DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-024, February 23, 2007 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 2007 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html For restrixions and searchable 2006 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid6.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 1347 Fri 2000 KAIJ 9480 [NEW] Fri 2130 WWCR 7465 Sat 1330 WRMI 7385 Sat 1730 WWCR3 12160 Sat 2230 WRMI 9955 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Mon 0400 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Mon 1330 WRMI 7385 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 NOTE: this week, an mp3 high version of WORLD OF RADIO 1347 for broadcasters only should be accessed at http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1347.mp3 ** ALASKA. Another 87.9 station? A new-station application in Alaska is trying to get around two FCC policies --- - The proposed Akiachak station would operate on 87.9 MHz. - It would be a Class D station. Proposed facilities are 50w/23m at 60-54-34N/161-25-53W - just a few miles up the Kuskowim River from Bethel in southwest Alaska. While the applicant is an individual, the application indicates the station would be operated by students at Akiachak School. Why they chose 87.9 is beyond me. FM stations within 100 miles: 91.9 translator 94.3 permit for translator 96.1 translator, plus a permit for another translator elsewhere 100.1 KYKD, class C3 station Obviously there are many, many other channels available for a low- powered FM station in Akiachak. And if they can afford 50 watts, surely they can afford 100 - becoming a Class A station and not having to get a waiver to the "no new Class Ds" policy too (Doug Smith, TN, WTFDA via DXLD) Test case? ** ANTARCTICA. (Argentina), 15476, LRA36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base Antártica Esperanza, 1915-2010, February 22, Spanish, talk about the dogs in the Antarctic territory, Argentina folk songs, ID as: “Esperanza al Mundo por Radio San Gabriel”, Program about Antarctic history: “Siguiendo con la historia antártica, vamos a contarles sobre la Base San Martín....”. ID as: “Desde la Base Esperanza, Territorio Antártico Argentino, transmite LRA36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, en español, de lunes a viernes para todo el mundo”. Other ID as: “Quédese hasta las 18 horas en Radio Arcángel San Gabriel”. SINPO 45444 at 1915; 35343 at 1940 & 44444 at 2005 UT. Announces transmission from Monday to Friday, from 1900 to 2100 UT (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So they gave up the first hour from 1800 due to Gabon co-channel. Wish they would also try some other dayparts, or just extend to 2200 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LRA36, 15476, obviously the one here at 2010. Music, and a female announcer. Best I've heard them so far this year (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, Feb 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) LRA36, Base Esperanza, 15476, was on the air and heard again Feb 22 at tune-in 2057 during song mentioning Argentina; perhaps their closing anthem. Ended at 2100 without further announcements, and carrier off a couple minutes later. Was S4 to peaks at S9+5 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ASCENSION. Part of SAINT HELENA: see PHILIPPINES ** AUSTRALIA. Hi Glenn, Spent the weekend at the Central Coast Field Day, with Nigel Holmes, Radio Australia head of transmission. Re the ABC low power and low frequency outlets in the Northern Territory. The problem is that the heat is usually 45 degrees Celsius; that`s over 100 F. It`s hot usually for weeks on end. In fact Australia for the most part is in drought and is the driest continent on earth. The newly commissioned transmitters have trouble to standing up to the heat of Australia's outback. The longest on-air trouble-free period is less than a few weeks. So the opportunity of hearing these stations can be rare at times. However, that helps making shortwave radio in our hobby, interesting. Also, there are some planning changes for DRM and other services ahead, so will advise in due course. Regards to all (John Wright, Australian Radio DX Club, Feb 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, the 45-degree temps should have been taken into account in the first place when purchasing the transmitters. OTOH, don`t they have cooling systems? Perhaps those only need to be improved (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) See also TURKEY [and non] ** BELGIUM. 2/6/2007, DRM tests from RTBF Wavre on 9950 and 9925 kHz (from http://baseportal.com/baseportal/drmdx/main checked Feb 23 at 1742); original item mentioned 9950 only. There are STILL no entries at all in the schedule above this for either frequency to give us any idea whatsoever of the times these may be testing (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 6105.50, Radio Panamericana, 1050-1105 Feb 22. Two males in Spanish comments. Heard mentions of Panamericana and Bolivia during comments. At 1000 station is covered by splatter from boomers coming on the air. Prior to that, the signal was fair (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 9624.97, Radio Fides, La Paz, 2345-0000, February 18, Spanish, Catholic program live from an important church in La Paz, announcement & ID as: “Ésta es la transmisión de Radio Fides, La Paz, desde el Templo… para oyentes impedidos de asistir a la Santa Misa”. Other ID as: “Está escuchando….Radio Fides….”, musical jingle (“Fides…su voz amiga….”, 22432 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. No dia 22/02/07, tive o prazer de ouvir tb as transmissões da Radio Cultura de Araraquara [3365] e com sinal 55555, e este sinal manteve-se durante todo o tempo de escuta, ou seja das 20:50 até às 22:10 [UT -2??] sem que houvesse queda de sinal. Aproveito para perguntar aos amigos da lista com qual potência transmite a Cultura, pois tenho no WRTH com 1 kW, mas a qualidade de audio recebida aqui em Guarulhos não me parece desta potencia. Um fte abraço a todos e boas escutas (Wagner Dabarian, Guarulhos SP, Feb 23, Receptor Realistic DX160, Antena Loop interna 18cm, Sintonizador MFJ 956, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** CANADA. Political correctness at the CBC: I found this note on the Global Village website: http://www.cbc.ca/globalvillage/GlobalVillage/main/main.html ``Apologia --- In a report from Doha, Qatar on the February 1st/3rd edition of the show, correspondent Ahmed Habib referred to the Persian Gulf as the "Arabian Gulf". It should not have been so identified and we apologize for the error. To voice other concerns or comments, click here.`` Thus it appears that Canada, or at least the CBC takes sides with the Persians over this issue of nomenclature. Seems to me as a courtesy one should call it by either name depending on with whom you are dealing and in this case it would appear to have been the Arabs. A ``sorry`` item for Harry Shearer? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CANADA. 740, CHWO, Toronto ON; 2327, 16-Feb; Sed they have the largest coverage area of any Canadian AM station. Very fady tonight (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) Don`t you believe it. Surely that honour belongs to CBK-540. And more than half of CHWO`s coverage is in a foreign country, even more so by population (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) AM stereo: see DIGITAL BROADCASTING. Sirius/XM Merger: see INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. CFRX [non]: see PHILIPPINES ** CHINA. CNR2 "China Business Radio" is in English between 1300-1400. New times for Voice of Strait English transmissions on 11590 kHz: Mon- Fri 0550-0600 and Sat-Sun 0500-0530, 0800-0830 (WRTHmonitor update 21 Jan via DXLD) ** CUBA [non]. R. República may be changing its never-published schedule again. Someone reported hearing it at 0200 on 6100, while that frequency had been in use only at 0300-0400. (Looking for that report again, however, I haven`t found it. I suspected the time was off by one hour.) Feb 22 at 2357 I tuned to 6135, the 22-24 UT channel, to hear the frequency change announcement, and they said they were moving at that time to 6100 (instead of the usual 6185). So I went to 6100 and heard instead some other station in Spanish which cut off abruptly at 2359 in the middle of a sentence with no ID. That was surely RCI Sackville, which forfeits the last 5 minutes of its 2305 UT Spanish to North America broadcast, which really runs until 0005 due to the wacky offset of its immigrant service to the USA --- the tail end perhaps picked up on the next frequency, 9755, which I did not check. Then before 2400 I retuned to 6185, and RR was already on that frequency still instead of 6100, but maybe they are moving to 6100 earlier than 0300, or earlier than 0200? I doubt it, since RCI Spanish to Central America is scheduled on 6100 at 01-02. Presumably the 2357 UT QSY announcement was wrong, unless I heard it wrong, but I don`t think so. The less on 6185, the better, for poor R. Educación, México DF. 6100 does appear to be available in the Western Hemisphere at 00-01 and 02- 03 per HFCC listings. Both 6135 and 6185 had the usual dentroCuban jamming altho RR was atop. No jamming at this time on 6100. These particular R. República transmissions are the ones via VT Communications (Merlin), no connexion with WRMI, which were originally all from Rampisham UK altho lately the 6100 broadcast after 0300 appeared to switch to Sackville. Would appreciate people checking which frequency they are really using at 0100+ and 0200+ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later:] found the report: The best reception at 2-3 UT on February 21 on 6100 kHz. It sounds very much an extension of Radio Martí. The rhetoric is similar and even the announcers appear cookie-cutter sort Radio Martí clones. They announced a Florida address to report the station. Lowe Europa; LW about 25 meters with MFJ tuner (Fabio Mota in Ada, Oklahoma, HCDX via DXLD) Meanwhile, I checked further UT Feb 23: at 01-0159, RCI in Spanish on 6100; nothing heard at 0200, but RR continued on 6185. RR came up on 6100 a few seconds before 0300 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Feb 22, on 6100, from 0148-0159*, heard RCI with Spanish programming, non-stop conversation between YL and OM about Mexico and Canada. Only one quick, clipped ID for “Radio Canada” at sign-off. Good reception. At their website -- http://www.rcinet.ca/rci/es/horaires.shtml -- they list the program as “Canadá en las Américas”, targeted to Mexico (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 9445, Andenet Ledemocracy, Feb 16, *1600-1605, 34332, Amharic, 1600 sign on with opening music, Opening announce, Talk, Wed and Fri and Sun only (ex: 7280 kHz and Tue/Thu only and 1700-1800) (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. Re 7-023: I have to comment on the remarks below made by Bryan Clark of New Zealand concerning cutbacks in DW's shortwave offerings: "With limited availability of DRM-capable receivers we once must again question the timing of international broadcasters in their withdrawal of shortwave transmissions from 'first world' listeners. The decline of shortwave radio as a means of mass communication has become a self- fulfilling prophecy as the broadcasters seek to force us to find alternate means of 'hearing' them. Yet we know that these modern alternatives fail to deliver in times of international crisis – with the internet channels of broadcasters being blocked, local FM relays closed, and so on. Only shortwave still provides a reliable broadcast medium across borders." To this, I can only say "WTF???" Is Bryan seriously suggesting that "first world" listeners --- and by this I assume he means listeners in Europe, USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and others --- need SW radio as insurance against the possibility of having their access to information cut off by their governments? In fairness to Bryan, this "paranoia justification" for SW broadcasting has gained traction in other quarters. For example, there is an unintentionally hilarious chapter in the 2007 Passport to World Band Radio called "Passport to Preparedness" which nicely articulates the paranoia justification (even down to suggesting that you test your SW receiver in your "safe room" --- dear God!!). Maybe Universal Radio should offer bottled water, gas masks, and radiation detectors in addition to SW radios! In fact, I've caught whiffs of the paranoid justification coming from comments made by --- gulp!! --- a couple of people associated with the VOA (although I suspect this is driven by the prime directive of government employees --- PROTECT THE BUDGET!!