DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-011, January 18, 2004 edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.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 For restrixions and searchable 2004 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 1216: Mon 0430 on WSUI, Iowa City, 910, webcast [last week`s 1215] Mon 0515 on WBCQ 5105, 7415, webcast http://wbcq.us Tue 0400 on SIUE Web Radio http://www.siue.edu/WEBRADIO/ [probably followed Tue at 0430 by CONTINENT OF MEDIA 03-06] Wed 1030 on WWCR 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1216 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1216h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1216h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1216.html WORLD OF RADIO 1216 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1216.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1216.rm MUNDO RADIAL --- INFORME DX DESDE NORTEAMÉRICA POR GLENN HAUSER, ENERO 2004, Grabado el 8 de enero de 2004; en segmentos por Radio Enlace de Radio Nederland, viernes y domingos 9 a 25 de enero; en WWCR 9475, a partir del 16 de enero, viernes 2215, martes 2230, miécoles 2200. Escuchar a pedido: corriente: http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0401.ram bajable: http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0401.rm Guión: http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0401.html ** ALASKA. Glenn: must be a typo because 7 MHz-7200 is reserved for ham radio operators not for SW broadcasting. That is the 40 meter band (Sean Traverse, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sean, I guess you are referring to KNLS on 7160. Yes, I know, and I have made quite a point of that being hamband, near the beginning of this week`s World of Radio, for instance. Looking again at the KNLS website, I see 7160 not only at 1000 but also at 1200 for Mandarin, and also via the Chinese webpage. If it`s a typo, they made it over and over. Time to actually monitor 7160 and find out what we hear (Glenn to Sean, via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. X-BAND ARGENTINA Estimado Sr. Glenn Hauser: Por este medio quiero agradecerle el hecho que haya dado difusión a la lista de estaciones de Onda Media Argentina que operan en la X-Band. Sin embargo pude advertir que las direcciones de e-mail no han sido incluidas. Para que la información suministrada sea completa, seguidamente le mando a Ud. la lista actualizada, conteniendo los datos que faltan. Un saludo cordial. Marcelo A. Cornachioni ************************************************************ BANDA AMPLIADA ARGENTINA EN ONDA MEDIA: Actualización: 05/01/2004 1610 KHz / Radio Éxitos QTH: Zufriátegui 830, 1er Piso, (B1714GDL) Ituzaingó, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4458-4603 E-mail: radioexitos @ yahoo.com.ar DG: Hernán A. Zabala Cxs: FM Oriente / 94.7 MHz 1610 KHz / Radio Antártida / [inactiva] Cxs: Rtx Radio Excélsior (730 KHz) 1610 KHz / Radio Cántico Nuevo / [inactiva] QTH: Av. Roberto Oliver 1319, (B1839AMO) 9 de Abril, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4272-2943 DG: Alfredo H. Soto 1610 KHz / Radio Cultura / [inactiva] QTH: Bernal -ex Domingo Purita- 2247, (B1826DEC) Remedios de Escalada, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4247-6197 OP: Sociedad de Fomento y Cultural Villa Talleres Cxs: RL88, Radio Lanús FM / 88.1 MHz 1610 KHz / Radio Buenas Nuevas QTH: Dr. Luis Tozzini 40, (X6120DDB) Laboulaye, Córdoba. Tel: (03385) 42-6664 E-mail: buenasnuevas @ arnet.com.ar DG: Pedro Saavedra Potencia: 0.5 Kw 1610 KHz / Radio Maranata QTH: Hipolito Yrigoyen s/n esq. Andresito, (N3370) Puerto Iguazú, Misiones. Tel: (03757) 42-2713, 42-2557 QTH-2: Casilla de Correo 45, (3370) Puerto Iguazu, Misiones. E-mail: icn.futuro @ hotmail.com OP: Iglesia Camino Nuevo DG: Hugo Eidinger Cxs: FM Futuro / 101.7 MHz Radio Baluarte (SW 6215 KHz) 1620 KHz / Radio Tropicana / (Cadena Vida) / [irregular] QTH: Av. San Juan 2461, (C1232AAG) Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4941-7601, 4942-6913, 4942-6916 / 4942-4342 OP: Asociación Civil \"Jesús es mi Salvador\" DG: Genuario Rodriguez Almeida / Washington B. Taroco Cxs: FM 89.1 MHz Obs: Ahora en 1130 KHz 1620 KHz / Radio Italia QTH: General Güemes 5025, (B1603CUE) Villa Martelli, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4709-1172 DG: Juan Berardis 1630 KHz / AM Restauración QTH: Tgrl. Pedro E. Aramburu -ex Debussy- 2948, (B1686FBB) Hurlingham, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4452-0167, 4662-6387, 4662-9032 E-mail: restauracionam @ aol.com OP: Iglesia Pentecostal Piedra Viva DG: Osvaldo Adrián Silva 1630 / AM-1630 Radio Buen Ayre / (Red 92) QTH: Av. Circunvalación -Calle 32- Nº 426, (B1902BKV) La Plata, Buenos Aires. Tel: (0221) 483-8998 E-mail: am1630 @ red92.com Web: http://www.red92.com OP: Nuevas Comunicaciones S.R.L. DG: Marcelo Balcedo Cxs: Emisiones Platenses (92.1 MHz) y Mix FM (102.7 MHz) Potencia: 1/5 Kw 1640 KHz / Radio Bolivia / [irregular] QTH: Av. Int. Francisco Rabanal 1465, PA, (C1437FPB) Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4919-2994, 4919-3659 DG: Haydee E. Catalano 1640 KHz / Radio Boanerges / [inactiva] QTH: (3300) Posadas, Misiones. Tel: (03752) 45-4425 Cxs: FM 94.5 MHz 1650 KHz / Radio Fortaleza QTH: 12 de Octubre 537, PB, (B1804AAC) Ezeiza, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4232-9739 OP: Iglesia Pentecostal La Estrella Obs: Ex 1520 KHz 1660 KHz / Radio Unidad / [inactiva] QTH: Molina 830, (B1846BEL) Jose Mármol, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4241-2544 OP: Iglesia Internacional Unidos en el Amor de Jesús DG: Alicia del Carmen Veliz Cxs: FM 94.1 MHz 1670 KHz / Radiomania / [inactiva] QTH (TXR): San Justo, Buenos Aires. E-mail: 1670 @ starmedia.com Obs: Rtxn del Servicio Latinoamericano de la BBC (Londres, UK) 1680 KHz / Radio Getro QTH: Magallanes 3136, (B1824PYB) Lanús Oeste, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4267-2074 OP: Iglesia Jesucristo La Roca Viva DG: Viera Huberuk 1690 KHz / Radio Apocalipsis II QTH: Monseñor Bufano 3386, (B1754BZN) San Justo, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4484-4517, 4484-7617 Web: http://apocalipsis2.freeyellow.com OP: Fundación Cristo la Solución Cxs: FM 90.7 MHz ************************************************************ Llamados a licitación: (Resolución Nro. 1173-COMFER/03) Nómina de frecuencias correspondientes al servicio de radiodifusión sonora por modulación de amplitud que se encuentran en estado de concurso abierto y permanente. 1610 / General Lamadrid (Buenos Aires) - 1/0,25 Kw 1610 / Villa Berthet (Chaco) - 1/0,25 Kw 1620 / San Antonio (Catamarca) - 1/0,25 Kw 1630 / Chajarí (Entre Ríos) - 0,5/0,25 Kw 1630 / Taco Pozo (Chaco) - 1/0,25 Kw 1640 / Bella Vista (Tucumán) - 1/0,25 Kw 1640 / Carmen de Patagones (Buenos Aires) - 1/0,25 Kw 1640 / Charadai (Chaco) - 1/0,25 Kw 1640 / Colonia Mitre (La Pampa) - 1/0,25 Kw 1660 / Paso de los Libres (Corrientes) - 1/0,25 Kw 1680 / Nogoyá (Entre Ríos) - 5/0,5 Kw 1680 / Puelén (La Pampa) - 1/0,25 Kw ************************************************************ Se agradece el envío de cualquier dato que tienda a actualizar, modificar o suprimir la información suministrada en el presente listado. Comentarios, consultas y sugerencias que quiera Ud. formular relacionadas con este trabajo, deberá ser dirijida a la siguiente dirección: Marcelo A. Cornachioni Álvarez Thomas 248 (B1832DNF) Lomas de Zamora Buenos Aires, Argentina E-mail: dxline @ arnet.com.ar (Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 0959. 2485 kHz, ABC Northern Territory, Katherine Australia, SINPO 23555. English, 2 OM, Music with a YL singing. // Alice Springs & Tennant Creek. 1004, 2325 kHz, ABC Northern Territory, Tennant Creek Australia, SINPO 35333. English, YL singing, // Katherine & Alice Springs. 1006, 2310 kHz, ABC Northern Territory, Alice Springs Australia, SINPO 25333. English, Music with YL singing. // Katherine & Tennant Creek (Phil KO6BB Atchley, Merced CA, Jan 17, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 5049.99, ARDS, best heard 17th Jan at 1803, which is morning in NZ, giving station details and the phone number "8997 3910", weak at best; evening loggings post 1000 obliterated by Chinese language on 5050 (confirming Guy Atkins observations), although "Oh come all ye faithful" heard the previous evening at 0954. Look out for lots of hymns to help ID. A quick plug for the New Zealand tourist industry. If you fancy a holiday with a long surf beach as far as the eye can see, crystal clean water with no nasty stinging creatures, wine farms within driving distance, fishing par excellence and great DX for the Americas and parts of Asia and the Pacific, try Ohope Beach on the North Island's east coast --- the aptly named Bay of Plenty. Best weather, mid January to mid March (David Norrie, Ohope Beach, North Island, New Zealand, AOR 7030 with a 15m long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 11750, HCJB, 0920-0940, Jan. 16, English, program promos, quiz re "Disciples of Jesus", contemporary religious music followed by quiz answer. Instrumental music until ID/TC at 0930, program "Re-newing your mind". Fair/poor with unidentified Chinese QRM fading in at 0935. Best using USB (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, MLB-1, RS longwire with RBA balun, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 1620, 2KM, 0951 Jan 16, two female DJ's with English Australian accent tinged with Middle East dialect conducting phone in, "what is best place to visit in Lebanon!!", good but co-channel "coast to coast AM" (USA) (David Norrie, whilst on holiday at Ohope, New Zealand. Heard on AOR 7030 with 15m long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AZERBAIJAN. "RADIO FREE AZERBAIJAN" REPORTED ON MEDIUMWAVE ``Since early December 2003, Finnish radio hobbyist Mauno Ritola has regularly observed a station with Azeri programming identifying itself as "Radio Free Azerbaijan" [Azad Azerbaijan Radyosu] on 1530.7 kHz at 1700-1800 gmt. This frequency is observed carrying Radio Liberty at other times. The current edition of World Radio TV Handbook lists a 7 kW transmitter on 1530 kHz in Baku. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 16 Jan 04 (via DXLD)`` Subject to confirmation: this program might be linked with Azad Azärbaycan, a commercial broadcasting company --- website: http://www.azadazerbaijan.com --- which runs the station 106FM and the ATV TV channel in Baku. Btw, the correct spelling of this program in the official Latin Azeri alphabet would be "Azad Azärbaycan radiosu"*, not "Azad Azerbaijan Radyosu". (* ä = transliteration for a special Azeri character not found in the West European character set). Looking at similar examples in other BBCM reports from West and Central Asia, one could get the impression that BBCM would not be informed that Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan changed from the Cyrillic to the Latin alphabet in the 1990s and that words in these languages no longer are supposed to have an "English" transcription (except for "special" letters). But since BBCM is monitoring also TV and printed massmedias from these countries, it certainly has this knowledge and one should expect a correct spelling? Actually, "Azad Azerbaijan Radyosu" looks like a Turkish-English hybrid since also based on the former Cyrillic Azeri alphabet the word "radiosu" would not be transcribed "radyosu", - that's the Turkish spelling, though. A positive example in this regard is the daily RFE/RL newsline which puts a lot of effort in a correct spelling (and if necessary, proper transcription) of personal and place names in all successor countries of the former USSR (like the name of the Belarusian president which RFE/RL spells in its "native" form "Lukashenka" and not "Lukashenko" as it is commonly, incorrectly spelled elsewhere). (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BHUTAN. 