DX LISTENING DIGEST 3-230, December 24, 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 1213: Thu 2130 on WWCR 9475 Sat 0000 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy, 1584, 1566 Sat 0900 on WRN to Europe, Africa, Asia, Australasia, webcast Sat 0955 on WNQM, Nashville, 1300 Sat 1130 on WWCR 5070 Sat 1900 on IBC Radio webcast Sat 1930 on WPKN Bridgeport, 89.5, webcast Sun 0130 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0330 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0530 on WRN to Europe only, webcast Sun 0730 on WWCR 3210 Sun 0845 on Ozone Radio, Ireland, 6201v, time variable Sun 1500 on WRN to North America, webcast Sun 1600 on IBC Radio, webcast Sun 2000 on Studio X, Momigno, 1566, 1584 Mon 0430 on WSUI, Iowa City, 910, webcast [last week`s 1212] Mon 0515 on WBCQ 7415, webcast, 5105 Wed 1030 on WWCR 9475 WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: 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 1212 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1213h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1213h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1213.html [from Thu?] (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1213.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1213.rm UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS [more at end] DEAR GLENN. We wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Turkey. Keep up the good work! Warmest regards (RESHIDE AND KIZILGUL MORALI [ex-Voice of Turkey]) Dear Glenn, Many thanks for another year of World of Radio. All the best in 2004 (Daniel Atkinson, England) I wish you and yours Happy Holidays. Also, I want to express my sincere thanks to you for all your SUPER efforts in keeping all of the many SWL's Up To Date with your very informative reports. Thank you very much! Sincerely yours, (Steve Foisey, Stratford, CT) Glenn, Here is another [PayPal] contribution towards your outstanding hard work and dedication. I await each new issue of the online DXLD with the same excitement that I had as a lad waiting for the latest Popular Electronics, or Whites radio log. In 38 years of DX'ing no publication or club bulletin has more useful or enjoyable to read then DXLD. Thanks, (Brock Whaley, Lilburn GA, Dec 23) Keep up the good work! Note: I hope you continue to provide your excellent DX Listening Digest well into 2004. I learn something new in nearly every edition (Johnathan Grant, Dec 24, with PayPal donation) Hello Glenn, Thanks for the excellent work. In my opinion DXLD is thé premier source for SW info. A very Merry Xmas and a very good 2004 to you and your family (Silvain Domen, Antwerpen, Belgium) ** ARGENTINA. RAE (Radio Argentina al Exterior) is very hospitable to visitors: Pessoal, Estive em Buenos Aires, e mais precisamente visitei a Marcela Campos (Gerente da RAE-Radio Argentina al Exterior). Conversamos bastante e fiquei super entusiasmado com a alegria que ela me recebeu. A Marcela Campos é uma pessoal amável, super atenciosa e me atendeu super bem. Falei dos amigos que possuo nas ondas curtas, principalmente da Lista Radioescutas, e pelo que percebi, ela passou a impressão de uma ótima receptividade para os ouvintes brasileiros. Foi uma emoção para mim, uma experiência maravilhosa, pois fiquei muito feliz em ter conhecido uma emissora internacional. Quem tiver a oportunidade de ir a Buenos Aires, não deixem de ir até a RAE, conversar com a Marcela Campos, pois foi muito bom, e super entusiasmante. Inclusive recebi um recente material dela, folhetos turísticos, adesivo, cartão pessoal e boletim de programação. Jamais esquecerei este dia!!! Abraços, (Antônio Schuler, Recife-PE, Dec 22, radioescutas via DXLD) Antônio, e demais amigos, confirmo a amizade e receptividade dos amigos da Argentina. Numa das idas a Buenos Aires encontrei-me com Nicolás Eramo e Gabriel Iván Barrera. Também tive oportunidade de conhecer Daniel Camporini. O hotel onde me hospedei ficava muito próximo ao obelisco, e Gabriel Barrera passou por lá e juntos fomos visitar a RAE. Uma recepção muito acima do esperado. Pude conhecer um pouco da RAE e da Radio Nacional. O que verifiquei de interesante foi que no prédio da RAE havia uma espécie de teatro, de onde eram levados ao ar programas (presumo ser da Radio Nacional) com público presente. Haviam algumas pessoas no palco diante de microfones, e o público aplaudia. Também conheci a locutora que apresentava o programa em português, que era de Moema, São Paulo, e que inclusive me convidara para estar no programa em português no dia seguinte para um bate-papo no ar. Infelizmente o trabalho (em General Pacheco, a uns 30 km de Buenos Aires) tirou-me esta nova oportunidade. Mas realmente confirmo o que Antônio Schuler escreve, porque também vivi esta experiência há um tempo atrás. Foi uma experiencia muito boa, inesquecível. 73, (Rudolf Grimm, Dec 23, ibid.) ** AUSTRALIA. Radio National new season info --- Hi Glenn, Here's a link to a page on the ABC Radio National website talking about their new summer sked. There are links to the program grid in Word or PDF formats. http://www.abc.net.au/rn/events/newprogs2004/ 73- (Bill Westenhaver, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY --- HOBART frequencies Hi Allen and Johnno, I summarised this info from the CYC's Web Site - It is in "Documents" then "Sailing Instructions". [something Yacht Club? -- gh]. Basically 6516 is Primary, 4483 Secondary. SKEDS: 26th Dec Race Starts 1 pm [0200 UT] 6516 11 am - 12.30 Radio Check "Four Seasons" is control - Pre race checks [0000-0130 UT] VHF 72 - 156.625 Pre-race and race recall frequency. 6516 - 8.05 pm Position Reports [0905 UT] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SKEDS For Following Days 6516 3.05 am Position Reports [1605 UT] 6516 9.05 am Weather Report [2205 UT] 6516 3.05 pm Position Reports [0405 UT] VHF 16 156.8 is used as an emergency frequency. There will be other activity on 6516 - The times are usually advised when the above transmissions are made. There is a list of times and frequencies for broadcasts from the various ship radio stations on Page 21 of the Sailing Instructions. [Last year an enormous heterodyne wiped out most of the reception here - was a broadcast station - probably North Korean! 6516 appears a lot cleaner so far when I have listened at night. – Johno] Have fun! (Ian O'toole via Johno Wright, ripple via DXLD) ** BAHRAIN [non]. (Tentativo) --- 9745, 18/12 2211, R. Bahrain, Abu Hayan, música Árabe e animados comentários em AA por OMs. Ouvida por baixo da HCJB. Segundo o ILG, a única emissora que emite em AA neste horário é a R. Bahrain (Caio Fernandes Lopes, Atibaia-SP, Icom ICR-75, Longwire 40 mts., @tividade DX via DXLD) Nope, if you check HFCC B-03 and IBB online frequency schedule you will find R. Sawa via Kavala at 2100-2400 (gh, DXLD) ** BELGIUM. RADIO WORLD - Sunday 21 December 2003 A few months ago VRT launched a campaign to promote DAB, Digital Audio Broadcasting. Our station has been broadcasting all its channels, including RVi, in digital mode for more than 5 years, but only a few privileged people, not more than a couple of thousands, owned a receiver, and to my perception, even fewer people knew what it was. But then VRT television started a campaign to support the new transmission mode. It was about time too, because there's no point in endlessly continuing this waste of money. It's now or never, they must have thought. The only valid argument to convince people to buy a DAB receiver is the added value of the set. And that is not much, for the time being. Apart from the CD quality sound, there's the comfort of NOT having to change the frequency when you drive through the provinces of Flanders. Also you might pick up some information from the screen, but the main argument should be additional channels. And this is the weakest link, because all VRT has to offer for the moment is a channel with continuous pop music called "Donna hitbits", another one with non-stop light classical music, and now also a channel called "Nieuws +", (News plus) which repeats the latest news bulletin produced by the VRT radio newsroom. But also, and this might be one of the strongest sales argument, sports on a special channel. Is that enough? The future will tell. VRT Radio is dominating the scene in Flanders. It's domestic channels are Radio 1 (news and information), Radio 2 (popular all-family station with special local news casts), Klara (classical music and culture), Studio Brussel (for the trendy young) and Donna (the most popular of them all, playing pop music). And then there's 927 Live (a reference to the medium wave frequency), which covers major sports events, and otherwise Radio 1 programmes. Plus that DAB classic programme that nobody had ever heard of before the campaign started. All in all, the VRT stations capture more than 80 per cent of the audience in Flanders. In a move to get DAB off the ground, VRT even goes so far as to encourage the commercial competition, in particular the VMMa group, to start broadcasts in DAB too. VMMa is the company which owns and operates the most popular of the commercial television stations, VTM, and is also trying to break down VRT's dominance of the radio market with Q-Music, a pop music station. The people at VMMa are not very keen on joining VRT in DAB. They feel that if they would help VRT to develop DAB broadcasting , they would even get more competition. The Association of European Radios - grouping commercial stations - is also sceptical and said at the weekend it saw no reason for listeners to buy a digital radio set. The association represents around 4,500 private and commercial radios and says FM signals in Belgium are of such a high quality that DAB is hardly needed. It would be different in a country like Italy, where FM sound is terrible. But also, and most imporantly , there's the price. Here in our building, VRT has a shop where it sells DAB receivers. The three models are all manufactured by Pure of the UK. The Evoke-1 model, with mono sound, costs 199 euros, the larger stereo model Evoke-2 costs 299 euros. It's a lot of money, and because of the short battery life, they are not really portable. The third model is, as far as I'm concerned, the most interesting one: it's the size of an old mobile telephone called the PocketDAB 1000 and it costs 299 euros, like the Evoke-2 model. It reminds me a bit of the arguments in the USA for or against satellite radio. The situation is quite different of course, but I think there are probably more reasons for Americans to subscribe to satellite radio, than for Europeans to buy a DAB receiver. . . (Frans Vossen, RVi Radio World Dec 21 via John Norfolk, and gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. UnID, 4722.83, 0955-1015, Noted man in Spanish comments along with either Bolivian or Peruvian music. Sounds more Bolivian to me? Anyway, not Radio Yura, since that station is on its regular freq. Unid on 4722.83 is fair level but muffled and can't catch any details. (Chuck Bolland, December 23, 2003, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chuck, Guess you haven`t read DXLD 3-227, BOLIVIA.... 