DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-142, September 22, 2006 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2006 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1329: Sat 0800 WRN 13865 DRM via Bulgaria Sat 1230 WRMI 9955 Sat 1430 WRMI 7385 Sat 1600 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1530 WRMI 7385 Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Wed 0930 WWCR1 9985 Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite and webcasts 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 ** ARMENIA. Not only Voice of Armenia is still on via Gavar but the Voice of Russia relays are as well, noted from 1700 with English on 11510, suffering from muffled modulation (not the mic problem which is now much less worse on VOR English, as reconfirmed on // 7370). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear Mr. Hauser, In your bulletin of September 19 you ask about the SW broadcasts of Armenia (Public Radio of Armenia). Is still on air also in its broadcasts to South America. Heard in Spanish (at 0230 UT on 9965 kHz) to South America (also heard some minutes before that in Armenian) September 12 and 20 with good SINPO in my portable receiver (Mr. Eduardo Peñailillo Barra, Santiago, Chile, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. "Due to industrial action some sections of ABC Online may not be updated or available today." http://abc.net.au/default_800.htm (via Mike Terry, Sept 21, dxldyg via DXLD) The following story appears in the Sydney Morning Herald for Sept. 21 -- ABC STAFF STRIKE AFTER 'INSULTING' OFFER David Braithwaite September 21, 2006 - 11:22AM Unions have threatened a "marathon campaign" of rolling stoppages at a rally of about 150 striking ABC staff outside its Sydney headquarters in Ultimo this morning. The ABC has been hit by a 24-hour strike today over pay and conditions after 91 per cent of staff voted to take industrial action in a secret postal ballot, unions said. The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance and Community and Public Sector Union say the three per cent pay deal offered, or 3.5 per cent if workers traded away penalties and other benefits, won't keep up with inflation. ABC management yesterday afternoon told staff it was open to further negotiations, but it would not come to the table during industrial action. Striking staff picketed all entrances to the Ultimo building this morning and it is understood just one reporter and one cameraman are working in the Sydney newsroom. The strike, involving up to 3,000 employees, affected morning radio programs while television services including The 7.30 Report and evening news programs were likely to operate on a diminished basis. ABC Television reporter and union delegate Geoff Sims told the rally the strike was about stopping the public broadcaster from sliding "progressively ever backwards". "Let's try to remember what the ABC is all about - the core business is broadcasting, it's not about putting men and women in suits," he said. The 7.30 Report's Matt Peacock said ABC management was finishing the job started by Labor and Coalition Federal Governments by forcing it into decline. "We've now got a bunch of people running this organisation who are... quite happy to see it die - they're doing it steadily and stealthily by cutting our wages," he said. ABC managing director Mark Scott sent an email to all staff yesterday afternoon saying a 3% salary increase was awarded in July. Mr Scott's email said he would like to offer a further rise, and would seek ''genuine negotiations" to discuss how this could be achieved. But he insisted talks could not take place during, or under the threat of, industrial action. ''Tomorrow's disruption will not help resolve the matters we have to reach agreement on," he wrote. ''We will disappoint our audience as they lose some of their favourite programs. Staff will lose a day's pay. I don't see any winners." The "11th-hour" timing of the email showed it was not sent in good faith, CPSU ABC section secretary Graeme Thomson said. "We've been trying to talk with him for 10 months," he said. "So I don't think him telling us they're prepared to talk at the 11th hour was in good faith. But we'll take it at face value and make contact to re-open negotiations." Mr Thomson said more than 100 people had joined the union during the past week and a campaign of rolling stoppages was planned if the pay offer was not increased. The industrial action followed 10 months of failed negotiations with ABC management over a new enterprise agreement, MEAA assistant federal secretary Mark Ryan said. The offer of a sub-inflation three per cent wage rise was "insulting", Mr Ryan said. "It's clear from the overwhelming support for taking strike action that ABC workers have had enough and demand to be paid fair wages," he said. Mr Ryan said ABC wages had declined by 12 per cent over the last decade in real terms. He said ABC union members had voted to take the protected industrial action in a secret postal ballot conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission, which was a requirement of the government's new workplace changes. The ABC was working to minimise disruption to services, a spokesman said. "We are endeavouring to keep ABC services on air, and apologise to our audiences for any disruption due to this pay dispute,'' the spokesman said. Protest meetings were planned outside ABC sites in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Hobart today. (with AAP) (via John Figliozzi, NY, dxldyg via DXLD) ABC APOLOGISES AS STAFF WALK OUT --- September 21, 2006 AP http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/ABC-apologises-as-staff-walk-out/2006/09/21/1158431793745.hto The ABC has apologised to audiences for disruption to services as thousands of staff walked off the job across Australia. Employees at the national broadcaster went on strike for 24 hours from 3.30am (AEST) following ten months of failed negotiations with management over a new enterprise agreement. Ninety-one per cent of Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and Community and Public Sector Union members at the ABC voted to take the protected industrial action in a secret postal ballot conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission - a requirement of the government's new workplace changes. Unions claim the workers have been offered a three per cent wage rise, or 3.5 per cent if penalties and other benefits were traded away, an increase less than inflation, which is currently running at four per cent. MEAA national secretary Mark Ryan said Thursday's strike, involving up to 3,000 employees, had a "substantial" impact on morning radio programs, with skeleton staff forcing many local programs off the air and a single national news bulletin to replace some local services. The national morning AM radio program was not broadcast and News Radio and Radio National were taking international feed from the BBC, while updates to the ABC News website also appeared "stale". "The impact has been quite substantial to date," Mr Ryan said. Television services including The 7.30 Report and evening news were likely to operate on a diminished basis. The ABC was working to minimise disruption to services, a spokesman said. "We are endeavouring to keep ABC services on air, and apologise to our audiences for any disruption due to this pay dispute," the spokesman said. While the ABC wished to resolve the impasse over pay and conditions, industrial action had effectively halted the process, he said. "A three per cent pay increase was provided to all staff in July," he said. "While we want to reach agreement with staff and unions, negotiations obviously cannot take place during industrial action." The ABC is one of the most heavily unionised media organisations in the country, Mr Ryan said, with membership at about 75 per cent. "We've had 200 new members sign up in the past fortnight alone," he said Protest meetings were held outside ABC sites in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Hobart, with workers calling for the broadcaster to make a fair offer on pay and conditions. If the negotiations remained a stalemate following the strike, further industrial action would be considered in the coming week, Mr Ryan said. "Members are really excited," he said. "They know this, if necessary, will be a prolonged fight." (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) MANAGEMENT TAKES OVER AT STRIKE-RIDDEN ABC 21 September 2006 Glenn Dyer writes: It was all hands to the pumps on ABC Local radio this morning as management rolled up their sleeves to bring listeners a skeleton service during the strike by the members of the broadcaster's two main unions. Was that the head of ABC radio, Sue Howard, I heard, giving the weather after 7am? The news was read by Lisa Sweeney, who is an executive in ABC Radio News, and the sport came from Peter Longman, the head of ABC Radio Sport. The breakfast program was run out of Melbourne with two of the remaining Coodabeen Champions, Geoff Richardson and Ian Cover (a former Liberal Party member of the Victorian Parliament). AM at 8am was basically the BBC World Service for half an hour. Prior to the strike starting, all ABC employees received an emailed missive from Managing Director, Mark Scott. It reads: ``I wanted to communicate with you briefly in light of the planned industrial action by members of the CPSU and the MEAA tomorrow. ``As you may recall, just after I started as Managing Director in July, all staff were awarded a 3% salary increase. It was essentially the indexation we received in our budget allocation for the year. Rather than wait for our EBA talks to conclude, the Executive elected to pass it on to all staff early in the new financial year. A subsequent offer was made at 3.5%, but the staff and union rejected the trade-offs identified to help fund it. ``I appreciate that other industry and public sector EBAs have settled for slightly higher outcomes than this -- more in line with the CPI running at 4%. These agreements have been based on varying levels of efficiency offsets. ``I would like to be able to give staff a further pay increase on top of 3% granted two months ago. Our challenge now is to work together to find ways of funding what staff feel will be a fair and reasonable pay rise without putting unsustainable pressure on our cost base or our ability to deliver programs. We need to be able to fund the additional increase. ``We want to discuss how we do this in genuine negotiations with staff representatives. These negotiations are important as they go centrally to the way we work and the kind of service we provide. They are not the kind of discussions that can take place while industrial action is taking place or under threat of further industrial activity. ``Tomorrow's disruption will not help resolve the matters we have to reach agreement on. We will disappoint our audience as they lose some of their favourite programs. Staff will lose a day's pay. I don't see any winners. ``Nearly everyone I have met in my time here has talked about their pride at working for the national broadcaster, which plays such an important part in the lives of millions of Australians each day. I trust that once tomorrow's action is completed, we can quickly have management and staff representatives return to the negotiating table so a fair and responsible outcome can be reached, in the interests of staff and the ABC.