DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-094, June 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 1234: Sat 0800 on WRN1 to Europe, Africa, Asia, Pacific Sat 0855 on WNQM Nashville 1300 Sat 1030 on WWCR 5070 Sat 1830 on WPKN Bridgeport, 89.5, webcast http://www.wpkn.org Sat 2030 on WWCR 12160 Sat 2000 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sat 2030 on WBCQ 17495-CUSB [maybe] Sat 2130 on RFPI QuickTime http://www.rfpi.org [maybe; +8-hourly] Sat 2300 on RFPI QuickTime http://www.rfpi.org [maybe; +8-hourly] Sun 0230 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0630 on WWCR 3210 Sun 1000 on WRN1 to North America, webcast; also KSFC 91.9 Spokane WA, and WDWN 89.1 Auburn NY; maybe KTRU 91.7 Houston TX, each with webcasts Sun 1900 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 Sun 2000 on RNI webcast, http://www.11L-rni.com Mon 0100 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0330 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu [previous 1233] Mon 0430 on WBCQ 7415, webcast http://wbcq.us Mon 1600 on WBCQ after-hours http://wbcq.com repeated weekdaily Wed 0930 on WWCR 9475 WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1234 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1234h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1234h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1234.html WORLD OF RADIO 1234 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1234.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1234.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1234 in MP3, the true shortwave sound of 7415: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_06-16-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_06-16-04.mp3 MUNDO RADIAL junio-julio: Tres veces por semana en WWCR 15825: martes 2130, miércoles 2100, viernes 2115; y en segmentos por Radio Enlace de RN, los viernes y domingos. Además: (corriente) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0406.ram (bajable) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0406.rm (guión) http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0406.html 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) ** AUSTRALIA. AUSTRALIAN X-BAND AT A GLANCE JUNE 2004 COMPILED BY DAVID RICQUISH, WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND [4 digit numbers are postal codes] 1611 Radio 2 Brocklehurst 2830 (Dubbo) MOR 2RF Rete Italia Griffith 2680 Italian Radio 2 St Mary’s 2760 (West Sydney) MOR NTC Radio 16 Tamworth 2340 News/Talk/County 3XX 16-11 Double X Hoppers Crossing 3050 (Melbourne) // FM Alive Radio/Top of the Dial Mildura 3550 Christian Radio 2 Cluden 4811 (Townsville) MOR 4GT Dalby 4405 6AY Albany 6330 AM 1611 Margaret River Radio Margaret River 6284 MOR 6GS Wagin 6315 //1422 AM Sports Radio 2 Cygnet 7112 (Hobart) MOR Radio 2 Darwin 0800 MOR 1620 2MORO Homebush 2141 (Sydney) Arabic 2MAX Narrabri 2390 // 91.3FM 1RF Rete Italia Queanbeyan 2620 (Canberra) Italian Radio 2 Shoal Bay 2315 (Newcastle) MOR 3GB Hillside Radio Bayswater 3153 (Melbourne) Sports/UK // FM Radio 2 Cairns 4870 MOR Radio 2 Caloundra 4551 (Sunshine Coast) MOR Radio 2 Carrara 4211 (Gold Coast) MOR 4KZ Georgetown 4871 // 531 AM Radio 2 Manly 4179 (Brisbane) MOR Radio 2 Toowoomba 4250 MOR Radio 2 Old Noarlunga 5168 (Adelaide) MOR Radio 2 Balcatta 6021 (North Perth) MOR 1629 NTC Radio 16 Armidale 2350 News/Talk/Country NTC Radio 16 Brocklehurst 2830 (Dubbo) News/Talk/country Radio 2 Murrumbateman 2582 (Canberra) MOR NTC Radio 16 O`Connell 2795 (Bathurst) News/Talk/Country 2HRN Hospital Radio Network Sandgate 2304 (Newcastle) MOR 3RF Rete Italia Shepparton 3631 Italian Radio 2 Williamstown 3016 (Melbourne) MOR 4DB Country Music Network Dalby 4405 Country 4RF Rete Italia Mango Hill 4058 (Brisbane) Italian 5RF Rete Italia Regency Park 5010 (Adelaide) Italian Radio 2 Mundaring 6073 (City & East Perth) MOR 1638 2ME Concord West 2138 (Sydney) Arabic 3ME South Morang 3052 (Melbourne) Arabic 1647 2ME Kaleen 2617 (Canberra) Arabic 1665 Radio Symban Canberra 2601 Greek 2MM Marrickville 2204 (Sydney) Greek 1683 Club AM Woden 2607 (Canberra) Greek Club AM Lakemba 2195 (Sydney) Greek 1692 Tower Radio (pirate) Sydney metro region Rock (low power)(4) 1701 NTC Radio 16 Silverwater 2141 (Sydney) News/Talk/Country Radio Brisvaani 17 Mile Rocks 4073 (Brisbane) Hindi Radio Rhema/Vision FM Rockingham 6168 (Perth) Contemporary Christian (3) Notes: (1) 6GS 1611 currently silent; (2) additional Radio 2 and NTC sites regularly coming on air; (3) listed operator, tests heard south of Perth end of May; (4) reported heard late March to west of Sydney – Emu Plains 2750 serving Penrith is listed here with operator Narrowcast & Broadcast Services who previously broadcast from Emu Plains 1674 in 1998 © Radio Heritage Foundation 2004 (David Ricquish, Wellington, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Hear Radio Australia, Brandon from 0800 this evening on 5995 or rather slightly off frequency by 2 to 3 hundred Hertz causing a heterodyne to the other station under RA on same frequency which I think is Voice Cristiana in Chile (which is right on frequency) and is listed to broadcast from 0800 to 1100. The funny thing is, with R. Australia being slightly off frequency and using SSB on my Icom R75 receiver, I can separate both stations extremely well and good enough to be able to understand each one by switching between LSB and USB and adjusting passband tuning to better the results! The big question is, why is the Brandon transmitter slightly off frequency (like some transmitters in third world countries!!)? Has the Federal Government not provided the ABC with enough funding to maintain the transmitters adequately or are the engineers incapable of keeping the TX site up to scratch? This is the first time I have ever heard Radio Australia on any transmitter slightly off frequency!! Best regards! (Michael Stevenson, Port Macquarie, N.S.W., Australia, June 19, EDXP via DXLD) Mike, You're right!! Checked tonight (18/6) at 0940 and RA seems to be on 5994.75 kHz, which is appalling! Voz Cristiana is dead on 5995. So what's going on here? This needs to be brought to the attention of the authorities. Next thing you'll know, the ABC will be running pirate operations in the 6900 kHz region! What hope have we got when the national broadcaster, who is a signatory to the DRM technology, can't keep it's regular, simple AM transmitter on frequency?!! And of course, we have Shepparton splattering all over the same band as well in our evenings (Rob Wagner VK3BVW, Melbourne, Australia, Rigs: Kenwood TS2000, Yaesu FRG100, Sangean ATS909, Antennae: 20 mx dipole, T2FD, long wires, ibid.) Further to Rob's post, members may be interested to know that "Broadcast Australia" is the transmission company responsible for managing and operating all of the ABC's transmitters, which includes Radio Australia. The ABC does not own any of the infrastructure. Neither the ABC nor Broadcast Australia are members of the DRM Consortium, but "Commercial Radio Australia" is - a group of Australian AM and FM radio broadcasters based in Sydney. Brandon is old, and as a matter of interest it is being blown out of the water on 12080 in the 2000-2200 period by the big new Chinese transmitter on the same frequency. The 250 Hz carrier offset is apparent on both of the Brandon transmitters, yielding that annoying rumble! Broadcast Australia is aware of the continuing saga of poorly adusted transmitters at Shepparton, creating all sorts of appalling spurious signals on 49 mb during evening hours, due to unterminated antenna feeders! However, BA declines to do anything to fix it - it gets its money from the Australian Government as a component of the annual appropriation to run the transmitters, and priorities are low for fixing RA facilities! Regards (Bob Padula, Mont Albert, Victoria, Australia, ibid.) ** AUSTRIA. With the program booklet (in German with only fleeting references to English), Radio Österreich 1 International enclosed a letter from Alfred Treiber, Kultur- und Programmchef, about the Ö1 Club, which already has over 40 kilomembers; offers a magazine, download privileges, a shop offering CDs for an additional 193.5 Euro yearly; basic membership to get an Ö1 Club-Karte is 23 Euro, 15 for students. If you speak German, more details are apparently somewhere on the website http://oe1.orf.at (gh, from material forwarded by John Carson, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOTSWANA. Re ZIMBABWE-BOTSWANA row: As I think Glenn commented when this issue came up before, it's amazing that the Botswana information minister is apparently unaware that his country hosts a major VOA relay station. Or perhaps he's only feigning ignorance. Any chance of someone from VOA commenting on this? (Chris Greenway, Kenya, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) As far as I understand the press reports, the information minister is certainly aware of the VOA relay station, but has been unaware so far of VOA's special "Studio 7" broadcasts to Zimbabwe via this station. Studio 7 was launched in May 2003 (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, ibid.) ** CONGO DR. Interesting signal from Radio Okapi, Kinshasa. on June 17, on 6030. Strangely, co-channel Radio Martí was not audible! Congo audible from 2230 until fade-out at 0030 - that's 10.30 am here! African hi-life songs and dances, few announcements. This is the first time I've ever noted Okapi! Regards (Bob Padula, Mont Albert, Victoria, Australia, EDXP via DXLD) Also here, just music 0000 to fade around 0015 on 6030 June 19 (Chris Hambly, Victoria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Cuban Radio Station List: http://www.amfmdx.net/amdx/cubanradio.html (via Óscar de Céspedes, FL, June 18, DXLD) Nicely put together in several categories, but unfortunately not updated in over 3 years. Includes 11 LW beacons; does not include FM or RHC, but a few SW frequencies of Rebelde; and only one MW harmonic, 4970 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. I haven`t been getting QSLs lately, despite the reports, but as of this writing I have just received one from Radio Havana, which is usually quite good at sending them out (though I find I get a ``thank you for writing`` email or letter first, saying the QSL is on the way). They`ve changed their QSL format; the cards are bigger and not as cheap-looking. If anyone is interested in a free trip to Cuba, they also have a new contest, which celebrates the centennial of writer Alejo Carpentier. The question, open to all listeners, is ``how important is Carpentier on the international literary scene?`` The prize is an all-expenses-paid trip to Cuba for a week and participation in Centennial acivities. You have to write an essay for your entry, and the deadline is Nov. 10. Their e-mail is radiohc@enet.cu and mailing address is Apartado 6240, La Habana, Cuba. I said to my other half, `` well, must enter that one`` --- he says, ``so who is Alejo Carpentier anyway?`` My answer, of course, ``shagged if I know.`` So if you want to enter and know nothing about Cuban writers, hit the Internet. I also received e-mail about another Radio Havana contest about ``the Cuban Five`` saying I`d receive more info with my QSL card, but so far I have yet to et anything. If anyone knows about these five folks, why not drop a line? (Sue Hickey, NF, CIDX Forum June CIDX Messenger via DXLD) Since Cuba holds so many political prisoners, they have to make a cause célèbre out of five Cubans who are allegedly held as political prisoners in the U.S. Strange this gets little coverage even in the American left-wing media (gh, DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. 