DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-217, December 19, 2005 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2005 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn For latest updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html Latest edition of this schedule version, with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html NEXT BROADCASTS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1297: 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 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 1297 summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1297.html WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS Dec 20: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Re 5-216: Glenn, No, the KTL photos and description are NOT Kabul. You should send an e-mail to Tom King and ask him for sure, but they look to me like TWR Sri Lanka. Kabul systems (transmitters, antenna hardware) were supplied by Harris. (We designed the antenna rebuild and Steve Lockwood and Dave Pinion of H&D for the dTR/H&D Joint Venture under contract to Harris and IBB implemented it.) Kabul antennas are a very elegant standard Russian design, skirt fed Franklins, omnidirectional. Paul Leonard of our office did all the redesign analysis, and his paper on the subject will be in the next issue of the IEEE Antenna and Propagation Society Magazine (Ben Dawson, Hatfield & Dawson Consulting Engineers, LLC and The dTR/H&D Joint Venture, Consulting Engineers A partnership of duTreil, Lundin & Rackley, Inc. and Hatfield & Dawson Consulting Engineers, LLC, Dec 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So the ARRT antennas have survived? Seems to me there were reports about the belonging transmitters (amongst them a massive 1000 kW, still run on 1107 while Taliban where in power I understand) being destroyed in air-raids. Hence I suspected new antennas there, so the matching 400 kW power level caught my attention (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. Re: "With the situation in Albania, we should check whether any or all of the CRI relays are still running on SW (Glenn)" Relays of other broadcasters on shortwave are not affected by the current financial crisis at RTSH. These are long-term contracts for hard cash, which the country needs. In fact, if the Radio Tirana broadcasts are closed permanently, I would expect to see more, not less, shortwave relays of other stations from Albania (Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DXLD) I know there are not supposed to be, but even if finances are OK for the relays, there still might be power outages (Glenn, DXLD) Hi Glenn, Andy is right, I checked many of the foreign broadcasts in past days since Dec 5th. There is really no break on the MW and SW relays. Drita and her team notes down very accurately every second or minute, when the Fllake, Shijak or Cerrik are down on short breaks due to main power failure at the station or on the feeder line between. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) FYI, received on Dec 16th. 73 wb: Since 5 Dec. 2005 Radio Tirana - Foreign Service in Albanian and seven languages: English, French, German, Italian, Serbian, Greek and Turkish continues to be off air. Since 12 Dec 2005 Radio Tirana 1st Domestic Program broadcasts non stop (instead of 0400-2300 UT) on FM and Satellite - as resulted from observations of ARTV Monitoring Center on 13 Dec (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Glenn, I checked last night on 6020 and 9570 kHz; CRI was indeed on air in English, fair signals, but with some atmospheric disturbance (these two usually bring in perfect reception in my location). It is now 1128 UT December 18, and 13665 is on the air with a nice signal. And yesterday morning 11785 was present around 0757 UT, again, with a nice signal and audio (Christopher Lewis, England, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At least 1100-1300 on 13665 was on today. I had no opportunity for more detailed checks, but at least the other way round I saw no reports about missing CRI, TWR etc. transmissions so far, suggesting that main power is no issue at least at Fllaka and Cërrik (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGOLA. 4949.97, Rádio Nacional; 0318-0350 December 19. Very good with highlife vocals, Portuguese man with "Rádio Madrugada" (overnight program ID) at 0322. No parallels located (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Hi Craig, Wonder if you are involved with ARDS and/or have any info on the status of their SW 5050 operation? 73, (Glenn Hauser, to Craig Edwards, NT, via DXLD) G'Day Glenn, No I'm not directly involved with ARDS, I'm employed with the Dept of Health & Community Services with the Northern Territory Government; however once I'm settled I probably will have some working relationships with them. 5050 kHz is definitely not on, neither is there operation in Nhulunbuy on 1530. However they are broadcasting in Darwin on 1530 kHz. In my first drive around Nhulunbuy on the weekend I found not only the ABC Radio 8GO tower on 990 kHz, but a few miles away a small MW Tower which appears to have been built for 1530 kHz. Anyway I'll be sending them a reception report for 1530 and so I'll ask about the 5050 situation. Just as an aside, currently Tennant Creek is not on the air on both tropical band outlets. Cheers (Craig Edwards, Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia, Dec 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also PNG ** AUSTRALIA. Hi Glenn, Regarding Chris Martin's comment about 2368, Peter Tate, I last talked to Peter about 2 years ago. He was indeed hell bent on transmitting on 2368 from the Gold coast in the hinterland from Coolangatta, QLD. He was driving a taxi to make ends meet. He had HOT FM on 1692 kHz as well. He did so well as a supposed to be community (non commercially station) that he was killing the commercials, hence he was shut down, or rather he closed the station. He was a member of the ARDXC to about June 30th 2002. Anyway it would be great if Peter had the funds for the antenna. I think he has the transmitter. I have Peter's phone number somewhere so I will ring him when I find out what`s happening and let everyone know. Cheers and Merry Xmas to all. Regards (Johno Wright, ARDXC Sydney Australia, Dec 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BENIN. Today 18 December TWR Africa says that "The medium wave tower in Benin is up and everyone is rejoicing." 73 (Steve Whitt, MWC via DXLD) 1566 kHz ** BRAZIL. 9665, CRI via Radiobrás-Brasília, fair at 0341 UT tune-in with Spanish talk; many mentions of China; two clear Spanish IDs at 0343 UT; lots of modern Chinese music; sudden off in mid-sentence at 0356 UT. This frequency is listed for CRI-Brazil in Passport but not on the NDXC list (James Ronda, OK, DXplorer Dec 18 via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) There is a 2nd hour registered at 0100 UT: 9665 0100-0200 14,16 BRA 250 215 B CRI RTC ?also Spanish? 9665 0300-0400 10,11,12N BRA 250 314 B CRI RTC Sp At 215 degrees from Brasília, should be Spanish language section too? Main lobe is in direction of Bolivia, Santiago de Chile. I guess, not English section broadcast like via Fidel's RHC facilities, Sackville, or Albania sites at same time slot (wb, Dec 18, ibid.) ** BRAZIL [non]. LOCAL RADIO GIVES ETHNIC COMMUNITIES A VOICE By Liz Mineo/ Staff Writer Friday, December 16, 2005 [Framingham, MA] http://www2.townonline.com/framingham/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=390490&format=tex Mirroring the town`s rich mix of language, culture and accents, local airwaves boast a wide and eclectic array of radio programs that serve the different ethnic communities that call Framingham home. Among the radio programs aired in Framingham - where one of every five people hail from another country - are more than 20 Brazilian shows, as well as an Italian and a Portuguese programs. And until recently, several Spanish-language shows and a Haitian one were also produced locally. Most of the Brazilian programs are aired live through WSRO 650 AM, Monday through Saturday, and are conducted in Portuguese by evangelical pastors and ministers belonging to churches in MetroWest and beyond. Though most programs feature Bible readings and religious music, hosts allow listeners to call in to ask for jobs, offer apartments for rent, or send greetings to friends and relatives. The dominance of the Brazilian shows in the local airwaves is such that many within the Brazilian community call WSRO 650 AM, a "Brazilian radio." And with the recent lease of its airwaves to Pastor Adilson Ferreira between midnight and 5 a.m., the station, an American-owned company, will be de facto Brazilian. Under the new arrangement, WSRO general manager Carl Abrams said, Brazilian shows will make up 98 percent of the station¹s programming. "It`ll be all Brazilian except for three hours," said Abrams. "Brazilians are a large growing community, and we feel they deserve a shot to be on the air. We wanted to be a local station, and this allows us to keep it local." The station is indeed so local that even town officials and civic leaders use it when they want to inform the Brazilian community of events such as school registration. For Pastor Ferreira, who currently hosts his show "Vida Nova," or New Life, between 8 and 10 a.m. through WSRO, having so many Brazilian radio shows is of great benefit to the Brazilian community. "There are many Brazilians who don¹t speak English," said Ferreira of Baptist Church "Vida Nova." ¹We bring them company and words of hope." Wishing to spread the word, Ferreira and a pastor in Brazil created a radio Web site http://www.radiomanaim.org that allows Brazilians over the world listen to the programs produced in Framingham. There are talks among pastors, who work side by side, of buying a radio station to make it a Brazilian radio 24/7. While Brazilian radio shows are quickly filling the local airwaves, a different phenomenon is happening with the several Spanish-language programs that were broadcast through the Framingham State College radio station, WDJM 91.3 FM. The programs, which had been aired for the past 16 years, have been cut off the air, and according to college officials, who wanted to restrict non-student use of the station, the programs may not be brought back anytime soon. The Spanish shows included music, news about sports, entertainment and community events, and were ran by Juan Peña and nearly 20 other volunteers. The programs were considered a valuable source of information and entertainment for the region`s Hispanic community by civic leaders, community members and advocates. César Cepeda, 36, a native of El Salvador who has followed the programs for the past 13 years, was shaken by the news of the cancellation of the Spanish shows. "There will be a big void in our lives," said Cepeda, who has lived in Framingham for the past 18 years. "My wife and I loved to listen to the songs they played over the weekend. And we`ll also miss the information about school and community events the programs offered. It`s a big loss for the community." Some civic leaders within the Hispanic community are starting a movement to push college officials to bring the Spanish-language radio shows back on the air. The shows help unify the Hispanic community, civic leaders say, just like other ethnic radio programs did for their communities. Of those shows, two are still up and running: Tony Chaves` "Portugal 73" that serves the Portuguese community, and Pearl Oliva`s "Guido Oliva Italian-American Hour." Oliva`s program was started 55 years ago by her father Guido, an Italian immigrant who came here at age six to help other Italian newcomers feel at home and integrate into their new homeland. Oliva has hosted the show since her father died in 1972. Her show, she said, is the longest lasting Italian-American program, and she¹s proud of it. Of the many shows that serve the different ethnic communities in town, Oliva said it`s reflective of the make-up of Framingham and the changes in immigration flows. "It`s a testament to