DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-194, November 10, 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 For latest updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1293: Fri 0200 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream [repeated 2-hourly thru 2400] Fri 2000 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Fri 2100 WOR RFPI [repeated 4-hourly thru Sat 1700] Sat 0500 WOR VoiceCorps Reading Service, WOSU-FM subcarrier, cable Sat 0900 WOR WRN to Eu, Au, NZ, WorldSpace AfriStar, AsiaStar Sat 0955 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300 Sat 1100 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5 & WPKM Montauk LINY 88.7 Sat 1700 WOR R. Veronica 106.5 Sat 1830 WOR WRN to North America [including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 140] Sat 2200 WOR WRMI 7385 [if back on air] Sun 0000 WOR Radio Studio X 1584 http://www.radiostudiox.it/ Sun 0330 WOR WWCR 5070 Sun 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0600 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Sun 0730 WOR WWCR 3215 Sun 0930 WOR WRMI 7385 [from WRN] [if back on air] Sun 0930 WOR WRN to North America, also WLIO-TV Lima OH SAP [including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 140] Sun 0930 WOR KSFC Spokane WA 91.9 Sun 0930 WOR WXPR Rhinelander WI 91.7 91.9 100.9 Sun 0930 WOR WDWN Auburn NY 89.1 [unconfirmed] Sun 0930 WOR KTRU Houston TX 91.7 [occasional] Sun 1400 WOR KRFP-LP Moscow ID 92.5 Sun 1500 WOR WRMI 7385 [if back on air] Sun 1830 WOR WRN1 to North America [including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 140] Sun 2000 WOR RNI [on sked, but not played last week] Mon 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0430 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 Mon 0515 WOR WBCQ 7415 Mon 1900 WOR RFPI [repeated 4-hourly thru Tue 1500] Wed 0030 WOR WBCQ 7415 [usually but temporary] Wed 0100 WOR CJOY INTERNET RADIO plug-in required Wed 1030 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 [from Fri]: 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 or http://wor.worldofradio.org WORLD OF RADIO 1293 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1293h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1293h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1293 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1293.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1293.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1293.html [not yet] WORLD OF RADIO 1293 in true SW sound of Alex`s mp3: It appears that http://www.dxprograms.net no longer archives WOR or other programs that are on the web elsewhere, just DXers Unlimited and Allan Weiner Worldwide WORLD OF RADIO 1293 downloads in studio-quality mp3: (high) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1293h.mp3 (low) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1293.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO PODCAST: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml (currently: 1288, Extra 61, 1289, Extra 62, 1290, 1291, 1292, soon 1293) ** AFGHANISTAN. See DX-PEDITIONS below ** ALBANIA. Radio Tirana, same QSL design as was received 10 to 12 years ago, on thin paper. Came as a post card, without envelope. 6205 kHz. Had to wait half a year (open_dx - Vassily Kuznetsov, Moscow, Russia, Signal via DXLD) ** ANGOLA. The story of a radioamateur who founded a space centre --- in Angola: a) http://www.radioamadores.net/index/html click on "EM DESTAQUE" > shows Carlos Mar Bettencourt Faria, ex-CT1UX, ex-CR6CH click on "...mais >>" in "Proposta" (NASA references) and then return to former page... ...beneath "Proposta" and under "Documentos", click b) http://www.netangola.com/lfbettencourt/ (Centro Espacial da Mulemba, near Luanda) (the document is also in English) It shows how developed the ex-colony of Angola, ex-Portuguese State of Angola was in the telecommunications field. As the article explains, the late Mr. Faria, who in the meantime had his CR6CH amateur station sealed off, was murdered in the Mulemba Space Centre itself in July, 1976, i.e. shortly after traitors in this nearly 900-year old country handed over the Portuguese State of Angola and other territories to their selected bunch of terrorists. To some, my words may seem harsh. Some West Euro countries even supported the guerrilla movements. Some others condemned us and our allies in Rhodesia & RSA --- "forgetting" their own European people had also been invading settlers in NAm, AUS, NZL, Greenland, and the "funny" of it is that there are still colonies, regardless the statute they've been given. Two simple words define that: greed and hypocrisy. _________________ As far as I can recall, I think the R. Nacional de Angola (formerly Emissora Oficial de Angola) "Mulenvos" site is located somewhere on the road Luanda - - Cacuaco (cf. map for the CEM-Centro Espacial da Mulemba location). (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Nov 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 11880, ABC Local Radio via Shepparton. Nov. 6 at 1125- 1200. SINPO 44444. "Sunday profile" in English till 1130, then "Speak out". ID as "ABC Local Radio" and its website were often announced. Changed into Radio Australia program with news at 1200 (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Programmes I Like (# 16) "Asia-Pacific" -- Radio Australia: One of the last of a dying breed.... "Asia-Pacific" is typical of many current affairs programmes, in that it begins with the usual billboard of upcoming items, all introduced by the host. This is short and sweet, and then we are thrust right into things. There are usually 5-6 items in each 25 minute programme, with many of them being interviews with outside experts (journalists, academics, ex-primary players) and/or primary players in a given topic. These interviews are conducted by the hosts or other ABC reporters based in Australia. There are also numerous packaged reports, usually from the station's (or parent network's) own correspondents and presenters. The packaged reports feature interviewee comments as well as truncated interviews, both of which are used to illustrate, support and explain the reporter's comments and analysis. Current affairs topics from the Asia-Pacific region are those that are covered in the programme, with the vast majority being of a political and/or economic nature. The interviews are designed to explain the background, nature, and implications of those news items. The top news stories of the day are covered at the start of the show. One item deals with Australian affairs, especially its relations with other states in the region. It discusses some aspect of current Australian foreign policy, either of the diplomatic or trade variety. This is usually the last, or second-to-last, item in each programme. Each item is introduced, and closed, by the programme's host. Although "Asia-Pacific" is a bit dry and formulaic, it covers stories that no one else seems to be interested in, not any more at least. And it covers them in an on-going, detailed manner. For that reason alone, it is well worth a listen. Website: http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/asiapac/ E-Mail: asiapac @ your.abc.net.au (Peter Bowen, Toronto, ON, Nov 10, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) Also rebroadcast on Radio Taiwan International and probably some Indonesian stations. It's eminently exportable (Dan Say, ibid.) ** BHUTAN. See DX-PEDITIONS below ** BOLIVIA. Quito 10/Nov/2005 9:40 Thursday edition: 5745.29, Radio Virgen de los Remedios Tupiza, Sud Chichas, Potosí. I have been trying a very long time to get some "hard-proof" showing that the Spanish speaking "Radio Católica Mundial" station really is the Bolivian station reported by some DXers: Radio Virgen de Los Remedios. To be honest I thought it wasn´t but last night 0000 UT I finally got the answer, the "hard-proof": recording of a perfect ID for the Bolivian station. Live transmission from a Bolivian church up to 0000 when the ID came. After 0000 news from "Radio Católica Mundial". I have also noted the USA station WRRB with Spanish, religious programs, the last time up to WRRB-ID at 0000 UT on 5745.00 kHz. Comments, photos and recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. A list of Brazilian splits from Mauno Ritola from source: http://www.ondascurtas.com/listasemissorasmw.asp --- 589,86 R. Tribuna, Vitória 649,90 R. Tupi, Santos 659,88 R. Friburgo, Nova Friburgo 669,96 R. Oceânica Caraguatatuba 729,94 R. Cidade, Jundiaí 1049,95 R. Capixaba, Vitória 1110,09 R. Cultura, Campos 1120,40 R. Eldorado, São José dos Pinhais 1169,96 R. Sociedade, Oliveira 1189,95 R. Juàzeiro 1209,95 R. Clube, Varginha 1251,70 R. Difusora, Poços de Caldas [this one is most off freq] 1270,04 R. Continental, Campos 1309,95 R. Atalaia, Maringá 1400,15 R. Vale do Vasa-Barris, Jeremoabo 1409,80 R. Itaperuna 1459,85 R. Cultura, Lorena 1469,60 R. AM de Parelhas 1470,05 R. Vale do Paraíba, Barra do Piraí 1479,95 R. Solimões, Nova Iguaçu 1550,70 R. Imperial, Petrópolis 1559,95 R. Grande Rio, Itaguaí 1570,10 R. Metrópole, Cachoeirinha 1579,76 Radiovox, Muritiba 1579,95 R. Geração 2000, Teresópolis 1580,10 R. Educadora, Afonso Cláudio 1590,26 R. Floresta Negra AM, Joinville 1590,93 R. Resende AM (ARC's LA News Desk for November, editor Tore B Vik, via Tore Larsson, DXLD) ** BULGARIA. 7600, Radio Varna. Nov. 6 at 2159-2220. SINPO 25332. Chorus till 2200, then time pips and another chorus. News in Bulgarian from 2201. ID was heard at 2209, followed by music program (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** CANADA. RCI transmitter site as art: http://hollingercollins.com/artists/Thaddeus/Thaddeus.html (Ricky Leong, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Exhibition / Exposition The Radio Canada International Portfolio, Oct 27 - Nov 24 HollingerCollins Contemporary Art is proud to present this exhibition in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of Radio Canada International, and gratefully acknowledges their support. HollingerCollins art contemporain est fier de présenter cette exposition soulignant le 60e anniversaire de Radio Canada International, que nous remercions de leur précieux support. http://www.rcinet.ca http://www.holownia.com (via DXLD) ** CANADA [non]. RCI in English, 2238 UT Nov 10 on 9730: quite a good signal, but lacking that Sackville fidelity, in discussion of revival of travel agents as people give up on trying to book on the Internet. Yes, this is a relay, Yamata, Japan, 300 kW, 235 degrees with the Thu program Business Sense, per current schedule. Directly off the back would be 55 degrees, toward NAm, or maybe longpath; see JAPAN (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. See DX-PEDITIONS below ** CHINA. HOW CHINA'S PROPAGANDA MACHINE WORKS Joan Maltese, Special for NewsMax.com, Friday, July 4, 2003 It's the tail end of the graveyard shift in a newsroom in Beijing. Abandoned glasses of shrubby teas stand among the computer terminals, looking like biology experiments. As the on-duty Foreign Expert at China Central Television's English-language news channel, I am tapping out the headlines for the 8 a.m. broadcast, which have been carefully chosen and sequenced by the director and producer. As for me, I’m well versed in the verbiage the censor will require . . . http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/7/3/134334.shtml Cheers, (Mark Fahey, ARDXC via DXLD) ** CROATIA [non]. 