1431 MW. The reported bubble-jammer seems to have left the frequency, because R Sawa from Djibouti is coming in here also with much better results, even 34443 in western part of Germany (Jurgen Blum, Düsseldorf, Germany, DSWCI DX Window June 16 via DXLD) 1431, R. Sawa, May 29, 0205, very strong with female pop vocal. Even copying well in AM mode instead of usual ECSS. Peaking at S5 with no preamps engaged on my short Pennant antenna. Man announcer and into slow English song, ``Now and Forever`` at 0210 and then ``Radio Sawa`` male ID, into Arabic song (Brent Taylor, Doaktown NB, Icom R-75 (Kiwa mods), NRC International DX Digest June 14 via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. DX Partyline from Ecuador --- I've been looking for some mention of the fact that the broadcast of DX Partyline direct from Ecuador (UT Sat 1230 on 12005) has been a repeat of the end-of-May program on both 6/5/04 and 6/12/04. I was able to hear it on the WWCR broadcast at 0200 UT 6/6/04, and that WAS a new current program, but I wasn't able to tune in the WWCR repeats this past week, so I can't say what was aired then. I know that the host is on missionary-support work here in the US and producing the program on the road, and, during such times in the past, there have been problems with using the wrong tape (or digital file) in Ecuador, but it seems surprising that it would have happened two weeks in a row and that this seems to have gone unremarked-upon by everyone! Am I the only person who awakens at 7:30 AM on a Saturday to listen to DXPL? :-) Or has this actually BEEN mentioned in DXLD or other fora and I just missed it? Regards & 73, (Will Martin, MO, June 18, dxldyg via DXLD) Not that I am aware of; I certainly don`t listen on 12005 (gh, DXLD) ** FINLAND. Follow-up to previous dxing.info item: YLE has responded by saying that it is not about to close down R. Finland. According to a press release, SW transmissions will continue in the present form until the end of 2006, when the current transmission contract expires and YLE "needs to consider various options." (DXing.info, June 9, 2004, updated on June 10 via DSWCI DX Window June 16 via DXLD) ** GEORGIA. 4875, R. Hara verified with e-mail QSL for follow-up report. They tell me the following information: The public organization "The Institute of Georgian-Abkhazian Relations" (founded on December, 1999) carries out several programs. Project: "Informative-Musical Radio Programs in Abkhazian - Radio "Hara" is one of them. Head of the Institute and author of the project is Mr. Zourab Shengelia. R "Hara" ("Hara" means "We" in Abkhazian) is on air since February, 1999 four times a week on 4875 from Tbilisi to Sukhumi, on Mondays and Thursdays on 21.00-21.30 (local time) and on 09.00-09.30 (local time) on Thursdays (Tuesdays ? Ed) and Fridays. Several regular rubrics are broadcast: "world today", "Criminal chronicle", "news", "cultural chronicle", "sport chronicle", "literary page". "gossip from Hollywood", "horoscope", "modern Music", etc. R "Hara" deals with nearly all the problems but consciously avoids the theme of Georgian- Abkhazian conflict. R. "Hara" by means of radio programs promotes development of democratic values and creation of open society, fills an informative gap that naturally emerges in case of conflict, creates favorable conditions for resuming cooperation and exchange of information, supports the process of development of interconfidence. These objectives are achieved through launching several radio rubrics. On our opinion project is successful - R "Hara" on the above mentioned frequency is heard not only on the territory of Georgia (including Abkhazia), but on the whole territory of Europe and even in Singapore and Japan in Asia (confirmed by letters of radio listeners from Finland, Sweden, Germany, Lithuania, etc). V/s: Nino Berdznishvili, Manager of the Project and Zourab Shengelia. QTH: 52 Rustaveli avenue, apt. 211-212, Tbilisi, Georgia, 380008. E-mail: zourab.shengelia @ hotmail.com or league @ geoconst.org.ge (via Masato Ishii, Japan, DSWCI DX Window June 16 via DXLD) ** GUAM. The FCC has received the following applications for new stations or changes. These form part of what`s called FCC Auction 84, allowing major changes in existing operations, and calling for new AM applications. 1020 Agaña U1 250w/250w 1170 Agaña U1 250w/250w 1350 Agaña U1 250w/250w 1530 Agaña U1 250w/250w (June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** GUIANA FRENCH. Something very wrong with an RFI transmitter here: big motorboat buzz on 15515 in French for at least ten minutes straight when checked around 1324 UT June 17; \\ 17860 had no such problem. Exactly the same situation 24 hours later June 18. Is no one paying attention at Montsinéry? It was so loud I could barely make out the ``RFI`` ID in passing, tho of course I knew what it was anyway (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. 1130, CP applied for new station KRUD, Honolulu HI 10 kw/5 kw. (But WHAT a call ??) 1060, Application in for a new station at Captain Cook, HI to be in parallel with another at the same location on 1150. 1150, Application received for new station at Kahului 50 kw/12 kw. (Dale Park HI is going to be busy watching this saga on 1150 unfold). (IRCA DXM via NEW ZEALAND DX TIMES PAGE 33 JUNE 2004 via DXLD) The FCC has received the following applications for new stations or changes. Some of them in Hawaii are for locations close together, or very close on the dial, so some of these applications won`t eventuate in new operations. These form part of what`s called FCC Auction 84, allowing major changes in existing operations, and calling for new AM applications. 540 Hilo U1 250w/250w Laie U1 1.3kW/1.3kW 740 Hilo U1 250w/250w Kihei U1 5kW/5kW Kihei U1 3kW/3kW 920 Millilani U1 10kW/10kW 1010 Honokaa U1 50kW/10kW 1150 Captain Cook U1 5kW/5kW Kahului U1 50kW/12kW 1230 Millilani Town U1 1kW/1kW 1240 Kahului U1 5kW/5kW Keaau U1 1kW/1kW 1250 Keahou U1 5kW/5kW 1290 Honaunau U1 5kW/5kW 1300 Keahou U1 5kW/5kW Waihee U1 10kW/10kW Wailuku U1 16kW/16kW 1340 Haiku U1 250w/250w Honalo U1 250w/250w Honaunau U1 5kW/5kW 1350 Kihei U1 5kW/5kW 1400 Paukaa U1 2.5kW/2.5kW 1450 Hilo U1 250w/250w 1520 Honokaa U1 250w/250w Kahului U1 5kW/5kW 1600 Hilo U1 5kW/5kW In other news: 1110 KAOI Kihei On air from new tx location, U1, 5kW/5kW (Bill Hale, NRC DX News) 1150 KHBC Captain Cook Existing KHBC Hilo 1060 has second application here for relay, 5kW/5kW (but see FCC list where another application has been lodged for Kahului by another operator) 1170 KJPN Honolulu Has been relaying KAIM-FM (Dale Park, NRC DX News) 1370 KENT Pearl City/Honolulu According to Dale Park (NRC DX News), this was on air from early Feb-early March with simulcast of KJPN 1170, which in turn was relaying KAIM-FM. Currently silent, and new call granted. Plenty of activity either underway or planned in Hawaii. A move to 720 for WVUV would put them onto KUAI Eleele`s channel for reception here, and only 27 kHz away from SBC2 Apia on 747 - which given the lack of AM stations in Samoa, seems a strange choice of frequency. Will find out more, as a resurrection of WVUV would keep the last of the Mosquito Network WWII callsigns alive in the South Pacific (David Ricquish) (NEW ZEALAND DX TIMES PAGE 35 JUNE 2004 via DXLD) More updates: 1370 KITT Pearl City 6.2kW/6.2kW new call 1610 WPZH377 Honolulu now ID's as 'Traffic Advisory and Information Radio' located at the Hawaii Convention Center. (Dale Park, NRC News) Note: There are other TIS stations licenced to Hawaii, and we should have a list of these shortly, along with any others in the US Pacific zone of Guam, Saipan and American Samoa - whether operating or just licenced. [viz.:] Hawaii TIS 530 WPIW 528 Operated by State of Hawaii, PO Box 119, Honolulu, HI 96810-0119. Location: Kamehameha Highway (N), Nimitz Highway (S), Middle Street (W), an inlet (E) in Honolulu City, Honolulu County 1610 WPZH 377 Operated by the Hawaii Convention Center, 1801 Kalakaua Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815. Location: 1801 Kalakaua Avenue. 1610 WQAG 957 Operated by the Hawaii Convention Center also. Same location. Different antenna. No other TIS stations are currently licenced in the US Pacific zone (Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Saipan). Source: FCC Database. Warm regards (David Ricquish, Wellington, NZ, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. Radio Budapest observed on Jun 12 and 13 on various frequencies, all with good signals here in Melbourne: 9590 *0100 English to NAm. There is a DX session on Mondays - accuracy of many items was quite incorrect, such as quoting a badly flawed Voice of Vietnam schedule which originated from someone in India (Bob Padula, June 14, EDXP via DXLD) ** INDIA [non?]. UK/INDIA: BBC EXPANDS MEDIUMWAVE TRANSMISSIONS TO NORTHERN INDIA | Text of press release from BBC World Service on 17 June BBC is responding to listeners' demand for better radio reception by expanding its mediumwave transmissions to India. BBC World Service programmes in Hindi and English will now be available to listeners in India on 576 kHz mediumwave, daily from 2200 to 2330 Indian Standard Time (IST) [1630-1800 gmt]. The transmissions will cover North West Bihar and a large area of Uttar Pradesh. Head of BBC Hindi, Achala Sharma welcomed the launch of an additional mediumwave frequency for the late evening Hindi programme "Aajkal" broadcast daily from 2230 to 2300 IST: "During the BBC Hindi service's recent roadshow across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh our listeners voiced the need for better reception. I am glad that we have been able to take a step in this direction. I hope this new strong signal will give our audiences a better listening option and further expand our presence on the Indian airwaves." For more information contact: Lala Najafova, International Publicist, BBC World Service +44(0)207557 2944; lala.najafova@bbc.co.uk Source: BBC World Service press release, London, in English 17 Jun 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) Whence??!! Do they think it irrelevant from where 576 is transmitted? WRTH 2004 shows one transmitter in India on this frequency, but also in numerous neighbouring countries: Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Nepal, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, some as much as 200 kW. I suppose Nepal is most likely geographically if not politically (gh) ** IRAN [non]. Voice of Southern Azerbaijan confirmed silent The website of SANAM (South Azerbaijan National Awakening Movement) is confirming that the programmes of "Güney Azärbaycan Säsi Radiosu" (Voice of Southern Azerbaijan) are silent since December 2003. These programs were produced in Baku and transmitted to Northern Iran on 9375 via the Gäncä transmitting centre in Azerbaijan. "The transmission of the radio of "Southern Azerbaijan Voice" was temporarily ceased because of the facts of the exposure to the damages and the breakage of the technical equipment and the results of the horrible fire and terror made in the headquarters of Baku Representation by the "Southern Azerbaijan Voice" radio and the Baku Bureau of the SANAM in the city of Baku, December 17, 2003." http://www.gamoh.org/en/radyo.html (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And was backed by Israel's M o s s a d service in past decade, often heard with KOL mixture program and menmade error feeder switches to KOL programs instead. I suppose, this to weaken the Iranian government by South Azerbaijan opposition groups mouthpiece. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, ibid.) So was really transmitted from Israel, and/or produced in Israel??? (gh, DXLD) Hi Wolfgang, you are referring to the another program of the same name which was aired ca. 1996-1998 via Israel and had a contact address in Austria. This was a different project than the station mentioned below, backed by group called National & Independent Front of Southern Azerbaijan (FNISA). The CRW website has the details: http://www.clandestineradio.com/intel/station.php?id=86&stn=46 There is no connection with the "Voice of South Azerbaijan" mentioned above; this project was produced in Baku and aired only via transmitter in Azerbaijan. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Geez, you`d think the second one would have come up with a different name to avoid such confusion! (gh, DXLD) ** IRAQ. RADIO DIJLA - IRAQ'S FIRST INDEPENDENT TALK RADIO STATION Radio Dijla (Tigris Radio), which transmits from Baghdad on 89.5 MHz FM, identifies itself as "Radio Dijla from Baghdad, the first independent Iraqi radio". The commercial station, which is the first independent talk radio station in Iraq, was founded by Dr Ahmad al-Rikabi, a former London bureau chief of US-funded Radio Free Iraq. After the Coalition war against Iraq in 2003, Rikabi helped to set up Coalition-run radio and TV stations in his role as head of the Iraqi Media Network. The station carries a mix of programming including live phone-in programmes during which callers express their opinions on issue of concern to the Iraqi people and society; interviews; programmes on social issues; and Arab and Iraqi pop songs and entertainment programmes. During phone-in programmes, the announcers say: "Our opinion does not count, but what always counts is your opinion." Radio Dijla's web site, which is still under construction, is http://www.radiodijla.com According to a feature article in the London newspaper The Guardian on 10 June 2004, the station broadcasts in the local Iraqi dialect and not classical Arabic, and operates from "a modest family house somewhere in a western Baghdad suburb". It receives up to 18,000 calls a day, although it can only answer a fraction of that number. "It has become Baghdad's favourite," the Guardian reported, noting: "Radio Dijla has also become required listening for the country's new authorities." The Guardian quoted Rikabi as saying: "This is a new concept for Iraq, and the Arab world, and fills a yawning gap... We've quickly become a part of people's lives. It shows the desperate need of ordinary Iraqis to share and communicate their pains and joys. I thought I had a good idea, but I never expected this amount of interest so soon. We are already No 1 in Baghdad." The US publication Newsday on 13 June noted that Radio Dijla is Baghdad's only private, commercial radio station not sponsored by a political or religious group or outsiders like the US or British governments. "We have the BBC on FM and they talk about the UN all day long. People talk to us about sewage outside their homes," Newsday quoted Ahmad al-Rikabi as saying. The Newsday article added: "Al-Rikabi, 34, a member of a wealthy Shi'i family, is trying to stay under the radar of radicals who may not like the station's brew of Arabic pop music and constant kvetching [whinging] from Baghdadis. Just in case, a submachine gun lies on the floor of his office and he keeps a handgun handy." Radio Dijla is not the first talk radio station in Iraq, Newsday noted, recalling that before the war, Uday Husayn, Saddam's son, ran Al-Shabab Radio, which allowed callers to talk about love and poetry, although anti-government talk was forbidden. Source: BBC Monitoring research 17 Jun 04 (via DXLD) ** IVORY COAST. IVORY COAST JAMMING UN RADIO PEACE MESSAGE Nico Colombant, Abidjan, 17 Jun 2004, 15:22 UTC http://www.voanews.com/EnglishtoAfrica/article.cfm?objectID=ED45614E-711D-433C-844DE2A53EEB9B2F The United Nations mission in divided Ivory Coast is going ahead with plans to broadcast its message of peace and reconciliation on an FM radio, despite the government's decision to jam the signal. This is the latest in a series of clashes between the U.N. peacekeepers and the Ivorian government. As it has done in neighboring Liberia, the United Nations in Ivory Coast plans to broadcast messages of peace and promote disarmament with its own radio station. Mission spokesman Jean Victor N'Kolo explains its purpose. "The [Security Council] mandate is essentially meant to explain the peace process, and really contribute to national reconciliation, support DDR [disarmament, demobilization, reintegration] and just talk peace to Ivorians," he said. The new radio station broadcast a test signal on Monday for several hours on the 95.3 FM frequency in Abidjan. All the listeners can hear now is the crackling sound. Around-the-clock broadcasts were supposed to start this week in French and in several local languages with programs aimed at women, the young, former fighters and both city and rural populations. The Ivorian communication agency says it interfered with the signal because it didn't authorize the U.N. to broadcast in the first place. In a written statement issued earlier this week, the government called it a pirate station, and said its operators face possible prosecution. Mr. N'Kolo says he hopes the U.N. and the Ivorian government will come to some arrangement. "I just do not see where the controversy lies since this was so clearly outlined in the Security Council resolution and this is actually something that goes without saying when a peacekeeping operation is set up," he said. "However, we understand the sensitivity. We are doing everything we can, the special representative of the Secretary General is talking to all who want to talk to him in order to explain again the legal basis as well as the legitimacy of the establishment of this radio." He says it could be a while before what he calls the Voice of Peace makes it on the airwaves and expressed confidence it will happen, even if it's on another frequency. Mr. N'kolo says the U.N. hopes to broadcast throughout the country, including the rebel-held north, which has been cut off from state Ivorian media. The U.N. mission in Ivory Coast has been the target of several protests by the supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo, demanding quick disarmament of the northern rebels. The U.N. angered the government when it blamed the highest authorities for the death of more than a hundred protesters in a brutal suppression of a pro-peace rally last March. During one of the protests, a U.N. employee was injured and 30 U.N. vehicles were burned (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) IVORIAN AUTHORITIES, UN IN ROW OVER PROPOSED RADIO STATION A row has broken out between the UN mission in Côte d'Ivoire and the country's authorities over the establishment of a UN radio station. Earlier this month the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (which is known by its French and English acronyms ONUCI and UNOCI respectively) announced in a statement published by the Abidjan newspaper Le Front that on 15 June it would be launching its own radio station - ONUCI FM - in both the commercial capital Abidjan, in the south of the country, and in Bouake, the main town under rebel control in central Côte d'Ivoire. On 7 June, test transmissions by ONUCI FM were heard in Abidjan on 95.3 FM. However, on 14 June the country's media regulatory body, the National Audiovisual Communications Council, issued a statement (reported by Ivorian TV) which said the council had been observing "a sound signal transmitted by a radio that has not yet been identified, which is using the 95.3 MHz frequency in the Abidjan area". The council said "the state of Cote d'Ivoire has never authorized that radio. The use of the above-mentioned frequency band is therefore fraudulent and illegal". It added that searches were under way "in order to locate the pirate radio's installations and identify its promoters". On 16 June, the Abidjan newspaper 24 Heures reported ONUCI spokesman Jean Victor N'kolo as saying, in reaction to the statement by the National Audiovisual Communications Council: "I refuse to respond to this communique. What I can say is that we are conducting test transmissions by the radio. Once again, I refer everyone to [UN] Resolution 1528 of 28 February and the Security Council communique of 25 May, which grant us the mandate to work." No test transmissions were observed on 95.3 FM on the morning of 16 June. Sources: BBC Monitoring research 7-16 Jun 04 Le Front, Abidjan, in French 8 Jun 04 p 5 Television Ivoirienne, Abidjan, in French 2000 gmt 14 Jun 04 24 Heures, Abidjan, 16 Jun 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. 6325, Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, 1701, Jun 05, a nice signal with Arabic pop songs at S9 or 44444. Female ID: ``Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan, sawt al demokratiya el kurdistani``, songs continuing (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DSWCI DX Window June 16 via DXLD) Replacing 4085 during summer? (DSWCI Ed) ** KYRGYZSTAN. Kyrgyz State Radio 1 further expanded its services for ethnic minorities in the country; a weekly program in Ukrainian was added Mondays 0330-0400 (on 4010/4795, MW, FM). (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX-plorer via DSWCI DX Window June 16 via DXLD) ** LATVIA. La Radio Marabu estará de nuevo en el aire, por onda corta, el domingo día 20 entre las 1400 y las 1800 horas UT, vía Latvia en 9290 kHz. 73s, (Antônio Schuler, Recife (Pernambuco) Brasil, June 18, antenadx via DXLD) ** LATVIA [and non]. It would appear that Radio 945 am is not the only station about to commence transmissions from Latvia. Europa Radio International - E R I is shortly to commence tests on its 9290 kHz transmitter and has negotiated a deal with a German station to use its AM/MW transmitter covering Western Europe later in the year. A deal is also currently being struck with Sky and the station will also be broadcasting on the WWW. E R I is primarily a music station, playing new Rock and album tracks from the past 30 years, the primary target areas are France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and the United Kingdom and the station intends being the first wholly European music station with programmes being presented in a number of languages. The website (under construction) is at http://www.europaradio.co.uk or you can e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Barry Knight via Alby Ridge, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. ABC, Inc., which owns KABC-790 and KSFO-560, along with Buck Owens, who owns KUZZ-550, have petitioned the FCC to revoke the licenses held by Jaime Bonilla Valdez (KURS-1040, KJDJ-1030 and KCHC-106.3). The collective complaint against Mr Valdez claims he has financed the construxion of three new Mexican stations which are causing substantial interference to West Coast stations. Those new Mexicans, on 560 and 780 kHz, and another, seem to have popped up without any official notice from the Mexican Government. Mr Valdez, who owns the Pacific Spanish Network, supplier of programming to XEKTT-560 and XESS-780, has to have FCC approval to deliver his US- based programming across the border. ABC and Mr Owens are asking the FCC to rescind the approval given to Mr Valdez, and they allege that his connexion to the (rogue) Mexican stations should be enough to disqualify him from continuing as licensee of the above-mentioned US stations (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News June 14 via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Update: this morning VON on 15120: until 0600 in English as announced, then French until 0633 abrupt closedown. Guess that French was scheduled somewhere else, as far as there is a schedule. interval signal at 0600 several times, as if there should have been a frequency change (Thorsten Hallmann, Muenster, Germany, June 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 4960, CRN, Vanimo, 1030-1200, Jun 04, First broadcast! Tok Pisin and English religious programmes, including ``Family Radio``, slogans: ``This is the South East Network in Papua New Guinea! Also heard from fade in 0850-1005, Jun 05, and 2020-2125 (fade out), Jun 05 mostly religious songs, gave e-mail address. Moderate to weak signal with some teletype QRM (Roland Schulze, Philippines, DSWCI DX Window June 16 via DXLD) ** PERU. 5019.95, Radio Horizonte, 1005-1015 June 17, noted Huaynos music with TC and ID between tunes. "cinco en la mañana con seis minutos ... Radio Horizonte ..." Signal was good, but Cuba's signal on 5025 kept zapping Radio Horizonte (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, 545, Dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PUERTO RICO. New applications lodged for two stations on 1660 from Puerto Rico. Both are suggested relays of WGIT. CPs are for 5000/185 and would be located in Ponce and Mayagüez. (A 185 watt catch on 1660 from NZ will be a challenge!) (June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** SAIPAN. The FCC has received the following application for new stations or changes. These form part of what`s called FCC Auction 84, allowing major changes in existing operations, and calling for new AM applications. 