DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-213, December 12, 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 1296: 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 WORLD OF RADIO 1296 (real high): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1296h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1296h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1296 (real low): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1296.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1296.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1296 (mp3 high): (download) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1296h.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO 1296 (mp3 low): (download) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1296.mp3 (lower download) http://www.piratedxer.com/worldofradio_12-07-05.mp3 (lower stream) http://www.piratedxer.com/worldofradio_12-07-05.m3u (WOR 1296 summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1296.html ** AFGHANISTAN. Re PsyOps - the military's media machine - article in Sunday NY Times http://urlsnip.com/835127 [see USA] It does mention Peace Radio on shortwave from Afghanistan; WRTH 2006 lists it on 9365 1kw from Bagram 0030-1830, also from Kandahar on 864 with 5 kw (Mike Barraclough, UK, swprograms via DXLD) ** ALBANIA: NO TRACE OF RADIO TIRANA --- There was no trace of Radio Tirana External Service on any of its listed shortwave frequencies when checked between 7 December and 10 December. Radio Tirana was also absent from three mediumwave frequencies, previously known to carry the external service, during monitoring between 9 December and 10 December. The station's website was accessible but no information was given regarding Radio Tirana's current status. Source: BBC Monitoring research, 10 Dec 05 (via DXLD) Chequeando emisiones de R. Tirana en MW sólo he encontrado en 1458 kHz la emisión de China Radio Int. en la emisión en italiano; ésta emisión se hace via Albania desde el transmisor de Fllakë con 500 kW de potencia --- en Valencia con SINPO 34322 a las 1832. Sin embargo por la frecuencia de 1395 kHz desde el mismo transmisor y con la misma potencia no se aprecia señal alguna en la transmisión de la TWR. Tampoco por 1215 kHz desde el mismo lugar y misma potencia; de hecho se pueden captar en ésta frecuencia emisoras nacionales de muy poca potencia y lejanas a Valencia, cosa imposible hace unos días (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 6059.96, RAE, Mon, Dec 5, I tuned in around 0930 and found what sounded like Spanish domestic programming, I thought LRA-R. Nacional. At 0945 that stopped and the station went into 15 minutes of 8-note RAE IS with occasional very brief IDs in various langs. (English was simply "RAE, Argentina"). IS is the same as at http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~RP4N-KWMR/bcl/sound2/index.html Five pips at 1000, big production multi-lingual ID for a couple of minutes long version of what I think was the Argentine NA, then a mix of classical music and talk, with voice audio lower than music audio. Reception was decent at first but deteriorated a lot by 1000, and there wasn't much left by 1030. LRA used to open here at 0900, but I never before ran across the RAE IS/IDs/programming starting at 0945. It was an operating mistake, per Barrera-Argentina. LRA, R. Nacional, heard with crash start at 0856 Dec 6, no sign of RAE at 0945. And no sign of Argentina at all through 1000 on Dec 10. (Maybe not on the air Sats?) (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 6214, R. Armonía (formerly R. Baluarte), Ptº Iguazú, noted on 10 Dec 2341-2348, (North) American songs; stronger than usual; 34432, occasional stronger utility QRM (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 11133, La Red, Buenos Aires. Argentine military relay, Western music and Spanish announcements. 0730. No sign of any of the other frequencies here of late, but possibly just a seasonal thing, 10 Dec (Craig Seager, NSW, Dec-Jan ADXN via DXLD) ** ARMENIA. 9965, V. of Armenia, 1926-1945*, Dec. 5, English, YL with ID, news re Aremenian/Russian relations. Commentaries re Armenian genocide. ID, contact info at sign-off. Poor/fair (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. The long term objective for our transmitter site in Kununurra includes up to four one hundred thousand watt transmitters. For months we have been praying that the Lord would miraculously supply us with at least a second HC100 transmitter so that it could be dedicated to the ministry to East Asia (China). Praise the Lord, the HCJB Head Office in Colorado Springs has indicated that a second HC100 will be shipped from Pifo, Ecaudor in November this year! It should be on site in Kununurra early 2006. This represents a gift of approximately one million Australian Dollars! Money that we do not have, and which we would be hard pressed to raise! However, the gift is not without its financial obligations. First of all, we will need to retrofit the transmitter to make the motors adaptable to our 240 volt single phase power and the 50 cycle as opposed to the 60 cycle used in the U.S. [sic] In addition, the transmitter will need to be fitted with special ducting and connections to the antenna switcher. The bottom line is that we will need to raise about $100,000 to transport, retrofit and install this new transmitter on site in Kununurra, plus the additional studio and communications equipment (HCJB Australia News via Dec-Jan Australian DX News via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. 13770, R. Australia via Thailand. Innovations programme with Radio Australia IDs! 0544 good level heard the whole programme thru to 0555. 13/11, good level in English (Johno Wright, NSW, Dec-Jan ADXN via DXLD). Interesting - some sort of switching/feed error? R.Thailand scheduled -cs. (Craig Seager, ed.) ** AUSTRALIA. 11880, ABC, again carrying domestic programming; ABC live sports at 0745 Dec 10, several IDs for ABC-Darwin and "783 [MW -- - JB] Alice Springs." Poor-fair, and signal generally goes down hill around 0830. Carries RA programming from 0900 (Jerry Berg, Lexington MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4716.8, R. Yura, Yura, audible on 10 Dec 2230-2342, Quechua, Indian music, advertisements; much stronger audio during speech than while playing music; 35333 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4975.09, R. Mundial, Osasco, maybe I've just missed it in the past but this was a surprise. Fair signal at 0815 Dec 11, lady announcer with phone talk. ID at 0825, ads, a "R. Mundial informa..," back to talk at 0830, by which time the signal was on the way out (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flalshsheet via DXLD) ** BRAZIL [non]. PORTUGAL – Se a Radiobrás teve que terminar com as emissões em português da Rádio Nacional do Brasil dirigidas ao continente africano devido aos problemas técnicos, pelo menos acertou noutra ação que vai certamente cobrir tal deficiência: a assinatura de parceria com a RDP Internacional. As emissões da emissora portuguesa, em 21655 kHz, levam ao ar um programa feito pela Radiobrás. É o Brasil Hoje, com cerca de três minutos. O colunista acompanhou a edição de 21 de novembro, às 1740, em 21655 kHz. O programa contou até mesmo com entrevista do presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Neste horário, o canal 21655 kHz tem como alvo Brasil, Guiné Bissau e Cabo Verde (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Dec 11 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Regulators are getting impatient with Aboriginal Voices Radio's repeated requests for extensions of time to build its stations in British Columbia, Calgary, Montreal, Kitchener-Waterloo and Ottawa. AVR, which currently operates only one station, Toronto's CFIE (106.5), asked the CRTC last week for a sixth extension in Ottawa and a second extension in Montreal (including an extension of time to find an alternate frequency, since it was denied its initial choice of 100.1), among other requests. The CRTC says it's putting AVR "on notice" that it will use this proceeding to decide whether to grant the broadcaster any further extensions for its unbuilt stations. In documents filed with the CRTC, AVR indicates that it still hasn't purchased a transmitter for the Ottawa station, and that similar purchases for Montreal are on hold until a new frequency (tentatively 106.7) is approved (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch Dec 12 via DXLD) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. STATE RADIO MARKS 47TH ANNIVERSARY 8 DECEMBER | Text of report by Central African Republic radio on 8 December 8 December 1958 to 8 December 2005, [state-run] Radio Centrafrique is now 47 years old. Radio Centrafrique celebrated the 47th anniversary of its creation today. Initially called Radio Bangui, Radio Centrafrique was the main instrument of vulgarization of political ideologies of the rulers when it was created. The time when this station was accessible only to authorities and rulers is now over. Nowadays, this state-run radio station is accessible to all components of the Central African society, including political parties, NGOs, religious groups, and individuals. As the first radio station, Radio Centrafrique used to broadcast from a container in Bangui. It continues to experience several constraints, namely limited running fund, limited human, material, and financial resources. Source: Radio Centrafrique, Bangui, in French 1900 gmt 8 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CHINA. CHINA HOLDS NATIONAL EXTERNAL PROPAGANDA WORK CONFERENCE | Text of report entitled: "National External Propaganda Work Conference held in Beijing 7-9 Dec", carried by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency) Asia-Pacific service Beijing, 9 December: A national external propaganda work conference was held in Beijing from 7 to 9 December. The main task of the conference is to be guided by Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thinking of the "Three Representations" [Chinese: san ge dai biao; on the importance of the Communist Party in modernizing the nation - representing the demands for the development of advanced social productive forces, the direction of advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the greatest majority of the people], comprehensively implement the scientific development concept, analyse the new situation and new developments facing the external propaganda work, review the external propaganda work in the past, exchange the conditions of building a major external propaganda pattern, study and draw up plans for the external propaganda work next year. The meeting listened to important speeches given by Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] Central Committee, and Liu Yunshan, member of the Political Bureau and of the Secretariat of the CCP Central Committee and head of the Propaganda Department of the CCP Central Committee, at the National Conference of Propaganda Department Heads. In their speeches, the central leading comrades analysed the international and domestic situations facing the external propaganda work at present, elaborated the importance of doing well the external propaganda work in the new situation, and