73, Glenn (to Chuck) Glenn, I just pulled that up and I had read it before, but I had forgotten about the information. Also, I did a search this morning using your suggestion of 4722 site:worldofradio.com and didn't get anything back, so I thought that 4722 was new? Anyway, I idented the station in my database as Radio Unica [sic] from Bolivia. I will continue to try for a decent ID as time goes on (Chuck Bolland, FL, DX LISTENING DGIEST) Chuck, Strange, tried that myself, with same result, just an unrelated 4722. But when I enter 4722.85 I get a hit for the 3-227 item! Apparently at least with numbers it won`t find partials, and of course a searcher for such a frequency is not likely to know the two decimal places already. Minus one for Google. Your reading of .83 would not have worked either since the items there don`t agree on the last digit. It`s U N C I A, stress on the I, not U N I C A. Anyhow, you did your homework; my apologies. Maybe you can catch that ID. 73, (Glenn to Chuck, via DXLD) CP-- Radio Uncía, 4722.86, heard in Porvoo on December 22, 2003 between 2312-0030 with stable signals. Best regards (Jan-Erik Österholm (JEÖ), Finland, dxing.info via DXLD) Also heard with extremely good signal in Norway at the same time as Janne. Very strong echo on the identification. Merry Christmas to all! (OLE FORR, FRYA, N-2647 SOR FRON, NORWAY Tue Dec 23, 2003 1853 UT, ibid.) If you happen to have the phone number of the station on tape, please let me have a copy. I have heard two numbers on Björn Malm´s second file, but they do not seem to work. Probably I have missed out on a figure or two (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, ibid.) Again very strong last night around 2300 UT. No telephone number mention, Henrik. Mostly non-stop music and a canned identification with very strong echo. Strongest bolivian on 60 meter at the moment. 73 de OLE (OLE FORR, NORWAY, Wed Dec 24, 2003, 1019 UT, ibid.) BOLÍVIA --- Tem emissora boliviana nova em ondas curtas! Em 17 de dezembro, surgiu um novo sinal em 4723 kHz. Foi monitorada por Jan Edh, Robert Wilkner, Henrik Klemetz e por Björn Malm, em Quito, no Equador. O colunista também ouviu a estação, aqui em Porto Alegre, entre 0005 e 0050. A gravação disponibilizada na WEB, por Malm, deu a chance para que o experiente dexista sueco Henrik Klemetz matasse a charada: a emissora é a Rádio Uncía, da localidade do mesmo nome. Um detalhe ouvido, pelo colunista, sobre ``uma universidade autônoma``, também ajudou a identificação de Klemetz. Uncía fica no Norte de Potosí, a 15 minutos de Llallagua, conforme o dexista sueco (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4781.00 kHz, Radio Tacana, Iturralde. MICROINFORMATIVO! Quito 23/Dic/2003 21:57. This station has been off air a long time, at least here in Quito nothing on the frequency. "Radio Tacana" ID 0205 UT. FELIZ NAVIDAD! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I guess you mean it is back and heard again, in which case in English we would say ``had been off`` (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. NEW BRAZILIAN DX PROGRAMA - Nas Ondas Curtas da Guarujá The DX Club of Brazil proudly announce a new weekly DX program produced in an exclusive partnership with Rádio Guarujá Paulista. The program content and format is produced by the DX Club of Brazil aiming the regional SWL bringing information of receivers, propagation of radio waves, culture of other countries through the shortwave, DX records, updated information on a weekly basis of world wide radio, and it's aired all Saturday at 2330-0000 UT on 1550, 3235 and 5045 kHz. The Rádio Guarujá Paulista is directed by a great entrepreneur, Mr. Rampazo, who believes on the shortwave and will continue investing in regional broadcasting. And DX Club of Brazil believes too in the success of this initiative and is working in order to explain to the great audience of Rádio Guarujá Paulista this great hobby of SWL and DX, with lots of information and interacting with listeners in order to improve the content of the program. The program is formatted into 6 blocks : 1- Conhecendo as Ondas Curtas ( Learning about shortwave ) 2- Panorama Atual ( Present Panorama ) 3- Momento Cultural ( Cultural Moment ) 4- Entrevista DX ( DX Interview ) 5- Gravações DX ( DX Records ) 6- Corréio do Ouvinte ( Listener's Mail ) All blocks are recorded exclusively by club's members, of different Brazilian counties from all regions, which provide a special regional attractiveness and shows why our club is called "of Brazil". The 22 years of continuous experience in DXing, leads the DX Club of Brazil into this new challenge of producing a 30 minutes weekly program entirely dedicated to radio listeners. All reception reports should be sent to : V/S: Orivaldo Rampazo, President-director QTH: Rua José Vaz Porto, 175, Santa Rosa, Guarujá, SP, 11431-190, BRASIL or through email : radioguarujaam @ radioguarujaam.com.br Best regards and good dx! (Sarmento F Campos, Rio de Janeiro - Brasil, via @tividade DX via DXLD) NB: It`s almost all in Portuguese. . . ** CANADA. RCI NOW HAS 3 LIVE WEBCASTS RCI now has 3 satellite feeds that are available via webcast. One is all-English, one all-French, one is multilingual including both English and French. One reason it's worth noting is that some CBC domestic programs that aren`t on RCI via shortwave are only available to us on domestic web feeds that often reach server capacity. The good news is that these programs are available from these satellite feeds, including "Ideas" on the all-English satellite (RCI-1) at 0400 UT Tuesdays-Saturdays, and also on the multilingual satellite (RCI-3) at 0900 UT Tuesdays- Saturdays. The schedules are available in PDF at URL http://www.rcinet.ca/Scripts/default.asp?s1=Horaires right below the shortwave schedule. Happy holidays, (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Dec 23, swprograms via DXLD) ** CANADA. RCI OVER THE HOLIDAYS Celebrate the Holidays with Radio Canada International! During the Holidays, Radio Canada International will bring informative and entertaining programs to listeners around the world in 7 languages. In addition to our flagship current affairs program, Canada Today, and our weekly thematic programs, CBC Radio's Holiday programming will be featured on short wave, via satellite and on the Internet. Around the World on Short Wave Listeners in the United States and the Caribbean will hear Holly & Maple on Christmas Morning from 1300 to 1600 UTC (0800 to 1100 EST). Later that day, listeners in the United States and the Caribbean will hear Winter Stories from 2300 to 0100 UTC (1800 to 2000 EST). Holiday Soirée: A Christmas Homecoming will be heard on Boxing Day in Southeast Asia and China from 0000 to 0100 UTC (December 25th from 1900 to 2000 EST) and once again from 1200 to 1300 UTC (December 26th from 0700 to 0800 EST). Listeners in India will hear Holiday Soirée: A Christmas Homecoming on Boxing Day from 1500 to 1600 UTC (1000 to 1100 EST). On the Hotbird-6 Satellite (RCI-1) in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East and on Internet On December 24th, Alain Maitland's traditional reading of ``The Shepherd`` by Frederic Forsyth will air at 2230 UTC (1730 EST). Christmas Eve with Shelagh Rogers follows at 2330 UTC (1830 EST). ``The Shepherd`` airs once again at 0500 UTC (0000 EST) on December 25th and will be followed by Holly & Maple from 0600 to 1100 UTC (0100 to 0600 EST). The Messiah will be presented at 1500 UTC (1000 EST), followed by The Queen's Christmas Message at 1750 UTC (1250 EST). The Montreal Sing In will be presented at 1800 UTC (1300 EST) and Winter Stories follows at 2000 UTC (1500 EST). Holiday Soirée: A Christmas Homecoming will air at 0100 UTC on December 26th (2000 EST on December 25th). Also, on December 26th, join us at 0300 UTC (December 25th at 2200 EST) for Holiday Pearls of Wisdom. Later that day, at 1000 UTC (0500 EST), we present The Gospel Experience Celebrates Christmas. On January 1st at 0500 UTC (0000 EST), join us for 3 to 1, as CBC Radio 3 celebrates the New Year with resolutions, reflections and the best Canadian music of 2003. On Satellite Worldwide on RCI-3 and on Internet On December 25th, Alain Maitland's traditional reading of ``The Shepherd`` by Frederic Forsyth will air at 0500 UTC (0000 EST), followed by Christmas Eve with Shelagh Rogers at 0600 UTC (0100 EST). Holly & Maple will be presented from 1200 to 1600 UTC (0700 to 1100 EST). On Boxing Day, The Gospel Experience Celebrates Christmas will be presented at 0900 UTC (0400 EST). For complete Holiday Scheduling information, Visit our website at http://www.rcinet.ca Radio Canada International has been on air for nearly 60 years. Its mission is to reflect Canada's diversity and its political, social, economic and cultural realities, and to raise the country's international profile. Season's Greetings, Steve Lemay, Manager - Schedules and Broadcast Operations, Radio Canada International (via Bill Westenhaver via Richard Cuff, swprograms Dec 23 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Quirks Promo Dec 27, 2003 --- Hello, This week we have a special edition of Quirks & Quarks, our ever-popular award-winning Question Show. This is the program where our listeners ask the questions, and we seek out Canadian scientists with the answers. Find out where grasshoppers go in the winter; why human sweat is salty; why things are sticky; what the temperature is in outer space; why we produce ear wax; how fast a flock of geese can fly; why planets are spherical and much more. That’s the Quirks & Quarks Question Show, Saturday right after the noon news on Radio One (Bob McDonald, Host Quirks & Quarks, CBC Radio One, Saturdays at 12:06, online at http://cbc.ca/quirks --- Quirks mailing list Quirks@interact.cbc.ca http://interact.cbc.ca/mailman/listinfo/quirks via DXLD) ** CHINA. Hi from New Zealand. 21570. Have been hearing a Chinese language broadcaster at very good strength 0500-0600. Although programme is in some Chinese dialect they have English announcements for: CHINA'S BUSINESS RADIO. I have e-mailed CRI who say they know nothing about this one. Does anyone know just who this is and a contact address? E-mail me at iancattermole @ xtra.co.nz Regards and all the best to all fir the festive season (Ian Cattermole, Dec 23, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. La Voz de tu Conciencia, Puerto Lleras, 6010.8: no data large QSL card in 250 days; 6010 call sign: HJDH (Hideki Watanabe, Radio Nuevo Mundo Nov 16 via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA [and non]. The Dispute Between RFPI (Radio For Peace International) And The University for Peace --- by Hans Johnson What has Happened. Both sides have thrown up a lot of smoke on this one. For instance, the University of Peace has said that they aren't sure if the folks representing RFPI really can represent it and has talked about how RFPI doesn't fit into the University's plans. RFPI has complained about what they say are the University's ties to the School of the Americas and has stressed its role as a "Voice for the Voiceless." And so on. All this has nothing to do with the matter at hand. How well these organizations are pursuing their respective missions isn't central to their disagreement. What we really have here is a landlord-tenant dispute. The University for Peace (landlord) wanted the RFPI (tenant) off of its property. I don't think that RFPI is disputing the fact that University for Peace owns the land, it is simply asking for compensation for the buildings (improvements) that RFPI has made on it. The University, by controlling the utilities serving RFPI, had the power to throw them out. I'm not smart enough to know if this was legal (the lack of an injunction against it seems to indicate that it was) but the University had the power and exercised it. End of story, no matter how much RFPI protests or tells the world how wrong it was. Even if one accepts RFPI's rather expansive right to freedom of speech one could hardly argue that it includes the right to broadcast from a location that RFPI doesn't own or have a legal right to operate from. Now let's turn to RFPI. What it has done and what it should do. RFPI served as a defacto American public radio station broadcasting on shortwave to the United States. The station aired programs almost entirely in English that were produced in the USA and are often available on public radio there. Via shortwave, areas that did not receive these programs on FM could be served. With its low-power, erratic frequency usage, and frequent breakdowns, it didn't perform that mission very well. In my opinion, it is a mission that existing American