`` "No winners" is right. When will the old ABC staff "give us your money" approach to pay rises end? Pay rises have to be met from somewhere. Does the ABC staff propose asking THIS Federal Government to fund a pay rise for the ABC staff? One way would be to turf out all the useless form checking, job creating processes in the ABC covering employment of people: the time consuming petty things like petty cash, costs, time sheets, overtime. ABC staff moan about them but they don't want to give these up because the skillful among them use them to their advantage (Sunday work in maintenance and other areas can be very lucrative, especially in TV). There are a lot of cost savings to be made if the public service processes were taken out of the ABC and some private sector processes put in their place (from http://www.crikey.com.au via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ABC BIGWIGS GET WITH PROGRAM Date: September 22 2006 ABC bosses swapped meetings for microphones yesterday to fill programming gaps left by striking staff. . . http://www.smh.com.au/text/articles/2006/09/21/1158431843955.html (via Dan Say, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. R. San Miguel, Riberalta, 4900.92v, 1000-1015+ Sept 16, tune-in to Spanish talk, ID; 1003 CP music. Weak but readable; slight wobble in carrier (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOTSWANA. I've been trying to hear English broadcasts from VOA relay here the last week or so around 0300 to send reception report directly to the site because am having no luck sending reports to Washington, but with no luck. I tried 4930, which I'd heard on this frequency for a while but nothing recently. Also tried 7340 and 9885, but no signal heard. Are they having problems there, or did they just change frequencies? These are still listed on VOA website (Alex Vranes, Jr., Harpers Ferry, WV, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. R. Guaíba 11785 kHz "livre" da RNAmaz. ALÔ LUCIO E CARLOS! Nunca tinha pego a Guaíba tão bem como hoje de manhã, embora a Nacional esteja voltada aqui pro [para o] Norte. Isso só acontecia antes de dezembro de 1982 antes da Nacional entrar no ar e ha alguns anos quando os 11780 da Nacional passou dois anos fora do ar por problemas tecnicos. Não é querendo ficar de grande mais, acho que o problema foi resolvido graças a uma intervenção minha. Ontem por volta de 14 hs, hora Brasília, converssei com o Sr. Toshiro (61) 3327.4211 e falei do problema. Ele é o Eng. chefe da Radiobrás esó comanda, quem executa mesmo é outro eng. práquem ele me mandou. Falo do Sr. Noé Santana Cesar, que fica direto onde estão os transmissores da Nacional, fone (61) 3500.6454 e falei o problema prá ele e ficou de verificar. Bem atencioso ele. Ele falou que no início do ano esteve em vários estados do norte a serviço da Rádiobrás prá observar a recepção da Nac. da Amaz. Numa cidade de Rondônia ele disse que chegou a pegar uma rádio de Cuba em 11780 se confrontando com a Nacional [nonsense: no Cuban on 11780 --- gh]. Ele tocou nesse assunto porque falei prá ele de acordos internacionais que não são respeitados pelas rádios de fora e que havia feito uma solicitação a Anatel pedindo um deslocamento da Guáiba para 11795 ou outra, pois tem muita freqüência vaga. Segue cópia da solicitação. Quando a Nac. da Amaz. entrou no ar em dez/82, o horário era só de 16 às 18 hs, hora DF e, antes disso, era a Rádio Nac. do Brasil de 16 às 17, uma hora a menos. Segue os e-mails do Sr. Noé e a solicitação que recebeu o N 576.027/2006, já com resposta. 576027 - 2006 11/09/2006 Solicitação encaminhada à Módulo. 11/09/2006 Solicitação reencaminhada de Módulo para SRF Observação: Para tratamento. 12/09/2006 Solicitação Recebida pelo(a) ANATEL 12/09/2006 A ANATEL solicitou reencaminhamento com a justificativa: Encaminhar o caso para Superintendência de Comunicação de Massa-SCM para resposta ao usuário com base na administração do plano de freqüência da região. 12/09/2006 Solicitação reencaminhada de Superintendência de Radiofrequência e Fiscalização para SCM Observação: Reencaminhada para tratamento. 12/09/2006 Solicitação Recebida pelo(a) ANATEL 13/09/2006 A resposta está digitalizada. Favor clicar em documento anexo para visualização. 13/09/2006 Solicitação concluída. 576027 - 2006 ::. Documentos Anexos Nome Caminho TipoDocumento 576027-2006.PDF ../5125020/ RESPOSTA A resposta segue depois pois, deu um probleminha na abertura do documento. Junto à solicitação foi cópia de algumas menssagens togando sobre a brigas feia das duas. Usuário complementou a solicitação com a seguinte informação: Os acôrdos internacionais existem mais eles não respeitam. Sei que a frequencia da Nacional foi liberada dentro dos parametros legais mais, na forma de liberar mais, a proximidade da Guaíba é demais. Faço parte de um grupo de d-xista e debatemos vários assuntos referentes a OC, OT etc. e, um deles foi esse. "BRIGA FEIA EM 25 METROS" Para: radioescutas@... De: "luiz chai" Data: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 22:29:02 +0000 (GMT) Assunto: Re: [radioescutas] Briga feia nos 25m. Caro Jackson, Isto acontece há mais de 10 anos. As 2 se interferem aqui no Sudeste. Luiz Limeira SP. Essa foi uma resposta, o e-mail principal segue mo complementar solicitação porque os caracteres acabaram. Observação Solicitação: Sei dos acôrdos internacionais mais, ARRANJEM URGENTEMENTE UMA FREQUENCIA PARA A RÁDIO GUAÍBA DE PORTO ALEGRE - RS EM 25 METROS. A atual é 11785 Khz mais A Nacional da Amazônia cobre ela toda e, quem mora do lado de cá não conssegue ouvir a Guaíba porque ela é separada da Nacional por apenas 5 khz; outras emissoras tem até 30 khz como é o caso da Aparecida de SP para a LBV Porto alegre. A 1 é 11855 e a outra 11895. A potencia da Guaíba é 7.5 kw e a Nacional 250 kw, o que faz com que tome um pouco mais de espaço no Dial devido o som ser muito forte. Ainda mais esses dias que a Nacional está com seu som alterado, vazando até 11784, medido na medida BOF de um rádio Sony mod. 7.600 G. 11795 é uma boa sugestão mais, tem tambem, 11865, 11875, 11845 etc. continua no complementar solicitação (Isaac Rosa, Crateús - Ceará, Sept 14, radioescutas via DXLD) Radio Guaíba, resposta da Anatel Enviado: quinta-feira, 14 de setembro de 2006 16:44:02 Assunto: Resposta Id n.º 576027.2006 Se refere a solicitação de deslocamento da frequencia de 11785 para 11795 ou outra. Pelo que entendí, a agência reguladora só aceita solicitação da própria emissora ou engenheiro dela. Mais não vou desistir, vou passar isso pro pessoal da Guaíba e, se eles não mostrarem interesse, nada se pode fazer. A solicitação foi mencionada em menssagen anterior. Prezado senhor, em atenção a sua solicitação: Informamos, como resposta, o seguinte: Observa-se que a transmissão em ondas curtas da Empresa Brasileira de Comunicação S.A - RADIOBRAS, de Brasília/DF, na freqüência de 11780 kHz, tem como área alvo para cobertura as regiões Norte e Nordeste do Brasil, assim como a Rádio Guaíba a região Centro-Oeste. Todavia, devido à grande variabilidade das transmissões via ionosférica e da elevada potência autorizada à RADIOBRÁS, ao longo das estações do ano podem vir a ocorrer interferências entre as emissoras, principalmente, em locais fora da área alvo de cada emissora. De fato, uma mudança de freqüência da Rádio Guaíba seria a melhor alternativa para o problema relatado, entretanto, conforme estabelece o Regulamento dos Serviços de Radiodifusão, aprovado pelo Decreto n.º 52.795/1963, a Anatel não poderá elaborar estudo de viabilidade técncia para execução do serviço de radiodifusão por solicitação de interessados, terceiris, limitando-se a examinar os estudos a ela apresentados. Desta forma, a Rádio Guaíba, se assim desejar, poderá encaminhar estudo de viabilidade técnica elaborado por profissional habilitado (engenheiro) conforme disposto na Norma Técncia para Emissoras de Radiodifusão Sonora em Ondas Decamétricas - N-02/83, aprovada pela Portaria n.º 25, de 24/02/83, publicada no Diário Oficial da União de 28/2/83. Att. Maria Aparecida Silva Genaro Gerente Operacional de Atendimento ao Assinante - CMLCC3 Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações - ANATEL Tel: 61 2312-2930 Fax: 61 2312-1855 (via Isaac Rosa, ibid.) Sez R. Guaíba could change frequency from 11785, but only if the station initiate the request through a proper engineer, not on the suggestion of a mere third party such as Isaac (gh) ** BULGARIA. Radio Bulgaria in German on 11500 called around 1650 for copies of old Radio Sofia QSL cards and recorded greetings for their 70th jubilee to be sent to them. Deadline: September 15th, if I did not mishear it. Hmm, my calendar suggests that this was almost a week ago? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Re: CBC head quits after defecation, bestiality remarks This reminds me of the trash that CBC Radio used to broadcast many years ago on "Anthology" and other such shows. People would call our house late at night, complaining to my Dad, then GM of CJFX. Dad always explained that being a CBC affiliate was a condition of license. Of course, the caller didn't understand. So he went on to explain that CJFX, like many private Canadian stations at the time, was FORCED to carry a certain amount of CBC programming. If the private station refused, the CRTC could pull the stations license, the station would leave the air, and eastern Nova Scotia and Western cape Breton would be without a radio station. He told them he would like nothing better than to air local programming and suggested they contact the CBC and the CRTC to complain. Dad fought with the CBC and eventually CBC programming of good quality was taped earlier that day and broadcast during "Anthology"'s time slot. The eventual solution was "disaffiliation". The Canadian taxpayers paid for a lot of towers and FM transmitters for CBC's mono Radio One to be distributed virtually everywhere on FM. Finally, the affiliates were allowed their independence. Now the CBC makes big bucks renting tower space to private broadcasters who don't put up their own tower. There is good stuff on CBC for sure. And there is garbage too. CBC is very good at self-promotion as well [e.g. they are well versed in the fine art of bragging]. To this day, I am not a big fan of the CBC, especially CBC Radio. And, the very word "Anthology" I associate with sewer-speak (Phil Rafuse, VY2PR, PEI, Canada, ABDX via DXLD) And then there are gems like ``O`Reilly on Persuasion`` (gh) ** CANADA. FM licensees in Canada still can't do an oldies format --- but because 107.7 is merely a transmitter on the CKDO AM license, it can simulcast 1580 with impunity. Strange, strange regulatory scheme there (Scott Fybush, NRC-AM via DXLD) Scott, Is there really a policy of this sort? (Saul Chernos, ON, ibid.) As I recall (and I'm sure Scott can amplify on this) --- To preserve the viability of AM, the CRTC had a long-standing policy against playing "hit music" on FM. You couldn't have a FM CHR/Top 40 station. Roughly a year or two ago, they decided that policy wasn't cutting it. But they weren't ready to completely surrender AM to news/talk formats. So they decided to declare that no record created after (1980?) was a hit. This allowed stations to run a CHR format on FM while keeping oldies formats for AM. – (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View (Nashville), TN, EM66, http://www.w9wi.com ibid.) ** CHINA. Firedrake, 13970, fair signal at 0008 UT Sept 22. I usually hear this in the 1300 hour but seldom check for it in the 0000 hour. Probably on the air very long hours as required to jam Sound of Hope. Nothing heard now on 14600 or 10200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It seems to be round the clock and Firedrake is heard here from 1000 and as late as 2100. Are they jamming Voice of Hope there? 10400 (approx.) AM Firedrake 1205 September 21st 343. Also 2100 September 21st 232. Receiver Yaesu FRG 7700 (Robin VK7RH Harwood, Norwood, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 10400 ex-10200? (gh) Firedrake presumably against Sound of Hope still heard on 13970, Sept 22 at 1345, poor, indicating SOH is staying out of the 20m band (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. IARU APPEALS TO CHINESE STATION The International Amateur Radio Union has called on the Sound of Hope radio station to stop using amateur bands to broadcast into China. The union believes that if the station avoids using the amateur bands, then China's so-called Firedragon jammer might move off the amateur bands too. Firedragon - which broadcasts continual music - appears to have been designed to block out the much weaker transmissions of stations like Sound of Hope. But in so doing, it is also jamming amateur bands. The IARU has been in contact with the Sound of Hope station with the aim of discouraging it from using the amateur bands. Wireless institute of Australia director Glenn Dunstan, VK4DU, has also called on the station to move off the amateur band. He said that if the station wants the support of the international community, it should move its transmissions into legitimate broadcasting spectrum (RSGB http://www.rsgb.org/news/hl3.php via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 6139.8, R. Líder, reactivated, heard 9/22 0550-0600+ with good signal but some QRM from station underneath on 6140. 