clarified the focal points and tasks of the external propaganda work in the 11th Five-Year Programme period. The speeches are of great guiding significance to the external propaganda work at present and for some time to come. Cai Wu, director of the Central External Propaganda Office and director of the State Council Information Office, spoke at the meeting. He said: We should, in compliance with the central requirements, unswervingly carry out the central principle for propaganda and ideological work and its external principle and policy, comprehensively implement the scientific development concept, do a good job in carrying out the tasks of the external propaganda work for the new century and new period set by the party Central Committee, and promote the building of a major external propaganda pattern in an all- round way. The meeting stated that in the external propaganda work next year, it is necessary to focus on the central task of the party and state, carry out all the tasks set in the national programme for external propaganda work and, with propagating China's adherence to the scientific development concept and persistence in taking the path of peaceful development as the main theme, introduce comprehensively and objectively China's achievements in economic and social development, as well as the objectives of its economic and social development in the 11th Five-Year Programme period and the launching of the process for developing various undertakings, and propagate China's diplomatic policy and stand of holding high the banners of peace, development, and cooperation and promoting the building of a harmonious world characterized by lasting peace and common prosperity, in order to create a more favourable international public opinion environment for attaining various development objectives set in China's 11th Five-Year Programme and promoting the great cause of reunifying the motherland. Present at the meeting were directors of the external propaganda offices of the party committees of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government; responsible comrades of the party committees in charge of external propaganda work in cities specifically designated in the state plan and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps; news spokespersons for the relevant departments of the central and state organs; and responsible comrades of major central journalistic units in charge of external propaganda work, as well as responsible persons of key central news websites. Source: Xinhua news agency, Beijing, in Chinese 0413 gmt 9 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CUBA. 5025 kHz, R. Rebelde, Bauta, noted till fade out (1035) on 11 Dec 1012-1035, Spanish, songs, talks, TCs; 25432 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would be about 0935 LMT (gh) ** DENMARK. Glenn, The Mohammed cartoons seem to have been deleted from the site I mentioned (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Dec 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Now forwarded to http://www.newspaperindex.com/blog/ (gh, DXLD) ** DIEGO GARCIA. Latest catches from the Indian Ocean side of the world. 1120, 12579, AFN Diego García, no interference as I been hearing in the past. Mostly been hearing China station transmitting a CW carrier. Conversation was about a person named Amanda. Tested other AFN; could only hear 10320 out of Hawaii. Very weak but could hear the male announcer (Larry Fields, n6hpx/mm, Indian Ocean still 14 degrees south, Dec 10, swl at qth.net via DXLD) DIEGO GARCIA? 4319, 1535- Dec 11, AFRTS. Not at all sure whether this is DG or just an image. I can hear very weak programming on USB, but it doesn't sound like the usual AFRTS style programming, and it's not // to 7590 Iceland (oops that's not AFRTS Iceland, but Voice of Mezopotamya from Moldova on 7590). Heck, I can't find any AFRTS stations on, not even Guam or Hawaii (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4319 usb, BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY (DIEGO GARCIA), AFN, 2301- 2315 Dec 8. AFN program. Weak signal just at/above noise level, but definitely there. Appeared to be running parallel to NPR news and All Things Considered program from strong Key West signals on 5446.5 usb, 7811 usb, 12133.5 usb. Can't remember this transmitter paralleling Key West in the past, but 4319 usb now appears as Diego Garcia on AFN web page (Jim Evans, TN, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) 4319 usb DIEGO GARCIA, Armed Forces Network, 0110-0135 Dec 10, NBA basketball game with Cleveland playing New Jersey. Poor to fair. (Rich D`Angelo, PA, ibid.) 4319 usb USA, AFRTS, presumed Diego Garcia very poor at 0015 with man speaking; perhaps sports commentary; gone in QRN by 0100 (Jim Ronda, Tulsa OK, 12/8, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Checked HCJB 9745, UT Sun Dec 11 at 0442, and it was a drama, not Música del Ecuador, so perhaps the other program scheduled then, Conozca el Ecuador (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 100 kW transmitter going to AUSTRALIA, q.v. ** EGYPT. EX-STATE BROADCASTING CHIEF FACING CORRUPTION CHARGES | Text of report in English by Egyptian news agency MENA Cairo, 10 December: Prosecutor-General Mahir Abd al-Wahid placed the property of a former Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) chairman under sequestration on corruption charges. The action came after Information Minister Anas el-Fiqi filed a complaint against Abd al-Rahman Hafiz, also the former head of the Media Production City. The sequestration order was also extended to Ihab Talat, a businessman, his wife and children. Hafiz is facing charges of trying to defraud state coffers of some 48 million [Egyptian] pounds [8m dollars] in debts owed by Talat to the union. On Thursday [8 December], Fiqi ordered Hafiz to be questioned for other violations, including signing a contract with a company to broadcast Egyptian Satellite Channel in America without enough examination. The contract led ERTU to pay 18.8m US dollars without collecting subscription dues. The action against Hafiz is part of a general trend the Egyptian government has taken to crack down on corruption. On Friday, Cairo International Airport security authorities told Talat he could not board a chartered plane to Greece. Egypt's attorney- general had issued an order banning Talat, who is married to famous Egyptian pop star Shirin Wagdi, from travelling abroad, pending investigations in the suspected tax evasion case involving Hafiz. Source: MENA news agency, Cairo, in English 1932 gmt 10 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** EGYPT. 7270, R. Cairo, 0158-0217, Dec. 5, English/Arabic, Arabic music, pips/ID and program schedule, "Holy Kor`an and its meaning" program ID at 0215 followed by news. Weak but clear (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 7110, R. Ethiopia fair at 0350 12/8 with bouncy Afro-pop music; 0400 TS and chimes and into presumed Amharic news; still fair at 0420 recheck; best audio quality here in some time (Jim Ronda, OK, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Re V. of Ethiopian People underway: Hello DXers, picked it up around 1730 UT on 7380 with a weak signal but I could hear Amharic and Horn of Africa music. Around 1757 I heard what sounded like the ID on their website http://www.voep.net I guess there was something like white noise on that transmission! All the best my friends (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Dec 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. [pirate] Mystery Radio up on 6219.94, 2148+ 11 December as I type. Very strong, UroidPops in English. The usual canned female "Mmmmm-y-ssss-tery Radio" drops between tracks (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. [pirate] 9384.9, 4.12 0850, Laser Hot Hits with Colin Young. How long and how often do you have to listen to hear the the CB-program? S 2-4. BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [non]. RFI via 1179 --- SR Antenne Saar will also relay the German service of RFI, Mon-Fri only 1130-1200. The editorial staff at Paris announces this in big letters on their webpage http://www.rfi.fr/fichiers/Langues/rfi_allemand_main.asp Earlier announcements by SR called for relays of RFI's French news only. This concept was quite incomprehensible for RFI listeners of course. This is not the first German AM outlet for RFI. Until five years ago (hard to believe that half a decade passed since!) they were relayed via Burg 261 by the then closed Radioropa. General policy of RFI prohibits own MW/SW transmissions for Central Europe since 1996. Hmm, but Polish is still on shortwave (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON [and non]. Strange QRM to ANO, 17630, Dec 11 at 1508, continuous high-pitched hum with a SAH. Similar 24h later; or is this a local problem here? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GEORGIA. Re 5-211: Hi, checked that item from Rumen in Sofia Bulgaria, -- today Dec 12. I noted Sokhum again around 0600-0700 UT on usual odd 9494.76 kHz in Russian language, thiny signal, and adjacent QRM by R Sweden 9490 kHz. Scheduled 0200-0815 UT. Noted Abkhaz Radio & TV via Soxum SW 9494.76 and 9534.75 kHz in Oct 2005 too, 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GOA. 9705, INDIA (GOA), AIR Panaji, 2306-2330 Dec 8. English news by woman. 2310 ID by woman followed by commentary by man. 2315 ID by woman. Program of excellent classical Indian instrumental music. 2330 ID by woman followed by talk. Good signal at 2306 degrading quickly after 2320 (SINPO 44333). Also noted parallels with inferior signals on 9950 (Aligarh), 11620 (Delhi), 11645 (Delhi). Will send them report number 13 for Panaji transmitter and hope for a reply (Jim Evans, TN, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** GUIANA FRENCH [and non]. Satellite Radio & TV Welcome to the December edition of the Satellite Television and Radio pages. This month`s ADXN Satellite Radio & TV news is also available in a larger extended edition online at http://www.satdirectory.com/--adxn.html Just a reminder, all television and radio mentioned on these pages is received free-to-air in the DVB digital format unless otherwise noted. Good morning Caribbean! With warm summer nights now with us here in Australia, what better way to enjoy the balmy evenings than settling down on the couch for a session of tropical television. French Caribbean breakfast television is broadcast daily from the studios of Télé Guyane in Rémire Montjoly, Cayenne, French Guiana. The broadcast is easily received in most parts of Eastern Australia via France Ô on Intelsat 701 located high above the International Date Line at 180 degrees east. ``Matin Peyi`` is the weekday breakfast television program broadcasting to Guyana, Guadeloupe, and Martinique via Télé Guyane, Télé Guadeloupe and Télé Martinique. Just like breakfast television all around the world Marin Peyi presents a program of news, sports, music and light entertainment that allows a fascinating insight into Caribbean culture and life. Of particular interest to DXers would be the live crosses to the breakfast DJ’s at RFO Radio Guyane, Radio Guadeloupe and Radio Martinique who discuss local news and events with the Matin Peyi host. Martin Peyi can be seen Tuesday to Friday from 2100 to 2300 Australian Eastern Daylight Time (7 AM to 9 AM Guyane local time) on France Ô, Intelsat 701, 1174 Horizontal, 2310, ¾ (Mark Fahey, Satellite Radio & TV, Dec-Jan ADXN via DXLD) ** GUINEA. 