shortwave stations could have carried out much better. The thousands of dollars that RFPI spent on infrastructure in Costa Rica would have bought RFPI a lot of airtime on American shortwave stations where the going rate is often $30 for an hour of airtime on a 50 kW transmitter. I think RFPI would have generated more sympathy and support if its programming had been different. Given its power and location, one would expect that almost all the programming would have been in Spanish and been produced by "voiceless" groups in the region. As a peace radio, the model would be the UN's Radio UNMEE, broadcasting to Eritrea and Ethiopia, or the Hirondelle Foundation's Radio Ndeke Luka. One would have also expected educational and health and welfare programs à la the United Methodist Church programming to Africa. Rather that rebuilding, why doesn't RFPI simply purchase time on American stations to get its programs on? With an Internet stream of its programs, it could be on shortwave now, instead of a year from now. It would also perform its defacto mission much better and with no risk to listeners' donations. Purchase an hour of airtime and you deliver an hour of programming to your audience. No one can force you to relocate or disrupt your operation. Your attention wouldn't be diverted from your primary mission by a long running legal dispute. This makes a lot more sense than setting up shop again in Costa Rica. RFPI's new landlord is sympathetic today, but what about five years from now? What happens to RFPI's new infrastructure if the landlord dies, sells the land, or changes his mind? I believe that rather than having learned anything from its dispute with the University of Peace, RFPI seems to be going right down the same wrong road again (Hans Johnson, November 26, 2003, radiointel.com via DXLD) RFPI and US Shortwave Re: a commentary/analysis by Hans Johnson on RFPI's situation published on the excellent RadioIntel site http://www.radiointel.com/index.htm I think Hans is on to something here. Given the extremely inexpensive rates for air time on U.S. commercial shortwave stations, RFPI might indeed be better advised to forego rebuilding its facilities in Costa Rica in favor of securing airtime on one or more private shortwave transmitters in the US. There are several potential advantages apparent in this approach: 1. Better reception for the target audience, which -- after all -- is the US/NA listener. The few programs targeting adjacent areas also will be better heard there via 50 and 100 kW transmitters, as opposed to RFPI's 20 kW senders [sic]. Coördinately, program producers/ providers would have access to a larger audience at better listening quality. 2. Improved diversity of programming on U.S. commercial shortwave which is currently dominated by singular points of view both politically and religiously (or at least that perception). This eventuality might also be a boon for the stations, opening the ears of those who might have been largely dismissive of their efforts to date. 3. The diversification might also encourage other program providers to consider domestic shortwave more seriously as a cost effective avenue of distribution under some circumstances. 4. For RFPI itself, this "bigger bang for the buck" might not only represent a more cost effective solution for the use of scarce dollars, but also encourage contributions by appealing to a larger base that can actually hear the programs and understand RFPI's mission. Perhaps NASB (the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters) should actively take up this matter on behalf of its membership. Of course, as counterpoint, there's always the chance that some or all of the US shortwave broadcasters are wholly uninterested in program diversity (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, Dec 23, swprograms via DXLD) It seems James Latham is planning on quite a different approach. There`s a new 8-minute talk by him on http://www.rfpi.org updated Nov 30, but must not have appeared until quite recently, accompanied by this (gh) : Newest Developments: The University for Peace has shut down RFPI by cutting its water, electricity and telephone services. There are plans to relocate and rebuild as soon as possible. The estimated time to resume the shortwave broadcast is 6 months to 1 year. Much will depend on the financial resources available to Radio for Peace International. This is a critical moment in the many chapters of RFPI's existence and we truly need your financial support now. With that we'll be able to complete the construction of the new and vastly improved and expanded radio coverage, including the launching of an internet radio webcast in February. James will be on the U.S. west coast for four weeks (Dec. 8, 2003 to Jan. 7, 2004). Check back here for the calendar of scheduled lectures and forums, or email us for more information. If you can possibly help with your financial contribution, please click here http://www.rfpi.org/#support New developments on reconstruction efforts as well as efforts to rectify the injustice by Upeace against RFPI and its listeners can be found at the http://www.saverfpi.org website. RFPI extends its deepest gratitude to the thousands who have supported the station over the years and will continue to do so as we rebuild the dream. Thank you. Check out the "Save RFPI" website and help in the struggle (via gh, Dec 24, DXLD) ** CUBA. The squealer on 17720 was missing again Dec 23 before and after 1500 UT, when the CRI relay in English used to appear. Haven`t noticed it on other frequencies either, in random tuning. Dec 25 at 0210 did notice RHC in English on 6000 extremely distorted, overmodulated and splattering a bit, but carrier was stable. Much better on \\ 9820. Then checked the two Spanish frequencies which are sometimes nothing but open carrier: 9600 was undermodulated, but 9550 was OK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. RADIO PRAGUE PARODIES ITSELF ON 31ST DECEMBER Radio Prague, the international service of Czech Radio, will have something a bit different on 31 December. It's Jan Velinger's "Radio Radio Prague", a "pirate station" parodying many of its real programmes including the news, current Affairs, Spotlight, Stepping Out, and Economics Report. There's no excuse for missing it, as Radio Prague has no less than thirteen half hour transmissions in English. The frequencies are here: http://www.radio.cz/en/frequencies#en # posted by Andy @ 14:26 UT Dec 24 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. Excerpt from "Petr Pribik: Defiant diplomat -- Ambassador fired for telling truth in Kabul", Prague Post, 23 December 2003 A veteran of 28 years with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in its Munich era, [Petr] Pribik returned to his native Prague around the time RFE/RL moved here, but he retired from the radios and used his severance pay to buy a house and begin a diplomatic career. In 1996 he was posted to Havana as chargé d`affaires but was not named ambassador to Cuba because the Castro regime wouldn't accept an ex-RFE/RL broadcaster in the job... http://www.praguepost.com/P03/2003/Art/1223/pprofile.php Season's 73 (via Kim Elliott, DC, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 3449.77H // 1149.92 kHz, La Voz de Riobamba. MICRO- INFORMATIVO! Quito 23/Dic/2003 21:55. Igual como Björn Malm de Quito cumple también La Voz de Riobamba 56 añitos el año presente. FELIZ NAVIDAD! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. CWR [Crazy Wave Radio] heard here in south-central Pennsylvania with a readable signal on 6274.93. Was just out at a remote micro-DXpedition QTH to listen for Africans and passed over this. Thought it was just a regular SWBC station at the time. Didn't realize it until I got back and checked the e-mail. I believe I heard it as early as around 1930 UTC, which is 2:30 PM local!! Amazing. [Later:] Propagation conditions seem fairly decent on this Christmas Eve (Christmas). It`s about 0225 UT and there are at least 4 stations on 48 meters making it into North America (6310, 6265, 6219, 6212). I was planning on going out to the remote listening QTH about 0500, but since there is so much action on the bands, I'm going out earlier. If any stations would like to try and be heard over here, now may be the time!! Good luck!! 73's (Dave Valko, PA, SWPirates yahoogroup via DXLD) ** FINLAND. A new offshore radio station is planned to go on the air in Finland in spring 2004. Swedish salesman and radio enthusiast Roy Sandgren has received a permission to launch a radio station off the coast of the Åland Islands, an autonomous region in Southwestern Finland. The station doesn't have a name yet, Sandgren says to DXing.info, but it will be on the air "in spring, I hope," using the frequency of 603 kHz. On December 17 Åland's government and administrative board approved Sandgren's application to set up a news and tourism station on condition that local workforce will be used as much as possible and that the station will broadcast in Swedish, the official language of the Åland Islands. According to official records, spotted by Vesa Hienonen, the license is valid until the end of 2008. Previously Sandgren has announced that he plans to set up a non- commercial offshore station near his hometown Malmö [Sweden, next to Denmark], using a 500-watt transmitter on board radio ship St. Paul. http://www.dxing.info/news/index.dx#aland (DXing.info, December 23, 2003 via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** GERMANY. DEUTSCHE WELLE - CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY SPECIALS This from Margot Forbes at Deutsche Welle: There will be a programme with Christmas music and traditions which will replace Newslink at the following times: 25th December 0705, 1105, 1305, 1505, 1705, 2005, 2205 26th December: 0005, 0405, 0605 DWs review of the year: 25.12. 0805, 1005, 1205, 1405, 1605, 1805, 1905, 2105, 2305, 26.12: 0105, 0305, 0505 New Year's Concert, including messages from Chancellor Schröder and DW Director-General Erik Betterman: 01.01 0705, 0905, 1105, 1305, 1505, 1705, 2005, 2205 02.01 0005, 0205, 0405, 0605 Transatlantic Ties - Relations between Germany and the USA - past and present: 01.01 0805, 1005, 1205, 1405, 1605, 1805, 1905, 2105, 2305 02.01 0105, 0305, 0505 All times UT (via Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Dec 23, swprograms via DXLD) All in English, right? But what about in German? (gh) My experience here in ENA is that DW in English is best heard at 2100 on 15410 and at 0600 on 7225. Both transmissions originate from Kigali and target west Africa, placing the beam on NA as well. The German Service offers some nice programming as well, much of it seasonal music both popular and classical. Here's the frequency schedule and, unlike the English Service, the German Service still targets NA with clear, powerful signals: 0000 -0200 6075, 6100, 9655 0200 -0400 6075, 6100, 6145, 9870 0400 -0600 6075, 6100 1800 -2200 17860 2200 -0000 11690, 11955, 17860 (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, ibid.) ** ICELAND. AFN-AFRTS currently heard at 1500 on new 7590U. It's a fairly good signal, and improving, but not as strong as parallel Keflavik 13855U. Their web site does not list this new frequency, and there are no signals audible from any of the other listed stations and frequencies at this time (Noel Green, UK, Dec 23, Cumbre DX via WORLD OF RADIO 1213, DXLD) 7590 is HFCC-registered for Iceland as well. Btw, the site is Grindavík which is on the "southern side" of the peninsula compared to Keflavík on the "northern" side. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, ibid.) Many thanks - Bernd - for this information. On my map I see a road junction on the peninsula. One road goes north to Keflavik and the other south to Grindavik! 