0557 full ID by OM and mentioned HJCU and AM Estéreo (Alex Vranes, Jr., Harpers Ferry, WV, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6139.8, R. Líder, Sept 22, 1008-1018, seemed to be news in Spanish, IDs, poor-fair. Back again, believe last heard earlier this year around May (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR. Radio Kahuzi, 6210 --- I believe the schedule of Radio Kahuzi I posted some time ago is not complete and one thing was misunderstood in various bulletins. The Monday and Friday only note was for the 1600-1700 UT period only. I believe they are operating daily the other times. And the time segments I posted may refer to programmes produced locally; other times they may have pre-recorded programs produced by other organizations. On Mondays and Fridays they seem to be on at least until 1700, sometimes well past, say until 1725 or so. The other days sign-off time has been variable, around 1500 or around 1600. Sorry for the unclear wording in my posting. Hans Johnson in Jihad DX reports that the power is 830W (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Sept 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I expect no one could DX it until after 1600, tho (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. Spy-letters on MCW, very strong on 5930 Sept 21 at 0539, another Thursday, overriding WWCR 5935, and due to the high pitch of the tones also QRMing WBOH as far away as 5920. I haven`t caught this starting, but assumed it was 0500 since previous Thursday logs were in the 0500 semihour. Perhaps runs past 0530 as needed rather than starting at 0530 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Havana is still putting a spur on 15010, weak but clearly audible with same program as on 15230, Sept 22 at 0008, leapfrogging another Cuban transmitter in Spanish relaying CRI on 15120, at 110 kHz intervals; 15120 has the usual squeal, and 15010 had a tone of a different pitch (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. Checking out the R. República jamming situation, Sept 22 at 0020, 7205 via UK heavy jamming completely obliterated any trace of RR here; at 0021, 5910 via Germany had similar jamming but allowed traces of RR audio to be detectable (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. Pirate, Mystery Radio, 6220.02, 0105-0210+ Sept 16, continuous pop music, techno-pop dance music. Very few IDs. Good; not heard for some time (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. Africa #1, via Moyabi. Heard 9/14 on 17630 1550-1558* in French with talk program and African music. *1600-1/4 came up on 15475 in mid-sentence during newscast, mostly African news, including reports from correspondents in Kinshasa and Ouagadougou. 1615 talk program. 1630 OM with full ID "Vous écoutez Africa Numéro Un, La Radio Africaine," then into another talk program with YL host interviewing OM. Beginning of program she mentioned "Commission Ivoirienne" and "Greenpeace;" entire program seemed about Côte D'Ivoire. 1657* off with no announcement. Haven't been able to hear 9580 this time of day to see if they go right there, or if 9580 already on. WRTH lists 15475 as 1600-1900, but apparently on this frequency for only 1 hour from roughly 1600 to 1700 (Alex Vranes, Jr., Harpers Ferry, WV, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was just reading this at 1858 Sept 22, so turned on 15475. ANO was going with French talk, 1900 3- or 4-pip TS and into news, but audio cut off about 1900:35 and carrier off 1901:15; so your earlier closing must have been an anomaly; or maybe they needed the transmitter for some more jamming duty. BTW, in their French IDs they do use they English word ``Africa`` and not the French ``Afrique``, dratte (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hey, Glenn! Thanx for the quick reply; I'm still at library so I thought I'd check mail again. Wouldn't you know they'd make a liar out of me! You know, I heard the same thing a number of days around the same time period, going off 15475 around 1700. Don't know if it varies certain days of the week, or maybe they come back on 15475 again later after 1700. Will have to check again during the next week. Varying times due to making transmitter available for jamming is indeed a possibility with them. Thanx. A.V. (Vranes, ibid.) ** GERMANY [and non]. The new B06 frequency schedules for DW are now available on their website, http://www.dw-world.de The English schedules have time adjustments for morning broadcasts to East and South Asia, and the return of the evening broadcast to East Asia. And note the different transmitter assignments relating to frequencies from Wertachtal until Dec. 31, then to other sites (including VT sites in the UK) after Jan. 1; it's found in both the English and German schedules. However, foreign language services only show their schedules until Dec. 31, so from Jan. 1 there may be changes or deletions to those broadcasts. Also note the fact that the 05, 06 and 19 UT broadcasts to Africa will only be 30 minutes in length, while the 04, 20 and 21 releases remain at 60 minutes -- even when shortwave is still a necessity in parts of Africa DW feels they have to cut some English broadcasts anyway! (Joe Hanlon, NJ, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Joe makes us hunt for it, but here is the English schedule: http://www.dw-world.de/popups/popup_pdf/0,,1820296,00.pdf Say goodbye to Rwanda relay at 0000 which has been well heard here tho to S Asia, on 9695; at 21 we should get Kigali to WAf and beyond on 11690, and at 20 on 9830. There is a new earlier English hour to SAs at 0300, but unlikely to be heard in NAm. Lots of new UK site frequencies scattered thruout. Bears further study, as well as the German-language schedule at http://www.dw-world.de/popups/popup_pdf/0,,1820286,00.pdf (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. 3291.15, V.O.G., surprised and pleased to find this back on this evening UT Sept 21, after it`s been off for a few weeks. 0054, ID and TC as soon as I tuned in (how convenient!!) "This is the Voice of Guyana. The time is coming up on 20 hours local time". Into religious program on adultery. Good as before (Dave Valko, PA, HCDX via DXLD) Dave: Is that a comment on reception quality or a comment on adultery? :-)) (John Figliozzi, NY, ibid.) 3291.17, Voice of Guyana, 0850-0900 Sept 21. Recorded promo for "Special program" for the month of Ramadan. ID as both the "National Communications Network" and "The Voice of Guyana" during live English comments at 0856. "This is the Voice of Guyana ...". In between, EZL music on the "Early Bird Show". Signal was fair with fades (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I too heard GUYANA at 0315 UT on the off-frequency of 3291.7. The 90 metre band has been opening up ever so slowly at my QTH in Mequon WI (Tom Messer, Sept 22, HCDX via DXLD) ** IRAN. 1503 kHz, IRIB Sarasary, Bushehr (28 58'N 50 51'E) SEP 16 0205 - Good; Kor`anic recitations. 0225 strong transmitter site dawn enhancement (0221 sunrise); Middle Eastern music, parallel http://www.irib.com/radio Sarasary streaming audio (Bruce Conti, Nashua NH (42 43'N 71 31'W); R8B, MWDX-5, 15 x 23-m terminated corner- fed broadband loops east and south, NRC IDXD via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. RADIO PARA LA JUVENTUD IRANÍ --- Nicolien den Boer 19- 09-2006 --- Recientemente, se inauguraron en Holanda dos medios de comunicación dirigidos hacia Irán y, con apoyo del Gobierno holandés, se crearán más. La emisora Zamaneh transmite desde Ámsterdam para un público joven iraní. La emisora tocará temas como la sexualidad y los derechos de la mujer. . . http://www.informarn.nl/temasholanda/VivirenHolanda/act0060919_radio?view=Standard (via José Bueno Córdoba - España, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. VOI, 11590, fair in English mentioning settlements at 1915 Sept 21. Music on 9400, Sept 22 at 0012, which I took to be Hebrew and thus Israel Radio, but no ID; signal rivaled Greece on 9420, i.e. quite good. It was not until checking schedules later that I found that KI is supposed to switch from 9400 to 9345 at 2300 for the Hebrew service to NAm. Unaware of this, I did not look for it on 9345, but do not recall hearing anything there (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Unless someone comes out telling me other story, Kol Israel in English is not heard anymore on 11590 or 9345. But tonight, 0330z, 7530 was coming loud and clear, as I noticed from a couple of days back, with Hebrew. I seem to recall this one was supposed to carry English for the incoming season in // 9345 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, UT Sept 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Why is it such an impossible task for a station to match its published schedule with what it is axually doing? (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Chalk up one more Friday Shiokaze was in English, Sept 22 at 1302 check on 9485 via Taiwan, poor reception (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [non]. V. of Africa, 17850 via France, *1406-1557* Sept 16, opening English announcements and brief news about ME conflict. 1408 ID and sked, various programs about the revolution in Libya, African women, and the African Union organization. 1535-1545 news, followed by quotes from the ``Green Book`` and the problems with democracy. Abrupt sign-off. Announced frequencies as 17850 and 21695. 17850 was good, strong but with slight hum. Only a weak het [carrier] heard on 21695 (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LIBIA: Nuevo esquema de la Libyan Jamahiriyah Broadcasting (Voice of Africa), vía transmisores en Issoudun (Francia) con 500 Kw, válido desde el pasado 03/09/2006: HORA UT IDIOMA KHZ 1200-1400 Swahili 17610, 21695 1400-1600 Inglés 17850, 21695 1600-1800 Francés 15660, 17695, 17870 1700-1900 Arabe 11615 1800-2000 Hausa 11835 1900-2200 Arabe 9590 2200-2400 Arabe 7320 Asimismo transmite de 1200 a 1400 UT en idioma en las frecuencias variables de 17670 y 17680 kHz, con segmentos informativos en idiomas Swahili, Francés, Inglés y Arabe [como jammer --- gh]. QTH: Libyan Jamahiriya Broadcasting, P. O. Box 4677, Soug al Jama, Tripoli, Libia. QTH para reportes: Libyan Jamahiriya Broadcasting, P. O. Box 17, Hamrun Malta (Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Argentina, Conexión Digital Sept 17 via DXLD) ** LIBYA [and non]. 21 Sep: Sawt Al-amal, usa tres frecuencias en el día de hoy --- En el día de hoy Sawt Al-amal parece utilizar una nueva estrategia; creo que es la primera vez que yo recuerde que esta emisora utilice hasta tres frecuencias diferentes. A las 1200 comienza su emisión en la frecuencia de 17685; en esos momentos se escuchaba a Radio Free Afganistán en Dari. La señal de Sawt al-Amal es muy fuerte y anula a dicha emisora; la escucho ininterrumpidamente hasta las 1241 en que cambia bruscamente a 17675. Hasta ese momento no se percibía ninguna interferencia; se mantiene en esa frecuencia hasta las 1306 y vuelve a cambiar de frecuencia a 17670. Hasta ese momento seguía sin escucharse ninguna señal de interferencia. A las 1327 se inicia emisión jammer musical; por el momento se la escucha de fondo, apenas consigue interferir a Sawt Al-amal. Dejo de chequear a las 1330 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, SANGEAN ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sawt al-Amal: I was checking well after 1330 Sept 21; at 1357 I found Arabic talk, Amal? On 17670 with a SAH, and pulse jamming on 17675. At 1400 I heard them say on 17670 ``Salaam Aleikum``, and off leaving music audible from the other station, and at 1401 the jamming on 17675 also quit (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The same was also noted here. It seems that the Gabon transmitter carrying Africa #1 on 17630 is again being used as the music jammer. Africa #1 was on air at 1315 via 17630, but at a 1325 recheck I found it had gone off and Afro music was then audible under Sawt al-Amal 17670. As well as the loud (S9++) pulse jammer on 17675 there was also one with a more "squeaky" sound at much less strength on 17670 (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sept 22 at 1348, CVC Chile 17680 had CCI and a SAH, presumably jammer and/or Sawt al-Amal. This was not the case during the preceding semihour. 