DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-082, May 18, 2004 edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2004 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1230: Wed 0930 on WWCR 9475 Mon 0330 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1230 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1230h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1230h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1230.html WORLD OF RADIO 1230 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1230.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1230.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1230 in MP3, the true shortwave sound of 7415: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_05-12-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_05-12-04.mp3 FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1231: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 4-hourly, QuickTime Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 ON DEMAND: from early UT Thursday, change 1230 above to 1231 DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our new yg. Here`s where to sign up. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ (Glenn Hauser, May 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGUILLA. Caribbean Beacon, 6090, full-data card for $1 in 375 days; v/s Doris Hussington (Joe Wood, TN, QSL Report, May World DX Club Contact via DXLD) Is she on Anguilla, or did you send the report to DGS HQ in Los Ángeles? (gh, DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. Readers will have noticed loggings on the frequency of 9032 with aircraft using call signs of ICE. This call sign denotes ski equipped LC 130 aircraft of 109th Airlift Wing of the US Air National Guard flying to and from McMurdo Base and Christchurch. These aircraft fly in support of the US National Science Foundation which carries out a wide range of scientific research in the Antarctic. This work was previously carried out by the US Navy`s Antarctic Development Squadron VXE 6 until replaced by the 109th Air lift Wing. Noel Jones gives news of Norfolk Jet Express looking at a twice weekly service to Auckland. "Backpackers Xpress is rumoured to be flying a weekly service from Melbourne to Auckland and Christchurch. The airline is presently said to be flying from Manchester, England (its base) to Melbourne for a return fare of 550 pounds -- More news on both of these items when it comes to hand (Evan Murray, Utilities, May NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 6059.95 Radio Nacional, Buenos Aires, 80kb 1025 UTC 05/2004. Back on the air! Recordings and comments at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 17/May/2004 11:35 Saludos Cordiales desde "La Mitad del Mundo"! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It would be helpful if you could specify the exact date of the recording, not just the month, especially in cases like this. I suppose it was actually May 17? (gh, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 15345, Radio Nacional, 2045, Torneo clausura del fútbol argentino, comentario final partido Boca-River. "Las voces del fútbol en Radio Nacional, repasamos todos los resultados de la jornada". 33333. (Mayo 16) (Manuel Méndez, Spain, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 6214.2, R. Baluarte, Puerto Iguazú; 0848-1040, poor/fair on 05/16. Religious program in Portuguese (AOI/GOSUI/YAMADA/Hideki WATANABE, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. New X-band station: 1610, Radio Guaruyu, Gregorio de Laferrere, Buenos Aires province, 2240-2305, May 16. Spanish. I heard this station in tests. Only "chamame" (that´s the Argentine´s Litoral music --- Misiones, Corrientes and Entre Rios provinces) and ID´s: "Desde Gregorio de Laferrere, Partido de La Matanza, Buenos Aires, transmite Radio Guaruyu". Good signal in my QTH (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxing.info via DXLD) ** BAHAMAS. 1540, 0430 14/4, ZNS1, Like a local at 0430 --- best ever heard 2 hours before sunset! Following the success of last year`s Gathering at Tiwai, Ray Crawford, Stu Forsyth and David Norrie decided on one last hurrah to Tiwai. We gathered on the eve of Good Friday, set up the radios and got listening. Listeners were: David Norrie (Auckland) AOR 7030, Raymond Crawford (Forestdale, QLD) SPR4, Stuart Forsyth (Darfield) AOR 7030, Paul Aronsen (Wallacetown) Yaesu 8800, acting as mine host and in charge! (May NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** BELGIUM [non]. Jamming on 11635 (RVI Belgium) --- Sat down to listen to RVI's Radio World May 16 at 2200Z on 11635, but found heavy jamming on the frequency. I've noted in the past slight co-channel QRM from CBS Taiwan at this time, but I'm concluding mainland China has begun jamming the Taiwan broadcasts. Pretty much obliterated RVI via Bonaire, could barely make out Frans Vossen interviewing Allen Graham at Kulpsville back in March. Best Regards (Ben Loveless, WB9FJO, MI, Grundig Satellit 800, mulit-band ham dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM [non]. Re Maeva FM, 4-081: 6015 is currently analog, right? (gh) Yes, it's analog. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4763.1, R. Chicha (tentative), Tocla; 1055-1120, poor on 05/15 & 16. News program from R. Pio Doce (AOI/GOSUI/YAMADA/Hideki WATANABE, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) 4763.2, R. Chicha, Tocla; 1049-1100, fair on 05/05. Sayas program. IDs were heard as "Radio Chicha" (UEMURA, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) 5952.5, R. Pio Doce, Siglo XX; 1002-, good on 04/25. Noted mid of opening ID and SJ "La mejor programación, la mejor información, de música de mi tierra boliviana. Pio Doce, Pio Doce, la radio que . . . pueblos, Pio Doce. Pio Doce, Pio Doce, el amando todos pueblos, Pio Doce." (Takeshi SEJIMO, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. New web site for Bulgarian National Radio & Radio Bulgaria from May 17 http://www.bnr.bg instead of http://www.nationalradio.bg (Observer, Bulgaria, May 18 via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. STATE RADIO LAUNCHES WEB SITE | Text of report in English by Bulgarian news agency BTA Sofia, 17 May: As from 17 May, the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) has launched real-time transmission of text, sound and pictures in eleven languages: Bulgarian, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Serbian, Greek, Turkish, Albanian and Arabic. BNR Director General Polya Stancheva says this is the first step in the station's multimedia development. The new website, http://www.bnr.bg is written by the teams of Radio Bulgaria whose broadcasts are relayed by over 50 radio stations in more than 30 countries worldwide. In 2004, Radio Bulgaria transmits nearly 60 hours of programming daily to Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America on short and mediumwaves in ten languages: Bulgarian, English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Serbian, Greek, Turkish and Albanian. Source: BTA news agency, Sofia, in English 1450 gmt 17 May 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CHECHNYA. REBELS' SECRET TV STATION OPERATES IN CHECHNYA - web site Text of report by Chechen news agency Daymohk web site 16 May: An underground television station is continuing to operate in Chechnya. People know well the TV channels and radio frequencies used by the information service of the Resistance forces. The occupiers located one of the mini TV transmitters in a target "clearance" operation in Gudermesskiy District a few days ago. A source from the puppet Interior Ministry told a Moskovskiy Komsomolets correspondent that the transmitter "was disguised as a VCR", which is not true. The source also believes that such transmitters have limited capacity: "If the house is on a hill, they can broadcast only to 10 km in one direction. But if the house is in the lowlands, the equipment can operate within one village." In fact, the broadcasting capacity of the mini-transmitters is two or three times higher, and the landscape has no impact on the quality of broadcasts. The entire area of occupied Chechnya covers a little more than 100 km in all directions. People both in Chechnya and in neighbouring republics watch and look forward to programmes of the underground TV station, particularly speeches by [rebel] President Aslan Maskhadov. Source: Daymohk news agency web site, Baku, in Russian 17 May 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK?? ** CHINA. Supremacy in space, satellite-killing: see INTERNATIONAL VACUUM ** CHINA. In 2003, I entered China Radio International's "A Global Knowledge Contest on A Cultural Tour to West China". Earlier this week, I received a registered package in the mail from China Radio International. Apparently, I am one of many winners of an oversized golf shirt with the CRI logo from the contest they ran in 2003. Nice shirt although it is a little too big for me. Maybe it will shrink a little? The shirt came with a "certificate" announcing I was been awarded the "second prize." The actual certificate states: "This certifies that you have been awarded the second prize of a Cultural Tour to West China in the 2003 Contest sponsored by China Radio International." Almost sounds like I am going to China! (Rich D'Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet May 16 via DXLD) ** CHINA. Frequency changes for China Radio International (A-04 vs A- 03): 0000-0057 Russian 15110 ex 9870 1830-1857 Bulgarian 7265 ex 11775 0200-0227 Tamil 15260 ex 15145 9525 ex 11810 0300-0357 Spanish 9665 ex 11765 1900-1957 Portuguese 7335 ex 13775 17720 ex 11650 9620 ex 11810 0400-0457 English 9755 ex 9730 1930-1957 Albanian 7130 addit 0900-0957 Mandarin 9665 ex 9550 Czech 9550 ex 9585 15125 ex 11700 1930-2027 Esperanto 7265 ex 11810 0900-1057 Mandarin 17670 ex 17785 9745 ex 9880 1100-1157 Esperanto 9510 ex 9590 2000-2027 Polish 9550 ex 9585 Mongolian 15420 ex 5850 9760 ex 11775 1100-1357 Mandarin 15500 ex 17785 Serbian 9585 ex 11680 1200-1257 Mongolian 15110 ex 9870 2000-2057 Mandarin 7245 ex 13790 1200-1957 Russian 5905 ex 5915 9770 ex 9765 1300-1357 Esperanto 9440 ex 15210 2000-2157 English 7190 ex 15110 Hindi 9635 ex 11765 9600 ex 11790 11675 ex 13715 2030-2057 Bulgarian 7160 ex 13650 1500-1757 Russian 13790 ex 9765 9585 ex 11680 1600-1657 Arabic 11730 ex 11750 Polish 9550 ex 9585 11915 ex 15490 2030-2127 French 7200 ex 12010 15125 ex 13685 7320 ex 13715 Hakka 11750 ex 15580 2100-2127 Serbian 7160 ex 13650 Urdu 5915 addit 2100-2157 Arabic 7260 ex 9685 1700-1757 Cantonese 11750 ex 15580 9695 ex 9765 1800-1827 Persian 12065 ex 15595 9725 ex 11965 1800-1857 Chaozhou 13700 ex 9585 2130-2227 French 7200 ex 12015 1800-1957 German 11775 ex 15130 2200-2257 Spanish 7120 ex 11690 Russian 7245 ex 11630 2300-0257 Spanish 17720 ex 11650 (Observer, Bulgaria, May 18 via DXLD) ** CHINA: Some frequency changes of China Radio International effective from May 16: 9440 1500-1557 in Russian additional 1600-1700 in English additional, strong co-ch VOA in Hindi 9795 1500-1700 in English additional, strong co-ch VOR in German 11670 1600-1700 in English additional 1700-1800 in English additional, strong co-ch RAI in Italian 1800-1900 in English additional, strong co-ch RFI in Russian 1900-1957 in Romanian new freq, co-ch Radio Farda in Farsi, ex 11740 11775 2030-2057 in Hungarian new freq, co-ch IRIB Albanian, ex 6020 2100-2157 in Spanish new freq, co-ch IRIB Albanian til 2127, ex 6020 2200-2257 in Spanish new freq, ex 6020 11850 1200-1457 in Russian additional 11940 1600-1800 in English additional 1800-1900 in English additional, strong co-ch RRI in English 1900-2000 in English new freq, co-ch RRI in German, ex 7140 2000-2100 in English new freq, co-ch RRI in Spanish,ex 7140 13640 1500-1700 in English additional, co-ch TRT in Spanish 1630- 1655 1700-1900 in English additional, co-ch TRT in German 1730-1825 13760 1800-1900 in English additional, co-ch VOK in Spanish till 1855 1900-2000 on English additional, co-ch VOK in English till 1955 (Observer, Bulgaria, May 18 via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. The relay times via Lithuania IN 4-081 are not quite correct; the correct ones are: 1902-2000 Czech on 1386 and 2000-2100 Polish on 1557. There are *no* changes in this regard. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 3300.17 [Harmonic], Emisora Ideal, Planeta Rica, 13 May, 0950 [// 2200.14] before sign on of Radio Cultural [GUATEMALA, q.v.] (Bob Wilkner ~ Pómpano Beach, Flórida, Sony 2010 ~ R 75 ~ NRD 535D ~ R 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COOK ISLANDS. 630, Radio Cook Is., Rarotonga, irregular, usually poor if at all, and in Cook Islands Maori with local music (David Ricquish, Samoa, NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. SATELITE TV's WAR ON PIRATES BLOCKS CUBA's SECRET VIEWERS By John Rice, AP FROM "LA NUEVA CUBA" MAY 17th, 2004. LA NUEVA CUBA By Associated Press St. Petersburg Times St. Petersburg Florida USA La Nueva Cuba May 17, 2004 HAVANA - The U.S. government believes Cubans should see more of America on television, and for years, Cubans have been happily complying, cobbling together clandestine satellite systems to pick up everything from the World Series to soap operas. No longer. Most of these systems have been silenced - not by Fidel Castro but by an American company's war on TV piracy. "We're sad because we cannot reach our people with so much happiness," said Crystal Larraondo, executive assistant for Los Fonomémecos, the Cuban-American comedy team from Miami whose show was popular in Cuba. In late April, DirecTV of El Segundo, Calif., changed its decoder cards to halt widespread piracy in the United States. By chance, it knocked out most of Cuba's pirates too. Hans de Salas, research associate at the University of Miami's Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American studies, called it "an unexpected gift for the Castro government." But DirecTV had no choice but to go by the book, said Robert G. Mercer, its public relations director. "While we understand they have a different motivation than the individuals who are stealing our signal in the U.S., they are still receiving our programming without our authorization and in a part of the world where we do not have a license to operate," he said. "We have an obligation to our legitimate customers and programming partners to target and take offline anyone who is using an illegally modified access card," he said. The few Cubans who use the Dish TV system of U.S.-based EchoStar aren't yet affected, and EchoStar spokesman Steve Cox wouldn't reveal details about possible security updates there. Shifting from DirecTV to Dish would require a different decoder box - one of the hardest pieces of TV hardware to obtain in Cuba. The U.S. government's Office of Cuba Broadcasting targets the island with its own station, Televisión Martí, but its broadcasts are jammed by Castro's regime. It tried the satellite route, but few Cubans can pick up its signals, which use a different technology and satellite from those used by DirecTV. On May 6, President Bush promised $18-million to transmit TV Martí from a U.S. military aircraft - a measure that a commentator on Cuban state television described as a "prologue to war." Official Cuba also has a term for vehemently anticommunist material beamed at the island: "media terrorism." Anecdotal reports speak of about 10,000 satellite TV dishes in Cuba, according to Joe O'Connell, spokesman for the U.S. government's International Broadcasting Bureau, which oversees Televisión Martí, among other operations. Dishes serve entire families and extension lines sometimes connect them to neighbors. Taped programs renting for about 25 cents reach a still larger audience. The government is determined to confine Cubans to the state broadcasting system, where Thursday night's 90-minute discussion show was devoted to "Cuba confronting the fascist policies of Bush." Few Cubans will talk openly about the dishes: They're strictly banned for homes, and police sometimes raid them to confiscate antennas and fine their owners. Yet enough money trickles into private hands from tourism and family abroad to finance a multimillion-dollar hidden TV industry. It includes building or smuggling in satellite dishes, counterfeiting access cards, renting lines to neighbors and going door to door renting and collecting tapes of popular shows. An antenna, decoder and counterfeited access card cost $700 to $1,200, depending on scarcity, according to several Cubans who have bought or sold them. That limits the dishes to those with a healthy supply of dollars. A typical Cuban makes about $20 a month. A man who says he has installed 95 satellite dishes showed a reporter one hidden in a rooftop water tank. From there, he pointed to neighboring houses, counting nine other hidden dishes. Cubans say they have seen antennas concealed behind apartment windows, in air conditioner boxes, even in a pigsty (via OSCAR DE CESPEDES, Brock Whaley, DXLD) See also INTERNATIONAL VACUUM ** DENMARK. 15810, World Music Radio, 2156-2238 May 16. Heard some pop songs at tune-in, and was able to understand most of the lyrics. Jingle at 2203, then a pop ballad. A simple W-M-R ID at 2207, then the audio faded out until another jingle at 2219. Steely Dan's "Reeling in the Years" at 2234, followed by a nice jingle ID. Although there were long periods where there was no audio, when it did fade up, the SINPO was 24422 (George Maroti, NY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Dear friends, Since 1428 UT on May 17 I have been hearing a very strong open carrier without audio on 5815 kHz here near Copenhagen, Denmark. It is still on now at 2025 on a clear channel. Stig Hartvig Nielsen just confirmed that they are now testing their 10 kW transmitter on 5815 from Karup simultaneously with tests on 15810 kHz with 0.5 kW and non-stop music. Testtones and music are first expected on 5815 sometime during May 18. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, May 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Fair open carrier here at 1630 via a DX tuner in England (Hans Johnson, May 17, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Re Hans` message - the open carrier is still on air via 5815 at 1745, now at good strength with moderate fading, as heard during the past weekend. 15810 is also audible, currently at weak strength with deep fading, playing pop music (Noel R. Green [Blackpool, NW England], May 17, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 15810, World Music Radio, 0945, English pop music and Identification: "World Music Radio". 25322. (May 17). (Manuel Méndez, Spain, Cumbre DX via DXLD) WMR Newsletter - May 18th 2004 It is with great pleasure that we can inform you that we now - finally - have commenced broadcasting with the new 10 kW Collins transmitter. From shortly after 1500 UT today May 18th 2004 World Music Radio (WMR) is testing on 5815 kHz. Test transmissions on 15810 kHz have been carried out since May 9th with a power of 500 W. Letters and reception reports have been received from Japan, USA, Greenland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain and Nigeria. Thanks to everyone. Those requesting QSL will get one soon. Our test transmissions consist of non-stop music and will be irregular for the next couple of weeks. We intend to keep 5815 kHz on the air till Wednesday morning without any breaks. Later we need - among other things - to adjust the modulation on both transmitters. The transmitter site is near Karup in Western Denmark and the on air studio (from where the test transmissions are coming live) is located near Randers. The aerials used for both frequencies are dipoles. Monitoring observations on the reception quality are highly appreciated - and it would be a help if you could compare our signal on 5815 kHz with other European stations with a similar power (for instance Germany on 6190 kHz). Best regards, (Stig Hartvig Nielsen, WMR - World Music Radio, PO Box 112, DK-8900 Randers, Denmark E-mail: wmr @ wmr.dk Website: http://www.wmr.dk May 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear friends, Within the past hour World Music Radio, near Karup, Denmark, came on the air on 5815 kHz with audio. Heard since 1530 UT with enjoyable non-stop music and jingles "WMR - World Music Radio". SINPO near Copenhagen 55544 with Signal mostly at S9+20 dB, but occasional fades to S9. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, May 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello, here is a recording of WMR on 5815 today at 2100: http://www.radioeins.de/_/meta/sendungen/apparat/040515_a3.ram (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DJIBOUTI [non]. BBC Arabic and R. Sawa Jammed on the MW !! Hello DXers, well as noted sometime ago, I can confirm [NOT == see below] right now that: 990 R. Sawa [out of Cyprus] is heavily Jammed, at night hours - Cairo local time - it's not annoying as it is right now as I'm writing this e mail 0330 UT. 1431 R. Sawa is a bit hard to catch it here in Egypt but the jamming like noise is there and you can notice it Strangely enough the BBC Arabic on 639 [via Cyprus] is having the same noise but not as severe as R. Sawa on 990! Well, I wonder who decided to give us MW listeners in the Mideast hard time --- as if we don't have enough headaches! All the best (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, May 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Should not be difficult to get a fix on these MW jammers (gh, DXLD) Heard here near York too. Predominantly on LSB of 1431. Heard 2030 UT Sunday 16/5; but not heard at 2205. So who is taking a dislike to Radio Sawa? 73s (Steve Whitt, MWC via DXLD) MW in Cairo. Hi, well, re my last e mail to you about the Jamming like noise on 990, 639 and 1431, I just wanna say after some checking it turned out to be a severe local noise affecting Cairo area I think as I scanned the MW band and got the same noise on the following freq. 1278, 1206, 1134 (severe), 1062, of course 990, very weak on 639 and 567 but the 1431 R. Sawa from Djibouti is really affected by heavy BJ [bubble jamming?] which is pretty clear. Sorry about that guys but it's a coincidence that the jamming on 1431 started and after that these strange noises started on 990 and 639!! All the best from NOISY Cairo (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, May 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi, the 1431 jammer noted by Karel is indeed heard here too. A bubble- type jammer. Checked at 2000 UT May 17, but the noise did not wipe out the audio of Radio Sawa. The jammer is definitely in the same direction as R Sawa, from my place, as both Sawa and the jammer disappear when I chose another direction on my K9AY. Tuning west with the K9AY I got "Classic Gold Breeze". Would be very interesting to know where this jammer is located. I can only speculate about the Sudanese, other governments in the region might dislike Sawa, but it's a long step to put on a jammer. Any idea, anyone? 73 (Johan Berglund, Trollhättan, Sweden, MWDX yahoogroup via DXLD) ** ECUADOR [non]. Should you wonder what Allen Graham looks like, there`s a shot of him accompanying this week`s RVi Radio World interview with him: http://www.rvi.be/rvi_master/uk/radio_world/index.html (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA/ETHIOPIA [nons]. 