DX LISTENING DIGEST 7-097, August 15, 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 SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO Extra 76 [= COM 07-02] Wed 2200 WBCQ 7415 [first airing of each edition] Wed 2300 WBCQ 18910-CLSB or 17495-CLSB Thu 0600 WRMI 9955 Thu 1430 WRMI 7385 Thu 1500 KAIJ 9480 Fri 0630 WRMI 9955 Fri 1030 KAIJ 5755 Fri 1100 WRMI 9955 Fri 2030 WWCR1 15825 Sat 0800 WRMI 9955 Sat 1630 WWCR3 12160 [irregular; confirmed 8/11/07] Sat 2130 WRMI 9955 Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1500 WRMI 7385 Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB [irregular; not 8/13/07] Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Mon 0830 WRMI 9955 Tue 1030 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 7385 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 ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. R. Solh finally got a new CD! But no more ``Solh theme`` at 1427 UT on 17700 via UK. Aug 13 was propagating for a change and monitored from 1415 past 1445, but all the music was different than what we had been hearing; pause for a brief announcement at 1431 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. R. Tirana, 13750, putting in a good 20 over 9 signal on August 15 as I tuned in to end of broadcast at 1326 with music; unfortunately, modulation was distorted and even cutting out every few seconds (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Solar-terrestrial indices for 14 August follow. Solar flux 69 and mid- latitude A-index 4. The mid-latitude K-index at 1200 UTC on 15 August was 2 (12 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours. No space weather storms are expected for the next 24 hours (SEC via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. 6280, Sinal harmonico da RAE Radio Argentina Al Exterior, SS, 07/08 2230. ID: ‘Transmite RAE, Radio Argentina al Exterior’, time pips, time checking, 25222 (Rudolf Grimm, Brasil, @tividade DX via DXLD) Not harmonic ** ASIA [non]. USA (non) Summer A-07 of Radio Free Asia: BURMESE 0030-0130 13820 13865 17835 1230-1330 9320 9455 13675 CANTONESE 1400-1500 9780 11595 2200-2300 9355 11715 11785 KHMER 1230-1330 11870 15525 2230-2330 7580 13740 KOREAN 1500-1700 5870 7210 9385 2030-2230 7460 9385 9770 12075 LAOTIAN 0000-0100 15545 15690 1100-1200 9355 15560 MANDARIN 0300-0600 13760 15130 15635 15680 17615 17880 21550 21690 0600-0700 13760 15165 15635 15680 17615 17880 21550 1500-1600 9455 9905 11540 12005 12025 13675 15495 1600-1700 9455 9905 11540 11795 12025 13675 15530 1700-1800 7260 7280 9355 9455 9540 9905 11540 11795 13625 1800-1900 7280 7355 9355 9455 9540 9865 11700 13625 15510 1900-2000 1098 7260 7355 9355 9455 9850 9865 9905 11700 11785 13625 15510 2000-2100 1098 7260 7355 9355 9455 9850 9905 11700 11740 11785 13625 2100-2200 1098 7105 7355 9850 9905 11740 11935 13625 2300-2400 7540 11760 11785 15430 15485 15585 TIBETAN 0100-0300 9365 11695 11975 15225 17730 0600-0700 17510 17780 21500 21690 1100-1200 7470 13830 15375 17855 1200-1400 7470 11590 11605 13830 15375 1500-1600 9370 11550 11705 11795 2300-2400 7470 7500 9805 9875 UIGHUR 0100-0200 9350 11895 11945 17640 17695 1600-1700 9350 9370 9555 11750 VIETNAMESE 1400-1500 5855 9455 9715 11605 13680 13775 2330-0030 7525 11580 11605 13740 15535 15560 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Aug 13 via DXLD) ** AZERBAIJAN. 6111, Voice of Azerbaijan (Tentative) (Ganca), 1130- 1138, 8/10/07 in Turkish. M fanfare, announcement including probable "Baku" and "Azeri", M with possible news (`Baku`, `Ankara`), 1135 harp music with W. announcer. Poor with VoA and Chinese / Tibetan QRM on 6110 (Mark Taylor, Lake Farm County Park, Dane Co., WI ­ mini DXpedition. Equipment: Etón e1; NASA PA 30 antenna, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) 6111 certainly points to this, but 1130 is pretty early for that to be propagating in the summer. LST = UT +4, but at 50 degrees east, Baku ought to be on UT +3, i.e. approx. 1500 local mean time, even tho local clox with double-DST show 1630 (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** BAHAMAS. I randomly compiled an FM listing from websites, old and recent DX logs, and the WRTH 2007. Accuracy unconfirmed (save for 3-4 I've heard form the Keys and/or SE FL), but better than any other single list I've found for your records. I didn't bother listing reported power, formats etc. for the most part. 89.9 Splash FM - Spanish Wells, St. George's Cay 92.5 Splash FM - Nassau, NP (reported repeater, WRTH07) 93.5 Radio Abaco - Dundas Town, Abaco 94.9 More FM - Nassau, NP 95.5 Splash FM - Abaco (reported repeater, WRTH07) 96.1 Cool FM - Freeport, GB 97.5 Love 97 FM - Nassau, NP 98.5 Splash FM - Freeport, GB (reported repeater future plans, WRTH07) 98.5 Splash FM - South Eleuthera (reported repeater future plans, WRTH07) 98.7 Y98.7 - Nassau, NP 100.1 100 Jamz - Abaco (reported repeater, WRTH07 100.3 100 Jamz - Nassau, NP 100.3 100 Jams - Freeport, GB (reported repeater, WRTH07) 100.5 100 Jamz - Coopers Town (reported repeater, WRTH07) 101.9 101.1 Joy - Nassau, NP 102.1 Mix 102 - Freeport, NP 102.9 Island 102.9 - Nassau, NP 104.5 Power 104.5 ZNS-FM - Nassau, NP - (Broadcasting Corp of the Bahamas) - also seen this reported as Freeport, GB 107.1 ZNS-1 - Nassau, NP- (Broadcasting Corp of the Bahamas) (reported temporary 80w, WRTH07) 107.9 ZNS-2 - Nassau, NP- (Broadcasting Corp of the Bahamas) (reported inactive, various locations 80-500w, WRTH07) (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELARUS [non]. New 6120, *2200-2230* CLANDESTINE, 09-08, R Racja, Warsaw, Poland, Belarusian news, signed on at 2200:45 with ID-jingle after shift from 6105, comments about Belarusian issues, jazz, frequent IDs, 54444, QRM R. Japan 6115 AP-DNK (Anker Petersen, Denmark, @tividade DX Aug 12 via DXLD) ** BELARUS [non]. Re DXLD 7-096, "Has someone correct datas to contact R. Racyja 6225 kHz?" (Luca Botto Fiora, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) They have another email address with the Polish spelling of what is "racyja" in Belarusian: "radioracja@wp.pl"; this one seems to work. (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, August 13, dxldyg). Letter to radioracyja @ wp.pl (Belarusian spelling) has dumped away. So that means that correct address is radioracja @ wp.pl (I wrote there last October to ask if they verify reports=) (rs-blr, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL - A Rádio Roraima, de Boa Vista (RR), está inativa, no momento, na freqüência de 4875 kHz. Motivo: o transmissor está em manutenção. Atualmente, a estação pode ser captada apenas em 590 kHz, em ondas médias. As informações são do Fábio Aparecido Costa, que reside naquela cidade. BRASIL - A Rádio Meteorologia Paulista, de Ibitinga (SP), foi captada, em Registro (SP), pelo Márcio Pontes, em três de agosto, às 1019, pela freqüência de 4845 kHz. Ele ouviu a identificação e menção ao site da estação, http://www.radioibitinga.com.br/ BRASIL - A Rádio Anhangüera, de Araguaína (TO), foi sintonizada, em Registro (SP), pelo Márcio Pontes, em 10 de agosto, às 0922, pela freqüência de 4905 kHz. Ele acompanhou a identificação da estação e músicas em estilo gospel. BRASIL - Mais duas estações brasileiras de ondas tropicais foram monitoradas, em três de agosto, pelo Márcio Pontes, em Registro (SP): a Difusora, de Macapá (AP), em 4915 kHz, e a homônima Difusora, de Cáceres (MT), em 5055 kHz. Da primeira, ele ouviu a identificação. Da segunda, música de Tião Carreiro e Pardinho. BRASIL - A Rádio Baré, de Manaus (AM), virou mesmo Rádio Globo Manaus. Inclusive, a estação já colocou no ar seu novo site, http://www.radioglobomanaus.com.br/ mostrando a parceria com o Sistema Globo de Rádio. As informações são do biólogo Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM). BRASIL - Atualmente, a Rádio Pioneira, de Teresina (PI), está inativa na freqüência de 5015 kHz. Foi o que o pessoal da emissora informou ao Lucídio Gomes, que reside em Sobral (CE). De acordo com ele, a emissora estaria esperando a vinda de uma válvula dos Estados Unidos para reativar aquele canal. O Lucídio ressalta que é piauiense e tem na Rádio Pioneira uma excelente fonte de informações de seu estado natal, mesmo em tempos de Internet. BRASIL - Mudanças na programação da Rádio Guaíba, de Porto Alegre (RS), a partir desta segunda-feira (13). O consagrado jornalista Flávio Alcaraz Gomes permanecerá na emissora. Seu programa irá ao ar entre 9h10min e 9h54min. O jornalista Rogério Mendelsky estreará na estação, entre 6h e 9h. A Rádio Guaíba pode ser captada, em ondas curtas, em 6000 e 11785 kHz (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 12 via DXLD) Probably UT -3 ** BULGARIA. R. Bulgaria, 15700, often heard with enjoyable folk music around 1300-1400 in Bulgarian language program. I haven`t found a program schedule to nail down what this is and exact scheduling, but here is a page about folk music, with audio file linx: http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_Bulgarian/Theme_Muzika/Material/Turnovo_X_folkfest.htm (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Here`s a nice QSL from CHU from Tomás Méndez` collexion: http://www.telefonica.net/web2/amaranta/chufrontal1%20Vista%20Web%20grande.jpg And check out the others in his growing gallery: http://www.telefonica.net/web2/amaranta/photo2.htm (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [and non]. WHRI, 7335, was gone again, Monday Aug 13 at 0600+, leaving CHU back in the clear. WHRI had been confirmed active at that hour on UT Sat & Sun, so it must be a weekend thing, tho no such variation is to be seen on the WHR online schedules (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CBC Northern Quebec Service: 9625 kHz, N/D [no data] letter in 14 days. Returned $2.00 sent for return postage. V/S Nathalie Chamberland. Address: CBC North Quebec P.O. Box 6000, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3C 3A8 (Ross Comeau, Canada, DXplorer Aug 12 via BC-DX Aug 13 via DXLD) ** CANADA. 6030, Calgary - CFVP relaying CKMX (AM 1060), 0458-0509, August 13, IDs "Classic County AM 1060", C&W songs, phone number given for musical requests or they can be made on-line, mostly fair, with their usual "Monday in the clear" (Marti and jammer are off). Could not detect anything of the *0500 of Radio ICDI (Central African Republic) (Ron Howard, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 1690.7, CHTO logged in Scotland (with recordings) --- After drawing a blank overnight Sun/Mon on 1690.7, I tried again last night to hear CHTO and surprisingly it was audible from around 0130 to 0430 UT with Greek music and English announcements at 00 and 30 mins past the hour and Greek announcements at 15 and 45 mins. Here are a couple of recordings: Announcement in English at 0302 UT http://paulc.mediumwaveradio.org/audio/chtoe.mp3 and here's the (better) Greek announcement from 0344 UT http://paulc.mediumwaveradio.org/audio/chtog.mp3 1690.7 CHTO Toronto, ON; Test transmission, Greek music and announcements with ID in Greek and English. ``This Canadian radio station CHTO AM1690 is now broadcasting on 1,690 kHz on the AM frequency``. recording: http://paulc.mediumwaveradio.org/audio/chtoe.mp3 W 0302 14/08 PC (Paul Crankshaw, Troon, Scotland, UK, IRCA via DXLD) NEW TORONTO STATION CHTO 1690 This was posted to the Southern Ontario - Western NY Radio/TV Message Board. I thought it might be of interest. Fred Waterer http://members2.boardhost.com/scrapbook/msg/1186950305.html Some of you already know this, but since I don't recall seeing it here it might be worth noting that the city's newest radio station - CHTO - has officially begun testing its signal (I think it's just 1 kW) on 1690. It's a mostly Greek language station, and I believe it started on Saturday - just in time for The Taste of the Danforth, although it's not doing any special programming about that - or anything else - for now. English IDs air at the top and bottom of each hour, asking anyone who's experiencing 'technical problems' with its signal to phone their Danforth Ave. studios. I think there was a problem with their