DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-039, March 4, 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 Extra 54: Sat 0600 WOR SIUE Web Radio Sat 0900 WOR WRN1 to Eu, Au, NZ, WorldSpace AfriStar, AsiaStar, Telstar 12 SAm Sat 0955 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300 Sat 1130 WOR WWCR 5070 Sat 2030 WOR R. Lavalamp Sun 0330 WOR WWCR 5070 Sun 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0430 WOR WRMI 6870 Sun 0730 WOR WWCR 3210 Sun 0930 WOR WRN1 to North America, also WLIO-TV Lima OH SAP Sun 0930 WOR KSFC Spokane WA 91.9 Sun 0930 WOR WXPN Rhinelander WI 91.7 91.9 100.9 Sun 0930 WOR WDWN Auburn NY 89.1 [unconfirmed] Sun 0930 WOR KTRU Houston TX 91.7 [occasional] Sun 1030 WOR WRMI 9955 Sun 1100 WOR R. Lavalamp Sun 1400 WOR KRFP-LP Moscow ID 92.5 Sun 1500 WOR R. Lavalamp Sun 2000 WOR Studio X, Momigno, Italy 1584 87.35 96.55 105.55 Sun 2100 WOR RNI Mon 0330 WOR WRMI 6870 Mon 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0430 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 [1265] Mon 0530 WOR WBCQ 7415 Mon 0900 WOR R. Lavalamp Mon 1700 WOR WBCQ after hours 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 Extra 54 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx54h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/worx54h.rm WORLD OF RADIO Extra 54 (low version, same as COM 04-09): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0409.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0409.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0409.html WORLD OF RADIO Extra 54 in the true shortwave sound of mp3: keep checking http://www.piratearchive.com/dxprograms.htm ** ALBANIA. /CHINA: Summer A-05 schedule for CRI via Cerrik: 0000-0157 English 6020 CER 300*kW / 305 deg to NoAmEa 9570 CER 300*kW / 305 deg to NoAmEa 0200-0357 Chinese 6020 CER 300*kW / 305 deg to NoAmEa 9570 CER 300*kW / 305 deg to NoAmEa 0500-0657 Arabic 9590 CER 150 kW / 140 deg to EaAfEa 11710 CER 150 kW / 140 deg to EaAfEa English 9515 CER 150 kW / 240 deg to NoAfSo 11775 CER 150 kW / 240 deg to NoAfSo 0700-0857 Chinese 11785 CER 150 kW / 310 deg to WeEuNo English 13710 CER 150 kW / 310 deg to WeEuNo 1100-1257 English 13650 CER 150 kW / 310 deg to WeEuNo 1400-1557 French 11920 CER 150 kW / 240 deg to WeAfWe 13670 CER 150 kW / 240 deg to WeEuWe 1500-1557 Turkish 7150 CER 150 kW / non-dir to Turkey 9565 CER 150 kW / non-dir to Turkey 1600-1757 Arabic 9555 CER 150 kW / 140 deg to EaAfEa 11725 CER 150 kW / 240 deg to NoAfSo German 5970 CER 150 kW / 330 deg to WeEuNo 7155 CER 150 kW / 330 deg to WeEuNo 1800-1957 French 5970 CER 150 kW / 310 deg to WeEuSo 7175 CER 150 kW / 310 deg to WeEuSo 9635 CER 150 kW / 240 deg to WeAfWe 11695 CER 150 kW / 240 deg to WeAfWe 2000-2157 Arabic 6185 CER 150 kW / 193 deg to EaAfWe 7370 CER 150 kW / 193 deg to EaAfWe English 5960 CER 150 kW / 310 deg to WeEuNo 7285 CER 150 kW / 310 deg to WeEuNo 2200-2257 Portuguese 6175 CER 150 kW / 280 deg to SoEuWe 2200-2357 Spanish 7210 CER 150 kW / 280 deg to SoEuSo 2300-2357 Spanish 6175 CER 150 kW / 280 deg to SoEuWe * 2 x 150 kW in parallel (Observer, Bulgaria, March 1 via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. Summer A-05 of Radio Tirana: Albanian 0630-0758 Daily 1458 7105 0800-0858 Daily 1395 7105 1400-1528 Daily 1458 2030-2158 Daily 6205 2300-0028 Daily 6115 English 0145-0158 Tue-Sun 6115 7160 0230-0258 Tue-Sun 6115 7160 1845-1858 Mon-Sat 6115 7210 2130-2158 Mon-Sat 7120 German 1800-1828 Mon-Sat 6130 Greek 1545-1558 Mon-Sat 1458 French 1900-1928 Mon-Sat 6115 Italian 0430-0458 Mon-Sat 5955 Serbian 2015-2028 Mon-Sat 1458 6205 Turkish 1530-1543 Mon-Sat 1458 (Observer, Bulgaria, March 1 via DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. ANTÁRTIDA, 15476, LRA 36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, 1936, Canciones argentinas ininterrumpidamente hasta el cierre a las 2100. Varias canciones de Atahulapa Yupanqui. En ningún momento se escuchó locución, solo canciones. Parece que, últimamente están transmitiendo con solo el operador de la emisora, sin locutoras. El año pasado, con el anterior equipo, tenían casi siempre locución, primero 3 y luego 2 locutoras, pero este año, por lo menos las veces que escuché esta emisora, sólo ponen música grabada. También, en el 2004 respondían escrupulosamente al correo electrónico y en el 2005 parece que no la hacen. SINPO 24322. (Marzo 3). (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escucha realizada en Friol, 27 km al Oeste de Lugo, los días 3 y 4 de Marzo. Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable, 8 metros, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTIGUA. DW abandoning Antigua for Guiana French! See GERMANY [non] ** ANTIGUA [and non]. Re 30380 harmonic: Thanks, Glenn. And I do agree with your opinion. I can predict that government-run agencies like the BBC & VOA will always tend toward the mediocre in terms of performance. Why? External criticism is always met with suspicion and distrust. The next intercept of their 2nd harmonic could confirm that (Jack Sullivan, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. RAE, 15344.63, 2305-2330+ Feb 27, fútbol game with announce screaming the usual exaggerated g-o-a-l. Fair; \\ 6060 poor with co-channel QRM (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. HCJB A05 HFC 6-Jan-2005 HCA KNX = Kununurra Version:00 Total reqs:10 Time:15:29:12 [Note this includes changes expected on June 1 and September 1, as well as alternate frequencies, the penultimate column before language] -+-------+------+------+-+-----+----------+---+---+---+-----+-+-----+- FREQ STRT STOP CIRAF ZONES POWR AZIMUTH SLW ANT DAYS FDATE TDATE MOD AFRQ LANGUAGE -+-------+------+------+-+-----+----------+---+---+---+-----+-+-----+- 11750 0700 1000 51,55,56,59,60,62 50 120 0 108 1234567 270305 301005 D 11755 ENGLISH 15390 1430 1600 40,41,49,54 100 307 0 148 1234567 270305 301005 D 15480 ENGLISH 15405 1300 1430 40,41,49,54 100 307 0 148 1234567 270305 010605 D 15480 VARIOUS 15405 1300 1430 40,41,49,54 100 307 0 148 1234567 010905 301005 D 15480 VARIOUS 15405 1300 1430 44,49,50,54 100 340 0 148 1234567 010605 010905 D 15480 VARIOUS 15425 1000 1300 41E,49,54 100 307 0 148 1234567 270305 301005 D 15480 VARIOUS 15525 2230 0100 44,50,54 100 340 0 148 1234567 270305 301005 D 15480 VARIOUS 15560 0100 0230 40,41,49,54 100 307 0 148 1234567 270305 301005 D 15480 ENGLISH 15560 0230 0300 40,41,49,54 100 307 0 148 1 270305 301005 D 15480 ENGLISH 15560 0230 0300 40,41,49,54 100 307 0 148 234567 270305 301005 D 15480 URDU Please find attached the latest A05 schedule for HCA (HCJB Australia) The frequency/programme schedules at http://www.hcjb.org will be updated shortly. If you require further information please don’t hesitate to write to me. Cheers (Dave Yetman, Frequency Manager, HCJB Australia, March 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHRAIN. Coalition Maritime Forces broadcast music and info helpful to mariners in the ongoing ``war on terror``[ism]. Mariners may listen to these broadcasts by tuning into: 6125 at 0300-1400 and 15500 at 1400-0300 UT (US Maritime Liaison Office – MARLO, Bahrain, Advisory Bulletin 13 February via Jeff Weston, DX News, March BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Haven`t seen any reports of 15500 for quite some time, and 6125 hardly every reported due to co-channel, daytime-only usage (gh, DXLD) ** BELGIUM. Wim Janssen, director of RVi did appear on VOA Talk to America March 4. Said from Marchend, would be drastically cut to 4 hours per day on SW, two in the morning, two in the evening, for Flemish tourists in Europe only; half the time would be leased from VT and the other half from their Russian friends. On satellite, the domestic service will be relayed except for one `fresh` hour of Dutch per day plus some repeats of it. Will remain on MW to Europe [1512] and internet. Satellites to be used? To Europe, ASTRA and Hotbird; to America, Intelsat and Telstar; to Asia, Thaicom, and replayed to ANZ on Optus[?]; to South Africa on a pay channel. The cuts are not primarily for financial reasons, but for the survival of RVi in the next 5-10 years. There will be English news and features in text on the website, and in audio, headline news in English; also applies to French and German. No jobs are being lost; duties are simply being changed from making radio programs to writing web material. RVi is in the same building as RTBF, but they barely talk to each other. Included a vintage clip of David Monson, and in the second half of the hour, Juhani Niinistö, Finland, with further discussion of the devolution of SWBC (as interviewed by Doug Bernard and Kim Andrew Elliott, also with some questions from listeners, notes by Glenn Hauser for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BURUNDI. "PEACE RADIO" ISANGANIRO AVAILABLE LIVE ONLINE BBC Monitoring observes "peace" Radio Isanganiro with a live audio stream available from its web site at http://www.web-africa.org/isanganiro A programme guide on the web site indicates that the station is on the air daily at 0400-1900 gmt on 89.7 MHz (Bujumbura), 93.3 & 95.1 MHz (Bururi), 90.6 MHz (Kirundo) and 90.7 MHz (Ruyigi) in the FM band. Radio Isanganiro (the name means "meeting place" in Kirundi) first went on air on 18 November 2002, producing programmes in French and Kirundi with the stated aim of promoting dialogue, peace and reconciliation in Burundi and the Great Lakes region. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 3 Mar 05 (via DXLD) ** CANADA. This Friday morning between around 1000-1040 UT all southern signals were blocked, nothing from Perú, Chile, etc. but at the same time I for the first time logged CFRB, Toronto on 6070.00 kHz with good signal and IDs. Closer to 1100 the southern signals returned but very weak. Very rare conditions! http://www.malm-ecuador.com 73s (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, March 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHILE. (?) 9535, The Voice, Feb. 26 at 0645-0800*. SINPO 34333. Test broadcast in English with pop songs. ID was heard often as "You are listening to a test transmission of the Voice, broadcasting from Chile." The parallel frequencies of 17670 and 15450 were not heard. Another test broadcast was heard on 9805 on Feb. 26 at 2148-2220. SINPO 25332. Music program consists of Pops (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) Something to do with the NIGERIA [non] tests? ** CHINA. Bill Thorkildson`s comment about Radio Beijing (previous Radio Peking) reminds me that I first heard them when I was living in Leeds aback in 1957, when I began a regular association with them. In 1986, after emigrating to Melbourne, I was invited to visit China as a guest of Radio Beijing, along with Glenn Hauser and Larry Miller from the US. We were shown around China accompanied by one of their reporters, visiting Beijing, Shanghai, Xian and Hangzhou, as well as being interviewed on CRI and seeing the Great Wall and the Terracotta Warriors. A most memorable trip. I take part in most Radio Habana Cuba a competitions but doubt if I will ever win a trip as Cubana don`t fly to Australia (Don Rhodes, Yarra Glen, Melbourne, Australia, Open to Discussion, March BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) In 1986 the fruits of my listening to R. Peking came good; I was invited to visit Chiina as their guest. I asked if my wife could go to and we both flew to Beijing, and wer met by a rep of R. Beijing, as it was then called. Next morning I met Glenn Hauser who was also on the trip. We were taken around the old RB building, and interviewed, visited the Great Wall, and some other cities. All escorted by radio reps. Much to Glenn`s dismay, we were not allowed to visit the transmitter sites (Don Rhodes, excerpt from Meet the Members, March BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) I believe we did get to visit the outside wall of a Xi`an site, and I have a photo of a group of workers in front of it. I always wondered if it doubled as a jammer (gh) ** CHINA [non]. A-05 relays: see ALBANIA ** COLOMBIA. FARC REBELS CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR ATTACK ON MEDIA FIRM | Text of statement issued by the Manuel Cepeda Vargas Urban Front of the Joint Western Command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP) in Cali on 24 February, published by New Colombia News Agency (Anncol) web site on 27 February 1. On 20 February at 2215 [local time], the Manuel Cepeda Vargas Urban Front attacked the Cali headquarters of RCN Radio and Television with explosives, damaging 70 per cent of its administrative area. 2. This network has been playing an active role in the conflict, broadcasting official propaganda against the insurgency. 