7125 kHz, R. Guinée/R. Conakry, Sonfoniya*, observed on 11 Dec 1122, French, folk music program, interviews; 25443. *) Sonfoniya/~ia/~ya is actually the station transmitter site, which according to reports found in the www is a poor Conakry's outskirt (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Dear Friends, According to press reports the city of Bangalore is to be re-named Bengaluru. For the full story click the follwing link. http://in.rediff.com/news/2005/dec/11blore.htm Bengaluru has AIR SW facilities using 6 x 500 kW and of course other MW & FM stations. The name Bengaluru is nothing new. The MW/FM stations has already been using Bengaluru id for the local programs. The External service in Kannnada at 0215-0300 on 11985 & 15075 also has ids as AIR Bengaluru. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS National Institute of Amateur Radio Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, Dec 12, dx_india via DXLD) BANGALORE TO BE RE-NAMED BENGALURU December 11, 2005 22:16 IST If Bombay could become Mumbai, Madras could become Chennai and Calcutta into Kolkata, could the country's IT hub, Bangalore lag behind? Bangalore in Anglicised form, will be known as Bengaluru, as pronounced in Kannada. Chief Minister N Dharam Singh told reporters in Gulbarga on Sunday that he had asked the chief secretary to take steps for renaming Bangalore. He said Kannadigas were calling the city as Bengaluru but taking an Anglicised form, it became Bangalore. Dharam recalled that a suggestion to call the city as Bengaluru had emanated at a meeting of prominent Kannada litterateurs he had called recently to seek their views on celebrating the golden jubilee of the formation of the state of Karnataka. He also said he would make a plea to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take steps to accord the status of a classical language to Kannada. Singh said the state government fully concurred with the views expressed by prominent litterateurs, that Kannada should be given the classical language tag (as above via DXLD) ** INDIA. AIR GOS, 9690, P-F but comprehensible, Mon Dec 12 at 1431 with mailbag until 1445. M&W read several letters from listeners, the first wanting Indian penpals, others mainly reception reports with all the details, SINPOs, etc., including one from New Mexico for 9950. 1445 into film music show. Which reminds me: still looking for a complete PROGRAM schedule of the AIR GOS. E.g., when are all the airtimes for the mailbag? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 9552.27, RRI Makassar. Jakarta news relay 0007, quite good on 11 Dec (Craig Seager, NSW, Dec-Jan ADXN via DXLD) ** ITALY [non?]. 5775, IRRS, 2005 Sat Dec 10 with news and reports from VoA!! At 2010 with ID of Nexus.org; 2044 tune in with UN radio program. S5 34343 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JORDAN. I heard Radio Jordan this morning with a good signal from 1600 to 1730* UT on 11690. The signal was good to start but slowly got worse; by 1710 had a female with the program Listeners` Choice playing oldies music, full ID at the bottom of the hour, followed by the news (Ron Trotto, Waggoner, Illinois, dxldyg via DXLD) You mean at 1610, 1630, since it was off at 1730? (gh DXLD) Minnie Ripperton's "Loving You" was closing the hour, seconds before 1700, Sunday 11, and this female announcer IDed as This Radio Jordan from Amman on 11690 and 96.3 F.M., which they insist to mention after news and commentaries when the music was back at 1720, song after song. They finally left the air at 1731. SINPO 33222. Let's hope there will be no more HCJB to have RJ, at least of weekends, when I can tune them for that sked. BTW, has anybody finally identified from where comes that RTTY in the LSB of 11690? Never seen that before (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don`t know where the RTTY comes from but I know it was present years ago when Radio Kuwait used this frequency; I`m wondering if it is just a coincidence or a jammer of sorts (Ron Trotto, IL, ibid.) It should be a piece of cake for anyone with proper equipment or software to identify this and some other persistent RTTY problems for broadcasters, e.g. 7455, but repeated requests have drawn blanks. Are readers of this so specialized that no one can handle RTTY? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. ?RUSSIA 5880, 1500- Dec 11, Free North Korea Radio. Reportedly from Irkutsk. Open carrier at tune-in at 1450. No IS, just into Korean programming at 1500. Signal was equal to Shiokaze on 5890, so I think that the transmitter strength is similar. A poor morning, so very little of the programming is discernible. Apart from a brief musical interlude just after the beginning of the programming, the rest is a male speaking with an occasional female as well. RUSSIA, 5890, 1430- Dec 11, Shiokaze program. I tuned to this frequency at 1425 only to already hear programming that sounded identical to what I've heard from Shiokaze in past weeks. Frequency precisely 5890, and it continued at 1430 with the usual talk with the light piano music in the background. It did not sound like two different transmitters/stations transitioning at 1430, so perhaps Shiokaze has extended its programming? Unfortunately reception is very poor this morning. Hardly worth the early wake-up! (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, see 5-207, extended to 1400-1500, and 1900-1930 since Dec 8 (gh) ** LATVIA. 9290, GERMANY [non], Radio73 via Latvia, 1315-1400, Dec 11, fair with mostly GM programming, much traditional Christmas music, some English IDs by man with web http://www.radio73.de and postal address, request for reports. Off at 1400* (John Herkimer, Caledonia NY, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** LIBERIA. EFFORTS UNDERWAY TO RE-OPEN STATE BROADCASTER | Excerpt from report by Liberian Catholic Radio Veritas on 9 December Efforts are said to be underway by the Executive Mansion to ensure the immediate re-opening of the state-owned Liberian Broadcasting System, LBS. Deputy information minister for administration Bernard Warity told Radio Veritas Friday that the Executive Mansion is in serious negotiation with the Finance Ministry on the release of funding for LBS re-opening. [Passage omitted] Source: Radio Veritas, Monrovia, in English 1330 gmt 9 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** MAURITANIA. 783 kHz, R. Mauritanie, Nouakchott, observed on 09 Dec 2324-2338, Arabic/Vernacular(s), talks; 54544, QRM de Spain; // 4845 kHz (at S9+50dB) only (i.e. no // signal detected on 7245). No simultaneous activity detected on 4845 & 7245 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [non]. With XEYU supposedly about to fire up on its former frequency 9600, with an ex-XERMX 10 kW transmitter, what QRM will it face? Per EiBi B-05, Cuba not as big a problem as I had thought, only 2 hours a day in prime-time; seems to me they used to be on there too in the mornings, but maybe not any more. None of the other broadcasts are for an America, tho some are certainly audible here: 9600 1300-1400 CHN China Radio Int. BE SAs x 9600 1400-1500 CHN China Radio Int. NE SAs x 9600 1800-1900 CHN China Radio Int. M SAf ka 9600 1900-2000 CHN China Radio Int. M Eu ka 9600 2000-2200 CHN China Radio Int. E Eu b 9600 0300-0800 CHN PBS Xinjiang M CHN 9600 0800-1100 We-Mo CHN PBS Xinjiang M CHN 9600 1100-1300 CHN PBS Xinjiang M CHN 9600 0000-0200 CUB Radio Habana Cuba S Am 9600 2200-2245 CVA Radio Vaticana M FE 9600 1000-1200 FIN YLE Radio Finland R EEu 9600 1500-1530 G BBC NE SAs /SNG 9600 1530-1545 G BBC World Service E SAs /SNG 9600 0600-0620 I RAI International R EEu How about HFCC B-05 for 9600? This does not mention Cuba: 9600 0200 1400 42N URU 50 0 0 925 1234567 301005 260306 D CHN CRI RTC 2931 9600 0600 0620 29 ROM 100 52 0 301 1234567 301005 260306 D Russian I RAI RAI 1204 9600 0700 1400 27,28W,37N KV 100 254 0 417 1234567 301005 230306 D UKR/E/G UKR RUI RRT 17054 9600 1000 1200 19,29 POR 250 130 -30 211 7 301005 260306 D 14100 RUS FIN YLE DIG 351 9600 1200 1300 49E,54 KUN 150 163 0 206 1234567 301005 260306 D CHN CRI RTC 2933 9600 1300 1400 41NE XIA 150 255 0 216 1234567 301005 260306 D CHN CRI RTC 2935 9600 1400 1500 42S KUN 500 283 0 216 1234567 301005 260306 D CHN CRI RTC 2936 9600 1500 1545 41,49N SNG 100 320 -20 147 1234567 301005 260306 D G BBC MER 1667 9600 1600 1700 40E,41NW JIN 500 290 0 216 1234567 301005 260306 D CHN CRI RTC 2934 9600 1730 1800 37 PLD 250 260 0 157 1234567 301005 260306 D BUL RBU BUL 809 9600 2000 2200 27-29 KAS 500 308 0 288 1234567 301005 260306 D CHN CRI RTC 2932 9600 2157 2245 42-44 P.K 250 263 0 158 1234567 041205 040206 D RUS VAT GFC 17329 9600 2157 2245 43,44 KHB 100 218 0 158 1234567 311005 031205 D RUS VAT GFC 17331 9600 2157 2245 43,44 KHB 100 218 0 158 1234567 050206 260306 D RUS VAT GFC 17330 9600 2200 2400 6-9,27,28 AKA 500 313 0 156 1234567 301005 260306 D Arabic JOR JRT JRT 6628 2 A04 9600 2310 2400 49 SMG 500 72 0 619 1234567 301005 260306 D VT CVA VAT VAT 521 Nor does NDXC-B-05 mention Cuba, now online at: http://www.geocities.jp/bindxc/bib05.txt 9600 BBC LONDON 1530-1545 1234567 English Kranji 100 330 SNG 10344E0125 BBC b05 9600 BBC LONDON 1500-1545 1234567 Nepali Kranji 100 320 SNG 10344E0125 BBC b05 9600 PBS Xinjiang 0300-0800 1234567 Chinese Urumqui 50 230 CHN 08730E4335 XJBS 9600 PBS Xinjiang 0800-1100 12.4567 Chinese Urumqui 50 230 CHN 08730E4335 XJBS 9600 PBS Xinjiang 1100-1200 1234567 Chinese Urumqui 50 230 CHN 08730E4335 XJBS=7310 9600 CHINA Radio INT. 1300-1357 1234567 Bengali Xian 150 255 CHN 10854E3412 CRI b05 9600 CHINA Radio INT. 1400-1457 1234567 Cambodian Xian 500 283 CHN 10854E3412 CRI b05 9600 CHINA Radio INT. 2000-2057 1234567 English Kashi 2022 500 308 CHN 07600E3930 CRI b05 9600 CHINA Radio INT. 2100-2157 1234567 English Kashi 2022 500 308 CHN 07600E3930 CRI b05 9600 RAI INTERNATIONAL 0600-0620 1234567 Russian Roma 100 50 I 1231E4148 RAI b05 9600 VATICAN RADIO 2200-2245 1234567 Chinese Petropavlovsk 250 263 RUS 15839E5259 VATIC Dec.4-Feb.3 9600 VATICAN RADIO 2200-2245 1234567 Chinese Khabarovsk 100 218 RUS 13515E4833 VATIC-Dec.3/Feb.4- 9600 VATICAN RADIO 2315-2400 1234567 Vietnamese St.Maria Galeria 500 75 CVA 1219E4203 VATIC b05 Again, not too serious a bunch of QRMers as inband situations go, for us in the WHem, but is Cuba really on 9600? Yes, checked at 0025 UT Dec 12, but rather weak during disturbed conditions, // 6000 in Spanish (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. Tagata O Te Moana is a weekly reprise of news stories from the Pacific Islands broadcast by Radio New Zealand International. It is audible here in the eastern U.S. on Sunday at 1300 UT on 9870. Propagation is quite variable and receiving this transmission is definitely a winter phenomenon here, but at this time of the year it can come in well. The transmission is targeted to the Pacific. The hour starts with five minutes of news about the Pacific, then there is a musical break, then there are a series of three-to-minute stories that focus on news and cultural events in the Pacific islands in more depth. The stories cover events and developments from the previous week. Some reports are filed by RNZI correspondents in the field, but most are studio productions. I really enjoy hearing news from the Pacific islands states, places that are totally ignored by U.S. media. What I enjoy most about Tagata is the music. The fills between stories comprise contemporary and traditional songs from the Pacific islands. For those of us who live too far away for MW DXing of the Pacific islands, its a way to get a taste of lilting island melodies and rich vocal harmonies wafting in over the airwaves from paradise. Following Tagata at 1400 on the same frequency are the New Zealand weather forecasts. The material covered in Tagata is almost identical to the "Dateline Pacific" program also put out by RNZI. In fact, Tagata may be the same series of stories, but with more music to fill out the hour time slot. Dateline is a 30-minute program which is available via the World Radio Network on weekends. These programs are also available at the RNZI website, http://www.rnzi.com/index.php The same stories may also be heard via WRN in the show Korero Pacifica, which, to quote their schedule, is "recorded in RNZI’s Wellington studios, this 15 minute program includes a news bulletin covering the Pacific region including Fiji, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa and New Zealand, followed by a short current affairs feature" (Scott Walker, New Cumberland PA USA, Dec 11, swprograms via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. 