17630 had someone speaking French with an African accent, presumably axual Africa Number One programming at the moment (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I questioned ``atorar`` in 6-141 simply because it wasn`t in my dixionary; that led to A discussion of its precise meaning; see LANGUAGE LESSONS (gh) ** LITHUANIA [non]. Noted again the spy letters station on 7540 at 1722, underneath the already running Sitkunai carrier. However, at 1729 recheck the spy station had disappeared, as if they are aware of the broadcast transmitter using this frequency from 1730 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. RNW in Dutch came in after 1635 with a rather strong signal on 15335. Not even an overspill, since Europe is a target area of this frequency. However, 5955 was still much better here. By the way, what are the prospects for the Talata Volonondry site, considering that it has the same old Philips transmitters as Bonaire? Any plans for a replacement here? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI. CRI in Arabic via Bamako on 17735 was a powerhouse after 1625. The only equal or stronger signals on 16 metres were the three frequencies IBB's Morocco station did run at the same time, i.e. 17745 with VOA Kurdish, 17840 with Radio Ashna = VOA Pashto and 17895 with VOA Special English. By far the strongest signal I ever heard from Mali, making me wonder if the Chinese probably upgraded the site with their new PSM rip-offs? However, the somewhat softer modulation indicates that it could still have been an old transmitter (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI. Re: ``banjo-sounding instrument (I have no idea what this instrument actually is...does anyone know?) (Ross Comeau, MA, DXplorer Sept 17 via BCDX via DXLD)`` My suggestion: Xalam: 3 string, banjo* like. Kora: also has a notched bridge like the lute / guitar, and sounds like a harp because of the ball shaped resonator. *) it's said to derive from that African region. It's relatively easy to identify the origin, if one listens to the music out of such instruments, particularly the Kora I'd say. It's used in Mali but also in the Senegambia, Guinea region. Another suggestion: "ukulele" Search for "ukulele" in wikipedia, and maybe you'll find a surprise, if you always imagined this instrument belongs to the Pacific islands (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Re 690 Tijuana: It's an interesting situation --- this morning at 5 [PDT = 1200 UT] they did a "XERA" ID in English, and XETRA ID in Spanish. Cantú has it back to XETRA as well (Rich Toebe, Vacaville CA, Sept 22, IRCA via DXLD) And we already discussed how it couldn`t really be XERA either, in DXLDs 6-032, 6-033, 6-039, 6-046 (gh) ** MEXICO. XEXQ, 6045, holding up as late as 1324 Sept 22 with M&W Spanish news items interrupted by stingers, and usual SAH (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONACO [non]. 6175, 1024 22/09, RMC test from MC, DRM, ottimo in FF, off 1028, Ciao Radio + Dream. 73 (Giampiero Bernardini, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) Listing at http://baseportal.com/baseportal/drmdx/main --- 0600-1000 daily 6175 330 Europe 10 RMC test MCO French Fontbonne France (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONACO [non]. I have just monitored TWR Monaco on 9800 tuning signal from 0654 and opening announcement in English at 0700 - not 0745 as reported in 6-140. Wavescan was announced as starting at "a quarter to nine" (for UK audiences) so at 0745. Huge signal S9 plus 30 dB on my Kenwood TS-2000 amateur rig (Morrison Hoyle, Vic, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That is a B-06 schedule, when TWR morning broadcast in English shifts one UT hour later as always in winter. Furthermore, time of opening depends on day of week. Current A-06 from EiBi: 9800 0645-0820 Su USA Trans World Radio E Eu /MCO 9800 0700-0820 Mo-Fr USA Trans World Radio E Eu /MCO 9800 0715-0750 Sa USA Trans World Radio E Eu /MCO Wavescan? That`s an AWR program. Does TWR also have one by that name? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Re WQCL720, 1610, Great Salt Plains OK: 10 watts ERP (Paul Walker, NH, IRCA via DXLD) Yes, if you google the callsign you get four hits, more about it, the first one being an accurate map showing it`s off Hwy 38, not 58 as I said, which is further south: http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR_D&action=fcc&cs=WQCL720 another map: http://www.recnet.com/cdbs/fmq.php?uls=2707196 Official FCC listing: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/license.jsp?licKey=2707196 and on this list of TIS on 1610: http://www.lpam.ws/xband/stations.php?ch=1610 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. On the morning of Sept 17, 2006, finally received RADIO WANTOK, Port Moresby on 7120 at 0430 UT, and kept getting stronger as local sunrise approached my location (Tom Messer, Mequon WI, Sept 22, HCDX via DXLD) That`s rather early; did you mean 4:30 am CDT = 0930 UT? (gh) ** PORTUGAL. DRM on 11635-11645, as I tuned around at 1917 Sept 21. This is listed as DW Sines to Europe, 30 degrees, 90 kW at 1800-1955 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 1503, WYFR - How to get ur address ok --- 22 Sep at 1919 scanning thru the AM dial just heard the last few words of the local insert voice over of the Family Radio usual English program. A female voice gave the postal address to Moscow in American English with "Alpha-Bravo-Charlie" etc. international codes. Also gave the Familyradio web without spelling it. Background Mr. Openforum or whoever continued his program. First time I heard this kind of address spelling in English from WYFR/Radio Tsentr. OK for us DXers, but during the years I've learned that common people just have no idea what you're saying when spelling a name using those alphabets. :-) (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. Aprobada por el Gabinete la nueva ley sobre la Televisión y la Radio Via Slovak Radio: http://www.slovakradio.sk/inetportal/rsi/core.php?page=showSprava&id=3456&lang=6 (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, Sept 22, dxldyg via DXLD) OK, but totally murky what effect this may have on the RSI external service and whether it may resume SW (gh, DXLD) ** SOMALIA [non]. R. Waaberi, 17550 via RMI via Germany, Fri Sept 22 at 1347 with talk in presumed Somali; unlike last week, there was considerable ACI from WYFR on 17555 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA. Noted Channel Africa in French after 1635 on 15235, talking about the Dakar university as far as I can tell. Good signal with a distinctive, very slow fading (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. No trace of REE English to NAm, Sept 22 at 0028 check on 15385, as it totally to be expected in all but the midsummer months. So we have more than another month of virtual inaudibility and waste of watts until the B-06 expected shift to 6055. Also heard Spanish on 6020 over/under China via Albania in English, at 0023 Sept 22, with a fast SAH between them. Spain is scheduled to SAm on 6020 direct, but inaudible on listed // 9535 and 9620, so MUF from SW Europe was below even 9 MHz, let alone 15 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. Found a quite strong station in Arabic, on 15515, Sept 21 at 1724; believe they mentioned BBC, then music and no further announcement until cut off abruptly at 1729:30. This turns out to be: 15515 1700-1730 G BBC Darfur Salaam A SUD w per EiBi., i.e. Woofferton site, and per HFCC angle is 110 degrees. I would have thought it was aimed in the opposite direxion. After 1730 found a similarly strong signal on 15380 in Persian, which is also BBC, via Rampisham (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. Saludos cordiales, chequeando a R. Thailand en 9680 a las 2005 y no se aprecia emisión en alemán, es probable que también hayan sido canceladas los servicios internacionales?? 73 (José Miguel Romero, Spain, Sept 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. R. Thailand is still very much on the air, at least via US transmitters: UT Sept 22 found 5890 Greenville already on the air with carrier, 0022 tones. Retuned at 0031 with morning news show in progress with the same fly-to-Hiroshima-on-boutique-Bangkok-Airways commercial, 0032 business news preceded by 7:31 am timecheck and ID as ``Radio Thailand, FM 88`` (would that be the Sor Wor Thor outlet on 88.0 in WRTH, ``Radio No Problem``? Ha!). 0037 referred to ``Tuesday`s power shift`` rather than coup, and confidence that the economy and tourism could weather this temporary disruption; 0041 ad for Her Majesty`s promotion of all religions as equally laudable, immediately into stox, etc., etc. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND [and non]. CNN, BBC WORLD OFF AIR IN THAILAND Wednesday, September 20 2006, 18:23 BST - by James Welsh CNN, BBC World and other international broadcasters have been taken off the air in Thailand during a military coup d'état. The coup gripping Bangkok began on Monday while the Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was at the United Nations in New York City. Before becoming the country's premier, Thaksin was involved in the country's media market and had purchased the iTV television channel. During Thaksin's tenure, there were claims that he stifled critical comment on his administration; several journalists at iTV complained that they had been pressured to downplay stories that would reflect negatively on Thaksin and his "Thais Love Thais" political party. The whistle-blowers later won a court case against the channel after losing their jobs. Currently, all domestic TV in Thailand is airing images of the Thai royal family accompanied by patriotic songs. In a televised address, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, leader of the country's army, declared martial law. There are also reports that soldiers have been stationed outside media-related offices. "This has grave implications for press freedom and democracy in Thailand," said International Federation of Journalists president Christopher Warren. "The leaders of this coup must understand that now more than ever the people of Thailand are depending on the media for information," he continued. "The coup leaders must show a commitment to freedom of the press and to immediately allow journalists and the public full access to events as they unfold and to restore local access to international news channels. "A [sic] free and independent media is crucial to reaching a peaceful resolution to the current situation." ==================== Source: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds37228.html (via Jaisakthivel, Chennai, India, dxldyg via DXLD) ** THAILAND [and non]. THAI AUTHORITIES SELECTIVELY CENSOR CNN, BBC NEWS REPORTS ON COUP AFTERMATH BBC Monitoring, via sources in Bangkok, has observed that as of 21 September, the Thai military authorities continue to block portions of CNN and BBC news reports on local cable television on the aftermath of Thailand`s 19 September coup. Footage of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and