7590 is still on air at 1700 plus. 13855 is now very weak here. 73s (Noel Green, ibid.) ** INTERNATIONAL. MEDIA REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2003 This week we begin our review of an eventful year in the electronic media. The first six months of 2003 were dominated by Iraq, but there were also some lighter moments. http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/review031224.html (Andy Sennitt, Media Network Newsletter Dec 24 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. STORMY WEATHER By Doug Mellgren SOLA, Norway (AP) - The cruise ship Achille Lauro catches fire off Africa. In the Arctic, a Russian airliner slams into a mountain. Off Brazil, an oil tanker rescues the crew of a sinking sailboat. Searchers find a child missing in a remote area of Norway's mountains. And all these crises are linked. A small team of Norwegians co-ordinated these and other rescue efforts, even on the other side of the planet, through radio and satellite communications. "We get alarms from all over the world," says operations manager Stein Solberg of the Joint Rescue Co- ordination Centre Southern Norway. "We are involved with a lot of what happens on the world's oceans." He calls up a world map on a computer screen and projects it onto the wall of the centre's new facility, which was inaugurated Nov. 27 in Sola, a town in western Norway. There are red dots all over the map representing 2,800 contacts so far this year - on the Florida coast, off northern Canada, off Africa and Central and South America. It's impossible to give an exact figure, but the centre estimates at least 10 lives a day are saved thanks to its co-ordination of quick rescues. The centre, founded in 1970, doesn't have its own ships, aircraft or rescue teams. When a distress call comes in, it directs the nearest ships, often merchant vessels, to the scene, wherever it may be. "In many ways, we can just as easily co-ordinate a rescue off Africa as we can in a Norwegian fjord," Solberg says. The operation's two offices - one in Sola and one in the Arctic town of Bodeo - are paid for by the Norwegian government to co-ordinate land, sea and air rescue in this country of 4.6 million people that has more than 22,000 kilometres of coastline. But with modern communications such as satellite telephones, the operation also can hear "mayday" calls from thousands of kilometres away. No matter how far, its crews handle the call until a closer rescue centre takes over. Or, in some parts of the world, they see it through to the end because there is no other centre. The Norwegian operation is unique in combining air, sea and land rescue, which are handled by separate centres in other countries. Its teams come from the police, the military, the national health system and Norway's main telecommunications company, Telenor. The centre's new $5-million US building in Sola has the latest in satellite communications, electronic maps and databases on the thousands of ships plying the seas and the rescue services in operation around the globe. In the middle of the three-storey, 3,050-square-metre building, a balcony lets visitors see the main room filled with work stations. Each desk has five flat-panel LCD displays along with standard monitors. The technology lets rescue leaders mark the position of a ship in distress on an electronic map and then flash the whole map via e-mail to ships involved in the search. During a typical watch recently, rescue leader Nils-Ole Sunde, a 46- year-old former sea captain, directed a rescue ship to check on a small boat found adrift and empty in a nearby fjord. His computer screen then lit up with a distress call from a ship in the Red Sea, 4,800 kilometres away in the Middle East (Via Harry van Vugt, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, DXLD) ** IRAN [and non]. ISRAELI SENDS SIGNAL TO IRAN OVER AIRWAVES -- IN PERSIAN --- By MARC PERELMAN http://www.forward.com/issues/2003/03.12.26/news2.html When Israel's defense minister chatted on-air with radio listeners last week about the possibility of a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, he did more than just send a warning to the leaders in Tehran. He also shed light on one of the strangest media phenomena in the Middle East: the Farsi-language program of Israel Radio, and its popular following in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Iranian-born Shaul Mofaz was taking calls from listeners in Iran during a 50-minute live program on Israel Radio's Farsi-language service. Responding to one caller, he promised that in the event of a military action against a nuclear reactor, Israel would make sure to protect the environment from radioactive fallout. Speculation has been rife in recent months that both Israel and the United States have developed contingency plans to take out nuclear facilities in Iran. In addition to a large Russian-built reactor in Bushehr, Iran has also built other facilities. The Islamic republic recently agreed to unfettered international inspections after months of diplomatic wrangling with Washington and the European Union. Israel views the deal skeptically. The half-century-old Israel Radio program in Farsi has become a fixture in Iran because of its outspoken criticism of the mullahs, incurring the wrath of regime officials but also attracting a large following among disaffected citizens. While official figures are not available, some observers estimate that the radio has as many as 5 million listeners out of a total Iranian population of some 80 million. Two weeks ago, after an Iranian legislator lambasted the government on the floor of parliament, a conservative politician asked him sarcastically whether he was Menashe Amir in disguise, referring to the longtime program director of Israel Radio's Farsi service. Amir, who became a popular figure in Israel during his coverage of the 1979 hostage crisis in Tehran, is planning to retire in a few months. He recently hosted another Iranian-born Israeli leader, President Moshe Katsav. "Iranians don't trust the state media, so foreign radio is a hit in Iran," said Pooya Dayanim, president of the Iranian Jewish Public Affairs Committee in Los Angeles and a staunch critic of the regime. "And Kol Israel is very popular because it takes a more hard-line stance toward the regime than the BBC or Voice of America." The Bush administration has declared Iran a part of the "Axis of Evil" and has sought to encourage a popular democratic movement, but observers say it has not mapped out a specific policy to deal with the regime. In the meantime, it is banking on radio, television and Internet broadcasts into Iran to woo Iranians, especially the 70% of Iranians who are under 30. The U.S. government makes Iran a "top priority for U.S. international broadcasting," according to promotional material from the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the entity responsible for all U.S. government and government-sponsored, non-military international broadcasting. Besides its decades-old radio broadcasts, Voice of America has over the past year upgraded its TV programs and now has three different shows in Farsi, up from one a year ago. In December 2002, the board launched Radio Farda, a joint effort of the VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, another U.S.-sponsored broadcast service. Radio Farda, which means "tomorrow" in Farsi, replicates the recently launched, U.S.-backed Arabic-language station Radio Sawa, mixing news and popular music around the clock to target a young audience. The board is scheduled to launch an Arabic satellite television station called Middle East TV in early 2004. An official with the board of governors said there was no plan to launch a Farsi TV equivalent for now, essentially because of budgetary constraints. In addition, a dozen Los Angeles-based opposition television stations are broadcasting into Iran via satellite. The stations, most of them supporters of the son of the late shah of Iran, have been trying to obtain U.S. government funding, most recently through a bill introduced by Senator Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican. The bill was eventually nixed during congressional budget discussions. While the programs' following is difficult to gauge, the regime nevertheless jammed their programs last July when they called for mass demonstrations in Iran to mark the anniversary of a student uprising in 2002. After the origin of the jamming was detected in Cuba, the administration protested and the satellite links were restored. In order to counter Israeli broadcast, Tehran launched its own Hebrew- language radio program several months ago. On the program with Mofaz, one caller reportedly asked when Israel and the Jews would finally repay their historical debt to Cyrus the Great and rescue the Iranian people from the dreaded ayatollahs, just as President Bush had helped the people of Iraq and Afghanistan throw off their oppressors. Mofaz said he was not in the miracle business and wished the Iranian people success in their struggle for freedom. When callers then pleaded for Israel to intervene to help overthrow the Islamic regime, the defense minister replied that it was up to the Iranian people to determine their fate (Forward [Jewish?] Dec 26 via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** IRAQ. Not the embedding type --- The war in Iraq bought with it new type of journalism - or at least a new name for an old type of journalism. The Pentagon invention of "embedding" journalists in combat units made for high-action reporting, but also ensured an almost unprecedented level of identification between the media and military. Radio Netherlands' Hans-Jaap Melissen is one reporter who opted to go it alone. I commend his article to your attention, and there's also a link to the audio report from Newsline. http://www.rnw.nl/hotspots/html/ira031223.html (Media Network Newsletter via DXLD) ** IRAQ [non]. Iranian media still describing Radio Free Iraq as based in Saudi Arabia: "In an interview with the Riyadh-based Radio Free Iraq (RFI), monitored here in Iran's Ilam province, Hojjatoleslam Hakim added, 'The only exception is that those MKO agents who have committed crimes in Iraq will stand trial before courts of justice in Iraq.'" http://www.iribnews.com/Full_en.asp?news_id=194978&n=34 (via Kim Elliott, DC, DXLD) ** IRELAND. WORLDWIDE: RTÉ ANNOUNCE ALTERNATIVES TO SW RTÉ Radio has today announced alternatives to meet the needs of key audiences as it ceases the provision of a daily half-hour service on shortwave throughout the world on 1 January 2004. This is the first step in the re-alignment of its distribution platforms, both at home and abroad. "While recognising that its core remit is the transmission of radio services to a domestic audience, RTÉ has always maintained and funded some worldwide distribution with the dual purpose of providing content to Irish people abroad and of informing radio listeners throughout the world on our country and culture," a statement from the organisation reads. Before making the decision to cease the service, RTÉ invited short- wave listeners to comment on the service and on alternative technologies available to them. They received 200 responses. Two major themes emerged - firstly, the relative paucity of alternative technologies to those regular listeners on the African content and secondly, the relatively high level of listeners in the US. Those listening in Africa were predominantly engaged in missionary or voluntary work and valued the contact with home provided by shortwave broadcasts. To meet the needs of these two important groupings, RTÉ has reconfigured its WRN output to bring their transmissions to North America from half an hour per day to two hours per day. Also, on a once-off basis, RTÉ has invited their African listeners to apply for a Worldspace Radio which will be provided free of charge to those in particularly isolated circumstances. The statement continues: "There is a