DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-090, July 30, 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 1368: ** tentative 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 CONTINENT OF MEDIA 07-03: (stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0703.ram (download) http://www.w4uvh.net/com0703.rm ** AFGHANISTAN. See AUSTRIA [and non] ** AUSTRIA [and non]. Radio Afghanistan got ROI studio equipment Really old news by now, but probably still of interest: http://www.unhcr.de/aktuell/einzelansicht/browse/5/article/351/unhcr-schickt-radio-studio-nach-afghanistan.html ORF donated studio equipment of the wind-up Radio Österreich International via UNHCR to Radio Afghanistan. There were 35 pieces of equipment, including mics, recorders and consoles. By June 2003 the donated equipment was already in use at Kabul. Material about shortwave broadcasting in Austria, including photos of the Moosbrunn antennas: http://members.aon.at/wabweb/radio_a/kurzwelle.htm Another page about Moosbrunn antennas. The old LP and the double-cone VM's from the sixties are of course still there and in use, but I already wondered what had happened to the old rhombics. Here is the answer: They are still there as well. http://www.wabweb.net/radio/sender/moosbrunn2006a.htm Small photos of control room and transmitters: http://www.oe2.oevsv.at/images/stories/HTML/Moosbrunn.htm Control room: http://members.a1.net/oe5xpl/af0209/af0902_5.htm Antenna matrix switch: http://members.a1.net/oe5xpl/af0209/af0902_4.htm PA tubes: http://members.a1.net/oe5xpl/af0209/af0902_7.htm Left side one of the old 100 kW Telefunken transmitters, right side background one of the new 100 kW Thomson transmitters (?), foreground the 10 kW Continental from Aldrans, stand-by only like the two remaining old transmitters (the other two ones were dismantled in 2000 to make way for the new Thomson's): http://members.a1.net/oe5xpl/af0209/af0902_8.htm Interesting discussion (in German) about the closure of the domestic service relay at Aldrans near Innsbruck on 6000 (discontinued in 1978 it seems), under Austria of course: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxld2117.txt It is widely believed that 6000 had been switched off because it was considered as no longer necessary after the FM network had been expanded, but that's not true. In fact 6000 was meant for listeners in Southern Tyrol. At some point the Italian authorities allowed the creation of Rundfunkanstalt Südtirol which relays ORF and other German-language programming (to my knowledge also ZDF but no ARD for whatever reason), and they required ORF to discontinue the domestic service relay on shortwave to let this happen. Afterwards Aldrans could not be permanently used by the foreign service because the separate audio circuit from Vienna would have been too expensive at this time (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BAHAMAS. See PROPAGATION. July 29 Es loggings include, CDT: 1231 101.9 *Joy FM "101.9 Joy FM", ``Boss on top of the Hill, Mackie St., 393-5656`` matching Google 1405 96.1 Cool FM "Cool summer on Cool 96" (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, WTFDA via DXLD) Jim Thomas replies with more info: 101.9, *Joy FM, ***New station?? The Bahamas Government didn't show this on their list this past winter. 96.1, Cool FM ***Freeport ZFC-FM 5kw "Cool FM" (Jim Thomas, wdx0fbu, Milliken, Colorado, ibid.) ** CANADA. NOTICE OF VACANCY - CANADIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION - PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (full-time position) . . . Interested candidates have until August 13, 2007 to forward their curriculum vitae, in strict confidence, to Egon Zehnder International Inc., as follows . . . http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/about/directors/gazette.shtml (via Dan Say, BC, alt.radio.networks.cbc via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CANADA. Re: CHTO 1690 on (Greek mostly) ``New Toronto station heard while crossing the border en route to western NY DX GTG. It's testing and on tonight, too, upon return to Toronto. Greek music...`` Easy copy last 7/29 night even on car receiver here. Greek music and ID and address given in English at 21:15 CDT. I think semi-local (at night) WVON was running an OC rather than talk which was lucky ! 73 KAZ Barrington IL (Neil Kazaross, WTFDA-AM via DXLD) I tried last night around the same time but no luck. But it's only Toronto and shouldn't be that difficult, should it? The Greek programs should stand out (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT, ibid.) This shouldn't be too tough, just loop or phase MD (probably a pest at your QTH) and good luck as the Greek music cuts nicely through QRM. 73 (KAZ, ibid.) The perfect reception? Having heard that a new station is operating on 1690 from Toronto, I just turned on the radio, punched in the frequency, got the announced call letters instantly as if on cue, and then turned off the radio. The entire process took 4 seconds or less. This is DX economy, friends! (Jim Renfrew, Holley NY, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CAYMAN ISLANDS. See PROPAGATION; July 29 sporadic E logs, in CDT: 1038 89.9 Caribbean-accent news. Probably Cayman. 1100 89.9 *R. Cayman Cayman Is. ``Covering all three Cayman Islands``; ``Radio Cayman is the only way`` SID (another Caribbean-accent station under, probably unneeded Jamaica.) 1114 99.9 *Z-99 Cayman Is. RDS PI=1FD7 AF=99.9 "Z-99 Grand Cayman" 1118 107.1 *X107 Cayman Is. RDS PI=4F29 (KXXX) "Hit Music Station" 1118 104.1 *Hot 104 Cayman Is. RDS PI=23FB (KHOT) "The Spirit of Cayman, Hot 104" (David Bowie underneath - didn't sound like interference, sounded like it was coming through the mixing board) 1141 101.9 *Rooster 101 Cayman Is. "Rooster 101" "Cayman Country" (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, WTFDA via DXLD) Jim Thomas replies with more info: 89.9 *R. Cayman ***George Town (Gun Bluff) ZFKC 2kw "Radio Cayman 1" 99.9 *Z-99 ***Cayman Brac ZFZZ 5kw "Z 99 FM" 107.1 *X107 ***George Town ZFKX 5kw "X FM 107.1" 104.1 *Hot 104 ***George Town ZFKH 5kw "Hot FM" 101.9 *Rooster 101***George Town ZFKY 5kw "Rooster 101" (Jim Thomas, wdx0fbu, Milliken, Colorado, ibid.) ** CHINA. 26/7 0924 UT - 13970+15000 kHz, FIREDRAKE (musica cinese), Jamming contro/against Sound of Hope Taiwan. Segnale sufficiente< -> buono (Luca Botto Fiora, Rapallo (Genova), Italy, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, playdx yg via DXLD) ** CUBA. Es 7/29: 90.7, CMIH or CMIR, Chambas? 1533 [EDT] F-G in/out stereo, Spanish music, "Radio Chambas", "Ritmo" ments, time mentioned same as EDT ~1330mi #1640 CUBA #3 (more info needed, so if anybody knows anything about this station, let me know, one source said 250w, but very little info was found online). Yamaha T-80 tuner (modified IF filters), Onkyo T-4310R tuner w/ RDS, 6 Element FM Antenna, Phase Box (home brew), non directional FM antenna for phase. Good DX! (Michael Procop, Bedford, Ohio (Cleveland), amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) ** CUBA. See PROPAGATION. July 29 sporadic E DX logs, in CDT: 1028 100.5 *R. Enciclopedia Cuba ID 1112 99.1 *R. Musical Nac. Cuba RDS PI=9002 PS=MUSICAL RT="EL1 MAYO 07"(sic); ID 1116 101.5 *R. Reloj Cuba news, time ticks, as on the common AM pest - fun to hear it on FM! 1130 95.3 *R. Enciclopedia Cuba RDS PI=F000 PS=ENCICLOPEDIA AF=95.3 1200 104.9// RDS PI=9001; sports talk in Spanish, three frequencies in parallel. Presume Cuba. 105.3 // 106.3 1215 93.3 *Cadena Habana Cuba RDS PI=9000 PS="CADENA H", ID. Later heard "Radio Taíno" ID here - same station or two different ones? 1354 106.9 *Habana R. Cuba RDS PI=9001 PS="HABANA R" RT="Radiocuba Ciudad Habana 106.9 en la FM" scrolling; classical, ID (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, WTFDA via DXLD) Jim Thomas replies with more info: [CLH = Ciudad de la Habana, which strangely enough is a province, not to be confused with HAB = Habana city itself; CDA = Ciego de Ávila; GRA = Granma --- gh] 100.5 *R. Enciclopedia ***CDA Bolivia CMIL 250w Radio Enciclopedia // 94.1 (relay) 99.1 *R. Musical Nac. ***CLH Cd. Habana CMBF 8kw "Radio Musical Nacional" (primary) 101.5 *R. Reloj ***CLH Cd. Habana CMBD 3kw "Radio Reloj" 95.3 *R. Enciclopedia ***Possibly GRA Bayamo CMNL 1kw "Radio Bayamo" (not sure if Bayamo relays R. Enciclopedia or not - maybe someone else does. Nothing else listed on 95.3 other that Bayamo's own relay in Guisa CMNG 250w) 93.3 *Cadena Habana ***CLH Cd. Habana CMBV 3kw "Radio Taíno (primary) - I'm not sure if they carry Cadena HC programming part of the time or not. Only show a R. Progreso relay also licensed on 93.3 Might've been them. 106.9 *Habana R. ***CLH Cd. Habana CMBR 3kw "Habana Radio" (Jim Thomas, wdx0fbu, Milliken, Colorado, ibid.) ** CUBA [non]. DESPITE EXPENDITURES, TV MARTÍ STILL TOUGH TO SEE IN CUBA --- Herald Tribune, 30 July 2007, Miami Ten months ago, the U.S. government launched a new effort to beam TV broadcasts into Cuba via a Gulfstream jet, an end-run around the communist government's close grip on the island's media. A U.S. State Department draft report circulated last month called the jet "a best practice" to beat the Cubans' jamming efforts and said the $10 million (?7.3 million [euro?]) startup cost was "a big investment but appears to be paying off," with viewership on the rise. Watching American TV broadcasts is illegal in Cuba. But more than two dozen Cuban immigrants who recently arrived in Florida paint a very different picture. In interviews with The Associated Press, they said while the U.S. government's Radio Marti is heard throughout the island, TV Marti can rarely be seen. The TV operation costs U.S. taxpayers more than $20 million (?14.6 million) a year. "I saw it during a day with very good climatological conditions, but it still barely came through," said Efraín Ramos, 56, who arrived in Florida on June 29 from Havana. Those outside Havana could not see it at all. This is just the latest criticism of TV Martí. . . http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/30/america/NA-GEN-US-Anti-Castro-Broadcasting.php (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Essentially same story: http://cbs4.com/topstories/local_story_209082126.html (via Media Network blog via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. See PROPAGATION; Es log: 1241 CDT, July 29, 93.5 "Radio Dominicana" but can't find a Dominican on this frequency (Doug Smith, TN, WTFDA via DXLD) Santo Domingo, HIED, 5 kW, "Radio Educativa Dominicana" (Jim Thomas, wdx0fbu, Milliken, Colorado, ibid.) ** GERMANY. Radio-Kurier news on Deutsche Welle and satellite C band News items from the August issue of the German Radio-Kurier magazine: Editorial staff at Deutsche Welle laments a continuous loss in program quality. Many of its own productions were cancelled, working hours have been lengthened. Meanwhile the majority of the German radio program consists of ARD material that is available free of charge. Many experienced announcers do no longer work for DW after the news announcer shifts have been lengthened from six to more than eight hours without raising the royalties accordingly. Meanwhile DW started to let interns, editors and other untrained people read the news. It appears that the resulting loss in presentation quality has been taken into account deliberately. A responsible person commented "I got clear instructions" and "it is a rational decision when freelancers are no longer willing to work under such conditions, I think I would have chosen to quit as well". More and more protests from listeners abroad come in. Internal planning indicates that DW will continue to save costs at the expense of program quality. Leading personnel of DW shows no interest in the efforts made by programming staff to at least limit the resulting damage. An open letter from the announcers cast remained unanswered so far, only an accusation from a head of department that this would be mobbing [?] has been withdrawn. Satellite DXer Norbert Schlammer noted since March disruptions of C band reception at Berlin-Schöneweide, first during office hours and around 3.6 GHz, since June now around the clock and further spreading to the 3.5 ... 