6035.3, Bhutan Broadcasting Service, Thimpu, Dec 23 and Jan 11, 1358-1500*, talk, Tibetan type music, time signal, theme music, ID, ``Today, I`m... Bhutan Broadcasting Service``, news, and commentary(?) followed. Till 1358, R Australia brocks it, however, BBS is relatively fair after 1358, there is unknown interference, though. English News 1400, into talks in English. Last 30 minutes of local music, somewhat like Tibetan. These days *0100 s/on is very clear (Victor Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, and Masato Ishii, Shibata-shi, Japan, DSWCI DX Window Jan 14 via DXLD) ** CANADA. CHWO 740 Toronto may not last much longer. A reliable source says they are in financial trouble, may be going bankrupt. Had to let DJ Bob Dearborn go because they couldn`t pay him (George Thurman, TX, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Hi Glenn, This just forwarded to me. I have no idea of time. Very late word on this, but for those of you with an interest in monitoring the medium wave broadcast band, CKLW's 50,000 watt signal, will be off air this coming Sunday morning for technical maintenance. This has been the case the previous two mornings with one last round of maintenance yet to come in just a few hours. Art VE3AKJ who has been monitoring the 800 kHz frequency without the "Big 8" signal the past couple of mornings reports some interesting stations out there not only on the main frequency but on adjacent channels have been heard from throughout the U.S. mid-west. A great opportunity to work some stations that locally fall into the "rare ones" category and to add to that QSL collection for the broadcast band. 73, (Bill VE3ES Leal, BCRC list via Steve Lare, Holland, MI, DXLD) I notified the NRC list of this ahead of time (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. CANADA COOL WITH HAPPY PENIS SONG [CJAY-FM Calgary] http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040116/od_uk_nm/oukoe_canada_penis (via Don Thornton, DXLD) ** CUBA. UT Sat Jan 17 at 0645 I came upon RHC with a montage of voices from the present mixed with some from the Vietnam era making acute political points; among those recognized were Sen. Wayne Morse, C. M. Braun, RFK, Noam Chomsky --- the kind of production RHC is not known for, requiring an extensive sound library, a lot of research and editing. Still I was surprised to hear the outro at 0652 that this had been Making Contact, from the National Radio Project, part I, to be continued tomorrow! AFAIK, M.C. does not appear on the RHC program schedule, so this may have been a special booking. M.C. was one of the staples on RFPI, so has it found a new SW home? Here`s the Public Radio Fan page about all the stations webcasting it, mostly community rather than major public stations: http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgi-bin/program.pl?programid=1028 And the show`s own website: http://www.radioproject.org/ where the programs may be downloaded, so perhaps it is even news to NRP that they were on RHC. It`s certainly not on their own station list, but RFPI is, grossly outdated even as of November 2003, showing 6200, 7385 and 15050, frequencies which it had not used for many years! Best reception was on 9550, but with a constant hum (120 Hz?), exactly the same hum as on 9600 which had no other modulation, as is often the case. \\ 9820 with the usual squealing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. RUMORS OF CASTRO'S DEATH SWEEP MIAMI-DADE -- AGAIN Herald Staff Reports Uncorroborated rumors that Cuban President Fidel Castro had died or suffered a stroke buzzed around Miami-Dade County on Friday, with anxious callers inundating police departments, media outlets and exile groups. . . http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/7729760.htm This got me to thinking on my ride back from town a bit ago about the old Radio Moscow days when a Soviet leader died, and we'd hear dirge music on the frequencies, announcing that a leader had died, even before an announcement had been made (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. MEDIUMWAVE CHANGES IN CZECH REPUBLIC Karl Honzik reports: Important changes on Medium waves from 1 February 2004: All transmitters of CRo 6 on 1071, 1233 and 1287 kHz cease operation on 31 January 2004. Program CRo 6 will be rescheduled, new on-air time will be 1700 - 2300 UTC. The program will be relayed on CRo 2 transmitters on 639, 954 and 1332 kHz. CRo = Cesky Rozhlas = Czech Radio More transmitters to cease operation on 31 January 2004: 558 kHz - Tachov / Právo 864 kHz - Strakonice / Radomysl 981 kHz - Jihlava / Vetrník With Tachov 558 kHz closing down it is now the last chance to catch, report and verify the last regional programme from the Czech Republic on medium waves. Tachov relays regional program of Studio Plzen (Pilsen) - 24 h. Power is not too big - 1 kW. Despite the plans to close down the LW transmitter Topolná 270 kHz too, the transmitter seems to survive again and stays on the air after 1 February. (Source: Karl Honzik, Czech Republic, in various mailing lists) # posted by Andy @ 10:57 UT Jan 18 (Media Network blog via DXLD) Ha! Now we know why Radio Prague was asking for reception reports about 639 kHz a few months ago! By the way, the first attempts to get rid of the Topolná transmitter (also listed as Uherské Hradiste, a town nearby) already dates back a decade, as far as I recall indeed exactly ten years. Back then it was impressive to scan the mediumwave band in the Erzgebirge mountains, because it was packed with Czech transmitters. A lot of them are already silent, and now all this AM glory will basically vanish altogether (Kai Ludwig, Germany, 01.18.04 - 1:09 pm, ibid.) ** DENMARK [non]. You may not be able to hear WORLD OF RADIO on WRN via WRMI, but you can hear a weekly show in English from Denmark! In case you`ve forgotten, Copenhagen Calling has been running for some eight years, since R. Denmark quit English long before they quit SW completely at yearend. We ran across it at 0630 UT Sunday January 18 on 7385. Finding it on the WRN site is a challenge, since it`s not filed under DENMARK, nor under COPENHAGEN, but under: BANNS RADIO INTERNATIONAL! It`s also scheduled Sundays at 1830, on 15725. On the Asia/Pacific service (no SW relay), Sat 0930, Sun 0730. Possibly there are other times on other services; it`s slow going hunting thru all the WRN grids to find all the times for any show. Its own site http://www.euroaudio.dk/ includes audio on demand of this and a couple of other programs. We only listened briefly, since one of the first items on the show was about a sex crime (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. The following is a cross posting from the Topband list. Anyone able to identify the interfering station? Sounds like "Radio Noventa y Uno" to me, but don't know whether this is the name of a program or a station ID. ========== begin quote ============= There is a station SE of me (this rules out most or all of Cuba) that is very strong on 1820 kHz that I can't ID. There is a link to a sound file of the announcer at http://www.w8ji.com/dx_sound_files.htm 73 Tom ========== end quote ============= vy 73 + gd DX, (Michael Oexner, Real DX via DXLD) If the guy cannot ID such a clear signal, he should have his ears checked by a doctor very soon! Clear IDs as Radio 91. As it was heard on 1820 it's pretty clear that it is a second harmonic of 910. There is indeed a Radio 91 in the Dominican Republic, HILB, 1 kW from Bonao. 73's (Martin Elbe, Germany, ibid.) This station ID's as Radio Noventa [y] Uno many many times. This is the ID listed for HILB 910 AM in WRTH. I suspect Tom had the harmonic of that station. DR would, off course, be SE of Tom's QTH. Someone better in Spanish than may dig up more from the tape. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) ** EL SALVADOR. R. Imperial, presumed, back after a few weeks` absence, 17834.9, gospel rock, or more like disco, ---ugh--- 2245 UT Sun Jan 18. Good signal equivalent to but less fading than NHK on 17825; better signal and much better modulation than Nigeria 17800. But overshadowed at times from much stronger REE-Costa Rica 17850 splatter. Pipeline from Central America (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. PIRATE. 21894.85, Cupido R., 18 Jan. 1420-1611*, Recognized songs "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's Midnight Runners, "Eyes Without a Face" by Billy Idol, "Don`t Dream, It`s Over" by Crowded House, and possibly one by Aretha Franklin. A lot of EuroPops too. M announcer giving e-mail address and mailing address phonetically often. Finally got some nice IDs towards the end of the broadcast. Very weak signal with heavy quick QSB. Peaks on the order of 3 seconds or so. Oddly enough, Brett was getting it best on his DX-398!! Used the 300 foot 40 degree Beverage. Thanks to the operator for going on the air!! (Dave Valko, DX session near Altoona PA with Brett Saylor, Cumbre DX with DXLD) ** GUINEA. 7125, R Conakry, 1101-1420, Jan 01, and 1810-1909, Jan 02, Arabic (unlisted!), with news (tentative), then a music program in Vernacular/French 1830; several annoying breakdowns during the Arabic program, mainly of audio which was often off for more than a minute; 44443, with stronger adjacent QRM 1900 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window Jan 14 via DXLD) ** GUYANA. 3291.09, V. of Guyana, 18 Jan. 0400-0600, Running BBC programming presumably all night. No local announcements. Wonder if anyone was at the station!! 0927 Pop instrumental record skipping. 0929 W with short cultural program promo, mention of V.O.G. Then live M with ID, program sked rundown, TC, and back to music. So is in local programming at least at 0900 hour. Very good signal (Dave Valko, DX session near Altoona PA with Brett Saylor, 300' at 40 degrees with coax leadin, 500' at 280 degrees, and about 500' at 180 degrees, Cumbre DX with DXLD) ** ICELAND. Hi Glenn, Last Tuesday January 13 I heard AFN Grindavik 0910 UT on two USB outlets: 7590- and 13855 kHz with "Sports overnight America". Weak on 7590 and quite strong on 13855. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. On Jan 03-07 I did monitor AIR stations at 0030-0130 and 1530-1630, heard was as follows: 3223, AIR Simla, weak signal with utility splash 3315, AIR Bophal, fair, clear 3390, AIR Gangtok, weak, utility QRM [SIKKIM] 3945, AIR Gorakpor, weak in clear 4760, AIR Port Blair, fair, clear [ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS] 4775, AIR Imphal, weak, clear 4790, AIR Delhi via Chennai, weak 4800, AIR Hyderabad, weak, mixing with Chinese station 4820, AIR Kolkata, weak, mixing with Chinese station 4830, AIR Jammu, fair, clear [KASHMIR] 4840, AIR Mumbai, fair, utility QRM at times 4850, AIR Kohima, weak, clear 4860, AIR Delhi, fair, clear 4880, AIR Lucknow, fair at times 4895, AIR Kurseong, fair at times 4910, AIR Jaipur, fair, clear 4920, AIR Chennai, fair, mixing with Chinese station 4940, AIR Guwahati, fair, clear 4950, AIR Srinigar, weak, clear at times 4960, AIR Ranchi, weak, clear at times 4970, AIR Shillong, weak always 4990, AIR Itanagar, weak, clear at times 5010, AIR Thiruvananthapuram, fair, clear 5040, AIR Jeypore, fair at times 5050, AIR Aizawl, weak always. Only one I didn`t hear was 3365 AIR Delhi (Jim Edwards, Lancashire, UK, DSWCI DX Window Jan 14 via DXLD) The latter was temporary heard on 3335 (Victor Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, and Jose Jacob, India, ibid.) Many AIR stations noted in the beginning of this year at their morning opening: 4760, AIR Port Blair [ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS], 0032-0035, Jan 10, Talks in Hindi then ID and News in English. Fair 4775, AIR Imphal, 0028-0036, Jan 10, S/ON, I/S, local ID in Hindi, News in English. Good 4800, AIR Hyderabad, 0218-0203, Jan 02, Indian light music and talks in Local. Good. 4830, AIR Jammu, 0037-0201, Jan 2+10, typical music and talks in Local. [KASHMIR] 4840, AIR Mumbai, 2354- Jan 09, S/on with I/S and talks in Local. Good. 4860, AIR Delhi, 0027-0037, Jan 05, chant, T/S, ID and News in Hindi, Good. 4880, AIR Lucknow, 0144-0158, Jan 02+05, talks in Local. Fair to good. 4910, AIR Jaipur, 0025-0153, Jan 02+05+10, local chants, News and talks in Local. Good. 4940, AIR Guwahati, 0039, Jan 10, News in English // 4760+4775+5010. Fair 4950, AIR Srinagar, 0152-0202, Jan 02, chants and talk in Local. Dit not sign off at 0200! Good. [KASHMIR] 4970, AIR Shillong, 0041, Jan 10, local music. Fair 4990, AIR Itanagar, 0042, Jan 10, local chants. Fair 5010, AIR Thiru`puram, 0038-0152, Jan 02+10, News in English, talks in Local. Fair. 5040, AIR Jeypore, 0130-, Jan 05 talks in Local and music. Fair (Alessandro Groppazzi, Trieste, Italy, DSWCI DX Window Jan 14 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 4790, RRI Fak Fak, 17th Jan 1028, playing cover versions of "Venus" (Shocking blue) and "Honky Tonk woman" (RollingStones), strong ID and regular every evening, rock solid on 4790. 