DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-118, August 6, 2006 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2006 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1324: 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 DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location. Here`s where to sign up http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** AFGHANISTAN. 9345, 1.8 1707, Radio Soleh, Bagram med musl. mx och tk (frekv. var helt fri i ca 5min, sen kom Israel och då var det roliga slut) 2 LRH. 9345, Aug 1, 1707, Radio Soleh [Solh], Bagram with Muslim music and talk (the frequency was totally free for about 5 minutes, then Israel was booming in ending all the funny things) 2 LRH (Leif Råhäll, Sweden, SW Bulletin, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, this is the low-power transmitter actually in Afghanistan, its only known SWBC outlet, as we STILL await the 100 kW unit supposedly donated by India to come on line (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALGERIA [non]. I have really not gone looking for the UK relays, but found one nevertheless seeking some music at 0530 UT Aug 6; just above Vatican there was Qur`an on 7260, and per listings this was it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 15345.35, 1.8 1804, RAE började sin sändning på engelska. Bäst i USB. 2 CB (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin via DXLD) These refine my approximation of 15345.4 (gh, DXLD) 15345.38, 4.8 2056, RAE Argentina med IDs på engelsk, tysk, fransk og spansk, s/on og kl. 2100 program på tysk "hallo freunde, guten abend" lidt forsinket. 22322 BV (Bjarke Vestesen, Denmark, ibid.) Radiodifusión Argentina al Exterior doing quite well on 15345 this noon here in Tiquicia, as never heard before at this time, 1845. There was a (kind of mid-frequency) het because of RTV Marocaine, but his one wasn`t audible at all. San Lorenzo de Almagro was beating Jujuy 1- 0 in a fútbol game. They were announcing next fútbol transmission later on between Boca Juniors and Banfield. The great migration of British workers for the railroad during the 19th century (the same happened in Costa Rica) made possible the introduction of football. That`s why you find several teams with English names like Newell`s Old Boys, River Plate (for Río de la Plata). (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Aug 6, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. Persistence in listening has paid off: 1620 ??? Radio Italia, Villa Martelli, Buenos Aires. Clear ID at 0255. F 6/8 AB (Andrew Brade, UK, Aug 6, MWC via DXLD) cf CUBA [non] ** BOLIVIA. 6037.7, Radio Difusora Trópico (presumed), Villa Tunari, 2321-2330, August 02, Spanish, short talks by male & female about national actuality and Cochabamba department actuality. Report from Cochabamba city, 24432 (Arnaldo Slaen, General Villegas, 500 km NW of Buenos Aires, Argentina, condig list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL EM ONDAS MÉDIAS – Já está operando, na freqüência de 560 kHz, a Rádio Educação Rural, de Coari (AM), entre 1000 e 0100. A potência é de 1 kW. Conforme o diretor da emissora, Cícero Marques, em breve passará a emitir com 10 kW. O interessante é que a estação transmitia, até agora, apenas pela freqüência de 5035 kHz, em ondas tropicais. ``Seja bemvinda a nova opção para o ouvinte amazonense``, escreve o biólogo Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM). [keeps SW 5035?] BRASIL - Começa no dia 15 e vai até 28 de setembro, o horário eleitoral em cadeia nacional de rádio e televisão. A propaganda dos candidatos à presidência será transmitida no rádio nas terças, quintas e sábados, em dois blocos de 25 minutos cada um: das 7h às 7h25min e das 12h às 12h25min, no horário oficial de Brasília [UT -3], junto com a propaganda dos candidatos a deputado federal. Já a propaganda dos candidatos a governador vai ao ar nas segundas, quartas e sextas- feiras, das 7h às 7h20min e das 12h às 12h20min, no horário oficial de Brasília. Para candidatos a senador, a propaganda também será nas segundas, quartas e sextas-feiras, das 7h40min às 7h50min e das 12h40min às 12h50min, ao lado da de deputado estadual. As informações são do site http://www.soradio.blogspot.com [see Tips for Rational Living] BRASIL – A Rádio Pioneira, de Teresina (PI), transmite, entre 1300 e 2300, em 5015 kHz, com potência de 1 kW. O endereço para contato é: Rua 24 de Janeiro, 150 Sul, CEP: 64001-230, Teresina (PI). A direção está a cargo de Rosemiro Robinson da Costa. Telefone: (86) 3221. 8121. E-mail: rosemiro @ radiopioneira.am.br As informações são do biólogo Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM). BRASIL – A Rádio Integração, de Cruzeiro do Sul (AC), está inativa na freqüência de 4765 kHz, conforme constatação de Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM). O endereço da emissora é o seguinte: Rua de Alagoas, 270, Colégio, CEP: 69980-000, Cruzeiro do Sul (AC). E-mail: rtvi @ omegasul.com.br A direção da emissora está a cargo de Albelia Bezerra da Cunha (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 6 via DXLD) ** CANADA. See HAITI ** CHAD. 6165, Radiodif. Nationale (presumed), 2300-2330 Aug 6. Noted two persons in French language comments where one says something in French and the second person answers. Seems like an exercise. The French had that strong African Dialect to it. Signal was good (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chad is supposed to be off at 2300 on weekends and at 2230 on weekdays, per EiBi, and WRTH 2006 says -2230 daily. If this keeps up, it will further ruin our chances for R. Logos, Bolivia during its best window, as previously discussed (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** CHINA [and non]. Radio China on 14260 and // on 18160 kHz AM broadcast again today 08-06-06 1100Z - still there at 1135Z, 14260 59+10. Just started up on 18160 also 1130Z 08-06-06. Same source. Identical in sync modulation on both frequencies (Larry K1IED Skilton, via WA4FKI via DJ9KR, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good Afternoon Glenn, Thanks for the update on the Chinese station. Today was the first time I ever heard the station and I had a double surprise to hear them on 14260 as well as 18160. I am the IARU Region 2 MS Coordinator. One of my monitors from KP4SQ heard both of them and send a bearing heading or ZERO (0) from Puerto Rico. Pedro's Coordinates:18.334727 -65.665333 and grid square is FK78ei. 73's (Bill, WA4FKI, ibid.) That`s about right, China transpolar from there, as one can approximate from timezones -4 and +8 (gh, DXLD) Hi folks, Thank you, dear Bill, for the latest news re Radio China (or is it China Radio???). Already this morning my first "action" was to listen on 20 m. And there was Radio China at 0530 UT on 14260 kHz. Also I can hear the parallel broadcasting on 18160 kHz. Yesterday this QRG was not used, only 14260 kHz was active 1000-2030 UT. So right now at 1230 both QRGs carry the same transmission with endless Chinese music. No word spoken. Please alert also you national telecoms. authorities as these are the only "partners" to send an official complaint to China. Keep you ears open - be prepared! Regards, (Uli Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, DARC intruder watch, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi gents, Regarding the name issue "Radio China" vs. "China Radio": The international/English version is: CRI, China Radio International, the German version is Radio China International, Version française: Radio Chine Internationale, Bahasa Indonesia: CRI, China Radio International all to be found on the common starting web site http://chinabroadcast.cn/ (they have broadcasts in 43 different languages - unfortunately not always in just the broadcast bands). For our purposes here, with English as the de facto lingua franca of many other areas than just amateur radio, use of "China Radio International" should be OK. Enjoy! AJK, http://www.qsl.net/dk5tl (Dr Anton J. Kuchelmeister, ibid.) Another odd thing is that in Spanish they call themselves Radio International de China, which is hard to find on the Spanish homepage except at the bottom, where it is also misspelt: ``copyright © 1998- 2005 Radio Internacioal de China, todos los derechos reservados`` Yet, I think no such abbreviation ``RIC`` is in use. In Spanish, ``Radio China Internacional`` or even ``China Radio Internacional`` ought to work just fine. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Correct when one refers to the external broadcasts of China Radio International. These however are Domestic Service relays which is CNR China National Radio programme 1 and 2. CNR-1, CNR 2 etc. (Victor 4S7VK Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, ibid.) Except they are now using Firedrake to jam Sound of Hope like so many other victims. I wonder what DS program number it is?? 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Hi Glenn, I am sure you know better than I do!! that they don't even admit to using to dragon dance! 73 (Victor Goonetilleke, ibid.) Dear Glenn, thank you for your support. The program is only music with flutes, gongs, violins and drums. The same music is repeated every hour. There is NO spoken word or announcement. The program always ends exactly at full hour and starts again five minutes later. I was unable to detect Sound-of-Hope below the transmissions of the Chinese. Some months or weeks ago sometimes on 18080 or 18160 kHz I was able to hear another program in Chinese language. But this was not the case during the past weeks or days. Pse hit also our homepage http://www.iarums- r1.org for more information. Regards, (Uli, DJ9KR, ibid.) Hi Glenn, this is Uli DJ9KR again. I was just informed by a German ham (via telephone at 1725 UT) that there is a Chinese BC on 14260 kHz, and the fundamental is on 7130 kHz with the same program. This was new to me: Indeed the same Chinese program just now is audible very strong on 7130 kHz with no time delay. However I do not think that the transmissions on 14260 kHz are the 2nd harmonic of 7130 kHz. The 20-m- signal is too strong. Perhaps a trick of the Chinese or coincidence? I will keep on listening. Pse your comments. Regards, (Uli, DJ9KR, ibid.) Uli, I think it is coincidence in this case. When first investigating this I realized that 7130 is a big jammed frequency already. 73, (Glenn, ibid.) Hi Glenn, right you are: Listening after 1800 UT, Radio China had gone on 7130 kHz. What was also different to previous transmissions that there was no break between 1800 and 1805 with the 14260 kHz frequency. The music continued. This music can`t be an "ORDINARY" program. Maybe it is just a jammer. And: 14260 kHz can`t be a harmonic. It is too strong! Regards and all the best for the new week to come. Here wx is vy bad. We had a little sunshine this afternoon. But it has been raining and raining for hours. Have you visited our homepage http://www.iarums-r1.org yet? Regards, (Uli, ibid.) Yes; and I pulled out the logs of Hungary and Romania intruding on 20m with harmonics, q.v. Uli, Have you considered trying to persuade Sound of Hope not to use frequencies in the ham bands? This might be more effective in the long run. You can be sure that China will jam them wherever they appear, despite excuses and official protests. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Thank you, Glenn, that's a very important point! I agree entirely. As far as I can tell, 14260 kHz is *not* allocated to the Broadcast Service anywhere in the world, and to complain about the Chinese jamming without also complaining about the Sound of Hope broadcasts is to be guilty of having a double standard. From my own observation, it appears the Sound of Hope signal stays on the air (weak carrier heard here) during the 5 minute off-period of the Firedrake jammer. 73, (Martin VE3OAT Potter, ibid.) Dear Glenn, thank you for your advice. You are certainly right! Do you have any email address of SoH? I had tried earlier to contact SoH, but the address did not work; the mail was rejected. Right now (1535 UT) the Chinese BC is // on 14260 and 18160 kHz. I have received reports re the 14260 kHz-signal from a station from Mahopac, from NY - K1IED Connecticut - G4BOH England - 5z4NU Nairobi - Enrico Oliva NW-Italy - KP4SQ Puerto Rico. Here the offender is about S 9 with a 3-element beam FB-33 from Fritzel. Regards, (Uli, DJ9KR, ibid.) This seems to be the latest info I have on contacting Sound of Hope: CHINA [non]. Sound of Hope (via Taiwan). Received today a set of four QSL cards, (one for each date heard) each one depicting different paintings/photos, with a reverse verification statement in English and Chinese, with a list or schedule of the frequencies used. Also sent a book marker, with text in Chinese, web site and schedule. The reply came within a envelope with this return address: Sound of Hope Radio Network, Inc. 2520 Wyandotte Street, Suite A, Mountain View, California, 94043 e-mail: contact @ soundofhope.net Yet the envelope [had] a nice set of Republic of China stamps (mailed from Taiwan?) This in response to numerous attempts, with a least two follow-up enquiries to: englishfeedback @ soundofhope.org Mr. Raoul McAllister replied 'that he had forwarded my reports to our special contacts for these matters in Taiwan.' Total time of just over 13 months, with the last follow-up, 5 months ago (Edward Kusalik-Alberta, CANADA, April 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-064 via 6-118) ** CUBA. RHC, 9550, Sunday Aug 6 at 1305 was mentioning that it would be broadcasting some event direct from Bolivia this morning. Didn`t have a chance to monitor further, whether this impacted ``Aló, Presidente`` from Venezuela (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. http://www.krone-web.dk by the way has been up-dated with photos of DX-friends and with direct links to all Cuban stations and their online radio. But see it in 1024 x 764 pixels. 73's (Finn Krone, Denmark, Aug 6, HCDX via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. Just tuned to 1620, WDHP, St. Croix, VI, and have Radio Martí loud and clear at 10:05 pm ET, Aug 5 2006 [0205 UT Aug 6] (W. Curt Deegan, Boca Ratón, (southeast) Florida, IRCA via DXLD) 1620, R. Martin [sic], 05/08/06 - 23 hs - hora Brasilia e 2 hs UT do dia 06/08/06. 54555. Um noticiario de cinco minutos e logo em seguida anunciou que transmetia aos sabádos em espanhol em 1620 das 7 as 12 hs, sem citar se utc ou outro horario. Não foi citado mais, se enquadra no horario AM PM. [pm of course, 23-04 UT] As escutas foram feitas num rádio marca Motorrádio, antena de ferrite com pilha. Acho que a Motobrás é a sequencia desse Motorádio (Isaac Rosa, Crateús - Ceará, radioescutas via DXLD) Earlier: 1620, WDHP, St. Croix, USVI - 'You are in St. Croix' and BBC WS news. Fading in and out with next item. F pks, 0400 5/8 AB 1620, UNID Spanish language. Heard ID at 0200 'AM mil..., Radio ? ... mañana'. Signal was present between 0054 when I switched on until 0401. Need to do some research. The word after 'Radio' didn't sound like 'Tropicana' or 'Cadena Vida'. What Spanish language stations have been logged on 1620? I'm working on trying to get a good MP3 recording of this ID for others to hear. 73 (Andrew Brade, UK, Aug 6, MWC via DXLD) Andrew, I also monitored 1620 during 5/8 from my QTH 80 km north of Stockholm. I had 3 stations WDHP, unID SS and the strongest was Radio Vida, BA. A clip from 0200 utc can be found at http://www.delegum.se/dx/Audio1.htm During this occasion I was using a beverage/630m/250 degrees. 73´s (Torolf Johnsson, Stockholm, Sweden, ibid.) One of the other Spanish stations on 1620 was Radio Martí. I've discovered (from Glenn Hauser's worldofradio.com web site that WDHP relays Radio Martí at weekends (1400 - 0400)). This is also reference in the WRTH entry (USA International section) for Radio Martí. WDHP's website http://reefbroadcasting.com strangely makes no mention in its schedule! Wonder why. Incidentally the WDHP site is quite fun; have a look if you've not visited before. This leaves a third Spanish station on 1620 heard with religious programming, very much behind Martí and Italia, that remains for the moment unidentified. 73 (Andrew Brade, UK, ibid.) 1620, Radio Martí, 0227 UT July 22, sinpo 24333, via WDHP islas virgenes. Programa mesa redonda,YL agradece y hace alusión a "Radio Martí", continua nx, s 23332 (Hector Alvaro Gutiérrez, desde Lima Sur, Perú, Sony Icf-Sw 7600 G, ewe + potenciometro, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. A través de los Noticieros de Radio Marti se anunció: Televisión Martí comenzó hoy Sábado 5 de Agosto emisiones a las 2300 UT y hasta las 0330 UT a través de su plataforma aéra. Del Domingo en adelante el horario será de 0000 UT a 0400 UT diariamente. TV Martí ofrece una programación variada que incluye noticieros al igual que espacios de entretenimiento y actualidad. El anuncio forma parte del compromiso del Presidente de los Estados Unidos George W. Bush de ofrecer información veraz e imparcial al pueblo de Cuba. Televisión Martí se trasmite por el canal 20. Otro anuncio lo constituye que Radio Martí estará emitiendo los Sábados por Onda Media través de los 1620 kHz ST Croix, Islas Vírgenes desde las 0000 UT y hasta las 0500 UT, es decir desde las 7:00 PM y la medianoche, hora de Cuba. [Cuba is on UT -4 not UT -5! --- gh] WRTH 2006 indica en su página 437 que emite con 10/1 kW de potencia (Cordiales, 73, Oscar de Céspedes (Miami, FL), Aug 5, condig list via DXLD) La TV que no se ve: No parece probable que el avión C-130 que el gobierno norteamericano quiere poner en el aire para trasmitir la señal de TV Martí hacia Cuba, esté disponible para un futuro inmediato tal como lo han estado urgiendo a la Casa Blanca los tres congresistas cubano-americanos del sur de La Florida y el Senador Republicano Mel Martínez. Según nos dijo una fuente muy bien informada que tiene conexiones con TV Martí, la frustración allí es muy grande al no poder llegar a la isla con su señal dejándoles "embotellada" una programación especial que tienen preparada relacionada con la repentina operación quirúrgica de Fidel Castro y la sucesión de Raúl Castro como nuevo Presidente del Consejo de Estado en sustitución de su hermano Fidel. La esperanza que tenían los legisladores cubano-americanos era que el Pentágono facilitara provisionalmente un avión a ese efecto pero la respuesta parece que se la han dado en lenguaje cubano. Nananina. Fuente: http://www.radio-miami.com/TEXTOS%20DIAS/DIA4/duende.htm (Alexis Castillo López, Tercer nivel de Rei Ki tradicional [?], condig list via DXLD) Mas y más: AVIÓN DE TV MARTÍ INICIA TRASMISIONES DIARIAS PARA CUBA WILFREDO CANCIO ISLA, [QTH or QRA?], El Nuevo Herald COPIADO DE LA PUBLICACION "EL NUEVO HERALD", SECCION CUBA. El Nuevo Herald | 08/06/2006 | Posted on Sun, Aug. 06, 2006 http://www.miami.com/mld/elnuevo/news/world/cuba/15208966.htm En una decisión considerada esencial para acelerar la democratización de Cuba, el gobierno de Estados Unidos decidió ayer iniciar las transmisiones diarias de Televisión Martí por vía aérea hacia la isla. La Oficina de Transmisiones a Cuba (OCB) anunció anoche que la operación comenzó desde un avión C-130 a las 6 p.m., calificándola de ''un hecho histórico'' para el pueblo cubano. ''La transmisión desde este avión es el cumplimiento del compromiso del Presidente [George W. Bush] de romper el bloqueo informativo de la dictadura cubana sobre el pueblo de la isla, lo que incrementará el acceso de los cubanos a información oportuna y precisa que necesitan en este momento crítico'', declaró Pedro Roig, director de la OCB, en un comunicado. La nueva fase de operaciones televisivas implica mantener al menos cuatro horas de programación diaria dirigida a la audiencia cubana. Un avión militar C-130 había comenzado a transmitir TV Martí en el 2004, pero con frecuencia semanal. El transmisor aerotransportado pretende garantizar que llegue a Cuba la señal televisiva, bloqueada por el régimen castrista desde el surgimiento del canal gubernamental en 1991. Aunque las operaciones se encuentran en un período inicial, el plan contempla transmitir cinco horas durante sábados y domingos, y cuatro horas de lunes a viernes. A largo plazo se planea extender los horarios de transmisión. Funcionarios en Washington dijeron anoche que la puesta en práctica del novedoso proyecto tecnológico de TV Martí se aceleró ''como resultado de la crisis generada en torno a Cuba'' por la cesión provisional de los poderes de Fidel Castro, el pasado lunes. Según conoció El Nuevo Herald, TV Martí había transmitido el pasado viernes, a manera de prueba, el mensaje enviado al pueblo de Cuba por la Secretaria de Estado, Condoleezza Rice. Las perspectivas de esta etapa operativa apuntan a asegurar que las emisiones se hagan visibles para los cubanos, utilizando avanzada tecnología de punta desde dos aviones C-130. Funcionarios de la OCB explicaron que las transmisiones iniciadas ayer integran parte del nuevo equipamiento tecnológico, que continuará incorporándose gradualmente en las próximas semanas. La OCB empleó $10 millones adicionales al presupuesto inicial de $26 millones para impulsar el proyecto. Al cierre de esta edición El Nuevo Herald no había confirmado la recepción de la señal televisiva, la cual podría verse a través de los canales 13 y 20 en los televisores de la isla. Cordiales 73 (via Oscar de Céspedes (Miami, FL), Aug 6, condig list via DXLD) I haven`t found an English version of this yet, but El Nuevo Herald reports Aug 6 that OCB has decided to start daily TV Martí transmissions to Cuba from a C-130 plane, as of August 5 at 6 pm, for 5 hours on Sat & Sun, 4 hours M-F, presumably on channels 13 and 20, but the Herald had not confirmed this. Previously TVM had avoided primetime (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [non]. Re 6-115: As prompted earlier by WRTH update listing, I did check RFI, 15515 via Guiana French, Sunday August 6 at 1330. As usual joined about 15 seconds late, but it was certainly still in Kriyol, into a chronology of Fidel Castro`s achievements; around 1345 went to a phone interview, which seemed to be a mixture of Kriyol and regular French; 1355 transmitter dumped off and I thought they were gone, but came back a semiminute later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. 5 August, 1500, 11615.0, EMG, Nauen, Germania, Russo, px religioso. Solo sabato. MB (in sottofondo di nuovo il segnale d'intervallo della DW non stop, come durante l'ascolto di R. República, sempre via Nauen) (Luca Botto Fiora, QTH: Rapallo (Genova), PlayDX via DXLD) ** GREECE. Katerina: I listened to your Greeks Everywhere program on UT Sunday at 0200-0300 which was loud and clear on both 7475 and 9420 (nothing on 17520). I especially enjoyed the enthusiastic discussion with the professor from the University of Michigan. Your selection of the accompanying Greek music was great (John Babbis, MD, Aug 6, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAITI [non?]