15120, 2.12 1725, Voice of Nigeria heard again after being gone for near two months. Nice audio but most likely transmitter problems in the future. 4 CB (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) A Voz da Nigéria foi captada em São Bernardo do Campo (SP), pelo Rudolf Grimm, em 1º de dezembro, às 1835, pela freqüência de 15120 kHz. Ele ouviu entrevista e citações a aspectos políticos da Nigéria num inglês com forte sotaque (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Dec 11 via DXLD) Previously reported until 1759*; probably varies day to day (gh, DXLD) 7255, V. of Nigeria, Ikorodu, observed on 11 Dec 1115-..., Vernacular, talks; 35444 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. 7530, R. Pakistan, 1833-1903*, Dec. 5, Vernacular, Kor`an/Arabic-style vocal music, announcer at 1838, back to music at 1844, Kor`an at 1858. Poor. // 9360 becoming stronger, until blown out by 9355-WYFR at 1855, as 7530 weakens becoming whisper quiet by sign- off (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R75, 200' Beverage antennas, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7120, 7.12 1040, Wantok Radio Light with definite ``down under`` dialect, had a phone-in program. I can't understand why they said `Good Morning` all the time. It could not be morning on the other side of mother earth or what? S 2 and long deep fade valleys. After a while another station became stronger. BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7120, Wantok Radio Light, 1205-1301, Dec 7, poor at first but building and not much ARO activity this morning. Man with religious sermon at tune-in until 1225, then into program of choral music with some upbeat pop sounding songs. Woman announcer heard between songs occasionally but voice level way down compared to music. Finally peaked 1241 when woman gave ID, program info ("Night Light Show"), time check, then back to music program. Stayed with it until 1301 (John Herkimer, Caledonia NY, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** PERU. 4385.6, R. Visión (formerly R. Imperio), Chiclayo, audible on 09 Dec 2332-2344, Spanish, songs, TCs, IDs; 35332 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. The Romanian newspaper Bursa now has completed their 2005 pin-up calendar. The special thing about this calendar is that all featured girls are employed at the newspapers and they are all wearing sexy traditional costumes. We all know that journalists and pressroom hang-arounds are hot as uranium in hell, but take a look at these co- workers. We get to see Oana Andreea Stroiescu from marketing in white stockings and matching white leather boots and Georgeta Anca, telephone operator, with an open shirt and an indeed provocative attitude (from http://www.newspaperindex.com/blog/2005/11/30/editorial-staff-in-pin-up-calender/ via DXLD) All quite tasteful ** RUSSIA. Primoskiy kray -- December, 8-15, 2005 trial transfers to a direction of northern areas of sea of Okhotsk 7330 http://www.oceandx.narod.ru (Nazarov Roman, Primorski Krai / "open_dx" via Rus-DX via DXLD) 7330, R. Tikhiy Okean, surprisingly good with IS at 0935 Dec 10, several nice IDs, then talk by woman with short mx bridges. Better than 5960 for a change, and the best I have ever hrd them. 5960 suffers a bit from what I believe is the low end of the jamming on 5980. Both frequencies were poor on Dec 11 (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 11975, Kamchatska Rybatskaya (Fisherman's Program) Dec. 11 *0000-0030. Noted with a very strong open carrier at 2350 (with an unidentified station in Standard Chinese heard underneath, which went off the air at 2359). Sign-on with a drum roll, followed with clear IDs for 'programa Kamchatska Rybatskaya' by male host. Female speaker with more IDs, opening information, a 'muzyka' jingle (up-beat). This was followed with a commentary interview by a fisherman's wife about life in the Kamchatka Peninsula. The rest of the program consisted of modern Russian 'Pop' music (with one selection's lyrics similar to 'One is the Loneliest Number') to more traditional Russian folklorico ballads that one would hear in the countryside. Unbelievable signal was noted with a 5x5 copy, with signals pinning at well over 10db over s9. I would have stayed and listened to the rest of the program, but unfortunately, plans to attend my wife's Xmas party were in the order for the rest of the evening (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. B05 Voice of Russia, Russian language schedule (other language programs were published DXM last month [5-198]): UTC until from Tx site direction [dates missing, but in 5-198 were:] 04.03 05.03 (IR) 0000-0100 7125 7125 Chisinau Europe (IR) 0000-0100 1026 1026 Novosibirsk Central Asia (IR) 0000-0100 7125 7125 Chisinau North America (IR) 0000-0100 7125 7125 Chisinau S&C America (IR) 0100-0200 7125 7125 Chisinau S&C America (IR) 0100-0200 7125 7125 Chisinau Europe (IR) 0100-0200 1026 1026 Novosibirsk Central Asia (IR) 0100-0200 7125 7125 Chisinau North America (IR) 0200-0300 1026 1026 Novosibirsk Central Asia (IR) 0200-0300 7125 7125 Chisinau S&C America (IR) 0200-0300 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 0200-0300 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (IR) 0200-0300 7125 7125 Chisinau North America (IR) 0200-0300 7125 7125 Chisinau Europe (IR) 0200-0300 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (IR) 0300-0400 801 801 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 0300-0400 7125 7125 Chisinau S&C America (IR) 0300-0400 7125 7125 Chisinau North America (IR) 0300-0400 7125 7125 Chisinau Europe (IR) 0300-0400 801 801 Dushanbe Near & ME (IR) 0400-0500 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 0400-0500 7125 7125 Chisinau S&C America (IR) 0400-0500 801 801 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 0400-0500 801 801 Dushanbe Near & ME (IR) 0400-0500 1170 1170 Krasnodar Near & ME (IR) 0400-0500 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (IR) 0400-0500 7125 7125 Chisinau Europe (IR) 0400-0500 7125 7125 Chisinau North America (IR) 0400-0500 1170 1170 Krasnodar Caucasus (IR) 0400-0500 1089 1089 Krasnodar Caucasus (IR) 0400-0500 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (IR) 0500-0600 1170 1170 Krasnodar Near & ME (IR) 0500-0600 1548 1548 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 0500-0600 7125 7125 Chisinau S&C America (IR) 0500-0600 1548 1548 Chisinau Europe (IR) 0500-0600 7125 7125 Chisinau Europe (IR) 0500-0600 7125 7125 Chisinau North America (IR) 0500-0600 1170 1170 Krasnodar Caucasus (IR) 0600-0700 1548 1548 Chisinau Europe (IR) 0600-0700 1548 1548 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 0700-0800 1548 1548 Chisinau Europe (IR) 0700-0800 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (IR) 0700-0800 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 0700-0800 1548 1548 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 0700-0800 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (IR) 0800-0900 1548 1548 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 0800-0900 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (IR) 0800-0900 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (IR) 0800-0900 1548 1548 Chisinau Europe (IR) 0800-0900 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 0900-1000 801 801 Dushanbe Near & ME (IR) 0900-1000 801 801 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 1000-1100 1215 1215 Kaliningrad Europe (IR) 1100-1200 1323 1323 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 1100-1200 864 864 Yerevan Caucasus (IR) 1100-1200 1323 1323 Dushanbe Near & ME (IR) 1100-1200 864 864 Yerevan Near & ME (IR) 1200-1300 1323 1323 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 1200-1300 801 801 Dushanbe Near & ME (IR) 1200-1300 801 801 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 1200-1300 1323 1323 Dushanbe Near & ME (IR) 1300-1400 1323 1323 Germany Europe (IR) 1300-1400 693 693 Germany Europe (IR) 1300-1400 630 630 Germany Europe (IR) 1300-1400 603 603 Germany Europe (IR) 1300-1400 1143 1143 Kaliningrad Belarus (IR) 1400-1500 1143 1143 Kaliningrad Belarus (IR) 1400-1500 693 693 Germany Europe (IR) 1400-1500 1323 1323 Germany Europe (IR) 1400-1500 630 630 Germany Europe (IR) 1400-1500 603 603 Germany Europe (IR) 1500-1600 801 801 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 1500-1600 801 801 Dushanbe Near & ME (IR) 1500-1600 5985 5985 Moscow Near & ME (IR) 1500-1600 1143 1143 Kaliningrad Belarus (IR) 1500-1600 5945 5945 Novosibirsk Central Asia (IR) 1500-1600 1323 1323 Germany Europe (IR) 1500-1600 12025 12025 Moscow Central Asia (IR) 1500-1600 693 693 Germany Europe (IR) 1500-1600 5985 5985 Moscow Caucasus (IR) 1500-1600 630 630 Germany Europe (IR) 1500-1600 9555 9555 Germany Near & ME (IR) 1500-1600 5945 5945 Novosibirsk Near & ME (IR) 1500-1600 603 603 Germany Europe (IR) 1600-1700 801 801 Dushanbe Near & ME (IR) 1600-1700 5985 5985 Moscow Caucasus (IR) 1600-1700 801 801 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 1600-1700 5945 5945 Novosibirsk Central Asia (IR) 1600-1700 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 1600-1700 5985 5985 Moscow Near & ME (IR) 1600-1700 1143 1143 Kaliningrad Belarus (IR) 1600-1700 5945 5945 Novosibirsk Near & ME (IR) 1700-1800 5985 5985 Moscow Caucasus (IR) 1700-1800 1494 1494 S-Petersburg Europe (IR) 1700-1800 801 801 Dushanbe Near & ME (IR) 1700-1800 1089 1089 Krasnodar Near & ME (IR) 1700-1800 5945 5945 Novosibirsk Near & ME (IR) 1700-1800 5985 5985 Moscow Near & ME (IR) 1700-1800 801 801 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 1700-1800 972 972 Nikolaev Europe (IR) 1700-1800 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 1700-1800 