DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-027, February 28, 2008 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 2008 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 1397 Thu 0630 WRMI 9955 Thu 1530 WRMI 7385 Thu 2300 WRMI 9955 Fri 0030 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0900 WRMI 9955 Fri 2130 WWCR1 15825 Fri 2330 WBCQ 5110-CUSB Sat 0900 WRMI 9955 Sat 1730 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Sun 1615 WRMI 7385 Mon 0400 WBCQ 9330-CLSB [irregular] Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Tue 1630 WRMI 7385 Wed 1230 WRMI 9955 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: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org ** ALBANIA. Ergebnisse des Jubiläumskontestes des Radio Tirana Hörerklubs --- Die Ergebnisse des Jubiläumskontestes des Radio Tirana Hörerklubs sind unterwegs an die Teilnehmer... Im Mitgliederrundbrief Nr. 35 können sie auch über die Web Site (pdf herunterladen) nachgelesen werden. http://www.agdx.de/rthk/ Dort sind auch zu sehen: das entsprechende Diplom und die Sonder-QSL. Ebenso dort in den Fotogalerien (Unter "Über Albanien") viele Fotos aus dem Land. Viel Spaß, (Anton J. Kuchelmeister, Germany, Feb 28, A- DX via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) Viz.: SOME RESULTS OF THE JUBILEE CONTEST OF GERMAN RADIO TIRANA LISTENER CLUB, MUNICH, GERMANY. winner on page 11; unravel the mystery on page 10 http://www.agdx.de/rthk/Rundbrief-35.pdf 5 years diplome http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/diplom_5_jahre.html 10 years diplome http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/diplom_10_jahre.html 15 years diplome http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/diplom_15_jahre.html some QSLs http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/sonderqsl_5_jahre.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/sonderqsl_10_jahre.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/sonderqsl_15_jahre.html RT German service http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/redaktion.html QSL http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/volksmusikinstrumente.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/farbqsl-serie_a.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/farbqsl-serie_b.html photos http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/tirana.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/flughafen_tirana.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/shkodra.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/saranda.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/albanische_riviera.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/ohrid_see.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/korca.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/berat.html http://www.agdx.de/rthk/html/gjirokastra.html regards de Wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALGERIA. 666 kHz, R. Algérienne, Tindouf, 1945-2020, 15 Feb, French, news, English 2000, weather report 2015; 32441, QRM de Portugal local. 702, R. Algérienne, Laghouat, daytime log, 1316-1345, 24 Feb, local program, Arabic, talks; 15342 but noiser at recheck at 1445. 1422, R. Algérienne, Ouled Fayet, also daytime log, 1319-1347, 24 Feb, Arabic songs; 15341 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tindouf = same town as Polisario 700/1550/6300; see WESTERN SAHARA [non] (gh, DXLD) ** ANGUILLA [and non]. $5 MILLION FUNDRAISER FOR CARIBBEAN BEACON On Sunday February 17, Pastor Melissa Scott conducted her morning church service via a live remote from the island of Anguilla, where she visited her Caribbean Beacon. At the time, she did not disclose where she was, nor what she was doing. During a live "festival" last Sunday night, Pastor Scott revealed the details of her trip. After 9 years of operation, the Caribbean Beacon has fallen into a state of disrepair. Evidently, there had been a small fire at the broadcast facility about 3 months ago. She wants to make the Caribbean Beacon to be the crown jewel of her shortwave empire. In fact, she said she might close some or all of her other stations (I think she was talking about Costa Rica). She wants to bring the Caribbean Beacon up to date, including the FM transmitter. Not surprisingly, she has started a $5 million fundraiser called "Secret 2" to upgrade the Caribbean Beacon. The fundraiser will conclude on August 14th. A viewer on the internet recorded her festival, and has it available for download at: http://www.filefactory.com/file/b46a03/ (Chaz Lambrusco, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 10/15m ham logs: see PROPAGATION ** ASIA [non]. QSL report: Station: - Radio Free Asia. Date: - 26-01- 2008. Frequency: - 7470 kHz. (IBB Kuwait). Time: - 1500-1530 UT. Language: - Tibetan. Description: - Lunar New Year. Year of the Rat Stamp Design 2008 US Postal Services. This card commemorates 2008 as the Year of the Rat according to Chinese Zodiac. This QSL is issued for all confirmed reception reports from January to March 2008. Please continue to send your reception reports to us via our Internet link at http://www.techweb.rfa.org or by email to qsl @ rfa.org Receiver: - Grundig YB 400. Antenna: - Long Wire. Location: - 26N07 85E23. Regards & 73’s (Mukesh Kumar, THE COSMOS CLUB, MISCOT-3, R-8, RAMNA, MUZAFFARPUR – 842002, BIHAR, INDIA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. BARRY SEEBER (EX-RADIO AUSTRALIA) R.I.P. --- We are sorry to have to pass on this message from Mike Bird in Australia: “I am writing because I have just heard that my good friend and former colleague at Radio Australia, Barry Seeber, passed away earlier today after a 4 year battle with cancer. He was 65 years old. I produced Barry in the mid 1980s when he was the presenter of RA’s DX and communications programme “Talkback”. He retired from RA in 1997. “Barry was one of the best broadcasters I ever worked with. His professionalism and his beautiful voice were legendary. He was also one of the most considerate and caring people I have ever had the honour to meet and become friends with. “I last met Barry in December 2007 when Sandy and I visited him in his home in Coffs Harbour in northern New South Wales. He was very sick but he was still able to give us a smile. I know there are many people around the world who will remember his name and his voice and will be saddened to hear this news.” Andy Sennitt adds: Media Network joins Mike in offering condolences to Barry’s sister Glenda and his brother Ray, who both nursed and looked after him through his illness. Thanks to Dave Onley for forwarding the photo. http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/barry-seeber-ex-radio-australia-rip (February 28th, 2008 - 12:20 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD) OBIT ** BELARUS [non]. Radio Racja left mediumwave, too --- Sorry for the live coverage of my research in progress, but only now I discovered that Polska AM offers its news in English, too, and here I spotted that Radio Racja has meanwhile cancelled the mediumwave transmissions from Lithuania as well, leaving only 5815 (as of tomorrow 7565 instead) on air. See under 18.02.2008 (and, re. them abandoning Leszczynka, under 23.01.2008) at http://www.polskaam.republika.pl/english.htm These developments are no complete surprise: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/changes-likely-in-polish-broadcasts-to-belarus But still such quick and drastic cuts were not necessarily to be expected (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also IRAN; LITHUANIA; POLAND ** BENIN. 1566, TWR, Parakou, /1658-1722, 23 Feb, loop ID "you are tuned to the international voice of TWR", songs, vernacular talks; 35443, then much better. 5025, ORTB, Parakou, is still being detected (i.e. the carrier) in the middle of the day (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4699, R. San Miguel, Riberalta, 02/27, Spanish, 0932-0943, female and male talks with local pop music, 0937 male "escucha R. San Miguel con noticias, reportajes..., news and announcements by M. It's the first time I catch it by morning, strong CODAR QRM, 32332 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, (23 39 S, 46 52 W), Sony ICF SW40 dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4699.4, R. San Miguel, Riberalta, 0102-0115, 23 Feb, Cast. [Spanish], advertisements, IDs, song program seemingly called "Aire de Nuestra Gente"; 33332, CODAR QRM. 4716.6, R. Yura, Yura, 0100-0111, 23 Feb, Quechua, Indian songs; 24332 4865, R. Logos via R. Centenario, Stª Cruz de la Sierra, 0039-0052, 23 Feb, Cast., religious program; 343422 [sic], QRM de Brasil (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4985, R. Brasil Central, Goiânia GO, 2232-2247, 23 Feb, music program "Brasil Central - Sucessos!"; 55333. 5035, R. Aparecida, Aparecida SP, 2220-2235, 23 Feb, music, end of program at 2230, ID, religious after that; 34332. 5045, Guarujá FM, Presidente Prudente SP, 2213-2230, 23 Feb, advertisements, phone-ins for music requests; 24331, adjacent utility QRM, better on LSB (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Carlos` full report, including more Brazilians, in dxld yg ** BRAZIL. A Rádio Clube PR [Paranaense] está no ar novamente em 6040 kHz ondas curtas de 49m, com áudio muito bom,claro e cristalino. Aprecio sua programação agora em cadeia com a Eldorado SP, emissora eminentemente noticiosa. Como "batenteio" à noite, durante o dia fico sintonizado nela, menos no horário de futebol. Antes era B2 a rádio gol do Brasil ou então havia a vinheta B-DOOIIS que também era bem chamativo, não resta dúvida. Como tudo na vida muda, acredito que o fez para melhor, com o CONTEÚDO MAIS INTELIGENTE DO RÁDIO. Valeu. Esperemos que as ondas curtas não sejam relegadas ao nada, como o foi em 31m e 25m da Clube. Mudanças, mudanças. Para alguns, toda mudança causa impacto,mas elas se amoldam. É o que há. 73 a todos (Luiz Chaine Neto, LIMEIRA -SP-, 28/2/2008, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) I wonder how it holds up against all the overseas QRM on 6040? (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. Re: "Radio World" article on VOA-Delano [see U S A] Similar effect to driving on the TCH [Trans-Canada Highway, now thankfully 4 lane divided] from Nova Scotia into New Brunswick at 120 km/h [posted speed limit is 110] and seeing the impressive RCI site to your right. These days, RCI stands more for Radio China International than Radio Canada International, given the amount of programming broadcast out of Sackville NB. http://www.hawkins.pair.com/rci1.shtml (Phil Rafuse, PEI, ABDX via DXLD) Lots of photos, other info (gh) ** CHAD. 4905, RD. Nationale Tchadienne, Grevia, /1600-1651, 23 Feb, Vernacular, news, tribal songs; 35444 and improving of course. 