DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-067, April 27, 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 SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1313: Fri 2030 WWCR 15825 Sat 0400 WRMI 9955 Sat 0800 WRN 13865 DRM via Bulgaria Sat 1430 WRMI 7385 Sat 1600 WWCR 12160 Sun 0230 WWCR 5070 [start varies 0225-0235] Sun 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Sun 0530 WRMI 9955 Sun 0630 WWCR 3215 Latest edition of the above: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html For 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 DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location. Here`s where to sign up http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** ANTARCTICA. Re LRA 36: Nothing heard here at 2000 on 15476 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, April 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nor here (gh, DXLD) Signal on 15476 kHz USB at present time 1350 UT. Weaker than yesterday [Later:] Still signal on 15476 kHz USB at present time 1555 UT. [Later2:] Light interference now from Africa N 1 - Gabon 1610 UT. (Denis, southern Brasil, April 26, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1313, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is it LRA36? (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, ibid.) No trace of any signal on 15476 at 1335 check April 27, as Denis in Brazil had been hearing around this time earlier this week, making us wonder if LRA-36 were testing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I checked 15476 today shortly after 1900 and nothing was heard here (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, April 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENINIG DIGEST) Ditto around 2015 (gh, OK) ** ARGENTINA. Wednesday evening as a respite from a hard day`s WORk, I decided to leave the computer and TV off and do some SWLing instead during primetime. After all, it is Turn Off Your TV Week. Here is what I heard [plus many other logs further down]: Monitored RAE on and off UT Thu April 27 on about 11710.8. Fortunately, most of the time there was nothing on 11710.0 to het it. At 0058 opening the second hour of Portuguese; lots of music alternating with talk segments. The woman announcer, I noticed, had a definite Argentine Spanish lilt on her Portuguese; 0120 a talk about Russian ballet. I feared it might fade out by the time English started at 0200, but it held up nicely, and good modulation too. At 0203 ``the titles of today`s news``, literally translating ``titulares`` instead of using the proper English word, ``headlines``. As always, can`t talk for more than a few minutes without a tango break, even during the newscast. 0213 a commentary about the Argentina/Brazil summit, MERCOSUR cooperation, etc. Finally at 0236 began DXers Special #1211, originally in Spanish written by Gabriel Iván Barrera, all taken from Wolfgang Büschel`s BCDX #754. R. Tashkent demise; then items about Vanuatu, Star Radio, Dominican Republic – Brian Alexander`s log of R. Cristal, 5010, but NO CREDIT TO THE ORIGINAL SOURCE, DXLD, AS REQUIRED; Libya via France; announcer coughs; DW`s special FIFA QSL; RRIndonesia logs by Ron Howard, Iwao Nagatani; Moldavia on 5910; ended at 0243 with RAE address. Later on had a sports segment, one last tango; 0253 into 8- note IS and multilingual IDs (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I have heard that het for RAE on 11710 before. It seems to bother after 0300 as I tuned last night. What's the source of it? (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Looking at the online schedules, at 0300-0330 the most likely source is AWR in Oromo via UAE. Some also show Iran at that time in Armenian. Of course, RAE is to blame for the het since it is the station off- frequency (Glenn, ibid.) Solar-terrestrial indices for 26 April follow. Solar flux 100 and mid- latitude A-index 4. The mid-latitude K-index at 0000 UTC on 27 April was 1 (05 nT). The mid-latitude K-index at 0300 UTC on 27 April was 2 (10 nT). Space weather for the past 24 hours has been minor. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level occurred. Space weather for the next 24 hours is expected to be minor. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level are expected (SEC via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Hasta hace un rato (0130 UT) estuve escuchando en 6215 kHz una estación en español con programa religioso consistente en palabras y música tipo chamamé. Varias referencias a Paraguay y Brasil. ¿R. Baluarte? Señal de intensidad muy variable. A esta hora (0145) casi inaudible. 73 (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, Sony ICF-7600DS + hilo de 3m (interior), UT April 28, condig list via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. VL8T, Tennant Creek, stayed on 4910 all night, 0930-2130 April 27, instead of going to night frequency 2325 kHz. Maybe that would make it more DXable in Europe around 2000+ (Chris Hambly, Victoria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 15160, 0505- April 27, Radio Australia, surprisingly good reception in an otherwise almost dead band at this time, several hours after my local sunset. Shepparton is listed with 100 kW from 0500 to 0800. Heard equally well last night. Plenty of parallels noted including: 15515 (Shepparton 100 kW) S7, 17750 (Shepparton 100 kW) S4, 15240 (Shepparton 100 kW) S8 to S9, 13670 (Shepparton 100 kW) S6. Impressive number of transmitters, all from Shepparton! No luck with the other sites listed (9660 and 12080 from Brandon). Should propagate quite well to North America at this time (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Re 6-064, unID QRM to RFDS on 5300: the latest ITU monitoring report for that frequency area; first two entries are the country and location of the monitoring station, FWIW, since they are all in Europe, maybe no bearing on what`s heard in Australia: HNG TARNOK 5295.00 07 03 0000 0055 19.7 UNIDENTIFIED 200H- F1B 100 BAUD HNG TARNOK 5299.75 07 03 0420 1700 37.4 UNIDENTIFIED 1K25- D7D DIGITAL TRANSMISSION F RAMBOUILLET 5300.00 23 01 0800 0825 12.0 RAU25 FX 500H F1B 48 E 57 51 N 54 D 95 BAUDS HNG TARNOK 5301.00 07 03 1800 1820 20.1 UNIDENTIFIED 100H- A1B AUT WIEN 5301.00 08 03 1250 1300 25.0 CZE FX 3K00E R3E 322 B F RAMBOUILLET 5305.50 23 01 1400 2359 22.0 RJP FX 250H F1B 33 E 47 54 N 56 D 48 BAUDS F RAMBOUILLET 5305.50 24 01 0000 0700 22.0 RJP FX 250H F1B 33 E 47 54 N 56 D 48 BAUDS HNG TARNOK 5305.50 07 03 0000 2359 53.2 UNIDENTIFIED 250H- F1B 100 BAUD, ITA-2 (from http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/monitoring/files/pdffiles/309.pdf via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Radio Illimani, esta emisora que estuvo un tiempo inactiva en onda corta, 6025, se está escuchando de nuevo en esta frecuecia, especialmente cuando hay partidos de fútbol de los equipos bolivianos. Me he puesto en contacto con la emisora y me informa su nuevo director, el Sr. Arturo Cruz, que están en período de remodelación, con nueva página web; si bién ésta es una página de noticias de la ABI, Agencia Boliviana de Información, con un enlace a la emisora, Radio Illimani. Esto es lo que textualmente dice: ESTAMOS EN PLENA ETAPA REORGANIZAR NUESTRA EMISORA Y SOBRE TODO MEJORAR NUESTRA CALIDAD Y ENTRE ELLOS TAMBIEN LANZAR NUESTRA NUEVA PAGINA WEB: http://www.comunica.gov.bo DONDE ESTAREMOS CON TODA LA INFORMACION AL DIA. UN ABRAZO FRATERNO DESDE BOLIVIA ARTURO CRUZ DIRECTOR RADIO ILLIMANI" illimani @ comunica.gov.bo (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, April 26, WORLD OF RADIO 1313, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So the R. Illimani page is exactly: http://www.comunica.gov.bo/index.php?i=illimani including auto launch of a jingle ID; but the further link to Programación goes nowhere (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Radio Santa Cruz, 6134.8, otra emisora que se suele escuchar por aquí, si bién en avanzadas hora de la madrugada, pues hay que esperar a que cierre Radio República en 6135 a las 0000 y que Rádio Aparecida no interfiera mucho en la misma frecuencia. Tienen un programa de educación para adultos llamado "El maestro en casa" que se puede escuchar a las 0000 cuando las condiciones de propagación son buenas. El día 20-04 tenían clases de formación de oraciones sintáticas. Además, Radio Santa Cruz es la emisora que mejor confirma de Bolivia, por lo menos siempre que se envíe ayuda para el sello de retorno. Me puse en contacto con ellos, para informarlos de mi escucha del 20-04 y, rápida y amablemente me respondieron: "Estimado Manuel, Le agradezco la información. Me emociona saber que nuestro viejo transmisor de onda corta tiene tanto alcance. Con frecuencia recibimos información sobre recepción desde Brasil y Argentina. Radio Santa Cruz trabaja el programa de educación de adultos `El Maestro en Casa` para facilitar la educación primaria a personas que no tuvieron la oportunidad de estudiar en su niñez. Quince mil adultos siguen las clases por radio. Los sábados se reúnen con sus vecinos y se ayudan unos a otros a resolver las dificultades que hayan tenido durante la semana. Reciba mi más agradecido saludo. Javier Velasco, Radio Santa Cruz, irfacruz @ entelnet.bo " (Manuel Méndez Lugo, España, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BULGARIA [and non]. R. Bulgaria, on 11700 at 0052 check April 27 was buried by HCJB in Spanish; could // 9700. Whatever became of the coördination between these stations? Both are scheduled at 23-01 to Americas. At 0100, RB was in the clear giving its transmission schedule in French. The 2300 English broadcast must also be a victim. Also audible at the bottom of the band, R. Bulgaria on 11500 with news in Spanish at 0108, somewhat strange accent, weaker than 11700 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHILE [and non]. Increased DRM activity thanks to NAB Las Vegas NV, including CVC reactivated on 21495-21505, running 15 over S9 here at 2145 April 25. Not only that, but the only station audible on the entire 13m band, except for possibly a trace of NHK on 21670. Nothing audible either on the 14m hamband, tho obviously the 21 MHz area was wide-open between here and South America. Also heard DRM buzz April 25 at 2200 on 15365-15375, which would be HCJB Ecuador; and 15190-15200 which is Bonaire, and before 2200, 13735-13745 Sackville (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 25 April follow. Solar flux 95 and estimated mid-latitude A-Index 6. The mid-latitude K-index at 2100 UTC on 25 April was 1 (8 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours (SEC via DXLD) DRM test from Calera de Tango still inbooming as late as 0030 April 27 on 21495-21505, and like yesterday, no signs of any other signals on 13 and 14m. HCJB 15365-15375 too (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 9525 is no longer clear for Indonesia if they choose to stay on after 1400; April 26 at 1357 VOI closing plus NA was marred by Firedrake, which proved to be a warmup for CRI about to open in Russian, Mezhdunarodnoye Radio Kitaya, as in schedule under Far East: http://ru.chinabroadcast.cn/132/2005/12/23/1@98536.htm (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. CLANDESTINE, 7280, Sound of Hope, 1100-1105, April 19, Chinese, sign-on, announcement by male and female, short news, 34443 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Noticias DX via DXLD) 9635, Sound of Hope, 2205-2209, April 16, Chinese, announcement by female in Chinese, music, talk by female, 34433 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, ibid.) So not much interference in either case. Can you be sure you were hearing SOH and not the jammers? (gh, DXLD) CLANDESTINE, 7105, Minghui Radio (tentative), 2210-2216, April 16, Chinese, report by female, music, talk, 34433 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** CROATIA. Full data QSL received from HRT in less than a month for a reception from the Croatian shortwave transmitter site in Deanovec. The same contact ought to work for anyone looking for an HRT 1134 QSL. I included a prepared card (which was used), SASE and an IRC. Here's the address and contact: Dane Pavlic, Head of Station Hrvatska Radio Prisavlje 3 10000 Zagreb, CROATIA I have previously received a QSL for the MW station, but it took a number of years, with multiple follow-ups to get it. This ought to be an easier avenue (Jim Renfrew, Byron NY, April 25, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CUBA. Tuned in 17705 April 27 at 0027 to hear what indeed sounded like a few words of Arabic, with ``wa`` being a frequent syllable, rather than the scheduled Quechua, as Adán Mur has reported. Then into music and off at 0029:30; no ID or closing announcement heard. Must check it earlier to decide if it is really in Arabic, and if so why in the world would RHC replace Quechua with Arabic at this late hour? Posted schedule at http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/frecuencia/frecuencias-espanol.htm is still dated for B-05, showing this as Quechua; Arabic only at 2030 on 11800, and for the Caribbean! O, if they are broadcasting to Arabs in Caribbean instead of AfroAsia, then it`s not so late (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The 19m mixing product on 15010 between RHC 15230 and CRI via Cuba 15120 was coming in well April 27 at 0031, both in Spanish with the audio of RHC above that of CRI. But that`s not all. On 15120, the CRI fundamental, audio of both could also be heard, with CRI atop, plus a squeal on this frequency. 