DX LISTENING DIGEST 6-193, December 31, 2006 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2006 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1341 Mon 0400 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 [time varies 0500/0520] Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL] http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml ** BAHAMAS. Re 6-192: Of course is sunrise, Glenn; got my wires crossed. In fact 5:48 is our actual sunrise time. I was meaning it from 1100 for dawn. Feliz Año Nuevo!!! (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHRAIN. New 6010.1, 0050-0130, BHR, 29-12, R Bahrain, Abu Hayan (tentative) - nonstop English pop songs, heterodyne and sideband splashes, no LA station was audible 33433 From *0130 QRM VOIRI AP-DNK (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Hola Glenn! Encantado de la vida, acá están los correos electrónicos de Radio San Miguel [4695v]: radiosanmiguel_riberalta@yahoo.es y radiosanmiguel_riberalta@hotmail.com Esta información ha sido posible gracias al Sr. Carmelito García Rimba, Productor de Radio San Miguel. FELIZ AÑO NUEVO AMIGO GLENN! Alfredo (DXSPACEMASTER, ALFREDO BENJAMIN CAÑOTE BUENO, Lima, Perú, Dec 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BULGARIA. On December 25th tuned into R. Bulgaria at both 0730 & 1230 UT and heard the "Answering Your Letters" programme. In it they announced that Nick Sharpe, Don Rhodes and Erik Køie, and a few other Dxers sent in contributions to the station after R. Bulgaria said they would like to hear from those who had the oldest QSL. It's a pity that the programme presenter did not inform us of the dates of the QSL's which were sent in as it would have been nice to know who had the oldest card and from what date. This is on the Station's 70th anniversary. Next year will be the 50th year of R. Bulgaria's DX Programme. 50th Jubilee Year. One of the oldest going programmes for Dxers and Shortwave Listeners on the bands (Edwin Southwell, Jan World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** CAMEROON [non]. Please confirm whether RFSC is really now on 11840 Saturday at 1800-1900 UT as recently reported. Tnx, (Glenn, in advance, Dec 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not heard here at 1800 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, ibid.) I hear a weak signal from VOA (musical notes) which I guess will be Radio Ashna in Dari at 1800 on 11840. See HFCC: 11840 1530 1830 40E LAM 100 75 10 215 1234567 291006 240307 D 10700 D IBB IBB 16222. No other signal audible at 1800 (N. R. Green, NW UK, ibid.) Glenn, I checked this in November and nothing was heard then, so as expected there was no trace of it here tonight. Despite the HFCC registration for 11840 (which is presumably what the RUS-DX list was based on?) I suspect that Radio Free Southern Cameroons was defunct well before the start of the B06 season. 73s (Dave Kenny, UK, ibid.) ** CANADA [and non]. CBCR1: DNTO today (Definitely Not The Opera) had an interesting report involving international broadcasters. From the DNTO website: "(Internet Audio Tipster) John Pellatt comes by with his New Year's resolution - he's vowed to learn a new language via the Internet. Which tongue will he pick up? Sook-Yin will help him decide." His rules were that the lessons had to be available on demand any time and that they had to work on his computer (apparently a Mac). He came up with two choices. The German course via DW and the Japanese course via the NHK. John found the German course to be easier to work with, but Sook-Yin Lee chose the Japanese course. It turned out to be a good promo for both DW and NHK (Fred Waterer, ON, Dec 30, dxlydg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Station lists: You can still download the Industry Canada database - it lists *all* stations (CBC and otherwise) but those which are CBC are marked as such, along with the language - CBCE for English, CBCF for French. http://spectrum.ic.gc.ca/engineering/engdoc/baserad.zip which unzips to a pile of .DBF files which should be openable in Excel. AMSTATIO.DBF is what you want. (FMSTATIO.DBF and TVSTATIO.DBF also exist and are useful for those who DX the higher frequencies) It looks like they're pretty good about marking obsolete LPRTs that have been replaced by FM. I only found two AM LPRTs still listed as active in places where an obvious replacement FM exists (Doug Smith W9WI Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CHINA. Radio Free Asia. I have been trying RFA lately to try for transmissions in Burmese (sounds like Chinese to me, another tonal language) for some people from there working locally. I notice that RFA has been transmitting what I call 'Bamboo Music' endlessly for hours on all sorts of strange frequencies for some time, i.e. on 14700, 10450, 13970 ca. 1000 UT early November, 14400 at 1100 early Nov. 9200, 14500, 10400, 5810 and 7535 in December. Never any speech or identification for several hours and abrupt closing. How strange! (Des Walsh, Ireland, Jan World DX Club Contact via DXLD) Another listener who has not yet learnt about Firedrake, Chinese jamming, NOT Radio Free Asia, which may be the target of some of the FD, but others are well-known(?) Sound of Hope frequencies (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The endless music on 14400, etc. sounds to me like Chinese jamming against Sound of Hope (Mike Barraclough, WDXC editor via DXLD) ** CUBA. The DentroCuban Jamming Command helps out the North Koreans by leaving the jammer on 5890 during VOA`s Korean service via Marianas from 1200 UT, as noted Dec 30 at 1204. R. Martí probably wasn`t there anyway, but jammed as a precaution; jamming also running on 5980 against audible Martí, and 6030, where Martí presumably closed at 1200* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also UNIDENTIFIED ** CUBA. Re Bernie O`Shea`s schedule in 6-187, on Dec 30 at 1211 I found that RHC was also using 6180 in Spanish in the morning, VG signal. And at 1239, also audible on 12000 with deportes, poor signal this early as was the Venezuelan relay on 11705. So 12000 is on before 1300, and also unknown span on 6180 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. I heard a station ID itself as "Radio Habana Cuba" (Havana?) on 1460 kHz. Where is this transmitter located and how much power is it? Or, was this just an "image" from a shortwave frequency? (Paul Walker, Near Greenwood, SC, IRCA via DXLD) Doesn`t work out to usual formula of triple the frequency and add twice the IF, which would be 1460 x 3 = 4380 plus 900 = 5280. However, if you add 4 times a 450 kHz IF, 1800 to 4380, you get 6180, RHC`s powerful newish frequency. If the IF is 455, never mind. Maybe never mind, anyway, as this may all be coincidental (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Their signal on 6180 may be the strongest I've heard on shortwave from MN, covers about 30 kHz on a good radio. I hate to think of how it must be for DXers who are closer. Do you own more than one radio? If only one radio gets it, maybe the radio's fault. If two or more radios get it, maybe the station's fault. But almost certainly an image or some sort of spurious signal. I wonder if anyone else is getting it? 73, (George Sherman, MN, IRCA via DXLD) ** DENMARK [and non]. Has anybody seen recent reports about Kalundborg on 243 and 1062 going dark on New Year's Eve? I did not note any follow-up after the initial decision by the council of Danmarks Radio back in late summer 2005, more than a year ago (and so I forgot about this matter since then). Of course this could simply mean that nobody objected this decision, and when clicking through http://www.dr.dk last night I could not find any mention of 243 and 1062 anymore, especially not in the frequency listings. So it indeed appears that the plugs will be pulled tomorrow at 2300 UT (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) This New Year's Eve, December 31, Denmark leaves the longwaves. Of course we have seen many European longwave stations close down in the last fifteen years, as FM became the delivery method of choice, and the end of the Cold War, also brought an end to the power and coverage race between East and West on longwave and medium wave in Europe. Denmark is the latest to close down, both on longwave and medium wave as this year ends. As far as I can tell, the station was on the air in the mid 20's on 260 kHz eventually working its way up to 7,500 watts. In 1934, as per a 1933 wavelength conference, it moved to 238 kHz with a major power increase to 60,000 watts. (Radio Luxembourg was never recognized by, nor did it adhere to the 1933 longwave frequency adjustment treaty. After jumping around the dial, they settled down to 230 kHz, just prior to World War II. By the time of, and during its German occupation and control, Radio Luxembourg blasted out 200,000 watts on 232 kHz. Just 6 kHz away from Denmark.) Following World War II, A longwave reassignment plan moved Denmark to 245 kHz. On this frequency, its power was eventually increased to 150,000 watts. When another longwave band plan that went into effect in 1987, Denmark had moved down 2 kHz to 243 kHz, and by this time, their power was up to 300,000 watts. On trips, I was able to receive them with a fair signal at 12 noon in London on a "barefoot" Sony 2010. And so can you. For one more day. Regards, (Brock Whaley, Lilburn, GA, Dec 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ``Of course we have seen many European longwave stations close down in the last fifteen years`` It might be interesting that almost all of them are in the CIS and Scandinavia. Elsewhere in Europe I'm aware of only one closed longwave station, Burg on 261, and this is a state-of-the-art transmitter (Telefunken TRAM50), only awaiting its reactivation for a new customer after the former occupant of this frequency folded up altogether (i.e. did not leave longwave in favour of other distribution platforms) six years ago. Currently Europe 1 has a licence for 261, but meanwhile hardly anybody still believes that their proposed German service will ever see the light of the day (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Lot of rumours about the Kalundborg 243 kHz and 1062 kHz shut-down. Nothing heard here so far. Happy New Year! (Ydun Ritz, Denmark, 1532 UT Dec 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Stig Hartvig Nielsen Says: December 31st, 2006 at 15:45 No - with regard to Denmark - thats not true. Both 243 and 1062 from Kalundborg will continue on January 1st 2007. The FINAL decision as to what exactly will happen with these two transmitters still hasn’t been taken (Media Network blog via DXLD) SHN used to be on the DR BOD (gh) See http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=6916#comment-74203 (via Kai Ludwig, dxldyg via DXLD) Thank you for this, Glenn. I know you can't stop progress, but I always hate to see another pioneer longwave station close down. Regards, and Happy New Year, (Brock Whaley, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. 7175, 1645-1730*, ERI, 30-12, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, Asmara Afar (tentatively) talk mentioning Eritrea and Somalia, HOA songs, 1700 Arabic ID, news about the hanging of Saddam, Somalia and President Mubarak, Arab songs, phone interview. No transmitter break at 1730 when clandestine continued! 