DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-118, August 3, 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 AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1240: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415, 17495-CUSB Thu 1600 on WBCQ after-hours http://wbcq.com repeated weekdaily Thu 2000 on RFPI http://www.rfpi.org repeated 4-hourly [maybe] Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 Fri 0200 on ACBRadio Mainstream repeated 2-hourly http://www.acbradio.org/mainstream.html 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] Mon 0330 on WSUI 910, webcast http://wsui.uiowa.edu [previous Extra49] 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 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 1240 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1240h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1240h.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1240.html WORLD OF RADIO 1240 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1240.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1240.rm DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our new yg. Here`s where to sign up. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ (Glenn Hauser, May 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Re 4-116: I knew this was going to happen sometime: item should be credited to Jorge García Rangel, Venezuela, not to Jorge R. García, the Radio Piranha pirate op! The archive copy has already been corrected (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFRICA. East African Report --- As in the last few weeks there have been nice conditions to East Africa here in Europe, especially in the 1700-1900 hours time range, I compiled a little report country-by- country: [see ERITREA, ETHIOPIA, MADAGASCAR, RWANDA, SOMALIA, SUDAN, TANZANIA, ZAMBIA, ZIMBABWE; no entries for: BURUNDI, KENYA, MOZAMBIQUE]. West Africa not as nice at the moment. Besides, I prefer the pub later in the evening (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://africa.coolfreepage.com/africalist ** ALBANIA. Has R. Tirana been renamed R. Albania?? It was referred to this way, twice, in a QSL report item by Dr. Floyd Layer on AWR Wavescan #500, as heard and as in transcript: ``Two QSLs have come in from Radio Albania and these show costumed local dancers. Floyd heard Radio Albania on 6115 from their transmitter base at Cerrik (SE-RICK) and on 7130 kHz from Shijak (SHE- JACK).`` Or is this yet another case of sloppy reporting? Not only by the contributor but by the announcer who did not know any better? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R. Tirana, Albania, 6135.1v, 10 July 214 IS, ID in Serbian ``Goveri Tirana``, good signal but drifting badly 6135.1-6135.45v, SIO 444 (Tony Rogers, Birmingham, Aug BDXC-UK Communication) Several other logs here as R. Tirana, not R. Albania (gh, DXLD) ** ANDORRA. Adventist World Radio Wavescan program #501 -- 33/1 8/8/2004 --- Main Script for Wavescan, Edition number 501 for airing on Sunday 8/8/2004. Here`s Ariel McLeggon. The European country of Andorra lies hidden, high up in the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain. This tiny country of less than 125 square kilometres is one of the smallest in the world, with a population of less than 70,000. 90% of their national economy comes from tourism. The official language in Andorra is Catalan; there are two postal systems, French and Spanish; and two school systems, again French and Spanish. On the radio scene in earlier years, there were also two radio stations, French and Spanish, though the control of each was actually centered in Andorra itself. Construction work on the first radio station in Andorra began in mid 1937 at two different locations, a four storey studio and office building in the small city, La Vella, and a transmitter building on the edge of town. Initially, two transmitters were installed at the studio building and these radiated 60 kW on mediumwave and 25 kW on shortwave, as they were rated in those days. The new Radio Andorra was established as a commercial venture and the first broadcast was aired on August 7, 1939. However, due to some problem, apparently technical, the station was off the air for some months and broadcasting was not resumed until February in the following year. The official history of Radio Andorra states that they were on the air much of the time during the war and the first postwar report states that they were heard in Australia on 5995 kHz. At this stage, they endeavoured to obtain adequate commercial advertising through the franchise of advertising agencies in different countries, but one of the major problems was difficult coverage in target areas due to the mountainous terrain in Andorra itself. In 1959 a new shortwave transmitter at 1 kW was installed and this was heard at times in New Zealand. The famous 3.5 kW transmitter was inaugurated in 1975 and this was heard throughout Europe and in North America and the South Pacific. It was in 1980 that Adventist World Radio procured two Collins transmitters at 10 kW from Radio Free Europe in Germany and had them installed in the ornate transmitter building in Andorra. During the test phase, AWR was on the air from Radio Andorra with two transmitters in parallel, 3.5 kW on 6215 kHz and 10 kW on either 9370 or 15030 kHz. World Music Radio from Amsterdam and Scandinavian Radio were also on the air from Radio Andorra at this stage. There was also another shortwave station located in Andorra and this went on the air with a 1 kW transmitter as Andorradio in 1960. A new identification as Radio La Vella was introduced during the following year, and five years later again it became the more familiar Radio Sud. They inaugurated a 25 kW shortwave transmitter in 1967. Changing political circumstances and international relations with their two big neighbours brought about the final closure of both stations, the Spanish Radio Andorra and the French Radio Sud, shortl;y after 1900 UTC on Friday April 2, 1982. Thus, after more than 40 years of on air activity, shortwave broadcasting from Andorra ultimately came to an abrupt end. These days the only form of radio broadcasting in Andorra is on FM and there are now nearly 20 stations on the air. These are locally owned stations with locally produced programming, as well as downlink relay stations with programming from France and Spain. However, it is still possible to obtain a genuine QSL card from Andorra, that is, if you are ever in a nearby area where you can pick up one of their main FM stations. Over the years, Andorra has been on the air mediumwave and shortwave from two different stations at two different locations, with a power output on mediumwave up to 900 kW, and on shortwave with six different transmitters at 1 kW, 3.5 kW, 10 kW and 25 kW. Relay services have been conducted by Radio Andorra on behalf of World Music Radio, Scandinavian Radio, and Adventist World Radio. All five organizations have issued QSL cards and we are holding ten different cards issued by Radio Andorra, Sud Radio, and Adventist World Radio. The best known card from Radio Andorra is an oversized card featuring two young people in national costume, with the mountains and antenna towers in the background. The card from Sud Radio is a text card with their logo in red. Some years ago, Heinz Haring in Austria visited Andorra and he had his photo taken in front of the Radio Andorra sign, very similar to the QSL card that was issued by Adventist World Radio. Victor: Thanks Ariel, and that report brings back memories of ``Music of Faith`` the daily programme that I used to host on Radio Andorra back in the early 80`s. I`ve also got memories, along with Ray Allen, of driving up the pass into Andorra in an old mini – and having to stop several times to fill the radiator up from the stream running along beside the road. My poor old ``student`` car wasn`t used to such mountain extremes! (AWR Wavescan Aug 8 via John Norfolk, DXLD) Unlike previously, the AWR website for this edition includes AMP`s extensive list of references for this story. BTW, my R. Andorra QSL is illustrated at http://www.worldofradio.com/QSL.html (gh) ** ARGENTINA. 5400, 0025 27/7, R. Continental, Buenos Aires, (Lsb) español feeder, comentarios sobre el transporte (Boletin DX de "El EsKuch@" http://elescucha.webcindario.com Editado por Alfredo Locatelli - Durazno / Uruguay walo @ adinet.com.uy Número 13 julio 18, 2004, via Play-DX via DXLD) No specific credit for this log, but presumably Locatelli himself (gh) ** AUSTRALIA. SCHOOL OF THE AIR TO CLOSE HF Air school radios bow to new wave --- By Ben Cubby August 4, 2004 Jamie Edmonds, 11, talks to Mount Isa from the Northern Territory. Photo: Brendan Esposito [caption] Technology has finally caught up with the school of the air. When it was established in 1960, the Mount Isa School of the Air was the first in Queensland, and when the radios are switched off on December 1, it will be the last to abandon the original means of communication. Instead of holding classes over high-frequency radio, the school's far-flung students, sprinkled over 500,000 square kilometres of outback, will soon communicate via telephone conference calls and the internet. . . http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/03/1091476495102.html?oneclick=true (via Edwin Lowe, ARDXC via DXLD) ** BELARUS. In previous BC-DXs was a monitored schedule often in Sosnovy on 1170 kHz, 800 kW. Pavel Mikhailov told me at 0100-0200 & 1200-1300 are the programs of Voice of Russia in Russian World Service. It have to check once again (Rumen Pankov-BUL, BC-DX July 30) [schedule see DXLD 4-107] It is correct that these portions are listed by VOR to carry VOR's World Service in Russian. However, the actual feed to the Sasnovy transmitter at these times is Russkoye Mezhdunarodnoye Radio (regarding 0100-0200) and Radiokanal Sodruzhestvo (regarding 1200- 1300). The Sasnovy transmitter was monitored 24h for several days via groundwave and no relay of VOR World Service in Russian was observed. Regarding the transmitter power: the leased power is 700 kW (not 800 kW) acc. to official information from the transmitter operator (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Aug 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. On 4982 dsb at 0820, [date not given], Belaruskaye R 1 via military station, Belarus --- comedy, classical music. Belarusian \\ 279, 5134-dsb, 7110, 7145 (Robert Petraitis, Klaipeda, Lithuania, Tropical Bands Logbook, Aug BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Why do you specify DSB? Do you mean DSB with reduced or suppressed carrier? (gh) ** BOLIVIA. 