4870, RRI Wamena, 16 Jan 0936, have seen this reported as Sorong but I heard firm "Wamena" ID with news on (strangely) Andrah Pradesh Indian affairs (David Norrie, Ohope Beach, North Island, New Zealand, AOR 7030 with a 15m long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. Re: Religion for Adults, DXLD thread 4-005, 4-006, 4-007 [USA]. Beautiful! Thanks! However, given the amount of media we have and the number of programs broadcast on this vast continent, I think at least the thrust of my central point remains valid. This is better than I thought it was, but is still a paltry number of entries. "Speaking of Faith" looks like a wonderful program (perusing its web page), but fewer than 55 public radio stations pick up the program and several of these are part of the same local network of stations and their "outlying" transmitters. I should have remembered CBC's "Tapestry". It too is an excellent program in this tiny genre. I share the feeling that it is unfortunate that it is no longer broadcast on SW to the US. But, other than in border regions, this program goes entirely unheard in the US. (Perhaps it is carried on one or more of the three new CBC satellite feeds.) "Sound and Spirit" is heard more widely (in parts or all of 35 states), but it only partially fits the definition of what I was seeking. "Secular Bible Study" is an entirely new one to me and I'll have to sample it. But, again, AFAIK this is carried only on WBCQ shortwave. Many Americans and Canadians will miss it for that reason alone. I am very happy with the response to this item and thank Glenn for giving it wider play. In the end, I probably should have said "exceedingly few" instead of "none" (or words to that effect). Thank you all for educating me further on this topic. I will share these responses with MT readers, of course giving full credit to DXLD (John Figliozzi, NY, swprograms, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Aside from Tapestry (CBC Radio One), I nominate Bernie Ward and his show God Talk on KGO-810 San Francisco, 6 to 9 am PST [Sunday 1400- 1700 UT]. Unfortunately there is no program summary on their site, but they stream on internet, so you may wish to give it a listen. I like Bernie very much but know he rubs many the wrong way. (He rubs me the wrong way at times too -- that's part of the reason I enjoy him.) ef (Eric Flodén, Vancouver, swprograms via DXLD) Re: Secular Bible Study, WBCQ: I wonder what his sources were that enable him to declare that Exodus and parts of Genesis are fiction, or that the gospels weren't written by the apostles? I am not exactly sure I'd consider him a 'scholar'. "Speaking of Faith" airs on WHYY Philadelphia (which also webcasts live) at 7 AM Sundays [1200 UT]. "Tapestry" does air via the RCI-1 feed Sundays 1900, and on RCI-3 Mondays 0900. I listened to it last week -- it was actually a rebroadcast of a philosophical discussion of "For your own good" which originally aired on "Ideas". (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, ibid.) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. BROADCASTER WORLDSPACE SET TO GO PAY by R. Ravikumar, CHENNAI http://www.agencyfaqs.com/news/stories/2004/01/17/8152.html THE satellite-based free-to-air digital audio broadcaster, WorldSpace, is set to go pay. The radio service will be repositioned by the end of this month, confirmed Mr Sanjay Ramakrishnan, Head, Marketing. The broadcaster also plans `Experience centres' in four metros and in all major cities, he told Business Line. WorldSpace is at present offering 30 channels; all have turned pay now. "We had converted some of our WorldSpace branded channels into subscription-based ones in 2002; and we learnt a lot from our experience. Now we are confident that we can do well with the subscription business in India. So, with renewed vigour, we converted all our channels into pay in one bouquet," he said. Subscription to the WorldSpace package would be Rs 1,200 a year for new customers. "But, as a gesture of appreciation, our early citizens can listen to WorldSpace free of cost till the end of 2004," says Mr Bharath Chari, Head, Strategy. The main idea behind the repositioning drive is to create more awareness among consumers. WorldSpace realised that there are four types of consumers. There is a section of people who do not have a clue about WorldSpace. The second kind are those who have heard of it, but do not know the kind of service it provides. The third set are people who know about WorldSpace but do not know how to access it, while the fourth type consists of those who knows everything about it but are reluctant to buy a receiver because they have not experienced it. "Our drive will address all of them," says Mr Ramakrishnan. As of now, it is planning to open at least three experience centres each in four metros and major cities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and Ahmedabad. "We are planning one centre in each city on our own, and at least two by our franchisees," he says. According to him, the first such centre will come up in Bangalore by the month-end on a trial basis. Based on the feedback it receives, other centres will be designed. After repositioning, it will be virtually ads-free. Says Mr Chari, "We in WorldSpace are bullish on the market. We know our customers are pretty demanding. They see no reason why they should pay to have commercial spots interrupting the flow of music. They want advertising-free entertainment, so we have decided to do away with ads." WorldSpace has, so far, sold close to 55,000 systems in India, and has around 12,000 subscribers now. It hopes to reach at least two lakh households by this year-end. It has plans to launch another new "economy model" receiver with a price tag of less than Rs 4,000 soon. "Our programme line is really very strong. Recently, the Sahara group took four channels (Sahara Swar-1,2,3,4) on our platform. One of them will be used to broadcast music in Mumbai suburban trains, for which the group has procured a licence from the Western Railway. We are planning more regional language channels. At present, we have seven Hindi channels, two Tamil and one Malayalam," says Mr Chari. WorldSpace recently tied up with Accel-ICIM to be its national partner in customer-care as far as installation and service divisions are concerned. Speaking on its financials, without revealing any precise figures, Mr Chari said the broadcaster is still in investment mode. "Though our investment on infrastructure development is almost complete, we plan to invest more, especially in 2004, in customer acquisition. We hope to break even by 2006," he said. According to him, the company's plan to have an uplinking facility in India has been put on hold. It now has the facility in Singapore (Hindu Business Line, January 17th via Mike Barraclough, Mike Terry, DXLD) So much for India, but what about all the other countries reached by WorldSpace? (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. Hi Glenn, Re: the WRN item, 4-010: ``Radio Kuopio in Lahti on 88.1 FM (various times)`` This should be: Radio Kantti in Kuopio on 88.1 FM and Radio Masto in Lahti on 90.3 FM 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. 7190, VOIRI, 1545 Jan 16, English identification followed by News and Views with an interview with an American about the similarities and differences between Christianity and Islam. Fair level on clear channel until Radio Liberty signed on 1600. Parallel 9610 was weaker and spoilt by some local noise. This 1530-1630 service and the 1030-1130 one on 15480 15550 are the only English from Iran now heard here (Mike Barraclough, England, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Anti-Jamming Antenna. Thanks to Radio Sedaye Iran, is on page 39 of January ODXA Listening In. Knew I`d seen that somewhere else before and found it; so the KRSI site at http://www.krsi.net/us-en/antijamming.asp lifted it from Radio Free Asia: http://www.rfa.org/front/sira/ (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. See RADIO STAMPS below ** JAPAN. NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN 70TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2005 *NHK WORLD welcomes your letters 'How NHK's International Broadcasts Have Changed My Life' NHK World Radio Japan celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2005, and NHK World TV its 10th. To celebrate, NHK WORLD is inviting overseas viewers and listeners to send in letters for use in its programs and newsletters. Letters are invited on the theme, 'How NHK's international broadcasts have changed my life.' Let us know whatever they meant to you. How to contribute: Your letter may be in any format and there are no restrictions of length. Tell us your memories by letter, Fax, or e-mail, together with your name, current address, and age, plus your phone/Fax numbers or e- mail address, in case we need to contact you. Postal Address: NHK WORLD Call for Letters NHK, 2-2-1 Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8001, JAPAN Fax: (from overseas) +81-3-3481-1350 (in Japan) 03-3481-1350 e-mail: info @ intl.nhk.or.jp URL: http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/letter70/index_e.html Deadline: 2004, Mar. 30 (via Chris Brand, DXLD) Let`s see, what was going on in Japan in 1935? Oh, yeah, they were building an empire by invading their neighbors. Through WW II it was known as Radio Tokyo. Does NHK really want to commemorate this? Deutsche Welle does not trace its ancestry to before WW II (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 4027.4, Voice of the People of Kurdistan, 0405- 0410, Jan 10, Kurdish, news, ID and mentioned Kurdistan many times. 23333 (Bjarke Vestesen, Saltum, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Jan 14 via DXLD) Also heard 1705-2013*, We Jan 07, prolonged schedule with Arabic until 1910, then Kurdish. ID`s heard: ``Huna idha`at sawt Sha`b Kurdistan`` and ``Aira dangi Gelli Kurdistana``. Talks about Saddam Hussein, Iraq and Kurdistan. 34444 (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Jan 14 via DXLD) ** MALTA [non]. MALTA/RUSSIA, 7440, Voice of the Mediterranean, Valetta, via Moscow, 2030-2100*, Dec 31, Final broadcast in English hosted by Victoria Gallia, features about the British Empire and Malta, Malta during WW I and WW II, 2045 philosophical farewell talk on the importance of SW broadcasts, `` Farewell and Good New Year``, closed with music by Strauss. 45444 (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Jan 14 via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Looking for possible WWCR mixing product on 10495 (see USA), found bits of the presumed XERMX blob centered around 10470, Jan 18 at 1415 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 0355 Jan 17, 4810, XERTA Radio Continental [sic], Mexico City, SINPO 34333. Spanish, Music, OM with Station ID, YL & OM talking. NOTE: This one was off and on (mostly on) most of the night! (Phil KO6BB Atchley, Merced CA, swl at qth.net via DXLD) 4810, XERTA, 1130 Jan 17, in with pretty good audio this morning. However, it was apparently gone at 1154 check. Some ute QRM from above (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) XERTA on 4810 putting in an excellent signal at 1245. They have been reported on 4812 in the past (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, Drake R7, R8 and R8B, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4810, XERTA, 18 Jan. 1235, LA romantic ballads. Very nice signal at this time. "Joy to the World" Christmas song at 1246!! Brett stated they ID'ed just before the song. Still coming in at 1322 check but weak audio (Dave Valko, DX session near Altoona PA with Brett Saylor, 300' at 40 degrees with coax leadin, 500' at 280 degrees, and about 500' at 180 degrees, Cumbre DX with DXLD) ** MEXICO. 