34333 AP-DNK 7175, *1730-1800*, CLA, Sat 30-12, Voice of the Somali People, via Asmara, Eritrea. Somali announcement after fanfare, excited talk about Somalia and Nigeria, HOA music and songs, more talk and closed with flute music 34333 sideband QRM AP-DNK (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** FINLAND. Various articles about YLE Radio Finland can be found at http://www.ulkomaanmedia.net The site is being maintained by Mr Juhani Niinisto, the longtime head of international radio at YLE. Mr Niinisto left YLE a year ago as YLE Radio Finland as a unit was merged administratively with a primarily domestic talk channel. The site is not, rpt not, a YLE site and thus no YLE material or soundclips are being used. The site launched in 2004 mainly as a place for news items about the then-public discussion in Finland about YLE Radio Finland. But now the accent will shift to "media history". The name in Finnish "ulkomaanmedia" means "media for (consumers) abroad". Items will be added to the site during months ahead. The pages in Finnish feature greater detail and are intended for readers who are familiar with the Finnish media scene. The versions in German and Swedish will be done, when time and energy permit, says Niinisto. He spends most of his time these days in Toronto, Canada. REQUEST Should anyone catch the last YLE broadcast to North America on tape this Sunday, Mr Niinisto would be interested in a copy. The last scheduled North American beam is to be from 16 to 1657 GMT or 58 on 12000 kHz. That is 11 to 12 am Eastern Time. The beam is more westerly and has not been that good in Toronto (DX LISTENING DIGEST) I asked Mr Niinisto which would be the final SW transmission Dec 31 (gh) As far as I know, the last transmission to close on SW is 6120 kHz (500 kW) at 21 hours GMT, 23 hours local time. The medium wave 963 kHz should close an hour later (Juhani Niinisto, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mauno Ritola called up Digita to find out when YLE via the Pori- Preiviiki site will cease: He was told that transmissions are supposed to stop at 23:59 local time. So it seems that it will indeed go the way I suspected in my original post, i.e. presumably no 5970 on Dec 31 UT (already Jan 1 in Finland) anymore (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sure enough, last Latin broadcast from YLE was noted at 1355 12/30, 15400 was good as usual. Correction: Church service in Finnish was heard at 1355 12/24 on 15400, not 1255; my bad. –JH (Joe Hanlon, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think Helsinki 558 kHz will continue for years, since there`s no plans to close it. It`s important because of weather for sailors. Also truck drivers listen to it, they yesterday complained about losing SW while driving around Europe. A lot of Finns live in Sweden and can listen to it. It also broadcasts to Russians. And since it`s located in Santahamina military base, it may have strategic importance (AnlaShok, December 29th, 2006 at 17:56, Media Network blog via DXLD) Hoped to hear YLE's final broadcast to North America on 12000 between 1600 and 1657. Unfortunately all I'm getting is a wopping S9 + 20 open carrier with what seems like some slow CW buried in the signal. It's actually on 12.000.26 or so. I can hear snippets of audio beneath this monster. Anyone else hearing the same? No idea who or what this is. Another pest is around 12234 with CODAR like splatter, and it's pretty wide; can still make it out around 12160 (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I tried for 12000 too at 1600, for Juhani`s benefit, but nothing audible worth recording. 15400 had always been much better here at the earlier hours. For one last time, monitored YLE Radio Finland on 15400, Dec 31 at 1443 with religious service in Finnish, almost sounded Catholic, but surely not; after 1452 signal started to fade into the noise, mostly organ music. Next thing I knew, at 1459 I was hearing Bow Bells, not having noticed Pori turning off, a smooth transition to BBC Ascension. No luck with Finland at 1600 on 12000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [and non]. Re 6-193, failures in playout of RTI programming via Issoudun: ``6120 kHz RTI Spanisch ueber Nauen schien die richtige spanischsprachige Programmzufuehrung abzugreifen`` RTI uses audio file transfer at least for the Nauen transmission. In cases of missing or broken files the Nauen operators always try to alarm Taipeh in order to get a usable file. Probably it is a fully automated process at Paris instead, with the discussed result in cases of any trouble with the file transfer (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Re 6-193, ``NOTE HOW FEW languages remain on SW from DW!``: At present they apparently maintain only one further language they don't have on shortwave: Greek. Czech, Dutch, Hungarian, Scandinavian languages, Slovak, Slovenian: All gone, not just from shortwave but entirely. No good omen for all the languages who are to bid their farewell on shortwave today. Here's when and where it will happen, I hope I extracted it correct from the schedule: Croatian: 0900-0910, 9770/WER Romanian: 1100-1300, 11970/WER Romanes*): 1130-1200, 11690/WER and 15275/WER Turkish: 1530-1600, 9790/NAU and 15470/SIN Albanian: 1600-1630, 15470/SIN Polish: 1730-1759, 7240/SIN Bulgarian: 1830-1900, 9810/SIN Serbian: 2100-2115, 7275/SIN *) Produced by Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg. Thus today will also mark the last AM transmission of RBB programming for the foreseeable future, exactly one year after the last day of RBB's own mediumwave transmitter which is meanwhile dismantled (mast gone etc.). Re. the TV piece about DFS 904 and DSS 935: Here is an interview with the author of this report, with a bunch of clips from these stations mixed in --- http://www.radioeins.de/_/beitrag_jsp/key=beitrag_150439.html If not known yet: Here are pictures of the studio sites, including a vandalized but still recognizeable control room at Bestensee --- http://www.freiheitssender.radiohistory.de/infrainnen.htm Note also the Burg transmitter log: Radio Volga programming had been transmit on mediumwave as well. I suspect that this was something special, opposed to the regular longwave transmissions (at this time originating from Königs Wusterhausen, not from Burg yet) for the Soviet forces in Germany. Any information would be welcome here, since this is another chapter of East German broadcasting history which remains unwritten until today (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [and non]. Plugged in the radio at 1425 for a last recording of 6075 from the Wertachtal transmitters, only to find that it had already faded out to just weak traces of a signal. So it only remains to be said that I heard this Wertachtal signal for the last time today around 1300. Time to wish them success in keeping the transmitter plant alive. Last shortwave transmission of DW Polish Polish: 1730-1759, 7240/SIN Sines-7240 already on with DW interval signal, presumably from local playout, at 1727 tune-in. At 1730 first for 1.2 seconds into English, then switched to correct circuit for Polish. Broadcast started with news headlines, then straight into news in detail. I did not recheck for the end, but I guess it got no mention in this broadcast that it was the swan song of this language service on shortwave. A recording is in the Station Sounds section of the Yahoo group, although it's a dreadful quality with lots of local noise (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. DW - Living in Germany: Eighty Years of Radio --- Came across this tonite while updating my holiday programming list. Fred Waterer *** Deutsche Welle --- Living in Germany | 27.12.2006 | 19:30 Living in Germany: Eighty Years of Radio Radio quickly became immensely popular in its early days in Germany The first national radio program was broadcast in Germany 80 years ago. So we reach the end of year which has been a milestone for radio in Germany…and seeing as though we are a German broadcaster, we thought we’d take a closer look. 2006 saw the 80th anniversary of the first radio broadcast to reach all corners of the then German empire. This was a small technological miracle when you consider that this was only three years after the first ever radio program. Reporter: Rob Turner Program overview: Program schedule Date UTC 27.12.06 19:30 first broadcast 27.12.06 21:30 further broadcast 27.12.06 23:30 further broadcast 28.12.06 05:30 further broadcast 28.12.06 07:30 further broadcast 28.12.06 09:30 further broadcast 28.12.06 14:30 further broadcast 31.12.06 17:30 further broadcast http://www.dw-world.de/dw/episode/0,2144,2263423,00.html On demand at: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,2142,4703,00.html (via Fred Waterer, ODXA via DXLD) ** GREECE [and non]. Glenn: This seems to be the VOA Agreement that is dated May 20, 1995, with an additional 5 years. Looks as though somebody fumbled the ball (John Babbis, MD, Dec 31, 2006, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: USIA: Agreement Signed to Continue U.S. Broadcasting Presence in Greece (95-05-20) http://www.hri.org/cgi-bin/brief?/news/misc/misc-news/1996/96-05-20.misc.html I.e., expired in 2005y but could have been renewed then for another five years (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII [and non]. [ICDX] KHON-2 Honolulu Hawaii into Bombala [NSW]! Hi all, KHON-2 Honolulu came in with a pretty good signal (S6 on the Icom R-7100 S meter) on the 30/12/06 between 13:30 - 14:05 & then again at 14:40 - 15:00 [probably local time, UT +11]. I heard both the Vision (55.26) & audio (59.76) carriers. Even though I taped it over the hour, I could not pick a legal ID unfortunately. Heard ending of a program, then some sort of ad, then into news. Faded at the WRONG times of course --- grrrrrrr. Would have been nice to get a call sign on tape. There was also multiple video carriers on 55.25 - USA perhaps? FM was noted from Fiji. Most were patchy signals. 97.4 being the best (Geoff Wolfe, ICDX via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) See also PROPAGATION ** ICELAND. As I have said before, getting a readable signal from RUV has been difficult, but on its last day of SW, it was incoming on 13865, reduced carrier/SSB at 1438, talk in presumed Icelandic, and the audio seemed to cut out briefly at times. The whole thing just stopped abruptly at 1439, their usual rude practice, up with which we shall no longer have to put (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. RRI 15150 off --- A lo largo de esta última semana del año no he encontrado la RRI en su servicio español a las 1700 por 15150, ni siquiera sus otros servicios antes o después de dicha hora, dirigidos a Europa y que tienden a propagarse mejor hacia las 20. Cierto es que las condiciones de propagación no están ayudando en mucho, pero aún así siento que Yakarta ha estado fuera del aire en 19m. Sus otros servicios en 9525 y 9680 sí se escuchan regularmente en Tiquicia entre 0800 y 1500. Me gustaría saber si José Miguel en Burjasot ha tenido alguna suerte con RRI. Ah --- Y nunca estará demás, un próspero y abundante en salud y DXismo 2007!!! (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Dec 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos Raúl, la verdad es que yo tampoco estoy teniendo mucha suerte con La Voz de Indonesia, ahora mismo cuando son las 17:25 estoy intentandolo en 15150 y 9525, sin exito. Feliz 2007 Raúl. Un fuerte abrazo, atentamente (José Miguel Romero, Spain, ibid.) Indonesian FM DX to NSW: see PROPAGATION ** ISRAEL. Kol Israel in English on new 6279.95 kHz at 2000 UT, but not as strong as 7545 powerhouse. At same time army radio Galei Zahal on nighttime channel 6973.05 kHz. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Dec 30, HCDX via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. NHK Warido`s NYE special Dec 31: same as last few years, no note was taken of the actual arrival of 2007y at midnight local time. 11705 via Canada monitored from 1459:30, and announcer just kept talking thru 1500:00, no timesignal, no gongs, no crowd cheers, but there was an NHK ID in passing, and into another song (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN. 3961, 1438-1450, CLA, 30-12, Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, Al-Sulaymaniyah, Iraq Kurdish talk 21221 heard // 4875, both jammed AP-DNK (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** LIBERIA [non]. ELWA relayed on 9745 --- Hi all, My DX-friend Alexey Kulinchenko drew my attention to the station identifying itself as "Radio ELWA" on 9745 kHz: in Hausa till 1900, in another African language after 1900. Indeed, while listening to it today I noted lots of mentions of "Radio ELWA" before and after 1900, during station's identification procedures. EiBi table lists TWR Swaziland here. "You have been listening to the international voice of Trans World Radio" -- that was the closing announcement at 1915, just before the carrier cut. Any link between ELWA Liberia and TWR SWZ??? Can anybody clarify? Thanks & 73, (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Couldn`t find any mention of TWR on http://www.radioelwa.org the ELWA website, but would be no surprise. Those two plus HCJB and FEBC made up the original ``World by 2000`` cooperative to evangelize everybody into Protestants. Didn`t quite make it, so they renamed it to something without a target year. BTW, WRTH 2006 has ELWA only in the domestic sexion (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Some years ago I remember ELWA programs relayed by FEBA and TWR. EiBi table lists TWR Swaziland here as Meyerton... http://www.bclnews.it/b06schedules/sentech.htm Happy New Year!!! (Roberto Scaglione, ibid.) ** LIBYA [non]. Afropop jammer again active on 17660 today, first noted around 1200, see enclosed message. It's still on now, and apparently originates again from Moyabi rather than an European site (muffled audio, signal behaviour). (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DXLD) Viz.: -----Original Message----- Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2006 13:56:54 +0100 Subject: [A-DX] 17660 From: Willi Stengel Hallo Liste, seit fast 1 Stunde höre ich auf 17660 kHz nonstop Musik. Die BC B06 - Liste gibt hier nur "17660 1130-1530 GAB African Music" bekannt. Ist jemand darüber etwas mehr bekannt? Beste 73 und 55 allen einen guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr, Willi QTH derzeit Ubstadt-Weiher (ca. 40 km nordöstlich von Karlsruhe) RX: AOR 7030 / 100 mtr. Drahtantenne mit MLB, MW-Rahmenantenne (via Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DXLD) While there are questions about its site(s), I thought it had remained active every day. It`s there on 17660 whenever I check around 1400- 1500 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hoy 31 de diciembre estaba escuchando en 17660 a las 1115 el servicio en inglés de VOIRI; he esperado hasta el final de la transmisión. La señal que me llegaba a Sacañet en Castellón era de 45544; la escucha ha sido con Sangean ATS 909 y antena de hilo de siete metros. A las 1130 se despide VOIRI, inicia el Himno Nacional del final de sus transmisiones, poco a poco bajan el volumen y poco a poco aparece la emisión jammer con música afro-pop, la señal era la misma 45544. La transición de una emisión a otra ha sido muy curiosa, no ha habido corte de una emisora e inicio de otra. E podido comprobar que los dos transmisores de Sabrata en Libia estaban emitiendo en 15235 y 15415. Nunca no hemos planteado la posibilidad de que la emisora afro-pop pudiera venir de algún país árabe, Jordania, Arabia, Irán, Marruecos o del propio Libia. Las transmisiones que se captan de esos países aquí en Valencia también dan una señal similar a la emisora afro-pop, y por que no, Libia podría haber recibido ayuda de un país árabe, mas factible que de Europa. ¿Ven alguna posibilidad a esta nueva posibilidad? Atentamente (José Miguel Romero, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I seriously doubt it could be from Iran. Signals here on 17660 are too reliable, low-latitude under `normal` propagation. Iran is not an Arab country, BTW, altho it is not inconceivable Iran could be helping out Libya on this. It`s not that unusual for two abutting transmissions to have a seemingly seamless transition. Just today one moment I was listening to Finland on 15400, and the next at 1459 to BBC Bow Bells from Ascension, with similar signals. If I did not know better, I might have thought they both came from the same site. 73, (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) ** MEXICO. XERTA is often there but constant noise on hi side and lack of interesting programming leads me to ignore it most of the time. But Dec 31 at the odd time of 0627 I noticed the Mexican NA on 4810. 0628 Full ID with addresses, including one at C.P. 06002, then played the NA again! And another ID sequence, seems a loop, stuck on repeat? But then at 0633 went into bible quotation. Besides the QRM on hi side (has anyone ever confirmed whether this is actually their own defective transmitter?), also was lo het on frequency and CODAR swishing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6045.04, Radio Universidad, San Luis Potosí; 1308-1316 31 December, 2006. Nonstop classical flutes. The usual fairly low modulation. 9599.41, XEYU, Radio UNAM, México DF; 1645-1652 26 December, 2006. Presumed the one with Spanish female, mentions of México. Modulation so low that listening is pointless. Presume this ex-Radio México Internacional transmitter/parts will crap out shortly and another XE will vanish from shortwave forever. Actually, no trace of it since this log through late morning today, 31 December (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 70 Aniversario de Radio UNAM http://www.milenio.com/index.php/2006/12/29/27339/ MODERNIZA RADIO UNAM SU IMAGEN PARA CELEBRAR SU 70 ANIVERSARIO [third graf from end mentions they have revived SW] Se espera que el acto sea encabezado por el rector Juan Ramón de la Fuente. México, DF.- Radio UNAM celebrará en 2007 su 70 aniversario, y para ello ha preparada la actualización de su imagen a través de la modernización de sus instalaciones, integración de nuevas tecnologías y el cambio de programación. Fundada el 14 de junio de 1937, la estación radiofónica de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, que dirige Fernando Álvarez del Castillo, reinaugurará sus instalaciones ubicadas en la colonia Del Valle, en esta ciudad, en los primeros días de enero. Se espera que el acto sea encabezado por el rector Juan Ramón de la Fuente, quien además supervisaría la forma como funcionará la emisora a partir de 2007, año a lo largo del cual se llevará a cabo una serie de festejos. La reestructuración se lleva a cabo con el apoyo de la Coordinación de Proyectos Especiales de la UNAM, que elaboró el proyecto arquitectónico y adaptó nuevas áreas al inmueble, como una cafetería para los trabajadores, más cajones de estacionamiento y se construyeron dos cabinas de transmisión y cuatro estudios de grabación con mejor diseño y acústica. Radio UNAM tendrá una nueva infraestructura tecnológica, sobre todo lo que se refiere a voz y datos para dinamizar su operatividad, así como una mejor distribución de espacios y su adecuación para la producción radiofónica. Con los trabajos, las grandes cabinas de transmisión con problemas de acústica que se tenían se adaptaron para ser más pequeñas, aunque no reducidas, con mejor funcionalidad para lo que fundamentalmente se hace en ellas: grabar y transmitir programas de corte hablado, de debate, análisis y opinión. Entrevistado al respecto, el director de la emisora, Fernando Álvarez, recordó que Radio UNAM transmite las 24 horas del día los 365 días del año con una programación diferente, tanto de amplitud (AM) como de frecuencia modulada (FM), lo que significa contar con un personal numeroso. Destacó que "la idea del rector es que la radio renazca, rejuvenezca y es muy probable que en los primeros días de enero de 2007 se lleve a cabo la reinauguración de estas instalaciones, (acto) que estará vinculado al 70 aniversario y que dará inicio a la apertura de eventos conmemorativos". Adelantó que en ese marco se llevará a cabo una serie de conciertos en vivo, aunque no quiso precisar nombres ni fechas pues todavía están por confirmar, pero que son artistas que han estado muy vinculados a Radio UNAM, por lo que no se hará una erogación costosa. Dijo que también "habrá una exposición con los equipos y con una serie de fotografías que relatan la historia de Radio UNAM, así como la edición de un libro que hará mención de porqué es la estación cultural más importante de América Latina y cuál ha sido su peso sustancial y su trayectoria en la vida cultural de México". Los trabajos de modernización iniciaron a principios del año en curso y se espera terminen en los últimos días de diciembre, y la ceremonia de reinauguración se espera hacer en la primera semana de enero, lo que dependerá de la Coordinación de Proyectos Especiales de la UNAM y de la agenda del rector. El proyecto ambicioso se ideó con la llegada a la Coordinación de Difusión Cultural de la UNAM de Gerardo Estrada, quien giró instrucciones para la transformación paulatina de la voz de la máxima casa de estudios. La remodelación implicará una nueva producción enfocada a la atracción del auditorio juvenil con más de 13 programas nuevos. Álvarez del Castillo destacó que se cuenta con "audio digital en toda la emisora, lo cual nos ha permitido consolidarnos como la estación cultural más alta del cuadrante; tenemos más de 130 mil soportes en acervo fonográfico, que nos convierte en la fonoteca más grande de México". Dicho material cuenta con un cuidado adecuado, que se lleva a cabo en el Palacio de la Autonomía, ubicado en el Centro Histórico de esta ciudad, donde se cuenta con la más alta calidad en cuanto a preservación y conservación. La emisora de la UNAM ha enriquecido, igualmente, su colección de discos compactos con la música fundamental que transmite, así como cuenta con una liga de internet que durante las 24 horas transmite música mexicana de producción de concierto. Respecto a la tecnología radiofónica, la renovación incluye el cambio de equipos periféricos, consolas y sistemas de cómputo, con el objetivo de fortalecer la señal dentro de la radio como parte sustantiva de su tarea cultural. Se recuperó una onda corta que estaba un poco decaída y se ha mostrado un perfil diferente a cada frecuencia: en AM está dirigida más a los programas de contenido, los que tienen que ver con el análisis, crítica y opinión de distintos temas. Mientras que en FM, es preferentemente una estación musical, pero también con programas de contenido que tienen que ver con pintura y escultura, ópera, literatura y otras de las bellas artes. Con todas las acciones que se han llevado a cabo desde hace tres años, Radio UNAM es la estación que ha crecido, mejorado y sobre todo que identifica el nivel cultural de los radioescuchas, que es el más alto del cuadrante, concluyó Álvarez del Castillo (Milenio.com via José Bueno, Córdoba - España, Dec 30, Noticias DX via DXLD) ** MEXICO. El Paso trip --- I did a lot of taping on the car radio and in the motels on my trip to El Paso to watch my Oregon State Beavers amazing comeback victory over the Missouri Tigers, and I offer a few preliminary notes on what I've heard and taped. I spent the first night out in Del Rio and taped hour-long air checks from all the BCB'ers except XERF and all the FM stations ... and there was some information that's new ... XERCG-650 is definitely on the air, with religious programming, including preacher programs and the Mexican equivalent of contemporary Christian music. It was on the air past midnight CST on Wednesday night, December 27, and on the air before 6 a.m. December 28, as were all the Ciudad Acuña AM stations. XERCG's slogan is "La Nueva Radio." I haven't yet transcribed the full station ID, but the Del Rio phone book indicates the station is owned by the González family who have XEKD-1010, XEDH-1340, XHRG-95.5. Neither XERCG-650 nor XEAE-1600 "Texano Hits," that's been listed in MPM for several years, were on the air when I was in Del Rio in 2002; a cellphone conversation with a sister-in-law in the car last year, asking her to check 650 and 1600, brought no sign of any signals there for her; and 1600 remained a blank this past week for me in Del Rio. It is my suspicion, based upon FCC and SCT data bases that XEAE is the old call for XERCG, and that it may at first have been on 1600 but is now on 650. SCT shows XERCG