5927, 2240 30/7, R. Minería, Oruro, Bolivia, español, boletín de noticia, YL, débil no escuchada en mas de un año (Boletin DX de "El EsKuch@" http://elescucha.webcindario.com Editado por Alfredo Locatelli - Durazno / Uruguay walo @ adinet.com.uy Número 13 julio 18, 2004, via Play-DX via DXLD) No specific credit for this log, but presumably Locatelli himself (gh) ** BRAZIL. Mais algumas informações atualizadas de uma emissora brasileira graças ao empenho do Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM): a Rádio Difusora do Amazonas emite, em 4805 kHz, entre 0930 e 1330. Após intervalo, retorna às 1500 e vai até 0100. A direção está a cargo de Josué Filho. Telefones: + 55 92 633 1001 e 622 2000. Endereço: Avenida Eduardo Ribeiro, 639, 20º andar, CEP: 69010-001, Manaus (AM). Na Internet: http://www.difusoramanaus.com.br. E-mail: difusora @ internext.com.br A Rádio Guarujá FM, de Guarujá (SP), faz testes em 3230 kHz. Foi sintonizada, no Uruguai, por Alfredo Locatelli, em 16 de julho, com bom sinal. As informações são do boletim eletrônico El Eskuch@, editado pelo Locatelli. Na Internet: http://elescucha.webcindario.com (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 2 via WORLD OF RADIO 1240, DXLD) Viz.: ** BRAZIL. El 6/7 pero en la noche, se escuchó con muy buena calidad a Radio Guarujá en la frecuencia de 3230 kHz, con un programa de música melódica, anuncios, y contactos telefónicos con oyentes, ID, Slogan: Guarujá FM", también escuchada en la mañana del 7/7, está emisora ha sido reportada por otros colegas en Argentina y Brasil. Célio Romais en su columna indica que se trata de R Guarujá São Paulo. Después de unos días de inactividad se la volvió a escuchar en la noche del 16/7. ¿Pruebas? En los 12210 kHz se está escuchando alrededor de las 2000 TU a Rádio Cultural Filadelfia, emisora evangélica que transmite desde Foz de Iguaçu, Brasil; se trata de una frecuencia armónica, 2º múltiplo exacto de la frecuencia fundamental de 6105 kHz (Boletin DX de "El EsKuch@" http://elescucha.webcindario.com Editado por Alfredo Locatelli - Durazno / Uruguay walo @ adinet.com.uy Número 13 julio 18, 2004, via Play-DX via DXLD) No specific credit for these logs, but presumably Locatelli himself (gh) ** BULGARIA. On 13798.5 at 2137 14/7, R. Bulgaria, classical music, Stravinsky, Brahms, Spanish, SIO 333 (Paul Youngs, Edinburgh, Trio R5000/Yaesu FRT7700, ATU & LW, HF Logbook, Aug BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Quite unusual for this station to be off-frequency (gh) ** CANADA. Dick Pound was interviewed recently and this question [Olympics] came up from a listener (as regards CBC streaming), and he was apologetic but very certain: the rights the CBC acquired did NOT extend to streaming (Eric Flodén, Vancouver BC, Aug 2, swprograms via DXLD) but see NETHERLANDS ** CHINA [and non]. CRI'S AUSSIE PRESENTER DIES, AGED 34 Jon Kennedy, the well-known Australian voice on CRI's English Service, has died in Beijing of a heart attack. He was 34. According to TerraNet, his death occurred on July 15. He had previously worked for radio stations across Australia, and for Radio Mount Lebanon in the Middle East. In a tribute dated July 24, TerraNet said Kennedy had "lived for adventure and travel." It added that: "He was a people person who could talk to an ambassador just as easily as a cigarette vendor. He enthused charm and people warmed to his gentle nature." Jon Kennedy joined CRI in 2003, where he hosted a number of feature programmes, including Realtime Beijing. A recording of his resonant Australian voice can still be heard introducing News and Reports at the top of the hour on CRI's English Service (Roger Tidy, UK, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 2200.14, HJMK, Emisora Ideal, 1020 to 1030 in Spanish, briefly // 3300v, 2 August (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, U. S., NRD 535D, Icom R75, Home Page: http://uk.geocities.com/dxsf/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. RTNC SUD-KIVU RADIO ACQUIRES NEW SHORTWAVE TRANSMITTER The state-run broadcaster RTNC provincial station Sud-Kivu received a government-donated shortwave transmitter, the news agency ACP (Agence Congolaise de Presse) reported on 24 July. RTNC (Radio-Télévision Nationale Congolaise) Sud-Kivu (Eastern DR Congo) provincial radio director Victor Kalume Kavwe was presented with a 10 kW shortwave transmitter by Sud-Kivu Province Governor Augustin Bulaimu Wite Nkate at the Bukavu post office premises on 23 July, the report said, adding that that the transmitter is capable of broadcasting over a radius of 100 km. Source: Agence Congolaise de Presse, Kinshasa, 26 Jul 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK??? ``Radius of 100 km``?? Don`t they know about skip zones and the very limited groundwave for which HF is not at all suited? Or will it be NVIS, which depends on the antenna used?? In that case it ought to have a considerably greater radius of coverage, depending on frequency and power (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. You don`t have to be an Imperialista Yanqui to mix up Paraguay and Uruguay. The headlines at 1300 UT August 2 on RHC 11760 mentioned the supermarket disaster in ``Uruguay``, but it was back to the correct Paraguay when the story itself came up a few minutes later; then there was an unrelated obit item from Uruguay (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. O espaço de dexismo da Rádio Rebelde é chamado de Para los Diexistas. Vai ao ar, nos sábados, por volta de 0405, em 670 e 5025 kHz. Também é emitido, nas segundas universais, por volta de 0330, em 6120, 11655 e 15570 kHz. A produção é de Manolo de la Rosa, que verifica os informes de recepção pessoalmente. Direções: Espacio DX, Rádio Rebelde, Apartado 6277, La Habana 6, Cuba. E-mail: relapubli @ rrebelde.icrt.cu As informações foram publicadas no DX Listening Digest, editado por Glenn Hauser. Vale informar que o Panorama DX, em edição anterior, informou que o Para los Diexistas é sintonizado, aqui no Brasil, nas segundas universais, em 6120 kHz, às 0330, conforme constatação de Oséias Fantinelli, de Jacutinga (RS). apoiando as emissões em espanhol. O relato foi publicado no boletim eletrônico Conexion Digital e reproduzido no DXLD, de Glenn Hauser (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 2 via DXLD) Quoting a previous DXLD item. There was a question whether the days were UT or local. Célio says the 0330 show was previously confirmed [as in 4-110] on UT Mondays, not Sundays. I must add that Manolo apparently is not well informed about his own station`s frequency usage. Since when has Rebelde been on 11655 or 15570 at that hour of the night, rather than in the daytime? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Updating Commando Solo: see USA [non] ** CYPRUS. Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation 6180/7205/9760, verified with a full data studio complex card in 26 days from an illegible v/s but the title is "Director General." Although my report was sent to Box 4824, the card had a penned in "2" in front of the box number so presumably the address is now P. O. Box 24824, Nicosia (Rich D`Angelo, PA, Aug Australian DX News via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, Venezuela. Este 01/08 pude captar en los 4959.97 kHz, la misteriosa estación que se identifica como "107.3 MHz". Ese día, a las 0338 UTC, emitía una guardia con el locutor José María Torres. No logré escuchar alguna identificación clara. Rolling Stones "Angie" y merengue. Al día siguiente, el 02/08, alcancé a captar lo siguiente: "Desde la orquídea de la Amazonía, transmite (...) La Voz de La Ruta (¿La Gruta?), 107.3 MHz FM STEREO (...)". Locutor con la cortina musical del tema de Kiss "Made for loving you". Rock en español. Hombres G "Qué será de mí", Chayanne, Magneto "Vuela, vuela", Juan Gabriel, George Michael "Careless Whisper". Menciones de Ecuador y Barrio Las Galaxias. Debe ser una ecuatoriana. ¿El amigo y colega Björn no habrá escuchado esta estación? SINPO 3/3 (Adán González, Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA, Aug 2, WORLD OF RADIO 1240, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See 4-117, RRR also heard in Colombia: R. Federación Sucúa relaying an FM station (gh, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. La Voz del Upano, Macas, volvió a cambiar de frecuencia; ahora se la escuchó en 4870, a las 1030 TU, con rezo del rosario, comentarios espirituales e ID. Se debe recordar que hace un par de meses que transmitía en 5040, volvió a su frecuencia de 4890 kHz, ahora se corre 20 kHz (Boletin DX de "El EsKuch@" http://elescucha.webcindario.com Editado por Alfredo Locatelli - Durazno / Uruguay walo @ adinet.com.uy Número 13 julio 18, 2004, via Play-DX via DXLD) No specific credit for this log, but presumably Locatelli himself (gh) ** ERITREA. VoBME 7100 is a regular catch between 1730 and 1830 with nice music on a clear channel. 7175 remained unheard though the frequency is relatively clear at 1800 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. With possibly nine active transmitters this is a real nice DX target. I heard seven of them: 5500, V. of Tigray Revolution: regular, fair signal 1730-1900; // 6350 but mostly weaker with much QRM; 6210, Radio Fana is relatively weak, 6940 unheard due to strong QRM; 5990 also unheard with the Home Service of R. Ethiopia. 9705 is quite regular all afternoon until 2000* and provides as nice signal if the frequency is clear; 7110 is weaker but also frequently audible around 1800, always under QRM. External Service: 7165 is regular and clear at 1730, the transmitter on 9560v mostly produces a strong het with usually dominating V. of Turkey (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GEORGIA (Abkhazia). Re: RUSSIA/GEORGIA 9495 R Sochi, ID in Ru, ads, songs at 0345-0400 followed by IS of ID "Apsha Radio" in Abkhazian, same also at 1400 UTC with repeat of proram from 0400, all on 9495. At 1600 UT was R. Rossii program (Rumen Pankov-BUL, BC-DX July 29) This has been discussed numerous times in DXLD: Abkhaz State Radio relays Radio Rossii on 1350/9495 when it does not have its own programs, and it picks up R. Rossii on-air from an FM transmitter that is located on the Russian side of the GEO-RUS border and feeds it to the Abkhaz capital Soxum. This FM transmitter also carries regional programming from Krasnodar and Sochi, and this is how these Russian regional transmissions end up also on 9495 (Soxum 5 kW). The ID in Abkhazian apparently was "Apsua Radio" (Apsua = "Abkhazia" in Abkhazian). (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Aug 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. DTK - Jülich: The following Prepared Verification Cards were sent back after posting reports to DTK-Jülich. The cards were my own design with a photo of the Jülich Towers, superimposed on a verification statement. Cards where signed and stamped. They are: 17555 - Radio Rhino International, 17705 Radio Kompanya Golos Russia, 15650 Waymarks International Ministries, 15650 Greater Victory Church, 15650 World Bible Mission, 9555 Russian International Radio. Sent along with the reply were three photos of the Jülich site, one of the transmitter and two of the towers and curtain aerials. Reply in 4 months, two weeks after sending a e-mail follow-up inquiry. V/s: Ralf Welf [sic; I think it`s Weil --- gh] (Ed Kusalik, Coaldale AB, Aug 2, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** GERMANY. The Kiel-based Power 612 was supposed to return on the air on August 1st, but the transmitter (Kiel-Kronshagen on 612, 10 kW, daytime authorization from 6 AM to 7 PM local time only) is still off. Actually the licence is herewith forfeited. Word is that the ULR, the responsible media authority, at present considers the next steps in this matter (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Special web page made by ERT for Olympics. There is also an English sub page. http://www.ert-olympics.gr (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Official site is:: http://www.athens2004.com/athens2004/ (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** HUNGARY. Special QSL cards from MR - Radio Budapest Together with ADXB-OE, MR-Radio Budapest are issuing special QSL cards. Conditions: From 1 August until 31 October listen to a programme of the foreign service of MR-Radio. Reception reports must be sent to: ADXB-OE, Postfach 1000, A-1081 Vienna, Austria. Per frequency you can receive a maximum of one QSL card. You can listen to any foreign language programme --- apart from the Hungarian service. The home service of MR-Radio doesn`t count. Please send 1 IRC, $1, or 1 Euro per recepton report. For more info go to http://www.adxb-oe.org or http://www.english.radio.hu Thanks to Paul Gager via Harald Süss of ADXB-OE for sending