7120 RD. Nationale Tchadienne (?), Grevia, 1309-1350, 24 Feb, vernacular (tentative), talks; 15431, sporadic amateur QRM (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think /1600 as above means sign-on, where we would just use an asterisk (gh, DXLD) ** CHAD. I saw some newswire last week indicating that the national radio station in Chad was looted during the recent unrest there and that they were now operating out of a temporary facility. Al Jazeera English ran a story today confirming it and showing some pictures of the devastation. The fire damaged material is, of course, irreplaceable. But I would offer phone cards as a reward for any tapes/discs which are returned to the station - a kind of historic amnesty, since the tapes and discs are useless to most people. This report says it would cost US 6 million dollars to rebuild the station - now that's where I disagree. Use the opportunity to rethink the current way of working! Posted by Jonathan Marks at 2/25/2008 09:20:00 (Critical Distance blog via DXLD) ** CHINA. Saludos cordiales, hoy 27 de febrero se observa a las 1850 una jemmer china con emisión de música “firedrake dragon” en la frecuencia de 10250 kHz, con la intención de atorar a Xi Wang Zhi Sheng SOH vía Taiwán; a las 1900 UT cesa emisión jamer. Sin embargo chequeo a las 1908 y observo reactivada la emisión jammer (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. Often all I hear on 9930 after 1400 is Firedrake, jamming Sound of Hope via KWHR, but Feb 28 at 1412, SOH was axually audible in Chinese well atop the FD music. Also checked 9930 a few minutes before 1400, and KWHR was in Korean with no jamming. The K- index was elevated, greatly attenuating higher-latitude paths to the east on higher bands, but Pacific below 10 MHz was in well, e.g. also R. Australia (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 5000, BPM time station, full-data QSL card in about two months for an English report and $1, v/s Jie Shuhong. Address: NTSC, P. O. Box 18, Lintong, Shaanxi, China. email: kyc - at - ntsc.ac.cn (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 5060, Xinjiang PBS, full-data paper QSL card with red station stamp, plus form letter giving brief history and frequencies with more detailed frequency/program chart on the back (everything entirely in Chinese), in 6 weeks for an English/Chinese report, CD, $1, and mint stamps (not used). Thought it interesting that the official stamp on the QSL has both Chinese and Arabic script (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) harmonics: see PROPAGATION ** COSTA RICA. Nota curiosa de la Onda Corta, 5955 kHz, Brazil ¿NUEVA MELODÍA DE INTERVALO? (Ja, ja, ja... o ¿se durmió el operador de radio?), 2243 UT, 28 feb. 08; Radio Gazeta, São Paulo BRAZIL, según PtWBR 2008. SINPO: 34433. Estaban transmitiendo la canción en español "Rayando el sol... es más fácil llegar al sol que a tu corazón..." terminaba, había una pausa de unos segundos y se repetía la melodía(!!!) A las 2300 no hubo identificación, pero volvía la misma melodía que fue interrumpida por otra canción del mismo cantante; después ya continuó otra melodía pop en inglés. Buenos DX's!!! (MAGDIEL CRUZ RODRÍGUEZ, ICF-SW7600, Antena de hilo 15 mts., JIUTEPEC, MORELOS (A 80 km al sur de la Cd. de México), DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos Magdiel, Esto no debe ser Brasil, sino la prueba del transmisor marca ELCOR en Guápiles, Costa Rica, en realidad por los 5954.1, en el aire casi todos los días entre las 2230 y 2330 más o menos, solo con tal música. Ya lo discutimos en DX Listening Digest desde hace algunos meses. Les sugiero consultar DXLD en vez de libros atrasados como PWBR. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ham: see PROPAGATION ** DUCIE ISLAND. VP6DX expedition scheduled to leave on Thursday, February 28 at 2000 UT; see: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/02/26/100/?nc=1 I was hearing them well here on 75/80 meters in my local morning (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. HCJB has some more DRM tests coming up, March 5 thru 8: 0100-0400 on 9730-9735-9740 and 1400-2100 on 15270-15275-15280, 4 kW to C & E USA; must be for the SWL Winter Fest demos. What other stations will participate? (Glenn Hauser, Feb 28, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi all, Just want to give you a heads up. HCJB will be doing a DRM transmission to NA from March 5th through the 8th in support of the SWL Fest in Pennsylvania. I will post details later this week or early next week. By the way, I can attest to the fact that South America is a worse DRM receiving region than NA at the moment. About the only thing I can get here in Ecuador is the TDP broadcast on a good night. But hopefully that will change some day. HCJB has recently added a Portuguese release to Brazil which several of you already know about. We have also just added an hour to our transmission to Europe on 15275. So we are trying to do our part. Unfortunately we don't have an English Language Service anymore here so it is pretty hard to do an English transmission (Doug Weber, HC7AW, HCJB, Feb 25, drmnayg via DXLD) How about a 100 Watt DRM 26 MHz signal playing nice South American music from Quito - that would be a nice DRM DX challenge :-) Or 100 W in one of the tropical bands.... Cheers, (Chris Mackerell, P.O. Box 2241, Wellington 6140, New Zealand, ibid.) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 5005, RNGE, "R. Bata", Bata, 1717-..., 23 Feb, vernacular (tentatively), African pops; weak signal with a dreadful & feeble audio; 25442; not parallel to 6250. 6250, RNGE, "R. Malabo", Malabo, 1603-1736, 23 Feb, Castilian, rerport on football African Cup in the RSA, ID, vernacular 1711; 35443, later covered by EGYPT, and again good at 2255. 6250 R. Malabo, 1303-1407, 24 Feb, Castilian, sermon, African music; 15341 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ESTONIA. 4645, 2120, 23/2, Tallin Airport, Volmet "This is Tallin Airport", good (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, Icom R72, Perseus, SDR-14, Loop Wellbrook LFL 1010, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. USA: Tensae Radio. Following up on my earlier report of their shortwave transmissions ended, their website also seems to be closed now, too. I have been trying http://tensae.net for a week, but it is not working (Hans Johnson, Feb 27, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** EUROPE. Re 8-026, Euronet, ``Radio Sweden withdrew from international broadcasting`` ? How come I still hear R. Sweden in English to North America? Maybe cat out of bag about future plans to can English too by April? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The RNW item has been edited and no longer claims that "Radio Sweden withdrew from international broadcasting", instead this sentence now simply reads "And the Scandinavian countries were originally part of the group, but they are no longer represented." Now I'm even more curious about the origin of the wrong info re. Radio Sweden. For those who understand German: Heise Verlag, which publishes IT- related material, ran a DPA story about this although they otherwise do not care for broadcasting. Their website is the only place where I saw this DPA item so far, and the readers comments are, well, not really enthusiastic about this venture: http://www.heise.de/newsticker/meldung/104092 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, I've asked Rob (who wrote the piece) to take it out. I was busy with other current affairs stuff yesterday and I didn't have time to check what everybody else was writing :-( But the official EU press release is also riddled with errors, which are now being repeated by hundreds of newspapers and websites. Not a good start :-( 73, (Andy Sennitt, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HERE'S THE PLAN: ON WEEKENDS, EUROPEAN YOUNG PEOPLE WILL LISTEN TO A "MAGAZINE ON CULTURE AND BACKGROUNDS" AND THUS WILL NO LONGER THINK THE EU IS BORING. "Euranet. That is the name of the new radio and internet project that will commence broadcasting on 31 March 2008. It is a consortium of sixteen radio stations from thirteen countries. ... Every weekday there will be half an hour of European news. On Saturday and Sunday there will be a European magazine on culture and backgrounds. ... The sixteen broadcasters are targeting a young section of the population: the 20 to 45-year- olds. They are commonly seen as a difficult target group that is perceiving the European Union as a boring and complicated phenomenon." Radio Netherlands, 26 February 2008. "Initially, broadcasts will be in 10 languages (Bulgarian, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish), but they will gradually expand to the 23 languages of the EU." European Commission press release, 24 February 2008. See also Deutsche Welle, 26 February 2008. Posted: 26 Feb 2008 (see http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=3419 for linx, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) What about Network Europe and Insight Central Europe --- are they insufficient for these inter-station coöperation deals to spread out the workload and reduce programming variety? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ¿????? Personalmente esto me parece PROPAGANDA PURA. Ambas DW & RFI lo único que están haciendo es ROMPER LAS PELOTAS a los oyentes cubriendo la onda corta con el ruido del DRM (Dario Monferini, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) ** GABON. 7270, RD. TV Gabonaise, "R. Gabon", Melen, 1051-1320, 24 Feb, French, talks, African pops, drum beat jingle, talks; 15341, mixed with China at 1430 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also look for this on x 2 = 14540, as ITU does (gh) Im moment 1459 UT ist musik auf 14540 kHz hinter utility QRM; wass kann dass sein !!!!!! (Marcel/FRANCE, Feb 28, A-DX via Wolfgang Büschel, harmonics yg via DXLD) Hi Marcel, In Stuttgart höre ich diesbezüglich nichts. Du hast da eine bessere Anlage oder Standort zum hören. Ich nehme auf 14540.00 carrier nur einen kurzen Pfeifton jede Sekunde auf, wie damals beim Sputnik Flug der Hündin Laika im USSR Satellit in 1957. Aber 14540 kHz passt sehr gut als Harmonische aus fundamentalen 7270 kHz, z.Zt sind auf Sendung: dort hörte ich einige Musik in den letzten Minuten. Vergleiche doch mal die Signale. IBB UdornThani THA in Russisch. VoRUS Tuerkisch aus Moskau. 73 wb (Büschel, ibid.) Ja ist jetzt besser signal bis S7 und in Französich, aber noch kein identification, ist nich dass selbe as 7270 kHz ist warscheinlich eine Afrikanische station, warte bis anzage. Danke für deine reaktie. (Marcel/FRANCE, ibid.) 2 x 7270 kHz = h 14540 on Febr 28 at 1459 UT. Ja, 7270 auch berichtet von Carlos aus Portugal, also Harmonische aus Gabun. 