DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-224, December 28, 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 AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1299: Days and times here are strictly UT. Wed 2300 WOR WBCQ 7415 [first airing of each edition] Thu 0000 WOR WBCQ 18910-CLSB Thu 0900 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Thu 2130 WOR WWCR 7465 Thu 2200 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Fri 0030 WOR R. Veronica 106.5 Fri 0100 WOR WTND-LP 106.3 Macomb IL Fri 0200 WOR ACBRadio Mainstream [repeated 2-hourly thru 2400] Fri 2000 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Fri 2100 WOR RFPI [repeated 4-hourly thru Sat 1700] Sat 0500 WOR VoiceCorps Reading Service, WOSU-FM subcarrier, cable Sat 0900 WOR WRN to Eu, Au, NZ, WorldSpace AfriStar, AsiaStar Sat 0955 WOR WNQM Nashville TN 1300 Sat 1100 WOR WPKN Bridgeport CT 89.5 & WPKM Montauk LINY 88.7 Sat 1530 WOR R. Veronica 106.5 Sat 1830 WOR WRN to North America [including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 140] Sun 0000 WOR Radio Studio X 1584 http://www.radiostudiox.it/ Sun 0330 WOR WWCR 5070 Sun 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0600 WOR World FM, Tawa, Wellington, New Zealand 88.2 Sun 0730 WOR WWCR 3215 Sun 0930 WOR WRN to North America, also WLIO-TV Lima OH SAP [including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 140] Sun 0930 WOR KSFC Spokane WA 91.9 Sun 0930 WOR WXPR Rhinelander WI 91.7 91.9 100.9 Sun 0930 WOR WDWN Auburn NY 89.1 [unconfirmed] Sun 0930 WOR KTRU Houston TX 91.7 [occasional] Sun 1400 WOR WRMI 7385 Sun 1400 WOR KRFP-LP Moscow ID 92.5 Sun 1830 WOR WRN1 to North America [including Sirius Satellite Radio channel 140] Sun 2000 WOR RNI Sun 2230 WOR WRMI 7385 [temporarily] Mon 0400 WOR WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0430 WOR WSUI Iowa City IA 910 Mon 1900 WOR RFPI [repeated 4-hourly thru Tue 1500] Wed 0030 WOR WBCQ 7415 [usually but temporary] Wed 0100 WOR CJOY INTERNET RADIO plug-in required Wed 1030 WOR WWCR 9985 WRN ON DEMAND [from Fri]: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]: [from late UT Wednesday] http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org WORLD OF RADIO 1299 (real high): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1299h.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1299h.rm WORLD OF RADIO 1299 (real low): (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1299.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1299.rm [from UT Thursday:] WORLD OF RADIO 1299 (mp3 high): (download) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1299h.mp3 WORLD OF RADIO 1299 (mp3 low): (download) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1299.mp3 (lower download) http://www.piratedxer.com/worldofradio_12-28-05.mp3 (lower stream) http://www.piratedxer.com/worldofradio_12-28-05.m3u WORLD OF RADIO 1299 summary: http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1299.html WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml ** ARGENTINA. 11710, RAE, Dec. 28,at 0035-0050 UT, with Astor Piazzolla music, followed by feature about Argentine exports. Portuguese program. 34433 (José Turner, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA. 4809.93, Voice of Armenia 12/19 2043 Talk in language, music; // Windows Media feed at mms://live.armradio.am/armradio/; moderate CODAR QRM (Ralph Brandi. NJ, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Sydney To Hobart [yacht race] frequencies. On Shortwave: 4483, 6227, 6516 USB. VHF: Marine Channel 16, possibly others? When is the yacht race? I wanna tune in, heh, and if able to QSL!? -- Cheers, (Rob Wise, Rosny 7018, Tasmania, Australia, ARDXC via DXLD) G'day Rob, thanks; they left yesterday lunch time. Cheers (John Smith, Brisbane, Dec 27, ibid.) For how long? Is there a webpage on this like the Hong Kong races? (gh, DXLD) Hoyo John, Geez I missed them, might try thru the week. And then after that there is the Melbourne to Hobart. Cheers (Rob Wise, Tasmania, ARDXC via DXLD) ** BELGIUM. FLEMISH MEDIA COMMISSION FINES RIGHT-WING MP FOR PODCASTING Right-wing Flemish MP Jurgen Verstrepen is in the news again following the decision of the Flemish Media Commission to impose a fine of €12,000 for his podcasts of the programme ZwartofWit (Black or White). The programme, which reflects the views of the political party Vlaams Belang, was earlier this year broadcast on shortwave. Transmission providers in Germany and the UK refused to carry the programme, but it was broadcast for a few months via a facility in Russia until it, too, was suddenly terminated without warning. The programme then continued as a weekly podcast. Although other political parties in Flanders regard Vlaams Belang as racist, there is concern about the reasons for imposing the fine, which officially is due to non-compliance with Flemish media regulations. It has opened a debate about free speech on the Internet in Flanders. Mr Verstrepen says he is not going to stop the podcasts. # posted by Andy @ 10:05 UT Dec 27 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. A Rádio Oito de Setembro, de Descalvado (SP), planeja colocar no ar, em janeiro, um transmissor de 1 kW. O equipamento já está no parque de transmissão da emissora, mas espera um laudo técnico final para funcionar. Já está em atividade um novo processador de áudio Orban Optimod-AM 9200. As informações são do funcionário da emissora Diórgenes Lopes. De acordo com ele, com o novo processador e com o aumento da potência, a emissora espera novos informes dos ouvintes sobre suas emissões em 2490 kHz, na faixa de 120 metros. (publicado em http://www.romais.jor.br via Célio Romais, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Rádio Timbira (MA) nas ondas curtas --- Prezado Célio Romais e demais dexistas, Conversei hoje, por telefone, com o Sr. Raimundo Filho da Rádio Timbira de São Luiz (MA). O mesmo informou-me que a Rádio Timbira realmente voltará a transmitir em ondas curtas, confirmando a informação veiculada na sua home page em setembro passado. Acrescentou que as freqüências estão apenas inativas e que o processo esta seguindo seus trâmites na Assembléia Legislativa daquele estado, sofrendo um pequeno atraso no seu andamento em virtude do recesso parlamentar. Informou ainda que tão logo o processo seja concluído, a emissora voltará a ativa nas ondas curtas. Uma excelente notícia. Boas escutas e um forte 73, (Westerley Petrônio, Recife (PE), Dec 28, radioescutas via DXLD) Love those Anglo-Saxon Brazilian names! So R. Timbira will return to SW, but it`s being held up on the state government level! So in Brazil the states have a say in broadcasting regulation. Frequencies were 4975 and 15215 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CAMEROON [non]. 12130, Radio Free Southern Cameroon via Krasnodar, 1812-1822, December 25, English, many identifications by male in English: "Radio Free Southern Cameroon...". Short local instrumental music and talk by male, 35543 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Noticias DX via DXLD) Sundays only ** CANADA. Format Change in Winnipeg --- CHNR 100.7 in Winnipeg is now CFKE-FM [sic; see below] "Cafe 100.7" testing with new alternative format which it claims to be a first for Canada. Noted here at 1353 CST mentioning declining radio listenership in Winnipeg and throughout Canada and promising a playlist of about 2,100 artists many unknown at present, including, adult contemporary, pop, rock folk, jazz and roots with announcers who are real people without big egos. As well as Cafe slogan, gave full CFKE calls at 1417 mentioning located in a former restaurant on Portage Avenue, owned and operated by Newcap Corp, which I think is based in Newfoundland (Morris Sorensen, Winnipeg MB, Dec 26, WTFDA via DXLD) A new radio station in Winnipeg starting at Noon today Dec 26. The old CJNR is now: CFKE-FM. Slogan is Cafe 100 point 7. Playing a variety of music light rock selections from last 2-3 decades so far. THEY ARE CLAIMING TO BE A TOTALLY NEW STATION. They are saying the format is a first for Canada. They are going to be according to the announcements a real radio station with real on air personalities. The format will be unlike anything else in Winnipeg. No big ego on air personalities but real people just like the listeners. They will be playing "Adult Album Alternative" and "Contemporary Alternative" pop rock folk jazz and roots music. Regular programming will begin in a couple of days. Time will tell. 73 and Best of DX (Shawn Axelrod, VE4DX1SMA, REMEMBER ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN HEAR FOREVER, amfmtvdx via DXLD Shawn or others -- Winnipeg 100.7 has the calls CFKE, but that conflicts with Kitchener 102.5. Can anybody confirm what Kitchener's calls might be, or is the Winnipeg ID not that clear? Could Winnipeg have slightly different calls? Perhaps a phone call to either the Winnipeg or Kitchener station would resolve this (Bruce Elving The calls for Winnipeg are actually CKFE-FM (Shawn, ibid.) And Morris also corrected them to CKFE (gh) ** CANADA. Re Star Ray TV: There is a lengthy thread about this character at: http://members2.boardhost.com/scrapbook/ scroll down about 1/4 of the way to SRTV response --- opinions are obviously mixed. Mr Pachul participates in the thread frequently. He seems overly paranoid, and telling the CRTC to have intercourse with itself, while no doubt liberating will hardly make friends there if he chooses to re-apply as often happens (Fred Waterer, ON, ODXA via DXLD) ** CHINA. 5050, Guangxi PBS, Nanning; 2304-2317 27 December. Tentatively the network (listed as *2300 in PWBR-05, not listed in WRTH-06, but Voice of the Strait also listed in PWBR-05 but at *2230). Nothing here a few minutes prior to 2300, but no parallels for either service located to make any confirmation. Blasting in with nonstop Chinese woman babble, trashing WWRB (way underneath). (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. I often listen to RHC at random for a few minutes in Spanish as I tune around, and it has dawned on me that we don`t hear the revolutionary slogans much any more, if at all: ``Cuba, Primer Territorio Libre en América --- Patria O Muerte, ¡Veneceremos!``. Could this be because my parody of it has entered the minds of Cubans, and whenever they would hear the original slogans, this comes to mind uninvited: ``Cuba, Último Territorio Esclavo en América --- Patria o Suerte, ¡Pensaremos!`` or ``...¡Huiremos!