DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-105, June 27, 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 1278: Tue 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours Wed 0930 WOR WWCR 9985 Wed 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours Mon 0330 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 MORE info including audio links: http://worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also for CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: WORLD OF RADIO 1278 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1278h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1278h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1278 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1278.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1278.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1278.html WORLD OF RADIO 1278 in true shortwave sound of Alex`s mp3 (stream) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_06-22-05.m3u (download) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_06-22-05.mp3 NEW! WORLD OF RADIO 1278 downloads in studio-quality mp3: (high) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1278.mp3 (low) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1278L.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO PODCAST: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml (currently available: 1277, Extra 57, 1278) DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS June 26 edition by John Norfolk: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** ANTARCTICA. The latest issue of The Antarctic Sun (21 June 2005) is now available at http://www.mdxc.org/antarctica/antarcticsun.asp - give a look to the memories of 30 years ago, when amateur radio was the only way for workers at the South Pole to communicate with people back home (see page 21). The Antarctica Award will be at Ham Radio 2005 (Friedrichshafen). Ric, DL2VFR & Emir, 9A6AA have organized an Antarctica Award Field Check on Saturday, 25 June, starting at 15 local time at the 9A Radio Club - HRS (Croatian Amateur Radio Association). [TNX IZ8CCW] (425 DX News via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. 15475.96, LRA36, 1920 Jun 24, extended talk at tune-in, succession of pop ballads starting at 1922, slow fades to inaudibility and back to S3 peak around 1930. YL announcer had mushy audio that was never understandable. Gone under noise by 1940 (Jerry Strawman, IA, DXplorer via Aaron Zawitzky, DXLD) You`re welcome ** AUSTRALIA. 2310, VL8A, Alice Springs, 1047-1105 Jun 25, AFL game featuring the Magpies against the Swans. Announcer would ID "ABC local radio and News Radio 96,7?" every ten minutes or so. Did not hear other two 120 meter outlets. Signal peaked at 1100 with nice clear copy here (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. [Followup to item in DXLD 5-104] The QRM on 80 and 40 meters which many suspect as originating from SWHFR trials in the Torres Strait are now suspected of being heard in Hong Kong and Japan. On 40, a beam heading of 230 or so from JA3 (high 3-el rotary). It is either straight south or straight north of 9M6. Apparently on 80, this thing looks to be from northern VK4. Another unconfirmed report plonks the interference smack on 8867, the international air route frequency for the SP6 routes. With more on the QRM, Glenn Dunstan WIA Director VK4DU. ``40 and 80m wideband QRM continues. The wideband interference signals reported last week on the national news continue to plague our 40 and 80 m bands. ``There has been some speculation that these signals could be coming from a Surface Wave HF Radar surveillance system recently installed in Torres Strait. ``However, the Defence Department has advised that Surface Wave Radars do not transmit on the 40 and 80m amateur bands. ``We have received a number of Intruder watch reports on this interference, including a couple of sound bites of the signals. I have collated these reports and forwarded them on to the ACA for investigation.`` The WIA Intruder watch service needs your reports - please email reports to intruders @ wia.org.au (WIA News June 26 via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. RADIO HERITAGE WEBSITE FEATURES LONG LOST AUSTRALIAN RADIO STARS --- June 27 2005, Wellington, New Zealand Long Lost Australian Radio Stars Shine Again --- A new series of articles now on-line at http://www.radioheritage.net goes back almost 60 years to reveal the long lost radio stars who made 2KY Sydney, 2CH Sydney and 2CA Canberra top stations of the mid-1940's. Andy Flanagan (originator of 2KY's 'Sports Talks'), Eric Walker (Wrestling from Leichhardt Stadium), Bob Pollard (2CH 'Hit Parade'), Charles Stanley (2CH 'Good-morning Man'), Len Major (2CA Breakfast Announcer) and Phil Drummond ('Tops of the Pops') are just a few of the stars who shine again. With photos, biographies and more, these three articles provide a unique window into the world of Australian radio in 1946. Hidden for decades, 2KY Radio Personalities, AWA Station 2CH and 2CA Canberra Voices are part of a new series about Australian radio heritage now being released exclusively. The 2KY Radio Personalities story has already rocketed towards the top of the list of viewed radio articles within a few days of being released without publicity (David Ricquish, Radio Heritage Foundation, June 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Radiodifusora Roraima fue captada este 25/06, a las 0502 UT, en los 4876.33 kHz, con SINPO 35433. Locutor con comentarios; hablaba de una "programación especial". Es extraño, ya que esta emisora por lo general cierra a las 0400 UT aproximadamente. Ya fuera del aire a las 0518. 73s y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, Estado Vargas, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 6060.1, R. Tupi (tentative), June 25, 0612-0622, fair (about the best I have ever heard them), with the usual preacher in Portuguese, but this is the first time I have heard him not being // to R. Victoria [PERU] on 6020.3 (fair) (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, with T2FD antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Ao que tudo indica, permanecem inativas, em ondas curtas, as seguintes emissoras brasileiras: Rádio Ribeirão Preto, de Ribeirão Preto (SP), que emitia em 3205 kHz; Rádio Clube, de Varginha (MG), que transmitia em 3245 kHz; Rádio Aquidauana, de Aquidauana (MS), que emitia em 4795 kHz; Rádio Capixaba, de Vitória (ES), que transmitia em 4935 kHz; Rádio Cultura, de Campos (RJ), que emitia em 4955 kHz; Rádio Globo, do Rio de Janeiro (RJ), que transmitia em 6030 e 11805 kHz; entre outras emissoras (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 26 via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. Still hearing mostly noise instead of R. Bulgaria on 15700, June 26 at 1330 check; also June 27 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I listened on 15700 today around 1330 --- and also to various other transmissions on this and other frequencies --- and do not hear any "noise" on any of them. Could it be something generated locally to Glenn? I recently found that my computer was radiating a noise on exactly 13700 leaving sidebands and all else clear (Noel Green, UK, June 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I suppose that could be; I am reluctant to unplug everything else in the house and lose programming, etc. I know I have a birdie (carrier) on 11999.8, emanating from a VCR, hetting Habana. So is anyone else in North America hearing the noise? (gh) ** BULGARIA. Radio Bulgaria finally posted their summer schedule on their web site! Note that in the program guide, the 2300 broadcasts are actually the previous UT day and there is no explanation as to why some titles are in parenthesis. Published on September 01, 2003 at 9:55 AM BG Updated on June 15, 2005 at 1:44 PM BG Programme guide Radio Bulgaria`s programmes are broadcast as follows: short waves 75 m (3900-4000 kHz) 25 m (11500-12100 kHz) 49 m (5800-6200 kHz) 22 m (13600-13800 kHz) 41 m (7100-7600 kHz) 19 m (15100-15800 kHz) 31 m (9400-9900 kHz) 16 m (17500-17900 kHz) medium waves 402 m (747 kHz) 245 m (1224 kHz) Programmes in English UTC kHz local time 02:00 9700, 11700 Washington 22:00 06:30 11600, 13600 London 07:30 11:30 11700, 15700 London 12:30 17:30 9500, 11500 London 18:30 21:00 5800, 7500 London 22:00 23:00 9700, 11700 Washington 19:00 *half-hour broadcast **one hour broadcast w - winter/astronomical time s - summer/daylight saving [sic] time Monday 00:00**w/23:00**s News, Views behind the news, Folk studio, (Keyword Bulgaria), Walks and talks, (Folk studio) 03:00**w/02:00**s News, Views behind the news, Folk studio, (Keyword Bulgaria), Walks and talks, (Folk studio) 07:30*w/06:30*s News, Answering your letters, (Time out for music) 12:30*w/11:30*s News, Answering your letters, (Time out for music) 18:30*w/17:30*s News, Events and developments, Sports 22:00**w/21:00**s News, Events and developments, Sports Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music Tuesday 00:00**w/23:00**s News, Events and developments, Sports, Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music 03:00**w/02:00**s News, Events and developments, Sports, Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music 07:30*w/06:30*s News, Folk studio, (Walks and Talks) 12:30*w/11:30*s News, Folk studio, (Walks and Talks) 18:30*w/17:30*s News, Events and developments 22:00**w/21:00**s News, Events and developments, Magazine economy, Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music Wednesday 00:00**w/23:00**s News, Events and developments, Magazine economy, Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music 03:00**w/02:00**s News, Events and developments, Magazine economy, Keyword Bulgaria Time out for music 07:30*w/06:30*s News, Keyword Bulgaria, (Time out for music) 12:30*w/11:30*s News, Keyword Bulgaria, (Time out for music) 18:30*w/17:30*s News, Events and developments 22:00**w/21:00**s News, Events and developments, The way we live, Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music Thursday 00:00**w/23:00**s News, Events and developments, The way we live, Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music 03:00**w/02:00**s News, Events and developments, The way we live, Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music 07:30*w/06:30*s News, Keyword Bulgaria, (Time out for music) 12:30*w/11:30*s News, Keyword Bulgaria,(Time out for music) 18:30*w/17:30*s News, Events and developments 22:00**w/21:00**s News, Events and developments, History club, Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music Friday 00:00**w/23:00**s News, Events and developments, History club, Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music 03:00**w/02:00**s News, Events and developments, History club, Keyword Bulgaria, Time out for music 07:30*w/06:30*s News, Keyword Bulgaria, (Time out for music) 12:30*w/11:30*s News, Keyword Bulgaria, (Time out for music) 18:30*w/17:30*s News, Events and developments 22:00**w/21:00**s News, Events and developments, Keyword Bulgaria, DX programme, Time out for music Saturday 00:00**w/23:00**s News, Events and developments, Keyword Bulgaria, DX programme, Time out for music 03:00**w/02:00**s News, Events and developments, Keyword Bulgaria, DX programme, Time out for music 07:30*w/06:30*s News, (News briefs), Keyword Bulgaria, (Time out for music) 12:30*w/11:30*s News, (News briefs), Keyword Bulgaria, (Time out for music) 18:30*w/17:30*s News, Views behind the news 22:00**w/21:00**s News, Views behind the news, Keyword Bulgaria, Answering your letters, (Time out for music) Sunday 00:00**w/23:00**s News, Views behind the news, Keyword Bulgaria, Answering your letters, (Time out for music) 03:00**w/02:00**s News, Views behind the news, Keyword Bulgaria, Answering your letters, (Time out for music) 07:30*w/06:30*s News, (News briefs), Keyword Bulgaria, (Time