15230 also had audio mix, but with RHC atop. And the expected matching spur, a further 110 kHz in the other direxion, 15340, was also clearly audible for the first time here, mainly with RHC audio. More anomalous Cuban reception: at 0049 April 27 I found RHC in Spanish on 12280, weak, but // 6140 of which this is the second harmonic; also // 11760 among others. A bubble jammer is still running, seemingly against nothing, on 11990, April 27 at 0105. With nothing to beat against, it sounds more like pulsing, but with BFO on gains that bubbling sound. Cuba is also still jamming Voice of America, not just R. Martí --- see USA. At 0105, RHC in English on 9820 reading a press report we have seen several other places, about Cuba`s latest accusations of US aggression by daring to broadcast to Cuba on so many frequencies for so many hours. Well, RHC`s broadcasts to the US are just as hostile, and they get thru unimpeded and without objection from this free society. Recheck at 0142, RHC was missing from 9820, letting thru something weak in South Asian language, scheduled FEBA Marathi via Austria, but a few seconds later, RHC popped back on blocking it completely. Meanwhile checked 6000 for // and found RHC English there was running slightly behind 9820, due to different feed routing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Doug Weber appeared again on DX Partyline April 22. DRM tests to USA this coming week, for the NAB 2006 convention. HCJB will have several engineers there; hope to show off DRM reception there. Schedule: 16-03 UT daily on 15370 [means 15365-15375], 4 kW on steerable antenna, 320 degrees. Old Siemens transmitter which is DRM- capable, but on biggest antenna. Had already been on, reports indicating best signals after 20, getting stronger, pretty good after 00, close to propagation predixions. Monitoring in Quito, impressed by audio quality. Different method of audio feed to transmitter. Had been via microwave system from Quito, like other programs. This time, programs recorded on CDs and played from DRM content server, directly off the computer, stereo files transmitted in parametric stereo, not true stereo, but gives perception of stereo. Next week will have other engineers on show and more talk about DRM (DX Partyline April 22, notes by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing about the program content or even language; who cares about that? Except Allen mentioned that DXPL was among the shows transmitted, but when??? And ``a final decision on the long-term future of DXPL has not been made`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re Question by Raúl Saavedra of Costa Rica: a Google search found the May 2003 issue of NZ DX TIMES MAGAZINE: ``...been many links between New Zealand and HCJB over the years, with volunteer staff including former League members BRENT ALLRED...`` http://www.aoruk.com/feature/DXTMAY03HI.pdf (via Henrik Klemetz, DXLD) ** ECUADOR [and non]. RADIO STATION HCJB TO END ENGLISH BROADCASTS FROM ECUADOR IN MAY --- For Immediate Release April 26, 2006 Radio Station HCJB, the Voice of the Andes, will air its final English-language broadcasts on international shortwave radio from Ecuador on Saturday, May 6, even as the station's English Language Service shifts its emphasis toward teaching English as a second language. English was one of the first two languages, along with Spanish, to air when the station began broadcasting in Quito on Christmas Day, 1931. Station Director Doug Weber calls the move a refocusing or "taking some of the resources that we've been using on the broadcasts and focusing that into English-as-a-second-language (ESL) things- programming that will go out on our other (mostly Spanish) outlets." This follows a May 2003 refocusing of the station's outreach from Ecuador that saw English broadcasts and production drastically reduced. "Since then we've only been doing English-language transmissions for 2½ hours a day," Weber said. "We haven't received a lot of response from those transmissions, but we have received a lot of response from some of our ESL programs." Weber also cited the transfer of English Language Service Director Jeff Ingram to HCJB World Radio's newest regional office in Singapore where he will assume media management responsibilities. He was the last full-time English-language radio producer, with newer staff concentrating their efforts on ESL follow-up. "We've had a very loyal audience and we're grateful to them," Weber said of the nearly 75 years of relationship via the radio. "And we're grateful to the Lord as well for the opportunity to be able to minister to so many people through our English-language broadcasts for so many years." As to possible future changes, Weber said while specific plans aren't in place, "We are in a process of evaluating all of our ministries in all of our languages to try to determine what are the most effective things that we're doing and try and put our emphasis on the things that we're doing well." SIDEBAR: CLUBS GROW OUT OF ENGLISH-LEARNING RADIO BROADCASTS Sometimes slow is better. When hearing a new language being spoken, for example, individual words begin appearing if the speaker would just slow down! That's the beauty of the "Spotlight" program, an English-language learning program with a speaking rate of 90 words per minute-well below the average rate of 125-150 words a minute. The program is produced by FEBA Radio and Words of Hope. For details visit http://www.radio.english.net When the program began airing on Radio Station HCJB in Ecuador, it soon became popular. English is the language of international business, and many Ecuadorians wanted to learn the language for career advancement. Many wrote to the station asking for program texts so that they could read along as they listened. Listeners were then given a monthly opportunity to practice speaking English at the Spotlight Listener's Club in Ecuador's capital city of Quito. "Our first club had 27 Ecuadorians there," said Janine Rembas, a volunteer in that early endeavor. The "club" designation is appealing, but the group lacks many normal club attributes: a formal membership, fees, a club charter and attendance requirements. What the club doesn't lack is enthusiasm. Each Wednesday at an English-language church, more than 170 people gather to hear "Spotlight," then divide into small conversation groups headed by native English speakers who guide the conversation and aid people in expressing themselves in English. The pacing of discussion and depth of conversation hinges on people's abilities in English. Some language learners repeat English words printed on flash cards. More advanced speakers talk about their families, their country-even culture, current events and ethical matters. "And while we're at it we discuss Christian values," Rembas added. "From the club, we invite them to our local English-speaking church." "Ivan" not only attends the listener's club but has begun attending meetings of Bible Study Fellowship on Mondays. He said of the listener's club, "It's very nice for me to share with new friends and to learn about Jesus and about helping other people." Dozens of other Ecuadorians attend the evangelical church pastored by Len Kinzel, a former program producer on Radio Station HCJB whose habit of scripting his material carries over into his Sunday homilies. Sermon scripts are available to Ecuadorians who attend worship services, with a Sunday school in specialized English offered as well. Thrilled with his congregation's new mix of expatriates and Ecuadorians, Kinzel recalls a conversation revealing the spiritual interest of a Spotlight listener. "She said 'I don't only want to learn English; I want to learn Bible English.'" And while two upscale English-language institutes have cropped up nearby (one launching classes with big band music by a live band), his church is still the hotspot of English-learning every Wednesday. "I think it's because we're cheap" the self-effacing Rembas explains. There's no charge for the program, and she only recently began soliciting donations for the refreshments afterwards . . . . asking 50 cents of those who stay to eat and socialize-in English of course! The club has no paid staff, but depends on the efforts of Rembas and co-workers Jeff Ingram and Harriett Knox. The other native English speakers are volunteers: missionaries, students, teachers and several Ecuadorians whose proficiency in English is excellent. Even children have been involved along with the wife of a U.S. diplomat who helped Rembas dream up creative ideas to foster easier learning. As the club continues to morph into spin-off ministries, interest grows with more than 2,200 people now receiving scripts via e-mail. Building on that growth, Rembas and her team in the English Language Service now offer online downloads of how-to tips for others intent on establishing similar ESL clubs. People from as far away as Canada and the Dominican Republic have asked about the club's model, and Rembas offered it as a Christian outreach tool to religious broadcasters gathered in Bolivia. "I think the reason it took off is because it had a champion," said missionary Curt Cole who oversees international ministries at HCJB World Radio. He was referring to Rembas. "Janine said, 'I like this and want to do it.' And then I think God took it from there and multiplied it." At a small meeting of Spotlight listeners a few years ago, that "champion" was on the ropes in her missions career. A struggler in learning Spanish, she even questioned her calling as a missionary. The listener's club became for Rembas a reason to stay and minister in Ecuador. "Immediately after that first club meeting, I realized I had found my ministry niche. I could speak in English and meet a real need," Rembas recalled. "Since then, this little ministry turned into my full-time job here." Ingram added, "It's a testament about God's willingness to use us." - 30 - For more information contact: Jon Hirst, Communications Director, HCJB World Radio, 1065 Garden of the Gods Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80907; (719) 590-9800; fax: (719) 590-9801 jhirst @ hcjb.org (via Harold Goerzen, HCJB, DXLD) ** EGYPT. Cairo general service had the usual strong signal on 12050, April 27 at 0050, but Arabic talk was cutting on only at intermittent modulation peaks, and when it did cut on it was very distorted. 