. 1280 was monitored from 0400; sports heard here but quickly swamped by a French / Creole signal which identified as 4VAM R Metropole. This would be a UK first if only I can prove it wasn't CFMB with a link-up. Coincidental that 4VAM also used 1280. Hmmmm. Judge for yourselves ... 4VAM ID ... http://www.skywaves.info/mw/1280-CFMB-4VAM-0404-06-08-06.mp3 More of the 4VAM signal ... http://www.skywaves.info/mw/1280-0404-06-08-06.mp3 I feel sure there are clues in the above recordings. Good DX! (John Faulkner, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Notts. AOR AR7030, ewe antenna, Dream v1.5csv DSP-IF filter, MWC via DXLD) John, I think that the Haiti ID clip is possibly link-up, because they say before and after 'destination Haiti'. I do agree, however, that they say 4VAM. Couldn't hear 'R. Metropole' though. CFMB's web site shows that they have Latin American programming at this time, but interestingly there is a Haitian programme also, but not at this time. http://www.cfmb.ca/program.asp?Key=2 Sorry can't help more, (Andrew Brade, ibid.) ** HONDURAS. 3249.74, HRPC, R. Luz y Vida, San Luís, 1015 20 July. Sermon in English by om, translated line by line by yl into Spanish (Robert Wilkner, FL, SW Bulletin Aug 6 via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. 14320.000, 1450 16.07.06, HNG RB AM Radio Budapest - harmonic from 7160 --- http://www.iarums-r1.org/iarums/latest.pdf (IARU intruder watch monitoring Aug 6 via DXLD) ** ISLE OF MAN. Dear all, I received info from an Irish person that Manx Radio was almost impossible to hear on 1368 kHz when he was in the northern part of the island. I asked Manx Radio about this and got this answer, which I thought may be of interest: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello Herman, Thanks for your e-mail. Our 1368 kHz service does still transmit an ERP of 20 kW from our Foxdale site. The transmitter is a solid-state Harris DX series into a two-mast array. While the characteristics of medium wave AM propagation generally provide good coverage across the Island and beyond, the town of Ramsey in the north of the Island sits in the shadow of the central mounting [sic] range which reaches 621 metres above sea level. So, while Ramsey is only some 20 km from the transmitter site, reception is a little weak in this location. Naturally, reception quickly improves as one moves further north and away from the mountains. This may be the source of the comments you have heard. For your info, I include an illustrative profile of the signal path. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I did not include the image in the message as I'm not sure it will then get through to the list. Should anyone want the image, just let me know. Cheers, (Herman Boel, http://www.emwg.info MWC via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Shiokaze, 9485, Sunday Aug 6 at 1315 check, very poor reception for a change; seemed to be in Japanese (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CLANDESTINE (Korean), 9485, Shiokaze (Sea Breeze) via Taiwan. The full data blue and white QSL card, with COMJAN imprinted with Korean lettering. This in response to my e-mail report to chosakai @ circus.ocn.ne.jp for July 12, 06. Reply in 16 days. Web site: http://www.chosa-kai.jp (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. 9290 kHz, R Casablanca WS (Relay via Ulbroka), full data foto QSL, with type-written text on the back (no transmitter site), card shows a black horse, v/s Alwin Borchers. The letter also contained a long list of musicians, a list of internet sites and a CD with the audio of a Radio Casablanca transmission. In 376 days (204 after last report) for a report in German with 0,55 EUR in German stamps to R Casablanca WS, c/o Alwin Borchers, Ringstraße 9, 26836 Stapelmoor/Ems. Interesting homepage: http://radio-casablanca-ws.2.ag/radiocasablancaws001.htm (M. Schoech, Eisenach, Germany July 2006, GRDXC Aug 6 via DXLD) ** MALTA. CHE FINE HA FATTO RADIO MALTA ?????? Ciao ! Roberto Pavanello è a Malta, venerdi scorso ha visitato alcune emittenti commerciali di Malta, arrivato però in St. Luke's Road 75 -- - ha trovato l'edificio dove era ubicata Radio Malta PBS, transennato, e senza nessuno, dentro. Qualcuno sa dove si sono trasferiti ??? La cosa strana è che sulla loro WEB risulta ancora il loro indirizzo in St. Luke's Road --- Radju Malta - Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICES 75, St. Luke's Road, G'Mangia MSD 09 Tel: (356) 21225051 e-mail: info@pbs.com.mt http://www.pbs.com.mt Anyone knows pls where is located PBS Radio Malta ?? Roberto Pavanello visiting Malta has found the building closed and with no people. Quite strange their WEB page is still giving as address the 75 St. Luke's Road (Dario Monferini, Italy, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Bonsoir, Je viens de lire l'info sur PBS Malta. Roberto n'a pas de chance, j'ai trouvé la nouvelle adresse de la station: P. O. Box 70, Msida, MSD 01 Tél. 21 225 051 Infos sur http://www.yellow.com.mt A bientôt, 73's (Christian Ghibaudo, via Dario Monferini, ibid.) Questa è la casella postale di sempre, non una nuova (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, ibid.) Surely local inquiries would be more productive (gh, DXLD) Ho già scritto a Charlot Zahra, speriamo risponda presto. Domani mattina, comunque, se ho un po' di tempo una telefonata alla PBS la faccio (Roberto Scaglione, ibid.) ** MAURITANIA. 783 is on right now // 4845 8/7 0045 UT with a fairly strong signal. The modulation is rather low. It sounds like a call to prayer. They have been the most consistent African here on many occasions (Bill Harms, Elkridge, Maryland, IRCA via DXLD) ** MEXICO. EMISION EN DIRECTO DESDE LO ZOCALO DE CIUDAD DE MEXICO CARLOS APARICIO DIRECTOR DE RADIO BEMBA FM SENALA: DESDE EL PASADO 16 DE JULIO HEMOS ESTADO TRANSMITIENDO LAS ASAMBLEAS POR EL RECUENTO DE LA ELECCIÓN PRESIDENCIAL DEL 2 DE JULIO EN MÉXICO, DESPUÉS DEL ANUNCIO DEL TRIBUNAL ELECTORAL NEGANDO LA PETICIÓN DE LA COALICIÓN POR EL BIEN DE TODOS QUE REPRESENTA LÓPEZ OBRADOR. ENVIAMOS LA DIRECCIÓN PARA ESCUCHAR POR INTERNET, WINAMP: http://www.radiobembafm.org:8000/listen.pls HTTP://WWW.RADIOBEMBAFM.ORG Radiobemba FM, (662) 215 9005; Calle: Tamaulipas # 123 y cinco de mayo, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mx (via Dario Monferini, Italy, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONTENEGRO. The ITU assigned an own country code to Montenegro: MNE (Bernd Trutenau-LTU, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also SERBIA ** NIGER. Re 6-117: Yes, and the transmitter was still on 9705.0 this Sunday morning (Aug. 6) and coming in at fair strength around 0730 with some splash from RNW Bonaire 9700. Tentatively the language was Hausa and the programme a series of talks and discussions. And it still seems to be the same station at 0905 with a music programme with announcements in French, but somewhat weaker by now (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don't believe the transmitter is "drifting" in this case. It seems to be nicely on spot on 9705 most days and when on 9704, the same thing. Either they tune it some days to 9704 by purpose or by mistake. Anyway, good strong signal, suggesting its power is in the 100 kW range. 73, (Jari in Finland Savolainen, ibid.) But: 9704.8, La Voix du Sahel (presumed), Niamey, 1902-1915, August 02, French, news in French by two speakers, talk by female from 1910 UT (in French too), 25432 (Arnaldo Slaen, General Villegas, 500 km NW of Buenos Aires, Argentina, condig list via DXLD) ** NIGERIA [and non]. Voice of Nigeria kept transmission in French after English ended at 2100 on 15120, this Saturday, August 5. Rechecked later to find Hausa programming was there until closing at 2300. Caught my attention this time that a transmission in English on 7255 was heard until 2300 with poor signal but no way it was VON. Australia was mentioned several times, but looking at Eibi and WRTH July update I didn’t find anything alike. What could this be? (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see UNIDENTIFIED The last few days only 15120 was used, from 0500 to 2300 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Aug 6, dxing.info via DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. Re 6-115: I regret to report that, looking at this week`s schedule, OETA is not running so many mainline PBS programs after midnight, whilst devoting primetime to second week of begathon; instead, begathons are encroaching well past midnight. Am not sure if this means PBS itself is providing less mainline programming this week. Do some affiliates have begathons for only one week? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Estimado Glenn, Radio Huanta 2000, Huanta, escutada en 4755 30 Jul. 2238 UT, voltou para 4747 06 Ago. 0030 UT e outra vez voltou para 4755 06 Ago. 2210 UT. 73 (Rogildo Aragão, Bolivia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) They keep flipping between 4755 and 4747 (gh) ** PERU. 6047.1, Radio Santa Rosa, Lima, 2335-2342, August 02, Spanish, religious talk by female, short Andean music, announcement & ID as: "....o bien en Radio Santa Rosa....", 24432 (Arnaldo Slaen, General Villegas, 500 km NW of Buenos Aires, Argentina, condig list via DXLD) ** PERU. RADIO UNIVERSAL - CUZCO, QSL CARD and letter. Date/ Fecha: 14-07–2006. Tour/ Hora: 1200 UT. Frequency: 6090 kHz. VRS/ Luis Villasante Colpaert / Director Gerente (CESAR PEREZ DIOSES, CHIMBOTE – PERU, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. 14330.000, 1915 dly, ROU RRI AM Radio Romania – harmonic from 7165 (IARU intruder watch monitoring Aug 6 via DXLD) see HUNGARY ** RUSSIA. 5910, Bible Voice BC, via Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka. Usual full data globe card (with site) in 18 days. This for a report to BVB, P. O. Box 425, Station 'E', Toronto, Ontario M6H 4E3 address. 5910, Gospel Crusade Ministries via Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka (via Bible Voice - Broker). Two PPC's signed, plus accompanying information and confirmation letter, along with a list of frequencies for this broadcaster. Response from this address: Gospel Crusade Ministries. P. O. Box 1026, Erie, PA, 16512-1026, USA. v/s: Roger Hedderick. Reply in 18 days (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SERBIA. The ITU assigned a new country code to Serbia: SRB (formerly SCG for "Serbia & Montenegro"). (Bernd Trutenau-LTU, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also MONTENEGRO ** SOUTH AFRICA. AFRICA DO SUL, 567 kHz, 25/07 0335-0345, Capetalk, Cidade do Cabo, talks locutora e locutor em inglês. 