DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-199, November 19, 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 Latest edition of this schedule version, with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1294: 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] 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 1400 WOR WRMI 7385 [NOT 1500 as assumed] Sun 1830 WOR WRN1 to North America [including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 140] Sun 2000 WOR RNI Sun 2230 WOR WRMI 7385 [NEW; temporary] 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 WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org [from early UT Thursday] WORLD OF RADIO 1294 (high version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1294h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1294h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1294 (low version): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1294.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1294.rm (summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1294.html [not yet] WORLD OF RADIO 1294 downloads in studio-quality mp3: (high) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1294h.mp3 (low) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1294.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO PODCAST: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml (currently: 1288, Extra 61, 1289, Extra 62, 1290, 1291, 1292, 1293, soon 1294) DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location. Here`s where to sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** ANTARCTICA. ANTÁRTIDA, 15476, LRA 36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, 1938-2101, 18-11, programa de canciones en español, identificación por locutor: "Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Esperanza, sector antártico argentino". Cierre a las 2101. 24222 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. NACE LA RADIO DE LAS MADRES DE PLAZA DE MAYO El próximo 24 DE NOVIEMBRE transmitirá por primera vez la Radio de las Madres, emitiendo en directo el discurso que cierra la marcha de cada jueves en Plaza de Mayo desde hace 28 años. Luego habrá un recital con Teresa Parodi y Víctor Heredia entre otros artistas. Gacetilla de prensa. NACE LA RADIO DE LAS MADRES La Voz de la Locura de Ushuaia a la Quiaca Las Madres de Plaza de Mayo siguen pariendo sueños Te convocamos muy especialmente a la primera transmisión de la Radio de las Madres. El próximo 24 de noviembre transmitirá por primera vez la Radio de las Madres, emitiendo en directo el discurso que cierra la marcha de cada jueves desde hace 28 años. En AM 530, "la primera de la izquierda", con 24 horas de programación para todo el país. Luego habrá un recital con la presencia de Teresa Parodi y Víctor Heredia entre otros artistas solidarios que se acercarán a compartir esta alegría. La voz de los que sueñan. La voz de los que luchan. La voz de los que resisten. La voz de la rebeldía. La voz de los desocupados. La voz de las mujeres. La voz de los pibes. Las voces que el poder no quiere escuchar. La Voz de la Locura. Radio de las Madres. AM 530 kHz. Asociación Madres de Plaza de Mayo. Contacto de Prensa: (011) 4384-0998 prensa@... [truncated by yg] Fuente: (Madres de Plaza de Mayo (Argentina) via CLAUDIO MORALES, condig list via DXLD) Pirate, I assume (gh, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 2540, 13/11 0206, R Provincia de Buenos Aires, La Plata, SS Fútbol, Harmónico (2 x 1270) 34333 (Ilha Comprida DX Camp, SP, Brasil via Samuel Cássio, radioescutas via Samuel Bedene, condiglist via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Re 5-198: Excuse me Glenn, the time when I logged 11133.00 kHz La Red, Buenos Aires (Argentina) was 0200 UT. The signal was there also the morning after early but very, very weak. I will put the recording on my web site. 73s (Björn Malm, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11133, 14/11 0312, "La Red" em SSB Talks about futebol, Boca Juniors, LSB, provável link da programação de MW 910 kHz (Ilha Comprida DX Camp, SP, Brasil via Samuel Cássio, radioescutas via Samuel Bedene, condiglist via DXLD) ** ASCENSION. Among lots of much more distant MW DX: 1485, 12/11 0405 ASC BBC, YL, journal style, 33233 1485, 13/11 2148 ASC BBC, inglês, fraco 1485, 13/11 2145 ASC BBC, EE (Ilha Comprida DX Camp, SP, Brasil via Samuel Cássio, radioescutas via Samuel Bedene, condiglist via DXLD) ** BARBADOS. LONG-HAUL TRANS-EQUATORIAL PIPELINE TO SOUTHERN BRASIL: 92,9 11/11 2334 BRB VoB, 53343 92,9 12/11 0026 BRB VoB, YL, rap mx, strong 44444 92,9 12/11 0034 BRB VoB, 55555 92,9 12/11 0128 BRB VoB, TEP remains fr CBC, Hott, Liberty. 92,9 12/11 0150 BRB VoB, until 0220 end TEP 92,9 13/11 0001 BRB VoB, jogo, "across the area of Trinidad", 43344 92,9 14/11 0037 BRB VoB, mx coral, conflito Eldorado, sem CBC, Liberty; Hott weak 92.9 13/11 0007 BRB Voice of Barbados, Bridgetown EE 94.7 13/11 0008 BRB CBC, Bridgetown, EE 94,7 11/11 2335 BRB CBC, 54344 94,7 11/11 2358 BRB CBC, conflito com Antena 1 94,7 12/11 0032 BRB CBC, retorn strong 44454 94,7 12/11 0014 BRB CBC, "score", abt Trinidad, 55555 94,7 14/11 0046 BRB CBC, start 95,3 13/11 0015 BRB Hott, rap, 54444 95,3 13/11 0220 BRB Hott, 55545 (+ CBC, Liberty) 95,3 14/11 0046 BRB Hott, mx rap, ID "FM 95.3", 55555 95,3 14/11 0104 BRB Hott, bem fraco, (CBC e VoB out, Liberty forte) 96,9 13/11 0026 BRB Mix FM, 53333 (with CBN + rlg) 96.9 13/11 0025 BRB Mix FM, Bridgetown, EE 98,1 11/11 2340 BRB Liberty, 32322 98.1 13/11 0030 BRB R. Liberty, Bridgetown, EE 98,1 12/11 0035 BRB Liberty, reggae mx, 45454 98,1 13/11 0017 BRB Liberty, 54444 98,1 14/11 0107 BRB Liberty out, end TEP (Ilha Comprida DX Camp, SP, Brasil via Samuel Cássio, radioescutas via Samuel Bedene, condiglist via DXLD) No other Caribbean logs were in this report (gh) ** BELARUS. BIELORUSIA, 7125, Radio Belarus, 2030-2045, 18-11, programa en inglés, identificación: "This is Radio Belarus". "You are listening to Radio Belarus". Locutor, noticias de Bielorusia. 44444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 2220, 13/11 2124, R Clube Ubiratã Paraná, esportes (harmónico 2 x 1110) (Ilha Comprida DX Camp, SP, Brasil via Samuel Cássio, radioescutas via Samuel Bedene, condiglist via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 5910, Marfil Estereo, 0715-0837, 19-11, canciones en español, canciones colombianas, identificación por locutor: "Marfil Estéreo", "Marfil Estéreo 88.8". 24322. Esta emisora se escuchaba antes con mucha fuerza por aquí, normalmente con SINPO 34333 y 44444, pero desde que anduvieron ajustando las antenas de Marfil Estéreo y La Voz de tu Conciencia, para reducir la interferencia de esta última a Radio Mil, en 6010, ahora Marfil Estéreo se escucha mucho más débil. No entiendo por qué los ajustes en 5910, cuando ahí no se causaba ninguna interferencia. 6139.8, Radio Líder, 2227-2325, 18-11, Noticias de Colombia, identificación: Radio Líder, otra potente emisora de la cadena Melodía de Colombia". "En Radio Líder, con la información de todas las partes del mundo, Radio Líder, Líder en información". Locutor. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. LA PAREJA CUBANA DE LA ONDA CORTA --- Diálogo con un matrimonio dos veces enamorado --- jueves, 17 de noviembre de 2005 http://www.jrebelde.cubaweb.cu/2005/octubre-diciembre/nov-17/lapareja.html por Luis Hernández Serrano --- ``Estar enamorado es...``, así reza un poema ya célebre que anda también en los pentagramas. Pero no vamos a entrar en definiciones amorosas, sino a conversar sobre un matrimonio enamorado dos veces: entre ellos y --- los dos del Diexismo. Diexismo es el nombre convencional dado a la acción de escuchar y trabajar con la onda corta en todo el mundo. Y el locutor Manolo de la Rosa y su esposa, Malena Negrín, ambos de Radio Habana Cuba, llevan muchos años en los caminos de esa apasionante aventura. Ya cumplieron más de dos décadas en el programa En contacto, de la citada emisora internacional, que se transmite los domingos para los amigos diexistas de distintas latitudes que escuchan la voz y el mensaje de nuestra Patria. Además hay, en vivo, otros espacios de onda corta en Radio Habana, y Manolo, en unión, por ejemplo, de la colega Bárbara Betancourt, participa en la realización y salida al aire de Despertar con Cuba, otro programa diexista hecho en el patio para oyentes de lejanas fronteras. ``Nosotros trabajamos y nos desarrollamos como locutores de la onda corta en la capital de la antigua Unión Soviética, durante 20 años, en el programa Radio Moscú Internacional, que siempre se transmitió en 70 idiomas. Te imaginarás cuántos amigos hicimos en ese tiempo``, explica Manolo. ``El oyente de onda corta se da la mano a distancia con los locutores: se aprende de memoria sus voces, les escribe, intercambia fotos, los llama por teléfono y ahora, por supuesto, le envía correos electrónicos. El Diexismo es como un puente de oro de la amistad y el intercambio cultural``, asegura Malena. EMISORAS FAMOSAS Manolo y Malena poseen un radio digital que capta las emisoras internacionales de todo el orbe en cuestión de segundos. ``Sí --- afirman nuestros entrevistados --- es un Grundig, una herramienta de trabajo muy rápida y segura. Se escucha claro y alto, como si conversáramos con un amigo en nuestro apartamento``. Le preguntamos a ella cuáles han sido las más famosas emisoras de onda corta del planeta y nos responde: ``La lista sería muy larga, pero sobresalen Radio Moscú, de Rusia; Radio Nederland, de Holanda; La VOA, de Estados Unidos; la BBC de Londres, Inglaterra; Radio Canadá Internacional, Radio Francia Internacional, Radio Exterior de España y la Deutchwelle, de Alemania``. Manolo y Malena figuran entre los diexistas cubanos más duchos. ``He participado en diferentes encuentros internacionales de aficionados y profesionales del Diexismo --- cuenta Manolo --- pero donde mejor me he sentido ha sido en el Encuentro de Radioescuchas y diexistas mexicanos, que se realiza anualmente. Participé en el noveno, que se realizó en Hidalgo, en la ciudad de Tizayuca``. DISTANCIA DESCONOCIDA ``Diexismo es un nombre derivado de las siglas DX, las cuales significan Distancia Desconocida. Para practicarlo bastan tres requisitos: poseer un radiorreceptor; sentir satisfacción por escuchar emisoras lejanas y aprender los recursos establecidos``, dice Manolo. ``Esta práctica tiene sus más profundas raíces en la constante necesidad humana de intercomunicación, determinada por el poder de la amistad, sentimiento que no reconoce límites, nacionalidades, edades, creencias, sexos ni distancias``, argumenta Malena. Los dos ponen énfasis en que la radiodifusión es un vehículo idóneo para expresarse y en el hecho de que el auge incesante del Diexismo marcha en armonía con los avances de la electrónica. ``Actualmente un diexista --- dice Malena --- ya no se siente como un aficionado aislado en un rinconcito desconocido del planeta, sino como parte integrante de la gran familia internacional de diexistas, solidaria en la afición y en la buena voluntad de ser útil``. ``El diexista es una persona que ha aprendido a sacar el máximo de provecho a la práctica de escuchar por su radiorreceptor programas de emisoras de otros países y que, además, se ha capacitado para valorar la calidad artística y técnica de sus transmisiones``, reflexiona Manolo. ``Ellos remiten informes de recepción a las emisoras internacionales --- continúa --- que constituyen una valiosísima ayuda para estas. Cada emisora internacional tiene su propio programa de Diexismo cuidadosamente organizado, siempre conducido por locutores especializados``. Malena asegura que esas emisoras dedican una esmerada atención a mantener contacto directo y activo con sus radioyentes, respondiendo sin falta a los informes de estos en cartas acompañadas por tarjetas de verificación, que en lenguaje de Diexismo se denominan QSL. Para los amantes de este quehacer radial, la colección de dichas tarjetas y de los diversos recuerdos que recibe de otros países, representa un importante factor de estímulo, porque en estas no solo se refleja su esfuerzo, sino que también se encierra un sencillo, pero cálido mensaje de amistad. Noticia enviada por Alvin Miraval en Onda Corta PR (via José Miguel Romero R., Spain, DXLD) I must again object to the assertion that DX stands for distance - unknown. In fact, the distance is always known, or knowable, except in the case of unIDs! This is not mathematical notation. This fanciful idea keeps spreading, especially in the Spanish-speaking world, but I think DX arose simply as Morse code shorthand for ``distant`` or ``distance``, the X replacing the rest of the word, just as in NX for news, WX for weather, etc. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. MARIADA BOURGIN; BEGAN ANTI-CASTRO RADIO Friday, November 18, 2005; B06 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/17/AR2005111701922_pf.html Mariada C. Bourgin, 92, who organized a Washington-based radio network to be beamed into Cuba in the 1960s, died Nov. 10 at the Washington Home nursing facility in the District. She had Alzheimer's disease. Mrs. Bourgin lived in Havana from 1946 to 1961 as the wife of an American businessman. She was assistant to the headmaster of the Ruston Academy, a private school that conducted classes in English and Spanish. She was in charge of admissions, administration and teacher-student relations. A gregarious woman fluent in Spanish, she cultivated a wide circle of friends, particularly among diplomats, journalists, the Cuban intelligentsia and opponents of Fidel Castro, who seized control of the country in 1959. After leaving Cuba early in 1961, Mrs. Bourgin was asked by CIA officials to use her contacts to launch a broadcasting service called Free Radio Cuba that would reach Cuban citizens on the island. As executive secretary of the service, she trained and supervised a staff of 17 Cuban emigrés who broadcast a variety of news, commentary and musical programs. The radio service was run openly from a studio on H Street NW and broadcast primarily late at night over powerful radio stations in Florida and New Orleans. According to an article published in the Chicago Daily News in 1966, Free Cuba Radio had 65 hours of programming a week, "designed to offset the propaganda barrage that Cubans receive from their own government-controlled radio and television stations." In 1969, when the funding source of the broadcast service was revealed to be the CIA, Free Cuba Radio was forced off the air. In addition to her work at the radio studio, Mrs. Bourgin also ran an outreach program that publicized its mission to colleges, the Organization of American States and other groups interested in Cuban affairs. After Free Cuba Radio, Mrs. Bourgin became special assistant to the assistant secretary of state for education and cultural affairs. She was in charge of the department's programs for minorities and women, seeking to increase their participation in international cultural exchanges. She conducted meetings at colleges and with Indian tribal leaders, and established an exchange program between U.S. Indian reservations and Mexico's National Museum of Anthropology. She retired in the early 1970s. Mrs. Bourgin was born in Woodlands, W.Va., and attended the University of Richmond. For many years, she was at the center of a circle of Cuban exiles and others in Washington with an interest in the nation. Her marriage to Walter E. Arensberg ended in divorce. Survivors include her husband of 34 years, Simon Bourgin of Washington; two children from her first marriage, Ann Arensberg of Salisbury, Conn., and Walter W. Arensberg of Washington; and two grandchildren. 2005 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) This obit never gives her birth/maiden name! I wonder if her kids have matronymics/segundos apellidos giving that away (gh, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 3279.6, La Voz del Napo, 0645-0740, 19-11, locutor y locutora, comentarios y canciones religiosas, identificación: "Gracias a todos ustedes, queridos hermanos, por escuchar Radio María". 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [and non]. 13799.1 on Nov 19 at 1800- UT, R Ethiopia HS // 9704.2 kHz. Very low modulation (Mauno Ritola, Finland, DXplorer Nov 19 via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) It`s very strange; VoA Amharic service broadcasting on 13800 at same: 7245 1800-1900 Iranawila 250 kW 279 deg 11690 1800-1900 Kavalla 250 172 13800 1800-1900 Iranawila 250 275 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) To jam VOA? (gh, DXLD) ** EUROPE. Hi Glenn, I thought I'd drop you a note to say that I discovered, to my surprise, that WOR was broadcast on a pirate station, Mystery R., on 6220 kHz. (I don't know if you are aware of this.) I caught just the final moments of the program, at 1831 UT (12 Nov [Sat]), during the recent Newfoundland Dxpedition. With best wishes, (Jean Burnell, Halifax NS, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jean, Tnx, good to know. I had a previous report of WOR on Tuesday at 1500, I think it was. I don`t suppose the times can be relied upon. 73, (Glenn to Jean, via DXLD) ** GUAM [and non]. AWR Wavescan --- This just in for my club column: The following message received recently on answering my question addressed to radio @ awr.org ``Thanks so much, Tony for your concern. We will be starting our Wavescan on January next year. This is to give us more time to deal with some other things and preparation. We hope you can be of help in that part of the world, too! Rhoen Catolico Wavescan Coördinator AWR Asia/Pacific Region 798 Thomson Road SINGAPORE 298186`` (Tony Ashar, Indonesia, World DX Club via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** HONDURAS. 4819.2, HRVC La Voz Evangélica, Tegucigalpa, 0707-0735, 19-11, comentarios y canciones religiosas, identificación a las 0728: "Está transmitiendo HRVC, La Voz Evangélica de Honduras, la radio que evangeliza". 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND. Does anyone have a B-05 schedule? (Erik Køie, Denmark, Nov 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checking their website yields the following: http://www.ruv.is/main/view.jsp?branch=2595740 (obviously, "Stuttbylgja" means shortwave in Icelandic) Til Evrópu: (for Europe:) Kl. 1215-1300 UTC 13865 kHz (125 ) Kl. 1755-1825 UTC 12115 kHz (125 ) Til Bandaríkjanna: (for North America) Kl. 1410-1440 UTC 13865 kHz (251 ) Kl. 1835-1905 UTC 13865 kHz (251 ) Kl. 2300-2335 UTC 12115 kHz (251 ) But there is no date given, so we don't know whether this is actually B05. Try it out! 73, (Eike Bierwirth, 04317 Leipzig, DL, ibid.) Dear Eike in Leipzig - Thanks a lot. They seem to be A05 frequencies, but I shall be checking the 1215 UT transmission in 1 hour. 73, (Erik Köie, Kopenhagen, ibid.) Iceland was heard opening at 1210 on 13865 kHz. Here at 1755 I cannot find them. 73, (Erik Køie, ibid.) Iceland 12115 kHz was on air, but late, started around 1800 ... 1801 UT on 12115 -- in USB mode?? Side band splash, 1755-1800 UT QRM by VoA Juelich 12110 in Persian. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Yes, reduced carrier -6 db (Roberto Scaglione, http://www.bclnews.it ibid.) ** INDIA. AIR 10330 --- Gentlemen: That one from AIR Vividh Bharati is quite a signal here, almost on any sked, altho intended for too far. Were not for occasional fading, I would have to give them a complete SINPO "5" (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, 1846 UT Nov 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. ANALYSIS: NEW INDIAN RULES TO HIT FOREIGN NEWS, SPORTS CHANNELS | Text of report editorial analysis by Steve Metcalf of BBC Monitoring Media Services on 16 November India's Information and Broadcasting Ministry on 11 November issued new guidelines on the downlinking and transmission of satellite television broadcasts. The new rules will impact particularly on news and sports channels and have produced a wide range of reactions from the broadcasting industry. News programming International news and current affairs channels have been told that they should not carry programming designed specifically for Indian audiences, or advertisements aimed at Indian viewers. Moreover, the definition of such channels includes channels that have "any element" of news or current affairs in their content. In addition, the channels must be Indian registered companies, and thus subject to Indian tax and broadcasting regulations. They will be required to obtain from the ministry a five-year permit, which can be revoked if they broadcast content deemed to be objectionable or inconsistent with public interest or national security. The "stringent" new rules were branded by industry sources as protectionist, AFP reported. But it quoted a "senior" ministry official as saying in defence of the guidelines: "The policy provides for better regulation of satellite TV channels and it will institute a mechanism to verify legitimacy of owners and distributors of the channels being downlinked in India." BBC could be affected Indian media reports speculated that the new guidelines could hit both the BBC and CNN. The Indiantelevision.com website said that the BBC was more likely to be affected, because of its larger audience. It also pointed out that CNN might suffer less because of the deal it recently signed with India's TV 18 group to launch a 24-hour English- language general news channel, to be called CNN-IBN. Linking up with a local affiliate has been used as a way round India's restrictions on direct foreign investment. Star TV operates in association with the Calcutta-based ABP media group and Reuters is reported to be planning a TV venture with The Times of India group. However, Indiantelevision.com said, it could be difficult for anybody to prove that a channel's adverts were targeting an Indian, as opposed to a wider Asian or global, audience. Sharing sports rights The issue that has stirred the most debate within India is that of sports rights. The guidelines mandate that feeds of sporting events of "national importance" (principally cricket) must be shared with the public broadcaster, Doordarshan. This applies to events held inside and outside the country, with Doordarshan retaining 25 per cent of the advertising revenue from those broadcasts. Doordarshan is the only permitted terrestrial broadcaster, reaching 90 per cent of the country. Cable and satellite broadcasts reach just over half of the households with television, according to recent surveys. Private sports broadcasters expressed concern about the impact on their revenues, estimated at up to 150m dollars a year. The managing director of the ESPN India network, R.C. Venketish told AFP that it was "an extremely negative development". He accused the government of backtracking on its market liberalization policies in order to help loss-making national broadcasters. A spokesman for Sony, whose Set Max channel holds the Indian rights to the 2007 cricket World Cup in the West Indies, said it was considering its legal options to counter the content-sharing stipulations. "All the money we have invested so far goes out the window," said the source from Set Max, which is reported to have paid 93m dollars for the broadcasting rights. Tax implications The obligation on foreign broadcasters to be registered in India could result in them paying significantly more taxes, according to a report in the Indian Express. It cited Ten Sports, Disney and HBO as examples of companies which would henceforth have to pay tax of 40 per cent on their Indian earnings. Currently, under double taxation agreements, the only income taxable in India is the commission paid to their Indian agents, the paper said. It quoted an official from the revenue department as saying that the new policy could yield an extra 100m dollars a year. Level playing field The paper also quoted an official from an unnamed Indian TV company as welcoming the move. "It will provide a level playing field to companies which have been uplinking from India and were paying tax at 40 per cent," said the official. The new guidelines were also welcomed by the Indian Media Group, an association of domestic media companies including Zee Telefilms, India Today, SAB TV and The Times of India. The IMG voiced its backing for the measures in a statement issued at the end of October, when they were approved by the cabinet. Not only would they create a level playing field for taxation, but also for legal and regulatory issues, said the IMG. Even though some of its members might have an interest in sports rights, it also backed the content-sharing provisions. Doordarshan's vast reach would enable events to be seen in remote areas beyond the reach of cable operators, it said. Source: BBC Monitoring research 16 Nov 05 (via DXLD) ** INDONESIA [and non]. 