DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-032, February 18, 2006 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 2006 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 NEXT SW AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO Extra 65: Sun 0330 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0400 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0730 on WWCR 3215 Sun 1400 on WRMI 7385 Sun 2230 on WRMI 7385 Mon 0400 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0515 on WBCQ 7415 Wed 0030 on WBCQ 7415 Wed 1030 on WWCR 9985 Full schedule, including AM, FM, satellite and internet, with hotlinks to station sites and audio: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL] http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml NOTE: DXLD may not be coming out at the usual pace for a while. If you want to circulate your observations with much less delay, consider joining the DXLD yahoogroup. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location. Here`s where to sign up http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** ALGERIA [non]. Contrary to Observers` expectations, 6-031, no sign yet of revived relay via France, Feb 15, checking 17840 and 15255 at 1340. Wolfgang Büschel was not hearing the earlier scheduled morning transmissions either. Nor did I hear 9475 at 1900 Feb 16 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi, RTA tests not on air today February 15th. Propagation is fine, Issoudun noted with RFI programs on 9790 and 11700 loud and clear 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And still not reported by Feb 18 (gh, DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. Estoy reportando como inactiva a LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel. En dos días diferentes de dos semanas distintas, en los cuales vine temprano de mi trabajo, no pude recepcionarla. Alguien sabe algo?? 73 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Feb 17, condiglist via DXLD) Believe this is summer shift turnover season, so maybe the replacements are not there yet to reactivate the station. Haven`t they been missing previous Februaries? (gh, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 950, LR3. From January 1, 2006 "La 950" is the new name on Radio Belgrano. Radio Belgrano is one of the oldest radio stations in Latin America - LR3 started the 1st of April 1935 (station via ARC LA Info Feb, edited by Tore B. Vik, via Tore Larsson, DXLD) And used to be on SW too; why abandon this historic name? (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 'SCHOOL OF THE AIR' RADIO SIGNS OFF IN NEW SOUTH WALES http://www.southgatearc.org/news/february2006/school_of_the_air.htm Another sign of the changing times we're living in: in New South Wales, Australia, the School of the Air has just signed off for the last time. The School of the Air has been educating students in remote areas using radio broadcasts for the past 50 years. But satellite technology has now taken over. Every isolated student now has a computer with a camera, scanner and broadband access at home. This means they can how have virtual classes giving them full- screen vision of their teacher. Source: Media Network, ABC News Online (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Used lower SW frequencies, and I think had been phasing out for a number of years (gh) ** AUSTRALIA. Dear Sir, It is my great pleasure to inform you that I discovered "DX Party Line" on my radio on 11 February 2006. I was always eager to listen DX Party Line because it is one of the most popular DX program in the world. I heard too much from my fellow DXers about the show. But missed. At last on 11 Feb 2006 at 1430 UT on 15395 I found this program. When I found this my joys knew no bounds. The host of the program Mr. Ellen presented the program. The topics was about Christian radio, All India Radio DX Program and other news. The reception condition was very good like local station. Yours Sincerely (Md. Salahuddin Dolar, President, Global Radio Fan Club, Vill. + P.O. Chaumahani, P.S. Motihar Rajshahi-6000, Bangladesh, Feb 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AZERBAIJAN [non?]. Caucasus. Radio ``Voice of Justice`` from Nagorno-Karabakh was heard again in Azeri language on February 11 from 0600 to 0627 hours on 9678 kHz (Rumen Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX Feb 17 via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** BELARUS. Radio Hrodna got the stock of its own QSLs from printers'. Station accepts reception reports at the following address: Radio Hrodna, ul. Horkaha 85, Hrodna, 230015, Belarus. Address your letters to Mr. Alexander Bakurskiy (open_dx - Sergey Alekseychik, Hrodna, Belarus, via Signal Feb 17 via DXLD) ** BIAFRA [non]. SOUTH AFRICA: 7380 Voice of Biafra International; 2131-2138+, 11-Feb; M in LL [unknown language] with many mentions of Nigeria & Biafra. English ID at 2135 & continued with anti- Nigerian commentary in English. SIO=4+33, need USB to take out tone (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, MARE Tipsheet Feb 17 via DXLD) Tone? As in jamming? (gh, DXLD) 7380 2100-2200 46S,47SW MEY 250 kW 328 deg Wed+Sat only (Wolfgang Büschel, BCDX Feb 17 via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 5952.427, Radio Pio XII, Siglo XX, Llallagua, 1056 OM and YL "en todo el país", 1058 ``...Bolivia.. .Oruro, La Paz, Santa Cruz..." transmitter break and off the air. Heard weak carrier on frequency from 1015. Auxiliary transmitter after robbery reported in DXPlorer by GI Barrera and in Review of International Broadcasting - gh (Robert Wilkner, FL, Japan Premium Feb 17 via DXLD) Date? Acerca de Radio Pio XII --- Hola Amigos de la Lista! Hoy, recién a las 2240 hablé telefónicamente con personal de Radio Pio XII, y me han informado que la misma continúa activa en la onda corta, y que el robo del pasado fin de semana solamente afectó a las emisiones de Oruro y no las del transmisor de Siglo XX. Entonces, afortunadamente, podemos continuar escuchando a Pio XII en la onda corta. 73's GIB (Gabriel Iván Barrera, Feb 15, condig list via DXLD) Something which the original story should have made clear (gh) Muy buena noticia, conforme fue corroborado en la víspera al encontrarla operando normalmente en el aire. Gracias, Gabriel (Arnaldo Slaen, ibid.) ** BOLIVIA. 5952.5, Emisoras Pio XII, Siglo Veinte; 0350-0410, p on 1/1. Extended transmission for New Year. Count down and greeting for new year. 4498.12, R. Estambul, Guayaramerín; +0945-1030+, p on 12/30. Music (like ranchera etc.) program. Sometimes heard IDs with TC. 0918 ID ``Buenos días Bolivia, Buenos días Guayaramerín. Radio Estambul sintonía ... Radio Estambul alegre .. de Beni. .. 4496 kHz banda de los 60 metros onda corta ...`` (Hideki WATANABE, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo Feb 5 via DXLD) 6105.5, R. Panamericana, La Paz; 1048-1102, f/p on 1/21. Very nice music program ``Bolivia en Canto`` - Morenada tradicional, Taquirari etc. ID with TC ``La hora en Panamericana, 6:51 minutos.``, ``A través de Panamericana`` (Takeshi SEJIMO, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. I am sure it was a message from the One True God aimed directly at me: Feb 17 at 0709 as I tuned into 11780, I heard a record(?) stuck on the word ``Jesus``, which in Brazilian is pronounced something like ``zhe-ZOO-eece``. It repeated over and over for at least a minute, before the announcer finally came on and made some excuse in their wake-up show where they still imagined it was 5:09 rather than 4:09 am --- but DST ends at 0200 UT Feb 19, per timeanddate.com. And this wasn`t even a gospel huxter station like most remaining Brazilian SW outlets, but the R. Nacional Amazônia service! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 16 February follow. Solar flux 79 and mid-latitude A-index 8. The mid-latitude K-index at 0600 UTC on 17 February was 3 (27 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours (SEC via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. R. Difusora, Macapá, 4914.97, 0705-0745+ Feb 10, Brazilian pop music, 0712 ID; good. R. Nacional da Amazônia, 6180, 0535-0550+ Feb 12, Portuguese talk, Brazilian pops, ballads. Good; // 11780 fair. R. Brasil Central, 11815, 0225-0235+ Feb 11, Brazilian ballads, pops, Portuguese announcements, // 4985, both fair (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Per a request to Pedro MC de Castro, whom I first met at the Winterfest a few years ago, Pedro contacted a close friend of his who was able to secure a medium wave QSL for me (``it`s in the mail``) from R. Globo de São Paulo (1100 kHz, whose SW station is on 6120 kHz and is affiliated with R. Globo in Rio on 11805 kHz). His name is Sérgio Dória Partamian and, like Pedro, is a member of DX Clube do Brasil (Pedro is the President). Seeing that Arnaldo just received this station on 6120 kHz recently, I thought the info Sérgio provided about the SW station and the status of the listed veri signers would be valuable to those trying to log and verify this station. A lesson is here about addressing letters to individuals at stations --- a practice I usually try to do. Why R. Globo is still on SW is intriguing in itself. Pedro wrote his English translations in between the Portuguese of Sergio. I omitted the Portuguese so it would be easier to read in English. Below is the translation of Sergio`s letter. Translation is a little more difficult for me, but I think that some information will be useful. BEST WISHES! Pedro Dear John Sgrulletta, Thank you for your kind letter from December 27, 2005. I also wish a great new year to you and your family, plenty of accomplishments. Your letter came to my hands on January 5th and I made a telephone contact with the station as soon as I received it. On the Jan. 06, around 7 PM, I arrived to R. Globo`s building, 1100 kHz, also used by R. CBN (Central Brasileira de Notícias), a radio news station, operating on 780 kHz, // 90.5 MHz. Both stations are owned by the same communication group. I was received by Mr. Roberto Cidade, R.Globo`s and CBN Technical Manager. Despite he looked clearly to be in a hurry, he was kind with me. He apologized as soon as he realized that I was visiting the station to confirm your reception report. He said that the report was over his desk but was not replied because it was addressed to another person, Mr. Guilherme Viterbo, who no longer works for the station. He seemed to be sincere when he suggested that both stations are not interested in being heard outside their coverage area and they no longer have printed QSL cards to send to DXers. He said that, although he wants to respond all DXers from abroad by snail mail letter, he does not have the time, but he has taken efforts on this goal. He said that he prefers to respond by Internet, since DXers inform their e-mail in their reports. Therefore, for security, I asked him to fill up your QSL and took the compromise to personally ship it to you by conventional mail. I took advantage of the moment to ask him about SP R. Globo`s shortwave transmitter (6120 kHz, 7.5 kW). He told me that presently the antennae facilities are being renewed, but the station is not interested in using conventional shortwave. They are keeping it on the air just to assure their right to use the frequency as ``market reservation`` (according to his words) facing the possibility of future digital transmission by shortwave. I also asked him who V/S would be responsible for answering listeners abroad. He said that the V/S is himself - Roberto Cidade (Technical Manager), both for R. Globo and SP CBN. There is no need to send IRCs or US$, but listeners must be patient to receive their reply. He clearly prefers to answer letters by e-mail. Asked about former R. Globo`s verifiers (V/S), mentioned in the ``2005 PWBR``, he said that speaker Ademar Dutra has passed away, Margarete Rapussi, Guilherme Viterbo and José Marques no longer work for the station and Paulo Novis, mentioned by WRTH, keeps in charge of General Director of both stations. Well, amigo John, I shipped your QSL card by registered mail on the Jan. 10, 2006 and hope that you will like this new ``trophy`` for your Brazilian QSL