7270 R. TV Gabonaise 1 0800-1600 tägl. French 100 kW NonDir Libreville Gabon (Büschel, ibid.) ** GABON. Africa Numéro Un, 17630, VG signal lately, better than much else on 16m, Feb 27 at 1510 promoting later programs including at 2110-2200 TU, Flashback, and this was partly in hippity-hoppity English. Time for another check of 19160 for possible harmonic of 9580 – no, nothing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Photos of the Heusweiler transmitter: http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,566506 The S4002 is an aux for 1422. This model belonged to a modular series of PDM transmitters called PANTEL, it is kind of a mediumwave version of the S4001 shortwave transmitter. S4002 transmitters were also in use on both 549 sites (at Thurnau two ones, originally run as a pair, later they were on air alternately, taking turns every two weeks or so) as well as for 567 and 855 in Berlin (the latter had later been replaced by a Nautel, NA-100 if I'm correct), to mention the ones I'm aware of. See also: http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,566169 SR Antenne Saar has now also added DW in English to their program line-up which listeners consider as chaotic; automation often runs amuck, putting two program sources on air simultaneously, also without this fault rudely switches between SWR cont.ra and RFI. So much for nobody listening to Antenne Saar, as lamented by SR a while ago (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. 3300.15, 2038 23/2, Greek Pirate, 2 x 1650.05 harmonic, music, good. 5002.5, 0045 24/2, Greek Pirate, Piratia, 1667 x 3 harmonic, music, fair (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, Icom R72, Perseus, SDR-14, Loop Wellbrook LFL 1010, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUATEMALA. Ham inbooming on 10 meters: see PROPAGATION ** INDIA. 4895, AIR, Kurseong, 1642-1655, 24 Feb, vernacular, Indian songs; 35433, very powerful audio (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Among the systems displayed at the AIR stall were: a) DRM b) SMS Based Remote Monitoring System for unmanned VLPTs. [very low power transmitters?] c) EWBS – Emergency Warning Broadcast System. d) Telemetry System for MW Transmitters. e) Remote Monitoring and Control System for FM Transmitters. f) AIR Virtual Studio Team of engineers from All India Radio, Research Department were there at the stall along with Mr. R. K. Garg, Director, R&D, All India Radio. They were seen responding to visitors` queries on DRM transmissions & availability of DRM receivers. All India Radio Research Department carried out extensive propagation measurements at Delhi, Moradabad, Mathura, Gwalior, Agra, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Aligarh, Lucknow, Bangalore, Patna, Kolkata for the following investigations • Near vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) propagation for planning of DRM Regional SW transmitters of AIR. • Long distance reception of DRM SW signals for external services. • Simulcasting of analogue & DRM signals in SW band. • Simulcasting of analogue & DRM signals in MW band. The R&D propagation studies will help in choosing the optimum DRM parameters, for example: Robustness mode, Modulation, Code Rate, Interlever, Bit rate, power of transmitter, required difference between analogue & DRM powers during simulcast operation etc. DRM future plans : • Existing 25 MW transmitters will be replaced by DRM transmitters. • Existing 10 MW transmitters will be modified to DRM transmitters. • 40 New DRM + FM transmitters will be installed. • Existing 43 FM/MW transmitters will be replaced by DRM+ FM transmitters (Alokesh Gupta, from report on BES 2008, via DXLD) Viz.: Report on BES Expo 2008 14th edition of BES EXPO 2008 Conference and Exhibition on Terrestrial & Satellite Broadcasting at New Delhi just concluded on 25th Feb. A report on the event is now available for download from: http://alokeshgupta.googlepages.com/bes_expo_2008_v3.pdf (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dx_india via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9525.98, Voice of Indonesia, 1202-1305+, Feb 27, ID. Programming in Japanese. Local music. Into listed Korean at 1304. Weak. Poor with adjacent channel splatter (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOI, another day still on 9526, Feb 27 with more Indonesian than Western music in final hourquarter, usual headlines, sign-off and NA, hum and open carrier to 1507+* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGST) ** IRAN. [and non]. 6185, 0020 24/2, Radio Educación, México, stopped at 0022 by IRIB in French, started suddenly without any signing on, not reported here by Eibi! (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, Icom R72, Perseus, SDR-14, Loop Wellbrook LFL 1010, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nor is IRIB shown with French anywhere near this time in WRTH 2008 or the Feb update. Big mistake, or adding Québec target? (gh, DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. Now does 6140 instead of 6055 also apply to the 2030 relay of Iran in Spanish as also planned from tomorrow? I meant to point out in 8-026 that this would cover up about the only good time to hear RRR from Rwanda (Glenn Hauser, Feb 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see LITHUANIA ** IRELAND. RTE 567 kHz MW closure --- Dear DX Friends all over Europe! Please check the situation described here below: LW 252 kHz and MW 567 kHz respectively. Please do send your report DIRECTLY to Belgium: herman @ hermanboel.eu Thank you very much in advance and I remain, With very best wishes and greetings from Stockholm, T i b o r S z i l a g y i EDXC Secretary General, E -- Mail : tiszi2035 @ yahoo.com Written in Vaesterhaninge / Sweden on Thursday, February 28, 2008, at 05:45 Central European Winter Time. ************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ******* Enda O'Kane wrote: Dear Friends, Please monitor 567 kHz and 252 kHz and advise which frequency is best after sunset. Visit: http://www.ean.ie/ for updates. Many thanks, Enda O'Kane Begin forwarded message: From: Herman Boel Date: 25 February 2008 10:24:07 GMT Subject: Re: RTE 567 kHz MW closure Dear Enda, I am the author of the Euro-African Medium Wave Guide http://www.emwg.info and I am an occasional listener of RTE. When I want to listen to RTE Radio 1 after sunset here in Flanders, it is impossible to do so on 252 kHz as the Algerian transmitter on the same frequency is dominant. 567 kHz is a good alternative on which RTE is the dominant station. Although reception is not free of interference, the programmes are well audible on the medium wave frequency. Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Kind regards, - Herman - http://www.emwg.info (all via Szilagyi, shortwave [sic] yg via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. ÚLTIMO INTENTO PARA SALVAR LAS TRANSMISIONES A IRÁN DE LA RADIO KOL ISRAEL EN PERSA Existe el riesgo de que se suspenda la emisión de La Voz de Israel en ese idioma debido a dificultades presupuestarias. Se solicitó ayuda del Gobierno para solventar el mantenimiento de un servicio vital para el Estado judío. El ministro de Comunicaciones de Israel, Ariel Attias, está haciendo un último intento por salvar las transmisiones de la radio Kol-Israel (La Voz de Israel) en idioma persa, las cuales se escuchan en Teherán. En un encuentro que tuvo lugar este jueves entre el ministro de Comunicaciones y el secretario de Gobierno, Oved Yehezkel, se tomó la decisión de no dar término por el momento a las transmisiones en persa. “El cierre de las transmisiones en persa resulta impensable en estos días y es algo que no se debe hacer,” declaró el secretario de Gobierno. El ministro de Comunicaciones se pronunció en forma similar al afirmar que otorga “suma importancia a las transmisiones a Irán en estos tiempos, aunque debido a la realidad presupuestaria resulta necesario pedir ayuda al Gobierno”. Yehezkel prometió actuar a fin de encontrar una solución para la crisis que se cierne sobre las transmisiones radiales en persa. Kol- Israel en persa funciona desde hace 48 años en forma ininterrumpida y transmite todos los asuntos iraníes que están relacionados con Israel, por lo que también resulta popular entre aquellos habitantes de Irán que no son judíos. De acuerdo con las estimaciones, unos 10 millones de personas en Irán escuchan las transmisiones de Kol-Israel diariamente (Agencia Judía de Noticias via Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Feb 28, dxldyg via DXLD) Cf previous item about prolonging SW, but unclear how to pay for it. How about all the other languages besides Persian? What tunnelvision. And I find it hard to believe KI`s SW audience in Iran is 10 mega (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAMAICA. 11m freebander: see PROPAGATION ** JAPAN. 3925, Radio Nikkei, 1100-1135, Feb 27, Japanese talk. Lite classical instrumental music. Weak. Weaker on // 6055 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. Shiokaze/Sea Breeze, 5985 via JSR Japan, Wed Feb 27 at 1412 was in English, listing Japanese women missing since 1965, with their birthdates, weight, etc. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. CONFUSION ON THE WSJ OP-ED PAGE Columnist argues that the United States and South Korea should broadcast on "AM" (medium wave) to North Korea. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120390006535189445.