DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-157, September 6, 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 AIRING OF WORLD OF RADIO 1285: 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 1285 downloads in studio-quality mp3: (high) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1285h.mp3 (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) FIRST AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1286: Wed 2200 on WBCQ 7415 Wed 2300 on WBCQ 17495-CLSB [unless Fox News still running] Thu 2030 on WWCR 15825 ON DEMAND: from early UT Thursday, change 1285 above to 1286 ** BRAZIL. Re 5-156: 11915.1 kHz R.Gaúcha, Porto Alegre RS, 24 AUG 2145-2200, advertisements, news bulletin "Correspondente Ipiranta", A Voz do Brasil 2200; 34443. --------------- It should read "IPIRANGA" - sorry !!! local river in Brazil, and known for historical reasons when a Portuguese monarch, who refused to return to Portugal after the troubles of the Napoleonic invasions, proclaimed the independence of Brazil. In both B & POR, that day became known as "O Grito do Ipiranga." 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CBC programming notes (WITH BONUS: Slight ranting) Just went through a new set of CBC lockout skeds for the coming week and noticed a few changes. (Some of the radio shows might end up on RCI. Who knows!) === CBC RADIO* === - C'est La Vie and Next have switched places on Friday CLV now on at its regular time, 11:30 a.m., while Next is on at 11 a.m. (This would normally be the start of a new season, so I wonder if this will be a new CLV program coming from Montreal, which is not affected by the lockout.) - Body & Soul, Saturday, 9-9:30 a.m. (I don't recognize the title of this series.) - Madly Off in All Directions, Saturday, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. - Fuse, Saturday, 5-6 p.m. - À Propos, 9-10 p.m. (Again, I wonder if this will be a "fresh" program from Montreal.) - 7 Deadly Sins, Sunday, 11-11:30 a.m. - Real Life Chronicles, 11:30 a.m.-12 p.m. (I don't recognize the title of this series.) - Bunny Watson, 4-5 p.m. (This is an earlier time slot.) - BBC Masterpiece/Music Feature, 6-7 p.m. (These shows disappeared for one week, but returned on Sept. 4.) - Jazz Beat, 7-9 p.m. (No time change, but again, I wonder if this will be a "fresh" program from Montreal.) === CBC RADIO TWO === No change -- there is only continuous classical music here. (I wonder what happened to Brave New Waves. This is a Montreal-produced program that featured alternative music, weeknights from midnight to 4 a.m.) === CBC TELEVISION/NEWSWORLD === - The schedule says there will be 30 minutes of CBC News** weekdays on CBC-TV at 10 p.m. local and on CBC Newsworld at 9 p.m. and midnight ET. Until now, it was a 10- to 12-minute CBC program inserted before 30 minutes of BBC World. I haven't had the chance to see this extended program yet. (They had enough trouble filling 10 minutes.) - The CBC "September Documentary Festival" seems to be going on as scheduled, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday night at 8. This has been heavily promoed since before the lockout began. - A movie called "Biloxi Blues" -- oh, what timing -- is scheduled for Saturday night at 11. [*] Except for one newscast/weather update when I wake up, I have not been listening to ANYTHING on CBC English Radio since the lockout began, so these observations are purely schedule-based and not from my listening. I have not found a pleasing commercial alternative to CBC Radio and am content listening to audio material coming from locked- out workers over the Internet. (I will listen to some CBC Montreal programs, seeing how they aren't "soiled" by industrial action. I have also found the direct relay of CBF Montreal on the local Radio-Canada station in Calgary to be something of a cure for my homesickness.) [**] It really should be called "The Sorry Excuse of a Television Newscast Broadcast in Place of the Real CBC News." If you've seen the shows CBC managers have been putting out recently, you'll know what I mean. Bad lighting, bad sound, bad graphics, mediocre presentation, poor story selection --- you get the picture. I watch it now and again out of curiosity. The private broadcasters are really cleaning the CBC's chronometres -- just as it should be (Ricky Leong, AB, Sept 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. I've used the Sanyo MCD-S830 and heard an apparently new Cuban station on 600. It's definitively Cuba. Check out the log below for more details: 600 CUBA, CMKV, unID slogan, Urbano Noris SEP 6, 0244 - Fading in and out over and under WICC with Spanish pops, salsa and reaggeton. During one of the breaks I catched something like "La (Sensacional ?) Noventa y Seis punto Siete". Not // 5025. However Radio Rebelde is (or used to be) on 96.7 (was heard several times in the US via e-skip) and since the conditions were really poor toward the Caribbean with RVC fair at best and no South Americans available, I'm sure this is Cuba. Be the good DX stuff with you, (Bogdan Chiochiu, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. RADIO CAIRO EXTERNAL SERVICES SAVED BY ERTU HEAD OF RADIO An article in Egypt Today confirms that the international service of Radio Cairo was almost slashed, but was saved by pressure from the Head of the Radio Division of ERTU, Omar Bateesha, who took up his appointment in March 2001. Bateesha says that soon after coming to office, he found plans were in the works to slash 25 languages from the international service while cutting its total programming hours from 71 a day to just 20. "These stations have a significant economic and political role," Bateesha says. "They help Egypt keep its friends. We talk day and night about the need to communicate with 'the other,' to rectify misconceptions, while we plead that we shut down some of these lines of channels to cut expenses. The budget of just one TV soap is more than that for the entire international service. Besides, what about those who work for these stations? Shall we send them home? I really fought the move, and I hope the new leadership keeps it the way it is." Read the whole article: A Man of the Time http://www.egypttoday.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=5592 # posted by Andy @ 13:38 UT Sept 6 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** FINLAND. YLE on strike today until 2100 UT due to this: YLE to Cut 100-200 Jobs Published 04.09.2005, 21.07 (updated 05.09.2005, 14.18) The Finnish National Broadcaster YLE is to axe between 100 and 200 people by the year 2008. This is according to YLE's Director-General Mikael Jungner. In addition to the layoffs, personnel numbers will be reduced through the attrition of 370 people who are expected to retire. Jungner presented the Administrative Council with his cost-cutting programme on Monday. He aims to balance the budget by 2008. On Sunday, the YLE boss was reluctant to reveal any specifics concerning his savings programme. He did say that YLE would maintain its regional radio channels. In addition, Jungner noted that next year will see a massive investment in sports as YLE has bought brought broadcasting rights to four major sports events, including the Olympics. Members of the Administrative Council are known to disagree on what savings measures need to be taken. YLE employs 3,500 people. Around 400 of them are due to retire in the next few years. http://www.yle.fi/news/left/id16981.html The same non-stop music seems to broadcast on FM, MW and SW (Mauno Ritola, Finland, Sept 6, ABDX via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Peter Senger announced at IFA that next year DW would cease analog transmission to Europe. He said "We want to force our listeners in Europe to buy DRM radios" (Aaron Zawitzky, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. On our evening transmissions to North America, we had readings as follows: 0000-0400 -- 5865 with SINPO 35333; 7475 with SINPO 55455; 9420 with SINPO 55555; 0000-0200 -- 9375 with SINPO 25442 (John Babbis, MD, UT Sept 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Lately only Music on Shenoy is heard often on 9620 kHz at around 1200-1500 instead of regular External Service. Yesterday at around 0600 AIR Mumbai was heard on 7245 instead of regular 7240 for some time. Later they shifted to the normal 7240 frequency. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, Sept 6, dx_india via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Re this item included in DXLD 5-156: "The signal received in a typical spectral observation of a strong source is less than 10 to 18 Watts. If a typical 1 milliwatt garage door opener were operated on the moon, it would be one of the strongest radio sources in the sky as seen from a terrestrial radio telescope." I'm a bit confused by these two sentences' juxtaposition. Could the "10 to 18 watts" really be "10 to the minus 18th watts"? I've always heard that the total energy of RF falling upon the Earth from stellar & galactic/extragalactic sources over all time has totaled less than the energy emitted by some typical small commercial doohickey, like a refrigerator bulb, in a day or some other short period. Of course, I may be totally wrong and would welcome correction. 73, (Will Martin, MO, dxldyg via DXLD) Hey, what difference are 18 orders of magnitude in amounts that small? (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. CANADA: GOVERNMENT TO DECIDE FATE OF SATELLITE RADIO LICENCES THIS WEEK | Text of press release by Canadian based CNW Group on 6 September Toronto, 5 September: Two out of three Canadians (64 per cent) want the government of Canada to overturn CRTC [Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission] decisions to license two American satellite radio companies because the proposed services offer too little Canadian content, according to a new Ipsos Reid study. The study should make interesting reading for members of the federal cabinet, who will be reviewing a proposal to overturn the decisions from Heritage Minister Liza Frulla later this week. The two American satellite radio services and their Canadian partners plan to beam programming that is more than 90 per cent American content to subscribers in Canada. The study found that 7 in 10 people (68 per cent) think that less than 10 per cent Canadian content is too little. "If the cabinet decides to set aside or ask the CRTC to reconsider their decisions, the government of Canada will be on the side of a strong majority of Canadians concerning this issue," said Ian Morrison, spokesperson for Friends of Canadian Broadcasting, the broadcast watchdog group that commissioned the survey. The Ipsos Reid study found that 85 per cent of Canadians believe it's important that there be Canadian content on radio, and 65 per cent believe there should be minimum levels of Canadian content on radio. More than half (52 per cent) believe that current regulations requiring that radio stations play a minimum of 35 per cent Canadian songs is about the right amount, while 4 in 10 (37 per cent) think the current regulations do not demand enough Canadian musical plays on commercial radio. "Canadians believe the federal government has an obligation to ensure shelf space for Canadian programmes on the airwaves and see these decisions as failing to adequately meet this goal," said Ian Morrison. Overwhelmingly, Canadians share a conviction that ever increasing economic ties with the United States creates an imperative to strengthen Canadian culture and identity. The survey found that 84 per cent agree that a stronger Canadian culture and identity are needed in the face of closer ties with the American economy, a finding consistent with data from May 2004 when Ipsos Reid last asked this question on Friends' behalf. "After months of seeing the dispute between Canada and the United States over softwood lumber or Alberta beef play out in