collection. In the name of DXCB, and my personal name, please will you receive a big hug, extended to all colleagues from NASWA and National Radio Club. 73 Sérgio Dória Partamian (John Sgrulletta, NY, DX-plorer via Radio Nuevo Mundo Feb 6 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Never mind about RCI carrying the Olympic Reports from CBC at 6 minutes before the hour. Feb 15 at 1454-1459 on 17820 we were treated instead to more than snippets of the usual harmonica music fill. Evidently RCI does not have the rights to CBC Olympic coverage, as sparse as it be! But now we get genuine 5-minute harmonica concerts. OTOH, I heard an Olympic report on CBC Calgary at an unscheduled time, immediately following the news at 0405 UT Feb 15, as I was listening online for another episode of the Mozart series on Ideas. I looked all over CBC`s program schedules and found nothing about such scheduling, just the 6-before-the-hour reports ending at 6 pm. Fortunately, this only ran two minutes and Ideas started from the beginning at 0407, but two minutes must have been cut out of it somewhere in the ``repackaging`` to accommodate (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 12025, Radio Akhbar Mufriha QSL. I received a full-data, including site, personal letter for Radio Akhbar Mufriha via Sackville on 12025, 51 weeks after sending a report to Apartado 353, ES-29080, Málaga, Spain. Daniel Berger, Secretary, apologized for the delay in responding (Wendel Craighead, KS, DX-plorer Feb 15 via BCDX via DXLD) Strange as it seem, this broadcast is also on the HCJB schedule; they are somehow involved in it, and during other seasons the same frequency switches to UK site (gh, DXLD) ** CANARY ISLANDS. Re 6-029: Not heard here in a very long time. I do check occasionally as I did today at 2200 on both 6715 and 6719. As you say, either they've moved frequency and no one has yet found them or they are indeed off. Heard here and QSL'd back in January, 2003 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 6165, Central People's Broadcasting Station, (presumed) 0931-1003 Feb 17. Noted typical Chinese music with in between Chinese comments from a number of women. At 0957 a woman gives URL and other info in Chinese. Signal was too poor to catch details. Broadcast continued even until 1000, not pausing for a couple minutes like CRI would before the hour. On the hour (1000) the broadcast continued. Was hoping to hear the new Bolivian here this morning, but I suppose I am chasing after mirages? (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, Dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. HFCC taking place in the home of jamming: see CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES ** COLOMBIA [and non]. Please, look this site, they are selling T- shirts for collect funds (20% of the value) for the clandestine FARC station Radio Resistencia, in Colombia -> http://www.fightersandlovers.com/ (G. Iván Barrera, Argentina, Feb 4, 2006 for CRW via DXLD) They also sell T-shirts for the PFLP (Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine). They do not give a real postal address but their main currency are Danish Crowns, also shipping costs to Denmark are the lowest. From their website: "Legal Notice: To be a Fighters+Lovers customer you must be 18 years or older. When you buy Fighters+Lovers products you might experience legal problems because of US or EU "antiterrorist" legislation, outlawing financial support to organizations labelled as "terrorists", including the PFLP and the FARC." (M. Schöch, Germany, Feb 5, 2006 for CRW via DXLD) Una fuerte controversia se ha desatado en Colombia debido a la decisión de la recién creada firma danesa de ropa Fighters and Lovers de vender en su sitio de internet camisetas alusivas y en apoyo a las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC). Las prendas serán comercializadas en toda Escandinavia a 170 coronas danesas (US$ 27.60), de las cuales algo más del 20% (35 coronas o US$5.70) será destinado a la financiación de Radio Resistencia, la estación de radio clandestina de las FARC - Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia. Anna Duever, jefa de relaciones públicas de la firma, dijo a la agencia española EFE que su objetivo es "defender la libertad y la justicia social, que es por lo que luchan las FARC". Añade que la inclusión de las FARC en la lista de organizaciones terroristas de la Unión Europea es un "juego político". "Nosotros pagamos impuestos en Dinamarca, y ese dinero sirve para financiar a las tropas que nuestro gobierno ha enviado a Iraq. Eso es terrorismo. El sitio es: http://www.fightersandlovers.com/ (Fuente: EFE Jan 19, 2006 via G. I. Barrera, Argentina, ConDig 353 via CRW via DXLD) ** CUBA. If you download the Google Earth program and sweep over La Julia, Cuba you can get a good view of large antenna fields which are said to be jammers or listening posts depending on who you believe (Marty Delfín, Madrid, Spain, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. Jamming en 6010: A pesar de que "Radio República" dejó de emitir hace aproximadamente tres semanas en los 6010 kHz, continúa el "jamming" proveniente de Cuba y que sólo afecta en este caso a XEOI Radio Mil. Escuchado con buena intensidad en la Ciudad de México. Me parece un gran desperdicio de energía por parte de la Radio Cubana; confiemos en que pronto suspendan los amigos cubanos este "jamming" advirtiendo que ya Radio República no emite en esta frecuencia y permitan que Radio Mil salga al aire sin "jamming" de las 0000 hasta las 0200 UT. 73's (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) La verdad es que es lamentable esta situación, lo mas seguro es que ni se acuerden que tienen un transmisor en esa frecuencia haciendo daño a otras emisoras, entre ellas Radio Mil. Sería bueno informar al programa En Contacto para que difundan la salida de Radio República de los 6010 kHz y que como decimos por aqui: ESTAN GASTANDO POLVORA EN ZAMURO (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, condig list via DXLD) Hola José Elías: ya he hecho este contacto y a diversos niveles en la radio cubana y espero una pronta respuesta. Como se dice "gastan pólvora en infiernitos" Saludos, (Julián Santiago, DF, ibid.) ** CUBA [and non]. 530, FLORIDA, airborne Radio Martí; a no-show this local Saturday, 18 February, 2300 GMT+. Just Radio Visión Cristiana alone on channel. 1180, CUBA, Radio Rebelde (two sites); 2220+ 18 February. Two sites blowing in equal, near local level, with one about 1/2 second behind, airing some unID mucky speech. Other sources (670, 5025, RHC relays on 6000, etc.) with non-dual audio. CUBA MAP: while at Border's today, I noticed a very good Cuba map, "Insight Fleximap" (1:900,000 scale). Laminated finish and folded, ISBN 981-4137-21-9, $7.95 US. It's far more detailed than the 1:1,250,000 scale Cartographia (Hungary) map. Printed in Singapore, but issued by GeoGraphic Publishers, Germany, 2004-05 copyright (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W Feb 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. CUBAN ESPIONAGE TRIAL UNDER WAY IN ATLANTA Associated Press Writer ATLANTA - Government and defense lawyers sparred Tuesday over whether five Cuban intelligence agents could have gotten a fair trial in Miami at the same time that the politically charged Elián González custody case was topping the headlines. The government argued that the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals should deny the agents' request for a new trial because there was no evidence the jurors had any prejudice about the guilt or innocence of the defendants. For more of this story, click on or type the URL below: http://www.mdjonline.com/articles/2006/02/15/89/10210408.txt (via Greg Hardison, DXLD) These are the guys RHC devotes 90% of its airtime to. It seems that the dentrocubanos have already found them innocent (gh, DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. Pirate, R. Bila Hora, from Prague, heard Dec 31 at 1900 on unusual 3333.7 plaing oldies music with Czech ID (Zdenek Elias, swpirates, via Feb World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. R. Juventus Don Bosco, 1640 kHz: first I got email QSL letter from Luis Rosario Peña padreluisrosario @ hotmail.com in 2 days. Than via snail mail nice letter for 1$ (Andree Bollin, Germany, Feb 15, MWC via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. HD2IOA time station, February 16, 2006 0947 UT, 3810.5 kHz. Time pips and announcement in Spanish. SIO 353 (Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, Manassas, VA using antenna wire strung around walls of listening post, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. 9990, Radio Cairo; 2112-2120+, 14-Feb; Arabic vocal to pips at 2114; then W in English ID and program sked. 2118 news headlines. S20 sig, clean & clear; they really cleaned up this sig! (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) Don`t count on it forevermore (gh, DXLD) ** EUROPE. Re French(?) pirate on 6660, as previously reported in SW Magazine via DXLD: strong here in Letchworth, 1400 Jan 19, playing recordings of air communications (Mike Barraclough, World DX Club Contact via DXLD) See also CZECH REPUBLIC ** FALKLAND ISLANDS. I have been listening to a tape I made of a Rosa de Tokio broadcast a few weeks ago dealing with the Malvinas War. Contains lots of clips of LRA60, R. Atlántico del Sur, BBC, Liberty, etc., many of which probably came from RN`s Radio Enlace. Jaime Báguena, sometimes mispronounced Baguena, was introduced a number of times, but several of the clips did not sound at all like his voice, while others were recognizable. Even stranger, Daniel Camporini, identified as an expert in these matters, remarked that FIBS left SW forever in late 1999 due to a hurricane. Seems to me it was gone from SW long before that. Does anyone have the correct year? Possibly whatever was left of the SW antenna was dealt its death blow then, but I think it had been missing from SW (3958) MUCH earlier than 1999 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GAMBIA [non]. V. of the Diaspora, 9405 via Germany, *2000-2030* Feb 11; sign-on with local African music, then English sign-on announcements with ID. Talk about Gambia election results. Some talk in vernacular. Local children`s chorus at sign-off. F-G; Sat only (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GEORGIA. 4875, R. Hara, Feb 09 *1659-1730* 25232-25221, Georgian, ID at 1659, Opening music, Talk and music, 1727 Chorus music, 1730 sign off (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Four different programs in English were heard on Sats 1900-1930 UT on 6015 JUL 100 kW, 7260 JUL 100 kW, 9460 JUL 100 kW, and 9470 NAU 250 kW, of Bible Voice Broadcasting Network via T-systems (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, wwdxc BC-DX Feb 4 via DXLD) ** GREECE. Hi Glenn, I have been listening to Radio Station Macedonia, Thessaloniki. I heard the transmissions sometime between 1245 and 1300, on 9935 kHz. The news in English is broadcast at this time. ID: This is the Macedonia Radio station of the Third Hellenic Radio and Television Program. Best Regards (Christopher Lewis, England, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Christopher, Very good. I was not aware they had any English. Did you just run across it, or was there news about it somewhere? 73, (Glenn to Christopher, via DXLD) Well, I was just scanning thru the 31 meter band, and I heard this English news cast, and didn't recognize any English broadcast at this time and on this frequency. It was just by chance, it was a nice surprise. It's nice to hear domestic stations` English programs. I am not sure what time exactly they are on, but it is definitely between 1245 and 1300. I was out yesterday, but I set an automated tape recorder, and it was there. All the best, Glenn, (Christopher Lewis, Feb 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOA closing Greek service: see U S A ** GREECE. Greek pirate harmonics observed: 1320 UT 4847, 4849.5 and 4857 kHz 1610 UT 3239, 3340 1820 UT 4154 (Feb 3-6) Today 2100 UT on 1377 kHz (Feb 7th) (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, wwdxc BC-DX Feb 7 via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. R. Coatán, 4779.98, *1028-1055+ Feb 11, sign-on with long choral NA, 1032 opening Spanish announcements with IDs and into local religious programming with talk and traditional religious music; fair (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. 1610 kHz, WPZH377, Honolulu, 2/4, 1030 EST, tape loop by woman with info on Hawaii Convention Center, gave phone number and e- mail address. Audible daily throughout hours of darkness. Is it 10 watts? If so, not a bad signal, fair (Richard E Wood, Keaau, BIHI 96749-9221, FRG-1000, 350' longwire to NE, 150' longwire to NNE, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL. Starting in Jan 2006 the new name worldwide is CVC, and for their Spanish Service it will be CVC-La Voz. This includes a new logo and 2006 programming after a new strategy plan presented on Nov 6-8 at a Second affiliates meeting at Santiago de Chile was approved. The press release in Spanish quoted below gives this info and more, which I translate: In these days (as of Nov 2005) they are studying the possibility of buying the biggest SW transmitter site in Australia in order to improve coverage for Europe and Middle East. In 1996, from Calera de Tango, Chile, Voz Cristiana started their transmissions to LAm when the biggest South American SW site was bought (8 transmitters, 100,000 watts each with 8 antennas. Spanish article quoted from: http://www.vozcristiana.com/article/articleview/1794/1/10/ follows: NUEVA ESTRATEGIA Y PROGRAMACIÓN RECIBIDAS CON GRAN ACEPTACIÓN Autor: Juan Mark Gallardo, Fecha de Publicación: 14/11/2005 10:09 En la Segunda Conferencia de Afiliadas realizada en Santiago, Chile, del 6 al 9 de noviembre, el equipo de Voz Cristiana presentó su nueva estrategia, que incluye la introducción del nuevo nombre, logo y la programación para el 2006. Por qué CVC-La Voz El ministerio Christian Vision empezó en Inglaterra en diciembre de 1988, en el corazón de Bob Edmiston, un hombre de negocios que Dios levantó con una visión de impactar vidas con el mensaje transformador del evangelio. Después de 6 años de apoyar económicamente otros ministerios y proyectos, Bob Edmiston sintió que Christian Vision necesitaba trabajar en una estrategia clave para llegar a una mayor cantidad de almas. Allí nació el plan doble de ``Tocar Un Billón`` e ``Impactar Naciones``, que ahora representa la motivación de todo lo que el ministerio se propone hacer. En 1994 Christian Vision se lanzó por primera vez en las comunicaciones cuando recibió el permiso para instalar una estación de onda corta y FM en Zambia, Africa. En 1996, en Calera de Tango, Chile, Voz Cristiana llegó a ser una realidad cuando se compró la instalación más grande del Cono Sur con 8 transmisores de 100,000 vatios cada uno y 8 antenas. En 2002, de nuevo Dios abrió puertas al ministerio permitiéndole adquirir las instalaciones más importantes del Pacífico, localizadas en Darwin, Australia. Este increíble sitio contiene 6 transmisores con un mínimo de potencia de 25,0000 [sic] vatios cada uno y 7 antenas. La instalación cubre a más de 2.5 billones de personas. La visión sigue. En estos momentos Christian Vision está a punto de lanzar la mayor cadena de televisión en Brasil con base en Río de Janeiro. Se estima que en enero del 2006 la televisión cubrirá cada uno de los 27 estados de ese país con una audiencia potencial de más de 75 millones de personas. En estos días el ministerio está estudiando la posibilidad de comprar la mayor instalación de transmisión en onda corta en Australia, que ampliará la cobertura y podrá alcanzar a toda Europa, incluyendo al Oriente Medio. Con esta red mundial de radios y tv, Christian Vision ha concluído que es la hora de unificar esfuerzos. Por eso, a nivel mundial pasaremos a llamarnos CVC, y nuestro servicio en español Voz Cristiana se designará, a partir de enero de 2006, CVC-La Voz. Nuestra ``voz cristiana`` continuará siendo escuchada a través de toda Iberoamerica ``sembrando vía satelite para la cosecha mundial``. CVC-La Voz se prepara para el año 2006 con una programación variada y atractiva. El nombre se cambia, pero la misión se mantiene: ``presentar Jesús a las personas y alentar a aquellas que lo reconocen a aceptarlo como Hijo de Dios y ser sus verdaderos seguidores``. (via Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, DX-plorer, via Radio Nuevo Mundo Feb 6 via DXLD) This does not make sense: they already own (at least for a while longer), the Cox Peninsula SW facility (Darwin), and now they are studying the possibility of buying the largest SW installation in Australia, to cover Eu and the ME??? Is Shepparton ``larger`` than Darwin? Surely does not refer to that, and covering Eu and ME from either is problematical. Maybe that was a misprint for Austria??? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. GROOTSTE ONDERZEEBOOTOEFENING ALLER TIJDEN Beste luister vrienden, Ik ben zo vrij hieronder een stuk van een website in het Engels neer te plakken. Deze Grote Militaire oefening start op 17 februari en duurt 2 weken. Volgens BDXC lid Ronald Rensen is dit een geweldige oefening die vooral in donker (avonduren) plaatsvindt. Er zijn ook veel vliegtuigen te horen. Ik z\al proberen Ronald zo ver te krijgen een voorspelling te welke frequenties worden gebruikt. Mogelijk dus.. dat jullie nog van mij horen. [Viz.:] Naples, 14 February 2006. Ten NATO nations will provide eight submarines, fifteen maritime patrol aircraft/land-based anti-submarine helicopters and eight surface ships to take part in NOBLE MANTA 06, the world’s largest anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise from 17 February to 01 March 2006. The exercise will take place in the Ionian Sea to the Southeast of Sicily. Forces are provided by Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America... De originele website is te vinden: http://www.afsouth.nato.int/organization/CC_MAR_Naples/PressReleases/CC-MAR/PressReleases06/PR_04_06.htm (Piet Postema, Netherlands, Aero-DX, BDXC via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non?]. Coalition Maritime Radio - Radio One was heard today Feb 16 at 1430 UT on 9134.5 kHz (ex -9133) USB with station information in Farsi. Signal strength only S3, but reception was quite good. 73 (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY [non]. Hello there from Milan, Italy, We have recently extended our schedule with new daily broadcasts targeted to the Middle and especially the Far East (i.e. India, China, Philippines), and would appreciate receiving reception reports from listeners on these target areas: We are interested especially in the following: Mon-Fri: 15750 kHz at 1300-1400 UT to the Far East Sat&Sun: 15750 kHZ at 1300-1500 UT to the Far East reception on this frequency has been reported throughout Asia, Australia, Africa and the Americas. And: Fri: 9380 kHz at 1800-1930 UT to the Middle East and N Europe We have also extended our low power broadcasts to Europe now daily on 13840 kHz at 0800-1600 UT and on 5785 kHz at 1600-2100 UT (2200 on Sat&Sun). Check our complete schedule for all other broadcasts at: http://www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/Schedules/ Please address your reports to: reports @ nexus.org Thank You and best 73s, de (Ron Norton, IRRS, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Where are the transmitters located, if not a secret? ;) 73! de Serge (Sergei Nikishin, Moscow, Russia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) It is a huge secret as far as IRRS is concerned. We think they have been using Bulgaria, but who knows, other sites could be added. A tentative A-06 schedule from them, in HFCC format, even tho IRRS refuses to participate in HFCC, claims all transmissions are from the location Milano, including the 100 kW ones; the Frequency Management Organization is ``ANT``. According to HFCC key info, ``ANT`` stands for ANTI, Milano. So, what does ANTI stand for??? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JORDAN. R. Jordan, 11690, could hardly believe my ears, Feb 14 at 1600 English news with NO RTTY QRM! But it was just taking a breather, back on the low side a minute later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [non]. Came across undermodulated YL in French at 1606 Feb 18 seemingly giving a schedule, mentioned 15715? And saying ``Le Grand Jamahariya`` every few seconds on 17840 // 17870. What else could this be but the relay of SPLAJBC via France. 1609 in music. Seems they prefer to run two frequencies parallel a few kHz apart, presumably on somewhat different azimuths, cf 21695 and 21675 for English at 13 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [and non]. AMAL AND THE AFTERNOON VISITORS, Wed February 15: Re 6-031: Sin embargo hasta la fecha, en la única frecuencia que se la escucha en Valencia (España) es la 17660. La única emisora que cambia de frecuencia en función de donde transmita Al-amel es la emisora no identifacada con música afro-pop. La situación de hoy ha permitido que La Voz Cristiana en 17680 haya sido escuchada con una señal muy pobre; ésta emisora parece que sólo podemos escucharla en aperturas de propagación muy esporádicas (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Feb 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 17665: tune-in at 1340, only noted 17665 with African music. At 1355, had hilife music mixing with Arabic talk about 4 Hz away, 1400 Big- Ben-like chimes and the latter went off. I assume that was a jammer axually in Libya, or at least programming originating in Libya, relayed by France. At 1400 African music seemed to be mixing with an open carrier, or a very weak carrier, causing a slight SAH, and once again nothing else audible in the usual range. At 1401 the other carrier seemed to be gone (I assume the latter was Sawt al-Amal, which at this location was buried by all the QRM). Music kept going until close at approx. 1530, bothered after 1459 by Cuban jamming against nothing, bleedover from 17670. At this time, I was uncertain whether there was another carrier causing a SAH on 17665, or just propagational fading. 17660: Not heard at first at 1340, but checking again at 1355, I found not only 17665 signals as above, but separate signal on 17660, this one the Arabic music jammer, now consisting mostly of drumming at the rate of two beats per second, and went off promptly at 1400. How do you say ``Firedrake`` in Arabic? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thursday Feb 16: Saludos cordiales, chequeando a Sawt Al-amal hoy emitiendo por 17680 acompañada por la emisión de música afro-pop, la castiga fuertemente; por otra parte se aprecia en 17675 una portadora muy fuerte. En días pasados no se apreció señal alguna en esta frecuencia. Una vez más en 17660 la emisora con música árabe, buena señal, pero sin interferir a R. Int de China en 17650. A las 1300 entra AWR en vietnamita por 17670; la señal no es muy buena y no se aprecia que sea afectada por la portadora (José Miguel Romero, Spain, 1311 UT Feb 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Luego:] Acaba de cambiar a 17685; la emisión de música afro-pop se ha quedado en 17680, hace cortes intermitentes y no se escucha a Sawt A- amal de fondo; en cualquier momento cambiará de frecuencia, supongo. (Romero, 1320 UT Feb 16, ibid.) A las 1318 Sawt Al-amal cambia de frecuencia a 17685, en 17680 se producen cortes en la emisión de música afro y al mismo tiempo desaparece la fuerte portadora en 17675. A las 1335 se aprecia una señal de pulsos muy fuerte en 17685 abarcando hasta los 17687, parecía una sierra; a las 1337 aparece otra vez la fuerte portadora en 17675. Tras unos minutos con la nueva señal interfiriendo en 17685, desaparece y se escucha muy fuerte y nítidamente a Sawt Al-amal, con ID a las 1352 y a las 1358; a las 1401 termina la emisión de Sawt Al- amal en 17685 y la emisión de música árabe en 17660. Sólo queda en 17680 la emisión de música afro y la fuerte portadora en 17675, que se prolonga hasta las 1412 que cortan bruscamente; a partir de ahí sólo la emisión de música afro con fuerte señal y libre de interferencias. Sin embargo a las 1430 aparece otra vez la fuerte portadora en 17675. A las 1438 un silencio de un minuto en 17680 y se reanuda la emisión. A las 1457 desaparece otra vez la portadora en 17675 reapareciendo 1502. A las 1530 termina la emisión de música afro en 17680; sin embargo la portadora en 17675 continua (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Feb 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos José. Lo llamativo de este atorador o jammer en 17675 es que está compuesto de dos señales, una de tipo burbujeo y otra pulsante y permanece audible en dicha frecuencia (al menos aquí en Tiquicia) aún después de las 2100 UT, un horario en que las emisoras en lengua árabe y protagonistas ya ni se perciben, excepto Voz Cristiana desde Chile en sus 17680. La fuerza de este jammer (no pretendo descubrir el agua caliente) me da por pensar que es de algún punto en la Cuenca del Caribe. De paso, voy a acotar que me resulta mayormente atractiva la programación de la emisora con afro-pops que nunca se identifica y que algunos colegas han sospechado de trata de Africa # 1 y que yo escuché por última vez el pasado domingo (cuando el tiempo me lo permite) en 17660 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) Saludos Raúl, por aquí no se percibe nada en esa frecuencia; sin embargo me ha llamado la atención hoy, se trataba de una portadora muy fuerte, aparecía y desaparecía en intervalos de 20 o 30 minutos, no sé que pretendía interferir. Por otra parte lo de la música afro, descarto que sea África Nº 1, sobre todo porque siempre está cambiando de frecuencia según emita Sawt Al-amel, por otra parte África Nº 1 no entra con tanta fuerza por Valencia cómo esta señal, sin embargo tampoco lo descarto. Lo novedoso de hoy ha sido el cambio de frecuencia de Sawt Al-amal; empezó emitiendo en 17680 y luego cambió a 17685, hasta ahora no lo había hecho. En esos momentos han ocurrido muchas cosas, la incertidumbre era grande; personalmente sospeché que la música afro cambiaría de frecuencia, sin embargo me equivoqué, pero a los Libios no debe haberles sentado bien la cosa, han cortado por un momento la música, han regresado, mucho desconcierto, esto trae miga; veremos lo que ocurre mañana. Aventuro muchas novedades al respecto, parecen el perro y el gato, escondiéndose, amagando, engañando, me divierte la situación. Les agradezco que la música afro sea tan variada, es agradable escucharla. Un abrazo, atentamente (José Miguel Romero, Spain, ibid.) On this date I did not tune in until about 1450, but also heard for the first time the open carrier on 17675; and on 17680 a SAH of 5 Hz, African music about equal level to VC. JMRR thinks the African music cannot be ANO, since it keeps changing frequency to chase SAA, and it`s too strong. Well, it is certainly not openly ANO, but I still think it is one of their transmitters, with the Libyans managing to control it in near-real-time as needed for jamming. But all this after 1401 UT, when Al-Amal closes, is totally unnecessary and just causes collateral damage to innocent bystanders such as VC. Evidently, the African music jammer, surely Gabon, stays on another sesquihour just for the sake of appearances, to seem uninvolved in jamming -- if that is the case, why aren`t there any announcements or IDs? As I have pointed out repeatedly, the pulse/bubble jamming centered on 17670 from before 1500 all day long has nothing to do with the Libyan situation, but is left over Cuban jamming against R. Marti which vacated that frequency two weeks ago. Is this what Raúl attributes much later in the day to 17675, bleeding over from 17670? 73, (Glenn Hauser, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sawt Al-amal, chequeo el 17 de Febrero, Friday: Saludos cordiales, hoy no he podido chequear tan ampliamente las frecuencias de Sawt Al-amal y las adyacentes, pero a las 1320 en un chequeo rápido he podido observar en 17660 la emisión de música árabe con la misma fuerza de días anteriores, en 17675 estaba Sawt Al-amal acompañada por la portadora del día anterior y apenas interferida por la emisión Afro-pop que permanecía en 17680. Sin embargo un chequeo posterior, a las 1343 se observa que en 17660 ya no transmite la Jammer con música árabe y por el contrario sí se escucha a Radio Waaberi en somalí con un SINPO 44333, finalizando su emisión a las 1400. Sawt Al-amal siempre acompañada de la fuerte portadora nos dá un SINPO 44444, y la emisión Afro-pop en 17680 un SINPO 55555. Compruebo momentáneamente en 17650 a R. Int de China en francés con SINPO 54433 y en 17670 a la AWR en vietnamita con pobre señal, dando un SINPO 23222. Poco después de terminar la transmisión de Radio Waaberi, termina la transmisión de Sawt Al-amal, quedando en solitario la transmisión en 17680 con muy buena señal; poco después desaparece la portadora en 17675. Desconozco en qué frecuencia empezó a transmitir hoy Sawt Al- amal, pero sospecho haya ocurrido lo de ayer, que empezó en 17680 y luego se haya cambiado a 17675; quizás alguien pueda confirmar en que frecuencia empezó hoy a transmitir Sawt Al-amal. Atentamente (José Miguel Romero, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Fri Feb 17: much like the day before; started checking at 1336, and 17660 was on with R. Waaberi`s weekly semihour, without any QRM. The action was on 17675 and 17680. 17675 had the Arabic music and drumming, 1347 Arabic talk, mixing with drumming and siren. I would not hazard a guess how many different transmitters were involved in this. 1355 besides Arabic talk and music there was a continuous tone. At 1401 recheck nothing left here but the tone, which cut off for a few seconds and came back. At 1450 recheck nothing heard on 17675. 17680: Voz Cristiana is getting the brunt of the Libyan radio war now, but I gather it`s no problem east of the Greenwich Meridian. At 1335 there was heavy CCI, mainly, I think, with the African music jammer from Gabon. The two were roughly at equal levels. Presumably Amal was underneath them both; the two signals about 5 Hz apart were still colliding at 1450 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 16 February follow. Solar flux 79 and mid-latitude A-index 8. The mid-latitude K-index at 1500 UTC on 17 February was 1 (09 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours (SEC via DXLD) Saturday Feb 18: Saludos cordiales, espero estén bien, la situación de hoy es más que curiosa, pero a ver si alguien puede comprobar ciertas novedades: 17660, NO ID, emisión música árabe. 17670, Idha`at al Jamahiriya al Ozma, locutor y locutora con comentarios en árabe, constantes identificaciones, señal muy fuerte. 17670, NO ID, emisión de música afro-pop, señal fuerte pero no puede [?] con la emisora árabe. 17675, Sawt Al-amal, buena señal, libre de interferencias, locutor y locutora, comentarios, ID. Estas son las novedades de hoy, atentamente (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Luego:] 18 Febrero; Saludos cordiales. Lo acontecido hoy se resume de la siguiente manera: A las 1253 en un chequeo rápido, se observa en 17660 la emisión de música árabe, sin ninguna identificación, con muy buena señal y libre de interferencias, terminando su emisión a las 1400. A la misma hora en 17670 se escucha a Sawt Al-amal, con buena señal e interferida por la música afro-pop, pero sin llegar a anularla; sin embargo a las 1307 cambia de frecuencia y se observa que está emitiendo en 17675, levemente interferida y con fuerte señal. Curiosamente en 17670 queda la emisora con música afro-pop y otra emisora emitiendo en árabe; tras unos minutos de desconcierto, escucho varias identificaciones de Idha`at al Jamahiriya al Ozma, con locutor y locutora, comentarios y segmentos de música árabe. Esta situación se mantiene hasta las 1335; entonces la emisora de música afro-pop cambia de frecuencia y pasa a 17680. En esos momentos la situación queda de la siguiente manera: 17660, NO ID, emisora con música árabe. 17670, Idha`at al Jamahiriya al Ozma, con locutor y locutora, comentarios y música árabe. 17675, Sawt Al-amal, con la programación normal, canto del Cor`án e identificación. 17680, NO ID, emitiendo música afro-pop. A las 1400, terminan todas las transmisiones a excepción de la emisión de música en 17680 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, ibid.) Hello DXers, today 18/2/06, around 1300 UT checking the situation of Saut Alamal and here's what I found: 17675 kHz is having Saut Alamal in the clear with no jamming today. The programs are the same as I heard them on 10/2/06, the same program of a woman talking about the situation in Libya and the battle of freedom against the regime. 17670: the afro pop station is on as usual with no ID but suddenly around 1319 UT they went off the air!! So I managed to get an underneath Arabic station broadcasting a program about the treasures of our home --- the lady introducing the program sounds like the same lady giving the ID of Idhaat al Jamaheriya al o'zma on the non stop Arabic music 17660 kHz; waiting for an ID to make my conclusion clear. 1325 a program about the women's health talking about that time of the month for women!!!! I didn't manage to get an ID as I had to go out :( 17660 kHz is having Idhaat al jamaheriya al O'zma with the non stop Arabic songs. Around 1415 I noticed that the afro pop station moved to 17680 kHz! All the best my friends. Yours (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Feb 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tarek, greetings, when changed Sawt to to 17675 to observed you in 17670 a transmitter in Arab? 73 (José Miguel, ibid.) Hola mi amigo, Comprobé la frecuencia en UTC 1315 y había Saut Al Amal en 17675 kilociclos y la otra estación árabe en 17670 que pienso que era el al Idhaat al Jamaheryia Al O'zma. No conseguí ninguna identificación. Saludos de El Cairo mi amigo, el tuyo (Tarek Zeidan, ibid.) Am glad you guys are keeping track of this closely! Sat Feb 18, I could make only a brief check at 1450; found VC 17680 again torn up by co-channel African music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. Mad water --- Hi Andy, Just wondering if the water shortage in Madagascar is still in effect, as dated 2 November on your transmission schedule page? Or is that a forgotten annotation? Are transmissions and sites still being swapped around to compensate? 73, (Glenn to Andy Sennitt, via DXLD) Hi Glenn, As far as I know, the official position is unchanged. I did ask my colleagues some weeks ago whether I should take it off, but they said that officially the water shortage situation still existed. I will check again next week, in case someone forgot to update me. I don't know the situation about transmitter site swapping, but I will check that too. My hunch is that the situation is improving, but I don't have any real evidence to back that up. I'll get back to you ASAP. 73, (Andy Sennitt, RN, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALDIVE ISLANDS [non]. Dear Friends, Minivan Radio was noted again yesterday 15 Feb 2006 at 1630 UT on 11800. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, Feb 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Via Germany ** MEXICO. 5999.95, Radio Insurgente, presumed them at 2125 tune in woman talking in Spanish, man talking in Spanish, man and woman talking in Spanish. Two short music bridges, possible Radio Insurgente presenta at 2208. Improving at 2215 to the point where I could make out what was being said. Smoked by RHC's open carrier at 2217 Feb 10 (Ed Rausch, NJ, Jihad-DX via CRW via DXLD) This seems a late sign on for Radio Havana Cuba. Are they waiting for Radio Insurgente to end its broadcast? Had similar details; tuned in a bit earlier (R. Wilkner, FL, ibid.) 5999.95v, Radio Insurgente may continue its Friday broadcast schedule today. Radio Insurgente has been heard from 2045v to sign off last week at 2210v. Signal strength in south eastern Florida has been fair to poor. Radio Havana, Cuba may be delaying sign on until Radio Insurgente ends its broadcast (Bob Wilkner, FL, Feb 17, HCDX via DXLD) Tnx for the reminders, Bob; unfortunately I was unable to try for it this week. Did anybody hear it Feb 17? (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. Desde el pasado miércoles fuera del aire Radio Universidad de San Luis Potosí, México en los 6045 kHz. Espero pronto nos informe la Directora Leticia Zavala qué ha pasado (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) De nuevo al aire esta mañana, la Radio Universidad de San Luis Potosí, 6045 kHz. La escucho en estos momentos 1643 UT con un SINPO de 4 aquí en la Cd. de México. 73's (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Julian, sabes el horario en el cual esta emisora está en el aire? Porque sería muy interesante encontrarle la vuelta para hacer un intento desde Buenos Aires. Gracias de antemano (Arnaldo Slaen, condiglist via DXLD) Hola Arnaldo: XEXQ emite desde las 1300 hasta las 0200 UT de lunes a viernes; ocasionalmente sábados y domingos cierra un poco antes pero abre igual que durante la semana. Ojalá la puedadas escuchar; en estos momentos 2007 la escucho con un SINPO de 4. Recuerda que transmite con solo 250 vatios y yo me encuentro a unos 400 km al sur de su antena. Suerte, saludos desde México, D.F., (Julián Santiago DdeB, ibid.) ** MEXICO. Nuevamente reactivada XERTA [4810] --- la capté desde las 2200 UT con programación de tipo religioso. Ahora habría que saber en qué parte de México D.F. quedó su antena de transmisión (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 690, Rosarita, XERA 2/13 0200. Good signal on car radio in Anaheim CA with nice ID in EE on the hour. "This is XERA 690 AM, Rosarito, Baja California", then ID in Spanish "ésta es equis eh erre ah, seis novente ah emme, Rosarita, Baja California Meh hee co". Call change ex XETRA. Those were good call letters while they lasted! (Robert Wien, CA, IRCA Soft DX Monitor Feb 18 via DXLD) End of an ERA, so to speak. Axually, XETRA used to be printed as X-TRA with the hyphen, if you looked closely, a tiny capital E. So XERA might be equally unofficial. I sure thought those calls applied somewhere else in Mexico, but maybe not at the moment, or there has been a quick shuffle. Oh, oh, as I suspected, it is now billed as XTRA, not XERA, as on its website http://www.wradiousa.com/ linked from Fred Cantú`s Baja page http://www.mexicoradiotv.com/listbaja.htm As for the location, I just had a look at my Rand McNally atlas, which has a crummy undetailed map of Mexico all on one page, just like New Mexico and many other single US states which get one page (some get two-page spreads or even more), and the only Rosarito shown in BCN is way down next to the BCS border, the first town north of it some 35 km, or is that miles? Surely way too far from the San Diego market. So is there another Rosarito up near Tijuana, or is it really Rosarita -- - Robert has the latter spelling 2 to 1. It won`t do any good to consult the WRTH 2006, which only mentions Tijuana for the 690 station, and of course all the lower-frequency Mexicans are missing from the Mex/Central America/Caribe MW frequency list, and has not been rectified on the website. Cantú also just puts it in Tijuana/Los Ángeles (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Hi! in the PLAY-DX Web page you may look at a photo gallery took during the "Vuelta Radial Mexicana" of the august 2005 realized by Roberto Pavanello & Dario Monferini. More than 100 photos. http://www.playdx.com/foto/messico2005/index.html you may read the complete story : http://www.playdx.com/html/messico2005/messico2005.htm (Dario Monferini, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Lots of interesting shots, but no captions and no slideshow (gh) ** NEPAL [and non]. NEPAL MAOIST LEADER TALKS TO BBC For nearly 10 years, he was a mysterious person. Some even doubted his existence, but from this week, Prachanda, Nepal's elusive guerrilla leader, surprised everyone by giving an interview, photographs and even a TV appearance on the BBC. . . http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?article_class=3&no=274192&rel_no=1 (via Zacharias Liangas, DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. CAMBIOS EN RADIO NEDERLAND WERELDOMROEP ! Queridos amigos, reciban todos un cordial saludo; quiero compartir la carta recibida hoy del colega Jaime Báguena de Radio Nederland con todos ustedes sobre algunos cambios en esa querida radio. "Estimado y recordado Dino: Supongo que ya te habrás percatado que desde hace pocos días se han realizado algunos cambios en Radio Nederland WERELDOMROEP. No sólo el nombre (con apellido completo), también las melodías las estuve reemplazando: toda una gran operación, puesto que transmitimos las 24 horas en español. Lo que no ha cambiado ha sido el carillón. Eso sí, acabo de enviar a las estaciones repetidoras (Bonaire, Madagascar, Ascensión), otra grabación con la identificación de Radio Nederland Wereldomroep + nombre relay. Me imagino que este curioso dato resultará de interés para los diexistas, pues generalmente las emisoras internacionales no suelen identificar el origen de la señal con una identificación local por parte de la estación repetidora. Un fuerte abrazo y seguimos en contacto. 73 Jaime Báguena, Director Artístico, Depto. Latinoamericano Radio Nederland Werledomroep http://www.informarn.nl (via Dino Bloise, FLORIDA, EEUU, Feb 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So RN will now be identifying transmitter sites, at least in Spanish; what about all the other relays in other languages? See also MADAGASCAR (gh, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. 15120, Voice of Nigeria. Feb. 11 at 0730-0758. SINPO34333. Afro pops & talk in French. Closing announcement at 0757, then music and signed off (Iwao Nagatani, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) 15120, V. of Nigeria, Feb 08, 0740-0757*, 35443, French, Talk and music, ID at 0746 and 0749 (Kouji Hashimoto, ibid.) Does this mean 7255 is no longer used at all before 0800? Used to be so reliable here from before 0500, English (gh, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Notice of sale: KACO-FM/Apache (Oklahoma City) PRICE: $500,000 TERMS: Asset sale for cash BUYER: Perry Broadcasting, headed by President Russell Perry. Phone: 405-424-4695. It owns 10 other stations. This represents its entry into the market. SELLER: Witko Broadcasting, headed by President Dick Witkovski. Phone: 903-657-4528 FREQUENCY: 98.5 MHz POWER: 19 kW at 305 feet FORMAT: Dark BROKER: George Moore & Associates COMMENT: A $2,500 escrow deposit has been made by Perry. (radioandrecords.com via Brock Whaley, Feb 17, DXLD) FM Atlas says slogan is K-Cow; odd that it managed the same frequency as a Tulsa FM. Where is Apache? I can`t believe how many OK towns I never heard of have becomes cities of license. Rand McNally shows Apache a little town way down between Anadarko and Lawton, SW of OKC, so it`s hard to see how it could qualify as an OKC market station, especially with that low power and tower. No doubt it was dropped in there to be far enough away from Tulsa and perhaps other 98.5 stations. The purchaser may have a plan to upgrade and axually get it into OKC. Note the bargain-basement price. Or did 98.5 start out as a Lawton allocation? I try to remember (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. The Central News Bulletin in English of Radio Pakistan is broadcast from 16 to 1614 hours on the new frequency of 9375 kHz besides 4790, 6215 and 11570 kHz. No signal is reported on 5027, 5080 and 15725 kHz, announced in the beginning of the winter broadcast season (Rumen Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX Feb 17 via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. [tentative, unID], 13100, noted a strong very DISTORTED subcontinental programm this morning Feb 15th around 0600-0700 UT. Audio similar distorted like R. Pak 15100 kHz but program different in Urdu/Bangla language ?? Please help to solve the puzzle. Noted on three different receivers. When checked again around 0658 UT, unID had disappeared. So, I guess the Islamabad technician held an on-air test maintenance action that day (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX Feb 15 via DXLD) ** PERU. QSL: Radio Victoria, 9720, recibida carta de confirmación, no datos completos, firmada por v/s Henrique Silvio Ramos, administrador de la emisora, así como varios stickers y bonita postal de Lima. Tardó en llegar 165 días y junto al informe de recepción se envió 1 US $ para ayuda del sello de retorno. La carta hace mención al informe de recepción, enviado el 14 de Julio de 2005, y sigue: "Nos da gusto saber que nuestra emisora llegue tan lejos. Nosotros prestamos servicio a la Iglesia Pentecostal Dios es Amor en el programa La Voz de la Liberación, que transmite una palabra de fe para los corazones, anunciando a Cristo como el salvador del mundo". También se puede leer: "Radio Victoria, Una Radio para todos, una nueva potencia en el aire. AMPLITUD MODULADA 780 kHz. ONDA CORTA, 31 metros, 9720 kHz, ONDA CORTA, 49 METROS, 6020 Khz. Transmitimos las 24 horas del día, Lima, Perú". El informe de recepción se envió a la siguiente dirección: Radio Victoria Avenida Arica 248 Breña Lima, PERU (Manuel Méndez, Spain, Feb 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PETER I. The Peter I DXpedition, 3Y0X update. The 3Y0X team has been doing its best since the DXpedition got on the air on February 7 as scheduled. Propagation conditions have been rather poor but nevertheless, 3Y0X has been causing tremendous pile ups on all bands. Observations indicate that the highest bands 24 and 28 MHz have been open between Peter I Island and South and North America but not to Europe. For those who have yet to put 3Y0X into their logs, plans call for the DXpedition to continue at least through this coming weekend. QSL via N2OO (Dimiter Petrov, LZ1AF, R. Bulgaria DX Feb 17 via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) Upon checking the website it looks like they may be packing up on Sunday due to bad weather (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, Feb 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PUERTO RICO. Glenn, Saw this in the Puerto Rican newspaper El Nuevo Día concerning the closure of the government-owned WIPR-AM because of lack of funding. I remember this was one the last radio stations in the island that still carried the daily radionovela, which is becoming a dying breed in Latin America. The closure is leaving a lot of actors without work (Marty Delfín, Spain, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, read the second article I found on the WIPR website; the closure is supposedly temporary to ``digitalize`` it! Viz.: (gh) Por Patricia Vargas Antes de que existiera la televisión, la radionovela era el medio de entretenimiento por excelencia de la familia puertorriqueña. Hoy, el único taller que recrea dicho género dramático en Puerto Rico está a punto de desaparecer con el cierre de la estación 940 AM de WIPR, dejando sin trabajo a los artistas que aportan su voz a dichas historias a través de las ondas radiales. Una representación de los 50 artistas y productores cesanteados, con los rostros desencajados por la angustia e indignación, llegó ayer hasta el Capitolio en busca de apoyo para la defensa de sus empleos. La visita tuvo cierto efecto, puesto que ayer mismo fue presentada una resolución para exigir que el gobernador Aníbal Acevedo Vilá dé marcha atrás a la decisión de Víctor Montilla, presidente de la Corporación de Puerto Rico para la Difusión Pública, y que se restituya nuevamente los contratos a los artistas desempleados. Entre los artistas que asistieron al Capitolio en reclamo de sus trabajos estuvieron los actores Ricardo Fábregues, Raquel Montero y Miguel Angel Álvarez, entre otros, a los que se les unió un grupo de legisladores de los tres partidos, entre los que figuraban los presidentes de la Cámara y el Senado. ``Veo una equivocación en todo esto para modernizar la estación. Algo está pasando. ¿Quién está administrando? Porque se están haciendo unas cosas y todo eso tiene que ser evaluado``, expuso el presidente del Senado, Kenneth McClintock. Mientras que el presidente de la Cámara, José Aponte, habló de unos acuerdos que se hicieron con la clase artística y que no han sido cumplidos. De otro lado, el representante popular Ferdinand Pérez se comprometió a tratar de disuadir al Gobernador para que se revierta la decisión. ``Me parece una burla el usar como excusa la remodelación de