11690, Croatian Radio via Juelich, Germany. Nov. 6 at 0659-0710. SINPO 24332. Music till 0700, then time signal and ID in English as "This is Croatian Radio, the Voice of Croatia." News in English lasted 3 minutes. Talk in Croatian followed. // 9470, 45444 (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** CUBA. Saludos cordiales, completo esquema de horarios y frecuencias de Radio Habana Cuba para el período B-05: http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/frecuencia/frecuencias-espanol.htm (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Nov 10, dxldyg via DXLD) Viz.: RADIO HABANA CUBA HORARIOS, BANDAS Y FRECUENCIAS Válido octubre-2005 a marzo-2006 COBERTURA FRECUENCIA KHZ HORARIO UTC ESPAÑOL Nueva York 12000 11 – 15 Norte, Centro, Suramérica 6000 11 – 15 Caribe 9550 11 – 15 América del Sur 11805 / 15230 11 – 15 Caribe 9550 / 11800 21 – 23 Buenos Aires 15230 21 – 23 Norte, Centro, Suramérica 11760 00 – 05 América Central 6140 / 5965 00 – 05 Nueva York 9820 / 6000 / 6060 00 – 01 / 00 – 05 : [unclear which of the two time spans applies to each of 3 frequencies] Caribe 9550 02 – 05 América del Sur 15230 / 11875 00 – 05 MESA REDONDA América del Norte 6000 / 11875 23 – 01 ALÓ PRESIDENTE [Sunday only, open-ended, but nominally until 1830?] América Central 13680 14 Caribe 11670 14 América del Sur 11875 / 17750 14 América del Norte 13750 14 INGLÉS Caribe 9550 23 – 24 / 05 – 07 América del Norte 9820 / 6000 / 6060 01 – 05 / 05 – 07 Norte, Centro, Suramérica 11760 05 – 07 FRANCÉS Caribe 9550 / 9505 00 – 01 / 01:30 – 02 / 22 – 22:30 Norte, Centro, Suramérica 11760 20 – 20:30 / 21:30 – 22 PORTUGUÉS América del Sur 17705 / 15230 22 – 22:30 / [sic:] 23 – 23:30 23 – 24 Caribe [sic] 11800 20 – 20:30 GUARANÍ América del Sur 17705 22:30 – 23 / 23:30 – 24 QUECHUA América del Sur 17705 00 – 00:30 CREOLE Caribe 9505 – 9550 21:30 – 22 / 22:30 – 23 01 – 01:30 ÁRABE Caribe [sic] 11800 20:30 – 21 ESPERANTO [Sundays only!] América del Norte 6000 07 - 07:30 Norte, Centro, Suramérica 11760 15 – 15:30 / 19:30 – 20 América Central 6140 23:30 - 24 (RHC website via Sean Gilbert, WRTH, cleaned up by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. A través del correo electrónico me ha llegado el siguiente mensaje de Radio Habana Cuba con remitente de Esperanza Álvarez ealvarez @ rhc.cu ``Estimados amigos: Estamos muy interesados en que capte a Radio Habana Cuba en el horario de 1300 a 1500 UTC hora de Cuba [sic], de 9:00 AM a 11:00 de la mañana en la frecuencia de 15230 khz banda de 19 metros dirigida a Buenos Aires, y que también se escucha en Venezuela, pues nos han reportado que existe interferencia de Radio China en idioma inglés. Necesitamos su reporte de recepción para poder solucionar el problema y que pueda llegar nuestra señal hasta los amigos que nos escuchan. Discúlpenos por disponer de su tiempo y esperamos contar lo antes posible con su colaboración. Saludos afectuosos`` (via Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Rosario, ARGENTINA, Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ¿Sólo acaban de enterarse de esto? Lo mismo occurió durante la temporada pasada B-04. ¿Qué más hay que decir? Como informamos desde el principio de B-05, China vía Canadá cambió nuevamente de 15260 a 15230, sin respecto a RHC, apesar de que RHC también retransmite a China en otros horarios, y que China apoya a Cuba en el campo de transmisores y antenas! ¿Porqué estas emisoras tan fieles no se coordinen en el campo de transmisiones, para evitar tales choques, y no molestar a sus oyentes? No es el único conflicto entre China y Cuba --- durante toda la temporada de A-05, a las 23 en 13680, hubo Venezuela vía Cuba tanto como China, otra vez vía Canadá. 73, (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK [and non]. BACK TO BASICS --- People will tune into a music station in large numbers if they like what it's playing. As Sky Radio has found out in Denmark, simply adding a team of presenters isn't going to attract listeners if the product you're selling isn't what they want. As Sky Radio Denmark has learned the hard way, the quality of the product is ultimately more important than who's selling it. It's time for some programme directors to get back to basics, and give their listeners what they actually want. http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/features/media/rad051110.html?view=Standard (Media Network newsletter Nov 10 via DXLD) ** ECUADOR [and non]. HCJB WORLD RADIO B05 BROADCAST SCHEDULE (30 October 2005 – 25 March 2006) UTC UTC Freq. TX Ant. Az. Target Days: Begin End kHz KW (Degrees) Region SMTWTFS [all broadcasts from Ecuador are 7 days a week, a.k.a. 1111111 COFAN 1100 1130 6050 50 18/172 S. America ENGLISH 1100 1330 12005 100 330/124 N/S America 1100 1330 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific GERMAN (High) 0300 0330 9780 100 324 Mexico 1530 1600 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 2300 2400 12040 100 150 S. America GERMAN (Low) 0230 0300 9780 100 324 Mexico 1500 1530 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 2230 2300 12040 100 150 S. America HUARANI 1030 1100 6050 50 18/172 S. America KULINA 2250 2300 12020 50 100 Brazil PORTUGUESE 0800 0930 9745 100 100 N. Brazil 0800 0930 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 1530 1800 15295 100 139 Brazil 2300 0230 11920 100 126 Brazil 2300 2400 12020 50 100 Brazil 2400 0230 12020 100 100 Brazil QUICHUA [V = Vertical incidence] 0830 1000 6125 100 155 S. America 0800 1100 690 50 000/180 Ecuador 0830 1200 3220 8 90 (V) S. America 0830 1300 6080 8 90 (V) S. America 0930 1100 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 2100 0300 6080 8 90 (V) S. America 2100 2300 9745 100 155 S. America 0000 0300 3220 8 90 (V) S. America SPANISH 0100 0500 9745 100 325 Mexico 1100 0500 690 50 000/180 Ecuador 1100 1500 6050 50 18/172 S. America 1100 1300 11960 100 355 Cuba 1100 1500 11690 100 150 S. America 1300 1500 11960 100 323 Mexico 1330 1500 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 1900 0500 6050 50 18/172 Ecuador 2000 0500 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S. Pacific 2100 2300 12000 100 150 S. America 2300 0100 11700 100 157/330 N/S America Note: HCJB`s shortwave broadcast schedule also includes these programs transmitted from these locations. English 0000 0030 15530 100 340 East Asia 1111111 Australia 0700 0900 11750 50 120 South Pacific 1111111 Australia 1030 1130 15400 100 340 SE Asia 1111111 Australia 1130 1200 15425 100 307 SE Asia 1111111 Australia 1400 1500 15390 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia 1500 1530 15425 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia 2230 2300 15530 100 340 East Asia 1_____1 Australia Cantonese 0930 1030 15400 100 340 SE Asia 1111111 Australia Indonesian 1200 1230 15425 100 307 SE Asia 1111111 Australia Chinese (Mandarin) 2230 2300 15530 100 340 East Asia _11111_ Australia 2300 2400 15530 100 340 East Asia _11111_ Australia Nepali 0030 0045 15405 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia Chhattisgarhi 0045 0100 15405 100 307 South Asia 1______ Australia Bangla 0045 0100 15405 100 307 South Asia _111111 Australia English 0100 0115 15405 100 307 South Asia 1______ Australia Gujarati 0100 0115 15405 100 307 South Asia _1_____ Australia Bhojpuri 0100 0115 15405 100 307 South Asia __1____ Australia Malayalam 0100 0115 15405 100 307 South Asia ___1___ Australia Marwari 0100 0115 15405 100 307 South Asia ____1__ Australia Marathi 0100 0115 15405 100 307 South Asia _____1_ Australia Chhattisgarhi 0100 0115 15405 100 307 South Asia ______1 Australia English 0100 0115 15405 100 307 South Asia 1______ Australia Hindi 0115 0130 15405 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia English 0130 0200 15405 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia English 0200 0230 15405 100 307 South Asia 1______ Australia Urdu 0200 0230 15405 100 307 South Asia _111111 Australia Nepali 1230 1245 15405 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia Tamil 1245 1300 15405 100 307 South Asia 1______ Australia Bangla 1245 1300 15405 100 307 South Asia _111111 Australia Chhattisgarhi 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia 1_____1 Australia Gujarati 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia _1_____ Australia Bhojpuri 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia __1____ Australia Malayalam 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia ___1___ Australia Marwari 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia ____1__ Australia Marathi 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia _____1_ Australia Hindi 1315 1330 15405 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia English 1330 1400 15405 100 307 South Asia 1______ Australia Urdu 1330 1400 15405 100 307 South Asia _111111 Australia Former Soviet Union Languages 1700 1730 9805 500 62 Russia & CIS 1111111 U.K. Southern Uzbek 1645 1700 1251 100 Central Asia 11___11 Uzbek 1645 1700 1251 100 Central Asia __111__ Turkmen 1700 1715 1251 100 Central Asia 1111111 Arabic 2100 2200 12025 250 150 N. Africa 1111111 U.K. [*] Low German 1600 1629 3955 100 Omni Europe 1111111 Germany High German 1630 1659 3955 100 Omni Europe 1111111 Germany ______________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address: HCJB World Radio Frequency Manager: Allen Graham 17-17-691 E-Mail: agraham @ hcjb.org.ec Quito, Ecuador S.A. FAX: +593 2 226 4765 (HCJB website via gh, DXLD) [*] The 12025 transmission we recently confirmed is via Sackville, not UK. HCJB itself can`t seem to keep up with seasonal switches in site for this. Also, we checked the Kulina service again on Nov 9, and found it slightly longer than Tim had; after open carrier, HCJB opening around 2252, Kulina chants and talk from 2253 or 2254 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also LANGUAGE LESSONS below! ** EGYPT. Un abrazo! Les informamos que ahora transmitimos por la nueva banda de los 41 ms frecuencia 7270 khz y la de los 31 ms. frecuencia 9415 khz. Saludos (Radio El Cairo en Español, Dir Gral. Sanaa Makled, Dir. Dr Ahmed. Loc. Veronica Balderas, Assia Lamarty, Red. Naglaa, Mahmoud, Mohamed, Nancy, Rana, Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A bit more detail would be nice; already in tentative sked in 5-185 0045-0200 7270 41 SPANISH N AMERICA 0045-0200 11755 25 SPANISH C AMERICA 0045-0200 9415 31 SPANISH S AMERICA (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Bata 5005 --- Qué "chapada" la mía, olvidé mencionar anteayer Martes 7 de Octubre, la recepción obtenida por primera vez en mi caso de la Radio Nacional de Guinea Equatorial a las 2245 con un SINPO de 25352, que parece un tanto inusual. Comentarios en español sobre comportamiento de la ciudadanía con musical "highlife" intercalada. Para mí esto es un triunfo por lo tanto que he escuchado reportes de la misma, pero dadas las ruidosas condiciones de semanas atrás ha sido imposible. Igualemente ocurre que la banda de 60 m. no muestra por aquí una buena apertura hasta después de las 2300 para señales africanas. Otra cosa que noté es que a veces tendemos a echarla buena parte de la culpa de recepción ruidosa a nuestro sistema de antena por falta de adecuada conexión a tierra. Mas es sorprendente cómo el ruido desaparece si usamos el receptor solamente con pilas, de manera que muchas veces el ruido llega por línea de alimentación de 110 voltios en nuestro caso. Claro que esto no es descubrir el agua caliente (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Nov 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5005, R. Nac. de Bata, Nov 05, 2140-2150, 43443 Spanish, News and African pops music, ID at 2141 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** FRANCE. RFI: The long-running African music program "Couleurs Tropicales" has moved and doubled its length. It had been an hour-long show, but was cut to a half-hour last year. It's back to a one-hour slot (though the show actually only runs 40 minutes after 10-minute newscasts at the top and bottom of the hour) airing in the 2100 UT hour M-F. Heard on 9790 (Mike Cooper, GA, Nov 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. See DX-PEDITIONS below ** INDONESIA. 