11950, to North America, had already concluded English by the time I tuned in at 0050 to compare it to 12050, and 11950 had no such problem with music. A bit later, 12050 had non // music and the breakup and distortion was just as bad as before. Also checked 7270 at 0208 for the other English broadcast; modulation not too bad but still lo fi, and since they insist on broadcasting to us on our 40m hamband, squeezed by SSB on both sides (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. R. Africa 2, 15190, 0945-1015+ April 21 [Fri], presumed; tune-in to US-produced evangelical programming. Poor in noise (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. Laser Hot Hits, pirate, 6275, 0120-0135+ April 22, pop music, ID. Gave E-mail and postal addresses. Poor, weak in noisy conditions (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. YLE Radio Finland again heard with 3-minute English news, April 26 at 1255 on 15400, 13715. I haven`t checked every day, but the last time I heard this, March 29, was also a Wednesday (Joe Hanlon, NJ, WORLD OF RADIO 1313, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. Open-carrier-itis affected YLE Radio Finland, 15400, April 27; I was listening to the incomprehensible Finnish talk at 1329, when it was suddenly cut off at 1330 for two minutes of dead air; 1332 some classical music came on; see also SWEDEN (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Only frequency audible here for RFI in English at 1600 is 17605 (Joe Hanlon, NJ, April 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. DW`s English at 1600 to S Asia on 17595 collides with REE Spain (Joe Hanlon, NJ, April 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [and non]. AFN Europe relaunched the former Z-FM programming. It now contains a Jack FM format, using the name ´´The Eagle´´ and the claim ´´music worth fighting for´´. Local shows from AFN outlets adopted the new format and name. http://www.afneurope.net/Article.asp?PT=Feature+Story&id=205430 What they did not change is the hideous audio quality on most if not all of their FM outlets, apparently caused by multiple MPEG encoding with insufficient bitrates. Some time ago I commented on VOA via Berlin 87.9 having obvious artifacts, but this relay still sounded good compared to AFN's unbelievable crap (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Includes chintzy video promo taking off from Lunar landing (gh, DXLD) ** GREECE [and non]. There has been nothing on Delano this morning on 9775. Propagation? Canada on 9515 started at 1200 UT with 55555, 1300 at 35333, 1354 at 25242 (screeching). (John Babbis, Silver Spring MD, April 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing here either on 9775 between 1345 and 1430. Must be off the air. But there is a silver lining. I got to hear some more Firedrake on 9780! (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) Delano on 17705 is also dead at 1655 UT (John Babbis, ibid.) Hi Glenn, yes it has been a long time. Yep, I am still in Delano. As far as the Greek programs, they are GONE. Both Rhodes and Kavala closed yesterday. Been up too many hours the last few days. My sister was living here, and she passed away this morning. Talk with you later, (John Vodenik, April 26, WORLD OF RADIO 1313, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What a terrible catastrophe to not only lose the use of the Kavala and Rhodes transmitters, but the air time on Delano and Greenville as well, and so suddenly. The idiots in Washington have abandoned their friendship with the Europeans and thrown everything into trying to solve the Iraq problem (John Babbis, Silver Spring, MD, DX LISTENING DIGEST) We may no longer have Kavala, Delano or Greenville for VOG transmissions, but 9420, presumably Avlis, still coming in well, April 27 at 0110 with music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At 1319, Avlis 2 on 15630 is being heard here at SINPO 35333, very noisy and fading in and out, using the 285 degree antenna. Perhaps the 323 degree antenna would improve the signal this way (John Babbis, Silver Spring, MD, ibid.) This can't be the case as far as shortwave is concerned, unless Avlis has at least four operational transmitters now. Right now there is one Voice of Greece program on 9420 and 9375 (until 1800 on 12105 instead, apparently from the very same transmitter since 12105 was already off when 9375 came on without prior warm-up, first cutting on and off, only slowly coming up to full power), another Voice of Greece program in foreign languages on 7430 and Radiofonikos Stathmos Makedonias on 7450. Audio processing of both 7430 and 9375/12105 suggests that they are indeed still from Kavála (Kai Ludwig, 1809 UT April 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: Very interesting! Methinks Voice of Greece sent engineers to Kavala to put VOA 1 on the air on 12105 until 1800 when they switched to 9375 as previously scheduled. And, they probably put VOA 2 on the air with 7430 for the regular foreign language programs. But, what happened to Avlis 2 on 15630, later on 7475? This is the way the A-06 Transmission Schedule was set up: UTC Avlis 1 Avlis 2 Avlis 3 VOA 1 VOA 2 1700-1800 @7450 15630 9420 12105 #7430 1800-1900 @7450 *15630 9420 9375 #7430 1900-2000 @7450 7475 9420 9375 7430 2000-2100 @7450 7475 9420 9375 15650 *Transmission ends 10 minutes earlier. @Radiophonikis Stathmos Makedonias. #ERA Interprogram Orientations. As for the Delano and Greenville relays, I believe that VOA had built a satellite station on the Kavala grounds, and probably Voice of Greece's engineers don't know how to run it. Perhaps Voice of Greece may take over the operation of some of the Kavala Transmitters. It's a ready-made opportunity. All VOG has to do is send the manpower to operate the facility. It looks as though the Americans have just walked away from the Kavala facility (John Babbis, MD, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I had not enough free time to check the latest Kavalla schedule, but noted ERT / VoA / Farda outlets today (Apr 27) on 6040 1600-1930 VOA Farsi 7105 1700-1900 Farda Farsi 7430 1400-2000 ERT ERA, for example French 9375 1800-2100 ERT ERA Greek 9650 1900-2000 RL Tataric-Bashkir 11905 1800-1930 VOA Amharic/Tigre. 12105 1100-1800 ERT ERA Greek 15650 1100-1400 ERT ERA in Greek, Ar, and German at 1330 UT, strange azimuth bearing towards Syria, Iran, Karachi, Indian Ocean. Just opposite of Germany. There is lack of 355 degrees antenna at Kavalla to central Europe. But 9825 1300-1400 VOA in Kurdish couldn't be traced here. Regular via Kavalla 250 kW at 104 deg. Here is the latest Kavalla schedule: 0330-0400 792 VoA Turkish 0430-0500 792 VoA Croat 0900-1700 792 ERT ERA 1730-1800 792 ERT ERA 1800-1900 792 VoA Turkish 1930-2000 792 VoA Serbian 2000-2130 792 ERT ERA 2130-2200 792 VoA Bosnian 2200-2300 792 ERT ERA 1600-1900 6040 VoA Farsi 1630-1930 6040 VoA Farsi 1700-1900 7105 Farda Farsi 1400-2000 7430 ERT ERA 1800-2100 9375 ERT ERA 2100-2300 9375 ERT ERA 2300-2400 9375 ERT ERA 0400-0800 9510 Farda Farsi 1900-2000 9650 RFE Tataric-Bashkirian 0200-0400 9775 Farda Farsi 1300-1400 9825 VoA Kurdish 0700-0900 11645 ERT ERA 1730-1800 11905 VoA Oromo 1800-1900 11905 VoA Amharic 1900-1930 11905 VoA Tigre 1100-1800 12105 ERT ERA 0400-0600 15225 Farda Farsi 0800-1000 15290 Farda Farsi 0000-0600 15650 ERT ERA 1100-1400 15650 ERT ERA 2000-2400 15650 ERT ERA 0200-0700 17520 ERT ERA 0600-0800 17845 Farda Farsi 0600-0900 21530 ERT ERA Also sent an e-mail to Costa and Zachias at Cyprus and Thessaloniki to check the latest turn of events on IBB-ERT relations on this Greek corner. (log all of April 27, 73 wb) (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I`ve asked John Vodenik to check into this further. Could be that some of the Kavala transmissions will immediately be moved to other sites without notice, same time, same frequency (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DAN FERGUSON, can you clarify the situation at Kavala and Rhodes?? (gh, dxldyg via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. See SLOVENIA [non] ** INDIA. AIR, 10330, had a good signal with no ute QRM for a change, April 27 at 0109 with south Asian music, flutter (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 9680, RRI Jakarta, Apr 26, at 1017 caught the end of the KGRE program, Dionne Warwick singing ``That`s What Friends Are For``, Australian accented announcer with Bali mailing address, ``Please write to us``, song ``Waltzing Matilda``, Indonesian KGRE ID at 1021. Poor (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, RX340, with T2FD antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wednesday ** INDONESIA [and non]. April 27 at 1333 I noticed a het on 15150 marring talk in Arabic. The latter must have been Iran as scheduled, and since there was a het, I figured on this date VOI must have been here instead of on 9525, and sure enough, nothing on 9525 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also NETHERLANDS ** IRAN. V. of Justice, 9495, April 27 at 0150 referring to Condolezza (oops, Condoleeza)`s ``ridiculous statements``, 0155 into phone interview with an American-accented woman critical of US policy in Iraq, etc. The Islamic Republic of Iran makes good use of domestic opponents to Bush, who might want to reconsider taking their case beyond the borders; but does the opposition inside Iran ever get to be heard? The questioner was almost inaudible, mumble mumble, while the phone audio was clear, so I never did get the name of the interviewee. An additional problem on the FRG-7 was overload from strong US signals just above it. Harold Camping kept interrupting, his audio coming up during Iran`s flutter-fades; this was bleeding over from 9505, and WHRI on 9515 may have been involved too. I could not get rid of it by attenuation or detuning preselector, but could do so on the other receiver, YB-400, with a much shorter inside wire antenna. 