9680, KGRE program via RRI Jakarta, Nov 16 (Wed.), 1000-1020, repeat of the Nov 13 (Sun.) program. They have resumed their Sun. & Wed. schedule (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, RX340 + T2FD antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) RRI program 4 on 9680, the heaviest signal of all from the Asia- Pacific rim as late as 1500, was missed this morning here in Tiquicia. RRI 9525, a regular here around 1300, has been absent for many days now. Noise is the only thing I get (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [earlier:] I wonder how long 9680 from RRI stays on? Around 1400 I hear a heavy mix of QRM, as we see in HFCC B-05: 9680 1100 1500 42-44 PHT 250 349 1234567 301005 250306 D PHL IBB IBB But no mention of Indonesia, China or Taiwan, all that info censored! NDXC B-05 reveals the awful clashes really taking place, not only RRI and VOA Chinese, but both China and Taiwan!!: 9680 CNR 2 1100-1300 1234567 Chinese Beijing 50 180 9680 CNR 2 1300-1400 1234567 English Beijing 50 180 9680 CNR 2 1400-1430 1234567 Chinese Beijing 50 180 9680 CNR 2 1430-1600 1234567 Chinese Beijing 50 180 9680 CBS TAIWAN 1100-1800 1234567 Chinese Taipei 100 352 9680 RRI Jakarta 1000-1020 1..4... English Cimanggis 250 316 9680 RRI Jakarta 2200-1300 1234567 Indonesian Cimanggis 250 316 9680 VOA 1100-1500 1234567 Chinese Tinang 250 349 Above info has been condensed, and only relevant items included. The CNR2 listings are followed by ``CNR2=6040`` which I guess means //. The numbers ``491`` appear after Beijing; I don`t know why. The 1400- 1430 segment is a relay of CNR1. May I suggest that VOA and RRI ought to move and let the Chinese faxions fight it out on 9680? O, the Chicoms at least would move right along to jam VOA, but at least that would lessen interference for RRI, which is unlikely to move (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. GARY BOURGOIS From http://www.global-cm.net/news&views.html GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS NEWS AND VIEWS November 17, 2005 Bulletin It is with great regret that we announce that GARY BOURGOIS has passed away, after years of struggle with health problems. Gary died late yesterday afternoon, from complications of failure of the liver. He had been in very poor health in recent months, and had been transferred to a nursing care facility in Marquette, Michigan, during his final days. Anyone enjoying the bounty of satellite television and radio programming now available owes a great debt to Gary. Often misunderstood, he was a champion of our rights to receive whatever was available from the sky. Despite many legal battles with the city of Marquette, he prevailed in his struggle to put up as many antennas as he felt necessary on the walls, in the back yard, and on a formidable "ranger tower" at the end of his driveway. This author had the privilege of setting up a number of those antennas, which fed a mountain of reception equipment indoors. Racks of equipment so crammed together that electronics often failed from overheating. Addition of air conditioning to the upstairs electronics area helped make things livable. I have memories of doing all-night marathons and sweating like crazy --- even though it might have been 50 above outside, and this was Marquette! The utility bills were quite impressive, and the excess heat from the electronics probably helped reduce the actual amount of money for heating itself. You had to be there, or visit on one of the few gatherings in Gary's front yard and porch, usually around Labor Day weekend, when satellite geeks everywhere could join in and watch our live telecasts. From that same porch in mid-winter, the snow could be ten feet deep, and a literal tunnel (or very narrow as well as deep path) to the street. The antennas up on the tower were in a natural wind zone, and were subject to some brutal treatment from Mother Nature during the winter. It gave Gary something to talk about, and I don't remember anyone trying to one-up him in the bad weather and suffering department. Gary joined the computer hobbyists with satellite hobbyists, starting before we really had a functional Internet as we know it today. He wrote prolific amounts of information, including many how-to-do articles on how to scrounge satellite equipment to make a very cheap system for the beginning hobbyist. On his weekly Friday Night Live show, which was telecast around the world at some points, until Internet audio became a reality, Gary read "the news" about satellite and technology, various forms of electronic media, and often what he talked about could be added to "News Of The Weird", which we also occasionally excerpted from for a quick laugh. He educated many people and dragged them enthusiastically into this satellite hobby. I worked for Orbitron during most of the 1990s, and was able to use Gary's media outlets as a 2-way conduit to promote my fledgling mail- order business that I started in 1994, so that my wife would not have to think about getting a "day job". It has gone full circle, and would never have happened without Gary's assistance. We helped each other through hard times, and I regret that I could not have done more for him in his last year on the planet, which unfortunately coincided with my father's one year battle with pancreas cancer, which he lost in April. It has not been a good year in the losing friends and relatives department for me, and I have to look for silver linings --- such as that Gary is now beyond his suffering, and has joined his beloved Elaine in the hereafter. He had a unique perspective on religion, greatly disliking the cons that many organized churches plagued their parishoners with. His remains were cremated, and will be distributed in places known only to one person, out of respect to Gary's wishes. There will be no services. Several satellite radio talk shows will dedicate the next few days in Gary's memory. Dean Spratt and I will reminisce later tonight (Thursday) on his show. W0KIE will have much on Friday, and Dana Pretzer would like to do some more on Sunday (Nov 20). Tune in for remembrances of a truly unique person (via Mike Cooper, GA, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I didn't know him, but I knew the name (Mike Cooper, ibid.) Many of us will remember Gary from his segments on former SW DX program Spectrum, or was it the other one by same folks? (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. EchoStar Gets Town to Change Name to Its Ticker: DISH (Update2) http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=email_us&refer=&sid=av4xhwU7xgeI Nov. 16 (Bloomberg) -- EchoStar Communications Corp., the second- largest U.S. satellite-television provider, said a 125-person town in Texas changed its name to DISH, the company's stock ticker, in exchange for free TV services. Clark, Texas, legally changed its name to DISH yesterday at a city council meeting, Mayor Bill Merritt said at a press conference today. EchoStar in August made the offer of free programming for 10 years to a U.S. municipality willing to rename itself. EchoStar is using the contest to publicize its Dish Network as it is confronted with greater competition from DirecTV Group Inc., the biggest satellite-TV provider, as well as cable and telephone companies. Residents of Clark, located north of Dallas, don't have access to cable and most subscribe to satellite TV. ``The vast majority of the residents out here wanted to change,'' Merritt said. ``I'm sure that there are some out there who have an attachment to the name Clark and wanted to keep it.'' EchoStar's shares fell 73 cents, or 2.9 percent, to $24.52 at 4 p.m. New York time in Nasdaq Stock Market composite trading. The stock closed at its lowest level in almost three years. Clark, formed five years ago, was named after its founder L. E. Clark, who lost the mayoral election to Merritt, 31, earlier this year. Merritt said he expects free TV will motivate people to move to DISH, and a higher population may help increase the town's budget, which was $50,000 last year. New Identity ``This becomes in some respects our galactic headquarters,'' said Michael Neuman, president of EchoStar's Dish Network. He said EchoStar may issue press releases from DISH. DISH, a rural town with two stop signs, joins Half.com, Oregon, and Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, as a municipality changing its name to one sponsored by a company. EchoStar will pay for new town signs, satellite TV for DISH's 55 households, and other costs associated with the name change. The company, which has 11.7 million customers, estimated the service would cost about $4,500 per household. DISH residents will be billed for extra features and upgrades from a 60-channel offering. ``DISH is something that people are proud of and want to keep forever and have a heritage,'' Merritt said. The town has no intention of changing its name again, he said. Last Updated: November 16, 2005 16:23 EST (via Gregory Hardison, CA, DXLD) But WHERE is/was Clark? It`s a big state and there are/were at least two of them. At least now there is one, and must DISH be spelt in ALL- CAPs? Per http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=26274 one is in Liberty county in the Houston/Baytown area, and the other in Denton county in N Texas. From the description, the one in Denton county, only incorporated in 2000y, must be DISH (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Israel Radio, 11590, Nov 18 at 1827 from Spanish talk into old tango as fill; sounded like Gardel; 1829 weather for Jerusalem, 1830 into English news (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS [non]. As previously reported, I was rather surprised that following the standard time change, Hmong Lao Radio via WHRI stayed at the same UT, namely 1200 on Sat and 1300 on Sun, but on a different frequency, 7520. That`s rather early in Hminnesota. You would think the shows would shift one UT hour later to stay at the same local time, as usually happens anyway with WHRI programming. And I did hear it at least once after Oct 30, at the earlier hour on 7520, and also that appeared on the WHR online schedule. Now they`ve fixed it, as I heard HLR Sat Nov 19 from 1430 or so tune- in until 1459 on 11785, with the usual mix of different styles of music, and talk in Hmong. Toward the end they mentioned AM, FM, shortwave, website http://www.hmonglaoradio.org and the St. Paul PO box. Rechecking the WHR online sked, it now shows this at 14-15 both Sat and Sun on 11785. Excellent reception here, of course. HLR website shows the 11785 scheduling correctly, as well as the Taiwan transmission, has audio archives, and links to another site http://www.h-lr.com/ Strangely enough, HLR is not on the program website list at http://www.whr.org/index.cfm?fa=links (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. Relays