DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-137, September 12, 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 AIRING OF WORLD OF RADIO 1327: Days and times here are strictly UT. Wed 0930 WWCR1 9985 FIRST SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1328: Wed 2200 WBCQ 7415 [now also webcast: see U S A] Wed 2300 WBCQ 18930-CLSB Fri 2030 WWCR1 15825 Latest edition of this schedule version, with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: 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 ** ALGERIA. 666 kHz RTA-1, Tindouf (as per listings), 2121-2128, 09 Sep, Arabic, western classical music pieces; 52442, QRM de POR. \\ 153, 198, 549, 702, 891 kHz. Frankly, I don't recall having caught this one for many, many years, so probably reactivated, just like 702 kHz. A few months ago, Tindouf 666 was listed in the RTA webpage as a 5 kW local station airing RTA-1 0900-1700 only (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also WESTERN SAHARA [non] ** ANGOLA. NEW 100 KW MEDIUMWAVE TRANSMITTER SHIPPED TO ANGOLA Broadcast Electronics (BE) has shipped to Rádio Nacional de Angola (RNA) a new 4MX 100 kW mediumwave transmitter, the first in the 4MX series at this power level. RNA purchased the transmitter as part of a contract specifying BE as the supplier for 10 kW, 25 kW, 50 kW and 100 kW mediumwave transmitters. Seratel, the BE representative in Spain, is supplying the transmitters for the state-run broadcaster, which operates 49 stations in Angola, including Canal A, Radio 5, Radio Ngola Yetu, Radio FM Stereo and Radio Luanda. (Source: Broadcast Electronics) (September 12th, 2006, 11:29 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Radio Australia – a new gem (to me anyway) It helps when your national language is the same as the language as your international service – your international broadcaster can tap domestic resources for programming of interest to an international audience. I’m sure most of you know that Radio Australia takes much of its programming from the domestic Radio National service. Every few weeks I spend time on the Radio National and Radio Australia website to see if I spot any new programs that I haven’t mentioned in prior columns. This month is no exception – I came across a new program, Rear Vision, that presents contemporary events and people in their historical context. Quoting from the program`s website, ``How many times have you listened to news on the radio or watched evening current affairs and wondered how it came to this, why two groups of people are fighting each other or why and how a particular leader or individual has changed history?`` Recent programs have included a history of the United Nations Security Council, the development of international conflict resolution initiatives in the 20th Century, and the history of the Eurotunnel between Britain and France, which is risking bankruptcy. This looks something like the BBC World Service series Instant Guide but in much greater depth. Like most Radio National programs, online audio archives are maintained for one month, and these can either be streamed on your computer or downloaded and transferred to an MP3-compatible player. Shortwave airings on Radio Australia include Thursday 1230 (which should propagate reasonably well to North America) and 1600, plus Saturdays 0135. The Rear Vision website is http://www.abc.net.au/rn/rearvision/ (Rich Cuff, Easy Listening, Sept NASWA Journal via DXLD) And about Sri Lanka last week as I said (gh) ** AUSTRALIA. ABC JOURNALISTS BACK INDUSTRIAL ACTION Last Update: Monday, September 11, 2006. 1:49pm (AEST) http://abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1737979.htm Journalists at the ABC have voted in support of industrial action, in the largest strike ballot yet under the Federal Government's WorkChoices legislation. Two separate secret ballots were distributed over the last three weeks to all ABC union members. Seventy per cent of members returned the ballot. MEAA federal assistant secretary Mark Ryan says more than 90 per cent of the returns voted for industrial action in pursuit of their claim for better pay and conditions. "Ninety-one per cent of members are in favour of taking industrial action in a campaign of a new collective agreement, which is a powerfully high figure," he said. The Community and Public Sector Union's (CPSU) Graham Thomson has hailed the success of the ballot. "This was huge. This was a national ballot, not only national, we've got members stationed all around the world, as well this was a ballot involving every branch, probably 3,000 employees, 3,000 members of both our unions combined," he said (ABC via gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) ** BELARUS [non]. Radio Free Belarus --- I could add more information to Radio Free Belarus Website with my Squidoo Website: http://www.squidoo.com/FreeBelarus (M. Batiukov-USA Aug 16, 2006 for CR.com via CRW via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 6134.8, 0045-0102* 02-09, R. Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz de la Sierra Spanish talk with Andean music behind, ID, closed with Andean songs 23332 Best in LSB due to QRM from R Aparecida on 6135.0. No other Bolivians were audible that night in Skovlunde. AP- DNK (Anker Petersen, Denmark, Conexión Digital Sept 10 via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Torolf Johnsson in Stockholm recently discovered a new signal in addition to the usual ones on 1680. That was Radio Senda in the Dominican Republic. A World´s First. Now Torolf has found another novelty, this time on 1390. A station in Quechua, announcing Radio Andina Marka. I requested assistance from friends hailing from Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. The station turned out to be a new Bolivian, operating from Pongo K´asa at the altitude of 4,200 metres. Headquarters are in Cochabamba, which on Torolf´s audio clip is subtly referred to as "Llajta", the Quechua name for this town. An enthusiastic email reply has been received from the station manager Ramiro García Ochoa, whose voice was on one the audio samples! For address info see http://www.cepra-bo.org Congratulations, Torolf! (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Sept 12, dxing.info via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL – A única emissora brasileira que transmite na faixa de 16 metros tem tido regular sintonia, nos últimos dias, no Sul do Brasil. É a Rádio Cultura AM, de São Paulo (SP), que foi captada, pelo colunista, em Porto Alegre (RS), em dois de setembro, às 1735, pela freqüência de 17815 kHz. Na oportunidade, apresentava o segmento Acervo Walter Silva. A programação estava em paralelo com 9615 kHz. BRASIL - A Anatel autorizou a mudança de cidade na outorga dada para a Rádio Marumby. A emissora deixa de funcionar em Florianópolis (SC) e passa a ter um endereço em Balneário Camboriú (SC). A mudança vale para as duas freqüências da emissora: 9665 e 11750 kHz. Essa notícia foi retirada do site da Anatel pelo Domingos Alfredo Loss, de Colatina (ES). (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Sept 10 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 11749.8, R. Marumby, Florianópolis SC, 210-2120, 08 Sep, fq ann., program "Voz Missionária" at 2111; 23441, QRM de China (tentatively). 11783.1 kHz (!!!), R. Nac. da Amazónia, Brasília DF, 2208-2226, 07 Sep, program announcements & folk songs in "A Nossa Terra", talks about Indian affairs; drift ex-11780, but still observed on 10 Sep (cf. below) 11783.2 kHz (!!!), R. Nac. da Amazónia, 1045-..., 10 Sep, mass; 34433. 11785 kHz R. Guaíba, Ptº Alegre RS, 2042-..., 09 Sep, talks about football; 32541, QRM de R. Nac. da Amazónia on wrong ch. (11783.1). (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Re 6-136: Falei rapidamente com um operador da Rádio Nacional da Amazônia e ele confirmou o que o Isaac escreveu. A Nacional da Amazônia transmite só a propaganda para presidente, o que para mim é novidade. Todas as outras emissoras em ondas curtas do Brasil levam ao ar o programa político normal. Até onde sei, não há diferenciação para as OCs na legislação. Eu, por exemplo, que sou do Rio Grande do Sul, quando tenho curiosidade para saber como está a campanha por lá, posso sintonizar a Gaúcha ou a Guaíba. Ainda vou falar com a direção da Amazônia para saber o motivo disto. Mas me parece, à primeira vista, uma decisão unilateral sem nenhum embasamento legal. Tal como quando eles decidiram - por conta própria - mudar a freqüência de 6180 para 6185 (ou teria sido de 11780 para 11785, não tenho certeza agora). Abraços (Lucio Haeser, Brasília, radioescutas yg via DXLD) See also RUSSIA [and non] ** BRAZIL. Algo que achei interessante é o site da Rádio Difusora de Poços de Caldas onde há uma descrição detalhada do parque transmissor: http://www.difusorapocos.com.br/ e role bem para baixo até onde diz 'Conheça nossos transmissores por PY4MAB Maurício'. Na parte de OT, destaca-se o trabalho com as antenas, que foram readequadas para não provocar interferência na Rádio Vaticano, conforme relato no site! -- hg (Huelbe Garcia, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. R. Varna, 9300, 2205-0115+ Sept 3-4, tune-in to a variety of US and European lite pop music, folk music, ballads, techno-pop dance music and even a BeeGees tune. Occasional short IDs, some echo IDs and jingles. 0100 caught time pips and five minutes of news in Bulgarian. F-G; Sunday only (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) into UT Monday ** BURKINA FASO. 5030, Sep 9, 2330-2400, Radio Burkina. SINPO 32233 Utility QRM RX: WE-12M ; 25m Longwire ; selfmade Magnetic Balun ; FRT- 7700 ; Datong FL-1 Filter; Foxi (North-East Germany), HCDX Online log via DXLD) Saludos cordiales. BURQUINA FASO, 5030, Radio Burquina, 2000-2010, escuchada el 10 de agosto en idioma vernacular a locutor con comentarios y segmentos de música folklórica, SINPO 33232 (José Miguel Romero, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So reactivated (gh) Yes, noted Burkina 9 Sep at 1813 on 5030 with decent (not full) modulation. Some days earlier they were running mostly open carrier with tiny bits of audio. Seems the technicians are working on modulator (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, ibid.) Just before 2400 this Sunday 10 Sep. Radio Burkina Faso was heard on 5030 with poor signal, after several weeks, maybe months, off the air. Welcome back! (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, ibid.) R. Burkina, Ouagadougou, silent after days on end with just the carrier, then completely dead for some more days, until it was again noticed in good shape on 10 Sep: 5030 observed 1848-1820, French, end of some football match report in "Sport Panorama", then "Hit Parade Internationale"; 55343, very good audio. 7230 observed 1040-1225, French, phone-ins, dedications in "Matinée Dominicale", news,... "Point de Presse du Gouvernement" at 1400; 45444 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. I caught - I think for the first time - a positive ID for CJWI Montreal on 1610. It was the close down announcement at 0500 UT. recording: http://tinyurl.com/zg3g6 (Paul Crankshaw, Troon, UK, Sept 10, MWC via DXLD) ** CANADA. It seems CBC has added some more streaming stations from its Radio 1 network. I just noticed on the map at http://www.cbc.ca/listen/index.html# Select location to listen to local broadcast. (optimized for Windows Media Player 9) Central --- London Montreal Ottawa Quebec City Sudbury Thunder Bay Toronto Windsor East --- Charlottetown Corner Brook Fredericton Goose Bay Grand Falls Halifax Moncton Saint John St. John's Sydney North --- Inuvik Iqaluit Whitehorse Yellowknife West --- Calgary Edmonton Kelowna Prince George Regina Vancouver Victoria Winnipeg I don`t recall seeing Kelowna or Prince George on the list before, nor Sudbury, Corner Brook, Goose Bay, Grand Falls. Perhaps these centres have some distinct local programming to offer during the morning and afternoon drivetime blox, and the noon bihour? Most of these have just been added to the database at http://www.publicradiofan.com It would be more helpful if the CBC page sorted these by timezone rather than by region. There is still only ONE in the CDT zone, Winnipeg, joined by Regina in the winter when both are on CST. Except for that, there is now more backup for network programming in case some of the station streams are down, but that is usually not a problem any more (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. 