on 1600 and nothing on 650; MPM shows XEAE on 1600 and nothing on 650, and FCC data base shows XEAE on both frequencies and no listing for XERCG call. But what's actually on the air is definitely XERCG-650. XEVK-1010 is still "La K de Oro." Some may recall that when I made my Sun Bowl trip two years ago, I drove down toward Ojinaga, Chihuahua on New Years Day and found, when I was in the immediate area, all three listed AM stations off the air. But later that day, XEARE-1450 was heard and taped while I was in Alpine, Texas, with the "Radio Peguis" slogan that's listed in MPM, WRTH and Cantú. However, monitoring on Dec. 27 showed new slogan, "Radio Lobo" for XEARE. I also was able to hear clear, solid signals on 1260 and get some good taped IDs on XEOG-1260, which was not on the air on Jan. 1, 2005. It uses the listed "Radio Ranchito" slogan. The third Ojinaga AM'er, XERCH-1350, Radio Éxitos, per MPM and other listings, was either silent or not strong enough to reach Alpine, Texas, where XEARE and XEOG were easily heard. I was unable to get close enough to the Navo/Allende/Zaragoza area to get a reading on XEVUC-1050, to see what they are using now. XEG in Monterrey was too strong in Del Río and beyond toward El Paso to be able to get a read on XEVUC, which was taped in October of 2002 by me. The station O&O by the same outfit that remains in Allende (XEVUC is shown by MPM to be in nearby Nava, with slogan "La Gigante"), XEVD on 1380, was heard in passing, reverting, if my ears are correct, to the old "La Vida" slogan. When I heard them in October 2002, the slogan appeared to be "La VD" (Can you imagine an English-speaker calling itself "The VD?" XEZR remains on 800 and its slogan remains what I heard here in Krum in 2002 and in the Valley in October of that year, "La Traviesa." MPM has it, correctly, on 800 but its current station profile does not list slogan or format. Thursday and Friday nights I stayed in Las Cruces, but did get a few air checks from Juárez FM and AM stations (not all of them.) Unfortunately, the batteries on the tape recorder I had in the car Thursday had gone down and I did not get a recording of the local ID XEYC on 1030 that I did hear on the car radio at 2 p.m. MST. A couple of minutes later, there was a full XERFR-970 ID from XEYC. On Friday morning, with the car parked near a bunch of tail-gating parties in the free-parking area at the Sun Bowl, I got a lot of local commercials at tune-in, but I'll have to monitor the tape to see if I have a local call there. I did record an hour-long air check from XEWR-1110, which does U.S. oldies with a knowledgeable DJ with info on the artists. XEJCC "La 1520" is still doing the extremely wild programming I heard in December 2004. For more than two hours in the afternoon, all of the music (part of the slogan "Pura Metal") included ear-busting instrumentation with vocals by an electronically-enhanced male voice that sounded somewhat between the howl of a wounded lion or a prolonged, modulated belch. I've never heard this kind of music anywhere else but on XEJCC (the vocals are in English.) I have an hour air check on this character, too. Again, I'll have to check tapes. Unless XEWG-1240 or XECJC-1490 have changed slogans, the Juárez AM dial is virtually unchanged from December 2004. After my return today from El Paso, I'll continue to work on the update of the Mexican list from a couple of years ago. Many, many changes ... and now, I've got the 2007 WRTH and will have to check what's different from the 2006 issue (John Callarman, Krum, TX, IRCA via DXLD) Good to have positive confirmation that Cd Acuña is on 650 since I have had that La Nueva Radio slogan from a station on my western BOGs that fades in a good 30 minutes too early to likely be Sonora or Sinaloa, but the only mention of anything pertaining possibly to that area was of the "frontera". I have noted this from time to time for two seasons. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, Barrington IL, IRCA via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. Re: [Swprograms] Final edition: Radio Netherlands' "A Good Life" airing this week "Network Europe"? Really? Another station airing this program? Hey, I have an idea. Why don't all the stations still on the air just broadcast the same program 24/7. Trivia Question: What's the count of stations carrying "Network Europe" now that RN has joined the team? Answer: By my count at least six of the program's nine partner stations air this program -- RFI, DW, R. Sweden, R. Prague, R. Polonia and now R. Netherlands. Seriously, I know that all these stations are having budget issues. The EU supports this program with funding, but doesn't direct its coverage. (At least that's what its web page says.) And it is well- produced, informative and interesting. But tuning around every weekend and hearing this program everywhere is not exactly top drawer broadcasting. Seems to me that despite funding issues, it should not be necessary for six stations to carry the identical program each weekend. http://networkeurope.radio.cz/ (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, ibid.) I think you mean Radio Slovakia, not Radio Prague. Radio Prague is one of the stations that carries "Insight Central Europe" (along with Radio Slovakia, Radio Budapest, and Radio Polonia). And as far as I know, RSI only carry Network Europe one weekend a month -- or at least, they did before the four-month hiatus. Reception hasn't been good enough since October to listen to RSI on a regular basis (Ted Schuerzinger, ibid.) You're probably right, Ted. I might be confusing the two programs. But if it's only on once a month, then how is RN going to use it to replace a weekly program? [Later:] I just checked the archive on the web site and NE is a weekly. Also, Prague carries both ICE and NE. jaf (John Figliozzi, ibid.) Of the seven, RFI, DW and R. Polonia don't target us in North America, so we're "lucky". I agree this is a step down - even archive editions of RNW documentaries would be preferable, since many documentaries have long shelf lives. Another idea would be something like BBC Radio Four's "A World In Your Ear" -- a radio program that uses the content of broadcasters elsewhere (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, ibid.) ** NICARAGUA [and non]. Re: Off-Frequency 720s Sorry if this 720 situation is more muddled than it should be. :-) I am quite certain that XEAVR is *not* the station on 719.904. I believe XEAVR is quite close to the assigned frequency, and have tentatively identified them as being on 719.999. Aside from WGN, which is on 720.000, the other players in this continuing saga are on 719.904, 719.952, 720.003, 720.070, and 720.102 (from last night's measurements). The only one of this latter group that I have ID'ed with any certainty is RJR Jamaica, on 719.952. I also noted last night that the 720.070 and 720.102 signals seem to disappear shortly after 0400z, and that this was indicative of sign-off rather than fade-out. I'll continue working on this case! (Barry McClarnon, ON, Dec 28, Realdx yg via DXLD) More results from last night: I'm now quite certain that the 719.904 station is indeed Radio Católica. Here is an audio clip recorded at 0353z Dec 29, while tuned to 719.904 in LSB mode: http://topazdesigns.com/ambc/audio/rcatolica-720-2253-28dec06.mp3 There is a "Radio Católica en Nicaragua" ID by a woman at about 20 secs into the clip. I did not hear a sign-off, but the station disappeared sometime between 0400z and 0500z. Another 720 oddity: RJR Jamaica seems to jump in frequency at times. Last night it was initially on the usual 719.952, but the next time I checked, the carrier was at about 719.998. Later, it had returned to 719.952. Very odd. There is also a station at 720.003 that I suspect is YVQE Porlamar, but I'm not sure yet. As for the other off-frequency stations, I know that the 720.070 plays music (I need to spend some time on Henrik's page to get familiar with the different styles, but last night I heard some lively Latino music there, with a lot of accordion), and it appears that they sign off at 0300z. The 720.102 seems to sign off at 0400z, but I have no further info than that at this point. The beat goes on -- (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, Realdx yg via DXLD) I might add that KSAH 720 Universal City (San Antonio) TX is less than 1 Hz from WGN 720.000, but that`s enough for annoying long deep fades when trying to listen to Extension 720, and KSAH`s null toward Chicago is not tight enough (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. I caught DZRB Manila webcast Dec 31 at 1600 UT Jahrwechsel, lots of drumming (or fireworx?) and countdown; announcer couldn`t decide whether to use English or Spanish numbers. This is the only Phil. station linked at http://www.publicradiofan.com which people might also check for other needed countries. 73, (Glenn Hauser, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND. Today could also be the last day of (the current activity period of) the Koszecin transmitter in Poland, if this more or less anonymous posting is correct: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=6916#comment-74101 (Kai Ludwig, Dec 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1080 kHz ** RUSSIA [and non]. VOICE OF RUSSIA Relay via SW transmitters. 29/10/2006 - 24/03/2007 Moscow / RUS 5900 0000-0300 500 5905 2400-1600 035 DRM 5920 1500-1900 035 DRM 5985 1500-2000 250 6000 1630-1800 250 6130 1600-2100 250 6145 1600-2200 250 7105 1600-1630 250 7105 1800-2100 250 7115 1800-2100 250 7135 1300-1600 250 7195 1700-2100 250 7230 1600-2100 500 7260 0200-0400 500 7270 1500-1900 250 7290 1800-2200 250 7305 1800-2000 200 7320 1600-1900 250 7330 0000-0400 500 7330 1700-2200 250 9470 1500-1800 500 11630* 1200-1500 250 11635 0700-0900 035 DRM 12025 1200-1600 500 12055 1300-1530 500 12060 1000-1400 035 DRM 15460**1200-1500 250 * = 29/10/2006 - 03/03/2007 ** = 04/03/2007 - 24/03/2007 Sankt-Peretsburg / RUS 5910 1600-1700 200 5935 1500-1800 400 5940 2100-2230 200 6045 1700-2000 200 6060 1800-2000 400 6090 1600-2100 200 6160 1800-2000 200 6195 0100-0300 500 7130 1700-1800 400 7340 1600-1800 200 Kaliningrad / RUS 5975 1630-2000 160 6030 1800-2200 160 7285 1500-2200 160 9720 1000-1100 160 Samara / RUS 5920 2100-2200 250 5940 1800-2100 250 5980 1300-1500 250 6000 2000-2230 200 6020 1500-1700 250 6045 1500-1700 250 6185 1300-1700 200 7110 1400-1700 250 7155 1900-2000 250 7170 0000-0300 500 7290 1600-1800 250 Krasnodar / RUS 5925 1500-1700 100 5945 0100-0300 500 6005 1500-1800 100 6055 1800-1900 250 6135 1500-1600 250 6140 1800-2000 100 6175 1800-2000 100 7150 0200-0600 500 7300 1700-1900 250 11975 1300-1500 250 15540 1000-1100 250 Novosibirsk / RUS 5940 1200-1500 200 5945 1400-1800 500 7305 1200-1400 200 Mon-Sat 7305 1200-1300 200 Sun 7305 1400-1700 500 7310 1800-2100 500 7340 2000-2200 200 9865 1200-1300 500 Irkutsk / RUS 5920 1000-1400 100 5950 2000-2100 250 5995 1500-1900 100 6095 1000-1100 100 6115 1200-1300 100 6125 1700-1900 250 9800 1300-1500 500 17805 0600-0900 250 Chita / RUS 6140 1200-1300 500 7295 1700-1900 500 7335 1800-2000 500 7350 1200-1600 500 15195 0800-1000 500 Vladivostok / RUS 5930 1100-1400 100 Mon-Sat 5930 1100-1300 100 Sun 5930 1400-1500 100 5955 2000-2200 500 7260 1300-1700 500 15425 0200-0600 500 Khabarovsk / RUS 6170 1200-1500 100 7220 1100-1500 100 Komsomolsk-na-Amure / RUS 5995 1200-1500 250 6005 1300-1500 250 12010 0200-0500 250 17665 0600-1000 250 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy / RUS 7125 1700-1900 250 9840 0400-0600 250 12030 0200-0500 250 13665 0200-0600 200 Gavar / ARM 7250 0200-0400 500 11510 1700-2000 500 Grigoriopol / MDA 6170 1900-2030 500 6240 0100-0400 500 7125 0000-0600 500 Orzu / TJK 7570 0000-0300 500 9945 0200-0300 500 11500 1200-1500 500 17495 0800-1000 500 Yangiyul / TJK 4865 1300-1500 100 4965 1600-1700 100 4975 1300-1500 100 4975 1600-1700 100 7510 1500-1700 200 9885 1300-1530 100 9885 1600-1700 100 Nikolaev / UKR 6250* 0200-0400 500 * = alternative 7240 Xian / CHN 9660 1500-1600 100 S. Maria di Galeria / CVA 7350 [time missing] Juelich / D 5965 2000-2200 100 5975 2000-2200 100 5990 2100-2200 100 9555 1500-1600 100 Wertachtal / D 5995 0200-0400 125 6175 2300-2400 125 (Nikolay Rudnev, Stroitel, Belgorodskaya oblast, Rus-DX Dec 31 via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Hola Glenn, respecto a la pregunta que hace Eduardo, sobre QSL de BSKSA, hace mucho tiempo que no veo reportada ninguna QSL de esa emisora. Yo mismo envié informes de recepción hace dos o tres años y nunca tuve respuesta. Un abrazo y muy feliz 2007 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. Nice to see RADIO SLOVAKIA INTERNATIONAL back on the shortwave bands after a short absence of a few months. As DAVID CRYSTAL says, please encourage them by sending reception reports and tell them about reception conditions. As David says they have not printed any QSL cards as yet, but let them know about reception at your QTH. I'm getting fair to poor reception at 1730 on 6055 kHz with BBC co-channel. 