on 9290 kHz Sat 19 November Radio Six 0700-0800 UT KWRN 0900-1000 UT RMRC 1300-1400 UT Sun 20 November RWI 0900-1000 UT Radio City 1000-1100 UT Radio Six 1200-1300 UT Good Listening (Tom Taylor, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sure would be nice if he would include a bit more info, such as the full name of each station, location, contact info (gh, DXLD) 9290, KWRN, 0955 19.11, IS/IDs in many languages, address via SRS, and songs S5-9, 35544 with splatter from 9295, max S5 (Zacharias Liangas, Retziki, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Radio friends, In November we will celebrate our 2nd birthday. On this occasion we will send a programme on November 19th 2005 from 0900 to 1000 hours UT on the wellknown frequency of 9290 kHz via Ulbroka/Latvia with the power of 100 kW. It´s not a special birthday- show but we hope you like it. During the transmission you can send a SMS to following HL: 0049 163 6227837. We hope, the reception conditions will be good. If you like to get our special-QSL card by snailmail please put in your letter return postage (1 Dollar, 1 EURO or 1 IRC).You can get also our e-mail-QSL if you send your report to kwrn @ freenet.de (The team of KWRN-Nordland Radio, Felix Stein via Dave Kenny, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. The schedule of the 500 kW transmitter in Sitkunai on 666, carrying Lithuanian Radio (LR), was reduced to 0300-1830. As a result, the transmitter no longer carries Radio Vilnius in English which is carried on LR for domestic listeners at 1900-1930 (now FM only). (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, Nov 19, mwdx yg via DXLD) See also SCOTLAND [non] ** MALDIVE ISLANDS. PETITION CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF MALDIVES ACTIVIST | Excerpt from report by Sri Lankan-based Maldivian Minivan News website on 18 November A petition signed by 2,841 people calling for the immediate release of Jennifer Latheef was submitted to President Gayoom yesterday. Jennifer Latheef was sentenced to 10 years in jail on 18 October 2005 for "terrorism" based on her involvement in the 20 September 2003 civil unrest. Now 2 per cent of the voting population of Maldives have declared that they do not believe that the state had any evidence or proof against Jennifer Latheef to sentence her for 10 years in jail under the Terrorism Act of Maldives. It is reasonable to assume that this 2 per cent is only the tip of the iceberg as the petition was implemented with the limited resources of a few family members and friends of Jennifer Latheef and was circulated mainly in Male, Gd. Thinadhoo and Addu Atoll. Jennifer Latheef said in her police statement that she had only been present on the streets of Male on 20 September 2003 as a concerned observer. This statement was given while she was being questioned by the police while under detention for 58 days in 2003. Since then Jennifer has not changed her statement and has strongly denied the charges against her throughout her trial, which lasted for 14 months. Amnesty International has stated that "the charges against Jennifer Latheef are politically motivated" and that she has not "received a fair trial". [passage omitted] Jennifer has kept up her fight through her official roles as member of the caretaker committee of MDP [Maldivian Democratic Party] and photojournalist and journalist for Minivan, daily newspaper which now reaches the public in photocopy format after its printers were intimidated into not printing the newspaper. She has also kept up the fight by reaching out to international organizations with news and information on the daily violations of human rights and miscarriages of justice that occur in the Maldives. Jennifer Latheef continues her fight from jail, calling on Maldivians to use non-violent demonstrations and civil disobedience as a means of bringing "a brutal dictator to his knees". [passage omitted] Source: Minivan News website, Colombo, in English 18 Nov 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 4810, XERTA, thanks to the information in DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-179 (October 16, 2005), I have heard Radio Transcontinental de América on the air more than their former schedule of only being on during the weekends. Nov 9, 16 and 17 heard at different times between 0535-1036, with programming in Spanish. Suspect that it`s this new extended schedule that triggered their e-mail to me (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, RX340 + T2FD antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4810 LSB, XERTA, Radio Transcontinental de América, 0748-0801, 19-11, señal clara en LSB y apenas audible en modo normal. Múltiples identificaciones: "Esta es X.E.R.T.A., Radio Transcontinental de América, desde la Ciudad de México, con una programación dedicada a usted. Desde la Ciudad de México, X.E.R.T.A., Radio Transcontinental de América, en 4810 kHz.". También identificación en inglés: "X.E.R.T.A., Short Wave Station from Mexico City, 4810 kHz." "X.E.R.T.A. abre las puertas al radioescucha a un mundo diferente, desde la Ciudad de México, mensajes, música, una programación diferente brindada a usted". Programa "Momentos de reflexión, hoy con Cordeiro Rivera", "escríbanos a Momentos de Reflexión, apartado 906, La Serena, Chile." 6010, Radio Mil, 0802-0825, 19-11, canciones románticas en español. Interferencia de La Voz de tu Conciencia con sus predicaciones religiosas habituales, recibiéndose más o menos con la misma intensidad que Radio Mil hasta las 0817, y a partir de esa hora, se escuchaba más fuerte La Voz de tu Conciencia. 22222. 6185, Radio Educación, 0820-0835, 19-11, música clásica ininterrumpida. Buena señal. 34433 variando a 44444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. Nov 18 at 1857 found a big open carrier on 11655, with RN in English barely audible underneath. This must have been Madagascar and Flevo respectively. Then at 1858, modulation started on the big carrier, and as far as I could tell stopped from Flevo, so no echo this time. 1900-1929 documentary on ``The Untouchable Revolution`` in India, // 17810 Bonaire. From reading the weekly programme previews you would never know there is a chance to hear the weekly docu on Fridays. The 1900 Friday airing is not mentioned under the main listing on Wednesday, nor on Friday. The Wednesday program page http://www.rnw.nl/en/html/wednesday.html still dates it November 17 --- as in 1999 or 2010y? And lists some other docu. In fact all the day-of-week pages via http://www.rnw.nl/en/index.html have the wrong day of month for 2005y and Our Weekly Documentary link goes to exactly the same wrong Wednesday page. Are docus now on Fridays instead of Wednesdays? I did not think so, but when you have a 2- or 3-hour transmission span to the same target, you want some variety in programming on any one day, with repeats from other days. Altho dated currently, the frequency info and some or all of the times are out of date, per a different page, http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/radioprogrammes/documentaries --- Tuning In For the Winter Season 2005-06 (from 30 October 2005), our documentary is broadcast every Friday on short wave (AM) and digital shortwave (DRM) at the times shown below. The programme is also broadcast at other times via WRN http://www.wrn.org and other partner stations, and available on demand in our Weekly Archive. [don`t you believe!:] Australia/Asia/Far East 10.27 7315, 9795, 12065 New Zealand 05.27 11710 Eastern North America 12.27 11675 21.30 9800 (DRM) 00.27 9845 Central North America 01.27 6165 Western North America 05.27 6165 South Asia 14.29 9345, 12080, 15595 Africa 18.27 6020, 9895, 11655, 17810 20.00 7120, 9895, 11655, 17810 © Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, all rights reserved Yet another page covers the feature programs during a 9-day week from Thursday thru the next week`s Friday: http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/listeningguide/this_week This one does show Docu correctly on Friday, as well as Sunday, and that the first airings of a new docu are on Wednesdays (next week: Pres. Chávez), but without any times. Such as Friday at 1900 when I really heard it on 11655 and 17810. Maybe all this will be made clear when we finally get page 6 of the pdf On Target, but why is it so difficult just to present this info completely and accurately in one place on the website? I mean: show the English programs (at least the program name but preferably also the current week`s subject) in each and every semi-hour of each and every transmission, in time order, along with the current frequencies where one may hear them (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn's criticisms are well taken, at least by me. Unfortunately this part of the site does not fall under my responsibility. Neither does the On Target page; I was just helping out. I do know that the site is being redesigned (again) and I hope that the information will be given in a simpler and more logical way. In that respect, Glenn's comments are very helpful and timely. The comments have been passed on to the people concerned. As you might imagine, I do not have reason to check these pages Glenn refers to, and I was not aware of the errors he mentions. However, it's important to also write directly to Radio Netherlands about such matters. Some people think it's sufficient to complain in a public forum and someone (usually me) will notice it. It isn't, because I may not notice it. If you want something fixed in the English section, either on the air on the website, their E-mail address is letters @ rnw.nl This mailbox is seen by all the producers and other staff in the English section, and is the place where the comments will get most noticed (Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) But stations seem not to be that keen or interested in answering letters from listeners anymore. I had - for instance - NO reply to this one: Dato: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 00:36:06 +0200 Til: letters @ rnw.nl Emne: On Target / B05 Dear RNW - Having just received 'On Target' - with thanks! - I notice that there no longer will be a European transmission on SW or MW! Is this really true!!?? Kind Regards, (Erik Koie, DK-2840 Holte, Denmark, ibid.) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Since I just brought up the Lesnoy site northeast of Moscow: http://vcl.web.infoseek.co.jp/qsl_new/europe/netherlands/Radio%20Netherlands%2019941225.jpg If I am not terribly [wrong?] this is the QSL card issued by RNW in 1993 to commemorate their first transmissions via CIS sites, so the featured station would be Lesnoy and the portrayed transmitter a 250 kW rig there. To the left another transmitter with an inscription I tend to read as RV-192 which indeed would be a Lesnoy unit. There is a chance that RNW is at present on air from Lesnoy again. This would be the case if 5955 0600-0700 via "Moscow" does not originate from either Kurovskaya or Taldom instead (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW CALEDONIA. Some Pacific FM news: No New Radio in New Caledonia The New Caledonian government has rejected plans to allow new radio stations in the territory. The largest party [Future Together] is appealing the decision to Paris, claiming at least four new stations were ready to broadcast. These include local Noumea station Ocean Radio which hopes to become nationwide, and the planned Coconut Radio network. UCB Pacific was also hoping for a new network. Currently, only three radio stations cover the territory, including state owned Radio Nouvelle Caledonie [RFO] and anti-independence network RRB which recently got a taxpayer grant of USD 70,000. Media control has always been a major political issue in New Caledonia, which has very few stations compared to French Polynesia. RFO recently opened a new 20 kW relay mediumwave station at Touho on 729 kHz. Cheers (David Ricquish, Radio Heritage Foundation, http://www.radioheritage.net Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. RNZI's signals on all daytime (in SW Europe) frequencies, viz. 15720, 9885, 15530, 9870, 11980, are being fair/good despite some ups & downs mainly on 9870 when the signal is affected mostly 1500~1530 and until switching to 11980 due to adjacent QRM and on 11980 after 1830 UT which is when the VoA signs on on an adjacent frequency, but, some days, Rangitaiki's signal is so strong, the interference is no issue. 