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries (If WSJ is inaccessible, the op-ed is also available at The Daily NK, 26 February 2008 -- scroll down for the English). http://www.dailynk.com/korean/read.php?cataId=nk00600&num=53406 (Melanie Kirkpatrick, Wall Street Journal, 25 February 2008 via kimandrewelliott.com Feb 27 via DXLD) But the United States and South Korea already transmit to North Korea on medium wave. This op-ed has so many facts wrong that I must respond on a separate page. (Kim Andrew Elliott, Posted: 27 Feb 2008, ibid.) Viz.: Where do I begin? Notes on "Orchestrating Freedom," by Melanie Kirkpatrick, Wall Street Journal, 25 February 2008. Ms. Kirkpatrick writes: "The U.S. does broadcast several hours a day in Korean on the Voice of America and Radio Free Asia; and funding doubled to about $8 million this year from $4 million in 2006. But the broadcasts are transmitted via short wave, which severely limits their reach." VOA Korean has, for the past few years, used 648 kHz medium wave ("AM"), in addition to its shortwave frequencies. The medium wave is one hour per day leased on a transmitter in a neighboring country. RFA has also used this medium wave transmitter but, for whatever reason, is not doing so now. "The transmitters are in countries that don't want to be named for fear of attracting the ire of China, Pyongyang's patron, and which aren't close enough to the North for medium-wave transmissions to AM radios." The countries in which RFA leases shortwave transmitters are not identified. VOA Korean on shortwave overtly uses the relay stations of the International Broadcasting Bureau located in the Philippines and Thailand. "The South Korean government, incredibly, has zero broadcasts to the North, which it prefers not to antagonize by giving North Koreans accurate news of the outside world." This is incredibly untrue. South Korea's public broadcaster, the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS), has had for many years two Liberty Program networks directed to the North. They use medium wave transmitters with powers ranging from 500 to 1500 kilowatts -- plenty to cover North Korea. The Liberty Program does not have an in-your-face approach to cross- border broadcasting, i.e. it's not called something like the Voice of the Liberation of the Enslaved Victims of Kim Jong-il. It's method is more subtle, and thus perhaps not appreciated by American experts and decision makers. Indeed, the fact that the KBS Liberty Program exists at all seems to have escaped the notice of America's experts and decision makers. I don't know how one manages to overlook a radio station transmitting with 1500 kilowatts. The Liberty Program broadcast KBS news, which does not ignore events in North Korea. In addition, North Koreans can hear other KBS radio networks intended for South, and some prefer the more entertainment- oriented programming of these other channels. Recent surveys of North Korean defectors indicate that KBS has a larger audience in North Korea than VOA or RFA. At least some of South Korea's several private broadcasting companies are also audible in the North. One of these is the Far East Broadcasting Company, an evangelical organization with headquarters in the United States. In addition, the South Korea Armed Forces operate a clandestine station, Voice of the People, directed to the North. "The short-wave radios sold in North Korea are relatively expensive, come fixed to state-run stations, and must be registered with the authorities." The radios owned in the North Korea typically have a medium wave band only, though newer models might also receive FM. "However, thanks to a growing cross-border trade with China, much of it unofficial, cheap AM radios are proliferating in North Korea -- along with used videotape players that Chinese seek to sell when they upgrade to DVD players." As stated above, the medium wave (AM) radios already exist in North Korea. Radios brought across the border from China may also have shortwave coverage, in addition to medium wave, thus improving the chances of receiving foreign broadcasts. Video players are being introduced into North Korea and may even be manufactured there. The favored technology may be VCD, a sort of poor- man's, low resolution DVD, rather than videotape. Any attempts to distribute videos in the North must take into account the video medium used there. "Brave Northerners hungry for information long ago figured out how to jury-rig short-wave radios to receive foreign broadcasts." Actually, they are detuning their North Korean single-band medium wave radios. This allows them mainly to hear South Korean broadcasts, and perhaps also VOA's more distant medium wave relay. But, yes, they are brave. "An InterMedia survey, commissioned last year by the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors (which oversees Radio Free Asia and the Voice of America), found that more than 40% of defectors had listened to foreign short-wave broadcasts inside North Korea, despite the risk of punishment." Foreign broadcasts, yes, but probably mostly on medium wave. And the most popular "foreign" stations are South Korean. "If [President-elect Lee Myung-bak] is serious about his pledge to do more than his predecessor to help his fellow Koreans in the North, he will reverse the current policy and allow broadcasts from transmitters located in the South. There's an especially urgent need for medium- wave transmissions -- that is, to the AM radios that currently can't tune in foreign broadcasts." As stated above, there are already plenty of South Korean medium wave transmissions directed to, or audible in, the North. President Lee might finally allow VOA and/or RFA to transmit on medium wave, and perhaps even on FM, from transmitters in the South. Or, if he follows precedent, he won't. "While the North tries to jam foreign broadcasts, it has only limited success given the large amount of scarce electricity required. ... Pyongyang would not have the resources to block a surge in foreign broadcasts." Pyongyang probably does not have enough electricity to block a surge in shortwave broadcasting, nor could it block all the medium wave transmitters used by South Korean stations. However, VOA and RFA will probably be able to get access to only one or two medium wave frequencies each, and most likely from distant locations. It would not take a huge amount of electricity for the North to jam those medium wave transmissions. Shortwave enjoys some immunity from jamming because signals on shortwave frequencies tend to travel over long distances better than over short distances. This immunity does not work nearly as well on medium wave, where nearby jamming transmitters have more of an advantage over distant transmitters. Anecdotal evidence suggests that North Korean elites are allowed to own imported shortwave radios. This is an important audience despite its small size. Beyond that, some non-elites are obtaining shortwave radios via Chinese cross-border trade. Every opportunity to transmit on medium wave should be exploited, but shortwave should not be forsaken in international broadcasting to North Korea. Posted: 27 Feb 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. RADIO GIVES HOPE TO NORTH AND SOUTH KOREANS February 27, 2008 -- Updated 2103 GMT (0503 HKT) By Susan Chun, CNN Story Highlights: Free North Korea Radio broadcasts news across the border from South Korea Station's founder is former North Korean soldier who defected Broadcasts are funded partly by South Korean citizens and by U.S. Kim Seong Min, the founder of Free North Korea Radio, broadcasting from Seoul [caption] SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- It broadcasts only three hours a day. Its on-air reporters use fake names. And its operators don't know for sure whether their target audience is listening. Free North Korea Radio, based in Seoul, South Korea, broadcasts news of the outside world across the border. It's illegal for North Koreans to listen to anything other than state-run radio, and all legal radios are fixed so they can play only channels approved by the government. But the founder of Free North Korea Radio, Kim Seong Min, believes that more and more North Koreans are secretly tuning in. Kim is also a defector. A former propagandist for the North Korean army, Kim says he collected an illegal radio on one of his patrols. He was curious, so he tuned in to a South Korean broadcast. The program centered on the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong Il. He says it was meant to dispel the myths surrounding the leader, including the story of Kim Jong Il's birth. North Koreans were taught to believe that Kim Jong Il was born on Mount Paekdu, considered sacred in Korean history. But the radio program Kim heard that day said Kim Jong Il was born in the Soviet Union. Kim started to doubt everything he was taught to believe, and the more he listened, the more he was convinced that he had to leave the country. . . http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/27/cho.dissidentradio/ (via Media Network blog via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. 4557, North Korean Nat. Dem. Front, Haeju, 02/27, Korean, 0920-0931 nationalistic music by female choir. 23332 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil, (23 39 S, 46 52 W), Sony ICF SW40 dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Now that you mention it, I don`t recall seeing this reported for quite some time, unlike its other frequency 4450. Has 4557 been off? (gh) ** KUWAIT. 15110, Radio Kuwait in English on 15110 seems two hours on air in our mornings at 0500-0700 UT. R Kuwait noted today Febr 27th, took over of FM 99.7 MHz local radio station. Weak signal at 0515 UT, but gets increasingly stronger S=6 at 0535 UT, and at 0555 UT similar strong as adjacent Samara-RUS in Tatar on 15105 kHz approx. S=8-9 signal. Before Kuwait got stronger I used small 2.6 kHz filter or used even Eton E1 SYNC option in USB mode. Kuwait's transmission is aimed in direction of 100degr towards Indian subcontinent, and remaining backward side lobe into Europe [315degr] is not as strong as the Kuwait 15495 kHz Arabic channel. At 0540 UT noted on fair level, English political commentary. S=8 at 0546 UT, shortly after nice lively melodic pop music singer till 0600 UT. After a piece of soul music at 0600 UT started at 0601:30 UT with nx in English. Items: Invasion of Turkish Army in Northern Iraq, Butto's dead, Iranian Non-Atomic program, Kenya uproar, BIH Banja Luka uproar on Kosovo independence separation, USA Clinton-Obama. Weather forecast for Kuwait: increasingly rain the whole day, 12 to 23 C temperature. At 0604 UT S=9, ID local FM 99.7 MHz station, popmusic. Unter dem Kuwait Signal darunter auf dem gleichen Kanal hörte ich noch eine chinesisch sprachige Station, die eigentlich um diese Zeit nirgends gelistet ist (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) English on 15110 is supposed to last until 0800; did you not hear it after 0700? (gh, DXLD) Aoki list shows 5-8 UT already, -- but I checked it only till approx. 0630 UT now today. I'll check 15110 again tomorrow between 7 and 8 UT. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** KUWAIT. RDP 17886 kHz --- too strong to be spur? (it`s S9). Probably just a switching error; I'll see how long it lasts before the plug is pulled (Tim Bucknall, England, 1124 UT Feb 28, harmonics yg via DXLD) [Later:] R Kuwait's Pinoy service off frequency playing Portuguese samba music! It`s still off-frequency now (17886.000); must be a mistype at the transmitter. Apologies all; well, most off- frequency or faulty transmitters usually do belong to RDP! :D (Bucknall, 1136 UT, ibid.) ** LAOS. 6130, Lao National Radio (presumed), 1509-1602*, Feb 28, in vernacular, nice program of SE Asian EZL songs and ballads, fair-poor, suddenly off with no announcements (Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LATVIA. Relays this weekend via 9290 kHz Sat March 1st Radio Joystick 0900-1000 UT Radio Nord Evergreen 1000-1100 UT http://www.radionord.lv Latvia Today 1100-1200 UT Radio Casablanca 1200-1300 UT Sun March 2nd Latvia Today 1400-1500 UT (Good listening 73s Tom Taylor, Feb 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBERIA. 