--- instead of a genuine belief in that rationale). I'm really baffled by this nonsense. While a terrific case can be made for keeping a SW radio handy if you live in a Third World nation, I have to say that anyone lives in the "first world" and believes "information interdiction" is a serious threat needs to seek professional counseling --- and I'm not kidding. (Or maybe I should keep quiet, open that "Shining Path Fantasy Camp" for aging 1960s radicals, and cash in on this phenomenon. . . . ) The real reason why DW and others are cutting back on SW broadcasts to developed nations is simple, but one too many SWLs are in deep denial about: there aren't enough SW listeners (as opposed to DXers) to justify continuation of those services. We no longer live in an age of information scarcity as we did in the 1960s and 1970s, but instead in an age of information abundance. We no longer have to rely on DW for the bulk of our "unfiltered" information about Germany; instead, we can read German web sites (in translation if need be) and German bloggers, get streaming and downloadable audio from Germany, instant- message German friends, play team video games with German friends, etc. If you're in the "first world," cutbacks in DW's shortwave service shouldn't trouble you unless you value the medium over the message. But sadly, a lot of hardcore SW types do exactly that. International SW broadcasting to developed nations is dying a natural death due to technological changes, just as most utility DXing died a similar death (when was the last time you heard a "voice marker" from an international radiotelephone station?). It's inevitable and there's nothing sinister about it. So don't get paranoid! (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19 http://topsecrettourism.com DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Just for variety, Feb 22 at 1507 check, ERA5 via SVO 15630 test during music had dropouts in modulation rather than carrier, unlike // 17525 Avlis which suffered from neither (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) John, Do you find that 5865 has breaks in modulation or carrier, like I keep hearing on 15630 in the mornings? (Glenn to John Babbis, via DXLD) Glenn: Yes, clicks on and off (John Babbis, MD, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Feb 23 at 1459 check, 15630 still with carrier cutting off and on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. All India Radio testing DRM to Europe --- Last night, All India Radio conducted a DRM test transmission to Europe. The audio was clipped, and AIR says the test will be repeated this evening when hopefully the audio quality will be better. Details: Transmitter site: Khampur (Delhi) Frequency: 7410 kHz UT: 1945-2230 Target: Europe (Source: AIR via DRM Software Radio Forums, via Media Network blog Feb 22 via DXLD) 2 Responses to “All India Radio testing DRM to Europe” Per Says: February 22nd, 2007 at 20:00 e Good signal, 28 dBuV and a SNR of 19 dB here in Stockholm, Sweden. Fine audio today. Dave Says: February 22nd, 2007 at 20:02 e 14460 kbps audio but distorted, very inconsistent signal as I write this (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** INDIA [non]. WRN will be carrying out a test on Friday Feb 23, at 13-16 UT on 15735 AM, with CVC programming in Hindi, via Armenia for south India. Reports will be wanted. If successful, a regular service would start March 1 (Glenn Hauser, dx_india yg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I've been monitoring a VERY weak signal from time to time on 15735 since about 1400 (now 1530) but it's far too weak to obtain any detail at all. Maybe if the frequency was lowered something might be heard (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, what counts is how well it makes it to south India (gh, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Very loud signals of S=9 to S=9+10 dB [bare-footed - no amplifier] of RRI 11860, and VOI 11784.873 around 1535 to 1545 UT today Feb 23. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11785, Voz de Indonesia, 1735-1800, escuchada el 23 de febrero en español a locutor con ID, reportaje, noticias en breve y música Malaya, SINPO 45444 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. JUPITER --- Glenn, I'm no expert on this, but I recall from readings some time ago that the signal is broadband. As a matter of fact, the best receiver for this kind of reception would be a direct conversion type (no intermediary frequency) and no AGC. Lots of info at: http://www.radiosky.com/ Regards, (Vincent Ferme, Ottawa, ON, Canada, Feb 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. SIRIUS AND XM MERGER ENTER INTO MERGER AGREEMENT --- From Skyreport.com, 3:13 PM today: BREAKING NEWS: Sirius, XM to Merge in $13 Billion Deal The companies made it official this afternoon: XM Satellite Radio and Sirius entered into a definitive agreement to merge operations in a deal valued at $13 billion, which includes net debt of about $1.6 billion. Through the deal, XM shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 4.6 shares of Sirius common stock for each share of XM. XM and Sirius shareholders will each own about 50 percent of the combined company. Sirius CEO Mel Karmazin will become CEO of the combined company and Gary Parsons, chairman of XM, will become chairman of the new entity. The new company's board of directors will consist of 12 directors, including Karmazin and Parsons, four independent members designated by each company, and a representative from General Motors and American Honda. XM CEO Hugh Panero will continue in his current role until the anticipated close of the merger. The companies said they will continue to operate independently until the transaction is completed and will work together to determine the combined company's corporate name and headquarters location prior to closing. The deal also is subject to regulatory approvals, including an OK from the Federal Communications Commission. It's the second big satellite deal the agency is working on, given its scrutiny of Liberty Media's takeover of DIRECTV. – (via Rob de Santos, Columbus, OH, dxldyg via DXLD) I subscribe to both, and I have received the following emails from both companies. I am including it here, just for comparison kicks. Heck, it already looks like they're using the same lawyers and PR people! (Jason Gardner, http://www.jasonrgardner.com/blog/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: February 20, 2007 --- Dear XM Radio Subscriber: We want to share with you some exciting news: Yesterday, in Washington DC, we announced XM Radio will be merging with Sirius Satellite Radio to form the premier digital audio service. The merger will create a satellite radio company that will provide consumers across the country with more and better premium radio programming. The combined company will be able to compete better in what has become a very complex and dynamic entertainment market. Where today our exclusive contracts mean you had to choose between baseball and football or Oprah and Martha Stewart, the new company will seek to ensure that in the future, you will be able to access both companies' programming. And, once we are fully integrated, those of you who have factory-installed satellite radio will no longer be limited to the programming provided by the exclusive satellite radio service chosen by their car manufacturer. This merger should be completed in late 2007 or early in 2008. Throughout the year, we will provide updates on how the merger is progressing and information will be available at our website, http://www.xmradio.com Between today and the merger date, as well as during the period immediately after the merger date, all of your services will remain the same. The channel lineup, the customer service number, the great music technology, and the XM Radio web site will all remain unchanged and there will be no disruption to service. But, if you have questions, information will be available and maintained on our website, and you can contact our Listener Care team at 800-XMRADIO, with questions and concerns. XM Radio continues to be committed to providing you the highest quality audio entertainment and customer service available today. After the merger, our new company will be able to offer you the most exciting listening experience in radio. Sincerely, Hugh Panero, CEO, XM Satellite Radio ----------------------------------end of XM Subscription email-------- ----------------------------------begin of Sirius Subscription email— February 19, 2007 To: SIRIUS Subscribers Today is a very exciting day for SIRIUS customers. As you may have heard, SIRIUS Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio are merging to form the nation's premier audio entertainment provider. This combination of our two offerings will benefit you - our loyal listeners. As a single company, we'll provide superior programming to you every day with the best of both SIRIUS and XM. Currently, XM and SIRIUS broadcast a wide range of commercial-free music channels, exclusive sports coverage, news, talk, and entertainment programming. Howard Stern. Oprah and Friends. The NFL. MLB. NBA. ESPN. CNBC. Fox News. Additionally, the combined company will be able to improve existing services such as real-time traffic information and rear-seat video as well as introduce new ones. After shareholder and regulatory approvals, we anticipate that the combination will be finalized by the end of 2007. Until then, both companies will continue to operate independently. We will continue to provide you with the uninterrupted service - as well as the outstanding customer support - that you have come to expect and enjoy from SIRIUS. We do not anticipate any changes in your service during the merger process, however, please call our customer care team on 1- 888-539-7474 should you have any questions. We look forward to the many benefits this combination will offer and continuing to make your listening experience an enjoyable