original transmitter site and they were delayed getting on the air until they found a new one. (See the CRTC decision). It's owned by the people who control Odyssey Television. Strange - I thought it was generally agreed by the 'experts' that AM was dying. Yet, the last two new stations in the city - (1610 is the other one) albeit ethnic - have been on that band. And isn't there already a Greek station here on FM? If most of the public is unaware of the so-called X band - which I believe they are - then how do these guys think this will attract attention? A lot of old radios don't even get the frequency. And yes, I do have a problem with their signal - giving away the 1690 frequency shuts out Chicago and a few other stations that were using one of the better X- band propagators! But good luck to them, anyway. As to what they're saying on CHTO, I'm not sure. It's literally all Greek to me (via Fred Waterer, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. BONJOUR Mr GUILLAUME, la Radio ICDI fonctionne bien en ce moment. Nous recevons de nos auditeurs de l'interieur et de l'exterieur du pays des impressions sur la qualité d'écoute et des programmes d'emission de notre radio. Mais, leur besoin de l'heure est l'augmentation des horaires d'emission car selon eux, 3 h le matin et 3 h le soir ne leurs donne pas de satisfaction. Nous sommes bien conscient de la limite de nos heures d'emission actuellement du fait qu'il nous manque de ressource humaine et financière pour repondre aux besoins de la population centrafricaine, Nous sommes toujours à la recherche de soutien pour augmenter nos heures. Notre avantage actuel est que le personnel de la Radio ICDI est très motivé et a de la passion pour ce travail. Recevez enfin nos salutations (JOSUE MBAMI, DIRECTEUR DE LA RADIO ICDI, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CANADA; KYRGYZSTAN ** CHINA. O Departamento de Língua Portuguesa da Rádio Internacional da China abriu um novo canal na Internet, onde os interessados poderão ouvir a programação de forma on-line. Você confere em: http://portuguese.cri.cn/criRiodeJaneiro/index.htm A dica é da Sandra Fernandes, de Belo Horizonte (MG), e do Glauber Gleidson Peres, de Pindamonhangaba (SP). (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 12 via DXLD) ** CHINA. 9745, Voice of Han logged Aug. 12 at 2100-2200 UT starting with ID, news and then several talks in Chinese by YL and OM announcers, interspersed with several songs. I was looking for Bahrain but this was the only one heard!!! (José Turner, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Firedrake was S9+20 on 9930, Aug 13 at 1402, and not a trace of KWHR with Sound of Hope audible underneath! FD makes no top-of-hour pause on this frequency. Suspected KWHR was not really on the air; maybe on 12130 instead? Nothing there either. FD open carrier at 1402 on 10300, no SOH audible anyway, then FD resumed modulation at 1404:30 // 9930. No FD audible at this time on 13970, nor in the mid-14 MHz band, nor 18160/18180, but JBA on 16490. Also // FD on 12040 which is against VOA Chinese via Tinang (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 530, Radio Rebelde; 2125-2215 10 August, 2007. Transmitter sporadically dropping audio (carrier remained), assumed to check for Air Martí at 2200 (unheard). However, the transmitter was doing the same thing all mid/late afternoon the following day (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 17735, R. Rebelde, 8/13/07, 1700 fair-good with Spanish ID for Radio Rebelde and into special program for Castro's 81st birthday (Jim Ronda, Tulsa, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. Moyabi seemed to be back to `normal`, Aug 13 at 1444 when ANU was in French on 17630, and Afropop music distraxion was on 17660. Could not hear either a semisesquihour earlier (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GEORGIA. Re: ``The transmitters on 9495 and 9535 kHz used by Abkhaz, Sochi, Kuban, Rossii Radios are silenced (or not heard here) since when Sochi was elected as a Olympic game's City. (Rumen Pankov- BUL, wwdxc BC-DX Aug 3)`` They seem to be on the air irregularly. For example today they were on 9494.75 kHz between 1058-1125 UT! 9535 kHz was silent. Re: 9495. Mauno, nothing heard here in Stuttgart so far (Wolfgang Büschel, Aug 12, BC-DX via DXLD) (later) They signed on at 1356, on the usual 9494.75 kHz. Totally destroyed by Moosbrunn DRM. Nothing on 9534.75 kHz, maybe that is now only in the morning or off totally. Off again at 1530! (Mauno Ritola, Finland, wwdxc BC-DX Aug 12 via DXLD) ** GREECE. Glenn: I tuned in to 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 in this area with SINPO's of 55455, with Adrianna doing the introductions in English and Greek this time with lively Greek recordings based on stories (John Babbis, MD, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUYANA. 3291.13, "Voice of Guyana" GBC Sparendaam last heard in mid July 0100 UT with weak audio. Silent since then. GBC has a history of returning to shortwave and may again return. "Guyana You've Been So Good to Me" is an anthem often played on this station. Guyana has been good to me! (Rob Wilkner, FL, DXplorer Aug 12 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** HAWAII. Hi Glenn, Just back from a few weeks in Hawaii. Got to hear a good bit of newly-returned Brock Whaley controlling the playlist at KPOI-FM. Now I'm the type that still keeps up with new music trends (thank you John Peel) and for me, 99% of "classic rock" format stations have way too much overplayed clunkers and other metal dead- weight. But KPOI was a surprise. It is more like an very wisely sequenced iPod of not-overplayed classic rock nuggets, the best refresh of this stale format I've heard. If any of your readers might be visiting in Honolulu - or most anywhere on Oahu (their signal is well-engineered, on 105.9) - I suggest you give 'em a try. While driving on the island of Kawaii [?], I also heard a fascinating tiny AM on 1370 playing some of the most eclectic music I've heard anywhere. We listened for hours: Tom Waits into early jazzy Van Morrison into soothing piano concertos, with no announcers and no commercials. Er, um, and no ID's. Turns out it was a ready to sign-on sports talk channel getting ready to flip in 2 days. The 4th (!) sports talk in the Hawaii area. Get your stupid ball games at 7 AM local time. Oh well... (tom roche, atlanta, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would be KUPA Pearl City, Oahu (gh, DXLD) ** INDIA [and non]. 4810.03, *0023-0052 12-08, AIR Bhopal, Hindi greeting, hymn, frequency announcement, instrumental music, 0030 TS, "Akashvani", news, 0035 Indian songs 44434 Drowned *0052 by Armenian Public R (Anker Petersen, Denmark, @tividade DX Aug 12 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 3976.06, RRI Pontianak 1204-1235 Aug 6. Out of Jak relay at 1223 and into local talk program. Good. 4920, RRI Biak at 1208-1245+ UT on Aug 7. Jak news to 1220 UT; then local program of seguéd English vocal selections; some, or maybe all of them, were by Engelbert Humperdinck; recognized "Release Me" and one or two others; few, if any, announcements to 1301 UT SCI and Jak relay. Fair at tune-in, weak by 1301 UT. (John Wilkins, CO, DXplorer Aug 12 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. 5711U, FLORIDA, Cape Radio, Port Malabar & "Freedom Star"; 2301-2315 8 August, 2007. The two flipped to this channel with Cape Radio calling and "Freedom Star" (the NASA Space Shuttle solid rocket booster recovery barge in the Atlantic) responding, shortly after the 2336 STS launch from KSC Pad 39A. Very good. Too hazy this time to get a visual on the Shuttle from this coast (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. Could pirates rule the airwaves once more? Pirate radio may have changed British pop taste in the 60s but could it still have a relevant role today? Jon Savage The 60s are, in theory, a mouse click away. Over the past weekend you could hit the live stream of Pirate BBC Essex attempting a reconstruction of the glory days of Radio Caroline and Radio London - which were forced out of business 40 years ago by the Maritime Broadcasting Offences Act. (In their place came Radio One, which was not quite the same thing, not at all: in fact, in the early days, John Peel apart, it was crap. Which the pirates weren't). The ironies are obvious and hardly worth commenting on. In their attempt to simulate the anarchic, nakedly sponsored broadcasts of the 60s pirates, the DJs are compromised by new technology - instead of listeners' letters, there are emails - and recent radio styles (all that laddish off-mike chatter and atmos). Despite the use of original 45s, it doesn't sound the same, but could it ever? And does that matter? . . . http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2007/08/piracy.html (via Dale Rothert, DXLD) Story includes lotsa linx to music, etc. (gh) ** IRELAND. RTE 252 kHz in DRM --- Op het ogenblik test RTE in DRM op 252 kHz met zo maar even 4 verschillende programma's op deze frequentie. Ontvangst is goed. Service 1 is RTE Radio 1 in Gaelic - AAC SBR mono 15 kbs. Om 2108 [UT or CEST?] werd geschakeld naar 12.1 kbs mono, no SBR. Met SBR is duidelijk veel beter. Service 2 News - HVXC SBR 2.8 kbs. Om 2108 werd geschakeld naar 5.7 kbs Service 3 Sports - HVXC SBR 2.8 kbs. Om 2108 werd geschakeld naar 5.7 kbs en Service 4 WRN (NPR Radio) - HVXC SBR 2.8 kbs. Om 2108 werd deze service uit gezet. Ook morgen zou men nog testen. [Later:] En om 2130 nog maar een service met RTE Radio 1 met AAC SBR mono 13 kbs. Ik heb totnogtoe nog geen enkele drop out gehad. Toch is dit een techniek die het niet zo slecht doet. Alleen zou men voor een betere band indeling moeten zorgen en dit niet mengen met gewone AM stations. 73, (Guido Schotmans, Belgium, Aug 13, BDX via DXLD) Subject: [bdx] DRM en Dream --- Hallo allemaal, Na de tip van Guido (bedankt!!) 252 kHz opgezet en inderdaad een mooi DRM signaal (voor zover dat mogelijk is). Ik gebruik normaal Dream 1.6.27 voor DRM luisteren, maar die ondersteund geen celp en HVXC die RTE nu gebruikt voor het 2e en 3e audio kanaal. DRM software radio doet dat wel. Weet 1 van jullie of er ergens een gecompileerde versie is van dream die dit wel kan? Of sowieso een nieuwere versie? Groet vanuit een regenachtig Elst (Han Hardonk, Netherlands, Aug 14, ibid.) Hallo Han, Ik denk niet dat er een Dream compile is die dat wel kan. Nu is het wel zo dat je niet zoveel mist. De nieuws, sport en WRN uitzendingen worden in een zo lage bitrate uitgezonden dat het in feite toch niet erg te genieten is. De laatste versie van Dream kan je steeds vinden op http://www.rarewares.org/aac-decoders.php 73, (Guido Schotmans, Belgium, ibid.) Hoi Guido, Ik heb de drm software radio software wel, maar ik vind dream leuker omdat je allerlei meetwaardes kan bekijken. Op rarewares staat nog steeds de "oude" 1.6.27 versie. Op het dream software forum hebben ze het wel over nieuwere versies , maar die heeft men zelf gecompileerd. En dat zou ik zelf niet kunnen. Dar 2 e en derde audiokaneel is inderdaad een vervelend soort donald duck kwaliteit niet echt fijn om naar te luisteren. Wel knap om bij die bitrate nog er deze kwaliteit van te kunnen maken. Groet (Han, ibid.) They were getting four different audio channels on this LW DRM test from Ireland (gh, DXLD) Re: DRM tests - RTE 252 kHz Today and tomorrow (Tuesday and Wednesday) are the last days for these tests, according to the schedule below. As expected, 252 heard here in southern England during the tests with the usual very loud DRM noise both daytime and evening. I suppose that if DRM is going to work anywhere, it will be on longwave, as that can provide the strong and stable signal that DRM seems to need. When RTE 252 is in analogue mode it is usually possible after dark to turn a portable radio to null it out more-or-less completely and get a good signal from Algeria on the same channel, but with 252 in DRM mode this is not possible - the noise is still there. I assume that Algeria has a certain audience on longwave among North Africans living in