the media, it's not surprising that Canadians feel the need to bulk up our culture and identity," Morrison said. Friends of Canadian Broadcasting joined 14 arts and cultural organizations in English Canada to petition the federal cabinet to intervene in the CRTC subscription radio decisions on the grounds that the CRTC's decisions are inconsistent with the Broadcasting Act requirement that "each element of the Canadian broadcasting system shall contribute in an appropriate manner to the creation and presentation of Canadian programming", and "each broadcasting undertaking shall make maximum use, and in no case less than predominant use, of Canadian creative and other resources in the creation and presentation of programming." Friends of Canadian Broadcasting is Canada's only broadcast industry watchdog group. It is supported financially by 60,000 families who share Friends' mission is to defend and enhance the quality and quantity of Canadian programming in Canada's audio-visual system. Friends is not affiliated with any broadcaster or political party. Ipsos Reid conducted the national study last week, from 30 August to 1 September. Ipsos Reid interviewed 1002 adult Canadians. A sample of this size accurately reflects the views of adults Canadians within +/- 3.1 per cent 19 times in 20. Source: CNW Group press release, Toronto, in English 6 Sep 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. NEW LOOK TO NORTH KOREAN NEWS PROGRAMNES - South Korean daily | Text of report in English by South Korean newspaper Choson Ilbo website on 6 September When it comes to media, North Koreans have limited options to choose from as all radio and television channels are state-controlled. Naturally, the propaganda messages come across as being stilted and unrefined. But North Korean TV is clearly changing its look and style. North Korea is the world's worst violator of freedom of the press. So says the global media rights body Reporters Without Frontiers. The few North Koreans lucky enough to own a television set can only get access to state media frequencies. And what they steadily stream out have been and still are propaganda programmes praising dear leader Kim Jong-il and his achievements. There's no change in contents, but packaging has definitely improved. Influenced by sophisticated TV shows produced by neighbours across the border, North Korean broadcasters are applying new techniques and formats to their programmes. With North Korea's nuclear programmes making global headlines for the last few years, many may recall watching footages of North Korean announcers. In the past, these announcers read off their scripts in front of a monotonous backdrop, but since June of this year, they're seen in a news studio with chroma-Key, otherwise known as blue screen, which allows video and graphic projections in the background. Scrolls and computer graphics are frequently used and large screen monitors are placed inside the studio. News correspondents on the field also send in timely stories from distant locations. Media watchers here say North Korean broadcasters are under pressure to improve the quality of their output as their audience have higher expectations after watching South Korean programmes. Ordinary, North Koreans caught listening and watching foreign broadcasts risk punishments such as forced labour. But many North Korean defectors say South Korean TV programmes smuggled in from China are accessible to the average family, and that it's considered cool for North Koreans to look and behave like South Korean. Source: Choson Ilbo website, Seoul, in English 6 Sep 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Re 5-156: What does C. mean as in C. Presidente? (gh) Ciudadano, a Mexican way of fraternization (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hmmm, I never noticed anyone else being addressed formally as Citizen, at least not in Mexico. But that should keep the president a man of the people (gh, DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. The other morning I was listening to RNZI on 9885 and it was putting the usual good signal into the Central US here, and then the new 1100 UT changeover to 9520 kHz came along, and I re- tuned, and the RNZI signal was barely detectable. Not surprising considering the change in antenna beam. But why the hell does EVERYBODY have to screw up something that was working right? RA messed us up with their idiotic cutting off of 9580 while leaving the weaker/poorer 9590 continued on, thus destroying the traditionally-good US morning reception of RA on 9580 until reasonably late in the AM. RNZI had a great signal to here on 9885; they could have left it alone and added a separate frequency relay to PNG & East Timor (maybe via an RA tx) but no, they had to spoil something that worked. It all gets so discouraging.... Disgustedly, (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Because, they don`t really care whether you can ever hear them. If they could further restrict listenership to their Pacific/Asian target area, I expect they would do it, and this goes for countless other stations we hear which don`t officially broadcast to North America. However, the antenna beam switch at 1100 to the NW should be the same on 9520 now as it was on 9885, so reception should not be that different, unless there are interference issues (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, Will, it is; but one must remember that North America is no longer a target for RNZI or RA. Nor has it been for some time now. These frequencies change because they provide the best bet for good reception in the target areas --- namely, the Pacific Islands region. Therefore, we just have to take what we can get (John Figliozzi, NY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don`t think NAm ever was for RNZI, no? (gh, DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. National Radio, Concert FM and RNZI are available via live streaming as RNZ prepares to deploy significantly more robust web audio, both live and on-demand. A check of National Radio at 1300 UT found a very pleasant 48 kbps Windows media stream on my T1-based LAN at work. A check of the live RNZI available at that link yielded a 64 kbps live audio stream. Click on the "listen live" links at http://www.radionz.co.nz/ The National Radio program schedule may be found at http://www.radionz.co.nz/index.php?id=250&nav=3§ion=schedule or by clicking "National Radio" at the main website, then "What's On." Concert FM might be worth a visit by world music fans -- there's a Saturday afternoon (local time) program called "Global Sounds"; that would be 0200 UT, not at all an inhospitable time for North Americans (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Swprograms mailing list, Sept 6, via DXLD) Interesting and welcome. But my feed is only 8 kbps over a cable modem using Windows Media for Mac (John Figliozzi, NY, ibid.) It`s 64 kbps for me on cable modem, Windows Media on XP. Sounds good, but why would I bring up RNZI for rock music (0151 UT Wed Sept 7)? They make clear it`s only experimental. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid. and DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hmmm. Wonder what the problem. Preferences are set for cable modem. Could RoadRunner be cheating on bandwidth? jaf (John Figliozzi, ibid.) ** PARAGUAY. The sports program ended at 8:05 PM EDT (0005 UT) instead of predicted 0000, with a canned Radio Nacional de Paraguay ID (which mentioned "kilociclos" instead of kilohertz) promos; one of them had the beat of Together Forever by Lisette Meléndez 1991 new-school freestyle in the back-ground, a short RNP liner, then back-to-back guaraní (or whatever the style is called I forgot) folkloric music with harp and sometimes accordion and before the female song with accordion played right at 0023 started, they talked about being an international service in the ID, not just a relay of a domestic broadcast like I thought "Radio Nacional de Paraguay, La Praguyanda, Radio Nacional de Paraguay Internacional" and mention of something like exterior only. I'm back to DX this si[nce?] the last report. I should DX instead of discussing the things I heard with little listening. Be the good DX stuff with you, (Bogdan Chiochiu in Montreal (Pierrefonds), UT Sept 6, HCDX via DXLD) Those who wish to hear Paraguay's Radio Nacional: is coming in pretty good on 9737 at 0028 with nice music and ID's as "Radio Nacional Paraguay", still going strong as I type this. Thanks (James Niven, Moody TX, UT Sept 6, ABDX via DXLD) ** SINGAPORE. R. Singapore Int'l, 6080 at 1055 9/6 with tones, then 1059 intro and ID's, 1100 with news starting with hurricane relief efforts in US, regional news, running past 1107; SIO 333 (Joe Hanlon in NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Should be // 6150 – check that too (gh, DXLD) ** U K. BBC WORLD SERVICE COMING ATTRACTIONS For the first time, all 43 language services of the World Service, along with BBC World television and the World Service website, are participating in a two-week-long ``season`` of programming called Who Runs Your World? The website features interactive elements that will allow users to help craft the series by adding their own stories and views. Three special live debates will take place in Washington, Delhi and Cairo. A special website, http://www.bbcworldservice.com/yourworld will be set up in advance of the series, though as of late August it had not yet become available. Programming in the series will air from September 17th to October 3rd, and includes perspectives in business, sports, science, religion, entertainment, art, culture and crime, and include Discovery, Health Matters. As part of the Who Runs Your World? Season, a special, weeklong, 5- part documentary series, Looking for Democracy, will be hosted by Robin Lustig and air at 0805, 1205 and 1805 UT (European and web stream) and (probably) 1405, 1905 and 0005 (Americas / XM stream) from September 19th through the 23rd, preempting regular programming. The 0005 airing is technically a UT Tuesday-Saturday airing. Governments in California, Cambodia, Ukraine, Bahrain and Uganda will be profiled. The next week sees the beginning of a new four-part weekly series in the same season, this time hosted by Peter Day of Global Business, The Changing Face of Power, airing Monday, September 26th, through Monday, October 17th, in the same times as shown above. Goldman Sachs, the global investment bank, developed economic projections that suggest in 2050 the world’s top economics will be Brazil, Russia, India, China, the USA and Japan, a much more globally diverse combination than today`s G-7 country list. Day asks the Goldman Sachs economist Jim O`Neill, to explain the rationale and speculate on the consequences. A four-part weeklong series in this theme, I Challenge, will air Tuesday through Friday during the week of September 27th in these same time slots. This four-part documentary looks at four very different individuals who have one thing in common. They are all challenging power of some kind, whether established or sub-cultural. The program asks what motivates them and how they have found a voice. The first day visits Epitacio Cortina, a 31-year-old Latino serving 15 years for murder. He spent eight years in California`s Pelican Bay State Prison, serving as a loyal captain in a notorious prison gang. Now he`s out of the gang, seeking to challenge its stranglehold on youth. Earlier in September, a two-part edition of Music Feature spotlights the audio diaries of Scottish rock band Franz Ferdinand, whose debut album sold 3 million copies. From their days in seedy rehearsal space in Glasgow to their appearance in this year`s Edinburgh Festival, the band`s thoughts on fashion, the fickleness of fame, and the 10 long years spent in indie rock bands. Begins Monday, September 5th, to Europe at 0832, 1232 and 1832, plus Tuesdays 