21550, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, R. UNMEE relay, 1119-1130*, May 18, English, YL with talk of Kofi Annan. Vernacular chorus followed by soundbites from Annan speech re Rwanda massacre, "neighbor killed neighbor" and YL genocide survivor re "1994 Massacre". Original YL mentions "UN Mission.." and "International Service.." followed by brief music at 1128, then barely audible OM at sign-off. Poor at tune-in and deteriorating rapidly, even in USB/LSB, though able to make out enough to figure out what I was hearing. Both surprised and pleased to log this one (Scott Barbour, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. R. Station of Macedonia, 7430, fl [I suppose this mean form letter], for return postage in 377 days, from Tatiana Tsioli, ERT SA, Subdirection of Technical Support, PB 11 312, 541 10 Thessaloniki, Greece (Joe Wood, Vonore TN, QSL Report, May World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** GREECE. GRÉCIA – Ocorreram mudanças no horário de emissões do programa O Tahidromos (a palavra, em português, significa ``O Carteiro``) da emissora grega Rádio ERA-5, onde são respondidas as cartas, mensagens e telefonemas dos ouvintes. Agora, vai ao ar, nas segundas-feiras e entre quartas e sextas-feiras, a partir de 1230, pela freqüência de 15650 kHz. A apresentação, em grego, é de Natasa Vissarionos e Soula Bassiouka. São aceitas e lidas as cartas que chegam em inglês. Quem faz a correção é o Marcelo Vieira, desde Itambé (PR), ouvinte atento daquele espaço (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX May 16 via DXLD) ex-1200 {see also 4-084, 4-085} ** GUATEMALA. 3300, R. Cultural (presumed), 1006-1021, May 17, Spanish, OM with music and talks. No ID noted. Fair at tune-in then rapidly fade-out (Scott Barbour, NH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See COLOMBIA ** HAWAII. Samoa AM Trail April 28-May 05 2004 Mostly 6-10 pm local Samoa time 550 KMVI Wailuku, heard briefly when SBC Radio 1 off 570 KQNG Lihue, fair only in mix 590 KSSK Honolulu, often excellent with hits of the 70s, usually all night 650 KHNR Honolulu, often vg with talk shows, news 670 KPUA Hilo fair in jumble with talk 690 KORL Honolulu, many IDs as ``Hawaii`s local talk and multicultural radio, we are KORL Honolulu 6-90 on the AM dial`` and promos to make your own radio show. Often excellent with contemporary jazz 720 KUAI Eleele, usually vg every night, often with Hawaiian or C/W music and IDs as ``KUAI 7-20`` 760 KGU Honolulu generally vg signal nightly, with Christian talk 790 KKON Kealakekua, often good, with ``KHLO 8-50`` IDs 830 KHVH Honolulu frequently good with news 870 KAIM Honolulu, sometimes in the mix with religious music, ID as ``and 8-70 KAIM`` fair only 900 KNUI Kahului often good with Hawaiian music, regular 940 KHCM Waipahu, sometimes vg, but usually lost in mess, IDs as ``AM 9-40 The New KHCM – Your Country Music Connection`` 990 KHBZ Honolulu, ID as ``AM 9-90 KHBZ --- you`re with Dr Laura`` network show 1040 KLHT Honolulu, fair-good nightly with religious music or talks 1060 KHBC Hilo, not identifiable in complete jumble on this channel 1080 KWAI Honolulu, reasonable signal, talk 1110 KAOI Kihei, not clearly identifiable in mix which was dominated by KFAB 1210 KZOO Honolulu, great to hear this little 1kWer again, pumping out JJ pop music, good, sometimes dominating the channel 1270 KNDI Honolulu, one of the strongest Hawaiians every night, ``We bring you the biggest variety in music, KNDI Honolulu, 12-70 AM``. Great to hear them still there! 1420 KKEA Honolulu, very good nightly with ESPN and other sports talks 1460 KHRA Honolulu, another strong signal, every night in Korean, music, talk 1500 KUMU Honolulu, ``original songs by original artists, KU-MU AM 1500`` IDs, though also noticed ``Jive Style`` format one morning with hiphop, electronic, trance music etc! Yuk. Usually drifted off to sleep lulled by KUMU and the waves! 1540 KREA Honolulu, often heard with Korean music and talk, nightly (David Ricquish, Samoa, NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. Changes in Radio Budapest's DX Corner Program schedule?? Chairman Mike Bethge from WWDXC-GER told me about an unlisted outlet on Sunday around 1528 UT on 6025 and 9715. RB in English Sundays only program at 1500-1530 UT. Formerly DX Corner on Sat night outlet. Did RB change their weekly schedule??? Or is an additional DX Corner outlet? Please help (Wolfgang Büschel, May 18, BC-DX via DXLD) ** ICELAND. Tried 15775 at 1415 today, weak signal (Hans Johnson, Naples FL, May 17, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Sirius on DishNetwork --- DishNetwork is now feeding the 61 channels of Sirius music programming as their contribution to a joint marketing agreement with Sirius. The new music channels are available to all subscribers of the "Top 120" level of service. You can find the new service on channels 6001 through 6099. ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (Joe Buch, DE, May 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. IRAQ ATTACKED U.S. SATELLITES FROM THE IRAQI EMBASSY IN CUBA. FROM "LA NUEVA CUBA" TUESDAY MAY 18TH, 2004. LA NUEVA CUBA Signals transmitted from the Iraqi embassy in Cuba jammed American commercial communications satellite traffic during Operation Iraqi Freedom. By Charles R. Smith, NewsMax, La Nueva Cuba, May 18, 2004 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Military sources confirmed a recent report that Iraq attempted to disrupt U.S. satellites. Signals transmitted from the Iraqi embassy in Cuba jammed American commercial communications satellite traffic during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The jamming effort by Iraq shows a growing vulnerability in U.S. space assets. According to Pentagon sources, U.S. military satellites have suffered a number of attacks by ground based laser systems. Pentagon officials refused to identify the sources of the laser "dazzle" attacks. The growing number of attacks on U.S. satellite is matched by an increase in space-based assets designed for use against America being offered for export by Russia and China. The space race is heating up into a new global arms race. Unfortunately, America stands to lose the next war because of politics. China successfully launched two new satellites early Monday using a Long March II C rocket. The rocket roared off the pad at 11:59 p.m. Sunday from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province. One of the two new Chinese satellites is described as "Nano-satellite I". The Chinese Army-run Qinghua University and Aerospace Qinghua Satellite Technologies Co. Ltd developed the miniature satellite. The tiny Chinese Nano-satellite weighs in at 55 pounds and according to the official PRC press "is designed for high-tech experiments." However, U.S. defense analysts feel the new PRC mini-satellite is a prototype for war. According to Richard Fisher, a noted expert on Chinese military technology, the nano-satellite is part of a Chinese Army space program. "China will use micro and nano-sats for a range of missions, surveillance, reconnaissance, communication and for destroying enemy satellites. These are missions that the United States also envisions for very small satellites. Their size makes them difficult to impossible to detect, and thus, to either avoid or shoot down," stated Fisher, a defense analyst for the Center for Security Policy. "Nano-sats can also be deployed in large numbered "constellations" so that if one or more are taken out, then the remainder can still function. Their light weight also means they can be lofted by smaller and mobile space launch vehicles (SLVs)," stated Fisher. Chinese Army Space Fisher noted that the PLA space program is geared toward global military operations. The current Long March space launch rocket is based on a nuclear tipped missile, and according to Fisher, the next generation of Chinese space launchers are also based on active weapons. "China is developing three new mobile, solid-fueled space launch vehicles especially for launching micro and nano-sats. The first to be fully tested in 2003 was the KT-1, a four-stage rocket based on the DF-21 MRBM (Medium Range Ballistic Missile). The KT-2 will be based on the DF-31 ICBM and the KT-2A, on the DF-31A ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile). The latter two will target geosynchronous and polar orbits, where many sensitive U.S. military satellites reside," noted Fisher. "With a mobile SLV, you can better choose when to attack an enemy satellite, and do so with greater surprise. By 2005 the PLA could have two operational ASATs for low earth orbits: the ground based laser dazzler mentioned in the Pentagon PLA reports since 1998; and a direct-assent ASAT based on the KT-1 with micro or nano-sat interceptors," stated Fisher. "China's launching of a nano-satellite would not have been possible without a 1998 deal that saw China's premier technical school, Tsinghua University, begin to co-develop micro and nano-sat technology with Britain's Surry Space Systems, at the time the world's premier very small satellite maker. China launched its first 50kg micro satellite in 2000, and with this week's nano-sat launching, has mastered this "transformational" technology," concluded Fisher. Fisher's warning of the rapidly advancing Chinese Anti-satellite program has not gone without notice inside the Pentagon. The threat to U.S. satellites is more than real - it is now part of military history. CHINA 'SUPREMACY OVER THE WORLD' Russia is offering the Kondor-E satellite to any foreign buyer. The Kondor satellite is designed specifically to guide high-speed supersonic cruise missiles with space targeting sensors. China has orbited military targeting satellites and is helping North Korea, Pakistan and Iran to develop their own military targeting satellites or space launch programs. China is also making diplomatic and military moves to support Syria. A PLA delegation headed by Lt. Gen. Liu Dongdong, political commissar of the Jinan Military Area Command, arrived in Damascus on April 19 for a five-day "friendly" visit. General Mustafa Tlass, deputy commander of the Syrian Armed Forces and minister of national defense, met with the PLA delegation and the two sides held talks on furthering military cooperation and exchanges between the two armed forces. In addition, China is actively developing anti-satellite systems as demonstrated by the recent nano-satellite launch. Russia offered to sell its MiG-31 Fox Hound fighter armed with a rocket anti-satellite system to China. China has also purchased extensive anti-satellite laser equipment from Russia, building its own system that is capable of knocking out or disabling a U.S. satellite. One Chinese Army-owned company, sanctioned recently by the Bush administration for selling advanced military technology to Iran, made it clear that the PRC does not intend to be in 2nd place during the 21st century. "Contend for hegemony of the state," notes web based slogan of the Zibo Chemical Company. "Strive for supremacy over the world." U.S. war planners are also facing a new complication. Several potential adversaries have access to space resources even without space launch vehicles. High-resolution space imagery can be purchased with a simple credit card and space based communications can be leased on commercial satellites. Kerry Shut Down U.S. Military Space Military sources are still very reluctant to propose offensive U.S. space based programs for fear of a political backlash. Democrat candidate John Kerry has adamantly opposed U.S. Anti-satellite programs and has promised to shut down all U.S. space warfare efforts if elected. U.S. space based offensive and defensive programs have been placed on hold, under-funded or simply over-ruled by political concerns from Congress. The U.S. has not matched Chinese nano-satellite technology and efforts to develop a space-based defense have been stymied by people such as Senator Kerry who oppose both space weapons and the U.S. National Missile defense. However, during the 20th National Space Symposium, U.S. military commanders spoke that urgent action is needed to avoid a coming space war or worse, losing a war because we were not ready. "The U.S. cannot allow our space assets to be threatened," stated Adm. James O. Ellis, Jr., commander of the U.S. Strategic Command. "We must continue to develop and field space control assets that provide us the ability to use our space systems when and where we need, while denying that capability - when necessary - to our adversaries. This is a vial national security interest," stated Adm. Ellis. "The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedience, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place, we are entering a period of consequences," said Adm. Ellis, quoting Winston Churchill from a pre-WW II speech. "To avoid significant 21st century consequences, we must act now to protect and defend America's interests in space." 