France, and they will surely have been affected by these tests (Chris Greenway, Aug 14, BDXC-UK via DXLD) From Edna O'Kane RTE (via John Williams): "DRM tests are currently carried on RTE's longwave 252 kHz transmitter as follows: Commencing 08/08/07 until 15/08/07 from midnight to 0600 hrs, In addition to above: Mon August 13th commencing 2000hrs ending 0700hrs Tue Aug 14th. Tue August 14th commencing 1300hrs ending 1300hrs Wed Aug 15th After these tests RTE will review the results. All times are local. RTE's press office as shown on the RTE website is: info@..." (via Greenway, ibid.) ** ISRAEL. IBA FUNDING CRISIS AND CUTS IN BROADCASTS Due to a serious deficit at the IBA many cuts in services have been made. From July 26th 2007 the only program produced for an overseas audience is the one in Persian. All other language broadcasts are produced only for Israeli audiences and aired via the REKA network. In addition, Israel Broadcasting Authority TV and Radio services are no longer available on the Hot Bird satellite that could be received in Europe the Middle East and beyond. The IBA now uses the Amos satellites that can be received only in Israel (from the unofficial http://www.israelradio.org/ which has linx to lots more about Israeli broadcasting, via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. INDUSTRIAL ACTION HITS ISRAELI PUBLIC RADIO | Text of report in English by Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post website on 13 August All radio stations of the Israel Broadcasting Authority (IBA) ceased transmissions at 2.00 p.m. [1100 gmt] Monday [13 August] following an increase in sanctions by the National Union of Israeli Journalists. Israel Radio reported that Israeli oldies would be played until 3:00 p.m. The two o'clock news edition was not broadcast. The sanctions were taken in protest of what the union called unilateral actions taken against employees by IBA management. Workers of IBA radio and television stations convened for an emergency discussion. They were considering increasing their protest by turning off Channel One TV broadcasts. Already last week, Israel Radio stopped broadcasting news updates every 30 minutes, leaving only the longer hourly news editions. IBA sources said the sanctions came as a surprise. Management, they added, was respectful of all legal work agreements, but the current case did not relate to a legal work agreement and the sanctions were therefore unexpected. Source: The Jerusalem Post website, Jerusalem, in English 13 Aug 07 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ITALY. Rai, 17780 to NAm, Aug 13 at 1411 check was dead air except for persistent squealing transmitter and hum, but finally some lo-fi music came on. Seems like Rai SW service has been in its death-throes for years, but time is outrunning (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not trying to be flippant, but I have to wonder if anyone --- either in North America or Italy --- other than Glenn was listening to this transmission? Do I need all the fingers on both of my hands to count the number of North American listeners to RAI on SW? I doubt it. Seems like it's time for RAI to put this dog out of its misery (Harry Helms, W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19 http://topsecrettourism.com ABDX via DXLD) ** KASHMIR. RADIO, THE EMOTIONAL LINK OF THE TWO KASHMIRS Mufti Islah / CNN-IBN Published on Monday , August 13, 2007 at 09:53 in Nation section http://www.ibnlive.com/news/radio-the-emotional-link-of-the-two-kashmirs/46720-3.html Bandipore (Line of Control): Abdul Kabir Katana simply can't do without his radio. And when his favourite show is on, it's the closest that this 80-year-old, living in a hamlet on the Line of Control (LoC), can get to his friends and family across the border. "Through Vaadi Ki Awaaz, we come to know about each other," says he. For 40 years, Vaadi Ki Awaaz has been on air, every night, broadcasting to both families living in Indian and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir -- bridging divides and reuniting families, if only for a while. People on both sides send letters to the station, which are then read out on air. The programme was devised originally for families torn apart by partition, desperate to reach out. Says a radio jockey, Zaffar, "These people are still connected to the soil here. People ask if shikaras (Kashmiri boats) still sail on the Dal Lake and if the Chesmashahi waters are sweet." Adds another radio jockey, Aruna, "Through their letters, they cross the borders and come to each other." As the name suggests, Vaadi ki Awaaz wafts across the mountains to reach to Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. The programme acts as a great emotion connect between the two people of the two Kashmirs (via Alokesh Gupta, India, dx_india via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. CORÉIA DO NORTE - Excelente DX praticado pelo Lúcio Bobrowiec, em Embu (SP): em 10 de agosto, ele captou, em 4555 kHz, às 0945, a Korean National Democratic from Haeju, com sinal regular. Ele ouviu um coro feminino. (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 12 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 6003, SOUTH KOREA (CLANDESTINE), Echo of Hope; 1045-1110 9 August, 2007. Presume the one with fairly decent carrier, very weak snatches of music after 1100 but inconclusive if programming was truly from 1100 as listed for sign-on in PWBR-07. If so, they're up with the transmitter way before. No audible jamming, and OK in LSB or USB to escape ajacent things, but audio extremely low (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6003, Echo of Hope, *1055:48-1115, August 14, on with IS (chimes, repeating 5 notes), 1057 singing and music on top of IS, ToH gong/bell rung slowly 3 times over IS, into Korean programming, fair, in the clear. Parallel with 3985 which had light jamming and 6348 which had heavy jamming (Ron Howard, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KYRGYZSTAN. 6030, Aug 13, 1455-, Hit Shortwave/R. Maranatha, Bishkek. Heard again with heavy interference from CNR (Mauno Ritola, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) What programming did it carry? Pop? Religious? Language? ID? (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, ibid.) And are they still on blocking ICDI CAR during its evening broadcast? (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) Glenn: I suppose it is, but the bigger problem is BBC Arabic from 1630 (and China). Bernd: Soft music, I could imagine that they are mostly Christian songs. Segments of talk, 1-2 minutes between songs. Language was most probably Farsi, but it may use other languages, too, I didn't listen very long today. I thought I heard mentions of "Hit Shortwave". Why, do you have some contradictory info? Actually I thought this was off for good because I didn't hear it in spring but I guess it was just a temporary break. Regards, (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) ** LAOS [non]. Hmong station on 5835 kHz --- Hi Glenn! I tried to find out what Hmong programme is broadcasted at 0300 UT (before the Hmong World Christian Radio) via WHRI. The only thing I understand from the ID is "Tooj Cua Hmoob", but this seems to be part of every Hmong station ID. It´s a news programme. The programme starts with an announce of SW broadcasting schedule with times in CST and frequencies in kilohertz. The news items in the first 10-12 minutes related to Hmong people and/or the Hmong community in the US, after that international news are following, and then closing with a song, a schedule announce and a tune played a horn-type instrument. Mauno Ritola suggested that this is maybe Radio Hmong, the other new Hmong entry in the latest WRTH- Update. 73, (Patrick Robic, Austria, Aug 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI. Bonjour: Nos émissions en 17880 kHz (21:00-22:00) et 13630 kHz (5:30-6:30), heure de Beijing, sont suspendues dès aujourd'hui. Bien à vous. Service français de RCI (China Radio International, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Translating this: French broadcasts of CRI at 1300-1400 UT on 17880, and 2130-2230 on 13630 have been suspended, effective today. These are the only two French broadcasts scheduled via Mali. There are only two 100 kW transmitters there, so this may mean that one of them is also down for all other transmissions. These broadcasts are also scheduled via Bamako: 1300 on 13685, 2130 on 11975. There are also only two (3 and a half?) English broadcasts scheduled via Mali in WRTH May update: 1400-1600 on 13685, 17630; 2000-2130 on 11640, 13630. Please confirm whether these are still on both frequencies, as well as any other language transmissions on the schedule. 17630, of course, has been colliding with Africa No. Un in French, but usually we only hear ANU (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Arabic heard today at 1830 UT on 11640 & 13685. Good signal here in France. Portuguese and English not heard at 1930 and 2000 respectively on 11640 - 13630 (JM Aubier, Aug 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) At 2025: 11640 empty, unID carrier on 13630. Also some signal on 4835.6, something local or indeed Bamako carrier, 600 Hz off nominal frequency? 4835 mentioned here because ORTM and CRI relays are one and the same site. Probably here, although I can spot only the presumed transmitter buildings and what looks like the mediumwave mast (540 kHz): http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=12.686802&lon=-8.028892&z=16.1&r=0&src=ggl (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) Old MLI BAM Bamako ORTM site ? 12.6888 N -8.0262 W New MLI Bamako Kati RTM CRI site 12.7437 N -8.05317 W 73 wb (Wolfgang Büshcel, Germany, ibid.) ** MALI. Re 7-096, UNIDENTIFIED 9635: I tuned the channel at 0800 UT this morning but could not hear any signal on the frequency. This is the time when Mali used to open and could be regularly heard. However, propagation is very variable at this hour so it needs to be tried on other days too. 73 (Noel R. Green, (NW England), Aug 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I tuned in again at about 1600z on Sunday and heard nothing on 9635. I used to hear Mali on 11960 at about this time but 11960 is now covered by WHRI (Jerry Lenamon, Waco TX< ibid.) A Rádio Mali, de Bamako, foi captada, em São Bernardo do Campo (SP), pelo Rudolf Grimm, pela freqüência de 5995 kHz, em sete de agosto, às 2324. Segundo ele, o sinal era melhor em modo USB, desviando, assim, de um sinal digital em 5990 kHz. Ele acompanhou canções típicas africanas (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 12 via DXLD) ** MARKET REEF. Re DX-pedition Aug 11-16: ADDITIONAL PRESS RELEASE (via Tim/N4GN). Teemu, OJØ/SMØW (on the OJØB team) reports: "We have established the first Internet Service in history on Market Reef; this allows us to send you pictures from our OJØB adventure. Follow the Market Reef Magic on http://www.sm0w.com We have had one station making some QSOs during the night and expect to be fully operational by tonight with two stations. Stay tuned for more news on the webpage" (KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80 Aug 13, via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) INFO ABOUT MARKET REEF FROM ULLMAR, SWEDEN Hi Francesco and all: Congratulations on logging OJ0B - Market Reef! I just succeeded in hearing this rare DXCC entity on 7024 kHz coming up from a 579 at 0616z to 599 at 0628z. It's been a long long time --- heard Market Reef for the first time in the 1970's on 80 m SSB! Now I had been chasing this station since Monday. The problem is I am only 250 km away, so short skip propagation is needed! Now it was OH2BH himself operating, and I was very pleased. First expedition to Market Reef was in 1969 when some Finnish hams found out that this islet in the Baltic Sea, 300 x 80 m, divided between Sweden and Finland, should be counted as a separate DXCC entity. This was because OH0 - Aland - was between Market Reef and Finland proper, making Market Reef an enclave! The lighthouse on the island was manned until 1976, and is still standing, but now only the seals live on Market Reef. The name has nothing with a 'market' to do, the real name (Swedish) is Märket, but since internationally we can't use the A with two dots it became Market Reef. 