0032; to the Americas, listen Mondays at 1432 and 1932, plus 0032 and 0532 on Tuesdays. A two-part series called Stressed Body airs to the Americas on the 7th and the 14th of September at 1405 and 1905, along with 0005 UT the next day. European air times include Wednesdays 0805, 1205 and 1805, plus Thursdays 0005. The series describes what`s going on when we put our flesh and blood through the extremes of modern life. In these funny and informative programs the Stressed Body speaks for itself as it describes the hour by hour battle to stay fit and well as it endures a 15 hour flight or fasts for eight days. The writer is Jonathan Myerson. A special weeklong series of ``Anniversary Editions`` of From Our Own Correspondent airs to Europe at 1730 and 2130 during the week of September 5th; I don`t see any special references to it on the World Service website, nor do I see any references to the series on the Americas schedule, so you might want to dial up European frequencies or listen online. UPDATE: These weeklong special editions of FOOC are available on- demand by visiting the special 50th Anniversary FOOC website, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/fooc50/ or http://tinyurl.com/bzlpf (Rich Cuff, PA, Easy Listening, Sept NASWA Journal, & updated for DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also DIGITAL BROADCASTING Click on the link labeled "Extra Programmes"; this will take you to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/fooc50/4209104.stm or http://tinyurl.com/c22cu where you can hear the week-long special editions. Today's edition has been posted. There are also many other short segments (3-5 minutes each) available at the FOOC 50th anniversary website noted above (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) ** U S A. Altho Hughes was subsequently confirmed, this Kim Elliott column from July is still of great interest (gh, DXLD) A USEFUL TIME OUT FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY Karen Hughes, President`s Bush`s nominee to be Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy, has asked that her nomination be delayed until autumn for family reasons. This could be a useful delay. In March, when her nomination was announced, a multitude of advice issued forth, from 300-word editorials in small town newspapers to 80-page white papers from prestigious think tanks. These writings indicate disagreement and even confusion about what public diplomacy is and what it can do. The recommendations about public diplomacy can be divided, roughly, into three baskets: 1) Public opinion abroad can be turned around if spending on public diplomacy is increased, back to Cold War levels, the way Ronald Reagan did it. New agencies should be created, or the U.S. Information Agency revived, or a coordinator at the White House level added. Heroic spending of the taxpayers` money and the addition of new bureaucracies will not suddenly make unpopular policies popular or turn dictatorships into democracies. The United States Information Agency was created in 1953, but communism in Europe didn`t fall until 1991. The expectations for Ms. Hughes should be realistic, just as they should have been for her predecessors, Charlotte Beers and Margaret Tutwiler. 2) No matter how much it is expanded, no amount of public diplomacy will make the United States popular, given U.S. conduct in the world. In other words, ``it`s the policy, stupid.`` Foreign public opinion should be taken into account in policymaking, but this probably will not, in most cases, result in policy change. Practitioners of public diplomacy must explain U.S. policies as they exist. This is not a futile exercise. Public diplomacy can combat disinformation and misinformation by reducing misunderstanding of U.S. policies. If people abroad don`t agree with U.S. policies, at least they will know why U.S, officials have adopted such policies, and that those policies are debated in our democratic society. Even a modest shift in a country`s public opinion from ``dislike strongly`` to ``dislike somewhat`` is progress, enough perhaps change behavior from ``commit terrorism`` to ``demonstrate loudly.`` Because very few people would watch or listen to a full time channel devoted to putting a positive spin on U.S. policies, the best way for public diplomacy to have an impact is to work with media already popular in the target areas. One way to do this is to convince successful media outlets abroad to interview U.S. policymakers and spokespersons. Another method would be, where possible, to purchase advertisements in newspapers or on television. These would, plainly and calmly and without gimmicks, set the record straight when there is distortion of U.S. policies or actions. 3) Changes and improvements must be made to U.S. international broadcasting, which includes Alhurra, Radio Sawa, Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, etc. This advice is misdirected. Karen Hughes would not have executive authority over U.S. international broadcasting. Legislation in the 1990s separated U.S. international broadcasting from public diplomacy the beltway. U.S. international broadcasting is now supervised by the Broadcasting Board of Governors, a bipartisan body with eight members plus the secretary of state as an ex officio member. This one vote gives the State Department input but not control over international broadcasting. The independence of international broadcasting was codified because people tune to foreign radio or television channels mostly where domestic media are state controlled. They listen to or watch the station that provides the most comprehensive and reliable coverage about what is happening in their own countries and elsewhere in the world. Credibility in the essential ingredient of successful international broadcasting. Some writers have called for U.S. international broadcasting to be reconsolidated and better coordinated with U.S. public diplomacy. This makes sense only from a bureaucratic perspective. It looks nice on an organizational chart. But audiences abroad would spot the ``coordination`` almost immediately, noting the spin where the objective and balanced treatment of current affairs used to be. They will have none of it. They will tune elsewhere, probably to the BBC Britain spends less on international broadcasting than the United States, but its BBC World Service has more audience, more impact, and more prestige than any international broadcaster. This is because British decision makers have understood since before World War II that the advocacy function of public diplomacy and the news function of international broadcasting can succeed if they are complementary. They should be conducted by separate agencies, from separate buildings, with separate bosses. Put VOA in the State Department? On June 14, the Heritage Foundation convened a panel about U.S. public diplomacy. Video archive here: http://www.heritage.org/Press/Events/archive.cfm I attended especially to hear Mark Helmke, senior aide to Richard Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Helmke is supposed to be the committee`s expert on international broadcasting. I was, however, perplexed when I heard him say ``promoting and explaining American foreign policy is what the VOA has long been about. … … It belongs in the State Department, monitored in a bipartisan way through the Constitutional oversight powers of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and House International Relations Committee.`` The Broadcasting Board of Governors is responsible for liaison between U.S. international broadcasting and Congress. How could the BBG allow Helmke to be so badly misinformed about VOA? Any NASWA member knows from listening to VOA that it spends the bulk of its time just reporting the news, with only brief segments devoted the mandatory editorials ``reflecting the views of the United States government.`` This is because VOA broadcasters have, over the years, become familiar with what listeners want: news that is more comprehensive, reliable, and credible than the news they get from their own state controlled media. VOA has succeeded only insofar as it has resisted becoming the ``official`` voice of U.S. policy that senior decision makers insist that it is, or ought to be. Absorption into the State Department would, of course, destroy VOA. VOA would at least be perceived as -- and might in reality become -- a propaganda outlet under State control. Audiences abroad would have no use for such a station. But has the propaganda begun already? In the July/August Foreign Affairs, VOA director David Jackson responds http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20050701faresponse84416/david-s-jackson/his-master-s-voice.html to the article http://www.goucher.edu/about/about_president_sub_template.cfm?page_id=1625 in the May/June issue by former VOA director Sanford Ungar. Jackson categorically denies Ungar`s assertions that he has required VOA news stories to be more favorable to Bush administration. In his response to Jackson`s response, Ungar provides several examples that he describes as such changes to VOA news output. [Then Jackson responded to Ungar`s response; see http://kimandrewelliott.com/jackson_response.html This is not just a matter of differing interpretations. Someone`s information is fundamentally incorrect. It will take a very good investigative journalist, or an unusually objective watchdog committee, or both, to get to the bottom of this. Views expressed are my own. More at http://kimandrewelliott.com (Kim`s Column, July NASWA Journal via DXLD) ** U S A. Re 5-156, WWCR signal surveys: Hi Glenn: Please refer to our FAQ section located at http://www.wwrb.org We cover the topic of competitors making signal comparisons. An educated broadcaster is our best client (SM) (Dave Frantz, TN, WWRB, Sept 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re the discussion of scheduling of Rock the Universe on WWCR, the Specialty Program Guide, updated 1 September, as well as the printed sked now do show it on 9985 at 1205 instead of 5070 at 1105 UT: Rock The Universe: Monday 12:05 AM 0505 UT 3.210 MHz WWCR-1 Saturday 7:05 AM 1205 UT 9.985 MHz WWCR-3 Sunday 3:05 AM 0805 UT 3.210 MHz WWCR-1 However this entry from Worldwide Country Radio must be wrong: Saturday 6:05 AM 1205 UT 9.985 MHz WWCR-3 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I am about 10 miles from KVOH Simi Valley (17775/ 9985 [sic --- should be 9975], 50 kW, Spanish daytime, English night, beamed toward Central/South America). I can get the groundwave day and night moderately, but STILL get more skywave than anything because I am pretty much behind the array. When an aircraft goes over the transmitter, the signal actually reflects in the same fashion that FM does, too. The groundwave, on the other hand, is rock-solid in L. A. and even down toward San Diego and eastward, too (Darwin Long, Thousand Oaks, CA, ABDX via DXLD) Do you hear the spurs? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. One big facility used by VOA is in Delano, CA. I noticed it a couple of times while driving by on Hwy 99 on my way to Fresno. One time on the way back, I got off the highway & drove by, to see if I could figure out what this huge facility was. The sign at the entrance told me that it was an I.B.B. facility (International Broadcasting Bureau). I never imagined that I could knock on the door & ask for a tour, but after returning from my trip, I did a google search and found a story written by someone who had done just that (I just checked Google again, and now I can't find the article). Nowadays, I believe that the IBB actually leases time to other broadcasters, though I'm pretty sure that VOA uses this facility too. I imagine they'd be targeting the far-east from this location. The Wikipedia article on Delano seems to indicate that many of the antennas installed in Delano don't really meet the political needs of the USIA anymore. http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.754575,-119.283028&spn=0.007858,0.015044&t=k&hl=en (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, ABDX via DXLD) Delano is no longer used for any broadcasts to Asia or Pacific, since IBB has a number of relay stations in those areas much closer to the targets. Now it carries a lot of R. Martí (tho casual listeners think it is coming from Miami where the studios are), and VOA in Spanish, Creole; three foreign stations get relays, Thailand, BBC, and Greece. Many more could benefit from this underutilized site, whose antennas put terrific signals into most of the US beyond the skip zone; one of them is aimed at Bermuda, or is it the Canary Islands? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I had some dramatic recordings of people calling WWL, because they could not get through to 911, pleading for rescue. That audio -- recorded and edited at considerable effort -- was never heard because of the sudden decision to make Talk to America a "news" program (Kim Andrew Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re WWL on SW: Maybe it was a government commandeering of the SW outlets with a propaganda-type MO to make other countries feel more badly for us by broadcasting the "nitty-gritty" activity from the disaster zone for the rest of the world to hear. DX-440 does fine on 15285 on the whip inside my apt, but only slightly better on my wire, as it's 300 feet long. The lower frequencies are better (Darwin Long, Thousand Oaks, CA, ABDX via DXLD) O come on, the Bush government can`t even do its overt job. I`m sure the feds had nothing to do with this deal. Besides, these broadcasts are aimed back across the USA (gh, DXLD) I emailed them and thanked them for putting WWL on the shortwave station. Believe it or not, there ARE people out of WWL's range that give a crap about what's going on down there. Especially those of us that have family down there (Michael n Wyo Richard, ABDX via DXLD) We've been listing to 9840 kHz since about 2200 UT (Dan Srebnick, Sept 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Regular WHRI programming on 5835 kHz ended just before 0500 UT Tuesday, with an announcement telling listeners to switch to a 7 MHz frequency for more religious pap. Transmitter then went off for about 30 seconds. Open carrier followed for about 10 seconds before the shortwave station ID was played again. It immediately cut to WWL programming mid-sentence. CBS News on the hour came two minutes later. There was no prior announcement regarding the contents of the special relay. WWL 870 is currently inaudible at my location, but the WHRI relay is doing well at 0517 UT, SINPO 45454. (I'm listening in my apartment using a Sony 7600GR and a Vectronics AT-100 active antenna with 25-inch whip plugged into the antenna input. Signal is slightly noisier when using the radio's whip with random wire.) Regarding commercials, I noticed that a "normal" commercial for an auto insurance company was played right after the news. The storm-related spots are continuing (Ricky Leong, Calgary, Alta., Sept 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just been listening to a relay of WWL (studio now in Bâton Rouge) relaying via WHRI on 5835 kHz. Lots of people phoning in who are heading back to New Orleans to check their homes and also trying to find relatives. Interesting listening - although some of the accents are pretty broad. On until 1100 on this frequency - will be back on at 1200 on 11785 kHz (Wayne Bastow, Australia, 1033 UT Sept 6, ARDXC via DXLD) Unlike UT Monday, on UT Tuesday, WHRI did not carry URBONO from 0300 on 5835, but instead regular programming, some syndicated talkshow. It did pick up URBONO after 0500, however, and presumably all night. Again on 11785 before 1400 and then 15285 but for only one hour again, cutting off the governor (or was it the senator) in an apparently live speech at 1500 sharp. Presumably to resume at 18-20 on 15285, 22-24 on 9840. [Later:] I quit listening to 15285 when it went off at 1500, but it was already back on at 1758, so when did it actually come back? 73, (Glenn Hauser, Sept 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. SOMEONE PUT ME UP TO THIS SITE: http://www.fybush.com/featuredsite.html (Ken Baird, MWC via DXLD) Photos and maps of WWL and many other NO stations` tower sites. Up at this URL presumably only for one week (gh) ** U S A. A further update from New Orleans... KGLA 1540 is back on the air as of Friday, broadcasting emergency information in Spanish. It's running 1000 watts ND, and operating 24 hours. (It's normally a daytimer.) This may be an interesting DX catch for someone --- certainly not a station I see logged very often, anywhere. s (Scott Fybush, NY, Sept 6, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. HAM RADIO VOLUNTEERS HELP RE-ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS AFTER KATRINA --- SOME 700 OPERATORS ARE ALREADY AT WORK, WITH MORE ON THE WAY --- News Story by Todd R. Weiss http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/recovery/story/0,10801,104418,00.html?source=NLT_PM&nid=104418 SEPTEMBER 06, 2005 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Volunteer ham radio operators are coming to the aid of relief agencies and emergency officials to help with badly needed communications in areas of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi ravaged early last week by Hurricane Katrina. With power still out in much of the region and telephone service restored in limited areas (see "Cell operators restore some network service in New Orleans") of New Orleans the Mississippi cities of Biloxi and Gulfport, and other hard-hit areas, ham radio operators have been asked by the American Red Cross and other agencies to supplement communications at more than 200 storm shelters in Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle. Some 700 ham radio volunteers from around the nation are already at work helping in the efforts, with more on the way, said Allen Pitts, a spokesman for the 157,000-member American Radio Relay League Inc. (ARRL), a nationwide amateur radio organization based in Newington, Conn. "This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint," Pitts said. "We have people there; we have more people coming." On Sunday, the American Red Cross asked for about 500 more radio operators to assist at shelters and food kitchens set up to aid evacuees, he said. The volunteers are driving to needed areas and meeting with officials at staging areas in Montgomery, Ala., and in Oklahoma and Texas, where they are being dispatched to disaster shelters, Pitts said. The ham radio operators travel to the disaster areas using their own vehicles and pay their own way, he said. Many of the volunteers sprung into action even before the storm struck the Gulf Coast, broadcasting as part of a "Hurricane Watch-Net" three days before deadly Hurricane Katrina slammed into the coast on Aug. 29, Pitts said. Ham radio equipment can be used in disaster areas even when power is out and phone lines, relays and other communications systems are down because the radios run on their own battery or generator power, Pitts said. "Each one is a complete transmission and reception center unto itself," he said. "It works when other stuff is broken. You give an amateur radio operator a battery, a radio and a piece of a coat hanger and they'll find a way to make it work." The volunteers carry their own fuel for their generators and bring all the equipment they need. Used ham radio systems can be bought for as little as $100, while newer, state-of-the-art hardware can run as high as $5,000, he said. Ham radio operators can also use their equipment with laptop-based computer software to help re-establish e-mail access over the Internet to further assist with communications, Pitts said. Other disaster assistance agencies, including the Salvation Army, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security, have also sought help from ham radio operators, Pitts said. Late last week, the Washington-based Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency for volunteer service, announced a supplemental $100,000 grant to help ARRL volunteers with their expenses as they travel to and stay in the areas where hurricane victims are receiving assistance. "With the breakdown of regular communication channels caused by the storm, the services provided by volunteer ham radio operators [are] vitally important, both to organizations and to individuals seeking to connect with loved ones," agency CEO David Eisner said in a statement. "We're pleased to be able to provide this extra assistance at this critical time." The money will be used as part of the ARRL's "Ham Aid" program, established with a grant from the Corporation in 2002 to increase emergency certification training for ham radio operators. Mary Hobart, chief development officer at the ARRL, said in a statement that this marks the first time in the ARRL's 90-year history that it will be able to reimburse some of the expenses incurred by members responding to disasters. Volunteer radio operators will be at various sites for the duration of this disaster response, which could run into several weeks or months, according to the group. Several ARRL members have already played key roles in the rescue efforts by connecting storm victims with emergency responders. In one such incident, a radio operator helped organize the rescue of 15 people stranded by floodwaters on the roof of a house in New Orleans, according to an ARRL statement (via Eric Breon, Middletown PA, NRC-AM via DXLD) Original has some links to statements, etc. (gh) ** U S A . PANHANDLE RADIO STATION MATCHES EVACUEES TO HOUSING By MARY SPICUZZA Published September 6, 2005 PENSACOLA - Catfish is an unusual sort of activist. An afternoon DJ for Cat Country 98.7, he normally spends his days playing new country music and all-time country legends. But after Hurricane Katrina hit, Catfish and others at the Pensacola radio station WYCT-FM 98.7 decided they had to help. Cat Country radio hosts began asking listeners to open their homes to evacuees. Hundreds of phone calls later, the locally owned station is scrambling to keep up with the offers of assistance. "We've had an unexpected response," Catfish said. "We've had to set up additional phone banks." Cat Country has dubbed its sudden disaster relief effort "Operation Open Heart/Open Home." The station's promotions director, Dana Cervantes, said 600 to 700 people have called offering help since she and general sales manager JJ Waters came up with the plan Aug. 30. "It's great," Cervantes said. After placing dozens of families in homes, station staff members and volunteers shifted their focus to registering people in need of help and those offering assistance. Residents who volunteer their homes are required to fill out forms explaining their facilities. Questions include how many people they can house, whether they accept pets, whether they accept smokers and how long they are able to house evacuees. Evacuees are also being asked about their needs. "Right now, we have more housing offers than need," promotions assistant Tyler Boonmast said. But the Cat Crew expects that to change as they contact increasing numbers of evacuees. Many evacuees can't call the station, so volunteers are going to shelters to help people sign up. Meanwhile, Catfish, Miss Kitty, and other DJs plan to ask for volunteers several times an hour. Joe Rainey, the housing program's volunteer coordinator, is working with other agencies. "It just grew and grew," Cervantes said (via Terry Krueger, FL, DXLD) ** U S A. My trip home from Kulpsville went by way of (or rather, way out of the way to) the WOR transmitter sites, new and old. The first section of tower is now up on the first of the three towers at the new site. And of COURSE I have