4759.97, ELWA, Monrovia, 2220-2303*, Feb 27, English religious talk. Choral music. Contemporary Christian music. Closing English announcements & National Anthem at 2301. Threshold signal at 2220, improving to a poor but readable quality by 2240 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. [As in 8-026 and WOR 1397]: Received from Eric van Willegen, KBC: Starting February 29, KBC's broadcast to Europe at 2130-2229 UT will move from 6265 kHz to 6055 kHz. Starting March 9, KBC's broadcast to America at 0100-0159 UT will move from 6255 to 6040 kHz. We will inform you about the complete story soon (Ydun Ritz, Denmark, Feb 28, dxldyg via DXLD) Sorry to read this. I'll have to say "...Once there was a station that decided to leave the wide open spaces of the ether paradise to enter the lion's mouth." Did someone obliged KBC to commit suicide? (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, ibid.) Axually, 6040 could work; current HFCC listings show a one-hour hole on that frequency after CRI via Sackville and before Spain via Costa Rica --- altho I am not sure the latter is active, as Vatican via Canada was on there from 0230. As for 6055 at 2130, looks like that will collide with Romania in English until 2200, then clear. Spain does not start on 6055 until 2300 in French. Perhaps KBC should move back to 2200-2300 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Never mind: KBC new change of frequency. --- Just received from Eric: "KBC's 2130- 2229 will be on 6140 kHz [and not on 6055 kHz as previous mentioned]. Unfortunately we will have to live with R. Moscow on adjacent channel 6145 kHz. At the moment we could not find a better solution." Eric also said "what can we do, we have to accept the law in Lithuania!" (via Ydun Ritz, Denmark, 1724 UT Feb 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) How about my suggestion that 2200-2300 on 6055 would fit? Now, does 6140 instead of 6055 also apply to the 2030 relay of Iran in Spanish as also planned? I meant to point out in 8-026 that this would cover up about the only good time to hear RRR from Rwanda (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Will be interesting to hear this full story, since consulting DXLD 8- 026, as suggested by Glenn, makes it quite obvious what must have happened: A withdrawal of all frequency allocations in the 6200...6300 range by the Lithuanian authorities, apparently indeed effective from tomorrow, since I right now have a faint, fluttering carrier on 6265 which must be Sitkunai, using this frequency with IRIB programming for the last time. Btw, Sitkunai appears to be the only shortwave site relaying Radio Racja programming at present. Leaked rumours from a well-placed source indicate that Emitel, the Polish transmitter operator, had put the Leszczynka site out of its misery by yearend 2007 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also BELARUS [non]; POLAND Throwing out Radio Tirana broadcasts on 48 mb channels a year ago was according to pressure of Portuguese maritime services; but what about present ISR, RUS, EGY, PAK, TWR, CVC and YFR services in this band? (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MACEDONIA. 2430, 1814 23/2, Radio Skopie, 3 x 810 harmonic, good! (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, Icom R72, Perseus, SDR-14, Loop Wellbrook LFL 1010, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 5010, 1755 23/2, Radio Madagascar, talks, modulation on USB only (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, Icom R72, Perseus, SDR- 14, Loop Wellbrook LFL 1010, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA. 7245, R. Mauritanie, Nouakchott, back in good shape, 1309-..., 23 Feb, Arabic, newscast, chanting, vernacular at 1530; 45444 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non]. 6185, 0020 24/2, Radio Educación stopped at 0022 by IRIB [see IRAN] in French, started suddenly without any signing on, not reported here by Eibi ! (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, Icom R72, Perseus, SDR-14, Loop Wellbrook LFL 1010, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOROCCO. 1638 kHz, RTM-"A", Rabat, 1545-..., 23 Feb, Arabic, talks; Harmonic of 819, with very bad audio; 15441. This is now QRM free since the weird 1643 kHz RTM signal is gone; apparently, that is (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 4770, R. Nigeria, Kaduna, 1524-1607, 23 Feb, English, international pops, drum beat jingle prior to the 4PM TC, news; 34343, good audio only during the music (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 15120, VON, 1759-1833, Feb 28, in English, with schedule, news; economic commentary about the budget conference and issues relating to the military, health and agriculture; interesting to hear several public service announcements from Bill Clinton about getting treatment for HIV; BoH "Sports Roundup from the Voice of Nigeria". Reception would have been good except for the poor audio quality (Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also awful audio but strong signal around 2045 Feb 28; sometime between 22 and 23 I found horrible audio on Hausa 7255 too, like poor internet feed (Glenn Hauser, OK, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. The OU School of Music has a full calendar of performances, which really makes me wish I lived closer to Norman. Now many of those are being put on live webcasts, as per linx on the spring calendar thru April 30 at http://music.ou.edu/calendar.html These ought to be broadcast on KGOU, but tough luck, don`t fit their format and a lot of flexibility would be required, since times vary anywhere from noon to 8 pm local. Kudos to the OUSOM for doing this, something I have not encountered from any other university. I haven`t managed to catch one yet, but am keeping my eye on the calendar to do so. Also soon linked on MONITORING REMINDERS CALENDAR in the Mostly Classical section abottom (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. RNV rides in on KEIF: see VENEZUELA [non] ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA [and non]. (presumed) Wantok Radio Light, 7325 at 1330z, Feb 25, with music and English (but no specific ID). Heavy QRM from 7330 (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Feb 27, Drake R8B, sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Very interesting possible log of WRL --- so I looked up what`s on 7325 in Aoki: 7325 AIR FM Gold 1245-1730 1234567 Hindi 100 ND Mumbai (Bombay) IND 7249E1911 AIR b07 HOWEVER, I don`t recall any reports of AIR here and I think the listing is probably wooden. Furthermore, it is not on the DX Asia list of AIR frequencies: http://www.dxasia.info/india-frequency So aside from that we have a window clear on 7325 at 1230-1430: 7325 IBRA RADIO 1200-1230 1234567 Chinese 250 145 Novosibirsk- Oyash RUS 08345E5531 IBRA b07 7325 CHINA RADIO INTER. 1430-1457 1234567 Filipino 500 165 Beijing CHN 11627E3957 CRI b07 However, not for long, as RCI is to come back to that frequency 1105- 1405 starting March 9 with DST: 6419W4553 RCI Oct. 28-Nov. 4/Mar. 9-30 7325 R.CANADA INT. 1105-1205 1234567 Arabic 250 277 Sackville CAN 7325 R.CANADA INT. 1205-1305 1234567 Spanish 250 277 Sackville CAN 7325 R.CANADA INT. 1305-1405 1234567 Chinese 250 277 Sackville CAN But Aoki shows WRL off the air after 1300, so better to check at 1230. But even this is getting close to sunrise in CNAm: 7325 Wantok Radio Light 2000-1300 1234567 English/Pidgin 1 ND Port Moresby PNG 14711E0927 PNGCBN Then checked WRTH 2008 page 293, to see about the time span. No time shown, and they have it on 7235! And the text for station 22) calls it R. Wantok Light, which could account for some repeated mis-IDs we see (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3235, R West New Britain, 1234-1320+, 02/28/08, presumed Pidgin. A male DJ with the music and comments (often rather lengthy) between songs, continuing past 1300. QRM after 1300 from SSB on 3234.5, some sort of a radio net with several ops in the Midwest, though I couldn't find anything about it by googling the frequency or the one callsign I heard (A7NE??). Other frequencies with mostly weak audio from presumed PNGs noted in a quick bandscan around 1230: 3325, 3345, 3315, 3335, 3385. Fair/poor (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Probably AA7NE, MARS (gh, DXLD) 3335, R East Sepik, 1235-1305*, 02/27/08, Pidgin/English. The usual PNG fare of a female DJ with reggae/island music and Western easy listening tunes, announcer audio was heavy on the bass which made it tough to follow her despite relatively good reception. Signoff message in Pidgin at 1259 mentioning PNG and several frequencies, national anthem, and into relay of Port Moresby at 1301 with news in English, ad for a car dealer, and then tunes for a moment before abruptly off at 1305. Fair to good, best PNG reception in a while, unfortunately peaking right around signoff (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. 7400, Feb 28 at 1417, tune of ``Red River Valley`` but incongruously with Chinese lyrix, not including anything recognizable even where ``RRV`` should appear, accompanied by ``authentic instrument`` as Peter Schickele would say. Shortly into Chinese announcement, pop song, then something more hymnic. Looked up later, this is FEBC, so no doubt there is a religious subtext at least. Has the ``RRV`` tune been reset with totally different lyrix, or does this try to preserve the original idea of the song? Seems I have heard it before on non-English gospel huxter stations. Its popularity in the FE may exceed that now in the USA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND. [cf. LITHUANIA]. Sitkunai appears to be the only shortwave site relaying Radio Racja programming at present. Leaked rumours from a well-placed source indicate that Emitel, the Polish transmitter operator, had put the Leszczynka site out of its misery by yearend 2007 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [Later:] Polska AM reports that Radio Racja ceased to use the Leszczynka site after Dec 31 2007 for financial reasons: http://www.polskaam.republika.pl/archiwum.htm http://polskaam.republika.pl/leszczynka.htm Re: Leszczynka shut-down (illustrated) http://www.radiojournal.de/1/international/65_00radio_racja.htm "The Polish government supports Radio Racja. Still, the airtime at Leszczynka is not for free. It has been agreed to keep the rates confidential. ... [Shortwave from Sitkunai added] ... and this is not supposed to be the last step, Viktor Stachviuk [head of Radio Racja] says that negotiations with other possible partners are already under way. ... The Polish foreign ministry provides most of the budget. Mentioned as another backer is the Open Society Institute of the multi-millionaire George Soros. Viktor Stachviuk says 'we are satisfied' but refuses to say how much money they receive. No formal contract with the Polish government exists, but he is optimistic that the funding for his station will continue." Also mentions a new project of high-power FM transmitters, the first one to be put on air opposite to Grodno, 30 kW on 98.1 MHz. At present