7220 CAF, 7270 GAB. Those had been observed back in August, but not since, and also no luck between 07 & 11 Sep. Propagation was below average during that period (cf. Guinea, Nigeria below), but I'm convinced they aren't active, at least not on a regular basis. Maybe some (good) coincidence when eventual transmitter tests were performed when I spotted them? (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. O Departamento de Língua Portuguesa da Rádio Internacional da China disponibiliza, gratuitamente, um CD que conta a história dos 45 anos de emissões em língua portuguesa. Para solicitar o seu exemplar, basta escrever para: Rádio Internacional da China, Rua José Linhares, 137/401, CEP: 22430-220, Rio de Janeiro (RJ). Endereço eletrônico: portuguese @ chinabroadcast.cn (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Sept 10 via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. Sound of Hope 6280, 2200, CHINA, Jammer against Sound of Hope (presumed), music only, fast Chinese Opera music, SINPO 44444. Start must have been at 2200 UT. No chance for any possible British pirates on 6275 or 6285 kHz to be heard next to this signal (M. Schöch-D, Aug 5, CRW via DXLD) 6280, 2245-2255, Aug 5, (Sound of Hope, presumed) stunning signal from Chinese music jammer, but once in a while allowed Chinese talk underneath to be sensed/heard. SoH scheduled here Fri/Sat 2200-2400 (and not there when I passed the frequency around 2150). From where is SoH 6280 kHz? (F. Krone, Aug 5, 2006 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) 6280 is a favorite Taiwan frequency; hasn`t WYFR used it? (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA. Noted today 9/11 was the Chinese jammer on 13970 (poor) & 14600 (good) at 1212 UT (Tim Bucknall, Congleton, Cheshire, UK, Icom IC-736 + Wellbrooke ala 1530 outdoor loop, harmonics yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) Firedrake or CNR-1? (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. To: Broadcast Station ``Sound of Hope`` Listener Service Dept., Mr. Yue Chen Taichung City 404, Taiwan, Republic of China 12 September 2006 Subject: Harmful Interference on exclusive Amateur Radio Frequency by illegal Transmissions of Sound of Hope (TWN) and a Radio-Jammer from Hainan Island (CHN) Dear Mr Yue Chen, Thank you very much for your detailed letter explaining the background of Sound of Hope’s invasion into Amateur Radio frequencies. As you wrote, the activity of Sound of Hope and some ``supporters``, as you pointed out, are ``caring about China and try to send SOH radio programs into China through various ways, including amateur radio``. You clearly have come to the solution that YOUR BROADCAST is the trigger to the Chinese Government on the mainland to run the much stronger jammer. Also you have pointed out that you have ``learned that the transmissions of SOH programs through amateur radio frequencies come from areas around China and they each only target a local area of China with very low power, only for the intended recipients and would interfere with nobody else.`` As you are working for a BC radio station you certainly know WELL that you can not ``bundle`` short wave transmissions so that these are only can be received in a very limited area by a small group of intended recipients. Short wave transmissions can be heard over hundreds or thousands of kilometres. Monitors of our system could well hear YOUR transmissions directed against the P.R. of China during the transmitting breaks of the Hainan Firedragon jammer. Your radio station Sound of Hope (SOH) and the persons relaying the program of SOH were the first to break the law by violating exclusive Amateur Radio frequencies. And, as one evil calls for the next, the Hainan Firedragon jammer of the Chinese Government came on the frequency to wipe out your program. We Amateur Radio operators of the World condemn both of you for violating Amateur Radio frequencies: The broadcast of SOH AND the jamming by the Government of PR China are against ITU-Geneva Regulations! The transmissions of SOH on Amateur Radio frequencies as well as the activity of the Hainan Firedragon jammer are illegal. Please cease transmissions in the exclusive Amateur Radio frequencies! There is more than enough radio spectrum for SOH and it’s “supporters” outside of the Amateur Radio bands in the legitimate broadcasting spectrum. Please read also the Homepage of the Monitoring System referring to the Firedragon Jammer: http://www.iarums-r1.org During the past days both SOH and the Music Jammer both have been using frequencies outside Amateur Radio bands, e. g. on September 2 and 3 the frequency 14400 kHz, and since September 9 till today the frequency 14600 kHz. So, please, stay outside the Amateur Radio spectrum and do not use frequencies in (exclusive) Amateur Radio bands any more, such as:- 7000 - 7300 kHz 10100 - 10150 kHz 14000 - 14350 kHz 18068 - 18168 kHz 21000 - 21450 kHz 24890 - 24990 kHz 28000 - 29700 kHz Will you also inform your ``supporters`` who have been transmitting on Amateur Radio frequencies to follow ITU Legislation. The Amateur Radio frequencies are no avenues to get your messages to the people of the PR of China. Thank you for your attention. I should like to read your answer soon. Yours very truly, (Ulrich Bihlmayer DJ9KR, Coordinator of DARC Monitoring System Germany, Intruder Watch and Spectrum Control, Vice Coordinator of IARU MONITORING SYSTEM Intruder Watch Region 1, via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) CRI QRMs VOR: see RUSSIA [and non] ** COLOMBIA. 5910, R. Marfil Estéreo via LV de Conciencia, Lomalinda, 0849-fadeout 1010, 07 Sep, folk songs, IDs, pops; 35433. 6009.4, LV de tu Conciencia, Lomalinda: 0909-fadeout 0950, 07 Sep, Spanish, preacher; 34432. 2212-2220, 07 Sep, Spanish; talks about the communities and the Church; 34433 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA [non]. Hrvatska Radio/Voice of Croatia in Croatian/English/Spanish from Sep. 7 via GERMANY: 0600-1000 NF 11610 JUL 100 kW / 270 deg to AUS, ex 11690, re-ex 13820 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Sept 12 via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) See also GERMANY ** CUBA. R. Rebelde, 9505, on Sept 12 stayed on the air until abrupt cutoff during music at 1304* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Radio Cuba Libre has apparently resumed broadcasting? The old Clandestine, Radio Cuba Libre has apparently resumed broadcasting on 9955, 0600-0900 UT. I can hear them weakly here in NZ. Do you have an e-mail contact for this one yet? Am unable to locate any contact at all (Ian Cattermole, NZ, Aug 8, 2006 for CRC via CRW via DXLD) Thanks, Martin, for forwarding the message from Ian Cattermole regarding Radio Cuba Libre, which we are now broadcasting Monday- Saturday at 0700-0900 UT on 9955 kHz. I have replied to Ian. I don't have any e-mail address for the program yet, but reports can certainly be sent to us here at info @ wrmi.net and we will give them the reports since they are recording in our studios throughout the week. This is actually a new program (although the name has been used by other Cuban exile broadcasters in the past), and it is sponsored by the Municipios de Cuba en el Exilio (J. White, WRMI, USA, Aug 8, 2006 for CRC/CRW via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) Martí+ flap: see U S A ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. On 1680 I caught "República Dominicana" in a broadcast which sounded different from the test transmission of Radio Senda which I heard last week. Maybe it's up and running now (Paul Crankshaw, Troon, UK, Sept 10, MWC via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. R. Chaskis, Otavalo, 4909.23, 1030-1045+ Sept 1, presumed, with Andean flute music, HC vocals. Poor, weak in noise (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. R. Africa, Bata, 15190, 1040-1155+ Sept 1, the usual US-produced English religious programming. 1153 closing ID with address, e-mail and IDs as ``Radio Africa`` and ``Radio Africa Number 2``. Reception varied from poor to fair with occasional noise and some fading. Some programs considerably distorted (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Conceptually, certainly, but also modulationally? (gh, DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. R. Nacional, Bata, 5005, 2220-2303* Sept 1, continuous hi-life music. Sign-off with the usual 3-minute-long NA. I heard no voice announcements at all during this time period. F-G (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 6110, R. Fana, Addis Ababa (Adis Abeba, in Portuguese), 1836-1852, 09 Sep, Oromiffa (as listed), talks; 44343, adjacent QRM (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Dejen Radio / Radio Base --- Dejen R., 12120, a friendly no data e-mail but definitely confirming the reception, in 55 weeks; v/s Hailemariam Abebe (CEO & President, Liberty Bell Communications, Inc.) who also apologised for the delay; QTH: libertybell6033 @ sbcglobal.net (V. Korinek-AFS Aug 8, 2006 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) ** FINLAND. Scandinavian Weekend Radio was received in Sofia on September 2 on 11720 kHz between 17 and 1930 hours. It also broadcasts once a month on the first Friday on 1602 kHz as well as on short wave on 5980, 5990, 6170, 11690 and 11720 kHz. The announced QSL address is: S.W.R., P. O. Box 99, 34801 Virrat, Finland. Two IRCs are required along with the report (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, R. Bulgaria DX Sept 8 via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD) That`s the first Saturday, for 24 hours, tho starts the preceding UT Fri at 21 in summer, 22 in winter, and on only one 49mb and on 25mb frequency at any one time (gh, DXLD) ** FINLAND [and non]. Sept 11 at 1314 noted YLE R. Finland, to NAm on 15400 suffering heavy QRM from something in English, exaggerated voice pitches as if talking down to children. Had not noticed such a collision before. HCJB Australia? Yes, per adjacent entries in EiBi: 15400 1300-1330 AUS HCJB Australia E FE 15400 1200-1350 FIN YLE Radio Finland FI NAm Fortunately, I have no practical reason to listen to either --- one in a language I don`t understand, still broadcast, even tho only an infinitesimal minority of North Americans speak Finnish compared to English and even tho brief English newscasts are available they are suppressed from SW and have appeared only rarely by mistake; and the other in a language I do understand but with nonsensical programming, even when aimed at adults (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. RFI now on MW 702: see MONACO [non] ** GABON. Harmonic log: 19160, Africa No. 1, 2 x 9580, 1138 UT Sept 11 (Tim Bucknall, Congleton, Cheshire, UK, Icom IC-736 + Wellbrooke ala 1530 outdoor loop, harmonics yg via DXLD) ** GABON. 