3.6 GHz range. Bundesnetzagentur said on his enquiry that this is a new service of an Internet provider. They said that the 3.4 ... 4.2 GHz range is available for terrestrial use now, with satellite reception there "no longer deserving protection" according to new regulations. The legal department of Bundesnetzagentur promised to provide them soon. Comment by KL: This is quite remarkable. IBB winds up its Ismaning operations at present, but probably a third party here in Germany will continue the redistribution of their satellite feeds done by the Ismaning station so far, and perhaps transmitter sites here in Germany also still use the Intelsat 907 signal rather than the Hotbird redistribution. What if they now experience disruptions by new terrestrial applications? Judging from Norbert's report, Bundesnetzagentur could simply tell them "your problem, C band is no longer protected". (There are almost certainly other professional users of C band satellite signals here in Germany as well, IBB just specifically mentioned since I'm aware of them.) (Kai Ludwig, July 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Glenn: I tuned in halfway through the "Greek In Style" program on Voice of Greece which is on at 2305 UT Sunday to 0005 UT Monday on the frequencies of 7475 and 9420, but I missed any introductions, English or Greek. At the end they signed off to the next program with "edo Athena, e phoni tis Ellados." During the last half hour that I listened to it, George Dalaris was singing his internationally famous hits disk-jockey style, with no interruptions. I later listened to the 0200 program, but there was no English at all, so I dozed off after 10 minutes of it. For samples of the George Dalaras songs, click the below and turn your speakers on: http://georgedalaras.calabashmusic.com/ Also about him: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Dalaras Regards (John Babbis, Silver Spring, MD, July 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. Edgar Madrid of R. Verdad sent me a large PPS file of the Easter(n) Story, and also these linx if 4052.5v is not too good: Links "Radio Verdad" de Chiquimula, Guatemala. Sitio Web (Website): http://www.radioverdad.org Escuchar en Vivo (Listen live) Por Winamp: http://www.shoutcast.com/directory/index.phtml Por Windows Media Player: mms://200.6.219.230:8989 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. Re 7-089: Hi Glenn, ``KBR means Kantor Berita but can`t find where the 68H comes from (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` I believe that it's from their street address in East Jakarta: Jalan Utan Kayu 68H (i.e. number 68H Utan Kayu Street). Utan Kayu can also be written as one word: Utankayu. hutan (old spelling utan) = forest/wood, appearing in English as the second part of orang utan ("forest person") kayu = wood/timber Best regards (Alan Davies, http://www.asiawaves.net July 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 29/7 0656 UT - 11860 kHz, R. REPUBLIK INDONESIA - Cimanggis, Tk YL, lagu-pop e int/sig. Segnale sufficiente< ->molto buono!!! L'Indonesia al mattino! Provate, a quest'ora sui 25 metri è possibile (Luca Botto Fiora, Rapallo (Genova), Italy, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, playdx yg via DXLD) 11860, 1210-1245 29/7, RRI 3, news and talks, 44434, listened by me and my wife! in Litohoron (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RRI 11860 is 250 kW at 316 degrees, favoring Europe, even tho nominal target is only Indonesia; available all the way from 2200 until 1800. Seldom audible over here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Sputnik recollections wanted for CQ Magazine October 4, 1957 saw the launch of the world`s first artificial earth- orbiting satellite, Sputnik I. The editor of CQ Magazine would like Radio Amateurs' recollections of that historic event for inclusion in the October issue. CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU says: The 50th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik is coming up in October, and we are currently working on our October issue. Many of you remember the launch well, and of course, hams were in the vanguard of listening for those beeps from above. We'd like to collect a representative sampling of your first- hand recollections to weave into an article for our October issue. Plus, we'd like to hear if this experience had a significant impact on your choice of careers, etc. - in short, did listening for Sputnik change your life? If so, how? Please respond as soon as possible by e- mail directly to a special mailbox we've set up at sputnik @ cq- amateur-radio.com Many thanks in advance and 73, Rich W2VU CQ Magazine http://www.cq-amateur-radio.com/ (Southgate via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Tsk2, guess he isn`t interested in hearing from those who were not licensed amateurs then, or now? (Glenn Hauser, W5---, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. C-Band terrestrial QRM: see GERMANY ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. Re 7-089, UK: 1967 Audio -Swinging Radio England, etc. The streams are currently running on a test basis. The station will be on the air for one week from August 12th (Mike Barraclough, MWC via DXLD) ** IRELAND. Irish Radio Transmitters Society Radio News Bulletin July 29 2007 Last week we carried an item telling you that it has now been established that a church broadcast is being transmitted on 28.105 MHz FM in the Dublin area. Some further work is required to identify the Church concerned. Mass is transmitted at 0900, 1000 and 1100 local on Sundays and at 1000 on weekdays. Initial bearings would indicate that the transmissions are originating somewhere on the northside of Dublin. It would help greately if bearings on the station from areas such as Blanchardstown, Malahide and the north side generally could be provided, as these would help to further pin down the general area from which the transmission originates. The local Church notices can be of assistance in positively identifying the Church concerned. If you cannot identify the station and you have a beam antenna you could take a bearing on the peak signal from anywhere in the greater Dublin area which in conjunction with similar bearings taken by other stations could help in locating the source of the transmission. Stations located outside Dublin should listen on FM the lower end of the 28 MHz band generally to see if any unauthorised activity is taking place in the band in their areas. If you hear anything worth reporting you should send a report to Thos Caffrey EI2JD the IRTS Intruder Watch coordinator at QTHR or to "thoscaffrey at hotmail dot com" with a copy to Sean Nolan EI7CD at QTHR or to "ei7cd at gofree dot indigo dot ie". The report should include date, time, frequency, signal strength, possible location of station if identified, beam heading in degrees from true north and any other relevant information. If the station is identified from an announcement of local events, details should be given. Should you hear anything, no action should be taken other than forwarding a report as requested. It is in our own interests to identify any unauthorised activity so as to preserve the exclusive nature of the 28 MHz allocation. The matter has already been reported to ComReg who will act on the matter if we can provide appropriate information (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Kol Israel at 1900 UT on 9400 11590 and 15640 in Russian (retimed) regards (JM Aubier, (France), July 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The first day of the new sked, replacing English, French, Spanish in the 19-20 hour. Did they also change the beams away from NAm/WEu?? (gh) Well, as expected, the 1900 UT English is gone. I emailed the IBA webmaster about updating their site with the REKA and shortwave schedule. He updated the REKA schedule in the sidebar of http://reka.iba.org.il/ with the on-demand feeds. He said that the updated PDF and shortwave schedule are 'coming soon'. While I have yet to see anything confirming their future plans, at 7:30 EDT today [2330 UT Sunday July 29], the WRN North America feed (listening via the web) had RTE- Drivetime and not Israel Radio. The WRN website currently still has Israel Radio listed in the schedule and on their Israel Radio specific page (Doni Rosenzweig, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. ITALIAN GOVERNMENT & RAI INTERNATIONAL: NEW CONVENTION David de Jong reports: Rai International, the international division of Italian public broadcaster Rai, and the Italian government have signed a new convention about the future of Rai International. . . http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=8519 One Response to “Italian government & Rai International: new convention” Kai Ludwig Says: July 30th, 2007 at 20:24 e Just one question remains: Does this new convention provide any radio services from RAI International anymore? (Media Network blog via DXLD) Apparently this is all about TV, but neither radio nor TV is mentioned explicitly until the end of the story. Why doesn`t de Jong make this clear? Does he think TV is all that matters, to the extent that you don`t even have to say at the outset that the story is about TV? (gh) ** KAZAKHSTAN. QSL: 7535, Family Radio via Alma Ata (Almaty). Full data (with site), Three decades of Faithful Service' card with religious material in 8 months, 3.5 months after sending e-mail follow-ups (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, July 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. NORTH KOREAN RADIO ANNOUNCER MAY BE ABDUCTED JAPANESE An announcer from a North Korean government based radio broadcast, “The Voice of Chosun” is believed to be a Japanese person abducted from Tottori prefecture in 1988. In a telephone conversation with the Daily NK on the 26th, Kazuhiro Araki, representative for Investigation Commission on Missing Japanese Probably Related to N Korea asserted, “On comparing the photos of abducted Japanese person Yakura Tomiyatsu in 1988 and a footage of announcer Shin Beom at a recording of “The Voice of Chosun” at Pyongyang’s Korea Hotel on March 15th, there is a high possibility that they are the same person.” Read the full story in the Daily NK http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00100&num=2434 (July 30th, 2007 - 12:07 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) Voice of Chosun presumably = the Japanese service of the Voice of Korear. Not to be confused with the clandestine Radio Free Chosun (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 9780, Furusato no Kaze (via Taiwan) July 15 *1601-1630*. Noted with late sign-on, after dead air for 1/2 minute. Into opening talks in Japanese by female announcer. Most of the program consisted of interviews and talks, interspersed with short musical briefs. Noted to 1628 with sign-off announcements, what seemed to be a address given, with set of telephone numbers read. Short musical brief, ten second tone, then sign-off. 9780, July 29th. *1600-1630*. Noted with open carrier at 1559, then 3 plus 1 time notes on TOH. Very short pause, then sign-on with opening announcements by female speaker in Japanese, into a program of interviews, interspersed at times with short musical briefs. Noted again at 1528 with closing notes, numbers read for a set of telephone numbers. Short musical brief played to 8 second tune which was cut off at sign-off. This date the signal was fair to poor due to disturbed conditions (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, July 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, concerning your musings on Furusato no Kaze in DXLD 7-083 (yes, I'm still stuck in the backlog): I gathered from the initial reports that it was indeed planned to use the Yamata transmitters for these broadcasts but that these plans had to be abolished after a controversial