0202 into another show, ``The US and the Mass Media``. Seems Tehran is obsessed with US, spelt U-S and what affect it may have on their nuclear (unclear?) ambitions (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, In their Spanish language service you will often hear long phone-calls to Latin Americans, siding with the Iranians, often Venezuelan Chavistas. The interviews will then be published on their web site. So this "American-accented woman" might have been talking from anywhere outside of Iran, not necessarily from within (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) By ``domestic`` I meant from within the US, whence I assumed she spoke. Just making the point that VIRI is not about to broadcast views of opponents of their current regime from within Iran (or anywhere else). (Glenn, ibid.) OK, point taken. I have not been listening to other services than the one in Spanish, where they are using about half of their airtime hammering away at "the U-S" and "the Zionists". I suppose they are running the other language services much in the same fashion (Henrik Klemetz, ibid.) [Later:] In a newscast on Apr 27 the state-run Swedish TV showed a feature sent in from Tehran by one of their roving Middle Eastern reporters. There were pictures of Iranian women walking on the streets, wearing black robes and veils. When an unveiled Iranian woman approached the reporter to complain about the way women have to dress there was a IRIB disclaimer on the screen suggesting a faulty link. On the phone, the reporter later explained that the problem was with the censor who was sitting beside him in the studio. When hearing the unveiled woman complain he just hit the button to cut the feed (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, ibid.) ** ITALY. Rai, 11800, 0054 April 27 with chirping IS, 0055 opening English, strong but with continuous squeal, customary for all North American frequencies --- maybe all the same transmitter? Lead news item about Chernobyl. Both M&W participated; 0107 music, which contrary to another reporter, did not seem outstanding to me. 0115 closing English and into French (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. Beacon QRSS IW0HK --- Ciao a tutti, vi segnalo che a partire da stamattina il mio beacon QRSS rimarra' attivo per tutto il weekend. Il beacon trasmette sui 10140 Khz, con una potenza di 20 milliwatt con la mia solita antenna verticale 7 metri "canna da pesca". Questa e' la forma d'onda del beacon: http://www.mediasuk.org/iw0hk/qrss/new_wave.jpg Per riceverlo bisogna utilizzare il software Argo, sintonizzare il proprio ricevitore sui 10139 Khz Usb e con Argo, settato in modalita' QRSS3 (3s Dots), visualizzare la gamma tra 1000 e 1090 Hz. Prima di fare le prove vi consiglio di allineare il proprio ricevitore con una stazione di tempo e frequenze seguendo i consigli che si possono trovare qui: http://spazioinwind.libero.it/ik1zyw/nbw/howto_it.txt Sono graditi rapporti di ascolto :-) p.s. qui foto e report del beacon: http://www.mediasuk.org/iw0hk/qrss/beacon_i.htm -- (Andrea Borgnino IW0HK, http://www.mediasuk.org/iw0hk http://www.mediasuk.org/archive http://www.biciurbana.org April 21, bclnews.it via DXLD) Was on for the weekend at least; Here`s the English version: http://www.mediasuk.org/iw0hk/qrss/beacon.htm (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. KOREA, Republic of: 9580 kHz, KBS World Radio, P. O. Box 150-790 Seoul, Republic of Korea. QSL Card full data (not signed) with a beautiful picture of Geumgang Mount (in North Korea), schedule, sticker and others station´s material. Delay: 34 days (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, HCDX via DXLD) Geez, aren`t there enough mountains in S Korea they could show? Perhaps a hint toward reunification (gh, DXLD) ** LIBYA [non]. V. of Africa, via France, 17610, April 27 at 1338; some schedules show Arabic, but sounded like Swahili to me, Sauti ya Afrika ID, then talk about the Congo; 1341 music. Also at 1401 on 17850, opening English with 14-16 schedule on 21695, 17850. Before 1400, 17850 was RFI in French, not // 15515 via Guiana French, and I bet there was no transmission break between them (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [and non]. Saludos cordiales, ya de regreso en Burjasot adjunto mis primeras escuchas. 26 Abril --- Tras varios días sin poder chequear a Sawt Alamel, hoy se aprecia a las 1200 UT que empieza su emisión por la frecuencia de 17680; en 17660 cómo siempre la emisión musical de La Voz de África. A las 1300 Sawt Alamel cambia a la frecuencia de 17685. Pocos minutos pues se inicia emisión música afro-pop; a las 1312 Sawt Alamel no se escucha (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, SANGEAN ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Sawt al-Amel situation as monitored here April 27 at 1321: 17670 had African music, there was something unidentifiable on 17675 aside CVC; 17660 with Arabic music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 26 April follow. Solar flux 100 and mid- latitude A-index 4. The mid-latitude K-index at 1500 UTC on 27 April was 2 (12 nT). Space weather for the past 24 hours has been minor. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level occurred. Space weather for the next 24 hours is expected to be minor. Radio blackouts reaching the R1 level are expected (SEC via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. 7295, Traxx FM (RTM), Apr 25, 1400-1425, ``Good evening. Here is the news update at 10 o`clock``, followed by sports announcer Jesse Van Driessen, ``Welcome, Traxx fans``, details of the Ladies Amateur Open Golf Championship at the Sutera Harbor Golf and County Club in Sabah from May 9 to 11, Grand Prix news, football (a.k.a. soccer), mentions the death of Brian LaBone, tennis, etc., 1415 into Jazz Selecta program. New time slot for this program, formerly started about 1310. Fair reception and enjoyable listening (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, RX340, with T2FD antenna, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. Voice of Malaysia (tentative) heard here in Hawaii for the first time in our two years here, from 06 till approaching 07 on 15295. Typical sounding VOM talk and music --- but not quite a "for sure" ID. This is very strong in Hong Kong, but with the beam azimuth to Aus & NZ, has little chance of reaching Hawaii. Nothing on 9750 (except noise). Signal on 15295 degraded as 07 approached (more darkness in the path?) (David Norcross, Kahalu'u Hawaii USA, Sony 2010 and SW100 w/ lanai "random" and attic Grove offset T [what do they call this thing? Skywire?], dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Re 6-066: UNID, 1700, Presumed XEPE. Bueno amigos, después de varios informes de colegas, creo que estoy mas confundido; unos dicen que sólo transmite en inglés. El segmento que escuché fue a las 0515 UT, programa llamado "LA HORA NACIONAL". Locutora hablaba de la ciudad de Puebla, y referencias a su designación como patrimonio cultural de la humanidad por la UNESCO. Música mexicana, rancheras pero del tipo fronterizo; entrevista a sub-secretaria de institución juvenil sobre la adicción a las drogas en la juventud, dan teléfonos (pertenecen a códigos mexicanos). Música ranchera. Identificación casi inaudible, por eso presumí que era XEPE de Tecate. ¿Qué otra emisora mexicana hay en Castellano en esa frecuencia? (CESAR PEREZ DIOSES, CHIMBOTE – PERU, DX LISTENING DIGEST) César, Hubo planes para otra mexicana en 1700, en el centro del país, creo, pero hasta ahora no hay noticias de ella. La Hora Nacional es un programa semanal que casi todas las emisoras mexicanas tienen que transmitir, aun las que el resto de la semana utilizan el inglés. Pero debe salir en vivo a las 03 TU del lunes. Talvez demorado dos horas para la zona del Pacífico! Y así bien puede ser XEPE, si captada en ese día, que todavía no citas. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Hola Estimado Amigo y Colega César, mi personal opinión es que es efectivamente la emisora de Tecate, la que tu sintonizaste, con una programación de un circuito Nacional que la emisora repite en parte de su programación diaria. 1700, BAJA CALIFORNIA, XEPE "La Romántica 1700 AM" Tecate. ( ) Address: Benito Juárez No. 500-2B, Plaza Kuchuma, Tecate. Suerte por escribirles (Dario Monferini, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. 'RADIO NETHERLANDS INDONESIA' SURVIVES DOWNTURN Radio Netherlands has set up a representative office in North Jakarta, Indonesia, and sent a staff member, Han Harlan, to maintain and expand our partnerships in the country. Our Indonesian service currently has about 50 radio partners which have a combined listenership of six million across the archipelago. Read the feature in the Jakarta Post http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20060421.T02 NB: Please note that we are not a "semi-governmental radio network" as stated in the article. # posted by Andy @ 14:47 UT April 27 (Media Network blog via DXLD) Nor does RN broadcast in French. And from this, you would never know they have SW broadcasts in Indonesian (gh, DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. As per http://www.rnzi.com/pages/listen.php the 06 May~02 Sep'06 schedule reads as follows: UTC kHz º Target 0706-1059 7145 0º All Pacific 1100-1259 9870 325º NW Pacific, Bougainville, PNG, Asia 1300-1650 7145 0º All Pacific 1651-1850 7145 35º Cook Is., Fiji, Niue, Samoa 1851-1950 9630 0º All Pacific 1951-0705 15720 0º ditto ..... so just one (analogue) transmitter, and the webpage says nothing about the other (new) transmitter intended for DRM. While that, the already reported 26 Mar~07 May '06 schedule remains unchanged. 15720 kHz observed 1947-..., 26 Apr, English, songs, frequency announcement, IS (for change from // 9630 to 11725 kHz), Pacific music, world & Pacific news bulletins; 35433, and holding until, say, half an hour or so (I couldn't stay by the set checking this), but though still audible at 2250, the signal was already useless at 2200. At the same time today, 27/4, the signal was almost inaudible. 11725 kHz monitored 2032-2115* (abrupt sign-off), 27 Apr, English, Dateline Pacific, News About NZ, Pacific music, Pacific Business Report, news (by which time the signal was extremely bad) and.. an abrupt sign-off at 2115; 23432, adjacent QRM (Carlos Gonçalves - Portugal, April 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Laurel: to Brad Edwards, consumer reporter for KFOR-TV in OKC, inducted into the Oklahoma Broadcasting Hall of Fame. What took them so long? He`s one of the few remaining pros (Frosty Troy, Observerscope, Oklahoma Observer April 25 via DXLD) Brad and I worked together at AFTN Thailand, 1970. Congrats! Here`s his page at KFOR, but nothing about this honor mentioned: http://www.kfor.com/Global/story.asp?S=200403&nav=menu99_10_1 So over to Google to find these: http://www.oabok.org/Awards/HOF-Edwards.htm http://209.41.184.21/partners/356/public/news699685.html (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. DETALLES TÉCNICOS WANTOK RADIO LIGHT PAPUA NUEVA GUINEA, en la carta que recibí ayer de Wantok Radio Light, junto a la tarjeta QSL, viene también una carta de agradecimiento en inglés, firmada por la encargada de la emisora Sarah God [er, Good --- gh], en la que además da detalles de la emisora: "Nuestra emisora está localizada en un contenedor "shipping container" en las afueras de Porto Moresby, Papua Nueva Guinea. Nuestro transmisor es un Crown TB 100 con 1 kW de potencia. La antena de la emisora está sostenida por postes de madera y consiste en dos dipolos. Esta es alimentada con cable coaxial. Está dirigida de forma que irradie hacia el noroeste y el centro de Papua Nueva Guinea. De esta forma logramos poner una buena señal en el centro de PNG en horas del día. Wantok Radio Light es una emisora cristiana que sirve a todo el país con música cristiana y enseñanza. Actualmente, a mayores del transmisor de onda corta, tenemos una emisora de FM en la capital Port Moresby y 8 repetidores localizados en las 8 mayores ciudades de Papua Nueva Guinea. Pidgen es una de las muchas lenguas de PNG. "Wantok" signficia en Pidgen "friend", "amigo". [I thought it derived from ``One talk`` -gh] Mi marido y yo somos misioneros pertenicientes a HCJB World Radio Missionary Fellowship, con sede en Colorado Springs, Colorado. Nos hemos establecido aquí en Port Moreby enseñando a nativos para operar y mantener la emisora por ellos mismos." (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, April 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Boilerplate as translated by MM (gh) [non]. Re 6-066, unID on 7120: I guess to hear CNR8 China Nacional Radio in Korean language, scheduled 1000-1057 UT via Beijing site, 100 kW at 63 degrees azimuth. See http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/~ndxc/ and click CNR A06 schedule CNR8 Korean 0200-0300 9610, 6020, 1143 1000- 1100 9610, 7120, 1143, 1017 (1206) 2100-2200 5420, 4190 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, HCDX via DXLD) I had not listened to it before; certainly doesn`t sound religious to me; pop music, and talk before that seems like Korean cadence, tho not positive (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Re 6-064, has Catholic Radio Network, 4960, been off until reported recently? The last logs in DSWCI were a year ago; The NASWA Logging Database shows: 4960 1510 PNG Catholic B/Cing Network Berg-HI Jul 23, 2004 4960 1200 PNG Catholic R. Network Figliozzi-NY Dec 1, 2004 4960 1304 PNG Catholic Radio Net Brown-MO Oct 8, 2005 4960 1256 PNG Catholic Radio Network D'Angelo/FCDX-PA Feb 1, 2005 And here are the details of the latest log last October: Log for Catholic Radio Net, 4960 kHz Frequency 4960 Time 1304 Country PNG Station Catholic Radio Net Details (presumed) 1252-1304 chorus mx, instls, W in Pidgin, no IDs; 10/8. Contributor Brown-MO Date 2005-10-08 (via gh, DXLD) ** PERU. R. Melodía, Arequipa, 5939.3, 0705-0730+ April 23, variety of OA folk music, Spanish pops, ballads. Short canned ``Melodía`` between songs. Weak with some adjacent channel splatter. La Voz del Campesino? 