7220 CAF, 7270 GAB. Those had been observed back in August, but not since, and also no luck between 07 & 11 Sep. Propagation was below average during that period (cf. Guinea, Nigeria below), but I'm convinced they aren't active, at least not on a regular basis. Maybe some (good) coincidence when eventual transmitter tests were performed when I spotted them? (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. As promised, I took the 4 km walk from the Nauen railway station to the transmitter site (and back!) today. Really fine weather, big antennas in front of a perfectly blue sky, and just while we were leaving we could observe one of them moving, turning the high frequency side of the ALLISS system towards East for Pan American Broadcasting 1430-1445 on 15205. Since the beginning of this year the well-known rotatable antenna on the former RBI site is again in operation, years after the original Funkwerk Köpenick transmitter has been decommissioned. A transmitter from Jülich has been moved to Nauen and installed there in the place of the gone Köpenick rig. Identical power supply requirements (380/400 VAC if I recall correct) much facilitated the project. This transmitter is now used for the DRM transmissions from Nauen but also for AM with 100 kW. HRT on 9925: Both Wertachtal and Nauen take the Hotbird signal (regular source for DW audio is now Hotbird 6, too, by the way), but when looking after the reported echo problem they found that different receiver models were in use, so the one at Wertachtal had been replaced by a spare from Nauen, since using the same model is indeed essential to avoid audio delays. The carriers are synchronized with DCF77, the German time signal and standard frequency station (Mainflingen 77.5 kHz). By the way, already in the old days the 261 kHz carrier at Burg had been derived from DCF77 (mind you: the carrier of the Soviet forces station originated from the enemy, so to speak). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Alemania. El pasado 19 de agosto celebró cien años de existencia el mundialmente famoso centro de transmisiones radiales de la localidad alemana de Nauan. Por Rumen Pankov Versión al español: Mijail Mijailov (R. Bulgaria DX via José Miguel Romero2, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) That's absolutely correct. Of course it were in the beginning spark- gap transmitters and later alternators, housed in the huge Muthesius building. I could grap a copy of the leaflet issued by Deutsche Telekom and Deutsche Welle to celebrate the new transmitters in 1997, and Telefunken regrets in its contribution that economical considerations lead to the ALLISS design, since it would have been fabulous to install the new equipment in the historic transmitter hall. Found in a hurry this page with English text: http://www.oldradioworld.de/nauen.htm It also explains the origin of the Transradio name adopted by the former Telefunken Sendersysteme company when they had to abandon the Telefunken brand for some reasons beyond their control. I did not ask, but I think all old transmitters were scrapped meanwhile. And the first RBI transmitter at Nauen in 1958 indeed had been installed in the old Muthesius building, side by side with all the utility transmitters there. It's still there as a museum piece. By the way, I discovered today that also the transmitter used for the very first transmissions from Kigali, a "massive" 0.8 kW from Rohde&Schwarz, found a new home in the small collection there. Pictures to follow, if by friend could at least get usable results from his old, not that properly working camera after my new unfortunately has to be repaired. Special display at the Nauen museum I unfortunately had no time to visit: http://www.funkstadt-nauen.de/Seite.html (Kai Ludwig, Germanyk, Sept 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [and non]. The mailbag show of Deutsche Welle's German program today referred to an abolition of the shortwave transmissions for North America as of November, in favour of Internet/podcasting and satellite (Paul Gager via A-DX via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) Viz.: Am Sonntag hörte ich im "Hörer-PX "der DW das die deutschsprachigen Sendungen auf KW für Nordamerika ab November eingestellt werden. Begründung: ..Internet..Podcasting..SAT :-), dazu die KW :-( (Die Argumente sind eh immer die selben) 73, (Paul Gager, Austria, Sept 10, A-DX via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) Preliminary information suggested that they will keep six frequency hours a day for B06, as hinted here. So it remains to be seen if they will indeed shut down all Sackville-AM and Sines/Kigali to NAm instead (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Some DTK T-Systems changes: Bible Voice Broadcasting Network (BVBN) from Sep. 4/5 1500-1600 13840 WER 250 kW / 060 deg Monday SAs in Hindi, ex 1530-16 1530-1600 13840 WER 250 kW / 060 deg Tue-Fri SAs in Hindi, ex Mon-Fri 1800-1815 13590 JUL 100 kW / 115 deg Tuesday ME in English, deleted (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Sept 12 via DXLD) See also CROATIA [non] ** GREECE. Glenn: The "It's All Greek To Me" show at 0000-0100 UT Monday was the repeat of his broadcasts earlier (John Babbis, Sept 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. R. Verdad, Chiquimula, 4052.46, 0445-0500* Sept 4, tune- in to English religious programming with gospel music. 0453 closing announcements in English and Spanish with ID. Sign-off with long NA. Poor in noisy conditions (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUINEA. (well, in fact, I usually refer to this one simply as "Guinea", but I admit this is wrong for there are 3 Guineas in Africa and one [the "youngest"] Guinea in Oceania; "Guinea" was a term the Portuguese navigators used to apply to the whole of the African coast beyond Mauritania and down to what became known as the Gulf of Guinea) 1385.9 kHz, R. Rurale, Labé, putting its stable, fantastic signal once again, 2105-2132, 06 Sep, Vernacular, talks, refs. to "communiqués" and local authorities; 55444. 7125, R. Guinée/R. Conakry off or for some reason inaudible 06-11 Sep. (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. VOI still missing Sept 11 and 12 from 9525 around 1316 check (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The foreign service of RRI Jakarta is heard active tonight (Sept. 12) during the German programme at 1800-1900. I make their frequency to be 15149.85 with no interfering signal audible on 15150 at this time anyway. Fair to good signal with lots of fading - I guess that a lower frequency would work better (Noel R. Green (NW England), Sept 12, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. RE: DXLD 6-136 - Indonesia - KGRE QSL --- Hi Glenn and Swopan Chakroborty, Some time ago I made reference in DXLD to their QSL card, which is very nice. It can be seen near the bottom of the page at their website: http://www.kangguru.org/magazine/december2005.htm just next to ``Overseas Listeners``. Swopan, you will be pleased to see there is an acknowledgement there that you are a KGRE listener, just as I am mentioned. This is almost as good as a QSL. This is one of my favorite programs and I often listen in on Sunday and Wednesday. The person to contact is Kevin Dalton kdalton @ ialf.edu who is not just the Project Manager (probably the only one who can issue QSL cards), but is a regular announcer on their 20 minute SW program. Your reception report should be sent to: Indonesia Australia Language Foundation/KGRE, Attention: Kevin Dalton, P O Box 3095, Denpasar 80030, Bali, Indonesia. Be sure to mention that your name already appears on their website as a listener. You might even print out a copy of the KGRE QSL card from their website and include it with your report, requesting you would like one like that. Good luck! (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. 7235, VOIRI, 9/8/06, 0210-0215 in English. News and commentary in by two men regarding resistance to U.S and U.K. in Iraq, control of American political parties by Zionists, etc. Good signal on 7235 (SINPO 34333). Parallel noted on 9495 with fading and atmospheric noise (SINPO 34222). (Jim Evans, TN, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. IRIB Teheran gab am Sonntag im Hörer-Briefkasten bekannt, das die Nutzung der QRG 7540 kHz auf sechs Monate verlängert wird. (Anscheinend ist/war die Hörer Akzeptanz in D sehr positiv.) (Paul Gager, Austria, Sept 10, A-DX via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) See also LITHUANIA ** IRAN [non?]. A new radio station in the Farsi language can be heard daily from 1557 to 1725 hours on 4044 kHz (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, R. Bulgaria DX Sept 8 via John Norfolk, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) A clandestine, I suppose (gh, ibid.) ** IRAN [non]. Radio Zamaneh is a new Iranian broadcasting station based at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. This independent non-partisan radio station aims to be a medium for the unheard voice of [the] young. Broadcasting in the Farsi language via Internet, satellite and short- wave, Radio Zamaneh brings news and analysis, educational programs as well as music and entertainment. Internet broadcasting started on the 4th of August 2006 while satellite broadcasting started on the following 7th of September and short-wave broadcasting starts today on the 11th of September 2006. Radio Zamaneh broadcasts 24 hours in its satellite edition. The core of its current affairs and cultural program is broadcasted 4 hours a day through short wave. Daily short-wave broadcasts start at 19:00 Amsterdam time (20:30 Tehran time). [1700-2100 UT] Radio Zamaneh`s main target group is young Iranians. This young generation represents the overwhelming majority in contemporary: more than 70% of the Iranians are under the age of 28. Yet Iranian media inside and outside this country for various reasons has systematically ignored the voice of this huge majority, which is colorfully diverse. Radio Zamaneh`s mission, therefore, is to be the voice of young. Radio Zamaneh is an independent foundation and its programming policy is based on its own editorial vision, which is based on an interactive media-making philosophy. Financial support for establishing Radio Zamaneh comes from various private and public sources including the Dutch Government. On the basis of an amendment by the Dutch Parliament for substantial support of free media for Iranians in 2004, the Dutch government agreed to fund a selection of new media initiatives by Iranian journalists. Radio Zamaneh was one of these initiatives. Press Now is the co-initiator of Radio Zamaneh and supports the radio station financially and technically, by way of training and advice. Press Now is an international NGO supporting independent media in regions of conflict and countries in transition. Radio Zamaneh operates on the basis of professional and independent journalism. Human rights and freedom of speech are the basic values of all programs. Radio Zamaneh wants to provide a window of the wider world to the young Iranian generation and bring them closer to their fellow world citizens. The director of Radio Zamaneh is a well-known former senior BBC producer, Mehdi Jami. He is a blogger and multi-media journalist working both for radio and online interactive. Mr. Jami works mainly with young writers, journalists, bloggers and program editors, such as Massoume Naseri. She was a former journalist in Tehran working for the popular youth magazine Chelcheragh until two months ago joining Radio Zamaneh. Radio Zamaneh is a highly interactive medium with listeners being commissioned to make reports and reviews. Technical facilities on the Internet make it possible for listeners to record their own programs and send them to Radio Zamaneh. This radio station is the first Persian radio station with a leading idea in Citizen Journalism. Radio Zamaneh intends to increase and intensify working relations with online bloggers. The Iranian blog sphere is representing one of the largest web communities in the world. They are considered the preserve of young urban Iranians both inside and outside the country. Their voices are not heard by the mainstream media, neither in itself nor in West-based Iranian media. Radio Zamaneh will serve as a platform for Iranian bloggers and reflect their grassroots opinions and views. This information is from: http://www.pressnow.org/news.asp?NewsID=63 Also note Radio Zamaneh has a website: http://www.radiozamaneh.com/ Plus see the photo essay at http://www.iranian.com/JahanshahJavid/2006/July/Last/index.html and click on the picture. 