DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-064, May 31, 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 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 1361: ** tentative Fri 0630 WRMI 9955** Fri 1030 KAIJ 5755 Fri 1100 WRMI 9955** Fri 2030 WWCR1 15825 Sat 1630 WWCR3 12160 [irregular] Sat 2130 WRMI 9955 Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1500 WRMI 7385 Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Mon 0530 WRMI 9955** Mon 0930 WRMI 9955** Tue 1030 WRMI 9955** Wed 0730 WRMI 9955** WORLD OF RADIO, CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL SCHEDULE: 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 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN NOW AVAILABLE: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/podcast.php OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL] http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org ** ALBANIA. R. Tirana, 13720, May 30 at 2024, G signal with talk on Albanian language, penultimate stress; hum, to 2028* 13750, May 31 at *1300, fair, fading in and out during schedule announcement still giving 6115 instead of 6120 at 0145, but the rest of it seems correct in UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGUILLA [non]. 6090 kHz observations - sans DGS --- Here are the results of monitoring ~ 6090 kHz, in the absence of University Network, from 0258 until 1200 UT on 30 May 2007. The entire spectrum from 5945 to 6135 kHz was recorded overnight via an RFSpace SDR-14 receiver and a Wellbrook ALA-100. 6089.95 R Bandeirantes, Sao Paulo, Brazil - Presumed due to Portuguese talk, but no ID ever heard. Alone on the channel at 0258 tune-in at poor to fair levels. Peaking to very good levels from 0930 until 0938 UT during sunrise at transmitter, then slowly fading until carrier dropped below the noise floor by 1050. 6089.85 R Nigeria, Kaduna, Nigeria - carrier on at 0418 UT but no real audio noted until just after 0500, which is sunrise at the transmitter, with Kaduna signal rising to equal levels with Bandeirantes. Talks by man and woman in presumed Hausa interspaced with African vocals every 10 minutes or so until 0530, when format changed to all vocals. Presumed news at 0600. Signal began slowly fading at 0610 after being at equal or slightly better levels with Brazil for over an hour. Carrier was still visible past 0730, 2.5 hours after sunset! 6089.94 UnID - a weak carrier, slightly variable, began to be noticeable just below Bandeirantes around 0600 but gaining strength rapidly until it was within 10 dB of Bandeirantes, and almost equal during peaks. No audio discerned and carrier began to fade rapidly by 0800 and no longer visible by 0900. One possibility is R Veritas, Liberia which Africalist shows to sign on at 0545. Although sunrise at Monrovia is around 0630, the carrier not disappearing beneath the noise floor until around 0900 would closely mirror my observation of Kaduna's carrier not disappearing until 2.5 hours after transmitter sunset. Other observations: no sign of R Esperanza, Temuco, Chile. I was also looking for any sign of reported R Universal, Cusco, Perú, listed on Latin American SW Logs site as being heard in March 07 on 6089.2 kHz. Nothing seen at by 1200 tune out (Brandon Jordan, TN, May 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11775 still off during the day May 31, so maybe 6090 will also remain off into June (gh, DXLD) ** BANGLADESH. QSL from Bangladesh Betar --- Dear Friends, today on 30th of May, I received a nice detailed QSL verification card depicting paddy field applying traditional irrigation technique, verified by Mahesh Chandra Roy from Bangladesh Betar for my detailed email reception report on 7th of January 2007 from 1330 to 1400 UT on the frequency of 4750 kHz of their Bengali language broadcast. The envelope also contained a letter of Senior Engineer stating as follows: - Dear Listener, Thanks and warm greetings from Research and Receiving Center on behalf of Bangladesh Betar. I have really appreciated your effort for tuning our SW frequency. For your kind notice I would like to inform you that we have two SW transmissions of frequency 4750 kHz (Home Service, Bengali) that operates for the duration of 0830-1710 UT, and 7185 kHz for external service that operates for the duration of 1230-2000 UT. May I request you to receive both frequencies for the time being and report us for those frequencies? With regards, (Mahesh Chandra Roy) Senior Engineer, Research and Receiving Center Their web and email addresses are as follows: - Web: http://www.betar.org.bd Email: rrc @ dhaka.net Regards & 73’s (Mukesh Kumar, The Cosmos Club, Muzaffarpur, INDIA, May 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS. BIELORRUSIA, 7440, Radio Belarus, 2006-2010, escuchada el 30 de mayo en idioma inglés a locutor con boletín de noticias; a pesar de llegar con muy buena señal el nivel de audio era muy bajo y apenas se escuchaba al locutor. La transmisión iba acompañada de un molesto zumbido, SINPO 45332 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [and non]. Awake May 31 at 0610, so checked 7335. WHRI was still atop CHU with a SAH of about 4 Hz (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Ten Years Ago Today the last edition of Morningside with Peter Gzowski aired on CBC Radio. Peter lived 5 or 6 years longer, passing away on my birthday. After Peter retired, the CBC in its infinite wisdom, slotted Michael Enright and Avril Benoit into the timeslot and shuffled Shelagh Rogers off to CBC Radio 2. Dumb Dumb Dumb. Gzowski was truly unique. He talked to Prime Ministers and ordinary folk with the same deference, and insightful questions. Every weekday morning, for 3 hours Canadians sat down and had a chat around the kitchen table about so many different aspects of life, Canada and the world. I miss this program. Shelagh is back from 10-11:30 with Sounds Like Canada, but I truly loathe "The Current" (8:30-10 am). Nice tribute by Shelagh this morning, even if it was just a few minutes, playing an excerpt from that last show (oddly enough there was more Stuart Maclean than Peter...oh well). Hard to believe it`s been 10 years... http://www.cbc.ca/news/obit/gzowski_peter/ (Some neat clips there including an interview with a then 13 year old Wayne Gretzky) http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-68-1793/arts_entertainment/peter_gzowski/ "The Sleeping Cricket" clip is one of the all time classic moments of CBC Radio. To those of you who seek lost objects of history, I wish you the best of luck. They're out there, and they're whispering. - Clive Cussler http://www.doghousecharlie.com (Fred Waterer, ON, wishing there were a few more Peter Gzowskis and Pierre Bertons in this country..., May 30, ODXA via DXLD) ** CHAD. Checking this distorted audio station (Chad?) today 30 May 2007. I think they appeared sometime around 1730 UT with approximate centered frequency of 7288. When checking around this frequency earlier, past 1700 UT nothing of this station heard. I think it was similar yesterday, they appeared around the same time. This was no propagation-wise, seems they started on/around 7290 later than usual. (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHILE. CVC in DRM --- Ciao a tutti, vi segnalo che sto ascoltando da circa mezz'ora il programma DRM di CVC Voz Cristiana, trasmesso dal Chile sui 17640 Khz in spagnolo, il segnale qui a Roma e' ottimo, un SNR di circa 17/20 dB, nessuna interruzione dell'audio. La radio e' un IC 756 con convertitore 455/12 kHz esterno e l'antenna e' una verticale di 7 metri. Saluti, Andrea IW0HK Roma -- (Andrea Borgnino IW0HK http://www.mediasuk.org/iw0hk http://www.mediasuk.org/archive http://www.biciurbana.org bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. Jamming of presumed Sound of Hope now on 18180 (as reported) and 14620, ex-18160 and 14500 (May 31 at 1230). 13970, 10300 and 9200 also heard (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also ZIMBABWE [and non] ** CROATIA. Comments about R Croatia or Voice of Croatia as they announce themselves for the English service. They don't actually broadcast about Croatia or the country's history and culture, etc., but do have some music programmes in the Croatian service with very few announcements between records. The English broadcasts concentrate on local and international news as well as sports news and the weather (Richard Read, Making Contact, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** CUBA. RHC, 15370, May 31 at 1342 had usual strong signal, but modulation suppressed to low level, as if stereo leads were out of phase; this did not keep it from splattering to each side with stronger audio than center frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Jeff, what`s the latest on La Voz de la Fundación, which was going to return to WRMI the last week of May, Tue-Sat 0000- 0100 on 9955, replacing WRN English on 7385 during that hour? (Glenn to Jeff White, via DXLD) Glenn: I just talked to someone from the Cuban American National Foundation this afternoon. They had advised us that they would be starting their new daily radio program at the end of this month. They now say there is no definite start date. I don't know what the problem is, but I sense there is some internal division as to whether or not to resume the broadcasts at this time. We are not going to reserve the hour for them any more (Jeff White, WRMI, May 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [non]. See PAPUA NEW GUINEA ** FRANCE. Re 7-063, English Radio in Paris --- Hi Rémy, Just wanted to say that it is too bad that you lump all of us Americans together. I happen to agree with you about the imperialism, especially with the idiot we have in the white house right now. Not all Americans agree with our government and not all English speaking radio stations spout imperialism. I have always argued with people here in the USA who are anti France especially being of French descent myself, but when I see a close minded hate filled letter like yours it makes me think that perhaps some of my anti-French brethren are maybe partially correct (Bob Young, Millbury, MA, USA KB1OKL, May 29, mwdx yg via DXLD) Hi Rémy, RFI relays are active on a lot of cities. Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Barcelona, Moscow.. .. If people enjoy speaking English in a large city like Paris, where is the problem? At Paris, Radio Orient & Alpha broadcast in Arabic and Spanish ... Why not in English or German in a major touring city? Best regards (Michel, France, ibid.) Because English is the language of the USA and you don't support the language of your enemies. Wouldn't mind German or Italian, but not English! Regards, (Rémy Friess, ibid.) This thread then degenerated into vicious name-calling. Friess is a real American-hater (gh, DXLD) ** GABON. May 30 at 2035 check, I could barely detect a carrier on 19160, S6 plus a bit o` music audio, surely Africa Numéro Un harmonic from 9580. Bears frequent checking, and surprisingly late into the local evening when it often peaks as heard here at this hour or even later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. MV Baltic Radio this Sunday: 3th of June 2007 at 1200 UT on 6045 kHz. Good Listening (Tom Taylor, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [and non]. CVC until July via Wertachtal, other M&B news The Christian Vision transmissions via Wertachtal, originally to cease as of tomorrow, will now continue until July 31 with unchanged schedule (0500-0600 9430, 0600-0900 15640, 1500-1759 15715, 1800-2100 13820, all 125 kW beamed due south). Presumably the second Zambia transmitter will thus not go on air until August, since it was supposed to be operated on the current Wertachtal frequencies in the 0500-0600 and 1500-1800 slots. Other Wertachtal/Jülich changes, effective tomorrow: The Family Radio transmission 1600-1800 on 12020 (500 kW, 75 deg.) will already start at 1500. RNW will again use Jülich during the holiday season until Aug 31, presumably for the last time ever: 0559-0657 on 11655 (20 deg.) and 0659-0757 on 9610 (50 deg.). And the latest news about Media&Broadcast itself: Acc. to a Wirtschaftswoche report Deutsche Telekom hopes to earn up to one billion Euro from selling M&B. One of the most promising candidates is TDF which itself has the financial companies Texas Pacific, Axa Private Equity and Charterhouse as major shareholders. Just recently TDF bought Antenna Hungaria. Other parties expected to file a bid are the Australian investment bank Macquarie Bank Ltd. and the financial company 3i. In March Macquarie beat 3i by offering 3.6 billions Euro for the broadcast distribution network of National Grid in the UK. http://www.finanznachrichten.de/nachrichten-2007-05/artikel-8308906.asp Deutsche Telekom will sell only if the wanted price can be achieved. In March the media authorities of Germany had warned to not sell M&B because this could result in fundamental changes of the German broadcasting landscape. T-Systems has a de-facto monopoly for the DVB- T networks, created with public funds and the resulting privileges. This monopoly will persist because neither frequencies nor transmitter sites are available for alternative nets. It would create further interconnections if M&B will be sold to investors who already own cable nets or held shares in broadcasting companies. http://www.satundkabel.de/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=19569&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, May 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAITI. Police and UN forces raid the community radio station Radio Sel, in Gonaïves, Haïti. Des policiers et des casques bleus de l`ONU ont effectué, dans la nuit du 29 mai, une descente dans les locaux de la station communautaire Radio Sel, située dans le quartier populaire et mouvementée de Raboteau aux Gonaïves, a annoncé la direction de la radio à l`agence en ligne AlterPresse. Plus de details: http://www.medialternatif.org/alterpresse/spip.php?article6054 Abbreviation in the article: MINUSTAH = Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti, that is The United Nations Stabilization Mission In Haiti (via Dr. Anton J. Kuchelmeister, DK5TL, Germany, DXLD) Apparently the station supported a police crackdown on bandits? Unravelling exactly what goes on there is difficult, without knowing the background or reading French more fluently than I (gh, DXLD) ** HUNGARY. RADIO BUDAPEST TO SHUT DOWN ON JUNE 30 See forwarded link below. "Not official yet, but it's known for sure: All foreign language programs of Radio Budapest will be on air for the last time on June 30." (Probably some Hungarian, in practice from Kossuth Rádió, will still be carried on shortwave, but this remains to be seen.) http://www.pesterlloyd.net/Archiv/2007_22/0722radio/0722radio.html (via Markus Weidner, via Kai Ludwig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO BUDAPEST OFF FROM JULY 1ST Bad news from Pester Lloyd, German language newspaper: http://www.pesterlloyd.net/Archiv/2007_22/0722radio/0722radio.html Radio Budapest - Hungary's Foreign radio service since 1934 - will will be heard for the very last time on June 30. Auslandsdienst wird abgeschaltet. Radio Budapest wird zum 30. Juni seinen Sendedienst einstellen. Es ist noch nicht offiziell, aber bereits sicher. Magyar Radio, die oeffentlich-rechtliche Rundfunkanstalt Ungarns, wird seinen Auslandsdienst komplett einstellen. Wie aus zuverlaessiger Quelle im Funkhaus in der Brody Sandor utca zu erfahren war, erklingen saemtliche noch verbliebenen Fremdsprachenprogramme – darunter auch auf Deutsch – am 30. Juni 2007 zum letzten Mal. Weitere Einzelheiten zur geplanten Abwicklung liegen noch nicht vor. Radio Budapest war 1934 gegruendet worden. In Zeiten des Kalten Krieges galten die Programme des Senders als relativ liberal und ideologisch nicht so stark belastet wie andere Angebote aus dem Ostblock. Ungarn ist damit das erste Land in der Region, das Kurzwellensendungen in Fremdsprachen komplett einstellt (Pester Lloyd, German language newspaper in Budapest, via Michael Wlochinski, A-DX May 31 via Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD) Dear Radio Budapest, I just tread in the PESTER LLOYD newspaper that all foreign language broadcasts on shortwave are to end on June 30. Is this true? Will you still have web-based news in English and German? I could find nothing on your website about this. Thank you (Martin Gallas, Jacksonville, ILLINOIS 62650, USA, May 31, cc to DX LISTENING DIGEST) French transmissions will be cancelled tomorrow, June 1st. A special programme has been aired for the last time this Thursday (Jean-Michel Aubier, France, May 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not specifically announced, but: "The traditional forms of media must adjust to the expectations created for us by the ever more increasingly globalising social and information conditions." http://www.english.radio.hu/index.php?rovat_id=1054 (Hungarian Radio website via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) See also Radio Budapest website http://english.radio.hu/index.php?rovat_id=1059 (Posted: 31 May 2007, kimandrewelliott.com, via DXLD) ** INDIA. Re 7-063, AIR to turn digital for world audience --- I don't know which of the modes listed by DRM have been fully tested. To get quality better than FM radio you would need DRM in 18/20 khz bandwidth; 9/10 kHz is not as good as FM. I'd assumed that the AIR mediumwave simulcast tests were using a 20 kHz bandwidth though there is a 30 kHz bandwidth one listed, 20 kHz DRM and 10 kHz AM, can countries in Region 3 use 30 kHz bandwidth on AM? http://www.drm.org/broadcastmanual/summarytable2.php (Mike Barraclough, England, May 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Recommended bandwidth for MW in region 3 is 9 kHz/18 kHz. Following DRM modes were tested in Delhi : - SCS AM (9 kHz) DRM(9 kHz) 100 kW AM, 2.5 kW DRM 22kbps A/64/4/0.5/S ** - SCS AM (9 kHz) DRM(9 kHz) 100 kW AM, 2.5 kW DRM 22kbps A/16/4/0.5/S - SCS MW A/16/4/0.5/S 11 kbps AM-DRM ( 96 - 4 kW) coverage comparision - SCS AM (9 kHz) DRM (4 kHz) A/64/4/0.5/S - Full channel (18 kHz) DRM transmission on MW ( 666 kHz) A/64/16/0.6/S 45 kbps - DRM 26 MHz local broadcasting (20 kHz) B/16/4/0.5/L 21 kbps, 500 w - NVIS Static 3315 kHz (10 kHz) B/16/4/0.5/L 11 kbps 2 kW - NVIS 6100 kHz (10 kHz) B/16/4/0.5/L 11 kbps 150 kW - DRM Long distance SW via DW Trincomalee (10 kHz) 90 kW 17 kbps B/64/16/0.5/L ** A/64/4/0.5/S - Mode A/MSC 64 QAM/SDC 4 QAM/Code Rate 0.5/Short Interleaving Regds (Alokesh Gupta, India, ibid.) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. 15 YEARS OF WORLD RADIO NETWORK The current edition of World Radio Network's magazine Network Live has an article on 15 years of WRN. Jeff Cohen and Karl Miosga were working in adjoining offices at the BBC in 1990, Karl was setting up the BBC's fifth national radio network and Jeff was writing a report for BBC News on how digital communication would impact newsgathering. They would lunch together daily and discuss how they could revolutionise the delivery of international radio, something they both had a passion for. They spoke to broadcasters, including some who had never really operated internationally such as NPR and RTE, and came up with the idea of channels in a single language with programming from many stations around the world which would be placed on varied platforms that might be available. They carried out a week of trial broadcasting in the spring of 1992 using an audio channel lent by Sky television. The whole 24 hour operation was carried out manually including making recordings, playing out and mixing. By that stage they had a third partner in Tim Ashburner and had realised that the whole operation would have to be automated. They designed it all in house including the software. They then got a call from Father Borgomeo at Vatican Radio asking them if they could put together a system for distribution of Vatican Radio by satellite in Europe. They were offered satellite audio channels on Eutelsat plus some offices in Docklands, in return for carrying out work for UPI and so by the end of 1992 WRN was formed and capitalised. They moved into the Strand in September 1993 and a month later WRN's radio service for Europe began, by December 1993 they were broadcasting in North America and had become one of the first broadcasters to be on the internet, later they got into Africa and Asia. In 1994 they moved into new facilities near Vauxhall station. The company currently has three English channels: Europe, North America and Africa/Middle East/ Asia Pacific. They have a recently added Arabic channel WRN Sawt al Alam as well as ones in French, Russian and German. All channels operate 24 hours a day. They also offer broadcasters consultancy and transmission services and have over 50 clients. In the UK WRN English for Europe is on Sky Channel 122, Virgin Digital Cable 920 in some areas as well as some programmes being relayed via Spectrum Radio 558. Copies of their free bi-annual magazine Network Live may be obtained by writing to WRN Limited, P O Box 1212, London SW8 2ZF (via Mike Barraclough, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** JAPAN. Radio Japan NHK World broadcasts in English at 1000-1100 UT also on 17720 kHz. This was missing last year too. I guess its missing on Radio Japan's website. I am not going to write to Radio Japan about this, because they have not replied to my reception reports (David Crystal, Israel, Making Contact, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) Radio Japan on 17720 kHz at 1000-1100 does show in the latest edition of TAFIE, so it seems as if the station found out themselves or were advised of this omission. As for not receiving a reply to reception reports, this can happen from almost any station from time to time due to several reasons, cost, staff or office reorganisation. However, in your case David it might be due to someone playing international politics with what they consider having correspondence with a resident of an unfriendly nation. It would be helpful to know more, so if anyone is writing Radio Japan they might add a P.S. to the effect "I understand that a radio listener in Israel has not received a reply to his reception reports. Could you please look into this?" On another subject it seems as if surface mail from Israel, excluding Pakistan and several other countries to which there is no service, costs a lot less than that at present charged by Royal Mail (Arthur Ward, WDXC ed., ibid.) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. STUDENTS JOIN BROADCASTS AIMED AT NORTH KOREANS http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-eastasia.asp?parentid=70810 A collaboration between Student Media Without Borders and Open Radio for North Korea aims to deliver culture from South to North The Korea Herald Monday, May 28, 2007 By Jeong Hyeon-ji Student broadcasting clubs at 14 universities are attempting to narrow cultural gaps between the two Koreas and to let North Koreans know what's going on outside their tightly controlled country. Student Media Without Borders is providing their production to Open Radio for North Korea, a Seoul-based radio station working to improve human rights of North Koreans. "There's been a constant flow of goods and economic cooperation since the inter-Korean summit in 2000. Now we need to further it into that of culture and spirit. The people of North Korea have a right to know what's going on in the world," said Kang Won-cheol, co-director of the SMWB, which was officially launched last month. Kang, 26, a business administration major, is a North Korean defector. After living 21 years in the North, Kang came to South Korea via China in 2001. He leads a student defectors organization in Seoul. "When I arrived in China, I listened for the first time to South Korean broadcasts with a shortwave radio receiver. That's when I first learned that we (North Koreans) can actually go to the South," Kang said. In South Korea, Kang heard other defectors talking about listening to South Korean radio programs in the North, sometimes in groups. "I feel sorry for those stuck in a society of prisons and censorship, without any idea of what's going on in the world. Radio is a great medium for these people to learn what is really happening in the outside world. Nobody would know it better than I do, that's why I decided to take part in this," he said. Since last December, the student broadcasters have been transmitting one-hour radio programs every day to the North and northeast China through Open Radio for North Korea. The programs are aired from 11 p.m. to 12 p.m. [= UT 14-15], either through the shortwave frequency 7390 kHz or the Open Radio's website. The SMWB plans to extend its network to all 202 university broadcasting stations nationwide and even high school broadcasting clubs, said Lee In-gun from Dongguk University, a co-director of the organization. Lee first got involved in the movement when he took part in a one-time show last year. The thrill of having audiences thousands of miles away from Seoul got him hooked on this project ever since, he said. "All of us in SMWB enjoy what we do. Taking part in this movement has made us feel more responsible for the production itself," said the 23- year-old student. Lack of government support The student network is demanding the South Korean government provide a broadcasting frequency to enable more stable and lower-cost broadcasting. It plans to file an application with the government and petition with the National Assembly. But the Unification Ministry's response has been negative. The government supports only those programs agreed upon by the governments of both South and North Korea. "Programs with government support should meet certain conditions which are beneficial for both South and North Korea," said Kim Gye- jin, director of the Unification Ministry's Social and Cultural Exchanges Team. Open Radio has aired programs for audiences in North Korea and northeastern China since 2005. It is financially supported largely by the United States, Ha Tae-keung, executive director of the radio station, said. "We've been transmitting the recorded show from a shortwave frequency abroad. Broadcasting daily radio shows for one year costs 100 million won ($109,000), which could be reduced to 2.5 million won if it could be transmitted from Seoul," he said. Most of the funding has been raised in the United States, from NGOs and the American government and Congress, Ha said. Ha did not want to name all the supporting organizations and institutions but some of the groups who recognized the importance of his activities include the State Department of the United States and Freedom House, a Washington D.C.-based NGO whose aim is to support the expansion of freedom around the world. There has not been any financial support from the Korean government on this project. The government has refrained from allowing frequency bands for the open radio project, claiming that it is a politically sensitive matter. Far East Broadcasting Co., which sends out gospel and missionary programs, is the sole broadcaster that has been officially allowed [by South Korea, surely --- gh] to air radio shows toward North Korea since the 1950s. The student broadcasters provide material that North Koreans will find interesting and useful in understanding South Korean culture. "We produce our show with other member organizations of the SMWB network. We include university program materials from topics such as economics, management and natural science, English expressions and Korean and western pop songs," Kim So-young, producer of Open Radio, said. "We'd love to air some contemporary adult pop songs in the near future since defectors from North Korea really love them," Kim said, referring to the Korean pop music genre called "trot." She visited the border towns of China and North Korea last year and still remembers how many people received news broadcasts and information from South Korea on cheap shortwave radios that flowed in from mainland China. "The power of information is huge. You can see it from the amount of radios that are getting into North Korea everyday," she said. Four percent of North Korean defectors are believed to have listened to South Korean radio shows before they came to Korea, according to a Korea Press Foundation survey of 304 North Korean defectors, taken in 2005. This is a relatively large increase from the 1 percent recorded in the first survey of 2003. Shortwave radios are very common among North Koreans these days. They even smuggle DVDs from China, but radios are still more popular because they don't leave any trace, radio station director Ha said. "The definition of reunification can vary for different people. The legal matter will take a lot of time. But I'm sure free civil exchange is near at hand, within five years," he said. "Giving a voice to the young generation is very important. After all, they are the ones who will lead a reunified Korea in the future." Ha was an ardent student activist and was imprisoned for two years in the early 1990s. He later went to China and earned a doctorate in international economics. After spending four years as SK Telecom's regional investment director of China, he moved to Washington D.C. and worked as a research fellow at the International Forum of Democratic Studies. Ha's primary goal is to extend the running time of the show and have more radio stations for North Koreans. Ha also plans to vary the content of the programs to include soccer and Chinese lessons, in which North Korean citizens are interested. Once a month, SMWB members visit Hanawon, a government-run- resettlement support institution for dislocated North Koreans. They collect reports and opinions from volunteer North Korean defectors for consideration of future shows. One of the volunteers, a former citizen of North Korea who has successfully settled in the South, edits the language and content of the show for items that could possibly cause misunderstanding for potential listeners. "We also get reports from our acquaintances along the Chinese border," said Kim, who refrained from disclosing any further details. Park Sang-bong, a professor of North Korean studies in Seoul Jangsin University, said the SMWB marks a positive development in student movement. "Hanchongryun couldn't last because they were trapped within the shell of nationalism. Being free of nationalist dogma and considering North Korea's problems as an international issue is a step in the right direction," Park said. Hanchongryun, the Federation of University Students Councils, is a leftist student organization that was criminalized under the National Security Act in 1999 for its alleged pro-North Korean activities. Park said that there has not been a genuine civil exchange between the two Koreas, criticizing it as a one-way flow from South to North. East and West Germany had continuous non-governmental civil exchanges, which proved to be one of the strongest push factors that eventually led to reunification. Leaving aside the economic price of reunification, cultural and ideological discrepancies continued in Germany for over a decade, even after the constant civil exchanges. The growing cultural gap between South and North Korea is not going to make reunification any easier. "Peaceful reunification can only be achieved by constant exchange between the two Koreas and SMWB could be a good preparation tool for North Koreans before they face a drastic change in social ideology and structures," the SMWB co-director Kang said. Date Posted: 5/28/2007 (via Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DXLD) ** LIBYA [non]. 17667.50, a carrier from Grigoriopol, Moldova site noted around 1145 UT May 31. Later at 1215 UT observed anti-Libya opposition Radio Sawt Al-Amal, S=6 on peaks. 17665 UNID French language station at 1210 UT, tiny, poor S=2 level. Another Gabon [jamming] outlet? 17660 West African music station from Gabon, weak today at 1215 UT, S=3 level only. From 1400 UT underneath of much stronger BSKSA Riyadh in French, also heard again around 1528 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA [and non]. MOLDAVIA, 17667.5, Sawt al-Amal, 1205-1225, escuchada el 31 de mayo en árabe con canto del Cor`án, ID, sintonía, locutor con comentarios, locutora con ID y segmento musical; un chequeo a las 1254 se observa que cambia a 17665, SINPO 45444. 17630, África Nº1 en francés, chequeada a las 1203 y a las 1255, emisión sin problemas. 17660, Emisora afro-pop, 1205 y chequeada mas allá de las 1315. 17600 // 17725, Voz de África en Swahili a las 1310 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, May 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. The Mighty KBC with reduced power June 2nd. "This coming Saturday it will be a real DX adventure for all of you. The AM 1386 transmitter with a power of 500.000 Watts is not working at the moment. The 500 kW (1386 kHz) AM transmitter is temporarily out of service due to shortage of high-power vacuum tubes for the RF amplifier. The tubes have been ordered, but delivery will take some time. Therefore, on Saturday the program probably will be transmitted via a backup 25 kW (1386 kHz) transmitter near Klaipeda on the Baltic seashore. So let us know if you hear us on 1386 --- touch and taste the sensation of The Mighty KBC. Our shortwave service is normally working on 6255 kHz [1386 kHz on air 2100-2200, 6255 kHz 2200-2300 UT] Check our website http://www.kbcradio.eu for the latest news..." Eric van Willegen to mediumwave.info 30/5-2007. (via Ydun Ritz, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Hoy a partir de las 1530 UT (10:30 del centro de México) he escuchado a XEYU Radio UNAM en los 9600 kHz con muy baja potencia, apenas perceptible aquí en la Cd. de México (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, May 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) First report of it in several weeks; or really closer to the usual 9599? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOROCCO [and non]. RTM may have been on 15340 the day before, but May 31 at 2100 UT check, the usual slow SAH was on 15345 between this and Spain, the latter with its accurate timesignal, and nothing on 15340; nor could I hear any sign of RAE 15344v at this time either (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see UNIDENTIFIED ** NETHERLANDS. Hello from Hilversum, As I mentioned last week, there are a lot of changes to our English schedule effective Saturday 2 June. There are no changes to our shortwave broadcast times, but a lot of changes to the programming. The State We're In, a major new programme, will replace Weekend Connection, Vox Humana and Euroquest. In a 50-minute version on Saturday and a half-hour version on Tuesday, The State We're In will look at current events from an unexpected perspective. The programme brings you stories from all over the world and the main focus is on human right issues. The Wednesday Documentary will be replaced by another new programme, Arts and Culture, which features a selection of some of our best work in the Documentary and Vox Humana series. Also, once a month we introduce a new feature called Radio Books. This is an eclectic collection of short stories by Dutch and Flemish writers presented for the first time in English translation. Network Europe, Amsterdam Forum , The Research File and Flatlanders remain, though those last two will switch positions; Flatlanders will in future be broadcast primarily on Mondays, and The Research File on Thursdays. Click here for our programme line up for next week. http://www.radionetherlands.nl/listeningguide/this_week (Andy Sennitt, Media Network newsletter May 31 via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. See ANGUILLA [non] ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA [and non]. Hi Bryan and Glenn, Checked 7325, May 28, 29 & 30, *0930-1030*, assume this is R. France Inter. (site?) but did not hear ID. During intermittent checking, heard Chinese programming, but clearly they have a regular segment of a French language radio-drama before sign-off, which was heard on both the 28th & 30th, then a few words in Chinese at sign-off, mostly fair, no sign of any other station. Hard to say how Wantok Radio Light will stand up against this (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Dear OM, I have received Wantok Radio Light on new frequency 7325 kHz at 0900-1057 (KO'ed by China Jam. on 7330 kHz) on May 31. ID at 0910 by female. QRMed by RFI-Chinese via Taiwan on 7325 kHz 0930-1030. I was able to receive unID station on same frequency at 1040 on May 30. S. Hasegawa Audio file: http://sky.geocities.jp/peace_jju_ujjj/070531_1805_7324.9k.mp3 de peace J via Kageyama BCL Communication Page BBS (S. Hasegawa, NDXC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There was also a lot of rapid pulsing QRM, so that`s the Chinese jamming from 7330? (gh, DXLD) 7325 R. FRANCE INT. 0930-1030 1234567 Chinese 100 352 Tainan TWN 12010E2303 RFI a07 (Aoki list via Noel Green, dxldyg via DXLD) ** POLAND [non]. I want to thank Edwin Southwell for the information on Poland in Hebrew. This is the only Hebrew on short waves which does not come from Israel or an enemy country or Christian missionaries. Many decades ago, the SSC had a broadcast in Hebrew. Polish Radio External Service. You can hear a half hour of music fill, Polish songs, on Saturdays at 1800-1830 UT on 9695 kHz; other days it can be their Hebrew service, music fill, or even a silent carrier. Here in Israel, our radio and TV operates as usual on Saturday. I have a good reason to believe there is a repeat of the Hebrew service but I don't know when or where, so please publish the all-language sked for Poland (David Crystal, Israel, Making Contact, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** SERBIA. Now my own comment - although Radio Serbia moved to 7240 kHz, this is a poor choice of frequency with Family Radio using this frequency and is noted mixing with Serbia for the 1830 GMT transmission which means neither station can be heard clearly. One point to raise and asked by a few shortwave listeners is where is Stubline actually situated. I can't see any reference to Stubline in an atlas or geographical co-ordinates? (Making Contact, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) Who is ``my``? Perhaps Arthur Ward, the editor, or contributor Edwin Southwell, but items in this publication are not clearly attributed (gh) By the way ... a quick "Google-search" for Stubline, Serbia shows the location as 44 24' 55N, 20 54' 24E (although, of course, the actual transmitters may be a little way from that location (Alan Roe, ibid.) ** SRI LANKA. Re 7-063: Oops: I omitted the frequency for the 09 DW broadcast via Sri Lanka in my report on hearing DW-Dari at 09 signoff on 17705: the 09 transmission in English is on 17700 which is also using Trincomalee, beamed 45 deg. and was not audible at all when checked on May 28 (Joe Hanlon, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Another British VTMC spurious signal; Seemingly outstanding prop condition tonight? 9925, Deutsche Welle German service much ahead of IRIB's Hausa service co-channel, noted powerful spurious from Woofferton site. Mixture at 1800-1959 UT of two WOF outlets on 9545 / 9735 kHz in 152 and 170 degrees. On symmetrical 9355 kHz - 190 kHz apart - nothing of DWL program heard so far, so maybe spurious coming from 9545 tx/antenna unit. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, May 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also WORLD OF HOROLOGY ** U S A. On Message May 25, 2007 --- The U.S. Arabic-language satellite network Al Hurra has had an uphill struggle for viewership. Lately, it’s been trying to diversify its range of perspectives. But when it featured “terrorists,” congressional funders cried foul. Political scientist Marc Lynch discusses the latest salvo in the war for hearts & minds. http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2007/05/25/02 (via David Cole, OK, DXLD) which leads to a 7-minute audio clip and also: http://abuaardvark.typepad.com/abuaardvark/2007/05/alhurra_controv.htm l (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. VOICE OF AMERICA (VOA) UPDATED A07 FREQUENCY SCHEDULE ----------------------------------------------------- AFAN OROMO 1730-1800 9875 11500 11675 11905 13870 MON-FRI ALBANIAN 0500-0530 9460 1600-1630 13740 1830-1900 9840 AMHARIC 1800-1900 9875 11500 11675 11905 13870 ARABIC (Radio Sawa) 0000-0400 990 1170 1431 1548 0400-1645 990 1170 1548 1645-2400 990 1170 1431 1548 ARMENIAN (VOA TV only) (Satellite and local affiliates only) AZERBAIJANI 1730-1800 6050 7235 13725 BANGLA 0130-0200 11735 15205 1600-1700 1575, 7430 11835 BOSNIAN (Satellite and local affiliates only) BURMESE 1430-1500 1575, 9325 11910 12120 1500-1530 9325 11910 12120 2330-2400 6185 9505 11980 CANTONESE 1300-1500 1170, 7115 9355 CHINESE (Mandarin) 0000-0200 9545 11830 11925 15150 15385 17765 0200-0300 9545 11830 11925 15385 17765 0700-0900 13610 13740 15250 17780 17855 21705 0900-1000 11825 11965 13610 13740 15250 15665 17780 17855 1000-1100 9575 11825 11965 12040 13610 15250 15665 17855 1100-1200 1170, 6110 9575 11785 11825 11990 12040 15205 1200-1230 6110 9845 11785 11825 11990 12040 15205 1230-1300 6110 9845 11785 11805 11825 12040 15205 1300-1400 6110 9845 11785 11805 11965 11990 12040 1400-1500 6110 9845 11805 11965 11990 12040 2200-2300 7190 7200 9510 9845 11925 13775 CREOLE 1130-1200 11890 15390 MON-FRI 1630-1700 15390 17565 2100-2130 11895 13725 21555 CROATIAN 0430-0500 5965 1830-1845 7180 15180 DARI (Radio Ashna) 0130-0230 1296, 9335 12140 1500-1530 1296, 9335 15090 15120 1630-1730 1296, 9335 11565 11580 1800-1830 1296, 9335 11565 11580 1930-2030 1296, 7555 7595 ENGLISH to Europe, Middle East, and North Africa 1400-1500 15530 17740 1500-1600 15445 15530 2200-2230 1593 ENGLISH to Africa 0300-0330 909 1530, 4930 6080 7340 9885 12080 15580 0330-0400 909 1530, 4930 6080 9885 12080 15580 0400-0430 909 1530, 4930 4960 6080 9575 11835 12080 15580 0430-0500 909, 4930 4960 6080 9575 11835 12080 15580 0500-0600 909, 4930 6080 6180 12080 15580 0600-0700 909 1530, 6080 6180 12080 15580 1400-1500 4930 6080 13570 15580 17685 1500-1600 4930 6080 13570 15580 17895 1600-1700 909 1530, 4930 6080 15580 1700-1730 4930(Sat-Sun) 6080 15580 1730-1800 4930(Sat-Sun) 6080 15410 15580 1800-1830 909(Sat-Sun), 4930(Sat-Sun) 6080 15410 15580 17895 1830-1900 909, 4930 6080 15410 15580 17895 1900-2000 909, 4930 4940 6080 15410 15445 15580 17895 2000-2030 909 1530, 4930 4940 6080 15445 15580 2030-2100 909 1530, 4930 4940(Sat-Sun) 6080 15445 15580 2100-2200 1530, 6080 15580 ENGLISH to Zimbabwe 1730-1800 909, 4930 13755 15775 MON-FRI ENGLISH to Afghanistan 0000-0030 1296, 7555 2030-2400 1296, 7555 ENGLISH to Far East Asia, South Asia, and Oceania 0100-0200 7430 9780 11705 1100-1130 1575 Sat-Sun 1130-1200 1575 1200-1300 1170, 6140 9645 9760 11860 1300-1400 9645 9760 1400-1500 7125 9760 15185 1500-1600 7125 12150 13735 15105 2200-2400 7120 9415 11725 15185 2230-2400 1575 Fri-Sat ENGLISH-SPECIAL 0000-0030 1575 1593 0030-0100 1575 1593, 9715 9780 11725 15185 15205 15290 15560 17820 0130-0200 6040 13740 TUE-SAT 1500-1530 6160 9590 9760 12080 15550 1530-1600 1575 1593, 6040 6160 9590 9760 11520 12080 15550 1600-1630 1170(Mon-Fri) 1593, 6040 11520 12080 13600 17895 1630-1700 1170(Mon-Fri), 12080 13600 17895 1900-2000 7480 9670 2230-2300 1593, 9570 11705 15145 2300-2330 1593, 9570 13755 15145 2330-2400 1593, 7350 9570 13755 15145 15340 FRENCH to Africa 0530-0600 1530, 4960 6035 6095 9885 13710 MON-FRI 0600-0630 4960 6035 6095 9885 13710 MON-FRI 1830-2000 1530, 9815 9830 12080 15730 17785 2000-2030 9815 9830 11720 12080 15730 2030-2100 9815 9830 11720 12080 15730 SAT-SUN 2100-2130 9815 9830 12035 12080 MON-FRI GEORGIAN 1530-1600 11945 15475 GREEK (Satellite and local affiliates only) HAUSA 0500-0530 1530, 4960 6045 9600 0700-0730 4960 6045 9600 1500-1530 9710 11905 13750 2030-2100 4940 9815 9830 11720 12080 15185 MON-FRI HINDI 1600-1700 7260 9320 INDONESIAN 0000-0030 9535 11805 13705 1130-1230 9700 9890 12010 1400-1500 13620 15105 THU-SAT 2200-2400 7225 9535 11805 KHMER 1330-1430 1575, 5955 7155 2200-2230 1575, 6060 7130 15340 KINYARWANDA/KIRUNDI 0330-0430 6095 7340 11905 1600-1630 11905 15430 17725 SAT KOREAN 1200-1300 5890 7235 11625 1300-1400 648, 5890 7235 11740 1400-1500 5890 7235 11740 2000-2030 6060 7125 9510 KURDISH 0400-0500 9845 15460 17490 1300-1400 1593, 11635 15390 17730 1600-1700 9805 11705 15130 1800-1900 7205 11520 11705 1900-2000 1593 LAOTIAN 1230-1300 1575, 9510 11930 MACEDONIAN (Satellite and local affiliates only) NDEBELE 1800-1830 909, 4930 13755 15775 MON-FRI PASHTO 0030-0130 1296, 9335 11605 1430-1500 1296, 9335 15090 15120 1530-1630 1296, 9335 15090 15120 1730-1800 1296, 9335 11565 11580 1830-1930 1296, 7555 7595 PASHTO (Deewa Radio) 1300-1600 9310 11510 1600-1900 7510 9310 PERSIAN (VOA) 0230-0330 9695 11870 17855 1630-1700 1593, 6040 11520 11780 1700-1730 1593, 6040 9760 11520 1730-1800 1593, 6040 9760 11925 1800-1830 648 1593, 6040 9760 11925 1830-1900 648, 5860 6040 11925 1900-1930 5860 6040 11925 1930-2030 5860 9310 9725 PERSIAN (Radio Farda) 0000-0030 1575 0030-0200 1575, 7295 9805 9865 0200-0330 1575, 9510 9805 9865 0330-0400 1575, 5860 9805 9865 0400-0530 1575, 5860 9865 15255 0530-0600 1575, 9865 15255 15690 0600-0800 1575, 15290 15690 17845 0800-1000 1575, 15690 17845 21715 1000-1200 1575, 7125 15690 21715 1200-1400 1575, 7125 15690 17755 1400-1500 1575, 15170 17510 17755 1500-1600 1575, 15410 17510 17755 1600-1700 1575, 15165 15410 17510 1700-1900 1575, 7105 7580 9770 1900-1930 1575, 7105 7580 9505 1930-2000 1575, 5830 7580 9505 2000-2100 1575, 5830 7580 9505 2100-2130 1575, 5830 7580 9505 2130-2400 1575 PORTUGUESE to Africa 0430-0500 1530, 6095 7340 1000-1030 17740 21590 SAT-SUN 1700-1730 1530, 9565 12080 1730-1800 1530, 9565 9815 12080 15730 1800-1830 1530, 9565 9815 17785 MON-FRI RUSSIAN 1300-1400 9465 11725 15130 15565 1700-1800 6105 7340 9520 11805 1800-1900 6105 9520 11755 11805 SERBIAN 0530-0545 9460 1930-2000 9785 2100-2130 7210 MON-FRI SHONA 1700-1730 909, 4930 13755 15775 MON-FRI SOMALI 1600-1630 1431, 11675 15675 1700-1730 11675 15675 SPANISH 0030-0200 9560 9885 11815 1100-1230 7370 9535 13790 SWAHILI 1630-1700 9815 13670 15730 1700-1730 9815 13670 15730 MON-FRI THAI (Satellite and local affiliates only) TIBETAN 0000-0100 7255 9855 11690 0400-0600 15265 15490 17685 1400-1500 6030 11520 11975 TIGRIGNA 1900-1930 9875 11500 11675 11905 13870 MON-FRI TURKISH 0330-0400 7205 MON-FRI 1030-1045 15205 21590 MON-FRI 1830-1900 11865 12025 MON-FRI UKRAINIAN 2000-2015 7230 11840 2015-2030 7230 11840 MON-FRI URDU (Radio Aap ki Dunyaa) 0000-0100 972 1539 0100-0200 972 1539, 7145 11805 1400-1500 972 1539, 9510 12005 1500-1700 972 1539 1700-1800 972 1539, 9320 9780 1800-2400 972 1539 UZBEK 1500-1530 801, 7280 9700 11590 15265 VIETNAMESE 1300-1330 1575, 5955 9720 1500-1600 1170, 5955 7455 9780 2230-2330 6060 15340 Best regards & many 73s! (Dragan Lekic from Subotica, Serbia, May 30, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A. Dear Glenn, I would like to mention that this Saturday at 9 PM Eastern (June 2nd [0100 UT Sunday June 3]), Marion's Attic will be broadcasting its 300th original program. This program was recorded in Fritztown, PA at the home of very kind radio fans who are phonograph collectors. The show features the use of a 20th Century Graphophone cylinder machine with a four inch diameter reproducer diaphragm and mechanical amplifier. You will hear sounds never heard before off of cylinder records. It was a moving experience for me to hear 100 year old cylinder records with this machine. We also will be playing very rare 6 inch long 20th Century cylinders that play 3 1/2 minutes. Standard cylinders played for 2 minutes only, so these were the LP version! Marion's Attic continues to be very popular and I receive many letters from new listeners each week. Our sponsors are happy too. There is no doubt in my mind that shortwave radio is alive and well. Thank-you so much for the work you do keeping the listeners informed so we don't miss the good stuff. Lovingly, (Marion Webster, Marion's Attic, WBCQ 7415, May 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KVOH, 17775, again putting out strong spurs, May 30 at 2030 on 17631.5, distorted, and peaks in modulation cause a dip in S-meter reading, // 17918.5, i.e. plus and minus 143.5 kHz. 2032 `Desencadenados``, the Spanish version of ``Unshackled`` from Pacific Garden Mission, Chicago. 