me that information (Roger Bixley, QSL Report, Aug BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ? What makes them ``special``? (gh, DXLD) ** INDIA. Celebrating radio --- WHO SAID radio is outdated? Far from it, radio does gain in popularity everyday, as the members of the All Kerala Radio Listeners' Association would vow. And as if to prove their point, the association has started to bring out a magazine dedicated exclusively to the radio. Named `Radio Shravanam,' (listening), the magazine is printed and published by Moideenkunju Thrikkakara, the avid radio fan of many years. Appearing in a full-fledged magazine format, it covers almost every aspect related to radio stations. There is an editorial on the issues related to the Prasar Bharati. Reviews of major programmes like the Radio Natakolsavam, protests about the change in schedules by the stations, snippets from the programmes and even gossips from within the AIR circuits are there. The latest issue of the magazine makes a case against the Kochi FM station's decision to replace the mid-day news at 2 p.m. with `Sangeetha Lahari,' pointing out that the mid-day news had been avidly listened by many people on the move. The issue also brings to attention the Government's move to implement licensing for radio, as in the old times. And there are photographs also, of events conducted by the AIR at different centres, obituaries of people related to broadcasting and an interview of Muraleedharan Thazhakkara, the man who had been presenting the popular farm radio programme, `Vayalum Veedum.' By Renu Ramanath http://www.hindu.com (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, Jul 29, dx_india via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 11860, RRI Jakarta, scheduled 2200-1300 UT. S-on time is v2200 UT, monitored until past 0900 UT in Pangasinan, Philippines. // 15125 kHz. Program "Protiga". The "WRTH 2004" entry RRI time schedule is about correct. On July 20/21/22 at 0500 UT "Focus Pristiwa"[?] \\ also 15125, 9552.3, and v9743.3[very weak signal] kHz. At 0600 UT "Dynamika Indonesia", at 0700 UT "Focus Pristiwa"[?]. On July 20th from 0037-0117 UT, transmitter on, no modulation, only carrier, 11860 and 15125 kHz. On July 22nd on 11860 signal dropped down, only carrier. On 15125 transmitter/feeder problems from 0530 UT onwards, with some modulation breaks, also transmitter s-off breaks till past 0630 UT this day. Both transmitters have problems often, also mostly settled on odd frequency, few Hertz up to 900 Hertz varying. At /0100-0300* UT NHK R Japan is active via Kranji-SNG on 11860 kHz too, strong QRM in the PHL. 11860 0100-0300 49,50,54 SNG 250 340 Jpn NHK MER 11860 0100-0200 49,50,54 SNG 250 340 English SNG NHK 11860 0200-0300 49,50,54 SNG 250 340 Japanese SNG NHK At /0700 till past 0900 UT co-ch RFE+RL, first block in Russian to FE target, strong QRM. Transmitter s-on at 0650 UT, at 0658 UT ID signal. 11860 0700-1100 RFE/RL Russian PHT 250 kW 021 degrees (Roland Schulze, Mangaldan, Pangasinan, Philippines, BC-DX Aug 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. According to the Hurricane Watch Net web site, the Hurricane Watch Net will activate Tuesday morning at 9 am ET, 1300 UT on 14325. http://www.hwn.org/ (via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup via DX LISTENING DIGEST) HURRICANE WATCH NET ACTIVATES AS ALEX UPGRADED TO CATEGORY 2 NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 3, 2004 --- With the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) now active on 14.325 MHz, Hurricane Alex now has been upgraded to a Category 2 storm. The first hurricane of the Atlantic Tropical Weather Season, Alex had been expected to remain a tropical storm. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami reports Alex now is moving almost parallel to North Carolina`s Outer Banks. That includes some areas still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Isabel last year. Alex now packs maximum sustained winds of 100 MPH with higher gusts, although the storm is not expected to gain further in strength. The NHC says isolated tornadoes are possible over the Outer Banks this afternoon. ``Preparations to protect life and property should have been completed,`` warned the 1500 UTC bulletin from the NHC. A hurricane warning remains in effect from Cape Lookout to Oregon Inlet --- including Pamlico Sound. ``This means That hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area during the next 24 hours,`` the NHC said. A tropical storm warning remains in effect from Surf City to Cape Lookout, North Carolina, and from north of Oregon Inlet to the North Carolina/Virginia border--including Albemarle Sound. Assistant HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, says the HWN will focus specifically on storm reports into and out of the immediate affected areas and into the forecast path of the storm. The net will work in concert with WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center. An HWN report from K4HAT in the Cape Hatteras noted sustained winds out of the east- northeast at 45 MPH with gusts to 61 MPH and heavy rain. All roads remain passable, however. Assistant NHC Amateur Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4JR, has announced that WX4NHC, http://www.wx4nhc.org/ which activated at 1400 [sic] UTC, will monitor the HWN. The NHC also gathers weather data from other Amateur Radio sources via the Internet, including the EchoLink WX-TALK Conference and IRLP SKYWARN Node 9210 nets http://www.voipwx.net/ During hurricane emergencies trained HWN members provide essential communication support to WX4NHC, which disseminates storm updates via the net. The HWN also collects observed or measured weather data and post-storm damage reports from Amateur Radio operators in the affected areas and relays that information to forecasters via WX4NHC. The ground-level weather data assists NHC forecasters in predicting a storm`s path and behavior. As of 1500 UTC, the hurricane`s center was some 40 miles south- southwest of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, moving north-northeast at approximately 15 MPH. Alex is expected to veer to the northeast – away from the Eastern Seaboard -- and continue to gather speed. Any change in the storm`s track could take the storm across the Outer Banks. Hurricane force winds extend up to 25 miles from the storm`s center. Alex will generate rainfall accumulations of three to six inches, with coastal storm surge flooding of two to four feet above normal along the Atlantic shoreline and three to five feet above normal in Pamlico Sound. High surf and rip currents will affect much of the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic US coast for the next couple of days. Copyright © 2004, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. Ross Revenge & Communicator movements The Ross Revenge is now in Tilbury for the Radio Caroline medium wave RSL starting this Saturday, 7th August on 1278 kHz. A picture of the Ross under tow to Tilbury is at http://www.radiocarolinesales.co.uk where there's also details of where the ship is located etc. Meanwhile the MV Communicator is due shortly at St Margarets Hope, South Ronaldsway for refurbishment ahead of the Super Station Orkney RSL on 105.4 for Kirkwall due to start broadcasts on 1st September, according to the "Orcadian" headlines for 26 July-1st Aug: RADIO SHIP DUE THIS WEEK The MV Communicator is on route to Orkney as preparations continue for the launch of The Superstation Orkney, Orkney's first commercial radio service. The ship is due to arrive in St Margaret's Hope this week, where the next stage of refurbishment work will be carried out. The media regulator OFCOM has granted a trial licence to the station for a period of three months. It will begin broadcasting on Wednesday, September 1 --- http://www.orcadian.co.uk/ (Alan Pennington, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** IRAN. TVDX is carried out on an eastern-facing slope in the village of Gorna Kremena, 7 km north of Mezdr, Bulgaria. Iranian TV is often observed with Westerns (movies), but they have also been seen with a half-hour news bulletin, without any views of women. Women are sometimes seen reading the Qur`an, always wearing a yashmak, the veil worn by Muslim women to cover the face in public. Have also seen an ad for Panasonic, again with small children covered accordingly (Rumen Pankov, Aug BDXC-UK Comunication via DXLD) ** IRAN. The first Iranian TV station on the Nile Sat! --- Today, the Iranian TV news station Al AALAM started broadcasting on the Egyptian satellite Nile sat 7 West. 12054 GHz polarization vertical 27500 ¾. This is the first Iranian station to show up on the Nile sat, as a news channel that would make it some how competing with Aljazeera, AlArabia, Nile news and alHurra, the four main news networks on the Nile sat satellite. The political relations between Egypt and Iran had a break through almost a year ago and they are almost back to normal. So this could be just another step on the road to get back to the good relations we used to have with Iran long time ago. Best Regards (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I believe this Iranian channel is entirely in Arabic? (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Received the following email from the IBA Webmaster: "Dear Surfers, We are happy to announce that during the month of August, The Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) will be upgrading the infrastructure of its broadcast services on the Internet. The broadcasts will be available to all surfers using Windows Media Player, providing high quality broadcasts over a wide bandwidth, while supporting a large number of concurrent connections!" Follow up information from the IBA website: http://www.iba.org.il/new/english.html ...At the same time, IBA will no longer provide broadcasts using the Real Player technology Live and On Demand broadcasts from the various radio networks and television channels of The Israel Broadcasting Authority will be presented via a new general media window. This window has been specially designed to be user-friendly while displaying all the various broadcasts available, and useful information on each one. In addition, on the various sites of The Israel Broadcasting Authority, we will be adding video and/or audio clips to the news items, reports and articles, in order to enrich the textual content. Furthermore, we are planning to provide live broadcasts of additional radio stations: Reshet Aleph-Moreshet, Reshet Gimmel, 88FM, Reshet Reka and Kol Hamusica We trust that these changes will enhance your surfing experience, faithfully serving your needs, and providing a basis for future developments and improvements of The Israel Broadcasting Authority sites." (via Doni Rosenzweig, Aug 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Currently, Reshet Aleph (or Alef -- the First Network) and Reshet Moreshet (the Heritage Network) have their own frequencies. They will be merging into one network shortly. Reshet Gimel is only Israeli music. Reshet Reka (or REQA) is the absorption network, which is mostly Amharic and Russian. According to current plans, English, French and Spanish are scheduled to be moving there as of Aug 8. Kol Hamusica is classical music (Doni Rosenzweig, Aug 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL [non]. ULTRA-ORTHODOX PIRATE RADIO DISRUPTING AIRPORT BROADCASTS FROM WEST BANK VILLAGE | Text of report by Tal Yamin- Wolvovitz entitled: "Haredi radio station broadcasts from Arab village" published by Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv web site on 1 August Israeli police, joined by Communications Ministry staff, have located the source of the pirate radio