one - offering more of the Very Best Radio on Radio. Stay tuned, Mel Karmazin, CEO (both via Jason Gardner, DXLD) Both messages had appended much longer ``Forward Looking Statements`` financial disclaimers, possibly identically worded; MEGO and deleted by gh (gh) Therein lies the debate --- the argument will be that the "finite resource" is the space between one's ears and the time afforded to fill that space. Keep in mind this is a highly fixed-asset business. Each new subscriber obtained yields mostly profit -- certainly it yields a lot of cash -- and it would be folly for the surviving operation to hike fees by a large amount. The last thing they want to do is tick off the subscriber base. The real losers in this are the content providers -- NASCAR, NHL, MLB, NFL. No longer will there be a bidding war between two satellite providers. Not that I'm sympathetic to the plight of XM or Sirius. They have only themselves to blame for shelling out beaucoup $$ for Howard Stern and his ilk. It would be poetic justice if the "king of all media" brought about the ruin of said media (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA Feb 19, swprograms via DXLD) This is nothing but bad news in my view. When does creating another monopoly controlling a finite resource serve the public trust? (Scott Royall, Conch Republic, ibid.) I was more talking about the portion of the RF spectrum, the topic of this mailing list, used by their subscribers. I don't need to belabor how difficult it is for would-be providers to enter this market. Lofting a constellation of satellites is still beyond the means of most countries, much less private concerns. How is one to enter this arena? Perhaps XM or Sirius will eventually sell their physical plants, but I can't see that happening soon for the reason you cite. That would definitely not sit well with those natives suddenly island- less. Yet, I do not see the same prohibition against massive price hikes that you do. After all, the survivor can claim to support twice the content. The accuracy of such a claim would be somewhat academic because of subscription contract obligations. I don't feel for the content providers you list as their audiences are inelastically loyal. I have no trouble imagining the average NASCAR buff pimping out spouse and children to pay for his or her subscription! Then too, there are always other delivery channels. Hold on to your HF radios, my fellow Luddites, because broadband passed the 50% mark in American households late last year. Could it be that the BBC correctly identified the on-coming dreadnaught five years back? Some content CEOs want us to believe that IPTV will break the Internet. They glibly ignore what makes the Internet unique among delivery channels, the very fact that it is NOT a fixed asset. I can illustrate that by borrowing a very flawed analogy. If your tube gets clogged, you can either get a bigger tube or lay down parallel tubes. Either way, there isn't an upper limit except your budget. The RF spectrum, on the other paw, is all too finite. (I bet you wondered how I was going to tie this together.) (Richard Cuff, ibid.) As one who does not commute, but who does make occasional long car trips; who does have an AM/FM/SW caradio which gets more stations than I can possibly tune in; with cassette player and stacks of unheard program-delay tapes I will never get to in my lifetime; who doesn`t give a damn about sports or Howard Stern; who can also get countless non-commercial radio stations all over the world when at home on my computer; what`s the fuss? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Exactly (Mick Delmage, ODXA, via DXLD) Face it, Glenn, you aren't the impulsive, lazy, sports-crazed, Stern- worshiping listener that is one of the XM/Sirius target customers! Sometimes folks just want the serendipity of browsing a bunch of channels; And some of us also aren't as organized as you to plan ahead & inventory programming to listen to. Having said all that, I confess that I listen to my Sirius radio less than I initially thought I would. My musical tastes are picky enough that I don't have the patience to listen to music selections that don't interest me, and the Sirius classical selections are, frankly, quite meager. Pandora offers me a very viable music discovery opportunity, and I can easily capture streaming audio and inventory hours of it for playback later via an MP3-capable CD player. I will admit it is a neat thrill to be driving through Eastern Pennsylvania and hear "As It Happens" as well as I could if I were driving along the QEW between Toronto and Niagara Falls. Is that a sufficient thrill to justify $13 per month? It's tough to say (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, ibid.) I, for one, don't have either XM or Sirius hardware nor subscriptions, nor do I have any plans of getting either. My concern is that one company will have a monopoly position over satellite "radio". While this may seem like a good idea to those who subscribe to both services to get content the other doesn't carry, in the long run there is no evidence that subscription prices will go down or that content won't continue to be developed for the largest audience and that niche programming won't be removed. It is much like the DirecTV/Dish Network "merger" that I opposed several years back and concerned parties such as I were successful in arguing against. On the other hand, if a merged XM/Sirius company behaves as every monopoly before it has, and there is no evidence to suggest otherwise, then a merger may be a boon for terrestrial broadcasters. I just don't think the government should be approving monopolies -- duopolies are bad enough. Otherwise, I couldn't care less what XM or Sirius do. 73, de (Nate Bargmann, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I'm one listener that has thought long and hard about satellite radio and haven't yet made the leap. I would love to be able to listen to football from the BBC and CBC 1 at home or in my car with a high quality signal, but the subscription fee has stopped me. To be honest, with good quality speakers attached to my computers at home and at work and with a WiFi network at home, most of my 'radio' listening is over the Internet now. This could change after the merger if there is enough for me to listen to, but will there be enough for me to pay for it on a monthly basis? I just don't know. Coming from Canada I remain bemused by the lack of regulation of the media in this country. It still staggers me that Comcast Philadelphia can get away with the non distribution of their signal to DirecTV and it staggers me that the FCC will probably let mergers like the Sirius/XM one pass with little comment. I think the 'public good' would be better served if the FCC were a little more proactive and if people were willing to concede that just maybe the almighty dollar shouldn't be the only criteria by which we make decisions. (Sandy Finlayson, swprograms via DXLD) Since both companies already have immensely expensive infrastructure in place over North America, I can't imagine them completely abandoning either. More likely will be the combining of studios and program offerings, at least for the near future. Eventually they'll merge the hardware as well, but I'd think that to be quite a while from now. I'm with you about being leery of such mergers. The consumer almost never comes out to the better (Jay Heyl, FL, ABDX via DXLD) I suspect it will be at least a year before you see major changes. The FCC has to change rules, the merger has to go through the SEC, the numbers have to be reconciled, engineering and programming decisions, contracts have to be worked through. Nope, if it happens, it will take time. I certainly hope that it does not go through but it probably will. I hope its more successful than the merger of the Pennsylvania, NY and New Haven, and NY Central Railroads. What came out of that was a mess for at least a decade (Kevin Redding, ibid.) Still not a done deal, as FCC and antitrust concerns have to be addressed, and you can bet the farm NAB will oppose any merger: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070219/xm_radio_sirius.html?.v=11 I just hope Robin Quivers isn't fired and replaced by Oprah (Harry Helms, W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19, ibid.) Usual disclaimer. I trade stock and options in both companies professionally and nothing I may say here is to be taken as a recommendation to buy or sell either stock or their options. Anyhow, I'm am planning on getting plenty of sleep tonite since I think this will have me really busy on the trading floor for a while due to the uncertainty about the chances for the deal to pass regulatory hurdles. Although the FCC chairman previously stated that the current rule preventing a merger could be changed, I expect the deal to face very strong anti-trust issues and legal challenges from terrestrial broadcasters. Note also that the deal is a decent premium for XM shares holders since XM closed Friday just under $14 but the deal gives XM shareholders 4.6 shares of Sirius stock for each share of XM stock, valuing XM at slightly above $17. Off course, one can expect the prices of both companies to fluctuate over the next few months as the market place changes its perception of the chances of the deal getting approved and closed. I feel the merger is a good thing for both companies, each of which was spending too much money fighting for the same talent vs theirselves and other broadcasters. Will it end up as a bad thing for subscribers and result in a series of rate increases ? I hope not, but will have to wait and see. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross IL, ibid.) Not trying to be too cynical, but has there ever been a merger where customers weren't the ultimate losers in choice, price, service, etc.? My preference would be for the merger to fall through and XM/Sirius to be acquired by other companies so we could continue to have a choice of satellite radio services (Harry Helms, W5HLH, ABDX via DXLD) There is some talk of resistance from the FCC, and observers have cited the Echostar / Dish Network abortive merger attempt as precedent, but the companies are, obviously, spinning the move with "competition" defined as Apple Computer, Cingular Wireless, Clear Channel, RealNetworks. ..anyone who aggregates "content" (don't you love that word); thus, there is no restraint of trade. Just speculatin' here...wondering if, at least in the USA, we can get a free subscription to XM by being a Sirius subscriber and simply purchasing an XM receiver... None of the USA newspapers mention the consequences of this on their Canadian affiliates -- perhaps the best quote is a comment posted on the Globe and Mail's comments page: "Howard Stern from Sirius and Oprah from XM on a single satellite radio service? The FCC should be less worried about anti-competition rules and more concerned with the fundamental fabric of the cosmos collapsing into a porn star slash unwed mother black hole." See http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070219.wsatradio0219/CommentStory/Business/home or http://preview.tinyurl.com/2tz8no (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ODXA via DXLD) An FCC official stated (on the record?) a few weeks back that the _current_ (original) rules forbid the merger, but they were open to petitions based on new pleadings explaining why things have changed. A statement that "at least one of us will go bankrupt and the other nearly, maybe both, and strand our listeners if we don't merge" might be part of it. I expect you're right to expect "we compete with everyone else anyway", which is exactly what the World Radio Shortwave broadcasters use as an excuse to cut our English transmissions, so I guess they'd be right. ``Just speculatin' here...wondering if, at least in the USA, we can get a free subscription to XM by being a Sirius subscriber and simply purchasing an XM receiver...