17775 was steady at S9 + 16 while the spurs peaked at S9 + 10 dB. On previous occasions there were further spurs at double the distance, but nothing audible now on 17488 or 18062, as the fundamental itself was not at the overpowering level it sometimes reaches. No doubt after 2100, 17631.5 caused the usual awful QRM to France in Spanish via Guiana French on 17630 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. MORE ON THE CATALINA ISLAND FIRE AND KBRT CGC #792 reported on the devastating Catalina Island fire and tentatively traced its origin to work being done by a tower crew at the KBRT (740 kHz) directional antenna array on the island. While the official cause of the fire is under investigation and the final details may differ somewhat from the account given in our report, all information available to our office continues to exonerate Bill Agresta, KBRT's Transmitter Chief. Bill reports that day-to-day operations at the transmitter plant are currently difficult at best. The station is now without utility power, program lines and phone service. KBRT is relying on generator power and a satellite audio feed. For a brief period of time, the station was operated at half power to conserve fuel. Why was KBRT off the air last Tuesday? A field coil opened in the generator. A small solid enameled wire (probably #24) which was covered with RTV at the point where it connected to a binding post chose this most inopportune time to corrode in two, perhaps the result of exposure to 20 years of salt air. Then again, this was just one of many technical failures that have mysteriously plagued the station lately. Bill is slowly recovering from three cracked ribs and a head-to-toe case of poison oak from the oak soot carried by the fire. (We have told him about the Zanfel treatment for poison oak mentioned later in this newsletter.) One person who saw Bill last week described him as a "blistered mess" - yet Bill is adamant about carrying on his day-to- day activities at the remote site where life, even in the best of times, is not easy. Bill asks for your good thoughts and prayers as he continues to make a difficult recovery. http://tinyurl.com/2be3cz (Fire Photos, L.A. Times) (CGC Communicator May 30 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** VATICAN. 50 YEARS OF SANTA MARIA DI GALERIA The agreement between Italy and the Holy See of October 8, 1951 acknowledged the extra-territorial status of the area of Santa Maria di Galeria, destined to become the telecommunication centre of the Holy See. Situated about 20 Km from Vatican City, the area at that time belonged to the German-Hungarian Pontifical College and covered approximately 450 hectares, a good part of which devoted to agriculture, even today. Thanks to the transmission installation of the new Radio Centre, inaugurated October 27, 1957 by Pope Pius XII, the Holy See became independent and was able to communicate with the entire Catholic world. The Short Wave transmitters are installed in the main building which is hexagon-shaped and features the electrical-supply equipment on the lower floor, while nine transmitters of various type and age are situated on the upper floor (see box). The Medium Wave transmitters are kept in a smaller building and are remotely controlled. Three rows of fixed directive antennas for Short Wave depart in a "Y" from the main building. There are 28 of the curtain dipole type, which are invertible and positioned in such a way as to serve all the required areas with the appropriate frequencies and directional angle. Three rotating antennas, positioned at the extremities of the three rows, complete the Short Wave antenna park. The Centre also features two Medium Wave directive antenna systems. The management of the Radio Centre has always included technical personnel in the projection and construction of installations. Currently, modern digital techniques of modulation are being introduced: in particular, experimental transmissions according to DRM standards (Digital Radio Mondiale) have begun. Vatican Radio is an active member of the Digital Radio Mondiale Consortium. For some years now the principal international radio stations whose programmes are transmitted via satellite have been exchanging broadcasts. The Frequency Management Department plays an important role in the scientific selection and coordination of appropriate transmission frequencies in international sites. As far as the environmental issue of electromagnetic fields is concerned, the emissions are monitored by the appropriate Vatican offices who have always complied with the most rigorous security standards established by the World Health Organization. In conclusion, it can be said that the presence and careful maintenance of our installations have preserved the natural environment of the Roman countryside of the 1950s, which has by now disappeared elsewhere. Constantino Pacifici, Director of Santa Maria di Galeria Centre TRANSMITTERS 1 x Philips 2 x Telefunken 1 x RCA 1 x Telefunken 1 x Telefunken PDM 1 x Thomcast (TONY ASHAR and MIKE CASEY forwarded from the latest Vatican Radio newsletter, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Glenn, Apropos the color TV restriction [RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM]: You may not be aware, but Venezuela had no FM broadcasting until the late 1980's. My copy of the original technical regulations (Dirección de Ingeniería de las Comunicaciones, División Técnica de Radiodifusión, Departamento de Frecuencia Modulada) was stamped in to our library January 11, 1985, and the original Ministry of Transport and Communications issued "Instructivo Técnico para Estaciones Radiodifusoras en Frecuenca Modulada" is dated February 1985. I don't believe that there were licenses granted until about 1988, and I made several trips to all the major cities in Venezuela except Mérida and Cd. Bolívar from about 1985 until 1989 or so on behalf of our firm's clients there to locate and evaluate potential FM sites. Many of the TV sites were established for wide area coverage assuming outdoor antennas, so they weren't necessarily suitable for FM. Up until the late 1980's the only signals on FM were from low power transmitters with simple antennas at in-city sites and with no baseband modulation but only a background music subcarrier, one in each city, all operated countrywide by a single licensee, if my memory is correct (Ben Dawson, WA, May 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. It's called TVes - I guess they want us to pick it up by Es! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCJ_Gdd4S_M (Jeff Kruszka, WTFDA via DXLD) A 24-minute clip starting with the national anthem for 5 minutes, this time without captioning, so de-emphasizing ``vile egotism``, ``respecting the law``, etc. Then very slick produxion of all the great things TVes will present, including, it seems, novelas, for which RCTV was well-known. It`s pronounced Te-Ves, which is a play on words, meaning ``you see yourself``, as well as being the abbr. for Televisora Venezolana Social[ista], and goes on ¡Como eres de verdad! -- ``the way you really are``. And of course, linx to several other videos on this subject. What I`d like to know: has RCTV been compensated fairly for the expropriation of its transmission facilities, and whatever else the government has taken over? Will RCTV in fact continue as a program producer, just without its on-air terrestrial network?? ``Venezuela – ¡Patria del Expropiador!`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re 7-063, DXing RCTV: Glenn, were you living in Oklahoma, Texas, or where when you logged YVKS-2? That was a great catch (Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, WTFDA via DXLD) I just dug out my verie letter. It was May 30, 1968, in Enid, OK. I`ll scan and post this historical document soon. IIRC, they had channel 2 in both Maracaibo and Caracas, so could not be positive which one I got. [Later:] I`ve now added a 27th item to my small gallery of QSLs (the rest being antique shortwave ones), at http://worldofradio.com/QSL.html 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) LA AMPUTACIÓN: Decía Marshall McLuhan sin equivocarse, que los medios son extensiones del propio cuerpo. La ropa extiende a la piel, la rueda al pie, la televisión amplifica a los ojos y claro, a los oídos también. Consecuentemente, lo que ha sucedido en este país, no es otra cosa que una amputación, pues la noción misma de televisión que el venezolano tiene esta asociada a su vínculo con RCTV. Es por ello que la sensación primaria que experimenta la inmensa mayoría de nosotros es de sajadura, de herida en la carne. Cumplida la medida, resta evaluar aquí las implicaciones que este machetazo tiene para el gobierno, particularmente para Hugo Chávez y también para lo que en Venezuela llamamos, a falta de una palabra mejor, la oposición. Intentaremos también evaluar en qué medida compromete este sacudón a todo el ecosistema comunicacional. QUÉ GANA Y QUÉ PIERDE CHÁVEZ El gobierno ha cerrado a RCTV por la simple razón de que no le quedaba otra. En su ambición de imponer la proclamada “hegemonía comunicacional” es necesario anotar que Chávez no contaba con otro momento para asumir el riesgo. El 28 de mayo está todavía a pocas horas de su triunfo electoral de diciembre pasado y además, constituye este día, una fecha rodeada de una cierta aura de legalidad, muy discutible por cierto. El efecto necesario de esta aventura se expresará en la pérdida de más de un 30 por ciento de respaldo popular, lo que equivale a dos millones quinientos mil votos. Este bajón dramático, de no manejarlo el gobierno con cuidado, podría echar al trasto a su ambicionada reforma constitucional y con ella, la reelección indefinida que es el único tema que verdaderamente interesa de toda esa operación leguleya. Otra consecuencia que tendrá que arcar el gobierno es la protesta violenta, que por cierto ya está en marcha. La violencia – emocional y física - es inevitable. A los seres humanos se nos lleva a la violencia por dos motivos esenciales: defensa del territorio y defensa de la identidad, y esas dos condiciones aplican con el cierre de RCTV. Al tomar la medida, la población siente que el gobierno ha violado el espacio individual. Ya no somos patronos en nuestra propia casa, ya no podemos escoger lo que nos gusta dentro del propio hogar. En ese sentido, no es exagerado afirmar que el pase de RCTV a TVES en la madrugada del 28 de mayo, quedará grabado en la consciencia colectiva del país como el mayor gesto de violencia simbólica que recuerde una generación entera. Cuenta además como dijimos, el corte brusco de nuestra noción de identidad. No te puedes llevar 53 años de cultura, buena o mala, esa es otra discusión, sin romper con la imagen que el