'Märket' means the Mark. This was a navigation mark, of course. In spite of many expeditions Market Reef still enjoys good interest. Swedish Ham magazine QTC had a fine article about OJ0 - Market Reef in its latest issue. Some of the info given here is taken from the article. Did you know this Francisco? I think we should not just add "a new one" but find out a bit about the facts as well --- Ullmar, SM5-1252 Hi Ullmar, tnx for your interesting email. I don`t know much of infos regarding Market Reef and I have published your email on mine blog. This is the second time that I have logged this country; the first was the 15-05-2000 on 80 meters (QSL published this morning with your email). Also I have read your interview on Norrkoping's Radioklub bulletin also posted at http://swli05639fr.blogspot.com/2007/08/interview-to-swl-sm5-1252-ullmar-sweden.html#links 73 (Francesco Cecconi, http://swli05639fr.blogspot.com/ noticiasdx yg via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 9599.26, Radio UNAM, Mèxico DF; 0208-2036 11 August, 2007. Decent audio this particular day with classical chamber-type music, Spanish male with ID, brief talk, back to music (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) XEYU, 9599+, Aug 14 at 1411 with ID and feature about Barenboim in Salzburg; fairly good signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Extended IBOC: see DIGITAL BROADCASTING ** MEXICO. Just for the record, these Televisa stations have made major changes during the last few months: XHP-3 Puebla is now "3tv" XHFM-2 Veracruz is now "tele ver" XEFB-2 Monterrey is now "Teleactiva" XEWO-2 Guadalajara is independent/XHTV-4 using an "eye" logo (not Televisa logo) with orange background XEPM-2 Juárez is independent using "tucanal" name All of the names except Teleactiva are shown in on-air logos with all lower case letters (Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, Aug 14, WTFDA via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. DRM test in 10 m hamband The Delft University of Technology started experimental DRM transmissions on 28100. On enquiry ("this frequency must be a typo?") they replied that the authorities were not really cooperative and refused to grant a permission for transmissions in the 11 m broadcasting band, so they just went ahead and settled in the neighbouring 10 m hamband instead. http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,451822,page=16 (with photos of equipment) The most recent posting in this thread comments: "And tomorrow you can read it on the website of the intruder watch and afterwards Agentschap Telecom will visit TU Delft. It's about the most stupid thing they could do." (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PARAGUAY. 9734, R. Nacional. SW inactive for two years due to damaged transmitter tube. Their replacement to cost USD 10,000. Without that money there is no hope of return to SW (Dario Monferini and Roberto Pavanello visiting the station in Asunción, on PlayDX2003 yg via Nigro, Uruguay, translated from Italian, Aug 12 via BCDX via DXLD) Original comment in Italian: "La onda corta da 2 anni non funziona per la rottura della valvolona del TX, 9734 kHz; cambiarla costa 10000 $$$dollari ... senza tale apporto economico non ci sono speranze per un ritorno sulle onde corte." (Horacio Nigro, Uruguay, Aug 13, ibid.) ** PHILIPPINES. Summer A-07 of Radio Veritas Asia: Bengali 0030-0057 9895 1400-1430 11870 Hindi 0030-0057 12005 1330-1400 11870 Hmong 1000-1027 11780 Indonesian 2300-2327 9505 2300-2327 11820 1200-1227 11730 Kachin 2330-2357 9645 1230-1257 15225 Karen 0000-0027 11935 1200-1230 15225 Mandarin 2100-2257 6115 1000-1157 9615 Burmese 2330-2357 9720 1130-1157 15450 Filipino 2300-2327 9720 1500-1530 9615 Mon/Tue/Thu/Sat 1530-1600 9615 Wed/Fri/Sun Russian 0130-0227 17830 1500-1600 9570 Sinhala 0000-0027 12005 0000-0027 9865 1330-1400 9520 Tamil 0030-0057 11935 1400-1427 9520 Telugu 0100-0127 15530 1430-1457 9800 Urdu 0100-0127 15280 0100-0127 17860 1430-1457 11870 Vietnamese 2330-2357 9670 0130-0230 15530 1030-1127 11850 1300-1327 11850 Zomi-Chin 0130-0200 15520 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Aug 13 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. ROMÊNIA - A emissão, em espanhol, da Rádio Romênia Internacional, que vai ao ar, entre 2100 e 2200, possui boa sintonia, no Sul do Brasil, nos últimos dias. Vale tanto para 9755 quanto para 11965 kHz. Lembramos que, neste ano, a Rádio Romênia Internacional apresenta uma série de cartões de confirmações que homenageiam a região de Sibiu. Para cada mês do ano há uma nova emissão de QSL. ROMÊNIA - Nos próximos dias, Victoria Sepciu, que apresenta os espaços Clube de Oyentes e Rincón Diexista, na programação em espanhol da Rádio Romênia Internacional vai estar de férias. Ela retorna ao ar em três de setembro. Os dois programas conduzidos por Sepciu vão ao ar aos domingos (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 12 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA [and non]. My Voice of Russia is coming in strong tonight at 3 UTc and I must enter the Tour of the Kremlin contest for fabulous prizes, but they won't be copies of Soviet Life as in the old days of Comrade Stalin. [obligatory shortwave reference] Who does offer trips these days now that Radio Hungary has dropped shortwave? Romania (but only if you can get there), China (but only to their known 'friends', a rigged contest) (Dan Say, BC, swprograms via DXLD) TURKEY! Probably the best deal and best chance of winning, if you want to take a chance the Armenian and Kurdish terrorists don`t get you while there (gh) ** SAINT HELENA. 11092.5 UsSB, 1900, Radio St Helena. Special broadcast on 17 July. Was surprised how well this was received in Pukerua Bay. Signals not strong but 70-80% readable for much of the time. Signed on with ID: “This is Radio St Helena...“ Often mentioned that broadcast was to Europe on 11092.5 USB. Also gave medium wave IDs as “ You’re tuned to Radio St Helena on 1548 kHz 194 metres``; email address also given frequently. Played pops such as Bette Midler with “From A Distance“. Heard to well after 2000 UT before signals went down into the noise (Dene Lynneberg. Pukerua Bay. Wellington. ICOM IC- R70. Antenna: 100 metre longwire, Aug NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** SAINT HELENA. FM DX. Can you advise if your members are interested in FM DX? If so I have a proposed challenge. Saint FM is one of the world`s smallest FM stations, based here on the Island of St. Helena in the middle of the South Atlantic. Apart from on the island the only way to hear us on FM is DX. I know long FM skips are sometimes possible so would be interested to know where is the furthest that Saint FM has been received on FM. Is that something to which your members might like to respond? The best I know of is about 350 miles out at sea (by myself), but we do receive continental African stations here at times so I know greater distances are possible. I'd be interested to hear about past reception, but also would be happy to cooperate with members who wish to actively seek reception. I could also incorporate it into the programme I present on the station. Please note that the station is also available via Internet streaming, and via relays on Ascension Island and the Falklands, but I am only interested in FM DX from the main transmitter on 93.1 MHz. Other information that may be useful: TX location: 16 degrees south, 15 degrees 45 minutes west (more specifically, High Knoll Fort, c 1000ft ASL) TX ERP: 250 watt Polarisation: vertical Broadcasting hours: 24 hrs Station website: http://www.saint.fm Note that Saint FM is and independent radio station; the island's only FM station. It should not be confused with 'radio St. Helena', the government broadcasting station, which transmits on 1548 kHz and occasionally on Shortwave. Please email me back to discuss. Regards, John Turner [no e-mail given] Burgh House, Barren Ground, Blue Hill, St. Helena Please send post to: P.O. Box 37, Jamestown, Island of St. Helena, South Atlantic, STHL 1ZZ Tel: +290 3235; office +290 2044 (via BC-DX WWDXC Aug 10 via DXLD) Optimum DX radius for single-hop sporadic E should be approx. 800-2400 km, peaking at 1500. But the 1500 circle is totally over the Atlantic. 2400 km does however reach coastal areas of Africa, notably the `hump` of Namibia and Angola, and also past Luanda. And the coastal arc extends as far as Liberia, except Nigeria and neighbors are too far. Of course, stranger FM propagation happens in the tropics. Probably not trans-equatorial as STH is too close to the geomagnetic equator, unlike the Caribbean/Southern Brasil path. Could there ever be tropo ducts connecting STH to Africa or South America, like Hawaii to NAm over 4+ megameters? Keep an eye on Bill Hepburn`s maps for the South Atlantic: http://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo_sat.html (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALIA. RADIO HORNAFRIK: REMEMBERING ITS CO-FOUNDERS Slain journalists stood up for Somalia STEPHANIE NOLEN August 13, 2007 JOHANNESBURG -- One day a few months back, Mahad Elmi lined up a couple of guests for his morning radio call-in show: He had a major Mogadishu warlord, and also the head of an Islamic militia fighting for control of the Somali capital. Both men were in the habit of presenting themselves as great protectors of the people, battling to bring peace and justice to the city. Mr. Elmi was having none of it. "You claim you're fighting each other, but the only people getting killed here are innocent civilians," he said. "Are either of you prepared to take responsibility for this? For what you're doing to this city? To the people?" Both men were enraged at his bluntness, and ended the show with threats. But across Mogadishu - across Somalia - people listened to the show on Radio HornAfrik and they cheered Mr. Elmi for standing up for them one more time. Mr. Elmi was killed Saturday, shot in the head just outside the station's Mogadishu offices. Hours later, HornAfrik co-founder Ali Iman Sharmarke, a Somali-Canadian, was killed when his car exploded as he returned from Mr. Elmi's funeral. The Somali government say they've arrested two men, but no motive was given for the killings. Mr. Elmi, however, had many enemies, and so did the station. . . http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070813.SOMALIAJOURNALISTS13/TPStory/?query=nolen (via Dan Say, BC, DXLD) SOMALI-CANADIAN JOURNALIST AMONG TWO ASSASSINATED IN MOGADISHU MOGADISHU, Somalia (CP) - Two prominent Somali journalists, one of them a former resident of Ottawa, were assassinated Saturday, one outside his office and the other as he returned from his fallen colleague's funeral, authorities said. The victims were Somali- Canadian journalist Ali Iman Sharmarke, owner of the HornAfrik Media Company, and Mahad Ahmed Elmi, who hosts a popular radio talk show for the same company. HornAfrik's broadcasts have criticized both the government and the Islamic militants who have been trying to topple the administration through a bloody insurgency. . . http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/MediaNews/2007/08/11/4410601-ap.html (via Fred Waterer, ODXA yg via DXLD) More about this, especially VOA affiliate angle: http://www.kimandrewelliott.com/index.php?id=2123 (via gh, DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. Impianto Onde Medie RSI Monte Ceneri Ciao a tutti, vi segnalo che durante una breve vacanza in Svizzera ho avuto l'opportunita' di visitare l'impianto onde medie della Radio Svizzera Italiana di Monte Ceneri che trasmette sui 558 kHz con 300 kW. L'impianto e' spettacolare, un traliccio di 220 metri autoportante e una bellissima antenna di riserva "Marconiana a T" installata nei prati con le mucche che pascolano intorno :-) Le foto della visita e le info dell'impianto sono qui: http://www.mediasuk.org/archive/monteceneri/ Saluti, Andrea -- (Andrea Borgnino, IW0HK, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** U A E [and non]. Vorsicht! Man teilt sich die Frequenz. Zur Zeit sind noch beide Stationen auf 1539 kHz zugange, nachts im PAK Zielgebiet VOA Urdu 1400 bis 0200 UT. Man nimmt an, dass VOA demnaechst auf frei geraeumte 1557 kHz aendert? Auch 648 kHz wird UAE/eaIRN frei geraeumt[?], um dem 1000 kW Dushanbe (VOA Persian) tx mehr Klarheit zu verschaffen? Und UAE "Asianet Radio" sendet z.Zt. nur 0300-1300 UT testweise (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, BC-DX Aug 13 via DXLD) ** U K. Flooding at Woofferton: http://tinyurl.com/2ap3ak (Richard Buckby-UK G3VGW, wwdxc BC-DX Aug 13 via DXLD) Dated June 26. Several shots in slideshow (gh) ** U K [non]. 