great deal of affection for analogue transmission amongst many shortwave listeners and those who took up the invitation to mail us on the service pointed out the independence of such a service and, most of all, the value of contact with home. RTÉ's output and editorial independence will not be mediated by WRN, or in any of its transmission platforms. RTÉ's belief is that satellite, and particularly WorldSpace transmissions, is the best and most efficient means of reaching those who wish to hear Ireland's Public Service Broadcaster around the world." RTÉ Radio's four services - RTÉ Radio 1; RTÉ 2fm; RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and RTÉ Lyric FM - are available worldwide via the internet and are broadcast on satellite to the UK and Ireland. RTÉ Radio 1 is also available throughout Europe on satellite and segments of its output are also available via satellite throughout the world. "This decision is part of an overall examination of the availability of RTÉ Radio services that began in autumn of 2003 and will lead to further developments in the early part of 2004," the statement concludes. Also from From http://www.radiowaves.fm/news/index.shtml DUBLIN: RTÉ pull medium wave service RTÉ's 2FM 1278 kHz medium wave transmitter situated at Beaumont in north Dublin ceased transmission on Monday, 15th December. Speaking to Radiowaves News today, an RTÉ spokesman said that research indicates that 2FM listeners prefer the superior sound quality on FM. "The number of people actually tuned to 1278 kHz has declined considerably over the years," he said. "However, transmission of 2FM on medium wave will continue for the foreseeable future from our Athlone transmitter on 612 kHz." (via Mike Terry, Dec 24, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. The Reshet Alef website (Hebrew) of Kol Israel mentions that due to the decision to close the Hillel transmitter site, 531 AM (Medium Wave) will replace 576 AM as of Jan 1, 2004. All other frequencies stay the same. http://aleph.iba.org.il/ (Doni Rosenzweig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. 6310, Radio 3 Network EUROPIRATE --- Hi Guys: Hearing a Europirate here tonight on 6310 with a Decent Signal in SW Ontario. 6310 AM, Radio 3 Network, Location?? Europe Dec/25/03 0340-0430+ UT EE FR-GD Pop/Rock Music with some in EE and some Songs in Italian?? ID's by OM as "Radio 3 Network". Echo IDs and Echo transmission as well as Non Echo IDs. Signal Peaks Nice at times. Anyone have a Location and QSL Info for this one???? Regards, MERRY CHRISTMAS!! (Robert S. Ross, VA3SW, Box 1003, Stn. B., London, Ontario, CANADA N6A5K1, ODXA via DXLD) RadioTre 6311 --- Radio Tre, Italy, has been heard today 23rd on QSN 6311 kHz, 1910 UT with fair to good signal. Program included pop and rock songs and ID at 1911 with Jingle Bells, tune preceded the ID. No QRM. Reception with Degen 1102, fully deployed telescopic antenna, inside, Thessaloniki. Right now 2003 at house found QRG is 6310.24, S 7, SINPO 43343 (sporadic by CW and TTY). Mixed songs. Merry Christmas and happy new Year to everybody (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Unofficial relay Radio Tre, Poggibonsi, Italy (Dario Monferini, PlayDX via DXLD) ** ITALY [non?]. Shortwave promo from Malta The Times of Malta, 23 Dec 2003 Tomorrow at midnight: The Cross of "Resurrection and the Christmas Prayer. I worship the Might of Love" on shortwave 5.775 kHz, on Thursday, December 25 at midnight "No Urbi et Orbi. Righteous Living Is True Blessing" on shortwave 13.840 kHz, or hear us on the internet on http://www.radio-santec.com Livestream/RealAudio [Those are IRRS Italy frequencies.] http://www.timesofmalta.com/core/article.php?id=142982 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) Re secret site for IRRS 250 kW on 5775: Glen[n] why don't you ask Stevie of Radio 510; bet he knows where the transmitter site is. Nice guy, met him at the SWLFest several years ago (Lou Josephs, 12.23.03 - 5:20 am, Media Network blog via DXLD) Hmmm, this appears to be standard AM with both LSB and USB, but the signal is noticeably weaker than Plovdiv-5800, Taldom-5895 etc., actually a disaster for an alleged "250 kW to Europe, N Africa and the Middle East (and beyond)". Interesting target area description, feasible only with either a ND antenna or from a site outside Europe - -- And until sometime around 2020 the signal was drowned out almost entirely by some much stronger RTTY: http://kailudwig.bei.t-online.de/5775_2412.mp3 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, 12.24.03 - 10:06 pm, ibid.) ** MEXICO. unID 900 kHz Spanish/German C&W Last night on the way home from work I was listening to a station on 900 kHz with Spanish language programming with occasional announcements in German. They were playing American type country music, and had a slogan that went. "[Mooo...] Estás escuchando Puro Country!" My fisrt guess is XEOK in Monterrey, but I've never heard this particular program on there before. Any Idears? Is there a German population in NL? (Mike Westfall, N6KUY, WDX6O, Los Alamos, New Mexico (DM65uv), My online logbooks are at http://www.gentoo.net/dxlogbook/main.mv?account=mikew Corazón DX Dec 24 via DXLD) German language points to the state of Chihuahua; I'd bet this is some sort of novelty program on XEDT. http://www.inetworld.net/halls/dx/index.html 73, Tim Hall (Chula Vista, CA, ibid.) Ciudad Cuauhtémoc has a large German population; I was listening last night to XEPL's German program on 550. John Wilkins or Chris Knight used to hear German on XEDT when it was on 1080. It has recently moved to 900. I'll bet 10 of my new Mexican station logs (now up to 133, by the way) that XEDT was what was heard in Los Alamos (John Callarman, KA9SPA, Family Genealogist, Krum TX, ibid.) Thanks, guys. I did hear mention of Cd. Cuauhtémoc on the broadcast, but didn't think there was a 900 kHz station there. I'll log it! (Westfall, ibid.) ** NETHERLANDS. A year is a long way --- A year ago, Radio Netherlands producer Dheera Sujan and her new daughter Riya entered the Netherlands for the first time together. Dheera had told the highly personal story of her struggle to adopt Riya from an Indian orphanage in a series of letters published on our Web site. One year on, she reflects on Riya's adaptation to her new environment. I've met Riya. She's as adorable as she looks. And it's a wonderful Christmas present, amid all the doom and gloom of 2003, to know how life has changed for the better for one little girl who had such a tough start. Do me a favour - if you only have time to read one non- media story this Christmas, make it this one: http://www.rnw.nl/special/en/html/031224riya.html # posted by Andy @ 16:11 UT Dec 24 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Al-Qaeda planned satellite TV station based in the Netherlands: report --- It has been revealed today that the second-in- command of al-Qaeda, Egyptian Ayman al-Zawahir, tried unsuccessfuly to set up a fundamentalist satellite TV station broadcasting from the Netherlands. The plan was to broadcast ten hours a day to Moslems in Europe and the Middle East. He is said to have chosen the Netherlands because of the "liberal climate" here. Fortunately, the plans did not come to fruition as Al-Zawahiri was constantly on the run from the Egyptian authorities. # posted by Andy @ 15:15 UT Dec 24 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS ANTILLES. Re 6230: I filed a complaint with R Netherlands about this spur a couple of years ago, and did get a response from a tech who promised he would look into the matter. That's as far as it went. Merry Christmas (David Hodgson, TN, Dec 24, harmonics yahoogroup via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. I was surprised tonight to get a phone call from Radio Pacific in Auckland regarding my reception of their outlet on 738 khz in Wellington. They even put me on the air and asked questions about the Oregon Coast. It was a lot of fun. They will be sending me a QSL and a packet of stuff. This really made my holiday! 73s, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, Dec 23, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. KXOK-LPTV channel 32, Enid`s only local TV station, we have mentioned from time to time, most recently about the legal limbo it finds itself in, its sale to Rex Faulkner never having been consummated in the form of payment in full to the original owner, even tho Rex appears to be in control of it to this day, as his ads are constantly crawling across the top of the screen. The outlet is still a laughingstock, with nobody minding the store, altho a few months ago we dropped into the Magoo computer shop where its equipment currently resides. As we write, at 0628 UT Dec 25, the screen has been frozen for well more than two hours with an out-of-focus shot of the back of someone`s head, and 800-219-7400, a number which leads nowhere at Google --- the last complete digital picture received from the America-1 satellite feed -- and the audio is cutting in and out, mostly out. Occasional other frozen frames were seen earlier in the evening when the equipment hiccuped. Maybe something will finally come of this mess; a legal notice appeared in the Dec 22 Enid Eagle: NOTICE OF SALE OF PROPERTY Notice is hereby given that pursuant to Court Order filed in the District Court of Garfield County, Case No. CJ-2002-496-01 the Court has ordered sale of the FCC license for a low power television station operating in Enid, Oklahoma, at Channel 32 and application of the proceeds pursuant to said Order. Plaintiff, Chuck Pearson, shall sell said property to the highest and best bidder on January 22nd, 2004, at the hour of 10:00 A.M. at the south entrance steps of the Garfield County Courthouse, Enid, Oklahoma. Prior to the sale, sealed bids may be submitted to the Plaintiff's attorney, Tom Leonard, at his office, 1926 Lake Road, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74604 or bidders may appear at the sale and make their bid on said property. Terms of the sale are 10% cash at the end of the sale and balance in cash at confirmation of sale. Tom Leonard #5379 Attorney for Plaintiffs 1926 Lake Road Ponca City, OK 74604 580.765.0834 tleonard@cableone.net (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Depois de quatro semanas de intervalo, a Rádio KMMZ reapareceu nos 1640 kHz na noite de 18 de Dezembro. Agora finalmente aparece uma ID legal no final da hora "KMMZ, Enid-Oklahoma City, AM 1640, is All Comedy Radio -- It`s all about fun; it`s all about funny; and it`s about time!``. Voce pode rever a informação prévia sobre esta emissora em: http://www.worldofradio.com/enid.html (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST via Samuel Cássio Martins, @tividade DX via DXLD) I said directionality makes it difficult to Eu: [non]. X band open --- Vanmorgen eindelijk weer eens signalen op de X band. Weliswaar zwak, maar toch: 1620, 1630, 1650, 1660, 1670, 1680, 1690 and 1700 khz van 0550 tot 0725 UTC. Geidentificeerd: 1660 WWRU and 1680 WTTM. Beste signaal was WMWR Talkradio1670 (ex WRNC), Warner Robins,GA. 73 (Max van Arnhem, Holland, Dec 24, BDXC via DXLD) ** PERU. Radio Melodía, Arequipa, heard December 24 at 0850 UT on 5906.35 kHz with good signal. "Radio Melodía, orgullosamente Arequipeña". 