1300, unID Spanish singing "Sarafina" and then "happy birthday to you" song in Spanish, ID sounded like "Radio Tempe" at 0921 Jan 15th any ideas? (David Norrie, whilst on holiday at Ohope, New Zealand. Heard on AOR 7030 with 15m long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Likely R. Trece, XEP, Ciudad Juárez, 50 kW now (gh, DXLD) 1370, unID Mexican, flirted with this one for a couple of nights tentative "R. Universidad", played accordion music and "Mexico" mentioned a few times, Spanish version of Carpenters song "Jumbalia", and then Spanish rap 1014, 15th Jan (David Norrie, whilst on holiday at Ohope, New Zealand. Heard on AOR 7030 with 15m long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRTH 2004 has two Radios Universidades on 1370, Aguascalientes and Morelia (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. I have a feeling that it may get very ugly between the US and Mexico if US stations start QRM'ing Mexican stations with IBOC. I've had the feeling for a long time that Mexican stations under report their true operating power. In Houston stations here at night have a tough go of it between the Cubans and Mexicans. KTRH 740, Houston's 50 kW station, receives QRM from Spanish radio even in the city. KTRH with their tight nighttime pattern probably places 200 kW over the city. Local 1320 has been unlistenable in the city many nights for the past two months due to Spanish QRM. The same thing happened to 950 some 10 or 15 years ago for about six months before the issue was settled. Houston like many cities has far outgrown the reach of many stations` signals due to the never ending expansion of the city and suburbs. However the area stations cannot increase their coverage area, especially to the rapidly growing SW, NW and West side since they have to protect Mexican stations. The same problem exists for the fast growing Northern suburbs, but those limitations are due to US protection. Mexico seems to be able to put a blowtorch station on the air with no regard to protection of US signals, yet the US stations, especially the newer assignments have deep nulls towards MX. There is something wrong with this picture. What happened to the NARBA treaty? (Mike Oswald, TX, Jan 14, NRC-AM via DXLD) The NARBA treaty might be void now with IBOC, as I mentioned earlier. Mexico might be viewing IBOC as a violation and feels that anything goes now. If this is the problem, things might get ugly. Even if the US does not adopt IBOC, the QRM from all of the new high power Mexicans is not going to go away in the future. The Tijuana area looks like there will be more and more high power, starting with 560, soon to be 780 & 920, plus I am sure others will follow. XETRA already has 77 kW on 690. They made the boost from 50 kW several years back. The FCC may have opened up "Mandoras Box" [sic] and may not be able to close it. With our limit of 50 kW and highly directional patterns, we do not have a level playing field in regard to Mexico. This should be interesting (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) | It is said that the only dumb question is the one that goes unasked, so, here goes...just what is IBOC??? Where can I get some more info on the subject? | IBOC stands for "in band on channel." It's the technical name for what the media is calling HD radio. It is a digital broadcast that is sent at the same time as the normal analog broadcast. Several stations have been testing it. The reason it makes many of us upset is that the way it works is to narrow the bandwidth of the analog signal and stuff the digital signal into the sidebands. The result is that the audio sounds worse for those with good-quality receivers, and the adjacent channels are filled with a loud hiss which can easily wipe out or severely impair the signals of the stations on those channels. WSAI [1530 Cincinnati] had been running IBOC at night until recently, and I am in Memphis, TN. The noise on the adjacent channels was quite loud even at this distance. Memphis has no local stations on 1520 or 1540, but I suspect that unless they were running 50 kW at night, they would have a problem with the noise. That is the reason most stations have not been authorized to run IBOC after 6:00 PM local time. I hope this little explanation helps (Adam Myrow, ibid.) IBOC = "In Band On Channel". It's a scheme for transmitting digital radio on the same frequency and within the same bandwidth as existing analog broadcasts, (both AM and FM) and while analog broadcasts continue on those same frequencies. (i.e., WOR can broadcast analog and IBOC digital on 710 at the same time). It's controversial because (among other less-important concerns) it seems to cause severe interference to adjacent-frequency stations. Probably because while it occupies no more spectrum than analog, the amount of energy at the outer edges of that spectrum, averaged over time, is far greater than for analog. http://www.ibiquity.com http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/digital/index.html -- (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, http://www.w9wi.com ibid.) Consultants always refer to the theoretical signal strength of XERF in Mexico when trying to figure different configurations for night power for WGSR 1570. I suppose they have to by law; they calculate XERF at 250 kW and tell us a 1 kW output, for example, the signal would be good for only 3 to 4 miles. I've tried telling the ownership that a night signal would hardly ever have to deal with XERF, from my 9 years of experience of listening out here in FL. Plans to boost WGSR 1570 have taken a back seat since Florida Sports Radio Networks has acquired WVOJ 970 Jacksonville, FL as a lease (until the ownership transfer goes through with the FCC) to boost signal for the Jacksonville, FL market. The night signal gives us enough to get to offer sporting events play by play... etc. I think there could be a lot more coverage of the smaller 1570s at night if the Mexican Government vouches for XERF's 15 kW(ish) power contours in Mexico only need protection. There are two (NC and OR) 50 kW CPs that have yet to show any signs of building out on the frequency. Of course, if these stations get greater light bulb power, the band would be noisier at night, which kills us (and them I'm sure as well) with a an even more noisy critical hours situation trying to do morning and afternoon drive $$ shows. In writing this out, I suppose for business reasons these stations on 1570 can be considered albatrosses (Ron Gitschier, Palm Coast, FL, ibid.) The NARBA treating might be void now with IBOC, as I mentioned earlier. Mexico might be viewing IBOC as a violation and feels that anything goes now. If this is the problem, things might get ugly. Even if the US does not adopt IBOC, the QRM from all of the new high power Mexicans are not going to go away in the future. Even though XERF is at 18 kW, they still have the OK to go back up to 250 kW if they want to. That is why the protection stays in place. There is a 50/1 kW U4 CP for Warrenton OR (I doubt it will be built), but even though the Canadian stations have vacated 1570 here in the West, the protection still stands. If BC or AB decides they want another 10 kWer, they can get it. So the CP for Warrenton will have to give Canadian protection. 73s, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) To put another factor into this pot, I heard a formal full ID on XERF a week ago that announced their power as 'doscientos cincuenta mil watts' so they are still claiming that authority even though their actual power appears to be 18 kW now. XERF, incidentally, is one of several Mexican commercial stations that are owned by Grupo Instituto Mexicano de la Radio, which is apparently a government agency. Advertising rates shown in Directorios Medios Publicitarios Mexicanos show IMER stations with much lower rates than other stations in their markets. XEB on 1220, for example, in March 2001 sold a 60-second spot for 1,200 pesos; XEX charged 12,000 pesos, XEW and XEQ charged 6,900 pesos, XEQR got $13,600 pesos, and XEOY got 6,000 pesos. Most of the FM'ers got considerably more. In Ciudad Acuña, XERF's 60-second spot rate was listed at 32 pesos, while XEAE-1600 was shown at 311, XEDH-1340 at 311, and XEKD-1010 at 321. At the WTFDA convention in Yukon, Oklahoma, in 2002, WTFDA-member Joe Gragg, of Palestine, Texas, a consulting engineer who worked with the IMER stations, said the government was extremely tight-fisted with its financial support for the IMER stations, and their equipment had deteriorated badly. XEB's signal on 1220 does not compare at all to those of XEW, XEX and XEQ. It's been so long since I've tried to verify any station, I have no specific knowledge of what to do with it. The IMER address, according to the March 2001 MPM, is Grupo IMER Instituto Mexicano de la Radio, Mayorazgo No. 83, Col. Xoco, 03330 México DF; website http//www.imer.gob.mx; e-mail imervent @ imer.gob.mx Director General was CP Carlos Lara Sumano; Director de Comercialización Lic. Ernesto Sánchez Sumano; Director de Radiodifusoras Lic. José Eduardo Leycegui Vega; and Sub-Directora de Mercadotecnia, Lic. Georgina Moreno Cordero. My subscription to MPM will start next month, so hopefully I'll be a little more up-to-date. I noticed a while back while looking at the IMER website that XEQK- 1350 has changed slogan and format. It will be doing people oriented local talk. For many, many years, "La Hora Exacta" on 1350 and 9555 was the Mexican version of Cuba's Radio Reloj, with time checks every minute and commercials (unlike RR) in between. Though 1350 was not a powerful signal, in the '60s it was the only station on 1350 on Monday mornings, and I would hear them regularly in the Panhandle. I also note that XEDTL-660 is no longer shown on the IMER website. WRTH-2004 shows them with a new name, which indicates it also may have gone to a talk format, likely under new ownership? I'm probably the only one on the list who will welcome increased power and activity south of the Rio Grande, by the way, since I've limited my DX activities to chasing Mexicans. (I satirize myself a little bit; I'd rather the new stuff waits until I get the older stuff verified (John Callarman, KA9SPA, Family Genealogist, Krum TX, ibid.) If you lived in Houston where we not only have to put up with massive QRM from Cuba at night, but many Mexican stations that definitely run much more than their listed powers and fail to powerdown at night you would not see this as a new DX opportunity. KLBJ 590 Austin (170mi) was nearly local like until XEFD 590 Rio Bravo, TA, MX came on the air and causes constant QRM to KLBJ. If you are driving the signals can at times be equal in strenght, and this in not down by the coast but well into the northern suburbs of Houston. It is getting increasingly difficult to receive domestic stations on many channels at night in Houston. WOAI 1200 San Antonio and WBAP 820 Ft. Worth both suffer from Spanish QRM at night, to the point that there are times that you can not get a listenable signal from either station. While the newer US stations and many older stations have restrictive patterns towards Mexico, Mexico signs on new stations with high power ND with no regard protecting US stations. I guess one person`s DX is another`s nightmare (Mike Oswald, Houston TX, ibid.) ** MYANMAR. 5985.80, R Myanmar, 1544-1600*, Jan 10, English program of non-stop light music, list given of all the music played, sign-off announcement, anthem, fair-poor (Ron Howard, Monterey CA, DSWCI DX Window Jan 14 via DXLD) ** NIUE [and non]. Regarding the .nu domain --- Hello, In the DXLD 4- 009 you had an item from MediaScan regarding the cyclone that had hit Niue and the threat to the .nu domain because of this. Well good old George must have slipped on his fingers. NU in Swedish means NOW and not NEW. NEW is NY in Swedish. I sure hope the problems can be solved, first of all for the people of Niue of course, but I don't want to change my URL from swl.nu. By the way swl.se is occupied by a manufacturing company in Sweden. 