DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-109, July 25, 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 SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1323: Wed 2200 WBCQ 7415 [first airing of each edition] Wed 2300 WBCQ 18910-CLSB Fri 2030 WWCR1 15825 Sat 0500 WRMI 9955 Sat 0800 WRN 13865 DRM via Bulgaria Sat 1230 WRMI 9955 Sat 1430 WRMI 7385 Sat 1600 WWCR3 12160 Sat 1732 WRMI 9955 [from WRN] Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0530 WRMI 9955 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0830 WRMI 9955 [from WRN] Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 Wed 0930 WWCR1 9985 Complete schedule including non-SW stations and audio links: 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 DX/SWL/MEDIA PROGRAMS July 25: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** ALBANIA. Hi Glenn, I wanted to report that I heard Radio Tirana last evening, 24 July 2006, on 7450 kHz, from 0143 to 0203 UT. At 0145 sign-on, a female announcer listed program times and frequencies in English for North America, but not 7450 kHz. Signal came in at S9 + 20 dB, which was deceptive in that the readability was fair at best. Seems like the signal was being muted or absorbed, reducing the readability. However, a definite improvement over 7455 kHz. I forwarded my comments on reception conditions to Mrs.Drita Cico, Head of RTV Monitoring Center. 73's, (Ed Insinger, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGOLA. UNITA RADIO HOPES TO BE ON AIR WITHIN TWO MONTHS UNITA President Isaias Samakuva has disclosed plans to have Radio Despertar (Awake) go on air within the next two months, the Semanario Angolense weekly newspaper reported on 6 May. In accordance with the terms of the Lusaka Protocol of 1994, it will replace the former Voice of Resistance of the Black Cockerel, Vorgan, UNITA's official station during the war years. According to the paper, UNITA Information Secretary Adalberto da Costa Junior has alleged that the materialization of this plan has met with bureaucratic obstacles some of which "have been placed by the government". Equipment for the radio station is alleged to have arrived at Luanda Harbour in February 2005 but it went through customs only three months ago. The UNITA information secretary said that this was part of a ruling party strategy to delay UNITA's ability to convey its message over the airwaves and so further erode its capacity for effective election campaigning when the time comes. Source: Semanario Angolense, Luanda, in Portuguese 6 May 06 (BBCM May 22, 2006 via CRW May 31, just published July 25, via WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DXLD) A timely catchup, as the two month mark has arrived. VORGAN was on SW, but I doubt that R. Despertar will be (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Your magpie antics in continuing to republish my original work without permisssion [sic] are laughable. Do NOT republish or quote ANYTHING sourced to me, or to the EDXP. Is that clear - dickhead? BP (Bob Padula, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: ``AUSTRALIA. The Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (ARDS), has reactivated its HF operation from its facility at Humpty Doo, near Darwin. Upgraded transmission equipment is now in use, on 5050, running 24 hours with test broadcasts. Coverage is mainly for the Yolngu peoples of north-east Arnhem Land, augmenting local coverage from Darwin on 1520 kHz, several VHF services in remote districts, and via Australia-wide free-to-air satellite. Signal strength observed here in Melbourne is very good in the night-time period from around 0900 until 2200. Regards from Melbourne! (Bob Padula, July 19, shortwaves yg via DXLD)`` BP obviously reads DXLD, and probably got a tip about this from here two days earlier, but would never admit it. Hey, Bob (I would never call you rude names), I order you not to read DXLD, just as you order me not to quote what I read in open newsgroups or hear on the radio. Let me assure you, you would be much happier, and less well-informed, not reading DXLD. This should give everyone an idea of the seething irrational hatred just below the surface of the guy. Perhaps the handful of people still in EDXP should know this (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [and non]. Some changes of Radio Australia: 0400-0430 on 21780 DHA 250 kW / 090 deg in Indonesian, cancelled 0500-0530 on 11920 SNG 250 kW / 013 deg in Khmer, cancelled 0530-0600 on 11920 SNG 250 kW / 013 deg in Vietnamese, cancelled 0530-0600 on 17855 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg in Vietnamese, cancelled 0600-0630 on 17585 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg in Indonesian new transmission 0900-0930 on 11550 TAI 250 kW / 205 deg in Indonesian, cancelled 1300-1430 on 11825 DRW 250 kW / 340 deg in Chinese, additional freq. 1400-1600 on 9625 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg in English, cancelled 2130-2200 on 9785 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg in Indonesian, cancelled 2130-2200 on 11550 TAI 250 kW / 205 deg in Indonesian, cancelled 2300-2330 on 9720 SNG 100 kW / 013 deg in Khmer, cancelled 2330-2400 on 11820 DRW 250 kW / 303 deg in Vietnamese, cancelled 2330-2400 on 15110 TAI 250 kW / 225 deg in Vietnamese, cancelled (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, July 25, via WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DXLD) Confirming the earlier item, all RA`s Vietnamese and Khmer broadcasts on SW have been cancelled. Nice to have the 9625 14-16 English cancelled too, as it collided with CBC NQ (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHILE. Hi Glenn! As I remember, some weeks ago it was a item in DXLD how to get a QSL from Voz Cristiana in Chile. Today I got a detailed QSL card in 36 days for a reception on 15340 kHz. I sent my report to the UK office of CVC (P. O. Box 3040, West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 0EJ, UK), and they must have forwarded my report to Chile, as the card was stamped there. 73, (Patrick Robic, Austria, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Firedrake against Sound of Hope was again audible on 17350, July 25 at 1311, but not so strong and some flutter, and could there be a SAH caused by SOH underneath? Hard to tell (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Hi Glenn - May I please bother you with a mystery that I heard this Tuesday morning on 6120 kHz at 03: Two stations in Spanish on 6120. Usually I get the Rebelde ID, but to me the two IDs sounded like "Once - La Voz de Cuba" (probably 11 p.m. in Cuba) and "Radio Nueva". Also a song mentioning Havana was heard. The one station continued with news, while the other one went into Cuban music. Any idea? Kind Regards, (Erik Køie, DK-2840 Holte, Denmark, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Altho there is some interference, I can only make out details of the station on top, which is Radio Rebelde. After the time signal, ``once de la noche, voz [sounds like, but may really be saying hora] de Cuba... 3... UTC. Comienza la emisión de Radio Rebelde dirigida a Centroamérica... Ventanas Rebelde... especial para nuestros compatriotas en Centroamérica y el Caribe`` So this confirms it is an external service of R. Rebelde, accounting for the programming non // 5025 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. U.K.(non) Deleted transmissions of Radio Mustaqbal via VT Communications: 0600-0630 on 15515 DHA 250 kW / 240 deg to EaAf Somali Mon-Thu/Sat 0635-0705 on 15515 DHA 250 kW / 240 deg to EaAf Somali Mon-Thu/Sat 0710-0740 on 15515 DHA 250 kW / 240 deg to EaAf Somali Mon-Thu/Sat 0745-0815 on 15515 DHA 250 kW / 240 deg to EaAf Somali Mon-Thu/Sat (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, July 25, via WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DXLD) So are they totally gone, or moved to some other provider?? Note the odd schedule, with 5-minute breaks and odd start times; repeating the same show? Trying to refresh background on this station, I consult http://www.clandestineradio.com/intel/station.php?id=168&stn=677 which I fear has not been updated in a few years, and all we get about it is: Intel: Somalia Mustaqbal Also known as: (Future) Organization: Education Development Center (EDC), a large US NGO that specializes in using the media to educate and inform disadvantaged communities. Location: Unknown Languages: Somali Identification: (Somali) Mustaqbal... Active: 2004? Contact: Unknown But there is a lot more info on page 526 of the WRTH 2006, with its Washington DC address, under ETHIOPIA, since Somalia was only its secondary target (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [non]. JAPAN, 6120, 1422- July 20, Hi Glenn! Re: DXLD 6-108: According to details given by Walt, I can say that the programme he heard on 6120 at 1422 UT, was the same which I heard later this day at 1913 UT, when I was listening to the DRM test from TDF Montsinéry on 21645 kHz - with lots of dropouts - but I heard an ID "Vous écoutez RFI Afrique". 73 from Austria, (Patrick Robic, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Updated A-06 of DTK T-Systems. Part two - non-daily transmissions: [none of these are cross-referenced] Adventist World Radio (AWR): 0500-0600 7295 WER 125 kW / 120 deg Daily to EaEu Bulgarian 0700-0800 15265 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Daily to NoAf Arabic 0800-0830 15265 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Wed to NoAf Dial Arabic 0800-0830 15265 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Sun-Tue to NoAf Kabyle 0800-0830 15265 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Thu-Sat to NoAf Tachelhit 0800-0900 15130 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Daily to NoAf French 0900-1000 11775 JUL 100 kW / 115 deg Sun to SoEu Italian 1900-1930 15265 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Daily to NoAf Arabic 1930-2000 15265 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Wed to NoAf Dial Arabic 1930-2000 15265 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Sun-Tue to NoAf Kabyle 1930-2000 15265 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Thu-Sat to NoAf Tachelhit 1900-2000 15130 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Daily to NoAf Arabic 2000-2100 15265 JUL 100 kW / 210 deg Daily to NoAf French 2000-2030 9770 WER 250 kW / 090 deg Daily to WeAs Persian Trans World Radio (TWR): 0530-0545 7210 JUL 100 kW / 085 deg Mon-Fri to CeEu Slovak 0830-0845 6105 JUL 100 kW / 120 deg Tue-Sat to CeEu Hungarian 0830-0845 7210 JUL 100 kW / 085 deg Tue-Sat to CeEu Hungarian 1030-1100 7225 JUL 100 kW / 120 deg Sat to CeEu Slovak 1030-1100 9490 JUL 100 kW / 085 deg Sat to CeEu Slovak Christian Science Monitor: 0900-1000 6055 JUL 100 kW / 115 deg Sun to CeEu German 1800-1900 9440 JUL 100 kW / 085 deg Sat to EaEu Russian Evangelische Missions Gemeiden: 1030-1100 6055 WER 125 kW / non-dir Sat/Sun to CeEu German 1100-1130 11840 NAU 250 kW / 020 deg Sat to FE Russian 1500-1530 11615 NAU 250 kW / 060 deg Sat to EaEu Russian Missionswerke Arche 1100-1115 5945 WER 250 kW / non-dir Sun to CeEu German Free People's Mission Krefeld Inc: 1100-1130 5945 WER 500 kW / non-dir Sat to WeEu German 1630-1700 11865 WER 250 kW / 060 deg Sat to ME English Universal Life (UNL): 1130-1200 6055 JUL 100 kW / non-dir Sat to WeEu German 1100-1200 6055 JUL 100 kW / non-dir Sun to WeEu German 1900-1930 11880 NAU 100 kW / 125 deg Sun to ME English 0100-0130 9480 WER 125 kW / 090 deg Sun to SoAs English Mecklenburg Verpommern Baltic Radio: 1200-1300 6045 JUL 100 kW / non-dir 1st Sun to WeEu German Radio Traumland: 1300-1430 5945 JUL 100 kW / non-dir Sun to WeEu German Radio Waaberi: 1330-1400 17550 JUL 100 kW / 160 deg Fri to EaAf Somali TDP Radio: 1400-1600 6015 JUL 040 kW / non-dir Sat to WeEu Dance Mx DRM Voice of Oromiya Independence: 1500-1530 15650 JUL 100 kW / 160 deg Sat to EaAf Oromo/Amharic Bible Christian Association/BCA/: 1530-1550 6015 NAU 125 kW / 140 deg Sun to SoEaEu Bulgarian 1550-1600 6015 NAU 125 kW / 140 deg Sun to SoEaEu Greek Radio Huriyo: 