DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-180, December 5, 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 FIRST SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1339 Wed 2300 on WBCQ 7415 Thu 0000 on WBCQ 18910-CLSB Fri 2130 on WWCR1 7435 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. Re 6-179, R. Tirana websites: The "new" website has been offline for several months already, and is marked as "inactive" in the Media Network hitlist. Following the end of funding for the old site in Austria, my RNW colleague Katherine Farnon, who was at the time Head of RN Interactive, spent two weeks in Tirana helping and advising them on setting up their own site. The new site looked promising, but has never been completed. Unfortunately, it lnow looks as if the website has been the victim of funding cuts as reported in DXLD. The one positive thing for SWLs is that at least Radio Tirana is not in a position to switch from shortwave to the Internet at the moment :-) (Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Dec 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. Frequency change for Radio Tirana in English to U.K. from Nov. 27: 1845-1900 NF 6170 SHI 100 kW / non-dir, ex 1945-20 on 6130 to avoid VOR Fr 1945-2000 on 7465 SHI 100 kW / 310 deg, no change. Very good on both freqs (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** ANGUILLA [and non]. Re Defunct Gene Scott, 6-179: There was no signal from WWCR on 5935 today (Dec. 5) at 0800 tune in - instead I could hear a weak signal from Magadan (Arman) carrying Rossii in parallel with bubbling but strong 7200, and a unID two-way conversation in Italian on 5936 USB. There was propagation from Stateside on 5860 (WHRI), 5890 [5980??] (Martí) and about 5919.9 (WBOH). (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dec. 5 at 2145 UT could not find DGS on any frequency, Anguilla, Costa Rica or WWCR. Now really Defunct Gene Scott? Anyone hear him on any frequency? [Later:] Dec. 6 0015 UT heard on 5030/6150 from Costa Rica, but no others heard (Alex Vranes, Jr., Harpers Ferry, WV, dxldyg via DXLD) Dr. Gene Scott on 6150 from Costa Rica causing QRM to RRI at 01 UT on December 6, 2006. 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, VA, ibid.) And 9725 now blocked by R. Martí at that hour; see U S A. I wonder if OCB prevailed upon Cahuita to callarse during those hours, or just figured they and the DCJC would blow away the blowhard? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** ARMENIA. New time of test transmissions of CVC Int. in English to S Asia from Dec. 1: 0400-0700 on 15515 ERV 100 kW / 125 deg, ex 0430- 0730 to avoid VOA Chinese (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** BURMA [non]. Frequency change for Democratic Voice of Burma in Burmese: 1430-1528 NF 9415 ERV 300 kW / 100 deg, ex registered 9960 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ERV = Yerevan, Armenia ** CANADA. Re: DXLD-179 RCI Action Committee --- Their website is still active at http://www.geocities.com/rciaction/ but doesn't seem to have been updated since 2005. If you want to know the actual situation, rather than speculating, their E-mail address is rciaction @ yahoo.ca (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, Dec 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. I'd like to weigh in on the subject of RCI. You may quote me if you wish. Well, for many many years, long before the current changes, I have thought that one of the most effective things that RCI could do for North America is to put one or two transmitters on for about 18 hours per day, if not 24-7, just relaying the main CBC (now called radio 1). What a great picture of Canada that would give. If they had extra facilities, they might also put on Radio 2, say, from 6:00 to 11:00 PM Eastern. Thus programming would be free, the only expense would be running the transmitters, and a great variety of Canadian programming would be available to all of us. As you know, I grew up listening to CBC (Tim Hendel, AL, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would make far too much sense; and I think there is a lot of ill feeling between RCI and the higher-ups at CBC. RCI people are probably glad to be rid of CBC in their programming (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [and non]. RCI Mandarin to USA, 9610, Dec 5 at 1450 was marred by co-channel, seemingly also in Chinese, but it was clear after 1457. Per HFCC, guess what, CRI is on 9610 switching from Kashi to Xian at that hour. Would not be a problem if RCI had stayed on 9515 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Additional transmissions of Radio Canada International from Nov. 27, all to NAm: 2105-2205 on 6100 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg in French 2205-2305 on 6100 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg in Chinese 2305-0005 on 6100 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg in Spanish 0005-0105 on 9755 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg in English Sun/Mon 0005-0205 on 9755 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg in English Tue-Sat 0105-0135 on 9755 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg in Portuguese Sun/Mon 0135-0205 on 9755 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg in Ukrainian Sun/Mon 0205-0305 on 9755 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg in Chinese 0305-0405 on 9755 SAC 250 kW / 268 deg in Spanish 1205-1305 on 7310 SAC 250 kW / 277 deg in Arabic 1305-1405 on 7310 SAC 250 kW / 277 deg in Spanish 1405-1505 on 9610 SAC 250 kW / 277 deg in Chinese 1505-1605 on 9610 SAC 250 kW / 277 deg in English 1505-1605 on 9800 SAC 070 kW / 268 deg in English DRM 1605-1705 on 9610 SAC 250 kW / 277 deg in Russian 1605-1705 on 9800 SAC 070 kW / 268 deg in Russian Mon-Fri DRM 1605-1635 on 9800 SAC 070 kW / 268 deg in Russian Sat/Sun DRM 1635-1705 on 9800 SAC 070 kW / 268 deg in Ukrainian Sat/Sun DRM 1705-1905 on 9610 SAC 250 kW / 277 deg in English 1705-1905 on 9800 SAC 070 kW / 268 deg in English DRM 1905-2005 on 9610 SAC 250 kW / 277 deg in French 1905-2005 on 9800 SAC 070 kW / 268 deg in French DRM 2005-2105 on 9610 SAC 250 kW / 277 deg in Arabic (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) Like we said ** CANADA. But is US$1 enough for a reply to USA? (gh, DXLD) Reply: Yes. I believe Richard's concerns were overseas reports (Bjarne Mjelde, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, From Canada to USA: 0-30g - CDN$0.89 30-50 g - CDN$1.05 US$1.00 is around CDN$1.15. Regards, (Vincent Ferme, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) Glenn, Here are current postage rates for mailing letters from Canada to the U.S., from the Canada Post website: http://www.canadapost.ca/personal/offerings/lettermail/int/rates-e.asp - Standard envelopes, cards or postcards 0 to 30 g: C$0.89 (about US$0.80 at current exchange rate) 30 to 50 g: C$1.05 (about US$0.92) - Other letter-post (non-standard and oversize) 0 to 100 g: C$1.78 (about US$1.56) 100 to 200 g: C$2.99 (about US$2.62) 200 to 500 g: C$5.98 (about US$5.24) I'm not sure what category QSL cards fall under, tho I suspect it's part of the "standard" category. FYI, it is also possible to buy Canadian stamps online: http://www.shopcanadapost.ca/ (Ricky Leong, Calgary, Alta., ibid.) ** CROATIA. Re 6-179: the item about music on 9830 was from Edwin Southwell, England. Items in that publication are not always individually credited clearly (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1339, DXLD) ** CUBA. Your radio is tuned to Radio Havana Cuba, on one of our short wave broadcast bands frequencies. At present we are using 6060 kiloHertz on the 49 meter international broadcast band in English from 0500 to 0700 hours UT beaming to Eastern North America, but also reaching at times, when propagation is good, up to the United Kingdom, Scandinavia and Germany. We are also using 11760 kiloHertz in English from 0500 to 0700 UT with an omnidirectional 6 dB gain antenna, and are receiving now some nice reports from Australia and New Zealand; and the new 6180 kiloHertz with our 340 degrees azimuth curtain array is beaming to Central North America, from 01 to 07 hours UT too (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Dec 5, HCDX via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. R. Martí has already gone into holiday-greeting mode, e.g. at 1530 Dec 5 on 15330, with Xmas and even New Year wishes a bit early, from various staffers, some of whom, such as technicians, speak Spanish with gringo accents. Then found a new frequency, 11750, at 1536 Dec 5, much stronger than // 15330, 13820 and 11930, and at first seemed jamming-free, but still going after 1600 I could hear it building up, so the DentroCuban Jamming Command is on the ball when it counts. Was interviewing an ex- political prisoner. From the strength, I would assume 11750 is Delano, but audio on all four was synchronized, the others being much more heavily jammed from this perspective. At 1600, 11750 had more holiday greetings. Not rechecked until 1754 when 11750 was off. Could be that R. Martí has decided to try the `floating transmitter` tactic against jamming, showing up on unannounced and unexpected frequencies, e.g. the previous report of their being on 17660 during the 1600 hour which I have not been able to confirm since; and Dec 5 that was just WYFR Portuguese via Ascension as usual (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1339, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also new 9725: U S A * DJIBOUTI. 4780, RTD, 1948-2002*, Dec. 5, Arabic. 2 OM with discussion, listener phone-call. YL and OM sign-off announcements at 1958. NA at 2001. Fair (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Sugar Hill Outlook, Kancamagus Hwy, NH, R75, 150’ longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. HCJB IS on 15295, Dec 5 at 1529, then opening in Portuguese. Remarkably, announced correct frequency, but that`s because it hasn`t changed in years. However, keeping up with DST in Brasil is too much for them: gave time of transmission as 12:30 to 15 hora de Brasília, where the clox now show 1330, even if they`re fooling themselves (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 9704.1, R. Ethiopia, 1936-1948, Dec. 5, Vernacular. OM with brief talks between nice HoA musical selections. Fair with ``hum``. // 7110 - poor (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Sugar Hill Outlook, Kancamagus Hwy, NH, R75, 150’ longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FAROE ISLANDS. Re 6-179: Perhaps Erik can help with this? http://www.uf.fo/les_tidindi.asp?Id=30811 The article (dated 27 December 2005) is about plans of the government to buy a replacement for the aging 200kW MW transmitter from 1990. The initial plan was to buy a 25kW tx to cut down expenses, but then there were strong voices in the parliament to buy again a 200kW tx, since a 25kW unit would not reach all of the Faroese fishery fleet. This Faroese parliament link gives more details and also shows the coverage for each power figure: http://www.logting.fo/logtingsmal/Logtingsmal05/VanligTingmal/012.05Utvarp-Sjonvarp-Sendinet.htm (in Faroese). 