DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-029, February 16, 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 Extra 45: [Same as COM 03-06, but not previously on most WOR affiliates] Wed 1030 on WWCR 9475 Mon 0430 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu 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 Extra 45 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx45h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx45h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0306.html WORLD OF RADIO Extra 45 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0306.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0306.rm MUNDO RADIAL febrero-marzo 2004: En WWCR 9475, 3 veces por semana desde el 17 de febrero: martes 2230, miércoles 2200, viernes 2215, y: (Corriente) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0402.ram (Bajable) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0402.rm (Texto) http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0402.html ** AUSTRALIA. 5050, 25/1 1751, ARDS Darwin poor over weak unID signal and moderate static with talk and music in vernacular. English announcements with address and telephone contact details at 1751 and 1830, easier reception this time rather than our local evenings (Bryan Clark, Mangawhai, New Zealand, AOR7030+, longwires 120mE & 150m NE on the ground, Feb NZ DX Times via DXLD) 5050, 17/1 1803, ARDS giving station details and phone number in English, evening loggings post 1000 obliterated by Chinese station. Look out for lots of hymns to help ID (David Norrie, Whitford Forest, Auckland, New Zealand, AOR 7030, fence post antenna, Feb NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Radio Clube de Pernambuco is the first radio station of Brazil. Radio Clube de Pernambuco was founded in 1919. I want to show to the world, that the first radio station of Brazil is Radio Clube de Pernambuco (1919), not Radio Sociedade do Rio de Janeiro (1923). Radio Clube de Pernambuco frequency is 720 kHz (power): 100 KW. Radio Clube de Pernambuco home page is: http://www.pernambuco.com/clube Best 73s, (Antônio Schuler, Recife, Pernambuco, BRAZIL, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL 6183.2 / 9668.2 Brasília [Amazônia] was last noted on 49 mb around 0730 on Feb 13 - and using about 6183.2 instead of nominal 6180. Today [16th] I found them on air same time not on 49 mb but on about 9668.2 overwhelming RAI 9670. I couldn`t hear their 11780 outlet at that time, but found it at fair strength on air at 0825, with no trace of 9668.2. Obviously this needs to be checked again (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Feb 16 via DXLD) Brasília's 250 kW transmitter park had such a faulty offset transmitter in use also one or two decades ago (Wolfgang Büschel, BC- DX via DXLD) ** BURKINA FASO. 5030, R. Burkina, loud and clear at 0625 Feb 14 with Afropops. At 0630 into "Contact" program, which appeared to be a listener letters program, many names, addresses and tel. numbers read, almost all from Ouagadougou and Ivory Coast, Back into music at 0646 (Jerry Berg, MA, DXplorer via BC-DX via DXLD) I`ve also been noticing it during the 0600 hour in the absence of TIDGS (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BULGARIA. Radio Bulgarie Internationale utilise un nouvel indicatif de début d'émissions. Il s'agit d'une variante du précédant jingle. Toutefois, le service turc ne bénéficie pas de cette nouveauté (informations issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** CANADA. RCI REPOSITIONING - CUTS AND QUESTIONABLE JOURNALISTIC DECISIONS Hi Glenn, As you've heard, the news isn't great with this new "repositioning". Details at: http://www.geocities.com/rciaction/Repositioning20040202.html There's also a weblog so people can find out how we're dealing with this new development. http://www.geocities.com/rciaction/Weblog.html [see below] ===== RCI Action Committee - Comité d'action de RCI http://www.geocities.com/rciaction All the best, (Wojtek Gwiazda, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: RCI'S NEW "REPOSITIONING" : CUTS, REDUCED PROGRAMMING AND QUESTIONABLE JOURNALISTIC DECISIONS On February 2, 2004, Radio Canada International announced new programming and a decision to increasingly tailor programs to different areas of the world. Management at Canada's radio broadcaster to the world, pointed to RCI's position as a small player, and the need for it to adapt to new realities. The accent was focussed on the positive. A press release is on the RCI website: http://www.rcinet.ca or can be viewed here: http://www.geocities/com/rciaction/RCIPR20040202.html Though many details of this new "repositioning" are still to be worked out, it's clear there will be cuts to RCI programming and services will be reduced. As well, some questionable journalistic decisions have been taken. New Programming - Portuguese to Brazil At present, RCI has seven (7) language sections: English and French, and Arabic, Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Spanish, Ukrainian and Russian. The addition of Portuguese would suggest another section, but in fact, all that can be confirmed is that there will "probably" be a weekly program of perhaps 15 or 30 minutes. Counting languages, rather than sections, RCI now says it is broadcasting in nine (9) languages. Ukrainian Programming to be Slashed To pay for the new Portuguese programming, RCI has decided (pending an agreement with a radio station in Ukraine) to cut daily programming, reduce RCI's production to a weekly broadcast, and eliminate any news content. As you can imagine, our Ukrainian colleagues are in shock. RCI`s English and French Programming Cut to the Americas RCI management has decided to eliminate entirely any RCI-produced programming to the Americas. RCI Director Jean Larin told staff that Americans "understand" the domestic service's programming. In 1991, it was estimated RCI had one million listeners in the United States alone. No recent figures are available. Chinese Programming Repositioned Away from Uncensored News The Chinese service was set up after the tragic events of Tiananman Square to not only give Chinese listeners news from Canada, but uncensored news of the world as well. Management has now decided to cut one of the two popular shortwave programs (it's cutting the highly listened to evening broadcast). Management says it's doing this to put more resources into co- productions with local radio stations in China. Although staff has always seen the utility of these co-productions, there are serious concerns that more and more of the Chinese section's work will be influenced by what Chinese authorities will allow on their airwaves, leading to censorship of topics or self-censorship. Management has also decided to put more emphasis on getting to the Chinese audience through the Internet, even though Chinese authorities block access to RCI's website. Permanent Positions Kept Unfilled A number of permanent positions among production staff are no longer being posted and filled by new staff. Temporary staff is used, as if preparing the way for eventual cuts. For months two positions were unfilled in the Ukrainian service, now we understand why (in part to make resources available for Portuguese programming to Brazil.) There are other positions that remain unfilled. How far will it go? Management at RCI, at the domestic service CBC/Radio-Canada, and politicians in Ottawa, have learned that "bad" news about Canada's Voice to the World causes negative reaction from listeners and supporters in Canada and around the world. Recent announcements about changes to RCI policies are presented as positive moves, that reinforce the importance of the international service, and avoid the uncomfortable realities of a diminished service. Most back-up staff, such as those in administration, human resources and technical services, have already been integrated into the domestic service. In some cases, there may be a financial saving, but RCI's best interests are not always the priority. It's difficult to determine what the future holds. In 2003, the parliamentary Order-in-Council that describes RCI's role was revised for the first time since 1968. Among the deletions: the necessity for the RCI Director to lead delegations that discuss RCI matters with the Foreign Affairs Department. When RCI's three 24-hour-a-day satellite services were launched, they were described as a great achievement for RCI to raise its profile. But fully 90 per cent of the programming comes from the domestic service CBC/Radio-Canada. In 2001, a confidential report examined how RCI's English and French newsrooms could be integrated into the domestic service. In effect, the international newsrooms would not exist as separate entities. Three scenarios were examined in detail. Among the considerations: the report analysed the potential reactions of local and international media to such a move. It was decided not to proceed. A Canadian Voice? And perhaps among the most puzzling statements to come out of this latest repositioning was the assertion that RCI, Canada's voice to the world, is repositioning its programming "to provide listeners with a unique North American perspective that embraces the world…" ____________________________________________________ The RCI Action Committee is an inter-union coalition representing RCI's unionised staff. Together with listeners and supporters, the Committee has fought attempts to shut down RCI in 1991, 1995 and 1996. It has presented several briefs to parliamentary committees in Ottawa, and was behind the creation of a Senate inquiry into the 1991 cuts at RCI. Since 2001, the Committee has fought a series of "re-deployment" and "re-positioning" policies that continue to cut RCI services and independence. We can be contacted via: rciaction @ yahoo.ca Our website address is: http://www.geocities.com/rciaction If you are upset by what is going on at RCI, please make your voice heard. You can find the appropriate people to contact on our Contacts Page http://www.geocities.com/rciaction/contact.html (via DXLD) Here are all the entries in the accompanying blog as of 1715 UT Feb 16: Weblog ______________________________________________________ The RCI Action Committee Blog was started on February 2, 2004, the day RCI management announced its latest "repositioning". If you have a comment, or a suggestion, write to us at: rciaction@yahoo.ca. ______________________________________________________ 12 February 2004 - Some News on the Impact of the Repositioning - Glen Hauser's DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-026, February 12, 2004, http://www.worldofradio.com has some details on what the repositioning will do to our programming, thanks to a note from Ricky Leong about the International Radio Report program done by our valiant supporters Bill Westenhaver and Sheldon Harvey in Montreal. Those guys have been battling along with us since 1990, for no pay, and for the love of listening to international broadcasting. What would we have done without them? _____________________________________________________ 10 February 2004 - More on the Missing $4million and Transmitter Problems - People have been talking about the $11 million budget figure that was on the internal CBC/Radio-Canada Internet system yesterday. But RCI managers have been quick to explain the difference by saying it's due to rent we pay to the domestic service for our offices and studios, and other such costs. It's a strange explanation given that we were reassured last week that the budget of RCI was still $15.2 million, and that since it now was in the domestic service's budget, there would be indexing for inflation. Mysteriously, the official document with the budget figures, has been altered on the intranet system. The budget numbers are no longer there. The document ends just before the financial overview that had the $11million figure. Hmmm?!? Meanwhile, I was checking out Glenn Hauser's DX LISTENING