1630-1700 11865 JUL 100 kW / 140 deg deg Tue/Fri to EaAf Somali Voice of Oromo Liberation (Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo): 1700-1800 13830 JUL 100 kW / 160 deg Tue-Sun to EaAf Oromo Radio Reveil Paroles de Vie: 1830-1900 15675 JUL 100 kW / 160 deg Thu to SoAf French Voice of Democratic Path of Ethiopian Unity: 1900-2000 15565 WER 250 kW / 120 deg Wed/Sun to EaAf Amharic 1900-2000 15565 JUL 100 kW / 130 deg Fri to EaAf Amharic Pan American Broadcasting (PAB): [what programs, axually?? -- gh] 2000-2015 9430 WER 250 kW / non-dir Thu to NoAf English 2000-2030 9430 WER 250 kW / non-dir Fri to NoAf English 1930-2030 9430 WER 250 kW / non-dir Sat to NoAf English 1930-2000 9430 WER 250 kW / non-dir Sun to NoAf English 2000-2015 9430 NAU 250 kW / 180 deg Sun to NoAf English 0030-0045 9640 WER 125 kW / 060 deg Sun to SoAs English 1400-1415 15205 NAU 250 kW / 107 deg Tue to SoAs Armeninan 1430-1445 15205 NAU 250 kW / 095 deg Sun to SoAs English 1600-1630 15650 JUL 100 kW / 090 deg Thu to ME Persian 1430-1445 15650 JUL 100 kW / 090 deg Sun to ME English 1545-1630 15650 JUL 100 kW / 090 deg Sun to ME English Radio Republica: 2300-0400 5910 NAU 100 kW / 285 deg Mon-Fri to CeAm Spanish (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, July 25, via DXLD) ** HUNGARY [and non]. El segmento más importante de "Correo del Aire" de Radio Budapest emitido el pasado domingo 23 de julio, pronto a desaparecer, será difundido en el próximo programa de Antena de la Amistad de KBS World Radio. Peor es sentirnos que somos solamente orejas que cada vez escuchan menos por onda corta, utilicemos también un poco de ingenio, activemos nuestros contactos, reaccionemos creyendo que los oyentes pueden defender sus derechos y hagámosnos sentir antes que Radio Budapest cierre sus emisiones. Saludos! (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, condig list via DXLD) ** INDIA [and non]. Re 6-108: Hello Glenn: Well! quite a flapdoodle! First, ref. "Brazilians on 1570..." yes, wishful thinking indeed. Note that I didn't say I'd *logged* any! But I know they broadcast on that frequency, so the night before I had been dialing around there. :) I mentioned it only as context for my listening on 1 MHz in the first place. I was experimenting with antennas, and what better test than a low power Brazilian? never heard anything, though. As for ID of the station I heard, "this is All India Radio" is what I heard. It was thready, but clear. I heard the *same* ID via dxtuners's Rommele site an hour later. So I'm *certain* Nagpur is what I heard, and the fade characteristics were consistent with what I've heard in other instances of skip. When I logged in to dxtuners to consult their logging database, Brad had just tuned to 1566 with the note "we seem to have India here!" In fact, another listener there commented that the station was "heard round the world," inferring (I thought) that it was no big deal. Well, maybe it's no big deal in Sweden with eight selectable EWE's ... but this indicates that the path was open then (2130) too, at least to Sweden. I'll bet someone else, somewhere, logged the station, and recorded it. My email to you did contain one grievous typo, though. The date was 7/21, not 6/21. No one wishes more than I that I were set up to record, but I wasn't, and I'm not, yet. Soon, though. The chances of hearing that same lightning in a bottle approach nil, of course, but I'd like to be ready. [aside] what would you suggest for a recording setup? I'm taking audio out of the 390A via the diode load. Don't know whether this might shed some light on the propogation path, but my antenna was oriented a few degrees east of north, which indicates a polar route. At that hour, most of that path was in daylight, of course, further contributing to the incomprehensibility of the occurrence. My own feeling is that what I heard belongs in a compendium of the works of Charles Fort --- right up there with raining frogs. What it illustrates to me is that anything can happen at least once. But as to whether I heard it: I did! I read with fascination the conjectures of the contributors on the possible explanations. I wish I had an explanation, but my understanding of such matters is nowhere near on a par with Neil Kazaross's, or yours, so anything I can posit will be of limited value. What I do know for certain is that I'm hooked again. And hopefully any subsequent contributions of mine will not strain anyone's credulity! Thanks for all your hard work. DXLD is the best read on the subject -- - and not only because my name is mentioned :) Regards, (Adam Brower, IL, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What timezone are you using? (gh to Adam, via DXLD) Hi Glenn: times are UTC. Yes: full daylight here, 2 hours to sunrise in Nagpur. More reason to say "impossible!" yet I wasn't dreaming. I didn't even know it was all that extraordinary until I mentioned it to a couple of people. Remember, I've been away from the hobby for years, and MW was never my bailiwick. The skepticism doesn't surprise me. I'd be skeptical, too. But I heard what I heard. FWIW, I really didn't intend to officially "submit" the logging --- precisely because it's impossible to verify. This began as a mere aside to Thomas [SW Bulletin editor] (by way of bragging on the 390a, not on my prowess as a DX'er, which is slight.) However, the toothpaste has exited the tube, so at this point I can only observe the resulting brouhaha with detached amusement. One thing I can say: I'll probably go to my grave without ever logging anything as bizarre. I ought to quit now! I think my earlier reference to Charles Fort was quite apt, and skeptics' comments also fit comfortably under that rubric. Someone, somewhere, experienced a deluge of frogs, and intelligent doubters summoned reams of plausible evidence against the possibility. Yet to the guy with frogs on his head, everything else was just commentary. here I sit, then, enfrogged, So --- back now to our regularly scheduled programming? Regards, (Adam Brower, IL, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) *The following comments were made before anyone could have read Adam`s reply above; and his were written before he could see the below (gh)* Adam Brower, in his incredible claim to have heard AIR, states: "I later verified the catch at dxtuners.com" How do you "later verify" a station using a radio located elsewhere? Is this like Mr. Peabody's "Wabac" machine or the Time Tunnel? I agree that a secondary receiver at another location could help confirm a station logging if it was being monitored at the same time, but I don't see how it can be done ex post facto. If I'm wrong, I hope someone will inform us how we can time-shift using this site. I'd like to "verify" things I heard on the radio when I was a child (Mike Cooper, GA, July 25, DXLD) I fear we are being too hard on him; it could be an honest mistake. He may have DXtuned in at exactly the same time the next day and heard the same kind of programming (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am not only questioning his catch, I am disputing it!! Mendota is 67 miles SW of here and the bearing to Nagpur is 13 degrees. I wonder just how much of the 8000+ mile path is in daylight on June 21? http://www.nrcdxas.org/articles/newfee.txt links you to some of our loggings from Newfoundland where in mid Oct, 1566 fades out at 0040 UT transmitter sunrise!! Anyhow, I'd suspect Nagpur sunrise is around 0000 this time of the year. (I'll check my maps later from home) The DXer in question didn't say whether the time heard was CDT or UT, but most SWers use UTC. 2030 UT is mid afternoon here. He was looking for Brazilians on 1570 ?!?!? From Illinois ??!! Now I am aware that a few DXers don't believe some of my phased BOG domestic loggings, so I have tapes of some of them. I am also aware that some magic things happen on the high end, but not when most of the path is in daylight on the shortest day of the year. (I don't believe long path for one second, either.) Brazilians on 1570 and India on 1566 from IL on Jun 21!! This guy was reading an old Newfie DXped report while smoking the peace pipe. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ABDX via DXLD) Re Kevin Redding`s monster het on 1566: I would expect Korea to be possible on 1566 from AZ around daybreak. 73 KAZ (Kazaross, ibid.) About 0330 or 0400 this morning, I had a wicked loud het on 1566. I could never tell you in a million years who it was. I have never had a het loud like that one (Kevin Redding, AZ, ibid.) I guess he means MST = 1030 or 1100 UT, around SS in Korea (gh, DXLD) I just now tried 1566 on both my R-390A and R8 - even on the narrowest of bandwidths, nothing but WQXR Radio Disney 1560 splatter. WQXR hammers into PEI so hard at night - even in summertime - that i can listen to it on the 16 KHz bandwidth on the R-390A. One wickedly powerful skywave (Phil Rafuse, PEI, Canada, 0242 UT July 25, ibid.) As editor of DXWW-West for the past 26+ years, I have seen outlandish claimed receptions and of course without any recordings of the "so called" reception. But in this case, (hopefully) it is just a mistaken reception (Patrick Martin, IRCA via DXLD) Here's me 2 cents worth as to India making it to the American Midwest --- even in broad daylight, something can occur, and my best evidence is a 1976 episode "Darkness at Noon" where if you were a DXer then and like me home during the day, you vividly can recall hearing stations in Europe on 49 meters for a 4 or 5 day period at 1230 PM local time, in broad daylight. So I refuse to poo poo the reception --- based on 'Darkness at Noon' I do think 1566 may have indeed shown up as claimed. 73s (Bill Bergadano, KA2EMZ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bill, Was that in the middle of the winter, or summer? Winter, it could happen since there is mostly or at least partially dark path. 73, (Glenn to Bill, via DXLD) Looking at my log from that period, it was April 20-26, 1976 (Bill Bergadano, ibid.) So neither here nor there ** IRAN [non]. Dear All, VOIRI's 7540 kHz relay is missing due to a technical problem, but should return. All the Best (Christopher Lewis, England, 2054 UT July 25, WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Logs, estaciones del Mossad. Saludos cordiales, ultimas escuchas. FREC. DATA UT EMISORA/QTH/DETALLES 3270 19/07 1919 E10 MIW2, inglés, SIO 444. 3150 19/07 1921 Emisión códiga alfa, inglés, SIO 343. 4270 22/07 1927 Emisión códiga alfa, inglés, SIO 343. 4649 21/07 2148 E10 SYN 2, inglés, SIO 333. 4780 21/07 2150 E10 CIO 2, inglés, SIO 333. 5170 17/07 1847 E10 VLB2, inglés, SIO 444 5820 18/07 1931 E10 YAF, inglés, SIO 343 6485 22/07 2207 Emisión de números en inglés, SIO 343 6840 21/07 2210 Emisión códiga alfa, inglés, SIO 322 6959 21/07 2203 Emisión musical con emisión de números, SIO 444. 6985 22/07 1933 Emisión códiga alfa, inglés, SIO 444. 9130 19/07 1820 E10 Emisión código alfa, inglés, SIO 433. 9251 19/07 1822 Emisión de números en inglés, SIO 433 11545 19/07 1824 Emisión de números en inglés, SIO 443. (José Miguel Romero, EA5-1022, Sacañet (Castellón), España, SANGEAN ATS 909, Antena hílo de siete metros, GRDXC via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. JERUSALEM'S ONLY 24/7 CHRISTIAN RADIO STATION --- Press Release 25 July 2006, NAPLES, FL, & JERUSALEM Christian Newswire As the Hezbollah-Israeli conflict persists, U.S. subscribers to the Sky Angel Christian satellite TV and radio service are receiving the news from a perspective that unlike most mainstream reports hits closer to their faith: a biblical viewpoint straight from Jerusalem`s only 24/7 Christian radio station --- a ministry that has suffered much since first establishing operations in South Lebanon in 1979. ``People want to hear news, but they want to know, what does this mean to me biblically?