on April 20th and that evening made a surprise appearance on ``EWTN Live.`` Her classic programs are aired several times each week on the Network, so her EWTN family around the world continues to enjoy her timeless wisdom, wit, humor and prayers. Michael Warsaw, EWTN`s President said, ``Even though Mother Angelica no longer is seen and heard `live` on EWTN, she will always be part of the Network`s programming.`` EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 22nd year, is available in English and Spanish in more than 85 million households in 110 countries. And with its worldwide short-wave radio station, direct broadcast satellite service, satellite delivered radio network, Internet site http://www.ewtn.com and publishing arm, EWTN is the largest religious media network in the world (Catholic Radio Update Dec 15 via DXLD) ** U S A. `FOCUS ON THE FAMILY` LEAVING WMHK RADIO By CHRISTINA LEE KNAUSS, Staff Writer, Posted on Thu, Dec. 11, 2003 TheState.com, South Carolina`s Home Page http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/local/7464326.htm ``Focus on the Family,`` the popular radio show by conservative Christian author and broadcaster James Dobson, will no longer air on Columbia`s WMHK-FM (89.7) as of Jan. 2. The reason for the change, said Jim Marshall, general manager of the popular Christian music station, is that the station and ``Focus on the Family`` disagreed over the political slant of some recent shows. ```Focus on the Family` seems to think the political agenda is intertwined with the spiritual agenda,`` Marshall said. Concerned listeners circulated a copy of a letter from Focus on the Family`s vice president, John Fuller, at local churches and asked people to call WMHK. Marshall said the letter, sent to people on the show`s mailing list, read as if the radio station canceled the program. Instead, Marshall said, ``Focus on the Family`` officials pulled the show from WMHK when station management said it did not want to run what it thought were politically slanted segments. Marshall said WMHK had concerns about the show`s politically oriented programming ``going back about 10 years.`` These concerns came to a head in late October and early November, culminating with a Nov. 12 program that WMHK did not air. That program, which dealt with allegedly pornographic ads by clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch, also featured a lengthy discussion of the Republican filibuster in the Senate over accusations that Democrats were deliberately blocking President Bush`s nominees for federal courts. ``Focus`` aired views supporting the filibuster. This type of thing, Marshall said, makes some listeners uncomfortable. ``We want people to feel comfortable listening to the station no matter their political affiliation,`` he said. ``We want to focus more on spiritual issues than political. All of these issues are important, but they`ll never be more important than the Gospel message.`` Fuller, meanwhile, said Dobson was simply speaking out in favor of judges ``who can be sympathetic toward families and Christian values.`` ``Our agreement with stations is that we`ll provide programming and they`ll air it,`` Fuller said. ``We`re not comfortable with stations picking and choosing what they want to air from us. It was our desire to remove the tension and take the daily program off the station.`` Marshall has written his own letter to send to concerned listeners, explaining the station`s side of the story. In it, he stresses the station`s commitment to promoting Christian values. ``If you`ve listened to WMHK very long at all, you know we are not shy about speaking out when it`s necessary, and we do it in a forum that is much broader than a single syndicated program,`` Marshall wrote. ``We were very vocal about video poker and the state lottery ... We have been and will continue to be a pro-life ministry. We`re concerned about these moral issues, but we`ve tried to communicate our concerns in a way that does not alienate those who don`t know Jesus yet.`` WMHK has run the ``Focus on the Family`` program for 24 years. It airs at 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. After Jan. 2, Columbia area listeners can pick up the show on WYFV-FM (88.7), operated by the Bible Broadcasting Network. Listeners also can hear current and past ``Focus on the Family`` broadcasts at the organization`s site, http://www.family.org (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO MARIA HOUSTON LAUNCHED LAST SUNDAY IN SPANISH ON FM SUBCARRIER --- BUT WHOSE? Houston, Dec 7 (CRU) --- Radio María Houston, a 24-hour Spanish station belonging to the Radio María World Family, began operations in Houston on Sunday, December 7th over a local noncommercial FM station subcarrier. According to the Radio María Colombia website, that station is 90.1 FM, but the news release also says that ``the University of Houston has decided to associate itself with Radio María, facilitating in this way the spread of the Gospel and devotion to the Holy Virgin Mary.