DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-019, January 31, 2005 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 2005 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 1261: Tue 0700 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5 Tue 1000 WOR WRMI 9955 Tue 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours Wed 1030 WOR WWCR 9985 Wed 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours MORE info including audio links: http://worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ONDEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL] WORLD OF RADIO 1261 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1261h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1261h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1261 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1261.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1261.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1261.html WORLD OF RADIO 1261 in the true shortwave sound of 7415 [corrected!]: (stream) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_01-26-05.m3u (d`load) http://www.piratearchive.com/media/worldofradio_01-26-05.mp3 DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS Jan 30 revision by John Norfolk: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. INDIA. 4760, AIR Port Blair, Jan 29, 1500-1547, sub-continental music, tent. local ID with frequencies, ads, news in vernacular, news in English (``News at nine``), commentary in English, poor (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also INDIA ** BANGLADESH. 7185, R. Bangladesh, 1231-1247 1/30, English news and commentary and into vocal music. Big signal here, new transmitter? (Larry Yamron, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** BELARUS. 5970, Radio Belarus on Jan 25 at 0220 UT about arts exhibition, in English. Gave schedule at 0229 as 1900-2200 on 1170 7105 7280 kHz and 0100-0300 on 5970 7010 kHz in Bielorussian, Russian, German and English with English Mon Tue Thu Fri 2130-2200 and Sun 2300-2330 repeated Mon Tue Wed Fri Sat 0400-0430 and Sun 0430-0500 (doesn't match completely). Then why was I listening to English at 0220? Bad modulation. And on which frequencies are they at 2300-2330 and 0400-0500? Not very logical. Gave address as Chirvonaya Street No 4, Minsk 220807, Rep of Bielorussia (Finn Krone, Denmark, Jan 24, BC- DX Jan 30 via DXLD) And web: Found the station's web site. It is: http://www.tvr.by/eng/radiobel.asp (Bill Matthews-USA, DXplorer Jan 25, ibid.) Click to 'Eng' in left most upper corner. Or try http://www.tvr.by/eng (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX via DXLD) Don`t look at that page --- it will just confuse you more, claiming English is at 0300 UTC certain days of the week! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL – ``Bom dia Alegria`` é um programa, levado ao ar, pela Rádio Record, de São Paulo (SP), a partir de 0800. Sergio Luiz apresenta as primeiras informações do dia e músicas de raiz. Em ondas curtas, a Rádio Record pode ser captada em 6150 e 9505 kHz. A dica é do Francisco Jackson dos Santos, de São Gonçalo (RJ). (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Jan 30 via DXLD) ** CHINA. Beijing 7255 in Russian and Mongolian has been missing for some time. Used to be very strong here. Maybe some of the vintage transmitters are being replaced by modern units. Very few listings for 120 kW from Beijing or Xi'an remain in HFCC (Olle Alm, Sweden, Jan 23, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. ALBANIA, 6020, China Radio International via Cerrick verified for a third time with a full data including site China's Endangered Rare Animals ("Clouded Leopard") card in 35 days. The English Service sent another handwritten note requesting further reception reports for the broadcasts on 6020 at 0000-0200 UT from Albania. Also, a CRI colorful laminated pennant and two paper cuttings were received. Can't wait to see what arrives next week! (Rich D'Angelo, PA, DXplorer Jan 23 via BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Hola! Recomiendo la siguiente página en Internet: allí se encuentra los logos y Real Audio de 7 de las más importantes emisoras de MEDELLIN. http://www.geo.net.co/Comunidad/Canales/Radio/radio001.asp Atentamente (HECTOR ARBOLEDA via Dario Monferini, playdx via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Quito 30/1 2005 *** Sunday evening edition: *** Recording of 5910.39 kHz Marfil Estereo 88.8 FM, Puerto Lleras --- This station is now transmitting with full power on their new frequency. Listen to their FM ID and "Los Tigres del Norte" a famous Méxican TexMex group. 73s (Björn Malm, Ecuador, http://www.malm-ecuador.com via DXLD) That`s La Voz de tu Conciencia`s second outlet after 6010v. No time given. But easily heard here at 0558 UT Jan 31 with ``88.8`` ID as on the clip and same het too; not very good overall but better than 6010 which had too much QRM, Mil? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5910, Radio Marfil Stéreo 88.8 FM, 31-01-2005, 1205 UT, ``Usted acaba de escuchar el mensaje número 35 "La Caída del hombre", de la serie Ordena tu caso, informes al teléfono 3383807 ó al apartado aéreo 95300, Bogotá, Colombia. Transmite Marfil Stéreo 88.8, las Ondas de paz que cubren todo el Meta,`` luego avisos comerciales, seguidamente dijeron: ``estamos transmitiendo desde Loma Linda, Puerto Lleras... Camapaña de Paz, Colombia para Cristo, informes 3461419, Bogotá, Colombia ó escríbanos al e-mail: colombiaparacristo @ inter.net.co `` Luego desde la 0100 [sic; 1300?] UTC no la escuché mas. 6010, La Voz de Tu Conciencia, 31-01-2005, 1230 UT, programación religiosa, música suave religiosa é identificación de la radio. Nota: Estuve escuchando estas señales (5910 y 6010 kHz) casi simultáneamente y la programación era totalmente diferente. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Barcelona,Edo Anzoátegui, Venezuela, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. 6923.5U, R. Santa Fe relay, 1125-1130 Jan 24, man talking including a couple of quick mentions of "Santa Fe" and abruptly off, into SPN net traffic with multiple stations. The comm net itself has been around for years and includes a "San Andrés," which may be the Caribbean island (David Crawford, FL, Dxplorer via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. LEES WILL STEP DOWN AS RECTOR OF UNIVERSITY FOR PEACE By the A.M. Costa Rica staff http://www.amcostarica.com/ The United Nations has named a new rector for the University for Peace in El Rodeo near Ciudad Colón, and the current rector, the controversial Marvin Lees, will continue as a special adviser. The new rector, announced Friday, is Julia Marton-Lefèvre, who will take over May 1. The announcement came in New York. The University of Peace offers graduate studies in fields ranging from conflict prevention and human security to human rights and environmental security, the U.N. announcement noted. Lees has been considered a serious businessman who was to bring order to the troubled university. He told university staffers to chain the entrance to Radio for Peace International July 21, 2003, beginning the successful effort to remove the international shortwave operation from the university campus. The United Nations release praised Lees, a British citizen, for his strong leadership and a remarkable expansion program. After five years of highly successful efforts at revitalizing and developing the United Nations-affiliated University for Peace, Lees informed the Council of the University, at its last session in June of his wish to be relieved of his duties as rector, said the U.N. Lees is not an academic. He held a degree in mechanical engineers from the University of Cambridge and a post-graduate diploma in economics and politics from the College of Europe in Belgium, according to his resume posted on the university Web site. He also was an assistant secretary-general of the United Nations in 1984. He will hold the additional title of rector emeritus, said the U.N. Ms. Marton-Lefèvre, is executive director of Leadership for Environment and Development International, a United Kingdom-based global network of individuals and non-governmental organizations established on the initiative of the Rockefeller Foundation to foster leadership for environment and development through training, dialogue and research, said the U.N. Ms. Marton-Lefèvre does not appear to hold a doctorate degree either because the U.N. release did not mention that. Typically heads of universities are accomplished academics. The University for peace was established in 1980, in part with the help of former Costa Rican President Rodrigo Carazo Odio. The dispute with Radio for Peace International generated many unfavorable headlines around the world. The station had constructed the building it occupied with donated funds. However, the university said the radio station owed back rent. Eventually the radio station left the campus and set up an Internet transmission of its programs, largely devoted to what it describes as peace and social justice (AM Costa Rica via Franklin Seiberling, IA, Jan 31, DXLD) ** CROATIA. GEORGIA, 5040.0, 2131-, Radio Tbilissi Jan 30. Georgian?? Was probably Georgian but sounded Slavic at times (not RUSSIAN though): signal was weak and I did not hear the world "sakarktsvela" which is ever present in that language, meaning Georgia. Nor did I hear Grouzia (Russian for Georgia). Must have been Georgian after all. Cheers de (Patrice Privat, France, HCDX via DXLD) Hi Pat, I don't think Georgia is on 5040. Tashkent uses this frequency, but not listed at the time of your monitoring. I guess you heard the mixing product of Croatia, 6165/1125 which is rather common. The parallel can usually be heard on 6165 (not in exact synchro). When the programming of 6165 and 1125 split, 5040 may produce two audios at the same time. 73, (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) Croatia 5040 really ought to be in the handbooks, since people keep running across it and can`t find it listed (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. 7260, 0218-, Radio Cairo, Jan 29. Not a good choice of frequencies as Cairo in English is co-channel with presumed Moscow Golos Rossii with EZL music. Both are not particularly strong (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7260, R. Cairo in English. Fair signal with distorted audio. 0310 1/30/05. Woman talking, items separated by ME music bridges. Audio too distorted to copy content (Jim Clar, NY, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Hi Glenn, Re 5-018: ``No trace of 15190 here Jan 29 at 1700 (gh)`` I'm not surprised you didn't hear it on Saturday, January 29th. When the station was previously active, its "Radio Africa" service was heard daily. The service directed to eastern Africa, "Radio East Africa" aired only on Saturdays and Sundays. The "Radio Africa No. 2" service to southern Africa aired only from Monday through Friday. The reason for the alternating the latter two services was that they aired at roughly the same time period and the station was using either the same 50 kilowatt transmitter or the same antenna for the two services. Pan American Broadcasting's website does not address the current schedule. http://www.radiopanam.com/africa.htm The same Radio Africa QSL card issued by Pan American Broadcasting was used to confirm reception of each of the three services when they were previously active (Bill Matthews, USA, Jan 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Nacional de Guinea Equatorial, Bata heard on 5005 at 1750 on January 19th, talk in Spanish and local dialect and West African music. Fair at first, barely audible at 1830. I have checked since and heard nothing (Arthur Miller, Wales, Feb World DX Club Contact via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** ERITREA. 