3. It has also turned into a sounding box for the black propaganda of the army and official media of Narino [presidential] Palace. 4. We respect the opinions and the efforts of the reporters who work there, at the same time as we reject the strategy established by its owners and by its main administrative figureheads against the right of the people to be well informed. Manuel Cepeda Vargas Urban Front, Joint Western Command, FARC-EP [Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army] Cali, 24 February 2005. Source: New Colombia News Agency (Anncol) web site, in Spanish 27 Feb 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CUBA. 5025, Radio Rebelde, 0805, Programa presentado por Karina Vargas: "A esta hora estamos en la tercera hora de "A esta hora", cuatro con cinco minutos, estamos en la tercera hora de nuestro programa". Muy buena señal. 45444. (Marzo 4) 9600, Radio Rebelde, 1133. Hacía tiempo que no escuchaba el programa "Haciendo Radio" en esta frecuencia. Hoy se sintonizaba bastante bién. "Son las 7 de la mañana con 36 minutos, buenos días, desde las 5 de la mañana en Radio Rebelde, hacemos mejor la radio". Noticias y comentarios de Cuba y del mundo. 34333. (Marzo 4). 12000, Radio Habana Cuba, 1102, Manolo de la Rosa presenta la revista informativa "Despertar con Cuba", entre las 1100 y las 1400. "Hola amigos de la onda corta, les habla Manolo de la Rosa". 34333. (Marzo 4). (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escucha realizada en Friol, 27 km al Oeste de Lugo, los días 3 y 4 de Marzo. Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable, 8 metros, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 15190, Radio Africa, 1358, inglés, identificación a las 1400 "Radio Africa", comentario religioso. Fuerte interferencia de la BBC World Service. 32322. (Marzo 4). (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escucha realizada en Friol, 27 km al Oeste de Lugo, los días 3 y 4 de Marzo. Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable, 8 metros, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At the same time I was listening to BBCWS and could detect an American gospel huxter underneath. BBC should not allow this to continue (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA WWRB ** ETHIOPIA. V. of Tigray Revolution, 5500, *0355-0415+ Feb 27, flute IS, 0400 vernacular talk, local Horn of Africa music. Fair; \\ 6350 weak (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. R. Gabon, Libreville, continues to be reported on reactivated 4777. It only appears to be in use regularly for the morning transmission, from around *0530 (Dave Kenny, DX News, March BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. DW A-05: ENGLISCHES PROGRAMM =================== SUEDASIEN ENGLISCH 0000-0100 1548 MW CLN TRINCOMALEE 7130 41 CLN TRINCOMALEE 9505 31 CLN TRINCOMALEE 9825 31 D WERTACHTAL BERLIN ENGLISCH 0000-0100 199360 UKW D BERLIN ------------------------------------------------------------------ ZENTRAL- und ENGLISCH 0400-0500 7170 41 RRW KIGALI OSTAFRIKA 9963 31 RRW KIGALI [sic; should it be 9630 as in the following hour?] 11945 25 D WERTACHTAL 15445 19 CLN TRINCOMALEE RWANDA ENGLISCH 0400-0500 96000 UKW RRW KIGALI ------------------------------------------------------------------ ZENTRAL- und ENGLISCH 0500-0600 9630 31 POR SINES SUEDAFRIKA 9700 31 RRW KIGALI 15410 19 MDC TALATA-VOL. 17800 16 UAE DHABAYYA RWANDA ENGLISCH 0500-0600 96000 UKW RRW KIGALI ------------------------------------------------------------------ WESTAFRIKA ENGLISCH 0600-0700 7170 41 POR SINES 15275 19 D WERTACHTAL 17860 16 RRW KIGALI RWANDA ENGLISCH 0600-0700 96000 UKW RRW KIGALI ------------------------------------------------------------------ EUROPA ENGLISCH 0600-1000 6140 49 D JUELICH NAHOST/N.AF ENGLISCH 0600-1000 21675 13 CLN TRINCOMAL./DRM BUKAREST ENGLISCH 0600-0630 88500 UKW ROU BUKAREST TIRANA ENGLISCH 0600-0630 106000 UKW ALB TIRANA BERLIN ENGLISCH 0700-0800 199360 UKW D BERLIN RWANDA ENGLISCH 0800-1000 96000 UKW RRW KIGALI BERLIN ENGLISCH 0900-1000 199360 UKW D BERLIN RWANDA ENGLISCH 1100-1200 96000 UKW RRW KIGALI EUROPA ENGLISCH 1300-1600 6140 49 D JUELICH ------------------------------------------------------------------ SUEDASIEN ENGLISCH 1600-1700 1548 MW CLN TRINCOMALEE 6170 49 CLN TRINCOMALEE 7225 41 CLN TRINCOMALEE 17595 19 D WERTACHTAL RWANDA ENGLISCH 1600-1700 96000 UKW RRW KIGALI ------------------------------------------------------------------ OSTAFRIKA ENGLISCH 1900-2000 13780 22 D WERTACHTAL 15520 19 D WERTACHTAL RWANDA ENGLISCH 1900-2000 96000 UKW RRW KIGALI BERLIN ENGLISCH 1900-2000 199360 UKW D BERLIN ------------------------------------------------------------------ ZENTRAL- und ENGLISCH 2000-2100 7130 41 RRW KIGALI SUEDAFRIKA 11865 25 D WERTACHTAL 13780 22 D WERTACHTAL 15205 19 D WERTACHTAL RWANDA ENGLISCH 2000-2100 96000 UKW RRW KIGALI ----------------------------------------------------------------- WESTAFRIKA ENGLISCH 2100-2200 9440 31 D WERTACHTAL 11865 25 RRW KIGALI 15205 19 RRW KIGALI RWANDA ENGLISCH 2100-2200 96000 UKW RRW KIGALI ------------------------------------------------------------------ OSTASIEN ENGLISCH 2200-2300 7115 41 KAZ ALMA ATA 9720 31 D NAUEN NORDAMERIKA ENGLISCH 2200-2230 9800 31 CAN SACKVILLE/DRM ------------------------------------------------------------------ SUEDOSTASIEN ENGLISCH 2300-0000 5955 49 CLN TRINCOMALEE 9890 31 RRW KIGALI 15135 19 RUS TCHITA RWANDA ENGLISCH 2300-0000 96000 UKW RRW KIGALI DRM-Programme für Europa mit Programmanteilen des Deutschen und Englischen DW-Programmes sowie des DW-Musikkanals. EUROPA DRM-TEST 1800-1000 3995 75 D WERTACHTAL EUROPA DRM-TEST 0600-1000 5975 49 D WERTACHTAL EUROPA DRM-TEST 2100-2200 5980 49 POR SINES EUROPA DRM-TEST 1000-1300 6140 49 D JUELICH EUROPA DRM-TEST 1600-1900 6140 49 D JUELICH EUROPA DRM-TEST 1400-1559 6180 49 D WERTACHTAL EUROPA DRM-TEST 1600-1659 7175 41 D WERTACHTAL EUROPA DRM-TEST 0600-1200 7265 41 D WERTACHTAL EUROPA DRM-TEST 0700-0900 7265 41 POR SINES EUROPA DRM-TEST 1700-1759 7265 41 D WERTACHTAL EUROPA DRM-TEST 1200-1359 9655 31 D WERTACHTAL EUROPA DRM-TEST 1500-1755 13790 22 POR SINES EUROPA DRM-TEST 1200-1555 15265 19 POR SINES EUROPA DRM-TEST 1800-1955 15435 19 POR SINES EUROPA DRM-TEST 0800-1459 15440 19 POR SINES EUROPA DRM-TEST 0900-1159 15545 16 POR SINES (via Alokesh Gupta, India, excerpted from a complete schedule, DXLD) The new A05 schedule of Deutsche Welle reveals that they will abandon the Antigua transmitters as of March 27 and replace them by Montsinéry [GUIANA FRENCH]. In detail DW is booked at Montsinéry with German 2200-2400 on 15410, 0000-0200 on 11955, and 0200-0600 on 9735, all former Antigua slots (0000-0200 instead of 6100 which will go to Sackville instead). Another new site for DW will be Chita-Atamanovka in Siberia: English 2300-2400 on 15135. Polish 1200-1230 (at present 1300-1330 via Wertachtal on 7130 and 9735) will be removed from shortwave and stay on satellite only. However, the evening programme 1630-1659 will still be carried by a Sines transmitter, again on the usual summer frequency 15595. Actually DW announced already last year that Polish is to be taken off shortwave entirely. The Arabic service (at present 1300-1630 and 2000-2130) will get new airtimes: 0400-0500 and 1800-2200. On the mediumwave side Wolvertem 1512 [BELGIUM], at present carrying DW German 1500-1700, will be deleted. No surprise of course, but it makes me wonder again what will happen with RNW on mediumwave? A while ago dramatic curtailments of DW's shortwave transmissions especially in German and English were reported. So I compared the A05 schedule against B04. At a first glance these changes in transmitter usage are obvious: German 0000-0200: Additional 1 x Wertachtal (9545; ex Sines), 1 x Montsinéry (11955) German 0200-0400: Deleted 1 x Nauen (6075), 1 x Wertachtal (6145), 1 x Antigua (9640) German 0600-0800: Deleted 1 x Antigua (11985), 1 x Trincomalee (21640); Sines-6075 reduced to 0600-0630. German 0800-1000: Deleted 1 x Antigua (9690), 1 x Wertachtal (9735) German 1000-1400: Unchanged. German 1400-1700: Additional 1 x Wertachtal (15275, // Nauen = ex- 15680; Kigali moves from 15275 to 17860) German 1700-1800: Deleted 1 x Sines (6075) German 1800-2000: Deleted 1 x Kigali (17860) German 2000-2200: Unchanged. German 2200-2400: Additional: 1 x Wertachtal (7105), 1 x Montsinéry (15410) English 0000-0100 to As: Additional 1 x Trincomalee English 0400-0500 to Af: Additional 1 x Trincomalee (15445) English 0600-0700 to Af: Deleted 1 x Wertachtal English 1600-1700 to As: Unchanged English 1900-2000 to Af: Deleted 1 x Kigali, 1 x Sines English 2000-2400: Unchanged In other languages a transmitter will be deleted here and added there. No dramatic changes or obvious trends (aside from the Polish service discussed above). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What in the world is the story with Antigua? DW has been co-owner of the Caribbean Relay Co. there along with BBC from the outset. Will all four(?) transmitters remain in operation, with more BBC or other new clients? Presaging this were the DW DRM tests via GUF last month (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREENLAND. KNR Tasiilaq presumed the one on 3815 USB March 4th, dead on frequency: 2103 heard woman speaking, rang Noel Green and he had the same, 2113 female singer, 2116 discussion between man and woman. Signal was threshold level but steady, just above the noise level, the music was coming over better than the speech, too weak to be positive about the language. At 2130 there was a short musical bridge/interval signal, then presumed news in Greenlandic as listed in WRTH, same interval signal 2142 followed by music. Signal began to fade down but the musical bridge was heard again at 2200, woman with presumed Danish news, musical bridge at 2210 then another piece of music and left the air without apparent announcement at 2215. Occasional short 20 second bursts of utility interference and presumably the same utility transmitter tuning up from time to time (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth Garden City, UK, AOR 7030, 60 m longwire, dxldyg via DXLD) Congrats! (gh) Heard it as well, about 10 minutes before it left the air at about 2215 via the Rommele receiver in Sweden; the signal was quite good just as it left the air. Regards (Tony Magon, VK2IC, Sydney, ibid.) ** GUAM. A - 05 Frequency Schedule for KTWR Trans World Radio - Guam (March 27, 2005 - October 29, 2005) Freq Time UTC Pwr Asm Target Days (KHz) Open-Close (kW) (deg) CIRAF(zones) (Mon-Sun) Languages ======= ==== ==== === === ============== ======= ========= 7455.0 1100-1600 100 320 42,43,44 1234567 Mandarin 9370.0 1400-1600 100 305 42,43,44 1234567 Mandarin 9465.0 1200-1230 100 345 45 12345 Japanese 9465.0 1200-1245 100 345 45 67 Japanese 9585.0 1300-1330 100 285 49 1234567 Sgaw Karen 9635.0 1100-1200 100 285 49 1234567 Vietnamese 9865.0 0930-1100 100 315 42,43,44 1234567 Mandarin 9910.0 0930-1100 100 320 42,43,44 1234567 Mandarin 9920.0 1400-1445 100 278 49 1234567 Vietnamese 9920.0 1445-1615 100 345 44,45 1234567 Korean 9975.0 1200-1300 100 285 41,49 1234567 Burmese 9975.0 1300-1330 100 315 43,44 1234567 Mandarin 9975.0 1330-1400 100 315 42-44 1234567 Mandarin 9975.0 1400-1500 100 285 43,44 1234567 Cantonese 11610.0 2130-2215 100 320 42,43,44 1234567 Mandarin 11690.0 2115-2145 100 345 45 12345 Japanese 11690.0 2115-2200 100 345 45 67 Japanese 11695.0 1300-1330 100 278 49 1234567 Khmer 11750.0 1200-1230 100 293 43,44 1234567 Swatow 11750.0 1230-1245 100 308 42-44 12345 English 11750.0 1245-1300 100 278 49 1234567 Khmer 11765.0 2200-2230 100 308 42,43,44 1234567 Mandarin 11840.0 0800-0930 100 165 51,55,56,58-60 12345 English 11840.0 0815-0930 100 165 51,55,56,58-60 67 English 12080.0 1330-1345 100 293 41 12 Muslimi/Bengali 12080.0 1330-1345 100 293 41 34567 Boro 12080.0 1345-1400 100 293 41 1234567 Santhali 12105.0 1500-1630 100 278 41,48,49,50 1234567 English 12130.0 0900-0930 100 305 42,43,44 1234567 Hakka 12130.0 0930-1400 100 305 42,43,44 1234567 Mandarin 12130.0 1400-1415 100 285 41 1234567 Muslimi/Bengali 12130.0 1415-1430 100 285 41 67 Manipuri 12130.0 1415-1430 100 285 41 12345 Muslimi/Bengali 12130.0 2200-2300 100 285 44 1234567 Cantonese 13630.0 2215-2300 100 305 42,43,44 1234567 Mandarin 15200.0 0900-0915 100 248 54 12 567 Balinese 15200.0 0900-0915 100 248 54 34 Torajanese 15200.0 0915-1000 100 248 54 1234567 Madurese 15200.0 1000-1030 100 248 54 1234567 Sundanese 15200.0 1030-1200 100 248 54 1234567 Indonesian 15225.0 0730-0900 100 278 49,50,54 67 English 15225.0 0740-0900 100 278 49,50,54 12345 English 15275.0 1100-1200 100 255 49,54 1234567 Javanese KTWR Frequency Coordination Trans World Radio, PO Box 8780, Agat, Guam 96928 USA Phone (671)828-8637 Fax (671)828-8636 e-mail: ktwrfreq @ guam.twr.org Source : George Ross, KTWR (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. For TV DXers [sic] who want to watch hundreds of TV stations from around the world, try http://www.wwitv.com It`s an amazing collexion with linx to TV from Albania to Zimbabwe and about 100 other countries including Andorra, Brunei, Kurdistan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Tunisia and the Vatican (Alan Taylor, M0AUR, Communication Webwatch, March BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** ITALY. Heard you mention three editions back that Rai Roma has its transmitter sites on the block. I haven`t heard Rai English to North America, 0055-0110 for several months. Must`ve been terrible propagation. Nothing on 9675; it has begun to show up on 11800, 2-3, 5444 SINPO (Bob Thomas, CT, Feb 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH. I heard a request on RKI for DX-experienced reporters on their World Friendship programme, Saturdays. Experienced DXers should contact them at english @ kbs.co.kr [no longer in effect with namechange?], or to RKI, KBS, 18 Yoido Dong, Youngdungpo, KU Seoul 1540-790, Korea. It would be a great way to help the DX hobby. RKI also QSL quickly and with just about the most attractive cards these days. The latest QSL shows a snow capped palace from 1392y and if you are lucky they will have some nice souvenirs for you. I was sent a clip-on clock which is most useful in the car (Don Rhodes, Yarra Glen, Melbourne, Australia, Open to Discussion, March BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [and non]. Iran/Iraq clandestine update to January issue: Communists to Iran: 3885, 4375, 6425: 1425-1535 Kurdish, 1625-1835 Persian, 0425-0535 Persian 3930, 4610: 1655-1835, 0400-0530 Persian/Kurdish Socialists to Iran: 3970, 4860: 0250-0450, 1320-1600 Persian/Kurdish Socialists/Conservatives to Iraq: 4162: 1505-1655 Kurdish/Arabic V. of the Toilers/Mojahedin has not been heard since 1 January. It was previously aired at 1600-1700 in the 4200-4300 range (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, 7 Feb, DX News, March BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** MEXICO. MEXICO'S RADIO CENTRO TO BEGIN DRM TESTS THIS SPRING Mexico`s Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Radio y Televisión (CIRT) has announced that it will begin conducting DRM tests this spring. CIRT will use a commercial station of one of its members, Radio Centro of Mexico City, for this purpose. This development expands the scope of DRM testing in Mexico into the commercial radio realm. On February 9th, the Ministry of Communications and Transportation authorized the commencement of a national DRM testing project to be carried out by Radio Educación, the country’s public, cultural and educational network. "We are very interested to evaluate the DRM system, in particular its mediumwave/AM simulcast modes, as soon as possible,`` said Ernesto Reyes Ramírez, CIRT’s Director of Engineering. "The test results will be presented to the Ministry of Communications and Transportation." CIRT participated in DRM’s Mexico City symposium on February 9th. During the event, more than 80 commercial and non-commercial representatives of the Mexican broadcasting industry heard about DRM`s advantages from a panel of experts. The DRM symposium featured a live broadcast of the actual switch of Radio Educación from analogue mediumwave/AM to DRM, as the Mexican testing process began. Live DRM broadcasts from overseas on shortwave were also demonstrated. "We are delighted to work with Mexican broadcasters who are interested in evaluating DRM`s potential as a digital radio solution,`` says DRM Chairman and Deutsche Welle COO Peter Senger. "Enthusiasm for DRM`s advantages for Latin America is clearly growing." While the DRM system currently covers the broadcasting bands below 30 MHz, the DRM General Assembly will vote on a proposal to extend it to the broadcasting bands up to 120 MHz, at its upcoming meeting in Paris on March 10th. # posted by Andy @ 10:23 UT March 4 (Media Network blog via DXLD) That would be XEQR-1030 (gh) ** NIGERIA. V. of Nigeria, 15120, *1700-1859* Feb 26, sign-in with instrumental tune; 1702 English sign-on announcements, Afro-pops; 1703 News, program about Nigerian politics. Good. V. of Nigeria, 7255, *1900-2259* Feb 26, English programming with Afro-pops, IDs, program about Nigerian popular music. 2001 News. 2045 economic news program. 2057 closing English announcements, 2059 into French. Noticed vernacular talk later. Sign-off with NA. Very weak at 1900 but slowly improving to fair level by 1940 but with ham QRM (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. Hi, Glenn! Every time I see a reference in DXLD to "KXOK" I mean to ask you this and finally am remembering to do it: I know that "KXOK" is now the call letters of the OK TV station (and quite appropriate too; all the call signs containing "OK" should stay in your state!) but wasn't it the call letters of an AM station on 630 kHz here in St. Louis back in the '50s? I distinctly remember that being one of the two main rock stations here when I was in high school (the other was WIL). If so, when did it leave here? Is there a website I can go to and put in call letters and get a history of the usage displayed? (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, indeed, I remember KXOK-630 too, as well as WIL-1430. I think there is an FCC callsign history lookup facility, but I don`t have it bookmarked. Who does? Or is it a commercial site mining FCC data (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. From DXLD 5-038: ``The FCC is reconsidering an initial staff decision that approved the sale of an OKLAHOMA cluster of radio stations by a powerful state legislator convicted of perjury and obstruction of justice.`` Why would anyone complain about the sale of stations *BY* someone convicted of a crime? I would think the only objection would be the sale of stations *TO* such a person. Getting this guy out of the broadcast business would be welcomed, wouldn't it? If the problem is that he has these assets and then he'd have the money they were worth, that seems irrelevant. Rich people get convicted now and then and still retain their assets. Martha Stewart is still pretty well-off, right? :-) 73, (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Normal logic does not apply in OK ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. In conjunction with the KP1-5 Project, W5NWR/T will operate from the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge located in Johnston County, Oklahoma on 12-13 March. This operation is the first for the W5-National Wildlife Refuge ARC. Others will follow and are intended to raise awareness of the benefits of national wildlife refuges and the KP1-5 Project http://www.kp1-5.com This operation will coincide with the Oklahoma QSO Party. W5NWR/T will not be in the contest but will be glad to provide Johnston County for those who are. QSL via NA5U. [TNX NA5U] (425 DX News March 4 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ** POLAND. POLISH NATIONAL BROADCASTING AUTHORITY TO RECONSIDER RADIO MARYJA CASE | Text of report by Polish news agency PAP Warsaw, 2 March: The National Radio and Television Broadcasting Council [KRRiT] will next week consider the status of Radio Maryja and also the programme broadcast by that station on 12 February devoted to vetting, PAP was told on Wednesday [2 March] by the KRRiT spokesman, Rafal Rastawicki. It was after this broadcast, that took place with the participation of the former editorial secretary of the Tygodnik Solidarnosc weekly, Krzysztof Wyszkowski, that ex-President Lech Walesa publicly criticized the station for the manner in which it, as he put it, "practices politics" and undertook actions against the broadcasting station. Among other things, he made an application for the KRRiT to initiate a procedure to deprive Radio Maryja of the status of social broadcaster that among other things gives the station the privilege of not paying high concession [broadcasting licence] fees. "The content carried on the airwaves by this station, in the view of many religious authorities contrary to the spirit of the gospels and of tolerance, and with its approval for anti-Semitism and xenophobia, treating faith instrumentally, including in this the person and teachings of the Holy Father, thereby harming the image of Poland and humiliating the Polish Church in the world, are in my view sufficient reasons to deprive this station of the privileged status of a station of social trust that it has in relation to other broadcasting stations and that is expressed by the granting to it of the status of a social broadcaster," Walesa wrote to the KRRiT. According to Walesa, Radio Maryja, although as a social broadcaster it does not have the right to do so, does broadcast advertisements, or rather, as the former president writes, crypto-advertising. He claims he has proof of this, but has given no details. In reply, the head of the KRRiT, Danuta Waniek, informed Walesa that "post-broadcast recordings are at the moment