they try to find a suitable frequency for Brest (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also BELARUS [non] ** PUERTO RICO. Vieques, WVIS, 106.1 --- Radio Joe is set to launch. Its service area, as depicted in Radio World magazine, is mostly the Atlantic Ocean. It has moved from Frederiksted, US Virgin Islands, and for a while was deleted by the FCC. That was after Hurricane Georges in 1998. A long battle ensued with the FCC before the station was reauthorized. In the meantime, founder Joseph Bahr had died. Mrs. Bahr, son Michael Bahr, and consultant Will Sims, who came from the mainland, where he was majority owner of KLVF 100.7 Las Vegas NM (now licensed Pecos NM, with a Spanish format), carried on. Sims is unpaid, probably more of a family friend, and semi-retired, interested in Joe`s widow, Gabriela Ortiz. The station`s transmitter is at Culebra, a small island east of Puerto Rico, while its city of license is on a larger island to the southwest. Sims lives in San Juan PR, a city just outside WVIS` projected primary coverage area. However, a strong signal will be available to residents of eastern PR, in such cities as Fajardo, Ceiba and Luquillo. It is from there where the station expects to derive most of its ad revenue. The station was to have begun broadcasting December 2007, with 32 kW, but hopes to go to 50 kW, using locally- presented music and talk programming. The Radio Joe positioner is in honor of Joseph Bahr, station founder, who died in 2004 (Jan/Feb FMedia! via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Hello Glenn, Re this message from Martien [8-026, 6195] I have been in contact with him direct as I believe the station is to be found on page 318 of the current WRTH. 6195 is listed as Selenginsk, which I'm reliably informed is the site of the SW station near Ulan Ude. And in the right hand column next to BU) we find Respublika Buryatiya and the station schedule. I tried the frequency myself between 1700 and 1800 on the 26th but although something was present (after the BBC left the frequency) it was too weak to identify. Best 73 from (Noel Green, NW England, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 18555, Golos Rossii, Samara, Russian (3 x 6185) 1407 UT 28/02/08 (Tim Bucknall, England, Icom R75 + CB Whip + Mag-mount mobile on a hilltop with no electrical noise, aaaah bliss! harmonics yg via DXLD) ** RWANDA. See IRAN [non] ** SIKKIM. 4835, 0050 24/2, AIR Gangtok, India, Indian music, fair (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, Icom R72, Perseus, SDR-14, Loop Wellbrook LFL 1010, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SINGAPORE. 30 MHz harmonic: see PROPAGATION ** SOUTH AFRICA. RSA, 3230, BBC (yes, not Family R.! - read on), Meyerton, 1854-1909, 23 Feb, loop with announcement explaining unavailability of BBC WS on this HF channel, then abrupt feed of Family Radio in English at /1900; 55343. 9625, Channel Africa, Meyerton, 1137-1245, 24 Feb, English/Nyanja/Lozi to S Africa chat & music; 25443. Very unusual catch. 9650, SAUK/R. Sonder Grense, Meyerton, 1139-1155, 24 Feb, Afrikaans, talks & phone-ins; 15442, blocked by KBS via CAN, then fadeout (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. Remark that R. Sweden has withdrawn from international broadcasting incorrect, removed: see EUROPE ** TAIWAN [non]. RTI LISTENERS CLUB MEET CHEENAI - 2008 --- R. Taiwan International meet held in Chennai on 23-02-2008 in Hotel Ambassador Pallava. 49 active listeners participate on that event. Most of the listeners have their RTI ID number. RTI Chairman Mr. Cheng Yu gave the presidential address. Before that RTI Host and Foreign Languages Chief Mr. Kasan Carlson Tjin gave the introduction about the RTI. RTI senior staff Ms. Hsu Ling-yi were also participate on that programme. Senior listeners and RTI official monitors Mr. T. Elampooranan and Mr. Sundar delivered their speech on experience with RTI. In the first session all the listeners introduced themselves with their name, where they from, how far it is from Chennai and also said their ID number. After that program Q&A session starts. Most of the listeners said about the poor reception of RTI to South Asia. One of the listener Mr. Pallavai Paramasivam from Erode were also play the RTI three days reception sample to the RTI delegates. After the tea brake Quiz were starts. Mr. Carlson conducts it. Then Chairman answer to the listener’s questions. In his speech he said about the new technologies like DRM and DAB. Most of the listeners were very much interest to listen his speech. Then we give the memoranda to RTI Chairman to start the Tamil section. Afternoon delicious lunch was provided by RTI. All of the listeners are very happy to discuss with the delegates. After the lunch mementos were given to all the listeners who attend the meeting. Then all of them took a photograph and dispose. Highlight of the meet is RTI officially start the RTI Chennai listeners club. For see photo http://dxersguide.blogspot.com/2008/02/rti-listeners-club-meet-cheenai-2008.html (Jaisakthivel, Chennai, India, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET. Harmonics: see PROPAGATION ** U K [and non]. Re 8-026, BBCWS --- This mention of 15070 made me wonder: I think I heard about the BBC abandoning this frequency on the shortwave broadcast (on 7570, via Bolshakovo) of the local Danish station (Radio ABC) where Stig Hartvig Nielsen worked at this time; he had told that this was due to a complaint from the Danish authorities. I heard this on the interlocking tower at Drebkau, so was it in 1994 or in 1996? The latter: http://www.swl.nu/torget/torg9702.htm Not much more to add here; 6195, 9410 and 12095 are still around, during certain hours only, but that's the case already since 2005. And the comment from Scott Fybush is revealing, although I'm not surprised, since I already got an impression that Bush House is kind of a closed society (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. LAST OF VOA’S WARTIME TRANSMITTING STATIONS GOES DARK How International Broadcasting Found Its Way to Delano by James E. O'Neal, 3.01.2008 James E. O'Neal is the Technology Editor for TV Technology magazine and a Radio World contributor. This is the full-length version of an article that appeared in briefer form in the print edition of Radio World. The Voice of America’s Delano shortwave transmitting station is difficult to ignore. Even though it’s set back nearly two miles from California’s Route 99, the massive metal antenna structures rising from the almond groves and citrus orchards can’t help but command the attention of motorists. The sheer size of the installation makes it appear intriguingly close to the highway, yet few motorists ever stop to investigate. After the sun sets, the station begs attention with the bluish-white pulsing of strobe lights and red beacons, too numerous to even begin counting from a moving car. If locals in the nearby town of Delano are asked about the steel appurtenances and the lights, most answer that it’s some sort of government facility. Perhaps there’s a little secrecy involved — some kind of a big radio station maybe, or something to do with radar, or a cold war left-over. . . http://radioworld.com/pages/s.0106/t.11328.html (via DXLD) Excellent, illustrated article. Did you know Delano has connexions to XER, and to the first atomic bomb explosion? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Very interesting piece; they're right about the antenna systems being a remarkable site when viewed from California highway 99! (Harry Helms W5HLH Smithville, TX EL19, dxldyg via DXLD) see also CANADA ** U S A. 5446.5 USB, AFN, 2342, NPR feed with standard FM [sic] NPR programs. Some of the feed was specific to Cleveland, OH; this is from Saddlebunch Keys, FL. Web site says they transmit on this frequency 24 hours a day (Mike Rohde, Columbus OH, Feb 28, NASWA yg via DXLD) I suppose it was All Things Considered at this moment (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Hi Glenn: I just heard from This Week in Amateur Radio. They said their one airing per week on WBCQ 7415 is changing from Sat 2100 to Sun at the same time. it sounded like it will be right away. They just said ``without much advance notice``. Maybe you`ve already announced this [yes]. I haven`t heard WOR yet this week. Hurry up and retire – it`s great! Gotta go. I`m working on my itinerary for the Winterfest and West Virginia. Take care! JKDI (Pete Bentley, NY, Feb 22, postcard by P-mail, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. QSL Report --- WLO and KLB, today I received printouts of card images on 8 1/2 x 11 paper for my reports of KLB in 2005 and WLO/KLB in 2006. They used my SASEs from my 2006 reports. The dates on the printouts are wrong but I'm happy to get them. Took 28 days for email report to info at shipcom.com Thanks to UDXF for the tip Martin Foltz, So Cal USA, Feb 26, UDXF yg via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Family Stations, Inc., A08 Shortwave Schedule aired from Taiwan, 30 March to 26 October 2008 Burmese 1200-1300 11560 Burma English 0100-0200 15195 India 0900-1100 9465 Philippines 1300-1400 11520 Indonesia 1300-1500 11560 India 1500-1600 6280 India Hindi 0000-0100 15195 India 1500-1600 11560 India 1600-1700 6280 India Indonesian 1100-1200 11550 Indonesia 1200-1300 11520 Indonesia 0000-0100 11865 Indonesia Korean 0800-0900 11895 Korea Mandarin 1100-1600 6240 China 1100-1600 9280 China 2100-0000 9280 China 2100-2200 7435 China 2200-0000 6230 China Russian 1500-1700 9955 Eu/CIS Tagalog 1100-1200 11520 Philippines Vietnamese 1200-1300 7460 Viet Nam 1400-1500 9585 Viet Nam 0000-0100 11630 Viet Nam (Evelyn Marcy, WYFR, Feb 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WI, Milwaukee, 92.9 --- Steven A. Skalecki fined $10,000 for an unlicensed station. WFAQ-LP *92.9 Mukwonago WI complained to the FCC of interference to its signal. The FCC had earlier (March 2006) visited Skalecki`s house, but he denied having any broadcast equipment. Then in February 2007, agents again visited. The agents observed the station broadcasting on five occasions in 2006 and 2007. Ironically, WFAQ-LP`s website, http://www.wtps.net/history.htm acknowledges that it has roots in numerous pirate organizations (Jan/Feb FMedia! via DXLD) ** U S A. PA, Columbia, WVZN, 1580, back on, running 500 watts into a 150-foot wire on a farm near Columbia. No ground system. Spanish religion. Was silent 1976-1984, after which it became reading to the blind as ``Vision`` (Selected AM Happenings, Jan/Feb FMedia! via DXLD) ** U S A. WHBC 1480 kHz Canton, OH DX Test --- Date: Saturday morning (late Friday night), March 29, 2008. Time: 3-4 a.m. Eastern [Daylight] Time, 0700-0800 UT. The station will test with daytime power and pattern, carrying their regular Fox Sports Radio talk programming and interspersing Morse code and sweep tones. Reception reports