22432 (pela primeira vez consegui áudio desta emissora; sua portadora já era notada há muito tempo por aqui. Nestes dias a portadora começou a ser notada em torno das 0250 (Samuel Cassio M., desde São Carlos, SP, Brasil, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** SPAIN. The July-August 2006 issue of Saudi Aramco World presents an interactive walking tour of the Alhambra, with panoramic views, audio accompaniment: http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200604/ (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. Dear Friends, during my trip in Tamilnadu coast, at Tiruchendur Beach at the famous temple there, I could observe that the FM band was full of Sri Lankan stations. That place is about 200 km away from Sri Lankan coast. I could monitor as many as 41 Sri Lankan channels as follows on a small digital pocket radio during the one hour I was there! No doubt, it an excellent nice place for FM DXing Sri Lanka. 88.0 Sinhala 88.2 English 88.5 Sinhala 88.9 Sinhala 89.5 Tamil 90.0 English 90.5 Sinhala 90.6 Tamil 91.0 English 91.5 Tamil 92.2 Sinhala 92.8 Sinhala 94.2 Tamil 94.8 Tamil 95.1 Sinhala 95.3 English 96.6 English BBC? 97.2 Tamil 97.6 Sinhala 98.0 Tamil Suryan 98.9 Tamil 99.1 Sinhala 99.2 Tamil 99.3 Sree FM, Sinhala 99.6 English 99.7 English BBC? 100.0 English 100.3 Tamil 100.7 Sinhala 101.0 English 101.6 Sinhala 101.9 Sinhala 102.0 Tamil 102.3 Tamil 103.0 Sinhala 104.0 Tamil 104.2 Tamil 104.5 Tamil 105.0 Tamil 105.9 Sinhala 107.9 Sinhala A lot of the above stations are unlisted in WRTH and other list in DX Asia. A couple of Indian stations were also noted there. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, dx_india via DXLD) ** U A E. Re new 800 kW on 1539: but checking the Thalès website, lists no such info and it does not list the Summer 2006 RadioNews. Odd! (Steve Whitt, UK, MWC via DXLD) ** U A E. [In the absence of Norway, BBCWS on 1314 kHz is a target in NAm while on their 316 degree antenna, starting at 0230 UT] Here's the current schedule with antenna degrees: 0030-0100 46 Dari 0100-0130 46 Pashto 0130-0200 46 Dari 0200-0230 46 Pashto 0230-0430 316 Farsi 0930-1130 316 Farsi Fri only 0930-1030 46 Dari exc. Fri 1300-1400 46 English 1400-1500 46 Dari 1500-1600 46 Pashto 1600-2000 316 Farsi Please note also VoR via Armenia 1000 kW 1500-2200, 0100-0200 to Middle East. 73, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. 1700, KVNS Brownsville, TX ID during C2C program about torture! WEUP (presumed) in background with usual Gospel. An ID I had not heard before from KVNS: "News Talk 1700 KVNS, we're together with the No. 1 news team in Rio Grande valley, News Channel 5 this morning." Their web site news section links to KRGV-TV channel 5 news. Perhaps this is a new departure, as I recall they carried Fox News. 0332 F/G 6/8 AB (Andrew Brade, UK, Aug 6, MWC via DXLD) Maybe still do Fox, just relying on ch 5 for local news (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Third-adjacent contour overlap [on MW]. Most of these (what I will call splinter stations) were originally licensed at much lower powers and increased decades later. Would they be allowed the higher powers now if licensed as new stations? I am wondering out loud if the FCC is not as diligent with power increases as they would be for new facilities at the same power levels today (Allan Dunn, K1UCY, NRC-AM via DXLD) The contour protections are the same for new facilities as they are for upgrades to existing facilities. While some of the rules have been loosened over time, others have been tightened, which means that some existing facilities have overlap that would be prohibited under the current rules. Any applications those stations file cannot INCREASE the total amount (geographical) of prohibited overlap - but they can move the overlap areas around. If you spend any length of time reading FCC applications (especially the sections usually marked as "Comprehensive Technical Exhibit" or something similar), you'll see that the process is surprisingly straightforward - an application either complies with the rules, or it doesn't. Most of the relevant rules are in 47CFR73.37. If you're up for some weekend reading, here's a link to it: http://www.hallikainen.com/FccRules/2006/73/37/ s (Scott Fybush, NY, Aug 4, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. AIR AMERICA NETWORK AFFILIATES National XM Satellite Radio ch. 167 Eastern Akron, OH - WARF-AM 1350 AM Ann Arbor, MI - WLBY-AM 1290 AM Asheville, NC - WPEK-AM 880 AM Atlanta, GA - WMLB-AM 1690 AM Bennington, VT - WBTN-AM 1370 Binghamton, NY - WYOS-AM 1360 AM Boston, MA - WKOX-AM 1200 AM Boston, MA - WXKS-AM 1430 AM Brattleboro, VT - WKVT-AM 1490 AM Buffalo, NY - WHLD-AM 1270 AM Burlington, VT - WVAA-AM 1390 AM Chapel Hill, NC - WCHL-AM 1360 AM Charlottesville, VA - WVAX-AM 1450 AM Chattanooga, TN - WDOD-AM 1310 AM Cincinnati, OH - WSAI-AM 1360 AM Columbia, SC - WOIC-AM 1230 AM Columbus, OH - WTPG-AM 1230 AM Detroit, MI - WDTW-AM 1310 AM Grand Rapids, MI - WTKG-AM 1230 Greenfield, MA - WHMQ-AM 1240 AM Huntington, WV - WRVC-AM 930 AM Ithaca, NY - WNYY-AM 1470-AM Key West, FL - WKIZ-AM 1500 AM Miami, FL - WINZ-AM 940 AM Montpelier/Barre/St Johnsbury, VT - WDEV-AM 550 New Haven, CT - WAVZ-AM 1300 AM New York, NY - WLIB 1190 AM Northampton, MA - WHMP-AM 1400 AM Petoskey, MI - WWKK-AM 750 AM Pittsburgh, PA - WPTT-AM 1360 Portland, ME - WLVP-AM 870 AM Poughkeepsie, NY - WKZE-AM 1020 AM Rochester, NY - WROC-AM 950 AM Sarasota-Bradenton, FL - WSRQ-AM 1450 AM Springfield, MA - WHNP-AM 1600 AM State College, PA - WBLF-AM 970 AM Washington, DC - WWRC-AM 1260 AM West Palm Beach, FL - WJNO-AM 1290 AM Central Austin, TX - KOKE-AM 1600 AM Baton Rouge, LA - WPYR-AM 1380 AM Brainerd, MN - WWWI-AM 1270 AM Chicago, IL - WCPT-AM 850 AM Corpus Christi, TX - KCCT-AM 1150 AM Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX - KXEB-AM 910 AM Davenport, IA - WKBF-AM 1270 AM Duluth-Superior, MN - KQDS-AM 1490 AM Ely/Hibbing, MN - WELY-AM 1450 AM Iowa City, IA - KXIC-AM 800 AM Lafayette, LA - KEUN-AM 1490 AM Little Rock, AR - KDXE-AM 1380 AM Madison, WI - WXXM-FM 92.1 FM Marion/Carbondale, IL - WINI-AM 1420 Memphis, TN - WWTQ-AM 680 AM Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN - KTNF-AM 950 AM New Orleans, LA - WSMB-AM 1350 AM San Antonio, TX - KTXX-FM 103.1 FM St. Louis, MO - KRFT-AM 1190 AM Mountain Albuquerque, NM - KABQ-AM 1350 AM Denver, CO - KKZN-AM 760 AM El Paso, TX - KHRO-AM 1650 AM Phoenix, AZ - KPHX-AM 1480 AM Santa Fe, NM - KTRC-AM 1260 AM Sheridan, WY - KYTI-FM HD 93.7-3 FM Taos, NM - KVOT-AM 1340 Pacific Albany, OR - KTHH-AM 990 AM Eugene, OR - KOPT-AM 1600 AM Eureka, CA - KGOE-AM 1480 Fresno, CA - KFPT-AM 790 AM Los Angeles, CA - KTLK-AM 1150 AM Monterey-Salinas-Santa Cruz, CA - KRXA-AM 540 North Bend / Coos Bay, OR - KBBR-AM 1340 Portland, OR - KPOJ-AM 620 AM Reno, NV - KJFK-AM 1230 AM Riverside, CA - KCAA-AM 1050 AM Sacramento, CA - KSAC-AM 1240 AM Sacramento, CA - KCTC-AM 1320 San Diego, CA - KLSD-AM 1360 AM San Francisco, CA - KQKE-AM 960 AM San Luis Obispo, CA - KYNS-AM 1340 AM Santa Barbara, CA - KIST-AM 1340 AM Santa Cruz - Monterey, CA - KOMY-AM 1340 AM Seattle, WA - KPTK-AM 1090 AM Spokane, WA - KPTQ-AM 1280 AM Victor Valley, CA - KSZL-AM 1230 AM Alaska/Hawaii Anchorage, AK - KUDO-AM 1080 AM Honolulu, HI - KUMU-AM 1500 AM Kihei, HI - KAOI-AM 1110 AM Lihue, HI - KQNG-AM 570 AM If you would like to add Air America programming to your station, please call 212-871-8100 (via Kevin Redding, Aug 6, ABDX via DXLD) But some of the stations that are Air America affiliates only broadcast a partial schedule or delay certain shows. Many also have Ed Schultz on in the afternoon -- Ed is not an AAR person (he's from Jones Radio) but he is on about 50 of AAR's affiliates (Donna Halper, ibid.) ** URUGUAY. Me parece oportuno señalar que mi comentario acerca de que nadie escucha CX6 no era una crítica a los contenidos: de hecho yo mismo soy frecuente escucha de la misma. Me parece un lujo tener una emisora que transmita sólo clásicos y ojalá siga así (en muchos países ya no las hay). Más bien mi comentario era un reconocimiento de la realidad cultural donde tal vez no mucha gente disfruta de este tipo de música. Y por cierto me parece y siempre me pareció ridículo hacerlo por onda corta. Lo que nunca entendí es por qué SODRE, sin abandonar la AM, no transmite esa misma programación en FM, donde podríamos disfrutarla con superior calidad de sonido. SODRE tiene un cuarto canal que es una cadena de FM, con más de 20 repetidoras en todo el país, pero por lo que se su programación sólo incluye clásicos parte del tiempo (tengo muy mala recepción desde mi casa, casi no la puedo oir, de modo que no se bien lo que pasan el resto del tiempo) A propósito ayer escuché que se estaría por producir el "relanzamiento" de las emisoras de SODRE con nueva programación. En qué consiste la misma es un misterio pero se habría aprobado una partida de US$ 150 000 para publicitar la nueva programación. Más vale que ese gasto esté justificado y la montaña no para un ratón. También hace un tiempo se "relanzó" la Televisión Nacional dándole un corte más periodístico pero como se olvidaron de contratar periodistas de verdad el resultado es soporífero. Saludos, (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, Aug 5, condig list via DXLD) ** URUGUAY [and non]. RE: CUBAVISION, TELESUR --- Formalmente, Telesur es un emprendimiento en el que participa también Uruguay. Originalmente los "propietarios fundadores" eran Venezuela, Argentina, Cuba y Uruguay. Sin embargo la participación uruguaya es marginal (creo que 10% del capital) y sui generis. Por ejemplo, el capital que debió poner Uruguay en los hechos lo puso Venezuela. La Televisión Nacional de Uruguay demoró mucho en retransmitir los programas de Telesur y según la prensa hubo algún tipo de entredicho (o desencuentro) entre la directora de Televisión Nacional y el Director de Telesur (que también es uruguayo), quien la calificó de "autista". Finalmente Televisión Nacional terminó retransmitiendo Telesur en diferido y en horarios secundarios (como sábados de tarde). Además hasta donde se Uruguay en los hechos no está enviando material como supuestamente debió hacer. Incluso no tengo claro si el Parlamento uruguayo ratificó el convenio de creación de Telesur. Todo este panorama puede interpretarse como que Uruguay adhirió a la creación de Telesur pero sin demaisado entusiasmo (esta es mi interpretación personal). (Moisés Knochen / Uruguay, Conexión Digital Aug 6 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. TeleSur: see URUGUAY just above; CUBA; TFRL ** VIRGIN ISLANDS US. WDHP 1620 again relaying Martí --- see CUBA [non] UNIDENTIFIED. 