`` said Jackie Yockey, president of High Adventure Ministries, which operates Voice of Jerusalem, the only Christian radio station broadcasting into the Middle East and parts of the world from the heart of Israel 24/7, and one of more than 30 TV and radio channels of Christian-family programming delivered into U.S. homes, churches and more via Sky Angel. ``Every day we receive a constant flow of information from the Israel Press Office and scan all of the available Israeli and international sources to find the stories which we believe our faithful listeners and prayer partners want to hear,`` said Voice of Jerusalem Middle East Operations Manager Isaac Gronberg. ``We try to follow up on stories already abandoned by the secular press after the main headlines have faded. We also look for stories which they ignore,`` added Jerusalem Bureau Chief Yuval Shomron, whose daughter was recently called to active duty in the Israeli army. Staffers have not been immune to the Mideast violence. The ministry established its radio station in South Lebanon in 1979 at the request of the Israeli army and Major Sa`ad Hadad, then commander of the South Lebanese army sent to fight terror groups in the area. They were hopeful the broadcasts would serve as a bridge of communication with the South Lebanese people. The station and staff were repeatedly attacked by terror groups; five staff members lost their lives. In 2000, when Israel withdrew its military from South Lebanon, the ministry had to immediately evacuate Lebanon and relocate operations to Jerusalem. Within weeks, three more staffers were killed as terrorists attacked the area, and the move cost the ministry more than $2 million to relocate families of other staff members. ``We encourage everyone to be in prayer for the safety of the Voice of Jerusalem staff,`` said Sky Angel Vice President of Programming Kathleen Johnson. ``These people are dedicated to reporting on news in the Middle East from a perspective not likely to be heard via the regular media, often times risking their lives. It`s important that Christians understand and be in prayer about unfolding events in the Middle East and their spiritual implications, and Sky Angel is grateful to be able to make this alternative news source available here in America.`` http://www.skyangel.com/ via http://www.newsnow.co.uk/newsfeed/?search=radio&x=6&y=7 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Hmmm... I wonder what the "biblical viewpoint" on this is. That we are in the "end times"? The AntiChrist is lurking? God wants one side to win? Seems to me there can only be one valid viewpoint to all this-- stop the shooting, all of it (John Figliozzi, NY, ibid.) ** JAPAN. NHK TO CUT INTERNATIONAL RADIO TO FOCUS ON TV | Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo Tokyo, 25 July: Japan Broadcasting Corp (NHK) said Tuesday [25 July] it plans to cut radio programmes for Italian, German, Swedish and Malay speakers to shift emphasis on television programmes for its international services, marking the first reduction in the number of languages used to run its programmes. Currently, NHK transmits shortwave radio programmes in 22 languages. The reduction is scheduled to take effect in October next year. Shortwave radio programmes for Europe, excluding Russia, and for North America and Hawaii will also be trimmed, according to NHK. French programmes will be limited to audiences in Africa and those in Spanish restricted to Latin America, it said. The move comes along with a decline in demand for those radio programmes, according to NHK. Television and the internet are taking on greater roles than radio in Europe and North America, it said. More than 100m yen [856,000 US dollars] will be saved as a result of these reductions and the funds will be used to increase programmes in English, according to NHK. Source: Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 1238 gmt 25 Jul 06 (via BBCM via DXLD) Can it be ruled out that "trimmed" is just elaborate wording for an entire cancellation? I wouldn't be surprised if they plan to take English and Japanese off shortwave for Europe (except CIS) and North America altogether, considering that shortwave transmissions to Europe in all other languages are to cease. Quite a bang, since the German programs of Radio Japan are (believed to be) rather popular (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Shiokaze: 9785 on 2104+ July 24 [UT Monday] with talks by mainly YL with very short music interval at 2108, talks by OM at 2116. All in Korean. Signal was S3 with max S7 at 2108 on the 16 m horizontal with a total of 22332 on LSB mode. 2119 with 'pretty woman'? QRM by RFI on 9790 of S9+10. Making very strong QRM on Shiokaze. NO QRM on 9780 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was all set to hear and record the English version of Shiokaze, Tuesday, July 25 --- but no English! At 1258, the 9485 carrier was already on, and from 1300 piano music, Japanese announcement, and the rest seemed to be in Korean tho I thought I heard some Japanese words here and there. Several mentions of Shiókaze; 1304 electronic stingers amid the talk; 1327 piano music background resumed for closing and off at 1330*. Good reception here, anyway, and no jamming audible. Occasional brief data burst QRM, however (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH. Cheju 1566 kHz making it to Arizona? See INDIA ** MEXICO [and non]. Apparently it is not yet certain, but a committee on digital radio standards has recommended that Mexico adopt both the European Eureka-147 on L-band, and for stations along the border since they have audiences in the US, IBOC/HD (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: MÉXICO ELEGIRÁ EL ESTÁNDAR EUROPEO DE RADIO Por: Gabriel Sosa Plata Publicado en el Periódico: El Universal Martes, 18 de Julio de 2006 Finanzas Contra todos los pronósticos y de manera unilateral, el Comité Consultivo de Tecnologías Digitales para la radiodifusión recomendó la adopción de un sistema digital mixto: el estándar europeo Eureka 147 y de manera complementaria el estándar estadounidense IBOC (In Band On Channel), más conocido comercialmente como HD Radio. Este último para atender las demandas de los radiodifusores de la frontera norte, cuya audiencia y anunciantes se concentran en los estados sureños del país vecino. El presidente de la Comisión Federal de Telecomunicaciones (Cofetel), Héctor Osuna, es sensato; confesó a EL UNIVERSAL no tener conocimientos sobre uno de los temas actuales más importantes del sector que ahora regula: la elección del estándar digital para la radio. A la pregunta del colega Ricardo Gómez sobre cuál de los sistemas necesita México, respondió: ``Hasta donde conozco, y te confieso no tener la profundidad del tema, al detalle, es que el europeo tiene muchas ventajas… pero está muy lejos ¿no?, o sea es europeo`` (EL UNIVERSAL, 10 de julio 2006). Su desconocimiento sobre este y otros asuntos de las telecomunicaciones y la radiodifusión fue cuestionado por diversos legisladores, entre ellos la senadora Dulce María Sauri, quien palabras más palabras menos, dijo que a la Cofetel no se va a aprender sino a tomar decisiones en uno de los sectores más dinámicos y estratégicos para el país (EL UNIVERSAL, 11 de julio 2006). Pero Osuna ya está ahí y, ni modo, tendrá que capacitarse más por el bien del sector, mientras no se resuelvan los amparos y la acción de inconstitucionalidad contra la “ley Televisa”. En el caso de la radio digital terrestre, tiene la oportunidad de saber más sobre el tema si, en primer lugar, lee (le recomendamos el libro ``Apuntes para la una historia de las innovaciones tecnológicas de la radio en México``, publicado por la Fundación Manuel Buendía, Radio Educación, Radiotelevisión de Veracruz y el Gobierno del Estado de Puebla) y si, en segundo lugar, escucha las diversas opiniones al respecto, no sólo de quienes lo apoyaron para ocupar la presidencia de la Cofetel (léase Televisa y empresas allegadas), sino también de los representantes de las emisoras de servicio público (estatales, universitarias, comunitarias, etc.), los pequeños radiodifusores y los expertos. El presidente de la Cofetel debe acelerar su formación porque dentro de la industria se asegura que el excluyente Comité Consultivo de Tecnologías Digitales para la Radiodifusión (integrado por tres miembros de la Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes y tres de la Cámara Nacional de la Industria de Radio y Televisión) ya emitió su recomendación al secretario de Comunicaciones y Transportes, Pedro Cerisola, sobre el estándar de radio digital terrestre que México debe adoptar. Y el ganador es . . . Contra todos los pronósticos y de manera unilateral (en nuestro artículo del 20 de junio cuestionamos la inexistencia de una visión de Estado en la que se consideren los puntos de vista de todos los actores relacionados con la radiodifusión), dicho Comité recomendó la adopción de un sistema digital mixto: el estándar europeo, el que ``está muy lejos``, como dice Osuna, y de manera complementaria el estándar estadounidense IBOC (In Band On Channel), más conocido comercialmente como HD Radio y que por lo tanto ``está más cerca``. Este último para atender las demandas de los radiodifusores de la frontera norte, cuya audiencia y anunciantes se concentran en los estados sureños del país vecino. Si se confirma en los días siguientes la anterior información, México se convertiría en el segundo país del Continente en adoptar el estándar europeo Eureka 147, después de Canadá. Lamentablemente, el lanzamiento de Eureka 147 (en Europa se le conoce como Digital Audio Broadcasting o DAB) no ha sido exitoso en diversos países del mundo. En España, por ejemplo, el Consejo de Ministros tomó el pasado mes de junio la decisión de flexibilizar el plan técnico de la radio digital terrestre ante la escasez de receptores digitales y la necesidad de reactivar el nuevo sistema de difusión (El País, 24 de junio 2006). En otras naciones, como Suecia y Finlandia, se ha interrumpido la expansión de las redes digitales con la tecnología Eureka 147 por su lento desarrollo en el mercado (Radio World, julio 2006). En contraparte, en la Gran Bretaña, la radio digital es un fenómeno mediático: crecen las audiencias, la venta de receptores y el desarrollo de nuevos servicios agregados a la radiodifusión, entre ellos la descarga de las canciones que se escuchan en el momento de la transmisión (IBLNews, 7 de abril 2006). Capacidad para nuevos operadores De cualquier manera hay algo irrefutable: Eureka 147 es mejor tecnología que el IBOC. Sus bondades técnicas han sido demostradas desde hace casi 20 años. Tiene además la particularidad de que opera, a diferencia del IBOC, en diferentes bandas de frecuencias, entre ellas la banda L. México, al igual que muchos otros países, reservó el segmento de banda de frecuencias que va de los 1452 a 1492 megahertz para el desarrollo del servicio de radio digital. Lo más interesante de todo es que en los 40 megahertz disponibles podrían operar sin problema unas 150 emisoras de radio digitales en una zona de servicio, todas ellas con canales múltiples (multiplex) para servicios agregados de telecomunicaciones (como la transmisión canales de música, de imágenes, datos y muchos otros contenidos). Gracias a esta capacidad, habrá la oportunidad de abrir espacios para nuevos operadores en ciudades como la de México, donde por la rigidez de las normas técnicas (escritas por la misma industria) actualmente es difícil dar cabida a más radiodifusoras de FM. La elección del estándar Eureka 147 tendrá otro tipo de implicaciones económicas, sociales y políticas: ¿qué sucederá con las llamadas economías de escala? ¿cuáles son las inversiones necesarias para digitalizar los procesos de producción y transmisión de las emisoras con la norma europea? ¿en qué situación está la producción y los costos de los receptores digitales? ¿cuál será la reacción de Estados Unidos si México adopta el estándar europeo? ¿qué podría ocurrir con otro de los estándares de radio digital, el Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM)? Sobre estas y otras preguntas escribiremos próximamente. Profesor e investigador invitado de la UAM Cuajimalpa (via Roberto Edgar Gómez Morales, July 23, condig list via DXLD) ** MONTENEGRO. MONTENEGRO NEWS --- Martti, OH2BH, sent out the following press releases this past week (July 17th): MONTENEGRO INTERNATIONAL DX FESTIVAL READY TO PROCEED ``Several vehicles have left various European locations, such as Bulgaria, Poland, Germany and Holland bringing radio equipment and additional antennas to an already impressive multi-multi site on the Adriatic coast, the latest addition --- the Republic of Montenegro --- to the DXCC List. Operations will commence July 20th and will run until August 13, 2006. The callsign will be 4O3NT. While the DX activation is the most visible part of the festival the group will conduct meetings with the local telecom authorities and also help the Amateur Radio Union of Montenegro toward a membership in the International Amateur Union (IARU). The following operator roster is released: 9A6AA, A61M, DJ7EO, DJ9ZB, DL3DXX, DL6LAU, DL8OBQ, DL5NAM, DL3PS, DL7AJA, DF3TJ, G3TXF, G3UML, I8NHJ, IK1PMR, IZ0BTV, K1ZZ, KA1ZD, K2LEO, K2WR, N6OX, W6OSP, LZ1JY, LZ1UQ, LZ2UU, OH2BH, OH2RF, OH2TA, ON4IA, ON4ATW, ON5TN, PA0R, PB2T, S50R, SM0W, SP5XVY, T95A, UA3AB, UA4HBW, YL2KF, YU1AA, YT3T, YT6A, YT6Y and Z35G plus several others. Participation is still open specifically for the second and third weeks. Please email y... @ cg.yu cc: o... @ sral.fi [truncated by googlegroups] The 4O3NT operation will launch Yaesu`s new FT2000 transceiver and will also employ several SteppIR beams, courtesy of the Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF) and SteppIR. Also Acom is providing several amps for this operation.4O3NT QSL via YT6A.