venezolano se hace de sí mismo. Con el cierre del canal dos, los venezolanos hemos sido llevados a una frontera psíquica que forzará a millones de compatriotas, chavistas y antichavistas a la búsqueda agresiva de significado. Esto lo sabe el gobierno, o lo intuye mejor dicho, pero también sabe que no existe hoy un liderazgo preparado para capitalizar la revuelta. Es por eso que al final de día, Hugo Chávez decide tirarse la parada del cierre. Con el cierre, el gobierno alcanza ciertamente la codiciada “hegemonía comunicacional”, un verdadero pujo ideológico que abriga el riesgo de sobre mercadear al gobierno. Actualmente Venezuela cuenta con la señal abierta de 12 canales nacionales. La propiedad de estos medios es como sigue: a Venevisión lo controla el gobierno y a Televen igual. La Tele fue recientemente adquirida por el régimen, lo mismo que Puma y CMT. VTV es propiedad de Chávez, así como Telesur, Vive, y ANTV. Restan Meridiano, que es un canal de deportes y Globovisión, un canal privado de noticias, pero con un dígito de share (con el cierre de RCTV pasará a dos dígitos de audiencia real). RCTV era el medio de comunicación más visto e influyente de Venezuela. En los últimos meses llegó a aventajar en 15 puntos a su competidor más cercano, Venevisión, y a facturar casi el doble en publicidad. De doce canales nueve pertenecen hoy al régimen bolivariano. O sea, que a los venezolanos les quitaron los ojos y los oídos. Esto va a forzar la radicalización de algunos sectores nini y de oposición que antes no habían sido activados. Cuando la oposición veía la entrevista de Miguel Angel Rodríguez en las mañanas, muchos sentían que podían irse tranquilos al trabajo porque, a final de cuentas, alguien estaba protestando por ellos. Al aniquilar esa válvula de escape, el gobierno está forzando a estos grupos al radicalismo, algo que no necesitaba. Chávez ha desconocido que el canal dos le resultaba instrumental a su proyecto. Aquí hay algo mal calculado, pues RCTV era en esencia una canal de entretenimiento. El cierre es un pujo ideológico, insisto. Sin embargo, este último dato deberían confirmar aún un más el escenario de violencia que se cierne sobre el país. El costo internacional también será inevitable. Chávez habrá perdido con esta jugada un apoyo internacional que no va a recuperar con facilidad, sobre todo porque a partir de aquí, el hombre tendrá que reprimir abiertamente. ¿Quién vendrá ahora a retratarse con el gobierno venezolano? No mucha gente. El hecho es que el presidente se metió en un escenario que muy poco controla. De aquí para abajo no va a recibir backing de ningún medio de comunicación internacional con algún margen importante de influencia. Tendrá que olvidarse de la gran prensa mundial que tanto lo ayudó en el Carmonaso y el pasado tres de diciembre. Ni a los periódicos, ni a los periodistas occidentales, le gustan los presidentes que cierran medios. Resta mencionar además, que Chávez verá mermado su apoyo dentro de las Fuerzas Armadas, especialmente entre la tropa y los mandos medios. No estamos seguros de que un soldado venezolano esté dispuesto a dispararle a su tía, a su hermana o a su amigo porque estos reclamen su derecho a ver El Concurso Millonario. QUÉ PIERDE Y QUÉ GANA LA OPOSICIÓN La oposición encontró un tema para unificar al país. Existe otro, la inseguridad, pero el liderazgo opositor nunca lo ha usado sistemáticamente. Hoy esos dos asuntos se tocan con el cierre del canal dos. Para el pueblo se acabó su principal canal de entretenimiento, pero también, el medio más importante para denunciar la inseguridad personal. La oposición se queda sin medios, pero con mensaje. Necesita un mensajero, pero no se le ve en el radar. Chávez es hoy un presidente que quita, no un presidente que da. Es un líder que no escuchó a su pueblo. Ahora Venezuela no es de todos. Eso lo entienden hoy chavistas y antichavistas En ese sentido, la oposición gana consciencia de que realmente necesita un liderazgo. No un liderazgo electoral, esa vía está cerrada, sino un liderazgo político, que construya un camino firme, pasito a pasito, hacia el poder. La oposición también gana una voz ante la comunidad internacional. El denunciado autoritarismo de Chávez ya no se escuchará en el extranjero como una consigna política. COMO QUEDA LA INDUSTRIA DE LA COMUNICACIÓN Con el cierre de RCTV, la industria de la comunicación en Venezuela queda totalmente trastocada. Los medios independientes quedan temerosos del gobierno, así como los anunciantes. Estos últimos contemplan atónitos lo que sin duda constituye el mayor atropello a la propiedad privada que haya habido en Venezuela en toda su historia. Hasta el momento en que escribimos estas líneas, la señal de TVES sigue saliendo por las antenas transmisoras de RCTV, sin que exista hasta el momento una ruta jurídica para saldar la confiscación de que ha sido objeto la gente de Bárcenas. La industria publicitaria también tendrá que reacomodarse ya que es mentira que habrá un pase mecánico de anuncios hacia los canales que se plegaron al gobierno. Es decir, se requerirá la creación de nuevos medios para alcanzar el reach de una campaña. Habrá eso sí, un aumento exponencial de la televisión pagada, con lo cual el gobierno perderá penetración. En dos años habrá tres millones de decodificadores en la calle, lo que equivale a 15 millones de personas huyéndole a las cadenas presidenciales. Nadie compra o alquila el cable para escuchar a Chávez. La radio sufrirá también un repentino crecimiento como medio noticioso, lo mismo que los portales informativos digitales que crecerán en cuñas y en lectoría. En fin, es todo un sacudón de proporciones telúricas. Hay para terminar, una generación de periodistas venezolanos y estudiantes de comunicación que se confronta finalmente con la misión de la profesión: el anti poder y la defensa de la libertad de expresión. Poco a poco hemos venido entendiendo que Hugo Chávez no viene a otra cosa que a cumplir el viejo ciclo autoritario de los militares golpistas latinoamericanos. Poco a poco hemos entendido que es requisito ganarse la democracia. Opinión, Aquiles Esté, Noticiero Digital. Publicado: Mar May 29, 2007 9:08 pm Fuente: http://www.noticierodigital.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=195484 (via Jorge García R., Venezuela, DXLD) MÁS SOBRE EL CASO RCTV, APOYO INTERNACIONAL Y NACIONAL... LULA RESPETA DECISIÓN VENEZOLANA DE NO RENOVAR LICENCIA A RCTV TeleSUR _ 29/05/07 - El presidente brasileño, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, rehusó opinar este martes sobre la decisión del mandatario venezolano, Hugo Chávez, de no renovar la licencia a la televisión opositora RCTV, por considerar que sería una injerencia, según reseña AFP. "Ese es un problema de la legislación venezolana. Un problema del gobierno venezolano", dijo Lula a periodistas, tras un almuerzo oficial con el secretario general del Partido Comunista de Vietnam, Nong Duc Manh. "De la misma forma en que yo no quiero que ellos den opiniones sobre las cosas que yo hago aquí, yo tampoco quiero (opinar sobre lo que hace el gobierno venezolano)", añadió Lula. RCTV salió del aire el domingo 28 y fue sustituida por el estatal Televisión Venezolana Social. MONSEÑOR TORREALBA: DECISIÓN DEL GOBIERNO SOBRE RCTV ESTÁ AJUSTADA A LA LEY --- Por: Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias (ABN) Caracas, 29 May. ABN.- La decisión que ha tomado el presidente de Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frías, sobre no renovar la concesión a Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) está ajustada a la ley, así lo expresó el monseñor Nelson Torrealba, miembro del Consejo Eclesiástico de la Embajada de Venezuela en El Vaticano. Monseñor Torrealba señaló en declaraciones a Venezolana de Televisión (VTV) que «Venezuela no es el primer país en el que se aplica una medida de esta naturaleza». «Estados Unidos, Canadá, Uruguay, Perú y en tantos lugares de América Latina, de Europa y Asia se ha tomado esta medida contra los medios de comunicación masivos. Esto está a la vista pública», agregó. El clérigo, además, realizó un llamado a la conciliación y la paz para que todos lo venezolanos puedan convivir. El pasado 27 de mayo de 2007 culminó la concesión a RCTV y el espacio dentro del espectro radioeléctrico fue ocupado desde el 28 de mayo por la Televisora Venezolana Social (TVes), como parte del proceso de democratización de los medios de comunicación. PARTIDO DE LOS TRABAJADORES DE BRASIL RESPALDÓ DECISIÓN SOBRE RCTV Caracas, 29 May. ABN.- La dirección nacional del Partido de los Trabajadores (PT) de Brasil, organización política del Presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, y el Partido Socialismo y Libertad (PSOL), suscribieron un manifiesto de respaldo a la no renovación de la concesión a Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV), informó una nota publicada en el portal online http://www.rondoniagora.com La nota dio cuenta de que el documento fue difundido por la Embajada de Venezuela en Brasilia en una nota que indica que se recibió el apoyo de otras siete organizaciones populares brasileñas, entre las que destacan el Movimiento de los Sin Tierra (MST), el Movimiento de los Pastores Negros de Brasil, el Círculo Bolivariano de Brasilia y la Central de Movimientos Populares de Brasil. El pronunciamiento de las organizaciones citadas se suma a la posición asumida por el Partido Comunista de Brasil, a través de su órgano comunicacional Vermelho (Rojo), en el que alegó que con la finalización de la concesión a RCTV, comienza a debilitarse en Venezuela la dictadura de los monopolios mediáticos. Según Rondonia Agora, el Palacio de Planalto, sede de la Presidencia de la República Federativa de Brasil, evitó emitir un pronunciamiento sobre el tema alegando respeto a la soberanía de Venezuela (all via Adán González, Catia La Mar, Estado Vargas, VENEZUELA, May 30, DXLD) Well, of course the Commies are for it! Perhaps I should summarize where I am coming from. In US terms I am a social-leftist, but I cannot countenance leftist regimes anywhere which curtail civil liberties, freedom of speech! It doesn`t have to be that way (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CALM RETURNS AFTER VENEZUELA TV PROTESTS http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/world/4851811.html (AP via kimandrewelliott.com May 31 via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. CVC not starting new broadcasts yet: see GERMANY ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. China helping Zim media --- China is actively pursuing rebroadcasting deals for both its international radio and television channels in Africa; China Radio International has an FM frequency in Nairobi and is understood to be negotiating in other major cities, while CCTV-9, the English-language TV channel, is also actively seeking partners in the continent. A high-level delegation from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings company - which is owned by the government and controls ZBC - visited China this month. ZBH chief executive Henry Muradzikwa met CCTV vice-president Zhang Changming in Beijing. During the meeting Zhang said that CCTV is eager to air Zimbabwean television programmes "in order to help counter the monopoly that Western countries have over reporting on Zimbabwean and African issues." Zhang also said that China is willing to offer exchange programmes and to host broadcasting personnel from Zimbabwe in order to assist in the improvement of broadcasting standards for Zimbabwe. CCTV president Zhao Huayong has offered training facilities for ZBH staff in technical, production and journalism areas (From the AIB media industry briefing newsletter via David Pringle-Wood, Zimbabwe, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Around 6223 I'm listening now, at 1130-1216, to an UNID religious. Maybe Baluarte reactivated and up in frequency? or harmonic? Can't stick to it since have to go to work. Estoy escuchando alrededor de 6223 una UNID religiosa, en português de Brasil, en el horario 1130-1216. Quizá Baluarte o alguna armónica? No puedo seguir escuchando ya que me voy a trabajar (Horacio Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, May 31, condig list via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 15340, Arabic with a strong clear signal (54454) noticed from 2100. Ended with a merry jingle at 2200. NOWHERE with any Arabic at this time except if RTM has finally done the decent thing and shifted away from the overcrowded 15345. If this is the case it will help RAE Buenos Aires! 73's (Dan Goldfarb, Brentwood, England, May 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Could be. Around 2030 I tuned across and noted RAE again was well below 15344, and something on 15340 as well as 15345 (Spain), but did not notice the usual SAH on 15345, now that you mention it (Glenn, ibid.) See MOROCCO ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ TIME SIGNALS ON BBC From November 1922 time signals were regularly transmitted before the news bulletins at 7 pm and 9 pm by an announcer playing the Westminster Chimes on a piano or, later, on tubular bells installed for the purpose. This innovation was so well received that it became necessary to improve the clocks and a contract was placed with the Synchronome Company for master clocks and slave dials to be installed in studio centres. The loudness of the tick was adjustable and it could be arranged to start some seconds before the hour. An announcer could then begin counting and ring a gong on the hour. At Aberdeen, Bournemouth and Manchester impulse clocks, made by Gent & Company were installed. In a broadcast on 21 April 1923 Frank Hope-Jones, a well-known radio amateur and horologist, concluded his talk by counting down the last five seconds to 10 pm. He afterwards suggested that a regular service of accurate time 'pips' might be provided by the Royal Observatory and broadcast by the BBC. Equipment was designed for reproducing the six pips accurately from a 1 kHz oscillator, the output of which was controlled by a switch operated directly by the escapement wheel of a chronometer at the Observatory, which was then at Greenwich. The Greenwich Time Signal (GTS) was regularly broadcast from 5th February 1924, the signal consisting of six pips starting five seconds before the minute and ending on the minute. Under the chapter Outside Broadcasts I found the following about Big Ben. An important 'first' was the inauguration of the long series of broadcasts by Big Ben. This took place at midnight on New Year's Eve at the end of 1923 and was treated as an OB. It was followed by a regular broadcast twice a day from March 9th 1924. The microphone and amplifier were first installed on the roof of Bridge Chambers, Bridge Street, Westminster. The microphone was a Round-Sykes, and it is thought that this may have been the first time one of these was used on an OB, the Western Electric double-button type having been used hitherto. The microphone was enclosed in a biscuit tin filled with cotton wool, but was later transferred (still wrapped in cotton wool) to a football bladder sealed with rubber solution 'to guard against the inclemency of the weather and suspended about 15 foot above the bells. The signal from Big Ben was fed to all stations, and the great bell was heard at midnight to the accompaniment of ships' sirens on the Thames and in the docks. When the Marconi-Reisz microphone became available in 1926, one was installed permanently in the Clock Tower (extract from book BBC Engineering 1922-1972 by Edward Pawley who worked for the BBC for forty years until his retirement in 1971 as Chief Engineer, External Relations via Edwin Southwell, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ RADIO CONTROLADO VIA INTERNET ! Olá pessoal, Instalei aqui em casa um ICOM IC-PCR1500 com DSP! Para quem desejar brincar um pouco com o equipamento instalamos o mesmo e disponibilizamos na internet assim você poderá controlar o mesmo de forma remota e até mesmo fazer algumas escutas on-line. Para maiores informações e acesso: http://www.amantesdoradio.com.br/rxonline PS: O sistema esta em testes ainda, mas boa parte do tempo esta totalmente operacional. A interface é simples mais funcional. NOTA: Para os interessados nesse tipo de receptor: O receptor é excelente e quebra todos os antigos tabus de que receptores do tipo SCAN não servem para a radioescuta. Apesar de sua larga faixa de cobertura de 10 kHz a 3.3 GHz o receptor possui excelente performance, seletividade e sensibilidade, além é claro de recursos sofisticados como o DSP, IF-Shift e vários filtros de seletividade e a praticidade de manuseio de uma bela interface gráfica com um sofisticado analisador de espectro. Confesso que me surpreendeu! Portanto eu recomendo, inclusive já com o DSP!!!! Em breve um bom review no site Amantes do Rádio! Um forte 73 a todos! (PU2LZB Renato Uliana http://www.amantesdoradio.com.br radioescutas yg via DXLD) INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR OF RIZ, ZAGREB, CROATIA During my websurf, I found a interesting interview with the director of RIZ Croatia Mr. Darko Cvjetko [Darko Tsvyetko], which is dated October 02, 2006, on Croatian business portal "poduzetnistvo.org". Since the story is in Croatian language only, I've translated the most interesting parts into English: - RIZ drži 30 posto europskog tržišta radioodašiljaca. >>>> RIZ holds 30 percent of the European radio transmitter market. - Prvi izvozni posao ostvaren je 1965. Kad su isporucena dva radioodašiljaca u Indiju. >>>> First export business realised in 1965, when two radio transmittters were delivered in India. - Posljedni veliki izvozni posao RIZ je ostvario ovih dana kada je partneru u Jemenu isporucen srednjovalni radiodifuzni odašiljac kao prva isporuka prema ugovoru vrijednom 2,2 milijuna eura. U tijeku su i drugi vrijedni izvozni poslovi. Tako je isporucen 250-kilovatni srednjovalni odašiljac u Tajvan, a uskoro ce biti isporucen i drugi ukupne vrijednosti oko 862.000 eura. A nakon montaže 250/500- kilovatnog kratkovalnog digitalnog odašiljaca za tvrtku VT Communication u Engleskoj, RIZ je potpisao novi ugovor za isporuku cetiri digitalna kratkovalna odašiljaca, a vrijednost ugovora prelazi 5,2 milijuna eura. >>>> The last big export business RIZ accomplished in these days, when to a partner in Yemen was delivered a mediumwave broadcasting transmitter, as a first delivery according to contract worth 2.2 Million euros. Momentarily there are other valuable export businesses. Thus a 250-kiloWatts mediumwave transmitter is delivered in Taiwan, and soon will be delivered another one worth 862.000 euros. And after the installation of a 250/500 kiloWatt digital shortwave transmitter for a company VT Communications in England, RIZ has signed a new contract for a delivery of four digital shortwave transmitters, and the worth of contract is over 5.2 Million euros. Full interview (in Croatian only) is at: http://www.poduzetnistvo.org/novosti.php?subaction=showfull&id=1159799375&archive=1160145810&start_from=&ucat=&select=novosti&ar=1 There is also a picture of Mr. Cvjetko. Best regards! (Dragan Lekic from Subotica, Serbia, dxldyg via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ SONY SUPPORTS HD RADIO, RELEASES TWO PRODUCTS Sony has acknowledged that it believes in HD Radio with its announcement that it will develop and distribute a range of HD Radio- enabled consumer products over the next several years. Sony has released an AM/FM/HD table radio (model XDR-S3HD) and a mobile HD Radio tuner (model XT-100HD) car adapter, the company announced today. There are currently more than 1300 radio stations broadcasting with HD Radio technology. Source: http://www.mediabuyerplanner.com/2007/05/29/sony-supports-hd-radio-releases-two-products/ (via Jaisakthivel, Chennai-600106, India, dxldyg via DXLD) DRM [see also CHILE; INDIA; VATICAN] PAUL WATSON [previous] comments on DRM which I was interested in and I fully agree with Paul's comments when he says in his view DRM is a waste of time. Many contributors to logbook comment on this subject and how it causes severe interference to adjacent channels which you are tuned into, it seems to cause sideband splatter over 10 to 15 kHz and like many others I think they should be allocated a dedicated piece of the shortwave spectrum and well away from the standard listening format. Another point to raise about DRM is where are the receivers? and also we seem to have very few specialist shops where we could get advice even if we were interested in buying such a receiver. All it seems today is sell it off the shelf. This is a fine thing if you are buying a standard type analogue receiver but with DRM and also DAB advice would help. I know a friend who bought a DAB receiver and had problems with it. He could pick up very few stations. He went back to the shop and mentioned the problem of being able to pick up few stations and they told him you need an aerial and some other piece of equipment, after which he said to the salesman "you never told me this". (via Edwin Southwell, June World DX Club Contact via DXLD) In the May issue of Contact, Paul Watson asks if any member listens to DRM mode transmissions. I have several receivers which are DRM capable and use them on a regular, daily basis to listen to DRM transmissions. At least one receiver is used to monitor DRM transmissions and is in use for this for most of the day; I find the log files produced by the decoding software most interesting. Early in the morning, I check BBC World Service on 7440. BBC World Service used to be available until the afternoon but regrettably now drastically cut back. Also monitored is RTL Luxembourg on 5990to practise my French and then finally in the evening I listen to the classical music transmission from Deutsche Welle on 3995. The latter is particularly appreciated because it is simply non-stop music, i.e. no chatter which allows me to get on with something else without irritation. I do listen to conventional AM but I'm afraid my days of scratching around in the noise for weak DX are over, partly due to other interests and partly due to the ever increasing noise level at my 'semi' rural location. I think that we should not lose sight of the fact that broadcasting is an expensive business. Those transmitters are not simply on the air to allow us enthusiasts to put another station in the log and demand a QSL. A broadcast service has to earn it's keep in some way or another and the DRM mode, being efficient makes that task easier. Kim Elliot, in one of his VOA programmes talked about "the long slow fade of hf broadcasting". He was right and anything which prolongs the life of hf should be encouraged. I'll nail my colours to the long wire for all to see and state that I'm a great fan of DRM and I hope it prospers. Of more serious concern for the future of shortwave listening I believe is, as I have mentioned, the steady rise of the noise level on hf. This is normally S3-4 at my QTH but sometimes much greater. The majority of this comes in via the mains supply and although I only have two close neighbours, I do have a 66kV overhead line approx 200m away. Perhaps I should try a loop instead of the long wire (Glyn Jones, ibid.) DTV UPDATE, FCC REGULATION The FCC has approved the applications of 32 stations to not build out their interim DTV facilities. These stations will flash-cut to DTV operation on their permanent DTV channel. In most cases, these stations are in small markets. In many cases, the stations' interim DTV channels are outside core. (above channel 51) 25 of the stations are "satellites" – stations that relay some other station – a category of operation that was singled out as eligible for flash-cutting. The stations in question: Station City A B KVTH-26 Hot Springs, Ark. 14 26 KVTJ-48 Jonesboro, Ark. 49 48 KGMD-9 Hilo, Hawaii 8 9 KHVO-13 Hilo, Hawaii 18 13 KAII-7 Wailuku, Hawaii 36 7 KMAU-12 Wailuku, Hawaii 29 12 KMEB-10 Wailuku, Hawaii 30 10 KWHM-21 Wailuku, Hawaii 45 21 KBSD-6 Ensign, Kans. 5 6 KUPK-13 Garden City, Kans. 18 13 KBSL-10 Goodland, Kans. 14 10 KBSH-7 Hays, Kans. 10 7 WBKP-5 Calumet, Mich. 11 5 KBRR-10 Thief River Falls, Minn. 32 10 KPOB-15 Poplar Bluff, Mo. 18 15 WHLT-22 Hattiesburg, Miss. 58 22 KYUS-3 Miles City, Mont. 13 3 WDAZ-8 Devils Lake, N.D. 59 8 KQCD-7 Dickinson, N.D. 18 7 KGFE-2 Grand Forks, N.D. 56 15 KJRR-7 Jamestown, N.D. 18 7 KMCY-14 Minot, N.D. 15 14 KMOT-10 Minot, N.D. 58 10 KUMV-8 Williston, N.D. 52 8 KOBF-12 Farmington, N.M. 17 12 KENV-10 Ely, Nev. 8 10 KWNV-7 Winnemucca, Nev. 12 7 WENY-36 Elmira, N.Y. 55 36 WVPX-23 Akron, O. 59 23 WMEI-60 Arecibo, P.R. 61 14 WECN-64 Naranjito, P.R. 65 18 KJWY-2 Jackson, Wyo. 14 2 A: Interim DTV channel (which will go unused) B: Permanent DTV channel At the same time, the Commission launched their 3rd Review of the DTV Transition. They propose these actions: (among others) .. Limit future extensions of time to build DTV facilities. .. Offer expedited processing of applications for operation on a station's post-transition channel. .. Consider allowing reduced analog power when necessary to facilitate building of posttransition DTV facilities. .. Consider allowing stations to cease analog operation altogether, before transition, to facilitate building of post-transition DTV facilities. .. Consider allowing stations to switch early, ceasing analog operations before Transition Day and switching to DTV-only operation. .. Require stations to file a form by December 1st detailing the station's digital progress and a plan for completing transition. .. Require stations whose permanent DTV facilities are on a different channel from their interim operation to complete construction by February 17, 2009. (Transition Day) .. Refuse applications to increase power on permanent DTV assignments until all initial facilities have been built. These points are not final; they're proposals put out for public comment. I suspect they'll be adopted pretty much intact though. One thing to note here is that, contrary to what I'd expected, stations will be expected to vacate their interim DTV channels immediately on Transition Day. This will cause some interesting logistical issues for many stations. Those whose permanent DTV channels are different from their interim assignments will have to build a DTV facility on the new channel, but cannot test it on the air (they'd better hope it works on February 17th!). (a quick scan of the FCC document – it's HUGE – suggests stations will be allowed to test their permanent DTV facilities in advance, but it will often require careful cooperation of competing stations – which will be required to go off the air, or at least accept serious interference, for such testing to proceed.) Another order disposed of 145 applications for additional time to complete DTV construction. Most were granted: - WABC, WNBC, WNJU, and WNYE in New York cited the 9/11 attack as grounds for extension. - 29 extensions were required by delays in the Commission's own actions. - Hurricanes were cited by WPAN, KVHP, WGNO, and WSTE. The latter station was not directly affected by the storms, but crews scheduled to install WSTE's DTV equipment were diverted to New Orleans. - Five Denver stations had problems (to say the least!) obtaining local approval for their antennas at their existing analog site. Congress finally stepped in, overruling local zoning authorities. KPAZ in Phoenix also cited problems with local approvals. - Twelve stations cited unexpected technical and mechanical issues. - Nine stations had problems acquiring previously ordered equipment on time. - Five stations cited problems with contractors or weather. - 70 stations cited financial issues. One (KNLC St. Louis) recently sold co-owned KNLJ; this sale may have raised enough cash to complete DTV construction in St. Louis. Finally, two stations cited other problems. Two California stations – KCET and KICU- were denied extensions of their permits to increase DTV power to "maximized" facilities with greater coverage than their analog signals. However, these stations will not be sanctioned as they did build DTV facilities that "replicate" their analog coverage. Three stations were "denied" extensions outright. Since KECY and WTVA's interim DTV facilities are on different channels from their permanent operation – and the FCC has de-emphasized construction of interim operations – the stations will simply be formally admonished and expected to complete construction within 30 days of adoption of this report. The third station, KJUD in Juneau, Alaska, told the Commission it couldn't complete its DTV facility until co-owned KIMO Anchorage did so. However, other filings indicate KIMO-DT was complete in July 2006. KJUD's interim DTV channel is the same as its permanent assignment. The Commission has extended KJUD-DT's permit for six months anyway, but formally admonished the station and imposed extra reporting requirements. Another report shows the status of the transition: Markets # Stns On Air Full Pwr STA All 1,723 1,603 1,215 388 Top 10 40 40 38 2 Top 30 119 119 110 9 Non-comm. 373 348 21 stations do not have a DTV permit or license at this point. With regard to viewers, the report states that there are roughly 18,700,000 homes that receive only over-the-air analog TV (another 1,300,000 receive only over-the-air TV but have digital capability). These 18.7 million homes have 44.2 million analog sets. Another 23.5 million TV sets in homes that have cable/satellite are not connected to the cable/satellite service. Whew. (I hope y'all bought stock in the Hammermill Paper Company before I printed all this stuff...) Good DX! (Doug Smith, June WTFDA VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ NO GLOOM AND DOOM WITH DTV TRANSITION Here’s an interesting letter from veteran TV Dxer Bill Draeb: “I’m surprised you’re preaching “gloom and doom” when all the lowband stations in the “lower 48” decide to pull the plug on their analog stations. For someone who has been plagued by WBAY-2 for the last 54 years (much of that time 24/7), it will be interesting to see what else is there instead of logging WEDU-3 for the umpteenth time. So, bring on Cuba, South America, Mexico, Central America and whatever else gets covered up by stations in the 1000 mile range. I’ll be waiting for that 2Es, F2 or TE opening with bated breath. But I suppose if you prefer quantity to stations versus quality, then you’ll be disappointed.” (Bill Draeb, Kewaunee WI, June VHF-UHF Digest via DXLD) Bill, I see your point. You fellows in the Midwest will no doubt have your share of TV skip openings when the analogs go off the air. Right off the top of my head I think of Jeff Kadet in IL, who always has his share of Mexicans and Puerto Rico via e-skip in the summertime. But then you can consider the DXers farther north, where receiving a Mexican via Es is a rarity. I think you will need to have some amount of “quantity” just to people interested. If a DXer only “sees” Es on his television only two or three times in a season, will that be enough to keep him interested in the hobby, even if the skip he sees is two or three hop from somewhere in Central or South America? I don’t know the answer. We will have to find out (Mike Bugaj, CT, ibid.) see also VENEZUELA CICLO SOLARE Ciao a tutti, visto segnalo che abbiamo raggiunto "forse" il punto di bassa attivita' del ciclo solare, di sicuro il flusso solare e' ai minimi storici dal 1997 come si puo' leggere qui sotto: http://www.solarcycle24.com/index.htm As of yesterday, the solar flux stood at 67. This is the lowest it has been in nearly 10 years. The last time it was this low was July 13th, 1997. Saluti, (Andrea Borgnino IW0HK, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) RADIO 'SCREAMS' FORECAST DANGEROUS SOLAR STORMS By Jeanna Bryner, Staff Writer - Space.com, 29 May 2007, Honolulu http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070529_solar_news.html Speedy solar storms carrying a billion tons of charged gas through space let out a thunderous scream before they unleash satellite- stopping radiation storms that slam into Earth's magnetic field. A team of astronomers presented this finding here today at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society, one that could give astronauts and engineers forewarning of a type of coronal mass ejection (CME) capable of showering Earth, spacecraft and space travelers with damaging radiation. Coronal mass ejections are violent solar eruptions that carry massive amounts of electrically charged gas called plasma from the Sun's atmosphere. Once unleashed, these plasma clouds race away from the Sun at up to a million miles per hour. Depending on the orientation of the associated magnetic fields, Earth- ward eruptions can generate magnetic storms that can flick a giant circuit breaker of sorts on Earth, causing widespread power outages. Some coronal mass ejections also bring intense radiation storms that can disable satellites or cause cancer in unprotected astronauts. Here's how these radiation "snowstorms" form: As a CME plows through space it bumps into the charged particles constantly blown from the Sun called the solar wind, resulting in a shock wave. If the shock is powerful enough, it accelerates particles in the solar wind to high speeds capable of triggering radiation storms. "Some CMEs produce radiation storms, and some don't, or at least the level of radiation is significantly lower," said lead researcher Natchimuthuk Gopalswamy of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. For instance, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) has observed more than 10,000 CMEs over the past 10 years, Gopalswamy said, and only about 1 to 2 percent of them produce these particle storms. "The trick is to identify the ones that can produce dangerous radiation, so we can warn astronauts and satellite operators," Gopalswamy said. Radio screams Gopalswamy and his team may have found a way to do just that. Like the calm before a storm (but louder), they found that CMEs with shocks capable of unleashing radio storms are preceded by "screams" in radio waves as they barrel through the solar wind. They analyzed nearly 500 large coronal mass ejections, finding that while the so-called radio-loud CMEs (those that were preceded by "screams") led to radiation storms, none of the more than 150 radio- quiet CMEs were followed by such storms. Since radio waves travel at the speed of light, the screams could give forewarning of an impending radio, or radiation, storm. "We can use a CME's radio noise to give warning that it is generating a radiation storm that will hit us soon," Gopalswamy said. "This will give astronauts and satellite operators anywhere between a few tens of minutes to a couple hours to prepare, depending on how fast the particles are moving." The team also noticed that most of the radio-loud CMEs came from the Sun's equator, a place known as an active region for solar flares, while most of the radio-quiet CMEs sprouted from the Sun's edges (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) REPLACE THE IONOSPHERE? Well, maybe not replace it exactly but at least create a partial new one [with orbiting needles]. What follows was a serious proposal and trial put forward around the early 60s. Details were published in the January 1961 issue of Science and Mechanics. You can find this and many other items from the radio and communications past by going to http://blog.modernmechanix.com. Interesting categories to click on are communications, radio, and war (Robert Ellis, Ute, Worldwide Utility Column, June CIDX Messenger via DXLD) ###