discussion. I assume that the point behind this is the circumstance that they are supposed to not run any broadcasting services, especially after the uproar about the order given to NHK to cover the abductee issue in their programming. Leasing airtime abroad is an old approach to circumvent legal obstacles which otherwise would make it impossible to run a broadcasting operation. This time it appears to be a governmental body which has to resort to this approach. At least this circumstance is the reason why here in Germany the video channels of the federal government's press office as well as Bundestag (federal parliament), Bundesrat (federal council) and the federal press conference at Berlin, all carried via a transponder of T-Systems Media&Broadcast on Astra 3A, are encrypted: These bodies/organizations are not supposed to run broadcasting services. Good night, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALDIVE ISLANDS [non]. MINIVAN RADIO BACK ON SHORTWAVE FROM 1 AUG Minivan Radio will resume shortwave broadcasts from 1 August. The Maldivian opposition station has only been available via the Internet since it stopped shortwave broadcasts four months ago in anticipation of winning an FM licence, but has so far been unable to procure one. It has been decided to resume shortwave broadcasts in the run-up to a referendum in late August on whether Maldivians want a parliamentary system or presidential system of government. Broadcasts will be daily at 1600-1700 UTC on 11965 kHz via a transmitter in Germany. (Source: Minivan Radio) Related stories: Minivan Radio ends shortwave broadcasts in anticipation of FM licence Minivan Radio loses out in frequency bid What next for Minivan Radio? http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/?p=8525 (July 30th, 2007 - 17:22 UTC by Andy, Media Network via DXLD) Glenn: Yes, it was just arranged today. It's a one-month deal for the month of August. At this point, their plan is to end on August 31. But then again, who knows? (Jeff White, RMI, broker for Minivan Radio, July 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. A partir de las 1500 UT (10:00 tiempo del Centro de Mèxico) vengo escuchando con señal muy débil, música variada y algunos parlamentos en los 6045 kHz; no he escuchado identificación alguna pero supongo se trata de Radio Universidad de San Luis Potosí en los 6045 kHz. Tiene un poco más de tres meses en que no escuchaba la señal de XEXQ. Saludos, (Julián Santiago D. de B., DF, July 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Look for it when 6045 be clear at night; we used to hear it before, after, and even detectable SAH during the KBS Spanish via Sackville at 0600-0630+ on 6045 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hoy se escucha con mejor presencia en la frecuencia de los 6045 kHz a XEXQ "Radio Universidad" de San Luis Potosí, México (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, July 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. XEYU, Radio UNAM, salió del aire por una falla técnica el pasado miércoles 25 de julio; esperan reestablecer la señal esta misma semana (Julián Santiago, DF, July 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS. QSL: 9455, S.H.A.N. Herald Agency for News (SHAN) via Radio Free Asia Burmese (via IBB Tinian). Partial data acknowledgment letter thanking me for my information, with mention of their web site http://www.shanland.org (for English Readers) E-mail reports can be sent via: shan @ cm.ksc.co.th This in response to a CD MP3 report sent to P. O. Box 15, Nong Hoi P.O., Chiangmai 5007, Thailand. Sent PPC's but were not returned, reply 36 days. V/S: Khuensai Jaiyen, Director (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, July 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Enid is now blessed with yet another gospel-huxter FM translator bringing in an outside station, first noticed July 28: ``The Gospel Station`` on 93.3, relaying KIMY 93.9 in Watonga OK. There goes another DX channel, or rather, another OKC station, since 93.3 has been semi-local KKNG Newcastle-OKC with country format. Are all the country music fans in Enid up in arms? That 93.3 started off as KTEN in Ada, but moved into the OKC market closer to us. Here`s the FCC page about K227AT, 93.3 in Enid: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=156415 Showing 250 watts, 42 meters above ground. And the map plot shows the site as the NE corner of Chestnut and Cleveland. Non ID is ``The Gospel Station`` but a legal ID for both was heard at two minutes past the hour. Now that Bruce Elving is on sabbatical, I don`t have to report whether it is stereo or not; can one guess? (Oh, all right; during my DX opening monitoring later the afternoon of July 29, I couldn`t help but notice that stereo pilot was on but NO stereo content, music just mono-sounding. Despite proximity of transmitter site, a bit of QRM audible, which could have been on 93.3 or on its off-air pickup of 93.9, which is SW of here, not SE.) Carpetbagger licensee is axually: E-STRING WIRELESS, LTD, 1206 WOOD FERN, SAN ANTONIO TX 78232. License effective 7/24/07, until 6/1/13 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I noticed in your message on the WTFDA list that you now have a local translator on 93.3 which according the FM Atlas is rebroadcasting KYCU 89.1. You had mentioned that previously in Enid that KKNG Newcastle-Oklahoma City was received. The FCC regulations for translators state that the translator can NOT interfere with the reception of any full power station EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE PROTECTED CONTOURS OF THAT STATION. You might want to contact KKNG to see if they are concerned about the loss of their signal and listeners in the Enid area. You can check to see, they usually have a website with an e-mail address. They can file a protest with the FCC which would close down the local translator. I had a local translator come on 97.5. There is a full power station in the Philadelphia area which was received locally for as long as I can remember (35-40 years) on 97.5. After I contacted WJJZ, the chief engineer for Greater Media told me to have a few people who had listened to their station send him a letter/e-mail. They have filed a complaint with the FCC and they should be shutting down the translator without much of a problem. Apparently the owner/engineering firm for the translator doesn't have to follow any distance spacing guidelines. The local translator owner who is also the engineer, filed the application with the FCC and figured that no one listened to a Philadelphia area staton which is 77 miles away. He also assumed that no one would file a complaint. If no one files a complaint, he gets away with it !!!! I had contacted Scott Fybush and he was the one who knew about the regulation for the translators which prevents them from interfering with stations even outside of their protected contours. Hopefully you can have you local translator shut down. These religious groups seem to think that we want to listen to their babble on multiple frequencies (Bob Seaman, Hazleton, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A couple of years ago there was talk of putting public radio from Lawton, KCCU (via their closer relay KYCU) on the proposed Enid 93.3 translator, but nothing came of that, unfortunately. This did not keep it from appearing in FM Atlas as if it existed. If it were KCCU now on 93.3, I would not be complaining. It`s up to the licensee, E-String to strike a deal with whatever primary to relay that it can. Years ago I complained to public radio stations which I used to hear but became blocked by Enid translators, such as KWGS 89.5 Tulsa, and KCSC 90.1 Edmond, but they were apathetic. Thanks for the tip; maybe I`ll try again (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn -- Looking at the FCC base and at Google Earth, the station is on a 148 foot (new) tower located 700 feet due northeast of the intersection of Cleveland and Chestnut. I'm not sure, but I don't THINK that I can see the tower on G.E. Since the FAA shows it as "approved" but not "constructed" I would assume that it's new. Tower owned by: Evergreen Industries, Attention To: Curtis Branch, 13704 S 18th Place, Bixby, OK 73750. Too bad for Country Fans!!!!! I sympathize! (Rick Lucas Rochester, NY, ibid.) KOSU: see U S A ** RUSSIA. Re: ``Yupp, co-located with the // 150 kW on 279. The shortwave transmitter is rated as 50 kW, TDP says that this is unit RV-44. However, http://victorcity.dxing.ru/Cities/ulan-ude.htm suggests that the LW/SW site is located 20 km west of Selenginsk, about halfway between Selenginsk and the Baikal lake. Google has only satellite images of about 50 m resolution there, too poor to trace the site if it is indeed there (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` What is unclear? http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=52.041503&lon=106.942932&z=15.7&r=0&src=ggl (Victor Rutkovsky, Russia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. (European) QSL: 7175, Family Radio via Krasnodar. Full data (with site) 'Three decades of Faithful Service' card with religious material in 7 months, 3.5 months after sending e-mail follow-ups (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, July 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAINT HELENA. 11092.5 USB, R St. Helena, Pounceys, St. Helena, *1900-2102*, Jul 17, Test transmission in English with announced 1000 watts of power. The programme was hosted by Gary Walters and Station Manager Laura Lawrence and consisted of British oldies with frequent station ID's and requests for reception reports to station.manager @ helanta.sh but stating that they do not issue QSL-card on this test. Some e-mail reports received were acknowledged on the air. The test programme was also broadcast on their usual frequency of 1548 MW and included local news, announcements and advertisements. The SW- antenna was beamed towards Europe during the first hour and then turned more times between North America and Europe which resulted in varying signal strength. The selection of this time span meant that the Grayline propagation with its "Twilight Zone" hit Europe and Japan. At 1900 the Sunset was along a line Monrovia (Liberia) - Alger - Bologna - Salzburg - Prague - Kaliningrad - St. Petersburg - Siberia - Northern Japan. The "Twilight Zone" has a width from 30 minutes before till 30 minutes after sunset (or sunrise) when the ionosphere changes from daylight to night conditions and vice versa. This process enhances shortwave reception. At 2100 this line had moved 30 degrees more to the west. Propagation was also favoured by a Solar Flux of 72, a Sunspot Number of 16, an A-Index of 5 and a K-Index of 2. This is how it was heard: Denmark Here in Skovlunde near Copenhagen, I measured the generally good reception as follows in S-values and SINPO: 1900 S 5-7 SINPO 35434 1918 S 6-7 SINPO 35434 1940 S 6-8 SINPO 35434 1958 S 5-7 SINPO 35434 2002 S 4-6 SINPO 25333 2019 S 3-4 SINPO 25333 2031 S 3-4 SINPO 25333 2043 S 5-7 SINPO 35333. The signal strength suddenly improved for a short time. 2052 S 4-5 SINPO 25222. Deep fades and poor reception (Petersen) Below is a summary of the many e-mails and postal reception reports I have received. The DSWCI is issuing our 50 years anniversary QSL-card for correct reports on this special programme, if return postage is included. Heard near Copenhagen at 1900-1915 with ca. 25342-3 (Nielsen) and 35343 (Koie) Heard at DSWCI HQ's in Greve at 2005-2100 with poor signal 15342 to 13431, except for improved signal at 2033-2052 when the SINPO was 14342-3 (Bredahl Jorgensen) Heard in Central Jutland at 1900-1930 with SINPO rating varying from 35444 to 25433, but typical at the first mentioned rating (Ærenlund Pedersen) Norway Heard on the southwestern island of Karmoy at 1900-1942 with 55333 to 55434. My e-mail report was read during the broadcast at 1953 (Kipp) - which I and others heard on the air! (Ed) United Kingdom Heard in Thornton 1909-2030 with SIO 333-4 and occasional interference