1680, Beacon V7B. Working to identify source (Andrew Brade, UK, Aug 6, MWC via DXLD) Hi Andrew, Really? According my knowledge V7B is a beacon on a ship in the South Atlantic supporting Petrobras (our Brazilian Petroleum Company). But I need confirmation (Rudolf Grimm, Brasil, via Brade, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 6110: Heard that one; Aug. 1 and Aug. 3, but not many details, lengthy talk, mostly French, and little music, local African. on the first I heard them giving broadcasting times in French at 1858 and I believe that "Moyabi" was mentioned. maybe transmission for Congo? (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Aug 6, dxing.info via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. A transmission in English on 7255 was heard until 2300 Aug 5 with poor signal but no way it was VON. Australia was mentioned several times, but looking at Eibi and WRTH July update I didn`t find anything alike. What could this be? (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DXLD) Nothing in WRTH A06 update either. I would still guess Nigeria if they actually can get more than one transmitter going (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ SALPICADURA AGAIN ¡Muy buenas noches, estimado amigo DXista! Hay una palabra para hablar de "splash" o "splatter". Se trata de salpicadura. Yo la utilizo siempre en mis detalles de captaciones. Entonces, splash = salpicadura. ¿Fácil, no? (Bogdan Chiochiu, QC, condig list via DXLD) Bogdan, tenés razón, salpicadura es la palabra española para "splash". Sin embargo ocurre, no s’e si en otras culturas, pero al menos sí en la nuestra, que, teniendo una palabra del propio idioma se prefiere usar una palabra de otro. Los motivos son variados. En el caso de una actividad específica, como la radio y el DXismo, como la computación, y un largo etcétera, el desarrollo suele ir asociado a un idioma en particular, en parte porque el pueblo que habla ese idioma es el que participó más activamente en el desarrollo de esa actividad, en parte porque el carácter internacional de la actividad lleva a usar la "lingua franca" de la época (hace años el latín, luego el francés, ahora el inglés). El uso de palabras de un idioma extranjero en lugar del propio para algunos conceptos en cierta forma lo enriquece porque la palabra adquiere especificidad. Por ejemplo, el aparato que usamos para digitalizar imágenes desde el papel en Uruguay se llama "scanner" igual que en USA. Nadie iría a una tienda de computación en Uruguay a pedir un "explorador de imágenes" (no sé si en España dirán así). Por supuesto que hay otras razones para elegir usar una palabra extranjera, desde simple "snobismo" - palabra basada en otra palabra extranjera ;-) hasta sumisión al imperio de turno. Disculpen Bogdan y demás colegas que hoy me desperté filosófico. Y seguiré diciendo "splash" y "splatter" cuando me refiera a interferencia causada por las bandas laterales de una emisora próxima :-) :-) :-) 73, (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, ibid.) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ THE ORIGINAL FAMOUS HAMS & EX-HAMS LIST This page makes no claims as to the absolute accuracy of this information, gleaned from many sources, including lots of apocryphal hearsay! However, every effort has been made, through exhaustive research and direct communication with many of the people on this list and their relatives and associates, to maintain as accurate a list as possible. You’ll find lots of interesting links here as well. http://users.tellurian.com/gjurrens/famous_hams.html (via Sheldon Harvey, Greenfield Park, Quebec and the ARRL Surfin’ feature, Aug Radio HF Internet Newsletter via DXLD) 9800 FONTS Are you looking for a unique font? If you don’t find it here, it probably doesn’t exist. There are 9800 different fonts which you can sample, use and download, if you wish. http://www.creamundo.com/index.php?lang=en (via Elmer Standish, Courtenay, British Columbia, Aug Radio HF Internet Newsletter via DXLD QSL CARDS TO LETTERS TO PPCS TO E-? I just visited parts of your website and enjoyed the QSLs. I have several of the same cards in my collection. I did notice all the cards that were received around 2000. Since I returned to the hobby in Dec 2003 I have received QSLs from just over 100 AM stations (101 broadcast and 7 HAR/TIS) and only 7 were cards. It's interesting to see the shift from card to letters to prepared cards as I go through my QSL albums. My first book from 1972-1975 has a majority of cards, the next book from 1975-1984 has shifted to more letters. Then moving to California my first book is a good mix of cards and letters from 1985-1993. Since 2004 it's prepared cards and letters dead even. I expected email veries to be a larger percentage but that hasn't really developed yet (Martin Foltz, Mission Viejo CA, IRCA via DXLD) I'm glad you enjoyed them, Martin. I agree that actual cards for AM band QSLs have become increasingly rare as the years progress. The majority of responses now come in the form of a letter. I too am surprised that there hasn't been a bigger increase in the use of e-mail QSLs. I have received a few that were very well produced and made a welcome addition to my collection. One that comes to mind is the e-QSL issued by engineer Hue Beavers for the 12/04/05 special DX test of KKLF / 1700 from their transmitter at Lucas, TX. I believe that the failure of e-QSLs to become more popular is directly attributable to the general trend of fewer stations who are willing or able to take the time to respond to DXers. I suspect that most of the stations today that do respond with an actual QSL card have an amateur radio operator or former AM DXer somewhere in the background who recognizes the significance of the QSL card. The majority of people in the business today do not. Since I started seeking and collecting QSLs around 1967, I have also observed a trend toward increasingly fewer DXers who are interested in the QSL aspect of the hobby. But to some, like myself, that is one of the best aspects of the hobby. I get a great deal of joy and good memories from looking through my binders full of QSLs. I also feel that QSLs are a great way to preserve some of the important history of broadcasting. I have seen several historic AM radio QSL cards sell for hundreds of dollars each. Most notably, the QSLs issued by Radio Swan / Radio Americas for the 1960s anti-Castro CIA broadcasts from Swan Island routinely sell for $250 and up on e- Bay. This is proof to me of the historical value that these items hold (Patrick Griffith, Westminster CO, http://community.webtv.net/N0NNK/ http://community.webtv.net/AM-DXer/ IRCA VIA DXLD) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ If our municipal power company tries it, and the proposed tech parameters aren't right, they'll have a rebellion on their hands. I can guarantee at least exploration of legal means of resistance, and if that doesn't work the possibility of nonviolent direct action would not be totally implausible. Along with radio geeks, the local conspiracy/survival community is very much aware of the idea that, true or false, that it's the slickest way ever invented for governments to deploy HF jamming. They're not going to like this a bit. It appears that interesting times at City Hall may be ahead (Hugh Stegman, UDXF via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ DRM HYPE Hi Glenn ! Re DXLD 6-117: ``The Arthur D. Little study points out the following advantages of shortwave DRM: DRM improves sound quality to FM level - SW DRM allows for transcontinental digital broadcasting`` I assume, this guy never tried to listen to a DRM signal (especially from another continent). Okay. Between the drop-outs it`s FM level quality, but what sense can I make of it if I can only hear the half of the programme (or less). And catching an audio signal from RNZI is real hard core DX, possible maybe for only a few seconds during a month. 73, (Patrick Robic, Austria, Aug 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yet another reporter, to BDXC Communication had a list of DRM stations with ``Perfect`` reception. But did he just not bother to mention or even try to listen to the ones which were not? (gh, DXLD) IBOC, sorta Well I hate to bring up IBOC when the first glimmers of the 2006-2007 season, are here, but --- Below is a link which is great news to us. The article outlines how most auto manufacturers are falling all over themselves to integrate iPod connectivity to their 2007 models. The article mentions the iPod, of course, and also Sirius satellite radio, and other things such as cell phones. Conspicuously absent is any mention of HD Radio at all. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060803/ap_on_hi_te/automakers_apple_ipods This was a very nice thing to read on a bright sunny Sunday morning. (Craig Healy, Providence, RI, Aug 6, IRCA via DXLD) I have been in need of a 2nd car for some time now. I decided to get a Saturn Vue, I am pleased with it so far. It is an eye hurtin¹ Chili Pepper Red. Before I can tell you what the radio is like, I need more time to play with it but the radio seems ok on MW. It has RDS for FM which I like. It also has an input for an iPod, XM, anything you want to input. That said, I asked the guy who sold me the car if there was an option for an HD radio. I was told that there was no plans for HD in 2006 or 2007. This is a GM car made by the biggest auto maker in the world. He did offer me XM though... What does this say for HD / IBOC? (Kevin Redding, AZ, Aug 6, ABDX via DXLD) http://www.podcastingnews.com/news/06_08/Stephen_Hill_Digital_Radi.html Stephen Hill: HD Radio is DOA Saturday, August 05, 2006 Public radio producer Stephen Hill, host of the popular electronic/ space music show Hearts of Space, thinks that High Definition Radio is dead on arrival, and that podcasting and other Internet audio options dug its grave. HD Radio is a standard for delivering near CD-quality audio over radio waves [sic]. "HD reminds me of DCC (Digital Compact Cassette)," notes Hill, "another attempt by a mature industry to administer life support to a sunset format. That didn't work either, and today almost no one even remembers it." "Of the major usage trends that are driving the growth of Internet radio -- new "long tail" niche and alternative content, on-demand delivery, user-created content, podcasting (subcriptions and portability), and time-shifting -- only time-shifting is even doable with HD, and then only in a relatively crippled way due to memory and interface constraints," notes Hill. "Even this undermines the one incontestable advantage of conventional radio: ease of use." At his blog, Hill makes a persuasive case for the advantages of podcasting and on-demand Internet audio over digital radio. He notes that typical Internet audio is already higher quality than HD, there are more options on the Internet and people don't need to purchase a special $500 HD radio (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE NEW CAMPAIGN FOR HD RADIO Mark Ramsey on HD Radio ad campaign From Radio Ink: http://www.hear2.com/2006/08/what_i_dont_lik.html The HD Digital Radio Alliance, a joint initiative of radio broadcasters to accelerate the rollout of HD digital radio, has detailed its marketing strategy. Marked by the launch of ``Discover It!`` a new creative and branding initiative, the strategy includes the rollout of a new brand identity and tagline, new advertising creative, online marketing elements and the involvement of new agency and retail partners. The initiative is a part of the HD Digital Radio Alliance`s $200 million dollar advertising campaign, which was announced in December. The ``Discover It!`` campaign invites consumers to discover new, free, digital quality radio programming and new ``stations between the stations`` available with HD digital radio. The campaign launches in 22 new markets and 28 existing HD radio markets for a total of 50, and can be heard in 43 of the Top 50 markets on every radio station that is part of the HD Digital Radio Alliance. Yesterday I noted that I like and respect the magnitude of this effort. Today I want to voice some of my concerns about this program and the direction it's taking. These are all constructive concerns, not criticisms per se. As a result I've included some remedies. After reviewing the news releases and the content online (all of it well executed), here are what I see as the flaws: 1. The goal is obviously awareness. But awareness is absolutely the wrong goal. The very terminology of the tagline "discover it" embodies this without ambiguity. The premise is that once you discover it, you will love it, but this is dead wrong. Once you SAMPLE it you might love it. But once you discover it it means nothing to you. This is not a product where the benefits are intuitively obvious. It must presumably be heard to be appreciated and the campaign on the whole misses that critical point entirely. 