73s, Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FIJI. Fiji "Coup" Live --- Thanks to a tip from Brian Smith about this. Fiji is apparently in the midst of a military coup (not unprecedented there). Thanks to the internet I am listening to Radio Fiji Gold (mainly because the other streams were wonky). It`s a bit surreal --- one minute they will be interviewing the Prime Minister who seems for all intents and purposes powerless; then playing Oh Little Town of Bethlehem by Elvis or Radio Gaga by Queen. The Navy has seized all the police boats...the army seized all the police armouries. Instead of traffic reports, they are reporting where roadblocks are. One DJ was reading the latest headlines he grabs off the internet, from BBC and Google... Interesting radio indeed. http://www.radiofiji.com.fj/ [original tagline] To those of you who seek lost objects of history, I wish you the best of luck. They're out there, and they're whispering. - Clive Cussler http://www.doghousecharlie.com (via Fred Waterer, Dec 4, ODXA via WORLD OF RADIO 1339, DXLD) There is a coup in progress in Fiji and there is music and in between songs, they are talking about the coup, about places that were seized, and things seized and the PM who is being tossed was talked about. (Kevin Redding, Dec 4, ABDX via DXLD) Fiji is of course also heavily covered on news from RA and RNZI. I listened to Gold for most of the 1700 UT hour Dec 5, but it was just music and jingles; maybe things will start happening again now after sunrise, if it`s not all over (Glenn, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. ANU Le Buzz, 19160, audible Dec 5 at 1527 check despite solar disturbance, but fluxuating only S4 to S8 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HUNGARY. Frequency changes of Radio Budapest, Italian from Dec. 1: 1730-1758 NF 7145*JBR 100 kW / 225 deg, ex 6025 \\ 3975 2130-2158 NF 5970 JBR 100 kW / 225 deg, ex 6025 *totally blocked by Deutsche Welle in Russian! (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** INDIA. Re 6-179: Distortion of the previous day Dec 3rd on 7331 and 7437 kHz - see above - on AIR Delhi 7410 kHz GOS-IV in English N o t heard today Dec 4th at 1905 UT anymore. But very strong superpower carrier again, ALMOST only 5 to 10 % very poor audio level, listen to the VERY POOR AUDIO on mp3. attachment. [second # 1 to 21] At 22nd second of the recording I switch suddenly to the AIR outlet on 9445 kHz, which has regularly a fine audio signal, and you will hear the b i g difference. There is something wrong with the 7410 kHz unit at Delhi Khampur shortwave site. Around 1900 to 1950 UT, 7410 signal was switched on and off few times by the technicians at Delhi site (wb, wwdxc BC-DX Dec 4) 7410: Today Dec 5th AIR Delhi Khampur signal is STILL very distorted. Around 1815 to 1850 UT produces a wide band distortion signal from 7401 to 7437 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX Dec 5, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. Space Shuttle launch: Here's a fairly recent list of NASA and ham relay HF frequencies. NASA HF Frequencies Air/Ground USB: 3089.5, 6743.5, 9003.5, 11192.5, 15062.5 kHz Emergency USB: 3385, 3395, 4604.5, 6982.5, 14455 kHz NASA NCS USB: 2360, 3379, 3388, 5403.5, 5821, 5961, 6106, 6108, 6809, 9462, 11801, 12129, 12219, 13633, 13744, 13780, 14836, 14989, 14908, 15464, 16201, 1643 [sic], 18744, 20063, 22983, 23390, kHz Note that HF is only used during the launch and recovery phases of the mission and only by the ground/sea/air assets involved eg NASA/USCG/USN/USAF. For mission chatter with the Shuttle itself try:- HF Amateur Radio Rebroadcasts (via WA3NAN Goddard Amateur Radio Club) All frequencies are +/- 5 kHz to avoid QRM LSB: 3860.0 kHz 7185.0 kHz 14295.0 kHz USB: 21395.0 kHz 28650.0 kHz Think STS-116 is currently scheduled for launch this Thursday at 1535 GMT. Cheers (Sparky, UK?, Dec 4, monitoring monthly yg via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. IRAN/LITHUANIA --- New schedule for VOIROI/IRIB via Sitkunai from Dec. 1: 0630-0727 on 7545 SIT 100 kW / 259 deg to WeEu in Italian, no change 1430-1527 on 6250 SIT 100 kW / 079 deg to EaEu in Russian, no change 1730-1827 NF 6255 SIT 100 kW / 259 deg to WeEu in German, ex 6250 1830-1927 on 6250 SIT 100 kW / 259 deg to WeEu in French, no change 1930-2027 NF 6255 SIT 100 kW / 259 deg to WeEu in English, ex 6250 2030-2127 on 6250 SIT 100 kW / 259 deg to WeEu in Spanish, no change (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) As already reported here (gh) ** ITALY [non]. NEXUS-IBA IRRS Shortwave Schedule effective Dec. 1: 1200-1300 Fri 15750, 050 kW / 180 deg to Eu/No&WeAf RRI French 1700-1930 Fri/Sun 5775, 020 kW / non-dir to Eu/ME/NoAf EGR English 1030-1300 Sun 9310, 020 kW / non-dir to Eu/ME/NoAf EGR English 1300-1330 Sun 15735, 050 kW / 090 deg to SoAs/India UNL English 1500-1600 Sun 5775, 050 kW / non-dir to Eu/ME/NoAf UNL German EGR=European Gospel Radio; RRI=Radio Restoration Int.; UNL=Universal Life (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) Strange that transmitter site is omitted here, but believed to be BULGARIA; powers and azimuths at least are shown but vague enough not to downpin it. Nothing but gospel huxters, anyway. Is IRRS no longer running UN Radio or other non-religious shows? (gh, DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. I`ve just listened to the first episode of a 5-part series on Italy, from Ideas on CBC Radio 1: http://radio.cbc.ca/programs/ideas/features/italy/index.html This has some links to audio excerpts. There MAY be a chance to hear a repeat of the entire hour Tuesday at 1805 UT on KXOT in Seattle, but I don`t yet know whether the episodes there always follow the ones the previous night on CBC. http://www.kxot.org 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, playdx yg and bclnews.it, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes! It is the previous night`s program starting about 1804 UT, dumping out of NPR news early at the optional cutaway. On Mondays I suppose they run Friday night`s program. This Italy series runs five days in a row (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1339, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. Re 6-179 on 6115: Glenn, I noticed that in the last DXLD you had 6115 as NSB. I thought they changed their name. Passport shows it as Radio Nikkei, Tokyo, Nogora. I suspect they screwed up and it should be Nagoya like you had it??? (Bruce in Gresham, OR, MacGibbon, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Bruce, You`re right. I saw NAG in the HFCC list and assumed it meant Nagoya, but it`s actually Nagara (Tokyo) and WRTH shows it as Nagara (Chiba). HFCC also lists it under old name NSB. Tnx for pointing this out. 73, (Glenn to Bruce, via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. Radio Kuwait in Arabic observed: 0200-0705 on 11675 KBD 500 kW / 250 deg to NoAm, ex registered 0200-0530 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** LIBYA [non]. SW transmissions for LJBC Voice of Africa, according to monitoring: 0700-1158 on 15235 15415 in Arabic (news in Swahili/ Hausa/ English/ French from 1138) 1130-1530 on 17660/17665 Afro / pop music >>> Jammer for Sawt Al Amal 1200-1358 on 17600-17695 in Arabic, 2 txs >>> Jammer for Sawt Al Amal 1200-1358 on 17725 21695 in Swahili 1400-1558 on 17725 21695 in English 1600-1658 on 11965 15220 15660 in French 1700-1758 on 9885 11860 11965 in French till Feb. 24 1700-1758 on 11965 15220 15660 in French from Feb. 25 1700-1858 on 7215 in Arabic 1900-2158 on 7205 in Arabic 2200-2358 on 7320 in Arabic 1800-1858 on 9885 11860 in Hausa till Feb. 24 1800-1858 on 11860 15660 in Hausa from Feb. 25 1900-1958 on 11860 15660 in Hausa (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) Transmitter site suppressed, but surely Issoudun, FRANCE as usual, with the typical TDF change dates of Feb 24/25 (gh) ** MADAGASCAR. RADIO NETHERLANDS - MADAGASCAR RELAY STATION The Land, its Climate and People Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, measuring 592,000 square kilometres, lying more or less between the latitudes 12 and 26 degrees south within the tropical belt, and to the east of the African coast, separated from the continent by the Mozambique channel or strait. The overall length is about 1300 km and the average width is about 400 km. Madagascar lies in the tropical climate zone. Its east coast is influenced by the trade winds, without any specific dry season. The temperatures range between 18 and 33 degrees centigrade. The west coast has a dry winter season, 37 degrees C. The islands southern most part is a semi-desert. The upland plains are marked by wet summer monsoons and temperature between 18 and 30 degrees centigrade --- a lovely climate with abundant vegetation. At the Indian Ocean end of the island the country is protected by the cyclones or hurricanes prevalent this area. Behind the ridge are the "hauts plateaux", the upland plain between 550 and 2300 meters above sea level. In the westerly direction of the landscape's profile gradually slopes down, so that on the African side of the island we find a lowland area, which borders the sea. The population of Madagascar numbers approximately 12 million and it is plain to see that originally they hail from Polynesia, Indonesia and Arab countries. This is mainly noticeable on the central plain, which is the most densely populated area of the island. In the coastal districts a strong African influence can also be noticed. Since the 26th June 1960 the island has been a republic headed by a president. The Repoblika Malagasy (the official name) has the capital Antananarivo as its government centre, a city with about 1,200,000 inhabitants built amidst in a magnificent hilly landscape, in which forests, pastures and rice plantations can be seen. Economy The mainstay of the country's economy is agriculture. There is also considerable stock farming, but as the number of cattle is an indication of the wealth of the owner, little trading is done in this respect. Madagascar is also one of the world's first producers of vanilla and cloves. Tests have shown that the island to be rich in minerals such as graphite, mica, chromium ore, phosphates, quartz, monazite and large deposits have been found of iron ore, coal, bauxite, nickel, copper and cobalt. The most important port towns are Toamasnia on the Indian Ocean, which has been connecting links by the rail and road with Antananarivo and Majunga on the Mozambique Straits, which can be reached, from Antananarivo by car. Another important asset for a country like Madagascar, which is in the process of full development are the many airfields. There are 100 of these with Ivato (the capitals airport) falling in the international category. RNW Relay Station in Madagascar The Radio Netherlands relay station is situated with in a few miles from the island's capital Antananarivo. The main objective of the relay station is to improve the reception conditions in a number of listening target areas. The great congestion of shortwave transmitters in the International SW broadcasting bands makes it necessary for the stations which want to be heard should make use of strong transmitters in appropriate locations. The Madagascar relay station is used to serve the countries of Africa, the Indian Sub continent, the Middle East and South East Asia as well as Indonesia and Western Australia. [and even S & Central America as previously discussed here --- gh] All these areas are within a radius of 10,000 kilometres and can be reached quite well from Madagascar on shortwave throughout the entire year. Radio Netherlands` negotiations with the Malagasy Government were successfully concluded in 1967 and the official go-ahead from the Royal Nederland Government were received a year later. The relay station is situated some 20 kilometres northeast of Antananarivo and is equipped with the most modern material. There are two digital controlled Philips shortwave transmitters with a carrier power of 300 kilowatts each. These transmitters are being used as much as possible to broadcast two programmes parallel during 17 hours per day. But as per the latest information in World Radio TV Handbook this relay station has been upgraded few times in the past few years and now consists of 6 shortwave transmitters including 2 x 50 KW, 1 x 250 KW and 3 x 350 KW units. Radio Netherlands also carry a number of relay services for other stations such as Deutsche Welle, Radio Sweden and Radio Canada International on an exchange basis. The Madagascar relay station also avails air time to clandestine