0903 ID with woman announcer "Desde la ciudad de Arequipa, República del Perú, Radio Melodía presenta su noticero estelar Melodía en La Noticia por sus frecuencias de 5995 kHz..." Merry Christmas for all (Samuel Cássio Martins, São Carlos, SP, Brasil, Kenwood R-5000, longwire 30 meters, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** PERU. 4955, Radio Cultural Amauta, 1109-1115 Dec 23, Noted Huaynos music and Spanish comments, ID and TC from a man. Signal was still copiable at this late hour here in South Florida. Signal was Fair (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://www.orchidcitysoftware.com ** RUSSIA. Radio Gardarika, 6245, 2150-2200 UT. Radio Gardarika, St. Petersburg, musica e ID in russo e inglese, fine trasmissioni alle 2200, segnale ottimo. Rx icom r-72 + filare 100 mt (Francesco Cecconi, Italy? Dec 24, Play DX via DXLD) Now on air for one week (gh) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. The Overcomer Ministry's website shows a remarkable amount of output via Julich. Have to check if they all are used, cuz 9 freqs for the 1000-1100 slot and no less than 11 (!) frequencies announced for 2200-2300 seem quite a lot. "Cleaned up" version from the schedule as it appears on http://www.overcomerministry.com/SW.shtml 1000-1100 11950 Julich Everyday Spain, Portugal, S France 1000-1100 17482 (?) Julich Everyday Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda 1000-1100 15235 Julich Everyday Israel, Saudi Arabia 1000-1100 17735 Julich Everyday Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Afganistan 1000-1100 6100 Julich Everyday Italy, Albania 1000-1100 9610 Julich Everyday Ukranine, Romania, Bulgaria 1000-1100 13820 Julich Everyday Russia, Poland 1000-1100 9485 Julich Everyday Scandinavia 1000-1100 21720 Julich Everyday Tunesia, Lybia, Kongo, Nigeria 1200-1400 7465 WWCR Everyday US - World 1300-1600 6110 Julich Mon-Fri UK, Germany 1400-2100 9475 WWCR Everyday US - World 1400-1600 21590 Julich Everyday S America 1400-1600 13810 Julich Everyday Mid-East, Russia 1600-1700 6110 Julich Sat UK, Germany 2100-0400 7465 WWCR Everyday US - World 2200-2300 6175 Julich Everyday China, Mongolia 2200-2300 9695 Julich Everyday West Africa 2200-2300 9490 Julich Everyday E Asia 2200-2300 5985 Julich Everyday W China 2200-2300 9730 Julich Everyday SE Asia 2200-2300 9480 Julich Everyday S America South 2200-2300 7105 Julich Everyday C America 2200-2300 5905 Julich Everyday NW Africa 2200-2300 6055 Julich Everyday N America East 2200-2300 6045 Julich Everyday N America West, Canada 2200-2300 7145 Julich Everyday S America North 2330-0030 9435 Julich Everyday S Asia 0400-1200 5770 WWCR Everyday US - World 0400-0500 9770 Julich Everyday Australia - NZ (Silvain Domen, Belgium, 23 Dec. 2003, WORLD OF RADIO 1213, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Overcomer Ministry. 24/12 1437 UT on 6110 13810 and 21590 via Jülich. Just heard Brother Stair himself announcing the huge frequency list --- 'unprecedented' as he calls it. He also asks for 100,000 USD. Some unpaid bills? (Silvain Domen, Belgium, 24 Dec, DX LISTENING DIGEST) He`s probably getting a discount deal like on some US stations, occupying otherwise unsold time until they can sell it to somebody else for full price (gh, DXLD) ** SUDAN. Re 15170 report, 3-229: Is US propaganda R Sawa 250 kW at 75 degrees according to IBB list: 15170 1500-1700 SAW MRN2 ARAB MOR 08 075 Black clandestine program??, ? dissemble as "Al Idhaa al Sudaneya" ??? (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, WORLD OF RADIO 1213, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SURINAME. Just received a QSL verifying my old reception report of Radio Apintie. The original report sent by snail mail went unanswered, but a follow-up with a sound file of the station ID finally netted an eQSL. All contact information can be found in the end of the enclosed eQSL sent by the station manager. But was the power at that time really only about 50 watts as I remember reading somewhere? If so, it would be the lowest confirmed power for me from South America. ------------- Dear Mr Makelainen, Thank you for your report. We herby confirm that you have been listening to Radio Apintie on on Sunday, December 3, 2000, at 01:00 - 05:00 Suriname local time (equal to 0400-0800 Universal time) on the frequency of 4990 kHz shortwave (on the 60 meter band). In Suriname there are a little bit more than 500000 inhabitants. From the latest poll we know that we are the biggest station with about 25% of all listeners. We are 45 years old and broadcasting on AM FM Shortwave and since 1997 we also have TV station. Radio Apintie has many different programme's cultural, music and our main dish is news and actualities. Wishing you and your family happy holidays. Regards, Charles Vervuurt, Director, Radio Apintie Televisie, P O Box 595, Verlengde Gemenelandsweg #37, Paramaribo, Suriname; Email Apintie @ sr.net Fax 597-400684 Tel 597 400450 (via Mika Mäkeläinen, Palo Alto CA, dxing.info Dec 23 via DXLD) As previously reported here, new 1000 watt transmitter initially operated at 500 (gh, DXLD) ** U K. Now one can listen to one's Christmas message on one's phone The annual Christmas Day message by HM Queen Elizabeth II used to be the centrepiece of the holiday for many people in the UK and the Commonwealth. But fashions change, and only about 10 million Brits are expected to watch and listen to the Queen's address this year on radio and TV. So Buckingham Palace has decided to harness technology to allow more people to hear Her Majesty's words: the telephone! From Christmas day through 6 January, anyone in the World can have the speech played back to them by dialing +44 871 271 3100. The full address lasts 10 minutes. It will also be available on the Internet, with the text version accessible through the British monarchy Web site http://www.royal.gov.uk # posted by Andy @ 16:12 UT Dec 23 (Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1213, DXLD) ** U S A. http://www.voanews.com Talk to America 1700 GMT Friday, December 26: The People Who Made VOA Guest: Alan Heil, Jr.: Author, "Voice of America: A History", former Deputy Director, VOA If, as Thomas Carlyle wrote, "history is the sum of innumerable biographies", the history of the Voice of America is best chronicled in the book "Voice of America: A History." Author and former VOA staffer Alan Heil, Jr., spent four years researching and talking to the thousands of individuals who made VOA what it is over it's 60 years, and has compiled their stories into one volume. Today on a taped edition of Talk to America, we'll hear many of those stories, and learn about the history of VOA, from Alan Heil, Jr. (via Mark Hawkins, swprograms via DXLD) Dear Communications World Listener, Once again this year, I will be guest host of VOA's Talk to America on New Year's Day. I will be talking to my friends around the world about the past, present, and future of international broadcasting. Please join me and perhaps even call in. Or e-mail ahead with your telephone number, and we will try to call you. Best wishes for 2004! Talk to America, 1 January 2004, 1706-1800 UT [-1755?? gh] TO THE MIDDLE EAST, NORTH AFRICA, EUROPE 6040 9760 15205 Also via Eutelsat Hot Bird 3, 13 Degrees East, Freq: 12.226 GHz, FEC: 3/4, Symbol Rate: 12.8 MS/s TO AFRICA 13710 15240 15445 and to 1730 only on 909 kHz MW TO ASIA 1143 1575 5990 6045 6110 7125 9525 9645 11955 12005 15255 15395 WORLDWIDE Live RealAudio stream at http://www.voanews.com/NewsNow/index.cfm (Kim Andrew Elliott, GRDXC via DXLD) ** U S A. WBCQ is very interested in trying out DRM, probably on 9330, once all the equipment can be installed, but we have no intention of giving up analog (Allan Weiner, WBCQ, Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. A DIFFERENT KIND OF OLDIES SHOW - NEW WEB ADDITIONS I`ve streamlined out the How To Listen segment of the News page. That information has now been split out to our homepage and our redesigned streaming audio page. The streaming audio page and our special Christmas Greeting/doorway page now have a java script to allow you to bring up the Live 365 player window without having to enter the station page first. We've also added a Photo Gallery page, with many new pictures of the 11L crew courtesy of Alan Sane and Johnny Lightning. Instead of just clicking on the thumbnail and getting a larger picture, you get a page with identification, a caption and a photo credit. Full size photos are 640x480 and may take time to load up with a dial up connection. http://www.dkosmedia.com/ (Steve Coletti, Dec 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I'm doing yet another interview to promote my book, this time over WLW-700. I'm scheduled to be on at 9:00 pm Eastern/6:00 pm Pacific on Christmas itself, December 25. I should be the perfect antidote for all that peace on earth and goodwill toward men. . . . . (Harry Helms W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, NRC-AM via DXLD) 0200 UT Fri ** U S A [and non]. SW listening Christmas 1943 Excerpt from WBBM radio's CHICAGO CHRISTMAS 1943 -- "A Wartime Yule" JUDGES OF LIARS TUNE IN ON AXIS TO PRACTICE UP! Burlington, Wis., Dec. 22 (AP).--Four officers of the Burlington Liars' club gathered around a short wave radio set today to listen to broadcasts from Tokio and Berlin. O. C. Hulett, originator of the club, said they were "getting in shape to pick the 1943 champion liar--and boy, there's nothing better than those axis broadcasts to get us warmed up to our job." Approximately 6,000 persons who like to spin tall yarns have tossed their entries into the laps of Hulett and his three companions, who will come up New Year's eve with the "winner and new world champion," as they have been doing for 12 years... http://www.wbbm780.com/asp/ViewMoreDetails.asp?ID=32138 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. 1660 - Charlotte, N.C. is on - WFNA. It DID come on as WBHE, on 12/1. Here's what I wrote in 100kw on 12/3: WBHE 1660 Charlotte NC signed on Monday with sports as "WFNZ 1660", simulcasting local shows from Infinity sister WFNZ 610 Charlotte and using Sporting News Radio in off-hours (while WFNZ uses ESPN). And it finally occurred to me that there IS a good reason why WBHE's regular-band partner, WGIV 1600, had to go dark the night before 1660 signed on: it's using one tower of the old four-tower 1600 site http://www.fybush.com/site-030515.html in northwest Charlotte, and in general, you can't diplex two stations into a single tower unless their frequencies are at least 10% apart. So 1600 and 1660 are far too close to coexist on a standard diplex setup, and 1600 had to go. (Just as 1590 Atmore AL went away when 1620 came on there, for instance.) s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) Which brings up a point of curiosity as 2003 comes to an end. If I recall correctly, in 1998 somewhere around of 19 new expanded band stations came on the air. The in-band counterparts to these stations should all be off the air by now, by the five-year rule. How many of these stations actually went silent? I know that it is a very small number. 