`` This poses problems. KUHF, the University of Houston public radio station is on 88.7 FM, not 90.1 FM, which is the frequency of KPFT, the leftwing Pacifica Foundation station in Houston. Either one would be a surprise affiliation: KUHF because it is an NPR station belonging to a secular, state-owned university, and KPFT because of Pacifica`s well known political stances. Attempts to clarify the situation by means of various websearches under a variety of topics have failed. Perhaps it is the Catholic St. Thomas University that is involved; it would be hard to imagine the state University of Houston being involved, because of its nature and legal issues, and because it operates one of the nation`s oldest noncommercial FM stations, KUHF, and the first noncommercial television station, KUHT channel 8. The Radio María Colombia website says that ``thanks to its connection with the World Family of Radio Maria in Rome, Italy, the Houston station has modern broadcasting equipment that allows the signal to reach out with very good quality to the many listeners who live in this area of the United States of America. And thanks to the help of many volunteers who today have put in place modern radio technological equipment as well as [released] announcements that cover all the station`s programming. Colombians, Argentineans, and Mexicans who live in the zone covered by the station will benefit from the programming of Radio María, not only in Houston but in other cities such as Gálveston, Texas.`` According to the Azteca América television network, Houston is the fourth largest Hispanic market in the United States, after Los Ángeles, New York, and Chicago. In 2002, 29.3% of its 5,201,000 people in the metropolitan area were Hispanics, almost one in three. There are 399,000 Hispanic television households (TVHH), roughly equivalent to families, out of 1,824,000 TVHH. Houston is overall the eleventh largest market in the country and the tenth largest metropolitan area. The Diocese of Galveston-Houston already has a Catholic station in KGBC Radio Kolbe 1540 AM, which broadcasts EWTN`s Spanish service Radio Católica Mundial from 9 p.m. to dawn. The area is also partly covered by the signal of KDEI Radio Maria Alexandria (formerly Radio Maria USA) 1250 AM in Beaumont-Port Arthur. Houston Hispanics have been working with Radio Maria World Family in Italy for three years to get the station started. On the November 15th ``Agenda Iberoamericana`` newscast, Signor Ricardo Accordi of the World Family spoke of the progress being made in Houston, and said that it would be ``a real station.`` ``From the start [local Hispanics] were opening up all the avenues and technical, legal, and administrative possibilities demanded by authorities in Texas for the functioning of a radio station,`` said Radio María Colombia. ``In this month of December we thank God and Holy Mary for this Christmas gift for Catholics and also for non- Catholics who live in the coverage area of the station, and who will benefit, without doubt, from the Word of God from this point in the year 2003.`` (Catholic Radio Update Dec 15 via DXLD) I don`t see why either station should be so unlikely. Renting subcarriers is strictly a business proposition, making for strange bedfellows in many other markets. The general public is blissfully unaware of such arrangements (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. ILLEGAL BROADCAST UNLICENSED, UNCENSORED By MARK KRZOS, Published by news-press.com on December 14, 2003 http://www.news-press.com/news/local_state/031214pirate.html X-rated radio is on the air. For nearly a year, 91.9 FM has been broadcasting hip-hop and R&B music that no other station could get away with. Turn it on and you might hear songs about explicit sexual acts, DJs using language that could make a longshoreman shudder and hundreds of kids calling in with song requests and shout outs. Other times you'll hear soulful, romantic ballads. The signal from 91.9 FM - or WUPT-FM, as it's known - is coming from somewhere in Fort Myers, but no one knows where - or at least no one's saying. Repeated calls to a phone number obtained by The News-Press went unanswered Friday. The pirate radio station, which plays hip-hop, rap, R&B and soul, doesn't have a license from the Federal Communications Commission and is operating illegally. Several messages seeking comment from the FCC in Washington on pirate radio stations were not returned. Despite the question of the station's legality, listeners don't seem to mind. "It's a great station," said Gaye Levine, manager of Club Neptunes. "They play stuff no one else will play." The station is also breaking new acts, Levine