DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-068, April 13, 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 1227: Wed 0930 on WWCR 9475 Mon 0330 on WSUI 910 http://wsui.uiowa.edu WORLD OF RADIO 1227 in mp3 recorded from 7415 at 2200 UT April 7, already available April 8, but this week it was a phone-feed to WBCQ: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_04-07-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_04-07-04.mp3 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 1227 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1227.html WORLD OF RADIO 1227 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1227.rm FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO EXTRA 46: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 WORLD OF RADIO Extra 46 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx46h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx46h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0401.html WORLD OF RADIO Extra 46 (low version): [same as CONTINENT OF MEDIA 04-01] (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0401.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0401.rm DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Here`s where to sign up. There may be a delay in approval if I do not recognize your name and / or e-mail address. If your yahoo profile does not give this info, please send me a separate e-mail with your true name, location and brief reason for wishing to join the group --- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ (Glenn Hauser, April 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN. NEW WEB SITE FOR AFGHAN-TARGETED RADIO AMANI Radio Amani, a radio station broadcasting to Afghanistan via hired facilities in Russia, now has a web site, according to radio hobbyist Bernd Trutenau in Glenn Hauser's DX Listening Digest 4-066 [9 April]. The web site, at http://www.radioamani.com is entirely in English and includes archived audio files of the station's weekly broadcasts. A statement on the site mentions that the web site is still under construction. The radio station is operated by the Afghanistan Peace Association [APA], a US-based organization with its own web site at http://www.afghanistanpeace.com Radio Amani currently schedules its weekly broadcast on Fridays at 1630-1730 gmt on shortwave 7350 kHz. Programming is in Dari and Pashto. Source: BBC Monitoring research 13 Apr 04 (via DXLD) ** ALASKA. Among the FCC Auction 84 applications (see notes under USA), are quite a number concerning Alaska. A few of them involving higher powers, and isn`t it wonderful that itty bitty places no one has ever heard of can dream of 50 kW: 1210, NEW, Anchorage, U1, 10000/10000 but mutually exclusive: 1210, NEW, Juneau, U1, 1000/1000 and also mutually exclusive: 1210, NEW, Lakes, U1, 50000/50000 1250, NEW, Willow, U1, 50000/39000 1400, NEW, Meadowlakes, U1, 50000/50000 1540, NEW, Anchorage, U1, 50000/50000 (NRC DX News April 12 via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 6059.96, Radio Nacional, 1024 April 12. Noted both a man and woman in Spanish world news and sports. ID at 1029 as, "Radio Nacional, Argentina ... RAE". Signal was good. Is Argentina a DX catch? (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not very, in this case, in my opinion, but that is certainly a subjective question (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 5050, ARDS, 1212-1241+, April 12, tuned in to hear Aboriginal Australian talk between two OM's, seemingly Aboriginal music between talk bits. No "ID" heard! 2,4,3,3,2. Terrible T-Storm crashes! First time heard this far inland? (Joe Talbot, DXpedition at Don Moman`s, Alberta, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. I`ve been noticing for quite some time that RA has been missing in the 2100 UT hour from 21740, where it used to boom in on all but the very worst days. April 12 there was no signal, altho NHK was fair on 21670 direct, so if hi latitude propagation is working, surely transequatorial must be too. After 2200, however, RA was very strong on 21740, so that is when it must now be opening, contrary to the A-04 schedule in 4-064 which still shows it as 2100-2400, and thus must be considered suspect, tho that has the advantage of including transmitter sites. Here`s the ``East Pacific`` (read: North America) schedule from RA`s own site April 12, where the pages are never dated so you can be sure they are current: http://www.abc.net.au/ra/hear/epac.htm 00:00 01:00 12080 25 00:00 01:00 15240 19 01:00 07:00 15240 19 01:00 07:00 12080 25 02:00 07:00 15515 19 05:00 08:00 15160 19 07:00 09:00 13630 22 07:00 08:00 15240 19 07:00 09:00 12080 25 08:00 14:00 9580 31 08:00 16:00 9580 31 11:00 14:00 6020 49 11:00 12:00 12080 25 14:00 18:00 5995 49 14:00 18:00 7240 41 17:00 21:00 11880 25 17:00 20:00 9710 31 18:00 20:00 7240 41 18:00 21:00 9580 31 20:00 22:00 12080 25 20:00 21:00 7240 41 20:00 22:00 11650 25 21:00 23:00 11880 25 21:00 23:00 13360 22 22:00 00:00 21740 13 22:00 00:00 15230 19 23:00 00:00 12080 25 23:00 02:00 17795 16 Another oddity: this no longer shows 9590 at 0800-1600, but 9580, same as at 0800-1400, so for most of that span there are now two transmitters on 9580? Still, 9590 is shown 0800-1600 on the schedule below. Why too, are there separate entries for 15240 at 0000-0100 and 0100-0700? Does this mean there is an antenna change at 0100? Ditto 7240 with three abutting entries at 1400-1800, 1800-2000, 2000-2100! One more reason to denounce RA`s policy of not publishing full frequency schedule information. Here`s he separate schedule for the rest of the Pacific, which often provides usable frequencies in NAm: http://www.abc.net.au/ra/hear/pac.htm Pacific 00:00 01:00 15240 19 00:00 03:00 17740 16 01:00 07:00 15240 19 01:00 07:00 9660 31 06:00 08:00 11880 25 07:00 08:00 9660 31 07:00 08:00 15240 19 08:00 09:00 5995 49 08:00 09:00 9710 31 08:00 16:00 9590 31 11:00 14:00 6020 49 11:00 14:00 5995 49 11:00 14:00 9569 31 [sic --- surely a typo, but for what?] 11:00 14:00 9560 31 14:00 18:00 5995 49 17:00 20:00 9710 31 18:00 20:00 7240 41 18:00 20:00 6080 49 20:00 21:00 6080 49 20:00 21:00 7240 41 20:00 22:00 11650 25 21:00 22:00 9660 31 22:00 00:00 15230 19 23:00 01:00 9660 31 23:00 06:00 13630 22 And whatever became of the listeners/media program that was supposed to succeed early this year ``Feedback`` which was cancelled late last year? Roger Broadbent is still on the roster as producing some other programs, and it was promised that he would do the new one. The year is no longer ``early`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM [and non]. RVI DRM interference --- I missed Radio World on RVi Sunday so tuned in at 0700 on 5985 via Jülich this morning -- it is aired both UT Sunday and UT Monday at 0700, before new shows start. Reception not possible due to strong DRM noise from Luxembourg on 5990 transmitting to a minute audience; their DRM transmissions now take up 30 kHz of band space in a frequency band that will become more and more crowded as sunspots decline. If Belgium does not move frequency they may as well cancel the transmission and save money as is unusable in their target area. We have been told that DRM will first launch in Europe as that is where there are the greatest number of receivers. As the number of receivers is in three figures, I don`t see the logic there. As to projected receiver sales of 5 million by 2007, is this based on market research? In which countries are these sales forecast? As has been pointed out the services taking up so much bandwidth are primarily music ones. In which European markets are consumers going to pay a premium price for radio receivers to listen to music? What advantage does music over DRM have over local FM stations or just listening to MP3's or CD's? One thing is for sure as these services expand, bandspace for analogue shortwave in Europe will become more and more limited (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth Garden City, UK, April 12, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CANADA. The people managing RCI are not international broadcasters. They are domestic broadcasters. And there seems in my opinion at least, to be sort of a --- almost a misunderstanding about what they should really be doing. So it has a lot of the people who are professional international broadcasters a little bit concerned about who`s really running the shop and what their goals are (Sheldon Harvey, QC, interviewed at Kulpsville by Frans Vossen for RVi Radio World April 12, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. "FEARS OF LOCKOUT RISE AS CBC BRASS, UNION LOCK HORNS" http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/story.asp?id=7BAA71E1-0B4B-44BF-8C77-63E43B2C1F45 Of course, if it were to happen, RCI programming would be affected as happened in 2002. 73- (Bill Westenhaver, RCI, April 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: The Gazette Tuesday, April 13, 2004 Another labour dispute may be brewing between the CBC and 1,700 workers it locked out in 2002, when Daybreak, Home Run, Le Téléjournal and other television and radio shows were knocked off the air for nine weeks. The workers' union said yesterday said it fears another lockout is imminent after management broke off negotiations last week and announced it would present a new "full offer" Thursday. But the CBC blamed the union for the breakdown in talks and said a lockout is not in the works. The union represents reporters, news anchors and researchers as well as production-support personnel who work for the CBC and its French sister service, Radio-Canada, across Quebec and in Moncton, N.B. Their contract expired on March 28. The issues are the same as two years ago: the disproportionate use of contract workers compared with Ontario, and wage disparities between women and men, said Daniel Raunet, president of the Syndicat des communications de Radio-Canada. In 2002, "we managed to get only half the things solved," said Raunet, adding the earliest date for a strike or lockout is May 7. "There are still big problems." CBC spokesperson André Beaudet said the union is exaggerating the discrepancy between Ontario and Quebec workers. He said the "small difference" is because the French service, based in Quebec, produces more cultural, variety and dramatic programs, where contract work is more common. © Copyright 2004 Montreal Gazette (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** CANADA. The TIS station with a webcast: CFYZ, 1280, Pearson Airport, Toronto. Not sure how low-powered it is, but CFYZ does not even qualify to be listed in the 2004 NRC AM Log. They do have some live programming, see below; elsewhen a bilingual loop, but mostly English, of all kinds of info relating to the airport; almost like being in Toronto, and certainly would be useful to audition if planning a visit or transit there (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The CFYZ Team: Kent Chambers (top left) "Take Off in the Morning" 7- 10:30 Eastern Time Candice Batista (top center) "Touchdown in the Afternoon" 2:30 to 6 PM Eastern Time Lisa DiSanto (bottom center) Program Manager Stu Holloway (top right) Station Manager. [captions] The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is pleased to provide you `live` listening on CFYZ. Tune in for the latest arrival and departure information, traffic reports and extensive weather forecasts. 1280 also presents interesting news about airport development, travel destinations and aviation Listen `Live` Join our broadcast team for `live` daily broadcasts from 7 AM to 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM to 6 PM Mon-Fri Eastern Time [1100-1430, 1830-2200 UT] We would be pleased to hear from you, contact us with your comments and requests at: 1280 @ cfyz.ca Tel: (416) 776-1280 http://www.gtaa.com/index.aspx?Sid=Node19&tpl=7 (via Public Radio Fan via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. MW relays via LITHUANIA: q.v. ** COLOMBIA [non?]