9552.56, Radio Republik Indonesia, Makassar. Nov. 6 at 0657-0756. SINPO 24332. Talk till 0700, then another talk sounded like news. ID was heard at 0718, then music program with Indonesian popular songs (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. Open Source Center established "INTELLIGENCE CENTER CREATED FOR UNCLAS. INFORMATION" The NY Times reports today (9 Nov.) in an article by Scott Shane dated 8 Nov that the government is creating the "Open Source Center" to "gather and analyze information from the Web, broadcasts, newspapers and other unclassified sources around the world." This is part of the intel restructuring being done by the new DNI, John Negroponte, in recognizing that "critical information... requires neither spies nor satellites to collect." Not that one would remark, "what took them so long?" When I read this, I immediately thought of our old buds at FBIS who have been around now for literally decades. The article then mentions that FBIS [Foreign Broadcast Information Service] is being absorbed into the new center. Examples of "open source" given in the article are such as sermons from radical mosques, and reports in the Chinese provincial press of avian flu outbreaks. The article stresses, twice actually, that "such material has often been undervalued by government policymakers, in part because it lacks the cachet of information gathered by more sensitive methods" Open source then, by definition, is any intel that could be gathered by an average person using traditional methods (newspapers, radios). All they need is the means to aggregate it, store it and reduce it, and then start data-mining and looking for associations. Mark Lowenthal, former asst. director of CIA, related a case in point when the India gov't exploded a nuclear device in 1998 which caught western analysts by surprise, based on their use of "agents, eavesdropping and satellite photos". All they would have to have done is to read the published platform of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party, which stated that they would do so, if elected. The role of FBIS has expanded beyond simple broadcast monitoring and now covers study of web sites, periodicals and cataloging of slogans seen on T-shirts worn by young people in target countries. Douglas Naquin, FBIS director will assume command of the OSC, which will be sited at Langley VA and ultimately under control of Negroponte. This will assure that output from OSC will reach all 15 intel agencies and mil commands and not just CIA as before. -o- Interesting that intel is given less value when it is collected outside of channels, or by "untrusted" means. I see a parallel here with gathering of intel about radio conditions, such as IBOC interference reports, by "untrusted" observers (non-credentialed DX listeners) which are then given less credence, in the absence of any reason not to (Bob Foxworth, FL, IRCA via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. MISSIONARY RADIO REACHES A MILESTONE November 10, 2005 International (MNN) -- New programs for people in key areas of the world have allowed international Christian broadcaster Trans World Radio to surpass an incredible milestone. TWR's President David Tucker says a lot of the expansion has happened over the last 10 years. "Recently in the Philippines and in East Africa, and in the Caucasus region of Russia, and also in Mozambique we've been able to add some languages which now take us over 200 languages and dialects in the world." It took 41 years to tackle 100 languages, but only 10 years for the next 100, says Tucker. Technology and a growing infrastructure has allowed for such incredible growth. As they were able to work closely with the church on the ground, it also provided incredible opportunities to reach out with the Gospel. Tucker says TWR isn't content on sitting at 200 languages. More are in the works as they have more broadcast facilities. "We have more airtime availability. We've put a major transmitter into Central Asia and we hope to expand that transmitter in the next six months. So, we possibly will add another five languages in the next six months to the transmitter in the Caucasus area." However, none of this could happen without your financial support and assistance from the local church. "The local church is vital to what we do because, first of all, they help us with prayer, to locate where the peoples are that need the Gospel. And, also they recognize for us the people who within their community are able to explain the Gospel much, much better in a cultural way." Pray that the Lord will give them the right people to help proclaim the Gospel and that many would help support their evangelism and discipleship ministry. Organizations featured in this article: Trans World Radio, 300 Gregson Drive/ Box 8700, Cary NC 27512 (Mission Network News via Bruce Atchison, DXLD) Why are they so vague about the ``major transmitter into Central Asia``? Presumably hired time on some existing facility. And no languages specified by name. No doubt many of the 200 languages are not on SW, and if they are, amount to only 15 minutes a day, or a week. Following release is more specific (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) USA: CHRISTIAN RADIO EXPANDS NUMBER OF LANGUAGE BROADCASTS | Text of press release by Trans World Radio on 8 November Cary, North Carolina: Listeners in the Philippines, Russia and East Africa are the beneficiaries of expanded ministry experienced by international Christian broadcaster Trans World Radio (TWR), which has added new programmes to help reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ in languages they can understand. Recent broadcast additions to the airwaves include the following diverse languages: Cebuano and Ilocano, which are spoken in the Philippines; Luganda, a native language of East Africa; Adyghe, heard in the Northern Caucasus region of Russia; Chuwabu, which is spoken in Mozambique. With these new additions, TWR now proclaims God's Word worldwide in more than 200 languages and dialects. Programs are broadcast from over 2,700 broadcasting outlets, including 14 international transmitting sites, satellite, cable, internet and local AM and FM stations. Broadcasting since 1954, TWR reached the 100-language mark 41 years after its inception, yet it added the next 100 languages and dialects in only 10 years. "Expanding the number of languages TWR airs undoubtedly broadens our opportunity to reach even more people with the gospel message," says TWR president Dr David Tucker. "What's more, by adding broadcasts into hard-to-reach areas like the Northern Caucasus region and the Philippines, we can deliver the gospel to people who might not otherwise have access to it." For more information: David McCreary, 919.460.3778 Source: Trans World Radio press release, Cary (USA), in English 8 Nov 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Just got off the phone with Sirius on this. Plans are to have 5 of the 8 [sic -- the Canadian Sirius website says there are 10] Canadian channels available to US subscribers when the service is launched in early December. Sirius' corporate communications manager is not sure if the decision has yet been made regarding which 5 will be offered. The full Canadian lineup will be offered to US subscribers in early 2006, but it appears you'll need to get a new receiver -- with a new chipset -- to get the additional channels. Watch this space (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, Nov 10, swprograms via DXLD) ** ISRAEL [and non]. GOVERNMENT CONSIDERING REGULATION OF INTERNET BROADCASTS | Text of report by Israeli settlers' Arutz 7 radio website on 10 November A government body responsible for regulating satellite and cable broadcasts is considering extending the scope of its authority to internet broadcasts aimed at the Israeli public. The Council for Satellite and Cable Broadcasting is currently charged by Israeli law with regulating the content of satellite and cable broadcasts. Broadcasting via cable or satellite to the Israeli public requires a licence. The council has the power to grant licences to selected content and service providers who meet its requirements, and revoke the licences of broadcasters who do not. If the council's authority is broadened to include internet radio broadcasts, broadcasters such as Israel National News (Arutz-7) might be subject to government regulation and oversight, something that could severely compromise its independence, objectivity, and ability to report and comment on current events the way it sees fit. Arutz-7 radio, broadcasting from off-shore, was shut down by the government two years ago. The reason for concern is that government agencies have been selective in their regulation of terrestrial radio. Arutz-7 National Radio's offshore station, serving the public dubbed as "the national camp radio," was shut down in 2003 despite its rank as the third-largest commercial radio station in the country. However, the same agencies allowed the left-wing "Voice of Peace" station to broadcast freely from offshore until the station's manager ended the broadcast due to financial and medical problems. Yoram Mokdi, chairman of Israel's Council for Satellite and Cable Broadcasting, said that while the council is only beginning to study the issue, Israel's big cable and satellite content providers, such as Hot and Yes, are already making plans to broadcast to subscribers via the internet. While satellite and cable companies must receive a licence to start internet broadcasting, companies who limit their broadcasting only to the internet can still reach out to the public without government interference. But once such broadcasts "reach half the country via the internet," Mokdi said, many people, particularly Israel's media conglomerates, will demand that the government start subjecting them to regulation as well, or in the alternative, exempt satellite and cable broadcasting from government regulation. Mokdi said, however, that in his opinion, "regulation is not always a good thing," and that the council does not intend to create "a dictatorship for internet sites." Arutz-7 broadcasts over the internet daily and weekly TV programming in English and Hebrew at its site: http://IsraelNationalTV.com Asked what would happen if Arutz-7 started streaming 24-hour television news content over the internet the way CNN or Fox News do in the United States over cable, Mokdi said he could not be certain that Arutz-7 would be exempt from Israeli government regulation and supervision. Under current regulations, the state would have to grant Arutz-7 a special licence for broadcasting news, if it were on cable or satellite. In today's political reality, with Arutz-7 more often than not at odds with government policy, especially on the sensitive issue of holding all the land of Israel under Jewish sovereignty, getting a licence to broadcast news and commentary from the government would be highly unlikely. Baruch Gordon, director of Arutz-7's English website http://IsraelNationalNews.com said it was no coincidence that the government shut down Arutz-7's over-the-air broadcasts shortly before announcing the Disengagement Plan to the public. He said the best way to safeguard the right to freedom of speech from government intervention would be to allow unregulated internet news broadcasting regardless of how many Israelis decide to tune in, "even if it's half the country". Gordon explained that Arutz-7 broadcasts only over the internet because the Israeli government would not issue a tender for a national radio station that would be allowed to broadcast news and commentary freely without government intervention. Most over-the-air radio and television broadcasting in Israel is controlled by the state. Israel allowed private firms to operate regional radio stations, however with many limitations. Initially, the regional stations were forbidden to broadcast their own news on matters of national public debate. They had to default to the state- run news stations. The regional newscasts were limited to coverage of local issues pertaining to the region they operate in. In contrast, virtually all television and radio stations in the United States are privately owned, and the government does not regulate the content of broadcast news or opinion. Traditional over-the-air broadcast media in the United States do, however, require a