`` I like that idea, but they didn't suggest that. The press announcement said that current receivers aren't interoperable, and listed two plans. (a) Shorterm, they'll work at getting current XM-only and Sirius-only content available on the other feed -- which means I may be able to get BBC Five Live Premiership action on my XM eventually, without giving up MLB, and Sirius users likewise. We the US <> fans were hoping to convince XM to keep the World Cup channel active as a Soccer Channel after it was over ... but it didn't happen. (b) Longterm, they'll produce radios that CAN tune both allocations [they didn't say that they might economize by cutting back to only using one set of frequencies after everyone has had a chance to upgrade, nor did they mention what sort of deal we'd get.] ``None of the USA newspapers mention the consequences of this on their Canadian affiliates`` Well of course not :-) USA papers mention Canada as rarely as possible. Which is why I was subscribed to Macleans for a while, when I got addicted to Parliamentary politics as a spectator sport (back when I was visiting Ottawa regularly on business). But we down here do enjoy listening to the Canadian comic channel on XM (Bill in Boston Ricker, n1vux, ibid.) SATELLITE RADIO DEAL STRIKES DISCORD IN CANADA GRANT ROBERTSON Globe and Mail Update The marriage of satellite radio giants XM and Sirius is being touted as a friendly merger of equals in the U.S., but the situation looks much different in Canada, where the two companies disagree over whose operation is worth more. . . http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070220.wradioo0220/EmailBNStory/Business/hoe (via Ricky Leong, DXLD) Challenge there will be bandwidth. I don't think either service can accommodate much more content with the datastream capability (both transmitting and receiving) they currently have. That's why, short- term, dual receivers will be needed. Sports will be the big problem. Sirius already pre-empts many channels for live NBA, NASCAR and NFL games, including as of last week, the World Radio Network. I think the PR was fanciful in that regard, but perhaps someone who better understands how there services work "under the hood" could assess that. Oh, well; this will all be subject to review and dissection anyway; I've seen that this could take 2-3 years to sort out when it comes to consolidating channels, codecs, and receivers (Richard Cuff, swprograms via DXLD) Following is a view from a CNN columnist that says the deal will be good for consumers. http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/20/technology/sirius_xm/ Headline: "Sirius-XM deal is sweet music for consumers" (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA swprograms via DXLD) Sirius / XM Combo -- effect on listeners -- article in WSJ See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117202490243714421.html?mod=djemTECH; alas, one must be subscriber to view. A couple key points: "A big concern is pricing. "A monopoly satellite radio provider would be able to raise prices and cut programming to a growing number of consumers that have come to rely on satellite radio for news and entertainment," fumed Chris Reale, founder of the Washington-based Consumer Coalition for Competition in Satellite Radio." The companies counter that the availability of free-to-air radio limits their ability to jack up fees willy-nilly. "Modifying existing satellites to serve all of the radios out there would be an unlikely solution, engineers say." "The merger "is not going to help their subscribership," says Jimmy Schaeffler, senior analyst at consultancy the Carmel Group. "They should be doing whatever they can to clarify consumer confusion." He says the companies should consider promising a free upgraded dual-format radio to anyone who joins either service this year, subject to merger approval." "Gary Bradt, a psychologist in Summerfield, N.C., and an XM subscriber, says he hopes the deal goes through so he can get NFL games that are currently available only on Sirius. "I'm not worried about them jacking the prices too much, at least right away," he says. "If they were stupid enough to do that, they would fail -- and good riddance."" (via Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) This one is from The Motley Fool website. They take a longer, more thoughtful perspective than most "instant analysis" news sites. Interesting stat: There are 65 million "Internet radio" listeners. Betcha there are more of them nowadays in the USA than SWLs. Glenn H, you'll especially appreciate this quote from the author: "It's become clear to me that the only place it makes sense to have a satellite radio is in your car. " See http://www.fool.com/investing/high-growth/2007/02/21/a-better-ending-for-sirius-and-xm.aspx?source=ifwflwlnk0000002 or http://preview.tinyurl.com/yscwla (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) I am not a current subscriber to either Sirius or XM although I have been tempted on several occasions until the recent premption of WRN and dropping of CSPAN. The merger simply firms my decision to not subscribe to either service until the dust settles. Mel Karmizan has stated that the omission of duplication of programming will free more channels for new services. That is the good news assuming he restores things like CSPAN Radio and WRN full time. The bad news is that both companies will likely plateau in their subscriber base as people like me delay any decision. The regulatory hurdles and the absence of a design of a dual format receiver tell me that it will be years before this thing is settled. Meanwhile both companies will have to continue to operate with their noses barely above the cash flow water line. With declining new subscribers as guys like me decide to do nothing, there is little hope they will achieve positive cash flow any time in the near future. Will they exhaust their cash before they can pull this off? The receivers are an even more serious problem. Not only do the two systems use different coding technology, they also use different RF frequencies. The two companies signed an agreement years ago to make the second generation of receivers compatible with each other. That has not happened probably due to lack of a driving force but also possibly due to the complexity and patent issues involved with such an approach. With the Sirius chip set being a power hog compared to the XM design, it is hard to imagine how anyone will successfully design a receiver that takes both formats without power demands that will eliminate battery powered portable receivers. I think the relatively unexciting response by Wall Street to the news is testimony that a lot of others have similar reservations to mine. Meanwhile there is now a DSL provider (DSL Extreme) advertising a $12.95 per month introductory rate for several months. With the possibility that a receiver compatible with both formats will be unable to be used while walking around, the DSL option with 5000 program sources and a C. Crane Wi-Fi Radio are starting to look like my best option. At least I can listen to thousands of distant stations on the patio (Joe Buch, ibid.) The business news about this has concentrated on the requirement for FCC approval and I've seen nothing about the technical aspects or details. Has anyone? The two different satellite-radio systems have differing technical specs, using different digital decoding and frequency ranges. How can these be "merged"? Wouldn't they have to abandon one set of satellites and go with the other alone? Or could there be dual-technology receivers that "hide" the different transmissions from the users and present them with a menu of the whole range of signals from both sources as if they were one? Has anyone yet built such a device? By the way, why does no one ever speak of "hacking" satellite radio in order to get the signals without paying the monthly fee? There's all sorts of such illegal activity for satellite TV and every now and then you read of the countermeasures used by the sat-TV companies and busts of suppliers of illegal decoder equipment, but I've never seen anything about the same activity regarding XM or Sirius. Is it impossible or is it just that nobody cares enough to do it? 73, (Will Martin, MO, Feb 21, dxdlyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONSUMER GROUP READY TO OPPOSE SATELLITE RADIO MERGER With the announcement of a long-anticipated merger agreement between XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio, one consumer group is ready to fight for the rights of subscribers in the merger approval process. In a statement released earlier, the Consumer Coalition for Competition in Satellite Radio (C3SR) said the group "is ready to oppose the merger and fight for consumer choice and public interest." C3SR website . . . http://www.southgatearc.org/news/february2007/satellite_merger_opposition.htm (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) CONGRESS TUNES INTO SATELLITE RADIO MERGER February 22, 2007 --- In a sign of just how closely Washington plans to examine the proposed merger of XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio, the House Judiciary Committee announced Thursday that it had formed a special group - the Antitrust Task Force - to consider the deal, which would create a single provider of satellite radio in the United States (albeit one that must still contend with old- fashioned radio as well as portable digital-music devices). Still, some analysts say they believe the markets are being too pessimistic about the deal's chances of winning regulatory approval. The hearing on the XM-Sirius deal is scheduled for Feb. 28 . . . http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/02/22/congress-tunes-into-satellite-radio-merger/ (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** LIBYA [non]. MOLDAVIA, 17665, Sawt al-Amal, 1302-1306, escuchada el 23 de febrero en árabe a locutor con invitado, comentarios y referencias a Libia, emisión en paralelo por 17670; a las 1306 corta emisiones en paralelo y pasa a emitir por 17660 consiguiendo atorar a la emisora musical afro-pop, SINPO 44444 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6045, Radio Universidad [SLP], (presumed) 0938-1000 Feb 22. Steady classical piano music at first then full orchestra. Signal at poor level, but audible However, as it gets closer to the top of the hour, the signal fades towards threshold, but came back later on, to a fair level. 