DIGEST 4- 025, February 10, 2004 at http://www.worldofradio.com and was sorry to see that people are complaining about RCI transmitter problems and not getting any answers. It's becoming harder and harder to be optimistic about our future, as so many things point to more problems on the horizon.. _____________________________________________________ 9 February 2004 - Shredded Documents - $4 million Missing? People are clearly worried. One colleague came to me this afternoon with a hand full of shredded documents saying he had found a large bin full of shredded documents. Another colleague came to me earlier in the day to show me an official CBC/Radio Canada document that showed RCI's budget is $11 million. We all know it's 15.2 million, so what's going on? Boy this is depressing. _____________________________________________________ 3 February 2004 - Confusion and Questions - Confusion continues as management meets with more of the employees. What's becoming increasingly clear is that management has made decisions, but they want employees to find ways of doing it. Questioning the wisdom of this latest management move just provokes retorts that we're afraid of change. Funny how a lot of the people telling us what to do to save RCI weren't around, or didn't help, when we actually did save RCI in 1991, 1995 and 1996. _____________________________________________________ 2 February 2004 - Repositioning - The briefing meeting is over. We've been told about the "repositioning", feels more like shuffling the chairs on the Titanic. A number of people are dazed, feeling betrayed. One colleague from the Ukrainian service is crying. It was a bit surreal, watching a slide show of which sections continued, which would get programming chopped. When RCI Director Jean Larin and CBC/Radio-Canada Vice President Sylvain Lafrance ask for questions there's a stunned silence. Finally a journalist steps up to the microphone, and starts questioning the wisdom of cutting one of the Chinese broadcasts. Only a few people go up to the microphone. It's not easy. Particularly, when Lafrance calls one questioner, paranoid. Later people privately compare notes, as management meets employees sector by sector. What's becoming clear, is that a lot of things have not been worked out, and a lot of questions are being left unanswered. One colleague bitterly concludes we're being "repositioned" out of existence (via DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. Our first CANADA story this week is also something of a Buffalo story - CFLZ (105.1 Niagara Falls) is applying for a big power increase that will give it a real signal over the Buffalo market for the first time. CFLZ began its life as a travelers' information station on 91.9, moving to 105.1 when CHOW (1470 Welland) moved to FM on 91.7 in the late nineties. In September 2002, the travelers' information programming moved over to sister station CJRN (710 Niagara Falls) as part of a shuffle that took 105.1 to modern AC as "the River," picking up much of the local news and public affairs role that CJRN used to have in the community. (The River had been on CKEY-FM 101.1 Fort Erie, which became rhythmic top 40 "Wild 101" aimed at, and partially programmed from, Buffalo.) But the River on 105.1 has been hampered by a weak signal - 400 watts from the top of the Skylon Tower overlooking the Falls. Now it's hoping to give that signal a big boost, all the way to 7200 watts (into a directional antenna with a maximum lobe of 30 kW ERP; unlike the US, which licenses directional FMs based on maximum power, Canada uses average ERP, which makes direct comparisons a bit tricky.) The application may face some tough questions when it goes before the CRTC April 19, though; for one thing, the CRTC wants some assurances that CFLZ will be programmed for the Canadian side of the border and not for Buffalo, where Citadel already handles sales and some programming for CKEY. Another problem that may crop up stems from the lag in adding new U.S. applications to Industry Canada's database - the CFLZ application doesn't take into account the pending application by WMJQ (105.5 Brockport) to move to 104.9, where it would be tightly spaced to a more powerful CFLZ. And while its regulatory counterparts to the south worry about Janet Jackson's Super Bowl striptease, the CRTC - not to mention Parliament - has Conan O'Brien to deal with. While the Super Bowl broadcast generated almost no complaints in laid-back Canada, Conan's Canadian visit touched off controversy after he sent Triumph the Insult Comic Dog to Quebec City to - what else? - insult the Francophones. So while U.S. politicians seized on a fleeting glimpse of Janet to make political hay, their colleagues up north are holding press conferences attacking the hand puppet for falling afoul of the rules that ban programming that's insulting to specific ethnic or language groups. (Ironically, the shows weren't even broadcast in Quebec; O'Brien's Late Night is seen in Canada on CHUM's "NewNet" stations, which don't reach Quebec - so anyone in Quebec who saw the shows saw them on the unregulated American feed from WPTZ in Plattsburgh...) (s Fybush, Northeast Radio Watch Feb 16 via DXLD) ** CANADA. CFAV [1570 Laval QC] are still in a testing period, running only 1000 watts. They are running canned music with recorded announcements periodically giving a telephone number to call to report noise or interference. The announcement also indicates that they are only using 1000 watts at this point rather than their licensed 10,000 watts (Sheldon Harvey, QC, NRC-AM via DXLD) They also seem to be way off frequency - I make their carrier to be on 1570.065. That's not as far off as the 1610 station, though. Where do these guys buy their equipment, eBay? (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) The installation is a two-tower array and according to a conversation with the broadcast engineer hired by the station to work on the project there is a pattern channeling the signal north-east across the island of Laval. The transmitter site is more towards the south-west sector of the island of Laval. Regarding Barry's comments about the station being off frequency, I will try to reach the engineer at the station and advise him of this. As to where they get their transmitters from, well, they do have two of them which they did purchase second-hand. Through e-bay?, that much I can't tell you! (Sheldon Harvey, ibid.) ** CLIPPERTON. CLIPPERTON OPERATION CANCELLED. The Clipperton Island DXpedition, which was to begin in early March (around March 8th), has been postponed due to transportation problems. The team still plans to go to Clipperton, and as soon as they can find and arrange new transportation, the DXpedition will be a go. However, this may take some time (few months). Be looking for updates (KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80 Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin No. 648 February 16, 2004 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. 6105, R. Universidad, presumed the one here at 0545 Feb 14 with classical music; seeming ID at 0555, then instrumental "Theme from Titanic," another apparent ID at 0600, then brief "graduation march" melody which I know they have used as part of their ID in the past; program ended but they left the carrier on. Voice audio was so overmodulated as to be useless, music was okay; co- channel VOA QRM, but "Universidad" dominant (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) 1156-1240 Feb 11, easy instrumental music past the top of the hour making me think Latin station. At 1202 a man announcer with Spanish talk and ID. Returned to non-stop classical music. Fair with some Chinese station QRM (Rich D`Angelo, FCDX, PA, ibid.) 0225-0402 Feb 13, the usual long blocks non-stop classical music with announcements at 0232, 0300 (nice ID by the man announcer in Spanish), 0333 (introducing a selection by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra) and 0400. Fair signal but modulation a little off making speech recognition a little bit of a problem. Swamped by RFE/RL Kavala, Greece sign on at 0400. Checked around 0300 next two nights noting them with usual classical music and Spanish announcements and ID. Seems to be regular at the moment (Rich D`Angelo, PA, ibid.) ** CUBA. 5025, Radio Rebelde, 2255+, Febrero 12. Confirmo la excelente señal escuchada por el colega José Hernández Madrid, con una calidad de 54444. Nunca le escuché con tanta potencia a una hora tan temprana. Grabación de: "Éstas fueron las noticias de Cuba y el mundo... Rebelde en la Habana, la emisora de la Revolucion". A continuación emitieron una prueba ciclista (José Bueno, España, Conexión Digital via DXLD) 5025, Radio Rebelde, en Febrero 12 se escuchaba a eso de las 2230 ya como "un cañón" y esta mañana (febrero 13) a las 0600 UT se escuchaba con un SINPO de 33333, según ha informado el colega Óscar Céspedes que reside en Miami, probablemente están emitiendo con un transmisor de 50 Kw y no con el de 10 Kw que es el que está reseñado en el WRTH-2004. Ya un par de dias antes José la había escuchado y nos había informado lo siguiente en la Lista de Conexion Digital: "Hola Compañeros, llevo dos dias escuchando asíduamente a partir de las 2300 horas UT la emisora cubana RADIO REBELDE por los 5025 kHz. Me sorprendé escuchar esta emisora con un SINPO de 4 ya que la he escuchado muchas veces pero no con una SINPO tan fuerte y nunca antes de las 0200 UT; lo que me sorprende también es que ayer dia 10 llegué a escucharla hasta las 08:15 UT; a esta hora en España son las 9:15 y el sol está ya bastante alto en el horizonte" (José Hernández Madrid, España, ibid.) ** CUBA. FESTIVAL NACIONAL DE LA RADIO --- Holguín será la sede, desde el viernes 12 hasta el 24 de este mes, de la XXVI Edición del Festival Nacional de la Radio, actividad que por segunda ocasión se celebra en el territorio. Realizadores de las 71 emisoras del país concursarán en el evento donde se presentarán alrededor de 900 obras y se concederán 44 premios y 16 grandes premios. Holguín compite con 38 trabajos. Personalidades como Esther Borja, Alberto Luberta, Salvador Wood, Joaquín Cuartas, Ismael Rensoli, actrices y actores del medio y el comentarista deportivo Eddy Martín, integrarán los 14 jurados, cuya constitución se prevé para el sábado 13, a las nueve de la mañana, en el Parque Calixto García, para el análisis de programas informativos, musicales, dramatizados y deportivos, entre otras especialidades y las páginas WEB. Como actividades colaterales se realizarán eventos teóricos, intercambios con miembros de la Unión Nacional de Escritores y Artistas de Cuba (UNEAC), encuentros con la comunidad y recorridos por el Polo Turístico y centros de interés histórico. También está todo listo para la apertura de una habitación, en el hotel Pernik, dedicada a Esther Borja, nuestra Damisela Encantadora (extraida de eneldial.com via Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** CYPRUS. BBG Cape Greco --- From the following FBO notice it is clear that the array now used by the BBG at Cape Greco [990 kHz] was an existing one that was refurbished. The question then is what purpose this array served before this redeployment. Perhaps it was the original array that has remained as standby after the construction of the four tower array. - "This notice hereby amends Submission No. 50M1F4 that was published in the CBD on May 17, 2001. The previous CBD notice stated a requirement by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) for the design, fabrication, shipping, installation and testing of a 600 kW multi-tower medium wave (MW) broadcast antenna system in the country of Cyprus. The previous CBD notice is hereby revised as follows. The BBG has an urgent need to procure the services of a contractor to refurbish the existing three-tower antenna array and associated transmission line at the MW broadcasting station located at Cape Greco, Cyprus. Based on the BBG's urgent need to have broadcasting from