DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-177, December 1, 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 1338 Fri 2130 WWCR 7465 [ex-15825 for Dec thru Feb!] Sat 1330 WRMI 7385 [ex-1530] Sat 1700 WWCR3 12160 Sat 2230 WRMI 9955 [new] Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Mon 0400 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 [time varies 0500/0520] 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 ** ALBANIA. RADIO TIRANA, CHANNEL 3 IN ALBANIAN & 7 FOREIGN LANGUAGES during the Winter Season B-06 (27 November 2006 – 24 March 2007) Albanian Winter Time = UTC + 1h (*) Daily OND - Omnidirectional Sunday = 1, Monday = 2, . . . Saturday = 7 e.g. German or Serbian Program: 234567 Tx.=Transmitter+number Fllaka: 2 MW Tx/500kw on 1215/1395/1458 KHz Shijak: 2 HF Tx/100kW 2 OND & 14 directional antennas, 1 Tx/150kW/1089KHz HF selection by Noel R. Green --- Blackpool-UK, Wolfgang Bueschel --- Stuttgart-GER, Glenn Hauser --- Oklahoma-USA ENJOY LISTENING TO RADIO TIRANA IN ALBANIAN & 7 FOREIGN LANGUAGES! YOUR RECEPTION REPORTS WOULD BE HIGHLY APPRECIATED FROM US ! (schedule heading, via Drita, DXLD) ** ALBANIA [and non]. Dear Drita, I found the remark by Arben Mehilli interesting :-) He must be thinking back to the old days when Radio Tirana was a propaganda service. Maybe some of the listeners were communists, but I think most of the listeners were just curious about what Radio Tirana had to say. As for renting the shortwave transmitters - to whom? - we listeners do not want to hear any more American Religious propaganda. These days the current line of thought is that shortwave is unreliable and old fashioned. Nothing can be further from the truth. It is the easiest and most cost-effective way to reach people in foreign countries. With the correct selection of frequency and favourable propagation, reception can be very reliable and clear. Satellite radio has only a small listenership. The satellite ARTV uses is not the one that most Western European countries use. Not only that, but in most households the primary use for satellite equipment is for watching TV. So the European listenership will be quite limited if Radio Tirana only used satellite. Radio Slovakia International recently resumed its shortwave broadcasts (as did Radio Serbia). When on internet only, Radio Slovakia's listener letters reduced to almost zero. This is a clear example showing that shortwave broadcasting has a loyal and sizeable audience. Listening over the internet is somehow just not the same as listening to the radio, plus there are often problems with access and reliability of the audio stream. Therefore I am strongly in favour of keeping the shortwave broadcasts from Albania. Best wishes, (Alan Holder, UK, via Drita Çiço, DXLD) ** ALBANIA. Dear Drita, On Nov. 28th I monitored some of Radio Tirana's broadcasts as follows: 1945 UT English 7465 kHz - SINPO 34443/4 2000 UT French 7465 kHz - SINPO 44444 Please accept my somewhat belated congratulations on the occasion of Albania's Day of Independence. I am a long-time listener to Radio Tirana. I probably first heard you way back in 1962 and I still listen in several times a week to your broadcasts in German, French and English. I remember hearing Radio Tirana in Swedish many years ago. I am a teacher by profession and some of my pupils are called Krenare, Shqipe or Vlora. By now you know that many of my pupils are Albanians (from Kosova). They are of course refugees from the war in Kosova who have settled in the neighbourhood where my junior high school is located. I currently have some 20 Albanian kids in my different classes where I teach English and Spanish. I would be happy to monitor the quality of your broadcasts here in South Sweden. I already do monitoring work for RAI Italy, Radio Pakistan, Radio Japan, Radio Portugal and China Radio International. Now with email this kind of monitoring work has become very easy. And I certainly want Radio Tirana to remain on shortwave. I never listen to satellite radio and hardly ever use my computer to listen to radio. My shortwave receiver provides me with from programming from all over the world. Kind regards (Christer Brunström, Halmstad, Sweden, ibid.) Dear Drita, On Nov. 29th I monitored Radio Tirana in English at 1845 UTC on 6170 kHz as follows: SINPO 33433, Kind regards (Christer Brunström, Halmstad, South Sweden, ibid.) Re 6170 at 1845: omni-dir vv [?]beam direction broadcasts. Running omnidirectional services is like putting a naked lamp on the roof of your car instead of using headlights. It is not very useful because the signal becomes modest in all directions rather than strong in a specific direction. Stations are, more or less, supposed to beam transmissions into specific targets and protect adjacent frequencies in other directions (Olle Alm, Sweden, wwdxc BC-DX Nov 17 via DXLD) ** ANGOLA. As there are signs that RNA might return to 11955, it's worth checking that also at the time. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Nov 29, dxing.info via DXLD) cf MALI 11960 ** AUSTRALIA. 5050, ARDS Radio, Humpty Doo, 1820-1900, Nov 11. You might remember in DX-Window no. 311 my comment about Dar Es Salaam 5050, saying not as strong as Dar. Mauno Ritola told me he is hearing the Australian station in Finland and what I heard could be it. Indeed thrilled to hear it. Lovely tribal music, chorus singing, Aborigine music instruments, sounds etc. Reception: fighting with the noise level. Only 50% readable (Victor Goonetilleke, Kolamunne, Piliyandala, Sri Lanka, DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 6020, ABC Far North verified with QSL letter. In the QSL letter these were emergency broadcasts relating to Cyclone Monica. They do not normally go out on short wave, but were able to borrow frequencies from Radio Australia, the ABC’s international service. They usually broadcast across far north Queensland on a network of approximately 14 FM and AM transmitters. They serve the city of Cairns, and an area roughly the size of Victoria reaching from Cardwell to Torres Strait and out west to the Gulf of Carpentaria. V/s: Richard Dinnen, Manager. QTH: ABC Far North, Cnr Sheridan and Upward Streets, PO Box 932, Cairns QLD 4870, Australia (Masato Ishii, Shibata-shi, Japan, DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Monitoring of Bolivian SW-stations in the High Andes: 3310, R Mosoj Chaski, Cotapachi, 0022-0025, Nov 17, Quechoa talk, 35443 (Petersen in Puno, Peru) 4409.8, R Eco, Reyes, Beni, 0058-0105, Nov 19, Spanish songs with audience, 35333 (Petersen in Copacabana, Bolivia) 4498.1, R Estambul, Guayaramerín, 1100-1103, Nov 13, Spanish talk, 15321 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 4796.4, R Mallku, Uyuni, Potosí, 2219-0032, Nov 17 and 18, Spanish ann, Andean songs, 35333 (Petersen in Puno, Peru and Copacabana, Bolivia) 4876, La Cruz del Sur, La Paz was checked several times in Peru and Bolivia, Nov 14-20, but it was definately off the air on this frequency! However, in La Paz it was heard clearly on 720 MW with ID 0128, Nov 20 (Petersen) 5680.7, R San Rafael, San Rafael, Cochabamba, 1023-1125 fade out, Nov 18, Spanish messages, local songs, 1100 man and woman talking in Quechoa, huayno, 1107 ID, 34433 (Petersen in Puno, Peru) 5952.5, R Pio Doce, Siglo Veinte, 1116 and 2244, Nov 18 and 19, Quechoa talks, 44444 (Petersen in Copacabana, Bolivia) 6025, R Illimani, La Paz (presumed), 0953-0956, Nov 14, Spanish phone- in, no ID, but Bolivia was mentioned, 33443 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 6080, R San Gabriel, La Paz, 1045-1140, Nov 19 and 20, Aymara talk, advs, 1131 Spanish adv, huayno, 35444. Best received Bolivian SW station in La Paz! (Petersen in Copacabana and La Paz, Bolivia) 6105.5, R Panamericana, La Paz, 0113-0115, Nov 20, Spanish talk, music, very poor modulation, hardly audible in La Paz ! 43443, splatter from distorted signal on 6110; also heard at 1037-1040, Spanish ads, ID; but no signal at 0855 (Petersen in La Paz, Bolivia) 6155, R Fides, La Paz, 1044-1046, Nov 20, Spanish talk, weak signal 35333. Not heard on 9625 (Anker Petersen in La Paz, Bolivia; all: DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** BULGARIA. En el mes de diciembre Radio Bulgaria les ofrece diversos programas especiales dedicados al inminente ingreso de Bulgaria en la Unión Europea. Seguiremos transmitiendo asimismo nuestros programas centrados en el 70 aniversario de esta Emisora. Un lugar propio tendrán, desde luego, los espacios inspirados en la celebración de las fiestas de Fin de Año. El próximo 5 de diciembre en el espacio Correo del Oyente daremos a conocer los resultados del modesto Concurso por la QSL más antigua que hayan obtenido de Radio Bulgaria, convocado con motivo del 70 aniversario de esta Emisora. El mismo programa será retransmitido el 12 de diciembre. Les invitamos asimismo a atender las ediciones de Correo del Oyente los días 19 y 26 de diciembre próximos, cuando radiaremos conciertos especiales con saludos a nuestros oyentes por las fiestas de Navidad y Año Nuevo. Los dos sábados últimos del mes, 23 y 30 de diciembre, dado el gran interés con que fueron acogidos en octubre, retransmitiremos los programas que contienen las felicitaciones enviadas en grabación por los amigos de Radio Bulgaria en ocasión de nuestro 70 aniversario. Esperamos que nuestra programación resulte de su agrado. A todos Uds., nuestros mejores deseos de alegres y felices Pascuas Navideñas, y de un próspero y pacífico Año Nuevo. Atentamente, Ludmila Petra, Radio Bulgaria en español SPANISH / e-mail: spanish @ bnr.bg 00.00-01.00 -daily- South America 7500 9500 02.00-03.00 -daily- South America 7500 9500 02.00-03.00 -daily- Central America 9400 07.00-07.30 -daily- South Europe 11600 13600 12.00-12.30 -daily- South Europe 11600 13600 17.30-18.00 -daily- South Europe 9600 11600 22.00-23.00 -daily- South Europe 7400 9400 73 (via Dino Bloise, FLORIDA, EEUU, DXLD) ** CHILE. Monitoring of Chilean SW-stations in the High Andes: 6010, R Parinacota, Putre (presumed), 0150-0200, Nov 22, Spanish ann, Spanish songs, heterodyne, 23333. Not yet faded in at 2135 on Nov 21. It was faded out at 0800 on Nov 22. I was unable to hear any other Chilean domestic SW stations (Anker Petersen, Arica, Chile, DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) 6030, Holy R María, Coyhaique. They confirmed by phone to me that they do not transmit on short wave. Thus they have lost the teams. Furthermore the transmitter tubes have burned and it is not profitable to buy new. 6080, R Patagonia, Coyhaique. I also called this station and a gentleman told me that they still are transmitting on that frequency. During the next days a radioaficionado will determine, if there is sufficient cash available to continue the SW broadcasting, because it lacks some radio listeners in the coverage zone (Hugo Lopez, Santiago, Chile, Nov 27, DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** CHINA. 