`` as I more recently modified it. Have these parody slogans ever been emblazoned on a Cuban public wall? (If so, they would have been quickly painted over and the culprits severely punished if caught --- would this be a capital offense?) OTOH, we know there is a dire shortage of paint in Cuba, either for sloganeering or covering it up. OTOOH, maybe the original slogans are still going out, and I have just missed them. Hard to prove such a negative. If anyone does still hear the original slogans, please report exact time, date and frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Another Martí mixup: see USA ** CUBA. 5965 RHC, noted Dec. 28, at 0150-0200 UT in Spanish, but smashed by AWR, in Urdu from Moosbrunn on same QRG (José Turner, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And apparently no sign of República either on this date; see below (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. Here is a recording of Radio República on 6135, as heard (and reported in detail) on Christmas Day at 2358, immediately before they switched to 5965: http://www.radioeins.de/meta/sendungen/apparat/051217_A2.ram All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6135, 20/12 2225, R. República, Clandestina, anticastro, TX in Florida, QTH: P. O. Box 110235 - Hialeah, Florida, 33011 - U.S.A. in spagnuolo, propaganda anticastrista, ottimo (Roberto Pavanello, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) Transmitter in Florida? Does Roberto know something we don`t? I think not. Studio certainly in Florida tho (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No R. República heard at 0200 --- I was tuned to hear the 0200 UT switch between 5965 and 7110 for Radio República (RR) tonight (12/27/05). I noticed that RR wasn't audible on 5965 at 0155, but it was getting buried by Radio Habana Cuba (RHC) earlier in the evening. RHC's "test" on 5965 was in the clear with no bubble jammer. The bubble jammer came up on 7110 at 0158, but RR wasn't heard as late as 0253. The jammer continued however. No luck up to 15 kHz either way of 7110 for a signal from RR. Under the idea that RR might have changed frequencies and likes the vicinity of RHC frequencies, I checked 10 - 15 kHz each side of the RHC frequencies listed in EiBi for 0200, with no luck. I was able to identify all the stations in that range. To follow the European broadcast site thoughts, I checked and Russia on 7125. It was SINPO 14332 from (listed) Moldova with Russian International Radio. Russia on 7150 from (listed) Simferopol was SINPO 14332 with Golos Rossii. Both were weak, but clearly present. If RR is broadcast from Europe, it was possible the signal just wasn't making it here, but I doubt it. Doesn't look like RR showed at 0200 (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, UT Dec 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) As for RR's other frequencies, I haven't a clue where they come from. They told me about them, but said someone is "helping them out" with the condition that they can't say anything about where they are broadcasting from, etc. And that's honestly all I know about it. Yes, they do repeat a lot of programming. They have 10 hours a day with us, but actual new program production each day is somewhat less than this. I'm sure the thinking is that different people listen at different times of the day, and few people can listen for all 10 hours (plus the hours on other frequencies). All the best, and happy holidays (Jeff White, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK [and non]. THREAT OF MUSLIM STATES' BOYCOTT OVER CARTOONS IN NEWSPAPER An Islamic cultural organization has warned that 51 Muslim states will boycott Denmark unless an official apology is offered for the publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad printed in national newspaper Jyllands-Posten, the Copenhagen Post website reported on 28 December. The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) stated on its webpage that it sought condemnation of the publication of these images. The organization's secretary general, reportedly told Arabic TV station Al-Arabiya that member states would impose a boycott until an apology was offered for the drawings, the website reported. Source: Copenhagen Post website in English 28 Dec 2005 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** DIEGO GARCIA. AFN listed Diego García booming in here 12/23 from 2218 tune in until 0003 tune out. Signal was 20 db over S-9 most of the time, and much, much stronger than AFN Iceland or Key West from this location. Seems stronger than listed 3 kW. Are we sure they are from Diego? I've had no luck QSLing AFN from their email address listed in other publications. Has anyone had any luck from other addresses of late? I've had similar problems with VOA -- no responses to the last two reports I sent! (Russell Lay, Nags Head, NC, 12/26, HCDX via DXLD) WTFK? Guess 4319 at this hour. Note Ron Howard`s recent report from CA of this matching grayline timing for DG (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Hoyo Russell, I gave up with AFN and VOA; they never do answer emails. The Diego Garcia base is not surprising to be strong as it`s quite a big base for the military; the website says no other transmitter sites so we seem to think the Diego base is back up and running. Very surprised to pick up AFN here via the D/G frequencies in the daytime too, but when looking at the location it`s not surprising. Do they only use 3 KW? Cheers, (Rob Wise, HRI, Tasmania, HCDX via DXLD) Same here - I've received no replies from AFN or VOA in the past two or three years. Several reports sent during this period both via e- mail and postal mail (Dave Kenny, UK, HCDX via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. ETHIOPIAN OROMOS IN NAIROBI DENOUNCE VOICE OF AMERICA, DEUTSCHE WELLE STATIONS | Text of report in English by Ethiopian news agency ENA website Addis Ababa, 12/28 December: Oromo nationals residing in the Kenyan capital Nairobi called up on the Amharic services of the Voice of America and Deutsche Welle radios to stop disseminating baseless reports on Ethiopia. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Ethiopian News Agency on Wednesday [28 December] that the Ethiopians called upon the Amharic services of the two radio stations to stop broadcasting confusing reports on Ethiopia at a meeting they recently held at the Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi. Participants of the meeting, who had been members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), also denounced the conservative leaders of the [opposition] Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) who, they said have incited violence in some parts of the country. The participants said they renounced the OLF when they realized that the organization declared war against Ethiopians backed by Shaebia (the Eritrean government). Appreciating those members of opposition political parties who took their seat in parliament by accepting the result of the May 2005 election, the Ethiopians indicated their desire to return back to their country and participate in the democratization process. The ministry indicated that the Ethiopians were briefed about the May 2005 national election and violence that erupted in its aftermath. Source: ENA website, Addis Ababa, in English 28 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** EUROPE. Alfa Lima International: the upcoming days a lot more active on 15073 kc in AM --- send us a email at info @ alfalima.net Go to our webpage for more information on http://www.alfalima.net During transmission we are often with a bunch of listeners in the sw pirates chatroom at http://www.alfalima.net/chatroom If you like to receive our QSL card, send a reception report with some kind of reply fee (any currency allowed) to Alfa Lima International pobox 663 7900 AR Hoogeveen the Netherlands Greetings from (Alfred Zoer, ALI, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. Piraat met HiFi-aspiraties --- Op 1655.710 kHz zit (zat inmiddels) een piraat met een signaal van minstens 20 kHz breed (verder kan ik niet zien opmijn display). Hij is zelf denkelijk ook geschrokken van zijn signaal, want hij is na een minuut of 10 om 1635 UT weer vertrokken. Hij draaide een beetje instrumentale muziek (het laatste -tweede- dat hij draaide klonk een beetje Hawaiiaans) en had hier een signaal van SINPO 55555 (S9 + 30 dB)! (Frank van Gerwen, Castricum / Netherlands, weblog : http://dwarslezing.blogspot.com homepage: http://www.xs4all.nl/~cisquet Dec 27, BDXC via DXLD) ** FRANCE. Saludos cordiales, espero estén bien; la emisora Radio Francia Internacional estrena nueva imagen en su página web: http://www.rfi.fr Felíz Año Nuevo. Happy New Year (José Miguel Romero, Espagne, Dec 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks, but most of the frequencies given on RFI websites are outdated of B-04(Lao), or A-05 season (English, Romanian, Farsi etc. etc. etc.). 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** GUATEMALA. Altho I have not written to R. Verdad in recent memory, and never even sent them a reception report altho I was among the first, if not the very first to discover and DX them when they came on the air, I got a mailing from them today containing three different 2006 calendars, and a faux-cheque from `Banco Vida Eterna` signed by Jesucristo. One calendar, a slick 4-page folder with color photos of fruit, a tiger, a beach scene and tulips, contains threatening messages in Spanish, such as Romans 6:23. The second calendar is on thick card stock, printed on one side, apparently produced in cooperation with one of their programs, ``Volviendo a Jesús`` with a photo of the front of the Radio Verdad Temple, and schedules. R. Verdad itself, on 4052.5 runs daily 5 am to 12:05 pm [sic], meaning 1100-0605 UT, while VaJ airs at 5:10, 7 am; 1, 18 and 22:15 pm, as they put it, but also on an FM station in Chiquimula, and on HRVC Honduras. The third calendar is on the inside of a smaller folder, actually a tract in Spanish from something in Federal Way WA, with no mention of R. Verdad. The outside of the envelope, sealed only with a small piece of tape, and thus qualifying as printed matter only, is more interesting with a station logo, next to one of VaJ, and Romans 12:21 in English. The return address is in the top right, which means it interferes with the postal meter imprint, PB0007, itself an anomaly, since it apparently has no indication of Guatemala or whatever country it comes from, just ``Operador Oficial / El Correo / Destino Internacional``, and 6.00 [Quetzales?] of postage. The Q used to be = $1 US (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. Leap second to be added --- WWVH had the same announcement this morning at 1147 UT but the woman added "Aloha" at the end (Mark Coady, ODXA via DXLD) Yes, the Alohas on WWVH are a nice touch; but how do you say Aloha in Coloradan? As on WWV at :16 (gh, DXLD) ** INDIA. Dear DXers, Today I received the All India Radio New QSL for the 29/11/2005 report. (9425 kHz 0130 UT Broadcast by Bangalore site). Fatehpur Sikri QSL contains the details of report with the signature of Y. K. Sharma. Last week I received the Home Service and the External Service program Guides and the 200 pages Booklet In the name of "Prasar Barathi - All India Radio 2004``, which is published by Audience Research Unit. Yours Sincerely, Jaisakthivel. T, President of Ardic Dx Club, Editor, Dxers Guide, 27-12-2005, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, http://www.dxersguide.blogspot.com dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Could you provide us with the program schedule of the General Overseas Service in English? I mean the times and titles of each individual program. There does not seem to be any other way to get this, even if it is from 2004. Thanks, (Glenn to Vel via DXLD) Dear Glenn Hauser, Thank you for the swift reply. Here in the Guide they only give the frequency details and the Target area details. I will send it in the next mail to you. 73's, (Jaisakthivel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Jaisakthivel, Thank you, but if there is no info on program titles, there is no need to send it. If you ever see any such info either in print or on the web, we would like to have it. 73, (Glenn to J., via DXLD) Dear Glenn Hauser, In the end of that guide they give like this: ``In each language service, a composite program is presented consisting of a news bulletin, commentary, press review, talks on matters of general and cultural interest, occasional feature programs and documentaries. Indian classical and light classical music (vocal and instrumental music) as well as music of the area concerned.`` 73 (Jaisakthivel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 4960, AIR Ranchi, Dec. 27. 