73's (via Oscar de Céspedes, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. FriendShipRadio (playing sunshinemusic!) is now ready to start test transmissions from MV Sheena. The ship will be anchored somewhere on NorthSea and first transmissions will be aired during Thursday 20th May. We might have few short transmissions whole day long starting around 7 hours GMT. Frequencies used will be on 16 meter band 17.4-17.5 MHz (Maynard Wesley, Chief Manager, friendshipradio @ hotmail.com May 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hope they avoid the tone thing centred around 17.45 (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. CLANDESTINE (Iranian), 17735, Radio Pedar (Father Radio) via Rampisham, UK. Full data PPC Card, signed with additional comments on the back of the card. The v/s mentioned that "my report was correct and that we are surprised that you received the signal with such strength, beamed from England to Iran'" Also indicated that 'now we are broadcasting on 15585 kHz at the same time' This for a report to Channel One TV 6203 B Varice Avenue, Woodland Hills, California, 91367, reply in 29 days. v/s illegible (Edward Kusalik, VE6EFK, DX'er since 1965, Alberta, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** IRAQ [and non]. Remembering Nick Berg [illustrated] http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2004/040517/nerw.html Nick Berg's name and his tragic story have been all over the national headlines this week - but for many radio folks in PENNSYLVANIA, NEW YORK and NEW JERSEY, the tower worker who was beheaded in Iraq is more than just a name in the papers. Before Berg headed over to Iraq earlier this year, he was up in the air (and down on the ground) at tower sites all over the region, operating as "Prometheus Tower Service" at sites that included Ingraham Hill in Binghamton (where he installed the new WHWK 98.1 antenna, apparently his last job in the U.S.), WNGZ in Montour Falls, N.Y., the New Jersey Meadowlands and WPLY in Philadelphia, where our friend Mark Humphrey recently used Berg to install a new auxiliary antenna. Mark writes: Nick impressed me as a very bright, resourceful and dedicated individual who cared a great deal about improving our quality of life by applying his skills and knowledge. Nick not only possessed the necessary physical ability and stamina to do the job, but had also studied engineering at Drexel, Penn, and Cornell, so I felt very comfortable letting him handle our work. I knew that he wanted to grow his own business, and I felt obligated to give him that opportunity. He had all sorts of ideas to bring technology to less-developed parts of the world, including a concrete tower which could be fabricated in remote parts of the world using locally-available materials, thus avoiding the problems of shipping steel in the absence of a good transportation network. In fact, at last year's PAB Engineering Conference in Hershey, he and his father (who served as business manager of the company) displayed a prototype modular structure called "Bovl Blocks", made of interlocking concrete blocks that could be cast on site, then stacked to the desired height. He thought this product would be particularly useful in the African interior, where cellular networks are just beginning to be built out. Why did he go to Iraq? He was aware that some towers were damaged last year during bombing missions, and many more had been looted... copper lines removed, diagonal members taken out, etc. Few obstruction lighting systems were functional -- he mentioned an 800 foot tower two miles from an airport (used by our military) that was totally dark. So he first went over in December to see if he could help to assist in the reconstruction, restore Iraq's broadcast services, and repair the serious structural damage that endangered the lives of their citizens. I received the following email message from Nick in early January: "About Iraq- I am taking photos - where allowed. It's actually pretty sad - I just got off one of two 320 meter monster towers in Abu Gharib (also home to the main political prison) which use to support most of Baghdad area's VHF and UHF. Both have been badly looted, including 4000 feet or more of flexible 6-1/8" heliax, two full 12X4 panel TV antennas, and even some structural members. I was also in the North as I mentioned, but here there wasn't as much damage. I'll definitely share some of these pix with you and others next time I'm in the area - I'd love to put together a little presentation for SBE or PAB in about six monthes after I've been on every site and fixed some of them." He returned to Philadelphia in late January to catch up on some domestic business -- then in early February, tackled an antenna replacement job at our aux site, which he had quoted last summer. This proved to be more complicated than either of us had first assumed (a three-bay DA with two vertical and four horizontal parasites per bay) but he honored his original quote. The work took place in sub-zero windchills... my feet were getting plenty cold just standing out in the cornfield as we aligned the azimuth, it must have been brutal up on the tower, but he took it in stride. After Nick completed assembly and we purged the system, I ran the pressure up to 5 PSI and closed the valve on the nitrogen tank. I came out at 430 AM the next morning to run some power into the new antenna, and as the transmitter ramped up to full output, I saw *zero* reflected. (I tapped the meter to make sure it wasn't stuck!) We had a perfect installation, no split or missing bullets, etc. And I haven't seen *any* pressure loss since then (actually, the gage reads between 7 and 8 now, due to the warmer weather.) I knew that Nick was planning to return to Irag in March, but hadn't heard any word from him over the past two months, which had me concerned. Then I received the message from his parents and my heart sunk. I was at lunch when the news broke about his brutal murder, and I was devastated. If you've been following all sides of this story, you may have read that his parents did not receive much cooperation from our Federal Government when trying to learn his whereabouts, which is very disturbing. He had reportedly booked a March 30 flight back to New York, but missed it because he had been detained by our military. The "spin" on the story is that they told him to get out, but I'm not buying that. Let's keep his family in our thoughts and prayers. Our industry (and humanity) has lost a very fine person. NERW echoes Mark's sentiments, and our prayers are with the Berg family. We're keeping tabs on an industry effort to create a scholarship in Nick Berg's memory, and we hope to have details to provide by next week's issue (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch May 17 via DXLD) see also INTERNATIONAL VACUUM ** ISRAEL. IBA TV news [any impact on Radio, especially SW?] http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=428601&contrassID=1&subContrassID=7&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y Last Update: 17/05/2004 22:16 ENGLISH-LANGUAGE NEWS TO RETURN TO CHANNEL 1 By Daphna Berman, Haaretz Correspondent The Israel Broadcasting Authority's English-language news program will return to Channel One television on Sunday, Haaretz has learned. The decision, which will be announced officially Tuesday, effectively overturns an earlier decision to cancel the station's English news program altogether. An IBA statement warned, however, that the change would last for only two months. "I was disappointed and angry when I first heard about the decision to cancel the program, because I knew that a mistake was being made," said Steve Leibowitz, the producer of IBA's English News. "I'm glad to see the decision has been corrected." The IBA's seven-and-a-half-minute program, which appeared every weekday, was canceled May 2 following a decision to run only Hebrew- language programming. The IBA, meanwhile, aired an extended 30-minute English-language news program on Channel 33, a station accessible only to cable or satellite TV subscribers. Over the next two months, the shorter news program will return to its 4:50 P.M. slot on Channel One, as well as on Channel 33, in an effort to ease the transition period, IBA spokesman Oren Helman said. Since the decision to cancel the Channel One news program was first publicized on April 9, IBA offices have been inundated with faxes, emails and telephone calls, while Communications Minister Ehud Olmert intervened on behalf of the English-speaking community (via Doni Rosenzweig, DXLD) ** ITALY. Re 4-081, Fri 1140 on 15665: "Radio for Peace" (as suggested by Jari Savolainen in hcdx) NEXUS publishes a daily schedule for its audio stream and SW relays: http://www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/Schedules/fri.htm and for Fridays it shows a program called Radio for Peace in Spanish at this time http://www.radiokcentrale.org/radio4peace.htm 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Very interesting; above website reveals it`s for and about Western Sahara. Since the broadcasts are in Arabic and Spanish, and the explanation is in Italian, why is the name of the program in English?? The audio links in Spanish Cannot Be Found, unlike Arabic, which, however has opening in Arabic, Italian-accented Spanish, Italian, and heavily-accented English, the first few words of which I could not make out under the music: ``. . .of the Saharawi equal rights, broadcasting project for the promotion of the human rights project of the Western Sahara People`` (gh) {``Free Waves in the Desert...``; See 4-084: ROMANIA believed to be IRRS 100 kW transmitter site!} RADIOFORPEACE ONDE LIBERE NEL DESERTO progetto di comunicazione per i diritti dei Saharawi Trasmette dal 2 aprile ogni venerdì dalle 13 alle 14 in Europa e dalle 12 alle 13 sui 15,665 kHz nei campi Saharawi Da sabato 1/5/2004 Radio4Peace sarà in replica sui 5775 kHz dalle 2100 alle 2200 ora italiana (20 kW). La trasmissione si puo' ascoltare in tutta Europa e Nord Africa. [but NEXUS-IBA schedule shows it Sat 1930- 2030 UT, Arabic, Spanish --- gh] Trovate gli orari e le repliche (con audio streaming su http://mp3.nexus.org) su: http://www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/Schedules/fri.htm http://www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/Schedules/sat.htm Radioforpeace è un progetto di comunicazione radiofonica a cura di Cospe e Radio Kappa Centrale in collaborazione con la redazione giornalistica di Radio National a Rabuni e il sostegno della Regione Emilia Romagna. L`obbiettivo generale del progetto consiste nel rafforzamento del sistema di comunicazione esistente nei campi (la rete delle radio) e nell`ideazione di un network della comunicazione sociale a livello regionale e internazionale per incentivare la circolazione delle informazioni e della comunicazione verso la popolazione saharawi nei campi, e verso l’Europa, attraverso il coinvolgimento di tutte le realtà (ONG -- Associazioni -- Enti Locali -- ecc.) che si occupano di cooperazione nell’area. Uno spazio in etere per la circolazione e promozione dei progetti di sostegno e solidarietà verso i saharawi, strumento utile alle politiche sulla cooperazione. RADIOFORPEACE è uno strumento flessibile e alla portata di chiunque possieda una radiolina con l`opzione SW (la maggior parte delle nostre radio ed autoradio sono dotate di tre bande per la ricezione delle emittenti: la prima è la banda FM, la seconda AM ovvero le onde medie e la terza SW short waves). L`emissione del segnale in onde corte permetterà di raggiungere l`area interessata garantendo una buona ricevibilità tecnica: basterà un semplice apparecchio radio anche di vecchia data (presente in ogni tenda). Radioforpeace gestisce una comunicazione di tipo bi-direzionale: da un lato, verrà realizzato un punto di informazione su ciò che concerne i Saharawi in Europa: rapporti di cooperazione, passi politici; accanto ad esso, una punto di riferimento per ciò che riguarda le attività di cooperazione, con la possibilità di fornire informazioni e di dare voce alle strutture impegnate nel settore e sul campo. D`altro lato, si darà spazio a contenuti informativi provenienti dai campi (grazie alla collaborazione della rete delle radio nei campi), particolarmente rilevanti ai fini della sensibilizzazione dell`opinione pubblica in Italia, in Europa (raggiungibile in SW con una potenza massima di 100 KW), ma anche informazioni legate alle necessità ``materiali`` della popolazione come informazioni sulle campagne di sensibilizzazione e prevenzione sanitaria, in modo particolare verso le donne , ma anche nell`ambito della progettazione sanitaria saharawi -- tecniche -- di messa in rete delle varie attività svolte nei campi -- di contatti tra le famiglie e i loro familiari sparsi in Europa e in altre are del pianeta), nelle varie wilayas, aree liberate e occupate (Sahara Occidentale). Radioforpeace promuove in prospettiva percorsi formativi per quei soggetti interessati a lavorare nel settore della comunicazione (in particolare verso i giovani e le donne). Rafforza le relazioni con le redazioni giornalistiche esistenti nei campi attivando percorsi di collaborazione nell’ideazione del format. Allarga la rete dei media a disposizione del popolo saharawi nei campi e nelle zone liberate e valorizza quella esistente (il circuito di piccole radio FM nei campi e la piccola esperienza di ``telewilaya`` nella Provincia di Al Ayoun ``ZimblaTV``) Le trasmissioni, prodotte a Bologna sono in arabo, spagnolo e italiano e vengono irradiate : - in SW per Europa e Nord Africa - in FM a Bologna e in Italia - in MW (onde medie) e SW nell`area controllata dalla RASD - in internet attraverso il web streaming di Radio K Centrale La struttura del format di Radioforpeace La struttura del format è flessibile a seconda delle priorità e al suo interno contiene una serie di spazi/rubriche dedicati a: 1. Uno spazio gestito dalle redazioni giornalistiche delle radio nei campi con all`interno informazioni sanitarie -- sociali -- contatti tra famiglie, ecc.. 2. Uno spazio riservato alle ong, associazioni che gestiscono progetti di cooperazione prioritariamente dalla Regione Emilia Romagna e dal territorio nazionale nei campi 3. Una serie di rubriche su: 4. UN SERVIZIO EMERGENZA per promuovere la circolazione di informazioni sui beni e servizi necessari in un particolare momento (es. emergenza per certi tipi di farmaci o vaccini) da far arrivare nei campi o determinate Province. Le informazioni verranno raccolte tra le ONG impegnate sul campo e distribuite in etere tra i soggetti interessati alla solidarietà ( altre ONG, associazioni, singoli). Obiettivo: accelerazione delle comunicazioni tra associazioni e necessità sul campo. 5. BACHECA AUDIO per stabilire contatti tra le famiglie, parenti polverizzati nei territori e campi o paesi del mondo (in particolare tra le famiglie con figli adottati in Italia e non solo) 6. MINI CORSI DI FORMAZIONE VIA RADIO sulla manutenzione di beni in risposta a richieste specifiche provenienti dai campi profughi e dai territori. 7. SUONI per valorizzare le espressioni artistiche dei luoghi Per contatti: radioforpeace @ libero.it (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** ITALY. And here is the end of RAI Radio Due on 846 on May 14; last continuation announcement at 2155 and cut-over to closedown procedure at 2158: http://www.radioeins.de/_/meta/sendungen/apparat/040515_a1.ram Afterwards 846 carried Notturno Italiano (note what must be a cue signal at 2'57 into the audio) for some minutes and was finally switched off around 2210. 1332 was on at least until 2300 or so; it appears to be a likely scenario that Notturno Italiano was carried there one more time in full. If so transmissions from Santa Palomba ceased on May 15 at 0400. Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY [non]. Last evening I have made a high resolution spectrogram of the channel 846 kHz. Now that RAI left this channel it is completely free. The only station I was able to identify was Radio North, but only late in the evening and in the night. Before, there were only very weak carriers audible. I may be possible to pick up Kenya, India and maybe South Africa. Does anyone know if the South African station on 846 kHz broadcasts 24h? My old (2003) WRTH does not show the information. The spectrogram and a list of carriers can be found at: http://www.tpi.uni-jena.de/~chm/846/846_16-V-04.jpg http://www.tpi.uni-jena.de/~chm/846/846.html 73's (Christoph Mayer (Room 219, Abbeanum), Theoretisch Physikalisches Institut, Friedrich Schiller Universitaet Jena, Germany, http://www.tpi.uni-jena.de/~chm May 17, MWC via DXLD) [Later:] Thanks for all the comments. Details about the spectrograms: resolution is 0.04 Hz, 16 bit signed samples, 8000 samples/second, offset 400 Hz, LSB mode 25000 bin FFT after reduction of samplerate by a factor of 8. The program is written in C++ and runs on Linux computer. It writes the spectra into a .TIFF file. From this .TIFF file all spectra can be reconstructed using the data in the band at the left side. Then there are other programmes which can merge .TIFF files and draw the simple rulers each hour. Adding the qrg and utc markers is yet done 'by hand' using a programme called xfig. I have uploaded a spectrogram from last evening (May 17th). Some traces are the same, but there are also some new ones. On the spectrograms it can be seen that the amount of local noise varies across the evening. Later, the carrier of Radio North seems to produce some distortion. Can any of the UK members confirm that the carrier of Radio North is slightly drifting? 73 (Christoph, ibid.) ** KIRIBATI. 846, Radio Kiribati Tarawa, local dialect talk, religious music, generally VG, nightly (David Ricquish, Samoa, NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. 21420, 2200 20/4, V. of Korea Poor in Chinese on 3rd harmonic of 7140 kHz (Heard on 5 occasions with talk & class songs). I/S ID, anthem & faint speech. 2200 (Kelvin Brayshaw, Levin, New Zealand, FRG-7 & Sony ICF 2001 60m & 40m horizontal loops, May NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. CLANDESTINE (Iraqi Kurdistan), 4068, Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan. Sent a follow-up letter to the KDP Press Office at P.O. Box 4912 London UK back in December of 2001 (this after my letter to their Washington address was returned with indication that the Box was closed). My letter was returned (this past week) from British Royal Mail with a sticker as 'not called for" and another sticker 'send back to sender'. One wonders just how long that letter of mine was in that Postal Office Box waiting for a pick-up (2 1/2 years?) (Edward Kusalik, VE6EFK, DX'er since 1965, Alberta, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** MARSHALL ISLANDS. 1098, V7AB Majuro, surprisingly strong every night, best island signal after Tonga. Local music, basketball match commentary. Had to double check, as at first hoped I had NBC Alotau 1107 if it was on air! 1224, AFR Kwajalein, NPR style programs heard in mix, but nothing identifiable with any certainty despite lots of checking this channel (David Ricquish, Samoa, NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 780. XESS Radio Tropicana Tijuana with IDs in Spanish, many mentions of LA and San Diego, great signal (David Ricquish, Samoa, NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. NEW RADIO TRANSMITTER TAKES NZ TO THE PACIFIC Tuesday, 18 May 2004, 12:53 pm Press Release: New Zealand Government 18 May 2004 Media Statement From: http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/PA0405/S00367.htm The government is to purchase a new $2.7 million digital transmitter for the highly regarded Radio New Zealand International, which broadcasts on short-wave to listeners across the Pacific. Radio New Zealand International is the country's only international short-wave station, broadcasting 24 hours a day to audiences from Papua New Guinea in the west to French Polynesia in the east, covering all South Pacific countries in between. While broadcasting mainly in English, it also carries news in seven Pacific languages, making it one of the most listened to stations in the South Pacific. Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey made the announcement today while meeting with diplomatic representatives from the Pacific region at the station's Wellington headquarters. They were joined by Associate Pacific Island Affairs Minister Taito Phillip Field and Labour Pacific MPs Mark Gosche and Luamanuvao Winnie Laban. "Radio New Zealand International is New Zealand's dependable voice in the Pacific. "During the Pacific cyclone season it provides an essential Cyclone Weather Service broadcasting hourly updates of weather conditions - 24 hours a day if necessary. When Niue was devastated by cyclone Heta last year, RNZI provided the tiny island nation with the only means of communication with the outside world. "The current 15-year old analogue transmitter RNZI has been operating with is nearing the end of its serviceable life. Funding has been secured as part of this year's Budget to replace the transmitter in 2005. It will operate alongside the current analogue transmitter for a period of several years, and then replace it completely. RNZI will also receive an additional $421,000 annually to meet the increased costs of operating the new equipment. "The new transmitter will provide a vastly improved, high quality signal to the fourteen Pacific radio stations that rebroadcast RNZI news and programmes every day. "By ensuring greater security for RNZI, the government is signaling the importance it attaches to the service and to the goodwill it generates between New Zealand and our Pacific neighbours," Steve Maharey said (via Ulis R. Fleming, Cumbre DX via DXLD) These press statements have been released today by Steve Maharey, Minister of Broadcasting and Radio New Zealand. http://www.beehive.govt.nz/PrintDocument.cfm?DocumentID=19735 Printed from http://www.Beehive.govt.nz (Barry Hartley-NZL, BC-DX May 18) [same as above] NEW ZEALAND'S DEPENDABLE VOICE IN THE PACIFIC Hello to you all. Thank you Rick Ellis for welcoming me here on behalf of the Radio New Zealand board. I would like to acknowledge the representatives from Niue, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, and my Parliamentary colleagues --- thank you for coming along. I'd also like to acknowledge my Pacific caucus colleagues, Hon Taito Phillip Field, Hon Mark Gosche and Luamanuvao Winnie Laban. New support for Radio New Zealand International I am very pleased to have the opportunity today to bring Radio New Zealand International some good news. I am aware that the station, with just eleven fulltime positions, consistently punches above its weight in providing a service that is well known and respected throughout the Pacific region. I am sure that it is the passion and dedication of the RNZI team, ably led by Linden Clark, which has driven and sustained that success. That is why I am especially pleased to be able to tell you that as part of this year's Budget the service is to receive funding that will secure its future operations. The government is to provide $2.64 million dollars capital in 2005/06 for a new digital short-wave transmitter. This will operate alongside the current analogue transmitter for a period of several years, and then replace it completely. A further $421,000 will be provided next year and in following years to cover operating costs. There are compelling reasons for installing a new digital transmitter. As the station's staff members know only too well, RNZI's current transmitter is nearing the end of its serviceable life. Last year it was out of action for seven weeks after a lightning strike. Parts required for repair were then, and are all the time, more difficult to