6245, Radio Zamaneh was heard Sept 11, on their first day on SW, at about 2030-2100*, by Jerry Berg, Lexington, MA (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SITE??? FSU probably, or is R. Nederland involved? Not mentioned by Media Network blog. Well, R. Farda certainly doesn`t ignore the youthful audience! See KUWAIT (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) 12 Sep at 1701 tune in on 6245 booming signal. First couple of minutes audio cutting on and off. Farsi (Jari Savolainen, Finland, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6245, Radio Zamaneh, 1710-1730, escuchada el 12 de septiembre en idioma farsi a locutora con comentarios y transmisión de música instrumental, locutora en conversación con invitado, SINPO 44333. Emitiendo en paralelo por internet en: http://www.radiozamaneh.com/ Audio [13+ minutes] en Valencia DX: http://dxprogramas.multiply.com/music/item/224 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, ibid.) The new Radio Zamaneh on 6245 is also at good strength here at 1830 but with 'woolly' sounding audio. I note some co-channel ute QRM from time to time (Sitor). (Noel R. Green (NW England), Sept 12, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So much for clearing broadcasters out of 48m (gh, ibid.) Just wonder at what time the jamming comes in. Maybe the authorities are just gathering to consider if this is worth jamming. This is not like R Farda, no pop music like Farda, mostly spoken programs. At least during the time period I was listening to. But maybe the spoken words are more dangerous, we'll see in near future (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, ibid.) ** IRELAND [non]. RTÉ ON SHORTWAVE TO AFRICA ON 17 SEPTEMBER RTÉ, Ireland’s national public service broadcaster, will be broadcasting on shortwave to Africa on Sunday 17 September with coverage of the Football All-Ireland finals. The broadcast, at 1300- 1700 UT, will be beamed as follows: To Eastern, Central and Southern Africa: 21720 kHz 250 kW To West and Central Africa: 17745 kHz 250 kW To East and Central Africa: 15115 kHz 250 KW Details of the transmitter site(s) not given by RTÉ, but these are presumably via transmitters in the UK (September 12th, 2006, 16:38 UT by Andy, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Re 6-136: On the other hand, on Sept. 10, when I checked at 2130 UT, Reshet Bet is still coming in nice and well on 11585, the summer frequency. Right now they are playing a repeat of ,"The Israeli Connection", a weekly call in show from expatriates and Israelis traveling abroad. Naomi Segal is the announcer's name. I checked the English spelling of her name on, "The Team" section of the http://reka.iba.org.il website. To clarify, Naomi Segal is the announcer that Raúl Saavedra was referring to. Not the announcer for, "The Israeli Connection." (Doni Rosenzweig, NY, Sept 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) English service from Kol Israel was missing this UT Monday 9/11 at 0330. The most reliable 9345 was off. Nothing on supposed // 7350 and not even on old 11590. Or is it that news broadcast isn't available on Sunday night for NA? (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, ibid.) It`s every day except for Yom Kippur. 7530, not 7350. Then I checked UT Sept 12 at 0340: zilch on 7530 and 9345, weak signal on 11590 with English news about Israel, zilch on 13720 but probably there and not propagating (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Kol Israel back to old schedule on 11590, as I heard this Tuesday Sep 12. for English at 0330. Nothing on 9345 and (yes, Glenn) on 7530 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JORDAN. R. Jordan, 11690, 1530-1630* Sept 4, English programming. Tune-in to Arabic pop music, IDs, 1600 English news, 1611 weather. 1612-1620 more local news, then Euro-pop dance music. 1630 ``Radio Jordan, 96.3 FM`` ID and off. Good signal if ECSS-USB is used due to strong RTTY signal on low side (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked http://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst2006b.html as of Sept 11 to find that Jordan goes off DST Sept 28 as does Egypt, but Israel & Syria wait until Sept 30 plus Iraq UT Oct 1; West Bank not until Oct 3; Lebanon Oct 28. Geez, they can`t agree on anything over there. Anyhow, when Jordan goes off this broadcast will run one UT hour later (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Open Radio for North Korea 5880 kHz e-QSL letter (No data) in 111 days for English report with 1$. The QSL can be seen at http://www6.ocn.ne.jp/~dxworld/ (Kenji Hashimoto, Japan, Aug 25, 2006 for CRW via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Shiokaze, 9485 via Taiwan, quite weak Monday Sept 11 at 1316, but seemed to be in Korean. Tuesday Sept 12 two quick checks at 1305, 1328, seemed to be in English altho not with roster (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. Updated summer A-06 for IBB via KWT 250 kW / 070 deg: 0000-0100 RFE Kazakh 5945 0030-0130 ASH Pashto 12140 0100-0300 RFA Tibetan 9365 0130-0230 ASH Dari 12140 0230-0330 AFG Pashto 11820 12140 0300-0400 RFE Tajik 9760 0330-0430 AFG Dari 11820 15615 0430-0530 AFG Pashto 15615 17670 0530-0630 AFG Dari 17670 0600-0700 RFA Tibetan 17780 0630-0730 AFG Pashto 17685 0730-0830 AFG Dari 15615 17685 0830-0930 AFG Pashto 15615 17685 0930-1030 AFG Dari 15090 17685 1000-1400 FAR Persian 7125 1030-1130 AFG Pashto 15090 1100-1200 RFA Tibetan 17855 1200-1400 RFA Tibetan 11590 1130-1230 AFG Dari 15090 1230-1330 AFG Pashto 11550 15090 1330-1430 AFG Dari 11550 15090 1400-1500 AKD Urdu 9510 1400-1500 VOA Tibetan 11975 1430-1500 ASH Pashto 12140 15090 1500-1530 ASH Dari 12140 15090 1500-1530 VOA Uzbek 15390 1500-1600 RFA Tibetan 11550 1530-1630 ASH Pashto 12140 15090 1600-1700 RFE Uzbek 7555 12150 1630-1730 ASH Dari 11565 12140 1700-1800 AKD Urdu 9315 1730-1800 ASH Pashto 7555 11565 1800-1830 ASH Dari 7555 11565 1830-1930 VOA Persian 5860 1830-1930 ASH Pashto 7555 1930-2030 ASH Dari 7555 2000-2130 FAR Persian 5830 2030-0030 VOA English 7555 2300-2400 RFA Tibetan 7500 AFG=Radio Free Afganistan AKD=Radio Aap Ki Dunyaa ASH=Radio Ashna FAR-Radio Farda RFA=Radio Free Asia RFE=Radio Free Europe VOA=Voice of America (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Sept 12 via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. Moj Them Radio --- If I am reading their website right, they are now on 15260 from 0100-0130 Tue and Thu. The change is also on the TDP, their broker's, website. [ex 0200-0230 Wed and Fri] (H. Johnson-WY-USA Aug 4, 2006 in JihadDX-ML, via CRW via DXLD) ** LESOTHO. SW Radio Station Transmitter Site Database & Archive Lancer's Gap --- Maseru, Lancer's Gap site: 29 18 43s, 27 33 18e 73, (Mauno Ritola, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) ** LIBYA [non]. Clandestina para LIBIA: MOLDAVIA, 17630, Sawt Al-amal, 1200-1215, escuchada el 11 de Septiembre en árabe a locutor con presentación, cuña de identificación y sintonía, locutor con el canto del Cor`án. Se aprecia a África Nº1 por debajo en francés, una emisión en árabe con débil señal en 17660, SINPO 43443, chequeada también con receptor Ten-Tenc en el internet; se aprecia con mejor señal a África Nº 1 y a Sawt Al-amal por debajo con SINPO 32442 Parte II: MOLDAVIA, 17620, Sawt Al-amal, 1300-1305, escuchada el 11 de septiembre en árabe con cuña de ID y sintonía, fuertemente interferida por emisora en árabe con locutor e invitado con referencias a Libia, probablemente La Voz de África, SINPO 33443. Por otra parte en 17630 África Nº1 libre de interferencias con muy buena señal; sin embargo Sawt Al-amal deja la frecuencia de 17620 y regresa a 17630 atorándola hasta anularla a las 1306, con canto del Corán y cuña de ID (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Ten-Tec RX320, http://rx320.dyndns.org:8500/setparams.cfm SANGEAN ATS 909 Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENINIG DIGEST) Entonces José Miguel, yo he debido estar en lo cierto con Sawt-Al-Amal en 17630, sólo que mi captación fue a las 1330 (Raúl, Costa Rica, ibid.) Saludos cordiales Raúl, por lo que se vé sí, sin lugar a dudas fué Sawt Al-amal lo que escuchastes, veremos en los proximos días cual será el periplo de ésta emisora, parece que se mueve por el margen 17620 a 17645. Un fuerte abrazo, atentamente (José Miguel, ibid.) I tuned in for the last five minutes or so of transmission (Sept. 11) and found an enormous signal on 17630 from Sawt Al-amal. I could hear traces of Africa #1 underneath but no jamming - or Afro-pop music. Carrier dropped just after 1400 and revealed only a good signal from Gabon. At the same time there was a strong signal coming from 'Moscow' on 17645 (100 degrees) // equally strong 15605 (MSK 115 degrees). Both have English World Service at 1400-1500 and are intended for Asia according to schedule. Usually these have been only fair at best (Noel R. Green (NW England), ibid.) MOLDAVIA, 17690, Sawt Al-amal, 1200-1220, escuchada el 12 de Septiembre en árabe a locutor con presentación, sintonía, cuña de identificación, canto del Cor`án y locutor con comentarios, SINPO 44444. Esta transmisión se percibe levemente interferida por una emisión en árabe, probablemente La Voz de África. A las 1305 se aprecia ambas transmisiones en la misma frecuencia, desde Valencia en España con Sangean ATS 909 la señal muy fuerte, con el ten-tec RX 320 se aprecia con mas fuerza a la emisora jammer en árabe y a Sawt Al- amal de fondo. Otra transmisión de La Voz de África en 17670 en paralelo. A las 1312 Sawt Al-amal cambia a 17695 y a las 1314 cesa emisión en 17670 pasando a 17695 y en paralelo con 17690, estas transmisiones con un SINPO 54444. Con el ten-tec RX 320 se puede escuchar bastante bien a Sawt Al-amal; sin embargo desde Valencia (España) con la Sangean, imposible; queda totalmente anulada y a las 1316 se inicia emisión de música árabe. A las 1324 se identifica "Idahat al jamaeriya Al Ouzma" (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia) España Ten-Tec RX320, http://rx320.dyndns.org:8500/setparams.cfm SANGEAN ATS 909 Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Where is the remote RX 320 you are using? Apparently at K1YW, Newton MA. I also noticed activity on 17695 when checked at 1358 Sept 12 --- rapid pulse jamming with some music underneath; both went off at 1400:30 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. IRIB German service announced today on air that they prolonged the airtime lease at Sitkunai for six months (Paul Gager, A- DX, via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) It's ambiguous whether they refer to six months from the very beginning or to another six months after the initial test period finished on Aug 10 (Kai Ludwig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Siehe IRAN [non] ** MALI. A few R. Mali, Kati, observations: 4835.4, 2111-.., 07 Sep, Vernacular, talks, music; 55333, almost normal audio; \\ 5995 very strong & with good audio. 5995, 2139-2153, 10 Sep, Vernacular, tribal songs; 54433, adjacent DRM QRM; \\ 4835.4 also strong but with weaker audio. 7285.6, 0826-..., 07 Sep, Vernacular, talks, names being read, traditional songs and music; 55343; \\ 11960 very good (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA. 7245, R. Mauritania not heard 07-11 Sep, while 783 & 4845 were heard every day (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Interferencia en 88.5 MHz --- Hola a todos: Este domingo 10 de Septiembre de 2006 al sintonizar la frecuencia de 88.5 MHz lo que capte desde las 11:00 de la mañana [UT -5 = 1600 UT] es interferencia, la cual se distingue al escuchar un zumbido como si fuera un pitido de reloj despertador, el cual suena por segundos seguido de silencio así continuamente. Supongo que la interferencia la realiza la Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes, para impedir que siga transmitiendo ``La Democrática`` ó ``Radio Democrática`` en 88.5 MHz desde el centro del Distrito Federal. La señal es fuerte y cubre posiblemente todo el Distrito Federal. Y por ejemplo ésta continúa hasta las 20:00 horas [0100 UT] de este día. Si alguien más ha sintonizado dicha señal favor de comentarlo. Saludos cordiales, (Roberto Edgar Gómez Morales, DF, Sept 10, Noticias DX via DXLD) Thinks the government is jamming the clandestine (gh, DXLD) ** MONACO [non]. Bonsoir les copins ! Subject: RFI Monaco OUI, RFI et bien sur 702 kHz depuis Monaco (Col de la Madonne). La réception est très bonne bien sûr à Nice. Signal bien supérieur à 1557 kHz (France Info) et 1350 kHz (R. Orient) qui sont juste à côté à Fontbonne. J'ai téléphoné au centre émetteur (offices à Monaco déjà fermés...): la personne (pas aimable) m'a dit que les émissions commencent à 1600 TU (je confirme je suis en train de les écouter) et finissent à 2200 TU. Emissions vers l'Afrique du Nord. Demain, j'essayerai de téléphoner aux bureaux de MRC à Monaco. Peut être plus d'infos. Je vous tiendra au courant. 