DX LISTENING DIGEST 4-176, November 25, 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 1254: Fri 0200 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream [repeated 2-hourly thru 2400] Fri 1100 WOR RNI [archive] Fri 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Sat 0000 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55 Sat 0900 WOR WRN1 to Eu, Au, NZ, WorldSpace AfriStar, AsiaStar, Telstar 12 SAm Sat 0955 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300 Sat 1130 WOR WWCR 5070 Sat 1928 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5 Sat 2030 WOR R. Lavalamp Sat 2130 WOR WBCQ 17495-CUSB Sun 0330 WOR WWCR 5070 Sun 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0430 WOR WRMI 6870 Sun 0730 WOR WWCR 3210 Sun 0930 WOR WRN1 to North America, also WLIO-TV Lima OH SAP Sun 0930 WOR KSFC Spokane WA 91.9 Sun 0930 WOR WDWN Auburn NY 89.1 [unconfirmed] Sun 0930 WOR KTRU Houston TX 91.7 [occasional] Sun 1030 WOR WRMI 9955 Sun 1100 WOR R. Lavalamp Sun 1400 WOR KRFP-LP Moscow ID 92.5 Sun 1500 WOR R. Lavalamp 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 Mon 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0430 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 [1253] 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 MORE info including audio links: http://worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ONDEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: WORLD OF RADIO 1254 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1254h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1254.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1254 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1254.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1254.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1254.html [soon] WORLD OF RADIO 1254, mp3 in the true SW sound: keep checking http://www.piratearchive.com/dxprograms.htm MUNDO RADIAL noviembre-diciembre: (corriente) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0411.ram (bajable) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0411.rm (texto) http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0411.html Y en WWCR 9985, desde el 24 de noviembre, miércoles 2200, viernes 2215, martes 2230 ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. VT COMMUNICATIONS CHOSEN FOR AFGHAN NETWORK VT Communications (VTC) has provided part of the vital link to enable the communities all over Afghanistan to receive radio programming produced live from Kabul. Internews Network has been charged with developing indigenous Afghan media with a focus on radio as part of USAID's Office of Transitional Initiatives efforts to rebuild the country. Internews Afghanistan approached VTC with a requirement to live feed a network of FM and AM affiliate stations being built in 35 key locations broadcasting the programming of Salaam Watandar. In addition the programming needed to be made available on short wave radio for the rural population and those not yet served by an FMtransmitter. VTC supplied and installed a VSAT uplink to feed programming onto the Europe *Star satellite. Programming is downlinked at VTC's Woofferton transmitting station in Shropshire, UK before being fed to its Central London Control Room. VTC distribute programming to its transmission sites for short wave coverage and to Eutelsat's Hotbird 6 satellite to feed the FM and AM rebroadcast transmitters in Afghanistan. The flexibility provided by passing through the control room allows programming to be backed up or provided from other locations in Afghanistan or the world. The solution ensures that engineers are on hand 24 hours per day to ensure the smooth transmission of this very important community voice. (Taken from The Radio Newsletter via Ray Browell, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. See CHINA [non] ** ANTARCTICA. 15476.02, LRA36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, at 1900-2002 on Nov 18. SINPO 45444. Heard its program "63 grados Latitud Sur", with folk music, comments on Argentina, hosted by the lady announcers Yolanda & Gabriela. IDs as "Saludamos a todos los que sintonizan la frecuencia de 15476 khz en la banda de 19 metros. Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza de la Antártida Argentina" and "...música y cultura en Radio Arcángel San Gabriel en español desde la Base Esperanza, sector Antártico argentino; de Esperanza al Mundo". Also giving the contact phone at 1907, 1945, 2000, for local listeners to phone 0810-222-0770, for foreign listeners 54-29 74 44 5304/5309/5314/5319 and its e-mail lra36 @ infovia.com.ar Other ID's "Podemos estar muy lejos, en la zona más austral del planeta, pero sabemos qué sucede a cada instante en cualquier lugar. Llegan las últimas noticias en Radio Arcángel San Gabriel". I noted that in some opportunities they are using the ID "Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel" and in other opportunities the ID is only "Radio Arcángel San Gabriel". I talked by phone with Mrs Yolanda, and she informs me that the current staff will be at Base Esperanza only up to Nov 30; after this date, they will return to their homes in the Continent, but the station will continue on air with its operator and with recorded and musical programs. After the phone call, I heard greetings sent to my person at 1916 and again at 1946 on its programs (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina, BC-DX Nov 19 via WORLD OF RADIO 1254, DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. Utility: 18313, Nov 24 1950-1956, LTS2, San Martín Base. Traffic with unID Argentine station. OM talks about your readings: Shackleton's expedition and the battles of King Leonidas of Sparta (Rodolfo Tizzi, Uruguay, Kenwood TS-440S+vertical 28 MHz half- wave, HCDX online log via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. RADIO EDUCATION TO SWITCH OFF http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11483828%255E1702,00.html THE crackle of the airwaves will no longer be heard by hundreds of students as Queensland's two distance education schools still using radio switch to telephone technology next year. Queensland Education Minister Anna Bligh said from next year, the Mt Isa and Longreach schools would join the state's five other distance education schools using telephone conferencing technologies. The move brings to an end an era spanning more than 40 years, when the crackle of the HF radio was common in the vast isolation of the Queensland outback. Ms Bligh said the new technology would benefit the state's 1100 students who accessed their schooling from home, either for health or isolation reasons. "From next year, the reception and audio quality problems associated with HF radio teaching will be a thing of the past with the completion of the Queensland government program to transition all schools of distance education from HF radio to telephone teaching," Ms Bligh told parliament. "Teachers using the new technology have reported that they achieve significantly improved opportunities for discussion and debate." Distance schools at Cairns, Charters Towers, Capricornia and Charleville made the switch to telephone at the start of this school year, under a $1-million, two-year upgrade program. The Brisbane school has never used radio technology (AAP November 24, 2004 via Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. RADIO HERITAGE DOCUMENTARY RECALLS 8DR DARWIN'S HORROR CHRISTMAS The third in a series of radio heritage documentaries being broadcast during the Mailbox segment on Radio New Zealand International airs from November 29, 2004. On Christmas Day 1974, the Australian city of Darwin was hit by a massive cyclone which damaged 90% of buildings and left more than 60 people dead, over 1000 injured, and forced the evacuation of 26,000 residents. Local ABC radio station 8DR 650 AM was initially knocked off air, but returned the following day with an emergency broadcast via a Radio Australia shortwave transmitter. David Ricquish of the Radio Heritage Foundation presents the inside story from 8DR staff on what happened that day, along with rare audio from the shortwave relay with evacuation announcements and calls for assistance. You'll also hear the haunting song that made Number 1 in Australia soon afterwards, 'Santa Never Made it into Darwin'. Hear some of the history of 8DR and early broadcasting in Darwin during World War II, so join David for this special Christmas month broadcast on the 30th anniversary of 8DR's horror Christmas back in 1974. Heard via the usual Radio New Zealand International shortwave frequencies, and also at the on-demand audio Mailbox section at http://www.rnzi.com for the following 14 days. Warm regards (David Ricquish, Radio Heritage Foundation, Wellington, New Zealand, Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Glenn, VL8A is indeed in. I'm the new owner of am ATS- 909 "modified" from Radio Labs-Fortuna, CA. I'm just using a factory supplied antenna, the windup version with my receiver and hearing VL8A fairly well, lots of deep fades and choppy, but listenable here, in at 1200 UT Nov. 25th '04. 73's ------ DE: KB8KZZ (Randall B. Clark, Parkersburg, WV, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ALICE SPRINGS AUSTRALIA, 4835 KHZ, 1230 UT, SINPO 32322 JUST ABOVE THE QRN AT TIMES, 11/25/04 (KENWOOD TS 940S 75 METER FULL WAVE LOOP @ 45FT DE W8BTM, TIM, Cincinnati OH, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4835, VL8A Alice Springs, 0958, Inglés, canciones, locutor y locutora, Id. "ABC Network Radio". 24322. (Noviembre 21). (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. I`m sure it was RA heard after unusual 1400 Nov 13? on 15390, not listed in their B-04. Next time I tuned it was Christian Voice. Any relation? (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don`t know quite what to make of this. HFCC and EiBi only show 15390 as HCJB-Australia from 1430. I suppose someone could have got their wires crossed at Cox Peninsula or Kununurra, or run a test; as we have pointed out, HCJB is supposed to relay news from RA, but has not been doing so. CV has fooled me before with their Oz-accented, seemingly secular news or other programming as if it were RA (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BPL in Australia: see POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS below ** AUSTRIA. Glenn, ORF Moosbrunn site was off air this morning (Nov 25) due to heavy wind damage on antenna array; break lasted till about 1115 UT, on 6155 and 13730 kHz of course (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Damage must not have been too heavy? (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4902, Radio San Miguel, Riberalta, 2222, locutor, saludos a los oyentes, lectura de edictos "Juzgado de Instrucción de Riberalta, Beni", "Atención a este edicto de Riberalta, capital de Beni". 24222. (Noviembre 22). También escuchada el 23 de Noviembre con comentario sobre la violencia a la mujer en la ciudad de Riberalta. SINPO 24322. 6135, Radio Santa Cruz, 0939, Anuncios comerciales, Id. "Radio Santa Cruz". "Santa Cruz, su radio", "Nunca olvide su Radio". 24322. (Noviembre 22). También escuchada el 21 Noviembre con SINPO 22222 (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Robert Rabinovitch`s tenure as head of the CBC has been extended another three years. Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, a non- profit watchdog group, recently gave Rabinovitch a C-minus for his performance over the past five years. This is via the Province (Vancouver, BC) dated 11/23/04 (via Bruce MacGibbon, DXLD) ** CANADA. Tues. Feb. 8th, 2005. We would value your prayers as we work with Frank Drown of Unevangelized Field Mission in setting up a short wave radio station to reach First Nation peoples across Northern Ontario and Manitoba (Galcom International prayer bulletin via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. I paused a few minutes at 1445 Nov 25 on 13675 as CRI was helping me learn Chinese. Unfortunately, I had missed the first 89 lessons. They should lose the tones; that would make it a lot easier for us atonalists. In return, English can lose its irregular verbs, so everyone who says ``catched`` instead of caught will be correct (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. CRI German via Cerrik, Albania, additional 5970 7155 1600-1800 UT from Nov 28 --- CRI aus Cerrik Albanien. Respekt für die Chinesen. Sie haben es innert 4 Monaten geschafft, die albanische Kurzwellen-Station Cerrik-A zu übernehmen, renoviert und ans Netz gebracht. Es wurden 6 x 150 kW Sender errichtet, davon werden vier im Dauereinsatz sein. Am Sonntag 28.11. eröffnet der chines. Kultur- und Medienminister diese Station. Das erinnert mich an die Relayaussendung auf 7120 kHz während des Vietnamkrieges in den 60er und 70er Jahren. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Subject: Zusätzliche Deutsch-Sendung von Radio China International Anfrage von Radio China International: ab Sonntag, dem 28. Nov. bietet Radio China International zusätzlich ein zweistündiges deutschsprachiges Programm auf Kurzwelle 5970 kHz und 7155 kHz. Die Sendezeit ist von 17 Uhr bis 19 Uhr MEZ. Wir bitten Sie, das Programm um diese Zeit zu verfolgen und uns über den Empfang so bald wie möglich zu berichten. Wir danken Ihnen ganz herzlich und senden Ihnen beste Grüße aus Beijing. Ihr deutsches Team von Radio China International (via Volker Willschrey, Germany, BC-DX Nov 24 via DXLD) New CRI Cerrik Albania relay 5970 7155 German service today on air, at 1600-1757 UT. 5970 7155 kHz heard, smooth modulation, needs more Crisp. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Nov 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also UKRAINE [non] Very good signal at my place on both channels at 1730. The SW150A (?) transmitters seem to be working well. Contrary to the SW100F transmitters delivered to Radio Tirana, these two seem to be spot on frequency. At 1800 same in French on 5970, 6055, 7175 and 7385. These frequencies were also announced together with an afternoon transmission on 13 and 11 MHz. Wolfgang, Noel: Did you note this piece of info in one of Drita's letters regarding the method of getting Radio Beijing's programmes to Albania for retransmission in the old days? 'As far as I remember from ATA colleagues, also confirmed by Mr. Mandija, their programs were received on SW at ATA (Albanian Telegraph Agency). Receiving Station in Kamez field, 8 km away NW of Tirana, where our Monitoring Center was also located from 1966 until 22 Dec 1993. Then their programs were sent via cables to Cerrik radio station' It seems that 2 x 500 kW transmitters at Shijiazhuang with 314 degrees beams on various out-of-band frequencies were used for this purpose. CRI via presumed Albania in English at 2000 on 5960, 7285. Some of the new transmissions are listed as KAS or URU 150 kW. English also strong on 6100, listed as Qiqihar. 73s (Olle Alm, Sweden, Nov 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) New CRI Albania relay 5970 7175 French sevice today on air --- and New CRI Cerrik Albania relay 5970 7155 German service today on air. New CRI German via Relay at Cerrik Albania at 1600-1757 UT today on air. 5970 7155 kHz heard, smooth flat modulation, needs more Crisp. Noted also CRI French language from 1800 UT on 7175, and \\ 5970. Both superpower signal today, S=9 +60 dB !!! Official open ceremony by Chinese Culture minister will be coming Sunday November 28, 2004. 7155 suffers by BVB unfortunately: 7155 1700-1730 -m----- MNO Skelton 7155 1700-1715 --twtf- MNO Skelton The French \\s 6055 and 7385 are meant for West Africa from Kashi and Urumchi, less power here in CeEUR compared to 5970 and 7175. See the selected 150 kW entries in CRI HFCC table: I guess 70% of them are vailed entries for the new Cerrik site, registered already on Helsinki conference in late August 2004. 9565 and 11785 observed already two weeks ago. 73 de wolfgang 5960 2000 2200 27 KAS 150 310 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 5970 1600 1800 28NW KAS 150 330 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 5985 0500 0700 37S,37NE KAS 150 269 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 6055 1800 2000 46W URU 150 270 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 6175 2200 2400 37NW URU 150 280 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 6185 2000 2200 38E URU 150 270 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 7105 1700 1800 29 XIA 150 317 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 7120 0500 0700 37S,37NE URU 150 270 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 7155 1600 1800 28NW URU 150 270 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 7160 0600 0700 37NW URU 150 308 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 7160 2030 2130 28S XIA 150 317 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 7190 0930 1530 45N BEI 150 102 0 217 CHN CRI RTC 7215 1900 1930 39N BEI 150 300 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 7255 1000 1600 30-32 BEI 150 322 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 7285 2000 2200 27 URU 150 310 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 7330 1700 1800 29 XIA 150 317 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 9365 1700 2000 29 BEI 150 312 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 9555 1600 1800 38E URU 150 270 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 9565 1500 1600 39N URU 150 270 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 9590 0500 0700 38 URU 150 270 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 9860 2200 2300 13S,15N BEI 150 322 0 218 CHN CRI RTC 9870 0000 0100 30-32 BEI 150 322 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 9885 1600 1800 29 BEI 150 312 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 11680 0000 0100 12,13 BEI 150 322 0 218 CHN CRI RTC 11695 0200 0300 12-14 BEI 150 312 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 11700 2200 2300 13,14 BEI 150 322 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 11725 1600 1800 37S,37NE URU 150 270 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 11785 0700 0900 27 URU 150 308 0 216 CHN CRI RTC 11920 1400 1600 46W URU 150 270 0 216 CHN CRI RTC [Later]: New CRI Albania relay 5960 7285 English (EU) service today on air! Observed also CRI English service from 2000 UT onwards on new additional Cerrik-ALB relay on 5960 and 7285 kHz, 2000-2157 UT. Announced Turkish service 1900-1957 UT couldn't be heard today. When compared to Beijing, Kashi, and Qiqihar parallels, surprisingly Cerrik signal is a quarter of second AHEAD the Chinese locations. \\ Powerhouse Kashi 7190 has somehow muffeled audio. Surprisingly noted at 2100-2157 UT total different English feature program on Chinese supersonic [?] railways etc. on Cerrik-ALB 5960 and 7285 kHz, compared to remaining English channels; checked 13630Mali 11640Mali, 9855URU, 9600BEI, and 7190KAS. CRI Cerrik-A site, from November 28th, 2004: 1600-1657 Turkish 6165, 7325 1600-1757 German 5970, 7155 1800-1957 French 5970, 7175 1900-1957 Turkish 7215, 9655 [not heard today] 2000-2157 English(EU) 5960, 7285 ... and to add more frequencies next week ! Present CRI B-04 schedule, taken from Nagoya DXC website: 2000-2057 English-AF 13630M, 11640M, 9440B2, 7295k6 English-Eu 9855U3, 9600B4, 7190kas, 6100qq, 1440Lux, 1386Sit 2100-2157 English-EU 9855U3, 9600B4, 7190kas (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Nov 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. CRI Launches New Frequencies: From CRI's English website: "Starting November 28th, China Radio International will launch a few new short-wave frequencies for West Europe, North America, and North Africa. Listeners in these regions will have better reception of CRI's programs." There then follows a partially garbled list of the frequencies and UT. They include: Western Europe, 1200-1400, 5960 and 7285; 2300-0100, 11855 (followed by a garbled line which seems to indicate 17490, but I cannot believe they would use a 17 MHz frequency at that time; 0300- 0500, 13665. North America: 1600-1800, 6020 and 9570. North Africa, 2100-2300, 11750 and 17505. No indication of the language. Not necessary English because it's on their English website! I presume at least some of these are from Albania (Roger Tidy, UK, Nov 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I wonder if some of those times are really local or Beijing. 6020 at 1600-1800 UT would be quite unusual, have to be Sackville, or possibly Cuba; or maybe direct to WNAm? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 6035, La Voz del Guaviare, 1021, Música colombiana, anuncios comerciales, ID: "Esto es Radio Cadena Nacional, La Voz del Guaviare". También "RCN". 24322. (Noviembre 20). También el 22 de Noviembre, con caciones colombianas y excelente señal, SINPO 44444 (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA. Hrvatski Radio, Croatia, mixing product on 5040 (6165-1125 = 5040) is regularly heard in Europe. On 23 Nov around 2130 there was a mix of two programs on 5031. They were parallels of 6165 and 1134. Calculating 6165-1134=5031. The MW 1134 is listed as Zadar, while 1125 and 6165 are Deanovac. So how can this kind of mixing product appear with transmitters not co-located?. Am I missing something? The 5031 mix was also heard in the Netherlands by Mark Veldhuis. 5040 mix was not audible at that time. 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: Croatia 5031 --- Jari, that's an interesting observation. In the past we had always noted the formula 6165 minus 1125 kHz, latter frequency of Deanovec MW site. Your observation - I guess - shows, that severe damage or main power line / antenna failure occurred last week in Croatia during bad hurricane weather. So, the 1134 kHz Zadar transmitter is replaced by a Deanovec Zagreb MW outlet on same channel, to overcome the difficulties at the Zadar coast line. Another mixture should occur symmetrically on 7299 kHz too. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Hi Wolfie. Many thanks for this info. That'll explain the mixing product on 5031. 73, (Jari, ibid.) ** CROATIA [non]. Hi Glenn: Croatia heard on magnificent 7285, 11/24 shifting from English to Spanish around 2330 but not mentioned on their B-04 sked (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, hams throughout the Western Hemisphere, who are supposed to have exclusive access to this frequency, may not think it so magnificent. It is in schedules I have seen, at least DTK the relayer (gh, DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. RADIO FREE EUROPE TO STAY IN CENTRE OF PRAGUE FOR 2 MORE YEARS - CZECH MINISTER | Text of report by Czech radio on 25 November The Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty station [RFE/RL financed by the US government] will stay in the centre of Prague for two more years before it will be moved elsewhere, said [Czech] Finance Minister Bohuslav Sobotka. The fact that the radio station's seat is in the former Federal Assembly building by Wenceslas Square has been for several years seen as a security risk. Its transfer started to be discussed after terrorist attacks on the USA in September 2001. Source: Czech Radio1 - Radiozurnal, Prague, in Czech 1700 gmt 25 Nov 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. INSPECTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING BUREAU'S DJIBOUTI TRANSMITTING STATION (IBO-I-04-13) On April 1, 2004, the Broadcasting Board of Governors' (BBG) International Broadcasting Bureau transmitting station located outside of Djibouti, Republic of Djibouti, began transmitting Arabic broadcasts of the Middle East Radio Network's Radio Sawa. Radio Sawa, headquartered in Washington, D.C., creates especially for Sudan the unique stream of programming known as the Sudan feed broadcast from the Djibouti Transmitting Station. Although the transmission was developed primarily for the Sudan stream of Radio Sawa it also reaches parts of Yemen, Djibouti, and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. government and the government of the Republic of