pictures, now up at http://fybush.com (Thanks to Tom's colleague Kerry Richards for a butt-rattling ride to the new site...) s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) Our NEW YORK news kicks off with a brand-new tower - three of them, in fact! The steel is beginning to rise at WOR (710)'s new site in New Jersey's Meadowlands. The tower raising will continue through the next couple of months, according to CE Kerry Richards, and we promise you'll see lots of pictures right here, beginning with this batch from a visit on Sunday: [4 pix; see] http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2005/050905/nerw.html What you're seeing here is the first completely new high-power AM site to be built in the New York area in almost 40 years. (WNEW, now WBBR, on 1130 and WOR's existing plant on 710 both date to the late sixties.) Right now, just a couple of segments of one tower are up, but all the pieces for the first of three 560-foot towers (made by Indiana's Central Tower) are in place at the site just north of WOR's existing plant in Lyndhurst, N.J. The transmitter building's finished, too, and inside it two brand-new Harris 3DX50 transmitters, along with a phasor, ATUs and other goodies await installation. The site itself sits perhaps half a mile north of the current WOR site, which is being taken for the construction of the huge Encap Golf project. The new WOR site sits on the edge of what will eventually be the golf course, on what will eventually be a major four-lane roadway running between Valley Brook Ave. (where the current WOR site is) and the Route 17 frontage road, just south of Route 3. (It can also be seen clearly from the west spur of the New Jersey Turnpike.) (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch Sept 5 via DXLD) Where's the new site vs. the old? It's less than a half-mile to the north, on reclaimed landfill that will soon be part of a big new development that will include a huge golf course. The construction of the golf course is what's taking the land where WOR now sits. s (Scott Fybush, NRC-AM via DXLD) Actually, Scott, that land we are building on is virgin swamp land. Only the road into that area, originally built for fire protection, is made of trash, which will soon come out (original road is only 1-1/2 lanes at best). The old site is being reclaimed for the golf course. Our present site is where the condos will be (Thomas R. Ray, III, CPBE, KC2NTU, Vice President, Corporate Director of Engineering, Buckley Broadcasting/WOR Radio, Chairman, Society of Broadcast Engineers, Chapter 15, New York City, ibid.) see also DIGITAL BCING ** U S A. The big switch in central Illinois happened on Labor Day. WICD 15 Champaign, IL and WICS 20 Springfield, IL ended their longtime affiliation with NBC, and switched to ABC, while WAND 17 Decatur, IL ended another longtime affiliation (this one with ABC) to switch to NBC. The new ABC affiliates are known as "ABC 15" and "ABC 20". WICD/WICS is owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcasting, which also owns another ABC affiliate (KDNL 30 St. Louis, MO). Unlike KDNL, WICD/WICS has a well-established news operation. WAND 17's switch to NBC ends some confusion for Midwest viewers; KMIZ 17 Columbia, MO is the ABC affiliate for central Missouri. During the early 1980s, viewers could distinguish WAND from KMIZ (then KCBJ, for "Columbia, Boonville and Jefferson City"), as Columbia was the NBC affiliate. Now, with Decatur being the NBC affiliate, viewers don't really have to rely on slogans or station logos to distinguish the two stations. While two stations now cover ABC in central Illinois, the new NBC affiliate, with its central location in Decatur, can cover both the Champaign/Urbana and Springfield markets with one signal. The change also affects WICD-DT, WICS-DT and WAND-DT. 73, (Eric (N0UIH) Bueneman, Sept 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hi fellers --- as I reported last week that KSL would now be simulcasting on FM at 102.7, yet another talk-fm has debuted, and THIS one is a "Humpy Peak" rimshot station. So it hits Evanston loud and clear. KFMS, licensed to Coalville, UT is now on the air and is also talk. They are running CBS news (since KSL let it go to grab ABC) and are also doing the buddy system with KUTV Channel 2 (the CBS affiliate) and running a lot of news and weather and stuff from them. So in one day, Utah goes from no talk FMs to 2 talk FMs (Michael n WYO Richard, Sept 6, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. Nothing too exotic was heard here at 12:30-1:30 PM PDT, but there were a few interesting stations heard. Everything heard while driving around the Sun Valley / Burbank, CA area. 810, WPLX517, CA, Los Angeles. UCLA Emergency broadcast station. Poor, but audible. Not sure how they expect to be heard at night, with KGO powering in here every night. 1620, WPIH303, CA, Burbank. Very Good, with information on recreational activities, and announcement for Burbank Airport TIS on 1700. 1700, WNCM749, CA, Burbank. Very Good. Burbank Airport TIS, with security information (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, Blaupunkt Acapulco MP55 Digiceiver, Sept 6, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. RADIOS Y TELEVISORAS DEBERÁN RESERVAR DOS HORAS A PRODUCTORES NACIONALES A PARTIR DEL MIÉRCOLES Las emisoras de radio y televisión venezolanas deberán reservar a partir del 8 de setiembre dos horas al menos de su programación a espacios de productores nacionales, recordó el viceministro de Información, William Castillo. La medida, contemplada en la Ley de Responsabilidad en Radio y Televisión, conocida como "Ley Resorte", obligará a las emisoras y canales a incluir dos horas de producción nacional independiente entre las seis de la mañana y las 11 de la noche. Castillo señaló que hay más de 2.500 productores independientes registrados oficialmente dispuestos a elaborar espacios, principalmente de tipo cultural y educativo, que cubran las dos horas de programación. La Ley Resorte fue aprobada el pasado diciembre y su aplicación no ha conllevado la crisis que sectores de la oposición vaticinaron durante su discusión en la Asamblea Nacional. Los críticos de la ley advirtieron de que su vigencia incorporaría la autocensura y anularía los noticieros al mismo tiempo que transtornaría la emisión de telenovelas, entre otros efectos negativos. Sin embargo, los sondeos elaborados por empresas independientes constatan que su aplicación ha pasado prácticamente desapercibida salvo porque han desaparecido escenas de corte sexual y lenguaje inapropiado del horario infantil de programación. Las más afectadas, aparentemente, han sido las emisoras de radio de orientación juvenil, con música básicamente anglosajona, que ahora se ven forzadas a emitir un porcentaje de música nacional, sea académica, folclórica o pop. Copyright EFE news bureau Caracas, Sept 6, 2005 http://www.unionradio.com.ve/Noticias/Noticia.aspx?noticiaid=145519 (via Henrik Klemetz, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Does anyone know what is going on at 13555 kHz? There are many two letter CW beacons on this frequency +/-. They beacons appear to be generated by hobbyists. I have seen nothing in writing as to what is actually happening on this frequency. Anyone know? (Bob Combs, New Mexico, USA, HCDX via DXLD) Congratulations! You have heard HiFer beacons. This band is 13553- 13567 kHz and FCC allows unlicensed experiments with maximum field strength of 10,000 microvolts/meter at 30 meters. This would mean 3 milliwatts (0.003W) to isotropic antenna or 1.8 milliwatts (0.0018W) to 1/2 wave dipole. You can find more information from Google with keyword "HiFer". 73! (Risto Kotalampi, CA, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ BPL SOME GOOD NEWS? Over the past couple of years this column has reported on NASWA's effort to head off interference from Broadband over Power Line (BPL) technology to shortwave reception. NASWA filed comments with the FCC pointing out the danger that this technology posed for the shortwave broadcast listener. Most of NASWA's recommendations to the FCC were ignored as the Commission charged ahead with its preconceived conclusion that BPL was the answer to increasing competition in the broadband access universe. Over those same years many observers have pointed out the financial risks faced by the BPL start-up companies. The technical faults associated with BPL, especially its likelihood of causing interference to licensed services and its susceptibility to interference from nearby transmitters, have been used by wishful thinkers in predicting that BPL will fall flat on its face and never become a real threat to the shortwave listener. Just when these wishful thinkers were gathering a following of true believers, reality has reared its ugly head. Google, Goldman Sachs, and Hearst are jointly investing $100 million in privately owned Current Technologies. On the surface such an investment by sophisticated investors might be seen as bad news, a sign that BPL is here to stay. But there is a silver lining to this dark cloud. Current is one of the primary manufacturers of BPL equipment and a charter member of the HomePlug Alliance. HomePlug is a standard defining the architecture of home networks communicating between rooms by using the home's power wiring. Current is also has a design for using the medium voltage power distribution network for longer distance transmission of BPL signals. The potentially good news is that Current Technologies uses the 30-50 MHz range (as NASWA recommended in its comments to the FCC) for this service so their technology is not a serious threat to shortwave broadcasting. Current is providing the hardware for the BPL pilot program in Cincinnati, Ohio. ARRL reports in the August issue of QST that the Cincinnati system is progressing without significant reported interference problems. The fact that these deep-pocket investors chose to back Current is actually good news for shortwave listeners. They could have invested in other companies whose technology has been demonstrated in several failed field trials to cause severe interference to shortwave reception and amateur radio operations. But they did not. Did these deep-pocket investors assess the weaknesses of the other manufacturers and decide that Current had the best chance of success? I would like to think so. As Wall Street grows to appreciate the financial risks associated with backing a technology that not only causes interference but is likely to be disrupted by nearby ham radio and CB transmissions, an enlightened Wall Street will likely opt to take the lower risk approach afforded by companies that address these weaknesses and that design systems with both ingress and egress immunity. More good news - on May 23, 2005 Motorola announced a new BPL system architecture called Powerline LV (Low Voltage). Motorola entirely avoids using the medium voltage power distribution network. Instead they employ their Canopy wireless broadband technology to link between the power pole outside the customer's home and a central node. Between the pole and the customer, Motorola uses a modified HomePlug standard. Motorola has decided to add additional filtering to protect amateur radio frequencies and has indicated they will handle individual cases of interference to shortwave broadcasting by using a wireless link from the pole to the house when necessary according to an editorial in the August 2005 edition of ARRL's magazine, QST. So now we have at least two BPL equipment providers who have recognized the risk associated with the interference issue. More importantly we now see investors gravitating to these companies. Somebody has received the message that many BPL systems cause interference or are susceptible to interference from nearby shortwave transmitters and are risky investments. When the FCC announced their rules for BPL, they ignored