said. "They broke the Amanda Pérez record before anyone else in town." They're breaking new ground in advertising as well. Commercials on the station are at a minimum. "I've got a whole 60-second slot on there and when I went to give them some money for it, they wouldn't take it," said Ty Jackson, a local hip-hop promoter and owner of the G-Spot Barber Shop. The signal from the station isn't strong, so it may not be heard in some parts of the county. The signal in downtown Fort Myers is clear, but it begins to break up around Cypress Lake Drive in south Fort Myers. "I can't get it on Sanibel, but at night I can get it on McGregor," Levine said. The station, which goes by Nine-One-Nine, is starting to catch on with people outside the urban areas of Fort Myers, Levine said. "The white kids are starting to pick up on it," Levine said. "It's spreading by word-of-mouth." Jim Keating, market manager of Clear Channel Fort Myers, said he's heard of the station but has not listened to it. Typically, people who operate pirate radio stations are frustrated that they can't break into the business, Keating said. "These pirates are breaking federal law," he said. "We try hard to get it right and abide by the rules. It's aggravating to me that someone can buy equipment, throw it up and put obscene language out on the airwaves." Keating also fired a warning shot at those who may consider advertising with a pirate radio station. "If you do business with a pirate station, you will not do business with us," he said. "It doesn't matter if money changes hands or not." Pete Tridish, a technology director for the nonprofit Prometheus Radio Project and former pirate radio operator, said as little as $700 can buy someone a pirate radio starter kit (usually a five-watt transmitter, amplifier and antenna). "It's complicated to get started, but not beyond the abilities of an average person," Tridish said. The Prometheus Radio Project helps communities set up small radio stations with frequencies that don't interfere with larger commercial stations. "We just built a station for the Coalition of Immokalee Workers," said Tridish from the Philadelphia-based Prometheus Radio Project. Keating said broadcasters don't have a problem with the low power stations. "They apply for their license the right way," Keating said. "(Pirate stations) don't. They don't want to follow the rules. ... And what about community standards? Is this the kind of stuff you want out on the airwaves?" The black community seems to be embracing the renegade radio station, Jackson said. "They're giving away bikes to some kids for Christmas, and they had a block party with turkey for Thanksgiving," said Jackson, estimating that nearly 1,000 people showed up for the event. About five years ago, the FCC estimated that there were 1,000 pirate stations operating in the United States. "No one knows for sure how many there are," said Tridish, noting that some of the reasons for starting a pirate radio station is a dissatisfaction with commercial radio, presenting different viewpoints or reaching people from different cultures. "Clear Channel can own eight stations in a city, but if I wanted to start one, I could go to jail," Tridish said. Licenses to get a high power frequency are extremely hard to obtain because they're under the control of the major radio stations. "They're bought and sold like a piece of land," he said. Tridish, who operated his own pirate radio station until the FCC confiscated his equipment, said complaints to the FCC rarely come from listeners but from licensed broadcasters worried about competition. Typically, what happens when the FCC finds out about a pirate station, a letter will be sent, Tridish said. "Their main goal is stop people and a lot do when they get that letter." If there are repeated complaints, licensed broadcasters will ask the FCC to get a seizure warrant. Sometimes fines can reach $11,000, Tridish said. Tridish, who does not advocate pirate radio, said he now works with the FCC in trying new ways to balance the playing field between major broadcasters and low frequency broadcasters. "We've moved from civil disobedience to trying to make the rules more fair," he said. Keating refused to comment on whether Clear Channel has filed a complaint against 91.9 FM or not (via Mike Terry, Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. WIOD 610 Miami, and WHNZ 620 St. Petersburg operate with 10 KW in accordance with a STA (special temporary authority). The official record shows them still at 5 KW. This STA was granted in the early 80's due to a heavy jamming of Florida signals by Cuban stations. The jamming stopped long ago, but the owners I'm sure have no interest in returning to 5 KW. So, the Temporary part of these STA's have a rather long life (Paul Smith, W4KNX, Sarasota, FL, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. HDTV (long, I'm afraid) WTFDA: http://www.anarc.org/wtfda Here's the real dope: All analog stations authorized by a particular date (in 1997 IIRC) have been assigned a second channel in the current 2-69 spectrum. The FCC tried to avoid assigning channels 2-6 and 52-69 but was not able to do so in every case. (there is ONE DTV assignment on channel 69, in Puerto Rico...) Theoretically at the end of 2006 all analog licenses will expire. This date can be extended if 15% or more of households still rely on analog over-the-air TV for local reception. [2] When the analog licenses expire, stations whose digital assignment is above channel 51 *must* move their digital operation to their current analog channel. (or some other channel 2-51 that might be made available by the closure of analog) Example: Nashville's WTVF-5, whose digital channel is 56. In 2006 they will be required to move their digital operation to channel 5. Stations whose *analog* assignment is above channel 51 *must* keep their digital signal on their current *digital* channel. Example: Nashville's WJFB-66, whose digital channel is 44. In 2006 they will be required to keep their digital operation on channel 44. Stations whose analog and digital assignments are both in 2-51 may choose which channel to keep. There is no consensus as to which band (2-6, 7-13, UHF) is better. Some stations with 2-6 digital assignments have had them swapped for UHF; some with UHF assignments have had them swapped for 2-6. Example: Nashville's WKRN-2, whose digital channel is 27. In 2006 they will be required to choose either channel 2 or channel 27 for permanent operation - the FCC doesn't care which. There are a small number of stations whose analog and digital assignments are both in 52-69. These stations will be required to move their digital operations to a 2-51 channel after analog is closed. (presumably one of the 2-51 channels previously used by a different station in their market) Example: Riverside, California's KRCA-62, whose digital channel is 68. KVCR-24 in nearby San Bernardino has been assigned digital channel 26; either channel 24 or 26 will become available for KRCA's digital use at the end of transition (there are other possibilities for KRCA). All of this means that **TV CHANNELS 2 THROUGH 51 WILL CONTINUE TO BE USED FOR TELEVISION FOREVER. ONLY CHANNELS 52-69 WILL BE DELETED**[1] Some stations which filed applications before 1997 didn't receive their permits until after that date (indeed, the FCC is still acting on pending pre-1997 new-station applications; one for channel 8 in Laramie, Wyoming was granted just last week). These stations do not receive a second channel. Their options: - Build as a digital station, without ever having an analog operation (WHDT-59 Stuart, Florida; channel 24 in Tallahassee, Florida; channel 46 in Antigo, Wisconsin). Digital stations are entitled to must-carry protection on cable, and if the station provides the digital-to-analog converter, the cable system is required to offer the station in analog form. So a digital-only station just powerful enough to cover the cable headend can be economically feasible. - Build as analog but "flash convert" from analog to digital at some future time, no later than the end of 2006. KXLA-44 in Los Angeles has both digital and analog permits for the same channel, so presumably plans a flash conversion. There are others. - Find an available open channel and petition the FCC to assign a second channel for digital. The new channel 2 station in Fredericksburg, Texas has taken this route, requesting the allotment of channel 63 to Fredericksburg for digital operation. One station (KLKE-24 Albion, Nebraska) has chosen to surrender its license to the FCC and go off the air, rather than pay the cost of converting to digital.[0] I will not be surprised to see other small market stations follow suit. On Sat, 2003-12-13 at 13:59, Tom L Jones wrote: | A station could run either one HDTV or 3 separate low def. programs on a station. (Think of the sales possibilities say an English, Spanish, and Hindu show all for the same price). Multiple programs can indeed be carried on a single DTV channel. One of the stations here in Nashville runs 1080-line HDTV on one "virtual channel" while carrying a 480-line all-news program on another virtual channel. DTV stations have been reported running as many as six standard-definition programs. A single program can have several audio languages associated with it. (I don't know of anyone doing so, because of the costs of translation) | It was to be COMPATIBLE !! Until the pols realized only 10-20 % would really spend the extra $$ for HDTV Like the early projection sets only the very rich & the very poor would buy it. | Compatibility was given up long ago. No compatible system was ever seriously proposed that would fit in a single 