7100, 1607-, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, Jan 30. Quite decent signals with Horn of Africa music and male speaker in presumed Tigre. Best on USB to avoid slow CW on LSB. Frequency may be a bit unstable. Seems to have started just above 7100 and later just a few Hz below. Difficult to say with all the hash. 7180 (weaker) does not seem to be in parallel even though listed as same station, but in Afar rather than Tigre (or is that Tigrinya?). Similar programming style, though (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. GERMANY, 9820, 1642-, Voice of Ethiopian Medhin (via Juelich), Jan 30. Very unusual music with a female vocalist. Jazzy, but with a Horn of Africa bent, in presumed Amharic. Very good reception this morning. About time that the sun cooperates! Program cut at 1659 (carrier was briefly off). At 1700 IS and ID for Voice of Oromo Liberation by a male interspersed with very nice Horn of Africa music. Followed by a woman who was a bit harder for me to follow. Presumed Oromo (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. RADIO 603 AM --- This blog is about the most revolutionary new radio station created and dedicated to playing the mostest and greatest rock and roll music around, both old and new, from all over Europe, the States and the World! Pirate Radio 603 AM was created and began broadcasting on the medium wave frequency of 603 kHz in Aland, Finland on September 1st, 2004. It was started in January of that year and the fight continues to get back on air. This blog will begin to tell the whole story of the rise and hiatus now and the continued battle to get back on air! It will begin again soon at least on the internet but the real power will be to get to use the massive 300 kW licence granted to this frequency. There will be a ship involved, as before and true Offshore Radio will have a new chance to become a way to hear free music the way it should be played --- and heard! http://pirateradio603am.blogspot.com/ (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** FINLAND. See RADIO STAMPS below in this and previous issues ** GABON. 4777, Radio Gabon, at *0532-0550 on Jan 20, open with a woman talking in French, segment of highlife vocals, more talk by the woman followed by a man hosting a highlife vocals program. Fair. Again, at *0539-0620 on Jan 23, opening late with a woman talking in French followed by highlife music program. ID at top of the hour followed by news program. Fair but beginning to fade out during the news (Rich D'Angelo, PA, DXplorer Jan 23 via BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) 4777.0, Radio TV Gabonaise 1, 0545-0600, Jan 22, French, 0545 High life music with interjections by a badly overmodulated announcer in French. 0555 - announcer with clear ID. 0600 - News Good (Beattie, CA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** GEORGIA. Radio Georgia broadcasts in Azeri 1600-1630 on 4540 says WRTH. Heard 1620 14th January, talk mentioning Tblisi, short musical bursts, speech difficult to follow due to low modulation. Heard again January 17th when speech was easier to follow. The programme continued past 1630, continuous music 1635-1645 when transmission ceased without announcement, carrier remained on, rechecked 1720 and heard another ten minutes of music (Arthur Miller, Wales, Feb World DX Club Contact via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. Thanks for a great publication! Several months ago you ran a series of articles on DRM and really got me interested in this new technology. I have been listening to DRM from the Canadian station in Sackville for several months now. Tonight I received the station from Wertachtal, Germany on 3995 kHz. As you can see from the screen photo of the software program, I have all "Green Lights" and am receiving the audio and data perfectly. The receiver is a Ten-Tec RX- 320D and the antenna is a GAP Vertical Titan DX. I am sure a lot of amateur radio operators have been wondering what the "noise" was on 3995! Please pass along the information to Glenn Hauser. I enjoyed his article on DRM in your February issue. Regards, Glenn Farr N4AK Travelers Rest, S.C. (via Rachel Baughn, MONITORING TIMES via DXLD) ** GERMANY. German queries - I am in the process of finalising Medium Wave Report for the February BDXC Communication and have a couple of queries. 990 kHz - is Berlin Britz site still off the air or is it back on now? (Dave Kenny) Yes, still off the air (Jan 23). They repaired the (first) fastening wire on the antenna mast, but discovered another fastening damage then. So need few more days til DLR Britz will remain on air again. (wb) ... confirmed by yours truly just yesterday on the spot. 855 almost blew my radio into pieces, but nothing on 990. (Kai Ludwig) (Berlin) Oranienburg Rehmate Zehlendorf: 693 kHz - do you know what times this transmitter is on the air with DRM. Does it carry DRM Voice of Russia 24/7. Is it always in simulcast AM+DRM? (dk) The last question first: yes, they have got permission on simulcast mode test till Dec 31, 2005. All observers noted simulcast transmissions on 693 kHz since Dec 19th 2004, despite the 250 kW unit (in AM mode, DRM/Simulcast with 60 kW on air) can handle three different modes: AM, DRM, simulcast. (wb) so I guess 693 kHz is always in \\ . (dk) Yes, it is the very same feed. 603 schedule, PROGRAMME "SODRUZHESTVO" and "RUSSKOE MEZHDUNARODNOE RADIO": 603 / 20 / Berlin-Zehlendorf / D / 0000-2300 UT. By the way, output on 603 kHz is 20 kW. 5 kW were used from the now defunct Uhlenhorst/Mahlsdorf site within Berlin, but from Zehlendorf a bit more power is necessary to produce a city-grade signal in Berlin. (kl) so 693 kHz is always in \\. B U T, 693 kHz PC decoder for RM/simulcast needs 11[!!] seconds more time. Once you miss something on 603 / SW transmissions, you will 'catch' the item some 11 seconds later on 693 kHz, hi! That's DRM technic, forget the time signal pips 'on the hour' then. (wb) (dk - Dave Kenny-UK BrDXC, kl - Kai Ludwig-D, wb - wwdxc, Jan 23, BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Auf der von Wolf Harranth gestalteten Seite http://www.audiopool.at .... gibt es eine sehr interessante schriftliche Abhandlung ueber die Clandestine-Station "Deutscher Freiheitssender". http://www.Kommunisten-online.de/historie/freiheitssender904.htm (Rudolf Heinz, Germany, A-DX Jan 20 via BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) oder besser http://freiheitssender.radiohistory.de/ und auch http://www.kulturation.de/frame.php Registersuche 'Freiheitssender'. (wb, Jan 21, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) Der Sender 904 gehoerte 1956 bis 1960 - neben dem RIAS - zum Pflichtprogramm der Musikinteressierten. Zumal in einer Zeit, als beim Betriebsfunk im Polytechnischen Kombinat selbst 50% der Musik vom Tanzorchester Kurt Henckels - MDR Leipzig im Giftschrank der Parteifunktionaere verschwand. Solche Engstirnigkeit findet heute wohl nur noch in Pyoengyang statt. Ab 1958 gab es dann auch die Wahl fuer das RTL Programm auf 1439 und 6090 kHz. Die dritten Programme kamen erst 10 Jahre spaeter auf (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, ibid.) ** GERMANY. Here are nice pictures of the equipment used at Nauen: http://www.ig-funkstation-nauen.de See the chronicle under Funkstation Nauen. Direct links to the after- WW II pages: http://www.ig-funkstation-nauen.de/html/body_1951_-_1960.html http://www.ig-funkstation-nauen.de/html/body_1961_-_1990.html http://www.ig-funkstation-nauen.de/html/body_nach_1990.html "1960 5 kW" -- Probably the transmitter of the famous Nauen time signal (4525 kHz if I recall correct). "1958 50 kW" -- The first broadcasting transmitter, installed at the utility site (today's broadcasting site). "1964" -- The still existing rotatable antenna of the broadcasting sub-site "Kurzwellenzentrum", established this very year with a 100 kW Funkwerk Köpenick transmitter. "1972" -- 500 kW Brown Boveri transmitter, installed this year. The text mentions that it was first used with two HQ antennas, i.e. for non-directional services. "1978" -- Soviet 500 kW transmitter, belonging building and curtain antennas. I think the detail visible in one of the "1964" pictures shows clearly that the curtains are indeed true Soviet designs. Anyway they were real landmarks until they were destroyed in 1999. "1997" -- The current facilities (four ALLISS antenna units with S4105 transmitters) (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAITI. FOUNDER OF RADIO LUMIÈRE, HAITI, DIED http://www.haitipressnetwork.com/newsprint.cfm?articleID=5906 Décès du fondateur de Radio Lumière --- Posté le 26 janvier 2005 Le fondateur de Radio Lumière, la station de l’église protestante, David Hartt, est décédé le 8 janvier dernier, a annoncé à Port-au- Prince la direction de station. David Hart est considéré comme un pionnier dans la radiodiffusion en Haïti. Arrivé en Haïti en 1957 David Hartt y a demeuré jusqu’en 1986 et a, pendant son long séjour dans le pays, largement contribué à la mise en place du premier réseau national d’une station de radiodiffusion. Après avoir fondé Radio Lumière dans le Sud, aux cayes, il a étendu l’écoute de la station au reste du pays. La station de l’église protestante, la première station évangélique du pays, est aujourd’hui écoutée sur la plus grande partie du territoire nationale. Considéré comme un pionnier, David Hartt a aussi aidé à lancer certaines radios privées haïtiennes. Avant de s’établir en Haïti, David Hartt avait vécu à Cuba et en Guadeloupe où il a travaillé comme missionnaire. Dans ce pays il a aidé à l’implatation d’une dizaine d’églises. « David Hart s’était toujours considéré comme un soldat du Christ », écrit à son sujet Ken Bennett. Il avait tout laissé, ses biens et jusqu’á sa famille pour les missions auxquelles il était appelé. Ce natif de Seattle (USA) était un diplomé en génie électronique et avait déjà, après ses études, monté une radio amateur. Ensuite il allait contruire des transmetteurs et des équipements de radiodiffusion. Après avoir lancé Radio Lumière, il avait formé ses premiers collaborateurs pour la programmation de cette station qui était devenue l’une des plus populaires du pays avec 33 % de part d’audience. L’un des récents directeurs de Radio Lumière Bob Dargan a parlé de David Hartt comme d’un homme exceptionnel, infatigable et impeccable doué d’une vision extraordinaire. « Ses contributions à Radio Lumière sont innombrables, merveilleuses et inoubliables », a témoigné Bob Dargan (via Dr. Anton J. Kuchelmeister, Munich, Germany, DXLD) ** INDIA. 11585, R. Rainbow, heard on 26.1 with Hindi songs on past 1540 till about 1630, then with rock/heavy metal songs and several ID in between as e.g. at 1600 and 1630. Also heard on next day 27.11 with possibly fade out or signal off at 1430, on 28.1 up to 1540 when signal again faded out, but also available on 1030, and on 29.1 from as early as 1143. Signal is mostly fair to good at S9 to fade out at 1530. 44433 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki Greece, ICOM R75, Lowe HF150, Degen 1102+1103, Tecsun PL200, Chibo c300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m Australian loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11585, AIR-Rainbow FM relay, 1134-1204, 1212-1240, Jan. 25, English/Hindi, Continuous format of U.S. pop music and ballads with Avril Lavigne and Joe Cocker. YL between selections. Abruptly off at 1204, returning at 1212 mid-song with announcer apologizing for break in transmission and "Rainbow FM" ID. More pops with Hillary Duff and Sheryl Crow. Unique, "jingle" AIR ID at 1230 set to the Doobie Bros. tune "Listen to the Music" then into Hindi programming. Poor/fair, improving thru-out (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11585, Rainbow Radio FM via AIR, 1212-1230 1/30, excellent here with English pop tunes, John Denver tune 1212, English/Hindi by male announcer, jingles and "FM Rainbow" ID, into magazine show with YL host 1230 in Hindi (Larry Yamron, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Why is this mostly musical network the one so urgently needed by the Andamans & Nicobars that AIR started relaying it on SW? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ** INDIA. 