`` Suggested frequencies are: CW - 1826.5, 3522, 7022, 10106, 14022, 18072, 21022, 24892 and 28022 SSB - 3795, 7055, 14190, 18145, 21290, 24945 and 28490 kHz RTTY - 7035, 10135, 14085, 18105, 21085 and 28085 kHz 6 Meters - 50106 kHz CW/SSB ADDED NOTE: Online log is available at: http://www.yu6scg.cg.yu/log-book-search.html July 21st: AMATEUR RADIO HITS NEW HEIGHTS IN NEW MONTENEGRO ``Today, Thursday, at noon an international amateur radio delegation saluted Montenegrin hams, the local Amateur Radio Union folks as well as representatives of the Telecom and the Military of Montenegro to kick off a three-week program to assist the local people in many areas of Amateur Radio as well as to help make Montenegro visible on the bands in a big way. Totally some seven 4O3T stations will hit the airwaves over this weekend. Veso Babic, YU6A, the Association President and Ranko Boca, YT6A, the Project Organizer, welcomed the foreign visitors to sunny Montenegro and promised all possible help. Martti, OH2BH discussed some of ham radio`s current challenges and opportunities to form a schedule for further talks with the local administration. Hans, PB2T of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) promised every possible help to get Montenegro soon into the IARU family of national societies. Veso, YU6A, reminded those present of the valuable efforts made during a 1979 earthquake when Amateur Radio secured a permanent place in the hearts of people saved through emergency communication efforts by local amateurs. Mr. Peter Cupic, Deputy Director of Telecom, invited all delegates to a cruise at Boka Bay later on in the program, organized by his Agency. People were in tears when 19-year old Nikola, YZ6AMD called the first CQ to provide the first QSO under the 4O3T program. The German station DF3IU was there at 1020 UTC to win the honors. Now amateurs around the world are turning their antennas to the newly born Republic of Montenegro to salute 4O3T operators from three different continents, representing more than ten nations.`` Hrane, YT1AD-YT5A, informs OPDX that a team of operators will activate Montenegro with the callsign YU6AO from July 20th to August 15th. He mentions the location will be Podgorica, Montenegro. The host is Gojko, YU6AO. Hrane states, ``Accommodation and food is free. All of our team is welcome. We will operate with 4 working station`s at the same time.`` Activity will be on all bands and modes (CW, SSB, RTTY, PSK, SSTV, FM). Operators mentioned are: Gojko\YU6AO, Hrane\YT1AD, Milovan\YU1AU, Ratko\YU1NR, Mladen\YU7NU, Zoran\YU7KW, Marko\4N1JA, Goran\YT7AW, Igor\RA3AUU, Jack\RW3QC, Eugene\RK3AD(?), Srecko\YU1DX, Trajko\Z35A, Dragan\Z32AU, Marijan\S56A, Simone\IZ0BTV, Dragan\YZ1EW, Zeljko\YU6ST and YZ6DCT. Suggested frequencies are: CW - 1830, 3530, 7010, 10115, 14015, 18080, 21015, 24900 and 28010 SSB - 1850, 3790, 7080, 14232\14250, 18130, 21250, 24930 and 28450 RTTY - 3585, 7040, 10130, 14085, 18110, 21085, 24910 and 28085 kHz 6m - 50.102 and 50.130 MHz 2m - 144.050 and 144.310 MHz QSL via YU6AO, via the YU Bureau or direct to: Gojko Mitrovic, Crnojevica 4, 81000 Podgorica, Montenegro. During International DX Festival in Montenegro (July 20th-August 12th), Emir, 9A6AA, informs OPDX that he will try to get a license (4O3\9A6AA) for activity from Sv Nikola (IOTA EU-163, MIA MY-003). Depending on his free time (and license, of course), Emir plans to be active a few hours on SSB on 40 and 20 meters (KB8NW\OPDX July 24\ BARF-80 posted on rec.radio.amateur.misc via John Norfolk, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DXLD) Among the few ham QSLs in my collexion is a very old one from OH2BH -- - from his home QTH (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. RADIO NEDERLAND WERELDOMROEP Y US NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO SE ASOCIAN PARA UN NUEVO SERVICIO ESPAÑOL. [see U S A] Radio Nederland Wereldomroep y la radio nacional pública de Estados Unidos, National Public Radio lanzarán este verano "AHORA de Radio Nederland y NPR-National Public Radio". AHORA proporcionará al público hispanohablante en Estados Unidos - estimado ahora en más de 45 millones de personas - un servicio de 24 horas al día, siete días a la semana, de noticias, actualidades y programas de fondo, producidas por Radio Nederland y distribuidas por NPR a su red de más de 800 emisoras de radio pública en Estados Unidos. Cada día, la programación de NPR alcanza a más de 26 millones de estadounidenses. Este Nuevo servicio será distribuido a emisoras de radio en Estados Unidos para ser utilizado solamente en canales de audio secundarios - una nueva plataforma de radio digital, que da a las radios existentes la posibilidad de transmitir señales múltiples en la misma frecuencia. Así las emisoras de radio existentes en Estados Unidos podrán ofrecer a su audiencia hispanohablante una programación en español de alta calidad que abarca noticias, programas temáticos, culturales y musicales. Radio Nederland Wereldomroep y National Public Radio tienen el objetivo común de presentar a los oyentes programas de radio informativos y profundos. En Estados Unidos y en el mundo entero, National Public Radio es conocido por un periodismo de alta calidad. Sus programas de magazine que se emiten cada día en la mañana y en la tarde, "Morning Edition" y "All Things Considered", son emitidos en todo Estados Unidos, y escuchados en el mundo entero a través de Internet y de las actividades de NPR en el mundo entero. Son los dos programas de la radio pública más escuchadas en Estados Unidos. Además de noticias y programas de discusión, NPR produce también programas de música - desde música clásica y jazz hasta música popular. NPR distribuye también a Latino USA un programa de media hora semanal en inglés de la afiliada de NPR, la emisora KUT en Texas, que da especial atención a noticias y temas que afectan la población latina en Estados Unidos. Desde su fundación en 1970, NPR ha crecido de una emisora de 30 empleados a más de 700 empleados y ha incrementado su audiencia de 2 millones en los años ochenta a más de 26 millones hoy día. Para muchos norteamericanos, NPR se ha convertido en una parte indivisible de la identidad cultural y nacional de Estados Unidos. NPR ha estado en primera línea de la nueva revolución mediática con la creación de un proyecto de podcasting que incluye actualmente más de 52 podcasts distintos de diferentes organizaciones de radio pública. Actualmente, se han producido 25 millones de bajadas de podcast de NPR. Radio Nederland Wereldomroep está muy orgullosa de presentar el primer podcast en español en la oferta de NPR: La Matinal, el emblemático programa de actualidades de Radio Nederland. NPR se escucha en línea en : http://www.npr.org Radio Nederland Wereldomroep se escucha en línea en http://www.informarn.nl (español) y http://www.rnw.nl (inglés) (RADIO NEDERLAND, 21-07-2006) (via José Alba Z., July 21, condig list via DXLD) ** NIGER. Dear Glenn, I checked La Voix du Sahel on Sunday July 22nd [sic, must mean 23rd] at 2000 UT to find out if they had any English. The answer is no - just exotic local music. The transmitter had moved down to 9704.98 kHz. There was a lot of interference from Family Radio in Arabic. Perhaps the English broadcast has moved to another day or another time? Kind regards (Christer Brunström, Halmstad, Sweden, July 25, WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGER [and non]. La Voix du Sahel in French and local languages again active on short waves: 0500-2300 on 9705.0 plus co-channels as follows 1300-1500 Radio Finland in Finnish - totally blocked! 1400-2000 Radio Ethiopia on 9704.2 1500-1530 BBC in Nepali 1930-2000 VOA in Serbian - totally blocked! 2000-2100 WYFR in Arabic - totally blocked! 2245-2300 AIR in English (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, July 25, via DXLD) 9705 kHz: Hallo, Gisteren waren de condities richting Afrika beter dan de andere dagen; hier zijn een paar mp3 ID's die ik te pakken kreeg. La_Voix_du_Sahel_9705_kHz_23-07-2006_1648_UTC. http://tinyurl.com/nt33r La_Voix_du_Sahel_9705_kHz_23-07-2006_1740_UTC. Begin programma in het Arabisch http://tinyurl.com/o57xh La_Voix_du_Sahel_9705_kHz_23-07-2006_1755_UTC. Einde programma in het Arabisch http://tinyurl.com/pcaw6 La_Voix_du_Sahel_9705_kHz_23-07-2006_1900_UTC. Begin Franstalige nieuwsuitzending http://tinyurl.com/nr8ut (Guido Schotmans, Belgium, July 25, BDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DXLD) Tnx for the nice clips. Arabic? That is not a language spoken to any extent in Niger according to WRTH and World Almanac, so 15 minutes of it is only a token on La Voix du Sahel, or is it for abroad? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, Arabic is one of the many official languages of Niger according to the ethnologue, which lists around 30,000 native Arabic speakers. See http://www.ethnologue.com Arabic used to be listed in old WRTHs (e.g. at 1715 in the 1994 WRTH). By coincidence I also heard Voix du Sahel in Arabic yesterday (24 July) starting at 1735. Good reception here at that time on 9705 kHz in usb (there was a bad het from Ethiopia in AM or lsb) 73s (Dave Kenny, BDXC-UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Out of 10 megaNigerites per WRTH 2006, or 0.3%. In that case they are getting a lot more than their share of airtime, even if Arabic only amounts to 15 minutes a day, roughly 1% (gh, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. The night before the OK primary elexion, KFOR ch 4 in OKC crammed more paid politicals onto the air at the expense of NBC, Jay Leno, and his viewers – joined two minutes late at 0346:30 UT July 25 instead of 0344:30, so Leno was well into his monolog by then. KOCO ch 5 is usually the one to cram in more commercials instead of network programming, joining Nightline late, but not on this occasion. Network programming is much more expendable than local news and commercials. I demand direct access to the NBC network satellite feed (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Frequency change of Radio Pakistan: 1330-1530 Urdu WS and 1600-1615 English NF 9380, ex 9375 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, July 25, via DXLD) ** PALAU. T8BZ Palau - Still On? Is High Adventure Ministries station T8BZ (ex-KHBN) still on the air? I've had no luck for some time with any published times/frequencies on any of the usual SW sked websites. (J. D. Stephens, Hampton Cove, Alabama, USA, July 21, HCDX via DXLD) They had a temporary problem with 15725 kHz 0900-1100 transmission; now it's back to normal. 