out for music) 12:30*w/11:30*s News, (News briefs), DX programme, Time out for music 18:30*w/17:30*s News, Views behind the news 22:00**w/21:00**s News, Views behind the news, Folk studio, (Keyword Bulgaria), Walks and talks, (Folk studio) Note that while the DX Programme announces that they are heard during the Sunday 0630 broadcast, it is not listed in the above schedule. (via John Norfolk, dxldyg) ** CANADA. We`ve been updating MONITORING REMINDERS CALENDAR at least once a week, and now that CBC Radio 1 and 2 summer schedules kick in, a June 27 update is now at http://www.worldofradio.com/calendar.html RCI1 webcast will also be updated; I see that from the second week of July, MEDIA ZONE is replaced by something called TALKING STICK, no further info yet. Perhaps it`s an aboriginally-orientated media show (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Fredericton, New Brunswick, TIS Station --- Hi Glenn, CIRC- FM, Fredericton, New Brunswick's first traveler information station was noted on the air Friday, June 24th, 2005 broadcasting on its new frequency of 93.3 MHz, which is a change from its originally-assigned frequency of 93.1. The tower for the 50-watt station is now located on the roof of Fredericton's City Motel, at the top of one of the hills near the city's downtown. The station's original proposed tower site was on the other side of the St. John River - opposite the city's downtown. The change in frequency and tower location was approved by the CRTC on 7 April 2005, before the station went on the air. It broadcasts with 50 watts, omnidirectional, from a tower height of 32 meters above average terrain. It expects to be heard by motorists on their way in to New Brunswick's capital city. On Friday, 24 June 2005, the station was noted with a rebroadcast of Environment Canada's regular 162.55 weatherradio network, as well as U.S./Canadian dollar exchange rates, and an estimate of the wait times at the Maine/New Brunswick border on Interstate 95 (Brent Taylor, VE1JH, Doaktown, NB, Canada, June 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. Since WHRI South Carolina does not use 15285 before 1400 on weekends (but is on 11785 instead: see LAOS [non]), Sunday June 26 at 1315 I tried to identify the Chinese on 15285 which puts terrible QRM on WHRI weekdays. There are definitely two stations. The weaker one is presumably BBC as scheduled via Singapore, 13 degrees per NDXC. The stronger is one of China`s networks (not Firedrake, but which one?), with a much livelier format. At 1315 a bunch of different cities in China were mentioned along with AM or FM frequencies. There is no transmission from China listed on 15285 in the censored HFCC A-05, in EiBi A-05, nor in NDXC A-05, so I can only conclude this is an unregistered jamming transmission. Later found it to be \\ weaker 15265 and 13625. HFCC shows no China on 13625 either, but VOA Tinian; 15265 at this time, nothing from China, nor anything likely to be subject to jamming. But NDXC shows 13625 is RFA in Tibetan via Tinian, while 15265 is the CBS-2 network from Taiwan in Chinese. So that explains China PR on all these frequencies. It seems that RFA and BBC just sit there and take it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA. QRM to 6010: see MEXICO ** CUBA. All times GMT... [HISP] = logged at Honeymoon Island State Park, north of Clearwater Beach FL. It's amazing how the Cubans are so attenuated at that location compared to the home QTH and Ft. DeSoto, while panhandle MW is greatly enhanced. 530, Radio Rebelde; 1805+ June 24, alone and loud. [HISP] 1060, unidentifieds; 1050+ June 25, definitely two mixing here, along with domestics and probably México at various times. One was mostly airing Cuban oldies, the other with talk. The latter may have been Veintiséis (no decent parallels located this late). Paul Z: what do you hear on 1060 these days? Has anyone actually logged Trinchera Antiimperialista or Radio Victoria of late (both listed here)? 1180, Radio Rebelde; 1908+ June 24. Watch this one, as reported a few days ago, something is wrong with this monster transmitter. When paralleling to 530, it suddenly went off. Back up a few minutes later with horrid 60 Hz telco-ish buzz, audio slowly back up under the buzz, then an abrupt snap and back to normal audio and signal level. Heaven forbid they lose this transmitter and Radio Martí be allowed to fill the Habana airwaves [HISP] And at 1020+ June 25, nowhere near the usual signal and again with the reverb (dual transmitters) sound. Recheck 1135, up to usual flamethrower level (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, June 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. One not too nice thing happening to Tropical Band DXers is that many of their favorite stations are going off the air, due to many different reasons, among them the rapid development of FM broadcast stations in areas forming served by Tropical Band broadcasts, and the high cost to broadcaster of keeping on the air old vacuum tube transmitters for which replacement parts are more and more difficult to find, and when found are extremely expensive. Cuba uses the Tropical 60 meter band for providing a nationwide service to so called silence zones, especially in the mountain regions, where AM and FM broadcasts do not reach or provide a very unreliable service. That's whey the Cuban Broadcast Institute now operates a new 50 kiloWatt high tech transmitter for broadcasting Radio Rebelde's network national program on 5025 kiloHertz, using a near vertical incidence sky wave antenna system to provide optimum service up to a distance of 1000 kilometers around the transmitter site. For DXers there is a bonus. The antenna does have a small low angle lobe that makes possible listening to Radio Rebelde in many far away places too!!! (Arnie Coro, RHC DXUL June 25 via ODXA via DXLD) ** CUBA [non non]. Time for Aló Presidente, relayed from Venezuela, Sunday June 26; at 1403 I tuned in to 11875 during the frequency announcement which concluded with 11670 and 13680. It was certainly on 13680 too, but on 11670 one heard Bible readings in Spanish, not likely from either Marxist state. This of course is WYFR, which NDXC has on 11670 at 1400-1545, but in English; EiBi shows this correctly in Spanish. Why does Cuba Sur have so much trouble avoiding the frequencies of SW stations in neighboring Cuba Norte? Maybe Cuba caught on to this one, and brings 11670 up later, but not by 1430 recheck. No // found elsewhere on 9, 11, 13, 15 or 17 MHz. At 1404, since the transmission from Caracas was not ready to begin, Habana provided its own week in review show, Mundo Siete. BTW, 11875 had some co-channel QRM, which per NDXC could be Taiwan in Indonesian or Veritas in Bengali, a collision right there that may have been resolved by now, as the former was previously confirmed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. Re this item from Glenn in 5-104: Another demonstration of Fidel`s unconcern about collateral damage caused by jamming R. Martí. . . There's another very interesting situation observed currently on 11775. CRI has an Arabic language service on this frequency at 0500- 0657 via Albania. Martí is using this frequency too between 0300 and 0700 and is often well audible at my location in NW England - plus, of course, Cuban jamming. Depending on propagation on the day, the jamming can be very loud, and I wonder if it is affecting reception of CRI in their target area too? 73s (Noel R. Green, UK, June 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Commies vs commies!! Speaking of which, ** CZECHOSLOVAKIA. CZECH COMMUNISTS LAUNCH INTERNET RADIO | Text of report in English by Czech news agency CTK Prague, 25 June: The junior opposition Communists (KSCM) officially launched the trial operation of their party Internet Radio Halo Futura today. They are the first party to have used last year's amendment to the law on political parties which allows political groupings to run radio and television broadcasts. The radio's logo in the shape of a lighthouse reads "A Lighthouse into a Different Future". "We are the lighthouse keepers," radio head Milan Rokytka told journalists. The trial broadcast featured among others a voice recording of a speech by Bolshevik leader Vladimir Iliych Lenin and a brief interview with KSCM Chairman Miroslav Grebenicek. The Communists also issue through Futura organization the daily Halo noviny which is printed in around 33,000 copies. The Communist radio is to be available at http://www.radiohalo.cz/ Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 1412 gmt 25 Jun 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** INDIA. Dear Friends, Mr. R. Narasimhaswamy, Suptg. Engineer of the SW Station in Bangalore who was promptly attending/replying to DXers' reception reports has now been transferred. Thanks to him, many DXers around the world have received the valuable verifications directly from the SW station at Bangalore. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, June 24, dx_india, via DXLD) I thought I heard he had gone to Goa some months ago (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN [and non]. Jamming against VOA has been stepped up, on SW and on satellite, presumably due to the recent elections. IBB added a temporary satellite service in a different part of the Ku band, and at a higher look angle, making it harder to jam from the ground (Aaron Zawitzky, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. RADIO HERITAGE WEBSITE ADDS JAPANESE RADIO ART June 27, 2005. Wellington, New Zealand Japanese Radio Art Revealed --- The Art of Radio (c) Japan now on-line at http://www.radioheritage.net is a fascinating and colorful introduction to the art work used by Japanese domestic radio stations to promote themselves since the early 1930's. From icons such as Mt Fuji and cherry blossoms, to cute Japanese girls from Hokkaido, dairy cows in green fields, beach scenes, abstract objects, street scenes and much more, this exclusive new article now opens up the hidden art of Japanese radio broadcasters for the rest of the world to enjoy. The article uses designs from original radio ephemera now held by the New Zealand based Radio Heritage Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting radio heritage from around the Pacific Rim. Art of Radio (c) Japan is the second in a series featuring Pacific radio artwork and commercial design. The first article, which introduces Australian and New Zealand radio art is already the most popular article viewed at http://www.radioheritage.net Scanned example of art work available for publication on request to info @ radioheritage.net (David Ricquish, Radio Heritage Foundation, http://www.radioheritage.net June 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. June 25 at 1236 noted VOK on 11710, stronger than \\ 11735, with patriotically fervent choral music interrupted by strident commands (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. With WEWN gone from 11530, I am still not hearing V. of Mesopotamia, e.g. at 1328 check June 26, tho there may have been traces of a carrier. Nor should I really expect to at the summer solstice, while in the winter the signal from Moldova can be very good here if unimpeded. Can someone further east confirm whether VOM is still going? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOM 11530 is still active and heard around 0600-0700 when co-channel equal level with WYFR in English (this // 11580). I note the following HFCC registrations.... [all 7 days, for entire A05 dates] 11530 0345 0900 37,46 YFR 100 87 USA YFR FCC 2555 11530 0400 1600 39,40 KCH 500 115 MDA TDP GFC 1566 11530 0400 0800 39 KCH 300 116 Kur MDA MEZ TDP 799 11530 0800 1200 39 KCH 300 116 Kur MDA MEZ TDP 800 11530 1200 1600 39 KCH 500 116 Kur MDA MEZ TDP 801 I'm not certain which of the registrations currently applies to the VOM but there's only 1 degree of azimuth between them anyway. Maybe VOM and WYFR are co-existing in their respective service areas, but they certainly are not here. It should be relatively easy for WYFR to find a better and clearer channel than 11530, maybe in the 12100-12160 part of the spectrum. 