. LAS FARC EN 10 MHz --- Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. La CRB (Cadena Radial Bolivariana) ha sido reactivada el pasado 11/04, en los 10 MHz. Escuchada a las 0006 UT, con un parte de las acciones guerrilleras. Identificaciones como "Cadena Radial Bolivariana, Voz de la Resistencia", "Somos FARC, Ejército del pueblo", "Estación Viva Bolívar". "En contra del fascismo y del intervencionismo yanqui en nuestra patria querida, Colombia". Música llanera, vallenatos. Despedida a las 0019 UT. Modo: USB. El mismo día, pero a las 2207 UT, en la misma frecuencia, se identificaba de nuevo como "CRB, Cadena Radial Bolivariana, Voz de la Resistencia. Estación Viva Bolívar de los Bloques Caribe José María Córdoba y Magdalena medio". Daba parte de acciones guerrilleras del 30/12 y del 07/01. Buena señal. Vallenatos comprometidos con la guerrilla. "Estación Viva Bolívar, señal de prueba". El locutor afirmaba que a partir de ese día utilizarían esa frecuencia (10 MHz) para dar información sobre la lucha armada. ¿Sabe alguien cómo lograr una QSL de este tipo de emisora? Sería una pieza de colección (Adán González, Venezuela, April 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I assume you mean 10000 kHz exactly? Geez, don`t the FARC care what time it is? No chance here with WWV dominant (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. Durante la mañana de hoy he estado captando a La Voz del Llano con señal fuerte pero sobre saturada en las frecuencias de 11895 y 11900 kHz, variando de una a otra. Estaban transmitiendo el Noticiero del Llano; luego hubo una identificación que decía: Donde está la noticia, hay un periodista súper. Más tarde estaban transmitiendo una noticia y el locutor dijo que la emisora podía ser sintonizada en muchas partes del mundo a través de la frecuencia 6115 kHz (José Elías, Venezuela, April 13, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Hola José!! Espero que estés bien. Por acá, en la frecuencia de 6115, sólo es posible escuchar a Radio Unión, Lima y no todos los días. La Voz del Llano entraba con excepcional recepción allá, a mediados de los 80's, en esta frecuencia (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, ibid.) Por esa misma frecuencia yo la escuchaba muy bien hace algunos años también, pero esta mañana me sorprendió escuchar su señal muy mal por las frecuencias antes mencionada: 11895 y 11900 kHz, aunque esta mañana por los 6115 kHz no había nada (José Elías, ibid.) Maybe the 49m transmitter has been reactivated around 5947v and is putting out a second harmonic (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 4933.00, Radio Familiar Cristiana, Vereda La Puerta (probably Colombia), 74 kb, 1100 UT 03/2004. This time I have a good recording of the station`s QTH but still it is difficult to get all the words. On my first recording (see 30/3) the quality is not very good and I received 2 opinions about the QTH: "Aldea La Puerta" and "Vereda La Puerta". I now agree with the opinion of Henrik Klemetz. QTH is "Vereda La Puerta". This is the ID with QTH I´m hearing on this recording: "Estamos transmitiendo desde aquí de la Vereda La Puerta a través de su Radio Familiar Cristiana......". Probably Colombia. You are very welcome to listen to these recordings at http://www.malm-ecuador.com 12/Abr/2004 13:03 Saludos Cordiales desde "La Mitad del Mundo"! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ex-4916v ** COSTA RICA. 3350, Apr 10, 0525-0535, RADIO EXTERIOR ESPANA. SIO: 433 good rx but variable QRM on the frequency (f5oih FRANCE, hard- core-dx logs via DXLD) ?? Was not aware this frequency active, and when it was, not at this hour (gh, DXLD) ** CROATIA [and non]. Croatian Radio / Glas Hrvatske Croatian Radio 1 is listed on these frequencies: 6165 04-23 9830 04-17 13830 04-23 All for Europe. Right now (1040 UT) 6165 and 9830 give a strong signal, while 13830 is empty. The programme is in agreement with the on the the HR1 website http://www.hrt.hr/hr/program/raspored/index_hr1 The Juelich transmissions and the medium waves are used for the "Voice of Croatia" programme. VoC relays some HR1 programmes, such as news. This, and the foreign language segments, are listed on their schedule on http://www.hrt.hr/hr/glashrvatske/tjedni-prijedlog.html (times apparently given in CEST = UT +2). There are also several regional stations relayed! When shortwave is on, these are listed as follows (now in UT): Radio Daruvar (a city in the East) with news in the Czech language, Mo-Fr 0800-0810 Radio Knin, "Od mora do izvora", Tu 0603-0700. Radio Rijeka, "S knopa i s mora" programme, Mo 0603-0633, Tu 0830- 0900; "Zrnce Soli" Sa 0403-0500 Radio Dubrovnik "Zlatna jabuka" Th 0603-0700; "Moreplovi" Fr 0403- 0500; "Dubrovacka Bastina" Fr 0810-0830 Radio Split, "Doma je najbolje", Sa 0903-1000 English news: Daily 2215-2230, 0200-0230 (reported on DXLD as 0215- 0230), 0600-0603. Spanish news: Daily 2230-2300, 0230-0300. There are also news in Italian and Hungarian, but only on MW. 73, EiBi *** Find the current overall shortwave schedule *** on http://www.eibi.de.vu/ capercaillie @ gmx.net 51 19'53"N - 12 24'28"E Rx: JRC-NRD525 Ant: SW - 20m wire, LW/MW - homebrew loop (Eike Bierwirth, 04317 Leipzig, DL, April 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 9650, Radio Havana Cuba, 0001-0035 April 13. Noted news and comments in Spanish. Signal was good and I don't see this listed anywhere in my references. Parallel on 5965. At 0037 Italy (probably the Vatican) comes up with their interval signal and Cuba moves up a Kilohertz to 9651. Very interesting (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, checked around 0050 and there was RHC on 9651, // 9600. RHC supposed to be on 9655 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. R. Martí is back to using 13m only one hour a day --- why bother? Some propagation program shows that`s when the MUF peaks? --- 2100-2200 on 21500 --- but this year, it clashes with Voz Cristã, Chile, also on the frequency at that hour, as noted at 2144 UT April 12. The two were almost 4 Hz apart, with subaudible heterodyne counted averaging about 220 cycles per minute, but the beats are not precisely separated, I assume more likely due to Doppler effects in the ionosphere than to instability of one or both transmitters (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK. I check the World Music Radio website periodically, and as of April 11 it has not been updated from the message that they hoped to start broadcasting in March. Obviously the schedule has slipped, as it has time and time again. On April 13, an update was found (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) In August 2003 permission to use 5815 and 15810 kHz was granted by the authorities in Denmark. A 10 kW and a 1 kW transmitter were ordered from a company in Canada to be delivered around Christmas 2003. New offices and a new on-air studio were completed February 2004, and after more than 3 months of delay the short wave transmitters finally arrived in mid April 2004. Meanwhile new aerials had been erected near Karup in Central Jutland, Denmark, and the first test transmissions are due late April 2004. Besides Short Wave, WMR will also be available worldwide via the Internet and locally in Denmark on FM (from http://www.wmr.dk via DXLD) WMR SHORTWAVE TRANSMITTER ARRIVES IN DENMARK Stig Hartvig Nielsen of World Music Radio (WMR) tells us that the 10 kW shortwave transmitter he ordered has finally arrived in Denmark, and is currently on the dockside in Copenhagen. It's hoped that test transmissions on shortwave can now begin in a matter of weeks. Two frequencies, 5815 and 15810 kHz, have been registered. Besides shortwave, WMR will also be available worldwide via the Internet and locally in Denmark on FM. World Music Radio http://www.wmr.dk # posted by Andy @ 09:12 UT April 12 (Media Network blog via DXLD) Music on shortwave, in 2004? (Richard Hunt, 04.12.04 - 5:11 pm, ibid.) Sure, WMR plans to use DRM as soon as a suitable transmitter is available. And they're also on FM and satellite (Andy Sennitt, 04.12.04 - 5:27 pm, ibid.) ** ECUADOR. The latest DXLD from Glen[n] Hauser lists a report from Adán González in Venezuela that La Voz del Upano's recently reactivated transmitter on 4870 has gone inactive as of April 10th; This is a case of a premature assumption as I heard then April 11th (Easter Sunday) at 1025 // 5040 with "Radio María" programming consisting of the rosary prayed in Spanish on my Grundig Satellit 800 and 160 foot east-west wire (Mark Coady, Ont., ODXA via DXLD) 4870.00, La Voz del Upano, Macas. 1012 Roman Catholic Mass 12 April (Bob Wilkner, NRD 535D - Icom R75, Pómpano Beach, Flórida, U S, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Aventura Diexista (HCJB), está los lunes universales a la 0134 UT, en los 9745 kHz. 73's y buen DX (Adán González, Venezuela, April 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREENLAND [non?]. IBC Radio`s website is unchanged, still claiming to broadcast 24/7 on 7.330 MHz. We have seen absolutely zero reports of anyone hearing this, but is anyone seriously trying? Maybe it`s a low-power US pirate transmitter, as they refuse to give any info about it. http://www.ibcradio.com/shortwave-radio.htm (Glenn Hauser, April 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONG KONG. Today, I heard the special weather forecasts for Hong Kong yacht race as follows; TIME = 1033-1038 UT FREQUENCY = 8748.94 kHz MODE = USB SINPO = 25342 mp3 file = http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/~mitu/20040410hk8749a.mp3 RX = JRC NRD92 ANT = 16m long 3 wires monopole Best Regards (Hukunaga Mituhiro, Kyushu Is., Japan, April 10, dxing.info via DXLD) 8749 (USB), Hong Kong Royal Observatory. The following web site shows a JPEG map of race positions at 1000 each day: http://www.rhkyc.org.hk/sailing/downloads/chinasearace/positions.jpg Based on today's map, there should be 2-3 more chances of hearing the weather reports, possibly as late as 4/14. The Royal HK Yacht Club web site also lists the Hong Kong to Vietnam race starting on 26 October 2004 - about 100 NM longer than the China Sea Race, so mark your calendars for more opportunities in the Fall (Bruce Churchill, CA, 4/11, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. AMATEUR 5 MHZ --- 5 MHz operation is increasing as more amateurs equip their stations for this new band. Finland recently joined the UK and USA with regular amateur activity on the 60m [sic] band. Club stations OI3W and OI3AY made the first amateur Finnish 5 MHz contact on 27 January 2004. Welcome Finland! The propagation with 50 W and a dipole on the band is good for 50 to 320 km range around midday. 