73 ^'*~>-.,_,.-<~*'^'*~>-.,_,.-<~*'^'*~>-.,_,.-<~*'^'*~>-.,_,.-<~*'^ Sven Ohlsson Email: sven @ swl.nu ShortWaveListener Now - http://www.swl.nu Listen to the world - Lyssna på svenska - Torget webbzine Färdiga åsikter helt GRATIS på Sven Tycker Åstorps Hembygdsförening - http://start.at/perslund (DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Bandscan revealed following frequencies active Jan 13th at 0950 most with good to very good signals: 3205, 3220, 3260, 3275, 3290, 3305, 3325, 3335, 3365, 3375. 3325 (Bougainville) outlet had news at 1004 of two policeman being fined 900 Kina for possession of pornographic material, excellent signal (David Norrie, Ohope Beach, North Island, New Zealand, AOR 7030 with a 15m long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5677.95, Radio Ilucán, Cutervo, 17 Jan 1120-1140 "hermanos Peruanos... Radio Ilucan..." blasting in, with 4260.35 signal very subdued, seemingly not parallel. Have 4260.35v with Radio Ilucán ID in past (Bob Wilkner, Icom R-75, NRD 535D, Drake R7 ~ Pómpano Beach, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. 11850, R. Veritas Asia, 1314-1327*, Jan. 16, Mandarin, Religious talks and ballads, Fanfare, OM with sign-off announcements, YL in English, "This is Radio Veritas Asia.." and mentioned frequencies 11850 and 95(20?). Fair/poor (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, MLB-1, RS longwire with RBA balun, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND. I like to listen to Radio Polonia whenever I can via WRN, and have also heard it from time to time via CBC Overnight. The programming is always enjoyable. One segment stands out, in particular: LETTER FROM POLAND --- An irreverent look at Poland by Londoner, Peter Gentle, Tuesday 18.20, 20.50, Thursday 10.00, 13.20, Friday 4.30 This guy has quite a sense of humour. Reminds me in many ways of Larry Wayne's spots on Deutsche Welle years ago (Fred Waterer, Ont., Jan 17, swprograms via DXLD) ** POLAND [non]. Re: R. Maryja will leave SW as of Jan 01 according to on-air announcements (Zaremba-Poland via DXLD) Nothing was heard when I checked its usual frequency of 7400 via Samara at 2215 on Jan 13 (Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Jan 14 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. The RWM (Moscow) time signal is audible on 4996.5 (listed as 4996) best in LSB. The station ID's in CW at 9 and 39 minutes past the hour. 2150 17 January 2004 (Steve Holland, MI, Drake R7, R8 and R8B, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. 9445, RUSSIA, FEBA Radio via Novosibirsk, 1357- 1414, Jan. 16, English, test tones until 1359 sign-on, IS,ID and "Spotlight" program, "Captains of Industry" re steel magnate, web address and IS at end of English service. Weak with static and fades. Best using LSB (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, MLB-1, RS longwire with RBA balun, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SINGAPORE. All four Radio Singapore SW channels were audible Jan 9: 6000, 2304 News in Chinese. Good 6150, 2332 Talks in English under new co-channel CNR1 station. Fair 7170, 2338 Tamil Service with typical music. QRM CRI from Bamako. Fair to good 7235, 2330 Malaysian Service with music and talks. Good (Alessandro Groppazzi, Trieste, Italy, DSWCI DX Window Jan 14 via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Overcomer Ministry updated January 14 Extra transmissions on website http://www.overcomerministry.com/SW.shtml 1100-1200 5070 WWCR US - World Everyday 1100-1200 5770 WWCR US - World Everyday 1100-1200 9955 WRMI S America, Cuba (now Mon-Fri only) 1400-1500 15620 Jülich India Everyday 1700-1800 5870 Radio Moscow [sic] India, S. Asia Everyday The 2300-0030 9435 Julich broadcast is no more. (Silvain Domen, Belgium, 17 Jan. 2003, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH ORKNEY. Henry, LU4DXU, in Ushuaia will be leaving on January 23rd aboard the icebreaker and supply vessel ``Almirante Irizar`` which will go to Laurie Island, South Orkneys. Activity on board the ship will be LU4DXU/mm from Ushuaia to the South Orkneys (if permitted). He expects to land on Laurie Island on January 26th and stay at the Orcadas Base. Henry`s operation will be for one month (between January 26th-February 29th). It has been reported that a special callsign AY1ZA has been officially issued by the ``Comisión Nacional de Comunicaciones`` for the Antarctica campaign 2004. The suggested frequencies are: SSB - 28390, 24930, 21190, 18130, 14290, 7090 and 3785 CW - 28035, 24905, 21035, 18090, 14035, 10120, 7025, 3515 and 1835 RTTY - 28120, 21090 and 14090 PSK31 - 21070 and 14070 kHz Henry`s HF equipment consists of an IC-751, a TL-922 linear, a 4 Element KLM yagi, a rhombic antenna and some wire antennas. Most of Henry`s activity will be split. QSL AY1ZA via LU4DXU: Horacio Enrique Ledo, Caracas 2664 or P. O. Box # 22, Martínez (1640) - Bs. As., ARGENTINA (KB8NW/OPDX January 19/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** SPAIN. 11625, REE, "Españoles en La Mar", 2103-2132, Jan. 13, Spanish, I checked this one out per Jerry Berg's follow up of (Mr?) Lopes-ConexionDigital log. End of news at tune-in, REE ID at 2105 followed by morse code sounds and program ID, "Españoles en La Mar". Program consisted of news items with field reports and numerous sound bites. Also noted was an interview. Fair with occasional fading and mild prop. noise. I too sent a report to the program`s Canary Island address. I will let you know what transpires (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, MLB-1, RS longwire with RBA balun, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN. Hi Glenn, Sudan National Radio Corporation, Omdurman has been heard recently with very good reception on 7200 kHz around 1630 UT. There`s a little change in their ID. They don`t use the word "democracy" any more. 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET [and non]. Good conditions this morning, hearing both AIR Kolkata and Lhasa, Tibet mixing together on 4820 at 1315. Also 4760 AIR Leh and/or Pt. Blair coming in well. Never quite sure who is who, however Pt. Blair reported to have recently kicked their power back up to 10 kW (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, Drake R7, R8 and R8B, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TUNISIA. 2495, Radio Tunis, Sfax, 9720 minus 7225, 28.12.2003 at 1910 with Arabic program, logged near La Spezia (Italy) (Günter Lorenz, Freising, Germany, Jan 18, Drake R8B + Grahn Magnetic loop, harmonics yahoogroup via DXLD) ** UGANDA. Re DXLD 4-008: Bugolobi is obviously a district of Kampala, so there should be no doubt that this strange story is indeed about the site of the 4976/7195 and 5026/7110 transmitters. But what about the Kampala mediumwave outlets, 639 (50 kW) and 909 (20 kW)? If things will go on like they do in Europe the transmitters will be of course shut down. Soroti is almost 200 km northeast from Kampala. Would be interesting to learn what has happened to the high power site there since it was taken out of service (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I seem to recall that Soroti site was totally dismantled, destroyed years ago. Google search unproductive; there was a more recent religious FM station there in trouble, in the news (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Once again this Saturday night, UT Sun Jan 18, I find WWCR 5070 quite weak and fadey by 0300 for DXPL, and even more so for WOR at 0330. Low nighttime winter MUFs should start picking up as days lengthen, but on the other hand, the solar cycle is on its way down. I wonder if those farther away from Nashville than my megameter distance are still getting a solid signal with longer skip, or is the problem pervasive? Meanwhile, 3210 with other programming was still very good. Time to reactivate 2390? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. As requested in 4-010, checked for WWCR mixing products Jan 18: 1415 UT Sun tune-in, 8965 is there, mostly with 9475 audio. Reads about 15 over 9, but the local noise level is 10 over 9 at the moment. May sound like a lot, but always get excessive signal levels this band on the FRG-7 with E-W longwire of some 100 feet. 8965 was also audible on the YB-400 with a few feet of internal wire, but not as strong. No direct interference noted, tho there was occasional SSB on the low side, exact frequency never pinned down, maybe about 8962. 10495: best I could do was barely detect a carrier here, may or may not have been WWCR. Frequent checks of both frequencies thru 1459. As far as I could tell, the 8965 mix was not in the receiver. However, after 1500 I noticed your 9475 mixing with WEWN 9955 on 10435, which must have been receiver-produced. BTW, at 1500, 12160 was very strong, and presumably would have been considerably before then. Distance: about 600 miles. (Glenn to WWCR, via DXLD) While looking for the mixing products, I was also listening to the program on 9985 for the first time, Ragam. Sun Jan 18 at 1415 the music had some English words in it; 1427 music in Boyz2men style; 1435 sounded like same piece of music as when tuning in a few minutes earlier. There were occasional brief announcements by a woman in Tamil, with high-noise level background on the mike, not a professional studio. At both 1438 and 1448 she mentioned Malaysia, so I wonder if this program is about or for Tamils from that country, or if that was just something about the music played at the moment. At 1453 she pronounced in English info @ ragamradio.com and http://www.ragamradio.com Then more music, and no further outro announcements until 1457 WWCR cut to promo for 3210 and its lack of a skip zone (actually it must have some, tho smaller than the higher frequencies), 1459 QSY to 12160, uncovering a much weaker signal on 9985, time pips at 1500. I was thinking it was already in use by one of the US Pacific stations. HFCC shows KHBN Palau 0700-1600, but also Israel in Persian from 1500 on 9985. Then I checked the website above, which is remarkably uninformative, tho it does add a (North American) toll-free phone number, and attributed to Mediawave LLC. No info about who is really behind this or where they are physically located. They recommend a $9.95 SW radio and seek to sell advertising (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) My monitoring of WWCR --- Dear Sirs! My monitoring observations on 9985 kHz (WWCR-new freq.). Date Jan. 18, 2004. Receiver "Sangean ATS-909" with external "Wire" antenna 10 m. At 13.00 - 14.00 utc on 9985 kHz is weak unid arabic? station, not heard of WWCR. Freqs 8965 and 10495 is clear too... At 14.00 - 15.00 utc on 9985 kHz is clear. No any stations... At 15.00 - 16.00 utc on this freq is strong bubble jamming, not heard of WWCR, freqs 8965 and 10495 is clear.... Yours sincerely, (Vasily Gulyaev. Astrakhan, Russia, Location 46 22'N 48 05'E, Sunday, January 18, 2004, 11:44:52 PM local time, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks for checking. Perhaps I should have pointed out that hearing the mixing products would be quite unlikely beyond the maximum signal areas at first hop in North America --- and Vasily wasn`t even getting 9985 itself. I should also point out that it is just as useful to get reports of the mixes NOT being heard, at least closer in, as reports that they are being heard. More reports requested, from 1300-1400 on Monday January 19 (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Radio Free Brattleboro Brattleboro, Vermont-AP -- The feds may be ready to pounce on an unlicensed radio station in Brattleboro, Vermont. A lawyer representing Radio Free Brattleboro says U-S attorneys in Burlington have told the station that they will take action if the station doesn't stop broadcasting on 107-point-nine on the F-M band. Lawyer James Maxwell says the attorneys acting for the Federal Communication Commission may seek a court order to seize the station's transmitter. The F-C-C has already ordered the ten-watt station to stop broadcasting. Supporters of Radio Free Brattleboro say that since the F-C-C has not issued any licenses for ten-watt stations like Brattleboro's, the community itself can authorize its operation. http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=1604697 (via Mike Terry, DXLD) FCC THREATENS rfb WITH ACTION IF STATION PERSISTS http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1413,102~8862~1897369,00.