being analysed in programme terms". A few days earlier, the KRRiT had requested Radio Maryja to send a copy of the programme broadcast on 12 February. Radio Maryja programmes have already been the subjects of monitoring by the KRRiT. The KRRiT's reservations were aroused by, among other things, the one-sidedness of programmes that, according to the KRRiT, contributed to the building of divisions in society and that contained anti-Semitic content. In accordance with the radio and television broadcasting act, a social broadcaster is one that "disseminates upbringing and educational activities, charitable works, respects the Christian system of vales, takes as its basis the universal principles of ethics, and that seeks to ground national identity." The programming of such a broadcaster is not to carry advertising, telesales or sponsored broadcasts. In exchange, a social broadcaster is freed from the necessity of paying a concession fee. This payment is calculated individually on the basis of a station's coverage. In the case of Radio Maryja, it would be of the order of 2-3m zlotys [about 350,000-525,000 pounds, or 665,000-1m dollars] [per annum]. The KRRiT has so far granted the status of social broadcaster to 10 broadcasters. These are all radio stations, because although a television station may also be a social broadcaster, none of those active on the market fulfils the criterion of not carrying advertising. Source: PAP news agency, Warsaw, in Polish 1749 gmt 2 Mar 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. Glenn, I don't know why they bother to mention the metre bands in a rather technical-looking schedule, which in the past even used to bring the antenna type codes. All colours in the RDPi schedules are inserted by me, not them. "Grupo Redes de Emissores" and the (bottom) "B04_1, 2, etc. /TA" and the date are inserted and watermarked by the station, surely the engineer "TA"- Teresa Abreu, "Dipl.Ing." as Germans would mention it. Nevertheless, when you converted the WORD file into an e-mail message, you did made it look confusing, with the footnotes like Hora HUC=... mixed with the CIRAF zones, etc. -- at least that's the way it reached me. The only asterisks therein regard the frequency changes while the bold squares & the bold triangle (Sat/Sun, NAm, 1900-2100) are the original markings the RDP chose to indicate their extra or special broadcasts, typically for relaying major football matches or, like happened on 21st Feb., for news & reports on the parliament elections. Albeit not distant from the A05, here's the updated B04 of the RDPi / Rádio Portugal with the latest (19 Feb) amendments [and simplified annotations] To Europe Mo-Fri UTC kHz kW azimuth 0600-0855 9755 300 45º 0600-1300 9815 100 52º 0745-0900 11660 250 55º 0900-1055 11875 300 45º 1100-1300 15140 300 45º 1700-2000 11630 300 45º 2000-2400# 9795 100 52º 2000-2400# 9615 300 45º Sats+Suns 0800-1455 11875 300 45º 0800-1455 15575 100 52º 0930-1100 9815 250 55º 1500-1800 11960 300 55º 1500-1755 11635 100 52º 1800-2100 11630 300 45º 2000-2400# 9795 100 52º 2000-2400# 9615 300 45º To the ME + India Mo-Fri (no broadcasts on Sat or Sun) 1400-1600 15690 100 81.5º To Africa (STP-AGL-MOZ-AFS beam) Mo-Fri 1100-1300 21830 100 142º 1700-2000 17680 300 144º 2000-2400# 11825 300 144º Sats+Suns 0800-1655 21830 100 142º 1700-2000 17680 300 144º 2000-2400# 11825 300 144º To North America Mo-Fri 1300-1700# 15575 100 294º 1700-1900# 17825 100 294º 2000-2400# 15540 100 294º Tues-Sat 0000-0300 9715 100 294º 0000-0300 9410 100 310º Sats+Suns 1300-1700 15575 100 294º 1700-1900 17825 100 294º 1900-2100$ 15540 100 294º To northern South America Mo-Fri 1800-2100# 15535 100 261º 2100-2400# 11635 100 261º Tues-Sat 0000-0300 13700 100 261º Sats+Suns 1300-1800 17745 100 261º 1800-2100 15535 100 261º 2100-2400# 11635 100 261º To West Africa (C. Verde & Guinea-Bissau beam) + + Eastern South America Mo-Fri 1100-1300 21655 300 226º 1700-2000 21655 100 215º 2100-2400# 15555 100 215º Sats+Suns 0800-1055 17710 300 226º 1100-2100 21655 300 226º 2000-2400# 15555 100 215º To Eastern South America Tues-Sat 0000-0300 11980 100 215º 0000-0300 13770 300 226º #) used for extra b/casts only $) may extend until mid night UTC Tx sites: RDP: São Gabriel, 100 / 300 kW Pro-Funk GmbH (DW): Sines, 250 kW NB: contrary to my info. supplied to the WRTH and to what they decided to print this year, please note that: - the RDP uses 5 x 100 kW transmitters + 2 x 300 kW - the RDP does not lease air time from Pro-Funk, i.e. in the sense of paying for using this facility; it's in fact entitled to use it up to a specified amount of hrs/week stipulated in the agreement between the two countries as a compensation for DW being allowed to have its relay station in Portugal, all according to info both the RDP & Pro- Funk personnel supplied to me even before the not so distant renewal of the agreement. Back in 1981, when I visited the Sines site guided by Pro-Funk German engineer Herr Braun, he told me there were plans by the Portuguese authorities to have the station dismantled and moved to a not too distant site. After more than 20 years, it's more than obvious the plans were ruled out. CEOC-Centro Emissor de Onda Curta: São Gabriel, Pegões: 5 x 100 kW, 2 x 300 Kw, tel +351-265 89 71 15, fax +351-265 89 74 31; Pro-Funk GmbH, Sines: 3 x 250 kW, tel +351-269 87 02 80. F.Pl. 2nd 300 kW Thalès transmitter delivered this year and to be put into service very soon; 3rd 300 kW Thalès transmitter commissioned, possibly in operation by Oct '05; 2 new Thalès antennae ordered, one of which intended for NAm coverage (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, March 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** QATAR. PUBLIC BROADCASTER AVAILABLE LIVE ON THE INTERNET BBC Monitoring observes that the Qatar Broadcasting Service (QBS), the emirate's public radio broadcaster, now has its Arabic, English and French services available on live audio streams from their web site at http://www.qatarradio.net A list of the URL's for the main pages follows; all textual content is in Arabic unless otherwise indicated: Arabic audio stream: http://www.qatarradio.net/arastreaming.htm English audio stream: http://www.qatarradio.net/engstreaming.htm French audio stream: http://www.qatarradio.net/engstreaming.htm Arabic service programme guide: http://www.qatarradio.net/ourst.htm#ar English service programme guide (in English): http://www.qatarradio.net/ourst.htm#en Urdu service programme guide: http://www.qatarradio.net/ourst.htm#ur The Arabic Service has a 24-hour schedule and broadcasts terrestrially on 675 and 954 kHz mediumwave, 90.8 MHz FM for Doha, and 92.6, 93.4, 97.6, 102.0 and 104.0 MHz FM in the rest of the country. English is on the air 0300-1000 and 1300-2200 gmt, whilst French is at 1000-1300 gmt, and both broadcast terrestrially on 97.5 MHz FM. The Urdu Service is aired at 1600-1900 gmt on 1233 and 1602 kHz mediumwave. QBS also broadcasts an Arabic-language music service called Voice of the Gulf (Sout al-Khaleej) on 100.8 MHz on the FM band. This has its own web site with a live audio stream available at http://www.soutalkhaleej.fm The Qatar Broadcasting Service is part of the Qatar General Broadcasting and Television Corporation, which has an autonomous government budget and is under the direct authority of the Council of Ministers. The Corporation, established in May 1997, also includes Qatar Television, the Department of Publications, and Qatar News Agency. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 3 Mar 05 (via DXLD) ** ROMANIA [and non]. RADIO ROMANIA AND NPR: SOME SURPRISING SIMILARITIES --- Column by Jeffrey A. Dvorkin NPR Ombudsman March 1, 2005 --- Sometimes, the best perspectives about home are found away. I spent the last week in Bucharest, on the invitation of the journalists and managers at Radio Romania. They asked me to speak about the role of an ombudsman in an independent public radio system. The visit was certainly enlightening for me, and it got me thinking about some aspects of public radio in America that we sometimes take for granted. . . http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4518245 (via Dan Say, BC, swprograms via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Buzzy signal --- For some months now BSKSA Riyadh uses two faulty 500 kW transmitters. One unit is always off frequency at about plus 320...400 Hertz. The other unit send out a terrible BUZZ audio. Today noted the buzz at 1st px 0600-0855 UT 17740 [another peak at 17739.87] HQ px 0900-1155 UT 21495 \\ 1st px 6-9 odd 17730.38 9-12 odd 17805.32 21705 \\ HQ px 9-12 11935 17615 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, March 2, harmoncis yg via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. A NEW INTERNATIONAL RADIO STATION FROM EUROPE Sunday, 27 February 2005 A new radio station is set to launch this April broadcasting from the heart of Slovakia to central Europe via a network of AM/FM transmitters. It will also be able to be heard further afield via Sky Digital and the Internet. At the start of the year we heard rumours of a new European based station, and I guess we thought it was a hoax. There is often talk on the various radio forums about new International stations broadcasting from the high seas or beamed from the Netherlands - which never happen, and we could have easily dismissed this one too. However this new station is real and will be broadcasting from Poprad in Slovakia. Strange place, you may well ask? - OK, so it wouldn't be an obvious choice. However the team behind RTI have spent several months planning such a service - headed by Media Guru - Eric Wiltsher. RTI - Radio Tatras International will offer international programming, all originating and uplinked from the UK. The station is licensed by Ofcom with output servers based in the UK, as well. RTI will also have local affiliate stations around Europe who will focus on providing the best news, travel, weather services at the times when it's most important to do that. Each affiliate will all have studios of their own. RTI is set to launch on April 9th. I haven't spoken to Eric for a while so I thought it appropriate to collar young Wiltsher and ask him to explain himself. Ed: So where was RTI Originally thought of? Eric: Actually in the Tatras Mountains. I was covering the launch of a new Aqua Park - now called AquaCity, in Poprad Slovakia. Being the type that I am, I spoke to the CEO, Jan Telensky - I said that getting Brits there as tourists would need the local airport to be fully opened, rather than flying via Prague. I also suggested that they should make sure UK newspapers were on sale and why not add a travel news radio station in English. However, as all radio has to, the project evolved into a much bigger, international project. But we stayed with a name from the first meeting hence RTI (Radio Tatras International) - blimey sounds a bit like Beckhamish. Ed: So did you start buying a station in Poprad? Eric: Nearly - but then we changed our minds. Jan will share the story forever in that I asked him to go to the government and ask for approval to run an English language radio station. Not withstanding the fact that Slovakia has spent an eternity getting to its rightful position of independence and being able to use its own language - I walk in and say "English". Ed: Do you see that being a stumbling block? Eric: As it goes no. Both in Slovakia and other areas there will always be local programming at breakfast, lunch and evening drive. I passionately believe that is the