4950, Voice of Pujiang, 1405-1433, Nov 15, Chinese chit-chat with sound effects, short audio clips, and an occasional pop song. A few bars of "Take Me Home Country Roads" (not John Denver's version) was played at 1405 and again at 1425; perhaps this is the theme song of the program; after each "Country Roads" clip there was an adv that ended with the English phrase "SNG[?] Advertising, your better source." Good signal, rising above the band noise and // 5075, which was just fair, and 3280, which was approaching fadeout (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge CO, DXplorer via DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** CUBA. RHC was running late UT Dec 1, apparently with a live concert in honor of Fidel, tho by now it may well have been tape-delayed, still going at 0703 on 5965 colliding with REE Costa Rica, also on 6000, weak 6140, strong 6180 colliding with RNA Brasil, and also on 9600. English had been on 6060 and 9550 and open carriers were still on. English was presumably on 6180 until 0700, at least so scheduled. Nor am I sure this was RHC rather than some domestic network programming relayed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. Dear listeners, Scandinavian Weekend Radio 1st-2nd December 2006 transmission is starting soon. Please take part to SWR's Mad 2006 Contest. Simple to participate - good prizes. Listen Dj Madman`s program hours 10 and 13 UT for more details. NOTE: New time- and frequency schedule (down). ****************** S W R T R A N S M I T T I N G ******************** Transmitter site Virrat in Middle of Finland 62,22 N, 23,37 E Power and frequencies: 25 meter band RF output power: 100 watts, frequencies 11690 and 11720 49 meter band RF output power: 100 Watts, Frequencies 5980, 5990, 6170 MW transmitter on 1602 kHz RF output power 100 Watts Contact info: Tel: +358 400 995 559 Live while on air and SMS Service E-mail: info @ swradio.net Web: http://www.swradio.net Scandinavian Weekend Radio, PL 99, 34801 VIRRAT, FINLAND QSL Manager: Alpo Heinonen. All correct snailmail reception reports will be verified with our QSL-card (NEW ONEs available). Enclose, please 2 EURO/ 2 USD / 2 IRC (correctly stamped) for handling. ********************************************************************** NEW Time- and frequency schedule B-06: [corrected] MW 1602 kHz: fr. 22- sa 22 UT 48 mb: Fr-Sa. 22-17 UT 6170 kHz Sa. 17-19 UT 5980 kHz Sa. 19-22 UT 6170 kHz 25 mb: Fr. 22-23 UT 11720 kHz Fr-Sa. 23-08 UT 11690 kHz Sa. 08-14 UT 11720 kHz Sa. 14-17 UT 11690 kHz [collides with Jordan if on] Sa 17-19 UT 11720 kHz Sa 19-22 UT 11690 kHz ********************************************************************** Program schedule (times UT) 22-01 TrickyTrev show. "Music for lovers a collection of music for a romantic evening" 01-06 SWR crew - open studio 06-08 Progressive rock and other strange things by Esa 08-09 Huomenta - Good morning Virrat by Häkä 09-10 Radio News by Rick Random 10-11 SWR Letterbox-kirjelaatikko by Madman 11-13 TrickyTrev show. "60/70s and a tribute to DJ Fluff Freeman" "not arf, pop pickers" 13-14 World Radio Roulette by Madman 14-15 SWR crew - open studio 15-17 TrickyTrev show. "Dance & party music warming up before heading out a Saturday night" 17-19 SWR crew - open studio 19-20 Saunan lämmitys - Warming up the sauna by SWR Crew 20-21 Peevelin matkaradio 21-22 Closing seremony by SWR Crew (Alpo Heinonen, Scandinavian Weekend Radio, Dec 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. Some unidentified, strange things and puzzles --- no accurate information, just some things to be checked that appeared interesting to me when doing short bandchecks recently, having not much time to go deeper into it. 4777 et al. "the buzz": from 1600-1700 there is "the buzz" that seemingly is on 9580/19160 all day except that hour when on 9580 'A. No. 1 is clear. So, a few questions: - what is where at other times when Radio Gabon should be on 4777 (0500+) or 7270 (0800-?) - is there a harmonic on 19160 when 9580 is unbuzzy? - is there a harmonic on R. Gabon transmitters also? - who is using which transmitter when? 15475 ANO - what's the schedule, only 1600-1700 if at all? 17660 - unlike in previous months, the African music jammer seems to be fixed there from 1130 to 1530. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Nov 29, dxing.info via DXLD) ** GRENADA. 535 MW, GBN St. George’s seems off the air. Listened 0600- 1000, Nov 20-25, to no avail (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach FL, DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** GUYANA. 3291.2, Voice of Guyana, Sparendaam, Off the air since Nov 18 or so (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach FL, DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Re 6-176: 3215.09, RRI Manado (presumed), 1257-1420, Nov 26, reportd as being reactivated, Indonesian vocal music, chatting after each song and taking phone calls. No breaks or changes in program at either 1300 or 1400. No IDs heard, fair signal, competing with the band noise, the latter eventually winning out (John Wilkins, Wheat Rige CO, DXplorer via DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) Off since March 2002 (Anker Petersen, Ed, DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. 3880v, Voice of Communist Party of Iran, 1530-1605, Nov 13, Farsi ann, usual programme style, frequency varied from 3880.4 to 3880.18, later at 3881.08 at 1536, and 3979.93 kHz at 1558. Jammed most of the time, but was still audible most of the time. Also heard a few days later in the same frequency-band around 3880. 42332 (Bjarke Vestesen, Radby, Blommenslyst, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. /TIBET [non] 17550, Voice of Tibet QSL via Madagascar. Full-data, including program name, large folder card showing color Madagascar map in 6 weeks. The card was signed by Rahamefy Eddy, Technical Department, whose ham callsign is 5R8FT. VoT website says this frequency is for India and Nepal. Report was sent to Radio Nederland, P.O. Box 404, Antananarivo - 101, Madagascar (Wendel Craighead, KS, DXplorer Nov 28 via BCDX Dec 1 via DXLD) The QSL I reported yesterday for Voice of Tibet via Talata is the same folder card Madagascar has been sending for a number of years, although many years ago I received a photo card from them. The front cover of this large vertical card is a color map of Madagascar, almost a cartoon, showing animals, fish, ships, etc., and lots of antenna towers. Page 3 and the back have information about Madagascar and its history and extensive details about the station. And page 2 has complete reception/verification data, including "Particularly Voice of Tibet". In August I received from Madagascar an identical card for Radio Nile with complete data, including both frequencies I reported, but without the program name. I have not reported any other clandestine-type broadcasts to Madagascar, only Radio Nederland (Wendel Craighead, KS, DXplorer Nov 30 via BCDX via DXLD) ** MALI. 11960, R. Mali - nice chance to catch that in Europe in the afternoons 1600 +/-, while formerly best channel 9635 seems still inactive. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Nov 29, dxing.info via DXLD) ** MEXICO. TV PERSONALITY VELASCO DIES --- ACTOR REMEMBERED FOR MEXICO'S 'SIEMPRE EN DOMINGO' By VARIETY STAFF Velasco [illustrated] http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117954629.html?categoryid=25&cs=1 Raul Velasco, who hosted one of Mexico's most popular and enduring television programs, "Siempre en Domingo," died Sunday in Acapulco. He was 73. Velasco, whose variety show has been compared to "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1955-1971, was credited with launching many of Mexico's biggest pop stars to fame by having them appear on the show, which was broadcast from 1969 to 1998. Announcers on the Televisa network, which broadcast "Siempre en Domingo," or "Always on Sunday," broke into coverage of a Sunday soccer game to lament Velasco's death. On its Web site, the Televisa network posted an article saying Velasco died "surrounded by his family at his home, after an intense struggle against several illnesses." "This closes a chapter in the history of Mexican television," the article stated. Earlier this month, Velasco's son Arturo told local media that stomach problems had prevented Velasco from appearing at a ceremony in his honor sponsored by an entertainers' union. But an homage to Velasco in October was attended by pop stars, including Alejandra Guzman and Puerto Rican singers Ricky Martin and Chayanne. In 1998, a case of hepatitis forced Velasco to undergo a liver transplant, which local media said hastened the demise of his show. Jovial in the show's earlier years, Velasco showed a more spiritual side in later broadcasts. He became known for his favorite phrase: "Aún hay más," or "There's more to come." In addition to his wife, he is survived by several children (via DXLD) OBIT ** MEXICO. RECONOZCO CUANDO ME EQUIVOCO [I recognize when I am wrong] Laura Islas Reyes y Luis Miguel Carriedo/Dolores Beistegui http://www.etcetera.com.mx/pag130-136ane73.asp A las oficinas de etcétera llegó una llamada del Instituto Mexicano de la Radio. La directora del Sistema Nacional de Noticiarios del Imer, Ana Cecilia Terrazas, se comunicó para solicitar un espacio en el que pudiera ser entrevistada la señora Dolores Beistegui. Este ofrecimiento lo hicimos hace seis meses, sin que obtuviéramos respuesta de su parte. En lo meses recientes hemos presentado información que señala varios desaciertos en esa entidad. Ahora publicamos esta conversación con la titular del instituto, en la que abordamos varios puntos medulares de lo que ha sido su administración. A lo que no accedimos fue a presentar previamente el cuestionario. La oficina de la directora tiene la economía perfecta, decorada con un gusto elegante y sobrio que se corresponde con la pulcritud de su anfitriona. Dolores Beistegui viste un traje negro y una sonrisa amable cuando recibe a los reporteros de etcétera en las instalaciones del Imer. Extiende la mano con un saludo cordial antes de dar paso a la conversación que, a lo lejos, todo el tiempo estuvo acompañada del sonido de martillos o taladros, herramientas con las que el personal de BMO Fonatur se hace cargo de la remodelación del instituto. Satisfecha porque aquel desorden deberá estar transformado las primeras semanas de noviembre y dará nuevo rostro al Imer, Beistegui se muestra prudente, cautelosa, frente a las grabadoras encendidas. ¿Cuál es su idea de lo que debe ser la radio pública? Primero que exista, la radio pública es un término que todos usamos, pero es un término virtual que no está respaldado por ninguna ley, entonces lo primero es que exista, que se le dé una definición, que responda a una vocación. ¿Cuáles han sido los problemas que ha enfrentado en su administración? Yo heredé una institución cansada, en la cual se había invertido muy poco. La radio se hace con fierros, la parte tecnológica es sumamente importante y cuando empieza a haber un rezago esto se traduce en un incumplimiento con ciertas expectativas de calidad. Somos una sociedad cada vez más tecnologizada donde nuestros radioescuchas no tienen paciencia, si oyen una transmisión con interferencias, en ese momento cambian a otra estación. No podemos hablar de radio de calidad si no aseguramos un piso tecnológico y administrativo para cumplir con ese compromiso. Otro ámbito más complejo fueron los problemas administrativos al querer desarrollar una agenda que pisaba muchos intereses. ¿De quiénes? A partir del momento donde pedimos el derecho a competir por audiencias, por legitimidad, por credibilidad, empezamos a surgir como una amenaza a una industria que estaba acostumbrada a que los medios de gobierno estuvieran feítos y callados. A partir del momento donde afirmamos que podemos hacer una diferencia, empezamos a ejercer como una amenaza. (...) Tuvimos discusiones muy intensas con la CIRT y con actores del propio gobierno federal. ¿Qué actores del gobierno no respaldaron esta labor? No hubo personas en particular, le diría que hubo un enorme trabajo de sensibilización que hacer con todas las distintas áreas de gobierno. ¿Qué acciones ha tomado para hacer frente a la falta de recursos? Una de las primeras preguntas que me hizo Javier Tejado Dondé (sic), una persona con quien tuve mucho diálogo vamos a decir, y que era en ese momento el presidente de la comisión de Radio y Televisión de la Cámara de Diputados... Javier Orozco. Javier Orozco, los dos me decían lo que es increíble es que les damos mucho dinero y ni siquiera saben a dónde va a ese dinero y me pareció que tenían un punto. En efecto, cuánto costamos, cuánto cuesta una hora-radio en el Imer, quién dice si 700 personas es mucho o poco para 17 emisoras. Mientras no pudiera contestar esas