73's (Christian Ghibaudo, Nice, via Monferini, playdx yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) Ciao! Su segnalazione di Roberto Scaglione che a Palermo ha ascoltato RADIO FRANCE INTERNTIONAL domenica sera su 702 kHz, ho provato qui a Milano oggi 12 settembre, dopo le ore 1640 TU ed il segnale è ottimo con il JRC 525 ed il loop 90 cm in abitazione (senza il loop il QRN del palazzo non permette la ricezione). Nessun problema dal DRM di RAI MILANO su 693 kHz (Dario Monferini, Milano, ibid.) All in French? (gh) ** MOROCCO. 1638 kHz, RTM-"A", Rabat, heard again on this harmonic of fundamental 819 (S9+40 dB) at 0920-... on 11 Sep; 35353 and the same rating later at 1420. At least the transmitter was on the right frequency that time (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. 3880, MDG R Netherlands, (IP from MDG tx iirc) 0604 12/9/06 (Tim Bucknall, Congleton, N/W England, icom IC-736 + wellbrooke ala 1530, hrmonics yg via DXLD) Per RN online sked http://www.radionetherlands.nl/features/media/schedule060326.html No Madagascar transmitters are on air between 06 & 11, but here is a match, 3880 kHz apart: 0500-0700 Flevo 6015 191 500 Dutch S Europe 0500-0800 Flevo 9895 127 500 Dutch SE Europe It was in Dutch, right? 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** NEW ZEALAND. New schedule of Radio New Zealand International eff. Sep. 3: 1300–1750 7145 / 000 deg in AM All Pacific 1300–1750 6095 / 000 deg in DRM All Pacific 1751–1850 9630 / 035 deg in AM All Pacific 1751–1850 9440 / 035 deg in DRM All Pacific, Fiji, Niue, Samoa, Cook 1851-0658 13730 / 000 deg in AM All Pacific 1851-0658 15720 / 000 deg in DRM All Pacific 0659-1059 6095 / 000 deg in AM All Pacific 0659-1259 7145 / 000 deg in DRM All Pacific 1100-1259 9870 / 325 deg in AM NW Pacific, Bougainville, Timor, As (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Sept 12 via DXLD) ** NIGER. 9705, La Voix du Sahel, 9/8/06, 2248-2301*, in French. Conversation by two males followed by female pop vocal at 2252. Brief announcement by man followed by Qur`an recitation. Man announcer retuned at 2259 with ID and closedown announcements followed by choral national anthem. Carrier remained on until 2308. Poor to fair (Rich D'Angelo, Wyomissing PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) LV du Sahel, Niamey, observed on several different occasions: 9704 kHz at 1845-1910, 09 Sep, Vernacular, talks, tribal tunes, French for newscast 1900; 54433, het with Ethiopia 9704.2 kHz. 9704 kHz at 1035-1224, 10 Sep, Vernacular, tribal songs, French, news 1200; 35343. 9705 kHz at 1112-1205, 11 Sep; approx. same SINPO rating as on 10 Sep at midday (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 6089.8, R. Nigeria, Kaduna, 2228-2233, 07 Sep, Vernacular, talks, tribal songs; 54433, adjacent DRM QRM. 7275, R. Nigeria almost undetected mornings~midday 7-11 Sep. 7255, V. of Nigeria also affected by adverse propagation conditions, putting a mediocre signal as compared to what I usually get (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) V. of Nigeria, 15120, 1630-1830+ Sept 4, tune-in to Arabic programming with talk and Afro-pop music, 1659 opening English with ID, 1701 news, commentary and various other news programs. Fair strength but overall poor signal quality due to the usual poor audio with low modulation and some programs very muffled (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. RDPi - RADIO PORTUGAL com estúdios em Lisboa e cujas transmissões para a América do Sul* vêm do parque de emissores próprios no CEOC - Centro Emissor de Onda Curta em São Gabriel (perto de Pegões-Montijo). Programa: Caixa Postal com Espaço para o Dxismo. -ás [sic] segunda-feiras, ás 1045, em 12020, 15575*, 21830 kHz; 1650 e 1747, em 15555, 17680, 21655* kHz e ás 2330 em 9715, 13700* e 15295* kHz (João Gonçalves Costa, Portugal, lista Radioescutas via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. 9665, 0215-0258, Sept 11. While listening to the Voice of Russia transmission on 9665 to North America it was obvious that the audio quality is now much improved relative to that heard before the recent frequency change. The audio is now cleaner, more distinct, no longer sounding as if the presenter has a thick blanket between them and the microphone. It may just be a coincidental change in audio processing, program recording, or a change in modulation at the transmitter used for 9665 at this time, but the VOR is now much easier to listen to. The biggest surprise, however, was very strong interference on 9665 beginning at 0258 from a signal that I believe was from China Radio International broadcasting in Spanish. The interference completely swamped the quite strong (S5 to S6) Russian signal which makes me think the CRI signal originated from some location closer to the eastern US, far from mainland China. A check of a website listing SW broadcasters using Spanish gives CRI using 9665 from 0300 to 0400 from a site designated with the letter "B", the meaning of which I don't know. A recheck of 9665 at 0400 found a strong carrier only, no audio heard for about two minutes, at which time I stopped listening. I've sent an email to the VOR advising them of the situation. Now to wait and see what happens (Richard Howard, Burnsville, North Carolina, Sept 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Richard, CRI on 9665 would be via Brasil, not Beijing. It`s been there a long time, but intended for SAm, I think rather than NAm, so the stations may think there is not a collision. HFCC shows it 250 kW at 314 degrees from Brasília, which means it is aimed also toward NAm; CIRAF targets = Mexico, Caribbean, CAm, NW SAm, and there`s another hour at 0100, 215 degrees to the Southern Cone (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. New Russian Radio --- following a today's posting in a Russian DX list, I found my way to a new Russian radio network, Radio Zvezda ("Radio Star"). It has a website http://tvzvezda.ru/radio/ which is, however, very slow and gives a timeout error. They seem to be building up a nationwide network on FM and MW. According to http://www.mediaatlas.ru/radio/?a=viewnet&id=38 they are already on the air in Moscow on 990 kHz. Furthermore, Victor Rutkovsky forwarded the news about two new licenses for this station, for 1440 kHz in St Petersburg at 10 kW, and 729 kHz in Samara at 50 kW. It is cited as a "patriotic" radiostation, and the licenses (in Russian) translate to: 10342 "Central TV and Radio studio of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation" "National radiostation 'Zvezda FM'", St. Petersburg, 1440 kHz, 10 kW 10349 "Central TV and Radio studio of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation" "National radiostation 'Zvezda FM'", Samara, 729 kHz, 50 kW which makes clear who is behind this station. They were on satellite and internet only until 7 August 2006 when they put their first FM tx on the air (Moscow 95.6). More FM tx have joined in the meanwhile: Komsomolsk-on-Amur on 103.0, Kyzyl (Republic of Tyva in Siberia) 102.5 and Lipetsk on 91.1. The new licenses also mention some planned OIRT channels (so still alive and kicking!): Bryansk 72.26, Lipetsk 72.80, Novorossijsk 66.41, Ryazan 70.34 MHz. Their address (from mediaatlas.ru) in Latin characters is Kolymazhny pereulok 14, Moscow 119019 --- postcode from http://postindex.yp.ru/ Cheers, (Eike Bierwirth, Germany, Sept 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN [and non]. Re item on WOR Extra 71, a minor point: The line of poetry with which the piece on the demolishing of the RL radio towers in Spain concluded is not from Walt Whitman, but from Edwin Markham`s poem, ``Lincoln, the Man of the People``, which concludes: And when he fell in whirlwind, he went down As when a lordly cedar green with boughs, Goes down with a great shout upon the hills, And leaves a lonesome place against the sky. Markham (1852-1940) was a champion of the poor and the oppressed, first gaining note with his poem ``The Man with the Hoe`` (inspired by the Millet painting) in which the old boy predicted world revolution / His feelings are expressed in a short poem, ``The Third Wonder``: `Two things,` said Kant, `fill me with breathless awe: The starry heavens and the moral law.` I know a thing more awful and obscure - The long, long patience of the plundered poor. (Loren Cox, Jr., Lexington KY, Sept 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. ESPANHA – Amigos de la Onda Curta é o programa da Rádio Exterior da Espanha que fala da radiodifusão espanhola, mundial e das ondas curtas. Um dos segmentos é a Ronda de las Emisoras, que apresenta informações de uma estação internacional que transmite em espanhol. A apresentação é de Antonio Buitrago. Amigos de la Onda Curta tem uma de suas emissões apresentadas às 1805, aos sábados, em 17715 kHz, quando tem regular sintonia na América do Sul. A Rádio Exterior da Espanha leva ao ar, nos sábados, às 1600, o segmento Corresponsales del Sur. São irradiadas notícias de países que pouco aparecem na mídia, tais como Equador, Nicarágua, El Salvador, com os quais a Espanha mantém cooperação em diversas áreas dos conhecimentos. Na América do Sul pode ser sintonizado, aos sábados, em 11815, 17595, 17715 e 21570 kHz. A apresentação é de Rosalinda Cantizano (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Sept 10 via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. Radio Sweden Election Night Coverage: Including 3 Hour Live Webcast! --- Follow the results of the September 17 Swedish elections on Radio Sweden, on the radio and online. Four more years for the Left or an historic shift to the Right? Join Gaby Katz and Juan Navas for our election night coverage for results, profiles, analysis and key background information as Sweden decides 2006. We’ll have a live webcast right here from 1800 to 2100 UT, as well as regular updates here on the web. (We also hope to have a webcam in the studio.) Here’s our radio schedule for election night (times UT): 1930–2000 1179 kHz medium wave to Europe 2030–2100 5840 kHz shortwave to Western Europe 2130–2200 6065 kHz shortwave to Europe and Africa 7420 kHz shortwave to South Asia 1179 kHz medium wave to Europe 89.6 MHz FM to Stockholm The rest of the night we’ll follow our regular schedule (MediaScan/Sweden Calling DXers Sept 8 via DXLD) Presumably in English ** THAILAND [and non]. R. Thailand, 9830, English at 1240 Sept 11, weak and fluttery but in the clear with news about Thailand. Also reconfirmed via Delano 5890 at 0200+ (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. Die neue QRG (wie auf adx berichtet) 5830 aus der Ukraine war am Sonngtag 1730 UT mit "Treffpunkt Kiew" hier in Panonnien sehr gut aufzunehmen. (Telescopia antena.) (Paul Gager, Austria, Sept 10, A-DX via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) 5830 applies to the European evening service. I was out last night, and I have not seen any other reports, so let us check how new 5820 from RUI is doing to North America tonight, 2300-0400, with English at 00 and 03. In particular, is WEWN 5810 a problem? [Later:] RUI 5820 is quite weak and no match for my computers, unlike inbooming WEWN 5810. On the ATS-909 in the yard, audible with music around 0035, and yes, some lite splatter from 5810. And also a signal there on 5820 around 0210, but too weak to appreciate. Let`s hope conditions are below normal at the moment (Glenn Hauser, UT Sept 11, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 10 September follow. Solar flux 87 and mid-latitude A-index 6. The mid-latitude K-index at 0300 UTC on 11 September was 3 (27 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours (SEC via DXLD) No problem detected here at 0300. RU was literally booming on 5820 this Sep. 11, with that kind of reverb sound, like in a bathroom, that resembles those gone days of Radio Moscow (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ukraine on 5820 was loud and clear on 0320 check 9/10, in English; no QRM from WEWN 10 kHz down to be heard there (Joe Hanlon, NJ, Sept 11, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Another check UT Sept 12 at 0339: 5820 was audible, seemed a bit undermod, and very much in the shadow of inbooming WEWN 5810 but not much QRM from it (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. RADIO UKRAINE INTERNATIONAL PLANS TO BROADCAST IN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES Radio Ukraine International (RUI) is celebrating its 55th birthday. The total amount of daily broadcasting is currently 31.5 hours: 23 in Ukrainian, 4 in English, 3 in German and 1.5 in Romanian. But RUI Director Olexander Dykyi writes in a message on the station`s website that ``as we witness an ever growing interest in Ukraine, RUI means in future to enlarge language range of the radio station, first of all in Russian, Polish, French, Spanish and Arab languages.