DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-151, September 1, 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 1285: Thu 2330 WOR R. Veronica 106.5 Thu 2330 WOR WBCQ 7415 [occasional] Fri 0000 WOR WTND-LP 106.3 Macomb IL Fri 0200 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream [repeated 2-hourly thru 2400] Fri 2000 WOR RFPI [repeated 4-hourly thru Sat 1600] Fri 2105 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Sat 0800 WOR WRN to Eu, Au, NZ, WorldSpace AfriStar, AsiaStar Sat 0855 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300 Sat 1000 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5 & WPKM Montauk LINY 88.7 Sat 1600 WOR R. Veronica 106.5 Sat 1600 WOR CJOY INTERNET RADIO plug-in required Sat 1730 WOR WRN to North America (including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115) Sat 2100 WOR WRMI 7385 Sun 0230 WOR WWCR 5070 Sun 0300 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0630 WOR WWCR 3210 Sun 0730 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Sun 0830 WOR WRN to North America, also WLIO-TV Lima OH SAP (including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115) Sun 0830 WOR KSFC Spokane WA 91.9 Sun 0830 WOR WXPR Rhinelander WI 91.7 91.9 100.9 Sun 0830 WOR WDWN Auburn NY 89.1 [unconfirmed] Sun 0830 WOR KTRU Houston TX 91.7 [occasional] Sun 1300 WOR KRFP-LP Moscow ID 92.5 Sun 1400 WOR WRMI 7385 [NEW] Sun 1730 WOR WRN1 to North America (including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 115) Sun 1900 WOR RNI Mon 0300 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0330 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 Mon 0415 WOR WBCQ 7415 [usually closer to 0418-] Mon 1800 WOR RFPI [repeated 4-hourly thru Tue 1400] Tue 2330 WOR WBCQ 7415 [usually] Wed 0930 WOR WWCR 9985 Latest edition of this schedule version, with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html WORLD OF RADIO 1285 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1285h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1285h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1285 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1285.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1285.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1285.html WORLD OF RADIO 1285 in true SW sound of Alex`s mp3 (stream) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_08-31-05.m3u (download) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_08-31-05.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO Extra 60 downloads in studio-quality mp3: (high) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1285h.mp3 [beware; original version had only half the program!] (low) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1285.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO PODCAST: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml (currently available: Extra 58, 1281, 1282, 1283, Extra 59, 1284, Extra 60, 1285 soon) Sept edition of Nets to You: http://www.w4uvh.net/nets2you.html Sept 1 edition of DX/SWL/Media Programs: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html NOTE: We are struggling to keep up with the torrent of news, exacerbated by all the Katrina-related info. So this issue catches up with that, only, with 5-152 covering mostly other news to follow ASAP (gh) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. NEW STATION LOG --- 1640, OK, KFXY, ENID, 0010 [EDT = 0410 UT] 29/08/05. WITH WTNI-1640 IN BILOXI, MS OFF THE AIR, I AM HEARING FOX SPORTS RADIO FROM KFXY IN ENID, OK. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR THIS STATION. THEY ARE VERY, VERY WEAK, ABOUT AN S-3 OR LESS (WILLIS, WB5KHD, MONK, OLD FORT, TN, 8/31, amfmtvdx via DXLD) Should Aug 31 should be the correct log date, as it was the date posted, or did he wait two days to post something in the present tense? From following, it appears this time on 8/29 was just after WTNI went off abruptly. Yes, WTNI`s misfortune should open up 1640 for many more to DX KFXY --- which I remind you is directional SSE/NNW between Enid and OKC (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, Forgive the wrong date. It was this morning the 31 August. 05. "directional SSE/NNW --- wouldn't that place KFXY signal over some of the same area as WTNI? SSE from Enid would be centered on Lafayette, LA? Anyhow the signal was really weak and had to listen for about and hour before I even understand what they were saying and get an ID. Wish I could have heard them when they were Comedy network. This is similar to me hearing WPTF-680 in Raleigh, NC. The engineer I talked to one night said I wasn't supposed to hear the signal here in TN, as their night pattern was up and down the east coast, not in land. BUT, WPTF is nice signal EVERY night of the week (Willis Monk, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) Yes, I suppose KFXY DA would shoot into WTNI territory, but no one seemed to care (gh, DXLD) I was listening to 1640 and heard WTNI Biloxi abruptly drop off in the middle of a legal ID (Paul Walker, Cocoa, FL, posted at 0317 UT Aug 29, NRC-AM via DXLD) But exactly when did this actually happen? (gh) ** U S A. Allan tells me that WBCQ will be relaying news coverage of the Katrina disaster on WBCQ 9330 and 17495 until further notice. 9330 will run this special coverage from noon to midnight eastern time (1600-0400 UT) and 17495 will run from noon to 8 PM eastern time (1600-2400 UT). Regards, (Larry Will, 2051 UT Aug 31, dxldyg via DXLD) Allan Weiner tells me that for the next couple days at least, WBCQ 9330 and 17495 transmitters are carrying continuous news (from Fox), as a service to the disaster area, more or less the direction WBCQ is aimed. (This will pre-empt the 2300 broadcast today of WOR, but the new 1285 should appear at 2200 on 7415 [it did]). (Glenn, 2151 UT, ibid.) An update to the earlier post: Allan says he'll revert to regular programming on 9330 at 8PM eastern time Wednesday evening (0000 UTC Thursday), but the Fox News relay for 9330//17495 will begin again at 1600 UTC on Thursday (Larry Will, 0015 UT Sept 1, ibid.) The only other SW-related Katrina info is a discussion of the non- existent WRNO far below, and then ham/emergency net info, WTNI on 26 MHz. This is roughly in chrono order, but impossible to get everything in exact order, from multiple sources (gh, DXLD) Both Chris Cuomo and my recordings of WWL's TOH ID are now at http://www.tophour.net (Blaine Thompson, NRC-AM via DXLD) I.e.: http://www.tophour.net/audio/index.php?q=f&f=%2FNew+Orleans+LA Or specifically, the better one, listing all the relay stations: http://www.tophour.net/audio/New%20Orleans%20LA/am0870wwl_2005-08_ccuomo_katrina.mp3 (gh, DXLD) Confirmed per on-air reference at 3:24 p.m. ET that WWL's Internet streaming is down indefinitely. The announcer also said that a sheriff in a boat (on an street name I did not copy) in New Orleans just spotted a three-foot shark. The announcer said, "Well, I always wondered if there were any in Lake Pontchartrain, I guess that confirms it." As reported by Paul Zecchino earlier today, I just heard a local governmental muckity-muck lady (at 3:39 ET) on WWL just reported that they literally cannot find any land that used to be Plaquemines Parish. RIP cool little town names like Happy Jack, that I always wanted to visit for a crawfish, smoked mullet and hushpuppies dinner outdoors with a few cold Old Milwaukee's and Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys on the CD player. Let's hope that's not the case. Being that the Mississippi River channel flows through the center of Plaq, this cannot be good for commercial shipping. And imagine what things would have been like if this thing hit with another 50+ mph as it was several hours prior to landfall. The mayor of Kenner is now up on WWL, sounds not too awful there in comparison to east and SE, but "energy is out here." (Terry L Krueger, FL, 2003 UT Aug 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Any number of individuals somewhere in WWL`s vast coverage area ought to be able to pick up and stream it, as was being done early-on at mms://hothitsradio.audio-stream.net/WWL-AM – is that still going? My player is tied up at the moment (Glenn Hauser, OK, 2039 UT Aug 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Checking later: no] According to report seen today on Fox News: In an unprecedented move, every radio station in the Greater New Orleans area is rebroadcasting the feed of WWL - 870 , which is the official disaster info station (Chris K4CME, 2107 UT Aug 30, NRC-AM via DXLD) This is