6895.42, 0125-0220+ April 21, Spanish announcements but mostly continuous Spanish ballads, OA folk music. TENTATIVE. Poor in T-storm static (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Radio Carráviz: Mi amigazo peruano Alfredo Cañote me informa acerca de esta nueva emisora peruana de onda media, cuyos datos generales también me los envía generosamente para compartir con todos ustedes. Se trata de: RADIO CARRAVIZ, 2 de mayo 149, Juliaca, Puno. GTE : IVAN TITO V IZCARRA. FREC: 1560 KHZ carraviz@... carraviz@... [truncated] (Arnaldo Slaen, Galvan 2735, 1.431 BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA, April 24, condig list via DXLD) Radio Carráviz --- Here is more on the background to this news item. The station was logged on March 25 at 0348-0410 by Jari Ruohomäki in Finland. He heard an ID for "Radio Carabis", but could not establish the location, although Peru did seem probable. He then asked me for help. I suggested "Radio Carrabis". I was unable to pinpoint the location, so I asked Alfredo Cañote for help by sending him Jari´s audio file (I also sent a copy to Rafael Rodríguez). Both coincided on Peru, and Alfredo identified an ad for a school with a phone number in the Juliaca/Puno area of Peru. WRTH lists a Juliaca station on 1570, which is 9.9 kHz higher than the actual freq /1560.1/, but the name of the station turned out to be Carráviz, which is as much gibberish as Carrabis. The spelling was confirmed on the phone which Alfredo was fortunate to hear on the air one night. He rang the station and was interviewed on the air about the strange logging of the station in faraway Finland. Informed about the identity of the station I sent a mail to ask Sr. Vizcarra if the station name was an acrostic (VIZ and CARRA although reverted). He did not comment on the question but said the station has raised power from 0.4 to 1.5 kW and that he would go to Lima shortly to arrange the needed permits for operation. There he would meet Alfredo - meeting is scheduled for today, April 26. Meanwhile, Jari Ruohomäki has NOT received any reply to his report (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, April 26, dxing.info via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. Full data QSL card received from Radio Renascença, 594 kHz, Muge in 6 weeks for 1 IRC. The signer's name is illegible, but the title is "Director". My second QSL from Portugal. I sent a letter in English, as well as a computer-translated version in Portuguese (yes these are almost laughable!). The QSL card looks as yellowed as some of my shortwave QSL cards from the 1960's, so an incorrect address there. But the return address on the envelope is as in the 2006 WRTH: Grupo Renascença, Rua Ivens 14, 1249-108 Lisboa. This is MW/LW TA QSL #50 (Jim Renfrew, Byron NY, April 25, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. According to info just received, DW is already using the 4 MHz curtain array I could see again both last Fri. 21st & Sun. 23rd - -- but they're awaiting Summer time to paint it in the usual red/white colours, just like the more visible rotatable (3) curtain arrays. It seems the still existing vertical log.-periodic arrays are standing idle. DW sched. on 3995 kHz DRM is 2200-0300 at 40º 73. (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, April 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. RRI April 25 at 2150 ID in English on 11940; fairly good signal, but undermodulated and somewhat distorted (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. VOR is putting a pretty good signal in here until 2100* on 12070, 9890 (Joe Hanlon, NJ, April 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also at 1418 April 26 on 12055, commentary on US policy in Mideast (gh, DXLD) ** SCOTLAND [non]. NEW DX PROGRAMME FROM SCOTLAND News from radio six international, PO Box 600, Glasgow, G41 5SH, Scotland letters @ radiosix.com Radio Six International is launching a new DX programme on May 13th. The station is now receiving many letters and reception reports every week from listeners to our shortwave and medium wave transmissions, and yesterday our internet service notched up its 122nd country with new listeners in Trinidad and Tobago. Currently, letters from shortwave fans are read out in our weekly music programme ``Saturday Sounds`` but we believe there is a demand for a special programme devoted not just to listener’s letters but also to news and views from the radio hobbyists` world. DXTRA will be broadcast several times each month on a variety of frequencies, and we hope that in advance of its launch, listeners will pick up a pen or keyboard and let us know what their views are on the current state of affairs on the HF and MF bands. Listeners can contact the programme by emailing letters @ radiosix.com or writing to DXtra, Radio Six International, PO Box 600, Glasgow, G41 5SH, Scotland. The programme airs as follows: Saturday, May 13 0920 UT on 13840 for Europe, North Africa and the Middle East; and on our web feed http://www.radiosix.com Sunday, May 14 0750 UT on 13840 for Europe, North Africa and the Middle East; and on our web feed http://www.radiosix.com Thursday, May 18 1950 UT on 5775 for Europe, North Africa and the Middle East; and on our web feed http://www.radiosix.com Sunday, May 21 0250 UT on 88.5 MHz for Tawa and the Porirua Basin, Wellington, New Zealand; and on our web feed http://www.radiosix.com (TONY CURRIE, Programme Director, radio six international, 26th April, 2006, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SW via BULGARIA, and also on Tawa webcast ** SLOVENIA [non]. Feature in English about the anti-smoking situation in Slovenia, which rather reminded me of Oklahoma, April 27 at 0112 on 9590. This was an Insight Central Europe segment from that country, but transmitted by Budapest; at 0119 on to smoking in Hungary (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Finally acknowledged on the WBCQ web site: Anomalies and Recent Observations Thursday, April 27, 2006 The Overcomer Ministry's short run overnight on 7415 has ended as of April 16 (via John Norfolk, April 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. Program in Spanish about Ecuador featuring Andean music at 0035 April 27 on 15160 I at first assumed was La Voz de los Andes, but looking it up in EiBi, it`s Spain to Central & South America. Good signal, but gone at 0052 recheck altho scheduled to remain on until 0500; fade out? Matches what happened to 15385: For a change, REE in English on 15385 was loud and clear with favorable propagation, 0036 April 27 music, 0037 into really funny feature ``Survival Spanish`` weaving ``handy wornout phrases`` into a story about an alien encounter, such as ``the other day I accidentally broke the TV antenna`` and ``apart from drinking red wine, I enjoy spitting against the wind and I like to play Basque handball``. 0042 a rather more serious show quoting Spanish columnists. At first during pauses I could detect the VOA/Chicom jamming Chinese underneath, but Spain steadily got weaker and that got stronger. By 0046 Spain was losing. At 0053 the signals were roughly equal and thus unusable. So this service remains ``on the edge`` when by moving to a clear frequency on a lower band it would be completely reliable. As we get closer to summer, propagation from Spain should hold up a little later on the average, but there will still be the collision with VOA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN [non]. April 27 at 1333 found open carrier/dead air on 15240 R. Sweden relay via Sackville. Left a receiver on it, and finally at 1336:30 the R. Sweden show in English started. It was the beginning of the half-hour show, not joined in progress! I assume they forgot to start the recording at Montreal or Sackville at 1330. It must have been cut off before it was finished --- I know how that feels --- since Swedish started promptly at 1400. See also FINLAND (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. VOT`s new 15450 was doing well here, Thursday April 27 from tune-in at 1310 with ``Live from Turkey``. Maybe they had a call from David Crystal earlier, but no calls were heard for the remainder of the show. Male co-host was talking about events in Nepal --- and yes, see THE TINY TRAP! Music fill, concluding with news headlines, and several iterations of the IS with variations. A bit fluttery but much better signal on 15450 to WEu, than on // 15535 to As, JBA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. Summary of the enclosed message: Radio Ukraine on 7490 covered by very strong noise [means in German white noise, as far as it concerns the acoustic appearance] since yesterday, reminds on the old Soviet jammers, so perhaps Russia is jamming them. Right now (after 2100) there is on 7490 an open carrier with faint noises (no continuous white noise), hard to say whether they are transmitted or other HF signals, perhaps just of local origin. From the original report it remains unclear to me if the white noise was HF interference at all. The present loss of modulation makes me even more wonder if they have trouble with the feed circuit. Perhaps a line amplifier went faulty, first producing white noise until breaking down entirely? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 27, DX LISTTENING DIGEST) Viz.: -----Original Message----- Date: Wed, 26 Apr 2006 22:37:52 +0200 Subject: [A-DX] Wer jammt Radio Ukraine International? From: "Dietrich Hommel" To: "ADX Liste" Hallo Liste! Seit gestern beobachte ich bei Radio Ukraine International ein sehr starkes Rauschen im Hintergrund. Die Verständlichkeit ist sehr stark eingeschränkt. Gestern habe ich nach 10 Minuten weggeschaltet. 