73s (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS [non]. Made a point of listening to Hmong Lao Radio, via WHRI South Carolina, Saturday June 25 on 11785: there were brief bits of different kinds of Hmong Hmusic, but mostly talk; first tuned in at 1227 with a bit of instrumental; 1237 a YL vocal; 1241 hmentioned Brooklyn Park, hMinnesota, and somewhere in Wisconsin; there was weak co-channel interference under, seemingly Chinese. Yes, that would be the VOA via Thailand at 30 degrees towards China and North America --- or the inevitable Chinese jammer. 1236 with St. Paul P O Box; 1247 string hmusic and ID which sounded to me like regular Lao rather than Hmong, starting with ``Thini Sattani Withayu``; 1254 what sounded like a sad love song (a lot of their hmusic would be classified that way by a Western ear --- but is it really?); 1258 a bit of very rustic hmusic; 1259 to WHR OCS ID. Also during the hour-later broadcast on Sunday, June 26, 1313 with a Hmong song, but too much else going on to stay with it, so I`m not certain if the Sunday show is a repeat of the Saturday show or a different one. Beamed 315 degrees from Furman, per HFCC A-05, this is obviously a domestic SW service. To pretend it were beamed from SC to Laos the azimuth would need to be closer to due hnorth, er, north (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. Hello Radio Friend, Here is my last log from Europe Latvia: 9290 European Music Radio, via Riga-Ulbroka 2007-2030, 25-June; Advertising in French, ID in English, music followed by mailbox program SINPO 44344 RX: SONY SW7600G Ant. VHF outdoor at 250 degrees. 73 from (Treviso, Italy, Nino Marabello, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA. 5470, Radio Veritas, 2259-2303* Jun 23, soft instrumental music. At 2300 a man announcer came on with English ID and sign off announcements followed by The Lord's Prayer: "You are listening to Radio Veritas, Monrovia, Liberia. If you enjoyed listening to this station, please write to P. O. Box 3569, Monrovia. Well listeners, we come to the end of today's transmission; here is The Lord's Prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven..." Poor to fair at peaks with deep fades (Rich D'Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. CONTRA LA INTERFERENCIA QUE SUFRE RADIO MIL A través de varias publicaciones impresas y digitales y por medio de diversas listas de discusión vía Internet se ha tratado el tema de la interferencia que la emisora colombiana La Voz de tu Conciencia le causa a Radio Mil de México en su onda corta de 6010 kHz banda internacional de 49 metros. Como muchos colegas saben, Radio Mil emitía un programa diexista llamado "Encuentro DX" que salía al aire varias veces a la semana exclusivamente por la onda corta (UT Viernes 23:25/Sábados 14:30/Domingos 03:30; 15:00 y 23:25/Lunes 05:05) conducido por el Dr. Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla y Héctor García Bojorge. XEOI Radio Mil onda corta nació hace mas de 50 años y La Voz de Tu Conciencia la viene usando desde hace tres años. El objetivo de XEOI es llevar la programación de XEOY onda media a lugares apartados, principalmente de la República Mexicana pero "La estación colombiana nos tapa prácticamente toda la noche" dice el amigo Julián. A través de la actividad de los colegas mexicanos, Radio Mil difundió la radioescucha y el diexismo durante mucho tiempo respondiendo los informes de recepción con la tarjeta QSL de XEOI. Pero el QRM de La Voz de Tu Conciencia desalentó la continuidad del programa, "Radio Mil sigue al aire en onda corta pero en verdad nuestro trabajo de 7 años se vino abajo; no tiene caso hacer programa sino te escuchan" dijo Díez de Bonilla en uno de sus mensajes. Sin embargo se hicieron las tratativas para persuadir a la emisora religiosa que cambiara de frecuencia pero los resultados hasta ahora han sido negativos. "Esta estación cristiana ???? que promueve el amor y la comprensión, ha hecho el menor caso a nuestras múltiples peticiones desde hace casi tres años en que apareció", dijo Julián. El encargado de esta emisora es el Sr. Russell Martin Stendal. En una respuesta reciente al reiterado reclamo de Radio Mil el Sr. Stendal comunicó: "Estamos haciendo una consulta acerca de la posibilidad de instalar antenas direccionales. Espero tener una respuesta en unos quince días" pero ya han pasado tres meses sin novedades. Según comenta Julián el problema fue expuesto en la última reunión de la HFCC que se celebró en México. "Ellos mencionaron que no entran en disputas si no se encuentran los dos interesados en la HFCC; conseguí desde hace más de un año que R. Mil formara parte de la HFCC pero La Voz de Tu Conciencia no forma parte de ésta y se apoya en que tiene todos los permisos de las autoridades colombianas". Los diexistas hemos comprobado recientemente cómo es posible actuar contra estos hechos en defensa de las emisoras interferidas, aún están muy frescos dos casos que han sido resueltos favorablemente gracias a la comprensión de HCJB La Voz de Los Andes y de Voz Cristiana abandonando las frecuencias que ya ocupaban otras emisoras. Este es un nuevo desafío y oh! casualidad, se trata de otra estación religiosa. Iniciemos una campaña para que Radio Mil recupere sin interferencias a los 6010 kHz La dirección electrónica del Sr. Stendal es martinstendal @ etb.net.co y la de Radio Mil es radiomil @ nrm.com.mx Comencemos ya!... Saludos (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Casilla de Correo 950, S 2000 WAJ - Rosario, ARGENTINA, Tel.: +54 (0)341 4558952 margenet @ arnet.com.ar June 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola amigo Rubén, recibe un abrazo desde España. Respecto a esta campaña, veo que pones al final la dirección de correo electrónico de Radio Mil: radiomil @ nrm.com.mx y me gustaría saber si entraste en contacto con ellos a través de esa dirección y te respondieron, ya que, efectivamente, dicha dirección funciona, ellos reciban los mails, pero no contestan, por lo menos no lo hacen a las reclamaciones de informes de recepción enviados. Yo, que envié en los últimos años unas cuatro cartas con informes de recepción a su dirección de correo, todas ellas con 1 US $ dentro, nunca tuve respuesta, y luego de reclamar para ver si habían llegado las cartas, enviando mails a dicha dirección de correo electrónico, siempre tuve la callada por respuesta, nunca contestaron. Uno de los informes de recepción y varios mails enviados fueron en los últimos dos meses. Por otra parte decirte que me parece muy bién la campaña. Suerte con ella. Y desearía agregar que La Voz de tu Conciencia, sí contestó a varios mails míos y si me confirmó con QSL al primero y único informe que envié, así que, tal vez a su dirección de correo si se pueda escribir para protestar por la interferencia. Un abrazo (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Noticias DX via DXLD) Otro problema es que LV de tu Conciencia (tanto como Marfil Estéreo, 5910v), participan en Galcom, cuyo propósito es distribuir receptores gratis a sus víctimas, que sintonizan una sola frecuencia, la suya. Así es que una vez escogida la frecuencia, tal emisora no quiere mudarse (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. XEXQ Radio Universidad SLP, 6045 --- Estimados amigos: desde ayer viernes volvió al aire, después de más de un mes, XEXQ Radio Universidad de San Luis Potosí en los 6045 kHz. La señal se escucha aquí en la Ciudad de México (425 km al sur de la ciudad de San Luis Potosí) con un SINPO hasta de 4, con audio ligeramente distorcionado. Durante el lapso que estuvieron fuera del aire cambiaron su transmisor y antena del centro de la Ciudad de San Luis a un lugar en la periferia de esa ciudad; nos informa la encargada técnica Lizbeth Tapia que actualmente se encuentran realizando ajustes a su equipo. En verdad hacen un gran esfuerzo ya que transmiten con solo 250 vatios. La programación la toman de su señal de onda media. 73's (Juliàn Santiago Díez de Bonilla, June 25, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. ENGINEERING IN COLOR - BONILLA CHAPTER IV The next chapter in the Lazer vs. Quetzal proceeding is on deck: A color copy of Larry Morton's Engineering Statement filed in defense of the Mexican radio operations of Jaime Bonilla. This is the same document that was made available in last week's CGC Communicator, except those pictures were black and white and poorly encoded, but they were the best images available at the time. The new images (URL below) are clear and in living color. These photos give us a snapshot of the XESS, XESDD, XEKTT(AM) and XHBCE-FM operations according to Mr. Morton. File size is 9.2 MB, but the doc is well worth downloading. http://www.earthsignals.com/add_CGC/Quetzal_Engineering_Color.pdf The Bonilla case is heating up because Quetzal's Section 325(c) authority to feed programming to XHBCE-FM's Class B site expires on July 1. The Commission must now decide whether to renew that authority. Last week, Lazer indicated to the Commission that - thanks to the Morton report - we now know why the ravine, where XHBCE's transmitter should have been built, is empty: The XHBCE transmitter was never built at its authorized site. Lazer then proceeds to use its previously submitted topographic map, in conjunction with Morton's data, to show that the transmitter was built 1.55 miles (2.5 km) away from its authorized site. The transmitter mysteriously wound up on top of Cerro Grande mountain instead of down in the wash where it belongs. Lazer then shows that Cerro Grande is 1,706 feet higher than the authorized site. If true, this spells major problems for Bonilla. We plan to publish the Lazer document soon. (CGC Communicator June 27 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** MYANMAR. Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) can be reached by email via this address: mrtv @ mptmail.net.mm (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, June 27, dxldyg via DXLD) ** NEPAL. MAOIST RADIO ON THE RISE --- by Sarahana http://samudaya.org/articles/archives/2005/06/maoist_radio_on.php Following is a translation of a report by nepalinfo.civiblog.org, titled Due to government failure: Maoist Radio are [sic] becoming popular. Dang-based Swargadwari F.M. used to provide news from time to time in the districts of Gulmi, Arghakhanchi and Pyuthan. However, the establishment of control over the media having brought a halt to news broadcast, people looking for true and factual news have had no choice but to listen to either London-based BBC Radio or the Maoists' Janaganatantra Nepal's broadcast. Currently, even if the residents of these districts are not able to listen to Radio Janaganatantra's main regional broadcasts, they have been scouring for locations at a height in order to listen to the evening and morning news. In the latest issue of Janadesh, which is considered to be a Maoist mouthpiece, Gulmi's Kishor Panthi has written: In addition to Gulmi, Arkhawang, Purkot, Dhurkot, Nayagaun, Arkhale and the district headquarter Tamghas, one is able to listen to Radio Janaganatantra in various locations of the eastern region. However, since the Maoists do not have the modern equipment the government does, it is difficult to catch a transmission when not at a height. Moreover, several locations have not been able to receive the broadcast after Chaitra 5 (March 18, 2005). A businessman from the bordering town of Gulmi and Palpa, Kharjyang, says, "When there is a new incident, we are obligated to listen to this radio to get reliable information because since Magh 19 (Feb 1, 2005), we have found the news broadcast from government radio to be untruthful." Likewise, a fairly-known journalist based in the