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. WKBN ANCHOR RESIGNS OVER NUDE PHOTOS The original news and video: http://www.newsnet5.com/news/2760440/detail.html The photos: http://www.glumbert.com/special/bosley.asp (Not censored) What her boss has to say about this: http://www.wkbn.com/Global/story.asp?S=1600221 (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Looks enhanced to me; she was well-prepared with the razor. See CANADA in this and previous issues for contrasting mores. I never watch WKBN, but if it`s typical, anchors have extremely exaggerated importance and rôle-model status when all they actually do is read TelePrompTers well. An occasional nude fling should not be disqualifying, and ought to help ratings (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Glenn, The following concerns WVXG 95.1 in Mt. Gilead, Ohio. This was a part of the X-Star Network, carrying programming from WVXU Cincinnati. I loved the station's format, with OTR programs and music you normally don't hear. Rosemary Levings is from The Morrow County Chamber of Commerce, where Mt. Gilead is located. WVXU never notified any of us in the 95.1 listening area that we were to lose this station, as far as I know. I guess they did not have enough members to support it. The X-Star Network can be found at: http://www.xstarnet.com or http://www.wvxu.com (Michael McCarty, Plain City area, Ohio, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Michael, A company by the name of ICS Holdings from Powell, Ohio, bought it and will not be a National Broadcast Radio but will be on in a couple of months. I called a number and left a message but have not heard from them to see what type of format they will have. I will try to keep you informed. Rosemary Levings (via McCarty, DXLD) ** U S A. SPANISH RADIO BEAMED INTO DEKALB COUNTY [Illinois] By Chris Rickert, City Editor DeKALB - It sounds like most any other commercial radio station targeting young listeners: enthusiastic DJs, call-in features, music with a beat you can dance to, J.Lo. It's even got a catchy name meaning, loosely translated, "what's in" or "in style." But one thing makes WDEK 92.5 FM very different from the handful of other stations broadcasting out of the DeKalb area - it's the first with a Spanish-language format and a further sign that the historically agricultural, largely Caucasian county is becoming a destination point for Hispanics... http://www.daily-chronicle.com/articles/2004/01/18/news/news04.txt (Daily Chronicle Online Jan 19 via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. ``MORNING AIR`` WITH JEFF CAVINS TO BROADCAST LIVE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE JANUARY 21 Minneapolis, Jan 16 (Starboard) --- ``Morning Air`` with Jeff Cavins, the popular drive-time program heard nationwide on Relevant Radio stations and affiliates, will broadcast live from the White House on Wednesday, January 21st, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Eastern time [1300- 1500 UT]. ``Morning Air`` is one of about 40 local and national radio programs invited by the White House to participate in the Bush Administration`s second annual ``Radio Day.`` Radio Day offers select radio hosts a rare and privileged opportunity to interview Bush Administration officials and members of the Cabinet. On the air since April 2003, ``Morning Air`` is meaningful radio presented in the drive-time format listeners are used to hearing on secular radio, resulting in a unique blend of upbeat entertainment, practical information, and faith-based insights. Host Jeff Cavins is a national television personality, a well-known author and dynamic speaker, a husband and father, and has been acclaimed as one of the greatest Catholic lay communicators of our time. Each morning, Cavins is joined by well-known guests who explore topics ranging from parenting and families, to arts and entertainment, to business and current events. A highlight of the ``Morning Air`` White House broadcast will be Cavins` interview with Jim Towey, White House Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. Several other senior officials will be interviewed during the program`s 8am to 10am (Eastern) broadcast, but the White House is not able to confirm specific guests ahead of time. Listeners can tune in to ``Morning Air`` on any of the Relevant Radio stations and affiliates listed below. In addition, Catholics across the country can listen to ``Morning Air`` online via audio streaming at http://www.relevantradio.com Database Relevant Radio Affiliates: Wisconsin --- Green Bay 1050 AM WJOK, Madison 1240 AM WHFA, Milwaukee 100.1 FM WPJP, Lake Geneva 1550 AM WZRK, La Crosse 1570 AM WKBH, Wisconsin Rapids 93.9 FM WMMA, Wausau 92.9 FM WYNW, Eau Claire 1050 AM WDVM; Minnesota --- St. Paul/ Minneapolis 1530 AM KSMM and 740 AM WMIN; Illinois --- Chicago 820 AM WCSN, S. Chicago/NW Indiana 1270 AM WWCA; Pennsylvania --- Pittsburgh 1590 AM WZUM, Scranton 750 AM WQOR; New York --- Buffalo 101.7 FM WLOF, Rochester 1460 AM WHIC; Ohio --- Youngstown 1470 AM WLOA; Michigan --- Ann Arbor 990 AM WDEO, Bay City 1440 AM WMAX; Kentucky -- - Lexington 1380 AM WMJR; Nebraska --- Omaha 88.9 FM KVSS; Iowa --- Charles City 94.7 FM KQOP-LP, Clinton 92.5 FM KXJX-LP (via Catholic Radio Update Jan 19 via DXLD) ** U S A. While in LA, I`ve taken to listening to KDLD-FM on 103.1 FM, or 'Indy 103' as it identifies itself. The station features an alternative music format, and no announcements whatsoever outside of advertisements and ID promos. Not even recorded voice tracks to announce songs and the like. Not that I'm complaining about a lack of DJ chatter, but it's the first time I've heard a station with absolutely none! I was interested to read this station is owned by Entravision which mostly focuses on Hispanic radio audiences (Super Estrella, Radio Tricolor, Radio Romantica networks) and is among just a handful of English-language stations operated by the company among its 60 or so stations in various markets. (``austemb,``, Jan 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1670, KHPY, CA, regular every night, "Radio Católica" ID at 0916 and then in English "views expressed on KHPY not necessarily reflect those of owners and management" at top of the hour, Jan 17 (David Norrie, whilst on holiday at Ohope, New Zealand. Heard on AOR 7030 with 15m long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. LOW-POWER AM PETITION REMINDER For those that would like to post a comment to the FCC in regard to this LPAM petition, the file number is RM-10803. If you would like to read comments already made to the FCC, go to ECFS Comment Search [Result Set] http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/websql/prod/ecfs/comsrch_v2.hts?ws_mode=retrieve_list&id_proceeding=RM-10803&start=1&end=10&first_time=N All of us as broadcasters and DXers I feel that it is important that everyone voice their comments to the FCC before time runs out. LPAM could return localism to AM radio, make for interesting DX opportunities --- and also on the other hand, could make the band more crowded. Whatever side of this issue you may be on, make your comments known soon, before time runs out. News article in Radio World --- LPFM morphing (perhaps) into LPAM: http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/01_Rw_lpam_3.shtml (Bob Carter, Operations/Engineering--Max Media Radio Group/NC Division WGAI-NewsRadio 560 AM Stereo .., WCXL 104.1 Beach 104..., WQDK 99.3 Q-Country..., WWOC 94.5 WaterCountry 94.5 amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) Viz.: COULD LOW-POWER MORPH TO AM? --- by Naina Narayana Chernoff WASHINGTON Low-power advocates are now eyeing the AM band. The concept of putting low-power stations on AM was proposed earlier to the FCC in the late 1990s. Now, low-power advocates are again calling on the commission to establish a new commercial service in the expanded portion of the AM band. FCC staff declined to address the petition's specifics. They are reviewing a petition for rulemaking for a proposed LPAM service submitted by engineer Fred Baumgartner. Baumgartner is a former broadcast engineer who serves as director of engineering at the Comcast Media Center in Littleton, Colo. He filed his petition privately - not on behalf of Comcast - for a commercial low-power AM service in a docket created to solicit comments for the FCC's Localism Task Force. The proposed service, he said, could offer an option for increasing local broadcasting outlets and another way for communities to get on the air without huge expense. Prospective broadcasters, he feels, would not have to undergo an involved technical application process or pay for the studies of consulting engineers, because protections against full-power broadcasters would already be instituted. His proposal calls for a specified maximum antenna system size and type-accepted transmitters with integral limits on out-of-band emissions, frequency and power-level. "For LPFM, the biggest limitation for the community is paying for the engineering work up front." LPAM, he said, "wouldn't require a study by applicants and it would be simple and straightforward." NAB, which had protested the creation of the LPFM service because of projected interference, said it is reviewing the petition for LPAM. A spokesman said the organization would monitor the FCC's Localism Task Force actions on the petition. Nicholas Leggett, who filed a petition advocating a low-power AM service in the late 1990s following the earliest LPAM petition by attorney Christopher DiPaola, said the current political environment seems more open to a petition such as Baumgartner's. "Because of the furor over the ownership issues, LPFM got a kick in the pants. It became a counterweight," Leggett said. "That furor is a real motivator to look at low-power, localized broadcast systems." But consulting engineer Ron Rackley said adding new stations on the AM band would not help alleviate the problem of shrinking local broadcast outlets. "Creating a service where interference could be caused hundreds of miles away...that's not localism," said Rackley, a consulting engineer at DuTreil, Lundin and Rackley, Inc. "There's a degradation of the signal in the AM band already. Creating a service like this would move the expanded band that way." Several contributors The petition represents a compromise by several unnamed interest groups, engineers and individuals who offered input on the proposal, according to Baumgartner. He is proposing a service in the AM band between 1610 and 1700 kHz, an area he and his fellow contributors believe would support a secondary service with a minimum of interference to existing and proposed full- power stations. The petition suggests that the FCC sets power levels at 30 and 100 watts, with a maximum tower height of 40 feet for both. Baumgartner's petition also suggests that proposed LPAM licensees be allowed on the air between eight hours minimum and up to 85 hours a week maximum, a proposal aimed at encouraging time-sharing by community groups. To further encourage local broadcasting, LPAM stations would be required to be staffed live by an operator 60 percent of the time, similar to a requirement for LPFM licensees. But unlike LPFM, the plan for LPAM would allow for such broadcasters to support their operations by selling airtime and permitting underwriting. "Small communities have no financially reasonable way to do this otherwise," Baumgartner said. "It's not something that they'll get rich