6 MHz channel (several systems were proposed that would use a second "enhancement channel"). The FCC felt it important to free up TV channels for use by other services, something that would not be possible if HDTV broadcasts required the permanent use of a second enhancement channel. -- [0] There may be more to the KLKE situation though. Originally the Albion station operated on channel 8. In the mid-1990s the FCC allowed the owners to move channel 8 to Lincoln, Nebraska. But they do not allow a city move to delete a community's only station. To approve the move of channel 8 to Lincoln, the station's owners had to agree to do the paperwork to assign channel 24 to Albion, *and* to build and operate a channel 24 station there. It is not at all certain that the Albion station ever made economic sense, except as a prerequisite for getting a station in Lincoln. Maybe the owners feel their obligation to Albion has been met and it's time to stop propping up a station they didn't really want to build in the first place? [1] All but four of the 52-69 channels will be auctioned to commercial applicants. The FCC has indicated that television broadcasting will be an acceptable use for this spectrum, if the auction winners choose to do so. To be honest I doubt it'll make economic sense. But it's not impossible that there will continue to be TV broadcasts in 52-69 indefinitely. [2] It is not clear to me that low-power or translator stations will be *required* to convert to analog. The FCC has just opened an inquiry into how to transition low-power stations. I suspect they *will* require these stations to convert but it's not impossible there will continue to be low-power analog stations in 2-51 indefinitely (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, http://www.w9wi.com NRC-AM via DXLD) DTV and analog powers are not directly comparable. In analog TV, the power is measured at the peak of the sync tip. Because of the nature of the analog TV signal, it is possible to predict when this tip will happen, and thus when to measure the power. In digital TV, power peaks are not predictable. I mean, you know you`ll have peaks but you don`t know exactly when they`ll happen. Thus, digital TV power is *averaged* over a period of time. A 5,000 kw peak power analog station is running something on the order of 1,500 kw average power. (it depends on program material, the darker the picture, the more average power) That isn`t that much more than the 1,000 kw average allowed for DTVs. Admittedly, many DTV stations are running far less than the maximum allowed power, and these *will* be more susceptible to interference. For radio, the rated power is that of the carrier signal. For AM, this ignores modulation; for FM, modulation doesn`t affect power so peak and average power are the same. That does beg the question, how is IBOC power measured? Does IBOC have predictable power peaks? (I don`t think so) Or do you measure average power, as with digital TV? (Doug Smith W9WI, ibid.) ** URUGUAY. 9620.7, 7 Dec, 2155, SODRE, Montevideo (tentative), weak with classical music and mumble in Spanish. Nothing the following evenings. Well, will try again, quite likely it should be possible to get reasonable audio when the conditions are good for South America. Q1-1+ HR (Hans Ostnell, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9620.7, 7 Dec, 2203, CXA6 SODRE, Montevideo, full ID (available) and classical music program, low but readable signal. 2 GAL (Giampaolo Galassi, Italy, SW Bulletin, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** URUGUAY. Commentary --- CX12 IS ONE OF THE YEAR`S STAR ACQUISITIONS The news was first leaked a few months ago: The Archdiocese of Montevideo was negotiating with the owners of CX12 Radio Oriental 770 AM to buy it and a sister shortwave station, CX12A. Nothing more was heard, and the calendar pages disappeared one after another until we found ourselves in early December. It looked as if the matter were over. It was not. Days before the feast of the Immaculate Conception, it was announced that the deal was done and the archdiocese would officially take over CX12 on that feast. Uruguay is reputed the most secularized country in Latin America. That`s a nice way of saying that the 76.5% population of Catholics is largely apathetical. A re-evangelization of this small but handsome country of 4 million people on the Atlantic coast, sandwiched between the two colossi of Brasil and Argentina is long overdue. As the Pope himself as said, as he was quoted by the ``new Radio Oriental`` director, Presbítero Jorge Techera, the mass media are the effective way of reaching moderns. Few countries have had as little Catholic radio as has had Uruguay. The first station as far as I know is the small, 100-watt CV152 Radio Paz 1520 AM deep in the interior, in Guichón. It was a commercial station at