the multi-ethnicity of Framingham," she said. "There is room for everybody. That¹s the beauty of it." (via Kevin Redding, Dec 16, ABDX via DXLD) ** BRUNEI. LONDON'S CAPITAL RADIO NO LONGER HEARD IN BRUNEI | Text of report by Izam S. Ya'akub headlined: "The day the music died"; published in English by Brunei newspaper Borneo Bulletin website on 17 December Two weeks have passed since the services of two of London's most popular radio stations, Capital FM and Capital Gold, had stopped broadcasting in Brunei Darussalam and many are wondering why their music died. Although questions have been raised regarding the issue, there is more to the situation than meets the eye. The end of their broadcasts to Brunei Darussalam marks the beginning of a new chapter in Brunei's little world of radio, members of the public said. Daud, who spoke to the Weekend at The Mall, Gadong, believes there is none or little need for the nation to receive a service which is broadcast and catered for Londoners. If they miss it so much, they can always listen to the streaming from the Internet, he said. "They were great, especially for those who used to study in London, and for those who study there," said one fan of the London radio stations. The hourly news updates not only let him gave an idea of what was happening in and around London but were handy to catch up on breaking global news stories. During the London bombings earlier this year, she and her family had found out about the news through the radio and not the TV as they were not at home at the time, Mimi said. Current radio stations on the air are Royal Television Brunei's Harmoni, Nur Islam, Pelangi and Pilihan, along with Kristal FM, the country's only commercial radio station. There is no shortage of alternatives to which listeners can tune into. What remains to be "heard" from the listener's point of view is whether or not the void left by Capital FM and Capital Gold can be filled by these radio stations. A prominent local radio DJ who wishes not be named has faith that the growing fan base of listeners in the country will continue to grow rapidly. The void serves to be a perfect opportunity for these stations to step up to the plate. "In the long run the quality of the local radio here will improve. Since the introduction of the two radio stations, the industry has learnt a lot but it's time to show what we're capable of doing," he said. The potential growth of the radio industry may also be a time where the local music scene can ride on and hopefully jump into the spotlight. With a focus based on the community and culture here in Brunei Darussalam, they may be given an audience, which could see the local acts reaching the heights of other regional artistes and groups. Local radio may not be able to replace Capital FM or Capital Gold, but there is no reason that the future of the radio industry will not hold success or reap rewards, given time. For now, Brunei has lost that "global sound" that gives a city that cosmopolitan feel. Source: Borneo Bulletin website, Bandar Seri Begawan, in English 17 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. Spaceline Ltd. of Sofia, Bulgaria provides shortwave transmission services for several broadcasters and has applied for membership of the HFCC/ASBU in order to co-ordinate the HF requirements of those various broadcasters. However, the SB has received a letter from the Communications Regulation Commission of Bulgaria that raises certain issues relevant to the membership application by Spaceline Ltd. Given those issues, the SB recommended that consideration of the Spaceline application be postponed until the SB had investigated those issues with the Communications Regulation Commission of Bulgaria. Consequently, Spaceline will maintain their Observer status until further consideration of their application at the A06 plenary meeting in Hainan. These minutes were prepared on behalf of the HFCC Steering Committee by Dennis Thompson, Member of the Steering Committee (HFCC PLENARY MEETING MINUTES – VALENCIA, SPAIN; 22nd – 26th August 2005 via Dec NASB Newsletter via DXLD) Could Spaceline be the mysterious organization handling secret SW relays in Bulgaria for IRRS, and certain clandestines? Glancing thru Google hits, Spaceline appears to be a satellite teleport, and there is one of the same name in the UK. According to FCC records, it owns a very small share of INTELSAT (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. Glenn, While listening to, or should I write attempting to hear, R. Romania International, December 18, 2005 at 2130 UT 9755 kHz I was getting QRM a transmission higher in frequency. Tuning up to 9770 I heard English with a male reporter interrogating, almost badgering, people as to why they do not say "Merry Christmas". Some people interviewed were store owners. They explained, "We serve all people here. We don't want to offend anyone. We want everyone to feel welcome here. That is why we say, 'Happy Holidays'". The male announcer kept saying, "Merry Christmas" in, at least to me, a very aggressive manner. Listened for ID around 2200 and was surprised to hear it was R. Canada International. Did manage to hear RRI programming enough to get details. Signal was poor with overall reception poor. In general RRI signal just about useless whenever I checked. 73, (Kraig, Manassas, VA, Krist, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non?]. 7940, 2040 UT, 17/12/05 CRI Mixing product with French & German Audio, V poor. Regards (Tim Bucknall, Congleton, UK, Icom R75, harmonics yg via DXLD) What would be the formula for that? No, not 2 x 3970 where no CRI is scheduled. I can`t find any German scheduled for CRI at this hour, but there is French, per EiBi: 2030 2130 CHN China Radio Int. F Eu 7200u 7215/RUS-s 11660x The 7215 Russian relay would be the most likely culprit, and that is 725 kHz away from 7940, so mix with something else in German on MW? No, 725 is of course not a viable frequency. In ADDX http://www.addx.de/cgi-bin/hfp.cgi we see that CRI does have a German hour at 20-21, but it is only on WRN. So if the German on 7940 was really CRI, some kind of feed mixup also involved? Or could 7940 be a fundamental? There is, or used to be a Chinese domestic service on 7935. Any other ideas? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non?]. Hi, dear Glenn, CRI new broadcast time and frequencies. From 16 December CRI broadcast in Hungarian in the morning too, from 1000 to 1057 UT on 15220 and 17570 KHz. Excellent reception. Best wishes from Hungary, (István Kiss, Dec 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. Voice of Han --- soeben traf eine QSL für die Taiwan- QRG 846 kHz ein. Beantwortet wurde der Bericht von Voice of Han Broadcasting B Building 5 F No.3 Sec.1 Hsin-Yi Road, Taipei. Laufzeit: 37 Tage, kein Rückporto. Geschickt wurde die Karte, die auch schon für die Kurzwellenaussendung bekommen hatte. Die Frequenz 846 kHz ist aber vermerkt. Beigelegt wurde noch ein chinesischer Sendeplan für die MW, dem man neben 846 kHz die Frequenzen 801, 981 und 711 kHz angibt. Eine Webseite und zwei e-mail-Adressen kann man dem auch noch entnehmen: http://www.khmusic.com.tw idea2 @ ms49.hinet.net lili329 @ ms45.hinet.net Habe aber keine Ahnung, ob die funktionieren (H.-D. Buschau, Germany, Dec 1, 2005 in A-DX-ML via CRW via DXLD) Voice of Han 9745 kHz verified with a det[ailed? achable?]. card in 29 days. 1 US-$ for RP. QTH: B Building, 5F, No.3, Sec.1, Hsin-Yi Road, Taipei, ROC (P. Robic, Austria, Nov 30, 2005 for CRW via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. Voice of China --- The "Foundation of China in 21st Century", located in California, has a twice-daily SW broadcast for Asia. The organization says that it was "Conceived in the violence of the Tiananmen Square uprising on June 4, 1989, and the Voice of China came into being in 1991, evolving from the original efforts of handful of dissident Chinese students. These students some living in China and others studying abroad dedicated themselves to keeping alive the message of hope for fellow human rights advocates by sending news broadcasts into the People’s republic of China. Their message was a clarion cry for freedom". It uses facilities of the CBS Taiwan, and the current schedule is 7270, 1430-1530 and 2200-2300, in Mandarin. It is currently audible here in Melbourne with good signals for the morning service. Details about the organisation are at http://www.china21century.org/default.asp?menu=xu A recording of the identification announcement is at http://www.246.ne.jp/~abi/voc.rm (B. Padula, Australia, Dec 1, 2005 in EDXP-Forum-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** CROATIA. 594 kHz: Can this DRM really be just 10 kW? http://baseportal.com/cgi-bin/baseportal.pl?htx=/drmdx/details&cmd=all&Id==226 The noise now swamps Germany and bleeds over onto 590 kHz making VOCM [Newfoundlajnd] much tougher to hear (Steve Whitt, England, Dec 19, MWC via DXLD) ** CUBA. This is the weekend edition of DXers Unlimited with more radio hobby related information, amigos. Our 5965 kiloHertz frequency tests continue during this weekend. We are testing a new 100 kW transmitter that is working with a new omnidirectional antenna system. The test is on the air from 00 to 05 UT, and the program that is on the air is in Spanish. If you don't know Spanish, you can wait until the top of the hour or the half hour and pick up the station's ID: "Ésta es Radio Habana Cuba", to be sure that what you are listening to is really our test broadcast. Send your signal reports and comments directly to me: arnie @ rhc.cu again, arnie @ rhc.cu and you can also send an Air Mail letter or postcard to Arnie Coro, Radio Havana Cuba, Havana, Cuba. There is no need for PO BOX number or zip code, as my good friends at Correos de Cuba, the Cuban postal service, will automatically send all correspondence with the name Radio Havana Cuba on the envelope to our PO BOX number is Havana, which by the way is PO BOX 6240 and the zip code is 10600 (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Dec 17 via ODXA via DXLD) After 05, of course, REE via Costa Rica is on 5965. Could it also be involved in the following?! (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CUBA [and non]. Looking in vain for R. Insurgente, Mexican clandestine, claiming to be on the air at 0000 UT Tue Dec 20 on 6000, I found something just as interesting: ``Radio República``, the major clandestine client of WRMI, on 5965 at 0000. Very good and clear signal at first, has to be a high-power relay from Europe or North America. Opened with ID and gave only frequency as 9955 (which was of course inaudible here under jamming), and then Orlando Gutiérrez with a talk about some conference about Cuba, Oct 26 in Madrid. But at 0002, RHC came on the same frequency --- almost, with a low het! See above, Arnie just announced this as a special broadcast testing a new transmitter. So which came first, R. República on 5965, or RHC testing? Can it be a coincidence, or did Arnie know RR would be on there and this is to block it? RHC turned out to be on top, and was // 6000, which did not come on until about 0007, and was also parallel but slightly out of synch/reverbing with 6060 audio. China via Cuba in Spanish on 5990 also came on late around 0007, mostly atop DRM. But this is not the first additional, site-unknown frequency for Radio República --- from the night before, early UT Dec 19: (gh) I went to see if I could listen to some wonderful music from Ethiopia tonight at 0300 on 7110, where to my surprise I am instead listening to a program "Radio Republic?? from Cuba" in Spanish with mainly talking. What is this? Will this end my chances of hearing Ethiopia at night for this winter? Sorry, I do not understand Spanish sufficiently to know what was being said. My loss (Tom Sliva, NYC, UT Dec 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sounds like a client of WRMI, Radio República, which is supposedly on the air at that time, but only on 9955. Maybe arrangements have been made to carry it on an additional transmitter, and on that frequency it should be in Europe. I