1600 km in morning and evening, with distances of over 3000 km possible late at night and before sunrise. So that you know where to listen, here`s a list of worldwide 5 MHz channels. kHz Ch. Ref. Location Remarks 5167.5, 167 Alaska Emergency 5194.5, 194 Germany DRA5 beacon 5258.5, 258 UK UK FA 5267.5, 267 Canada Beacon 5278.5, 278 UK/Finland UK FB 5288.5, 288 UK/Finland UK FC 5298.5, 298 Finland 5327.5, 327 Canada Experimental 5330.5, 330 USA/Finland 5346.5, 346 USA/Finland 5366.5, 366 USA/Finland 5371.5, 371 USA/Finland HFpack USA 5398.5, 398 UK/Finland UK FE 5403.5, 403 USA/UK HFpack USA, UK FM (Kevin Nice, Ed`s comments, April SW Magazine, UK, via DXLD) ** IRAN. 9655, V. of Islamic Republic, 0030-0230 Apr 13. Noted features and comments in Spanish during period. Parallel on 9905 and 11610 all with equally good signals (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. NEW SATELLITE NEWS NETWORK TO BE SET UP IN IRAQ | Text of report by Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) web site The political advisor to the head of Iraq's Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution has said that a satellite news network is to be set up in Iraq. Speaking to ISNA's international politics correspondent, Sayyid Muhsin [al-] Hakim, political advisor to the head of Iraq's Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution, added: The council is making preparations to set up this network. The network may be called Al-Furat and will broadcast programs to the whole of Iraq. Hakim stressed: Presently, local television stations broadcast the council's programs in Basra, Najaf and Kut. During the next few days, a television network will be set up in Baghdad. In addition, the council is making preparations to set up a radio station to broadcast programs to the whole of Iraq. Source: ISNA web site, Tehran, in Persian 0640 gmt 13 Apr 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** JAPAN. TOKYO AREA GOVERNMENTS COMPETING TO HOST TALLEST BROADCAST TOWER | Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Local governments in the Tokyo region are vying for the honour of hosting the world's tallest broadcasting tower in the hopes of attracting tourists amid the prolonged recession. They began intensifying efforts last December when terrestrial digital broadcasting began in three major cities, prompting Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) and five commercial broadcasters in Tokyo to agree to promote a project to build a new 600-meter-tall Tokyo Tower. Shop owners in Taito Ward, eastern Tokyo, launched a campaign to collect signatures to support a plan to construct the new tower along Sumida River or in the neighbourhood of the popular temple of Sensoji in Asakusa. "We would like to make it a noted place combined with the traditional culture of the area," said Kazuyuki Ishiyama, chairman of a tower promotion preparatory committee. Taito Ward's idea is to construct a 600-meter-tall tower that will overshadow the world's tallest structure, Canada's CN Tower in Toronto. The total expense is estimated at 60 billion to 65 billion yen. Major business enterprises and local citizens will be called upon to invest in the plan, and the promoters hope to recover expenses in 10 years from observation-deck fees and rental fees from broadcasting companies. The Saitama prefectural government is taking the initiative to host the tower in the south of the prefectural capital north of Tokyo. "The entire prefecture is ready to host it," said Gov. Kiyoshi Ueda. The prefectural government earmarked 7.6 million yen in the fiscal 2004 budget for a survey and publicity campaign, and in late March held a meeting with the Saitama municipal government to discuss how to realize the project. A nonprofit organization formed by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Toshima Ward, western Tokyo, hopes to build the tower near Sunshine City in front of JR Ikebukuro Station. Previously, developers had a plan to build the tower in the capital's western outskirts of Hachioji or Ueno Zoo in central Tokyo, but the plan was shelved because the structure could be an obstacle for air traffic. But the plan resurfaced because the terrestrial broadcasting service for mobile phones will begin in fiscal 2005. Developers envisage the new structure will be 600 meters tall, and the promoters hope to build it by 2011 when the nation's land-based broadcasting will be switched to digital from analog. Asahi National Broadcasting Co. (TV Asahi), the project's management company, said broadcasting will be unaffected by surrounding high-rise buildings if antennas are placed at higher altitudes. On the other hand, managers of the existing 333-meter-tall Tokyo Tower are feeling a sense of crisis because its function as a radio tower will be threatened, causing it to lose revenue from broadcasters. Its operator, Nippon Television Corp., has just installed new antennas for terrestrial digital broadcasting and made investments to reinforce steel frames. "We can fully cope with digital broadcasting under the current setup," an official said. The broadcasters will decide the future course of their agreement by the end of this year, which might include a plan to continue using the current Tokyo Tower. "We will make a decision by taking into account the degree of receptiveness of local communities," a broadcasting executive said. [1 US dollar = 106.5 yen] Source: Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 0635 gmt 9 Apr 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. The language segments for the new CRI relay starting 17 April on 1386 have been defined and are included in the schedule below. The Czech program will start at 1902; the 500 kW transmitter in Sitkunai is used by Lietuvos Radijas on 666 until 1900 and it needs 2 minutes to re-tune it to 1386. There is also a slight adjustment of the Voice of Russia relays on 612 in Vilnius: VOR provides now 1h of Russian International Radio and 7h of Sodruzhestvo (instead of earlier 2h:6h). The complete relay schedule provided by Radio Baltic Waves (*) and Radio Baltic Waves International (**) is as follows: #) = changes A) Vilnius 612 kHz 100 kW ND (*) 0300-0500 RFE/RL Belarusian 0700-0800 VOR "Russian International Radio" in Russian (#) 0800-1500 VOR "Sodruzhestvo" in Russian (#) 1500-2100 RFE/RL Belarusian 2100-2130 R. Polonia in Belarusian B) Sitkunai 1386 kHz 500 kW ND (**) - From 17 April 1902-2000 CRI Czech (#) 2000-2100 CRI English (#) 2100-2200 CRI German (#) C) Sitkunai 1557 kHz 150 kW ND (**) 1800-2000 CRI Russian 2000-2030 CRI Polish 2030-2100 CRI English 2100-2200 CRI Chinese Address for Radio Baltic Waves/Radio Baltic Waves International: P.d. 3245, LT-02002 Vilnius, Lithuania. Email: radio @ balticwaves.cjb.net (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, April 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. The following page has a list of Mexican stations as of 1930, almost all 3 letter calls. There are quite a few of them left on the air. Of course, south of the border stations don't change call letters like they change their shoes. http://members.aol.com/jeff570/mexico.html I visited XEU in 1983 while traveling through Mexico. It was one of my first station visits anywhere. As I recall, I was mostly there to get pick up a QSL for their SW frequency for someone (Jerry Berg, I think). I had already QSLed them by mail in 1979. They had a very interesting heavy vinyl pennant. Coastal cities in the Latin tropics tend to be very run-down and seedy, perhaps mixed with some modern neighborhoods totally lacking in character. (Cities in the mountain regions are almost always much nicer). But, Veracruz is the one coastal city in the tropics that I really liked (Don Moore, IA, April 10, Corazón DX via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Re: We are now using 9885 kHz from 0550 to 0750 daily beaming to Samoa and the Cook Islands (RNZI website April 11 via DXLD) The above times are NZ time. So would be 1750 to 1950 UT. As of April 17 a new frequency of 9845 will replace 9885 from 1750 to 1950. 9885 remains at the other listed times (Bernie O`Shea, ON, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND [and non]. What is your basis for deleting RNZI Media Talk Sun at 1012? I do see in http://www.rnzi.com/pages/schedules.php the grid that it is not shown, and neither are any programs after the RNZI News at 1000, any day of the week. I think this must be a mistake, or do they really have one hour-long newscast under this same name? (Glenn Hauser, to Wolfgang Büschel, via DXLD) Faulty website entries. Glenn, yes the various websites of RNZi was the basis to omit Media Talk program entry from the list. I thought, they play endless music tapes on the weekend now, to save money on the staff front. Similar faults happened, when I read the various websites of RNZi letterbox program entries, either in the weekly program grid or the special letterbox site, there are much differences in time and day. Similar fault dilemma on ABC / Radio Australia websites, or take for example the WHRI entries about "DXing with Cumbre" on WHRI website or Marie Lamb's on air annmts about that program in the past. 73 de wb (Wolfgang Büschel, April 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. Compared to other states, there are relatively few entries concerning OK, in the FCC Auction 84 Applications (see notes under USA), but some are quite strange. 930, NEW, Oklahoma City, U1 1000/1000 [despite WKY already there!] 1120, KEOR, applies to move from Atoka in the SE to Catoosa near Tulsa [this would clear the way for some change in The Metroplex] 1180, NEW, Cache, U4 10000/300 1570, KTAT, Frederick OK, applies to move to Smyer, TX, D1, 500 [Smyer?? Never heard of it, and not in the Rand McNally atlas index. More likely Seymour, not too far away, or maybe Snyder] (from NRC DX News via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Frequency changes for Radio Pakistan (A-04 vs A-03) 0045-0215 in Urdu WS NF 17880.0, ex 17895.0 \\ 15485.0 0045-0115 in Assami/En NF 9342.6, NF 11565.0, ex 15627.6 and 11650.0 0115-0200 in Bangla NF 9342.6, NF 11565.0, ex 15627.6 and 11650.0 0215-0300 in Hindi NF 9342.6, NF 11565.0, ex 15627.6 and 11650.0 0315-0345 in Tamil NF 17485.0, ex 17540.0 \\ 15627.6 0500-0700 in Urdu WS NF 17835.0, ex 17755.0 \\ 15100.0 0800-1105 in Urdu WS/En NF 17835.0, ex 17825.0 \\ 21465.0 1200-1245 in Bangla NF 11550.0, ex 17635.0 \\ 15627.6 1245-1315 in Nepali NF 11550.0, ex 17635.0 \\ 15627.6 1330-1530 in Urdu WS NF 15100.0, ex 15065.0 \\ 11570.0 1415-1500 in Russian NF 11550.0, ex 7375.0 \\ 9387.6 1515-1545 in Dari NF 6065.0, ex 7375.0 \\ 5862.6 1600-1615 in English NF 11850.0, ex 17720.0 \\ 15727.6 1600-1615 in English NF 15100.0, ex 15065.0 \\ 11570.0 1630-1700 in Turkish NF 11542.6, ex 11530.0 \\ 9340.0 1700-1900 in Urdu WS NF 9390.0, ex 15065.0 \\ 11570.0 1715-1800 in Persian NF 11542.6, ex 11530.0 \\ 9340.0 1815-1900 in Arabic NF 11542.6, ex 11530.0 \\ 9335.0 (Observer, Bulgaria, April 13 via DXLD) ** PANAMA. Re Feb. 26 report of Ecos de Pedasí, 1160: The Ente Regulador de los Servicios Públicos de la República de Panamá (the Regulatory Body of Public Services of the Republic of Panama) in its bulletin ARTV-007-04 dated March 5, 2004, carries the following note: Radio Hit, S.A. Frecuencia 1150 kHz. Con cobertura autorizada en las provincias de Coclé, Herrera y Los Santos. "Solicita autorización para trasladar el sitio de transmisión denominado Chitré hacia el sitio de transmisión denominado Pedasí, provincia de Herrera". Which means that Radio Hit, on 1150, requests authorization to move their transmitter from Chitré to Pedasí, in the Herrera Province. In the Frequency Section of the same web page, if you search for 1150 you learn that there is a transmitter located at Punta Mala, Pedasí. The new Ecos de Pedasí, now apparently on 1150, was logged twice in Finland in December on a frequency just below 1160 (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, April 13, dxing.info via DXLD) ** PANAMA. 1469.82, R. La Primerísima "LV de China", Panamá, 91 kb, 0500 UT, 04/2004. Sounds like a joke but you can every evening listen to LV de China with modern Chinese pop-music and ID between every 2-3 tunes: "Están escuchando La Voz de China a través de La Primerísima 1560 AM". It seems that the Chinese community in Panamá City is buying airtime from La Primrísima. A year ago the Filadelfia church bought airtime and the ID was "Radio Filadelfia". You are very welcome to listen to this recording at http://www.malm-ecuador.com 12/Abr/2004 13:03 Saludos Cordiales desde "La Mitad del Mundo"! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 6047.15, Radio Santa Rosa, 0944-1005 Noted a very good signal here until after 1000 when QRM starts interfering. There was some music, but mainly Spanish comments, promos, TC's and plenty of ID's, both canned "...Radio Santa Rosa..." by and woman and live "...onda, ... onda media, Radio Santa Rosa... superior". Signal was good (Chuck Bolland, April, 12, 2004, Clewiston, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. R. Melodía, Arequipa, 5996.65, April 8, 0746-0802+, Spanish talk, canned ID, TCs. Fair-good. Last heard on 5906 back in Feb. 0802 wiped out by adjacent channel splatter (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5637.18, Radio Perú, San Ignacio, 1040 to 1100, OM with music, ID as "Radio Perú" 12 April (Bob Wilkner, NRD 535D - Icom R75, Pómpano Beach, Flórida, U S, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. A RDP Internacional mudou de endereço. A avenida Duarte Pacheco já faz parte do passado da emissora. As novas instalações estão localizadas na Avenida Marechal Gomes da Costa, 37, Bloco A, Sala 304, 1800-255, Lisboa, Portugal. Os números de telefone e fax não mudaram. Telefone: 351 21 3820000. Fax: 351 21 3820165. As informações são de Isabel Flora, apresentadora do Espaço de Dexismo da RDP, que é irradiado, nas quartas-feiras, às 2335, em 13660 e 15295 kHz. Contatos: isabelflora@rdp.pt (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX April 12 via DXLD) So their programming too shifted one UT hour earlier; was UT Thu 0040 (gh, DXLD) ** QATAR [and non]. DOD briefing re Arab TVs --- Glenn: Excerpt from http://www.dod.gov/transcripts/2004/tr20040412-0601.html Abizaid: I would like to add about the Fallujah situation -- I was just out there talking to the Marines a couple of days ago. The Marines have been doing a great job in conducting military operations. They've been very precise. They have attempted to protect civilians to the best of their ability. The Arab press, in particular Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiyah, are portraying their actions as purposely targeting civilians. And we absolutely do not do that, and I think everybody knows that. It is always interesting to me how Al-Jazeera manages to be at the scene of the crime whenever a hostage shows up or some other problem happens to be there. So they are -- they have not been truthful in their reporting, they haven't been accurate, and it is absolutely clear that American forces are doing their very best to protect civilians and at the same time get at the military targets there (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) Hmmm, unethical to take news tips from people about to commit a crime (gh) ** ROMANIA. Rincón Diexista de RRI sale los lunes universales a las 0045 UT, al menos por los 9760 kHz (Adán González, Venezuela, April 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. Has anyone found any mention on the Radio Slovakia International website of this stopping of transmissions? I've just (Tues 1345 UT) been through the English and French sections, and found no mention of it. Is it maybe hidden somewhere? (Bill Westenhaver, QC, April 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The French section has mentioned it on the air, as has the German service [and Spanish! -- gh]. As far as I can ascertain, English- speaking listeners who don't read DXLD or other international news sources remain blissfully unaware of what is being proposed. If, indeed, there is such a proposal. I can find no substantive evidence, only rumours that have been circulating amongst the staff. investigations continue (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) Pending more information from people I know in Bratislava, I will refrain from speculation on the future of Radio Slovakia International. Maybe they're closing down their transmissions on shortwave from Slovakia and move to transmitters abroad, just like we did. Who knows? It would be a strange coincidence that Slovakia would stop or reduce its international service on the day the country joins the European Union on May 1 (Frans Vossen, RVi Radio World April 11 via John Norfolk, DXLD) Frans should consult his French?-speaking colleagues: (gh) Ladislaw Kubig, rédacteur en Chef à Radio Slovaquie Internationale a été interviewé sur RVi, la radio internationale de la Flandre, suite aux lourdes menaces qui planent sur l'avenir des ondes courtes slovaques. Voici un condensé de l'entretien: Les problèmes ont commencé en 2003 avec l'arrivée du directeur de la TV slovaque qui a déclaré qu'il n'aurait plus besoin des subventions d'état pour faire fonctionner la télévision de service public mais qu'il pourrait faire marcher les deux chaînes avec les redevances et une petite partie de la publicité. Cela a beaucoup plu à l'Etat car cela faisait évidemment moins de dépenses, et quand le budget pour 2004 a été construit, la radio slovaque n'a bénéficié que d'une très petite partie de ce qu'elle avait reçu les années précédentes. Avant, les 5 chaînes nationales et RSI avaient 8 millions d'euros par an. En 2004, elles n'ont reçu que 2,5 millions d'euros. Sur ces 2.5 millons, rien n'était clairement prévu pour Radio Slovaquie Internationale. Le directeur de la radio a alors proposé la suppression des émetteurs qui coûtent cher. Le satellite et Internet resteraient utilisés. On cherche actuellement une nouvelle stratégie comme par exemple trouver des émetteurs OC ailleurs dans le monde pour des émissions de courte durée, stratégie qui pourrait s'avérer moins onéreuse. Mais les arguments financiers sont beaucoup plus importants que la propagation de l'image de la Slovaquie à l'étranger (entretien diffusé sur RVi, Bruxelles - 08 avril 2004, informations issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) HELP: VOTE FOR RADIO SLOVAKIA During the transmission concerning listeners` mail, Radio Slovakia broadcast the bad news that the management of the station wants to stop shortwave transmissions by May 1, 2004. The people from the German language editorial staff ask for help from all listeners; maybe there is a way to convince the management of the importance of shortwave transmissions from Slovakia. The German-speaking A-DX Shortwave - Mailinglist supports this campaign of the German language editorial staff of Radio Slovakia and Josef Rieger, the club secretary of the first RSI-Listeners` Club with an email campaign. Just fill in the form at http://www.ratzer.at with name, place and email address, press send and the general manager of RSI Dr. Reznik will automatically get your support mail. Thanks for YOUR support. A-DX Information on German spoken A-DX Mailing List: http://www.ratzer.at Selected news from German spoken A-DX Mailing List: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/index.php?topic=a-dx&page=1 (Greetings from Salzburg, Austria, Christoph Ratzer, April 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. I`ve been listening more and more to Radio Exterior de España, in Spanish, and I must say I am impressed. It is a class act. Not only ``Nuestro Sello``, weekdays at 1405, best on 17595 (but this frequency always cuts off at 1455 interrupting conclusion of the show), but other programming as well, such as ``Un Idioma Sin Fronteras`` in the 1300 hour. It`s nice to hear something non- commercial and cultural in Spanish, from the Home Country. And listening to it can only improve my Castellano. There is nothing on shortwave to compare with it from Latin America, what a pity. Cuba and Ecuador approach it in signal quality, but they both have ideological axes to grind. I dimly remember another cultural outlet from sesquidecades ago, Radiodifusora Nacional de Colombia, which was on 4955 and 9635, among others, but it`s long gone. Here`s REE`s webpage, with links to their programming, some mp3: http://www.rtve.es/rne/ree/ One thing which seemed to be missing was ``Lenguas Españolas``, i.e. non-Spanish, Catalan, Basque and Galician, but I then found these have a new {politically correct} designation: ``LENGUAS COOFICIALES --- De lunes a viernes, tras el Diario Hablado de REE de las 13:00 UTC, información en catalán, gallego y vasco desde las redacciones de Cataluña, Galicia y el País Vasco Hora UTC --- Lunes a viernes 12:40 Todas las áreas en Onda Corta (SW), por satélites e Internet`` ``After 1300`` above is an error, from the outdated winter scheduling. It`s now after 1200, as confirmed in the full current schedule at http://www.rtve.es/rne/ree/OndaCorta/p-h-f1.htm Beware of some other links which still go to the A-03 outdated sked. So now these are scheduled M-F 1240-1300 on 21700, 21610, 21570, 21540, 15585, 15170-CR?, 13720, 11910-China, 11815-CR, 9765-CR. No repeats later as there used to be (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN. R. Peace, 4750, April 10 *0235-0320+ --- sign-on with lite music and ID, English religious programming, vernacular talk, local African choral music. 0320 caught another ID. Poor-weak in noise. Just too weak to pull out many program details (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. Sudan Radio Service, 11665, April 8, *0259-0315+, sign-on with guitar IS and multi-lingual IDs. English sign-on announcements with ID, address, fax number followed by news. 0311 vernacular talk, local music; good (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWITZERLAND [and non]. I made a point of tuning in what was supposed to be the final English broadcast of SRI, Mon April 12 at 2330, better, but hardly good on 11905 via French Guiana than on 9885 direct. Music fill was interrupted for an English announcement about this being the end of an era, SRI would abandon SW at end of October and concentrate on http://www.swissinfo.org --- but nothing said about English on SW ending already as of this broadcast. Back to music fill, no special features as previously reported, same as on their website? I fail to see the point of running the SW transmitters another six months with music fill instead of programming. Be done with it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9885, 2326-, Swiss Radio International, Apr 12. Tuned in to hear the final SRI English broadcast on SW. Instead at precisely 2330, there came an announcement stating that this was an end of an era, and the hope that the listener will continue with swissinfo.org. Fair on 9885 (direct) and very good on French Guiana relay on 11905. Otherwise continuous music only. A disappointing end! 11905 left the air at precisely 0000, but 9885 continued (Volodya Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I listened to Swiss Radio International tonight on 9885 kHz at 2330- 0010 UT. RST: 323. Supposedly their English language time slot to NA. Now I must admit I was disappointed with a final English broadcast. It was almost totally some kind of modern music, almost no talking by SRI people, no sign off, just off the air at 0001 UT! Right in the middle of a song. Talk about ho hum and lack luster! This music was in progress when I tuned in at 2320 UT. It simply continued. What talking there was, was a few words, rarely. I heard a male say a song tile and artist, once, he did say "from Switzerland". That was it. I never heard anything else said by SRI from 2347 until they just turned the transmitter off at 0001 UT. What an awful way to finish off a seventy year broadcasting history! SRI should not wait to officially go off the air, they should put themselves out of their misery immediately! I have liked SRI for decades, but tonight was past pathetic (Duane Fischer, W8DBF, MI, swl at qth.net via DXLD) I wonder if the big finale, if any, was actually 24 hours earlier, since at 2330 UT April 11, it was already April 12 in Switzerland (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This may be SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for stations going off the air. When HCJB dropped their English service [almost], I listened to their last English broadcast to NA, and if I remember correctly it was handled in a similar manner. I think it was mostly just music, then they pulled the "big switch". Perhaps the announcers are so bummed out at probably losing their long-time jobs that they just do a minimal broadcast. 