one time, either bought by or given to the church. That was it, until some years ago, when CXD277 Radio Encuentro 103.3 FM was put on the air by the Diocese of San José de Mayo in that city, 100 miles up the wide Río Plata from Montevideo. But when the Church in Uruguay finally gets moving, the moving is impressive. From what I can see in the World Radio-Television Handbook, CX12 Radio Oriental is Uruguay`s most powerful AM station, period. Its low frequency, 770 AM (which, incidentally, is the same as the old National Broadcasting Company`s flagship station WEAF, later WNBC, in New York City), [?? You mean WABC] and its 125,000-watt power guarantee it an incredible service area even in daytime. I once heard KFI 640 AM Los Angeles in the desert of New Mexico at midday, at that with only 50,000 watts! If a low frequency and a super power were not enough, CX12 Radio Oriental is also nondirectional, day and night. That means one tower and a signal that goes out in perfect circles for hundreds of miles. CX12 must thereby cover all Uruguay even during the daylight hours, as well as a large chunk of northern Argentina, probably including Buenos Aires if pirate stations there do not interfere with it. Its nighttime signal must be dynamite, with only distant stations on the same frequency to cripple it. Other than with the addition of a few religious broadcasts, the archdiocese plans to keep CX12 as it is. For one thing, it has to pay back the Italian Church on the loan it got to buy the station. (The price was not revealed; the Latin American bishops feel obligated to no one, and deferential journalists there are wise not to ask.) More importantly, in a land with as many laid-back Catholics as has Uruguay, it is probably wiser to attract them with a more general format and then evangelize them a little bit at a time in more subtle ways. A more overtly spiritual format, a la Radio Maria and EWTN, might well turn Uruguayans off completely. No doubt about it, the Archdiocese really pulled off a great action! From being a nonplayer it went world class in one fell swoop. Michael Dorner, editor (Catholic Radio Update Dec 15 via DXLD) ** VIETNAM (North). 4795.8, Son La BC Station, Full Data (Date, Time, Frequency) TNVN/Map of Vietnam Card, all except for the actual name of regional station (per my request). I'm taking this as their verification reply for this regional. This in 73 days reply time. v/s: illegible. This officially completes the last Vietnamese regional which I need verified for Vietnam (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 6165, Radio Two, ZBC, Lusaka. 1554-1626 Dec. 11, 03. Noted with African Vocals, with pause at TOH, into English newscast with a clear ID at 1609 as "You're listening to News now on Radio Two". This was followed with a variety program which featured African high life music. At 1615 went into a BBC production feature for five minutes followed with more African vocals till the signal was pretty much gone by 1626., with QRM CBC Vancouver on 6160 now. Signal was unbelievably strong, s6-s7 possibly due to enhanced sunrise conditions (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, Cumbre DX via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 3204.98 kHz Radio Mía, unknown QTH is still there! Quito 14/Dic/2003 20:20 Amigos DXistas! Radio Mía is still there! I heard the station with clear ID 7th of November. Thereafter I almost every day can trace the signal but it´s very weak without audio. Very stable signal, I have noted the station between 3204.97 - 3204.99 kHz. This morning I heard Radio Mía with audio for the first time since the 7th of November. YL talking and some religious(?) music but without any ID. Can anyone out there trace the carrier?? "Mía"-stations on mediumwave: 540 PNR R. Mía, David 610 MEX Stereo Mía, Uruapan 650 PNR R. Mía, Panamá 920 PNR R. Mía de Los Santos, Los Santos 980 PNR R. Mía, Bocas del Toro 1040 MEX Mía 1040, Jalapa 1130 MEX R. Mía, Los Mochis 1250 CUB R. Bayamo, Imías 1270 SLV R.Mía, San Miguel 1340 MEX Stereo Mía, Morelia 1440 HND R. Mía, San Marcos de Colón 780 EQA R. Mía, Manta Colombia Mía: 910 Florencia 1120 Yopal 1270 San José del Guaviare 1290 Saravena 1510 Caucasia 1540 Palmira 1600 Carepa NRD 535 – HF 150. MFJ 616 – MFJ 1025. Ant. 1: "Horizontal Sloped Inverted L" 18 meters Ant. 2: "Horizontal Sloped Inverted L" 36 meters + Magnetic Longwire Balun (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB/ARC América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PROPAGATION +++++++++++ KN4LF DAILY HF/MF RADIO PROPAGATION OUTLOOK #2003-21 http://www.kn4lf.com/kn4lf5.htm Date Format is MM/DD/YY Published Tuesday 12/14/03 At 2100 UT PAST 72 HOUR SOLAR, SPACE WEATHER AND GEOMAGNETIC INDICES- Sunspot Groups- #10520 currently contains a beta-gamma twisted magnetic field capable of producing large M class