from a utility station. The Frequency seemed to be 11.092.46 (Browell) Heard in Blackpool at quite good strength at around 1915 despite local noise. There was a Utility on frequency, but it did not spoil reception here - I wonder if that was someone deliberately interfering with the broadcast? (Green) In Reading, it was audible with SIO 253 between 2035 and 2055. An almost undetectable signal faded up quickly at 2035 and then faded down again at about 2050 (Liston-Smith) Heard in the North of Scotland 1900-2107 with 35443 with moderately muffled and buzzy modulation of male announcer as if a poor mike (Cameron) The Netherlands In Wassenaar, I have received the station at 1900-2000. The signal was not bad: 32233 (Buitelaar) Germany This test-transmission was heard here in Dessau with good and undisturbed signal. Very nice! (Hein) Heard 1900-1930 with 54333 deteriorating at 1925 to 44333 in Daun (Voelkner) Spain Heard well at Camping de Reinante, Mar Cantábrico 1900-2015 during first hour with 44444! (Méndez) Greece Heard in Thessaloniki with good signal, 35444 (at 1900) to 35333 (ca 2000 ) and 22332 (2020) as and maximum signal of S9 at 1900, to S-6 at 2000 and no at 2026. No significant QRM/N except some very low level DSL line hash and a carrier of S1 on 16 db pre-amplification. There were reports from Denmark, Japan, S. England, Scotland, Finland and Switzerland. Again at 2040 signal seemed staging up to S5 till a sudden fade out at 2052. I found that program stayed at least 15 minutes after 2100. (Liangas) Sweden Heard 1900-1931 with QSA 3, QRK 1-2 on a portable Sangean ATS909 in Linkoeping. (Holm) Finland The broadcast was heard in Southernmost Finland at 1900-2100 with 43343 with moderate interference (Bengts) In Kuusankoski, Central Finland, heard at 1930 onwards very strong, but with a bit distorted signal (Savolainen) In Rovaniemi, North Finland, it was heard 1958-2125 with an absolutely STRONG signal. Much better than when listening their R StHelena Day transmissions last November. Signal strength varied a lot but that was because they changed antenna direction between Europe and North- America several times (info got from Derek- ZD7CTO from station), during transmission. When antenna was towards Europe I got a booming signal from the beginning until around 2115 (when it went a little bit darker even here north from Arctic Circle). It was best reception ever I can remember. All talk and music came just fine (Heinonen) Russia At 1921 it was booming in Moscow on my Degen 1103 with telescopic antenna, in a reinforced concrete block building (Kuznetsov) Outstanding reception at 1910-1940 in St. Petersburg (Beryozkin) Heard in Moscow. Decreased a bit after 2000, but gained a strength again by 2030. Gradually faded out then (Nikishin) Reception during the first hour 1900-2000 was excellent here in Tver, situated 170 km NW from Moscow. S was 9+10 dB with few fadings reaching S7! SIMPO code was 5(4)5444! It was the best signal I have heard of that station in the past 10-15 years. The receiver was a desktop ICOM Communication Receiver, between my 2 antennae the best results gave my low one in the garden, a loop with approximatelly 18 meters long. Then I decided to check how it could be heard on a portable Sony ICF-7600 GR. And I was surprised that this could receive R St. Helena with a telescopic antenna and internal DC batteries! The music was worse in comparison with ICOM desktop due to difficulty to operate the fine tuning knob, but the speaking was good. My flat is of reinforced concrete type, so Sony ICF-7600 GR worked well near the window, but it could work even indoor of room but with earphones. Congratulations, Radio St Helena! Around 2010 the conditions became worse, the noise raised (or they have changed the target area?). (Kolchanov) Japan I am very pleased to say that the reception condition this time has been much better than that of last test transmission in May. I heard it at 1900-2030 with 35333-35443-25442. The signal was almost as strong as that of "Radio St. Helena Day" transmission on 4th November last year. It is unfortunate to say, however, that the signal suddenly became weaker after 2000. It was probably deterioration of propagation due to sunrise. 2000 UTC is 0500 Japan Standard Time (Kato) Heard 1930-2010 with 35343 deteriorating from 2000 to 25221 in Kamakura (Ohtake) Heard at 1915-2000 with good signal, but slight interference by a CW station: 34443 improving to 44444 and 45544 (Ishikawa) Heard 1924-1942 with poor voice modulation with 24332 in Hamamatsu- City (Yamaguchi) Heard 1900-1940 with 35333 in Kagawa-ken (Toyota) Heard from 1900 with strong signal 35333 until 1950, then deteriorating and fading out 2025 in Osaka (Kageyama) Heard 1900-2000 with 35333 varying to 35232, but from 1950 deteriorating to 25232 and disappearing with 15231 in Maebashi Gunma (Saito) Heard 2020-2040 with 24222 in Kanagawa (Sekimoto) Heard 1900-2053 with 35333 deteriorating 1930 to 25332 and 2022 to S = 1 in Hiroshima (Matsuura) Heard 1900-1950 with 25332 in Wakayama (Wagai) Heard 1900-2020 with 35333 deteriorating to 25332 in Kashiwa City (Ikawa) Heard 1900-1926 with 35333 deteriorating to 25332 from 1922 in Naka- shi (Noda) India Heard in New Delhi at 1901-1940 (fade out) with fair to good reception - 35333 (Gupta) At 1900-1930, the broadcast was not audible at my place in Muzaffarpur at 26N07 85E23 (Kumar) Australia No sign of R St. Helena here in freezing cold Port Macquarie, NSW, but then that hardly surprises me in light of how poor propagation has been lately in this part of the world! The wind chill factor from all that snow in NSW and Victoria is making this the coldest winter I have experienced since living in Port Macquarie since 1981! (Stevenson in EDXP) Nothing at all here in Bunbury Western Australia at 1900-2100. Listened to 2 hours of static (Wayne in EDXP) Argentina Heard 1927 with SIO 444 (Wembagher in Conexion Digital) Poor signal here in Buenos Aires, but audible (Eramo in DXplorer) United States of America 2000, nothing (Berg, MA) 2017, nothing heard via N2JEU web radio in upstate NY (Churchill in DXplorer) I have been parked on 11092.5 1900-1922 and there is nothing but local noise here (Herkimer, NY) Nothing substantial heard here. There may have been an occasional BFO het at the lowest level, that was all (Peterson, IN) Around 2030, heard nothing but the Utility weakly on 11090; tried multiple combinations of receivers and antennas (Hauser, OK) I tuned in 1905-2017 and I absolutely heard NOTHING but NOISE!!! (MacKenzie, CA) Thank you to all who have contributed with reception reports. This summary has been forwarded to R St. Helena (Anker Petersen, Ed., DSWCI DX Window July 25 via DXLD) From the above you might conclude no one heard it in NAm, but we already had a report from Steve Lare in MI, and more in 7-088. Michigan seemed to be the sweet spot for ZD7 (gh) ** SEYCHELLES. QTH: BBC Indian Ocean Relay Station, VT Communications Ltd., P. O. Box 448, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles. E-mail: resey @ seychelles. Net (Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Argentina, Conexión Digital July 29 via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Re 7-089: Regarding Héctor`s woes with Voice of Turkey. Yes you indeed 'probably ' heard the Voice Of Turkey, but did not receive a QSL. Some DXers never try for QSLS but state that they heard the station; as for me, I am a QSL hound. To me bragging rights in our hobby IS A QSL!!! Of course I have heard tons of stations not verified. I place those under a heading of HEARD. NOT VERIFIED. Then there's my favorite lists of stations QSL'd. I suggest you write to them again and plead with them that you really NEED a QSL for you hobby, tell them you collect them. I of course not only have a QSL from them, but a swell banner that says V.O.T on it. Good luck, Héctor (Tom Messer, Mequon WI, HCDX via DXLD) My dear colleagues; sometimes in life, to be honest makes individuals feel at ease. So today, I will be very honest. Checking my files and to my happy surprise. Radio Turkey did sent me a QSL card for my verification report. At age 62, sometimes I tend to forget some things and by some reason, I had forgotten to jot it down as received. I retract my recent comments on not having received a response from this station. To all of you who replied to me, my apology and thanks for responding (Héctor (Luigi) Pérez, San Juan PR, ibid.) ** TURKS & CAICOS. Glen[n], Here's a link to the audio clip I recorded of "Power 92" http://www.dxfm.com/AUDIO/power92TC.m3u G.W. (Girard Westerberg, Lexington KY, WTFDA via DXLD) Aahhhh. the notorious sound of e-skip. very nice (Stephen J. Price, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) An old WRTH shows US style calls as.. 92.5 WIV-FM-1 89.3 WIV-FM-2 89.9 WIV-FM-3 90.5 WIV-FM-4 88.7 WPRT-FM Very old classic callsign for Radio Turks & Caicos is VSI (Bill Hepburn, Ont., WTFDA via DXLD) I'm quite sure these calls are not official. Outside the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, callsigns are rarely used. (heck, they're getting rare enough in these three countries!) -- Doug Smith W9WI Pleasant View, TN EM66 Stuff about Turks and Caicos You Didn't Know and Bob Cooper tells you: Ref 92.5 et al. in Turks & Caicos. I built the stations in the 1980s, they are located on Providenciales between Blue Hills and The Bight (local towns). 92.5 is programmed by Internet from Toronto, should be around 500 watts but the present owner (John Ramsey, 197 Whistlestop Drive, Pittsford, NY 14534) who was founder of Ramsey Electronics has been experimenting with his own design of amplifier and it may be more today. The other Providenciales (Provo) stations listed are correct, lower power, less antenna gain. 92.5 uses directional yagis east and west. John is a ham, will most probably create a QSL card/letter for (correct) reports. He is today on Provo and one should not expect a response until after 1 September. WIV stands for "West Indies Video" which was my company there for broadcast TV and later cable TV- which continues today. Back in 80s we were on TV channel 4 (hence "IV") and the W was my own selection since I was at the time in charge of the local version of the FCC and could do anything I wished with call letters! Bob Cooper in New Zealand (via Mike Bugaj, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U A E. Radio Asia QSY: They are running a special countdown on their web site http://radioasiauae.com/radioasia_am/user/timer.php 73 (Steve Whitt, England, July 29, MWC via DXLD) What`s all this English stuff on the website? Do they also broadcast in English? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U A E. 11875 NF, Family Radio via Dhabbaya English to Middle East. July 28, 07 1920-2000*. Noted on this new frequency (ex 9840). Program was Harold Camping and Open Forum Program (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, July 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. IBB Will Shutter Transmission Site in Delano, Calif. --- 7.27.2007 --- The International Broadcasting Bureau will stop broadcasting from Delano, Calif., at the end of October, RW has learned. The decision was announced in an internal e-mail to IBB employees on July 24. The move will result in job losses at Delano; the number was not immediately available. The announcement stated that the move is being made "as a result of the Broadcasting Board of Governors' changing global mission to meet current U.S. government broadcast requirements, along with reduced budgets and changes in technology ... As operating budgets decrease, we have had little choice but to downsize and realign the IBB transmission network." IBB officials told RW Thursday night that the Delano facility will remain in "cold storage standby status." As budget allows, a spokeswoman said, "we will redistribute viable equipment to the rest of the IBB network." . . . http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0100/t.7486.html (Radio World via Zacharias Liangas, DXLD) That answers one question about its status (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. VOA APPOINTS ETHNOMUSICOLOGIST AND WORLD MUSIC CURATOR Brian Q Silver, long-time chief of VOA’s Urdu Service, is taking on a new and broader role at Voice of America, becoming Ethnomusicologist and World Music Curator for the agency. Although the title is new, the job reflects the important role that both traditional and contemporary world music has come to play in VOA’s programming. In this new position, Brian will utilize his experience and knowledge as an ethnomusicologist to facilitate world music programming throughout the agency, and to organize and maintain a library of national musics that can be used by VOA and its sister entities. Among other duties, he will create and manage a searchable database of music sources, and prepare program elements that depict the world’s music through various media. A professional sitar player, Brian has received the honorary title Khan Sahib from the All Pakistan Music Conference, and has performed in concert and on radio and television around the world. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in an interdisciplinary program with specialization in Urdu and South Asian history and culture. He was Associate Professor of Indo-Muslim Studies at Harvard, and has also taught at the Universities of Minnesota, Chicago, and Virginia. (Source: VOA) (July 30th, 2007 - 15:41 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U S A. 6955, WWCR Nashville, TN. (presumed). 0950-1000. 7/28/07, English. Presumed spur of WWCR. I doubt it was a pirate operator relaying the program. OM with "Sinners Prayer," and into altar call music. Call for letters, reports, and donations with the mention that donations from outside the US should be in the form of an international money order. WWCR ID at TOH. Poor with fades (Joe Wood, Greenback TN, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD). Does not work out to be a mixing product of these frequencies on the air at the time: 9985 5070 5890 5935 1300. Which frequency did it match? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. AM frequency change in Maine Monticello, Maine: 780 kHz WCXH has changed frequency from 710 kHz. Daytime power remains 5 kW, but station adds 60 watts night power. Tower site unchanged. This station's calls have recently changed from WREM (posted by Doug Smith @ 12:02 AM July 27, American Bandscan blog via DXLD) That`s the MW side of WBCQ; goodbye, WBBM (gh, DXLD) I saw this on fybush.com this morning and wanted to pass it along for anyone who doesn't read Scott's website but might want to try to log this "new" one.. *Up in Aroostook County, WREM (710 Monticello) has new calls and a new frequency: Allan Weiner's AM signal is now "WCXH," and we hear it's made the move up the dial to 780 kHz, where it will keep its 5 kW non- directional daytime signal and add 60 watts of night power. Better yet - the website for sister shortwave station WBCQ includes this nifty picture of a 1932-vintage Western Electric 12A transmitter that's being restored for night use on 780. (See link below for the picture)... Weiner claims - and we have no reason whatsoever to doubt him - that the Western will be the oldest transmitter in regular service anywhere on the AM dial in the country. (We've got to get up there and visit the WBCQ/WCXH site, one of these days...)* And here's a picture from WBCQ Shortwave's Website of the Western Electric 12A Transmitter: http://www.wbcq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=87&Itemid=46 (via Paul B. Walker, Jr., IRCA via DXLD) Interesting but what is happening to WTME also in ME but about 180 miles away on 780 ? Won't they interfere too much daytime? 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.) Per the NRC Pattern Book, WTME is non-direxional. How`s the ground conductivity between them? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Nope - Maine is pretty much built on solid rock, with ground conductivity that's horrible. The relevant contours don't touch at all over US soil, and contour overlap over Canadian soil or the ocean doesn't count. The map is page 6 of this document filed with the 780 application for WREM/WCXH: http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=278042 Contour protection to two dead/dying Canadian AMs, CFDR 780 and CFAN 790, is actually a bigger issue for WREM/WCXH than is WTME. WTME is 10 kW days, and 100000watts.com has it wrong. I'll make sure it gets fixed. "Quiet" is the key word there - there's not much to interfere on any given frequency, so when there's a nice clear channel, even a really weak signal will still propagate, as was the case with CBGA-1. For a station other than a class A station, the rules say your 0.025 mV/m contour can't overlap another co-channel station's 0.5 mV/m, and vice versa. Neither WTME or WCXH's 0.5 contours go out very far on rocky soil... s (Scott Fybush, NRC-AM via DXLD) I can confirm the move. I'm vacationing about 50 miles from the transmitter site right now, and they are on 780 now. Quick sports/NASCAR update at 7:56, then Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn," into full ID of all stations ("the most respected call letters in the county"), with the AM transmitters listed last, "AM 780 WCXJ [sic], Monticello, Houlton, Woodstock." Then into the 8:00 a.m. EDT news feed from CNN. [Walker`s quotation of Fybush gave it as WCXJ, but NE Radio Watch when I checked has it as WCXH and so does FCC, as below --- gh] I spent a day at the WREM/WBCQ site back on 11 Nov 2005. Got loads of photos and taped an interview with Michael Schaitman. I've also spoken with/emailed Alan on several occasions. When I'm not so busy I'm going to put it all together in an article for a hobby publication. The site is definitely something to behold. In fact, an NRC convention in Bangor, ME, with a side-trip to Houlton/Monticello (1.75 hours up I-95) would be the highlight of the whole thing, guaranteed. The AM and SW stuff is impressive, but the most striking is the weird gadgets and dozens of "retired" school buses loaded with surplus pickups from stations and military installations all over the US. Radar equipment, transmitters, you name it. It's a bonanza. When we went we had made prior arrangements and were expected. I wouldn't want to wander through the stuff unannounced (Brent Taylor, VY2HF/VE9, Woolastook, NB, Canada, FN65, NRC-AM via DXLD) Here`s the FCC info on WCXH (not WCXJ): http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?list=0&facid=17514 Shows Allan H. Weiner as licensee; but is he the owner? That link did not work (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. One of the BEST-run TIS's I`ve ever heard is WPII600, at 1570 in Glastonbury, Connecticut. The audio is not fed down or recorded on a phone line; it comes from a computer hard drive in a computer that`s inside a small mini studio with a professional mixer and microphone. They are only 10 Watts, but they cover a lot better then you'd think they would; you can hear them for 20 miles on a car radio. I think that has something to do with the fact their audio is 10x better then most TIS's. They run town information concerning the police and fire dept rules/regs, reminders about this n that, and they even had bumper stickers at one point (Paul B. Walker, Jr., SC, IRCA via DXLD) Keep in mind that most TIS stations are designed for short distance operation. Most TIS stations have a very minimal ground system that is mostly for static/lightning dissipation rather than for counterpoise purposes. I have inspected well over 100 TIS installations up close and only a couple had efficient ground systems. Most of the pole mount antennas have only a simple ground rod at the base of the pole. I have also inspected five TIS stations using the big Valcom antennas. Only one of them had an actual counterpoise. The two at D/FW Airport each had only a single chemically enhanced ground rod. Interestingly, the TIS stations with the best signals seem to be the roof mounted ones that either use an actual ground plane laid out on the roof, or the metal roof support beams, or an actual metal roof as the counterpoise. The presence of a counterpoise combined with the height of the roof mount units seems to give them superior coverage (Patrick Griffith, Westminster CO Broadcast Technician NRC Broadcasting - Denver, IRCA via DXLD) There are some large synchronised multi-transmitter TIS systems in TX and other states. The County of Fort Bend TX has a system with 10 fixed site transmitters all on 1670. They also have 2 non-synched portable stations that can operate on 1680 or 1690. And Dow chemical in the Village of Freeport has a system of 6 synchronized stations on 1610. But I've never seen a report of either of these being heard at a distance. One of the strangest TIS stations I have heard is the 2 transmitter synchronised system on 1610 at Fort Detrick in Frederick MD. I was in Frederick for a couple weeks at the beginning of July on an assignment for FEMA. While I was there I hooked up with Bill Harms who was kind enough to escort me on a bit of an AM transmitter site tour through parts of MD, VA, WV, and PA. We even crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah River of which John Denver once sang. And we had a bit of an unscheduled adventure the details of which I have sworn to never reveal! Bill pointed out to me that the Fort Detrick TIS was transmitting in digital. When I listened they were indeed alternating between 2 minutes of analog content and 1 minute of digital content. I have no idea what is on the digital signal. My e-mail queries to their public information office have gone unanswered. So digital broadcasting has also invaded the TIS world. I recall that there were a lot of licenses for oil companies in the FCC database between 1610 and 1730 kHz before the band opened up to broadcasting. Many of them were in between the 10 kHz channel spacing. I tuned through often but never did hear anything on those channels. I presumed that whatever it was used very low power. Someone once told me that many of these were very low power marker / navigation buoys used in oil exploration off the coasts (Patrick Griffith, Westminster CO, Broadcast Technician, NRC Broadcasting - Denver http://community.webtv.net/N0NNK/ http://community.webtv.net/AM-DXer/ IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. AM station major change request Kanab, Utah: 1560 KHz: WAMI, Opp, Alabama has filed to move to Kanab. This is not a typo. This is a move of approximately 2500km/1550miles! A frequency change from 860 kHz is also involved. The new facilities in Kanab will be 250 watts daytime only (the station would lose its 47 watts night power) at 37-01-24N/112-33-24W. And you thought Missouri to Ohio (KELE) was a long move? (grin)! (posted by Doug Smith @ 12:15 PM July 27, American Bandscan blog via DXLD) So why is it a ``move`` rather than a brand new station? New frequency, new calls, new location (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. KGA [1510 Spokane WA] downgrade? This from . . . the August 2007 edition of Clay's Corner, prepared by Clay Freinwald for the Seattle Chapter of the Society of Broadcast Engineers newsletter The Waveguide . . . http://members.shaw.ca/nwbroadcasters/clay08-07.htm Citadel has sold their cluster of Radio Stations in Spokane to Mapleton. What caught my eye on this change was their proposal to down-grade one of the areas historic radio stations, KGA. All of this so they could increase the signal from a co-owned, co-channel station in the Bay Area of California. One hates to see this take place, but it is certainly not history making. Here in the PNW, Entercom did just that so that they could improve their cluster in Portland (Eric Flodén, BC, NRC-AM via DXLD) This sparked a long thread in IRCA starting with digest 3977, which I have not yet, and now may never, get around to editing together for DXLD. Lots of speculation about what this will entail, such as KGA losing coverage to the SW of Spokane in a sparsely-populated area (gh) ** U S