not correct. Every ENTERCOM station that's on the air in New Orleans (which is a changing cast from moment to moment) is simulcasting WWL, and I expect a few others are as well. But I have it on good authority (as in, straight from corporate) that the Citadel stations are relaying WIBR Baton Rouge, to the extent that they're able to stay on the air, and that the Clear Channel stations that are on the air (KHEV, and possibly WQUE and WNOE also by now) are relaying either TV (probably WWL-TV) or WJBO from Baton Rouge. As for WWL: it's on with 25 kW into its usual two-tower DA from its main site off Barateria Blvd. The reduced power is to save generator fuel, not because of any damage to the site, which was designed by the late Oggie Prestholdt (whom some of you may have heard in interviews with Mark Durenberger on DXAS) to survive pretty much anything, which it did. The generator there died during the storm, which is why we all heard it go off early Monday morning, but as soon as engineers were able to get out there Monday evening, it came right back up. There were also generator problems at the WWL aux site (at the WWL-TV site), which was what kept 870 completely silent. I suspect future emergency plans will include multiple generators. s (Scott Fybush, 0306 UT Aug 31, NRC-AM via DXLD) According to another report, many of the stations which are on the air are unable to generate live programming, while others who are off the air are donating air staff to others. Most programming continues to be coming from Bâton Rouge (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) I heard last night all Clear Channel-owned stations are simulcasting WWL now. This comes straight from their manager on the air on WWL (John Tudenham, MO, Aug 31, ibid.) And indeed, things on the ground in New Orleans are moving faster than corporate can keep track of sometimes. Yes, CC and Entercom are now working together down there. I've also heard that some of the WWNO (public radio) staff are working on the WWL broadcasts, since WWNO is off and will remain off for a while to come, most likely. Thanks for the update, John. Wish I had a better WWL signal up here. s (Fybush, 1722 UT Aug 31, ibid.) WWL and WSMB are co-owned (by Entercom, I think). I don't know whether WSMB got flooded out, but it would seem like a natural to have an auxiliary WWL site at the WSMB site. WSMB's two towers are both more than 90 degrees at 870 and are 82 degrees apart at 870, which is OK spacing for an array that produces a pattern similar to WWL's. The WSMB towers are also on pretty much of a north-south line -- just like the WWL towers. Thus, WWL ought to be able to run 50 kW-U DA-1 from the WSMB site. If that site is less vulnerable than WWL's own site, Entercom might be able to justify the not inconsiderable expense of making the WSMB site into a WWL auxiliary. Such a move would seem to be worthwhile insurance considering that the New Orleans area is a sitting duck. Apparently, the erosion over the last 50 years or so of the wetlands south of the city that formed a natural storm barrier has made New Orleans much more vulnerable since the last major hurricane hit there (Dan Strassberg, AC 707, ibid.) If anyone else is like me, then you're probably looking for good sources of live information. Today, as yesterday, my best sources have been WWL-TV, which is streaming live at http://www.cbsnews.com and WDSU, which is available at http://www.wdsu.com I don't know about WWL, but WDSU has said that they are not able to broadcast over the air, and are streaming in the hopes of reaching residents with detailed information. They showed a detailed view of a tower taken from a helicopter, where the tower looked intact, but the buildings at the base were surrounded by water. I imagine that this is going to be the case throughout the area. CBS has also had live streams from WKRG-TV in Mobile, AL at times, but today I haven't seen much there - just a "Live Disaster Coverage" screen with no audio. I'm pretty impressed with the WDSU coverage. They seem to be focusing on getting information out to concerned residents/evacuees in whatever manner possible. It's just been the meteorologist and an anchor sitting in a chair with a blank background, with whatever video they can get their hands on, but they're doing a pretty good job under the circumstances. WWL seems to have more coverage of politicians & news conferences, with the anchors filling in with whatever they can think of. In other words, they haven't had too much useful information - other than the pleas for people not to return, which seems like very good advice at this point. It's remarkable to me how little detailed information is really available. It seems that all of our modern technology infrastructure is still very fragile. I wonder if ham operators are having any better success in getting information in/out of the disaster zone. If so, not much of it has reached the media. The other thing that annoys me is that with the exception of the local media in the affected area, most outlets went back to regular programming very quickly (if they even suspended it at all). This is shaping up to be one of the biggest disasters in our country's history, affecting as many as 1 million people, and the networks figure that people need to have "Entertainment Tonight". Our prayers are with the many people affected by this monumental disaster (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, 1844 UT Aug 30, ABDX via DXLD) I'm heartbroken watching the news on the Internet. The visuals say it all. I know a journalist at the New Orleans Times-Picayune who was 'embedded' in his newsroom, with several other reporters, photographers and other staffers, on the third floor, even while the building was suffering damage. They all made it out OK, evacuated today, when all hell seems to have broken loose and the flooding become significantly worse. I point you all to a web site where Times-Picayune staffers and others have maintained a blog and the staff actually managed to publish a newspaper, albeit PDF rather than paper. No mean feat! http://www.nola.com I know this is not directly related to TV and FM DX, but I do think it fits this list in that we have members in or close to the affected areas, and we also DX these areas on a frequent basis. I've DXed WWL 4 in New Orleans literally every summer! However, my visit to the city a few years ago was infinitely more enjoyable than any DX to the region. The vibrancy of the French Quarter was awesome. The diversity of the whole region, from Alabama and the Florida panhandle, right through to Louisiana. The places we DX on FM and TV are real places, with real people, whose real lives will be hell for months, probably years, to come. Tens of thousands of people are homeless. Businesses are ruined. The delicate ecology of much of the coastal region is severely fractured. This happens all too frequently around the world. Now it's touched close to home, within the 1500-mile radius of e-skip, within tropo distance for many of us. I don't mean to diminish the tragic loss of life in New York City four years ago, but 9-11 seems like an emergency preparedness exercise compared to this. It's as if the Dec. 26 Tsunami reached the Gulf Coast. My thoughts are with Danny and Jeff in Louisiana, and all our other DX friends in the affected areas (Saul Chernos, ON, Aug 30, WTFDA via DXLD) KATRINA STREAMING TV OPTIONS Here's a list of stations offering streaming coverage: WWL N.O. http://www.wwltv.com WDSU N.O. http://www.wdsu.com WKRG Mobile, AL http://www.wkrg.com WPMI Mobile, AL http://www.wpmi.com WJTV Jackson, MS http://www.wjtv.com/ WTOK Meridian, MS http://www.wtok.com WAPT Jackson, MS http://www.thejacksonchannel.com/index.html Says WLOX Biloxi, MS http://www.wlox.com/ "We are aware of the nationwide concern for family and friends in the Gulfport/Biloxi area. We are making every attempt to acquire video and news from the area. Currently the only means of communication with the station is a single satellite phone." (Tom Roche, GA, 0332 UT Aug 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I've heard a couple mentions of amateur radio operators supporting communications needs. One such mention was in this Blog http://2theadvocate.blogspot.com/ set up by the Baton Rouge newspaper "The Advocate". I suggest checking this blog out --- it's a good granular perspective on the situation there (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, UT Aug 31, swprograms via DXLD) WWL BACK ON THE AIR Aug. 30, 2005 By Tony Sanders http://www.billboardradiomonitor.com/radiomonitor/news/format/talk/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001050986 Entercom news/talk WWL is back on the air in Katrina-devastated New Orleans, thanks in great part to two company engineers, Dave Cohen and Dominic Mitchum, who trudged through a ``snake and gator infested swamp." That’s the account from Entercom EVP/general counsel Jack Donlevie, who described the engineering feat as a ``heroic effort.