1440, Garapah-Saipan U1 250w/250w (June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** SAMOA AMERICAN. The FCC has received the following applications for new stations or changes. These form part of what`s called FCC Auction 84, allowing major changes in existing operations, and calling for new AM applications. 720, Leone U1 5 kW/5 kW (WVUV is seeking this move ex-648, currently silent) Special thanks to Bill Hale, AM Switch Editor of NRC for converting FCC database information into a DX friendly format. A much longer list for other states appears in DX News of April 12. US Pacific data extracted from this main list by David Ricquish, Wellington (June NZ DX Times via DXLD) Update: American Samoa: 630 KJAL Tafuna, seeks move here ex-580 (still licenced as 585) with 5 kW/5 kW 720 WVUV Leone, seeks move here ex-648 with 5 kW/5 kW, new tower location, decrease from current 10 kW/10 kW (silent) 900 NEW Leone, seeks here with 5 kW/5 kW, share tower with WVUV, same owner as WVUV (South Seas Broadcasting, Inc) (FCC AM Database via David Ricquish, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 11855.9, BSKSA, Jeddah, 0638, Jun 13, Arabic heard 100% in parallel with louder 9675. But it will be very difficult - to say the least! - to obtain a definitive schedule for the 25m frequency (Noel Green, UK, DSWCI DX Window June 16 via DXLD) Maybe back on old schedule 0600-1630? (DSWCI Ed) ** SLOVAKIA. Last we heard, it seemed that the powers that be were not going to let RSI close down shortwave as of the postponed date of July 1, but is there anything definite about this? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {see 4-095} ** SOMALIA. BBC-BACKED MEETING OF SOMALI JOURNALISTS FLOPS | Excerpt from report by Somali Puntland-based Radio Midnimo on 16 June Boosaaso, 16 June: The journalists' meeting which began on 15 June at Hotel Huruuse in Boosaaso [in the autonomous region of Puntland, northeastern Somalia] has collapsed and failed to go beyond its first day. The aim of the meeting was to create a union to represent Puntland journalists. It collapsed after differences emerged between the participants who were drawn from all the media outlets in Puntland. The BBC training department had provided a small amount of money to fund the creation of the union. The head of the BBC [World Service] Trust [project for Somalia], Mr Chris Greene, attended the meeting, but left this morning on a flight out of Boosaaso Airport after he was informed that things had failed. Some of the journalists who attended the meeting - such as the Radio Codka Nabada [Radio Voice of Peace] reporter, reporters from Mudug Region and others from Radio Laascaanood - left today for their respective regions. There are several reasons for the failure of the meeting, including mistrust harboured by some journalists against the organizing committee which has been in charge of the process for a long time. There are other groups who say they have funds from the Dia Konia agency [a German NGO], which is much more than the BBC budget for the workshop. [Passage omitted] The [failed] meeting has been described as the biggest face-to-face meeting of members of the Puntland media and a golden opportunity for Puntland journalists which should have been optimally utilized. Source: Radio Midnimo, Boosaaso, in Somali 1700 gmt 16 Jun 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** SYRIA [non]. "RADIO FREE SYRIA" GOES LIVE Washington, D.C. June 18, 2004 - The Reform Party of Syria announced today that the first ever pro-Democracy grassroots based "Radio Free Syria" (RFS) will go live June 20 at 9:00 pm Damascus time (1:00 EST Standard Time [for those of you in Indiana] or 1800 UT) on the Short Wave 13650 KHz or 13.650 MHz. The radio will be heard in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Turkey, Yemen, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE, and Oman. RFS will concentrate on educational and entertainment programming as well as programs about democracy and the rule of law. The station will be managed by a team of Syrian broadcasters, journalists, and writers. RFS hours of operations will vary. The intent is to build the content up to 5 hours daily by December 2004. In August, RFS will be able to broadcast live room discussions on the Internet on Short Wave radio to provide democratic Syrians from all over the world the possibility of addressing Syrians inside Syria with live talk shows. Furthermore, the Reform Party of Syria intends to allocate part of the programming to other democratic parties, human rights groups, and organizations that promote civic societies and the rule of law. The Syrian Democratic Coalition, made-up of 9 parties and organizations, will be able to use RFS as a platform to call for harmony and tolerance amongst the people of Syria and the Middle East. For more information: http://www.radiofreesyria.org (in English) and http://www.radiofreesyria.net (in Arabic) END (via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, June 17, dxldyg via DXLD) RADIO FREE SYRIA TO BREAK ASSAD'S MEDIA MONOPOLY By Nick Grace, CRW Washington June 17, 2004 Radio Free Syria will hit the airwaves this weekend, Clandestine Radio Watch (CRW) has learned, marking the first phase of a sophisticated media campaign to chip away at the Ba'ath Party regime in Damascus and to promote democracy and tolerance. The station's inaugural broadcast will occur on June 20, 2004, and air thereafter on Sundays at 1800 UTC on 13650 kHz. Sources within the Reform Party of Syria, which built the station, tell CRW that the schedule is planned to expand after a period of testing. Although the sources would not confirm the location of the transmitter reports in the Israeli press point to a facility in Cyprus allegedly funded by Washington. "We are not funded by anyone," one source close to the station's operations said. "Radio Free Syria is being built independently with the support of Syrian businessmen and women who want openness and peace." Radio Free Syria will be the first station run by Syrians, themselves, that promotes democracy, freedom of conscience and respect for minority and human rights. Its planners expect this message to serve as a burst of fresh air for their target audience, which is subjected to state-run propaganda that serves to bolster the ruling Ba'ath Party as well as Islamist programming preaching intolerance broadcast by such outlets as The Arabic Radio and Hezbollah's TV and radio stations. Live roundtable discussions are planned as well as comedy and entertainment that all listeners can enjoy - Muslims, Christians, Arabs, Kurds and Assyrians. "This is just the first phase," a planner said. "The regime's feet is about to be put into the fire." Listeners are welcome to contact the station by e-mail, webmaster @ radiofreesyria.org The station also has a Web site that contains programming that can be downloaded, http://www.radiofreesyria.org (Nick Grace, Clandestine Radio Watch Extra June 17 via DXLD) Cyprus is a bit too close to Syria for 13 MHz to be efficient (gh) Something appears to be mixed up here: the only shortwave facilities in Cyprus are owned by the BBC (Middle East Relay Station in Zygi), apart from a 25 kW SW transmitter used by the North Cyprus domestic broadcaster Bayrak Radyo. US-funded is only the IBB mediumwave relay at Cape Greco. Also, the frequency 13650 would be too high for reaching Syria if a site in Cyprus was used (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, June 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) On 6 April 2004 the dissident Reform Party of Syria announced in a press release the start of test broadcasts of Radio Free Syria on the Internet. The web site address given at the time was http://www.reformsyria.net/radio/index.htm When this web site was checked by BBC Monitoring at 0820 gmt on 17 June, the link was still active. The April press release added: "RFS is managed by a team of 32 people, some of whom are inside Syria providing Cyprus operations with the latest news. One of the missions of Radio Free Syria is to consolidate the reformists inside Syria with the reformists pressuring the regime from outside and to build on the concept of the Syrian Democratic Coalition that met in Washington DC in September 2003. The Syrian Democratic Coalition goals are to build a `New Syria' with all Syrian parties and ideologies represented in a decorum of non-violence under a real democracy. Reform Party of Syria, PO Box 59730, Potomac, MD 20859" (BBC Monitoring June 17 via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. RUI asks listeners in Russia to report about reception quality on 9380 kHz (0000-0400) and 7420 kHz (1300-1700). We received a letter from listener in Tula, where he writes about severe interference. (open_dx - Alexander Yegorov, RUI, Kyiv, Ukraine) Reception on 7420 kHz is not too good in my area at 1650. RUI broadcast is subject to a heavy splash from 7415 (CBS Taipei + Chinese music jammer). I guess the cheaper the receiver, the worse signal readability. (open_dx - Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia) Yes, I also observe that. Last year Taiwan only operated here for one hour, but now it puts interference during the whole 4 hours of RUI broadcast. It's a pity that Taiwan does not participate in HFCC - so no one can predict where it transmitters appear each next season. It may well be that RUI moves to 7425 kHz soon. (open_dx - Alexander Yegorov, RUI, Kyiv, Ukraine) Listened to RUI 5 Jun at about 1516-1600 on 7420. SINPO 55455 (SynchroU)/ 54444 (synchro off), interference from 7415 was minimal. Either QRM increases later, or everything depends on propagation. No other interference noted. (open_dx - Igor Zhurkin, Moscow oblast, Russia; all Signal June 13 via DXLD) From June 22, Radio Ukraine changes its 2 frequencies for broadcasts to Russia: 0000-0400 9380 replaced by 9385 (caused by QRM from 9375 "Voice of Greece"); 1300-1600 7420 replaced by 7425 (caused by QRM from 7415 "Voice of Taibei" & Chinese jammer). Alexander Yegorov, Kiev, Ukraine (WWDXC Top News, June 16 via Wolfgang Büschel, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U K. BBC World Service experienced a very lengthy transmission break on all known frequencies between about 0305 and 0330 or so UT on 17 June. This also affected Radio 4, Radio Wales and Radio Ulster. Around 0315 UTC Radio 4, along with Radio Ulster, switched to an emergency backup programme of music and other programming, which included an edition of "Mapping the Town" about Saltaire, near Bradford. Even after BBC WS programmes resumed, Radio 4 and Radio Ulster did not rejoin BBC WS, but continued with their emergency programming. Radio Wales, on the other hand, did resume carrying BBC WS on 882 kHz. Unlike 648 kHz, the BBC Radio Wales Washford transmitter appear to shut off automatically during the break, therefore programming did not resume until several minutes after resumption on 648, 5975 and 9410 kHz. At the time of writing, no explanation for the break is known, and also no explanation as to why Radio 4 and Radio Ulster did not resume BBC WS programming (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, United Kingdom, June 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I heard this. I was listening to a BBC broadcast to North America (!) on 11955 kHz DRM via Sackville when the audio went out. I think it was a little later than 0305, more like 0320, and the break lasted until the transmission ended at 0359. The World Service (or maybe it was PRI, whose feed is used to provide the audio for BBC's North American service) filled by playing music from some compilation CDs put together by Charlie Gillett. I have one of those CDs, so I recognized that. I didn't mind the break in programming, because I liked the music. :-) – (Ralph Brandi, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. HARKIN CALLS FOR POLITICAL BALANCE IN AMERICAN FORCES MEDIA PROGRAMMING --- TUESDAY, JUNE 15, 2004 http://harkin.