DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-054, March 29, 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 1310: Fri 2130 on WWCR 15825 [NOTE: REPLACES THU 2130! See USA] Sat 0600 on WRMI 9955 Sat 0800 on WRN DRM Bulgaria 13865 Sat 1330 on WRMI 7385 Sat 1700 on WWCR 12160 Sun 0330 on WWCR 5070 Sun 0400 on WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0530 on WRMI 9955 Sun 0730 on WWCR 3215 Updated, plus tentative A-06 DST-shifted schedule: 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 ** ALBANIA. A06, R. Tirana - back on air since Mar 24th -- SUMMARY March 28th: Around 1759-1800 UT noted RT interval signal on both 1458 and 7465 kHz, then into German language section program. Very powerful signals on both channels, S=9 and more. Feature about Albanian comedians. Huge signals. English section at 1845-1900 UT noted today March 28th loud and clear on both channels 7465 and - a little stronger - on 9920 kHz. No co- channel or adjacent channel interference AT ALL. Superb frequency selection! TX 7465 on air between 1900 and 19.01:20 UT, at latter then disappeared. TX 9920 started with French service program at 1902 UT. Audio on German and French service of much, much better quality than the 'satellite like' distorted audio in the English service. There are different feeder line (microwave / satellite??) ways from Tirana broadcasting house to Shijak transmitter site ??? Italian service on 5995 kHz couldn't be traced here at 1901 UT. According to a recent mail from Mrs. Drita Cico, RT's Italian service is scheduled at 1931-1959 UT on 5995 kHz, Mon-Sat only. "(in fact scheduled 1931-1959 UTC- as attached A06ALR 24 March)" Notings from March 28th: 5995 kHz I guess only RTM Bamako Mali in French could be heard in 1900-1930 UT time segment, tiny S=1-2 signal co-channel. R Tirana's Italian service, formerly registered at 1901-1930 UT, now scheduled 1931-1959 UT, missed, only tiny RTM Bamako in French noted on same channel, but RT came on air with CRASH start into Italian program at 19.25:20 UT !!!! 5995 ended at 1928 UT with interval signal of R Tirana. S=9 signal in Germany. 5995 RT Shijak tx switched off at 19.33:15 UT. 6205 kHz totally covered by 500 kW IRIB Tehran's English service powerhouse til 2027 UT. Shijak 6205 kHz could be noted HARDLY underneath. But Iran stopped using 6205 kHz channel at 2027 UT, and R Tirana interval signal could be heard at 2028-2030 UT. 6205 2030 UT R Tirana in Albanian, S=8-9, in peaks S=9 +10 dB. RT 7465 English at 2130-2200 UT couldn't be traced !!!! 7465 - Instead an UNIDENTIFIED station occupied that channels, most -- probably -- an PAK/AFG/IRN region language station, like Radio Pakistan in Urdu towards Middle East, Arab Peninsula, Hornd of Africa, like 1915-0045 UT at 252 deg from Islamabad Pakistan??? Signal strength at tiny level, S=2-3. Empty channels in 40/39 mband at 2130-2200 UT slot are 7370, 7375, and 7440 kHz instead. This morning March 29th: Albanian service 0630-0800 UT on 7105 kHz at 0640 UT at usual fair level of S=3 in Germany. Both MWs from Fllake 1215 CRI and 1458 RT were totally covered by British co-channel stations at 0700 UT, due of late spring greyline reception from British Isles into western Europe. 11865 TWR Shijak as usual S=9 signal level, BUT disturbed by an UNIDentified Utility station bips signal on same channel. \\ 9800 TWR from Moosbrunn Austria noted without that UTE bips signal. 73 wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, March 29, WORLD OF RADIO 1310, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. ANOTHER CYCLONE ON THE WAY 30 March 2006 Sydney Australia People are being warned to abandon evacuation plans and seek immediate shelter as Cyclone Glenda closes in on the Pilbara region in northern Western Australia. The Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA) issued a red alert for people in the low- lying areas of Karratha, Roebourne, Point Samson, Wickham, Dampier and Mardie. . . http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Residents-urged-to-take-Glenda-shelter/2006/03/30/1143441238658.html (via Mike Terryk, dxldyg via DXLD) So be on lookout for more RA SW relays of local stations, this time from WA (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. World Audio not off the dial just yet --- 29 March 2006 ADMINISTRATORS of the radio network World Audio yesterday said several possible buyers for the company's assets had been identified. The full story is available at: http://theaustralian.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,18637761%255E7582,00.html (via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. RADIO TOWERS WARRANT PRESERVATION: HISTORIAN ABC Australia March 29, 2006 http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1603940.htm Plans to dismantle three iconic World War II radio transmission towers at Belconnen in Canberra have come under fire from local historians and naval enthusiasts. The three towers, which stand more than 180 metres tall, have been decommissioned by the Defence Department. They were used to communicate with Australian and allied naval fleets during the war, and were crucial in aiding the allies during the Battle of the Coral Sea. A new suburb is planned for the area but historian Dr Peter Dowling says the station should be granted World Heritage Status. "There's a strong argument for that which is why I don't understand the attitude of our Department of Defence," he said. "A similar station like Belconnen in Sweden, it's been decommissioned and that has been nominated and accepted." (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** AZERBAIJAN. 1296, Pirsaat, Radio Free Afghanistan 3/5 1600-1700 all talk in Dari (Afghan Persian, sounds like Farsi). Booming. Loudest non-Hawaiian station. New (Richard E Wood, BIHI, DX Worldwide, IRCA Soft DX Monitor April 1 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Hi! When I reported the RCI transmitter problem to them, I received a response direct from Sackville, in addition to the note from Bill Westenhaver. They included an e-mail address we can use to directly report technical or transmitter problems: master_control @ moncton.radio-canada.ca [Later:] By the way, Bill tells me that this isn't "Sackville" actually, but the Montreal-based transmission people. It was Jacques Bouliane who sent me the address. This might come in handy so I figured it was OK to let the groups know about it. 73, (Will Martin, MO, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CRTC OKS JEWISH AM RADIO STATION FOR MONTREAL By JANICE ARNOLD Staff Reporter http://www.cjnews.com/viewarticle.asp?id=8873 MONTREAL — The Montreal radio station whose slogan is ``All Jewish, All the Time`` has received approval from the Canadian Radio- television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for a spot on the AM band. Radio Shalom has been given permission to operate a ``commercial religious`` station in French (60 per cent), English (30 per cent) and Hebrew (10 per cent) at 1650 kHz with a transmitter power of 1,000 watts, which will enable it to be heard in Greater Montreal, and possibly a little farther at night. The not-for-profit Radio Shalom, which relies largely on volunteers, has been on the air since 1999. It is currently accessible with a special radio that picks up the subcarrier frequency made available through CIRA-FM 91.3, a local religious station operated by Radio Ville-Marie. For a couple of years, Radio Shalom has also been heard via the Internet. Radio Shalom`s first application for an AM spot was turned down by the CRTC three years ago. Philippe Régnoux, program director at Radio Shalom, said he expects the station to be on AM by the end of May or early June. It is believed to be the only Jewish radio station of its kind, not just in Canada, but the whole Western Hemisphere. Before receiving its licence, Radio Shalom must receive the go-ahead from the department of industry that it has met all the technical requirements, but this is considered a formality, Régnoux said. The licence will be valid until Aug. 31, 2012. Stan Asher, who co-ordinates English programming, said the goal is to create a radio station that will be of interest to the broad spectrum of the Jewish community and even the general public. Although it is designated a religious station, much of its content will more accurately be described as cultural or ethnic in nature. Asher, who has some 30 years of experience in community radio, is aiming for a lively, varied product. ``This is not just going to be rabbis praying and gloomy news about Israel. There`ll be talk shows, phone-in shows, interviews, music, hourly news. It`ll sound like a regular radio station, not some propaganda machine. I`d call it the Jewish equivalent of CJAD,`` he said. Most of the content will be local, live programming, with the rest packaged material available from Israel and elsewhere. Radio Shalom will stretch the definition of Jewish, to include anything that has some interest to the community. For example, Asher`s next interviewee April 3 on his show Montreal Jewish Magazine is Mark Abley, author of Spoken Here: Travels Among Threatened Languages, one of which is Yiddish. Asher also teams up three times weekly with Pierre Lasry for Montreal Focus: All the News about Jews, during which they gab about any topical issues they fancy. Asher would like to clear up the perception that Radio Shalom is only for Sephardim or is a service of the Rabbinat Sépharade du Québec. There are some links: the station`s founder and president is Robert Levy, who is executive director of the Rabbinat, and its premises are across the street from the Rabbinat`s headquarters, but it is not supported by the Rabbinat or any organization. Régnoux said a board of directors including representatives of major Jewish organizations is being formed to oversee the station. At present, the station has only two professional staff, Régnoux and Eloise Cohen, an on-air journalist, who came here last year under a cultural exchange program for young people between Quebec and France. The station has taken the decision to respect Shabbat and Jewish holidays by airing no programming at that time. That ``dead air`` has enabled Radio Shalom to comply with one of the CRTC`s conditions – that it provide ``balance`` in its religious programming. For 18 hours each week from Friday night to Saturday night, Radio Shalom will make its airwaves available to other religious and ethnic communities, which do not now have access to radio elsewhere. In addition, 15 per cent of the weekly airtime is to be devoted to programs produced by other religious groups. The groups cited in the CRTC decision are the Communauté Catholique Congolaise de Montréal and the Association socioculturelle bulgare. Other programs to be broadcast on Radio Shalom include La religion au Québec, a review of religious matters, and Sanatan Dharma, which deals with Hinduism. Régnoux said the content must remain predominantly French because the CRTC wants it to match the makeup of the general population of Montreal, rather than the linguistic reality of the Jewish community. The CRTC has stipulated that the station air at least 90 hours of local programming per week, during the regulated hours from 6 a.m. to midnight. (Radio Shalom is on 24 hours a day.) Radio Shalom has committed itself to 42 hours of spoken-word programming and at least 11 hours of news and information of a general nature. It also affirmed before the CRTC hearings that providing ``differing views on issues and events`` will be a ``fundamental principle.