have asked Jeff White about it. Could not hear it here when checked at 0400 (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Glenn: No idea. As far as I know Radio Republica has never been on 7110, certainly not from us or anyone we deal with (Jeff White, WRMI, Dec 19, ibid.) Could also be someone in S Florida with a ham transmitter helping RR out. See their website with nothing about 7110 at http://www.radiorepublica.org/ (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: Could be I suppose. Or maybe this listener was really hearing 9955. Who knows what kind of receiver he has? (Jeff White, WRMI, ibid.) So please monitor 5965 to see how long RR stays on there, also 7110 from at least 0300 again tonight, and maybe some other unexpected frequencies. My e-mail to RR about 7110 has not been answered. BTW, Spain in English direct on 6055 was very good UT Dec 20 after 0000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 19 December follow. Solar flux 90 and mid-latitude A-index 10. The mid-latitude K-index at 0000 UTC on 20 December was 3 (28 nT). The mid-latitude K-index at 0300 UTC on 20 December was 4 (43 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours. No space weather storms are expected for the next 24 hours (SEC via DXLD) Quick check on 7110 at 0302 UT Dec 20: Spanish discussion of human rights in Cuba; must be R. República as reported 24 hours earlier; only fair signal consistent with European site (Glenn, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CUBA. Dear Daniel [Sampson, PTSW]: Seasons Greetings from Havana! In a recent information you sent about international broadcast schedules, there is a quote from a participant saying that Radio Havana Cuba on 6060 kHz was in Spanish from 01 to 05 UT. That is correct. Our English Language Service on that frequency is on the air from 05 to 07 UT. We are using a new 100 kW transmitter and the old "East Coast of North America" antenna, pending the completion of a new curtain array that will replace the rhombic, providing much better coverage. 73 and DX Your amigo in Havana (Arnie Coro, Host of DXers Unlimited Radio Havana Cuba, Dec 19, ODXA via DXLD) ** DENMARK. DANISH RADIO STOPS FOREIGN LANGUAGE BROADCASTS Foreign language broadcasts will cease at the end of this year, except Faroese (Saturdays at 18 UT). The six 5-minute broadcasts are aired Mon-Fri at 0930-1000, 1605-1635 and 2100-2130 UT on 1062 kHz. English is heard the first 5 minutes. The web site, including audio, is: http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Andre+sprog/English The very last broadcasts will be on Friday, December 30. Furthermore, plans are to stop the 243 and 1062 kHz transmitters by the end of next year. But no final decision has been made. To be sure to get a reply, reports can be sent to me, either to this email or to ehk @ dr.dk - or: DR Radio Att: Erik Koie, NF-4 DK-1999 Frederiksberg C 73, (Erik Køie, Denmark, Dec 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DESECHEO. The KP5 quasi DXpedition got really bad marks from every ham reflector I belong to! (Bill Bergadano, KA2EMZ, Dec 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) KP5 -- bad marks in what way? And is it over now? 73, (Glenn to Bill, via DXLD) As to the KP5, people were upset about the 30 meter CW operations, that the operator seemed more interested in sending his call than making QSOs. Yes, it ended and with a voice transmission I think on 20 meters --- reportedly the operator saying 'they are behind me now'. Quite clandestine for my taste. 73 (Bill Bergadano, ibid.) Well, seems they may have had some security concerns on their mind. If their presence be ruled illegal, DXCC would likely be disallowed: (gh) KP5, DESECHEO ISLAND. Some DXers received an early Christmas present when operators Kam/N3KS and Dave/K3LP came on the air as N3KS/KP5 and K3LP/KP5 on Friday, December 16th. Thanks to Bernie of "The Daily DX", who was in contact with the operators via a cell phone, updates were being provided to the DX community. First announcements stated that the two operators would be there for a very short time (possibly a minimum of 48 hours only). It was also mentioned that this was a working trip and not a full-blown DXpedition. During the operation, another announcement came stating activity may last until Tuesday, December 20th. However, the Grinch stole Christmas for the DXers. The KP5 team was served with "some kind of official documentation that apparently has the word lawsuit" late afternoon or early evening on December 16th by the police. "The Daily DX" states, "It seems the police served some kind of paper work that supposed came from Washington DC demanding the KP5 team leave the island immediately." The KP5 team was able to operate through the night and until the waves died down to safely leave the island. They went QRT around 1730z, December 17th. The lucky DXers that were able to work them can QSL via W3ADC: John F. King, P.O. Box 64, Hampstead, MD 21074, USA. Stateside DXers should remember that U.S. postage rates will increase on January 8, 2006 (KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) ** DIEGO GARCIA. 4319.0 USB at 0030 GMT Dec 18, 05: AFN, New York Giants vs Kansas City Chiefs in progress. // 7811.0 USB. Weak signal with some fading but clearly readable. TTY on LSB was quite strong, perhaps from a different station. Circuit opened about 45 minutes after local sunset (2330 GMT). Stayed open for 20-30 minutes. Grundig Satellite 800 with 72 foot five element home built sloper. A new logging for me. Diego García is almost an antipodal path and about as distant a short path logging as I can get here in Central Texas. It looks as though the solstice offers a grayline path (Jerry Lenamon, Waco, Texas, Dec 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DJIBOUTI. 4780, Radio-TV Djibouti; 0301-0314 December 19. Just after sign-on, very good with Arabic man, into Qur`an recital 0302- 0306, two men from 0306 (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. 6220.00, UK (PIRATE), Mystery Radio; 0218-0253 December 19. Very good, with techno and pop, the usual female canned "Mystery Radio" between most songs. They must be 24/7 or close to it for the past couple of weeks (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. 4777, Libreville presumed, children singing, French, NA, suddenly off 1700 Nov 20, Sio 222 ((Reginald Hayes, Bournemouth, Dorset, Tropical Bands Logbook, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Further evidence that 4777 is now a daytime-only frequency, contrary to good propagational usage. But when does it sign on? (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. / RUSSIA. 6130, terrible frequency planning: DW mixing with VOR at 2047 Nov 23, both SIO 412: DW in Arabic // 13780 and VOR in French // 7420 (Stephen Howie, Reading, Berkshire, HF Logbook, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. NEW EDITION OF GLOBAL CRISIS WATCH AVAILABLE Yesterday evening I had the pleasure of taking part in the latest edition of Global Crisis Watch, produced by our colleagues at CalandestineRadio.com. Also appearing on this edition are Jalal El Giathi (Sowt al-Amel) about Libyan jamming of international satellites, and Ahmad Najib Burhani (Indonesian Institute of Sciences) about the ideology of Islamic radicalism in Indonesia. The 30-minute programme is available for download at ClandestineRadio.com and also as a podcast. # posted by Andy @ 11:10 UT Dec 18 (Media Network blog via DXLD) First one in six+ months (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. New Year Eve DXing and webcasting --- hey guys, how many of you have been on the HF radio listening for midnight on every time zone on New Year's or on the computer listening for midnight *(and watching) a cool site http://www.ibcworks.net/ --- A great site for New Year's Eve listening; they will probably update it this week. This is a routine for me on the web and radio. I will log each station I get this New Year's Eve and post it on New Year's Day (David Slate, Hendersonville TN, ABDX via DXLD) I believe that is Lou Josephs` work, in collaboration with Media Network. But it has not yet been updated since last year and much of the info in it goes back another couple years. Is an update really forthcoming? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. I listened to Howard's farewell show this morning, and I have to admit I was moved to hear him and his crew say goodbye. I first started listening to him back in 1984 when he was doing afternoons on WNBC-660 in New York and followed him to WXRK after he was fired by WNBC. I had a nephew back on Long Island send me tapes of Howard (and his channel 9 TV show) when I moved to California on 1987, and I was overjoyed when Howard's show came on the air in Los Angeles in 1990 and I could listen live once again. Since 1985, I've started and sold two publishing companies, had two wives, lived in four states, lived in six different homes. . . . . . . . almost the only constant over the past twenty years has been Howard and Robin. No matter how difficult things were in the other areas of my life, I could always listen to Howard and be laughing a few minutes later. It was like having some old friends move to the other side of the world this morning. Which is why I'll probably add Sirius to my toy collection before January 6, even though I'm already very happy with XM. The only reason I have HBO is for "The Sopranos" and "Deadwood," and Howard is a similar "franchise" I'm willing to pay for (Harry Helms, W5HLH Smithville, TX EL19, http://futureofradio.typepad.com/ ABDX via DXLD) That`s touching, but I`m glad I never developed such a dependence on Mr Stern. See also TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING abottom (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. TED ALLBEURY INTERVIEW AND OBITUARY Ofshore Echo's [sic] have posted in interesting interview with Ted Allbuery. Andy Cadier of BDXC-News believes it's a transcript taken from their album called The Radio Forts, plus an obituary on their website. http://www.offshoreechos.com/Ted%20Allbeury.htm Give it a read! (Paul David, dxldyg via DXLD) Excellent piece, illustrated (gh) ** ITALY. Hi! More reporters confirm the unID relay of old Radio Vatican programs about John Paul II travels, in Italian language on 1620 kHz reported at 0030 hours by Paolo Albini (near Voghera 70 Km south west Milano) on 18 december; and at 0930 hours by Alessandro Capra (in Lodi, 30 Km south east from Milano) on 18 december. No ideas who is testing but signals has been also reported by Saverio De Cian (near Belluno 200 Km east to Milano) at 0530 hours on 17 december. Keep on the monitoring on 1620 kHz (Dario Monferini, Dec 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I know about two new AM transmitters in north Italy, one of these in Veneto. Già da parecchie settimane mi avevano parlato di un trasmettitore venduto e installato nel Veneto e di un altro destinato ad una meglio precisata località del nord Italia (Roberto Scaglione, from January 1, http://www.fmdx.it the official Italian FM & TV DX website, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Je 1620 unID is ook door André Bollin in Duitsland gehoord: Heard at the moment 0600 UT an unid 1620 with Italian program (religious). No ID heard at toh. I know 1620 WDHP has BBC programs and elevator music but never heard Italian from them. Pirate or only WDHP?? Any ideas? Abo (Bollin, Duitsland, via MWC mailing list via Piet Piijpers, BDXC via DXLD) Op 1620 kHz zit volgens de EMWG lijst Radio Galaxy uit Napels. Kan dit station het niet zijn? (Eric PA2REH, BDXC via DXLD) 1620 kHz Radio Giovanni Paolo II La radio religiosa che ascoltiamo da qualche giorno su 1620 è radio Giovanni Paolo II, sono riuscito a registrare un id (ma che fatica): "Ascolta anche tu la radio dei giovani, ascolta radio Giovanni Paolo II" E anche questa è fatta (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, Dec 19, bclnews.it via DXLD) Fabio Tagetti è riuscito a sapere qualcosa in più, anche se si parla di 1602 khz potrebbe proprio essere la stessa emittente, il messaggio