`` Clear Channel VP of News/Talk/Sports programming Gabe Hobbs tells Billboard Radio Monitor that he is talking to Entercom about coordinating efforts to get radio up and running in New Orleans. Hobbs also gave Monitor the following first-hand account of Clear Channel's efforts to keep New Orleans and Biloxi radio live and on the air: ``We have 104.1 [Gospel KHEV] on the air in New Orleans simulcasting TV for now as we have little control or access. About an hour ago [11:15 a.m. ET] we found a helicopter that we now rent and control. We are ferrying engineers to two FM transmitter sites -- WQUE & WNOE, I think -- plus an engineer will be ferried to studios on Howard Avenue by landing at the SuperDome. We will get [a] generator up and running at studios and hope to have full coverage on three frequencies in New Orleans this afternoon. Coverage will originate from Baton Rouge and also Fox TV (New Orleans) has volunteered TV anchors to help us since they are off [the air]. We are also discussing plans with Entercom to coordinate efforts." Hobbs' account continued: "We have two stations back on in Biloxi/Gulfport which is a miracle . . . . Baton Rouge and Mobile are our staging areas for engineering triage, [which is] being coordinated by Steve Davis, SVP of Engineering. The engineers are amazing. We have portable studios, portable transmitters on trucks, fuel trucks, supplies, etc., all heading into the area from remote staging areas in Atlanta and Tallahassee. Again, I’m in awe of what these guys can do. "Wish I could tell you more. I’m sure I’m leaving out details. There are a lot of heroes in this company including Steve Konos who has single handedly been in the New Orleans studio building on Howard all alone.`` Visit Billboard Radio Monitor later for more on this unfolding story (via Curtis Sadowski, IL, WTFDA via DXLD) WWL coverage / public safety service --- Well, now Cuba gets to hear them if they are undirectional. They had problems with one of the towers so may be on reduced power while in that condition, or on an aux transmitter. Was very interesting to hear WWL doing REAL emergency service by taking live cellphone calls of people stuck on their roofs and rebroadcasting their locations to officials in helicopters tuned to the station. One guy was on, saying that he is waving his flashlight and you could hear the helicopter, but they kept passing. They broadcast where he was and were able to find him. Live on the air! Another guy had to be told how to cut a hole in the roof/ vent to get out through his attic while his house below filled up. From what I hear, the WWL staff themselves may need to be extracted themselves, as the city is filling up. They might need to broadcast from the transmitter itself if it`s outside of the levees (Darwin Long, CA, 2053 UT Aug 30, ABDX via DXLD) WDSU 6 went to the WAPT 16 studios in Jackson and is simulcasting, WWL 4 went to the LSU Journalism School in Baton Rouge, WGNO 26 went to the WBRZ studios. They all tried to leave a skeleton crew, but they also evacuated a day or two later. This link has 4 feeds: WDSU, WWL, WKRG 5 Mobile, and WJTV 12 Jackson. They had the aftermath information and video before anyone. http://www.weatherserver.net/livevideo.htm WWL actually got knocked off the air about 12:45 AM the morning before Katrina hit; I was listening. Reportedly, the GM and Chief Engineer waded out to the tx site after the storm left and got it back up that afternoon. WWL is sort of getting back to normal, but it was chilling to listen to the first couple of nights. They were totally in the dark, literally and figuratively. They had no communication with the outside world. Amazingly, people were calling in for help. The air staff was broadcasting with a couple of mics out in the hall. The announcers said all the windows in their radio cluster's offices were gone but WWL, and only because they boarded that one up. They said all the studio gear for those stations are trashed (Chris Carter, Aug 31, WTFDA via DXLD) As announced earlier over WWL AM 870 New Orleans by their GM: Clear Channel stations WQUE 93.3 and WYLD 95.7 will be simulcasting the emergency broadcasts currently being carried on WWL and their sister station WLMG 101.9 FM. Yesterday they were on three other Entercom stations, but apparently issues (unspecified, but one can imagine) have caused them to drop WSMB AM 1350, WTKL 95.7 FM and WEZB 97.1 FM. Broadcasts are being done with combined staff and talent from all area broadcasters, earlier the program was being co-hosted by a woman from the local public radio station. Also, I've a bit of news of WWL operations gleaned from the net, which should more properly be posted on the AM list, but as I'm already here, I'll present it now. Reportedly, they are running 25 kW. FEMA is attempting to get them back up to full power as soon as possible (Curtis Sadowski, IL, 0509 UT Aug 31, WTFDA via DXLD) 870, WWL, 0730-0945 UT Aug 31, I heard one of the announcers mention that WWL now has around 26 days of fuel for their generators and that FEMA will resupply when needed. Programing is now a remote from the Jefferson Parish Emergency Response Center. Their studios received substantial wind damage from Katrina. They are running a skeleton crew and putting in up to 20 hours a day on the air, grabbing sleep when ever they can. They also mentioned a couple of Clear Channel affiliates are simulcasting their audio. Many residents mentioned how poor and generally inaccurate the info from CNN and FOX has been and expressed gratitude for WWL (David Hodgson, TN, Aug 31, WORLD OF RADIO 1285, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This piece http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/31/national/nationalspecial/31media.htm l from Wednesday's New York Times showcases how the Web substituted for lost newspaper printing presses and television transmitters in Louisiana and Mississippi in the aftermath of the hurricane. No mention of radio. All the Web stuff is very handy for those of us watching the disaster unfold on a computer terminal from thousands of miles away, but I imagine it's comprehensively useless to anyone actually in the disaster area (Chuck Albertson, Seattle, Wash., DX LISTENING DIGEST) Interesting listening on WWL I've been listening each night to WWL New Orleans on 870 kHz for live hurricane and flood coverage. Certainly fascinating, with all sorts of local detail that never makes it into the national news. What they've been doing all night is basically taking phone calls from residents and locals still there, and from evacuees who are calling in from wherever they've taken refuge and who are asking about specific neighborhoods and streets. There also are official announcements and interviews with officials. They intend to keep this up indefinitely; last night a caller asked about that and the response was "Our generator has 26 days' worth of fuel still in the tank and FEMA has promised to top us up any time we need it." So they'll be doing this for some time. They are NOT airing any ads during this time, at least none that I've noticed. On the first night, there were public-service ads from State Farm Insurance, giving numbers to call to report damage and initiate claims, and from the local power company (called "Energy", it seems) warning about the dangers of downed lines, etc. Those stopped the next day/night; I suspect the insurance people are in deep despair, and the power issues are sort of moot for now. An interesting propagation note. On the actual night of the hurricane itself, reception was good from local darkness until about midnight, and then it began to fade away, with nothing but noise and static about 1 AM. Yet on each subsequent night, reception has continued to be good all night long, so if I woke at 3 AM they were still going strong. What I'm wondering about is whether Hurricane Katrina, even though it is mainly in the troposphere or lower levels of the atmosphere, was strong enough that its effects reached up far enough to disrupt the ionospheric layers that refract the MW signals from New Orleans to me here in St. Louis, MO. Is this possible? They