district headquarter Tamghas holds the view, "Radio Janaganatantra has displaced the government's Radio Nepal. We want Radio Janaganatantra to be even more established amongst the people." Claiming to be a regular listener of Radio Janaganatantra, a teacher from the Gulmi-Arkhale region says, "We have to make it possible to listen to Ganatantra F.M. in all places. In this situation where the king has chained media and press, Radio Janaganatantra has fulfilled the needs of the people." On the question of Janaganatantra, a businessman from Arghakhanchi-Bhagwati shares a fond memory, "One day while I was listening to the radio [public] in the morning, Bahini said - Dai, it looks like people's rule has come to Nepal. Having heard this from a campus-going bahini, I went to listen as well. Radio Janganatantra was playing, and from it the news was being broadcast. Since then I have been listening regularly. Prior to this I had not known that Radio Janaganatantra was available in this area." On the topic of Radio Janaganatantra, a journalist from the Kathmandu- based newspaper Kantipur has said, "When an incident occurs, to obtain rightful information we have been listening to Radio Janaganatantra in Kathmandu over the phone." Recommending that Radio Janaganatantra ought to give instant information on any incident, a journalist from Butwal told us, "I have listened to Radio Janaganatantra even here over the phone. It has to gain more weight and by communicating rightful news it has to prove itself to be people's radio." An elderly man of over 75 years from Gulmi-Purkot says, "Not only is it pleasing to listen to Radio Janaganatantra's news, but also the songs and the tunes that aspire for a people's rule. But I think the duration is very short." When there is any incident, BBC Nepali service is also heard, and the people have taken it upon themselves to decide the truthfulness of any news. With a view that this report only wishes to paint a picture on what the intrusion on public radio has resulted in, we have presented this reportage with some editing. The control over media has caused problems for citizens not only in the west but all over the country. For this reason, some have also had no choice but to listen to India Radio or the Chinese broadcast; some watch BBC, and some CNN (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, June 26, dxld yg via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. RALDA CUSHEN --- Newsgroup members will be sorry to learn that Ralda died last Thursday evening. The Funeral is scheduled for Monday morning at 10.30am in Invercargill. Ralda, widow of the late Arthur Cushen, made a significant behind-the-scenes contribution to our hobby, through her support of Arthur - blind for most of his adult life. Most of you will be aware of Arthur's place in the history of of DX listening hobby, as a founding member of the NZ Radio DX League, longtime reporter to listener programmes on Radio NZ International and its predecessors, and Radio Netherland's DX Jukebox (later to become Media Network). I last visited Ralda in mid-April - since leaving the famous 212 Earn Street address some years ago, she has been living in her own sunny unit in a retirement village in Invercargill. Because her life had so focused on supporting Arthur and his radio work until his death in 1997, Ralda had few other interests and I dont think she ever fully adjusted to widowhood. One of the most pleasing things I have done was presenting Ralda with a special award on behalf of the NZ Radio DX League, I think in the early 90s. The plaque acknowledged her own unique contribution to the DX hobby over more than 45 years. At this stage we have no details regarding where messages of condolence can be sent, but I am expecting further details from Dawn Beckingsale who was ATC's last secretary. Once more information comes to hand I will pass it on. 73 (Bryan Clark, Vice President - NZ Radio DX League, June 26, ripple via DXLD) Ralda Cushen R.I.P. --- I have just learned that Ralda Cushen, widow of the late Arthur Cushen MBE of New Zealand, passed away on June 24th. Following Arthur's death in 1997, whilst still working for the World Radio TV Handbook, I wrote: "I had the great privilege of meeting Arthur and Ralda when they came to Europe for the EDXC Conference in Stockholm. They were delightful company, and great ambassadors for New Zealand...Arthur himself would have wanted much of the credit for his achievements to go to his devoted wife Ralda, and we are thinking of her at this difficult time." I am thinking now of Ralda's family, and how much they will miss her. I hope they will take some comfort from knowing that their loss is shared by people around the world whom they've never met. R.I.P. Memories of Radio Listening Over 60 Years by Arthur Cushen http://radiodx.com/spdxr/atcushen.htm # posted by Andy @ 14:02 UT June 26 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. 7275, R. Nigeria, apparently Abuja: There was something behind Tunis prior to their sign-off at 0528 Jun 21, but it was barely perceptible. When Tunis went off at 0528, Nigeria was then audible, with the RN announcer giving a tantalizing mention of "meter band shortwave" right as Tunis went off. Reception was poor, in QRN. They played "Every Time You Go Away," then went into what seemed to be a long religious talk at 0530, maybe called "Living By God" per a later announcement (not sure). "Best" reception was at 0542, when there was an ad with many numbers and many mentions of Abuja. Then TC, light female vocal, more ads or promos from 0547, including seemingly a promo for a program called "Echoes of Our ____." They played "When A Man Loves A Woman" at 0550, more ads, TCs (UT +1), R. Nigeria ID 0559, drum IS to TC and news at 0600, when I tuned out. I checked through past WRTHs and PWBRs. WRTH has listed Abuja on 7275 since 2003, before that Kaduna was shown on the frequency. PWBR showed Kaduna on 7275 through 2000, nothing from Nigeria on the frequency thereafter. WRTH gives ID text as "The Capital Radio, the Voice of Unity." I didn't hear that, but at 0544 there is an ID as "This is the Voice of ____ Nigeria, Abuja." (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. DTV TENTATIVE CHANNEL DESIGNATIONS FOR THE FIRST ROUND OF DTV CHANNEL ELECTIONS Channels Call Sign City Current DTV / Current NTSC / Tentative Designation KTEN ADA OK 26 10 26 KDOR-TV BARTLESVILLE OK 15 17 17 KWET CHEYENNE OK 8 12 8 KRSC-TV CLAREMORE OK 36 35 36 KOET EUFAULA OK 31 3 31 KOCM NORMAN OK 46 46 KAUT-TV OKLAHOMA CITY OK 40 43 40 KETA-TV OKLAHOMA CITY OK 32 13 13 KFOR-TV OKLAHOMA CITY OK 27 4 27 KOCB OKLAHOMA CITY OK 33 34 33 KOCO-TV OKLAHOMA CITY OK 7 5 7 KOKH-TV OKLAHOMA CITY OK 24 25 24 KOPX OKLAHOMA CITY OK 50 62 50 KSBI OKLAHOMA CITY OK 51 52 51 KTBO-TV OKLAHOMA CITY OK 15 14 15 KWTV OKLAHOMA CITY OK 39 9 9 KTPX OKMULGEE OK 28 44 28 KTUZ-TV SHAWNEE OK 29 30 29 KGEB TULSA OK 49 53 49 KOED-TV TULSA OK 38 11 11 KOKI-TV TULSA OK 22 23 22 KTFO TULSA OK 42 41 42 KTUL TULSA OK 10 8 10 KWHB TULSA OK 48 47 47 KUOK WOODWARD OK 35 35 (from http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-05-1743A2.pdf via DXLD) All other states may be looked up there (gh) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3335, Radio East Sepik (presumed) 1045, Jun 25, Fair signal running parallel Port Moresby on 4890, which had a strong signal. 3385, Radio East New Britain, 1039, Jun 25, Program in Pidgin with ID in passing at 1039. Fairly good signal (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3385, R. East New Britain (tentative), June 26, 1045-1120, religious songs and preaching in Pidgin, mentions ``Word of Christ,`` TC (16 past 9 o`clock), fair (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, with T2FD antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. Carlos Gonçalves nomeado Socio Honorário da ARLA. Prezados Amigos. Acabo de saber que o dexista português Carlos Gonçalves foi nomeado por unanimidade e distinçâo, Sócio Honorário da ARLA-Associação de Radioamadores do Litoral Alentejano, pelos relevantes serviços prestados assim como pelos seus méritos cientificos e contribuição de relevo como reconhecido e conceituado radioescuta internacional no campo do Dx das emissões de radiodifusão em Ondas Longas, Ondas Medias e Ondas Curtas. Carlos Gonçalves é o primeiro sócio honorário de sempre a ser reconhecido pela ARLA. Para os mais desatentos, o Carlos Gonçalves é presença habitual através dos seus preciosos relatorios de escuta nos Boletins eletronicos do DX Clube do Brasil, atraves do @-tividade DX [e DXLD] e é um dos mais importantes e conceituados especialistas mundiais no tema da radiodifusão em Ondas Longas, Ondas Medias e Ondas Curtas. Quero saudar publicamente este admiravel dexista português, por esta totalmente merecida e reconhecida nomeação e que honra todos os amantes da radio da comunidade de lingua portuguesa. Para ele, o meu Forte Abraço e os maiores e mais sentidos Cumprimentos (João Costa, Almada/Portugal, June 22, radioescutas via DXLD) Olá João e demais colegas, Nossos parabéns ao Carlos Gonçalves e que ele tenha muita saúde e vida longa, para que possa continuar a dar a sua contribuição ao hobby da radioescuta, radioamadorismo, e ao dexismo. E a você nossa gratidão por fazer chegar a todos as informações! (Wilson Rodrigues, Itaúna/MG, ibid.) ** RUSSIA. 12065, R. Station Pacific Ocean (R. Tikhiy Okean), June 26, *0835-0900*, sign-on always the same: ``.. Vladivostok,`` chimes, `` .. Radiostantsiya Tikhiy Okean .. Moscow Radio .. Vladivostok,`` YL with assumed short news items with music between items, plus variety of Russian music and songs, fair. Nice to have this one back on a regular basis (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, with T2FD antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. Following up my previous observation that during the English broadcast at 1330, R. Sweden on 15240 via Canada was 18 seconds ahead of R. Sweden direct on 15735, the following few days reception was so poor on 15735 that I could not compare them. I barely managed to June 27 at 1350, as 15735 occasionally faded up enough to be intelligible. Since I could be sure of hearing 15240 continuously and clearly, just in case, I first noted a marker bit of audio on 15735, listened for two minutes to 15240 and never heard it repeated. But at 1353 I was able to track a marker about 30 seconds later on 15735 than on 15240. So Sackville relay is still running ahead of Sweden direct, by a greater delay this time. The variation is probably caused by two different recordings being started at slightly different times independently, even tho it`s the same programming, rather than a direct relay by one of the other --- or who knows what variations may be involved in digital feeds (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. Durante todo o decorrer de 2005, a programação em espanhol da Rádio Taiwan Internacional confirma os informes de recepção com cartões que retratam imagens de aborígines que habitam a ilha (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX June 26 via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. IBB is contracting with a Tajik firm to install a new SW antenna at the Orzu site (Aaron Zawitzky, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That`s MW 972 kHz, but HFCC does not yet list Orzu as a SW site; none but Dushanbe in that country (gh, DXLD) {NOT SO: see 5-106} ** TURKEY. A reminder that there will be a few program changes from VOT for the second half of 2005 starting in July: June 25 at 1309 the English broadcast on 15225 was ending a talk series saying at this time next Saturday would be The Best in Turkish Music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. CONCURSO DE LA VOZ DE TURQUIA --- Ayer tuve ocasión de escuchar por primera vez el servicio en español de la Voz de Turquía hacia las 1640 por los 13720; lo interesante fue que pude escuchar la convocatoria a la "Competición 2005" que consiste en elaborar una composición de máximo tres páginas donde se trate el siguiente tema: ``Los logros de la Unión Europea y Turquía con la adhesión de esta última". La fecha máxima para el envío es el 11 de julio del 2005; es importante adjuntar todos los datos personales y se participa por un viaje a Turquía durante 12 dias en septiembre y con todo pago. Habrá 8 ganadores." Las participaciones a: LA VOZ DE TURQUIA, Sección Española, GK [sic] 333, 06443 Ankara, Turquia (Rafael Rodríuez R., Colombia, Conexión Digital June 25 via DXLD) ** U K. BYFORD ON POST HUTTON ENQUIRY BBC --- LESSONS TO BE LEARNED The post-Hutton BBC promises to be an education for the corporation's journalists, Mark Byford tells Owen Gibson. Owen Gibson Monday June 27, 2005 Guardian (London, UK) It might seem a touch ironic to the thousands who will lose their jobs in the forthcoming bout of cost cutting, but the BBC is doubling the amount it will spend on training those who remain. . . http://media.