A. Proposed PSRA/PSSA changes The FCC has opened a commentary window on a proposal (RM-11384) to relax the PSRA/PSSA rules for AM stations. Here are some of the key points as noted in today`s edition of Radio Currents e-magazine. PSRA and PSSA power need not be limited to 500 W if no interference would be caused. Secondary (skywave) service areas of class A stations expand and contract from east to west with the transit of the sun. There is no need to protect a service area that either does not exist yet on the western edge of the area, or has ceased to exist because the sun is rising on the eastern edge of the area. Stations should be able to use their day, night, auxiliary or one tower of the array - whatever works best for PSRA and PSSA. Class B and D stations should be able to operate with any power, up to the maximum of day or night station power during PSRA and PSSA so long as no interference is caused (Patrick Griffith, Westminster CO, Broadcast Technician, NRC Broadcasting, Denver, Jul 30, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. US agencies and callsigns. I believe that FCC, through NTIA, assigns "blocks" of callsigns, and the agencies assign their own callsign from each block (Charles Taylor, NC, IRCA via DXLD) This is true from my experiences working for several Federal agencies, especially on the HF frequencies. But most of the VHF/UHF operations that I have been involved with have only used tactical call signs. That may be due to the temporary nature of them. I do know that even the temporary setups without call letters must be coordinated with the NTIA since the frequencies we use are all shared with other Federal agencies. In 1997 I installed three repeaters in the Denver area to support the G-8 Summitt Conference. In 1998 I installed a repeater atop the hospital in Key West FL in support of the Hurricane Georges relief efforts. And in 1999 I installed a repeater atop the hospital at Fort Dix NJ in support of Operation Provide Refuge (the Kosovo relief effort). These were all 406 MHz Federal band repeaters and all were temporary installations. Much of the communications on them was encrypted. They were all NTIA frequency coordinated. But even though they all had wide coverage none were assigned call letters. Most were only operational for three months or less. One of the Denver installations was on a tower supporting direction finding antennas for the FCC Denver field office! I found it amusing to have an FCC field agent helping me install an unlicensed repeater on an FCC tower! On the other hand, almost every HF operation I have been involved with, even temporary installations, have been assigned call letters from the NTIA pool. Perhaps this has something to do with the International treaties and the long distance nature of HF. The only exception to this that I can recall was several HF exchanges on the SHARES network from a USCG C-130 over the Atlantic during Hurricane Georges. In that case the aircraft's tactical identifier was used which was probably appropriate for the situation. (Patrick Griffith, Westminster CO, Broadcast Technician, NRC Broadcasting - Denver http://community.webtv.net/N0NNK/ http://community.webtv.net/AM-DXer/ IRCA via DXLD) Patrick, Thanks for that piece of info. I've been trying to convince some folks that the FCC has no direct authority over electromagnetic radiation of other federal agencies. Nonetheless, the other agencies don't just take it into their heads to assign just any frequency or callsign that suits their fancy. FOLKS, the FCC has authority over commercial and private HFBC stations. IBB and FCC coordinate their frequency requirements via NTIA, and then NTIA sends US's frequency requirements to the ITU who then works with NTIA and counterpart agencies of other countries to resolve conflicts. Thank you again, Patrick. IBB DOES NOT EVER USE CALLSIGNS as far as I know. There is the "anomaly" of the Philippine National Telecommunications Commission assigning the callsign "DWVA" to IBB Philippines. I suspect that IBB never uses that callsign on-air, but I bet if NTC and IBB get into a pissing contest, IBB will HAVE to use that callsign. A matter of treaty. IBB is there because RP says it's OK, oh, and Philippine Broadcasting Service uses IBB facilities for overseas broadcasts. I doubt that that's going to happen, though (Charles A Taylor, WD4INP, Greenville, North Carolina, ibid.) ** U S A. Keith Hammond is busy updating his website about all the crime & corruption in Shamrock TX, which led to his losing his radio station KBKH, and spending some time (unjustly) in prison: http://www.monsterfm.com/ (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. With numerous reports of a wide-open sporadic E FM band DX Sunday afternoon, I decided to spend a semisesquihour at it with the DX-398 portable, its battery of cells almost expired, from a lawn chair in the shade, still 96 degrees. All times UT, July 29: 2016, 89.3, I belatedly fired up for the big opening in progress. First to catch my ear was Arabic on 89.3 for a few minutes. Sounds like preaching; could even be Christian; not sure. No Qur`an heard in this brief time. Any ideas? 2030, 89.3, Polish/German show presented in English, mentioned St. Augustine and several other stations carrying the show. Presumably but not absolutely the same station in Arabic a quarter-hour earlier. In & out mixing with other stations; 2052 polka music again; 2111 polka in extreme stereo, outroed as ``Happy Polka Interlude``, mentioned listeners in Iowa at 6 am Saturday. The polka, and probably the Arabic, is WPIO, the faux ``Florida Public Radio`` with the Polish/German polka show as scheduled at 2030-2200 UT Sundays. But their incomplete program schedule does not show anything, Arabic or otherwise, before then. http://www.noncomradio.net/ Certainly fits the PTA of E/C Florida with several other logs from that oversaturated area: 2035, signals all over the FM band to 108. Opening was intense enough for there to be CCI/QRM on my `locals` 88.3, 92.1 and 99.7. 2037, 101.1, Courtesy Toyota ad, RDS: {WJRR-FM} which is Cocoa Beach- Orlando FL. 2038, 99.1, KSC ad or promo and ID immediately as ``The new 99.1, WQIK`` Jacksonville. 2045, 100.5, RDS said {ZOMBIE}. This had me looking for a Florida station maybe with that odd non-ID, but same style of music still in later at 2108 from semi-local KATT OKC, then RDS-ing as {THE KATT / ROCK} so Zombie was probably an `artist` or song title. 2046, 99.3, {LITEROCK} on RDS; 2058, John Tesh syndicated show giving phone 866-865-TESH, ad for HD Radio in BMWs, ``WLRQ, Literock 99.3`` and http://www.literock993.com as RDS once again displayed only {LITEROCK}. WLRQ is Cocoa FL, 50 kW. Long gone are the days of depending on class-A channels to bear only 3 kW ERP stations, sob. 2052, 90.7, classical, $, probably WMFE Orlando. 2104 NPR News in progress, 7 seconds ahead of KOSU which delays everything analog to match its HD delay, and BTW KOSU still switches to mono during such talk programs, even tho NPR music bits are produced in stereo --- so WMFE is not running HD?? 2106, WMFE promo for BBCWS news starting at local midnight. 2054, 105.9, ad for a community college, SCC in Orlando. That would be WOCL Deland-Orlando. Could not catch what SCC stands for, but later search turned up Seminole Community College there. 2100, 94.5, RDS: {94.5 / BARRY / WHITE / WHAT YOU}, which was not helpful, since I already knew I was on 94.5, and if there was any doubt, the frequency window just above it on the display said 94.5 too! Probably WCFB Daytona Beach-Orlando [thruout going by listings in latest FM Atlas, almost two years old now, published in Oct 05]. 2106, 90.1, overriding KCSC, so I could not enjoy ``The Composer Next Door`` direct nor on non-funxional webcast: NPR ATC: RDS just sez { 90.1 } centered with spaces on each side. Yes, I know it`s 90.1! Geez. Likely one in this area: WJUF Inverness. 2116, 107.1, weather for Titusville, which would be WAOA Melbourne- Titusville, another high-power one rather than 3 kW. 2118, 89.3, plug Jimmy Smith photography, on WECC, The Lighthouse, which is Folkston GA, just across the FL border. Finally the opening is moving out of Florida, and weakening a bit, so I quit. This experience reconfirmed my disgust with what has become of American broadcasting. Commercials above and below 92 MHz, hard-sell, music other than classical which does nothing for me. No originality. I probably would not have bothered if that Arab on 89.3 had not intrigued me, even if he was just another gospel huxter. I did check 94.9 frequently but nothing beyond FL (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Last night at 9:00 pm EDT I logged NOAA WX radio station WXL46 on 162.400 Mc with 1 kW in Springfield, MO and it came in at full quieting via sporadic E (Es) propagation. --... ...--, (Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF, Lakeland, FL, USA, July 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The whole east coast seemed like it was in, even on the low band, fire and police from Maryland and New York and Pennsylvania (Ron Trotto - wdx-4kwi, ibid.) Meaning 30-50 MHz, bound to be open if higher frequencies are (gh) ** VATICAN. VR in German at 2210 UT on 4005 kHz, followed by English at 2230 UT. Later, Esperanto at 2320 UT. Must be a switching error; this frequency is due to end at 2210. Regards (Jean-Michel Aubier, France, July 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN. QSL: 13730, Radio Canada International via Santa Maria di Galeria transmitter. Full data (with site) 'Maple Leaf Mailbag` QSL with schedule in 2.5 months, 13 days after sending a follow-up. v/s: Bill Westenhaver (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, July 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. 699.67 | R. Sur, YVPQ, Puerto Ordaz, JUL 25, 0047 - tropical music, bad growl from this habitually off-frequency station (Mark Connelly - Times / dates = UTC / 2007, Rockport, MA, USA, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Estimados Amigos, En la siguiente entrevista hecha por el periodista y moderador Miguel Ángel Rodríguez del programa La Entrevista transmitido por RCTV - (Lunes a Viernes a las 10:00 UT) al también periodista, abogado y moderador del programa "Aló Ciudadano" (Domingos a Viernes, excepto los Sábados de 2100 a 0000 UT y Domingos de 2000 a 2300 UT) por Globovisión; se puede apreciar en una fotografía publicada por el diario venezolano El Nacional, el pasado viernes 25 de julio, donde se ve las antenas satelitales instaladas en las ventanas de los edificios del populoso Barrio 23 de Enero. ¿Serán que ven a RCTV Internacional? http://www.noticierodigital.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=229176 (Jorge García, Jorge Garcia Rangel, Venezuela, DX LISTENING DIGEST) REGISTRO DE RCTV ES UN REQUISITO EXIGIDO POR LA LEY... Hola Glenn, Saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. A continuación te envío una nota de prensa de Aporrea sobre la situación de RCTV Internacional, a través del sistema de televisión por suscripción. El canal de marras debe cumplir con la ley e inscribirse como Productor Nacional. Por cierto, es bueno saber que muchos colegas han intentado leerse el Libro Blanco sobre RCTV, en el cual basé uno de mis artículos. Lamentablemente, creo que muchos no lo han entendido. Por lo visto, el analfabetismo funcional sigue haciendo estragos en el siglo XXI. Razón tiene el presidente Chávez de mantener la Misión Robinson. Creo que ahora tendremos que INTERNACIONALIZARLA. 