73 from the "Beaconeers Lair". (Phil, KO6BB, Atchley, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Dear Mr Fischer, Thank you for your mail. We have been running announcements since mid-March advising listeners that we will be going off air. We thanked them for tuning in over the years and asked them to keep in touch with us, and with Switzerland, through our internet platform: http://www.swissinfo.org Perhaps the rebroadcasts of our programme did not include these messages, but I can assure you they have been broadcast for the past month. It is indeed very sad that we have had to stop producing radio programmes. The reason is because our funding has been substantially reduced as part of a government savings package. Thank you for listening over the years, and I do hope you will log on to our website, where you can access our coverage online. Best regards, Jonas Hughes, Head of English Department, swissinfo / Swiss Radio International, Giacomettistrasse 1, 3000 Bern 15, Switzerland (via Duane Fischer, April 13, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** SYRIA. R. Damascus, 13609.98, April 8 2100-2210* --- Tune-in to English with local music, IDs. 2104 brief English news bulletin. 2105 closing announcements and NA. 2106 local music and Arabic talk. 2111 opening English announcements and local music, 2116 English news, local music; 2208 news summary again to 2210* Fair-good signal strength BUT low modulation, slightly distorted audio and hum in audio. Listed \\ 12085 not heard (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET [non]. Voice Of Tibet vs CNR fanfare --- I found a carrier and testtone on 15660 and 17525 at 1210, April 12. Program started at 1212 with the usual signature tune. The Chinese music jammer came to spoil it shortly afterwards. On 15660 from 1216 and on 17525 from 1217 onwards (Silvain Domen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U A E. R. Dubai, 15395, April 9 1335-1349 English ``Images of Arabia`` program about Arab physicians. 1349 local music. Good, \\ 13675 fair (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Whatever caused it to be missing in previous report, KVOH was back loud and not so clear on 17775, April 12 at 2145 with Cuban music, which might have been mistaken for RHC until it turned into gospel music. Checked again April 13 before 1500 and it was already on with music, and shortly after 1500 several IDs as ``KVOH, la Voz de Restauración, Los Ángeles, California`` and with a P O Box address in L.A. Apparently this is a new slogan --- not just a program name --- replacing ``La Voz de la Esperanza`` (Hope), and what became of the connexion with WJIE and an address in Louisville? I`ve also looked at the High Adventure newsletter for April and it is uninformative, to say the least, about SW operations, being obsessed with Jerusalem and the imminent Second Coming, so send us money *now* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {more in 4-069} ** U S A. LETTER OF INTENT SIGNED TO PURCHASE WSHB Ed Evans, Station Manager of shortwave station WSHB in Cypress Creek, South Carolina which went silent at the end of March, informs us that Herald Broadcasting has signed a letter of intent with a buyer for the station. Ed himself is leaving the station at the end of this week, and we'd like to wish him well for the future. # posted by Andy @ 17:32 UT April 13 (Media Network blog via DXLD) With whom, for how much, when, and where is C. Ed going? Wouldn`t it be great if Brother Scare got his own station nearby? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WBCQ whines for money --- We heard that Weiner is begging and whining for listeners to send money to fund a wind powered setup for WBCQ. The last time I checked, WBCQ is a BUSINESS, not a charity or non profit organization. So why in the HELL should Weiner expect people to donate money so he wont have to pay his power bill? He certainly didnt give the free radio people a break on airtime like he promised. People, if you have money to donate please give it to a WORTHWHILE CAUSE, not a lame ass commercial radio station owner who does not think he should have to pay his own way in the world. If you can`t think of anything better to do with your $10 or whatever the hell Weiner is whining for, go out and treat yourself to a few beers at the local pub. Cheers, The crew of the Pirate Radio Zone (April 12, sent anonymously to DXLD) Which I run somewhat reluctantly in the cause of free speech ** U S A. 8495, WWCR Nashville TN; 1756-1810+, 8-Apr; Spur? "Unravelling the New World Order" to 1759 WWCR ID promo, then "Natural Health Clinic". Gravelly but copiable & best in SSB. //12160, IO=4+44, transmitter hum? + weak co-channel QRM (Harold Frodge, MI, hard-core- dx via DXLD) Can`t figure out how this could be a mixing product (gh) ** U S A [and non]. VCS Radio --- Re your note about that "VCS Radio" program on WRMI: I listened to it this weekend. "VCS" seems to stand for "Vacaville Christian School", and it is some sort of student- produced program, but there was no gospel huxtering or any religious content. That day's program was all uninterrupted jazz music, actually pretty good background music with no voice interruptions. One wonders if WRMI is charging for transmitter time for this, and, if so, who is paying for airing it and why. It's nice and all, but what's the motivation? People can play disc jockey for nothing on the web these days, after all. And with just uninterrupted music, there really isn't any "disc-jockeying" being done here. What would students be learning by producing such a program? It's like that Mexican on 6185 kHz that has (or had) many hours of various continuous music. What's the purpose? Why is the money to transmit that being spent? Who gets anything out of that? I've always wondered about such things... 73, (Will Martin, MO, April 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. FRIENDS OF THE BBC TO APPEAL RADIO TRANSFER DECISION A pressure group called Friends of the BBC in Arcata, California, is to appeal a decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that would end local BBC broadcasts, the only broadcasts of their kind in the United States to air 24 hours, seven days a week. KZPN (91.5 FM), was sold to Oregon-based Jefferson Public Radio (JPR) by its owner, Monica Olsen, for personal reasons. Olsen ran the radio station from her home. Last fall, JPR announced it would no longer carry BBC news and would instead air National Public Radio news programming, which is already offered in the area. Friends of the BBC claims that JPR filled out its application to the FCC using fraudulent information. A letter-writing campaign was launched appealing to the FCC to block the transfer of the station's licence to JPR. The FCC wrote back to say the objections were overruled and that the transfer of the licence would go ahead. Friends of the BBC have launched a pledge drive to offer Olsen a financial package as generous as JPR's offer. The pledge is conditional, meaning funds will only be collected if the sale of KZPN falls through. Friends of the BBC say they are rapidly raising money to make an offer, but need JPR to back out of the deal before they can do so. The group is now asking the community to contact JPR to oppose the sale. (Source: Times-Standard) # posted by Andy @ 13:47 UT April 13 (Media Network blog via DXLD) That`s nice, but don`t the Arcatans know they can pick up the BBC by other means with minimal expenditure? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. GET READY FOR RADIO FREE FERNDALE Rebel Ferndale station waits for chance to air By Luther Keith / The Detroit News http://www.detnews.com/2004/metro/0404/12/a02-119883.htm When it will be on the air, where it will broadcast from and its broadcast frequency are all a mystery, but rest assured it is coming to strike a blow for democracy and independent radio programming that is not bound by commercial consolidation and formatting. So says organizer Tom Ness and his rebellious band of supporters, members of a long-simmering civil disobedience movement called the Michigan Music Campaign to put an unlicensed low-power pirate FM radio station on the air in Ferndale in defiance of Federal Communication Commission regulations. Despite the wealth of commercial radio stations and a wide range of local public radio stations, such as WDET-FM, 101.9 (operated by Wayne State University), no local radio addresses the unique needs and interest of Ferndale residents, says Ness. ``Radio is a fundamental mode of American communication with an important historical role in developing our unique culture,`` Ness writes in a Declaration of Intent in the April edition of Jam Rag, the magazine he publishes that covers Metro Detroit`s local music scene. ``Ferndale residents demand local, community-oriented news and information. ...A Ferndale radio station would allow far more people to express their views than with print.`` A Ferndale radio station also could help promote local businesses and organizations, publicize community events and give a boost to local musicians by playing music that doesn`t make the commercial airwaves, the declaration notes. The radio station will carry the call letters WNFC-FM, standing for We Need Ferndale Community. Publicly thumbing his nose at FCC officials in what he calls a ``measured act of civil disobedience,`` Ness states that ``we`re going on the air without a license for two weeks to demonstrate the necessity, convenience and community interest for a truly local radio station. ... Why is it impossible to find Ferndale specific information anywhere on our radio dial?`` His pirate radio movement is in the process of gathering public support from Ferndale businesses, residents and city officials in an effort to build a broad base of community approval. Ness has set no timetable for when the station might start broadcasting. When the time is right, the station`s location and broadcast frequency will be disclosed and it will transmit less than 100 watts of power, just enough to cover Ferndale, an inner-ring suburb in southern Oakland County. During its two weeks of operation, WNFC pledges not to interfere with other radio signals and to carry debates and town hall meetings, broadcast liberal and conservative opinions, and offer free advertising for Ferndale businesses. In addition to hundreds of individual supporters, the list of notable endorsers of the pirate radio project includes Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, Ferndale Councilman Craig Covey and many local independent musicians. A number of local journalists, myself included, also support the concept for more independent voices in community radio. Low-power radio stations are nothing new, (there are about 370 operating nationally, according to Ness), but none have been approved for Metro Detroit. Congressional approval is needed to authorize more stations. Ness is willing to risk the consequences of fines or other penalties to make his point. Ultimately, he contends, the pirate radio station rebellion reflects the American spirit. ``Civil disobedience is a historically recognized method for citizens to exercise a check and balance over the government, fulfilling the dream of a truly participatory democracy,`` he argues. ``We`re not criminals. We`re responsible citizens interested in bettering our community.