also announced that they had NO Internet access. Here's a perfect example where radio is vital and Internet is worthless. It was on WWL that I first heard the president of Jefferson Parish (if I have the local titles right; Jefferson is the next parish over from Orleans) announcing martial law, that the National Guard and the state & local police are turning away all people from entering the parish until 6 AM on September 5th, at which time locals who return and show ID will be allowed to come in temporarily to retrieve whatever items they can, and then must leave again. There is no potable water, no working plumbing, no power, various wildlife competing for whatever food is available; basically the entire area is completely uninhabitable and there was no prediction as to when it would become livable again. There seem to be differing news on the looting situation. I heard police statements on WWL saying that they would not tolerate looting, and described at least one incident where a looter shot a policeman (who survived, being only slightly wounded) and was subsequently shot himself. Yet on TV news, within-New-Orleans scenes of looting were shown with police standing by avoiding confrontation. One interesting specific example was that the police actually encouraged all drinkables and foodstuffs be taken from a flooding Walgreen's store and that the people take the items to a nearby neighborhood still above water where inhabitants had no other supplies. I think this might reflect differences between city and suburban or rural police/ sheriffs' attitudes or policies. I hope that someone is recording all these hours of WWL over these days; it will be a fascinating historical document and a source of information for future historians and chroniclers of this unprecedented event. I keep thinking of comparing this to life in European or Japanese cities in the latter days of WWII. I meant to mention in my note about WWL's hurricane/flood coverage that here in St. Louis my listening is limited by the wretched IBOC mess KFUO on 850 kHz spews out until they go off-air sometime before 9 PM Central. That hiss blankets 830 to 870; as WWL's signal strengthens a good radio can start to pick it up about 8:30 PM or so amidst the hiss, but I wonder if that noise is hearable and an interference to WWL's signal to the South of St. Louis, in areas where more Louisiana refugees are likely to be and be trying to pick up WWL for vital-to- them news and information. I wonder if this situation would justify an emergency FCC order to shut off IBOC on KFUO for the duration? Are any other stations in that frequency range that would affect reception on 870 and in the geographic region likely to have refugee populations use IBOC up until mid-evening? I'm really sad and feel betrayed by KFUO being the main local that uses IBOC; being our only classical station here in St. Louis (but only on the FM now) and being very local to me (they're run by the church I grew up in and I used to walk by their tower often when living at the dorms next to the seminary campus on which they operate), I was always a supporter/fan. But now the AM is just another religious huckster and an IBOC pest... Some people I know here are former New Orleans residents, and I've been trying to guide them as to how to listen to WWL. Unfortunately, not many have decent AM MW radios; I'm loaning a Radio Shack TRF from the 60's to one of them today. But it is hard to give them a radio in the daytime when all they'll hear until 9 PM is IBOC noise on 870. I have to coach them by phone... [Later:] Re this quote: ``WWL actually got knocked off the air about 12:45 AM the morning before Katrina hit; I was listening. Reportedly, the GM and Chief Engineer waded out to the transmitter site after the storm left and got it back up that afternoon.`` This explains why I lost the signal that first night, but I still ask my question about the hurricane affecting the ionosphere. Before they went off-air, their signal definitely weakened, and was weaker that evening than it has been since that night. Of course, it's possible there were power-level variations due to the storm and backup-power kicking in, etc. 73, (Will Martin, Aug 31, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1285, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WJBO [Bâton Rouge] http://www.wjbo.com 1150 AM is now back streaming after several days off the air due to the Hurricane (Artie Bigley, Columbus, Ohio, 1540 UT Aug 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NEW ORLEANS PAPER PUBLISHES ONLINE ONLY ERIN McCLAM, Associated Press, Aug 31 Working out of a small office where some staffers are sleeping, The Times-Picayune of New Orleans published a 13-page online edition Wednesday detailing the catastrophic flooding in the city. The newspaper's staff evacuated its New Orleans building on Tuesday as the waters rose, and moved to an emergency office in Baton Rouge, La., that belongs to that city's newspaper, the Advocate. . . http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/breaking_news/12523878.htm (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) also deals with radio stations Harry Shearer, part-time resident of New Orleans, with a lot of media- related comment on the situation there lately: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harry-shearer/ His Aug 28 Le Show, available via http://www.kcrw.com probably recorded Sunday morning, anticipated a lot of what has happened there (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WVOG Gospel 600 New Orleans, Louisiana, USA http://www.wwcr.com/wvog.html New Orleans, August 29, 2005 - Due to the flood waters associated with Hurricane Katrina, WVOG is off the air until further notice. Please pray for the health and safety of WVOG personnel in this time of extreme difficulty. F.W. Robbert Broadcasting personnel are working now to return WVOG to the air as soon as possible (via José Miguel Romero2, Noticias DX via DXLD) As the URL implies, WVOG is a sibling station to WWCR (gh, DXLD) I checked the Mississippi and Alabama radio-info.com boards, but not much there compared to Louisiana (gh, Aug 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WWL -- They're at 25 kW, still DA-1, from their main transmitter site. It suffered no permanent damage, just the failure of a generator early Monday morning. In retrospect, there probably should have been someone stationed out there to keep watch over the generator, but hindsight is 20/20. The lack of a CBS news feed is because all the satellite dishes were blown off the roof of their building on Poydras Street. The damage to the studios was so severe that it's now my understanding that they've completely moved operations to the Jefferson Parish EOC, where they had built a backup studio several years ago for just such an eventuality. The EOC is just a couple of miles from the transmitter, and there's a 950 MHz studio-transmitter link connecting them. They don't expect to have power again at the studios or transmitter site for weeks, at least. It's not just a big generator at the site. It's a huge reserve fuel tank, too. s (Scott Fybush, NY, Aug 31, ABDX via DXLD) Gonna be some big diesel trucks making some trips out to the transmitter site for a while to keep fueling up da tank! Thanks for the info, Scott! (Michael n WYO Richard, ibid.) That assumes a level of infrastructure that doesn't exist down there right now. I've been watching WDSU's webcast all morning, and they're reporting there's no fuel available anywhere from New Orleans almost to Mobile. Even if there were, it doesn't sound like the roads are sufficiently passable. Keep in mind that the WWL transmitter site is OUTSIDE the levee system (what's left of it), and the water's probably not far below the top of the 12-foot concrete piers on which the building and towers are built. I have a hunch they'll have to use some sort of aerial refueling vehicle to get fuel out there in a few weeks when their supply runs dry. (I'm guessing, too, that this is why they're running 25 kw instead of 50...conserve some of the fuel they have by not running the generator as hard.) s (Fybush, ibid.) As usual Scott, I think you're right on the money. The company I work for is a distributor of Petroleum Fueling equipment. Typically that's gas station equipment, but a portion of our business is with backup power facilities for telecom companies, hospitals, radio stations, etc. I'm the IT guy, so I'm no expert on the subject, but I can tell you that depending on what the facility was designed for, these