`` There were objections to Radio Shalom`s application. The Association québécoise de l`industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la vidéo (ADISQ) was concerned about how serious Radio Shalom is about developing Canadian talent. Radio Shalom has promised to earmark 20 per cent of its annual earnings to encouraging Canadian talent, a total of $35,000 over seven years. It may use this money to organize on-air talent contests. Régnoux is confident an AM station will reach a much larger audience. Currently, about 7,000 people tune in each day to Radio Shalom on 91.3 FM Sca and the website has an average of 200 to 300 hits daily, he said (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) This one seems like it will be a money pit. Despite the size of the Jewish community of Montreal, I just can't see how they will be able to put together the kind of programming they're talking about, and pull in enough of an audience to make it pay for itself. I've often thought about how it might be nice to do something similar here in L.A., but it would have to be a labor of love, not profit. Of course there's no spectrum available here either. The problem with appealing to the Jewish community is that we generally listen to the same thing everyone else does, and most Jews aren't that interested in strictly Jewish programming. The only exception to that would be the Orthodox Jewish population - and even there, you're probably talking only about the "Ultra-Orthodox", who won't listen to regular music stations. That's way too small a population to be worthwhile. There are a couple of web-streaming stations that appeal to this group (my son likes listening to this stuff - when I actually allow him to use the Internet). I'd be curious to know if they get more than a couple hundred simultaneous listeners. My guess is that it's far less than that (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, ABDX via DXLD) ** CATALUNYA. See video of destruction of Radio Liberty aerials at mms://217.76.128.22/mundimedia.net/Antenas%20de%20Pals.wmv Regards, (John Brindley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Finally shows demolition in the last few seconds of the 2:07 piece, after showing the aftermath. Rather fuzzy video and audio, in Catalan (gh, DXLD) ** CHILE. CVC - VOZ CRISTA NOW ON 17660 KHZ WITH DRM FROM SANTIAGO CVC has announced an extension of its regular daily DRM transmissions in Portuguese from Santiago targeting Brazil, on a new frequency. Time: 1800-2000 UT Frequency: 17660 kHz Power: 15kW Broadcaster: Voz Cristã Language: Portuguese Bearing: 45 degrees Target: Brazil DRM technical parameters will vary. (Source: James Serpell via DRM Software Radio Forum) # posted by Andy @ 13:14 UT March 29 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. Re 6-051: Hi Joe, Hi Glenn. I too read once that excellent article ``The Last Days of Radio Impacto`` by Don Moore and the least thing I could do is congratulate him, but I forgot. As Glenn mentioned my unmentioned name in Don`s piece of artwork; it`s my obligation to come out and explain about my days at Radio Impacto. Let`s go by parts. 1. 980 kHz. In BC band in Costa Rica dates since the late 1970s when Control Nacional de Radio, our kind of humble FCC, decided to allocate stations every 20 kHz steps, in order to accommodate the growing number of licensed stations. A 1977 WRTH version testifies the still separation every 25 kHz. So, what we had for many years on 975 before ABC (which I don`t remember) and Radio Centroamericana, was Radio Atenea, our first round-the-clock AMer with a slogan that became a popular refrain to explain a hard to occur situation. ``¿Sabe cuándo?... ¡Cuando apague Atenea!`` that goes for ``You know when?... When Atenea turns-off!`` All this was around a time when several stations had SW too, being the most popular TIPG ``La Voz de la Víctor``, the brainchild of a gringo resident named Perry Girton, who once claimed have run test transmissions on his assigned frecuency of 625 with a million watts for which he acquired a property on the eastern outskirts of Cartago city. They said (joking?) that every home lamp turned on every time the transmitter went on the air, due to the huge RF. 2. Once ``La Víctor`` vanished, 625 went to the hands of Roy Jiménez, the owner of transmitter-building enterprise ELCOR (Electronic Corporation) that based most of their designs following the Collins patterns, so they said. So Roy enter the broadcasting industry by installing Radio Omega with a 2.5 kW in a two-room shack surrounded by coffee plantations and cornfields, a property that recently was owned by the late Roger Barahona for his TIHB Radio Reloj 700 complex, very well-known by many DXers worlwide for its 6006 // 4832 for many years. I was a DJ at Radio Juvenil 925 and got weekend shifts at Radio Omega, which by the mid `70s moved its studios to San José`s 2nd Avenue and by microwave we linked with Mata de Plátano, where the most powerful transmitter was placed by then with 50 kW, altho engineers confessed was limited to 30 kW. Because of this we received once a reception report by some (now well-known DXer) John Sgrulletta, and honestly I can`t recall if he was verified. Mr. Charles Denyer who owned DIA, Difusiones Interamericanas, provided me in those days with brand new WRTHs and for the first time I saw a Barlow Wadley receiver ad. Then within a few days came this German youngster by the name of Jürgen Knopek, who had a publication Radio Mundo I think it was. He was my first personal contact with a DXer, despite the fact that I became a ham for just one year in 1969, but I quit. It was amazing how Jürgen had this photographic memory to recall international frequencies. But Radio Omega folded wings with the 70s and its transmitter was purchased by the Ministerio de Radio y Televisión Cultural for the arrival of Radio Nacional de Costa Rica. 3. I was working with Carlos Lafuente at TICAL Radio Rumbo 525, then 530 // 6125 by the early 1980s when I received this offer to join the new Radio Impacto staff of announcers and newsreaders. Certainly was Manuel Jirón the first person in charge I met, but who finally became my employer was this Venezuelan guy Héctor Requena that was in front of RI after some turmoil at the station. Requena showed me a lot of photos of his days supporting la Revolución Cubana with radio transmissions he made from his country. And there he was with cigarette in hand in every picture, still wearing his hair and flanked by la crème de la crème of Commie personalities: Fidel, el Che, Camilo Cienfuegos, etc. Not that he was a Communist. When he was aware of the change of direction of La Revolución, so innocent he was, he felt betrayed and kept living with that thorn in his flesh that someday he will take it off, as we Ticos say ``sacarse la espina`` or ``sacarse el clavo``. So RI will be his chance to help fight the nica-reds or Régimen Sandinista, supporting the contras, aided by the CIA, which financed the radio transmissions through Venezuela`s Inversiones Feranto. And surely you could see the parade of Somoza`s exiled friends in Tiquicia who came to Impacto to make some programs like former Radio Corporación`s owner Fabio Gadea with his ``Cartas de Amor a Nicaragua``. But Fabio entered and left the station alone, sometimes with his wife. So differently from Alonso Calero Portocarrero who showed up surrounded by bodyguards all the time. 4. My duties at RI were newsreading in two of the three daily editions, except Sunday for ``Impactos Noticiosos``, being first edition at 1230, second one at 1830 and the third one at 0030, dealing with general news coverage. But a special newscast was needed in order to have a straight presence in the political situation in Nicaragua. After all, that was the main purpose followed with the existence of RI. So, ``Una Voz de Centroamérica y el Caribe Para el Mundo`` with a duration of nearly two hours, provided a deep view for this, with first airing at 0300, first repeat taking place at 0430 and second reprise only on SW at 1830, once the second edition of ``Impactos Noticiosos`` has ended. Music was just for filling and the only show I can recall was our local Hit Parade with reply for letters from listeners, on Saturdays at 1900, hosted by yours truly. On weekdays I had my musical show at 1600, until 1830, including newsreading for the 2nd newscast. All times were UTC. 5. Ironic but I never visited our transmitter site on the southern outskirts of town in a cantón named Ala juelita. And for the opening of La Cruz facilities just near the border with Nicaragua, I wasn`t invited, as I had to cover the newscasts. The basic purpose with this was to obtain a local signal in Managua, no matter what time of day or night in the same AM frequency of 980 with two 50 kW transmitters, working in tandem in the daytime and one by nighttime. They said it consisted of three towers in a row beaming like a ``machete`` to inland Nicaragua. Same disposal was given to the Cahuita site, on what now is the property of Dr. Gene Scott transmissions. 6. Juan Carlos Agüero, exhaustively mentioned in the article by Don Moore, and yours truly, met while working before Impacto came to be, in a Top 40 F.M. station by the name of Estéreo Continental 89.9. One day Juanca was fired and he reappeared little time later in front on RI main controls. He and Requena had what we could define in Spanish a good chemistry, ending as the right hand of Requena in programming assistant. Was around the mid 1980s that I gifted myself for Christmas with my first digital receiver, that ICF 7600D, that arose an intriguing interest in Juanca, as I spent some time explaining him what SW listening was all about. So he began to use a Kenwood receiver we had for checking out RI on the air, and soon he became a fan of Glenn Hauser`s Mundo Radial every Friday on RNW`s Radio Enlace. As Requena used to visit Miami from time to time to bring records for the station, Juanca asked him to bring one of those Sony portables too. I was feeling by this time that Sony was in the obligation with Dxers to produce a better receiver than the 7600D. So, one day I phoned Universal Radio and this guy named Ralph answered, telling me that they had in stock the ICF 2010 and he`d be glad to send me a brochure for more information. Well, Requena came to be our kindly courier service man: he brought me the 2010 and Juanca, who by that time wanted to become himself a ham, got an Icom transceiver, I can`t recall the model now. Later on, the fever was growing to a point that we both ordered verification sheets to ask for QSL cards. And one early afternoon, Requena`s female administrative assistant came a little scared saying ``...no way, for me this guy is a spy... would you believe, he`s asking me where are the transmitters, what power we run, can he get into the control room and bla, bla, bla``. I got to calm her down and explain her that I`d be doing the same thing while in a foreign country; hard for her to understand that ``radio locos`` existed. As I got what was going on with this thin young oriental guy, I knew that I have heard his name, Takayuki Inoue Nozaki. I introduced him to Juan Carlos and we ended having lunch in a Chinese restaurant and of course shared a lot of listening experiences. 