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5224771-105337,00.html (via Dan Say, DXLD) ** U K. Temporary LPFM Glastonbury station webcast --- only 20k bit rate, and mostly chat, but it is there (Tom Roche, June 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://www.glastonburyfm.co.uk/ GFM: Glastonbury's Community Radio Station Broadcasting on 106FM to a 10 mile radius, and online around the globe, Glastonbury FM (G-FM) has become known for its mix of irreverent chat, scathing comment and shining wit coupled with THE most awesome music playlist. Back Again!! For the second year running, the GFM crew will be presenting the overnight Dance Music Show on Glastonbury Festival's very own Radio station "Radio Avalon". We'll be broadcasting nightly from Wednesday 22nd to Sunday 26th June 2005 - Midnight to 7:00 am. [BST = UT +1] This year we've surpassed ourselves. We'll be featuring exclusive mixes from the likes of: Paul Oakenfold, Plump DJs, Coldcut, Mr. Scruff, Hybrid, Ali B, DJ Food, Koma & Bones, The Nextmen, JDS, Friendly and Soul of Man. We'll also be bringing listeners live interviews with performers, both in the studio and from around the festival site. Listen in on 87.7FM or online by clicking on the radio tuner at the top of this page. For the latest Festival interviews, including a verbal tour around the new Dance Village at the Festival, given by the main Programmer for the Dance Stages, click here (via Tom Roche, DXLD) If June 26 was the final date, it`s over. Or did they actually mean June 27? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Besides the three SW frequencies for the revived Uzbek service of VOA, at 1500-1530, 801 kHz is also on the schedule at http://www.voanews.com/english/about/frequenciesAtoZ_u.cfm That would be the megawatt from Tajikistan (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. CONTROVERSY CONTINUES OVER US PUBLIC BROADCASTING Dan Robinson has a report for VOA in text and audio. http://www.voanews.com/english/2005-06-25-voa3.cfm (via Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DXLD) viz.: Robinson report - Download 625K Listen to Robinson report Controversy continues over U.S. public broadcasting as opposing sides argue over the question of balance in news and other programming. The chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes federal funds to these non-commercial broadcasters, has faced sharp criticism in Congress, but continues to enjoy White House support. The chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which channels government funds to the non-commercial radio and television stations throughout the United States, has been trying to correct what he sees as liberal bias in their programming. zalewski tomlinson 150 eng 3jul03.jpg Kenneth Tomlinson (VOA Photo - M. Zalewski) [caption] Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson, a member of the Republican Party, believes the CPB needs to exert more control over public broadcasting news and other content. His actions provoked a flurry of criticism that he has tried to carry out a political agenda with the support of the White House, something he firmly denies. This past week, the controversy moved into the U.S. Congress, as the House of Representatives considered a proposal to cut 100-million dollars from the 400-million dollar public broadcasting budget for 2006. The stations affected are mainly supported by corporate and private donations. Republicans cited a tight federal government budget as justification for eliminating the funding, and sought to portray public broadcasting as a successful financial enterprise fully capable of withstanding such cuts: Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite said "this is the height of absurdity. A massive corporation, shielding its profits, so it can continue to feed at the federal trough. Where is the Democrat outrage at this?" Members of the opposition Democratic Party said public broadcasting was in danger of being politicized. Michigan Democrat John Dingell said "public broadcasting must remain not only fully funded, but insulated from the political pressures which are now being placed upon it." The House of Representatives rejected the Republican-backed attempt to slash money for public broadcasting, an action that makes any new attempt to reduce funding in the Senate more unlikely. However, controversy over Mr. Tomlinson's actions continues. The selection of Patricia Harrison, a former co-chair of the Republican National Committee, as president of CPB, has brought new accusations of political bias. Addressing CPB board members this week, Mr. Tomlinson repeated his view that the debate must be seen in the context of a legal requirement board members have to ensure balance, and a need to attract broader support from conservatives for public broadcasting. "If we want to continue to have broad-based support for public broadcasting, across the political spectrum, we in public broadcasting must do everything we can to demonstrate that we take our obligations under the law very seriously. At CPB that means we have to accept our responsibility under the public broadcasting act to encourage public broadcasting to offer balanced perspectives on controversial topics," he said. Ernest Wilson was one of two CPB board members voting against the Harrison appointment. "We should especially stay away from partisanship in the selection of our next Chief Executive Officer. There is a flood of letters that says do not select someone who has been a high-level political appointee for one of the [political] parties, for either of the parties, and I think that is wise counsel," he said. Linked to the debate over his actions regarding public broadcasting has been Mr. Tomlinson's other role as chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the nine-member bipartisan board overseeing all U.S. government-funded international broadcasting, including the Voice of America and other radio and television stations. In calling for Mr. Tomlinson's resignation from the public broadcasting board, one lawmaker asserts his other role with government-funded broadcasting validates concerns about alleged political bias. Congressman Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, called for Mr. Tomlinson to step down from both his public and government broadcasting positions. "Ken Tomlinson has facilitated the attack upon the institution (CPB) that he was tasked with protecting. If [the] PBS is saved this week it will not be because of Ken Tomlinson, it will be in spite of Ken Tomlinson, and as a result he should resign, and in my opinion because of his ideological attack on the other international broadcasting board, he should resign from that as well," he said. The reference to ideological attacks refers to allegations there have been attempts to skew programming of the Voice of America to more closely reflect administration views. VOA officials have strenuously denied this. The White House has said it continues to support Mr. Tomlinson's role at both the CPB and the Broadcasting Board of Governors (VOA News via DXLD) ** U S A. Frank Rich on PBS/NPR and Tomlinson The always on-the-mark Frank Rich, the Sunday New York Times columnist, turned his attention today to the recent dust-up over public broadcasting in the U.S. His analysis is once again spot-on. Key quote from the article: "Mr. Tomlinson's real, not-so-hidden agenda is to enforce a conservative bias or, more specifically, a Bush bias. To this end he has not only turned CPB into a full-service employment program for apparatchiks but also helped initiate "The Journal Editorial Report", the only public broadcasting show ever devoted to a single newspaper's editorial page, that of the zealously pro-Bush Wall Street Journal. Unlike Mr. Moyer's "Now" -- which routinely balanced its host's liberalism with conservative guests like Ralph Reed, Grover Norquist, Paul Gigot and Cal Thomas--The Journal's program does not include liberals of comparative stature. This is all in keeping with Mr. Tomlinson's long career as a professional propagandist..." (John Figliozzi, NY, June 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: -------- The Armstrong Williams NewsHour --- By FRANK RICH, June 26, 2005 HERE'S the difference between this year's battle over public broadcasting and the one that blew up in Newt Gingrich's face a decade ago: this one isn't really about the survival of public broadcasting. So don't be distracted by any premature obituaries for Big Bird. Far from being an endangered species, he's the ornithological equivalent of a red herring. Let's not forget that Laura Bush has made a fetish of glomming onto popular "Sesame Street" characters in photo-ops. Polls consistently attest to the popular support for public broadcasting, while Congress is in a race to the bottom with Michael Jackson. Big Bird will once again smite the politicians - as long as he isn't caught consorting with lesbians. That doesn't mean the right's new assault on public broadcasting is toothless, far from it. But this time the game is far more insidious and ingenious. The intent is not to kill off PBS and NPR but to castrate them by quietly annexing their news and public affairs operations to the larger state propaganda machine that the Bush White House has been steadily constructing at taxpayers' expense. If you liked the fake government news videos that ended up on local stations - or thrilled to the "journalism" of Armstrong Williams and other columnists who were covertly paid to promote administration policies - you'll love the brave new world this crowd envisions for public TV and radio. There's only one obstacle standing in the way of the coup. Like Richard Nixon, another president who tried to subvert public broadcasting in his war to silence critical news media, our current president may be letting hubris get the best of him. His minions are giving any investigative reporters left in Washington a fresh incentive to follow the money. That money is not the $100 million that the House still threatens to hack out of public broadcasting's various budgets. Like the theoretical demise of Big Bird, this funding tug-of-war is a smoke screen that deflects attention from the real story. Look instead at the seemingly paltry $14,170 that, as Stephen Labaton of The New York Times reported on June 16, found its way to a mysterious recipient in Indiana named Fred Mann. Mr. Labaton learned that in 2004 Kenneth Tomlinson, the Karl Rove pal who is chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, clandestinely paid this sum to Mr. Mann to monitor his PBS bête noire, Bill Moyers's "Now." Now, why would Mr. Tomlinson pay for information that any half- sentient viewer could track with TiVo? Why would he hire someone in Indiana? Why would he keep this contract a secret from his own board? Why, when a reporter exposed his secret, would he try to cover it up by