DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-214, December 14, 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 1297: Thu 0900 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Thu 2130 WOR WWCR 7465 Thu 2200 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Fri 0030 WOR R. Veronica 106.5 Fri 0100 WOR WTND-LP 106.3 Macomb IL Fri 0200 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream [repeated 2-hourly thru 2400] Fri 2000 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Fri 2100 WOR RFPI [repeated 4-hourly thru Sat 1700] Sat 0500 WOR VoiceCorps Reading Service, WOSU-FM subcarrier, cable Sat 0900 WOR WRN to Eu, Au, NZ, WorldSpace AfriStar, AsiaStar Sat 0955 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300 Sat 1100 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5 & WPKM Montauk LINY 88.7 Sat 1530 WOR R. Veronica 106.5 Sat 1830 WOR WRN to North America [including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 140] 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 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 WRMI 7385 Sun 1400 WOR KRFP-LP Moscow ID 92.5 Sun 1830 WOR WRN1 to North America [including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 140] Sun 2000 WOR RNI Sun 2230 WOR WRMI 7385 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 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 1297 (real high): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1297h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1297h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1297 (real low): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1297.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1297.rm [mp3 files pending shortly UT Thursday] WORLD OF RADIO 1297 (mp3 high): (download) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1297h.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO 1297 (mp3 low): (download) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1297.mp3 (lower download) http://www.piratedxer.com/worldofradio_12-14-05.mp3 (lower stream) http://www.piratedxer.com/worldofradio_12-14-05.m3u (WOR 1296 summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1297.html [not yet] DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS Dec 14: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** AFGHANISTAN [and non]. IHT article on US psyops in Iraq, Afghanistan --- A fairly long but interesting article in the International Herald Tribune on US psyops in Iraq and Afghanistan is at: http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/11/news/info.php It mentions Fort Bragg, the Rendon Group (which ran some Iraqi clandestine radios in the 1990s) and the current US Radio Peace for Afghanistan (though it says the latter used to be "the Taliban's radio station"!). Also says the US has distributed tens of thousands of iPod-like devices in Iraq and Afghanistan, pre-loaded with suitable messages (Chris Greenway, UK, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1297, DXLD) Same as NYT article referenced in 5-213, but no registration required ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. 9875, R. Solh with Hindic Afghan songs 11 Dec [time??]. About S9, 32442 due to QRM from a S10 DRM signal on 9885. Also tried 14th on 11675 on 0830 but though signal is S5, nearly nothing heard also due to QRM from 11680 Arabic program (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. PUBLIC BROADCASTER SET TO LOSE 47 PER CENT OF ITS BUDGET | Text of report in English by Albanian news agency ATA Tirana, 13 December: The Parliamentary Education and Information Commission, in the context of the 2006 draft budget, discussed Tuesday [13 December] about the budget envisaged for Albanian Public Radio and Television (APRT). APRT Director-General Artur Zheji explained to the members of this commission that "the budget accorded for 2006 is not adequate. The reduction of budget seriously affects the public function and would bring about a grave stopping of the renovation of technology of the APRT." The budget accorded for APRT in 2005 was about 5m US dollars, while the budget currently envisaged for 2006 is about 47 per cent less. The representatives of the Ministry of Finances, in their address, estimated the fund predicted by the 2006 draft budget for APRT as sufficient. Source: ATA news agency, Tirana, in English 1655 gmt 13 Dec 05 (via BBCM via WORLD OF RADIO 1297, DXLD) Heard WOR 1296. As for R. Tirana, I too haven`t heard the North American service lately. However, I was waiting to comment since often in the past their first transmission, 0145 or 0245 UT, would start late, in the midst of programming or there`d just be open carrier. Sometimes 6115 would be open carrier and the other frequency 7160 (or 7455) would carry full programming. The second transmission of half an hour [0230 or 0330], 6115 would be semi-audible but more often squashed by 6110 BBC. The second frequency 7160 was hindered either by 7155 or ham traffic, 7160.5 or thereabouts. 7455 usually has RTTY QRM. So, I haven`t always considered Radio Tirana reliable. I`m not too surprised by budget cuts and transmissions on ``hiatus`` (Bob Thomas, Bridgeport CT, Dec 7, by P-mail, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ASIA [non]. RFA schedule in B-05, valid from Oct 30th 2005 till March 26th, 2006. RFA uses US belonging and IBB transmitters at HBN/P=KHBN Palau Isl, IRA/I=Iranawila Sri Lanka, KWT/K=Kuwait, LAM/L Lampertheim-GER, SAI/S=Saipan, TIN/T=Tinian NoMariana Isls. And foreign relays at ALM/A=Almaty-KAZ, DUS/D=Dushanbe-TJK, IRK=Irkutsk-RUS, TWN/N=Taiwan, UAE=Al Dhabayya-UAE, ULA/U=UlaanBataar Mongolia, VLD/V=Vladivostok-RUS, WER=Wertachtal Germany. 0000-0100 LAO 11830I 15545T 15590V 0030-0130 BURMESE 11535D 13710S 13815I 15700T 0100-0200 UYGHUR 7480D 9365D 9645UAE 9690UAE 15270T 17570T 0100-0300 TIBETAN 7470D(D-05 season til Mar 4) 7560K 9670WER 11695UAE 15220T 17730U 15660D(M-06 season from Mar 5) 0300-0600 MANDARIN 11980IRK 13625T 13760T 15150T 15665T 17525D 17615S 17880S 21540T 0600-0700 MANDARIN 11980IRK 13625T 13760T 15150T 15665T 17525D 17615S 17880S 0600-0700 TIBETAN 17515D 17715K 17720U 21570T 21715UAE break 1100-1200 LAO 9355S 9775T 15565I 1100-1200 TIBETAN 7470U 11540D 11590K 13625T 15435UAE 1200-1400 TIBETAN 7470U 11540D 11590K 13625T 15185S 15435UAE 1230-1330 CAMBODIAN 5910V 13725I 15395T 1230-1330 BURMESE 9365D 11795T 12105I 15700T 1400-1500 CANTONESE 6050T(x9825T) 7280T(x15255T) 11950S 1400-1500 VIETNAMESE 7380U 9365D 9455S 11605T 13725P 13865I 15470T 21625I 1500-1600 TIBETAN 7470U 7495D 11500K 15385UAE 1500-1600 MANDARIN 7540D 9905P 11945T 13670T 13745T 15510T 1500-1700 KOREAN 7210IRK 11870S 13625T 1600-1700 UYGHUR 7515D 7530D 9625UAE 11720T 13725I 1600-1700 MANDARIN 6095T 7540D 9455S 9905P 11945T 13670T 13745T 15510T 1700-1800 MANDARIN 7540D 9355S 9455S 9905P 11945T 13670T 13745T 15510T 1800-1900 MANDARIN 6095T 7355N 7540D 9355S 9455S 11790T 11945T 13670T 13745T 15510T 1900-2000 MANDARIN 1098N 5990T 6095T 7355N 7540D 9355S 9455S 9875P 11790T 11945T 11970T 13745T 2000-2100 MANDARIN 1098N 5990T 6095T 7355N 7540D 9355S 9455S 9875P 9885T 11900S(xT) 11950T 11970T 13745T 2100-2200 MANDARIN 1098N 6095T 7355N 7540D 9355S 9455S 9875P 9885T 11950T 11970T 13745T 2100-2300 KOREAN 7460U 9385T 11785S 13625T 2200-2300 CANTONESE 9570T(xS) 9845P 11740S(xT) 11775T 2230-2330 CAMBODIAN 7185I 9930P 15485T 2300-2359 MANDARIN 7540D 9905P 11775T 13745S 13800T 15430T 15550T 2300-2359 TIBETAN 6010UAE 7415D 7470U 7550K 9875LAM 2330-0029 VIETNAMESE 7515D 9930P 11580U 11605N 11965T 13720S 13865I 15565V (From http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/~ndxc/ and various sources, wwdxc BC- DX Dec 12 via DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. BB: Victory Day Special --- The 16th December: A Day of Glory and Pride (A Special composite program on the occasion of the Victory day 2005.) UTC : 1815-1900 (Eu), 1230-1300 (S and SE Asia) Frequency : 7185 kHz Date : December 16, 2005. Details: 001. Song : Mora Ekti Fulke Bachabo Bole (Bengali), Singer : Apel Mahmud, Lyric: Govindo Haldar, A special composed song on our liberation war. (Fade in and Fade out slowly). 002. Intro: A short Description on the background history of our Struggle for independence and the glorious war of Liberation in 1971. (Written by Compiler) 003. Song : Ek Nodi Rakto Periye (Bengali), Singer: Shahnaz Rahmat Ullah, Lyric: Khan Ataur Rahman. 004. Reminiscence: Reminiscence of the days of the Liberation war in 1971. Participant: Barrister Md. Aminul Haque. Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Post & Telecommunication. 005. Songs Bangladesher Swadhinata Lokkho praner Dan (Bengali). Chorus. 006. Talk : Significance of the Victory Day in our National Life. By Dr. Abul Kalam Manzur Murshed, Director Bangla Academy, Dhaka. 007. Songs : Chorus. Compiler : Dr. Syed Anwarul Huq. Professor Dept. of English, University of Dhaka. Narrator : Shamim Khan and Shahnawaz Ahmed Producer : Akramul Islam. 73 from (Ashik Eqbal Tokon, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, Dec 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) How can two transmissions of such different length contain exactly the same material? Audio archive? (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL [non]. Re 5-213, translation: R. Brás may have ended its broadcasts to Africa due to technical problems, but at least it was fortunate to have chosen another step so as to compensate for that: cooperation with RDPi. The RDP broadcasts on 21655 kHz [well, this is just one of the frequencies] and will be airing RBrás' 3 minute program "É o Brasil hoje." The reporter observed the 21 Nov. broadcast at 1740 on 21655 kHz which included an interview with president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. This particular time slot is primarily aimed at Brazil, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also PORTUGAL [non] ** CANADA. CHWO AM740 / CJBC 860 --- CBC have, once again, scheduled a shutdown --- tomorrow morning December 15th after 1:30 am [EST = 0630 UT]). This is in preparation for the 860 solid state transmitter installation in January. It was short notice and they tell me that it will probably happen on the 16th too and if necessary on the 17th. In each case they should be returned to air by 5:30 am [1030 UT] or sooner. I am not sure if both stations will affected at once or one at a time (Brian Smith - am740 @ rogers.com http://www.am740.ca swprograms via DXLD) Toronto, allowing DX on those frequencies ** CANADA [and non]. You can't just describe CKLW 20/20 newswriting in print. You have to hear it for yourself! http://www.reelradio.com/bh/index.html#cklwnews (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) Page up for more CKLW clips and from other stations (gh) ** CHINA [and non]. Russia, 7330, BBC (relay via Vladivostok) 1139- 1150 Dec 14. Noted a weak broadcast of Mandarin here with woman in comments. Signal is difficult to hear in Florida due to China commercial station smothering BBC. Noted the same situation on 9605 where BBC has this broadcast relayed via Yamata, Japan. In both cases, BBC's broadcast was very poor, while China sounded like their transmitter was in my back yard (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DIEGO GARCIA. AFRTS putting in a good signal from 1700 tune-in on 4319 USB. This is reportedly a reactivated tx on Diego Garcia. I've never heard this site so well before - it must be running higher power or a new tx. Currently carrying Rush Limbaugh px. 73s Dave Caversham, Berks Lowe HF225 Europa bdxc uk DEC 13 12579U, AFN, 1414 14 Dec with news read by YL, at 1418 'America business" mention of a number 1 800.... 7070, a discussion between two YL and laughs on 1429. 