7. I got notice about the ANARCON `89 that was about to be held that year in St. Petersburg. I remembered having phone talks with Jeff White as I wanted to be there to meet all those DX and radio related personalities I used to enjoy day by day, who were confirming to attend the conference. I told Requena about this but he respectfully prevented me to talk there about Radio Impacto, so I showed a low profile, despite many fellows got enthralled when Jeff who knew from where I was coming from, opened his mouth without any blame. Honestly, after all these years, I guess I was a lucky guy that the only time I attend, a kind of Dxers ``honeymoon`` (eh, eh, don`t get me wrong) took place. Glenn remembered my name posted on my shirt card (by the loggings) and introduced himself. Needless to say I enjoyed his presentation with slides about his trips to the Caribbean and even Costa Rica, for he got nice comments about the Jungle Train (I silently applaud cause I`m a railfan too). Next came Kim Andrew Elliott with that remembrance about ``Border Radio`` for what I shared to have listened XERF in the days of the Wolfman there. And so forth, you don`t find so easily that amount of broadcasters sharing in the same place. One of my favorites, Ian McFarland was there, along with Jonathan Marks who made a short live broadcast to RNW. Andy Sennitt ran a contest in which my stupidity voided me to win a WRTH copy. Even I was interviewed by Alfonso Montealegre, but I never heard that conversation over Radio Enlace. And the late man without his beloved dog attended too: Tom Meyer. Someone took us a picture with Glenn and Rusty Serenberg, who offered to send me a copy by mail, I`m still waiting. I remember an elegant (now) KBS lady in black, but not her name. As I funny thing I ended meeting Mayín Correa, who used to make reports from Panama during the Noriega regime and later became a congress woman. But, all good things seems to evolve shorter in time terms and along with Larry Nebron, they landed me at the Amtrak Station --- the only crazy guy who went by train. I told you! 8. Finally, we could say that RI accomplished its task. The second aim was fulfilled at first with Noriega in jail and for this, RI complete staff was welcomed like heroes, first in David, Chiriquí and a couple of weeks later in Downtown Panamá, to honor us for having supported to set Panama free, thanks to the airwaves. And so, as the CIA or Department of State, whatever, got what they wanted, no more reason for the existence of RI and from dusk to dawn, thank you everybody for your services, here`s your final paycheck and so long. The investigation by Don Moore is so complete that he knew more things than I did. Can I tell you more? Long story have become this one, but I`ll gladly extend it by request. 73s and Good DXing (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, March 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes! ** CUBA [non]. Radio Republica. 3/29/06: 5910 kHz. Nauen, Germany. SINPO 44333, 0141­0233+ in Spanish, M. and W. with 3 or 4 minute talks, song on ``libertad`` (topic of talks), more talk. ID sequence with slogans, etc. ``piano`` ID at 0200 including mention of WRMI. Talk by 2 W. over dance music with call in, 2 M. talking. ID at 0230. Back to same 2 M. Signal in the clear. An occasional digital signal on USB was the main interference. Looks like the Cuban jammers haven't found it yet that I could hear. 7110 kHz, Probably Rampasham, UK. SINPO 43443, 0220-0230 in Spanish, W. talking to ID sequence at 0228. Cuban bubble jammer present, but the signal was booming in over it. Still not parallel 5910 (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5910 2300-0400 11 NAU 100 285 23456=M-F RMI DTK 9470 2300-0400 11 NAU 100 285 1234567 RMI DTK tentative [standby?] 7110 Rampisham not registered. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, WORLD OF RADIO 1310, ibid.) ** CUBA [and non]. RADIO AND TV MARTÍ: WASHINGTON GUNS AFTER CASTRO AT ANY COST --- The following is an executive summary of a report on Radio and TV Martí. In the face of a sweeping debt and budgetary crisis currently afflicting the U.S. economy, the passage of the FY 2006 budget witnessed a brutal bloodletting of vital domestic programs from education and child welfare to Medicaid. At the same time, Congress, at the White House's passionate urging, allocated an additional $10 million to purchase a specially equipped aircraft to transmit the broadcasts of the long-standing anti-Castro media project, Radio and TV Martí. This figure comes on top of the $27 million the media operations already receive annually. Since its founding, the Martí concept has been a "bridge to nowhere." Nevertheless, almost half a billion dollars have been thrown away in the project. As in the past, this year's funds were routinely granted despite what have proven to be fatal weaknesses in the daily operations of Radio and TV Martí, namely no audience, no legitimacy, no professionalism – with the whole enterprise representing a colossal waste of taxpayer funds. The Martí operation's most hard-hitting critics, including highly regarded neutral specialists, have not been able to persuade Congress to shut it down. In their evaluations, these critics allege that the whole venture is little better than a glaring boondoggle, which mainly serves as a propaganda machine spewing its tendentious product to a minuscule audience. It must be seen as little more than a custom made product to service the radical rightwing fringe of the Miami Cuban community, and a act as job-bank for unemployed ideologues within its fold. As mentioned above, over the past 20 years, the highly criticized Martí operations have absorbed close to $500 million of public funds. This huge figure has generated a number of spirited attempts in Congress to cut – if not completely eliminate – Martí's funding. But such initiatives have been stifled by thunderous recriminations and even open threats from Miami's lethal politicians, led by Miami and Dade county's rabidly rightwing Congressional delegation composed of the Díaz-Balart brothers and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. The South Florida exile community has been able to purchase such pervasive influence as a result of years of working a brilliant strategy based on significant, but still relatively modest, financial largesse to both Republican and Democratic politicians. By means of this alchemistic process, hundreds of thousands of dollars in private campaign contributions to the White House and members of Congress are converted into hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds for programs enacted by Congress that are used to bankroll anti-Castro groups and which are aimed at destroying the Castro regime. Thus, the continued funding of such a certifiably questionable project as the Martís in many ways reveals the long reach of Miami's Cuban community into the U.S. legislative agenda. The political process has already witnessed its uncanny ability to convert carefully targeted campaign contributions into raw ideological, ineffectual hard-line projects aimed at deconstructing a Cuban society that is perpetually in Miami's cross-hairs. The shameful willingness of local and national politicians to bend their knees to South Florida's financial backing, while egregiously pillaging the public treasury on its behalf, results in the squandering of hundreds of millions of dollars on worthless enterprises like Radio and TV Martí, while at the same time much- needed domestic social welfare programs are slashed or eliminated. This should be cause for national outrage. Full report at: http://snipurl.com/ocjb Council for Hemispheric Affairs, March 29th (via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC [non]. Altho one A-06 schedule of Sackville relays showed R. Prague in English still at 0400 on 6100, nothing heard there UT March 29, after DW relay from elsewhere closed a few minutes earlier. VOV relay on 6175 was audible, so not a matter of poor propagation. Nor does it appear on the main English schedule at http://www.radio.cz/en/frequencies#en but it is still listed separately at the bottom for the B-05 season, at least (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1310, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [and non]. HCJB WORLD RADIO A06 BROADCAST SCHEDULE (26 March 2006 - 28 October 2006; rev. 20 March 2006) All DAILY FROM ECUADOR: COFAN 1100 1130 6050 50 18/172 S. America ENGLISH 1100 1330 12005 250 352/128 N/S America 1100 1330 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S.Pacific GERMAN (High) 0300 0330 9780 100 324 Mexico 0630 0700 9740 100 42 Europe 1530 1600 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S.Pacific 2300 2400 12040 100 131 S.America GERMAN (Low) 0230 0300 9780 100 324 Mexico 0600 0630 9740 100 42 Europe 1500 1530 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S.Pacific 2230 2300 12040 100 131 S. America HUARANI 1030 1100 6050 50 18/172 S.America KULINA 2250 2300 11920 250 126 Brazil PORTUGUESE 0800 0930 9745 100 100 N.Brazil 0800 0930 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S.Pacific 1530 1800 15295 100 139 Brazil 2300 0230 11920 250 126 Brazil 2300 2400 12020 100 100 Brazil 2400 0230 12020 100 100 Brazil QUICHUA 0830 1000 6125 100 155 S.America 0800 1100 690 50 000/180 Ecuador 0830 1300 3220 10 90 (V) S.America 0930 1100 21455 1 35/225 Eur./ S.Pacific 2100 0300 6080 10 90 (V) S.America 2100 2300 9745 100 155 S.America 0000 0300 3220 10 90 (V) S.America SPANISH 0100 0500 9745 100 325 Mexico 1100 0500 690 50 000/180 Ecuador 1130 1500 6050 50 18/172 S.America 1100 1300 11960 100 355 Cuba 1100 1500 11690 100 150 S.America 1300 1500 9745 100 324 Mexico 1330 1500 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S.Pacific 1900 0500 6050 50 18/172 Ecuador 2000 0500 21455 1 35/225 Eur./S.Pacific 2100 2300 12000 100 150 S. America 2300 0100 11720 100 160/330 N/S America Note: HCJB's shortwave broadcast schedule also includes these programs transmitted from these locations. UTC UTC Freq. Power Azimuth Target Days Begin End (Khz.) (KW) (Degrees)Region SMTWTFS Site English 0700 0900 11750 50 120 South Pacific 1111111 Australia 1030 1130 15400 100 340 SE Asia 1111111 Australia 1130 1200 15425 100 307 SE Asia 1111111 Australia 1400 1500 15390 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia 1500 1530 15425 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia 1330 1400 15405 100 307 South Asia _111111 Australia Cantonese 0930 1030 15400 100 340 East Asia 1111111 Australia Indonesian 1200 1230 15425 100 307 SE Asia 1111111 Australia Nepali 1230 1245 15405 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia Tamil 1245 1300 15405 100 307 South Asia 1______ Australia Bangla 1245 1300 15405 100 307 South Asia _111111 Australia Chhattisgarhi 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia 1_____1 Australia Gujarati 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia _1_____ Australia Bhojpuri 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia __1____ Australia Telegu 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia ___1___ Australia Marwari 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia ____1__ Australia Marathi 1300 1315 15405 100 307 South Asia _____1_ Australia Hindi 1315 1330 15405 100 307 South Asia 1111111 Australia English 1330 1400 15405 100 307 South Asia 1______ Australia Urdu 1330 1400 15405 100 307 South Asia _111111 Australia Russian 1700 1715 9805 500 62 Russia & CIS 11_1111 U.K. Chechen 1700 1730 9805 500 62 Russia & CIS __1____ U.K. Russian 1715 1730 9805 500 62 Russia & CIS 1__1_11 U.K. Ukrainian 1715 1730 9805 500 62 Russia & CIS _1__1__ U.K. Dari 1530 1600 1251 100 Central Asia 11__111 Southern Uzbek 1530 1545 1251 100 Central Asia __11___ Turkmen 1545 1600 1251 100 Central Asia __11___ Turkmen 1600 1615 1251 100 Central Asia 1111111 Arabic 2100 2200 12025 250 150 N. Africa 1111111 U.K. or Canada Low German 1600 1629 3955 100 Omni Europe 1111111 Germany High German 1630 1659 3955 100 Omni Europe 1111111 Germany Mailing Address: HCJB World Radio Casilla 17-17-691 Quito, Ecuador S.A. FAX: +593 2 226 4765 Frequency Manager: Allen Graham ------------------------------------- (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dxldyg via DXLD) ** FALKLAND ISLANDS [non]. I managed to catch the penultimate broadcast of BBCWS "Calling the Falklands" programme this evening 2130-2145 UT on 11720 kHz (via Rampisham). Very poor fluttery reception here at first, but improved slightly after 2135 when a report from a BBCWS correspondent in Buenos Aires was in progress. This was followed by reflections from previous presenters and producers of "Calling the Falklands" since 1982. The presenter closed by saying that she was signing off for the last time, but that "the final good-bye from all of us at BBC World Service" would be on Friday [i.e. 2130-2145 on 11720]. (Dave Kenny, Caversham, Berks, AOR7030+ 80ft LW, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** FINLAND. English again from YLE! I am hearing a 3-minute summary including weather for Helsinki at 1255-1258* on 15400 and 13715, domestic service relay. Probably M-F only. 15400 has co-channel from