discussion of the Thai king’s role are being blocked on UBC cable, but some foreign criticism of the 19 September coup is being broadcast. CNN and BBC were taken off the air about 2300 local (1600 gmt) on 19 September immediately following an announcement shown on UBC that ``sunspot`` activity might result in the temporary loss of the satellite signal. Images of Thaksin are being allowed to appear as part of the ``news headlines`` presented at the top of BBC World and CNN newscasts, but more detailed reports regarding his activities in New York and London are being blocked. A BBC roundup of events surrounding the Thai coup monitored at 0550 local on 21 September (2350 gmt 20 September) and repeated one hour later, for example, showed coup leaders at a news conference, and a BBC reporter asking soldiers on the streets of Bangkok about foreign criticism of the coup. Once the scene shifted to an image of Thaksin disembarking from a plane in London, however, and the announcer began a discussion of Thaksin’s career, a slide appeared reading ``programming will resume shortly``. This was followed by a montage of Western movie stars lasting about one minute before BBC programming resumed in progress with a report on other world events. A similar pattern has been observed on CNN. In addition to detailed reports on Thaksin, discussion of the Thai king`s attitude towards the coup has been blocked on at least one occasion. A CNN interview at about 2200 local (1500 gmt) on 20 September with Paul Handley, the author of The King Never Smiles: A Biography of Thailand’s Bhumibol Adulyadej - a book banned under the Thaksin government - was allowed to proceed for 15 or 20 seconds. However, when the interviewer asked Handley whether he thought the king had approved the coup, the feed was cut and replaced by the same montage of movie stars used when BBC broadcasts are blocked. Soon after military leaders announced the coup at 2200 local (1500 gmt) on 19 September, CNN and BBC disappeared from UBC, the only major Thai cable television service. All UBC channels, including sports and cartoons, were then blocked from about 0100 to about 0600 local on 20 September, when non-news programming resumed. CNN and BBC then resumed later in the day, albeit with the selective censorship of coup reports. (Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 21 Sep 06) Related story: Media watchdog worried over Thai censorship after coup http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=6117 (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** THAILAND. OVER 300 COMMUNITY RADIO SUSPENDED http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/09/21/headlines/headlines_30014277.php More than 300 community radio stations in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son suspended broadcasts yesterday on orders from the ruling council. MajGeneral Supaaksorn Sangprakul of the Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) sent letters to the governors of the three upper northern provinces instructing them to close down community radio operations. The Public Relations offices in Lamphun, Lampang and Phayao also told community radio stations in those northern provinces to turn their transmitters off. Terdsak Jiemkietwattana, head of the community radio union in the upper northern provinces, said the 300 stations were taking a break to prevent airing any programming that might go against the policy of the CDRM. Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Lamphun form the political stronghold of the Thai Rak Thai Party, where many local people are still believed to be loyal to sacked prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, he said. "I look at it as an attempt of the military to prevent Thaksin from using the community radio network in his political base as a channel to air his side," he said. LtGeneral Saphrang Kanlayanamitr of the Third Army Area has called a meeting with operators of more than 500 community radio stations at the Third Army headquarters in Phitsanulok. Terdsak said the union would meet the military to discuss the status and future of community radio out of concern that stations across the country would be dissolved now that the Constitution has been revoked. Terdsak said many people called him to say that they felt frustrated with the shutdown of community radio and uneasy that they had no medium to voice their opinion. "I seek permission to open community radios. Only providing songs without political comments is OK," he said. Chiang Mai University lecturer Teerapat Wannaroumon said the repeal of the charter was a good chance to systemize community radio so it can operate without interference from commercial interests. In Udon Thani, Muan Chon Community Radio, run by the proThaksin Udon Lovers Club, stopped broadcasting on Wednesday. Before the coup, the station called on Thaksin supporters to rally, demanding that he be allowed to remain in the premier's post. Police were stationed at the radio station's building as well as the office of Siang Tham Community Radio Station, owned by revered monk Luangta Maha Bua. Kraisorn Pornsuthi, permanent secretary of the Information and Communications Technology Ministry, asked radio stations to cancel phonein programmes according to the order of the CDRM. The Nation (via DXLD) Here`s an editorial with some background, from a pro-coup POV: OVERDRIVE --- SONTHI OUTSMARTED THAKSIN AT THE ELEVENTH HOUR Had Council for Democratic Reform under Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin not moved as fast as he did to stage a coup on Tuesday, Thaksin Shinawatra would have launched his own coup a day later. Don't be fooled by Thaksin's claim that he stands for democracy. As the political crisis developed to the point of no return concerning whether Thaksin should stay or be booted out, General Sonthi had no choice but to swallow his words about the days of military coups being over. He had been very reluctant to resort to a coup, as he was known not to have any political ambitions. Moreover, he was not known to be an enemy of Thaksin. Although General Sonthi has a good relationship with both Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda and Privy Council member General Surayuth Chulanont, he came to power partly due to a political compromise struck with Thaksin. . . http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/09/22/opinion/opinion_30014290.php (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** UKRAINE. Maybe it`s OK on the east coast, but I am afraid 5820 for RUI is just not working here in CNAm. Sept 22 during English ID at 0020, there was too much splash from super-strong WEWN 5810. At 0033 recheck RUI appeared to be off the air, no carrier detectable; 0043 it was back but even worse relative to WEWN. Meanwhile, during this hour I found there were no signals between 5820 and 5890, and for that matter not between 5745 and 5810 either. From our point of view RUI could greatly improve its audibility by moving anywhere in this range further from WEWN, but there are no doubt many European/Asian collisions that have to be avoided. And the situation may be different during the 0300 English hour, not to mention the entire 2300-0400 span if RUI must absolutely stay on a single frequency to NAm (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. While tuning around I landed at 1653 on 11740 inmidst a replayed recording of the BBC announcing the death of princess Diana (with "I repeat that"). This turned out to be a discussion about reporting of such events, // neither 9410 (European stream) nor 15400 (Ascension, noted after 1630 with a programme identified as "Africa have your say"). This again turned out to be English teaching, wrapping up at 1658, followed by some music fill and 1700 carrier off. Site listed as Woofferton, but the modulation had not the usual UK site sound (much less presence boost), as if the transmission set-up has been changed in some way (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Sept 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOICE OF AMERICA EXPANDS BROADCASTING FOR AUDIENCE IN THAILAND --- Now more direct reports in Thai and English Washington, D.C. September 20, 2006 The Voice of America (VOA) has added additional live and direct broadcasts to its broadcasting to Thailand in Thai and English as part of VOA's coverage of the coup that removed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. "At a time when the people of Thailand were most in need of reliable information, VOA's Thai Service went from broadcasting a 15-minute daily news feed to a daily 60-minute direct broadcast, transmitted via the Internet and on special shortwave frequencies," said VOA Director David S. Jackson. VOA's Worldwide English and Special English, which is designed for non-native speakers, also pre-empted their normal programs to provide live updates focusing on events in Thailand. Said Jackson: "This shows once again how VOA can provide a valuable service to audiences in times of crisis or uncertainty, particularly when local news is unavailable, as it was in this case." VOA will continue the special programming as events warrant, at the following times and on the frequencies below: 2300-2400 UT Thai Language Broadcast 7215 9685 1130-1200 UT Worldwide English Broadcast 1575 1530-1600 UT Special English Broadcast 1575 6160 9590 9760 12040 15550 More VOA coverage of Thailand's political situation can be found at: http://www.VOANews.com (Voice of America press release via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) N.B.: 1575 transmitter is in Thailand itself and presumably subject to censorship (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS By CARLOS ALBERTO MONTANER September 21, 2006; Page A16 The clash of civilizations began this way. On Sept. 8, the Miami Herald (TMH) and El Nuevo Herald (ENH), both of the McClatchy newspaper chain, published on Page One a sensationalist report, clumsily researched, under a headline that read, in type befitting a major event, "10 Miami Journalists Take U.S. Pay." The initiative for the report had come from TMH; ENH was obliged to publish it, grudgingly. From the way in which the story was presented, it appeared that a great font of corruption had been unearthed, but in reality nothing criminal had happened. All the article said was that journalists of Cuban origin also contributed to Radio and TV Martí, an official U.S. broadcast station similar to Radio Free Europe, governed by the ethical standards of Voice of America, and transmitting to Cuba. Naturally, the journalists accepted for their work the fees (generally low) that the government routinely pays. Miami's Cuban community was indignant. What was bad about trying to undermine Cuba's censorship? For the Cuban journalists, that was a civic duty. TMH has editorialized in support of Radio and TV Martí. Wasn't it logical that the good Cuban journalists said to Cuba, via Radio Martí, the same things they said in Miami via the McClatchy chain? To add insult to injury, the company fired three reporters on ENH's staff, claiming there might be a conflict of interests if they collected honoraria from the government. Granma, the organ of the Communist Party of Cuba, reported that those who criticized the Cuban government were bought by money from Washington. TMH did more damage in one day to Cuban writers in the democratic opposition than Granma has done in 40 years. A few days later, ENH reported that hundreds of U.S. journalists have appeared on VOA and received the usual modest $100 per program. To contribute to VOA, PBS or public radio, and to charge for it, doesn't compromise their objectivity. Why a different standard for Cuban writers? TMH did not reprint ENH's report; 1,200 readers cancelled their subscriptions and it became evident that the two newspapers were taking opposing stances. For the "Anglo" journalists, their Cuban colleagues had conflicts. In contrast, the journalists at ENH felt their corporate brothers had ambushed them. To Miami's Cuban- Americans, this was a display of