1435 about election in Iraq coming from news of CBS (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. I am pleased to note that HCJB Brazilian service does not recognize DST. Dec 14 at 1530 UT opening Portuguese on 15295, said transmission is at 12:30 to 15:00 hora de Brasília, while currently the Brasilians imagine that it is 13:30 to 16:00. Axually, I expect this is just another example of HCJB`s inattention to such details, and it will no doubt confuse listeners with clox. There was a minute of dead air before programming started (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. R. Cairo now features a national anthem written as recently as 1979. Sayed Darwish wrote both words and music for ``Bilady, Bilady, Bilady`` -- no, not three times a lady, but a triple celebration of ``My Homeland, My Homeland, My Homeland``. The adoption of the new anthem followed the signing of the Egypt-Israeli peace accord, with words based on a speech by Mustapha Kemel, a contemporary advocate of national independence for countries of the region long dominated by the occupation of foreign powers. Darwish`s composition reflects the heady hope of lasting peace, which surely the whole world longs for as much at the end of 2005 as in those pre-millennial times of the late seventies. We can but hope and dream (Mark Savage, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) R. Cairo`s first English to NAm is worthless [2300-2430 on 11885] --- poor modulation or signal. The 0200 [7270] comes in better though supposedly beamed to west coast. Not reliable all of the time. Sometimes a no-show. What else is new? (Hi!) (Bob Thomas, Bridgeport CT, Dec 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. Re 5-211, the correct URL for Nuntii Latini is not as given in the printed guide, but: http://www.yleradio1.fi/nuntii/ Unfortunately, the Horarium http://www.yleradio1.fi/nuntii/id90.shtml is out of date, showing lots of SW airings which apparently no longer exist, including 17670 Sunday at 1555! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. New ? RFI has published 5 PDF files with B05-frequencies http://www.rfi.fr/Fichiers/ecouter/Frequences/grille/afriquenov05.pdf http://www.rfi.fr/Fichiers/ecouter/Frequences/grille/ameriquesnov05.pdf http://www.rfi.fr/Fichiers/ecouter/Frequences/grille/europenov05.pdf http://www.rfi.fr/Fichiers/ecouter/Frequences/grille/rfi_grille_paris20052006.pdf http://www.rfi.fr/Fichiers/ecouter/Frequences/grille/asienov05.pdf Regards (JM Aubier, France, Dec 13, dxldyg via DXLD) Rather inconvenient layout, but at least the info is there; also program schedules (gh, DXLD) ** FRANCE. French radio station Europe 1 is making 14 new programs available via podcast. according to a report by Agence France Presse. Seven news programs became available via podcast in November. The new programs are more feature-oriented. Europe 1 says the podcasts will be available a half an hour after the programs are broadcast on air (Mike Cooper, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GAMBIA [non]. 9405, Voices from the Diaspora, 2006-2023, escuchada el 10 de diciembre en inglés a locutor con acento africano con comentarios políticos, referencias a la democracia, via Jülich, SINPO 54443 (José Miguel Romero, EA5-1022, Burjasot (Valencia), España, SANGEAN ATS 909, Antena telescópica, WORLD OF RADIO 1297, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See last item in schedule below ** GERMANY. Updated B-05 for DTK T-Systems. Part two - non-daily transmissions: Bible Voice Broadcasting Network (BVBN): 0815-0900 5945 NAU 125 kW 275 deg Fri WeEu English 0900-0915 5945 NAU 125 kW 275 deg Fri WeEu Urdu 0915-0930 5945 NAU 125 kW 275 deg Fri WeEu Punjabi 0800-0915 5945 NAU 125 kW 275 deg Sat WeEu English 0800-0945 5945 NAU 125 kW 275 deg Sun WeEu English 1915-1930 6015 JUL 100 kW 060 deg Mon-Fri EaEu Russian 1900-2000 6015 JUL 100 kW 060 deg Sat EaEu English 1900-1930 6015 JUL 100 kW 060 deg Sun EaEu English 1930-2000 6015 JUL 100 kW 060 deg Sun EaEu Russian 2000-2030 6015 JUL 100 kW 060 deg Sun EaEu English 1800-1830 7205 NAU 125 kW 230 deg Sun SoEu Spanish 1900-1930 7260 JUL 100 kW 170 deg Sat CeAf English 1930-2000 7260 JUL 100 kW 170 deg Sun CeAf English 1630-1700 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Mon/Tue/Fri EaAf Amharic 1700-1730 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Mon/Tue/Fri EaAf Tigrina 1600-1630 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Tue/Thu EaAf Amharic 1630-1800 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Wed EaAf Amharic 1630-1730 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Thu/Sat/Sun EaAf Amharic 1730-1800 13810 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Sat/Sun EaAf Somali 1800-1830 7210 JUL 100 kW 105 deg Wed/Thu/Fri ME Persian 1800-1815 7210 JUL 100 kW 105 deg Sat ME English 1815-1900 7210 JUL 100 kW 105 deg Sat ME Persian 1800-1900 7210 JUL 100 kW 105 deg Sun ME Persian 1640-1715 9460 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Mon-Wed/Fri ME English 1715-1730 9460 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Tue ME Hebrew 1730-1800 9460 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Tue ME English 1800-1815 9460 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Tue ME Russian 1800-1900 9460 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Wed/Fri ME English 1640-1745 9460 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Thu ME English 1645-1830 9460 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Sat ME English 1830-1845 9460 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Sat ME Hebrew 1845-1930 9460 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Sat ME English 1630-1900 9460 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Sun ME English 1830-1900 9470 NAU 125 kW 125 deg Tue ME Hebrew 1915-2000 9470 NAU 250 kW 125 deg Fri ME English 1900-2000 9470 NAU 250 kW 125 deg Sat ME English 1900-2015 9470 NAU 250 kW 125 deg Sun ME English 1715-1835 9730 JUL 100 kW 110 deg Mon/Wed/Fri ME Arabic 1800-1835 9730 JUL 100 kW 110 deg Tue/Thu ME Arabic 1800-1900 9730 JUL 100 kW 110 deg Sat/Sun ME English 1630-1715 11645 WER 250 kW 120 deg Tue/Wed ME Arabic 1630-1730 11645 WER 250 kW 120 deg Mon/Thu/Fri ME Arabic 0845-1015 17545 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Fri ME Arabic 1530-1600 12035 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Mon/Thu SoAs English 1500-1600 12035 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Tue SoAs Urdu 1530-1545 12035 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Wed SoAs Urdu 1545-1600 12035 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Wed SoAs English 1530-1600 12035 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Fri SoAs Punjabi 1500-1600 12035 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Sat SoAs English 1530-1600 12035 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Sun SoAs Urdu 1530-1600 13645 WER 250 kW 090 deg Mon-Fri SoAs Hindi 1500-1530 13645 WER 250 kW 075 deg Fri/Sun SoAs Bengali 1400-1545 13645 WER 250 kW 090 deg Sat SoAs English 1400-1500 13645 WER 250 kW 090 deg Sun SoAs English Adventist World Radio (AWR): 0500-0600 6045 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Daily EaEu Bulgarian 1000-1100 9610 JUL 100 kW 145 deg Sun SoEu Italian 1900-1930 9800 JUL 100 kW 200 deg Daily NoAf Arabic 1930-2000 9800 JUL 100 kW 200 deg Wed NoAf DialArabic 1930-2000 9800 JUL 100 kW 200 deg Sun-Tue NoAf Kabyle 1930-2000 9800 JUL 100 kW 200 deg Thu-Sat NoAf Tachelhit 2000-2030 9695 JUL 100 kW 200 deg Daily NoAf French RTBF: 0600-0815 17580 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Mon-Fri CeAf French 0600-1100 17580 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Sat/Sun CeAf French 1100-1300 21565 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Daily CeAf French 1600-1900 13590 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Mon-Sat CeAf French 1700-1900 13590 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Sun CeAf French Trans World Radio (TWR): 0630-0645 6130 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Mon-Fri CeEu Slovak 0930-0945 6105 JUL 100 kW 105 deg Tue-Sat CeEu Hungarian 0930-0945 7210 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Tue-Sat CeEu Hungarian 1130-1200 6130 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Sat CeEu Slovak 1130-1200 7225 JUL 100 kW 105 deg Sat CeEu Slovak Christian Science Monitor: 1000-1100 6055 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Sun CeEu German 1800-1830 9470 JUL 100 kW 200 ged Tue till Jan.31 NoWeAf French 1800-1830 9490 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Thu till Jan.26 CeEaAf French 1900-2000 9890 JUL 100 kW 085 deg Sat EaEu Russian TNT Hit Radio: 1000-1600 5910 JUL 100 kW non-dir Sat WeEu Dutch/Mx Brother Stair/The Overcomer Ministries (TOM): 1100-1200 6110 JUL 100 kW 295 deg Daily WeEu English 1100-1200 9855 WER 250 kW 120 deg Daily WeEu/ME English 1300-1500 6110 JUL 100 kW 295 deg Daily (new) WeEu English 1300-1500 9855 WER 250 kW 120 deg Daily (new) WeEu/ME English 1500-1600 6110 JUL 100 kW 295 deg Sat (new) WeEu English 1500-1700 9855 WER 250 kW 120 deg Sat (exDaily) WeEu/ME English 1900-2000 9495 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Daily (ex 9845) SoAf English Evangelische Missions Gemeiden: 1130-1200 6055 WER 125 kW non-dir Sat/Sun CeEu German 1200-1230 11840 NAU 250 kW 020 deg Sat FE Russian 1600-1630 6000 NAU 250 kW 070 deg Sat EaEu Russian Missionswerke Arche 1200-1215 6055 WER 250 kW non-dir Sun CeEu German Free People's Mission Krefeld Inc: 1200-1230 5945 WER 500 kW non-dir Sat WeEu German 1630-1700 9490 WER 250 kW 105 deg Sat ME English Universal Life (UNL): 1230-1300 6045 JUL 100 kW non-dir Sat WeEu German 1200-1300 6045 JUL 100 kW non-dir Sun WeEu German 1900-1930 7105 JUL 100 kW 115 deg Sun ME English 0100-0130 7145 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Sun SoAs English Mecklenburg Verpommern Baltic Radio: 1300-1400 6130 JUL 100 kW 060 deg 1st Sun WeEu German Radio Waaberi: 1330-1400 17660 JUL 100 kW 130 deg Fri EaAf Somali Radio Traumland: 1400-1530 5925 JUL 100 kW non-dir Sun WeEu German TDP Radio: 1400-1600 6015 JUL 040 kW non-dir Sat DRM WeEu Dance Mx Radio Rhino International Africa: 1500-1530 17870 JUL 100 kW 145 deg Wed/Fri EaAf English Voice of Democratic Eritrea: 1500-1530 12015 JUL 100 kW 140 deg Sat EaAf Tigrina 1530-1600 12015 JUL 100 kW 140 deg Sat EaAf Arabic 1700-1730 9820 JUL 100 kW 140 deg Thu EaAf Tigrina 1730-1800 9820 JUL 100 kW 140 deg Thu EaAf Arabic Voice of Ethiopian Salvation: 1600-1700 9820 JUL 100 kW 140 deg Sun EaAf Amharic Radio Huriyo: 1630-1700 9820 WER 125 kW 135 deg Tue/Fri EaAf Somali Pan American Broadcasting (PAB): 1600-1630 13820 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Thu ME Persian 1430-1445 13820 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Sat ME English 1545-1600 13820 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Sun ME English 1600-1630 13820 JUL 100 kW 100 deg Sun ME English 1930-2030 7260 NAU 250 kW 180 deg Sat from Jan.7 NoAf English 2000-2015 7260 NAU 250 kW 180 deg Sun NoAf English 0030-0045 5945 JUL 100 kW 090 deg Sun SoAs English 1430-1445 13800 WER 250 kW 090 deg Sun SoAs English Bible Christian Association/BCA/: 1630-1700 6015 JUL 100 kW 070 deg Sun SoEaEu Polish Voice of Oromo Liberation (Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo): 1700-1800 9820 WER 125 kW 135 deg Tue-Sun EaAf Oromo Radio Reveil Paroles de Vie: 1830-1900 11840 JUL 100 kW 160 deg Thu Af French Voice of Democratic Path of Ethiopian Unity: 1900-2000 9620 JUL 100 kW 140 deg Wed/Sun EaAf Amharic Save the Gambia Development Project - Voices from the Diaspora: 2000-2030 9405 JUL 100 kW 210 deg Sat WeAf Wolof/English (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 13 via DXLD) Last item via WORLD OF RADIO 1297; See also GAMBIA [non] ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. ON THE DOWNLOAD - MP3'S OF ESOTERIC ITEMS, SOME RADIO-RELATED We came across this feature on the website of New York non-commercial radio station WFMU and found it fascinating. WFMU's On The Download collects MP3s from the fringes once a month: new sounds, obscure audio, found sound, and other sonic stimulants unique to WFMU. They can be downloaded free of charge as MP3 files. You can also access the archives back to June 2004, and in the April 2005 edition we found several songs by Charlie and his Orchestra, a German swing band from World War II that pretended to be American, and altered some of the lyrics of popular songs. You may recall we did an item on this some years ago on the Media Network radio show. Another item is "Soviet Putsch" - Vasily Strinikov [sic - actually Strelnikov], the Casey Kasem of Radio Moscow, discusses how he first learned of the August 1991 Soviet coup. Followed by Radio Moscow's first announcement of the takeover. Then there's "Apology" by Radio Moscow - After the putsch fails, Radio Moscow apologizes for their unprofessional journalistic activity of the previous three days. There's much more, which I have still to discover myself, but why not explore the site for yourself: On The Download http://wfmu.org/onthedownload.php # posted by Andy @ 14:49 UT Dec 14 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. WRN is formally inviting broadcasters to participate in WRN Arabic, our exciting new radio channel. This Arabic language channel will be distributed to the Middle East and North Africa via the Arabsat and Nilesat satellites, allowing international broadcasters to reach a wide audience base in the region. At present there is a global focus on the Middle East: the removal of Saddam Hussein, the US-led push for democratisation of the whole region, the continuing Israeli-Palestinian question and increasing oil prices are just some of the issues that have created an enormous and ongoing international focus and debate within and outside of the region. In the last ten years the Middle East has also seen important developments in the media industry: the phenomenal growth in the use of satellite television, the creation and rapid expansion of Dubai Media City, the unprecedented rise of Al Jazeera and the development of Radio Sawa are just a few. It is within this context that WRN is developing WRN Arabic – a channel composed of content and programming in the Arabic language from international broadcasters who are located outside of the region, distributed throughout the region to an audience hungry for new international perspectives. If you would like more information on this project, such as the rationale behind the new channel, the platforms we propose to use, technical information, costs and a timeline, please contact Tim Ayris, Marketing Manager, at tim.ayris @ wrn.org.details (Wired News from WRN, Dec, via DXLD) ** ITALY. MINISTRY SAYS DTT SWITCHOVER POSTPONED UNTIL 2008 | Text of press release from the Rome-based Ministry of Communications website on 1 December Our country will postpone the date of the switchoff from analogue to digital from the end of 2006 to the end of 2008, in order to fall into line with the European Union decisions. This declaration was made by the minister for communications, Mario Landolfi, during the Council of Ministers for Communications of the European Union in Brussels. "Our country foresaw a deadline for 31 December 2006", Hon Landolfi explained, "Now we are able to conform our deadline to the starting date fixed today by the European Council". Particularly, Hon Landolfi was making reference to the resolution of the EU ministers, passed today, concerning the switchover from analogue to digital in the lapse of time from 31 December 2008 to 31 December 2012. "Our country, together with the UK and France, forms part of the leading group, that is, the most progressing one in the diffusion of this technology. Firstly, the European Union had foreseen the switchover to digital between 2010 and 2012, but the decision taken today quickens the process so as to meet more ahead [as published] countries' requirements". The minister also announced that the work programme for 'all digital' regions, Sardinia and Valle d'Aosta, will remain unchanged. So, the goodbye to the analogue is still foreseen for 31 July 2006, Hon Landolfi concluded. Source: Ministry of Communications website, Rome, in English 1 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) I assume this is only about television? Note that the words ``radio`` and ``television`` never appear in this item, and what exactly does ``DTT`` stand for? (gh) ** KOREA NORTH. NORTH KOREAN RADIO OBSERVED USING NEW FORMAT TO REPORT INTERNATIONAL STORIES In a departure from its long-standing practice of carrying international news reports in piecemeal fashion, Pyongyang radio, North Korea's central radio catering for the domestic audience, has recently launched a new format of compiling two to three smaller reports of relatively less significance under a single theme, resembling the format used for years by the party organ Nodong Sinmun. Beginning in approximately late-August 2005, Pyongyang radio began grouping two or three third-party and straight international news reports under similar themes. This format appears to be used most frequently for pulling together one- or two-line news reports on crime, economic recession, accidents, and natural disasters in foreign countries. Following are examples of news summaries showing how reports are being grouped: - According to reports on 23 August, two US navy combat vessels collided in the waters off Florida during a war exercise; a strong explosion occurred at a building in San Francisco on 19 August; and a fire broke out in Sydney, Australia (1200 gmt, 27 August). - The US Department of Commerce reportedly says the number of houses being built went down by 5.6 per cent in October. Industrial production volumes reportedly go down by 3.8 and 2.8 per cent in Belgium and the Netherlands, respectively, in October. Major Japanese firms also see a downfall in profit margin in the first half of Japan's 2005 fiscal year (0800 gmt, 26 November). - According to reports, a criminal arrested in Athens for cyber crimes targeting children; a person killed in broad daylight in the Netherlands; and four armed robbers steal a large volume of gemstones in Belgium (0600 gmt, 3 December). Pyongyang radio has been observed, however, to occasionally begin weather-related international news reports with a brief introduction under a similar format. Pyongyang radio does continue to carry reports on more sensitive issues - specifically, such things as South Korea's political and economic situation, security issues involving the United States and Japan, China's economic progress, Russia's military development, and, more recently, avian flu - as individual items. Following are examples of such reports: - Iraqi insurgents reportedly carry out serial attacks against American soldiers, killing three as a result" (0300 gmt, 4 December). - South Korea's Hanchongnyon reportedly releases a statement denouncing the political circles for passing the bill on rice negotiations, saying it is analogous to giving up the nation's food sovereignty and sentencing farmers to death (0300 gmt, 27 November). - The Japanese public reportedly severely criticizing the ruling party's recent bill on a constitutional revision (2200 gmt, 29 November). This new clustering of news blurbs bears a striking resemblance to the North Korean party organ Nodong Sinmun's practice of compiling shorter, less weighty articles under one rubric, ranging from domestic political and economic issues to South Korean and international news, spanning from pages one to six. Although Pyongyang radio carries international news during every newscast, it appears to use this new format relatively less frequently - one or two times a day at the most, and mostly after 1500 local time, or 0600 gmt, as the majority of Pyongyang radio's international news is dedicated to South Korean news, security affairs, or anti- Americanism. Like all other North Korean media outlets which carry international news towards the end of their respective formats, Pyongyang radio carries international news towards the end of its newscasts. It carries an average of two to five international, including South Korean, news reports per newscast, and more in the evening than in the morning or early afternoon. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 9 Dec 05 (via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Open Radio for North Korea seems to be the official name for the programme broadcast on 5880 kHz at 1500-1600 UT daily, according to the Daily NK online newspaper here: http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00100&num=418 This page has an MP3 file of the first day's entire broadcast (on 6 Dec, though incorrectly labelled as 7 Dec on this web page), which plays automatically in glorious stereo when you go to the page. As alluded to by Takahito Akabayashi in DXLD 5-210, the broadcast is topped and tailed with Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1" (a.k.a. "Land of Hope and Glory"). Deuced odd (to use a posh old English expression) that a political broadcast from South Korea to the North should use music so strongly associated with English patriotism! - see here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/herefordandworcester/music/elgar/loh.shtml You can hear an edited clip of the broadcast on the Interval Signals Online website at http://www.intervalsignalsonline.com Regards, (Dave Kernick, England, Dec 14, WORLD OF RADIO 1297, DX LISTENING DIGEST) One can only assume the isolated North Koreans are not aware of the baggage Elgar`s music carries. OTOH, ``Land of Hope and Glory`` could be construed as an ironic comment. Just watched Independent Lens on PBS, about the terrible plight of North Korean refugees in China (gh, DXLD) WEBSITE DENOUNCES LAUNCH OF FREE NORTH KOREA RADIO Text of report by Choe Chang-il entitled: "Betrayal against goodwill", published by North Korean Uriminjokkkiri website on 13 December; the following appears to be the DPRK media's first reaction to the 7 December launching of South Korea-based "Free North Korea Radio," which is transmitted to the North, as cited in first referent item.] It is said that the "North Korean escapees," who turned their backs on their country and nation, have recently gathered together in South Korea and started some "shortwave radio broadcast." This so-called broadcast, launched in the name of the nation's traitors under the United States' active sponsorship and the instigation of the "Grand National Party [GNP]," which is the party of national treason, aims its arrow of attack at slandering and vilifying us and breaking down the Republic's system, riding the coattails of the United States' smear propaganda against the Republic. The United States has raked up a bunch of human trash that knows neither conscience nor moral sense from here and there, and made it possible to introduce a shortwave radio broadcast specializing in smear propaganda against the Republic. The ugly purpose of this lies in preventing South Korea's public sentiment from shifting towards the Republic following the announcement of the 15 June Joint Declaration and at the same time attempting to render some credibility to the "North Korean human rights" smear campaign [the United States] brandishes. When the "North Korean escapees" started an Internet broadcast in South Korea last year to incite confrontation against the Republic, we already exposed their sly goal and took issue with its gravity. Still, the Internet broadcast has continued, instead of getting stopped, and things have reached a grave stage