73s y buen DX (Adán González, Catia La Mar, Estado Vargas, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: JESSE CHACÓN: REGISTRO DE RCTV ES UN REQUISITO EXIGIDO POR LA LEY -Fuente: Aporrea.org El canal Radio Caracas Televisión (RCTV) Internacional tiene que registrarse en la Comisión Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (Conatel) porque, de lo contrario, el operador de cable estaría incurriendo en una falta, según lo establecido en la Ley Orgánica de Telecomunicaciones (LOT), informó la agencia ABN. Así lo ratificó el ministro del Poder Popular para las Telecomunicaciones y la Informática, Jesse Chacón, durante el programa Diálogo Con, transmitido este domingo por Televen, en el que reiteró que se está dando un plazo de cinco días hábiles a la compañía de cable para que remita la información, tal como lo establece la Ley de Procedimientos Administrativos. "No es Conatel quien los está obligando. Es que esas compañías tienen un deber formal que tienen que cumplir", enfatizó. Indicó que cada operador de cable cuando obtuvo su habilitación recibió unas condiciones generales, las cuales establecen que para introducir un canal de servicio de producción nacional dentro de la grilla la compañía de televisión por suscripción tiene que exigirle el registro ante Conatel. Aclaró que esta regulación no es reciente porque data aproximadamente del año 2004 cuando se aprobó la Ley de Responsabilidad Social en Radio y Televisión (Ley Resorte). A partir de ese momento se realizaron talleres con cada uno de los canales de cable a fin de que comenzaran los registros de las empresas de servicio de producción nacional. "Al Estado no renovarle la concesión a RCTV y al salir éste por cable, queda dentro de la definición de lo que son servicios de televisión para la Ley de Responsabilidad Social porque pasa a ser un servicio de producción nacional audiovisual difundido mediante una operadora por suscripción, genera en Venezuela toda la información y su producción está orientada a la sociedad venezolana", explicó. El Ministro acotó que no existe ninguna diferencia entre la programación antes de la no renovación y la nueva señal, son los mismos programas y tienen la misma estructura del noticiero (via Adán González, Venezuela, DXLD) CAVETESU (CÁMARA VENEZOLANA DE LA TELEVISIÓN POR SUSCRIPCIÓN): RCTV TIENE HASTA EL MIÉRCOLES PARA REGISTRARSE O SERÁ RETIRADA SU SEÑAL - Fuente: Aporrea.org Caracas .- Cuarenta y cinco canales de televisión por suscripción deberán inscribirse como operadores nacionales y acatar ley audiovisual de Venezuela, señaló hoy el presidente de la Cámara Venezolana de TV de pago, Mario Seijas. "En el día de ayer se comenzaron a recibir notificaciones de la Comisión de Telecomunicaciones para actualizar el registro de producción nacional audiovisual", explicó Seíjas. El presidente de la cámara explicó que 45 canales tienen un plazo de 10 días para inscribirse en el registro, en su mayoría televisoras regionales que están en las pantallas de pago gracias a acuerdos comerciales y técnicos con diferentes operadoras. También explicó que si el canal Rctv Internacional no hace el registro antes del próximo miércoles, las operadoras de cable no tendrán otra alternativa "so pena de ser sancionados", que retirar su señal. Seijas espera que, de producirse la suspensión, ésta sea temporal hasta que por instancias judiciales, Rctv Internacional y la Comisión de Telecomunicaciones lleguen a un acuerdo (via Adán González, Venezuela, July 30, DXLD) Obvious that the Chavistas will do everything possible to prevent RCTV and contrary views from reaching the people. Each step of the way Adán says those supporting RCTV are exaggerating the threat, why worry? Sure, the president-for-life can ram through any law he wants, or interpret old ones, and then you can say RCTV is violating them by merely existing, even in another country. Adán, you aren`t going to persuade many to your point of view by declaring that those who disagree with you (and plenty do, including within Venezuela) are illiterate or suffering from, what was it, ``psychotic dissociation``. BTW, do you ever listen to SW or DX any more, or devote all your energy to this issue? Maybe Hugo will take note and give you a job in his regime; Minister of Propaganda? (gh) ** VIETNAM. Voice of Vietnam listeners survey --- Dear friends, Voice of Vietnam is now conducting a listeners survey. The 3 page printed copies I received last week ask about the quality of programme & suggestion to improve the VOV programme. The hard copies of survey form can be obtained from VOV email qhqt.vov @ hn.vnn.vn Interestingly the Voice of Vietnam web page http://www.vov.org.vn does not open although Google search show existence of this page. Thanks, (Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, July 31, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Slow loading, but finally opened here. Link to English version at top, however, went 500: http://www.vovnews.vn/?lang=2 Then refreshed and it finally worked (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ Medium Wave Circle publishes NEW 2006-7 Archive CD This is fourth year we have published an Archive CD which this time contains all 10 copies of MWN from Volume 52 (2006-7). In addition there is about 500 MB worth of material of use an interest to the MW listener or DXer. Medium Wave News Volume 52: 2006-7 ==================================== This edition contains 592 pages of Medium Wave News from April 2006 to March 2007. This is one of the biggest volumes of Medium Wave News ever published. 2006 was a "record" year for long distance MW DX and numerous "UK Firsts" were heard. The vast majority are included on this CD as mp3 files for your enjoyment. In addition to MW News (in PDF format) the 2006 CD includes: * 177 recordings (mp3) of unique DX signals heard for the first time in the UK/Ireland * all the important and up to date station lists (including latest EMWG & PAL) * 48 useful maps * 4 All Time DX Lists listing over 2200 stations heard in the UK from outside Europe. * complete daily geomagnetic data for 2006 (and previous years) * 24 receiver manuals * 60 receiver reviews * updates on MW signal propagation * We've also included a variety of other feature items which will no doubt be of interest. In summary a vast amount of written material, audio and video for the keen DXer but, as they say, there is too much to list everything here! For more information see http://www.mwcircle.org/member-ordercd.htm#vol52 If you are ordering by mail order you can get your copy by sending £5 (UK), €10 (Europe), US$12 (Rest of World) to: Medium Wave Circle, 59 Moat Lane, Luton LU3 1UU, England. But by far the simplest and quickest way of ordering this CD is via the Medium Wave Circle's on line shop at http://www.mwcircle.org Enjoy! (Steve Whitt, July 2007, MWC via DXLD) MUSEA +++++ ANTENNA HUNGÁRIA RADIO MUSEUM On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of broadcasting in Hungary Antenna Hungária established a rural radio museum at their Nyíregyháza site. The collection includes old radios as well as old transmitters, complete or representative parts of them. Visitors will be shown the new TRAM transmitters as well. http://www.ahrt.hu/en/services/D8EDAC0219B342968B113F6DA0E6138D.php (illustrated) (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OLD-RADIO REPAIRMAN SATISFIES TOURISTS' DEMAND FOR ANTIQUES Many radios have come from India due to high production and cheap prices [illustrated] Ali Benek has done repair work in Safranbolu since 1960; his collection of old model radios, gramophones, record players and projectors is seeking a new owner. Although old radios are symbols of nostalgia, they sit like a secret passage that will open to history at any moment in the main corner of some houses. Putting up for sale the collection of old-model radios, gramophones, record players and projectors he has accumulated since 1960, Ali Benek says bitterly that the satellite period has begun. “Even though I enjoy listening to and collecting radios, I am 67- years-old. Formerly radios were very important, but now there are new technologies,” he says. . . http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/article.php?enewsid=79422 (via Jaisakthivel, dxldyg via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ FM ON CABLE Glenn, I don't know how commonly known this is, so I thought I should share. I have found the AM external antenna jack on the Sony 7600GR can serve as an input for FM radio delivered over your local cable system. All you need is an adapter from coax to 3.5-mm mono and you're set. This setup allows me to have computer-free access to several Spokane, Wash., radio stations, including NPR affiliate KPBX (of particular interest because they run BBC World Service all night). 73, (Ricky Leong, Calgary AB, July 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) My impression is that fewer and fewer cable systems offer FM stations over the line. But it`s worth checking, even with a jury-rigged clip- on connexion to an FM receiver`s collapsed whip. Many systems which provided FM failed to publicize its availability, and I am sure many customers were unaware of it. When I lived in Tucson, I got several otherwise unavailable stations that way. Sometimes the real FM band as received locally on an antenna gets relayed as is; sometimes real FM stations and other audio sources are transmitted on different frequencies, just like happens with cable TV. Now, the 88-108 MHz band is likely to be occupied by more cable TV channels. If you have anything on cable 95 to 98, that`s really in the FM band. These tend not to be used in metro areas because of all the QRM leaking in from FM OTA. The more common 99 is just above the FM band in the aero band. Maybe things are different in Canada (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Indeed, just checked the channel grid and channels 95 to 99 inclusive are not assigned to a television station. That said, I think I saw somewhere, Canadian cable companies are lobbying to be relieved of their licence conditions regarding the relaying of FM radio over their systems. Cheers, (Ricky Leong, ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ THE DTV TRANSITION, AND DX You might be a little disappointed about the band opening up for "DX." Yesterday's big Es event reminded me of why I'm not happy to see the analogs leave the air. Just because HDTV pictures look better than ATV pictures, that doesn't mean I'm eager to see analog TV DXing die. I'm going to try to make the best of DTV, but I'm not sure that DTV DXing will amount to much. Yes, DTVs will likely decode easier without ATV cci. However, most of us will be blocked in by 100-300 mile distance DTVs, so long-distance tropo will be difficult. My experience has been that DTVs don't decode easily through other DTVs. Those 800+ mile UHF *DTV* receptions made by Jeff Kruszka and Jeff Kadet won't likely happen again. On top of that, trying to receive DTVs via Es will be a strange (and likely frustrating) form of DXing, to say the least. In addition, I'm still not so sure that the low-band won't eventually be filled with other RF services that will hinder TV DX (Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, http://www.tvdxexpo.com July 30, WTFDA via DXLD) Russ, another point of view. I've had to replace my cell phone, not due to damage or upgrading for the sake of but because its considered obsolete by my carrier. I used it nearly 5 years, and was satisfied by it. My cell carrier is phasing out the network that supports those older phones and switching carriers would mean purchasing another phone anyway. I'm not sure how many of us here are still using a 486 box with Windows 3.11 over DOS 5.0 (or 6.02) running Netscape 2.0 connected to a 14.4 modem. Remember Eudora, WordPerfect 5.1 (a great program in its day). Or running Unix or Linux from a shell and accessing the web via Lynx (no graphical interface) with a monochrome display. Yes, it`s faster, but those X servers and GUI's make the web a little nicer on *nix boxes (and displays all the photos and pdf files including the eVUD). As for broadcast TV, if analog OTA was my only source of TV, I myself would likely not watch much and stick to watching DVDs. Besides the low-VHF static, ghosting, snow there are the obnoxious car ads, prescription drug ads, and preëmptions of network programming so some bean-counter PD can air yet another "Paid Program". Or local news that`s either shootings, canned medical features, and in my area Razorback boosterism. Back to the Digital Conversion/Analog