1700 UT, 7490 kHz. Auch heute habe ich reingehört, um 2000 UT dasselbe Problem. Ich möchte hier keine Verschwörungstheorie aufstellen, aber irgendwie erinnert mich das Rauschen an die alten Jammer der Sowjets. Ob man sich in Rußland der alten sowjetischen Vergangenheit erinnert hat und nicht mehr nur kritische Stimmen im eigenen Land unterdrückt, sondern auch Auslandsdienste stört, die die russische Politik kritisch beleuchten, besonders solcher aus dem GUS-Raum. Dietrich (A-DX via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) ** U K. Re 6-066 BBC salaries --- Whilst not wishing to defend the huge amounts paid to Terry Wogan et al, I have to say that the press reporting of this issue deliberately misleads the public into believing that the BBC pays obscenely high salaries to its staff. It doesn't. I worked for the BBC between 1974 and 1978, and had to deal with the same sort of comments then. There are two separate issues here: the amounts paid to regular staff, which are indeed based on pay scales that are in the public domain, and the freelance contracts which are individually negotiated with those individuals lucky enough to be in a position to negotiate them. The "leaked" salary information that I've seen, and on which everyone seems to be commenting, relates to these freelance contracts. They are not "BBC staff" but individuals who sell their services to the highest bidder. Many of the people on the BBC's payroll, often doing stressful jobs, feel the same way as the majority of the press and public when they see what some of these freelancers are paid, and especially at a time when the BBC is making big cuts in its workforce (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, April 25, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1313, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Since these people are paid by the taxpayer/license fee-payer, they should all be paid the same as any other British civil servants, following the British equivalent of the US Civil Service "GS" pay schedule, and their pay *should* be a matter of public record (Will Martin, ibid.) ** U K. Re 6-066: Several programs on BBC Sirius are repeats; they insert the live news at top/botom of the hour and just re-rack Newshour or Outlook (Andy O`Brien, NY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Have to be more specific here to be correct. Yes, programs like "Outlook" or "Culture Shock" are canned and repeated several times a day or week. News (including newscasts, Newshour, World Today, World Briefing, etc.), however (at least according to the BBC itself) are always "live" from the studio (John Figliozzi, ibid.) ** U K. ``The BBC has signalled the end of traditional broadcasting`` ... http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9071-2151851,00.html (Kai Ludwig, Germany, April 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BBC ANNOUNCES BIG STRATEGIC CHANGES --- Apparently the new BBC would like to be more like MySpace.com than a broadcaster: http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2006/04/26/the-sun-never-sets-on-the-beeb/ (Harry Helms, W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19 http://futureofradio.typepad.com/ ABDX via DXLD) ** U K. Possible Industrial Action --- Reports are reaching me of possible ballots for strike action amongst BBC staff which could affect coverage of some of the main sporting events of our traditional British summer. The problem appears to be the Corporation's pension changes which have made Unions not so happy. Time alone will tell, and strike ballot papers may be going out to Union members in mid-May (Paul David, April 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. NEW WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY ACT --- The Government has just introduced the Wireless Telegraphy Bill into the House of Lords. The bill aims to consolidate enactments about wireless telegraphy in legislation such as the Wireless Telegraphy Acts of 1949, 1967, and 1998; the Marine & Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967; Telecommunications Act 1984; Broadcasting Act 1990; Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; Communications Act 2003 (and a handful of Statutory Instruments)into a single Act. It also incorporates the recent DTI consultation on fixed penalty notices The intent is to bring all previous acts into one new one, rather than to introduce any actual changes After much debate its was decided to keep with the old classic name! The bill can be seen online at:- http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200506/ldbills/095/2006095.htm (Thanks to Murray Niman G6JYB for this item) http://www.southgatearc.org/news/april2006/new_wt_act.htm (so the end of the Marine & Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967, but the provisions sadly live on) (Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Cuba is also still jamming Voice of America, not just R. Martí, because VOA has a program called ``Ventana a Cuba``, as noted April 27 at 0116 on 9885. Jamming was quite heavy there, but VOA was on top on // 11815. The jamming continued a bit past 0130 when VOA went into Buenas Noches América, but was in the clear when rechecked at 0140. Later I found the third frequency at 0148, 9560 and it was also in the clear. BTW, the three channels were not in synch. 9560 and 9885 were almost, but a reverb apart, and 11815 was slightly behind the others. But 9885 had another problem! Once there was no longer jamming, I found VOA interfering with itself on 9885. At 0143 the Spanish program was mixed with VOA News in English, at the moment about Darfur. I had a hard time deciding whether there were two transmitters or an audio mix on one transmitter; the audio seemed to fade independently. Looking it up later in EiBi, we see that VOA is deliberately colliding with itself during this hour, the English being via Morocco to South Asia, the Spanish Greenville to Central America! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also GREECE [and non] ** U S A. For its in-band 25m channel, WWRB started out on 11920, then shifted to 11915, and now measured to within 10 Hz of 11918.0! So it`s no accident. With Republic Broadcasting Network, April 25 at 2153 pushing gold coins. Does the FCC know about this? WWRB previously used 12172 instead of assigned 12170. Apparently to avoid Holy Qur`an Station, Sa`udi Arabia, weak Arabic signal audible on 11915. At 2159 RBN ID and cutaway briefly for Dave Frantz giving WWRB Manchester TN ID; then hour 2 of John Stadtmiller show with a substitute (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1313, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11920, WWRB Manchester TN; 1709, 26-Apr; Conspiracy stuff; sed you could listen to them anywhere from 11918 to 11920. Is this a commentary of WWRB's transmitter or conspiracy buff's receivers? SIO=353+ (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) So which frequency were they really on at that time? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. 15590, KTBN, Salt Lake City UT; 4/18, 0019, fundraising drive, ID ``Super Power KTBN Salt Lake City`` went on to say they need money as they been ordered by the FCC to end analog transmissions in 2009, and that they will also need new equipment when they go digital at that time, hmmm. Good signal 555 (Joe Miller, Troy MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) Despite the KTBN ID, I suspect this was the usual soundtrack from TBN network TV and they were talking about DTV, not digital SW. This is the ``Inside TBN`` semihour (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. GOD STRIKES DOWN, RESURRECTS WEWN Hello. Someone pointed out to me that WEWN is off the air. Do you know why ?? (GEORGE THURMAN, TX, 0319 UT April 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) News to me. They have been known to close down during severe storms (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) It turns out that the transmitter site was struck by lightning and has damaged it. They are repairing it now, and hope to return to the air soon (GEORGE THURMAN, 1640 UT April 27, ibid.) Struck down by God! For pretending to represent Him. Or maybe it was Thor. Nothing audible at 1650 on scheduled 15745, 13615 or 9885. Here`s the rest of the day`s schedule per http://www.ewtn.org/radio/freq.htm – EDT NAm/E LAm/S Eu/Af/E UT 1 PM 13615 15745/9885 15220 1700 2 PM 13615 15745/9885 15220 1800 3 PM 13615 15745/9885 15220 1900 4 PM 13615 15745/9885 15220 2000 5 PM 13615 15745/9885 15220 2100 6 PM 9975 13615/9355 15745 2200 7 PM 9975 13615/9355 15745 2300 Now`s your chance to DX something else on or near WEWN frequencies! RNZI listeners must have had a respite overnight on 9885 (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) At 1930, 9885 was back on, and as usual much weaker 15745, but nothing heard on 13615 or 15220 (Glenn Hauser, April 27, ibid.) ** U S A. I've noticed that, on recent evenings, WBCQ on 7415 kHz has been signing off after "Herald of Truth" ends instead of going over to Brother Stair overnight. Has B.S. dropped off WBCQ, or been dropped? If he's gone, that sure seems to have been a brief period for their carrying him at that time. [see SOUTH CAROLINA] As I write this, I've been listening to World of Radio on 7415 kHz at 2200-2230 UT 4/26/06, over at the neighbors' using a Sony 2010 with just the whip antenna. The signal improved over that half-hour incredibly well; it began practically unhearable down in the noise and now, at the end and with TimTron & "A Live Real Amateur Radio Show" program following, it is strong and clear and perfectly fine. Hmph. I may have missed gh saying something about WBCQ due to that earlier poorer signal. Too bad they didn't do what they did a week ago and repeat WoR again at 2230. 73, (Will Martin, MO, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Will, We had confirmation recently in DXLD that Brother Scare is gone again from overnight on WBCQ. Guess you`re behind again on reading DXLD... I said nothing about it on WOR, however. BTW the 2200 airing was a phone feed; could you tell the difference, and did you notice any hum? I also take this opportunity to ask people to monitor 18910- CLSB at 2300 Wednesday when WOR is supposed to repeat. That has been inaudible here lately (Glenn, ibid.) I noticed quite a bit of hum on the 2200 broadcast. I can just barely detect a carrier on 18910 at 2300 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, ibid.) ** U S A. KCKN QSL card received --- Wow! Yesterday I received my first QSL card in almost 30 years! For those of you just aching to see the Space Alien Cowboy, look here: http://gentoo.net/mike/radio/mwdx/qsl/qsl-kckn-1020.gif (Mike Westfall, N6KUY, WDX6O, Los Alamos, New Mexico (DM65uv), "Los Alamos" is Spanish for "More than one Alamo" -- Dave Barry. Online logbooks: http://dxlogbook.gentoo.net?account=mikew NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. KC TRUSTEES OK KTPB RADIO SALE --- POTENTIAL BUYER FOCUSED ON CHRISTIAN MUSIC FORMAT --- By KATHERINE SAYRE Friday April 21, 2006 KILGORE [TX] — Kilgore College trustees on Thursday approved selling public radio station KTPB to a California-based non-profit group focused on Christian music broadcasting. Trustees voted 8-0 to authorize KC President Bill Holda to sell the station's Federal Communications Commission license and broadcasting tower to Educational Media Foundation for $2.46 million over 10 years, including interest. The sale must be approved by the FCC, which will have a 30-day public comment period before deciding on the sale. KTPB 88.7 FM, which first broadcast in 1991, airs classical music, jazz and news programming from the college campus. It's funded by a combination of listener donations, college funds and a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. No representatives of Educational Media Foundation — which broadcasts from 250 transmitters nationwide — attended Thursday's meeting. Educational Media Foundation will pay $400,000 upfront and $1.6 million over the next 10 years in monthly payments, bringing the total cost to $2.46 million with interest. . . http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/stories/04212006_ktpb.html (via Current via DXLD) Does not webcast, but here is their website: http://www.ktpb.org/ and their own story on the impending sale: http://www.ktpb.org/messages.asp?NewsID=1162 and here is the worthless programming KC has decided to deny in favor of gospel huxtering: http://www.ktpb.org/programming.asp (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 860, KTRB, CA, Modesto, has switched formats! 4/9 0030 [EDT!] Vietnamese with mostly traditional VV folk music. 0100 abruptly into English, "Throughout the valley and in North Central California, KTRB Modesto," into CNN Radio news. 0105 back to Vietnamese. Good, over XEMO. (REW-HI) Little did we know what the Gulf of Tonkin resolution would lead to (gh) 1560, WQEW, NY, New York, 3/31 0348 [EST!] kid said "Hi, I'm Danny and I had a great time at Disneyland," 0352 woman "On Radio Disney, what's your name?" into rap music. 