9630, SEYCHELLES, BBC World Service; 2018-2034 12 August, 2007. English, presumed site per WRTH, PWBR. Clear and fair. Pathetic that to hear the BBC WS any time I want, I must go to XM on the car. Remember the days when -- as long as you had 5975, 6195, 12095 and 15070 on memory -- you didn't bother checking schedules, as they were surely coming in on one of those channels? (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Bush house move, moved back --- ...Construction of the W1 Broadcasting House project is now due to be completed in 2010, but the full technical fit-out means the occupation and the transfer of BBC News from Television Centre to central London is not expected until 2012. The redeveloped Broadcasting House will also be occupied by the Arabic and World Service and other online, TV and radio operations, plus some administration departments.... http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,,2146420,00.html (via Daniel Say, BC, DXLD) ** U K [non]. BBC ATTEMPT AT STREET ART IN SAN DIEGO "ENDED UP IN THE TRASH BIN." "In July, oversized puzzle pieces – each in the shape of a different nation – began popping up seemingly at random around town, from Horton Plaza to Hillcrest to Coronado. They seemed mysterious until you got up close enough to see that the pieces bore the logo of the British Broadcasting Corp., and a Web site address: DemandBBC.com. The campaign, aimed at getting San Diegans to lobby cable companies to carry BBC World News, borrowed from guerrilla art in the way it sought to stir curiosity by sticking strange objects in familiar places. But it clearly was not trying too hard to convince locals this was a true street-art venture (one way other companies have stumbled badly in this realm)." http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20070812-9999-lz1a12taking.html San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 August 2007. Posted: 12 Aug 2007 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** U S A. Hi Glenn; I put the Press Release out about the antenna work we did, at http://www.wwcr.com/press_releases/insul2007/insul1.htm Also, I think I fixed the UT time mixup I had on your show timings, too. Cordially (Jerry Plummer, WWCR, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hmong programming on WHRI: see LAOS [non] ** U S A [and non]. He's Baaack! --- The K1MAN Bulletin was heard on 14275 kHz during the evening of August 12 and again on the morning on August 13, 2007. Current ARRL audio news was part of the bulletin, as was AR Newsline. No editorial content from K1MAN... yet. Also, no word from the DoJ as to when they plan to take Baxter to court to try to collect the $21,000 forfeiture imposed by the FCC last year (Brian Crow, http://www.ve7kfm.com http://www.ve7kfm.com/baxter Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Lots of new non-commercial stations soon? I read an article in the Sunday paper about the FCC opening a window between Oct. 12 - 19th, where you can submit your information and possibly get a full power FM license. This is the first I have heard about this. Here is a web page they gave about this http://www.getradio.org/ Might be lots of new stations soon and more local interference also (Craig, Denver, CO, Aug 13, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. WBT nighttime test of IBOC and call-in: DIGITAL BROADCASTING ** U S A. I've decided to do a 1 hour talk show Friday afternoon at 4 pm here on WABV, AM 1590. [2000 UT August 17] The stream will be up and running then. I'll have it up about 15 minutes before the show starts at 4 pm. You can find it by logging onto our website at http://www.wabv1590.com or just by coping and pasting the following link into Winamp, Real Player or iTunes(it won't work in an AOL browers) http://nyc04.egihosting.com:6230/listen.pls I WILL be taking listener phone calls at (864) 366-9228 (WABV) during the hour. If the content and guests/callers necessitate going more then an hour, that will be my judgment call. The station does have Caller ID, and will not only be logging all numbers but recording all phone calls. I welcome anyone who is seriously interested in discussing today's society, radio or whatever may be on their mind as long as they can be semi mature/adult about it. If you would rather not come on the air, you can also email me, the address is info @ wabv1590.com I have a few things planned to discuss Friday afternoon. I may re-air the show Sunday afternoon or sometime next week if anyone is interested. If you want to call and discuss IBOC, HDTV, or whatever.. I welcome hearing from you! -- Sincerely, (Paul B. Walker, Jr., http://www.walkerbroadcasting.com http://www.myspace.com/walkerbroadcasting Aug 15, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. DX update from northern Delaware: A very local TIS X-bander that I was not aware of: 11-Aug-07 // 2243 local // 1640 kHz // WQFL338 // 10 watts? // Wilmington, DE // Local TIS station that I have never heard before (apparently this station became active on 9-Aug-06): "This is WQFL338 Wilmington owned by the city of Wilmington and broadcasting messages 24 hours a day for the city at 1640 khz. AM." The below indicated website appears to list (see bottom of webpage) 3 tx sites for this TIS all at (I believe) 10 watts power: http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=RR&action=fcc&cs=WQFL338 // New. Let`s call it an amazing (!!) 7 or so mile catch. MP3 clip available here: http://www.21centimeter.com/21centimeter/Recordings/1640-khz_2243-Local_8-11-07_WQFL338_Wilmington_DE.mp3 Regards, (Peter Jernakoff- K3KMS Wilmington, Delaware http://www.21centimeter.com IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. WORZ-LP history (according to them, anyway) This is something I stumbled upon recently while checking up on this former Part 15 station that once operated on various frequencies as "WORC FM" (see my Florida Low Power Radio Stations page for the complete details). This is their version of the history of what morphed into the licensed WORZ-LP. Apologies in advance for blocking as one paragraph; just the way I format the FLPRS entries for visual purposes: From their URL at (with many grammar and typo corrections made): http://www.worz.us/wst_page2.html (August, 2007): Ocean Reef Public Radio is WORZ-LP 104.3 FM and the audio for Ocean Reef & Anglers Cable channels 5 & 77, North Key Largo, Florida. Ocean Reef Public Radio first went on the air November 16th, 1994 on the Ocean Reef Community Cable TV channel as the audio radio station WORC FM. we also aired on 104.5 FM under part 15 of the FCC rules. The station was only heard for the most part on the ORCA cable TV channel. In June of 1999 the Ocean Reef Club leased WORC FM, Inc. with the option to purchase. WORZ was also put on the club audio cable TV channel (channel 77) at that time. At that time WORZ gave an experimental radio station the right to re-air our station on the FM channel so we could be better heard at Ocean Reef. In May of 2001 the club notified WORC FM that they were not going to continue to lease the station and did not want to purchase that station. In June of 2001 Ocean Reef Public Radio was reformed to file for a FCC station license. That file was denied. In January of 2003 and new application was refiled with the FCC the same month with new owners and directors. On December 16th, 2004 WORZ-LP 104.3 FM Ocean Reef Public Radio, Inc. was issued a FCC Construction Permit to build a Low Power FM Radio station on 104.3 FM (Channel 282). On December 28 the Ocean Reef Public Radio notified the FCC that the station was built and applied for our FCC License To Cover FCC form 318. The License To Cover was granted on June 7th, 2004! WORZ-LP is a 501(c)(1) corporation. We depend on donations from our sponsors and others to operate. WORZ-LP 104.3 FM. Ocean Reef Public Radio, is owned by Frank Patterson, WORC FM, INC and other stockholders listed in our public file. Our public file can be seen at our studio location by appointment from October 15th to May 30th. All other times, a copy can be found at the Ocean Reef public library when open. Steven Laros - On Air & Sales 305-367-0097 (Closed May 1st to Sept. 30th) - Tom Schmaus - Sales (305) 367-0097 - John O'Donnell - Site Mgr. 305-367-0097 - Leo Ashcraft - FCC Engineer Station - Fax (305) 393-8364. It took ten long years to get this license. The station is run with the most up to date equipment of the industry. We are going to be HD Radio with in the next few years. RDS transmission will start later in 2007. We will be able to do a lot more than just giving you news and information! The web will air WORZ starting December 2007 for Members of Ocean Reef & Anglers Club Only. The fee for member sign up is $25.00 for the first year and $5.00 every year after. You will need to send a copy of your current Ocean Reef Club or Anglers club membership card to WORZ 104.3 FM 24 Dockside Lane PMB 438, North Key Largo, Florida, 33037. If you are listed in the ORCA directory than we can take a check and call you at home with your sign on ID and password. All supporters will get a sign on ID and password at the time of signing up for sponsorship! (via Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida USA 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W Visit my "Florida Low Power Radio Stations" at: http://home.earthlink.net/~tocobagadx/flortis.html or: http://www.geocities.com/geigertree/flortis.html DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. RE 7-094: 1610, Unidentified Digital Hash Station --- Glenn: I'm not hearing any digital hash on the other side of 1600 or 1620. With a bidirectional ferrite loop, I'm getting an approximate southeast (130 deg) / northwest (310 deg) bearing. When conditions are good to the southeast the digital hash picks up in signal strength. 73, (Mike Beu, KD5DSQ, Austin, Texas, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1679-1692, weird blob in this range, 2015-2045 11 August, 2007. Could not narrow down the center. Sounded something like the Iranian bubble jammers or (I forget what channel), one of the old Cuban medium wave jammers. Not heard the following day. Malfunctioning transmitter, somewhere? (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6059.90, from 0242-0334, August 13, mostly poor, seemed to be in Spanish, with EZL LA ballads. The program and frequency could fit R. Nacional de Argentina and noted choral singing after ToH till sign-off? About 0308 heard presumed R. Tupi (Brazil) with the usual wobbly/raspy voiced preacher going non-stop. Best in LSB to get away from RHC. It is fairly rare for me to hear anything other than RHC here, but being off frequency helped (Ron Howard, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I often notice the het on RHC 6060 around 0500/0600, assumed Brasil (gh, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ AOR AR7030 Glenn: Slight correction to your story on the AOR AR7030 entry in DXLD 7-096. It said .... ``The best country in which to buy an AOR. AR7030 is Great Britain, because your receiver will arrive direct from the factory and will be up-to-date. If you buy it in another country, your receiver comes from the AOR warehouse in Japan.