the NASWA input that you cannot expect non-technical shortwave listeners to be aware of complex FCC procedures to notify and work with BPL providers to eliminate interference according to a negotiated schedule. It is much more probable that shortwave listeners will simply wonder why they can no longer receive their favorite stations, chalk it up to atmospherics or sunspots, and click their radios off. That situation is only likely to worsen when DRM-equipped (Digital Radio Mundiale) radios hit the market next year. These radios will, if successfully marketed, bring a whole new population into the shortwave listening world. The sound is advertised as equivalent to monaural FM radio. That will make shortwave easy listening for a whole new class of listener. Why you ask? DRM has the potential to eliminate many of the objections people have to analog shortwave transmission. Almost every woman I know is revolted by heterodynes, fading distortion, static, and interference that most NASWA members consider part of the shortwave listening experience. (Some have attributed this heightened sensitivity to the fact that women have generally better high frequency hearing capability than men. Anthropologists have theorized this heightened sensitivity allows women to better hear the cries of their babies.) My own theory is that women are generally less exposed to the loud noises of hot-rod engines, gunfire, and jackhammers than men. Such loud noises have been proven to be the cause of thickening eardrums as we age. Thick eardrums do not vibrate as easily or as rapidly as thin ones. Thus men have a reduced sensitivity to high frequencies and a greater tolerance to broadband noise, static, harmonic distortion, and heterodynes. Similarly, younger people, raised on FM radio and CD quality music, are often turned off by analog shortwave broadcasts with all the nasty noises and distortions previously mentioned. So half the adult population (the women) and almost all the young folks can't stand to listen to analog shortwave broadcasts. Certainly DRM holds the promise that these potential listeners can be induced to buy new $300 radios. That is a big market. Will the manufacturers of such mass-market radios sit on their hands while BPL destroys their potential market? I think not. Manufacturers of analog radios did sit on their hands with few exceptions during the FCC rule-making process. But many of those manufacturers were already convinced that shortwave radios were not a serious market. Since then several analog radio manufacturers have abandoned the shortwave receiver market as some international broadcasters did the same. The advent of DRM and its potential market base could give rise to the necessary financial muscle to force the FCC to clean up the BPL mess. As often happens, the marketplace may do what government does not have the courage to do. Until next time, stay tuned (Joe Buch, DE, Technical Topics, Sept NASWA Journal via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ BELL+HOWELL WEATHER RADIO MARKED DOWN Back in May, I sent you both a note about this radio. In the latest Sportsman's Guide e-mail sale list, it's marked down to $40. http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=221616&pn=2 Just thought I'd follow up on my earlier reference. 73, (Will Martin, Sept 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ A REPLACEMENT FOR THE SHORTWAVE RECEIVER? A symptom of advancing years --- the NASWA demographic --- is an increased inability to sleep at night. Something about the reduced production of a hormone that regulates sleep. Thus afflicted, I like to listen to the radio during those long bouts of insomnia, with a good earphone, http://www.ccrane.com/radios/radio-accessories/over-the-ear-headphone-speaker.aspx so as not to disturb my wife. Much of this listening is on the medium wave (``AM``) band. It seems, however, that the new IBOC digital radio system is inevitable, even on medium wave, even at night. Digital radio bandwidths are analogous to your supermarket parking lot being full of Hummers. They can all park there, but no one can open their doors. With adjacent channel hash propagating coast to coast, long distance medium wave reception will be dead. You can listen only to your hometown AM stations. In most hometowns, that`s a bleak prospect. Ah, but there`s always shortwave. But is there? Digital again, this time DRM. As Ralph Brandi and others know, even with AOR`s and other high-end receivers, and antennas well nigh half a kilometer long, DRM generally can`t get a usable signal across an ocean. There is no S=3. There is only S=5 or – as is usually the case over really long distances – S=0. What you will hear is the buzz of those Hummer-sized DRM signals, unable to excite your DRM software, but entirely capable of overriding surviving analog shortwave transmissions. Amplitude modulation is dead meat. Well, okay, maybe my natural pessimism is getting the best of me. We shouldn`t naysay DRM to death. Let`s continue to tinker with the transmitters and the receivers and the software and the algorithms, and hope that the necessary receivers become legal and available and affordable in the countries where shortwave is really needed, and maybe DRM can become a viable long distance medium. But just in case DRM proves to be the downfall of shortwave broadcasting rather than its salvation – and I haven`t even started about BPL -- I want to be ready to fall back on an alternate technology to hear radio stations from Afar (and from other countries on the NASWA country list). One possibility is a new contraption from Acoustic Energy, a U.K. company http://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/contact/radio.html It`s a Wi-Fi internet radio that, according to the press releases, can handle RealAudio, Windows Media, and mp3. Acoustic Energy says the device is capable of accessing over 99% of internet radio stations broadcast on-line anywhere in the world. Would that include all those stations that use proprietary software interfaces, with elaborate registration procedures, to access their audio? Furthermore, we`ve seen plans for internet radios come and go before (remember the Kerbango?), so this is to be believed when it is actually delivered. Nevertheless, it looks nice enough: able to fit on a bedside table, with simple enough controls so that stations can be punched in during the middle of the night by the half asleep. Views expressed are my own. More at http://kimandrewelliott.com (Kim`s Column, Sept NASWA Journal via DXLD) UK RADIO SLOW TO GO DIGITAL [see also GERMANY] Radio --- The real power over digital switchover --- Steve Ackerman, Monday September 5, 2005 Guardian (London, UK) http://media.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,5277603-105337,00.html It wasn't just the weather that hotted up last week. The debate about whether a date should be set for switching off the analogue radio signal stepped up a gear with a number of prominent pronouncements. And while the big digital TV switchover is due to start in 2008, radio still seems to be the jilted bride. The participants in the argument fall broadly into two camps: firmly in the "no date yet, thanks" corner are Ofcom's Stephen Carter, supported by the BBC's director of radio, Jenny Abramsky. On the other side of the ring, G-Cap's Ralph Bernard is pushing hard for a date to be set and was backed last week by Chris Smith, the former culture secretary. That digital radio is now starting to make headway in UK households is beyond debate. Latest figures suggest about 1.5m sets have now been sold. The Digital Radio Development Bureau, which is supported by the BBC and the commercial radio sector, predicted that figure will reach 20m by 2009. Many more are listening to digital radio through their television or the web. There has been increased investment in digital radio programmes recently, with stations such as Planet Rock recruiting well known DJs, and others such as Galaxy launching bespoke digital services rather than simulcasts of terrestrial broadcasts. However, switchover detractors point out that there are between 80 and 100m analogue radios in the country, and argue that the debate is a non-starter until a solution can be found for accommodating smaller radio stations who cannot yet afford to make the move to digital. Smith argued last week that the government should be called on to subsidise these smaller stations so that any switch-off date does not kill them off. A recent Ofcom consultation document said "respondents generally held the view that announcing a switch-off date and/or a switch off process ... will encourage take up of receivers". So when is the right time for this process to begin? Does delaying an announcement stunt the growth of digital or allow greater time for an achievable date to be set? It may be that the real force behind setting a date for turning off the analogue signal is not the regulator, the government or the radio industry but the consumer. Listeners are the ones who will decide if buying a digital radio is an attractive enough proposition. In the past 12 months, the price of digital radios has become more affordable with plenty of options in the #50 price bracket, and it appears that awareness of the advantages of digital radio over analogue is strong. This Christmas should be a good one for digital radio, but of course it is the public who will be the ultimate barometer. And there lies the real test. If technology in the 21st century has already taught us one thing, it's that time and again, the consumer is setting the pace for the supplier. From the growth of texting or music downloading, to the initial flop of Wap phones, the customer has constantly stuck a bold finger up at "expert" soothsayers who predict rapid growth of particular technologies. In each case the marketplace has been savvy enough to work out how useful and desirable an application is. Of course, clever marketing, word of mouth and beauty of design all help; but, ultimately, before a date can be considered, consumers have to show that they are persuaded of the merits of buying a digital radio, or a device that has digital radio in it. The indications are that the radio industry has worked hard and the public awareness of digital radio is high. The recent launch of Sky's Gnome, allowing listening to digital radio on Sky to take place anywhere in the house, and not just where the TV set is located, would seem to support this. But physical take-up of digital radio needs to increase in pace (as it has done over the past 18 months). Alongside this, factors such as Rajar figures continuing to show ever-increasing numbers tuning into digital services, and radio providers continuing to launch services that offer something new (such as the launch announced last week of Virgin Radio Xtreme) may end up making this debate a rather pointless one. If the public force the pace in their appreciation of digital radio, then the argument will resolve itself naturally and allow a clear date to be set for switchover. * Steve Ackerman is director of commercial radio and talent at Somethin' Else (via Dan Say, BC, DXLD) IBOC CONTEST! Ready to win $10,000? The deadline for submission for the HD RADIO PROMO competitions is right around the corner --- SEPTEMBER 15th, so hurry on over to HDRadioPlaybook.com to enter for the $10,000 first prize, or one of five additional $1,000 awards that will be doled out for the following categories: Best HD RADIO Promo/AM Station, Best HD RADIO Promo/FM Station, Best Promo Produced By An Independent Producer, Best Copy (a writer's award), and Best Use Of Audio On A Station's HD RADIO Webpage (a webmaster's award). Winners of the contest will be announced at this year's NAB RADIO SHOW, which is set to take place SEPTEMBER 21-23 in PHILADELPHIA. Go to http://HDRadioPlaybook.com for details on selling HD RADIOS and entering this contest. The deadline