this location commence by June 2002, this proposed procurement may include an "incentive" provision for completing the above-stated work in sufficient time to meet the June 2002 target date for commencement of broadcasting operations. To be considered by the BBG as a responsible offeror for this proposed procurement, interested firms shall have demonstrated experience in each of the following mandatory areas: (1) successful inspection and repair of guyed MW antenna towers that are at least 130 meters in height; (2) successful replacement of guy-cables which have static tensions of at least 25 metric tons; (3) successful fabrication and installation of guy-cables that are at least 42 millimeters in diameter; and (4) successful performance of antenna/tower work in high radiofrequency (RF) environments." According to both the Hatfield & Dawson website and a Thales newssheet, the Radio France transmitter has a power of 1200 kW (presumably two or more lower power units in parallel), and Thales say it has been in operation since 1998. The model is Thales TMW 21200. It is surprising that this transmitter renewal/power increase information has not reached the DX world or the WRTH until recently. The Hatfield & Dawson website also mentions that the seven Cape Greco towers are 430 feet (130 meters) tall. The original Radio Monte Carlo 600 kW transmitter went on the air in 1973 (Olle Alm, Sweden. DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, the question is which power is in use. TWR has been listing 1233 always with 600 kW each season; this seems the power they are renting. Apparently this has made the DX world to assume that 600 kW is used at other times also. As we know most high power MW transmitters in Europe are run with reduced power these days - maybe RMC-MO actually also runs this transmitter with 600 kW instead of the maximum 1200 kW, especially since they have a more effective antenna system now? 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The information concerning Cape Greco is very interesting and I agree that it is surprising not to have been known about previously. I had been noting various reports of reception of 1233 in the M.E. and had been surprised at the range of the signal. If it's now sending 1200 kW I guess that power, plus the directional four tower array, accounts for this reception. As Olle remarks, the other three towers were perhaps intended as a standby aerial - albeit an expensive one - unless they were intended as a more sophisticated and "powerful" one with additional slewing possibilities. These towers must be "aiming" at the ME or else would be of no use for the IBB. I have not read of any association of another broadcaster with this site in recent times, and the three towers would surely be in need of replacement, rather than refurbishment, if we go too far back. And BTW, it surprised me to read that Cape Greco had been on air for thirty years --- it seems only yesterday that it first appeared in the WRTH!!! (Noel R. Green-UK, BC-DX Feb 16 via DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. The few transmissions in early Feb 2004 of R Sawa on 1431, logged in Scandinavia and Egypt, seem to have been transmitter tests only. I sent a reception report by e-mail to R Sawa and below is their reply. 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -----Original Message----- From: Radio Sawa [mailto:comments@radiosawa.com] Sent: 15 Feb 2004 18:35 To: Jari Savolainen Subject: RE: Radio Sawa heard on 1431 via Djibouti Radio Sawa is not broadcasting on 1431 yet (via Jari, DXLD) ??!! Of course they are, or were, even if a test. They WERE broadcasting, and it`s stupid of them to deny it. Back in Washington they have no idea what`s going on at the transmitter sites, even if it is their very own service (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Jari, Yes they were tests - that was what the original items were saying :) like on the MWDX yahoogroup on 31 Jan and in this original first posting by Dan Ferguson of IBB below. The IBB online schedule also mentions an omnidirectional beam which means that the directional beam is seemingly not yet in use. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) * From: "Dan Ferguson" * Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 15:41:55 -0500 * To: SWBC@topica.com * Subj: [SWBC] IBB Djibouti Medium Wave ====================================================================== IBB's 600 kW medium wave transmitter in Djibouti will begin test transmissions on 1431 kHz at 1600-0400 GMT from February 1, 2004, carrying one of the Radio Sawa streams in Arabic. DanF (via Bernd, DXLD) ** EL SALVADOR. From some months ago the ch 2 from San Salvador, has a new logo; sorry I can't update my site, but here is a pic: http://www.geocities.com/hmolina.geo/Ch2NewLogo.jpg Regards (Humberto Molina, San Salvador, El Salvador, WTFDA via DXLD) not available when I checked (gh) ** ETHIOPIA. Radio Fana, 6210, f/d green card with station seal and schedule received via registered mail in 35 days for $2 and an English report. V/S Woldu Yemessel, General Manager. Nice stamps on envelope and several "Fana Radio, Archives and Record Service" ink stamps on reverse. Very pleased with this QSL (Scott R Barbour, NH, DXplorer Feb 15 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. TDP has finally updated its WHOSE website fixing the misspelling ``Vilce`` of Oromo Liberation, but now it seems they have a new website and a new abbr.: RSQBO: http://www.oromia.org/rsqbo/rsqbo.htm for Radiyoo Sagalee Qabsoo Bilisummaa Oromoo (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 17565 CLANDESTINE (to Ethiopia). Educational Development Center (DC) "Mustaqbal" program (via Sentech, South Africa): I tried at 1200-1230 on the days it is scheduled, Mon/Tue/Thu Feb 9/10/12. There was a signal there, albeit at near imagination- level all three days except for 1215-1230 Feb 10 when some audio surfaced with a few surprisingly good (but very brief) peaks, each soon disappearing. Talk, definitely HoA-type music. Said to be to Somalis in Ethiopia. The only possibly-relevant reference I can find to Ethiopia-Somalia on the EDC website is their project "Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) for Somalis--Providing Mediation and Conflict Prevention Training Through Basic Education" at http://main.edc.org/search/projectView.asp?bcn=1&bcl=return+to+results&ProjectID=2909 EDC also operates the Sudan Radio Service program (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) 1203-1232* Feb 10, mix of Somali talks and Horn of Africa music. Announcements in Somali at 1229 mentioned EDC. Followed by an English announcement from a woman announcer mentioning EDC. Fair signal but deep fades (Rich D`Angelo, FCDX-PA, ibid.) ** EUROPE. STATE-AIDED BROADCASTING FACES SCRUTINY ACROSS EUROPE By ERIC PFANNER, International Herald Tribune, February 16, 2004 http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/16/business/worldbusiness/16staterun.html?ex=1077910568&ei=1&en=2c98581d9301f1ae Like the country homes where its costume dramas are set, public broadcasting has long seemed like a fixture of the media landscape in Europe, featuring programming that is regarded by many as part of their cultural identity. But lately, public broadcasters have been thrust into the harsh glare of their own klieg lights. At the BBC and at a French public television network, France 2, top executives have resigned after journalists were cited for mistakes in reporting. In Italy, the government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has moved to increase its oversight of the public broadcaster RAI, raising concerns about independence of news and other programming. The new concerns come at a particularly bad time for broadcasters, as regulators and competitors are gearing up for a closer look at their mission, and at the fees or taxes that sustain them. Some viewers and private-sector competitors are complaining ever more loudly about the nearly 20 gigaeuros ($25.5 billion) in public financing that public television and radio receive across Europe. "Public service broadcasting is in a struggle to remain relevant," an executive at one large European public broadcaster said, insisting on anonymity. "It will live or die based on its credibility." Some experts say the struggle for relevance plays a part in news reporting lapses at the BBC and at France 2. Last week, as the furor over a report critical of the BBC's reporting on the British government's case for war in Iraq was easing, France 2's news director was forced to resign, and a popular anchor was suspended. They had wrongly reported on the nightly newscast that the former prime minister, Alain Juppé, planned to resign from various political posts after being convicted on corruption charges. At the same time, Mr. Juppé was actually announcing on the rival TF1 channel, which is privately owned, that he planned to stay on. As conspiracy theories swirled, some journalists at France 2 said there were signs of a plot by the right-leaning government of President Jacques Chirac to discredit public broadcasting - never particularly popular with conservatives - by giving France 2 a bum steer on the Juppé news. But others said the mistake probably had more to do with France 2's desperate struggle to stay competitive with TF1 despite trailing badly in ratings and resources. The difficulty of striking a balance between quality and commercial success is an increasingly common lament among many public broadcasters in Europe. "We're supposed to have quality programming that is up to par with Arte," a publicly financed, French-German venture that shows highbrow cultural programs, said Alban Mikoczy, a high-ranking editor at France 2. Political interference has been more obvious in Italy, where the Rai public broadcasting system is governed by a board dominated by political appointees loyal to the prime minister. Analysts cite numerous instances in which Mr. Berlusconi has used his influence to prevent programming critical of him or his government from being aired. Now, some executives at the BBC, long regarded as the gold standard of independence among publicly financed broadcasters, are worried that it could come under increased political pressure, after an outside report sided firmly against a BBC reporter's claims that the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair had intentionally "sexed up" reports on whether Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. The government is reviewing candidates for chairman of the BBC's board, after Gavyn Davies, the previous chairman, and Greg Dyke, the director general and day-to-day manager, resigned after the inquiry. Both had stood firm after the government objected to its reporting. The BBC's setback came at an inopportune time. With a review of the broadcaster's charter due in 2006, British regulators have begun work on a broad examination of public service broadcasting; a report is to be published in April. The Times of London reported on Sunday that the government is considering a range of proposals for the BBC, including breaking it up into separate units for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, the BBC has delayed work on its own recommendations for the charter review, pending the appointment of a new leader. Given the politically charged backdrop, the BBC is preparing to parry assaults on the license fee, which provides it with about £2.5 billion ($4.7 billion) a year, the majority of its revenue. Anyone in Britain with a television must pay £112 a year. The financing and structure of public broadcasting varies widely across Europe. Some broadcasters are financed almost entirely by license fees or taxes; others, like Britain's government-chartered Channel 4, rely entirely on commercial money. Still others, particularly in southern Europe, are a hybrid, accepting financing from both sources. Germany provides the biggest amount of public financing - 6.6 billion euros ($8.4 