solar flares. Daily Solar Flux Readings- 89 to 84. The daily solar flux reading of 84 that occurred on the 12/12/03 was the lowest since 02/98, which was on the rising side of solar cycle 23. Daily SEC Sunspot Number- 40 to 35. Daily X-Ray Solar Flares- C-0 M-0 X-0 X-ray solar flare activity continues quiet but activity will probably increase as sunspot group #10520 now contains a beta-gamma twisted magnetic field capable of producing large M class solar flares. Daily Averaged Background X-Ray Flux- A9.7 to A7.5. Daily Energetic Protons >10 MeV (10+o)- None. Daily Geo-effective (Earth Facing) Coronal Mass Ejections- None. Recurrent Coronal Hole #071 which became geoeffective beginning on 12/5/03, should finally lose it's negative impact on Earth's magnetic field On UTC 12/15/03. I expect a to see a Kp of 5 (minor geomagnetic storm) at times today but trailing off to a Kp-4 (active) to Kp-3 (unsettled) for tomorrow. A Kp of 0-2 (quiet) will probably occur on days two and three. We should see a three day period with no geomagnetic storming, then on UT 12/17/03 recurrent Coronal Hole #72 will rotate into geoeffective position. As CH #068 on 11/22-24/03 it produced a peak Kp of 5 (minor geomagnetic storm) and an Ap of 52 (major geomagnetic storm). The daily Ap index has been at active to major storm levels, with a range of 18 to 62. The daily Kp index has been at unsettled to minor storm levels, with a range of 3 to 5. The daily solar wind speed has ranged between 619 and 860. Here are some "general" guidelines concerning correlation of propagation indices to actual expected HF/MF propagation conditions. 1.) Dropping indices numbers are better, except solar flux for HF. 2.) For medium frequencies a solar flux under 150, under 100 better, 70 is best for E layer multi hop. 2a.) For high frequencies a solar flux of 100 is okay, 150 better, above 200 best for F layer multi hop. Keep in mind though that the 10.7 cm (2800 mhz) solar flux index is not a "reliable" gauge of ionization in our atmosphere, as the energy of photons at this frequency is to low on the order of one million times. However most are used to solar flux and sunspot number and it's a hard habit to break. A better indicator is the background x-ray flux. See #7 3.) Solar flux of at least 100 for E valley-F layer ducting mechanism. 4.) Previous 24 hour Ap index under 10, under 7 for several days consecutively is best. 5.) Previous 3 hour Kp index under 3 for mid latitude paths, under 2 for high latitude paths, 0-1 for several days consecutively is best. 6.) Energetic protons no greater then 10 MeV (10+0) for 160/120 meters and no greater then (10-1) on MF broadcast band. 7.) Background x-ray flux levels less than C1 for several days consecutively for 160/120 meters and less then B9 for MF broadcast band. 8.) No current STRATWARM alert. 9.) IMF Bz with a (+) sign, indicates a lesser chance of high latitude path auroral absorption/unpredictable refraction or scattering of MF RF signals, when the Kp is above 3. TODAY'S PROPAGATION LESSON - #2.) Aurora Oval Blockage, Absorption and Refraction The aurora ovals "generally" have a negative impact on medium and high frequency propagation. If the path over which you are communicating lies along or inside one of the Aurora Ovals, you will experience degraded propagation in one of several different forms; strong signal absorption, brief periods of strong signal enhancement, which is mainly caused by tilts in the ionosphere that allow signals to become focused at your location or very erratic signal behavior in the form of strong and rapid fading, etc., caused by a variety of effects such as multi-pathing, anomalous and rapid variations in absorption, non- great-circle propagation, horizontal or side refraction and/or scatter (skewing) due to changes in electron density and polarization changes. When the Aurora Oval zones are contracted and latitudinally-thin coinciding with low geomagnetic activity, it is possible for a medium and high frequency transmitted signal to propagate through the Aurora Oval zone without being heavily absorbed by skirting underneath it. During periods of very low geomagnetic activity, areas of the Aurora Oval zones may only have a latitudinal thickness of approximately 300 miles. But radio signals reflected from the E-layer can travel over distances of as much as 300 to 1250 miles at heights below the ionosphere for low take-off angles of between 10 and 25 degrees. When the geometry is just right, the medium and high frequency transmitted signal can literally propagate underneath and through the Aurora Oval zones into the polar ionosphere which is less disturbed and from the polar ionosphere back into the middle latitude ionosphere, without ever coming in contact with the highly absorptive Aurora Ionosphere. This type of propagation is not as rare as you might think