may be sent to Director of Engineering Dale Lamm/NX8J by several means: You may submit a report via the station's Web site by clicking on this link: http://www.whbc.com/pages/1418821.php? You may submit a report directly to Mr. Lamm by sending an E-mail to "Dlamm [at] WHBC.com" Recordings in mp3 or wav format as proof of reception will be accepted. You may send postal reports to Mr. Dale Lamm, Director of Engineering, WHBC-AM Radio, 550 Market Avenue South, Canton, OH 44702-2112. Audio files in mp3 or wav format will be accepted. If you only have cassette recording capabilities, please contact Jim Pogue (KH2AR [at] comcast.net) for special instructions. NOTE: All requests for postal verifications must be accompanied by return postage in order to receive a reply. Many thanks to Mr. Lamm for agreeing to conduct this test (Jim Pogue - KH2AR [at] comcast.net http://www.dxtests.info IRCA/NRC Joint BTC Coordinator, Feb 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I don`t pay much attention to the Today Show on NBC-TV, except maybe when for sweeps, Matt Lauer sometimes goes Where in the World, and then tend to regret it since those segments are so lacking in depth, but I have just noticed the show, originally two hours, then expanded to three once After Today (was that it?) merged, is now FOUR hours long from 7 to 11 am on KFOR TV OKC, I assume all different rather than repeating an hour or two. Where will it stop? It could be argued that taking over the entire daytime schedule of NBC would be an improvement over the soaps. Most stations use some daytime hours also for syndicated talk shows not from NBC, and even local noon news (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. Quick check of RNV via Cuba, 11680, Feb 27 at 1517 rewarded me immediately with their years-out-of-date schedule announcement starting with San Francisco at 11 am on 13740. Yawn. Was somewhat startled to hear Spanish around 89.3 MHz on the YB-400, Feb 27 at 2259 UT, quickly IDed as R. Nacional de Venezuela. Yes, // 13680 and 15250, both very strong signals via Cuba. After opening in English and Spanish, had English news until 2309, extremely literally translated. But what was it doing on 89.3?? Must be a local mixing product. Which Enid FM stations are 13.68 or 15.25 MHz away? 89.3 + 13.7 = 103.0, close to KOFM 103.1; 89.3 + 15.25 = 104.55, close to KEIF-LP 104.7 --- then slightly detuning to 89.4 I hear KEIF coming thru, so that seems to be the one. Unclear how this comes about, just in the receiver, or some external mixing, or even the FM transmitter somehow getting this very strong SW signal into its innards and then out as AM parasitic the appropriate number of MHz away. Surprising that it correlates with the low-power station; altho KEIF is somewhat closer, KOFM ought to have much greater field strength here (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. CLANDESTINE, 1550, Polisario Front, Rabouni, near Tindouf, ALGERIA, /1701-2327, 21 Feb, Arabic, program started immediately with prayer, music,..., Castilian 2302; 35443, then improving to 55544 as typical, even up here in the capital - and even better when observed from the SW coast. Also observed 0705-..., 22 Feb, Arabic, talks, music; 55444 and gradually fading out (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Feb 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. MADAGASCAR. 11610, Radio Voice of the People, *1700-1755*, Feb 27, Sign on with vernacular & English ID announcements followed by talk in vernacular. Short breaks of African music. IDs. English at 1740 but difficult to understand due to thick accent. Closing English announcements at 1754 with postal address & e- mail address. Good signal. Very weak music loop jammer heard underneath station (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Time signal station, Feb 27 at 0715 on 5100, Time pips every second and the different pitched tone at the top of the minute. No ID's heard (either in CW or voice). Very weak, mixed with other intermittent ute signal. Needed to use USB mode to hear it. Fade in here about 0700 UT, but not hearing every night. Larry Van Horn reported this one over a year ago, and maybe I this missed the outcome on where this is coming from ? http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/2007/02/mystery-time-station-heard-on-5100-khz.html Unlike Larry's report back last year, this time around its time accuracy was dead on when monitored (David Zantow, Janesville, WI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Surprised this was not identified at MT. We had reports months or years ago in DXLD that it was a spur of YVTO 5000, and the good signal in Venezuela reported should fortify that. But there should also be voice IDs in Spanish just before minutetop, same time as WWV does it. Am not sure if this is every minute, every five minutes, or what. But try // 5000. Also matching spur has been reported on 4900. Of course if you can get a clear Spanish time announcement, it will be half an hour off from the rest of the world now, clinching Venezuela (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I just searched out the previous reports of this, DXLD from late 2006 and early 2007, 2008: 8-008 unid 4900 7-034 unid 5100 7-004 under Venezuela, as are the rest: 7-001 6-190 6-189 One report says the voice IDs are every minute (Glenn Hauser, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks, Glenn, I'm not hearing any ID's at all on this frequency. Will have to do more extended listening with multiple receivers tuning the other frequencies, but it appears you may have this answered (Dave Zantow, ibid.) Then I searched the UDXF yg archives of a year ago, and there were follow-ups, resulting in the same conclusion: (gh) Re: [udxf] unIDed 5100 kHz AM time pips and top-of-minute tone Well it is more confusing now. I am up in the shack and this appears to be a broadband signal. It appears to stretch from 5075 to a little over 5100 kHz. Using the DXTuner site at San Antonio VEN this appears to be some sort of image (probably a bad choice of words) maybe YVTO on 5 MHz. I have YVTO on DXTuners from SA VEN and it is very strong. The 5100 signal on SA VEN is not quite as strong, but definitely it is them with the same OM ID announcement. Strange part is I here in the shack hear this wideband time tick on 5100 (no voice ID) here in Btown, but no 5.0 MHz YVTO. Strange (Larry Van Horn, N5FPW, Feb 23, 2007, UDXF yg via DXLD) It's definitely YVTO. The voice is there on the San Antonio/Caracas DX-tuner, just hard to hear. The signal is much weaker than 5000. All I hear on 5100 up here is an ocean surface radar sweeping about once per second (Hugh Stegman, Feb 24, ibid.) Thanks for all the input about the 5100 kHz timepips. I believe the consensus is it's YVTO Caracas. That's gotta be one heck of a strong spur! (Jon-FL, Feb 26, 2007, ibid.) Much better signal on 5100 kHz tonight at 0445 UT and was now able to make out a voice ID in Spanish every minute. So just a YVTO spur as you were saying Glenn. The real signal on 5000 kHz was also mixed in with WWV (stronger here). (Dave N9EWO Zantow, UT Feb 28, 2008, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also PUBLICATIONS for Timesig list UNIDENTIFIED. 6074, 8GAL check on Feb 28: good thing I tuned in a bit early, since the one-minute V/CQ marker was ending just before, rather than after the 1400 timesignal from Russia on 6075. First time I have heard it running one minute early. The transition was so smooth that you would not know they were from completely different sources: the pitch of the CW het against 6075 was the same as the 1 kHz pitch of the time pips (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6145, 1321-1340+, 02/26/08. Music with a distinct Indian/subcontinental feel to it, with male and female announcers speaking in uncertain language between. Somewhat unpolished production values with pauses and dead air between songs and audio clips. Still going though fading fast by 1340. Only thing listed at this hour is Qinghai PBS (China) in Mandarin, but speech was clearly not Chinese, nor was the music. Nothing heard in check on 2/27, 28. Perhaps an off- frequency Indian station? (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFED. 11995, re 8-026: Saludos cordiales Glenn, con respecto a la emisión NO ID en 11995, puedo decir, que hoy 28 de febrero he chequeado esa frecuencia desde las 1350. Se observa una emisión en chino, probablemente el servicio de VOA de 1300 a 1400 vía Filipinas; también se recibía una débil señal de otra emisión en chino. Una vez terminado el servicio de VOA se escuchó mejor, también con final de emisión, un minuto después de VOA. Intuyo se trate de algún servicio de CNR con la finalidad de interferir. Esperé en la frecuencia hasta las 1405; no capté señal alguna, por lo tanto sin noticias de la emisión musical captada por usted el día anterior. Atentamente (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, Tinang is scheduled on 11995 at 1300-1400, but I don`t think it has anything to do with what I was hearing at 1430-1500, Darwin. 73, (Glenn, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ LW AND SW TIME SIGNAL STATIONS Perhaps this is more of a reminder, but Klaus Betke's 29 page excellent guide to LW and SW Time Signal Stations is still available in a PDF document. http://www.longwave.de/TSS.pdf Grab it while you can as Klaus's main web page states : "This page will perhaps be closed soon." http://www.longwave.de/ (Dave N9EWO Zantow, UT Feb 28, 2008, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ QSX Re: "I wonder why hams don`t verbally say ``QSX`` much, the proper term for this? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)" I can speak from much experience with the Amateur National Traffic System and say that it is considered bad form to use CW abbreviations on Fone when passing message traffic, and I think the same logic would apply in other settings on the air. Q-signals were developed to improve efficiency of communications in Morse mode. On SSB, especially in these days when Morse familiarity is, regrettably IMO, no longer required for a license, it is not a safe assumption that all operators will know what QSX means. In order to communicate in the most effective manner, it is wise to verbalize things when operating in the voice modes, and to use abbreviations when operating in Morse mode. This is spelled out in the ARRL NTS Methods and Practices manual, chapter 2, as follows: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/nts-mpg/pdf/index.html 2.2 RULES FOR VOICING MESSAGES Following are the guidelines for voicing parts of the message during transmission. "Q" signals are not used operationally on voice (Scott Walker N3SW, New Cumberland PA USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Scott, Tnx for the explanation. That makes sense. But ``QRZ`` for example is still very much in use in voice mode. So I guess that needs to be discouraged. Traffic handling is one thing, but DX contests are another, where any extra syllable adds up to fewer contacts and smaller scores in the end! Can you imagine a DX station saying ``Who is calling me??