billion) last year for the broadcasters ARD and ZDF, which also obtain some of their money from commercial means. To some private investors who are vying with public networks for viewers, that is unfair competition. Last year, after he assumed control of ProSiebenSat1, Germany's second-biggest commercial TV business after Bertelsmann's RTL, the American media entrepreneur Haim Saban criticized the German system in a newspaper interview. "There's something I don't understand," Mr. Saban said. "How can public broadcasters that receive millions and millions of euros in fee revenues have the right to broadcast commercials and siphon 400 million euros to 500 million euros in advertising revenue from private broadcasters?" But with more than 40 percent market share, public television remains popular in Germany, and proposals to overhaul the system radically have not gotten far, though there have been efforts to tinker around the edges. In France, however, the specter of privatization has been dangled at France 2 and at Radio France, the public radio system, where journalists went back to work over the weekend after a five-week strike over pay. After all, the government sold off TF1 in 1987 - and it leads France 2 by a wide margin in the ratings race. As in Britain, French regulators are preparing this summer to study consumer attitudes toward public service broadcasting. European Union regulators are also taking an interest. Brussels, which has taken a tough stance against government aid in other industries, has steered clear of public financing for the media because of the political and cultural sensitivities; lobbyists for public broadcasters worry privately, however, that the recent developments will embolden regulators to listen more carefully to those who would like to see such financing abolished. Until recently, the BBC was seen by many analysts as a model of how a public broadcaster could adapt to a more competitive commercial setting. It maintains a vast production operation, employing tens of thousands of Britons and providing a counterweight to the American programming juggernaut. And the previous leadership moved to expand in areas such as children's broadcasting, digital archive services and the Internet. While the BBC has drawn criticism for what some Britons say is a dumbing-down of the broadcaster's once-highbrow programming, others welcome the move away from what they see as a snobbish tradition of noblesse oblige, rooted in a discredited class system. But critics of the BBC also questioned whether the broadcaster's new marketplace focus might have led it to push the envelope too far in its reporting of Blair's case for war. Regardless of the outcome of the license fee review, commercial pressures on public broadcasters will only grow in coming years as governments manage the transition from analog to digital broadcasting. Millions of Europeans already subscribe to digital satellite services, and digital terrestrial technology is eventually intended to render analog broadcasting obsolete. That will mean a proliferation of viewer choice, making life even more challenging for public broadcasters - even if they do not compound the damage with their own journalistic mistakes and political miscalculations. Kevin O'Brien in Berlin, Eric Sylvers in Milan and Elisabeth Franck- Dumas in Paris contributed reporting for this article. (From the New York Times website, Feb. 16, 2004 via Matt Francis, Washington, DC, Jim Moats, OH, DXLD) ** FRANCE. RFI STRIKE TALKS REMAIN DEADLOCKED The inter-union syndicate of journalists at Radio France International (RFI), where journalists have been on strike since last Wednesday, refused to take part in negotiations with management yesterday on the grounds that they had not come up with any new proposals. The RFI journalists want a new wage settlement on the lines of that awarded to colleagues at Radio France, whose 18 day strike ended on Friday. A mass meeting today will decide whether or not to continue the strike at RFI. According to the unions, between 65% and 70% of the journalists refused to work yesterday. Management put the figure at 52%. # posted by Andy @ 13:40 UT Feb 16 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** GERMANY. AFN FRANKFURT TO BE MOVED Im November 2004 soll AFN Europe mit seinen 70 Mitarbeitern von Frankfurt nach Mannheim umziehen. In einer Armeekaserne wird dort seit einigen Monaten die neueste Digitaltechnik fuer den Sendekomplex installiert. Das US-Militaer hat Frankfurt bereits seit einigen Jahren verlassen; bis Ende 2005 soll auch die Rhein-Main Airbase mit ihren rund 3000 Beschaeftigten aufgegeben werden. Im Raum Heidelberg/Mannheim befindet sich dagegen das Hauptquartier des US-Heeres fuer Europa, und mit dem pfaelzischen Ramstein ist der groesste US-Luftwaffenstuetzpunkt in Europa nur etwa 60 Kilometer entfernt. Waehrend das US-Militaer seine Praesenz in Europa seit Jahren abbaut, wird das bisher in Frankfurt beheimatete Soldatensender AFN (American Forces Network) Europe als Verbindung zu den US-Truppen auch ausserhalb Europas immer wichtiger. "Mit unseren digital ausgestrahlten Programmen erreichen wir sogar unsere Soldaten im Irak oder Afghanistan", sagt AFN-Sprecher Roger Williams. Der gelernte Rundfunkjournalist, einer der wenigen Zivilisten, ist seit 18 Jahren dabei. Derzeit strahlt AFN Europe verschluesselt oder unverschluesselt 16 Radiokanaele und sieben TV-Programme aus. Allein in Europa kann AFN mit Radio und Fernsehen von knapp 350.000 Soldaten und ihren Familienangehoerigen empfangen werden. Elf europaeische Stationen liefern fuer einige dieser Kanaele Nachrichten und Programme aus den oertlichen Militaergemeinden zu. Zweimal taeglich werden in Frankfurt auch eigene TV-Nachrichten fuer die Truppen produziert. Annaehernd 30.000 US-Soldaten aus Deutschland sind derzeit im Irak stationiert, waehrend sich ihre Angehoerigen in den Garnisonen zur Hause Sorgen machen. AFN, im Zweiten Weltkrieg gegruendet, ging erstmals am 4. Juli 1943 auf Sendung. Der Sender folgte dann den US- Truppen auf ihrem Vormarsch in Europa. Im August 1945 wurde das AFN- Hauptquartier von London nach Frankfurt verlegt (Frankfurter Neue Presse 7.2.2004; ntt Feb 14 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** INDIA. Complete SW schedule of AIR in KHz order: http://geocities.com/bcdxnet/sw/frequency.htm Complete SW schedule Station wise: http://geocities.com/bcdxnet/sw/location.htm External Services Time Wise: http://geocities.com/bcdxnet/es/time.htm External Services Language Wise: http://geocities.com/bcdxnet/es/language.htm ===== 73 de (Jose Jacob, dx_india via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Since Dec 14th, 2003, Radio "Voice of Mojahed" from IRQ to IRN is not heard anymore. Seems to be stopped. The Iranian jammers were silenced for some time. But again active from Jan 21, but only on 9530 and 11930 kHz. Nothing observed on 9745 and 15260 (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Feb 4/5/6, BC-DX Feb 16, via DXLD) continued under KURDISTAN ** IRAQ/FRANCE. RADIO FRANCE INTERNATIONALE OPENS RELAY IN BAGHDAD Radio France Internationale has started a relay of its French-language programme on 93.5 MHz in Baghdad on 16 February. This is the third FM relay of the RFI group in Iraq. RFI plans to launch a fourth relay in Mosul for its Radio Monte Carlo service in the near future. The 93.5 MHz frequency was previously used by the Arabic-language Radio Monte Carlo Middle East, which has now moved to 88.0 MHz. Radio Monte Carlo Middle East can also be heard in Basra on 88.8 MHz. Source: BBC Monitoring research 16 Feb 04 (via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. 6972.36, Galei Zahal, at 0245-0314, Hebrew, 2 OM with music and talks with 2 mentions of web address I could not fully copy, trumpet fanfare with OM and YL repeating frequencie for MW and FM, OM with passing mention of "Galei Zahal" at 0300 into news bulletin followed by pop music program. Fair at best with deep fades (Scott R. Barbour, NH, DXplorer Feb 10 via BC-DX via DXLD) 15785.06, Galei Zahal in Hebrew, phone in program at 1315 UT, Feb 16. 33433 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, BC-DX via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [and non]. On Feb 4th observed: at 0258 UT not jammed on 9530, 11930 etc., but at 0305 UT was jamming s-on on 9530 and 4240 kHz. Maybe (presumably] versus Voice of the Mojahedin of Iranian Kurdistan Radio, which s-on time is 0315 UT. Active stations in that region in the range 3800-4620 kHz: 3880j 4380j Dengi Shurshi Irana, and Dedaye Communiste Irana. 3927j 4613 Dengi Komala. 3970j Dengi Kurdestana Iran. 4025 Dengi Gelli Kurdistana. 4085 Dengi Kurdestana Iraq. 4162 Dengi Sarbakhoye. 4235j Dengi Zahmatheshane Kurdistana. and seems to be a common radio station: 4250 Dengi Khabati Kurdestana. 4270j Dengi Mojahedine Kurdistana Irana. j = jammed by Iran (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Feb 4/5/6, BC-DX Feb 16, via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. Re: ``Denge Mezopotamya, 11530, is on the Web at http://www.denge-mezopotamya.com and carries its programming in RealAudio. The ``WhoIs`` data shows the domain is owned by Mehmet Dirik, info @ rojonline.com at Carl Ulrich Str. 11, 63263 Neu Isenburg, Germany, with an expiration date of 21 Feb 2005 [not 2050 -- - gh`s typo]. Looking at rojonline.com, this address is Roj Online, Rudolf-Diesel-Strasse 16, Hessen 65760 Eschborn, Germany. The domain expires on 18 May 2004 (Tom Sundstrom, Net Notes, Feb NASWA Journal via DXLD)`` Registration data for websites can be tricky. In this case, "Roj Online" is a Kurdish Internet provider in Germany. The Denge Mezopotamya/Voice of Mezopotamia programs are produced in the studios of the Kurdish media company Roj NV near Aalst in Belgium (address: Fabriekstraat 5, B-9470 Denderleeuw); the telephone numbers to the station are published on the VOM website. The Kurdish satellite channel Medya-TV is produced at the same location (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KYRGYZSTAN. This item about R Extol, Bishkek 1467 kHz, from Kyrgyzinfo http://www.kginfo.kg/eng/?art=1074602326 THE CHIEF OF LOCAL RADIO ``EXTOL` OF PROTESTANT ORIENTATION IS ACCUSED OF FINANCIAL MACHINATION --- KyrgyzInfo. 20.01.2004. 17:38 The former DJ of music channel claims that the chief behaved not like a Christian. Now this slowly igniting scandal threatens to involve influential foreign corporation - ``Trans World radio``, famous to many radio-listeners of 160 countries of the world. The matter of the scandal is illegal dismissal of employees. The dismissed employees appealed to State inspection of labor. It conducted a check-up. The administration of the channel did not even try to open workbooks for dismissed employees. The State inspection wrote several rules, demanding to eliminate violations. In addition, pay the account to the citizens of Kyrgyzstan. But, unfortunately, ``Extol`` did not hurry to execute the orders of the State body, nevertheless, henceforth the problems of radio employees are going to be considered closely and seriously at the highest levels (via Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Feb 16, DXLD) ** LITHUANIA [and non]. RADIO WORLD - Sunday 15 February 2004 The least one can say is that my tour of the radio stations in future EU member states had an unfortunate start. My report on Radio Vilnius did contain a number of inaccuracies, for which I humbly apologize. Radio Vilnius no longer broadcasts in Russian, and it does not use 1557 kHz, not under its own name anyway. Well, the bit about the Russian transmissions comes from Euro-Tx, the database of shortwave transmissions to Europe. I'm now forced to admit that even this source is contaminated. Sad, really. Having said this, let's move on to neighbouring Poland... ...I'm not going to risk giving you a shortwave schedule of Radio Polonia, not after what happened last week. I checked a couple of frequencies for evening transmissions in English, but found they were not correct. So, I don't trust their website, I don't trust Euro-tx, but I do trust you. So, why don't I reverse the roles and invite the DXers among you to tell me where and when they hear Radio Polonia. In the meantime, I can recommend Radio Polonia's website for the audio- on-demand in all the different languages they are using (Frans Vossen, RVi Radio World Feb 15 via DXLD) Frans, Latest schedules and changes to them are likely to be in DX Listening Digest, but searching them out may be a task: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html can be searched by country and then go to latest individual issues. Or do a Google search adding site:worldofradio.com One place which rounds up current season schedules by country, but not necessarily mid-season changes, is http://www.bclnews.it/ Which under Polonia shows ENGLISH 1300 - 1359 11820 9525 1800 - 1859 5995 7150 And I believe it is correct, tho have not confirmed it myself -- difficult to hear in North America. R. Polonia did cut back to only two SW broadcasts in English this season. 