`` Luther Keith is senior editor of The Detroit News. His column appears Mondays and Thursdays (via Artie Bigley, Andy Sennitt, DXLD) ** U S A. GORE`S TV DREAM STUMBLES; PARTNER SEARCHES FOR MONEY by Joe Hagan On Friday, April 2, the nearly year-long bid by former Vice President Al Gore and his business partner Joel Hyatt to buy TV channel Newsworld International, or NWI, from Vivendi Universal --- which looked like a done deal a few days before --- stumbled into the twin state of which Mr. Gore must have had his fill: uncertainty and dispute. The Observer reported that Mr. Gore was on the home stretch to a new career as a mini media mogul when an important investor balked. Vivendi Universal Entertainment could not agree to sell the property to Mr. Gore and his group for some $70 million as planned, and by Tuesday morning one well-placed source inside Vivendi called the deal "dead." But by late in the day a close friend of Mr. Gore`s called The Observer to insist that the acquisition was still kicking: "Negotiations are moving forward," the friend said. A Vivendi source confirmed that Mr. Gore and his group "may have found some other financing. It may still be alive." Suddenly the 2000 butterflies were flying once more: Did Mr. Gore win, or didn`t he? Spokespersons for Mr. Gore and Vivendi Universal declined to comment. When asked on Friday whether the deal had died, Mr. Hyatt said, "No," followed by a curt, emphatic "no comment." Mr. Hyatt was still hard at work: According to a well-placed source, Mr. Hyatt made a last-minute plea to a number of high-net-worth investors in recent days, sending out business plans along with an apologetic note asking that they respond quickly with money. When reached on Tuesday, April 6, Mr. Hyatt said that reports of the deal`s demise were "inaccurate." He then added a defiant "no comment." Mr. Hyatt, co-founder of Hyatt Legal Services, a national chain of legal clinics, has funds of his own and is well-connected in investment circles. Mr. Hyatt raised funding for Mr. Gore`s 2000 Presidential campaign. He`s now a business professor at Stanford University. Presently, NWI has carriage in about 20 million homes, and packages "foreign newscasts originally broadcast in countries such as Germany, Japan, Canada and the European community," according to its Web site. Mr. Gore`s group has made plans to transform the channel into a 24- hour news, documentary and public-affairs channel geared toward twentysomething viewers. They have also insisted that the network would not be a weapon to fight Rupert Murdoch`s Fox News. In April 2003, Mr. Hyatt purchased a Web site called V.tv from the .tv Corporation, prompting speculation that Mr. Gore`s channel would be called VTV. The company`s Web site listed Mr. Hyatt as the representative of Mr. Gore`s holding company, INDTV L.L.C., registered in Stanford, Calif. Should the deal with Vivendi fizzle, there is at least one other way that Mr. Gore could acquire NWI. Once the Universal properties merge with NBC, chief executive Bob Wright could decide to sell the property to Mr. Gore under new terms and conditions, perhaps with NBC taking an investment of its own. NBC is currently awaiting final approval from the Federal Trade Commission to merge with Universal Entertainment, which includes USA Networks, the Sci-Fi Channel and Universal Studios. That is expected to be complete in May or June. If Vivendi doesn`t sell NWI to Mr. Gore, then it would automatically become part of NBC Universal and the new management would be responsible for it. How interested NBC Universal will be in owning NWI is not clear --- after all, it already owns CNBC and MSNBC. And an NBC source said the company wasn`t "expecting this to be part of the assets they acquired" after the deal was approved. Mr. Gore`s acquisition of NWI had seemed imminent. Even the Canadian Broadcasting Company, which is under contract with NWI to provide programming, was apparently taken by surprise that the deal had stalled. "There were still a couple of things to be worked out, but none of it sounded catastrophic," a CBC spokeswoman told The Ottawa Citizen on Monday. In any case, proceeds from the sale of the digital cable channel will go to the newly formed entity, NBC Universal. Since that merger was announced, Vivendi has worked outside of that deal to sell NWI to Mr. Gore. As The Observer originally reported, Mr. Gore had approached Vivendi`s chief executive, Jean-René Fourtou, through France`s president, Jacques Chirac, in hopes of getting a better price. That earned him a meeting last summer with Universal Television executives and Vivendi`s chief operating officer. But the deal was put off as the company prepared to sell the rest of its Universal Entertainment assets to NBC. Until about three weeks ago, former NWI owner and InterActive Corp. chief Barry Diller held up the proceedings while he resolved his own ownership issues with the Universal properties, including NWI. A spokeswoman for Mr. Diller denied suggestions that he had stalled Mr. Gore`s deal to improve his own. "It was only Mr. Gore who asked us to reconsider, given how long the process was taking," she said. She added that "we did agree to let this asset escape … for no consideration of any kind or as part of any discussion with Vivendi." As news of Mr. Gore and Mr. Hyatt`s travails hit the wire, Mr. Gore`s critics --- especially his right-wing critics --- were feeling pretty smug. One skeptical investment banker told NYTV that it seemed unlikely that a major fiduciary would risk large sums of money on Mr. Gore`s acquisition. "These investments, if they don`t work, it`s not like you`re investing in a big pile of intellectual property," he said. "It`s all gone out over the air waves. It`s done. You`ve got no backstop to recoup any kind of investment you`ve made." Considering the plight of CNN, he called the cable-news business a "killing field." On Wednesday, March 31, when Air America launched, former Saturday Night Live writer-producer, best-selling author and new left-wing radio commentator Al Franken asked Mr. Gore on the air how his TV channel was coming along. Mr. Gore said it was too early to tell. He was prescient. This column ran on page 19 in the 4/12/2004 edition of The New York Observer (via DXLD) ** U S A. I have just heard from an extremely reliable source that WQEW on 1560 is now off the air due to lightning damage to their transmitter plant. DXers, catch this clear frequency while you can. And don't forget to post your reports. I don't know how long they will be off the air. I'm sure that they are working feverishly to get a signal back. Good DX (Dave Marthouse, 2223 UT April 13, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Grants to Existing Facilities: 1600, KATZ, MO, St. Louis, CP granted for an increase in their daytime power and a decrease in the nighttime power, to become U4 6000/3500 (via Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News April 12 via DXLD) This might have a negative effect on this station`s well-known nighttime skywave coverage (gh, DXLD) {4-069!} ** U S A. FCC AUCTION 84 APPLICATIONS --- FCC released a document March 20, covering ``major`` changes for which applications were allowed during a week in January. Glaring errors and questionable references are included. How many of these will actually make it on the air is beyond comprehension, says Bill Hale, NRC DX News AM Switch editor who compiled all this info. From over 1000 entries, we pick out a few of the most interesting ones, here as well as under ALASKA and OKLAHOMA. Two stations wish to operate from Air Force Bases as their actual city of license. Would this be unprecedented, and would it be legal for a private commercial station to be licensed to a federal military installation? And why would they want to? 560, KBLU, AZ, Yuma, applies to move to Nellis AFB, NV 1030, NEW, AL, Maxwell AFB, U7, 50000/1000 and CH 50000 Many established stations wish to move to another, larger city, e.g. 1490, KRSN, NM, Los Álamos, to Santa Fé We had a previous story about plans for a new 50 kW station in Snohomish WA, but it has some competition, with TEN other applicants for the frequency in Washington state, most of them also 50000/10000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. For several weeks I have noticed that certain network programs broadcast by WINC 1400 here in Winchester VA had periodic interruptions in audio, while local originations and various other network programs did not suffer this type of problem. On March 17 I called Archie McKay, the station engineer, and learned that the LNB on one of their 4 GHz satellite downlink receiving systems was being overloaded by radar signals from AWACS planes monitoring the skies in the eastern US. Each time the radar beam on an adjacent frequency scans across their downlink dish, it momentarily de-senses [de- sensitizes?] the receiver from the overload. Archie has installed a slot filter on the waveguide system with some effect, but is planing to install one or two more in an attempt to eliminate the interference altogether. According to an Internet reference, there are now up to six AWACS planes monitoring the skies over major East Coast cities, and their radar systems are interfering with various 4 GHz satellite receivers. This is one of the fall-out situations from the 9/11 attack (Perry Crabill, W3HQX, Musings of Members, NRC DX News April 12 via DXLD) ** U S A. IBOC - windmill tilting? --- I laud Kevin [Redding] on his steadfast fight against this IBOC stupidity. However, I have to think it's a waste of time. ECPA, Oxley anti-LPFM, BPL, it's all made it obvious to me that legislation goes to those who can pay for it. My educated guess is that the sum total of the treasuries of the WTFDA, NRC, and IRCA is no more than $25,000. I suppose that might buy the naming rights to a tree in Yellowstone, for a few months until the logging companies find it... That said, I also have my doubts that AM-IBOC will survive. I did a quick search of the FCC database. There are roughly 55 Class A AM stations. They're located in 27 states. (and WTOP in D.C., but since DC doesn't have any members in Congress they don't count. On the other hand, most of New Jersey, Delaware, and Rhode Island are served by Class A stations licensed to other states, so we'll bump the total up to 30 states.) And licensed to 39 Congressional districts -- add in suburban districts, and I might estimate 60 or 70 districts are served by Class A stations. That leaves over 300 Congressional districts and 20 entire states (with 40 Senators) that are NOT served by Class A stations. Congresspeople whose constituents will, for the most part, lose AM service if IBOC is fully deployed. 300 Congressmen and 40 Senators can make a lot of trouble for the industry if they're so inclined! (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66 WTFDA Soundoff via DXLD) ** U S A. IBOC Night time Interference (according to Ibiquity) --- For those who are so inclined, this is the report Ibiquity submitted to the FCC: http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6515784943 Watch the wrap. Caution: It's a LONG download (81 page PDF) (Phil Alexander, CSRE, Indianapolis, NRC-AM via DXLD) There's more to it than that. This is the message I was just about to send to the list when the latest flurry of IBOC-related messages appeared: I feel compelled to point out that, back on March 5, the NAB filed a letter to the FCC recommending that blanket authorization for nighttime AM IBOC operation be given to any stations with current authorization to operate at night. In the letter, they cite three reports from iBiquity, which they claim support this position. The reports were also submitted to the FCC on that date. In essence, the letter states that although there will be "limited" interference from IBOC to analog reception, this is an "acceptable tradeoff", given the benefits of the new digital mode. Hmm... I wonder how AM broadcasters in Canada and Mexico, not to mention the small players in the US who can't afford to convert to digital, will view those "benefits"? You can download the NAB letter and the iBiquity reports from the FCC ECFS website. Just go to http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/comsrch_v2.cgi type in 99-325 in the Proceeding box, and click on Retrieve Document List. Links to the aforementioned documents will all show up on the first page of results. Those who listened to the WOR/WLW nighttime IBOC tests in 2002 will be particularly interested in the report entitled "Field Report - AM IBOC Nighttime Compatibility" (listed as Part 3 of 3 of the iBiquity submissions). The report concludes that the introduction of IBOC "will have an impact on very few listeners", but hey, the authors of the report could be just a little biased. All three reports are excellent examples of selective use of data, shaky assumptions, leaps of logic, and general spin doctoring. The scary part is that, in the five weeks since the NAB recommendation was filed, there has been exactly *one* comment filed. This one is quietly slipping under the radar screen, and eventually the FCC will apply