NHK in French to Africa via Ascension at 1230, Swahili 1300 (Joe Hanlon, NJ, March 29, WORLD OF RADIO 1310, DX LISTENING DIGEST,) Having to hunt thru the Finnish-only website, finally found their A-06 program booklet, which I suppose will show up in P-mail in a while: http://www.yle.fi/rfinland/YLE_RFkesa06web.pdf Couldn`t find anything about this English capsule, but I expect it is accidental, not to be publicized; schedules for N&S Am IN LOCAL TIME OF UT +3: Pohjois-Amerikka (A) 15.00-17.00 15400 19 295 ei alueen länsiosat 15.00-16.00 13715 22 310 alueen itä- ja pohjoisosat 18.00-19.00 13665 22 325 alueen pohjois- ja länsiosat Etelä-Amerikka (B) 09.00-11.00 11755 25 220 alueen itäosat 13.00-14.00 17865 13 240 18.00-19.00 17710 13 240 VAIN HUHTI- JA LOKAKUUSSA 00.00-00.30 9760 31 240 01.00-02.00 9715 31 240 TOUKOKUUSTA SYYSKUUHUN Finally, about the Latin News, there is something in English! Bulletins in classical Latin air domestically on YLE Radio 1 and worldwide on YLE Radio Finland. Nuntii Latini airs on shortwaves on Sundays at 1050 UT on 11755 kHz (25m) and 6120 kHz (49m) for Europe and at 1353 UT on 15400 kHz (19m) for North-America. The 1050 UT broadcast airs also on YLE satellite channel YleSat1, and 1245 UT on YLE satellite channel YLESat2. Inquiries about Nuntii Latini should be sent to Nuntii Latini, YLE Radio 1, Box 60, 00024 Yleisradio, Finland. Email: nuntii.latini @ yle.fi www.yle.fi/nuntii (via Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. If RFI`s English broadcasts at 12 and 14 are both on 21620 now, they are not audible here. The 12 is supposed also to be on 17815 Ascension, but I hear something in non-English there (Joe Hanlon, NJ, March 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. After a limited strike on Tuesday, workers at Radio France Internationale expanded their strike on Wednesday. All programs monitored here were replaced with full music. While some RFI workers went on strike Tuesday to join nationwide protests over a new youth labor law, Wednesday's strike was more widespread and was intended to protest increased use of freelancers and temporary workers, Agence- France Presse reported. A journalist's union estimates that one-third of RFI's full-time workers, or about 300 people, lack job security. Workers say their action is directed at director-general Antoine Schwarz, who they blame for their unclear future. Schwarz presented a plan earlier this month to reinvigorate RFI by making greater use of multimedia, but unions say the Internet can only complement RFI's broadcasts because Internet penetration in Africa and South Africa remains low. RFI's personnel are scheduled to hold a general meeting on Thursday afternoon. RFI officials say labor negotiations are continuing (Mike Cooper, GA, Mar 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Paris Live Radio launches on mediumwave, daytime only Paris Live Radio, the only English-languge commercial radio station in France, launched its long-awaited mediumwave service on 24 March. The 10 kW transmitter, on 963 kHz, is initially on the air at 0800-1500 UT. Paris Live Radio http://www.brandlab.co.uk/~paris/ # posted by Andy @ 13:43 UT March 29 (Media Network blog via DXLD) PARIS LIVE RADIO HAS NOT LAUNCHED YET ON MEDIUMWAVE If you saw the item earlier today about the launch of Paris Live Radio on mediumwave, I've now been informed that the launch was delayed, so the story has been removed. The confusion was due to misleading/ missing information on their website. Obviously we are unable to monitor the daytime mediumwave signal here in Hilversum. My apologies. # posted by Andy @ 18:27 UT March 29 (Media Network blog via dXLD) ** GERMANY. From the pdf file posted on dw-world.de, here is the A06 Summer Program schedule for Deutsche Welle. First airings of programs are in caps. The English Service of Deutsche Welle is transmitted via satellite and on the internet 24 hours a day. More information can be found on our web page http://www.de-world.de At 0000 UT Europe: 3995 kHz DRM South Asia: 1548 kHz MW, 9695, 9825, 9885 (ends 0058 UT) kHz Kabul: 90.5 MHz FM Sunday: News, Newslink, Sports Report (1) (15'), German by Radio (15'). Monday: News, Newslink, Sports Report (2) (15'), Inspired Minds (15'). Tuesday-Saturday: News, Newslink\Asia, followed by Tuesday: Insight (15'), Business German (15'); Wednesday: World in Progress (30'); Thursday: Money Talks (30'); Friday: Inside Europe (30'); Saturday: Spectrum (30'). At 0100 UT Kabul: 90.50 MHz FM Sunday: News, Newslink, Sports Report (1) (15'), Inspired Minds (15'). Monday: News, Newslink, Sports Report (2), Inspired Minds (15'). Tuesday-Saturday: News, Newslink Plus (55'). At 0200 UT Satellite only Sunday: News, Newslink, Sports Report (1) (15'), German by Radio (15'). Monday: News, Newslink, Dialogue (30'). Tuesday-Saturday: News, Newslink Plus (55'). At 0300 UT Kabul: 90.5 MHz FM Sunday: News, Concert Hour (55'). Monday: News, Mailbag (55'). Tuesday-Saturday: News, Newslink Plus (55'). At 0400 UT East and Central Africa: 7225 (ends 0457 UT), 9630 (ends 0457 UT), 15445 kHz East and South Africa: 12045 kHz Kigali: 96.00 MHz Sunday: News, MAILBAG (55'). Monday: News, AFRICAN FOCUS (25'), Dialogue (30'). Tuesday-Saturday: News, Newslink\Africa, followed by Tuesday: Insight (15'), Business German (15'); Wednesday: World in Progress (30'); Thursday: Money Talks (30'); Friday: Living Planet (30'); Saturday: Spectrum (30'). At 0500 UT Europe: 3996 kHz DRM (ends 0559 UT), 9690 kHz AM West Africa: 9700 kHz (ends 0557 UT) East and Central Africa: 17800 (ends 0559 UT) Central and South Africa: 9630 South Africa: 9700, 15410 Kigali: 96.00 MHz FM Kabul: 90.50 MHz FM Sunday: News, Mailbag (55'). Monday: News, African Focus (25'), Dialogue (30'). Tuesday-Saturday: News, Newslink\Africa followed by Tuesday: A World of Music (30'); Wednesday: Arts on the Air (30'); Thursday Living in Germany (15'), Treasures of the World (15'); Friday: Cool (30'); Saturday: Focus on Folk (30'). At 0600 UT Europe: 6140 kHz AM; 3995, 5900, 5975, 7265 kHz DRM West Africa: 17860, 15275, 7170 kHz Bucharest: 88.50 MHz FM (ends 0630 UT) Kigali: 96.00 MHz FM Tirana: 106.00 MHz FM (ends 0630 UT) Sunday: News, Mailbag (55'). Monday: News, African Focus (25'), Dialogue (30'). Tuesday-Saturday: News, Newslink\Africa, followed by Tuesday: Insight (15'), Business German (15'); Wednesday: World in Progress (30'); Thursday: Money Talks (30'); Friday: Living Planet (30'); Saturday: Spectrum (30'). At 0700 UT Europe: 6140 kHz Europe: 0700-0730 UT 3995, 6130, 7265 kHz DRM Kabul: 90.50 MHz FM Kigali: 96.00 MHz FM Sunday: News, Concert Hall (55'). Monday-Friday: News, Newslink followed by Monday: Spectrum (30'); Tuesday: A World of Music (30'); Wednesday: Arts on the Air (30'); Thursday: Living in Germany (15'), Treasures of the World (15'); Friday: Cool (30'). Saturday: News, INSIDE EUROPE (55'). At 0800 UT Europe: 6140 kHz Sunday: News; Mailbag (55'). Monday-Friday: News, Newslink followed by Monday: Focus on Folk (30'); Tuesday: Insight (15'), Business German (15'); Wednesday: World in Progress (30'); Thursday: Money Talks (30'); Friday: Living Planet (30'). Saturday: News, NETWORK EUROPE (25'), Dialogue (30'). At 0900 UT Europe: 6140 kHz (ends 0959) Europe: Sunday-Friday 3995, 6130, 7265, 15440, 15545 kHz DRM Middle East: 21675 kHz DRM; Bucharest: 88.5 MHz FM (Sunday only, begins 0905 UT) Kabul: 90.50 MHz FM Kigali: 96.00 MHz FM Sunday: News, Network Europe (25'), Hits in Germany (30'). Monday- Friday News, Newslink followed by: Monday: Spectrum (30'); Tuesday: A World of Music (30'); Wednesday: Arts on the Air (30'); Thursday: Living in Germany (15'), Treasures of the World (15'); Friday: Cool (30'). Saturday: News, Inside Europe (55'). At 1000 UT Europe: Sunday-Friday 6140, 7265, 15440, 15545 kHz all DRM Middle East: Saturday-Sunday 21820 kHz DRM (ends 1025 UT) Sunday: News, Mailbag (55'). Monday-Friday: News, Update Europe (55'). Saturday: News, Network Europe (25'), Treasures of the World, (15'), GERMAN BY RADIO. At 1100 UT Europe: Sunday-Friday 6140, 7265, (ends 1159 UT) 15440, 15545 (ends 1159 UT) kHz DRM Kigali: 96.00 MHz FM Sunday: News, Network Europe (25'), Hits in Germany (30'). Monday- Friday: News, Update Europe (55'). Saturday: News, Inside Europe (55'). At 1200 UT Bucharest: 88.5 MHz FM Sunday: News, Concert Hall (55'). Monday-Friday: News, Update Europe (55'). Saturday: News, Network Europe (25'), Cool (30'). At 1300 UT Europe: 6140 kHz Europe: Monday-Sunday 1300-1330 UT, Sunday only 1330-1400 UT 9655 (ends 1359 UT), 15265, 15440 kHz DRM Kabul: 95.50 MHz FM (ends 1330 UT) Sunday: News, Mailbag (55'). Monday-Friday News, Newslink followed by Monday: Spectrum (30'); Tuesday: Insight (15'), Business Europe (15'); Wednesday: World in Progress (30'); Thursday: Money Talks (30'); Friday: Living Planet (30'). Saturday: News, CONCERT HALL (55'). At 1400 UT Europe: 6140 kHz Sunday: News, Network Europe (25'), Dialogue (30'). Monday-Friday News, Newslink followed by: Monday: Focus on Folk (30'); Tuesday: A World of Music (30'); Wednesday: Arts on the Air (30'); Thursday: Living in Germany (15'), Treasures of the World (15'); Friday: Cool (30'). Saturday: News, Inside Europe (55'). At 1500 UT Europe: 6140 kHz (ends 1559 UT) Europe: Monday-Friday 1530-1600 UT 6130 (ends 1559 UT), 13790, 15265 (ends 1555 UT) kHz DRM Sofia: Sunday only 95.70 MHz FM (ends 1505 UT) Kabul: 90.50 MHz FM (begins 1530 UT) Sunday: News, Concert Hall (55'). Monday-Friday News, Newslink followed by: Monday: Spectrum (30'); Tuesday: Insight (15'), Business German (15'); Wednesday: World in Progress (30'); Thursday: Money Talks (30'); Friday: Living Planet (30'). Saturday: News, Network Europe (25'), Treasures of the World (15'), German by Radio (15'). At 1600 UT South Asia: 1548 kHz MW, 6170 (ends 1658 UT), 9845 (ends 1658 UT), 17595 kHz Kabul: 90.50 MHz FM Daily: News, Newslink\Asia, followed by Sunday: Mailbag (30'); Monday: INSIGHT (15'), Treasures of the World (15'); Tuesday: WORLD IN PROGRESS (30'); Wednesday: MONEY TALKS (30'); Thursday: LIVING PLANET (30'); Friday: DIALOGUE (30'); Saturday: Cool (30'). At 1700 UT Europe: Mon-Fri 1700-1730 UT on 3995, 6140, 7265 (ends 1759 UT), 13790 (ends 1755 UT) kHz, all DRM. [I`m confused as to why two transmissions are said to end at 1759 or 1755 when it states elsewhere the time span is from 1700-1730.] Daily: News, Newslink\Asia, followed by Sunday: Living in Germany (15'), Inspired Minds (15'); Monday-Friday same as 1600; Saturday: Spectrum (30'). At 1800 UT Bucharest: 88.5 MHz FM Daily: News, Newslink\Asia followed by: Sunday: Hits in Germany (30'); Monday: Insight (15'), BUSINESS GERMAN (15'); Tuesday: World in Progress (30'); Wednesday: Money Talks (30'); Thursday: Living Planet (30'); Friday: SPECTRUM (30'); Saturday: Dialogue (30') At 1900 UT Europe: Mon-Sat 1900-1930, Sun 1900-2000 on 3995, 7515, 15435 (ends 1955 UT) kHz, DRM East & Central Africa: 13780 kHz (ends 1959 UT). East & South Africa: 15620 kHz (ends 1959 UT). Kigali: 96.00 MHz FM Daily: News, Newslink\Africa followed by Sunday: SPORTS REPORT (2) (15'); Inspired Minds (15'); Monday: A WORLD OF MUSIC (30'); Tuesday: ARTS ON THE AIR (30'); Wednesday: LIVING IN GERMANY (15'), TREASURES OF THE WORLD (15'); Thursday: COOL (30'); Friday: FOCUS ON FOLK (30'); Saturday: SPORTS REPORT (1) (15'), German By Radio (15'). At 2000 UT South Africa: 7130 kHz (ends 2057 UT) Central & South Africa: 15205 kHz East & South Africa: 11795 kHz East & Central Africa: 13780 kHz Kigali: 96.00 MHz FM Daily: News, Newslink\Africa followed by Sunday: Sports Report (2) (15'), German by Radio (15'); Monday: Insight (15'), Business German (15'); Tuesday: World in Progress (30'); Wednesday: Money Talks (30'); Thursday: Living Planet (30'); Friday: Spectrum (30'); Saturday: Sports Report (1) (15'); Inspired Minds (15'). At 2100 UT West Africa: 9440, 11865, 12205 (ends 2157 UT) kHz Kabul: 90.50 MHz FM Kigali: 96.00 MHz FM Daily: News, Newslink\Africa followed by Sunday: Sports Report (2) (15'), Inspired Minds (15'); Monday: A