double-standards. This clash also allows us to reflect on "conflicts of interest." To think that just because a journalist participates in a VOA program and receives $100 he will sell his conscience to the government is to have a terrible opinion of journalists. To think that readers, if they find out, will repudiate the medium where these journalists work, is to have a terrible opinion of readers. Professors at public universities get paid by the government; yet they don't submit to their paymaster for that reason. Because the law enshrines the presumption of innocence, U.S. society is characterized by a presumption of decency. Life is a continuous conflict of interest and one must presume that people -- even Cuban journalists -- act in accordance with reasonable principles and standards. So what can McClatchy do now? Something very simple: Apologize publicly for the defamatory report and readmit the expelled journalists. Mr. Montaner, a syndicated writer, is published in the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald (Wall Street Journal via Mike Cooper, DXLD) And I know I used to hear him on Martí, or was it VOA Spanish? (gh) ** U S A. What`s going on at AFN? More and more music, less and less talk. They still claim the USB frequencies carry the Uninterrupted Voice Channel stream with a detailed schedule at http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/afn/schedule.asp showing this string of featurettes in the 2200 PDT Thursday hour: 36:00 Pentagon Channel Report #1 1:00 37:00 Cyberbuzz 1:00 38:00 Your Dollars 1:00 39:00 Kim Komando 1:00 40:00 Prescription for Health 1:00 41:00 Living Well 1:00 42:00 RTPO Spot 30 42:30 Speaking of Health 1:30 44:00 Military Money 1:00 45:00 Paul Harvey's Rest of the Story 5:00 but UT Fri Sept 22 at 0536-0546+ I was hearing instead one oldie after another on 7812.5 --- ``Baby, Need Your Love``, ``Born to be Wild``, ``My Maria``, and ``Summer Rain``, with some PSAs in between them. Apparently someone decided to plug some other AFN stream into the SW transmitters (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGST) Last few evenings have heard AFN on 7811 kHz USB, but audio keeps cutting out momentarily. Heard last nite (9/22 UT date) at top of hour with ABC news right after ID "You are listening to AFN," but I forget what time it was. Any idea of location? (Alex Vranes, WV, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, audio was also cutting out briefly when I heard it. This one is in the Saddlebunch Keys, Florida (Glenn, ibid.) ** U S A [and non]. "MONITOR DX" (( WRMI RADIO MIAMI )) He recibido la siguiente nota del amigo Daniel Camporini, productor de Monitor DX: "Hola Dino: A pedido de algunos oyentes de "Monitor DX" que encuentran dificultades en la respuesta de WRMI, voy a enviar a quienes nos envíen los informes de recepción un certificado QSL confirmando su escucha. Los informes serán luego enviados a la emisora, pero en realidad esto tiene la única finalidad de satisfacer algunos pedidos. Todo será a través del correo electrónico. Los reportes deben enviarse a: diexismoarg @ yahoo.com.ar y de inmediato serán respondidos. Además debemos agregar: A partir del 17 de septiembre Monitor DX también comienza a emitirse a través de la FM 93.3 de San Antonio, Chile. Saldrá al aire los días domingo de 09:45-10:00 y de 10:45-21:00 hora de Chile (Daniel Camporini / Argentina, Conexión Digital Sept 17 via DXLD) My impression is that Jeff White is a good QSLer for R. Miami and programs it carries, tho you can hardly expect him to keep up with that while he is away in Europe (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WWCR Nashville, 12160, 1600-1629 Sat Sept 16, WORLD OF RADIO, strong but a weak WWCR religious program with a fire & brimstone preacher yelling under gh (Or yelling at him). This is 15825 bleeding into 12160 (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WWCR-1, 7465, still having problems with splatter Sept 21 from first check at 2350; however modulation on center channel was OK altho very high. It might help just to back down the modulation level. There was a 20-second break from 2358:40 to 2359:00 as the switch was made to WWCR-4 transmitter on same frequency. Splatter was worse during the steel drum IS, ranging at least from 7425 to 7510. Then I found that the splatter had minor peaks around 7430 and 7500. But this time, the situation did not improve after the transmitter change; if anything, it worsened. At 0018 I could detect the WWCR spurious as high as 7535. Before 2400, it impeded reception of Polisario 40 kHz below on 7425; see WESTERN SAHARA [non] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Since I was tuning around the 5.9 MHz range, Sept 22 at 0034, I noticed that WBOH was in Spanish preaching and not // WTJC 9370 with usual gospel music. 5920 outro as ``Palabra de Dios Hablada`` out of Orlando in 20+ languages; music. 0044 recheck another preacher in Spanish but this one with gringo accent (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Two days ago, the calls and Urban talk format of WVON 1450 Cicero IL moved to 1690 Berwyn IL, which up until that time went under the calls WRLL. The FCC database now confirms that the calls WRLL have moved to 1450, replacing WVON. WRLL 1450 Cicero is a share-timer station, owned by Midway Broadcasting Company and operating daily from 10 PM to 1 PM CDT [0300- 1800 UT]. During he remaining nine hours, the frequency is occupied by WCEV Cicero, owned by Migala Communications and with a format of brokered ethnic programming. The move of WVON raises one question: what is the future of the 1450 station? In today's (9/20) Chicago Sun Times, media correspondent Robert Feder briefly touches on this situation. At this point, Midway Broadcasting has not revealed what its plans are for WRLL, says Feder. Speculation has it that the station is looking for a lease arrangement for the station. (My own e-mail to the station, asking what their plans are, has to this point gone unanswered.) Is there anyone on this list who is within the listening range of WRLL and can tell me what the station is currently doing? Is it simulcasting WVON 1690, doing some original programming, stunting, using filler programming? Is it even on the air? I am only interested in the 10 PM to 1 PM timeframe. I would appreciate any info that you can provide, and I thank you in advance. 73 (Bill Dvorak, Madison WI, Column editor, NRC DX News, DDXD-West, Sept 20, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) So what's the WRLL half of the 1450 sharetime doing now? Based on my listening from O'Hare between flights yesterday...nothing. It was silent at 10 AM CDT, and I was already gone by WCEV's scheduled 1 PM sign-on, though I have no reason to think that the WCEV half of 1450 isn't operating normally. s (Scott Fybush, Sept 22, IRCA via DXLD) They are definitely on, based on reports that I have received. They are simulcasting 1690 at times (and inserting quick "This is WRLL 1450 Cicero-Chicago" IDs, on 1450 only, into the programming), while at other times they are running a loop explaining the move (same loop they ran on 1690 all last weekend while they awaited the official Monday 6 AM sign-on). 73 (Bill Dvorak, Madison WI, Column Editor, NRC DXN, DDXD-West, ibid.) I listened for about 15 minutes to 1450 kHz at 8:20 AM CDT. The programming consisted of a talk by man dealing with issues facing African Americans. It was not parallel to 1690. At 8:30 they had an announcement to tune to WVON on 1690 kHz (Chris Rigas, Wood Dale, Illinois, ibid.) ** U S A. 1680 WQGA (announced call) MD, Fort Meade. Heard today 9/22 1405 [EDT?] with a computer generated female voice with a request to tune to 16-80 for information about road conditions and parking information "in and about the campus." First heard on my truck radio and then at home some 6 miles away. They had been broadcasting NOAA weather from Baltimore-Washington International for a few months, and had even tested with a digital signal for a short time. The call letters WQGA are probably not complete because if they are followed by three digits, they would likely be in the FCC allocated series of call letters for local government TISs. However, Fort Meade is not a local government installation. It is part of the DoD. The mystery continues. This is the URL of an audio clip of this station - http://philcobill.com/sounds/01680-20060922-1422-WQGA.mp3 (Bill Harms, Elkridge MD, Sept 22, Car radio on the road R8B at home, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Here's a first for me --- a station that is conducting a DX test without myself or another member even asking them to! The very DX friendly ways of WODI in Brookneal, VA continue with today's announcement by owners Dave Marthouse, N2AAM & Tony DeNicola, WA2IHZ of a special DX Test! The station plans to run a short duration (5 minute long) DX test each Sunday morning (late Saturday night) starting October 1st at Midnight Eastern. Listen for Morse Code ID's, sweep tones and more. Complete information including how to QSL the test are listed below. The test will continue until further notice, but hopefully well into the Winter season, giving a lot of DX'ers the chance to put this station into their logs! More tests to follow, we're working on some rare ones! WODI 1230 KHZ BROOKNEAL, VA DX TEST Date(s): Sunday Morning (Late Saturday Night) Starting October 1st and continuing until further notice. Time: Midnight until 00:05 AM Eastern Time (5 Minute test each week) [0400-0405 UT thru Oct, then 0500-0505 UT] Modes of Operation: Special DX Test. 1,000 Watts , Non-Directional Programming: Morse Code ID's, Sweep Tones, Voice ID. Notes: This DX friendly station is co-owned by two amateur radio operators, and they have decided to conduct this rare, on-going DX test, giving listeners a weekly opportunity to put these station into the log books. Reception reports are desired via e-mail (first choice) and snail mail (only if e-mail is not available) Station would prefer to received recordings of the test (MP3, CD, or cassette). Submit reports to: les@highnoonfilm.com Please put "WODI DX Test" in the subject line. All standard mail reports should go to: Les Rayburn High Noon Film 100 Centerview Drive Suite 111 Birmingham, AL 35216 *SASE Required for reply. Thanks to Dave Marthouse, N2AAM & Tony DeNicola, WA2IHZ for putting on this unusual, long term DX tests for the benefit of distant listeners! (Les Rayburn, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. FCC CITES SEVERAL INSTANCES OF UNLICENSED USE OF HAM BANDS NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 21, 2006 -- The FCC has notified several entities - - including two trucking companies and a balloon festival sponsor -- regarding the alleged use of Amateur Radio frequencies by unlicensed individuals. Special Counsel in the FCC Spectrum Enforcement Division Riley Hollingsworth advised all of the parties that unlicensed use of radio equipment not only can interfere with licensed users but violates federal law and could lead to fines of up to $10,000. "Information before the Commission indicates that at the 2005 International Balloon Fiesta http://www.balloonfiesta.com/index_lr.php held in Albuquerque, there were numerous balloonists using Amateur Radio Service and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radio transmitting equipment without licenses," Hollingsworth wrote Paul Smith, the event's executive director on August 23. "Both services require a license from the Commission." Hollingsworth told Smith that while the FCC encourages all balloonists to use communication equipment of some kind, he'd like the Balloon Fiesta to advise those participating in this year's event October 6-15 that unlicensed operation is illegal. He invited Smith to post the Advisory Notice on the event's Web site. The Commission also contacted two trucking firms regarding alleged unlicensed transmissions from tractor-trailer rigs on 10 meters earlier this year. Hollingsworth sent a Warning Notice to Cardinal Express of Concord, North Carolina, on