è passato su RR ml: Su 1602 Khz è spuntata da venerdi scorso Radio Happy Days, trasmette da Sandrà di Castelnuovo del Garda, tel 045 7595763, ho telef e mi hanno detto che stanno facendo dei tests, quindi è probabile che sia la stessa dei 1620, sabato hanno trasmesso una partita di calcio femminile, poi solo una biografia di Papa Giovanni Paolo II. Il tx è ex RVerona International, il tecnico mi ha detto che usciranno con 6 Kw, email video75 @ libero.it, in FM su 91.5 e 94.7 (Robert Scaglione, ibid.) Ecco il punto su Radio Giovanni Paolo II, ascoltata da diversi DXer in questi giorni in onde medie: La nuova radio veneta (area del Garda) trasmette oltre che su 1620 kHz anche su 94,9 MHz in FM dal Monte Pastello. Il presidente, Eliseo Mischi, mi ha spiegato che si tratta di una radio pensata in particolare per i giovani, che avranno ampio spazio nella programmazione, una volta che questa sarà a regime. I proprietari dell'emittente hanno anche Radio Happy Days, in FM, già ben radicata nel territorio del Basso Garda veneto. Questa opera su 91.5 e 94.7 MHz, con i tx a Colle San Lorenzo (non lontanto da Peschiera) Rapporti di ascolto possono essere inviati a video75 @ libero.it (all'attenzione di Eliseo Mischi, presidente) Ciao (Giampiero Bernardini, Avvenire, Milano, Italy, ibid.) Ciao! grazie a Giampiero ed a Scaglione per le informazioni. A completamento: l'indirizzo stradale è : C/o Teatro Martinelli Via San Martino 4 37014 Sandrà di Castelnuovo del Garda (VR) Eliseo Mischi è un giornalista sportivo che trasmette anche da Radio Adige di Verona (Dario Monferini, ibid.) Un particolare interessante ce lo offre la pagina web della squadra di calcio femminile del Bardolino: la cache di google l'ha memorizzata l'8 dicembre e riporta già i 1620 (a proposito, questi 1602 da dove sono usciti fuori?) e nel sito viene riportata come operante in FM su 91.5-94.7 in una pagina e sull'altra con un ulteriore 94.9 (Roberto Scaglione, http://www.fmdx.it dal 1 gennaio il sito italiano ufficiale su FM & TV DX, ibid.) Dear Glenn I send a news that can interest you. --------------- A new radio has been heard in Italy from several dxers and me on MW: Radio Giovanni Paolo II on 1620 kHz. Here some info: This new radio is a private one. It has no links with Vatican or Italian Catholic Church. The owners have 2 radios: Radio Happy Days on FM 91.5 and 94.7 MHz and the new Radio Giovanni Paolo II on 94.9 MHz FM and 1620 kHz. The Radio is based in Veneto, not too far from Verona, close to Garda Lake, North Italy. The owners in 1990 got Radio International on 1620, so they have registered this frequency since many years. Then So they told to me by phone. President Eliseo Mischi told me that this radio has a young people target, now they are testing the frequency. In next weeks they are going to increase power. Reception reports can be sent to video75 @ libero.it (attention of Eliseo Mischi, president) ----------------------- Merry Christmas 73, (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1620 kHz, Dec 19, 2000-2100, Italy: Tentative: R. Giovanni Paolo II. No ID heard, but according to numerous tips on different mailing lists surely this with Pope preaching. Lots of QRM from (other?) pirate in the Netherlands (Mauno Ritola, Finland, HCDX online log via DXLD) This station was received this night, Dec 19th at 0210 UT with a good signal here in Neustrelitz, Germany. WDHP was audible, too, with Christmas music. 73s (Christoph Mayer, MWC via DXLD) Fabio Tagetti (who lives close to Verona) has reported to Radiorama/ AIR and has later confirmed to Fabrizio Magrone that since last Friday he's been listening to a test transmission from Radio Happy Days, Sandrà di Castelnuovo del Garda on 1602 kHz. Fabio also believes the transmissions on 1620 could originate from Radio Happy Days. Looks like the station has acquired the old MW transmmitter operated by Radio Verona International in 1982. According to Fabio planned power will be 6 kW as per a phone call to the station (+39-045 7595763). Reported email is: video75 @ libero.it Not a pirate, after all (or at least not a completely unauthorized station), but from what I've been hearing on 1620 here in Milan, even considering my noise floor and electrical pests, testing power sounds far lower than 6 kW. 73s (Andy Lawendel, Dec 19, ibid.) Putting a noisy but audible signal into York at 1730 UT today. I'm hearing a priest (the Pope?) lecturing a large lively crowd. Then into a song (Steve Whitt, England, ibid.) Could be John Paul II's voice. During tests heard in recent days the station on 1620 carried a sort of audio biography of the late Pope with long excerpts from radio commentaries of his pastoral trips. Fabio Tagetti says he was listening to same kind of content, plus some local soccer coverage in the weekend, but on 1602 kHz. It really looks like it's same 1620 kHz station identifying as "Radio Giovanni Paolo II" reported by Giampiero here on MWC and elsewhere. Affiliation to Radio Happy Days, an FM station, as mentioned by Fabio is unclear, but two stations operating on two separate frequencies so close with each other with almost the same programming wouldnt' make much sense. At the same time, Radio Verona is much stronger in Milan on 1584, obliterating radio Studio X (which Fabrizio Magrone reports as active) on same frequency. Don't ask me why on earth an FM station covering a densely populated area would also want to try extending its audience in a band which nobody, at least in Italy, cares about (in the case of 1620 I'm not sure of how many radio sets could actually tune up to that). Unless they plan to leverage their potential "new listeners" as a selling argument to their advertisers (given that it would be so difficult to extend one's FM coverage). I'm not even sure our national regulatory Authority can actually license any private station operator on the MW band, which as far as I know has the state operator, Rai, as an exclusive license holder (but the situation could be different now). 73s (Andy Lawendel, ibid.) ** JAPAN. DXing and IDing NHK Stations --- If you are interested in Japanese MW broadcasting here is the definitive English language article. Mika Makelainen just put my significantly expanded article on DXing NHK up on dxing.info. The article is now more than twice as long as the original article that just covered how to understand local IDs and when to listen for them. The middle portion of the new article is actually that old "IDing" article. The new one covers the organization of the two NHK MW networks, what "key stations" are, discusses the 100 watt village relay stations, etc... and, at the end of the article, covers QSLing NHK stations... Mika has really outdone himself this time. There is a link to the right of the article that leads to a menu of ten or so recorded NHK station IDs, not only the two that Nick Hall Patch did for the article, but a bunch primarily from his collection. If you DX Japan on MW at all, the link is http://dxing.info/articles/DXing_and_IDing_NHK_stations.dx Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everybody! (John Bryant, OK, via Steve Whitt, MWC via DXLD) ** KERGUELEN. FT5XO KERGUELEN ISLAND VIDEO: REVIEW by Tedd, KB8NW. James, 9V1YC, has put together another "FIVE STAR *****" presentation. This PBS high quality DVD is well worth the purchase. As always, James not only captures all the hard work the "Micro-lite Penguins DXpedition Team" had to endure getting to and setting up their operation on Kerguelen, but also the beauty of the island and the stormy South Indian Ocean. On the DVD you get to see each operator in action during their low-power and vertical antennas operations. As in all his videos, James provides history of the island, but this time he also provides an interesting history of the famous ship, R/V Braveheart. The DVD is packed with 54 minutes of great video. A must for a DXer's video collection! Details on how to purchase this video can be found at: http://www.dxvideos.com/ft5xovideo.htm (KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD) What do you mean, ``PBS``? Is it supposed to air on that network? (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Re 5-216: Sorry, I missed a lot number of the address; the exact address of "Freedom North Korea Broadcast" is: Room 502, Sinjeong Building, Sinjeong 7 dong 210-16, Yengcheong-Gu, Seoul, Korea (Takahito Akabayashi, Tokyo, Japan, Dec 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Nagoya DXers Circle info about the site for FNKR (Petropavlovsk) appears to be incorrect. Direct info from a VT Communications source (which is the broker) says that the transmissions are from Irkutsk (B. Trutenau, Lithuania, in EDXP via J. Berg-USA in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. N & S. Droning jammers plainly audible on Echo of Hope 3985 and 6348 frequencies. Also heard similar jamming on Voice of the People, 6600. All heard 1300-1330 10 December (J. Strawman, IA, Dec 10, 2005 in JihadDX-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. IRAQ, 6335, V. of Iraqi Kurdistan, Sulaymaniyah via DX Tuner UK on 12/14. Lots of vocal/instrumental Kurdish songs 0515 to past 0545 with Kurdish announcements by woman at 0522.5, man at 0528.5 (short ID, with clear mention of "Kurdistan"). Signal was beginning a gradual fade by 0530. SINPO 35343. This should be audible on both ECNA and WCNA after 0300 sign-on (Bruce W. Churchill, Fallbrook CA, Dec 14, 2005 in JihadDX-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non?]. 3960.34, CLANDESTINE Voice of Iranian Kurdistan; 0308-0314 December 19. Presumed. Kurdish man, Mideast music fill. Very poor, with Iranian jammer on the low side (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. QSL report: Radio Free Asia via Kuwait City 9365. Full-data color mosque & palm trees sheet in 7 weeks from George Miller, Transmitter Plant Supervisor (Wendel Craighead, KS, Dec 1, 2005 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** LATVIA. Radio Caroline heard in German, at 1000 UT 12/18 on 9290, off by 1100. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and happy healthy new year. (Christopher Lewis, England, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9290, Radio City, 0935-1000, 18-12, música pop en inglés, locutor presentando las canciones, identificación: "This is Radio City". 45444. 9290, Radio Caroline Eifel, 1000-1100, 18-12, canciones de los años 50 y 60, locutor presentando las canciones, idioma alemán, múltiples identificaciones y dirección en alemán y alguna identificación y lectura de dirección en inglés: "Radio Caroline Eifel", Postal Address: Radio Caroline Eifel, Postfach 101145, D-99801 Eisenach, Germany, e-mail address: radio-caroline-eifel @ web.de 45444. 9290, Radio Six International, 1258-1300, 18-12, final del programa en inglés, identificación por locutor: "This is Radio Six International broadcasting from Glasgow, Scotland, Radio Six International, around the clock and around the world, P. O. Box 600 Glasgow, Scotland". 45444. 9290, European Music Radio, 1400-1520, 18-11, programa de música en inglés, presentado por locutor: "Thisis EMR International Service, Christmas Special, 9290 from Latvia to the world". "This is E.M.R, European Music Radio, e-mail address: studio @ emr9290.co.uk ". 45444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Grundig Satellit 500, antena telescópica. Escuchas realizadas en el casco urbano de Lugo, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. KWRN-Nordland Radio is on air December 25th from 0900-1000 UT on 9290 kHz with traditional and modern German and international Christmas songs. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Felix Stein (via Johno Wright, NSW, Dec 19, ripple via DXLD) LATVIA was nowhere mentioned, but likely from there; however, I have suspected that some genuine pirates use 9290 as well when Latvia is not on, but less likely to circulate advance publicity (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. Miguel Angel Gordillo en Onda Corta PR nos informa: REINICIARÁN TRANSMISIONES DE RADIO INSURGENTE --- 2005-12-17 Comunicado del Comité Clandestino Revolucionario Indígena-Comandancia General del Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional. México, 16 de diciembre de 2005. Al pueblo de México: A los pueblos del mundo: Hermanos y hermanas: Les comunicamos que a partir del día 19 de diciembre de 2005 (12 aniversario de la ruptura del cerco y la declaración de municipios autónomos rebeldes zapatistas) se reanudarán las transmisiones de "Radio insurgente, voz del EZLN, la voz de los sin voz", en onda corta, frecuencia modulada y en la página electrónica. A partir de esa fecha el EZLN irá trasladando paulatinamente a las bases de apoyo zapatistas y a sus autoridades autónomas el control total de las estaciones de radio de FM que transmiten para las comunidades indígenas de las distintas zonas zapatistas en Chiapas. Para esto, mujeres y hombres indígenas, civiles, zapatistas, recibirán capacitación en técnica y producción radial en los próximos meses. Así, la población civil zapatista decidirá, de acuerdo con sus tiempos y modos, los contenidos de los programas radiales locales, los producirá, y operará directamente esas estaciones de radio, mismas que cambiarán de nombre. El EZLN mantendrá sólo la operación de la estación de onda corta (transmite en los 6.00 megahertz) y la página electrónica http://www.radioinsurgente.org con el nombre de "Radio Insurgente". El CCRI-CG del EZLN continúa así con la separación tendencial entre su estructura político-militar y las estructuras civiles democráticas de las comunidades indígenas zapatistas. ¡Democracia! ¡Libertad! ¡Justicia! Por el Comité Clandestino Revolucionario Indígena-Comandancia General del Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional. Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos. México, diciembre del 2005. (via Jose Miguel Romero2, dxldyg via DXLD) But no one has EVER been able to confirm any such transmissions on 6000 kHz. Times????? Watch out for Cuba`s extensive schedule on that frequency. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Yes I agree with you, Glenn, this "Radio Insurgentes" is telling to us lot of futures plans never started --- even in Mexico NO ONE has ever been able to listen to them on short waves (Dario Monferini, ibid.) Aviso sobre onda corta, 2005-12-18 Les informamos que solo éste 19 de diciembre habrá, excepcionalmente, una transmisión de Radio Insurgente en onda corta en día lunes. A partir del día 30 de diciembre, reanudaremos con las transmisiones semanales de los días viernes, siempre a las seis de la tarde en la frecuencia 6.0 MHz, banda de 49 metros. !Sintonícenos! Fuente: Radio Insurgente.Org (via Claudio Morales, Argentina, condig list via DXLD) OK, let`s all be listening UT Tuesday at 0000 on 6000, and hope there is not too much QRM from RHC which is scheduled 2300-0700+ as well as 1100-1500, not to mention Singapore and Brasil also on 6000 at 0000. Or does ``6 pm`` mean 2300 UT, with DST still declared unilaterally by SC Marcos? And does ``6.0 MHz`` really mean 6000.0 kHz, or is all this a figment of his imagination, and if so, what is the point? Muy bien, entonces todos sintonicemos a las 00 martes universal en 6000, esperando no haber demasiado QRM de RHC, en su horario de 23 hasta 07 ó más tarde, y además 11 a 15, y aún más Cingapur y Brasil en 6000 a las 0000. ¿O por ``6.0 MHz``, no quiere decir 6000.0 kHz en punto, o todo esto sea imaginario, a qué fin? (Glenn Hauser, condig list via DXLD) Audio archive of past ``SW`` programs, which on this page were supposedly transmitted at 1500 local Fridays in the UT -6 zone: http://www.radioinsurgente.org/index.php?name=archivo (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just as suspected, no sign of R. Insurgente, Zapatista clandestine claiming to broadcast at 0000 UT Dec 20 on 6000: the frequency was, however, clear of RHC which did not come on until 0007. There was adjacent QRM from Chinese relay on 6005, and from DRM on 5990 (?). I also checked all the way down to 5745, especially 5800, where Insurgente had claimed to operate previously, but no sign of it or anything else suspicious --- except for R. República on new 5965! See CUBA [and non] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. Have been meaning to look for the English hour from R. Oman, occasionally at 1400 on 15140; Dec 19 did not tune in until 1500 for a time signal, Big-Ben-type chimes, but heard only one bong. Then to my surprise, news in English started by YL, but at 1502 rudely cut to Arabic by OM. I guess R. Oman domestic service goes on with English after 1500 but it is not allowed on SW. As usual, quite a bit of WYFR splash from 15130 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Active PNG station found Hi Guys, Well another active PNG station was noted for the first time for me last night. On 900 kHz at 0930 noted PNG accented Pidgin English. My old 2004 WRTH has basic NBC listed // 4890 and PAL has Radio Eastern Highlands // 4890 listed. However this was carrying local music show called Pacific Beat with programming from Radio West New Britain // 3235 and not // 4890. PS Radio Sandaun has still been heard nightly on 585 // 3205 sharing 585 with NBC Pt Moresby // 4890 PPS - found an unused curtain rod in the backyard while tidying up my new place, when I picked it up, out rolled a dozen little eggs along with 2 tiny snake skeletons --- wonder where the survivors are? Cheers Craig (currently typing this in the foetal position while lying on the floor) (Craig Edwards, Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Australia, Dec 20, HCDX via DXLD) ** PERU. 4835.50, Radio Marañón, 1040-1100 Dec 19. Noted numerous promos and ads with mentions of "Perú". Some music, but mainly ads. After sitting here for 16 minutes, haven't heard an ID. At 1058, it's still dark at my spot on the great circle, but Perú is in the daylight. So don't expect this good copy to last much longer. At 1101 heard canned ID as "... Radio Marañón ... Marañón". Sounded like the person giving ID was doing for me, since he pronounced it very clearly twice. A second ID at 1103 after a musical selection. As predicted, the signal started to fade here. Overall signal was good until the hour (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. RCI 9770 QRMs RRI 9755: see CANADA [and non] ** RUSSIA. JOE ADAMOV PASSED AWAY I was just checking the Voice of Russia website and came across this notice that Joe Adamov had passed away. It's undated so I don't know if this old news or not. http://www.vor.ru/English/JAdamov.html (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, Dec 19, dxldyg via DXLD) Viz., illustrated: We are sad to inform you that after a long illness, our colleague and friend – Joe Adamov passed away. In 1942, at the age of 21, after graduation from Moscow’s Pedagogical Institute, Joe came to work as an announcer at the foreign language service of Radio Moscow. In due time he became a top-class journalist. He had no holds barred to him. He interviewed ambassadors, government ministers and top officials of foreign states. For over 40 years had Joe hosted one of the most popular programs with the Voice of Russia English language service – Moscow Mailbag. His profound knowledge, all-around education and versatile knack for the English language helped Joe handle any questions, including tricky ones. His keen sense of humor always enlivened his answers and appealed to his listeners. Joe was frequently invited to visit overseas, where he gave lectures and participated in popular talk-shows in the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia. He was recognized by moguls of international journalism, such as Walter Cronkite, Phil Donahue, Larry King. Joe was also greatly respected in our office. Over many years of his service with us he trained several generations of professional announcers, translators and journalists. We will miss greatly his kind advice and instructions. Joe Adamov has made a great contribution into this country’s foreign language broadcasting and was bestowed multiple government awards. With millions of our English-language listeners we mourn our dear Joe. Copyright © 2000 The Voice of Russia (via DXLD) I think if he died 5 years ago we would already have heard about it. Why put a 2000 © on it? Yes, our recollexions of Joe go back as far as we can remember on Radio Moscow. Many of us got to meet him at an ANARC convention, or was it Monitoring Times (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Glenn, Russia and the World- Update at 0213 today (Dec 20) announced Joe`s passing; so like you I agree the 2000 is a mistake; they have announced it on the air (Bill KA2EMZ Bergadano, swprograms via DXLD) Here is another link which is dated 19 December 2005: http://www.vor.ru/index_eng.phtml?act=6257 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: He was known to foreign listeners as Joe. For them his voice was as magic as the legendary baritone of Levitan for Russians. Joe Adamov was a top-notch expert on Britain and had a perfect command of the English language. He worked at the Voice of Russia radio for more than 60 years, and for many years he was the author and the presenter of the Moscow Mail Bag, one of the most popular programmes at the Voice of Russia. Adamov had many government awards (VOR via DXLD) The Voice of Russia had a tribute to Joe Adamov at the beginning of the 'Russia and The World' program during their 0200 broadcast monitored here on 7180. (20 December 2005) (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hope it`s archived and/or repeated (gh, DXLD) ** SENEGAL [non]. UK, 17860, WADR. Thanks Arnaldo's tip heard at 1046 with talk by woman in English about women's rights. She was with a group called Equality Now in Nairobi. At 1053, they continued with women's news from UNICEF. No signal in Florida at this time, still a bit early in the morning. [Via DX Tuner Europe] (Hans Johnson, Dec 7, 2005 in Jihad-DX ML via CRW via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. SLOVAK RADIO TO ABANDON BROADCASTS ABROAD DUE TO DEBTS | Excerpt from report by Slovak newspaper Sme on 16 December Slovak Telecommunications have asked Slovak Radio [SRo] to pay it a debt of almost 150m [presumably Slovak korunas] by the end of this year, threatening to switch off broadcasting on short and medium wave length bands - on which SRo's foreign language programmes and Radio Regina's are broadcast. Financial director and statutory representative of SRo Hilda Gajdosova, who is temporarily in charge of SRo, briefed the Radio Council about it this week. She also briefed the Council about other creditors threatening lawsuits. [Passage omitted] The discontinuation of short wave broadcasts, proposed by Gajdosova and approved by the council, means the end of Slovak-language broadcasts abroad and the end of Spanish-language broadcasts in Slovakia. The other statutory representative of SRo, programme director Vladimir Puchala, opposes this proposal, saying that he would leave his post if SRo's main activities were restricted. In his view, the temporary leadership should not adopt serious decisions. [Passage omitted] Finance Ministry's spokesman Peter Papanek said that primarily the Culture Ministry should deal with the financing of the radio station. [Passage omitted] [One dollar equals 32.33 Slovak korunas.] Source: Sme, Bratislava, in Slovak 16 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Brother Scare again heard on 15250, Dec 19 at 2049, weak and presumably WWRB skipping over, // much better 9320. Rechecked http://www.overcomerministry.org/content/blogcategory/22/42 and an entry dated Dec 19 does mention 15250, but only on the Sabbath after 1700 --- until??? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN [non]. Re 5-213: ``So website is http://wrinternational.net a.k.a. Europe`s Nostalgia Station, power as 35 watts, postal: WRI, Ostra Porten 29, S442 54 Ytterby, Sweden (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Town named after element`` This address is the old one (=wrong) and contains 2 spelling errors. Since Nov 2003 it is SRS, WRI Östra Porten 49 S-442 54 Ytterby. Jonny and his SRS simply moved a few meters. And regarding the element - there are three Ytterbys in Sweden - which one was it where they found the 'radio elements'? (Martin Schoech - PF 101145 - D-99801 Eisenach, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) O o, unique postal code must now be appended to every mention of the rare earths (gh, DXLD) ** UKRAINE. Here's a quote from Dec. 17/18 DX-program of Radio Ukraine International hosted by Alexander Egorov: RUI suffers interference in N. America from presumably Colombian Marfil Estéreo on 5910 kHz. Roman Zapotovich from NY region reported, "Unfortunately, after one week after the beginning of winter season, reception became unusable. The propagation from S. America got better and that has resulted in strong interferences. It is necessary to resume power of the transmitter in Nikolaev from 500 to 1,000 kW." Also, R. Zapotovich noted the essential interference from the fax station on 5911.6 kHz and even from WBOH on 5920 kHz. Many thanks to Mr. Zapotovich for this info! From the last winter season I remember that Marfil Estéreo had a shift of the frequency so a strong buzzing was caused by beat of Marfil Estereo carrier with Radio Ukraine's one. But I suspect that even increase of the power to maximum 700 or 800 kW (this is a limit of power of Nikolaev transmitter + the lack of finance) with a rhombic antenna which is used now there will help only a little. So the frequency change could be a radical method in this situation. But there is lack of free frequencies in 49 m-band. And propagation forecast for 41 m-band for B05 season is unfavorable. So with the help of R. Zapotovich we have known that the adjacent frequency of 5905 kHz was almost the only acceptable one for eastern N. America in this situation. Unfortunately, here in Europe we may have mutual interference with CRI in Russian and and DW, also in Russian. So we ask for help of all our listeners in N. America to find a free frequency there for good reception of RUI in 49 m-band at the time from 0000 to 0500 UT. We shall be very grateful to you! Alexander Egorov's email is egorov(AT)nrcu(DOT)gov(DOT)ua English Service Phone +380(44)279-54-84, FAX +380(44)279-73-56 (Sergei Sosedkin, IL, Dec 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Alex, I know this is a very radical idea, but would it not cost less and be much more efficient to buy one hour of time for RUI in English on some Caribbean or even North American relay site, and turn off your big transmitter for the winter? 49m would not have to be used but instead a loud and clear higher frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, to Alex via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re 5-216: Hi Glenn, I too have noticed that Radio Ukraine's signal on 5840 is weaker, even here in the UK. The transmission on 9925 kHz at 1200 isn't great either. Maybe they are using lower power, but similar to your theory, their neighbors on 5800 etc are much stronger than RUI. Anybody know what the power of the transmitter is on 5840? Best Regards (Christopher Lewis, England, Dec 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nominal 100 kW, but who knows what they are really running. Of course it has a somewhat more northerly/auroral path than Bulgaria. I also checked 5910 early UT Dec 20, at 0006 just in time to hear Ukrainian language, transmitter cutting on and off. When it was on, it overrode Marfil, tho with a slight het (gh, DXLD) ** U K. DRM TESTS FROM CROYDON --- Following a tip from John Sykes in the DRM-L group have noted DRM signals on 26000 at 2300, these are apparently the WRN/Arqiva tests from Croydon, stronger than 26080 here (Mike Barraclough, Dec 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC BULGARIAN SERVICE TO CLOSE ON 23 DECEMBER Sarkis Garjarian reports: The BBC Bulgarian Service website says its final broadcast will air on 23 December at 1600 UTC with an hour special. Present and former Service members will participate. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bulgarian/news/story/2005/12/051216_bbc_last.shtml # posted by Andy @ 15:02 UT Dec 18 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U K. CHANCE TO KEEP PRAGUE-BASED BBC CZECH SERVICE COLLAPSES - Czech TV | Text of report by Czech CT24 TV on 16 December The BBC Czech Service is really to end - it will not be run by the BBC Worldwide, under which it wanted to be transferred. The BBC has taken steps to save money, as it intends to launch Arabic TV broadcasts, seen by the British government as the main priority. The BBC started to broadcast in Czech and Slovak in 1939. Source: CT24 TV, Prague, in Czech 1815 gmt 16 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) What about Czech sponsors as recently proposed? BBCWS may nix it no matter what (gh, DXLD) ** U K. RADIO 4 - SOME MORE HOME TRUTHS Interesting thoughts from Andy Kershaw in Today`s Guardian: Yesterday morning on Radio 4's Today programme a discussion over the cancellation of Home Truths became a dispute over the very nature of the station after DJ Andy Kershaw claimed there were a large number of programmes the station could do without. Below he explains his criticisms and suggests some possible remedies --- Here's another one for the list: Veg Talk. It's on every Friday between 3 and 3.30 in the afternoon. Two faux, cockney barrow, boys talking about turnips. To my mind there's only so much you can say about vegetables, but this show's been going on for seven years! "Call in with your experience of turnips!" they say. Who in their right mind has an experience of turnips? And who would call in with it? It's exactly the same type of whimsy that did for Home Truths. And I think there's a conflict of interest at work too - one is a vegetable wholesaler. There are more and more consumer programmes on Radio 4. It is fascinated with them. Shop Talk, Veg Talk, You and Yours for an hour every day; they are all on because they are cheap. The only problem is that while they don't cost anything, they end up with people begging for phone calls about vegetables. I really have no idea who wants these programmes. Even as I speak there's another one starting about how to deal with a sore throat! Since the events of yesterday morning I've seriously considered going into hiding for a few days. But I want to make clear that I'm coming at this from the view of a fan. I have a great love of Radio 4 - from In our Time (which was excellent about the Peterloo massacre yesterday) to From Our Own Correspondent, Thinking Aloud with Laurie Taylor, Analysis, the Moral Maze and, of course, the Today programme. John Humphrys asked me what I'd put in place of Home Truths and it's a simple answer: debate. There's an enormous appetite for it, for public speaking and public meetings, one that is largely unsatisfied. When Christopher Hitchens (who's a pal of mine, he likes to call me "Dear old thing") was debating Tariq Ali in a London college last year, people were queueing around the block to get in. I would almost go so far as to say that debating is the new rock'n'roll, but that might get me in Private Eye. There is one more thing Radio 4 could do, and that's rehabilitate the career of Britain's greatest living broadcaster. His name is Ray Gosling and he's been ostracised from the station since the disastrous regime of controller James Boyle. Gosling is a national treasure and if anyone deserves to fill John Peel's shoes, then it's him. Andy Kershaw is a broadcaster and Radio 3 presenter. He has nine Sony Gold radio awards in his stairwell. He was talking to Paul MacInnes (via Mike Barraclough, uk-radio-listeners yg via Rich Cuff, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. WTND-LP DEFINES REAL COMMUNITY RADIO --- GOOD JOB, WTND-LP It's currently 3:30AM in Macomb, IL and WTND-LP just recently finished live coverage from the return of a battery of the Illinois National Guard into Macomb. It was a very emotional event for both those at the event and those listening on the radio. This coverage was also being carried on the W0KIE Satellite Radio Network/RFD, WQNA a NCE-FM in Springfield and on the American Council of the Blind's music network. This LPFM station was the only media that was carrying this very emotional event live. This is a prime example why we supported the creation of the LPFM service back in 1999 and we will continue to support it today. It's coverage like this that defines true community radio. Congratulations to WTND-LP and Stephanie who was live on the phone at the 13 degree cold. Thank you for helping to define true community radio! FROM REC NETWORKS - http://www.recnet.com (Rich Eyre, Dec 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. INFINITY BROADCASTING TO BE RENAMED CBS RADIO http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2005/12/12/daily36.html?t=printable http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2005/12/12/daily28.html?t=printable http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2005/12/12/daily27.html?t=printable (via Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DXLD) ** U S A. Excerpts from BROADCAST BAND UPDATE by GREG HARDISON: BACK TO THE FUTURE: Infinity is rebranding its family of Radio stations, as...are you sitting down? ... "CBS RADIO"! After the convoluted series of mergers and acquisitions which brought CBS, Westinghouse, Infinity, Westwood One and the old NBC Radio Network brand under the same roof, the raging Capitalists in charge of it all have decided to go with a name that, well, some folks just may recognize! THE BIG SHOW: A Grand Alliance of the Magna Carta scale has emerged among top Corporate Radio players, with the purpose in mind of promoting and utilizing Digital broadcast technology. Former Clear Channel exec Peter Ferrara now heads the HD Digital Radio Alliance, which combines marketing efforts of CC, CBS, Bonneville International, Cumulus Media, Emmis, Entercom and Greater Media; the goal is placement of oodles of HD Radios in our vehicles, plus coordination of programming aboard secondary "multicast" channels. These top firms are pledging to spend at least $200 Million in marketing efforts, through the new year, in hopes of stimulating the extremely sluggish sales (to date) of Digital-ready receivers. "The Wall Street Journal" reports results of a J.D. Power & Associates survey, which says the average motorist favors Digital "HD Radio", delivered via conventional broadcasters, over the monthly charge and overall logistics of Satellite Radio. Look for the aforementioned Alliance to play heavily on this, emphasizing the "local" originations of most existing multicast operations. HELP FOR A GOODGUY: Eddie Schwartz reigned for years on Chicago's late night dial. Holding court first on WGN/720, then later on the old WLUP/1000, Eddie's unmistakable Chi-town accented voice and unique viewpoints entertained millions across the Midwest. Now, he's in dire straits; we share the following from "Chicago Sun-Times" superscribe Robert Feder's column published November 22: "As the undisputed king of late-night radio for decades, Eddie Schwartz brought companionship and comfort to hundreds of thousands of faithful listeners. But now the unique personality known as 'Chicago Ed' fears he could lose the battle of his life without the help of his friends. "'This really is the toughest thing I've ever faced,' Schwartz, 59, said from the bed of a north suburban health care center. 'I'm not sure I can make it through. I don't think I'll be strong enough.' "Since he was diagnosed with renal failure in September, Schwartz has been shuttling between hospitals while struggling to cope with kidney dialysis treatments. Although he says he has lost more than 100 pounds since his ordeal began, the illness left him considerably weakened. "If Schwartz ever hopes to get back on his feet, the key would be his ability to afford an assistant to help with home dialysis. Unfortunately, he's broke. "Virtually all of his savings from nearly 30 years on the air at WIND- AM (560), WGN-AM (720) and WLUP-AM/FM (1000/97.9) -- and from his six years as a free-lance columnist for the Lerner Newspapers -- are gone. 