1143 1143 Kaliningrad Belarus (IR) 1700-1800 5945 5945 Novosibirsk Central Asia (IR) 1800-1900 7320 7320 Moscow Near & ME (IR) 1800-1900 1089 1089 Krasnodar Near & ME (IR) 1800-1830 801 801 Dushanbe Near & ME (IR) 1800-1900 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 1800-1830 801 801 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 1800-1900 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 1800-1900 7310 7310 Novosibirsk Europe (IR) 1800-1900 972 972 Nikolaev Europe (IR) 1800-1900 936 936 Lvov Europe (IR) 1900-2000 1143 1143 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 1900-2000 972 972 Nikolaev Europe (IR) 1900-2000 936 936 Lvov Europe (IR) 1900-2000 7310 7310 Novosibirsk Europe (IR) 1900-1930 1170 1170 Krasnodar Caucasus (IR) 1900-2000 1323 1323 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 1900-2000 1089 1089 Krasnodar Near & ME (IR) 1900-2000 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 1900-2000 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 1900-2000 1143 1143 Kaliningrad Belarus (IR) 2000-2100 603 603 Germany Europe (IR) 2000-2100 630 630 Germany Europe (IR) 2000-2100 693 693 Germany Europe (IR) 2000-2100 7310 7310 Novosibirsk Europe (IR) 2000-2100 936 936 Lvov Europe (IR) 2000-2100 1143 1143 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 2000-2100 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 2000-2100 1314 1314 Yerevan Caucasus (IR) 2000-2100 5975 5975 Germany Near & ME (IR) 2000-2100 5965 5965 Germany Near & ME (IR) 2000-2100 1314 1314 Yerevan Near & ME (IR) 2000-2100 1089 1089 Krasnodar Near & ME (IR) 2000-2100 1143 1143 Kaliningrad Belarus (IR) 2100-2200 1143 1143 Kaliningrad Belarus (IR) 2100-2200 603 603 Germany Europe (IR) 2100-2200 630 630 Germany Europe (IR) 2100-2200 693 693 Germany Europe (IR) 2100-2200 1143 1143 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 2100-2200 1314 1314 Yerevan Near & ME (IR) 2100-2200 5990 5990 Germany Near & ME (IR) 2100-2200 5965 5965 Germany Near & ME (IR) 2100-2200 1314 1314 Yerevan Caucasus (IR) 2100-2200 5975 5975 Germany Near & ME (IR) 2200-2300 999 999 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (IR) 2200-2300 1170 1170 Krasnodar Caucasus (IR) 2200-2300 1215 1215 Kaliningrad Europe (IR) 2200-2300 999 999 Chisinau Europe (IR) 2200-2300 1143 1143 Dushanbe Central Asia (IR) 2200-2300 1170 1170 Krasnodar Near & ME (IR) 2300-0000 999 999 Chisinau Europe (IR) 2300-0000 1215 1215 Kaliningrad Europe (IR) 2300-0000 999 999 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 0200-0300 972 972 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 0200-0300 1503 1503 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 0200-0300 648 648 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 0300-0400 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (SC) 0300-0400 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 0300-0400 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (SC) 0300-0400 1089 1089 Krasnodar Caucasus (SC) 0300-0400 1314 1314 Yerevan Caucasus (SC) 0500-0600 1089 1089 Krasnodar Caucasus (SC) 0600-0700 1089 1089 Krasnodar Caucasus (SC) 0900-1000 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (SC) 0900-1000 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 0900-1000 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (SC) 0900-1000 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 0900-1000 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1000-1100 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1000-1100 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1000-1100 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (SC) 1100-1200 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1100-1200 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (SC) 1100-1200 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1100-1200 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1100-1200 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (SC) 1200-1300 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (SC) 1200-1300 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (SC) 1200-1300 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1200-1300 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1200-1300 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1300-1400 7365 7365 Moscow Central Asia (SC) 1300-1400 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (SC) 1300-1400 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (SC) 1300-1400 1503 1503 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1300-1400 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1300-1400 6185 6185 Samara Central Asia (SC) 1400-1500 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1400-1500 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (SC) 1400-1500 1548 1548 Chisinau Europe (SC) 1400-1500 1503 1503 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1400-1500 1431 1431 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1400-1500 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1400-1500 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (SC) 1400-1500 1143 1143 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1400-1500 1548 1548 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1400-1500 7365 7365 Moscow Central Asia (SC) 1400-1500 6185 6185 Samara Central Asia (SC) 1400-1500 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1400-1500 999 999 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1400-1500 5945 5945 Novosibirsk Central Asia (SC) 1500-1600 1170 1170 Mogilev Belarus (SC) 1500-1600 1170 1170 Mogilev Europe (SC) 1500-1600 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1500-1600 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1500-1600 7445 7445 Kaliningrad Caucasus (SC) 1500-1600 1548 1548 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1500-1600 1431 1431 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1500-1600 1170 1170 Mogilev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1500-1600 999 999 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1500-1600 1548 1548 Chisinau Europe (SC) 1500-1600 1377 1377 Yerevan Caucasus (SC) 1500-1600 5940 5940 Samara Belarus (SC) 1500-1600 7365 7365 Moscow Central Asia (SC) 1500-1600 6185 6185 Samara Central Asia (SC) 1500-1600 5995 5995 Irkutsk Central Asia (SC) 1500-1600 1503 1503 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1600-1700 6185 6185 Samara Central Asia (SC) 1600-1700 5995 5995 Irkutsk Central Asia (SC) 1600-1700 1503 1503 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1600-1700 1377 1377 Yerevan Caucasus (SC) 1600-1700 1089 1089 Krasnodar Caucasus (SC) 1600-1700 1431 1431 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1600-1700 5940 5940 Samara Belarus (SC) 1600-1700 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1600-1700 7445 7445 Kaliningrad Caucasus (SC) 1700-1800 5905 5905 Samara Belarus (SC) 1700-1800 972 972 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1700-1800 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (SC) 1700-1800 1026 1026 Novosibirsk Central Asia (SC) 1700-1800 1377 1377 Yerevan Caucasus (SC) 1700-1800 7445 7445 Kaliningrad Caucasus (SC) 1700-1800 1503 1503 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1700-1800 5995 5995 Irkutsk Central Asia (SC) 1700-1800 5940 5940 Samara Belarus (SC) 1800-1900 5995 5995 Irkutsk Central Asia (SC) 1800-1900 1503 1503 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1800-1900 1026 1026 Novosibirsk Central Asia (SC) 1800-1900 972 972 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1800-1900 648 648 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1800-1900 5940 5940 Samara Belarus (SC) 1800-1900 7445 7445 Kaliningrad Caucasus (SC) 1900-2000 1494 1494 S-Petersburg Europe (SC) 1900-2000 1026 1026 Novosibirsk Central Asia (SC) 1900-2000 648 648 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 1900-2000 7445 7445 Kaliningrad Caucasus (SC) 1900-2000 5940 5940 Samara Belarus (SC) 1900-2000 1503 1503 Dushanbe Central Asia (SC) 2200-2300 603 603 Germany Europe (SC) 2200-2300 630 630 Germany Europe (SC) 2200-2300 693 693 Germany Europe (SC) 2200-2300 612 612 Moscow Moscow (SC) 2200-2300* 1323 1323 Germany Europe (SC) 2200-2300 1089 1089 Krasnodar Caucasus (SC) 2200-2300 1314 1314 Yerevan Caucasus (WS) 0200-0300 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (WS) 0200-0300 648 648 Dushanbe Central Asia (WS) 0200-0300 972 972 Dushanbe Central Asia (WS) 0200-0300 603 603 Germany Europe (WS) 0200-0300 648 648 Dushanbe Near & ME (WS) 0200-0300 972 972 Dushanbe Near & ME (WS) 0200-0300 1503 1503 Dushanbe Near & ME (WS) 0200-0300 7150 7150 Krasnodar North America (WS) 0200-0300 7240 7240 Lvov North America (WS) 0200-0300 1503 1503 Dushanbe Central Asia (WS) 0200-0300 7260 7260 Moscow S&C America (WS) 0200-0300 6195 6195 S-Petersburg S&C America (WS) 0200-0300 5995 5995 Juelich/Germany Near & ME (WS) 0200-0300 936 936 Lvov Europe (WS) 0200-0300 12010 12010 Koms-na-Amure North America (WS) 0200-0300 13665 13665 Petr-Kamchatskiy North America (WS) 0200-0258 7350 7350 Vatican North America (WS) 0300-0400 12010 12010 Koms-na-Amure North America (WS) 0300-0400 7150 7150 Krasnodar North America (WS) 0300-0400 7330 7330 Moscow S&C America (WS) 0300-0400 13665 13665 Petr-Kamchatskiy North America (WS) 0300-0400 936 936 Lvov Europe (WS) 0300-0400 7260 7260 Moscow S&C America (WS) 0300-0400 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (WS) 0300-0400 7240 7240 Lvov North America (WS) 1300-1400 972 972 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (WS) 1300-1400 936 936 Lvov Ukraine, Moldova (WS) 1300-1400 1431 1431 Nikolaev Ukraine, Moldova (WS) 1300-1400 1548 1548 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (WS) 1300-1400 15460 17570 Moscow Central Asia (WS) 1300-1400 1143 1143 Dushanbe Central Asia (WS) 1300-1400 9495 9495 Koms-na-Amure Asia (WS) 1300-1400 999 999 Chisinau Europe (WS) 1300-1400 999 999 Chisinau Ukraine, Moldova (WS) 1300-1400 1143 1143 Dushanbe Asia (WS) 1300-1400 6145 6145 Khabarovsk Asia (WS) 1300-1400 936 936 Lvov Europe (WS) 1300-1400 972 972 Nikolaev Europe (WS) 1300-1400 9770 9770 Irkutsk Australia, N Zealand (WS) 1300-1400 1548 1548 Chisinau Europe (WS) 1300-1400 15460 17570 Moscow Asia (WS) 1300-1400 9885 9885 Dushanbe Asia (WS) 1300-1400 9770 9770 Irkutsk Asia (WS) 1300-1400 1431 1431 Nikolaev Europe (WS) 1300-1400 7260 7260 Ussuriisk Asia (WS) 1300-1400 1143 1143 Dushanbe Near & ME (WS) 1400-1500 7260 7260 Ussuriisk Asia (WS) 1400-1500 1251 1251 Dushanbe Central Asia (WS) 1400-1500 15460 17570 Moscow Central Asia (WS) 1400-1500 11500 11500 Dushanbe Asia (WS) 1400-1500 9885 9885 Dushanbe Asia (WS) 1400-1500 9770 9770 Irkutsk Asia (WS) 1400-1500 9495 9495 Koms-na-Amure Asia (WS) 1400-1500 7315 7315 Samara Asia (WS) 1400-1500 5810D 5810D Moscow Europe (WS) 1400-1500 6205 6205 Tchita Asia (WS) 1400-1500 5940 5940 Novosibirsk Asia (WS) 1400-1500 15460 17570 Moscow Asia (WS) 1400-1500 558 558 London Europe (WS) 1400-1500 9770 9770 Irkutsk Australia, N Zealand (WS) 1400-1500 12055 12055 Moscow Asia (WS) 1400-1500 7315 7315 Samara Near & ME (WS) 1600-1700 1251 1251 Dushanbe Central Asia (WS) 1600-1700 1251 1251 Dushanbe Asia (WS) 1600-1700 7315 7315 Samara Asia (WS) 1600-1700 9885 9885 Dushanbe Asia (WS) 1600-1700 6005 