broadcasts of Kol Haemet ("The Whole Truth") - the West Bank Arab village of Nahalin, which lies between the cities of Jerusalem and Modi'in. The Haredi [ultra-Orthodox]-run station has been causing serious disruption in air traffic control at Ben-Gurion Airport. With the help of sophisticated computer equipment, the police discovered the broadcast facilities on the roof of a home in the village. When questioned, the owner of the home said that two yeshiva students visited him about a month ago to ask if they could build the facility on his roof. They explained that they wanted to watch television, something forbidden in their yeshiva and needed to place an antenna on his roof. In return, they promised to pay the man a rental fee and cover his electricity bills. The home owner has been released on bail and police have begun a search for the two yeshiva students. "These facilities are usually built in Israeli settlements. Today, we were surprised to learn that one has been erected in Palestinian territory," head patrolman Shlomi Toledano in the Binyamin District told Ma'ariv NRG. This was not the first time that Kol Haemet broadcasts disrupted flight communication at Ben-Gurion Airport. Despite repeated police raids on the station's facilities, its staff manages to reconstruct them in new locations, each time endangering flight traffic at the airport. Source: Ma'ariv web site, Tel Aviv, in English 1 Aug 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. KNESSETT PASSES "PIRATE RADIO" LAW Israel National News - Israel (IsraelNN.com) The Knesset passed a law aimed at discouraging the operators of "pirate radio stations", unlicensed stations operating around the country... http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=66703 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Pirate Radio story: http://web.israelinsider.com/bin/en.jsp?enPage=ArticlePage&enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Article%5El3925&enZone=Politics&enVersion=0& (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. 15172.8 V. of Korea, P`yongyang. Throwing out a spur here from fundamental 15245, English at 2144. Also on 15317.5, 30/7 (Craig Seager, Bathurst NSW, Aug Australian DX News via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. Radio Korea International wallpaper free download --- Hello PC DXers, For all listeners of RKI, wallpaper with August calendar is available for free download at the following address: http://rki.kbs.co.kr/src/callendar/calendar_1024.zip Enjoy whatever you are listening! 73's (Nino Marabello, Treviso, Italy, http://acquamarina.blogspot.com Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. 9290, R. Marabu. Heard them since 1510 August 1, first with R75 with a S6 signal, 34333 then after turning off the sat system, reception turned better. I used for some time the Degen 1102 mini radio and checked outboards, showing good to very good (nearby to metals) signal levels and playback of a hip hop song and very clear audio at 1352. Again using the R75 after 1359 with talks dedications to the station. I continued to listen to the station and after, with always fair to good signal (S5-9) and sporadic CW. Did not keep tracking its program however (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Advance publicity about this was inadequate. I think I only saw it on one pirate list after the fact (gh, DXLD) ** LIBYA. A strong signal from V. of Africa was first observed on 27 June on 1449 kHz at 2305 tune-in (tho presumably there at least two weeks before this date as per a log made by a German listener on 13 June in the July MWN). News in English at 0024, then French, Also heard on 29 June at 2035 with news in English. Tho there is an existing low powered transmitter in Libya on 1449, Anker Petersen commented that when he was in Malta at the end of October 2003 he did not hear this transmitter at all during his stay. New transmitter or ex-1251? Assuming 1449 is on air thruout the day, news in English and French should be heard at the following approximate times, give or take several minutes: 1140, 1735, 1820, 1920, 2030, 2120, 2230, 2330, 0020, 0120, 0215, 0310 (Tony Rogers, Aug BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1240, DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. 5010, Radio Madagascar, only a trace of it? no comparison with great signals in spring! (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Re: [NRC-AM] XERF-1570 power boost? Not sure if it's XERF, but I've been hearing a very strong Spanish station here in Memphis on 1570 the last few nights. I'll have to pay more attention to see if it's XERF getting out this far or somebody else. I've noticed that many of the Mexican stations are pretty strong lately. I'd assumed it was due to conditions. The odd exception is XEWA on 540. They are usually king on that frequency, but there's been nothing on 540 but noise lately (Adam Myrow, NRC-AM via DXLD) Word of late was XERF was running 30 kW as La Poderosa, a country (campo) music format. It doesn't sound like 30 kW here in Florida. The FCC database shows them still at 250 kW with a halfwave tower. I'd say the power level is somewhere in between. There's an awful lot of daytimers with post sunset power clogging the frequency these days. For XERF to cut thru all that mud they've got to be running some soup (Jerry Kiefer, FL, ibid.) I noticed XERF the night before last. I thought it was conditions, but last night I could not believe my ears! They own the channel. Goodbye 1570 for anything. It was fun while it lasted. They aren't 30 kW. That is for sure. Kevin Redding said 100 kW. I would believe at least that. I am probably 2,000 miles from XERF and for them to be S9+40DB nightly and own the channel with two stations in CA non-existent now is something else. XEWA is 100 kW and they no where near match XERF here (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid., WORLD OF RADIO 1240,) They sound like 100 kW here in NE IL. They are very noticeable but not overpowering, whereas it used to take good conditions to that direction to hear them decently. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, ibid.) XERF is non directional, half wave 313 ft stick (Jerry Kiefer, Port Orange, FL, ibid.) Thanks Jerry. I knew they were ND in the 60s/70s, but I wasn't sure now. Being on a Mexican clear they pretty much own the channel if they want. I believe the only XE on 1570. Do you know of a good address for them? (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, KAVT Reception Manager, ibid.) I've noticed in the past few weeks XERF is very strong here in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia on peaks and even when there is heavy static it can make it through. Of course XERF is the Mexican marker station in the south Pacific, but of recent weeks it's been good even when no other North American audio has been audible. Cheers (The Crocodile DX Hunter, Craig Edwards, Townsville, North Queensland, Australia, Icom R75, Drake SPR4 & flock of sheep for antennas (5 EWE's) Aug 2, IRCA via WORLD OF RADIO 1240, DXLD) Yes I've noticed a difference in XERF myself here in SE Australia. It has become a regular just like 1580 Tempe AZ. It must be good if I'm hearing it from home. 73 (Dave Onley, ibid.) For whatever reason, I've been hearing XERF very reliably since May or June. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the station engineering department was rehabilitating the ground system. I've participated in a couple of radial repair and restoration missions in Kansas (the old and now defunct WREN - 1250 was one of them), and for the hard work, the improvement in signal and coverage area can be very dramatic. 73, (Steve Lawrence, Burnsville, Minnesota, ibid.) Quite strong already at 0130 UT Aug 2, around sunset (gh, Enid, DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. AM 1030 is the new home of adult standards music -- it's right next door to gospel and co-owned KURS-AM 1040. All Access reports the Federal Communications Commission is proposing a fine of $20,000 to Pacific Spanish Network for sending programming across the border from their Chula Vista studios to XEKTT via the internet. Stay Tuned. Station officials indicated that XESDD is being programmed from its Chula Vista studios and programming sent to the Baja transmitter via the 'net. Stay Tuned (SDRadio.net Aug 3 via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. The new XESDD-1030 "Ensenada" (actually closer to Tijuana) is continuing to run the NOS format (I'm pretty sure it's WW1 [Westwood One, not World War I --- gh] nostalgia, as used to run on KURS), and has now begun splicing in Spanish IDs on the hour. The old XESDD is still operating on 920 from Ensenada. KURS-1040 San Diego extended their weekend black gospel format into Monday. During PM drive they were running locally-produced liberal talk programming. This is starting to look like a full-fledged format change for 1030 and 1040. This afternoon I was stuck in traffic behind an XEPE van. Their logo is strictly "La Romántica 1700 AM" with no mention of call signs. I would imagine their promotional team is working out of the KURS studios in Chula Vista but I don't know for sure. I'll be in that part of town on Thursday. CalTrans has not changed the signs for WNSB415-1700 South San Diego yet, though there is no trace of this station under XEPE. 73, (Tim Hall, Chula Vista, CA, Aug 2, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. NOS PLANS MASSIVE OLYMPICS COVERAGE ON THE WEB Dutch public broadcaster NOS will carry around 2000 hours of live sports coverage from the Olympics on its Web site. The material will augment the 200 hours or so planned for TV coverage. NOS is the first broadcaster in Europe to secure the rights for this level of Internet coverage. NOS Director Gerard Dielessen said "As a multimedia organisation we take the Internet very seriously. We see it as our task to make use of all the innovations of the medium. If you have broadcast rights to great events such as the Olympic Games, we think you should make optimum use of those rights. So that's what we're doing - as well as full radio and TV coverage, and an Olympic Internet site, we're making these extra pictures available to the general public. We're convinced this additional service for the sports fan will be appreciated." Source: http://www.radio.nl # posted by Andy @ 07:55 UT Aug 3 (Media Network blog via DXLD) Time to brush up our Dutch; ``extra pictures`` -- not just talking about stills, I hope (gh, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA [non]. Axel Rose Pirate Tips. Hello all, nothing new: very high noise level (S=9) on 48 m during daytime, but very good signals on 76 and MW... Any ideas for the UNID's ?? 2807, 1641 kHz, R. Oklahoma, at 2110, 44433 D, NL-Schlager, Polka, E- Oldies, Adr., Hotl. 3007, 1638 kHz, R. Oklahoma at 2145, 43433 D, E-Pop/Oldies, Adr., Jingels, Hotline, Have a sunny week, (Axel Rose, Germany?, via Dario Monferini, Play-DX via DXLD) Dutch x-band pirate aptly named (gh) ** PARAGUAY. Adán Mur, from Ñemby, Paraguay, reports about the tests by a new shortwave station from that country. It`s Radio Colegio Técnico Municipal Santa Rosa de Lima, with irregular test transmissions from Ñemby on 3220 kHz, in 90 meters. The station has very good local coverage. They transmitting with only 12 watts. They have a 1/4 wave antenna. If you can hear the transmission, send your reception report to the follow mail: radioamerica @ lycos.com (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Aug 2, bclnews.it via DXLD) Adán Mur, desde Ñemby, Paraguay, informa que hay una nueva emisora en la onda corta desde ese país latinoamericano. Se trata de Radio Colegio Técnico Municipal Santa Rosa de Lima, que transmite en forma irregular desde la localidad de Ñemby por la frecuencia de 3220 kHz, en la banda tropical de los 90 metros. En ocasiones, está en el aire las 24 horas del día y a veces sólo algunas horas. La emisora tiene una muy buena cobertura local a través de la banda de 90 metros. Operan con una potencia de 12 vatios. La antena es de un cuarto de onda. Ustedes pueden enviar sus reportes de escucha a la siguiente dirección: radioamerica @ lycos.com (Arnaldo Slaen, Noticias DX via DXLD) This was first reported several weeks ago, and I have not seen any DX reports of it (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. 