DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-033, February 20, 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: 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 DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS Feb 21: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** ANTARCTICA. ANTÁRTIDA, 15476, hola Arnaldo, respecto a tu observación y pregunta, sobre si alguien sabe algo de LRA 36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, coincido contigo; para mí está inactiva, probablemente durante todo lo que va de año 2006. Yo por lo menos no he logrado escucharla desde que se produjo el relevo de personal en la Base, y por aquí suele entrar bién, sobre todo en su última hora de emisión. He enviado varios mails a su dirección de correo electrónico para que me dijesen si están saliendo al aire, pero no he tenido respuesta. Probablemente estarán familiarizándose con la emisora, haciendo pruebas, etc. Esperemos que en un corto periodo de tiempo estén en el aire y que no la dejen abandonada. Saludos (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 15820 LSB, Radio Continental, 1002-1015, 19-02, noticias sobre conflicto de las celulosas, los Rolling Stones llegan hoy a Buenos Aires, luego de concierto en Río. "El tiempo, 24,8º en Buenos Aires, cielo despejado". "Servicios Informativos Continental, información confiable, en todo el país, desde Buenos Aires, Continental". "En la mañana del domingo, Naturalmente, la revista de actualidad del domingo, naturalmente por Continental". Muy buena señal hoy. 45444 (Manuel Méndez Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ASCENSION ISLAND. Re: US military blamed as Britain kicks out islanders --- DX bulletins should not, in my opinion, deal with politics-connected items, but since this piece of news only focuses on this, not radio or DX, here it goes: Those British citizens are being given the same sort of treatment Britain itself always used (and use) to apply to other countries whenever it served its interests, so why the fuss with a handful of islanders? (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA [non]. MONACO, 9800, TWR via Monte Carlo. Full data (with site) 'Village & Spring Flowers' QSL Card. v/s Beth Clark. RUSSIA, 7535, TWR via Irkutsk. Full data (with site) "Chapel & Alps' QSL Card, with schedule, reply from Austria address, in 83 days. v/s Beth Clark (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHAMAS. Today, 2/17, 810 ZNS3 (C6B3) Freeport, Bahamas, is again on the air following a scheduled outage for technical adjustments yesterday afternoon and evening. No particular difference is noted in their signal as a result of the several and some extensive off air periods over the last week or so. I have heard no mention of further planned off air periods (W. Curt Deegan, Boca Raton, (southeast) FL, IRCA via DXLD) Whatever technical adjustments 810 ZNS3 Freeport, Bahamas, is making will obviously take a while. They are OFF again today at 2:18 pm ET, Feb 18 2006. I did not hear an announcement about this, but did not listen that often when they returned to the air yesterday. I have not had a reply to my email. I had hoped for some more specific information on these outages. For now I'll just keep checking them from time to time. ZNS1 1540 and ZNS2 1240 are on and coming in well. (W. Curt Deegan, Boca Raton, (southeast) FL, ibid.) ** BELARUS. Harmonic: 2340 kHz, 0224 UT 19/02/06, "Belaruskae narodni Radio" ID; 2 x 1170 kHz (Tim Bucknall, Congleton, N.W England, Icom IC-736, Wellbrooke ALA 1530 broadband Loop, harmonics yg via DXLD) ** BELIZE. I gather the Broadcasting Corporation of Belize was privatized in October, 1998. I found the following at http://www.sanpedrosun.net/old/98-412.html (among other evidence on the web): "By now, many if not all of the citizens of Belize know that the Broadcasting Corporation of Belize will be signing off the airways on Friday, October 30th, 1998. Many have expressed their sadness to the government and on the air. The BCB has provided Belize with up to the minute news, many educational talks and programs, countless coverage of festivals and activities countrywide and a wide variety of music..." I am further told that the 2005 WRTH still lists the Broadcasting Corporation of Belize. I don't have my copy handy - it's at my Burnt River ON DX site. Does the WRTH indeed list it? (Saul Chernos, ON, IRCA via DXLD) Still listed in the 2006 WRTH with a half-dozen frequencies on FM only (John Sgrulletta, ibid.) The 2006 WRTH does list the BCB, as ``Gov. Semi-Comm.`` From another webpage, http://www.belizeans.com/belize.htm but undated: ``The two radio stations of the state-run Broadcasting Corporation of Belize were privatised in 1998, but the government has retained ownership of transmitters... Broadcasting Corporation of Belize (BCB) - privatised in 1998, broadcasts in English and Spanish and carries programmes in Garifuna and Maya`` 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** BENIN. 5025, Radio Benin, 2216-2250, 18-02, locutor, francés, noticias de Benin y de Africa, identificación: "Radio Benin, Parakou", música africana. A partir de las 2245 comienza la interferencia de Radio Rebelde en la misma frecuencia. 33333 (Manuel Méndez Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BIAFRA [non]. 7380 (CLANDESTINE), SOUTH AFRICA, Voice of Biafra International. 18 Feb 06 2148-2159*. First log of this station. Gentleman announcer in heavily African accented English. Mentions of homes being confiscated by governmental agencies without recompense to the owners. Talk of Nigerian Supreme Court and which section of Nigeria most of the Justices came from. Calls for the people to support a movement for Independent Southern Republic of Biafra. ID at 2157 as ``This is Voice of Biafra International coming to you from Washington, DC, USA.`` The accent of the announcer made if difficult to understand portions of the program. Good (Joe Wood, Greenback TN, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 6105.06, R. [Cultura] Filadélfia, being heard in the mornings lately. Not great but decent at 0935 Feb 13, religious talk, a couple of quick promos that I couldn't decipher, finally an ID at 1000 with frequency and "onda curta," also "Filadélfia" twice. Heard better Feb 14 with ID again at 1000, many mentions of Filadélfia. Best on Feb 16, religious program heard from 0942 when WYFR-6105 signed off, Filadélfia audio breaking up but program- rather than transmitter-related because it was okay when the program ended at 1000; full ID at 1000 ("Em R. Filadélfia [no "Cultura" -- JB], ondas curtas, em 49 metros, ZY___, 6105 kHz, en Foz de Iguaçu, Paraná"), then more religious programming. Still there when R. Panamericana came on 6105.5 at 1028. WYFR nominal sign-off on 6105 seems to be 0945, tho absent on Feb 13 and went off at 0942 Feb 16, 1045 Feb 17. On Feb 17, R. Canção Nova was on 6105 at 0800 check, WYFR was present *0806-1045* (Jerry Berg, Lexington MA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4985, Rádio Brasil Central, 0500-0545, 19-02, inicio de la transmisión en esta frecuencia, a una hora no habitual por lo temprano, coincidiendo con el cambio de hora a horario de invierno en muchos estados de Brasil. Locutor: "2 horas aquí na Rádio Brasil Central, Rádio Brasil Central, comunicando para o mundo, madrugada na Brasil Central". -3 horas UTC, en lugar de -2 que había ayer día 18. Canciones brasileñas, locutor: "duas y vintesete". "duas y cuarenta y tres". 34333 (Manuel Méndez Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL - Saiu o primeiro ato da Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações - Anatel autorizando, no Brasil, testes no sistema DRM - Digital Radio Mondiale. A Faculdade de Tecnologia da Universidade de Brasília deverá executar testes, pelo período de um ano, na freqüência de 25885 kHz, com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade de áudio, área de cobertura e robustez do sinal em ondas curtas. Vai usar a potência de 1 kW. Conforme o Ato nº 56.054, publicado no Diário Oficial de 15 de fevereiro, a Faculdade vai usar um transmissor RIZ Transmitters Co., fabricado em Zagreb, na Croácia, com uma antena dipolo de 12,5m. A dica é do Cristiano Torres, de Belo Horizonte (MG). (Célio Romais, Feb 18, via DXLD) There has also been news of some more AM & FM stations testing IBOC in Brazil (gh) ** CAMEROONS [non]. 11840, Radio Free Southern Cameroons via Armavir. Feb. 19. 1830-1859* Noted at tune-in with strong to fair signal, with a program in English. During this commentary talked about standing up for independence and supporting democratic rights in the Cameroons. Noted a nice ID at 1839 as 'you are listening to excerpts from ...on Radio Free Southern Cameroon... tune in next week...' Then followed high life African vocals (in vernaculars) to 1858. Nice ID as 'you are listening to Radio Free Southern Cameroon... same time, next week...' off with drums and some sort of anthem to 1859 sign-off (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. NO MODULATION ON CFRX 6070 --- I note a good level carrier on CFRX Toronto during the day, but no modulation since Friday, Feb. 17 (Brock Whaley, GA, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. SOUND OF HOPE'S DAILY BROADCAST INTO CHINA INCREASES TO SIX HOURS --- By Xin Fei, The Epoch Times, Feb 19, 2006 http://www.theepochtimes.com/tools/printer.asp?id=38343 Sound of Hope radio network (SOH), headquartered in California, is an independent and non-profit broadcast resource for the global Chinese audience. In addition to direct Internet broadcasts, SOH also transmits to over more than 40 AM and FM local radio stations around the world. Website: http://www.soundofhope.org According to Mr. Zeng Yong, the president of Sound of Hope Radio (SOH), the station has been broadcasting on shortwave into mainland China at least two hours a day since March of 2004, covering nearly all of China. The total broadcasting time has typically been four hours a day. And recently, support and demand for its broadcasts have encouraged SOH to increase them to China by an additional two hours. These six hours provide the Chinese people with important news and information that they would otherwise never hear due to the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) strict news censorship. SOH broadcasts goals are "reporting the facts, showing concern for social weak forces, passing on the traditional Chinese culture, defending justice and upholding conscience." SOH also has plans to broadcast for 24 hours every day into mainland China. The plan intends to collect donations from society that will pay for short and medium wave broadcasting timeslots. By broadcasting 24 hours a day, SOH believes it will provide "24-hour Hope Waves" for all the Chinese people, who, under the dictatorial CCP regime, are denied all freedoms of the press and airwaves. At the end of 2004, Reporters Without Borders pointed out that a French company, Thales, sold the CCP some equipment that would scramble and disturb radio broadcasts into China from overseas. This transaction deprives hundreds of millions of Chinese people of their rights and freedom to obtain uncensored news and information. The CCP currently considers SOH as its main target of broadcast disturbance. An intensifying and omni-directional signal of the same frequency is used to interfere with the transmission. The power of the signal used against SOH is stronger than that used against Radio France Internationale, BBC, and Radio Free Asia. SOH often hears feedback from all over China that the four-hour broadcast is seriously interfered with by the CCP. This interference occurs because SOH broadcasts the Nine Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party and frequently reports on the mass resignations from the CCP. SOH appeals to all overseas Chinese people and organizations to condemn the CCP's interference with the broadcasts, thereby protecting the Chinese people's rights and freedom to access news and information both abroad and in China. SOH also hopes that the Chinese living overseas can pay more attention to the lack of freedom forced on their mainland compatriots and that these immigrants will help them realize the plan of "24-hour Hope Waves" through enthusiastic donations. With more funds and participation, SOH will win over the interference and spread news and information of the free world to the people in China. It will restore hope to the Chinese people and bring China a bright future. Click here to read the original article in Chinese Copyright 2000 - 2005 Epoch Times International (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ?? Does China really jam RFI? Despite relay exchanges, and close relations with Thalès, supplier of jamming transmitters?? If so, that makes the French seem even more mercenary (gh, DXLD) see also DIGITAL ** COLOMBIA. 5910, Marfil Estereo, últimamente parece que está fuera del aire. Yo por lo menos no logro escucharla (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA [non]. PROVISIONAL WORLD PARLIAMENT POSTPONED Due to increasing unrest in Libya, we regret to announce the 9th session of the Provisional World Parliament has been postponed until further notice. Further details will be posted as they become available. We regret any inconvenience. ``And I pray, oh my God do I pray, I pray every single day For a revolution!`` - Four Non Blondes, 1992 Visit Radio For Peace International's websites: http://www.rfpi.org and http://www.rfpionline.org (RFPI-announce mailing list Feb 19 via DXLD) As previously announced, RFPI was going to do a live webcast from there later in Feb (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. "EN CONTACTO" (( RADIO HABANA )) Por RHC Dedicado a los oyentes de las ondas cortas, Diexistas y Radioaficionados con Manolo de la Rosa y Malena Negrín, con intervención periódica de Norberto Hernández. ### Hoy domingo 19 de febrero se pondrá en el aire un especial por el aniversario 48 de la fundación en la Sierra Maestra de ``Radio Rebelde`` que se conmemora el 24 de febrero ###. *HORARIOS DE TRANSMISION: Domingos 1335 por OC (6000, 9550, 11760, 11800, 12000 y 15230 kHz) Lunes [UT] 0135 por OC (5965, 6060, 6140, 9600, 11760 y 15230 kHz) También por Internet: http://www.radiohc.cu/ Programa "En Contacto" Radio Habana Cuba, Apartado Postal 6240, La Habana, Cuba. Email: encontacto@... [truncated] 73 (Dino Bloise, FL, condig list via DXLD) Dino, ¿porqué nunca mencionas la tercera, o peor dicho, sesqui emisión de En Contacto? Acabo de escucharlo como de costumbre, el domingo precisamente entre las 2151 y 2205 TU, mejor en 9550, peor en 11800, además demorado una fracción de segundo en 15230. Otro programa en 6000. Incluye sonido de Radio Rebelde a sus inicios. Sin duda hay un aniversario cada año, así es que el 48 no es muy espeical. Cabe recordar que su fundador el Sr. Guevara no es tan heróico ni merece la devoción que los dentrocubanos, sin libre expresión, tienen que prestarle (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola: Creo que cada aniversario puede ser especial, todo según el prisma con el que se mire pues cada cuando cumplimos años, siempre será un motivo de fiesta para cada ser humano. ¿Por qué no serlo para una emisora? Lo de la heroicidad del señor Guevara, es un punto de vista personal de cada cual, pues no solo algunos cubanos lo ven como héroe, pues otras muchas personalidades del mundo lo ven así y aunque creo que esta lista no es apropiada para toques políticos, si es bueno aclarar ciertas cosas de vez en cuando. Hay quien ve al señor Bush como un ferviente combatiente contra el terrorismo y hay quien lo ve como el mayor terrorista a nivel mundial. No es mi ánimo y objetivo discutir política pero si expresarme como cubano. ¿OK? Saludos desde la Habana (Alexis Castillo, condig list via DXLD) En efecto, casi una hora se irradió el programa DX de Radio Habana Cuba, "En Contacto", con la conducción de los legendarios Manolo de la Rosa y Malena Negrín, de recordado trabajo en la vieja Radio Moscú. Fue un programa muy interesante el de hoy, con material abundante sobre Radio Rebelde y de su fundador, el Che. Imágenes sonoras que para algunos pueden ser rechazadas pero para muchos otros no. Cada uno con su punto de vista, que no es motivo de discusión de la lista. Yendo a lo estrictamente DX, hay una QSL especial para quienes hayan escuchado el programa de hoy. Aquí, en Buenos Aires, lo escuché vía onda corta y al mismo tiempo por Internet, para grabar el programa especial con audios muy interesantes, desde lo histórico y lo afectivo (CLAUDIO MORALES, Argentina, ibid.) Perhaps Alexis is expressing his true feelings about Che, but if he really felt otherwise, he and no other dentroCuban would dare criticise Che (or Fidel) in public. OTOH, as a dentroAmerican I am free to, and frequently do, criticise Bush. That is the difference, let us never forget. The Cuban regime obviously does not have confidence in its own convictions, since they feel they have to jam anyone who disagrees with them, as below, along with innocent bystanders. It`s like pulling teeth to get them to stop, long after there is nothing left to jam on a particular frequency. That this is the case demonstrates that they are incompetent and/or really don`t give a damn about the rights of others, compared to the supreme ongoing task of suppressing counterrevolutionary thoughts (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Buenos días, Glenn, gracias por actualizar la información sobre esa emisión de las 2151 del programa "En Contacto" la cual no había incluido pues a esa hora estoy laborando y no había podido confirmar. Nuevamente gracias por la info! Saludos cordiales (Dino Bloise, FLORIDA, EEUU, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos cordiales, querido amigo Claudio. El motivo de mi correo es para decirte que yo estuve escuchando el programa En Contacto de Radio Habana Cuba y el mismo tuvo una duración de 12 minutos como siempre; por favor podrías decirme a qué hora lo escuchaste, porque creo entender que dices que duró casi una hora, incluso tengo la grabación hecha, con decirte que en 5965 kHz la señal se cortó y me pasé para 9600 kHz al momento y lo terminé de escuchar en esta frecuencia. Me pregunto, será que hubo una versión larga y una corta? Por cierto, les envié el informe de recepción para recibir la QSL de Radio Rebelde, apenas terminó el programa ayer domingo a las 9:35 de la noche hora local (José Elías, Venezuela, condig list via DXLD) He says it was over at 0135 UT Monday, which is the time it normally starts. I am sure Claudio meant that he had heard it an hour ago, not that it was an hour long. When I used to listen to it Sunday mornings, it always ran close to 15 minutes at 1335-1350. I had also suspected the afternoon repeat was sometimes edited down, but as I said, it ran 14 minutes on Feb 19 at 2151 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Hoy sábado de 0000 a 0200 UT [domingo universal 19 de febrero] no percibí "jamming" en los 6010 kHz; al parecer los buenos amigos cubanos han dejado de emitir dicho "jamming", lo cual agradecemos en verdad. Quizá desde principios de diciembre pasado en que apareció "Radio República" este ya "limpia" la frecuencia de los 6010 kHz de 0000 a las 0200 UT. 73's (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hoy domingo monitoricé la frecuencia de 6010 y por segundo día consecutivo no percibí al menos de las 0000 a las 0030 UT el jamming proveniente de Cuba. En caso que los amigos cubanos hayan suspendido el mismo habrá que agradecerle principalmente a Manolo de la Rosa por sus buenos oficios en este asunto. ¿Alguien escuchó el jamming en esta frecuencia estos dos días? 73's (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, UT Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. HD210A [sic], Instituto Oceanográfico, Armada del Ecuador, 3810. Also this is a really nostalgic envelope but in a positive way with stamps and marks! The content was not worse: Letter with signatures and marks, QSL-card (not filled in) and printed information. Nice! (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Feb 19, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, Radio Nacional Bata, 0509-0640, Inicio de la transmisión a las 0509, como todos los domingos comienza con música, canciones españolas y latinoamericanas, para seguir a las 0530 con programa religioso en español y en vernáculo. "Les esperamos el próximo domingo en estas mismas ondas" y luego a las 0600 noticias: "Siete en punto de la mañana, esta es Radio Nacional Bata, a continuación vamos a conectar con Radio Malabo para ofrecerles las noticias, Radio Malabo, iniciamos el tiempo de noticias". 44444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Feb 19, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) GUINEA ECUATORIAL, 5005, Radio Malabo, 2140-2152, escuchada el 16 de febrero en español a locutor con boletín de noticias internacionales, sintonía, ID "Desde Guinea Ecuatorial, Radio Malabo con noticias del país", lectura de un segmento del discurso del Presidente de la República con motivo del Año Nuevo, música pop local, SINPO 45333 (José Miguel Romero2, Spain, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 7110, R. Ethiopia-Gedja, fair-poor at 0435 2/19 with man speaking in Amharic; into drum and vocal music; 0441 discussion between man and woman; then into Euro-pop music; the variety of music is always striking (Jim Ronda, Tulsa OK, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** FALKLAND ISLANDS. Re 6-032: Glenn, I don't think a hurricane was responsible for SW closure since hurricanes are tropical storms and the Falklands are too far south. As for the date I found this which seems good info: http://www.schoechi.de/as-flk.html 73 (Steve Whitt, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, of course, would not have been a tropical-type hurricane as we know them, but I guess the word ``huracán`` was used to mean a big storm of some kind; further reason, anyway, to doubt the reliability of this source. This also reminds me FIBS were on 2370 for quite a while after 3958 closed. But still gone long before 1999, Viz.: (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Steve said that SW ceased later in 1987, so I guess I got a good logging in the nick of time (Bruce Churchill, CA, Jihad-DX via QIP via DXLD) But hey, we got some other subpolar islands in English on almost the same MW frequency! (gh) ** FAROE ISLANDS. THE FAROE ISLANDS IN ENGLISH ! The medium wave transmitter at Akraberg on 531 kHz has got a new transmitter tube and is now heard much better with their 100 kW signal (except during their news broadcast at 1830-1900 UT when the power is up at 200 kW). An Italian lady living in the Faroes, Anna Lachino, has a show in English every Tuesday night at 20-21 UT called Soul Nation. If you live too far away from the Faroe Islands try a DX Tuner receiver or their live stream at: http://www.portal.fo/?uf=play - click out left on ÚF LIVE (Media Pl.). 73, (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, Feb 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am just listening and hear noise, seems from an FM receiver that is tuned to that station. Apparently closed down for the night. But: Should be nice during FM-DX; maybe you may receive something? I don't know what frequency it is tuned to (Jurgen Bartels, mwdx yg via DXLD) ** GABON. ANO as a Libyan jammer: see LIBYA [and non] ** GERMANY. DRM test Langenberg 1593 kHz --- WDR plans to start DRM tests on 1593 in summer. They will be run with 20 kW and are scheduled for a period of 18 months. Objective is to gather experience with the system in order to find out if it has a future. DRM receivers are expected (by WDR it seems, but the actual source of this statement remains unclear) to be available in summer of this year. http://funkkorrespondenz.kim-info.de/artikel.php?pos=Hörfunk&nr=4274 As reported earlier two new Transradio (ex Telefunken) mediumwave transmitters of 100 kW each are to be installed on WDR's Langenberg station where 1593 can be used again after IBB's Holzkirchen transmitter went to Kuwait. In the nineties WDR let IBB have 1593 after shutting down the 2 x 600 kW transmitters at Langenberg by the end of 1993 (due to PCB and asbestos in them) and got in exchange fulltime authorization for the ex-Holzkirchen channel 720 (previously available at Langenberg during daytime only). And I seem to recall that DRM receivers were just recently promised for Easter or a bit less specific for spring of this year. Just another missed deadline (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE [and non]. Re the pirates above and below 1700 kHz reported by Monferini & Bernardini: These Greek pirate stations often put very strong signals over here in Portugal turning TA DX difficult; very recent loggings including other non-Greek pirates: 17 Feb 2234 UT 1639.4 kHz UNID Dutch, 34332 17 Feb 1949 UT 3237.6 kHz UNID Greek, possibly same as on 3262.9 on 14 Jan 2224. 18 Feb 2016 UT 1622.0 kHz UNID Greek, songs, audio tests (ena-dio- trio), echo; 54343 18 Feb 2150 UT 1655.0 kHz R. ...genet, HOL, Dutch/English, music, asking for reception reports, phone nr.; 54433. Those are just very few of the many audible on a daily basis, mainly between 1600 & 1700 kHz; now I log them once in a while only, they're too many! (Carlos Gonçalves, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREENLAND. 100 watt dalla Groenlandia in Italia! 3815 kHz, 2200 UT, 18 febbraio 2006, USB, Kalaalit nunaata radioaa, ID YL, 242 ... per pochi minuti grazie al "mitico" Yaesu FT817 (Davide Tambuchi, Como - Italia, bclnews.it via DXLD) Dear Davide Tambuchi, KNR (Kalaallit Nunaata Radioa or Greenland Broadcasting Company) hereby confirms your reception of KNR radio. KNR Radio broadcasts its programs via: Medium wave: 24 hours a day Upernavik 810 KHz 5 KWatt Uummannaq 900 KHz 5 KWatt Qeqertarsuaq 650 KHz 5 KWatt Nuuk (Telegraføen) 570 KHz 5 KWatt Simiutaq 720 KHz 10 KWatt Short wave: The coast radio in Tasiilaq sends the radio news (3815 KHz) from KNR at 12 pm to 1.15 pm and at 6 pm to 7.15 pm [=UT -3]. Greenlandic time. If you are interested in further information please have a look at our website http://www.knr.gl Yours Sincerely, Ivalu Søvndahl Pedersen, Communication assistant Informations- og Kommunikationsmedarbejder Paasissutissiinermik attaveqaqatigiinnermillu suliaqartoq Direkte tlf. nr. 36 15 76; Mobil: 24 29 39; Fax: 36 15 02 E-mail: isp @ knr.gl (Davide Tambuchi, IW2NZR, bclnews.it, Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. This is posted in the listener-response section of the new RNW Radio Enlace page, for some reason, perhaps prompted by something in the text of my DX report just above it, apparently directed at Radio Insurgente, Mexican clandestine. A lot of the comments there seem really off the wall: (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thomas, 14-02-2006 - GUATEMALA – Hola, cómo se encuentran, y un saludo para el Subdelegado Cero. Desde acá de Guatemala siempre los oIgo por internet. Pero me gustaría cómo escuchar desde acá de GUATEMALA. Ya que yo también estuve en la montaña luchando por el pueblo. Tengo un radio pequeño de 10 bandas, como poder escucharlos mejor y también sería poder tener contacto con ustedes ya que soy Revolucionario de corazón, ya que no me importa perder la vida, para poder que otros tengan un futuro mejor, ya que fui Guerrillero también, y siempre lo seré para poder defender los derechos de los demás. No les digo adios sino hasta pronto... manuelillo35 @ yahoo.com (via DXLD, many mistaxes corrected) In case a new Guat clandestine arise, ask him re (gh, DXLD) ** HONDURAS. 3249v, R. Luz y Vida exceptionally good at 0200 2/19 with Spanish ID and beginning of a request/greetings program; lots of folksy remarks; sounded so clear it was as if they were in my living room!; superior audio from the E1 (Jim Ronda, Tulsa OK, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** HONDURAS. 3340, Radio Misiones Internacionales, 0045-0559, 19-02, sigue habiendo muy buenas condiciones para escuchar esta emisora, que hoy cerró transmiones a las 0559, una hora más tarde de su horario habitual, 0500 UTC. Locutor, comentarios religiosos, identificación: "Transmite Radio Misiones Internacionales, a través de la frecuencia de 3340 kHz. onda corta". Comentario: "La droga y la juventud, un problema social que nos atañe a todos". Programa "Encuentros". A partir de las 0500: programa "La unidad de nuestro cuerpo", anuncios comerciales, identificación: "Radio Misiones Internacionales, la voz del evangelio completo". "Por qué Vd. necesita estar informado, escuche Radio Misiones Internacionales". Cierre a las 0559. 24322, variando a 34333 (Manuel Méndez Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. Re 6-032, what's ANTI? Well, there used to be a commercial broadcaster association in the past, the Associazione Nazionale Teleradio Indipendenti. Now if I'm not mistaken it has been merged with AER Associazione Editori Radiotelevisivi into AERANTI --- see their Web site at http://www.aeranti.it But I'd doubt it's the same the HFCC mentions. And I doubt it could be the Associazione Nazionale Tributaristi Italiani (Tax accountants association) or someone out of a gazillion Italian National Association of Something. 73s (Andy Lawendel, Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. NHK MIGHT RUN COMMERCIALS IN OVERSEAS BROADCASTS: VICE MINISTER Japanese Vice Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Shogo Hayashi said today that the ministry will consider accepting advertisers' sponsorships to fund programmes that public broadcaster NHK airs abroad. Hayashi's remark came in response to a view expressed earlier this month by Foreign Minister Taro Aso, who said it might be necessary to run commercials if the public broadcasting system is to increase its overseas programmes in order to disseminate more information about Japan. "Improving NHK's capability for promoting knowledge about Japan is an important issue so the ministry will discuss how to expand its overseas programming," Hayashi said. Aso reiterated his view at a town meeting held last Saturday, saying, "We should create new NHK services designed specifically for audiences in other Asian countries and accept commercial sponsorships in doing so." NHK's operations are funded at present with viewers' fees to be collected from all TV owners in principle. (Source: Kyodo News International) # posted by Andy @ 16:05 UT Feb 20 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. QSL: Voice of Korea, Pyongyang-9665. If you are a little bit nostalgic it is not wrong to dribble over the oldfashioned brown envelope letter with typewritten address and sender. Content: QSL-card, stencil in English, the propaganda paper ``The P`yongyang News`` + four calendars, which change colours due to the way you look at them! For this type there obviously are resources! (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Feb 19, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [non]. Via Issoudun, France. Voice of Africa. 2/19/06, 7320 kHz, 0205-0221, SINPO 32332. Arabic, 0207-0214 an English section of news headlines and news (including about the riot in Benghazi over European cartoons & US loses in Iraq), 0214-0220 short bridge music to French (sounds like news), 0220 + same bridge to heroic music with Arabic opening (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also COSTA RICA [non] ** LIBYA [and non]. AMAL AND THE AFTERNOON VISITORS, SUN FEB 19: Haven`t seen any reports from the other guys, taking the day off? Anyhow it is about the same pattern today, when checked at 1355: 17660 had the Arabic music with drumming; 17675 had Libyan HS closing with wobbly TOH chimes at 1400*; 17680 had African music mix with CVC ongoing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sawt al Afrikiya / Voice of Africa in Swahili/English/French/Arabic Feb. 18: 1200-1300 on 17670, co-ch Sawt al Amal + UNID Afro/Cuban mx from 1230 1300-1400 on 17675 Feb. 19: 1200-1210 on 17670 1210-1400 on 17675, co-ch Sawt al Amal + UNID Afro/Cuban mx from 1230 + Bubble Jammer Idhaat al Jamahiriya al Ozma / Radio of the Great Jamahiriya in Arabic Feb. 18: 1200-1300 on 17660 1300-1400 on 17660 Feb. 19: 1200-1300 on 17660 1300-1400 on 17660 Sawt al Amal / Voice of Hope in Arabic Feb. 18: 1200-1300 on 17670, co-ch Sawt al Afrikiya + UNID Afro/Cuban mx 1300-1400 on 17670, co-ch AWR Vietnamese Feb. 19: 1200-1300 on 17675, co-ch Sawt al Afrikiya + UNID Afro/Cuban mx from 1230 + Bubble Jammer 1300-1400 on 17675, co-ch Sawt al Afrikiya + UNID Afro/Cuban mx from 1230 + Bubble Jammer UNID Afro/Cuban mx Feb. 18: 1230-1330 on 17670, co-ch Sawt al Amal 1330-1530 on 17680, co-ch CVC Spanish Feb. 19: 1230-1300 on 17675, co-ch Sawt al Afrikiya + Sawt al Amal + Bubble Jammer 1300-1530 on 17680, co-ch CVC Spanish + Bubble Jammer 17655 is free on Feb. 18/19 73's (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Moyabi observations --- Here's what I think is the current behaviour of one shortwave transmitter at Moyabi (Gabon). All times UT: 0700-1030 Africa No 1 on 17630 1030-1100 Radio Japan in Italian/Swedish on 21820 1100-1130v Africa No 1 on 17630 1130v-1530 Franco-African type music on 17670/75/80 1530-1600 Africa No 1 on 17630 1600-1900 Africa No 1 on 15475 Give or take a minute or two for changeovers. Africa No 1's absence from 17630 at any time between 1130 and 1530 seems to be accounted for by the appearance of the non-stop Franco- African type music shadowing the Libyan opposition station Sawt al Amel on 17670/75/80 until it signs off at 1400, with the music then remaining on air until 1530 when the transmitter switches back to 17630 with Africa No 1 programming. All subject to confirmation; perhaps others could check? (Tony Rogers, Birmingham, UK, Feb 19, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Gabon registration: 4890 0400 0600 46SE,47GAB 250 0 French GAB RFI TDF 7315 0400 0430 48S,52EGAB 250 127 English GAB RFI TDF 9580 0500 2300 47,48,5GAB 250 350 Various GAB NEW TDF 9790 2000 2200 37S,46,GAB 250 307 French GAB RFI TDF 11725 0700 0800 37S,46,GAB 250 307 English GAB RFI TDF 11850 0500 0530 48S,52EGAB 250 127 English GAB RFI TDF 11970 0430 0700 27,28 GAB 500 350 Various J NHK NHK 11995 1800 2000 37S,46,GAB 250 307 French GAB RFI TDF 12015 1700 1800 52E,53,GAB 250 125 Portug. GAB RFI TDF 15355 1700 1900 52,57 GAB 500 170 Various J NHK NHK 15475 1600 1900 37,46 GAB 250 305 Various GAB NEW TDF 17630 0700 1500 37,46 GAB 250 307 Various GAB NEW TDF 21820 1030 1100 27,28 GAB 500 350 Various J NHK NHK Febr 20, 17630 / 17660 / 17670 / 17680: Checked this freq portion in 1100-1230 UT: 17630, R ANO not heard at 0700 UT, only R Oman with S=4 level loud and clear. R ANO in French many phone-in calls 1100-1216 UT, lost at about 1217 UT. Accompanied whistle tone on 17632.39 kHz, 1100-1200 UT. co-channel DW Nauen 500 kW at 80 degrees which ID signal started at 1157 UT. Gabon tx maybe moved to 17680 today, heard with West Afri- Cuban music started around 1225 UT. 17660, Libyan tx signed on at 1140:50 til 1144 UT, buzz 60 Hz tone audio. Opening procedure with pips like 1000 Hertz CIS procedure, starts around 1155-1159:39 UT. Arabic, sign-on hymn program at 1202 UT, as usual. 17670, Noted a poor signal with French language program fragments. Started at 1203:07 UT till about 1209 UT, tx switched on and out over and over again. French n o t in \\ to AFNO 17630. Maybe AWR French from their AWR satellite distribution feed? Seemingly Madagascar technician switched the tx on and off, due of scheduled AWR which due start at 1259 UT in Vietnamese. 17680, at 1146 UT tx signed on, buzzy tone quality. Strongest of all txs in 17660 to 17680 range. Most likely Libyan station from Benghazi / Sabrata / Sabhah. From 1149:14 continued 800-1000 Hz tone till 1150:05 UT. From 1153:50 many short klaxon horn tones of 1 second duration each, 200? Hertz, til 1154:45 UT. 1156:20 UT tx off. At 1200 UT three transmissions on 17680 kHz, poor Sawt al Amel ??, strong Libyan station again, and from 1201:10 UT bubble oscillation jamming type also. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Feb 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello DXers, checking Saut Al Amal today 20/2/2006 around 1201 UT, I noticed that they moved to 17680 kHz sign on with music, followed by Qur`an recitation , then a different program content than the ones I used to hear for almost all the last week; several IDs by OM around 1225 with a lot of talking about the current situation in Libya and criticizing the Libyan regime, poem reading as well. A jammer in the background; the signal strength is a bit low today, S 2. On the same frequency I could trace the Afropop station with non stop music. but in my location Saut Alamal is beating it. 17660 kHz still having as usual Idhaat al Jamaheriya al Ozma with non stop Arabic/Libyan Music. [Later:] Saut AlAmal moves to 17675 kHz at 1300 UT! Hello Again DXers, well, it's a bit new move here to avoid the jamming and that Afro pop station, starting the second hour of the transmission at 1300 UT I noticed that they moved to 17675 kHz to avoid the jamming mainly. The audio quality is much better than the first hour S 4 this time, and of course still no jammer or any other QRM. More to come. All the best from Cairo, Egypt, DXers, yours (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Feb 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. MR. EARL YOUNG JOINS THE ADVISORY BOARD OF MAYFAIR MINING & MINERALS, INC. NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- Mayfair Mining & Minerals, Inc. is pleased to announce that Mr. Earl Young has consented to join the Advisory Board of the company. [Off-topic? Not if you read the next paragraph :-)] With a career background in the Investment Industry, Mr. Young has served in the role of Consultant, Corporate Officer and Director to a number of companies in the United States, Australia and Africa. As the President and CEO of Madagascar World Voice, he is presently assisting World Christian Broadcasting with the formation and development of a shortwave radio station in Mahajunga, Madagascar. . . http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/conws/3667230.html (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, dxldyg via DXLD) That`s WCBC = KNLS (gh) ** MALAYSIA. Tentative, 1475, presume the strong station, peaking at S8 at times, with "short wave" kind of fading, with non stop US pop music, Backsreet Boys, N'Sync, etc. at 1515 2/19. The old regular signal, so it looks like the 700 KWer is back up and running full speed. Again no announcements, so I am just presuming this was Sabah (Pat Martin, Seaside OR, Drake R8, SW EWE, WNW EWE, HCDX via DXLD) One thing for sure: as the only station in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres on this frequency, the fading would not be from a SAH (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALDIVE ISLANDS [non]. Re 6-032: Glenn: Yes, Minivan is back on indefinitely. Well, they told me at least through February anyway. After that it depends on getting more funding I believe (Jeff White, RMI, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 16-17 on 11800 via Germany; wonder if they are now originating in the UK, or have things settled down in Sri Lanka? (gh, DXLD) Glenn: I believe they are originating in the UK now. I think everything has been transferred there (Jeff White, WRMI, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11800, Minivan Radio, 1617-1630, escuchada el 19 de febrero en dhivehi a locutor y locutora con comentarios y canciones populares, templando a 11799 para evitar interferencias de Radio Liberty en ruso emitiendo por 11805, SINPO 43343 (José Miguel Romero, EA5-1022, Burjasot (Valencia), España, YAESU FRG-7700, SANGEAN ATS 909, Antena RADIO MASTER A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 4810v, XERTA R. Transcontinental, fair-good at 0122 2/17 with lots of Spanish vocals; no ID at BoH; into what sounded like a religious program with occasional music; no ID at 0145; continuing vocals; clear Spanish IDs at 0148 and two at 0158. Not heard here for some time (Jim Ronda, Tulsa OK, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Glenn: olvidé reportar que escuché Radio Insurgente el pasado viernes 17 de febrero; inició a las 2047 con música de marimba, posteriormente presentación, noticias, música, comentarios cerrando aproximadamente a las 2146 (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also GUATEMALA ** MEXICO. Re XETRA, 6-032: Rosarito is about 15 miles south of Tijuana along the Highway 1-D Toll Road. FCC and Industry Canada's database shows XERA on 760 kHz in San Cristóbal, Chiapas. Unless there was a call sign swap, I would think that the Tijuana/Rosarito station is still XETRA. I see no logical reason why W would change the call to XERA anyway. Which brings up an interesting question. How often do Mexican call signs change in areas not along the US border? It's sad to see XETRA in English go away. This is a station that I grew up on when I lived in So. Cal. and it was "The Mighty 6-90" (Rich Eyre, REC Networks, Tempe AZ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Since the format change, I have heard them ID in Spanish as XTRA, not XERA. For the last 30+ years they always used to ID in Spanish as XETRA but now they are skipping the "E". Rosarito Beach is just south of Tijuana. 73, (Tim Hall, IRCA via DXLD) The town that XERB-1090 and XERA-690's transmitters are in/near is actually Rosalito. XERB's ID years ago said "XERB, Rosalito, Baja California." I have a tremendous talent for languages, and an ear to match; but it always seemed odd that I was the only one who heard "Rosalito" rather than Rosarita. Some other guy and I went down to look at the transmitters, and there was a small town-limit sign that clearly stated "Rosalito." 73 de Charlie (Charles A & Leonor L Taylor, Greenville, North Carolina, Feb 19, IRCA via DXLD) Sorry, Cholly, but on this one I gotta disagree. Spent a pleasant afternoon there a few years back, and it's quite definitely Rosarito Beach, with two "R"s and an "O" at the end. The 1090 site is north of Rosarito along the coastal toll road, as is XEKAM 950. 690 used to be up there, too, but relocated to a new site south of town in the late nineties, and we didn't make it that far south. Here's the municipal website: http://www.rosarito.org/ s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) Scott, Not budging. There is a probability that there's a barrio named Rosalito, or a neighboring municipality. A barrio has no legal existence. A municipality does, but on a geographical scale is about equal to a county. An atlas of México may not show a municipality since it is not a pin-point on a map. [? How do you like that accent mark on "M?xico?" Ain't I great? I'll let you lick my boots] Boy, Yahoo had better show that superscript "?" or I'm gonna knock snot. [did not; gh fixed the others] Here's a fact for you to ponder and lose sleep over. All other Spanish-speaking countries refer to the inhabitants of México as "mejicanos." Usually refer to the country as it is spelled down there. Mexicans frequently refer to our state of California as "Alta California". I think that name has carried over from the Spanish colonial years when that was the official name of California. There is an anti-American edge to that usage. See the correspondence? Baja California/Alta California (Lower California/Upper California). Threw that stuff in. Mighty OT, but it's stuff I learned along the way. I have a long love/hate relationship with Mexico. Years ago, the Spanish taught in HS was Mexican Spanish. Better stifle myself before I go way overboard. 73 frahm Meester Cholly (Charlie Taylor, NC, ibid.) Cholly, To back you up --- my old logs from the fifties shows the station in Rosalito Beach BCN. However that was for the station on 1090 (XERB). The one on 690-XEAC I have as Tijuana. Interesting this Rosalito/Rosarito bit. Checking Google I find 118 mentions of Rosalito Beach & 235000 for Rosarito Beach. Maybe there are 2 communities near Tijuana? don k (Don Kaskey, CA, ibid.) There may indeed be a barrio named "Rosalito," but it's not where XETRA and XEKAM are. Assuming that the Mexican government knows where it's licensing its own stations, I went to the SCT website http://sct.gob.mx where one can download a PDF file showing every licensed Mexican AM station. The link is here: http://portal.sct.gob.mx/SctPortal/appmanager/Portal/Sct?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=P28002 And here's what it says for XETRA and XEKAM: ROSARITO ** TRANSMISORA REGIONAL RADIO FORMULA, S.A. DE C.V. XEKAM-AM 950 20.000 5.000 04-Jul-04 03-Jul-16 ROSARITO ** XETRA COMUNICACIONES, S.A. DE C.V. XETRA-AM 690 77.000 50.000 04-Jul-04 03-Jul-16 The columns show city of license, licensee, calls, frequency, day power in kW, night power in kW, license date and expiration date. That's my story, and I'm sticking with it. (And, given the 22 degree windy conditions outside, I'd much rather be in Rosarito than Rochester today, hi!) s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) I used to be able to find, on the SCT website, detailed maps of each estado de México, but I haven't been able to find those maps in a couple of years. I did find this site http://www.maps-of-mexico.com/baja-california-norte-mexico/baja-california-norte-state-mexico-map-a0.shtml which shows the city "Playas de Rosarito." My Guaia Roji atlas, a 204-page atlas published in M?xico City, shows the town name Rosarito. The FCC data base shows two coordinates for XETRA ... N32-25-30 W117-5-15 (which is also the coordinate for XEPRS) and N32-17-52 W117-1-48. The latter is the newer coordinate, listing powers of 77000 watts day and 50000 watts night to XETRA. Plugging those coordinates into the Mapquest site http://www.mapquest.com/maps/main.adp?formtype=latlong&cat=&address=&city=&state=&zipcode= which I use to find transmitter sites, I find the first coordinate about 6 miles north of Rosarito and 6 miles southsouthwest of La Joya on Copan Street just west of Catemaco street and just south of Avenida Chichenitsa. The second site is about 5 miles SSE of Rosarito and about 2 miles NNW of one of two locations shown as El Descanso. The second site is west of what the map shows as several streets, but does not give names for them. Plus my selective memory from my days DX'ing from Corvallis, Oregon, in the early to mid '50s, when XERB-1090 was one of the "border babies" transmitting mail order commercials for various products of dubious quality, I clearly remember XERB as announcing its location as Rosarito Beach. (It was heard far more often than KING-1090 in Seattle.) Here's another website to check out: http://www.rosarito.com/rsmap.htm When I Google search for "Rosalito Beach" Map, Google gives me three hits and asks, did you mean "Rosarito Beach, Map?" Qal R. Mann, troublemaker (John Callarman, Krum TX, ibid.) Scott, Did you see Don Kaskey's posting on "Rosalito Beach." I forget what XEPRS's (1090) call is now. Ought to get ambitious and look it up. I thought XETRA and XEPRS's transmitter sites were neighboring. May have been another station. Apparently someone in Rosalito/Rosarito Beach has been into the funny weed again. I was stationed at Naval Ambitious Base, Coronado (CA) '71 - '72. The mess facility (no, not the trash dump, but the eatin' place) tuned XERB-1090 and put it on the facility's PA system (good audio response). "10-90 Soul Express" was what XEPRS was then. On the hour, some deep-voiced stud announced "Equis E Pe Ere Ese, Rosalito, BAJA California," with emphasis on Baja and in proper Spanish. That "Rosalito" prompted me to join someone else whom I think was IRCA and drive down to look for the site. Anyone reading this who was driving? So there is substance to what I observed. I thought about that for the longest time. Done talked it to death. Let's go and beat up some pore ole' lady for a change. I KNOW, I KNOW: Let's go let the air out of Don Caskey's tires! Scott, it's the high 20?s here. Maybe we can break into Don Caskey's house and steal enough to fly (ride, sail, stagger) down there and slug it out on the beach. Settle it right there and then tell the Mexican Gov't! Yeah, let's go! Sebenty-Trees from down South, Charlie/Cholly (Charles A & Leonor L Taylor, Greenville, North Carolina, ibid.) I'll save you the trouble! It's still XEPRS. Nope - they were indeed next to each other, until XETRA moved south a few years ago. ounds like a plan to me - end this (drumroll, please) "Mexican standoff" once and for all! :-) s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) Charlie, What am I going to do with you? Going to the transmitter site you took the business route (off to the right) and not the main highway (to the left). Am I right? The sign you saw was what was left of the sign for Rosalito's - cerveza fría y muchachas calientes. Some all not too happy sailors (RMs, I think) destroyed most of the sign when they found las muchachas frías y la cerveza caliente. Anonymous :-[ (Mike Hardester, NC, ibid.) ** NETHERLANDS. HOLANDA - A Rádio Nederland agora tem nova identificação: Rádio Nederland Wereldomroep. Conforme o diretor do Departamento Latino-Americano, José Pepe Zepeda, em entrevista a Jaime Báguena, no programa Rádio Enlace, a palavra Wereldomroep está mais relacionada com a parte institucional da emissora (Célio Romais, Feb 18 via DXLD) Wereldomroep is a mouthful in Spanish or English; is that really necessary? VEER-uld-OHM-roop (gh, DXLD) RADIO NETHERLANDS WEBCAM BACK IN ACTION We're pleased to report that the Webcam on the PTT telecommunications tower behind the Radio Netherlands building in Hilversum is now back in action. In, fact there was nothing wrong with the camera, but there was a problem with the ADSL connection, which has now been solved. Radio Netherlands Webcam http://www.radionetherlands.nl/galleries/webcam # posted by Andy @ 15:07 UT Feb 20 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Hi Glenn, It was nice to hear Voice of Nigeria at full signal level, at 2000 UT on 15120 kHz. I am not sure if they are meant to be on 7255 at this time, but the signal was strong. Only disadvantage is the audio. A live, well presented newscast was well overmodulated. All the best (Christopher Lewis, England, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. Me escribió un colega de Costa Rica, a fin de suscribirse a Conexion Digital. Este persona, llamado Eduardo Hernández, además me cuenta que vive en la parte sur oeste del país, muy cerca del PARQUE NACIONAL MARINO BALLENA y últimamente está escuchando una emisora "pirata" en la onda corta. Se trata de ''Radio Tucán'' EX Radio Montaña 14545 khz - 2200 A 2230 y 6925 khz - 0200 A 0230 Las 2 transmisiones son de 5 minutos en la modalidad AM y 25 min en USB. El e-mail: que reportan al final de sus trasmisiones es radiotucan @ yahoo.com (Arnaldo Slaen, Feb 19, Noticias DX via DXLD) Daily? Posted on yg Sunday before 22 but no reports (gh, DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. Otra emisora que lleva tiempo inactiva, Radio Nacional del Paraguay, 9737 kHz: aproximadamente desde el 20 de Noviembre de 2006, se nota en falta en el dial, con sus bonitos programas de música paraguaya, noticias, deportes, etc. Acabo de recibir un mail de la emisora, luego de interesarme por su inactividad, que me dice lo siguiente: "Gracias por escuchar Radio Nacional del Paraguay; le avisaremos cuando estemos al aire nuevamente, saludos a la Madre Patria." Ojalá que vuelvan pronto y no pase a ser otra emisora desaparecida. Su dirección de correo electrónico: info @ rnpy.com (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PETER I [and non]. We're all aboard ship - 73 from the Peter I Team! 20th February - 0130 UT http://www.southgatearc.org/news/february2006/peter_one_200206.htm The last five of us were helicoptered back aboard the DAP Mares about 0000 UT today. We've all showered (for the first time in two weeks) and are feeling very good about the whole Peter I experience. There are still 8-10 helicopter loads of gear and supplies awaiting transfer from the island to the ship tomorrow and, when that's all done and stowed, we'll be sailing for Punta Arenas. Preparations begin to break camp and leave the island Tentative plans are to visit Deception Island on the way back to King George Island and on to Punta Arenas, Chile. There may be radio operations from Deception and King George; more about that as plans firm up. We're at least four days away from Punta Arenas. While the Peter I phase of the trip is over, we're still days away from home; we plan updates for you along the way. Thanks for participating with us on this great adventure - and being part of the 87K+ Qs from 3Y0X! 73's to all from The Peter I team! (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) I never managed to hear 3Y0X, drat! Enjoyed looking thru the photo gallery on their website, however. Quite an adventure; as one who hates the cold, something I would never dream of doing, myself (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. MSK 5955 + 9840 = 15795 --- A spurious mixture can be heard on that strange frequency at 0600-0656 UT today February 20th. 5955 RNW in Dutch and 9840 R Rossii in Russian via very same Moscow transmission centre mix together. Heard on three receivers 5955 0600-0656 18,27,2 MSK 250 260 RUS RNW GFC 9840 0500-0800 27,28,3 MSK 250 260 RUS RRS GFC (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX Feb 20, harmonics yg via DXLD) Got it! Thanks for the tip, very poor here (Tim Bucknall, UK, ibid.) ** SENEGAL [non]. CLANDESTINE - WEST AFRICA DEMOCRACY RADIO, Woofferton, 12000 kHz, Lettere QSL in 77 giorni. E-rpt spedito a: wadr @ wadr.org V/s: Abdou Lo (Luca Botto Fiora. (SWL I1-0799GE). Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) Did Lo specify the site? Some claim this is axually Ascension. Of course, even he may not know the truth (gh, DXLD) ** SINGAPORE [non]. AWR Wavescan continues to be most reliable here on KSDA 11655, UT Sundays at 2230-2259. The Feb 19 show contained: a 10- minute feature on Myanmar, which went into some detail about the Burma/Myanmar name issue, religious persecution, etc., but not a word about broadcasting! Concluded with MIDI NA. Finally heard Christopher Lewis, with his European DX report of about 5 minutes, accompanied by some background noise. The news was accurate, but Ukraine was given as 5910 at 0100-0200, while I am sure Christopher knew almost as soon as we did that it switched to 5880 as of Feb 1, so the recording must have been at least that old, or maybe older, since he did not mention any Turkish interference to Yemen in English at 1800 on 9780, and that started January 1. Then an ``inspirational message`` involving bamboo! A who`s who of DXers mentioned on the mailbag segment including Stewart MacKenzie, who added another address to his SWL mailing list, but they did not quote any of his logs; Swopan Chakroborty, Günter Jakob, Bob Padula, Kumar, Rahman, Islam, Tony Ashar, and others. Next week`s featured country: Bangladesh, no doubt also lacking a word about broadcasting there. Maybe when they`ve done generalities about every Asian country they will get around to some specifics? 2255 wrapping up already, with some vaguely ``inspirational`` music to fill. I got a decent recording of this, and if I have time, may availablize it in the dxldyg files if it fits. Later: available, but don`t count on my doing this every week. Then I finished listening to my tape of the previous WS, Feb 12. That one featured Laos for 10 minutes, again nothing about broadcasting, followed by a Bob Padula DX report, which I will refrain from detailing in order not to be accused by Bob of ``theft of intellexual property`` (axually, there was nothing newsworthy you haven`t already seen in DXLD; or some items so esoteric as to be of no interest here). Mailbag segment again heard from MacKenzie and Jakob as would happen the following week, and from someone in Goa (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. REPAIRS TO TALK RADIO 702'S MAST UNDERWAY IN SOUTH AFRICA Sentech technicians are repairing 702 Talk Radio’s mediumwave transmitter in Garankuwa, outside Tshwane, that was destroyed by fire nearly two weeks ago, writes Bate Felix. Station manager Pheladi Gwangwa said broadcasts would resume on the 702 AM frequency as soon as repair work is completed, but she could not say exactly when. "Our signal distributor is in the process of effecting repairs to the building, including the air-conditioning system; whereafter they will clean the remaining half of the transmitter and effect repairs to it as well," said Gwangwa. Gwangwa said the cause of the fire was "electro-mechanical, which means that with the thunderstorms that day of the fire, a surge of electricity could have caused the fire," but she added that they could not know this for sure because the transmitter was completely destroyed. Signal distributor Sentech managed to restore broadcast on a different transmitter, allowing the station to resume broadcast on 540 KHz on the mediumwave band after obtaining permission from the regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of SA. Gwangwa said the fire did not disrupt programming on the station and that listeners have been supportive and understanding. "They are not complaining. They simply call to enquire as to what happened and the alternative places where they can find our broadcasts," she said. The station is also available via audio streaming on its website, on DStv audio channel 56, and via telephone. Gwangwa said 702’s application to move to FM was a separate matter that is receiving the consideration of ICASA. "It is still going through the regulatory process," she said. Gwangwa added: "Should we get FM frequencies, this would improve the quality/clarity of our signal/broadcasts, which would enhance the listening pleasure for our current listeners." 702 Talk radio has been broadcasting on the AM band for the past 25 years. It is applying for the last available frequency on the FM band available in Johannesburg. (Source: journalism.co.za) # posted by Andy @ 12:41 UT Feb 19 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** SUDAN. 9505, 10.2 1900, Radio Omdurman mycket stark med ID och nyhetsbulle. S 4. BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Feb 19 via DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 7245, Tajik Radio, Yangi-Yul, 0300-0305, Feb 13, Tajik, sign-on, Comments and News by man and female announcer, ID "Jumburi Tajikistan" also mention Dushanbe; not in parallel with 4635 KHz, 34443 (Nicolás Eramo, Lat: 34º34'49S, Long: 58º32'26W, Villa Lynch, Prov. Buenos Aires, Argentina, HCDX via DXLD) 7245 is the external service, as scheduled, in Dari at 0300; supposed to be followed by English at 0345-0400, per WRTH 2006, very rarely reported (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. 5840 kHz, 'Wellenbummel' (name of the new DX-program produced by the 'Wellenforum') (part of the German DX-program of Radio Ukraine International), full data computer-printed QSL-letter (excluding transmitter site); letter shows pictures from the website of the Wellenforum, v/s Dietmar Birkhahn. In 2 days for a report in German with 1,10 EUR in German stamps (0,55 returned) to Dietmar Birkhahn, Wellenforum, Am Lindenkreuz 2, 51789 Lindlar, Deutschland (M. Schoech, Eisenach, Germany, 19 February 2006, GRDXC via DXLD) ** U S A. REVIEW & OUTLOOK --- Voice Lessons http://www.opinionjournal.com/taste/?id=110007982&mod=RSS_Opinion_Journal&ojrss=frontpage This is government program that is actually working. A plan to cancel the Voice of America's flagship English-language service, "News Now," is drawing heavy flak. At a time when other countries and even al-Jazeera are boosting their international broadcasts in the world's most influential language, America itself is backing off? And world-wide English programming is not alone on the chopping block. VOA radio will no longer speak to a number of countries, including Russia, in their native languages. Arguably, it's all for an important cause: The money saved by reducing transmission costs -- about $23.7 million next year -- will be redeployed to pay for expanded broadcasting to the Middle East, especially on satellite television. Think of it as a sacrifice for the war on terror, throw in listener surveys that show dwindling audiences for shortwave radio -- and who can complain? Four former VOA directors, for a start, some using words like "shocked," "horrified" and "appalled." They pointed out to us this week that VOA's ruling board at the International Broadcasting Bureau is tinkering with an invaluable national strategic asset: America's ability to communicate globally about its culture, values and foreign policy. Sanford Ungar was VOA director from 1999 to mid-2001. "[I]t is absurd that people around the world who want to hear international news from an American perspective in English will no longer be able to do so," he says. "I don't see the BBC [world service] cutting *its* broadcasting," adds Eugene Pell, a VOA director during the Reagan administration. He has heard many times, straight from the lips of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev among others, what a decisive role American radio broadcasts have played in shaping world events over the years. Everyone supports improving broadcasting to the Middle East. What's disconcerting is the notion that this demands a trade-off. "There's an Islamic fundamentalist threat in Thailand [and] they are going to cut the [Thai] service?" Mr. Ungar laments. VOA also plans to end broadcasts to Turkey, a key NATO member and Muslim ally that is now teeming with anti-American feeling. Kenneth Tomlinson, the fifth former VOA director we talked to, has wrestled with such questions in his current job as chairman of VOA's oversight board. "No one on this board and in this administration is overjoyed about ending any service of the VOA," he says. "It was proposed only as a result of having to match up priorities with the budget. Do you want to curtail our satellite television to Iran to subsidize English?" In an era when VOA English news is on the Web and Russian-speakers can now watch VOA on TV, how crucial a tool is shortwave radio anyway? Outside China and a few other places, the world is moving on. As VOA embraces the future, Mr. Tomlinson adds, supporters of the old, shortwave way "are kind of like the people who wanted to preserve ... horse-drawn buggies." Given what's at stake, however, why not pause a while longer to study the situation? For now, as former VOA director Geoffrey Cowan (1994- 96) suggests, Congress could appropriate an extra $23.7 million "to make sure that VOA remains a robust world-wide service." In the grand scheme of things, that doesn't sound like a huge sum to tack on to the proposed 2007 budget of $2.77 trillion, while America fine-tunes its Voice (via David Cole, OK, DXLD) ** U S A. REVIEW & OUTLOOK --- Freedom in Farsi February 17, 2006; Page A12 For an Administration looking to spend $35 billion in foreign aid next year, the $85 million it plans to devote to democracy promotion in Iran may seem niggardly. But look at it this way: The request is more than seven times what the Administration had previously budgeted for 2006, and nearly 40 times what it spent in 2005. The sums may still be small, but at least the trend is positive. "The United States will actively confront the policies of this Iranian regime, and at the same time we are going to work to support the aspirations of the Iranian people for freedom in their own country," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. Ms. Rice promised to improve and expand the Voice of America's television and radio transmissions to Iran, support Iran's labor movement and provide scholarships for visiting Iranian students. We are skeptics of most foreign aid, but the VOA's Farsi broadcasts have proved to be money well spent. "Next Chapter," a youth-oriented TV show that airs samizdat political videos, is a hit in Iran, as is the VOA's Radio Farda (meaning "Tomorrow"). Labor unions are also a potent source of political opposition in Iran, just as they were during the Communist era in Poland. The current Iranian bus drivers' strike has led to the arrest of hundreds of drivers, evidence of the regime's fear of where the strike might lead. A larger dose of VOA programming won't solve the looming crisis over Iran's nuclear programs. But as we learned with the old Soviet Bloc, totalitarian regimes are often more brittle than they seem. Outside of Israel, the U.S. may have no better friend in the Middle East than the Iranian people. The more we make our voices heard over there, the likelier it is that they will someday have a chance to make their voices heard too (via David Cole, OK, DXLD) ** U S A. DREAM OF NATIONAL VOA MUSEUM STILL ALIVE The Cincinnati Enquirer reports from West Chester Twp: Efforts to repair the crumbling Voice of America Building and convert it into a national museum are creeping forward. This week, a volunteer group working to restore the building hired a consultant to attract tourists. Township officials also agreed to spend about $100,000 to replace the boiler and other repairs. The Voice of America building is the last remnant of a once-sprawling antenna field that was used to broadcast US government-sponsored news and editorials in multiple languages to nations all over the world. The West Chester site relayed signals from broadcasters in New York and Washington DC, from 1944 to 1994. Read the full story http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060219/NEWS01/602190359/1056 Andy Sennitt adds: With the recent announcements of further major cuts at VOA, a national VOA museum may indeed be soon all that is left of a once great international broadcaster - at least for those of us whose native language is English. # posted by Andy @ 11:43 UT Feb 19 (Media Network blog via DXOD) ** U S A [non]. GERMANY / USA --- Since mid-December, have checked for the reported AWR Program in Farsi, via Wertachtal, at 2000-2030. This frequency is blocked by VOA in Mideast language (Arabic?) from 2000 to 2100 (as of the 18th still here with fair signals). As well, China Radio International is noted at *2030 with IS & ID, and into Standard Chinese broadcast, back in late December (not heard today). A poor choice of a frequency for a broadcast in Farsi to the Mideast. RUSSIA, 5865, AWR via Samara. Feb. 12, 1527-1600* Noted with sign-on at 1530 (after closing of previous program at 1527) with IS, ID in English, followed with program in Hindi. 7480, AWR via Samara/Armavir-Krasnodar, Feb. 17, *1530-1550. Sign-on with IS, ID in English, followed with a religious Program, noted with a fair signal but gradually the signal faded out by 1550 (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 4915, WWCR (Nashville). Date: 18 Feb 06. Time: 2254-2300. Program ID as ``Scriptures for America Worldwide`` with a male announcer in English. Music included ``I`ll Fly Away,`` and ``An Awesome GOD is our GOD.`` Station ID at 2259. Fair (Joe Wood, Greenback TN, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) That`s the transmitted mixing product, 9985 minus 5070 as recently explained here. I looked for these too for the first time on Feb 20 at 2242, and there they were: 5225 had audio from both 5070 and 9985, while on 4915, which was deeper into the local noise level, I could only hear 9985 // audio (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. It appears the Sunday morning DX block from WRMI 7385 is a pastthing: Feb 19 at 1400 heard Spanish gospel huxter instead of WOR, and he continued past 1430 instead of DXPL (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: Yes, I just found out about this yesterday myself. Creciendo en Gracia, which was previously Sunday 1200-1230, has suddenly expanded to 1200-1500. We still have 1500-1600 UT available, so I want to put the DX block there. But I have to find somewhere else to put a half- hour Jack Van Impe program. I'll try to get all of that worked out within the next couple of days (Jeff White, WRMI, ibid.) ** U S A. New on 960 --- soon. On 2/14 and again today 2/17, both around 1045L, I heard a strong, S9+10 open carrier on 960. Usually I can barely detect a carrier from presumed Cuban Radio Reloj, Guantánamo. From info found in the FCC DB and at Radio-Locator, it would appear WPBI in North Palm Beach, FL, is preparing to go on the air, reportedly with a nostalgia format. Seems with those call letters they should be in West Palm Beach right next to the Palm Beach International (PBI) airport. This is apparently a call sign change from 960 WGGT, but efforts to find more on this were met with FCC DB server errors and history records could not be accessed. Specifics for the new WPBI 960 station from Radio-Locator are: Status Currently Off the Air AM Station Frequency 960 kHz City North Palm Beach, Florida Hours of Operation Unlimited Antenna Mode Directional - Daytime Only Daytime Transmitter Power 1200 Watts Nighttime Transmitter Power 250 Watts Daytime Number of Towers 2 Nighttime Number of Towers 1 Daytime Transmitter Location 26? 49' 01" N, 80? 15' 07" W Nighttime Transmitter Location 26? 47' 59" N, 80? 04' 33" W Construction Permit Granted August 03 2005 Construction Permit Expires March 04 2006 Last FCC Update October 28 2005 Looks like yet another local is going to blot out the sun (W. Curt Deegan, Boca Ratón, (southeast) FL, Feb 17, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. LIFE ON EXPANDED BAND IS (PRETTY) GOOD --- by Randy J. Stine WASHINGTON --- It's been nearly 20 years since the FCC began proceedings to expand the AM band with hopes of easing interference among existing stations, and the results appear close to meeting the commission's original goals, according to industry experts. This year is the deadline for most stations operating on the expanded band to decide whether to stay there and give up their original frequencies, or give up their expanded-band slot and remain on their old frequencies. The majority of stations authorized to move to the AM expanded band have done so and are now operating with new and improved transmission facilities, a source close to the commission said. At least several expanded-band stations say their improved signals have resulted in additional revenue for them despite their location higher on the AM dial. Originally, 710 radio stations expressed interest in moving to the expanded AM band. The FCC ruled 88 stations were eligible to apply for construction permits in 1997 after the commission released its third and final allotment plan following several appeals. Of the original 88 stations, only 66 elected to file construction permit applications, with the FCC issuing 65 CPs. Now, 56 stations are operating in the expanded AM band (see chart, page X). The remaining nine stations allowed their CPs to expire without construction or turning in their expanded-band license. The original 88 were selected through a complex computer program that "ranked high interference" stations and slotted them in open frequencies in the expanded band. A 1999 order from the FCC extended certain construction permits for those stations on the expanded band. Dual operation The FCC allowed migrating stations to operate on dual frequencies for five years. Many of the migrators had until 2005 or '06 to decide which frequency to keep. The agency's preference is for them to continue in 1605-1705 kHz to help relieve interference. "We expect most will keep their new frequencies. In most cases, the facilities are superior at 10 kW and 1 kW night non-directional. However, several have already chosen for a variety of reasons to keep their existing frequency," a commission source said. Not all broadcasters were convinced a move to the expanded band would have proved beneficial. VerStandig Broadcasting received a CP in 1997 to move