falsely maintaining in a letter to an inquiring member of the Senate, Byron Dorgan, that another CPB executive had "approved and signed" the Mann contract when he had signed it himself? If there's a news story that can be likened to the "third-rate burglary," the canary in the coal mine that invited greater scrutiny of the Nixon administration's darkest ambitions, this strange little sideshow could be it. After Mr. Labaton's first report, Senator Dorgan, a North Dakota Democrat, called Mr. Tomlinson demanding to see the "product" Mr. Mann had provided for his $14,170 payday. Mr. Tomlinson sent the senator some 50 pages of "raw data." Sifting through those pages when we spoke by phone last week, Mr. Dorgan said it wasn't merely Mr. Moyers's show that was monitored but also the programs of Tavis Smiley and NPR's Diane Rehm. Their guests were rated either L for liberal or C for conservative, and "anti-administration" was affixed to any segment raising questions about the Bush presidency. Thus was the conservative Republican Senator Chuck Hagel given the same L as Bill Clinton simply because he expressed doubts about Iraq in a discussion mainly devoted to praising Ronald Reagan. Three of The Washington Post's star beat reporters (none of whom covers the White House or politics or writes opinion pieces) were similarly singled out simply for doing their job as journalists by asking questions about administration policies. "It's pretty scary stuff to judge media, particularly public media, by whether it's pro or anti the president," Senator Dorgan said. "It's unbelievable." Not from this gang. Mr. Mann was hardly chosen by chance to assemble what smells like the rough draft of a blacklist. He long worked for a right-wing outfit called the National Journalism Center, whose director, M. Stanton Evans, is writing his own Ann Coulteresque book to ameliorate the reputation of Joe McCarthy. What we don't know is whether the 50 pages handed over to Senator Dorgan is all there is to it, or how many other "monitors" may be out there compiling potential blacklists or Nixonian enemies lists on the taxpayers' dime. We do know that it's standard practice for this administration to purge and punish dissenters and opponents - whether it's those in the Pentagon who criticized Donald Rumsfeld's low troop allotments for Iraq or lobbying firms on K Street that don't hire Tom DeLay cronies. We also know that Mr. Mann's highly ideological pedigree is typical of CPB hires during the Tomlinson reign. Eric Boehlert of Salon discovered that one of the two public ombudsmen Mr. Tomlinson recruited in April to monitor the news broadcasts at PBS and NPR for objectivity, William Schulz, is a former writer for the radio broadcaster Fulton Lewis Jr., a notorious Joe McCarthy loyalist and slime artist. The Times reported that to provide "insights" into Conrad Burns, a Republican senator who supported public-broadcasting legislation that Mr. Tomlinson opposed, $10,000 was shelled out to Brian Darling, the G.O.P. operative who wrote the memo instructing Republicans to milk Terri Schiavo as "a great political issue." Then, on Thursday, a Rove dream came true: Patricia Harrison, a former co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, ascended to the CPB presidency. In her last job, as an assistant secretary of state, Ms. Harrison publicly praised the department's production of faux-news segments - she called them "good news" segments - promoting American success in Afghanistan and Iraq. As The Times reported in March, one of those fake news videos ended up being broadcast as real news on the Fox affiliate in Memphis. Mr. Tomlinson has maintained that his goal at CPB is to strengthen public broadcasting by restoring "balance" and stamping out "liberal bias." But Mr. Moyers left "Now" six months ago. Mr. Tomlinson's real, not-so-hidden agenda is to enforce a conservative bias or, more specifically, a Bush bias. To this end, he has not only turned CPB into a full-service employment program for apparatchiks but also helped initiate "The Journal Editorial Report," the only public broadcasting show ever devoted to a single newspaper's editorial page, that of the zealously pro-Bush Wall Street Journal. Unlike Mr. Moyers's "Now" - which routinely balanced its host's liberalism with conservative guests like Ralph Reed, Grover Norquist, Paul Gigot and Cal Thomas - The Journal's program does not include liberals of comparable stature. THIS is all in keeping with Mr. Tomlinson's long career as a professional propagandist. During the Reagan administration he ran Voice of America. Then he moved on to edit Reader's Digest, where, according to Peter Canning's 1996 history of the magazine, "American Dreamers," he was rumored to be "a kind of 'Manchurian Candidate' " because of the ensuing spike in pro-C.I.A. spin in Digest articles. Today Mr. Tomlinson is chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the federal body that supervises all nonmilitary international United States propaganda outlets, Voice of America included. That the administration's foremost propagandist would also be chairman of the board of CPB, the very organization meant to shield public broadcasting from government interference, is astonishing. But perhaps no more so than a White House press secretary month after month turning for softball questions to "Jeff Gannon," a fake reporter for a fake news organization ultimately unmasked as a G.O.P. activist's propaganda site. As the public broadcasting debate plays out, there will be the usual talk about how to wean it from federal subsidy and the usual complaints (which I share) about the redundancy, commerciality and declining quality of some PBS programming in a cable universe. But once Big Bird, like that White House Thanksgiving turkey, is again ritualistically saved from the chopping block and the Senate restores more of the House's budget cuts, the most crucial test of the damage will be what survives of public broadcasting's irreplaceable journalistic offerings. Will monitors start harassing Jim Lehrer's "NewsHour," which Mr. Tomlinson trashed at a March 2004 State Department conference as a "tired and slowed down" also-ran to Shepard Smith's rat-a-tat-tat newscast at Fox News? Will "Frontline" still be taking on the tough investigations that network news no longer touches? Will the reportage on NPR be fearless or the victim of a subtle or not-so-subtle chilling effect instilled by Mr. Tomlinson and his powerful allies in high places? Forget the pledge drive. What's most likely to save the independent voice of public broadcasting from these thugs is a rising chorus of Deep Throats. copyright 2005 The New York Times Company (via John Figliozzi, dxldyg via DXLD) Cal Thomas recently did an anti-Moyers column, despite having been a guest on NOW, which he did not bother to mention. Gratitude (gh, DXLD) Just to keep this in perspective --- Please don't get hoodwinked into considering PBS to represent an alternative political view. So called "Liberals" on PBS are usually carefully selected individuals that support the mainstream two-party system. Most public radio stations stopped providing alternate opinions when they signed up to be NPR affiliates and took the conservative news feeds from NPR News. Try Pacifica for a more balanced "moderate" source of news. Try this http://www.pacifica.org/stations/affiliates/ For list of affiliate stations. Here's one show to try: http://www.fsrn.org/news/audio/20050624.ram from the Free Speech Radio Network (Andy O`Brien, ibid.) ** U S A. Latest Information On Saving Public Broadcasting Funding --- --- Here are some web sites that have the most updated information about the efforts in Congress to reduce public broadcasting's funding, and how you can get involved: http://www.freepress.net http://www.apts.org http://www.mediamatters.org (KUNM June 23, 2005 via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Podcast directory --- The public radio programs listed below are available as recorded podcasts (what's this?). Each program has an XML podcast feed link. The easiest way to receive a podcast is to copy-and-paste the feed link into a podcasting program such as iPodder. . . http://www.publicradiofan.com/podcasts.html (via gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Bandscanning at 1226 UT June 25, found WWRB 9320 Brother Scare accompanied by a buzz around 9300 and 9340. Since these are equidistant from 9320, I blame WWRB for some kind of parasitics (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) {Same the next day; also similar noise audible on main carrier; may be the satellite feed overmod} ** U S A. Another station, WCAO 600, joins the list of stations which are using IBOC. Daytime, sunrise and sunset DX is now ruined with the all too familiar digital hash. First heard here on 26 June 2005 (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Clear Channels do matter to some --- not just DX'ers (Brock Whaley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: SOUND OFF: Cards fans go to bat for KMOX Post-Dispatch Saturday, Jun. 25 2005 Editor's note: The possible move of Cardinals radio broadcasts from KMOX [1120] to KTRS [550] next season has generated much reader response, especially from those who figure to lose access to free broadcasts of the games because KTRS' night time signal lacks the reach of KMOX's. . . http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/emaf.nsf/Popup?ReadForm&db=stltoday%5Csports%5Cstories.nsf&docid=06D43D7A48C534648625702C00162FB7 (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. 1610, FLORIDA, City of Tarpon Springs, WPLY701; 2000+ June 24, haven't heard this one at the home QTH in awhile, but in fact it's still on -- lack of reception is for a reason: the loop sequence is malfed, with one of the several canned "safety" messages by male voice playing followed by DTMF tone, then silence for up to five minutes before kicking in w/ one or two more segments. Niiiiice. [HISP] All times GMT... [HISP] = logged at Honeymoon Island State Park, north of Clearwater Beach FL. It's amazing how the Cubans are so attenuated at that location compared to the home QTH and Ft. DeSoto, while panhandle MW is greatly enhanced (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, Visit my "Florida Low Power Radio Stations" at: http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html June 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also CUBA ** U S A. As linked on MONITORING REMINDERS CALENDAR for Sundays 1200- 1400 UT, A&E`s BREAKFAST WITH THE ARTS provides a summary of the content of upcoming show at http://www.aetv.com/global/listings/series_showcase.jsp?EGrpType=Series&Id=186433&NetwCode=AEN but as BWTA has evolved --- been dumbed down --- there is less and less dealing with classical music, ballet, painting and other media which could be classified as ``fine arts``. More and more ``popular`` music angles, etc., which already get plenty of exposure elsewhere. Just take a look at what`s coming up July 3, already posted. Usually there is maybe one segment which could be classified as ``fine``, but you never know when during the bihour show any particular item will appear. To encourage them to ``dumb up`` the show again, I sent this to Elliott Forrest, the host, as per webpage: NOT FINE YOUR ARTS --- Dear Mr Forrest, Add one more disappointed viewer, that you are covering ``fine`` arts less and less, on the ONLY show on A&E which USED to do so and STILL SHOULD. I hope I don`t have to explain the difference between fine arts and what you are doing. At least I can sleep in on Sunday mornings confident that I am not missing much. But what a pity. Glenn Hauser, Enid, OK. PS: Hello to Anthony Tiano --- he might remember me from way back at KNME (via DXLD) Dear BWTA Viewer, Thank you for your comments on Breakfast with the Arts. Our program has been evolving over the past few months and will continue to do so as