9965 kHz was operating normally last week; the current schedule is 1030-1500. Hope this helps, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, July 25, ibid.) ** ROMANIA. Frequency change for Radio Romania International in Russian: 1600-1656 NF 7175 TIG 250 kW / 037 deg, ex 7120 to avoid Radio Rossii in Russian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, July 25, via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Radio Romania prize winner I have now received two multi-media cultural encyclopaedia CDROMs from Radio Romania International! They emailed me some months ago to tell me that I had won a prize in their competition. They are very interesting with lovely music, paintings, sculpture, e-books, photos and movies. Romania is a fascinating country which I hope to visit one day. So a big thank you to Radio Romania International, would be great to visit then one day (Mike Terry, UK, July 24, dxldyg via DXLD) This from http://www.rri.ro/index.php?lmb=4&art=15608 As you may know, Radio Romania International, with support from the County council of Gorj County, in the south west of the country, the municipality of Barlad, in the East and the 'Marcel Guguianu' Foundation, has during in recent months been running a quiz contest on Romanian contemporary sculpture, entitled 'From Brancusi to Guguianu'. After a thorough selection of the correct, complete and well argued answers sent in by our listeners, as takes place in each of our competitions, the winner of the contest was chosen: none other than Mr. Lennart Holm, of Linkoping, Sweden. Mr. Holm was our guest between June 26th - July 5th. Before telling you more on his visit to Romania, let us recall that two special awards went to listeners Leonardo Caringi, from Brasil and Jean Pierre Bailly, from France, who won two small sculptures signed by Romanian master Marcel Guguianu and young sculptor Paul Popescu respectively. Begona Alvez, from Spain, and Angela Toma from the US will get two sketches signed Guguianu. Another 6 prizes have gone to listeners Alexandr Gavbris, from Ukraine (the author of the first correct answer), Zhou Jin from China, Zenka Vasilieva from Bulgaria, Ovidiu and Eliana Petria from Italy, SAlim Sabah from Iraq and Raoul Salumane from Estonia. Another 64 listeners from almost 20 countries have been rewarded with special prizes. They have already started to receive bilingual art albums and books, DVDs with documentaries about Romanian sculpture, handicraft goods, monograph albums, bilingual CDROMs, as well as CDs with folk music from the Gorj and Moldova area. The big winner of the contest, Lennart Holm, spent ten exceptional days in Bucharest, Barlad and Targu Jiu. Besides numerous touristic, religious and cultural sites, he visited important locations for the work of the two Romanian artists who lent their names to the competition, such as the 'Heroes' Path' sculptural ensemble in Tg. Jiu, the Constantin Brancusi museum house in Hobita, the sculptor Guguianu's workshop in Bucharest and the Marcel Guguianu exhibition compound in Barlad. Mr. Holm talked to sculptor Paul Vasilescu in his workshop in Bucharest and painter Sabin Balasa, one of Guguianu's closest friends, and visited museums and monuments in Romania's capital. At the end of his visit, our guest said he would return to Sweden with impressions he would never forget, especially about the monasteries of Lainici, Polovragi and Tismana, the caves of Polovragi and Muerilor, the Village Museum in Curtisoara, and the gorges of Sohodol and Baia de Fier. Here is what our guest told us about meeting Romanian artists, and seeing at first hand the work of the great Brancusi. "I've been impressed by my meetings with personalities of Romanian sculpture, and by their works. I was particularly impressed with the Brancusian compound in Targu Jiu, which very well maintained. I watched as two young people got married in front of the Kissing Gate. I will take great pleasure in keeping and looking over all the photos I took during my tour. People are friendly and hospitable and it will take me hours to tell my friends in Sweden about this experience. I would like to thank the organizers, and I'm particularly grateful to the local authorities and Radio Romania international, who made this incredible experience possible." After a final stop at the English Service of Radio Romania International, we said our good-byes to Mr. Holm, wishing him health, and the traditional Brancusian 'Peace and Joy'. (via Mike Terry, ibid.) ** SLOVAKIA. Mendoza, 25 de julio de 2006. Estimados amigos: Me dirijo a ustedes que son lo más representativo del Diexismo mundial, para que difundan el siguiente mail y juntos le brindemos apoyo a la querida Radio Eslovaquia Internacional. En el mail que me envió la querida amiga Ladislava en el día de la fecha, está la dirección electrónica del Ministro de Cultura de Eslovaquia y es allí, donde debemos solicitar el regreso a la Onda Corta de RADIO ESLOVAQUIA INTERNACIONAL. ¿SÉ QUE JUNTOS PODEMOS! Los reúno en un abrazo fraterno de BUENAS ONDAS. 73´s de: (Jorge E Guerrero, LU5MBS, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Same text from RSI as already in 6-108 ** SOMALIA [non]. R. Mustaqbal off the air: see ETHIOPIA [non] ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. GERMANY. New schedule for Brother Stair TOM in English from July 22: 0900-1100 6110 JUL 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu 1200-1400 6110 JUL 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu, cancelled 1400-1600 13810 JUL 100 kW / 115 deg to WeAs/ME 1500-1600 13720 WER 250 kW / 030 deg to RUS/CHN, new transmission 1800-1900 13855 JUL 100 kW / 160 deg to Ce/SoAf, ex 1800-2000 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, July 25, via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA. Re 6-108: SLBC`s old frequency was 15425, not 15475 (gh) ** SWAIN`S ISLAND. SWAIN`S ISLAND NEWEST DXCC ENTITY (July 24, 2006) --- A recent addition to the DXCC rules has led to the designation of Swain`s Island (KH8) as the 337th DXCC entity. A brief inaugural DXpedition operating under the call sign KH8SI was to get under way this week. In June, the ARRL DXCC Desk announced the addition of a Paragraph (c) under Section II, DX List Criteria, 1. Political Entities of the DXCC Rules: ``The Entity contains a permanent population, is administered by a local government and is located at least 800 km from its parent. To satisfy the `permanent population` and `administered by a local government` criteria of this subsection, an Entity must be listed on either (a) the US Department of State`s list of `Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty` as having a local `Administrative Center,` or (b) the United Nations` list of `Non-Self-Governing Territories.` `` The new language reclassified American Samoa as a political entity for DXCC purposes. Subsequently, the DX Advisory Committee and the Awards Committee concurred with a request, accompanied by substantiating evidence, and added Swain`s Island to the DXCC List as the first ``separation entity`` from American Samoa. ``The distance between American Samoa and Swain`s Island has been determined to be in excess of 350 km as required by DXCC Rules Section II, Paragraph 2, Section b),`` the DXCC Desk said. Contacts made with Swain`s Island on or after 0001 UTC on July 22, 2006, will count for DXCC credit. For more information, including the DXCC Reference Number for Swain`s Island, contact the DXCC Desk dxcc @ arrl.org Link to this story http://www.arrl.org/?artid=6619 (via John Norfolk, WORLD OF RADIO 1323, dxldyg) ANOTHER NEW DXCC ENTITY TO HIT THE AIRWAVES! Well known DXer Kan, JA1BK/KH6BK, and a group of operators will activate another new DXCC entity. The team of 6 operators will travel to Swain`s Island some time this week. Swain`s Island was recently added to the DXCC`s entity this past weekend due to the recent DXCC rule change. The team of operators who have been in Pago Pago, American Samoa, since Thursday, July 20th, have been delayed in going to Swain`s Island due to some transportation problems. The list of operators are Kan\JA1BK\KH6BK (team leader), Uti\KS6FO, Paul\F6EXV\WH7S, John\K1ER, Tets\AH7C and John\K8YSE. Larry, AH8LG, President of the American Samoa Amateur Radio Association (ASARA), has been helping in planning\organizing and has provided the team with lots of resources and logistics to make this operation happen. Larry will not be going with the team but will be a pilot station for the operation. However, Larry's wife, Uti, KS6FO, is expected to travel with the team to Swain`s Island and will do the cooking for the team. The callsign will be KH8SI once again. Activity will be on HF bands CW/SSB. However, the team will utilize the best bands to work as many as possible during this short operation (possibly 3-4 days). The start date is unsure at this time due to transportation to the island. QSL via JA1BK. More details will be forthcoming. ADDED NOTE: Those who use propagation and bearing programs may be interested in the following coordinates (Lat/Long) to use. Some of the following agencies have a slight vary in their coordinates, but all are very close. U.S. Department of Interior -- Latitude 11 degrees 3 minutes South Longitude 170 degrees 55 minutes West U.S. Coast Guard ------------- Latitude 11 degrees 4 minutes South Longitude 171 degrees 5 minutes West U.S. Census Bureau ----------- Latitude 11.08207 South Longitude 171.04813 West CIA FACT Book ---------------- Latitude 11 degrees 3 minutes South Longitude 171 degrees 15 minutes West (KB8NW\OPDX July 24\BARF-80 posted on rec.radio.amateur.misc via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U K. The Blue Peter Prom (#12) is now available on the BBC Listen Again player, in two parts. This is a really fun concert aimed at kids, with audience participation; IIRC last year it was never availablized, for rights reasons, I suppose. Originally aired both July 22 and 23, so its available time could run out by July 28 (Glenn Hauser, July 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. Even more advice about U.S. broadcasting to Iran. Testimony of Ilan Berman, Vice President for Policy, American Foreign Policy Council, to the Senate Federal Financial Management subcommittee: "Despite widespread popularity, the U.S. government's principal vehicles for public broadcasting into Iran, Radio Farda and the Voice of America's Persian Service, continue to suffer from serious systemic dysfunctions. These include sub-optimal programming, a lack of defined goals and no metrics by which to measure success. As a result, American outreach is overwhelmingly reactive, often irrelevant, and at times downright damaging to U.S. objectives. If it hopes to persevere in the battle for Iranian 'hearts and minds,' the United States must craft a clear message of hope and transformation that is continuously calibrated to the Iranian 'marketplace,' and that message must be capable of penetrating the regime's increasingly sophisticated barriers. And, if official public diplomacy channels are not up to the task, the U.S. government should empower U.S.