license from the Federal Communications Commission. The US initiated licensing of over-the-air broadcasts in order to ensure fair public access to limited radio frequencies. Cable and satellite broadcasts, on the other hand, are subject to very little government regulation and interference. Controversial radio talk host Howard Stern recently moved to satellite radio in order to avoid certain regulatory limitations on speech. Internet broadcasting in the United States is virtually free of government regulation, except for certain pornography issues, and legal concerns involving the use of copyrighted material. Mokdi said the council will be examining the American model as well as the one being developed in Europe which tends to view more favourably government regulation and supervision of internet broadcasting. The council will be holding public hearings on the issue until 7 March 2006. After that, it will formulate its policy along with the Justice Ministry and the Ministry of Communications. "We might reach the conclusion that it is impossible to regulate the internet," he said. Source: Arutz 7 radio website, Bet El (West Bank), in Hebrew 10 Nov 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ITALY. Rai, Roma, before and after 0055 on 6110? All I hear is Spanish. No sign-off, no ID, drops out at 0100. Rai not on 9675, not on 11800 --- or not propagating here if on the latter (Bob Thomas, CT, Nov 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6110 would be BBC at that hour; you must have been thinking of 6010, which Rai has used previously for the English to NAm (gh, DXLD) ** JAPAN. On 13650, Nov 10 at 2247 a station in Mandarin, with a long/short path echo. Per EiBi B-05, this is R. Japan, so interesting propagation. After 2300, China via Cuba in Portuguese comes on 13650, but I hear R. Japan underneath, by then in Thai. See also CANADA [non] for a logging a few minutes earlier (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR. See DX-PEDITIONS below ** LIBERIA [non]. Dear Glen[n], Do you have any idea what this transmitter might be? 2110-2130 English language interview (sport) ; 2130-2133 News in French (lots of mentions of Liberia); 2133-2200 Health programme in English; No idents; 11960; SINPO=34333. I can't find it in any lists. 73 (Jon Kempster, London, Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jonathan, That would be Star Radio, Liberia, via Ascension. They are also on 9525 at 0700-0900. Have been operating for a few months now. Regards, (Glenn to Jon, via DXLD) ASCENSION, 11960, Star R., Nov 05 2151-2159*, 42442-44444, English, Talk, SJ [?] at 2159, 2159 sign off, QRM of AWR on co-channel, Thanks for tip from A. Kageyama (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) AWR = Guam Star Radio, Liberia, I'm picking up "Star Radio" real good from 2100 to 2200 Zulu on 11960; not 11965. They apparently moved down five for the winter (Clyde Benson, via Dan Sampson, PTSW via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE reception of R. Vilnius to NAm in English! Had to tune off and go to SSB to copy. 2330 o 7325, co- channel QRM plus 7320 and 7330. One QRMer is Iran. Second transmission at 0030 on 9875: low signal, heavy hash. Just head scratchin` (Bob Thomas, CT, Nov 5, WORLD OF RADIO 1293, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 6024.88, Voice of Islam, Nov 9, 1438-1459 and 1519-1526, young woman DJ with pop songs, many IDs for ``Radio Suara Islam`` and mentions ``FM,`` 1450 into news, on-air phone calls. Audio somewhat distorted. Fair. 7270, Wai FM, Nov 9, 1356-1420 and 1531-1600*, good reception, woman DJ with pop songs, 1400-1405 ``Berita Wai FM`` (news), many singing station jingles, on-air phone call from Brunei. Off in mid-song (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, RX340 + T2FD antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALDIVE ISLANDS. DETENTION OF MALDIVES JOURNALIST EXTENDED | Excerpt from report by Sri Lankan-based Maldivian Minivan News website on 10 November Minivan journalist Abdulla Saeed (Fahala) has had his period of detention extended for a further 30 days, family sources have reported. Fahala's wife was finally granted access to Fahala on 3 November at the police headquarters in Male. Fahala told his wife his period of detention had been extended. Neither Fahala nor his family have been given a reason for his arrest. Fahala was summoned to the police station in Male on 13 October. Talking to Minivan, Fahala's wife said the summons chit said he was to be questioned "regarding a matter". "But on Television Maldives and Voice of Maldives it was alleged that four packets of drugs were found inside Saeed's [Fahala's] pockets. Such blatant lies! Just think who in his right mind will carry drugs in their pockets when going to the police station after being summoned by them in advance by chit. When Saeed got the chit he organized some of his writings, gathered his children and told them he was going to the police station, probably for some questioning regarding some articles in Minivan. He also said that since Colonel has also been taken into police custody he was certain it was in connection with something he has written", Fahala's wife Amsoodha said. Amsoodha added that that Fahala told the police on 13 October that they should not search him until his lawyer arrived. However the police removed his pants, took them away and brought them back with four packets of drugs in them. "Is this justice?" she asked. [passage omitted] Fahala recently refused an offer of 10,000 Maldivian rupees to work for a recently floated pro-government weekly newspaper. Source: Minivan News website, Colombo, in English 0000 gmt 10 Nov 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** NEPAL. See DX-PEDITIONS below ** NETHERLANDS. Dear OM, In an earlier message I reported that the government of the Netherlands was taken to court over an auction to sell NOZEMA. Yesterday, November the 9th, a Dutch court ruled that the takeover of NOZEMA (owner of all broadcast transmitter sites in The Netherlands) by means of an auction was not unlawful. The court decided that the government did not harm the rights of any interested parties in NOZEMA. The complete text of this case has not been issued; therefore details are unknown to me. The parties involved in this case have a right to appeal but uncertain is if they will. It will be interesting to know how things work out once NOZEMA is taken over. Another newsitem is that the planned soccer broadcaststation in the Netherlands is still not heard. No news is made available if and when the start of this new station is planned after initial announcements. Probably there are difficulties which I think originate in getting the (expensive) broadcast rights for soccer. Greetings from the Netherlands, (Gerard A. Koopal LL.M, ALJURE - Legal via wwdxc BC-DX Nov 11 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Hello from Hilversum, Lots of changes are taking place here at Radio Netherlands, some of them internal, others more visible to the outside world. One of the latter is the launch of EuroQuest EuroBlog by producers Jonathan Groubert and Sarah Johnson. At the moment, the topic being featured is one which will be of great interest to Media Network readers - Minority Language Broadcasting. This week's EuroQuest was a special programme recorded live from the cultural/political cafe "de Balie" in Amsterdam and was coproduced with Radio Sweden. Jonathan Groubert and Radio Sweden's Azariah Kiros hosted a round table discussion focusing on the role of minority language public broadcasting in an increasingly ethnically polarized Europe. They asked the questions, "Does Minority Broadcasting help or hinder integration and should the government pay for it?" If you missed the programme, or want to send some feedback, go to http://euroquesteuroblog.blogspot.com/ which has just been updated by Sarah with her own personal experiences as a relative newcomer to the Netherlands. And there will be another update tomorrow. On Target We apologise for the delay in getting the PDF file of the winter On Target online. Unfortunately there were some errors in the printed version, and the PDF file supplied by the printer did not have the fonts embedded in it and therefore we couldn't edit it. As soon as we have a corrected version it will go online and it will be accessible under the category 'Listening guide' on the right hand margin of every page. In the meantime, please note that the transmission to the West Coast of North America and New Zealand is at 0500-0600, and all programme times commencing '04' should read '05'. Our apologies for the error. Special message for RN listeners in the UK and Ireland As stated in On Target, it is our intention to introduce a 24-hour English stream on the Sky Digital platform as soon as possible. Unfortunately the rollout of Sky's new Electronic Programme Guide is delayed due to some software problems, and the launch now looks as if it will be delayed until early 2006. There's a waiting list of radio stations who want to be on Sky Digital, and we're in the queue. But it seems unlikely we'll be able to start before the new EPG is ready. We are sorry for the delay, which is beyond the control of Radio Netherlands. More information when we have it (Media Network newsletter Nov 10 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS ANTILLES. Hi, Glenn --- R. Nederland Bonaire relay: With the various troubles being reported for the Bonaire transmitters, I wonder about the future of this facility. The original two Philips units are almost 37 years old, while the ABB unit is 17. Anyone heard of any plans for new transmitters, presumably DRM capable, for Bonaire? They supposedly upgraded the power generation plant after the Easter 2000 fire, which would have suggested more units on the way, but none so far. Perhaps the budget cuts at RN have nixed any such ideas? Also curious if the 50 kW unit Bonaire uses for a few transmissions is the same one used for the recent DRM tests, but now running in AM mode? (Stephen Luce, Houston, TX, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. (cf. DXLD 5-193 of 09 Nov) Bernie O'Shea in Canada, I also listened to RNZI 9870 on Tuesday afternoon (here in SW Europe) and immediately the non-stop classical music program was the result of an amendment of a B05 of some station, thus ruining the fair reception of Rangitaiki during this season --- but that unID was gone just like that (can't remember the exact time, and being a casual listening, no records were written down). I remember having spotted 1~2 similar cases on 7 MHz late last year. Yesterday, 9 Nov, when RNZI changed the aerial azimuth for 9870 at 1650, reception didn't become that bad, but as earlier reported by me, their clean afternoon (here) signal starts to get trouble as from 1500 onwards when some adjacent QRM arises (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re RNZI DRM query in latest DXLD 5-193. As per my recent posting, RNZI is scheduled to test the new DRM transmitter towards Tonga around now, with broadcasts at around 5-6 am local time in Tonga. [1600-1700 UT, but what was the frequency?] This is to allow on-site checking of the DRM signal at the A3Z Radio studios in Nuku'alofa in preparation for RNZI rebroadcasts when full service begins early in 2006. A DRM receiver and antenna have been installed, and RNZI's Technical Manager is on the island to monitor signals. Reception at other Tongan radio stations is also being monitored. Further tests will occur over the next couple of months, targeting Fiji and Samoa. Warm regards (David Ricquish, Radio Heritage Foundation http://www.radioheritage.net Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NICARAGUA. La Rosa de Tokyo para el proximo domingo "LA ROSA DE TOKIO" (( LS11 RADIO PROVINCIA )) Recuerden que el Grupo Radioescucha Argentino está colaborando con LA ROSA DE TOKIO, el programa de DX y comunicaciones que se irradia por LS11 Radio Provincia, La Plata, Argentina, en la frecuencia