today - the launch of a shortwave broadcast. We have taken the firm measure to stop all broadcasts targeting South Korea and faithfully abided by it for the nation's unity and North- South reconciliation in line with the demands of the 15 June era. Despite it, not to mention that anti-Republic broadcasts are openly permitted in South Korea, they are increasing by the day. There is no other way but to view it as an unforgivable betrayal against goodwill. Therefore, the shortwave radio broadcast started by the nation's traitors in South Korea deserves to receive the entire nation's strong condemnation and denunciation, for being a smear broadcast to realize the United States' policy to crush the Republic and for being a rash act against the nation, which tries to turn back the 15 June independent reunification era. We cannot help but take notice of the fact that the United States and the "GNP" lurk behind the ugly human creatures that started the shortwave radio broadcast against the Republic. It is none other than the United States and the "GNP" bastards who threw bread crumbs to the "North Korean escapees," who cannot squarely look at the bright world due to the offences they committed, so that they could continue with their remaining years. The broadcast scripts ringing out of the radio are no more than the scripts pressed in their hands by them [GNP and US]. Therefore, the current anti-North shortwave radio broadcast is not a simple "North Korean escapees' broadcast," but a miniature version of "Radio Free Asia" tooted by the United States and the "GNP's" [US] flattering bugle to negate our system and derail North-South relations. Nevertheless, the United States and the "GNP" gang [p'aedang] must clearly know the following: Even if they rake together all sorts of good-for-nothings who have nowhere else to go and ugly human creatures to produce false trickery and fabrications as much as they want, they can never tarnish the dignified image of our Republic in the slightest, can never break our single-hearted unity with which we form one big harmonious family, and can never block the rapid flow of the 15 June independent reunification era, in which [we] advance powerfully under the "by-our- nation" banner. South Korean people must resolutely smash the manoeuvres of the United States and the GNP, perpetrated to interfere in the implementation of the 15 June Joint Declaration and derail North-South relations, and must wage a powerful struggle to put a complete stop to all types of anti-North smear propaganda through newspapers and broadcasts. Source: Uriminjokkkiri website, Pyongyang in Korean 13 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Cland, 5890, Shiokaze, 1910 12 Dec with talk again in Japanese names (Watanabe, etc.) S5, 22332 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, WORLD OF RADIO 1297, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. KBS, R. Korea, Seoul, English to NAm [via Canada] at 1300 on 9650: mostly useless. Heavy hash and by time it does propagate, transmission is in final minutes. The 0200 on 9560 has been coming in well but there was no show or QRN not too long into the B sked (Bob Thomas, CT, Dec 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [and non]. Iran/Iraq clandestines heard in November: Voice of Revolution & V. of he Communist Party of Iran, in Farsi, Kurdish, and vernaculars: 1425-1527, 1625-1825 (Fridays -1855) on 3850-3890, 4350-4395, 6405-6435 kHz Voice of the Struggle of Iranian Kurdistan, in Kurdish and Persian: 0320-0425 and 1515-1625 on 4400-4410 kHz Voice of Komala in Persian and Kurdish, 0325-0455 (also reported as 0255-0425) and 1653-1825 only on 4615 kHz Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, Persian & Kurdish, 0250-0455, 1525-1727 on 3960-3980, 4850-4890 kHz Voice of Independence was unheard on 4160 1-14 November (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** LATVIA. Relays on 9290 KHZ Sat 17 December Radio Six 0700-0800 UT Sun 18 December Radio City 0900-1000 UT Radio Caroline Eifel 1000-1100 UT Radio Six 1200-1300 UT EMR 1400-1600 UT Good Listening 73s (Tom Taylor, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA. 9745, Shaab al Iraq, 1840-1851, escuchada el 14 de diciembre en arabe a locutor con comentarios, la emisión se corta bruscamente, SINPO 554433 [sic] (José Miguel Romero, EA5-1022, Burjasot (Valencia), España, SANGEAN ATS 909, Antena telescópica, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would be the obscure external service in Arabic just for Iraq, believed to be transmitted actually from Libya, not to be confused with Bahrain also in Arabic on 9745 (gh, DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. Both Vilnius English broadcasts to NAm are hit or miss (Bob Thomas, CT, Dec 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA [non?]. Contrary to Bernd Trutenau in 5-208, that this would be 50 kW near Klaipeda: Radio 390 is planning to start broadcasts via the 500 kW Kaliningrad [RUSSIA] transmitter on 1386 from 10 pm to 3 am [timezone???] on Xmas Eve and was due to conduct a test before that. According to Paul Francis from the station, 390 also plans to use shortwave in the New Year (Anorak Nation, via Offshore subheading, Radio Without Licence, Dec World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** MALI. 7284.5 kHz, R. Mali in a mess which I cannot sort out --- what it consists about for a very weak signal is surely Mali's and then some distorted-like audio from what I believe is 1~2 other stations on 7285, possibly Asian, but too noisy a frequency to ID. That's \\ to 11960, but this is typically bad here, or at least is should be better given the listed power; weakish audio too. The sort of noise I refer to isn't exactly the "crack" due to thunderstorms or heavy static discharges, but what I presume is what some call "white noise", i.e. a flow-like, almost evenly leveled noise experienced during certain parts of the day, mostly mornings, prior to signal fade outs, and to some extent as if one's hearing a feeble DRM signal underneath. At noon & a bit later, the reported signals simply don't fade away over here, they decrease as the morning turns into afternoon, and later some other stations fade in, which is when other sort of problems arise - co-channel QRM. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA. 7245 kHz, R. Mauritanie, putting a much better signal today, Arabic, talks, jingle and announcements at 1200, newscast; 4(nearly 5)4344, but weakish audio (which would correspond to O=3 at the most) and adjacent QRM de DRM signals on 7240 & 7250, so these combined, especially if stronger adjacent QRM was experienced, possibly explain why I didn't spot Nouakchott this past Sat. & Sun. morning around 1030 despite my southerly and quiet DX location. Even now, the only way to get this sort of reception is adjusting the elevated K9AY, not with other more adequate antennae for this band and their position for using any of the other aerials now means noise all the way (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. Hi All, I'm receiving weak DRM signals on 15720 kHz at 0115 UT, December 14. Presumed RNZI testing to the Pacific, but too weak for any digital id here in Wellington, NZ. I guess I'm at that "awkward" distance and direction from the transmitter. 73 (Chris Mackerell, P.O. Box 2241, Wellington 6015, New Zealand, ripple via DXLD) The following was received from Adrian Sainsbury RNZI visiting Suva, Fiji during the tests. Thanks Mark, Chris is quite correct. The signal here in Suva was extremely strong and the DRM test was very successful. Cheers Adrian (via Mark Nicholls, NZ, ibid.) ** NIGERIA. 7255 kHz, V. of Nigeria, only chance to hear is via the elevated K9AY too, deep fades spoiling reception of the Vernacular program; 34332, adjacent QRM de DRM signal (7250), the same affecting Mauritania [q.v., 7245]. At some point, the trash emanating from the DRM signals "looks" like noise underneath the station one's observing (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Dec 13 circa 1200, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PARAGUAY. Hi Glenn, R. Nacional del Paraguay on 9737 is inactive. This after one week of monitoring and also OM Harald Kuhl in Germany says that during their ADDX meeting November 25-27 the station was not active as well (Horacio Nigro, Montevideo Uruguay, Dec 13, Kenwood R-600 randomwire 25 m long, WORLD OF RADIO 1297, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL [non]. As recently reported (*), our RTPi (that's the TV branch of RTP, which includes RDP, the radio service) will be airing its weekly news magazine via TV Nacional of R Brás every Sat. at 2300- 0000 Brasília local time [0100-0200 UT Sunday]. *) in Jornal de Notícias, Lisboa, 08Dec'05 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also BRAZIL [non] ** RUSSIA. HACKER KNOCKS RUSSIA TODAY OFF THE AIR The Moscow Times Tuesday, December 13, 2005. Issue 3315. Page 3. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2005/12/13/013.html Less than two days after going on the air, Kremlin-funded news channel Russia Today was wiped off the world's television screens Monday in an attack blamed on a hacker. Viewers saw the English-language channel periodically freeze and then vanish in what Russia Today editor Margarita Simonyan said was an "invasion of the computer system." The invasion "led to viruses, which led to breakdowns in transmission," she said, Interfax reported. The attack is the latest setback for the channel, which is designed to show the world a Russian perspective on news and was originally scheduled to go on the air in September. Critics and media have expressed doubts as to how objective Russia Today will be, saying it is simply a propaganda machine for the government. Simonyan, a former Kremlin correspondent for Rossia state television, has insisted that the channel will offer "objective and interesting" reporting. Simonyan did not say when the channel would go back on air or who might be behind the virus attack. "The channel will suspend broadcasting until technical faults have been fixed," Russia Today said in a statement. The glitch prompted news site Gazeta.ru to dub the channel "Russia Yesterday." The satellite channel is broadcast in Moscow on the NTV- Plus cable system (via Gerald T. Pollard, DXLD) ** SERBIA & MONTENEGRO [non]. Radio SM, English at 1930 on 6100 --- extremely low, often mashed by heavy hash (Bob Thomas, CT, Dec 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA. Received a QSL today from Radio Hargeisa in the Republic of Somaliland (NASWA Country: Somali, Dem. Rep. - British) for reception on 29 November 2005 on 7530 kHz. V/s: Baldur Drobnica. Card states that they run 10 kW into a T-antenna. Report was sent to their German postal address with $1. Card was mailed from USA with a cover letter and the $1 was returned via an amateur radio operator in Virginia. Apparently $1 is not enough for return postage from Germany and the v/s sent my card along with his amateur radio QSL and then the Virginia op forwarded my QSL. My 217th NASWA Country verified (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Correct, postage from Germany to the US is 1.55 EUR for a simple letter (1.70 EUR from Jan 1, 2006) [same prices for snail mail and air mail if under 20g]. That are already $1.90 or $2.10 US (that`s the problem when the USD is so 'low'). Better to send an IRC as return postage for transcontinental letters (M. Schöch, Germany, ibid.) Great catch, Steve, and an even greater QSL! FYI: Mostly for other subscribers who may not be aware as you are. Depending on the region of the world, postage now ranges from $2 to $4. Especially since the value of the USA dollar has taken a dive. Bolivia was around $3 and Albania was closer to $4. Sometimes the party is pocketing part of it and other times it is the real cost for them. So send three IRC to a SW station or at least $2. Steve, getting your dollar back does not necessarily mean that it was inadequate postage. Some simply return the green stamps. I have had this happen several dozen times with hams and three times with 'large' short-wave stations. Mostly Oriental. Great catch! (Duane W8DBF Fischer, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Yes it apparently was, according to the note the v/s sent. Though like you I have had some stations simply return the funds (Steve Lare Holland, MI USA, ibid.) ** SOUTH AFRICA. Re 5-213: No, I didn't really mean you in particular, just those - and there are many - who may just find anything Afrikaner is not particularly "easy" to speak about or then, like you put it, may find Afrikaner not politically correct to speak about. As to not being treated equally, it wouldn't surprise me at all, but mind you many black Africans there use it everyday, possibly a lot more than non-English-speaking whites do. Also, it's only too widely known that ANY English speaker is just reluctant to speak ANY other lang. even if living in a foreign country where he/she simply expects the nationals would make it easier by speaking English... which is not strange if one thinks about what English monarchs did throughout the centuries re the use of the C[K]eltic languages in the British Isles, so in laymen's terms, one could say they can't help it for it's in the veins, and no matter harsh this may sound, well, it's a fact everybody knows or feels (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Dec 14, DX LI STENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. 