correct thing to do. Outside of those hours radio we can be pan-European and can cross borders - let's face it that's how radio started. We have gone to great lengths to research areas to better understand that which appeals to people and that which people want - not what some so-called expert suggests people want. We actually spoke to real people. Ed: If that is the case then surely you will annoy your audience the way you have programmed RTI? Eric: Only if you are daft enough to think people will listen to a station 24/7. This is a foolish notion generated by a silly research system - let me explain:- For several years I received calls on a Sunday on an ex-D line from a research company. It was obvious whom the research was being done for so when they asked if I'd tune away when a track started I'd say the exact opposite of what I thought they wanted. Chatting with people via e-mail, there were a few of us that appeared to be regularly called so we agreed a strategy of miss-information. The point I'm making is that for years, stations have gone with so- called research and for all we know it could be complete rubbish. Therefore, our view is people don't listen 24/7, but give the audience a real reason to tune-in even if it's only for 2 hours a week and they'll be there. The big factor is that because they tune-in they'll actually be listening and if you were a sponsor would you want you message to be heard by a listening audience or one that just has the radio on and isn't really listening. I know where I would spend my marketing budget. Ed: So who developed your schedule? Eric: Developed is not exactly how I would describe it. Many years ago I studied at the IBM business school and at the celebratory dinner I sat with the then finance director of IBM UK. I asked him about buying products and he pointed to his stomach. He explained that a good executive can make decisions based on industry knowledge and the 'gut- feeling' it's the right thing to do. Returning to your question, the bottom line is it is a gut feeling based on speaking with audiences all over Europe. And the other great thing is if we find something doesn't work we can simply change it. Ed: With regard to changes - who decides? Eric: Me, the buck stops with Eric. Sure I have the option of bouncing ideas off of Jan, but at the end of the day even the two of us aren't going to take weeks to make changes or introduce new programming. In short one simple phone and that would be it. Ed: But won't that equally annoy your sponsors and listeners? Eric: Certainly not. The only reasons we would change a show is because it doesn't work for the station. That means the audience don't want it and by the same token why would our sponsors. One of the key factors is finding sponsors that benefit from being on RTI. This way we have 80% of our output appealing to a plus 25 audience. Fridays will be focused on new music. However, not that far removed that is cannot be enjoyed by listeners who still feel they're in their teens. Ed: I hear you are to use Caroline as a sustaining service - why? Eric: Because we think it is a good idea and why not? Radio Caroline has given pleasure to so many and maybe this will be a factor in there total regeneration again. Ed: So why the other players and stations? Eric: Again because we believe they will be warmly received across Europe. Whilst it is true to say that, say, central Europe isn't the UK; central Europe has a close affiliation with English language radio. If you ask people in the area how they picked up English they will say via radio. However, what is key - is having people who can interact with an audience across Europe. Everyone on the schedule has some experience on a pan-European or global platform(s). And that's why the other players and stations are they, because I know they can do it! Ed: You originally had a launch date if Easter - why the change? Eric: Further acquisition and for now that's all I'm saying. However, we have a revised date of 9th April and I expect you to join us for the launch party. Ed: Who me??? - Certainly - thanks. Ed: When will you be releasing Tune-In details? Eric: Very soon. However, I can share that RTI will be available on satellite (28 east where Sky are), on the web via http://www.rti.fm and an array of traditional frequencies. We will have a special page on the web site for people to identify the best way to tune in within their local area. Ed: Finally, how would you describe RTI in terms of a schedule? Eric: Broadcast radio as opposed to narrow cast. You can expect our presenters to interact with the listeners and there certainly won't be any liner-cards to annoy listeners either. It's basically radio for grown-ups, who still want radio but hate having to tune around to get the variety and personality radio they want. Ed: Many thanks, Eric - I look forward to a beer in Poprad! Prelimary - Schedule Details: Weekdays 06.00 - 07.00 - Quality Cultural programming 07.00 - 09.00 - Local and International Breakfast from R.T.I. All local affiliates to R.T.I. will operate their own breakfast show with a family breakfast show aired on satellite and the internet. 09.00 - 12.00 - The R.T.I. Vault The best music from the 60's through till the present day. 12.00 - 14.00 - Lunchtime on R.T.I. On both the local opt-outs and International service of R.T.I., lunchtime will feature a mix of music and news. 14.00 - 17.00 - More from the R.T.I. Vault 17.00 - 19.00 - Homeward Bound Homeward Bound, in keeping with RTI breakfast - local opt outs to help Europeans get home combined with the best music. 19.00 - 20.00 - Quality Cultural programming Evenings - A range of programmes from the latest European Country Music chart countdown, through to the chrome and mirrors of Disco from the 70's, 80's and 90's, Classic Rock will also feature on R.T.I. as will special Top 40 Gold shows. Just some of those producing special shows includes: Top 40 Gold - twice a week by Fiona Wiltsher. The Rock Box - Unashamed European Rock Queen Pandora brings her Rock Box to R.T.I. every week. The Very Best Of Country Music - Lee Williams The Alternative Premier League and Euro-sports round up with Mandy Segall. The Album Zone with Johnny Reece Chris Reardon's Club Classics Macers Musical Memories - Ian Macer Jodie Scott RTI's Folklore - Adam The Award Winning MediaZoo - Eric Wiltsher Through The Night on RTI - Radio Caroline Weekends - Weekends on RTI will be wall-to-wall music. In fact You'll Never Be More Than Sixty Seconds Away from music on the RTI weekender - Less news, more fun when you're driving around Europe. The final weekend line-up of presenters is still being finalised. However, OMR will be producing shows for the weekend and again Through The Night will be Radio Caroline. The above is a representative schedule and subject to change. Weblink: http://www.rti.fm http://ukradio.com/news/articles/9C8B18ED31394045ACBA11F35D8C3E51.asp (via Mike Terry, mwdx yg via DXLD) It never fails to amaze me, to see, in what kind of braindead projects all these "Gurus" are willing to invest. What about the neverending story from the Isle of Man longwave station? Taking off in 2015 or 2017? -- 73, (Martin Elbe, Germany, BDXC-UK via mwdx yg via DXLD) ** TANZANIA. 5066.7A, R. Tanzania, Feb 25, 1611-1732, 34433, Swahili, African pops and talk, ID at 1656 and 1700, 1659 IS, 1700 News, Frequency drift??, // Feb 26 5050.1 kHz (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) So you heard it on both frequencies at once Feb 26 but not Feb 25? 5066 would be about where one would hope to hear R. Candip, Congo DR. Could they have been relaying RTz? Seems unlikely (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. It`s not a North American service but it can work well -- - the 1400 UT English broadcast from R. Thailand direct via Udorn now on 9725. March 3 reception was good, tho a bit fluttery, newscast initially with a Thai lilt, both in accent and content; 1408 ID and PSA for some royal initiative. In the next few minutes several different voices heard with a variety of accents, including American. 24 hours later, however, blocked from the grave by Dr Gene Scott, Cahuita, and I think that is usually the case. Off the air for some reason on March 3 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BRITISH ACCENTS OUT AT BBC WORLD SERVICE It's all change at the BBC World Service where a new policy of introducing "younger fresher voices" has begun to enrage regular listeners. British accents apparently are no longer popular apparently and one reporter who did not fit the bill was sacked by telephone. And then we had the pathetic and incompetent Daniel Lack on BBCWS, from Pakistan by way of BBC R1?4? regional with his flat Canadian accent outraging local Brits. He was caught spying in northern India before the BBC gave him a cover later. As long as they are clear and know what they are doing we don't mind. Canada has had a long history of mild accents doing the news etc. on our radios. The same approach is being rolled out at Radio Four where younger reporters are being sought and producers have been told to focus on black and ethnic voices in the latest programme offers round. (Media News, Private Eye, March 4th) Ah, P-Eye. The way of revenge for the powerless in a media corporation. As it is, Bectu, (the BBCWS trade union), is having its hands full with the current staffs (Dan Say, swprograms via DXLD) I smell another Bectu strike on the way!! What WS is doing is nothing short of discrimination --- something they have a good history of doing. I was in the UK during one of the Bectu strikes. The reporting on the local BBC Northwest channels was ugly. The whole of the BBC is out of control and I am quite disappointed at Lord Grade, as I expected much better out of him and his leadership. He's been on the job less than a year. Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a rough ride (Maryanne Kehoe, ibid.) I find it more amusing than anything else. After all, if I read this correctly, this is regarding *new hires*, not existing staff, right? So there could be no discrimination claim if a lack of British accent is clearly spelled out in the job description. My favorite international broadcaster for "flat accents" would be YLE, may it rest in peace. I was always struck by the non-European nature of most YLE on-air staff. Besides, we're talking *world* service, talking primarily to a *non-British* audience, right? Wouldn't you rather have someone for the target language service with a twang that said target audience would be able to understand? Richard "the closet linguist" (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) I am all for having a variety of accents. But if the issue is "new hires" and this is being implemented, how long before it spreads to the *rest* of the staff? If it's directed at the so-called "new hires' --- it's a policy that should be *never* acceptable --- period. I long for the days like it was in the 1970s, creative programs, creative output and the creative people behind the mike presenting them, without interference from management or budget constraints. Sadly, those days are gone forever (Maryanne Kehoe, swprograms via DXLD) ** U K. re: War of the Worlds new version on BBCWS Well, of course I missed it. Without an "On Air Magazine" the BBC needs to do a better job of pre-announcing upcoming programs. I listen to the BBC multiple hours a day, and I don't recall hearing any promos for this play. Did others hear them, especially during the regular broadcast day, not just after the preceding week's play (if they aired one then)? I have heard plays being touted in the past, invariably something I have no interest in hearing. I WOULD have listened to this one, so of course I heard nothing. When the BBC does promo something, they pick one thing and do it to death, over and over for weeks in advance. Yet at the same time, hours of other interesting (or not so) programs go by with no publicity at all. Personally, I think they need to use a fifteen-minute segment taken from news coverage (NOT from features!), aired on a weekly basis a reasonable number of times so all listeners have a chance to catch it, to replace "On Air" magazine and just run through what is coming up over the next couple weeks. It wouldn't need all sorts of whiz-bang "production" sound effects and clips, just a reasonable description of the topics upcoming in features, what the weekly play is, what's coming up on "Off The Shelf", and so forth. If everybody wants to forward this to "Write On", be my guest. 