de 1270 kHz, con 56 kw! en su horario habitual de 13 a 14 hora argentina (1600 a 1700 UT) y también en Internet, http://www.radioprovincia.gba.gov.ar La temática que se desarrolla cada domingo consiste en la investigación y análisis de la situación radiofónica en un país. Se revisa su historia, su actualidad política y social y, por supuesto, se analizan sus emisoras de radio y TV más representativas. La emisión correspondiente al domingo 13 de Noviembre de 2005 de La Rosa de Tokyo estará dedicada a revisar la historia y el presente de la radio en Nicaragua. El programa incluye un análisis de varias emisoras que han marcado la historia de la radiodifusión de este país centroamericano. No se pierdan las grabaciones históricas que se incluiran en el programa. El programa contará con la participación especial del columnista Arnaldo Slaen, desde Buenos Aires (Slaen, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. VOICE OF NIGERIA TO BE REJUVENATED IN 2006 The Nigerian Daily Sun reports on the efforts of the new Voice of Nigeria Director, Mallam Abubakar Jijiwa, to enable the international broadcaster to carry out its action plan for 2005–2010, which, among other things, is to "Achieve excellence through optimal utilization of existing human and material resources in order to make VON a leading international broadcasting station like BBC, VOA, Deutsche Welle, and in particular among the African audiences." The newspaper says that "Efforts are on to restore VON’s five transmitters into full transmission capacity in shortest possible time, certainly by middle of 2006." Read the full story: Rebranding Voice of Nigeria http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/opinion/2005/nov/08/opinion-08-11-2005-002.htm (``Daily Sun, Nigeria`s King of the Tabloids``) # posted by Andy @ 16:25 UT Nov 8 (Media Network blog via DXLD) I believe we have heard all this before (gh, DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. See DX-PEDITIONS below ** PHILIPPINES. 15120, Radyo Pilipinas. Nov. 6 at 0230-0330*. SINPO 35443. Philippine pops and economic talk in English. Music program from 0256. ID was heard at 0255 & 0324. // 15270 kHz, 21331. 25mb outlet was not observed (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. RRI is probably a lost cause, reception-wise (Bob Thomas, CT, Nov 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. ATHEIST CHALLENGES 'GOD' IN ANTHEM By Kevin O'Flynn, Staff Writer Wednesday, November 9, 2005. Issue 3291. Page 3. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/11/09/011.html An atheist activist is mounting a challenge in the Constitutional Court over the use of the word "God" in the national anthem, and he said Tuesday that he was hoping to draw attention to a blurring of the line between church and state. Alexander Nikonov, the head of the Moscow Atheistic Society, has lodged a complaint in the court about the fourth line of the second verse of the national anthem -- "The land of my birth protected by God" -- for the reason that it contravenes his constitutional rights. Nikonov and his supporters said at a news conference Tuesday that the lawsuit aimed to highlight how the Russian Orthodox Church was becoming a state religion in contravention of the Constitution, which says that the state and religion should be separate. Nikonov noted that an Orthodox church was being built in Interior Ministry facilities at the government's expense and that the new Nov. 4 holiday, People's Unity Day, falls on the same day as an Orthodox holiday. "There's a slavish feeling" among politicians and bureaucrats, said Mikhail Arutyunov, the president of the International Human Rights Assembly. "When they see [President Vladimir] Putin bowing before an icon, they believe there is no other way." To send the complaint to the Constitutional Court, Nikonov first had to be turned down by a local court. He did that by attempting to take Channel One television to a Moscow court for playing the national anthem -- with "the bad word beginning with G," as he called it -- every morning at 6. If the activists win, it will not be the first time that words have been removed from the anthem. The original anthem lyrics, written by Sergei Mikhalkov, the father of film director Nikita Mikhalkov, contained words of praise for Stalin excised from it in the 1950s. Putin brought back the Soviet national anthem five years ago, ditching a wordless piece of music by the 19th-century composer Mikhail Glinka that had been chosen after the Soviet collapse. Putin's version drastically revised the text of the Soviet-era version and added the word God (Moscow Times via Gerald T. Pollard, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Re: 5-193, - R. Tikhiy Okean (R. Station Pacific Ocean) Hi Bernd, Would seem you are correct. Nov 10, at 0912 note a strong open carrier on both 5960 and 7330. Both about the same strength. Waiting for sign-on (Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via DXLD) 5960 // 7330, Nov 10, *0935-1000*, usual Russian programming, 0950 talking about Vietnam, Vladivostok and the Univ. of Vietnam, 0958 ID and phone number, pop Russian song till sign-off. 5960 was the best and 7330 was fair-good (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, RX340 + T2FD antenna. ibid.) Today, November 10th, I heard test broadcast of Radiostantsiya Tikhiy Okean on 7330 kHz. SINPO 35333. Sign-on at 0935 (not 0930) with announcement "Govorit Vladivostok", then ID and ID "...Radiostantsiya Tikhiy Okean" Female talk in Russian followed. ID was also heard at 0943 & 0958. Sign-off at 1000 after Russian pops. The same program was also heard on 5960 with SINPO 44444 (Iwao Nagatani, Kobe, Japan, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. RHC really doing a job on REE English to NAm at 0000 on 6055: RHC is on 6060; also splash from 6050 [HCJB?] (Bob Thomas, CT, Nov 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. See DX-PEDITIONS below ** THAILAND. 6765 USB, Bangkok Meteorological R., Nov. 6 1548-1625, 44343, weather information in Thai and English (Kyoshiro ISHIZAKI, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** U K. BBCWS PROGRAMME PREVIEWS --- Play of the Week --- International Playwriting Competition 2005 Winners [Sats from Nov 5] The BBC World Service/British Council’s ninth biennial International Playwriting Competition attracted more than 800 entries, with ten entries shortlisted. The panel of judges decided on The Hard Way by Gino Dilorio and Straight Town by Desmond Ntshalintshali. The winners were flown to London in October to participate in the recording of their plays, both broadcast this month. International Radio Playwriting Competition 2005: Winner: English as a First Language [however, online listings show Nov 12 as an ESL, not EFL winner] The Hard Way by Gino Dilorio Producer / Rosalynd Ward In The Hard Way on Saturday 5 November, Mary lives in a root cellar on a farm in mid-west America, her outlet to the world barred by a locked grille. Her brother Ty breaks in horses for a living and when his friend Dwight goes to the farm for help with a difficult horse, he discovers Mary and begins to form a relationship with her. He learns she has been malformed from birth, brings her biscuits and opens his heart to her. But when Mary’s brother Ty is killed in an accident with a horse, Dwight returns to the farm, determined to steal the money he knows is buried there. He seems however, to have underestimated Mary. Straight Town by Desmond Ntshalintshali Producer: Anne Edyvean Zweli is a taxi driver in Johannesburg. He falls for Queen, a teenage schoolgirl, but only discovers she has AIDS after they sleep together in Straight Town on Saturday 12 November. Zweli is furious and as a result Queen tries to kill herself. But while the lovers fight it out, Zweli’s friend JaJa decides he wants to steal his identity and hires a hitman to kill his buddy. The plot is foiled and love conquers all in the end. Nuremburg by Richard Norton-Taylor Producer / David Hitchinson In 1945, at the end of World War Two, an international Tribunal was set up to try the perpetrators of the Holocaust. The Nazi regime was also accused of war crimes against the civilian population of those occupied countries, and, for the first time in history, individuals were put on trial for sending their people to war and ordering them to commit atrocities. Now sixty years on from the verdicts being given on the 22 defendants, Richard Norton-Taylor presents a reconstruction of some of the events in the trial in Nuremburg on Saturday 19 November. Using the original transcripts from the trial, actors recreate the roles of several infamous members of the Nazi regime, including Rudolf Hoess, who talks quite calmly about the efficient killing of millions in his concentration camp, Auschwitz. Nuremburg was compiled and edited by Richard Norton-Taylor. Exclude Me by Judith Johnson Ken has been sacked from his job as a teacher after hitting a disobedient pupil. On the day that Jessica, a privileged and overachieving white girl, and Wayne, a black boy from the wrong side of the tracks, collect their GCSE results, Ken points a gun at them and locks them away in a secluded detention room. In Exclude Me on Saturday 15 January the wayward child and the middle class girl suddenly become the mature voices of reason in the hostage situation, while the science teacher becomes the immature and petulant one because he can't get his way. Jessica still formally calls Ken 'Sir', while pointing out, in the politest possible way, the irrationality and futility of his actions. Wayne's sarcastic attitude is barely kept in check, despite Ken's various threats. Exclude Me premiered at London’s Chelsea Centre Theatre in 2003. This production was recorded on location by Jonquil Panting Play of the Week: 2 x 60 minute and 2 x 90 minute programmes Saturday 5, 12, 19 & 26 November, [European stream and webcast]: 1830, GMT Sun 0201 [American stream and webcast]: 2201, GMT Sun 0201 Listen online http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/index.shtml (BBC Press Office via Richard Cuff via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. JEFFREY N TRIMBLE NAMED ACTING PRESIDENT OF RFE/RL The US Broadcasting Board of Governors has appointed Jeffrey N Trimble as Acting President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), replacing Thomas A Dine who left on 31 October. Jeffrey Trimble joined RFE/RL in May 1997, first as Associate Director of Broadcasting, but soon thereafter was appointed Director of Broadcasting. From 2002 until this week, he has served as RFE/RL's Director of Policy and Strategic Planning. Before coming to RFE/RL, Trimble worked for 15 years at US News & World Report magazine in a variety of positions, including Assistant Managing Editor, Foreign Editor, and Moscow Bureau chief (from 1986 until 1991). As Mediterranean Bureau Chief, based in Rome, Italy (1983-1986), Trimble reported on developments in more than 20 countries in the Middle East and Africa, as well as the Mediterranean region. Earlier, he was a diplomatic correspondent in Washington (1983) and a regional correspondent in New York (1982-1983), where his duties included covering the United Nations. In accepting his new appointment, Trimble said "It is an honour to serve as Acting President of RFE/RL, and I look forward to supporting the work of RFE/RL's dedicated staff to promote freedom and democracy with information products that are balanced, accurate and comprehensive." # posted by Andy @ 15:13 Nov 9 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. VOA as heard on MW in India: See DX-PEDITIONS below ** U S A. Glenn: Still haven't got the 7385 antenna ready, but maybe by late tomorrow. Certainly before the weekend, providing there are no further complications. I can't wait! (Jeff White, WRMI, 2053 UT Nov 9, WORLD OF RADIO 1293, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Rod Hembree is all over the place but not everywhere he thinks. I normally avoid his over-produced