-based NGOs capable of effectively carrying such a message." Via Newsblaze, 21 July 2006 http://newsblaze.com/story/20060721072331nnnn.nb/newsblaze/TOPSTORY/Top-Stories.html Kim's comments. Posted: 22 Jul 2006: Mr. Berman's interesting comments need to be parsed: "Despite widespread popularity, the U.S. government's principal vehicles for public broadcasting into Iran, Radio Farda and the Voice of America's Persian Service, continue to suffer from serious systemic dysfunctions." Kim: Any radio station that enjoys "widespread popularity" would want to emulate such dysfunctions. "These include sub-optimal programming, a lack of defined goals and no metrics by which to measure success." Kim: So how does "sub-optimal programming" enjoy "widespread popularity"? The refreshing "lack of defined goals" might be contributing to that popularity. As for metrics, door-to-door surveys are not possible in Iran, but telephone surveys have been conducted, and they indicate that Radio Farda, VOA Persian radio, and VOA Persian television are successful. "The United States must craft a clear message of hope and transformation that is continuously calibrated to the Iranian 'marketplace.'" Kim: By providing the uncensored news and popular music that are not available from Iranian domestic media, U.S. broadcasts *are* calibrated to the Iranian marketplace. Messages of hope and transformation, noble as those sentiments may be, result in broadcasts that are, after a couple of days, predictable and tuned out. "...that message must be capable of penetrating the regime's increasingly sophisticated barriers." Kim: Websites are still relatively easy to block because they are received via landline circuits *inside* Iran. Satellite dishes are conspicuous and confiscated. Shortwave, on the other hand, can overcome jamming because the laws of physics dictate that signals from afar are often heard more clearly than those from nearby transmitters. Unfortunately, the United States is dismantling its global shortwave plant. "And, if official public diplomacy channels are not up to the task, the U.S. government should empower U.S.-based NGOs capable of effectively carrying such a message." Kim: Loose cannons to the battlefront! Actually, he is on the right track in that U.S. international broadcasting would be more likely to succeed as an autonomous corporation than as a government agency. Kim Posted: 22 Jul 2006 (from http://www.kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Kim`s website has been redesigned and it seems he is updating it more often, perhaps daily (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WRNO --- I had a love hate relationship with WRNO for many years. (Somewhere) I have a nice certificate from WRNO for reception of some of its earliest broadcasts. I quite frankly loved the mix on the station. Good music, entertaining shows, quirky evangelists. WRNO was a forerunner, one of the first non-governmental shortwave stations in the US, which started popping up in the 1980s. Can it really be over 20 years since I was glued night after night to shows like Radio Earth? What a great programming line up. Jeff White. Rudy Espinal. Kim Andrew Elliot and the gang at Shortwave Pandemonium. Weekends brought a mix of paid programming, mostly religious, which I also found fascinating. You could hear very professionally done programming, and the small time preacher with barely a tape recorder and the money to put his show on the air. There were Russian language preachers. And Low German speaking preachers. I loved it. Later they added the wing nuts. The Zundels and the Peters’s and their ilk. As a result, in this column, I called WRNO ``What`s Rotten in New Orleans``. WRNO became a shadow of itself, and eventually disappeared altogether. So imagine my surprise when I was alerted by google to this article: Short-Wave Message To Middle East -- FW Man Broadcasts Message Of Reconciliation --- Tiani Jones Reporting . . . http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_story_197233011.html [Yes, the video is still there, as of 0030 UT July 25, despite our attempts to tell KTVT it is WRONG --- gh] The first question I had to ask was ``Is WRNO even on the air?`` There have been various reports, as recently as June, mainly in DX Listening Digest, about plans to begin broadcasting in July. But I haven`t heard WRNO, or seen it reported anywhere in ages. It`s been almost 10 years since WRNO even appeared in this column. I asked a few people if they had heard anything and came up empty. The story reads more like a press release than a news story. Millions and billions of potential listeners indeed. I suppose it`s possible. I could win the Nobel Prize too. Over the years many ministries have made these claims of millions of (potential) listeners. I often wonder if a) it`s wishful thinking on their part, b) they have been misled by radio stations eager to sell them air time, or c) perhaps the claims are meant to impress potential donors. Maybe they really do believe it. [also quotes gh`s previous comments that it`s NONSENSE] Perhaps by the time you read this, the status of WRNO will be clearer. The story, to my ear, seems mildly improbable. It`s something to keep an eye on in the coming months though. And what ever happened to NDXE? ;-) Late news: A 3-year old schedule for WRNO suggests programs like ``America Under Siege``, ``America in the Balance`` and ``Abundant Prosperity`` --- I hope that`s not their idea of a message of understanding for the Middle East (Fred Waterer, Programmng Matters, August ODXA Listening In via DXLD) O, but it is (gh) ** U S A. R. Nederland will provide Spanish programing 24/7 on NPR for use on stations` secondary IBOC channels only: see NETHERLANDS [non]. Hmmm; wonder if that will include RADIO ENLACE? (gh) ** U S A. Before we leave you this week, some thoughts that have been percolating here about the new indecency fines ($325,000 and up) recently approved by Congress and signed by President Bush, as we present one of our occasional series of NERW Mini-Rants. As always, our opinions are solely our own, and we'll gladly present opposing viewpoints and comments in future issues... Here at NERW, our custom over the last decade and a half has been to comment on local and regional issues, but to leave discussion of the big national radio and TV issues to our brethren at the big national trade publications. But a few weeks ago, we received a note from Bill O'Shaughnessy, the owner of WVOX (1460) and WRTN (93.5) down in New Rochelle and a longtime NERW reader, reporting a change in a longtime policy at his stations. Here's what Bill had to say: ``I've been immensely proud that our community radio stations have "flown without a net" (read: seven- second delay) for damn near 30 years of my stewardship, because I've always believed that our sophisticated audience in the "Golden Apple" and the New York area could handle an occasional vulgarity. Phil Reisman, the star feature columnist of Gannett, once wrote: "WVOX has never put a condom on its microphone." I'm heading for the drugstore...`` Attached to the note was a memo - the proverbial condom on the WVOX microphone - that went out to the station's staff, warning that anyone who "utters a profanity or vulgarity over these airwaves will never work again in commercial radio, if I have anything to do with it." Bill followed up the note a few days later with a phone call, in which he bemoaned the relative equanimity around the broadcasting industry about the new fine structure and the burden it places on small stations like his. The fact is, he's absolutely right - not just about the lack of outrage over the new law, but about how misguided and potentially very dangerous it is. Let's be clear about something: this column is not, and has never been, a friend to those who would use radio purely to shock and titillate. We've never been fans of morning shows whose sole reason for being is to talk about sex, and if we never hear another late- night college radio show with two drunk guys repeatedly using the f- word and assorted bodily noises in place of actual content, we won't be one bit sorry. At the same time, we believe vehemently that broadcast TV and radio must be free to reflect a real world that is often vulgar, violent, offensive and indecent. It's particularly troubling that the new rules make no exemption for news and public affairs coverage, creating a potentially stifling effect that's utterly at odds with our understanding of the First Amendment. (This was borne out just this past week when President Bush himself was caught on tape during his European trip using a word that would theoretically subject broadcasters to that $325,000 fine if his words were broadcast. We can argue both sides of the question about whether there's a valid journalistic reason to broadcast the president's comment unbleeped; we're entirely certain, however, that the judgment in that case should rest entirely with the journalists and not on the question of whether or not such a broadcast would lead to a crippling fine.) Beyond live news coverage, we believe the rest of the broadcast TV and radio community must be able to reflect the real world, too. There has to be some leeway for the occasional bit of salty language from a non- broadcaster during a live event, as the FCC correctly understood in its first stab at Bono's comments a few years ago during a live awards telecast. (Political pressure later led the Commission to reverse that ruling, alas.) It's deeply disconcerting to learn, as several trades reported last week, that the FCC is now asking broadcasters to provide tapes of recent live sports coverage with an eye towards imposing big fines. "They're trying to outlaw live TV," said one broadcaster, and we're inclined to agree. There's also a place for drama, comedy and documentaries that speak to adults at a level that goes beyond "family safe." In a world where the lines between broadcast and cable grow more blurred by the day, the idea that HBO can show a "Deadwood" or "Lucky Louie," while the broadcaster a few notches down the dial would be bankrupted by the fines such shows would produce if aired uncensored, is increasingly indefensible. We are, unsurprisingly, not at all impressed with the defeatist argument coming from certain industry groups that suggests that the solution is to impose still more restrictions by subjecting cable and satellite TV, satellite radio and even Internet broadcasting to the same draconian rules that now constrain broadcasters, particularly when those very trade organizations are the ones that should have been speaking out the loudest against more restrictions for any providers of video and audio content, no matter how it's delivered. The responsibility for keeping youngsters away from inappropriate programming should continue to rest where it has always properly rested - with the parents and other adults who should be determining their family's values, not with self-appointed morals police, and not ever with government censors. We're exceedingly troubled, too, by the capricious and inconsistent way in which the new law is defined and enforced. While the FCC points to a steady increase in the number of complaints it logs about radio and TV programming, there's a growing body of evidence to suggest that the vast majority of those complaints are filed by people who have never even seen or heard the programming about which they're complaining. As long ago as late 2004, Mediaweek reported that 99.8% of the complaints received at the FCC in a single year were generated by one special-interest group, the Parents Television Council. Subsequent reporting has demonstrated that the vast majority of (often incomplete or woefully inaccurate) complaints in several well- publicized cases have come from letter-writing campaigns organized well after the broadcast in question, while logic would dictate that a valid, legitimate complaint would be filed immediately afterward. The greater flaw in such a system is that it is inevitably one-sided. There is no mechanism by which those who find artistic or cultural merit in, say, the uncut version of Martin Scorsese's "The Blues" (the broadcast of which subjected one California PBS station to a large fine even under the older fine structure) can inform the FCC that they don't think the broadcast violated community standards, whatever those are. (The new law is just as vague about exactly what constitutes "indecency" as were the rules that it replaced.) As a result, a tiny number of complainers (and make no mistake about it - even the inflated number of "paper" complaints in most of these cases is far dwarfed by the total number of presumably non-offended viewers/listeners counted by the ratings) end up wielding a disproportionate amount of power over the process - a process that, given how high the new fines can rise, could do untold harm, especially to small broadcasters. "They're trying to outlaw live broadcasting." Will the industry sit back and let it happen? (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch July 24 via DXLD) ** U S A. WVEW aims to broadcast