is SEPTEMBER 2nd. And, to help get your listeners tuned into your HD RADIO signal and programming, head to Radiosophy.com for great deals. There is a new Broadcaster Program that allows stations to buy MULTISTREAM HD RADIOS for staff and/or giveaway for the amazing price of $170 per radio when ten or more are purchased, only from http://www.Radiosophy.com (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ANOTHER CONTENTIOUS IBOC THREAD INVOLVING TOM RAY, WOR, NEW YORK I am actually hearing CHTN on 720 for a change during the day here on the Cape. It appears that the IBOC dragon has gone back to his cave for a nap. Thought I would pass this bit of news along for those who keep track of such things (Chris Black, MA, Sept 4, NRC-AM via DXLD) Sorry, Chris. WOR-HD is NOT off the air, nor will it be in the foreseeable future. I was on Long Island last week --- right smack dab in the middle of our main lobe, about 40 miles from the transmitter. Why is it that I have no problems with stations off to the side of WOR at that distance, yet you complain of hearing HD sidebands in Cape Cod? I don't understand (Tom Ray, VP/Corporate Director of Engineering, Buckley Broadcasting/WOR Radio, NYC, ibid.) Tom: I don't understand either. Given all the reports of IBOC interference on the broadcast and broadcast-tech lists (and any other place industry people get together), I don't see why anyone's claim of IBOC interference should be met with such skepticism. I'd be happy to discuss whether the price paid with IBOC interference is worth the modest improvement in AM sound quality, but not whether there IS interference. We're way past that (Chuck Hutton, WA, ibid.) Anyone that is in doubt about whether or not IBOC causes interference is in big time denial (Bob Young, Millbury, MA, ibid.) You've got to be kidding? Some people really say that IBOC does not cause interference? What type of trip are they on? KEX is IBOC and I have to phase them to get a listenable signal on KLAY 1180 during the day. I dread the day that the FCC will OK IBOC for night. The dial will be totally trashed if enough stations go IBOC by then. Brian Vernon, the DXer lived at Elsa, Yukon --- I wonder if I could take the Winters? 73, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, KAVT Reception Manager, ibid.) I can easily hear WOR's IBOC hash on 700 and 720 here in Wilmington, DE during the day. I can try and record said hash for you (as a .mp3 file) if you're interested. Note that I have compiled a series of recordings highlighting the off channel interference associated with the use of IBOC. These can be found at the following url: http://21centimeter.com/IBOC.html Recording #5 is particularly illustrative. Best regards, (Peter Jernakoff, K3KMS, Wilmington, DE, ibid.) The IBOC "hash" from WOR-710 is very strong from 694-726 kHz here on Cape Cod. Before IBOC, we could listen to CHTN-720 all day long on a standard car radio. Sadly, those days are gone (Marc DeLorenzo, South Dennis, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, ibid.) One point to make clear is that due to Long Island Sound, WOR and other NYC stations are very strong on much of the the Cape and south coastal RI and south coastal MA --- i.e. much stronger than they'd be at the same distance over a land path. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) As Rich Wood says...there are no known problems with IBOC and he says to see his Bridge Auctions on Ebay. Ibiquity says more or less that you don't have a right to expect ANY reception out of a station's primary coverage (Powell E. Way, III, W4OPW, ibid.) Ibiquity might say that, but what does the station say? Do they want to sell advertising in the next town? Already station revenues are way down because of competition; now they will drop even further. 73, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) At the convention, Ernie Wesolowski read us a letter he received from a then-FCC engineer regarding his IBOC complaint, which said essentially that - people shouldn't be listening to anything other than their local stations (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ( 15 mi NNW Philadelphia ), (Where WOR's IBOC also precludes daytime reception on 700 & 720), ibid.) As with KEX-1190, if I was to drive North towards Tacoma WA, I am sure there would be a point where KLAY-1180 would be strong enough to outpower the KEX IBOC hash too. But IBOC DOES cause harmful QRM. There is no doubt about that. Marc, The same is true for living in Palm Springs CA. Before 830 Orange CA went to IBOC, 820 Mexicali was nice and listenable all day in the Coachella Valley. I would drive around there in 2000 listening to the romántica music on 820. I was there last November and 820 is loaded with terrible IBOC hash and I am 70 miles from Orange! IBOC sucks!!! 73, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) I wouldn't say WJR was listenable in the car this far inland from Lake Michigan, but it was DX listenable. But now, thanx to WBBM's IBOC, 20 kHz away, WJR is not even listenable in downtown Chicago by the Lake where it used to be quite decent. Now this is in the car. On a DX rx's there's no real severe problem at home 20 kHz away, but the problem is that the car and the common man's receivers are trashed with slop from nearby IBOC 20 kHz away. 10 kHz away, of course is an absolute mess. Next time I am in western MI where people actually may want to listen to WJR, I'll see how much WBBM IBOC has there is on the car receiver (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) Russ, I thought we lived in a free society where we can listen to anything we want. Since when is an FCC official dictating to us what we can listen to? We don't live in North Korea, the last time I looked. hi. 73, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) Maybe a parallel could be drawn from real estate. If a neighbor has constructive use of a piece of your property for some number of years, they can claim it by adverse possession. So, if a radio station has constructive use of coverage beyond its iBiquity-defined area for decades, maybe a court could be convinced to allow this to continue based on the above premise. The courts will be the eventual arbiter of this, despite their known hesitancy to delve into technical areas. Now, who is the first station to look into this approach? (Denny Bouchard, ibid.) But Pat, IBOC advocates would counter argue that this type of interference is "acceptable". I do not agree with this notion, but it does seem to have a lot of currency with many people (Bill Harms, MD, ibid.) While it may be acceptable to the general public, the real question is whether it will be when IBOC is widespread and on at night and you have two adjacents and two 20 kHz away channels skipping in next to the semi local you want to listen to on your car's receiver at night. I doubt most listeners (listening public, NOT DXers) would find that situation acceptable at all. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) Well, I am certainly glad that Tom cleared everything up for us. It turns out that we are all under some sort of mind control perpetrated by aliens in a space ship (or maybe it was illegal aliens in a '57 Chevy) and there is really no interference. Guess I'll go back to listening to CHTN now (Chris, Cape Cod, ibid.) Maybe if you'd shut off your sarcasm machine, you would see that I am asking a question. I do not experience the problems everyone here is howling about. How about some constructive input for a change? TR (Tom Ray, ibid.) One problem I see here is that there is not a good definition of what is meant by "..stations off to the side of WOR..". Some could argue that their definition of this would be Huntington on 740. Those in the broadcast industry who advocate the view that stations should only serve their inner core constituency, would be comfortable with such a definition, and arguably the 740 signal would be minimally impacted - now - due to its frequency separation from the HD signal on 710. Any discussion of interference on the adjacent frequencies to a station using IBOC/HD should detail the frequency separation, at the minimum, as Peter did, and the geographical separation from the listener to each transmitter site is also quite relevant. Katrina, a tough taskmaster, teaches us in the past few days that there is still a need for clear distant reception of key AM stations, both during the day and at night. This is clearly not the same thing that iBiquity contemptuously dismisses as "skywave enthusiasts". If the 860 Largo had been using HD, any reception of WWL here (and they can be heard day and night from here) would have been impossible. And this station did and does have listeners in this area for storm coverage. Ironically I understand that the Largo 860 had once seriously considered using it, during their music format days (Bob Foxworth, Tampa FL, ibid.) I don't know a lot about IBOC and don't know whether or not there are problems with it, but if there aren't any problems with it, then it seems to be flawed by design which logically begs the question: Would that bridge on ebay be the Brooklyn Bridge by any chance? haha! (Bob Young, Millbury, MA, Hammarlund HQ-180C 4' loop/400' LW, ibid.) I agree Neil. But according to IBOC promoters, we have no right to hear skywave and no one listens to it anyway. (NOT!) BTW, IBOC is a problem here in the Washington DC area during the daytime with WTOP's IBOC interfering with WTRI (1520) in its primary coverage area. So, this is a day and night problem. Bottom line, no matter how good IBOC may sound and no matter how pretty it is marketed, IBOC is fatally flawed as it is no constituted (Bill Harms, MD, ibid.) Stations can't legally sell in the next market. They can sell and should be concerned with the market they are in (Thomas R. Ray, III, CPBE, KC2NTU, Vice President, Corporate Director of Engineering, Buckley Broadcasting/WOR Radio, Chairman, Society of Broadcast Engineers, Chapter 15, New York City, ibid.) Re KEX/KLAY: But not within a station's FCC coverage area. Just because you have a station doesn't mean you can have listeners everywhere. The harmful QRM you describe occurs outside protected contours (Tom Ray, ibid.) For the average listener, it is not skywave they listen to, but groundwave which will be blasted with IBOC hiss from skywave from stations on both sides of it at night if nighttime IBOC is approved. When WOWO runs IBOC at night (as they have a few times) I can forget about listening to Chicago's SSer on 1200 in the car, for example (and it is bad on any DX receiver as well). Normal peoples' receivers and car rx's will have problems with strong skywave 20 KHz out. I remain amazed that all this wonderful digital technology cannot be kept on channel. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, ibid.) But Neil, you CAN. IF they turn off the analog (Powell Way, ibid.) The problem with your argument [adverse possession] is that the station does not have legal 'coverage', nor is this 'coverage' protected by FCC regulations already in effect for decades. Read the rules (Tom Ray, ibid.) Re: ``Stations can't legally sell in the next market.