we introduce a new look and a new style of production. We are dedicated to celebrating the creativity and joy of expression in the arts and hope you'll continue with us as we discover the many forms it can take. Sincerely, The Breakfast Team (automated? reply to gh, June 27, via DXLD) ** U S A. The FCC has accepted a number of applications for translators of LPFMs (and IIRC granted a few) so apparently this is indeed legal. LPFMs are limited to 100w/30m; the translator power limit is 250w and best I can tell there is no antenna height limit as long as it doesn't interfere with other stations. So it would be very possible for a LPFM to have a translator whose coverage greatly exceeds that of the primary station. Plus, while LPFMs can't be on 2nd or third-adjacent channels to full-license stations, translators can. So, for example: WRFN-LP in Nashville cannot use 103.9 (which would be a MUCH better channel than their assigned 98.9) and is limited to 32 watts by their 53m antenna height. However, they could take out a translator license on 103.9 and, in all likelihood, run 250 watts -- from the same site as their current 98.9 transmitter. That said, in many cases there are no frequencies available for 250- watt translators -- and who knows when the FCC will next accept new- translator applications -- and what are the chances of a LPFM being able to compete with commercial and religious applicants. But it can (and does) happen (Doug Smith, TN, June 27, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO FOR THE BLIND FACES DWINDLING FUNDS Redlands Daily Facts, California, Monday, June 27, 2005 By STACIA GLENN, Staff Writer YUCAIPA After losing his eyesight five years ago, Guy Fenex floundered in a world suddenly void of colorful images and printed information. His feelings of confinement diminished when he flipped a radio switch and could once again witness daily events with his ears and imagination. Fenex gained this ability three years ago when he discovered Audio Vision, a Yucaipa-based radio reading service for the blind. The station broadcasts to more than 1,000 listeners throughout San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Ángeles counties. About 10 percent of the listeners live in Yucaipa. . . http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/Stories/0,1413,209~22484~2939629,00.html (via blindnews via Paul David Balster, UK, via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. See CUBA [non non] ** VIETNAM [non]. 11540 kHz, Little Saigon Radio, es una emisora basada en los Estados Unidos, y actualmente está realizando pruebas via transmisores ubicados en Taiwan de 1130-1200, y en 7380 de 1500-1530. Este programa es producido por Little Saigon Broadcasting Inc. y se emite durante las 24 horas en las emisoras locales de AM en Estados Unidos y via Internet. Su sitio en Internet es: http://www.littlesaigonradio.com Acerca de estas emisiones en onda corta, son mencionadas en un artículo en vietnamés en el siguiente sitio de internet: http://nguoi-viet.com/absolutenm/anmviewer.asp?a=26472&z=3 (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, DXplorer 20/6 via Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. I guess I don't understand why or how it took the jammer(s) some time to find the station. I don't think they ever left 15145, and it would be odd to think that the jammer(s) would simply quit outright without continuing to check because someone issued a press release saying they were leaving shortwave (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, June 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos cordiales, la estación SW Radio Africa sigue activa en los 15145, emitiendo en inglés, escuchada desde las 1714 hasta las 1735, ID, locutora con entrevistas y segmentos de música local; dan dirección de contacto, la señal muy fuerte, SINPO 55454 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, June 25, Noticias DX via DXLD) [and then Ron took over:] 15145, SW Radio Africa, June 25, 1732-1800*, African music and songs, program ``Positive,`` with Ms. Mundawarara, about living with HIV and AIDS, more African music, 1755 sign-off announcement, SWRA on from 7 to 8 PM [1700-1800 UT] ``for the first week in June on shortwave`` and on MW at 1197 kHz between 5 to 7 AM [0300-0500 UT] every morning and 24 hours a day at http://www.swradioafrica.com --- reception good-fair, no jamming noted. Nice to hear this one still going (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, NRD545, with T2FD antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SW RADIO AFRICA SAVED FROM CLOSURE --- By Staff Reporter 25 June 2005 SW Radio Africa, which has been teetering on the brink of collapse, is now safe, it was confirmed on Friday. "SW Radio Africa is very pleased to announce that we have been saved from closure," the station's manager Gerry Jackson said in a brief statement. "We will therefore be able to continue broadcasting on Medium Wave 1197 kHz from 5 to 7 am every morning [0300-0500 UT]. This signal is clearly heard throughout South Africa and over most of Zimbabwe. We regret that due to the relentless jamming of our Shortwave signal by the government we are unable [sic] to provide this service at the moment." Jackson did not say where the money had come from, but indications were that the station was now safe for another year. The award winning radio station needs close to £100,000 every month to remain in operation, according to insiders. http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/fm14.12786.html (via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) BBC Monitoring observed SW Radio Africa on shortwave 15145 kHz at 1700-1759 gmt on 25 June 2005. Reception was initially poor due to interference from Voice of Indonesia on the adjacent channel of 15150 kHz, then deteriorated still further when apparent jamming commenced at 1703 gmt (BBCM via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. The military has stepped up its use of OTH radar on 15310 kHz (WHRA) between 1200 and 1500. Is another invasion imminent? Strange how they don't like broadcasters on their frequencies but have no problem getting on broadcasters' frequencies (Lou Johnson, KF4EON, June 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have never noticed this, tho as I tune across it, never pausing for long, WHRA 15310 usually has a pretty strong signal. Do you hear this only on 15310? How do you know it is OTH radar? What military? Invasion of what? I checked June 26 at 1314 when a WHRA ID intervened between two preachers, and no QRM heard to 15310 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I really enjoy listening to the Power Hour for those three hours on 15310. I probably don't get as strong a signal as you do since I am (in Atlanta) off the side of their main lobe (toward mid America). I get an S5 to S6 on them. You can hear it periodically thru-out the whole broadcast. I live in a pretty quiet area so I know it`s nothing local. You'll hear three beeps and then three groups of pulse trains. This goes on and on. You might try monitoring that frequency after 1500 when WHRA closes since the OTH radar seems to continue past that time. I live 300 miles from the East coast so I get good signals from across the Atlantic. It definitely sounds like military OTH radar (Lou Johnson, ibid.) Actually, FCC A-05 shows this as beamed 60 degrees with 250 kW. None of the WHRA broadcasts are nominally beamed back to NAm, but off-the- back would be 240 degrees, close to hereward. FCC listings show azimuths from WHRA of only: 45, 60, 75, 90 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 49 MHz SWBC signals: Glen[n], I thought of a mixing issue; I use an Icom 756 Pro and a 2 element yagi. At the times I`ve heard it, I`ve heard other South American stations and it might have been coming in from Chile if it`s not a mixing issue. Cuba is too close as well as French Guiana. Only hear it in the winter; will let you know next time I hear it. I don`t listen for it this time of year. Thanks, (Scott, W4SO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS. Glenn, keep up the good work, and congratulations on the Podcast feed. I'll be using it for sure (Brent Taylor, VE1JH, Doaktown, NB, Canada, June 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That`s all thanks to the initiative, trouble, and bandwidth of Andy O`Brien. I merely acquiesced (gh) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ FREE GRAPH PAPER Free graph paper is available at these two web sites. Pick out what you want, print it and you're in business. These are great sites to bookmark. (Thanks W9FQN) http://www.printfreegraphpaper.com/ http://www.incompetech.com/beta/plainGraphPaper/ (CGC Communicator June 27 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) DXERS UNLIMITED CD ROM It`s really nice to see how DXers Unlimited's listeners worldwide continue to enjoy this program and bring in so many new ideas, suggestions and questions for me to review. Among the most recent ideas was to create at least one CD ROM disk with the best of DXers Unlimited for the past several years, and then make it available to those interested. Sure, it's a good idea that will require a lot of work on my part, something I am just starting to do during this weekend (Arnie Coro, RHC DXUL June 25 via ODXA via DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ WIA RESPONSE TO THE ACA REQUEST FOR SUBMISSIONS ON BPL http://www.wia.org.au/BPL/BPL_WIA_Response_to_ACA.pdf (via gh, DXLD) WIA == Wireless Institute of Australia, ham club RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ COMMENTARY: 5 KHZ CAKE WALK by Paul Shinn http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/5kcakewalk.shtml The following was submitted as a letter to the editor of Radio World. I would like to extend an open "thank you" to Clear Channel and AM stations everywhere that opted to reduce their bandwidth. Let me explain. For years, I have struggled with the whole "loudness" issue with my PDs and managers competing with many others on the AM band. You see, I am one of those old-school guys who plays by the rules. And the rules say you may not exceed 125 percent positive peak modulation on the AM broadcast band. I have fought with stations with which I am entrusted in an effort to keep them legal. All the while, I have been taking much grief from station personnel as to why we were not as loud as them. By "them," they usually mean Clear Channel-owned AMs and others that run 150 percent or more positive peak modulation as a rule. In fact, one corporate-owned station in my market borrowed me to install some audio processing equipment at its transmitter. I was told to run the positive peaks to 150 percent. I refused. (This was not a paying job, but a favor to their engineer.) The station then sent one of its staff engineers to the site behind me to make the illegal adjustment, saying it was "company policy." Keeping my stations legal was way more important to me than some silly program director loudness competition. Okay, fast-forward to today. Most of the AM stations in my markets have reduced their bandwidth - except mine. I refuse to diminish the quality of our AM signals. But suddenly my stations sound so much louder and fuller than our competition. Without breaking any FCC rules, my stations with full 10 kHz bandwidth sound louder and better than the stations that used to be slightly louder than us because of their illegal operation. Naturally, this has made the station managers pat me on the back for my "great work" and the "improvements" to the stations, when in reality I have done nothing. This wonderful twist of fate has even given me an idea. The stations in my market of which I am not the chief have reduced their bandwidth, so I am going to go one step further. I am going to install the "green" high-frequency emphasis curve filters in my 9100s, boost the high end in my 9200 processors and take