6005 Krasnodar Near & ME (WS) 1600-1700 1314 1314 Yerevan Near & ME (WS) 1600-1700 1251 1251 Dushanbe Near & ME (WS) 1600-1700 7315 7315 Samara Near & ME (WS) 1800-1900 5985 5985 Moscow Near & ME (WS) 1800-1900 693 693 Germany Europe (WS) 1800-1900 630 630 Germany Europe (WS) 1800-1900 603 603 Germany Europe (WS) 1800-1900 7390 7390 Moscow Europe (WS) 2000-2100 7230 7230 Moscow Europe (WS) 2000-2100 6170 6170 Chisinau Europe (WS) 2000-2100 7445 7445 Kaliningrad Caucasus (WS) 2000-2100 1215 1215 Kaliningrad Europe (WS) 2000-2100 7445 7445 Kaliningrad Near & ME (WS) 2000-2100 6170 6170 Chisinau Near & ME (WS) 2000-2100 612 612 Moscow Moscow (WS) 2000-2100 7390 7390 Moscow Europe (WS) 2100-2200 7445 7445 Kaliningrad Caucasus (WS) 2100-2200 1215 1215 Kaliningrad Europe (WS) 2100-2200 7445 7445 Kaliningrad Near & ME (WS) 2100-2200 999 999 Chisinau Europe WS = World Service IR = International Radio SC = Sodruzhestvo channel (CIS service) D = DRM * = Fri-Tue (Translated by Vadim Alexeyev and Michael Bethge via WWDXC-HQ; 08 Nov 2005, Dec WWDXC via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. RUSSIA'S ENGLISH-LANGUAGE CHANNEL BEGINS http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051211/ap_en_tv/russia_television_1 (via Daryl Rocker, DXLD) Let's see if they also report on the recent attacks on foreign students, some of them where killed in St. Petersburg and other cities. I read this in the internet newspapers from Russia and then watched on RTR-Planeta the St. Petersburg version of Vesti (1940 UT) to see what they reported. They did not mention it at all. Only the last deadly attack on a Russian student --- he was a peace activist, see http://www.stop-it.narod.ru --- they had to report; apparently did not really like it to do it. For foreign students (especially foreign looking ones) Russia became a very dangerous place, since the authorities don't do anything (Jurgen Bartels, 12.11.05 - 11:36 pm, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** SENEGAL [non]. While WADR has been observed with an hour each of English and French at 07-09 on 12000, and another hour each of English and French at 09-11 on 17860, programme grilles still show the entire first two hours in English http://www.wadr.org/english/grille.html and last two hours in French: http://www.wadr.org/grille.html I would publish the actual programme titles if I had some confidence they were correct. Would it be too much to ask for them to match their grids with reality? (Glenn Hauser, OK, Dec 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12000, WADR, family leader, loading trumpets, voice of a young girl who "struggles to survive" an interview at 07343 [sic]; French program at 0800 Dec 10, S20, 55544 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA. 6960, R. Shabele, Mogadishu. unID language in fair level signal amid medium level of noise. Still at same signal level at 2013 re-tune. 1902 13/11 (Charles Jones, Barraga Bay, near Bermagui NSW DXpedition, Dec-Jan ADXN via DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. RSA, 3320 kHz SAUK/R. Sonder Grense, Meyerton, putting a superb signal on 10 Dec 1845-1940, Afrikaans, classical music, news, pops, mostly Afrikander; 55444. In a recent DX bulletin, it was commented that referring to the station as "SAUK" instead of "SABC" might not be "politically correct" (clearly a fashion term of today) - now, why this general paranoia vis-à-vis all things Afrikan(d)er)? It's clearly and unfairly being treated as some sort of "2nd rate" language by many who shouldn't actually "throw the first stone." 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ? That would be me; I wasn`t casting stones, just inquiring. It seems to me that Afrikaans is no longer treated in the RSA as a national language equal to English; is it? And I still want to know how you say ``SABC`` in Xhosa and Zulu, and thus what the equivalent abbrs. would be (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. 7120, ENGLAND, Sudan Radio Service via Woofferton, 0309-0327 Dec 7, man with news in English. At 0313 "That's the end of the English newscast for today. The next news is in Arabic. This is the Sudan radio Service." Brief musical interlude followed by the program "The Road to Peace" at 0315. Fair (Rich D'Angelo, Wyomissing PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** SWEDEN [and non]. Perhaps this is common knowledge, but not to me: the theme music of Radio Sweden I happened to hear during ``Newage Collage`` on SDPB, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, UT Sun Dec 11 at 0538 on webcast. There are few announcements on this show, but at the beginning of that hour, host said there would be four selections from Ralph Lundsten`s ``Nordic Light``, so that must be it. The bit we hear on RS is much different in tone from the rest of the piece. Turns out that this show is archived for a week, click on Saturday at http://www.sdpb.org/radio/newage/index.asp and NL starts 1:38 into the file (which is only l:48+ long for some reason instead of closer to two hours --- not a case of excising news on the hour), until 1:43, and at 22 kpbs it sounds pretty awful, distorted and even worse than that rate ought to sound. But one could track down the piece from this. The show apparently has no playlist on the website. Found track listing of the CD, with 30 second samples: http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,194576,00.html so it is #1, ``Ut I Vida Världen`` (Out in the Wide World), certainly an appropriate signature tune for an external broadcaster from Sweden! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN [non]. Re: ``So the website is http://wrinternational.net a.k.a. Europe`s Nostalgia Station, power as 35 watts, postal: WRI, Ostra Porten 29, S442 54 Ytterby, Sweden (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Town named after element`` On the contrary, elements yttrium, ytterbium, terbium and erbium were named from the town, where minerals containing these and other rare earth metals were found. 73 (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I knew that (gh) ** TAIWAN. 5170, 4.12 1400, unID kines med vädersnack (tror jag) bör vara den taiwanesiska Central Weather Bureau. S 2. BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin via DXLD) 5170, 4.12 1400, unID Chinese with weather forecast (I think); ought to be the Taiwanese Central Weather Bureau. S 2. BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST)) Central Weather Bureau verified my reception report in Chinese for their new transmission of ``Meteorological Phonetic Broadcasting`` on 5170 USB from Tainan after 16 days by PFC and letter in Chinese. Verification signer was Mr. Lifu Cai, Manager of the Weather Forecast Center. I enclosed $1.00 but it was returned. Schedule: 24H Marine Weather Forecast in Chinese. Frequencies: 8117 USB(Taipei 400W), 5170 USB (Tainan 250W) Address: Meteorological Phonetic Broadcasting, Weather Forecast Center, Central Weather Bureau, 64 Kung Yuen Road, Taipei, Taiwan URL: http://www.cwb.gov.tw/index.htm (Takahito Akabayashi, Tokyo, Japan, Dec 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Let the disputing begin over whether this is broadcast or utility! (gh) Message from the Director-General Hello! Welcome to the website of the Central Weather Bureau (CWB). The CWB is responsible for nationwide meteorological functions, which cover overall activities of meteorology, marine meteorology, seismology, and astrometeorology. In recent years, CWB has concentrated on the following endeavors: consolidating the observational equipment of meteorological instruments, promoting weather forecasting accuracy, establishing a strong-motion observing network to develop a rapid earthquake information release system, emphasizing manpower development and international cooperation, working with the civil service system to enhance meteorological service quality, and strengthening the organization's management team. All these efforts are made to avoid or reduce to the maximum extent possible losses caused by natural disasters. At present, CWB is actively conducting several important multi-year projects, such as the "Climate Variation and Severe Weather Monitoring and Forecasting Development Project" and the "Third-Phase Strong- Motion Observing Project: Developing an Earthquake Real-Time Warning System." We soon hope, in the field of meteorology, to establish monitoring and warning capabilities for climate disaster prevention, to develop techniques of short-term climate analysis and prediction, and to strengthen the capabilities of very short-term severe weather analysis and forecasting. In the field of seismology, we hope to complete and deploy the Earthquake Real-Time Warning Prototype System, so that it can be used for earthquake hazard reduction in the public railway transportation, life support, and financial information systems. Since the information provided by CWB is closely related to the public's life, health and welfare, we also focus on strengthening the civil service capability and enhancing the meteorological service quality, in addition to the above mentioned improvements to weather forecasting and seismic monitoring. Besides the traditional telephone services at 166 (Mandarin) and 167 (local dialects) for the latest weather information, CWB has created a variety of service channels, such as the Internet, the Meteorological E-Paper, and the Fax-On- Demand (FOD) System, to provide the general public with more convenient and diversified services. Additionally, because of the various levels of governmental disaster reduction agencies that are involved, CWB has also established the "Point to Point Disaster Prevention Information System" and the "Mobile Short-Message Mechanism" as rapid report channels. The CWB can immediately provide these agencies with information about disastrous weather and severe earthquakes, so that they can execute the necessary tasks related to disaster prevention and rescue. On the basis of existing modern operations, CWB will continue to develop advanced meteorological and seismic technologies, and also introduce state-of- the-art computer information technology and facilities for providing a high quality information service on a customer-need oriented basis. Such services, in natural disaster prevention and mitigation, not only are of great help to the general public's safety and industrial economy, but also provide all levels of government what they need to meet their policy making responsibilities. We hope that after browsing our website, you can find the information you need and better understand CWB business functions and status of our progress. In particular, we hope you give us your valued and continued guidance and comments so that the CWB working team can grow stronger due to your participation. Thank you again for visiting our website. Chiang-Lin Hsin, Director-General (illustrated, from http://www.cwb.gov.tw/V4e/sitemap/dg.htm via DXLD) ** TIBET. CHINA – Uma dica para conhecer a música do Tibet é acompanhar a Xizang PBS, uma emissora regional chinesa que transmite em 4905, 4920 e 5240 kHz. Todas as três freqüências têm regular sintonia, no Sul do Brasil, por volta de 2100 (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Dec 11 via DXLD) Sure it`s Tibetan music not Chinese? ** U K [non]. I see that at least one US public radio station is carrying BBC`s new weekdaily call-in, ``World, Have Your Say``, at 1800 UT: WETA in Washington DC. Actually there are several, per http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgi-bin/program.pl?programid=4311 I was checking BBC frequencies after 1505 UT Sunday Dec 11: 21470 Ascension and 21490 RSA were // as usual, with Concert Hall from the Edinburgh Festival. Trouble is, this was not supposed to be on the WAf or EAf streams; I checked online skeds for those, plus Americas, Europe, East Asia, and found this ONLY on the South Asia schedule! Furthermore, 21490 cut off midway thru the programmme, switching to Swahili at 1530 whilst 21470 continued with classical music. Meanwhile 15565 // 17640 at 1505 had a show regarding African higher education. After all this time, BBCWS still can`t keep its multiple streams untangled (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBCWS programme previews; MASTERPIECE, Tuesdays in December: MASTERPIECE - THE GAEL, THE ACADIAN AND THE MIC MAC [Dec 13] Nick Caistor finds why it can be hard to make yourself understood on the Nova Scotian Island of Cape Breton off the East coast of Canada in Masterpiece: The Gael, The Acadian And The Mic Mac on Tuesday 13 December. There are a number of languages to choose from - Gaelic from the Highlands of Scotland; Acadian French spoken by the French Canadians who were expelled from Canada in the 18th century by the British; or Mic Mac - the language of the Indians who say they have lived on the island since time began Nick Caistor finds that, far from being a backwater, Cape Breton Island and its varied communities may have some hard-learned lessons for the rest of us. He explores how small distinct communities like these can survive and prosper in today’s globalised world. He also examines how they preserve the languages in which their poetry and songs were written. Presenter/Nick Caistor, Producer/Neil Trevithick MASTERPIECE - LA GALIGO [Dec 20] Judith Kampfner travels to Bali and Makassar in South Sulawesi to discover the literary roots and theatrical re-birth of one of the largest books in world literature in Masterpiece: La Galigo on Tuesday 20 December. La Galigo is a Creation myth and an epic that covers six generations. It's one of the most voluminous works in world literature - running to at least 6,000 pages. The adventures of its travelling heroes are comparable to those of Ulysses. The story of Sureq Galigo comes from the Bugis people of Sulawesi (formerly The Celebes), one of the many islands that make up Indonesia. Now this forgotten work of literature is being launched onto the world. American director Robert Wilson has produced I La Galigo - a three hour stage version with a cast of Indonesian actors, dancers, musicians and martial arts experts. It has already been performed in New York and Europe and opens in Jakarta this month. The story is said to have been written down in the 14th century - although it existed long before that - and was chanted by priests and accompanied by ritual spirit-invoking ceremonies. Although fiction, it contains many rules for living: how to arrange a marriage ceremony; how to plant rice and the best days to set sail. These are still used as guidelines today. It also contains important historical details about noble families and the voyages of exploration of a people known as the pirates of the South Seas. The text is written in an ancient form of the Bugis language, in a script which only a handful of scholars can decipher. No-one knows the whole story or the sequence of the story because no complete manuscript has survived. Judith Kampfner travels to Bali where the production was created and to Makassar in South Sulawesi, where the Bugis people live. She investigates whether this pre-Islamic epic poem remains part of a living culture and asks whether it has the power to bring the different peoples of Indonesia closer together. Presenter/ Judith Kampfner, Producer/Neil Trevithick MASTERPIECE - ARMENIAN CHILDREN [Dec 27] Kati Whitaker talks to families living with disability in Armenia and finds them on the cusp of change, as the old Soviet model of separation becomes a new Western one of inclusiveness in Masterpiece: Armenian Children on Tuesday 27 December. She examines how far Armenia, which became independent with the break- up of the Soviet Union 14 years ago, has journeyed to give disabled children full and equal rights to a mainstream education. "The issue here in Armenia is how to become part of a new world order – adopting the political and social characteristics of Western Europe and working towards UN millennium goals on such issues as health, gender equality and poverty," she says. She continues: "There is one area in which Armenia still lags behind. Around 98 per cent of the 8000 children with disabilities receive no adequate schooling. But the climate is changing." Presenter/Kati Whitaker, Producer/Neil Trevithick Masterpiece 3 programmes x 25 minutes Tuesday 13, 20 and 27 December, [European stream & webcast]: Tue 0906, 1306, 1906, UT Wed 0606 [American stream & webcast]: Tue 1406, 2006, UT Wed 0106, 0606 Listen online http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/index.shtml ** U S A. Military information campaigns --- The New York Times on Dec. 11 published a long piece, based around the work of the US military psychological operations unit at Fort Bragg, NC. It includes reference to US-funded radio operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. (Matt Francis, DC, DX LISTENING DIGST) Viz.: PROPAGANDA --- MILITARY'S INFORMATION WAR IS VAST AND OFTEN SECRETIVE By JEFF GERTH December 11, 2005 The media center in Fayetteville, N.C., would be the envy of any global communications company. In state of the art studios, producers prepare the daily mix of music and news for the group's radio stations or spots for friendly television outlets. Writers putting out newspapers and magazines in Baghdad and Kabul converse via teleconferences. Mobile trailers with high-tech gear are parked outside, ready for the next crisis. The center is not part of a news organization, but a military operation, and those writers and producers are soldiers. The 1,200-strong psychological operations unit based at Fort Bragg turns out what its officers call "truthful messages" to support the United States government's objectives, though its commander acknowledges that those stories are one-sided and their American sponsorship is hidden. . . [much more; registration required] http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/11/politics/11propaganda.html (via Matt Francis, DC, DXLD) See also AFGHANISTAN Same: http://urlsnip.com/835127 (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. There are numerous replays of Allan Weiner Worldwide on RNI, http://www.11l-rni.com/schedule.html starting Monday at 2200. Checked Sunday 2000 for WOR, and Lost Discs Radio Show was running over until 2004 when WOR 1296 started (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. A RELIGIOUS EMPIRE BUILT ON ADVERSITY Mother Mary Angelica founded Eternal Word Television Network in 1981 with $200 in the bank. EWTN would become the world`s largest religious broadcasting network. This Poor Clare nun did what the U.S. Catholic bishops couldn`t do --- set up a network people would tune in to. And she conveyed her message the world over --- from her humble Irondale, Ala., studios. Born Rita Rizzo, Mother Angelica is the kind of woman feminists would put on a trading card if they could get beyond their cookie-cutter litmus tests. Rizzo`s resolve has been characterized by top brass, religious and secular alike. . . http://www.tonawanda-news.com/opinion/local_story_341092240.html (Kathryn Jean López, National Review, The Tonawanda News, North Tonawanda, NY via DXLD) ** U S A. BEETHOVEN'S REVENGE: RATINGS DROP AT CLASSICAL MUSIC-LESS WETA --- By Marc Fisher, Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, December 11, 2005; N01 When WETA changed formats in February, dropping classical music to become another all-news-and-talk public radio station, music fans, musicians and cultural organizations pummeled station executives with protests. How could the nation's capital have no public classical station? How would young people be exposed to the music? "People were angry -- still are -- and I understand that," says Dan DeVany, general manager of the station (90.9 FM) and architect of the switch. "But there was an audience in the Washington area that was not being served by public radio, and we wanted to reach out to them." He's talking about breaking out of the traditional public radio audience of affluent, highly educated, older and white listeners. But after two ratings books, two fund drives and nine months of the new programming -- a mix of news and talk shows from National Public Radio, the BBC and other outside sources, much of it oriented to foreign affairs -- WETA's audience is smaller, no more generous than the classical audience was, and no more reflective of the demographics of the Washington area. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/09/AR2005120900368_pf.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. KUT in Austin TX is a station that takes its IDs seriously - -- dozens and dozens of them: KUT is creating a sound portrait of life in Austin and Central Texas, comprising dozens and hopefully hundreds of short audio vignettes. We want to hear from the ordinary people of our community and from our prominent citizens, from people who have just moved to the area and from people who have lived here all their lives. We want to hear their memories, their advice, and their stories about life in Austin and Central Texas. . . http://www.kut.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sonicid (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WNTP 990 and WFIL 560 DX tests, UT Dec 11 0500-0600: Hi Rene`, I tried, but no luck. Too much KWTO on 560. I could get a good null of DFW on 990, but XET and various other stuff was still in there. Thanks for running the tests. 