systems can operate for weeks or months without refueling. Ever wonder how they power those microwave facilities on remote mountaintops in the middle of nowhere? Well my understanding is that (where utility power is not available) they simply have large storage tanks which can allow the facility to operate for many months before being refueled by helicopter. Now a microwave facility probably doesn't have nearly the power requirements of a 25 or 50 kW AM transmitter, but the principle is the same. Assuming (as it seems safe to do) that WWL's backup generator system was designed just for this sort of disaster, then they probably have a good deal of fuel in the tank, and the capability of being refueled from the air (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, ibid.) This reminds me of how some longwave NDBs operate in Alaska. I was driving through Denali and there was NOTHING around for a hundred miles in all directions --- but UMM 335/ transcribed weather kept getting stronger and stronger. No airport around either. I came over a bluff and found a T-antenna, a shack and a huge diesel generator purring away there on the open tundra, keeping the 400 watts pumping 24/7 (Darwin Long, ibid.) As long as we're thinking out loud --- The WRNO shortwave site is/was just down the road from the WWL transmitter site. I wonder what kind of shape it's in, and if arrangements could be made to get WWL audio on some of the WRNO frequencies from that site, or an alternate one? I don't even know what kind of shape WRNO was in before the storm. It's my understanding that Joe Costello sold it to a religious group around the same time he sold WRNO-FM to Clear Channel. The website http://wrnoworldwide.com hasn't been updated since 2002. Maybe there's nothing left there to salvage. s (Scott Fybush, BC list, via Tom Dimeo, DXLD) Scott, I have had periodic ``progress`` reports on this from time to time in DXLD. The new owners in TX supposedly are bringing it back on the air with some new equipment. Latest delayed target date was September (before Katrina hit). They have been totally off SW for years, and when they were on it was with only an exciter/ham radio transmitter. I expect this will finish off that project, but it is certainly not an option in the forseeable future. 73, (Glenn Hauser to Scott Fybush, via DXLD) And if they were on it would just be a transmitter site for gospel-huxtering, certainly nothing local to New Orleans like in the Costello days (gh) Thanks, Glenn! I know I haven't heard them in years --- this helps to explain it. s (Scott Fybush, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Realtors reach out to hurricane victims --- Inman.com. The storm left six to seven feet of water in areas around New Orleans, including Metairie and Kenner, where virtually every structure sustained damage (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Metairie being the location of WRNO SW site (gh, DXLD) KYW, Philadelphia's all-news station celebrating its 40th anniversary this month, is now offering podcasts of many lead stories. Some content from CBS Radio is also included. See http://podcast.medianext.com/stations/kyw/ Infinity's WINS in New York is also podcasting. Swap 'wins' for 'kyw' in the URL. Might be of interest for alternative news sources -- the KYW list includes some stories from their reporter Brad Segall in New Orleans. He was stuck down there taking his son to college, and is now reporting from there (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Aug 31, swprograms via DXLD) This afternoon, while sharing some TV info, an engineer at local TV stations WXIN, WTTV and WTTK, which are owned by Tribune Broadcasting, added this information about Tribune's two TV stations in New Orleans, WGNO and WNOL --- "Our stations down there are both off the air and no one really knows what their status is. Not to mention who knows where the staff is or when any of them would be able to get to work. We are already making plans to program both stations from here (Indy), but as yet we don't know if there is a transmitter building and tower or not, not to mention when they might get some power or if the equipment will actually work or if it all got flooded. I know the transmitter building is up on columns, but I don't know how high." (Steve Rich, Indianapolis, IN, Aug 31, WTFDA via DXLD) The past few days has had me monitoring either the Amateur Radio emergency nets on HF, as well as WWL 870 and WSB 750. WWL was back on the air; I tuned in this morning (8/31) around 0530 ELT; the station was airing phone calls from people in affected areas. WSB also does a decent job, especially since they have a full-time meteorologist, Kirk Melhuish (pronounced Mellish). I am monitoring 3875 kHz; other frequencies to check out include 3883, 3888, 7285 and 7290 kHz. The SATERN network, operated by the Salvation Army, was also running on 14265 kHz; the WX4NHC net on 14325 kHz stood down on Tuesday (8/30). 73, (Eric (N0UIH) Bueneman, St Louis MO, Aug 31, IRCA via DXLD) IMPORTANT QUESTION ON NEW ORLEANS RADIO STATION WLNO --- I have a good friend whose company owns 1060 WLNO (formerly WNOE) in New Orleans. He is located at their corporate offices in Denver and since the disaster they have had no way to know if their towers and transmitter site survived. Their station manager and others were evacuated, and a couple of other employees have not yet been found. They have a 7-tower array on the west bank in Belle Chasse. If any of you have any information, or have seen the towers, please let me know so I can relay the information. Thanks, (Rene' Tetro, Chief Engineer, Salem Communications Philadelphia, Aug 31, IRCA via DXLD) FCC OFFERS REGULATORY RELIEF TO GULF COAST STATIONS The commission is allowing radio and television stations affected by Hurricane Katrina to restore service as needed. Specifically, FM and TV stations are being allowed to erect temporary antennas without prior authorization, while AM stations may use a horizontal or vertical wire or a non-directional vertical element of a directional antenna as an emergency antenna. A rule that requires licensees using these antenna to notify the FCC of service commencement within 24 hours has been waived. The commission is also temporarily allowing AM stations to use their full daytime power at night to broadcast emergency information, as long as such operations are conducted on a noncommercial basis. The agency also waived its notification rules for stations that go dark and will accept notifications within 30 days and requests to remain silent within 60 days of discontinuance of operations. As for stations under construction, holders of construction permits for new facilities located within a Federal Disaster Area will be given an extra 90 days to complete construction. Also, the FCC says special temporary authority requests will be handled "as expeditiously as possible." The commission also extended from Sept. 7 to Sept. 28 the regulatory fee payment deadline for stations affected by the hurricane. Those stations must include a certification that payment could not be made by the earlier date because of the hurricane. Both manual and electronic fee submissions will be accepted during the extended filing period (Aug 31 Radioandrecords.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD) Or, in legalese: FCC WAIVES CERTAIN RULES / KATRINA Looks like if they can get on the air, they can run max power. Could be DX in this. I hope that the Gulf area can get on its feet soon. (Kevin Redding, amfmdx via MWC via DXLD) DA 05-2393 Released: August 31, 2005 MEDIA BUREAU ANNOUNCES PROCEDURES TO PROMOTE THE RESUMPTION OF RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCAST SERVICE TO AREAS IMPACTED BY HURRICANE KATRINA The Media Bureau announces procedures to help radio and television stations resume and maintain broadcast operations to the residents of the areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina. For additional information, broadcast stations should contact the Media Bureau staff specified below. Special Temporary Authority: Requests for special temporary authority (STA) pursuant to Section 73.1635 of the Commission¹s rules may be submitted by informal letter or email. FM, television, and low power television stations also may file requests electronically through the Consolidated Database System (CDBS). These requests will be handled as expeditiously as possible. Requests should include the following certification. ``Neither the applicant nor any party to this application is subject to a denial of federal benefits that includes FCC benefits pursuant to Section 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, 21 U.S.C. § 862.