DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-174, November 21, 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 NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1253: Sun 2000 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55 Sun 2030 WOR WWCR 12160 Sun 2100 WOR RNI Mon 0330 WOR WRMI 6870 [has anybody got the webstream to work?] Mon 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0430 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 [1252] Mon 0530 WOR WBCQ 7415 Mon 0900 WOR R. Lavalamp Mon 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Mon 2200 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Tue 1000 WOR WRMI 9955 Tue 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Tue 2200 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Wed 1030 WOR WWCR 9985 Wed 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Wed 2200 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB [sometimes first airing] MORE info including audio links: http://worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: WORLD OF RADIO 1253 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1253h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1253.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1253 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1253.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1253.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1253.html WORLD OF RADIO 1253, mp3 in the true SW sound of 7415: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_11-17-04.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_11-17-04.mp3 ** ALASKA. This explains why the KNLS website has not been updated for B-04: MIKE OSBORNE LEAVING WORLD CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING AFTER 20 YEARS Mike and Karen to Join Mercy Ships International Ministry His voice is familiar to millions of KNLS listeners around the world, and that will continue even though he’s leaving World Christian Broadcasting. Mike Osborne has been a part of World Christian Broadcasting since February, 1984. His wife Karen was an employee from 1994-96. And she has continued to be his assistant since he changed from being an employee to being an independent contractor. Mike was employed by World Christian Broadcasting from 1984 to the end of 1996, serving as Production Manager. As a contract person, he has served as Senior Producer of English Language Programming. His contract ends on December 31st. During vacations while with World Christian Broadcasting, Mike and Karen spent considerable time with Mercy Ships International, a ministry of medical missionaries who live on ships that stop in third world countries to render medical care. After much thought and prayer, Mike and Karen felt the Lord calling them to be a part of Mercy Ships full time. Mike will serve as Director of Communications. Karen will be an administrative assistant to the their ship`s physicians. They`ll be stationed aboard the Africa Mercy, which sails from Newcastle, England in early January. The physicians aboard are trained in treating diseases that are common in Africa, but rare in the U.S. The new Senior Producer for English Language Programming is Rob Scobey, who, as Mike before him, has been serving as Production Manager. Rob has 16 years` experience in television news and video production as well as radio production and broadcasting. ``Mike has done everything possible to make the transition easy for me,`` said Rob. ``He has left a treasure trove of timeless programming, and many of his recorded programs have not yet run. He and Karen have set an incredibly high standard of excellence.`` Mike has produced a number of series including Radio Explorer, which is about evidence of God’s existence. His Safe Harbor and A Life Well Lived are series about people who live exemplary Christian lives in spite of tough circumstances. Postcard from Alaska and American Highway have been very popular with KNLS listeners. These series will continue to run for the foreseeable future. Mike has even promised to send regular reports about the Mercy Ships ministry. World Christian Broadcasting President Charles Caudill said, ``Mike and Karen will be greatly missed. Their service to World Christian has been superior. Mike`s on-air professionalism has set the standard for shortwave broadcasting worldwide. He and Karen will continue to spread God`s love, just in a different way, and we wish them Godspeed.`` (http://worldchristian.org/index.pl/latestnews via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. 60 years of Radio Tirana Just read it on website [in German; started with 3 kW]: http://www.rfcb.ch/hinnen/international006.html (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTIGUA. 1444-6 UT - 30.38 MHz AM - BBC World Service harmonic With OM talking about international football - to S5+. Anyone know where the 15190 kHz transmitter is located? FWIW, they must be putting a significant % of their power into this harmonic as nothing was heard on the 10 meter amateur channel 29.60 MHz NBFM (Jack Sullivan, Central New Jersey, Nov 20, harmonics yg via DXLD) Antigua. He keeps hearing 30380 just about every morning (gh) ** ARGENTINA. 1630.0: Red 92, Buenos Aires; 0830-0900, f/p on 11/4. "Frecuencia Modulada Digital, Red 92. Cada Dia mas!" (Hideki WATANABE, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Yesterday and today, I've been able to pick up ABC's Northern Territory Service pretty early in our European afternoons. I heard the transmitter in Alice Springs, on 4835 kHz. Is this frequency now used 24/7? Yesterday I heard them after 1500, with a reasonable signal. Also in our early evening, ABC was audible under co-channel Mali. Today, I heard them as early as 1430 UT, and the signal peaked at around 1515. Nice! I am not very active in the hobby anymore, but things like this make me happy that I have not sold my equipment yet! 73 (Mark Veldhuis, Borne, the Netherlands, Nov 21, Receiver: Icom IC-R75; Antenna: Wellbrook ALA-1530 loop, dxing.info via DXLD) 4835, 1454-, ABC VL8A, Alice Springs, Nov 20. Good reception with the Northern Territorial service. This frequency usually switches to 120 m at 0830, but has been on late for a few days. 4910 and 5025 are not on, though Instead // 2325 (Tennant Creek), and 2485 (Katherine) are where they usually are, both weakly heard. Fantastic dawn enhancement, with excellent reception at 1515 with C & W music. ABC news at 1530. Heard also Sunday past 1600, but faded out when rechecked at 1700 (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, Nov 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) + 4-173 ** BAHRAIN. 9745, R Bahrain: I just received a partial-data QSL-card which mentions the Arabic service on 612, 801, 9745 and FM, the English service on 1584 and FM, and the Hindi service only on FM. This means to me that the former 6010 is not in use anymore. The only existing SW frequency, 9745, seems to be on the air 24 hours, but according to the weak signal in Europe, power has been reduced. In A- 04 there was a good chance to catch Bahrain between 0000 and 0100, when HCJB had a break (Uwe Volk, Lehrte, Germany, DSWCI DX Window Nov 17 via DXLD) Now CRI via Bonaire is on 9745 at that hour (gh, DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. 7185, 11/21 1755 tune-in, Voice of Islam English to Eu. 34433. No sign of 9550 (nor 15520). 1815 RB English, weaker --- coincidence or change? Faded as the AM passed here in HI. Good fade in for music at 1844, gone at 1850. Didn't hear sign-off (David Norcross, HI, 7600G with attic Grove Skywire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Rádio Gaúcha de Porto Alegre, RG do Sul, se la está escuchando en la rara frecuencia de 12976 kHz por las tardes alrededor de las 2100 ut, descubierta el 15/11 y de ahí en adelante con señal muy fuerte (S9+10), pero muy distorsionada, sólo entendible en el modo de recepción AM narrow (Alfredo Locatelli, El EsKuch@, Durazno, Uruguay, via Play-DX via DXLD) ** CANADA [non]. U K, 11935, 1653-, RCI, Nov 20. Get it while you can. RCI Ukrainian service is to be discontinued from the end of the month. 11935 from Skelton is weakly heard here from 1630 to 1700 and 9555 is in parallel, also weakly heard from same transmitter site (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is this still daily? (gh) ** CANADA. Sports commentators --- For a few years, radio station CJAD (800 kHz in Montreal) has been using a 1 Watt transmitter, on 26.200 MHz, as a cueing link for commentators at football games. On 12th Sept, the choir of which I'm a member got to sing the national anthem at the start of the Montreal vs. Hamilton game. The sound check completed, with an hour to kill before kick-off, I climbed up to the CJAD commentary booth and asked about their 26 MHz cueing signal. The guys there denied that they had any such equipment and even claimed that a French language TV network was making the signal. I was home before the game's end and found CJAD's commentary, as before, on 26.200 MHz. The Alouettes have played three more home games since and each time it's been CJAD on 26.2 - in English. It's best not to draw a conclusion from this story (Alan Roberts, 25 Plus, Nov CIDX Messenger via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) ** CANADA. CJWI Frequency Offset Fixed --- I noticed today that CJWI- 1610 in Montreal, which has been horrendously off-frequency since they went on the air (113 Hz high by my reckoning), finally got a major tweak and is now a mere 6 Hz or so high. Maybe this will make it a little easier to get the new Toronto station here, but no sign of them so far (Barry McLarnon VE3JF Ottawa, ON, Nov 17, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CANADA. New approach to get an FM licence in a saturated market like Montreal after having your application dismissed. For the last two days, CORUS has been testing on 92.9 (usually WEZF) with a classic rock CHOM-FM type format, without having applied for anything to the CRTC yet. Why and how?? Here's the explanation from Sheldon Harvey (Canadian Intl DX Club): "After making a few calls, I have found out that this test is being conducted by Corus, under the watchful eye of Industry Canada. Corus is trying to prove that stations can operate on what is called the "second adjacent frequency" without causing interference to another station. For example, in this case, they are trying to prove to Industry Canada that a station in Montreal could be licensed on 92.9 FM, two channels away from 92.5, without causing interference to 92.5. Corus was turned down in its application for a station on 91.9 with an urban format. This seems to prove that Corus would still like to get another station on FM. If they can prove that stations can be squeezed in as close as two channels away from an existing one, then they, or others, may have a chance. So, apparently there is no application in effect relating to this ongoing test. It is basically just that --- a test, to try to prove the technical possibilities. Interesting though that they chose to do it on 92.9 which just happens to be right on top of Star 92.9 (WEZF) which has a good sized Montreal audience! Coincidence??? I don't think so. No idea at this time as to how long this test will be going on. Still going as of 9 PM tonight (Sheldon Harvey, via Charles Gauthier, Nov 10, WTFDA via DXLD) This is getting quite ridiculous and it is even more bothersome to think that CORUS is behind this. I think I'm gonna go back to stamp collecting! In any case, they ID as CORUS FM MONTREAL, conducting a test from Mount-Royal. In stereo, FF and EE. 73, (Charles Gauthier, St-Lambert, QC, Nov 10, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CHINA. 6950, 2235-, CNR, Nov 19. Not sure of what Chinese service this is, but it's listed in B04 HFCC as Shijiazhuang with 100 kW and heard at fair to good level with usual CNR announcements at 2230 tune in. 2 1/2 hours at least until local sunset, so a sure sign of winter propagation. My first SW log for several weeks with the terrible conditions of late. Easy to assume this is a pirate, so watch out! (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 6010.1: La Voz de tu Conciencia, Lomalinda; 0514-, f on 11/06. Religious program and Colombian music. ID as "Desde Lomalinda, Colombia. Transmite onda larga, Alcaraván Radio. 