9599.26, Radio Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, (presumed), 0938-1000 Feb 22. Also noted classical piano music during period, but not parallel to 6045 above. This signal is very good with no fading. (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At the same time Radio UNAM was heard here today in Alemania well after 1000 UT with O=3 and nearly no fading. Regards, (Harald Kuhl, Feb 22, HCDX via DXLD) ** MEXICO. XEFB-2 Monterrey changes --- Tuesday night I caught an unknown logo from Mexico on tape. After reviewing the tape, I can see that the station is XEFB. XEFB is no longer using the "Televisa Monterrey" logo. It has been replaced by a red rectangle which contains XEFB's new name: "TELEACTIVA." There is a thick blue line below the name. The logo is upper right during programs. Fred Cantu has the new name on his pages, but the logo on his pages and my pages is now outdated (Danny Shreveport, LA, Feb 21, WTFDA via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. R Netherlands confirmed on 1314 kHz [NORWAY] but no trace here on 6125, maybe too close for skip - anyone else hearing it? (Dave Kenny, Caversham, UK, AOR7030, Feb 22, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. RNZI still missing from DRM frequencies, Feb 22: around 1400 nothing on 7145 (but then, when operational, they were taking an unscheduled break then, anyway); and still nothing at 2112 Feb 22 on 15720, while AM on 17675 was easily audible tho as always too close for comfort to CVC Chile 17680. What does RNZI`s website now say? Checked at 2342 UT Feb 22, the headline at http://www.rnzi.com/pages/whatsnew.php#193 still says ``DRM transmission resumes on 21 February 2007`` but if you go ahead and read the text below it, that has been changed to say: ``We expect to resume DRM transmission sometime next week (the week of 26 February 2007).`` And there is another new notice just above the DRM item: ``RNZI off-air this afternoon for maintenance 21 Feb, 2007 19:29 UTC --- Thursday 22 Feb - RNZI will be off air from 11.30 am NZ time until 4 pm, with possible further interruptions to service later in the afternoon as well.`` That converts to 2230 UT Wed Feb 21 until 0300 UT Thu Feb 22, already past (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NICARAGUA. Y AHORA LA VOA --- La Sección para Asuntos Públicos de la Embajada de los Estados Unidos de América en Managua estará lanzando oficialmente en estos días el Canal VOA (Voz de los Estados Unidos de América), en Nicaragua. La señal de televisión ya puede ser captada en el Canal 71 a través de la empresa de cable local ESTESA, emitiendo su programación en español e inglés. Este canal sin duda alguna viene a competir con TELESUR, patrocinado por el gobierno de Venezuela y que también es captado a través de ESTESA en algunas horas en el Canal 98 que también es el Canal Parlamentario en Nicaragua... La Voz de América es el servicio de difusión internacional oficial del Gobierno de Estados Unidos y es similar a otros servicios mundiales como la BBC, Radio Francia Internacional, Deutsche Welle y la Voz de Rusia. En Nicaragua la VOA tiene varias emisoras afiliadas que transmiten parte de su programación, especialmente noticiosa y musical. Actualmente la VOA difunde sus programas en 44 idiomas y desde hace varios años comenzó a difundirse por Internet y por televisión satelital (Source??? via José Elías Díaz, Venezuela, Feb 22, Noticias DX via DXLD) Concerns cable TV ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7120, Wantok R. Light, Feb 20, 0910-0915, 35433, English, Music, ID at 0910, // 0900-0910 NBC news relay (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** PHILIPPINES. If the VOA station were named properly, it would be called "San Fernando Transmitting Station." That is San Fernando, La Unión (province). On Lingayen Gulf. Not far from Baguio. Right on the seacoast. Used to be on Wallace US Air Force Air Station; a minor radar site. Wallace reverted to RP. US Gum'mint is peculiar like that. If Tinang VOA were properly named, it would be "La Concepción" (Tarlac province) If the old San Miguel Naval Communications Stations were named correctly, it would be "San Antonio" (Zambales province). US Gum'mint got it right in naming the two Greenville transmitting plants. Otherwise they would be called "Beargrass" [Plant A] and "Black Jack" [Plant B]. By the way, Plant A is closed down. Cha-Ri Tei-Ro-Ru - san ----- (Charles A Taylor, WD4INP Greenville, North Carolina, IRCA via DXLD) Charlie, San Fernando is located on the West Coast of Luzón, and separated by mountains from here. That is probably another reason VOA is not reported often. Most of the Filipinos I have heard are either a water path (the inlands through the center) or a station on the East side. There are a few exceptions but not many. 73, (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, ibid.) Poro Point is on the coast - 16 37 N, 120 17 E. Shows well in Google Earth (Dan Ferguson, ibid.) Patrick, As I stated years ago, there is a ridge of mountains that extend up the east coast of Luzon Island. These block low-angle takeoff skywave, and this is why one doesn't hear the Metro-Manila stations as commonly as one would expect. It works the other way. They block low-angle skywave from the east (west-bound TPs). In all my three years of listening from the Philippines, I never heard a NA TP. I only heard (then) KPMC-1560 Bakersfield and KDAY-1580 Santa Mónica from Oki. I did hear the three Guam AMs, both from RP and Okinawa. DYLA is in a class all its own. Where we lived, in the Province of Sorsogon (at the very southern tip of Luzon Island), DYLA was always in during the daylight hours via skywave. Gangbusters. 73, (Charles Taylor, NC, ibid.) I'm wrrrrrrrrong? Okay. Then what large transmitter site does sit up in the mountains --- or was that a FBIS post? Somewhere around the Ambassador's hacienda? (Mike Hardester, NC, ibid.) Mike, That was the old VOA Receiver Site. It was used to take HF USB feed for VOA Philippines programming. Setenta y tres de (Charles A Taylor, WD4INP Greenville, North Carolina, ibid.) I gather you'all know Poro isn't on 1143 or 1147.5 kHz any more? It's now on 1170 and been there for a couple of years or more. Besides that, assuming that the path via which you might hear stuff from Poro is over the Pacific Ocean, then one reason you're not hearing it is that it beams either due west [262 degrees] or nearly due north [332 degrees]. Neither of those is going to shove much in your direction and I'm not convinced that the 332 degree beam actually 'works' anyway. bw (Bill Whitacre, IBB Monitoring, ibid.) Bill, Yep. I followed Poro's wandering the past few years. Everything goes somewhere that I cannot receive. Too much distance between here and there, anyway. I DID briefly hear Wulumqi-1525 from Indianapolis in 1976. Also, some of its Soviet jammers. Wonder if you met Charles Crismon, Foreign Service, who retired from Greenville ca. 1991. I visited Poro while in the Navy, in 1971. It was he who showed me the operations and the old Continental 105E. Imagine my surprise when I reported aboard Greenville in 1986. Bruce Hunter (still at Site C, in those days) sent me to Site B. I walked into the Plant Supervisor's office, and saw --- Charles Crismon! He, like me, developed cancer in his throat. Last time I saw him, he couldn't speak (like me). 73, (Charles A Taylor, WD4INP Greenville, North Carolina, ibid.) ** PHILIPPINES. In another futile check for CFRX, Feb 22 at 1407 I came across this on 6070 which I had not noticed before: clearly and slowly enunciated declamation, presumably preaching, in what sounded like Vietnamese; ``Abraham`` mentioned frequently so this is no Buddhist, Confucian or Commie station, and not likely Jewish or Moslem either even tho they are supposedly equally Abrahamist to the Christians. Paused about once a minute for a bit of music which sounded about the same each time, probably derived from a hymn. Ranges S3 to S9, averaging S6; no QRM from no CFRX. 1423 went to music and kept it going until 1429 when YL ID mentioned ``phat-thanh``, i.e. radio station in Vietnamese, but could not catch ID. Bit of music, IS, sounded like ``Jesus Saves``, but not sure, and then off at 1430. No clues in PWBR ``2007``. WRTH 2007, however, shows 6070 is FEBC Bocaue with daily ethnic broadcasts in various languages at 1400-1430. But is it really Vietnamese? Why not publish a complete language schedule? Let us look elsewhere. HFCC B-06 shows the language as ``MUL``, whatever that means: [EiBi figured it out: multiple!] 6070 1400 1430 43S,44S,49 BOC 100 280 1234567 291006 250307 D MUL PHL FEC FEC 13130 EiBi B-06 shows: 1400 1430 PHL FEBC Manila EC SEA 6070 1400 1430 Th-Sa PHL FEBC Manila RAD SEA 6070 which is contradictory, since the first listing means daily, and the second means Thu, Fri and Sat. In the EiBi readme.txt key we find: EC Eastern Cham (Vietnam) RAD Rade/Ede (Vietnam) Since this was Thursday, I suppose it was Rade/Ede, some Vietnamese dialect, altho it could have been Eastern Cham. I also looked for this on the FEBC websites, but gave up trying to find ANY schedule of SW transmissions, tho there is lots of other stuff designed to impress potential donors. However, FEBC is geographically challenged, even about its own operations. Look at this page http://data.febinfo.org/p_stations.php showing coverage maps from numerous transmitter sites, most of which are not owned by FEBC, starting with Ascension, which they think is part of St. Helena (or vice versa?) !!! So if you can manage to hear an FEBC broadcast via Ascension, you may imagine it`s axually Saint Helena. And furthermore, most of them, even Bocaue, display as being in use 0.0 hours per week. Axually, all other transmitter sites in the world would qualify for listing as in use 0.0 hours per week! Why not? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, normally I obtain the FEBC schedule, if at all, from their Broadcast Search Query site at http://data.febinfo.org/enq4.php There are regularly problems with this schedule, especially after seasons have changed. But now it is entirely messed up, with each broadcast starting at 1445 and ending at 1445. Thence the 0.0 hours per week. Complaints help, albeit usually with some weeks delay. To be correct, Ascension IS part of St. Helena, at least politically. The British colony of St. Helena comprises besides St. Helena herself the dependencies of Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. Radio enthusiasts count each of them separately on the grounds of significant distance between the different parts of the entity. But don't try to explain this to any official person; those will refer to https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sh.html and the like. All the best, (Eike Bierwirth, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, Cham, Ede/Rade are related to Hawaiian. My guess is that there may have been just a Vietnamese ID, since these languages are all spoken in Southern Vietnam. I haven't listed FEBC/FEBA languages on my website because their sites are completely useless. My computer won't let me download the QBasic program from EiBi for some reason. 73/Liz (Liz Cameron, MI, ibid.) Liz, Really! I`m surprised there is any connexion with Hawaiian. In any event, what I heard (not just the ID), sounded very much like Vietnamese, definitely tonal, not Hawaiian. Are you sure? Sometimes I have run into language names that are the same applying to totally unrelated tongues. Like ``Yao``, I think, both in SE Asia and Africa. (And I got the two reversed in comment on day of week). Eike also points out that politically, Ascension is part of St. Helena. Still, it looks very strange to see only St Helena on the map as the source of Ascension`s SW transmissions. 73, (Glenn, ibid.) Hi Glenn, http://www.ethnologue.com lists Rade as Malayo-Polynesian, the largest family within Austronesian, which includes Hawaiian. Ede only refers to certain languages spoken in Benin. Likewise Eastern and Western Cham are also Malayo-Polynesian. Various linguistics books list the same thing. As to what you heard, I take your word that you heard Vietnamese. As I mentioned before, the FEBC sked has always been messed up. 73 as always, (Liz Cameron, ibid.) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Re 7-023: From east of Enid --- BSKSA was the station heard in French on 17660 today (22nd) AFTER the Afro-pop sender left the air at 1530. That one is very strongly heard here, and was covering the BSKSA signal fairly well, although "something" could be heard underneath. BSKSA was formerly on 21600 in French at 1400-1600. A lengthy news bulletin was heard in progress, and at the end a march tune was played that reminded me of something I previously heard via recordings of the WWII Reichsender! I wonder what the Saudis call it? Transmission concluded with a reading from the Kor`an in French followed by time pips on the hour and then "Welcome to the English service of BSKSA..." and details of FM frequencies and one MW, but no mention of SW. Transmission started with a Kor`an reading and English interpretation. It's still on air at 1625 but weakening. At 1600 a religious broadcast in Portuguese came on air co-channel - I assume this is Family Radio via Ascension to Africa (Noel R. Green (NW England), Feb 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Wonder if BSKSA has decided to put English on SW intentionally now? (gh, DXLD) See 17660 in this BSKSA sked; And Indonesian starts 0900 UT now. 7150 1500-1800 RIY 500 40 FARSI FOREIG 9525 1600-1700 RIY 500 55 PASHTO FOREIG 9555 1800-2300 RIY 500 295 ARABIC 1ST. P 9580 0300-0600 JED 50 0 ARABIC 2ND. P 9580 1700-2200 JED 50 0 ARABIC 2ND. P 9675 0300-0900 RIY 500 0 ARABIC 1ST. P 9675 0900-1600 RIY 500 0 ARABIC 1ST. P 9730 1400-1600 RIY 500 40 TURKISTANI FOREIG 9870 1800-2300 RIY 500 310 ARABIC 1ST. P 11715 1800-2300 RIY 500 270 ARABIC HOLY Q 11820 1800-2300 RIY 500 320 ARABIC HOLY Q 11855 0600-1700 JED 50 0 ARABIC 2ND. P 11915 1800-2300 RIY 500 295 ARABIC HOLY Q 11935 0900-1200 RIY 500 310 ARABIC HOLY Q 13710 1500-1800 RIY 500 295 ARABIC HOLY Q 15170 0300-0600 RIY 500 355 ARABIC HOLY Q 15205 1600-1800 RIY 500 320 ARABIC HOLY Q 15225 1500-1800 RIY 500 295 ARABIC 1ST. P 15250 0900-1200 RIY 500 250 ENGLISH FOREIG 15275 0400-0600 RIY 500 340 TURKISH FOREIG 15370 0500-0800 RIY 500 70 URDU FOREIG 15380 0600-0900 RIY 500 310 ARABIC HOLY Q 15380 1200-1400 RIY 500 310 ARABIC HOLY Q 15390 0500-0800 RIY 500 70 URDU FOREIG 15435 1500-1800 RIY 500 320 ARABIC 1ST. P 15470 0900-1200 RIY 500 250 ENGLISH FOREIG 17560 1600-1800 RIY 500 270 ARABIC HOLY Q 17615 0900-1200 RIY 500 100 ARABIC HOLY Q 17660 1500-1900 RIY 500 270 FRENCH FOREIG [before 1500, 1400-?] 17730 0600-0900 RIY 500 295 ARABIC 1ST. P 17740 0600-0900 RIY 250 310 ARABIC 1ST. P 17760 0400-0500 RIY 500 175 SOMALI FOREIG 17760 0500-0600 RIY 500 190 SWAHILI FOREIG 17775 1700-1800 RIY 500 250 BAMBARA FOREIG 17785 0800-1000 RIY 500 270 FRENCH FOREIG 17805 0900-1200 RIY 500 295 ARABIC 1ST. P 17820 1200-1500 RIY 500 70 BANGALI FOREIG 17895 0300-0600 RIY 500 40 ARABIC HOLY Q 17895 0600-0800 RIY 500 40 ARABIC HOLY Q 17895 1200-1500 RIY 500 295 ARABIC HOLY Q 21460 1300-1600 RIY 500 190 ARABIC HOLY Q 21495 0900-1200 RIY 500 70 ARABIC HOLY Q 21505 1200-1500 RIY 500 295 ARABIC 1ST. P 21600 1200-1400 RIY 500 100 ARABIC HOLY Q 21640 1200-1500 RIY 500 310 ARABIC 1ST. P 21670 0900-1200 RIY 500 100 INDONESIAN FOREIG 21705 0900-1200 RIY 500 310 ARABIC 1ST. P 73 wb (via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) BSKSA 17660 is well audible over/mixing with the Afro-pop sender by 1515, but still a disastrous choice. Maybe it will also be better audible across the pond today at 1600? (Noel R. Green (NW England), Feb 23, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) French should start at 1400, so 17660 probably does too, altho I have not looked for it that early yet, not 1500- as above; Feb 23 I did find it going already at 1458 giving Afropop a moneyrun. But doubt it will hold up past 1600. Please check how long it stays on during English (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY [and non]. Tried for Live from Turkey, Thu Feb 22 at 1355; 12035 was audible with only fair signal but cut off the air between 1400 and 1404. // 11735 was just barely audible and not usable on this occasion. What little I did hear was a discussion over phone with a guest, not likely a random caller, about the TRNC and its problems. No matter; I tuned over to R. Australia`s relatively good signal on 9590 after 1430 during Hindsight which started at 1405, and heard something I would never hear on VOT: a lecture about the Armenian Genocide, and how it related to Gallipoli, and how early Australia related to early Turkey, by Robert Manne. More about that and audio download available for the Feb 18 show at http://www.abc.net.au/rn/hindsight/default.htm ``Uncomfortable Thoughts on Gallipoli and the Armenian Genocide 'Uncomfortable Thoughts' is one way of describing Robert Manne's 2006 History Council of Victoria lecture. In it he challenges one of our most precious foundation myths and asks 'Does our proximity to the Armenian genocide matter? Do we need to notice, or care? How does collective memory shape our view of the Gallipoli? And how does a national consciousness evolve?'`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U A E. 22 Feb 2007 at 1500 UT noted Radio Aap ki Dunyaa in Urdu on 1539 kHz. Fair signal, fighting with Iran and China. I guess this is the new (UAE) Al-Dhabbiya III transmitter (rated 800 kW) although the signal wasn't too strong. But I'm off beam, I believe (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. A one-day strike by BBC News staff protesting at compulsory redundancies has been suspended following negotiations. Union members were due to stop work on Monday, but broadcasting unions have issued a statement saying they have made progress in talks with management. It said the number of redundancies had been reduced and more time had been agreed for further negotiations. The unions said they would consider further industrial action if compulsory redundancies became an issue again but admitted management had worked hard to reduce job losses. A BBC statement said: "We are pleased that the planned strike action next week has been suspended. "The BBC is still committed to trying to avoid compulsory redundancies wherever possible. "The BBC is only part way through its change programme and recognises there will be further challenges ahead but we will continue to work with the unions to try to mitigate the impact on our staff." http://www.waveguide.co.uk/news070222.htm#Richard%20And%20Judy%20Latest (via Mike Terry, UK, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U K. BBC Shipping Forecast could become a huge club hit Via Media Network and I found the link to a full stream of the song posted at the end: The Shipping Forecast is one of the UK's greatest broadcasting institutions. `Rockall' sees The Young Punx irreverently sample it and turn it into a huge club hit. With a string of huge dance records and remixes under their belts, The Young Punx are fresh from performing to 25,000 ecstatic Japanese festival goers, and are now threatening to be one of the biggest dance cross over bands of 2007. Quintessentially English, The Young Punx, aka Hal Ritson and Cameron Sunders, are renowned for splicing pop culture with an attitude not seen since Fatboy Slim and Coldcut. `Rockall' sees them go to work on the shipping forecast, read, and now endorsed, by BBC Radio 4 announcer Alan Smith: "I've been on the radio nearly every day for the past 16 years - but this certainly is the first time I have ended up as the vocalist on a dance song! " says Alan. "The Young Punx made the track without me knowing, but now I have heard it I really like it. It's quite funny to think that people up and down the country are dancing to my voice". http://www.theyoungpunx.com/rockall/ (Mike Barraclough, BDXC-UK via DXLD) See also MUSEA ** U K [non]. 6095, BBC, 1120-1130 Feb 23. Spanish language program of comments and music. At the half hour, promos, IDs and TCs. Signal was good suggesting a relay from somewhere near to Florida. Noted a parallel program on 13760, but not as good a signal (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545 & R-390A, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ha! 6095 must be what they really meant by ``5100 and 6300 kHz`` (gh) ** U S A. VOA SAYS GOODBYE TO UZBEK, OTHER TONGUES - Just as you announced the other day... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201654.html?nav=rss_print/asection (via Carlos Coimbra, Ont., DXLD) see also U A E Uma triste notícia publicada em Diário Digital / Lusa 21-02-2007 17:27:30 VOZ DA AMÉRICA VAI REDUZIR EMISSÕES EM PORTUGUÊS PARA ÁFRICA A emissora Voz da América planeia reduzir as emissões em português para África, no âmbito dos seus planos de reestruturação, disseram esta quarta-feira fontes da estação radiofónica. Num plano orçamental entregue ao Congresso, a Voz da América indica planear cortar meia hora das suas duas horas diárias de emissão e eliminar totalmente as emissões ao fim de semana. Como resultado a emissora tenciona despedir quatro dos 10 membros da redacção dos quais oito são jornalistas/locutores e dois produtores/sonorizadores. . . http://diariodigital.sapo.pt/news.asp?section_id=46&id_news=263979 Saudações Dexistas (via Fernando de Sousa Ribeiro, Portugal, radioescutas yg via DXLD) see also NICARAGUA ** U S A. VOA, Greenville, 15185, left the powerful transmitter carrying Hausa until 2100 on the air, still open carrier at 2104 Feb 22; well, not quite open, because I could clearly hear at very low level VOA English news, // and synchronized to 15580, another Greenville transmitter, probably just a few metres away. This could have been receiver-produced cross-modulation, but the audio did not diminish or disappear when I detuned the preselector and employed maximum attenuation. Therefore I think it was really transmitted that way. 15185 was S9+25 when not attenuated, while 15580 was only S9+18 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KVOH was putting large S9+20 signal in on 17775, Feb 22 at 2105, but this time I could not detect any spurs on 17629, 17921, etc. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Just to confirm whether the Christians vs Christians collision on 7455 is still in progress, I tuned in at 0655 UT Feb 23, to find a very good signal from WEWN Spanish in music. Without embargo, at 0659 on came an even huger carrier from WYFR, so strong, that it made WEWN barely audible, and then the non-professional WYFR announcer said they were now on 9815, 9715, 6855, 7455, 9495, in that order, and into regular programming. This was S9 +25; should have got a reading on WEWN by itself; S9 +25 would axually be the sum of them. The RTTY mix with WEWN was less audible after 0659 against WYFR`s stronger signal, which BTW is aimed directly NW, 315 degrees right at me (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hi! On DX PROGRAMS list: Just wanted to mention a couple items: Last Saturday, WWCR replaced the 1730 UT "World of Radio" with a weight-loss infomercial. No idea if that was a one-time shot, an intentional replacement due to that airing being a repeat of #1346, or a permanent sked change. I'll try to listen tomorrow to hear. A couple weeks ago on Allan Weiner WorldWide, Allan was asked about repeats of that show, and said that the two weekend repeats listed in DX Programs had their time sold to Bro Stair. So that would take out those entries for UT Sat 2000 and Sun 1900. Of course, the on-line sked for WBCQ hasn't been updated for a month and doesn't show this. And, also of couse, things at WBCQ are in so much flux that anything could change any day (Will Martin, MO, Feb 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UZBEKISTAN. ``WE LOOSE OUR LISTENERS`` Since I have it bookmarked, every so often I look at R. Tashkent`s page lamenting its impending demise. The first anniversary of this page dated Feb 24, 2006 is now almost upon us, and it is still up: http://ino.uzpak.uz/eng/letters_eng/letters_eng.htm (In Memoriam, Glenn Hauser, OK, Feb 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. Saludos cordiales, hoy 22 de febrero a las 1820 UT se aprecia a la Radio Nacional Saharaui emitir por la frecuencia de 6380, fuertemente interferida por señal CW, en Valencia con un SINPO 33443. Sin embargo la señal se perdió minutos después; la señal en CW era Haifa. Un chequeo por todas las bandas y RASD inactiva sin frecuencia de reemplazo (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Since José Miguel Romero found Polisario back on the air Feb 22, earlier in the evening on 6380, I checked just before expected sign- off at 2356, but only a very weak carrier, along with some CW marker. Checked 6380 again Feb 23 at 0703 but nothing audible (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 9450 AM, Enigma E25, ruso?? --- Saludos cordiales, hoy 21 de Febrero e podido captar a las 1235 por la frecuencia de 9450 en modo AM una estación de números catalogada cómo E25, se puede escuchar un audio en la siguiente dirección: http://valenciadx.multiply.com/music/item/430 Desconozco en que idioma habla el locutor, quizás en ruso? 73 José Miguel Romero, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Querido Jose Miguel! Ruso no lo es! Utiliza el "zero" ingles. "ek" y "tri" son indo-iranianos (casi idénticos en Kashmiri) (1 y 3 respectivamente), "sibta" y "Tisa" / "teysha", semíticos (7 y 9) "haymarra" no lo he podido identificar. A mi parecer se trata de una emisión clandestina, utilizando numerales de varios idiomas, para dificultar la decriptación. El "código" fue hecho por alguien que conocía los idiomas indo-europeas de India, así como el árabe, y talvez algún idioma dravidiano. Puede ser de un grupo islámico del subcontinente indiano (Kashmiri, baluchi, o de las Maldivas) pero que ha utilizado intencionalmente números de origenes diversas. La lista : http://www.zompist.com/numbers.shtml es una prueba que se han tomado numerales de varios idiomas y dialectos 73, (Cristian Mocanu, Romania? Bclnews.it via DXLD) As I told JMR2, what I hear are English numbers, and some of them have another syllable -uh added! One-a, four-a, five-a, six-a, seven-a, eight-a, as well as zero, not the stuff Cristian mentions, imagines? from Dravidian, etc. Others, have a listen and tell us what you hear (gh, DXLD) Glenn, José, and my dear friend Cristian, Saludos cordiales, Glenn is right on this one. It is standard practice in numbers stations to use zero regardless of any other word for that. 73/Liz (Liz Cameron, MI, ibid.) I had a listen to that clip when José sent his message. Like Glenn says, it's all English. This guy tries to make the figures as clear as possible, so the long tails. Just like in some communications they pronounce 9 as niner etc. Hard to tell from the accent what is his mother tongue, I was thinking maybe Arabic but can be anything (Jari Savolainen, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Glenn: Thank you again for your quick response and most of all thank you ever so much for your World or Radio postings [DXLD]. I look forward to them regularly and am sorry I don't contribute much as my work schedule keeps me on the road a lot. I know this is a great amount of work for you and it is truly appreciated by all your readers. I will try and contribute more this coming year. Please keep up your strength, health and most of all enthusiasm for Short Wave Radio. Best Regards, (Tom Sliva, NYC) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ WRTHmonitor --- NATIONAL RADIO UPDATES The last I checked a few weeks ago there were not any entries since last summer when the national (domestic) sexion of the WRTH 2007 closed, but now there are numerous dated entries starting 8 Nov, thru 18 Feb, concerning updates of SW, MW and FM info gleaned from various unattributed sources, many of which are obviously DXLD. Only a few items provide material which appears to be new to us; see CHINA in this issue. http://www.wrth.com/updates_national.html (Glenn Hauser, Feb 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VANE JONES GUIDE, WHITE`S RADIO LOG Back in Issue 18 [of NRC DX News] I mentioned the once-popular Vane Jones Radio-TV Station Guide published by Sams Publications. I received an inquiry concerning the book, and can add only that Mr. Jones passed away many years ago and the handy little book hasn’t been published in about 20 years. The last edition I have is from 1984. John Bowker tells us: ``Mr. Vane A. Jones published his first radio station guide in 1958. I submitted many changes to him over the years he was the editor for Sams Publications (Howard W. Sams & Company) and, at one time, had a half dozen acknowledgments from him. His log books pretty well did in the White’s Radio Log although the White’s book made a brief re- appearance (in the 80s?) as part of another publication. My most recent copy of the Vane Jones “North American Radio TV Station Guide” is 1981.” We’d like to hear from anyone who can add to these facts or other personal memories about the Guide, which was an ideal size and always a favorite with DXers (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News Feb 26 via DXLD) My last Vane Jones is the 15th edition from 1984. The last White’s came out around 1985 as a separate perfect-bound publication and included a listing of North American AM, FM, and TV stations plus a selection of “worldwide shortwave stations”. It did not include anywhere a publication date; it was simply “Volume 1, Number 1”. A foreword by Don Jensen noted that the last White’s that appeared as part of Communications World magazine was in 1981, when CW ceased publication. In the listing of credits at the end of the book are such NRC’ers as Nolan Stephany, Fritz Mellberg, Cristos Rigas, Karl Forth, Chris Lobdell, Richard D’Angelo, John Wallace, and Steve Wiseblood; Don Erickson proofread the book, and Glen[n] Hauser, Harold B. Frodge, and Al Quagleri contributed in other ways (Paul Swearingen, NRC DXN publisher, ibid.) HTTP://WWW.EMISORAS.COM.AR/ ``Welcome to www.radiostations.com.ar. Our database has information on more than 27.000 radio stations around the World: frequencies, schedules, addresses, web sites, e-mail addresses, telephones numbers and more useful information for radio enthusiasts.`` As mentioned in 7-022 under IRELAND, here is a searchable database of SW+ broadcasts, I was unaware of. But is it up to date? I am afraid not. I picked a frequency, 9480, where we know KAIJ appeared a few weeks ago. Not only is KAIJ not shown, but 9480 listings still include R. Norway and R. Denmark! Looking at US SW stations, it still has WJCR, not even its long-defunct successor WJIE! Now how old has that got to be? What a disappointment. We might have been clued in by the WRTH 2005! On sale in the margin, and the latest © date 2004 but a lot of the info looks to be even older than that. How long since Sierra Leone has been active on 3316? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ PRONOUNCING TOWNS Re 7-023: Native Floridian old timers would say My-AM-uh, not My-AM-ee (Miami). Of course, we native Floridians still enjoy playing the "Spot the Yankee - Now Go Home" game when they say KISS-imm-ee instead of Kiss-IMM-ee (Kissimmee)... Or TIT-us-ville instead of Tight-us-ville (Titusville). (Terry L. Krueger, Clearwater, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The Miami in NE OK must be pronounced My-AM-uh, I think. How about those in several other states, e.g. AZ, TX? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) BABY IN THE BELLY Re 7-023, WEWN: Dear Glenn, the word útero is rarely used in Spanish when the belly (panza) of a pregnant woman is conspicuous, unless the issue is anatomy, and the same goes for matriz. Most properly you'll hear say "ella lleva su primer hijo en su vientre". In a pejorative way, Latins use to say "esa mujer está panzona", when a woman is pregnant (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Panzona being an augmentative of panza, so big-bellied (gh) LITTLE BLACK THINGS IN THE RICE Re: ```I assume ``el negrito en el arroz`` is not seen to be a racist expression in Mexico, or even politically incorrect? Says XEYU`s 8 am newscast [1400 UT] is written the night before and thus is stale when aired (gh, DXLD)``` Glenn, In Tiquicia we have an equivalent expression, like "el lunar de la fiesta", is when some situation, e.g. a party, was spoiled, preventing it to be 100%. I don't know the English word for "lunar". Is that commonly dark eruption, dot-shape, some people have randomly in their skin (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I thought maybe you meant freckle, but that`s peca, per my dixionary. Lunar is a blemish or so-called beauty spot. Some beauty spots are applied artificially, usually near the mouth, e.g. Marilyn Monroe. I`ve never quite understood what connexion they have with beauty, and how they differ from moles. Getting back to ``negrito``, perhaps it just means a little black thing, here as in an off-color rice grain, not alluding to a person (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Blemish, that is. And I agree is a beauty spot; some women got a sexy look, depending where is situated. And in this case negrito has to be a little object, not necessarily alluding to a person, maybe a fly, i.e. "la mosca en la leche (o, en la sopa)". Right, this is not true DX, so let's call it, as you do, Language Lessons (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) see also PHILIPPINES on strange language on FEBC; UNIDENTIFIED 9450 on number station in strange English; CANADA on Arabian vs Persian Gulf MUSEA +++++ PLANS FOR ALEXANDRA PALACE TV MUSEUM THREATENED The General Manager of London's Alexandra Palace, Keith Holder, says he's disappointed with "limited interest" by the BBC in plans for a museum to celebrate its heritage as the birthplace of television. Lawyers acting for Alexandra Park and Palace Board have indicated that it would be "impossible" for the lease to contain any detailed guarantee for the museum when no funding is in place for such an attraction. Firoka, the firm poised to take over the landmark, has put aside one floor of the BBC tower for the museum, a space which would not include the original studios where the