`` Can you point out the FCC or FTC (or other) regulation that prohibits this? On its face, that seems absurd. Nor does the neighbor who has been using a strip of land for years unchallenged. Yet adverse possession is a legal reality. My point is that a judge might rule in just that manner if presented with a compelling case (Denny Bouchard, ibid.) If you mean WOR can't sell in Boston or Philadelphia, then I'd agree, although I'm not aware of any legal restriction - if WOR is heard in a place by day and someone wants to advertise on WOR who is located within the Philadelphia 'market', what stops them? But WOR has potentially the same 'right' to sell in Ocean County NJ as KYW has. I think it all depends on how 'market' is defined (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) I've run out-of-market politicals before. WDOV 1410 for Cape May, NJ comes to mind (Rick Shaftan, NJ, ibid.) A station can have listeners wherever the station is heard. If I want to listen to one of the Chicago stations at night, and I can hear them reliably, then the only thing which could 'stop' me is interference, natural or man-made, which would include IBOC. It is entirely true that under the FCC rules, a station is not entitled to protection from interference outside of its stated contours; that's a different thing (Russ Edmunds, PA, ibid.) WOR has a ton of listeners in Upper Bucks Co. PA where you have some NYC commuters (Rick Shaftan, NJ, ibid.) Really? I didn't know that. My studios and clients are in 1 market and the transmitter is located in another market. Please show Me that in the Rules (Neal Newman, WTTM, ibid.) Someone should tell WHOM FM that --- then again maybe the rules are different for FM (Keith McGinnis, Hingham MA, ibid.) Tom, I'll quote Bill Harms. Now this isn't a WOR problem, but it is an IBOC problem and may become widespread if more AMers adopt IBOC. "BTW, IBOC is a problem here in the Washington DC area during the daytime with WTOP's IBOC interfering with WTRI (1520) in its primary coverage area. So, this is a day and night problem." So, Tom, here's a case where IBOC is harming a station 20 kHz away. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) One thing I have experienced is the unpleasant hiss on IBOC stations, on frequency and daytime. I have not heard WOR, but it was certainly present on WSB when I was last through there. I believe they may have discontinued IBOC operations because of complaints. The inertia of nearly a billion radios is going to be very hard to overcome. I don't know what the penetration rate of HD receivers is currently, but I'd bet it's disappointing. Personally, the audio quality of AM and FM is perfectly fine to my ear. I have no incentive to gain any clarity when what is already there is good enough. It may well be that most folks feel the same. Consumer apathy will be a far tougher nut to crack than the interference issue, at least daytime (Denny Bouchard, ibid.) It has been previously noted by someone else that WTOP's IBOC also interferes with WARK-1490 in Hagerstown within its protected contour. In fact this was the pair which was the subject of one of the original published studies of potential interference (Russ Edmunds, PA, ibid.) IBOC Report while driving around the Sun Valley / Burbank, CA area: I did not notice 830-KMXE's IBOC on 820/840 as I usually do. It might need a bit of skywave enhancement for me to hear it here though, so I'm not claiming that it's off. I did hear IBOC hash on the adjacents of 1020-KTNQ and 1110-KDIS. No IBOC on 1070-KNX (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, Blaupunkt Acapulco MP55 Digiceiver, Sept 6, NRC-AM via DXLD) And your point IS? Take this one. My home town has a daytimer WKMG 1520 in addition to the world famous WKDK 1240. The IBOC from WLAC 1510 (and from then WSAI 1530) causes SIGNIFICANT interference to them as late as 9 AM. IN their LOCAL market. Last spring, while heading out to Pinehill, NM, I happened to drive through Nashville in the evening. WLAC IN NASHVILLE O N T H E S E C O N D A D J A C E N T was getting significant IBOC interference from WSAI. This was on my stock Ranger radio. It was annoying enough that a lot of listeners would tune out. Only when I was at the very closest and in the major lobe was this not a REAL problem. I expect that if both WLAC and WCKY were to run IBOC at night, they would have similar significant range reductions. Since these are both CC stations, I guess they'd ignore it. WLAC blasts into Cincy at night and WCKY blasts into Nashville. Once all the night time IBOC gets going a lot of night time reception will be reduced to class D FM range. The very best clears will get ranges similar to a weak class A FM. Just think of this. All these daytimers or flea power stations that are pissed off because IBOC gets to run WAY more power at night on a frequency they aren't authorized on, and THEY can't run power levels (if any) on their assigned frequency. Sounds like a lot of suin' if you ask me (Powell W4OPW E. Way III, SC, ibid.) The penetration rate is pretty much the same as the availability rate of HD receivers -- so close to zero as to be statistically equivalent. (Jay Heyl, ibid.) At the moment, the penetration of HD receivers IS disappointing --- but you need to consider the fact that there are presently only 2 manufacturers that have real product on the shelf, and those stocked shelves are hard to find. The radios have only been out there a little more than a year in production. Curious --- what are you [Bouchard] using for a radio? (Tom Ray, WOR, NYC, ibid.) I have to wonder on what someone would base this notion. [FCC engineer]. We live in a free country and no one should be telling me to whom we can or can not listen (Bill Harms, ibid.) So Powell, if they turn off the analog (akin to TV in a few years) then the IBOC sideband hash won't prevent reception of directly adjacent digital AM's? But as currently exists and will for the forseeable future since there are zillions of analog receivers out there, analog AM won't be turned off (Neil Kazaross, ibid.) [Re WOWO, Kazaross] And from the testing we've done, I would say you are incorrect. The theoretical station here would not have any issues within its protected contours (Tom Ray, WOR, NYC, ibid.) Tom: How was the testing conducted? Have the results been published so others can examine them and possibly repeat the same tests if desired? This is not a matter of trust as much as a peer confirmation as is done when scientific experiments and testing are done (Bill Harms, ibid.) [Re illegal to sell in next market]: I don't have a copy of the rules here, but it's in part 73, somewhere up in the rules as applies to all stations. And while it may seem absurd, it is to protect the marketing area of stations, particularly at night (Tom Ray, WOR, NYC, ibid.) [Re adverse possession] Highly unlikely, as adverse possession is on the books in many, many areas of the country. In this case, the FCC has already defined the rules, and you won't find exceptions in other US jurisdictions (Tom Ray, WOR, NYC, ibid.) [Re Edmunds, selling outside market] You are correct, WOR can't sell in Boston or Philly. However, if Joe's widget shop in Philly wants to buy time on WOR, there is no issue. Market is defined as your primary Arbitron market. In the case of WOR, that is the New York City metro (Tom Ray, WOR, NYC, ibid.) [Re Edmunds, listening anywhere]. But what you and others are stating is that you, as a listener, have a right to listen to any station that you wish. And that is a true statement, except outside the protected contour of that station. That is where your 'right' ends --- if you file an interference complaint with the FCC, it will go nowhere. It is the station that is protected, and these protections are what are enforced. If you are listening outside the protected contour of a station, you only have the right to listen as long as you are not getting interference --- and you have no right to expect no interference outside a protected contour. Read the rules (Tom Ray, WOR, NYC, ibid.) [Re Upper Bucks County, PA] And you are correct. We do. And that is outside our protected contour. Not a damn thing we can do about any interference there. And if a company in Bucks County wants to advertise on WOR, we'll be happy to take their cash. But we can't actively market in that area, whether NYC commuters live there or not (Tom Ray, WOR, NYC, ibid.) [Re WTTM:] Been that way for years, Neal. I don't have the rules here with me (Tom Ray, WOR, NYC, ibid.) There is such a rule in Canada, to be sure - some licensees there are actively restricted from soliciting for advertising outside their designated market. But I've read part 73 pretty closely, and have never heard of such a rule. I'm calling for a chapter and section number on this one... s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) Re: ``if they turn off the analog (akin to TV in a few years) then the IBOC sideband hash won't prevent reception of directly adjecent digital AM's?`` No, the digital will be pull on channel. It has to go UNfortunately or digital hisses itself to death, unless about 3000 AM stations go bankrupt and dark. Um....er....ah.... (Powell E. Way, ibid.) OK please explain why the digital is not on channel now, but will be if analog is no longer on? I really don't know all the technical details of IBOC, I guess. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, ibid.) This discussion is very much on-topic for this list. If it upsets some people's tender sensibilities, tough. If they can only deal with it by leaving, that's their loss (Barry McLarnon VE3JF Ottawa, ON, ibid.) My only firsthand experience with IBOC was during visits to NYC, dodging the heavy-duty crud from WOR-710 while attempting daytime waterpath DX from Coney Island and a bandscan from a park bench in Central Park. I am not too worried that IBOC means TEODXAWKI (The End of DXing As We Know It). IMHO, IBOC will die a virtually unlamented death by the end of this decade. Sooner or later the suits at Ibiquity will have to decide to cut their losses, given the molasses-slow sales of IBOC radios and no compelling reason to buy them. 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to major storm levels with severe storm periods observed at high latitudes. The period began with quiet to unsettled levels through midday on 31 August. An 18-hour period of minor to major storming began on 31/1000 UTC following the arrival of a CIR and coronal hole high speed wind stream. Several periods of severe storm conditions were observed at high latitudes during this time. Conditions calmed to quiet to unsettled later on 01 September. By mid-day on 02 September, geomagnetic storm conditions began again as transient flow from the 31 August CME arrived. Active to minor storm levels were observed. Early on 03 September, activity further increased to major storm levels for about six hours. By 04 September, mostly unsettled to minor storming with periods of major to severe storm conditions at high latitudes were observed as a coronal hole high speed wind stream influenced the geomagnetic field. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 07 SEPTEMBER - 03 OCTOBER Solar activity is expected be at very low to high levels. Moderate to high 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. Greater than 10 MeV proton events are possible between 08 - 22 September due to activity from old Region 798. This region was a proton flare producer before it rotated around the West limb on 25 August. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 07 - 08 September, 14 - 19 September, 21 - 26 September, and on 29 September - 03 October. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to minor storm levels. Active to minor storm conditions are possible on 09 September, 12 - 14 September, 20 - 22 September, and 28 - 30 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 Sep 06 2124 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 Sep 06 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2005 Sep 07 90 5 2 2005 Sep 08 100 5 2 2005 Sep 09 105 15 3 2005 Sep 10 105 10 3 2005 Sep 11 105 10 3 2005 Sep 12 105 20 4 2005 Sep 13 110 20 4 2005 Sep 14 110 15 3 2005 Sep 15 110 5 2 2005 Sep 16 110 5 2 2005 Sep 17 110 8 3 2005 Sep 18 105 10 3 2005 Sep 19 105 10 3 2005 Sep 20 100 20 4 2005 Sep 21 95 20 4 2005 Sep 22 90 15 3 2005 Sep 23 90 10 3 2005 Sep 24 90 8 3 2005 Sep 25 90 8 3 2005 Sep 26 85 10 3 2005 Sep 27 85 10 3 2005 Sep 28 80 15 3 2005 Sep 29 80 20 4 2005 Sep 30 75 15 3 2005 Oct 01 75 10 3 2005 Oct 02 75 10 3 2005 Oct 03 75 10 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1286, DXLD) ###