1130 AM, - -- 49 metros banda internacional – HJDH de La Voz de tu Conciencia, 6010 kHz". (UEMURA, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) ** CUBA. 15010, 0020 6/11, RHC, español, frecuencia espúrea, se escuchan dos señales en español, igual potencia, sin distorsión, probable mezcla con RN Venezuela emitiendo en otra frecuencia, igual sitio transmisor (Alfredo Locatelli, El EsKuch@, Durazno, Uruguay, via Play-DX via DXLD) Venezuela via Cuba is scheduled on 15230 only during the 2000 hour as he also logged; 15010 would be a mix between 15230 and 15120 (110 kHz apart), but two separate Spanish programs? (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. Re. ``R. Martí schedule in 4-169, there is at least one typo in it: still on usual 11930, not 11980 at 1300-2400`` --- Yes, must read 11930. And the weekly break is still there, I just did not mention it as a matter of course (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 9704.2, Radio Ethiopia heard 0305-0332+ w/man in presumed Amharic interspersed w/local music/vocals. SINPO 33333. // 7110 (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, Drake R8A, A/D DX/SWL Sloper, UT Nov 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. Scandinavian Weekend R (SWR) was heard on the first weekend of November with extraordinary good reception midday: 5980, SWR, 2237, Fri Nov 05, SINPO 13111 with QRM 5975 BBC (QSA 4) (Petersen) 11690, SWR, 0910-1125; Sat Nov 06, heard well with 34444 (!) with slight CWQRM from 11688.0. No other QRM. (Petersen and Bjarke Vestesen, Denmark) 11720, SWR, 1205-1445, Sat Nov 06, heard well with 35444 at first then deteriorating to 35343 throughout. R Liberty QRM from *1500. My monitoring report was replied by the following message on Nov 08 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Nov 17 via DXLD) Dear Anker, Thank you for your report. Nice to hear we were audible with good results. I think that reasons for quite good audibility are first at all quite good conditions we had, secondary a little bit more power (as we have 100 watts instead of 50) and third our new three element antenna with pattern to right direction (240 degrees). It gives also much more power out than our two element one, as you do know. Anyway, wish good days are continuing (Alpo Heinonen, SWR, ibid.) ** FRANCE. R. France International intends to close down Portuguese service to Africa, Jornal de Notícias, Portuguese newspaper announced in Nov 05 edition. "Portuguese is not a priority" RFI Predident said and this station wants broadcasting in French, Arabic, Chinese and English languages mainly. "Angola war is over now, so it is not necessary with a Portuguese service", RFI ex-PDG stated. Details in Portuguese on http://jn.sapo.pt/2004/11/05/mundo/rfi_quer_acabar_o_portugues.html (Fernando C. Ferreira, Leiria, Portugal, DSWCI DX Window Nov 17 via DXLD) ** FRANCE. From January 3rd RFI will transmit in DRM from Issoudun on 6175 0600-1600 and on 3965 around the clock, except for the times leased to other broadcasters (i.e. RTI). This according to somebody from the DRM scene, writing under pseudonym. Here in Germany it was already asked if these transmission will also contain the German service...? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. 15605, 1610-, RFI, Nov 20. Excellent reception of RFI's English broadcast. A very slight echo is audible. Direct from Issoudun, to Africa. Parallel 15160 from Meyerton is heard a fair/good level, and 11615 is also direct from France, cochannel WYFR. Into Culture in France at 1615 about Reunion (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Larger investments in new FM transmitters will be done by Südwestrundfunk until 2008. The equipment will be supplied by Telefunken; their press release says that ``FM will not lose its importance despite the digitization``: http://www.telefunken-sendersysteme.de/News_Presse/UKW_f__SWR/body_ukw_f__swr.html Probably the current DAB service of Südwestrundfunk will be scaled back by the end of this year. No reliable informations are available so far, but these reports already triggered a controversial debate, and the planned investments in FM equipment of course made it even hotter (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Wachenbrunn testing DRM? --- See below: "Thick noise floor" noted last night after 2200 on 1323. Possibly DRM test, but not sure. Right now (after 2330) the transmitter is off anyway (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bei meinem Versuch, eben auf 1323 kHz die VoRussia auf Russisch zu empfangen, bin ich nur auf einen dicken Rauschteppich gestoßen. Woran liegt's? DRM-Tests? Oder ein Fehler im Hörfahrplan der ADDX? vy 73! (Thorsten Hein, A-DX via Ludwig, DXLD) ** GERMANY. New transmitters at Braunschweig/Königslutter -- Extensive changes at the Braunschweig/Königslutter site as noted on a recent visit: The 630 kHz transmitter (ex Megaradio) has been dismantled. At present the installation of two new Telefunken TRAM400 transmitters is underway; one of them is already completed and runs 756 with 200 kW at present. The smaller TRAM transmitters previously used on 756 are off air now. It is still planned to run DRM in simulcast mode here, probably starting next year when the second TRAM400 will be complete. Pictures of the current installations: http://www.do1oli.de/dlf/ alter-sender-offen: Insides of the now defunct ex-756 transmitters drm-mod: DRM modulator in the right cabinet mod-zufuehrung: Audio equipment, including Astra Digital Radio consumer receiver as back-up, professional receiver for the digital SCPC feed and HFT AMD-256A limiter (whatever company HFT may be; this unit replaced the previously used EMT DX-377 limiter/compressor) paralellschaltung: Combiner for the TRAM400 transmitters, sitting on the floor space previously occupied by the removed Megaradio transmitter tram400: The already completed TRAM400 (400 kW AM carrier power) transmitter, running 200 kW on 756 at present (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. 7450, Radiofonikos Stathmos Makedonias (ERA 3) in Greek at 2230 UT with continuous Greek love tunes to 2250 with what I presume is sign off announcements followed by National Anthem. Carrier off at 2252 Nov 20, SIO 333 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, Collins HF 2050, KLM 7-30 MHz Log Periodic, Nov 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Hi Glenn: Voice of Greece still has the old A03 frequency tables in English on web site: http://www.ert.gr/radio/frequencies.asp?id=19 But, while fishing around on ERT's web sites, I put in the handle of another site, changing the last number as I went along. I hit pay dirt when I inserted en between radio/ and /frequencies and changed the number to 7. So, now, to get the English version of Voice of Greece's B04 Schedule: http://www.ert.gr/radio/en/frequencies.asp?id=7 Nothing yet on their web site for VOG's Program Schedule in English. That site is still down, but I may do the same above trick and perhaps come up with something. Regards, (John Babbis, Silver Spring, MD, Nov 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. GUYANA GOVERNMENT MONOPOLY ON RADIO TO END NEXT YEAR | Text of report by Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) news agency on 20 November Georgetown, Guyana: The Guyana government's monopoly of radio broadcasting is to end next year, President Bharrat Jagdeo has said. Jagdeo told CMC [this agency] in an interview on Friday [19 November] that the long-awaited broadcast legislation would go before parliament by the middle of 2005 and, following its passage, "private individuals will be allowed to operate in the sector". However, he warned that there would be some degree of control to prevent a proliferation of radio stations by unlicensed owners, as has occurred with television. "We don't want what happened in the television industry to happen on radio, people squatting on the airwaves," Jagdeo said. There are about 15 television stations operating in the city alone and government has taken steps to regulate the TV sector. A committee comprising senior officials from both the ruling People's Progressive Party (PPP) and the opposition People's National Congress /Reform (PNC/R) has prepared a detailed document to guide the drafting of a new broadcasting system here. It visualises a three-tiered system comprising state owned public broadcasters, privately owned commercial operations and community broadcasting services. It proposes that an autonomous and independent National Broadcasting Authority (NBA) manage the new system. However, the drafters of the new legislation have placed much control in the hands of government. Source: Caribbean Media Corporation news agency, Bridgetown, in English 1705 gmt 20 Nov 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ICELAND. 12115usb, at 2300 UT Nov 20 in Icelandic with mentions of Reykjavik and presumed news program with talk and cut-ins. Nice signal, SIO 454 (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, Collins HF 2050, KLM 7-30 MHz Log Periodic, Nov 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND. More about the Icelandic longwave transmitters: The former 412 metre Loran C (100 kHz) mast was literally preserved by RÚV from destruction by obtaining it for the scrap value and afterwards modified for 189 kHz usage by Harris. I understand that the 207 kHz station was built by Harris as well, the height of the mast was limited by the aviation authorities not accepting anything higher than 200 metres, a situation similar to the German 153 kHz station at Donebach (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR National Service (overnight) 9425 // 9470 heard 1910- 2000+ 11/21. Great signal. Apparent occasional short commercials. Lots of Indian music. At 1935 heard clear OM English ID, then English news thru 1940 (this is 1:05 AM in Dehli). (David Norcross, HI, 7600G with attic Grove Skywire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 3344.81, 1455-, RRI Ternate Nov 19. Mellow Indonesian vocals to announcer at 1458 with a few announcements. Into Love Ambon sign-off theme 1459, male announcer again voice-over with ID and frequency, more Love Ambon, and sign-off at 1503. Fair signal. 4750, 1515-, RRI Makassar Nov 17. Noted Makassar with major transmitter troubles this morning -- strong, motor-like rumbling with occasional brief crackles of distorted speech, and hum on the frequency. One hour later at 1615 the situation was still the same, but without the audio. 