over-confident proclamations of religiosity, but I happened to tune across 13570, WINB at 2248 UT Nov 10 when he was saying that an interview with George McClintock about the future SW was coming right up. OK, keep listening a while, after the dog barking. At this time he was also on WHRI 7490 and WBCQ 7415, none of three in parallel. Still no sign of George when the station on 13570 announced it was signing off and would be back on 9320 in a few minutes. No ID was given on 13570. So I tune to 9320, where Brother Scare is still going on WWRB, but Dave Frantz interrupts him to say they are about to move to 6890. Two carriers overlap for a while at 2258, and at 2300 WINB signs on, this time with an ID, and right into Hembree`s Good Friends Radio Network, claiming he is on 9740 WINB, 9330 WBCQ, and also 5110 WBCQ --- but even on the same outlet, WINB, the Radio Weather subprogram with the McClintock interview had vanished as some other GFRN show started. And of course, WINB is NOT on 9740 at this hour, and furthermore, someone else was on 9330 at this hour. Standard remark about believing what he says (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. In an email reply to a reception report, WTTM general manager Alka Agrawal informs that WTTM is no longer on 1680 kHz. Agrawal's reply: "We are no more broadcasting on the WTTM as it has relocated their tower. We are currently on WWTR 1170AM." (Hermod Pedersen, Malmö, Sweden, Hard-Core-DX via DXLD) New Jersey Still I am pretty sure I did log WTTM on 1680 on Oct 28 at 2250 -- as did others per various logs. The move most be a recent one (Hermod Pedersen, Malmö, Sweden, MWC via DXLD) WTTM is on 1680, they have not moved to 1170 and have no application or permit to do so. The only CP they have is to change their City of License from Princeton to Lindenwold. Princeton/Lindenwold are in Southern New Jersey in the Philadelphia area and WWTR on 1170 is in Northern New Jersey in the New York City area. I am going to make a guess that the reply you got refers to a specific program that was on WTTM but is no longer broadcast by them but is on WWTR-1170. If that isn't the answer - who knows? (Alan Merriman, USA, ibid.) WTTM 1680 stays. The programme company has moved its business to the station on 1170. WTTM is relocating its transmitter. Initial rumour were they would become an ESPN station but that's now in doubt (Barry Davies, UK, ibid.) WTTM is still on 1680. It has moved from Princeton to Lindenwold NJ (Dave Gardiner, WVCH 740/WNWR 1540, Philadelphia, HCDX via DXLD) Yes, WTTM as such is still on 1680 kHz. The Indian programming by EBC Radio has, for coverage reasons, felt a need to switch carrier/transmitter. Which all reminds me of the ancient web knowledge that one should not rely on Internet knowledge without some personal thinking. Yes, I did send my reception report to "EBC Radio" as the general view on lots of Internet source, and most DX sources, held that EBC was equivalent to WTTM. Common sense and personal experience should have made me remember that programming is one thing and transmitter another. Another relearned experience is never to rest on one`s laurels. While hearing EBC on WTTM on Oct 28, I didn't get the report off until Nov 9 -- all resulting in a non-QSL (Hermod Pedersen, Malmö, Sweden, Hard-Core-DX via DXLD) ** U S A. ESPN affiliates by frequency [in the files area of the dxld yahoogroup] (Mary Anne Sanford, ke7cgz, Nov 10, 2005, IRCA via DXLD) This info is likely to be quite perishable. It is to be used only for DX identification, not to facilitate listening to actual stupid sports talk shows or silly ballgames ;-\ --- gh You can check the latest by state at :- http://espnradio.espn.go.com/espnradio/affiliate?query=al (Barry Davies, UK, MWC via DXLD) ** VIETNAM [non]. 7380, Little Saigon R. via Taiwan, Nov 06 *1500- 1509, 34433, Vietnamese, 1500 sign on with IS, Opening music, Opening announce, Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. (cf. DXLD 5-193 of 09 Nov), Raúl Saavedra in Costa Rica and Miguel Romero in Spain, the Polisario Front dropped 7460 even before (some 2-3 days earlier) silencing 700 kHz (my last recorded observation was on 10 Oct last) again, to reactivate 1550 kHz, which is running at its normal schedule, with later (1 hour) sign-off on Friday morning. Manuel Méndez in Spain and Wolfgang Büschel in Germany now say they've got a new transmitter. I can't notice any difference in their steady, normal, strong, clean 1550 kHz signal, nor do I notice the Moroccan jammer Wolfgang says he logged while touring Southern Spain. Interesting to note how reception conditions can be so different in a small area (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1550 | ALGERIA | RASD Clandestine, Tindouf, NOV 7 2342 - North African music (similar to Berber stuff 1044 often plays); good, way over CBE/WDZK. [Connelly*rw-MA] + NOV 8 2212 - Arabic talk by man, synthesizer music segments; a lot weaker than at Rowley, but still dominating the channel. [Connelly*B- MA] [Connelly*B-MA] = Billerica, MA, USA (GC= 42.533 N / 71.221 W) (home) [Connelly*rw-MA] = Rowley, MA, USA (GC= 42.744 N / 70.830 W) (salt-marsh: Stackyard Road - Nelson Island, Parker River NWR) Receiver: Drake R8A; Antenna systems: Billerica: dual-feedline Flag: 5 m x 10.6 m to DX Engineering RPA-1 amplifier. Rowley: 3 m vertical whip to 81:1 transformer to RPA-1 amp; 60 m east-aimed horiz. wire to 9:1 transformer to RPA-1 amp; DXP-6 phasing unit (Mark Connelly, MA, HCDX via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. ZIMBABWEAN AUTHORITIES ACCUSED OF JAMMING PRIVATE RADIO STATION | Text of press release in English by Paris-based organization Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) on 10 November Reacting to the systematic interference of the Zimbabwean independent radio station Voice of the People (VOP) since 18 September, Reporters Without Borders voiced outrage today at a campaign to jam dissident radio broadcasts which the Zimbabwean authorities are clearly orchestrating with Chinese help. The press freedom organization pointed out that this "state sabotage" of VOP comes three years after it was the target of a still unsolved bombing in the heart of Harare. "Robert Mugabe's government has once again shown that its policy is to systematically gag all independent news media," Reporters Without Borders said. "The use of Chinese technology in a totally hypocritical and non-transparent fashion reveals the government's iron resolve to abolish freedom of opinion in Zimbabwe." The press freedom organization added: "We reiterate out belief that Zimbabwe's progressive submission to the dictatorship of a single view is being made possible by the incomprehensible failure of the great African democracies to take a stand against this behaviour by the Harare government." VOP beams a radio programme to Zimbabwe every evening from 7 to 8 p.m. (1800 to 1900 gmt [sic: it`s 1700-1800 UT --- gh]) on the 7120 kHz shortwave frequency using a relay station belonging to the Dutch public radio station Radio Netherlands on the island of Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean. "Our signal is no longer as clear as it is supposed to be," a VOP employee told Reporters Without Borders. "There is a funny noise and this is affecting our evening programme. We can say we are being jammed." The VOP staff suspect that the government is using sophisticated jamming equipment imported from China. This hour of VOP programming has offered the sole opportunity for Zimbabwean listeners to tune into to an alternative to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) ever since deliberate jamming of the London-based exile station SW Radio Africa began in February. SW Radio Africa is no longer able to broadcast on the short wave. Voice of the People was created in June 2000 by former ZBC employees with help from the Soros Foundation and a Dutch NGO, the HIVOS foundation. The police raided its studio in Harare on 4 July 2002 and took away equipment. It was then the target of a bombing on 29 August 2002 which wrecked the entire studio. It was nonetheless able to resume broadcasting. A frequently-used jamming technique is to broadcast a noise on the same frequency as the target signal using another radio station's transmitters. The power and location of these transmitters determine the area where the jamming is effective. According to the information obtained by Reporters Without Borders, VOP can now only be heard in the rural part of Matabeleleland [southwestern Zimbabwe], an area not covered by Zimbabwe's public radio station. This suggests that the noise jamming VOP's programmes is being broadcast by the Zimbabwean authorities using the public radio station. These illegal practices, which violate international regulations governing telecommunications, are one of the specialities of the Chinese government. Jamming is standard practice in China, especially the jamming of Tibetan radio stations and foreign radio stations beaming programmes to the west of the country. A Reporters Without Borders release described this policy as the "Great Wall of the airwaves." According to a source in Zimbabwe, a number of Chinese intelligence officers have been stationed in a luxury hotel in Harare since January. Chinese experts have been invited to give training in telecommunications and radio communications to Zimbabwean technicians under economic and technical cooperation accords signed between China and Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe's already significant relations with China have been stepped up even more as a result of its diplomatic isolation, which culminated in its departure from the Commonwealth in 2003. Ideological affinity and interest in its natural resources have prompted the Chinese to sign many political and trade accords. China has become the leading foreign investor in Zimbabwe. Their collaboration in the area of censorship may not be limited to radio broadcasts and could also extend to the pirating of web sites. Reporters Without Borders has previously voiced concern about the Zimbabwean government's acquisition of equipment that could be used to monitor internet traffic. But its expertise is almost certainly not up to using this kind of equipment, which suggests that it has subcontracted the implementation to its Chinese suppliers. Source: Reporters Sans Frontières press release, Paris, in English 10 Nov 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) Viz.: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/70378/ (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 1610 kHz UNID Tone and Thoughts Noted in Jacksonville [NC], on truck radio, at 1404-1420 (moving) and 1420-1428 (parked) [EST = 1904-1928 UT]. Signal varied in strength both while I was moving, and once parked. Level ranged from near excellent to absent. Should have checked the fade duration, but didn't. I got the impression that the "fading" was not real. That is, it seemed too rhythmic/smooth to be natural fading -- more like power being gradually/automatically increased and decreased over and over. Naturally, by the time I got home, 1530 ELT, it was off. I tried to plot a rough DF chart based on reported loggings and apparent bearings, but I'm not too certain, hi! Shorewood, IL: directly E/W, so it eventually crossed the other 3 paths - at points all in the northeast State College, PA: crossed Lilburn, GA, near Monterrey in Mexico Greenville, SC: crossed very close to the Lilburn, GA, reference point --- Brock - what are you up to? Hi!! Theories? All kinds. For the technical people out there, and in line with David Gleason's comments, "Could Kintronic have some kind of authorization to test the antennas at a higher power? . . . " Just a thought here on my part -- during 9/11 and the recent hurricanes, the biggest complaint has been the lack of reliable communications (planning and implementation close seconds). What IF you had a series of transmitters (relays, if you will) using specialized antennas ALL transmitting the same