`` (Source: Radio Ukraine International) (September 12th, 2006, 15:13 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) ** U K. BBC WORLD SERVICE HIGHLIGHTS Friday, September 8th: As the 5th anniversary of the World Trade Center / Pentagon attacks nears, the World Service presents A Very American Witch Hunt, a look at some whose fundamental human rights were overlooked in the response immediately following the attacks. Typical rights – such as the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney – were not afforded to many US citizens. Tarek Albasti, a former member of the Egyptian rowing team and a naturalized American citizen, was flown in shackles partly because he had recently qualified for a pilot’s license; Nacer Mustafa, born in the US to a Palestinian father, had gone to Mexico for a business trip on September 9th and jailed for two months until his US passport was cleared. The stories of their detentions and others who rights were overlooked in the initial response are reviewed. Air times include Friday 0806, 1106 and 1906 (Europe / live webcast); Friday 0906, 1306 and 2106 (Africa); Friday 1406 and 1906 plus Saturday 0006 (Americas / XM). [Too late now, probably available on demand if you hunt around here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/programmes/archive/index.shtml - gh] Mondays, beginning September 11th: Forging The Union is a new four- part series exploring the rationale and development of the European Union – formed out of the desire to avoid the tensions that fomented three wars over the span of two generations. From the early 1950s and the Coal and Steel Community up through the current day, the movement towards a single market and single currency is analyzed. Some who were with the heads of during secret negotiations in the late 1960s/early 1970s are interviewed. Shortwave airtimes include Mondays 0806, 1106, 1906 and 2306, plus Saturdays 0906 (Europe / live webcast); Mondays 0906, 1306 and 2106, plus Tuesdays 0006, Sundays 0206 and 1306 (Africa); and Mondays 1406 and 1906, Tuesdays 0006 and 0506 plus Sundays 2206 (Americas / XM). September topics in Heart and Soul include The Ninety-Nine Names of Allah, beginning September 4th, which explores the various names given to Allah in the Kor`an, and their particular significance to Sufi Muslims. Beginning September 11th, the music of the Russian Orthodox Church and how it was kept alive in the church in the communist era in Upstate New York; the Cathedral of Hope, a church for gay and lesbian worshippers in Dallas, in the middle of the US Bible Belt, beginning September 18th; and, beginning September 18th [means 25th?], the Rosh Hashanah memories of 103-year-old concert pianist Alice Herz Sommer, who spent some of her Jewish holidays in a concentration camp. Heart and Soul airs Sundays 0730 and 1730, Mondays 0130 (Europe / live webcast); Sundays, 0930 and 1330 (Africa); Sundays, 1130, 1530 and 2230 (Americas / XM). Wednesdays, beginning September 20th: A two-part series called A Brief History of Infinity takes a looks at why people have trouble coming to terms with the concept of infinity. The listener will be taken on a tour of size and quantity - traveling from the idea of Archimedes (counting the grains of sand that would fill the universe) to the latest theories on the physical reality of the infinite. Philosophers and mathematicians have driven themselves mad contemplating the nature of infinity - yet it is a concept routinely used by schoolchildren. The first program is a journey of discovery that stretches from the early origins of numerical concepts, such as zero (not quite as obvious as one might think) to numbers which are too complex for the human mind to handle. The second program travels outside the known universe, and tries to measure whether it has a beginning and end. Bill Bryson describes when man’s interest first turned to matters beyond matter. Shortwave airtimes include Wednesdays 0806, 1106, 1906, and 2306 (Europe / live webcast), Wednesdays 0906, 1306, and 2106 plus Thursdays 0006 (Africa), and Wednesdays 1406 and 1906, plus Thursdays 0006 and 0506 (Americas / XM). (Rich Cuff, Easy Listening, Sept NASWA Journal via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. BBC reception: BBC in Romanian, one of the few BBC European services remaining on SW, was very good at 1500 check on 11800, via Rampisham site; another 25 mb channel, 11750 from the Thai relay for the Far East with WS programming, came in at fair level with news to 1530, then feature programs; both monitored Sept. 10 on Drake SW8 with EMF antenna which was reinstalled higher above the ground (Joe Hanlon, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [and non]. VT Communications changes: Radio Prague 0330-0357 on 5990 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg to NoAm in English, additional 2330-2357 on 9685 SAC 250 kW / 212 deg to CeAm in Spanish, additional Leading The Way 1700-1730 15495 WOF 250 kW / 070 deg WeAs in Persian Fri, ex Tue/Fri 1700-1730 15495 RMP 500 kW / 095 deg RUS in Russian Sun, ex Sat/Sun Trans World Radio Africa 1730-1800 12035 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg EaAf in Amharic Sat, additional 1800-1845 12035 DHA 250 kW / 225 deg EaAf in Amharic Daily, ex Sat/Sun WYFR Family Radio 1830-1930 NF 17585 ASC 250 kW / 085 deg to WeAf in French, ex 9845 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Sept 12 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Dear Glenn, I have just 3 short news for DXLD now: - VOA Croatian as of today, September 11, 2006 reduced its broadcast times: Satellite only broadcast at 1530-1600 UT cancelled totally, Evening show at 1830-1900 UT reduced to 15 minutes, Breakfast show 0430-0500 UT without changes. So, currently, on short waves VOA Croatian as follows: 0430-0500 UT 5965 kHz MOR, 059 deg [excellent reception] 1830-1845 UT 7175 kHz BIB, 126 deg [inaudible, because CRI in French from Albania is on same freq] 15180 kHz MOR, 059 deg [excellent reception] - As of September 30, 2006, IBB will discontinue usage of GE2 (DOMSAT) and Intelsat POR 180 deg E satellites. - Rupert Murdoch's FOX TELEVISION, which received a licence for broadcasting in Serbia nation-wide, announced it will start broadcasts by October 09, 2006. Currently, they are installing 36 transmitters (2 on VHF and 34 on UHF channels) to cover entire Serbia with excellent signal. Best wishes & many 73s! (Dragan Lekic from Subotica, Serbia, Sept 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Will this just be in English?? ** U S A. Glenn & IRCAers, IBB/VOA Delano is off the air as of last week. Staff is splitting for other parts (Charles A Taylor, WD4INP, Greenville, North Carolina, ex-IBB, Sept 10, IRCA via DX LISTENING DIGEST) This was expected but not quite so soon. Perhaps some transmissions have been shifted to Greenville if they are still on the air on same frequencies. For example, R. Martí, and the R. Thailand relay at 0200- 0330 on 5890. Quick check at 0210 UT Sept 11 finds 5890 still with presumed R. Thailand, accented English discussing Malaysia, and with classical music background if not co-channel; weak and fadey which would be more expected from Greenville than Delano at this hour. Per http://www.martinoticias.com/frequencies.htm This is (was?) the Delano portion of the schedule in UT: 0700-1200 5980 0900-1200 6030 1000-1300 9805 1200-1400 7405 1930-2400 13820 Let`s see if any of these are still on the air, and if so are they Greenville? Note that some frequencies, 6030, 7405 and 13820 were already partly Greenville depending on time of day. 9805 was extremely strong Sept 11 at 1239, splattering 25 kHz up and down, and no jamming was audible. Such a situation is usually the case here only with Delano, as we are close to the beam toward Cuba, rather than Greenville, almost 90 degrees off. 7405 was also VG at 1248 check. Seems like Delano is really still on. BTW, 9955 was nothing but heavy jamming, no trace of WRMI (Glenn Hauser, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, news to me, we are on the air every day. Our scheduled program hours have been cut way back, but we are still running 2 Shifts at present. NOTHING official has been said about Delano closing. The last I heard, Washington said we were on the air for an indefinite period of time. There are rumors floating around about closing, but there were rumors of Bethany closing for almost 20 years before it happened. I'll keep you informed as best I can. 73, (John Vodenik, IBB Delano, Sept 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) John-John, Thank you for getting back to Glenn Hauser about the impending closure of DTS. I got the word from Connie Talavera via my wife, and naturally the gals got it wrong. Yak-yak. So who's gone where? Are the 821As behaving reasonably well? (Charles A Taylor, WD4INP, Grifton, North Carolina, to Vodenik, via DXLD) Never mind! ** U S A [and non]. JOURNALISTS FIRED FOR PAYMENTS FROM RADIO/TV MARTI Two journalists for the daily MIAMI Spanish-language EL NUEVO HERALD newspaper were fired after the disclosure that they and at least eight other SOUTH FLORIDA journalists were paid by the U.S. government to appear on RADIO MARTI and TV MARTI. EL NUEVO HERALD's sister paper THE MIAMI HERALD reports that columnist/reporter PABLO ALFONSO was paid almost $175,000. since 2001 by the OFFICE OF CUBA BROADCASTING to host shows on the CUBA-oriented radio and TV operations, while reporter WILFREDO CANCIO ISLA was paid almost $15,000. Both were fired, and EL NUEVO HERALD also severed ties with freelance reporter OLGA CONNOR, who was paid about $71,000 by RADIO/TV MARTI. Among other journalists alleged to have received payments from the government broadcaster are DIARIO LAS AMERICAS opinion page editor HELEN AGUIRRE FERRE and reporter/columnist ARIEL REMOS, Spanish LPTV WJAN-CA/MIAMI News Dir. MIGUEL COSSIO and reporter JUAN MANUEL CAO, and syndicated columnist CARLOS ALBERTO MONTANER (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, GA, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) ?? This had been going on 5 years and El Nuevo Herald just noticed? Were they using pseudonyms or disguising their voices on the radio? Or does no one in Miami really listen to Radio Martí? I thought that was its prime target area. OTOH, why is moonlighting for the OCB a dismissible offense? Or would working for any `competing` outlet amount to that? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TEN SOUTH FLORIDA JOURNALISTS TOOK PAYMENTS FROM U.S. GOVERNMENT, I.E. FROM RADIO/TV MARTÍ El Nuevo Herald fires two of them for conflict of interest. Miami Herald, 8 September 2006. "Larry Hart, spokesman for the Broadcasting Board of Governors ... said most (Radio-TV Martí) guests receive payment, adding, 'for decades, some of the most prominent journalists in America have been paid to be on Voice of America.' He acknowledged that in recent years the practice has become far less common." AP, 8 September 2006. See also New York Times, 9 September 2006. "WLTV-Univisión 23 is considering what action to take after The Miami Herald reported Friday that the Miami station's weekend sports anchor, Omar Claro, is one of several South Florida journalists getting paid by the U.S. government for side work at Radio and TV Martí." Miami Herald, 9 September 2006. [see below] Cuban handlers of accused Cuban spy in Florida "showed an obsessive interest in information related to Radio Martí." South Florida Sun- Sentinel, 7 September 2006 (kimandrewelliott.com Sept 9 via DXLD) q.v. for linx to 5 stories (WORLD OF RADIO 1328) Radio/TV Martí: news or propaganda? (And, no, it can't be both.) Once again, the U.S. news media have assumed that U.S. international broadcasting exists for the purpose of propaganda. Even in the case of Radio/TV Martí, this is not a forgone conclusion. The Herald reports that Radio/TV Martí "programming cannot be broadcast within the United States because of anti-propaganda laws," but anyone in the United States with a shortwave radio or an internet connection can listen to the station for hours on end. Reporters covering this story should do so. The Voice of America, and the journalists it has paid to appear on its programs, must be delighted to have been dragged into this controversy by the spokesman quoted in the AP report. But this does point out that international broadcasters can enhance their coverage by tapping well- informed journalists. And these journalists (especially freelancers) should be able to earn some extra income for the facts and insights they have gathered. Of course, they should inform their employers about this; according to the reports, many of them did. BBC World Service, Deutsche Welle, and Radio Netherlands are all funded through their respective governments. No eyebrows are raised when journalists are paid to contribute to these stations. Nor are they generally seen as propaganda outlets. This shows that it is possible for a broadcasting entity to receive public funding while retaining, in perception and in reality, its autonomy. People tune to foreign broadcasts to get the news that provides that antidote to the state-sponsored propaganda of their domestic media. Radio and TV Martí would not have much of an audience if they are merely in the business of "undermining the communist government of Fidel Castro" (Miami Herald) or transmitting "broadcasts critical of Fidel Castro" (New York Times). Furthermore, if Radio/TV Martí did report a one-sided version of events, it would be in violation of its originating legislation, the Broadcasting to Cuba Act of 1983 (Public Law 98-111), which states that "Radio Martí follows Voice of America journalistic standards and guidelines for presenting a variety of news and information in an accurate and objective manner." The Broadcasting Board of Governors supervises Radio/TV Martí and other elements of U.S. government funded international broadcasting. The BBG must concentrate on its Job One: to provide a firewall between the U.S. government and U.S. international broadcasting, and to ensure that U.S. international broadcasts are as independent, credible, balanced, and objective as humanly possible. The BBG must be consistently clear about this. Unfortunately, it has sent ambiguous signals concerning this key matter. This is evident in one sentence from the BBG's press release of 23 August 2004 about Radio and TV Martí's aircraft based transmitters: "The airborne broadcasts, which will increase the availability of reliable and uncensored information on events in Cuba and around the world, are part of an integrated approach to assist the Cuban people in bringing about rapid and peaceful change to their nation." The BBG also has a penchant for drawing attention to the involvement of the Bush Administration and Congress in U.S. international broadcasting, as in its press releases of 24 July and 6 February. [linked] It is therefore not surprising that people are confused about whether U.S. international broadcasting transmits news or propaganda. Posted: 09 Sep 2006 (Kim Andrew Elliott`s own comments, ibid.) UNIVISION 23 ANCHOR UNDER SCRUTINY WLTV-Univisión 23 is considering what action to take after The Miami Herald reported Friday that the Miami station's weekend sports anchor, Omar Claro, is one of several South Florida journalists getting paid by the U.S. government for side work at Radio and TV Martí. News anchor Guillermo Benítez said during the local evening broadcast Friday that managers at the station would review the situation and take appropriate action. Radio and TV Martí, located in Miami, are U.S. broadcasts aimed at undermining the communist government of Fidel Castro. Claro received $4,850 from the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, or OCB, this year, according to federal records obtained by The Miami Herald. OCB managers told The Herald Thursday that Claro does a weekly sports show for TV Martí called Resumen Deportivo, or Sports Round-up. One of his TV Martí contracts, valued at $5,600, names the show as Béisbol de las Grandes Ligas, or Major League Baseball. Journalism ethics specialists said the payments from a government agency posed a conflict of interest for journalists. In December, Cuban exile players designated Claro as their spokesman in their failed bid to win approval from the International Baseball Federation to compete as the Cuba team. In an unusual move, Claro advocated for the group during a news conference, then a few minutes later began reporting on the issue for Univisión from the same room. According to federal records, Claro was not under contract with Radio or TV Martí at the time (Miami Herald & http://www.flnewscenter.com via Paul Armani, CO, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) Related to the R/TV Marti article, from Sept 12 New York Sun: http://www.nysun.com/article/39509 MARTI ETHICS FLAP RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT VOA "A flap over government payments to Cuban-American journalists in Miami is prompting similar ethical questions about payments Washington reporters receive for appearances on the Voice of America..." [The article goes back and forth between people on both sides of the issue. Here is one sample of each side. The entire article is at the URL above. DR] "...Sums paid to those on VOA are smaller. Journalists who take part in a weekly roundtable discussion, "Issues in the News," are paid between $100 and $150 a program. "It's the same kind of conflict, obviously," an instructor on journalism ethics, Al Tompkins, said yesterday. "What you're working for is a part of the government. There's a conflict when you receive government dollars, however that money is filtered." Mr. Tompkins, who works for a journalism research and training center, the Poynter Institute, said he doesn't think journalists will change their views over a few hundred dollars. Still, he said, even the appearance of conflict should be avoided.... "...Another regular panelist on the VOA show, David Lightman of the Hartford Courant, also rejected any comparison with the Cuba-oriented services. "This is nothing like Radio Marti. Nobody at VOA has ever told us what to say or suggested what we should say," he said. "My view is, I'm a professional. I should be paid for my time. --- I don't just wing it..." (via Doni Rosenzweig, Dan Say, DXLD) This "flap" sounds like something created to discredit R Martí. This "ethics" professor certainly isn't working for free. So why would these journalists (or pundits) do it for free? (Jerry Lenamon, TX, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. The AFN/AFRTS website now shows only four locations; see http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/shortwave/ Guam, Hawaii, Key West [sic] and Diego Garcia, indeed on 12759 instead of 12579, so the change must be deliberate. Do they pull frequencies out of a hat, or just switch the digits when they feel like it? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WBCQ Schedule Update, Sunday, September 10, 2006 Noted a repeat of the 9/8/06 Allan Weiner Worldwide on Saturday at 1900 on 7415, replacing "The Politics of Religion." A new show "Radio Operation" replaces Michael Ketter UT Sundays at 0300 on 7415. The show's producer, Dr. Becker, says that this show will hold onto Michael's time slot until he is well. The show features old time radio and various entertaining radio theater. Noted an episode of "The Man From X" and a "Chickenman" short, as well as lounge music and other interesting material, on Sunday 9/10/06. Fred Jodry's "Fix Your Radio" debuted on Sunday 9/10/06 at 1900 on 7415, without Jay Smilkstein, who Fred said at the top of the hour has "dropped out" of the show. Radio Caroline noted in the "available time slot" Sunday 9/10/06 at 2200 on 7415 (Larry Will, Sept 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ 7415 Webcast. September 12, 2006. WBCQ is pleased to announce that our 7.415 MHz webcast has returned. Our webcast can be heard using Winamp, Windows Media Player, or any other software that's able to play Shoutcast MP3 webcast streams. http://johnlightning.com:8020/listen.pls Thanks for listening! (Larry Will, Sept 12, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked at 1647 UT Sept 12, some studio-quality rock music, when presumably 7415 is not yet on the air. So is the webcast from studio feed or a SW pickup as before? At 1750 recheck it was silently streaming but with some tell-tale computer cue tones, 1755 music resumed, 1757 WBCQ IDs by BSC and AW, silence. 1759 Monitoring Times ad, 1800 various IDs, joining antichrist-bashing lo-fi ad from Christian Media, 1803 Money Talks. So it is from studio not SW pickup, but off it goes for now! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re: ``Un saludo a todos!! "Monitor DX" sale al aire ahora los dias domingo de 0045 a 0100 UT, siempre por los 9955 kHz de WRMI Radio Miami Internacional o via internet en tiempo real. Un abrazo (Daniel Camporini)`` Glenn: Just got back from Europe. Sorry for the delay; I didn't have much Internet access the last several days. There hasn't been any change of time for Monitor DX, unless someone messed up and put it on at a different time while I was away -- which is always possible I guess. But everything should be back to normal now (Jeff White, WRMI, Sept 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I.e. it is still scheduled Sat 2345 UT (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Hello Glenn, In an online conversation today, "Johnny Andrews" of Florida pirate WKQV told me that the frequency has been changed from 1620 to 1440 due to a new TIS which came up on 1620 (Larry Vogt, N4VA, Springfield, VA, Sept 12, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hmm, there are legal FL 1440 stations in Winter Park (near Orlando) and Lehigh Acres (near Ft Myers), so WKQV would be far from them, SE FL (gh) ** U S A. Where`s WRNO? The WRNO website http://www.wrnoworldwide.org/aboutus.htm checked September 11, 2006, still says ``By September 10, 2006, this lifesaving broadcast to Arabic-speaking populations worldwide, including the Middle East, will begin.`` So where is it? Check 7355, 7395 or maybe 15420. And be astounded if it is axually there. FCC A-06 registrations show about the same as they have for years with no signal really to be heard. 