'Over the years I was extremely generous with many organizations and certain family members,' Schwartz recalled. 'Now that I'm sick, there's nothing left. I never expected a crisis like this in my life.' "As word of Schwartz' plight has begun to spread through the radio community, colleagues are talking about organizing some sort of fund- raiser for him. We'll keep you posted on that. In the meantime, letters may be sent to Schwartz at: Ballard Health Care, 9300 Ballard Rd., Des Plaines, IL 60016. BALANCE OF POWER: Last month we relayed highlights of the battle waged by Liberal talker Ed Schultz and his syndicators, to place his daily program on Armed Forces Radio. Ed seems to have blazed a trail, as the AFRTS has now also added Al Franken's AirAmerica show. This all follows years of Rush Limbaugh clearance by the AFRTS, which serves U.S. Military personnel worldwide via Satellite, local stations and limited Shortwave. During a recent late-night monitoring session at the Update Publishing Complex in the bowels of the San Fernando Valley, local R. Disney outlet KDIS/1110 was speared on the dial; at that exact second, the lyrics of an unknown (by us) tune proclaimed, "....and he traded it in at the pawn shop for drugs". Now, I am not familiar with anything else in or about this particular tune, but I really don't think my 7 year old (or any other child) needs exposure to such a concept, via the too-widely-trusted Disney brand. Remember, Radio Disney actively courts listeners below the age of 12. 'You parents paying attention out there?? (Greg Hardison, CA, Broadcast Band Update Dec 17 via DXLD) The much larger full UD appears in the dxld yg ** U S A. WAPI 1070 - WJOX 690, Alabama DX Tests, December 27-29 Exciting News! DX'ers will have another holiday treat to look forward to this year. On December 27-29th, two Birmingham, Alabama stations will run the new "inventory insert" test format suggested by Fred V. last year. Special thanks to CE Frank Giardina for this test! Details below... WAPI 1070 khz Birmingham, AL DX Test WJOX 690 khz Birmingham, AL DX Test Date(s): December 27-29, 05 Time: Midnight CST-0300 CST (0600-0900 UT) :60 Second long tests in duration. "Inventory Insert" format. Modes of Operation: Night Power/Pattern. Programming: Morse Code ID's, Sweep Tones, Voice ID. Notes: Both WAPI and WJOX will air one insert at the TOH. :59 minutes fixed. Both stations will air a 2nd sixty second long test each hour according to the schedule below: WAPI's 2nd test will come at :30 past the hour, each hour between midnight and 3 AM. WJOX's 2nd test will "float" between :19 after and :34 minutes each hour between midnight and 3 AM, depending on programming. Reception reports are desired via e-mail (first choice) and snail mail (only if e-mail is not available) Station would prefer to received recordings of the test (MP3, CD, or cassette). Submit reports to: les @ highnoonfilm.com Please put "WAPI/WJOX DX Test" in the subject line. All standard mail reports should go to: Les Rayburn High Noon Film 100 Centerview Drive Suite 111 Birmingham, AL 35216 Thanks to Frank Giardina and the staffs of WAPI/WJOX for arranging this test! The upcoming WAPI/WJOX DX Test will be our first practical demonstration of a new format suggested by Fred Vobbe of the National Radio Club last year. Fred's idea was that more stations might be willing to conduct DX tests if they did not require a change in overnight programming. Instead, we would request the stations to run a :60 second long DX test in one of their available "local" inventory slots. With programs like "Coast to Coast" for example, the local station is allowed a certain number of local spots to run during the program. Stations often have a hard time selling the late night spots and often run PSA's, station promos, etc. instead. Fred's idea is to take advantage of that time, by having a station send Morse Code IDs, sweep tones, etc. Since the test occurs on several nights, instead of one, you also have a better chance at having good propagation to the area at least one night. WAPI/WJOX will run two of these :60 second long "mini-tests" each hour, for three hours each night on three nights in a row. That means you'll have 18 chances to catch each station. Of course, they won't change their power or antenna pattern! I highly recommend recording the tests using software like Total Recorder. In the case of WJOX, you'll need to record the entire time period for each hour between :19 and :34 minutes past the hour, since the exact time of the test isn't "fixed" but rather "floating". WJOX runs a sports talk format, and is heavily automated. It's also interesting to note that the station agreed to this test only during the period of December 25-31st, since this is one of only two periods each year where the station is not "rated". The other is the week of July 4th. This allows for popular hosts to take vacations without an affect on the ratings of their show. If you're thinking about asking a station to help us out with a DX test, this may be the best time to ask them. Hope we all enjoy this test, and I can't wait to see how these type of test work out vs. the more familiar full blown tests. 73 & Good DX, (Les Rayburn, N1LF, NRC/IRCA Broadcast Test Coordinator, Please call anytime 24/7 if your transmitter will be off the air for maintenance. (205) 253-4867 Dec 16, IRCA via DXLD) Please clarify - does the first test occur at 2359 or 0059 ??? (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, NRC-AM via DXLD) Russ, I'm trying to clarify both the time and date issue with the station now. Trying to beat publishing deadlines by getting the notice out now. I suspect that the first test will be at 00:59 one minute prior to the TOH (since that is the custom for both stations). As soon as I can nail all this down, I'll post another follow up message. Does anyone else out there have any contacts at stations who might be willing to run similar "inventory insert" tests for us? (Les Rayburn, ibid.) Hello Les, WAPI has been on my wants list for about 35 years. What power will it run on 1070 between 0600 ad 0900 and will it be non directional? (Barry Davies, UK, MWC via DXLD) Some follow up information on the upcoming DX Test, quoted directly from the station staff: The first will run on December 27th (Tuesday Morning) at 12:59 AM CST with the last at 2:59 AM CST. This will be repeated on Wednesday December 28th and Thursday, December 29th. Note: This applies to WAPI only in regards to the "second test" on each night. WJOX has a floating format, meaning the local break comes between :19 and :34 minutes past the hour. Test starts late on Monday night-Tuesday morning. As indicated in the original posting, I'll be handling QSL requests (for the test only) for the station(s). Verification will require a recording in almost all cases. With the test being on sixty seconds in length, I think it will be nearly impossible to verify reception based solely on a description and timing. E-mail is my first choice, with snail mail a very distant second. Expect for it to takes months to receive a snail mail verification. We will produce a .JPEG file suitable for printing that will be e-mailed to all correct reporters. Mark Subject line: WAPI/WJOX RECEPTION REPORT 73, (Les Rayburn, N1LF, NRC/IRCA Broadcast Test Coordinator, Dec 19, IRCA via DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. Listened tonight to the Radio Tashkent audio via http://ino.uzpak.uz --- Until 1930 UT both INO1 and 2 carried Arabic until 1930. Then INO1 was silent, while INO2 had German 1935-2030. English 2030-2100, silent 2100-2130, and then again English 2130-2200 UT. Audio was very good. 73, (Erik in Copenhagen Køie, Dec 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. Hoy estuve mirando el WRTH del 2004 y me he encontrado con una emisora que según la publicación es Radio Piritu 810AM (YVAN) ubicada en Puerto Piritu. Creo que el colega que pasó la información está mal informado porque la verdad es que he estado chequeando esta frecuencia y hasta la fecha no he logrado oir ninguna estación que se identifique como Radio Piritu 810 AM, aparte de eso estando Puerto Piritu tan cerca de Barcelona, lo lógico sería que esta radio se escuchara sin problemas aquí en mi ciudad. Por lo tanto para mí Radio Piritu 810 AM no existe; creo que hubo un error al pasar esta información. De todas maneras esta semana viajo nuevamente a Piritu y Pto Piritu para verificar mi información, y si estoy equivocado tengan por seguro que se hará la rectificación respectiva. ¿Aparece esta radio listada en el WRTH 2005 y 2006? Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, condig list via DXLD) Figura en el 2005, sin siglas. 73, (Glenn, ibid.) Saludos cordiales querido amigo Glenn. Positivo querido amigo, tienes razón, yo igualmente he cometido el error de colocarle como siglas de identificación YVAN, cosa que es incorrecta; lo que sucedió fue que me confundí y le anexé la AN de Anzoátegui. De todas maneras esta misma semana estaré viajando a Piritu y Puerto Piritu, que en carro queda como a 30 minutos de mi QTH familiar para confirmar mi apreciación o rectificar la misma. Recibe un fuerte abrazo, querido amigo, y que sigan los éxitos con Mundo Radial. Atte: (José Elías, ibid.) ** VIETNAM [and non]. VOV English Programme Schedule Daily: NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS, then PRESS REVIEW exc. Wed & Sun; then: Mon VIETNAM LAND & PEOPLE Tue SOCIETY Wed LETTER BOX Thu TALK OF THE WEEK, VIETNAM ECONOMY Fri RURAL VIETNAM / CULTURE [does ``/`` mean alternating?] Sat WEEKLY REVIEW / MUSIC Sun SUNDAY SHOW English broadcasts are at 01, 0230, 0330, 1030, 11, 1230, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 2030 and 2330. Best in Europe is 18-1830 on 5955 via Austria (Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) But when does the ``program day`` start? It ought to be at 1030, so evening broadcasts to NAm on 6175 via Canada are on the proper local day, but if they mimic CRI, that will no longer be the case (gh) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. VOICE OF THE PEOPLE DIRECTOR ARRESTED; THREE OTHERS FREED http://www.cpj.org/news/2005/Zim19dec05na.html New York, December 19, 2005 --- Three staff members of the independent news production company Voice of the People (VOP) were released this morning after three days in jail, but VOP Director John Masuku was detained and could be charged with broadcasting without a license, local sources told the Committee to Protect Journalists. The broadcast charge carries a penalty of up to two years in jail. VOP staffers Maria Nyanyiwa, Nyasha Bosha, and Kundai Mugwanda were detained on Thursday when police came to VOP offices in the capital, Harare, looking for broadcasting and transmitting equipment. Although police did not find such equipment, they confiscated computers, files, and other gear, according to local sources. VOP staffers produce programs on a variety of community and political issues but do not broadcast directly within Zimbabwe. The programming is transmitted via shortwave from overseas; its broadcasts were recently scrambled within Zimbabwe, according to local sources. The three staffers appeared in a Harare magistrate's court this morning, where they were charged with contravening Section 27 of the Broadcasting Services Act, which prohibits possession or use of radio transmission equipment without a license, according to Zimbabwean Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), which represented them. But the chief prosecuting officer refused to keep them in custody, saying there was no evidence against them, ZLHR director Arnold Tsunga told CPJ. Such a position makes it unlikely the three will be brought to trial unless the police bring new evidence, another human rights lawyer told CPJ. Masuku went voluntarily to a Harare police station this morning, along with VOP Chairman David Masunda and lawyer Rangu Nyamurundira, Tsunga said. The other human rights lawyer said he expects that Masuku will appear in court later this week. Masunda was not held. "John Masuku should be released immediately and the government should stop its harassment of