World of Music (30'); Tuesday: Arts On The Air (30'); Wednesday: Living In Germany (15'), Treasures of the World (15'); Thursday: Cool (30'); Friday: HITS IN GERMANY (30'). Saturday: News, Sports Report (1) (15'), German By Radio (15'). At 2200 UT Europe: 2200-2230 on 3995 kHz DRM North America: 2200-2230 on 9800 kHz DRM East Asia: 7115, 9720 kHz Kabul: 90.5 MHz FM Sunday: News, Newslink, Mailbag (30'). Monday-Friday: News, Newslink\Asia followed by Monday: Insight (15'), Business German (15'); Tuesday: World in Progress (30'); Wednesday: Money Talks (30'); Thursday: Living Planet (30'); Friday: Spectrum (30'). Saturday: News, Newslink, Sports Report (1) (15'), Treasures of the World (15'). At 2300 UT Southeast Asia: 5995 (ends 2358 UT), 9890 (ends 2357 UT, 15135, 17860 Kigali: 96.00 MHz FM Sunday: News, Newslink, Sports Report (2) (15'), Inspired Minds (15'). Monday-Friday: News, Newslink\Asia followed by Monday: A World of Music (30'); Tuesday: Arts on The Air (30'); Wednesday: Living In Germany (15'), Treasures of the World (15'); Thursday: Cool (30'); Friday: Focus On Folk (30'). Saturday: News, Sports Report (1), (15'), German By Radio (15'). (via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. Radio Budapest was on air on the 28th of March 2006 at 2100-2130 UT in English language on 6025 kHz with SIO 444. According to the broadcast there will be elections rallies in the coming weekend, so probably there are some extended special programming coming too (Jukka Kinkamo, Finland, WORLD OF RADIO 1310, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. BIHAR RADIO MAN'S STATION SHUT DOWN --- By Imran Khan, Patna http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=32036 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1465649.cms 3 pages A popular rural radio station in Bihar has turned silent after the authorities closed it down because its owner, a poor and illiterate man, did not possess an operating licence. The Radio Raghav FM Mansoorpur 1 channel, beaming from Mansoorpur village in Vaishali district for the past three years, was closed down Sunday for running illegally - to the disappointment of hundreds of people who loved to tune into it. "The Radio Raghav FM Mansoorpur 1 was closed for violating the Indian Telegraphs Act," Sanjeev Hans, the Vaishali district magistrate, told IANS over telephone Monday. A formal police complaint has also been lodged against the owner, Raghav Mahto, and the equipment seized, said Hans. A three-member team of the union communications and IT ministry, which visited the village Sunday, seized the radio equipment, said Hans. "The team seized the antenna and other equipment used by Mahto to run his radio station," he said. The trouble for Raghav Radio started early this month when the district administration directed local officials to submit a report on the private radio station. The government sought a report on it after the story of Mahto's successful radio station was splashed in the national and international media. The union communications ministry sought information on the station and directed that action be taken if it was found to be running without a licence. But locals are upset over the closing down of the station. The villagers said they would protest the action and demand that the station be revived. The 20-something Mahto had admitted to this correspondent earlier that he was not aware that a licence was required till he was informed last month that it was illegal to run a private radio station. He said then that he did not have enough money for a licence fee. "I don't even have the money for medical treatment of my father who is suffering from cancer." While the government considers him an offender for violating the rules, for the people residing in and around Mansoorpur village he is a hero. People prefer Radio Raghav to the national channels and Mahto is more popular than the local legislator and MP. The station was running like a community radio service providing local news and views in the local dialect and entertainment for the villages in Muzaffarpur, Vaishali and Saran districts. Apart from Hindi songs and news, it would provide information about crimes in the area, programmes on AIDS awareness, polio eradication, on literacy initiatives and news about missing people as well as local functions and festivals. But free of cost. Mahto, who has an electronics repair shop at Gudri Bazar near Mansoorpur and loves tinkering with old equipment, had stumbled upon his innovation by chance. He said he would love to run his radio station again if he gets government clearance or help from people. "If someone helps me I will go for it again." - (via Zacharias Liangas, DXLD) WTFK? I was expecting this to happen after all the publicity. And treating cancer in India costs less than licensing a tiny radio station? (gh, DXLD) HUNDREDS WANT BIHAR MAN'S RADIO STATION REVIVED By Imran Khan, Patna: Hundreds of people in rural Bihar have rallied in support of a poor and illiterate man whose hugely popular radio station was shut down for not possessing an operating licence. . . http://www.newkerala.com/news2.php?action=fullnews&id=32748 (via Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DXLD) INDIAN PIRATE RADIO LISTENERS OFFER MONEY TO KEEP IT ON AIR irst posted 09:24pm (Mla time) Mar 30, 2006 By Agence France-Presse http://news.inq7.net/world/index.php?index=1&story_id=70985 (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Kol Israel was on air at 2245 UT on the 28th of March 2006 on their night frequency of 9400 kHz with their special Hebrew language election coverage. The signal was strong as usual with SIO 555 here in northern Europe. While I do not know any Hebrew it was clear when the official election results were published as the Kadima leader Olmert commenced his victory speech (Jukka Kimkamo, Finland, March 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. FRANCE/LATVIA. 9290, Radio Waves International, (transmission from Ulbroka, Latvia), Boîte Postale 130, 92504 Rueil Cedex, France, Very nice QSL folder full data in 43 days. The station sent me a CD with folk music too. V/S: Peter Hills (DJ) GERMANY/LATVIA, 9290, KWRN Nordland Radio (transmission from Ulbroka, Latvia), SRS Deutschland, P. O. Box 101145, 99801 Eisenach, Germany, Very nice QSL card full data in one month and a small calendar; I sent my reception report to: kwrn @ freenet.de V/S: Felix Stein, DJ and Operator (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, bclnews.it via DXLD) ** LIBYA [and non]. Chequeando a Sawt Alamel 27 Marzo: Sawt Alamel comienza la emisión en la frecuencia de 17670, buena señal y sin interferencias; a las 1300 UT cambia a la frecuencia de 17675, se mantiene con buena señal y libre de interferencias hasta las 1328 en que se inicia la emisión musical afro-pop. Poco después queda anulada. 28 Marzo: Hoy cómo ayer Sawt Alamel inicia la emisión en 17670 y en su segunda hora de emisión cambia a 17675; chequeada a las 1318 está presente la emisora afro-pop y Sawt Alamel ya no se escucha. 29 Marzo: En el día de hoy, Sawt Alamel comienza su emisión en 17680; aunque la señal es buena, se percibe un poco de fading, se mantiene en esta frecuencia hasta las 1300 en que cambia a 17685. A las 1313 inicia la emisión de música afro-pop, irrumpe con fuerza, poco a poco se apodera de Sawt Alamel. A las 1323 incluye un tema cantado en español, el tema es cubano ``Oscar Hernández``, pero el caos en esta frecuencia es tal que no se escucha bien (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked March 29 from 1446, Afro-pop music on 17685, not // 17630, until 1530:30* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. Hi Glenn, I've now had the chance to study the RNW English playout schedules for the summer period, and I have to correct information I gave you previously concerning the 0600 and 0700 UT transmissions to the Pacific. These will, indeed, carry the broadcast scheduled for the previous local day to other areas. So, for example, Newsline will be at 0600 and 0700 UT on Tues-Sat in the Pacific [9700 Bonaire]. The new broadcast day starts at 1000 UT. This is the first time such a situation has happened, caused by a combination of overnight automation (no live continuity) and moving the transmission times earlier. On Target doesn't give any programme details for these transmissions, and the information on our website is misleading. I am taking steps to have this corrected. 73, (Andy (pp. Radio Netherlands), WORLD OF RADIO 1310, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. RNZI, Rangitaiki, audible on 7145 kHz on 27 MAR 1706- 1835, English, Pacific Press Review in French, songs, etc.; deteriorating; 43442, adjacent QRM only. However, on 28 MAR, it was audible from fade in at about 1450 till 1855 when mostly rated 15421, except for the 1730-1800 period during which reception was even fair! On 9870 kHz, RNZI observed on 29 MAR 1254-1259*, English, talks, just part of the IS played at abrupt s/off for switching to 7145; 15441, meaning the 31 m outlets degrade continuously throughout the morning. And on 29 MAR again, very faint on 15720 kHz observed at 0637-0701* during which time also on (mediocre) parallel (!) 9885 kHz, which gradually improved. Yesterday for instance, they were fair on 9630 kHz /1851-1920 as the BBC transmitter was drowned by RNZI, not the other way round. Both for 9630 and 7145, the best antenna is a 7 m semi-helical vertical which is primarily intended for LF/MF. The other antennae get too much adjacent QRM. As you said, Glenn, they're indeed making use of the 2nd new THALES transmitter: a pity it's intended for DRM use --- meaning practically only those Pacific stations that rebroadcast RNZI plus the very few who can decode that digital mode are actually the only ones who can make some use of what's sent by this transmitter. Will that be worth it? Wouldn't it be more practical & less expensive to pick up the RNZI signal via another means? Best 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, March 29, WORLD OF RADIO 1310, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RNZI is sold on using DRM for feeds to Pacific affiliates, as ultimately more reliable than satellite (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Dear Glenn, RNZI on 11725 kHz noted today at 2105 weak but pretty audible, then vanished completely at recheck at 2119, so either s/off or the transmitter simply went dead. I think the faint signal on 15720 was also RNZI, supposed to run 1945-0700. At this time, 2214, their webpage is still listing 11725 as being "on the air", but 11725 is out, and 15720 is almost certainly Rangitaiki. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, March 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 6172.92, Radio Tawantinsuyo, Cusco, 1035-1040, March 28, national news in Spanish by male: "...hallan cuerpo de turista en la provincia de Calca..."; ID as: "...a través de Radio Tawantinsuyo, sus noticias", 23432 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, bclnews.it via DXLD) Nominal 6175, says WRTH 2006, but listed as 6173 (gh, DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. 15270, 0247 UT, RPI giving news on Manila some QRM from China station 43334; 15120, 0250 UT, Non English station covering both RPI and CRI comments on Ukraine, 43334. Note: RPI gave their frequencies and they listed `em as 15120, 15270, and 12025 kHz. Have yet to hear em on the last frequency (Larry Fields, March 28, m/m off Oman and heading to Fujarah, Indian Ocean, swl at qth.net via DXLD) RPI = R. Pilipinas International? Do they axually call themselves that? WRTH shows this as R. Pilipinas Overseas (gh, DXLD) ** SERBIA & MONTENEGRO [and non]. / SO. AFRICA. Re 6-053, CRI via RSA supposedly interfering with Beograd on 6100: ``Is the signal from RSA to SAf really that overpowering way up in Europe? (gh, DXLD)`` On 29 MAR at 1815 and at 1845, I could not trace any signs of the RSA, just Serbia & Montenegro on 6100 and a "reactor" (DRM) on 6095, and with this NRD-545, I must tune to 6101 and use a 2.2~2.4 kHz bandwidth ``Y por cierto ese ruido proviene desde China via Sudafrica? Sintonizar a 6102 no debe mejorar la recepcion de S&M porque China transmite tambien su banda lateral igual en 6102 (Glenn to JMRR, ibid.)