5939, 1015 28/7, R. Melodía, Arequipa, español, OM's boletín de noticias, ID. Radio Melodia de Arequipa Perú volvió a mudar de frecuencia, ahora se la está escuchando en los 5939 khz; este cambio no ha favorecido su calidad, al menos aquí en el centro de Uruguay debido a interferencias producidos en frecuencias adyacentes 9505, 2320, R. Tacna, español, YL boletín de noticias. 30/7 (Boletin DX de "El EsKuch@" http://elescucha.webcindario.com Editado por Alfredo Locatelli - Durazno / Uruguay walo @ adinet.com.uy Número 13 julio 18, 2004, via Play-DX via DXLD) No specific credit for these logs, but presumably Locatelli himself (gh) ** RUSSIA. RUSSIA'S MAYAK RADIO STATION IS 40 YEARS OLD On 30 July, Russia's Mayak service signed on for the first time and became the Soviet Union's first national 24-hour radio station. The station featured music, with news summaries every half hour. The interval signal, part of the song "Moscow Nights," has been used for the whole of the station's existence. To celebrate the anniversary, the radio's Web site is currently displaying rare archive pictures showing some of its correspondents. History of Mayak in pictures http://www.radiomayak.ru/birthday/photos/index2.html # posted by Andy @ 09:51 UT Aug 2 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** RWANDA. R. Rwanda is clear on 6055 after sign-off in Slovakia at 2030 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA. Not a trace heard on 7530, 6980, 6960... during many tries (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN. 7200 in Arabic before 1800, talking of Sudan, heard only once, good signal. Nothing heard of the Southern stations, but of course unlikely to be active at that time (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. V. of Sudan via Eritrea? 8000 kHz at 1630 26/6, ID ``Huna idha`atu sawt al-Sudan``, Arabic, SIO 232 (Robert Petraitis, Klaipeda, Lithuania, HF Logbook, Aug BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** SUDAN. News about Voice of New Sudan --- On 2 Aug I got a brief e- mail from the engineer contracted to set up the shortwave transmitter of the Voice of New Sudan in Southern Sudan. He was in Nairobi on his way back home to US. There were more technical problems; they had managed to do some testing (9310) with modulation during three days with about 7 kW before they got hit by a lightning "last Sunday". They are down until they get some capacitors. The engineer will return to Sudan "in a few weeks". The frequency will possibly be shifted higher, to 9485, as most of the receivers in the region will not tune below 9400. I'll keep DX-community updated as I get more info (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Aug 2, WORLD OF RADIO 1240, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SURINAME. 4990, Radio Apintie, Paramaribo, 0955 to 1005 in Dutch with brief ID by OM, thanks Charles Bolland tip, 31 July (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, U. S., NRD 535D, Icom R75, Home Page: http://uk.geocities.com/dxsf/ WORLD OF RADIO 1240, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4990, R. Apintie, 0859-0903 2 August, Vocal song by male group (à la Boys to Men), nice canned ID in Dutch/English by M sounding like "...R. Apintie, the Happy Station ?? FM stereo... Internet... Apintie (probably URL) ...studios on the Happy Station... in Paramaribo (shouted)". Another canned announcement, and into simple instrumental song. Decent signal amid the high thunderstorm QRN. Thanks Chuck Bolland and Bob Wilkner (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SVALBARD. On a recent trip to Norway and Svelbard, noticed that the 1485 kHz in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen is alive and well. Go for it (and good luck)! (John Sampson, Aug 1, NRC-AM via DXLD) We've tried and tried for this from Newfoundland on the TA Bevs and had no trace even though it should be // 1314, isn't it most of the night ? 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) Probably easier for you in North America to hear Spitsbergen-1485 than for us in Southern Scandinavia; just wait for the right conditions, Winter season, low A-index, no proton event and conditions towards that area. There are too many other European stations in 1485 which we never get rid of here, so we must go to our expedition QTH, North of the Arctic circle to log Spitsbergen (Sigvard Andersson, Sweden, Aug 2, ibid.) My experience is that the farther north a European station is, the less likely it is to have a strong signal here (given that other things - distance, power, coastal or inland - are equal). 1485 here is clearly dominated by Spain. Once in a while there's one of the UK stations in the mix or something in French (Belgium or France I guess). I have never heard a Scandinavian on that frequency. Angola's a bit on the low side (around 1484.5), that's just occasionally heard at seashore sites like Granite Pier in Rockport, MA. Spain on 1314 with something like 10 kW frequently beats up Norway with 1200 kW. And the Spain / Canaries stations often win out over the more powerful German on 1269, Algeria over Germany on 1422, etc. (Mark Connelly, WA1ION - Billerica, MA, USA, ibid.) We've spent alot of time in Cappahayeden [Newfoundland DXpedition site] trying to hear any trace of this // 1314 with absolutely no luck. Our TA Bevs run roughly NE if I recall and if high lat conditions are decent they have the Brits dominant over Spain. Perhaps a more northerly wire at a spot in NF with nothing but open ocean at the proper direction would have a chance. Another idea would be to try around the winter solstice when the path to Spitsbergen is in total darkness, but not the path to the UK. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, ibid.) ** SWITZERLAND. THE TWO BOBS RETURN pictures... Listen in MP3 http://www.switzerlandinsound.com/2bobs.html For 24 years, Bob Thomann (HB9GX) and Bob Zanotti (HB9ASQ) shared a microphone and became an international broadcasting icon, winning awards for their popularity and the consistently large audience share of their show, The Swiss Shortwave Merry-Go-Round. ``The Two Bobs``, as they came to be known, were both radio hams, so they had firsthand knowledge and experience of the technical problems inherent in shortwave – also called High Frequency or ``HF`` – transmission. It’s logical, then, that their mainstay was providing off-the-cuff answers to listeners’ technical questions about radio and how to improve reception. But The Two Bobs were also philosophers, and had strong personal feelings about the major political and policy issues that faced HF broadcasting, and what they believed was the shortsightedness of curtailing shortwave services in the post Cold War era. The Two Bobs were sometimes even controversial, especially when it came to their outspokenness in getting shortwave listeners to pay more attention to ``program content`` – the term they coined to discourage the perception of HF broadcasting as merely a technical hobby. The Swiss Shortwave Merry-Go-Round ended in June 1994, despite heavy listener protest. Over the years, Bob Thomann and Bob Zanotti have remained good friends, and still get together, both on ham radio and in person to ``chew the rag``, as hams say, and continue to discuss the medium they loved and promoted so much. The Two Bobs left their mark on international broadcasting and became a household word among millions of shortwave listeners around the world. After a 10-year absence, they`re back in this hour-long special (via gh, DXLD) Check menu for several other shows too; I listened to this: quite nostalgic (gh, DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. Re: Swiss Radio International's final English programmes: Heard in Australia 0735 UT on [Monday] 2nd August on 13650 kHz so appears as if SRI will play each program for the week. Couldn't hear it yesterday and conditions were bad today (Wayne Bastow, Australia, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1240, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Switzerland English schedule --- SRI are now running special feature programming instead of recorded music on their English slots. The English programme is apparently changed each week on Saturday and then played for the rest of the week at these times: 0730-0800 13650ju 15445ju 21770so 0830-0900 21770so 1730-1800 13750ju 15515ju 17870so 1930-2030 11815ju 13645ju 13795so 15220my 2330-0000 9885so 11905my ju - Juelich, Germany; my - Montsinery, French Guiana; so - Sottens, Switzerland Confirmed last night at 2330 on 9885 with good signal and first of twelve programmes. This first "Assignment Switzerland" programme was about the history of the Swiss Broadcasting Service / SRI /Swissinfo with some archive recordings, but also interviews justifying their switch to internet only. Listen while you can as SRI leaves short wave completely at the end of October (Alan Pennington, Caversham, UK, AOR 7030+ / longwire, Aug 2, BDXC-UK via WORLD OF RADIO 1240, DXLD) ** TANZANIA. 5050 is active, but usually very weak signal, Zanzibar not heard on 6015 or 11734 in the afternoon (though the former is active in the morning). (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. Both 4976 and 5026 audible from 1800 to 2100 on a regular basis (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA [non]. R. Rhino International, 17870, July 14 1552 pop song, English, SIO 555 July 14 (Richard Thurlow, Ipswich, Suffolk, Aug BDXC- UK Communication via DXLD) Cf 4-114 where schedule was given at 1500- 1530 only; as I recall before the hiatus it was a full hour (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1240, DXLD) ** U S S R [and non]. Re: DXLD 4-117, Cuba: R. Moscow Interval Signal Glenn, I think the interval signal before "Midnight In Moscow", or "Moscow Nights" if you prefer, was the "Waltz of the Flowers" by P. I. Tchaikovsky. At least that is the melody I remember from the 1950's when I defied Senator Joe McCarthy by listening to Radio Moscow on my Hallicrafters S-38B. Those were heady days. I also remember the "Volga Boatman" being used somewhere in between those two. Don't remember off-hand who wrote it. I can also remember listening to RAE Buenos Aires in those days when they had a signal into New York that was at least as good as HCJB on my S-38B. Too bad they are not so easily heard today. 73, ~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-., (Joe Buch, DE, August 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^'~*-.,_,.-*~'^ I could not say before 1957 when I started SWLing seriously and the S- 38E was the latest thing, but by then it was not Waltz of the Flowers. It may have been the opening notes of a patriotic song, but not The Soviet Hymn, and I remember hearing the full orchestral version played too as R. Moscow theme music. If I can locate an elder WRTH it will at least have the musical notation, and perhaps identify the melody. How about it, Andy? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U A E. POPULAR URDU RADIO SERVICE GOES OFF AIR By Haseeb Haider 2 August 2004 http://www.khaleejtimes.com ABU DHABI - Radio Abu Dhabi has closed its 26 years long running Urdu- language service without citing any reason, sending a wave of disappointment among the thousands of its listeners. A brief announcement to the effect was made on Saturday evening during the normal broadcast. The service was started in 1976, on the Accesion Day anniversary of the President, His Highness Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, as the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. The broadcast, which covered a wide range of subjects - news, entertainment, health education, awareness on rules and regulations of the country, was widely popular among Urdu-speaking people from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh living in the UAE and other Gulf states. There are a total of 14 radio channels which broadcast programmes in English, Hindi/Urdu and Malyalam to listeners. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have two English FM stations each, while Ajman and Umm Al Quwain have one each. For Malayalam listeners broadcasts are transmitted from two stations in Ras Al Khaima, and one each from Dubai, Umm Al Quwain and Abu Dhabi. The closure has shocked the Urdu speakers across the country, who say that this AM channel 657 despite the popularity of satellite television stations had been part of their daily routine. ``It was the only channel which started during the time when there was no newspaper and television. It was a big gift from the President to the people who speak and understand Urdu language,`` said a listener (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) ** U K. For at least the past week, my ability to enjoy live Prom Concert broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 has been severely compromised. No matter what I do, I can`t get a listenable stream; instead it is ``jerky, echoey``, as best I can describe it verbally. This sometimes happens with other stations, but it`s always the case now with R3. Are others having the same problem, perhaps caused by too much demand on the server? But the connexion doesn`t get lost. It`s supposedly running at 44 kbps. On this week`s Feedback, BBCR4, Sunday Aug 1 at 1900, I learnt that I wasn`t the only one getting the wrong stream last week. BBCR1 via BBCR3 was not mentioned, but someone complained that BBCR4 and BBC7 were both carrying BBCR1 programming for an hour. Excuse: something broke, and there was no human around to fix it immediately. When there is such a failure, the default is to BBCR1! --- No matter how grating, even offensive it may be to fans of BBCR3 or 4! More great management at one of the world`s greatest(?) broadcasters, where you would think with megapounds of subsidies, they could afford at least to have one human being overseeing the technical operation at all times (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I couldn't agree with you more, Glenn. Any number of times, I've heard them lament on "Write On" that it's "just not possible" to monitor all these streams of output. It's damned unprofessional and disrespectful to listeners. I liken to the way cable operators used to treat their subscribers when the service went dark. The attitude was "we'll get around to it eventually". Another bugaboo for me is the practice of just dropping off the air on shortwave without so much as a warning or a suggestion of where to tune next if one wanted to stay with the service. It would also be helpful if they would deign to identify for us which stream it is to which we are tuned. I've never taken to the seven (or is it eight) worldwide streams for what is essentially the same content slightly remixed. It's a waste of resources, if you ask me. Rant over (for now)... (John Figliozzi, NY, ibid.) IMHO the BBC needs to negotiate stricter terms of service with their streaming providers. I agree that the "just not possible" cop-out is unacceptable. It is not rocket science to check quality-of-service for Internet services. I think John has a couple good suggestions with respect to signoff ("we are now closing on this frequency, and we invite you to re-tune to us on...") and stream ID ("you are listening to the BBC WS for the Americas...") Neither of these is rocket science...considering how automated these processes are supposed to be (Rich Cuff, PA, ibid.) Don't worry, it will get worse for the Olympics; remember the discussions we had on this list about trying to get RealAudio streams and getting the ubiquitous message that "due to rights issues" this broadcast is not available over the internet. If the BBC wanted it available, believe me, they would find a way to do it (Maryanne Kehoe, swprograms via DXLD) Or, if BBCWS felt the rights fees were worth it vs. inconveniencing their audience, they'd do it (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, ibid.) ** U K. RADIO PIRATES GET CHANCE TO GO LEGIT Matt Wells, media correspondent, Tuesday August 3, 2004, The Guardian Pirate radio stations are to be encouraged to go legitimate as part of an initiative by the media regulator Ofcom. It said yesterday that its enforcement officers may in future leaven the burden of their raids by leaving behind an application pack for a new breed of community radio licences. The Ofcom "calling card" is part of a drive to encourage take-up of dozens of small, cheap licences that are to be made available under new legislation. Not all the applications for the community radio schemes are expected to be from pirates seeking to legalise their businesses, but Ofcom said yesterday that it hoped some of the illicit broadcasters would be encouraged by the scheme. At present, there are thought to be about 180 pirate radio stations in London and about the same number in the rest of the country, many catering to the underground and ethnic minority music scenes. . . http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1274651,00.html (via Ken Kopp, dxldyg via DXLD) Ofcom today publishes its strategy for the introduction of Community Radio in the UK, along with the Community Radio application form and notes of guidance. Please follow the link below to the Ofcom website: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/media_office/latest_news/nr_20040802 (via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U S A. 9540, 1015 19/7, WHRI [sic], inglés, YL ID, fuerte (Boletin DX de "El EsKuch@" http://elescucha.webcindario.com Editado por Alfredo Locatelli - Durazno / Uruguay walo @ adinet.com.uy Número 13 julio 18, 2004, via Play-DX via DXLD) No specific credit for this log, but presumably Locatelli himself. ?? Never scheduled on that frequency to my knowledge, site? WHR website shows 9495 and 9850 in use that hour. Much later in the day they add 9430 [via WSHB] (gh) ** U S A. The noise on 7385 was as bad in Veracruz as it is often here in Miami. I just talked to our engineer, and he says that there was some kind of problem with the crystal. The antenna adjustments have been made, but the crystal is being sent to us today. So hopefully we should be on 6870 sometime during this week (Jeff White, WRMI, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WINZ-940 Miami --- Obviously on 50,000 watt day rig at midnight with legal ID mentioning "South Florida's progressive talk radio" and into Air America news. Totally atop channel with no fades (Steve Francis, Alcoa, Tennessee, 0406 UT August 2, NRC-AM via DXLD) Hi Guys: Thanks to a tip from Steve Francis in Tennessee, I was able to log WINZ 940 Miami last night while they were apparently on Day time Power of 50 kW???? This is a New Station for me, and any station from Florida on AM is most welcome here!! My Receiver is COLLINS HF2050; My Antenna is 80 Meter DIPLOLE. 940, WINZ, Miami, FLORIDA, Aug/02/04, 0020-0025 EDT, Fair, EE, Male DJ with talk. Nice ID as "AM 940 South Florida's Progressive Talk Radio". Into several ads then more talk. Mixing Montreal, with Montreal on top most of the time. Most likely on Daytime Power?? NEW STATION [to his log] (Robert ROSS, London, ONTARIO, ODXA via DXLD) ** U S A. AAR: Air America launches in San Diego next week --- Air America Radio announced today that the radio programming will be in America's Finest City starting Monday. Refusing to identify the station, it is thought to be Clear Channel's KPOP-AM 1360. Also, the network announced that commentator Al Franken will return to TV next month when his radio show -- to be heard live in San Diego -- will be a joint-cast with the Sundance TV channel starting Sept. 7. The television broadcast will be tape-delayed starting at 8:30 and again at 11:30 p.m. The addition of San Diego would bring the station count up to 18-cities. Air America programming is also available on satellite radio, and also via Dishnet's music and audio service. Stay Tuned (SDRadio.net Aug 3 via DXLD) ** U S A. Re 4-114, here`s direct link to transcript of the 50-minute Background Briefing program on R. Australia, de ABC R. National, ``Homegrown Terrorists``, with lots of sidebars, and no, not our Helen Thomas, presenting, including about far-right radio shows: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/stories/s1163768.htm And direct audio link, both highly recommended: http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/mod/bbing_25072004_2856.ram (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. NETWORKS LET THE PEOPLE DOWN Tuesday, August 3, 2004; Page A16 http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A35558-2004Aug2?language=printer Kudos to Howard Kurtz for his analysis of the Democratic National Convention [Style, Aug. 2]. It's appalling that the major networks decided for the public what was newsworthy and what was not during this, possibly the most important presidential election in modern history. Fox's Bill O'Reilly used the convention as a backdrop for interjecting his opinion, which was neither fair nor balanced, and passing it off as newsworthy. MSNBC with Chris Matthews and CNN weren't much better. It's disgusting that Americans, who need information, got so little from their public airwaves. GLENDA TAMBLYN, Northridge, Calif. The biggest scandal of Campaign 2004 is that al-Jazeera is broadcasting more live coverage of the political conventions to its audience in the Middle East than the major networks are broadcasting to the American people. It is a sad state of affairs when Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Deputy Defense Secretary Paul D. Wolfowitz could get major network airtime only if they were surfing on top of a beer truck cruising down a highway or having an insect-eating competition. They may want to address the American people in a policy speech, but the networks would rather show reruns of "Law & Order" and "CSI." The networks should be ashamed and embarrassed; the public should be revolted and alarmed. JEFF LAVINE, Rockville I, like Tom Shales [Style, July 30], am angry that political figures must conform to time constraints imposed by broadcasters. Despite the complaints that scripted events such as conventions contain no real news, the news-value decisions actually shape content. Without the straitjacket imposed by the major networks, John Kerry likely would not have had to rush his acceptance speech; lines that called for slower pacing would have been delivered that way, and audience reaction would have been different. Medium is also message; delivery becomes part of content. MICHAEL P. FRUITMAN, Fairfax ABC News President David Westin [op-ed, July 30] defended the networks' failure to carry the Democratic convention on the grounds that the audience might not watch it. That rings hollow when the programming offered instead is a warmed-over pile of garbage. And when I did find a major network carrying the convention, I was more