73, Glenn Hauser (in the RVi Guestbook, via DXLD) Also from last Oct.: Radio Polonia announced on their Media Magazine programme October 28th that their agreement with TPSA for use of the shortwave site at Lesczynka was valid until the end of the calendar year. English is now at 1300-1400 on 9525 11820 and 1800-1900 on 5995 and new 7150 (Mike Barraclough, UK, Nov 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And then what? ** MEXICO. 6045 MEXICO Radio Universidad, 0317-0359 Feb 10, man with Spanish talk hosting a program of phone calls from listeners and playing Mexican musical selections. IDs at 0336 and 0343 between phone calls. Clear but weak until Radio France International opened at 0358 blocking channel (Rich D`Angelo, FCDX-PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. RNZI's ID in Spanish: I can provide the exact time and date this time: 15 Feb 2004, at 1938 UT on 11980 kHz, which by the way was being exceptionally well [heard] that evening: the usual Latin American-style jingle followed by the announcement "Radio Nueva Zelanda Internacional emitiendo para el Pacífico." At that time, Rangitaiki's ZERO degrees azimuth does not favour the Americas, especially central or south, so playing such ID at that time may sound odd. Since Portugal and NZ are antipodes, the signals of either country are inherently beamed to each other (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, BC-DX Feb 16 via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. There will be a DX Special on Sunday February 29 --- Waihi 1107 AM (1107 kHz) will broadcast during the day with an automatic program in the morning and early afternoon, followed in the mid-afternoon to late afternoon with a live broadcast by owner Peter Anderson. Maximum authorised power is 250 watts, but the transmitter will run on low power from a site in Waihi township. There will be regular ID's as 'Waihi 11-07 AM' and reception reports are invited to either P O Box 14339, Wellington or via email to talkback @ radiodx.com All correct reports will be QSL'd. If postponed, the broadcast will take place on a Sunday during March. This DX Special has been arranged on behalf of the Radio Heritage Foundation by David Ricquish, and is a great chance to log and QSL this usually silent station (Feb NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. 6330, 0715, S Island caravaners/campers. Several operators. No calls. Idiot behaviour much like some CBers. Some sensible and knowledgeable discussions on antennas, matching etc. (Peter Chambers, Napier, Kenwood TS 505 CB Stationmaster, NZ DX Times Feb via DXLD) ** NIUE. Radio Sunshine Studios and the Broadcasting Corporation of Niue building on Niue Island. Radio Sunshine used to broadcast on Mediumwave but now only operates on FM 91.0 and 102.0 MHz. You can read an article on Radio Sunshine at the League`s website http://radiodx.com/spdxr/Radio_Sunshine.htm (Feb NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. News in English at 1600-1614 UT were heard on 4795, 5027, 5080, and 9395 kHz. English program was *1530-1600* UT on 4790 kHz only; and after 1614 UT on 5080 kHz only Feb 5 (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, BC-DX Feb 16 via DXLD) 5027.2, PBC, Quetta, 0110. Man with solemn talk in presumed Urdu; at 0117 into antiphonal unison singing with chorus and male and female solos. From 0121, several men in animated discussion past 0130. In the clear but weak, with muffled, whiskery audio that seemed overmodulated. This on Feb. 9 and again the next two evenings. Unusual reception, as this one is seldom anything more than a feeble het. 7571, R. Pakistan, 2152 Feb 12. Man in subcontinental lang (probably Urdu); possibly local music at 2155 till 2159, when man gave announcement. Three pips and mention of Pakistan at 2200, then more talk. Very muffled, distorted audio that made speech unintelligible and almost disappeared at times (Bob Hill, MA, BC-DX via DXLD) ** POLAND. See LITHUANIA ** RUSSIA. Radio Studio, St. Petersburg, 6245, f/d "St. Petersburg, The Hermitage, The Winter Palace" card with station seal and Russian pocket calendar in 40 days for 2 IRCs and an English report. V/S Paul Vinel, Engineer of technical service (Scott R. Barbour, NH, DXplorer Feb 15 via BC-DX via DXLD) [KALININGRAD] 6235, V. of Russia verified in one day an e-mail report with a personalized e-mail letter reply indicating a postal reply is on its way from v/s Elena Osipova from the Letters Department. One thing nice about VOR is that they keep records of any letter you ever sent to them. They know how long it has been since they last heard from you and they encourage future reception reports letters @ vor.ru In these days of budget cuts for the sake of budget cutting, it's nice to know that the VOR still brings some of that old SW charm to its broadcasting activities (Rich D`Angelo, PA, DXplorer Feb 15 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** RWANDA. How pleased I am that R. Rwanda is still regular on 6055 with Afro music and programs, fade in at 1500 or so. Regular English News at 1830 or a few minutes past 1830 with heavily accented English speakers that it takes one careful listening to realize that it is English!! But then English is a language spoken by all the world and we must accept the different flavours. Be it African, P`yongyang intonation or for that matter Victor G's Asian accent!!! (Victor A. Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, 4S7VK, DXplorer Feb 13/14 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. Radio Sondergrense, 7185, 0533 GMT Feb 10. Afrikaans, 333. YL with news items with some of it in English. ID by an OM at 0535 (Stewart MacKenzie, CA, WDX6AA, DX LSITENING DIGEST) Don`t often see their daytime frequency reported (gh) ** SRI LANKA. Commercial Service in Sinhala on 4870 kHz 1000-1605 abrupt sign-off because it is relaying the service "City FM" from the FM band with no mention of SW at all. Also note that SLBC has stopped relaying BBC Sinhala on SW, only on FM, but Tamil from BBC 1545-1615 is on 5020 (Victor A. Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, 4S7VK, DXplorer Feb 15 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** SUDAN. 7200, Sudan National Radio Corporation, 0427-0501 Feb 14, man talking in Arabic noted underneath Radio Cairo. When Egypt signed off at 0430, Omdurman in the clear with news in Arabic until 0440. Apparent ID by man announcer followed by vocals. Most of the next segment consisted of talks by a man and woman with brief musical interludes. Music fanfare at 0459 followed by an ID mentioning Omdurman. Smothered by Deutsche Welle opening at 0500. Poor but in the clear between 0430 and 0500, which is apparently the North American window (Rich D`Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. Sudan Radio Service The primary goal of the radio service is to link the ongoing peace process and peace-building efforts with initiatives that engender good governance and deepen the participation of Sudanese in affairs that most affect them. The station will increase access to balanced and useful information through programs of information, education, and entertainment chosen to equip listeners with the knowledge and tools to participate more fully in peace-making, reconciliation, and national development. Efforts will be made to create occasional programming in all the languages of Sudan, but regular programming will target speakers of Dinka, Nuer, Juba-Arabic, and English. Duration: 2003 to 2005 Director(s): Michael Laflin Funder(s): U.S. Agency for International Development Quote from: http://main.edc.org (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** U K. I was astonished to find this on the front page of the Sunday Times today - I know the BBC will oppose this to the end. BBC THREATENED WITH BREAK-UP Robert Winnett and David Leppard February 15, 2004 THE BBC could be dismantled and its editorial independence curbed in the wake of the row over Iraq, according to leaked government papers.. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1001928,00.html (via Keith Knight, BDXC=UK via DXLD) Re Save the BBC? Astonished about what??? Its a draft discussion document for the charter review which the BBC has known about for a while. All the discussion points, which is all they are, have been floated before and the ideas have started to be extensively debated. In typical UK journalist style it is selectively quoted from with plenty of "coulds" to make a story out of. The BBC will oppose what?? Everything in the document???? It is publicly funded through a compulsory flat rate tax so it`s the public who pay an ever increasing licence fee who should be debating public broadcasting anyway. I think debating issues is healthy in this country, since we are a democracy, rather than tabloid journalists, which include many on the broadsheets these days, running hyped up biased stories and setting the agenda. Other parts of the Murdoch empire are running anti BBC campaigns (Mike Barraclough, England, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U K. MINISTERS URGED TO RULE OUT BBC'S NATIONAL BREAK-UP JASON BEATTIE CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT THE government was under pressure yesterday to rule out plans to end the BBC's 80-year-old existence as the UK-wide institution. Leaked Whitehall documents revealed the government has considered breaking up the corporation into "separate entities for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland". The internal memoranda, published in the Sunday Times, also showed that the government is considering a wider role for the broadcasting watchdog Ofcom, bringing the BBC under its jurisdiction. The move would end the practice whereby the BBC governors ensure the corporation's impartiality and accuracy. The proposals will be regarded ominously by the BBC management which fears the government may use the charter review, announced in December last year, to punish the BBC in the wake of the Hutton Report. The documents say there could be scope for national and regional autonomy to "reduce perceived metropolitan bias." The paper continues: "How far is it essential for the BBC to be organised on a UK-wide basis? Is there a case for separate entities for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, or at least a more federated approach than now?" If executed, such a scheme could mean the emasculation of the BBC, ending UK-wide news bulletins and, therefore, threatening its strongly-guarded reputation for editorial independence. . . http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=184502004 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) see also EUROPE ** U K. PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM : THE BBCWS DOCUMENTARY ARCHIVE A promotion was aired after "Analysis" a couple days ago regarding the newly launched documentary archive at the BBCWS website. This addresses