73 (Bill Dvorak, Madison WI, ibid.) ** U S A. Hello Glenn, The local newspaper, The Standard Speaker, in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, carried the following long article on changes taking place at the local radio station WAZL (AM 1490)... http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3787979/ ...basically local radio is making a comeback to this station with locally originating programming with new ownership. The article also tracks the changes taking place in the northeastern Pennsylvania radio scene and also gives a little history behind the station WAZL which started broadcasting in 1932. Regards, (Harry S., Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Glenn: I enjoyed your item on WCTI, the low-power FM that went on the air in Immokalee, Florida, on Dec. 7. I went down there to help with the "barn raising" and to learn more about what it takes to put a station on the air. I'm a long-time radio fan (active SWLer some years ago and even have my ham license, but no rig). It was an interesting coming together of farmworkers, activists (of the leftish persuasion for sure), and tech-heads, in a very interesting place, Immokalee. The station went on the air about as scheduled; after the switch was thrown I enjoyed the on-air celebration for an hour, then got back in my car for the drive home. Listened to the station for about five miles out of town, until it was overwhelmed by a (Clear Channel?) oldies station on 108 (or thereabouts). WCTI's initial antenna is 36 feet high, but plans were to extend it to 75 feet later. The goal is to boom it out at least as far as the fields that surround Immokalee, to reach most of the tomato pickers right where they work. There was also talk of streaming the station over the Internet, but I don't know when or if that will actually come to pass. (By the way, the station will broadcast mosty in Spanish, I gather, with a smattering of Central American/Mexican native languages and Haitian creole.) Another low-power station, WCOM, is supposed to go on the air next year from near where I live in central North Carolina. It will be based in Carrboro, a suburb of Chapel Hill. I'm hoping to join up with the people who will be putting that station on the air -- no idea yet if it will involve a "barn raising" such as I went to in Florida. WCOM's frequency will be 103.5 FM. http://www.weaverstreetmarket.com/action/radio.php I'm curious to know if there are people who try to DX these low-power stations. Given their residence on the FM dial (as opposed to AM), and their low power, I wonder if it's even possible. Then again, I once corresponded with someone who said he regularly and successfully DX'ed those little travelers information stations (which, admittedly, are on AM, I believe). Sincerely, (Steve Smith, Dec 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DXing LPFM is certainly possible, but difficult. WCTI may be in for rude surprises when Gulf tropo openings overwhelm their signal even very close to their tower (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. PIRATES OF THE MISSISSIPPI --- by Rod Smith Broadcasting from a fallout shelter ruled by semi-sentient roaches and mutant rats: The masked DJs of Free Radio Twin Cities Yo Ho Ho and 70 Watts: Four Years After Broadcasting From a Tree Limb Down by the River, Local Radio Renegades Keep on Marauding Talk about cramming as much music into one show as possible. "Shit," T hisses, jumping out of his chair and switching one of the two Technics 1200 turntables at the far end of Free Radio Twin Cities tiny studio back to 33 rpm. Suddenly, the song speeding by in a helium haze, "Glimpse of Heaven," by '70s cult band the Strawbs, relaxes into its folky prog-rock self. Seems the baby-faced DJ forgot that he switched the turntable to 45 rpm just a few minutes earlier, when he transformed the narrator of a Mormon propaganda record called Which Church Shall You Belong To? into a latter-day chipmunk. "A typical pirate-radio blunder," says the American't, a tall, pleasant-looking fellow with wire-rimmed glasses and a blast of curly red hair... http://www.citypages.com/databank/24/1203/article11780.asp (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) WTFK? ** U S A. Review of CD of live in-studio performances on Radio Free Brattleboro: http://valleyadvocate.com/gbase/Music/content?oid=oid:47804 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. FORMER LOUISVILLE RADIO HOST NAMED TO LABOR DEPARTMENT POSITION 12/23/2003 Associated Press A former Louisville radio talk show host has been appointed a top position in the Department of Labor, as a spokeswoman for Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. The department announced on Monday that Jane Norris, who hosted a conservative radio show in Louisville for 8 years, will work for Chao, the wife of Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell. Norris will begin in January as deputy assistant secretary of labor for public affairs, a position that makes her main responsibility dealing with the news media... http://www.whas11.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D7VJUGB81.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. EMMIS SELLS ARGENTINE RADIO STATIONS, BUYS BELGIAN STATIONS http://www.indystar.com/articles/1/104972-9051-095.html (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. ACTOR WAS WELL-KNOWN VOICE DURING RADIO'S GOLDEN AGE Tuesday December 23, 2003 SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) Les Tremayne, an English-born actor considered to have one of the best-known voices of radio's golden age, has died, his family said Monday. He was 90. Tremayne, who in 1995 was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame, died Friday at St. John's Health Center, said his wife, Joan. The cause of death was not immediately released. Tremayne played the lead in radio series including ``The Falcon,'' ``The Adventures of the Thin Man'' (as Nick Charles) and ``One Man's Family.'' He starred in ``First Nighter Program'' from 1936 to 1943. He also had an active television career from the late 1940s through the early 1990s, making guest appearances on shows such as ``Perry Mason'' and ``Alfred Hitchcock Presents.'' He had recurring roles in series such as ``The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin,'' ``The Adventures of Ellery Queen'' and ``Shazam!'' He also provided voices for several cartoon series, including ``Mr. Magoo'' and the 1986 ``Jonny Quest.'' Tremayne was born near London on April 16, 1913 to an American electrician-carpenter. His mother was an aspiring actress. The family moved to Chicago when he was 4 and Tremayne grew up in tough parts of the city, his wife said. ``He did a lot of dialects, and because he had lived in so many neighborhoods he was good at dialects,'' she said. While still in high school, Tremayne won his first radio role on the show ``Night Court.'' He moved to Los Angeles in the 1940s. After the introduction of television, he appeared in the TV version of ``One Man's Family'' in 1949. He also appeared in or provided voices for movies including ``North by Northwest,'' ``The Gallant Hours'' and ``Goldfinger.'' Besides his wife, Tremayne is survived by his brother, Charles Henning, and a niece, Leslie Bartholomew (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** VANUATU. I cannot name where I got this from except Santa overflying Vila --- 7260 is on 4 kW of juice and the MW freqs are on 400 watts, so no wonder people in Europe are wondering what`s happened (Johno Wright, ripple via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. LAUNCH OF INTERNET TELEVISION PROGRAMS IN MID-2004 | Text of report by Vietnamese newspaper Lao Dong web site on 22 December As authorized by the government, the Vietnam Television Technology Development and Investment Company or VTC has been launching trial television programmes on the Internet since 25 November. An official of the VTC reported on 22 December that the programmes posted so far have reached relatively high quality. The trial is going smoothly with clear sounds and images, the official said, and the trial run will continue over the next six months. According to plan, Vietnam's television programmes will be officially launched on the Internet on 1 July 2004. Source: Lao Dong web site, Hanoi, in Vietnamese 22 Dec 03 (via BBCM via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. For months, I have heard a tone on 1630, about A above middle C or approx. 880 Hz. It is there at night only, fading in and out, underneath and occasionally equal to the usual Iowa and Georgia stations. I hear it from roughly sunset to sunrise. It sounds like a station running a test tone nonstop. I've listened to it for my entire 45-minute drive home from work, from Morgantown, WV to Waynesburg, PA and it's pretty uniform over my trip. To my ear, it sounds like pure sine wave modulation. I've tried direction-finding w/my Sony 7600, and I get a very rough NW-SE direction, both from Morgantown and my home (Fred Schroyer, Dec 23, NRC-AM via DXLD) I hear it faintly down here in SC. I wonder if someone is off frequency? Maybe a LP pirate? (Powell E. Way, ibid.) My guess is a poorly-maintained TIS (Doug Smith W9WI, TN, ibid.) I think our 1630 mystery transmitter is too robust and uniform over distance to be a TIS. I hear no variation in it over my commute of 30+ miles, and its directionality is approx NW-SE at both ends of my commute, so this indicates a somewhat distant transmitter more powerful than a TIS. And if Powell is hearing the same thing in SC, it certainly indicates more than just a few watts. It also means that others should be hearing it. Anyone else observing this approx 880 Hz tone on 1630? For me, it is present nightly, sunset-to-sunrise. Tonite at midnight EST it is largely inaudible but fades up every few minutes (Fred Schroyer, Waynesburg, PA 15370, Southwestern Pennsylvania, ibid.) I wonder if someone might be running an experimental license on 1630? Ibiquity was running some IBOC experiments on 1700 a while back with 50 watts from Warren NJ. When Kintronics was testing the Star-H low profile antenna in late 2002 / early 2003 they were using 250 watts on 1680 from Bristol, VA. They were transmitting sinusoidal tone with occasional voice IDs. And there was an experimental license on 1590 in northern GA in late 2000 for testing of the CFA antenna. So it's possible someone could be testing on 1630 (Patrick Griffith, NØNNK, Westminster, CO, ibid.) Lately I've been running unattended TOH recordings overnight on 1630. On about half of them (no discernable pattern - I suspect it depends mostly on the signal strength of that signal vs. WRDW & KCJJ) I have an almost steady tone of roughly 1 kHz. That suggests an off-frequency station. My recordings have covered the 0000-0600 EST period (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA (15 mi NNW Philadelphia), ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 5652.14, seems a Latin American station, 0000 to 0040 and 1000 to 1030, weak signal, 23 December (Bob Wilkner, FL, Icom R-75 ~ NRD 535D ~ Drake R 7 ~ Noise Reducing Antenna, Pompano Beach, Florida [ ] Radio /DX ~ Films ~ News ~ http://uk.geocities.com/dxsf/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ NEW BPL OPPONENT An organization called the DERA (Disaster Emergency Response Association) has lined up with ARRL, FEMA, NASWA and others to oppose deployment of BPL technology. Their FCC filing reads in part: "If BPL, along with its inherent interference to licensed services throughout the HF spectrum is to be authorized, then the FCC may as well turn back the technological clock in another area as well, and reauthorize the use of unlicensed spark-gap transmissions, which would have a similar detrimental effect on licensed HF communications. IF BPL SYSTEMS BECOME OPERATIONAL AS PROPOSED, THERE WILL LIKELY BE SEVERE INTERFERENCE TO AND DISRUPTION OF HIGH FREQUENCY RADIO SYSTEMS CRITICAL TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE THROUGHOUT NORTH AMERICA." Read all about it at: http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6515382841 ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (Joe Buch, DE, Dec 23, WORLD OF RADIO 1213, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ WAVE SHIELD RADIATION PATCHES FTC SNARES MORE "RADIATION PROTECTION" DEVICE SCAMMERS Another distributor of the "WaveShield" radiation patches that were claimed to block up to 99% of electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell and cordless phones have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that their claims were unsubstantiated and false. The settlement with Interact Communications, Inc., of Boca Raton, Florida, and its president, Sheldon Kalnitsky, bars false or unsubstantiated claims about radiation-blocking phone shields or similar devices. The company sold the product to California-based Comstar Communications, Inc., which settled similar FTC charges in April 2003. [Marketers of cell phone radiation protection patches settle FTC charges. FTC news release, Dec 15, 2003] http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/12/interactcomm.htm via http://www.quackwatch.org. ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (Joe Buch, DE, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE 2004 WINTER RADIO GATHERING Will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2004. The host of the gathering will be Joe Olig. Where: 2632 Stevens St Apt #5, Madison, WI 53705-3796 Phone # 608-231-2446 This is a Non-Smoking event Activities begin at 1 PM and end when the last person leaves. (Come when you can, and leave when you must). What can you expect at this event? Good fellowship and lots of DX talk in an informal atmosphere, as there will be a wide variety of hobbyists. Please feel free to bring along any equipment, QSL's, station souvenirs, log books, pictures or any thing else that you would like to show or share with the group. There will be a group photo taken outside at around 3:30, so bring along your camera. Soft drinks, beer and snacks will be provided at the event. If you prefer another beverage or snack, please feel free to bring it along. Dinner is planned at Josie's Restaurant at around 5:30 PM, and we will regroup back at my apartment afterwards. NOTICE: There is only parking on the opposite side (South) of the street 8 AM-6 PM. After 6 PM parking is allowed on the North side of the street. For more information, contact Joe Olig at utedxer @ charter.net or mail me at the above address. I can also be reached at 608-231-2446. If you do plan on attending, please R.S.V.P. no later than Monday, January, 26, 2004. I hope that you can attend, and I look forward to seeing you! 73's, Joe Olig (via Primetime Shortwave via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ WORLD RADIO TV HANDBOOK 2004 The WRTH again very good; Nick Hardyman seems to have his team together which is good to see and in Australia we have our handbooks in the ARDXC homes for Xmas... so that`s good for the traditional xmas break. Regards and Merry Xmas, Happy New Year to all. From Peakhurst, Sydney Australia, Cheers and beers! (Johno Wright, ripple via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ TRANS-ATLANTIC [polar] LW and MW DX IN ALBERTA Another tantalizing opening to Europe this evening. Started off with a couple of LW carriers and another on 1314 about 2 hours after local sunset. Around 2040 MST 1314 was producing audio for the first time in about 10 weeks. By 2300 there were many carriers, with several producing audio, and some were strong enough to produce hets with some of our domestic stations. All times listed below are UT. 153 Man talking at 0602 12/24/03 Probably Norway Poor signal 162 2 people talking at 06:10 12/24/03 Probably France Poor signal 189 With classical music at 0608 12/24/03 Excellent signal so probably the 300kW station in Iceland though there are 2 others listed. 756 With 2 men talking in German at 06:20 12/24/03 so either Braunschweig or Ravensburg in Germany. Not needed here. Fair signal at times 963 With classical music at 06:35 12/24/03 Followed by a female talking, but too much noise and slop to get the language. Poor at best 1053 England Droitwich et al with usual Talksport programming at 0525 12/24/03. There was a second station under, and sometimes over the UK station. I could hear 2 men talking in what sounded like Slavic type language, but I'm not sure. 1314 Norway Kvitsøy with seasonal music at 0542 12/24/03 Followed by a jazz piece and a female talking in the Norwegian language Good at times. 1377 France Lille with a female talking in French at 0648 12/24/03. Not needed here. Poor at best (Mike Stonebridge in St Isidore AB with AOR 7030 & 150' EWE, IRCA via DXLD) I meant to post something about this earlier, but I'm afraid Christmas stuff has kept me hopping! Mike's latest post jogged me action. Anyhow thanks to Mike's previous posting, I've been watching 162 kHz, and three times over the past week I've heard a station on 162 other than France. I did hear a tentative Radio Rossii ID at one point, so I'm thinking it is the station from Ufa, Russia, as it's shown to relay Radio Rossii at times. From what I've heard programming doesn't appear to be all in Russian, so perhaps some minorities languages are used too. The only MW TA action I've heard was a pair of carriers on 1062 and 972. For some reason 1062 is often the first I hear, likely Denmark, but I don't know what 972 would have been. Nothing heard on 1314. Merry Christmas to all in IRCA and best of DX in 2004. 73, (Nigel Pimblett, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Dec 24, ibid.) Ufa should NOT carry R Rossii any more but regional programme only, so more probable would be Norilsk from Taymyr autonomous area. It also fits inside the greyline zone better, but during these conditions I can't confirm that it is on the air. Look for local ID's at 0010 and 0610. Has it been heard in NA with local ID yet? Merry Christmas to all on this list! (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) The geomagnetic field ranged from unsettled to minor storm levels. The period began with activity at active to minor storm levels on 15 December. As the coronal hole high speed stream diminished, geomagnetic activity dropped to quiet to unsettled levels on 16 - 19 December. The onset of the second elongated coronal hole high speed stream produced unsettled to active conditions on 20 - 21 December. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 24 December 2003 - 19 January 2004 Solar activity is expected to range from very low to moderate levels. Moderate level activity is possible from Regions 525 and 528 through 31 December. Expect mostly low activity levels in early January. There is a small chance for a greater than 10 MeV proton event until the end of December. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 03 – 04 January and again on 07 - 14 January. Geomagnetic activity is expected to range from quiet to major storm levels. Unsettled to minor storm periods are expected on 01 - 02 January due to high speed coronal hole streams. The large transequatorial coronal hole is expected to return on 04 - 12 January with major storm levels expected. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2003 Dec 23 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2003 Dec 23 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2003 Dec 24 145 10 3 2003 Dec 25 150 10 3 2003 Dec 26 150 10 3 2003 Dec 27 145 10 3 2003 Dec 28 140 10 3 2003 Dec 29 135 10 3 2003 Dec 30 130 7 2 2003 Dec 31 120 10 3 2004 Jan 01 110 25 5 2004 Jan 02 110 20 4 2004 Jan 03 100 10 3 2004 Jan 04 95 35 6 2004 Jan 05 90 30 5 2004 Jan 06 90 35 6 2004 Jan 07 85 35 6 2004 Jan 08 85 25 5 2004 Jan 09 90 25 5 2004 Jan 10 90 25 5 2004 Jan 11 100 25 5 2004 Jan 12 105 20 4 2004 Jan 13 115 10 3 2004 Jan 14 120 10 3 2004 Jan 15 125 10 3 2004 Jan 16 130 15 3 2004 Jan 17 130 20 4 2004 Jan 18 135 15 3 2004 Jan 19 140 10 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio Dec 23 via WORLD OF RADIO 1213, DXLD) QST de W1AW PROPAGATION FORECAST BULLETIN 53 ARLP053 From Tad Cook, K7RA Seattle, WA December 24, 2003 To all radio amateurs Because of the holiday this week, the propagation bulletin won`t be transmitted from W1AW on Friday, December 26. This is an interim bulletin for Wednesday. Look for another one Monday morning, December 29, which will contain the seven days of Thursday through Wednesday sunspot, solar flux and planetary A index numbers normally sent on Friday. Solar flux and sunspot numbers have been rising after a short-term minimum around December 9-12. Last Friday`s bulletin reported sunspot numbers for December 11-17 of 35, 36, 40, 48, 42, 71 and 92, and the rising trend continued, with values of 114, 113, 104, 105, 152 and 142 for December 18-23. From a low flux value on December 11, daily solar flux through December 23 was 86, 87, 88, 92, 101, 106, 118, 123, 123, 130, 133, 138 and 142. December 21 and 22 had the only geomagnetic disturbance of this week. This was from a solar wind originating in a coronal hole that earth passed through beginning December 21. The solar wind did not cause big aurora displays. At this time of the year, geomagnetic disturbances are less common than they are in fall or spring. This is due at least in part to a seasonal variation in the earthly magnetosphere as it relates to the sun`s field. See an explanation including the geometry of this seasonal variation in a NASA article from three months ago at, http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2002/23sep_auroraseason.htm Solar flux is expected to peak over the next couple of days. Predicted solar flux for today through December 28 is 145, 150, 150, 145 and 140. More sunspots and higher solar flux combined with a quiet geomagnetic field are a great combination for HF propagation, and we shouldn`t be disappointed over the next week. The predicted planetary A index is around 10 for every day until January 1, when recurring activity is expected to disturb conditions until January 10. Now that the nights are long, 160, 80, 60 and 40 meters should provide good propagation between sunset and sunrise. Compared to 11 weeks ago, for example, openings should come a bit earlier and the low bands should close much later for paths throughout the northern hemisphere. Bob Reed, W2CE wrote to say that these propagation bulletins, NW7US Solar E-alerts and DX bulletins are posted automatically on the Ham Radio DX List, an email listserver. Subscribe at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dx-list/ For more information about propagation and an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see the Propagation page on the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL Kirkuk, Iraq, 02 Dec 03 --- Coalition forces, searching a cave north of here Saturday night, in hopes of uncovering a cache of beer and cigarettes, came across some ancient scrolls. Theologians are already speculating that these scrolls could contain heretofore unknown prophecies regarding the rise and fall of communications as we know it today. Here in part is a translation. And there was in those days, in the land of Enid, a DX king and a wise man. And he spoke often, but few paid him heed. Yet he persisted, año tras año as it were, telling of the spurious evils that were to come: greedy men, putting the sacred Hertz to foul use, for their own gain. And the great star that shone upon the earth became also possessed of this evil, vomiting great tons of disruptive particles from its depths, and hurling them toward the earth at a speed of five million miles per hour, rendering man virtually unable to communicate. And the great king at Enid spoke of these things, but it fell for the most part upon the deaf ear. But there were, abiding in the fields, DXers and monitors loyal to this king. And they were many, and in all the lands. And they held the king continuously abreast of all that went down regarding the sacred Hertz. And as time passed, communicators great and small found their task increasingly difficult. Many dwindled, or disappeared completely. They lacked resources, and at times even the will to persevere. And they erred continuously. Their errors were legion, and often gross. They erred in time. They erred in frequency. They erred in bearing. They erred even in the language with which they sought to greet their fellow man. And four times a year they produced great tables, erroneous for the modt part, for generally those who produced them knew not of what they spoke. Indeed, few there were who knew what was right and what wrong in the realm of communication. But the great king at Enid knew, for his faithful in all places kept him well informed. And he toiled day and night, updating, tabulating, collating, until all he produced was without fault. And there was none other could equal him. And as the end drew near, the whole world sought his wisdom, to know what could be heard and when. And lo even the greatest of the communicators consulted the king`s website daily, albeit clandestinely, if only to be sure that he himself were not in error (Richard P. Bentley, East Aurora NY) ###