`` Speaking for the USA anyway ... we (Universal Radio) get our AR7030+ units directly from AOR UK. And in fairly small batches, to insure the latest production. Regards, (Fred Osterman, Universal Radio, OH, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) SONY CAR SHORTWAVE I realize DXLD is rarely or never used for anything mercenary, but may I mention that the Sony Car Shortwave I reviewed favorably way back in DXLD 1-026 is presently up for sale by me on ebay if anyone wants it. So far no bids, so maybe a USA reader would like this non-US market Sony item. Search "Sony Car Shortwave" at ebay.com if interested by 8/17 early (Friday morning) GMT. Regards, (tom roche, atlanta, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) tom`s review is now found in the Feb 28, 2001 entry at http://www.w4uvh.net/rxtips.txt (gh) Re: DW on SHORTWAVE Dear Fellow DXers, A report like this is just more evidence of the shrinking international broadcasters using the frequencies that have been allocated to them. While there is little doubt that we may all hear DW or BBC clearer via the 200 or so NPR/PRI affiliates, the need for the traditional use of short-wave bands has been reduced by those sitting in walnut-lined, plush offices. These are the same government officials who have siphoned off funds from their respective international services and have sold out to the highest bidders. As a friend of mine phrases it, here quoted in part, "....now that we know what you really are, it's just a matter of price, right?" 73 to all (Larry Cohen, WA2TVN, ODXA yg via DXLD) I am sure that "the powers that be" at BBC and DW would state that more than 200 million North Americans choose not to own a shortwave radio, and statistics like that are what drove them to abandon SW to this part of the world. Nowadays, for the majority of Americans and Canadians -- who have access both to multimedia-capable PC's as well as broadband Internet access, their ignorance of international broadcasting is due to a lack of interest, vs. a lack of access to the requisite technology. Thankfully there are broadcasters such as Radio Netherlands and Radio Prague who maintain a shortwave presence in North America as well as a robust online presence. What amazes me is how useless SW radio manufacturers have been in this whole process since 2001, when the BBC bailed out of SW to North America. One would think these manufacturers would have been in the broadcasters' faces advocating the use of shortwave and showering them with statistics on shortwave listenership and radio purchases. This did not happen. Radio manufacturers stayed on the sidelines. I have a friend who works out of a home-based office and has the BBC World Service audio running most of the day. This person has no interest in learning how to navigate a shortwave radio, but knows perfectly well how to navigate the Internet. The technology changes have created new listeners while they have disenfranchised others (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) QUALCOMM MEDIAFLO o New Qualcomm experimental to operate in 698-704, 752-764 and 764- 776 MHz for MediaFlo testing and development. Fixed: San Diego, CA. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-275856A1.doc (CGC Communicator Aug 13 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) This is a very significant experimental grant, as it is for testing Qualcomm's MediaFLO system of direct audio broadcasting to mobile phones. It will be MP3 (128 kbps) quality with dozens of channels, similar to XM/Sirius. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the mobile phone will become the "radio" of the future, providing audio programming via a system like MediaFLO (or Crown Castle's Modeo), via stored MP3 files, or through internet access via WiMax, EVDO, etc. Apple's iPhone is just a glimpse at what the future holds, and one day will be considered as quaint and underpowered as we today consider those Apple II PCs from the late 1970s/early 1980s. If you're freaking out over IBOC/HD, relax. It's pre-ordained to fail for a lot of reasons. The biggest isn't even technical; it's because the general public doesn't give a flying f*** about HD radio and never will. Only DXers and radioheads care about standalone radios these days; almost everybody else wants a cool mobile phone. And those mobile phones are going to become muy coolamente over the next decade! Instead of a radio in your car (or home), you'll have a docking station for your mobile phone so you can listen to something like MediaFLO, internet radio, MP3 files, etc. In the future, finding a standalone radio --- HD or analog --- will be as challenging as finding a brand new typewriter is these days. I know a lot of experienced terrestrial broadcasting types would strongly disagree with me, but they need to keep in mind what can quickly happen to established, mature industries once new competing technologies reach a "tipping point" stage of development. I don't think the people at Kodak, Fuji, or Nikon believed in 1997 that almost 90% of the market for film-based photography would be wiped out by 2007, but that's exactly what happened (Nikon no longer makes film cameras, and Kodak stop manufacture of Kodachrome last year!). Once mobile phone technology hits a similar "tipping point," the impact on terrestrial broadcasting will be just as deep and far- reaching, IMO. So let's look at IBOC/HD as the last rites for AM/FM radio as we knew it. They are sending digital sidebands up into the ether, hoping the broadcasting gods will take pity on them and steer listeners back their way. . . . . . . . . . except it ain't gonna happen! ;-) (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19 http://topsecrettourism.com ABDX via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: GEORGIA; IRELAND; NETHERLANDS ++++++++++++++++++++ DTV TRANSITION COALITION Here is an interesting organization. They were started last February to educate the public about Feb 19, 2009. One link within their web site is the Association for Maximum Service Television (MASTV), which has made a strong stand against unlicensed devices using the TV spectrum. http://www.dtvtransition.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=18&Itemid=32 (Mike Glass, Indy, Aug 13, WTFDA via DXLD) FCC ANNOUNCES FINAL ASSIGNMENT OF DTV CHANNELS The FCC has released a new DTV Table which provides television stations across the country with their final channel assignments for broadcasting following the DTV transition on February 17, 2009. The new Table specifies channels for over 1,800 stations. The FCC also issued an Eighth Further Notice which proposes channels and station modifications for 13 stations (none in California) whose requests for modifications were received too late to be included in the new DTV Table. Overview: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-275789A1.doc Seventh R&O with Scattered Channel Tables: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-138A1.pdf Consolidated Channel Table: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-138A2.pdf List of 13 Stations for Later Consideration: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-07-138A3.pdf (CGC Communicator Aug 13 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ABOUT THE MISSING DTV CONVERTER BOXES The local Circuit City store in Port Charlotte, FL, has posted cards on DVD recorders and certain TV receivers stating that after February, 2009, this device will require a digital converter. I inquired where the converter boxes were and was told they hadn't come in yet. The FCC has forced retailers into posting the information signs so consumers wouldn't be caught off-guard after buying a new appliance and finding that it wouldn't work after the cut-off date. I'm wondering, what will some consumers who bought these things on extended warranty say when they can't receive the broadcasts? Caveat Emptor! Hal Kneller, Punta Gorda, FL -- hkneller (at) harris.com MORE ON THE MISSING DTV CONVERTER BOXES In response to Bill Pasternak's letter "So Where Are the Inexpensive DTV Converter Boxes?," Bill, you are a little early. The proposals would apply only to retailers that choose to participate in the converter box coupon program. The FCC list of retailers who will be participating will not be finalized until March 2008, but they will likely include dedicated consumer electronics stores and Internet- based stores. Don Milbury, w6yn (at) juno.com (CGC Communicator Aug 13 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) NIGHTTIME IBOC TEST FROM WBT 1100-1110-1120 CHARLOTTE NC ---------------------------- Original Message ------------------------ Subject: WBT Charlotte HD Experiment 8/14/2007 From: bwhite @ jpc.com Date: Mon, August 13, 2007 1:34 pm ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Tonight 1110 WBT Charlotte, NC will be on the air at 12:00 am E.T. (Tuesday 8/14/2007) testing our HD signal. If you have a way to pass this along to your fellow DXers to listen anywhere in North America. We're curious to see if the analog signal will still pick up as it skips through the night. Please have those email me billwhite @ wbt.com or our Chief Engineer jdowd @ lfm.com Thank You, Bill White, Director of Programming & News News/Talk 1110 WBT 1 Julian Price Place Charlotte, NC 28208 704-374-3576 (via Wayne Heinen, NRC via DXLD) I've been exchanging e-mails with WBT's Bill White. They were on their 5 kW backup transmitter a few minutes before the top of the hour (which would explain why I couldn't hear them as well). Now back to the full 50 and LOUD here in Rochester on the Sangean HDT-1 (12:05 AM [EDT]). No sign of any HD yet - either on the HDT-1, or as hash on KMOX/WTAM on the Sony 2010. s (Scott Fybush, 0405 UT Aug 14, IRCA via DXLD) Bill White's on the air now on WBT, doing a special live show about the test. Sounds like the hash just fired up over WTAM/KMOX. No sign of any digital signal here on the HDT-1 yet. (12:10 AM) s (Scott Fybush, 0410 UT, ABDX via DXLD) It's been a long day for me (drove from Fort Wayne to Rochester), and I'm calling it a night and leaving Total Recorder running for the next couple of hours just to see what happens with this one. A few observations before I go - I'm having no trouble at all hearing KMOX or WTAM on the 2010. I hear some hiss behind WTAM in wide mode on the 2010, but I can null it pretty well. If this is as bad as it gets when we have HD at night (and yes, I know it isn't!), it won't be the end of the world. Good heavens - they've got the chief engineer, Jerry Dowd, on the air from the transmitter site talking about spectral regrowth! Still no sign of any HD at all from WBT on the HDT-1, not even the call letters on the display. They're taking a phone call (12:26 AM) from Barry Thomas, the director of engineering for Lincoln Financial Media (ex-Jefferson-Pilot), who's listening in Atlanta and can't hear the HD audio either, though he's getting the data display. Oh - and they're mentioning that they may be switching back to night pattern soon, so if it hasn't been heard yet out west, it may not be tonight... s (Scott Fybush, Aug 14, IRCA via DXLD) Listening to the WBT IBOC Test now. Just heard "Jim" from West Virginia call in to discuss the impact on DX'ers. Can't imagine that kind of emotional response is going to win over many folks within the broadcasting industry. The host talked about "DX'ers" afterwards, and you could nearly hear the disdain in his voice. Keep in mind, folks, it's a business, and one that hasn't been very competitive with FM for years now. They'll latch on to any technology that they think might help their ratings. "HD Radio" sounds catchy, but so far, it hasn't really caught on. Truthfully, I can only barely detect some hiss on the LSB, but virtually nothing on USB. I could easily DX both channels on either side of WBT, but then again, they're not a local to me. They do boom in at S9 +20db at times, but even then, I can null them with a phaser, and could still DX. Of course, if KMOX was running IBOC, it might be a problem. That being said, I see no real benefit to IBOC for nighttime operation, and certainly nothing that will warrant the interference that it will cause. 