doing." On-air advertising Some community broadcast activists, including William Walker, proprietor of WILW(AM) Radio in WaKeeney, Kan., support the commercial aspect of the petition. He believes some supporters will balk at the suggestion because of the non-profit nature of community radio. "What they fail to realize is that if we put up stations that reach small areas with mom-and-pop businesses that can't afford to advertise on full-power stations, they might be able to afford it," he said. "The more you favor non-commercial, the more you're supporting the Wal-Marts of the world." Walker encouraged others to submit comments supporting Baumgartner's proposal. Many have responded, including some members of the Amherst Alliance, an advocacy group for media reform and low-power radio. In December, an affiliate group made up of some alliance members and community radio supporters that calls itself the LPAM Team filed comments with the FCC supporting the Baumgartner petition. The filing also offered suggestions to improve the proposed service. Don Schellhardt said the affiliate group's comments aim to enhance the service, not to negate the work of those who worked on the Baumgartner petition. "It was understood from the beginning that not everyone agreed on all the parts," he said. "We'd be willing to take it as it is, but we'd like to make some improvements." Major modifications The LPAM Team would like to change two major parts of the petition: the limited airtime restrictions and the minimum percentage of manned airtime. The group wants to remove the proposed 85-hour limit, Schellhardt said, to give licensees as much air time as possible to develop a financial base in which they can sell ad time. Time-sharing, he said, should only be used in situations where there are two applicants competing for the same frequency, similar to the LPFM application process. The 60 percent ceiling on manned airtime, according to the affiliate group's filing, should be eliminated as well because it would be onerous on station volunteers. If necessary, the group said, restrictions similar to the LPFM service could be instituted. The FCC requires LPFM broadcasters to produce at least eight hours per day of local programming. The affiliate group also recommended to change LPAM from a secondary to a primary service to avoid displacement by full-power AM stations attempting to change frequencies and future long-distance AM translators. Schellhardt believes the rule is needed particularly in crowded urban markets such as Detroit and Boston, where few frequencies might be available. "The idea of having two or three guaranteed spots in major urban areas is reasonable," he said. "Otherwise, the chances of keeping a low- power frequency if a full-power station wants to move is low." Microradio advocates made a similar suggestion during the LPFM proceedings but were denied. The LPAM Team also proposed that the FCC consider allowing higher power levels - up to 200 watts - for stations in rural areas and larger mileage separations for areas of lower ground conductivity, which is used predict the propagation of AM signals. The Baumgartner petition suggests that 100-watt licenses be assigned only in areas where 20,000 or fewer people live within a five-mile radius of the transmitter. Schellhardt's group said its analysis indicates that there are enough open frequencies to double the number without creating additional interference. The mileage separation of 225 miles for 100-watt stations could be reduced by reevaluating the average ground conductivity in the continental United States, the team stated. The Baumgartner petition assumes a ground conductivity reading of 30, which is found in large areas of Kansas, Oklahoma, North Dakota and Texas and small isolated pockets of South Dakota, Nebraska, Utah, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa, Louisiana and California. The national average level falls between 4 to 8. Among the other recommendations by the team is for LPAM to be formally declared as a service that broadcasts at 5 watts or more to avoid the inadvertent creation of a licensing requirement for Part 15 systems. The team also unanimously requests that the FCC create a formal agency framework for resolving any LPAM-to-LPAM interference disputes (via Bob Carter, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) This is the LPAM initiative that I reported here last June. It was originated by a well respected broadcast engineer here in the Denver area. There is a web site at http://www.recnet.com/lpam that will allow you to search to see if your community would be eligible for an LPAM station under the proposed parameters (Patrick Griffith, NØNNK, Westminster, CO, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. LOCAL NEWS ANCHOR FEELS PAIN FROM AFAR The Gary LaPierre case. The WBZ-1030 newsman telling listeners how cold it is --- when he is broadcasting remotely from his Florida studio. Check today's Slashdot http://slashdot.org for the story (as in title of this message), a link to the boston.com article, and reader comments. If not there, check "older news" (i.e. if it is Sunday afternoonish when you read this). The story lead paragraf on slashdot: In times when Clear Channel makes up "hard news" reports from central studios and broadcasts them over radio stations around the country, it's worth asking the question: when does it cross the line into deception? (Bob Foxworth, Tampa, Florida, NRC-AM via DXLD) As most of you know, I worked at WBZ 1992-97, much of that time as Gary's newswriter. I've already typed myself to death on the boston-radio-interest mailing list and on radio-info and the NY Radio Message Board about this. In my (admittedly biased) opinion, this is as much a story of the Globe's petty rivalry with WBZ as anything else. Most of us in Boston radio circles have known for years that Gary anchors for a few weeks out of the year from his vacation home in St. Augustine. (Maybe he listens to WGSR down there, Ron?) Gary himself has never kept it a secret, and if anyone's asked (the Globe included), he's told them. Here's a guy with literally 40 years in the business at a single station. If he doesn't know Boston and Boston listeners by now, it's a pretty safe bet he never will. He's got the best and largest radio news staff in Boston out in the field gathering, reporting, editing and writing the news back at the station, not to mention the resources of one of the best TV news operations in town at WBZ-TV. Thanks to modern digital technology and a high-speed broadband connection, he's tied into the same computer system down there, newswires and network feeds and all, that he would be if he were back in Boston. He's in constant intercom contact with his editor in Boston. If something breaks back home that absolutely requires a Boston-based anchor, there are at least two of them in the WBZ studios at all times. So the Globe is jealous that they didn't know about this until now (he's only been doing it since 1999 or so), and that they can't do THEIR jobs from Florida? And the Slashdot folks, at least based on the sampling of responses I read, don't even understand that WBZ isn't owned by Clear Channel (and a few even think Gary's doing TV news from Florida...) So what? s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) Thanks, Scott, I was hoping someone would comment on this. This made the news wires to the extent that Jack Harris on WFLA 970 commented on it on Friday AM. The story I heard never mentioned being just a few weeks a year, rather implying it was all the time. A rivalry such as this can explain a lot. Naturally the story does not mention this. If you are doing all this typing, it would then appear the Globe sent out a misleading story, which should affect their own credibility. Sounds like damage-control. Some of the commenters pointed it out. Of course CC has become the whipping boy for a lot of broadcasting's actual or perceived issues. Now it seems even those they are not part of. Guilt by association. This issue probably being compared to voice tracking by many, but it's not exactly the same thing, being essentially interactive as you describe it. There's probably a lot of envy that Gary has all this resource at his use down there. Not many people get that kind of attention. So what? Indeed. Thanks for adding the perspective (Bob Foxworth, FL, ibid.) As a huge fan of WBZ for over 40 years and a fan of Gary LaPierre for about 30 years, I am quite upset about this story. Although Gary did not directly lie to his audience, he mis-led us with comments like "Wow, it's cold. When are we going to get a break?" We? He was sitting in 72 degree Florida! It is unethical and I feel that he should resign! (Marc DeLorenzo, Marstons Mills, Mass., ibid.) It's real hard for me to get worked up about this. What's the difference if you are sitting in a cubical in Boston or sitting in a cubicle somewhere else? You're not looking out the window to get local information. It's coming from the same sources and being assembled in the exact same manner either way. The announcer is just the purveyor of the information. This reminds me of a friend who became very upset when he found out that his favorite late night TV show is recorded earlier in the day. It's no secret that the show is pre-recorded. But they don't go out of their way to tell you that either. My friend watched for years thinking it was live each night. I was sitting in a car at the airport recently while one of our local airborne radio traffic reporters was parked next to me waiting to be picked up by the helicopter. He filed several live traffic reports while sitting in the car. I'm sure 99% of the listeners presume he is in the air during every report. In reality about 30% of his daily "airborne" reports are done from the ground. I've also seen a local TV traffic reporter do a voice-over report while sitting in a helicopter on the ground as the TV station aired pre-recorded airborne video of a traffic jam. She was being truthful when she signed "Live from Copter __." She just didn't mention that Copter __ was sitting on the ground. These things happen all the time. This is the nature of the industry. It's show biz boys and girls (Patrick Griffith, NØNNK, Westminster, CO, ibid.) ** U S A. New NOAA transmitter --- Caught a fairly detailed segment on WTVT Channel 13 tonight, about how a new NOAA weather transmitter was activated to serve boaters off of the Pinellas County coast. The feature seemed to imply the transmitter was located in the Gulf of Mexico, and referenced coverage 70 miles offshore. Amazingly, they actually referenced the frequency -- 162.450 MHz. Indeed a whopper signal, not parallel our old KHB32 in SE Hillsborough County on 162.550 MHz. Well, checking http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwrbro.htm#nwrstations this is listed as being located in Largo, FL (explains the huge signal here), but incorrectly lists the channel as 162.400 MHz. The audio loop indicates this transmitter is "sponsored by NOAA Fisheries..." So for those in Pinellas, you may want to consider re-programming your weather radios to this channel (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, Jan 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later: This is the new 162.450 NOAA signal I reported Friday night. The reference to the old transmitter is seemingly a muddy reference to the (existing) KHB32 in Hillsborough, Pinellas never previously had a NOAA station. Interesting that the country will have more of these marine specialty stations in the future. As several have commented to me -- provided there's no local NOAA in your area -- this should make for a good propagation indicator for coastal Florida and parts beyond. I haven't gotten around to tracking down the exact Largo location of this yet. Presume the FCC dB would have the coords, if anyone wants to do the work for me ;>) (Terry Krueger, DXLD) Jan 17, 2004 WEATHER SERVICE RADIO DOUBLES POWER By NEIL JOHNSON RUSKIN - A new National Weather Service radio went into operation Friday that will double how far boaters can receive