4790, 1521-1526, RRI Fak Fak Nov 19 Tentative. Weak signal of Indonesian talk by male, nearly obliterated by a strong CODAR sweeper. (It's curious to watch the CODAR signal on the 756Pro's spectrum scope -- there's clearly an alternating pattern of single, double, and [rarely] triple pulses that sweep from high to low in frequency approximately once per second.). (Guy Atkins, Puyallup, WA USA, ICOM IC-756Pro & mod. ICOM R-75, Kiwa MAP / ERGO / DSP-59+, 450 & 700 ft. Beverage Antennas, HCDX via DXLD) See RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. VAUXHALL VISITING: MARK SAVAGE REPORTS ON THE RECENT BDXC TRIP TO WRN Many of us probably fondly remember playing I-spy on long car journeys as kids, but it can be just as fascinating a game to play on train journeys, even as a middle aged adult! As the train on the track goes clickety clack, I`ve often looked out of the windows as a South West Trains service passes through Vauxhall’s National Rail station and wondered about the landmarks you pass on the ``up`` line to London Waterloo. There, that`s the MI6 headquarters out on your left and that’s the Nine Elms fruit and veg market, otherwise known as New Covent Garden. Somewhere not far away too on the right is the hallowed turf of the Oval Cricket Ground where many a triumph of international cricket has been witnessed. But hang on, what`s this? What can those three huge grey satellite dishes be all about on one of those office blocks near Sainsbury`s? Could it be something to do with the spymasters over the way maybe? And who are they listening into right now? While it`s nice to fantasise about some shadowy goings on in this unassuming corner of the London Borough of Lambeth, the truth about this intriguing building is rather more conducive to international understanding and co-operation. The satellite dishes top the roof of Wyvil Court Building 1, the London headquarters of WRN. It may sound like an American East Coast station deprived of its final letter, but the World Radio Network was the brainchild of three former BBC employees back in the early nineties, which now serves many of the world`s biggest broadcasters with an impressive high-tech transmission facility round the clock, every day of the year. Eight BDXC members were privileged to find out a bit more about what makes WRN tick during a fascinating Saturday afternoon visit to the station on the 2nd October, organised by our long-serving member, Mike Terry. Also present were Phil Atwell, Paul Walton, Ian Kelly, Dave Kenny, John Anthony, Mike Barraclough, Colin Wright and Mark Savage. Chris Brand caught up with us a few minutes later, thanks to Virgin trains not being quite as reliable with their railways as their radio. The host for our visit was Tim Ayris, one of the marketing team at WRN who had graciously given up part of his weekend to show us round. Just a few hours earlier, Tim had been entertaining a delegation of visitors from one of WRN`s most high-profile clients, China Radio International. As a result of that visit, we now know, CRI have renewed their contract with WRN to provide relays of their international services on the many different mediums WRN now serves, from conventional Short Wave relays right through to transponder spots on Sky and other satellites, and of course the ubiquitous web streaming. Tim’s talk, illustrated by a Power Point presentation, took us through the genesis of WRN back in the early nineties to the present and even more the future, as the digital dream of the nineties becomes the radio reality of the 21st Century. The WRN concept was the brainchild of three former long-serving BBC staff who, in 1992 (just ahead of the privatisation of the Beeb`s own transmission capability), had envisioned the digital future and saw the potential it offered for effective, low cost distribution of international radio services. In an age largely driven by multi- national mega corps, particularly in the media, it was gratifying to hear that twelve years later, WRN remains a private company in British ownership, and with no plans to become otherwise. Many of us probably first became aware of WRN with the launch of WorldSpace, that direct satellite broadcasting concept first envisaged as a means of bringing cheap radio to the least advantaged communities of Africa and Asia. WRN continues to provide a ``bouquet`` of the best of international broadcasting to WorldSpace, including such names as Radio Netherlands, RTE, Radio Canada International and, of course, CRI, which can be heard every night in most of Europe on the AfriStar satellite. However, unlike most of the other services on WorldSpace these days, it remains free to air and ``in the clear``. If WorldSpace is one of the most prominent clients of WRN, we soon learnt that there is much more to their service than ``retailing`` a sample of the best of international broadcasting each night. Some of the company’s most important contracts are for re-broadcasting of public broadcasting services within the USA. These are proving a boon to many a weary international traveller, whether they are received on local FM or AM relays, or in a hotel bedroom through the almost obligatory cable TV service. That then is the present of WRN, but what of the future? Tim concluded his talk by taking questions from the floor and it soon emerged that the future may for one mobile phone company be orange, but for WRN it is green with the emerging possibilities of an exciting way forward. These include the huge number of radio services likely to be offered by Sky`s new ``free`` satellite service, which WRN would aim to feed, together with direct international broadcasting to aircraft, ships at sea and even, possibly, international relays of television services. WRN already occupy three floors of Wyvil Court, but there is a space set aside ready for the arrival of pictures if the need arises. WRN may already have more platforms than nearby Clapham junction, but unlike the railway station this radio station is ready to expand relatively easily and cheaply. The availability of low cost, high speed kilostream and megastream data cables across the vastness of the Atlantic already provides a low cost route into the American market, and with the development of ever-cheaper digital ISDN circuits this market seems certain to grow. WRN has its competitors, of course, but even some of these are taking an active interest in WRN`s services, such as the Sirius satellite DBS concept which is being heavily promoted to in-car users in the US. Most of WRN`s programmes go out ``as heard`` from their originators, although they maintain a small continuity facility to add links between programme strands, and the capacity to add local content if necessary. As well as established broadcasters, their clients include the controversial fashion chain French Connection with their own service. If this is science reality, the business end of WRN, the computer `ships` that carry this fast-flowing radio traffic along an ethereal Thames, look more like something out of science fiction --- Dr Who`s Tardis. Our tour ended with a look round the room housing the file servers and the control room, staffed by just two operators and a bank of VDU`s. These metal and silicon cabins provide 24/7 hospitality to the constant passage of compressed bits and bytes which after being downloaded to the dishes later pass out again along the myriad of different routes WRN uses to re-transmit programmes. It’s a complex operation indeed, and as it stands is very reliant on the telecommunications infrastructure. Tym Ayris admits that WRN is a lean operation --- it has to be given the cost of the kit involved and the high costs of some of their platform space. Only about twenty people are employed overall. Nevertheless, it offers a very appealing airspace option to the world`s broadcasters at a time when their future otherwise seems very uncertain. Rather as opting for a fleet car takes away one of the most expensive parts of vehicle operation, WRN does away with the high capital costs for programme makers of transmitter ownership and maintenance. The WRN model is flexible enough to accommodate everything from a short term RSL to coverage of the Beijing Olympics in 4 years time --- one reason the deal with CRI is such a coup. It was great to have an opportunity to look round and I was not the only one to be amazed that so much goes on in such a small place! A BDXC meeting would not be complete though without the obligatory beverages afterwards, and as our party adjourned to a friendly local for some very tasty pints from assorted breweries, everyone agreed this had been a most worthwhile trip. Colin`s photos of the day can be seen at http://members.lycos.co.uk/fastasleep/ (Mark Savage, Nov BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. A partir del Lunes 22 de Noviembre, Radio Korea Internacional estará estrenando nueva pagina web. Esta mañana en el Buzón del Radioescucha se informó lo siguiente: "Estamos preparando una renovación de nuestra pagina web, podrán disfrutar de este cambio a partir del 22 de Noviembre que es el próximo Lunes. El sitio web de RKI se va a vestir de una forma muy diferente, con mas información sobre Korea, también sobre la emisora, con nuevos espacios que se han creado con motivo del cambio de programación de RKI" La dirección de la radio para que la tengan lista por ahi, para cuando llegue el dia Lunes es la siguiente: http://rki.kbs.co.kr/s_index.asp Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Barcelona, Estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA. 11180 kHz (USB), Radio Jamahiriya, 2108-2200* in Arabic, with various talk, many mentions of Arabiya and Iraq, and different types of regional, Mideastern music. From 2135 with loud tone of music between several short items (news headlines?), then more lively music, much with flutes/drums/strings and some with vocals as well. A time pip at exactly 2200, then off. Generally very poor, but an S3 signal at times. November 20, with a Sony 2010 and attic long wire (Roger Chambers, Rusting away in the Rustbelt City of Utica, New York, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is this direct, or via France? (Mark Coady to and via Chambers, DXLD) I shall ask Glenn, as he should know. How about it, Glenn, Libya on 11180 at 2100-2200 UT, is it Libya or France?, I think it is Libya. Passport does not specify a site (Roger Chambers to gh, DXLD) I believe the consensus of opinion about this in previous discussion was that 11180-SSB is one of the old Libyan transmitters, not France, tho I doubt anyone is 100% sure of this. Maybe WRTH 2005 will have something to say about this. 73, (Glenn to Roger, via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. Recently I received two different QSL verifications. When you report on 1386 kHz you will get a detailed QSL letter and when you report on 612 kHz you will get a fantastic QSL-card always after 8 days. 612 MW, R. Baltic Waves (RBW), 0338-0412, Oct 20, R Svoboda programme in Belarusian. 4 3 3 3 3. There were some interferences by BH Radio 1, Bosnia-Hercegovina. After 8 days I received a wonderful coloured QSL with the Baltic Sea by night with a view to the moon. According to the verie signer Mr. Rimantas Pleikys the schedule on 612 kHz is as follows: 0245-0300 RBW, music 0300-0500 R Free Europe/ R Liberty, Belarusian 0500-0645 Break 0645-0700 RBW, music 0700-0900 Voice of Russia/ Russkoye Mezhdunarodnoye Radio, Russian 0900-1300 Voice of Russia/ Sodruzhestvo, Russian 1300-1500 Voice of Russia/ Russkoye Mezhdunarodnoye Radio, Russian 1500-2100 R Free Europe/ R Liberty, Belarusian 2100-2130 R Polonia, Belarusian 2130-0245 Break 1386 MW, RBW, 2100-2200, Oct 02, programme from China Radio International in German, 34343. Also after 8 days I received a letter with all details from Rimantas Pleikys (e-mail: riplei @ takas.lt). (Eckhard Roescher, Dessau, Germany, Nov 06, DSWCI DX Window Nov 17 via DXLD) ** LUXEMBOURG. Yes, 5990 and 6095 [DRM] are on 24/7 since the beginning of this month. But is it already known that it is planned to carry RTL Radio (German) on 1440 in DRM as of January 1st? I have it not in writing, but a guy I consider as trustworthy says that he got a verbal confirmation from RTL. No further details are available so far, especially concerning the airtime leased out to other broadcasters. A while ago RTL Radio started a special program for Nordrhein- Westfalen on cable and 1440 which was for this purpose run at 1200 kW again. But this service has been discontinued since; instead RTL Radio now runs a separate FM version for whatever purpose. Besides different commercials it merely contains alternative announcements, voice- tracked by the same DJ. And just one more comment on the programming of what RTL described in a presentation as ``national radio for Germany``: They do not even have their own news department anymore; instead RTL Radio now relays the Radiodienst news from BLR at Munich (cf. WRTH 2004, page 213). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. Kevin Chambers, Director of Engineering and World Christian Broadcasting representative Earl Young have signed the papers to complete the transfer of property from the government of Madagascar to World Christian Broadcasting. "This gift from the Malagasy government is the direct result of the outstanding relationship Earl Young has with the government and President Ravalomanana and his great work on behalf of World Christian Broadcasting. I can`t thank him enough,`` said Charles Caudill, President of World Christian Broadcasting. ``And what a wonderful job Kevin did. He accomplished more than we could ever have expected and in a very short time. Kevin is a great asset to this ministry,`` he added. World Christian had estimated a need for approximately 100 acres. The site contains 42 hectares, which is slightly more than the desired 100 acres. The property is located near Mahajunga, in the northern part of the island nation [NW coast per accompanying map]. Plans are to begin the fundraising for the Madagascar Project once the additional facility in Alaska is completed [KNLS-2] (http://worldchristian.org/index.pl/latestnews via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 1630.0: XEUT "R. Universidad", Tijuana; -0800*, *1400-, g/f on 11/4. Sign-on w/NA, Opening announcement as "Buenos Dias. Está Ud. escuchando el sistema universitario de la radio de la universidad autónoma de Baja California, que transmite en Mexicali por 104.1 en frecuencia modulada, en Ensenada por 94.4 [?] de frecuencia modulada, y en Tijuana por 1630 de amplitud modulada." then song of Universidad, programa "La universidad en el campo" (Hideki WATANABE, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) After this signed off, he also heard ARGENTINA on 1630, q.v.! ** MEXICO. 1700.0: XEPE "La Romántica", Tecate; 1348-, good on 11/05. Non stop Mexican pop program. ID as "Ésta es XEPE 1700 AM, La Romántica, Tecate, Tijuana y San Diego. Una emisora de grupo Media Sports de Mexico." (UEMURA, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo via DXLD) ** NEPAL. Radio Nepal as usual good, opening on 5005 kHz at 0015, 14 Nov, 343, Nepali song followed by announcement (T. R. Rajeesh, Kerala, INDIA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5544.65 R. San Andrés, San Andrés, Cutervo --- Hello Henrik, the sound quality and isn`t 100 percent and there is no room for much more than 45-60 seconds on every audioclip (less download time). I have also heard the real name "San Andrés de Cutervo". I´m trying to get some adresss for the station and I will also try to make another better recording of the station`s name. Comments and Recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Nov 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later: I have sent out information regarding a new Peruvian on 5544.65 kHz: Radio San Andrés, San Andrés de Cutervo, Cutervo, Cajamarca, Perú. Henrik Klemetz has the opinion, after listening to my first recording, that the name of the station (perhaps) is "Radio San Miguel", not "Radio San Andrés". To make this a little bit clearer I have just uploaded a new short recording with ID "Radio San Andrés" (my opinion). Comments and Recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Nov 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, that one sounds clearly like R. San Andrés to me too (gh, DXLD) Thanks Björn, this is a clear mention of Radio San Andrés. I agree with you on this one. But is it an ID? At sign-on in the evening, and in the morning, if there is a morning transmission, you might be in for some detailed address information (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. RDPi / R. Portugal, B04 alterações / changes. Ainda mais alterações...desde Still more changes... as from 19 NOV'04, cf. observação confirmada ao telefone esta noite junto do CEOC: according to observations confirmed with the transmitter site personnel tonight: Europa 2ª-fª a 6ª-fª e sáb.+dom. / Mo-Fri & Sat+Sun, emissão extraordinária / special broadcast (EE) 2000-2400 9460 kHz 100 kW 52º -- suprimida / deleted 19 NOV so 9795* kHz 300 kW 45º - única QRG activa / sole active QRG 2000-2400 EE *) há uma emissão em DRM não identif. nos 9800 kHz ==> QRM sobre a RDPi? There's an UNID DRM txion on 9800 kHz ==> QRM over the RDPi? África sáb.+dom. / Mo-Fri & Sat+Sun, emissão extraordinária / special broadcast (EE) 2000-2400 11825 kHz 300 kW 144º, ex-9670 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Nov 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) EE = emissão extraordinária, not English; 9800 would be Sackville in DRM to NAm, as scheduled (gh, DXLD) ** SERBIA & MONTENEGRO. Serbia y Monte Negro. Por razones desconocidas, muy probablemente financieras, la emisora ``Serbia y Monte Negro`` ha cesado de transmitir para el exterior el pasado 31 de octubre. Por Rumen Pankov. Versión al español: Mijail Mijailov (R. Bulgaria DX program Nov 17 http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_Spanish/Theme_DX_Programme/Material/1611.htm via Ignacio Sotomayor, Spain, Noticias DX via DXLD) Says RSCG stopped broadcasting Oct 31, probably for financial reasons. Bob Thomas, CT had been wondering where RSCG went; haven`t looked for it myself lately, but has anyone else heard it? They still have a current SW schedule posted at http://www.radioyu.org/index.php3?language=English including English half-hours at 0100 (exc UT Sun) on 7115, 0200 on 7130, 1330 M-F on 11835, 1930 & 2200 on 6100 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Beograd heard yesterday and this Saturday on 11800 kHz at 1530 UT and on 6100 later. Regular transmissions seem to be back (JM Aubier, France, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard here 19 November at 2200 in English on 6100 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, ibid.) ** SRI LANKA. Don Moman and I have been checking Sri Lanka BC on Wednesday and Friday UT and both days they were right on 15748.00 kHz. Other nights 19 meters was gone by the 0030 S/on but 9770 does well (Mickey Delmage, Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, Collins HF 2050, KLM 7-30 MHz Log Periodic, Nov 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWITZERLAND. Re. http://www.allo.ch/hb9/sottens -- Yes, Sottens, as the URL already says. The pages include also nice pictures of the PSM transmitter; I wonder where it will finally end up? Interesting to note that it is apparently intended to get rid of the antenna (indeed limited to 9...15 MHz on one side and 15...21 MHz on the other, cf. ``Kundenspezifisches Datenblatt`` on one of the pictures) at short notice. Reminds me on the case of the Lenk site: I think the antennas there were taken down within just a few days after the closure (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAJIKISTAN. 4635.05, 1519-, Tajik Radio, Nov 20. A presumed logging, as I don't know who else it could be. Middle Asian music --- to me a mixture of Indian and Arabic sounds. Somewhat muffly or wobbly. Fun to flip between my 340 and 2050 to see who can hear them best. Fair to good at times. First time I've heard them in the morning. In years past, I've heard them well at sign-on around 0130 during Soviet Union days while DXing with Beverage antennae at Sombrio Beach. I think the transmitter has deteriorated since then (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. Re. ``I guess is the first time Mykolaiv, Ukraine is used for western broadcaster towards ME.`` --- I think it is even the very first time in history that Kopani transmits something else than RM/VOR and Radio Ukraina, or did I miss something? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. John Peel - a reply --- Hi Glen[n], You wrote in DXLD "...I am even more baffled about the overreaction to his untimely death..." In my opinion you use the word "overreaction" wrongly, I have listened to John since 1967; he was a one-off in his choice of presentation and music, so many artists and fans owe him everything for allowing their music to be heard on air. He was a quiet unassuming man who loved music and his choices did include some drivel as he would be the first to admit but what was wrong with that! I am old enough to remember people describing the Beatles and Stones in those terms!! What's good and what's bad is a personal matter of choice. It a great achievement that he was the only original Radio One DJ who was still presenting shows on the station in 2004. In August 1967 he left the Radio London ship as an unemployed hippie, not the flashy personality dj that his fellow crew tried to be. Particularly in his early days he had enemies in the establishment BBC, but happily survived and outlived many of them by sticking to his principles (no computer generated playlists for John - thank God). 'Home Truths' on BBC Radio Four was a gem of a programme; in addition he did many narrations for TV programmes and for several years wrote a column for Radio Times. He was the sort of bloke you would have a really enjoyable chat with down at the pub talking music and football. John won many awards in his long career. He was honoured with an OBE in 1998, voted 4th in the Radio Times 'Favourite Male Broadcaster' poll in 2002 and awarded a place in the Radio Academy Hall of Fame in 2003. I'm sure I speak for many people when I say RIP John, we love you (Mike Terry, UK, Nov 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. PIRATE RADIO GIVEN CHANCE TO GET ON RIGHT SIDE OF THE LAW By Malini Guha November 20 2004 Financial Times http://news.ft.com/cms/s/e19716e8-3a9a-11d9-aa4d-00000e2511c8.html Pirate radio stations, the bane of radio authorities since the late John Peel was discovered broadcasting from an offshore station in the 1960s, are talking to regulators about becoming legitimate under the country's first scheme for permanent community radio licences. Next week is the deadline for them to get on the right side of the law. As authorities continue their crackdown on unlicensed pirate radio stations, with the number of prosecutions hitting a seven-year high last year, the new community radio licence scheme has proved tempting to those hoping to avoid fines and a threat of imprisonment. Among several pirate stations to have approached Ofcom, the media regulator, about applying for a community radio licence, is Station FM. Known to some as the "grand-daddy of all pirates", Station FM has continued broadcasting in London for years in spite of being fined tens of thousands of pounds. DJ Keithley, its founder, says: "Pirate is a bad word. It's a community radio station; we are about serving the community." The station has featured programmes where the local black community calls in to talk about the issues that affect them, such as crime. Like many other pirates, it also claims to broadcast music that mainstream stations ignore. While some of today's pirate operations have been linked to violence and drugs, Keithley says his station has helped police solve a murder and broadcasts anti-drug slogans. Keithley and other pirates wishing to turn legal under the scheme will have to overcome several hurdles. Ofcom is expecting about 50 community licences to be made available throughout the country and applications for uncontested places, such as rural areas, will be given priority over those in congested areas. There is also the Ofcom restriction that stations be not-for-profit: a maximum of 50 per cent of funding for community stations can come from advertising. The government has allocated a funding pot of £500,000 for all community radio broadcasters for this year and next, which Ofcom will administer. That will not support many stations: the typical cost for a community station, including salaries, is between £100,000 and £200,000 a year. Other funding could come from sources such as regional government, local charities and businesses, the lottery and off-air commercial activities such as club nights. Pirate station operators who fail to secure a licence can expect no sympathy if they continue to broadcast, warns the regulator. "We make no distinction between a 15-year-old kid operating from his bedroom and hard-nosed criminal - both are interfering with the airwaves," Ofcom says. Interfering with the airwaves can be serious - air traffic control signals have been interrupted and so have frequencies used by the emergency services, not least fire engine and ambulance crews. This is not common but when it happens it can put lives in danger. More common is interference with commercial broadcasters' signals, which Ofcom is also responsible for enforcing. Phil Sherrell, media law expert at Eversheds, a law firm which has brought actions against pirates on behalf of commercial radio (some of which were once pirates such as Kiss FM) says: "People may think that [pirate radio] has an air of glamour about it but the reality is quite different. These people endanger lives as a result of the disruption they cause to core communication systems." Besides radio interference, the regulator accuses some pirates of making money by promoting raves pushed by drug dealers. Although Ofcom says that it cannot prove this association, it says that police have found drugs, as well as guns, in raids on some stations. Paul, a youth worker who says he previously ran a pirate station, Creative Expression, to provide black youths with an outlet for their DJ talents, argues that this is not representative. He says raves will often have an in-house drug dealer, whether or not they are associated with pirate radio. What can be more dangerous on the pirate scene, according to Paul, is fighting between the stations themselves. He says that one DJ who was tampering with another station's equipment was killed last year. "In an unregulated world, people will enforce their own regulations," Paul adds (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn, You can hear the Kim interview [Talk to America] at: http://www.trsc.com/Assets/Cw/sambrook.mp3 73 (Larry Nebron, CA, Nov 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It times at 15:17, but a memory hog, some 14 MB at 128 kbps, but with continuous jerking and chirping as heard here. Whatever became of VOA`s own TTA archive??? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. ``New WBCQ show will change the face of SW radio thruout the world,`` says Allan Weiner. World Microscope is to be syndicated eventually, on a network called Think Radio Network; live news on the radio, it was described at first, from next Friday Nov 26, 9-10 pm ET, 4 days per week, Tue thru Fri, on 7415 and simulcast on 5105, also webcast [so UT Wed-Sat 0200-0300]. Not the awful, abusive voices heard on mainstream AM and FM radio. Such as: Alex Jones saying he sticks to facts, such as ``Satan runs the government``. WM Looks at serious things in long-term context, such as the more and more cloistered Bush administration. Advertisers want to get involved, but with product placement... An international talk-show with guests. Michael Ketter has been agonizing over how to spin it. Is a very progressive liberal, intellectual. Allan calls Michael a Renaissance man. Will look at things from a very analytical point of view, stick to raw numbers, shed light on complicated issues, as varied as his own personal views. Michael already does a talk show on a Pennsylvania station. Will cut people off and not pander to Nazis or hate-mongers, ``nuke `em`` with SFX. When it comes to issues, will be extremely vocal and passionate. Extremely entertaining, punchy and well-produced. Tasha may move to 7 pm on Fridays. With various co-hosts, guests via phone and satellite, including Maureen Dowd, E. J. Dionne. Knows Al Gore personally, who previously worked with his late father on some project. Two phone lines initially, work up to 5. From Complex Variables Studio master control in Pittsburgh (notes by gh from Allan Weiner Worldwide, conversation between AW and Michael Ketter, for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. MICHAEL POWELL EXPOSED! THE FCC CHAIRMAN HAS NO CLOTHES By Tom Shales Oops. They got rid of the wrong Powell. The father unfortunately is going, but the son, even more unfortunately, remains behind. Colin Powell, as most Americans know, has "resigned" his position as secretary of state, though few in the inner circle of the coldhearted Bush administration will likely be shedding tears at his departure. Staying in office, however, and capable of wreaking havoc in American broadcasting until 2007, is Colin's son Michael Powell, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and definitely not a force for good in America. Pompous and imperious, an ideologue who believes unfailingly in his own philosophy of how TV and radio should work (the FCC also has domain over telephone and emerging broadband technologies), Powell ignores or condemns anyone who opposes him. Though FCC chairmen have labored mostly in obscurity, Powell has managed to make himself famous; he's the Torquemada of the insane campaign now being waged against "obscenity" on the airwaves. There was according to legend a face that launched a thousand ships. This is about a nipple that inflamed a thousand nut cases. Janet Jackson's brief breast exposure during halftime of this year's Super Bowl has led to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines, a wave of hypocritical hysteria with which Democrats as well as Republicans are only too happy to be associated, and a state of affairs that boils down to open season on the First Amendment, the bedrock of the Bill of Rights. At no point did anyone, including Chairman Powell, positioned now like Attila at the head of the Huns, produce one single living creature -- man, woman, child, toddler, infant, newborn, late-term fetus, dog, cat, rooster, horse or parakeet -- who saw the briefly exposed nipple and was in any tangible way harmed by it. Like most of the halftime entertainment, it was tastelessly inappropriate, but the ensuing mass fuss is a farce that has made America an international laughingstock again. Tired as the topic is, one must mention the nipple when recounting what might be called the Sins of Michael Powell, since it's a highlight of his bumpy, disgraceful tenure as FCC chairman. The furor it generated resulted not only in a $550,000 fine to be paid by CBS, which aired the Super Bowl (and is owned by Viacom, whose MTV produced the halftime show), but in more and more punishments meted out over more and more alleged infractions, many involving naughty words that had previously been uttered without incident (no cases of shock reported in trauma units, for instance, and no outbreaks of rioting in the streets). One result is to make Howard Stern, however improbably, a national hero. After two decades on the radio doing material of a certain nature that every American was free to avoid, Stern found himself under all-out attack from the FCC, which started fining stations and station groups for carrying his program. The two met electronically recently when Stern got through to a San Francisco call-in show on which Powell was a guest and they exchanged insults. In fairness to Powell, the commission's two Democratic members, Michael J. Copps and Jonathan S. Adelstein, have been among those pushing for not only fines but license revocations when stations violate the still-vague obscenity rules. They are idiots. And the networks are hardly just angelic victims. In this increasingly hysterical climate, ABC was spectacularly stupid in beginning last Monday's NFL telecast with a raunchy scene set in a locker room and featuring a fully dressed player being seduced by a woman in a towel. She dropped the towel and jumped naked into his arms. Powell then jumped into the spotlight and by Wednesday was pontificating about the episode on CNBC: "I wonder if Walt Disney would be proud." ABC is a Disney-owned company. Naturally, an FCC spokesman said complaints were pouring in. Complaints pour in now about everything. Any day now, somebody will complain that the Energizer bunny is naked. And yet for all this alleged public distress over naughtiness on the airwaves, the most popular new series of the year is also the raciest: "Desperate Housewives" on ABC. The madness reached its appalling apotheosis on Veterans Day: Sixty- five of ABC's 220 owned or affiliated stations declined to air the universally praised Steven Spielberg film "Saving Private Ryan," about American heroes of World War II, because the verboten F-word is spoken several times, and the FCC now fines stations sometimes astronomical amounts if even a few people file complaints over what they have heard. This means Spielberg's acclaimed Holocaust film, "Schindler's List," cannot be shown again on a broadcast network because it, too, contains unpleasant language and, of course, graphic violence. See, it's about the Nazis, and they tended to be a little pushy. But realism is no defense, artistic excellence is no defense, even a consensus that the program in question constitutes a public service is no defense. (By contractual agreement, Spielberg's films must be shown without deletions or alterations.) In large measure, the usual suspects are in the driver's seat -- fanatical right-wing groups that include words like "family" or "decency" in their names and view increased permissiveness on TV as part of a left-wing plot to undermine moral values. They have mastered the art of making minor protests look like huge movements by manipulating the Internet (thousands of "protest" votes at the click of a mouse) or simply manning the mimeograph machine. People can sign form letters even if they never saw the program in question. Jeff Jarvis, TV Guide's last good TV critic and now prominent in the blogger universe, uncovered a stupefying example of how the process works and how unfair the FCC's actions are. He filed a Freedom of Information Act request to see the 159 complaints supposedly received at the FCC because of an April 2003 Fox special, "Married by America." Now 159 seems like an insignificant enough number, but when Jarvis checked further into the case, he found that most of the letters were identical, produced by an "automated complaint factory," and that the number of authentic, actual, original letters of complaint was not 159 but . . . three. Yes, three. Result: Powell's FCC slaps Fox with a $1.2 million fine. Even some of Powell's harshest critics credit him with being too intelligent to dream up an obscenity like this campaign against obscenity. At heart he may even have wanted to lie back and let the uproar blow over. Another case involving the dread and soul-destroying F-word indicated that Powell and the FCC might deal sensibly with such issues. The singer Bono blurted it out when presented with a prize on a music awards show. The commission's first impulse was to overlook this transgression as having been spontaneous and unintentional -- and besides, the word was used in its adjectival state, a participle and not a verb. But the pressure groups wouldn't accept that. They are tireless (don't they have day jobs?) and they inundated Congress with still more protests -- and Powell quickly switched positions. It didn't matter in what context the word was used, the FCC decided, because there was no context in which it could possibly be acceptable. What if President Bush scampishly includes it in his second inaugural address? Who knows? If Vice President Cheney's F-word outburst on Capitol Hill had only been aired on ABC, CBS, NBC or Fox, FCC commissioners would have a really nice, and richly deserved, mess on their hands. Unable to deal with serious problems of the day, Congress opted instead for transparent demagoguery. Powell, who came under attack from lawmakers last year for his tireless efforts on behalf of giant conglomerates and concentration of media ownership, saw a chance to get back in its good graces. He now pontificates with vigor, building himself a political base. The fines in most cases are symbolic; CBS can pony up $550,000 any day of the week but will fight on principle. The fines don't really compromise Powell's credentials as a pro- industry man, a dilettante who invariably sides with the moneyed minions of Big Broadcasting on the major issues, the ones likely to have the most lasting effects. These are the actions that could qualify as "sins," not just peculiarities of style. I asked experienced industry insiders and activists to cite some "sins," and their answers were familiar. They all requested anonymity on the