August 28, and Melton Truck Lines of Tulsa, Oklahoma, on August 30. The FCC cited information indicating that a Cardinal Express rig on Interstate 85 in North Carolina was the source of radio transmissions on 28085 kHz on August 2. Hollingsworth told Melton Truck Lines that the FCC had information that one of its rigs, also on Interstate 85 in North Carolina, transmitted on 28085 on June 11. Hollingsworth warned the trucking firms that, in addition to fines and other enforcement sanctions, operating transmitting equipment without a license could land drivers in jail and lead to seizure of radio equipment. The FCC sent a third Warning Notice to Parker Contracting of Pánama City, Florida, on August 21 citing allegations that the contractor's employees have been operating unlicensed radio transmitting equipment on 145.020 MHz and interfering with licensed users (ARRL via Bill Smith, IA, DXLD) ** U S A. ARGH! PIRATE RADIO STATION CUTS INTO COUNTRY AIRTIME By Elizabeth Gibson, MiamiHerald, Hollywood, Fla, September 21, 2006 http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/broward_county/15577480.htm The Broward Sheriff's Office brought back smooth country accents to KISS Country by shutting down a radio station that had been broadcasting rap on the station's frequency. Country music listeners near Taft Street and Interstate 95 were picking up the broadcast from a radio station pirating the airwaves for weeks. WKIS-FM (99.9), called KISS Country, tracked down the illegal signal and relayed the information to BSO. BSO detectives and Hollywood police went to the site at 17 Loop Rd. in Hollywood and found a 30- foot-tall antenna outside a mobile home in the Okomo trailer park. Darin Satter, 34, was arrested and charged with unauthorized interference with a public [sic] radio station, which would carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Satter told detectives he wanted airtime as an aspiring disk jockey. Two men from Lauderhill and Fort Lauderdale were arrested in April in connection with a pirate station broadcasting Creole and Caribbean music (via Mike Terry, Artie Bigley, dxldyg via DXLD) Video is here [nothing but the reporter and a mugshot]: http://cbs4.com/topstories/local_story_264212800.html Other: http://www.local10.com/news/9909252/detail.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Was he intentionally on 99.9? Stupid (gh) http://www.nbc6.net/news/9909922/detail.html# (via Brock Whaley, GA, DXLD) ** U S A. CATHOLIC COMPANY BUYS 2 AREA STATIONS By ROBERT PHILPOT STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER It appears that Air America, the liberal talk-radio network, won't be on the air much longer in Dallas-Fort Worth. Guadalupe Radio Network, a Midland-based Catholic broadcasting company, has announced on its Web site that it will take over two Dallas-Fort Worth stations as of Oct. 1: KXEB/910 AM, which is Air America's Dallas-Fort Worth station, and KJON/850 AM. Guadalupe Radio will broadcast in English on KXEB and in Spanish on KJON. . . http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/15582451.htm (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. KEN STERN, 2ND IN COMMAND AT NPR, IS TAKING THE HELM Friday, September 22, 2006; C07 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/21/AR2006092101943_pf.html National Public Radio yesterday named Ken Stern, its second-ranking executive, to be its chief executive officer. Stern will succeed Kevin Klose, who will remain with the Washington-based programming service as president and a board member. Stern, 43, has been executive vice president since joining NPR in 1999. Klose has held the top job at NPR since late 1998, and has presided over strong growth in NPR's annual funding, as well as increases in its audience and newsroom staff. During that time, the number of people listening to NPR's programs doubled, to about 26 million per week, and its annual budget more than doubled, to $167 million. Klose, 66, was instrumental in landing public radio's largest grant, a $235 million bequest from the late McDonald's heiress Joan Kroc in 2003. Klose, a former Washington Post journalist and president of Radio Free Europe, said yesterday that Stern would take over day-to-day management of NPR effective Oct. 1, while he concentrates on fundraising. "We have to figure out new funding sources," Klose said. "I want to concentrate on making more of that happen." He added: "The charity dollar is under tremendous pressure. There are a lot of people standing at the door." Klose said his goals include raising money to expand local news reporting at "scores" of NPR-affiliated stations nationwide. Prior to joining NPR, Stern worked with Klose at Radio Free Europe. He has also been a director of the U.S. International Broadcasting Bureau in Washington and was deputy general counsel for President Clinton's 1996 reelection campaign. -- Paul Farhi (c) 2006 The Washington Post Company (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Dario Monferini, desde Milan, Italia, nos informa que el colega Pablo Albini, recibió confirmación de Radio Amazonas 4940 kHz; reply in 280 days sent 2 dólares; got QSL card with globus logo + personal letter of Jorge García Rangel (QSL Manager) Report sent to : QSL Manager, Calle Roma, Quarta Costa Rica N A-16, Urbanización Alto Barinas, 5201 Barinas, Venezuela. Email: jorge.garcia @ rocketmail.com. Direccion postal de la emisora del sobre: RADIO AMAZONAS INTERNATIONAL 4940 kHz ONDA CORTA. AVENIDA BOLIVAR 4, PUERTO AYACHUCHO, ESTADO AMAZONAS, VENEZUELA (Conexión Digital Sept 17 via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. Saludos cordiales, hoy 21 de Septiembre estoy escuchando en la frecuencia de 7425 desde las 1715 a la R. N. Saharaui en español; está llegando con buena señal, locutor con boletín de noticias, identificación y segmentos de música árabe, SINPO 44343 (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) No hay QRM de Rusia?? Según EiBi: 7425 1700-1900 RUS VoR Sodruzhestvo R Cau sp 7425 1900-2100 RUS Voice of Russia R ME sp 73, (Glenn, ibid.) Desde aquí en Valencia no se capta; sin embargo se aprecia de fondo una señal típo RTTY de fondo, aparece y desaparece. Al terminar la emisión se ha despedido hasta la noche, a la 0100 hora local, 2300 UT creo; es probable que haya otra emisión en español a esa hora?? Sería interesante comprobarlo. 73 (José Miguel Romero, ibid.) Glenn I couldn't find 7425 [on VOR schedule] before 1900 UT: http://www.vor.ru/R8.html No QRM at 1800 in Arabic (Jean-Michel Aubier, France, dxldyg via DXLD) No trace of VoR also here in south Italy (Roberto Scaglione 1810 UT, http://www.bclnews.it ibid.) ARGELIA, 7425, R. N. Saharaui, 1715-1800, escuchada el 21 de Septiembre en español a locutor con boletín de noticias y segmentos de música árabe, ID ``Sintonizan ustedes Radio Nacional Saharaui``, lectura de un poema, se despiden hasta la una hora local. SINPO 44343 Audio: http://dxprogramas.multiply.com/music/item/236 Cuando son las 1902 no se aprecia QRM de Voice of Russia en 7425, la emisión de RN Saharaui en árabe con buena señal, de fondo y de forma intermitente alguna señal en morse o RTTY, apenas imperceptible. 73 (José Miguel Romero, Spain, ibid.) No trace of Voice of Russia after 1900 UT (Jean-Michel Aubier, ibid.) Coordinated VoRUS to ME from Sept 3rd (started S-06 season) 7425 1700-2100 39,40 S.P 200 145 VOR GFC Carlos reported on Tue: R.N.Saharaui "7460 kHz was off on 17 or 18 Sep, and off too this morning, 19 Sep.." 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) RN de la RASD, 7425, Sept 21 at 2350 weak with music over even weaker RTTY. Major problem was WWCR 7465 splatter which peaked around 7430; also a bit of sidesplash from WBCQ 7415. At 2355, 7425 had yelling in Arabic over some music; by 0002 all I could detect was an open carrier with RTTY, and off shortly after (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sin duda alguna, la actividad DX del día ha estado centrada en RN Saharaui que entre otras cosas, decidió trasladar su horario en español 6 horas antes, a la actual 1700. Y con esto no todos tendremos la misma suerte, a diferencia de cuando se emitía a las 2300. Encuentro razonable la movida a los 7425 --- la cual estuve chequeando a la misma hora y en la mismas débiles condiciones que Glenn, árabe a las 2350 este jueves 21--- dado que WBCQ en 7415 no le pone el mismo pringue o salpique (splatter, that is) que sí le producía WWCR 7465. That makes it for the top DX activity of the day. So, a couple of changes for Spanish sked from RN Saharaui: from 2300 to 1700Z and from 7460 to 7425 kHz. Splatter from WBCQ is not that severe compared to WWCR (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZANZIBAR. 11735, presumed RTZ, Sept 21 at 1917 with Indonesian-like vocal music; fair (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 927.988 kHz --- I monitored this last night with Spectrum Lab. The frequency is rock solidly stable and the signal was visible all night. It was maximum strength at 0200 UT, then got swamped by Belgium returning on air at 0340 (affecting the agc of my receiver). At 0523 the signal on 927.988 disappeared probably fading out (though the trace ended abruptly so maybe it switched off or reduced power). Best reception for me is in a Southerly direction but I cannot be more precise. 73 (Steve Whitt, UK, Sept 20, MWC via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 2826, harmonic 2 x 1413, Strident OM talk, eastern flute music noted at 1952, faded by 1904 [sic] 21/9 (Tim Bucknall, Congleton N/W England, icom IC-736 + Wellbrooke ala 1530 out door loop, harmonics yg via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Glenn, I think your voice is great. I also feel that the natural delivery of the material adds to the overall quality of the program. I don't understand his thinking on this. It would be as if to say to Red Barber, your voice is too rural and southern. I like your voice just fine, in the twenty plus years of listening - you have been a constant - in a hobby where constants disappear at lightning speed. Thank You for all the years of service and all the valuable information that has enriched my enjoyment of shortwave radio. Cheers, (J. Feld, Chicago) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ ATORAR I questioned this word in previous discussion under LIBYA of jamming (gh) Saludos cordiales, quizás la expresión atorar no ha sido la más correcta. Quería expresar que la emisora jammer estaba obstruyendo, interfiriendo, atorando a Sawt al-Amal. Atorar tr. Atascar, obstruir: 73 (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Muy acertado me resulta el tèrmino que usas, Pepe, para definir jamming, en el sentido de "obstruyendo", aunque lo de "interferir" màs tiene su equivalente en inglès a "interference". Puede recordarse la canciòn "Jamming" de Bob Marley que pareciera referirse a "congregados... revueltos... agrupados". Aùn asì no me termina de quedar muy claro. Pero sì, de hecho un jammer es un "obstructor, o bloqueador" (Raùl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) Saludos Raúl, la expresión jamming o jammer no la tengo muy clara, aunque todo el mundo en la radioescucha comprende que se trata de una emisora que su objetivo es la de interferir. No sé realmente si la expresión es correcta en inglés, pero todo el mundo la comprendemos así. Cuando uso el termino atorar, me refiero a la acción de obstruir o interferir; cuando utilizo la expresión jamming o jammer, me refiero a una estación que está en una frecuencia igual o cercana que interfiere. A mí concretamente la expresión atorar me parece acertada, aunque hay que reconocer que hoy en día nadie usa esa expresión. 73 (José Miguel Romero, ibid.) Cuestionaba la palabra `atorar` sólo porque no aparece en el diccionario mío. Puedo decir que ``jamming`` debe tratarse solo de interferencia intencional, y no por casualidad. No obstante, los periodistas en inglés suelen usar ``jamming`` de manera muy vaga e incorrecta. 