part of the cross-promotion concepts I mused on the other day. You can currently listen to 27 different documentary series that have aired in recent years on the World Service, and more are being added each week. One reason this is handy is that you can listen to a multi-part series in one fell swoop, as it were -- without waiting for weekly installments at the mercy of the "schedule Gods" (kudos to Joe Buch for that term). The shelf lives of documentaries are often quite long, too -- a program can still be relevant listening months or years after it has first aired. The direct URL for the archive page is http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/archive/index.shtml; off the main page, click on "Documentary Archive" in the "Radio Programmes" section of the website. (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, swprograms, via DXLD) ** U S A. ALHURRA, NEW ARABIC-LANGUAGE SATELLITE TELEVISION STATION, Launched February 14, 2004 Washington, D.C., February 12, 2004 -- Alhurra, a new Arabic-language satellite television network, began broadcasting to millions of viewers in 22 countries across the Middle East on February 14, 2004. Alhurra (Arabic for "The Free One") is devoted primarily to news and information. In addition to reporting on regional and international events, the channel broadcasts discussion programs, current affairs magazines and features on a variety of subjects including health and personal fitness, entertainment, sports, fashion, and science and technology. The channel is dedicated to presenting accurate, balanced and comprehensive news. Alhurra is operated by The Middle East Television Network, Inc., a non-profit corporation funded by the U.S. Congress through the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG). The BBG is a federal agency that supervises all U.S. nonmilitary international broadcasting. The channel broadcasts from studios in Springfield, Virginia and bureaus throughout the Middle East. "Our competitive edge in the Middle East is our very dedication to truth and free and open debate. And we will stand out like a beacon of light in a media market dominated by sensationalism and distortion," said BBG Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson. Norman J. Pattiz, chairman of the BBG's Middle East Committee who spearheaded development of Alhurra, said, "Alhurra will present fresh perspectives for viewers in the Middle East that we believe will create more cultural understanding and respect." "A key part of our mission is to be an example of a free press in the American tradition," he added. "We've assembled a highly professional group of journalists primarily from the region to provide the kind of news and information that will resonate with our viewing audience and enable them to make informed decisions." Alhurra debuted with a 14-hour per day program schedule and will expand to 24 hours within weeks. Prime time programming includes two, one-hour in-depth newscasts, a nightly live talk show called "Free Hour," and Arabic translations of documentary and information programming from producers around the world. The prime time broadcast schedule is posted daily on the channel's web site: www.alhurra.com. Alhurra is available to viewers in the Middle East on the region's two major satellite systems: Arabsat and Nilesat. Arabsat Digital Orbital Location: 26 Degrees East Longitude Downlink Frequency: 11.661 Ghz Polarization: Vertical FEC: 3/4 Symbol Rate: 27.5 MSymb/s Arabsat C-band Analog Orbital Location: 26 Degrees East Longitude Downlink Frequency: 3.964 GHz Polarization: Vertical Main Audio: 6.6 mHz Nilesat Digital Orbital Location: 7 Degrees West Longitude Downlink Frequency: 11.823 GHz Polarization: Vertical Fec: 3/4 Symbol Rate: 27.5 MSymb/s (BBG Press Feb 12 via DXLD) ** U S A. US ARABIC CHANNEL A TURN-OFF --- Al Hurra, a new American satellite TV channel aimed at viewers in the Middle East, has been greeted frostily in Cairo, reports Matthew Craft Matthew Craft Monday February 16 2004 The Guardian The day after the United States unveiled its Arabic-language satellite channel, based in Virginia and beamed across the Arab world, few people in downtown Cairo confessed to tuning in for the inaugural broadcast. Opinions, however, were plentiful. "You mean the American propaganda channel?" proved the most popular response. On Saturday, the American answer to Al Jazeera hit the airwaves. Al Hurra, "the free one", began its broadcast at 5 pm in Cairo when Mohammad --- who asked that his full name not be used --- was still busy helping customers in his busy electronics store. The station ran an exclusive interview with President Bush over two days, but Mohammad saw no reason to listen, yet again, to the American point of view. No matter how many times he hears the American line it will not make a difference. "Why would I watch Bush on television when every day I can read what he says here," he said, pointing to his newspaper. "We know what the American policies are, and we still don't like them." Al Hurra's debut passed without notice in some quarters: most Egyptians cannot afford a satellite dish. In others, it was given a sceptical glance. On Sunday, the daily newspaper Al Ahram mentioned its arrival in a few, short paragraphs. "Empty Al Hurra channel ... Handmaiden won't clean the muddy face," declared a headline in the latest El Osboa. The article argued that Arabs' fury with the United States will not change as long as it "blindly bows" to Israel. Much of Al Hurra's first few hours on air seemed to target such criticisms. Norman Pattiz, a member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the government agency which oversees Voice of America and now Al Hurra, explained that the newscasts would be free from government influence. The network's mission, he said, was to provide independent and credible journalism, not to sway hearts or influence opinions. "We're not expecting to change people's minds about anything," he said. In between segments, promotions ran for the new channel full of obvious symbolism. There were tight shots of eyelids slowly opening, wild horses running free; in black rooms, men and women opened windows and in rushed a flood of light. Al Hurra's launch comes as the Bush administration pushes its "forward strategy of freedom" in the Middle East. In his state of the union address last month, Bush said this meant spreading "free elections and free markets, free press and free labour unions", not just in Iraq, but in Arab countries burdened with extended royal families and presidents for life. His Al Hurra interview touched many of the same notes. Bush focused on the progress toward democracy in Iraq and, more generally, he extolled the value of hearing different viewpoints and living in a free society. "We have not been in Iraq for one year and already there has been enormous progress. "Among the things I find important is that people have started to talk about achieving democracy. If these voices had appeared last year or the before... their voices might have ceased to exist," he said, according to an Arabic voiceover translation. "Today a free society has started to float to the surface," he added. Bush said Washington is looking forward to cooperation with the United Nations in an attempt to restore peace in Iraq. The administration has already singled out Egypt for reform, it being the most populous Arab country and a recipient of $2bn (£1bn) a year in American aid. In November, Bush said the country that led the way in making peace with Israel "should now show the way toward democracy in the Middle East". In theory, Bush's message should find a receptive audience in Egypt, where dissent and criticism of the government are allowed only within limits. The lines are not immediately obvious. The government jails Islamic militants, while censors barred the film The Matrix from release for dabbling in religious thought. Security courts hand out prison terms with hard labour for disrespecting religion. Newspapers often criticise the government, but not Hosni Mubarak, the president who has held power since Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1981. Asked their opinions at a coffee house near Midan Talaat Harb, most Cairenes said they simply do not trust Bush. If he cared about human rights, then he would help the Palestinians, they say. "Human rights, democracy, yes, these are all good things,' said Osama Medhat. "You ask 90% of Egyptians and they say the same thing." Distrust of the Bush administration's intentions runs so deep that US support for human rights groups and other democratic institutions is interpreted as meddling in domestic politics. Even the innocent look suspect. Nahdet Misr, an independent, liberal-minded weekly was widely rumoured to be Uncle Sam's stooge when it hit the news stands last autumn. Many considered it the beginning of "American infiltration" into Egyptian news media, despite adamant denials from the publisher and US officials. A leading advocate for human rights and the publisher of the English- language Cairo Times, Hisham Kassem, watched Al Hurra on Saturday, and was not sure what to make of it. But in this crowded, noisy city, why not add another voice to the fray? "Everyone is going on about media infiltration," he said. "But I say let a thousand stations bloom. Let's have a Chinese station, a European station. Let people decide for themselves. If it's going to be propaganda --- we'll have to wait and see --- but if so, then when I want to see the American government's point of view, I'll know where to look." Copyright Guardian Newspapers Limited (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A. A friend of mine is convinced NBC News is more reliable than CBS or ABC. Perhaps she should consider this long article: DR. BOB ARNOT`S PARTING SHOT --- by Joe Hagan, New York Observer Bob Arnot, the medical doctor turned foreign correspondent for MSNBC and NBC News --- the onetime chief medical correspondent "Dr. Bob" on NBC News, who has been filing prickly, Geraldo-like dispatches from Iraq—has been conspicuously absent from TV lately. Dr. Arnot’s contract was up at NBC in December 2003 and, according to the network, won`t be renewed in the foreseeable future. Dr. Arnot did not leave willingly. Although personal, his departure has also exposed the divides over TV coverage of the war in Iraq. In a 1,300-word e-mail to NBC News president Neal Shapiro, written in December 2003 and obtained by NYTV, Dr. Arnot called NBC News’ coverage of Iraq biased. He argued that keeping him in Iraq and on NBC could go far in rectifying that. Dr. Arnot told Mr. Shapiro that NBC had alienated the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad since it shot and then aired footage of correspondent Jim Miklaszewski at the scene of the November bombing of the Al Rashid Hotel, in which a C.P.A. staffer was shown injured. That incident, he wrote, "earned the undying enmity of the C.P.A." ... http://www.observer.com/pages/nytv.asp After a week the article will be moved into their archives: http://www.observer.com/pages/author_look.asp?Author=Joe%20Hagan (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO SLEUTHS GO TO GREAT WAVELENGTHS TO CATCH ROGUES By Eliot Kleinberg, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Monday, February 9, 2004 http://www.emailthis.clickability.com/et/emailThis?clickMap=viewThis&etMailToID=1732701762&pt=Y Pirate radio stations, beware: You are being watched. Legitimate stations plagued by the outlaw transmitters that fuzz up their signals complain regularly that the Federal Communications Commission has neither the staff nor a streamlined process to shut down the dozens of pirate stations scattered across South Florida. Some stations send out their engineers with special equipment to pinpoint stations. They're getting help. Ham radio operators, computer programmers, broadcasting consultants and engineers, and other citizen sleuths also fed up with the pirates' interference are