and it can provide unusually stable polar region path openings to (TA) Transatlantic and (TP) Transpacific regions. But because the Aurora Oval zone expands and contracts constantly, such conditions often do not last very long. GLOBAL 72 HOUR PROPAGATION OUTLOOK- I expect a to see a Kp of 5 (minor geomagnetic storm) at times today but trailing off to a Kp-4 (active) to Kp-3 (unsettled) for tomorrow. A Kp of 0-2 (quiet) will probably occur on days two and three. We should see a three day period with no geomagnetic storming, then on UT 12/17/03 recurrent Coronal Hole #72 will rotate into geoeffective position. As CH #068 on 11/22-24/03 it produced a peak Kp of 5 (minor geomagnetic storm) and an Ap of 52 (major geomagnetic storm). GLOBAL LF UNDER 300 KC PROPAGATION CONDITIONS EXPECTED- Daytime- Good Nighttime- Poor But Improving Some GLOBAL HF 3000-30000 KC PROPAGATION CONDITIONS EXPECTED- Low Latitude- Good Mid Latitude- Good High Latitude- Fair To Good GLOBAL MF 300-3000 KC PROPAGATION CONDITIONS EXPECTED- Expect fair then becoming good "Northern Hemisphere" domestic propagation conditions on east-west paths. *Expect poor then becoming fair domestic conditions on north "TO" south paths in the "Northern Hemisphere" out to approximately 1100 miles. +Expect good then becoming fair domestic conditions on south "TO" north paths in the "Northern Hemisphere" out to approximately 1100 miles. Expect poor to fair "Southern Hemisphere" domestic propagation conditions on east-west paths. +Expect good then becoming fair domestic conditions on north "TO" south paths in the "Southern Hemisphere" out to approximately 1100 miles. *Expect poor then becoming fair conditions on south "TO" north paths in the "Southern Hemisphere" out to approximately 1100 miles. "High latitude" Northern Hemisphere (TA) Trans Atlantic, (TI) Trans Indian, (TP) Trans Pacific and cross equatorial propagation conditions in excess of approximately 3200 miles should be fair then becoming good. "High latitude" Southern Hemisphere (TA) Trans Atlantic, (TI) Trans Indian, (TP) Trans Pacific and cross equatorial propagation conditions in excess of approximately 3200 miles should be poor then becoming fair. "Mid latitude" Northern Hemisphere (TA) Trans Atlantic, (TI) Trans Indian, (TP) Trans Pacific and cross equatorial propagation conditions in excess of approximately 3200 miles should be good. "Mid latitude" Southern Hemisphere (TA) Trans Atlantic, (TI) Trans Indian, (TP) Trans Pacific and cross equatorial propagation conditions in excess of approximately 3200 miles should be good. "Low latitude" Northern Hemisphere (TA) Trans Atlantic, (TI) Trans Indian, (TP) Trans Pacific propagation conditions in excess of approximately 3200 miles should be good. "Low latitude" Southern Hemisphere (TA) Trans Atlantic, (TI) Trans Indian, (TP) Trans Pacific propagation conditions in excess of approximately 3200 miles should be good. Propagation Forecast Scales- Excellent- +1 db Over S9 Or better Good- S7-9 Fair- S4-6 Poor- S1-3 GLOBAL NOISE (QRN) OUTLOOK- U.S. LIGHTNING STRIKE DATA (See Where Your QRN Is Coming From) Sorry but global views of lightning strikes are no longer available. http://www.lightningstorm.com/tux/jsp/gpg/lex1/mapdisplay_free.jsp;jse ssionid=70301187101071113657379 During the 72 hour outlook period there will be "high" lightning induced QRN levels in low latitude areas of the Northern Hemisphere due to the proximity of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and tropical cyclones. Northern hemisphere mid latitude regions can expect "moderate" lightning induced QRN tied to winter season thunderstorms, cold/warm/occluded fronts and associated extra-tropical cold core low pressure systems. Northern hemisphere high latitude regions can expect "low" lightning induced QRN tied to winter season thunderstorms, cold/warm/occluded fronts and associated extra-tropical cold core low pressure systems. During the outlook period there will be "high" lightning induced QRN levels in low latitude areas of the Southern Hemisphere due to the proximity of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and tropical cyclones. Southern hemisphere mid latitude regions can expect "high" lightning induced QRN, tied to summer season thunderstorms and tropical cyclones. Southern hemisphere high latitude regions can expect "moderate" lightning induced QRN tied to summer season thunderstorms, cold/warm/occluded fronts and associated extra-tropical cold core low pressure systems. Standard Disclaimer (as before) © 1988-2003 by Thomas F. Giella and the Florida Space And Atmospheric Weather Institute, all rights reserved. Reproduction of information herein is allowed as long as proper credit is given. 73, (Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF, Plant City, FL, USA, EL87WX, Dec 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###