9425, AIR Bangalore, Jan 29, 1602-1618, BBC World Service science program in English, about medical research and the weather, fair (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would be the National Channel; just when are the English segments, anyway? WRTH 2005 only gives times for news in English (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR GOS, 9690, Mon Jan 31 at 1438 reading letter at length from Ross Comeau in MA; said he had enjoyed good reception from AIR for 30 years (It`s comments like that which unintentionally could make AIR think there`s no need for a genuine relayed service to NAm.) Then a couple more, including one from Nagoya, in ``Faithfully Yours``, the letterbox program (trouble is, North Americans don`t use such a closing). 1444 into some film music, 1453 programme summary for the next transmission to SE Asia at 2245, and tomorrow`s 1330 broadcast; 1455 news. Is anyone still getting AIR`s monthly magazine with articles and detailed programme schedules? It used to arrive by sea-mail a few months after it expired. Haven`t seen one in years, and can`t find any programme schedule for the GOS on the AIR website http://allindiaradio.org/index.html which is full of `unavailable` pages. Totally inadequate for one of the world`s major broadcasters. The unofficial site via Media Network`s hotlinks http://www.angelfire.com/in/alokdg/air.html is even worse, with nothing there but the opening page, not updated in two years. Where are you, Alok Das Gupta? Jose Jacob does provide current B-04 schedules in a variety of sorts, in the files of the dx_india yg, but you have to be a member, at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dx_india/files/AIR%20B-2004/ Yet, none of those appear to deal with PROGRAM schedules other than news! After 1505 I found myself listening to BBCWS with a psychiatrist on the problem of stress at Indian call centres (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. PRASAR BHARATI LIKELY TO FACE RS 350-CR CUT IN BUDGET NIVEDITA MOOKERJI Posted online: Sat, January 29, 2005 at 0000 IST NEW DELHI, JAN 28: Public broadcaster is likely to face a sharp cut in budgetary allocation, according to sources. The reduction may be to the tune of over Rs 350 crore, it is learnt. In 2004-05, the pubcaster got an allocation of Rs 1,144 crore (including grants-in-aid and loans). The budgetary reduction for Prasar Bharati is being seen as an overall cost-cutting measure, an official said. If implemented, All India Radio (AIR), the radio wing under Prasar Bharati, would be the worst affected, employees fear. Already, AIR is facing a severe resource crunch, indicated insiders. Expansion projects have come to a standstill, they added. In fact, several AIR stations across the country are not functional due to lack of funds. Even in Doordarshan, programming is likely to suffer after a budgetary cut. In the past, the pubcaster has come under criticism for not being self-sustaining. While Prasar Bharati's annual expenditure is in the region of Rs 2,000 crore, it is able to raise less than 50% of that amount internally. Information and broadcasting minister S Jaipal Reddy has been talking about making Prasar Bharati an autonomous body. He also wants it to be an organisation of excellence like the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). One of the ambitious projects that the pubcaster is engaged in is direct-to-home (DTH) broadcasting. The government is not likely to financially support the DTH project, though it has made initial investments of around Rs 100 crore. Of late, the national broadcaster has been trying to generate revenue through new programme commissioning models. It's been betting high on cricket too. Although it failed to make sufficient advertising revenues in the recent two cricket series played in India, it's eager to telecast the upcoming India-Pakistan series too. For the moment however, Prasar Bharati is not in a position to negotiate a deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Reason: ESPN-Star Sports has filed an application in the Supreme Court, making a case for itself to telecast the Indo-Pak series. Prasar Bharati can still show the series, as it has a pact with ESPN, it is learnt. http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=81025 (via Alokesh Gupta, dx_india via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 4870.91, RRI Wamena (presumed), Must be this one back on at 1024 UT 18 Jan (Dave Valko, PA, Jihad-DX Jan 22 via BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Re 5-017, my previous log: "3960 24/1 1345 RRI Palu ..." Correction: "1345" should read "1428". Please apologize for typing error. 73, (Tony Ashar, Indonesia, HCDX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. MUSICA EN ONDA CORTA: Austria: La ORF oe1 por los 5945, magníficos programas musicales, a destacar la música clásica. Estados Unidos: Radio Farda, en Farsi, música occidental y árabe, por 7580 desde 1700 a 1900 y por los 7550 desde 1900 a 2130. Francia: La RFI el pasado día 4-1-2005 a las 2100-2157 programa especial sobre Bob Marley, comentaristas en francés y dirigido hacia el norte de África. France Bleu en los 864 kHz a partir de la media noche, música romántica y sensual francesa. Grecia: La ERT Makedonia a las 1600-2350 en los 7450, programa musical sin interrupciones, música griega. La Voz de Grecia en 7475 desde 1500 a 2400 en griego, música folklórica griega y noticias. Jordania: Radio Jordan en su emisión de las 1400 a 1730 en inglés por los 11690, música pop. Kuwait: Radio Kuwait, programa musical con intervención de los oyentes recitando poemas, en los 9855 desde 1815 a 2400 y 9880 desde 1730 a 2130. Luxemburgo: R. Lux, en los 234 kHz, música pop y conciertos en directo. Paquistán: Radio Paquistán en los 11570, desde 1330 a 1530, programa musical con piezas folklóricas paquistaníes. Rusia: Radio Rossii en los 5895, 1930-1957, Blues y Jazz. Turkia: La Voz de Turkia en los 5980, desde las 1700 a 2200, música turca. Vietnam: La Voz de Vietnam en 5970 en vietnamita, música folklórica desde las 2030 a 2130 (Jose Miguel Romero, BOLETIN DX-VALENCIA ENERO 2005 via Noticias DX via DXLD) ** IRAN. 6120, VOIRI, 0137-0152, Jan. 25, English, "Voice of Justice" program re US and UK troops in Iran [???] per New Yorker article and "US war mongering". Poor/fair with muddy audio. Is this what SW was like during the Cold War? (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. CONCORSO VOIRI "LA RIVOLUZIONE ISLAMICA DELL'IRAN" "Grande concorso in occasione del XXVI anniversario della repubblica islamica dell'Iran che coincide con il 10 febbraio 2005". Caro/a amico/a, La nostra Radio organizza un concorso intitolato "La rivoluzione islamica dell'Iran" che consiste nella stesura di un articolo sulla rivoluzione islamica dell'Iran; ieri, oggi e domani. Il concorso si conclude il prossimo 12 aprile e tra tutti gli articoli che giungeranno alla nostra redazione, ne saranno scelti 3 e gli autori di questi riceveranno un premio. Cogliamo l'occasione per porgerti i nostri più calorosi saluti e siamo in attesa di ricevere tue notizie al più presto. Il responsabile della corrispondenza di Radio Italia, Ali Azizmohammadi (via bclnews.it via DXLD) ** IRAN [and non]. With Iran in the Administration`s sights, listening to VIRI with more regularity / interesting commentaries and interviews (the latter often with American progressives) / AND the US Govt has forced Globecast to take down AL MINAR from Telstar 5 / a grave danger to the Republic, apparently --- it goes without saying that these Middle East broadcasters are anti-Zionist (some more virulently so than others) (Loren Cox, Jr., Lexington KY, circa Jan 23, via P-mail retyped by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also USA ** IRAN [non]. Jan 31 at *0230. Warm-up tones, into presumed news and north-African/Arab style vocals. Signal was weak and lots of noise so even unsure of language. Too early for RASD Algeria/Western Sahara although music sounded right but could not make out the language, but not English. No other real possibilities in my lists. Any ideas or is RASD signing on earlier these days? (John Cereghin, Smyrna DE, FRG7, 75' longwire, HCDX via DXLD) Hi John, If you would check HFCC`s B-04 schedule, you would find: 7460 0230 0315 40 KCH 500 116 1234567 311004 270305 D MDA MNO GFC 876 Also, WRTH 2005 frequency list shows R. Payam-e Doost, which is in the USA section, once you check the cross-reference under MOLDOVA. That confirms they are scheduled at this time via Moldova 500 kW in Farsi. It`s the Baha`i station. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** IRAQ. Al-Iraqiyah TV now on Nile sat! Hi Guys, checking the Iraqi elections on the Nile sat today I noticed that "Al-Iraqiyah TV (Iraq Media Network) has started broadcasting on the Nile sat 7 degrees West on 12.149 GHz, Pol. Horizontal S/R 27500 FEC ¾. This is a follow up to my report about the same TV station which started broadcasting on the Arab sat 26 degrees East on 7/1/2004 I said, "after the American attack on Iraq the management of both Arab Sat and Nile Sat announced that they will not let the IMN to broadcast on both satellites but sounds like they gave it a second thought --- which means maybe we can get that station on the Nile Sat 7 Deg West soon." It took them about a year to have it on the Nile sat; sounds like the management of the Nile sat finally convinced to have the channel on the Nile sat and the timing is great as well.. just around elections time ;) All the best guys. Yours (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Jan 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND [and non]. LIFE'S FULL OF SURPRISES Despite the amount of homework I had done prior to my recent trip to Ireland, I did not fully prepare myself for some of the things I found when I got there, and I had to do some post-trip analysis on my return. First time I turned on my radio in Ireland I found Radio 4 on a number of unexpected frequencies on the MW band. In addition to 720 and 1341 kHz, I also noted 774 and 873 kHz. Later analysis showed that 774 was a direct relay of Radio 4 via Enniskilen, and 873 was a relay of Radio Ulster from the same site. The Radio 4 relay on 774 was almost of equal strength to the 720 relay I already knew about, and the 873 relay of Radio Ulster was of almost equal strength to the 1341 frequency of Radio Ulster. I also noted Star Country Radio on 981, which sounded like it was coming from Northern Ireland, although post-trip analysis indicates this station to be located in County Monaghan. These observations were made in Longford, Eire. On moving onto Sion Mills, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, I discovered another station on 846, which did not identify itself when I was listening. Post-trip analysis indicates this to be a pirate station from the Irish Republic, although I had not discovered this station during the Republican leg of my trip. There was no really dominant MW signal noted in Sion Mills, except for RTE1, 567. BBC Radio 4 was of almost equal strength on 198, 720 and 774, with Radio Ulster almost equal strength on 873 and 1341. Another oddity was that the Radio 5 transmitter on 693 kHz at Enniskilen did not have its signal delayed before being fed to the transmitter; thus if you are listening to that transmitter you may well be able to hear other distant transmitters a considerable time behind the local one. This anomaly was particularly noted during the hours of darkness, and could be somewhat annoying to some people, given that from my listening location there was no strong signal on 909 kHz. Monitoring in the city centre of Dublin, at Connolly Station, showed that the strongest Radio 5 frequency is 990 kHz via Tywyn. The obvious sea path contributes to that situation. Just veering off-topic for those of you reading this on MWDX, I noted on FM in Northern Ireland that whenever Radio Foyle is broadcasting local programmes in the Londonderry area, Radio Ulster is not available on FM locally (PAUL DAVID, Chairman, Brent Visually- Handicapped Group, Registered Charity No.: 272955, Jan 30, MWDX yg via DXLD) ** ITALY. Hi Glenn, I had poor reception tonight, so I can not confirm languages, but anyway I heard RAI closing on 6035 at 2020 and opening on 6040 at 2025, so apparently the foreign language programs are still on air. As far as I know are they on shortwave only, so a discontinuation of the shortwave transmissions would bring these programs to an end altogether. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) On Sundays at 1350-1730v UT, the following frequencies may be used for news or CALCIO sports broadcasts in Italian: 9670 21520 21550 21710 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 24, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) ** JORDAN. 6105, Radio Jordan. On Jan 18 at 2040-2106 UT. SINPO 33332. Arabian songs and telephone interview in Arabic. Time pips for 2100, followed by news (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium, Jan 21 via BC- DX Jan 30 via DXLD) [Tanzania also noted on 6105, wb.] ** KURDISTAN [non?]. 'Radio Raj' found on 6315.2 kHz here on Jan 26 from 1650 UT. Did not close at 1700v as noticed here previously but continued to past 1740 when weakened and faded out. Only one announcement observed all this time, at 1721-1722 when male mentioned 'Raj' more time talking over mx which makes proper ID difficult. Peaked around 1700. Other times non-stop songs (Finn Krone, Denmark, Jan 26, DXplorer via BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) Location, target, language have been traced already? (wb, ibid.) ** KURDISTAN [non]. Cland, 6420.9 'Iran Radio Komala' with program in Farsi 1710, talks about Hattami; Romania at 1720; a rock song at 1730; ID at 1733 and program in Arabic after 1733. DSB with reduced carrier with sudden upward drifts. S5 3 43443 at 1720 but low at 1735 Jan 19 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki Greece, ICOM R75, Lowe HF150, Degen 1102+1103, Tecsun PL200, Chibo c300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m Australian loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS. Die Chancen Laos auf 6130 kHz in Europa zu hoeren, sind jetzt wohl auch eher gering, denn heute morgen beobachtete ich das s-on erst um ca. 2350 UT, frueher (oder ganz frueher?) war es gegen 2200 UT. Zu hoeren gab es einen laotischen Schlager (Titel frei uebersetzt: "Heimweh nach Luang Prabang"), dann eine kurze Ansage, 2359 dann kurzes IS mit Big-Ben aehnlichem TS, ID und Nachrichten (Uwe Volk, visiting Thailand, Jan 27, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) 6130, LNR, 1149-1203, Jan. 29, Laotian, Ballads with YL between selections over co-channel Tibet, familiar seven gongs/fanfare at 1200 when Laos now dominated the frequency. Poor/fair (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. 9290, EMR 1548 with ID etc., "companded" audio, S9+10, 44444 30.1.5 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki Greece, ICOM R75, Lowe HF150, Degen 1102+1103, Tecsun PL200, Chibo c300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m Australian loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [and non]. FRANCE/LIBYA --- Some observation in 1600-1800 UT block. 1600-1630 Central News Bulletin by "Radio [not Voice!] Jamahiriya Great" reported on 675 711 1251 1449 15220 17840 kHz. 1630 on 675 1449 program "Istiklal Sudan" (presumed), test tones on 711 1251 15220 17840; (more exactly whizz tone). 1645 (Fris & Sats 1655) 15220 17840 close down. 1648 (Fris & Sats 1655) whizz sound on 711 1251 15220 15615 15660 kHz. 15220 seems likely direct from Libya. 1655 on 1251. On Sats usually carrying a speech of Pres. Muammar Ghaddafi. 1700-1715 "Radio Jamahiriya Great" prayer program, 711 1251 11860 15220 15615 15660 kHz. 1715-1800 Opens "Voice of Africa" program, bells, pips, ID like "Saout Afrikiy min jamahiriya" on 711 1251 11860 only. 1715-1730 "Radio Jamahiriya Great" on 675 1449 kHz. At 1825 "Voice of Africa" program already on 711 1251 9485 11715 11860 15615 kHz. At same time "Radio Jamahiriya Great" on 675 972 1125 1449 kHz. Signals between 1000-1600 UT were too weak. But on SWs are two different programs, not only "Voice of Africa". For example at 1405 UT noted three different programs on 675, 1251/1449, and 21675 kHz (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Jan 14, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) BTW, Congrats to Wolfgang on 700th issue of his excellent BC-DX! (gh) LJB service to Iraq heard on 14th January 1800-1900 om 11890 in LSB + AM, on 21st January heard on 11180 in USB + AM and 11890 in LSB + AM, 11890 suffers from adjacent channel interference from 11885. WRTH lists 11660 but not heard here (Arthur Miller, Wales, Feb World DX Club Contact via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. So THIS is where my reception report went! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4214665.stm (Al Quaglieri, NY, HCDX via DXLD) ** MARIANAS NORTH. Tinian 7235 spurs. Today at 1320 UT I noted VOA 7235 in Korean with spurs all over the 41 mb at approximate 14.8 kHz intervals. Listed as Tinian 250 kW. 500 kW is listed from 1400 UT. The first transmitter left already at 1358 UT and the second one was switched on at 1359.30. There were no spurs from the 500 kW unit (Olle Alm, Sweden, Jan 23, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) 7235 1300-1400 44 TIN 250 kW 325 -8 226 USA IBB 7235 1400-1500 44 TIN 500 kW 321 8 216 USA IBB (Büschel, ibid.) ** MEXICO. Hi guys. Just to let you know, the Mexican Ministry of Communications has authorized Radio Educación to use 25620 kHz for the special DRM tests during the week of February 7-11. I'm not sure of the exact time schedule yet, but it will be at least several hours per day, probably local daytime hours. Power will be around 250 watts average DRM power. Riz Transmitters of Croatia is providing the transmitter and antenna. Radio Educación will also have a special DRM test on mediumwave (1060 kHz) with 50 kW power on February 9 at 1100-1120 local time (i.e. 1700-1720 UT). During those 20 minutes, the analog transmission will go off air, and only the DRM transmission will be heard. This is the day of the DRM Symposium in Mexico City. Harris Corporation is providing the DRM exciter for Radio Educación's Harris transmitter (Jeff White, FL, Jan 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I suppose the 25 MHz antenna will be aimed at the conference hotel, and not designed for skywave, but what would the azimuth be in case anyone want to try for it abroad? (gh to Jeff) Glenn: I've seen a picture of it, and it's just a vertical rod basically. So it must be omnidirectional (Jeff, ibid.) ** NEW ZEALAND. My R. New Zealand QSL cards can be viewed at http://web.tiscali.it/ondecorte/nuova.html Regards, (Nino Marabello, Treviso, Italy, HCDX via DXLD) Eight of them --- but they are all the same ``design`` with the flag- bearing kiwi, except for the date, time and frequency fill-ins --- and each E-QSL has been shaded a slightly different color, to give them minimal variety, but what`s the point of keeping on collecting these? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. KOSU Comes to Northeast Oklahoma - January 30, 2005 - Starting Monday afternoon January 31, KOSU will be available on two stations. In central Oklahoma you can listen on 91.7 and in northeast Oklahoma you will hear Oklahoma Public Radio KOSU on 107.5. 107.5 will extend our noncommercial public radio service from Tulsa up to Joplin, Missouri. We will be taking the station off the air for short periods of time for maintenance and installation of new equipment. Soon Oklahoma Public Radio KOSU will be serving northeast Oklahoma 24 hours each day. We will keep you posted (from http://www.kosu.org/stnnews/stnnews.html via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is the former KGND Ketchum OK, to be KOSN according to FM Atlas (gh) ** PARAGUAY. Entrevistamos al Pastor José Holowaty, quien -como muchos recordarán- estuvo al frente de KGEI La Voz de la Amistad, en San Francisco, California durante casi treinta años hasta que cerró el 31 de julio de 1994. No obstante, Holowaty --- fundador de la Iglesia Bíblica Misionera --- había previsto ese final por lo que nunca dejó de buscar otra emisora para continuar su ministerio radial y así en 1992 compró a ZP20 Radio América de Paraguay. La emisora integra el Grupo Radiodifusión América SRL que, además de emplear sus recursos en transmisiones de radio, lo hace a través de Internet, de grabaciones editadas en audio y video, de revistas y otros materiales impresos que publica. No me detendré en reproducir la amena e interesante charla que será motivo de un completo artículo pero vale adelantar el firme compromiso que tiene Holowaty en transmitir por onda corta, algunos ensayos ya han sido efectuados por el técnico Mur utilizando varias frecuencias como la de 7737 Khz con 25 vatios y resultados asombrosos siendo recepcionada en diversos países tan lejanos como Alemania, Noruega, Australia, India, Japón y China. "Yo creo que la onda corta todavía tiene mucha vida, lejos de ir mermando habría que ir aumentando", dijo Holowaty ponderando las estaciones de onda corta brasileñas. "La idea es conseguir recursos para comprar un transmisor de 10 kilovatios para lanzar la señal al sur" agregó aclarando que las antenas ya están instaladas en la planta de Villeta esperando el nuevo equipo. Allí fuimos especialmente guiados por Leonardo Ortíz, encargado de la planta, donde sacamos fotos y observamos una simpática fauna integrada por gallinas, pavos, gallinetas de guinea, vacas y... el toro Lilo, ya mencionado por Arnaldo en su narración. Los actuales transmisores que utiliza Radio América para su OM 1480 Khz son, un Omnitronix de 1 Kw. (en reserva) ubicado en Ñemby con una antena de 48 metros de 1/4 de onda y otro equipo argentino marca Adema de 5 Kw con una antena de 122 metros de 5/8 de onda en el barrio Guazú Corá de la localidad de Villeta. La antena para OC es un reflector de esquina formada por 4 torres que sostiene una malla que se orienta a 184 grados, es decir, hacia Buenos Aires. Como una manera de incentivar la escucha de Radio América en OM, Holowaty nos mostró (y regaló a cada uno) una radio presintonizada en los 1480 Khz con panel de carga solar, marca Galcom, canadiense. Miles de estos aparatos son donados a todos los oyentes, incluso en las cárceles. Holowaty le llama "la radio egoísta" porque no tiene dial, sólo se escucha a Radio América. Continuará (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Casilla de Correo 950, S 2000 WAJ - Rosario, ARGENTINA, Jan 31, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** PERU. 6020.26, 0526-, Radio Victoria, Jan 30. Very consistently amongst the strongest Latin American stations heard here. About an S5, but sounding much stronger, with punchy audio. Spanish language sermon. Very nice on my new Icom 756 ProII (an amazingly good NR [noise reduxion?] circuitry). No ID at half past the hour. Sounds very much like a TV feed. Feed cut out about a minute later with soft music and apparent IDs (audio was a little muffled), then into EZL Spanish Christian music. ID for the program Voz de la Liberación (excuse my Spanish!) at 0539 (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** QATAR. UNDER PRESSURE, QATAR MAY SELL JAZEERA STATION By STEVEN R. WEISMAN Published: January 30, 2005 WASHINGTON - The tiny state of Qatar is a crucial American ally in the Persian Gulf, where it provides a military base and warm support for American policies. Yet relations with Qatar are also strained over an awkward issue: Qatar's sponsorship of Al Jazeera, the provocative television station that is a big source of news in the Arab world. Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and other Bush administration officials have complained heatedly to Qatari leaders that Al Jazeera's broadcasts have been inflammatory, misleading and occasionally false, especially on Iraq. The pressure has been so intense, a senior Qatari official said, that the government is accelerating plans to put Al Jazeera on the market, though Bush administration officials counter that a privately owned station in the region may be no better from their point of view. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/30/international/middleeast/30jazeera.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5094&en=8ca068cd1631b26a&hp&ex=1107147600&partner=homepage (via Clara Listensprechen, DXLD) QATAR ADVANCES PLANS TO PRIVATIZE AL-JAZEERA http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A49759-2005Jan30?language=printer (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Another edition of MUSIC AROUND US will focus on the creative effort of the prominent Russian composer Maxim Dunayevsky. The son of the famous composer Isaac Dunayevsky, Maxim has outstripped his father by the number of films (some 70), for which he wrote incidental music. Also, some of his compositions are so popular that he is quite a match for his father. Maxim Dunayevsky' musicals became well known in this country even before the word had actually made its way into the Russian language. The program will go on the air for the first time on Tuesday, January 25, at 0530 UTC and will be repeated during the week. See our program schedule: http://www.vor.ru/ep.html (VOR previews via Maryanne Kehoe, Jan 30, ODXA via DXLD) Which shows all its times as: Tue 0531, 1531, 1831, 2131, Thu 1531, Fri 0631 --- none of them convenient for North America. Therefore, at the time of posting, there are no more airings left! Maybe somewhere on a WRN archive? Also this schedule grid is confusingly laid out running from 1500 at the top thru 1000 at the bottom, but no indication of a change of day of week between 2200 and 0200. However, the columns are labeled the same Mon thru Sun both at the top and bottom. That being the case, why aren`t the 0200 listings at the top? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 11975, Kamchatka Fisherman's Radio (Kamchatka Rybatskaya Radio) 0000-0100 UT, Sat. night (North American time = UT Sun Jan 23) only, back strongly after being untraced last week, typical minor key yet upbeat Russian pop music plus one U.S. rock song, frequent IDs in Russian by female announcer preceded by seagull (?) calls, some interviews and phone call-ins. "Do svidania" at 0059, carrier off 0100 (Stephen George, MA, Jihad-DX via BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) ** SAMOA AMERICAN. Not only is there a `KHJ` revival in OR as an LPFM, as previously reported here, but look at this (gh) After my accident earlier this month (I'm getting better each day, thank you), I received email from around the world -- including Pago Pago, American Samoa. There, a touch of a Southern California legend lives on: KHJ radio has returned to the air. John Summers, a former North County San Diego resident writes: "From waaayyyy down in the Heart of Polynesia --- Pago Pago, American Samoa. Sorry to hear about your accident. I'm a North County native, raised on Palomar Mountain, listening to Happy Hare and the incredible KCBQ during the early 60s. Made my decision at the ripe old age of SIX to become a broadcaster, and did, with my first gig at 11. I've hung- in for 35-years, with my radio "tour of duty" in Palm Springs, Riverside/San Bernardino, New Orleans, Little Rock, Chattanooga, Dallas and Los Angeles. Always wanted to live in the South Pacific. (I'm) Co-owner, VP, & GM of South Seas Broadcasting --- 93KHJ, WVUV- AM, & KHJ-TV10, 2,600-miles south of Honolulu --- very, very primitive and laid back. "Wife Dana and I love it. Company does very well. Been here three & a half years. Getting set to put-on another TV signal. Keeping busy. Our website's: http://KHJRadio.com Tune-in for the streaming, especially our morning show, Samoan Sunrise --- 9a to noon your time as we're three timezones behind San Diego [1700-2000 UT]. I check-in with your SDRadio most everyday and really enjoy it. A terrific tie to what's happening at home, in the world's most beautiful city! Keep up the good work and hope the healing process is speedy. You're efforts are appreciated by this old pro." John & Dana Summers Pago Pago. You can email Jeff at jsummers93khj@hotmail.com. Thanks for checkin' in!!" (Chris, SDRadio.net Jan 25 via DXLD) 93KHJ's transmitting tower, high atop Mt. Alava [caption] Call-letters: KKHJ-FM Frequency: 93.1 MHz in Stereo Power: 1,100 watts at 454 meters above average terrain (equivalent to 25,000 watts at 100 meters) Schedule: 24 Hours a Day Studio: Pago Plaza, Suite 223 (2nd Floor) Transmitter: Atop Mount Alava, overlooking Pago Harbor Coverage: Virtually all of the island of Tutuila (where 95% of American Samoa's population resides) Owner: South Seas Broadcasting, Inc., an American Samoa corporation (from the website above via gh, DXLD) ** SINGAPORE. Radio Singapore International currently has an interview with Finnish DXer Mika Mäkaläinen, who runs the DXing.info Website. Linked from this page: http://rsi.com.sg/english/undertones/view/20050131193725/1/.html (via Andy Sennitt, Jan 31, dxldyg via DXLD) Seven-minute audio link does NOT contain that interview, but we can read the text, anyway (gh, DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. ESLOVÁQUIA – Numa das últimas edições do programa Cartas de los oyentes, das emissões em espanhol da Rádio Eslováquia, foi anunciado que a pessoa encarregada de enviar o cartão QSL aos ouvintes renunciou. Foi o que ouviu José Miguel Romero, em Burjasot, na Espanha. Fica a pergunta: outra pessoa não poderia enviar o QSL? Assim, fica cada vez mais difícil o ouvinte apoiar as emissoras (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Jan 30 via DXLD) ** SOMALIA. Logs Jan 29: Radio Galkayo?? 6979.9, found a very low signal. Talks from crowd at 1811 and someone talking fast. 1846 with music. Reshet Bet [sic, means Galei Zahal, 6973v], spurring strongly. 12231. Shabele, 6960 once again! 1805 below marginal signal but relatively audible, OM with phone ins or interviews in unknown language. Another OM mentioning Somalia and radio at 1809. Fast discussions by one or two men at 1821. At 1822 some drums from several seconds and again dialogues. 14331, S2 max with 10 db preamp (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki Greece, ICOM R75, Lowe HF150, Degen 1102+1103, Tecsun PL200, Chibo c300/c979, Yupi 7000, Antenna: 16m hor, 2x16 m V invert, 1m Australian loop, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. 7390, 0257-, Channel Africa, Jan 29. IDs in English as 'You are tuned to the English service of Channel Africa', with their lovely IS. S9 signal. Cochannel weakly heard, and apparently VOR in Spanish, as their IS was heard at 0259 as well (from Samara). (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [and non]. Thanks to Glenn and Jari for interesting input on various Sudanese-related topics. Here's an update from me: Radio Peace: Although 4750 is noticeably stronger (in Nairobi) than before, I'd say this was still consistent with a relatively low- powered transmitter (a few kW at most) inside southern Sudan. But I didn't hear it all in the last two evenings (28 and 29 January). So, perhaps something is going on after all? SAF radio on 6985 (from Eritrea): I can't hear this any more. Reception in Nairobi used to be fine. Has anyone else heard it recently? Has it moved frequency, or closed as part of plans to transfer the broadcasting base from Eritrea into southern Sudan following the north-south Sudan peace deal signed earlier this month? Voice of Sudan on 8000 (from Eritrea): This is still going as scheduled at 1530-1600. Fair/good signals here. This is operated by the opposition group, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The NDA is based in northern Sudan and was not a signatory to the north-south peace deal signed last month. So, it would be consistent with the political situation for the 6985 station to close and the 8000 one to continue. Regards, (Chris (in Nairobi) Greenway, Jan 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SURINAME. 4990, Radio Apintie, 0330-0430 Jan 25, program of oldies music hosted by a man announcer with English IDs at 0345 ("Radio Apintie, number one, Radio Apintie") and 0409 ("Radio Apintie your station"). Fair. Also, presumed 0350-0450 Jan 24 with oldies music and a woman announcer with some Dutch talk. It's nice to hear them again (Rich D'Angelo, Wyomissing PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** SWAZILAND. 3240, TWR, Jan 28, very good at 0325 in vernacular, ID, African music. A good night for Africa on the 90m band (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3240, TWR, f/d QSL folder of drawing depicting TWR-Manzini complex, schedules, religious materials and photo of transmitter site in 58 days for 2 IRC's. V/S, Mrs. L. Stavropoulis. I assume this is the "special" QSL they were offering for their Nov. 2004 30th Anniversary tho the QSL printing date is 1992 (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. DRM-Tests von Radio Schweden Erste DRM-Testsendungen aus Hoerby: Heute, 28.1.2005, von 1600-1630 UT auf 5850 kHz. Leistung nur 1.5 kW (Beam 10 deg, also Richtung Norden). Naechste Woche, von Montag-Freitag, 0800-0900 UT auf 6065 kHz (Klaus Schneider, Germany, A-DX Jan 28 via BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [and non]. 11795 puzzle. Few days now observed two UNID signals around 11795 kHz. One on 11795.00 even, the other on 11795.76 kHz at about 0800-0900 UT. So I guess CBS Taipei-TWN is hit by an other jamming station noise from China mainland, apart on odd 750-760 Hertz to produce a whistle tone. CBS Taipei in Mandarin 100 kW 310 degrees at 0600-1000 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, Jan 26, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) ** THAILAND. 7115, R. Thailand, 1143-1149, Jan. 29, Vernacular, Ballad and talks, IS at 1145 into different language. Poor. Improved at 1200 re-check with IS booming in (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Scheduled to go from Lao to Burmese at 1145, sez WRTH 2005 (gh, DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. 4930, Turkmen R on 1/24 from 1443 to 1449 until wiped out by some type of ute on channel. Vocal/instrumental Turkmen music (sounds much like ME music) to 1446 then man announcer until QRM took out. Sounded best in LSB even though listed as USB with reduced power in WRTH. This would have been good enough for a recording if not for QRM showing up at the worst time. DXing 60 mb is certainly an adventure these days! (Bruce W. Churchill, CA, DXplorer via BC-DX via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. SPECIAL EVENT STATION TO COMMEMORATE YALTA CONFERENCE Jan 26, 2005 --- Special event station EM60J will be on the air February 4-11 from Ukraine to mark the 60th anniversary of the Yalta Conference. The historic 1945 talks brought together the "Big Three" Allied leaders - Great Britain's Prime Minister Winston Churchill, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Russia's Joseph Stalin --- to discuss post-World War II reorganization of Europe. The conference's primary purpose was to re-establish the nations that had been conquered by Nazi Germany, and one result was the partitioning of Germany into US, Russian, British and French zones. QSL via UU5JYA or direct to PO Box 378, Yalta 98600, Ukraine (The Daily DX) http://www.arrl.org/ (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U A E. I've been trying to identify for certain what I am hearing on 15405 at 0730 UT onwards. It's a weak muddy signal, but the little audio I have heard sounds the same as on 15395 UAE. And 15385 - reported by Observer as a new frequency - could be a symmetrical spur - i.e., +/- 10 kHz from nominal. But I have not heard their former 15370 or 13630, but these frequencies were never as loud as others (Noel R. Green, UK, Jan 26, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) I totally agree with your observation, I guess also this is a mixture of antenna feed installations on /15385?