Shutdown/"Government Mandated" Digital Television, etc. Maybe your local stations are dragging their feet on converting to digital and only doing the minimal FCC requirements for keeping the license. Most major market stations` digital coverage is equal to the analog. With a proper preamp, and antenna (those UHF antennas don't take the space of, say a good 6m yagi) UHF coverage is near equal to VHF high and pretty close to VHF low. Analog OTA is somewhat more forgiving for sloppy installations and very fringe areas. That is and will be a legitimate concern especially for seniors that are not DX/radio-hobby oriented. I've been watching (and DXing) digital TV since early 2005 (before even owning a HDTV monitor) and remember KARK-DT being a DX catch and KATV-DT being near DX before their respective digital power increases. The first year I lived here, my only source of TV was OTA from 40+ miles from the towers (this rural community has no cable service in the unincorporated areas) and only added DBS (dish network) a year later to supplement what the broadcast networks weren't providing. I no longer subscribe to locals via Dish, because the PQ is superior from digital OTA, plus I save the (local channels) monthly fee :) Bottom line: don't throw the baby of digital tv out with the bathwater (Fritze, F H Prentice, KC5KBV, Star City, AR, Grid Square EM43aw, ibid.) I'd expand on Fritze's excellent points to note that in many ways, the DTV conversion is still in a very early state on the receiver end of the equation. We simply do not know yet how effective the upcoming coupon program will be at getting low-cost DTV set-top boxes into the hands of the people who'll need them come 2009. If the program works as designed, and if the boxes are of decent quality, I think a lot of the fears that are being expressed now will prove to be overblown. There are certainly some areas - much of NYC comes to mind - where DTV should be a big improvement over the current multipath-laden analog signals that many viewers now suffer with. There are other markets where it won't make as much difference, and some where reception may suffer for a while in the early stages of the transition because DTV signals still aren't fully built out. (Elmira, for instance, still has almost no DTV on the air and won't until 2009.) The transition's far from perfect, but as Doug pointed out in his post, it's too far along now (and carries with it enough benefits, potential and real) to stop it in its tracks. In my particular circumstances, living almost next door to my local transmitters, I decided back around 2005 that I wasn't buying anything more that didn't have a digital tuner in it, and I haven't regretted that decision. We just bought a new 15" LCD TV/DVD combo for the kitchen, and the digital tuner is a big plus there. With essentially no antenna at all, it delivers perfect pictures on the local digital signals with none of the ghosting I used to get here from multipath. I still believe that between now and 2009 (and maybe even for a year or two afterward), we're going to see some (if not most) of the handful of stations that chose to stay with low-band V for their DTV services changing their minds as the transition opens up other channels on UHF or high-band V, so some of those potentially attractive DTV Es targets won't even really exist. That said, I don't see a lot of other services clamoring for the 60 or 70 MHz frequencies being vacated - the combination of needing a physically large antenna and the high potential for Es makes those frequencies challenging for a lot of the portable digital services clamoring for bandwidth. I'm excited about having a summer or two to shoot for Cuba and Mexico without WEDU and WPBT and OETA in the way on 2 and 3, but that'll get old pretty fast, I fear - so as a DXer (as opposed to simply a viewer), I'm not seeing much upside here. s (Scott Fybush, Rochester NY, ibid.) REPLY COMMENT ON FM HD RADIO ADJACENT CHANNEL INTERFERENCE Responding to the "Long Form Reply" to my letter posted in CGC #800 regarding "IBOC spectral regrowth," I know what we measured. I heard the interference before the bandpass filter was installed. Installing the bandpass filter cleaned up the digital noise and interference caused by spectral regrowth intermodulaton products on the station operating on the second adjacent channel above us. When IBOC was turned off the interference went away. Spectral regrowth is a problem with the HD technology. It occurred in Denver and other markets. My intent was a friendly warning to those operating IBOC or that are about to do so -- please watch for and carefully measure out-of-channel and out of mask emissions (Elliott Klein, Klein Broadcast Engineering, L.L.C., CGC Communicator July 30 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) AND A NEW COMMENT ON THE DENVER HD RADIO INTERFERENCE CASE I'm familiar with the Denver spectral regrowth case and have even laid eyes on the filter that fixed the problem. The Class C in Denver is Entercom's KALC "Alice" on 105.9 and the rim-shot, KJAC, is licensed to Timnath with its transmitter site in a canyon way up north. KJAC is owned by local billionaire Philip Anschutz. I told the local Entercom folks when this first came up that if their spectrum was clean, I'd tell the KJAC people to take a hike. But there was some fear of local backlash (billionaires evidently carry a lot of clout), so they played the game and even took their digital signal off altogether for awhile. I'm guessing that KJAC (who also operates in the HD hybrid mode) also wipes out KALC within the KJAC 100 dBu contour, but there's nothing up there but elk, bighorn sheep and maybe a moose or two (Cris Alexander, Crawford Broadcasting Company, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ MEDIUMWAVE: Location is EVERYTHING [see also USA: WCXH discussion] When I lived at the north end of New Jersey shore in the mid-sixties, you could hear TAs from Europe on the CAR RADIO; living 4 blocks from the ocean with just a simple longwire, heard close to 100 countries in 3 years there. Move inland a few miles and you lose that "edge". DXed from South Florida in the '70s and from one mile off the ocean, had a field day with TAs, LAs, etc. of course. But when you're landlocked, miles from the ocean, it takes extraordinary equipment/antennas to get overseas reception (unless you're 'KAZ'). Good luck! (Ron Schiller, Cœur d'Alene, ID, NRC-AM via DXLD) At shore sites near here quite a few European, African, and Middle Eastern stations have been heard on 10 kHz multiple channels over the years (like Ron's N. Ireland on 1340). Recently Spain over WTIC-1080, UAE-1170 burying WWVA after WFPB sign-off, Sao Tome and Vatican steamrolling WCKY-1530, and Saudi Arabia mixing with WJAE-1440 are some of those heard quite often. The PEI stations deserting 630 and 720 have made TA's immeasurably easier on those channels as well. Ron's right about the rapid drop-off of foreign DX as you go inland. Over thirty years ago, I set "TA buttons" on my 1974 Ford Pinto AM analog-dial radio. At that time, when I worked in downtown Boston, I'd routinely tune in Senegal-764, Morocco-818, and many others at sunset as I drove homeward on an elevated highway overlooking the harbor. These stations rocked where you could smell salt air but dropped off precipitously a short distance inland. More recently I have used active antennas and my Drake R8A to DX from the car (but not while moving). Comparing the car-mounted antennas at home (15 miles inland) versus the same antenna-receiver combo at shore sites, I think that 20 dB is about the right foreign DX difference on the average. Go farther inland (e.g. west of Worcester, MA) and the overseas signals really go into the tank. Certain stations show a bigger shore-versus-home difference than 20 dB, especially if it's a bit auroral. Fortaleza (760) on the eastern tip of Brazil has often hit S9 and better at Granite Pier in Rockport, MA in the early evening. At the house it's hardly ever noted, less than S3, even when other interference (typically Colombia & Venezuela) is minimal. Six S-units? That's about 36 dB. Pretty big difference for less than an hour's driving time. The Algerian clandestine that used to be on 1544 hit S9+40 at Granite Pier one night. Highest ever noted at home: S9. Lesotho-1197: over S9 around sunset at Windmill Beach in South Yarmouth several times. Even audible there on a "barefoot" Sony ICF- 2010. Seldom ever heard at home. All of you can easily understand why I try to get out to the shore after work at least once a month in the milder weather to do some serious DXing from the car. Sites such as Granite Pier in Rockport and the big salt-marsh in Rowley have produced tons of loggings for the IDXD column over the years by members of the Boston Area DXers (BADX). Some of us expect to be in Rockport this Thursday (August 2) for our annual "DX Clams" gathering. See http://www.naswa.net/badx/dxclams.htm on the BADX website for last year's report and photos. Ron, too bad you're still not on the East Coast. At the right site, antennas on the roof of a car can bag you 100 countries. (Beverages would get a few more of course.) (Mark Connelly, WA1ION - Billerica, MA, NRC-AM via DXLD) That's great work, Mark! I recently filled in a survey for a reunion and noted that I've lived in NINE states (that tied for third in my HS class of 321!). The years in NJ were the best for me DXwise, followed by Florida. I really had thought I would retire in Florida but (with all due apologies to Foxy & others there now), "it's not your Father's Florida anymore", to paraphrase the old expression. The 8 hurricanes in 2004/5 have turned the economy upside down there; it's way more crowded than I want for my life now; the cost of living has ratcheted up considerably in recent years, partially from hurricane aftermath; crime in south Florida is a huge problem --- all in all I decided I needed to find a place to retire THAT I COULD AFFORD. After much study I settled on north Idaho (sight unseen incidentally), whose cost of living is LESS THAN HALF of Fort Lauderdale, and trust me, I have tracked it almost to the penny. The quality of life out here I think is spectacular, not to mention the scenery and, while the DXing ain't coastal, it seems pretty good considering my limited equipment. Some of what I've heard on the KIA SUV's car radio is better than other places I've lived (especially to north Canada). So while I will always miss DXing on the north Jersey Shore, Mark, I really do like living out here in the somewhat wild west. Wild turkeys & deer in the backyard this morning! Always interested in reading your DX achievements. 73, (Ron Schiller, Cœur d'Alene, ID, ibid.) THE JULY 29 FM DX OPENING FROM CARIBBEAN TO NASHVILLE Wow. Best opening in over five years. I think this is only the third time I've heard Es in the 144 MHz ham band. Couldn't work anyone - nobody would answer my CQs and all QSOs were long-winded ragchews (during a 144 MHz Es opening?!) generating large pileups upon completion which couldn't be broken with my wimpy antenna. Tried 162 MHz NOAA band 162.475 (nothing heard) and 146.52. (something heard but I can't be sure it wasn't local) It started just before 10 am with someone (turned out to be Cubavisión) on 3 running the animated movie "Cars" with no breaks. (at 11:00 the movie ended & they ran an anti-US cartoon, then IDd) [logs on FM are separately filed above under: BAHAMAS; CAYMAN ISLANDS; CUBA; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC] [see also USA for gh`s logs during this] I count 40 new ones on FM, plus a new TV. That's the most since 38 new ones on June 14th, 2002 (though I also had 18 new on June 13th, 2002). Cayman Islands and Cuba are both new political units on FM - I've seen Cuban TV before but only had Cuban FM on the car radio in Kentucky. FM was open to Florida for **FIVE HOURS** and to Cuba for more than three hours. Had six Florida FMs at under 700 miles, and WGLF at only 447 miles! (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, WTFDA via DXLD) ###