11905, SLBC, 1151 14 Dec with Tamil songs, 1200+ with religious Christian program till 1400 starting and ending with the same a cappella song followed by Tamil song program also after 1230. S7 max 33333 at best. At 1230 VoT [Turkey?] on 11910 QRMs a little the station (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. While listening to Radio Sweden on 7420 at 2030 UT this morning there was an item saying the Swedish Government were dropping digital broadcasts. There was mention that unlike England there were no retailers selling DAB enabled radios in Sweden. There's an audio report at http://www.sr.se/rs/english/ but I can't listen on this PC - no sound (Wayne Bastow, Wyoming, NSW, Australia, UT Dec 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) SWEDISH GOVERNMENT PULLS THE PLUG ON DAB RADIO | Text of report in English by Radio Sweden text website on 14 December The Swedish government has pulled the plug on digital radio, at least in its current form. Digital Audio Broadcasting, or DAB, is the official format for digital radio in Europe, and much of the rest of the world. Public broadcaster Swedish Radio, home of Radio Sweden, has been adding more and more DAB channels over the past ten years. Sweden has been second only to Britain in developing the system. But unlike Britain it is almost impossible to buy a DAB receiver in this country, and without receivers there has been almost no audience. It's been kind of a chicken and egg effect - retailers won't sell receivers unless there are more digital stations, and Sweden's commercial broadcasters have been waiting for the official government announcement that analogue FM radio is being phased out before they spend the money to switch to DAB. Last year an official commission recommended a transition period to the new technology. But now the Swedish government has pulled the plug on the whole project. Minister of Culture Leif Pagrotsky points to the lack of audience, and says it would cost too much to continue broadcasting parallel in both DAB and FM. He says Swedish Radio's 50m- dollar investment in digital radio was not wasted, and praises the broadcaster for moving forward with radio over the internet and on new generation mobile telephones, as well as podcasts. Pagrotsky also wants Swedish Radio to put its signals available through digital television systems, something which has only been partially explored. In response, Swedish Radio Director-General Peter Orn says the government's decision is regrettable. He points out that the initiative for DAB here came not just from the public broadcaster but from the entire industry and public transmitter operator Teracom, and the Swedish parliament allocated funds specifically for developing DAB. Source: Radio Sweden text website, Stockholm, in English 0000 gmt 14 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) THE END OF DAB IN SWEDEN Christer Hederström, Media Advisor and Editor of the newsletter Public Access, Stockholm, Sweden writes: The minister of culture and education Leif Pagrotsky has announced that he will not take any decision to close down the analogue FM network in Sweden. The government will not cater to the requests from the national public broadcaster Sveriges Radio to start nationwide digital radio DAB broadcasting. Pagrotsky says that it will not be worth the money. It will be too expensive to replace 25-30 million analogue FM receivers in Sweden. Sveriges Radio has already put €40 million into DAB mostly for broadcasts on a temporary basis in four cities for a couple of years, but a transmission network for the whole country is already established but put on ice awaiting a government decision. By this decision Sweden follow the example of Finland which a year ago closed the DAB case. Sveriges Radio will now concentrate more on other technologies such as webcasting and podcasting as well as radio via mobile telephones (DVB-H). Leif Pagrotsky has also mentioned radio via the terrestial digital television network (DTT) as a good solution for Sveriges Radio. Sveriges Radio is not unaware of the DRM technology as its overseas service Radio Sweden is broadcasting via Radio Netherlands and Radio Canada International on DRM shortwave, and also have some experimental transmissions from the Sölvesborg shortwave transmitter site in Sweden. However, a debate about digitalization of the FM-band (DRM+ or HD Radio) has not yet started in Sweden. # posted by Andy @ 16:23 Dec 14 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [non]. RTI PLANNING TO VISIT INDIA AND BANGLADESH The English service is planning to have a get-together with listeners in India and Bangladesh. Our tentative plan is to travel to New Delhi on 2/18, Kolkata (Calcutta) on 2/20, and Dhaka on 2/22. If you are interested in our visit or have any suggestions, please contact us at paula @ rti.org.tw Via RTI web site http://english.rti.org.tw/Content/WhatsNewSingle.aspx?ContentID=4411 73s, (via Daniel Say; and via Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U K. BBC CLOSES KAZAKH SERVICE, CIS TELEVISION REPORTS | Text of report by Russian Zvezda TV on 13 December BBC is no longer present in Kazakhstan. The BBC World Service is closing its office in the republic - the Kazakh-language radio. Offices in Eastern Europe, Greece and Thailand have met the same fate. The BBC management explained these steps by the need to save funds in order to reallocate them for setting up Arabic-language television. [This report appeared on "CIS News" produced by Mir TV CIS television and broadcast on Russian Zvezda TV] Source: Zvezda TV, Moscow, in Russian 1230 gmt 13 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ?? You don`t have to be ``present`` with an office in order to carry out broadcasts to a certain country, tho it helps (gh, DXLD) ** U K. Front covers for all the Xmas editions of Radio Times, going back to the first in 1923, can be seen at http://www.tvradiobits.co.uk/radiotimes/christmas.htm This is part of the wonderful TV and Radio Bits website, which includes a thousand Radio Times covers, jingles, logos, video and audio clips, unsung DJs, other BBC national and local radio and TV IDs: http://www.tvradiobits.co.uk/ (Chris Brand, Webwatch, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Some VOA/RFE/RL/RFA changes 6050 1400-1500 TIN 500 287 RFA Canton (x15255) 6225 2100-2115 IRA 250 322 VOA Ukr (x6215) 6225 2115-2130 IRA 250 322 VOA Ukr (x6215) 7125 1800-1900 IRA 250 324 RL Caucas (x6215) 7280 1400-1500 TIN 500 286 RFA Canton (x9825) 9415 1730-1800 MOR 250 99 VOA Oromo (x7245) 9415 1800-1900 IRA 250 279 VOA Amhar (x7245) 9415 1900-1930 MOR 250 99 VOA Tigre (x7245) 9610 1530-1600 KAV 250 95 VOA Georg (x11965) 11785 0200-0400 PHT 250 315 RL Kazakh (x11885) 11820 1600-1615 MOR 500 59 VOA Bosn (x11965KAV) 11840 2330-2400 IRA 250 57 VOA Burm (x7260) 11955 1730-1800 KAV 250 172 VOA Oromo (x11690) 11955 1800-1900 KAV 250 172 VOA Amhar (x11690) 11955 1900-1930 KAV 250 172 VOA Tigre (x11690) 11970 1600-1700 PHT 250 283 VOA Bangl (x15185) 12015 0000-0200 TIN 250 341 RL Russ (x11885) 13755 1730-1800 MOR 250 108 VOA Oromo (x13800, x13790) 13755 1800-1900 IRA 250 275 VOA Amhar (x13800, x13790) 13755 1900-1930 IRA 250 275 VOA Tigre (x13800, x13790) 15130 0700-0900 UDO 250 335 RL Russ (x17730) 15345 1400-1600 LAM 100 77 RL Kirgyz delete (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9860, WWCR Monday evening 12-12-2005 at 2301-44 UT, Programs // 5070.010 mostly Old Time Radio MIXED with program // 7465.001 in Spanish. Heard this weaker 9860 mix on two separate radios & antennas. I noticed that 7465+1x=9860 and 5070+2x=9860 and x=2395. But, who can tell me why? (Wells Perkins in New Jersey, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wells, That is a typical formula for a mixing product between two nearby transmitters, 2B - A, altho usually they are on the same band, not separated by over 2 MHz! First I have heard of this particular example. I also call it leapfrogging. However, I don`t see how this time can be correct, as 7465 is scheduled to be in Spanish at 2200- 2300 UT, and off the air after 2300. Did you mean 2201-2244? (Glenn to Wells, via DXLD) ** U. S. A. WBCQ SCHEDULE UPDATES Tuesday, December 13, 2005 --- Allan confirms the following schedule changes: Creation Nation moved from Sunday 2300-2400 on 7415 to Tuesday 2330-2400 on 7415; Inside View On Health with Dezert Owl is now Sunday 2000-2100 on 7415, and Sunday 2300-2400 is now an available time slot with a rebroadcast of Allan's show to fill in the meantime. Sunday, December 11, 2005 --- WBCQ's own Tom Barna is hosting Tom's Lost Classics live on Sundays at 0430 on 9330, with a replay on Mondays at 0545 on 7415. The debut broadcast happened on December 11. I noticed Dezert Owl live on 7415 at 2000 on December 11. I did not catch the show's name but I am assuming that this is another slot for Forbidden History and Other Lost Writings. Allan Weiner Worldwide, from Friday evening, December 9, was repeated at 2300 UTC Sunday, December 11, on 7415. Tuesday, December 6, 2005 --- Jim Cedarstrom's Money Talk replaces all time slots occupied by The Hour of The Time, which is leaving shortwave. Money Talk expands to M-F 2000-2100 on 7415//9330 in addition to M-F 1900-2000 on 7415 and M-F 2300-2400 on 5110. I noticed "Creation Nation" at 2330 on Tuesday, December 6, presumably replacing Reaching Up Radio. I will confirm this program's move from Sunday afternoons with Allan before updating the schedule (Larry Will, the WBCQ Program Guide, Dec 13, dxldyg via DXLD) I see in the RFA schedule, ASIA [non] above, that 7415 is now in use for Tibetan via Dushanbe, Tajikistan, at 2300-2359. Do WORLD OF RADIO listeners experience any interference from that on Weds? Of course there would also be Chinese jamming (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1297, DXLD) ** U S A. Great news! George Jacobs is active again. Right now he has only one client, World Harvest Radio, but there is every sign that he is looking for more (David Crystal, Israel, Dec World DX Club Contact via DXLD) Well, there are no signs of this