broadcasters such as Voice of Tibet beaming towards the Tibetan exiles in India, Voice of the People targeting the Zimbabweans, Radio Nile [now suspended] aiming the Sudanese population and Democratic Voice of Burma beaming towards the democratic aspirators in Myanmar. The Madagascar relay station consists of 13 antennas, eleven of which are three band antennas and designed to transmit in the three adjacent shortwave bands. These antennas consist of self-supporting towers between which an array of horizontal dipoles has been erected. Depending on the main directions of radiation required, a ground reflector network or a second dipole array has been built behind this first network. The height of such a shortwave antenna depends on the wavelength used. For the lower frequency bands antennas of about 110 meters high have been built in Madagascar. In order to further increase the efficiency of the antennas a system is used whereby the main direction of radiation can be varied over a azimuth of 15 degrees to the left or to the right of the nominal direction. This horizontal beam slewing is a technical refinement in antenna techniques. The antenna site has been designed and developed by Brown Boveri. The connection between the relay station and the studios in Hilversum in the Netherlands is effected by means of telecommunication satellite of the Intelsat system. The Madagascar relay station has started its test transmission in 1971 and in the beginning operated mainly by Dutch engineers. Nowadays all staff except one are all Malagasy people, trained and qualified to solve every problem in the technical and operational field. Radio Netherlands Madagascar station verifies reception reports on the relay broadcasts with a large full data folder QSL for reports mailed directly to them. They also use colourful Madagascar stamps on the envelope for postage. Mr. Rahamefy Eddy, the technical manager at RNW relay station is also a ham radio operator with the call sign 5R8FT. Reception Reports or technical matters concerning Madagascar relay can be mailed to: Mr. Rahamefy Eddy, Technical Manager, Radio Nederland Relay Station, P O Box 404, Antananrivo-101, Republic of Madagascar. E-mail: rneddy @ iris.mg Courtesy Most of the information has been taken from the QSL folder received from RNW Madagascar relay station. References are also made to the World Radio Television Handbook 2006 for latest transmitter information and Danish SW Clubs International Clandestine List for the information about Clandestine Stations using relay timing from Madagascar [Compiled by T.R.Rajeesh, VU3PIK (WDXC Member # 2504) for Contact Magazine, the monthly DX Digest of World DX Club in Northampton, England, Dec via DXLD] ** MEXICO. Re 6-177: The very long piece in Spanish, interviewing Dolores Béistegui, includes a pertinent paragraph which I herewith translate: WHY WAS RADIO MEXICO INTERNATIONAL TERMINATED? Spending can be synonymous with investing; that is, making expenditures is not necessarily a bad thing, but if it is a project which is going nowhere, it seems to me a scandal, an extravagance. RMI was a SW project which functioned with seven transmitters, five of which were ailing. To rehabilitate them would have cost 60 megapesos, while the entire ``redimensioning`` [of IMER] cost 120. The proportion was brutal; we would have needed 60 additional megapesos, to arrive at who knows what because no one listens to SW. We are part of a federal government project; who uses SW any more in the federal government? Radio Education has one which works very well, and Radio UNAM. Thus it seemed to me better to assist them, instead of developing my own project, for which I did not have the resources nor a plan, because about RMI I never knew exactly what we were referring to, so the Laplanders could listen to us? Or what was the reason for broadcasting abroad, while people abroad listen to radio by internet? We cancelled the project and sent the transmitters to Radio UNAM. [translated by Glenn Hauser for DX LISTENING DIGEST) [original:] ¿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 (via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Looking for XEYU, Radio UNAM, testing as planned on 9600: Dec 5 at 1445 UT tuned in and found a weak het or tone, much like yesterday at 1957. But the het went off at 1500. Then I tried to measure the remaining weak carrier. It was close to 9599, and registered 10 over S9 on my generous FRG-7 meter, but much less than neighboring signals from Australia on 9590, Canada on 9610, despite being attenuated by solar flare a few hours earlier. This was on the FRG-7 with E-W longwire, so not favoring this signal from the south. At 1610 I tried measuring the frequency again, and it seemed closer to 9599.4. To do this I used the DX-398 with a few meters of wire inside, barely producing a signal. Never any modulation detectable. If there were, it would be too weak to listen to. I am glad XEYU has the transmitter going again, and hope they will be able to improve the signal and allow us to hear Radio UNAM programming on SW (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1339, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Buscando a XEYU en sus pruebas proyectadas por 9600: el 5 de diciembre a las 1445 TU encontré una señal débil con tono o heterodino, parecida al de ayer a las 1957. Se fué el tono a las 1500, con el cierre de otra emisora, y entonces me puse a medir la frecuencia: bien cerca de 9599 en vez de 9600, también igual a ayer. Utilizando receptor FRG-7 con hilo largo de unos 25 o 30 metros, dirección este-oeste, y así no favoreciendo a tales señales del sur. En el metro-S bien generoso, alcanzaba a 10 dB sobre S9, pero al oído muy fraco, y mucho menos de sus vecinos Canadá en 9610 y Australia en 9590, aunque atenuados por la erupción solar algunas horas antes. Otra vez a las 1610 medí la frecuencia, esta vez cerca de 9599.4. Para esto, utilicé el DX-398 con antena interior, produciendo señal casi inaudible. De todos modos, nunca bastante para escuchar aún si fuera modulada con programación, nunca detectada. Me alegra saber que XEYU trata de regresar a la OC, y espero que puedan mejorar la señal a llevarnos los programas de Radio UNAM (Glenn Hauser, Enid, Oklahoma, EE UU, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. Still no DRM audible from RNZI despite their new schedule showing it, on 7145 before or after 1500 UT Dec 5, when RA was still audible in analog on 7240 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re 6-179 revised Dec 5 sked: Azimuth items on website differs a little bit: http://www.rnzi.com/pages/listen.php (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Strange ongoings at KTBO, ch 14, the TBN affiliate in OKC. It was off the air for a few days, certainly not missed here, and would not have been noticed were it not on cable 3 in Enid, the default output of VCR! Then at 0430 UT Dec 5, during Benny Hinn (wretch, puke!) it`s back on but video only, no audio carrier but noise! However, they have compensated for this by inserting what is normally closed captioning onto the picture as open captioning. If you also turn on your own set`s captioning, you get the same thing overlain and synchronized but in a slightly different position on the screen. It`s never dawned on them to inform gospel addicts on the screen that they can hear the audio on KTBN 7505 or 15590! By the next evening, ch 14 audio had resumed. OKC affiliates continue to show no respect for their viewers or their networks after the 10 pm local news. For no obvious reasons, other than cramming in more commercials, both KFOR-4 and KOCO-5 joined almost a sesquiminute late Jay Leno and Nightline, respectively, after 0435 UT Dec 5. But KWTV-9 hit Letterman on time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. VISITA A RADIO HUANTA 2000 --- Relato de Héctor Álvaro Gutiérrez, Lima, Perú en su gira DX realizada recientemente Visita a Radio Huanta 2000, 24 octubre 2006. En las últimas horas antes de partir a San José, entré andar en Huanta y sus atractivos. Fui a la parte ligeramente alta de allí, en la ladera de los cerros. Observé una antena bastante alta (la torre); pensé que al estar en un lugar estratégico, podría ser la antena de Radio Huanta 2000. Bueno, le pregunté a unas personas que conversaban por allí; me dijeron que las antenas son de Radio Huanta 2000. Al mirar, la está sobre un terreno de cultivo, se observa un 2do piso recién construido. Una de las antenas es una torre bastante alta; la otra es un dipolo que está sostenida por mastiles metálicos bicolores. El cable de bajada llega justo a una las casas de 1 piso de material rústico. Al fondo se observan cerros. Después de esto, llegué a la oficina (área comercial) de Radio Huanta 2000. En la entrada estaba una van con propaganda de la radio. Si se observa bien, se podrá ver encima del techo de tejas, la parte de una anterior torre, que hace tiempo había sido retirada (parece que la señal de VHF-FM antes salía de aquí), la oficina comercial tiene solo 1 piso del tipo antiguo. En la entrada la pared tiene 2 colores; se ve en la parte superior que dice: Radio Huanta 2000 ¡ una experiencia ... bienvenido! Al entrar aquí observo algunos stickers de Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, REE, Artic Club y algo de Australia. Entre otros dentro, se está escuchando la programación de VHF-FM a travez de una radio multibanda Sony de la serie 7600 analógico. Conversando con la Sra. que me antendió, me cuenta que reciben muchas cartas, e-mails y así también postales. Le pregunto sobre las antenas y la programación; me dice que las antenas de onda media y Onda Corta están en otro lugar y que solo la de FM está en el edificio a solo una cuadra de la oficina de Radio Huanta 2000. Lamentablemente no tiene ni un sticker, pero la alegría de estar allí y conversar un poco es valorable. La sra. dice que sí se puede entrar al edificio, es decir a la cabina misma de Radio Huanta 2000 en plena transmisión. (ésta entre el 3er piso). Al llegar aquí en el vidrio de entrada, se aprecia Radio Huanta 2000, así también muchas torres de CDs. Dentro de aquí los locutores te permiten observar la cabina en sí; me doy cuenta que el locutor está enviando saludos y a la vez revisando los e-mails; en su costado tiene varios papeles con saludos por enviar. Entre pausas pone la música al click de la PC. Desde el ventanal de la cabina se ve el mercado principal de Huanta y sus alrededores. Fue así como le pregunté al locutor el Sr. Rómulo sobre por qué ayer no escuché (23 octubre) a la radio en onda media 1160 kHz y me respondió en detalle (grabado). Por otro lado de la cabina tiene un vidrio rectangular a modo de cuadro en el piso, con muchos stickers de varias radios como: Radio Nederland Wereldomroep, REE, etc. Agrupaciones DX también. (en el techo/azotea está la torre con base ancha de VHF-FM de la emisora / la antena). Quedaba algo de tiempo para comprar algunas cosas y visitar a Radio Cultural Amauta. Después se partiría a San José. Radio Huanta 2000, Jirón Gervacio Santillana 455, Huanta - Perú. telefax 322105. FM / O.M. / SW. Héctor Álvaro. Cortesía CONEXION DIGITAL N* 396 ARGENTINA (via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** PERU. Re 6-177: ``5069.98, presumed, Onda del Suroriente, 2251- 2258, Nov 28, Spanish. OM with 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)`` I should point out that these logs are no longer possible, or likely, since from Dec 1 WWCR is switching from 12160 to 5070 an hour earlier at 2200 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. Frequency changes for Radio Veritas Asia from Dec. 3: 0000-0027 NF 9510 PUG 250 kW / 280 deg, ex 12000 in Sinhala 0030-0057 NF 11870 PUG 250 kW / 280 deg, ex 11710 in Hindi (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Frequency changes of Radio Romania International: 1200-1256 on 11790 TIG 250 kW / 307 deg, additional in German 1600-1626 NF 7170 TIG 050 kW / 235 deg, ex 6175 in Aromanian 1630-1656 NF 7170*TIG 050 kW / 260 deg, ex 7135 in Italian * co-ch BBC in Sinhala (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Not only the AIR 7410 outlet has a terrible signal tonight. After the solar flare this UT morning, also V of Russia Novosibirsk 7340 kHz in French produces a spurious signal on 7377.22 to 7385.22 kHz on the upper flank, but not on the lower side. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Dec 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RWANDA. 6055, R. Rwanda, 2036-2053, Dec. 5, French/Vernacular. YL taking listener phone-calls between various French and vernacular pop music bits. Several IDs in passing. Fair/good (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Sugar Hill Outlook, Kancamagus Hwy, NH, R75, 150’ longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. UZBEKISTAN, Frequency change of FEBA Radio in Urdu/Hindi/Nepali from Dec. 1 1400-1500 NF 7365 TAC 100 kW / 131 deg to SoAs, ex 7145 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Correction for Brother Stair TOM in English Sun-Fri via TDF: 2100-2200 on 7310 GUF 250 kW / 040 deg to WeEu till Feb. 24, on 9785 from Feb. 25 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) Unusual for BS to contract for anything so far into the uncertain future of the Last Days; has he an escape clause? (gh, DXLD) ** SWEDEN. Frequency change for Radio Sweden International in Swedish from Nov. 29 to avoid Kol Israel: 1645-1715 NF 11975 HBY 500 kW / 190 deg Mon-Fri, ex 11605 1645-1700 NF 11975 HBY 500 kW / 190 deg Sat/Sun, ex 11605 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via WORLD OF RADIO 1339, DXLD) ** TAIWAN [non]. FRANCE (non). Winter B-06 of Radio Taiwan International via TDF: 1800-1900 on 3965 ISS 250 kW / 345 deg to WeEu in English 2100-2200 on 3965 ISS 250 kW / 050 deg to WeEu in German 2200-2300 on 3965 ISS 250 kW / 345 deg to WeEu in Chinese 2100-2200 on 7135 ISS 500 kW / 190 deg to NWAf in French 1400-1500 on 9720 ISS 500 kW / 050 deg to CHN in Chinese 1600-1700 on 9785 ISS 500 kW / 075 deg to SEAs in English till Nov.24 1600-1700 on 11995 ISS 500 kW / 075 deg to SEAs in English from Feb.25 1700-1800 on 11850 ISS 500 kW / 160 deg to CSAf in English 1300-1500 on 15430 ISS 500 kW / 060 deg to RUS in Russian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) Another occasional outpointing that DX Mix uses non in the opposite way I do. The programs originate in and are about Taiwan, but are transmitted from elsewhere. That makes it TAIWAN [non] according to my approach, not FRANCE (non) (gh, DXLD) ** TURKEY. Frequency change for TRT Voice of Turkey in Turkish to AUS from Dec. 8: 0900-1155 NF 17605 EMR 500 kW / 112 deg, ex 17650 to avoid CRI in French/Chinese 1000-1355 on 17605 EMR 500 kW / 112 deg, from Jan. 1 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Live from Turkey, Dec 5 at 1950-2020 heard on webcast: once again no callers, and they lamented that none came in last week either; chat about how bad things are going in Iraq, messed up by US intervention, with music breaks (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. EDWIN SOUTHWELL in exchanging letters reminds those who may be attracted to music played in London night spots between 1928 (when electronic recording of gramophone records had become standard) and the end of WW2, can be heard just after 10pm Sunday nights on BBC Radio 2. Although much has been copied onto LP's and later, discs, quite a few selections are the original 78's from the BBC record library. Some tunes have a bounce, others have a swing. After the top of the hour three minute news slot there is time for seven standard 78's, eight if a couple of the smaller 8 inch records are used and chatter is cut down to a minimum in the allocated hour-hour. Thereafter until 11 pm it`s American bands from c-1935 till post WW2, maybe a bit noisy for some (Dec World DX Club Contact via DXLD) So what is this programme? BBCR2 online schedule for Dec 3 shows: 22:00 Malcolm Laycock --- Celebrating the age of swing with music from the dance bands and big bands of Britain and America. And the next one looks to be also of interest: 23:00 The David Jacobs Collection --- The greatest songs and performances from Hollywood, Broadway and Tin Pan Alley. Plus the Weekly Common Denominator (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. RUSSIA(non), Frequency changes for WYFR Family Radio: 1200-1300 NF 7495 IRK 250 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in Vietnamese, ex 7175 1300-1400 NF 7495 IRK 250 kW / 180 deg to SEAs in English, ex 7175 1600-1700 NF 7430 SMF 250 kW / 131 deg to WeAs in Persian, ex 7520 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Additional transmissions for WYFR Family Radio via VT Communications: 1900-2000 on 7160 DHA 250 kW / 330 deg to WeEu in English 1900-2000 on 9685 DHA 250 kW / 285 deg to NoAf in French (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. Some changes of IBB: Hindi from Dec. 1: 0030-0100 on 7135 and 9510, cancelled 1600-1700 NF 9760, ex 9645 Serbian from Dec. 3: 2030-2100 NF 5955, ex 7125 Spanish Radio Martí from Dec. 4: 0000-0300 NF 9725, ex 11725, re-ex 11775 [what about DGS Costa Rica?? Yes, RM plus jamming at 0040 UT check Dec 6 on 9725 --- gh] Urdu Radio Aap Ki Dunyaa from Dec. 1: 0100-0200 NF 6100, ex 5985 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) Why suppress the sites? (gh) ** U S A. Hi Glen[n], I just wanted to drop you a note and let you know that after many years of working to get WLIO-DT channel 8 on the air, the project will come to an end next Monday, December 11th. The antenna that I designed finally arrived after nearly a year of development, and the transmitter is in. The crew arrived today and we're starting to put the antenna up. Originally WLIO-DT was supposed to be on channel 20 with 50,000 watts of power. But I re engineered it for channel 8 with 27,500 watts of power at 455 feet. We've been operating with an STA since nearly 2002, running 437 watts at 160 feet. The coverage of the new signal doubles that of our analog station WLIO channel 35 which runs 661,000 watts. In case any TV DXers catch the signal, I will verify any reception reports which I can validate through our logs for either the 8.1 or 8.2 transmissions. Reports can be sent to Frederick Vobbe (VOE' bee), Vice President and Chief Operator, WLIO Television, 1424 Rice Avenue, Lima OH 45805. E-mail: w8hdu @ wlio.com Fax 419-229-2756. I also verify any reports submitted for our UHF station, or the UHF radio links in the 450 band. FYI, in a few weeks I should have pictures on our web site for the engineering dept, HTTP://WWW.WLIO.NET (Fred Vobbe, Dec 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN. Frequency change of Vatican Radio in DRM: 1200-1300 NF 13770 SMG 060 kW / 300 deg to NoAm, ex 13750 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 5 via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. 3396, presumed ZBC, 2010-2032, Dec. 5, Vernacular/ English. Martial music and OM in language at tune-in. Different announcer at 2015 with English pop music; ``It`s so Easy (to fall in love)`` and cover of ``Love Hurts``. Weak/poor with constant ``helicopter-like`` QRM (Scott R. Barbour Jr., Sugar Hill Outlook, Kancamagus Hwy, NH, R75, 150’ longwire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. MDC ALLEGE POLICE & CIO CONFISCATING SHORTWAVE RADIOS COUNTRYWIDE --- By Lance Guma 05 December 2006 http://www.swradioafrica.com/news051206/radios051206.htm On Monday we covered the story of how Central Intelligence Organisation operatives, with the help of police in the Mataga growth point, are confiscating radios distributed by the Radio Communication Project. The radio project is meant to help rural communities in remote parts of the country access external radio broadcasts, independent of state propaganda. On Tuesday however the spokesman for the Tsvangirai MDC, Nelson Chamisa, told Newsreel the government is targeting everyone with a shortwave radio in the rural areas. He says government deliberately wants to impose, `an iron curtain in the country and contaminate people with their propaganda.' Chamisa says their national office is inundated with complaints from people who have had their radios taken away and their information department is busy compiling a list of all the reported cases. Initially it had been thought radios donated to listening clubs were the prime target but by Tuesday the seizures had become indiscriminate with many people said to have lost their own private portable radio sets. Listening club members are being threatened and told they are selling out the country by listening to `foreign' broadcasts. Several NGO's donated solar powered, wind up radios for the listening clubs and Chamisa says although these are being targeted, the regime now believes it can reduce the number of shortwave radio listeners via a programme of indiscriminate national seizures. In Mberengwa East and the Midlands North province the CIO clearly targeted listening clubs. Several teachers, who are members of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) and had been identified as team leaders, had their radios taken away. They were asked to produce union membership cards before the CIO confiscated the donated radios last week. Police and CIO officers are being accused of trying to block the Radio Communication Project by taking any donated radios under the pretext of investigating `suspicious' content inside. Attempts to distribute 8 radios in Mberengwa East attracted the attention of the CIO in much the same way as happened in Gokwe. Under the Radio Communication Project communities are being organised to train, and take turns as groups, to listen to local and external broadcasts of their choice. Radios are being distributed to key local people who have been identified as such by the communities themselves. Thomas Shoko, one of those who received a radio under the project, had this taken away from him by CIO officers at Mataga growth point last Thursday while Sarudzai Dube, the local Women's Clubs Trainer, also had a radio taken away from her over the weekend. Security agents came to her house while she was away and threatened her child into handing over the radio. Sicino Dube, the Tsvangirai MDC Midlands South provincial chairman, also alleged that Zanu PF youths are helping the CIO by moving around villages and taking the shortwave radios away (SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news via Mike Cooper, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. More on the 1610 and 1020 tone tests --- Re 6-179: Re FCC info on tone testers: Given the three frequencies in the application, this has to be more than just a case of coincidence, wouldn't you say? (Sheldon Harvey, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am a bit curious why all the official FCC, FBI and whatnot inquiries into the location and legality of the recent 1610 and 1020 operations. It's one thing as DXers to try to figure where something is, and that's fine. Bouncing emails and phone calls off governmental bodies for something we have been told is a temporary thing just makes us appear to be busybodies. We haven't been injured at all, and we have no dog in this fight. It's been a bit of fun, frankly. In a week it'll be gone and we can get back to griping about IBOC again. And, were I the engineer who provided a glimmer of info on this only to be wrung out for more, I'd think twice about doing that again. Our loss (Craig Healy Providence, RI, Dec 5, IRCA via DXLD) I hate to tell you this, but the airwaves belong to us, the people, and we have a right to know what is being done with them. Those who apparently have the info about this have been less than forthcoming, and we are entitled to try to find out by any other means available, and that