2. If the goal were to generate SAMPLING then these spots would be completely different. It would be less about vague references to "hidden radio stations" and more about specific and unique stations you can hear if you go to the following location at the following time to see, hear, and touch the actual radio - and, oh by the way, we will be handing out free radios to the first 100 folks attending. THAT is what marketing is all about. 3. Is there a target, an intended buyer, represented in these spots? Because no such thing is evident in the samples here. This is a campaign directed towards everybody with a pitch not nearly everybody will be responsive to. 4. The spots for the existing HD radios confuse the benefits of HD with the not altogether compatible benefits of the branded radios themselves. For example, the Polk radio plays mp3's and CD's along with HD, all in "amazing 360-degree i-Sonic sound." Wait. Is it the radio that makes the amazing sound or the HD? Mixing our messages will not foster comprehension, let alone a surge of buyers at retail. 5. As I have often argued, the benefit to hearing "hidden radio stations" only exists if listeners are not currently satisfied with what's on the radio now. And the vast majority of listeners ARE satisfied with radio (isn't that what your ratings tell you?). As for that smallish fraction that IS unhappy? These are the iPod owners, my friends. They can skip YOUR music mix and program their own. 6. The pitch for sound quality will likewise fall on deaf ears. In general folks think the best sound quality can be found on satellite radio or mp3 players. FM can rise to that level and then some. Sound quality is for audiophiles, not the masses. 7. Some of the spots characteristically place "creative execution" over communication. For example, the sound of faux dogs whining is compared with the hidden stations in HD. Yes, I know the message really is that there's a sound you can't hear but your dog can, but to the casual listener it sounds like HD radio is for the dogs. 8. But what ARE these "hidden stations"? And how do I, the consumer, know if I'll like them enough to buy a radio? We talk about the content of HD driving the technology, then we create a ream of spots that ignore content altogether. Yes, it is different from market to market. Makes it hard to market, doesn't it? 9. The emphasis on "no monthly fees" positions HD directly against satellite in the minds of the audience. This is a mistake. Satellite has 10-15 million subscribers. Is THAT the point of comparison? Or is it the radio you and I use right now in our car, at work, and at home, and the 800 million ones like it in the U.S. alone? Is our goal to UN- sell satellite or to sell HD radio? Now I know it could certainly be argued that the campaign laid out here is only PART of the effort. Fair enough. But when, at the end of the day, the gain from the much proclaimed "200 million dollar" investment is assessed, how well will we have spent that sum? And what will we have to show for it? There are strategies which can drive HD radio. But I think this latest effort misses the mark by a wide margin despite some terrific production value, a strong web effort, and some hard work on the part of some very talented Alliance leaders. The good news: It ain't over 'til it's over. And there are more chapters to come. The bad news: I don't think this chapter moves the story forward nearly as much as it should (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) HD RADIO: TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE http://heartsofspace.typepad.com/spatialrelations/ Mark Ramsey must be a really nice guy. While he's critical of various aspects of the HD Radio situation, he has tried hard to make his criticisms constructive and not alienate radio colleagues who are working on it. His latest effort over at Hear 2.0 is a list of things that are wrong with the $200 million HD marketing and promotion campaign. I think he is missing the core issue. I posted this along with the comments: The problem lies not in the details of the marketing campaign, but in the deficiency of the value proposition for listeners. Satellite has succeeded (sort of) not because they spent $200M on promotion (they did) or executed the rollout perfectly (they didn't) but because the service itself offered listeners a better value proposition: a cable system sized banquet of radio channels (including dozens of neglected music formats), little or no advertising, 100% coverage of areas that were underserved by terrestrial radio, and a truly national service. So the cost of the new hardware and the subscription was compensated by a strong, unambiguous value proposition: more content, desired content, uninterrupted content, national coverage. It all adds up to being worth the $12.95 a month for many millions of people. What about online radio? Now you have tens of thousands of channels: a mind-boggling array of niche and specialty content in addition to deep choice of mainstream formats. In many cases, you have fewer or zero commercials. You have on-demand access and deep archives. You have asynchronous subscription delivery, aka podcasting. And you have ubiquitous wired access, with wide-area wireless Internet rolling out starting last year on the 3G cellular nets. And now the hardware cost is rolled into your smart cell phone, which is being upgraded every 2- 3 years on average anyway. One more benefit that's not user-centric but should get the attention of broadcasters: online provides a more flexible, more powerful platform for delivering advertising. Ask Google. Face it, folks --- when you add it up, HD Radio as a platform will never be competitive with satellite or Internet radio on a value for value basis for the end user. All you can hope is that AM and FM will decline slowly enough that radio stations and producers can adapt to new media delivery methods while they continue to operate their old franchises. HD radio is not a new method: it's good old single channel point to multipoint local broadcasting in digital drag. It can barely provide time-shifting of favorite shows, much less the other listener/viewer value enhancements that are driving the Internet media explosion. HD will fail to get a meaningful level of uptake, and it will waste more time and money in the process. Incumbents are stubborn that way. Broadcasters who access the situation correctly already have better places to put their development energy. I'm really sorry for the folks at iBiquity. They've worked long and hard, but the bar has been raised beyond the ability of conventional broadcasting to compensate. HD radio is just too little and too late (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ WINEGARD HDP-269 PREAMP REVIEW Here's a good review of this preamp, which was posted at http://www.avsforum.com I'm thinking about trying this unit, although I don't have too many overload issues with the CM 7775 and 7777. The best price I've found on the HDP-269 is here..... http://www.summitsource.com/winegard-hdp269-12-db-gain-vhf-uhf-outdoor-offair-digital-signal-local-hdtv-channel-tv-antenna-aerial-12-vdc-75-ohm-preamplifier-designed-for-squareshooter-part-hdp269-p-5577.html?osCsid=bca87ec7aaa00b1473b81e8c03130d00 (Steve Rich, Indianapolis, IN, WTFDA via DXLD) Viz.: Winegard HDP-269 preamp revisited The Winegard preamp HDP 269 was originally designed as a preamp to mate with the unamplified Winegard Squareshooter #SS1000. It was designed to operate in the suburban setting less than 30 or so miles from the towers. The Winegard preamp HDP 269 has 12 Db of gain, very high overload tolerance (325,000 mv. which is 3 times more than the other high overload preamps), and only 3 db noise. Preamps like the cm7777, cm7775, Winegard ap8275, ap8700, ap 4800 were designed years ago to be used in the "boonies" over 35 miles to amplify weak signals where the signals were so weak that you did not have to worry about overload. It is too bad that the hdp 269 has not yet caught on --- and I have been plugging it like crazy. At my home, I am 19 miles from the towers, with an oversized antenna, the HD8200P. There is an FM tower less then a mile from my home. I could NEVER use a conventional higher powered preamp until now --- I tried but I got overload. At my home I needed amplification of some sort because I split my signal 6 ways --- 4 short run and 2 long run. Since preamps overloaded my system and I am TOTALLY AGAINST using attenuators since attenuators affect and weaken all channels in the TV spectrum. I had to settle with a distribution amp. This is where using an HDP269 is so cool. It is a better alternative where you would have used a distribution amp to improve the signal for long cable runs in your home or could not use conventional preamps installed at the antenna. Here is why... -you are amplifying the signal at the antenna, not down the line thereby amplifying the signal closer to the source as opposed to after the signal has a chance to get noisy at the distribution amp point in the house. -the gain is not much more than a standard in home distribution amp -- - 12 db -vs 8 db which is typical. -the preamp has only 3 db noise -vs.- 6db typical of distribution amps -is more tolerant to overload because of its design (325,000 mv vs 85000 mv typical of other high tolerant preamps). -has an internal FM trap to attenuate FM stations that can overload the signal if FM is an issue. -is designed to not overload your OTA receiver in the suburban and urban setting. I am very happy with the results and wanted to share this alternative with you. I now have no need for attenuation, disconnected the distribution amp, and the pictures are very clean even on the weaker analog channels. When I want to play and receive distant channels, I get the bonus of amplifying right at the antenna where I could not accomplish that before with preamps like the cm7777 in my suburban setting. Hope I explained this well --- because this is a great opportunity for folks needing to amplify in the urban and suburban setting 0-35 miles or so from towers (unattributed, via Steve Rich, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION [and antennas] +++++++++++ MEDIUMWAVE TRANS-ATLANTIC SEASON Here in Missouri last fall ('05) saw the best -- indeed the ONLY -- TA conditions here since the mid-1990s. Last season the most consistent audio was from Spain-684 & Croatia-1134. Also got really good audio one night from a LW broadcaster, one of the French transmitters (don't have my logbook handy to check, as I'm at work). The Saudi on 1521 was better at producing a loud het than audio, though I did find audio there occasionally. Also TRACES of audio from Virgin Radio-1215 but never anything to get excited about. Croatia and Spain (and France on longwave) were the only ones who ever produced audio to a semi- "armchair-copy" level. This far inland, it seems they're either in -- or they aren't. In fact, it's more like