`` The only noise get is from the station in DRM on 6095. If CRI is daily via AFS and the signal is that strong in neighbouring España, then something odd happened today, like CRI via AFS not active or the signal so feeble I couldn't trace it underneath Serbia. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, March 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s now clear that the noisy QRM on 6100 to S&M had nothing to do with CRI via RSA, but from the DRM on adjacent 6095, Luxembourg, diminished by tuning up to 6102 (gh, DXLD) ** SOUTH AFRICA. Is this really Channel Africa`s A-06 schedule? http://www.sentech.co.za/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=101&bid=25&btitle=Frequencies&meid=116 but a previous page says it`s B-05. I was looking this up because the ChAf schedule in DXLD 6-053 which I read on WOR 1310 includes 7240 at 05-08 UT, where the other night I heard RDPI Portugal without interference, so I wonder if ChAf is really still there? RDPI is M-F only, so maybe we can hear ChAf weekends (Glenn Hauser, OK, UT March 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. USA/SUDAN, 9525, Sudan Radio Service, Dennos Pret Road, P.O. Box 4392, 00100 Nairobi, Kenia, QSL letter with not much information about reception report details in 33 days; The station sent me information about the Sudan Radio Service and the Education Development Center; the frequency guide and schedule and other material. V/S: Tamburo Michael Renzi, SRS Marketing Coordinator I sent my reception report by mail to mtamburo @ sudanradio.org (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, bclnews.it via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [non]. Just noticed a strange frequency in the amended RTI A-06 schedule under English via Issoudun, France: 1700-1800 daily Af 15960 Issoudun 500 ** So far, no non-pirate station has ventured that far above the 15 MHz band; maybe 15690? Yes: http://english.rti.org.tw/Others/Frequencies.aspx (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1310, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET. 4905, Mar 14, 1630-1700, China: Holy Tibet R, Lhasa. Tibet documentary plus a commercial (!) of a local massage clinic, all in English. Surprisingly loud and stable, audio strangely distorted. ONLY TUESDAYS. Location: Tampere, Finland. RX: Lowe HF-225 + 25m L. jyri (HCDX online log March 29 via DXLD) Why the 2-week delay? (gh) ** TURKS & CAICOS. It is Noon, Do you know where your DX is! At 12:00. 530, R. Vision, South Caicos in readable at S 3-5 level. It's 50 outside with a SW wind. I want my coastal DX. OLD ROY FROM OLD CAPE COD (Roy Barstow, WTFDA-AM via DXLD) EST = 1700 UT Yes, it IS amazing that this signal travels 1,380 miles at high noon! I never get tired of receiving this signal and I hope this station stays on the air forever! (Marc DeLorenzo, South Dennis, Cape Cod, ibid.) ** U K . Re 6-053: Remember their logic is the reverse of that -- The BBC first asked themselves, "Who do we want to reach?" Then they asked themselves, "How does that target audience get its information?" The strategies and tactics then follow from that line of reasoning. I wonder if VT (Merlin) is picking up the cost of the DRM transmission to North America as a demonstration project -- such that the BBC isn't paying for the time? That way the BBC is indifferent to the fact they're broadcasting to North America via shortwave -- it's really VT Merlin broadcasting to NA using BBC content. BTW -- if you inspect the Public Radio Fan schedules for BBC programming, you can see that, gradually, the BBCWS has gradually made inroads on "non-insomniac" programming on US public radio. Upwards of 50 US public radio stations -- including stations in NYC, Boston, and Philadelphia -- air Newshour in the mornings at least on weekdays. A few are also picking up the 2000 edition. A few stations are picking up Outlook in the afternoons; same for the 0300 edition of The World Today, along with the 1141 and 1841 editions of "Analysis". This is little consolation to folks north of the border, I realize... Canada has been treated worse than us Americans when it comes to BBCWS access (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, swprograms via DXLD) Yes, but I framed it the way I did to make a point. Obviously, I didn't make it well enough. :-))) (John Figliozzi, ibid.) What little listening I do to the BBC now is done online. The abandonment of shortwave has had a major impact on the amount I listen to the BBCWS. We all knew that this day would come when they first abandoned North America but it is indeed sad. It hardly seems worth it to search the dials for weak BBC signals any more (Sandy Finlayson, ibid.) But the "weak" signals intended for another market are sometimes more interesting. The Africa service is more interesting than the general service most hours. They used to (sigh!) have a wonderful "East Asia Today" program three times a day, and heard here via the Singapore relay across the Pacific quite clearly that was better than a daily bath of news. Travelling in Asia, it was essential late night listening to know what was happening in the region if one didn't read the local language. VoA is unlistenable to me, but the French African service is a different bouncy animal. Anyway all the ex-pats wanted was the Saturday football results for their pools tickets (Dan Say, Vancouver, B.C., ibid.) If all the ex-pats wanted from shortwave was the Saturday football results those in the Americas don't even get that any more. The other problem with BBCWS is that they made a decision to drop most of their non-news programing. Everyone enjoys BBC news but we hardly need it 24/7 (Mr. Sandy Finlayson, Philadelphia, PA, ibid.) I'd have to argue that only getting BBC News is better than ZERO service. When I recently visited Puerto Rico, I did not have convenient access to the Internet for a few days. When Internet was available, it cost an arm and a leg. Most local radio stations did not broadcast in English, and where there was cable TV service, the only source of news in English was CNN. Enter the shortwave radio to save the day. I happen to speak English and French, so if I'm ever in the U.S., I know that some sort of RCI service I can understand will be broadcast from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. Eastern. At home, I can get a good signal from Australia in the morning year-round. New Zealand and Australia both do really well in the evening during our summers. Then there's Radio Netherlands' excellent weekend afternoon service. (Too bad it's not daily!) Like I said in another post, I'm sad to see BBC leave SW. But as long as EVERYONE ELSE doesn't abandon it completely, we're going to be OK (Ricky Leong, Calgary, ibid.) I agree entirely that getting BBC News would be better than nothing and I can get Newshour in the morning here in Philadelphia and I can listen to the BBC in the 'wee small hours' if I can't sleep. [This thanks to WHYY] What I frankly resent is that the BBC took a commercial decision that if North Americans wanted World Service they could pay for it through satellite radio or the internet. While they are of course entitled to go this way, it hardly fits with the concept of 'public broadcasting' which used to be what the BBC was about. I know I am being nostalgic but it is sad to see what used to be a "service" become a commodity (Sandy Finlayson, PA, ibid.) I hear that the decision to drop South and Central American services was made recently -- possibly in early March -- and transmitter schedules that were not updated after that decision was taken would not be correct (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ODXA via DXLD) From my point of view, it would take very limited resources to preserve a minimal shortwave presence in the Western Hemisphere. For this reason, it appears to me that the BBC is much more interested in making a point rather than ensuring that all the listeners who want to hear it, can. What is the point? I'm not quite sure. It could be something on the order that the BBC is a forward looking institution that is not afraid to make the bold moves it deems necessary to ensure its place now and into the future, as it sees it, etc., etc. ad hominem... Which would be well and good if the BBC had to impress institutional investors or venture capitalists. Which it doesn't. So, in my view, it is not well and good. The BBC has overplayed the (admittedly very real) shortcomings of shortwave whilst downplaying the (also very real) shortcomings of its preferred platforms. As Kim Elliott observed at http://www.kimandrewelliott.com "And so gone are the days when an American could take a portable shortwave radio and listen to BBCWS any time the evening, from any room of the house, or from the patio. Now it requires an XM or Sirius subscription, with antenna pointed just so, unfettered by southerly obstructions. Or listen to BBC programs selected by your local public radio station, at times selected by same." I should add that it also requires AC power. If the lights go out (or planes, god forbid, once again start flying into buildings), so does the BBC. These small but important points are all but lost to the brahmins of the BBC and that, my friends, is a very sad fact. It is also a fact that the primary task of an institution founded on public service is to serve the public in every way possible. It is possible -- and I think we have made this most valid point many times here in these forums -- to preserve a presence on SW and fully embrace the new platforms in a financially responsible manner. The BBC argument that it can't do both has been effectively refuted several times and in several ways. So this is their choice. It is their right to make, but that does not make it the right choice. And so it goes (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [and non]. For those trying to locate the best BBC WS frequencies for North American listening now that hf service to the Western Hemisphere has just about dried up, here's what I'm hearing at 0300-0400 UT: 6005 kHz. - Fair reception, but hemmed in by QRM from stations on both sides. SIO - 333 6035 kHz. - It's there, but almost buried. SIO - 222 7160 kHz. - Nothing but noise. Has been fair in the past and may be again, but not tonight so far. 9750 kHz. - Fair reception almost on a par with 6005. SIO - 333 Following up on my 0300 report describing reception of non-NA frequencies in my little corner of NA: 9410 kHz. - in the clear with a steady, but not particularly strong signal. SIO - 354 7160 kHz. - has arisen above the noise, which is still there. SIO - 353 7120 kHz. - strongest signal of the bunch, but bothered by adjacent channel QRM. SIO - 433 6195 kHz. - noisy and weak. SIO - 342 6005 kHz. - decent but hemmed in by adjacent channel QRM. SIO- 333 12035 inaudible PS: On XM-131, however, the Americas stream is in the clear (if you pay your XM bill, that is.) (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, Eton E1-XM, A/D DX Sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [24 hours later]: None of the other listed frequencies to Africa, the Mideast, South or East Asia can be heard here, but 9410 is exceptionally good tonight at 0315, with only very slight fading. SIO - 454. At 0405 I'm still hearing the WS on 9410 kHz. However, there was an obvious transmitter change at 0400 which leaves a still quite readable signal in the clear, but the level is down noticeably from where it was during the previous hour. SIO - 353. Also, 6195 can be heard with a signal stronger that that on 9410, but bothered by static and atmospheric noise. SIO - 443 All other listed frequencies during this hour are unreadable, except for a very faint signal on 6005 bothered by adjacent channel QRM (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, UT March 30, ibid.) This frequency & time needs to be added to the "BBC Audible in the US" compilation: 17640 kHz has been coming in quite nicely at 1300-1600 UT here in St. Louis, MO. The 1430 slot has some of the "Arts" programmes (I've heard the new version of "On Screen" and "The Word" so far) and the "Science" programmes appear to be in the 1530 slot (I've heard "Discovery" and "Digital Planet" so far). What I'm worried about is that the BBC on 17640 is currently supplanted/replaced by WHR coming on at 1600 on 17640. Will this change next week after the US goes on DST and will WHR wipe out the BBC reception during the *1500 UT* hour, thus spoiling the science- program reception then? Or will WHR stay with a UT 1600 sign-on and thus maintain what we have now? The US DST change coming up is annoying to this, too, because it makes the programs I want to hear yet an hour later in local time, thus eating up another hour of the morning. It's bad enough having to wait till 10 AM when the science programs end now; next week it will be 11 AM (unless the reception is destroyed as I noted my fears about above). Anyway, after the BBC on 17640 goes away, I have been getting listenable signals on 12095 with European news and 21470 kHz with African programming. There seems to be a poorer signal on 15400 kHz too (unless I'm mis-remembering and that's later). All of this is on a Grundig 800 with external 20-meter random wire, but 17640 also has come in OK on a DX-398 with a short in-house wire add-on to the whip. I wonder if propagation will hold up for these transmissions' receivability here over the next months? 