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=222738 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that he successfully amended the 2004 Defense Authorization bill to help ensure that American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) fulfills its stated goal of providing political balance in its news and public affairs programming. ``American Forces Radio and Television Service is funded by taxpayers --- conservatives, liberals and moderates alike,`` Harkin said. ``The Senate last night agreed that AFRTS needs to make a greater effort to provide balanced representation of political viewpoints on its airwaves to American service members around the world.`` Recently, AFRTS has been criticized for broadcasting conservative talk shows on its uninterrupted voice, or talk radio, service without adequately representing differing political viewpoints. ``The people at AFRTS say they want to give soldiers and others abroad programming that is representative of what is seen and heard here in the States. Our amendment creates an oversight mechanism and some accountability so these media services can achieve that goal,`` Harkin said. As part of the Department of Defense (DOD), AFRTS provides stateside radio and television programming to U.S. service men and women, DOD civilians, and their families serving outside the continental United States. AFRTS uses seven satellites along with digital compression technology to provide multiple television and stereo audio services to over 1,000 outlets in more than 175 countries and U.S. territories, and on board U.S. Navy ships. ---end (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) STATEMENT OF SENATOR TOM HARKIN ON AMERICAN FORCES RADIO THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2004 http://harkin.senate.gov/news.cfm?id=222737 MR. HARKIN: Mr. President, I would like to thank the managers of the Department of Defense (DoD) authorization bill, Senators WARNER and LEVIN, for their assistance earlier this week in passing an important amendment. I offered the amendment, now a provision of this bill, to express the Sense of the Senate concerning programming on American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS). Mr. President, as my colleagues know, for American service members and their families stationed in more than 177 countries and U.S. territories around the world, as well as for DoD civilians and their families, AFRTS is intended to broadcast a ``touch of home`` by providing programming that reflects a cross-section of what is widely available to stateside audiences. According to the AFRTS website, its programming is meant to ``represent what is seen and heard in the United States.`` I support AFRTS in its mission. Making U.S. entertainment and news programming available to American service members wherever they are located is important for their morale and to keep them informed. I believe the Fiscal Year 2004 funding level of $47 million for AFRTS is justified. Several weeks ago, however, it came to my attention that the programming on one AFRTS service – its ``uninterrupted voice,`` or talk radio, service - has what I consider to be a political bias in its social and political commentary. For the information of my colleagues, the radio broadcast component of AFRTS, which is American Forces Radio, consists of 13 channels, or ``services.`` Seven of these radio services focus on music, with news briefs at the top of every hour. Two are continuous news information services. One service broadcasts National Public Radio 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Two services are continuous sports talk. The final service is what the network calls uninterrupted voice service, or talk radio service. Based on conversations between my staff and personnel at AFRTS, I believe the bias that exists in the social and political commentary portions of this talk radio service is not intentional. I commend the openness of American Forces Radio officials in the dialogue we have now begun on this topic. But in my view the bias in this programming is real. Mr. President, public criticism of American Forces Radio content has focused on the fact that Rush Limbaugh`s commentary is carried daily on the talk radio service. I generally do not agree with Rush Limbaugh`s commentaries. But I do not object to the fact that they are run on a daily basis on this service. Some people do object. However, what I do take issue with is the fact that there is no commentary on the service that would even begin to balance the extreme right-wing views that Rush Limbaugh routinely expresses on his program. Critics have specifically cited Rush Limbaugh`s use of his show to condone and trivialize the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. guards at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. As many of my colleagues know, and as has been pointed out previously here on the Senate floor, Mr. Limbaugh reportedly likened the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. guards at Abu Ghraib to a fraternity initiation. He called some of the abusive tactics a ``brilliant maneuver.`` I think the critics are right. Limbaugh`s remarks – and there are many more offensive remarks by Mr. Limbaugh on this topic than I have mentioned here - are repugnant. They do damage to the American image when they are heard around the world. I would guess that Limbaugh`s comments on Abu Ghraib also probably offend a large majority of American service members. Still, I am not calling for American Forces Radio to pull Rush Limbaugh`s commentaries from their talk radio service. I am asking, and I am pleased that the Senate is now on record asking, that AFRTS meet its own mandate, as generally articulated in Department of Defense Regulation 5120.20R. That regulation calls for AFRTS political programming that is ``characterized by its fairness and balance,`` as well as news programming guided by a ``principle of fairness`` that requires ``reasonable opportunities for the presentation of conflicting views on important controversial public issues.`` Liberals, moderates and independents contribute to funding for American Forces Radio through payment of their taxes, just like conservatives do. There is no reason that American service members should receive lengthy right-wing commentaries with regularity on American Forces Radio`s talk service, without some balance from competing views as part of that same service. For the good of its listeners, and to meet its own mandate, American Forces Radio needs to make a greater effort to give a balanced, fair representation of varying political viewpoints on its talk radio service. In conversations with my staff, individuals at AFRTS have said that their programming of Rush Limbaugh on the talk service is driven strictly by national ratings here in the States. That was not the position taken by a DoD official on CNN earlier this month, however. According to news coverage posted on CNN.com, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Allison Barber has said that the appropriateness of content is a factor in deciding what commentaries are broadcast on American Forces Radio. Mr. President, I agree with the Deputy Assistant Secretary`s statement. Content is a factor in deciding which commentaries to run on American Forces Radio. At the same time, I also agree with stated AFRTS policy. There should be fairness and balance in political programming on American Forces Radio. My amendment in no way prescribes specific content or programming at AFRTS. That is not the role of the Senate. What my amendment does do, appropriately, is state that it is the Sense of the Senate that the Secretary of Defense should ensure that AFRTS policies of fairness and balance are being fully implemented. The amendment calls on the Secretary to develop appropriate methods of oversight in this regard. I look forward to working with the Department and others to see that AFRTS meets these proper goals (via DXLD) SENATE AMENDMENT CALLS FOR 'BALANCE' ON ARMED FORCES RADIO By Susan Jones, CNSNews.com Morning Editor, June 17, 2004 (CNSNews.com) - Liberal groups that want to bounce Rush Limbaugh's radio show off Armed Forces Radio have found a Senate ally. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) announced on Wednesday that he has successfully amended the Fiscal Year 2005 Defense Authorization bill, adding a provision that calls on American Forces Radio and Television Service to provide political balance in its public affairs programming. . . http://www.cnsnews.com/Nation/archive/200406/NAT20040617a.html (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U S A. IBB Update --- Del Carson on Leasing: Del notes these recent trends with the IBB: lots of change (increasingly so as time goes on); use of longer time blocks for coverage to strategic targets; more use of TV, FM, and satellite, less use of shortwave; less use of leased facilities. Recent IBB leasing info: 46,500 leased shortwave hours annually, which is 11% of their total shortwave operation; last year`s leasing budget was $12,000,000; this year it`s about $9,000,000. For IBB, total annual medium wave hours: 81,473; total annual FM hours: 52,560; total annual shortwave hours: 435,875. IBB still is a major shortwave broadcaster, and will continue to be so into the foreseeable future. Bill Whitacre on Monitoring: There are 64 locations worldwide with Remote Monitoring Systems. With a network of trained, experienced human monitors and the RMS inputs, they have good feedback on the performance of most of their transmissions. Dan Ferguson on Frequency Management: Normally, he sends the new schedule to the transmission sites about a month before a season starts. And usually about 20 start-of-season memos follow the initial schedule in regard to changes made before the season starts. This season there were so many changes (internal and external) that it took about 100 follow-up memos to arrive at the final working schedule. Marion Hales on Engineering: A lot more FM and TV (both low-power and regional) are being used these days. Early on, they primarily used shortwave. The Solid State Modulator program began around 1995/96 and has been very successful. All transmitters in the network that can accommodate a SSM have been fitted with one. They have been conducting vacuum capacitor research (especially water- cooled units), seeking ways to