`` AM and FM Stations: Norm Miller, 202 418-2767 (Charles.Miller@fcc.gov) Television Stations: Kevin Harding or Nai Tam, 202 418-1600 (Kevin.Harding@fcc.gov or Nai.Tam@fcc.gov) Emergency Antennas: Section 73.1680 of the Commission¹s rules permits FM and TV stations to erect temporary antennas without prior authority from the FCC. It also allows AM stations to use a horizontal or vertical wire or a non-directional vertical element of a directional antenna as an emergency antenna. The Media Bureau waives the requirement that licensees notify the Commission within 24 hours of the commencement of operations employing such antennas. If a licensee desires to continue to use an emergency antenna, it must submit a request for STA within 10 business days of commencement of operations. This waiver is applicable to any station which ceased operations as a result of Hurricane Katrina and is effective until December 1, 2005. AM and FM Stations: Norm Miller, 202 418-2767 (Charles.Miller@fcc.gov) Television Stations: Kevin Harding or Nai Tam, 202 418-1600 (Kevin.Harding@fcc.gov or Nai.Tam@fcc.gov) Low Power Television Stations: Mohammad Habib, 202 418-1600 (Mohammad.Habib@fcc.gov) AM Nighttime Operations: Section 73.1250(f) of the Commission`s rules permits AM stations to use their full daytime facilities during nighttime hours to broadcast emergency information, provided all operation is conducted on a noncommercial basis. The Media Bureau waives Section 73.1250(f) of the Commission¹s rules to permit an AM licensee to operate with such facilities during nighttime hours based on the licensee¹s good faith determination that such operations are necessary to the safety of life or property or where dangerous conditions of a general nature exist. Licensees must notify the Commission within 48 hours of the commencement of such operations. Authority to operate with daytime facilities during nighttime hours may be rescinded upon licensee¹s failure to resolve all interference complaints. This waiver is effective until October 1, 2005. Contact: Norm Miller, 202 418-2767 (Charles.Miller@fcc.gov) Limited and Discontinued Operations: The Media Bureau encourages any station which has discontinued operations as a result of Hurricane Katrina to submit a notification and, if necessary, request authority to remain silent within the periods specified in Section 73.1740(a)(4) of the Commission`s rules. The Media Bureau waives this rule to accept notifications within 30 days and requests to remain silent within 60 days of the discontinuance of operations. Notifications and requests may be submitted by informal letter, email, or by filing electronically through CDBS. This waiver is effective until December 1, 2005. AM and FM Stations: Norm Miller, 202 418-2767 (Charles.Miller@fcc.gov) Televisions Stations: Kevin Harding, 202 418-1600 (Kevin.Harding@fcc.gov) Low Power Television Stations: Mohammad Habib, 202 418-1600 (Mohammad.Habib@fcc.gov) Tolling of Broadcast Station Construction Permit Deadlines: Upon request, a permittee of a broadcast station located within a Federal Disaster Area will be provided an additional 90 days to complete construction. Stations located outside such areas will be provided an additional 90 days upon submission of a particularized showing of construction delays caused by Hurricane Katrina. AM and FM Stations: Irene Bleiweiss, 202 418-2785 (Irene.Bleiweiss@fcc.gov) Television Stations: Molly Fitzgerald, 202 418-1600 (Mary.Fitzgerald@fcc.gov) Low Power Television Stations: Shaun Maher, 202 419-1600 (Shaun.Maher@fcc.gov) --FCC-- http://www.fcc.gov (via Kevin Redding, Aug 31, amfmdx via MWC via DXLD) Trying for 1640 [see OKLAHOMA] here near Atlanta. No joy so far. The Cuban Reloj on 870 was really tearing up WWL last night (8/31). Very auroral conditions, but WWL 870 and WCKY 1530 are the strongest skywave signals here in Lilburn as a rule. At times I had to null Cuba to hear WWL even on their 25 kW. I'm sure you saw the gas madness here. Long lines. Some gouging at $5.00 a gallon. I gotta tell ya, as simple as it seems, I am so thankful I have water, food, and power. All the things I take for granted. [Aug 31 was just over $3 in Enid --- gouging] And on a radio note, it is a shame that municipalities like New Orleans and most others in the US have spent millions on the trunking systems that have no simplex. How could this have been sold? Did no one ask? No AC for the needed repeaters and the entire system shuts down! It's so simple to plan for, how did they miss it? Regards, (Brock Whaley, GA, Sept 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked after 0500 UT Sept 1, WWL here too had some co-channel, SAH, maybe Cuba tho there are plenty of other LA stations on 870. It didn`t help that they were broadcasting some meeting from an echoey chamber (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WWL running Clear Channel emergency net. Identifying TOH as WJBO Bâton Rouge, no mention of WWL New Orleans. Stations listed on ID consist of all the Clear Channel stations on Bâton Rouge, and one in Houma. I've been trying to copy out the complete list; so far I've got KRVE, WFMF, WYNK. There are a couple of others I've not got yet, due to fading. Programming consists of taped governmental news conferences and statements, FOX News at TOH, some public service announcements, and even a commercial (Curtis Sadowski at Rantoul, Illinois, 0822 UT Sept 1, WTFDA AM via DXLD) LETTER TO WWL-TV EMPLOYEES FROM BELO CORP. 03:51 PM CDT on Wednesday, August 31, 2005 http://www.wwltv.com/topstories/stories/083105cccawwlbeloletter.48f00211.html To all WWL-TV employees: We are attempting to reach all WWL employees so that we can know where everyone is and do our best to communicate as much helpful information as possible. If you know of a way to reach others, please give us their contact information and forward this information to them. Our main concern is determining how to keep in contact with you. You are not expected to report to work at this time. However, if possible, please contact your manager by e-mail or phone to let them know where you are. Your manager will advise you as to current and short-term work assignments. Also, use the contact information below to let the Belo HR team keep track of you for further communications. It is impossible for your fellow employees across Belo to fully express our concern for you and your families at this time. This message is the beginning of an effort to do what we can to provide resources to help you in this time of need. To do that effectively, we need to establish the best way to stay in communication with you. Please let us know: Where you are, How you can best be reached by phone, e-mail or text message, Special needs or concerns you may have, Any messages we can relay to loved ones in other locations Please contact Belo Benefits by e-mail benefits @ belo.com or call (866) 235-6236 with this information. We'll do our best to answer your questions and meet your immediate needs. We have established an online site for WWL employees to communicate, share concerns, ask questions or just keep up to date. Go to http://blog.wwltv.com Your next ordinary pay date is Friday, Sept. 9. If you are currently paid by direct deposit, your pay will be deposited in the same manner as in the past. If you are paid by check, please contact us and let us know where to send your paycheck. If you are in the Baton Rouge area, we can send your paycheck to the station's temporary location at KLPB, the local Public Broadcasting Station in Baton Rouge. For future information regarding pay and operations issues, please continue to monitor this site that has been set up for maintaining communications with all of our WWL employees. In case you're not aware, WWL is broadcasting from the transmitter and facilities have been set-up at the PBS station, KLPB, in Baton Rouge to produce and broadcast news coverage. Except for a few hours on Monday and Tuesday night, WWL has provided continuous coverage of Katrina -- something no other New Orleans station has been able to achieve. WWL is #1 for a reason -- its people. We can't express enough our appreciation for what you do and, most importantly, our concern for each of you and your family at this time. Please stay in touch and call, e-mail or text message the information requested above. Also, please give us information on other employees you may know of. We'll do what we can to help. Our thoughts are with you (via Tom Roche, GA, Aug 31, DXLD) WUN DX Club some time ago reported WLOX TV signals audio link on 26100 kHz (Dario Monferini, Italy, Sept 1, playdx yg via DXLD) STATIONS SHARE NEWS, SUPPLIES Source: http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050901/FEAT05/509010360/1023 Amid the havoc left behind by Hurricane Katrina, employees of numerous TV stations are depending on each other for help --- to cover the news and, in some cases, to survive. That cooperation becomes more necessary as supplies of equipment, fuel and even water continue to shrink or become harder to find. In Hattiesburg, where WHLT-Channel 22 has been without power and off the air for days, Jackson's WJTV-Channel 12 bused down food, ice and water Wednesday, said Richard Russell, WJTV's news director. The stations are owned by Media General, which has sent aid to WHLT via other affiliates. WJTV also has received help in covering the devastation in Jackson, and it has coordinated coverage with WKRG in Mobile, which has a satellite truck in Biloxi. "We're sharing live shots with them," Russell said. "We have our own satellite truck stationed in Camp Shelby (near Hattiesburg)." Media General stations in Spartanburg, S.C., Greenville, N.C., Roanoke, Va., Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Charleston, S.C., have sent WJTV reporters, producers, photographers, an extra news director and a news helicopter. As for WLOX-Channel 13 in Biloxi, one of the hardest-hit cities in Mississippi, aid has come from WLBT-Channel 3 in Jackson and other Liberty Broadcast Group stations, said Dennis Smith, WLBT's news director. WLOX has been able to stay on the air, but, like most Coast residents, employees are struggling to get by without such basics as water, food, shelter and working toilets, said Dan Modisett, WLBT's general manager. "Money will mean something later to the residents down there, but right now it means nothing. They can't use it. There's no commerce," said Modisett, who arranged for the transport of portable toilets from Memphis to WLOX. Although WLOX has been broadcasting, "they lost a fair amount of their newsroom and sales office," Smith said. "A lot of employees at the station lost their homes, including the general manager." Other Liberty stations, including those in Louisville, Ky., Jonesboro, Ark., Evansville, Ind., Montgomery and Albany, Ga., have sent news crews, satellite phones, video equipment, video cards, hard disks and more to WLOX. "One big problem is communications," Smith said. "Telephone service is virtually nonexistent down there." On Wednesday, WLBT finally was able to feed WLOX some video shot from a helicopter of destruction along the Coast. Fuel also is a problem. As of Wednesday afternoon, Smith and Modisett were trying to get clearance for a Lake Charles, La., station to send diesel to WLOX's transmitter site at McHenry. "They only have a day's supply," Smith said. WLBT also needs diesel for its transmitter at Raymond, Smith said. "We're running low." At WAPT-Channel 16 in Jackson, some 19 employees of New Orleans station WDSU set up shop this week, with anchors sharing air time. Because of the expected damage and power outages to WDSU studios in Katrina-ravaged New Orleans, "a good deal of the station came here on Sunday," Stuart Kellogg, WAPT's general manager, said earlier this week. The stations are owned by Hearst-Argyle. WAPT built the WDSU crew its own broadcasting set, enabling their anchors to break away and do their own newscasts, which are available on the WDSU Web site, http://www.wdsu.com The Jackson news stations also have video streaming on their Web sites. WLBT's is http://www.wlbt.com. Live streaming is made available by WAPT http://www.thejacksonchannel.com and WJTV http://www.wjtv.com "We're streaming wall-to-wall coverage on the Web," said WJTV's Russell. "We've even had e-mails from soldiers in Iraq who are able to keep up with what's going on here." (via Ken Kopp, Sept 1, dxldyg via DXLD) Frequency Awareness --- Hi Bernie, Here is a list that DXers may want to be aware of. This will help them to become better informed and avoid any potential inadvertent interference. 73, Pete, KZ1Z ------------------ HURRICANE KATRINA HF RESPONSE AND RECOVERY FREQUENCIES 02802.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-91) ** 03171.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-92) ** 05136.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-93) ** 05141.4 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-94) ** 05211.0 USB FEMA 05236.0 USB SHARES Coordination Network (nationwide HF voice coordination) 06859.5 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-95) ** 07507.0 USB USN/USCG hurricane net (pri) 07550.5 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-96 - primary) ** 07698.5 USB American Red Cross Disaster (F-97) ** 09380.0 USB USN/USCG hurricane net (sec) 10493.0 USB FEMA 14396.5 USB SHARES Coordination Network (nationwide HF voice coordination) ** Type-accepted equipment and an issued US FCC license are required to transmit on Red Cross frequencies AMATEUR HIGH-FREQUENCY GULF COAST HURRICANE NETS 03845.0 LSB Gulf Coast West Hurricane 03862.5 LSB Mississippi Section Traffic 03873.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane 03873.0 LSB Louisiana ARES Emergency (night) 03873.0 LSB Texas ARES Emergency (night) 03873.0 LSB Mississippi ARES Emergency 03910.0 LSB Mississippi ARES 03910.0 LSB Louisiana Traffic 03923.0 LSB Mississippi ARES 03925.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane 03925.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency (altn) 03935.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane 03935.0 LSB Louisiana ARES (health & welfare) 03935.0 LSB Texas ARES (health & welfare) 03935.0 LSB Mississippi ARES (health & welfare) 03935.0 LSB Alabama Emergency 03940.0 LSB Southern Florida Emergency 03950.0 LSB Northern Florida Emergency 03955.0 LSB South Texas Emergency 03965.0 LSB Alabama Emergency (altn) 03967.0 LSB Gulf Coast (outgoing traffic) 03975.0 LSB Texas RACES 03993.5 LSB Gulf Coast (health & welfare) 03995.0 LSB Gulf Coast Wx 07225.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane 07235.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency 07235.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane 07235.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency 07240.0 LSB American Red Cross US Gulf Coast Disaster 07240.0 LSB Texas Emergency 07243.0 LSB Alabama Emergency 07245.0 LSB Southern Louisiana 07248.0 LSB Texas RACES 07250.0 LSB Texas Emergency 07260.0 LSB Gulf Coast West Hurricane 07264.0 LSB Gulf Coast (health & welfare) 07265.0 LSB Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio (SATERN) (altn) 07273.0 LSB Texas ARES (altn) 07280.0 LSB NTS Region 5 07280.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency (altn) 07283.0 LSB Gulf Coast (outgoing only) 07285.0 LSB West Gulf ARES Emergency (day) 07285.0 LSB Louisiana ARES Emergency (day) 07285.0 LSB Mississippi ARES Emergency 07285.0 LSB Texas ARES Emergency (day) 07290.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane 07290.0 LSB Gulf Coast Wx 07290.0 LSB Texas ARES (health & welfare) 07290.0 LSB Louisiana ARES (health & welfare) (day) 07290.0 LSB Texas ARES (health & welfare) 07290.0 LSB Mississippi ARES (health & welfare) 14265.0 USB Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio (SATERN) (health & welfare) 14300.0 USB Intercontinental Traffic 14300.0 USB Maritime Mobile Service 14303.0 USB International Assistance & Traffic 14313.0 USB Intercontinental Traffic (altn) 14313.0 USB Maritime Mobile Service (altn) 14316.0 USB Health & Welfare 14320.0 USB Health & Welfare 14325.0 USB Hurricane Watch (Amateur-to-National Hurricane Center) 14340.0 USB Louisiana (1900) http://www.kkn.net/mailman/listinfo/weeklydx (via Pete, KZ1Z, Aug 31, WeeklyDX mailing list via Ken Kopp, dxldyg via DXLD) See also PROPAGATION STUDENTS TRAPPED IN DORMITORIES AT XAVIER COLLEGE IN NEW ORLEANS From CNN's Paul Courson in Washington (CNN) -- Ham radio operators providing emergency communications to the region devastated by Katrina were pursuing reports Thursday of students who may still be trapped in dormitories at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans. A report Tuesday night "was well distributed over the radio, and I called it to the Coast Guard," said Mike Pilgrim, a volunteer communicator in Boca Ratón, Fla. "They then passed the message to Coast Guard operations at St. Louis" by Wednesday. The hams were responding to an urgent appeal from the mother of one of the students, Nichelle Manuel of Chicago, who has not heard from her child in days. She told CNN Thursday her son. Leandre Foster, 19, called her on Monday to say he and a few other kids were going to try to swim to high ground along an interstate near campus. They planned to put their cell phones in water-resistant plastic bags for the escape. "They were leaving because the water in the dorm was getting so high, so he left and tried to swim to a higher elevation near I-10," she said in a telephone interview. She has not heard from her son since. An e-mail she had sent to the volunteer radio operators asking for help quoted her son as saying as many as 200 students were trapped in the building known as the Living Learning Center on the New Orleans campus. Thursday she told CNN the building usually holds as many as 400 students. "I bet the boys swam out and left the girls," she said with a worried laugh, "That testosterone kicks in and that survival instinct." The daughter of a CNN security guard in Atlanta is among the other students reportedly trapped in a dorm at Xavier. Emergency radio activity continues to handle what little information is coming from the area, where regular communications are down. Volunteer operators standing by for messages out of the region say there are very few stations on the air. Those that appear on the short-wave frequencies that are being used are only briefly heard. "They're running out of gasoline in their cars supplying power to their transmitters," said Pilgrim, "and they aren't going to just stay on the air unless they've got information to pass" to relief agencies or family members. --- --- --- On the Web: To ask ham radio volunteers to try to find a loved one in the disaster area: http://www.satern.org (online request form) Frequencies where the activity can be monitored: 14.265 MHz, 14.300 MHz, 7.290 MHz, 7.285 MHz and 3.935 MHz (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) HURRICANE KATRINA VOLUNTEER SIGNUP DATABASE NOW OPEN For links see http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/08/31/101/?nc=1 NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 31, 2005 -- The Hurricane Katrina Disaster Communications Volunteer Registration & Message Traffic Database now is open. Site Administrator Joe Tomasone, AB2M, set up the database, and South Texas ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, is handling volunteer coordination. This site is intended for Amateur Radio volunteers to sign up for communication support duty on behalf of Hurricane Katrina relief and recovery efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi. "Standard ARES mutual assistance rules are in effect," Reimer says in a statement for those considering signing up. "ARES volunteers intending to travel should not leave without specific instructions." Reimer is encouraging trained volunteers "qualified and willing to travel into the area" to register. Initial volunteers chosen for duty will be drawn from those available within Louisiana and Mississippi, followed by volunteers from adjacent sections. He notes that hotel or motel accommodations are unlikely to be available for volunteers traveling into the storm-stricken states and "any accommodations that are available are likely to be primitive and makeshift." Water suitable for drinking or bathing also is expected to be scarce. "Unless you are presently mentally and physically prepared for complete self-sufficiency for at least several days, please do not immediately register," Reimer advises. "Not everyone needs to be in the first wave of volunteers; the recovery effort will last weeks and perhaps months, requiring an extended volunteer pool." The ARRL South Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi sections' mutual assistance agreement is in effect for the Hurricane Katrina response (ARRL via gh, dxldyg via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SOLAR FLARE COMPLICATES EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS FROM HURRICANE DISASTER REGION --- From CNN's Paul Courson WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The effects of a solar flare Wednesday temporarily hurt some of the already fractured emergency communications with the U.S. Gulf Coast region devastated by Hurricane Katrina. One fragile system that has been affected is run by hobbyist radio operators in the disaster area using makeshift stations at low power levels. Such stations, run by volunteers who are licensed "ham" operators, are often as simple as a transmitting antenna wire tossed to a tree, and a radio powered by car batteries. Their weak signals are received by other volunteers beyond the disaster region, who then relay emergency rescue requests, calls for aid, and word from victims to relatives wondering their fate. They are operating on short-wave frequencies vulnerable to solar flare activity. "It interrupts radio paths," explained Mike Pilgrim, a radio volunteer in Boca Raton, Fla., who has had his emergency station on the air since Katrina's first landfall in that state. He said that during a solar flare "you cannot hear through the unusual, high-hashy noises it makes in the receiver." A CNN monitoring post in Washington detected unusual conditions Wednesday during a request for a rooftop rescue from an apartment building in New Orleans. The signal faded out at some locations, but the message was picked up by other operators as part of the radio volunteer network established across the country. Unlike static in a car radio that many people have heard during a brief thunderstorm, a solar flare can obliterate signals for hours, days or longer, Pilgrim told CNN Thursday as he took a break from the marathon communications effort. The worst disruption may already have passed, according to the Geological Survey of Canada, a government agency that tracks such storms. Forecasting scientist H. Lem said Thursday "it was a small flare of long duration, but not very strong in magnitude." He told CNN the effects on the emergency signals should vanish later Thursday. A solar flare is a streaming outburst from the sun of electrically charged particles that typically reach the outer layers of the Earth's atmosphere within hours, affecting radio signals that use these layers to reflect from one point to another on the ground. A flare can also affect satellite communications (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to severe storm levels. On 22 ? 23 August, activity was at predominantly quiet to unsettled levels with isolated active and minor storm periods at high latitudes. By early on 24 August, conditions increased to severe storm levels at all latitudes in response to CME activity that occurred 22 and 23 August. Conditions began to gradually decline by early on 25 August with isolated minor and major storm periods observed at high latitudes. By mid-day on 26 August, and through the rest of the period, mostly quiet conditions were observed. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 31 AUGUST - 26 SEPTEMBER Solar activity is expected be at very low to moderate levels. Moderate levels are possible from 07 ? 20 September after the return of old Region 798 (S11, L=227). Otherwise, very low to low levels are expected. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected during the forecast period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 02 ? 08 September, and again on 14 ? 19 September, and on 21 ? 26 September. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to minor storm levels. Active to minor storm conditions are possible on 02 ? 03 September, 09 ? 10 September, and 12 ? 14 September, and 20 ? 21 September due to recurrent coronal hole high speed wind streams. Otherwise, expect mostly quiet to unsettled conditions. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2005 Aug 30 2154 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2005 Aug 30 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2005 Aug 31 90 10 3 2005 Sep 01 85 15 3 2005 Sep 02 85 20 4 2005 Sep 03 85 15 3 2005 Sep 04 90 10 3 2005 Sep 05 90 10 3 2005 Sep 06 85 10 3 2005 Sep 07 90 8 3 2005 Sep 08 95 8 3 2005 Sep 09 100 15 3 2005 Sep 10 100 12 3 2005 Sep 11 100 10 3 2005 Sep 12 100 20 4 2005 Sep 13 100 20 4 2005 Sep 14 100 15 3 2005 Sep 15 100 5 2 2005 Sep 16 100 5 2 2005 Sep 17 100 8 3 2005 Sep 18 100 10 3 2005 Sep 19 100 10 3 2005 Sep 20 95 20 4 2005 Sep 21 90 20 4 2005 Sep 22 85 15 3 2005 Sep 23 85 10 3 2005 Sep 24 85 8 3 2005 Sep 25 85 8 3 2005 Sep 26 85 10 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1285, DXLD) ###