source. The possibility of future breakdowns increases the risks of going off air for lengthy periods. Short-wave broadcasting remains the best possible way of reaching a large area with a reliable signal, at a low cost. The new transmitter will provide a vastly improved, high quality signal to the fourteen Pacific radio stations that rebroadcast RNZI news and programmes every day. An extensive lead-in time is required for the purchase. I am confirming the capital funding now, a year ahead of time, so that you can get on with your planning. The funding further bears out this government's commitment to the short-wave broadcaster. In last year's Budget RNZI received an additional $600,000 over four years to enable it to increase its daily broadcasts of original programming and in particular Pacific current affairs. Both rounds of funding initiatives support legislation that went through Parliament this year requiring Radio New Zealand, as one of its Charter obligations, to provide an international radio service to the South Pacific. The importance of Radio New Zealand International's service By ensuring greater security for RNZI the government is signaling the importance it attaches to the service's role in promoting New Zealand's foreign policy directions. This was not the case under the previous National government. The broadcaster had an anxious existence, coming perilously close to being shut down in 1998. Massive pressure from Pacific Island countries drove its survival. RNZI broadcasts to the Pacific 24 hours a day. It is heard from Papua New Guinea in the west across to French Polynesia in the east, covering all South Pacific countries in between. It is one of the most listened to stations in the Pacific. And one of the most valued and trusted. It provides bulletins of Pacific, world, New Zealand, business and sports news, along with Pacific language bulletins. During the Pacific cyclone season Radio New Zealand International provides a valuable Cyclone Weather Service. When Cyclone Alerts are issued for South Pacific countries, it broadcasts hourly updates of weather conditions - 24 hours a day if necessary. As I'm sure Hima Takelisi from Niue (who is here today) will attest, it played a vital role, as the only means of communicating to the outside world, when his country was devastated by a cyclone last year. These obligations and services would be severely compromised if the broadcaster did not operate a reliable transmitter. New Zealand's dependable voice in the Pacific RNZI is New Zealand's dependable voice in the Pacific. The goodwill generated by the broadcasts plays an important role in maintaining close relations between this country and its Pacific neighbours. That does not mean RNZI imposes a New Zealand news agenda or news values on the fourteen Pacific stations which rebroadcast its material. Much of the news comes from twenty local Pacific journalists based throughout the region. Combined with a strong news team in Wellington, this enables RNZI to provide a comprehensive and up to date Pacific news service that is the best in the world. Importantly, RNZI enables Pacific newsmakers to speak for themselves. RNZI also supplies programmes to international broadcasters around the world and has won two Commonwealth Broadcasting Association Awards for Excellence. Broadcasting in the 21 Century is changing quickly, and increasingly, digital technology is replacing old analogue transmission systems. It is timely that RNZI should upgrade its service using the best technology available. I am very pleased to be launching RNZI into a new digital era. I anticipate an exciting future in which the service will consolidate and expand its relationships with its Pacific colleagues (Hon Steve Maharey-NZ, 18 May 2004) FUNDING BOOST FOR RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL Radio New Zealand Chief Executive, Peter Cavanagh, has applauded the Government announcement of a funding boost for Radio New Zealand International. The Government is to provide $2.64 million dollars capital in 2005 - 2006 for a new digital short-wave transmitter. An additional $421,000 will be provided next year and in subsequent years to cover operating costs. Radio New Zealand International's current analogue transmitter is nearing the end of its serviceable life. Commenting on the funding announcement, Peter Cavanagh, emphasised the importance of the country's highly regarded short-wave broadcaster servicing listeners in the Pacific Islands. "The new digital transmitter will secure the long term future of what has become a vitally important service to the people of the Pacific region. This very welcome funding recognises the significant part played by Radio New Zealand International in increasing understanding and awareness of New Zealand's role in the Pacific. "We value our relationship with our Pacific neighbours and see broadcasting as a two way process with news and information from the region flowing back to this country through Radio New Zealand's domestic services - providing an invaluable link home for the country's growing Pacific Island communities. " Radio New Zealand International Manager, Linden Clark, says the Government announcement is a great boost for the broadcaster. "Today's funding announcement means that our Radio New Zealand International programming can be delivered to the Pacific via a high quality signal ... it'll sound like FM. We've known for a long time that our Pacific content is the best there is - and now we'll know that our delivery system can match it." "This is a great vote of confidence, it not only protects, but also strengthens the voice of New Zealand in the world's most widespread region, a region where New Zealand really does make a difference." (Hon Steve Maharey, NZ, 18 May 2004, all via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) But, but, what`s wrong with their analog transmitter? Booms in here on 9615 at 0500, e.g. It looks as if RNZI considers itself a feeder for relay by a very limited number of local stations in the Pacific islands; why not do this via satellite, and retain analog SW broadcasting for direct listening by the general public with their existing analog receivers? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {rebutted in 4-083; re-rebutted in 4-085} ** NEW ZEALAND. DX Times sub-editor and host of `Mailbox` in the 1970s and 80s, TONY KING recalls ``Rudi Hill was my producer for many years, back when FRED BARNES (Country Calendar) was Manager of the Shortwave Service. In his time we introduced a Japanese segment into Mailbox with the help of Japanese exchange tutors from the Correspondence school, special mail covers for the 30th anniversary of RNZ SW, and a selection of QSL cards which I overprinted. BBC trained, Rudi had several years with radio in Samoa, more or less setting it on its feet back in the 60’s. His forte was band music and he fronted years of band music programmes and had a loyal following in the Pacific Islands through the supply of cassettes to the island stations.`` (NEW ZEALAND DX TIMES PAGE 46 MAY 2004 via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND [and non]. EFFORT OF DXERS MARKED I suspect most radio listeners, like me, would have been unaware of the efforts of the New Zealand DX Club in monitoring enemy radio during World War 2, often bringing comfort to the relatives of captured Kiwi servicemen. In Germany Calling, a Spectrum documentary (National Radio, Anzac Day), Jack Perkins provided generous air time to veteran Mosgiel DXer Jack Fox who, with the late Arthur Cushen of Invercargill, was a key member of the DX’s prisoner of war monitoring division. Mr Fox, a former editor of the Taieri Herald and former Mosgiel correspondent of the Otago Daily Times, said that in 1944, 1100 POW messages were picked up from enemy stations by radio DXers. At the end of the war, the total was about 6000. His comments, and those of Mr Cushen, were interspersed with fascinating archival material of propaganda broadcasts, delivered from Germany by announcers with impeccable English accents. Featured too were musical numbers of the day, delivering would-be moralesapping snippets of outrageous misinformation and insults about personalities like the then Mr Churchill. Mr Fox explained that early in 1941, when he was working in the telegraph office at Dunedin`s chief post office, he was approached by two members of the Security Intelligence Bureau, the forerunner of the SIS, and asked to set up a monitoring system, to ascertain what German radio said about New Zealand and New Zealanders. The bureau would then be able to check whether news was being leaked from New Zealand or whether there was official news, such as from a news agency. ``Germany had a number of powerful transmitters and we could hear them broadcasting to various parts of the world . . .`` German radio did mention a terrible lot about the Middle East,`` Mr Fox said. ``They mentioned New Zealanders in the RAF flying over Europe, bombing Germany and saying... `why are we coming thousands of miles to bomb a country like Germany when we should be home`?`` German radio began a programme called Anzac Tattoo. Designed for Australia and New Zealand, it was a new format on which prisoner of war lists were broadcast. Given out were the prisoner`s number and rank, ``RNZAF or whatever, and that he was a prisoner in such and such a camp``. Mr Fox pointed out that the DXers had no recording equipment. [Perkins later noted he had been unable to track down any radio lists of New Zealand POWs ``Even recordings that might have been made by our broadcasting service, the NZBS, have not survived,`` he said.] ``I might have heard something in Dunedin ... Elsewhere another member would pick up the rest of the message. All those messages were sent to Arthur Cushen in Invercargill, who put them together and then sent them out on a special form to the next of kin.`` Later on, through a special radio station, prisoners` names were broadcast within days of their capture. Security monitoring on the radio intensified when Japan came into the war. Mr Cushen, the person in charge of the DX POW monitoring, said that all the Japanese messages from Radio Japan, or Radio Tokyo as it was known then, dealt with civilian internees. One had been on the missing list for two and a-half years (Otago Daily Times ``Radio Review`` 28 April 2004 by Clarke Isaacs, via NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. More on KSBI-52: Brady Brus caught doing a live? On- camera weather segment complete with his own 7-day forecast (de rigeur around here, tho getting plenty iffy after 4 or 5) around 10:16 pm CT, strangely enough at exactly the same time the big 3 affils there do it, cutting in to CNN HN, and cutting back to CNN in the middle of a word. He was back with another weather break toward the end of the half hour. Wonder if KSBI is moving toward also doing live local news (Glenn Hauser, Enid, May 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PANAMA. 1159.94, Ecos de Pedasí, Pedasí, 109 kb 0045 UT, 05/2004. Listen to this new Panamanian station! Recordings and comments at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 17/May/2004 11:35 Saludos Cordiales desde "La Mitad del Mundo"! (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PARAGUAY. 9737, Radio Nacional de Paraguay, 2220, Programa deportivo, fútbol, "18 con 25 minutos en nuestro programa deportivo aquí en Radio Nacional de Paraguay". Marcadores de la liga italiana y tornero clausura argentino. 24322. (Mayo 16). 9737, Radio Nacional de Paraguay, 0257, Fútbol, comentario sobre la copa Libertadores de América, a las 0300 Identificación: "Continuamos en Radio Nacional de Paraguay. Publicidad. 