tracking down the outlaws themselves. Pirate stations operate with no federal broadcasting licenses; a transmitter can cost as little as $5,000. Since 1997, the FCC has shut down more than 400 in Florida alone. South Florida is believed to have more than any region in the country. Operators face federal fines and prison terms, but the FCC must bring in federal authorities and an operator has to be caught in the act. The Florida Association of Broadcasters is working to introduce legislation next month that would make operation a violation of state law, giving local authorities jurisdiction, too. Business partners Lu Vencl and Steven J. Grey of Broward County use equipment similar to the LoJack stolen car homing device to track pirate stations to their front doors and estimate their levels of interference. The two have sent detailed reports and photographs of pirates' transmitter antennas to the FCC, "but I have yet to receive any reply," Grey said recently. The agency, as a policy, will not confirm or discuss ongoing investigations. Another pirate hunter, who did not want to be identified for fear of retribution, said he contacted landlords to remind them that their leases have clauses about illegal activities or that pirates violate building codes by mounting transmitter antennas. Grey recently tracked 17 pirate stations in two hours in Miami-Dade County. He and Vencl estimate more than 60 operate in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties and a new one goes on the air every week. Many pirates don't interfere with legal broadcasts because they pick dial locations far enough between licensed stations or transmit on very low power or with low-quality equipment. A few have equipment that prevents them from interfering. But most pirates don't know they're interfering or don't care, Vencl said. Sometimes, a new pirate station begins interfering with an established one, which jacks up its power to try to drown out the newcomer in a twisted form of Darwinism. "It's like a war," Vencl said. Vencl and Grey have created their own business to battle the pirates. Clients can hire Signal Finder Inc. to pinpoint anything interfering with radio transmissions. That can include cordless telephone and wireless Internet signals, power line interference, illegal "bug" transmitters, taxicab two-way radios, even fast-food drive-through communications systems. And pirate radio stations. Vencl said he has signed up radio giant Clear Channel Communications and has inquiries from other operations. Armed with evidence, stations don't have to rely solely on the FCC but can pursue the pirates with civil suits (via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. FCC REJECTS ARGUMENTS; rfb BRACES FOR CRACKDOWN By DANIEL BARLOW Reformer Staff Article Published: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 - 2:32:51 AM EST http://www.reformer.com/Stories/0,1413,102~8862~1948735,00.html BRATTLEBORO -- The Federal Communications Commission is expected to attempt to shut down radio free brattleboro before a town meeting vote on the station's community support, a lawyer representing the unlicensed 10-watt station said Tuesday. The FCC has rejected two proposals offered by members of rfb and will likely attempt to seize the station's broadcasting equipment soon, said James Maxwell of Brattleboro, one of two attorneys working with the volunteer-run station. "The wording was deliberately ambiguous and open-ended," said Maxwell. "But there are only a couple of options and the most likely is that they will soon seize the equipment." In a Jan. 14 letter to two U.S. attorneys in Burlington who are representing the FCC, Maxwell asked that the station be given "breathing room" until after the March townwide vote on the station's community support. He also asked that the FCC speed up the application process for a local group called Vermont Earthworks that has applied for a broadcasting license. Vermont Earthworks is not associated with rfb, however, it has been suggested that the group may work with rfb members on the new station. Maxwell said he received a faxed letter on Monday from David Kirby, one of the U.S. attorneys in Burlington, stating that the FCC has rejected rfb's proposals. Maxwell would not supply a copy of the letter to the Reformer. "It said that the FCC rejects rfb's proposal and will immediately move to enforce the law," explained Maxwell. "My gut feeling is that we will see them pulling up in the next few days." The 5-year-old station, which has between 50 and 70 members, broadcasts at 107.9 FM, an unused frequency, from a downtown apartment. The diverse programming ranges from local talk shows to jazz, swing and rock music. The station came to the attention of the FCC last summer because of two complaints that the broadcast interfered with the frequency for WFCR, an Amherst, Mass., National Public Radio affiliate. The FCC ordered rfb off the air unless it could furnish proof of a license or authority to operate. The station returned to the airwaves in August, but was issued a "notice of unlicensed radio operation" by two FCC field agents in early September. The letter from the FCC asked members of the station to produce their license or authority to broadcast. Lawyers for the station say they plan to argue in court that a petition signed by area residents, a resolution from the town's selectboard and the results of a town vote on March 2, constitute the station's authority to broadcast. The petition has over 3,000 signatures, including 1,500 from Brattleboro residents, according to station members. On Nov. 18, the Brattleboro Selectboard approved a resolution supporting the station and "the concept of community radio" and encouraged the FCC to "work with radio free brattleboro, and other applicants, to obtain a low power FM license which will enable them to serve the needs of the community and its members." Kirby said he could not comment on any matter that hasn't been filed in court. He would not confirm or deny that he is working with the FCC to shut down rfb or that he sent a letter to Maxwell. "If I did send a letter to Jim Maxwell it would be a private communication and not for public access," Kirby said. A question before voters on March 2 asks, "Shall the voters of Brattleboro give to radio free brattleboro (rfb) authority to broadcast until such a time that a low-power FM license is issued to radio free brattleboro or to another non-profit, locally based, community group which is prepared to offer to the town of Brattleboro diverse, all-access, non-commercial, community radio?" On the Web: http://www.rfb.fm http://www.fcc.gov (Brattleboro Reformer via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. In NEW YORK, WPTR (1540 Albany) is apparently sticking with its "Legends" oldies format even as it goes all-automated; contrary to what the message boards are saying, we hear star jock "Boom Boom" Brannigan is still with the station, but in a behind-the-scenes role for now as the station looks towards a relaunch and tries to cut its costs (s Fybush, Northeast Radio Watch Feb 15 via DXLD) ** U S A. ESTADOS UNIDOS -- ESTACIÓN RADIAL DE NEBRASKA CESA TRANSMISIONES EN ESPAÑOL La estación de radio KMMJ [750 Grand Island NE] cesará su programación en español. Jacinto Corona, un locutor de la emisora, dijo que el cambio se realizó el lunes. El gerente general Don Clonch dijo que KMMJ está transmitiendo simultáneamente con KRGI, pero que con el tiempo planean tener una programación separada para cada estación. Según Clonch, el cambio se hizo por razones de negocios y programación, y porque querían llevar la emisora en otra dirección. Steckline Communications, con sede en Wichita, Kansas, anunció en diciembre la compra de KRGI-AM, KRGI-FM, KMMJ-AM y KRGY-FM. Clonch dijo que aún no tienen detalles sobre cómo será el nuevo formato de KMMJ. La estación continuaría ofreciendo algún tipo de programación en español los fines de semana (source? via Héctor García Bojorge, Mexico, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** U S A. The University of North Dakota is putting its right to use the 1370 AM radio frequency up for sale, an official said. Jim Shaeffer, associate vice president of outreach services, said the sale would likely affect a small number of Northern Lights radio listeners, those who live too far to get KFJM 90.7. The university would continue to broadcast Northern Lights programming on KFJM 90.7 FM. Only those on the fringe of the listening area tune in to the AM station, which has a slightly longer range, he said. ``Our experience tells us it`s very, very few,`` he said. UND also owns the KUND 89.3 FM frequency, which broadcasts ND Public Radio programming. That frequency also is not for sale. The sale of 1370 AM is necessary, Shaeffer said, because the university is moving its radio tower in anticipation of development on the Bronson Property in the north end of campus. Moving the FM transmitters alone would probably cost in the neighborhood of $500,000, he said. Moving the AM transmitter, for technical reasons, would cost much, much more. UND has been working over the past few years to turn the Bronson Property into a commercial and residential development. So far, it has the Ralph Engelstad Arena and the Barnes & Noble bookstore there. A small strip mall is coming in this year. Shaeffer said the sale is really more like a request for a bid because UND does not know how much it would get for an AM frequency and isn`t venturing to guess. The university would advertise in newspapers and industry sources. To buy KUND, call 701-777-2132 for bid forms, or visit Gerald.Clancy @ mail.und.nodak.edu (Feb FMedia! via DXLD) KUND on 1370 is in Grand Forks, 1000 watts day, 250 night, 500 pre- sunrise, per NRC AM Log (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WOI-FM MAY EXPAND AREA TO OSCEOLA By William Dillon, Staff Writer February 16, 2004 Iowa State University is looking to buy a bankrupt radio station to extend public radio to south-central Iowa. Iowa State University is looking to buy a bankrupt radio station to extend public radio to south-central Iowa. ISU officials plan to convert KIIC-FM in Osceola into a WOI-FM public radio station to serve surrounding residents of the Osceola area, said Warren Madden, ISU's vice president for business and finance. "It is the last underserved point in Iowa for public radio," he said. Although the range of the Osceola station overlaps a portion of the WOI-FM range, an estimated 44,000 new people would receive the WOI-FM signal with the takeover of the Osceola station, according to Iowa Board of Regents documents. Plans say the radio station will initially be connected to WOI-FM through the Iowa Communications Network, a fiber optic cable that carries telephone, data, audio and visual information throughout Iowa. The station is not likely to deliver the same feed as WOI-FM heard in Mid-Iowa, but rather the programming will be customized for the people in the area. "If they want more music, we will give them more music," Madden said. "(If they want) more news, they will get more news." WOI-FM plans to combine efforts with Graceland University in Lamoni to provide local programming which will save on operating costs for ISU, Madden said. "We hope we can do that," he said. "That's a win/win situation." The Iowa Board of Regents will consider ISU's request to buy the radio station during its meeting Thursday in Iowa City. "WOI is pretty optimistic this will go through," Madden said. If the board approves the sale of the radio station, WOI-FM will not go on the air immediately. Typically, there is a six- to nine-month delay between the sale of a station and the time FCC approvals are granted, Madden said. ©Ames Tribune 2004 (via Bill Smith, ex-IA, W5USM, DXLD) WTFK? M-Street Directory 2000, which I have handy, says KIIC is not in Osceola at all but in Lamoni on 97.9, owned, however, and probably operated out of Osceola by KJJC 107.1. Power on 97.9 listed as 50 kW, antenna 492 feet. Lamoni