73, (Will Martin, MO, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Has BBCWS further reduced its feature programming? I checked their Web site today and requested the XM Radio schedule to see when Charlie Gillett's music program would air during this "week of confusion." It's not listed as airing at any time on Wednesday. I assume other programs that aired in the same timeslots have also been eliminated. Can anyone confirm these news program schedule changes or provide further details? (Mike Cooper, Mar 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I also noticed Gillett`s show missing, as I have been updating MONITORING REMINDERS CALENDAR. I don`t care to try to analyze it statistically, but it certainly seems to me there is more news and less features, especially music. An overview is available at the BBCWS Americas stream grid linked there under Advance Info Links – Foreign Variety, which may not work properly depending on your setup and location (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Re: RADIO 4 CHIEF FINDS THAT AXED UK THEME WON'T GO AWAY This one is easily solved. 5.15am UK Theme 5.20am News Briefing 5.30am Extended Shipping Forecast 5.40am Public Announcements Weather Warnings and Thought for the Day 5.45am to Current Schedule. (Ken Fletcher, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Why should it be solved this way? Radio 4's weekly reach is 9,318,000. Despite all the publicity and media hype, with talk of so-called "open revolt" in the latest piece, the petition to keep the UK Theme has been signed by 17,000. Private Eye, in examining this hype, said 3% of the audience is listening at 5.30 a.m, I presume they were talking about weekly reach. At the time Private Eye did their research the percentage of this audience that had signed the petition was 3%, it is now 6%. However I would suggest that there will be many who have signed the petition who have never actually listened to Radio 4 at 5.30 p.m. as the whole thing was picked up by many sections of the media as being an example of political correctness rather than a radio decision. There was even a piece on the British National Party website. The number of posts about this on the thread on Radio 4 message boards is 143, the number of people posting will be less than this. There are quite a number supporting the decision, here are a couple to get some balance into this discussion: For years I have dreaded getting up at 0530 and having to listen to that awful soulless theme; it just goes on and on with no point whatsoever. Well I am in my fifties and as a listener of some thirty years , am fully conversant with the traditions of radio 4. Unfortunately for me I turn on the radio at about 5.15 every morning and have to endure day after day, the twee medley of "British tunes", which on first listening you think "that`s clever". But after seven days a week year in year out it`s like listening to the same joke over and over again. Some object or are in favour of the theme because of its musical qualities, or lack of theme, some take a wider view of the cultural implications: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbradio4/F2766774?thread=2062661&skip=0&show=20 My own view, for what its worth, since I am rarely listening at that time of the morning, indeed one paper has described all this as the revolt of the insomniacs, is that musically the piece is dire, the more I hear it the worse it gets; however I would not want a pacy news briefing to start my Radio 4 day. There are plenty of UK folk tunes that could be played in rotation at that time of the morning, in better arrangements than this over brassy amalgamation of tunes. But why should the BBC base its decisions on pressure groups who are not necessarily representative but are hyped up by the media as the whole thing makes good copy, remember much of the press has an anti BBC agenda based on their own non newspaper interests and/or their political stance (Mike Barraclough, March 28, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Writing it seems as a rare animal who has enjoyed this music (as any listener entirely by choice - there are other stations and the off switch) at 5-30 am I take the view this chap is just changing for change sake as a new boy. He wants Radio 4 to be a (yet another) news based station 'rolling out' (I hate that term) a regular update - as if we need it at 5-30 am with WS and BBC News 24. Remembering the early days when the BBC Radio gave us its revamped new image back in the 70's, this medley was the only thing that at a time of the day when I personally needed a lift, provided something to feel that old fashioned and it seems according to Mr D outmoded, sense of national pride about; Not in any political way but in a 'nice to be me, here' way. Not hype, just not grumbling about the grey, wet, chilly world outside and feeling almost ashamed to be Scots, Welsh, Irish or English whilst it seemed everyone else could flag wave with innocent pride - that tune was our flag wave, our s*d the rest we're us!!!! (Rog Parsons (BDXC 782) Hinckley, Leics., ibid.) ** U S A. VOA USA program changes --- VOA's phone-in show "Talk To America" will shift to 1400 UT beginning next Monday as part of a new schedule that sees a revamping of English to Africa programming. English to Africa will begin its schedule at 1600 with Africa Tonight on weekdays and Nightline Africa on weekends. There will also be changes in the schedule for music programs. A new, hour-long show called African Beat will air weekdays at 0900 and 2000. Music Time in Africa will air in those slots on weekends. Hip Hop Connection will air at 2100 on Fridays and Saturdays and again at 1500 on Saturdays and Sundays. For Africa, Press Conference USA will air at 0330 and 1730 on Saturdays. Issues In The News is scheduled at 0330 on Sundays and Encounter will air Sundays at 1730 (Mike Cooper, GA, Mar 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. Radio Liberty/Free Europe A-06 SW Schedules (Time is UT) Daily except where indicated, From web site March 29, 2006 Afghan (Pashto and Dari) 0230-0330 12140 0230-0630 17670 0330-0930 15615 0630-1230 17685 0930-1430 15090 1230-1330 19010 Belarusian 0300-0500 7155 0300-0500 9635 1500-1700 9725 1500-1900 15215 1700-1900 7195 1900-2100 7115 1900-2100 9750 Kazakh 0000-0100 5945 7200 0200-0400 9615 15205 1200-1300 11520 15120 1400-1600 7170 9815 North Caucasus languages (Avar, Chechen, Circassian) 0400-0500 9855 11785 1700-1800 11705 15255 Persian (Farsi) - Radio Farda 0030-0200 7295 0030-0400 9805 0030-0600 9865 0200-0400 9775 0400-0800 9510 0400-0600 15225 0600-1000 15290 0600-0800 17845 0800-1400 15690 17755 1000-1400 7125 1400-1500 9435 1400-1700 13870 1400-1600 17745 1500-1700 15170 1600-1700 17670 1700-2000 7105 1700-1900 7180 1700-2100 9760 1900-2130 9505 2000-2130 7190 2100-2130 9960 Romanian (Moldova) 1500-1530 15380 1800-1900 11815 MoTuWeThFr Russian 0000-0100 7120 7175 7220 9520 0200-0400 7175 15250 0200-0500 7220 0200-0300 9520 0300-0500 6105 0400-0700 9520 9760 0500-0800 11815 0700-0900 11855 0700-1000 15280 0700-1300 17730 0900-1100 11860 1000-1300 15130 1000-1200 21530 1100-1300 11705 1200-1300 15205 1400-1600 11725 11875 1400-1700 15130 1400-1500 15195 1500-1700 9520 1600-1700 7220 9565 1900-2400 7220 1900-2300 9520 1900-2000 9585 2200-2400 9590 2300-2400 7120 Tajik 0100-0400 9760 0100-0200 13760 0200-0400 15525 1400-1700 9790 1400-1500 11895 1500-1600 11975 1600-1700 7190 Tatar-Bashkir 0300-0400 11990 0500-0600 11990 1500-1600 11990 1900-2000 9650 Turkmen 0200-0400 9555 0200-0400 15120 1400-1600 15120 1400-1600 15255 1600-1800 11895 1600-1700 13815 1700-1800 9395 Uzbek 0300-0400 12110 15145 15460 1400-1500 13755 15145 15170 1600-1700 7555 9595 11875 (via Bernie O`Shea, ON, DXLD) As usual, not in strict chronorder (gh) ** U S A. PODCASTING RADIO NETWORK BEGINS BROADCASTING ON SHORTWAVE! In a complete reversal of the usual trend, the Enigma Radio Network has announced that starting today its podcasts will be heard throughout most of the world on shortwave radio. The Daily Dig, a 3-5 minute world news program, can be heard on 15825 kHz on WWCR, Monday through Friday at 1:05 PM Eastern time (1805 UT until 2 April, thereafter 1705 UT). This news program covers all of the day’s top stories with commentary on current events and is hosted by Kathleen Keating, an international best selling author and investigative journalist. The Enigma Files, an hour-long weekly show hosted by Kathleen Keating, will be available on Wednesdays at 4pm Eastern (2100 UT until 2 April, thereafter 2000 UT), also on 15825 kHz on WWCR. The Enigma Files was the winner of the 2005 People`s Choice Podcasting Award for World News, and is one of the network’s most popular shows. Homeland Security Weekly, an hour-long weekly show hosted by Doug Hagmann, can be heard on 15825 kHz on WWCR on Thursdays at 4pm Eastern (2100 UT until 2 April, thereafter 2000 UT). Hagmann, is the founder and director of the Northeast Intelligence Network and CEO of a multi- state licensed private investigative agency serving many Fortune 500 clients. Kathleen Keating, the founder of the network stated, "Enigma Radio Network`s growth has been consistent over the past year. The expansion to shortwave radio insures that we can fulfill the needs of our listeners by expanding the options to hear the shows. We look forward to working with WWCR to bring our listeners quality entertainment. We also anticipate even broader expansion by early 2007 and will ultimately offer our listeners 24 hour programming." The Enigma Radio Network says it looks forward to providing its listeners with even more free ways to enjoy its programming. All of the network’s shows will remain available on-demand, and free of charge, on the Internet. More information on The Enigma Radio Network’s shortwave debut and their programming can be found on http://ernradio.com (Source: Enigma Radio Network) # posted by Andy @ 09:47 UT March 29 (Media Network blog via DXLD) That Thursday 21-22 UT (DST: 20-21 UT) blows away the long-standing WORLD OF RADIO time on WWCR 15825, at 2130/2030 UT, as well as DX Partyline just before it. More details at http://www.kathleenkeating.com/radio/shortwave.html (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) We are moving WORLD OF RADIO to Fridays at 2130/2030 UT (Zach Harper, Ops. Manager, WWCR, WORLD