on his website http://www.gjainc.com where the current schedule is for B-03! Including non-existent KIMF, WRNO, and not WHR. Says WRMI is for sale at $950,000. No mention that Anna Case is deceased, either. (gh) ** U S A [and non]. Blog about the late Dr Gene Scott & Melissa Pastore a.k.a. Barbi Bridges: http://thomashawk.com/2005/02/dr-gene-scott-dead-at-75.html Listen/view page where one may see the widow preaching live Sundays at 1900 UT: http://www.drgenescott.com/listen-live.htm (via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Bandscanning in the 1500 UT hour I often come across a pretty good signal with Mr. Harold Camping, droning on Family Radio, but audio doesn`t sound like WYFR. Indeed, it isn`t, but 1400-1600 on 15520 DHA 250 kW / 085 deg to SoAs in Hindi/English i.e. UAE relay, per 5-205 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I noticed that KNAU Flagstaff AZ still had their 2004 holiday specials page up, nothing about 2005, so enquired, and got this response (gh): Hello, Sorry for the delay on the holiday program list. We are in the process of moving our entire website to a new internet service provider, so some things are not happening as timely as we would like. Here is our holiday program list. Programs listed as "News/Classical" are available on our NPR News and Classical Music Service, KNAU 88.7 and the programs listed as "News/Talk" are on our NPR News and Talk service, KNAU/KPUB 91.7. Unfortunately, our webstream is also down, but here's the list anyway. KNAU Holiday Specials Wednesday, December 14th, 7-8pm (News/Classical) Christmas with the Philadelphia Singers 2005 . . . Hope that helps (Alice L. Ferris, MBA, CFRE Development Director KNAU Arizona Public Radio, Dec 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Will follow up if they get the streaming back before yearend (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Infinity Rebranded "CBS Radio" The INFINITY BROADCASTING name is being retired in favor of CBS RADIO. The move is being made in anticipation of the split of parent VIACOM into two companies and the radio division's inclusion in the new CBS CORP. The new CBS RADIO will also carry the slogan "Broadcast ... HD ... Streaming ... On-Demand." "This is a proud moment for all of us who love the CBS name, and who know the storied history of CBS Radio," said CBS CEO/Pres. LES MOONVES in a statement. "It is one of the most revered brands in broadcasting, with a history that predates the television era. CBS RADIO was there at the infancy of radio, playing a formative role in shaping and building this dynamic industry, and we're incredibly proud to bring it back." "In reclaiming the CBS RADIO name, our division will embrace that strong legacy of quality and leadership while at the same time look towards the future, leveraging our great brands, talent and market- leading positions as we forge new ground in distribution, content and technology," added INFINITY Chairman/CEO JOEL HOLLANDER. "It's only natural that we'd want to use the CBS RADIO name to re-brand our radio stations, which will continue to innovate and redefine our industry much as they have throughout the last 75 years." (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, DXLD) ** U S A. Re Star over Orlando, Inc. Hi - I found your mention of the station in a Google search, and if I understand what you were saying, the station will be heard between Titusville and New Smyrna Beach. I'm up in south Marion Co., about 10 miles south of Ocala. I was hoping we might be able to hear the station up here, but I guess not, eh? WEUS 810 AM, Orlovista, Florida (Orlando area): This station will become an Air America Radio affiliate in January 2006. http://www.airamericaradio.com/ Air America is liberal/progressive talk radio; I've been a dedicated listener since they went on the air in March of 2004; I've owned a Sirius satellite radio, and now own an XM satellite radio in order to listen to the station. Terrestrial radio is utter crap except for NPR affiliates, and I live on the fringe of 3 of them, none of which are dependable. I listen to NPR almost exclusively on the internet as a consequence. Cheers (Jeanie Bauer, FL, Dec 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Seems to me it should be audible in Ocala area (gh, DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. UZBEK STATE RADIO GOES ONLINE The first two domestic radio channels of the Uzbek State Television and Radio Company (Uzteleradio) are now available streamed live online from the company's main website at http://www.teleradio.uz The "Uzbekistan" and "Yoshlar" channels are streamed at 20 kbps mono in MP3 format via an embedded Windows Media Player. The website can be viewed in either English, Russian or Uzbek editions, and also offers on-demand video files of Uzteleradio TV news reports in those three languages, in both 28 kbps dialup and 256 kbps broadband quality. Prominent on the homepage is a link to the website http://ino.uzpak.uz of Uzteleradio's multilingual external service, Radio Tashkent International. This website is also available in English, Russian and Uzbek, and includes shortwave frequency details, programme guides, and a live audio stream. Uzteleradio operates four domestic radio networks, mostly in Uzbek and Russian, on the following schedule: 1st Channel: "Uzbekistan" at 0000-2000 UT 2nd Channel: "Yoshlar" at 0000-2000 UT 3rd Channel: "Mash'al" at 0000-2100 UT 4th Channel: "Do'stlik" at 0000-2000 UT (includes some Kazakh, Kyrgyz and Tajik programming, + 8 hours relay of Russia's Radio Mayak) Radio Tashkent International airs 30-minute programmes in English at 0100, 1200, 1330, 2030 and 2130 UT. The station also broadcasts programmes in Arabic, Dari, German, Hindi, Mandarin, Pashto, Persian, Turkish, Uighur, Urdu, and Uzbek. Click your way to Interval Signals Online at http://www.intervalsignalsonline.com Regards, (Dave Kernick, England, Dec 14, WORLD OF RADIO 1297, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UZBEKISTAN. UZBEKISTAN BARS RADIO LIBERTY Reuters Wednesday, December 14, 2005. Issue 3316. Page 4. ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Uzbekistan's Foreign Ministry has told U.S.-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty it would no longer accredit its journalists or bureau in Tashkent, effectively outlawing its reporters. A letter from the Foreign Ministry to RFE/RL's acting president, obtained by Reuters, accused the broadcaster of breaking its rules by using freelance Uzbek journalists who had no accreditation. In October, Britain's BBC World Service closed its office in Tashkent and withdrew its journalists, saying that authorities were intimidating them. RFE/RL and the BBC World Service were the main sources of independent news in the Uzbek language when troops forcefully suppressed an uprising in Andijan in May. No comment was immediately available from the Uzbek Foreign Ministry on Tuesday. (c) Copyright 2005 The Moscow Times. All rights reserved (via Mike Cooper, WORLD OF RADIO 1297, DXLD) ** VANUATU. Re report in Oct DX News about Radio Vanuatu transmitter repairs, I am hearing Vanuatu on 3945 most evenings, but not 7260 as yet (Don Rhodes, Yarra Glen, Melbourne, Australia, 12 November, BDXC UK Communication, Dec, via DXLD) ** VATICAN STATE. Complete B05 medium and short-wave schedule of Vatican Radio, 139 entries. Albanian 0620 EU 1260 1611 2000 EU 1260 1611 6185 7250 Amharic, Tigre 0400 AF 103.8 7360 9660 1630 AF 103.8 11625 13765 (x15570) Angelus 1100 AF su,H 93.3 105 585 1530 1611D 15595 21850 1100 AS su,H 93.3 105 585 1530 1611D 15595 17515 1100 EU su,H 93.3 105 585 1530 1611D 5885 7250 9645 11740 Arabic 0500 AF 1260 9645 11715 0500 AS 1260 9645 11715 0745 AF mo-fr 93.3 1530 7250 9645 15595 0745 AS mo-fr 93.3 1530 15595 0745 EU mo-fr 93.3 1530 5885 1630 AF 1260 9755 11850 (x11625 x15595) 1630 AS 1260 9755 11850 (x11625 x15595) 2140 AF 93.3 1530 5885 7250 2140 EU 93.3 1530 4005 Armenian 0310 EU 1260 6185 9645 1650 EU 1611 7365-til Mar 04,2006 9585 11715-from Mar 05, 2006 Bulgarian 0540 EU 1611 6185 7335 1920 EU 1260 1611 6185 7365 Byelorussian 0420 EU 1260 6185 7335 1800 EU 1260 1611 6185-til Mar 04,2006 7365 9585-from Mar 05,2006 Chinese new additional 0000 AS 13780KHB-RUS 1230 AS exc.Sat 103.8 6020PUG-PHL 13770 15235 2200 AS 103.8 6145 7305 9600KHB-RUS not Dec 04,2005 - Feb 04,2006 9600P.K-RUS only Dec 04,2005 - Feb 04,2006 Croatian 0350 EU 93.3 1530 4005 1750 EU 93.3 1467ROU-F 1530 4005 5885 7250 Czech 0410 EU 93.3 1530 4005 5885 1830 EU 93.3 1467ROU-F 1530 4005 5885 7250 English 0250 AM 7305 9605 0300 AF 103.8 7360 0500 AF 103.8 7360 9660 11625 0600 EU 93,3 1530 4005 5885 7250 0630 AF 103.8 9660 11625 13765 delete 1030 EU mo,tu,th-sa 105 585 1611 5885 1730 AF 103.8 9755 11625 13765 (x15570) 2000 AF 103.8 7365 9755 11625 2050 EU 93.3 105 585 1530 4005 5885 7250 Esperanto 2020 EU su,H 93.3 105 585 1530 4005 5885 2020 EU we,th 1260 1611 6185 7250 2250 EU su,H 93.3 105 585 1530 1611D 4005 5885 French 0230 AF 103.8 7360 0230 AM 7305 9605 0430 AF 103.8 7360 9660 0540 EU 93,3 1530 4005 5885 7250 0600 AF 103.8 9660 11625 13765 1200 EU mo-fr 105 585 1611D 5885 1700 AF 103.8 11625 13765 (x15570) 2030 AF 103.8 7365 9755 11625 2030 EU 93.3 105 585 1530 4005 5885 7250 French, English 1700 EU 93.3 105 585 1530 4005 5885 7250 9645 1700 AS 93.3 105 585 1530 9755 (x15595) Ge'ez Liturgy 0930 AF su,H 93.3 15595 17515 German 0520 EU 93.3 1530 4005 5885 7250 1920 EU 93.3 1467ROU-F 1530 4005 5885 7250 German, English, Italian 2310 EU 93.3 1530D German, Polish 1500 EU 93.3 5885 7250 9645 Hindi, Tamil, Mal[ayalam]., English 0040 AS 103.8 7335 9865 0200 AS 12070NVS-RUS 1430 AS 103.8 9310TAC-UZB(x9865) 11850 13765 Hungarian 0440 EU 93.3 1530 4005 5885 1810 EU 93.3 1467ROU-F 1530 4005 5885 7250 Italian, French, English 0700 AF mo-fr 93.3 105 585 1530 9645 15595 0700 AS mo-fr 93.3 105 585 1530 15595 0700 EU mo-fr 93.3 105 585 1530 4005 5885 6185 7250 11740 Italian 1100 EU mo-fr 105 585 1611D 5885 1115 EU su,H 93.3 105 585 1611D 5885 1300 AF 93.3 105 585 1611D 15595 21850 1300 AS 93.3 105 585 1611D 15595 1300 EU 93.3 105 585 1611D 5885 7250 9645 11740 1530 EU fr 93,3 5885 7250 9645 1630 EU 93.3 105 585 1530 5885 7250 9645 2000 EU 93.3 105 585 1530 4005 5885 2200 EU 93.3 105 585 1530 1611D 4005 5885 2230 EU 93.3 105 585 1530 1611D 4005 5885 Italian, English 2020 EU mo 1260 1611 6185 Kiswahili 0330 AF 103.8 7360 9660 1600 AF 103.8 11625 13765 (x15570) Latvian 0500 EU 6185 7335 1840 EU 1260 1611 6185-til Mar 04, 2006 7365 9585-from Mar 05, 2006 Lithuanian 0440 EU 1260 6185 7335 1820 EU 1260 1611 6185-til Mar 04, 2006 7365 9585-from Mar 05, 2006 Mass in Chinese 1230 AS sa 103.8 6020PUG-PHL 13770 15235 Mass in English 1130 AF fr 103.8 15595 17515 1130 AS fr 103.8 15595 17515 1530 AS sa 103.8 9310TAC-UZB(x9865) 11850 13765 Mass in Italian 0830 EU su,H 93.3 105 585 7250 Mass in Latin 0630 AF 93.3 105 585 1530 9645 15595 0630 AS 93.3 105 585 1530 15595 0630 EU 93.3 105 585 1530 4005 5885 6185 7250 11740 Music 1530 EU sa-th 93,3 5885 7250 9645 Oriental Liturgy [see also Ge'ez Liturgy] 0930 AF su,H 93.3 15595 17515 0930 AS su,H 93.3 15595 0930 EU su,H 93.3 11740 17515 Papal Audience 0915 EU we 105 585 1611D 5885 Philippine 2020 EU fr 1260 1611 Polish 0500 EU 93.3 1530 4005 5885 7250 1900 EU 93.3 1467ROU-F 1530 4005 5885 7250 Portuguese 0030 AM 1260 7305 9605 0530 AF 103.8 9660 11625 13765 0900 AM mo-fr 1260 1000 AM mo-fr 1260 21850 1415 EU 93,3 1260 7250 9645 (x11740) 1500 AM th 1260 1600 AM 1260 1800 AF 103.8 9755 11625 13765 (x15570) delete 2130 EU 93.3 1530 4005 5885 7250 Rosary 1940 AF 93.3 103.8 105 585 1530 7365 9755 11625 1940 AS 93.3 103.8 105 585 1530 7365 (x9755) 1940 EU 93.3 103.8 105 585 1530 4005 5885 7365 (x9755) Romanian 0520 EU 1611 6185 7335 1900 EU 1260 1611 6185 7365 Romanian Liturgy 0710 EU su,H 93.3 7250 