1358-1535 fade-out. This morning got a positive logging of Ranchi on 4960. Initially heard with a strong signal, but audio was somewhat muffled at tune-in. At first I thought it might be CRN [PNG], but the format did not match. Indian style of music played with comments by announcer in Hindi, from 1358 to 1411. A drumroll was heard, followed with a commentary feature by male announcer, who seemed to mention the recent recovery in Southern India (Tsunami); 1428 a short musical brief played, with pause at 1530, with a possible ID by YL. A single chime or bell note was heard after the announcements by the female announcer. The rest of the program from 1430 to 1501 was a variety program of some of the nicest Indian sitar music played, ranging from ballads to modern vocals, all presented by female singers. 1503 there was a single bell tone, a short advertisement, then back to more Indian music. From 1508 to 1514 this variety program was featured, then at 1514 went into some sort of drama program; featured live sounds from a market or seashore, with sounds of haggling by locals. 1529:30 program was cut in-mid sentence, pause, 3+1 time notes, (which was cut in mid- note), then what sounded like the relay of AIR news, but it was cut, then partial clips, (there must have been a problem with the audio feed or something) as the news was totally inaudible. By 1535 the signal was just audible at best. By far, the best reception of this station so far. Signal peaked at around 1440 + (as local sunrise was just beginning --- first light) to about 1520 at which, it (the signal) started to deteriorate back into the noise. Thanks to Hans Johnson for pointing out what the bell/chime notes mean (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 4990, AIR, Chennai; 0002-0020 28 December. Already rolling the 1 kHz nonstop test tone at tune-in, interval signal from 0013, slow, mumbly unstable-sounding man from 0015, into the required Hindi chants moments later, unstable man back at 0016. Them Ruskies taught 'em how to use those tune-up tones well, and they haven't forgotten. Clear, fair. {correxion in 5-225: this is Itanagar, not Chennai} 7275, FM Gold, Chennai; 0036-0105 28 December. Tentatively the service (listed here this time), though definitely an AIR signal. Tune-in to AIR New Delhi English news feed with female reader till 0040 (feed is 0035-0040), then abruptly into Hindi vocals. Clear and very good, but nothing resembling an "FM Gold" ID noted through tune-out, though. Best USB to avoid amateur swine. Something East Euro (RFE-RL?) up at 0100, QRMing, though traces of very chipper-sounding Hindi female underneath, back to Hindi vocals 0102 (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. 2005 CLANDESTINE ACTIVITY SURVEY Mathias Kropf reports: In 2005 the activity of political clandestine stations broadcasting on shortwave has decreased by almost 3 % to 1195 WBHs (Weekly Broadcasting Hours). This is the lowest level of activity since 1999. The activity of clandestine stations with target areas on the Asian continent has decreased by almost 9 % to 841 WBHs. Activity on the African continent, however, has increased by 51 % to now 192 WBHs. Very little has changed on the American continent where activity is now at 162 WBHs. The three most active target areas worldwide are Iraq with 225 WBHs (- 107 when compared with one year ago), Afghanistan with 190 WBHs (+25) and North Korea with 168 WBHs (unchanged). The number of different target areas active worldwide has increased by one to 25. It should be noted that all four new (or reactivated) target areas are on the African continent (Senegal, Somalia, Gambia and Cameroon). On the other hand, Lebanon, Colombia and Papua New Guinea are no longer thought to be active. # posted by Andy @ 17:53 UT Dec 27 (Media Network blog via DXLD) What if something new comes up before Sunday? Anyway, does this include Radio República? (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. SUCCESSFUL GALILEO LAUNCH --- The first Galileo satellite built by SSTL has been successfully launched. BBC News 24 is running a report on it every hour which includes an interview with the Radio Amateur who founded SSTL, Professor Sir Martin Sweeting G3YJO. Martin is also Chairman of AMSAT-UK. AMSAT-UK produce a quarterly newsletter "Oscar News" which is full of Amateur Satellite information. For membership details contact the secretary Jim Heck G3WGM Tel: +44 (0)1258 453959 E-mail: g3wgm@amsat.org Website: http://www.uk.amsat.org/ For a BBC news report see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4555298.stm A video of the launch can be seen on the BBC website http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_4560000/newsid_4563400/nb_wm_4563446.stm One of the transponders of the Galileo network will use 1260-1300 MHz. Peter Blair G3LTF's paper about the potential impact on Amateur operations can be seen at: http://www.southgatearc.org/articles/galileo.htm 73 (Trevor M5AKA, Dec 28, monitoring monthly yg via DXLD) ** IRAN. Winter schedule [B05] for Voice of Islamic Republic of Iran (VOIROI/IRIB): ALBANIAN 0630-0727 15235 15340 1830-1927 6100 7165 2030-2127 6100 9740 ARABIC 0230-0527 6065 13790 13800 0330-0427 7250 9505 "V. of Islamic Palestinian Revolution" 0530-1427 13790 13800 15545 1430-1627 15545 1630-1927 6065 1930-2027 6065 "Voice of Islamic Palestinian Revolution" 2030-0227 6065 ARMENIAN 0300-0327 7295 0930-0957 9695 15260 1630-1727 6185 7230 AZERI 0330-0527 9865 1430-1657 6200 BENGALI 0030-0127 5905 6185 0830-0927 11705 1430-1527 7295 9565 9930 BOSNIAN 0530-0627 15235 15340 1730-1827 7295 9705 2130-2227 7235 9710 CHINESE 1200-1257 9895 11670 13645 15150 2330-0027 7130 7325 9635 DARI 0330-0627 9875 13740 0830-1427 9940 13720 1430-1457 9940 ENGLISH 0130-0227 6120 9665 "Voice of Justice" 1030-1127 15460 15480 1530-1627 7330 9940 1930-2027 6010 7320 9855 11695 GERMAN 0730-0827 15085 17590 1730-1827 6215 7185 FRENCH 0630-0727 15425 17590 1830-1927 6180 9565 9755 HAUSA 0600-0657 17810 21810 1830-1927 7335 9775 HEBREW 0430-0457 9820 11925 1900-1927 3985 5970 HINDI 0230-0257 13725 15165 1430-1527 9875 13745 ITALIAN 0630-0727 13620 15085 1930-1957 6215 7380 JAPANESE 1300-1327 9510 9640 2100-2127 6145 7185 KAZAKH 0130-0227 7135 7265 1300-1357 9660 11745 KURDISH 0330-0427 3945 6145 Sorrani dialect 1330-1427 5990 Kirmanji dialect 1430-1527 5990 Sorrani dialect 1530-1627 5990 Kirmanji dialect MALAY 1230-1327 15200 15275 2230-2327 5945 7275 PASHTO 0230-0327 6095 6140 0730-0827 11990 15440 1230-1327 6175 7170 11870 1430-1527 3945 1630-1727 6005 6015 RUSSIAN 0300-0327 6040 7125 0500-0527 12025 15530 17680 17780 1430-1527 7165 9575 9735 1700-1757 3985 7170 1800-1857 6035 7305 1930-2027 3985 7205 SPANISH 0030-0227 6015 9680 9905 0230-0327 9905 0530-0627 13720 15320 2030-2127 7130 7350 SWAHILI 0330-0427 13640 15260 0830-0927 15240 17660 1730-1827 9595 11750 TAJIK 0100-0227 5955 6175 1600-1727 5945 5955 TURKISH 0430-0557 13750 15260 1600-1727 7125 7310 URDU 0130-0227 3945 6010 6190 1330-1427 6175 9835 12005 1530-1727 3945 1730-1757 6130 7225 UZBEK 0230-0257 6040 6175 1500-1557 5945 5955 (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 27 via DXLD) ** JAPAN. A recording from six years ago, just crammed out of the collection: http://www.radioeins.de/meta/sendungen/apparat/051217_A3.ram This is NHK on Dec 31 1999 at 1459. And at 1500 sharp they cut off the transmitter, leaving co-channel ROI in the clear. I see that they once again scheduled such stupid nonsense this year. (Sorry, frequency for this particular recording not at hand now.) All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I.e. cutting off transmitter just BEFORE the New Year actually arrives! (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. OPEN NORTH KOREA BROADCASTING TO AIR MESSAGES FREE FOR A WEEK The independent radio station Open North Korea Broadcasting says it is giving people a chance to send a message to Kim Jong-il. Starting on New Year's Day and continuing for a week, it will broadcast free messages from South Koreans to North Koreans in general or to specific people there. Currently the station charges for airing individual commentary: 50,000 won ($49) for the five-minute broadcasts. "As long as the messages are not in violation of South Korean laws, we will air them," said Ha Tae-gyeong, the secretary-general of the broadcasting operation. The station beams an hour of shortwave transmissions northward for an hour a day beginning at midnight. (Source: JoongAng Daily) # posted by Andy @ 16:29 Dec 28 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN. 4010, Kyrgyz Radio-1, Bishkek; 2255-2304 27 December. Confirmed the one here. Tune-in to 1 kHz test tones, about five seconds long and briefly separated by silence, into time sounders 2300, then presumed Kyrgyz man, filler music. Very weak but in the clear. WRTH-06 lists *0000, PWBR-05 lists *2300. Passport wins this round (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. Relays this weekend on 9290 kHz: Sat December 31st 2005 Radio Six 0700-0800 UT [SCOTLAND non] Sun January 1st 2006 Radio Six 1200-1300 UT [SCOTLAND non] Good Listening and Happy 2006! (Tom Taylor, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA. 5470, Radio Veritas, 2243-2301* Dec 19, continuous romantic vocals in English to 2255 when a man announcer spoke in English mentioning benediction was next. Soft instrumental music followed as another man gave station ID and Lords Prayer. Carrier was cut as soon as he was done. Fair. (Rich D'Angelo, FCDX, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. Re 5-223, UNIDENTIFIED, Pipeline Radio --- WTFK? Are we talking about 1386 again from somewhere? (gh, DXLD) This was Tom McKenzie's first post on Anorak Nation about Pipeline Radio's Christmas broadcast on 1386 from the 50kw transmitter when it became clear that Radio 390's broadcast was not going to happen, he soon after clarified the time as Christmas Eve from 2200, fair signal here on clear channel (Mike Barraclough, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, RE: your WTFK? Searching for the alleged Radio 390, I found Pipeline Radio on 24 Dec from 2236-2307 on 1386 kHz. I listened from a UK receiver via the DX Tuners website. It was pop music with English DJ, 43343. I already received an EQSL from the broadcast director which calls the station a UK operation and a division of Scandinavian Media Services (Heather Hall, New Mexico USA, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 150 TV CHANNELS AVAILABLE NEXT YEAR --- KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian television viewers will have access to over 150 channels by next year as the country's rapidly growing broadcast industry continues to develop. . . http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2005/12/27/nation/12964376&sec=nation (via Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DXLD) How many of these are of domestic origin? (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. Re 5-223: Correct URL for R. Mil and to reach its new webcast, which I have just tested and confirmed, is of course: http://www.radiomil.com.mx Embedded real player at 32 kbps but from it you can pick others --- or is that just a survey, since you are asked to Votar for the one you prefieres (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. 7260, presumed Khekh Tenger, 2249 Dec 23 with very exotic vocal by male performing weird, acrobatic trills and falsetto warbling. Woman in Turkic-sounding talk at 2254 (Mongolian and the Turkic languages are both in the Altaic family), brief orchestral music, more talk. Silence at 2259 followed by six high pips, orchestral fanfare, into what seemed news by woman. Same sequence when rechecked just before 0100 (Dec 24 UT). Weak and choppy, intermittent ham QRM; nothing audible on listed //s of 4895 and 4830. Both days, a weak subaudible het began on 7290 just before 2300 and continued into the next hour, indicating that a second station was now operating on the frequency. No audio discernible, though (Bob Hill, MA, DX-plorer via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. Pirate Kiwi radio NOW ON from "NZ somewhere" 0330 UT, 7475 kHz usb (Jem Cullen, Australia, 0337 UT Dec 27, ARDXC via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. 