preguntas seguía en una posición vulnerable, entonces me dediqué a ordenar la gestión del Imer y me di cuenta que había muchos gastos inútiles. Resulta que el Imer tenía un área de administración mucho más grande que la de programación, que de hecho no existía, cuando lo que hacemos es hacer radio. (...) Por otra parte, para hacer toda esa inversión que están oyendo de redimensionamiento tecnológico y administrativo necesitamos recursos frescos. Yo sabía que iba a tener más oportunidades de lograrlo si lo sacaba de recursos propios del Imer. Pedir a Hacienda que liberara un presupuesto de 100 millones de pesos era imposible. Entonces buscamos qué activo pudiera en algún momento ser vendido o aprovechado y nos dimos cuenta que teníamos un terreno enorme donde tenemos una antena de una AM y todo lo demás vacío. Vimos que ese terreno no generaba nada, que era muy aprovechable comercialmente y que podíamos quedarnos en una parte menor para nuestra antena, y vender el resto. Esto implicó todo un proceso administrativo (...), el terreno fue adquirido por Cinépolis. Ese dinero se invirtió y generó 15 millones de pesos de intereses, porque del momento que se vendió al momento que se inició pasaron 11 meses. Con esto llegamos a 102 millones de pesos, 14 restantes que nos faltaban nos los dio la SEP y los dos millones que nos faltaban los puso el Imer. Con esto logramos financiar el redimensionamiento. ¿Por qué se terminó Radio México Internacional? Gastar puede ser sinónimo de invertir, es decir, el erogar no es forzosamente negativo, pero si es un proyecto que no va a ninguna parte, a mí me parece un escándalo, un despilfarro. Radio México Internacional era un proyecto de onda corta que funcionaba con siete transmisores, de los cuales cinco estaban descompuestos. Rehabilitarlos habría costado 60 millones de pesos, cuando todo el redimensionamiento costó 120. La proporción era brutal, hubiéramos necesitado 60 millones de pesos adicionales para llegar a quién sabe quién porque la onda corta ya no se escucha. Nosotros somos parte de un proyecto del gobierno federal, ¿dentro del gobierno federal quién más tiene onda corta?, Radio Educación tiene una que funciona muy bien y Radio UNAM. Entonces a mí me parecía mucho mejor apoyarlos, en vez de desarrollar mi propio proyecto, para el cual no tenía recursos ni el proyecto porque eso de Radio México Internacional nunca supe muy bien a qué nos referíamos, que nos escucharan los lapones o cuál era la idea de transmitir hacia fuera, cuando la gente de afuera escucha radio por Internet. Cancelamos el proyecto y los transmisores los mandamos a Radio UNAM. Consultorías millonarias En 2004 el Imer contrató a Mercer Management por un monto que superaba los siete millones de pesos, ¿no le parece un gasto excesivo cuando estamos hablando de optimizar recursos? Dolores Beistegui endureció sensiblemente su gesto y el tono de sus respuestas -junto a la erre francesa de su acento- perdió la cordialidad y cautela. El movimiento de sus manos delgadas también se hizo más severo y elocuente de la franca molestia de la directora ante la pregunta. "Son dos temas totalmente diferentes. Yo le repetí que el gasto es inversión, hubiera sido un escándalo contratar un estudio, al precio que sea, y no hacer nada. Eso sí es un escándalo, pero a partir del momento de que 100% de las recomendaciones de la consultoría fueron atendidas en tiempo y forma se invirtió siete millones para un proyecto de desarrollo que costó 120 millones. Ni siquiera el 10%. Entonces hay que verlo en perspectiva." "¿Usted sabe lo que es una consultoría?", preguntó y respondió a los reporteros haciendo un énfasis terminante en cada una de sus palabras. "Son gente especializada. ¡Yo no pretendí cuando llegué saberlo todo, ni había en el Imer gente capaz de todo! (...). Ellos durante un tiempo reducido te dan respuestas a temas concretos. ¿Por qué Mercer? Porque buscamos empresas que tuvieran una experiencia a nivel internacional. Mercer fue quien reestructuró a la BBC de Londres. Ahora, esos recursos fueron aportados extraordinariamente, no fueron tomados del gasto asignado. Fueron recursos aportados por la SEP y por la Secretaría de Gobernación. Yo no dejé de hacer nada para poder pagar Mercer. Nada. Esos recursos, yo hice una gestión con el secretario de Gobernación, con el de Educación Pública, diciéndoles yo no puedo sola, necesito un respaldo de una autoridad profesional y competente. Hubo una reunión extraordinaria con los oficiales mayores de ambas secretarías, aprobaron ese gasto y nos dieron ampliación presupuestal para poder pagar la consultoría. (...) Ese documento está disponible." ¿Por qué se reservó en su momento? Un año estuvo resguardado porque había recomendaciones de reestructuración profesional, que no queríamos darlas a conocer mientras no las hubiéramos negociado y atendido. En esas recomendaciones, hubo alguna para recortar la brecha de sueldos... Le recuerdo que eso no lo pongo yo, lo pone la administración pública. Lo primero que hicimos fue, sin modificación presupuestal, cómo podíamos reasignar y retabular porque había diferencias muy grandes. Obviamente hay muchas mejoras que hacer todavía y obviamente es un tema que no está concluido. ¿Cuánto tiempo duró el trabajo de Mercer? Tres meses. Hace poco también se conoció la información sobre la asesoría de Solana y Asociados, por un monto de 2.5 millones de pesos. Es un gasto difícil de entender. ¡¿De acuerdo a qué criterio?! Por eso le pregunto, ¿cuál es el criterio para entender este gasto? Mire, la facultad de un director general es la planeación de acuerdo a necesidades y una visión estratégica. (...) Repito, en el caso de Solana y Asociados es un despacho especializado en administración pública y que nos apoyó a la integración de las distintas actas de recepción y entrega. Finalmente en ordenar nuestra entrega y todos los documentos que teníamos por ley entregar a la Secretaría de la Función Pública. Es mucho más grave incumplir que cumplir, yo pedí autorización para tener asesoría de expertos, no me sentía capaz de hacerlo adecuadamente en tiempo y forma. Llevo cuatro años nada más en el Imer, heredé muchos problemas de administraciones anteriores, la entrega que se me hizo fue muy somera, muy general, con computadoras vacías. Y sin embargo es mi obligación asumir el 100% de los seis años de administración pública a mí y a mis colaboradores. Me parecía muy injusto meterlos en un predicamento, en una situación donde nuestra integridad iba a estar cuestionada. ¡Porque hay una cosa que ustedes periodistas tienen que entender, diario nos cuestionan nuestra integridad, si robamos, si abusamos, si somos ladrones, si queremos asaltar al contribuyente!... Eso me parece muy injusto, cuando día con día lo que tratamos de hacer es aportar algo a un proyecto de construcción de democracia. Yo asumo mis responsabilidades día con día, tomo decisiones, tengo muchos colegas en la administración pública que con tal de no firmar nada no tomaron una sola decisión en seis años. ¡¿Qué es mejor?! Yo tomé muchas decisiones que implicaron procesos de licitación, convenios, contratos, una serie de gestiones administrativas, tengo que dar cuenta de esa serie de gestiones y me alegro, ¡qué bueno, que por fin va a haber una entrega absolutamente transparente, no sólo aquí, sino de manera general en la administración pública! Y yo me siento muy tranquila de poder decir que conté con la asesoría de profesionales que me permitieron cumplir en tiempo y forma con las obligaciones que marca la ley. Me siento tranquila, duermo en las noches. Eso costó 2.5 millones, creo que fue una inversión, aprender procesos administrativos fue para todos nosotros muy valioso, aprendimos a ordenar, a archivar, a seleccionar, también fue un método del cual todos recibimos mucho. El pago a Solana, esos recursos sí fueron del presupuesto del Imer. El Imer tiene recursos fiscales y autogenerados. Esto fue de los autogenerados. Investigación y medios públicos. La directora del Imer bebe un poco de agua. No hace algún esfuerzo por ocultar su incomodidad ante las preguntas, por momentos muerde con fuerza su labio inferior y la piel blanca de su cuello se ve enrojecida. ¿Qué resultados y aportaciones prácticas le redituó la investigación sobre medios públicos que contrató el Imer por un costo de 300 mil pesos? Usted se refiere concretamente a Beatriz Solís. Yo le preguntaba por la investigación, más allá de quién la realizó. No, va junto con pegado, es exactamente lo mismo. El Imer no regaló ese dinero a una niña de primaria, esa investigación que se realizó en efecto a dos años se encargó a una universitaria muy reconocida que ha dedicado su vida a trabajar el tema de medios de servicio público. [Tiene razón la señora Beistegui, ese documento consta de 25 cuartillas y puede ser consultada íntegra en http://www.etcetera.com.mx ] "¡No fue ningún secreto que yo no tenía la competencia particular para dirigir el Imer, ninguno! Que siempre había estado en campos de gestión cultural. Cuando yo llegué al Imer hubo una serie de cuestionamientos periodísticos en relación a esa incompetencia. ¡¿Cómo se iba a dar la dirección del Imer a una niña bien que no tiene idea de medios?! Tuve una avalancha de periodicazos durante un buen tiempo. Nunca pretendí saber lo que no sabía, lo que sí desde el primer día que me nombraron aquí me dediqué a aprender y aprender de gente que me pudieran entregar textos, libros, artículos que me permitieran formarme una opinión. Beatriz Solís fue una de estas personas, Fátima Fernández fue otra, ella estaba en ese momento en la Secretaría de Gobernación, entonces no hubo que contratarla, si hubiera estado disponible en el mercado de trabajo, hubiera hecho lo mismo. Y muchos otros investigadores, Javier Esteinou, Raúl Trejo, Miguel Mejía (sic), con quien yo tuve muchas entrevistas para poder entender mejor dónde radicaba ese concepto de medios de servicio público, dónde estaba el Imer. Es muy importante articular una discusión, argumentarla, yo no puedo llegar a convencer a alguien si no tengo argumentos, si no tengo un análisis muy preciso de lo que quiero decir y lograr. Beatriz Solís hizo una serie de talleres, conferencias, publicaciones, hasta que logramos organizar conjuntamente un congreso que fue muy importante en su momento en el auditorio". En el Museo de Antropología. Sí, en el auditorio del Museo de Antropología, perdón. Y con eso culminó su contratación, la totalidad de lo pagado es más de lo que usted me dice, 455 mil 215.74 pesos. En 2002 desarrolló un documento, todos éstos existen, todos éstos están disponibles... ¿Y estos documentos serían los resultados de la investigación? En 2002, un primer trabajo que se llama Metodología radiofónica por un monto de 99 mil 750; en 2003, nada más cobró dos mil tres pesos; en 2004 cobró 267 mil 965 pesos, y entregó un trabajo por la investigación de medios públicos con muchos comparativos y la preparación del congreso, y en 2005, 85 mil 500 pesos. Es decir no fue un sueldo de aviador. Yo le preguntaba por los resultados de la investigación y las aportaciones prácticas al Imer. ¡Eso!, mucho de lo que he dicho no lo he inventado, no lo he soñado, no lo he fumado, cuando hay que defender principios, cuando hay que decir por qué queremos esto y por qué no queremos aquello, no se puede inventar y entre más sólidas sean las fuentes, más respaldo tengamos de la comunidad universitaria, más legítimo es ese trabajo. ¿Por qué el Imer no había subido información a Compranet? No voy a inventar, no me acuerdo. No sé si fue un desfase con nuestras obligaciones, si quiere preguntarle a Rocío Arzate, nuestra directora de Administración, le pido que le conteste, porque no quiero contestar una cosa tonta. Gotera inesperada Fue una entrevista accidentada. El celular de la directora sonó un par de veces y la nueva infraestructura del Imer traicionó a su anfitriona. Beistegui se relaja