Voice of the People staff," CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ``Recently scrambled within Zimbabwe`` --- what in the world does that mean? We know they have been JAMMED for months (gh, DXLD) ZIMBABWE POLICE ARREST BROADCASTING BOSS Zim Online Tue 20 December 2005 HARARE - Veteran Zimbabwe radio broadcaster and Voice of the People (VOP) executive director John Masuku was on Monday arrested by the police for allegedly breaching the country's tough broadcasting laws. Masuku and VOP board chairman David Masunda, who were in hiding since last Thursday when the police raided the independent radio station's offices in Harare, handed themselves over to the law enforcement agency on Monday. VOP lawyer Rangu Nyamurundira said the police last night insisted on detaining Masuku overnight after searching the company's offices. The police also confiscated computers and Masuku's laptop during the search. Nyamurundira said: "Police have detained Masuku and released Masunda after searching the company's offices. They took with them Masuku's laptop and computers." The lawyer said it was still not clear last night under which section of the law Masuku would be charged but hinted that he could be charged under Section 27 of the Broadcasting Services Act which makes it an offence to broadcast without a licence from the state Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ). Masuku faces up to two years in jail if convicted of breaching the tough broadcasting law. "At this stage, it is not clear what charges they will bring against him but they hinted that they might consider charging him for operating a radio station without permission from the broadcasting authority," Nyamurundira said. "We will insist that they bring him to court tomorrow (Tuesday) but the problem is that police are arresting people for the purposes of conducting investigations which is wrong procedurally," he said. Masuku's arrest comes as the police earlier in the day released three journalists - Maria Nyanyiwa, Nyasha Bosha and Kundai Mugwanda - who were arrested last Thursday for flouting the country's broadcasting laws. The journalists were released without charge after the police indicated that they could not be charged for operating a radio station without a licence as they were not owners of VOP. Under Zimbabwe's broadcasting Act, it is illegal for Zimbabweans to own signal transmitting equipment or to broadcast from the country without first seeking permission from the BAZ. But VOP does not broadcast from Zimbabwe although it maintains offices and reporters in the country. The station broadcasts into Zimbabwe from a Radio Netherlands transmitter off the Indian ocean island of Madagascar. The arrest of the journalists comes barely a week after Information Minister Tichaona Jokonya threatened to crack the whip against journalists whom he accused of serving foreign interests. At least four newspapers have been shut down in the last three years for flouting the country's tough media laws. The United States based Committee to Protect Journalists ranks Zimbabwe among the three worst countries for journalists. The other two are Iran and the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan. - ZimOnline (via David Pringle-Wood, NZ, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 2130 kHz, ??, 0346 UT 18/12/05 unID language Animated talk Under severe ute QRM; it's probably too much to hope that this is 3 x 710 from Latin America Regards (Tim Bucknall, Congleton, UK, Icom R75, harmonics yg via DXLD) Well, Rebelde, Cuba, 710 is a well-known harmonic producer as high as the tenth (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 6000, 2231 Nov 15, (R Guiana?) After VOR sign-off, rel(?) talk in echoey room, thru TOH, Spanish or Portuguese, SIO 222 (Stephen Howie, Reading, Berkshire, HF Logbook, Dec BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ?? What Guiana are you thinking of? (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 7455, the RTTY, appears in the latest ITU monitoring report at http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/monitoring/files/pdffiles/308.pdf It`s still unID, but from the Baldock, UK monitoring site they think it is in the USA at a bearing of 291 degrees. The asterisk is where the station ID ought to go. No RTTY reported on 11690 here. G BALDOCK 7455.00 03 10 0951 0000 * USA FX 1K10E F1B 291 B 50 BAUD (Glenn Hauer, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Rather than enrich the folks from Hicksville so that they can continue sending me their pap and drivel, thought this $ would be much better spent with your efforts, which are anything but pap and drivel. Regards, Kap (John Kapinos, Shrewsbury MA, with a PayPal donation) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ ONLINE TV LISTINGS CAN BE ABSOLUTELY UPTODATE, BUT WHY BOTHER? We are not impressed with online TV listings. Tho acting president Bush`s speech UT Mon Dec 19 at 0200 was announced some 24 hours in advance, by less than half an hour before the show, there was no sign of it instead of originally scheduled programming, on TV Guide, zap2it and titantv. Apparently making such unexpected changes, especially on a weekend, is just too much to expect. I was really hoping that one of them would scoop the others. But then local stations` websites never bother to adjust times for stupid ballgame runovers, etc. Of the channels available here, the following were carrying Bush, with varying amounts of delay: NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, PBS, CSPAN, CNN, FNC, Univisión, MSNBC, Telemundo (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ I read in today's Wall Street Journal that Texas Utilities has signed an agreement to start BPL. They claim it won't cause interference but they're already so unresponsive to noise and interference problems I'm really pessimistic (Jerry Lenamon, Waco, Texas, Dec 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I guess TU covers Waco, but how much of the rest of TX? (gh, DXLD) Texas does BPL in a Texas-sized way --- Apparently TXU didn't read the press release from PPL that said BPL didn't make economic sense. http://makeashorterlink.com/?D1352375C (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) To 2 megahomes and businesses, but this doesn`t explain geographical area affected (gh, DXLD) I see no specific geographical area defined in the article. Texas is a tad large (Scott Royall, Conch Republic, swprograms via DXLD) True... the economic situation in TXU's service area may be different than the situation in PPL's Lehigh Valley area. My point was that any celebration of the demise of BPL was, unfortunately, premature (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING [HD/IBOC: see USA Broadcast Band Update] ++++++++++++++++++++ FOUR STRIKES AGAINST DRM [see also UK] I found a basic description online of what DRM offers. You can get up to four mono audio channels simultaneously, stereo channels (I would guess two of these,) images, and webpages. I saw a picture of a prototype receiver and a kit to upgrade your PC so you could listen. Does this seem like a good idea to anyone? Firstly, most anyone with a PC could listen to streaming audio and view the images and webpages, so that seems like a silly target audience - few people will be doing the PC upgrade. Secondly, a standalone receiver would have to be digital and have a screen which could display the images - it would therefore be expensive. It is the developing world which still relies on SW - they will not be buying these new receivers. Only people like we readers of this board care about such things in the industrialized world. And most people here, with cable TV, internet service, and satellite radio, won't give a damn about DRM just as they already don't listen to SW. Thirdly, it seems to me as though the signal would have to be very strong, very clean, and thereby very close in order to work properly - otherwise the reception would cut out like on a cell-phone away from its tower or dish TV blocked by a snowstorm. Therefore, I see DRM as having almost no range, almost no audience, requiring expensive equipment that most of the world won't buy, and delivering less than anyone with a dial-up connection could get online. Have I missed the whole point? Someone who knows, please post. (storehadji, Dec 16, DX-398 yg via DXLD) DTV PILOT CARRIER DX A suggestion for skip season --- if you have a scanner or other receiver (R-7000, TH-F6, etc.) that can tune TV channels, scan the DTV pilot carrier frequencies: ch. 2 54.31 MHz ch. 3 60.31 MHz ch. 4 66.31 MHz ch. 5 76.31 MHz ch. 6 82.31 MHz If you hear a strong dead carrier on one of these frequencies, it's time to look for DTV signals. -- (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66M http://www.w9wi.com WTFDA via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ SHACK I remember getting the Allied Radio Shack catalogue in the mail back when I was a teenager. My very first shortwave radio was one of their multi-band Allied model name that had a flip-up front panel with a rotating 24-hour time calculator on it. My father bought it for me at one of the Allied stores in Chicago when he was up there on a business trip for Zenith Radio. I have several Radio Shack shortwave radios (DX-375, DX-380, DX-395, DX-396, DX-398, DX-399, and a DX-402). I cut my teeth on MWDX using a stock Realistic TRF (12-655), then advanced to a TRF modified by Chuck Hutton. Their radios used to be, IMHO, the best "bang for the buck." It saddens me to walk into a Radio Shack store today and see all the gadgets and gizmos, the way-overpriced "Home Theatre" junk. Trying to get a right answer from one of their clerks? Ha! Almost all the time, it turns out that I know more about the particular product I'm inquiring about than they do. It's really sad ... 73 and GREAT DX! (Stephen Ponder N5WBI Houston TX USA, ODXA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Only two active sunspot regions that are easy to observe visually but let me add that both of them are rather small and have no significant magnetic development. Also the heliosysmic techniques show no relevant sunspots on the farside of the Sun. So, if no new and really big sunspot active region develops during the next two weeks, we are going to see a period of very low solar active that will come together with very low ionospheric absorption --- in other words, propagation conditions will be very good to excellent for the frequency range between 100 kiloHertz and 5 megaHertz. Our exclusive HF plus low band VHF propagation update and forecast --- Solar activity is very low to low, and will continue to decline during the next several days if no new sunspot active regions develop. Solar wind speed is now very low, at barely 320 kilometers per second and the proton content is also at a very low count of 1.5 per cubic centimeter, but this may change in a few days when the Earth enters into a high speed solar wind generated by a coronal hole now in view. Solar sunspot count is now around 45 and moving down. Expect maximum useable frequencies during the peak daylight hours not higher than 25 megaHertz on the best propagation paths. I expect excellent propagation conditions on the AM long wave and medium wave bands during the next two days. Be on the lookout for possible VHF openings within the frequency range from 28 megaHertz all the way up to the FM broadcast band (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Dec 17 via ODXA via DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Re 5-216: Glenn, your tips for rational living totally cracked me up. [Of course, I think HS is an utter boor . . .] ef Vancouver (Eric Flodén, BC) I'll subscribe just to hear Joe Adamov's and Arnie Coro's lesbian DX party. "Is that a beat frequency oscillator, or are you just happy to see me?" "Oh, check out that polar flutter." "Shall we erect a new antenna, or will my monopole suffice?" "I got your standing wave right here." (Brock Whaley, DXLD) "I'm Bushed! Impeach the SOB (son of Bush)" (Kraig, Manassas, VA, Krist, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###