5915 kHz has DRM interference from a station on 5920 kHz making it difficult to follow the broadcast. At 1930, 5915 kHz is clear of DRM interference and 7345 kHz has adjacent channel interference. Best of all send your comments about the programme content, also opinions and suggestions for further programmes. I think writing to stations often gives them the incentive to produce excellent programmes. The address is:- Radio Slovakia International, Mytna 1, P.O. Box 55, 817 55 BRATISLAVIA 15, Slovakia (Edwin Southwell, Jan World DX Club Contact via DXLD) It might be useful to say on a reception report "if your station does not at this time have QSL cards for acknowledging reports, please place my name on a waiting list for a card when they do become available". A few dozen such requests to the station might make it seem worthwhile to them in arranging a short print run of QSL cards which in turn because of scarcity could become collector's items (WDXC ed., Arthur Ward?, ibid.) see also NETHERLANDS [and non] ** SOUTH AMERICA. Noticia vía Condiglist: Amigos! Saludos desde Sud América. Si todo sale bien, estaremos en el aire esta noche desde aprox las 23 UT en 6290 o 6307 kHz. Saludos y un Feliz Año Nuevo, Jorge R. García -- Porfavor siempre responder a: rpi @ radiopirana.com (via José Miguel Romero, Dec 31, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SUDAN. (SOUTH). In mid-February 2007 a new religious station will be installed in Ezo, Sudan. The power will be 250 Watts. The frequency is 6.00 MHz so possibly 6000 kHz. No further details available at the moment. Happy New Year (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Dec 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also UGANDA! ** SWITZERLAND. SWITZERLAND CALLING --- 70 YEARS OF QUALITY REPORTING Swiss Radio International/Swiss Info has released a DVD-Rom "Switzerland calling --- 70 Years of Quality reporting" during their 70th anniversary. It seems to be one of the best radio related CD/DVD's ever produced by a radio station. The contents of the DVD include more than 3 GB with excellent video footage of old and new Swiss SW transmitters, interval signals, radio broadcast archives which highlights through the 70 years history of SRI, photos and lots of texts. The DVD can be viewed /heard in 4 languages: English, German, Italian and French. The main topics of the DVD include the following: . From Shortwave to hypertext --- This contains 6 subtopics including the creation of Swiss SW service1935-45, Consolidation and Recognition 1945-55, Towards a news based radio station 1965-80, Hesitation and hiccups 1980-90, The move towards multimedia 1990-2000, The Voice of the Switzerland on the internet today. It contains leading sound archives, 1968 black and white video footage of Schwarzenberg transmitter site, colour videos of studios, photo archives etc. . Switzerland Voice in the World --- This covers 8 subtopics including SRI SW service and its role of free voice during pre-war and post-world war, being neutral during Cold war, SRI and Latin America, The 1991 Gulf War and balanced coverage, The age of satellite and partner radios, the outside view from Switzerland and the art of international communication. . Culture and Music --- The role of SRI in promoting Swiss culture and music to the world, also includes music selection and popular choices during various periods, analysed through 6 topics including Music Helvetia and highlighting famous Swiss Artists and writers. . Goodies from Archives --- Consists of the 13 selected "Assignment Switzerland" final broadcasts (13 x 30 min), which were heard during the final weeks of SRI. It describes the development of SRI and Swiss life during the past 70 years. The SRI interval signal from various periods is also included. SRI/SBC promotional can also be viewed under this topic. . Picture Galleries --- takes you through the 70 year history of Swiss Radio International and also show various topics such as Behind the Scenes, State of art technology, Famous interviewees etc. "Switzerland Calling" is really useful for radio historians, shortwave enthusiasts, academic institutions and broadcast and media organizations. It is highly recommended for students of broadcast journalism to understand how a station passed through several decades and remains as a part of global history, from its childhood through adulthood into middle age and finally to old age (Internet streaming!). In its words, SRI describes " The Voice of Switzerland in the World, From September 1935 the multilingual SW service of Swiss radio International (SRI) was an independent source of information and champion of Swiss diversity. In 1999, the multimedia platform swissinfo.org went online to provide global access to information about Switzerland. To mark Swiss Info/SRI's 70th anniversary this DVD provides a wealth of material and comment tracing its history: radio recordings, film footage, Internet items and photos which provide a vivid snapshot of the changing times" "Switzerland Calling --- 70 years of Quality reporting" is distributed free of charge for private and educational purpose. Those interested may contact Swiss Info/SRI at the following address for more details and availability. Swiss Info/Swiss Radio International, Marketing-Communication, Giacomettistrasse 1, CH-3000 Berne 15 Switzerland. Fax: +41 31 350 95 44 E-mail: contact_swissinfo @ swissinfo.ch http://www.swissinfo.org [This review of Switzerland Calling DVD-Rom is compiled by T. R. Rajeesh, Kerala, INDIA (WDXC#2504) for Contact Magazine of the World DX Club in Northampton, England. This review may be reproduced by giving due credits to World DX Club.] (Jan WDXC Contact via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Earlier this year [2006y], I submitted an on-line reception report to Radio Taiwan International, and received a QSL within a few days. I have now received a nice season's greeting card from RTI signed by the staff of RTI, together with an RTI week-to-a-view diary, and a sort of oblong perspex fob with a small solar panel which when exposed to light causes the RTI logo to flash. Not sure what I can do with it tho --- maybe I can convert it to a key ring fob (Alan Roe, UK, Jan World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** TIBET. CHINA (TIBET) - China Tibet PBS, 5240 kHz, f/d QSL for 9/2006 report in 113 days, no RP. Station seal, illegible v/s. Handwritten on envelope ref to "Holy Tibet" English program, 3:00-3:30 PM & 0:00-0:30 AM (unk TZ) on 4905 // 7385 kHz. Happy New Year (Dan Srebnick - Aberdeen, NJ, Drake R8B, 130' inverted L, Dec 30, HCDX via DXLD) Must be UT+8 as everywhere in the Chinese Empire, as Holy Tibet is known to air at 0700 and 1600 UT; or it used to be 1630. Is 1600 correct? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. According to my sources a new religious station "Dunamis Shortwave" will start broadcasting 1 Feb 2007 on 4750 kHz. Located near Kampala, Uganda and using a 1 kW Crown transmitter with wire NVIS antenna. Starts with 4 hrs/day in Luganda, Swahili and English. Later 9 hrs/day. No exact schedule available yet. Not too good frequency choice when Sudanese Radio Peace is on the channel too. I told them there will be co-channel interference and it seems they had forgot the Sudanese station being on this frequency (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Dec 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC Short wave. What a reduction in recent years from BBC World Service of it's shortwave transmissions! I can no longer follow them throughout the day as they have such sparse coverage. Why could they not leave 6195 or 9410 on, even with reduced power for 24 hours. Being so close to the UK the higher 15 MHz frequencies are useless, and 12095 is on and off and in various languages. Even 5 or 10 kW omnidirectional in the lower bands would cover nearer western Europe. Reception is OK in southern Spain, even on 648 kHz at night. Portable reception of BBC is useless here now thanks to the bean counters' cuts. Shame on you BBC! (Des Walsh, Ireland, Jan World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** U K [non]. BBC-Uzbek heard signing on at 1300 on 11730 with good level 12/30; heard Russian test tones prior to start, and per Aoki's list this transmission comes from Moscow (not Cyprus as per WRTH-07). (Joe Hanlon, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. Dec 30 at 1230 I found BBCWS relay via WHRI on 9660 much inferior to French Guiana on 9750, partly because 9660 was suffering QRDRM which was also audible on 9655 but not on 9665. This is: 1200-1359 daily 9655 300 degrees Europe 200 kW DW D various Wertachtal Germany per http://baseportal.com/baseportal/drmdx/main (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And it will be Moosbrunn [AUSTRIA] 40 kW with same azimuth from New Year's Day. Already today I made a point of listening to 6075 a little bit before I left for lunch at 1145 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See GERMANY ** U K [non]. 6140, UNIDENTIFIED, BBC World Service; 1214-1231*/*1235- 1237* 31 December, 2006. Very odd operation here (testing?). No listing for this channel located in WRTH-07, PWBR-07 or BBCWS online frequency schedule. Tune-in to what seemed to be a UK FM relay or a test tape, with nonstop pop songs segued (Joss Stone "Fell In Love With A Boy," a Jet track, Pink's "Stupid Girl" etc.), no announcements between. Abruptly switched to BBCWS Spanish service, with only a few words by male before switching again, this time to English with promo for bbcnews.com, then into world news summary by female in English and abruptly off at 1231*. Carrier only back up at *1235-1237*. Tuned out a few minutes later; so unsure if the games continued after (nothing at 1301 recheck). Huge, local level signal, so certainly from N/S American site (Terry L. Krueger, Clearwater FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Terry, This has been referred to already several times in DXLD. Greenville: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/tuning_in/newsid_4294000/4294086.stm 73, (Glenn to Terry, via DXLD) See also 6-190 ** U K. Wave farewell to AM radio, say experts --- Radio broadcasts on medium wave will end within a few years if a powerful coalition of commercial radio interests has its way. . . http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/12/30/nradio30.xml (via Sergei Sosedkin, dxldyg via DXLD) AM Radio is Leaving UK? --- The article is one of the most blatant examples of plagiarism I have seen. Compare it with the longer and more balanced "Proposal to switch off AM Radio gets a mixed reception from broadcasters" by Amanda Andrews the day before in The Times: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9071-2521803,00.html And Sapsted gets paid for a blatant cut and paste job using Ms. Andrews research and even article structure. One leading commercial radio group not quoted is UTV who hold one of the two