24322. (Mayo 17). (Manuel Méndez, Spain, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. Complementando as informações sobre os novos horários e freqüências do Espaço de Dexismo da RDP: nas terças-feiras, às 2330, em 9715, 13660, 13700, 15295 e 15480 kHz. Reapresentação, nas quartas, no mesmo horário e freqüências. Também às 1640, em 15445, 15525, 13770, 21655 e 21800 kHz. São notícias ofertadas pelo João Gonçalves Costa, desde Almada, em Portugal (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX May 16 via DXLD) ** SAMOA. The two AM stations in Samoa are now known as SBC Radio 1 (540, 10 kW) and SBC Radio 2 (747, 10 kW). The latter is only on for a couple of hours in the morning with education programs for Samoa and Tokelau and uses a mobile studio parked outside the SBC Radio 1 building. The heritage callsign 2AP was dropped last year when radio and TV (Televise Samoa) services were combined under a new board. Samoa AM Trail April 28-May 05 2004 Mostly 6-10 pm local Samoa time: 540, SBC Radio 1 Apia, usually in Samoan, some English programs. Music includes contemporary Samoan, some local ads nearly always in Samoan 747, SBC Radio 2 Apia, heard weekday mornings 9-11 am local time with school lessons in Samoan and Tokelauan (for Tokelau Islands 400 km north), sometimes in English (David Ricquish, Samoa, NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** SAMOA [non]. SAMOA BANDSCAN WITH DAVID RICQUISH Using the GE SuperRadio II with built in antenna on north shore of Upoulu about 20 km east of Apia. No local stations on air after midnight and only one on 540 earlier, so basically an open dial. No TVI, no power line noise, no generators, no electrical fences, no electrical QRM etc. Just the sound of the waves lapping on the shore under the balcony, sunset over the lagoon, a cold Vailima beer in hand and an hour of Hawaiian DX before dinner was served. So peaceful, I barely bothered to log anything, just too relaxed listening to old favorites. Recommended therapy for any DXer! (David Ricquish, of Wellington, May NZ DX Times via DXLD) Excerpts of scan here under COOK ISLANDS, HAWAII, KIRIBATI, MARSHALL ISLANDS, MEXICO, TAHITI, TONGA. There were also numerous US Mainland logs (gh) ** SAMOA AMERICAN. 580, KJAL Pago Pago, generally weak with Samoan religious music, irregular and usually with poor modulation. Seems to close by 11 pm local. KJAL 580 is barely heard in Apia (100 km away) at night, and is not 24/7 as KMJ Fresno is heard every night. Very poor modulation when heard, and usually in Samoan (David Ricquish, Samoa, NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** SUDAN [non]. "ENGLAND", 17630, Sudan Radio Service via Woofferton, UK. No data acknowledgment and Information letter with schedule, in six months, from the Kenya address. Address used was: Sudan Radio Service (SRS) c/o EDC, Inc., P.O. Box 4392 00100 Nairobi, Kenya (Edward Kusalik, VE6EFK, DX'er since 1965, Alberta, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** TAHITI. 738 OCE Radio Tahiti Papeete always fading in soon after dark, sometimes better later with FF programs from Paris (David Ricquish, Samoa, NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** TONGA. 1017, A3Z Nuku`alofa, easily the best non-Samoan signal, always there just before sunset, thru to sign-off, faint signals in daytime sometimes (David Ricquish, Samoa, NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** U K. Time and frequency changes for BBC in Kazakh: 1200-1230 Mon- Fri on 15535 and 17665, ex 1300-1330 Mon-Fri on 15535 and 17720 (Observer, Bulgaria, May 18 via DXLD) ** U K. Very good reception in BUL for new station Leading The Way via RMP 500 kW: 1700-1730 Tue/Fri on 15495 / 095 deg to WeAs in Farsi 1700-1730 Sat/Sun on 15495 / 076 deg to RUSS in Russian (Observer, Bulgaria, May 18 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Frequency changes for VOA: 1330-1430 Urdu on 9510 12025 15190 Radio Aap ki Dunyaa cancelled 1400-1500 Urdu on 9510 11790 15170 15255 Radio Aap ki Dunyaa 1600-1700 Hindi NF 9440, ex 11705 \\ 7260 and 12115 (Observer, Bulgaria, May 18 via DXLD) ** U S A. From my monitoring this weekend: UT Sunday 0000 WBCQ, 5/16/04 on 9330: Allan is not on at that time any more. BUT what I heard there instead was interesting. This is now the "Remnants' Hope Radio Broadcast" religious program, and the live speaker said that next week he'd be airing a special anti-Brother-Stair program (already recorded) that should be an exposé of Stair`s nefarious activities. So maybe we all need to listen to this for grins? (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re the comment in DXLD 4-081 about R Netherlands in English logged via WRMI's transmission of WRN on 7385 kHz (nominal) during the 0400 UT hour Mondays: Every time I run across that transmission when tuning around local Sunday evenings I find it a bit irritating. What a waste to transmit this during the exact same hour that RN comes in clear and strong direct from their own relay on Bonaire! How does WRN decide what SW broadcasters' programs to feed during each hour? Surely it would be better to use this 0400 UT hour to feed some other broadcasters that cannot be heard so easily on SW at that hour, and transmit the RN program an hour or two later, giving a chance for listeners to hear something they missed earlier due to conflicts or competition. Does WRN have a number of different streams with different arrangements of programs so that WRMI could select an alternate feed for this once-a-week late-night transmission of WRN? By the way, is this a paid program, with WRN paying WRMI to air it? Or is WRMI paying WRN for the programming? Or is this just a "gentleman's agreement" with no payment involved? What is WRMI's motivation to carry this and pay to run the transmitters those hours, if the latter is the case? Let me emphasize that I am grateful that it is on the air; this is what I leave my radio on late Sunday night each week, and usually wake up at 4 AM when WRMI signs off and the noise rises up and wakes me! I re-tune to RN on 9875 then and usually fall back asleep... :-) 73, (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: Regarding Will's comments on RN via WRN via WRMI: We are actually just using the WRN feed as "fill" since those hours are not currently sold, but we need to stay on the air so no one else decides to occupy our frequency. Anyway, we have no control over what program they air anytime. However, I am sympathetic to Will's comments of course, and I'm glad he enjoys the WRN relay. The best thing might be if WRN would run World of Radio at 0400, or any of the hours we relay them! (Jeff White, WRMI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WJIE, 13595, presumed them with a decent signal at 1315. Not // 7490. 13595 heard with an infomercial, sounded like a relay of a TV station with a woman referring to dialing the number on your screen. Right thru 1330 without an ID (Hans Johnson, Naples, FL, May 17, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** U S A. 1620, WBUB, FL, Gulf Breeze --- An article in Radio World mentions that this new station (originally assigned to Atmore, AL) has been built, was testing, and was expected to take to the air May 1. Local monitoring indicates they are not yet on the air. Facilities are the X-band regular U1 10000/1000 (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News May 17 via DXLD) ** U S A. AM-1330 Returns to Original Call Letters Since at least the 1950's, AM-1330 was known as WLOL in the Mpls./St. Paul market. It was also one of the first stations to have an FM outlet at 99.5 MHz. Via the quirks of broadcasting, and through the actions of different station owners, these two frequencies were at one time known as KSJN- AM and KSJN/FM respectively (the AM transfer happened first, by a couple years). While 99.5 continues as the classical flagship of Minn. Public Radio, the following announcement is incorporated into the current Station-ID on 1330: Coming May 25th, a stronger clearer signal for Relevant Radio, 1330; WLOL, Minneapolis. This call sign, presumably standing for Land Of Lakes, has in itself had a checkered history, involving local radio entrepreneur Jack Moore, big-band station KLBB, Clear Channel Communications and the old Liggett Broadcast Group. While most of this had to do with the FM franchise, I'm happy to report that 1330 is to be known once again by its original designation. What bearing this ultimately has on the Catholic group that was going to buy the station I do not know. So far, it's still a stripped-down version of the AP News service, with Franken, the Ed Schultz Show, and Wendy Wilde, between 11:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. [CDT = UT -5] on weekdays. In our market, this block is collectively called Higher Ground Radio, rather than Air America. This is probably done to better integrate Wendy's show into the mix and/or to allow the local folks to broker ads during this time slot. Hope the story continues to be of interest --- IF HISTORY IS REPEATING ITSELF, CAN'T WE JUST PUT IT ON SHUFFLE-PLAY? --- BEST TO YOU FROM, (Max Swanson, MN, May 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hmm, I can think of something else LOL stands for. I suppose Relevant will become Irrelevant and dump Air America, er, HGR (gh, DXLD) {Yes: see 4-084} ** U S A. In Rochester, our flies on the wall at the WRUR (88.5 Rochester) staff meeting last week report there were a lot of unhappy student and volunteer DJs, as you'd expect from anyone who now has to tape their shows two weeks in advance. And with no University of Rochester officials at the meeting to defend their policy decision, we hear station manager Jared Lapin bore the brunt of the criticism. (We also hear that he's the one who'll have to sit there and review all those taped shows before they can air.) When WRUR's new schedule debuts June 1, we're told it will feature more of a block arrangement of programming, with specialty shows on the weekend, rock in the afternoon, oldies in the early evening, metal later at night and most urban-oriented programming after midnight, a time slot that didn't sit well with some of the jocks at the meeting. WRUR has also ramped up its simulcast of news-talk WXXI (1370), with much of WXXI's midday lineup being heard on 88.5 as of early last week. Thus far, there's been little or no public outcry about the changes, but that may change next week when the alternative weekly City runs an article about WRUR's new mega-delay. (We're not holding our collective breath for the daily Democrat and Chronicle to pay any more attention to WRUR than it does to the rest of the radio scene locally.) You can read the letter from the university to the students right here http://www.fybush.com/wrurletter.html by the way (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch May 17 via DXLD) See also IRAQ [and non] for NERW story on Nick Berg ** U S A. If you haven`t discovered `Tripping the Rift` yet, let me recommend this raunchy new CGI computer-animated series on the SciFi cable channel. The writing is very sharp, and plots relate to current events, such as gun nuts & Charlton Heston. The animation is something to behold too, especially the slow-mo jiggle motion of the too-good- to-be true appendages of Six the sexbot whose performance is otherwise wooden --- but that`s counterbalanced by the other centaurish eye- stalked, six-legged, tri-breasted `woman`, T`nuk, whom only another of her species (are there any?) could find attractive. Lots of other wacky characters, each of a different species, strangely enough, such as a C3PO clone, but considerably more flexible for a metal being, and headed by the triocular, big-assed, but lovable purple monster Chode. Anyhow, a marathon is being promoted for Thursday night, UT Friday May 21 starting at 0100, straight thru until 0400, according to the SciFi website, so that`s six episodes --- oh, oh, print TV Guide has it running four hours, so that`s eight episodes. Zap2it listings show four hours, but the two episodes in the second hour (0200-0300 UT) repeat in the fourth (0400-0500). The show has been scattered all over the SciFi schedule with numerous repeats, so it`s hard to keep track of episodes. The TV Tome episode guide http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/EpisodeGuideSummary/showid-17504/season-all shows the 11th was scheduled for release