15720 kHz at 1851-2235 and then 17675 kHz are, nonetheless simply useless till prop' conditions improve; until then, evening reception can be achieved via something we DXers are kind of reluctant to use: www (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also TONGA ** OKLAHOMA. KXTD, Wagoner, 1530, 10/20 2002 [EDT = UT -4 = 0002 UT] was, after all, the strong Spanish-speaker I heard in KFBK null at 2002. I listened to my tape again and there's a weak "KXTD 15-30" ID in Spanish, plus slogan "La Que Buena" twice. KXTD is a daytimer and man at station told me by phone that it signs off at 2000; not so! An NRC member in Denver also heard it 10/18 at 2005. New (Larry Godwin, MT, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) This one has been cheating for many years (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. RADIO OMAN B05 (Valid from 30/10/05 till 26/03/06) Updated 17/11/2005 FREQ STRT STOP CIRAF LOC PWR AZI SLW ANT LANG 6085 0200 0400 39N,40W SEB 100 320 0 141 arabic 6085 2000 2200 39SW,48 SEB 100 240 0 146 arabic 6190 1800 2000 39SW,48 SEB 100 240 0 146 arabic 9515 0400 0600 39N,40W SEB 100 320 0 141 arabic 9760 2300 0200 28,39N THU 100 315 0 218 arabic 13640 0600 1400 39N,40W SEB 100 320 0 141 arabic 13640 2000 2200 28,39N THU 100 315 0 218 arabic 15140 1400 1500 28,39N THU 100 315 0 218 english 15140 1500 1800 28,39N THU 100 315 0 218 arabic 15355 0200 0300 48,53 THU 100 220 0 205 arabic 15355 0300 0400 48,53 THU 100 220 0 205 english 15355 1800 2000 48,53 THU 100 220 0 205 arabic 15355 2200 2400 28,39N THU 100 315 0 218 arabic 15375 1400 1800 39SW,48 SEB 100 240 0 146 arabic 17590 0400 0600 48,53 THU 100 220 0 205 arabic 17630 0600 1000 28,39N THU 100 315 0 218 arabic (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dxldyg via DXLD) But we know operation is rather sporadic, especially concerning the English hours (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. Quito 18/Nov/2005 21:34, Friday 2nd edition: 4654.96, Radio Centinela del Norte, unknown QTH (Perú) New station? This is a station unknown to me and I still don´t have the QTH. I have not noted anything from Perú for a very long time around this frequency. The DJ said they want reception reports. Probably the first day of test transmissions. The station will be transmitting 1000-0200 UT. This Friday evening close down 0130. Not very strong signal and I have my problems with electrical noise. Comments, photos and recordings at: http://www.malm-ecuador.com (Björn Malm, Quito, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 9720, Radio Victoria, 2302-2325, 18-11, programa religioso "Ya son las seis de la tarde con dos minutos en toda la patria peruana. Esta semana es la preparación de la venida de Cristo a través de la Iglesia Pentecostal Dios es Amor". "Estimados amigos de Radio Victoria, nuestra sede está en Avenida Arica 254, Lima, Perú". 34333 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. Collision on 15575: see SUDAN [non] ** RUSSIA. 7330, Radiostantsiya Tikhiy Okean (R. Station Pacific Ocean), Nov 18, *0935-0950*, usual IS (chimes) and Russian programming. This was the last day of their test transmissions on 7330 and ended earlier than usual, off in mid-song, with 5960 continuing till 1000*. Nov 19, *0935-1000* heard only 5960 (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, RX340 + T2FD antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Lesnoy site: see NETHERLANDS [non] ** SAMOA. FM news: Showers of Blessings in Samoa --- A new religious radio station 'Showers of Blessing' has begun broadcasts on FM from Sogi, near Apia. This is the fourth religious station in the country. A similar 'Showers of Blessing' station, KNWJ-FM, already operates from American Samoa. Cheers (David Ricquish, Radio Heritage Foundation, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WTFK? Not that I really care ** SCOTLAND [non]. around the clock and around the world radio six international --- FIRST MINISTER GUESTS ON ST ANDREW`S DAY BROADCASTS FROM SCOTLAND Radio Six International will be transmitting a special two-hour programme to the world in celebration of Saint Andrew’s Day, on Wednesday 30th November. First Minister Jack McConnell talks about Scotland`s new role in world politics, and how he sees Scotland’s future, in the conversation series ``THINKING GLOBAL``. There will also be an hour of traditional Scottish music, including live sessions and listeners’ requests and dedications. Both ex-pats and listeners in Scotland will be able to hear the special transmissions, which will be available on the internet as well as on shortwave, and local FM in New Zealand. The programmes can be heard as follows: 0600-0800 GMT on 88.2 MHz for Tawa and Redwood, New Zealand (7 - 9 pm New Zealand Time) 1700-1800 GMT on 9290 kHz for Europe, Russia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand (6-8 pm Central European Time) 2100-2300 GMT on 5110 kHz for North, Central and South America (4-6 pm Eastern Standard Time) 0100-0300 GMT (Thu 1st Dec) on 7585 kHz for North America and Northern Europe (8-10 pm Wed 30th Nov Eastern Standard Time) Note to Editors: Radio Six International, based in Glasgow, Scotland, provides a 24 hour-a-day service on the internet, featuring mostly unsigned performers from around the world. The weekend transmissions – also carried on shortwave and local FM in New Zealand – include specialist music programmes, news, and speech features. A monthly printed programme schedule is available free to listeners in addition to the daily-updated website http://www.radiosix.com For further information, please email KARIN SPALTER at karin@radiosix.com (Tony Currie, radio six international, Nov 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9290 is Latvia, 5110 is WBCQ, but whence 7585? (gh, DXLD) Kaunas- Sitkunai, Lithuania. 100 kW (Tony Currie, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation can still be heard here in Finland. Their bilingual Hindi/English Service was noted today November 18 on 7275- and 11905 kHz at 15 UT scheduled 1330-1530 UT. Hindi section of the programme was introduced by a lady announcer, English by a male announcer. Music mainly Asiatic/Indian, no more Western evergreens. I miss the old format on 15748 kHz. Last 34 minutes before close down at 1534. reception on 11905 kHz was good. Signal strength at peaks S9. Reception in the 41 mb, 7275 kHz was a lot weaker, suffering Chinese QRM after 15 UT. I measured nominal 7275 with all QRM 7274.75 kHz. Maybe I´m wrong. Anyway, glad to hear SLBC! 73 (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. 1548, Deutsche Welle, Trincomalee, NOV 12 1730 - at this early hour German language was quickly paralleled to 9545 shortwave. The signal was gone around 1750. This may be the highlight of the DXpedition, as Sri Lanka has not been heard here before (Jim Renfrew, Newfoundland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Despite the Greenland item I pulled out in last issue, this was of course mainly a MW DX-pedition. It will take some time to compile the full report, but no doubt will eventually be online (gh, DXLD) ** SRI LANKA [non]. cland? 7110. 'Tamil IBC' 0000+ Nov 18, ID by man, followed by talks of OM and YL: 'tabirum tamil' followed by hymn and YL with news(?), then with possibly Catholic song program. S9+20, 45544 (Zacharias Liangas, Retziki, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Zach, From Nov 16th 7110 250 kW Wertachtal-GER [x6055 til Nov 15th], two HFCC list entries of same broadcast, one of DTK Germany, other of WRN Provider in London: 7110 0000-0100 41 WER 250 90 161105 260306 DTK 7110 0000-0100 41 WER 250 105 161105 260306 WRN DTK 73 wolfy wwdxc BC-Dx (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. SRS is again on 15575 this Friday Nov 18 at 1501 // 11665 but much better on 15575. If they announced this frequency at the opening, I tuned in too late. Will it cut off again at 1529 as it did on Monday? (Glenn Hauser, OK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos cordiales Glenn, Sudan Radio Service por 15575 en inglés cuando son las 1536 con SINPO 55544, locutor con ID, segmento de música folklorica y comentarios con referencias a Sudán, en paralelo por los 11665 con SINPO 54343. Desde las 1548 fin de emisión en inglés; comienza boletín de noticias en arábico hasta las 1600, noticias nacionales e internacionales con referencias a América, Canadá y Faluya en Irak, nueva ID en arábico y comienza a las 1601 programa presentado por locutora en arábico; la frecuencia de 15575 empeora hasta hacerse inaudible y en 11665 el SINPO 55444 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, ibid.) Hi Glenn. I don't have an SW receiver near cause I'm at work, but it seems this transmission José Miguel and you are receiving from Sudan on 15575 has broken the rules posted on HFCC B-05 as you explained to me, it shouldn't be available for day 6 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) What about the registered RDP Lisbon on co-channel? Latter not on air? EUA e Canadá 1300-1700 15575 300 kW 300 degrees In Germany I note a 55555 signal of SRS on both 11665 and 15575 kHz today. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Nov 18, ibid.) No sign of Portugal on Friday, but it is certainly on 15575 Saturday around 1500, I suppose a weekend-only transmission. If SRS is also there, it is buried, but ought to be coördinated to avoid such a collision. 73, (Glenn Hauser, Nov 19, ibid.) Glenn, I was intrigued by the many reports on this issue during the last few days. Well, I just got my turn this Saturday morning, my local time. In fact, Portugal was on the air as HFCC points out for days 1&7, no sign of Sudan, which was buried by RDP at 1500. I checked back after 1600 and there were two signals mixed but this time what finally overcame was SRS with a non-IDed language and East Africa pop music. Among the IDs at 1630 closing, one in English: "This is Sudan Radio Service". SINPO 44444. The thing is that RDP is listed by HFCC on this same frequency with shortened sked all week but with different azimuth. And you're right: coördination by HFCC is failing in this case (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN [non]. GERMANY --- Note a Russian language broadcast via Juelich-Germany on 5850 kHz at present, registered at 1700-1800 UT. This service had previous test on 071105-081105 days. HFCC lines #17585 / 17594. Checked against DW Russian on 7145 kHz, but not \\. Please help, due of heavy digital transmission in this channel part by European meteo stations, is difficult to follow this Russian transmission. (wb, Nov 18) (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re this message from Wolfgang - I think 5850 is actually Radio Taiwan International Russian service. There is much mention/talk about Taiwan in the latter part of the service plus Chinese style music breaks. And confirmed by ID at 1758. Radio Canada International took over the frequency at 1759 in French - I assume via Sweden. The sched put out by Miller Liu in DXLD 5-198 lists 11635F (Issoudun?) at 1700-1800 but another received direct from the station shows 6060 via Wertachtal 125 kW. I don't hear Russian on either 11635 or 6060. Digital QRM is also very bad here but the broadcast is mostly on top. 73s (Noel