their rubber stamp and open the floodgates. As someone on another mailing list put it, conversion to AM IBOC is a process of "mutually assured destruction", and I think it's an apt description. The FCC needs to be told that this stuff is *not* in the public interest, and now is the time to get your comments in (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) The main issue to be resolved is night time service area from the 1A Stations like WLW. They have current protections out to 750 miles if I recall correctly. Authorization of nighttime IBOC is in direct conflict with that. Since that protection precludes other stations from having nighttime analog authorization, there could be a flurry of analog stations wanting night analog authorization. I can`t see where these big gun stations are going to be able to have it both ways (Paul Smith, W4KNX, Sarasota, FL, ibid.) 450 miles now. BUT WSAI's IBOC [1530] was just killing WLAC on 1510 well within the local listening area when I drove through the area. (Powell E. Way III, ibid.) Let's not forget that it is the public who will determine the success or failure of IBOC, and indeed the long-term viability of terrestrial broadcasting. If the public doesn't buy IBOC radios, then IBOC will wind up with quadraphonic sound, Cinerama, etc., in the museum of stillborn technologies. The problem isn't that radio isn't digital; it's that AM/FM stations average 18 commercial minutes an hour and you get bland, lowest common denominator programming. IBOC will restrict programming choice by making reception of out of town stations more difficult, and local stations will sound crappier unless you invest in IBOC radios for your home and car. I'm reminded of how some unprofitable businesses try to "solve" their problem by raising prices and simultaneously cutting quality and customer service. Satellite radio didn't even exist as a consumer product three years ago, yet now XM and Sirius have over a million subscribers. No other consumer product technology --- not CDs, not DVDs, not color TV --- has ever been adopted so rapidly. And I suspect the execrable state of AM/FM broadcasting has been of the strongest selling points for satellite radio. I'm a big fan of XM because of the choices it offers me, not because it's "digital." The stridency and single-mindedness of most IBOC boosters is a sign of weakness, not strength. People often go into such histrionics when they know they're holding a losing hand. "Don't dis satellite radio": http://mercury.blogs.com/radio/2004/04/dont_dis_satell.html FCC to hold open IBOC meeting 4/15: http://beradio.com/ar/radio_currents_61/index.htm#iboc (Harry Helms W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV DM26, ibid.) Absolutely. IBOC backers just don't seem to get it - it's the content, stupid! Aside from XM and Sirius, the other modest success story in digital radio is DAB in the UK. Here again, it has little or nothing to do with it being digital... consumers are buying into it because it offers a bunch of new services that are unavailable on AM/FM. As broadcasters in Canada have found out, and US broadcasters are about to find out, a new service that offers a digital simulcast of an existing analog service simply will not cut it with the listening public (even if the receivers come down substantially in price from their ridiculous introductory levels). Some IBOC proponents already realize this, I think, and are pinning their hopes on the "Tomorrow Radio" concept that NPR has experimented with. In this case, the 96 kbps capacity of FM IBOC is sliced into two audio services, a 64 kbps simulcast (with "blend" to analog when digital reception fails) and a separate 32 kbps service. This is akin to what NPR already does on FM, offering reading services for the blind on FM subcarrier. Of course, just as with SCA on FM, the secondary service of "Tomorrow Radio" would have lower audio quality and a smaller coverage area than the main service. Also, dropping to 64 kbps on the main service is another step away from "CD quality". This concept doesn't begin to approach what the successful digital radio services can do, and it's certainly not enough to get this turkey flying. And, of course, the concept doesn't apply to AM IBOC at all, since there is only a measly 36 kbps to begin with. Trashing a useful service just to recast it as "digital" is the worst kind of "queer makeover". :-) The sane approach would be to put AM IBOC on indefinite hold until the fate of FM IBOC becomes clear (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) ** U S A. RE: Please Help, NYPD online monitoring Good morning Glenn and Bruce, Bruce, Glenn forwarded your email to me to answer. Unfortunately Bruce, the NYPD dispatch audio is no longer available on the internet. It was removed from the internet shortly after 9/11 disaster. 73 and good hunting, (Larry Van Horn -- N5FPW Grove Enterprises Technical Support Department Monitoring Times Assistant Editor/Milcom Columnist Telephone: V-828-837-9200/F-828-837-2216/800-438-8155, WUN Club Military/Government Monitoring Columnist, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. One signal I have occasionally copied in England is the SIRS system. Sheriff`s (or Statewide --- I`m not sure) Interdepartmental Radio System. In the past I`ve monitored surveillance operations on the SIRS frequency of 39540 kHz FM but usually the communications have been more mundane but should you find an American accent on this frequency, then there`s a fair chance that it`s the SIRS system from the State of Virginia (Dave Roberts, Scanning Scene, April Short Wave Magazine, UK, via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. 17705 VENEZUELA. Today in the afternoon around 2045 GMT I heard this station IDing as Radio Nacional de Venezuela, Antena Internacional, all in Spanish with a very good signal and playing some Venezuelan typical songs sang by a female. I think this is a new transmitter, and so high in the frequency that I did not believe it. I heard it for some time, then I changed searching for something else; when I returned to the frequency about 20 minutes later the signal had disappeared, I only heard something like Arabic chanting, but it was Venezuela with a new transmitter and a Radio Nacional ID. That must be a new transmitter to be on the air regularly later. Will keep checking (César Objío, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, NASWA Flashsheet April 11 via DXLD) When was ``today``? Surely another relay via Cuba, one of their frequencies. See recent issues (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIRGIN ISLANDS BRITISH. ZBVI 780 heard in Grafton WI, etc. This weekend I went to my new place overlooking Lake Michigan in Grafton WI (20 miles N of Milwaukee) and set up phased BOGs [Beverages On Ground] aimed at about 97 degrees to hopefully take advantage of the lake. I was phasing 817 feet vs 589 feet (measured them). As expected, reception from easterly directions was superb. . . Last night around 0230 UT (2130 CDT) I noted a very excited and very heavily Caribbean accented announcer under WBBM which I further phase nulled as best as I could (strong groundwave and short skip combo is hard to null well) (there was bits of SS QRM which I presume was R. Coro). Anyhow, at 0245z my patience was rewarded when he finally said Zed BVI!! I'll admit I never expected to hear them! I'll have a full report posted within a day or two. 73 KAZ, wishing he could live in Grafton WI full time (Neil Kazaross, April 11, NRC-AM via DXLD) Neil, Congrats on ZBVI. I have a few airchecks of this station from its local range. Also of note -- I have a photo of its Road Town, Tortola antenna tower taken from across the harbor... a nice little panoramic sort of view. The signal would have to climb a mountain in its first mile or so to get to you. Anyhow, the photo is on the NRC Members' Photo Pages http://www.nrcdxas.org .... I walked all the way around the harbor one evening with a shipmate in the hopes of taking a look at ZBVI. By the time I got there it was late, too dark for photos outside, and the sole person was unable to offer a tour when asked. No advance notice, but it was worth the walk and give it a try back in the British Virgin Islands (Ron Gitschier, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. On 11 Apr at 1755 on 4770 noted unID station with Arabic chanting underneath R. Nigeria Kaduna. The Nigerian was a bit lower on the frequency. At 1800 both had time pips, almost in synchro, but not exactly. The unID station was then heard with female talk for about two minutes, no chance to ID the language, then I lost its audio. Seems the carrier remained on for some 15-20 minutes at least. Well, this might be some nasty mixing product or possibly a MW harmonic (5 x 954). If I ever hear them again, I'll check the possible parallels. Anyone any ideas? Btw, the receiver used was Icom R71 (Jari Savolainen Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. The UNID Italian endless music operation station on 6220.29 kHz, which heard on whole Easter weekend is now off the air, checked this morning as of Monday 0730 UT. ?? New Italy Station, tentatively "Radio Studio X, Crazy Wave Radio" or http://www.radio3.net/ operation on shortwave in 49 mb. Heard Easter weekend an UNID music station, like in Italian music flavour on drifting 6220.28 ... 6220.30 kHz, heard around 0650 and also at 1950 UT, but station had already left the air, when checked at 2150 UT again. Looks like a 20 kW station signal here in southern Germany, perfect distance of 800 to 1200 kilometers (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, April 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 12356 kHz: I monitored a strange transmission in Russian on 9 February at about 1700. It went on for over an hour and was still running when I had to leave to attend a meeting. I am aware that this is the Kaliningrad maritime frequency but this was no marine transmission or phone patch. It sounded like some sort of radio bug with two women, obviously in the same room, talking naturally to each other. They were not `on mic` and seemed oblivious to the fact that they were being transmitted. Any Ideas? (Ben Hogan, SSB Utilities, April Short Wave Magazine, UK, via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL +++++++++++++++++++++++ Keep going Glenn - I really value the DXLDigests (Morrison Hoyle, Victoria, Australia, April 13) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ FINEWARE SHUTS DOWN COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS US DXer Mark Fine has announced that he is ending commercial operations of his one-man company, FineWare, after 15 years. The reason is that it has become too time-consuming to support the various products that he has created, leaving no time to do any DXing. Mark says the decision does not come lightly and has been an extremely hard one to make. As of 30 April 2004, FineWare will no longer be taking orders for any software, and will discontinue updating SWBC Schedules data. A04 SWBC Schedules data will be updated for the last time sometime before 30 April. Mark says he will continue to provide Radio Listener's Database through 26 September 2004, however, but he will discontinue support for that product. The good news is that the Website will continue as a source of general information and the exploration of new technologies (such as DRM) after April 2004, as time permits. FineWare http://www.fineware-swl.com # posted by Andy @ 12:13 UT April 13 (Media Network blog via DXLD) INTERVAL SIGNALS Um site onde podemos conhecer um pouco do que são os sinais de intervalo, sua história e tambem de algumas emissoras internacionais : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interval_signal (@tividade DX April 12 via DXLD) MUSEA +++++ DER 4-ECKIGE BLICK. DESIGN UND KUNST IM DIALOG Highlights einer amerikanischen Privatsammlung Einladung zur Ausstellung im Museum für Angewandte Kunst Köln mit über 200 amerikanischen Radiogeräten