improve capacitor life (because they are a significant operating cost item). They typically get 10,000- 15,000 hours capacitor life --- up to 20,000 in some instances. Cooling of vacuum capacitors has been a major area of this research -- - with some surprising results: For example, more is not necessarily better. Optimum cooling calls for a certain range of water flow --- above or below that range, the results are not as good. A too high velocity water flow can deteriorate the bellows, and actually reduce capacitor life. Blowing cooling air on capacitors may solve some cooling issues, but brings its own problems as well. With high power transmitters, they`ve found it important for capacitor life that the pre-sets be set as close as possible. Because there are so many stray inductances and capacitances in a high power tuning network (causing parasitic loops), modes harmful to the tuning components can be energized if tuning is not very close to correct when the high voltage is applied. Capacitors operated in parallel must be balanced closely in capacitance for best life, else unequal sharing of current will substantially reduce the life of one of the parallel units. During this research, they`ve maintained contact with component manufacturers and transmitter manufacturers. They are not ready to publish their findings yet, but are actively testing their conclusions at several of their transmitter sites before full-out implementation. They are very actively involved in DRM. They purchased a DRM exciter about a year ago. They’ve achieved good results using linear type transmitters, but have found it problematic using Class-C operation transmitters. Working closely with the transmitter manufacturers, they are researching what will be necessary to install DRM exciters on all their transmitters. They have a large number and many types of transmitters, so it`s quite a project (June NASB Newsletter via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Recent Audience Research Findings Kim Elliott, IBB Broadcasters interested in listener surveys in a given target region could contact Intermedia Surveys, a non-profit group. Website is http://intermedia.org English worldwide service is in a reduction mode at VoA in recent times. This move is based on audience research showing that the English speaking audience is scattered widely for the most part, with few large concentrations in a given target area. Burma has a big shortwave audience (their internal broadcasting system is a government-controlled monopoly). Surveys in China indicate that around 30% of households there have radio. This percentage is expected to grow in the future. Over 90% of households in China have TV. Because of limited funds, citizens there tend to opt to invest in TV rather than radio. External internet access in China is blocked. Satellite reception is strictly regulated and controlled. So despite the low percentage of radio receivers in China, shortwave remains a very good way to bring in information from outside the country. Medium wave does well for the VoA in Cambodia and Laos because of their medium wave relay in Thailand. TV and FM are very popular in Indonesia, but with still a significant audience for shortwave. Satellite and cable systems have recently become important for international access in India. FM stations there are not allowed to rebroadcast international broadcast stations. Shortwave and medium wave remain important as a way for outside broadcasters to reach India. VoA does have some FM relays in Bangladesh. VoA uses medium wave and TV significantly in reaching the Middle East. VoA recently dropped a lot of its European language services. The VoA finds that their largest audiences in surveying European target areas there are to their TV broadcasts, with FM showing some growth. A surviving audience for shortwave does exist throughout Europe. The VoA has a large shortwave audience in Africa because of deficiencies in domestic broadcasting there, and because of widespread use there of shortwave for domestic broadcasting. VoA broadcasts to the Americas are presently under evaluation. Programming preferences of different audiences will be a focus of future VoA audience research. They’re keeping an eye on the media access that is being sold to consumers in various countries. For example, cheap receivers sold in Africa commonly worked only on AM. Now some are FM only. If shortwave is available only on more expensive receivers, that limits your shortwave audience significantly. Because of its extensive network of domestic stations and considerable freedom regarding content, shortwave broadcasting has a relatively small audience in Mexico (June NASB Newsletter via DXLD) ** U S A. KTBN Salt Lake City looks to be about to close down; finally dawned on TBN Santa Ana HQ that there`s not much point in simulcasting their TV audio delivered by satellite to dozens of transmitters (many full power) in the US, and abroad. KTBN is not a real radio station, just a transmitter site with an old vapor-cooled Harris SW-100, quite similar to the ones at WHR Noblesville, but apparently in much better working order. Might have been useful for parts if WHR weren`t already moving operations to Cypress Creek. The land upon which KTBN sits is probably worth several megadollars in Salt Lake`s growing real estate market, so just scrapping the transmitter might be the most cost- effective option. You may recall when TBN purchased KUSW, they put out all kinds of hype about how the SW station would help save souls all over the world. Trouble is, KUSW was engineered basically to (shhh!) cover North America, with high takeoff angle and broad beam. Combined with its location on the wrong side of the Mississippi, coverage of Europe is pretty much limited to those with DX equipment, and the signal peters out by Africa, and it was never aimed at Asia or Pacific where it might have a better chance. Still heard here on 15590 June 18 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WSHB's two 500-kilowatt transmitters (which will be operated at 250 kilowatts) have joined the five existing shortwave transmitters operated by LeSEA under the name "World Harvest Radio." Each transmitter is referred to as an "angel." "Angel One," covering Central and South America; and "Angel Two," covering Europe and Western Russia, were together known as WHRI and located in Noblesville, Indiana. "WHRI is presently off the air and all programming is now on WSHB," according to LeSEA's Director of Engineering, Larry Vehorn. "Both transmitters are on 21 hours per day Monday through Friday, and 24 hours per day on weekends." Angels 3 and 4, located at station KWHR in Hawaii, cover Asia and the Pacific. Angel 5 at WHRA in Greenbush, Maine, covers Africa. Peter Sumrall, President of LeSEA Broadcasting, stated, "With the addition of WSHB we are moving from great coverage from our Angel system to spectacular coverage. World Harvest Radio will have a higher quality of transmitter resulting in a clearer signal in locations we currently reach, and will include the addition of remote areas which were not reachable by us before." (June NASB Newsletter via DXLD) ** U S A. Greetings!!! We have begun to post the WWRB listener club membership roster on our web page http://www.wwrb.org If Listeners would like to join and receive our beautiful suitable for framing listener club certificate, send reception reports to : Radio station WWRB Box 7 Manchester, TN 37349 USA More good news!!!!!!!!!!! Our Aircraft business, Air Transport Communications (ATC) is pleased to announce the acquisition of another Instrument Flight Research (IFR) ATC 1200Y3 Airborne DME and transponder test simulator generator. This will allow for enhanced Avionics Repair and certification capabilities here at our on site aircraft Avionics Repair facility. More good news!!!!!! We have acquired an Instrument Flight research (IFR) ATC 600A DME and Transponder ramp tester. This will allow us to certify aircraft transponders and altitude reporting encoders (MODE - C) in the airplane on the ramp. All aircraft are required by FAA regulations to have the transponder and MODE -C altitude reporting equipment to be certified every two years. We plan to provide Pitot / Static testing integrity certifications as part of the FAA requirements. More good news!!!! We are seeking / making application to the FCC for additional Frequency assignments to our Aeronautical Enroute Communications facility: 'NASHVILLE RADIO ' Secure voice and data link: both HF and VHF ground to Air frequencies (Dave Frantz, WWRB, Manchester TN, June 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. X band Xpectations --- Construction permits have been lodged for 1650 in Atlanta GA, 1690 Johnston IL, 1700 Astoria OR, and also Harrisonburg VA (courtesy - Information Station Specialists: the radiosource.com) (June NZ DX Times via DXLD) see also PUERTO RICO ** 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 [includes this but not Mexico 1630, 1700] 1620 WHLY South Bend IN ``ESPN Radio 1620 South Bend`` (Call swap. WDND to 1580) KOZN Bellevue NE ``ESPN 1620 Omaha's The Zone`` WTAW College Station TX 'Newstalk 16-20 WTAW' Takes 'USA Radio News' & C-to-C AM KBLI Blackfoot ID SS sports ESPN Radio 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 0600 UT. 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 Rel. Some SS. ex KNAX WRDW Augusta GA Talk/Sport 'Newstalk 1630`` 1640 WKSH Sussex WI Disney KDZR Lake Oswego OR Disney 'KDZR Radio Disney Portland`` ``AM 1640 KDZR`` 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 Única/Radio Latina. EE ID on hour 1650 WHKT Portsmouth VA Disney. ``AM 1650 WHKT Portsmouth, Radio Disney`` KBIV El Paso TX C & W. ``Country Classics KBIV`` KCNZ Cedar Falls IA Talk/ Sport. KDNZ call to 1250. 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 ``Radio Visa`` SS talk. EE ID ``KTIQ Merced`` WFNA Charlotte NC Sporting News Radio // WFNZ 610 WWRU Elizabeth NJ Talk SS Radio Única WCNZ Marco Is FL ``Newsradio 1660`` AP news WQSN Kalamazoo MI Sports/talk ESPN KRZX Waco TX ESPN + local sport // KRZI 1580. Nx on hr/local ads :05 KQWB West Fargo ND Nostalgia ``Star 1660 is KQWB AM`` CNN news KXOL Brigham City UT ``Oldies Radio`` (60s rock) KXTR Kansas City KS ``Classical 1660`` WGIT Canóvanas Puerto Rico SS oldies ``El Gigante`` 1670 WMWR Warner Robins/Macon GA News/Talk x WRNC ``Talk Radio WMWR 1670`` WTDY Madison WI Sports/Talk. ``Talk Radio 1670`` (Sporting News Network) KHPY Moreno Valley, CA Radio 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`` 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. To move to Avondale Estates GA 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 ``Newstalk 1700 KVNS The Valley's Talk`` (NEW ZEALAND DX TIMES PAGE 36 JUNE 2004 via DXLD) ** U S A. Call letter changes include: 900, WIBU, WI, Wisconsin Dells, to: WDLS. Now basically a TIS station, with a twist. Programing is live, mixing guests who describe places and events in the Wisconsin Dells tourist area along with music, mostly AC and oldies. Slogan is ``Your Vacation Station`` A Grant to Pending Facilities: 840, KPMP, CA, Modesto – new station (meant as replacement for KTRB- 860 which is moving to San Francisco) has been granted an amendment to their CP to be U4 4000/5000. [higher power at night] The owner of WQTH-720 Hanover, NH, Bob Vinikoor, has purchased the Harris MW50 transmitter formerly used at CKLW. It is already in place at WQTH and Vinikoor expects to have this new station on the air ``in the next twelve months``. He recently won a multi-year battle with the local zoning board to permit the erexion of the towers for WQTH, which will be U4 50000/500. The city council of Chambersburg, PA had tried to take over the site of WCBG 1590`s four towers by eminent domain as they