Djibouti signed an agreement, dated June 18, 2002, establishing the U.S. radio transmitting facilities in Djibouti on a 200,000-square-meter site, located within four kilometers of the country's coast. This agreement allowed IBB to construct facilities and install two FM and one medium wave transmitter to transmit IBB radio programs. An annex to the agreement, known as PK 12 and signed on September 4, 2003, addressed the operation, maintenance, and security of the transmission facility and site. PK 12 is also known as the Djibouti Transmitting Station. The agreement also required IBB to provide transmitters (two newly purchased medium wave (AM) broadcast transmitters and one existing high-frequency transmitter used for shortwave transmissions), facility renovations, equipment replacement, spare parts for the first year of operation, and training at the 20 year old Dorale Transmitting Station, about five kilometers from the Djibouti Transmitting Station. The Dorale site is owned and operated by Radio Television Djibouti (RTD) and no BBG/IBB programming originates from that site. The IBB Morocco Transmitting Station, located in Tangiers, provides management and contract oversight and is tasked to review replacement part purchases, payment schedules, condition of IBB furnished equipment, and so forth. Staff from Morocco and IBB Washington visit the Djibouti station frequently. Some of the Morocco Transmitting Station's technically qualified local staff are to be in Djibouti for about one year to train RTD staff. IBB signed an Interagency Cooperative Administrative Support Services agreement with Embassy Djibouti that provides assistance for temporary duty staff visiting from Morocco and Washington, D.C., including shipping, travel, cashiering, accounting, and other recordkeeping needs. Although the public diplomacy staff has occasionally been involved in the transmitting station activities, OIG saw no need for a permanent American direct-hire employee at the PK 12 transmitting station because IBB has the technology to control the Djibouti Transmitting Station remotely from either the Morocco Transmitting Station or some other location under the supervision of IBB Foreign Service officers. Management controls such as access, maintenance, and inventory safeguards are in the hands of RTD, pursuant to the PK 12 agreement. There is no petty cash at the site, and inventory controls are in place. Staff from the IBB Morocco Transmitting Station also perform management oversight duties when visiting on temporary duty. The security requirements of the transmitter site are mitigated by the fact that IBB has no permanent, direct-hire staff in Djibouti. In 2002, Djibouti was declared free of land mines following international efforts to make the country mine-free. However, on May 6, 2004, just about one month after operations began, there was a fire and explosion at a remote area of the transmitter site caused by detonation of unexploded ordnance left from the era when the French used the beach to test weapons. Pursuant to a recommendation by OIG, IBB has consulted with Embassy Djibouti and is taking steps to have the government of Djibouti survey the site for unexploded ordnance and, after its removal or detonation, issue a certification that the site has been cleared. From: Office of Inspector General [OIG] U.S. Department of State and the Broadcasting Board of Governors, Monthly Report of Activities, September 2004. The monthly reports can be found at: http://oig.state.gov/lbry A photo of the 3-mast directional antenna system of the IBB Transmitting Station: http://www.ydunritz.com/photodjib.htm (via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Logs from the Dominican Republic --- Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain Desde el 16 al 23 he estado con mi esposa de viaje en la República Dominicana, concretamente en Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro. Todo resultó magnífico, el tiempo, increible la temperatura ambiente, a cualquier hora del día o de la noche y la del agua, tanto la del mar como la de las piscinas (ahora al regreso me encuentro aquí con 2 grado bajo cero en la mañana temprano y los tejados cubiertos de hielo), enormes playas repletas de cocotales. El "todo incluído" en los hoteles es también magnífico, en fin todo de maravilla. Y uno como tiene las aficiones que tiene, no pude resistir la tentación de llevarme conmigo una de mis radios portátiles, concretamente el Grundig Yacht Boy 400, y escuchar algo de radio, sobre todo en las mañanas temprano, pues entre el cambio de horario y allí que amanece muy temprano (algo más tarde de las 6 ya es de día y a las 18 horas ya oscurece), a las 5:30 de la mañana ya estaba despierto, a las 7 desayuna casi todo el mundo y a las 8 de la mañana, o incluso antes está la mayoría de la gente en la playa. Las escuchas las realicé en la habitación del hotel, un edificio de hormigón, en la primera planta y puse la antena de cable que trae la radio con él (unos 5 metros), extendida a través de la ventana. Era una zona bastante apantallada y no muy apta para la escucha. Paso a poner las captaciones más significativas que hice en onda corta, y luego va, también, un relación de algunas emisora que escuché en onda media. Horas UT. [more logs at: AUSTRALIA, BOLIVIA, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, GUATEMALA, MEXICO, PERU, PUERTO RICO, VENEZUELA] ONDA CORTA, SHORT WAVE --- Lá única emisora de la República Dominicana que encontré activa fue Radio Amanecer Internacional, en 6025 kHz. Ni rastro de Radio Cristal/Radio Pueblo, en 5010; Radio Cristal sí se escucha en onda media, 570 KHz, y no anuncia la onda corta al identificarse. Tampoco hay rastro de Radio Cima/Radio Villa en 4960. REPÚBLICA DOMINICANA, 6025, Radio Amanecer Internacional, 1105, Programa religioso, ID: "Ésta es Radio Amanecer Internaciona, red de emisora de la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día, 610 AM, zona del Cibao y costa norte, 1060 AM costa este, 1570 AM en Santo Domingo y 6025 KHz onda corta, banda internacional de 49 metros, Radio Amanecer Internacional, la Voz de la Esperanza". 34333. (Noviembre 19). También escuchada el 20 de Noviembre con 34333 y el 21 de Noviembre con SINPO 44444 (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ONDA MEDIA -- MEDIUMWAVE 570, Radio Cristal, 2211, Música, merengue, ID. "Desde Santo Domingo, Radio Cristal, llevando alegría a su hogar con la bomba navideña". 45444. (Noviembre 20). 620, Radio Santo Domingo, 1430, música merengue y romántica, ID "Radio Santo Domingo, la radio dominicana". 44444 (Noviembre 20). [WRTH 2004: Radiotelevisión Dominicana] 670, Radio Vial, 1630, "Radio Vial, en compañía de todos los camioneros, Noticias. 44444. (Noviembre 21). [WRTH 2004: Radio Dial, San Pedro de Macorís] 860, Radio Clarín, 1108, ID "Continuamos con nuestro programa Amanecer con Radio Clarín" "Radio Clarín, en los 860 para Santo Domingo y en los 850 para Santiago y toda la región del Cibao". Música española. 34333. (Noviembre 20). 1150, Onda Musical Santo Domingo, 1039, locutor, comentario sobre apertura de una nueva sala de fiestas en Santo Domingo, 34333. (Noviembre 19). 1390, Radio San Cristóbal, 1014, Locutora, noticias, comentario político, 45444. (Noviembre 19). 1470, Radio Progreso, 0930, Locutor, Identificación: "Radio Progreso, sabor navideño". Música merengue, 34333. (17 de Noviembre). [WRTH 2004 has three DRs on 1470, none by this name --- gh] 1480, Radio Cima, Santo Domingo, 1009, Música merengue. 45444. (Noviembre 19). [WRTH 2004: R. Villa --- just as on 4960 when active, program from another FM station in the same group] 1570, Radio Amanecer, 0959 locutor, comentarios religiosos, ID "Ésta es Radio Amanecer Internacional, red de emisoras de la Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día, 610 AM, zona del Cibao y costa norte, 1060 AM costa este, 1570 AM en Santo Domingo y 6025 KHz onda corta, banda internacional de 49 metros, Radio Amanecer Internacional, la Voz de la Esperanza". 45444. (Noviembre, 19) 1590, ¿emisora clandestina? La Voz del Partido Comunista Dominicano, 2227, Comentario político, ID, locutora "Están Vds. escuchando la Voz del Partido Comunista Dominicano". 23222. (Noviembre 19. [WRTH 2004 has 1590 HIAC, R. Mundo, St. James of the Horsemen; a program on it??] 1620, Radio Taína-Planeta, San Pedro de Macorís, 0954, Música en inglés. Locutor, Identificación. 45444. (19 Noviembre). 1640, Radio Juventus Don Bosco, 1000, Cánticos y comentarios religiosos, Identificación: "Radio Juventus Don Bosco, en la frecuencia de 1640 KHz.". 34333. (Noviembre 17). 1640, Radio Juventus Don Bosco, 0929, Canciones y comentarios religiosos, Id: "Radio Juventus Don Bosco, en la frecuencia de 1640 KHz, una voz para la civilización del amor". 45444. (Noviembre 20). (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 4870, Radiodifusora Católica Cultural, Macas, 0955, Programa religioso, ID "Radiodifusora Católica Cultura transmitiendo desde la ciudad de Macas, República del Ecuador, Sudamérica, al servicio de Dios y de la Patria, 1540 KHz, y 5050 KHz onda corta, banda tropial de 60 metros." Lectura del rosario. (Noviembre 23). 33333. También escuchada el 22 de Noviembre, en la misma frecuencia, 4870 con lectura del rosario. SINPO 24222. Curiosamente, no anuncia la frecuencia por la que la escuché, 4870 KHz, y no pude escucharla en la frecuencia que anuncian de 5050 KHz (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Dear Glenn, I have some more news as I read an article in one of the major mags here in Cairo reporting an article titled ``Voice Of Egypt is in Danger!`` having interviews with some people in high positions. I'll translate that and send it to you as I have to travel to Alexandria tomorrow and be back soon. Meanwhile I just got some news that the Egyptian Media minister is having a brain operation in Paris, France. He's the one who will take the decision! All the best, yours (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Please help save Hindi Section of Radio Cairo from closing down! Dear Friends of GRDXC, Hello and Good day, GRDXC appeals to all Indian and those members who understand Hindi to help save the Hindi section of Radio Cairo from closing down in whatever manner they can. Following is a message received from the Hindi Section of Radio Cairo, Egypt: ``Dear Mr. Barar [sic], our new M.B. is 22 M.B. Please listen it and tell us the receiving conditions. Thanks for email. May be our Hindi program will be closed because Egyptian authority thinks that Urdu is more popular in India so there is no need of Hindi. So explain it to them if Hindi is the language of India or Urdu?`` (H. S. Brar, for Globe Radio DX Club, India, Nov 24 via DXLD) Am I not correct that Hindi and Urdu are essentially the same spoken language, sometimes referred to collectively as Hindustani? With different scripts, Urdu being the language of the Moslems, so the distinction is more a religious and cultural thing than linguistic. But expecting the huge majority of Hindu Indians to listen to Egypt in Urdu if at all could be considering insulting. If R. El Cairo is really on 9415 for Spanish at 0045-0200, it`s totally blocked here by Portugal as noted 0115 Nov 25, // 9715; Cairo audible weakly on 7260. Shouldn`t these two stations coördinate with each other, not to mention the rest of the world? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Les personnels de Radio France Internationale ont manifesté le 19 novembre à une large majorité leur défiance à l'encontre de la présidence de RFI. Sur 1014 inscrits (salariés en contrats à durée indéterminée et pigistes), 541 salariés ont répondu à la question "Au vu de sa gestion de l'entreprise depuis six mois et au vu du projet d'entreprise, maintenez-vous votre confiance à la présidence de RFI pour la conduite de l'entreprise?". La motion a obtenu 7 votes nuls, 507 bulletins en faveur du non et 27 en faveur du oui. Le préavis de grève appelant l'ensemble du personnel de RFI à cesser le travail le 19 novembre, a été reporté à une date non encore arrêtée. Le conseil d'administration également prévu le 19 novembre a aussi été reporté à "une date ultérieure" (Satellifax – 22 novembre 2004) L`intersyndicale s`inquiète par ailleurs des conséquences sur l`emploi entraînées par le projet de stratégie d`entreprise présenté par la direction. Ce projet mentionne la diffusion de RFI "en français, anglais, arabe, chinois et espagnol" mais "aucun avenir n`est dessiné pour les autres langues", indique une journaliste pour expliquer l`inquiétude de la rédaction. "La direction s`est beaucoup inspirée des conclusions du rapport de l`Inspection générale des finances", relève une autre journaliste. RFI compte au total 19 rédactions en langues étrangères. Le rapport de l`IGF préconisait de supprimer ou développer différentes rédactions en langues étrangères, à commencer par "les sept rédactions dont le rapport coût/audience est le plus dégradé, c'est-à-dire les rédactions polonaise, albanaise, créole, turque, russe, allemande et lao. Le projet présente des pistes de développement pour cinq langues. Mais cela ne veut pas dire, a contrario, que les autres langues seront supprimées", a indiqué André Sarfati, directeur de la communication de RFI (Satellifax – 17 novembre 2004 et AFP via yahoo.fr – 18 novembre 2004) (informations issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** GREECE. Glenn, check http://www.ert.gr/radio/en/frequencies.asp?id=7 site. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The only English from Greece I have managed to hear since the B04 schedules commenced is at 1930-2000 on 7430, do you know if there are any other confirmed times? (they used to have English daily at 0930- 1000 but now it seems to be in Greek at that time). 73s (Dave Kenny, Nov 23, via Büschel, DXLD) Dave, totally agree with your observation. During my monitoring in past six weeks, I heard only the multilanguage English section, now on 7430 kHz. I read the http://www.ert.gr/radio/en/frequencies.asp?id=7 website, ... and transferred 'En' marker to the schedule table on these time segments where 'Gr' short sign was deleted on the XLS Excel file column ... threadbare matter ... Never heard these 10 minute English corner at the end of their worldwide transmissions in past month. The Greeks have a terrible meaning of their publicizing and orden ... 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. 4780, Radio Cultural Coatán, 0109, Anuncios, programa en español y en idioma indígena. ID "En los estudios de Radio Coatán 7 de la noche con 17 minutos. Gracias por estar [con] nosotros, queridos oyentes, Radio Cultural Coatán, departamento de Huehuetenango, Guatemala, Centroamérica. 34333. (Noviembre 21). También el 22 Noviembre con sinpo 34333 (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Nov 25 at 1450 on 13710, Indian music was being interrupted every few seconds, over and over, just like an internet webstream buffering pause. Hmmm, maybe that`s exactly what was happening to the AIR GOS in English to SE Asia. Annoying as usual (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. RADIO FOR PEACE, DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS 25.10.04 21:44 Dr Hansjoerg Biener - Neulichtenhofstr. 7 - DE-90461 Nuernberg http://www.evrel.ewf.uni-erlangen.de/pesc/PESC-peaceradio.html Please note that the peace radio website was updated to include the international short wave schedules for the winter season 2004/05. The site concentrates on international broadcasting from the UN and recognized NGOs to complement other sites like http://www.ClandestineRadio.com specializing in international clandestine broadcasting. The peace radio site was started with funding from Religions for Peace http://www.wcrp.org but it is now maintained as a volunteer project. Information is included as and if it becomes available. So, if you should find something to correct or expand, please contribute. via [creative-radio] Digest Number 1383 ["PESC" is one of the CRW partner sites. Plese do support their work if you can ! -M. Schöch] (Martin Schoech - PF 101145 - 99801 Eisenach - Deutschland, Nov 24, crwatch via DXLD) ** IRAN. IRAN`S WOMEN NEWS AGENCY TO BE LAUNCHED 14 DECEMBER | Text of report in English by Iranian news agency IRNA web site Mashhad, 24 Nov: Iran's Women News Agency, IWNA, the first of its kind in Iran, will be inaugurated on 14 December to disseminate women- related news, it was announced here Wednesday [ 24 November]. Iranian women will have an independent news agency and information base for the first time in the history of the country, said Head of Women Forum affiliated to Iran's Islamic Councils Sediqeh Qanadi. IWNA, the women news agency is to officially become operational on 14 December on the occasion of birth anniversary of Hazrat-e Ma'sumeh, a revered Shi'i figure and the sister of Imam Reza (AS), the eighth infallible Imam of the blessed household of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA), added Qanadi. She said that IWNA is a non-political and non-feminism news agency and its news will be purely devoted to women. The news agency is to update the information in various fields, to provide people with wide coverage of information, to show women's activities and potentials, to display the researches they have done and to expose the problems they are facing in the society, she said. Those interested may visit www.iwna.ir to get acquainted with the latest news and events about women. Source: IRNA web site, Tehran, in English 1420 gmt 24 Nov 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) Wonder what WFAFI thinks about that?! (gh, DXLD) ** IVORY COAST. Re 4-175: Radio Côte d`Ivoire is still available online from their website at http://www.rtici.tv When I monitored this in April 2004 I noticed that it streamed the main programme at 0500-2400, then the 2nd programme (Fréquence Deux) when the main programme is off air at 0000-0500. Programme guides for both radio services are available on the website, dated July 2004, don't list any English programming. Regards, (Dave Kernick, UK, Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HATE RADIO: IVORY COAST Ten years after the tragic genocide in Rwanda that was to a large degree incited by Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines, a country in West Africa now finds itself infested by hate radio. Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) is in the midst of a civil war where one side has total control of the electronic media. Efforts by the United Nations to solve the problem appear to have failed, and the content of some broadcasts on Radiodiffusion Télévision Ivoirienne (RTI) continue to give grave cause for concern. . . http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/features/media/dossiers/hate_ivoryc.html (Andy Sennitt, Media Network newsletter Nov 25 via DXLD) COTE D'IVOIRE: INTERNATIONAL RADIOS RESUME FM RELAYS IN CAPITAL | Text of report by Radio France Internationale on 25 November The BBC, Africa No 1 and Radio France Internationale have resumed FM broadcasts in Abidjan. Our transmitters were sabotaged just before the offensive launched by government troops. You can listen to RFI on 97.6 MHz. Source: Radio France Internationale, Paris, in French 0730 gmt 25 Nov 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. KRE spurious again. KOREA D.P.R. Voice of Korea, Pyongyang in Russian at 0700-0857 UT produces some spurious signals in 19 mb today again. Fundamental still[!!] on 15245 kHz, CRI German co- channel. Spurs on Nov 23: 15260.80 ... wandering to 15260.86 kHz. Spurs about 16.6 and 33.2 kHz apart on: 15227.6, 15244.2, strongest on 15277.36...15277.55, and weak on 15294.00 kHz. Spurs on Nov 24, totally different: 60.1 kHz apart on 15184.9 and 15305.2 kHz, very weak spurs on 15125.05 and 15365.1. Spurs on Nov 25, different: 61 kHz apart on 15183.60 and 15305.80 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX Nov 25 via DXLD) VOK is still getting bubble-jammed on 13760, noted at 0110 UT Nov 25 in English, // 15180 and 11735 where there was no jamming. Earlier I reported the 2100 broadcast on 13760 with the same presumably Cuban jamming. WHR/WSHB is no longer using this frequency at any time, I think (Glenn Hauser, OK, LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. R. Korea International has launched a new design for their web site and finally published their new frequency schedule, from which I extract English: 0800-0900 English 1 Europe 9640 0800-0900 English 1 Southeast Asia 9570 1200-1300 English 1 North America 9650 via Sackville 1300-1400 English 1 Southeast Asia 9570 9770 1430-1500 English 2 Europe 9770 (DRM) 1600-1700 English 1 Middle East and Africa 9870 1600-1700 English 1 Non-directional 5975 1900-2000 English 1 Europe 7275 1900-2000 English 1 Non-directional 5975 2100-2130 English 2 Europe 3955 via Skelton 0200-0300 English 1 North America 9560 via Sackville; 15575 0200-0300 English 1 South America 11810 Programs English Service 1 [0200 is following UT day] 00-10 Daily News 10-15 Mon-Fri News Commentary 10-60 Sat Worldwide Friendship, Sun Korean Pop Interactive 15-45 Mon-Fri Seoul Calling 45-60 Mon Shaping Korea, Tue Made In Korea, Wed Cultural Promenade 45-60 Thu Korea Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, Fri Seoul Report Programs English Service 2 00-10 Daily News 10-15 Mon-Fri News Commentary 10-30 Sat Worldwide Friendship, Sun Korean Pop Interactive 15-30 as 45-60 English Service 1 [A different set of frequencies is given on the programs page, which I assume are the older A04 frequencies; the frequencies page is dated October 31] (via John Norfolk, dxldyg, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. 9290 KHZ THIS SUNDAY --- DATE - 28th NOVEMBER --- CHANNEL - 9290 KHZ --- TIME - 1500 UTC [until???] GOOD LISTENING 73s (TOM [Taylor?], Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MACEDONIA. Here is the DRM Forums thread on reception of the 810 kHz tests from Macedonia: http://www.drmrx.org/forum/showthread.php?s=275d27a3fb4119ae0d1508037384c2f6&threadid=892&perpage=15&pagenumber=1 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Radio Insurgente: I have been told that this Friday transmission is now two hours and later in the (local) evening. I cannot give an exact source as the friend who told me didn't remember who told him (must have been some e-mail-contact in Mexico). However there's a new webpage: http://www.radioinsurgente.org which tells us the following old piece of news: --------------- Shortwave Radio Its weekly shortwave-program in Spanish is particularly directed to the people of Mexico and the Americas, but also to all interested persons from civil society in Europe, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It informs regularly on actual events in Chiapas, on the progress of constructing zapatista autonomy through the Juntas de Buen Gobierno and the autonomous rebel municipalities, on the history of the National Zapatista Liberation Army, indigenous women’s rights and many other subjects. It also entertains with a variety of music and short stories from Chiapas. On shortwave, Radio Insurgente transmits one hour per week on Fridays from 3 p.m. (Mexico official time, GMT -6) on the frequency 6.0 MHz, 49-meter-band. ---------------- You can download the transmissions. The webpage is also in German, Italian and Spanish (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See my previous remarx ** MEXICO. Traté de sintonizar Radio Mil, en 6010 KHz, pero resultó imposible, ya que se escucha muy fuerte la colombiana "La Voz de tu Conciencia", en la misma frecuencia (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. Hello from Hilversum, First of all, as today is the fourth Thursday in November, let me wish all my American friends a very happy and peaceful Thanksgiving. Staying on the holiday theme, my colleague Kathy Clugston wants you all to know that on Christmas Day, since 25th December falls on a Saturday this year, our Newsline team will take a well-earned break, and Europe Unzipped will be replaced by a special programme presented by