likely to get some idiot with a wireless microphone interviewing a Republican spin artist than a straightforward account of what was happening on the floor or a substantive interview with a key figure. One thing that has been forgotten is that the airwaves belong to the American people. Those who use the commons have an obligation to present responsible accounts of events of importance to the country. A compliant administration is letting the networks ignore this obligation. SHELTON F. LANKFORD, Salisbury David Westin is rather disingenuous. Just because people he knows have DSL and cable TV, he assumes that the responsibility of the broadcast networks for keeping the public informed is becoming obsolete. Not everyone can afford cable. Some must choose between paying the cable bill and paying the water bill. Cable and Internet come to our homes through privately owned telecommunications lines. The networks come through the publicly owned broadcast spectrum. In exchange for use of the airwaves, the networks used to be required to carry public service programming. This is a valuable resource. Is it really too much to ask that television networks keep their side of the bargain and use these public airwaves for the public good? NINA SURR, Damascus (c) 2004 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. PENTAGON CHANNEL LAUNCHES ON NATIONWIDE DIGITAL NETWORK | Text of press release by Stamford, Connecticut-based Time Warner Cable on 2 August Time Warner Cable announced today [2 August] it will begin rolling out the Pentagon Channel, the Defense Department's news and information network for the military, this month. The Pentagon Channel, which previously existed as an information channel within the Pentagon and on military bases, will now be distributed 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all of Time Warner Cable's digital television customers. "Time Warner Cable serves consumers all across the country and many of our customers have a personal stake in the military," said Lynn Yaeger Time Warner Cable Executive Vice President for Corporate Affairs. "The Pentagon Channel will be especially appreciated by military service members and their families who live on or near the 26 military bases we service in our footprint including Fort Bragg and Fort Hood." The Pentagon Channel will provide Time Warner Cable digital customers with Department of Defense news with top-of-the-hour updates, broadcasts of the flagship television news magazine programs from each of the services and Department of Defense news briefings from the Pentagon and around the world. Additionally, the network will include appointment viewing with "Around the Services," a look at what's going on at each branch of the military, "Studio Five," showcasing conversations with Department of Defense leaders, and "Focus on the Force," which highlights military missions such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan. "We appreciate Time Warner Cable's decision to carry the new Pentagon Channel on their cable systems, nationwide. Their support helps us fulfill our mission of providing timely military news and information to the U.S. Armed Forces." said Larry DiRita, Department of Defense Spokesperson. [Time Warner Cable owns and manages cable systems serving 10.9 million subscribers in 27 states, according to its web site. The Pentagon Channel is available on the Internet at http://pentagonchannel.mil ] Source: Time Warner Cable, Stamford, Connecticut in English 2 Aug 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. US NAVY SOLICITING TRANSMITTERS FOR COMMANDO SOLO The US Naval Air Systems Command Aircraft Division (NAVAIR AD), Patuxent River MD 4.5 Department, has a cometitive requirement to acquire transmitter components for Modular Commando Solo (MCS) Program. These transmitters are to employ Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) / Government Off-The-Shelf (GOTS) technologies only and will ultimately be configured on pallets for a Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) capability for EC130J's. In order to attract the most vendors for this solicitation, the MCS NB Transmitters system has been split into three groups: Group A will consist of four FM broadcast 1 kW transmitter or exciter/power amplifier configurations in the 88 to 108 MHz frequency range, Group B will consist of six narrowband 1 kW power amplifiers in the 30 MHz to 1 GHz frequency range and Group C will consist of one each 5 kW (THRESHOLD) or 10 kW (OBJECTIVE) AM Broadcast and HF frequency agile transmitters covering the frequency range of approximately 450 kHz to 30 MHz. This specification for the transmitter system is intended to fulfill one ship set worth of requirements for the MCS aircraft mission with an option for up to two more ship sets and a possible training system. The transmitter system for the MCS aircraft will be used for communication over long distances from an aircraft to civilian and military personnel on civilian commercial radio bands and on military frequencies in use for both ground and air. Editor's note: The existing Commando Solo fleet was used in Iraq for the broadcasts of Information Radio, and is due to be deployed for broadcasting to Cuba. The Lockheed EC130J aircraft are the newest type of aircraft, the first of which entered service in 2003, and which will replace the current EC130E's. More information on this solicitation http://www.fbodaily.com/archive/2004/08-August/04-Aug-2004/FBO- 00635091.htm # posted by Andy @ 12:30 UT August 3 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 4910, Radio One, fading in after 1800, then strong and clear. Voice Africa on 4965 is weaker (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. no entry. [non]: 4880 SW Radio Africa audible after 1800 with good signal and announcements in English (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. UPDATE on my STRANGE MW signals every 53.55 kHz 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 MW 9 kHz splits band so I know these appeared between 0423 and 0435 7/17. I listened to them till 0730 UT 7/24; then on the 26th I found them present in the DAYTIME! The five strongest signals I heard first 963.95 1017.51 1071.06 1124.51 1178.16kHz Tuning down the dial, I heard them progressively weaker every 53.553 kHz down to 214.211 kHz. There is no signal on the very low frequency of 53.553 kHz just below WWVB. Tuning up from MW, I found one up every 54.553 kHz shortwave to 2302.78 kHz and at more that a dozen spots up to 5355.30 kHz and possibly 10710.6 kHz. Progressively weaker as I tuned up frequency. When the antenna was removed from my Watkins- Johnson rx: all these signals disappeared. I shut off my main power in the house and could hear a weak 1000 Hz heterodyne on 1070 on my car radio. These 60+ unmodulated signals have been ever present since midnight:30 EDT July 17. ANYBODY GOT AN IDEA ABOUT THIS? Reply to= swl_ka2HPU (AT) hotmail.com (Wells Perkins, Aug 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Security system at some store or business nearby? Might help to check the neighborhood for signal peaks (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 2305 kHz, OM in Spanish "las palabras de Dios" 1025 to 1035, brief religious music in English, Spur? Harmonic? Noted occasionally in Florida - 1 August (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, U. S., NRD 535D, Icom R75, http://uk.geocities.com/dxsf/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 3174, 1030, NO ID, español, programa "asuntos", avisos de electromecánica Rubén, débil y muchos estáticos, musica andina, OM comunicados a oyentes, en apariencia Bolivia o Perú. 23/7 (Boletin DX de "El EsKuch@" http://elescucha.webcindario.com Editado por Alfredo Locatelli - Durazno / Uruguay walo @ adinet.com.uy Número 13 julio 18, 2004, via Play-DX via DXLD) No specific credit for this log, but presumably Locatelli himself (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 7680, 1030 20/7, Espía de Nº, español, YL (acento indefinido) serie de 5 números (Boletin DX de "El EsKuch@" http://elescucha.webcindario.com Editado por Alfredo Locatelli - Durazno / Uruguay walo @ adinet.com.uy Número 13 julio 18, 2004, via Play-DX via DXLD) No specific credit for this log, but presumably Locatelli himself (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. THE SHORTWAVE AND THE CALLING --- FOR AKIN FERNANDEZ, CRYPTIC MESSAGES BECAME MUSIC TO HIS EARS http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A35647-2004Aug2.html (via Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DXLD) About numbers stations; registration required ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIAL +++++++++++++++++++++++ Remember Glenn, when things go wrong, don`t let them mess up your life any more than necessary. Take care of the problems as best you can, and just keep doin` it! (Pete Bentley, NY, with a contribution) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ OLD MAN`S LONG WIRE ANTENNA I don`t care what he says on DX Radio School, I`ve got the REAL ``old man`s long wire antenna``. For years I`ve had an outdoor antenna, albeit only twenty feet or so, but it`s always made quite a difference just getting a bit of wire outside the house. Until last fall, I had it fastened to a tree so huge, the trunk never moved when the wind blew. Then we had a real wind storm. It blew the siding and insulation right off the store up front, and with all that debris flying around, a chunk of it took my little wire down. I went all winter without it, and finally this May it was time to put something back up. This time I ran it to a small tree in the back yard. It was the same old wire I`ve used for years, and it sure isn`t very strong. I climbed up in that tree, as far as I dared, and fastened it up. Then I came in, to run the indoor part. After that I clipped it onto the whip of my DX-375. It didn`t seem to make that much difference, so I looked out the window just to make sure everything was OK. It wasn`t! The wind was blowing a little, just enough to yank the tree a bit, and the wire was on the ground. I climbed the tree again, and at my age it felt like it was the last tree I would ever climb. I fastened the antenna back up, and ran inside to try it again. This time I could really see the difference. So that was it. The thing was back up and I was glad --- until the next day, that is, when I found the damned thing lying in the yard again. This time I went in, opened a can of beer, and decided to think about it for a while. Before the beer was gone, I had PLAN `B` all worked out. Fortunately where it broke both times was way up near the tree, so I didn`t have to do any splicing. I just dug around in my junk and came up with a big old eye bolt; I guess it weighs a few pounds. I tied it onto the end of the antenna, and threw that mother as hard as I could, right at the top of the tree. It disappeared up there, and I could hear the eye bolt as it plummeted through the leaves. And there is has stayed ever since. When the wind blows, the tree whips around, and the eye bolt dances up and down, but nothing breaks. I wonder, if I transmitted on that antenna at just the right frequency, I`ll bet that eye bolt would light up a pretty RF pink! (Pete Bentley, E Aurora NY, 09 July 04, retyped by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) GET OUTTA TOWN, QUICK! I just love power tools. There`s one for almost every occasion, and for me they`re not out of place in any room of the home. Give me an angle grinder, and I`ll find something that needs cutting up, quick as a flash. The regular weekend pilgrimage to Bunnings sees these things on the shelves for less than $20, and being blokes (well, most of us), we`ve just gotta have more