0401 man "Radio Disney is WQEW New York." Good to very good, trace of KNZR-CA. New, butt heard as WQXR in 1980's. First NYC since I reactivated (RICHARD E. WOOD, HC3 Box 11087, Keaau HI 96749, DXing with FRG100, 350' NE lw, 150' NNE lw, IRCA Soft DX Monitor April 29 via DXLD) See also PROPAGATION ** U S A. Anyone ever try to get a QSL from WABC lately? Well, here's an e-mail response from their PD: ----- Original Message ----- From: "Boyce, Phil" To: "jprocop" Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 7:23 AM Subject: RE: WABC reception We don't respond to DX requests....but thanks for listening. Phil B ---snip--- As a wise man once said, "if it doesn't make the station money..." I won't be listening anymore! Of course my listening wouldn't make them a dime anyway so they could care less whether I listened or dropped dead (Michael Procop, OH, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) Sad. When I first began DXing, a station being a 50 kW clear was a virtual guarantee that they would QSL valid DX reports 100%. I don't remember a single one among their ranks with a reputation as a non- verifier (Steve Francis, Alcoa, Tennessee, ibid.) ** U S A. WNYW PODCAST IS COMING JUNE 1 If I can get a few things to come into play June 1, 2006 marks the 40th anniversary of the call letter change from WRUL to WNYW Radio New York Worldwide the only commercial shortwave station in the USA. What I need: Robert Hall production beds, time to speak with different people all over the US. Anyone have Les Marshak`s Email? I have the music, I have the jingles, I have the long sign on IS. All I need is the talent to put this thing togethor. More later as this comes together in the next month. Might even do a short Dx'ing WorldWide. This could be a lot of fun. And yes we may take phone calls. posted by lou josephs at 1:23 AM (medianetwork blog UT April 28 via DXLD) ** U S A. AIR AMERICA TO LOSE NYC FLAGSHIP STATION To paraphrase Frank Sinatra, if Air America can't make it here, they can't make it anywhere. There *is* more than enough room for a "progressive" radio network, but it needs to discuss real issues. Bashing the President all day gets to be boring. http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/tvstations/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002424337 Air America Radio will lose its New York flagship station, WLIB-AM, on Aug. 31. While the left-leaning radio network’s original lease for the Inner City station ran out March 31, AAR managed to get an extension which only lasts until Aug. 31, according to an informed source. Through an agreement with ICBC, WLIB will be operated as a joint venture and programmed by P1, a company run by former Clear Channel and Jacor Communications executive Randy Michaels. Michaels is expected to program a progressive-talk format, but replace AAR’s network programming with more local programming. A likely addition to the new lineup: Ed Schultz, the left-of-center talker syndicated by P1. ``To be clear, Air America will not go silent on the New York City airwaves. We do not, however, comment on hypothetical speculation,`` said an AAR spokesperson. Reaction to this development from one of the "Independent Thinkers" at Democratic Underground: "Awww Phuck." http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2251585 (via Craig Seufert, DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO VERONICA PROGRAM SCHEDULE CHANGES Good afternoon, all. Radio Veronica has modified its program schedule to allow for more talk and public affairs programming. This means that we have been able to add another play for many of our programs, or move them to better time slots, and add six additional weekly programs: War News Radio, Planetary Radio, Beyond Organic, Prime Time Radio, Jazz Reflections, and Subgenius Hour of Slack. We are also adding one new daily (M-F) program: Flashpoints. All program changes will take place beginning Saturday, April 29. The new time slots for our programs are listed below (all times are Eastern). Times underlined for current programs indicate an additional time slot or change in time slot. CURRENTLY AIRED WEEKLY PROGRAMS [EDT = UT -4] A World of Possibilities: MON 1300, TUE 2000, SAT 1100 Alternative Radio: WED 1300, WED 2000, SUN 1300 Between the Lines: WED 1900, SAT 0800 (no changes) Building Bridges: TUES 2130, THU 2100, FRI 1330, SUN 2030 Counterspin: WED 1930, SAT 0830 (no changes) Honoring Mother Earth/Indigenous Voices: FRI 2000, SUN 2100 Making Contact: FRI 1300, SUN 1230 (no changes) Progressive Radio: MON 1930, WED 2130, SUN 1200 Radio Nation: TUE 1300, THU 2000, SUN 1100 Short Wave Report: THU 1900, SAT 1000 (no changes) Spiritual Awakening: THU 1300, FRI 1930, SUN 1430 (no changes) Steppin’ Out of Babylon: WED 2100, SAT 0800, SUN 2000 Talk Nation Radio: TUE 1900, SAT 0930 (no changes) This Way Out: TUE 1930, SAT 0700 (no changes) TUC Radio: MON 1900, FRI 1900, SAT 0900 (no changes) Unwelcome Guests: MON 2000, SAT 0500, SUN 1800 Voices of Our World: THU 1330, SUN 1400 (no changes) World of Radio: THU 1930, SAT 1030 (no changes) NEW WEEKLY PROGRAMS: Beyond Organic: FRI 2100, SUN 1600 Planetary Radio: THU 2130, SAT 1230 Prime Time Radio: SAT 1300, SUN 1500 War News Radio: TUE 2100, SAT 1200 Jazz Reflections: SUN 2200 Church of the Subgenius Hour of Slack: SUN 0000, MON 0000 ++++++++++++ CURRENTLY AIRED DAILY PROGRAMS: Democracy Now: MON-FRI 1202, 1802, 2302 (no changes) Democracy Now Spanish Headlines: MON-FRI 2245 Free Speech Radio News: MON FRI 2200, TUE-FRI 0530, SAT 0430 Progressive Point of View: MON-FRI 1200, 1800, 2300 (no changes) NEW DAILY PROGRAM: Flashpoints: TUE-SAT 0000 I should note that I still have a few time slots that remain unfilled. These are largely short slots. MON-FRI 2230-2245 (Good for a 15 minute daily program) FRI: 2145 SUN: 1645 If any of you know of a daily 15 minute program that you could recommend, I am open for suggestions for the MON-FRI 2230-2245 time slot. This is between Free Speech Radio news and the Democracy Now Spanish Headlines. I am also looking for programming to fill the two weekly 15 minute time slots on FRI at 2145-2200, and SUN at 1645-1700. One final note, I am leaving the Sunday afternoon 1700-1800 time slot open for special programs and the like. If you have any questions or comments about the changes please let me know. Thanks. (Rene' F. Tetro, General Manager, Radio Veronica, 709 Park Road, Lansdale, PA 19446 Email: rtetro @ pobox.com Website http://www.radioveronica.us April 26, WORLD OF RADIO 1313, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 6-066, The Unfinished Journey on WAMU: No, the promo is current - our special programming is found under calendar. And Part 4 is definitely airing this Thursday at 8 PM - and every Thursday for the next 9 weeks. Thanks for asking - I'll look at the website to see if we can make it clearer! (Karen Munson, WAMU, April 25, reply to gh, via WORLD OF RADIO 1313, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Details of all parts: http://www.wamu.org/programs/special/06/unfinished_journey_the_lewis_and_clark_expedition.php plus a link to the OPB page about it (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. CLEAR CHANNEL STREAMS Posted at 2:39PM on Tuesday, April 25, 2006 in music. http://www.rfma.net/archives/000733.html I normally abstain from giving the Big Beast of radio any publicity, but thanks to a tipoff from DCRTV I discovered Clear Channel's new FormatLabs service, http://www.clearchannelmusic.com/formatlab/ offering 75 webcasts to compete with all us microbroadcasters and iPodders. There's also a article in Radio and Records announcing the new service. The streams are all 32 kbps/22 KHz stereo webcasts in the Microsoft Windows media format. Winamp does not like them, and the open source Media Player Classic I strongly prefer to Microsoft and Real's crappy bloatware doesn't like the streams either. Lauching any of the FormatLabs streams lauches Windows Media Player. I've been sampling the "The JazzCLUB" (channel 401) and "RadioRadio Classic Alternative" (channel 703) for a while now and they're playing some nice music. This almost makes up for the spam that Clear Channel's Ticketmaster service keeps sending to my e-mail accounts (RFMA via DXLD) Including classical, or rather ``Classica`` --- nothing too challenging, they make clear (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. GANDY BRIDGE'S NEIGHBORS ARE GETTING SHORTER --- As hurricane season approaches, two 490-foot radio towers, which have been battered by many storms, are being downsized to 366 feet. By SHADI RAHIMI Published April 27, 2006 ST. PETERSBURG - For 56 years, the twin radio towers on either side of the Gandy Bridge have been as much a part of the landscape as the birds that sometimes nest atop them. But the past two hurricane seasons have taken their toll, slamming the old towers with wind and seawater, and tearing off pieces from the metal frames. The 490-foot towers are finally being replaced with shorter towers, just in time for another hurricane season. "It's going to be a lot safer going over the Gandy Bridge in the middle of a storm," said John McMartin, the director of engineering for Clear Channel Communications in Tampa. Work crews began taking apart the tower to the south of the bridge last month. A 366-foot tower was erected in its place to continue transmitting the signal for the local AM station WDAE-AM 620, "The Sports Animal," owned by Clear Channel. The tower to the north is being dismantled this week. "We didn't want them to be a safety hazard," said Wilson Welch, chief engineer of WDAE. "The last thing we need are towers coming down during a hurricane." The old towers were originally erected by the city for its former radio station WSUN-AM 620, one of the oldest AM stations in the state, Welch said. Because they are 124-feet shorter, the new towers are more wind- resistant and cheaper to build, he said. But the new height also means the signal won't travel as far. So the station plans to boost the signal from 10,000 watts to nearly 15,000 watts within the next month. A portion of the old red and white tower remains on the south side of Gandy where a family of ospreys are nesting atop the bottom tier. Work crews moved the old tower out of the way without disturbing the nest, McMartin said. But the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission asked the workers to leave the tower where it is until the three recently hatched chicks abandon the nest this summer. "You just have to be careful working around them so you don't disturb the nest," said James Smith, 34, one of the construction workers. "We take extra precautions because if you don't, the mama will come after you." On Wednesday, the mother osprey watched from the old tower as the men worked, cawing occasionally as they nailed wooden planks to the base of the new tower. Her noise was drowned out by a passing helicopter. The men looked up as it whirred loudly overhead. "Oh no, it's going to hit!" one man joked, eyeing the aircraft as it appeared to nearly graze the radio tower. Just a short stretch of road away, a three-member Bayflite medical helicopter crew died in 2000 after crashing into a 649-foot radio tower over the swampy woods around Weedon Island. A new radio tower has not yet been built in its place. McMartin said the replacement of the old twin radio towers should be completed by June. Forecasters are predicting an above-average hurricane season, which begins June 1, with nine hurricanes, five of which may be Category 3 or higher. The new, shorter radio towers will be safer during a hurricane because they are less windloading, McMartin said. "They're probably as hurricane resilient as you can make a tower," he said. "They're coming just in time." (via Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DXLD) How in the world could Shadi write this entire story and never get around to pointing out that the towers being dismantled are the historic Blaw-Knox ones?? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. CARIBBEAN RADIO BROADCASTER STRUGGLES TO STAY ON AIR IN FACE OF RISING FEES [WAVS 1170] By Alva James-Johnson South Florida Sun-Sentinel Posted April 25 2006 When Winsome Charlton dared to play reggae at a Davie radio station 20 years ago, she said the Ku Klux Klan appeared at the front door looking for black employees. Charlton hid under a desk while the station's general manager distracted the hooded men, who eventually left. Today she considers the incident a badge of honor in her struggle to serve Caribbean listeners in Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, and the Bahamas. . . http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-ccharltonapr25,0,2558634.story?coll=sfla-news-broward (via Brock Whaley, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 2-way possibly in Vietnamese, one side much stronger than the other on SSB around 12031, seemed 0.5 kHz above or below, at 1410 April 26. I imagine they could be fishing in the Gulf (gh, DXLD) of Tonkin? (gh) No, Mexico (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ CLUB S500, NUEVO BOLETÍN Estimados amigos: En primer lugar un saludo para toda la familia diexista. Quisiera comunicar que ya está a disposición de todo el mundo, de manera gratuita, el boletín del Club S500 correspondiente al mes de Abril. Este número trae un interesante artículo del diexista Carlos Degen y el Comentario Invitado está a cargo de nuestro Amigo y compañero, Álvaro López Osuna. La dirección donde se puede conseguir es la siguiente: http://www.upv.es/~csahuqui/julio/s500/ o bien directamente se puede descargar desde: http://www.upv.es/~csahuqui/julio/s500/9abr2006.pdf Hasta pronto (Club S500, Julio Martínez, Emilio Sahuquillo, April 26, dxldyg via DXLD) It`s a well-done 18-page pdf bulletin, including a lot of program tips, mostly dating back to February or March, not copyable (gh, DXLD) VINTAGE AUDIO CLIPS I have updated my blog with some vintage ute & broadcast audio clips from my archive: BAMAKO RADIO, RIAS BERLIN, SENDER FREIES BERLIN, RADIO RENASCENZA, LA VOZ DEL CID. All interested can listen or download the clips on http://swli05639fr.blogspot.com/ 73's (Francesco Cecconi, April 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PUBLIC RADIO SLAVE The Public Radio Slave blogs from an undisclosed station about wacky complaints and requests from listeners, such as, "Hi, I won't be able to listen to Fresh Air tonight because of a school play one of my kids is in. I was wondering if you could tape it for me?" http://www.publicradioslave.com/ posted at 11:31 AM EST April 21 (Current via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: CHILE; ECUADOR; NEW ZEALAND; PORTUGAL ++++++++++++++++++++ POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ CALIFORNIA OK'S BPL SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The California Public Utilities Commission approved a plan on Thursday allowing providers of high-speed Internet services to test using electricity lines to deliver online access throughout the state. CPUC commissioner Rachelle Chong, who drafted the plan, said broadband over power lines, or BPL, could become a new competitor to Internet services delivered via telephone, cable and satellites and help reduce prices for consumers. BPL uses existing utility lines delivering power to neighborhoods to carry broadband signals into homes. It has been touted by equipment makers and regulators as a possible competitor to cable and telecommunications services, which handle almost all of the roughly 40 million U.S. residential broadband connections. The regulatory commission adopted guidelines for electric utilities and companies that wish to develop and test projects in California. Among the guidelines, electric utility affiliates and other developers can invest in and operate BPL systems. Utility affiliates would have to follow CPUC rules for transactions between a utility and a BPL affiliate to protect against cross- subsidies, the commission said. © Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved. (via Jim Strader, Rock Village, Massachusetts, USA, swprograms via DXLD) What about. . . AUDIBLE ATROCITIES ++++++++++++++++++ Something that can be added to the World of Radio website's "Audible Atrocities" regarding this: A local TV weatherman was describing this meteor shower event [Lyrids] and told the viewers here in St. Louis to see it "outside" that night. As opposed to the more common "indoor" meteoric events? 73, (Will Martin, MO, dxldyg via DXLD) THE TINY TRAP +++++++++++++ Margaret Warner on the PBS News Hour also referred to Nepal as a ``tiny kingdom`` at 2253 UT April 25, as she was interviewing someone about the situation there. Has she been listening to VOA? I suspect this ignorance is contagious (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1313, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s contagious! ``Tiny Kingdom`` of Nepal, says the male cohost of Live From Turkey, on VOT, April 27, 2006 at 1314 UT on 15450. I wonder, if it is no longer a kingdom, will people be less likely to call it a ``tiny republic``? My rants about Nepal not being tiny are still unconvincing to some. So I must pull this out of http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/tinytrap.html At 140,800 square kilometres, Nepal is larger than: Bulgaria, Greece, or Cuba, for example, and only slightly smaller than Bangladesh, Cambodia or Tajikistan. And that doesn`t consider the vertical element as Nepal is home of Everest and others of the highest mountains in the world. Compared to states, Nepal is almost precisely the same size as New York. In terms of population, over 24 million, 1999 estimate, isn`t exactly ``tiny`` either. Nearby Sikkim, no longer independent thanks to Indian imperialism, might have been a much better candidate for ``tiny Himalayan nation``. (data from the Time Almanac 2000). (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ NRC AM ANTENNA PATTERN BOOK The NRC AM Antenna Pattern Book, 6th edition, has just reached me, and it is superb! If anyone doesn't have it, order it right away! It answers questions which had been nagging at me; for example, why is KTRH-TX dominant here on 740, usually w4ell over KCBS-CA with its coastal location? The answer is clear - I am in a tight null of KCBS. Second on 740 at night, sometimes first, is CBX-AB. The map shows a small lobe to the SW, which hits HI. And KRMG-740 sends a big lobe my way! CHWO's non directionality gives me hope to hear a station which many IRCA'NS HAVE PRAISED IN THIS COLUMN. Flip the book to 810, and it's the same story. KGO-CA is coastal, but sends only a minor lobe my way. Result: EWGY-NY often dominates; it's the station in an East Coast state I get most often! Also on 810, and without wanting to get into the debate about station failing to switch at dusk to lower night powers, XEFW-Taras [sic from his handwritten report; should be Tamaulipas] may be one such, often with an enormous signal here, not the puny one the map for 810 would suggest! 1020 is another example. KTNQ-CA is good but not the proverbial ton of bricks. KDKA-PA often overrides it, with its ND signal. What is now KCKN-NM is sometimes present, but weaker, thanks to a partial but not complete null in my direction. The book will direct my energies from now on! For example, since I reactivated and (as best I can recall) even when I was very active with better antennas here after 1983, I only ever heard CHMJ-BC and XEX-DF on 730. Looking at the map, I see no other likely catches, so I won't spend time there. There are several channels here in HI which are relatively quiet; nothing is dominant at night, and there's a chance to something quite far to the northeast popping up on top. One example is 970. Nothing dominates, the freq. is quiet at night. Looking at night lobes, I'd be wise to target so-far unheard WGTK-KY and WDAY-ND. Likewise 1250, which is my quietest regional channel, with puny signals mostly from KLLK-CA, a very weak KZER-CA and KKDZ-WA which seems to have a lobe in my direction but s generally absent. All this makes KKHK-KS, KPZK-AR and KBRF-MN likely targets. I could go on. It is a wonderful book; my congrats to Bill Hale and Neil Adams. I hope the above observations will be meaningful to other Hawaiian DXers, so they can concentrate their efforts. They may be relevant even to DXers in Australia, roughly in the same direction as me. For example, now I see why WSAI-OH 1360 was recently verified in Queensland (Richard E. Wood, HCR3, Box 11087, Keaau, Hawaii 96749-9221, DX Forum, IRCA Soft DX Monitor April 29 via DXLD) The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to active levels at middle latitudes. High latitudes experienced mostly quiet to minor storm levels with a single period of severe storm conditions observed midday on 22 April. Solar wind speed ranged from a low of near 325 km/s late on 19 April to a high of about 625 km/s early on 23 April. The period began with wind velocity elevated at about 550 km/s as a coronal hole wind stream rotated out of a geoeffective position. Unsettled to active conditions were observed early in the period due to the high speed wind flow; however the IMF Bz remained quiet, not varying much beyond +/- 3 nT. The IMF Bz remained weak through midday on 21 April and wind flow steadily decayed to about 325 km/s during this period. As a result, the geomagnetic field remained quiet to unsettled with one isolated minor storm period observed at high latitudes midday on 20 April. By midday on 21 April, a period of enhanced solar wind conditions were observed when Alfven waves caused the IMF Bz to fluctuate between +10 to -15 nT through about midday on 22 April. The geomagnetic field responded with unsettled to active conditions at middle latitudes and active to severe storm levels at high latitudes. By the end of the summary period, the IMF Bz returned to more normal levels, not varying much beyond +/- 3 nT, while the geomagnetic field became quiet at all latitudes. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 26 APRIL - 22 MAY 2006 Solar activity is expected to be at predominately very low to low levels with isolated moderate activity possible from Region 875 through 06 May. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 07 – 18 May. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels for the majority of the forecast period. Active to minor storm conditions are expected on 02 May and again on 19 May. Active to major storm conditions are expected on 06 – 07 May and on 10 – 12 May. Activity is due to effects from recurrent coronal hole wind streams. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2006 Apr 25 2123 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2006 Apr 25 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2006 Apr 26 95 5 2 2006 Apr 27 95 5 2 2006 Apr 28 95 5 2 2006 Apr 29 95 5 2 2006 Apr 30 95 5 2 2006 May 01 95 8 3 2006 May 02 95 15 3 2006 May 03 95 10 3 2006 May 04 90 10 3 2006 May 05 90 5 2 2006 May 06 85 30 5 2006 May 07 80 20 4 2006 May 08 80 8 3 2006 May 09 75 5 2 2006 May 10 75 15 3 2006 May 11 75 30 5 2006 May 12 75 30 5 2006 May 13 75 15 3 2006 May 14 75 5 2 2006 May 15 75 5 2 2006 May 16 75 5 2 2006 May 17 75 5 2 2006 May 18 75 8 3 2006 May 19 75 20 4 2006 May 20 80 10 3 2006 May 21 85 8 3 2006 May 22 85 8 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1313, DXLD) Space Weather News for April 27, 2006 http://spaceweather.com CRACKLING SUNSPOT: Big sunspot 875 is crackling with solar flares. Earlier today it unleashed an M8-flare, almost an X-class event. The sun's rotation is turning the spot toward Earth, raising the possibility of Earth-directed eruptions in the days ahead (via Art Blair, IRCA via DXLD) ###