national commercial AM licences, Talksport: "One issue which is fundamental to the future of INR and the public interest is that there should be a path mapped out which allows the national stations a future on AM. Whilst all commercial radio operators are developing their digital futures the reality is that digital growth is slower than expected. It is therefore highly unlikely that the 8.5 million adults listening to BBC 5 Live, talkSPORT and Virgin on AM will have migrated in sufficient numbers by 2012 justify any contemplation of an AM switch-off at such an early stage. It is also a reasoned assumption that the older audiences listening on AM, to BBC 5Live and talkSPORT in particular, are not the early adopters of new digital radio reception technology." The full EMAP quote from the Times article which Sapsted skates over is: The group said that it had recorded a rise in Magic's AM audiences and it was still too early in the development of digital radio to talk about AM or analogue switch-off. Dee Ford, group managing director of Emap Radio, said: "We want people to be able to listen to their Emap Radio service of choice, whenever and wherever they want to — be that AM, FM, DAB or via their TV." Ofcom have also talked about advertising AM licences on a "technology neutral" basis allowing groups to continue to apply to operate in AM if they wished as Talksport and EMAP clearly do. But all this of course spoils Sapsted`s plagiarised story which he decides to give the overdramatic headline "Wave farewell to AM radio says experts" I would have thought the 8.5 million UK AM listeners are also experts (Mike Barraclough, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Cutting to the chase on this, "younger people" who are now making the decisions on such things, are excessively enamored with new technologies. Because they do not personally see the point of the "older" technologies and feel that they are anachronistic, they tend to make decisions which would get rid of them. I know this sounds trite, but I think it needs to be said (Bill Harms, MD, ibid.) Especially in light of such flagrant examples: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=6610 A friend of mine called this "hefty", although he is hardly a big fan of AM radio. But this does not matter that much when a station executive states that she wants to "get off" listeners. I guess the reference to The Killers needs some explanation: A recent song by this band starts quite faintly and comes to full volume only after a minute or so. However, after all the audio processing this faint intro would no longer be soft on the mediumwave transmission anymore, so of course listeners would hear it. And I was told that this song intro would be presumably no longer soft on Virgin's satellite transmission either, at least it's said to be hardly known for best-quality audio with full dynamics range. Not to speak about DAB; the Digital One bouqet is also on air in Berlin as a PR stunt, so I could gather an own impression about Virgin's audio quality there, and I would describe it as [snipped; I'm unable to put it in polite words, the impression was just too harsh]. Truly a "dreadful frequency". A comment on the mentioned post laments the poor quality of Virgin's AM transmission also for AM standards. Well, here's an examply of skywave reception on 1215, from a synchro network of five main and various small transmitters, on Jan 1 2003 at midnight: http://www.radioeins.de/meta/sendungen/apparat/061125_A1.ram (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. /SRI LANKA: RFA in Vietnamese noted at 1440 on 13865 and 12135 with talk by woman, some music; 13865 was weak and 12135 was barely audible, both from Iranawila site. In comparison VOA at 1430 on 12150 via Sri Lanka had a very good signal in English (here's something to consider for Kim Andrew Elliott's appearance at that time 1/8!); one might suggest RFA might be using a different location than what was originally listed, somewhere in the Asian area. BTW, WRTH-07 has the RFA listings, with the transmitter sites suppressed of course. (Joe Hanlon, NJ, Dec 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Thought KAIJ was running 24 hours, but no signal on 5755, Sat Dec 30 at 1205. KAIJ tells me 5755 was down due to audio equipment problem (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WWCR confirms that a WOR time change is permanent. Saturday 1730 instead of 1700 on 12160 (Glenn, in advance, Dec 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) And it's audible here at weak to fair strength and JUST about usable in local noise (N. R. Green, England, ibid.) ** U S A. WASHINGTON DC FM CLASSICAL MUSIC OPTIONS Glenn: From DXLD 6-192, ``"From the Top," which is produced for public radio, aired in Washington on WETA (90.9 FM) until that station dropped classical music two years ago. The show moved to the city's commercial classical station, WGMS (104.1 FM), but now its format is about to vanish from the airwaves, with the station becoming Redskins owner Dan Snyder's fourth sports talk outlet in the Washington area. Soon the only ways to hear the show locally will probably be via XM Satellite Radio or online.`` For those DXLD readers in the DC/Baltimore/Annapolis area who lament the loss of classical music in the area, I have a couple of suggestions. WBJC, with transmitter in Jessup, MD on 91.5 MHz has a 100% classical format. Jessup is located just south of Baltimore. Their signal is regularly received in car radios in eastern Virginia to the west, and on the western side of Delaware to the east. In the past I have received this station on US I95 in the Philadelphia area. Their classical music might be classified by aficionados as pedestrian with a somewhat limited playlist but it is easy-to-listen-to music that will appeal to new classical music listeners. Alternatively, those who have more eclectic classical music tastes can enjoy WSCL in Salisbury, MD on 89.5 MHz. I volunteer as a classical music announcer on this station between the spring and fall months. The transmitter is in Seaford, DE with an antenna favoring the west at about 600 feet. The car radio coverage of WSCL extends to the Atlantic Ocean to the east, almost to Wilmington to the north, and nearly to the DC beltway to the west. Coverage to the south extends to the eastern shore of Virginia and the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay in southern MD. Coverage to the south is limited by co-channel WHRV in Norfolk VA. A fixed FM yagi antenna in DC pointed easterly should help receive WSCL if adjacent Pacifica Radio on 89.3 can be nulled. The WSCL library has about 6000 CD's and they use a computer program to ensure that their classical music selections are not repeated within a certain time window. You can sample their programming on the internet at http://www.publicradiodelmarva.net On the left side of the home page click on "listen" next to the WSCL call sign. Do not be confused by a similar setup for sister station WSDL which broadcasts mostly NPR-BBC- PRI informational programs. WSCL has classical music from 9 AM to 4 PM and 6 PM to 5 AM Monday through Friday local eastern time [UT -5]. Weekend programming is classical music from 11 AM to 6 PM and 11 PM Saturday to 8 AM on Sunday. Then on Sunday the classical music resumes at 10 AM until 6:30 PM resuming at 7 PM to 5 AM on Monday. "From The Top" airs from 5:30 to 6:30 on Sunday (Joe Buch, (Currently enjoying the 80F weather in sunny FL), DX LISTENING DIGEST) I bet the classical is syndicated, from Beethoven net or WFMT or MPR or WCPE. Exactly same stuff airing at same time on dozens (hopefully hundreds) of stations, yet they pretend to be local staff announcers. Or rather, stations pretend they are, e.g. ``KCCU`s Classical Hosts``. This page does mention Classical 24, for which you will hear no IDs on the air: http://www.kccu.org/programs/classical.html But where in the world are they? Certainly not in Lawton, OK. Oops, we classical lovers can`t really afford to complain about such compromises, can we? (gh) ** U S A. [WVEW 101.7] COMMUNITY RADIO IS BACK By BOB AUDETTE, Reformer Staff Wednesday, December 27 http://www.reformer.com/localnews/ci_4906104 BRATTLEBORO -- Radio free brattleboro may be just a memory, but community radio is still alive and kicking with the debut of WVEW at 107.7 on the FM dial. Though it took Vermont Earth Works almost five years to get the license for its all-access radio station, Debra Forrett, a co-founder of VEW, said there was no doubt on the VEW board's part that the wait was worthwhile. "It's important for there to be a place for everyone's voice to be heard," said Forrett. "This radio station is that. Anyone can go on the radio and play their diverse selection of music or give their opinions." Vermont Earth Works is an educational nonprofit serving the communities of southern Vermont. The mission of Vermont Earth Works is to increase public access to educational, cultural and environmental opportunities. Forrett said that though many of the people who worked to get WVEW on the air were also involved with radio free brattleboro, the new station, at 100 watts, can reach a broader audience. "We have built on the radio free brattleboro tradition," said Forrett. Jim Maxwell, an attorney who represented radio free brattleboro in its run-in with the Federal Communications Commission, said that though there are some differences between rfb and WVEW, the new station has the "very same ethos that radio free brattleboro lived by." "Because of that there has been little difference in terms of the culture of the radio station and how we want to communicate to the community," said Maxwell. In 1998, a group of local citizens started radio free brattleboro, a one-watt pirate radio station that grew to 10 watts before it ran into trouble with the FCC. The station wasn't licensed with the federal government, which forced rfb to shut down. In 2001, Vermont Earth Works applied for a 100-watt, low-power FM license. Almost four years later, the FCC granted the new permit. Over the next 18 months, community volunteers met to work out the details and figure out how to raise the money necessary to purchase equipment and pay the operating costs. Now, Maxwell hosts a weekly show called "Art Talk." "This is a way for individuals to communicate what is going on the street," said Maxwell. "The Art Talk program is intended to make known to the community how vibrant and interesting the arts and crafts are in the Brattleboro area." Maxwell said those who come on his show not only talk about their art, but they also talk about their personal journey and how they got to where they are in life. Maxwell, like the other DJs, or program hosts, had free rein to create his radio show, said Rich Zucker, a member of the steering committee. When on the air, Zucker goes by the handle of Rich Bones. "Each DJ, or program host, is responsible for their own show," said Zucker. "Program hosts have no restrictions," besides those implemented [imposed] by the FCC, such as profanity. Zucker said program topics are as wide and varied as the program hosts. He said those topics include health, entertainment, youth issues and child-rearing. Listeners can also hear an hour of birdsongs every week or listen to a couple of local guys talk about their favorite sport on a show called "Hockey - Eh." The new station has many of the bells and whistles that can be found at commercial radio stations, and program hosts can even plug in their MP3 players to send music out over the airwaves. But much of the station is still "old-fashioned" with thousands of long playing vinyl records acquired from the Brooks Memorial Library and the Chelsea House Blues Collection. The station also has a large inventory of music from the radio free brattleboro days. According to Bones, at any given time, a listener can hear one of more than 70 individually-produced shows, including shows put together by local students who, from 4 to 5 p.m. on Mondays, read