73, (Will Martin, MO, March 1, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U K. Love your show, particularly Continent of Media. I heard you talking about the demise of radio, and I fully agree with you. However, there is some good radio left. You might try listening to some local radio from the BBC. I originally come from Liverpool so I have to promote Radio Merseyside. The URL is http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool Give it a listen. Keep up the good work (John Southern, Ottawa, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. Plans for RTI: see SLOVAKIA ** U S A. Please note the following change in the WYFR B-2004 Schedule effective 7 Mar 05. Delete 7580 kHz 1945-2245 UTC 44 degrees Zone 15 Add 6855 kHz 1945-2245 UTC 44 degrees Zone 15 (WYFR March 4 via DXLD) ** U S A. Glenn: We are testing 15190 right now (12:30 pm eastern time [1730 UT] March 4, 2005. Could you please tune it in and send me a reception report?? We will run it most of the day using a new Rhombic antenna with various programming. We are making RF human exposure measurements, and testing for any signs of meltdowns. Thanks!!! (Dave Frantz, WWRB, via DXLD) Dave, Checked around 1745 UT. All I can get is a very weak carrier, and it is slightly unstable with BFO on. Now would that be you or Equatorial Guinea? I wouldn`t expect to get a usable signal from you on 15 MHz under prevailing conditions, as WWCR 15825 is seldom any good here -- both are at too close a skip distance unless some sporadic E kicks in (Glenn to Dave, ibid.) ** U S A. Re WRMI must evacuate 6870: Hi Jeff and Hi Glenn: I can't tell if this has to do with the kind of soil, but if we consider a coastal site like Miami, so WRMI would put a better signal with those 50 kW than WRNO did in the past (correct me if I forgot WRNO were running 100 or 50 kW). But Jeff, 15725 is almost useless at daytime at least here in "Tiquicia". 9955 is blocked most of the time by jammers and, now the good news: the best signals I got from WRMI date back from just mid-February on 6870. The bad news is that WRMI is about to vacate that nighttime frequency. As Glenn suggested, I see no way you're gonna make it on 6870 by daytime, further South from let's say Mexico or Cuba. Is it a thing of power or antenna system combined with MUFs? Best regards (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, March 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRNO is about as close to the coast as WRMI, FWIW, but I don`t think the soil has much bearing on SW skywave propagation. Something in English is on 7385 at 0124 UT March 5 check, presumably WRMI (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. From DXLD 5-038: His fund-raising efforts were spectacularly successful. Individual donations from his 15,000-strong congregation at the Los Angeles University Cathedral (housed in a Spanish baroque- style former cinema), and from the estimated 50,000 contributors reached through his global broadcasting empire, were said to average $350 a month. ^^^ Hmmm. Remarkably frugal and successful on that income, wasn't he? :-) (Reminds me of the song "Little Tin Box" from the Broadway musical "Fiorello!".) I think there is a "K" or an "M" or some zeroes missing there... 73, (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OR, this could mean $350 from EACH of the 65,000 contributors per month, since it is called an average. That would multiply out to $22.75 million per month, equally hard to believe, but that would explain how he could afford all those SW transmitters, and much more (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. With the end of his tenure as anchor of the CBS EVENING NEWS on WEDNESDAY (3/9), DAN RATHER will also end the "DAN RATHER REPORTING" news feature that airs on about 300 stations via CBS NEWS RADIO on the same day. The radio feature has been running since 1981 (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, March 4, DXLD) Who will anchor the 5 PM Eastern CBS radio news? It has been Rather (Brock Whaley, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Julie Chen? (Tom Roche, ibid.) ** U S A. WLIB 1190 AM, sister station of WBLS-FM 107.5, both in NYC and owned by Percy Sutton, which was well-known for its Caribbean msuic and programming for years, is the flagship station for Air America (Al Franken, etc.) Now tuning around I`ve found a CT outlet in New Haven calling itself ``Progressive Talk 1300``. It`s WAVZ, a 1-kW directional, dropping power at night and changing pattern. It must have started on Monday Feb 21. I first heard it at mid-day Thursday Feb 24. Interesting; WAVZ is owned by Clear Channel and it also owns New Haven`s WELI 960, 5 kW, changing pattern at sunset, which carries Rush and Sean Hannity live in their respective time slots. CC also owns pop rock WKCI-FM 101.3, New Haven. So, CC covers both sides and CT has Air America in a medium market area (Bob Thomas, Bridgeport CT, Feb 26, by P-mail, retyped and edited by gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. We had an opportunity to speak with approximately twenty members of the local SBE (Society of Broadcast Engineers) chapter yesterday. The program consisted of a brief discussion about DXing, some sound clips of distant receptions, and more clips of DX tests. We then progressed to discuss DX tests, QSLing, etc. Questions were taken, and I stuck around for at least an hour after the meeting answering questions. As part of my "sales pitch" I had already made up CD's with test material and :60 "Inventory Inserts" as Fred V. has suggested. These were presented to the engineers of the stations of interest. We also handed out copies of both IRCA and NRC bulletins. Since some of the engineers were TV station types, I touched briefly on TV DXing. The really good news is that Frank Giradina, CPBE and Director of Engineering for Citadel Broadcasting has already agreed to run tests on both WAPI 1070 and WJOX 690 in Birmingham. We're working together now to set up dates. Some observations: 1. Most engineers said their relationships with DX'ers were very cordial. The only real complaint was reception reports lacking in enough detail to verify reception from station logs. Most said that they were very interested in getting recordings of their stations, and e-mail was cited as the best way to send in reception reports by most. All of them stressed that they had limited time, so e-mail might be the "QSL route" of choice. 2. There was a lot of interest in hearing about how DXing had changed. Lots of questions about the use of unattended recording via computers, and phasing antennas. In hindsight, I might have been more technical in my discussion. 3. Many expressed being DX'ers as kids...and certainly understood our love of radio. Out of 20, I'd say we had 8 or 9 amateur radio ops, so that was a good point of connection. Their faces all lit up as we played recordings of RJR and ZNS. Likewise when they heard WAPI "nulled" and KNX 1070 traffic reports come up out of the noise. 4. Best news, no one reported any problems with DX'ers. 5. After the meeting, some expressed surprise that I didn't mention IBOC. Most of them seemed very skeptical about it's long term success. Also in attendance was the Chairman of the SBE Atlanta Chapter. We're now trying to arrange a chance to speak with their group as well. If other members are interested in reaching out to their local chapters, I'd be happy to help out with presentation materials, Program test CD's, etc. You can find a contact name at: http://www.sbe.org/ Scroll down on the left, and click the link marked "Chapter Meeting Information". This beats writing letters that are rarely answered any day! 73, Les Rayburn, N1LF, IRCA CPC Chairman (Les Rayburn, Birmingham, AL 35216-3748, March 3, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. FOX WINS FEBRUARY RATINGS SWEEPS Tue Mar 1, 4:37 PM ET Television - AP By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer NEW YORK - February ended with double milestones in television: the first-ever sweeps month victory among all viewers for Fox, and the first-ever fourth-place finish for once mighty NBC. . . http://entertainment.channels.netscape.ca/entertainment/article.adp?id=20050301163909990004 (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) Not bad for a bunch of UHF's in most markets. History is made. I hope Dr. DuMont is up there smiling somewhere. It only took 50 years after his "fourth" network closed and later became FOX (Brock Whaley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Could you briefly review how Fox ancestry can be traced to DuMont? (Glenn Hauser to Brock Whaley, via DXLD) Glenn, Dumont's broadcasting division was re-named the Metropolitan Broadcasting Company in 1958, when it was sold. It was later named the more familiar MetroMedia. It was the sale of the MetroMedia O&O's to The News Corporation (FOX), that gave FOX a station base to build its network. These stations included channel 5 in New York (originally owned by DuMont as WABD. Changed to WNEW-TV under Metropolitan, Now WNYW.) Channel 5 in Washington (WTTG under DuMont, calls remain) and KTTV channel 11 in L. A., originally owned by the L. A. Times (Times Mirror) and CBS, but latter transferred to Metropolitan and so to MetroMedia when CBS bought KTSL channel 2 from Don Lee. KTTV ran a few DuMont programs towards the end of the network in 1956, but most of DuMont's clearance came from then KHJ-TV channel 9 in L. A. The connection really is Channel 5 both in New York and Washington. Of course you and I remember the WNYW calls from the former WRUL (Brock Whaley, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I`ve had some correspondence with KING-FM, the major webcasting classical radio station from Seattle, over the lack of a simple program grid on their website. I was looking for Organ Loft, a show I used to hear at 0600 UT (Monday, I think). The station has changed its philosophy, away from so-called block programming, even if it is a weekly half-hour show. Organ Loft is now being inserted at unpredictable times in their (weekday?) prime-time schedule, to expose it, they say, to more listeners. And little else is predictable on a weekly basis, altho they do provide a daily playlist, if one cares to hunt thru that for anything of interest. KING maintains that most listeners just tune in at random and do not listen for specific programs, so this is way to go. As far as I`m concerned, it backfires, and this means I will be listening less rather than more to KING, among