un poco y en un momento al hablar de los logros de su administración. "El Imer hoy día es una institución reconocida por sus radioescuchas, (...) para mí un motivo de enorme orgullo es lo que se ha hecho en el sistema de noticias porque el periodismo de servicio público (al) que apostamos, lo logramos defender, desarrollar con enormes dificultades tecnológicas, financieras ahí si... este... se está cayendo algo". Una gotera discreta, pero amenazante a ojos de la directora, comienza a caer del plafón de su oficina. "Qué drama, no bueno, qué pánico, está inundado, pero por qué (...) Pero que venga alguien de BMO, por favor". Su solicitud es atendida a la brevedad, una comitiva de tres personas acudió a visitar el desperfecto. El episodio permite que la directora de Administración, Rocío Arzate, sobre el asunto de Compranet confirme que "efectivamente fue una omisión por parte del instituto, sin dolo, y la omisión consistió en que el personal que lleva el sistema no estaba capacitado". Renta heredada. ¿Por qué la decisión de rentarle la 660 a Ricardo Rocha? Ricardo Rocha estaba en el Imer antes de que yo llegara, ésa fue una situación que yo heredé... A veces tienden a olvidarse. ¿Ya la subarrendaba antes Carlos Lara Sumano? El convenio había sido elaborado por mi antecesor, tuve que acatar lo que se había hecho. Aparentemente lo que motivó a Ricardo Rocha a estar en la 660 era poder desde ahí comercializar Opus 94 con esta figura de combo, que no existe en la ley (...) Rocha pagaba muy bien, muy caro, era una renta mensual que significaba la diferencia para nosotros, pero independientemente de ese recurso a mí me pareció siempre escandaloso que estuviera él, entonces en cuanto pude, buscamos cómo concluir de manera anticipada nuestro contrato y sacarlo. ¿Usted renovó el contrato o era el mismo que estaba? No, yo lo cancelé... fue muy difícil, para cancelar tiene que haber una buena razón y una razón fue que Ricardo Rocha ya no podía cumplir con sus pagos. Lo primero que logramos hacer fue quitar el combo, y eso fue con argumentos jurídicos para demostrar que no existía la figura del combo y que no podían trasladar una comercialización de una AM a una FM. Hay algunas emisoras que ustedes tienen que son concesionadas porque así estaban. ¿No han hecho nada para volverlas permiso? Es una de mis peleas... la red [Nacional de Radiodifusoras y Televisoras Educativas y Culturales] no está de acuerdo. Yo considero que es una obligación del Estado mexicano aportar los recursos para atender sus obligaciones (...) Yo encuentro escandaloso subarrendar aunque sean 15 minutos. Ya no lo hacemos en el Imer en ningún formato (...) ¿Pero eso no se lo ha solicitado el Imer a la SCT? No lo he hecho porque yo pertenezco a la red (...) Varios miembros de la red tienen concesión, Televisión de Yucatán, Televisión de Sonora, el Canal 22, sobre todo televisoras, de radio creo que yo soy el único que tiene concesión pero hay tres televisoras y están absolutamente en contra de que se les cambie de concesión a permiso. Despidos Se le cuestionaron mucho los despidos de Juan María Alponte, René Avilés, José Luis Cuevas, Jorge Meléndez. ¿Cree que fue una decisión correcta? Absolutamente, reorganizamos muchas cosas, entre otras que en el Imer no había ningún criterio de toma de decisión de programación, por qué entraba un programa y no otro. (...) Entonces creamos un órgano colegiado que se llama mesa editorial, que recibe proyectos, sean los de casa o de afuera, tienen el mismo trato y de acuerdo a criterios abiertamente formulados se aceptan con todo el apoyo o se rechazan y se explica por qué. Estaban adueñados de espacios conductores que ni siquiera venían. Meléndez grababa a veces seis meses adelantado, vamos, con una falta de compromiso hacia su público. (...) La radio es un tema de comunicación, de contacto y no era un programa en directo (...) Yo ofrecí a todos los que estaban en el Imer subirse a esa nueva visión, de construcción de una radio de servicio público. Lo primero que le pedimos a un conductor es respeto a sus radioescuchas, alguien al que no le interesa conocer a sus radioescuchas, que dice a mí me vale madres el radioescucha, no me interesa, es alguien que ciertamente no tiene cabida en este proyecto. Lo que hemos hecho después de estas experiencias muy desagradables es acotar la contratación de programas, los programas se contratan por tres meses mínimo, seis meses máximo, renovables. Para que nadie se pueda sentir dueño de un espacio. Ricardo Alemán, "presión de Durazo" Hablando de la XEB, el caso de Ricardo Alemán. Él arrendaba un espacio, ¡él arrendaba!... estábamos hablando... ¡él lo arrendaba! (Es el mismo caso que) Ricardo Rocha, nada más que él nunca lo dijo. ¿él rentaba nada más el programa? Sí, pero es exactamente lo mismo, perdón, pero el principio es el mismo, rentar una hora o 24 horas es el mismo. ¿Pero ése no fue el argumento, que era una renta (para despedirlo)? Ricardo Alemán rentaba un espacio para tener su noticiario, cuando nosotros además teníamos otro noticiero... ¿cuál era la congruencia del Imer? (...) A veces las noticias que se contradecían. Cómo podía justificar esto, ¿por dinero? (...) Cuando yo fui a ver a mi junta directiva dije: ¿qué congruencia hay en que el presupuesto de comunicación social del gobierno va a parar a un proyecto privado en una emisora pública donde además esta persona no está dispuesto a atender y a adoptar nuestro código de ética? ¿En qué no acataba el código de ética? Él sentía que como yo le rentaba ese espacio podía hacer lo que se le daba la gana. ¿Y en este caso también es un contrato que se hereda o se firma con esta administración? Eso fue firmado por mí por muchas presiones, pero reconozco, en fin... Ricardo Alemán buscó mucho apoyo, concretamente a través de Alfonso Durazo para poder entrar. ¿Y la presión era? Decía de que sería muy oportuno tener un periodista... es un periodista muy reconocido, lo que era incongruente era tener un periodista independiente que no quisiera sumarse, si él hubiera dicho yo le entro y me alineo a los periodistas que están en el sistema nacional, no hay problema, (pero) no era el caso. Cuando se acabó el contrato no lo renovamos, yo no lo despedí, no renové el contrato. él argumentaba en su columna... ¡Por supuesto!... que Santiago Creel, que la censura. Imagínese para Santiago Creel la bronca en la cual yo le metí. Véanlo así, al revés, Santiago Creel me decía "pero ahora qué fuiste a inventar". Créanme que tener a Ricardo Alemán de enemigo no es grato. ¿Metió en problemas a Santiago Creel? Pero lo entendió muy bien, cuando me preguntó me respaldó, es decir, los argumentos eran muy claros (...) me apoyaron, nos pegó muy duro, Ricardo Alemán hasta la fecha no me dirige la palabra, no me saluda si me ve. ¿Pero usted reconoce que fue un error aceptar las presiones de Durazo? Absolutamente. Uno en cualquier cargo está sometido a presiones. ¿Es mentira esa frase -que se le atribuye a usted- de "qué hacemos con Ricardo Alemán. Está incontrolable"? Eso es falso. ¡Vamos, yo nunca escuchaba el noticiero de Ricardo Alemán! Si él hubiera tenido las audiencias multitudinarias que pretendía tener... Si yo quito a Rulo de Reactor, tengo mañana 100 mil chavos furiosos, en cambio con Ricardo Alemán no hubo un mail pidiendo que regresara. Eso es una realidad. Decía que ha sido un aprendizaje, ¿usted desea continuar en el Imer en la siguiente administración? Me gustaría muchísimo poder participar en un proyecto de transformación de los medios públicos. (...) Si es nada más administrar un grupo radiofónico creo que ya hice mucho y hay gente más competente que yo para poder hacerlo. ¿El Imer ya no? Es decir depende Imer para qué. ¿Conaculta sí? Bueno eso... (risas) ¿por qué me hace esa pregunta? ¿Pudiera ser? ... Creo ser una persona preparada que se puede aprovechar, tengo 45 años, me siento con mucha energía para seguir trabajando. Si Felipe Calderón decide invitarme a su equipo lo haré con mucho gusto; si decide que no inventaré otra cosa, pero no me voy a quedar haciendo pasteles. Autocrítica La directora tomó un pañuelo desechable de la caja que se encontraba a sus espaldas. Discreta, secó la gota de sangre que asomaba insistente a su labio. En algún momento de la conversación se mordió con fuerza y aunque hizo un disimulado esfuerzo por tragar la sangre, la pequeña herida resultó ser tenaz. ¿Alguna autocrítica, algo que no le gusto de su administración? Seguramente hay mucho, yo no se por qué no le preguntan a su propio director, que tiene muchas críticas, yo creo que como todos, seguramente hay actos de insensibilidad, seguramente hay autoritarismo... No sé, yo creo que me propuse una agenda, esa agenda se llevó a cabo (...) la persona que llegue va a recibir una institución mucho más equipada para poder crecer de lo que yo recibí (...) yo soy una persona muy crítica y reconozco cuando me equivoco, seguramente me equivoqué desde comunicar de manera inadecuada ciertos logros o ciertas inquietudes, por eso me gusta que me lo digan para poder entenderlo y contestar. La crítica cuando es justificada permite crecer, cuando no es justificada a veces llega a ser calumnia y en este caso y en el Imer se han dicho muchas cosas que no fueron ciertas, que fueron sacadas de contexto. Reporteros de etcétera [captions?] Directora general del Imer. 73 via (Roberto E. Gómez Morales, dxldyg via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Hola! contestando a la pregunta del colega Glen[n] Hauser, donde está ubicada Radio Kehuelga Transmite en el 102.9 FM, en el sur de la Ciudad de México Parece que es desde la UNAM (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de México) Decimos lo que pensamos lo que sentimos lo que deseamos. Construimos una radio alternativa para que las ideas avancen hacia una sociedad donde la información y las frecuencias no sean un medio de dominación de las personas. Ejercemos nuestro derecho natural a expresarnos libremente utilizando las herramientas que tenemos a nuestro alcance, y para eso, no necesitamos la concesión de la sociedad mercantil dominante. Pablo Angel Cárdenas, México DF (via Dario Monferini, bclnews.it via DXLD) Previous item said they were broadcasting directly from Oaxaca, so a relay in DF? I was asking where the reporter was hearing it, no clue about that, in order to get some idea of the range of the transmission (gh, DXLD) ** MICRONESIA. Re 6-172: ``Pacific Missionary Aviation, Pohnpei, SW plans: More info at http://www.pmapacific.org/projects/radio_station.php The tower for the antenna is 110 feet high (Mike Barraclough, England, Nov World DX Club Contact via DXLD)`` FM tower, that is. Axually there is nothing on this or related PMA pages I can find about SW, just AM and FM. The SW mention came from the Galcom Prayer Bulletin quoted in 6-143, with follow-ups in 6-149, 6-159. Jari, any further info on their SW plans, and are we sure they really mean tropical band/SW? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. 