first broadcasts were made in 1936. But Firoka has also warned that, if no funding can be found for the museum within three years, the museum could not be guaranteed at all. Trustees of the Palace have also criticised the BBC for "disassociating" itself from the museum plans, and failing to offer any financial backing for the museum. "This is the BBC's heritage we are talking about. In the absence of the BBC's commitment, that is certainly not going to happen," said Keith Holder. Robin Reynolds, head of heritage at the BBC, said: "In terms of our input to the museum, we would very much like to help. What we have said though is that we are not in the business of creating the museum. We are not chartered to create museums with the money that we have got. We have got a lot of assets that we could exhibit in appropriate places and furnish the story of the launch of television, but we would not be in any position to create anything that has to stand on its own two feet, in terms of attracting business to the site. It would have to be someone else's enterprise." (Source: Tottenham, Wood Green and Edmonton Journal, via Media Network via Mike Barraclough, BDXC-UK via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ WORLD RADIOCOMMUNICATION CONFERENCE PREPARATORY MEETING OPENS IN GENEVA The second session of the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM-07) of the ITU Radiocommunication Sector opened yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland, in the presence of 800 delegates representing 97 countries and over 40 international and industrial organizations. The meeting will continue until 2 March 2007. CPM-07 is a major step in the final preparations for the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07) which is scheduled to take place in Geneva, 22 October to 16 November 2007. CPM-07 addresses 27 separate agenda items with a view to formulating the technical, operational and regulatory information on which WRC-07 will base its decisions. CPM-07 will produce a Report that will address many complex issues arising from the full gamut of studies that have been conducted over the past three and a half years. This, in turn, will allow the World Radiocommunication Conference to work through its agenda as efficiently as possible. The first session of the Preparatory Meeting, which was held during the week immediately following WRC-2003, organized the necessary conference preparatory studies for WRC-07. A structure for the report to WRC-07 was agreed, together with a preparatory process and its working procedures. Almost all the necessary studies of ITU’s Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) identified by that first session of the CPM were completed by the study groups before the agreed deadline of 15 September 2006. Spectrum priorities Chairman of the Preparatory Meeting, Mr Kavouss Arasteh noted that the CPM Report will be an indispensable reference for each Member State to prepare itself for the World Radiocommunication Conference. He outlined the following areas of priority: the search for additional spectrum for future mobile communications, particularly for broadband multimedia applications the protection of frequencies used by services and systems for the detection and mitigation of natural disasters, in order to streamline emergency communications spectrum requirements and associated regulatory issues for advanced aeronautical communication requirements operational procedures and requirements for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System spectrum requirements for global broadband satellite systems, with the aim of bringing internet access to remote and underserved areas (Source: ITU) (February 21st, 2007 - 10:31 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ DRM: see AUSTRALIA; BELGIUM; GERMANY; INDIA; NEW ZEALAND; POWERLINE IBOC I did an AM stereo Daytime Scan on Friday 9/Feb/2007 (1800 ish [EST]) and lo and behold, instead of just losing stereo signals (as I'm used to what should my wandering stereo pilot light spy but -- a new stereo station! 630, CFCO, (the only consistent station in my scans over the last 15- 20 years has been CFCO .... and they're still broadcasting roughly the same format as they did back then too -- something to be said for consistency! [CFCO = Chatham/Kent Ont, 10/6 kW] 1390, WLCM, MI, Charlotte -- a new one -- didn't think anyone would start stereo broadcasting, but I checked it thrice and indeed they are thumping the Bible in Stereo now. 1470, WKLZ, MI, Kalamazoo -- under Flint, barely audible, but they turned on the stereo pilot repeatedly! Go figure .... I don't THINK Flint is in stereo, and I couldn't get it to come on easily, so it makes me 99% sure it was WKLZ in stereo not WFNT.... 1680, WDSS, MI, Grand Rapids, still doing R Disney in stereo. Let's see, which is more likely, a pre-teen with an AM-stereo receiver, or a pre-teen who listens to AM? Hmmmmm ..... :o And that is IT for AM$. Lots of IBOC buzz noted particularly around WWJ, WJR, WKAR 870 and whatever the ethnic station on 1200 from Detroit is (among others). REALLY messes up the band! (Kenneth Vito Zichi, Williamston MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) Altho I put it here, I am undecided whether CQUAM stereo should be considered another form of ``digital``. Comments? (gh, DXLD) Subject: IBOC self-interference The situation Pat Martin describes with KGO happens to a much lesser extent here with WBZ-1030. When you drive through certain areas, standing waves along powerlines cause some nulling of the main WBZ carrier and some of the sideband energy close to the carrier. This is like operating an L-C-R type phasing unit attached to two antennas since there is some notch- filter-like frequency-dependence to the signal reduction. What happens is that the IBOC sidebands about 14 kHz plus and minus from 1030 are not reduced as much and therefore, on typically-wide car radios, can "slop" the main signal as if they were other interfering stations. This results in the main audio having a strong "whoosh" (like water in a running shower) superimposed on it. This is from the IBOC destructively interfering with the weakened center frequency, not noise being added by the powerlines. Most of the time moving a few car lengths one way or the other "un- nulls" the center frequency, so maybe most motorists wouldn't be too bothered by it. It can surprise those who think they're so far inside a station's strong-signal service area that they'd believe that any kind of "noise" just shouldn't happen under any circumstance except maybe being in a tunnel (Mark Connelly, WA1ION - Billerica, MA, NRC-AM via DXLD) Mark, Here KGO is anywhere from S9+25-S9+50 DB depending on the conditions at night. The signal is generally very stable with few fades. They have an ERP of 150-200 KW this way I have been told. Even as strong as they are, solid as a rock, when they were running IBOC the other morning, the whoosing was quite noticeable to the point of being uncomfortable to listen to. So I would presume anyone hearing KGO that morning up here would have noticed the noise. The IBOC noise issue is going to have to be delt with if any of these directional stations will have listeners outside their market. Now KEX does not have that issue but they are ND days too. Isn't WBZ directional day & night? 73, (Patrick Martin, OR, NRC-AM via DXLD) Yes. With their transmitter on the coast, they null east. The pattern is a wide cardioid with almost equal ERP from north thru west to south. So they are not directional in a narrow beam which I guess makes them less critical with IBOC hash (Allan Dunn, K1UCY, ibid.) POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ OPEN PLC EUROPEAN RESEARCH ALLIANCE PUBLISHES SPECIFICATION DOCUMENTS The Open PLC European Research Alliance (OPERA) has announced the approval of the first open global specification for Powerline Communications (PLC) access, also known as Broadband over Powerline (BPL). This specification will accelerate mass rollout of high-speed, low-cost, broadband access, voice and audiovisual services, as well as utility applications for control and management operations. After two years of development, a consortium of industry specialists from 35 organizations (including 10 universities) , and supported by the European Commission, developed the specification based on a marketing and functional requirement blueprint ratified by OPERA. The specification, together with an “OPERA Technology White Paper” can be freely downloaded from the “Project Outputs” section of the OPERA web site. OPERA http://www.ist-opera.org/ Andy Sennitt comments: Thanks to Mike Barraclough for alerting us to this. This is potentially a threat to shortwave reception, both analogue and DRM. The OPERA website has links to other organisations involved in activities related to PLC technology. I urge all international broadcasters, shortwave transmitter operators and listeners to acquaint themselves with this subject. Radio Netherlands, the BBC and Deutsche Welle have been actively involved in attending meetings on this subject over the past several years, and have made the concerns of international broadcasters known to the participants, most of whom have a vested interest in seeing PLC develop. No other international broadcasters seem to be seriously concerned - they should be! (February 23rd, 2007 - 11:07 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SOLAR OUTAGE Most Sky viewers will lose their pictures and sound for a few minutes each day over the next couple of weeks as a result of "solar outage". This occurs twice a year when the sun passes directly behind the broadcast satellites. The signal from the satellites is overwhelmed by the microwaves sent out by the sun which become concentrated in the viewers' satellite dish. The solar outage will not damage satellite dishes or equipment. The time and degree of the outage depends on location and dish size. It is anticipated that signals from Astra will be lost in the London area for around 15 minutes at about 10:00 daily between February 24 and March 8. http://www.waveguide.co.uk/news070221.htm (via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) For years I have wondered how it is possible to be so precise on these matters, why the outages are so short, and how satellites actually recover (PAUL DAVID, ibid.) It`s all a matter of celestial mechanics. I am sure there are formulas to figure it all out, or rather computer programs. The length depends on the diameter of the sun, and the rapid rotation of the earth underneath. The satellites do not have to recover as from their point of view nothing unusual is happening. It`s all a matter of three things momentarily lining up. a.k.a. solar transit outage. The same thing will be happening to satellite-fed programming in North America, of course; the exact dates and times all depend on how the Sun and individual satellites line up in each receiving location. We normally see a bunch of cable TV channels vanish into noise for 10-15 minutes around 2030 UT. The exact timing and duration change from day to day, as the angle toward the Sun is slightly different until finally it is far enough away not to cause an outage. Altho complex, this is entirely predictable and alternate routings could be used as backup, but nobody bothers (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###