a great many other stations vying for my listening time with more predictable programming (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [and non]. LATIN AMERICA: NEW CHANNEL TO COMPETE WITH CNN AND UNIVISION UNVEILED Nueva Televisión del Sur (New Television of the South) will be a joint venture between the Venezuelan and Argentine governments with the headquarters in Caracas, according to a report published on Venezuela Analysis web site 02 March. First published in La Jornada 27 February it will also be assisted by Brazilian institutions supporting the project, with Uruguay signing an agreement in March [2005]. The channel will follow strict regulations regarding profit values, competitiveness and commercialization and begin to broadcast via satellite from Caracas in May. It will begin by transmitting three eight-hour programmes on news, opinion and interviews, says Aram Aharonian, the station's general director. Aharonian says it will be "the first counter-hegemonic telecommunications project known in South America." Source: BBC Monitoring research, in English 1700 gmt 2 Mar05 (via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. SW Radio Africa, the clandestine for Zimbabwe, recently added a MW transmission at 0300-0500 UT on 1197 kHz // 3230. The latter is probably via Meyerton, South Africa, as is their evening on 6145, but they aren`t saying where 1197 is coming from. It seems likely it is the 100 kW in Lesutu used by WYFR in the evening, especially since SWRA admits that it can only reach parts of southern Zimbabwe that late in the morning, and since AFAIK, there are no MW transmitters at Meyerton, a shortwave-only site. And since it would not be cost-effective to build a new MW station and use it for only two hours a day. So could some monitors in southern Africa get a fix on 1197 during those two hours? 73, (Glenn Hauser, MWC via DXLD) I agree that this is almost certainly Lesotho 1197. My guess is that this station is well-engineered and probably gets out very well in that area. By the way in NL we monitored an Angolan station on 1196.7, so that would seem to rule out something to the north of Lesotho (Jim Renfrew, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The pertinent Newfie logs: 1196.70, ANGOLA, EP de Malanje, NOV 9, 1904 – Heard ``R. Malanje 23 26`` ID announcement twice. Not sure what the numbers mean, as they don`t relate to the local time. This station is listed on 1188 kHz, but we found it here throughout the week. SINPO 24332 with some splatter from Family Radio. NOV 10 2020 – Portuguese; news reports; SINPO 24242, using LSB to avoid Lesotho. 1197, LESOTHO, Family Radio, Lancer`s Gap, NOV 9, 1902 – Hymns, program in Portuguese; used USB to avoid Angolan QRM, initially SINPO 24432, but up to 34343 at 1933. We wondered what this signal does to the Angola broadcast on 1196.7! NOV 12 2000 – ID in English; SINPO 34343 (via Jim Renfrew, DXLD) Glenn, Como disse na mensagem anterior, algumas informações sugeriam África do Sul, mas acredito também que seja Lesoto. De qualquer maneira a emissora tem chegado regularmente por aqui em 0315 e 0400 UT aproximadamente. 73 (Samuel Cássio, Brasil, March 4, radioescutas via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. I have fallen far behind in trying to keep up with all the pertinent posts, mainly on the NRC-AM list, about The Wobbler. W. Curt Deegan in FL has just updated his page about this March 4 including many further comments, unfortunately deleting the names, but retaining their state. Why? Anyhow, read all about it here: THE WOBBLER A Mystery Radio Signal By: W. Curt Deegan, Boca Raton, Florida http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/9543/WWWR/wobbler/ (Glenn Hauser, DX LISENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 1647: I believe the program was "MemCare by Radio". They have website http://www.gospelcom.net/twr/memcare/index.php but seems it isn't updated for some time. There was discussion about this on this forum in late 2003 under title "Russian on 1467". Last time I logged this program on 1467 was 15 Feb 2005 1745-1800. In 2003 I got a QSL from TWR, but they only verified "Central Asia" on 1467. But from MemCare by Radio I got e-mail verification confirming it was Bishkek. The v/s was Siny Widmer swidmer @ twr-europe.ch The 1647 might well have been punching error at the transmitter. 73, (Jari Savolainen, Finland, March 4, dxing.info via DXLD) Is it common for MW transmitters to have frequency punch-up panels, rather than being permanently tuned to one frequency?? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. YOSEMITE SAM HAM VS. SPY (RADIO) --- When a pair of New Mexico hams decided to trace down some interference on the 75 meter band, they had no idea that they may have been entering a world of spy versus spy. Or should we say hams versus spy. Here`s more: On Wednesday, February 16th, Mike Stark, WA5OIP and Mike Langner K5MGR set out to locate some annoying interference on 3.700 MHz, a signal that had been on the band since last December. [NOT continuously, and why not mention the other frequencies?] The interference manifested itself as a digital data burst followed by an audio clip from a Yosemite Sam cartoon. Nope. I am not kidding you. Each transmission ended with the famous line where Sam says: Actual interfering audio: (data buss [sic] followed by) ``Varmint, I`m agonna blow you to smithereens...`` The interference came on for just a few seconds at intervals of just under 2 minutes. The fact that Yosemite Sam was loud and clear told Stark and Langner that the interference was intentional and not simply a transmitter gone bizzerk [sic]. Using Stark`s mobile installation the pair quickly found that the signal grew stronger as they headed West. They then shifted to a Potomac Field Intensity Meter with a shielded loop antenna. Using this gear they located the offending transmitter at the MATIC facility on the Laguna Indian Reservation. MATIC is an acronym for the Mobility Assessment Test and Integration Center. This is a military facility used to develop advanced battlefield communications systems and not generally known to the public. The two hams dove up to the building. At no time did they leave the public highway. Langner began taking pictures of the towers, antennas, and building. Immediately a not-very-friendly guy started walking towards their truck. He was yelling and gesturing for the hams to stop taking pictures and go away. Langner and Stark beat a hasty retreat. Now here`s the real kicker. The ham radio T-hunters found the interfering transmitter at about 2:30 in the afternoon. The signal went off the air around 5:30 that evening and has not been heard since. Langner suggests that the origin was a contractor`s employee having having a little fun on the radio. Obviously his or her superiors got the message that ham radio operators do not consider interference to their spectrum to be something to enjoy. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I`m Evi Simons, reporting. A few other notes. Langner says that about 5 minutes before he and Stark located the exact source of the interference, a pickup truck had passed them as they were parked and taking a bearing. He thinks that the driver must have told someone at the facility that they were being hunted. He also expresses his belief that the signal was from some kind of automatic link radio. Also that the data burst was information, and that someone had recorded the Yosemite Sam clip where call letters would normally go. You can take a look at what the two hams saw on the web site for the project. It`s at [both illustrated] http://www.laguna-industries.com/Lines_of_Business/MATIC_Center/matic_center.html or at http://www.rdecom.army.mil/rdemagazine/200408/itl_mosaic.html (K5FSB via Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1438 - March 4, 2005 via John Norfolk, dxldyg) Last I heard, Mike Langner was CE of the Citadel broadcast group in Albuquerque, and had also been manager and announcer of classical KHFM. From the above links: (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ABOUT US --- Laguna Industries, Inc. (LII) is a Native American business, owned and operated by the Pueblo of Laguna, one of nineteen Pueblo tribes in the State of New Mexico. LII was incorporated into the State of New Mexico in 1984 and is a hi-tech manufacturing and technical services company with revenues exceeding $28M. Our current backlog is estimated at $35M with revenue projected at $30M for Fiscal Year 2003. As a small, disadvantaged business, LII has a proven reputation in the design, manufacture, integration, and support of electro-mechanical systems for military and commercial applications. LII employs 205 professional and technical experts, of which, 83% are Native American. And: CERDEC Successfully Demonstrates `MOSAIC` of Technologies --- U.S. Army Communications Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center Mike Stabile, an Engineer with the CERDEC's Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate, works on a MOSAIC system during an experiment at the Mobility Assessment Test and Integration Center in Laguna Pueblo, N.M., During a two-month long experiment at the Mobility Assessment Test and Integration Center (MATIC) in Laguna Pueblo, N.M., the Communications Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center`s (CERDEC) Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate (S&TCD) demonstrated new technologies that may change battlefield communications and potentially save lives MOSAIC (Multifunctional On-the-Move Secure Adaptive Integrated Communications) is a suite of technologies that builds a tactical communications network across a diverse area without relying on existing communications infrastructure on the ground. Additionally, MOSAIC supports important wireless battlefield communications and allows those communications to be prioritized based on the urgency of each message, while still sharing the same network resources. ``MOSAIC is the first system that is able to autonomously form, prioritize network traffic and use airborne routers all at the same time,`` said Larry Muzzelo, the MOSAIC Advanced Technology Demonstration manager. ``The demonstration in New Mexico was significant because we were able to test all of MOSAIC`s capabilities in an operationally relevant field environment for the first time.`` One of those capabilities, known as ad-hoc mobile networking, allows MOSAIC`s networks to automatically organize themselves without any human input. ``MOSAIC allows for voice and data services similar to a cell phone system, but here the base stations as well as the phone itself are moving,`` Muzzelo said. For example, if a group of MOSAIC-equipped vehicles approaching a mountain split into two groups that travel around opposite sides of the mountain, MOSAIC will automatically split the original network into two independent ones that seamlessly reconnect when they are able. ``Although other networks have shown portions of this capability, the MOSAIC experiment marked the first time that this capability has been integrated with other technologies into one comprehensive suite,`` said Aris Staikos, an engineer with S&TCD`s Sensor Networks Branch. The MOSAIC team also demonstrated MOSAIC`s Advantaged Node technology (ANT), which allows airplane or satellite-based routers, known as ``nodes,`` to be incorporated into the network. ``Our Advantaged Node technology solution provides an automated way to best use the limited number of airborne assets in a tactical network,`` said Benjamin Foresta, an engineer with the S&TCD. ``For example, in a case where there is a lot of congestion, the ANT protocol re-routes traffic so that high priority messages, i.e. `call for fire` messages, are allowed to use the fast airborne route while lower priority messages are forced to take the longer ground paths.