grounds that they must continue to deal with Powell's FCC no matter what. "Arrogant" is the adjective used most often in any discussion of Powell and the way he pushes his personal agenda, an extension of the fanatical deregulation that gathered steam under Ronald Reagan's FCC chairman, a reckless loudmouth named Mark Fowler. Basically the theology is this: Commercial interests come first, second and third among priorities, and "the public interest, convenience and necessity," which the FCC is mandated to uphold, straggles in a distant fourth. Powell is much better tailored and milder mannered than Fowler but equally stubborn and self-adoring. He seems never to have met a media merger he didn't like, which will result in the virtual death of local television and radio in America as station after station is sucked up into one enormous unfeeling conglomerate or another. Powell scorns the pleas of public-minded groups that try to meet with him, critics say, but will rush off eagerly to any luncheon, dinner or cocktail party sponsored by big corporate powers. When criticized heavily for this during the uproar over Powell's attempts to jettison the rules against media concentration (rules designed to promote diversity in American broadcasting and keep one company from acquiring too much media power, as Fox has now), Powell grudgingly and belatedly scheduled a series of public forums on the matter. "But he skipped half the public hearings he authorized," laments one of his many detractors. Another characterizes him thus: "He's an elitist, he's arrogant, he's inaccessible, and he's incredibly vain about his own ideas." Critics consider him so egotistical that he will not listen or give any credence to the arguments of others. He has a master plan in his head for what American broadcasting should be. It really can be summed up in those four infamously immortal words, "The public be damned." Says one industry veteran who has seen many FCC chairmen come and go: "Where we are now is the land of the bizarre." Some people scoff. After all, it's widely assumed that the FCC's new passion for fining stations and networks will be swept aside by the courts, once it gets to them, for the audaciously unconstitutional assault on the First Amendment that it is. But, one skeptic points out, the Bush administration will be naming new judges to old courts. Bush has been known to sneak in judicial appointments in the middle of the night, literally. We stand at the top of a dangerously slippery slope. When you start leveling fines for uttering certain words, the list of the verboten is bound to grow. We could be facing four years of even more paranoia than usual about Big Brother, much of it justified. Over the decades, although the job wasn't usually considered a plum appointment, men of distinction, intelligence and integrity have served as chairman of the FCC -- such men as Charles Ferris (1977-81), Richard Wiley (1974-77), Dean Burch (1969-1974) and the most famous chairman, at least until now, Newton Minow, an intellectual and scholar who coined the phrase "vast wasteland" to describe prime-time TV and used the power of his office to try to make television better, not censor it. Powell belongs at the bottom of the barrel with the lowliest of the bunch. He is an agenda masquerading as a man, the proverbial pompous ass and, worse, a genuine threat to freedom of speech. But on CNBC, he was playing Santa Claus. "I am still having fun," he said merrily, as if that were part of the job. "There are still things that are really significantly important to me to complete. Right now, I just have no plans of going anywhere." That's the problem. If he were looking for places to go, I could suggest one in a snap. But it's a four-letter word and, who knows, I might end up in jail (via Richard Cuff, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. 40 YEARS OF FREE-FORM RADIO, THE CIRCLE UNBROKEN By BEN SISARIO From the New York Times, Nov. 20 It could very well be 1964: Pete Fornatale is preparing for another radio show on WFUV-FM, the station of his alma mater, Fordham University, just two blocks from where he grew up on 188th Street in the Bronx. He lines up the Beatles, the Beach Boys and some left-field stuff like Ahmad Jamal and Al Hirt. For inspiration as a host, he looks to Jack Paar. But this is 2004, and Mr. Fornatale is no longer a Fordham sophomore, or a radio novice. For almost exactly 40 years, he has been one of the cornerstones of free-form FM radio in New York, playing long sets of classic rock connected by themes of his choosing. After a long run at WNEW in the 1970's and 80's, when he shared the airwaves with jocks of similarly discursive styles like Scott Muni and Vin Scelsa, and some time at WXRK (K-Rock) in the 90's, Mr. Fornatale and his weekly show, "Mixed Bag," are now back at WFUV, where he began his career on Nov. 21, 1964. "I love the idea that I've come full circle," he said the other day from his home on Long Island, where he was busy preparing tonight's show, which will be on WFUV, 90.7 FM or WFUV.org, from 5 to 8 p.m. Mr. Fornatale, 59, still comments extensively on the music in his friendly, professorial voice. (He taught English at a Catholic high school for a few years after graduating from Fordham.) He remains a happy contrarian about the state of mainstream radio. Then as now, he used his show as a soapbox against regimentation and uniformity. When he started in 1964, he said, "commercial radio was still mired in the Top 40 blather of the day." "Hit records separated by commercials just was not doing it for me and my peers anymore," he said. "So I suggested a rock 'n' roll show that would play album cuts, islands of music that would come together in some cohesive theme. Each song meant something, but the whole was greater than the sum of its parts." At WNEW he helped break country-rock into the New York market, playing records by Poco and Buffalo Springfield, among others, that did not have a great deal of airplay elsewhere on the dial. And he never forgets his loves. "I'm dedicated to the idea that musicians have validity well beyond their Top 40 shelf life," he said. "I'm as interested now in what Roger McGuinn is doing as I was when I first heard 'Turn, Turn, Turn' in 1965." After 40 years Mr. Fornatale's themes can be almost academically dense. Recent shows have included a tribute to great inventions on the 214th anniversary of the founding of the United States Patent Office. The themes can also be on the facile side. An annual "Color Radio" show has the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine," Joni Mitchell's "Blue," Love's "Orange Skies" and so on. Still, his idiosyncratic style keeps people listening. His time slot on WFUV has about 30,000 listeners each week, the station says. Allen Levinson, 48, an investment manager from Upper Saddle River, N.J., says he has been a loyal listener for 25 years and digs the what-will-he-play-next aspect of the theme show. "It becomes like a party game," he said. "You feel like you're actually sitting in a room with Pete and playing a game of Trivial Pursuit." Mr. Fornatale is modest about the origins of the free-form radio format. He didn't invent it, he said, nor can it be known who ever did; it's just an idea that was out there in the 60's. His only goal, he said, is to entertain and educate. "If you give me the right idea for a program," he said, "I can give back to you a three-hour journey where, if you tune in at any time, you're likely to hear something that will entertain you, but if you take the ride with me, when we get to the end you'll say, 'Wow, what a long, strange trip it's been.' " (via Matt Francis, DC, DXLD) ** U S A. KLOL JUST WASN'T MUSIC TO EARS OF RADIO MARKETERS http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/business/2908358 By LOREN STEFFY, Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle I'm not a good demographic. That's not an easy thing to admit. No one likes to be unloved, even if it's only by marketers. Clear Channel Communications' decision to pull the plug on KLOL-FM, though, drives home the point that I am an outcast, both musically and commercially. My biggest hint came several years ago when a station in Dallas changed its format to music that I swore was pulled from my own CD collection. It was an eclectic mix with unique programming such as a weekly show featuring Texas artists. It lasted exactly a year. "Not commercially viable" was the official cause of death. I'd like to think that KLOL died because it replaced music in the mornings with moronic prattle, but the truth is more harsh: all of us who grew up listening to KLOL and stations like it simply aren't the marketing draw we once were. We've lost the sweet spot. What's a middle-aged white guy who doesn't want to hear Fleetwood Mac 13 times a day to do? Fewer media owners mean fewer media choices. If you own eight stations, as Clear Channel does, in a broadcast area the size of Houston, you can create vertical markets, nice little demographic compartments tailor made for advertisers. No matter what your business, Clear Channel has a cookie-cutter market segment for your target customer base: Latino hip-hop, "new mix" pop, Fleetwood Mac-inundated "classic rock," news/talk and gooey "easy listening" to name a few. There's lots of real estate on the dial, with little format overlap. What's the point in dominating a market if you have to compete with yourself? In the name of cost efficiency, the prefab formatting can be replicated in city and after city. Media consolidation becomes media coagulation, the Wal-Marting of the airwaves. Call it McRadio. Music enthusiasts bemoan the consolidation because it dries up outlets for new artists and local talent. Because radio is carried on public airwaves, broadcasters can't simply open a new station. And because there's a limited number of frequencies on those airwaves, allowing one company to buy up eight stations in a market means there's fewer frequencies for the rest of us. Wal-Mart on the radio For years, consumer advocates and advertisers have worried that concentrated ownership gives a few large companies a disproportionate control of the advertising market. That can enable them to jack up rates, which can hurt small and minority-owned businesses. Just as Wal-Mart squeezes out small business in markets it enters, media megaliths can squash independent and minority ownership as well. In testimony before the Federal Communications Commissions last year, the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters said the number of minority owners of broadcast facilities has fallen 14 percent since the industry was deregulated less than a decade ago. A lack of ownership diversity leads to a lack of programming diversity. Sure, Clear Channel yanked KLOL for a Latino dance format, but there's a difference between pandering and diversity. The Latino market has become a competitive battleground because of its size and the inability of corporate America to exploit it. Clear Channel wants its piece of the pie. Houston already has 16 Spanish language stations, but none was putting money in Clear Channel's coffers. Clear Channel winds up the villain in this tale simply because it is playing by the rules — rules limiting station ownership that the FCC has been all too eager to loosen in recent years. Don't blame Clear Channel The betrayal of the public trust didn't happen in San Antonio; it happened in Washington. Clear Channel has an obligation to grow. That is, after all, what businesses do, and Clear Channel has simply done that better than any of its rivals, gobbling up stations like Pac Man since the broadcast industry was deregulated in 1996. It now owns 1,200 nationwide. Deregulation has meant an end to incremental revenue. Broadcasting now is about growth, and big money is in the buying of stations, not the owning of them. Clear Channel reported a 10 percent rise in third-quarter profit, but that increase was driven by its billboard advertising business. Radio sales actually fell in the quarter, and the company has struggled to reverse the trend. Next year, it will cut advertising spots, hoping that fewer ads will allow it to raise rates. Clear Channel's financial performance, lackluster as it is, remains the industry's gold standard. Its next-largest competitor, Viacom's Infinity Broadcasting, which has a mere 180 stations, reported a 4 percent decline in third-quarter sales. 