of `em. Trouble is, so do our neighbours, and add this to the touch lamps, pool filters, computers and televisions in the various homes on the block, there`s so much stray RF emission floating in the air and through the power grid, that hearing top-line DX signals from home is now almost impossible. You can do all sorts of smart stuff to cut down on this QRN; use isolation transformers, coax feeders, audio filters, phasers. But the best solution is to get outta town, quick! Grab a receiver, a 12V battery and a lump of wire, throw them in the car and within a short time you could be listening to noise-free signals at a nearby reserve, National Park or bush block. Don t delay, as it will only be a couple of short months before daytime signals all but vanish from most of the bands (Craig Seager, NSW, Aug Australian DX News via DXLD) GRUNDIG SATELLIT 800 BEING REPLACED Re: DXLD 4-117, August 1, 2004: ``Hello Glenn, According to Grove Enterprises website under the Sat 800, it is being replaced by that Sat 900/Eton E-1 XM when it comes out. You heard anything? http://www.grove-ent.com/RCV33.html (Michael McCarty, OH, Aug 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nope`` From: http://www.passband.com/pages/receivernews.htm Etón E1: Christmas ETA Reliable industry sources have stated that the Etón E1, formerly the Grundig Satellit 900, will go into production before Christmas, 2004. This model reportedly has been subject to an unusual degree of vetting for features, performance and production quality, which presumably accounts for the delay. The Grundig Satellit 800 continues to be offered, and according to the company is not scheduled to be deleted from the product line. This beefy portatop is very different from the portable E1. As befits its origin as a Drake communications receiver it is increasingly being distributed to radio specialty outlets rather than general merchandise stores. Presumably the opposite strategy will be pursued with the E1, which among other differences is to include reception of XM satellite radio (via John Norfolk, dxldyahoogroup, DXLD) The posting on Grove's website came just recently. That update to Passport is older. The company may have changed their plans. I have an email into Grove to confirm (Michael McCarty, Aug 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ BEWARE THE BPL BUZZ The hype around broadband over power lines evades an obvious and grave risk: radio interference. Technology Editor Peter Coffee http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1630521,00.asp Bad things happen when ideal IT concepts bump into the realities of imperfect hardware. This time, I'm talking about the slow-motion train wreck of BPL (broadband over power lines), a basically bad idea that's now the subject of a newly launched IEEE standard process. With lots of people wanting its benefits and few people understanding its drawbacks, BPL seems likely to gain too much momentum to be killed. A win for BPL, though, could be a loss for some valuable applications of the radio spectrum --- but you'd never know that there's a serious risk, or even a controversy, if all you saw was the IEEE's cheerful July 20 announcement of IEEE P1675, "Standard for Broadband over Power Line Hardware." The IEEE announcement calls the BPL proposition "relatively straightforward," saying "A computer-router combination and a coupler take the signal from an optical-fiber cable as it enters a substation and imposes it on the electric current. The signal travels over the medium-voltage lines, with repeaters placed every 0.5 to 1 mile to keep the signal viable. A repeater/router near a residence or business extracts the signal off the medium voltage just before the transformer and injects it onto the low-voltage wiring on the other side of the transformer. The signal is now on all of the low-voltage wiring within the structure and can be accessed at any outlet by plugging in a modem." The elephant in the living room prompts my follow-up question: "Where else is that signal accessible --- whether it's wanted or not?" Incredibly, the words "radio" and "interference" are not even mentioned in the IEEE announcement, even though the risk of radio interference from BPL is obvious and grave. BPL proposals place data signals on carrier channels that span a broad swath of frequencies. Those carrier frequencies overlap those used by everything from international shortwave broadcasts to standard time signals to CB radios (remember those?) to baby monitors to the low end of the range of TV channels. Although not intentionally radiated, those BPL signals will be traveling on wires that can't help but behave to some degree as antennas. We keep signals confined, on a small scale, by precisely tailoring signal paths in chips and on circuit boards. We control them on a larger scale by using shielded conductors, or twisted-pair lines that cancel stray radiation by combining equal and opposite components. And when we need to convey a complex signal at high power levels --- for example, when feeding a moon-bounce radio antenna array --- we don't use just an ordinary wire. We use a transmission line, a carefully tailored component that matches voltage and current ratios between the source and destination and that minimizes stray radiation of signals. Electrical power lines are designed to carry power and are optimized for efficiency and safety --- not for minimum radiation of high- bandwidth energy. The IEEE P1675 announcement speaks about traditional power-system priorities and quotes Terrence Burns, chair of the IEEE BPL Standards Working Group, as saying, "Power companies face a number of issues ... for example, how to assess the performance and safety of repeaters/ routers, medium- and low-voltage coupling hardware and other equipment before buying. Other issues include how best to put this equipment in place and to keep the overall system operating well and prevent it from interfering with power delivery. The new standard will help them deal with these concerns." Is radio interference someone else's problem? To be fair, some BPL proposals do include active measures for detecting and avoiding communication interference. I'm sorry to rain on proposers' various parades, but shortwave communications are what we turn to when other things aren't working, and I don't like that failures in a new and complex system could put an essential backup system at risk. "Nearly all electrical utilities are exploring BPL because the potential benefits are so substantial," said Burns. Yes, and there would also be "potential benefits" in breaking the second law of thermodynamics, but no one expects to be taken seriously if he or she proposes to try. Radio's realities deserve equal respect from the proponents of BPL (via Kenneth A. Kopp, L.G., Amateur Radio - KKØHF http://www.qsl.net/kk0hf/ dxldyg via DXLD) THE TINY TRAP +++++++++++++ At the conclusion of AWR Wavescan #500, the next edition was promoted, including ``Radio Andorra, a small station in a tiny country``. Andorra is small as countries go, but with 450 km squared, it is 231 times the size of Monaco, which is undeniably tiny. Other countries in the 400s of land area are: Barbados, Palau, Seychelles. Andorra is also quite mountainous, high in the Pyrenees, and I daresay one would not casually stroll from one end to the other or circumnavigate it without a very strenuous hike. Data from the Time Almanac 2000 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see ANDORRA PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTERS ON SHORTWAVE http://www.novia.net/~sadams/My_Pages/ShortWave.html Over 6 years of surfing the Net, much of it looking for resources on radio, broadcasting, etc., and for the first time this month, Google popped up this site which has been around since 1998. It is maintained by its creator Steve Adams of Omaha, Nebraska. It provides excellent references and resources for the active shortwave listener (Sheldon Harvey, Aug Radio HF Internet Newsletter via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ HOMING PIGEONS MISS THEIR MARK Of the 2,000 pigeons let loose Sunday presumably July 25], only about 500 have returned to their lofts after the 93-mile flight between the cities of Ljungby and Malmoe in southern Sweden, said Lars-Aake Nilsson of the Malmoe Homing Pigeon Club. "The weather was perfect -- no rain, no thunder and no strong winds," he said. In past races, the birds, all of which sport electronic identification tags around their feet, made the journey in about two hours. But this time, something went terribly wrong. "I have worked with pigeons since 1960 and have never experienced anything like this," Nilsson said, adding the birds might have been thrown off course by subtle changes in the earth's magnetic field. "And even though some are lost to hawks or hazards like power lines along the way, many more should have made it back home. It's a mystery," he added. He said there have been no reported sightings of the missing birds anywhere in southern Sweden. He declined to say how much the birds were worth. "It's not so much the economic value as it is a loss to the sport," Nilsson said. "It takes about two years to breed a racing pigeon." http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/sports/horse_racing/kentuck y_derby/9245156.htm (Centre Daily Times, State College PA, via DXLD) I went looking for this story after seeing it in print in the Enid Eagle, where it was chopped just before the bit about the magnetic field, --- WHO CARES ABOUT ``WHY``??? --- which I figured would be the cause with all the activity we had last week (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [AFAIK, last week`s review and forecast was never posted --- gh] The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to severe storm levels. The period began on 26 July with activity at major storm levels as transient effects from a series of CMEs from 22 and 23 July were felt. By 27 July, activity increased to severe storm levels as the geomagnetic field responded to effects from the long duration M1 flare of 25 July. By 28 July, the field had relaxed to quiet to unsettled conditions and remained so for the remainder of the summary period. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 04 - 30 AUGUST 2004 Solar activity is expected to range from very low to low. Activity levels are expected to increase to low to moderate after 12 August when old Region 652 (L=348) is due to return. A greater than 10 MeV proton event is possible after the return of old Region 652. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels on 08 – 10 August. Early in the forecast period, from 07 to 09 August, the geomagnetic field is expected to range from mostly unsettled to active levels due to a weak, recurrent coronal hole stream that is expected to be in a geoeffective position. Thereafter through the end of the forecast period, mostly quiet to unsettled conditions are expected. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2004 Aug 03 2211 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2004 Aug 03 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2004 Aug 04 85 10 3 2004 Aug 05 85 8 3 2004 Aug 06 90 8 3 2004 Aug 07 95 12 3 2004 Aug 08 100 12 3 2004 Aug 09 100 12 3 2004 Aug 10 105 8 3 2004 Aug 11 100 10 3 2004 Aug 12 110 10 3 2004 Aug 13 115 10 3 2004 Aug 14 120 10 3 2004 Aug 15 120 10 3 2004 Aug 16 120 8 3 2004 Aug 17 120 8 3 2004 Aug 18 120 10 3 2004 Aug 19 120 10 3 2004 Aug 20 115 10 3 2004 Aug 21 110 10 3 2004 Aug 22 105 10 3 2004 Aug 23 100 10 3 2004 Aug 24 100 8 3 2004 Aug 25 105 8 3 2004 Aug 26 95 8 3 2004 Aug 27 90 8 3 2004 Aug 28 85 8 3 2004 Aug 29 85 8 3 2004 Aug 30 85 8 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via DXLD) ###