7275, FRCN-Abuja, mixing with, and a little under, Tunis at 0620 Dec 23; Tunis went off at 0630 leaving English news, ending with main points at 0632, a little African music, then into call-in show, mentioned Abuja, also National Service of R. Nigeria, all in English. Fadey and not very strong. Bucharest IS started on the frequency at 0657 at about same level (Jerry Berg, Lexington MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. 3479v (PIRATE) USA, The Crystal Ship Shortwave. 27 Dec 05, 0157-0248. Unusual frequency for a pirate. Several IDs as "You're tuned the Crystal Ship Shortwave --- the official voice of the Blue States Republic." Music from the 1950s, 60s, and early 70s. Signal started poorly and then improved around 0200. It faded to unreadable around 0240. Tnx to Bob Montgomery for tip (Joe Wood, TN, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) see also PUBLICATIONS 13887.9 (PIRATE) ~ V. of the Islands, 1541-1602 Dec 24, tough copy with ute and other noise, Xmas songs "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," "Jingle Bells Rock" ID by man at 1547 with "Ho! Ho! Ho!" Peaked at 1602 with Bing's "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" but dropped fast. Thanks to George Maroti tip. A U.S. pirate, I guess? (John Herkimer, NY, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. RE: [AMFMTVDX] WWLS IBAC & Daytime [non]: Just a note to say thank you for this post! Every once in a while a post really resonates. I read and lurk quite a bit. I have about 40 years of BC experience, mostly as engineer but a few years on the air as well. 73 es tnx agn (Tom Gruis, EdD, K?HTF, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) I suppose the ? replaces a zero (gh) ** OKLAHOMA. Checking FCC listings for Enid, I see that there are two applications for 106.9, one of which is for a 250-watt translator from Florida Public Radio. Hallelujah! Enid may finally get a local public radio signal. O yeah? Har, har, Hallelujah is right as this ``FPR`` is just another gospel huxter front, originating WPIO in Titusville: http://noncomradio.net/ which has a list of O&O stations including two in nearby Medicine Lodge KS, 101.7 and 91.5 (which cuts into KOSU`s coverage area on 91.7). You can see all the gospel huxter programs they carry, nothing in the real sense of Public Radio. There ought to be a law about misuse of this term. Maybe the other applicant, Community Broadcasting, of Overland Park KS will get the CP instead. But I can`t find any station in OP owned by CB; the only one in Kansas at http://radio.findanisp.com/radio-station-list-by-state.php?state=KS is KCVW 94.3 way out in Kingman, which IS religious. O God, why have you forsaken Enid, giving us nothing but gospel huxters on the dial? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Some frequency changes of Radio Pakistan: 1415-1445 Russian NF 9300, ex 9335, avoid VofKorea in French \\ 7550.4 1630-1700 Turkish NF 7600, ex 7465, avoid BBC WS in DRM mode \\ 6215.4 1700-1900 Urdu NF 9365, ex 9360, avoid ChMxJammer on 9355 \\ 7530.0 1815-1900 Arabic NF 7600, ex 7465, avoid BBC WS in DRM mode \\ 6235.4 (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 27 via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. Re 5-223: PAKISTAN AUTHORITIES SEIZE RADIO EQUIPMENT FROM 12 STATIONS IN NORTHWEST | Text of report by Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency Islamabad, 28 December: Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), in its drive against illegal broadcast of FM radio stations in various parts of NWFP [Northwest Frontier Province], has seized the equipment of 12 illegal FM radio stations in the district of Swabi. According to PEMRA, the authority has already confiscated the equipment of 14 FM radio stations illegally operating at Buner, Upper Dir, Shangla and Swat. The RGM NWFP has said that the operation against illegal FM broadcast would continue to curb this unlawful practice, adding the operation in other parts of the region is still under way. PEMRA has taken this step to ensure the legitimate broadcast of FM radio stations only, since PEMRA ordinance enunciates the acquisition of legitimate license from authority prior setting to any sort of broadcast station in the country. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan news agency, Islamabad, in English 1239 gmt 28 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA: KIT THEFT FORCES HIGHLANDS PROVINCIAL RADIO OFF AIR | Text of report by Papua New Guinea newspaper The National website on 28 December The theft of the studio power supply kit at the beginning of this month has cut Radio Chimbu completely off the airwaves. The station, one of the 19 provincial radio stations around the country broadcasting under the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), went off the air on 9 December. The vital broadcasting power supply kit stolen was valued at between 15,000 to 20,000 kina [approx 5,000-6,500 US dollars], according to Radio Chimbu manager Jack Wera. He said thieves entered through the main door of the studio and removed the power supply kit, a microphone and a headphone. Mr Wera said the power supply was important to enhance broadcasting waves to high frequency (HF) shortwave and frequency modulation (FM) waves. "We cannot broadcast without the availability of the power supply, the microphones and headphones," he said. He added they were waiting for replacements from NBC technical engineering before normal broadcast could resume. The power supply kit was donated by AusAID [Australian Agency for International Development] about four years ago. Mr Wera called on the people to help police apprehend the suspects who stole the vital broadcasting equipment. He said breaking and entering at the radio station was frequent and was nothing new to them. The radio station went off air on the eve of its mother station in Port Moresby tapping into the digital age. Several provincial stations responsible for disseminating information to the masses in the rural areas were ill-equipped, understaffed and inadequately funded, resulting in most of them closing down transmissions. Source: The National website, Port Moresby, in English 28 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTFK? That`s the one on 3355, a.k.a. Simbu (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. 6047.05, Radio Santa Rosa, 1118-1130 Dec 24. Barely audible at this point, noted a man in Spanish comments which continued the entire period. Splatter from station on 6050, which was HCJB, covered Santa Rosa pretty good (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, Dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6047.15, R. Santa Rosa (presumed), Dec 28, 1132-1139 non-stop religious service (Catholic?), in Spanish, weak. Also noted here Dec 25 (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, RX340 + T2FD antenna, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Re 5-223: ``Russian Worldservice`` could simply be a misunderstanding or incorrect translation of the original information. I understand that N. Rudnev has more than one source for his listings. Anyway they are obviously reliable, being real-world information, reflecting the actual transmitter usage (in particular concerning the actual sites) rather than bureaucratic procedures. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Here`s the story about Carl Watts, illustrated: http://www.vor.ru/English/People/programm.phtml?act=12 Never mentions his other, original? Surname, Yegorov (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non]. 5850, Special Radio (via Tashkent): RCI via Sweden heard here in French, small but decent signal at early 1830 Dec 22. Het on frequency audible from 1857, then RCI off and Special Radio IS, intro in Russia, into program of long Russian rock selections, a couple of announcements and IS repeats during the hour, but mostly music. Seemed to have some audio dropouts at first, but then stabilized. Signal highly variable until it steadied at 1935, improved more around 1945, and not bad by 1952 when played last song (an instrumental). Then closing announcement in Russian, IS once, and a surprise announcement in EG by woman: "You are listening to Special Radio, Moscow, Russia. You can listen . . . 6.240 MHz. every Thursday at 6 p.m. UTC. . . . problem of Special Radio . . . actual music from Russia . . . problem . . . Russia . . . a musical problem has developed . . . musical gifts which are shared by Special Radio . . . names recommended records Special Radio Media Project. You can find lists of this series from site of Special Radio. Special Radio Internet . . . http://www.specialradio.ru, E-mail admin @ specialradio.ru Listen to actual music from Russia, and this is not a joke." Then IS three times, half-minute of silence and off at 2000*. There is a lot of stuff on their website, which has an English version. Also try http://rr.specialradio.ru/news/index.php?top=15 and translate to English via http://www.online-translator.com/text.asp?lang=en That page gives transmitter site as Tashkent, 100 kW. Looks like a private broadcaster, not a government service, and reminds me of the private broadcasters c. 1991, e.g. Ala, Centre, Galaxy. Thursdays only; have tried a couple of times before but this is the first time I have had a useable signal (Jerry Berg, MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Following item got lost under YEMEN in 5-223: Saudi Arabia noted on odd 9714.95 [?x9675 0300-0900] at 0900 UT this morning, \\ 0600-0900 15170[NE, EUR] and 15380[NoAF] kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Dec 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA [non]. 17660, Radio Waaberi, 1330-1350, December 23, Somali, music, sign-on, very clear identification by male as: "Radio Waaberi... kHz...", Cor`an, announcement by female, music. ¿Bulletin news? by male & female. At 1340 long talk by male in vernacular, 35443 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Noticias DX via DXLD) Fridays only ** TAIWAN [non]. RTI Monitors in 2006 --- The English service is pleased to announce that it has chosen 9 monitors for the year of 2006. They are: Richard Chen (Trinidad & Tobago), Swopan Chakroborty (India), Don Rhodes (Australia), Gianluigi Naj (Italy), Douglas North (CA, USA), Anne Fanelli (NY, USA), Lee Silvi (Ohio, USA), Hector Frias (Chile), and Venancio J. Victoria (the Philippines). Monitors are required to send us at least three reception reports per month. As a small token of appreciation, each one of them will get two bottles of locally-grown black tea. Congratulation of all DXers and listeners (via Abid Hussain Sajid, Mailsi (Pakistan), dxldyg via DXLD) ** THAILAND. PRIME MINISTER LAUNCHES FIRST TV CHANNEL FOR TOURISTS | Text of report in English by Thai newspaper The Nation website on 28 December Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will launch the country's first tourist television channel today, aimed at promoting local destinations and encouraging foreign visitors to return to the Kingdom. The channel - the government's latest strategy to lure more tourists back - will show domestic attractions to foreign visitors while they are here. Programmes are set to commence on 9 January on government-run Channel 11 and UBC's [United Broadcasting Corporation's] sub-channel nine. Both stations have a one-year contract to run the programming for 10 hours each day. The channel will feature all kinds of tourism information, including daily news, travel documentaries, highlights of tourism activities, new services and people in the industry and other relevant topics. The government passed the project on to the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in the middle of the year. The TAT will spend 100m baht [24,464 US dollars] on the project. The authority had initially planned to work with MCOT [Mass Communication of Thailand] Plc, but the Budget Bureau did not approve the plan due to a lack of returns. The TAT instead opted to work with RTN Television Plc [television media business operator] to produce programming. Thaksin is conducting an opening ceremony for the channel at the Hua Mark Indoor Stadium today. Currently, Channel 11 broadcasts Andaman News, which features local news, interviews and weather forecasts in English in Phuket, Phang Nga, and Krabi. The programme runs from 8.30 am to 9 am local time [0130-0200 gmt], Monday to Friday. The same content is also broadcast on Radio Thailand FM 90.5 MHz. Source: The Nation website, Bangkok, in English 28 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** TIBET. 5240, PBS Xizang, Lhasa noted Dec. 27 at 2118-2135 UT, with very interesting local music. ID at 2130. 34343 (José Turner, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. THE HELLENIC SECTION OF THE BBC WORLD SERVICE CEASES BROADCASTS ON SHORT WAVE --- 28 Dec 2005 10:26:00 http://www.voiceofgreece.gr/en/Omogeneia_Main_News.asp?id=13931 The Hellenic section of the BBC World Service has announced that after 66 years on air it will broadcast its last programme at 15:00 on December 31, 2005. The 15-minute long programme will include a flashback on the 66-year course of the Hellenic section of the BBC World Service. The last programme will be broadcast from various Radio stations in Cyprus and Hellas. The site of the Service bbcgreek.com will also cease carrying news. However, visitors will be able to have access to the rich sound material available at the archives of the Service. According to an announcement, the BBC is cutting 10 language services to pay for a new Arabic TV channel (via John Babbis, DXLD) ** U S A. I have been hearing KOA again on 25950 around 1700 UT, Dec 23, 24, 26 and 27 (Alan Roberts, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That correlates with the sporadic E openings lately. Maybe some other 25-26 MHz broadcast auxiliaries will be audible (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. More foulups at Delano: Dec 28 at 1503 I noticed that the 31m band was still desensitized on my FRG-7, after super-strong Greece relay via Delano 9775 was supposed to have closed; sure enough, frequency was still on, but with R. Martí! M&M alternating with news items, correspondent reports, but no time chex every minute. Which real R. Martí frequency would be missing? 11930, 13820 and 15330 were all there, but on 17670, only jamming. This situation continued until 1529 when 9775 suddenly vanished, and 17670 came up, obliterating the jamming. Thanks to this happy accident, dentrocubanos had a chance to listen to The Truth from R. Martí for half an hour unimpeded by jamming! But how many listeners, besides your humble non-dentrocubano, would have run across 9775? It might be worth checking this daily, as I believe John Babbis caught Martí on 9775 once before (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also DIEGO GARCIA ** U S A. Glenn: I checked the computer program log, and what happened on Sunday was that Jack Van Impe's audio file was only 15 minutes instead of the normal 30 for some reason, so WOR must have started 15 minutes earlier at 2215 UT. That's never happened before to Jack Van Impe. I'll have to keep a careful watch on the next few programs to make sure they're the correct length (Jeff White, WRMI 7385, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. COSTA RICA, 9725, World University Network, Cahuita, Dec. 27 at 2345-0007 UT, in English, with usual preaching. At 2358 Benny Goodman music until ID at 0000 UT giving web address and USA telephone 1-800-338-3030. Sinpo 33443 (José Turner, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is a reminder that defunct Gene Scott does provide some good musical interludes; trouble is, they are unpredictable and too often interrupted by preaching and threats. BTW, I finally took a look at Melissa/Barbie preaching/threatening last Sunday after 1900 on the webcast. The video quality was horrible, not doing justice to her legendary beauty (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More threats: ** U S A. Somebody Rememberances William Cooper, also mentions Art Bell: AS WE LOOK TO THE NEW WORLD ORDER'S 2006 AGENDA, IT'S BEST TO REVIEW THE RESEARCH AND WRITINGS OF WILLIAM COOPER William Cooper, a former military intelligence officer and world- reknown lecturer and writer, was killed in a suspicious 2001 police shootout in his Arizona home. Author of the best selling underground book of all time, Behold A Pale Horse, his top secret intelligence document discoveries provide proof positive the Illuminati intends mass destruction of half the world's population, reaching its diabolical goal in what the author terms 'the age of deception.' 26 Dec 2005 --- By Greg Szymanski To better understand what the New World Order has planned for 2006 and the years to come, it’s wise to review the life and works of writer and lecturer, William Cooper, killed in a Nov. 6, 2001, police shootout in his Arizona home. Cooper, 58, author of more than 20 books including ``Behold A Pale Horse,`` the best selling underground book of all time, was also a highly popular worldwide radio talk show host, his show, ``The Hour of the Time,`` appearing on shortwave and the internet on the Worldwide Christian Radio station out of Nashville. . . . [long article] http://www.arcticbeacon.com/articles/article/1518131/39688.htm (via Clara Listensprechen, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) My local branch of "Chapters", a book-selling chain in Canada, huge stores, a few years ago had Cooper's book. I'm sorry I didn't buy it. But I sat and browsed it several times, read most of it (Chapters has nice comfy chairs, but I digress). Cooper was a crackpot. His book which some treat almost Biblically was poorly written and only a small portion was actually written by him, the rest made up of copies of alleged documents --- referring not to Majesty but Majestic. In the book, Cooper recounts his eyewitness account of his encounter with a UFO. And goes into great detail about the Treaty negotiated between President Eisenhower and the Space Aliens. Prior to the Oklahoma City bombing I used to listen to his show regularly, finding it terribly amusing. He could be very entertaining, talking about his Vietnam experiences. He obviously loved his children, sometimes putting them on the air. And he would play old radio jingles, and some cool tunes. After Oklahoma City I found him less than amusing, but still listened off and on. He also could tell some of the most paranoid, bizarre tales. Most common was how Bush 1, then Clinton (first term) and Clinton (second term) then finally Bush 2 were going to declare martial law and seize all power, in the first three cases as their terms were expiring. Then NASA and the military-industrial complex were going to blow up Jupiter to create a second Sun in the solar system. Later a comet collision with that same as yet unexploded Jupiter was going to wipe out anyone living above the surface of the Earth. Of course he jumped on the Y2K bandwagon, with horror story after horror story about how the world was ending. And flogging survivalist stuff. As for Art Bell, I'm sure Cooper had issues with him because they were staking out the same territory, but more people listened to Bell making him more legitimate. And also as I recall, Limbaugh would resent ceding his status as most dangerous radio host in America to anyone --- most of the stuff in this article about Cooper seems to leave out a lot of context. He was notwithstanding an interesting fellow. Tim McVeigh was apparently a regular listener. So was I. We just took different things from the program. Sadly McVeigh bought his line (Fred Waterer, ON, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Am trying to remember when Cooper was really on WWCR. Certainly not toward the end, but on WBCQ, where his recordings have been rererererun until just recently, à la Defunct Gene Scott; Allan Weiner is apparently a fan of Cooper, and speaks respectfully of him (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. LET US BLOW UP BILL O'REILLY --- OF COURSE THE PR-SUCKING FOX NEWS BLOWHARD IS OFF HIS NUT. AGAIN. QUESTION IS, SHOULD YOU CARE? By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist --- Wednesday, November 16, 2005 It's almost too easy. He's too easy a target, really, Bill O'Reilly of the casually toxic Fox News, too bloviated and too silly and too undercooked, and no one whose opinion you truly value or with an IQ higher than their waist size actually watches him with anything resembling intellectual honesty or takes anything he says the slightest bit seriously. You hope. Especially when he, like Pat Robertson ranting about how gays caused Sept. 11 or that Dover, Pa., is now a doomed and godless hell pit, given how the town fired every single one the imbecilic, intelligent design-supporting Repubs from the school board, especially when Billy goes off his nut once again and essentially wishes al Qaeda would attack San Francisco, well, it is up to us to merely look at him like Shiva looks at a sea slug -- i.e., a moment of compassion for his regrettable incarnation -- and then laugh and shake our heads and move the hell on. I mean, what else do you want to do? . . . http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2005/11/16/notes111605.DTL (via Oklahoma Observer Dec 10-25 via DXLD) For ongoing feud with O`Reilly, monitor Countdown on MSNBC (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Jay Marvin was subbing this week for Jerry Springer; as I recall, Jay was into SWLing and was a friend of yours & Arnie Coro of RHC. A good discussion this morning with the old reporter Haynes Johnson who finds in Bushies an even more virulent form of the disease that can be traced from Joe McCarthy thru Nixon. Mike Molloy, subbing for Randi Rhodes // MM perhaps the most vehement/exercised of the ``liberal`` talkers. But it isn`t what a radio talker (whether of the `left` or the `right`) says that is paramount, but the entertainment value he brings with it / but for me, viewpoint I find agreeable has to be there --- I find no ``right wingers ``entertaining`` tho` so regarded. Certainly Ed Schultz is more ``entertaining`` than Mario Cuomo ever was tho` both are agreeable to me / (Loren Cox, Jr., Lexington KY, December 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. MARK RILEY & RACHEL MADDOW TO HOST NEW AIR AMERICA MORNING SHOWS Air America Radio has announced a change in its morning lineup. Beginning Monday, January 2, the new morning format, "Air America Mornings," will broadcast weekdays from 5-9am EST. Mark Riley, currently the co-host of Morning Sedition, will lead off "Air America Mornings" with The Mark Riley Show from 5-7am EST. Rachel Maddow will follow with The Rachel Maddow Show in the 7-9am EST slot. Maddow has previously guest-hosted The Al Franken Show and serves as a contributor to MSNBC's The Situation With Tucker Carlson. Comedian and co-host of Morning Sedition, Marc Maron, is returning to Los Angeles and is currently in negotiations with Air America Radio to host his own syndicated show. "The upcoming year is going to be crucial year for Air America, for morning drive time radio in general, and for the United States. In the past several months, Rachel Maddow has experienced dramatic growth in visibility and audience, and we are very excited about giving her a bigger stage. Mark Riley is one of New York's most respected broadcasters and we are equally excited that he will shine in his new role," said Air America CEO Danny Goldberg. "At the same time, we are well aware of the intense and committed following that Marc Maron's brilliant work on Air America has created and would like him to be a major voice on Air America in the future." (From Radio Ink, Dec 26, 2005, via Dale Park, HI, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** U S A. We are celebrating the end of Monday Night Football on ABC TV, not just for the season, but forever. We may now depend on Nightline being at the same time every night, even in FB season, because MNF will be on ESPN next year. Gwen Ifell, on PBS Newshour Dec 27, said fans would have to pay to see the games on ESPN. Did she mean PPV? ESPN-1 and ESPN-2 are basic cable everywhere. O, that`s right, one does have to pay even for basic (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. DETROIT LISTENERS CHARGE PUBLIC RADIO STATION WITH FRAUD In Detroit, a group of listeners angry at recent programming changes at the local affiliate of National Public Radio (NPR) have have gone to court, charging WDET-FM with fraud. The listeners claim they were tricked into contributing money to the station during a pledge drive while station operators were secretly planning to replace locally produced programming with national talk and public affairs shows. Kevin Ernst, the lawyer representing the listeners, said "People contributed for those local programmes, not national programmes." He said the listeners want the return of the eclectic, daytime music programmes the station cancelled on 13 December. And if they can't get that, they want the money back that they gave in the fall pledge drive. "This is outright fraud," Ernst added. Supporters of the lawsuit say they are planning protests against the station and Wayne State University, which owns it, during the upcoming Detroit Auto Show and the Super Bowl, which will be held in Detroit on 5 February. (Source: Chicago Tribune) # posted by Andy @ 17:13 UT Dec 28 (Media Network blog via DXLD) I imagine the defense will be: ``You give us money; we decide how to spend it`` (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WA, Seattle, KEXP, *90.3 is a little-known alternative station in its own market, but it has a huge Internet presence. That helps boost its annual projected revenue in 2005 to $1.7 million. In spring 2004, about 26,000 people listened to KEXP online very week; this year, the number has jumped to 50,000, with large clusters of listeners in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington DC, according to an AP story by Gene Johnson. The station has, in fact, broadcast live from NYC, and plans to do so twice a year. It was founded in 1972 as KCMU, a much less professional station. It was later discovered by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, and given new digital equipment and new studios off the campus of the University of Washington. On the web it can be found at http://www.kexp.org or http://www.xpn.org (Bruce Elving, Dec FMedia! via DXLD) ?? But the latter is WXPN in Philadelphia (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Re 5-219, Sacred Classics now available to 800+ stations: well, so far PublicRadioFan.com has only 4 stations carrying it besides KUSC/CPR: Scheduled Broadcasts Su 1200-1300 WBNI [MP3] (i) Su 1200-1500 WOSU-FM [Real][WM] (i), WNCH [MP3][WM] (i) Su 1300-1600 KWTU [MP3] (i) Su 1400-1700 KVOD [aac+][WM][MP3] (i) Su 1500-1800 KUSC [MP3][MP3] (i) (Glenn Hauser, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Excellent classical music service on Sirius Satellite Radio, available via Dish Net. WEKU-FM, Richmond KY, to undertake a major upgrade of their classical music service --- the onlhy one in this area / Ah! What FM radio used to be; had forgotten until I ran across an old (pre NPR) WBKY (now WUKY) schedule / WFMT gone from sat (WQXR long gone); WCPE in N. Carolina still on sat digital (Loren Cox, Jr., Lexington KY, Dec 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. TRAFFIC REPORTING IS IN THE FAST LANE --- By RICK BARRY TAMPA - There's a silver lining in the Tampa Bay area's unrelenting rush-hour traffic. Three companies are fighting for a share of one lucrative business: traffic reporting. The result, according to people in the industry, is that the Bay area's traffic conditions might be the most accurately reported in the nation. . . This story can be found at: http://www.tampatrib.com/FloridaMetro/MGBWU8PPPHE.html (via Terry Krueger, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC BAN SILENCES ILLEGAL RADIO STATION IN MIRAMAR: PIRATE FM STATION --- Miramar-based Vibez radio has been shut down for operating without a Federal Communications Commission license, but hopes to return Caribbean programming to the airwaves in the near future. BY DARRAN SIMON http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/13490755.htm Although the Federal Communications Commission called the Vibez radio a pirate operation, it never acted like one. Instead of a clandestine operation tucked away in a back-alley apartment, it had a website and a Miramar office. For almost five years, Vibez deejays broadcast music, community service announcements and commentary on Caribbean politics and immigration issues. But the Florida Department of Law Enforcement shut down the popular Caribbean-themed station in October, banning it for operating without an FCC license. Vibez representatives said they hope to return to the airwaves and wouldn't broadcast until they have a license. ''It's like the community is lost,'' said listener Oraine Francis, 41, of Miramar. ``[Now] they don't know what's going around them.'' Vibez offered him music and news from Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean, Francis said. The family is hooked on shows like Point Blank, a two-hour talk show, and The Sunday Rice and Peas, a top- rated, old-school music show, he said. ''They give you more than music. They inform you,'' Francis said. ``When I listen to Vibez, it's like I am right in Jamaica.'' Vibez representatives said they were surprised when the FCC shut them down. ''We are not a secret to the FCC,'' said Vibez's founder Al Fearon. Fearon's company, In Vibration, won construction permits from the FCC in a 2004 auction for $1.3 million to build two FM stations in Perry and Cedar Key, two North Florida towns. They hoped to lease time on a South Florida station for Vibez, apply for a license for the North Florida stations and transfer that signal to South Florida. But In Vibration defaulted on a down payment in December 2004 and lost the permit, FCC records show. Fearon said the company didn't have the full amount by the deadline and paid $70,000 based on advice from their attorney. It was enough to cover the payment for one station, Fearon said. In Vibration is appealing. But the FCC says the station has lost its chance to appeal. In Vibration owed about $60,000, according to FCC papers. NOW A FELONY Pirate stations like Vibez could undergo more scrutiny in the future. A new anti-piracy law that took effect last summer makes it a third- degree felony to broadcast without a license or interfere with signals of licensed public or commercial stations in Florida. The legislation empowers law enforcement to arrest pirates and seize their equipment. The Federal Communications Commission and Florida Department of Law Enforcement have closed about four stations since the new law went into effect, said Paige Patterson-Hughes, an FDLE spokeswoman in Miami. No one from Vibez was arrested, but equipment was seized, said Patterson-Hughes. Unlicensed radio transmissions could interfere with Amber Alerts and emergency weather warnings for the public, officials said. People who have been shut down for pirate broadcasts have applied for legitimate licenses, according to the FCC. The agency said it didn't keep track of whether pirate stations were granted licenses. Vibez radio had been on the air since 2001 and reaches more than 300,000 South Florida listeners. Vibezradio.com started in 2004 and reaches 600,000 worldwide, the station's website said. COSTLY LEGAL BATTLE Vibez has spent more than $100,000 in legal fees to get a license, company officials said. They continued to broadcast because the programming was too valuable to wait to become licensed, Vibez officials have said. It was also important that English-speaking Caribbeans owned a piece of the media, Vibez representatives said. ''We felt, as English-speaking Caribbean people, we did not have a voice,'' said O'Neil Samuels, Vibez's program director and a DJ on the station known as ``Chico.'' Unlike other FM stations, Vibez does more than play Caribbean music, the station's programmers maintain. During Hurricane Katrina, an official from the Jamaican Consulate in Houston used Vibez radio to appeal to the public to find family members of displaced Jamaicans. After hurricanes slammed the Caribbean region in 2004, Vibez broadcasted live from Jamaica. LARGELY IGNORED Many of South Florida's pirate FM stations have Caribbean programming. Jean Jabouin, host of South Florida Speaks Out, a talk show on WSRF 1580-AM, one of two Caribbean-owned stations in South Florida, said Caribbean people feel their issues are ignored by other radio stations. ''The Caribbean community is still searching for its voice,'' Jabouin said (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) FLORIDA TOUGHENS LAW ON PIRATE RADIO NPR's Morning Edition reports that a new law in Florida makes operating a pirate radio station a felony carrying a five-year prison sentence. The Federal Communications Commission says the state is a hotbed of illegal operators, but a crackdown is complicated by the difficulty of catching offenders. Listen to the report by Amy Tardif of NPR member station WGCU. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5070416&ft=1&f=1003 Audio available for Real Player or Windows Media Player. # posted by Andy @ 16:26 UT Dec 27 (Media Network blog via DXLD) I'm not sure you know how out of hand this has gotten here with pirates, etc. They run remotes, have remote vans, and lease tower space on regular towers. And it's not like they're 'taking down the big guy'. They're not, because in many cases, they're not harming Clear Channel's business -- - They're harming the business of the small Caribbean AM stations like WAVS, or WLQY. A lot of these illegal operators are on FM and can charge lower rates than the brokered AMs. The major operators never notice. And of course, there's the DX nightmare, but I won't use that argument. EVERY second adjacent is wiped out by someone who wants to 'play radio' here in Miami. My station is behind the North Dade antenna farm, and my PD was showing me what towers belonged to who, and he told me "look, that tower right there is a cell tower, but so-and-so had convinced the owners he had special dispensation from the FCC to operate, and they'd let him on, 800-something feet up".... --tony s. (Tony Simon, FL, Dec 28, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. APPLICATIONS FOR EXPERIMENTAL PERMIT DISMISSED 730, KK2XDA, TX, Forest Hill - This is a `booster` facility for KKDA- 730 Grand Prairie, Texas operating with 9 Watts from a tower in southeast Fort Worth. According to the license, ``Experimental synchronous facilities are granted for one year operation only. If licensee wishes to continue experimental operations beyond the one year period, an application for renewal of license must be filed. The renewal application must contain a report providing details and progress of the experimental operation. Based upon the information contained in the report, the Commission will determine if the renewal of the experimental license should be granted``, and later goes on to say, ``Once program test authorization has been granted, licensee shall submit detailed reports every six (6) months describing all technical aspects of the operation as well as the results of measurement data including both quantitative and qualitative descriptions of the received signal quality in the areas of coverage and mutual interference of the primary (KKDA) and synchronous (KK2XDA) facility.`` As in many FCC actions, it isn’t apparent why this action is being taken. But possibly some of the above-stated requirements haven’t been met (Bill Hale, AM Switch 7313, NRC E-DX News via DXLD) ** U S A. New Central Jersey TIS/HAR on 1580 coming soon This is from Tony DeNicola, whose Part 15 station (WENJ, Edison, NJ, 1710) I heard a couple nights ago. He emailed me that there will be a new TIS/HAR located in Metuchen and operating on 1580. This might effectively kill that channel for me, since Metuchen is about four miles away. The Rutgers TIS/HAR's on 530 and 1340 kill those for me too. There's too many highways and too much construction around here! So central Jersey DXers, DX 1580 while you can! (Dave Hochfelder, Highland Park, NJ, Dec 28, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Billboard AM station in LA on 1680 - a "commercial TIS"?? While driving north in south L.A. near the airport on the 405 Freeway, approaching the 105 Freeway interchange, I noticed a billboard with a BMW advertisement and a 10-foot helical antenna sticking up from it. The billboard showed a 2006 model, and at the bottom "Tune to 1680 AM to learn more". The signal carried over 10 miles, repeating a 4-minute advertisement about BMW's new 2006 models, their services, and their website. NO ID was ever given. Is this a new concept, or even legal? I never heard of an outdoor billboard with a TIS AM transmitter on top licensed solely to play a nonstop commercial (Darwin Long, Thousand Oaks, CA, ABDX via DXLD) Real estate people commonly use them (at least in California). They refer to them as a "talking house." (Mike Hawkins, ibid.) Cadillac actually employed them far and wide when they came out with their Escalade a few years ago. The funny thing was, as the billboards were going up, and the transmitters were in 'test mode', the 'default' setting apparently ran a loop for a "Fontana Plaza" out in Fontana, CA --- and this was reported by radiophiles in TAMPA!!! Drove DX'ers nuts for quite a while to hear stuff on the X-Band in the Tampa Bay area running seemingly pointless plugs for stores on the other side of the US, until it all got pieced together slowly (Tony Simon, ibid.) ** URUGUAY. 9650, Emisora Ciudad de Montevideo, Montevideo, 1518-1530, December 23, Spanish, music, local ads: Transportes Uruguay Fleet, Confitería La Ópera "una confitería con clase", Restaurante Panamericano, Motores Eléctricos Ltda., Farmacia Nicaragua "su farmacia de confianza", complete ID as: "En su receptor, CX42, Emisora Ciudad de Montevideo, Uruguay, transmitiendo en 1370 kHz, la frecuencia que se sintoniza con mayor frecuencia". 45444 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Noticias DX via DXLD) We can only dream ** VENEZUELA [non]. Re 5-223: Hello Glenn, you're absolutely right!! I'm very sorry for my "slip of the pen"! It was indeed 9550 I wanted to write!! Best 73's from Portugal (José Turner, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The 2000 UT transmission via Cuba // 13680 (gh) ** VIETNAM. FRENCH COMPANY GETS CONTRACT TO BUILD NEW VIETNAM BROADCAST HQ French construction company Vinci SA announced yesterday that it has been awarded a 61 million euro (US$72 million) contract to build the new headquarters of Vietnam's national TV broadcaster in Hanoi. The five-story building, to be built in partnership with Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co. of Japan, is scheduled to be completed in early 2008, the French company said in a statement. # posted by Andy @ 12:02 UT Dec 28 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** YEMEN. Hello Glenn, Radio Yemen heard 1800 opening in English with a 60 minute program, 12/27, on 9779 kHz, announcing 9780 kHz. Good signal here in the UK and interference free. Regards (Christopher Lewis, England, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is it not really closer to 9780, as in 5-223? (gh, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. 6612, ZBC, Gweru (3306 x 2), 0326-0331, December 25, Vernacular, local pops, short announcement by OM in vernacular, 25432 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. PRIVATE VOP RADIO STATION CHIEF RELEASED ON BAIL | Text of report by South Africa-based Zim Online website on 24 December The director of a private Voice of the People (VOP) radio station John Masuku who was arrested on Monday [19 December] for allegedly flouting the country's tough broadcasting laws was yesterday released on bail. Masuku's lawyer, Irene Petras told the press yesterday that her client was released on 4m Zim dollars bail (US 51 dollars). "He has been released on 4m Zim dollars bail by the Harare magistrates' court. The court ordered him to report once a week to the police," said the lawyer. Masuku and another director David Masunda, who were in hiding turned themselves in last Monday, four days after the police raided the company's offices in Harare. Three reporters from the radio station - Maria Nyanyiwa, Takunda Chigwanda and Nyasha Bosha - were also released on Monday after spending four days in police custody for allegedly breaching the broadcasting laws. While Masunda was released on the same day, Masuku was detained for four days for allegedly operating broadcasting equipment without licence from the country's Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe. He faces a two-year jail term if convicted. [VOP compiles reports within Zimbabwe and broadcasts via a Radio Netherlands shortwave transmitter in Madagascar.] At least more than a hundred journalists have been arrested over the past three years in Zimbabwe for breaching 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. Source: Zim Online, Johannesburg, in English 24 Dec 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) DEFIANT VOP RADIO STATION DIRECTOR SPEAKS ON ORDEAL The Voice of the People (VOP) radio station director, John Masuku who was released on 4 million Zimbabwe dollars bail after police launched a crackdown on his station has told SW Radio Africa's Newsreel of his ordeal at the hands of the police. Meanwhile Masuku has vowed to continue with the VOP radio station project saying soon after the holidays they will be back at work. The police who had sealed off their offices have since left the area. Read the story by SW Radio Africa's Lance Guma http://www.swradioafrica.com/news271205/vop271205.htm # posted by Andy @ 10:25 UT Dec 28 (Media Network blog via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. WJOX 690 TEST [non]. Could almost imagine I was hearing sweep tones at 0559 UT Dec 27 on 690, but I was certainly hearing the Marine Hymn playing thru the top of the hour until 0601:30. Now what station would have been doing that? March music in the middle of the night?! 73, (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, IRCA via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Many thanks for your World of Radio program (which I listen to here via WRN) and your web service (Andrew Rogers, Worcester, England) LOVE THE SHOW, BUT A CARDINAL RULE BROKEN?! Hi Glenn, I'm a long time fan of WOR and COM. As an avid SWL, it's a pleasure to hear inside stories about the goings on in radio. You also deliver the show with little political bias, and when you do, your thinking makes sense. Some other "so-called" DX/radio shows have been so fascist, I've had to turn them off halfway through. I heard bits and pieces of last week's show (the week ending December 24th, 2005) and couldn't believe you broke one of your own cardinal rules! One of your big complaints over the years has been when a broadcaster publicizes a current or upcoming show on shortwave and doesn't state the frequency, time or both. Although I heard your somewhat tongue-in-cheek commentary on Howard Stern's relationship with Sirius, where you said something like (I'm paraphrasing here) "he's getting 500 million, I'm on WRN, so why can't Sirius give me at least 5 million?!", but you never said when you were on WRN. Of course I'm ribbing you here, but I really would have appreciated at least a cursory listing of times that the US broadcast of WRN features World of Radio or COM. The listing on the World of Radio website is a bit confusing. BTW: You should know that Howard is not the sole recipient of $500 million over 5 years. That figure represents the entire show budget for 5 years. It's still nothing to sneeze at :) - But the press loves to throw that "shocking" figure around. Like you, I'm a big fan of AM radio as a transmission mode. I enjoy the challenge of reception and how inconsistent reception can be. What's interesting is despite all of its promises, satellite radio is just as inconsistent, if not more! I don't know why I assumed that a transmission mode that can't get a decent signal to my GPS unless it's totally clear of obstructions would be any different when used as an audio carrier. I've spent time removing metal screens at my house and wandering from room to room with the Sirius receiver and antenna. Funny that both FM and AM pose few reception problems inside a house and satellite reception is nearly impossible. I think many folks are going to be disappointed. Oh well, like Harry Helms (Dec 19th 2005 DX Listening Digest), I'm not afraid to admit that I enjoy Howard Stern's show. It's all sarcastic comedy and everything he does is meant to be taken with a grain of salt. It seems that those who don't understand the show either A) Don't want to, or B) Never will. I am very happy that I will have the added bonus of hearing a full lineup of SW shows via WRN and some other direct Sirius channels (like BBC and CBC). Keep up the great work Glenn! Oh, and by the way, when ARE you on WRN? :) Really, a quick rundown of broadcast times would be most helpful. Regards, Toddvg (Todd Van Gelder, Maryland, USA, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, I really should mention that on air more often. WOR is on WRN to North America Saturdays and Sundays at 1830 UT, Sundays also at 0930; In EST that means Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 pm, Sunday also 4:30 am. to the rest of the world Saturdays at 0900 UT (gh, DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ NASWA CELEBRATES TEN YEARS ON THE WEB WITH A NEW WEB SITE Webmaster, North American ShortWave Association (NASWA) Ten years ago, on January 2, 1996, NASWA announced the opening of its web site at http://www.anarc.org/naswa The site has proved very popular over the years, providing useful services like the WWW Shortwave Listeners Guide, a database of programs broadcast on shortwave stations, and the NASWA Country List and Awards Program Guide. The site serves thousands of visitors every month. But the hosting service that served the club well ten years ago no longer does. Space and bandwidth that seemed enormous ten years ago have not grown, as the original hosting company for the site was bought and bought again without any expansion of what our fees provided. Limitations served to forestall expansion opportunities. As we approached our tenth year on the web, the club decided to move the site to a new server, one that provides plenty of resources and room to expand. This January, to mark our tenth year on the web, we introduce the new NASWA web site, http://www.naswa.net We've retained all of the favorite old features, such as the programming database and the country list. We've updated the site with new representative columns from the pages of The Journal. And we've added a few new twists. For example, any column posted to the site can be commented on by visitors. The new NASWA web site also includes the resurrection of a feature we had for a while a few years ago, the NASWA Loggings Database. The Loggings Database contains virtually all loggings submitted to The Journal since November, 1998. By default, the search facility only searches the past two years worth of logs, since older items may not reflect current conditions on the bands. However, you can search the entire database of more than 15,000 loggings covering more than seven years by selecting a simple check box. The club hopes that the Loggings Database will be a useful tool in assisting identification of stations on the shortwave bands. The opportunities that this move to a new server provide are impressive. Possibilities that may be implemented include a resurrection of the NASWA weblog (the first pioneering weblog to cover shortwave and international broadcasting), forums for discussing equipment and the latest catches, and maybe even podcasting. Whether these happen depends a lot on the membership of the club. We would like to expand the circle of members involved in the site, and would like to hear from any members who would be interested in performing tasks like moderating forums or authoring posts for a potential weblog. If you're interested in contributing, or if you just have comments on the new site, you can contact me, Ralph Brandi, at webmaster @ naswa.net or ralph @ brandi.org or by visiting http://www.naswa.net and clicking on the link at the bottom of any page that says "Contact the webmaster". (Ralph Brandi, NJ, NASWA Flashsheet Dec 26 via DXLD) SHORTWAVELOG COMMUNITY Re 5-223, USA, WBCQ: Rechecked http://www.shortwavelog.com/Community/ at 0205 UT Dec 27 and now there is a new latest logging at the top, also from the future: ``Tropical Dec-27 0145 0220 3478.45 R. Crystal Ship Unknown United States unknown AM English R 75 Timewave 599zx Levittown, PA USA Robert E. Montgomery`` How could he possibly know at 0205 that the end of the log would be at 0220? People still confused about UT conversion? Inside info from the pirate? Or really a time warp? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ADVENTURES IN SHORTWAVE LISTENING I've been following a series of posts on the WFMU blog, entitled "Adventures in Amplitude Modulation," which readers of this list and DXLD may also find interesting. Part 3 was posted today: http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/12/adventures_in_a_2.html 73, (Ken Kopp - KK0HF, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Actually about SW, with some mp3 clips PROPAGATION +++++++++++ NVIS [re 5-223] Various transmitters in Central Europe use such antennas. Here in Germany this concerns all domestic shortwave outlets as well as the transmissions from Wertachtal and Jülich shown as non-directional. Other examples are 6155 from Moosbrunn or 6165 from Deanovec. Once I tried 6005 in Berlin, a couple of kilometres away from the Britz site, and found it to have distinctive fading, so skywave was still the dominant signal component there. ``Even on tropical bands, NVIS with DRM has its problems because of multiple up/down reflexions`` 3995 appears to be an impressive example here. I read in passing that they have to run it in a robust mode, and a quick glance at the last two pages of reception reports at drmrx.org confirms that: All recent reports there show bitrates between 11.5 and 14.5 kbps, never more. So much for the ``FM-like quality`` of DRM. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) QUADRANTIDS METEOR SHOWER, PEAKING JANUARY 3 Here's the scoop on the Quandrantids meteor shower. I'm already hearing increased activity here in my neck of the woods in Colorado. Quadrantids Activity duration: December 28 - January 5 Peak date: January 3 Average pings per hour: 120 Swarms (outbursts) possible: 45-200 per quarter hour Position in sky: 229 degrees Antenna bearing: Detailed* Best DX windows: Detailed** Meteor velocity: 41.5 km/s The Quadrantids MIGHT just be the 'meteor scatter DXing' meteor shower of the year. It runs right up there with the Perseids in August and the daytime June Arietids. The 'edge' the Quadrantids has on the Perseids and Arietids is SPEED! Compare 41.5 km/sec to the Perseids and Arietids averaging 70 km/sec. The Quadrantids delivers up some very nice long extended burns (as we say in the meteor scatter business - trains). If you're a novice to meteor scatter DXing on TV or FM, this is one meteor shower you can try out. It`s even great for those with a 'low tolerance threshhold'. So crank up that VCR or digital recorder and go grab some new logs for the logbook. And while we're talking about logs, throw a few more on the fire. I'm cold, Martha! :-Q Meanwhile, back at the ranch..... There are multiple antenna bearings and optimal DX windows for your choosing for the Quadrantids. Here's the scoop: *North or South antenna bearing **0000-0800; 1100-1800 local time. *Northwest or Southeast antenna bearing **2300-0900 (0500 peak) LT *Northeast or Southwest antenna bearing **2300-0900 (0500) LT. Now stop whining and go get some DX (Jim Thomas - wdx0fbu, Milliken, CO - 40 mi N of Denver, 40.22.830'N 104.59.500'W / WTFDA via DXLD) By local time, what is really meant is local MEAN time, which in some places like Enid is more than half an hour ahead, or more likely behind, local standard time. Thus the peaks here should be at 0532 LT = 1132 UT. Or are we talking about peaks at the mid=scatter point? This is probably ascribing too much precision, anyway (Glenn Hauser, OK, DXLD) LONG WAVE LOGGINGS I use a European car radio in the house, which gives better results on LW than my Lowe Europa does, even with the antenna partially collapsed so as to avoid overload. Among recent catches: 153, Bechar, Alberia, in Arabic, 0015 UT Dec 24 189, Iceland, with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in Icelandic, 0515 Dec 24 (Alan Roberts, QC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) GEOMAGNETIC INDICES - GEOI Phil Bytheway - Seattle WA - phil_tekno @ yahoo.com Geomagnetic Summary October 12 2005 through December 27 2005 Tabulated from daily email status Date Flux A K SA Forecast Aurora Index 10/12 78 5 1 no storms 4 13 77 4 1 no storms 1 14 78 6 1 no storms 7 15 78 x x x x 16 80 2 1 no storms 3 17 79 7 2 no storms 7 18 78 15 2 no storms 5 19 x x x x x 20 78 x x x x 21 77 4 1 no storms 2 22 75 1 1 no storms 4 23 75 8 x x x 24 74 1 1 no storms 3 25 73 3 2 no storms 6 26 73 18 x x x 27 72 10 1 no storms 7 28 72 7 x x x 29 73 4 1 no storms 6 30 74 2 1 no storms 7 10/31 76 4 1 no storms 5 11/ 1 78 10 2 no storms 10 2 77 9 2 no storms 7 3 78 6 3 no storms 8 4 77 23 3 minor 8 5 77 26 x x x 6 79 10 2 no storms 6 7 82 12 2 no storms 5 8 79 6 1 no storms 5 9 79 3 3 no storms x 10 78 3 0 no storms 5 11 78 3 1 no storms x 12 79 3 0 no storms 5 13 83 3 2 no storms 6 14 88 14 2 minor 7 15 92 10 1 minor 6 16 100 9 1 minor 4 17 94 2 1 no storms 3 18 101 2 1 no storms 4 19 101 3 x x x 20 102 11 4 no storms 7 21 96 6 1 no storms 7 22 95 4 1 no storms 5 23 93 5 1 no storms 7 24 90 8 1 no storms 6 25 87 11 3 no storms 8 26 80 10 1 no storms 5 27 81 5 1 no storms 6 28 81 3 3 no storms x 29 82 10 2 no storms 4 11/30 85 4 2 no storms 6 12/ 1 95 12 3 minor 6 2 98 12 2 minor 7 3 106 15 3 x x 4 101 13 2 minor 8 5 95 7 3 no storms 9 6 92 2 1 no storms 4 7 89 3 1 no storms 5 8 89 0 1 no storms x 9 90 1 1 no storms 4 10 89 3 2 no storms 3 11 91 15 2 no storms 9 12 93 18 4 no storms 9 13 88 12 2 no storms 8 14 88 10 3 no storms x 15 90 6 2 no storms 2 16 87 3 1 no storms 2 17 86 7 2 no storms 5 18 85 8 2 no storms 5 19 86 2 0 no storms 2 20 90 10 3 no storms 9 21 88 17 3 no storms 5 22 87 7 0 no storms 6 23 88 7 1 no storms 4 24 93 5 0 no storms 4 25 92 4 1 no storms 6 26 92 8 2 x x 12/27 93 5 3 no storms 8 (IRCA Soft DX Monitor Dec 30 via DXLD) The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to major storm levels during the period. Solar wind speed ranged from a low of near 300 km/s early on 19 December to a high of about 600 km/s early on 20 December. The period began with wind speed at about 300 km/s, the IMF Bz was weak, not varying much beyond +/-5 nT, and geomagnetic conditions were quiet. By midday on 19 December, wind speeds began a gradual increase in velocity, while the IMF Bz became enhanced to +/-15 nT. These conditions persisted through late on 20 December, and were consistent with a coronal hole high speed stream. During this period, the geomagnetic field was at mostly quiet to unsettled levels at middle latitudes, while high latitudes observed active to major storm levels. These conditions persisted through late on 21 December. By early on 21 December, wind speeds began to decay from a high of 600 km/s, while the IMF Bz did not vary much beyond +/- 5 nT. These conditions persisted through the remainder of the summary period. As a result, the geomagnetic field responded with quiet to unsettled conditions at all latitudes. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 28 DEC 2005 - 23 JAN 2006 Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 29 December – 04 January. The geomagnetic field is expected to range from quiet to minor storm levels. Active to minor storm periods are possible on 28 – 30 December, while unsettled to active periods are expected on 07 January, both due to effects from recurrent coronal hole wind streams. Otherwise, quiet to unsettled conditions are expected. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2005 Dec 27 1823 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2005 Dec 27 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2005 Dec 28 95 20 4 2005 Dec 29 100 20 4 2005 Dec 30 95 15 3 2005 Dec 31 95 10 3 2006 Jan 01 95 5 2 2006 Jan 02 90 5 2 2006 Jan 03 85 5 2 2006 Jan 04 85 5 2 2006 Jan 05 90 5 2 2006 Jan 06 90 10 3 2006 Jan 07 90 15 3 2006 Jan 08 90 10 3 2006 Jan 09 90 5 2 2006 Jan 10 90 5 2 2006 Jan 11 90 5 2 2006 Jan 12 90 5 2 2006 Jan 13 90 5 2 2006 Jan 14 85 5 2 2006 Jan 15 90 8 3 2006 Jan 16 90 8 3 2006 Jan 17 90 10 3 2006 Jan 18 90 8 3 2006 Jan 19 85 8 3 2006 Jan 20 80 5 2 2006 Jan 21 80 5 2 2006 Jan 22 80 5 2 2006 Jan 23 80 10 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1299, DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ How can one make a rational analysis of that which is essentially madness? --- the policies & actions of the present US Govt. / Wish I c`d get BBC TV as seen in the British Isles, where their investigative reporting can be seen, e.g. Greg Palist`s -GP has documented how Florida was ``stolen`` / The attitude of a major portion of the American people toward GWB: ``Hell, he`s just as dumb as I am so he ain`t gonna do nothin` wrong. It`s them damned `smart` people, them `liberals`, who fuck things up by taxin` us to death an` ain`t got the guts to fight them what`s out to get us.`` Kentucky elects Mitch & Bunning who are sufficient to induce nausea, but those two Senatorial specimens your fellow Oklahomans elect --- are they a part of the human race? (Loren Cox, Lexington KY, Dec 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###