7355 2200 0300 WRNO 50 20 3-5,9-11 1234567 260306 291006 7395 0300 1500 WRNO 50 20 3-5,9-11,27 1234567 260306 291006 7395 2200 0300 WRNO 50 20 3-5,9-11 1234567 260306 291006 15420 1400 2300 WRNO 50 20 3-5,9-11,27 1234567 260306 291006 Nothing heard here UT September 12 on 7355 or 7395. As of about a month ago they were supposedly close to testing the transmitter and antenna after some antenna and feedline repairs (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. In NEW JERSEY's Meadowlands, there will be a rare sight next week: the demolition of three tall AM towers. Last week, WOR (710 New York) officially switched its broadcasts to its new three-tower site in Lyndhurst, just a few hundred yards north of the site it's used since 1967. Next Wednesday (Sept. 20), WOR owner Rick Buckley and many of the station's advertisers and staff will be on hand as the button is pushed to bring down the old towers, each more than 600 feet tall. NERW will (of course) be on hand for the event, and we'll have complete coverage in our Sept. 22 edition of Tower Site of the Week, which will probably appear a day or two early as a result (Scott Fybush, NE Radio Watch Sept 11 via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) ** U S A. Tuned in webcast of WHRV in Virginia, Tue Sept 13 at 1700 UT for The Thomas Jefferson Hour, my habitual source for that excellent show, and instead hear NPR News and intro to Day to Day. Checking the program grid at http://www.whro.org/home/publicradio/whrv/ we see that they have revamped their schedule and moved TTJH to Saturdays at 6 am [EDT = 1000 UT]. In other words, so as few as possible will be listening to it from now on. A shame, as Clay Jenkinson has often appeared in the Norfolk area in conjunxion with WHRV (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. (approximate) 4939 kHz, Radio Amazonas (PRESUMED) from 0215 UT Sept 9, with lively Latin pops; SINPO at first 21122, ? jingle at 0221, Spanish male with echo chamber, probable ID, strong initial highly trilled ``r`` into mostly talk, possibly news in Spanish, mentions of Caracas and Bogotá. ``Popcorn`` as a brief 10-15 second theme between spoken items. At 0240 back into more lively music, SINPO peaked at 22222, tune out at 0242 UTC. September 9 (Friday evening local time). This is the first time I have heard anything from Venezuela in a couple of years or more. I really miss Ecos del Torbes! Heard on a Grundig YB400PE with random external long wire (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Roger, Probably, but be aware that R. San Antonio, Perú, sometimes appears slightly below 4940. Amazonas seems to have been reported on 4939.66 or .67 when it was on. Modulation OK? 73, (Glenn to Roger, via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) I would go with Amazonas, because of the echo chamber, the mentions of Caracas and Bogotá, and the highly trilled "r"s. The modulation was ok, just very noisy channel. With the Yacht Boy I had it variably tuned to 4940 and 4939, the best available distinction, and the signal was about the same either way (Roger Chambers, NY, ibid.) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. Radio Nacional de la RASD, 21 Aug on 7460, Spanish from tune-in 1745 with Spanish language "Sahara"-song into talk and they make ID easy for themselves with only "Radio Nacional de Sahara". S talk about 'la libertad del pueblo' into another Sahara- influenced song in Spanish. Funny accent. Music continued into 1820+. Still observed shortly at 1950 (F. Krone, Denmark, Aug 21, 2006 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) Algeria: RASD returns to 1550 kHz --- After an absence, I notice what I think is the Polisario station back on 1550 kHz at 2325 UT 9/9/06. 73 (Steve Whitt, UK, MWC via DXLD) And so gone from 700v? (gh, DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. / ALGERIA, 700 kHz, Polisario Front, (site?) (Tindouf, Algeria, too?), observed 0729-fadeout 0845, 07 Sep, Arabic, talks songs & music; 35342; \\ 7460 very strong. Just a few days earlier R. France reactivated 702 kHz, surely via Col de la Madonne, [see MONACO [non]] and is putting a very strong here evenings, meaning ALG 702 and AOE 700 are both getting problems, and it was almost surely this that made them leave 700 kHz for it went silent on 08 Sept and was replaced by: 1550 kHz Polisario Front, Tindouf (?), reactivated on 09 Sep, as observed 2155-..., Arabic, talks; 55544; \\ 7460 very strong, but under RFAsia (via MNG) QRM during a certain evening period. Contrary to what I've read very recently in some DX press, the Castilian program actually opens the evening period, at 1700, and lasts till 1800. The announced frequencies are 1550 and 7470 (instead of 7460). At this very moment, 1704, on 12 Sep, 1550 kHz is barely detected, but not 7460, where LSB mode has be engaged so as to diminish adjacent DRM QRM (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also ALGERIA ** YEMEN. 6005, Rep. of Yemen R., San'a, 2134-2146, 08 Sep, Arabic, Arabic songs; 54433, QRM de Germany; \\ 9779.7 extremely weak & fluttery (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, ZNBC, Lusaka, still here evenings, but under slightly stronger co-channel QRM during the 6-10 Sept observation period. Conversely, no sign of it, i.e. at least evenings, on 4910. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. STATE RELEASES FUNDS FOR NEW RADIO STATION The Government of Zimbabwe has released funds for the opening of a new radio station, Studio 24/7, in Gweru, the acting Minister of Information and Publicity, Cde Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana, has said. Addressing journalists at the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists annual general meeting in Redcliff last Friday, Cde Mangwana said the radio station would be operational before the end of the year. ``Government has already released the funds to operate Studio 24/7 and that is a boost to the broadcasting industry. Everything being in place as it is, the station should be fully operational before the end of the year,`` he said. Cde Mangwana, who did not disclose the amount released by the Government, said the station would fall under the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH). ``Initially it was supposed to be run by New Ziana but we have since realised that broadcasting is not the core-business of New Ziana,`` he said. The New Ziana broadcasting project has been on the cards for more than three years with fully equipped studio premises in Gweru. (Source: The Herald) (September 12th, 2006, 11:50 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) Andy Sennitt comments: Earlier reports said this station would use shortwave to cover the whole of Zimbabwe. Other reports said it would be a de facto external service. Indeed, this is apparently still the plan, as today’s edition of The Herald quotes Cde Mangwana as saying that ``funds had been availed for the shortwave radio station that was meant to counter propaganda by hostile media organisations, Studio 7 [the VOA programme to Zimbabwe] included, by telling the true Zimbabwean story.`` The minister also said the issue of Studio 7 broadcasting to Zimbabwe from Botswana was being handled diplomatically through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. If there are shortwave transmitters at Gweru being readied for use, this could explain the apparent new source of jamming to SW Radio Africa (ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 1564.6 kHz, 1923-..., 08 Sep, carrier causing a het with UK 1566 kHz; DF=east (tentatively), so possibly a Greek pirate station; 12431 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Heard a good signal on 1710.3 kHz tonight between 10:20- 10:30 pm EDT with 40's style music - Begin the Beguine, Over The Rainbow... ended at 10:30 [0230 UT Sept 12] with no announcements. Never heard before, probably not Lubavich station. Any ideas? (Brett Saylor, Central PA, R-75 w/ 100' sloper, WTFDA-AM via DXLD) I had it here in York, too, blowing away Lubavitcher at times, very good audio. And this was on the ICOM 706, not exactly an AM DX machine! 73, BC (Bruce Collier, PA, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 3284.1, 2135-..., 06 Sep, Greek, Greek songs; 35231; Harmonic of 1642.05 kHz (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Re: Clandestines for Cuba: Glenn Hauser mentions that the WRMI page is probably out of date. I must admit, that this is also the case for clandestineradio.com. In order to get an overview about programs for Cuba do a search in the latest editions DXLD or CRW (M. Schöch-D Aug 15, 2006 for CRW via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see GERMANY; MALI; MONACO; NEW ZEALAND; ++++++++++++++++++++ NIGERIA; WESTERN SAHARA PROPAGATION +++++++++++ The geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to major storm levels. Solar wind speed ranged from a high of near 630 km/s late on 04 September to a low of about 335 km/s early on 10 September. The period began with solar wind speed at about 460 km/s. By early on 04 September, wind speed and temperature increased sharply, both increases indicative of a co-rotating interaction region in advance of a coronal hole high speed stream. For the first two hours on 04 September, the IMF Bz fluctuated from +12 to – 10 nT, and as a result, minor storm conditions were observed at high latitudes through 04/1500 UTC with two periods of active and minor storm conditions at middle latitudes. By about 1900 UTC on the 4th, wind speed peaked at near 650 km/s, but the IMF Bz had relaxed, not varying much beyond +/- 5 nT. As a result, geomagnetic conditions relaxed to mostly quiet levels at middle latitude with only two periods of minor to major storming at high latitudes through midday on 05 September. Approximately midday on 06 and 07 September, periods of prolonged southward Bz were responsible for active to minor storm conditions at high latitudes. For the remainder of the summary period, wind speed steadily decayed, and ended the period near 360 km/s, while the IMF Bz did not vary much beyond +/- 5 nT. As a result, the geomagnetic field was mostly quiet. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 13 SEPTEMBER - 09 OCTOBER 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 13 September, 17 – 25 September and again on 02 – 07 October 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 18 September, 23 – 24 September, and again on 28 September – 01 October. Unsettled to active periods are possible on 18 and 23 September while unsettled to minor storm periods are possible on 28 September – 02 October. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2006 Sep 12 2153 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2006 Sep 12 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2006 Sep 13 85 5 2 2006 Sep 14 85 5 2 2006 Sep 15 80 5 2 2006 Sep 16 80 10 3 2006 Sep 17 80 12 3 2006 Sep 18 80 15 3 2006 Sep 19 75 8 3 2006 Sep 20 75 5 2 2006 Sep 21 75 5 2 2006 Sep 22 75 5 2 2006 Sep 23 75 15 3 2006 Sep 24 75 12 3 2006 Sep 25 75 10 3 2006 Sep 26 75 8 3 2006 Sep 27 75 5 2 2006 Sep 28 75 20 4 2006 Sep 29 75 10 3 2006 Sep 30 75 12 3 2006 Oct 01 80 20 4 2006 Oct 02 80 10 3 2006 Oct 03 80 8 3 2006 Oct 04 80 5 2 2006 Oct 05 80 5 2 2006 Oct 06 80 5 2 2006 Oct 07 80 5 2 2006 Oct 08 80 5 2 2006 Oct 09 80 5 2 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1328, DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ THIS HOLE IN THE GROUND ANOTHER KEITH OLBERMANN RANT, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6210240/#060911b (via gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Video also available; same: Perhaps Edward Roscoe Morrow does live. Those of you who go to tvnewser.com may have seen this, but if you didn't, and for those who have not, I urge, no, I plead with you to go youtube.com and search for Keith Olbermann 9/11. Please watch it. Make sure it is the proper clip. It runs about 8 minutes. It is nothing like I have seen on television in a long time. Whether you watch it from tvnewser.com, or youtube, please watch it. Thank you, (Brock Whaley, GA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###