would include FOIA as a last resort. The FCC info I referenced was on their own website, anyway. It`s such a labyrinth, there is no telling what else is in there if only one can find it. And I was not complaining, just asking for info (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was saddened, but not too surprised, to read this morning that someone was denigrating whoever inquired of the FCC as to the source of the tone testing that many of us have been monitoring. The complainer's statements pretty well boiled down to the contention that we shouldn't be tattle-tails to the authorities who were, by definition, the bad guys, and that "anyway, no one was hurt by this." First, I believe that the person who contacted the FCC was inquiring as to the facts as recorded, since we were assured by the member "in the know" who stated that everything was being done with permission. Therefore, the FCC had to know and the individual inquiring was not acting as a tattle tail. However, IMHO, reporting potentially serious illegal activity is a basic responsibility of any and every citizen in a republic, whether it involves the airwaves or any other part of our society. And who are we, any one of us, to determine whether or not anyone was hurt by these surreptitious tests???? What qualified us to be judge and jury??? On the face of it, if I was a listener to KDKA on its southern or eastern fringe zone, I'd likely be mad and feel "hurt" by some corner- cutting corporate "citizen" who apparently didn't give a damn about the listeners, station owners or advertisers who were very likely hurt by these "harmless tests." What about the three stations on 590 that are rather close-in to the probable test site??? What about their rural listeners??? Personally, I'm sick of both governmental bodies and, even more, corporate bad actors, who willingly stick it to the little guy, knowing that they can likely get away with it. What is that famous quote about "The only thing it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"??? (John Bryant, Stillwater OK, IRCA via DXLD) Thanks, John, for your comments. I hate to get involved in such disagreements, but, I wanted to let you know that I agree with you. Had I enough qualitative and accurate information, I would have gone to the commission, as well, at first probably through my local or NY field offices, since I have a relationship with the field engineers at those locations. While as a DXer tracking such mysterious and unexplained signals is indeed fun and a challenge, as a broadcaster I also view it with serious concern. If, as is now thought, a company operating under an experimental license under a government contract that is one thing. But, none of us knew that. I suspected it was a government operation because of the scope, and I mentioned that on this and other DX lists. But, what if it had not been legitimate testing? Suppose it was someone who had just gotten hold of a high power transmitter, and was doing a little "non-legitimate" and illegal experimenting? That creates an entirely different set of dynamics. The best thing in a situation such as we have had in the past two weeks is to gather enough credible and accurate information as you can, and go to the Commission. If it's a large scale government or contractor experimental operation, they are going to know about it. (They may not tell you that, but they will know it.) If it is an overzealous person who got his hands on a high power AM transmitter and is doing some of his own "testing", the FCC is going to want to know about it. And, if it is some sleeper Al Qaeda cell, or other foreign or domestic terrorist group, who has plans on disrupting communications during an attack, then it becomes very serious business. This is not a matter of being a "tattle-tale" -- like ratting out a pirate who is running a 10 watt transmitter. This was a MAJOR disruption to several frequencies on the standard broadcast band over an extremely large segment of the nation. Whoever went to the commission had a legitimate reason to do so. With the FCC's limited financial resources, they often depend upon the public to be their eyes and ears. Complaints, especially complaints of this magnitude, are normally dealt with quickly by most field offices. Filing a complaint or placing an inquiry on something this vast in scope is not snitching, it is being a good citizen, especially in the climate which now exists. 73, (Rene' F. Tetro, Lansdale, PA, USA, IRCA via DXLD) That would be me. When I mention to one of my fellow broadcast engineers that I enjoy listening to distant stations, I often encounter a rolling of the eyes. It seems that the complaints that are issued by DXers against IBOC/Friday Night Football STA/Interference/Non-QSLers/etc paint us as a snippy annoyance in many eyes. If you want to continue to position yourselves in that picture, count me out. PR is important. Credibility is hard to accumulate. If you want to squander that with pointless complaints to the FCC and FBI, then go tilt at the windmill. Just don't do it as a DXer and cost us goodwill. And if the FCC/FBI didn't know? Would they still not be a tattletale? And when we were assured all was above board, what was the point of even doing it? Just to find where the damned thing was? The maps clued us in to that. Is it THAT bloody important?? Sheesh... Potentially serious illegal activity... That's your assessment. Based on what evidence? An unidentified signal? Did you think terrorists were involved? Basic responsibility... And just where is that task assigned to DXers? Judge and jury? The complainers are the ones who decided unilaterally that it was illegal, and therefore worthy of a complaint. My position was to not make noise, especially after we got a hint that it was a legal operation and quite temporary. Remember the story about the kid who cried wolf. Credibility again. And the proper thing would be to contact KDKA and let them deal with it. That's why they have lawyers. Let the lawyers handle it and not make us DXers look like complainers. Somehow I don't think the DX hobby needs to embrace a vigilante mindset. Don't try to shift this to a larger political theme. It doesn't fit. If we heard Al Qaida formulating terrorist plans, then by all means the authorities should know. But to call the FCC, FBI and other groups over a simple temporary test signal is downright silly. Simple question: As an engineer, would you prefer the listener go directly to the FCC or contact you first? Contrary to the Stevie Earle song, the revolution does *not* start now...or here... You can have the last word. Lynn and Patrick [IRCA list moderators] already spend way too much on Rolaids. And my tongue is sore from biting and holding back what I'd REALLY like to say. (Craig Healy, Providence, RI, IRCA via DXLD) I understand what you are saying, Craig. The obvious answer is that, of course, I would prefer they coming to me first. But, the answer in the case of the tone stations is not so cut and dry. If someone had a complaint against WNTP or WFIL, they would be able to contact us, as our call letters are given every few minutes. It would be very easy to determine the source of the interference. In the case of the tones on 590, 1020, and 1610, however, there is no ID. There is no way to determine precisely who the station is, and only an approximation of their location. (By the way, under most experimental licenses in the broadcast bands, ID's are required. I remember this specifically from when Kintronics was testing their Kinstar antenna design on 1680 near Bristol, VA a few years back.) So in this case, with no identification being given, and the plausibility of some "unusual" activity, one has no choice but to go to the commission. I applaud Glenn Hauser's initiative to seek some answers. To be honest, if the tones had continued without any information coming forth, I would have called the commission myself this week. 73, (Rene' F. Tetro, Lansdale, PA, USA, IRCA via DXLD) I can agree partially, but you're answering from the wrong side of the fence. In this case, the people who complained were taking the job of the station that was being interfered with. Let me restate it.. If your station was *receiving* interference, would you prefer a listener contact you or the FCC first? That's what my question was.. I wasn't really thinking about Glenn, but more the person (and I've forgotten who it was) that referenced the FBI for one. If Glenn thinks I had him in mind, I didn't. As a journalist, he has every right to ask questions - and he didn't do it as a DXer which is laudable. Can a DXer sue anyone for received interference? No, of course not. We have no legal standing in these matters. So any complaint or inquiry *as a DXer* is just so much IBOC hiss to the agency and makes us look like busybodies. I want *no* part of that impression. The mere fact that this matter has been brought so far out in the open, and to governmental channels will likely *kill* any chance of cooperation from the organization that is doing it. Had we simply shut up and kept it to the list, there's a possibility that maybe QSLs could have been had, and *maybe* some advance notice issued so we could give signal reports and help with the tests. But NOOOO.... I just hope Kent doesn't suffer any fallout over this. I gotta tell you, if I have any advance info on some sort of testing, I'll be keeping it to myself, thankyouverymuch. Sorry folks. As a broadcast engineer and DXer for a long time, I think y'all shot a big ol' hole in your foot with this one. I'd be curious what the other broadcast engineers who lurk in here think. Drop me a private email. Confidentiality ga-ron-teed, though I may post some general responses received in such a way as they can't be traced back. I would also ask just what business any in here have to lodge a complaint? Unless someone is hiding something, there isn't a person in here with any legal standing to do so. KDKA, sure. A whole mess of 1610 TIS/HAR operators, plus a Canadian station or two? Absolutely. A DXer? No way. So why do it? Why put us in the foreground as a complaining party when we have suffered no damages? I said I'd shut up after my first reply, and I will. Some things needed clarifying (Craig Healy, Providence, RI, IRCA via DXLD) Maybe I missed something here, but I'm not aware that any DX'ers have said that they had "complained" to the FCC. In fact I don't recall anyone other than broadcasters on these lists and a couple of journalists who in fact have even contacted the FCC. So the only answer I can offer to the above is that I agree - nobody. It seems to me that a lot of people posting on this subject are making assumptions -- because they have to given the paucity of reliable and/or verifiable public info. I don't believe that anyone has, so far, based on what has been posted, gone to the FCC painting themselves as a DX'er. Glenn has some other hats to wear; in two cases the people going to the FCC were broadcasters. Second, there is no evidence yet shown that the FCC had any prior knowledge of what was to take place until they had complaints - one of which may have been from KDKA. Similarly, how is it better or worse for one person to presume illegal activity based on clear and obvious willful interference and no identification as versus another person to presume that everything is legal based solely on one rather fragmented post claiming that was so. I agree that the hobby already has a PR problem of long standing, which will likely never be erased, and that adding to it is a bad thing -- but I'm not convinced that has really happened. I also agree that the airwaves are public and that there was sufficient indication of potential illegal activity for some to feel obligated to report it. But right now, there's a great deal of supposition and not a whole lot of fact (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA ( 360' ASL ), [15 mi NNW of Philadelphia], IRCA via DXLD) Craig & fellow sig-hunters: Another 90s 'legacy', so to speak: Snitch- kulture. Well underway by early 90s, it ramped up when bouffanted slither-tongue dandies 'felt our pain'. People were led to believe that by some magic, if they ratted out their fellow man the system would cheez them. Concur - Report signal to no one. Tell no official agencies. They'll just muck it up. Forget FBI, FCC, NYC Hack Board, Hayes Commission, Captain's Mast, Student Disciplinary Committee, Assistant Headmaster, Coastal Resources Management Council, & other armed hallway monitors. It's fun tracking signals. 1610 et al hurt no one. And compared with that officially sanctioned larcenous abomination called iBLOC? Forget enforcement agencies. Haven't they demonstrated they exist to protect first themselves and next their twilight superiors? Line officers and monitoring guys at FCC enjoy this as much as we do. Unfortunately, their blue-stockinged be-girdled superiors don't. Diagnosis: Carcinoma, societal, metastasized. Prog: Grave Rx: None, make comfortable until expiration. morosely, Dr. Zecchino (PV Zecchino, T.D. Manamorphia Key, FL, IRCA via DXLD) Hmmm. I posted a few days ago about the possibility of A P Hill being involved, as well as maybe FBI Quantico. I had then made a reference to Rt 207 and driving back and forth through then Camp Hill on my college/home travels (US 301 to 1). This is about the time we also speculated on APG, home of the old WGU20 LF site, as something to check out. Unfortunately I seem to have deleted it already, but I commented that this site was a big place, in the context of being able to hide a station away from the roadway, as Dismal Swamp would also offer. Anyone remember seeing this? This area is pretty well "off the beaten path" now that I-95 is in service. Not that it matters, I just feel the need for "bragging rights" for being one of few who remember this (then and maybe still) god-forsaken area. I am not saying that THIS is the mystery site. But it would have a lot to offer if you want to stay physically hidden. Can't hurt to bring this point out again, I suppose (Bob sent 1018 est Foxworth Dec 5, IRCA via DXLD) Just for kicks, I'd like to point out that on Google maps, there is an area south of Norfolk called "U. S. Navy Northwest Radio Station." It is on the NC/VA border off of Ballahack Road between Highway 68 and the previously mentioned Dismal Swamp Park, the latter being named after Walt Dismal. Glad to help (Pete Taylor, Tacoma, WA, IRCA via DXLD) Unlikely - Northwest off Ballahack Road was USN Security Group HF elephant cage antenna & collocated HF DF activity. My understanding is that is was stupidly closed by our 90s 'Techno Czar' who thinks 'HF data rate too slow' - projective thought if ever there were. Adjacent, still active, CG Commsta Portsmouth, now called CAMSLANT Chesapeake. CAMSLANT Northwest facility houses receivers, Tech Control, Message Center & admin. Antennas also on site including - when last seen - HF log periodic. Northwest located in swamp straddling NC/VA line, ideal for receiving, electrically quiet. Possible, unlikely, but still...- CAMSLANT companion xmtr site located apx. 25 miles NE at Pungo, VA, near coast. Washington Sectional Aero Chart shows site as closed airfield apx. ten miles S of NAS Oceana. Unsure if ex-NALF Fentress. Can't miss it onna map - circle wX superimposed. CG Pungo, when last seen, no other activities, but mitter here surely wouldn't bug receivers back at Northwest. Collins mitters, unsure model, solid state, red nixie freq readouts, power 5/10 K/snots selectable from Northwest. Dr. Zecchino (PV Zecchino, T.D., Ma'nosoymedico Key, FL, IRCA via DXLD) It seems to me that nobody should question any American's right to seek an answer from the FCC from an obvious strange situation (the 1610/1020/soon to be 590 testing 1 kHz tones). This is a hobby thing that involves the public airwaves, as Glenn mentioned. It wouldn't seem like asking the FCC for such an answer would compromise national security --- as no decent American intends to do that. But, maybe I'm missing something (Tim, IRCA via DXLD) This question is for Kent Winrich. Kent, if you're allowed to say; Can you confirm that this test is connected to the STA for BAE Systems and their "Mobile transmitter"? I notice that they listed the LPB Communications "Omni" solid state transmitter as their proposed transmitter -- so it stands to reason that they felt they had a need to test the antenna and/or system, not the transmitter itself. This matches pretty well with what you've described. Their STA request listed the need for the tests as "simulate overseas operating parameters." This would seem to mean that they felt it would be necessary to conduct a test, and specifically a test that occurred on channels that were already occupied by either legitimate broadcasts and/or jammers. It appears that the initial request for the STA was denied and/or cancelled. It would seem that the contractor could have then obtained authorization for the test via the NIST or other channels. The only difference that I can see between this STA request and what we're all hearing is the frequencies (1595-1605khz) vice 1610khz. Otherwise, it matches nearly perfectly. Kent, can you confirm or deny? 73, (Les Rayburn, N1LF, NRC/IRCA Broadcast Test Coordinator, ibid.) Gents: I took some liberties and posted the 590 map (in anticipation of an actual test) but used the data that has been entered for 1020. If anyone can't hear the 590 because of interference, kindly tell me and I'll remove you from the database so we don't clutter the map. I think for the time-being it is OK to show all the prior entries. Map set to 590, night stations only shown, is at: http://tonnesoftware.com/590.gif Note the target is in the middle of the screen and its latitude and longitude are shown in the lower-left corner (Jim Tonne, Oak Ridge TN, IRCA via DXLD) Hearing tone on 590 kHz, December 5, 2006, 16 UT. S6. Doesn't sound the same, to me, as the 1610 or 1020 tone. Anyone else? 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Manassas, VA, dxldyg via DX LILSTENING DIGEST) No sign of it here earlier or later (gh) Nothing heard here 1700 or 2145 UT re-check near Harpers Ferry, WV, which is probably only 50-miles or so from Manassas. Only on a short time, or re-located to another freq.? (Alex Vranes, Jr., Harpers Ferry, WV, Dec 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So far at 2330Z 12/5, no 1000 Hz test tone heard on 590 kHz, as previous reports predicted. (Nothing heard last night either for those who have inquired.) I'm hearing WAFC Clewiston, FL, and Radio Musical, Santa Clara, Cuba, as would be expected. Only thing anomalous is the occasional Wobbler on R. Musical. I will continue to listen and watch as conditions change (Curt Deegan, Boca Ratón, (southeast) Florida, IRCA via DXLD) Not hearing tone when I rechecked 0123 UT December 6, 2006. Daytime only? Something other than the 1610/1020 tone? 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, dxldyg via DXLD) I have it on good authority that the tones on 1610 and 1020 were for testing Psyops antennas, with 10 kW, and that the 590 test has been canceled following negotiations between FCC and military authorities. Still nothing definite about whether BAE Systems or some other defense contractor was carrying them out, and from exactly where. The BAE contact person listed on the FCC application has not replied to my inquiry. 73, (Glenn Hauser, 0228 UT December 6, WORLD OF RADIO 1339 and DX LISTENING DIGEST) In case you have not had your fill of this topic, here`s another list with lots of discussion, some of it not duplicated, and the archives appear to be open: http://lists.radiolists.net/mailman/listinfo/af (via Powell E. Way, IRCA via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ WORLD RADIO TV HANDBOOK 2007 NOW AVAILABLE We are delighted to announce the publication of the 2007 edition of WRTH. Visit our website at http://www.wrth.com to find out more and to order a copy. I hope you enjoy using this new edition. Our mailing address is: WRTH Publications Ltd 8 King Edward Street Oxford, OXON OX1 4HL Our telephone: +44 (0)1865 514405 Nicholas Hardyman, Publisher (via Alokesh Gupta, Dec 5, WORLD OF RADIO 1339, DXLD) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ THE QUEEN’S ENGLISH IS NO LONGER SO POSH: RESEARCHER Queen Elizabeth II`s famous cut-glass accent, the Queen`s English, is now sounding less upper-class, a scientific analysis of her famous Christmas broadcasts has found. Researchers analysed each of her messages to the Commonwealth since her 1952 accession using digital technology to track the shift in her pronunciation from the aristocratic Upper Received to the less plummy Standard Received. Jonathan Harrington, professor of phonetics at Germany`s University of Munich, wanted to discover whether dialect changes recorded over the past half-century would take place within one person. ``As far as I know, there just is nobody else for whom there is this sort of broadcast archive,`` he told AFP by telephone. He said the aristocratic way of pronouncing vowels had gradually ceased to be a class apart over the decades. ``Her accent sounds slightly less aristocratic than it did 50 years ago. But these are very, very subtle and slow changes that we don`t notice from year to year,`` he explained. ``We may be able to relate it to changes in the class structure.`` He told The Daily Telegraph: ``In 1952 she would have been heard referring to `thet men in the bleck het`. Now it would be `that man in the black hat`. Similarly, she would have spoken of `the citay` and `dutay`, rather than `citee` and `dutee`, and `hame` rather than home. In the 1950s she would have been `lorst`, but by the 1970s lost.`` The queen`s annual broadcast is a personal message to the Commonwealth. A Christmas institution, the 10-minute broadcast is televised at 3:00 pm in Britain as many families are recovering from their traditional turkey lunch. The results were published in the Journal of Phonetics quarterly magazine. (Source: AFP) (December 5th, 2006, 09:56 UTC by Andy. Media Network blog via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ DRM: see CANADA; NEW ZEALAND; VATICAN IBOC TURNED OFF I spoke with the engineer who handles the WBZ IBOC system. He didn't realize the time had shifted and will fix it Thursday (Craig Healy, Providence, RI, Dec 5, IRCA via DXLD) Had been running past sunset KGLP Gallup turns OFF HD. KGLP, according to a friend of mine in Candy Kitchen, says they turned it off. They have had some failures in some of the stuff, so it's off. Their budget was not large for all the stuff, and from what he says I think their new audio processor went out. And being only about 1000 watts on the analog, you can imagine how powerful the HD is. I don't know if it will get put back on. I expect it's not high on their agenda (Powell E Way, Dec 4, ABDX via DXLD) The other day I purchased a Radio Shack Accurian HD radio #12-1686 for $149.99 with a $25.00 mail-in rebate (paid by Ibiuity, no less), and am greatly impressed with its' FM performance. The rebate is good until Jan, 14, 2007 if anyone is interested. I am conducting some tests on the radio and will post the results at a later date along with my impression of the overall radio (John Ebeling, Bloomington, MN WTFDA, via DXLD) REVIEW OF RADIO SHACK ACCURIAN 12-1686 HD RECEIVER BY BOB FOXWORTH I bought a RS Accurian HD radio for evaluation on a promotional sale and rebate which ended last Saturday. I bought it at a R-S store in the Citrus Park Mall, in a factory boxed carton. The young sales clerk knew what it was and did not mistake it for X-M/Sirius, and said they were selling "lots" of them, though I have to put that in some context. They said I could return it within 30 days, which I might yet do. With the rebate this made the net $100, within my pricing model. The box contains the receiver (and remote), power supply, and 1 AM and 2 FM external antennas. The receiver is approx 7.5 inches high x 12 in. wide x 6 in deep (max) and presents a slightly curved panel with 2 speakers, one in each side and a control area in the middle. There was a slight temp. rise from the top air vent. The brick power supply is appx 4-3/4 x 2-1/4 x 1-3/8 inches and accepts a standard PC 3-pin cord on one end and has a cable feeding a barrel connector on the other, which goes to the rcvr. The power supply output rating is DC 5V at 5 A. The receiver tunes AM 530 to 1710 in 10 kHz steps, with a rollover at the ends, and the FM tunes 88 to 108 MHz. The AM loop is a plastic rectangular frame appx 5-3/4 in wide x 5 in high with seven turns of maybe 28 ga stranded wire solenoid wound on the frame. There is no tuning or resonating cap. The two ends of the winding lead to a appx 6-1/2 foot mini coax leadin, terminating in two tinned wire pigtails, heat-shrunk at both ends. These tinned leads are placed into the antenna input pushclips by the user. There is a choice of two FM antennas, either a single unipole of length 4 ft 10 inches, or a dipole (not folded) made of mini twinlead with a feedline of 4 ft 10 inches and the tee is 31 inches each side. Each FM antenna terminates in a F connector and has plastic hanger eyelets. The instruction book is 13 pages, well illustrated and moderately technical at a user level, but has no real technical internal operational receiver info. The rear of the receiver has a 5 VDC barrel jack, a 1/8 inch mini phono jack for Aux In, two pushclips (marked + and Gnd) for the two AM loop wire pigtail leads, and a Fe. F connector for the FM antenna the user chooses. There is no internal antenna provided. The pushclips are like those found on cabineted loudspeakers. The front of the receiver has the following functions: Power (push on/off), LCD display panel with blue backlit characters, rotary volume knob which also supports pushing in for mode (2 AM, 2 FM and Aux in). The 2 AM or FM ranges support hearing two pretuned stations on each band. The volume adjust is detent step rotary tuning, and a bar graph lights up when the volume knob is being changed. The Aux In is a good match for the earphone jack of a hand held digital recorder and provides good sound for one of these devices. Front panel push buttons also include "preset/store", channel-, channel+, tuning-, tuning+, DSP, and Clock. The preset saves your favorite frequencies but again do not survive a removal of the power cord from the wall. Channel mode selects previously preset stations and tuning mode selects any frequency by stepping up or down (10 kHz steps) or can be held in to go to search mode. DSP has five settings, "jazz" "pop" "classic" "rock" and "none" which apparently just adjust the eq and rolloff for different types of music. I believe their usefulness is marginal and to me is somewhat cosmetic as it does not affect the RF environment. The clock displays date and time (12-hour) in an all numeric format on the LCD panel. When AC power is disconnected, the clock does not store the time, and does not reset from any HD data stream, but must be re- keyed each time the AC plug is connected. The clock shows if no "artist" data is being sent. The radio will, however, store the last AM or FM frequency chosen, if the power is removed and reapplied. As the intention is to have the user operate the set with the panel power pushbutton (a relay click is heard) this should not be an issue. A mini-phono headset jack is provided on the front panel, which mutes the speakers, and provides an easy way to get audio recordings from the set. I did not, as of now, attempt using the remote, as it would not add to the electronic behavior of the radio. Radio reception. Testing was done in northwest Tampa. With no AM antenna connected, my locals on 620, 820 and 970 are heard weakly, say s-3 to s-4, and 570 at threshold level. Maybe 10 - 15 dB boost can be had by holding the finger next to the clips and inductively coupling. Using the loop gives good level on these local AM signals but a faint background noise in analog mode is heard. Rotating the loop creates maybe 20 to 25 dB of nulling when the loop is "upright". Laying the loop "flat" reduces pickup substantially. The manual vaguely refers to repositioning the antenna if the signal is weak, but has no explanation of proper loop positioning. Many "open" (daytime) AM channels showed varying types of slight to substantial complex noise, which defies simple description, but serves to partially mask weak AM signals. Test frequencies such as 590 or 640 (Habana, Cuba), WRZN 720 or WWBF 1130 were heard with substantial degradation in s/n ratio compared to reception with test analog receivers. The type of noise would vary by frequency, being birdies, rumbling or grinding. The test for sensitivity on these weak signals showed many were uncopiable or at marginal audible copy, when they could be copied with little difficulty on sets such as the DX-398 "barefoot", due apparently to the reduced antenna gain and the higher noise floor. There is a very long AGC attack time and when the freq is step-tuned, the new frequency is muted for over a second and slowly rises in volume. Listening to frequencies where several signals are present, with pronounced beating, yields a pumping, chuffing irregular sound that makes hearing the audio difficult. Tests were done using a R-S 15-1853 loop. This is the circular tuned loop that was sold a few years ago. It was possible to get a boost in signal when this loop was near-field coupled to the Accurian's loop, but the tuning was not sharp or distinct, and had to be adjusted carefully and slowly, as if the front end of the Accurian was almost "fighting back", an effect I have never seen before and find hard to describe. I have not yet attempted to completely substitute a different loop in place of the stock one. There were some AM frequencies that were relatively noisefree and once, I had a hearable copy on Jamaica-720 a little after sunset. The summary for AM is that (1) I don't think this receiver is acceptable for DXing non-HD stations in analog mode and (2) does not have the sensitivity to get a usable signal from a HD station outside of its local coverage area. It gives a mostly acceptable quality for local, strong non-HD AM signals. I did notice the artifacting on AM HD signals such as with the Limbaugh and other talk shows. I'd rate it as slightly annoying for any extended time. I foresee a marketing issue where a set buyer may believe that every AM signal will be received in the enhanced mode that HD offers, when in fact the great majority of AM signals may actually sound worse, due to operating non-HD and from the noise issues I experienced. AM HD. In Tampa there are two AM HD signals, on 820 and on 970. These are high power (daytime) signals located just a few miles distant from me. Both of these signals will decode to HD, at this close range. The big question of course is what is the limit of coverage at which the HD decode fails when analog is still usable. I am able to force a temporary un-lock of HD on these two AMs by just rotating the loop. There are two critical angles in which HD is marginal (even at this range) due to loop nulling. A nontechnical user who uses "set and forget" for his/her loop placement in the house runs a small chance of never hearing a desired HD AM, and may not understand the need for better loop placement, as the "collective experience" of outside antennas is now a lost art. When any non-HD frequency is tuned in, the display will say (for example) "860 AM". When tuning in, say 970, the display will pick up and show the call letter ID in a second, or even less than a second. It then takes 7 or 8 seconds for the audible decode to change to HD sound. When this happens, an HD logo becomes visible on the display, and a 6 line bar graph showing signal strength becomes visible. The bar graph is not rapidly responsive to input level changes (loop rotation, etc.) and it is unclear what exactly drives it, as FM signals show most or all bars while AM show just some, and of course only on my 2 local HD signals. The main effect of HD is to brighten the high end audio response and to create a sensation of stereo separation. This effect is noticed best when the user is directly in front of the set (or using a headset) and is somewhat less pronounced when listening from a distance. The effect on WMGG (a Spanish music format) is quite a lot more noticeable than it is on WFLA (talk) where it is (to me) only somewhat apparent. The display latches the call letters which continue to show, even if the HD unlocks. WMGG has a scrolling line of text with their "megaclasica.com" web address. WFLA has no such data stream and the display just shows "artist: title:" in the area where the date and time, or scroll, otherwise appear. It's interesting to tune the set to 960 where the hiss is present on a DX-398, etc., in this case a grinding bubbling type noise is heard, not too different than the analog case. (I'm sure someone is wondering about that). Incidentally WFLA hiss is somewhat louder on 960 than on 980 on an analog set. One of my plans is to determine the rough edges of the AM HD coverage. I would do this by taking the set in my truck, powering it from an AC inverter and setting up at various locations. I soon found that the inverter I have plays very badly with this (and probably other) sets, on AM, and this option is completely unworkable for me. I need to come up with a 5 VDC 5 A clean source. In the meantime I do have some results to offer. I set up the set at an indoor location in southern Pasco county, close to the intersection of SR41 and SR-54. Neither HD signal was even decently copiable in analog, let alone getting any HD. I need to go back and see if this is environmental. On the other hand I set up the receiver indoors at the K of C meeting hall on Fruitville Road in Sarasota, where WFLA gave just fragmentary bursts of HD. However I was surprised to see that WMGG gave a solid decode there. This is about 50 miles south of Tampa. FM usage is somewhat more satisfying. What is interesting to me is that the blend from FM analog to FM HD is hardly noticeable. It is more of a perception of a subtle difference, than the striking change I hear on 820 AM. The sound section of this radio, to me, is innately good enough that it renders analog FM quite nicely, and the program feed the FM folks use is not that much enhanced with HD. I had issues with decoding HD on a number of the FM offerings depending on how I placed the antenna, which one I used, and where I was in the house. The dipole needed to sometimes be fully extended and positioned, with placement issues somewhat like those for the AM loop. I am not a FM DXer and may not go a lot farther with this issue. Some FM customers will want the secondary programming which is available on FM. I won't do an exhaustive rundown of what's on the dial here as it won't help many in other markets. Non-comm WUSF is frequently but not always running separate programming on their secondary, which IDs as "WUSF eighty-nine seven two." They show as "89.7-1" or "89.7-2" when tuned in and the "new" station appears as if "dropped in" between the existing ones. When they both carry NPR news, the -2 is 7 seconds behind the -1. Some stations like WSJT 94.1 have the same programming on the -1 and the -2, with 7 seconds separation. WUSF has the analog fallback timing solved while the fallback on WSJT is a bit over a second out. The receiver also delays anything it handles (analog or digital, AM or FM) by about 100 ms behind the signal as heard on an ordinary receiver. If a previously heard -2 is still cached in the receiver, the HD unlocks, and the -2 is tuned, silence results. There were a couple of episodes where the tuning was changed from a HD to a non-HD and a couple more buttons had to be pressed to get the sound back. Aux In. The fifth input option (2 AM, 2 FM and Aux) lets you feed the output of another sound device into the set. This is very useful to me. I have several small digital recorders and can feed the headset output through the set, with good results. Take care to not overdrive the input, but a decent headset level from the recorder should be optimum. Insides. Here is a posting from the Broadcast list digest which is quite interesting. As I may yet return the set, I am not about to open it up. --------------------- Message: 20 Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2006 19:41:19 -0600 From: "stanleybadams" Subject: [BC] Accurian Insides I was tooling around the internet looking for reviews and information on the Accurian, as I received mine this week but have not turned it on yet. Here is what someone posted on a web site http://www.avs.forum.com by the name of Eric. So I am giving credit where credit is due I finally had the courage to open up the radio and look inside (Hint: some screws are hidden under the speaker grilles). There is a Samsung module that plugs into a PCB named "Table-Top Version 2.2". The Main PCB contains the Power Supply, Amplifier, and connectors for the display, speakers, keypad, etc. The Samsung HDRMDVM0101 module contains the heart of the radio. The module has a 20 pin and a 50 pin connector to interface to the Main PCB. The module also has a JTAG connector for the ATMEL Processor. ICs on the module include: ATMEL Mega128L Low Power AVR RISC Processor with 128K Flash TI TMS320DRI350AZTS5 DSP for HD Radio Baseband and Analog Decoding TI DRI8201 Intergrated AFE Spansion S29GL032M90TFIR4 3.3V 32Mb Flash x8/x16 Bottom Boot Sector ESMT M12L128324A 3.3V 4MBx32 SDRam 1803A 24bit 96K Stereo Audio ADC 1782 24bit 96K Stereo Audio DAC LM833 Dual Op Amp This is a Software Defined Radio where the AM or FM signal is converted to a 10.7 MHz IF and then digitized. The digitized IF gets downconverted and fed to the DSP where either AM, FM or HD signals are decoded and sent to the Stereo Audio DAC. It appears even the Aux Input is digitized. Several companies offer modules based on the HD reference design so I would not be surprised if most HD radios use the same scheme. Plug a module into a I/O board and put a custom user interface/configuration in flash. Obviously, the speakers can be replaced or the audio fed into a stereo system, but as you see they are modules such as this Samsung, or what TI or others would build. It is a single unit radio that has the real guts in the decoders, not in the RF section. Somebody ought to build a good American made copy of this thing, don't you think? Stanley Adams Memphis ------------------------ This tends to confirm my own thoughts about the RF behavior. PS: a JTAG is a test point to allow diagnostic and interfacing on a otherwise self-contained module. end of review. 20061203. by Bob Foxworth (IRCA and NRC-AM, et al., via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Space Weather News for Dec. 5, 2006 http://spaceweather.com MAJOR SOLAR FLARE: Earth-orbiting satellites detected a powerful X- class solar flare this morning, Dec. 5th, at 10:35 Universal Time. The source: big, new sunspot 929, which is emerging over the Sun's eastern limb. Because of the sunspot's position near the limb, this flare was not Earth-directed. Future eruptions could be, however, because the Sun's spin is turning the spot toward Earth. Sunspot 929 will be visible for the next two weeks as it glides across the solar disk. Please visit for more information and updates. (via Art Blair, IRCA via DXLD) Official Space Weather Advisory issued by NOAA Space Environment Center Boulder, Colorado, USA SPACE WEATHER ADVISORY BULLETIN #06- 2 2006 December 05 at 7:57 a.m. MST (2006 December 05 1457 UTC) **** LATE SOLAR CYCLE FLARE ERUPTS **** A strong radio blackout (R3) occurred today at 05/1035 UTC (05:35 a.m. ET) due to a major flare on the Sun. The source of the flare was NOAA active sunspot Region 930, which was numbered yesterday as it made its appearance on the visible side of the Sun. This region is the return of old NOAA Region 923. A very bright flare was observed on the NOAA GOES satellite imagery, however, any associated ejected material is not likely to be Earth directed. Additional activity is likely from Region 930 as it rotates across the Sun, and additional major events could lead to a possibility of higher levels of radiation storms or geomagnetic storms over the next two weeks. Agencies impacted by solar flare radio blackouts, geomagnetic storms, and solar radiation storms should continue to closely monitor the space environment during the rotation of Region 930 across the Sun between now and its anticipated departure on 18 December. Data used to provide space weather services are contributed by NOAA, USAF, NASA, NSF, USGS, the International Space Environment Services and other observatories, universities, and institutions. More information is available at SEC's Web site http://sec.noaa.gov Thank you for using the SEC Product Subscription Service. Space Weather Message Code: SUMX01 Serial Number: 61 Issue Time: 2006 Dec 05 1122 UTC SUMMARY: X-ray Event exceeded X1 Begin Time: 2006 Dec 05 1025 UTC Maximum Time: 2006 Dec 05 1035 UTC End Time: 2006 Dec 05 1045 UTC X-ray Class: X9.0 Optical Class: 2n Location: S07E79 NOAA Scale: R3 - Strong NOAA Space Weather Scale descriptions can be found at http://www.sec.noaa.gov/NOAAscales (via DXLD) There was a major SW fade-out this morning. SW signals were wiped out from approx 1030-1100 by a solar flare but the bands seem to be almost back to normal now (1230 UT). MW /LW reception appears to be OK here, though it hasn't been particularly good for long-distance DX lately. I've certainly noticed a growing amount of local interference on MW recently, raising the general noise level on the band, and making reception of weaker signals difficult (Dave Kenny, Caversham, Berks, Dec 5, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Solar-terrestrial indices for 04 December follow. Solar flux 92 and mid-latitude A-index 0. The mid-latitude K-index at 1200 UTC on 05 December was 1 (7 nT). The mid-latitude K-index at 1500 UTC on 05 December was 2 (10 nT). Space weather for the past 24 hours has been strong. Radio blackouts reaching the R3 level occurred. No space weather storms are expected for the next 24 hours (SEC via DXLD) ARNIE CORO'S DXERS UNLIMITED'S HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Fresh direct and from the source, BIG SOLAR FLARE --- an unexpected X9 type flare, yes, you heard it right, and the active region that generated this really big solar eruption is still at the Sun's limb, so it will have to transit right through the solar disk for about two weeks, before it turns around, and in the meantime we may be seeing some very interesting fireworks from the Sun. As of now the expected solar flux may cross the critical 100 units mark maybe by tomorrow. Do remember that the July 2006 monthly solar report that my good friend Ángel González Coroas, Cuba's most experienced solar optical observer sent me, showed that the WOLF number for the month of July was 16, and that the highest number of sunspots registered on a single day during the whole month was 36. Other details about this very elaborate solar report show what in my opinion is the most relevant data. NO sunspots from cycle 24 have yet been seen, despite the fact that Ángel is doubling the number of his daily comprehensive solar optical observations, aiming at trying to find the higher solar disk latitude sunspot group that will signal the start up of cycle 24. So, if we follow the Cuban expert's point of view, the two small reverse magnetic configuration sunspots observed previously may be attributed to chance rather than to the actual beginning of cycle 24. In comments sent together with his report, the Cuban scientist explains that he is now changing his estimate for the beginning of cycle 24 further away, probably by the end or next year. If this becomes a reality, then poor HF propagation conditions on the higher frequencies are going to last longer than expected. But, I must now ask him about this new big sunspot that is already producing X level type solar flares. BIG, really BIG sunspot still growing and now moving into a much more geoeffective position, from where it may be sending high intensity streams of charged particles towards the Earth during the next several days. Solar flux has moved up to near 100 units now, and we do expect some very exciting days ahead regarding HF propagation conditions. So be on the alert for possible short wave fadeouts and blackouts, abnormal propagation conditions to the South on the AM broadcast band, and possible 10 and 6 meter bands openings. Exciting for sure, as we are supposed to be going trough the lower activity part of the solar cycle!!! So, be on the lookout for abnormal propagation conditions on the AM medium wave broadcast band, especially at higher latitudes, and also don't expect a lot of DX to be heard on the HF bands from 6 to 18 megahertz or so, until the disturbance comes to an end, something that I expect to happen in about two or perhaps three more days (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Dec 5, HCDX via DXLD) Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels during 27 – 28 November, with periods of active levels at high latitudes due to diminishing coronal hole high-speed stream effects. Activity subsided to mostly quiet levels on 29 November. Activity increased on 30 November with minor to major storm levels at all latitudes and brief severe storm levels at high latitudes. This disturbance appeared to be related to a solar sector boundary crossing. ACE data indicated a solar sector boundary crossing occurred on 30 November followed by a sustained period of southward IMF Bz (minimum – 10 nT at 30/0415) and increased total IMF field intensity (maximum 16 nT at 30/1530 UTC). FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 06 DEC 2006 - 01 JAN 2007 Solar activity is expected to be at moderate to high levels through 18 December with isolated major flare activity possible. Activity is expected to decrease to very low to low levels on 19 December with the departure of Region 930. A greater than 10 MeV proton event is possible during 06 December. There remains a chance for another proton event until 19 December. No proton events are expected during the rest of the period. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at high levels during 08 – 12 and 22 - 25 December. The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet to unsettled for the majority of the forecast period. However, a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream (HSS) is expected to affect the field during 07 - 08 December with active to major storm periods expected. Another recurrent HSS is expected to disturb the field during 20 - 22 December with active to minor storm conditions expected. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2006 Dec 05 2154 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2006 Dec 05 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2006 Dec 06 100 10 3 2006 Dec 07 105 35 6 2006 Dec 08 105 20 4 2006 Dec 09 100 8 3 2006 Dec 10 100 8 3 2006 Dec 11 105 5 2 2006 Dec 12 110 5 2 2006 Dec 13 110 8 3 2006 Dec 14 105 5 2 2006 Dec 15 100 5 2 2006 Dec 16 100 5 2 2006 Dec 17 100 5 2 2006 Dec 18 95 5 2 2006 Dec 19 90 5 2 2006 Dec 20 85 15 3 2006 Dec 21 80 20 4 2006 Dec 22 85 15 3 2006 Dec 23 90 15 3 2006 Dec 24 90 5 2 2006 Dec 25 90 5 2 2006 Dec 26 90 5 2 2006 Dec 27 90 5 2 2006 Dec 28 90 5 2 2006 Dec 29 90 5 2 2006 Dec 30 90 5 2 2006 Dec 31 95 5 2 2007 Jan 01 100 5 2 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via WORLD OF RADIO 1339, DXLD) ###