the news on the air. "Community radio is empowering," said steering committee member Larry Bloch. "Especially for youth. It gives them the opportunity to get comfortable speaking their mind to a large audience." But not all the students are about news and chat. At least one just wants to spin discs. "My brother used to have a show on radio free brattleboro," said Leland & Gray student Caleb Morris. "He let me hang out and since then I have been really interested in radio and in being a DJ." Morris, an eighth-grader, plays a wide variety of music on his show on Tuesday afternoons. "Pretty much anything but country," he said about his music selection. WVEW also broadcasts alternative news programs such as Democracy Now!, Free Speech Radio News, CounterSpin and Workers News Network. But just being on the air is not enough for the members of WVEW. Eventually, they would like to build a production studio, where program hosts can work on their shows or put together a news broadcast. Zucker said with digital recorders and the right production equipment, program hosts can create their own news packages which could be made available to other stations. Eventually, said Zucker, they would also like to be able to do remote productions, broadcasting from local events in the community. According to Bloch, it will cost approximately $25,000 a year to run the new station. The money is raised through donations and dues. Since 2000, more than 260 low-power community radio stations have been licensed and more are on the way. Because of intense lobbying by the broadcasting lobby, Congress passed legislation limiting low power FM stations to rural areas, meaning such stations are unavailable in the major metropolitan areas of the United States, but community radio advocates around the country are hoping the new Congress will toss out that regulation (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. COLUMBUS STATION GOING CONSERVATIVE AS KEY STATE POSITIONS TURN DEMOCRATIC --- Radio switches dial from left to right By RYAN E. SMITH, BLADE STAFF WRITER Article published Saturday, December 30, 2006 Just about the time the Democrats take their places in the highest positions of state government in Columbus, their liberal voice is leaving talk radio in that part of the state. WTPG-AM (1230) is turning in its "progressive talk," featuring the likes of Al Franken, and trading it for conservatives like Michael Savage and Laura Ingraham. It changed its call letters to WYTS recently and will begin its new programming Jan. 9. The move to the other end of the political spectrum at the Clear Channel station is purely about good business, program manager Bruce Collins said. "The reason for the change is just due to lack of ratings performance by the radio station," he said. . . http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061230/NEWS24/612300395/-1/NEWS (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. DEFENDERS OF LIBERAL TALK FIGHT TO KEEP IT ON AIRWAVES By Jesse Noyes, Boston Herald Business Reporter Saturday, December 30, 2006 - Updated: 02:10 PM EST http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=174511&srvc=biz A newly formed local group is planning to fight a decision by radio broadcaster Clear Channel to drop liberal talk from Boston’s airwaves. ``I think it`s absurd and defies reason to think that progressive talk wouldn’t work in the market,`` said Robin Bergman, who is heading up a group called Save Boston Progressive Talk. Bergman’s group plans to petition Clear Channel to put the liberal talk format back on WKOX-AM (1200) and WXKS-AM (1430). Until recently, those frequencies carried programming from the bankrupt Air America Radio network, which has hosts like Al Franken, and the Jones Radio network, which features liberal talker Ed Schultz. But those programs were dumped for a Spanish-language music format. Now Bergman - who owns an arts and crafts business called Robin’s Originals in West Concord - is leading a group of protesters to pressure Clear Channel into restoring the liberal talk format. Bergman started an online forum last week, which already has over 150 members. Earlier this week, the group launched the Web site http://www.bostonprogressivetalk.net and started an online petition. Bergman said she hopes to get 5,000 people to sign the petition before submitting it to Clear Channel. ``In an area like Boston there’s no reason that we couldn’t get thousands and thousands of signatures,`` she said. The group is also holding meetings. On Wednesday about 20 people met at Panera’s restaurant in Watertown in an effort to organize a grassroots protest group. Another meeting is scheduled for Jan. 8 at the same restaurant. Clear Channel recently reversed its decision to drop the liberal talk format in Madison, Wis., after it prompted heavy backlash. Angry protesters went so far as to hold a fake funeral procession for the station in that state. A Clear Channel representative could not be reached for comment yesterday. The company agreed last month to be bought by two Boston private-equity firms for nearly $19 billion. But the local protest group might have a tough time persuading Clear Channel to bend. The syndicated progressive talk shows posted low ratings, though many blamed that on a weak signal. WKOX is planning to boost its power to 50,000 watts next year. Donna Halper, a local radio consultant and a member of the new group, said she’s convinced there’s a place for liberal radio in Boston. ``Just as a fan I think it can work,`` she said (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. TALK RADIO STATION SWITCHES TO SPANISH FORMAT By KYLE ARNOLD, The Monitor http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/ts_comments.php?id=74513_0_10_0_C McALLEN — Some of the biggest names in conservative talk radio have been stripped of their microphones — at least in the Rio Grande Valley. Bill O’Reilly, Glenn Beck and Michael Savage are among the radio talk show hosts who will no longer have a spot on the local airwaves after Clear Channel pulled the plug on Brownsville’s KVNS News Talk 1700 AM. The station has switched over to a new Spanish format that will play songs from the 1970s to 1990s. The three-year-old station couldn’t draw a large enough audience, said operations manager Billy Santiago. ``We couldn’t get any ratings on that station first of all,`` Santiago said. ``From a revenue standpoint, we weren’t making a lot of money.`` Since KVNS broadcasts from Brownsville, it was often difficult to clearly get the station’s signal from McAllen westward. The station once considered moving to McAllen, but that plan never came to fruition. KVNS was one of the lowest rated on AM radio. It carried a 0.4 percent market share, according to Arbitron, similar to that of KSOX, the ESPN sports affiliate that was temporarily axed in 1999 and has been recently battling some transmission issues due to windy weather in the area since Thursday morning. Some upset listeners have called KVNS to show their displeasure for dropping their favorite radio shows, but since there were few listeners in the first place, calls have been limited. Joann Teuscher, a Winter Texan who lives in Harlingen, listened to ``The Glenn Beck Program`` back home in Akron, Ohio, and counted on KVNS to play her favorite program when she moved to the Valley for the cooler months. ``I love Glenn Beck,`` she said. ``He’s like `Saturday Night Live` on the radio.`` She called the station and complained to Santiago when her program disappeared last week, but she was only urged to rally her fellow listeners. If the station`s new format doesn`t work out and enough talk radio listeners complain, the station format could be switched back, Santiago told her. Now, Teuscher`s trying to mobilize the other listeners at her mobile home park to e-mail the station manager. Beck, Bill O’Reilly and Michael Savage were the highest-rated programs on the stations, but there was not a local program to hook a local audience, Santiago said. Those programs have not been picked up by another station. The Valley still has one English-language news talk radio station. KURV, based in McAllen, has the highest AM radio ratings in the area. It has a 2.4 percent market share with program hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. Santiago said the Valley may not be a good market for two English- language talk radio stations. ``From a revenue standpoint the news talk audience goes to KURV,`` he said. ``We were left with crumbs.`` Posted on Dec 30, 06 | 12:02 am Copyright © 2003 The Brownsville Herald (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. THAT FAMILIAR TICKING GROWS FAINTER By Tom Shales, Washington Post Staff Writer Sunday, December 31, 2006; N03 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/29/AR2006122900260_pf.html Television, the master medium that dominated American entertainment for a half-century, is being pulled this way and that, going in seemingly contradictory directions at once. And no one knows for sure where the evolution is leading us. Sometimes the passing of the old guard is epitomized in sudden, shocking and, in one conspicuous case, sorrowful events. This year, the death of Ed Bradley, stalwart veteran of the "60 Minutes" team, was a jolt not only because the viewing nation felt it had lost a friend and icon, but because it dramatized the fragility of the seemingly invulnerable -- even the show itself. "60 Minutes" -- not only a rewarding national habit for decades but also a kind of lonely civilizing influence -- is a bellwether of myriad facets. Several months before Bradley's death, it was announced that fellow correspondent Mike Wallace, an amazing 88, would be lightening his workload -- although his energies and enthusiasms, and that magnificent broadcasting voice, appear undiminished -- and this disclosure, clearly not Wallace's idea, focused attention on the advanced ages of most of the show's correspondents. As with all news broadcasts, the program's audience "skews old," in demographic terms, and although it also skews affluent and influential, the age factor is an industry obsession. It's discouraging, meanwhile, to concede there's an element of precariousness to even so seemingly inviolate an institution as "60 Minutes." To adapt and survive, the program has done what virtually every network news production now must do: Develop an Internet alter-ego to which viewers are referred for supplemental material and assorted ephemera (if it was edited out of the report that aired, then doesn't that mean it's probably not necessary?). Everybody, of course, has to have a Web site. (Even Cottonelle toilet paper has a Web site; I haven't ventured over there to see what's on it.) When the great "60 Minutes" surrendered to Web-site mania, there was something humbling about it, something moderately ominous. It's what the Web site represents that's discomforting: the Internet's encroachment on traditional media that continues apace every year, as well as the changing role of the audience that goes with it. As TV changes, what's definite is uncertainty. What's reinvented today might be re-reinvented again tomorrow. Ask not for whom the stopwatch ticks. It ticks for everything, even itself (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. Radio Nacional Saharaui --- I checked it on Dec 29 and also found it back on 7460.0 which here is a very noisy frequency. I heard it at 2330-0003* in Spanish with ID 0001 and martial music at close. SINPO 32332. It was much better heard on 6208 kHz (Anker Petersen, Denmark, via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) Hi dear Anker, totally different logging quality here in southern Germany. 