164 kHz, Ulaanbaatar, received full detail QSL card in 73d for CD & cassette report, along with $2. A very nice QSL letter along with QSL card. V/S: Densmaa Zorigt, Mail editor, Voice of Mongolia. Also sent scene postcard, schedule. New country for me. Address: Voice of Mongolia, CPO Box 365, Ulaanbaatar 13, Mongolia. I am really pleased with this (Patrick Martin, OR, Nov 29, NRCAM via DXLD) They are really a "toughie" to log. That is the first time I have ever heard them above a carrier and even then I had to work to get them above the noise level floor, which is very low here. It wasn't easy. I only could hear them on the WNW EWE too. That may be the reason I never got anything out of 164/209 kHz, until this year, as I did not have the WNW EWE. Even then, a few peaks on Mongolian talk and interval signal, plus Mongolian songs, was about it. I sent a CD & cassette as I wasn't sure what they could play along with $2 US for rp. I kept my fingers crossed. hi. I also was not sure of their policy on QSLing their Home Service. I was pleasently surprised (Martin, IRCA via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Radio East Sepik, 3335, heard here in Pidgin from 1250-1300 Dec 1. Several music selections, female announcer and brief anthem(presumed) at sign-off. EiBi shows a 1400 sign-off time (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5602.56, LV de los Andes, San Miguel de El Faique, Huancabamba, 0112 12 Nov, very animated announcer with music at tune- in. Mention of Huancabamba, radio, and número uno. Music bridge, then clear ID by different M as ``Radio La Voz de los Andes``. Beautiful OA flute music with mention of frontera. Suddenly went off at 0119:30*. Best signal yet and very glad to get the ID. 4751.79, R. Huanta Dos Mil, 1001 13 Nov, Canned announcement in presumed Aymara, then live M briefly including ID, more canned announcements in Spanish. Live M returned at 1004. Good signal and Codar not as much of a problem this AM (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, HCDX via DXLD) ** PERU. 5069.98, presumed, Onda del Suroriente, 2251-2258, Nov 28, Spanish. OM witgh music and talks until crushed by co-channel WWCR- *2258. Weak/poor, fading in & out in rapid succession. Never heard this one before! (Scott R Barbour Jr., Sugar Hill Overlook, Kancamagus Hwy. NH-USA, R75, 150’ longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5070.7, Ondas del Suroriente, Quillabamba, November 22nd, 2220, Latino-pop, time announcement, ID; O=2 (Michael Schnitzer, Bavarian DX Camp, HCDX via DXLD) ** PERU. 4974.8, Radio del Pacífico, Lima, recibida carta QSL vía e- mail, en un archivo Word, con logotipo de la emisora y datos completos, V/S Doris Manco Flores. Tardaron en contestar 133 días. El informe de recepción se envió por carta, adjuntando 1 US $ a la siguiente dirección: Radio del Pacífico, Av. Guzmán Blanco 465 7ª piso, Lima - Perú Se reclamó varias veces por e-mail la confirmación en la dirección: informes @ grupopacifico.org Datos de la emisora: Radio del Pacífico, es la emisora cristiana que se encarga de difundir una variedad de programas doctrinales de fácil aceptación; su programación actual está conformada por espacios culturales musicales de entrevistas y noticias. Su elaboración y contenido están a cargo de personas especializadas que nos permiten asegurar el logro de los objetivos planteados. 43 años del ministerio radial a través de su amplitud modulada en los 640 de onda corta y onda internacional, conectada, además, con la Cadena Internacional ALAS; llega a lo largo del territorio nacional con su sistema digital las 24 horas del día, garantizando así una perfecta recepción que son bien recibidas por la audiencia. Las cartas y llamadas de nuestros oyentes de los lugares más lejanos de la sierra y selva, comprueba claramente el cumplimiento de esta meta, que es el de llenar las expectativas del radio escucha; además, cumplimos con una función docente al mismo tiempo que informamos. La planta transmisora se encuentra en el Distrito del Agustino y nuestros estudios con equipos renovados, se encuentran en la Av. Guzmán Blanco 465 7ª piso Lima - Perú. Con sus señales de A.M. 640, Onda Corta 4975 Khz 60 Mts. y Onda Internacional 9675 khz 31 mts, cubrimos el territorio peruano (via Manuel Méndez, Lugo, Spain, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Monitoring of Peruvian SW-stations in the High Andes: 3329.6, R Ondas del Huallaga, Huánuco, 1046-1052, Nov 13, Spanish ID, frequency ann of SW and FM, 35343 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 3375.1, R San Antonio, Padua de Callalli, 0054-0056, Nov 19, Spanish ann, huaynos, 25333 (Petersen in Copacabana, Bolivia) 4775, R Tarma, Tarma, 0245-0247, Nov 17, Spanish ann, light music, 35333. (Petersen in Puno, Peru) Also heard 1104-1106, Nov 13, Spanish ann, instrumental music, TA, ``presenta los Picolares``, mentioned Juliaca, ID, 35433 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 4790.2, R Visión, Chiclayo, 1055-1108, Nov 13, Spanish religious conversation, ID, hymn; hum on frequency, 34323. Not heard on 4386. Neither R Atlantida in far north Iquitos was heard on 4790 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 4826, R Sicuani, Sicuani, 2222-0300*, Nov 17 and 18, Spanish/Quechoa ann, huaynos, heterodyne from 4825, 23333. Also heard 0958-1000, Nov 18, Spanish ann, 34343 (Petersen in Puno, Peru and Copacabana, Bolivia) 4856, R La Hora, Cusco, 1132-1134, Nov 16, Spanish ann, huaynos, 45554 (Petersen in Cusco, Peru) 4886.6, R Virgen del Carmen, Huancavelica (presumed), 1111-1114, Nov 13, Spanish religious talk, Indian music and song, 35444 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 4950, R Madre de Dios, Maldonado, 0125-0130, Nov 19, Spanish religious talk, 25232 (Petersen in Copacabana, Bolivia) 4955, R Cultural Amauta, Huanta, 1117-1119, Nov 13, Quechoa talk about Taiwan (!), 45444 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 4974.8, R del Pacifico, Lima (tentative), 1005-1123, Nov 13 and 14, Spanish ann, very distorted and hardly audbile even in Lima! 25333 - 15121 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 4990.9, R Ancash, Huaraz, 1003-1006, Nov 14, Spanish talk, 25322 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 5014.5, R Altura, Cerro de Pasco (presumed), 1002-1004, Nov 14, Spanish talk, no ID heard, 25332 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 5025, R Quillabamba, Quillabamba, 0153-0158, Nov 18, Spanish talk; local noise, 45441 (Petersen in Puno, Peru) Also heard 1001-1128, Nov 13 and 18, Spanish ID, interview, 34444 (Petersen in Lima and Puno, Peru) 5039.2, R Libertad, Junín, 1129-1132, Nov 13, Spanish ann ``Peruano``, ads, huaynos, ID, 45444 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 5055, UNID (R Ondas del Suroriente drifting ??), 1808-1820, Nov 14, Spanish slow talk about ``música institutional`` with brassband, mention of Cusco, ARG, BOL, CHL, B, CLM and PRU, ``Plaza de Armas``, 35333. Only noted that day! (Petersen in Cusco, Peru) 5070.7, R Ondas del Suroriente, Quillabamba, 0300-0307, Nov 17, Spanish preaching, choir singing ``Gloria`` five times, 34343 (Petersen in Puno, Peru) Also heard at 1005-1038, Nov 15 and 18, Spanish ann, TA, ID, huaynos, 33443 (Petersen in Cusco and Puno, Peru) 5460.3, R Em. Bolivar, La Libertad, 1136-1138, Nov 13, Spanish talk, ID, TA, huayno, 35343 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 5486.7, La Reyna de la Selva, Chachapoyas (presumed), 1140-1142, Nov 13, Spanish ann, Andean songs, 35433 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 5939, R Melodía, Arequipa, 0710-0712, Nov 19, Spanish ann, Andean songs, 25333 (Petersen in Copacabana, Bolivia) 6019.6, R Victoria, Lima, 0350-0405, Nov 14, Spanish religious talk, hymns, severe heterodyne, 42442 // 9720. Also heard 0956-0958, Nov 14, Spanish religious programme, heterodyne, 32332 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) 6115, R Unión, Lima, 0418-1035, Nov 14, 15, 20, 22 and 24, Spanish talks, TA, ann, ID’s, huaynos - most times QRM from an UNID very distorted signal which spoiled reception from 6085 to 6130 kHz! 35333 to 32441 (Petersen in Lima, Peru; La Paz, Bolivia and Santiago, Chile) 6173, R Tawantinsuyo, Cusco, 0210-0232, Nov 16 and 17, Spanish ann, speech mentioning carnival 2007, huaynos, 45554. Also heard 1822-1850, Nov 14, Spanish ann, IDs, ads, huaynos, excellent modulation! 55555, heard // 1190 MW (45444) This is the eldest broadcasting station in Cusco (Petersen in Cusco and Puno, Peru) 6193, R Cusco, Cusco, 1134-1136, Nov 16-11, and 1823-1825, Nov 14, Spanish ann, huaynos – low power! 35444 (Petersen in Cusco, Peru) 6520.4, R Paucartambo, Paucartambo, 0225-0227, Nov 15, Spanish religious talk, hymns, 35323 (Petersen in Cusco, Perú) 9720, R Victoria, Lima, 0350-0405, Nov 14, Spanish religious talk, hymns – under Arabic speaking station (Tunis ?), 22222 (Petersen in Lima, Peru) Also heard local morning 1135-1139, Nov 19, Spanish religious talk with hymns in background, 35444. 6020 had faded out (Anker Petersen in Copacabana, Bolivia; all: DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** POLAND [non]. 9525, R. Polonia, 1328- 25 Nov. During their broadcast, I heard the hosts talk about the SW audience compared to their Internet audience. They admitted there are more people listening on the Internet than on SW. Also that they have had many complaints of poor SW reception over the recent years (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, HCDX via DXLD) relay via GERMANY now so SW audience should be vastly improved (gh, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 3955, R Rossii, Ulan Ude, 1311, Nov 19, rather new channel. No local broadcasting - too late for this near Baikal lake region. Splashed by Xinjiang PBS on 3950, 33443 (Dmitry Mezin/Signal, Kazan, Russia and Alexei Kulinchenko, Kazan, DSWCI DX Window Nov 29 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Confirmaremos los informes de recepción recibidos hasta fin de año de Frecuencia RM, con una QSL especial dedicada al 20 aniversario del programa. Pancho Rodríguez, La Voz de Rusia (via Dino Bloíse, FL, Noticias DX via DXLD) UT Weds 0220 (gh) ** SCOTLAND [non]. BULGARIA, 5775, Radio Six International, 2100-2118, escuchada el 30 de noviembre en idioma inglés con sintonía y locutor con presentación e identificación, ``Radio Six International``, frecuencia y cuña, locutora con larga presentación, locutor con público, comentarios y canto a coros sin música; la transmisión sufre ligeros cortes, SINPO 55454 (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD) This was the previously publicized St. Andrew`s Day special, and dxldyg members were reminded of it during the preceding hour. I didn`t even try for 5775 here, but listened 2100 well past 2200 on webcast, which also had a few breaks (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOA'S DOUG BERNARD NAMED RADIO PRESENTER OF THE YEAR Press Release Washington D.C. November 30, 2006 http://voanews.com/english/About/2006-11-30-bernard-award.cfm Voice of America broadcaster Doug Bernard was named "International Presenter of the Year - Radio" by the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB) for his work as host of VOA's Talk to America program during the second annual global AIB Awards event in London on November 22, 2006. The London-based AIB is the industry association for the international broadcasting community. Bernard was one of 22 winners selected from more than 100 entries by a panel of broadcasting industry peers and critics for excellence in international radio, television and Internet. "Doug Bernard . [showed] intelligent presentation and questioning, very polished, with a smile in his voice," said Barbara Serra, AIB Awards host and London anchor for the newly launched Al Jazeera English news network. Bernard is currently the anchor of VOA's weekly TV magazine program to India, The World Today, which is co-produced with Headlines Today, a 24/7 nationwide English news channel in India. In 2000, Bernard was named a distinguished journalism fellow at the University of Michigan where he lectured and conducted research. He has also written for The Washington Post, The New York Times and The Christian Science Monitor. He previously worked for C-SPAN as an assignment editor and producer, as well as an on-air host, interviewer, and managing editor for the Michigan Public Radio Network overseeing all state and national productions. Talk to America, VOA's daily, 60-minute, English-language call-in program broadcast live on radio and the Internet, engages a worldwide audience in a daily dialogue with a variety of decision makers, personalities and experts on far ranging subjects (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) VOA has reassigned Doug Bernard from Talk