were building a new water tower adjacent to the towers. It seems construxion workers were getting RF burns from the 5000 watts of power. But it appears that after threatening to take the city to court, the city is ready to negotiate a compromise. If forced from the property, the station owners claim no other suitable land is available and the station would have to go off the air (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News June 14 via DXLD) See also MEXICO [and non] ** U S A. SOME PEOPLE STILL DON'T WANT YOU TO SEE MY MOVIE... From Michael Moore From: mailinglist @ michaelmoore.com June 17, 2004 Friends, We're a week away from the nationwide opening of "Fahrenheit 9/11" and not a day goes by where we don't have some new battle to fight thanks to those who are still working overtime to keep people from seeing this film. What's their problem? Are they worried about something? A Republican PR firm has formed a fake grassroots front group called "Move America Forward" to harass and intimidate theater owners into not showing "Fahrenheit 9/11." These are the same people who successfully badgered CBS into canceling the Reagan mini-series a few months ago. And they are spending a ton of money this week to threaten movie theaters who even think about showing our movie. As of this morning, a little over 500 theaters have agreed to show the movie beginning next Friday, June 25. There are three national/ regional theater chains who, as of today, have not booked the movie in their theaters. One theater owner in Illinois has reported receiving death threats. The right wing usually wins these battles. Their basic belief system is built on censorship, repression, and keeping people ignorant. They want to limit or snuff out any debate or dissension. They also don't like pets and are mean to small children. Too many of them are named "Fred." This new nut group is the Right's last hope in limiting how many people can see this movie. All of their other efforts have failed. Let's recap: 1. Roger Friedman at FOX News reported that the head of the company which first agreed to fund our film ``got calls from Republican friends`` pressuring them to back out. And they did. But... Miramax immediately picked up the film! Except... 2. Michael Eisner, the chairman of Disney, then blocked Miramax (a company owned by Disney) from releasing the film once it was finished. But... public attention and embarrassment forced Disney to let the Weinstein brothers of Miramax find another distributor! But... 3. Instead of a new distributor stepping right in -- as all the media predicted would happen -- it took another month to find distributors who would take on this movie. A number of other distributors, thanks to various pressures, were afraid to get involved. It looked for a while that we would be distributing this ourselves. But then Lions Gate and IFC Films rode in to the rescue! So, we have beaten back all attempts to kill this movie, and the only thing in the way of you now seeing "Fahrenheit 9/11" is this Republican big-money front group trying to force theaters not to show the movie. Please, contact your local theaters and let them know you want to see "Fahrenheit 9/11." Tell them that some people don't know that this is America and that we believe in freedom of speech and the importance of ALL voices being heard. (The members of MoveOn.org --- an ACTUAL grassroots organization --- have done a very cool thing. They are pledging to send a message to theater owners and are planning to attend a showing of the film on its opening weekend.) I appreciate their efforts, but you don’t have to be a member of MoveOn to help stop this effort to keep ``Fahrenheit 9/11`` from making it to screens across the country. If a theater in your area is planning to show the film, just give them a call and thank them for standing up for the freedom of speech. If your local theater isn't showing the film, call them and let them know that you would like to see it and you'd like them to show it. The White House and their minions in our media have presented one distorted version of the truth after another for the past four years. All we are asking for is the right to show what they HAVEN'T shown us, the real truth. The truth that ain't pretty (and is, sadly, damningly hilarious). On top of all this, the MPAA gave the film an "R" rating. I want all teenagers to see this film. There is nothing in the film in terms of violence that we didn't see on TV every night at the dinner hour during the Vietnam War. Of course, that's the point, isn't it? The media have given the real footage from Iraq a "cleansing" -- made it look nice, easy to digest. Mario Cuomo has offered to be our lawyer in appealing this ruling by the MPAA. Frankly, I would like to think the MPAA is saying that the actions by the Bush administration are so abhorrent and revolting, we need to protect our children from seeing what they have done. In that case, the film should be rated NC-17! However it turns out, I trust all of you teenagers out there will find your way into a theater to see this movie. If the government believes it is OK to send slightly older teenagers to their deaths in Iraq, I think at the very least you should be allowed to see what they are going to draft you for in a couple of years. Finally, some very sophisticated individuals have been hacking into and shutting down our website. It is an hourly fight to keep it up. We are going to find out who is doing this and we are going to pursue a criminal prosecution. I'm preparing lots of cool stuff for the site so watch for new items on it next week --- http://www.fahrenheit911.com and http://www.michaelmoore.com Thanks again for your support and I hope to see you at the movies on opening night, June 25. Yours, Michael Moore PS. I am sponsoring a number of benefits around the country next week for local and national peace and justice groups, including Military Families Speak Out and September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows. Please check your local papers and my website next week for further details. PPS. Also, I am going to be on the ``Late Show with David Letterman`` on Friday night. It's on CBS at 11:35 PM Eastern and Pacific. And on Monday morning (June 21) I will be on ``The Today Show`` on NBC. Next week, Jon Stewart and Conan. I'd go on O'Reilly but, like a coward, he walked out on a screening we invited him to (with Al Franken just a few rows away!). I personally caught him sneaking out. Embarrassed, he tried to change the subject. He said, "When are you coming on my show?" and I said, "Turn around and watch the rest of the movie and I will come on your show." He walked out. Fair and balanced (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) At least I am seeing F 9/11 commercials quite a bit on TV. And that it will open in at least two major OKC theatres next Friday, with a benefit Thursday night at Tinseltown (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn, The conclusion of the strange saga of the Nevada Highway Patrol having an unlicensed statewide radio system for the past three years. . . . 73, (Harry Helms W7HLH, Las Vegas, NV, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NHP RADIO SYSTEM HITS GLITCHES --- by BRIAN HAYNES, REVIEW-JOURNAL Thursday, June 17, 2004 Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Jun-17-Thu-2004/news/24121134.html The Nevada Highway Patrol moved one step closer to a legal radio system last week when it switched Las Vegas operations to a statewide communications system. But the switch has had its hitches. In some areas, troopers have experienced problems with radio coverage, dropped calls and clarity, leading to grumbling in the ranks. However, it's only a matter of time before technicians fix the bugs and the new system's superiority becomes apparent, said trooper Dean Buell, president of the Nevada Highway Patrol Association. "Once the system is up to full par, this is going to be the ... Cadillac of radio systems," Buell said. Since switching to the new system June 9, troopers have been tracking problems so technicians can fix them, said Capt. Chris Perry, who is coordinating the change in Southern Nevada. In some rural areas, troopers have made conflicting reports about radio troubles, making the problems tougher to solve, he said. Until the problems are solved, troopers will continue using their old systems as backup, he said. The patrol had to abandon its 150-megahertz radio system because the agency never got licenses to operate on the system's frequencies. The Federal Communications Commission, which regulates radio frequencies, ordered the Highway Patrol to get off the frequencies or face massive fines. The patrol has yet to hear whether it will be fined, Perry said. With nearly $10 million in new equipment from M/A-Com, the patrol joined the Nevada Shared Radio System, a statewide network run by the Department of Transportation. That system runs on 800 megahertz, which will give the new radios better range and clarity, Buell said. It also allows troopers to talk to each other across the state. Troopers in the Reno-area switched to the new system several months ago. "Most troopers really don't care" about the technology, Buell said. "They just want it to work." That's what Perry wants, too. "I'm not going to put my officers in jeopardy," he said, adding he will keep the old system running until he's comfortable with the new system. The old Motorola equipment eventually will be sold to recoup some of the $14 million it cost to install just three years ago (via Harry Helms, DXLD) ** U S A. IBOC notes and WKDL 730 not using IBOC Barry McLarnon steered me to an interesting article on IBOC from the perspective of an effected broadcaster. http://www.rbrepaper.com/epaper/pages/june04/04-112_e4p1.html In the article Mr. Sima Birach owner (?) of Birach Broadcasting suggested calling his lawyer as a last resort to stop interference from WKDL 730 on his station WGOP-700 in the Washington DC area. Recommended reading for those interested in IBOC. I have to wonder if the FCC, iBiquity, and stations using IBOC are prepared for litigation involving interference from IBOC. In that light, I have noticed that WKDL-730 has not turned on IBOC since yesterday morning (6/16) leaving 720 and 740 clear of digi-hash here in Elkridge (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, R9B, Homebrew K9AY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Radio report: ESPN out, classic rock in [Ohio/Michigan] By MEGAN BATTISTA Staff writer There has been something strange in the air lately. One day you'll be driving around in your car and flip to your favorite sports' AM radio station to find it no longer exists. Another day you pick up some local classic rock FM station that you've never heard before. Even local radio officials are admitting that what is happening is unusual, to say the least. Out with the old Last week, ABC/Disney Radio, which owns the AM 900, decided to remove their ESPN Radio affiliate station through BAS Broadcasting and move forward with their plan to phase out the local AM station and move into a 50,000-watt Detroit station. "When they bought the station years ago, this was part of their original plan to move it to 910 AM in Michigan," said Eagle 99 General Manager Jim Lorenzen. "When they bought the AM 910, we knew our AM 900 could not survive." During a bad thunderstorm last week, Eagle 99, owned by BAS Broadcasting, was knocked off the air and the next day -- Thursday -- ABC officials came in and took AM 900 programming off the air. . . http://www.thenews-messenger.com/news/stories/20040617/localnews/665422.html (via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 1550, ALGERIA, RASD Clandestine, Tindouf, May 5 at 2319 // 7460 with Arabic speech, then oud music interlude; atop WNTN`s Haitian Creole (Mark Connelly, Rockport MA, NRC International DX Digest June 14 via DXLD) ** YEMEN. 