6208/6210 was a very tiny lousy POOR signal of S=1-2, compared to the powerhouses UK 6195 and UKR 6245 kHz, or even to poor DLF 6190 from Berlin Britz nearby. My new E1 Radio from Lextronix shows a real signal level display, and also checked with AOR 7030, Kenwood R-1000, and the various SONY's 2001/2010 sets. RASD 7460 (ex-7425) noted with fair level again back, similar observation also made previously on holiday tour in Italy, Andalusia and Algarve-Portugal. Best 73 and Happy New Year to all. – also wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 5930 spy letters: There was some other type of ute using 5930 today (Dec.30) at around 0800 - the frequency may have been very slightly lower or even LSB only. I don't know what type of transmission it was - it sounded like very fast dits. Monchegorsk (Murmansk) was audible on 5930, but only clearly when using USB. I tuned through 5800 up to 5930 but didn't notice any CW signal in this range. And BTW - I assume it's WEWN using 5850, and that I can hear traces of audio from. But a very strong digital type signal is also using this frequency. Is it affecting reception of WEWN Stateside? (Noel R. Green (NW England), Dec 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Very fast dits`` could be spur from Cuban jammer as noted on other frequencies. 6030 could leapfrog over 5980 after 0700. Never noticed any such QRM (or any QRM) to WEWN 5850, but I cannot say about 0800 UT. Zzzz, (Glenn, ibid.) I usually refer to the Cuban jamming as sounding like maracas - the very fast dits I heard were not like this. It was a UTE noise I've heard before but I don't know what type. I hear the digi-UTE operating on 5850 now at 1700 and it's assumed to be located somewhere in Euro- land. There are traces of voice on either side of frequency but it's not possible to copy any of it - maybe IBB via Wertachtal? Hopefully the Iranians can't hear what I can! (Noel R. Green (NW England) The spurs sound rather different from the intended jamming frequencies, perhaps because it`s only one transmitter making a rapid clicking (like dits?) instead of a mixture of no telling how many at full force (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ PACIFIC-ASIAN LOG [PAL] RADIO STATION GUIDES FREE latest updates online What's on the radio in Honolulu... Kuala Lumpur.... Lombok..... Auckland..... Brisbane.... Beijing..... The mediumwave and shortwave online radio station guides have been updated at http://www.radioheritage.net and include nearly 6000 separate stations and over 50,000 separate data entries of detailed information. The Pacific-Asian Log is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to stations in the region, giving you FREE access to data such as station slogan, callsign, power, hours of operation, format and more. Easily searched by frequency, location and country, both radio station guides can also be quickly downloaded. Ideal for business travelers, journalists, advertising agencies, casual listeners, and anyone wanting to know what radio stations can be heard across the region. Simply visit http://www.radioheritage.net today. For example, Adelaide [Australia] has 8 local MW stations, Anchorage [Alaska] has 7, Bejing has 12, Bangkok has 24. You'll also find out the station slogan [KHAR Anchorage uses 'Heart Radio, The Station of the Stars'; format [KHAR plays Nostalgia music'; power in kilowatts [KHAR uses just 5 kW so is a rather low powered station designed to cover Anchorage only] and more. On shortwave, China boasts 562 separate entries such as the Voice of Pujiang, Shanghai on 3280 kHz. During the current Haj Pilgrimage [until January 29 2007], All India Radio's transmitter at Khampur [near Delhi] has special programs in Urdu on 17845 kHz directed towards Indian Moslems in the Middle East. There are 145 more current stations in India. As well as easily found individual station information, each Pacific- Asian Log at http://www.radioheritage.net has detailed country by country and network data to help listeners understand current broadcasting operations. Editor-in-Chief Bruce Portzer compiles each update based on information from many sources. Regularly refreshed, each radio station guide is the easiest place to find out what's on the air anywhere across the Pacific-Asian region. Find out what hundreds of listeners every week use to help plan their listening. Simply visit http://www.radioheritage.net click on 'PAL Search' or the 'PAL' logo, enter your email address for FREE access and you'll soon have the latest information on some 6000 mediumwave and shortwave stations. Since the early 1950's, the Pacific-Asian Log Radio Station Guides have been serving listeners around the world. We're pleased to continue this tradition in 2007 and invite you to enjoy many happy hours of listening. From the team at the Radio Heritage Foundation, http://www.radioheritage.net sharing the stories of Pacific radio --- visit the Art of Radio Hawaii our latest on-line exhibition today. ___________________________________ Radio Heritage Foundation, A registered non-profit organization. Supporter donations using VISA/Mastercard/Diners/Amex welcome at http://www.radioheritage.net (David Ricquish, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NEW 2007 ENDBH & NANDBH Hi Glenn, Enclosed please find some information about my latest beacon handbooks and CDs. It would be nice if you could mention it in DXLD. Take care and all my best wishes for a Happy New Year! ==================================================================== Hi all, For those of you that like to tune the NDB bands from time to time I'd like to announce that the 2007 edition of the ENDBH & NANDBH handbooks and CDs is now available. The new ENDBH 2007 contains the data of more than 6400 NDBs on 140+ spiral-bound pages in A4 format. Also the NANDBH 2007 has grown and shows the data of more than 5600 NDBs on 130+ pages. As a new feature the CD contains a Google Earth compatible NDB waypoint file so that you can "fly" to NDB locations around the globe. Two small samples for the ENDBH and NANDBH are attached to this mail so you can develop a feeling what to expect: - The ENDBH sample file will display all NDBs in Italy and the UK. - The NANDBH sample file will display all NDBs in British Columbia, Michigan, Oregon and Mexico. [perhaps these will be available on request from him --- gh] If Google Earth is already installed on your PC just double-click on the respective *.kmz file to start the application and the NDB locations should become visible. Once again the multimedia contents of the CD version have been expanded to a total of more than 130 NDB pictures and more than 130 NDB sound clips from around the world. What has remained stable however is the price and the quality of the handbooks and CDs. Please find more details in the attached PDF file. I'd like to take this opportunity to say many thanks to the growing number of DXers who have sent me comments and updates, pointed out errors, or provided NDB pictures and sound clips etc. Your support is very much appreciated and an invaluable help and encouragement for me! -- vy 73 + gd DX, (Michael Oexner, Editor of "The European NDB Handbook" & "The North American NDB Handbook" cf. http://www.beaconworld.org.uk/datafile.htm DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: RUSSIA; SLOVAKIA; UK mostly as QRM ++++++++++++++++++++ PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Conditions over the last month have been appalling. Here we are in the solar minimum and I have experienced some of the worst conditions I have ever known (I began MW DXing in 1977). Were it not for some loggings from the back end of November I would have next to nothing to report this month. We leave 2006 with what I assume must be `midwinter anomaly´ conditions because, despite a good run of low indices at the end of December, there is hardly any DX to show for it. At least, this is how it has been in the North Midlands. Martin has been doing better ooop norff. Conditions really could not get much worse. I have just checked my overnight recording of 1310 and heard ... nothing! (John Faulkner, Scotland, Dec 30, MWC via DXLD) Certainly no complaints from me! TAs have been very poor this month (and, I gather, TPs from the left coast), but that hasn't bothered me at all. In fact, December 06 has been the best DX month in terms of new loggings that I've had in years, with 46 newies so far this month. That compares with 16 in Nov, 22 in Oct, and 9 in Sept. The Sept newies were nearly all TAs, while those in Oct and Nov were nearly all to the west, with Oct particularly good for deep west catches. December has been completely different, with the resurgence of LAs and those fantastic auroral conditions in mid-month that filled the band with southern US stations. Highlights for the month include 8 new ones from NC, and 6 from TN. And I finally snagged WFLF-540 in FL a couple of days ago - my nomination for the most widely-heard station in the northeast that I'd never logged. On the LA front, I logged new ones from Honduras, Ecuador, Nicaragua (2), Venezuela, Cuba (5), and Mexico (4). It's been a dandy season, from where I sit! (Barry McLarnon, Ottawa ON, IRCA via DXLD) FM DX, INDONESIA TO NSW Today I had my most incredible FM catch from here in Bombala NSW Australia (200 km south of Canberra). At 16:39 [UT +11?] on the 31/12/06 I received FM From Indonesia on 95.4 MHz. The reception only lasted for 30 seconds but did get a clear ID of "Radio Republic Indonesia". From Jember, Jawa Timur Jember (YB3) to Bombala is some 3000 miles (4830 km)! Here is a link to the audio file (Thanks to Todd Emslie for hosting this). http://home.iprimus.com.au/abijah/RRI954.mp3 Funny thing is, it was the ONLY station heard. Not even Darwin FMs were logged. Only the Darwin 6m Beacon on 50.31 MHz. This year has been a fantastic season with many 2-Es opening to WA & Fiji. Only yesterday 30/12/06 I had good reception to KHON-2 Honolulu at S6 on the R-7100's S meter. I even heard the audio on 59.76. G'day (Geoff Wolfe - Bombala NSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also HAWAII Hi Geoff, Congratulations regarding your incredible 95.4 Indonesian Es FM DX! There was no sign of any chE2/E3/E4 DX at my QTH. However, coincident with your 95.4 Indonesian reception, the 50.014 V73SIX/b Roi Namur Island, Marshall Island beacon was in. Es was also open to 28.268 VK8VF/b Darwin. Can anyone on this list speak Indonesian. If so we would be grateful if you could interptete the language as heard on 95.4 MHz. The 95.4 DX mp3 file is available from: http://home.iprimus.com.au/abijah/RRI954.mp3 According to Alan Davies list (ref 1), there are three 95.4 FM transmitters currently operating in Indonesia. Out of the 3 transmitters, Jember, Jawa Timur could be the most likely possibility. The distance from Jember (YB3) to Bombala is some 3000 miles (4830 km)! Alan Davies has done a great service to DXers in compiling the Indonesian list (ref 2). 1. http://www.asiawaves.net/indonesia-fm-radio-1.htm 2. http://www.asiawaves.net/indonesia-fm-radio.htm Regards, (Todd Emslie, ICDX via Curtis Sadowski, WTFDA via DXLD) I don't speak Indonesian but did listen to the audio recording and it sounds very clear to me "Radio Republik Indonesia" right in the middle. Coordinates listed for Jember, Jawa Timur are: -8.1666667 113.7 Amazing sporadic E DX!!! (Randolph Zerr, KW4RZ, grid EM60qk, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, ibid.) GG64 > 50/144/432 > 02 to 07 jan 2007 Hello, The Japy DX Group will be on the road during the first days of 2007 from GG64bx in the south of Comprida Island (State of São Paulo, Brazil) for VHF and UHF point-to-point contacts, included TEP with Caribbean region: Days: From 02 to 07 of january 2007 Calls: PY2OC, PY2ENO, PY2ZX QTH: Ilha Comprida, Sao Paulo, Brazil WW Locator: GG64BX IOTA: SA-024 Main QRGs: 50.110 MHz SSB/CW 144.200 MHz SSB/CW 144.540 MHz FM 432.100 MHz SSB/CW 433.100 MHz FM Obs: The beginning of the transmissions will be around 2200 Z of each day, except day 07. Happy New Year for all (Flávio Archangelo PY2ZX, Dec 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE ATHEIST DELUSION Huffington Post Tip For Rational Living Make sure your audio is on first! http://atheistdelusion.cf.huffingtonpost.com/ (via Clara Listensprechen, DXLD) ###