/15395/15405 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Jan 27, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) UAE Radio Dubai in Arabic via DBA 500 kW noted in 0600-0900 UT range today on 12005 (ex-21605), 13675, 15395, BUT also on two spurious signals on symmetrical 15385 and 15405 kHz. Latter is a little bit weaker than 15385. Dubai 15395 kHz registered at 0600-2400 UT. DBA Dubai UAE G.C. 25N14 055E16 (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 31 via DXLD) ``So Dhabbaya has antennas suitable for Europe? I thought they were all aimed out toward Asia and Africa. (gh, dxld Jan 29)`` Azimuth 324 degrees, 4900 km towards Europe. Dubai registered 325 degree transmissions. Al Dhabbaya some 300, 315, and 340/345 degrees. Merlin has lack of enough transmitters and antennas at their disposal at Zyygi-Cyprus site during peak hours, distance 2500 km, 323 degrees. RTI 6170 test suffers by VOR Samara English on adjacent 6175 kHz, 200 kW to Western Europe (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX Jan 30 via DXLD) Re ´´So Dhabbaya has antennas suitable for Europe?´´: Yes, of course. Radio Abu Dhabi used to have frequencies aiming at Europe and North America. I just put together in timely order what I have about the current Al-Dhabbaya usage at hand, and it turned out that there is already a transmission from there to Europe: NHK in English 1000-1100 on 17585. Interesting to note that NHK uses full 500 kW but all other customers only half power, i.e. 250 kW. It seems that there are at present no regular shortwave transmissions between 1900 and 2200, and afterwards until 2400 only a single transmitter is on air. So it is no surprise that somebody at VT got the idea to try Al-Dhabbaya for the RTI transmission. The reports I saw so far were not very promising, but I still have to check it out personally... 6175 0000 0030 smtwtfs MNO 250 85 Hindi S AS 7105 0030 0100 s.....s MNO 250 85 English S AS 7105 0030 0100 .mtwtf. MNO 250 75 English S AS 6145 0000 0130 smtwtfs MNO 250 85 Non-Specific S AS 7230 0130 0300 smtwtfs NEW 250 45 Persian ME 5985 0200 0245 smtwtfs FEB 250 70 Sindhi SW AS 6150 0300 0330 smtwtfs BBC 250 315 Pashto ME 9550 0300 0330 smtwtfs AWR 250 225 Orominya E AF 9655 0300 0330 smtwtfs AWR 250 20 Russian C AS 9760 0300 0330 smtwtfs AWR 250 225 Amharic E AF 9760 0330 0400 smtwtfs AWR 250 225 Tigrinya E AF 21780 0400 0430 smtwtfs ABC 250 120 Indonesian SE AS 15210 0400 0600 smtwtfs RFI 250 255 French E C AF 15410 0500-0600 daily DW 250 230 English AF 6125 0500 0630 .....f. FEB 250 300 Sinhala ME 9660 0630 0800 .....f. FEB 250 345 Persian ME 11895 0800-0830 daily DW 250 045 Pashto ME 17720 0800 1000 smtwtfs NHK 500 285 Japanese ME 11895 0830-0850 daily DW 250 045 Dari ME 12035 0930 1030 smtwt.s BBC 250 0 Farsi ME 12035 0930 1130 .....f. BBC 250 0 Farsi ME 17585 1000 1100 smtwtfs NHK 500 315 English SE EUR 17720 1000 1100 smtwtfs NHK 500 285 English ME 21590 1100 1130 smtwtfs BBC 250 205 Somali E AF 15135 1200 1230 smtwtfs AWR 250 85 English S AS 15205 1200 1230 smtwtfs FEB 250 85 Tibetan S AS 21820 1200-1250 daily DW 250 105 Indonesian SEAS 15135 1230 1300 smtwtfs AWR 250 85 Bangla S AS 15515 1230 1330 smtwtfs MNO 250 85 Non-Specific S AS 15385 1300 1500 smtwtfs AWR 250 60 Mandarin W CHN 11675 1315 1400 smtwtfs FEB 250 70 Punjabi S AS 9530 1330 1400 smtwtfs AWR 250 20 Russian C AS 9530 1400 1500 smtwtfs FEB 250 75 Hindi S AS 15215 1400 1500 smtwtfs MNO 250 100 Non-Specific S AS 15520 1400 1500 smtwtfs YFR 250 85 Hindi S AS 15215 1500 1530 smtwtfs AWR 250 75 Punjabi S AS 15225 1500 1530 smtwtfs AWR 250 75 Nepali S AS 15520 1500 1700 smtwtfs YFR 250 85 English S AS 15215 1530 1600 smtwtfs AWR 250 75 Hindi S AS 15225 1530 1600 smtwtfs AWR 250 75 English S AS 9565 1600 1630 smtwtfs RFI 250 45 Pashto ME 9785 1600 1630 smtwtfs MNO 250 85 Non-Specific S AS 17595 1630 1700 smtwtfs AWR 250 225 Somali E AF 6180 1700 1730 smtwtfs FEB 250 230 Orominya [sic] E AF 9575 1700 1900 smtwtfs NHK 500 285 Japanese ME 12035 1800 1815 .mtwtf. TWR 250 225 Non-Specific E AF 12035 1800 1830 s.....s TWR 250 225 Non-Specific E AF 6015 1800 1900 smtwtfs RFI 250 340 Pashto ME 7115 2200 2300 smtwtfs NHK 500 285 Japanese ME 6145 2300 2400 smtwtfs MNO 250 85 Non-Specific S AS (via Kai Ludwig, Jan 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Christian Voice service to Nigeria via Sofia is now at 1600- 1800 on 13820 (Observer, Bulgaria via Wolfgang Bueschel, Nick Sharpe, Feb World DX Club Contact) The broadcasts are from UK based Christian Vision International who have had to put up a statement on their website disassociating themselves from the fundamentalist evangelical UK based Christian Voice organisation involved in the campaign to prevent the screening of Jerry Springer the Opera on BBC television (Mike Barraclough, WDXC Contact editor, ibid.) ** U K. Andreas Erbe discovered this page with pictures of some of the Brookmans Park (near London) transmitters: http://www.nrgkits.com/workshop/mediumwave_big_ones.htm The Talksport installation must have been upgraded since the pictures were made, provided that indeed 400 kW are in use now as listed in WRTH 2005 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. YOUNG ADULT NOVELS ADDED TO VOA SPECIAL ENGLISH "AMERICAN STORIES" SERIES: Voice of America Special English Service announces the broadcast of four adaptations of award-winning young adult novels in its popular "American Stories" series. These will be broadcast on four Saturdays during February 2005: Shiloh, the 1991 Newbery award winning novel by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor about a young boy in West Virginia who wrestles with the morality of hiding an abused dog from its owner. Crazy Lady, by Jane Conly (Newbery Honor Book, ALA Notable Book, ALA Best Book for Young Adults), which tells of a neighborhood's gradual acceptance of a mentally disabled boy. Jacob Have I Loved, a 1981 Newbery winner by Katherine Paterson about a girl living in the shadow of her twin sister who finds a place for herself in the world. Stepping on the Cracks by Mary Downing Hahn, a World War II story about how heroism and pacifism affect an 11-year-old girl. ("Best Books of the Year" School Library Journal, Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction). VOA's Special English uses a limited vocabulary, short sentences and active voice; it is read at a slower pace intended for listeners around the world who are learning English. The "American Stories" series features condensed and adapted versions of classic American literature. The young adult titles were chosen because they explore universal themes in an American setting. This enables listeners to identify with common emotions and learn about America. VOA will broadcast "American Stories" ten times every Saturday via shortwave and medium wave frequencies around the world. The frequencies and an Internet broadcast may be found at http://www.voaspecialenglish.com/ (Source : PRESS RELEASE - Washington, D.C., Jan. 24, 2005 via MD. AZIZUL ALAM AL-AMIN, RAJSHAHI, BANGLADESH, DXLD) ** U S A. ESTADOS UNIDOS – Os programas em português da Voz da América, produzidos especialmente para a audiência africana, enviam para os ouvintes apenas um calendário de parede. Foi o que disse o jornalista Filipe Vieira, no programa A Sua Carta, irradiado em 30 de janeiro, às 0445, em 9480 kHz. ``Infelizmente a Voz da América não está mais a enviar o cartão QSL aos ouvintes``, disse ele ao receber um informe de recepção do ouvinte brasileiro José Roberto da Silva Cunha, de Governador Valadares (MG). Quem deseja receber o souvenir deve remeter pedido para: lvieira @ voanews.com (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Jan 30 via DXLD) See also ZIMBABWE [non] ** U S A. VOA SITE NEEDS REPAIR - FAST --- STATE, LOCAL MONEY COULD HELP GET MATCHING FEDERAL GRANT By Janice Morse, Cincinnati Enquirer staff writer, January 27, 2005 http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050127/NEWS01/501270375/1056 WEST CHESTER TWP. - Barbara Wilson works in a building that once generated the world's most powerful broadcast signal. But now the structure, Voice of America Bethany Relay Station, is silently decaying - and water leaks through a 4-by-6-foot hole in the ceiling above Wilson's desk. "It's difficult to work under these conditions, and it's sad to see the deterioration of the building, but I can't imagine any other place I would want to work," said Wilson, a parks department employee. "We all take great pride in working in this building and knowing the role it played in our history." To help save the building, Ohio lawmakers are considering a $275,000 grant. That money would be combined with locally generated dollars to match a requested $625,000 "Save America's Treasures" federal grant, said Chrisbell Bednar, West Chester's parks development manager. The total $1.2 million would be spent on electrical, heating and structural work on the building, which houses the Gray History of Wireless Museum, the Media Heritage broadcasting collection and township park offices. On Wednesday, the Ohio House voted 92-2 in favor of the project funding. When the measure heads to the Senate next Tuesday, Sen. Gary Cates, R-West Chester, says, he will be pushing for its passage there, too. Cates on Tuesday evening told township trustees that he supports investing funds to preserve "this jewel of our community," which symbolizes freedom and American ideals. For 50 years, the site off Tylersville Road delivered American news, music and cultural information around the globe. When broadcasts ceased at the site in 1994, the building lost a major heat source. Nearly 2 megawatts of power were used for the six 200- kilowatt transmitters - and the waste heat kept much of the 25,000- square-foot building warm. Since then, insufficient heat, combined with cycles of freezing and thawing, has widened cracks in the structure, allowing water to seep in - damaging the building and its electrical system. The problems accelerated recently, after a boiler, installed in 1956, failed. Officials say an architect told them that, "without heat, the building will decay quickly and there will be few options for saving it." The Ohio Historical Society says the site qualifies as a national historic landmark in the National Register of Historic Places - a designation attained by only about 3 percent of the Register's 70,000 sites. In their grant application, township officials say, "If steps are not taken now to save Voice of America Bethany Station, the public will miss the opportunity to understand how the United States secured its place in the world by communicating the truth about freedom and democracy and how radio technology changed our world politically as well as culturally." VOICE OF AMERICA HISTORY --------------[Boxed Feature]---------------- . In 1942, only months after the attack on Pearl Harbor plunged America into World War II, the Crosley Corp. was commissioned by the government to engineer a radio installation powerful enough to reach a global audience. . By 1944, the first Voice of America station capable of reaching out to the world was in operation in West Chester (then Union Township). Known as the "Bethany Station," it began broadcasting to the world in 53 languages [sic]. Hitler referred to the VOA as "the Cincinnati Liars." . With the advent of newer satellite-based technology, ground stations such as VOA's Bethany Station were no longer needed, and it was decommissioned in 1995. . Shortly afterward, dozens of radio towers and curtain antennas were razed at the West Chester location, and the facility and some 500 surrounding acres were turned over to Butler County MetroParks and West Chester Township for public use. Source: Veterans' Voice of America, http://www.veteransvoa.com (via Ray T. Mahorney, DXLD) ** U S A. THIS WEEK IN AMATEUR RADIO INTERNATIONAL --- Edition # 001 http://www.twiar.org/twiari.html This Week in Amateur Radio is now providing the current weeks edition of our broadcast program, This Week in Amateur Radio International, or TWIARi. The file is in MP3 format and is not intended for airing on Amateur Radio Frequencies! [The file is 40 MB, btw; go to above link] TWIARi is currently being aired on WBCQ Shortwave each Saturday afternoon at 4pm eastern, or 21:00 GMT, on its main transmitter on 7.415 MHz. WBCQ, "The Planet", broadcasts 50,000 watts, and serves North, Central, and South America, and the Caribbean. If you are affiliated with broadcast radio and would like to air TWIARi on your local or shortwave broadcast radio station, please E- mail the Executive Producer, George Bowen, W2XBS w2xbs @ twiar.org or call 518-283-3665 (via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. Oregon Public Broadcasting is now streaming its ``Golden Hours`` reading service, which includes a lot of kid shows (despite ``most listeners being 49-90``), and DVI (descriptive video info – I thought this was DVService?) for the PBS TV shows which offer it, but also some Oregon newspaper reading, etc. Schedule [UT -8] and audio links, apparently unrestricted, at http://www.opb.org/programs/goldenhours/schedule_txt.html (Glenn Hauser, after seeing listing on PublicRadioFan.com, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. BILL SHADEL, BROADCASTER WHO COVERED D-DAY AND MODERATED A PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, DIES AT 96 http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--obit-shadel0131jan31,0,5175313,print.