R. Green, (Blackpool - NW England), ibid.) Radio Taiwan International, now using Jülich instead of Issoudun for this transmission. Reg., (Kai Ludwig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TANZANIA. Is 1377 kHz, R. Free Africa, Mwanza, which I phased against co-channel France on 17 Nov at 1921-1945 (but audible until much later), rated 24432, relaying TWR? I could almost swear I heard part of TWR IS (as heard via Monte Carlo) during the process of adjusting my Central Africa 4x12x4 m EWE antenna and phaser to minimize France's QRM. I tried to check RFAfr signal via their webpage, which is mostly in Swahili, but no luck - or they don't carry any programming on internet at all (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND [and non]. BBC THAI SERVICE FANS BEGIN NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN IN THAILAND AGAINST CLOSURE | Text of report by Achara Ashayagachat entitled: "Nationwide effort starts to save BBC Thai"; published in English by Thai newspaper Bangkok Post website on 18 November Fans of the BBC's Thai Service are kicking off a nationwide campaign to show managers in London that it has a large audience in Thailand. They argue that closing the service would affect access to independent media and non-formal educational opportunities in the provinces. The Family Network Foundation is joining hands with regional universities in Maha Sarakham, Phitsanulok and Pattani, as well as those in Bangkok, to discuss the impact of the planned closure of the British Broadcasting Corporation's Thai Service early next year. Dr Yongyud Wongpiromsarn, a Public Health Ministry adviser and foundation member, said the campaign aimed to show there was a huge number of listeners in the country who would be affected if the service closed. People in the provinces also had the right to access independent or neutral news programmes, said Dr Yongyud. He said his group would add regional supporters to the online petition to the BBC board. The campaigners hope that this, together with earlier appeals by senior Thai officials, might help to reverse London's decision. Wanchai Boonpracha, manager of the Family Network Foundation, said regional seminars would talk not only about the BBC issue but also about how to secure objective media which served the public interest, and what choice of alternative media would be available if another political crisis like the Black May massacre took place. The BBC Thai Service's current and former staff would take turns sharing their views with local speakers, including journalists and academics. Next week the discussion will be taken to Dhurakitbandit University in Bangkok and Prince of Songkhla University Pattani, and early next month to Naresuan University, Mr Wanchai said. The highlight of the campaign will be on 27 November when BBC fans from various provinces will gather to show solidarity for the service's Thai section at the Children's Museum in Chatuchak district, he said. After Black May in 1992, the BBC Thai Service provided free satellite dishes with decoders for many regional universities, including Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Ramkamhaeng, so they could relay the broadcasts to provincial audiences. The Mass Communications Organization of Thailand has also relayed the broadcasts to more than 40 stations within its network nationwide. Meanwhile, London-based intellectuals and staff of other BBC services also signed a petition to the BBC board. They said the Thai Service not only has a distinguished record, but a vital role to play at the present time when freedom of expression is under threat in Thailand, and when the Muslim insurgency in the south has given the country an added strategic significance. Among the petitioners are Peter Carey (Asia specialist, University of Oxford), Alice Donald (London School of Economics, ex-BBC), Clare Doyle (Eurasia editor, BBC World Service), Roger Hardy (Islamic affairs analyst, BBC World Service), Clare Harkey (East Asia editor, BBC World Service), Larry Jagan (Asia specialist, ex-BBC), Ben Murtagh (School of Oriental and African Studies), David Smyth (senior lecturer in Thai, School of Oriental and African Studies), Michael Smithies (editor, Journal of the Siam Society), Mu Sochua (former minister for women's affairs, Cambodia). Source: Bangkok Post website, Bangkok, in English 18 Nov 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** TONGA [and non]. RNZI DIGITAL SHORTWAVE, SKY PACIFIC TV TO LAUNCH | Text of report in English by Tongan magazine Matangi Tonga website on 18 November; subheadings inserted editorially The introduction of a new digital shortwave service by Radio New Zealand International and the launching of new Sky Pacific channels in Tonga is a highlight of the trade exhibition of the 2005 Pacific Islands News Association conference currently under way in Nuku'alofa. The trade exhibition, opened on 16 November by Dr Sione Ngongo Kioa, president of the Tonga Chamber of Commerce, at the Janfull International Hotel, is the first to be held by Tonga under the umbrella of the PINA conference. In February of 2006 Radio New Zealand International, RNZI, will begin airing in Tonga its new digital shortwave service, which will produce a very high quality sound signal similar to FM and better than the quality of sound currently being received now through the traditional shortwave service. Linden Clark, the manager for RNZI, said that what they have got is a digital shortwave receiver so that one can listen to their news bulletin on a PC computer once a receiver box and some software programmes are installed into the PC. Linden said there are also going to be ordinary radio receiver or portable receivers that are currently being made with AM/FM and digital shortwave that will be on sale in mid 2006. "Because 80 per cent of our audience listens to us through local stations we want to provide both, and provide these digital receivers for all radio stations in the Pacific region starting with Tonga," she said. The Tonga Broadcasting Commission [TBC] is the first in the Pacific to be installed with RNZI's new PC receiver which will be done in the next few days, but it would not be broadcasting until February next year as RNZI's transmitter is currently being installed in New Zealand, she said. Linden added the advantage of the new digital shortwave is that it has fantastic sound, better than the traditional shortwave currently being used now, and hopefully the new signal will encourage local stations to use a bit more of their news. RNZI will continue to use both the traditional shortwave used now by local stations as well as the new added digital version to be introduced. And other Pacific island countries to follow this new era in digital shortwave are Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati and the Solomon Islands etc. Sky Pacific On Monday 21 November, Fiji's Sky Pacific will be launched in Tonga in a partnership with Tonga Broadcasting Commission. Sky Pacific is a pay-per-view TV offering 12 channels that features a Super channel of live sports of rugby, soccer, tennis together with blockbuster English movies, CNN, Discovery Channel, Entertainment, MTV, Cartoon Network and many more. Lauren Robinson, Fiji TV Pacific services coordinator, is in Tonga together with Tamarisi Digitaki, the communications and business research officer and two others to display their service to the Tongan public, and to help train TBC staff and promote the 12 channels Sky Pacific will soon be airing in Tonga. Reuters Reuters, the world's largest news agency, is also in the trade show to showcase their services to the Tongan people. Susan Breen, the media manager for Reuters Australia, said they have recently done a deal with Fiji TV to provide news for their television news bulletin and they are here in Tonga to let people know their business involves TV, radio broadcasting, print and online. Susan said they are also looking at doing a distribution deal with Fiji TV to bring Reuters news to the rest of the Pacific especially now with most countries in the Pacific having access to the Internet, and she hopes Reuters services can be used. She added the advantage is a two-way street, one is that Reuters has another client Fiji, the other is that they give are real footages, soundtrack and scripts to use in return they take Fiji TV news and distribute to the rest of the world. This is good for people living in the Pacific because they get information out the rest of the world and they in return heightened the awareness of Pacific news to the world. The trade show also has displays from Tonga's two telecommunications companies, Tonga Communication Corporation, TCC, and Tonfon, the PINA secretariat, as well as the University of the South Pacific and local handicrafts. Source: Matangi Tonga website, Nuku'alofa in English 18 Nov 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) Viz.: with illustrations incl. Sainsbury: http://www.matangitonga.to/article/spnews/pacificislands/radiotv181105.shtml (via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. 5015, Turkmen Radio, Asgabat, 2252-2258 18-11, locutor, comentarios en turkmen, canciones de Turkmenistan. 24322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500, antena de cable 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Campaign to keep BBCWS in Thai: see THAILAND ** U K. BBCWS Monday+ previews Nov 21 & 28 --- THREE BY FIVE In 2003 the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva pledged that by the end of 2005, three million people infected with HIV would be on life saving treatment - AIDS would no longer kill them. The lack of medicine available to the world’s poorest people was called a ‘global health emergency.’ As 2005 draws to a close it is clear that the target has not been met. Two million people have not received the medication they need to stay alive. In a new two-part series, Three by Five, presenter Nigel Wrench travels to Malawi and South Africa to investigate these failing for himself from Monday 21 November. As he arrives in Malawi a national conference is underway to review the country’s response to AIDS and he speaks to the people who are working hard to provide the medicine and make sure that the sickest get treatment fast. Nigel discovers it is not a simple case of flying in boxes of pills and handing them out on Monday 21 November. Staff need to be trained and people’s health has to be monitored. In a clinic in the north of Malawi he sees one of the success stories of ‘three by five’. Dr Douglas Lungu is in charge at Ekwendeni Hospital in the north of the country. AIDS has ravaged the population; a million people are dead - a million people are infected. At Ekwendeni, Dr Douglas shows Nigel around and introduces him to patients who are on the pills. "I love these pills,’ says one woman, "they’ve saved my life." The hospital has strong links with the local community, they train health workers to distribute the medicine and they have worked tirelessly to break down the stigma of AIDS. To date, 56 countries have requested help from the WHO to train and mobilise health workers, but it’s estimated that 100,000 trained people are required to distribute the pills. On Monday 28 November Nigel discovers the complexities surrounding the roll out of medicine when he visits clinics in Johannesburg in South Africa. Trained staff are leaving for better paid jobs in the UK and USA, which is seriously hampering the role out. Nigel says "there’s a huge stigma surrounding AIDS here too. Many men refuse to come forward for testing and treatment, and the South African Government has been extremely slow to recognise ARV treatment as an effective policy." It’s a stance that has angered AIDS activists and clinicians. Dr Jim Kim, Director of HIV/AIDS and Head of the WHO’s ‘three by five’ initiative talks to Nigel about how he feels about the initiative failing to reach its target. Presenter/Nigel Wrench, Producer/David Cook, All Out Productions Three by Five, 2 programmes x 25 minutes, Monday 21 and 28 November, [European stream, webcast]: 0906, 1306, 1906, Tue 0106 [American stream, webcast]: 1406, 2006, Tue 0106, 0606 Listen online http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/index.shtml (BBC Press Office via Rich Cuff via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOA BUILDING`S FATE ON LINE --- The Voice of America building in West Chester Township [`Bethany` OH] is in need of $1.2 million in repairs. If they are not made, the building may have to be torn down. Trustees must decide what to do. (With photo) http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051119/NEWS01/511190391/1056 WEST CHESTER TWP. - Leaders must decide soon whether to sink major money into the Voice of America building that was the scene of historic radio broadcasts across the world through several wars. Otherwise, the 61-year-old structure will continue crumbling and might need to be torn down. "This is urgent. We have to put at least $1.2 million into it to keep the building standing or walk away from it," Township Trustee Catherine Stoker said. "The walls will start breaking apart. It will become too dangerous." The VOA's Bethany Station is on 330 acres of park property along Tylersville Road, between Butler-Warren and Cox roads. The station began relaying news and entertainment around the world in 1944. While broadcasters delivered reports from Washington and New York, the signals were relayed to the Tylersville Road station in West Chester and broadcast in more than 50 languages, waging war on Nazi Germany's radio propaganda. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the station closed in 1994. The federal government gave West Chester Township the two-story brick building with the understanding the township would convert it into a museum to honor its legacy. But those plans were iced by the failure of a 2003 township park levy and the recent rejection for a national grant. Now, money is immediately needed to replace the heating, air conditioning and electrical systems and exterior masonry, Stoker said. About a dozen people are in the building daily, mostly township employees. At night, 30 to 40 people from community groups use the facility. Offices there include the township's parks, recreation and cultural arts department, American Red Cross, NAACP, and the Veterans Voice of America Fund, a non-profit group established to raise money to turn the building into a museum. They also run the VOA gift shop. The West Chester Amateur Radio Association operates an amateur radio station in the building, give tours of the facility and helps with some repairs. Also housed there are the Gray Wireless antique radio collection previously displayed at WGUC-FM, and the Media Heritage collection of early radio equipment and shows. On Nov. 5, a transformer inside a light fixture on the first story shorted out and smoldered, a fire report shows. There were no damages or injuries. Those who work in the building say they feel safe, but are dismayed. "It's sad to see the deterioration," said Barb Wilson, parks events coordinator. "It would be a real loss and real shame to lose a structure with such significance. It is a real treasure in the community and an important part of our national history." Veterans Voice of America has raised nearly $100,000 for renovations. They recently paid $50,000 toward a new heating system in the building, but that will only cover about 25 percent of the structure, said Stoker, also a founding board member of the Veterans Voice of America. Township Trustee José Álvarez also said the building should be saved, though he is not certain it needs the full $1 million in repairs all at once (via Ken Kopp, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. We're moving the Saturday 2200 and 2230 UT airings of WOR and DXPL, respectively, to: DXPL 0500 UT Sunday WOR 2230 UT Sunday (temporarily) both of course on 7385. The Sunday morning repeats remain: WOR Sun 1400, DXPL Sun 1430 on 7385 (Jeff White, WRMI, Nov 19-20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jeff confirms NOT 1500 & 1530 as we expected following the standard time change. WOR should also be on WRMI during the WRN relay Sun 0930 on 7385 (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. I continue to include the 18 MHz band in my scanning, just in case something shows up there besides the two stations and three frequencies it is normally limited to. Nov 18 at 1841 I found a strong and very distorted signal on about 18955; language uncertain but intonation sounded like Hebrew. Fortunately this was not interfering with anything, between WYFR on 18930 and 18980. But comparing it to 18910, it was // and actually a preacher in some kind of English. Also found a much weaker matching spur 45 kHz below WBCQ on 18865, and furthermore really weak ones on 18820 and perhaps 18775 --- but nothing more on the high side such as 19000 altho that is blocked on one receiver by its internal transmission. At 1847 I phoned Allan Weiner, who said he would check on it, and the spurs vanished at 1849 as he must have tweaked something, while the audio improved on 18910. 24h later, no spurs either (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hmong Lao Radio retimed on WHRI: see LAOS [non] ** U S A [non]. Gostaria que algum colega informasse se o programa Altas Ondas conduzido pelo Edson Bruno acabou definitivamente. Forte 73 (Luiz Eduardo, PY6ATA, radioescutas via DXLD) Caro Luiz, O Altas Ondas era iniciativa pessoal do Edson Bruno, que retornou ao Brasil. A direção e equipe da emissora fará nova proposta de divulgação do dexismo e radioescuta, a partir de janeiro. 73s, (Célio Romais, Porto Alegre, Brasil, ibid.) ** U S A. Haven't seen any mention of this on the Texas board, but I understand KMUL has made its long anticipated frequency move down to 830 and changed its COL from Muleshoe to Farwell. Apparently only running 1,100 watts daytime instead of the planned 50 kW, with a measly 10 watts at night. For those of you in the Panhandle/Eastern New Mexico area, how good is the 830 signal coverage? And anyone know what happened to the 50 kW plans? The predicted signal contour (three lobes NE/SE/W) would have put a pretty solid signal into Amarillo, Lubbock, and west towards Albuquerque. 50 kW still in the cards, or was the idea shelved? (Mediafrog, Oct 29, radio-info.com TX board via DXLD) It definitely took place. I heard it on 830 on my way to New Mexico three months ago. It was strong enough for my seek to stop on it several times between Amarillo and Tucumcari. Don't know about future plans, but the move has definitely happened, and it comes in pretty well on at least part of the I-40 run (Kent, ibid.) Right (gh, NM) Here's the scoop: KMUL's 50 kW daytime CP was a hook to try to get someone to buy the station. No one bit, because there is no night coverage over either Amarillo or Lubbock (while there would be during the day at 50 kW). 830 during the day does get down into Lubbock and makes it harder for Panhandle listeners to hear 820 WBAP. KMUL's new transmitter is actually the old 1,000 watt backup/night transmitter for 790 KFYO in Lubbock (yes, KMUL is only running 1,000 watts). KMUL is still running their Spanish language music format, but I do have to say, they Legal ID in a very clearly spoken, K-M-U-L Muleshoe (Anon, ibid.) Just wait until WBAP fires up IBOC --- the sidebands will swamp 830 before it makes it to Lubbock. Based on what I hear of the sidebands of 620 in Lubbock on 610 --- they are as loud or louder than the main channel. I hear them mixing with 630 as well. Perhaps that is why 830 didn't sell --- potential buyers know that if nighttime IBOC is ever authorized, WBAP IBOC will pulverize any rim shot attempt into Lubbock / Amarillo nighttime. And ABC conversion to IBOC is accelerating; it`s only a matter of time before IBOC hissssss shows up on WBAP's adjacents (Bruce Carter, Oct 31, ibid.) That may spur KMUL to revive the 50 kW daytime plans. The two proposed lobes towards Amarillo and Lubbock would override the WBAP sidebands. Of course nighttime IBOC from WBAP would kill the 10 watt night signal from KMUL, which was still going to be in place after the proposed daytime upgrade. And there is the issue of increasing co-channel slop on 830 itself. KMUL needs to figure out a night upgrade so at least Clovis-Portales is able to hear them after dark (Mediafrog, ibid.) ** U S A. I'm back from [Las] Vegas [NV], from one of the usual computer industry related conventions. Still the "dumbest place in the world" as Seinfeld had it in the accompanying guest show I was lucky to attend. A radio related factoid: KJUL 104.1, adult contemporary station in Las Vegas, was promoting his programs with "billboard in the sky" announcements (five jet planes tracing 5-striped letters with their exhausts at a fairly high altitude). Little hope for BCB listening in my hotel room. The only way for my portable to get some signal through the Caesars' concrete was to lay it down on the solid metal safe which happened to stand close to the air sealed window! I've only clearly identified Fortworth, Tijuana and Oklahoma. Your distinctive deep and long fading (right over TOH) made me always feel awe and respect for the American MW DXer patience. Best, (Andy Lawendel, Italy, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VANUATU. 3944.8 kHz, R. Vanuatu, Port Vila. Nov. 13 at 0933-1008*. SIO 342. Religious talk in English. Popular songs at 1000. Closing announcement in vernacular at 1005, then national anthem. Thanks to Kageyama's tip on his website (Iwao Nagatani. Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** VATICAN. Glenn, I wanted to alert you about an article as a corollary to the excerpts from the Turinese daily "La Stampa" about Vatican Radio's new policies. Luckily I cross-checked before sending this. You already had the same article from IEEE Spectrum quoted on DXLD earlier in October. My own goal was a bit egotistical, since I also (independently) quoted "Sins of Transmission?" in my own new personal blog, Radiopassioni, at: http://radiolawendel.blogspot.com/2005_10_01_radiolawendel_archive.html under "La Chiesa ti uccide con l'onda?" Well, all the same and since we're at it, while my site is largely in Italian (not Monferitalian, I hope), I would treasure your comments (Andy Lawendel, Italy, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. 