9645 Russian 0330 EU 1260 6185 7335 9645 1330 EU/AS 1260 5895SAM-RUS 9695 (x11805) 1710 EU 1611 6185-til Mar 04,2006 7365 9585 11715-from Mar 05,2006 2100 AS/EU 1260 5910 7370 (x9585) Scandinavian 0600 EU 1260 1611 6185 7335 1940 EU 1260 1611 6185 7250 Slovak 0425 EU 93.3 1530 4005 5885 1845 EU 93.3 1467ROU-F 1530 4005 5885 7250 Slovenian 0330 EU 93.3 1530 4005 1730 EU 93.3 1467ROU-F 1530 4005 5885 7250 Somali 0345 AF su 103.8 7360 9660 1615 AF sa 103.8 11625 13765 (x15570) Spanish 0100 AM 1260 7305 9605 11910 0145 AM 7305 9605 11910 0320 AM 7305 9605 delete 0900 EU mo-fr 105 585 1611 5885 1130 AM mo-fr 1260 21850 1400 EU 93.3 105 585 1260 1611D 7250 9645 (x11740) 1500 AM mo,fr 1260 1730 AM 1260 1900 AF sa 103.8 9755 11625 2120 EU 93.3 105 585 1530 4005 5885 7250 Ukrainian 0400 EU 1260 6185 7335 1740 EU 1611 6185-til Mar 04,2006 7365 9585-from Mar 05,2006 Ukrainian Liturgy 0715 EU su,H 1611 9850 11740 Urdu 0025 AS mo,th 103.8 7335 9865 1415 AS we,su 103.8 11850 13765 Vespers 1600 EU 93,3 5885 7250 9645 Vietnamese 1315 AS 103.8 6205TCH-RUS 17515 2315 AS 103.8 7305NVS-RUS 9600 D=DRM mode experimental bcs. H=Holy Days. (Vatican Radio leaflet / magazine, Dec 10, 2005) [and following are DRM:] Also registration via Flevoland-HOL noted as 7240 1500-1515 18,27,2FLE 40kW 123deg Eng HOL VAT RNW and via Sackville-CAN as 9800 2045-2130 7NE,8N SAC 70kW 268deg Eng CAN VAT RCI (wb, wwdxc BC-DX Dec 10, 2005 via DXLD) Especially in language order, it would be extremely helpful to show the END TIME of each broadcast, instead of making us guess. Vatican Radio refuses to do this (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 6878, (Italian pirate?), 2240 13 Dec with mostly RnB songs or slow pops /Harmonic? NO // in MW, 24332 S5 with slow and shallow fading. NO ID at TOH. Also 0800 on 14th Dec with still slow songs (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ MONITORING MONTHLY More news of the Shortwave Magazine situation: I have heard that Kevin lost an action in the High Court Yesterday. The court has ruled that he is not allowed to use the word "Shortwave" in the title of anything he publishes. I understand that his new magazine is now going to be called "Monitoring Monthly". It is still going to be edited by Kevin Nice and that most of the authors that contributed to the old S******** Magazine will be writing for Monitoring Monthly. I also understand that Kevin has to give up ownership of this email group and hand it over to PW Publishing Ltd, in fact this might already have happened. This group will, presumably, be for the readers of Radio User (Terry Bain, SWM Readers Yahoo group, December 13th via Barraclough, DXLD) Since the message was posted a new Yahoo group monitoring_monthly has been formed and http://www.monitoringmonthly.co.uk is online as the home of Nice One Publications though the page detailing the new magazine's name has not yet been updated (Mike Barraclough, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ DX VACATION PLANNING - RENT A QTH Perhaps this is old news somewhere, but, I just found a web site that is more or less a clearing house for Ham/(SWL?) DX'ing locations suitable if not radio equipment/antenna ready. http://www.dxholiday.com The homepage reads, in part: --------------- Fellow Ham Radio DXpeditioner: This website offers a starting point for people looking for a QTH for a: DXpedition, Contest Expedition, or IOTA Expedition! The information contained in these pages has been collected from hams who have recently operated from these locations. To get started on your "DX Holiday", click on the "DXpedition Resources" for information to help plan your DXpedition. --------------- There are "rent a QTH" locations listed for North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and perhaps you can find that cozy Antarctic shack you always wanted. (Hope the outhouse has thawed out :-) The home page, if not the entire site, was updated in the summer of 2005. Might be worth a look-see if you're planing a vacation as a Christmas present or a 2006 get-away (Pete Costello, Dec 12, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ RADIO VERITAS ASIA, BANGLADESH Dear Listeners, RVA Bengali Service's Silver Jubilee Conference will be held at NOTORDOM COLLEGE, DHAKA, BANGLADESH on 3rd Feb 2006. 73's (Md. Salahuddin Dolar, President, Global DW Fan Club, Vill. + P. O. Chaumahani, P.S. Motihar, Rajshahi-6000, Bangladesh, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is that like Notre Dame? (gh) See also TAIWAN DIGITAL BROADCASTING see also ITALY; NEW ZEALAND; SWEDEN; VATICAN ++++++++++++++++++++ Regional DRM WRN is now offering you the opportunity to broadcast on its regional DRM channel, which gives comprehensive coverage of the whole of Europe, the UK and Ireland. We have one channel on offer and the clock is filling up fast. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please call WRN’s Richard Jacobs for more on +44 20 7896 4022 or email him at richard.jacobs @ wrn.org Local DRM London analogue spectrum is unable to support new FM services and the possibilities for more stations on DAB digital radio are becoming very limited. With this in mind, WRN is currently undergoing a test and development project for a local DRM service using the presently unallocated 26MHz band, which could support up to 50 new stereo radio services. If you would like to gain valuable DRM broadcasting experience and be part of this pioneering project then please call WRN’s Richard Jacobs for more on +44 20 7896 4022 or email him at richard.jacobs @ wrn.org (Wired News from WRN, Dec via DXLD) WHEN WRATH DREAMS, READERS GAIN Not Afraid of the Dark: wrathofkahn.ORG Issue 22 November 29, 2005 Since the birth of the wrath some ten months ago, we have bragged about the quality of our Guest Authors. I know --- for the past few issues you have been stuck with me, but I plan to shut-up, at least a little bit; consequently, let me introduce a real FM Broadcasting authority and engineer who really, really loves quality FM and AM radio: Mr. Donald Scott of Newton, NJ bdscott @ nac.net was formally [sic] co-founder and CE of WQAB, Philippi, WV; CE of WEIV, Ithaca, NY and its four CBN sister stations; and CE/ announcer at both WIHS and WMRD, Middletown, CT. He later became a Broadcast Equipment Sales Engineer serving New England, Western NY, and Long Island. Then Don became a Contributing Editor to STEREOPHILE doing feature articles, including AM Stereo and FMX and authored approximately 100 FM equipment reviews. Presently he is a Contributing Editor specializing in FM with The Audiophile Voice. A real expert on FM receivers, Mr. Scott is the authority on FM Tuner upgrades, including antiques that were designed to receive Major Armstrong's REAL FM before big-time broadcast groups wanted to win "Loudness Wars" on FM and started clipping!!!! Anyway enuf of Kahn's Wrath, and see what a real FM expert, Mr. Scott, has to say about FM iBOC: "Leonard was not dreaming on October 7, 2005. I was there, and we both were not sleeping through out the seminar, I was appalled that respect was not shown to a man who obviously had the answers and a better system, at least for iBOC AM. I related to the panel that my experience receiving both FM and AM iBOC more than 12 miles from NYC was non-existent, and I asked Mr. Kahn to explain why his system was better. Flashbacks paralleled the inferior Motorola AM Stereo system being approved. I thought, "Here we go again." Remembrances of being up many nights getting an old Raytheon RA-1000 AM transmitter to have no more than 1.3% distortion from 30 Hz to 13,500 Hz at 100% modulation was not a fictitious dream, so I know what AM can do. Based on the above, Leonard's answers made sense. But there was one thing that any real audiophile would agree on: Super-compressed AM & FM iBOC sound is unacceptable. No way does it compete with FM (or AM) analog sound. It appears that the equipment used to not spill the bit bucket dictates what the resulting end-audio will sound like. It was MUCH BETTER when the music dictated that the broadcast equipment preserve the original as much as possible. I, Don Scott truly believe that the above stated facts and opinions are accurate and are not meant to mislead." We plan to up-date Wrath with a new POWER-side major market Station's report. The new station turned POWER-side on last night and their prestigious engineer wants to tell you what happened in his unique way of answering doubting iBOCers' denials of real world proof (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) AD PUSHES DIGITAL TV - BUT DOESN'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY It claims conversion to all-digital is a win-win. Actually, there could be 21 million losers, and taxpayers could pay billions in subsidies November 14, 2005 Modified: November 14, 2005 --- Summary Telecom companies pushing for a forced conversion to all-digital television broadcasts ran ads in Washington DC and elsewhere highlighting benefits for firemen, police officers, and other "first responders," who stand to receive improved communications capabilities and gear. The ad calls digital TV a "win-win solution" benefiting both consumers and the emergency responders. The ad is true as far as it goes, but misleading because it implies that the digital-TV bill taking shape in Congress would have only winners. In fact, there would be losers, too. According to the GAO, an estimated 21 million households now get TV only through a standard, analog TV set, and would be forced either to junk their set and buy a new digital set, or to obtain a new converter that manufacturers estimate will cost about $50. Also not mentioned is that taxpayers will be asked to contribute up to $3 billion to subsidize the conversion. That money would come from the proceeds expected from auctioning off some of the airwaves now used by TV broadcasters. The funding of the ad is also something of a mystery. One source told us it was financed by Motorola, which stands to profit from the transition by selling new police, fire and emergency radio equipment. Motorola wouldn't confirm that, nor would they deny it. Analysis The ad as it appeared in Washington DC bore the name of the "High Tech DTV Coalition," a collection of broadband and telecom companies that stand to profit once the government forces an end to standard, analog TV broadcasts. That is expected to stimulate sales of digital TV sets and free up big swaths of the airwaves for various new telecom ventures, including more broadband wireless services. High Tech DTV Coalition Ad: DTV Transition (On Screen: Images of Fire Fighters, Police Officers, and other First Responders in the Line of Duty) Announcer: Fire Fighters. Police Officers. They're America 's first responders and this time they need our help .... (On Screen: "Learn More www.supportamericasfirstresponders.org) There's a bill in Congress that will help first responders by improving communications.... It's called the digital transition. Switching TV signals to digital. .... Which improves picture quality and gives us more choices ... (On Screen: "Digital Television; Improves picture quality; Gives us more choices" with images of children watching television in the background) While freeing more airwaves for public safety (On Screen: "Digital Transition; Frees more public airwaves for public safety" with images of firefighters in the background) It's a win-win solution. Call Congress today. Tell them to get the picture and support the Digital Transition. (On Screen: "Support the Digital Transition. Call Congress. Tell them to get the picture: 202-224-3121. http://www.supportamericasfirstresponders.org Paid for by the High Tech DTV Coalition." With images of children watching firefighters on a television) Support First Responders The ad never mentions IBM, Intel, Microsoft, AT&T or other telecom and information technology companies that make up the coalition and stand to profit from the conversion to all-digital television. Instead, it shows police officers and firefighters and says "they need our help." It encourages viewers to learn more from a group called Support America's First Responders, an alliance that includes Motorola and organizations representing firefighters, police, and city and county governments. Its website urges visitors to write to key members of Congress urging a switch to all-digital TV "as soon as possible." The ad is true in two respects. Firefighters, police and other first responders would indeed receive new communication frequencies that advocates say are ideal for "interoperability," allowing responders from different jurisdictions to talk to each other more easily. It is also true that consumers would eventually get many more choices for wireless broadband communication, and also improved quality of broadcast TV images. But these would come at a price. The ad misleads by saying that "pending legislation is a win-win solution," implying that there would be no losers. This is simply false. Currently the Government Accountability Office estimates that 21 million households still have access to television broadcasts only through standard analog TV sets, using the same basic technology that has been in use since the inception of commercial television broadcasting more than 50 years ago. Legislation now taking shape in the House and Senate would force an end to analog broadcasts, which would make all those sets obsolete - and rather quickly. Some losers Current bills would set a "hard date" for conversion. A bill approved by a House Committee sets the date at December 31, 2008. A bill approved by the full Senate sets it at April 7, 2009. By that time, households that rely on free broadcast television will have to upgrade their televisions, either by buying new digital sets or by obtaining a set-top box converter for their old set (similar to a cable box) which is expected to cost around $50. Taxpayers will be asked to help, too. Station owners, set makers and consumer groups all have lobbied for government subsidies to help families pay for converters. The Senate has approved a bill containing $3 billion in consumer subsidies, but a House bill that came out of the House Commerce Committee provides less - $990 million. Overall, the transition is expected to reduce the federal deficit through the auctioning of frequencies that will be given up by TV broadcasters. The frequency auction is expected to bring in at least $10 billion, and some estimate as much as $30 billion. But that sum would of course be reduced by what is spent to subsidize converter boxes for consumers. Back Story The digital transition actually has been a subject of legislation for nearly a decade. In 1997, Congress set a tentative deadline for the transition to occur at the end of 2006. That deadline won't be met. It was contingent on 85 percent of homes owning sets capable of receiving digital broadcasts, but currently only 4 percent are ready according to the Consumer Electronics Association. The lack of progress results from a chicken-and-egg problem. TV station owners were hesitant to begin digital broadcasts until homes had sets that could receive them, and manufacturers were hesitant to produce digital televisions until there were digital programs to receive. Current legislative proposals would force the issue with a "hard" deadline for all-digital broadcasting. Once analog broadcasts end, the airwaves now used for traditional TV channels will become available for other uses. Frequencies currently being used as TV channels 63, 64, 68 and 69 will be given over to public safety. Police and fire groups actually want those frequencies by the end of next year, but the compromise being worked out with broadcasters, manufacturers and other commercial interests would delay that until the end of 2008 or later. Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona proposed an amendment on Nov. 3 that would have freed up the new emergency-broadcast frequencies one year sooner than proposed by the Senate-approved bill, making them available by April 7, 2008. "The only people who are against this amendment are the National Association of Broadcasters," McCain stated. But the amendment was opposed by Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, chairman of the Commerce Committee, who said moving up the date would "end analog broadcasts before the funds are available for the converter box fund." McCain's proposal was defeated 69-30. Whose [sic] Paying? There may be a bit of deception about who is actually funding this ad. A version of the ad airing in Washington DC says it is paid for by the High Tech DTV Coalition. However, Yucel Ors of the Support America's First Responders organization told us he believed Motorola paid for the ad. Motorola officials referred us to their chief lobbyist Bill Anaya, who did not return several calls and emails asking for comment. High Tech DTV Coalition spokesperson Mary Greczyn said any advertising that credited the High Tech DTV Coalition accurate, but didn't comment when asked if Motorola had given the coalition the money to run the ad. Motorola Corp. is not listed as a member of the High Tech DTV Coalition, but is listed as a member of the Support America's First Responder's Alliance. Motorola is a leading supplier of wireless communications for emergency responders and set-top converter boxes for consumer TV reception. For them, the conversion to digital TV really will be "win-win." -- by Justin Bank & Brooks Jackson Sources: "Committee Sets Date for Digital Television Transition," press release, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, 26 Oct 2005. "Senate Commerce Committee Approves the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005," press release, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 20 Oct 2005. "The Digital TV Transition: A Brief Overview," CRS Report RS22217 . Lennard G. Kruger and Linda K. Moore, 12 Aug 2005 "APCO Supports SAVE LIVES Act of 2005," press release , Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, 14 June 2005. Congressional Record, 3 Nov 2005, S-12308 & S-12309 . "Motorola is the leader in mission critical wireless systems," Motorola Website Section on Government and Enterprise. Viewed on November 11, 2005 "Analysis of an Accelerated Digital Television Transition," prepared by the Analysis Group, sponsored by Intel Corporation 31 May 2005. Letter from APCO President Gregory S. Ballentine to the Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 18 October 2005. "Digital TV: What are We Waiting For?" Erin Biba. PC World, 23 March 2005. DTV Ad "Get the Picture" Copyright 2005 Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania Judgments expressed are those of FactCheck.org's staff, not the Annenberg Center (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ FRANCE: THOMSON MEDIA GROUP SET TO BUY THALES BROADCAST AND MULTIMEDIA UNIT | Excerpt from press release by French electronics company Thomson on 12 December Paris, 12 December: Thomson today announced an agreement to acquire the Thales Broadcast and Multimedia (TBM) business unit. In a related announcement today, Thomson also described a strategic partnership with Thales, the parent company of TBM and a leading international electronics group (See related press release). Thales Broadcast and Multimedia provides platforms for IPTV services (TV services over Internet Protocol), video-on-demand, mobile TV, and designs digital TV and radio broadcasting systems and equipment. By combining the TBM activities with Thomson's existing Systems and Equipment offerings, the group will be offering end-to-end products and services in IPTV, mobile TV and digital terrestrial transmission (DTT) markets. The purchase price for TBM in cash is approximately 130 million euros, based on a normalized level of working capital requirement and no net financial indebtness. [Passage omitted] Together with the announcement earlier this month that Thomson intends to acquire Canopus Co, Ltd, a Japan-based leader in high-definition desktop video-editing software, the transaction announced today completes Thomson's external initiatives linked to its Grass Valley Broadcast and Networks business. [Passage omitted] Through this agreement, Thomson will be able to provide cellular operators with a complete set of mobile TV solutions, from content creation to delivery - but using terrestrial television technologies that are more suited for video than cellular infrastructures. The acquisition of TBM also puts Thomson at the center of the IPTV market, enabling it to offer everything from the software and distribution infrastructure that deliver live programming and VOD services to the set-top boxes through which users access that content. IPTV services are expected to increase at a brisk pace in the coming years. Today, broadband services are available to more than 100 million households worldwide. Many of the world's telecommunications providers are exploring IPTV as a new revenue opportunity for their existing markets. [Passage omitted] The transaction is subject to finalization. Source: Thomson press release, Paris, in English 12 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to active levels with minor to major storm periods towards the end of the summary period. Solar wind speed ranged from a low of near 275 km/s midday on 09 December to a high of about 600 km/s midday on 11 December. During the majority of the period, the IMF Bz was mostly neutral, not varying much beyond +/- 3 nT. At about 09/1830 UTC, ACE detected a sharp turn southward to -10 nT in the IMF Bz, while wind speed gradually increased to about 600 km/s by 11/1413 UTC. These effects were due to the influence of a high speed stream from a geoeffective northern coronal hole. During this period, the geomagnetic field was mostly unsettled to active with periods of minor to major storm conditions at high latitudes. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 14 DEC 2005 - 09 JAN 2006 Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 22 – 24 December, and 29 December – 04 January. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to active levels. Isolated active periods are possible on 28 – 29 December and active to minor storm periods are possible on 06 – 07 January due to effects from recurrent coronal hole wind streams. Otherwise, quiet to unsettled conditions are expected for the majority of the forecast period. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2005 Dec 13 2123 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2005 Dec 13 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2005 Dec 14 90 5 2 2005 Dec 15 90 8 3 2005 Dec 16 90 8 3 2005 Dec 17 85 5 2 2005 Dec 18 85 5 2 2005 Dec 19 85 5 2 2005 Dec 20 85 5 2 2005 Dec 21 85 8 3 2005 Dec 22 80 10 3 2005 Dec 23 85 5 2 2005 Dec 24 90 3 1 2005 Dec 25 90 8 3 2005 Dec 26 90 5 2 2005 Dec 27 90 10 3 2005 Dec 28 95 15 3 2005 Dec 29 95 15 3 2005 Dec 30 95 10 3 2005 Dec 31 95 5 2 2006 Jan 01 95 5 2 2006 Jan 02 95 5 2 2006 Jan 03 95 5 2 2006 Jan 04 95 5 2 2006 Jan 05 90 8 3 2006 Jan 06 85 10 3 2006 Jan 07 85 20 4 2006 Jan 08 85 5 2 2006 Jan 09 85 5 2 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1297, DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ TWELVE-FOOT CROSSES ON PUBLIC PROPERTY IN UTAH The unconstitutional cross by the side of the road -- Atheists to court, petition for removal of roadside Christian Memorials, 12/10/05 http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/utah12.htm Decide for yourself! Read the legal brief in the Utah cross case. http://www.atheists.org/legal (AA Newsletter via DXLD) ###