information (perhaps multi-channels with different info on the various channels) to other stations for rebroadcast? Any station could initiate traffic.Thus, even if some stations are disabled, the "message traffic" gets through. As an example - a station in San Francisco wants to send traffic to Washington, DC. Relays in Cheyenne, WY, and Omaha, NE, are off-line. One substitute path might be SF > Houston > State College, PA > Washington, DC. Again, via other relays between these points. Or, perhaps, SF > a site in ND > to Shorewood, IL > DC. My point - depending where each station is located, and how many stations there are, you could conceivably cover the United States with a series of sites, almost guaranteeing communications. Also, nothing says that the stations have to transmit on 1610 kHz. With modifications, the frequency may be above 1610, or down into the longwave range. How will the government know if the plan is workable? They may already know. I'm not a technical type, so my ideas may be full of QRM. Just my thoughts (Mike Hardester, NC, Nov 9, IRCA via DXLD) Coincidentally to this discussion, I got my Radio World today, and in it is an article about an engineer and ham who took a 250 watt Gates transmitter from the 60's and converted it to the 160 meter ham band at 1880 kHz. His first daytime contact at 250 watts was skywave from Terre Haute, IN, to NE Ohio. So, there is definitely real daytime skywave in that frequency range. Think what the 10 kw maximum might do! (David Gleason, ibid.) Glenn, I think I´m hearing your station on 1610 also here in Quito. This Thursday morning around 0930 UT a very weak signal with tones changing between silent and irregular tones. I´m never hearing anything from Northamerica below 1600 kHz. On 1600 a NA struggling with LA stations and just a few weak stations 1620 - 1700 with best signal on 1640 kHz (Bjorn Malm, Quito, Ecuador http://www.malm- ecuador.com Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ MT & PWBR The November '05 Monitoring Times arrived in yesterday's mail. Somewhat late; I usually get it in the last week of the month. Perhaps it was delayed a bit in order to get in the articles about Katrina that are featured. The frequency list is in a somewhat different layout and appearance, but I haven't checked to see how accurate it is with regard to B05 updates. Any comments on items needing pen-and-ink annotations there? But what really struck me was that, a few pages in, there is a full- page ad for the *2005* Passport to World Band Radio. Not the recently- printed 2006 edition, but the 2005 one, with that date in the text and the cover illustration being that of last year's 2005. I bet gh might have some comments regarding that if PWBR cannot even get the right ads published, what does that indicate about their printing the right frequencies? Nah, he wouldn't say that... :-) 73, (Will Martin, MO, Nov 9, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) FLORIDA LOW-POWER RADIO STATIONS Glenn: Could you publish my new alternate page address for anyone interested in bookmarking said at: http://www.geocities.com/geigertree/flortis.html for my FLORIDA LOW POWER RADIO STATIONS list? This is now parallel to the original http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html which has been sporadically inaccessible this week, due to the fault of Earthlink (homepage hosting site server issues). Thanks (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) New MediaScan and RSS After a brief sojourn as an external blog, MediaScan is back on these pages. As before, updates may be irregular, but you can subscribe to the RSS feed. After 55 years on the air, and then as an e-mail newsletter and a website, MediaScan/Sweden Calling Dxers lives on as a newsblog and RSS feed. The direct link to the new MediaScan site is: http://www.sr.se/cgi- bin/International/nyhetssidor/index.asp?nyheter=1&ProgramID=2408 With the exception of exceptional circumstances the mailing list will no longer be used. Subscribe to the RSS feed instead.The RSS feed is: http://www.sr.se/xml_news/rss/SRImediaScanRSS.xml (George Wood, Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ KULINA Glenn, in your DXLD bulletin 5-193, under the title "ECUADOR. NEW LANGUAGE ON HCJB", you published a dialogue between you and Tim Hendel about the Kulina language from Brazil. Some months ago, I found by chance in the Web an excelent site describing several native peoples of Brazil. The site is called "Enciclopédia dos Povos Indígenas" (http://www.socioambiental.org/pib/portugues/quonqua/cadapovo.shtm) and it is owned by Instituto Socioambiental, from Brazil. In this site, we can find a text by Domingos Bueno da Silva, who says that the pronunciation of the Kulina language varies markedly between men and women! The author wrote: "O estilo lingüístico feminino é marcadamente diferente do masculino: há oclusão de vogais, condensação de palavras inteiras, às vezes criando situações em que a simples tradução de um trecho de quatro ou cinco palavras torna-se tarefa complicada."[...] "Alguns dos poucos falantes brancos da língua Kulina por mim consultados sobre o canto feminino, [...] foram enfáticos em afirmar sua dificuldade de compreender, senão o significado, muitas vezes a própria palavra dita, reiterando a possibilidade da existência de um universo lingüístico feminino peculiar." The whole text about this peculiar language is at the following address: http://www.socioambiental.org/pib/english/portugues/epi/kulina/nome.sh tm 73 (Fernando de Sousa Ribeiro, Oporto, Portugal, -- http://community.webshots.com/user/f_s_ribeiro Nov 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ DXING ON BANKS OF RIVER GANGES - Jose Jacob, VU2JOS [radio countries in this report, cross-referenced above: AFGHANSITAN, BHUTAN, CHINA, INDIA, KASHMIR, NEPAL, PAKISTAN, SRI LANKA, USA [non]] From 14th to 22nd October 2005, I was in on the banks of the River Ganges at Neeldhara in the Hindu holy town of Haridwar in Uttaranchal State, North India. It is about 200 km north of New Delhi on the foothills of the Himalayas. Haridwar is famous for the Hindu festival ``Kumbh Mela`` which is conducted every 12 years in which lakhs of devotees visit here to take the ``Holy Bath``. I and three other Hams from National Institute of Amateur Radio were deputed to give Amateur Radio awareness to the Scouts and Guides during their 15th National Jamboree. It was inaugurated by His Excellency Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the President of India. We, along with about 30,000 participants from all over India and also from Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka were housed in tents. Our radio equipment was Icom 706 MKIIG, Yaesu FT 757 GXII and several other VHF/UHF walkie talkies and Base Stations. We put up Inverted V wire antennas for HF and Quarter Wave Ground Plane antennas for VHF. During my stay there, I used to monitor the Broadcast bands quite often. As this location was about 1700 km away from my usual monitoring location in Hyderabad, I found the MW, FM and the lower HF bands quite different but interesting. I could monitor the Radio Kashmir SW stations at Jammu, Leh and Srinagar pretty well and could update their schedules information as follows: Jammu (50 kW) 4830: 0025-0445 5965: 0630-0930 5965: Sun 0451-0500 4830: 1030-1100/1115/Sun 1741 4830: 1130(Sun 1030)-1741 Leh (10 kW) 4760: 0212-0430 6000: 0700(Sun 0630)-0930 4760: 1130(Sun 1030)-1630(Sat 1730) Srinagar (50 kW) 4950: 2245-0020 (During Ramadan period only) 4950: 0120-0215 6110: 0222-0505 6110: 0600-1115 4950: 1120-1736 These schedules vary slightly from other published schedules even appearing in the latest AIR website. Like the Radio Stations in Srinagar and Jammu, the station in Leh is indeed identifying as Radio Kashmir and not as All India Radio. The transmission starting at 1030 from Jammu is being called as a ``Special Broadcast`` with relay of the ``Pahadi`` program from Srinagar. Several programs for the Defence Forces were observed on Radio Kashmir stations. The other new relay stations from Kashmir heard were Kupwara 1350 kHz and Naushera 1089 kHz besides the old stations Jammu 990 kHz and Srinagar 1116 kHz. Of course I could monitor several low power and other AIR stations on MW from North India that I don’t usually pick up at my normal location. Radio Sadaye Kashmir program from AIR Delhi was heard quite well there as follows: 0230-0330 6100 0730-0830 9890 1430-1530 6100 From neighboring Pakistan, the following SW frequencies stations were noted although unlisted in WRTH /PTWBR and other sources 5018 (0055) (Quetta drifting from 5025/5027?) 5925.5v (0200, 1100): News & Current Affairs parallel to 1152 kHz. This is Rawalpindi beaming to Kashmir as per info from Mr. Noel Green, UK 6065 (0430, 0610) with Rawalpindi identification (Listed in PTWBR as Islamabad) 5027variable Quetta and 5080 Islamabad listed in WRTH 2005 were also noted but not 4955 5050 6225 7105 7225 7320 etc. 7395 (from 0600 to around 1110) My monitoring observations were just after the major earthquake in Pakistan/India and so lot of coverage was there of that tragic event. Well known DXer from UK Mr. Noel Green who has the official schedule of Radio Pakistan HS on SW says that the transmissions that I monitored on 5018, 5925.5v and 6065 are unlisted in their official A- 2005 schedules and might be special transmissions due to the earthquake. 7395 is listed in it as Islamabad 100 kW API-2. A Pakistani MW station unlisted in WRTH 2005 or even in the latest Radio Pakistan web site was noted on 1332 kHz may be a new station. There was no sign of any Azad Kashmir Station in Muzaffarabad on 792 kHz but their Mirpur station was heard on 936 kHz. The Voice of Jammu & Kashmir Freedom, Pakistan was heard as follows very strong but the carrier and audio was very rough. 0230-0400 5990 0745-0845 7230 1300-1400 5102 Azad Kashmir Radio, Tarakhal program from Pakistan was noted as follows: 4790 : 2327-2357, 0040, 0430 etc. and during evening and night 7265 : 0855 to past 1030 They were often relaying Radio Pakistan and also had prayers etc. due to the Ramadan fasting season but nothing was noted on 7145 listed in WRTH 2005. As it was at the end of the A-2005 broadcasting period that my observations took place, maybe some of the SW frequencies from Pakistan that I monitored has changed now that the B-2005 period has come into effect. On the MW of interest was a station from Afghanistan heard many times on the low power channel of 1602 kHz at sunrise and sunset, 8.00 pm local time etc. often parallel to Radio Afghanistan on 1107 kHz. They are playing lot of Hindi Film music and at first I mistook them for some AIR station. The VOA Medium Wave station in Afghanistan on 1296 kHz was also heard at excellent level with various programs at dark. The VOA ``Aap ki Duniya`` programs in Urdu were heard well on 972 kHz from 1400 as well as the VOA station in Kuwait was in English on 1593 kHz at around 2300. The neighboring station Radio Nepal was heard on 576 648 792 810 and 5005 from sign on at 2315 but not on the listed 1143 kHz. WRTH 2005 and others lists sign on at 2345. Bhutan Broadcasting Service was noted at fair level on 6035 kHz during day time. TWR from Armenia was noted with Tuning Signal on 864 kHz at 1605 while their counter part from Sri Lanka was heard at fair level on 882 kHz. Chinese stations were every where like 4905, 4920, 4820, 4800, 4910, 4920, 5240, 5935,6080 (2 transmitters?), 6110, 6130, 6125, 6250 etc. and also blocking the 500 kW AIR Station at Chinsurah on 1134 kHz at night. SLBC Sri Lanka was heard well on 11905 15745 but not on 9745. On the FM Band all the 6 stations from New Delhi (91.0, 93.5, 98.3, 102.6, 105.6, 106.4 MHz) about 200 km away were heard often. The AIR Relay station at Mussorie which is only 87 km away was heard at excellent level on 102.1 MHz always. They have live sign on announcements at 5.55 am local time and then relay AIR FM Rainbow programs continuously till 11.05 pm local time. The nearest