a REVERSE propagation beacon sort of thing: if even BSKSA-1521 isn't producing a 1-kc het against 1520, or if there's no detectable carrier from RNE-684 or Croatia-1134, then there's no propagation from here to Europe (Randy Stewart, Springfield MO, IRCA via DXLD) I have a local on 680, and Spain 684 is so strong that I can hear it when WCBM (my local) is nulled out. I don't understand why 1134 is not heard to the West. In fact Randy, your report is the furthest west I have seen. They BOMB in here at times. I understand about 1130 Vancouver and there are a few others on 1130 in the west, but I think they would be possible, if you can get around this these stations. Any ideas anyone? (Bill Harms, Elkridge MD, ibid.) I'm not that much further west than Randy but I had good solid audio reception of 1134 Croatia last fall (23, 29 and 30 October, 2005) between 2130 and 2200 CDT [0230-0300 UT]. I also noticed a strong carrier/het on 1134 on quite a few other evenings during fall 2005 but with no audio. Using Argo software, I can detect carriers even when I can't hear the het on quite a few TA frequencies with only a 50 foot wire sloping to the NE (Bruce Winkelman, AA5CO, Tulsa, OK, ibid.) Bruce, we were listening to it at the same time on 10/23 (2054-2155 CDT for me). Mammoth signal at peaks. Does anyone else from the West or Midwest log them at this time? (Pete Taylor, Tacoma, WA ICF2010 + Kiwa air core loop DX398; Palomar loop, ibid.) Maybe we'll have a chance on Mauritania on the west coast this season if things get really geomagnetically quiet. Paradoxically, being further south, it seems harder to hear here than the northern Europeans, but I guess the Europeans skip through the auroral "donut hole", or are ducted somehow, while west Africans get absorbed by the southern edges of the auroral zone. In the winter of 1996, a carrier on 783 was logged here just before the end of that quiet period around Christmas, but never since. Californians might have a better chance at it... best wishes, (Nick Hall-Patch, Victoria, B.C. Canada, ibid.) Nick, In all of my years DXing, I have only logged one African, Algeria 891. That is it. Africa is a real toughie from the NW. It seems to me that Senegal 765 used to be heard back in the early 70s on the West Coast, but I am not sure if the loggings were only in CA. 73, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) In between patients at my medical clinic, I'm following this interesting thread. Living on the west coast, I've been very interested in TP DX, and since last fall/winter TA (or more accurately trans-polar) DX. Indeed there were a number of evenings that I monitored up to 30 TA hets, and audio on up to 6 or so (this all from an urban environment using a K9AY Wellbrook antenna). The strongest by far was always Norway (RIP) on 1314 which was a regular. Beyond that Virgin on 1215 was often heard, sometimes with decent audio, although usually briefly only. Farda on 1575 was also often heard in the early local evening. Beyond that Spain seemed to be present occasionally, and on one occasion, good reception of Voice of Russia WS via Germany on 1323. I'm looking forward to this DX season and hope to hear more. It's a lot harder than TP DX which commonly on a good morning yields 20 or 30 audible signals from Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam, etc. (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, ibid.) TA season, BOGs, etc., etc. Your thoughts about Mauritania 783 and propagation to the Pacific NW are the same as mine. Also, I think there are times where Norway 1314 was being decently received in the NW, blasting as usual into NE but lousy here in IL likely due to southern edge of AU donut absorbtion. Off course, other times 1314 has been nearly armchair on the DX setup and I can reasonably listen to it on my TRF. I think I am too close(13 miles) to WBBM to have a chance at 783. I can tell there's a carrier sometimes in bad bad slop, but no chance for audio. Now up north in WI (93 miles) from WBBM, I have a decent het/carrier, and may be able to pull audio on the right night I almost always have a 891 het on WLS noticeable here about 45 miles NNW of their transmitter but that may commonly (not always) get absorbed at the higher latitude path to the Pac NW. They now have poor modulation level so audio isn't common. 621 Canaries often hets WTMJ and once in a while I can raise SS audio when WTMJ is phased. I hope to be able to start the TA season here earlier this year, as almost any construction on my property will be completed by mid fall. I also will try a NE BOG (360 feet or so) in the back half of my property further away from the horrid powerline noise. As usual I will sing the praises of BOGs, and when I put down the TA BOG last January in my eastern field, 349 ft at 42.2 degrees, even though much of the dial was often very noisy, I sometimes had more than 1 TA on some channels, and sometimes had 30-40 channels with at least audio traces and weak carriers detectable on most every other TA channel. This was in sharp contrast to using the Kiwa Loop or using my E-W BOGs off the back end (unterminated so as not to further reduce eastern signals). If the back half of my property is more quiet, I suspect that I can do quite well on TA's this year. When I tried the other direction back there (towards TX, Mex) in March/early April, it was considerably more quiet. To leave this proposed wire out permanently, I need to wait 'til Nov when we won't be cutting the grass anymore and when we won't be playing tennis, since it goes across my court. I will also be able to put a BOG from my new driveway about 450 long and about 60 degrees (right at Spain) but won't be able to leave it permanently, and it will be in the noisy area. However, I think I will find the 42 degree wire more useful as I have many Spaniards heard over the years (used to phase a 430 mini-Bev at 50 degrees vs a 650 foot mini Bev at 67.5 deg back when I had zero line noise about 6 to 11 years ago. The 42 deg wire nulls easterly clears quite decently and especially on the high end so France 1557 doesn't suffer huge Disney 1560 slop. CINF Montreal at about 67.4 deg is lots stronger than similar distance low band NYC 50 KWers at about 91 deg to show an example of directivity even on low band for what is not a long antenna. I believe Dennis mentioned wanting to run a 1000 to 2000 ft BOG. Now your mileage may vary based on ground underneath, but here in the midwest I have found that about 900 feet is about as long as I want a BCB BOG due to excessive ground losses which end up harming the pattern, filling in nulls, etc. I do plan a near parallel test of about 1000 to 1050 ft vs my usual 475 footer (97 degree, WABC in daytimes prior to WBBM IBOC etc) BOG in Wisconsin, once I get some underbrush cleared. I suspect that 2000 feet could kick butt on longwave but if right on the ground could be poor for BCB. I know that I can sound like a broken record and unfortunately not all of us live semi-rural on 5 acres so we all don't have enough room. But when I laid down my first BOG almost 5 years ago, my DXing life here changed for the much better. A 625 foot BOG (as close to on the ground (dirt and low cut grass) as I could get it) CLEARLY outperform a // 625 foot 8 ft high mini-Bev except on the extremely high end of BCB as far as directivity and station pulling ability. The mini-Bev had 10-15 dB more signal, but lots more QRM due to worse directivity. Now when one gets down to shorter wires like 350 feet, an elevated wire has tons of signal but isn't all that directive and has huge signals off the back end (I tested one about 4.5 ft high, straight as an arrow for 325 feet) while a BOG right on the ground, has fine directivity and is a much better DX antenna in any QTH with lots of QRMing stations. The best advice that I can give you and any others in the midwest for TA's (assuming you have a selective rx like a Drake R8 type or similar) is antennas !! If you can put antennas outside, do whatever you can to enhance reception from the NE, while hopefully reducing reception to elsewhere. For those with typical lots, this means try a KAZ antenna, EWE or other cardiod aimed to the NE and phase it vs something add more nulling capability. Also worthy of use, if you have tall trees is a sloper setup with the high part of the wires SW sloping downward towards the NE. This has some directivity and if you use two wires separated by a couple dozen feet and slightly different in directions and lengths, good phasing should be easy enough without killing every direction (if the two wires were the same). The slopers can also provide good low angle pickup. Anyhow, as a suggestion and if you can use outdoor wires, how well do you get my local 50 KWers (670, 720, 780, 890) during the day ? Improving daytime reception of those should lead to better TA's for you. Every time I have ever worked on outside antennas, and improved daytime reception in the desired direction, my nighttime DX that way improved. 22 years ago in Maine I experienced the same thing when spending a day straightening and levelling my TA Bevs (1/4 mile snaked thru the trees) and then somewhat terminating them. I had a bit less side QRM since the wires were straighter and had fewer ups and downs, and less back end since terminated. Daytime Maritime reception improved and at night TA reception was similarly improved as QRM was slightly lessened. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL/WI, ibid.) Kaz, you're right about laying out a BOG no more than about 900 feet due to ground losses. Several times I've ran one out to around 2200 feet and each time it was a waste of my time. Not deaf, but definitely not as good as I thought they would be. My current 750' longwire has outperformed those BOG's several fold (Mike in St Isidore, AB, ibid.) Perhaps the Rocky Mountains attenuate signals. I noticed out west it's even hard to get N Central US most nights. Last season from MN, KFI once & KNBR few times & CKST-1040 once. CKWX-1130 is almost a local over NW US. In deep south, KWKH-LA abt a local. My local on 1130 KFAN is about 10 mi away but beams equivalent of about 300 KW at me at night & there are stations in Milwaukee, WI & Detroit, MI, & CA. CHRB- 1140 is strong too as far as central US (WRVA used to be alone here). Many DXers either lack the better radio or better antenna to go after TA DX or have noise problems. Many think they don't want to try for signals in foreign languages that are so weak they couldn't understand them if they were [not?] in English. Many central & western states have relatively low populations and few serious DXers. Many believe TA DX is impossible or unlikely where they live, so they only try rarely, if at all. When I DX for TAs, I'm trying to listen to extremely weak stations under extreme splash. Not everyone's idea of fun. Some DXers probably don't even know the proper technique for detecting weak carriers, or what frequencies to try. But these e-mail notices are certainly helpful for learning when DX is happening (George Sherman, MN, ibid.) At the 2004 IRCA convention in Boise it was suggested I should be IRCA's west coast unofficial TA beacon. This I tried to do last season. Problem is some TA's are so common here if I reported every instance, someone would politely suggest I get a life ;-) Iceland-189 was in here virtually every night last winter. As too was Norway-153. Strangely, unlike previous years, Norway-1314 wasn't heard that often. Both UK-1215 and Croatia-1134 were in more often than Kvitsoy (Mike in St Isidore, AB, ibid.) What's needed is not for guys who commonly get TA's and who live where they are routine to be posting every night when they get basic TA's, but to post when they have a dial full of them, or superb reception to a specific area. Here in the Midwest, I won't make mention of hets and threshold audios from a few regulars, but if I see really good conditions, i.e. a dial full of weak audios and carriers/hets, I'll certainly say something. If I catch the occasional really good Mideast opening, I'll say something, although these don't last long due to sunrise, and I DX from my fields and may not come in to post. If I catch an awesome Spanish opening (not so uncommon) where I have two different nets showing up on a couple channels, etc., I'll say something since these cx may last to 0600 GMT+ which is normally a couple hours after I go to bed, but others may get a few new things 73 KAZ Barrington IL (Neil Kazaross, ibid.) Kaz: Prior to last season, a dial full of TA's occurred several times each winter. Last season, it only happened once. There were many nights the guys on the west coast were hearing TA's where my dial was virtually dead due to aural conditions. As scarce as the great openings were, I did manage to log 13 new TA's (Mike in St Isidore, AB, ibid.) Patrick, I heard both Dakar-765 and Algeria-891 in the late 70s or early 80s. 891 I heard only once, while 765 was in a couple of times, as I recall. I never QSLed either one. I think 1404 Guinea was heard in California, but I don't know of anyone in the Northwest who ever heard them. Nowadays, it seems like Mauritania 783 is the best bet for Africa here in the northwest, especially since it's about 90 degrees away from KKOH-780 [Reno NV] (Bruce Portzer, WA, ibid.) The longer Beverages do have one advantage over the shorter ones: the beamwidth continues to decrease the longer the antenna. As a 1 wavelength Beverage normally has plenty of signal, I don't really care if a 2 wavelength antenna doesn't have more gain or (as can happen at certain exact lengths) less signal. The narrower beamwidth may or may not mean anything - you might want to cover all of Africa or Asia. And usually the pattern nulls of longer antennas are not quite as good. So whether a longer antenna is better depends on your receiver (if not sensitive, it might need all the signal possible), what places you are trying to hear from, and whether there is much interference where the nulls are (Chuck Hutton, WA, ibid.) Chuck, I had 2000-2500 feet running North and the beverage was too directional. It did great on Whitehorse Yukon and the Panhandle of AK, but that was about it. My EWE did better on Anchorage stations. I lost the wire some years back, but it doesn't bother me as it was too directional. 73, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) In Newfoundland and even on the high end for Brazilian GYers where it is 5 wavelengths long, the 1000 m Bev is somewhat superior to a 400 m // Bev on almost every channel. Once in a while there's a frequency with more QRM from something on the side, but the more narrow beam is more useful for Brazilians and has less Venezuelan or Carib QRM. The shorter Bev can also have a sidelobe or two. Patrick, if your 2000 ft+ was aimed at Japan, Philippines, etc., I think you'd love it, but I know you don't have room that way. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) The late Roy H. Millar in Western Washington ... first Issaquah, then Everett ... had some success with TAs. Back when I did a 5-minute MWDX weekly tape for Radio New York World Wide, one of the highlights was a piece of audio Roy taped from Estonia (IIRC) on 1034 (John Callarman, Krum TX, ibid.) I am quite sure that it was, in fact Tallinn 1034 to which you refer. Another of Roy's loggings that I recall reading in DX News was Beirut on (then) 836. I am fairly certain that GPN believed these loggings to be auroral doughnut-hole. I think Roy had loggings of Egypt as well. These were unusual logs, even for him, and were not by any means common. I have all the IDXD pages from 1958 through the mid sixties, so with some research could probably find more detail on what he heard. What is telling is the difference between what was heard in 1964 by GPN and others in the northeast, vs. what was heard in just the adjacent years. The sunspot count can vary from less than 10, to maybe 25, from one year to the next, and this seems to be important for favorable long range skip possibilities. GPN would have said "necessary, but not sufficient". The reports from the west coast of TP's already being heard in July would indicate that this may happen again this year. Sept. and Oct. should be carefully watched as this will be peak opportunity. Ric Heald DXed from Venetie, AK (near the arctic circle) with a Lafayette table top all-band rx and said that during the winter (very low southern sun) that during the daytime, such as it was, he could hear Europe and North Africa/Middle East without much difficulty, when auroral cx were quiet. He was a semi-regular listener to Luxembourg 1439 "208 your station of the stars" (as was I in 1965 but I was in Germany then....). His choices were basically DX, or a weak KFAR. (Ric also DXed from Sitka as well where he heard many Aust/NZ stations). This is supposed to be *the* year for good LF long-range reception, as was 1964, 1986 etc. With the combination of several unfavorable long term trends, i.e. big MW stations going silent in favor of FM, risk of night time IBOC, increased noise floor from solid state electronics, this may be the last time in our lifetimes to try and duplicate some of these exceptional MW loggings. Gentlemen and Ladies, start your receivers!! (Bob Foxworth, FL, ibid.) Last night I had signals, some with fair audio, on 24 TA frequencies. The best were UK-1089, Croatia-1134, France-1557 and a mix of UK and Azores on 693. In the past, TA reception has improved in early August after being in the doldrums during June and July, So maybe a sign of the season to come. The LW band has been fair all summer (Ben Dangerfield, Wallingford, Pa. [SE cor Pa.], Aug 6, NRC-AM via DXLD) Those interested in this topic might check IRCA reprint F56 (commercial break once again; I'm always quoting reprints: contact Lee Freshwater for obtaining all IRCA reprints on a CD). In 1982, Bruce Portzer and I with assistance from Roy, Ken Brownless of Medium Wave Circle, and Richard Eckman put together a listing of all known TA receptions in West Coast North America, and attempted some explanations for them --- it still makes good reading if I do say so myself. Quotes Bob Foxworth on possible dawn receptions of TAs too. Best wishes, (Nick Hall-Patch, Victoria, B.C., Canada, ibid.) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ TODO MUNDO SABE... MAS NINGUÉM FAZ NADA! Por Catherine Henry, Empresária Há dois anos somos informados exaustivamente sobre o GOLPE que está sendo implantado no Brasil. Há quatro anos, nós sabemos que Chavez quer a GUERRA assimétrica contra o imperialismo norte americano. Há décadas, nós sabemos que Fidel não está quieto, isolado em sua ilha da fantasia. O que há com nosso entendimento? Que vírus é esse que se alastrou nas consciências cívicas brasileiras que nos impede de dizer CHEGA? O que somos? um povo frouxo ? imbecil? Ora senhores, está mais do que claro que está formado um BLOCO anti- imperialista norte-americano, composto de regimes totalitários como o da Venezuela, o da China, de governos terroristas como o Irã, o Iraque, a Síria. Apoiados em grupos ilegais como as FARC, em partidos terroristas como o Hesbollah, em bandidos cooptados nos grotões do narcotráfico. Em nome de um socialismo duvidoso, retrógrado, que na realidade não passa de populismo totalitário, esses presidentes sul- americanos estão dando um golpe fatal na Democracia. Esse Bloco já está atacando. Não é futuro, já é passado. E é presente no BRASIL também. Lula é claramente amigo de Chavez, Morales, Fidel, Kirshner. Seus ídolos estão enterrados em solo soviético. O PT ao longo de 16 anos (1990, ano da fundação do Foro de São Paulo por Fidel e Lula) planejou e executou a tomada de poder para implantar um regime anti-democrático. Aparelhou o Estado com mais de 30 mil militantes, aparelhou as instituições públicas e colocou em seu comando seus militantes, no Judiciário, nas Forças Armadas, nas empresas públicas, nos ministérios. Contra o Legislativo, usou a desmoralização que viria da descoberta do "mensalão". Paralisou as defesas democráticas com o veneno letal da corrupção. E para que? O nome é URSAL. União das Republicas Socialistas de América Latina. A integração dos governos nacionais totalitários em um só grande BLOCO latino-americano. [PT = Partido Trabalhador?] A América Latina é o continente privilegiado dentre todos. Aqui há minérios em profusão, petróleo, terras agriculturáveis, água, sol e chuva, grandes rios, a Amazônia e sua riqueza incalculável, milhares de quilômetros de litoral atlântico e pacífico, um povo trabalhador e pacato. Reunidos em BLOCO, os países da América Latina têm recursos suficientes para peitar o império norte-americano, até as últimas conseqüências. E o Brasil é a jóia da coroa; Afinal, somos o maior país e o mais rico da América Latina. O PT e Lula estão dando um GOLPE, e com grandes chances de serem vitoriosos. Só falta a reeleição. Fidel e Chavez estão de mãos dadas com Lula. Um plano de tamanha envergadura não pode falhar. E não falhará se Lula se reeleger. E será reeleito. Por que tanta convicção? As urnas eletrônicas. Chavez usou o método da fraude eleitoral no referendo. E com certeza Lula usará o mesmo nas eleições de outubro. Tudo isso sabemos. E não fazemos nada. Como se não soubéssemos de nada. A nós - sociedade esclarecida e corajosa - restam poucas chances. Dia 21 de maio foi uma delas, Dia da Dignidade Nacional, nas ruas de 20 cidades do Brasil. Dia 27 de agosto é outra. Marcha Brasil contra a Corrupção. Precisamos acordar as consciências adormecidas para o grave perigo por que passa a Nação. Precisamos da ajuda da imprensa livre. Precisamos da ajuda das Forças Armadas verde-oliva. Não podemos ficar de braços caídos. Senão é o fim de nosso sonho democrático. O fim do sonho das Diretas Já! o fim da liberdade para os que pensam diferente do regime delles. Não permitam! não fiquem calados. Escrevam para os senadores, para os militares, para os bispos. Falem com todos com quem se relacionam, mesmo que isso seja mal-visto. Expliquem o que está acontecendo, mande as pessoas para fontes de informação não aparelhadas pelo PT e seus aliados. Uma boa fonte é o site Fora Lula onde estão todas as informações mais importantes sobre esse GOLPE "bolivariano". Nesse endereço você também encontrará informações sobre a Marcha Brasil contra a Corrupção do dia 27 de agosto. Não desista! Lute! Sustente o fogo! A vitória é nossa! http://foralula.lpchat.com Ajudem a salvar o Brasil --- FORA LULA 2006; Um abraço verde e amarelo (via Marcelo Vilela Bedene, Corretor de Seguros, Susep 0295181021317-9 Curitiba-PR-Brasil-41-9104-1322, QTH - S 25º 24' 11" W 49º 12' 35", Visite meu blog: http://spaces.msn.com/members/mbedene DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###