OF RADIO 1310, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WORLD OF RADIO, UT scheduling on WRMI from April 2: Saturday 0500 9955 [not 0600 as at present] Saturday 1430 7385 [ex-1330] Sunday 0530 9955 [UT unchanged] Monday 0500 9955 [UT unchanged] Mundo Radial: Sunday 1030 9955 [ex-1130] However, 7385 will be beamed to North America. (No more 7385 to Caribbean in A06. Actually, we already made that change when the Prague relay ended.) I'll try to maintain this schedule as long as possible. But I'm going to add some new programs, hopefully as of this weekend: Wavescan (the new Asian edition) and Global Crisis Watch (produced by the ClandestineRadio.com folks). These may necessitate some changes in other program locations, but maybe not (Jeff White, WRMI, March 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. FOUR RADIO TOWERS TOPPLED IN BLACK CANYON CITY http://www.kpho.com/Global/story.asp?S=4697315&nav=23Ku Black Canyon City, Arizona. The Yavapai County sheriff's office says vandals have toppled four radio towers in Black Canyon City. It says it was told that the damage will run into millions. There was heated debate a few years back when a complex of seven radio towers was constructed at the site. Just after 10 pm last night, the sheriff's office got a call that someone had cut the steel support rods to four of the towers and the towers had fallen. The call came from someone who went to investigate after hearing crashing sounds. Sheriff's spokeswoman Susan Quayle says investigators determined that the support rods had been cut with some type of torch. People opposed to construction of the towers waged an unsuccessful fight in 2001 to overturn Yavapai County's decision to grant a use permit for the 190-foot towers (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) WTFK? How can KPHO run a story without even identifying the station? Journalism 101 (gh, DXLD) Hi Glenn, local news here in Arizona --- someone destroyed the towers for radio KMIA, 710 kHz, in the little desert town of Black Canyon City. The towers have been "controversial" for some time there with local "NIMBYS". The station is a broadcaster of Spanish language sports-talk. The motive is unknown, but speculation is that it is connected in some way to "nimbyism", or to the recent nationwide Latino protests, or a combination of the two (~Rick Barton, Arizona, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re KCKN 1020 Roswell NM DX test: I'm overjoyed that this is ND rather than unfavorable day or night pattern. They are about the closest high powered and rather westerly station unlogged here!! Are they really going to use just one stick ND for this test? If so, I must say thanx in advance !! 73 KAZ near Chicago (Neil Kazaross, IL, NRC-AM via DXLD) Kaz, Yep, according to Jerry, they plan to use the single stick 1/4 vertical antenna for the test at 10 kW. All that's left for us in the east to do is null KDKA and hope for good conditions, with no Spring storms. I've been personally trying to log New Mexico from my home QTH for over three years, so I'm very excited about this test. 73, (Les Rayburn, Birmingham, AL 35216, ibid.) ** U S A. 1620 kHz, WHLY South Bend IN flips from standards to AC "Love," requesting the WWLV calls that were once used by sister station WOZW 102.3 New Carlisle IN in its "Love" days. Sister station WNDV 1490 South Bend IN is now simulcasting the ESPN sports format of WDND 1580 South Bend, in preparation for 1580 going silent soon (Robert Wien, IRCA Soft DX Monitor April 1 via DXLD) ** U S A. For almost 82 years, NEW YORK's WNYC has made its home at the city's Municipal Building at 1 Centre Street. The station's transmitters moved long ago (the AM to Greenpoint, then to the WMCA site in Kearny, New Jersey; the FM to the Empire State Building, then World Trade Center, then back to Empire), and now the studios are following suit. Within a few months, WNYC will vacate its 51,000-square foot space in the Municipal Building for more than 75,000 square feet at 160-170 Varick Street, including a ground-floor performance studio. The move will cut the last ties between the station and its former licensee, the city of New York. (NERW notes: with the recent moves of WOR from 1440 Broadway and WWRL from Woodside, Queens, WNYC was the last New York station still at the same address it occupied in radio's earliest days. If we're not mistaken, the "heritage location" crown now goes to Family Stations' WFME 94.7, which has used its West Orange, N.J. transmitter site as its studios since the mid-sixties, with honorable mention to WFUV, still at its original 1947 studio site in Keating Hall on the Fordham campus in the Bronx, albeit in relocated space on the ground floor as of a few months ago. After that, at least among major stations, you'd have to look at WAXQ 104.3, still at the same space at 1180 Avenue of the Americas that it first occupied as WNCN in the early eighties - but they, too, will be moving soon as part of Clear Channel's consolidation project. History's not what it used to be...) (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch March 27 via DXLD) ** U S A. Developments in the radio free brattleboro case: http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060328/NEWS/603280364/1003 http://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_3649663# http://www.boston.com/news/local/vermont/articles/2006/03/29/former_community_radio_station_to_fight_for_10_watt_stations/ (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. WTOP FM WTWP AM/FM Thursday The Washington DC area radio dial is about to get very confusing. WTOP is going to split into an FM/AM and a longer form AM/FM news talk station starting Thursday. That station will be known as Washington Post radio. They are currently running a TV ad which doesn't really explain much. In fact it's a waste of money. Better if they on air they ID'd at WTOP FM/AM Washington-Frederick which is what they are going to be. The FM/AM is a trick I used in Florida and also later was used by WHEB in Portsmouth NH to call attention to the FM side rather than the AM. In the case of WTOP it is just one of the things they have to do. They should also be thinking about a direct mail piece that says from news information traffic and weather tune to 103.5 FM NOW. Arbitron during the first monthly when the switch had occurred show how the audience was seriously confused as to what they were listening to. IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE. But it's not hard to fix. Check out what it sounds like now go to http://www.wtopnews.com posted by lou josephs @ 7:27 PM March 28 (medianetwork blog via DXLD) ** U S A. THE FCC HAS SENT GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN, A $21,000 FORFEITURE ORDER, PAYABLE WITHIN 30 DAYS http://host.picturewizard.com/2005-7/357648/ (Brian C., K3VR, March 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Keep paging down ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Glenn: Please accept this donation [PayPal to woradio @ yahoo.com] towards your activities supporting international and shortwave radio reporting. I belatedly attended my first SWL Winterfest this year after a lifetime in the hobby. I had a terrific time and would like to propose the following challenge. Get yourself to the Winterfest in 2007 and present something that you find of interest in the world of international broadcasting, its future, or history. Let me buy you a beer (or a coke with lots of ice) and I'll top it off with a [larger] donation at this time next year. Many of us would love to meet up with you there and you are such a vital contributor to this hobby that it would not be the same without you. 73, (Dan Srebnick, Aberdeen, NJ) Tnx for the encouragement. The prospect of a 4+ megameter roundtrip in winter is the main obstacle (gh) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ DRM this issue: CHILE, GERMANY, NEW ZEALAND, SERBIA & MONTENEGRO, UK IBOC HARMONIC QRM TOO The first harmonic [usually referred to as second] of WGN and the IBOC side effect completely ruins the reception of the local WEEF on 1430 kHz. I listen to WEEF's Greek language programming in the mornings on my drive to work, but ever since WGN turned on their IBOC, it's hard to listen to that station. Things only get better once I get closer to the WEEF transmitter (Chris Rigas, Wood Dale, IL, NRC-AM via DXLD) Can you complain to WEEF? Maybe they would call WGN (Patrick Martin, ibid.) Chris, if you have the time, I would complain vehemently to WEEF and even to the FCC. Would be nice if WGN could do something about that harmonic as well!! 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) Neil, I will contact WEEF about this. How would I go about contacting the FCC concerning this matter? Can this be done through the FCC web site? (Chris Rigas, ibid.) IBOC alert: KUAF 91.3 Fayetteville, AR Here is an article from the Arkansas Business online edition http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/news/article.asp?u=%7B57796422%2D2543%2D435C%2D9A04%2D937CB1E710DB%7D%7B57796422%2D2543%2D435C%2D9A04%2D937CB1E710DB%7D&cid=12&aid=43626 NOWHERE in this article is the term IBOC used, only this silly "HD Radio". (Fritze, KC5KBV, Star City, AR, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ IMÁGENES DEL ECLIPSE SOLAR Imágenes espectaculares del eclipse solar se pueden observar en la web de Nasa TV; nuestro sitio web está enlazado también con la televisión de la NASA, dirección: http://spaces.msn.com/sintoniadx/ Ya he tomado fotos al sol en Venezuela a las 1200 UT y no se observa nada (José Elías, Noticias DX via DXLD) MEDIUMWAVE DX CONDITIONS IN HAWAII "When the dawn comes up like thunder" wrote Kipling. So it is with DX at dawn here in Hawaii. Dawn is fast, here in the tropics (I am at 19 degrees, 34 min north, 155 deg 0 min west), and the contrast between daylight and darkness is extreme. The time of dawn does not vary greatly between the seasons; a rule of thumb is 7 am in winter, 6 am local in summer. As I mentioned recently, here on the eastern tip of HI, stations in North America-- the mainland, western and central Canada, and Mexico, especially northwest Mexico, are dominant. Our best reception of stations far to the west, northwest and north comes when mainlanders have faded out. As I write this in March, the window of opportunity is short, since a few mainlanders are still present at 6:30 am (1630 UT). Dawn and fade-out of all non-Hawaiian stations (at least with my modest longwires and local powerline noise so bad that half the band is currently wiped out for DX - mostly the low end) are only half an hour later, just after 7 am (1700 UT). A noise-free location (using 12VDC, no doubt) and the kind of beverages I had here in the 1980's might produce Asian, African and European stations later, even much later, when stations from other Hawaiian islands, being in daylight, would be weak. At higher latitudes, note how Bruce Portzer, Seattle, had a detectable carrier from Japan at his local noon! And most fascinating for me, as a native of Scotland, is how the British DXers on expeditions to Sheigra, northwest Scotland, have breakfast and return to DXing at 10 am local (1000 UT), to continue reception of Alaska and several recent loggings of HI: KHVH-830 and KUMU-1500. These put my recent loggings in the shade, but still in the window of opportunity. I often hear booming signals from 11 time zones away - Saudi Arabia 1440 and 1521 and 10 zones away - Azerbaijan 1290, Oman 1413 and the U.A.E. 1575. I am also working on tentative from 13 time zones away (Libya) and 12 time zones away (Germany and Egypt). As summer comes, U.S. mainland stations will fade out much earlier, but by 1700 UT it will be broad daylight here, so I am less likely to hear Libya but will perhaps have a better chance at Southern Africa. But in the 1980's, I heard S. Africa (Namibia) far better at my local sunset (Richard E. Wood, HCR3, Box 11087, Keaau, Hawaii 96749-9221, April 1, IRCA Soft DX Monitor via DXLD) ###