AIR station was from Najibabad which was booming in from 50 km away on 954 with 100 kW. One day I visited the station’s studios and transmitter. In our tents, the weather was very warm at noon but cold at night compared to our Hyderabad weather. Haridwar is full of temples and we visited several of them. Two of them are on hilltops and it was interesting to ride on the ropeway to those hills. While my Hindu colleagues collected the ``Holy`` Ganga water to be taken home to be distributed among friends and relatives, I collected some nice round stones from the river and river banks. On the way to Haridwar I and Mr. Alokesh Gupta had an interesting visit to AIR Spectrum Management Division at their HQ and the New Broadcasting House. On our return Mr. Alokesh Gupta, Mr. C. K. Raman, VU3DJQ, Mr. Ray, VU3ORN and I, all members of DX India, visited the AIR Transmitting Station at Khampur which has 7 x 250 kW SW transmitters used mainly for the External Services. Note: All frequencies listed are in kHz and times in UTC, unless mentioned otherwise. WRTH = World Radio TV Handbook PTWBR = Passport to World Band Radio 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India; Tel: 91-40-5516 7388; Telefax: 91-40-2331 0287; EchoLink: Node No. 133507; VU2NRO http://www.niar.org (dx_india via DXLD) DX-PEDITION TO KONGSFJORD, NORWAY The weekly media magazine "Kurer" which is heard on NRK home service once a week made a brief visit to the Kongsfjord DX-Pedition site in October. At this place in northern Norway all continents can be heard. In October New Zealand was logged and verified for the first time in Europe. The reporter talked to Norwegian top-DXers Bjarne Mjelde, Jan Alvestad, Ole Forr and Tore B. Vik, who devote much of their spare time to "fishing and hunting" on the MW band. Pictures and text [in Norwegian!] at http://www.nrk.no/programmer/radio/kurer/5206765.html (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Where`s the beef? Media reporter trying to understand DX-peditioning The following review was written originally in Spanish. In it I am trying to catch the impression of incredulity that pervaded the whole program. The female reporter tried hard to understand what lies behind trying to catch noisy signals from afar in our era of internet and mp3. ----------------- "A escuchar ruidos es a lo que se dedican estos muchachos", comenta entre incrédula y sorprendida la reportera-presentadora del programa "Kurer" de Radio Noruega. En el extremo norte de Noruega se dan cita algunos aficionados a la onda media, liderados de Bjarne Mjelde, quien vive en la zona. Los visitantes en esta ocasión, venidos todos del otro extremo del país, son Jan Alvestad, Tore B. Vik y Ole Forr. Desde la capital vino a informar sobre el evento una reportera de un programa de medios de comunicación de la radio estatal, NRK. La caza y captura de emisoras lejanas, muchas veces en la madrugada, no le acaba de convencer a la presentadora, aunque reconoce que el hobby tiene cierto parecido con otros oficios generalmente masculinos como son la caza y la pesca, pues el DX se atrapa "a punta de hilos largos, extendidos a la intemperie, alguno de hasta 600 metros de largo". Hacia el final del programa y un tanto cansada de los ruidos - ¿puede tener algo de bello el ruido? se pregunta - la reportera cambió el enfoque del DX a la propaganda radial política, tema que le debió de parecer más interesante de cara el público en general, pues esta expedición al frío del ártico le parecía "cosa de locos". Durante la guerra, el gobierno noruego se estableció en Londres, de manera que las emisiones en noruego desde Inglaterra se convirtieron en sintonía obligada para los habitantes de la Noruega ocupada por los nazis. La expedición DXista a Kongsfjord terminó el 13 de octubre. A los pocos días los expedicionarios le enviaron un correo a la reportera y presentadora del programa para decirle que esta expedición había colmado sus máximas aspiraciones, ya que durante la misma habían logrado escuchar Nueva Zelanda en onda media, consiguiendo también recibir la confirmación consiguiente. En el programa, disponible en real audio, se intercalan algunas grabaciones: JOIK, de Sapporo, Japón, KSDP, en Alaska, y una emisora cubana sin identificar que anuncia una canción de Pablo Milanés. La página web muestra la casa en donde se reúnen los DXistas y también hay fotos de algunos de los participantes y sus equipos, en http://www.nrk.no/programmer/radio/kurer/5206765.html (Henrik Klemetz, Suecia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) He podido escuchar el Kurer - Program 9 - 05.11.05 con una ambientación excelente --- pero es una pena que el idioma noruego sea tan atractivo como indescifrable. En el reportaje se alcanza a escuchar la respuesta de uno de los colegas a la pregunta de la reportera ¿Cuáles emisoras son las favoritas?, se escucha claramente la palabra Latinoamérica. Más tarde hay referencias a Perú y Bolivia. También se distingue con cierta claridad la identificación --- como sonido de fondo --- de la Radio Puerto Cabello (1290 kHz) de Venezuela. Radio Free Europe y Radio Liberty y hasta BBC forman parte del relato, lo que indica un abarcamiento amplio sobre la temática desarrollada. Entre ruidos de puertas que se abren, vasos y platos en la mesa, sonidos radiales, frecuentes carcajadas y hasta el canto de pájaros en el exterior (¿Albatros?) transcurre esta entrevista que, si algo le falta para ser imperdible, es una bendita traducción al español que se torna necesaria y desesperante mientras los colegas noruegos charlan, ríen y ejemplifican con la enviada del programa "Kurier". Aprenderíamos mucho si algún colega pudiera traducir aunque sea parte de esta joya radiofónica. Me enorgullece saber que todavía se hagan producciones del tipo radiodocumental sobre el DX. ¡Felicitaciones a los colegas noruegos y a la NRK por la idea! Gracias Henrik y Dario. Cordiales saludos de (Rubén G. Margenet, Argentina, playdx via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ CHEAPY DIGITAL SW RADIO THAT ACTUALLY WORKS I'm a sucker for these extremely-low-end cheapy SW radios, and usually get what I pay for, which is next to no performance, swamping of the SW bands with FM-locals' images or squawks, inaccurate readouts on the digitals or impossible indications on the analogs, etc. Well, I bit again, and this time I'm actually rather impressed with what I got for $13. Noticed this Electro Brand 859 AM/FM/SW digital-readout radio in the Sportsman's Guide catalog for $12.97 club-member price, and since I was ordering other stuff anyway, added one to the order. Here's a link to a page that pictures it: http://electrobrand.com/aebportablecassettesandradios859.htm Comes blister-packed with a decent set of earbud headphones and a weird little pouch to carry it in (is there some Oriental fetish for putting electronics in strange little bags? :-). It actually seems to pick up a reasonable assortment of major broadcasters (BBC, RCI, RN, the US gospel huxters) on the correctly-indicated frequencies, especially in the US evenings. I did get WBCQ on 7415 kHz, but it won't tune their new 18910 kHz channel. What astounds me about this one is that it differs from just about all the others I've tried in that extending the whip antenna actually improves SW reception, and does not swamp the radio with FM squawks the way the Coby digital or the Bell+Howell analog do. On those, you have to keep the antenna retracted and even minimally unfolded from the case. This one works like you expect an SW radio to behave. There are only 4 digits on the display, so "9755 kHz" displays as "9.75 MHz" or "9.76", for example. But the tuning knob works smoothly enough that you can tweak in the signal OK. And it is stable enough that you can sit it down and listen without having to hold it or constantly retune. It even has a backstand, though it sits OK upright even with the whip fully extended. As I type this, I've been listening to RCI in French on 17835 kHz, with it reading "17.84" and stable enough to enjoy the music. Decent sound for a tiny speaker, too. Works fine on FM (no stereo) but AM MW has barn-door-wide selectivity. You get the locals many kHz on either side of their real frequency. At night, it does pick up enough distant signals that it can bring in something to listen to, like CHWO on 740 kHz and other stations distant from me here in St. Louis, MO. The instruction sheet that comes with it has some amusing text. What do we now call this "English rendered by a Chinese"? When electronics came from Japan, we said "Japlish", but there are different Chinese languages so "Chilish" doesn't seem quite right. For example: "You can use the soft antenna, one end is stuck to the antenna, the other end is put outside the window, it will improve SW and FM receiving effect." (Note that the radio does NOT come with any extra wire antenna, so "the soft antenna" must be supplied by you. Sounds vaguely erotic...) It has a separate power switch, not part of the volume control. Clock and alarm function. When you turn on the radio, it defaults to FM, so using it as a clock radio wake-up alarm requires you to tune it to a local FM before switching off, unless you want off-tuned FM signals or interstation hiss as your alarm sound. Certainly far better than the Coby digital, which I got at Big Lots for $7. This being twice as expensive, I guess you *do* get what you pay for... :-) A pretty decent toy, I think. This is the first of the really cheap SW radios I'd actually recommend as a stocking-stuffer or other gift to an SW newbie. It won't disappoint or turn them against SW by terrible performance the way the other low-end ones will. (Assuming sample-to- sample variation doesn't give them a lemon, of course. You never know if a blister-packed item will work when the recipient gets it as a gift. You can't open it and test it out first the way you can check out something in a box.) 73, (Will Martin, St Louis MO, Nov 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Looks a lot like the jWin JX-M14 portable radio! I bought my JX-M14 after reading the following review on the RadioIntel website: http://www.radiointel.com/review-jwinjxm14.htm You're right - it's not a Drake R-8B or a Hammarlund HQ-180AC, but for a shirt-pocket radio, it's a pretty good performer. 73 and GREAT DX! (Stephen Ponder, N5WBI, Houston TX USA, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) Looks just like the Jwin JX-MX14, which got a reasonably favorable review at epinions: http://www.epinions.com/content_177490267780 Makes sense to buy one of these if you're already ordering something else from the same establishment, when they don't charge per item for shipping. (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SWBC HARMONICS ON VHF FROM ASIA TO AUSTRALIA Hi All, 30520, 0838z, 2 x 15260, Poor with Home Service from New Delhi, only heard audio briefly, but at least it is still propagating; 15260 was 5 x 4, and in the clear. Also heard a good Het on 30720, 0841, H2 [2 x 15360] BBCWS Singapore, no audio, but pleased even to hear the het! Heard both on November 7 2005. Also on November 1 2005 heard on 30850 an unID station, at 0249z H2 or maybe H5, but most likely H2; the only station heard on 15425 was English to North America from the V. of Russia. VOR IS at 0259z, poor with QRN S5, most likely to be Sri Lanka I think. Needs more checking. Details on SLBC, to South Asia, R Sri Lanka 30 kW on 15425; hoping it`s this (David Vitek, Adelaide South Australia Icom R75 G5RV, harmonics yg via DXLD) David, Great to see some VHF harmonics still working! What you are hearing are carriers. You have a het only when there are two carriers beating against each other on slightly different frequencies, producing an audible tone, the definition of a heterodyne. And I guess the `QRN` on 30850 means QRM, if a broadcast from Sri Lanka may be the source. Is SLBC still active on 15425? I think they left that years ago, later on 15747v (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###