marine warnings in the Gulf of Mexico. Broadcasts from the $60,000 transmitter, on a tower in Largo, will reach nearly 70 miles from shore, replacing a transmitter with a range of about 35 miles. The new radio will provide information only for marine interests. The broadcast will operate at a frequency of 162.450 MHz. Although the old transmitter carried watches, warnings and weather information for boaters, it was mingled with weather broadcasts for inland areas from the weather service office in Ruskin. Transmitting only marine weather forecasts and conditions will allow boaters to receive the information more frequently, said Conrad Lautenbacher, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who was in Ruskin to unveil the new radio. The warnings and weather conditions will be used by recreational and commercial fishermen as well as freighters and cruise ships entering and leaving Tampa Bay. In addition, the radio will carry broadcasts from the National Fisheries Service about areas closed to fishing, regulations, licensing or information such as the location of red tide outbreaks, said Bill Proenza, director of the weather service Southern Region. Tampa was picked as the first site in Florida for the new marine radio because of the volume of commercial shipping and the 125,000 registered boat owners in Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. It is the sixth such radio system in the country. Three are in California, one is in Washington state and the other is in Gloucester, Mass. (via Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, DXLD) ** U S A. 92.7 Kreyol --- I was in Tampa around noon today Jan 17, and scanned the FM dial upon exiting I-275/Howard Frankland Bridge at Dale Mabry Blvd. One pirate noted, 92.7 Haitian Kreyol with nonstop kompa tracks, running on auto-pilot with greatly non-segued tracks. Stereo, but crappy processing and with lots of low end. Tend to think this is not the same as the 92.7 Haitian we DF'ed just west of Busch Gardens about a year ago (not heard on a couple of checks after the original discovery, when in the area), though the format is the same. Consider the fact that the two big Haitians vanished (reportedly another FCC sweep) a few months ago, so it could be one of them back on. Nonetheless, while the signal is good at the I-275/Dale Mabry terminus, it is crushed by 92.5 WYUU "Kickass Country" splatter. A terrible frequency choice. Signal audible (barely) in Pinellas, at the end of the Gandy Bridge. Absolutely no other Hillsborough pirates appear to be active, new or old. Visit my "Florida Low Power Radio Stations" at: http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. LA, 4469.85 kHz, 18/Ene/2004 1030/0030 UT SWB MICROINFORMATIVO! Quito 18/Ene/2004 19:52 hora local This morning with religious program, music with talk /YL/OM. This Sunday evening the station is still there but weak so I can`t say if they have religious program. I know it is a harmonic from MW 1490 kHz because I also had them on 1489.95 very weak with splash from 1489.96 LV de los Robles, Tuluá and 1490.00 kHz R. Santa María, Azogues. 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, SWB América Latina, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4635, 2319-2339, Jan. 13, Been working on this one for a couple of weeks now, when my work schedule allows. Noted vocal music at tune-in, drum-beat at 2323 followed by talks until 2328. Unsure if due to propagation but nothing noted until 2331 then drum-beat and talks, again at 2335 into vocal music. Very poor under QRN at tune-in, improved slightly after 2331 with a few peaks at even level with noise floor. Presumed Tajik Radio, Tajikistan? (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, MLB-1, RS longwire with RBA balun, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO STAMPS ++++++++++++ FIRST DAY COVER CELEBRATING RAI 50 YEARS On Jan 03, 2004, Italy issued First Day Covers celebrating 50 years of RAI-Radiotelevisione Italiana. They are sold until Jan 23 (DSWCI DX Window via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE BPL FIGHT: PANASONIC TO INTRODUCE HOME BPL SYSTEM A form of Broadband Over Powerline may be coming to a house near you. This as Matsushita Electric announces that it has developed a high- speed home power line IP networking technology capable of high- definition video transmission. Amateur Radio Newsline`s Bruce Tennant, K6PZW has more: Best known for its Panasonic-brand products, a newly developed Matsushita Electric technology will make it possible to provide broadband connectivity to every room in a house via existing home power lines. This, using an Panasonic branded adapter about the size of an audiocassette that the company says cannot be interfere with by radio amateurs. The adapter contains a power plug, power supply, LAN connector and an LSI chipset that converts broadband data into signals that can travel over a power line. The unit connects a broadband Internet link such as DSL or optical fiber lines to the existing power lines in the home. According to Panasonic, a user simply plugs the PLC adapter into any AC power outlet to create a home broadband networking without installing new cabling. The most interesting claim being made by Panasonic is that the new technology it calls HDPLC resists interference from other signals such as those from ham radio that the company says often use the same frequencies as wired communications. In order to realize this capability, Panasonic claims that it combined Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing and Wavelet technology to reduce the noise caused by the interference down to one-fifth of typical noise levels. This the company says creates a proprietary interference-resistant and ultra-high-speed modulation-demodulation method without use of additional filter circuitry that eliminates the frequencies where interference is likely to occur. What impact that this new technology will have on over-the-air radio reception by hams and other spectrum users is not addressed. Panasonic expects to introduce PLC adapters for both consumer and office use by the end of 2004 providing that the HomePlug Powerline Alliance determines a final specification in the summer of 2004. An LSI chipset will also become commercially available at the same time. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I`m Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, reporting. Matsushita Electric and its Panasonic subsidiary exhibited this new Powerline Communications technology at 2004 International CES held last week in Las Vegas. Both companies are members of the HomePlug Alliance which has been working with the ARRL to notch out amateur frequencies from its powerline communications signals (ARNewsline January 16, CQ from news releases via John Norfolk, DXLD) THE BPL FIGHT: W1RFI SPEAKS IN PA Meantime, one of the leading experts in the area of Broadband Over Powerline interference has made his thoughts known. Speaking at Frankford Radio Club meeting on in Philadelphia last Tuesday night, Ed Hare, W1RFI, said that BPL is not good news for the radio spectrum. Amateur Radio Newsline`s Mark Abramovich, NT3V, was there and has this report: When Ed Hare talks, amateurs and others listen. During an hour-long presentation at the FRC`s meeting on the University of Sciences campus here in Philadelphia, Hare made the case that Broadband Over Power Lines is a threat to the future of the hobby. ``If these BPL systems came to my neighborhood, HF Amateur Radio as I know it would be over,`` he explains. ``I mean S-9 on multiple bands would seriously cripple me. Oh, we`ve had more serious threats when Amateur Radio was shut down after the world wars, but this ranks up there with it in terms of the potential to cause harm to the types of Amateur Radio that many of us enjoy doing.`` The reason: Hare says BP-L field tests by a handful of electric utilities use power line systems to carry high-frequency or HF signals to homes and businesses to give them connections to the internet. ``My neighbor`s computer system is a local interference problem,`` he says. ``I`m not going to hear the one three blocks up the street. But Broadband over Power Line, they`re going to conduct those signals onto the overhead lines that will run through my house and then they`re going to build this as big as an entire neighborhood. Clearly it has a different interference potential.`` Hare says he`s charted the interference on 20-meters, calculating it on a national and worldwide scale should BPL be rolled out. ``The ability of HF to sustain worldwide communication if you have 30- microvolts per meter of noise will not exist,`` Hare says. He says the interference potential goes beyond the ham bands. ``This will affect military spectrum, this will affect international broadcasting spectrum, this will affect other government spectrum,`` Hare says. ``This will affect commercial HF spectrum and as I tune outside the ham bands, you know what? That`s not a radio wasteland, there`s a lot of stuff there.`` And, Hare notes, there`s serious concern about medical-diagnostic devices. ``I go to my doctor`s office, it`s a house in a residential neighborhood,`` Hare says. ``And he`s going to hook me up to the EKG machine to find out whether I`m going to die before the end of the day. And, if that thing`s interfered with, maybe I`ll get a false positive or a false negative.`` Finally, Hare says the amateur community is not alone. ``I`m very pleased to see groups like FEMA, NTIA and others getting involved with this saying essentially the same things ARRL is doing based on their work,`` Hare says. ``They, too, see a serious interference potential to HF that needs to be addressed before BPL could ever be considered in any way.`` For Amateur Radio Newsline, I`m Mark Abramowicz NT3V in Philadelphia. More on the fight to stop BPL in future Amateur Radio Newsline reports (ARNewsline January 16 via John Norfolk, DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ EAST ASIA TO EAST COAST POSSIBILITIES [ON MW]? I'm not sure how much this would extend down into the medium wave broadcast range, but several eastern US and Canadian hams have reported good contacts on 160 meters to Japan in the pre-dawn hours. Thailand on 1575 seems like a good place to start. See the report below, courtesy of John, W1FV. (Mark Connelly, WA1ION - Billerica, MA, Jan 17, NRC-AM via DXLD) From Topband reflector: Nobody seems to have mentioned it here so I will. In the Northeast USA, we had an exceptional opening to JA around our sunrise yesterday morning local time (Thursday). I first got on just after 1130Z. The QRN was almost at summertime levels but I heard a big pileup of signals calling somebody on around 1822. I listened and some of them were quite loud. And then I realized they are all JA's. And they are all calling VE1ZZ! Jack was running JA's. I tuned up to 1824 and I heard JA's calling W8JI. I almost never hear the JA's that Tom works but this time they were Q5. I moved down the band and tried some CQ's. Finally around 1150Z I started getting answers, first from JS2LGN, then JH0BBE. The propagation held up until a few minutes after sunrise (1215Z) with JA2PJC being the last JA worked. Interestingly the JA signals were all skewed west. I remember JA1BWA and JA1BRK being exceptionally loud. Meanwhile I heard K1ZM running JA's down around 1812. W1MK also had a run going. Working any JA's from W1, let alone running them, has been a rare event the last few years, so this is truly exceptional. One tipoff to the great propagation was the JA BC beacon on 3925 kHz. It was very loud yesterday morning. I usually use it as an 80-meter indicator, but over the years I've found it also correlates strongly with 160 propagation to JA. The North Korean BC beacon on 2850 was also super strong. The solar indices were OK, but nothing exceptional. As I recall the A was around 12 and K was 1. This morning (Friday) there was nothing and the beacons were rather weak. See you all in the CQ160 contest next week. I'll be doing a multi-op from KC1XX. 73, John W1FV (via Marc Connelly, NRC-AM via DXLD) ###