73, (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ IBOC AT NIGHT ON WWJ 950 Hello, Glenn, Have you heard anything about nighttime IBOC being allowed? Since last Friday 15 September, WWJ-AM 950 has been noted carrying IBOC all night, every night. Just Wednesday night I checked after midnight, and still noted the telltale hiss. de (Eric Berger, Detroit, Michigan, Sept 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No, I haven`t, not across the board. Individual stations may get permission to try it, or forget to turn it off (Glenn to Eric, via DXLD) SOME LISTENERS STILL CONFUSED ABOUT HD RADIO --- September 20, 2006 http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=276030 A new survey from Mark Kassof & Co. reveals that five percent of 18- to 64-year-olds think they are receiving HD Radio from at least one of the FM stations they listen to, but have not actually purchased an HD receiver. Among those who say they are receiving HD radio but haven't purchased a receiver for it, 46 percent say it is "about the same" as regular FM radio, while 12 percent say it is "a lot better" than regular FM. Mark Kassof explains that, "Stations contribute to confusion when they say they are 'broadcasting in HD' without offering an explanation of what HD provides and what is required to receive it. As a result, some listeners wrongly think they are receiving HD." Meanwhile, one percent of people in the survey say they have purchased an HD radio, and two-thirds of them say HD is "a lot better" than regular FM. The findings were based on 752 telephone interviews completed from September 13-17 in the U.S (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) LMAO!!! How's that for an "emperor's new clothes" moment?? Of course, it does suggest a possible strategy for the terrestrial broadcasting industry: just say you're broadcasting in HD, that it sounds better, and eventually enough people will believe it sounds "a lot better." Declare HD a success, and congratulate each other! Does anyone in the media ever bother to question any poll results, no matter how clearly preposterous they are? If 1% of the 18 to 64 age group have really purchased a HD radio, that would mean over 2 million HD radios have been sold! Good grief. . . . . some media people need a fresh battery in their b.s. detector. 73, (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19, ibid.) I guess you must have missed the part where they mentioned the margin of error of the survey. If it was only +/- 1% (which would be incredibly good) then the true number would be anywhere from 0 to 2%. I guarantee that the real number is a lot closer to 0%. It's truly amazing that they managed to find 7 people out of 700 who said they owned HD capable radios. How much do you want to bet that some (or maybe all) of those 7 thought that their satellite receiver is considered HD? Do you think there are even 7 DXers who have HD radios? I can't think of a single group more likely to purchase an HD capable radio than DXers (OK, maybe radio engineers are more likely), and yet there are probably only a couple of them out there who have done so (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA (GMT -0800), DX-398 / RS Loop, ibid.) Neither the original article posted to this list by Kevin nor the FMQB article it linked to gave any margin of error --- another example of media cluelessness when it comes to polls. But I'll stick by my original point: any poll that claims to prove there are 2 million HD radios in use should provoke immediate skepticism, especially at a radio publication. I think you're right that those people who thought they had a HD radio actually had a XM or Sirius radio (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19, ibid.) I was being sarcastic. They did not mention any margin of error - which probably should always be done when a survey is quoted, but in this case it is particularly relevant, since the margin of error has such a gigantic impact on the results. The whole article could be a poster child for how NOT to use statistical sampling. As you say - it's just amazing that no one even does a reality check on the numbers before reaching all kinds of conclusions about the results. The real problem is that they assume that people understand what they are talking about when they use the term HD Radio. Maybe if they would have explained clearly what it is before they asked the questions, they might have gotten more meaningful results. Margin of error is calculated objectively, based on the sample size and the size of the general population that they are extrapolating to. It's simply how accurate the result is MATHEMATICALLY. If you take into account the clarity of the questions, and the level of understanding of the survey participants, the margin for error on this survey is probably pretty close to +/- 100%, meaning that the results are meaningless. But we already knew that (Brian Leyton, Valley Village, CA, ibid.) I remember President John Kerry talking about how easy it is to draw false conclusions because of poorly-worded poll questions. ;-) (Harry Helms W5HLH, ibid.) IS IT GOODBYE AM IN THE UK? (It looks like the regulator may be looking at going for a switch over to digital on Medium Waves earlier than expected) --- Julia Day September 21, 2006 MediaGuardian.co.uk http://media.guardian.co.uk/radio/comment/0,,1876994,00.html Ofcom is considering taking away Virgin Radio and TalkSport's AM radio licences in six years' time to use the spectrum for new digital radio stations. Peter Davies, the media regulator's director of radio and multimedia, said three new national stations and a whole range of local stations could be squeezed out of the spectrum used by the two national AM services. But his comments have provoked angry responses from both broadcasters. TalkSport said considering ditching AM broadcasts was "crazy" and "illogical" and Virgin said it would lobby for preferential treatment in the auction of the digital spectrum. Both SMG's Virgin and UTV's TalkSport's licence are due for renewal in 2012 - after they were recently given a four-year extension. At that time, the licences will be auctioned by Ofcom. But Mr Davies said that instead of simply auctioning the existing AM licences, Ofcom is looking at ditching the AM licences and converting the spectrum to "Digital Radio Mondiale". DRM is an alternative digital radio standard to that already used by services such as BBC 6 Music, 1Xtra and Planet Rock in the UK, which is called Digital Audio Broadcasting, or DAB. "Both licences are due for renewal in 2012 - possibly earlier, if they handed back their licences. These AM national licences could be reused for DRM," Mr Davies told a digital radio conference organised by the broadcast and transmission company WRN. "You could get potentially two more national networks using a high- powered frequency and a range of local services [from TalkSport's licence]," he said. "With Virgin you could get a national frequency and a number of local services. "When those licences are up for re-advertisement in 2012 they have to be auctioned off. There is no mechanism to allow the incumbent to hang on to them ... whether we auction them on a technology-neutral basis or not is something we will look at nearer the time. "It is one of the possibilities that we are looking at, at the moment." Scott Taunton, the managing director of UTV Radio, said the AM frequency was essential for his business and turning it off in 2012 would be "commercial suicide". "Surely Ofcom is not thinking about turning TalkSport off. We have increase listening hours by 30% since 2000 on AM. He said that until many more households and mass market cars have digital radios as standard, it is "pointless" to talk about turning AM off. Ofcom should set a analogue switch-off timetable first, said Mr Taunton, who thought 2020 was about the right time. "I'll fight tooth and nail to have our licence extended even further, the public interest is best-served by an AM service being available until we have a date for switch-off. In 2012 more than half our audience will still be listening on AM, so to turn us off would be commercial suicide." Mr Taunton added that the AM frequency may be more valuable to his speech station than to Virgin's music station. Music sounds worse than speech on the crackly AM signal and a much larger percentage of Virgin's listeners than TalkSport's have already have migrated to digital. He floated the idea that TalkSport be allowed to keep its AM service past 2012, even if Virgin were happy to have its AM licence turned into DRM. A spokesman for Virgin Radio said: "We believe, that having persevered with the AM signal, we should be given preferential treatment on the allocation of any DRM spectrum." The media regulator believes DRM could be used to "fill in the gaps" in digital radio coverage reaching parts DAB of the UK that DAB radio does not reach, or that are not commercially attractive. "DAB might not be enough by itself," said Mr Davies. "Some remote areas are not accessible by DAB, and for smaller stations DRM could complement [DAB]. "It might be that there isn't any commercial interest beyond the areas we advertise [for DAB licences] in the next year or so. It might be that DRM could fill in the gaps," he said. But he recognised the crucial element in the plan could be missing: that people may not have radio sets that can receive DRM by 2012. Only 15.3% of adults have a DAB set at home compared with over 70% of UK households which already have digital TV. "But there is no point in auctioning DRM if there are no DRM sets available. It is a chicken-and-egg situation. By indicating now that there is a long-term plan to put services on those frequencies using DRM should encourage manufacturers [to produce DRM sets]. But we are only starting to talk about it now. It's early stages." And he added that Ofcom is not in a position to announce a date for the switch-off of the analogue radio signal, mirroring the move that has been made in the television industry. "We are not anywhere near analogue switch-off yet," he said. He added that Ofcom will put out a consultation early next year that will "start to ask the question about if [analogue switch off] is a good idea" (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) DRM: see MONACO; PORTUGAL POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ LEAGUE PLEDGES TO PURSUE BPL INTERFERENCE COMPLAINTS, MULLING APPEAL NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 22, 2006 -- The League has vowed to maintain pressure on the FCC to act on complaints of broadband over power line (BPL) interference to Amateur Radio. The FCC's unanimous adoption August 3 of a Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O) in response to 15 petitions for reconsideration of the Commission's BPL rules triggered the ARRL response. The MO&O goes into effect today. "We will aggressively pursue enforcement in BPL interference cases," promised ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ. "Those deploying BPL systems that cause harmful interference to Amateur Radio will regret it." . . . http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/09/22/101/?nc=1 (via Bill Smith, DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ NEW ULTRA-WIDEBAND RADIO DESIGN HURDLES TRADITIONAL CHALLENGES PhysOrg.com September 22, 2006 A working prototype of an ultra-wideband digital wireless radio, a feat that the electronics industry has struggled to accomplish, has been built by four undergraduates from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The device could have applications in industrial monitoring and medical sensing by providing a cheap and reliable way of transferring data between electronic devices. A team of faculty and graduate students in the electrical and computer engineering department developed the novel approach to creating the prototype. . . http://www.physorg.com/news78139813.html (Source: University of Massachusetts Amherst via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) a.k.a. spread spectrum, which means an increase in the overall background noise level (gh, DXLD) ###