to America to television duties (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Gospel for Asia adds 11 new languages to India's radio broadcasts Six million more Asians are hearing the gospel thanks to Gospel for Asia, which recently added 11 new languages to its radio broadcasts. "Gospel for Asia is now sharing the gospel via broadcasts in 103 languages in 10 countries," Dr. K.P. Yohannan, founder and president of Gospel for Asia said in a news release. "Radio is a powerful tool because it can reach into huts in a remote village as easily as it can reach businessmen working in a city skyscraper." The new languages are Gurung, Khandesi, Ladakhi, Bantawa, Lungeli Magar, Rongmei, Netakani, Reang, Rengma, Vadari and Varli. Groups of people living in India, Nepal, Tibet and China speak these languages and have a variety of religious affiliations, including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity. "We were praying for native speakers of these languages and God has graciously answered our prayers," Yohannan said. "All of the Gospel for Asia missionaries producing the new programs are native speakers and are excited about the opportunity to use the radio to share the gospel with their own people who have never heard it." Although the seeds for Gospel for Asia were sown in 1978, the radio ministry did not emerge until 1986, when Yohannan agreed to use the medium in India. He had not spoken in his native tongue for many years and had lost his ability to speak in the higher-level vernacular, so he spoke in the language of the common people. The "one-time" broadcast garnered huge responses and grew into GFA Radio. Today, missionaries reach secluded villages and find churches already planted because of the radio broadcasts. Gospel for Asia's goal is to air evangelistic programs in 200 languages in the near future. With headquarters in Carrollton, Texas, north of Dallas, Gospel for Asia is one of the fastest-growing church-planting ministries in South Asia. More than 16,000 native missionaries are now serving and have planted more than 29,000 churches in 10 nations across southern Asia. For more information, visit http://gfa.org Source: http://www.christianexaminer.com/Articles/Articles%20Dec06/Art_Dec06_08.html (via Jaisakthivel, Chennai, India, dxldyg via DXLD) WTFK???? ** U S A. Two Pirate Radio videos from this article: http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=2218&catid=110&volume_id=254&issue_id=267&volume_num=41&issue_num=09 Videos: http://www.pirateradiousa.com/ http://www.jumpcutfilms.com/makingwaves/ (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) `Pirate Radio USA` is a documentary showing at various film festivals, including Anchorage in December. Trailer and other info available at the first site (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Qualcomm has purchased nationwide rights to the channel 55 [formerly UHF TV] spectrum. They're using it for something called "MediaFLO". This is a "mediacast" service that will broadcast to 3G cell phones. Up to 15 live streaming video programs and dozens of audio channels will be broadcast, along with video "clip cast" channels that will deliver video-on-demand. Local programming is included, along with breaking news and weather, and the ability to carry emergency information. Qualcomm says MediaFLO will be available at "mass market prices" to over 194,000,000 customers (Doug Smith, W9WI, Dec VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) ** U S A. Unusual TIS license in AL --- I noticed that FEMA has been issued a TIS license in Selma AL under the call sign WQGB482. It appears to be a portable station licensed for both 530 kHz and 1650 kHz with 10 watts. It is unusual that a Federal agency licensed this under the FCC. Federal TIS stations are usually licensed through the NTIA and don't show up in the FCC database. It is also unusual that the license appears to have been issued for only a 6 month period from 11/29/06 to 5/28/07. The responsible person's telephone number in the license data is in the DC area code. I'd be surprised if the FCC ever issues another broadcast license on 1610. This is the most populated TIS frequency in the US with 425 licenses. 530 is second with 339 TIS licenses. Just about any location in the US that received a broadcast license on 1610 would cause the displacement of a large number of TIS stations. Even though TIS is a secondary service I'm sure the FCC is aware of the potential conflicts this would cause. I'm surprised we haven't seen any TIS licenses on 1710. 1710 appears to be a legal TIS channel and it is included in the FCC TIS database. My 10 year old car radio tunes to 1710 (Patrick Griffith, Westminster CO, http://community.webtv.net/N0NNK/ http://community.webtv.net/AM-DXer/ Nov 30, IRCA via DXLD) It looks like 1710, though it may be included in the database search, is not actually a legal TIS frequency. 47CFR90.242 (a) The frequencies 530 through 1700 kHz in 10 kHz increments may be assigned to the Public Safety Pool for the operation of Travelers' Information Stations subject to the following conditions and limitations. See http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=47&PART=90&Section=242&TYPE=TEXT (Mike Westfall, N6KUY, WDX6O Los Alamos, New Mexico, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN [non]. WEBSITE SAYS LIBERTY, VOA, BBC UZBEK DESKS CONTROLLED BY SECURITY SERVICE An editorial in the Uzbek opposition news agency website alleges that the Uzbek services of Radio Liberty, the Voice of America and the BBC World Service have been under the control of the Uzbek National Security Service. It says that the allegation is based on facts and analyses. The report also describes Uzbek journalists working for these foreign radio stations as illiterate people who ``do not even know the rudiments of the Uzbek grammar``. . . http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=6677 (BBCM via Media Network blog via DXLD) ** VATICAN [non]. VR never condescends to include this on their own schedules, nay, even acknowledge the existence of WEWN, Radio Católica Mundial, but that station continues to relay VR`s Spanish to Latin America M-F twice at 1700-1730 and 2200-2230 on 9885 and 15745, per the November WEWN Spanish program schedule (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. SW RADIO WINS TOP INTERNATIONAL AWARD http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/fm22.15029.html By Staff Reporter ZIMBABWE'S privately-owned SW Radio Africa which broadcasts from London has won the International Radio Station of the Year award from the Association for International Broadcasting (AIB), it was announced Friday. Presenter Mandisa Mundawarara was highly commended in the award category for International Presenter of the Year. The awards were presented at a gala dinner in London on November 22. Attended by senior executives, producers and journalists from TV and radio channels from five continents, the AIB Awards event rewarded the very best programmes and channels for international audiences across television and radio. There were nine award categories and over 100 entries from international broadcasters in 20 countries and SW Radio Africa was in stellar company. Other award winners included the BBC, which won various categories including Best Radio Coverage of a Single News Event for its coverage of the South Asian Earthquake as well as winning International TV Station of the Year. Sky News picked up the award for Best TV Coverage of a Single News Event for its coverage of the London bombings while Al Jazeera received the award for Best Magazine TV Program. SW Radio Africa were described as "a brave, and excellent independent alternative to Zimbabwe's state media." The AIB awards are the only ones that celebrate excellence in international cross-border broadcasting, judged by an international panel of broadcasting experts, including professional TV and radio critics from leading newspapers. SW Radio Station said in a statement Friday: "We are very pleased to know that our peers have recognised the quality of our programming. All we have ever tried to do is broadcast well produced programmes into Zimbabwe so that listeners feel informed and entertained. "Unfortunately the government doesn't see it like that and has gone to enormous expense to jam our signal in the main centres. "What a tragedy that Zimbabwe's best journalists and broadcasters have been forced to base themselves outside the country and that our government doesn't celebrate our achievements. We look forward to the day when we are out of a job, and can go home and help rebuild our shattered nation." SW Radio Africa can be heard via shortwave in Southern Africa on 4880 kHz (if you're outside the jamming area!) and anywhere in the world via the internet at http://www.swradioafrica.com JOIN THE DEBATE ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS media @ newzimbabwe.com All material copyright newzimbabwe.com Material may be published or reproduced in any form with appropriate credit to this website (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Note: gh has not had a chance to go thru all the posts on 1610 The Tone, on various lists since last issue, but here is something new sent directly to us: Glenn, I just read the DXLD 6-176 items on the mystery test tone on 1610 kHz. As you may remember, I am located on the Atlantic Coast of Delaware near the town of Lewes. I just checked 1610 (at 0915 EST or 1415 UT on December 1) on my battery-powered YB-400. Nothing heard. WBAL on 1090 from Baltimore on ground wave was peaked by rotating the radio and 1600 checked again. No joy. A recheck using my car radio at 1544 UT failed to detect anything on 1610. As a measure of the radio's sensitivity, I clearly heard TIS WQEO632 1700 kHz in Cape May NJ at a distance of about 35 miles at this same time. I am intrigued by some of the descriptions of the spectrum of this signal. I saw mentions of measurements of relative amplitudes of the carrier and sidebands which reported equal amplitudes. An AM signal, modulated at 100%, will have sidebands which each contain 1/4 of the total signal power. A 1 kW carrier is fully plate modulated by 500 watts of audio. Audio power divides equally between the upper and lower sidebands resulting in 250 RF watts in each. So on a spectrum analyzer which basically measures voltage, the sideband amplitudes should appear 6 dB weaker than the carrier. I conclude this was not an AM signal but rather a narrow band FM signal. There was another report noting the presence of the two sidebands and no carrier at one time. At certain FM modulation indices, the carrier can be made to null. The FM sideband amplitude vs. carrier amplitude follows a mathematically predictable function known as the "Bessel function" after the mathematician who came up with it way back when. Any good engineering text covering FM modulation will show the Bessel curves. At an FM modulation index of about 2.4 the carrier will null. It is a very accurate way engineers use to set the deviation of an FM transmitter for example. Increasing the deviation will cause the carrier to return and then null again at even higher deviations. So an FM modulator with a 1000 Hz tone input will show no carrier when the deviation is approximately 2.4 kHz. When the deviation corresponds to a modulation index of about 1.4, the carrier and sideband amplitudes will be equal. That would correspond to a deviation of 1.4 kHz. At a modulation index of 1.4 the second order sidebands at +/- 2 kHz would be only about 25% of the unmodulated carrier amplitude and may have been further attenuated by the amplitude roll-off of the device under test at the edges of the passband. That could explain why no second order FM sidebands were observed. Finally there was at least one report of low level sidebands spaced 30 Hz around the carrier. I remember