on May 20, and thirteen are to make up Season 1. A post on the show`s forum at tvtome claims SciFi is already threatening to cancel TTR. A great chance to tape a lot of them, anyway. If SciFi has a west coast feed, the UT would be two or three hours later there, I suppose (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {also of note: show is produced in Quebec, no French accents} An early review via the forum: http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/ShowForumPage/showid-17504/threadid-33879/ http://www.genreonline.net/Tripping_The_Rift_SciFi.html Title: Tripping The Rift: Series Premiere "God Is Our Pilot" Starring The Voices Of: Stephen Root, Maurice Lamarche, Gina Gershon, and "Stuttering" John Meléndez Writers: William Rosenthal and Andrew Borakove Director: Bernie Denk Created By: Chuck Austen and Chris Moeller Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera In Sci-Fi Channel's first original animated series "Tripping The Rift", viewers will follow the twisted exploits of the smuggling vessel Free Enterprise commanded by the three-eyed purple stumpy alien Chode, who along with his crew of intergalactic misfits, encounter some of the strangest adventures seen on TV since the Sci-Fi channel series "LEXX." In the series première, Chode and his whining android Gus take a trip back to the beginning of time where they accidentally kill God. When they return to their proper time and space, they realize their tampering with the past has created a "Perfect" world that quickly becomes corrupted and unlivable due to Chode's tampering with the past. Now Chode and Gus must return back to the beginning of time and space and stop themselves from killing God. "Tripping The Rift" is a bit dark and definitely a CGI animated series that is meant for adults. The characters behave badly, but they are quite amusing and there are plenty of background jokes throughout each episode so definitely set your video recording devices up and don't miss a single episode since the episodes absolutely get funnier with repeated viewings. The animation is top quality. The characters look like toys, but that adds to both the charm and the demented fun of the series (via gh, DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. U.S. X-BAND AT A GLANCE - MAY 2004 COMPILED BY TONY KING, GREYTOWN, NEW ZEALAND Send corrections or updates to broadcast.dx @ radiodx.com 1610 CJWI Montreal QUE FF/Creole 1620 WDND South Bend IN ``ESPN Radio 1620 South Bend`` KOZN Bellevue NE ESPN Sport. ``The Zone in Omaha`` WTAW College Station TX `Newstalk 16-20 WTAW` Takes `USA Radio News` & C-to-C AM KBLI Blackfoot ID EE Talk // 1260 KZNI & KZNR 690 KYIZ Renton WA Urban AC/ Black Oldies `` // KRIZ `` Z Twins`` KSMH West Sacramento, CA Rel. ETWN Catholic. ``KSMH West Sacramento`` WDHP Frederikstad, US Virgins BBC WS to after 2200 NZDT. Full ID at :59 1630 KCJJ Iowa City IA Talk/Sport KKWY Fox Farm WY C&W AP nx ``The Spirit of Wyoming`` `` K-W-Y 1630`` KKGM Ft Worth/Dallas TX SS gospel x KNAX but reported silent ! WRDW Augusta GA Talk/Sport ``Newstalk 1630`` [still omits XEUT 1630 Tijuana, despite CJWI 1610 Montreal] 1640 WKSH Sussex WI Disney KDZR Lake Oswego OR Disney `KDZR Radio Disney Portland`` KDIA Vallejo CA Talk/religious/life issues WTNI Biloxi MS ``Talk Radio 1640 WTNI Biloxi``Takes Coast to Coast. ABC nx. KFNY Enid-Oklahoma City OK All Comedy Radio. P.O. Box 952 Enid OK 73702. KBJA Sandy UT SS/Radio Unica/Radio Latina. EE ID on hour 1650 WHKT Portsmouth VA Disney. ``AM1650 WHKT Portsmouth, Radio Disney`` KBIV El Paso TX C & W. ``Country Classics KBIV`` KDNZ Cedar Falls IA Talk/ Sport ``The Talk Station``// KCNZ Takes `Coast to Coast` KWHN Fort Smith AR `Newstalk 1650 KWHN` KBJD Denver CO Talk. ``KNUS-2`` KFOX Torrance CA Korean/ EE ID on hour 1660 KTIQ Merced CA Now ``Radiovisa`` SS talk. EE ID ``KTIQ Merced`` WFNA Charlotte NC Sporting News Radio//WFNZ 610 WWRU Elizabeth NJ Talk SS Radio Unica. WCNZ Marco Is FL `Newsradio 1660` AP nx. WQSN Kalamazoo MI Sports/talk ESPN KRZX Waco TX ESPN + local sport //KRZI 1580. Nx on hr/local ads .05 (Z=Zee) KQWB West Fargo ND Nostalgia ``Star 1660 is KQWB AM` CNN news KXOL Brigham City UT ``Oldies Radio`` (60`s rock) KXTR Kansas City KS `Classical 1660` WGIT Canovanas Puerto Rico SS oldies ``El Gigante`` 1670 WMWR Warner Robins/Macon GA News/Talk x WRNC ``Talk Radio WMWR 1670`` WTDY Madison WI Sports/Talk. ``Talk Radio 1670`` (Sporting News Network) KHPY Moreno Valley, CA Radio Católica SS EE on the hour. KNRO Redding CA ``Redding`s ESPN Radio 1670 KNRO` 1680 WTTM Princeton NJ Ethnic --- Asian ``EBC Radio`` WLAA Winter Garden FL SS WDSS Ada MI Disney `AM1680 WDSS` KAVT Fresno CA Disney/SS KTFH Seattle WA Ethnic./SS Rel/``The Bridge, AM 16-80 KTFH Seattle.`` KRJO Monroe LA Urban Gospel. ``Rejoice 1680`` x KYEA 1690 KDDZ Arvada CO Disney KFSG Roseville CA SS rel. and Asian. EE ID on hr ``KFSG Sacramento`` WRLL Berwyn/Chicago IL ``Real Oldies 1690`` WSWK Adel, GA Atlanta Country. WPTX Lexington Park MD ``Newstalk 1690 WPTX`` CNN headline News 1700 WJCC Miami Springs FL SS/Rel/``Radio Luz`` WEUV Huntsville AL Black Gospel. KTBK Sherman TX Sporting News Radio ``Sports Radio 1310 KTCK The Ticket`` KBGG Des Moines IA `All News 1700 KBGG``. CNN. KVNS Brownsville TX `Talk. ex KQXX (C to C after midnite US ?) (NEW ZEALAND DX TIMES PAGE 34 MAY 2004 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. 4939.7, R. Amazonas, Puerto Ayacucho; 0950-1030, p/f on 05/08. Beautiful música llanera to 1020, then romantic songs. TC by OM was sometimes heard. ID was given at 0953 and 1021. I am very glad to confirm this station finally after several years' trial (Takeshi SEJIMO, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. 15230.0, R. Nacional Venezuela via Cuba, Caracas; *2000-2100*, poor/fair on 05/02. 2002 Opening announcement "Esta señal identifica a la antena internacional de Radio Nacional de Venezuela. Transmitimos desde Caracas, República Bolivariana de Venezuela. Agradecemos a los oyentes reportarnos nuestra señal al apartado 3979, Caracas, 10-10 Venezuela." 2015 ID/program "Uds. escuchan Radio Nacional de Venezuela, antena internacional. En canal informativo en circuito RNV presenta el espacio Expresión universitaria en ministerio de educación superior." 2025 px "Un momento en nuestra historia." 2030 px "Oportunidades de inversión en Venezuela." 2045 px "El comité de usuario en la visión." (Hideki WATANABE, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. Radio for Peace: See ITALY ** ZIMBABWE [non]. VOA has reshuffled its "Studio 7" service for listeners in Zimbabwe. Instead of M-F it is now aired daily according to the following schedule: 1700-1800 on 909 BOT, 17895 MOR, 11975 SAO BOT = Moepeng Hill-BOT, MOR = Briech-MRC, SAO = Pinheira-STP The program is aired in three languages: 1700-1720 Shona, 1720-1740 Ndebele, 1740-1800 English. Address: VOA, African Division, Studio Seven, 330 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20237, USA. Email: studio7 @ voanews.com (Source: VOA) (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, May 17, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. SW Radio Africa (broadcasting to Zimbabwe via Meyerton) seems to be again on 4880. Noted on 17 May at 1856, they signed off at 1859 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SW Radio Africa changes frequency today SW Radio Africa, which broadcasts to Zimbabwe from studios in the United Kingdom, is making its seasonal frequency change today. Broadcasts are now daily at 1600-1900 UTC on 4880 kHz instead of 6145 kHz (Andy Sennitt, May 17, dxldyg via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 693 kHz --- I heard a bubble type radio jammer on MW 693, March 17 [correct] at my local dark time in the morning and in the evening: around 0320 and 2130 UT. So, what is the target of this?? The direction of the jammer`s signal --- Middle East. Information Radio in Basrah, Iraq broadcasts on the same frequency (Robertas Petraitis, Lithuania, Clandestine column of Mathias Kropf, May World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ IRCA CONVENTION 2004, BOISE ID, JULY 23-25 [non?] As of 5/17 we have only 4 registrations and only 2 rooms reserved. We need to know how many out there are planning to come. We have to make a decision by 6/1 to decide if we are going to have it or not. If you are coming please e-mail me right away! 73 (Frank Aden, N7sok @ aol.com amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) See 4-080, {4-084} DRM +++ Glenn writes in DXLD: "I can`t help wonder if, like the recent speculation on how WOR`s Tom Ray REALLY feels about IBOC, Andy feels constrained to advocate DRM as part of his job; less so, apparently, Jeff White (gh, DXLD)" No, Glenn, I do not feel "constrained". You impune my integrity by suggesting that I would publicly support something I do not believe in. I base my enthusiasm on what I have heard with my own ears. If that happens to coincide with the interests of my employer, so be it. However, I am sure no personal offence was intended, and therefore I don't take any :-) 73, (Andy Sennitt) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ C. CRANE COMPANY CATALOG No. 15, May-October 2004 Has just been received, 96 pages of SW equipment and accessories, including gh`s SHORTWAVE FREQUENCIES -- by country where English may be heard this season, on page 30. Request from 1-800-522-8863, check http://www.ccrane.com or 1001 Main St., Fortuna CA 95540-2008 (gh) DELICIOUS AERIAL PHOTO SITE Suggest http://www.wrightsaerials.tv/index.html which is a chap in England who quite obviously has more first hand knowledge about all types of TV/FM even satellite aerials than the average bloke. Incredible photographs, very well created text. My favourite (that's English for favorite) is in "Aerial Photography Modern" number 5, an FM aerial and text with considerable English humour (English for humor). Also while there go to Aerial Issues and then "You Must be Joking" and then to "Directional Coaxial Cable." This is one of those all too rare once you arrive you will be there for an hour or two sites (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, May 18, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The field was at predominately quiet to unsettled levels. Isolated active conditions were observed due to occasional periods of sustained southward IMF Bz. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 19 MAY - 14 JUNE 2004 Solar activity levels are expected to range from very low to low for the forecast period. Isolated moderate activity is possible from Region 609 through 22 May. 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 21 - 24 May, 01 - 04 June, and 09 - 10 June due to recurrent coronal hole high-speed streams. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to active. Unsettled to active conditions are possible from 20 – 22 May, 31 May - 03 June, and 08 - 09 June as weak, recurrent coronal hole high-speed streams rotate into a geoeffective position. Note: The ACE spacecraft orbit will bring ACE nearly in line with the Sun from about 30 May to 02 June. During that time, solar radio noise may interfere with spacecraft telemetry resulting in the loss of solar wind plasma, magnetic field, and particle data. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2004 May 18 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 May 18 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2004 May 19 120 10 3 2004 May 20 115 12 3 2004 May 21 115 10 3 2004 May 22 110 10 3 2004 May 23 110 10 3 2004 May 24 110 10 3 2004 May 25 105 10 3 2004 May 26 100 8 3 2004 May 27 95 10 3 2004 May 28 95 12 3 2004 May 29 95 10 3 2004 May 30 95 8 3 2004 May 31 100 10 3 2004 Jun 01 100 15 3 2004 Jun 02 100 8 3 2004 Jun 03 105 15 3 2004 Jun 04 105 10 3 2004 Jun 05 110 8 3 2004 Jun 06 110 8 3 2004 Jun 07 110 10 3 2004 Jun 08 110 10 3 2004 Jun 09 115 10 3 2004 Jun 10 115 8 3 2004 Jun 11 115 10 3 2004 Jun 12 115 10 3 2004 Jun 13 110 8 3 2004 Jun 14 110 10 3 (from http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1231, DXLD) ###