9779.7, Republic of Yemen R, San'a, 0658-0705, Jun 14, music followed by what sounded to be an ID and then news - all in Arabic. The carrier cut suddenly at 0705. I heard it also on Jun 02 when carrier cut at 0702, so I assume their sign-off time is currently 0700+ and not 0600 as in the WRTH. Summer-schedule? (Noel Green, UK, DSWCI DX Window June 16 via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. Clandestine (Madagascar) --- VOICE OF THE PEOPLE via Talata Volondry 7120 kHz, E-QSL letter in 3 days. Report sent to voxpopzim @ yahoo.co.uk --- reply received from jjwpmasuku @ telco.co.zw V/S: John Masuku, Direttore VOP. * * * (Luca Botto Fiora, Rapallo (Genova), Italy, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. The ``BACKWARDS MUSIC STATION`` It has returned. To many monitors` ears it sounds like music played backwards. It can be found at 10512 kHz. Previous reports have also found it on 10372 and 11363 kHz. It is being heard around the globe. Is it AM, USB, LSB, ISB? Nobody seems to know for sure. Around here it starts to come in reasonably well in mid afternoon. Signal strength picks up during the hours of darkness. The regular fading of the signal seems to indicate a transpolar route. Your editor`s best guess would put the source in mid or central Europe. Some say it is of NATO origin. Any guess is valid at this point. What is it? On the Sony 2010 it is centered at 10512.5 kHz. It has both USB and LSB components. The signals on USB and LSB are different at any given time, indicating it is in ISB or Independent SideBand. After monitoring in the background for a long period of time on two receivers it seems, at least to this listener`s ears, that the signal on one sideband is identical to the signal on the other sideband but one signal is ahead of the other signal by a half second or so. Very strange indeed. To complicate this even further, the signal itself appears to be compressed. This is what gives the unnatural sound quality to the modulated signal. The high and low audio frequencies are attenuated or lowered and the energy saved is put into the audio voice band which is what we hear as the final result. Of course all of this is speculation. Have a listen. Let us know what you hear. If you would like to read about and listen to this and other ``mystery stations`` visit http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/brogers/page3.html WORLDWIDE UTILITY NEWS --- (WUN) is an electronic club for sharing news, information and loggings about Utility (non-broadcast) transmissions on the radio spectrum. In addition to their web site, you can subscribe to the WUN e-mail list. Joining the WUN list allows club members to exchange loggings and information about Utility transmissions in near-realtime. Find out more about the Worldwide Utility News by visiting the following web site: http://www.wunclub.com/ (Robert Ellis, Worldwide Utility Column, June CIDX Messenger, via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL +++++++++++++++++++++++ Good radio voices: Murrow, Garroway, Conover, Gzowski, Hauser (Gerald T. Pollard, Raleigh NC, June 14, with a solstitial contribution, ahem) DRM +++ ANNIVERSARY WATCH It was on this date last year [June 15] that DRM was officially launched to the world. Unfortunately, I have yet to have a chance to hear what DRM sounds like, having only heard recordings previously, or having heard the mush produced in an ordinary analogue radio from the Orfordness MW 1296 transmitter. That situation does not look like changing any time soon (PAUL DAVID, Wembley Park, United Kingdom, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) IMHO, it won't even have a chance unless someone gets some affordable receivers on the market soon. Yes, the first ones will be pricey but there are some (hint, hint) that will be willing to pay the early premium to have one and then the prices will move downward. But, at this point, there isn't a "real" receiver available. I did hear a report that MAYAH was beginning to fill orders from distributors for its DRM2010 (US$750+), but have seen no evidence that it's true (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, ibid.) The Mayah DRM-2010 was distributed a few weeks ago. Ours at RNW is currently being tested. Jonathan Marks is in the States next week, and is taking the Mayah with him. The biggest problem I can see so far is the dreadful audio quality (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, ibid.) The Latest on DRM --- Mike Adams, FEBC. Mike has represented the NASB at a number of DRM meetings in several countries. Radio Free Asia hosted the DRM USA group’s first meeting on May 6, 2004. Twenty-five broadcasters, transmission equipment manufacturers, and transmission providers gathered there to spearhead efforts to promote and facilitate the implementation of DRM in the USA. For DRM to succeed will require cooperative efforts at all levels --- transmitter manufacturers, receiver manufacturers, and broadcasters. Questions were addressed such as: What does it take for a broadcaster to get on the air in DRM mode? How can transmitter manufacturers work with the broadcasters? Who else can provide air time for hire in the DRM mode? Adil Mina of DRS-Continental offered the use of a website `USADRM` as a place for the USA group to communicate their own specific needs and interests. The group reached the conclusion that there should be better promotion and publicity regarding DRM here in the USA---more DRM representation, demonstrations, and tutorials at broadcasting- related events that take place in the USA. The group also determined to work more closely with the FCC regarding DRM issues. An e-mail list will be started for the USADRM group. Contact Jeff White, Chairman of the USADRM group, to join this list. A DRM Broadcasters` User Manual has been prepared that answers many questions that broadcasters have regarding DRM. So much of the DRM technology is new and different---interested parties will find this manual very useful as they learn about and consider the various options offered by DRM. The manual can be picked up electronically from the DRM website. China has shown a major interest in DRM in the last year or two. Chinese receiver manufacturers and receiver IC manufacturers are looking very closely at DRM developments and potential. Indications are that China is committed to introducing standard DRM digital broadcasting, both domestic and international, because of its huge advantages. China has converted around 60 transmitters to DRM capability, and has been running tests. They haven’t gotten very far along yet on receiver production, but it is expected that they will eventually be strongly involved in that. It was pointed out that BPL interference is potentially as harmful to DRM transmissions as it is to analog broadcasts. Eventually, feedback from receivers (``quality of service monitoring``) in target areas will make possible automatic adjustments in the DRM characteristics of the transmission to optimize it for the prevailing propagation conditions. (There is a trade-off between robustness and audio quality in the transmission parameter choices.) (June NASB Newsletter via DXLD) See also USA IBB item RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ HOMELAND SECURITY USES NOAA ALL-HAZARDS NETWORK FOR ALERTS, WARNINGS http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2004/s2245.htm [see for hotlinks] June 17, 2004 --- NOAA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Directorate today signed an agreement that allows Homeland Security to send critical all-hazards alerts and warnings directly through the NOAA All-Hazards Network. The Network supplements the existing alert and warning resources and the capability serves as an additional delivery mechanism for sending life-saving information nationally, regionally or locally. In addition, Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency will continue to manage the Emergency Alert System. (Click NOAA image for larger view of NOAA Weather Radios from various manufacturers. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit `NOAA.`) Soundbite sample of NOAA Weather Radio alarm followed by EAS alert tone with NOAA Weather Radio Voice known as `Donna` delivering alert about tornado. MPEG version -- :49 WAV version -- :49 "This agreement is an example of interagency cooperation that takes advantage of existing capabilities that can now be applied to protect the homeland from both man-made and natural disasters," said Lt. Gen. Frank Libutti USMC (Ret.), undersecretary for information analysis and infrastructure protection, Department of Homeland Security. "We feel strongly that the ability to put redundant systems and capabilities in place increases the likelihood that emergency information is delivered to targeted populations with minimal delay." "Critical information will now be available when people most need it," said Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher USN (Ret.), undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "What began as NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts now extends to a range of products and all-hazards purposes. It's gratifying to know that many more lives can now be better protected." Under this agreement, Homeland Security now has the authority to develop an alert and warning message that can be delivered directly to NOAA and broadcast to affected areas. The system is capable of reaching over 97 percent of the United States territory on a 24/7 basis through broadcasts in 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and Saipan. Radios and televisions currently equipped with SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) allow listeners to pre- select the categories of alerts they wish to receive in chosen listening areas. Broadcast receivers are located in emergency operations centers and many public sites and workplaces. Public Schools in some states are similarly equipped. In addition, the agreement provides that same message, distributed through NOAA, will be distributed locally or nationally over FEMA's Emergency Alert System at the local level, which Americans regularly view as a crawl on the bottom of their television screens and is broadcast over local radio stations. "This agreement furthers a long-standing relationship with NOAA and enhances the federal government's ability to provide American communities the information needed in times of emergency," said Michael D. Brown, undersecretary for emergency preparedness and response, Department of Homeland Security. "While Homeland Security's Emergency Alert System will continue to be the backbone of our alert and warning notifications, we're pleased to develop additional means of communicating with citizens." Beyond the new capability to broadcast Homeland Security Alerts and warnings coupled with protective measure information, the NOAA system will continue to broadcast weather forecasts and warnings, including news about severe storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and volcanic activity; chemical spills and bio-hazardous releases; and, in some states, Amber Alerts. Special populations, such as the disabled or the elderly, can connect NOAA All-Hazards radios via plug-ins to attention-getting devices, such as strobe lights, pagers, bed-shakers, personal computers and text printers. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Relevant Web Sites NOAA Weather Radio All-Hazards Emergency Messages on NOAA Weather Radio NOAA Weather Radio: the Voice of the National Weather Service Media Contact: Madelyn Appelbaum, NOAA, (202) 482-4858 (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ###