DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-045, March 16, 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 NEXT SW AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1308: Sat 0900 WRN 15735 DRM Bulgaria Sat 1330 WRMI 7385 Sat 1700 WWCR 12160 Sun 0330 WWCR 5070 Sun 0400 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0530 WRMI 9955 Sun 0730 WWCR 3215 Mon 0500 WRMI 9955 Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 Wed 1030 WWCR 9985 Full schedule, including AM, FM, satellite and internet, with hotlinks to station sites and audio: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html For latest updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.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 MUNDO RADIAL marzo-abril: (corriente) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0603.ram (descargar) http://www.w4uvh.net/mr0603.rm (descargar mp3) http://www.obriensweb.com/mr0603.mp3 [pendiente] (texto) http://www.worldofradio.com/mr0603.html Desde 17 de marzo, viernes y lunes 2214 en WWCR 7465 DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS March 14 http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** AFGHANISTAN. Past weekend I was in Chascomús, 115 km to southeast from Buenos Aires. The DX Camp participants were my dear friends: Nicolás Eramo, Enrique Wembagher, Marcelo Cornachioni, Héctor Goyena and me. Our receivers were: Sony ICF2010 (3); Yaesu FRG 7700; Sony ICF55 & Degen DE1103.We used a longwire (30 meters) and a antenna for tropical bands. The propagation was very bad. 9345, Radio Peace, Bagram (presumed), 0145+, March 12, Vernacular, music and short ann.with very low signal, 15341 (Arnaldo Slaen in DX Camp-Chascomus, Argentina, WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DXLD) ** ALGERIA. From Samir Elahcene, Algeria/London, ARC has received a comprehensive list of Algerian MW-stations on the air: kHz Location Local ch. National ch. Power 531 Aïn Beida - Chaine 1 2x300 kW 549 Sidi Hamadouche - Chaine 1 2x300 kW 576 Béchar Radio Saoura Chaine 1 400 kW 666 Tindouf Radio Tindouf Chaine 1 10 kW 693 Reggane Radio Adrar Chaine 1 10 kW 738 In Amenas Radio Tassili Chaine 1 10 kW 783 Laghout Radio Essouhoub Chaine 3 25 kW 783 Djanet Radio Tassili Chaine 1 - 837 Béchar - Chaine 3 - 873 Ghardaia Radio Ghardaia Chaine 1 10 kW 891 Ouled Fayet - Chaine 1 2x300 kW 909 Tamanrasset Radio Ahaggar Chaine 1 10 kW 927 Timimoun Radio Adrar Chaine 1 10 kW 981 Ouled Fayet - Chaine 2 2x300 kW 1017 Touggourt Radio El Wahat Chaine 1 10 kW 1026 Hassi Messaoud Radio El Wahat Chaine 1 10 kW 1089 Adrar Radio Adrar Chaine 1 10 kW 1161 In Salah Radio Ahaggar Chaine 1 10 kW 1422 Ouled Fayet Radio Mitidja + Radio Cultura/Radio Coran 40 kW Local programs are mostly broadcast 0800-1600 UT (Samir Elahcene via BE 6.3.2006, ARC Information Desk via DXLD) For years the Ouled Fayet (in the western outskirts of Algiers) transmitter on 981 has suffered from very low modulation. Now this has changed and since early March the modulation is near 100% with some clipping during talk segments. This is the Berber (Kabyl) channel and most of the overnight programme consists Berber popular music (Olle Alm, ibid.) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. RA Rebroadcast agreement in Bali: see INDONESIA ** AUSTRALIA. Australian talk station 1278 3AW (Melbourne Victoria) is about to do a swap in frequency with Magic 693 (3EE). On May 1st 2006, 3AW will move to 693 kHz. Their current transmitter location at Lower Plenty has been a problem for years with poor reception around Melbourne and Victoria. Sister station Magic 693 (Part of Southern Cross Network) will do a straight swap and use 1278 kHz. 693 kHz out of Hoppers Crossing in Melbourne's west propagates well on the lower part of the band. It is interesting that 3AW will be next door to ABC 774 which is its main talk rival in Melbourne. Thanks to Johno and Chris Hambly for bringing this to my attention (David Onley, MW/FM/Tropical Band DXer, PO Box 821, Belmont 3216, Victoria, Australia, ARDXC via DXLD) & another version via Wade Smith, NB ** AUSTRALIA. Nationwide Australian commercial X band operator World Audio Limited, otherwise known as radio 2, has called a halt on the Australian stock exchange, of all share trading in its operation after raising a further $895,000 from its investors. The reason for the halt has not been made public. http://www.worldaudio.com.au/investors.html Radio 2 currently runs a national X band AM commercial NAS network across Australia and is available over Foxtel and Austar pay TV networks via satellite and broadband cable (Tim Gaynor, dxerscalling March 17 2006, dxldyg via DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. BB Independence Day special --- 26 th March : A Day of Glory and Pride – A Special Program on the occasion of the Independence Day and National Day 2006. Language : English. Date : March 26, 2006. UT: 1230-1300 (S and SE Asia), 1815-1900 (EU) KHz : 7185 Details of the Program: 01. Intro: Highlight the back ground history of our struggle for independence and the glorious war of libaration in 1971. By - the compiler. 02. Song : Ek Sagor Rokter Binimoye (Bengali) Artist : Swapna Roy and others. Lyric: Govindo Halder. 03. Talk : Significance of the Independence Day in our National Life. By – Dr. Abul Kalam Manzur Murshed, Director General, Bangla Academy, Dhaka. 04 Recitation : Recitation from the Poem our Independence with the gist in English. R/by- Shafiqul Islam Bahar. 05. Songs : Specially composed Bengali songs on our Liberation War and the Independence with the gist in English. a) ``Mora Ekti Phul ke Bachabo Bole``. Artist : Apel Mahmud, Lyric : Govinda Halder. b) ``Hazar nodir Abobahika``, Artist : Subir Nandi, Lyric : SM. Hedayet. Compiler : Prof. Syed Anwarul Huq. Narrator : a)Shamim Khan, b) Rahber Khan Producer: Dewan Mohammad Ahsan habib (A.D.) Language : Bangla (Bengali). Date : March 26, 2006. UT : 1630-1730 (ME), 1915-2000 (EU) KHz : 7185 Details of the Program: 01. Talk : Independence of Bangladesh and Women’s Contribution. By- Dr. Begum Jahanara. 02. Recitation : Recitation from the Poem our Independence. W and R/by Camelia. 03. Songs : Specially composed Bengali songs on our Liberation War and the Independence. Narrator : Syeda Zamila Akhter and Mezbah Uddin Ahmed Direction : Sultana Razia Producer : Monwar Hossain Khan. Happy Dxing (Ashik Eqbal Tokon, Rajshahi, Bangladesh, WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Could BB availablize these ondemand? (gh) ** BOLIVIA. Glenn, I just talked to Ray, CP6RR by phone and R. Logos [6165] is on a regular schedule broadcasting all day from 6 AM to 7 PM local [1000-2300 UT]. They have been getting good sig reports in Bolivia including rural Potosí which is some distance from Santa Cruz. Julio and Ray were in the Chapare last week about 4 hours drive north of Sta. Cruz and were listening to it on the car radio. It is consistently stronger than R. Sta. Cruz [6135], using the 5 kW transmitter. The parts haven't arrived yet for the 1 kW. They did a live program recently so must be getting the studio functional (Wayne Borthwick, VA7GF, March 14, WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hola amigo Glenn, Estaré atento a esta frecuencia, luego tenga noticias, hago saber inmediato. No estoy seguro, pero creo que llegué a escuchar en La Paz algo en esta frecuencia por poco tiempo, pero tenía la señal baja. Aprovechando que estaba en La Paz, visité en R. Illimani a mi amigo José Luis Almanza, director de R. Illimani que estaba dejando por cambio de gobierno. Preparé una tarjeta QSL en base la web de la radio con el fin de colaborar en confirmar varios informes que habían llegado en 2004 y no contestado; conseguí en su último día de trabajo firmar y sellar las tarjetas y por mi cuenta coloqué en el correo. Algunas por seguridad mandé más de una en un sobre e solicité ayuda a un colega para que redicione las otras tarjetas. He visto que algunos mandaran 1 $US, pero no sé en qué manos llegaran y esto no fue seguro para que confirmen, apesar que mi amigo hablome que yo entregue a secretaria que hay un fundo para estos gastos, yo preferí hacer por mi cuenta. Dejé con la secretaria grabado en su computadora el modelo de QSL; espero que otros tengan suerte. Fui informado y pude constatar que la radio está sucateada, no hay discos y material de los años anteriores, cada un que salía, llevaba algo. 73 (Rogildo Aragão, Bolivia, rogfara @ yahoo.com.br WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. Re 6-044: Estimados Colegas, Sobre la noticia [de Radio San Rafael], se trata de reactivación de Radio LV del Campesino, Sipe Sipe en 5680.7 (ex 6537). Por estar cerca a mi casa, años pasados confirmé algunos informes, y en caso alguien quera mandar informes completos, mande a mi email, que haré el posible para confirmar. 73, QRV (Rogildo Fontenelle Aragão, Quillacollo - Bolivia, March 14, rogfara @ yahoo.com.br rogfara @ bolivia.com WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ya recibí un correo personal del colega Rogildo Fontanelle Aragão quien generosamente se ha puesto en campaña para ayudarnos a comprender qué es lo que está haciendo (o hizo) Radio San Rafael en la onda corta durante la noche del sábado pasado, cuando nos sorprendió al recibirse su señal en los 5680.7 kHz!!!! (Arnaldo Slaen, condig list via DXLD) 5680.7, Radio San Rafael, Cochabamba, 2215-2240, March 11, Spanish/ Aymara, ¿new bolivian station on shortwave? sports talk in Spanish by male, short talk in aymara by female, ID as: "...por Radio San Rafael" The station transmitted a local festival live!!!! Other ID by female as: "...en sintonia de Radio San Rafael"; the transmission is conducted by male (Spanish) & female (Spanish/Aymara), abrupt sign-off at 2240 UT, SINPO: 35242. The DXer Rogildo Fontenelle Aragão told Nicolás Eramo and me that is the reactivation of La Voz del Campesino, Sipe Sipe, but we heard the very clear identification as Radio San Rafael. Nicolas Eramo has an audioclip with the identification (Arnaldo Slaen in DX Camp-Chascomus, Argentina, HCDX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. I got a note from a Brazilian DXer, Célio Romais, explaining R. Nova Visão, in Santa Maria RS, did become R. Trans- Mundial http://www.transmundial.com.br Today, Célio confirms in detail R. Nova Visão is no more as the company was purchased and registered under Fundação Sistema RTM de Rádio e Televisão, acting in Brazil for TWR (see PORTUGAL too). As a matter of fact, the ANATEL site has it all --- well, not quite. Log on http://sistemas.anatel.gov.br/siscom/consplanobasico/default.asp then enter the state under UV, the place under "localidade", the frequency under "canal" and finally the type of service under "serviço" (*). *) this lists, among others, "plano básico OM / OT / OC", with these three standing for "onda média"/"ondas tropicais"/"ondas curtas", i.e. MW, tropical bands & SW respectively. So, in view of the different R. Guarujá Paulista programs available on 90, 60, 60 and soon on 31 m (9715 kHz), I selected São Paulo - Marília - 3235 kHz - Plano Básico OT --- and the available "updated" data was "Rádio Club de Marília, Limitada, 500 watt, 24 h. For Presidente Prudente SP 5045 kHz, the station on the "updated" list is Rádio Difusora de Presidente Prudente, Ldª, 1 kW, 0500-2400 LT. Entering 5940 or 5980 for either Marília or Guarujá doesn't work. http://www.radioguarujaam.com.br only lists 1550, 3385 and 5045 kHz, with programs emanating from either Guarujá or Santos, both in the SP state. 3235, 5045, 5940.3v, 5980 kHz are indeed frequencies where you can hear Guarujá. 3385 is not heard for months (my latest log was on 25Aug'05), so most probably dropped as that was part of some test, as I think to recall (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, March 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. RTM / R. Nova Visão. Re. my 14 Mar '06 message, here goes the useful info supplied by our Colleague Célio Romais in Brazil about the several R. Guarujá Paulista outlets + a few notes of my own: Quanto à Guarujá as informações são as seguintes: A) 3235 kHz é canal que veio de Marília (SP); a emissora pretende emitir a programação da Guarujá FM apenas nesta freqüência (algo que já vem ocorrendo! Nas demais, emite a programação da Guarujá AM 1550 kHz); This is a Marília site, to be used to relay the FM frequency; the program on 1550 kHz is relayed over the remainder; [as I said, the ANATEL still lists the previous owner] B) 3385 kHz é um canal novo, que foi solicitado à Anatel, para Guarujá (SP); The station filed a request to use this frequency, which is supposed to be a new channel C) 5045 kHz é canal que veio de Presidente Prudente (SP); This emanates from Presidente Prudente, SP; [the former station was bought by Guarujá]. D) 5940 kHz é um canal novo, que foi solicitado à Anatel, para Guarujá (SP); This is a new channel requested by Guarujá. E) 9715 kHz é um canal destinado para Osasco (SP), mas que, devido ao desinteresse por parte dos radiodifusores de lá, foi solicitado pelo diretor da Rádio Guarujá, Jornalista Orivaldo Rampazo, para o município de Guarujá (SP); tal canal deve estar no ar nos próximos dias; This is a channel originally assigned to Osasco SP, but no station there requested its use, so R. Guarujá filed a request for using it in Guarujá SP, and that should be active in the next few days. [well, I've read this before weeks ago, so have tried the frequency, but no luck till now] O Sr. Rampazo é bem atencioso e espera receber os vossos informes de recepção que são lidos no programa Nas Ondas Curtas da Guarujá Paulista, que vai ao ar nas noites de sábados no Brasil (domingos universais, a partir de 0030 UT). Nós do DXCB ajudamos na produção e apresentação do programa. Aliás, neste momento estou gravando um MP3 para o programa de sábado e enviarei uma saudação para vocês no início do programa! Mr. Rampazo [station owner] welcomes reception reports which will be read over the air during the "Nas Ondas Curtas da Guarujá Paulista" program on Sun. after 0030. We at DXCB [DX Club do Brasil] help producing and presenting the program. Right now I'm recording an MP3 intended for the [next] program, and shall start it with greeting you all. Os e-mails do Rampazo para os informes são: rampazo @ radioguarujaam.com.br ou rampazo @ superig.com.br ... no need to translate that. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, March 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CAMEROONS [non]. Hi all, For what it's worth - I got the following information from the board of RFSC: >> BEST RFSC NEWS!! RFSC TO BE UPGRADED AGAIN --- Radio Free Southern Cameroons (RFSC) will from Sunday March 26 broadcast at maximum kilowattage on Maximum Frequency range Short wave (15,500 to 16,000 KHZ) from 7 pm Southern Cameroons Time. Tune in every Sunday at 7 pm. With your continued support broadcast will be increased to at least twice a WEEK. Send in CDs and songs from across the Southern Cameroons for mixing and diversity. >> Cameroon time, I presume. Best wishes from (Björn Fransson, DX-ing from the island of Gotland, Sweden, March 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would still be 1800 UT; could they be a little more definite about the frequency? (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. At 2150-2153 UT March 13, RCI French to Africa on 11845 was being obliterated by intermittent DRM noise, abruptly on and off. I can only assume that was from Bonaire which is not supposed to start DRM on the same frequency until 2200. Most of the time I could still hear the analog French audio under the DRM, the latter rated at 5 kW but plenty loud here. I suppose such co-channel analog QRM will ruin DRM reception, and certainly vice versa (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CATALUNYA. VOLADURA DE ANTENAS DE R. LIBERTY EL 22 DE MARZO. http://www.televisiondigital.electronicafacil.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=5168 Pals (Girona) - Las trece antenas de Radio Liberty que el Gobierno estadounidense instaló hace más de 50 años en Pals para transmitir propaganda política a Rusia y los países del Este serán demolidas el próximo 22 de marzo, ha informado hoy el Subdelegado del Gobierno en Girona, Francesc Francisco-Busquets. La voladura controlada de las antenas tendrá lugar a las 16.00 horas de ese día y se utilizarán 16 kilos de explosivos de carga hueca adosados a las torres, que caerán en dirección a la playa de Pals. Francesc Francisco-Busquets y los responsables de la demolición han explicado hoy en rueda de prensa que la demolición de las torres sólo se aplazará en caso de que sople un viento de tramontana de entre 90 y 100 kilómetros por hora. Estas antenas forman parte del paisaje de esta zona desde los años 50, ya que la emisora norteamericana llevó a cabo la primera emisión en marzo de 1958 y hasta la última, en mayo del 2001, dio trabajo a mucha gente de los alrededores. El proyecto de derribo de las antenas de Radio Liberty costará 1.418.000 euros y contará con un amplio dispositivo formado por Policía Local, Mossos d'Esquadra, Bomberos, Cruz Roja y personal de la empresa que lleva a cabo la voladura. Además, se impedirá el tráfico aéreo y marítimo horas antes y después de la demolición. Asimismo, para garantizar la seguridad de los vecinos de la zona, el hotel que está justo al lado de las antenas será desalojado el día antes, y los habitantes de los apartamentos, normalmente segundas residencias, más cercanos deberán abandonar sus casas a las 12.00 horas del 22 de marzo y los que puedan permanecer en sus casas deberán cerrar puertas y persianas. A las 16.30 horas ya se podrá restablecer la normalidad en la zona, según han informado los expertos. El derribo de las 13 torres, agrupadas en 4 grupos de 3, menos uno de 4, con una altura de 165 metros las dos más altas, se hará en pocos segundos y tendrá el mínimo impacto ambiental. La responsable de la empresa que llevará a cabo la voladura, Patria Mas-Beya, ha explicado que las torres caerán todas en el mismo momento, pero que lo harán más lentamente que si fuera un edificio. El responsable de la empresa de la demolición, Josep Maria Serra, ha explicado que las torres caerán hacia la playa porque es donde hay menos vegetación y donde puede haber menos incidencia en el entorno. No obstante, han reconocido que las dunas pueden verse ligeramente afectadas, aunque confían que en un breve espacio de tiempo se hayan regenerado de forma natural. Una vez finalizada la voladura de las torres está prevista la demolición de los cimientos de hormigón donde están atados los vientos, hasta una profundidad de 80 centímetros. Una vez hayan caído las antenas, está previsto que la empresa encargada del desmantelamiento corte mediante una cizalla todos los elementos metálicos y los transporte en camiones hasta un depósito de residuos controlado para su reutilización. Además de las antenas también se sacarán del recinto dos depósitos enterrados de gasoil, 6 grupos electrógenos, transformadores y condensadores. En referencia a las 33 hectáreas de terreno, con 1,5 kilómetros de longitud que quedarán liberadas, el subdelegado del Gobierno ha explicado que se integrarán como zona de dominio público terrestre- marítimo en el Futuro Parque Natural Montgrí-Illes Medes. Todavía se está estudiando la posibilidad de conservar uno de los edificios de estas instalaciones para instalar un posible museo de las telecomunicaciones o de la guerra fría. Lunes, 13 Marzo, 2006 - 07:46 PM Via Boletín TDT (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, March 13, DXLD) ** CHINA. China on 18160. Just over a week ago there was one morning with very good reception of China on 16 m. That morning I was able to hear a Firedrake transmitter on 18160 in addition to the usual CNR-1. The Firedrake was a separate transmitter, mostly below CNR, but at times coming up on top. The signals also were far too strong to be "leapfrogs" or harmonics. The use of the Firedrake transmitter clearly indicates that something is being intentionally jammed, but what??? The CNR audio feed is synchronous to one of the strong transmitters on several jammed frequencies, but not to 17605 or other regular CNR outlets on 16 m (Olle Alm, Sweden, March 13, WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Cf the report a few weeks ago about China on 17310. These may be the only evidence we have of even more as yet unknown opposition stations (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Another transmission I heard today on an unlisted frequency [cf NETHERLANDS] was China Radio International in Spanish 2200-2300 UT on 9490 kHz, 45434. Again according to WRTH and EiBi list, this broadcast should be on different frequencies such as 6020, 7210, 7250, 9640 and 13700 kHz (I didn't hear them on those frequencies). I hope somebody has a clue as to these apparent changes. Receiver Sony ICF- 7600DS + 3-meter wire (interior). 73's and DXs (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, March 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. SHORTWAVE RADIO IS STILL EFFECTIVE IN CHINA Trans World Radio is also helping those with HIV/AIDS By Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST Ministries DALLAS, TX (ANS) -- An Asian leader of Trans World Radio (TWR) has said that despite many of the Chinese people having televisions, FM radios and the Internet, shortwave radio is still very effective in China. He also talked about how the radio ministry is helping those with HIV/AIDS. . . http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s06030078.htm (via Bruce Atchison, AB, DXLD) Hi Glenn; It's nice to know that shortwave is still being used effectively to help people. I hope those Chinese citizens who moved to the city still listen to shortwave. Yours, (Bruce Atchison, AB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ASSIST = Aid to Special Saints In Strategic Times ** COLOMBIA. Re what`s going on at Loma Linda that 5910 and 6010 are unheard? LV de Tu Conciencia: "As we are in the midst of deploying thousands of Galcom solar radios tuned to our frequencies we are having trouble keeping our short wave transmitters on the air. Something is wrong with the electricity arriving at Lomalinda and the voltage regulators to our transmitters keep burning up. If we continue to operate without them the transmitters eventually are damaged. We are at our wits end trying to solve the problem as we have spent every available financial resource and still do not have a solution." (The Stendals, Colombia Para Cristo Newsletter Mar 9 via DXplorer via WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DXLD) ** CUBA. What has become of RHC`s English to Europe(?) at 2030-2130? Last I checked it was on 9505, always with a big hum and poor modulation, and I think also on 11760. Now I see in EiBi there is no sign of it and a big gap at 2030-2130 in 11760 listings. Also missing from WRTH 2006 and RHC`s current posted frequency schedule at http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/frecuencia/frecuencias-espanol.htm but seems I have heard it since October. Now Chris Hambly, Victoria, tells me he heard Venezuela relay on 11760, UT March 13 in the 2000 hour: that is supposed to be on 13680, 9550 and maybe 6060. 11760 had been scheduled in French to Am at 2000 from RHC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Weekly Cuban online TV Guide --- Might come in handy during Es season: http://www.jrebelde.cubaweb.cu/CARTELERA.html (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT USA, March 13, WTFDA via DXLD) ** CUBA. Testing 2 meter band handheld transceivers donated to our Radio Club by a local company that replaced all of its communications equipment, we found out that the handie-talkies could be reprogrammed to operate on the 2 megaHertz wide 2 meter amateur band here in Cuba. But that required us to find both the soft and the hardware to enable our club’s technical guru to program the ninety nine available channels. At short notice, the guru produced an optimized table of frequencies that included all the repeater input and output frequencies, as well as our national priority channel 145.500, that has proven so useful during emergencies, as every Cuban radio amateur knows that if no repeaters are within reach, monitoring 145.500 provides the best chances of establishing a communications link. A few days after receiving the donated FM transceivers, we were able to have a lot of them in full operational condition, ready to go for the upcoming Atlantic Hurricane Season, due to start next June first. Last year more than one thousand Cuban radio amateurs took part in hurricane-related emergency communications nets, and most of the traffic was done on precisely the two meter band, thanks to the efficient network of repeaters that the Cuban Federation of Radio Amateurs has helped to install and maintain. Long range traffic goes on 40 and 20 meters, providing effective coordination with other Caribbean nations located in the path of a storm. The excellent Cuban Weather Service forecasts are also made available a few minutes after they are written, because there is an amateur radio station located at the headquarters of the Instituto de Meteorología, the meteorology institute`s main venue in Casablanca, a small town across the Havana harbor. Among the things we have learned since the year 2000, when stronger and stronger tropical hurricanes have struck Cuba, is that emergency stations need to have a good and reliable energy supply, and that standby antennas should be ready to go up in case one loses the station`s antenna during the storm. As many of you already know, scientists are forecasting a very active 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and that`s why we are getting ready for it (Arnaldo Coro A., CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited March 14, ODXA via DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. BBC WS agreement with Radio Cesko BBC World Service has signed an agreement to enable Czech digital radio network Radio Cesko to rebroadcast Czech language news and current affairs programmes alongside BBC English language programmes on FM across the Czech Republic, it was announced today. The agreement is between BBC Radiocom (Prague) s.r.o. (a wholly owned subsidiary of BBC) and Czech Radio. Radio Cesko is a public service Czech language news and current affairs station produced by Czech Radio. The agreement means the BBC will continue, as now, to broadcast in the English language on FM for 18 hours a day in the Czech Republic capital Prague (on 101.1FM) and 11 other major cities. Radio Cesko will broadcast on the BBC network for six hours a day from 15 March at 08.00 hours (local time). The BBC's English language service will be available every day between 11.00 and 13.00 hours and from 16.00 until 08.00 next morning. Radio Cesko - which currently broadcasts on the internet and DVB-T (digital terrestrial television system) - will broadcast in the Czech language between 08.00 and 11.00 hours and between 13.00 and 16.00 hours local time. The programmes are also available in the following cities and frequencies across the Czech Republic: Brno 101.3 ; Ceské Budejovice 89.8; Hradec Králové/Pardubice 99.1; Jihlava 96.7; Karlovy Vary 94.7; Liberec 99.2; Olomouc 105.6; Ostrava 106.3; Plzen 98.6; Ústí n/Labem 105.8; and Zlín 93.9. The BBC has been using FM frequencies in the Czech Republic to broadcast BBC English and Czech language programmes since 1992. The change follows the end of broadcasts, after 66 years, by the BBC's Czech language service on 28 February this year (BBC Press Office, 14/3 via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) Imagine a hook over C of Cesko ** EUROPE. EUROPirates --- Still on the tiny little pests wandering around the 1600~1700 kHz range, on 10 Mar at 2145, the following frequencies had them: 1618.49... 1623.96... 1630.37... 1634.58... 1637.9... 1671.2... 1698... 1707... 1743... 1748.9 kHz, all or almost all from Greece. At that time, TA DX is already possible (e.g on 10 Mar 2133-2150: WWRU, Jersey City NJ 1660 kHz, Korean, 55343, R. Continental Nova da Paz, Recife PE, 1379.9 kHz at 54343), so QRM can be expected any time. (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, March 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GAMBIA [non]. 9405 Save the Gambia Democracy, Julich, 2001+, March 11, Vernacular/English, very long talk by male, short talk, 45444 (Arnaldo Slaen in DX Camp-Chascomus, Argentina, bclnews.it via DXLD) Only two more Saturdays to go before suspended (gh) ** GERMANY [and non]. DW A-06 ENGLISCHES PROGRAMM =================== SUEDASIEN 0000-0100 1548 MW CLN TRINCOMALEE 9695 31 RRW KIGALI 9825 31 D WERTACHTAL 9885 31 CLN TRINCOMALEE --------------------------------------------------- ZENTRAL- und OSTAFRIKA 0400-0500 7225 41 RRW KIGALI 9630 31 RRW KIGALI 12045 25 D WERTACHTAL 15445 19 CLN TRINCOMALEE --------------------------------------------------- ZENTRAL- und SUEDAFRIKA 0500-0600 9630 31 POR SINES 9700 31 RRW KIGALI 15410 19 MDC TALATA-VOL. 17800 16 UAE DHABAYYA -------------------------------------------------- WESTAFRIKA 0600-0700 7170 41 POR SINES 15275 19 D WERTACHTAL 17860 16 RRW KIGALI --------------------------------------------------- EUROPA 0600-1000 6140 49 D JUELICH NAHOST/N.AF 0800-1025 21820 13 CLN TRINCOMAL./DRM EUROPA 1300-1600 6140 49 D JUELICH ---------------------------------------------------- SUEDASIEN 1600-1700 1548 MW CLN TRINCOMALEE 6170 49 CLN TRINCOMALEE 9485 31 CLN TRINCOMALEE 17595 16 D WERTACHTAL ---------------------------------------------------- SUEDASIEN 1800-1900 1548 MW CLN TRINCOMAL./DRM ---------------------------------------------------- OSTAFRIKA 1900-2000 13780 22 D WERTACHTAL 15620 19 D WERTACHTAL ---------------------------------------------------- ZENTRAL- und SUEDAFRIKA 2000-2100 7130 41 RRW KIGALI 11795 25 D NAUEN 13780 22 D WERTACHTAL 15205 19 D WERTACHTAL ---------------------------------------------------- WESTAFRIKA 2100-2200 9440 31 D WERTACHTAL 11865 25 RRW KIGALI 15205 19 RRW KIGALI ----------------------------------------------------- OSTASIEN 2200-2300 7115 41 RUS NOVOSIBIRSK 9720 31 RUS KOMSOMOLSK ----------------------------------------------------- NORDAMERIKA 2200-2230 9800 31 CAN SACKVILLE/DRM ----------------------------------------------------- SUEDOSTASIEN 2300-0000 5955 49 CLN TRINCOMALEE 9890 31 RRW KIGALI 15135 19 RUS TCHITA 17860 16 RUS IRKUTSK (DW via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dxldyg via DXLD) The full schedule appeared in the dxldyg; I excerpted only English, and deleted FM and DAB frequencies (gh, DXLD) ** ICELAND. ISLAND, 13865 Rikisutvarpid, 1412+, March 11, Vernacular, music, announcement by female, 24432. 13865U Rikisutvarpid, 1855+, March 11, Vernacular, talk about football by two males.24442 (Arnaldo Slaen in DX Camp-Chascomus, Argentina, bclnews.it via DXLD) Is Icelandic a vernacular? Good catch down there ** INDIA. Re 6-044: see UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ** INDONESIA. Re 6-044: Main lobe of RRI Jakarta towards 315 degrees (1500-2100 UT), approximately via Islamabad, Tehran, Istanbul, Vienna, Stuttgart!, Paris, Azores, Florida, Texas, Oregon. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jakarta and Costa Rica are pretty close to being antipodal. df (Dan Ferguson, SC, ibid.) You're right Dan. I don't have my WRTH handy for exact numbers but my 5 inch globe indicates Jakarta at about 106E 06S and San Jose, CR at about 85W 10N. Maybe an arc of 169 degrees for the short path and 191 degrees for the long path (47%/53% path ratio). The ratio at my QTH (in Waco) is more tilted with about a 41%/59% path ratio to Jakarta. So the shorter path for Raul is east-north-east from Jakarta, through Micronesia, just south of Hawaii and skirts Central America to Costa Rica. The longer path is west-south-west from Jakarta, passing just north of Madagascar, across central Africa, exiting near the mouth of the Congo, across the Atlantic just north of Ascension and across north-eastern South America into Costa Rica. My initial reason for mentioning the long path was that sometimes propagation from a target station might seem unavailable because the obvious (or short) path is in daylight (or darkness). The more a target station is located near the receiver's antipodes the more likely you can go either way. Regarding the beam angle from the transmitter, it matters little to us as listeners what the target direction from the transmitter is. When the wave leaves the transmitting antenna it doesn't bend away from the target to reach us somewhere else. It goes straight to us via the great circle path (either long or short). We never hear any signal that is not pointed straight at our antenna because that signal has gone somewhere else. It helps us (as listeners) that a beam is headed our way since more power is concentrated in the beam direction (and less power is sent in other directions). Some transmitter sites have a particular advantage over others owing to the path that can be illuminated by a relatively narrow beam. For example, Delano, CA can cover most of Spanish speaking Latin America with only a single beam. Sites in the Middle East can cover western Europe plus eastern and central North America with a single beam. At times conditions don't allow a single frequency to cover areas that are thousands of miles apart but it does make for a more efficient antenna farm. A globe is invaluable in imagining the great circle paths. Most flat maps are deceptive for directions (Jerry Lenamon, Waco TX, ibid.) ** INDONESIA. RADIO AUSTRALIA REACHES DEAL WITH INDONESIAN BROADCASTER Radio Australia has reached a landmark agreement with Indonesia's national public broadcaster, Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI). The agreement makes it possible for listeners of RRI's Bali station, Paradise FM, to hear news bulletins from Radio Australia, as well as other key programs such as Connect Asia and the Breakfast Club. The head of Radio Australia, Jean Gabriel Manguy, says the deal marks a significant development in relations with Indonesia's public broadcaster and builds on a similar agreement RA has with RRI in Jakarta. (Source: ABC Asia Pacific News) # posted by Andy @ 13:15 UT March 16 (Media Network blog via DXLD) But, but what about the new laws against this? (gh) ** INTERNATIONAL. A06 AWR Broadcast Schedule (2006-03-26 to 10-29) Site StartStop Language Target Area kHz kW Days SDA 0000-0030 Burmese Myanmar 15510 100 SDA 0000-0200 Mandarin NE-China 12025 100 SDA 0000-0200 Mandarin C/N-China 15300 100 SDA 0030-0100 Karen Myanmar, Thailand, China 15510 100 SDA 0100-0200 Mandarin S-China 15520 100 TAI 0100-0200 Vietnamese Vietnam 15445 100 7 MOS 0200-0230 Urdu Pakistan 9895 300 MDC 0230-0330 Malagasy Madagascar 3215 50 MOS 0230-0300 Panjabi Pakistan 9895 300 67 MOS 0230-0300 Pushto Pakistan 9895 300 12345 DHA 0300-0330 Tigrinya Eritrea 11975 250 SDA 0300-0330 Russian E-Russia 17645 100 DHA 0300-0330 Oromo S-Ethiopia 11710 250 MOS 0330-0400 Farsi Iran 9895 300 DHA 0330-0400 Amharic Ethiopia 11975 250 MOS 0400-0430 Arabic Iraq, Arab Peninsula 9770 300 MOS 0430-0500 Arabic Egypt, N-Sudan 9770 300 WER 0500-0600 Bulgarian Bulgaria 7295 100 JUL 0700-0800 Arabic Morocco, Algeria 15265 100 JUL 0800-0830 Dial Ara Morocco, Algeria 15265 100 4 JUL 0800-0830 Tachelhit Morocco, Algeria 15265 100 567 JUL 0800-0900 French Morocco, Algeria 15130 100 JUL 0800-0830 Kabyle Morocco, Algeria 15265 100 123 JUL 0900-1000 Italian Italy 11775 100 1 SDA 1000-1100 Mandarin S-China 15510 100 SDA 1000-1100 Mandarin C/N-China 15615 100 SDA 1030-1100 Filipino Philippines 11930 100 SDA 1030-1100 Mongolian N-China, Mongolia 11780 100 SDA 1100-1200 Mandarin C/N-China 12105 100 SDA 1100-1200 Mandarin S-China 11975 100 SDA 1100-1200 Mandarin NE-China 11770 100 SDA 1100-1130 Indonesian W-Indonesia 15435 100 SDA 1130-1200 English Indonesia, Malaysia 15435 100 SDA 1200-1300 Mandarin C/N-China 12105 100 SDA 1200-1300 Korean Korea 9685 100 SDA 1200-1300 Mandarin S-China 9720 100 DHA 1200-1230 English NE-India, Bangladesh 15365 250 SDA 1200-1300 Mandarin NE-China 9670 100 DHA 1230-1300 Bengali NE-India, Bangladesh 15365 250 MDC 1300-1400 Vietnamese Vietnam 17670 250 SDA 1300-1330 Japanese Japan 11980 100 SDA 1300-1330 Bengali Bangladesh 15275 100 SDA 1300-1330 Japanese W-Japan 9805 100 DHA 1300-1330 Uighur W-China 15320 250 17 DHA 1300-1330 Mandarin W-China 15320 250 23456 SDA 1300-1500 Mandarin C/N-China 12105 100 SDA 1330-1400 Khmer Cambod,Viet,Thai,Laos 11880 100 14 DHA 1330-1500 Mandarin W-China 15320 250 SDA 1330-1400 Assamese NE-India 15275 100 14 SDA 1330-1400 English Bangladesh 15275 100 23567 SDA 1330-1400 Russian E-Russia 11795 100 SDA 1400-1500 Mandarin S-China 9695 100 SDA 1400-1430 Karen Myanmar,Thailand,China 9385 100 MOS 1400-1430 Urdu Pakistan 15400 300 TAI 1400-1500 Vietnamese Vietnam 11795 100 SDA 1400-1430 Sinhalese Sri Lanka 12045 100 SDA 1430-1500 Chin Myanmar 9725 100 SDA 1430-1500 Burmese Myanmar 11885 100 MOS 1430-1500 Afar Djibouti,NE-ETH,Somalia 15225 300 SDA 1500-1530 Telugu S-India 11640 100 SDA 1500-1530 Panjabi N-India, Pakistan 11870 100 SDA 1500-1530 Mizo NE-India 11895 100 DHA 1500-1530 Nepali Nepal 15225 250 MOS 1500-1530 German GER,AUT,SUI 6055 100 DHA 1500-1530 Panjabi N-India 15265 250 MOS 1500-1530 Turkish Turkey 15595 300 SDA 1500-1530 Tamil S-India 9600 100 MDC 1530-1628 Malagasy Madagascar 3215 50 SDA 1530-1600 Hindi C-India 11870 100 SDA 1530-1600 Marathi C-India 11895 100 DHA 1530-1600 English Nepal, Tibet 15225 250 DHA 1530-1600 Hindi N-India 15265 250 SDA 1530-1600 Malayalam S-India 9600 100 SDA 1530-1600 Kannada S-India 11640 100 SDA 1600-1630 Urdu N-India 11975 100 SDA 1600-1630 English S-India 11640 100 SDA 1600-1630 English C-India 11680 100 MOS 1600-1630 Urdu Pakistan 15225 300 SDA 1630-1700 English N-India 11975 100 MOS 1630-1700 Farsi Iran 15360 300 DHA 1630-1700 Somali Somalia 15460 250 MEY 1700-1730 Kiswahili Tanzania,KEN, UGA 9600 250 SDA 1700-1730 Hindi ME 11560 100 MOS 1700-1730 Arabic Iraq, Arab Peninsula 15265 300 SDA 1700-1730 Filipino ME 9385 100 DHA 1730-1800 Oromo S-Ethiopia 11710 250 MEY 1730-1800 Masai Tanzania, Kenya 9600 250 SDA 1730-1800 English ME 9385 100 SDA 1730-1800 Tamil ME 11560 100 MOS 1730-1800 Arabic Egypt, N-Sudan 15265 300 MOS 1800-1830 Col English S-Sudan 15315 300 46 MEY 1800-1830 English BOT,AFS, Zimbabwe 3345 100 MOS 1800-1830 Dinka S-Sudan 15315 300 5 MOS 1800-1830 Moru S-Sudan 15315 300 1 MOS 1800-1830 Juba Arabic S-Sudan 15315 300 37 MOS 1800-1830 Bari S-Sudan 15315 300 2 MEY 1800-1830 English E-Africa 9600 250 MEY 1800-1830 English SW-Africa 3215 100 MOS 1830-1900 Arabic Libya 11955 300 JUL 1900-2000 Arabic Morocco, Algeria 15130 100 MOS 1900-1930 Hausa Nigeria 11955 300 JUL 1900-1930 Arabic Morocco, Algeria 15265 100 MEY 1900-1930 Fulfulde Cameroon,GHA,SEN 11860 250 JUL 1930-2000 Tachelhit Morocco, Algeria 15265 100 567 MOS 1930-2000 Ibo E-Nigeria 11955 300 JUL 1930-2000 Kabyle Morocco, Algeria 15265 100 123 JUL 1930-2000 Dial Ara Morocco, Algeria 15265 100 4 MEY 2000-2030 French C-Africa 9735 500 SDA 2000-2100 Korean Korea 6115 100 MEY 2000-2030 French Cameroon, Niger 9390 250 SDA 2000-2100 Korean Korea 6005 100 MOS 2000-2030 Dyula BFA, Ivory Coast, Mali 11955 300 MEY 2000-2030 English C-Africa 7180 250 WER 2000-2030 Farsi Iran 9515 250 JUL 2000-2030 French Morocco, Algeria 15265 100 MOS 2030-2100 French W-Africa 11955 300 MEY 2030-2100 Yoruba Nigeria 7175 250 JUL 2030-2100 French Morocco, Algeria 15265 100 SDA 2100-2130 Japanese W-Japan 11850 100 MOS 2100-2130 English W-Africa 11955 300 SDA 2100-2200 Mandarin S-China 11895 100 SDA 2100-2200 Mandarin NE-China 11750 100 SDA 2100-2130 Japanese Japan 11980 100 SDA 2130-2200 English W-Japan, S-China 11850 100 SDA 2200-2300 Mandarin NE-China 12120 100 SDA 2200-2230 Indonesian W-Indonesia 15320 100 SDA 2200-2300 Mandarin C/N-China 15215 100 SDA 2200-2230 Indonesian W-Indonesia 11850 100 SDA 2230-2300 English W-Indonesia 15320 100 SDA 2300-2400 Mandarin C/N-China 15370 100 SDA 2300-2400 Vietnamese S-Vietnam 15320 100 SDA 2300-2400 Mandarin NE-China 12120 100 Site: DHA = Dhabayya MEY = Meyerton Days: 1 = Sunday 5 = Thursday MOS = Moosbrunn SDA = Agat 2 = Monday 6 = Friday JUL = Jülich TAI = Taipei 3 = Tuesday 7 = Saturday MDC = Madagascar WER = Wertachtal 4 = Wednesday All Regions. Version 01/2006-03-08/pub AWR Frequency Management Office, P.O.Box 100252, 64202 Darmstadt, Germany. Phone: +49 6151 953151, Fax: +49 6151 953152, Email: dedio @ awr.org (AWR; via ADDX Andreas Volk-D, wwdxc BC-DX Mar 10 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. RURAL AREAS FIND INTERNET ANSWER IN THE AIR --- Wireless Connections Speedy but Can Be a Hassle –-- By Michael Alison Chandler Washington Post Staff Writer Tuesday, March 14, 2006 In the mid-1990s, Richard Biby started a company consulting for the wireless Internet and telecom industries. So it was particularly humbling when -- upon retiring to the country with his family and beginning a second career publishing a magazine about the radio tower industry -- he found himself, a grown man nearing 40, dialing up. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/13/AR2006031301797_pf.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. XM and Sirius Lose ground on Wall Street XM on their part, like Sirius continues to spend money like it is going out of style and investors are realizing that there may be financing issues down the road as these companies continue to post losses. Again, I state that I strongly believe that there is not room for two satellite radio companies in the US and that ia merged XM/Sirius would have pretty good chances of becoming a nice financial success. Instead of merging into one, my fearless prediction is for both to be acquired; merging two financially-strapped companies usually results only in a bigger, even more financially-strapped company. Sirius will be the first to get acquired IMO. Outside of Howard Stern, there isn't much on Sirius than you can't already get on XM, and XM has (again IMO) a better variety of programming. And Sirius's three satellites are all uninsured; they are only a stray micrometeor from financial catastrophe. Microsoft is sitting atop a mountain of cash and they keep poking their noise into the broadcasting area ("Radio World" columnist Skip Pizzi is a Microsoft employee, for example) and I wouldn't be surprised if they pursued either (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19 http://futureofradio.typepad.com/ March 15, ABDX via DXLD) I don't expect them to merge either. Too many egos involved running the individual companies and perhaps some FCC hurdles. I also expect at least one to be acquired and maybe in a couple years potentially as a "white night" saving them from bankruptcy. Now if both end up profitable and the stocks rally, then it won't be so easy to aquire them without paying a substantial premium. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) ** IRAN. LA TABLA DE LAS FRECUENCIAS, ONDAS CORTAS: Emisiones en español 2030-2130 - ESPAÑA 41 M 7300 kHz 2030-2130 - ESPAÑA 31 M 9650 kHz 0030-0130 - AMÉRICA CENTRAL Y AMÉRICA DEL SUR 31 M 9655 kHz 0030-0130 - AMÉRICA CENTRAL Y AMÉRICA DEL SUR 31 M 9905 kHz 0230-0330 - AMÉRICA DEL SUR 31 M 9905 kHz 0130-0230 - AMÉRICA DEL SUR 31 M 9905 kHz 0130-0230 - AMÉRICA DEL SUR 31 M 9655 kHz 0530-0630 - ESPAÑA 19 M 15530 kHz 0530-0630 - ESPAÑA 16 M 17785 kHz (Atención: (Los nuevos cambios serán aplicados desde el 26 de Marzo de 2006) (IRIB via José Bueno, March 15, Noticias DX via DXLD) Does that mean the above schedule does or does not show the changes effective March 26? Also attached were the laughable instruxions about how to send in 500 reception reports and get nice Persian gifts (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Kol Israel. Re: the audio feed problem on 7545 with two programs; Reshet Bet and Kol Israel Arabic (see DXLD 6-043), the same problem occurred on 13855 Wednesday, March 15, from 1500 UT to 1755. Kol Israel Persian, etc., with feed from Kol Israel Arabic. Still occurring on 7545 today when checked at 2015. I never have heard Arabic on the listed frequency of 5915 (Bernie O'Shea, Ottawa, Ontario, March 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Did not hear anything but Hebrew as I tuned by 7545 around 2230 March 16 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Moshe Oren said that they will fix the audio feed issue in a few days (Doni Rosenzweig, March 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. In response to the demand of the reinforcement of international broadcasting by the government, NHK Radio Japan began podcasting of the latest news on March 16 for all 21 foreign languages. http://www.nhk.or.jp/rj/podcast/ (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, March 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR. Received a f/d "Sculptures on Adinatha Temple" QSL today for reception of All India Radio 4950 via Srinagar, Kashmir in 4 months, v/s Y. K. Sharma. My 220th NASWA Country verified (Steve Lare Holland, MI USA, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. 15105, Hmong Lao Radio (tentative), 1354+, March 11, Vernacular, talk by male, 25432 (Arnaldo Slaen in DX Camp-Chascomus, Argentina, bclnews.it via DXLD) Cf 6-038, 6-040. HLR is NOT currently scheduled at this time on this frequency; was also previously reported from Argentina, on Sat Feb 25. What is this, really? BBC in Hausa via Ascension is scheduled then, 1345-1415. I should think this would dominate the frequency in SSAm. But Hausa is nothing like Hmong (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [and non]. Checking Amal and the Afternoon Visitors, March 14: at 1353, 17660 as usual had the Arabic music with heavy drumming until 1400*. 17685 with at least two signals producing a slightly variable SAH of about 140/minute, one with African music, the other Arabic talk. The latter could be Amal or another jammer, but it went off at 1401* typical of Amal. The music kept going, still around 1515. Meanwhile, ANO was active in French on 17630. March 16, Afro music was in the clear on 17690 past 1500 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. RTM A06 (effective from 26/03/06-29/10/06) all DAILY [note: several of these are believed to be inactive --- gh] FREQ STRT STOP CIRAF LOC POWR AZI SLW ANT LANG 3385 2200 1500 54NE MIR 10 0 0 751 LOCAL 4845 0000 2400 54 KAJ 100 0 0 926 TAMIL 4895 2200 0100 54NE STA 10 0 0 751 LOCAL 4895 0800 1500 54NE STA 10 0 0 751 LOCAL 4970 2100 1800 54NE TUA 10 0 0 751 LOCAL 5005 2200 1500 54NE SIB 10 0 0 751 LOCAL 5030 2200 2400 54NE STA 10 0 0 751 LOCAL 5965 0000 2400 54 KAJ 100 0 0 926 MALAY 5980 2200 1500 54NE TUA 10 0 0 751 LOCAL 6050 0200 1700 54 KAJ 50 0 0 926 LOCAL MALAY 6050 0200 1500 54NE SIB 10 0 0 751 LOCAL 6060 0400 1500 54NE MIR 10 0 0 751 LOCAL 6100 1300 1530 49 KAJ 100 0 0 926 THAI/BUR 6175 0300 0830 54 KAJ 100 0 0 926 ENGLISH 6175 1000 1900 49SW,49SE,54 KAJ 100 0 0 926 INDOMALAY 7130 0400 0600 54NE STA 10 0 0 751 LOCAL 7270 0800 1500 54NE STA 100 45 0 141 LOCAL 7295 0000 2400 49SW,49SE,50SW,54NW,54SW,54SE KAJ 100 0 0 926 ENGLISH 9750 0300 0830 54SE KAJ 100 150 0 145 ENGLISH 9750 1000 1900 54SE KAJ 100 150 0 145 INDOMALAY 11885 1030 1230 44N,45NW KAJ 100 25 0 218 CHINESE 15295 0300 1230 55,58-60 KAJ 250 133 0 218 ENG/CHINES 15295 1530 1900 39 KAJ 250 295 0 218 ARAB/MALAY ------------------- (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. MRT A06 (Mongol Radio & TV) (Effective from 26/03/06 till 29/10/06) FREQ STRT STOP CIRAF Z LOC PWR AZI SLW ANT DAYS LANGUAGE 4830 2200 1600 32 U-B 10 0 0 925 1234567 mongolian 4895 2200 1600 32 U-B 210 0 0 925 1234567 mongolian 7260 2200 1600 32 U-B 50 0 0 926 1234567 mongolian 12015 1330 1400 31,32 U-B 50 315 0 882 1234567 russian 12015 1500 1530 31,32 U-B 50 315 0 882 1234567 english 12015 2000 2030 31,32 U-B 50 315 0 882 1234567 english 12085 0830 0900 44,45 U-B 250 126 0 216 1234567 japanese 12085 0900 0930 44,45 U-B 250 126 0 216 1234567 mongolian 12085 0930 1000 44,45 U-B 250 126 0 216 1234567 chinese 12085 1000 1030 43,44,49,50 U-B 250 178 0 216 1234567 english 12085 1030 1100 43,44 U-B 250 178 0 216 1234567 mongolian 12085 1130 1200 43,44 U-B 250 178 0 216 1234567 chinese 12085 1200 1230 44,45 U-B 250 126 0 216 1234567 japanese ---------------------- (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, March 15, dxldyg via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Dear Glenn, today I heard the usual Spanish program from Radio Nederland at 2300 UT, but the frequency was not 15310 kHz as expected, but 15315. However the announcements only mentioned 15310. I looked into their website but according to them the frequency should be 15310. Also, according to the WRTH and to the EiBi list 15310 should be used at that time. 15315 is listed 2100-2300 in Dutch also from Bonaire. May be somebody forgot to switch frequencies? I would think this operation was automated. I checked other stations in the 19-meter band, just to discard receiver error but everything was in place, so, what is going on here? (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, March 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More anomaly: CANADA, CHINA ** NIGERIA. Hi - Here in Copenhagen V. of Nigeria is very strong on 15120 between 17 and 21 UT. 73, (Erik Køie, Denmark, March 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. For some reason, WYFR was quite weak on 15 and 17 MHz the morning of March 14; in fact, I was not sure 15130 was on at all, clearing the way for Oman on 15140; checked briefly at 1445 a woman talking in English, but flutter and poor reception anyway. Right back to La Bañera de Ulises on REE 17595, my Tuesday favorite during this hour, and which may be among the casualties of the huge budget and staff cuts at RNE (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND. Radio Polonia Quicky Competition --- Who is this very famous, Oscar winning Polish film director? He has just celebrated a very important personal anniversary this month. But who is he? Is it a) Andrzej Wajda b) Roman Polanski, or c) Krzysztof Zanussi? You have only until the 20 March to tell RP who this famous, Polish, Oscar winning film director is. If you are correct then you could be the winner of a Polish Radio Goodie bag, so good, that this famous, Polish film director might well give back the Oscar he won a few years ago for one of them. So email to RP now at english.section @ radio.com.pl (via Jaisakthivel, Chennai, India, dxldyg via DXLD) Try to right click on the photo and choose 'save photo as', and you'll see the answer. The URL to it is: http://www.radio.com.pl/polonia/article.asp?tId=18310 73, (Erik Køie, Denmark, March 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL [and non]. Under the page http://www.radiobiblia.org/Artigos/artigos.painel.asp?tp=1 are the details of the Portuguese version of TWR, primarily available via the internet, but 6 local VHF-FM stations are listed in http://www.radiobiblia.org/Artigos/artigos.painel.asp?=29 That leads once again to a question common to similar a station: TWR, AWR R. Veritas, Vision, etc., not to mention the many others in the USA that air HF programs directly from there: how on earth do they get so [much] funding that enables some among those to establish broadcast systems many official stations simply can't afford? That certainly makes one wonder. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, March 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Fools & their money . . . (gh, DXLD) see also BRAZIL ** PUERTO RICO. AFN, 6458.5 kHz, f/d e-QSL received on 3/13/06 for an 11/14/02 reception. It took at least three email followups to the original email report, the last one yesterday! Robert Winkler, of the Defense Media Center in Riverside, CA indicated that the QSL function is being moved to Riverside and that QSL cards are being printed up. They should be available in about four weeks. The email address for QSL requests is: QSL @ dodmedia.osd.mil (Dan Srebnick, NJ, March 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. Cambios estructurales en la redacción de Radio Eslovaquia, sección en español --- Desde hoy 13 de Marzo se producen cambios en Radio Eslovaquia, Maria Mangová redactora de los miércoles a abandonado la redacción para trabajar en televisión, por otra parte la redactora jefe Marcela Gregorcová también abandona la redacción para trasladarse a España, desde ésta semana además de nuevos redactores, también hay cambios de día en su programación, los lunes se mantiene la sección de economía, la sección de los martes pasa a los viernes, por lo tanto ese día tendremos la sección de Ecología y turismo, la sección cultural de los viernes pasa a los miércoles y la sección de sociedad de los miércoles pasa a los martes (José Miguel Romero, Spain, March 13, condig list via DXLD) ** SOMALIA. 6960, R. Shabelle, E-mailed QSL in 1 day for Mar 9 reception at 0357 via DX Tuner SE [Sweden?]. V/S Shabelle Media Network Manager Malik Yusuf Mohamud. I had e-mailed both info @ shabelle.net and maalik @ shabelle.net (the E-mail address for Malik is indeed not spelled quite like his name). Note the sign-on time is 0330 UT vice the listed 0400. That explains the program in progress at 0357. Pleased to get this even if from DX Tuner SE. This would otherwise be a non-starter on West Coast and would be considered good DX by our Scandinavian colleagues (Bruce Churchill, Fallbrook CA, DXplorer via DXLD) ** SOUTH AMERICA. PIRATE: 6189, Radio Bosques, Argentina, 1912+, March 11, Spanish, songs in Spanish (by Victor Heredia), complete ID by male as: "Usted está sintonizando a Radio Bosques, desde Buenos Aires, en la República Argentina"; other ID as: "Desde Argentina, ésta es RAL, Radiodifusión Argentina Libre, Buenos Aires, República Argentina, Sudamérica", 35443 (Arnaldo Slaen in DX Camp-Chascomus, Argentina, bclnews.it via DXLD) Which does not mean it is really in Bs. As. If they had not said ``Sudamérica`` I might have assumed it was the Argentina in Asia (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** SPAIN. The 13 antennas of R. Liberty at Playa de Pals are scheduled for demolition at 1600 local time on March 22, in a controlled explosion, provided a north wind is blowing at 90-100 km/h. A few days earlier, guided tours of the facility were available one last time. The station provided employment to many people on the Catalonian coast between 1958 and 2001. The metal will then be hauled away for recycling, and the concrete foundations also blasted. The area is to become a natural park. Still being discussed was whether to preserve one of the buildings as a Cold War museum (televisiondigital via José Miguel Romero, WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DXLD) Summary Translation of above item under Catalunya ** SUDAN (non). sSIRI, southern Sudan Interactive Radio Instruction (via UK?) was noted 16 March at tune in 0633 on 17660. Fair signal, but improving all the time. Program was "Learning Village" in English. Lesson for schoolchildren with numerous "Teacher, ask your pupils to...". 0659 ID "You've been listening to the Learning Village brought to you by southern Sudan Interactive Radio Instruction...". Off at 0700 Within couple of minutes I got a nice reply to my "monitoring report" from sSIRI. v/s Leesa Kaplan, Chief of Party, sSIRI in Nairobi. "We are airing the programs via VT Merlin in the UK" she wrote. This can mean transmitter site in UK or then not (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWITZERLAND [and non]. Switzerland in Sound on SWL fest: See CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES ** TURKEY. Live from Turkey, from VOT, Thu March 16 at 1350 on 15155; first the hosts discussed how bad the traffic accident count is in Turkey; from 1400 David Crystal was on from Israel giving some reasons why he doesn`t want war: among many other things, the reserves are called up immediately, with no chance to arrange their affairs; about half the privately owned trucks in the country are requisitioned; and garbage trucks have to be used for food delivery in the afternoon, washed out after garbage duty in the mornings. Even on the private radio stations, news is censored, and only official bulletins are heard. Later they discussed with another caller, Christopher (Lewis?) management`s intention to eliminate one of the two weekly call-in shows. Christopher would prefer they keep the Tuesday evening (1950/1850 UT) one, more convenient for the UK; I would prefer they keep the Thursday afternoon one, much more convenient here. This time 15155 was not switched off until 1430, which allowed us to hear many repetitions of the wonderful VOT IS. If you get a chance, listen closely. They are not all identical; the pianist inserts some different flourishes as they go along. During the last couple minutes we were hearing IDs in a Slavic language, leading up to the 1430 transmission, which must have finally switched either to Serbian on 9510 or Bulgarian on 7105, both scheduled at that time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. Radio Ukraine International Summer A06 Broadcasting Schedule (26 March 2005 - 29 October 2005) Time UT; Frequency; Transmitter Site; Power; Azimuth; Target Area 0000-0500; 7530 (5830); Kharkiv; 100; 055; Russia 0500-0800; 9945 (7420); Kharkiv; 100; 277; W. Europe 0800-1300; 15675 (9950); Kharkiv; 100; 277; W. Europe 1300-1700; 7530 (5830); Kharkiv; 100; 055; Russia 1700-0000; 7490 (5830); Kharkiv; 100; 290; W. Europe 2300-0400; 7440 (5810); Mykolaiv; 500; 314; N.-E. America Transmission schedules in various languages are as follows: ENGLISH (one hour long): at 2100 on 7490 (5830) kHz, at 0000 & 0300 on 7440 (5810) kHz, at 1100 on 15675 (9950) kHz. GERMAN (one hour long): at 1700, 2000 & 2300 on 7490 (5830) kHz. UKRAINIAN programmes are transmitted on all frequencies and at all times except for the time reserved for English and German programmes, as shown above. Romanian (half an hour long): at 1700, 1930 & 2100 on 657 kHz (via Chernivtsi). Notice: In the middle of September the frequencies left of the brackets can be replaced by those ones in the brackets. On WEB-site http://www.nrcu.gov.ua transmissions in Real Audio format: ENGLISH: at 0000, 0300, 1100, 2100; GERMAN: at 1700, 2000, 2300; UKRAINIAN: all other time of the day. On satellite "Express AM22" 53 degrees East, 11.096 GHz, vertical polarization, MPEG-2, RS 10500, FEC 3/4: ENGLISH: at 0000, 0300, 1100, 2100; UKRAINIAN: all other time of the day (Alexander Yegorov, Kyiv, Ukraine via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, March 15, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U K. NEWS: GOON SHOW NAMED BEST RADIO COMEDY EVER http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/mar06/goon830303.php (via Kim Elliott, DXLD) Plus list of others in the top ten ** U K [non]. BBC WS agreement with Radio Cesko: see CZECH REPUBLIC ** U K. The Home of Radio - BBC R4 Sat 18 March 2000-2100 UT The Archive Hour: The Home of Radio. As Broadcasting House undergoes redevelopment to bring it into the 21st century, former managing director of BBC Radio, Sir David Hatch, takes a tour of this much loved and historic building to reveal the extraordinary part it has played in the history of radio. What is the surprise that Eric Gill left on the back of his famous statue above the entrance? Did George Orwell base Room 101 on the shady goimgs-on on the first floor corridor. All will be revealed. (Radio Times magazine) Listen Live via http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/index.shtml (Alan Pennington, bdxc-uk via WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DXLD) ** U K. Languages on BBC local and national radio Just doing a quick search through the BBC White Paper on radio, this section interested me, never realised there were so many. On my BBC local radio station, BBC 3CR, there is a weekly one hour Italian programme, but what is Ulster Scots? A form of Gaelic? And when and where can I hear this programme? The BBC is in a unique position to be able to contribute to the development of content that serves the UK's nations and communities, including the provision of services to support minority languages across a range of platforms. The BBC has been broadcasting Gaelic for over 80 years, has been committed to Welsh since its pioneering broadcasts in the 1920s and has broadcast in Irish over the radio for nearly 25 years. It is currently investing in a new Language Learning Initiative for Welsh, Irish and Gaelic and a new Irish Language Broadcast Fund, and also provides services in Ulster Scots. Local radio stations in England also carry over 67 hours of specialist language programming each week, including: Bengali, Cantonese, Cornish, Guernsey French, Gujarati, Hindi, Mandarin, Mirpuri, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Somali and Urdu (Mike Barraclough, UK, March 15, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U S A. Re 6-044, Martí 1180 missing from FCC database: I am informed that it`s ALWAYS been in the database before, and there may even be case law that it has to be protected! At least at the 50 kW level tho it actually runs 100 kW at times (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Actually, in 1950 when I first began listening to SWBC, even the VOA stations used call letters, with different call letters for each transmitter. GE operated transmitters at Schenectady, N.Y., and Belmont, Cal. (I recall WGEO and KGEI ... the latter call surviving when one of the religious broadcasters took over.) Bound Brook NJ transmitters had several call letters. My VOA Hawaii QSL was for KRHO, if I remember correctly; WLWA, WLWO and a couple of others for the Crosley operation north of Cincinnati; Delano, Calif., KCBR, etc. Later, there was only one designated call letter that applied to all of the transmitters at each site ... and it wasn't until, probably, the mid to late '50s that call letters were dropped for the government stations. They're still used by the religious broadcasters. I just Googled "WGEO Schenectady" and came up with this website, showing SWBC call letters in 1947: http://members.aol.com/Jeff560/1947sw.html including Canadians ... I have several CBC call letter SWBC QSLs from the '50s (John Callarman, Krum TX, ABDX via DXLD) If you go far enough back in time - we're talking 1940 or thereabouts - each separate TRANSMITTER of a U.S. shortwave station had a callsign. Most were operated by the big AM operators, usually at sites shared with the AM transmitters. So WLW had WLWO and so on at its Mason, Ohio site (later moved just down the road to Bethany, Ohio), RCA operated WNBX and WRCA and so on at its Bound Brook, N.J. site where WJZ was located, GE had KGEI next door to the KNBC site in Redwood City, California, etc. Most of those transmitters were taken over by the government during and after WWII, with some (the RCA site at Dixon, California, for instance) becoming Voice of America sites and others being shuttered as VOA built its own sites at Greenville, NC and Delano, CA. I have in my collection of "stuff" the last few licenses for Westinghouse's WBOS at the WBZ site in Hull, including the telegram ordering it to be shut down at the end of the last government contract in 1953. Two private operators survived - KGEI in California and WRUL Scituate MA, later WNYW and still later Family Radio's WYFR, which was moved to Okechobee FL in the 70s. Beginning in the 70s, the government began allowing private shortwave licensees again, and the field has exploded in recent years, pretty much all religious stations these days. Today, one callsign covers multiple transmitters, so for instance WWCR in Nashville operates on four frequencies with separate programming simultaneously. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. Here`s news from Adam Lock, formerly of WWCR: After several months of considering different offers and options, my career took an interesting direction. I have accepted an upper management position at New Millennium Concepts, Ltd. of Arlington, TX; the good folks who manufacture and distribute the Berkey line of water purification systems. Our sister company is New Millennium Broadcasting, Ltd. which assists numerous radio broadcasters on multiple radio stations, including shortwave. I can be reached at: P O Box 201411, Arlington, TX 76006. My number is 877-647-4212 (Adam W. Lock, Sr., General Manager, NMC/NMB, Ltd., March 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. No trace of WRMI, or a jammer on 9955 around 0600 UT March 14. I have advised Jeff that if he wants to be heard in NAm overnight, better go back to the NAm antenna and to 7385 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar flux 73 and mid-latitude A-index 1. The mid-latitude K-index at 0600 UTC on 14 March was 0 (02 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours (SEC via DXLD) But 25 hours later, WRMI 9955 was audible, without jamming, but undermodulated, with Radio República instead of WRN. What`s going on? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Glenn: That's interesting. We are temporarily carrying RR on 9955 from 0500 to 0900. Their official schedule is 0900-1300 and 1600-2200. For A06, it will probably be 0900-1400 and 1600-2100 Monday-Friday. At the moment, we're not carrying WRN, but this could change. We're in the process of installing an automation program called Simian which will allow us to automate all transmitter, antenna and programming operations. That will give us a lot more flexibility to do some things that we can't do now (Jeff White, WRMI, WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WNYC (820 New York) suffered damage to its transmitter Friday night, the result of brush fires near its transmitter in Kearny, N.J. The station was running at low power through the weekend because of damage to the transmission line feeding the three towers it shares with WMCA (570), which remained at full power (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch March 13 via DXLD) ** U S A. Well, I`m back on after 17 hours without power and tornados. Here`s an update on one radio station: WTAX 1240 AM, Springfield, Illinois is simulcasting on the FM stations 101.9 and another as their tower which has been up since 1949 has been taken down by the tornado that hit Springfield and this area Sunday night. Reports of the channel 20 TV station shook vigorously doing the storm but no reported damage. Most of all the radio stations in the Springfield, Illinois area are on low power running on generators (Ron Trotto, wdx4kwi, Waggoner IL, March 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WTAX 1240 Tower Crash Pics: http://www.wdbr.com/ http://www.wdbr.com/galleries.php?gallery_id=128 The WTAX 1240 tower was the biggest thing to come down in the tornadoes around Springfield, IL (Kevin Redding, AZ, ABDX via DXLD) You may have seen news that the WTAX 1240 Springfield IL tower came down during the tornado that hit the city on Sunday night 3/12. The tower also housed the FM antenna for WDBR 103.9 Springfield. A picture of the downed tower can be found on the WDBR website: http://www.wdbr.com/ (Bill Dvorak of Madison WI, WTFDA via DXLD) Hi Bill, Their hapless boast might apply within Springfield; there was something even bigger in the immediate region. Various press reports detailed a 350-400 foot disused microwave tower that landed in one piece next to a farm house. People reported it as looking like a rollercoaster. On the way to work I received WQQL 101.9 back with their regular oldies programming. I also had Abe FM, WABZ (if I remember that right) in on 93.9 for a few moments with commercials, I didn't hear regular programming so I've no idea if they're back to normal or not. On TV, WICS channel 20 is running a continuous crawl line even during commercials, with information about schools, shelters, assistance, boil orders and curfews. They even have program notes in the crawl- Saturday night after the 10 P.M. news they'll be running the shows pre-empted by tornado coverage last Sunday. You wouldn't want to miss out on watching 'Desperate Housewives' would you? (Curtis Sadowski, Paxton, Illinois, March 16, ibid.) ** U S A. Amusing yourself on a slow DX day - FCC TV Auction If you're online all day at work anyway (like I am), watch the FCC Auction 64 bidding process at: https://auctionsignon.fcc.gov/signon/index.htm Select Auction 64, then Go, then click on Results. 10 analog and DTV full power TV licenses are being auctioned. More DX targets for everyone, including a DTV on 3 in Florida (and the second full-power commercial station in my market - wow - a license for Analog 51 in Bend, which KEZI (ABC Eugene) is currently winning.) TV-DTV001-45 Greeley, CO TV-DTV010-51 Medical Lake, WA TV-NTS011-51 Jackson, MS TV-DTV004-46 Derby, KS TV-NTS007-49+ Osage Beach, MO TV-NTS002-48 Pueblo, CO TV-NTS006-27 Duluth, MN TV-NTS005-22+ Topeka, KS TV-NTS008-51 Bend, OR TV-DTV003-3 Apalachicola, FL (Dave Williams, Redmond, OR, March 16, WTFDA via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Un acto de solidaridad con los periodistas presos y perseguidos se llevó a cabo este miércoles en el Ateneo de Caracas, a raíz de las medidas que cursan en tribunales del país contra los comunicadores sociales Ibéyise Pacheco, Mariellena Salazar, Napoleón Bravo y Gustazo Azócar, entre otros. Ver video: http://www.noticierodigital.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=66000 Mayor información sobre la detención de periodistas en Caracas y el resto de Venezuela, revisar el siguiente portal: http://www.noticierodigital.com (Jorge García Rangel, Venezuela, Noticias DX via DXLD) see also CUBA UNIDENTIFIED. 7590 WITH COUNTING --- right now, here at 0908 UT, there is Russian counting together with AFN in USB on 7590 kHz. But it went off two minutes later (0910 UT) leaving AFN alone (Erik Køie, Denmark, March 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hi Glenn, "Mr Hawk Eye", Take the nickname in a positive way! I like your observations and commentaries, making your DXLD very alive and kicking! ``In Tamil! Or was there enough English you could follow? (gh, DXLD)`` Yes, in Tamil! No English at all! But I could follow the program content anyway, because they mentioned stations, countries and addresses to the stations. Good enough to make a report of reception, I believe! 73 from (Björn Fransson, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ SPECIAL REPORT ABOUT KULPSVILLE WINTERFEST 2006 Hi Glenn. I trust this finds you well. This is to let you know that I attended the 2006 SWL Winterfest in Kulpsville, PA the weekend of March 3-4, and have produced a special 60-minute report about it, which is now available on switzerlandinsound.com under the "Two Bobs" rubric. In addition, the report will be broadcast by Allan Weiner's shortwave station, WBCQ, as follows: [originally out of order; hope dates correct] 1700 UT Friday on 18910 March 17 2300 UT Saturday on 5110 March 18 1900 UT Sunday on 7415 March 19 0400 UT Monday on 9330 March 20 [pre-empting WORLD OF RADIO] It is worthy of note this is the only international radio coverage of this event. In the case of SIS, it will remain on the website indefinitely. Thanks and best wishes, (Bob Robert "Bob" Zanotti, Founder and Editor, Switzerland in Sound "radio on demand" http://www.switzerlandinsound.com March 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Switzerland In Sound now has Bob Zanotti's Fest Report http://www.switzerlandinsound.com/index.php?site=kulpsville_SWL_winterfest_2006.html will take you there directly; otherwise, go to http://www.switzerlandinsound.com --- mouse over "The Two Bobs", and the link to the Fest page (with photos) will appear. Bob tells me the audio runs just shy of an hour (Richard "Co-Festmeister" Cuff, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ [non] LATEST DX ADVENTURE FROM NHULUNBUY, NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA Dear DXer You are invited to visit http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/nhulunbuy_2006_03.dx This is another instalment of my progressive mental deterioration in this wild and remote location. Also includes QSL information at the end of the small trail. Cheers (Craig Edwards, Nhulunbuy (Gove), Northern Territory, Australia, mwdx yg via DXLD) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ Wait a minute, I did not have a D in the phonetics of ``Record``: R. Record, São Paulo, 9504.8, 2305-2350+ March 4, Portuguese talk, ads, jingles. F-G; // 6149.94 poor, weak. [BTW, Record is pronounced something like heh-COR-jee --- gh] RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ DC QRM Sí amigos, yes my friends, this is Dxers Unlimited`s mitweek edition, and here is our most popular section of the show, the one we devote to answering your radio hobby related questions. Now listen to this one, as it is unusual to say the least. It comes from listener Alex in North Carolina, and he wanted to know why his neighbor`s dog that has a special collar to keep him within the front garden, starts to bark desperately whenever Alex started using his 2 meters band FM transceiver. Well amigo, the secret of what`s happening was inside the neighbor`s dog special collar. I was practically sure that your two meter signal is somehow getting into the collar`s electronic circuit, and giving the dog a jolt every time you punch the push to talk button of your 2 meter rig. The area restraining collars work by picking up a signal from a buried underground loop that when detected by the collar, gives the dog a small but certainly unpleasant electrical shock. The dog then learns that it is very convenient to stay away from the perimeter set by the buried wire. But apparently the dog collar`s circuit was not fully protected against local radio amateur`s 2 meter band signals, that also trigger the electric shock delivery, even when the dog is well away from the buried cable that makes the system work. Now, as always, with any type of radio frequency interference you have to handle it with great care and diplomacy. For example, you may ask your neighbor to loan you the collar for a few hours, and even invite her or him to be present when you open up the collar in search of the part of the electronic circuit that may be receiving your 2 meters band signal and activating the electric shock to the dog. Fortunately, amigo Alex has a good background in practical electronics, and following my advice, he installed a pair of radio frequency chokes of 2.3 micro henries inductance, and two small disk ceramic bypass capacitors at the input of the dog`s collar sense coil. Now, not even running 500 Watts of CW on 144.200 will activate the dog`s collar. So, the DOG COLLAR INTERFERENCE mystery was solved and now amigo Alex can talk to all of his friends on 2 meters without hearing his neighbor`s dog barking at full power !!! (Arnaldo Coro A., CO2KK, RHC Dxers Unlimited March 14, ODXA via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ HD RADIO - MAKING NOISE, BUT CAN'T BE FOUND http://www.audiographics.com/agd/031406-1.htm A certain amount of frustration comes with these words. It started after I began looking for something positive to write about HD Radio; or, more precisely, after I began looking for an HD Radio program to list here, hoping to show how this "new" radio is delivering on promises. One of the benefits of being online is that you're not limited to articles. The written word can be accompanied by audio or video. If you glance to the side column on any Audio Graphics page, you'll see a listing of "Click To Listen" programs that are there for you to enjoy. These are usually changed weekly and, today, I wanted to include an HD Radio program. That was, until two hours of searching passed with no results. While there are dozens of NPR HD programs available, featuring another NPR-produced program wasn't in the plan today. Instead, I looked for programs from another provider. Anyone other than Clear Channel would do, because that company's list of HD radio stations was featured here only a couple of weeks ago. What began as a simple search turned into a drawn-out failure. After stumbling around online it was evident that to hear HD Radio from any other source would require my purchasing a receiver. No search that I did brought up a listing of an online stream of HD Radio. It did lead me to plenty of web sites that had stations reportedly broadcasting in HD, but none of these actually had their HD signal online to sample. The more I dug, the less I got. Which brings up a fundamental question of marketing: Is it out of line to expect a new product to produce samples before it expects consumers to purchase the product? HD Radio has been making plenty of noise lately. That (in this day of immediate gratification) the HD Radio Alliance would fail to have a place where consumers could sample programs online is something that just seems a mistake. That this "online" place would not be returned within the top spots on search engines, when using keywords like "HD Radio Stations", is a clear indication that HD is not as technically advanced as it claims to be. A few search engine returns even led to dead links (for ex., WOR HD). Do your own search on Google, Yahoo! or MSN Search, but start here: HDRadio.com, How Does HD Digital Radio Sound? - where you'd expect a sampling before they expect you to drop $300 on an unproven radio receiver. Instead of providing links to the "over 700 stations" reported to be broadcasting in HD, you're handed a list of links that repeat (essentially) the same words in a 30-second audio presentation that's laid across 11 different formats. CBS Radio is a classic example of not understanding online. At its page, you can find a long list of stations, with no links. Duh! HD Radio is in the fight for/of its life. It doesn't take more than common sense to realize you need to provide consumers with product samples online to increase demand. It's sad to think that they've misjudged the need to lure consumers with these sample programs. But then, it's already a given that getting HD radio into vehicles is going to prove more difficult than leaders of the "HD Revolution" have judged. So far, their track record is less than spectacular. (via Kevin Redding, AZ, ABDX via DXLD) ANOTHER ONE JOINS THE DARK SIDE ... (kinda Long) As I type, I'm listening to WNRQ-HD2... Yep, I bought a Boston Acoustics HD radio. A few early thoughts... - I can't tell the difference between HD and regular FM. They both sound good but I can't tell one from the other. - There are four HD stations in Nashville: WLAC-AM 1510: well, UPS took until 6:15 to get here with the radio. "FCC sunset" for March is 6:00. Won't be able to check out AM HD until tomorrow. WPLN-FM 90.3: HD2 carries a schedule of classical music and talk programs, similar to the analog but different programs. They're running classical music right now, while the analog is running Marketplace and WPLN-AM is carrying All Things Considered. WVNS-FM 102.5: No HD2. Ironically their analog sounds *better* than the HD -- I think they have a processing problem, the HD is "hissing its F's" which the analog isn't. No other station is doing this. WVNS' translator on 102.1 is *not* relaying the HD. WNRQ 105.9: HD2 is playing oldies. (analog is classic rock) Ran a pile of Beatles, now they're into a variety of soulclassics. No announcements yet. You'd think they'd pick a format that wasn't already on a local analog station. - The Receptor HD comes with a built-in AM antenna and a short wire (about 18") FM antenna. Neither one can receive any HD stations here. (indeed, WSM-650 is just barely copyable in analog on the built-in. WPLN-FM does blink the HD light but is never quite strong enough to decode HD) The radio also comes with an external AM loop, it looks absolutely identical to the one that came with my Technics ST-G50 tuner. (over 15 years old !) - With the external loop, the Receptor HD is a usable AM radio. Not exceptional (it's easy to null WSM right into the noise - and remember, I'm only 45 miles from the tower) but usable. - Strange (and probably not related to the radio) but I can't get WLAC right now! - while WCKY 1530 is coming in quite well. We did have severe storms to the south a few hours back, it's possible WLAC is on a low-powered backup transmitter. - The radio will occasionally falsely blink the HD light on AM. (for example, on WSM 650 which is known not to have HD) Nothing happens to the audio. - An external FM antenna can be attached to a standard F connector. I've hooked up my VHF TV antenna. It gets all three HD FM stations listed above. (and no others, but I haven't exhaustively checked for HD stations in southern Kentucky or West Tennessee) The HD on WNRQ is going out occasionally, about every 30 - 60 seconds for about 5 seconds. I haven't tried touching up the antenna orientation to see if that'll clear it up. (this doesn't appear to happen on WPLN or WVNS. WVNS' transmitter is a lot closer, but WPLN is on the same tower as WNRQ - and runs 20% *less* analog power. Not sure what they're doing digitally.) There's a 3-bar signal strength indicator in the upper right. - The Receptor HD is a pretty decent *analog* FM radio. All the Kentucky analog stations I'd expect to hear are coming in well. Selectivity is at least as good as the ST-G50 (which is modified with 110KHz filters) and quite possibly better! - the 107.3 station in Florence, AL is coming in without even a hint of adjacent channel QRM from local WRVW 107.5; 96.9 Paducah doing fairly well against local 97.1 even though the antenna is pointed closer to 97.1 than to Paducah. I've heard rumors that the AM selectivity is exceptional too, but with the poor sensitivity it's hard to tell. (may be easier during the day when I have some strong local signals to work with - but if WSM isn't any louder than this...) - The radio has weak-signal muting on AM, and it can't be turned off. Strangely, it *doesn't* mute weak signals on FM! - No hint of overload, (even on the big antenna) but the closest station is at least 18 miles away. - It has RDS. PS and RT only. If a station has both RDS and HD (WVNS, for example) it only displays the HD info. (so if I want to see the RDS data on WVNS, I tune in the translator instead...) The radio has a "display mode" button but that only switches between the frequency display and the time on HD stations and analog stations without RDS. On analog stations with RDS it switches between the clock and a large and small version of the RDS. RDS sensitivity seems about the same to slightly better than the Conrad. - At least in theory, the HD exciter is supposed to contain a delay line that delays the analog audio to match the delay through the digital coding process. It appears that no station around here has got it completely right. (but they're all pretty close) It is possible this is due to varying delays in *receivers* though; see below... - The Receptor HD delays *ANALOG* audio! I tune in an analog-only station on both the Receptor HD and the ST-G50, and there's a slight but perceptible delay in the Receptor's audio. Maybe it has digital signal processing in the analog audio? Checked only on FM. - Audio quality is quite good (both analog and digital) but rather bassy. There's a "DIM" mode that should allow one to drop the bass up to 6dB. - Once you find a HD station with multiple subchannels, a display shows that fact and allows you to tune the subchannels. The knob works backwards... if you turn it towards the arrow, the radio tunes to the next channel. If you turn it *away* from the arrow it selects the other HD subchannel. I'll get used to it someday. - It takes roughly 5 seconds for the radio to lock in to a HD signal. If you've tuned to a HD simulcast of an analog signal, you'll hear the analog audio during the lockin period. (the only ways you can tell it's switched to HD are by the HD light on the display going steady (it blinks while it's trying to lock) -- or by the brief stutter if the analog and digital audio are not in sync.) - Strange. There's a little plastic box in the output side of the wall-wart that powers this thing. What's in it? Good question. The voltage/current marked on the wall-wart itself is the same as that called for on the back of the radio. My guess is RF from the (switching) power supply was interfering with AM reception & they put additional filtering in the box. - This radio has an "Aux" input (the manual shows it connected to an iPod) and a "Phones" output. (there's also a "service only" 6-pin DIN jack) It also comes with a tiny remote. Remote. For what's sold as a high-end clock radio????? - The set is tiny. 4" tall, 7.5" wide, 6" deep. Plus a 4x4.375x6" second speaker. Oh, and the wall-wart, and the external filter box. It doesn't say whether the second speaker is right-channel or left. I guessed right. My gut feeling is that HD Es will be quite possible. Time will tell. Sooner or later we're going to have a tropo opening and WJCR 90.1 is going to give WPLN a bit of grief. We'll see how WPLN-HD deals with it. Anyway, that's probably more than you wanted to know (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN, http://www.w9wi.com WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ DXING THE SOLAR ECLIPSE "On Wednesday, 29 March 2006, a total eclipse of the Sun will be visible from within a narrow corridor which traverses half the Earth. The path of the Moon's umbral shadow begins in Brazil and extends across the Atlantic, northern Africa, and central Asia where it ends at sunset in western Mongolia. A partial eclipse will be seen within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral shadow, which includes the northern two thirds of Africa, Europe, and central Asia." http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/SEmono/TSE2006/TSE2006.html This affords an opportunity to study the effect on radio propagation. This from Projects at the Radio Communications Research Unit (RCRU), Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK "It is not immediately apparent that a total solar eclipse would have anything to do with radio propagation. However it is well know that Medium Wave, Long Wave and Short Wave reception can be quite different at night compared to during the day. During the night many remote MW and LW stations are detectable on the band that are not audible during the day. This is due to changes in the ionosphere, the layer of the Earth's upper atmosphere that is ionised into free electrons and ions by radiation coming from the sun. Since this layer of the atmosphere is comprised of electrical charges it can effect radio waves. Also the nature of the ionosphere is so closely tied to radiation from the sun, the loss of sunlight due to the passage of the shadow of the moon during the eclipse was going to very briefly produce a night-time like ionosphere. In essence this meant that radio reception on the Medium, Long and Short Wave bands were expected to experience the sudden and relatively localised return to night-time reception conditions during the middle of the day over Europe on August 11th 1999 (last full eclipse in the UK). However the darkness that occurs during an eclipse is considerably different for that of an ordinary night-time. The moon's shadow is relatively small on the Earth and travels at super sonic speeds. It was likely to produce some interesting effects that might be detectable on ordinary radios. This event offered a two-fold opportunity. Firstly because the eclipse was going to effect household medium wave (MW) radio reception (though not FM), it was a potential public involvement event. This was going to make it a rare opportunity to put radio and the activities of the Radio Communications Agency into the media. Secondly it was an opportunity to study the effects on radio propagation of the sun through its effects of the ionosphere. The eclipse was particularly useful for this because the nature of the eclipse disturbance could be exactly characterised/predicted which is not so true of events like solar flares or solar storms that more commonly disturb ionospheric sensitive communications and navigation systems such as GPS (Global Positioning System)..." http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/archive/ra/topics/research/rcru/project48/final_report/introduction.htm It will be particularly interesting to experiment with shortwave propagation at this time (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) HI amigos radioaficionados worldwide! This is the mitweek edition of Dxers Unlimited coming to you from Havana, when solar activity continues to be at very low levels, as we are seeing solar flux figures at very near the minimum ever registered since that solar parameter started to be monitored. The very low solar activity brings also very low ionospheric absorption, something that provides a very interesting scenario for the next three weeks when we will go trough the Northern Hemisphere spring equinox and the Southern Hemisphere autumn equinox, and that means that solar radiation is equally spread all over Planet Earth for a short but very rewarding period of time. Long distance HF propagation conditions are going to be very good amigos! Especially along the frequency range from 3 to 18 megaHertz. Absolutely fascinating, that’s the way to describe the unique thrill experienced when picking up the long wave AM broadcast stations from Europe, Africa and the Middle East here in the Americas. The extremely low ionospheric absorption associated with periods of very low solar activity that last for several days, provide almost ideal conditions for those long wave stations to cross the Atlantic. Here in Havana, using a Russian built consumer receiver that goes by the name of SELENA 205, I have recently heard several long wave stations with very nice signals, and they provided me with a nice tip to go up higher in frequency to search for the standard AM broadcast band European stations that use 9 kiloHertz channel spacing instead of the 10 kiloHertz spacing used in the Americas. And now amigos, as always at the end of Dxers Unlimited, here is our exclusive and not copyrighted HF plus low band VHF propagation update and forecast. Solar flux is very low, and will stay below 80 units for the next several days if no new sunspot regions show up. The heliosysmic solar analysis shows that there are no big sunspots on the side of the Sun that we can`t see from Earth. Equinoctial propagation conditions are now in full swing, as the spring equinox is just a few days away. Expect also possible VHF tropo ducting in the Gulf of Mexico and northern Caribbean if an upcoming cold front becomes stationary. No sporadic E events are expected until a few weeks from now, when the summer E skip season is due to start (Arnaldo Coro A., CO2KK, RHC Dxers Unlimited March 14, ODXA via DXLD) During the summary period, quiet to unsettled conditions were observed at middle latitudes, while high latitudes observed quiet to major storm conditions. Unsettled periods at middle latitudes and active to minor storm conditions at high latitudes occurred midday on 06 March to midday on 07 March. From midday on 10 March through midday on 11 March, unsettled conditions were observed at middle latitudes, while high latitudes observed minor to major storm levels. Both periods of activity were due to geoeffective coronal hole wind streams; otherwise quiet conditions predominated. Solar wind speed ranged from a low of about 300 km/s early on 06 March to a high of about 575 km/s early on 11 March. For the majority of the period, the Bz component of the IMF did not vary much beyond +/- 3 nT. However, a 24-hour period of southward Bz to -10 nT occurred beginning midday on 06 March. From midday on 09 March though late on 11 March, the IMF Bz fluctuated between +/- 7 nT. Both occurrences were due to coronal hole wind streams. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 15 MARCH - 10 APRIL 2006 Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 20 – 25 March. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels for the majority of the period. From 19 - 21 March, active to minor storm conditions are expected due to effects from a recurrent coronal hole wind stream. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2006 Mar 14 2153 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2006 Mar 14 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2006 Mar 15 75 10 3 2006 Mar 16 75 5 2 2006 Mar 17 75 5 2 2006 Mar 18 75 8 3 2006 Mar 19 75 20 4 2006 Mar 20 75 15 3 2006 Mar 21 75 12 3 2006 Mar 22 75 8 3 2006 Mar 23 75 5 2 2006 Mar 24 75 5 2 2006 Mar 25 75 5 2 2006 Mar 26 75 5 2 2006 Mar 27 75 5 2 2006 Mar 28 75 5 2 2006 Mar 29 75 5 2 2006 Mar 30 75 5 2 2006 Mar 31 75 5 2 2006 Apr 01 75 5 2 2006 Apr 02 75 5 2 2006 Apr 03 75 10 3 2006 Apr 04 75 8 3 2006 Apr 05 75 8 3 2006 Apr 06 75 10 3 2006 Apr 07 75 10 3 2006 Apr 08 75 5 2 2006 Apr 09 75 5 2 2006 Apr 10 75 8 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1308, DXLD) ###