is about 30 miles further south on I-35, and in fact only a few miles from the Missouri border, so if the tower is actually around Lamoni, the new WOI station would be serving as much of Missouri as of Iowa (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re WLW on 26450: I reactivated the 26 MHz system in about 1989 or 90 to get us an IFB system in an unusually crowded vhf and uhf spectrum. It worked pretty well for a lot of years but newer technology has passed a lot of it by. We even tipped off WFLA (a sister station) in Florida what we were doing and they put up a system for IFB for their traffic operations. Problem is the equipment is so hard to find that is FCC type accepted. The IFB gear in the vehicles that is used for a lot of TV queing is less than 1 watt and mobile. However there are some high powered high profile systems still alive out there. I know it sure does drive the illegal out of band cb people crazy (Paul Jellison, CO, Clear Channel, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. U.S. X-BAND AT A GLANCE FEBRUARY 2004 COMPILED BY TONY KING, GREYTOWN, NEW ZEALAND 1610 CJWI Montreal QUE FF/Creole 1620 WDND South Bend IN "ESPN Radio 1620 South Bend" KOZN Bellevue NE ESPN Sport ."The Zone in Omaha" WTAW College Station TX 'Newstalk 16-20 WTAW' Takes 'USA Radio News' & C-to-C AM KBLI Blackfoot ID SS "Radio Fiesta" KYIZ Renton WA Urban AC/ Black Oldies " //KRIZ " Z Twins" KSMH West Sacramento, CA Rel. ETWN Catholic. "KSMH West Sacramento" WDHP Frederikstad, US Virgins BBC WS to after 2200 NZDT. Full ID at :59 1630 KCJJ Iowa City IA Talk/Sport KKWY Fox Farm WY C&W AP nx "The Spirit of Wyoming" "K-W-Y 1630" KNAX Ft Worth/Dallas TX SS. Rel. Radio Vida/ Radio Dos Mil Dos. EE ID :58 WRDW Augusta GA Talk/Sport 'Newstalk 1630" 1640 WKSH Sussex WI Disney KDZR Lake Oswego OR Disney 'KDZR Radio Disney Portland" KDIA Vallejo CA Talk/religious/life issues WTNI Biloxi MS "Talk Radio 1640 WTNI Biloxi" Takes Coast to Coast. ABC nx. KMMZ Enid-Oklahoma City OK All Comedy Radio. P.O. Box 952 Enid OK 73702. KBJA Sandy UT SS/Radio Unica/Radio Latina .EE ID on hour 1650 WHKT Portsmouth VA Disney. "AM1650 WHKT Portsmouth, Radio Disney" KBIV El Paso TX C & W. "Country Classics KBIV" KDNZ Cedar Falls IA Talk/ Sport "The Talk Station" // KCNZ Takes 'Coast to Coast' KWHN Fort Smith AR 'Newstalk 1650 KWHN' KBJD Denver CO Talk. "KNUS-2" KFOX Torrance CA Korean/ EE ID on hour 1660 KTIQ Merced CA Sporting News Network "The Ticket" WFNA Charlotte NC Sporting News Radio // WFNZ 610. NEW WWRU Elizabeth NJ Talk SS Radio Unica. WCNZ Marco Is FL "Newsradio 1660" AP nx. WQSN Kalamazoo MI Sports/talk ESPN KRZX Waco TX ESPN + local sport //KRZI 1580. Nx on hr/local ads .05 (Z=Zee) KQWB West Fargo ND Nostalgia "Star 1660 is KQWB AM' CNN news KXOL Brigham City UT "Oldies Radio" (60`s rock) KXTR Kansas City KS 'Classical 1660' WGIT Canóvanas Puerto Rico SS oldies "El Gigante" 1670 WMWR Warner Robins/Macon GA News/Talk x WRNC "Talk Radio WMWR 1670" WTDY Madison WI Sports/Talk. "Talk Radio 1670" (Sporting News Network) KHPY Moreno Valley, CA Radio Catolica SS EE on the hour. KNRO Redding CA "Redding's ESPN Radio 1670 KNRO' 1680 WTTM Princeton NJ Ethnic – Asian "EBC Radio" WLAA Winter Garden FL SS WDSS Ada MI Disney 'AM1680 WDSS' KAVT Fresno CA Disney/SS KTFH Seattle WA Ethnic./SS Rel/ "The Bridge, AM 16-80 KTFH Seattle." KYEA Monroe LA Urban Gospel. "Rejoice 1680" x KRJO 1690 KDDZ Arvada CO Disney KFSG Roseville CA SS rel. and Asian. EE ID on hr "KFSG Sacramento" WRLL Berwyn/Chicago IL "Real Oldies 1690" WSWK Adel, GA Tourist Info 'Wild Adventure Radio" WPTX Lexington Park MD "Newstalk 1690 WPTX" CNN headline News 1700 WJCC Miami Springs FL SS/Rel/"Radio Luz" WEUV Huntsville AL Black Gospel. KTBK Sherman TX Sporting Nx Radio "Sports Radio 1310 KTCK- The Ticket" KBGG Des Moines IA "All News 1700 KBGG". CNN. Usually female presenter. KQXX Brownsville TX "Oldies Radio 1700 AM" (NEW ZEALAND DX TIMES PAGE 39 FEBRUARY 2004 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. VENEZUELA'S CHAVEZ REVEALS MILITARY PLAN TO TAKE MEDIA OFF AIR | Excerpt from report by Venezuelan Union Radio web site on 15 February During his [weekly] radio and television programme "Hello, President" [on Sunday 15 February], leader Hugo Chávez Frías said that a military plan has been prepared to take control of privately-owned television stations this week and to suspend their signals, to avoid a situation similar to that of [the] 11 April 2002 [coup d'etat attempt] which, in his opinion, could be repeated this week. "We had everything ready the day before yesterday to take them off the air. Ready, the forces are ready. The armed forces are ready to take signals off the air on my orders," he revealed. "I am saying this because I feel it my responsibility (...) one of the things that we should have done on 11 April [2002] was to prevent the television stations from becoming one of the main focal points of the violent unrest, as came to pass with Globovisión, Venevisión and the other channels," he said. The president of the republic warned that he is ready to seize control of the television stations should it be deemed necessary. "Don't think you are going to get the Hugo Chávez of 2002, the military will take you by storm by whatever means it takes." [passage omitted] Source: Union Radio web site, Caracas, in Spanish 0000 gmt 15 Feb 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. 3306, R. Zimbabwe, definitely them (see my unID of last week). Heard at 0412 Feb 15 with what sounded like news in progress read by woman, 0420 man with definite mention of R. Zimbabwe, possible TC (said "20"--maybe 6:20? They are UT+2), African vocal music, talkover 0423, more music, another ID 0425 ("1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9, 1-2-3- 4-5-6-7-8-9 . . . R. Zimbabwe . . ."), more music, same music-and-talk pattern to fade-out at 0436. Reception noisy and not too strong; probably would have been better a little earlier. Despite several checks during the past week, this is the first time I have heard this since my unID log at 0356 Feb 8, also a Sunday (UT). I see in HCDX that Seyfried-Germany heard them at 0100 Feb 15, strong signal, non- stop African music, short canned ID 0106 in local lang., readable only on LSB. Could it be that this is a "Saturday night"-only all-night service? Not much of value on their website, parts of which have not been updated since 2001 http://www.zbc.co.zw/index.cfm (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ WRTH 2004 FOR SALE Vendo una edición del WRTH 2004, por US$ 40,00 o 35,00 Euros. Los interesados pueden escribir a: antonio.schuler @ terra.com.br (Antônio Schuler, Recife, Pernambuco, BRASIL, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ NAB WANTS ALERT SYSTEM FOR COP CARS HALTED... Date posted: 2004-02-13 Stop Alert Devices. That's what the NAB wants the FCC to do. Alert Devices International Corp., also called ADi, based in Woburn, Mass., has asked the commission to allow emergency vehicle warnings to be transmitted over FM and AM broadcast radio signals, in what is being called an Emergency Vehicle Signaling Service, or EVSS. NAB said the goal is "laudable" but expressed concern that it is not the best way to solve the problem. Of more immediate concern, NAB stated, is that the company is making and selling an unlicensed system via the Internet, "without any apparent mechanism to control purchasers of equipment that jams broadcast signals, and in clear violation of Part 15 of the commission's rules." The manufacturer says it is not offering the product for sale in the United States (see story below). The system, NAB further argues, cannot notify motorists who aren't tuned into radio already; it might interfere with radios of people living along busy roads; and the alerts might actually cause more traffic accidents, confusion and tie-ups. And NAB said EVSS interruptions may also "threaten the viability" of EAS and broadcasters' dissemination of emergency information such as Amber Alerts (Radio World via DXLD) ...BUT ALERT DEVICES SAYS 'WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING' Contacted by Radio World, the president of the division of Alert Devices International Corp. that makes the emergency alerting units (see story, above) said his company is not selling the product to U.S. clients, contrary to NAB's complaint. He said Canadian authorities have approved its use, and that posting the product on the Web site is appropriate for marketing to global clients. He said he has 130 purchase orders from U.S. customers that won't ship until the FCC approves the system. "We're law enforcement guys here, we're trying to do the right thing," Tom Macone said. "We're not foolish." The system, installed in police cruisers, would override AM and FM radios nearby with three beeps and an audible "Warning, Emergency Vehicle" message. As to NAB's broader criticisms of the alert proposal, Macone said the association's filing makes many assumptions. He said he hopes the NAB will come to realize the system will be no more intrusive than a siren passing by on the road, and much safer. "People are getting killed, getting hurt. ... If you could put the head of the NAB in the front seat of a cruiser," Macone said, "he'd pull his people off" their objections. The parent company was founded in 1999 by a retired Massachusetts state trooper who was severely injured when he was struck by a motorist at an accident scene (Radio World via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SIDC WEEKLY BULLETIN ON SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 13:04:30 GMT From: Solar Influences Data analysis Center Issued: 2004 Feb 16 1257 UTC Product: documentation at http://sidc.oma.be/products/bul #--------------------------------------------------------------------# WEEK 163 from 2004 Feb 09 SOLAR ACTIVITY: --------------- The most active day on the flaring level was Monday February 9. However, the highest flare registered was a C9.6 coming from sunspot group 57 (NOAA 0554). From February 10 on, the background x-radiation started decreasing slowly to reach finally the top of the A-level on Sunday February 15. Only on Feb 10 and Feb 11, some recordable peaks were noticed (in the lower B-level). Space Weather this week was dominated by a coronal hole. The solar wind speed started increasing clearly from Feb 11 to reach 700 km/s. Feb 15 peaks up to 800 km/s were measured by ACE. At the moment, Feb 16, the solar wind speed is slowly decreasing. GEOMAGNETISM: ------------- Geomagnetic activity was dominated by the coronal hole. On Feb 11, we came in the influence sphere of it. The solar wind speed was only just begun to increase, when the K_p index as calculated by NOAA, reached the major storm level of 6. Feb 12, once again the minor storm level was reached. The rest of the week, active conditions were set with one exception on Sunday Feb 15 when NOAA reported K_p=5 for the time interval 9:00-12:00UT. Since the moment of that small peak, we are experiencing quiet conditions. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DAILY INDICES DATE RC 10CM Ak BKG M X 2004 Feb 09 065 118 007 B3.0 0 0 2004 Feb 10 087 117 007 B2.0 0 0 2004 Feb 11 087 114 025 B1.9 0 0 2004 Feb 12 086 112 032 B1.9 0 0 2004 Feb 13 070 108 /// B1.7 0 0 2004 Feb 14 052 104 025 B1.3 0 0 -1 XXX XX 083 -1 /// //// -1 -1 # RC : Sunspot index from Catania Observatory (Italy) # 10cm: 10.7 cm radioflux (DRAO, Canada) # Ak : Ak Index Wingst (Germany) # BKG : Background GOES X-ray level (NOAA, USA) # M,X : Number of X-ray flares in M and X class, see below (NOAA, USA) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTICEABLE EVENTS DAY BEGIN MAX END LOC XRAY OP 10CM TYPE Cat NOAA NOTE [none] #--------------------------------------------------------------------# # Solar Influences Data analysis Center - RWC Belgium # # Royal Observatory of Belgium # # Fax : 32 (0) 2 373 0 224 # # Tel.: 32 (0) 2 373 0 276 # # For more information, http://sidc.oma.be (via Jim Moats, DXLD) ###