by Sept. 2 July 25, 2006 --- By DANIEL BARLOW Southern Vermont Bureau http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060725/NEWS/607250359/1003/NEWS02 BRATTLEBORO — The town's newest community radio station received a local permit last week that allows for the installation of an antenna. Organizers of Brattleboro Community Radio hope to begin broadcasting late this summer. Brattleboro Community Radio, which plans to broadcast from a downtown studio at 107.7 FM, has until Sept. 2 to turn the construction permit received by the Federal Communications Commission in March 2005 into a broadcasting license. That means getting the volunteer-run, commercial-free music and talk station on the airwaves, "or else Brattleboro will never have a community radio station again," said Ken Brace of Townshend, a member of the Vermont Earthworks board, a local nonprofit that applied for the license five years ago. "I don't know how we can afford to miss that deadline because it is so important," Brace said on Monday. "We've got 50 program hosts all trained and ready to go. The studio is 90 percent complete." The Brattleboro Development Review Board gave the station site plan and local Act 250 approval to install the antenna on July 17, according to Alice Herrick, the zoning administrator. Board Chairman Craig Miskovich, the replacement for former chairman David Gartenstein, who stepped down due to term limits last month, did seek to reduce the tower's size. Herrick said Miskovich and the review board set a requirement that the aluminum antenna, which likely will be installed on the roof of the Brooks House in downtown Brattleboro, be only as high as needed to reach the FCC-regulated broadcast limit. It turns out the antenna size requested by WVEW — 30 feet tall and 11 inches wide — is the minimum required to broadcast, Herrick said. "The DRB was hoping they didn't need all that height," she said. "But it turns out that if you chopped off two feet, it would affect the strength of the tower." Brace said he hopes to have the antenna installed after the first week of August if the project receives Act 250 approval. After that, the station has until Aug. 17 to begin the process of applying for the broadcast license. Brattleboro Community Radio, or WVEW as it also is known, is a successor to radio free brattleboro, a 10-watt community station that took on the FCC in a three-year legal battle after the agency shut it down for broadcasting without a license. That fight, which centered partly on the argument that communities have the right to control their local airwaves, ended in defeat in April for the 8-year-old station, which had been shut down by the government in summer 2005. Brace said the WVEW founders were inspired by rfb, but applied for the license because the sustainability of the unlicensed station was not clear. "We thought we should apply during this small five-day window for a low-power FM license if things didn't go well with rfb," he said. "And four years later — surprise — a construction permit arrives in the mail." Setting up the station, which will occupy the same studio apartment in the Brooks House as rfb, buying new equipment and working through the local and state approval processes, will cost about $30,000, Brace said. The station will be funded through donations and dues from members, but Brace warned that funds are tight now. He expects donations to increase once the station goes on the air (via Ken Kopp Amateur Radio: KKØHF, AIM: radiojunkie785, Web: http://732u.com July 25, dxldyg via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. RADIO NACIONAL DE VENEZUELA YA CUENTA CON UN CANAL INTERNACIONAL La directora de Radio Nacional de Venezuela, Helena Salcedo, informó sobre el relanzamiento de la antena internacional de éste circuito, la cual trasmite 8 horas diarias. La directora de Radio Nacional de Venezuela, Helena Salcedo, anunció el relanzamiento del Canal Internacional de este circuito, el cual trasmite desde el 22 de abril de 2004 durante ocho horas diarias para el continente americano. "La onda corta de Radio Nacional de Venezuela se proyecta como una respuesta a la necesidad comunicacional que existe en nuestro país, para dar a conocer al mundo lo que esta pasando en esta nación", expresó Salcedo cuando fue consultada sobre la importancia del relanzamiento de la antena internacional de RNV. Asimismo, indicó que esta expansión forma parte de la política comunicacional del Ministerio de Comunicación e Información, ente gubernamental que tiene como estrategia divulgar en forma veraz y oportuna los acontecimientos y hechos que se producen en Venezuela. Programación "La programación internacional de RNV incluye una variada presenta- ción de información, se dan a conocer los valores de Venezuela, su folclor, sus vivencias, sus costumbres y su música, también se presentan reportajes sobre las misiones que lleva a cabo el gobier- no del presidente Hugo Chávez Frías, además tenemos un equipo de trabajo comprometido con el objetivo de informar, educar y entretener", explicó Helena Salcedo. "También es importante destacar que en la programación de la Onda Corta se exaltan los valores establecidos en la Constitución Bolivariana de la República de Venezuela, donde se garantizan la autonomía del país y la independencia de los poderes públicos". "Por éste motivo el canal internacional de RNV tiene el compromiso de presentar al mundo una visión de progreso de un país que, como Venezuela, contempla el equilibrio social, económico, territorial, político e internacional", dijo Salcedo. Horas y frecuencias Los sitios, horas y frecuencias a través de las cuales se puede escuchar a la onda corta de Radio Nacional de Venezuela en el exterior son: [DON`T YOU BELIEVE; see below] .-San Francisco : 11:00 - 12:00 > 13.740 Khz. .-Chicago : 17:05 - 18:05 > 9.820 Khz. .-Washington : 16:00 - 17:00 > 6.000 Khz. .-Centro América : 17.00 - 18:00 > 11.760 Khz. .-Caribe : 15:00 - 16.00 > 9.550 Khz. .-Chile : 17:00 - 18:00 > 11.875 Khz. .-Buenos Aires > 17:00 - 18:00 > 15.230 Khz. .-Río de Janeiro > 17:00 - 18:00 > 17.705 Khz. Ministerio de Comunicación e Información Radio Nacional de Venezuela, 21 julio 2006 [sic] (via José Alba Z., condig list via DXLD) Says RNV external service is being ``re-launched``, without ever mentioning that all transmissions come out of Cuba, not direct from Venezuela. The attached transmission schedule dates from the outset, and was soon incorrect, but NEVER updated on their website. In fact, it was never correct, since the times given are local in each target area, without specifying them as such --- and furthermore some of them were wrongly converted anyway, starting with the first one. The 13740 broadcast, until it disappeared abruptly at least a sesquiyear ago, was actually at 19 UT, which during the summer is noon in San Francisco, not 11 am. We did not get this item before 2348 UT July 23 so haven`t yet been able to check out the earlier broadcasts, but AI de RNV was indeed in progress at that time even tho it was a Sunday, with a commentary on Hezbollah, UN resolutions, etc. 2351 ID and paean to Vlad Ulyanov and Marxism-Leninism. 2356 closing announcing the only address of Apartado Postal 3979, Caracas, whence mail has been bouncing for many months! This transmission was not only on 11760 as on the old sked above (17- 18 to CAm) but also on 13680, just as it has been for a long time, mixing with China via Canada; today RNV was on top most of the time, with a variable SAH averaging 2 Hz. After several minutes of dead air, 11760 went on at 0002 to pick up R. Rebelde coverage of the Cartagena games. I don`t expect to hear RNV back on its old ``8-hour a day`` schedule, but we need to check it out this week once again. La Sra. Salcedo obviamente no sabe qué pasa en su propia emisora --- El esquema adjunto es el inicial, muy atrasado ahora, y hasta ahora mudas durante mucho tiempo todas las emisiones excepto a las 20 y 23 TU. Nunca mencionan que todas las emisiones se transmiten vía Cuba, y no en directo desde Venezuela. Acabo de escuchar la de las 23 hasta cierre antes de las 24 del domingo, tanto en 11760 como en frecuencia no citada, 13680, donde se ha encontrado en realidad desde hace mucho, y ésta siempre en conflicto con China via Canadá, también en 13680. En esta ocasión observé señales más fuertes desde Cuba, aunque mezcladas con Canadá mostrando un heterodino sub-audible y variable alrededor de 2 Hz. AI de RNV terminaron por elogiar a Vladimir Ulyanov y al Marxismo-Leninismo. Cerraron por invitar correspondencia al Apartado Postal 3979, Caracas, desde el cual el correo ha sido devuelto desde hace muchos meses; no funciona! Después de unos 5 minutos de pausa, 11760 se convirtió a Radio Rebelde desde los juegos en Cartagena a partir de las 0002. Peor aún, el esquema publicado cita horas locales en los distintos destinos, sin aclararlo. Por ejemplo, la primera emisión a las ``11`` para San Francisco, era a las 19 TU hasta que se terminó sin aviso, hace bien más de un año, aunque en San Francisco la hora de verano era a las 12, etc., etc. Si en realidad se haya ``relanzado`` este servicio, anticipamos escuchar nuevamente esa emisión tan imaginaria desde lunes a las 19 en 13740, otras a las 20, y 21 TU. 73, (Glenn Hauser, Oclajoma, condig list and DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Luego:] Radio Nacional de Venezuela [más de menos] La obra antes citada no es nada nueva, sino origina en abril de 2004, todavía en http://www.rnv.gov.ve/noticias/?act=ST&f=22&t=5173 Así es que el `relanzamiento` no se refiere a julio de 2006, sino a abril de 2004. No hay nada de nuevo de ellos, a pesar de la fecha abajo, talvez generada automáticamente. ``Ministerio de Comunicación e Información, Radio Nacional de Venezuela, 21 julio 2006`` 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) This was much ado about nothing, as the announcement above is the same one originally posted on the website and clearly dated 29 Abril 2004! When trolling the Internet for *news*, be very wary of such autodating. The 2006 date was probably automatically generated elsewhere on the page. The only ``renovation`` referred to is the one in April 2004, which has steadily petered out (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ NATIONAL ANTHEMS Hello ABDX'ers, I used http://www.nationalanthems.com/ for national anthems and other basic facts on the country. The web site seems to have gone in past 3 months. Can any one update me with the new address please (Barry Davies, UK, July 25, ABDX via DXLD) http://www.national-anthems.net (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) MY GOVE BLOG SITE Hi guys, My Gove NT Blog site is up where I will have daily reports on DX from the Top End. http://onley.blogspot.com/ I hope it is of interest to some (Dave Onley, July 24, ARDXC via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see also FRANCE; GERMANY; MEXICO ++++++++++++++++++++ DRM RADIO RECEIVER WILL LAUNCH IN EUROPE IN OCTOBER [Re 6-107:] Here are two postings from somebody who says that he just had an opportunity to try a sample, labelled as Roberts MP40 as they had it on display at last year's IFA, but this appears to be the very same radio anyway: http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,419611,426167,sv=1#msg-426167 http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,419611,426463,sv=1#msg-426463 Says that he discovered the DAB module to pick up not only band III but also L band, hopes that they will not be so stupid to disable the L band in the final version. Recording DRM or DAB transmissions to the SD card produces no MP3 files, instead one gets the AAC or MP2, respectively, data as transmitted. The quality of the built-in speaker is not satisfying for a set of this size. Power consumption is a hefty 0.5 Amperes. The processing power of the DRM module is limited, not allowing to decode high bitrate transmissions. The 20 kHz bandwidth WRN signal at London can be received, but only because it contains two audio streams of lower bitrate. Just quoted for what it's worth. Again, this was not the final version, so