73, (Les Rayburn, N1LF, Birmingham, AL 35216, 0450 Aug 14, ABDX via DXLD) If you are going to complain, do not say you are a DXer. Do not complain to the engineer; he has no power to do anything but run the station as he is told by the owner/GM. Complaints should be sent to the owner or GM. If you hold stock in one of the large groups, complain at the stockholders meeting. The best way to complain is to the station that is being interfered with. The FCC will not listen to one individual but they will listen to a station that says they are receiving interference. It`s way too late to stop IBAC. It`s going to happen because not enough people complained and told the FCC when they were asking for comments on 99-325. I begged and begged lots of you to comment. Back in the day, the most comments that were against IBAC were from ABDX when it had less than 75 members. The train has left the station. The time for complaining is over. Best thing you can do is get an HD radio if you are going to DX the MW or VHF BCB. Sorry, hate to say it, but thats about the size of it. That said, I still think it was funny as hell to hear Willis let the people at WBT hear what he was hearing. Its not that they don't know what they are doing at BT, its that someone let them see how destructive the implementation of IBAC is (Kevin Redding, AZ, IRCA via DXLD) I heard Willis call in and play 1120.I was laughing and cheering. GO WILLIS !! NO KMOX at all where he was.... just PSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! I could not get even a momentary bit of PAD data on WBT either in non DA or DA mode. If I were a bit east of Newberry I would have a gain, but where I live I get about 45K instead of 50. They put me on the air and conferenced me with Jerry Dowd. We had exchanged emails. WTAM was ultra super strong in Silverstreet, SC and not a trace of hiss --- MOST of the time. This actually bodes VERY badly for WBT's analog signal. When IBOC gets the night go ahead, WBT will lose a MAJOR part of their night groundwave service (Powell E Way, SC, Aug 14, ABDX via DXLD) I listened from 11:45 pm to 12:05 am Central last night using my ICF- 2010 and its internal loopstick. I was able to get a satisfactory null on KFAB, and the dominant station left was one playing 1980s stuff like the Motels, Alan Parsons Project, etc., without any announcements or spots between selections. Thanks to Bruce Winkelman's tip, I suspect I had XEWR. Bits and pieces of WBT surfaced during the period, including a clear reference to "WBT.com," phone numbers with a "704" area code, and Eastern time zone time checks. But WBT was a distant third to KFAB and XEWR while I listened. However, there was clear IBOC digihash adjacent to 1110, especially around 1112-1113. It peaked in the same direction as WBT, and was often more audible than WBT's analog on 1110! This was similar to the 2001 WLW-700 IBOC tests I heard while in California; the WLW primary was inaudible but the digihash made it out west without trouble. I can't figure out the rationale for WBT-AM going HD/IBOC. It's a talk station, so the audio improvement point is largely irrelevant. WBT-AM is also simulcast on WBT-FM, so a "HD quality" version of WBT's programming is already available to its intended audience. And the conversion to HD will cost WBT-AM its one advantage over WBT-FM, namely a wider coverage area, especially at night. Broadcasters who place blind faith in the ability of HD radio to solve all that ails terrestrial radio remind me of cancer patients who believe a regimen of vitamins, herbs, and powdered apricot pits will cure them --- there's some very irrational, magical thinking going on, and it indicates how easily desperation can overwhelm logic. ---------- (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19, ibid.) WBT was very strong here in Pennsylvania last night. Watching the overnight recordings I made on the SDR-IQ receiver, the IBOC noise on especially the upper, but also the lower sidebands were very evident when I checked the recording at 1am EDT. The visible spectrum display showed 1100 WTAM Cleveland overpowering WBT's IBOC at times, but with nothing strong on 1120 that was mostly hiss (Brett Saylor, ibid.) I would also suggest that complaining on air DOES serve a useful purpose. It makes all the listeners of that station aware of the problem. One of the reasons IBOC has gotten as far as it has is that most people are completely unaware of what it does to surrounding stations. If half the people in the country knew about the interference there would have been a lot more complaints to the FCC. Not that I expect it would have made any difference. The FCC seemed determined to approve IBOC without regard to the damage it does to surrounding channels (Jay Heyl, FL, ABDX via DXLD) I suspect the truth lies somewhere between this belief and the idea that many broadcasters have that skywave service is of no use whatsoever. For local listeners to WBT's AM signal, IBOC won't change anything. Nobody's listening to 1100 or 1120 in metro Charlotte, any more than they're listening to 1170 or 1190 here in Rochester. None of the non- radio people I know around here listen to ANY out-of-town AM signals at night, and few of them even listen to in-town AM signals at night. So all the awareness in the world isn't going to make them one bit more concerned about AM IBOC than they already aren't. Given that most of WBT's nighttime programming consists of syndicated talkers (Boortz and Noory), it's probably not getting very much of an audience outside metro Charlotte these days, either. At the same time, last night's show also made it abundantly clear that there IS still at least some audience outside the local area that's still using the skywave signal for entertainment (as opposed to using it just for DX, without regard to content.) There were a bunch of truckers calling in, giving the lie to the idea that they've ALL gone over to XM and Sirius (though many no doubt have). When KMOX dropped the Cards, and WCCO the Twins, we know there were complaints from skywave listeners who lost access to those teams' broadcasts. So there's a niche audience there that still derives a useful service, and it's true that many of the people in that niche audience (I'm thinking of the overnight callers we used to get on WBZ, from far outside the Boston area) aren't yet aware of what might be about to hit them. How big is that audience? Again, probably bigger than most broadcasters think, and far smaller than most DXers believe. How badly will they be affected? We don't know yet. There was a pretty wide spectrum of interference, or lack thereof, last night. If I'd been listening to WTAM or KMOX for enjoyment, I don't think I'd even have noticed the hiss. That was clearly not the case in other areas. Will that audience understand what Willis and Powell were talking about when they called in? I doubt it. WBT's show last night wasn't great radio, and wasn't meant to be - it was basically just a way to keep the needles moving on the transmitters while the engineers did their thing. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) If the audience didn't understand the hash on 1120, or, more accurately, what it would mean to overall radio reception, then they are clearly beyond reach. Most entertaining thing I've heard on radio in years. I guess it's all a matter of perception. Interesting that while testing almost exclusively for the impact on local listeners they put on a show only a DXer could love. THAT, Alanis, is ironic. Excuse me while I fish this fly out of my chardonnay (Jay Heyl, ibid.) Does anyone know if WBT-FM carried a simulcast of that programming, as they normally do with WBT-AM? If so, I suspect they had some very confused listeners on the FM side. . . . Chardonnay??? Quit being such a Pink Boy and get yourself a righteous Merlot (Harry Helms, ibid.) Nothing wrong with a good Chardonnay. At least it's not that pink stuff. I'm actually much more a Cabernet man. And lest anyone be confused, I was making fun of Alanis Morissette's song, "Isn't It Ironic", in which she sings about several things which are not remotely ironic. Rain on your wedding day is unfortunate. Rain on the weatherman's wedding day is ironic. Of course, a song about irony that contains absolutely no irony is kind of ironic. I wish I could think she was that clever. A "black fly in your Chardonnay" is one of the not-so-ironic things in the song (Jay Heyl, ibid.) Scott, I didn't get to try for it because I was still at work, but now you get to see what Harry and I were talking about when we had hash from the early WOR/WLW tests. You can hear the hash a long way out, a lot further than you can even hear the analog signal (Kevin Redding, AZ, ibid.) That may well be --- but I won't know that one way or another *here*, where WBT is damn close to being a local at night, until someone like KSL or KFI fires up HD on a night test like this. I would have been much more surprised, from my end, NOT to have heard the WBT hash. If you trust Barry McLarnon's calculations (and I do), WBT's IBOC carriers would have been running at about 1300 watts, and we know from all those "don't-call-them-cheaters" situations that a signal of that power on an otherwise clear channel can be heard under (and sometimes over) the 50 kW occupant of that channel. What really surprised me from last night was how LITTLE the HD carriers interfered with analog reception of KMOX and WTAM at my location. That obviously was not the case in other areas, some as close to me as central PA. It's too bad there haven't been more reports from last night, especially from way out west. It would have been very interesting to see how far out the carriers made it. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ABDX via DXLD) I listened after about 1 AM ET to the test, and later heard them switch between DA and NDA. Interesting that there was a minimal difference in signal strength between the two. I would have thought that the DA would have been hotter here. Anyway, here is a copy of the report I sent to WBT: Hi Bill, I am the Chief Engineer at WNTP and WFIL in Philadelphia and was listening to your IBOC tests tonight. I didn't get your CE's name during the test, and didn't get a chance to call, so I figured I write to you and let you know how things sounded here. Firstly, I have to admit that I was surprised that there was so little difference in signal strength between your NDA and DA patterns. Judging by your night pattern, I anticipated that there would probably be a 3-5 dB difference (with the DA being stronger up here, of course); but I could barely notice a change on my FIM-41 field strength meter between NDA and DA. The same held true on an Icom R-75 receiver. By the way, your field strength during the tests averaged about 1.5 to 1.8 mV/m on my FIM-41. Secondly, concerning the audio, even on an analog receiver, the IBOC improved audio quality from your earlier standard analog broadcasting. This also surprised me given the limited 6 kHz analog audio bandwidth of an IBOC enabled station. There was, of course, the proverbial sideband "hash" that AM IBOC creates, which pretty much obliterated KMOX 1120 here. 1100 in Cleveland, however, was rock solid with no hint of the IBOC splatter. It was difficult to pull in the HD signal on my Boston Acoustics HD Receptor radio, but I would expect that with the skywave. A few times it popped in, but usually stayed on analog. The same held true with the JVC HD radio in my car. I've noticed that even on local IBOC stations (KYW, WPHT, WIP, etc.), when you get to a point where the signal is below about 2 mV/m, HD-enabled radios tend to drop back to analog. Hope you do well with the new system. That 3DX50 should serve you well. Best wishes, Rene F. Tetro, Lansdale, PA, USA W2FIL, WPXG816, WPXU288 Coordinates: 40D12'41"N 75D18'22"W Grid: FN20IF Email: rtetro @ pobox. com Moderator: http://www.radioveronica.us and http://www.dxhub.com (Tetro, dxhug yg viad DXLD) I also listened briefly before hitting the sack. The IBOC noise was bothering KMOX, which had similar signal strength to WBT - it was very unpleasant to listen to. WTAM, OTOH, had a barely noticeable hiss under them, but their analog signal was at least 20 dB stronger than WBT. Re "as bad as it gets"... from the standpoint of DXing, of course, reception of behemoths like KMOX and WTAM in the northeast is irrelevant. What you would more likely be doing is nulling those stations to get something weak underneath them, and that's when you'll run into that digital brick wall. Constant hissssssssssssssssss, and weak signal reception is history (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, NRC-AM via DXLD) My reception of WBT's IBOC test last night pretty much followed Barry's experience. One thing to note about the impact of IBOC on analog reception is that a station's IBOC "hiss" is present on only one sideband of the adjacent channels' signals. I never really understood this until I saw it in the spectral display of a strong IBOC station on the SDR-IQ receiver: http://www.radiodxing.com/images/760_WJR_IBOC.png In this picture (from about 8pm EDT this past April), you can see WJR 760's IBOC digital signal on the upper side of 770 and the lower side of 750. If I tuned to 770 LSB, I wouldn't hear any of the digital noise (same with the upper side of 750). Of course, this is moot when there are IBOC signals on 780 and 740. But I found it enlightening that I could tune the appropriate sideband on an adjacent channel and not hear the noise. You also can see WHAS 840's IBOC noise in the picture, albeit at a lower level. I thought this was interesting, anyway (Brett Saylor, Central PA, ibid.) Brett, In reality that is true, but in the real world it doesn't always work that way. For instance; in the case of KEX-1190, true the IBOC hash is the upper side of 1200 and the lower side on 1180, but still the hash splatters over to the lower side of 1200 and the upper side on 1180 a certain amount. At least on an analog receiver, like an R8. On the SDR-IQ, do you hear any hash on the upper side/lower side of a strong IBOC signal? Are the skirts that sharp to cut it our completely? If that is the case, then I guess we can buy a new computer receiver (Patrick Martin, OR, ibid.) The asymmetry in the sidebands exists, although sometimes within primary coverage area it's difficult to tell, but I've observed it here. With DX stations, the effect becomes more pronounced the further you are from it. That said, however, there is wide variation from station to station, depending on pattern, power, transmitter, etc. (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.) And skywave can distort all kinds of how equal the sidebands are. If the station's ATU and if DA, the phasor if not correctly engineered can cause a whole bunch of "spectral regrowth"! (Powell E Way, ibid.) Call them? Why not? Your influence counts. Use it. TeamBLOC is a handful of coercive greedy-gut monopolists. They coerce broadcasters to install jammers. They pose uncomfortable looking car salesmen with HD radios to 'prove' citizens 'demand' HD. Yeah. Right. Here's the juice: Older consumers don't want it. Younger ones laugh at it. Manufacturers dislike it. Retailers can't sell it. Broadcasters, coerced into installing it, are turning it off. Forget what they say. They post to mislead. Watch what they do. They jam. And lie. Why this absurd 'bend over to get along' strategy? We're radiomen. Others are allowed their disconnects. We aren't. Why disconnect our natural reflex to remark the obvious - TeamBLOC's jamming and lying - from taking action? Why fear losers who sell a crummy, obsolete, destructive system with lies, denials, evasions, and coercion? Have we looked, but not seen? How can one not see the frailty beneath their bluster? This week's Radio World features a sawed-off braggart who fatuously declares he'll start 'Armageddon' by starting HD night ops. See under, "Cody Jarret - Top o' the World, Ma!" Others express grave reservations. An engineering exec from Cox, to his great credit, states he's shut off several AM HDs, due to interference complaints from listeners. Please re-read that last line. Now do you see why some, in sly manner, encourage us never to complain and only be 'nice' to HD predatorkasters? Our influence counts. Cox took note of our influence, and shut off several HDs. Our influence counts. Let's use it (Paul Vincent Zecchino, pvz mk fl 14 1517Z AUG 07 NRC-AM via DXLD) At the risk of repeating myself, here goes... There is no point in beefing about IBOC to the stations who are running it (unless they happen to be experiencing interference from another IBOC station, or degrading their own signal with digital self-interference). Complaints should always go to the station being interfered with, and it is then up to them to decide whether to take any action. Obviously, your complaint will carry more weight if you're in a market area that the station likely considers to be important (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON, ibid.) EXTENDED IBOC: MEXICO SAYS NOT SO FAST Mexico wants the FCC to re-think its decision to allow AMs to use IBOC at night and FMs to operate with extended hybrid digital carriers. This story is at the first URL below. Thanks to a sharp eyed Communicator reader, a copy of Mexico's formal objection is posted at the second URL. (Once on that page, do a "find" on "JUL 25 2007" (without the quotation marks) to go directly to the objection.) The third URL features a related story from Radio World. http://www.radioworld.com/pages/s.0121/t.7715.html http://www.wrathofkahn.org/ http://www.radioworld.com/pages/s.0121/t.7716.html (CGC Communicator Aug 13 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ IF CLEAR CHANNEL OWNED WWV http://www.lownoiserecords.com/wwv_the_tick.html Glenn, I thought you might get a kick out of this. 73, (Dave White, W4UVH, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ ARNIE CORO’S HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Question number two: Came from Sweden, where listener Bjorn is picking up our 11760 kilohertz transmissions just after midnight his local time. Olaf wants to know why it is possible to pick up Tropical Band stations from Latin America at his QTH near Malmo, Sweden, with such good signals, and he mentions picking up Radio Rebelde on 5025 kilohertz very clearly after the station installed its new transmitter and antenna. Well amigo Bjorn, Tropical Band signals will continue to propagate better and better as solar activity continues to move down towards the end of solar cycle 23. When solar flux figures between 70 and 80 units prevail for many days, ionospheric absorption is at a minimum and that will certainly help signals below 5 or 6 megaHertz propagate much better. Another important factor regarding low frequency propagation is the connection between geomagnetic latitude and signal attenuation, something that has puzzled scientists for many years. So, now the bad news for you up North, is that the expected increase in solar activity will certainly spoil your reception of Tropical Band stations as soon as the solar flux figure moves to a monthly average of more than 100 units amigo !!! When old man Sol comes back into high activity, ionospheric absorption will increase and Tropical Band signals will not propagate so well during solar maximum years. And now amigos, as always at the end of the program, here is Arnie Coro’s HF plus low band VHF propagation update and forecast, Solar flux is moving at extremely low levels, the sunspot count on Tuesday was ZERO, and the solar flux barely reaching 68 units, the Sun is spotless at this moment. I expect that this very low solar activity will continue right trough the present solar rotation. Sporadic E events are still probable during the next 10 days, so be on the lookout for this unique propagation mode that sends the maximum useable frequency curve shooting up even as high as 150 megahertz at times!! (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Aug 13, HCDX via DXLD) Geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to major storm levels during 06 - 07 August. Activity decreased to quiet to unsettled levels during 08 - 09 August. Activity increased to quiet to active levels during 10 - 12 August with minor storm periods observed at some high latitude stations. ACE solar wind data indicated the 06 - 07 August activity was due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. The high-speed stream commenced on 06 August and eventually reached a peak velocity of 661 km/sec at 07/1320 UTC. The density increase associated with the onset of the high-speed stream reached a peak of 28 p/cc at 06/1343 UTC while IMF Bt increased to a maximum of 19 nT at 06/3332 UTC and IMF Bz decreased to a minimum of -14 nT at 06/2308 UTC. ACE data indicated the 10 - 12 August disturbance was also due to a recurrent high-speed stream. This stream commenced on 10 August and reached a peak velocity of 593 km/sec at 10/2129 UTC. The density increase associated with the onset of the high-speed stream reached a peak of 24 p/cc at 10/1248 UTC while IMF Bt increased to a maximum of 16 nT at 10/1345 UTC and IMF Bz decreased to a minimum of -11 nT at 10/1339 UTC. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 15 AUGUST - 10 SEPT 2007 Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels during 18 - 19 August and 28 August - 10 September. The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet levels on 15 August. A recurrent coronal high-speed stream is expected to disturb the field during 16 - 17 August with unsettled to active levels expected. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected during 18 - 24 August. Another recurrent high-speed stream is expected to disturb the field during 25 - 28 August with unsettled to active conditions expected. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet to unsettled levels during 29 August - 02 September. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled to minor storm levels on 03 September due to a recurrent coronal hole high- speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet to unsettled levels during 04 - 05 September. Unsettled to active conditions are expected during 06 - 07 September as another recurrent high-speed stream disturbs the field. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels for the rest of the period. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2007 Aug 14 1953 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # Product description and SEC contact on the Web # http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2007 Aug 14 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2007 Aug 15 70 5 2 2007 Aug 16 65 15 4 2007 Aug 17 65 15 4 2007 Aug 18 65 5 2 2007 Aug 19 65 5 2 2007 Aug 20 70 5 2 2007 Aug 21 70 5 2 2007 Aug 22 70 10 3 2007 Aug 23 70 8 3 2007 Aug 24 70 5 2 2007 Aug 25 70 15 4 2007 Aug 26 70 10 3 2007 Aug 27 70 8 3 2007 Aug 28 70 15 4 2007 Aug 29 70 5 2 2007 Aug 30 70 5 2 2007 Aug 31 70 5 2 2007 Sep 01 70 5 2 2007 Sep 02 70 10 3 2007 Sep 03 70 20 5 2007 Sep 04 70 10 3 2007 Sep 05 70 5 2 2007 Sep 06 70 15 4 2007 Sep 07 70 15 4 2007 Sep 08 70 5 2 2007 Sep 09 70 5 2 2007 Sep 10 70 5 2 (http://www.sec.noaa.gov/radio via DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ RELIGION BEAT BECAME A TEST OF FAITH --- A REPORTER LOOKS AT HOW THE STORIES HE COVERED AFFECTED HIM AND HIS SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. By William Lobdell, Times Staff Writer July 21, 2007 WHEN Times editors assigned me to the religion beat, I believed God had answered my prayers. As a serious Christian, I had cringed at some of the coverage in the mainstream media. Faith frequently was treated like a circus, even a freak show. I wanted to report objectively and respectfully about how belief shapes people's lives. Along the way, I believed, my own faith would grow deeper and sturdier. But during the eight years I covered religion, something very different happened. . . http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-lostfaith21jul21,0,3530015,full.story?coll=la-home-center (via DXLD) includes Catholic sexual abuse; Crouch lavish lifestyle ###