780, YVNM, Radio Coro, Coro, estado Falcón, NOV 03, 0245 - My best-ever reception of this with great llanera music back-to-back with TCs between the tunes. The most relevant one (because it is more than just a time-check) is "Radio Coro dando la hora: diez cincuenta y tres minutos (music started), toda la musíca criolla en Radio Coro 7- 80" followed by a beautifool emotional female llanera harp vocal. Continued like this until 0300 when I hear a full ID announcement and promo for non-stop music program "Ruta Musical 7-80" (partially readable because the signal faded down from almost excellent at tune- in to weak and a little bit fluttery along with the moderate local CJAD-800 splatter). Surfaced again to somewhere between the good and very good marks (weaker than at 0145) at 0318 with romantic salsa tune, then usual TC, jingle "Radio Coro 7-80 (por en vivo ?)" and tropical pop song "Pídeme" started with man over the intro of it saying "Más y más música en Radio Coro 7-80 AM" followed by a romantic boy-band mid-tempo modern AC song. During the adult contemp. record reception got really poor. Peaked again to a nice level at 0355 with romantic salsa record "No Me Acostumbro", then full IDs: "Radio Coro 7-80, como la autentica emisóra del gran pueblo falconiano, del gran pueblo falconiano, con más presencia en las comunidades, más avances y programas informativos, espacios para todos y toda opinion (entonces ?) y la música que todos quieren escuchar, todos queiren escuchar", music samples, "Radio Coro 7-80 AM adelante!" followed by more music samples which included reaggeton hit "Lo Que Paso, Paso" (entre tú y yo) by Daddy Yankee. "Arriba con la programación más completa y variada de la radio falconiana ! (more music samples) "En el hogar, en la oficina, en taxis particulares y en todas partes es siempre la señal 7-80 de Radio Coro, Radio Coro." "Potencia, cobertura, sintonía y precisión radial, Radio Coro, 7-80, reafirmando (inconfundible ?) primer lugar de sintonía en Falcón" then short familiar interlude, another short announcement (essentially unreadable), "escucha Radio Coro" jingle which led to the "Himno Nacional de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela" with "música de Juan José Gandaeta". After the YV anthem, promo music started with man over it "Desde Coro, ciudad capital de estado Falcón, patrimonio cultural e histórico de la humanidad, transmite en amplitud modulada Radio Coro 7-80 con 20 mil vatios de potencia . . transmisora ... municipio Miranda . . Falcón, islas del Caribe y el mundo, Radio Coro, patrimonio de la comunidad". "Desde esto momento, está en el aire (pause) Ruta Músical 7-80 . . . . alegre con música . . . mañana por Radio Coro 7-80 A-M." then non-stop Latin music of various styles like romantic, cumbia, etc., in and out until I decided to go sleeping. + NOV 05 0030 with "La Discoteca del Pueblo" program of apparent modern cumbia music with an almost excellent signal (until about 0035 when it begun fading away) and moderate to severe local splatter. + NOV 15 0407 - Break in bloc of llanera music with "Por Radio Coro, 7-80 AM, 24 hóras con tu señal en el aire". Good for a few minutes despite local CJAD on 800. + NOV 18 0455 - Music, short ID and time-check. Briefly at a nice level. It's the first season I get them so regularly: always nice to listen to Venezuelan local radio from as many "estados" as possible! A high-light had to be Coro-780 which was regular, not as consistent night-to-night as RCR-750, but sometimes REALLY strong. On the evening of November 2 (NOV 03 UT) for a period of over 10 minutes they were way stronger than the RCR powerhouse. I could hear it on my Sangean CST-818 barefoot very well, making it my best Latin American MW reception so far using this radio. However there were times when despite the still strong 780 YV signal, the Sangean 818 barefoot had too much residual WBBM co-channel QRM while the barefoot Sanyo nulled WBBM to provide half-decent reception of this Venezuelan. I hadn't been successful in installing the Justice AM antenna that we have from CCrane. In any event, it was fun to tape them and to be able to report some detailed logs of the most reported Falcon state outlet. I hope I didn't bore anyone with the long announcements of YVNM-780. I just see in IDXD John Wilkins of Colorado and John Callarman of Texas as well as on Patepluma DX, the logs of veteran Iowa MW/SW DX'er Don Moore which really inspired me. Don Moore quotes on his Venezuelan and Ecuadorian logbooks canned IDs as well as over the air announcements which are definitively helpful in learning Spanish and even more helpful when it comes to learn the ways in which Latins IDs (Bogdan Alexandru Chiochiu, Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada H8Y 3M9; Equipment: Sanyo MCD-S830 portable with internal ferrite bar antenna Sangean CST- 818; 2002 Mazda Protégé's car-radio with whip antenna, Latinmwdx yg via DXLD) Bogdan`s full DX and chemotherapy reports appear on a number of MW lists, especially http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LatinMWDX/ which I think he founded (gh, DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. or ALGERIA (non) --- pick the title. [1550], Polisario Front's morning program today (18 Nov) was about to end (note: they did sign off at 0900 the other Friday) when, after nearly a 1 minute silence, some brief directions were given (? - I can't speak Arabic, so maybe a translation of the attached audio clip could help us --- I'm thinking of our esteemed colleague in "Al Misr"), then more silence and finally one of their tunes, this time for announcing Radio For Peace, Emilia Romagna, Italy (cf. recording), but this never made it through. They played a few songs prior to announcing a fault in the satellite link after which they signed off with the national anthem at 0915 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Nov 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZANZIBAR. On 11735, Nov 18 at 1825, kids chanting in unison, fair signal with flutter, and a couple minutes later announcement in presumed Swahili. Unfortunately I tuned in too late for the English news at 1800; by 1900 was considerably weaker (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. EXILED JOURNALISTS STRUGGLE TO KEEP THEIR VOICES HEARD --- Escaping intimidation and violence but still writing. By Elisabeth Witchel Savage beatings from the secret services and 20-year prison sentences handed down by the government have forced Zimbawean journalists into exile across the world. From Britain, South Africa and as far as New Zealand, Elisabeth Witchel of the Committee to Protect Journalists tracks down the journalists reporting from South Africa and London. Sandra Nyaira was on a career high when she left Zimbabwe three years ago. For her work as political editor of the country’s leading independent newspaper the Daily News, she had earned a prestigious Courage in Journalism Award from the Washington-based International Women’s Media Foundation. After traveling to the United States to receive the prize, Nyaira attended the journalism master’s program at City University in London on a scholarship. Nyaira expected to be back at her job in Zimbabwe in a year. She has yet to return. . . http://www.indexonline.org/en/news/articles/2005/4/zimbabwe-exiled-journalists-struggle-to-keep.shtml (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Also mentions SW Radio Africa ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Note that I just sent a small Paypal contribution to your astounding work. Your dedication is simply unexplainable, in a DX world like this. Best, (Andy Lawendel, Italy) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ TV GUIDE: New Format Content I haven't written about the new format before now, but I expect you realize that I hate it, based on my previous correspondence about the changes that happened in the old small-size version. As a non-cable- subscribing over-the-air viewer of local channels and not in the Eastern time zone, it is of course practically useless now. Even what you DO print doesn't agree in many cases with what I see on my TV, especially the PBS listings. But you've made the decision to lose local coverage so I know you won't change back. It's pretty futile to talk about that. But let's accept what you are now. I do have a complaint about a specific aspect -- the "Previously seen on..." section that purports to tell viewers what happened in continuing series. What you are printing is too old! Each issue's contents refers back *two* weeks! I expect that to contain the show summaries from the previous week, not the week before! Surely your writers have access to seeing the programs far enough in advance to compose a short summary and get it in print for the following week's issue. I would be happy to see the summaries in the issue I get in the mail during the same week they are on. I don't mind "spoilers"; I'd actually prefer to know that info. People who want to avoid knowing about the plots before they see the shows off the air or via a recording can simply skip over those pages. If you cannot print the latest "previously on" episode summaries, then drop those pages and use them for something more useful. I have no interest is reading these items two weeks out of date. Another thing that has been really irritating me in recent weeks is that the schedule information you DO print has been so wrong so often. I realize the networks change things after your deadlines but do all you can to get feedback to them that we viewers HATE this! I plan my taping and viewing depending on what I read in the listings. The broadcasters should have the integrity to hold on to what they said they'd do and only change things far enough in advance to allow accurate printed listings. That said, would you PLEASE print some after-the-fact explanations and details about WHY changes were made at the last minute? Why was "Threshold" moved and replaced with "Close to Home", for example? Viewers get in the schedule of seeing things when they are used to seeing them, and it is very annoying for those arrangements to suddenly change with no explanation. I find it amazing that the people running this communications medium refuse to use it to communicate with the audience and tell us simply and clearly when things will change and why. We have to figure this out from suddenly seeing a promo for a show being aired at some unexpected time, and that promo could easily contain a bit of info saying what happened to the program that was previously scheduled in that new timeslot. I want to see some paragraphs of discussion in the next available issue of TV Guide explaining just why this or that was done. (That's something you could put into those "Previously On" pages!) By the way, I'm not speaking of changes due to breaking news or Presidential interruptions or the like -- I mean the shuffling of shows done by networks out of the blue with no obvious rationale. I know other local TV Guide subscribers who have complained about the change and even some who have cancelled their subscriptions and asked for refunds. I'm not going to do that (at least for now) but I think that it behooves you to do whatever you can within the limits of what you are now to recapture the interest of your alienated subscribers. By the way, have you completely lost all your over-the-counter sales now? I cannot see that anyone would find your current format worth paying cash money for on an issue-by-issue basis (William Martin, St. Louis, MO, Nov 18, to TV Guide, cc to DX LISTENING DIGEST) FREE PIRATE MUSIC Greetings from Bellingham, Washington! My name is David Stray Ney, and I have a band called Pirates R Us! I don't know if your station plays any music, but I thought I'd email you none the less. We play traditional chanty style pirate music, but we are modern pirates, so we specialize in singing songs of modern technological piracy, such as Pirate Radio! I really think you will appriciate our music, and feel that it is perfect for your station. Our website has all of our mp3's available for free download, feel free to spread them far and wide: http://www.pirates-r-us.com In solidarity, David Stray Ney (via Martin Schoech, Germany, SWR-Worldwide yg via DXLD) In particular: http://www.pirates-r-us.com/kyarpirateradio.mp3 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ BPL is a technical dinosaur. It cannot sustain high speed transmission and is adversely affected by outside disturbances -- it just won't work. It's really the various power companies' attempt at cashing in on what the cable and telco companies have been doing. The FCC must allow testing of the system (technology), since it was proposed through all the legal channels and is a routine move within their "fairness policies" (manifesto). The BPL testing will (should) convince the power companies that the technology is about 40 years out of date and will cost them a bundle of cash for the privilege of failing. They know it. The FCC knows it. The engineering world knows it. It's just a desperate move that will die a slow, agonizing death, like disco. (apologies to the Village People for that last remark) Bob (Robert W. Betts, Nov 7, shortwave-swl-antenna yg via DXLD) ###