Kathy in which she will greet as many of you as possible. If you'd like your name to be mentioned on the programme, please E-mail feedback @ rnw.nl and send us any greetings to friends and family or anything else you'd like to be considered for the programme. We're also planning to add, on our feedback Web page, an audio file of the 3-minute weekly mini-feature in which Kathy answers a couple of letters. This isn't an "official" programme and is used to fill the time during some of our shortwave broadcasts when transmitters join or leave the service. But since it's in our audio system, there's no reason why we shouldn't use it :-) http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/feedback/feedbackprogrammes (Andy Sennitt, Media Network newsletter Nov 25 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. [AMATEUR] SPECIAL EVENT. To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Dutch Coastal Station, (PCH Scheveningen Radio which closed down December 31, 1998) look for special event station PC100H to be active from 0700z Saturday, December 18th until 1900z Sunday, December 19th. Suggested frequencies are: CW - 1830, 3530, 7030, 10130, 14030, 18090, 21030, 28030 SSB - 1850, 3650, 7050, 14250, 18150, 21250, 28250 FM - 144.250 and 145.250 RTTY/PSK31 - 10145 For the actual schedule, please refer to the Web page at: http://www.remeeus.nl/pch/pc100h.htm (KB8NW\OPDX November 22\BARF-80 via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** NIGERIA: VON: One can imagine the technicians sweat and curse over their modulation problems. Many unscheduled breaks recently, on some days much improved modulation, on others very weak or a hum or just carrier for tests. As usual, the recording level of the programmes varies, but if you listen to the interval signals or the test tone at 2303, one can compare the general modulation quality. Last Saturday they had a full and stable beep, on Sunday just a trace of it on a strong carrier, after most of the English programming was not aired and Hausa distorted. Yesterday at 1800 they cut through strong interference from CRI on 7255 with good audibility; this morning the French service had a huge signal, but a hum and almost no audio (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, http://africa.coolfreepage.com/africalist Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. NEW OPERATOR FOR SAIPAN & TINIAN RELAYS NEW HARTFORD, NY -- September 22, 2004 -- Rome Research Corporation (RRC), a subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation (NYSE:PTC), today announced the award of a $1.8 million contract from the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), to provide information technology support, operations and associated services at the Robert E. Kamosa Transmitting Station (REKTS) on Saipan and Tinian, in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Under the one-year contract, the Company will transmit Voice of America, Radio Free Asia and other broadcasts, and maintain the REKTS equipment and facilities. "We are pleased to have secured this initial contract with the IBB which represents an important validation of our I/T capabilities and our outstanding performance record with the U.S. military. This contract award is Rome Research's first major contract with a non- defense related customer, representing another major milestone for the corporation as we expand our business beyond our traditional military customer base. This contract will provide important experience to the Company allowing us to compete on other new opportunities around the globe," commented Al Lane, RRC President. "In addition to our knowledge in operating similar systems with the Department of Defense, RRC's significant presence and existing corporate infrastructure in near-by Guam, the southern-most Mariana Island, played a role in the award decision. Our performance of this contract will ideally position RRC to effectively compete for a five-year follow-on effort to be solicited next year." Rome Research Corporation (RRC), founded in 1974, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation (PTC). RRC provides solutions to complex technical, logistical, and management problems. RRC is one of the nation's leading providers of management and engineering service solutions to the Department of Defense and other Government and commercial customers. With more than 25 years in the business, RRC expertise spans disciplines ranging from advanced research and development to facilities operation and maintenance. http://pargovernment.com/RRC --- According to this website, RRC is also operating among others the SW transmitters for the AFRTS relays in Guam and Puerto Rico (via Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DXLD) ** PERU. Hola Amigos DX! Hoy día 24 de Noviembre está de aniversario de la peruana Radio Madre de Dios en 4950 kHz. Hello My DX friends, Today November 24 is the anniversary of the Peruvian Radio Madre de Dios (4950) ===== (DXSPACEMASTER, Chaclacayo, Perú, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Recording of Radio Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonad, 4950.16 kHz. Yesterday 24th of November was Radio Madre de Dios celebrating their "birthday", anyone knows the year? On this clip you can listen to ID and music with the famous swedish group "ABBA". Comments and Recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, Nov 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5939, Radio Melodía, Arequipa, 0955, Locutor, saludos a los oyentes, ID "Compartiendo con sus oyentes Radio Melodía", anuncios comerciales de la ciudad de Arequipa. Deportes, "Aquí los deportes a través de Radio Melodía". 24222 (Noviembre 22). (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PUERTO RICO. 630 y 1270, Noti 1 6 30 [NotiUno Seis-treinta] 1335, Comentarios resultados electorales, ID "Noti 1 6 30, la única emisora con los resultados de los recuentos electorales". 44444. [WRTH 2004 has the Arecibo relay WCMN on 1280, nothing in PR on 1270; 630 is WUNO --- gh] 850, Radio Reloj. 2243, Comentario político sobre elecciones e ID "Transmite Radio Reloj de Puerto Rico". 45444. (Noviembre 19). [WRTH 2004: Waba La Grande, Aguadilla] 910, Noti 1 6 30, Ponce, ID "Gracias por elegirnos como su emisora, Noti 1 6 30", Publicidad, 34333. (Noviembre 19). [WPRP Ponce] 1090, Radio Sol, San Germán, 1050, ID "Buenos días Puerto Rico, Radio Sol". Publicidad. 44444. (Noviembre 19). [WSOL] 1120, Radio Once, Hatillo, 1040, Comentarios, publicidad, ID "Radio Once, Hatillo". 45444. (Noviembre 19). [WMSW] 1140, Radio Once Q, San Juan, 1036, Noticias, Identificación: "Transmite Radio Once Q". Publicidad. 24322. (Noviembre 19). [WQII] 1260, Radio Wiso, 1031, Comentario elecciones en recuento de papeletas. 34333. (19 Noviembre). [WSIO Ponce] 1280, Radio Centro-Noti 1, 1027, Noticias de "Noti 1 en la mañana, 6, 27". (Noviembre 19). [WCMN Arecibo; see 630] 1460, WLRP 1460 AM Radio Raíces, 1059, Locutor, Español, "Ésta es WLRP 1460 AM Radio Raices, en el corazón de nuestro pueblo". "Noti 1, aquí están las noticias en caliente". 34333. (17 Noviembre). [San Sebastián] (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAIPAN. See NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS ** SERBIA & MONTENEGRO [non]. Les émissions en ondes courtes de la radio internationale serbe ont repris après une interruption de près de 3 semaines. Elles ont pu être entendues le 19 novembre selon le schéma habituel. (information de Benoît Morin: le 21 novembre, une inversion a fait que l`émission en français a été diffusée à 2100 TU au lieu de 2130 TU et que l`émission en allemand passait à 2130 TU. NDR: Toutefois, le 22 novembre, tout semblait redevenu normal) (informations issues de http://perso.wanadoo.fr/jm.aubier via DXLD) ** TINIAN. See NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS ** TONGA. QSL from A3Z Radio Tonga 1017 --- Yesterday I received a very nice verification by email from Radio Tonga, confirming my reception on 26th October 2004 (heard during the KONG11 DXpedition in Kongsfjord in Arctic Norway). V/s was 'Elenoa 'Amanaki, General Manager-TBC. The fact that Radio Tonga had been heard in Norway was in their headline news at 1 o'clock midday, and they even played a part of my CD recording on air. This is my second QSL from the Pacific within a week, and I'm very pleased with both this one and V7AB Radio Marshalls 1098 (Arnstein Bue, 7048 Trondheim, NORWAY / NORUEGA / NORVÈGE, DX home page: http://www.kongsfjord.no HCDX via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Checked VOT`s new 5960 on second day, Nov 24: it`s a winner; IS before 2300, then opening with English schedule including this new frequency; news. Letterbox concluding around 2327, and mostly music for the rest of the broadcast until 2354+* after more IS from 2350. No co- or adjacent-channel QRM from broadcasters, just a bit of occasional utility bursts on high side (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, Joe Hanlon's report did not come in as yet but I am ASSUMING that 5960 is doing very well in most of ECNA. Thank your for your excellent support and participation for it is deeply appreciated. Kars, Turkey is the birthplace of my father and mother who are of Russian decent. What a small world (George Poppin, San Francisco) Good afternoon Sedef and Kiymet, 5960 kHz is a winner in the Midwest USA as reported by Glenn Hauser, who has a weekly shortwave radio program and lives in Enid, Oklahoma. We on the west coast of North America in San Francisco aren't that lucky for I did not get any audio on 5960 on Tuesday, 23 November or Wednesday 24 November 2004. Thanks a million for your participation with this frequency, Glenn Hauser. It appears that your reception of 5960 on the East Coast North America should have been very good as well. Joe Hanlon deserves a GREAT BIG FEATHER in his hat for this new frequency. Congratulations and continued good luck with 5960 and other frequencies of your transmissions. Best wishes (George in San Francisco, to VOT, via DXLD) Had some time to hear 5960 in between hearing World of Radio at 2300 via WBCQ. 5960 is coming in with 555 reception here. Looks as if this move is working great for me here. Pass my word on to Sedef, and hope that you have a great Thanksgiving day (Joe Hanlon, NJ, to George Poppin, via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. UKRAINIAN MEDIA BEHAVIOUR NOTE 0700-1500 GMT 25 NOV 04 The privately-owned Radio Era and Era TV continued broadcasting normally. Its reporting remained objective and news coverage balanced, although sympathy for the opposition is palpable in the correspondents' reports. The state-run channel UT1 ran its election marathon most of the day. The 1300 gmt bulletin was cancelled altogether, and the 0900 gmt bulletin had no reporters, because of the exodus of staff in protest at censorship. Natalya Dmytruk, the sign-language presenter on the bulletin - UT1 is the only channel to provide this service - said she ignored the script about the election results and told her 100,000- strong audience about vote-rigging. The afternoon marathon had two guests each from the government and opposition, who were allowed to debate openly. This contrasts will the solely pro-government programme on 24 November, the presenter of which, Oleksandr Lukyanenko, complained on 5 Kanal today that he'd been hoodwinked into presenting it. The pro-government One Plus One channel announced that Vyacheslav Pikhovshek was no longer its news editor, and that there would be a news bulletin at 1730 gmt today instead of the election forum he's been presenting for the last three days. Four news presenters had earlier refused to present the programme in protest at censorship. The channels owned by magnate Viktor Pinchuk continued to provide balanced coverage, although correspondent sympathy for the opposition was noticeable. ICTV morning presenter, Yuliya Lytvynenko, nonetheless told a web site that she had resigned over continuing management attempts at controlling news output, naming news editor Dmitriy Kiselev in particular. Novyy Kanal has continued fair-minded reporting, and announced that it would increase its number of bulletins. STB reported objectively and announced it will run bulletins every two hours from now on. Pro-opposition 5 Kanal has continued its rolling news service, interspersing live relays from the rally in central Kiev with news bulletins and appeals for support for the opposition. It carried a steady streams of interviews with opposition supporters and government defectors, including the scoop of the first government official to resign, Deputy Minister of Economy and European Integration Oleh Hayduk. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 25 Nov 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) UKRAINE STATE TV JOURNALISTS IN REVOLT Ukraine's state-owned UT1 channel has announced that the entire news team is going to join opposition protesters in central Kiev after the news bulletin. After years of heavy anti-opposition bias, the channel has aired a balanced news bulletin in which the opposition's point of view was well-represented. "Immediately after this bulletin, the entire news team will go to Independence Square to say to the people, we are not lying any more," a UT1 correspondent said. The channel also showed footage of its journalists angrily pressing the company's chief, Oleksandr Savenko, demanding that they be allowed to air "honest news". Savenko was shown saying yes. Earlier in the day, the news team of leading private channel One Plus One made a statement at the beginning of a news bulletin pledging to make honest news. Tens of thousands are protesting in central Kiev, accusing the government of stealing victory in the presidential election from opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko. Yushchenko has repeatedly called on TV journalists to fight against "censorship". Source: UT1, Kiev, in Ukrainian 1900 gmt 25 Nov 04 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** UKRAINE [non]. Additional VoA Ukrainian USA VoA Ukrainian (additional) Biblis 1615-1630, 1645-1700 7190 1615-1630, 1645-1700 9735 Kavalla 1615-1630, 1645-1700 5970 (Kavalla 5970 suffers by new CRI Albania relay co-channel here in CeEUR, but differs in Ukraine, I guess, wb.) Biblis 1800-1815 6020 Lampertheim 1800-1815 7260 Briech-MRC 1800-1815 11720 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Nov 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BRAILLE BBC ON AIR --- The December 2004 edition of Braille BBC On Air reached me on 23 November and, as expected, included the following announcement. Due to a decision by BBC World Service to cease publication of their BBC on Air Magazine, this issue of BBC on Air (December 2004) will be the last one available from RNIB in braille, email and disk formats. Customers with access to the internet can sign up to a monthly email network which has highlights of BBC World Service programming. You can register to receive this at http://www.bbconair.com This is only sent out at the beginning of each month and does not list every programme. Full schedules and programme information are always available online at http://www.bbcworldservice.com BBC World Service has launched a consultation process following the decision to stop producing BBC on Air Magazine, and would welcome comments from RNIB customers. Contact: B B C World Service, Audience Relations, P O Box 76, London W C 2B 4P H, United Kingdom. Telephone 020 7240 3456 (plus 44 (0) 20 7240 3456 from overseas) or email worldservice @ bbc.co.uk Alternatively, you can contact RNIB's Editorial Department with your comments - telephone 0845 7023 153 or email editorial @ rnib.org.uk - and we will forward your comments on. (via PAUL DAVID, Chairman, Brent Visually-Handicapped Group, Registered Charity No.: 272955, Nov 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. From http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AlaScan just after 1 pm CST, Thanksgiving: I was listening to Voice of America on 15580. Just a few minutes ago a woman was reading the news. In the background I heard a man say something that sounded like "evacuate." The woman stumbled, then ended the news. A slow medley of slow, traditional songs started playing along with a repeating technical difficulties announcement. (via Bryan Turner W8LN, to gh, MONITORTING TIMES, via DXLD) ** U S A. It seems that VOA is not ``worldwide`` at 1506 UT, for I heard two different programs Nov 25: on 13600, Border Crossings, and when I went to 9760 for a better signal, found the English lessons. Thanks to John Kapinos for sending the VOA program schedule in PDF, which I can read, but is still difficult to convert to text. So I will just pick out some mostly musical programs, times rounded off, really after the news: Monday-Friday: 0900 repeat of 1600 TALK TO AMERICA 1000 JAZZ AMERICA 1100 repeat of 1600 TALK TO AMERICA 1500 BORDER CROSSINGS 1600 TALK TO AMERICA 1830 WORLD OF MUSIC (exc. Wed STRAIGHT TALK AFRICA – call-in?) 2100 AMERICAN GOLD / JAZZ AMERICA / etc. 2300 ROOTS & BRANCHES Saturday: 0330 WORLD OF MUSIC 0430 MUSIC TIME IN AFRICA 0500 JAZZ AMERICA 0800 JAZZ AMERICA 1000 AMERICAN GOLD / JAZZ AMERICA / etc. 1300 JAZZ AMERICA 1830 WORLD OF MUSIC 2100 JAZZ AMERICA 2300 JAZZ AMERICA Sunday: 0500 JAZZ AMERICA 0800 JAZZ AMERICA 1000 JAZZ AMERICA 1730 MUSIC TIME IN AFRICA 1930 MUSIC TIME IN AFRICA 2100 JAZZ AMERICA 2300 JAZZ AMERICA Aren`t they overdoing JAZZ AMERICA just a bit? I wonder how many different editions of it run each week (or each day)? Better be more than one to avoid a real overdose of the same music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also UKRAINE [non] ** U S A [non]. From an editorial in today's Washington Post, Nov. 24 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8895-2004Nov23.html RADIO LIBERTY, the U.S.-funded Russian-language broadcaster, is not so much a radio station as an institution. For decades, Russians twiddled the dials of shortwave radios in the middle of the night, when the signal was strongest, trying to hear news that could not be broadcast on Soviet radio. Since the Soviet Union broke up, Radio Liberty has retained devoted followers, most of whom would say it is needed now more than ever: The media are once again not free in Russia, the hand of the government is growing heavier, and anti-Americanism is rampant. The strong emotions Radio Liberty has stirred over its half-century existence, among those who work there and those who listen, help explain why a move to "revamp" the station has recently caused so much distress. There is at least one bad precedent in the "reform" of U.S.- government-backed, foreign-language radio stations: Two years ago, the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the body that oversees the stations, pushed Radio Free Europe's Iranian-language service to become less political, to play more pop music, and to embed the traditional human rights advocacy in a more familiar "news and entertainment" format. Many critics said the move diluted the station's pro-democracy message. Others fear that changes to Radio Liberty could do the same. Radio Liberty's president, Thomas A. Dine, argues that the planned changes to the Russian service -- shorter programs and a greater reliance on journalists based in Moscow instead of in Prague -- will make the station more accessible to Russians accustomed to an FM-radio format and will provide more news about Russia itself. His opponents within the service argue that the move from Prague to Moscow risks putting Radio Liberty editors under greater pressure from the Russian government and will make the station indistinguishable from hundreds of others in Russia. While this battle is being resolved, Congress, which funds and oversees Radio Liberty, should monitor the station's progress closely. The imposition of a one-size-fits-all plan to make American broadcasters sound more like Russian broadcasters (or worse, more like American pop music stations) wouldn't serve the causes of human rights, public diplomacy or anything else (via Matt Francis, DC; Artie Bigley, OH; Mike Cooper, GA; Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, DXLD) At least it sounds like someone is finally getting the point. Let the commercial broadcasters worry about sounding like --- well --- commercial broadcasters. RL, RFE, VOA, Sawa, Farda, RFA et al. SHOULD sound like something apart from the run-of-the-mill. If that means that their day to day audiences are not "mass" in the same sense as the pop music stations, so be it. Audiences soon learn where they can and should go for reliable or urgently needed information. And it ain't their pop music channels (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KOA 850-AM RPU [remote pickup unit] on 25950 at 1630 past 1815Z - Carwash and other local commercials, ID as 850 KOA at 1700Z Loud S-9 peak, solid by 17400Z Thanksgiving Day RPU Call KB99696 - 75 watts - Mobile - 40K0F3E [Denver, CO] Received in South-Central Virginia on Racal 6790 and centerfed X-Zepp at 40', fed with 450 balanced line tuned through Johnson MatchBox (Rafman, Nov 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. JUDGE IN TBN CASE TO STEP ASIDE --- Jurist says he could be perceived as biased against a Times reporter who wrote of Crouch. By Claire Luna, Times Staff Writer, November 23, 2004 Citing concerns about remarks he made in an earlier hearing, an Orange County judge removed himself Monday from a case involving televangelist Paul Crouch. Judge John M. Watson made the decision during a contempt-of-court hearing for Enoch Lonnie Ford, a former TBN employee who says he had a homosexual tryst with televangelist Paul Crouch. Crouch, 70, founded the world's largest religious broadcasting network and is a popular on-air personality. He has vehemently denied the accusations. In 2003, Watson issued a restraining order that forbade Ford, 41, from speaking about the allegations or about his employment at TBN. Network attorneys went to court seeking sanctions against Ford for allegedly violating that order in stories that appeared in The Times. Watson said he stepped aside because of the perception he could be biased against the reporter who wrote the stories and who might be called to testify. At a hearing in September, Watson told Crouch's lawyers that any contempt hearing would probably include Times staff writer William Lobdell as a "star witness" and that his colleagues would come to watch him on the stand. "They just love that kind of stuff," Watson said at the hearing. "And hopefully we take him out of here in shackles with a big ball chained to his foot so they can get a picture of that in the paper and how noble they are." In 1998, Crouch gave his accuser $425,000 not to discuss the allegations, but Ford threatened last year to break that promise by publishing a memoir that contained the accusations. This prompted legal proceedings to keep the allegations confidential. Watson issued the restraining order and sent the case to private mediation, in which an arbitrator ruled that Ford could not publish the book without violating the 1998 confidential agreement. Ford also was ordered to pay more than $100,000 in legal fees to Crouch. At Monday's hearing, Watson said his remark about the reporter was not meant to be taken seriously. "It was an ill-advised attempt at humor in an otherwise un-funny case," he said. Still, the judge said the comment might cause some people to think he would treat Lobdell unfairly in his courtroom. After Crouch's lawyers told Watson on Monday that they planned to subpoena Times reporters Lobdell and Stuart Pfeifer, the judge said he could not hear the case because of the potential of an appearance of bias. The contempt trial now will probably take place in January, after a new judge has been appointed and subpoenas have been sent. Lawyers for Ford and Crouch said they were surprised and disappointed by the recusal. "I think he's very fair, very ethical, and he clearly has a very dry sense of humor," said Crouch's attorney, John B. Casoria. Copyright 2004 Los Angeles