`` The CERDEC's Space and Terrestrial Communications Directorate MOSAIC team poses for a picture after a successful two-month long experiment in the New Mexico desert. That ability, known as Quality of Service, enables the technology suite to determine the importance of each message and hold back the less urgent ones while still allowing emergency notices to get through. Data collected during the experiment showed that without MOSAIC, any given message, regardless of its importance, reached its intended recipient approximately 40 percent of the time; when MOSAIC was activated, high priority messages get through the heavily congested network 90 percent of the time. ``The goal is for the right information to get to the right decision maker at the right time,`` said Jim Stevens, Rockwell Collins` principal systems engineer for Mobile Networks, who worked on MOSAIC. ``High priority users are given priority on the network,`` Muzzelo added. This prioritization means that, for example, a nuclear, biological or chemical (NBC) weapons alert will automatically take precedence over a request for more food. ``In our test, the time it took for a high priority message to be received decreased from six seconds to less than one, while NBC alerts decreased to less than half a second,`` Muzzelo said. ``And those additional seconds could be critical in terms of donning protective gear and, ultimately, saving the lives of our soldiers.`` The Laguna experiment, which culminated in an exit demonstration on June 2 and 3, also demonstrated that MOSAIC was able to work with radios, routers and other communications products developed in the commercial sector. ``We were able to show that MOSAIC technologies were able to coexist with commercial routing protocols,`` Staikos said. ``MOSAIC had interoperability with Cisco`s Quality of Service and routing services, as well as a Milstar satellite and wireless LAN (local area network) radios during the exit demonstration.`` In Laguna Pueblo, the MOSAIC technologies were hosted on Rockwell Collins` prototype versions of the Joint Tactical Radio System, which were mounted on a C12 airplane, one humvee and seven sport utility vehicles. The systems were used in a simulated tactical scenario that spread over 20 square miles of New Mexico`s desert and sent information back to the Native American-owned MATIC. ``The MATIC facility and the Laguna tribe played an integral role in the success of this demonstration,`` Muzzelo said. ``I can think of very few other locations that have the terrain, facilities and personnel to accomplish what we accomplished here.`` That terrain includes 530,000 acres of test range comprised of mountains, valleys, wooded areas, plateaus and the occasional ancient volcano spire. ``This is truly a unique location, area and facility,`` said Chris Ahmie, president of Laguna Industries Inc., the company that oversees MATIC. Though the experiment and demonstration were both extremely successful, the engineers who work on MOSAIC say they wonËt be satisfied until these technologies are integrated into fielded systems. ``That`s really the end state,`` Muzzelo said. ``This is only the beginning.`` (Submitted by the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center) (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ SPANISH RECEPTION REPORT HELP If you are having trouble writing reception reports in Spanish, the following website may help. It`s in Spanish and English, includes days, months, technical terms and a miscellany of phrases in both languages: http://www.terra.es/personal/jas84756/informes.htm (Roger Bixley, Wuppertal, Germany, ADDX Kurier via Chris Brand, Communication Webwatch, March BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ 56TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL DX CONVENTION, 15-17 APRIL, VISALIA CA The 56th Annual International DX Convention [amateur] will be held on 15-17 April at the Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Visalia, California. Complete details, including a registration form, are available at http://www.ncdxc.org/Ncdxc/Convention (425 DX News March 4, via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ COURT QUESTIONS FCC'S BROADCAST FLAG RULES Published: February 22, 2005, 9:13 AM PST By Declan McCullagh Staff Writer, CNET News.com http://news.com.com/Court+questions+FCCs+broadcast+flag+rules/2100-1030_3-5585533.html WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court on Tuesday sharply questioned whether the Federal Communications Commission has the authority to ban certain types of digital TV receivers, including peripheral cards, starting in July. Two of the three judges on the District of Columbia Circuit panel said the FCC never received permission from Congress to undertake such a sweeping regulation, which is intended to encourage the purchase of digital TV receivers that curb Internet distribution of over-the-air broadcasts of programming such as movies and sports. "You're out there in the whole world, regulating. Are washing machines next?" asked Judge Harry Edwards. Quipped Judge David Sentelle: "You can't regulate washing machines. You can't rule the world." In November 2003, the FCC said that every product sold in the United States after July 2005 that can receive digital TV broadcasts or digital TV streams must be able to recognize a "broadcast flag." Such products -- ranging from TV sets to computer tuners made by Elgato Systems and Hauppauge Computer Works--are permitted to deliver high- quality digital output only to devices that also adhere to the broadcast flag specification. The groups challenging the FCC's broadcast flag regulation include the American Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries, the Medical Library Association, Public Knowledge and the Electronic Frontier Foundation. They argue that the FCC exceeded its authority, that Congress should be responsible for making copyright law, and that librarians' ability to make "fair use" of digital broadcasts will be unreasonably curtailed. But one of the judges, Sentelle, suggested that the library and other nonprofit groups challenging the FCC's rule would not suffer the kind of particular harm necessary to allow the case to proceed. "You have to have a harm that distinguishes you from the public at large," Sentelle said during oral arguments. "If there is not a particularized harm, you do not have standing...There may be someone from the industry who can come forward." Edwards also said he was concerned about the groups' "standing," referring to the judicially recognized right to sue. Special rules exist for organizations suing federal agencies. From the perspective of the entertainment industry, the broadcast flag is needed to encourage over-the-air distribution of valuable content. Without the FCC's action, the Motion Picture Association of America has argued, the threat of Internet piracy would imperil the future of digital TV (via Bob Cooper, NZ, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ PROPAGATION DISCUSSION ON ALLAN WEINER WORLDWIDE I thought the propagation show was to be first aired on Feb 26, which was ``a week from Friday`` at the time you mentioned it. So it was actually on Feb 19? Didn`t hear it. Did he explain your anomalies, and if so how? (Glenn to Will Martin, via DXLD) Hi, Glenn! Yup, he surprised me too by doing it that week instead of the next. I wasn't really all that happy with the technical aspects of the discussion. I had been hoping that he'd wait until Kulpsville and thus bring in some recognized expert and author on RF propagation details, but instead he used "TimTron" (whose real name he actually mentioned -- I think it is "Tim Smith" but I'd have to re-check my recording, if that part is on it). His expertise was from his experience as a ham. Now this might be fine as anecdotal confirmation or contribution, but it wasn't the detailed science I was hoping for. There was a lot of verbal handwaving rather than hard factual explanations. Also, they seemed to have a difficult time listening to the specifics of some of my questions and actually answering exactly what I asked. Instead they'd veer off on tangents or reinterpret what I said in their own way and not address the exact thing I repeatedly asked. Annoyingly, Allan stated that he did not actually have my e-mail to him printed out and right in front of him as he did the program. I made a mild joke about that when I called in, but I cannot see such lack of preparation as being in any way justifiable. You don't just "wing it" when you do WoR, after all -- you have a detailed script and are ready to deliver the data. He should be as responsible when he broadcasts live. I am particularly interested in the behavior of the ionosphere between the time of local sunset at my location on the Earth's surface and when sunset occurs at the ionosphere's level in the upper atmosphere, which has to be somewhat later due to the geometry of the situation. If I'm receiving a station from the East (like WBCQ) here in the central US, sunset travels from them to me along the surface, but sunset at the upper atmosphere follows it some time later. So there is some sort of progressive change as darkness slides across that range, with the ionosphere changing in an East-to-West wave. So just what does that do to radio signals over time during that period? And how does the frequency response (Maximum & Minimum Usable Frequencies) vary during that time? They kept sidestepping that question. The other aspect is why a deteriorated signal will sometimes recover and strengthen well after sunset (both surface and at altitude). The specific example was that my reception of WBCQ on 7415 often fades into noise by 11 PM central or a little before. Yet, if they stay on- air late and do not sign-off at 0530 UT, sometimes 7415 will come back and become perfectly listenable an hour or so later. Just what is happening then? The sunlight has already gone and it is far too early for sunrise to be coming in from the East, even at altitude, so how is the ionosphere "coming back" between them and me in order to refract the signal back down to me again at that time? I asked if this is somehow related to the "moonlight effect" discussed in DXLD some weeks ago, if reflected sunlight from the moon was strong enough to reform the ionospheric conditions to be more like daytime, but they pooh-poohed the idea. Anyway, maybe we can hope for a better version later. I was sad that the airing came up earlier than expected and I wish that I had gotten e-mail to you about it before you mentioned the wrong date in WoR last week. You don't regularly listen to AWWW these days? I thought that you did and that was why it was included in the DX Programs listing. 73, (Will Martin, March 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sometimes I catch it, sometimes I don`t. For me there`s a lot of competing programming at that hour. Sorry to disillusion you, but I can hardly monitor everything on the DX Programs listing; that`s why I am glad we have such a great group of monitors contributing. I think it`s safe to say that AW almost always `wings it` (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ###