DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-115, July 29, 2004 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING 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 OUR RADIO SCHEDULE has been reworked to include direct, or almost direct audio links at each web- and broadcast time: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO EXTRA 49: Fri 0400 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 4-hourly thru 1600 [or maybe last week`s show] Fri 0400 on ACBRadio Mainstream repeated 2-hourly thru 2400 http://www.acbradio.org/mainstream.html Fri 1600 on WBCQ after-hours http://wbcq.com repeated weekdaily Fri 2300 on Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 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 http://www.wpkn.org Sat 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly [maybe] Sat 2030 on WWCR 12160 Sat 2030 on WBCQ 17495-CUSB Sat 2030 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sat 2300 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 8-hourly [maybe] Sun 0230 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0300 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB 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 1100 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Sun 1500 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org 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 0230 on WRMI 6870 [NEW frequency ex-7385, probably] Mon 0330 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu [previous 1239] Mon 0430 on WBCQ 7415, webcast http://wbcq.us Mon 0900 on R. Lavalamp http://www.radiolavalamp.org Mon 1600 on WBCQ after-hours http://wbcq.com repeated weekdaily Wed 0930 on WWCR 9475 WRMI may also carry WOR at certain times alternating with other media programs; see USA WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: Check http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html [WORLD OF RADIO Extra 49 is the same as CONTINENT OF MEDIA 04-04] WORLD OF RADIO Extra 49 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx49h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx49h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0404.html WORLD OF RADIO Extra 49 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0404.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0404.rm WORLD OF RADIO in true shortwave sound via mp3: from Saturday? check http://www.piratearchive.com/dxprograms.htm ** AFGHANISTAN. Hi Glenn. Re DXLD 4-114 item BANGLADESH [and non] Becil/Thales (via W. Buschel). This 100 kW transmitter ordered by Becil could be meant to be installed in Kabul. Discussion about this was in DXLD 3-196 and 4-051. 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, July 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFRICA. It is often hard enough to find steady electricity, let alone affordable wire, fiber, or satellite bandwidth, on this often troubled continent. HF is the way to go. It`s used by the people, and also by hundreds of non-governmental organizations. Some NGOs are affiliated with the UN, Red Cross, Red Crescent, or various religious groups, while others are just organized by small groups of skilled people to bring in otherwise missing services. Many NGOs have contracts with commercial HF e-mail networks. But anyone who has done serious field work will tell you that sometimes they just do what they must, including operating without a license. Tanzanian NGOs are on 7005 (again), 7022.5 and 7023 (a different operation), all USB. In the former Zaïre, now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in surrounding countries, unlicensed USB operations ae on 7050, 14000, 14235, 14325, and 21021. Similar operations come and go in Rwanda. And in Somalia, where ham radios and communication gear are easily available, unlicensed operation is common on many frequencies (Hugh Stegman, HF Communications, Utility World, August MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. 15476, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, 2041 Julio 26. Después de bastante tiempo oculta, parece que las condiciones de propagación empiezan a ser favorables para escuchar esta emisora, por lo menos aquí en el noroeste de España. En la escucha anterior, el día 6 de julio, la señal era débil, pero hoy buena señal entre las 2041 y las 2100 en que cerró su transmisión. SINPO 34333, incluso por momentos 44444. Locutora con un comentario sobre expedición científica británica a la Antártida, luego música, canciones en inglés y español. "Volveremos mañana entre las 15 y las 18 horas". "De Esperanza al mundo, LRA 36". Al momento del cierre comienzó su transmisión Voz Cristiana con programa en portugués en 15475 interfiriendo su minuto final (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. RA, the bellwether of propagation disturbances: Wednesday July 28 at 1300 when I like to listen to The Planet, world music, the 31m channels were inaudible as they were the day before, so I checked 6020 which was poor, and the only usable signal again on 49m! A few minutes later rechecked and 9580 was back, but JBA. Thursday July 29, conditions were much improved and close to normal with 9580 booming in again, flanked by // 9590 and 9560. Checking the higher bands also around 1330 UT July 29, 13m was still dead, lower-latitude and trans-equatorial American signals were back on 16m (Chile booming on 17680, but RCI barely on 17800); 19m a little better, and as in previous mornings when conditions were more disturbed, R. Sweden somehow manages to poke thru the auroral zone with its usual good signal on 15240, the best if not only signal direct from Europe around 1330 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AVES ISLAND, YV0. In celebration of its 70th anniversary, members of the Radio Club Venezolano and other amateurs will soon be QRV as YV0D until August 8. Activity will be on 160 to 10 meters, including the 30, 17, 12, 6 and 2 meters, and 70 cm, using CW, SSB, RTTY, SSTV, PSK31, FM, EME and satellites. QSL via KB6NAN (ARRL DX News July 30 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. July, 25 - 2004, 6025, Radio Illimani at 2320-0100*, talks about gas and petroleum in Bolivia after their referendum on this theme, set of standard IDs at the end, all 4s. July, 26 - 2004, 5953, Radio Pio XII at 0005 with Catholic program in Spanish, good audio, 0050-0100* Atención-style spot (instrumental theme from "Bad" by M. Jackson as back stage music), at the end of the hour - official sign off with ID, frequencies (710 AM, 5955 OC), phone numbers, email) Hello everyone here in Cumbre once again. That's me, (Artyom Prokhorov from Moscow with my latest catches made on Sony ICF7600G and its telescopic antenna in a countryside just in some 70 km South of Moscow, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 3230 kHz, Rádio Guarujá FM, Santos, SP, 0140 UT July 29. Thanks to the log of Michael Schnitzer in HCDX, I was able to ID this station by listening to their website. The live audio on the website was less than 5 seconds behind the SW broadcast. They were playing a mix of music and talk. Possible ads were heard around the 0200 ToH. The station was better at tune in than at 0200 when a lot of background noise was heard. Their signal is very strong and holds up well against the summer static and previously mentioned background noise. I would guess the power to be around the 5 kW mark. At 0207 they played "Somewhere Out There" by a male/female duo whose name escapes me at the moment. At 0220 it was a female singing (in English) Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do I Do It for You". Last night they played Phil Collins' "Another Day in Paradise" at 0324. Brazilian pops also heard tonight (John Sgrulletta, Mahopac, NY, NRD-515/K9AY, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** CANADA. DAB - is there anyone out there? Are there any members receiving DAB in Toronto? I think silence was the last time I asked. Anyway the question really is regarding the DAB transmissions from CJMR and CYJE --- do I have a problem with my tuner and compatibility with their signal or are they really sending out transmissions that are pitch shifted down an octave (probably sampling rate conversion problems in their chain)? DAB Jazz 91.1 --- their audio levels are now up after I commented and got a helpful reply, but are still under investigation. There is some 15 to 18 db difference in peak level between some stations! Why are some of the mono transmissions on DAB on one channel only, not L plus R, for example CIAO and CIRV; the status flag indicates they are stereo in the data stream. Maybe that`s the problem? It`s all rather sad that a quality medium receives very little TLC (Jazz FM 91.1 excepted) In terms of RF levels both the FM and DAB transmissions from Jazz are at reduced power due to use of only the lower half of the antenna array which is mainly for more local coverage (Steve Wilkins, Ont., July 28, ODXA via DXLD) No replies now either ** CANADA. OLDIES STATION GETTING YOUNGER Wed Jul 28 2004 Bartley Kives In a cruel irony for older Winnipeg radio listeners, the Canadian Home of Nostalgia Radio is itself a thing of the past. Winnipeg's CHNR 100.7 FM is ditching its senior-friendly playlist in favour of a "soft AC/Gold" format, which means more music from the '50s and '60s and less of the Depression-era and Wartime sounds that made the signal unique. Beginning on Friday, the station will be known as The Breeze 100.7 FM. Staff have been replaced by an automated playlist, with the exception of newly hired morning man Russ Tyson and drive-home host George Raymond, both former employees of Cool FM. "We're retaining much of the music we played before, but we're also adding some softer, more modern music as well," says owner and president Lee Smith, who founded the station as CKVN in 1995. At the time, it was a part-time, low-power project that commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Allied European victory in the Second World War. With the help of a loyal listenership, it won the right to broadcast full-time and went on air as the commercial signal CHNR in September 2002. The station continued to garner a strong following, to the point where its Winnipeg audience share routinely reached four per cent in surveys conducted by BBM Canada. But in the world of commercial radio, where advertising dollars rule, a large audience doesn't necessarily translate into large revenues. The seniors who tuned into CHNR in droves could not sustain the station, because advertisers covet younger listeners who spend more on consumer goods. That forced Smith into a nightmare situation: The very station he fought to get on air was no longer commercially viable. First, there were rumours floating around town that CHNR was for sale. But what actually went down was a format change, which began several weeks ago with the institution of computer-assisted programming. "We're trying to get a younger demographic, without alienating all the people who got us off the ground," says Smith, who says initial complaints about the changes are giving way to positive feedback. "This isn't easy. If you tune in to hear Lawrence Welk and get Jim Croce or Dionne Warwick, you're going to say they're playing rock 'n' roll." Smith says he agonized for months over the decision to alter the format. The worst part was laying off the staff, from on-air personalities to production assistants. At least nine full or part- time personnel lost their jobs. "It was a very emotional and difficult decision for me, to no longer be able to work with really, really great people -- the most professional broadcasters I've encountered in nearly 40 years of radio. "But something had to be done. If I had the heart and soul of an MBA accountant type, I would have made these changes eight months ago." Under the terms of its broadcast license, CHNR can fill up to 60 per cent of its playlist with pop music. But there's one big condition: All of that pop music must have been recorded during a 50-year period from 1920 to 1970. The rest of its playlist is reserved for specialty music, such as jazz. By skewing toward the '50s and '60s, The Breeze will compete with three other Winnipeg music stations for the 35 to 64 crowd. Jazz station Cool FM, soft AC station Clear FM and AM signal 1290 CFRW already go after segments of this age demographic. "We welcome any competition," says Bryan Stone, vice-president and general manager of CFRW and its two CHUM Radio sister stations, Q-94 FM and BOB FM. "But it certainly is getting crowded out there." To date, the federal broadcast regulator has only received one formal complaint about CHNR's format change, says Cheryl Grossi, senior regional officer for the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. But the station does not have to apply to the CRTC to change its format, unless it wants to alter the conditions of its broadcast license. * * * In other local broadcasting news, Global Winnipeg has parted ways with general manager Monte Graham. A call to the station indicated CanWest Global executive David Asper has assumed the GM's duties at the TV station (Winnipeg Free Press via Sean Traverse, DXLD) ** CANADA. MINISTER SURPRISED BY CHAREST'S VIEWS ON RADIO STATION SET TO CLOSE Sylvain Larocque Canadian Press Tuesday, July 27, 2004 OTTAWA -- A spokesman for Liza Frulla says the federal heritage minister is surprised by Quebec Premier Jean Charest's comments about a radio station ordered to close because of controversial comments made by its morning-show hosts. On Monday, Charest was asked whether he believes it is still possible for CHOI-FM to remain on the air beyond the Aug. 31 deadline the federal broadcast regulator has set for the Quebec City radio station to disappear. . . http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=e665a791-ccb7-4e79-a7f9-b588e71551f9 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CHINA. CRI MARKS 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF ESPERANTO BROADCAST XINHUA ASIA URL: http://www.xinhua.org BEIJING, July 27 (Xinhua) -- China Radio International (CRI), China's major foreign language radio, held a ceremony here Tuesday to mark the 40th anniversary of its Esperanto program. As part of the ongoing 89th International Esperanto Conference, the ceremony, attended by approximately 50 representatives, awarded loyal listeners. Former President of the Universal Esperanto Association (UEA) K. Enderby, UEA Vice President Lee Chong-Yeong, and CRI Deputy Director Xia Jixuan attended the ceremony. As one of China's major media, Xia acknowledged. CRI broadcasts news about China and the world in 43 languages. Currently, CRI broadcasts a one-hour Esperanto program per day to Northeastern Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America, Europe and Albania. The CRI Esperanto department set up and published a Esperanto website and magazine, which were enjoyed by a large audience worldwide with increasing influence, Xia said. The 89th Universal Esperanto Congress, which started here on Sunday, has drawn about 2,000 academicians and Esperantists from more than 50 countries and regions worldwide. Copyright 2004 XINHUA all rights reserved as distributed by WorldSources, Inc. (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC [and non]. RFE/RL SEEKING FUNDS FOR MOVE OF ITS PRAGUE HQ --- Today's Prague Post reports that Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is planning to ask the US Congress for an additional $13 million in funding to construct a new headquarters outside of the centre of Prague. The newspaper says that despite reports in the Czech press that the US government has already agreed to fund the project, negotiations are still underway. The United States isn't expected to make a final decision on RFE/RL's request for additional funding until the start of the fiscal year 2006, Oct. 1, 2005. The paper quotes Don Jensen, director of communications for RFE/RL, as saying that "We're working very well with Czech officials. We're making progress [negotiating for the site of the new building], but we've still got to get the money from Congress." The Prague Post says that RFE/RL will submit its budget request to Congress in September. Funding for the building will be an additional appropriation to the station's approximately $70 million annual budget. If the station gets the additional funding, Jensen said, the organization wants to make the move as soon as possible, potentially even by 2006, although 2007 is probably a more realistic target. # posted by Andy @ 11:12 UT July 29 (Media Network blog via DXLD) They won't get funded this year. It's an election year, that means no boat rocking. RFE/RL does not have the power of jobs in a congress critters district, ergo why do they need money. And if there is a change at the top in DC all bets are off. Very risky and dumb move (Lou Josephs, 07.29.04 - 3:53 pm, ibid.) ** GEORGIA. Georgia and electricity --- The sporadic reception of the SW transmissions of Radio Georgia is usually attributed to irregularities in the electricity supplies. There are a number of articles on the Web which describe the difficult energy situation in Georgia, to name just a few: http://www.amcham.ge/magazine/2003/December/4.htm (mentions briefly town Dusheti where the SW transmitters are located) http://www.amcham.ge/magazine/2003/December/5.htm As far as the Tbilisi is concerned, the US company AES (based in Arlington, VA) was running the capital's electricity system TELASI since 1999, but withdrew in September 2003, selling its shares to Russia's Unified Energy Systems. Some articles from the last years which partly also mention radio & TV: http://eng.globalisation.ru/live/news.asp?id=4887&rubric_id=1631 (2004) http://www.tbilisipastimes.com/frozen.html (2001) (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. 3291.1, GBC, Sparendaam, 2200-2211, Jul 05, still putting a formidable signal, news headlines, then the bulletin itself in English; 44342, so not much adjacent QRM from the usual utility station (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) But at 0215-0225 on Jul 25 the utility was back and GBC was heard best in USB with announcement in English and pop music, 22232 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) 3291.16, Voice of Guyana (presumed); 0119-0131+, 25-July; 40s-50s pop music. No announcements. SIO=442/occasional ute burst (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. XM signs up NPR reject Bob Edwards: see USA ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS. 15500 USB, Coalition Maritime Forces, 1610- 1743v*, Jul 14, 16 and 22, Pashto/Dari/Urdu/Hindi? messages, Afghan and Indian folksongs and Indian orchestral music, 23222 QRM Kuwait 15505 and 1730-1745* UN Radio 15495. Cf. DX-Window no. 250 USA/ UK/ Bahrain (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) ** IRAN. Can someone confirm if a signal I noted on 1169 last night (UTC: 0022, 23 JUL) is the Iranian station that had been on 1171? Mostly a het with fragmentary audio (reception from Granite Pier in Rockport, MA, USA a bit after local sunset). (Mark Connelly, WA1ION, July 24, NRC-AM via DXLD) I listened to 1169, Monday night here, at 1945 UT: quite strong carrier, and in 10 minutes it was stronger and I had Arabic music, and in 10 minutes further I could see in the fq-display that the carrier was as strong as 1170. Also some talk on 1169, but it was not clear enough so I could not hear what language it was. Later the modulation disappeared in the noise and only the carrier left. Nothing on 1171 (Sigvard Andersson, July 26, ibid.) Yes, it is Iran, ex-1171 kHz, 0030-2130. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) ** IRAQ [non]. IRAQ'S NEW AL-FAYHA TV BEGINS TEST TRANSMISSION FROM UAE | Text of report by Iraqi Shi'i group's Iran-based radio station Voice of the Mujahidin on 27 July A new Iraqi satellite channel began its test transmission from the United Arab Emirates as of Sunday, 25 July. The new Iraqi satellite channel is called Al-Fayha, which is one of the names of Basra Governorate. The channel obtained its licence from Dubai Free Media City. However, wishing to make use of time and to keep up with developments and events in Iraq, it rented big and modern offices and studios for this purpose. Muhammad al-Ta'i, chairman of the board of directors and director- general of the satellite channel, said that the channel, which will transmit programmes on the Nilesat satellite, was a purely Iraqi national channel with no links to other regimes, governments or parties. He added that the Iraqi sponsors had not imposed any preconditions with regard to the choice of policy, provided the channel champions the Iraqi people. Source: Voice of the Mujahidin, in Arabic 1400 gmt 27 Jul 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) A New Iraq TV station on the Nile Sat 7. West --- A new Iraqi TV station Called "ALFAYHA" started transmitting yesterday on the Nile sat satellite, Freq: 12226 GHz, Polarization Horizontal, S. Rate 27500 FEC 3/4. The main transmission time is from 0900 till 1200 UT and then repeated from 1700 till 2000 UT. The name was causing some confusion as Alfayha is known as the nickname of the Syrian capital Damascus, but it turned out to be the nickname as well for the Iraqi city of Al Basra explained by one of AlFayhaa TV announcers yesterday. All the best (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, July 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. IBA Budget issues (from this past Thursday) http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/454510.html IBA ON VERGE OF FINANCIAL COLLAPSE --- by Anat Balint The Israel Broadcasting Authority's financial reports for the years 2001 and 2002 reveal that the IBA is in imminent danger of financial collapse and may soon cease to be a "going concern." An external report submitted two weeks ago by accounting firm Brightman Almagor found that the IBA accrued a deficit of NIS 200 million in those years. The figure directly contradicts reports IBA director general Yosef Barel submitted at the end of last year which showed a deficit of just NIS 35 million. Barel submitted financials prepared in-house by the IBA's own finance department. In addition, the report found the IBA has a NIS 192 million deficit in assets and a deficit in working capital of NIS 70 million. Another report, commissioned from accounting firm Ginsburg, found that most of the serious deficiencies spotlighted in a report Ginsburg prepared in 2001 on IBA's financial management, had not been corrected. In light of these figures, IBA chair Avraham Natan wrote to Barel questioning the gaps between the report Barel submitted and the grave situation indicated by the Brightman Almagor report. This is the first time the IBA chair, who has always given Barel complete support, has criticized the director general. Natan drew attention to the fact that Barel gave him and cabinet ministers incorrect reports. "In this situation," Natan wrote, "an emergency financial plan is necessary that will bring the IBA to a financial and operating break- even point in a year and half." The principles of the program have already been agreed on with the Finance Ministry and include 600 layoffs and a reduction in expenses on rent, administration and travel, Natan wrote. Natan informed Barel in the letter that he must prepare an emergency plan that will accelerate and improve the streamlining plan already in place. Natan also noted that he has "informed Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the treasury of the severity of the situation and the need to find budgetary resources and financing for early retirement programs." In late 2003, the treasury-appointed external controller Dan Jonah was steamrolled out of the job after Barel lobbied the treasury. Jonah warned of a "ticking bomb" in the form of a loan the IBA took for the construction of its new Shaarei Tzedek headquarters. He alleged the IBA faced a deficit of NIS 24.2 million for 2003 operations alone. Barel accused the controller of complete failure to read budget and performance reports, saying Jonah had hampered an entire system with his own lack of professionalism. Barel won the support of Minister Meir Sheetrit, who praised Barel's financial management. The minister responsible for the IBA, Ehud Olmert, said Jonah was scared of shadows. The Dinur Commission is slated to submit its report to the cabinet in the coming days; it will recommend comprehensive structural reform at the IBA, transforming it into primarily a broadcasting entity, instead of a content-producer. The office of director general Barel commented: "The report covers the years 2000-2001, before Yosef Barel was appointed director general and the deficit stemmed primarily from the Shaarei Tzedek project and the matter is being handled. The reports were submitted to the IBA plenum's finance committee. The chairman didn't make these comments at that meeting and they contradict the opinions of IBA's accountants and finance department." ======== Reshet Moreshet (The (Jewish) Heritage Network), has a new website (Hebrew).: http://moreshet.iba.org.il (all via Doni Rosenzweig, July 25, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Kol Israel - changes postponed --- As a result of the below network change delay, the shortwave schedule changes will also be pushed off at least a week. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/Printer&cid=1090984589315&p=1078027574097 ENGLISH RADIO NEWS MOVE DELAYED A WEEK The Israel Broadcasting Authority's English news will remain on Reshet Alef for another week after the Journalists Association obtained a restraining order against the move to the Reka immigrant network. Hundreds of listeners have complained that they would not be able to hear the broadcasts on Reka, which is only available in areas where there is a large Russian-speaking population. Asked about his promise to keep the English news on Reshet Alef, Communications Minister Ehud Olmert said he is working on the matter and he hopes he will be successful (via Doni Rosenzweig, July 28, DXLD) KI change delayed From IBA website: http://bet.iba.org.il/index.asp?classto=betLanguage&lang=23 Radio transfer delayed The move and time change of English-language radio broadcasts has been delayed one week to Sunday, August 8. The National Federation of Israeli journalists obtained a restraining order against the switch to the Reka network. Hundreds of listeners complained that they are unable to pick up the Reka network. Reka broadcasts to the country's large Russian-speaking community. Starting Sunday, August 8, Kol Israel English-language news broadcasts are being moved to the Reka network at the following local Israel times: 6:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 8:30 p.m. These broadcasts will be transmitted in the AM band at 954 and 1575, and in the FM band at 88.2, 93.7, 94.4, 101.2, 101.3, and 107.3. On the same day, English language shortwave broadcasts will be heard at 3:30, 9:30, 17:30, and 19 hours UTC. (29.07.2004 10:48 via Doni Rosenzweig, DXLD) WTFK?? You can`t just unilaterally change SW broadcast times without taking into account other stations` frequency usage, not to mention meshing the new times with Israel`s other language broadcasts! So some changes in frequency may also be necessary. Of course this may never really happen, with more restraining orders and litigation. Gee, what fun it must be to live in Israel (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. 6005.0 (AM), NHK-Sapporo, 1024-1301*. Since July 17, heard every night. Japanese, various music (Japanese ballad, light instrumental music, etc.), NHK Radio One programming, // 3607.5 (USB). Pleasantly surprised to hear them again, as I have often checked this frequency over the past year or more without hearing even a whisper from what had been for me the most regularly heard of the low powered NHK relay stations (Ron Howard, Monterey CA, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. 6068.11v, Voice of Korea, this one has really been drifting around this past week. Noted around 1100, with IS, anthem and Japanese programming. Had been fairly steady on 6070.1 for the past few months (Ron Howard, Monterey CA, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. Re 4-114: 11995, Kuwait Ministry of Information in Dari... This is, of course, a misunderstanding: this is not a "Kuwait Information Ministry" program or site, but the US-run IBB transmitting site which is separated from Kuwaiti installations. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, July 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The SW transmissions directed at Afghanistan from the IBB Kuwait Transmitting Station commenced on Jul 19. The current schedule is as follows (SINPO in brackets is as monitored in Denmark on Jul 26-27 -- Petersen) : 1330-1430 17605 R Free Afghanistan Dari (no signal) 1430-1530 13690 VOA Dari (25333) 1530-1630 13690 VOA Pashto (25333) 1630-1730 11760 VOA Dari (35433) 1730-1800 11730 VOA Pashto (35333) 1800-1830 11730 VOA Dari (45444) 1830-1930 11750 VOA Pashto (53553 QRM R Finland 11755) 1930-2230 11835 VOA English (faded out) 2230-0030 11935 VOA English (faded out) 0030-0230 11995 VOA Pashto (faded out) 0230-0330 11945 R Free Afghanistan Pashto (faded out). 5955, IBB, Kuwait, *2100-0230, Jul 11 and 12, tests with non-stop instrumental music, first 35333, but up till 0100: 32332 because of splatter from badly modulated Voice of Russia in Russian on 5945. From 0100: 34433 with QRM from Taiwan via Okeechobee, FL on 5950 in Chinese (QSA 4, good modulation) and from R Siglo Veinte, Bolivia on 5952.5 in Spanish (QSA 2); at 0230 tests were still on, but covered by R Finland in Russian on 5955 (QSA 4), all the time heard // 9535 with more disturbed reception: 22322 due to VOIRI towards Europe and later on REE, Spain on co-channel in Spanish (QSA 4). 12005, IBB, Kuwait, 1600-1820, Jul 11, tests with non-stop instrumental music, 44444 with slight QRM from much weaker Tunisia 12005 and Voice of Russia in French on 12000 and 12010 (both QSA 4), and heard // 7245 with 22332 from 1500 under Tajik R External Service in Farsi until 1600, then Dari (23333). 13650, IBB, Kuwait, 1820-1940, Jul 11, test with non stop instrumental music, 44454 with a weak unidentified station underneath. At 1940 this station had disappeared and the signal was 35444. It was heard // 12005 (all: Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) Ooops, 13650 clashes on Sundays with R. Free Syria (gh, DXLD) ** LATVIA. 9290, Kiss Radio, 9290 programme broadcast via Ulbroka (100 kW) on Sunday Jul 11 was verified after 15 days with a nice colourful printed QSL-card showing two kissing young people. Full data, but no verie signer and no sender on the envelope. Enclosed were also a red and white sticker and a one page standard letter telling about their first broadcast. It was also mentioned: "Our first broadcast was heard very well in Europe and so far Kiss Radio 9290 has received receptionreports from Germany, France, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and the U.K. And even from China. Kiss Radio 9290 hopes to be back on the air in August 2004. Check our website http://www.kiss9290.net for updates and more information." (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) 9290, Q-103, via Ulbroka special programme in German broadcast Su May 30 (Cf. DX-Window no. 247) was reported to the address in Ytterby, Sweden with 1 IRC. After 57 days arrived a verification from Douglas, the Isle of Man, UK with a new, full data QSL-card showing a lighthouse at colourful sunset and signed by Juha Virén (a Swedish- Finnish name). In addition was a sticker and a personal letter signed by DJ Volker and a letter about a CD-contest. The address was Q 103 – Germany, Postbus 27 02, 6049 ZG Herten, The Netherlands. (Quite an international verie!). About their broadcasts was mentioned: ``So far, the English language transmissions of the Q 103 main crew in northern Europe are free-radio broadcasts only; no concrete schedule can be given. We here from Q 103 Germany only use the official relay from Latvia, for several months we used IRRS relay regularly, but general reception conditions were not satisfying. There might be a chance for a multi-language broadcast later in the year or around Xmas time on 9290 kHz`` (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) ** LATVIA [and non]. RADIO JOYSTICK all over Europe! Since 1985 RADIO JOYSTICK is using broadcasting time of several shortwave relays. Additional to WRMI, Miami, FL which is used since May 2004 a new relay will start in August: The strong transmitter 15 km from Riga, Latvia will offer best reception over whole Europe. Main target area is Great Britain, but reception was even reported from Canada and Brazil. The shows are not only consisting of music, but also offering information on Free Media. Every show lasts 60 min and will be sent on CD via snail mail letter to Riga and Miami. There it will be completed to be heard every first Saturday of each month at 0900 UT on 9290 kHz from Riga and 9955 kHz from Miami. The Latvian transmitter has a power of 100 kW, but effective radiated power is 2800 kW. Listeners should send their reports to: RADIO JOYSTICK, Postfach 10 08 12, 45408 Mülheim an der Ruhr, BRD - RFA - FRG; mail to: chapri @ radiojoystick.de Fax: 0 12 12 / 511 301 202; http://www.radiojoystick.de (Charlie Prince, Radio Joystick, July 29, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. TRANSLATOR NEWS --- New FM Stations, Translators, Low Power FM Stations Granted --- Translators have less than 100 watts unless shown otherwise; technical parameters for most LPFM stations are not announced, but can be up to 100 watts at 30 meters above average terrain (horizontal, vertical or both h & v). OK Enid K227AT *93.3 (KYCU 89.1 Clinton OK), 250 h,v OK North Enid K291AV *106.1 (KYLV), 250 h,v (actually southeast of the main part of Enid) (Compiled by Bruce Elving, WTFDA member, and founder FMedia! newsletter, who says, "watch these stations clutter up the dial for DXing!" August WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) Excerpted from a very long list, including several more in OK, none public radio. 93.3 will have to overcome the OKC station on the frequency, but will finally bring public radio to a local transmitter in Enid!!! Originating at KCCU Lawton. This would explain the disappearance of the Enid 89.1 gospel-huxter translator, since that frequency would have to be open in order to pick up KYCU and KYLV for relay! 106.1 is another gospel huxter from 88.9 in OKC. Thing is, KMUW Wichita is the dominant signal on 89.1, so I also wonder if pickup antennas aimed at Clinton can be sufficiently direxional to prevent input QRM from KMUW on the 93.3 relay. KCCU uses a satellite feed system to all its own relays, but this is supposedly not an option for a translator on a commercial frequency, operated by someone else (Glenn Hauser, Enid, July 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. HD Radio Licensed Stations --- 1 stations found in OK Call Sign Frequency Format Market Owner On Air KWTU-FM 88.7 Tulsa, OK University of Tulsa No (from http://www.ibiquity.com/hdradio/hdradio_hdstations.htm July 29 via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 4960, CRN Vanimo with Vatican R. English program 1242-1253.5 when had Vatican IS; 1254 to 1342 non-stop light and devotional music per program schedule. SINPO 35433, much better than average for this time of year, fading to S2 after 1330 7/23 (Bruce W. Churchill, Fallbrook, CA 92028, Japan Radio NRD 545, Wellbrook ALA- 1530 rotating loop, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3325, R. Bougainville, Very nice textured tan colored f/d QSL and personal letter from v/s Mark Nikis ("acting Director Provincial Radio") in about 2 months for English report, CD, and $2. Mr. Nikis says "Some of the National Broadcasting Corporation stations in Papua New Guinea have not disappeared on air waves, but due to government funding these have put these stations to go off air. Here at Radio Bougainville we have encountered similar problems, but with the help of the NGO's and the help of the AusAid (Australian Aid Programme) we have been on air, and also our provincial government have help us with some funding to produce peace process programmes and awareness programmes as our people were at war with the government for ten years or so. At the moment we are at peace. Radio Bougainville has a bright future since we are at peace and we will continue to serve our local listeners and also overseas friends". A nice reply. 73's (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, July 29, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Listen to VOICE OF RUSSIA on Real Audio via World Radio Network WORLD SERVICE IN ENGLISH ON REAL AUDIO VIA WRN RECORDED 03.00 UTC UPDATED 04.30 UTC MONDAY NEWS, THIS IS RUSSIA, NEWS-IN-BRIEF, MOSCOW CALLING TUESDAY NEWS, MUSICAL TALES, NEWS-IN-BRIEF, THE RIVER OF TIME WEDNESDAY NEWS, MOSCOW MAILBAG, NEWS-IN-BRIEF, GUEST SPEAKER, LADIES OF CHARACTER THURSDAY NEWS, SCIENCE PLUS, NEWS-IN-BRIEF, THE RIVER OF TIME FRIDAY NEWS, NEWMARKET, NEWS-IN-BRIEF, FLEXIBLE PROGRAMMING (interviews, letters reviews, music programs etc.) SATURDAY NEWS, MOSCOW MAILBAG, NEWS-IN-BRIEF, THE RIVER OF TIME SUNDAY NEWS, MUSIC AND MUSICIANS WORLD SERVICE IN ENGLISH ON REAL AUDIO VIA WRN RECORDED 08:00 UTC UPDATED 09:30 UTC DAILY NEWS (daily) NEWS-IN-BRIEF (daily) NEWS AND VIEWS(daily, exc. Monday) MONDAY THIS IS RUSSIA, MOSCOW YESTERDAY AND TODAY TUESDAY KALEIDOSCOPE WEDNESDAY AUDIO BOOK CLUB THURSDAY FOLK BOX FRIDAY JAZZ SHOW SATURDAY CHRISTIAN MESSAGE FROM MOSCOW SUNDAY TIMELINES Copyright © 1999—2004 THE VOICE OF RUSSIA (via Maryanne Kehoe, ODXA and swprograms via DXLD) ** SICILY [and non]. ITALY --- From Sicily 189 kHz, the sole LW transmitter in this country, is still working notwithstanding it has disappeared from the official list at http://www.raiway.it At night the remaining transmitters (exc. 900, 1107 and 657 which are used by the Notturno Italiano) should close down at 2200, but I noticed some still working with Radio 1 FM programme for instance on 693, 1062, 1431, 1575 about at midnight (Luigi Cobisi, Florence, Italy, July 17, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. SLBC REALLOCATES FM FREQUENCIES | The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) has reallocated its FM frequencies for all services from 25 July, the Sri Lanka newspaper Daily News reported on the 26th. The channels can be heard nationally on various FM frequencies emanating through transmitters based at Deniyaya, Haputale, Colombo, Yatiyantota, Hunnasgiriya, Radella and Palali. The services affected by the frequency reallocation are the Sinhala National Service, the Sinhala Commercial Service (also known as City FM), the Tamil Commercial Service, the Tamil National Service (also known as Thendral) and the English Service. The SLBC regional stations Kandurata FM, Ruhunu FM and Rajarata FM, and the community radio stations at Mahailluppallama, Kothmale, Girandurukotte and Uva have also been allocated new FM frequencies. A separate national sports service is also provided. The reallocation aims to provide wider coverage of all SLBC's services, including an FM frequency transmitted from Irattaperyakulama for the Jaffna peninsula, the Daily News added. The report gave no details of specific frequencies. Source: Daily News web site, Colombo, in English 26 Jul 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 4635, Tajik Radio 1, Yangiyul, is broadcasting in Tajik 0430-1000 and 1400-0400, in Russian 0400-0430 and 1000-1030, and in Uzbek 1030-1100 (Petersen and Shukhrat) The Voice of Russia is broadcasting via Yangiyul as follows: 1200-1300 in Dari on 4940, 4965 and 4975, 1300-1400 in Pashto on 4940, 4965 and 4975, 1500-1600 in English on 4965 and 4975. 7245, R. Tajikistan (FS) is here in various languages 0100-0200 and 1300-1500. Domestic TR-1 is broadcast 0300-1300 in Tajik and various other languages (Shukhrat Rakhmatullaev, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) ** THAILAND. 6150, Or Sor (Amphorn Sathan) is not active on SW, still active on MW 1332. I guess they will not reactivate 6150 again as Singapore is strong on this frequency even on day time, here in Bangkok. In the past years Or Sor's signal was not very strong even in Bangkok region (Juergen Waga, Germany, visiting Bangkok, Thailand, Jul 14, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Estimados amigos: Reenvío el mensaje de La Voz de Turquía, donde nos indican la nueva frecuencia de su emisión diaria en español, a las 1630 UT. Saludos (Jesús María Iglesias, EA1-0986, Asturias, España, July 28, noticiasdx yg via DXLD) ----- Mensaje Original ----- Remitente: "\(espanol\) Ispanyolca" espanol @ trt.net.tr Fecha: Martes, Julio 27, 2004 3:40pm Estimado amigo: Muchas gracias por su última carta. A partir del día miércoles, 28 de julio, transmitiremos por 13720 kHz. En espera de sus prontas noticias. Saludos cordiales. Volkan K. Aytürk (via Iglesias, ibid.) Por fin la Voz de Turquía ha encontrado una frecuencia que se escucha estupendamente en España: 13720, de 1630 a 1655 en español. Hoy mismo ha emitido por 1ª vez, dejando la interferida de 13640. Están a la espera de que les remitáis informes de recepción para corroborar la calidad de la recepción. Yo se los he mandado a Volkan K. Aytürk espanol @ trt.net.tr Un saludo cordial (Pedro Sedano, Madrid, España, July 29, noticiasdx yg via DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. 4930, Türkmen Radio 2, Asgabat, is broadcasting 0100- 2300 in Turkmen, except at 1630-1645 in English. 5015, Türkmen Radio 1, Asgabat, is broadcasting 0000-2000 in Turkmen, except 1500-1510 in English (Shukhrat Rakhmatullaev, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD) ** UKRAINE [and non]. EMBATTLED UKRAINIAN RADIO CHIEF GETS ASYLUM IN USA | Text of report by Ukrainian television TV 5 Kanal on 28 July [Presenter] Serhiy Sholokh, the director of Radio Kontynent, has got political asylum in the USA. Mr Sholokh told us about this from the USA. Here is what he said: [Sholokh, by phone] I got asylum, it is not political asylum, it is refugee status, as far as I know, in the USA. Whether I am happy or not about this, it is hard to say. I am Ukrainian, a citizen of Ukraine, and I will remain a citizen of Ukraine for a long time. I believe that I will return to Ukraine, to new a Ukraine, with a new president and a new government. [Sholokh had complained of threats and fled Ukraine in March after the authorities had shut down Radio Kontynent, which rebroadcast programmes of the BBC, Deutsche Welle and Radio Liberty, see "Embattled radio station chief flees Ukraine to avoid arrest", TV 5 Kanal, Kiev, in Ukrainian 1900 gmt 3 Mar 04] Source: TV 5 Kanal, Kiev, in Ukrainian 1000 gmt 28 Jul 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U K. In the UK, the World Service is now available 24 hours a day on DAB radios, but my programme can no longer be heard on Radio 4 at 1.30 am on Thursday mornings. A decision has been made to take all the music programmes off the available programmes at that time. [Moderator: By coincidence I was talking to someone at Womad yesterday who mentioned that the Charlie Gillette programme was no longer carried on Radio 4 FM overnight, but he said it can still be heard on the World Service mediumwave frequency 648 kHz at the usual time - I presume this also applies to other music programmes. Dave Kenny] Why? Anyone know the answer? (Andrew Tett, BDXC-UK via DXLD) The only reason I can think of for this split of broadcasts overnight is that music programmes of any kind are not in line with general daytime Radio 4 output. Maybe they are trying to provide the BBC WS as a continuation of normal Radio 4-type programming, rather than simply a sustaining service broadcasting the type of programme that you wouldn't normally hear on those frequencies (i.e. music). (Stephen Howie, Reading, Berkshire, U.K., Personal Blog: http://www.stephenhowie.blogspot.com DX Blog: http://www.ukdx.blogspot.com ibid.) Thanks for this Stephen, but it seems a pretty feeble excuse of Radio 4 to me. If this is the case, why do they continue to bother with Desert Island Discs, (Ned Sherrin's) Counterpoint or indeed anything else with a vaguely musical content? Take it to a logical extreme, and both the ever popular and ingenious Radio 4 UK theme and, horror of horrors, Sailing By go by the board as well. Dare I suggest it has more to do with rights issues? I know the BBC has blanket PPL licences on most of their output, but was there the possibility perhaps that it was actually costing them money to carry music programming on the normal R4 frequencies out of hours? Personally, I think it's a great shame that domestic listeners and those who don't invest in DAB or can listen on the net, are deprived of some of the excellent music and entertainment features which distinguished the World Service of old. The newsfest which World Service is becoming is all very well for some maybe, but it hardly represents the full range of British life nor a chance for R4 listeners to hear what they're missing. Maybe they are afraid we would desert them in droves if we discovered what WS has to offer :-) Incidentally, there are two "music" items from R4 which are excluded from netcasting: the hymns of the Daily Service --- bizarre, given that other musical religious output is carried, and funnily enough Desert Island Discs, something to do with the contract with Roy Plomley's estate, I believe. Happy listening! (Mark Savage, ibid.) ** U K. THREATENED BBC STRIKE CALLED OFF A strike threatened by BBC technicians for this Friday and Saturday has been called off. Members of technology union BECTU were planning to strike over plans to privatise their division. However, this afternoon the BBC said staff have received an improved offer from buyers Siemens. But a further strike planned for 13 and 14 August has not yet been called off, and could threaten the BBC's coverage of the Olympics opening ceremony in Athens. Whether this goes ahead will depend on the results of a ballot of members which BECTU is organising to gauge opinion on the revised offer from Siemens. The BBC's chief technology officer John Varney says the BBC was continuing to negotiate with Siemens to get the best deal for the staff involved. # posted by Andy @ 17:53 UT July 28 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn: I have updated the program schedule on our web page. In all of the spots where I have indicated "Viva Miami/NASB/DX Programs" we'll be rotating WOR, DXPL, Wavescan, Viva Miami and Voice of the NASB, for the time being (Jeff White, WRMI, July 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://www.wrmi.net In addition to the one firm time for WOR, UT Mon 0230 on new 6870, here are the times, then, effective July 31 if not already; I suppose WOR has a 20 to 25% chance of appearing during any given half-hour: M-F 0900-0930 9955, Thu 0930-1000 9955, M-F 1000-1100 9955; Sun 1200- 1300 15725, Sun 2130-2200 15725, Sun 2230-2300 9955 (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Miss an Allan Weiner Worldwide broadcast on WBCQ, UT Sat 0000 on 7415? Three shows from April are archived here, and presumably more will be added, hopefully without so much delay: http://www.wbcq.com/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=viewdownload&cid=1 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Jewish Radio Network begins expanded programming on WBCQ 5105 on Sunday, August 1, 2004. Starting this day the program can be heard from 8:00 pm to 12:00 midnight Eastern Sunday thru Thursday (wbcq.com main page via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup via DX LISTENING DIGEST) = 0000-0400 UT M-F ** U S A. EDWARDS LEAVES NPR TO HOST SATELLITE RADIO SHOW http://www.npr.org/features/feature.php?wfId=3626300 July 28, 2004 -- Former NPR Morning Edition host Bob Edwards will host a new morning show to be distributed on the XM Satellite Radio system. Sources tell NPR's Rick Karr on condition of anonymity that by early next week, Edwards will be named host of a new morning program. NPR erred in reporting earlier that Edwards' program would involve Public Radio International. In March, Edwards was forced out of the host's chair he'd occupied for 24-and-a-half years. The move ignited an explosive, negative response: thousands of e-mails, a statement on the Senate floor, an editorial in The Chicago Tribune and an op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times. In recent weeks, Edwards has hinted in published reports that he might not stay in the senior correspondent position that the network had offered him. Edwards -- who's on tour promoting his book about journalist Edward R. Murrow -- didn't return calls for comment. NPR issued a statement thanking him for his contributions and wishing him the best of luck. (NPR website July 28 via KUNM via DXLD) FORMER NPR HOST BOB EDWARDS TO BE XM'S NEW MORNING STAR By Jennifer Frey Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, July 29, 2004 http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A22089-2004Jul28?language=printer Radio host Bob Edwards, who drew millions of listeners to National Public Radio for three decades but was demoted earlier this year, is taking his signature voice to a competing radio universe, according to Edwards and executives of Washington-based XM Satellite Radio. Starting Oct. 4, Edwards will host his own morning show on a new channel being launched by XM, as the growing subscription radio service makes its move into public-radio programming. Edwards, who was unceremoniously dumped as anchor of NPR's "Morning Edition" in March, prompting widespread public protests, will bring the blend of news, talk and interviews he was famous for at NPR to the new "Bob Edwards Show," airing 8 to 9 a.m. daily -- opposite "Morning Edition." The show will repeat immediately afterward. "They want to give me a program, so I can continue to host and be heard every day instead of occasionally, as I would have been at NPR," Edwards said Tuesday while driving around Maine as part of a three-month book tour/public radio fundraising effort that ends this weekend. "It's also new. It's like being at NPR when I joined NPR in 1974. It was less than three years old -- as old as XM is now. I get to be a pioneer again. How often does someone get that opportunity twice?" Edwards, 57, had agreed to remain at NPR as a correspondent -- he was expected to return to work shortly -- but had hinted recently that he might be moving on. What NPR didn't know, however, was that Edwards had been won over by the largest satellite radio network in the country. After developing its own music programming in its first three years, XM is pursuing its ambition to distribute public-radio programming and its own original shows in the public radio vein. With that in mind, XM President and CEO Hugh Panero, who has been developing the new channel (XM Channel 133, premiering Sept. 1), heavily wooed Edwards in hopes his presence would expand XM's subscriber base (By the end of his 25 years as anchor, Edwards drew 13 million early-morning listeners to NPR's "Morning Edition" every week). XM, which offers more than 100 channels, currently has 2.1 million subscribers, who pay $9.99 per month for the nationwide service. An XM receiver that can be switched from home to car to boombox costs $99. XM Satellite Radio has yet to officially announce the Edwards deal. But Panero, reached on vacation with his family yesterday, could not hide his excitement. "Bob Edwards is a guy I respect, a guy who has done nothing but contribute his entire life to public radio, and continues to offer great value to his listeners," Panero said. "I could not be more thrilled to be able to offer him a place to continue to do what he does extremely well." NPR management, which has acknowledged that the Edwards move was mishandled, issued a statement after news of the deal leaked yesterday: "We understand that Bob has decided to end his distinguished tenure at NPR. We wish him the best of luck in his new endeavor and thank him for the contributions he has made to public radio." Edwards -- who will be working with former NPR producer Mark Schramm -- is still in the early stages of developing the show's format. "It'll be loose," he said. "It'll be long interviews, short interviews, and then maybe departments. . . . You've got to have the news . . . it's not going to be all features, yet it's not going to be the Financial Times, either." Panero hopes the show will anchor a still-developing lineup of programming, some of it created by XM and some coming from public-radio providers, including Public Radio International, American Public Media (an arm of Minnesota Public Radio) and WBUR in Boston. NPR has an exclusive distribution agreement with Sirius, the other major satellite radio network, whose subscription base is a fraction of XM's. The people at XM "get radio," Edwards said. "They're excited about it. They remember how it was and they want to go off in new directions and be part of radio's future. With all those channels, you can do both, of course, and that's exciting." Edwards was in Austin yesterday at a public radio convention, where he was winding up the publicity tour for his book on Edward R. Murrow and preparing to receive an award for his longtime fundraising efforts for public radio. Throughout that book tour, he said, he was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support he received from listeners, who also sent him mountains of mail in his final days on "Morning Edition." Edwards and many listeners were upset by the abruptness of the decision, the suggestion that he was too old, and his not being allowed to remain in the job a few more months until his 25th anniversary as host of "Morning Edition." "People in book lines will walk up to me, hand me a book, open their mouth to speak and just bawl," he said. "It's emotional. People, they've heard about my dog and brought presents for my dog. . . . I tell you, public radio listeners are something." Panero was one of those listeners, a self-described fan who saw in Edwards's demotion an opportunity that dovetailed with what he and his staff are trying to develop at XM. "A lot of fans have shown their devotion to Bob Edwards in a lot of different ways," Panero said, noting the 35,000 e-mails NPR received in protest. "As a CEO and president of a radio network, I have some other options at my disposal." Edwards only recently made his decision, after months of mulling various opportunities. And although it's clear he's displeased with how his career ended at NPR, he says he's ready to move on. "It's been a couple of months, and I've turned it over in my head again and again," he said. "I think I was pretty sure all along. Which is not to say that it was an easy thing to do at all. Thirty years, for heaven's sake. That's kind of bittersweet. "I'm sad," he continued, "and yet very happy at the same time. I thought until March that I would retire from there, or maybe even die there. I had no notion of being anywhere else. I'm a loyal guy. But here's an opportunity, and I think I ought to take it." Besides, he said, the new job won't get him out of bed at 1 a.m. And he barely has to alter his commute. "It's not terribly far from NPR," Edwards said of XM's Northeast Washington headquarters. "I know the way. And they're very nice to me." (c) 2004 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Our US media observer Lou Josephs comments: This means that XM gets its first "star" talent. The suits at NPR thought he was too old; I wonder what the spin will be. NPR had a lot of cachet in having Bob Edwards around. Now that he's going literally down the street, they have to be wondering if he will bring his vast audience along for the trip. posted by Andy @ 14:12 UT July 29 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U S A. Re: [NRC-AM] KNRC 1150 Denver calling it quits I'm sorry to see them fail. They sunk a lot of money into this venture, completely rebuilt two AM transmission facilities (remember, they started on 1510 Littleton and then moved to 1150 Englewood), and spent quite a bit of cash on talent as well. But when you have two established news/talk giants against you - KOA and KHOW, under common ownership, no less - as well as the additional splintering of listenership to other second-tier talkers like KNUS 710 and KBJD 1650 - they were fighting against some pretty long odds. (And before Mr. Bowker panics, I was just in Denver two weeks ago and rolled tape on both 1150 and 1510!) s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) This is a huge surprise to me. KNRC was their flagship station. With Philip Anschutz billions backing them I didn't think money would be an issue. They pumped tons of cash into buying the 1510 station for KNRC, buying the 1150 station and moving KNRC to that frequency, and completely rebuilding the 1150 transmitter plant. I don't listen to talk radio very often. But the times I did listen to KNRC I found their talk to be very enjoyable. It was locally produced and was a great diversion from the nationwide chains. Ironically I just met one of the KNRC board operators yesterday and was invited down for a tour of the facility. He obviously didn't know about this. Also ironic is that "Jack FM" has become my favorite station in the past few weeks. The format seems to be oldies with an attitude. I didn't know until now that it was part of the KNRC family (Patrick Griffith, NØNNK, Westminster, CO, ibid.) Saunders: Alternative voice falls silent - July 29, 2004 http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/entertainment_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_84_3070647,00.html Denver news-talk radio lost a potential strong voice Tuesday when KNRC-AM (1150) was yanked from the airwaves. Potential is the key word here. KNRC, on-air for slightly more than two years, never registered a 1 audience share in any Arbitron ratings report. That eliminated any possibility of bottom-line success, since advertisers rarely flock to a low-rated station. Those low ratings, along with the fact a local news-talk operation is expensive, doomed KNRC, which reportedly spent more than $7 million in an attempt to establish its format. Too bad. Denver radio needed an alternative talk radio voice to compete with goliath Clear Channel. Tim Brown, CEO of NRC Broadcasting, said he and his staff were aware of the challenges facing KNRC when the station debuted in June 2002. In retrospect, Brown says: "Coming into the crowded Denver radio with a news-talk operation was an order of great magnitude. While we understood those challenges at the time, we didn't realize how really tough it would be." To its credit, KNRC traveled different paths occasionally to lure talk-radio listeners, including the airing of a Friday morning radio version of the State of Colorado, in which local print and broadcast reporters discussed important local issues. That program, formerly a TV staple, fell by the wayside several months ago. And KNRC was hurt by the departure of key behind-the-scenes personnel, including program director Alan Eisenson, who left in January. The demise of KNRC will produce a lot of second guessing: • Would the station (at 1150 AM) have had a better chance for survival with a dial position closer to AM news-sports-talk outlets like KLZ (560), KHOW (630), KNUS (710), KOA (850) and KKFN (950)? • Were the talk hosts savvy and entertaining enough to draw listeners? • Was its signal (1,000 watts at night, strong enough to compete with that of 50,000-watt KOA-AM (850)? • Was KNRC doomed from the start because of the lack of long-range financing? Maybe all of the above. Greg Dobbs, the station's most visible and talented talk show host until he left in February because of health problems, offers another reason. "The station failed from the outset to get involved in a significant, ongoing advertising campaign," Dobbs said. "I'm not talking about on-air promotion. KNRC should have embarked on major expenditures – TV, newspapers, billboards, the whole thing. They should have budgeted much more for advertising." While Dobbs downplays his own early contributions, his departure last winter was a decided negative. A veteran journalist, Dobbs' morning drive-time program regularly put significant issues into focus. As does KHOW's Peter Boyles, Dobbs created an environment that welcomed a variety of opinions. While Dobbs came across to some listeners as a liberal, he was, as Brown said, "a moderate who allowed all sides to express points of view." The departure of Dobbs actually changed, for the worst, the entire complexion of KNRC, which boasted an early mantra of providing "equal time" to all political persuasions. Former KNUS host Jimmy Lakey, who can make Rush Limbaugh look liberal, replaced Dobbs in morning drive. Enid Goldstein, who can make Ted Kennedy seem conservative, was moved from afternoon drive to oppose Limbaugh on KOA from noon to 3 p.m. Station management brought in conservative talker Doug Kellett as program director and afternoon drive-time host. Bad decisions. KNRC began sounding like numerous talk stations across the country, who feature conservative voices in key morning and afternoon drive. Brown admits the station lost a lot of momentum when Dobbs left. While the broadcast adage of letting the marketplace decide the fate of stations and personalities remains the obvious guideline, the loss of KNRC is a downer for Denver listeners looking for different perspectives from local news-talk outlets. KNUS, owned by Salem Broadcasting (a national company) is still out there with its conservative agenda. And Clear Channel's KOA retains its gorilla stance, with a talk-show lineup that is not exactly moderate or liberal. For a variety of reasons, KNRC missed a golden opportunity to provide diversity. The station is scheduled to return on-air Friday with a variety of music, minus commercials and personalities, until a buyer is found. Two broadcasting organizations reportedly are interested. (via Art Blair, IRCA via DXLD) Here's the latest on KNRC from Allaccess.com: The next chapter in now- silent KNRC-A/DENVER's history will involve a music format, as CEO TIM BROWN tells the DENVER POST that the station, shut down at 10:12a MT TUESDAY, will return with a music format on FRIDAY. BROWN, who says he pulled the plug without orders from financial backer (and his father- in-law) PHILIP ANSCHUTZ, claims that the station lost $7.5 million in two years. 73, (via Bruce WB3HVV, York, PA, July 29, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. PUMP UP THE VOLUME --- THE ONCE-SILENCED RADIO FREE MINTURN COULD LIVE AGAIN - 7/29/04 The side effects of the 1998 Vail Two Elk Lodge arson were, no doubt, far-reaching and difficult to measure. But no one could have guessed that the blazing wreckage atop Vail Mountain would leave another, smaller, institution in shambles. The going theory is that the nascent Radio Free Minturn, as it was known then, suffered a fatal blow when the feds, who had come to town to investigate the fires, detected Minturn’s new pirate radio station on the airwaves. Brought to life by local journalists Scott Willoughby and Alex Markells, the rebel radio station was promptly killed when investigators discovered that Radio Free Minturn had no license from the all-powerful, hyper-regulatory Federal Communications Committee. At least, that’s the going theory. Another is that local whistleblowers tipped the feds to the unlicensed radio station and had them shut down. One way or another, they’re back. Well, sort of. More... http://www.vailtrail.com/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=2219 (via Kenneth A. Kopp, L.G., Amateur Radio - KKØHF, http://www.qsl.net/kk0hf/ July 29, dxldyg via DXLD) Expects LPFM license; WTFK??? ** U S A. Re 4-114: Jay Marvin returns to WLS 890 Chicago to cover the Democratic National Convention, 9-11 am Central, streamed (ad in RadioDailyNews.com via DXLD) Jay Marvin has been back on WLS for some time now, and that is his regular time slot along with co-host Eileen Byrne. Jay is in Boston this week to cover the convention (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I tuned in for the second hour on Wednesday morning, but there was little substantial about the DemoCon; more talk about falling concrete at Wrigley (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. FAHRENHEIT 9/11' DIRECTOR PROMISES TO DOCUMENT FLORIDA ELECTION --- Posted on Wed, Jul. 28, 2004 BY RAFAEL LORENTE AND BUDDY NEVINS South Florida Sun-Sentinel BOSTON - (KRT) - Fahrenheit 9/11 filmmaker Michael Moore promised Wednesday to train his cameras on Florida come election day to prevent a repeat of what some Democrats call the stolen election of 2000. "I am committed, I am coming to Florida," Moore said, to loud cheers from Democrats at the Florida delegation breakfast in Boston. "Together we will guarantee to every Floridian that their vote will be counted this year." Moore's promise comes amid mounting criticism and concerns about the accuracy of the new touch-screen voting machines that replaced Florida's punch-card ballots and questions about Florida's ability to hold fair elections four years after the debacle of 2000. . . http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/news/nation/9266652.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) 'FAHRENHEIT 9/11' TO BE BROADCAST ON CUBAN TV Thu Jul 29, 2:30 PM ET http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040729/ts_alt_afp/afplifestyle_cuba_us_040729183025 HAVANA (AFP) - American filmmaker Michael Moore's Bush-bashing "Fahrenheit 9/11" will play on Cuban public television, potentially increasing the temperature of Havana's feverish media offensive against President George W. Bush and his policies. The film is already being screened to great critical acclaim in 120 movie theaters across the island, but television will bring it directly to Cuban living rooms. In his latest salvo against his northern neighbor, President Fidel Castro dedicated an hour and a half of a speech Monday to Bush's past alcohol consumption and his "hot-headed, fundamentalist mind." "Fahrenheit 9/11" will be broadcast at prime time, in place of the daily "Round Table" program dedicated to themes considered a priority by Cuban authorities. The documentary has made history by earning more than 100 million box office dollars in Canada and the United States (via Curtis Sadowski, IL, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. KUNM`s Thursday-morning Call-In show 1404-1459 UT discussed the following new political film, referenced to http://www.mef.tv HIJACKING CATASTROPHE: 9/11, FEAR & THE SELLING OF AMERICAN EMPIRE Narrated by Julian Bond ``Stands to become an explosive and empowering information weapon.`` Naomi Klein | Author, No Logo ``Goes beyond simple Bush-bashing to paint a horrifying portrait of organized U.S. imperialist expansion.`` Variety ``A more-serious-than-Moore indictment of U.S. policy in Iraq.`` San Francisco Chronicle ``A great movie --- A solid hour of hardcore factual reporting.`` Antiwar.com (Glenn Hauser, July 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. When I travel out west, I often listen to Mystery Hour (old radio drama/adventure programs) on 1070 KNX Los Angeles CA. (I've heard KNX here in Midland a couple of times -- poorly, of course.) I just found out that they've dropped Mystery Hour. I sent them an e-mail, with my thoughts on the subject, and actually got a reply back within a few hours! They deferred me to 1260 KSUR Beverly Hills CA which now carries it. Somehow, I think that KSUR's 1 kW isn't going to quite do the job in Utah compared to KNX's 50 kW. I also sent a message to WBBM Chicago pointing out that they neglected to give the times on their web page for When Radio Was. I haven't heard from them yet. (See Larry's log : 780 WBBM Chicago IL; 1 am, 28-July, Old Time Radio (Larry Russell, MI) (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet July 29 via DXLD) ** U S A. Anybody has access to iBiquity's lists [IBOC] - just go to: http://www.ibiquity.com/hdradio/hdradio_hdstations.htm (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, July 29, NRC-AM via DXLD) see OK ** URUGUAY. 6055, Radio Universo, Castillos, Dept. de Rocha. According to an email reply from station owner Juan Brañas (pron: [Bragnas]), they are already on the air with an xter [exciter?] of 17 W (seventeen Watts!) "with a 6DQ12 [tube]", and only to comply with the telcom authority (URSEC). Antenna is an inverted L. He adds that in the coming months they will be erecting a "halfwave mast" [sic] (he writes: "un mastil de 1/2 onda") and will increase power. Radio Universo is on MW 1480, located in Castillos, the second largest city of the Department of Rocha, in the Atlantic coast of the country. I wrote him again querying about their sked, but still no reply. E- mail address is radio @ universo.com Station signal is still unheard here in Montevideo, 300 km away (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, July 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UZBEKISTAN. Re: OVERVIEW OF THE MEDIA IN UZBEKISTAN - UPDATED 27 JULY 04 | The following is an update of BBC Monitoring's "Overview of the media in Uzbekistan" published in January 2004. [...] The FM dial in Tashkent - 17 July 2004 The main changes since January 2004 are listed below: 83.75 FM - sound carrier of Uzbek TV Sports Channel Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 27 Jul 04 (via DXLD) What about the AM band? Also, these exhaustive country media reports from BBCM omit external services, such as R. Tashkent (gh, DXLD) ... and they continue to claim TV carriers outside of the FM band as "FM dial". Uzbekistan has two FM bands: 66-74 MHz (inherited from Soviet times), and 87.5-108 MHz (opened after Uzbekistan became independent). The frequency of 83.75 MHz (sound carrier of TV channel R3) is outside of these FM bands. 73s, (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, July 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. (relayed from Cuba,) 13740, Radio Nacional Venezuela, 1900-2000 July 29. A program of news and features in the Spanish Language and ID. Signal was very fading considering it being transmitted from Cuba. I felt I must be in the skip zone (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston Florida, NRD545, Dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Strange MW signals --- Glenn, Beginning at about 0430 UT July 17, I began hearing some strange radio signals; I first thought they were off frequency TA splits. I was tuning the band so I know they appeared between 0423 and 0435 7/17. I stayed up tilL 0730 7/24; then on the 26th I found them present in the DAYTIME! The five signals are on about 963.95 1017.51 1071.06 1124.51 1178.16 kHz. Removed the antenna: everything disappeared. I shut off my main power in the house and could hear a weak heterodyne on 1070 on my car radio. The frequencies looked regularly spaced, it turns out that they are separated by about 53.553 kHz; there is no signal on that low frequency just below WWVB. There may be a Dept. of Environmental Protection low-Hazard inspection site nearby. Midnight would be a strange hour to initiate some sort of signaling system. Any ideas, anyone? (Wells Perkins in New Jersey; swl UNDERSCORE ka2hpu AT hotmail DOT com July 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6140, 0240-0255, Jul 24, talk in UNID language, deep fades – can it be UNAMSIL, Sierra Leone ?, 25211. From *0252 QRM Voice of Turkey QSA 3. Cf. DX-Window no. 250 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window July 28 via DXLD). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ COMMENTARY ++++++++++ STAYING ON THE RADAR ...I'm wondering just how people in Europe and North America become interested in international broadcasting in 2004. The average age of those who belong to listeners' clubs is increasing, and in many cases membership is declining. Many of the people who listen to Radio Netherlands in Canada, for example, are hearing us via the World Radio Network on the CBC overnight service. That's a very loyal, but quite small, audience that 30 years ago we wouldn't have reached. But what about listening direct to shortwave? I'm sure there's still an audience, but I'd be surprised if large numbers of people tune in on a daily basis... http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/sw040729.html (Andy Sennitt, Media Network July 29 via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE COMING END OF SHORT WAVE LISTENING Just a reminder for everyone to enjoy the use of their FRG-7 while you still can. For those not aware of the coming of "BPL" (Broadband Over Powerlines) to the US and Canada, this new technology uses the HF spectrum transmitted over unbalanced power lines (= long wave antenna) and completely wipes-out any Shortwave stations in its path. Many tests have already confirmed increased noise levels of 10 to 30 dB over S-9 signals in the vicinity of BPL powerlines. Unfortunately, it seems the "game is fixed" and the FCC really wants this technology to go through, regardless of the interference consequences. Those with Ham tickets MAY be offered a LITTLE more protection as regulations are being devised to "apparently" prevent frequency interference on the currently used ham bands --- But the work the ham will have to go through to lodge a complaint with the power company, to get them to notch the wide-band digital signal off the frequency used, is going to be a joke and complaints so far have gone MONTHS without corrections to complaints made to current BPL utilities. It is really the SWL who will have NO protection, as they are not licenced stations, and tests show WWV and other broadcast and ham stations get buried by the BPL signals. READ ABOUT THIS on the ARRL web site or elsewhere and educate yourself about this coming technology. The performance of the internet connectivity, is also in question as it will be susceptible to interference from ham and other HF transmitters also (as well as the harmonics problems other transmitters will cause). So my recommendation is to discourage friends and NOT to purchase this broadband service when it becomes available. There is lots of 'background' info that has not been released and only those in the "know" have been spreading the word about the underlying push for BPL and the FCC's desire for it to go ahead, regardless of the bureaucratic "dog and pony approval show"..... So call your local congressman or check the ARRL website for how you can help, although the die looks like it has been cast; the ARRL has made some headway in winning the fight to make the interference issue known. Hopefully, the technology will fail on its lack of economic merit for the power companies (and the communication companies that have partnered with them). Their 'sales pitch' has been to provide high speed internet to the rural user; however friends in the power business have indicated the cost of the system and the required 'repeater' stations ever few 1000 feet, would make it unfeasible --- so what is their true intent for implementing this technology? Foreign broadcasters have said they will consider the PBL system a way of signal jamming, and may retaliate with the jamming of US SW stations. [!!?? gh] Hope this has informed those new to SWL and I encourage you to quickly become educated in this threat to the valuable HF spectrum and our beloved FRG-7's. Good Luck and --- get ready to tell your kids, "I remember when", 73 (Greg the ham, VA3VFO, July 25, FRG7 users yg via DXLD) BROADBAND PROVIDER DROPS BPL IN NEW YORK TRIAL COMMUNITY NEWINGTON, CT, July 28, 2004 -- The broadband provider that`s been testing BPL in the Village of Penn Yan, New York, now reportedly will ``move away`` from that technology. The Western New York community of some 5000 residents has been considering various proposals with Data Ventures (DVI) to offer broadband service. The village reportedly would get 10 percent of the generated revenue. According to an article in today`s edition of the Finger Lakes Times Online, DVI now is proposing to employ wireless mesh technology instead of BPL. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, congratulated Penn Yan Mayor Douglas G. Marchionda Jr and DVI for going with wireless broadband instead of BPL. ``Not only will your citizens receive better service, but a serious radio spectrum pollution problem has been averted as well,`` Sumner said in a letter faxed to Marchionda and to DVI CEO Marc Burling. ``We hope that other communities will be able to profit from your experience.`` Sumner raised the issue of interference complaints from the Penn Yan BPL trial with Marchionda last April. The Finger Lakes Times report quotes Burling as saying that his company didn`t feel BPL was ``commercially deployable.`` He also cited issues with the BPL trial including security concerns and interference--which will not be an issue with the wireless system. Penn Yan already has rejected two DVI proposals to bring high-speed Internet service to the community, the newspaper said. Village officials reportedly met again with DVI representatives this week. DVI is partnering with Nortel to offer the wireless service. The article quotes Marchionda as saying that the village didn`t want to be involved with handling complaints or operating the broadband system. It just wants to rent space on village-owned utility poles and benefit from any revenue the system generates. Penn Yan and DVI had been looking at a 10-year agreement, but the latest proposal calls for a two-year contract with provisions for an automatic two-year renewal. In a March 23 article ``In This Power Play, High-Wire Act Riles Ham- Radio Fans,`` Wall Street Journal reporter Ken Brown described a ``firestorm`` of protest from amateurs when Penn Yan approved the BPL test plan. Copyright © 2004, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ WRTH Editor, Who am I? Quite often articles/books etc. are written by a name and that's it - It's sometimes nice to know that there is a human being behind the name. Being the WRTH International Editor is a pretty responsible job and as such I have come under fire in the past for printing information that did not agree with some other that was in circulation. Over the past couple of years I have tried to make myself known to the world at large (not always a good idea!!). So here goes a little intro for those not familiar with the name: I've been in this hobby for over 25 years now and am possibly even more enthusiastic about it that ever these days. Although I am mainly interested in Amateur radio I still have a healthy interest in all things to do with broadcasting (particularly if the word DX is attached somewhere!). My current station consists of an Icom IC756, with a manual ATU, audio filter and variable gain preamps which are fed from a single antenna. The antenna is a 'miller' receive only vertical located at 40 feet above ground and is good for MW, SW and 50 MHz. Due to my location, any thought of transmitting has been shelved, but that does not stop me being a rather active listener. My preferred mode of listening is Morse Code, followed by data and lastly voice modes. As I said, I have been a listener for over 25 years now, and infact have just shocked myself as it 30 years since I first twiddled a tuning knob in anger (I know that because it is my birthday in August and I'll be the ripe old age of 37). I have used quite a few different receivers in that time and among my favourites are: the National HRO; Sony ICF 2001D (2010), ICF7600; Grundig Satellit 3000 (still in use today) and the Eddystone s640 (my first 'real' receiver!). There have been many more but those are the ones that bring back the memories of countries heard for the first time. Times have moved on a bit since those radio's but I still love to see the older gear in action (Drake, Collins, Hallicrafters, Hammarlund etc.) I am fortunate that my wife is 'radio friendly', and is in fact a licensed radio amateur herself and has some great QSL cards in her collection (such as Galápagos Islands, Zimbabwe, Japan, Comoros Islands to name a few) - her female voice really seems to get through the pile-ups better than I can! I have set up a website that I am trying to build into a reference for new hams, where they can find answers to some of the questions they may have, and of course there are the obligatory mug shots of the family (and my rather daft moggies!). I hope that has at least shed a little light on the person behind the WRTH International Section (of course there are many others, but someone has to carry the can!). 73 (Sean Gilbert (G4UCJ / G4001SWL) International Editor - WRTH http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/g4ucj July 29, EDXP via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ ROBERT B. COOPER, JR., CV Bob Cooper founded the AIPA - American Ionospheric Propagation Association - in 1954 - AIPA was the forerunner of WTFDA/VUD. Bob Cooper wrote articles for Popular Electronics and others from 1956 onward introducing readers to TV and FM DX. From 1956 to February 1960 he compiled and wrote the Radio Electronics TV/FM DX Column. In January 1960 he published the first edition of DXing Horizons which later broke into four parts - TV Horizons, Communication Horizons, VHF Horizons and CB Horizons. TV Horizons was the first "trade" magazine for cable TV. In 1964 having moved on he designed and built more than a dozen cable TV systems which were 12 channel (state of the art at the time) employing some innovative chicken wire parabolic antennas for long haul VHF and UHF in places such as Sutter Creek, Jackson, Placerville and Lake Tahoe (California). In 1968, then living in the American Virgin Islands he designed the Interdigital Preamplifier which in the September issue of Popular Electronics attracted front cover coverage and ten interior pages for the "All American Sports Amplifier" (AASA) - the original "beat the NFL/AFL TV blackout box." From 1971 through 1974 he founded and ran CADCO - the leading edge TV and FM reception hardware technology firm from Oklahoma City. CADCO designed, manufactured the equipment for, and turn-key installed more than 50 such "small town CATV systems" worldwide over the next decade. And from 1974 to 1979 he created and edited CATJ - Community Antenna Television Journal which in 1976 designed and publicized the very first ever C-band "home" satellite dish system. Writing about it in TV Guide, his report attracted more than 10,000 inquiries from folks who wanted their own home (C-band) dish system. He and Ted Turner held the ONLY C-band private (home) FCC "dish licenses" ever granted from 1977 onward. In 1979 he led an attack on FCC rules which at the time prohibited anyone having a C-band dish without a FCC license. Appearing before various House and Senate committees, his efforts were rewarded in October 1979 by the FCC deciding no C-band dish licenses would be required in the future. From September 1979 until March 1986, he founded and published CSD - Coop's Satellite Digest which was "the bible" (sorry about that phrase!) of the home C-band and later Ku band dish industry. Intermixed, he moved from Oklahoma to the British West Indies (Turks & Caicos Islands) in 1980 where he launched "West Indies Video" - a firm that produced hundreds of hours of video programming and various publications including more than 40 separate "how to do it" books on home satellite reception. When HBO introduced Videocipher scrambling on C-band satellite in 1985-1986, his CSD magazine alone saw it as a "phony" that was unfortunately burdened with easily cracked piracy. In January 1986 West Indies Video sponsored a "How to bust videocipher seminar" in the Turks and Caicos islands and three planes (727s) loaded with approximately 600 folks from the US and Canada took the trip from Fort Lauderdale to learn how and why Videocipher was flawed. When the first chartered plane arrived back in Fort Lauderdale after the first (of three) seminar sessions, the FBI, US Customs and Videocipher owner GI (General Instruments) was waiting with search and destroy orders. Ultimately, a civil (not criminal) suit was brought against four individuals who participated in the seminar including Cooper. Years later a court in Florida awarded GI a $400,000 judgment against Cooper for his participation in the seminar. It remains unpaid today. In 1990, Cooper moved to New Zealand where he (still) publishes several trade journals dealing with Satellite, DVB-T (digital terrestrial) and other leading edge technologies. His "SatFACTS Monthly" will in August celebrate ten continuous years - 120 issues - of publication. The current (July issue) reviews three different Asian designed and built receivers which require no authorization from anyone, only code keys sourced from Internet, to descramble services such as Dish TV USA. Cable TV - in 1994 he designed and built what remains today New Zealand's ONLY cable TV system - serving a modest 200+ homes with 55 channels of television sourced through 11 satellite dishes as large as 5 meters in size from his home in the quaintly named community of "Coopers Beach." ... All of this and much more is FINALLY (!) documented in a 700 page epitome originally entitled "Grey Market Mentality" but which with the assistance of a production company working for the Discovery Channel has been renamed "There is a pirate hiding inside your TV set!" A Multiple-DVD version of this is in production covering the era 1960 - 2004 including more than ten hours of original videotape shot during the development and evolution of the C-band home satellite industry (includes live as it happened the first reception of Intelsat satellites - Brazil - in the USA, first Russian Molniya inclined orbit reception in USA etc.). Bob Cooper does NOT believe anyone should EVER have to pay for television reception. Period. He regrets the direction that cable TV has taken in the USA, and is only slightly less pissed about the direction of home dish TV. But he respects that others, including his friend Ted Turner, have a right to make a living even if they are ripping off the public! Regards, (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, July 27, WTFDA via DXLD) MURDER TRIAL FOCUSES ON TRUCK'S DASHBOARD DVD Alaska AP News By DAN JOLING, Associated Press Writer ANCHORAGE, Alaska (July 26, 3:18 pm ADT) - David Weiser doesn't believe a man would install the equivalent of a home entertainment system - DVD player, speakers, Sony PlayStation 2 - in the front of his pickup truck and then not use it on a long road trip, such as the three-hour drive between Kenai and Anchorage. That's why he believes charges of second-degree murder are justified in the case of 29-year-old Erwin J. Petterson Jr., who is accused of watching a movie instead of the road when he crashed head-on into Weiser's parents two years ago. . . http://www.adn.com/alaska_ap/story/5344778p-5283227c.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) LOCAL LAWS The June ``Monitoring and the Law`` was another excellent column. Re your comment that readers should research their local statutes and codes using keyword searches to uncover local radio laws, you did not include another great resource in your otherwise extensive list of websites. http://www.municode.com has almost every local code online, all for free, and searchable by jurisdiction name. I use this site on a regular basis to download code excerpts for use on my traffic engineering, land use, and zoning reports. Keyword searches are easily accomplished to quickly identify code passages containing words such as `radio`, `scanner`, receiver`, `channel`, `reception`, or any other word that may be used for the purpose of describing or regulating radio transmissions (Robert Wyman, Miami FL, Letters to the Editor, August MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) SHORTWAVE AS ART ++++++++++++++++ Saturday 31 July 8.00pm: free noise sound performance by Sean Kerr (Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland) and Michael Morley (Otago Polytechnic School of Art) and Eye Peter Porteous (guitar, Percussion), Ryan Cockburn (turntables), and Peter Stapleton (drums, tapes, shortwave radio) in the video sculpture exhibition. http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/CU0407/S00149.htm 73 (Kim Elliott, DC, July 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ MOONBOUNCE ANNIVERSARIES This past week has seen the anniversaries of a number of Moonbounce milestones. # 24 July marked the 50th anniversary of the first voice transmission received on Earth via moonbounce. James Trexler, an engineer (and radio amateur), working at the US Naval Research Laboratories in Maryland, heard his own voice reflected from the Moon on 24 July 1954. The frequency was 198 MHz. See http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4217/ch2.htm # 21 July 1960 marked the 44th anniversary of the first-ever amateur moonbounce QSO. This was achieved on 1296 MHz by Sam Harris W1FZJ operating W1BU, who worked Orrin "Hank" Brown W6HB. # This week, Friday 30th July 2004, marks the 32nd anniversary of the first 50 MHz amateur moonbounce QSO, between W5WAX (now K5SW) and K5WVX (now K5CM) on one team and WA5HNK plus W5SXD on the other team. The very first successful moonbounce transmission was on 10 January 1946, at 111.5 MHz, from the US Army's Evans Signal Laboratory in New Jersey, accomplished by lab director John H. DeWitt Jr, also a radio amateur. The first successful radio amateur moonbounce transmission happened in 1953, accomplished on 144 MHz by the duo of Ross Bateman, W4AO, and William L. Smith, W3GKP. http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2002/01/21/1/ Posted in the interests of maintaining interest. 73, (Roger Harrison, VK2ZRH, VK-VHF mailing list VK-VHF @ pobox.une.edu.au http://pobox.une.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/vk-vhf via Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, dxldyg via DXLD) GEOMAGNETIC STORM STILL IN PROGRESS At the time of preparing this NW7US Propagation Bulletin, 1345 27 July 2004 UTC, we are still under a major geomagnetic storm. The Planetary K index is reading 8, as is the Bolder, Colorado K index. The planetary K index has been at 7 or higher for the last four reporting periods (each period is three hours in length), or, for the last twelve hours. The Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) has been consistantly, and strongly, oriented southward, and the wind speed has been very high, caused by the passage of a very fast and powerful coronal hole mass ejection. Visual Aurora was reported as far south as Texas, and radio Aurora has been very active. DX clusters are showing radio AU as high as 222 MHz, not just in North America, but across Asia and Europe, as well. The result of all of this long-duration geomagnetic storminess at such high levels is to wipe out HF communications. Most of the HF band is experiencing severe depression of normal Maximum Usable Frequencies. Depressions of as high as 35 percent are happening at this time. At the same time, radio Aurora propagation opportunity continues on 28 MHz and higher, up into the UHF frequencies. If you are not on the radio, you will never know. Get active, today! These conditions, caused by the passage of a very powerful and fast coronal mass ejection, should subside by 28 July 2004 UTC. However, conditions will continue to be rocky on 28 July and into 29 July. I will update as conditions warrant. 73 de (Tomas, NW7US (AARØJA/AAAØWA) Hood, swl at qth.net via DXLD) see also AUSTRALIA :Product: Weekly Highlights and Forecasts :Issued: 2004 Jul 20 2212 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/weekly.html # # Weekly Highlights and Forecasts # HIGHLIGHTS OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 12 - 18 JULY 2004 Solar activity ranged from moderate to high. The period began with occasional low to moderate-level M-class flares on 12 – 13 July from new Region 649 (S10, L=044, class/area, Fki/530 on 16 July). New Region 646 (N13, L=169, class/area, Dai/220 on 13 July) emerged on 11 July and went into a rapid growth phase on 12 – 13 July. Activity levels increased to high on the 13th as developing region 646 produced three strong flares – two M5s and an M6. Lower M-class activity was also observed in Region 649. Two asymmetrical full-halo CMEs were observed from Region 646 due to the M-class activity. High levels continued on the 14th with another M6 flare from Region 646. New growth was observed in Region 649 on 15 July and a complex delta magnetic configuration formed in the trailing spots. Activity levels remained high on 15 – 17 July as Region 649 produced six X-class flares, the largest an X3.6/3b at 16/1355 UTC. No highly structured CMEs were observed from any of the major flares observed in Region 649. New Region 652 (N05, L=346, class/area, Fkc/1370 on 18 July) rotated into view on 16 July and produced low to moderate level C- class activity. Though still near the east limb, a strong delta structure was evident. Solar wind data were available from the NASA Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft during most of the summary period. The period began under the influence of a coronal hole high speed stream. Solar wind speeds were observed at 550 to 600 km/s and persisted at this velocity through early on the 14th. Solar wind speed gradually declined to near 400 km/s when late on 16 July, a shock passed the ACE satellite and wind velocity increased sharply to near 600 km/s. This transient was believed to have been the result of the full halo CME activity seen on 13 July. Solar wind speed gradually decreased to 400 km/s through the end the period. IMF Bz was generally in the +5 to –5 nT range with a brief period of sustained southward Bz to –15nT beginning late on the 16th. There were no greater than 10 MeV proton events at geo-synchronous orbit during the summary period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit remained below the high threshold. The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to major storm levels. The first two days of the summary period were dominated by quiet to active geomagnetic conditions due to the influence of the coronal hole high speed stream. Activity levels decayed to generally quiet to unsettled conditions with isolated active periods. The onset of the transient on 16 July resulted in active to major storm levels early on 17 July. Thereafter, through the end of the summary period, the field was quiet to unsettled. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 21 JULY - 16 AUGUST 2004 Solar activity is expected to range from low to high. Regions 649 and 652 are both expected to produce further M and X-class activity early in the period. Old Region 646 is due to return on 29 July and could produce isolated M-class flare activity through 12 August. A greater than 10 MeV proton event is possible. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 26 – 27 July due to a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to active levels with minor storm periods at high latitudes. Unsettled to active conditions with high latitude minor storm periods are possible on 25- 26 July as a recurrent coronal high speed stream rotates into a geoeffective position. At the time of this writing, a CME associated with an M8 flare in Region 652 appears to be at least partially Earth directed; consequently, minor to major storm levels are possible on 23 July. Region 652 is a very large and complex sunspot group with good potential for geoeffective CMEs during the first week the forecast period (from http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via DXLD) ###