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. COMPETITORS GREET TRANSFORMATION WITH WELCOME, WORRY By Annys Shin, Washington Post Staff Writer, Monday, January 31, 2005; Page E01 Around noon on Jan. 12, WILC-AM general manager Mark O'Brien was in Tampa tending to business at another radio station, when his cell phone started ringing and didn't stop all day. All the calls were about one topic: the transformation of WHFS-FM (99.1) from alternative rock outlet to El Zol. For local alt-rockers, it was the end of an era. For O'Brien and his colleagues at WILC, it was the beginning of a tectonic shift in their marketplace. Instead of being a relatively big player among a handful of stations, dominated by Mega Communications, they now faced radio behemoth Infinity Broadcasting Corp., a division of media conglomerate Viacom Inc. and operator of 183 stations reaching 73 million listeners a week. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A49713-2005Jan30?language=printer (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) SPANISH RADIO'S PLACE IN THE SUN --- Pursuit of Latino Listeners Presents Major Hurdles --- By Krissah Williams, Washington Post Staff Writer, Monday, January 31, 2005; Page E01 Flipping the digitized music on Infinity Broadcasting Corp.'s WHFS (99.1) from alternative rock to Spanish-language pop required just the push of a button and took only a matter of seconds. Rebuilding the signal's ratings and advertising base will be a longer haul. Infinity executives gutted the FM station this month and are transforming it into the D.C. area's first big-signal, Spanish-format station under the call letters WZLL El Zol, a play on the Spanish word for sun. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A49715-2005Jan30?language=printer (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. G H / in case you haven`t heard, there has been a ``revolution of talk radio`` in Cincinnati --- of all places Clear Channel Communications having converted their 50 kW station on 1530 kHz in that city to an ``all liberal`` talk format (ma che!) / if Ohio is ``red`` Cincinnati & environs are ``crimson`` (strange that ``red`` has now come to mean ``conservative`` instead of ``communist``) / What does CCC have in mind? Isn`t ``liberal`` talk radio a sure loser? -- in addition to being antithetical to CCC`s ideology & politics / Programming on WCKY (the station`s old call eltters have been restored) is mostly from Al Franken`s Air America: an exception is Jeeree Jeeree Jeeree Springer`s new talk/call-in show originating from the WCKY studios / Jerry, ``liberal``, one-time Cincinnati political figure (mayor), alleged whoremonger, and host of the reviled television [program that features fat women fighting and trying to tear each others` clothes off (an uncensored version of the program is available ppv on the Dish Network), may be heard conducting his interesting & listenable radio program from 9 am to noon EST; syndication may be forthcoming (Jerry was once to do political commentary on a Chicago TV station, but because of his unsavory reputation the project was ditched) / Franken`s show follows Jerry`s; among others to be heard are those of jolly populist Ed Schultz --- not familiar with him --- Randy Rhodes & Mike Molloy (once on WLS, Chicago --- axed because his views were unacceptable to Disney) / I assume that on Saturday evenings I`ll be able to hear the comely Laura Flanders (was on ``Democracy Now!`` this morning discussing Condy --- the poor girl was given quite a spanking by Boxer & Biden in today`s Senate hearing) / Is Cincinnati the only market in which CCC is experimenting with liblipping? (evidently not, see below) / Could they believe it might be economically viable? And why not? Dems/Libs/Progs are a very considerable portion of the population (virtually half of all voters), and are participants in the marketplace as consumers / Still, will it work? Regardless of CCC`s ideological bent they are ``bottom-line`` oriented / A criticism of attempts at ``liberal`` talk radio is that it just isn`t ``entertaining`` enough: Cuomo and Jerry Brown just weren`t entertainers the way Limburger et al are / A while back CCC`s other 50 kW outlet in Cincinnati, WLW 700, put on Carmine, a rather vituperative ``liberal`` (describing Bob Dole as a fascist may have been a bit excessive), but all his hyperbole (which I thought effectively made points I essentially agreed with) got for him was death threats; I believe he was run out of town / Could ``liberal`` talk radio actually be gaining something of a foothold? But there is no LTR in Lexington KY, the radio market here being divided between Clear Channel, Cumulus, and locally owned LM Communications / except for Imus (provided an outlet by LM), not a glimmer of anything even approaching ``liberal`` thought can be heard on Lexington radio / but, unfortunately, Imus appears ashamed of any ``liberal`` tendencies he may have --- considering that somehow unmanly --- speaks of ``panty-wearing liberals`` / (Loren Cox, Jr., Lexington, KY, Jan 18, by P-mail, retyped and slightly edited by gh for REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And today (Jan 20), is the climax of the plutocracy`s self-indulgent obscenity as it celebrates its President`s 2nd ``inaugural`` -- Find myself listening to Al Franken`s ``coverage`` of it, his program being on CCC`s 1260 outlet in Washington DC, called ``Progressive Talk 1260`` (he mentioned that), which was carrying ``Imus in the Morning`` this morning, so evidently, the ``revolution of talk radio`` is not confined to Cincinnati (Franken mentioned a new affiliate in Detroit, also a CCC property?) An advantage of having AA available via ``free radio`` is that I don`t have to subscribe Sirius in order to get it / And wasn`t W (``Pass the Freedoms Pappy``) Bush awesomely inspiring, it being America`s/Bush`s/God`s (they are all of a piece) mission to bring ``freedom``, ``democracy``, to the rest of the world (the passing to be done with one hand while holding a gun in the other hand to make sure there is a willing recipient) / Yes, a world that was an America as I would have it --- not as current ``ruling circles`` (what`s that?) would have it --- would be a fine thing / ``Freedom`` / ``democracy`` for others while oligarchy prevails here? Presumably I`ll be able to hear the comely Laura Flanders on Saturday nights except when WCKY preempts for U of KY basketball (ugh!)* *pardon the repetition; must be really struck on L F / --- also on Sunday evenings but dropped at 9 pm 1/23 for Christian Science infomercial. I was almost expecting Bush to go into a Mussolini strut / Re: ``Pass the Freedoms Pappy`` / many years ago there was a rather notorious Texas Senator named William Lee O`Daniel --- called ``Pappy O`Daniel``, because of a song he used to sing as a country music performer, ``Pass the biscuits Pappy`` / the poet e e cummings changed the line to ``pass the freedoms pappy`` Undsoweiter / (Loren Cox, Jan 20, ibid.) ** U S A. ``If you could buy one radio station in the country where you live, and you didn't have to be concerned about ratings, which one would it be?" WSM. I would modify the license to diplex into one of the WLAC towers or a stick somewhere else, then sell the existing transmitter site to developers. Whoever built the second TV tower at Old Hickory hasn't had much luck selling space; maybe they'd let me shunt-feed their TV tower. Yes, the club would probably expel me and I'd have to get a concealed-carry permit to defend myself from angry broadcast history buffs. But that land is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY valuable. Between what I'd make selling that, and what Clear Channel would pay me for the WSM license, I could buy any *other* station I wanted and live happily ever after... (honestly, I'm surprised there have been no known serious offers for that property. It would be really difficult to find a suitable replacement site, but that land is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY valuable...) – (Doug Smith W9WI Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66 http://www.w9wi.com NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. A TRAFFIC REPORTER WITH NO TRAFFIC! with John Williams reporting from New York I was recently in New York (on holiday) and saw this article in The New York Times. Traffic was flowing nicely on the New Jersey Turnpike. The inbound approach to the Lincoln Tunnel was looking pretty good. Even the famously torturous Cross Bronx Expressway was providing drivers with a smooth ride in both directions. As for mass transit, everything was on or close to schedule. It was a commuter`s dream come true. It was 3.21 in the morning. Ray Daniels an overnight traffic reporter on 1010 WINS was scanning images from the Panasonic ``jam cams`` looking hopefully for something to report. Perhaps there would be rubber-necking delays on the Hutch near the scene of an earlier accident or an unauthorized tractor- trailer stuck beneath an overpass. No such luck. Mr Daniels sighed, took a swig of Gatorade and listened for the frantic orchestration – the one that sounds like a pileup involving a xylophone and a drum set – that would prompt his 75 second report on the health of the region`s roadways. In a few hours, tens of thousands of drivers would be tangled in Monday morning snarls. For now though, Mr Daniels was not unlike that lonely Maytag repairman. ``This is getting very tedious``, he said after telling the truckers and the insomniacs that it was all clear on the Tappen Zee, the B.Q.E. and the L.I.E. ``At this hour you have to find different ways to say nothing. And you have to do it every 10 minutes``. Mr Daniels was not exactly alone. Sitting in nearby broadcast booths were the traffic reporters for WCBS AM, Bloomberg Radio and a handful of other stations, all of them spitting out information provided by Chris Hanna, the overnight maestro who runs operations at Shadow Traffic, a syndicate that feeds most of the region`s news outlets. Here on the edge of a swamp in Rutherford, Mr Hanna monitors 30 video cameras, that are mounted on buildings and billboards, overlooking the region`s choke points. ``Yeah, its pretty dead tonight,`` he said, swiveling idly in his chair. During the chaotic morning commute, five television stations use helicopters for their traffic reports. But they still reply on reporting from Shadow Traffic, which has a daytime staff of five providing traffic data to 70 or so radio and television stations, many of which maintain cubicles or closet size offices down the hall. In a perfect world Mr Daniels would have his own drive-time radio program, but in the rapidly consolidating realm of American radio, there are fewer opportunities for on-air personalities, especially for disc jockeys with unmistakably Scottish accents. Mr Daniels, who was born and raised in Glasgow, but he cannot vanquish his brogue entirely for more than a few sentences. Still, he is glad to be working, even if it means talking traffic, or the lack of it. ``I feel very lucky to be on the air in the biggest English speaking radio market in the world,`` said Mr Daniels whose real name is Raymond Donaghue. Like most of his colleagues, he uses several alter egos that come in handy for getting work doing traffic reporting on competing stations. For a time, he was Joe Donahue on WCBS-AM but that job fizzled out. The job pays $28 and change an hour, and Mr Daniels earns extra cash by doing reports every 15 minutes for WKXW, a New Jersey talk radio station that also requires him to read pithy spots for Acme supermarket, and Quaker Oatmeal. Because that station is not a competitor to WINS Mr Daniels uses the same name on both stations. (New York Times 29 November, 2004 via Medium Wave News 50/09 32 February 2005 via DXLD) ** U S A. WQHT audio --- Re ´´The entire staff of the New York radio show "Miss Jones in the Morning" was taken off the air on Wednesday after broadcasting a song that ridiculed victims of the tsunami in South Asia, the radio station said.