from the 1970-1980's a test instrument Hewlett Packard, and at least one other company whose name escapes me, sold that would generate a spectral pattern with both 30 and 1000 Hz sidebands. It is called a network analyzer and its usual application is to measure differential delay across a passband. This is important in some modulation schemes including IBOC and AM stereo which used simultaneous AM and phase modulation for example. The 30 Hz signal was used to sweep the 1000 Hz component across the passband 30 times per second as the instrument measured the phase shift on the 1000 Hz component of the modulation. The output was generally a "U" shaped pattern on a scope where the left and right sides were calibrated to show the differential phase shift at the band edges compared to the center of the channel. So I hypothesize the following explanation. Somebody was testing a high powered antenna with a narrow bandwidth to measure the differential delay across the antenna passband using a network analyzer of the design I remember HP selling. (Today HP no longer makes test equipment. They spun off their test equipment group and gave it one of those funny modern names that have no meaning and which I keep forgetting.) Why did the test continue for an extended time? Possibly to ensure that characteristics did not change as a function of rain, temperature, or RF heating of the matching circuits. Or maybe they were investigating the day and night propagation characteristics to determine whether such an antenna would cause sky-wave interference to co-channel stations. There was no ID because they did not have a license to transmit which also explains why nobody is admitting to the radiation and probably never will. Of course the FCC would not need a license. Think Cross- Field-Antenna. Could the FCC engineering test facility near Baltimore be measuring whether such antennas could be authorized for future use on the MW (AM) band and if so, what is the efficiency factor that must be applied to such antennas? That is my bet. I know it is fun to triangulate this kind of stuff and guess at what or whom it might be. If you ever want to really know what is going on, call the FCC 24 hour watch officer at 202-418-1122. He has access via remote receiver(s) to the entire spectrum and is in touch with other US Government resources who can quickly narrow down the source. I called him one night after the 9/11 attacks to report strange 5 letter CW code groups being sent in the middle of the 75 meter ham phone band. He knew who it was and where it was coming from within seconds. 73, (Joe Buch, N2JB, Lewes DE, Dec 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was still hearing it around 0700 UT Dec 1 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1200 UT on 12/1, and the mystery tone on 1610 kHz. is gone! Only hearing station in Spanish, which I assume is CHHA, though I thought they were supposed to go off temporarily to relocate transmitter by 11/30? (Alex Vranes, Jr., Harpers Ferry, WV, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Gone here too in Manassas when I checked at 1230 UT on December 1st. Heard at 1130 UT when I checked. Interesting. 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 5985, Nov 26+28, 1635-, under Voice of Russia a weak signal, best in lsb, seemed to be some African music and vernacular talk. Nothing at 1700+. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Nov 29, dxing.info via DXLD) Tanzania used to be here; China might be (gh) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ "INTERNATIONALES RADIO IN EUROPA" Over the past 15 years, international radio broadcasters have been operating in a constant state of transition. Whether it's the well- known analogue short wave bands, Digital Radio Mondiale, satellite radio, internet-based live-streams and on-demand audio files, local or regional re-broadcasting ... it seems uncertain which means of distribution is best for broadcasters such as the BBC World Service, the Voice of Russia, or Deutsche Welle Radio. At the same time, as media consumption has changed fundamentally, fewer and fewer countries are now willing to finance their international radio outlets. The new book, "Internationales Radio in Europa", written in German, brings together articles from 10 radio journalists and representatives of European public and state broadcasters. They describe the current state of international radio, look back at stations and projects that ceased to exist, and discuss possible future scenarios. Amongst the contributors are: Uta Thofern (DW Radio), Miroslav Krupicka (Radio Prague), Gundula Adolfsson (Radio Sweden), Ingrid Huettmann (Voice of the Mediterranean, Malta), and Wolf Harranth (Radio Austria International). "Internationales Radio in Europa" (ISBN 3-89796-132-6) is published by Gardez! Verlag in Remscheid/Germany. The volume of 104 pages costs 19,95 Euros. It can be ordered through booksellers across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, through various internet bookstores, as well as directly from Gardez! Verlag, Richthofenstr. 14, 42899 Remscheid, Germany. Internet: http://www.gardez.de / e-mail: info @ gardez.de (Thomas Voelkner, editor of the book, Nov 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ITU MONITORING REPORTS Re 6-176: I myself prefer the database format of the same report (' ZIP DBF FORMAT '). The db-format can be loaded into Excel and reformatted pretty easily. These (new and 'old') Excel files can be combined and sorted and reformatted as Access-files if necessary. The file is found on page: http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/terrestrial/monitoring/ 73 de (Matti Ponkamo, Naantali, Finland (KP10AK18), HCDX via DXLD) DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ LATEST NHULUNBUY, NT AUSTRALIA DXPEDITION ON DXING.INFO Thu Nov 30, 2006 12:02 am (PST) Snakes, crocodiles, buffalo, stingrays, oppressive heat & humidity, flying in tiny aircraft and being in an environment where English is a second or third language. No this isn't a DXpedition, it's just a regular week at work! Read my DX adventure on http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/nhulunbuy_2006_11.dx (Craig Edwards, Nhulunbuy (Gove), Northern Territory, Australia, mwdx yg via DXLD) Yet does include a Trail, i.e. logging list on MW quite exotic to the rest of us, viz.: Nhulunbuy (Gove), Northern Territory, Australia Just another day at the office Craig Edwards - November 2006 If this was an episode of 'Alias' or one of the Bourne Identity movies, intelligence reports would indicate that MW DXer Craig Edwards had fallen off the grid. I admit that many may question that 'if he's in a DX paradise, why no recent loggings on the newsgroups or no articles in the DXing.info DXpedition pages?" Yes fair question. . . (via DXLD) 18TH BAVARIAN DX-CAMP Hello everywhere, the results of the recent Bavarian DX-camp can be seen here: http://home.arcor.de/mschnitzer/Camp%2018.htm (Michael Schnitzer, Nov 29, HCDX via DXLD) SOUTH AFRICAN SEEFONTEIN4 DXPEDITION Hi folks, Our latest South African DXpedition now posted at: http://www.dxing.info/dxpeditions/seefontein_2006_09.dx cheers (Vince Stevens, Nov 29, MWC via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF RADIO: VOICE OF THE PEOPLE: YESTERDAY, TODAY, TOMORROW --- Karachi, The News International, November 30, 2006 A two-day international conference is scheduled to be held in Karachi on December 21-22 to mark the centenary of the first-ever programme broadcast to a mass audience in the USA. . . http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=33858 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ Managed to log the 10 kW DRM transmission from Croatia on 549 kHz this morning at 0733 UT, not enough to decode the audio but decoded the data stream. The published information on various DRM sites does nor agree with the decoded data and the DRM page has been up-dated accordingly http://mwcircle.org/page95.htm There are also a number of changes and extensions to the transmission times of various other broadcasts. Also on this page is a near CD quality recording of Vatican Radio DRM on 1611 kHz which demonstrates the received audio quality. Be warned the file size is just over 11 MB for 63 seconds of audio, so one for a broadband connection. The first consumer DRM/DAB radios have gone on sale in Germany. The Morphy Richards radio is priced at 199 Euros'. I have ordered one this morning so watch out for a review in the January issue of MWN's. Further information can be found by following the link to the Digital Radio Mondiale site on the above url and then by clicking "Receivers and Equipment" in the nav menu. Regards (Tony, webmaster, MWC, Nov 29 via DXLD) HD Radios MIA for Christmas Has anyone seen a print ad for HD radio in a non-radio publication, a TV spot, or seen a store display for HD radio? If HD radio can't make an impact this holiday season, it never will. It will wind up like the Commodore Amiga PC --- a cult item, not a mainstream product: http://www.audiographics.com/agd/112806-1.htm (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19, Nov 28, ABDX via DXLD) Harry, Radio Shack has them in Barton Creek Mall and other locations. But you'd hardly know what it is unless you know what to look for. Clear Channel is more focused on their web presence than HD right now. Much of the local budgets are going to the web (Alan Furst, Round Rock, ibid.) The only one I have ever seen is the tiny box ad that J&R Music World occasionally buries in their full-page ads in the NY Times. This is for the BA Receptor. RS is selling the Accurian, with rebate and with a 30-day return policy. This is RS part no 12-1686. They did promo it on one of their store flyers. I hereby confess having gone over to the dark side, and getting one to evaluate. It was on a half-price offer and I got it for $124.99 and the rebate, if they send it (and IF I keep the set) will bring it to the $100 range. I am preparing a review of the set and will put it up here. In short, the set appears to work as designed. The performance level is not that one would be happy with, unless he listens to just the locals. I have been able to force an un-lock of HD on both of my HD AM locals (820 and 970) by rotating the supplied external loop, and these are high power stations within 5 miles. On FM I have had variable lock on WUSF and WSJT both of which are local market stations (and ones I listen to). This with the included external antennas (wire). WSJT will not lock at all if I am downstairs. WUSF is the only one I have found with a -2 secondary, but I need to check more on FM. When I got the RS set I had to ask where, and if they had it. Not prominently displayed. This is the RS in the Citrus Park Mall. My task yet to do is try the set in my truck with the inverter, head out of town, and see what kind of daytime coverage radius I get. Not expecting much. However aside from the HD issue, the audio on the set is not bad for its size. It has an AUX IN jack which works well with my digital hand held recorders, which actually is a feature I am finding quite useful. The basic audio on this set is good enough that it is hard to hear the blend from nonHD to HD in FM. On AM the change is basically an increase in high-end and in separation, but the artifacts do show up on voice a bit. WMGG's music format shows the HD somewhat better that WFLA's talk. I think HD is being wasted on a talk station, unless you position your head right at the set. It's interesting that the RS product seemed to appear quite rapidly while the long-ballyhooed Radiosophy is still in near-vaporware status AFAIK. The RS is being made in China (if anyone had any doubts). (Bob Foxworth, Tampa FL, ABDX via DXLD) FIRST LISTEN: RADIO SHACK'S $99 HD RADIO --- Entry by Sean Ross http://www.edisonresearch.com/home/archives/2006/11/first_listen_ra_1.php I'd been ready to buy an HDRadio receiver about six months ago -- shortly after an industry-wide offer went out making a Boston Acoustics radio available for about $200. I decided to wait after a friend familiar with the receiver warned me off. In Somerville, N.J. -- 50 miles from New York and 60 from Philadelphia -- I wouldn't be able to pick up the HD signals of FM stations in either market or their multicast channels. Wait for a radio with improved reception, I was told. So I waited. When word went out that Radio Shack was going to be selling its Accurian Table Top HD Radio for $99 on the Friday after Thanksgiving, I e-mailed my contact again. This time, I was told, I could count on receiving at least the New York stations with the antenna that was provided with the radio. (Boston Acoustics owners had complained of having to string their own.) The day after Thanksgiving, I went to http://www.RadioShack.com to see if the Accurian was indeed on sale for $99. There was no mention of it on the homepage. There was no obvious place to click to on the homepage, for that matter, since the pulldown for "portable music" offered you CD players, MP3 players, boomboxes, portable radios (smaller ones), satellite radios, and accessories. I found the Accurian sale ($125 with a $25 mail-in rebate) through a Google search, although I later found out that using the site search would have worked, too. At the Radio Shack I went to, the salesman was indeed aware of the special -- an improvement, by the way, over the early days of satellite radio when the first Circuit City salesperson I spoke to was barely conversant about it. But he had to walk around the store with me to find the display unit; still an improvement, the Circuit City salesperson had only been able to hand me a brochure. But the Radio Shack salesman couldn't play me the Accurian -- it wasn't plugged in and, he told me, didn't get any reception inside the store. I bought the Accurian anyway -- the last one in stock, he told me. Had he sold any others today? "Somebody must have bought one. It's the last one," said the salesman. (HD Alliance CEO Peter Ferrara tells Inside Radio this morning that Radio Shack was "overwhelmed with the sales" of the Accurian over the weekend.) The first place I tried the radio was at home in Northern New Jersey, 23 miles from the Empire State Building. I started with the smaller of two antennas that came with the radio -- the second one recommended for "more remote areas." I used the station lists at http://www.HDRadio.com to guide my tuning. (There are two different station lists -- by state and alphabetical by market -- neither listing every station on the other.) With the first antenna, I could get only 10 of the at least 16 stations HD-2 multicast channels listed for my area. Of those multicast stations that I could pick up, at least three signals could be described as in-and-out, including WKTU New York's Country HD-2 channel, which, had I been a non-industry person, would probably have been my primary motivation for buying the radio. When the digital signal on an HD-1 channel goes away, it defaults to the analog signal. When the digital signal on HD-2 disappears, so does the station. At least four multicast stations, advertised on the HDRadio homepage, appeared not to exist. I got the primary signal in HD, but no option for a second station. I have since confirmed with the stations that at least three of those stations are not yet up and running. One other station's multicasters were off the air over the weekend but are now back on. So I tried the second antenna. Now WKTU-2 came in a little better -- still not consistently, but I lost at least two other stations -- WNYC New York's HD-2 and HD-3 channels. Eventually, I let the antenna go slack instead of stringing it up and WKTU-2 finally came in consistently. Just as well, since I could never have actually gotten away with stringing the antenna across the living room like that. On the other hand, just using the Accurian's basic FM antenna gave me much improved FM reception than what I was used to at home. Ironically, I was able to pick up other Country FMs, including some that were two hours from me. Then I brought the radio to work. At my desk, I was unable to pick up the New York or Philadelphia stations with either antenna. Two stations from closer markets turned out to be not broadcasting in HD yet, after all. That left me with only one choice in HD, nearby WAWZ (Star 99.1) Zarepath, N.J., a few miles away, and its HD-2 channel. The experience was not unlike an earlier test drive of the Boston Acoustics model from Central New Jersey that had failed to pick up New York, Philly, or much of anything. One of the ironies of having reception issues in Somerville is that it's not a town where one wants for radio reception. Roughly 80% of both New York and Philly stations are available -- the only issue is those that are short-spaced to each other -- and there are also stations from nearby Trenton, N.J., Allentown, Pa., and the Monmouth/ Ocean, N.J., market as well as a few locals. And while I'm waiting for the e-mail that explains that I'm not in the primary service contour for most of these stations, their reception on a regular radio at my desk is more than acceptable. As a non-engineer, I would not try to write authoritatively about the Accurian's sound quality, except to say that I was somehow expecting the head-rush of loudness of, say, the THX "the audience is listening" movie trailer. What I heard lacked the fullness of even the average FM station -- as if the primary goal was to demonstrate CD-style clarity. I even managed to stumble across Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass' "A Taste Of Honey" on WCBS-FM-2 -- a swinging '60s instrumental that should have been a great audio showcase. But that didn't have any particular punch here. And one multicast channel, WQHT-2, was roughly half the volume of its HD-1 sister. Okay, in case any of HD's regular critics or satellite radio competitors are gloating now, I should point out that I still put up with a certain amount of signal drop-outs and futzing around with the antenna to listen to my Sirius Satellite Radio as well. If I'd felt like I were getting a lot of station options, or even one must-have station, it wouldn't have mattered. But in a market with multiple choices, there were frustratingly few new ones. Of course, much of what I did hear on HD-2 was content that I'd heard before from stations that also stream on the Web. But hearing the programming over a radio instead of computer speakers brought home a few points, and allows me to end with some advice for targeting anybody who did buy a HDradio this month. If you were given Sirius a year ago, you had the countdown to Howard Stern to build excitement. If the industry indeed believes that the greater availability of receivers at an attractive price point is finally putting HDRadio under more chimneys this holiday season, it's time to gear more programming to those people. Of the multicast stations I encountered over Thanksgiving weekend, only WCBS-FM-2's Oldies format was offering any sort of special countdown or anything that differed from what one might have heard a week (or month) earlier. For the same reason, stations should devote more promo inventory to explaining the advantages of HD-2, welcoming listeners to the club, and congratulating them on being early adopters. HD-1 stations that promote HDRadio should mention that listeners are getting the radios for the holiday. And there should be some way for listeners to interact with the new stations and each other; what fun is joining the club if you can't talk to somebody about it? Just as stations run the audio of their TV spots as an on-air promo, more HD-2 multicast channels should try to reflect the "secret stations" marketing heard in some of the institutional advertisements for HDRadio, and try to capitalize on the mystique that those promos hope to create. Stations should also try to show off HD-2 with more audiophile programming. Early FM had music that was worth hearing in FM stereo. I'm guessing that in 2006, that's more likely to be Tool than Herb Alpert for many consumers. The multicast channels should be high-concept and deliver on it. As with satellite radio, I'm not in favor of stations so narrow that they're claustrophobic, or so obscure that they're of interest only to a collector, but I've encountered deep cuts stations that weren't so deep and new music channels that weren't so new. As we found out after the first year of satellite radio, wide variety by itself is not enough. But first there has to be tangible variety. This spring's optimism among many programmers about the capabilities of HD-2 multicast stations seemed a little unrealistic. A lot of the programming time and on-air inventory that broadcasters devoted to their HD-2s might then have been better devoted to stations that were being widely heard. With budget and personnel cuts now taking place across the industry, it seems unrealistic that more resources are now going to be devoted to multicast stations. But $99 pricing suggests that HDRadio finally has its driver--and that gives any station broadcasting in HD a renewed responsibility to put on a show for those listeners who do show up (via Kevin Redding, Nov 29, ABDX via DXLD) It's curious how most of the HD radios so far have been one's with their own little speakers. Where are the HD tuners for use in proper stereo/home theatre systems? Makes you wonder why they don't encourage us to listen to HD Radio using a full high-fidelity sound system? Maybe because we'll notice how crappy the HD2 channels sound, or that the main HD channel sound practically the same as the regular old FM? (Bill Hepburn, WTFDA via DXLD) Here it is - the only one I know of. http://www.sangean.com/products/hdt1det.php I keep hoping for it to be released for sale, but so far it hasn't happened. Just under $200. I hope that either it never goes on sale because someone at Sangean realized HD Radio is a waste of their resources or it does go on sale, I spend $200 on it and 5 years from now I can't give it away on eBay because it is of no use. One can only hope! (Bill Hepbrun, ibid.) I received the e-mail from Sangean about the release of: ``Hi Jeff, Just wanted to let you know that Sangean HDT-1 and HDR-1 are scheduled to arrive our warehouse week of 11/27/06 which means we will be shipping that week``(Jeff Rostron, Springfield MA, ibid.) Whose warehouse ? if Sangeans, then they will be shipping to distributors I'd guess. I clicked on the link on J&R's web site to be notified when they arrive. So far nothing (Bill Hepburn, ibid.) I've hooked both the BA Recepter and the Accurian to my stereo system in my office, and my local HD2s sound pretty darned good, actually. As for the HD1 vs. analog main channel comparison, the big difference (at least to my ears) is the dropping out of the noise floor to zero. It also sounds to me as though there's greater stereo channel separation on the HD1 signals. This is one of those things that will vary dramatically depending on how the engineers in any given local market set their processing. They're just learning how to process for HD, and doing it by trial and error in many cases. I'm looking forward to taking the Accurian to Fort Wayne in a couple of weeks to hear WBOI 89.1, which has an HD1, HD2 and HD3 running. Based on my one previous experience with a three-way split of the HD data (on WPLJ New York, on the Accurian this past spring), that's where the compromises on compression rate begin to become audible. But a 64/32 split or a 48/48 split, with the present AACplus-based codec, actually sounds pretty good - much better, to my ears anyway, than the Sirius and XM receivers I've heard lately, and FAR better than the codec for HD AM. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) ###