some features may still change (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HD RADIO SELF-NOISE Hi Glenn, I received this link today via the e-mail at my Future of Radio blog; it concerns the noise found on FM analog stereo signals when the station is broadcasting in IBOC/HD and what listeners can do about it: http://users.tns.net/~bb/hdrsn.htm 73, (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19 http://futureofradio.typepad.com/ July 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) On KMKI-620's IBOC, driving northwest on U.S. 287, I hear the hiss on 610 and 620 [presumably means 630] well beyond Childress toward Amarillo. The ground conductivity maps show this land at 30 on a scale of 0-30, so it's the highest ground conductivity in America (John Callarman, Krum TX, ibid.) For those not familiar with the white noise on the frequencies adjacent to a carrier running IBOC, check out the below web page for some illustrative examples: http://www.21centimeter.com/IBOC.html Recordings #5 and #9 demonstrate that IBOC hiss can be heard quite far even in the daytime. The latter recording was obtained from a QTH (Wilmington, DE) located a little over 100 miles from the WOR transmitter. Regards (Pete Jernakoff K3KMS http://www.21centimeter.com July 24, IRCA via DXLD) Some time ago I prepared an MP3 file showing the affect switching between upper and lower sideband has on an IBOC signal and on the adjacent channels. This adds a somewhat different demonstration to the excellent examples Pete provided of IBOC sideband interference. Using the technique of switching between U/LSB makes it even more certain you are hearing an IBOC digital signal versus some unintentional noise, if there is any doubt. The MP3 file is near the bottom of this page along with explanation: http://ScooterHound.com/WWWR/radio/sefliboc2.html Graphical depictions of actual received IBOC signals can be seen on the home page of this web site, the link is in my signature. (W. Curt Deegan, Boca Ratón, (southeast) Florida http://ScooterHound.com/WWWR/radio/sefliboc.html ibid.) Barry McLarnon on the IBOCalypse: http://tinyurl.com/h93g8 Congratulations, Barry, on an eminently well-written and understandable piece. Best explanation of the problems with AM-band HD Radio I've seen. I suspect that even many of the suits in broadcast management could understand the article if they took the 10 minutes or so needed to read it. Alas, they don't want to hear the facts, so few of them will take the time to do the reading. Steve Davis will probably read it, but will he do you the courtesy of the reply you deserve? (Dan Strassberg, July 24, IRCA via DXLD) INiquity wants to make MORE HASH http://beradio.com/media/art/SpectrumMask.jpg If you look at this picture, IBOC will be worse. This is what iNiquity wants the FCC to give them for hash. It appears that they can¹t make the mask at present. Not much of a surprise, eh? Seems like we have been saying that the hash was real bad all along. This request proves it (Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) A NIGHT ON SPACE MOUNTAIN --- THE IBOC CONVERSION MAY HIT SOME UNFORESEEN UPS AND DOWNS, BUT ITS PATH IS LARGELY PREDICTABLE by Skip Pizzi http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/skippizzi-bigpict/2006.07.19-09_rwf_pizzi_july_19.shtml We've seen it many times before, yet it's always a surprise when it happens again. I'm talking about the cyclical process of trend adoption. You know how it goes: First comes the disruption in status quo caused by the new trend, followed by a rush to invest in the shift ("irrational exuberance"), followed by a backlash or crash, and finally a recovery to some rational middle ground where the new trend becomes adopted into mainstream life. The pace of this process can vary widely, but the overall shape of the adoption curve is remarkably consistent. The initial rumblings build fairly quickly, and once the buzz gets going, there seems to be an almost irresistible attraction to embrace the new movement. Perhaps it's the fear of missing the boat that drives this, yet it is almost always an overreaction. Soon the overshoot is recognized, and there is typically an even faster rush to back away from the shift. This, too, is often an overcorrection, and eventually a return to moderate, sustainable adoption settles in. Engineers will recognize this function as that of a pendulum, or of the characteristic "ringing" often exhibited by the start of a new excitation in a resonant circuit. The faster the rise-time, the quicker and deeper the drop on the negative side of the wave. The first wave may be followed by a few more of steadily decreasing amplitudes, but eventually a stable periodic function emerges. So perhaps there is something "natural" about the adoption cycle, no matter how oblivious we may be to it while in the midst of one. Understanding this dynamic is important, though, because it can provide a softer landing at the end of the cycle. Successfully riding out that steep crest and trough of the initial wave is easier to do if you know it's coming and are aware of your relative position to it as the process unfolds. Analysts have tried to capture critical elements of this phenomenon. One apt and oft-cited quote comes from Bill Gates, who wrote in his book "The Road Ahead," "We always overestimate the change that will occur in the next two years, and underestimate the change that will occur in the next 10." Perhaps it's "episodic TV syndrome" that makes us all expect a complete story to be tied up fast, and leaves us with inadequate attention span if the ending doesn't emerge quickly enough. The saga may begin quickly enough, but the end may take more time to be revealed than we'd prefer. That's likely what's behind Gates' pronouncement that we expect too much in the near term, and don't stick around to observe the real impact later. We've seen this in U.S. radio over the years, most recently with RBDS, which after a dozen or so years is now completing the cycle as it moves into the mainstream. Even FM itself experienced such a process, extending over three decades in its case. Applying the lessons So armed with some awareness, what can we forecast about radio's current transition to digital broadcasting? Well, clearly, we are just at the very beginning. Again, the engineer knows that the near-field effect will not allow a lot of accuracy in extrapolation of trends yet - not enough history. What we can say with some certainty, though, is that broadcasters are now enthusiastically embracing IBOC. As this process continues, without any immediate payback from listeners adopting IBOC at a similar pace, the process will inevitably hit a wall, and today's conversion pace may seem retrospectively like irrational exuberance on broadcasters' part. This will likely generate a backlash movement that labels the broadcast IBOC conversion as wrongheaded or premature ("Back to FM!"), but it is just where a more disciplined, longer view should be exercised instead. Like Ulysses, post-IBOC broadcasters should tie themselves to their (antenna) masts as they pass by these sirens, and stay the original course. While there is no guarantee that this perseverance ultimately will be rewarded, it is almost certain that there will come a time of such doubt, as the necessary offset between broadcasters' conversion and listeners' (possible) adoption runs its course. This is a natural part of any chicken-and-egg conversion process, which every broadcast format transition intrinsically involves. How broadcasters manage themselves during this period may have substantial impact on the ultimate outcome. Consider how Eureka-147 DAB has recently fared in the U.K., compared to its fate in other DAB countries (a great example of the Gates quote above). The U.K.'s current success with digital radio would not have happened if broadcasters there hadn't pushed it to the next level with a second wave of investment, this time in new content rather than hardware. The pacing and patience required by this process brings up another metaphor called "Tarzan Economics," referring to that legendary character's method of transport through the jungle by swinging from one vine to another. The tricky part is in managing the transition between vines: to maximize forward momentum you have to let go of the current vine just before it reaches the end of its arc, and then quickly grab onto the next one. Radio broadcasters should be heartened by the fact that the IBOC transition allows Tarzan to cheat a little, keeping hold of the old vine for a while after grabbing the new one. The leap of faith is not as dramatic, but perhaps neither is the resulting speed. Once more, the seemingly natural rhythms of risk vs. reward, or pain vs. gain, may apply to the IBOC transition. Thus the IBOC conversion cycle may be a long, slow one. Shift runs downhill Returning to the wave model, for this process to actually work, something has to start the excitation with a pretty strong force. If the positive side of the wave doesn't reach a high peak, the trough won't hit very hard or fast, and the bounce into mainstream adoption won't ever take place. The apt natural model in this case is the roller coaster. The potential energy of the car must be increased by pushing it to the top of the first hill, but then the natural ambient conditions (i.e., gravity, friction and centrifugal force) take over. If that first hill isn't high enough, the car won't make it through the course. IBOC conversion investments by broadcasters are pushing the car up the hill right now. To get it to the top they will need some help from receiver manufacturers, and some effective marketing from both parties. Then the real thrill ride will begin. Skip Pizzi is contributing editor of Radio World (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) "Skip" seems an apt nickname for one who moves from one metaphor to another with such ease. It's a pendulum. No, it's Ulysses sailing past the sirens. No, it's a chicken-and-egg problem. It's a wave. It's Tarzan swinging from vine to vine. It's a wave again. It's a roller coaster. I think I'm going with the wave because I'm getting motion sickness from all the metaphor changes (Jay Heyl, ibid.) Egad, I haven't heard such an erudite explanation of anything since I last saw Professor Irwin Corey in action (Qal R. Mann, Krumudgeon, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field was at quiet levels the entire summary period. Solar wind speed ranged from a high of near 375 km/s early in the summary period to a low of about 275 km/s midday on 19 July. The Bz component of the IMF did not vary much beyond +/- 4 nT throughout the entire period. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 26 JULY - 21 AUGUST 2006 Solar activity is expected to be at very low to low levels. No greater than 10 MeV proton events are expected. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels on 02 – 05 August. The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet to unsettled for the majority of the forecast period. Recurrent coronal hole high speed wind streams are expected to rotate into geoeffective positions on 31 July – 01 August and again on 07 – 08 August. Active to minor storm periods are possible on 31 July – 01 August while unsettled to active periods are possible on 07 – 08 August. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2006 Jul 25 1824 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 Jul 25 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2006 Jul 26 80 10 3 2006 Jul 27 80 8 3 2006 Jul 28 80 8 3 2006 Jul 29 80 5 2 2006 Jul 30 80 8 3 2006 Jul 31 80 10 3 2006 Aug 01 80 15 3 2006 Aug 02 80 10 3 2006 Aug 03 80 8 3 2006 Aug 04 75 5 2 2006 Aug 05 75 5 2 2006 Aug 06 75 10 3 2006 Aug 07 75 12 3 2006 Aug 08 70 12 3 2006 Aug 09 70 8 3 2006 Aug 10 70 12 3 2006 Aug 11 70 8 3 2006 Aug 12 70 5 2 2006 Aug 13 70 5 2 2006 Aug 14 70 8 3 2006 Aug 15 70 5 2 2006 Aug 16 75 5 2 2006 Aug 17 75 5 2 2006 Aug 18 75 5 2 2006 Aug 19 75 5 2 2006 Aug 20 75 5 2 2006 Aug 21 75 10 3 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1323, DXLD) ###