´´ Audio of this has been posted in a German forum: http://www.radioforen.de/showpost.php?p=152319&postcount=3 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. ABC News Now is off the air on WABC-DT 7-2. A "slide" is up saying that WABC NOW begins at midnight 1/31. Is this a local version of News Now, or are we reverting back to WABC reruns and old westerns? I guess we will know soon. Thanks, (Karl Zuk N2KZ Jan 30, WTFDA via DXLD) I'm guessing reruns of WABC newscasts. Washington's WJLA-DT is using the former News Now subchannel for local weather. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) ABC News Now is also off on WKRN-2-2. They used to carry it squeezed up in the upper left, with continuous weather in the rest of the screen. The continuous weather is still there, with a live shot from their downtown camera (on the so-called "Bat Building", officially the BellSouth Tower) squeezed up where ABC used to be. WKRN-DT also lit up their program guide information in the last few days. However... they're transmitting the guide information for 2-1 on 2-2, and transmitting no guide information on 2-1... I've read on radio- info.com that ABC has suspended News Now until later this spring. WTVF-DT's "Newschannel 5+" on 5-2 was suspended a couple of weeks ago in favor of a "temporarily unavailable" slide. Rumor has it Comcast told them 5+ would be removed from cable channel 51 if it continued to be available for free on WTVF-DT. (I cannot confirm that rumor) – (Doug Smith W9WI Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, ibid.) Has ABC stopped providing ABC NEWS NOW? If so, it hadn't even gotten to Topeka or Kansas City yet except via tropo where I saw it on a couple of stations. Good idea. If they have dropped it I hope someone else will provide a 14-hour newscast using multicast channels (Dave Pomeroy, KS, ibid.) ABC News Now will continue as a web service and over cable. The issue here is union jurisdiction. NABET (National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians) a part of the CWA claims jurisdiction over all programming emitting from ABC for over-the-air use. Digital television is over-the -air, so away it goes. Up to this point it has been considered an experiment. I enjoyed it. It served as a good source of alternative programming, the talent had fun, and it was a great training ground to help break-in ABCs farm team. The operation is really tiny. Their control room is right behind the huge three- projector screen on the Jennings set and the studio is a tiny room with a green chromakey screen half a block away. Low budget, high fun. It will be sad to see it go, but it lives on via the Net (Karl Zuk N2KZ, ibid.) Karl knows of what he speaks, but ABC's also announced that News Now will return to the air in the spring (can't recall the exact date offhand), so perhaps a deal will be (or is being) made with the union. Watched it here on WLS-DT 52.2 (7.2 virtual); it was also available on Comcast digital cable in the Chicago area (Tim Cronin Worth, IL, ibid.) I just got to see it myself for the first time via Cablevision digital cable when I was down in the NYC suburbs last week. WABC was doing interesting things with it - when there was a WABC local newscast on, it pre-empted News Now on the subchannel. And on Saturday morning, at the height of the blizzard, I was seeing WABC's news with a "NEWS NOW" banner overlaying WABC's own bottom-of-screen crawl. I suspect, but had no way of knowing for sure, that News Now was carrying WABC's local storm coverage to the nation at that point. WOKR-DT/WHAM-DT here never carried Now, to the best of my knowledge... s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) ** U S A. RICK KAPLAN, PUTTING MORE NBC IN MSNBC By Howard Kurtz Washington Post Staff Writer http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A50185-2005Jan30?language=printer (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. El dia de hoy, 29 de Enero en horas de la mañana hice esta escucha que me parece bastante curiosa por lo que se estaba diciendo y por quien me imagino, eran soldados venezolanos expresándose no muy bien de otros de mayor jeraquía. Lo escuchado fué lo siguiente: 5843 kHz (LSB), 29-01-2005, 1115 UT, al maestre le robaron el celular, de bolas si lo dejaba por todas partes, los cabos primeros no aguantan presión, el teniente de la fragata es una maldad, ese mama guevo tiene tiempo que no está en la isla. ¿Qué pasaría con estos soldados si algún superior por casualidad está escuchando estas comunicaciones? 8478 USB señal de tonos 9053 USB señal de tonos Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Barcelona, Edo Anzoátegui, Venezuela, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. Checked for ``Aló, Presidente`` Sunday Jan 30 around 1500, and found it best on 11875, also 13750 and 17750 via Cuba; presumed, long monolog. Only other Habana frequency found was 11760 speaking Esperantly, also Sundays only (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WALES [non]. I have been monitoring 7110 from 2130 to 2200 UT for the past five Fridays, hoping to hear Wales Radio International. They have not been on air on that frequency although reception on 3955 has been quite good at times, especially on 28 Jan. On 31 Dec and 7 Jan there was a relay of an Austrian domestic station; on 14 Jan there was a carrier but no audio; on 21 Jan. there was nothing, not even a carrier and on 28 Jan a very strong carrier ( on at 2130 and off at 2200) but still no audio. The broadcast is listed to come from a Moosbrunn transmitter in Austria but is anyone there or at WRI monitoring the situation? (Bernie O'Shea, Ottawa, Ontario, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6005, 0301-, Wales Radio International, Jan 29. What a mess on this frequency, as it's dominated by the BBCWS from Ascension, but another English station, presumed Wales R Int'l via Rampisham, UK is also almost as strong. No winners here (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. 17895, MOROCCO, "Radio Seven" program, VOA-Briech (per WRTH Jan Supplement), going from listed Ndebele to English at 1730 Jan 26 with announcement, "Thank you Brenda Moyer [sp?] and good evening Zimbabwe. It's 17 hours 30 UTC, 7:30 p.m. in Zimbabwe, on Wednesday, January 26, 2005, and you're listening to Studio 7, news for Zimbabwe coming to you from the Voice of America in Washington." Then some African instrumental music and into the news. Fadey before and after 1730 but good at ID time. I had not heard this VOA special service for Zimbabwe before. From the VOA website: "The role of the program becomes more important as the democratic space in Zimbabwe diminishes and fewer independent papers are publishing. The program aims to facilitate open debate and discussion of topical issues and to provide Zimbabweans with a diversity of voices and opinions." http://www.voanews.com/english/africa/zimbabwe/programs.cfm (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Wobbler on 910 & 930 --- The mystery radio signal that has been described as sounding like a wobbling metal sheet, is back after a hiatus during the recent atmospheric disturbances. It is audible without special processing on both 910 and 930 here in SE Florida, at 21:45 ET. With some enhancement the signal is very strong. I've written this thing up along with my tuning technique which makes it easy to detect. You can read more at this web site: http://ScooterHound.com/WWWR/wobbler/ I would like to hear from anyone and their location, who can hear the Wobbler. Also, if anyone has any idea what it might be - jamming has been suggested, or some natural occurrence - I would like to hear that as well (W. Curt Deegan, Boca Ratón, (South East) Florida, Jan 29, [JRC NRD-535D, LF Engineering H-800 & M-601, Quantum Phaser, ANC-4 noise canceler, GAP DSP], NRC-AM via DXLD) I've heard it on about half a dozen different frequencies. In most, if not all, cases, it seems to be associated with a Cuban station. Several times I've heard FM'ing on the Cuban station's modulation that seems to be associated with the "wobbling". Here's a clip with an example, in this case R. Cadena Agramonte on 910: http://topazdesigns.com/ambc/audio/cuba-910-0500-5jan05.mp3 I doubt that it is intentional jamming, but I have no idea why this stuff would be emanating from a number of Cuban transmitters, unless it's some kind of strange network problem down there (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Re DXLD 5-017, spur on 6323.7 at 1619 UT --- That comes from 6285 Voice of Korea (North). On 29 Jan at 1530 the spur was around 6333 and also on 6237 (that's 48k +/-), maybe a kilo more or less, the spur was rather wide. These are very common with the North Korean transmitters, as we all know. 73, (Jari Savolainen, Finland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. I am noticing a rather strong open carrier on 12145, tho not as strong as WWCR 12160, around 1500 UT Jan 29 and again rechecked around 2300. And again Jan 30 around 1500 and whenever checked the rest of the day and the next day. Broadcaster tuning up or ute? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ READING INTERNATIONAL RADIO GROUP, FEB 5 The next meeting will be on Saturday February 5th at a new venue, Meeting Room 1 at the Reading International Solidarity Centre (RISC) , 35-39 London Street, central Reading. RISC operates a cafe/bar (RISC Global Cafe) and shop (The World Shop) in London Street, the meeting rooms are at the back, the entrance is via a small passage just beyond the RISC shop, or ask for directions in the shop or bar. It is about 10 minutes walk from Reading station, just south of the main town centre and on several bus routes. RISC has a web site including directions (see Where are We?) at http://www.risc.org.uk We will be in the RISC global cafe/bar at 1400, moving to the meeting room itself at 1430. Mobile calls on the day can be made to Dave Kenny on 0775 4377661. The meetings last about 2 and a half hours followed by an optional drink and curry at a local Indian restaurant. Topics will include: A promotional LP for shortwave DX'ing in 1979 including many interval signals from the major stations at the time. Receiving international radio stations through satellite. The radio scene in British Columbia and operating as an amateur whilst on vacation there. The history of radio jingles in the UK. For further information email mikewb @ dircon.co.uk phone 01462 643899 (Mike Barraclough, UK, World DX Club via DXLD) RADIO STAMPS ++++++++++++ Hello, Christian's link to the Finnish stamp is invalid. http://puoti.pmk.posti.fi is better. The FDC is 1.75 to which is added a handling fee for items under 20 EUR plus postage, so that it eventually all adds up to 5.75 EUR. The stamp itself is very nice, Lahti by night so to say, hi (Joé Leyder, Luxembourg, radiostamps yg via DXLD) FDC (and other radio related stuff) can be seen here: http://www.jln.pp.fi/filatelia/filatelia.html (Jari Lehtinen, Lahti, HCDX via DXLD) ###