aus den 1920er und 60er Jahren Öffnungszeiten: Bis 16. Mai 2004, Dienstag bis Sonntag 11.00-17.00 Uhr MESZ. Mittwoch 11.00-20.00 Uhr. Montags geschlossen. Entrittpreis: 4,80 Euro. Museum für Angewandte Kunst (MAK), An der Rechtschule, 50667 Köln Telefon 0221/221-2 38 60 Telefax 0221/221-2 38 85 http://www.museenkoeln.info (John Platzheim, March Radio Journal via DXLD) This was the cover story in the March issue of this German-language magazine, illustrated with a wall full of glass cases displaying all these old radios, not especially shortwave, of unusual designs, including art deco. If you can make it to Cologne in the next month, looks like a must-see (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ ARRL REQUESTS FILING DEADLINE EXTENSION IN BPL PROCEEDING NEWINGTON, CT, Apr 13, 2004 --- The ARRL has asked the FCC to extend the deadline for comments and reply comments by 45 days in the Broadband over Power Line (BPL) Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in ET Docket 04-37. Comments now are due by May 3 and reply comments by June 1. Although the FCC does not routinely grant such extensions, the League said it wants to allow time for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to conclude its study at BPL field trial locations. The ARRL said it anticipates the NTIA`s report to go public on or around April 16, thus allowing only a couple of weeks at best to evaluate the study`s results and incorporate the study`s findings into comments in the proceeding. ``This proceeding stands to have a profound effect on the Amateur Radio Service, and a full and complete opportunity to evaluate the results of the NTIA study is critical to the ability of ARRL to respond in a meaningful manner to the proposals in the instant Notice,`` ARRL said in filing its request April 9. ``At the same time, there is no need for any rush to judgment in this proceeding, since BPL trial sites are only now commencing operation.`` If the FCC okays the request, the comment date would move to June 14, and the reply comment deadline would become July 16. Granting the request, the ARRL contended, ``will have no adverse effect on any interested party to this proceeding.`` The League said the new deadlines would provide everyone with approximately 60 days to review and evaluate the NTIA`s study before having to file comments. ``Should the NTIA report be substantially delayed in its public release, ARRL reserves the right to request additional time as necessary,`` the League said. Earlier this year, FCC Chairman Michael Powell turned down a request by US Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI (ex-WB7OCE), who--as a member of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet--had asked the chairman to delay further action on the BPL proceeding until the NTIA study had been completed and stakeholders had had a chance to evaluate it before commenting. Powell assured Walden February 3 that the FCC would give ``thorough consideration`` to all BPL studies before it takes any final action in the proceeding. The Commission approved issuance of the BPL NPRM on February 12. Among other provisions, the NPRM would require BPL providers to employ ``adaptive interference-mitigation techniques.`` A copy of the ARRL`s Motion For Extension Of Time To Submit Comments is available on the ARRL Web site http://www2.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/et03-47/arrl-motion.html For more information on BPL, visit the ``Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) and Amateur Radio`` page on the ARRL Web site http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/ Copyright © 2004, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ IBOC Discussion about this imminent threat is under USA above (gh) FREQUENCY ADJUSTMENT ON R-75 Hi Scott, I saw your comment in DXLD about adjustment of the R-75's frequency. Below is some info that was posted on the R-75 Yahoogroup recently, reminding folks about the L2 adjustment. This is a variable inductor (tuning coil) on the main board that will fine-tune the frequency display. You'll want to make this adjustment after the receiver is fully warmed up... a 1/2 hour ought to be sufficient. Hope this helps! (Guy Atkins via Scott Barbour, DXLD) Subject: [icomr75] L2 Adjustment: Does it Balance USB/LSB? What it does, if you tune into a strong AM station and then switch to SSB, on some radios the pitch will be off by a few Hz. Mine was off about 20 Hz. What you want to do is turn L2 in very small amounts so that there is no difference between AM and SSB (either USB or LSB). Make sure you use the right tool. It should be made of plastic not metal and should fit the oblong hole in the can. DO NOT feel tempted to use a metallic screw driver for two reasons: 1. It can cause the ferrite core to break and then you are in really big trouble. 2. It will cause a the inductance of the coil to change as you insert and remove the screwdriver (Stan Crook, icomr75 yahoogroup via Guy Atkins via Scott Barbour, DXLD) Thank you both for the info. For the record I heard Radio Santa Rosa on the much mentioned frequency of 6047.14 over Easter weekend, so I assume this is more a case of my selective hearing than an uncalibrated frequency read-out. Using the .xx kHz option on my frequency display appears to be a bit of a "black art" to me. I still intend to zero-beat my receiver, for good measure, later today. 73, (Scott R Barbour Jr, DX LISTENING DIGEST) THE DARKER SIDE OF DENIM Denim will never go out of fashion as styles and shades are ever changing. Hot on the heels of the Stonewash Denim Revival, Roberts has now launched its popular Revival portable radio in new Dark Denim --- proving that denim isn`t just for wearing! Roberts` retro style Revival is the UK`s most popular portable radio enjoyed by both style gurus who appreciate this iconic design and keen radio fans. The Roberts Revival Dark Denim costs 100 pounds and is also available in Stonewash Denim and an assortment of colours in both leathercloth and suedette. For stockist information call (01709) 571722 or visit http://www.roberstsradio.co.uk (Communiqué, April SW Magazine, UK, [illustrated] via DXLD) WTFK??? PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SIDC WEEKLY BULLETIN :Issued: 2004 Apr 13 1426 UTC :Product: documentation at http://sidc.oma.be/products/bul #--------------------------------------------------------------------# # SIDC Weekly bulletin on Solar and Geomagnetic activity # #--------------------------------------------------------------------# WEEK 171 from 2004 Apr 05 SOLAR ACTIVITY: --------------- The solar activity during the week was produced by the NOAA AR 0588, which is split into Catania sunspot groups 96 and 97. Group 96, however, consisted just of one big sunspot, and only group 97 was producing activity. On April 5 and 6 NOAA AR 0588 produced two M-flares, followed by several C-flares during the rest of the week, the strongest one being the C9.6 flare peaking at 04:19 on April 11. As this sunspot group passed from the Eastern hemisphere on April 5 to the Western hemisphere on April 11, it produced several halo CMEs. The first one, a partial halo registered by the SOHO/LASCO C2 coronagraph at 06:06 UT on April 5, had a plane-of-the-sky speed of 573 km/s and was accompanied by the M1.7 flare. Then, on April 6 at 13:31 UT, LASCO C2 registered the start of a full halo CME with a speed of 1075 km/s and associated with the M2.4 flare. On April 8 at 10:30 UT LASCO observed another full halo CME starting at 10:30 UT; it had a speed of 915 km/s and was associated with the C7.4 flare. A CME first observed by the LASCO C2 at 04:30 UT on April 11 and associated with the C9.6 flare was not a halo CME, but produced a proton event that started shortly after and finished in the end of April 11. These protons were accelerated at the CME-driven shock wave. A partial halo CME first seen by the LASCO C2 coronagraph at 13:31 UT on April 11 was most probably backsided. Although no EIT data were taken during the time of this eruption, GOES-12/SXI showed no apparent CME signatures; additionally, there were no flares. GEOMAGNETISM: ------------- In the evening of April 5 the Earth has entered the fast flow from the low-latitude coronal hole. The interaction region between the fast and slow solar wind flows contained southward interplanetary magnetic field, so the Kp index reached 5 and then stayed at the level 4 during the most of April 6. The geomagnetic activity during the rest of the week was associated with the arrival of interplanetary disturbances produced by the halo CMEs listed above. Although all the CMEs themselves missed the Earth, the CME-driven shock waves were registered by the ACE spacecraft on April 9 at 01:47 UT, on April 10 at 19:25 UT and on April 12 around 04:25 UT. Most probably, these three shocks were produced by three frontside halo CMEs mentioned above. The sheath plasma on April 9 contained substantial portions of southward interplanetary magnetic field and raised Kp index to 5. The disturbed period was short though. The plasma following the shock on April 9 contained mostly northward interplanetary magnetic field, so the geomagnetic conditions remained quiet (Kp index 3 or 2). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DAILY INDICES DATE RC 10CM Ak BKG M X 2004 Apr 05 118 109 026 B1.7 1 0 2004 Apr 06 /// 101 029 B1.4 1 0 2004 Apr 07 072 98 016 B1.1 0 0 2004 Apr 08 053 94 013 B1.3 0 0 2004 Apr 09 031 90 /// A6.9 0 0 2004 Apr 10 024 88 /// A7.5 0 0 2004 Apr 11 024 90 /// A6.5 0 0 # 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 5 0537 0555 0613 S18E35 M1.7 1F 110 III/3, II/2 97 0588 6 1230 1328 1346 S18E15 M2.4 SF 690 97 0588 #--------------------------------------------------------------------# # Solar Influences Data analysis Center - RWC Belgium # # Royal Observatory of Belgium # # Fax : 32 (0) 2 373 0 224 # # Tel.: 32 (0) 2 373 0 491 # # For more info, see http://sidc.oma.be (via Jim Moats, DXLD) The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to minor storm levels. For the first half of the summary period, mostly quiet to active conditions were observed with one isolated period of minor storming recorded at high latitudes late on 05 April. A high-speed solar wind stream associated with a geoeffective coronal hole was responsible for this period of activity. Active to minor storm levels were recorded on 09 April as a result of the full-halo CME from 06 April. Quiet to unsettled levels rounded out the remainder of the summary period. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 14 APRIL - 10 MAY 2004 Solar activity levels are expected to range from very low to low throughout the forecast period. Isolated moderate activity are possible from new Region 592 (old Region 574) and returning old Regions 581, 582 and 588. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected during the period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels from 24 – 26 April and 03 – 07 May due to recurrent coronal hole high-speed streams The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to minor storm levels. Unsettled to active conditions are expected on 23 – 25 April due to a weak coronal hole high-speed stream. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2004 Apr 13 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2004 Apr 13 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2004 Apr 14 100 10 3 2004 Apr 15 105 10 3 2004 Apr 16 105 10 3 2004 Apr 17 105 10 3 2004 Apr 18 110 10 3 2004 Apr 19 110 8 3 2004 Apr 20 115 5 2 2004 Apr 21 115 5 2 2004 Apr 22 115 5 2 2004 Apr 23 115 12 3 2004 Apr 24 120 15 3 2004 Apr 25 115 12 3 2004 Apr 26 115 8 3 2004 Apr 27 115 5 2 2004 Apr 28 115 5 2 2004 Apr 29 115 5 2 2004 Apr 30 115 5 2 2004 May 01 115 5 2 2004 May 02 115 12 3 2004 May 03 110 20 4 2004 May 04 105 20 4 2004 May 05 100 12 3 2004 May 06 100 8 3 2004 May 07 105 5 2 2004 May 08 100 5 2 2004 May 09 100 5 2 2004 May 10 100 5 2 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via DXLD) ###