73, (Glenn Hauser, Enid, via DXLD) First the bad news. WNTP-990 not heard on recording here in Tulsa during the test period. The good news is I got to listen to some good jazz/blues courtesy of CBW! Thanks for the test, Rene! (Bruce Winkelman AA5CO, Tulsa, OK, R8, Quantum Phaser, 2 - 130 ft +/- wires IRCA via DXLD) Hello, Glenn, Just a note to announce that I did hear the DX tests for WFIL-560 and WNTP-990 Philadelphia last night, from 0000-0100 EST. (0500-0600 GMT.) I focused mainly on WNTP-990 this time around, which was barely audible under local WDEO-990 Ypsilanti. However, I managed to hear the sweep tones, and some Morse code on there. I heard the last from WNTP at :23. By :42, the talk show on WDEO ended and they went to music, so I gave up there and moved to 560 KHz. WFIL came across much better -- mainly poor, with a few good peaks. I was able to understand the voice announcements on WFIL -- they came across much better than they did during their last test, back in January 2005. Sweep tones, different sounds, test tone, Morse code, and voice announcements were what I heard on WFIL. Many thanks to Rene' Tetro for scheduling these tests -- he did a great job on them! (Eric Berger, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I`m not going to attempt to round up all the reports on this from various lists; no doubt Les Rayburn will do that eventually. It appears that positive results were mostly confined to east of the Mississippi (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WPEN gives up on Collegeville -- but not on increased day power [Philadelphia PA area] WPEN had applied (more than five years ago) to construct eight 600' towers west of Norristown (I'm told that the area is called Collegeville) and increase to 50 kW-U DA-2 using five towers days and six towers nights. (Three towers were to have been common between the day and night arrays.) A year or so ago, Greater Media gave up on the night move and struck a deal with WWDB to use that station's four- tower array in E Norriton and to operate at night with 21 kW. That site has been on the air for three months or so now. But until yesterday, the official plan was still to move the day operation to Collegevile and increase to 50 kW-D using six 600' towers. However, the likelihood that such an array would ever be built seemed slim indeed and yesterday's FCC actions indicate that WPEN has finally given up on that Quixotic endeavor. WPEN has applied to modify its CP and to operate days with 25 kW from the three existing towers (that is, the old night array) at what is still the station's day site in West Philadelphia. The proposed three-tower day pattern is very simple. If the FCC approves, it will send the equivalent of almost 5 kW to the northwest so that people living "behind" the new day pattern are unlikely to notice any change. Those living in Philadelphia proper and in south Jersey will get a huge daytime signal equivalent to 50 kW ND from a half-wave tower. Once approval has been obtained, the build- out should move quickly because no tower construction is involved. Since I don't live in the Philadelphia area, I can't hear the station, but from what I read here, if Greater Media could only fix the programming... -- (Dan Strassberg, AC 707, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. DES MOINES RADIO STATIONS HOPE TO TAP ONLINE FANS Minus Limbaugh shows, WHO and KXNO are on the Web By KYLE MUNSON, REGISTER MUSIC CRITIC, December 12, 2005 http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051212/ENT05/512120307 Starting today, central Iowa soldiers stationed 6,000 miles away in Iraq can wake up to morning radio hosts Van and Bonnie on WHO-AM 1040 just like their families back home. Well, maybe not "wake up" to them, considering the nine-hour time difference. Perhaps some after-lunch listening? Bottom line: The Des Moines radio market's top-rated talk station (and often the top-rated overall) finally is available online, in real time, as a 24/7 audio stream. Its sister sports station, KXNO-AM 1460, also begins streaming today. "The technology has become affordable enough that we can do it without a tremendous expense," said Joel McCrea, general manager of WHO, KXNO and central Iowa's other Clear Channel-owned radio stations. WHO, like many commercial stations, is a relative latecomer to Web- based programming. All of Iowa's public radio stations already have been streamed online, for instance. Even Iowa State University's student radio station in Ames, KURE-FM 88.5, can be heard through its Web site, www.kure885.org. WHO already had been offering podcasts of certain talk shows to download, which allows people to listen to the shows whenever they wish. And sports jock Larry "Cotman" Cotlar at KXNO has channeled his passion for local music into his own podcasts that spotlight homegrown bands. McCrea explained that "some of the issues that we had with royalties" for ads and other content have been resolved through the fine-tuning of industry regulations as well as more sophisticated technology. Jim Schaefer, general manager for the Des Moines Radio Group, agreed that online streaming has become more plausible, and he plans to launch some of his stations online next year. WHO and KXNO employ software that strips out all the ads heard on the air and can replace them with an entirely different set of ads targeted to online listeners - creating a fresh source of revenue from the same programming. "That's music to my ears," McCrea said. But one of WHO's signature syndicated talk shows won't be included in its online stream. "What we have not resolved yet is Rush Limbaugh," McCrea said. "We're trying to work out a deal to do that." The sticking point: Limbaugh already offers his show online through his own subscription-based service. So for now the WHO online stream will go silent during Limbaugh's three-hour afternoon show. Within a matter of months, McCrea expects to add the alternative rock of KCCQ-FM 105.1 in Ames as his third central Iowa station to go online - a move that he hopes will help boost KCCQ's audience in Des Moines considering its spotty reception the farther south you travel in the capital city. Similarly, Schaefer said that he's likely to choose KLTI-FM "Lite" 104.1 as Des Moines Radio Group's first 24/7 stream, because its signal originates from a tower near Madrid and "sometimes doesn't get through the concrete buildings downtown." (via Bill Smith, W0WOI, DXLD) ** U S A. CBS Evening News is the ``fastest growing evening newscast`` per promo on CBC Face the Nation. Does that mean it is swiftly expanding from 30 minutes to 31, 32, 33, 34 . . . If not, what the hell does it mean? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 5-212, Ellen Johnson of American Atheists appearing on a Fox show: as I expected, it was a very brief segment, not even mentioned in the opening billboard; she barely got to make her points, as she was shouted down by the host, who refused to listen to reason but accused her of wanting to ``hurt the families`` of fallen policemen who are being memorialized with large Christian crosses on public property, hiway rite-of-ways in Utah, violating all kinds of laws. Naturally, there was also some other guest of an opposing view representing the families. ``Heartland with John Kasich``. Who is this guy? Former congressman from Ohio 1982-2000y; hmmm, I wonder which party? FNC bio: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,21715,00.html I can`t wait to see some Islamic, Krishna or Pagan memorial symbol on Utah`s hiways (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 5-209, GLOBE TREKKER on The Travel Channel. I said it was on UT Mondays, but it`s really UT Sundays 0300 & 0600. No one noticed this mistake before I did? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. BUBBA [THE LOVE SPONGE], RELAUNCHED --- He cried the day he was fired from his Tampa radio job. Now, he's signed on with Howard Stern, and going national. . . By ERIC DEGGANS, Times Media Critic Published December 11, 2005 http://www.sptimes.com/2005/12/11/Artsandentertainment/Bubba__relaunched.shtml (via Terry Krueger, DXLD) There's probably nothing we can add to the media hype surrounding the impending departure of Howard Stern from terrestrial radio, so we won't even try. But there is some news surrounding his NEW YORK flagship station: the calls will apparently change from WXRK to WFNY- FM when it becomes "92.3 Free FM" in January (the WFNY calls are also in use on AM and for an LPTV up in Gloversville, and we're sure owner Michael Sleezer got a nice deal from Infinity to share them for New York City use.) The new WFNY-FM will have a new manager, as Mark Chernoff gets promoted from operations director at WFAN to VP/programming for both WFAN and WFNY-FM. And current WXRK afternoon guy Chris Booker will stay with 92.3 in its new incarnation, handling evenings (Scott Fybush, NY, NE Radio Watch Dec 12 via DXLD) ** U S A. Hams, even American hams, traditionally pronounce Z as Zed, in callsigns, Q-signals, etc., right? Helps to distinguish it from C, if nothing else. This quaint practice seems to be losing out. ``This Week in Amateur Radio``, presumably voiced by a licensed ham, Dec 10 on WBCQ, 7415, read the story we had here about the LPFM station in MS, WQRZ, which was founded by hams. Yup, pronounced ``Zee`` repeatedly. Is this any kind of example to set? I wonder what the inhouse rules at WQRZ itself are on how to pronounce the letters? Could be a lot of the non-ham audience could not figure out what ``zed`` means. And I think we hear more and more ``Kew Are Zee Contest`` calls. If I were a ham, I would only reply to those saying Zed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VANUATU. 3944.76 (TENTATIVE), R. Vanuatu (per Ritola log), there has been a hefty carrier here in checks the last few mornings, but the only audio I could get out of it was a little bit around 1100 Dec 11. I would expect pretty good audio from a signal this size. Bears watching (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. 9838.93, V. of Vietnam, 1150 12/10, Fem talk in language mentioning Vietnam, switch to male. gave web site. Poor (George Herr, CA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Not 9839.93? (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 7160 DTK test: Glenn: This was a test for a potential client, which is about all I can say for the moment, except that the parameters don't look right (i.e., we weren't beaming anything to Iceland). (Jeff White, RMI, Dec 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ``Iceland`` often stands in for North America when Europeans want to use the 40-m hamband for broadcasts really intended for NAm, but can officially pretend they are not (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ A special 'THANKS' to Glenn for his great work, very helpful information, nicely done radio program and tireless posting of short- wave and amplitude modulation data (Duane Fischer, W8DBF swl at qth.net) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ WORLD RADIO TV HANDBOOK 2006 My WRTVH 2006 arrived by mail in pristine condition last Thursday and I have now had a good read, and conclude that, as always, its excellent and well worth the money. The editor Nicholas Hardyman and his team of contributors worldwide is to be congratulated. Here's to the next 60 years!! (Mike Terry, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) LATEST ITU MONITORING REPORT Saludos cordiales, último listado de estaciones monitorizadas por la ITU: http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/monitoring/files/pdffiles/308.pdf (José Miguel Romero, Spain, Dec 12, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ IBOC AT NIGHT? These questions of protection and of overcrowding the dial predate IBOC by literally decades, and I suspect they're the big reason any official FCC approval of nighttime IBOC on AM has still yet to happen, since there are very legitimate and well-researched concerns about interference within the protected skywave contours of class A AM signals after dark (Scott Fybush, Dec 8, WTFDA via DXLD) Actually, the NRSC is now on the FCC record saying it is not a problem, and the NAB cites this urging the immediate approval of night AM IBOC in the next FCC Order. I'm not taking a position, simply stating a fact (Phil Alexander, CSRE, AMD Broadcast Engineering Services and Technology, WTFDA via DXLD) ###