'Sound salvation' Elvis Costello once sang, back when he was commercially viable, "radio is the sound salvation." He was being sarcastic, skewering a lack of diversity in programming, not ownership, but the sentiment remains timely. Radio today is no more sound salvation than it was then. Now, it's target marketing set to background music. Loren Steffy is the Chronicle's business columnist. His commentary appears Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Why wasn`t there so much outrage when classical KRTS bit the dust? Never mind; I know the answer (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. AUSTIN COMPANY EYES BIG BEND PUBLIC RADIO --- Three local bidders out of the running --- By Ruth Campbell, Odessa American http://www.oaoa.com/news/nw111804e.htm Although the three local bidders are out of the running for a radio frequency in Marfa, an Austin company hopes to bring community or public radio to the Big Bend. If it wins the Federal Communications Commission auction for 93.5 FM, Austin-based Matinee Radio LLC managing member Robert Walker said the company would be sensitive to the community. ``If by some chance we are the winner, we’d like to reach out to groups with competing applications and reach out to the community,`` Walker said this week. Walker said he thinks the Marfa community would better receive a public nonprofit radio station rather than a commercial venture. The Federal Communications Commission is conducting two weeks of bidding, so far, for hundreds of radio stations. The radio station in Marfa is one of them. Local bidders included Desert-Mountain Institute Inc. of Alpine, La Promesa Foundation of Midland and Marfa Radio Inc. of Marfa. According to information from the FCC auction Web site, Matinee Radio was standing at $287,000 as of 2 p.m. Wednesday. Desert-Mountain topped out at $261,000 in Round 24 of the bidding; La Promesa Foundation topped out at $33,000 in Round 7 and Marfa Radio topped out at $25,000 in Round 5. Now that Desert-Mountain Institute is out of the bidding, President Kay Taylor Burnett said during talks with Walker she found his vision like hers. Burnett said she and Walker will discuss plans for a public radio station in the Big Bend region. She said she brings with her a ready- made set of supporters. ``It sounds like a win-win to me,`` Burnett said. Matinee Radio was formed specifically to bid in the FCC auction, Walker said. He said investors in the company are very familiar with Marfa and he visits the town as often as he can. Walker said he couldn`t see using the radio station to sell car ads in that area. ``We know a number of people who are in the art community and have second homes there. Everybody knows Marfa,`` Walker said. He said he has a background in radio and TV, is on the board of directors of KLRU, the public TV station in Austin that owns ``Austin City Limits.`` Also on the board of Matinee Radio are Katie Hackerman, daughter of former University of Texas President Norman Hackerman, William Smith, a Florida investor, and Mark Eckenrode, an investor from Mississippi. Walker said he is also on the board of directors of the Austin Film Society, which owns and manages Austin Studios, a nonprofit company that converted many hangars at the old Austin airport into movie soundstages. Movies like ``Friday Night Lights,`` ``Miss Congeniality,`` ``The Rookie,`` all the ``Spy Kids`` movies and ``Secondhand Lions`` were filmed, at least in part, on those sound stages, Walker said. Matinee Radio is also bidding on a station in Goldsmith, which would be a commercial venture, and one in Rye, Colo. Lauren Patrich, Wireless Bureau spokeswoman for the FCC said there are 288 radio station permits available and the auction started Nov. 3 with 456 bidders. There are now 134 eligible bidders, Patrich said. The auction closes when there are no more bidders. ``I think we’re getting closer to that,`` Patrich said Wednesday. As of early Wednesday afternoon, the auction had brought in $184,326,700 for the U.S. Treasury. Patrich said the total could reach $200 million, but that was ``rampant speculation`` on her part (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) AREA GROUPS DROP OUT OF MARFA FREQUENCY BIDDING Publish Date: November 18, 2004 By Roy Hamric, Editor http://www.dmtimes.net/blog/News/_archives/2004/11/18/185828.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. LAX AiRadio 530 AM Station Able To Reach More Travelers With Increased Broadcasting Power To Promote Safety, Security Source: Los Angeles World Airports http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/news_releases.mhtml?d=67870 LOS ANGELES, Nov. 17, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Los Angeles International Airport's (LAX) radio station expanded its coverage area today with the nation's most powerful airport radio facility authorization. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) officials announced the new stronger signal at a news conference prior to the upcoming heavy holiday travel period. The radio station airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day with essential information for travelers at LAX. During heavy travel times, the station's live announcers provide current parking and traffic conditions at the airport, along with airline locations and security precautions affecting passengers and motorists. LAWA Executive Director Kim Day said, "We are pleased the Federal Communications Commission recognized LAX's unique need for a more powerful radio station for the traveling audience. The federal government approved the LAX power-increase request as part of the airport's comprehensive public safety program. LAWA has now installed a new transmitter and antenna to reach its wider audience." LAX AiRadio 530 AM has provided traffic, parking and other airport information to travelers in the immediate vicinity of the airport since the early 1970s. In addition to the expanded over-the-air coverage area, the station will for the first time also be heard on the airport's Website. Internet users can visit http://www.lawa.org --- click on "Airport Conditions," and then click on "AiRadio 530 AM" to learn what is happening at LAX before they leave their homes or offices. The radio station, at 530 on the AM dial, was originally authorized by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at up to 10 watts, the maximum allowed for thousands of Travelers Information Service (TIS) low-power stations in the immediate vicinity of many airports, sporting-event venues, and other public areas. The FCC earlier this year waived the 10-watt power limit for LAX and authorized the airport to boost its power to a maximum of 100 watts - the most power of any TIS in the United States. With the LAX AiRadio 530 AM coverage area expanded, LAX officials will be able to communicate directly with more travelers faster and farther from the airport in the event of any security problem or emergency situation at the airport. While commercial stations cover security and traffic issues as news events, providing many varied aspects of breaking stories, LAX AiRadio 530 AM would be the only source of official information solely for airport travelers. The FCC noted that the airport's location adjacent to some of the nation's busiest freeways makes it extremely beneficial to provide essential safety and other airport information to more distant motorists heading for LAX. The radio station broadcasts information about security measures, traffic and parking conditions, and airline locations. LAX handles approximately 61 million passengers per year, and most of those travelers arrive at and depart the airport by car. Airport officials have asked the state for permission to place signs indicating the availability of information on airport conditions on LAX AiRadio 530 AM along freeways at a further distance from the airport. During the busy travel times, such as major holiday periods, the station uses live announcers, who provide real-time updates on traffic and parking conditions at the airport. CONTACT: Thomas Winfrey (310) 646-5260 (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. ESPN Radio's affiliate list: http://espnradio.espn.go.com/espnradio/affiliate?query=ky Coast to Coast AM affiliate list: http://www.coasttocoastam.com/affiliates/aa.html?theme=light (Mark Hattam, UK, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. V/s of KNVS 1700, John Muñoz (IT Manager, Engineering Assistant) asked to post updated contact information including new address and e-mail address to DX organisations. Address: 901 E. Pike Blvd., Weslaco, TX 78956. New e-mail: dx @ kvns.net 73's jhy (Jyrki Hytönen, Finland, Nov 20, dxing.info via DXLD) ** URUGUAY [non]. 9480, R Cimarrona, via Deutsche Telekom facilities at Juelich, verified an e-mail report with an e-mail from Walter Brodowsky, Account Manager for SW broadcast in 14 days noting "It is quite logical that the signal strength of this transmission was poor in the United States caused by the target area is South America, the Southern part. Therefore, it looks to me more like coincident that you were able to pick up the signal at all." Walter mentioned that the report would be forwarded to the customer (Rich D`Angelo, PA, DSWCI DX Window Nov 17 via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. I heard an Unidentified station on 4830 kHz from 0010 UT today (21 Nov) with 554 reception. Talk between two males followed by continuous pop songs heard until 0035 when a male gave some sort of ID. I am sure that this is not AIR Jammu. I feel the broadcast language is similar to Sinhala/Divehi or so. Any Idea to Victor or any info from Anker? or somebody else? (T. R. Rajeesh, Kerala, INDIA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Could be R. Thailand, which I believe has been reactivated tho missing from PWBR 2005 and WRTH 2004, tho there are also Chinese and Mongolian stations on the frequency (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DRM +++ Some comments on the interesting report from the DRM Symposium in Dallas: ``news needs only 4 kbps`` --- News needs only AM. Seriously, I would really suggest to ask somebody who would never listen to an AM transmission (AM here = amplitude modulation in general) for his opinion about the audio delivered by such voice codecs at low bitrates. AM can hardly be the yardstick when it is intended to gain new audiences. ``BBCWS is adding DRM for Europe, to supplement local FM relays.`` --- This statement just makes me wonder when they will turn off AM shortwave for Europe. To be frank, I am already amazed that it still exists by now. ``In Germany, DRM could occupy some channels formerly used for analog TV.`` --- Interesting, I never heard about this idea so far. Must refer to band I which will not be used for DVB-T and hence abandoned by TV when Bayerischer Rundfunk, Hessischer Rundfunk, Norddeutscher Rundfunk, Südwestrundfunk and Saarländischer Rundfunk will finally discontinue the analogue service. Band I is supposed to be phased out in Europe; some countries have already abandoned it (including even the GDR when it still existed --- both East German band I transmitters were shut down and replaced by UHF in the mid-eighties). Spain announces deadlines for the still existing band I transmitters there only to keep them on air just for another reprieve... ``Simulcasting DRM with analog in a transitional period is possible with 20 kHz bandwidth`` --- The simulcast tests during the 2003 IFA at Berlin were done within regular 9 kHz mediumwave channels. However, this statement would be true if a sufficient audio quality is demanded. Simulcast basically means half DRM bandwith; consequently the IFA demonstrations were run at 11 kbps, providing only telephone quality. AM reception of a simulcast signal is deteriorated as well; in practice (not within the lab) the digital component causes a more or less distinctive background hiss. ``would it not be better to separate all DRM transmissions into separate sub-bands? Messer replied that doing that ``would kill DRM``!`` --- Rather: AM doesn't matter anymore. ``Tests were made on 1359 kHz from Arganda, Spain, near Madrid. On AM this frequency normally runs 600 kW, but on the DRM test only 4 kW was used, and yet had somewhat greater reception range, by groundwave.`` --- I understand that a vertical incidence antenna is used for this frequency. Such an antenna by design provides no groundwave radiation. So... ``ITU`s provisional protection ratios are being complied with on all current DRM transmissions on SW: 7 db average power lower than analog.`` --- 200 kW are not 7 db lower than 500 kW (Wertachtal). But I think this statement actually refers to mediumwave (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also FRANCE, GERMANY, LUXEMBOURG above RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ SONY 2010 BEATS DRAKE SW8 I have found the SONY 2010 with an attic long wire to be outperforming the DRAKE SW 8 with a 30-40 ft. external wire hands down, and in some cases, the real weak DX barely audible at all on the Drake. The SONY 2010 is also the set I used for the most part at the DX camp, with basically the same results, better than the Drake (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ICOM IC-756PRO BEATS RACAL RA6790/GM AND R-75 A new receiver in the shack here is actually a transceiver-- a mint condition, late serial number ICOM IC-756Pro. My Racal RA6790/GM was auctioned on Ebay to acquire the ICOM. As it turned out, the Racal sold for more than twice what I paid for it, so in the end I upgraded radios with money left over. The RA6790/GM is a fine receiver but tedious at times to use for DXing, with only a single bandwidth available for SSB (unless variable BFO is used in CW mode). In addition, the Racal lacks 12-volt power capability for DXpeditions "off the grid". The IC-756Pro is an all-DSP transceiver that accomplishes all filtering (51 bandwidths on SSB), modulation/demodulation, and AGC in the 24-bit IF DSP circuits. The centerpiece of the radio is its colorful active-matrix LCD screen with useful spectrum display scope. With the MW attenuator mod (2 SMD chips removed and a jumper added) it hears trans-Pacific MW DX as well as my R-75. It's great fun to see the foreign mediumwave stations rise above the noise and show a "peak" on the scope between the 10-kHz domestics. In every tough DX situation, the 756Pro has outperformed the modded R-75 (which is a hot DX rig in its own right). The audio quality is fine too, for pleasant listening and SWLing. I carefully considered a Winradio G313, but was concerned about strong signal handling. So far I'm very pleased with the choice of the 756Pro. Dave Zantow's lukewarm review of the radio at Davez's receiver pages notwithstanding, I've found this detailed technical review of the IC- 756Pro and IC-756ProII to be accurate and informative: http://www.qsl.net/ab4oj/icom/ic756pro_notes.html A good product description is found at ICOM-Japan's web site: http://www.icom.co.jp/world/products/amateur/756pro/index.html (2nd page:) http://www.icom.co.jp/world/products/amateur/756pro/details.html At less than half the cost of a WJ-8711A/HF-1000A or RX-340, the IC- 756Pro is worth considering; and if you're a radio amateur you can use the other half of the radio, too |g| (Guy Atkins, WA, HCDX via DXLD) GAP, WILD PLANET GET TOGETHER ON RADIO SWEATSHIRT NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wild Planet, a toy maker known for its spy gear and adventure gadgets, said on Wednesday it was teaming up with clothing retailer Gap Inc to sell sweatshirts with FM radios built in at GapKids stores. The item, called a "Hoodio," is a machine-washable fleece jacket with a waterproof FM radio control panel sewn into one sleeve, a detachable power pack hidden in a pocket, and removable speakers built into the hood. The Hoodio will go on sale on Nov. 15 at GapKids stores throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and France for about $68. [...] © Reuters 2004 Nov 10. All Rights Reserved. [What next - a Radio Anorak?? --- AP] (via Alan Pennington, Nov 16, BDXC-UK via DXLD) HAPPY BIRTHDAY To the Transistor Radio, which turned a ripe young 50 last month! The first model was manufactured by Regency, and given the model moniker "TR-1", at a retail cost around $50 --- and do remember, in 1954, that was a notable sum of cash! Not only was the TR-1 just a Radio, it also was the first mass-marketed transistorized device, thus leading to the rise of Rock'n'Roll, as an icon of the Postwar culture. It is also rumoured that then-IBM Chairman Thomas Watson Jr., gave a TR-1 to some senior managers, subsequently inspiring the firm's development and adaptation of neo-modern technology. So you know, that first model contained all of four transistors in its circuitry (Greg Hardison, Broadcast Band Update Nov 16 via DXLD) The entire Update appears in the dxld yg THE 5 KHZ AM REALITY --- GUY WIRE SAYS: C'MON, BOYS, WAKE UP AND SMELL THE RADIO http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/guywire/gw-11-18-04.shtml "The 5 kHz AM Reality" (the pseudonymous "Guy Wire" is back with more 100% crap; no wonder he doesn't use his real name!!): Some broadcasters think 5 kHz AM is a bad idea: http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/03_rw_am.shtml (via Harry Helms, DXLD) RADIO PLUS+ DAMAGED BY HURRICANE IVAN Gerry Thomas, 3635 Chastain Way, Pensacola, Florida 32504 radioplus @ bellsouth.net Greetings from Pensacola, Florida, where God's wrath has hit us squarely in the face. As some of you may know, Pensacola was savagely hit by Hurricane Ivan several weeks ago resulting in catastrophic damage to the area. My family and I survived fine but our property, including the Radio Plus+ facilities, suffered damages in excess of $10,000. Every external antenna at Radio Plus+ was destroyed as well as some of the RF testing equipment; some components also suffered water damage. The towers of every radio station in town (with the exception of WUWF- FM) were downed by the storm, as were the facilities of the two local television stations. The local police and other public service organizations had to abandon their trunking and repeater systems (which were destroyed) and had very limited comms with their point-to- point equipment. Of course, all power to the city was also out all of which provided a rare opportunity for DX. Unfortunately, the situation was such that very little time was spent at the dials --- somehow the tragedy of the circumstances didn't really lend itself to hobby pursuits. Life is now approaching normalcy for much of the population but the recovery is far from over. Hundreds of businesses and residences were totally destroyed and numerous apartment complexes and condos have been condemned. Among the businesses that were destroyed were my local suppliers of plexiglass loop housings and screenprinting. Unfortunately, the screenprinter had a run of loop cabinets to screen print in his building when it collapsed; I am unaware of where those cabinets now are or their condition. Both business owners have decided not to rebuild and are now out of business. This has resulted in an additional delay in the resumption of Quantum Loop sales; I'm hoping to begin shipping loops again by late November (there is a waiting list, however) provided I can get more cabinets in and find a new screenprinter. The only major product I am presently shipping is the Quantum Phaser; details are available at http://www.dxtools.com On the local scene, a new AM station is now on the air; it's WNRP- 1620, IDs as "AM 16-20" and its slogan is "Classic Country." Some nights it broadcasts Pensacola Ice Pilots hockey games. I hope this finds you all in good health and that you enjoy some great DX sessions. I also deeply appreciate your continued support of Radio Plus+ products and your understanding during these challenging times. 73 (Gerry Thomas, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SUNSPOTS - THEN AND NOW In one minor way, the current sunspot cycle isn't affecting propagation in the same way as its predecessor. Early in 2003, some three years past the sunspot maximum of cycle m 23, E-skip reception in the 25 to 30 MHz range pegged out. A similar propagational collapse didn't occur in the decline from the sunspot max of cycle 22. This conclusion comes from fifteen years of DXing low powered, 26 MHz monitoring signals coming from equipment in TV studios. From 1989 to 2002, I was consistently able to identify 20 to 70 of these signals per year. In 2003, I only ID'd four of them. My count for 2004 is currently at ONE. When signals aren't heard, it's not always due to poor propagation - transmitters might be switched off - receiving equipment could be faulty. However throughout 2003 & 2004 the occasional TV studio monitoring signal, on the verge of audibility, did try to break through. As luck would have it, two openings for these signals took place this week. A ten minute period on the 24th Oct and another of about half an hour on the 29th gave signals on: 26.100, 26.200, 26.300, 26.350, 26.430 & 26.450 MHz. Times were similar both days, 2145 to 2230 UT. As luck did have it, the openings were poor and unstable and didn't deliver a single ID. Conclusion: transmitters are transmitting; receivers are receiving so some form of propagation failure in 2003 and 2004 is the culprit. Winter is coming Writing from Israel, David Crystal informs that the Radio France International transmission on 25.820 MHz became audible again in September. Initially, signal strength varied from bad to good. But conditions improved and by the 12 & 13th of October he was rating it at SINPO 55544. My own logs show an unusable, poor signal appearing on 25.820 MHz on the 2nd of October and not heard again until the 21st. Propagation then seemed to switch on overnight, and, from 22nd thru' 29th Oct, I've been hearing RFI - at local breakfast time - nearly as well as David was reporting it in Israel. Conclusion: as winter comes on, the 11m propagational path from Western Europe to the Middle East opens a week or two earlier than does the path to North America (Alan Roberts, QC, 25 Plus, Nov CIDX Messenger via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD) SPORADIC E IN NOVEMBER There was an unusual Es opening Sunday morning, Nov 21 from Florida to Oklahoma, around 1550-1705 UT, WESH-2, WPBT-2, WPTV-5, probably Miami- 4, and WTVJ-6 with a nice peak at 1700 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ARNIE CORO`S DXERS UNLIMITED HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION FORECAST A geoeffective coronal hole sent a stream of charged particles towards the Earth and we are seeing right now, as you listen to the show the effects of the high speed solar wind hitting the planet’s magnetosphere. The K index has moved up, and those of you living at latitudes higher than 40 degrees North will be able to feel the effects of the geomagnetic disturbance. At lower latitudes, effects on the ionosphere are less noticeable. AND NOW, as always at the end of the show here is Arnie Coro’s Dxers Unlimited HF plus low band VHF propagation forecast. There is a big sunspot on the farside of the Sun, detected by heliosysmic techniques, and this one may continue to be active when it turns around into full view of the Earth in a few more days. Solar flux is hovering around 100 units, and the A index, the geomagnetic disturbance indicator will be affected by the high speed solar wind now buffeting the Earth’s magnetosphere. Expect rather good propagation conditions at latitudes between the Equator and 30 degrees North, and disturbed conditions from 40 degrees North and higher latitudes (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXUL Nov 20 via ODXA via DXLD) ###