WSVA(AM), licensed to Harrisonburg, Va., from 550 kHz to 1700 kHz. However, the owner let the CP expire without building new facilities. "We have a very nice-billing station with nice ratings along the Shenandoah Valley. After examining the move further, we decided it would not be economical to make the transition," said John VerStandig, president of the company. "This signal at 1700 kHz would not have been any better; and then you have had radios out there unable to receive the station." WSVA is 5 kW nondirectional during the day and 1 kW directional at night. The expanded-band frequency would have been 10 kW non- directional daytime and 1 kW non-directional nighttime, VerStandig said. He said he applied for the expanded-band license originally with the thought that "maybe something in the world would change or maybe the FCC would decide to let broadcasters keep both frequencies," which never happened. "As our deadline to act on the CP approached we just decided to wave off the move. I'm satisfied it was the right decision." Some broadcasters who made the move say they suffer little interference in the expanded band; this allows them to better serve their communities and generate more revenue. "It's been an excellent move for us," said Steve Soboroff, owner of KCJJ(AM) in Iowa City, Iowa. "There are an extremely small number of radios out there that can't get us anymore. Just maybe a few old car radios, but I've yet to find a radio that doesn't have the expanded band." KCJJ, originally at 1560 kHz, began simulcasting in 1998 on the expanded band at 1630 kHz and did so for several years before opting to move exclusively to the expanded band. "We had a directional array at 1560 kHz that was awful. We built new facilities and a new tower site. There is so little interference around 1630 that we get response at night from all over the Midwest and the east coast of the United States," Soboroff said. KCJJ, which broadcasts at 10 kW daytime and at 1 kW night nondirectional, has seen its billing go up in "good measure" each year since migrating to 1630 kHz, Soboroff said. "The response from our listeners has always been positive. We now cover from Davenport, to Cedar Rapids and Des Moines. People are now able to hear the darn station," he said. Another station that made the jump, KRZI(AM), Waco, Texas, received authorization to move from 1580 to 1660 kHz and added the expanded- band frequency in 2001. "It's been extremely beneficial. It's been extraordinary. We now have a much better signal with a huge footprint across central Texas," said Bill LeGrand, general manager of KRZI. Bigger footprint The station, owned by Simmons Media Group, went from 1,000 watts directional at 1580 kHz to 10 kW daytime and 1 kW night at 1660 kHz. The station is formatted as ESPN Radio and is the anchor station for Baylor University athletics, LeGrand said. Because the group's five-year window to keep both frequencies expires this year, it will be forced to sign off from 1580 kHz this summer; that frequency is now KQRL and simulcasts the country music format of the cluster's lone FM station. "We have a sunset clause on 1580 and we are not optimistic that we'll be able to keep it," said LeGrand. "The bigger signal on 1660 certainly adds credibility to the station. People can tune in without the static and interference. With audio processing and all of the other new technological benefits now the station has come along way," LeGrand said. Womble Carlyle's John Garziglia said the efforts of the FCC to reduce congestion in the overcrowded AM band have been successful so far. "Instead of trying to jam as many stations into the expanded band, (the FCC) slotted them in an engineering way that limited the amount of interference in the expanded portion and will eventually, along the rest of the band, once broadcasters are forced to choose between signals and which to keep. "Anytime the FCC can create new service and create a better outlet for AM broadcasters it's a good thing. It was a commendable thing for the FCC to tackle," Garziglia said. Garziglia, who represented several broadcasters that built in the expanded portion of the AM band, said he couldn't explain why more than 20 AM stations authorized by the FCC to migrate failed to file applications. "I suspect that they concluded that their present frequencies were better that what they would have had at the top of the band," Garziglia said. While the right side of the AM dial doesn't have good propagation characteristics, 1605-1705 kHz offers other benefits, according to a source close to the commission. "Broadcasters have found, due to the relative absence of other stations on co-channels and adjacent channels, that their signals go very far. They receive very little or zero interference from others," the source said. At some point, the commission expects to revisit the expanded AM band issue since "there are a few holes in the national plan" after not all of the authorized stations elected to file applications to migrate, the source said. There were 4,758 licensed AM radio stations in the United States as of Dec. 8, 2005, according to the FCC. Expanded Band Stations On-Air Although the FCC issued 65 CPs for the expanded AM band, some licensees let them expire and did not build new facilities, accounting for the 56 entries on this list. WNRP Gulf Breeze FL 1620 ADX Communications of Escambia KSMH West Sacramento CA 1620 IHR Educational Broadcasting KBLI Blackfoot ID 1620 Bonneville Holding Co. WHLY South Bend IN 1620 Artistic Media Partners KOZN Bellevue NE 1620 Waittcorp Investments NEW Toms River NJ 1620 Knox Broadcasting WTAW College Station TX 1620 Bryan Broadcasting WDHP Frederiksted VI 1620 Reef Broadcasting KYIZ Renton WA 1620 KRIZ Broadcasting WRDW Augusta GA 1630 WCHZ License KCJJ Iowa City IA 1630 River City Radio KKGM Fort Worth TX 1630 Mortenson Broadcasting Co. of Texas KRND Fox Farm WY 1630 La Familia Broadcasting KDIA Vallejo CA 1640 Baybridge Communications WTNI Biloxi MS 1640 Monterey Licenses KFXY Enid OK 1640 Chisholm Trail Broadcasting KDZR Lake Oswego OR 1640 Radio Disney Group KBJA Sandy UT 1640 United Broadcasting WKSH Sussex WI 1640 Radio Disney Group KWHN Fort Smith AR 1650 Capstar TX Limited Partnership [OK xmtr] KFOX Torrance CA 1650 Chagal Communications KBJD Denver CO 1650 Salem Media of Colorado KCNZ Cedar Falls IA 1650 Fife Communications Co. KHRO El Paso TX 1650 Entravision Holdings WHKT Portsmouth VA 1650 Radio Disney Group KTIQ Merced CA 1660 Mapleton Communications WCNZ Marco Island FL 1660 Starboard Media Foundation KXTR Kansas City KS 1660 Entercom Kansas City License WQSN Kalamazoo MI 1660 Fairfield Broadcasting WFNA Charlotte NC 1660 Infinity Radio Holdings KQWB West Fargo ND 1660 Monterey Licenses WWRU Jersey City NJ 1660 Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Licensee WGIT Canóvanas PR 1660 International Broadcasting KRZI Waco TX 1660 Simmons-Austin LS KXOL Brigham City UT 1660 Simmons-Austin LS KHPY Moreno Valley CA 1670 Delbert L. Van Voorhis KNRO Redding CA 1670 Regent Licensee of Redding WMWR Dry Branch GA 1670 AMFM Radio Licenses WTDY Madison WI 1670 Mid-West Management KAVT Fresno CA 1680 Rak Communications WLAA Winter Garden FL 1680 Rama Communications KRJO Monroe LA 1680 Holladay Broadcasting of Louisiana WDSS Ada MI 1680 Goodrich Radio WTTM Princeton NJ 1680 Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Licensee KTFH Seattle WA 1680 Inspiration Media KFSG Roseville CA 1690 Way Broadcasting Licensee KDDZ Arvada CO 1690 Radio Disney Group WWAA Avondale Estates GA 1690 Intermart Broadcasting of Georgia WRLL Berwyn IL 1690 CC Licenses WPTX Lexington Park MD 1690 Somar Communications NEW Charlotte Amalie VI 1690 Three Angels Corp. WEUP Huntsville AL 1700 Hundley Batts Sr. & Virginia Caples WJCC Miami Springs FL 1700 Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Licensee KBGG Des Moines IA 1700 Citadel Broadcasting KKLF Richardson TX 1700 KRBE Lico KVNS Brownsville TX 1700 Clear Channel Data provided by the FCC http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/special-report/2006.03.01-04_rw_am_4.shtml (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. 454 kHz MARYLAND HEARD IN GEORGIA DAY AND NIGHT The High Accuracy National Differential GPS station in Hagerstown, MD on 454 kHz can be heard during my "daytime DX window" (10:00 AM-2:00 PM Eastern local) here in Lilburn, just outside of Atlanta. This station was first reported in DXLD 6-029 on Feb. 12 The distinguishing characteristic of the signal is a brief data burst every second, and continuos data at 1 kbps. From what I have found on web searches, the station is running 10 KW into a 299 foot vertical, with guy wires as a top hat. It is diplexed with a standard DGPS transmitter on 307 kHz. Because it is diplexed, I wonder if anyone near Hagerstown hears data on 761 kHz (454+307). I caution those listening for this, that many portable receivers that tune to 454 kHz will suffer from feedback oscillation from the receivers 455 kHz IF, if the internal ferrite antenna is used. For that reason, all my reception has been with an external longwire and tuner. The data bursts every second will let you know you have this signal, and not receiver generated feedback. Again, it does raise the question as to why a frequency just 1 kHz away from the standard MW IF frequency was chosen for a 10 KW transmitter. They daytime signal is poor, but there. At night it is very strong. It reminds me of WGU-20 two and a half decades ago, but WGU-20, while near Washington, DC, had more power (48 KW) and a much lower groundwave frequency (179 kHz), I could hear them "daytime" in Florida, with less sophisticated equipment. I would be interested in reading about daytime reception of the 454 kHz signal from others. Listen at night first, so you know what to listen for. I'm sure its night signal blankets the Eastern seaboard (Brock Whaley, GA for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. Radio, and conflict --- Please join an electronic discussion of Francis Rolt's paper "Radio Talk Shows Don't Have to Exacerbate Conflict" http://www.comminit.com/drum_beat_333.html through the drumbeatchat forum. See http://www.comminit.com/majordomo/drumbeatchat/maillist.html for archives. Join the discussion here: http://www.comminit.com/email_forum.html#drumbeatchat ------------------------------------------------------------- Frederick 'FN' Noronha | Independent Journalist Goa, India | +91(832)2409490 Cell 9822122436 ------------------------------------------------------------- 1995-2005: Ten years of waiting for community radio in India! To know more: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/cr-india You can help: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/comradio/petition.html (Noronha, dx_india via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Don`t You Believe. . . department: Kimberley Dozier, CBS News, Baghdad, at 2335 UT Feb 20 on the CBS Evening News, referred to the Sunnis as ``Saddam`s old tribe``. I rather doubt the Sunni faxion of Islam would appreciate being identified that way. On NPR News just after 2300 UT Feb 20, an item said the rescuers in the Philippines were ``waiting for daybreak``. Guess what, at 2300 UT in the UT +8 zone it is 7 am, and that close to equator, day has already broken, even in Feb. If you`re going to use such expressions on a major national newscast you better be damn sure of SR/SS times in the area mentioned. I also heard the Mexico mine disaster located in ``San Juan Sabiñas``, Mexico, I think on CNN. First time I have ever heard a tilde on that n, at least if it is the same place normally called Sabinas, Coahuila (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. 5000, Observatorio Naval Cagigal, 0605-0810, 19-02, señales horarias, identificación a cada minuto: "Al oir el tono serán las .. horas, .. minutos, 0 segundos". Interferencia de WWV Fort Collins, Colorado en la misma frecuencia. 22222 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola Joselito, por favor puedes decirnos la dirección electrónica por contactar YVTO? Gracias (Dario Monferini, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) dhn @ truevision.net (Roberto Scaglione, ibid.) ** VENEZUELA [non]. /CUBA, 13680, Radio Nacional de Venezuela, 2000- 2100, 18-02, Excelente señal habitualmente para la transmisión de esta hora y por esta frecuencia. Inicio y fin del programa: "Esta señal identifica a la Antena Internacional de Radio Nacional de Venezuela; transmitimos desde Caracas, República Bolivariana de Venezuela". "Agradecemos reporten esta transmisión al Apartado Postal 3979, 1010 Caracas, Venezuela, e-mail: internacional @ rnv.gov.ve página web: http://www.rnv.gov.ve ". Programa: Temas sobre el tapete, Forjadores del socialismo del siglo XXI, Efemérides, Librería Medíatica, Pensamiento del Libertador Simón Bolivar, Cosas de Venezuela. SINPO 45444 (Manuel Méndez Lugo, Spain, Escuchas realizadas en Friol, 27 Km. W. de Lugo, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW 7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. 1550, Radio Nacional Saharaui, 1816-1831, escuchada el 19 de febrero en árabe con programa de música folklórica local y locutor con comentarios, lectura de un poema en árabe, SINPO 44444 (José Miguel Romero EA5-1022, Burjasot (Valencia), España, YAESU FRG-7700, SANGEAN ATS 909, Antena RADIO MASTER A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT ACCUSES VOA OF FUNDING STUDENT PROTESTS In what could herald a renewed assault on independent media broadcasting into Zimbabwe, State-owned media this morning fired the first salvo by accusing the Voice of America (VOA) of funding two days of student protests in Bulawayo, the country's second largest city. In what was presented as a headline article, the State-owned Chronicle qouted un-named sources as saying state security agencies had information that the VOA's Studio 7 employees in the city had on Wednesday met the student leaders to give them money to start the protests. Studio 7 is a special VOA Zimbabwe broadcast that was set up to fill the gap left by the closure and subsequent banning of independent newspapers and radio stations in 2003. According to the un-named sources purported to have spoken to the Chronicle, Studio 7 funded the protests "in order for the anti- Government pirate radio station to discredit the State in its bulletins." Read the full story at Africa News Dimension [premium subscription now required] # posted by Andy @ 12:32 UT Feb 19 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Re: KCKN back on the air --- In case you did not see this in yesterday`s DXLD 6-028: Thanks, Glenn, I guess that'll teach ME not to read the DX Listening Digest :) MJR n WYO (Michael Richard, Evanston, Feb 11, ABDX via DXLD) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ LANGUAGES IN CYBERSPACE TO BE CELEBRATED BY UNESCO The world's nearly 6,000 languages, vectors of social and cultural values, will be celebrated at UNESCO Headquarters tomorrow, International Mother Language Day [Feb 21]. The event aims to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education. Ensuring that these languages can continue in use alongside the major international languages of communication is a genuine challenge to countries worldwide. Today, about half of the 6,000 or so languages spoken in the world are under threat. This year’s theme will be devoted to the topic of languages and cyberspace. More details here: http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=42332&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html (Source: UNESCO) # posted by Andy @ 17:25 UT Feb 20 (Media Network blog via DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ OXFORD ATLAS OF THE WORLD "On a completely different note. A good part of the pleasure in DXing for me is learning (or re-learning) world geography. I've been in the market for a new world atlas. After considerable looking, I've settled on the Oxford Atlas of the World. A terrific book with superb, readable maps, great country information, very well-indexed, and much less costly than the Times Atlas. Unlike other atlas volumes, the maps in the Oxford do not bleed into the book's gutter. [I know, bleeding in the gutter is a very bad thing!] I bought the Oxford Atlas from Amazon for under $50." (Jim Ronda, Tulsa OK, NASWA Flashsheet Feb 19 via DXLD) SWL QSL GALLERY Hi All, Just a brief reminder that I have a "SWL QSL GALLERY" online at the "Photobucket". There are nearly 350 scanned SWL QSLs, all different, available for browsing and/or download. To enlarge a "thumbnail" just click on the picture. After it's enlarged, you can download it if you wish for use as "wallpaper", pictures in documents, decorations, etc, etc. Of course most of them are from the "Big Boys", but there are also some interesting ones from some "small guns" too! Yes, every one of the QSLs in the "gallery" is from my personal collection, for stations heard by me and verified. None were borrowed or downloaded from any other source. I don't have much use for cards that don't verify my own actual loggings. There are actually a lot more "verifications" in my total collection, but I didn't post any duplicate cards to the gallery as it didn't make any sense. I also have quite a few "PPL's" (personally prepared letters that you write, the beacon manager fills in the blanks and returns) that verify reception of various NDB's (longwave beacons) as well as some BCB QSLs, none of these are in the gallery. ALL of the QSLs in the gallery were collected after 1994 as all the earlier ones were lost in a move along with my earlier logbooks. The link is in the signature line. DX begins at the noise floor! THE BEACONEER'S LAIR: http://www.geocities.com/ko6bb/ QSL GALLERY: http://photobucket.com/albums/y123/KO6BB/ Merced, Central California, 37.3N 120.48W CM97sh (73 de Phil, KO6BB Atchley, swl at qth.net via DXLD) RADIO PHILATELY +++++++++++++++ UPDATED WEBSITE FROM GERMAN PHILATELIST Updated with more items: http://www.fotos.web.de/ManfredBussemer If you have interest on QSL-stamps please visit the page of the ORF- QSL-Collection: http://www.qsl.at/ (Manfred Bussemer, HamRadioStamps, Germany, via Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, Feb 19, radiostamps yg via DXLD) Excellent collexion of Bussemer, and nicely slideshown (gh, DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ "CHINA IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS FOR DRM" Outside of Europe, China is the key to success for DRM, says Pierre Vasseur, Head of Advanced Studies, Thales Broadcast & Multimédia. The idea is to manufacture DRM compatible receivers for a reasonable price. Only Chinese manufacturers are capable of producing DRM receivers at affordable prices says Vasseur. Of the 2.5 billion radio receivers in the world, 80% are made in China. Vasseur believes that if Chinese radio manufacturers push radio component manufacturers to produce DRM components, the market would be very attractive for both types of receiver: AM/FM + DRM and AM/FM + DAB + DRM. (Source: EBU Diffusion online - DRM France: Set to charm) Download/view the document (298k PDF) http://www.ebu.ch/CMSimages/en/____online_7_e_drm_tcm6-42709.pdf # posted by Andy @ 16:50 UT Feb 20 (Media Network blog via DXLD) See also BRAZIL; CHINA; GERMANY; DRM LOGS: 6175D, FRANCE, Radio Monte Carlo, 2/14/2006 0846, Occasional audio; test broadcast from 0700 to 1600 with 10 kW, averaging about 8 dB S/N ratio, occasionally more, allowing for only occasional snippets of audio on this 17.5 kbps/sec signal; 10 kW. 9655D, GERMANY (WEST), Deutsche Welle, 2/18/2006 1300, News in English, Concert Hour; surprisingly listenable signal from Europe, S/N ratio about 24 dB for this 14.5 kbps stream and a blistering 5 kHz audio range (for classical music!) produce only 5-6 dropouts/minute, not unlistenable. Transmitter is 200 kW. So much for claims that DRM allows broadcasters to reduce their power. Maybe with 500 kW there wouldn't be any dropouts. 13750D, VATICAN CITY, Vatican Radio, 2/16/2006 1237, Program 'Melodies and Memories" with Meg Mason, "The Way We Were", talk in English about beating doldrums, into Van Morrison song, off abruptly mid-sentence at 1244, back at 1245 briefly, then off again (transmitter fault?), then back with Billy Joel "The Stranger", off again at 1248, and again, ID at 1259 for "105 Live, Radio Vaticana", then off at 1300; S/N ratio 16-17 dB, audio about 50% present on this 16.5 kbps transmission, enough to understand what's going on and get program details but not enough for a sane person to enjoy listening to this broadcast from Europe to North America, until return at 1252, when signal was 100% audible (at least until transmitter went off again at 1256). 60 kW. 15735D, BULGARIA, WRN English, 2/18/2006 1402, S/N ratio of about 11- 12 dB, not enough for reliable reception of this 17.5 kbps stream, but I did get a couple of brief audio clips of 1-2 seconds each over the course of a half hour. 100 kW (Ralph Brandi, Middletown, New Jersey, United States, AOR AR-7030 Plus +DRM, Drake R8, T2FD and 300 foot mini-Beverage antennas, NASWA Flashsheet Feb 19 via DXLD) NEW GROUP FOR DISCUSSION OF DRM DX. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/drm-shortwave-dx/join (Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) So far 3 messages; archives are open (gh, Feb 18, DXLD) There are already two well established groups for discussion of DRM. http://www.drmrx.org/forum/ Many of the broadcasters regularly monitor the reception reports on this group and have asked that they be posted there. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DRM-L/ Large membership including engineers who have/are working on the systems development (Mike Barraclough, ibid.) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ READING INTERNATIONAL RADIO GROUP [England] The next meeting will take place on February 25th in the Main Hall, Reading International Solidarity Centre, 35-39 London Street, Reading. Please note we are booked in a different and larger room this time, just to the left of our usual location. The meeting programme will include a look at the Sky Gnome portable radio receiver for reception of digital satellite radio from the Sky digibox, Radio Luxembourg in the sixties and the history of Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, both with audio extracts. We will be in the Global Cafe/Bar from 1400 and move into the meeting room at 1430. The meetings last about two and a half hours including a refreshment break. The meeting rooms are at the back, the entrance is via a small passage just behind the RISC shop or ask for directions in the shop or cafe. For further information email mikewb @ dircon.co.uk or phone 01462 643899 (Mike Barraclough, World DX Club via DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ http://whydoesgodhateamputees.com/ If you are the kind of person who enjoys solving puzzles and figuring out how things work, here is a question for us to think about today: Why won't God heal amputees? It is an interesting question because it lets us ponder God and the way that he responds to our prayers. Think about it this way. You can find hundreds of books, magazine articles and Web sites talking about prayer and the ways God answers prayers. Prayer seems to be especially powerful in the medical arena. According to thousands of articles, God eliminates cancers, kills viruses, reverses the effects of poisons, heals internal organs, repairs injuries, etc. The question, therefore, is simple: If God is healing cancers and solving all of these other medical problems in response to prayer, then why can't we also pray to him to restore amputated limbs? (via Mike Peraaho, DXLD) This is not so flip as it may seem: others of God`s creatures are quite capable of regenerating lost appendages, so why not humans? Huh? Huh? Huh? But this is not really the Big Question. The link leads to a 32-chapter book, and you can cut to the conclusion if you dare (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###