la estación para cerrar un taller de la clase artística y abrirlo una año después con nuevas personas, y no lo voy a avalar``, indicó Pérez. Juan Carlos Santa Cruz, una de las voces más distintivas de las novelas, con 60 años trabajando en la radio, aprovechó la ocasión para denunciar el descuido de las producciones de 940 AM por parte de la gerencia, en especial en los libretos. Por su parte, Eric Pérez denunció la crisis por la que atraviesa la clase actoral, que se intensifica ahora con el cierre de el taller de radionovelas. ``Muchos de nosotros le llamábamos a este taller el refugio, porque con la crisis de los últimos años han llegado aquí los artistas que fueron desplazados de la televisión en un momento dado y no los han vuelto a llamar. Son los pilares que construyeron todo esto y de los que ya nadie se acuerda y a los que ahora se les vuelve a dejar en la calle. Vamos a entonces a reunirnos en Buxeda o en Ehret para celebrarles el velorio adelantado, porque se van a morir de pena, como se murió Machuchal, por falta de trabajo``, comentó Eric Pérez, quien participó en su primera novela radial para WIPR en los años 70, dirigida por Madeline Willensen. A su vez, las presidentas de la Comisión de Educación y Cultura de la Cámara de Representantes, Albita Rivera, y su homóloga en el Senado, Migdalia Padilla, se comprometieron a iniciar el próximo martes, a las 3:00 p.m., unas vistas públicas sobre los despidos. A las mismas serán citados Montilla, al presidente de la Junta de Directores de WIPR, Luis Agrait; a la vicepresidenta de Programación, Susan Marte, y a la asesora legal Nancy Piñero, entre otros funcionarios de la estación radial (via Marty Delfin, Madrid, Spain, Feb 16, DXLD) A DIGITALIZAR RADIO 940AM http://www.tutv.puertorico.pr/radio940am/index.htm 13 de febrero de 2006 - El presidente de la Corporación de Puerto Rico para la Difusión Pública, Víctor Montilla, anunció el proceso de mejoras a la instalaciones que alberga a la emisora radial 940AM. Montilla explicó que las directrices de la Comisión Federal de Comunicaciones (FCC) hacen compulsoria la habilitación para la transmisión en formato digital. El proceso aplica a todas las estaciones radiales, públicas y privadas, en Estados Unidos y Puerto Rico. ``Por motivo de la legislación federal, el gobierno asignó 30 millones de dólares para digitalizar las estaciones de radio y televisión en un plazo de 5 años``, indicó Montilla. La digitalización de la estación de radio conlleva una inversión de 1.5 millones que resultará en una gran calidad en su transmisión. La Corporación tiene planificado comenzar las labores de construcción a principios del próximo mes de marzo. Las subastas del equipo y del transmisor ya se adjudicaron por lo que sólo restan las mejoras a las instalaciones de modo que éstas sean compatibles con la nueva tecnología adquirida. En virtud de lo anterior, la estación radial estará fuera del aire temporeramente; en lo que finaliza la construcción y las respectivas mejoras. Se espera la culminación de los trabajos en un término de 8 a 10 meses. ``Esta determinación también responde a factores relacionados con salvaguardar la seguridad de cuantos laboran en la estación``, agregó Montilla. Por su parte, Jennifer Blest, VP Auxiliar de Recursos Humanos, indicó que ``ya se ha desarrollado un plan para que los empleados regulares de la Corporación que trabajan en 940AM, sean reubicados en la estación de radio Allegro 91.3 FM. El compromiso de esta administración es revalidar lo que expresamos meses atrás, cuando se contempló la jornada de trabajo reducida. Logramos nuestro cometido de, no sólo evitar reducirla, sino garantizar que nuestros trabajadores puedan conservar sus respectivos empleos``. La Corporación enfrenta además una coyuntura delicada en términos de la posible pérdida de los fondos federales que subvencionan parte de la operación de 940AM. “Estamos hablando de que la CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting en Estados Unidos) nos asigna anualmente el 40% ($500,000) del presupuesto de programación de la estación radial y nos exige unos mínimos de audiencia para poder participar de dichos fondos. ``La emisora 940 AM desafortunadamente no cumple con esos mínimos requeridos de audiencia para autorizar la asignación de los fondos federales. De no realizar los ajustes necesarios para aumentar la cantidad de radioescuchas, la Corporación estaría en peligro de perder dichos fondos``, declaró Montilla para explicar el por qué de la evaluación de toda la programación. ``Podemos garantizar que estas mejoras redundarán en una señal con más fidelidad y calidad de transmisión para el disfrute de todos. Además, continuaremos sin interrupción la renovada programación de excelencia de Allegro 91.3 FM``, concluyó Montilla (WIPR website via DXLD) I found this when looking for a webcast from WIPR-FM Friday evening, but could not get AM or FM to connect. What in the world are they talking about? There is no requirement for AM stations to ``digitalize``! And by that, do they mean IBOC? Are they just grossly misinformed, or using this as an excuse to listeners to go off the air? Even if they did have to install IBOC, that could be done with little if any downtime to the existing service, as many stations have already proved. That`s a separate issue from whether they have enough audience to qualify for CPB grants (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Harmonic: 14620 kHz, 1411 UT 15/2/06, R Rossi, 2 x 7310, very poor (Tim Bucknall, UK, harmonics yg via DXLD) Site: Moscow (EiBi) ** RUSSIA [non]. KAZAKHSTAN, 7460, V. of Orthodox, Feb 10 *1630-1645 35443 Russian, 1630 sign on with IS, ID, Opening music, Song, Opening announce, Talk [Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) In summer, 9355 1530-1600 UT, Tue + Fri only, in winter 7460 1630-1700 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, BCDX Feb 18 via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. Sad to hear that RSI are still under threat of closure. I understand that a decision will be made before the end of March, in respect to the SW service. They have been given funding but no decision has been made as to how it will be spent. Either on SW or internet broadcasting (Edwin Southwell, Feb World DX Club Contact via DXLD) Does this predate the report we had that SW was saved? (gh) R. ESLOVAQUIA SIGUE SIN DIRECTOR GENERAL Noticia via RSI: http://www.slovakradio.sk/rsi/ La tercera ronda de votaciones para el cargo del director de la Radio Nacional Eslovaca finaliza sin éxito La tercera ronda de votaciones para el cargo del director de la Radio Nacional Eslovaca, celebrada ayer, concluyó sin éxito alguno. Los candidatos con mayores probabilidades --- Hilda Gajdošová, actual directora económica de la Radio y Milan Materák, ex gerente de la Televisión Nacional y director de Radio Devín, no obtuvieron los 10 votos necesarios. Se preve la presentación de candidaturas para la próxima vuelta antes del 15 marzo. Los nombres de los nuevos candidatos serán dados a conocer dentro de 7 días. Ladislava Hudzovièová (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, radioescutas via DXLD) Será que es un cargo demasiado comprometedor para quien lo gane o es que acaso no existe una persona capaz en el gobierno de dirigir una radio internacional. Sinceramente esto es increible (José Elías, Venezuela, condig list via DXLD) Saludos José, simplemente, SIN COMENTARIOS, patética la situación política de RSI, mientras tanto la programación sigue con todo su empeño, contra viento y marea, a pesar de las constantes amenazas de cierre, nunca pierden la compostura, profesionalidad absoluta. No se merecen el trato que reciben. Atentamente (José Miguel, ibid.) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. Very wide carrier trace wandering around 9543.28 kHz. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, 0906 UT Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SIBC reactivated 31 mb frequency --- 9543.2 kHz. Heard SIBC fair to good; signs 0800 ID // 5020 over DW (you Beauty). Sometimes DW dominated but by 1000 SIBC at good level, 16/2. I think Nigel Holmes on a visit to SIBC about a year ago said that it was about 500 W to 1 kW at that time, and that he helped with the loaded dipole being erected. Power supply and simple air conditioning to dissipate the heat were the major problems. Well, good news about the reactivation of this frequency. Thanks to Tony Magon (John Wright, Australian Radio DX Club, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ILHAS SALOMÃO --- 9543.3, 16/02 0823, SIBC, Honiara, boletim de notícias em inglês por YL e algumas menções a Honiara. Ouvida em modo LSB devido ao QRM exercido pela DW/ Wertachtal em 9545 kHz. Não consegui ouvir nada na outra freqùência deles em 5020 kHz. As transmissões em 31 metros da SIBC foram reativadas há pouco tempo, segundo infos publicadas no DX Listening Digest de Glenn Hauser. 33333. Enviei um e-mail para: sibcnews@... [truncated] com um clipe de áudio em mp3 e segue a reposta da emissora: "Hi, Yes it is SIBC. The 9545 freq is now being trialed again with a new transmitter. You are right, SIBC did broadcast from that freq some years back. Now a new transmitter has been installed, it's being trialed. Thanks for that info. I'll pass it on to our tech. boys. Cheers, Walter Nalangu, SIBC News" Um abraço, (Caio Fernandes Lopes, Itajubá-MG, Icom IC-R75 + Longwire 25m, radioescutas via DXLD) 9543.30, Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corp, 1124-1200 Feb 16. Noted typical music selections with comments from a woman between each tune. 1147 woman gives ID as, "You are listening to the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, broadcasting from .... (missed)" The time is 13 minutes .. 11 o'clock ..." Audio was very muffled. At 1148 ads presented. Noted this being reported on 9534 kHz the other day, but judging from what I am hear today, that was probably a typo and should have been 9543 instead. Signal here peaked around 1145 to good, but still muffled (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, DIPOLE, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard this morning: 9543.3 SIBC (presumed), February 17th, 0655, southsea singing, QRM DW; O=1 vy 73 (Michael Schnitzer Homepage: http://home.arcor.de/mschnitzer/ Location: Hassfurt, Germany, HCDX via DXLD) Altho heard on 9543 UT Feb 17, on UT Feb 18 at 2200 it is back on 9545, and buried not only by DW but also VOA, in Chinese? (Chris Hambly, Vic., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA [non]. R. Waaberi. I looked at their website and they just list a 1/2 hour program on Fridays 1330-1400 UT only. It is also worth noting that they also list a frequency of 6556; that sounds like it must be from Somalia direct. I spot checked a couple of the real audio files there and there is plenty of talking (Hans Johnson, FL, Jihad-DX via CRW via DXLD) See also LIBYA [non] for this week`s observations ** TAIWAN. Muy buena noticia de parte de Bonnie Cheng. --- acabo de recibir esta información de parte de la amiga Bonnie Cheng y la comparto con todos ustedes. Atte: José Elías Hola amigo/a: Le envío este mensaje para expresar mis sinceros saludos y a la vez darle la bienvenida a escuchar nuevamente el espacio del Buzón Aéreo, un programa en donde compartimos los mensajes y amistades de los oyentes de la onda corta. He dejado la radio por unos meses a finales del año pasado, porque quería tomar unas vacaciones largas, y no renové el contrato de trabajo. Ahora, regresando a Taiwán tomo nuevamente la locución y le presento el Buzón Aéreo en los últimos 15 minutos en los domingos. Quisiera organizar un concursito en mi programa; así tengo excusa para enviarle un regalito de la radio. ¿A ver qué opinan? ¿Qué tipo de concurso podemos organizar? Tíreme alguna idea si tiene. Espero que pueda seguir participando como siempre en este espacio. Para empezar, haré que reviviera el espacio de FOTOS que compartía en la página web. Saludos, Bonnie Cheng, SPANISH SECTION, RADIO TAIWAN INTERNATIONAL (via José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. Hello Glenn, Reception of Radio Ukraine International, on 5840, has improved significantly. The signal level on 5840 at 2200 UT, a few weeks back used to be quite low, but now seems to be at a much higher level. RUI offer many interesting programs, I have recently enjoyed "The Roots" and Closeup as well as Ukraine Today. Best Regards (Christopher Lewis, England, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. NPL Time & Frequency services: The MSF 60 kHz signal broadcast from the BT Rugby Radio Station is occasionally taken off air to allow maintenance work to be carried out in safety. The dates and times (UK local) scheduled for 2006-7 are: Mon 15 May 2006 0800 BST until Fri 19 May 1600 Tue 5 Sep 2006 1000-1400 BST Tue 2 Jan 2007 1000-1400 UT During the main maintenance period in May, the service will be restored overnight when feasible. Duration of each outage will be kept to a minimum and the signal may be back on air prior to the times given. Additional info on Tele: 020 8943 6880; fax 020 8943 6458; e- mail: timc @ npl.co.uk Website: http://www.npl.co.uk/time (Ken Barry, Feb World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** U K [non]. BBCWS on 9740 at 2200 now has noise, sounds like DRM (Chris Hambly, Vic., Feb 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) None scheduled (gh) ** U K. BOUNCING THE ILLEGAL BROADCASTERS OFF THE OVERCROWDED AIRWAVES Ofcom, which has responsibility for investigating illegal broadcasts, plans to press for the courts to issue heavier penalties after recording a significant rise in the number of pirate stations on air during the past two years. Long article in Media Guardian, which helpfully mentions 4 pirates and their frequencies! http://media.guardian.co.uk/radio/story/0,,1711795,00.html (Mike Barraclough, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Registration required ** U K. OFCOM DEREGULATES AMATEUR RADIO LICENSING UK`s Communications authority Ofcom has announced its conclusions in the reform of amateur radio licensing which is intended to reduce the administrative burden on the UK`s 63,000 amateur radio users. After public consultation, detailed research and discussions with amateur radio groups, Ofcom has decided to: issue amateur radio licenses which will remain valid for life as long as the license details remain correct or until the license is revoked by Ofcom or surrendered by the licensee; require licensees to confirm their license details at least once every five years; provide an online licensing service as an alternative to the postal service; issue electronic licenses to users of the online licensing service; and continue to make paper licenses available, subject to an administrative change (Dimiter Petrov, LZ1AF, R. Bulgaria DX Feb 17 via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. VOA'S GREEK SERVICE TO CLOSE DOWN World --- By Decision of the Bush Administration 15 Feb 2006 12:11:00 By Vivian Papastefanou Sources: ANA The Greek community of America seems puzzled over the decision of the Bush administration to abolish the Greek service of Voice of America (VOA), adopting a similar stance to the one followed by Britain’s BBC a few months ago. The 2007 budget submitted by the White House to Congress a few days ago provides for the abolishment not only of the Greek, but also the Turkish service, in the context of a wide restructuring plan in VOA, which will now give priority to broadcasts aimed towards the Arab and Muslim world. The restructuring, which was expected to a certain extent, has prompted reactions from many national communities within the US population, since many programmes that were being aired by VOA to European countries for a number of decades are being abolished. The supporters of VOA’s Greek service are hoping that Congress might reverse the decision, or at least find a conciliatory solution that would prevent the total abolishment of all Greek programmes. Translated by Vicky Ghionis (ERA'S web site via John Babbis, Silver Spring, MD, DXLD) ** U S A. Re: [dxld] Voice of America to Concentrate on Mideast Curious, too, that the BBG has decided that the use of English in international broadcasting no longer has merit. That alone demonstrates how far off the mark and out of step the current BBG and its chairman are in this realm (John Figliozzi, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) And see also today's editorial in the Washington Times [moony]: http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060214-102147-6345r.htm (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) And this: The announcement last week that the US Broadcasting Board of Governors is proposing to eliminate the global English-language service of the Voice of America is still the subject of much debate in the media both in the US and overseas. One of the people most qualified to comment on the proposal is Dr Kim Andrew Elliott, who has many years' experience as an audience research analyst in the US International Broadcasting Bureau, which runs the VOA. Kim's personal view is that it would be better to keep the English service. In a considered and thoughtful article for Media Network, Kim outlines the various reasons why the US needs an international shortwave service in the country's own language: NO COMPRENDO: WHY THE LARGEST ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRY SHOULD BROADCAST TO THE WORLD IN ENGLISH . . . http://www.radionetherlands.nl/features/media/voa060216.html (Media Network newsletter Feb 16 via DXLD) ** U S A. Re: [Swprograms] Will NPR replace the VOA as America's English-language voice? --- ``Do you believe NPR representative of our national policies? (Scott Royall, Conch Republic)`` VoA isn't supposed to be a representative of the US national policies - at least, not according to its Charter. After reading it http://www.voanews.com/english/about/VOACharter.cfm one might see that 1) VoA hasn't been fulfilling its Charter 2) NPR would do a much better job Well, in Western Europe NPR already enjoys greater audience than VoA. The process will continue (Sergei Sosedkin, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. WWCR Spurs on 4915 and 5225, 1040-1100* and 2345-2358* Feb 11. Two separate WWCR programs from 5070 and 9985 mixing together on 4915 and 5225, both at fair levels. Here`s the math: 9985 - 5070 = 4915 5070 - 155 = 4915 5070 + 155 = 5225 Spurs disappeared when 9985 went off the air at 1100 and 2358 (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That 5225 is a really strange one, sort of a second-level mixing product (gh, DXLD) The WWCR mixing product on 4915 (9985-5070 = 4915) still going strong here today at 2340 tune in. It should end at 2400 when WWCR vacates 9985 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, Feb 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNKNOWN SITE: 10475, 1923, 16-Feb; Dr. Gene pontificating. SIO=333. Assume a mixer as something else is there; can't figure one out though based on //11775 & 13815 (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) I`ve got it: WWCR with DGS on 13845, leapfrogging another WWCR on 12160 at 1685 kHz interval lands on 10475. No way two widely separate DGS sites, Anguilla 11775 and KAIJ 13815 could mix (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 9265, WMLK Bethel PA (presumed); 11 Feb, 0021-0034. OM in English with contemporary Christian music sung to the tune of pop songs. Program ID as something like Apologetics Radio Show & Good Friends Radio, then ID as Northern Lights Radio & programm Science & the Bible. The frequency listed was for WMLK in Bethel, PA, USA. Program addy as POB 456, Orangeville, Ontario, L9W 5G2, Canada. VG-Exc (Joe Wood, TN, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) Not WMLK: Never operates outside the 16-21 UT period, and never would carry such an outside show, Rod Hembree. As reported here some weeks ago, WINB moved to 9265 in the evenings (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WMLK, 9265.10, *1600-1800+ Feb 10, sign-on announcements with ID and into the usual religious talk about Yahweh. Weak but readable; M-F only (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I am still seeing the occasional log reported of WJIE on 7490, apparently based on old listings, rather than current activity. WHRI is now using this frequency for a good many hours at night. If anyone actually does hear WJIE again, probably with a poorly-modulated relay of their FM station, that would be of interest, but AFAIK it has been inactive for many months now (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. NUMBER OF US AM STATIONS BY STATE 301 TX 250 CA 226 FL 217 NC 187 TN 181 PA 180 GA 170 NY 151 AL 146 VA 137 MI 133 IL 132 KY 123 OH 117 MO 112 WI 109 WA 102 MN 101 SC 95 OR 91 MS 86 IN 85 AR 84 IA 83 LA 80 CO 73 AZ 73 MA 66 OK 66 WV 62 NM 61 KS 52 MD 52 NE 50 MT 46 ID 43 UT 40 AK 40 CT 40 NJ 37 SD 33 ND 33 WY 29 HI 29 ME 29 NV 28 NH 19 VT 15 RI 10 DE 7 DC TOTAL: 4712 Synchronous transmitters on the same frequency as the main station were not counted. AK: KINY-800 Juneau operates a 10-watt relay on 690 from Skagway. Station is legal as far as I know, and was counted. IL: The FCC still lists the three Chicago sharetimers on 1240. WSBC bought out the other two back in the late 1990's! Only WSBC was counted. MA: WLLH-1400 Lowell was counted; synchro WLLH-1400 Lawrence was not. MI: Daytimer WNZK-690 and nighttimer WNZK-680, both in Dearborn Heights, were counted as two stations. Stations in the FCC database with "D" in front of their calls were counted. Your guess is as good as mine as to whether they're still licensed. Quite a few ARE still on the air per recent reports and my own monitoring. In the handful of cases where dual cities of license are in different states (e.g. KRLC-1350, KBMW-1450, WRLA-1490), I counted the state of the first-named city in the FCC database. 4712 grand total: You'll find this number to be several dozen shy of the totals that the FCC periodically releases. This has been the case for decades. I suspect they count Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, etc. in their totals. Or maybe it IS the U.S. only, and they include Construction Permits in the total. On the FCC database, you can request a list of a given state's AM stations; they'll even give you the total number of stations at the end. Those numbers were not used in this research; I investigated every individual listing, weeding out synchros, stations accidentally listed twice, and anomalies such as the Chicago-1240 situation cited above. A few stations which took to the air in 2005 or 2006 are still listed as CP's, but have been reported as heard and on regular schedule in the DX press; these of course were counted (Steve Francis, Alcoa, Tennessee, Feb 16, IRCA via DXLD) This is one of the weirdest situations I've run across in a long time. WSBC definitely bought out WEDC and WCRW a while back, and every time I've been in Chicago and listened, the ID has been for WSBC. But they've continued to file renewal apps for the other two licenses, and the chief engineer there has told me that all three licenses ARE active. I've heard some speculation that they keep the share-time situation active so they can use whichever transmitter site is closest to the ethnic population being served at any given time of the day. One of these days, I'll have to go to Chicago, visit the chief there and find out for sure. I believe the total from the FCC does include PR, USVI, Guam, etc. s (Scott Fybush, NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) And of course, when I want to go look at the renewal apps, the CDBS is down. And does NOT include stations operated by the federal government, that don't require FCC authorization. (like Radio Marti- 1180 in Florida, or the American Samoa government station whose calls I can't remember...) – (Doug Smith W9WI Pleasant View (Nashville), TN, ibid.) Very interesting when compared to the same for say, the late 1930's. In looking over my RADEX for 1938 I note the average number of U.S. stations on regional channels was around 5 or 6 full timers plus one or two daytimers while the cleared channels were usually one - maybe another at the other end of the country - plus a daytimer or two. As for the graveyarders the frequencies generally held around 40 some stations. And the frequencies set aside for Canadians and Mexicans were just that; no U.S. stations. No wonder we have so much trouble hearing DX tests these days or most any station more than a few hundred miles away. Ah, the good old days ! Oh yes, in those 1930's there were just a dozen or so stations that were on all night (Ben Dangerfield, Wallingford, PA, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. 1620, FLORIDA, (PIRATE), KQV, Parkland; 1804+ 18 February. Station jingles, Maria Muldaur "Midnight At the Oasis" down in mix under the Florida panhandle station with sports coverage. 96.3 MHz, FLORIDA, (PIRATE) "96.3 FM", St. Petersburg; confirmed the one (heard last weekend with Gerry Bishop in central Pinellas), usual reggae and reggatón tracks, long string of voice-only commercials (always the same guy, the station operator) for local Caribbean restaurants and clothing stores. This heard near noon local, 18 February, while in St. Petersburg. As always, strong, stereo. Visit my "Florida Low Power Radio Stations" at: http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html or: http://www.geocities.com/geigertree/flortis.html (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W Feb 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN. Intervista --- Ciao, se a qualcuno interessa, ho postato sul blog http://rxreport.blogspot.com/ un'intervista, uscita su Avvenire, a Federico Lombardi, direttore generale della Radio Vaticana, in occasione dei 75 anni dell'emittente. Buoni ascolti (Giampiero Bernardini, Avvenire, Feb 17, Noticias DX yg via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Estoy muy contento ya que acabo de recibir hace un rato mi tarjeta QSL electronica del Observatorio Naval Cajigal de un reporte de recepción enviado esta mañana. Aparte de eso los colegas del Observatorio me han hecho llegar el siguiente correo: "Buenas tardes, amigo José Elías, gracias por el reporte, pero recién hemos iniciado pruebas de la misma para ver el comportamiento de este tranmisor y su reporte es muy bueno para nosotros; es posible que salgamos del aire en cualquier momento para los ajustes necesarios, ya que estamos modernizando este servicio que es de todos los venezolanos. Le adjunto la QSL. Por favor me informa por esta vía si la recibió. Atentamente, Jesús Alberto Escalona, Jefe del Servicio, Hora Legal de Venezuela, Teléfonos: (58-212) 5556952; 481-2266; 481-8666, Extensión 8028" Sin lugar a dudas que esta es una buena noticia para mi, ya que es la primera vez en mi vida, después de tantos años escribiendo, que he recibido respuesta y una tarjeta QSL del querido Observatorio Naval Juan Manuel Cajigal. Invito a todos los colegas a reportarlo y a recibir su trajeta QSL. La frecuencia de emisión es 5000 kHz. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** YEMEN. QSL Radio Sana'a. Nach 8 Versuchen in den letzten 15 Jahren traf heute die lange gewuenschte Empfangsbestaetigung aus dem Yemen ein. Zu besichtigen gibts den praechtigen Brief und die QSL hier: http://www.ratzer.at/QSL_Yemen.php Zuvor kam eine kurze Mail in der man sich fuer meine Post bedankte und mitteilte das die Post abschickt wurde, geschrieben von Eng. Ali Ahmend Tashi, Technical Department Director, ali_tashy @ yahoo.com (Christoph Ratzer, Austria, OE2CRM, A-DX Feb 15 via BCDX via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. R. Zambia, ZNBC, 6165, *0242-0255+ Feb 11, weak under RN with Fish Eagle IS. 0250 instrumental NA. Separate programming on 4910, not // (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. R. Voice of the People, 11705 via Madagascar, 1705- 1756* Feb 11, tune-in to English talk. Gave IDs, frequency and Box 5750, Harare, Zimbabwe address many times throughout broadcast. Many ``Radio VOP`` IDs. F-G reception but much was difficult to understand due to thick accent of announcers (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No Sudan R. Service co-channel on Sat & Sun (gh) Voice of the People, (VOP) 11705 via Madagascar, heard from within Zimbabwe, 1705-1755 with severe cycling jamming this evening, 18 Feb. Despite ongoing denial of the Zimbabwean government that they are not jamming any foreign radio station. Some audio is getting through, so most likely that is what can be heard (David Pringle-Wood, Harare, Zimbabwe, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 770.0; 0636-0650, poor on 11/25. ID as "Estás escuchando La Revolución 7-7" (Hideki WATANABE, Japan, Radio Nuevo Mundo Feb 6 via DXLD) Anyone recognize this? He also caught a number of Mexican MW stations at such early hours in late Dec and early Jan, but this could also be deeper LAm (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 5152.0, UNKNOWN, Unknown, 0140-0144, Feb 14, Unknown, Religious programming. Excellent (Branaugh, HCDX via DXLD) Also unknown: language, full name, location, receiver. If it was `excellent` I would suspect an image or maybe mixing product, but can`t figure out how (gh, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hi, Glenn, just a note of appreciation for the valuable work you do reporting on the world of radio. Best regards, (Jim Wishner, MN, with a donation) By the way, who wrote your Wikipedia biography? Cheers, (Marty Delfin, Madrid, Spain, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Who knows, but probably based on a published interview, such as the one linked at CIDX. Someone who thinx I speak in a monotone, and is thus unable to detect or appreciate the subtleties of my speech (gh) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ FREQUENCY COORDINATION A SUCCESS, BROADCASTERS TOLD Tuesday 14 Feb 2006 http://www.abu.org.my/public/dsp_page.cfm?articleid=1804&urlsectionid=1061&specialsection=ART_FULL&pageid=247&PSID=3372 Frequency coordination has improved listening quality of shortwave radio services, broadcasters attending the 4th Global Shortwave Coordination Conference in Hainan were told today. Li Zhi, Director-General of the Administrative Bureau of Radio Stations, Radio and Television of the People's Republic of China (RTPRC), said in his opening address that the coordination conferences had played a significant role in this achievement by effectively promoting the economic use of broadcasting spectrum. The Chairman of the High Frequency Coordination Committee, Oldrich Cip, said there had been an increase in the public awareness of shortwave coordination and this placed the conference's work under increasing public scrutiny. Some 130 frequency managers from broadcasting organisations in 52 countries are attending the meeting which is being held to resolve mutual interferences in shortwave broadcasts. The conference will continue up to 17 February and is expected to produce methods and tools to improve around 10 to 15 percent of the interfered shortwave radio service. The coordination process evolved over the years after a group of broadcasters in Europe and North America took the first pioneering steps. This group, now known as the High Frequency Coordination Conference (HFCC), came up with several procedures and software packages to facilitate coordination and reduce interference in their services. Two similar groups were created several years ago under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union and the Arab States Broadcasting Union (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dxldyg via DXLD) Did he go on to say that these efforts were then completely destroyed in many parts of the world due to jamming from China and other governments using their technology? So presumably the services China interferes with won't be mentioned and everyone just accepts Chinese hospitality, thus giving tacit approval to deliberate suppression of free media. Has there been any dissension within the HFCC, regarding this particularly from those broadcasters or frequency management organisations whose services have been affected? (Mike Barraclough, UK, ibid.) Absolutely, and well said, Mike. I assume that IBB, BBC (maybe VT Merlin too) and All India Radio are represented at the conference, and are their Frequency Management teams satisfied then? All Mandarin language (and some other languages too) transmissions are being deliberately interfered with by Chinese based jamming. Mike rightly asks if the HFCC are really interested in this state of affairs. And I might also mention the 'letters' D R M. I can't believe that all other broadcasters are satisfied with the state of affairs that currently exists re these transmissions. Just how are they to be successfully accommodated within bands also being used by AM broadcasters? Or should the question be asked the other way around - can AM co-exist! 73s (Noel R. Green, UK, ibid.) BROADCASTERS SEEK REGULATORS' SUPPORT FOR ADDITIONAL SPECTRUM 17-Feb-06 http://www.abu.org.my/public/compiled/p252.htm#Article1038 Shortwave broadcasters attending the 4th Global Shortwave Coordination Conference in Hainan, China, have made a strong case for more channel frequencies and asked national spectrum regulators all over the world to support their cause at the ITU's World Radiocommunication Conference 2007 (WRC-07). The ABU's Head of Transmission Technology and Spectrum, Sharad Sadhu, said the shortwave broadcasters had clearly demonstrated the need for additional spectrum to meet the requirements of their ongoing services and overcome current congestion in the allocated spectrum in the 4 - 10 MHz band. Availability of additional frequency channels is one of the biggest problems faced by shortwave broadcasters as the available quota of channels is being densely used. WRC-07 will look at this requirement with a view to making more channels available for shortwave broadcasting. More than 130 frequency managers of 60 shortwave broadcasters attended the meeting. The delegates addressed frequency channels for 7,350 daily transmissions and improved 19 percent of the interfered shortwave radio service (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dxldyg via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ RADIOSHACK TO CLOSE 400 TO 700 STORES February 17, 2006, Dallas, Texas Electronics retailer RadioShack Corp. on Friday said fourth-quarter earnings dropped 62 percent and disclosed it plans to close 400 to 700 stores and two distribution centers as part of a plan to improve its financial performance. More at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11409391/ (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) WORLD'S LARGEST RADIO SHACK I don't mean the store! Part of my press tour of Puerto Rico included the Arecibo radio telescope. I snapped a few shots I thought you might enjoy. One of the close-up images of the antenna array is the 400 MHz antenna (it looks like a little ladder). Inside the Gregorian dome are two additional reflectors and more antennas for other bands. According to documentation supplied by the observatory, the antenna system can receive atmospheric and outer-space signals from 50 to 10,000 MHz. The whole rig is designed to withstand hurricanes with wind speeds in excess of 250 mph. The dish itself is manually recalibrated every five years -- a process that takes a year to complete. 73, (Ricky Leong, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ ANALYSIS OF DX CONDITIONS UP TO END OF 2005 Many MW DXers realise that long distance DX over high latitudes depends fundamentally on the state of the 11 year solar cycle. I have updated the chart showing how DX from North America received in the UK has varied over 20 + years. In the analysis I have examined the number of different stations reported by DXers at home (that rules out DX-peditions and Martin Hall at Clashmore) because that is what most of us will experience. As you'll see from the graph the best DX years were 1986, 1997 and 200? It is clear that 2005 was unlikely to have been the peak. 2006 is the year of the forthcoming solar minimum and I would forecast that 2006 will be better than 2005 and I strongly feel that 2007 will be as good or better than 2006! You'll see that 2005 was good year but there is some way to go to match 1997. 73 Steve Whitt, MWC via DXLD) Graph shows 1997 the peak, 2002 the worst, and climbing every year since then but not yet up to the 1997 level (gh, DXLD) ###