advantage of the wide gap in audio quality my fellow stations have created. My life is cake now. I can run legally and satisfy the program director's tastes for ultimate loudness over others. And I don't even have to bury our audio deep into the clippers to do it. Feel free to "save" bandwidth and I will graciously use it up. The winner will be the listeners and our advertisers (via CGC Communicator via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) Re: WEB SITE FOR U. S. STATION SIGNAL STRENGTHS - A VALUABLE RESOURCE This is interesting, but it's showing stations here on AM which I don't think should be there, considering this is a combined AM & FM list. WARM-590 certainly shouldn't, nor should WHP-580's night pattern. And WBCB-1490's night signal is paltry here. So is WDAS- 1480's. On FM, most of the locals are all so similar that there's nothiing to talk about other than WKDN-106.9 is too far down the list based on their actual apparent strength here - they're equal to any of the Philadelphia stations even though the transmitter is nearly twice as far away (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA (15 mi NNW Philadelphia), 40:08:52N; 75:15:58W, Grid FN20ID, NRC-AM via DXLD) WORLD OF TELEPHONES +++++++++++++++++++ ABOUT THAT 3% TELEPHONE TAX, AND THE WAR WITH SPAIN In 1889, the war with Spain prompted the imposition of a 3% tax on all telephones, which at the time was an emerging technology with very few users. Now, more than a century later, the tax continues to defy repeal, but one California congressman has introduced legislation aimed at putting an end to the $6 billion annual levy that was originally supposed to expire after a year. http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=24019 (CGC Communicator June 27 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ WORLDWIDE TV FM DX ASSOCIATION, DALLAS TX, JULY 22-24 Here's where you can read all about the convention....... http://members.cox.net/fmdxweb/wtfdaconventions.html (via Jim Thomas, WTFDA via DXLD) The WTFDA website hasn't been updated since March 17, but here is pertinent information so far on upcoming convention: Convention will be at the Clarion DFW Airport South http://www.choicehotels.com/hotel/tx890 July 22-23-24, room rate $69 per night, double occupancy OK. Some early arrivals are expected Thursday night, and we'll have an informal gathering, specifics to be determined. Reservation requests should be phoned in to 972-399-1010, Reservations Department, 30 days prior to arrival date, identify yourself with part of the group, with guest name, requested type of room, requested bed type (king or double/double), check-in and check-out dates and Clarion VIP status. Fourteen days prior to the arrival date, all room nights that haven't been reserved will be deemed room nights we won't use, and will be returned to the general inventory. Between 30 and 14 days, the rate may be changed. The $69 rate for convention-goers will be available for reservations three days prior and three days after the convention, for those who want to stay in Irving longer. DFW airport shuttle and parking are free. And address for those who want to find a map off the net is 4440 West Airport Freeway, Irving TX 75062. If there are any baseball fans, the Texas Rangers will be playing the Yankees Wednesday night and the Athletics Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday during convention weekend. Registration fee of $45, including banquet, should not be sent to hotel, but to me, John A. Callarman, 301 W. McCart St., Krum TX 76249- 5503. The bank account I've established is in the name of "John A. Callarman, Special Convention Account," so any combination of John A. Callarman or WTFDA Special Convention Account or Special Convention Account, I think, would be depositable. Two tours have been scheduled: At TMCentury tour is set for 2:30 p.m. Friday, July 22. TMCentury is more than a jingle mill, as you can see when you explore its website at http://www.tmcentury.com/home.asp The TMCentury tour was one of the highlights of the NRC convention in 2003. At KEOM-88.5, Mesquite TX at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 23. probably the outstanding high school FM station in the country, 61 kw, full- service, with oldies format for the parents' tastes! Don't let the idea that we'll be touring a high school station turn you off ... this is a highly professionally operated station, where students get a good hands-on learning opportunity. Explore the KEOM website at http://www.keom.fm A third tour is still to be established. There will be plenty of time for conversation and/or excursion to Cedar Hill transmitter site, where nearly all of the DFW FM and TV towers are located. Those WTFDA'ers planning to attend the DFW convention next month may enjoy a couple of websites that explore the market Here are some pictures that Garrett Wollman took in October 2002: http://gallery.bostonradio.org/2002-10/dfw/ and Scott Fybush's four-part series on his tour of the DFW broadcasting market can be accessed at http://www.fybush.com/site-021031.html http://www.fybush.com/site-021107.html http://www.fybush.com/site-021114.html and http://www.fybush.com/site-021121.html Some of the identities have changed, and even a few of the AM towers have done so as well, in the two years plus since Fybush and Wollman toured the area. I will be at the convention site, which is the same hotel but with different ownership as the 2003 NRC convention, on Thursday night. Added note --- John Zondlo has suggested third tour be at Daystar HQ, Channel 2. I've been on their answering machine for several working days. Another alternative --- WRR-101.1 has been promoting itself as the oldest commercial broadcast station west of the Mississippi and the second oldest in the nation. Whether that's accurate or not, it's an interesting station I hadn't thought of. I'll try to make connection tomorrow. Registration has been very slow --- hope it's not fear of Dallas July heat! (John Callarman, Krum TX, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ LONG HAUL ES FROM EUROPE - DX THE OIRT FM BAND! Is anyone else equipped to DX the European OIRT FM band? Folks along the East Coast [of North America] have a chance at picking up signals from this band as they are much lower in frequency than the standard FM band. Countries in Eastern Europe - Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and nearby countries still use this low-vhf FM broadcast band that covers 65.8-74 MHz standard WFM. Many stations run 17 kW or more. Channelization is a mess and many overlap but even to detect a FM signal in that range would be noteworthy. I understand this band is slowly being phased out and stations are moving to the conventional 87.5-108 MHz band. Reports on the 70 MHz European amateur band logger shows it's still very active. I DXed this band while I was in England in 1995 and even though the language barrier kept positive IDing difficult it was enjoyable as there were NO local transmitters in that frequency range so everything that came in on the receiver was DX. I use a Radio Shack PRO2004 25- 1300 MHz scanning receiver and an 8 element log periodic yagi 55-150 MHz from Florida and plan on trying from here the next time European TV comes in and six opens up good that direction. There's been one long Es W1 to Greece and Cyprus opening on 50 MHz so far this year that I know of. Spreadsheets of the OIRT listings can be downloaded from the Skywaves website: http://www.skywaves.info/oirt.html Good luck and good DX! (Randy Zerr KW4RZ, Fort Walton Beach, Florida EM60qk, Beautiful white sand beaches of the Gulf Coast, June 25, WTFDA via DXLD) Questions for all FM-listeners. How could I buy an OIRT-FM receiver? Who does produce and sell these OIRT-FM receivers? Where to buy and how much do they cost? Which one would be the most selective OIRT-FM receivers? All tips are welcomed. Tnx. 73 (Hannu Romppainen, Finland? June 25, HCDX via DXLD) NORTH AMERICAN MW DX IN ARCTIC SWEDEN Lars is a skilful DX-er and one of the participants at our DXpeditions to Parkalompolo in Northernmost Sweden, 130 km North of the Arctic Circle. During a good Winter season we identify several hundreds US and Canadian stations in the MW band up there. I havn't counted altogether, but during one month with good conditions (last October), we identified more than 500 stations. Lars is always in Parkalompolo in Dec - Jan, and then, during the darkest time of the year, they generally log still more stations. The Northamericans come in almost 24 hours a day! Just some hours rest in the evening/night after fade out of the Alaskans and before the NL/PQ/ON and New England stations rush in again. If you're interested to see what we hear at our expeditions, look at http://web.telia.com/~u91202464/PAX/pax.htm It's difficult to listen to MW in Southern Sweden, too much disturbances; I don't know where it all comes from, mobil telephones?, cable TV, all new electric stuff.... /Sig in Sweden Subject: [NRC-AM] Reception Report for WTIR 1680 kHz This one just came in the mail today from Lars Skoglund of Stockholm, Sweden! I thought I've seen his name around before. All I can say is, "WOW" How does this guy do it? (Paul B. Walker, Jr., WTIR-Am 1300, Cocoa, FL, NRC-AM via DXLD) SIX METERS FROM LABRADOR VD2, CANADA (Zone 2). Pete, VE3IKV, plans to activate Zone 2 on 6 meters from Labrador (VO2) beginning early July. He will use the special callsign VD2X. The purpose of the trip is to investigate high latitude Sporadic-E propagation on the North American side as it is affected by proximity to the North Geomagnetic Pole. Special attention will be paid to multihop transatlantic paths, as well as double hop to central and western USA/Canada. His equipment is a FT-650 and a 5- element K6STI wide spaced portable yagi (10dBd). Pete will be monitoring CW/SSB during the drive, and if the band opens up, he will switch over to the yagi. QSL via VE3IKV (QRZ.com). (via KP8NW/OPDX/BARF80 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ARNIE CORO'S DXERS UNLIMITED HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST And now amigos just at the end of the program, as always here is our exclusive and not copyrighted free for all radio hobby enthusiasts worldwide [update & forecast]. The effective sunspot number, ESN, has gone down dramatically to below 20, and the actual sunspot optical count was 14 on Friday, an indication of very low solar activity. The daytime maximum useable frequency curve is barely reaching 18 megaHertz on the East-West daytime paths, and as expected, best HF propagation conditions continue to be available just after local sunset and well into the evening hours. Expect more sporadic E layer openings, with possible 10 and 6 meter band openings. Atmospheric noise levels are at a pretty high level, as typical of the northern hemisphere summer months (Arnie Coro, RHC DXUL June 25 via ODXA via DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ A CALL FOR IMPEACHMENT The following editorial relates to an internal British government memo dated July 23, 2002, that was published by The London Sunday Times May 1, 2005. It summarizes a meeting between top US and English intelligence officials concerning an attack on Iraq. Richard Nixon abdicated his presidency because of his cover-up of a break-in into Democratic Party headquarters in the Watergate complex. Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush should have been impeached for the Iran-Contra scandal, but Reagan ``couldn`t remember`` what happened, and Congress let them off. President Clinton was impeached by the U.S. House for his sexual indiscretions with a White House intern and for his perjury. These misdeeds pale in comparison, however, with the incredible crimes and misdeeds enacted by our current President and his minions. . . http://kunm.org/news/current/index.php?id=EEEAyVZZppIJDQHAFl [audio available] (via DXLD) ###