Times (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Rarely does one see radio, especially clear-channel mediumwave radio, rhapsodized so fondly in print media --- BILL CONLIN | LOUD AND CLEAR CHANNEL AS HARRY KALAS was saying before he was so rudely interrupted by whoever pulled the plug on the Phillies games and connected them to a pair of paper cups connected by 15 miles of string: The full article will be available on the Web for a limited time: http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/10260033.htm (c) 2004 Philadelphia Daily News and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved (via Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, DXLD) ** U S A. KOTC (ex KBOA) [830, Kennett, MO, in the bootheel] --- Here is the web site for their history as KBOA: http://www.kboa830.com/ (Chuck, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) ** U S A. Application for new station: 1490, MT, Malmström AFB, U1 1000/575 watts. Petition for Reconsideration: 620, KZTY, NV, Winchester --- station had a CP to build since 1998, but construxion never took place. The FCC has deleted the CP as well as call letters. The owners now ask that the CP be reinstated with new facilities. Jerry Starr has some interesting insight concerning this station: ``Actually this CP WAS built but due to some bizarre zoning regulations, they were unable to build the two towers as close as engineering required. So they built the DA system out of two Valcom fiberglass TIS antennas, technically not towers, and actually did some on-the-air program testing with this system. They had some sort of weird `All Sinatra` format. Their signal was terrible. The FCC neither allows the Valcoms on this low a frequency or for direxional applications, so the license to cover was refused and the CP eventually expired. The Valcoms are gone now.`` (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News Nov 22 via DXLD) ** U S A. DELTONA GETS ITS OWN VOICE ON THE RADIO [1610, Florida] Last update: November 24, 2004 http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/WestVolusia/03WVolWEST06112404.htm DELTONA -- A man's voice crackles over the AM radio, "This is the city of Deltona's public information and emergency advisory radio station." And with those words, city officials embarked on an enterprise they have wanted for years, and put into high gear after the summer hurricanes. The radio station began broadcasting at 1610 AM earlier this week. It covers about a 5-mile radius. "We're not going to have crazy D.J.s and cha-cha music," Deltona Mayor John Masiarczyk said. "This is for emergencies and getting information out to our residents." Weather and some information on city events is included in the broadcasts, and Masiarczyk said more will be added as time goes on. At a workshop Monday, city commissioners decided they will begin broadcasting commission meetings Jan. 10. "It will be great," Masiarczyk said. "It will allow us to get more information out and get more feedback from the community." The "radio station" is not much more than a console in a box, nestled in a corner of Fire Station 61 on Providence Boulevard, Fire Chief Frank Ennist said. It was paid for with a $45,000 state grant. Fire department and other city employees will work the radio station at no additional cost to taxpayers (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. 1670: Hearing someone underneath WNWR from 1815-1830 EST with NOAA Weather and possibly announcement. by YL. Anyone know if the Ft. Lauderdale Airport TIS is running anything like this now? [Later:] Heard what sounded like mentions of "parking", phone # given and "holidays" by FM. Sounds like a loop of NOAA then the FM. Hope it turns out to be the long sought after Ft. Lauderdale Airport TIS! (Greg Myers, Largo, FL, Nov 23, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. AMY GOODMAN`S LEFT HOOK FOR CABLE TV by Joe Hagan Wednesday, Nov. 17 http://www.observer.com/pages/story.asp?ID=9886 In the wide, wide political spectrum of cable-news punditry --- that is, Beltway Red and Blue, Republican and Democrat --- Amy Goodman is a nice shade of shocking pink. She`s a good old-fashioned lefty. But if you think the 47-year-old host of the liberal radio and TV show Democracy Now! and author of The Exception to the Rulers: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media That Love Them --- is on the far left, that`s just because everything you`re seeing and hearing on TV is in shades of red. "It`s the right debating the far right," said Ms. Goodman on Monday, Nov. 15. "We need something outside that." Until now, Ms. Goodman has mainly had to confine her classic activism to a narrow sliver of FM radio --- Pacifica Radio`s WBAI 99.5 FM --- and to a simulcast cable- access program on Manhattan Neighborhood Network, BCAT, QPTV and CUNY- TV. But now that the roar of the Presidential election has finally subsided, and Scott Peterson`s news value has screeched to a halt, cable newsmakers are looking for fresh material. Enter Ms. Goodman, an unapologetic progressive within a media that has run out of so many story lines that liberal activists are interesting once more. In her book, Ms. Goodman accuses the press of sucking up to government officials --- "the access of evil" --- and consisting of talking heads who, she said, "know so little about so much, commenting on every issue." You know who you are. On Friday, Nov. 12, Ms. Goodman turned up on Tucker Carlson`s PBS show, Unfiltered, which lead to a big booking on MSNBC`s Hardball with Chris Matthews, set for Wednesday, Nov. 17 [actually saw her toward the end of the hour Nov 24 --- gh]. Mr. Matthews` executive producer, Tammy Haddad, saw Ms. Goodman "on Tucker`s show, and I thought she was an amazing talker and certainly worth talking to. Her point is that journalists are in collusion with officialdom." Ms. Haddad said she found that point "interesting." "Amy Goodman appears to have great passion and a singular voice, which is basic to cable success," she added. Ms. Goodman said a voice like hers was necessary for network and cable-TV news operations to cleanse their sins after a shameful last few years. "The Bush administration not finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq exposed more than the Bush administration," she said. "It exposed a media that beat the drums for war for several years …. Fox is easy to attack and it should be, but we`re talking about ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, all of them." In keeping with her constituency, Ms. Goodman got booked on Mr. Carlson`s show thanks to a lefty San Francisco cab driver. "We were having this conversation about politics," said Mr. Carlson. "He was a radical lefty --- I kind of like that, better than liberals --- and he said, `Do you know Amy Goodman?`, and he said, `You gotta have her on.` And I called my booker and we booked her." "Well, we do have a very large cab-driving audience, for sure," said Ms. Goodman. Mr. Carlson said he had wanted to bring more left guests on his PBS show. "She`s kind of hostile to America, but it was good," said Mr. Carlson, who bristled at Ms. Goodman`s contention that cable news coverage is influenced by its conglomerate owners. "But I don`t think people are trying to please their corporate masters, and so I don`t buy that. She`s a big self-promoter. She gave her satellite coordinates on my show, which bugged me." It`s not as though Mr. Carlson had never encountered a self-promoter on CNN`s Crossfire, which is Channel 200 on the DISH Network, by the way. But he`d have her on again, he said. "She`s not a lifestyle liberal," said Mr. Carlson. "Her first concern is not making sure you drive a Prius. She`s actually interested in reordering society. Again, I disagree with her. But I thought she was a good guest." Ms. Goodman said she was pleasantly surprised to hear from Mr. Carlson, but that didn`t buy him a reprieve. "I`m concerned about a right-wing takeover at PBS," she said, referring to the recent departure of Bill Moyers and the addition of a show featuring The Wall Street Journal editorial board and also Mr. Carlson`s show. Was Ms. Goodman --- who can`t weigh more than 130 pounds --- ready to go toe-to-toe with Mr. Beef himself, Chris Matthews? "I`m anxious about what happens to people in Iraq, I`m anxious about people covering Timor," she said. "I`m not anxious about going on Chris Matthews` show." That`s the spirit. On TV, Ms. Goodman comes off as a no-frills Noam Chomsky pinup and anti–Deborah Norville who will rip your throat out if you don`t answer the question --- as President Bill Clinton learned on election day in 2000, when he made a routine call-in to her radio show to plug Hillary R. Clinton`s Senate run. Ms. Goodman pummeled the President on whether Ralph Nader`s run was made possible by Mr. Clinton turning the Democratic Party to the right during his eight-year term. "Now let me … now, wait a minute," stammered an angry Mr. Clinton. "You started this and every question you`ve asked has been hostile and combative. So you listen to my answer, will you do that? Now, you just listen to me. You ask the questions, and I`m going to answer. You have asked questions in a hostile, combative, and even disrespectful tone." She`s ready for prime time. NYTV asked Ms. Goodman if she would ever take a regular gig on a TV show like Fox News Sunday --- as NPR`s Juan Williams did. She didn`t count it out. The TV news media, she said, "has reached an all-time low. So I welcome the opportunity to talk about these issues." Calling Brit Hume! Ms. Goodman`s book was published by Hyperion, a subsidiary of Disney. And Tucker Carlson prodded Ms. Goodman to respond to the question of whether criticizing the big media from a big-media platform opened her up to criticism. "If you want to be able to communicate with many people who are watching the mass media, you have to go where they are," said Ms. Goodman. Hiya, kids! This morning on the Disney Channel, it`s Club Chomsky! (Joe Hagan, NY Observer via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. La siguiente dirección de la pagina de la BBC de Londres me la envía el colega Gabriel Iván Barrera para que lean sobre La Ley de Medios, recien aprobada en Venezuela. http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/latin_america/newsid_4041000/4041191. stm Atte: (José Elías, Venezuela, Nov 25, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. 770, Radio Nacional, Valencia, 2213, Discurso del Presidente Hugo Chávez, 45444. También en 1050, Radio Nacional Cabudare, 22222 y 1310 Radio Nacional, Barcelona, 44444. (Noviembre 22). 4949, Radio Amazonas, 0927, música venezolana, canciones, ID: "Radio Amazonas lo dice todo, 5 y 30 minutos". Locutor. 34333. (Noviembre 22). 5000, Observatorio Naval Cagigal, Señales horarias, 0932. Esta emisora se escucha bien durante la noche e incluso a veces durante el día. 34333. (Noviembre 19). (Manuel Méndez, visiting Punta Cana-Playa Bávaro, Dominican Republic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. For two or three weeks, upon occasional chex during the 1900 hour, usually on the car radio, no sign of RNV AI via RHC on 13740, which had been the best broadcast here, aimed at San Francisco --- I`d dearly love to know how many actual San Franciscans or even Bay Areans actually listened to this during their noon hour (DST, now would be 11 am). Nov 24 around 1930 I confirmed on a home receiver that nothing is there, and furthermore scanned from 9 thru 17 MHz bands and did not find any replacement. However, at 1955, the 13680 carrier for Chicago was already on, and opened RNV at 1958, same old schedule recited at 1959, starting with 13740 at 1900-2000 for San Francisco. Still missing on Nov 25. So where is it?? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM. Nice catch from Vietnam this dark and cloudy afternoon. Presumably Son La Radio and TV noted on 4739.76 around 1330 UT closing down at 1359. Signal strength S 6-7 and overall reception poor to quite fair. Son La is located in Northwest Vietnam and you can find some nice pictures here: http://www.terragalleria.com/vietnam/vietnam.son-la.html 73´s (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku FINLAND, Rx: AOR 7030+, Ant: 95 m lw to E, Nov 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 1550 kHz (AM). Radio Nacional de la República Árabe Saharaui Democrática. 2315 a 0000 UT. 24-11-2004. Calidad de recepción 43433. Canciones sobre los campamentos Saharauis y sus caravanas. Espacio ``Ecos de una Realidad``. Comentarios sobre el proceso de estabilización Saharaui. A las 2336 espacio dedicado al asunto de descolonización del Sahara Occidental. A las 2355 canción ``Una Estrella Polisaria``. A las 0000 despedida con el Himno Saharaui. Muy atentamente. 73's (José Bueno - Córdoba - España, Nov 24, Noticias DX via DXLD) Last report said Spanish was only(?) at 1700-1800; since they used to have Spanish at 2300, I was wondering whether this was still the case. Altho language is not mentioned in this report, I assume it was Spanish, rather than reporting in Spanish what was broadcast in Arabic --- also assume this apply to SW 7460 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA. Re DXLD 4-175: 4910 is the frequency of Radio One (African Service); 4965 has never been a ZNBC frequency but Christian Vision / Word Africa. Radio Two (English Service is supposed to be on 6165 (but no logs for a while). (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, http://africa.coolfreepage.com/africalist Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ ASSOCIATION OF PAKISTANI DXERS The Association of Pakistani DXers in Bahawalpur (ba-HAH-wal-poor) is now producing a regular radio bulletin that is available by email. This colorful production is available at this email address: baber73 @ mul.paknet.com.pk (AWR Wavescan Nov 29 via John Norfolk, DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ BPL - AT THE WAR FRONT --- From WIA News 21 November 2004 There are strong indications that the introduction of broadband over powerlines, BPL, is getting closer in Australia. The technology could be available to consumers in Tasmania within a few months, and two companies are trialling it in New South Wales. With the very latest, here is Jim Linton VK3PC. Tasmania's electricity distribution and retail company, Aurora Energy has announced it will have a major commercial trial of BPL by mid- 2005. It has hailed as a success Australia's first pilot trial of the technology conducted in May this year that involved four houses and part of the company's office building in Hobart. In its annual report, Aurora Energy claims very competitive Internet data rates for the technology accessed via power points when compared to that available through the telecommunications network. Meanwhile an industry newsletter reports that another company, Energy Australia, ran a BPL trial in Newcastle, making it Australia's second serious trial of the technology. A third power company, Country Energy is expected to run a trial in Queanbeyan, near Canberra, before the end of this month. The power industry believes that BPL is ready and now only awaits a decision by the Australian Communications Authority. The ACA's current review of its "Regulatory Philosophy and Compliance Policy" and recent work through the Radio Consultative Committee, are all moving towards an announcement on Australia's regulatory approach to BPL. This has been Jim Linton VK3PC for WIA National News. In breaking news, WIA's Phil Wait VK2DKN and Barry White 2AAB were invited to a demonstration of that BPL technology in Queanbeyan Thursday. A three person team from the UK Open University (Power Line Communications Group) lead by Professor John Newbury discussed the development of international standards and stressed the variability of the power network, the importance of measuring the interference risks, and the need for developing technologies which allow a range of solutions to different field situations. In particular they stressed the variations in the power distribution network, the interference issue, and the signal attenuation variation between old and new houses. They also mentioned possibility of ionospheric propagation. The equipment used in the test saw levels of interference is so severe (S9 + 50db outside the premises) that filtering or notching out by only 20 - 30dB will have little effect on reducing its interference potential. In Phil Waites opinion it will be hard to see how cooperation and goodwill between US amateurs and the BPL industry (as recommended by the FCC) will be possible as the interference levels are just so high and so widespread. Amateur operation in urban areas with BPL access will be impossible. The complete WIA report is available at wia.org.au and next week we will attempt to have the WIA group who attended the tests give us a "word picture". *Save Shortwave! Eliminate Broadband over Power Lines!!! **Stephen Newlyn, VK5VKA. G'day from the City of Elizabeth, South Australia. ***Visit the "Stop BPL" page http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~vk5vka/stopbpl.htm ****Visit my Home Page at http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~vk5vka/index.html (via Johno Wright, ARDXC via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ FCC FINES TRUCKING CENTERS FOR MARKETING ILLEGAL ``AMATEUR`` TRANSCEIVERS NEWINGTON, CT, Nov 22, 2004 --- The FCC has proposed fining Pilot Travel Centers LLC $125,000 for allegedly marketing unauthorized RF devices --- specifically, transceivers labeled as Amateur Radio Service (ARS) equipment but intended for use on both Citizens Band and amateur frequencies. CB transmitters must receive FCC certification --- formally called ``type acceptance.`` Amateur Radio equipment does not require FCC certification. The Notice of Apparent Liability (NAL) released November 22 asserts that Pilot continued to market CB transceivers labeled as amateur gear despite multiple citations and warnings. ``Commission field offices issued a total of nine citations to Pilot`s corporate headquarters and its retail outlets warning Pilot that future violations would subject Pilot to penalties including civil monetary forfeitures,`` the NAL said. The Commission alleges that from October 2002 until last July, Pilot, in 47 separate instances, offered for sale various models of non-certificated Galaxy CB transceivers labeled as ``amateur radios`` that easily could be modified for CB operation. The FCC says in some instances, Pilot employees referred to the units as ``CBs.`` The ARRL expressed its full support for the FCC`s enforcement action against Pilot. ``The marketing as `Amateur Radio` equipment of transceivers that are intended for other uses causes widespread interference to licensed radio amateurs operating within their allocated frequency bands,`` ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ said on the League`s behalf. ``We hope that the Commission`s long-awaited action will be followed by additional measures taken against marketers who persist in similar violations.`` Following up on complaints received between 2001 and 2003, FCC Enforcement Bureau field agents visited 11 Pilot retail outlets in Texas, Oregon, California and Nevada. ``At these locations, the stores displayed and offered for sale various models of non-certified CB transceivers marketed as ARS transmitters,`` the NAL said. The Commission noted that its Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) already had determined that the units could be modified easily for CB operation and were subject to FCC certification prior to marketing. Responding to the citations, Pilot told the FCC that all of the radios in question were ``marketed as amateur radios and, as sold, operate on the 10-meter amateur band.`` Pilot contended the units fell under Part 97 rules and didn`t require FCC certification. In January 2002, the FCC Dallas Field Office advised Pilot that the devices referred to in the Citation had built-in design features to facilitate CB operation and that the FCC considered them CB transmitters that fall under Part 95 rules. The NAL says the Dallas Field Office received no further response from Pilot. In 1996, the FCC defined a CB transmitter as one that ``operates or is intended to operate`` at a Citizens Band station. The Commission subsequently clarified its rules to specify that transmitters intended for operation on non-amateur frequencies ``must be approved prior to manufacture, importation or marketing.`` The clarification notice specifically included among devices requiring FCC certification all Amateur Radio Service transceivers designed to be easily user-modified to extend their operating frequency range into the Citizens Band and other non-amateur radio service frequencies. The Commission`s Office of General Counsel followed up with a letter on the importation and marketing of amateur transmitters. It clarified that transmitters having a built-in capability to operate on CB frequencies and that ``can easily be altered to activate that capability, such as by moving or removing a jumper plug or cutting a single wire`` fall within the definition of a CB transmitter under Part 95 rules. The FCC said that on three days last December, FCC agents purchased Galaxy transceivers from different Pilot retail stores. The OET subsequently determined that each were non-certificated CB transmitters under the FCC`s definition. Ultimately, the FCC alleged that Pilot offered non-certificated CB transmitters for sale on 13 occasions in 2003 and 2004 ``in apparent willful and repeated violation`` of the Communications Act of 1934 and FCC rules. Citing its concern with ``the pattern of apparent violations`` in the Pilot case, the FCC actually adjusted the base forfeiture amount upward from $91,000 to $125,000. ``We are particularly troubled that Pilot continues to violate these rules despite receiving nine citations for marketing non-certified CB transmitters,`` the Commission said in the NAL. ``Pilot`s continuing violations of the equipment authorization requirements evince a pattern of intentional noncompliance with and apparent disregard for these rules.`` Pilot has 30 days to respond by paying or appealing the fine. Copyright © 2004, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved (via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Nothing this morning Glenn, I experienced an RF vacuum this morning, if there is such a thing? There wasn't anything reaching my area on 3 or 4 MHz between 1000 and 1100 UT. Sure there were a few strong stations, but the weak ones just weren't there. How about where you are located, are the conditions poor this morning? The 4 MHz band is almost flat here. (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ZZZZ TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ RATIONAL LIVING: "THE OIL AGE IS OVER" - A BOOK WORTH READING Glenn, If you haven't seen this already, a sobering book to read is "The Oil Age is Over." Here is the official author's link, where one can buy either a hardcopy or an online version: http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/ If you plug the name of the book into Google, you get other related commentaries and readings on the subject. You worried about things after the election and asked about rational living. Reading this book has one realize that there are bigger problems, ones that won't be solved and irregardless of election results. While I already knew most of the material offered in the book, having it all pulled together in one place and reading it in one setting presents a very sobering story indeed about the future, which isn't far away at all. You thought you were pissed with the election results.... (Kevin Anderson, Dubuque, Iowa, K9IUA, Nov 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LET US BE THANKFUL. . . For human ingenuity, which has brought us so very far from the primordial ooze, or more recently, our simian ancestors --- despite the best efforts of Organized Religion to stifle progress, critical thinking and the scientific method thruout the ages (Glenn Hauser) ###