`` over and over every few seconds, instead of QRZ? One hears QSX all the time on CW utility markers, such as coastal stations. Also see my ham logs below under PROPAGATION, reminding us that non-CW hams also say QSL a lot, in this sense, not meaning ``let`s trade verification cards``, but ``please confirm you copied my signal report`` (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) QSX: Hi Glenn, good question. Usually you'll hear listening up 5, listening down 5, etc. Working split has become a big pain, mostly because of the behavior of those in the pileup. It embarrasses me as a ham and a radio hobbyist. 73 (Ben KT1H Feller, DX LISTENING DIGEST) JAMMING Glenn, Since you said "OK, that`s Dutch and German; how about other languages? (gh, DXLD)", here's how the typical Port. term goes: Empastelar (verb), empastelamento (action, = jamming). Of course, "interferência deliberada" is what the layman would use, and perhaps even the technically minded, professional or non-amateur user. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CHINA WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ DAYLIGHT SAVING [sic] WASTES ENERGY, STUDY SAYS By JUSTIN LAHART February 27, 2008; Page D1 For decades, conventional wisdom has held that daylight-saving time, which begins March 9, reduces energy use. But a unique situation in Indiana provides evidence challenging that view: Springing forward may actually waste energy. Up until two years ago, only 15 of Indiana's 92 counties set their clocks an hour ahead in the spring and an hour back in the fall. The rest stayed on standard time all year, in part because farmers resisted the prospect of having to work an extra hour in the morning dark. But many residents came to hate falling in and out of sync with businesses and residents in neighboring states and prevailed upon the Indiana Legislature to put the entire state on daylight-saving time beginning in the spring of 2006. CLOCK WATCHING [sidebar] Research on the impact of extending daylight-saving time across Indiana found: • Residential electricity usage increased between 1% and 4%, amounting to $8.6 million a year. • Social costs from increased emissions were estimated at between $1.6 million and $5.3 million per year. • Possible social benefits -- enhanced public health and safety and economic growth -- were not studied. Indiana's change of heart gave University of California-Santa Barbara economics professor Matthew Kotchen and Ph.D. student Laura Grant a unique way to see how the time shift affects energy use. Using more than seven million monthly meter readings from Duke Energy Corp., covering nearly all the households in southern Indiana for three years, they were able to compare energy consumption before and after counties began observing daylight-saving time. Readings from counties that had already adopted daylight-saving time provided a control group that helped them to adjust for changes in weather from one year to the next. Their finding: Having the entire state switch to daylight-saving time each year, rather than stay on standard time, costs Indiana households an additional $8.6 million in electricity bills. They conclude that the reduced cost of lighting in afternoons during daylight-saving time is more than offset by the higher air-conditioning costs on hot afternoons and increased heating costs on cool mornings. . . [MORE] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120406767043794825.html (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ SWL WINTER FEST / DRM At Kulpsville I will give a Friday afternoon presentation on Domestic DRM, both low power and full power. I will be joined by a 'special guest'.* Kim Elliott will organize the DRM demo which will be based on DReaM. On the purported declaration that DRM is "officially" dead [see DIGITAL BROADCASTING below], show me some data other than insinuations by European Gospel Radio. Where is that HFCC announcement of forget DRM, Long Live AM? Their article contains nothing about the chipsets and the timeline for getting those to market so that receiver manufacturers can use them. The DRM module used in the earliest DRM consumer receivers is not a dedicated chipset; it is a DSP chip running software and receiver makers have been desiring an alternative to that since 2005. Large consumer electronics companies cultivate a public image of innovation, but they can be extremely conservative and risk averse. They like to wait for small players to take risks and have some success and then take the business away from them. That is likely what is occurring here with regard to receivers. And a cessation of DRM broadcasts is hardly what they need to make them step forward. At any rate, with DRM-capable chipsets the declared suppliers represent the most widely known semiconductor makers. International SWBC is pulling back from the developed world. (Reasons why that pullback is ill-advised are amply explored on Dr. Elliott's website.) DRM can help make SW more usable and appealing, but it may not be enough to bring back lots of transmissions to English-speaking countries. Some of us believe that the U.S. DRM market can be jumpstarted by domestic broadcasting. I don't think domestic DRM will threaten HD Radio and its $700 million marketing campaign, now using fabulous spokesman Spongebob Squarepants (!) but it will start as a niche medium. *To clarify, the special guest I'm expecting is not Kim Elliott but another luminary (Benn Kobb, drmnayg via DXLD) Please promise it's not Don Messer (Ralph Brandi, ibid.) NATIONAL FEDERATION OF COMMUNITY BROADCASTERS NFCB announces its 33rd annual community radio conference, March 26-29, Atlanta GA. Goings-on will include meetings of Latino, Native American stations, workshops on such topics as budgeting, legal issues in broadcasting, political broadcasting, and how-to sessions for new managers. An opportunity for networking, exhibits and lunches. Registration info at http://www.nfcb.org The organization points out two highlights: KTDB *89.7 Pine Hill NM and KYUK AM Bethel AK are each 35 years, while another Native station, KUYI *88.1 Hotavilla AZ, is six years old. Native Public Media will be meeting concurrently with the NFCB in Atlanta (Jan/Feb FMedia! via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see also CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES; ECUADOR; ++++++++++++++++++++ EUROPE; INDIA; TAIWAN DRM IS DEAD? I understand that programming time that is already contracted for will still have DRM, but does anyone know when we will start to see a DECREASE in programming time with DRM, particularly in the 49 meter band? It really racks up the band for at least +/- 20 kHz around the assigned frequency. I wonder if people will pay for programming in the upcoming transmission schedule cycle starting at the end of March given the announcement at the HFCC (unattributed quotation, DXplorer, via Ralph Brandi via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) It wasn't an announcement; it was cocktail party chatter. It's not anything official, just the (rough) consensus opinion of the people who attend HFCC. I doubt that everyone who was there agrees, but the fact that such an opinion got out indicates that it's probably pretty widely held. Dan Ferguson can probably tell you how much power the people who attend HFCC have to affect serious decisions involving money and strategy. So in the short and medium term, I wouldn't expect any decrease in the amount of hours dedicated to DRM. The Peter Sengers of the world don't understand that DRM is dead yet (Ralph Brandi, ibid.) Ralph himself has also been DXing DRM with some good TA low-power catches (gh) Re: ``Here's something that came like a lightning bolt out of the blue. Can't say that I'm surprised, though. I'm glad I didn't spend big $$ on DRM programs/or the few receivers out there. Looks like there'll never be any either from the report. Still, it was a little bit of fun decoding the very few stations using this technology (Walt in Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` The item has been removed from the Monitoring Times blog though of course it's in googles cache. Jonathan Marks has covered it in his blog as well as thoughts on analogue shortwave: http://criticaldistance.blogspot.com/2008/02/death-of-digital-radio-mondiale-as-well.html and EGR's thoughts on DRM are on their website: http://www.egradio.org/index.php?name=FAQ&id_cat=7 (Mike Barraclough, England, Feb 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) And the above item is still there, EGR`s FAQ on DRM (gh, DXLD) Indeed, without any comment, the former URL just yields a "not found" Blogger standard page now. Probably somebody has complained about such a publication of confidential talks, but this is of course merely speculation. Maybe even yours truly is considered as a bad guy now, since I pointed out this item to Glenn after I saw the Dutch "DRM is dood" article (which, to make sure, is still online), tried to find out more, and this Monitoring Times blog entry was the only other related material I could find. Well, during recent years it used to be rather predictable what would be shown and said about digital radio on IFA. But this year it could become really interesting (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DXLD) Explanation of why the item was removed: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/drmna/message/1194 (Mike Barraclough, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Hi all, I picked up on this article on the mt-shortwave blog as soon as it came out. It didn't jive with what my own Frequency Manager told me about the information he gathered at the HFCC conference regarding DRM. So I alerted the DRM consortium to the blog. They wrote to the Director of European Gospel Radio and asked them about the posting. Turns out, this is not the official position of European Gospel Radio, but was part of an internal memo that was not meant for publication. This has apparently been communicated to mt-shortwave because they seem to have removed the article from their blog. I tried the link given earlier and it now returns an error (Doug HC7AW [Weber, HCJB], drmna yg, via Barraclough, ibid.) Writing off DRM seems to be done on the grounds that there are no receivers in the market. That's true. We're 12 years since the official launch of DRM in China (I made the first set of test transmission tapes when at Radio Netherlands) but still there is no one willing to take the plunge and mass produce them. And they are right to be concerned because the range of programming is not in place to make the system fly. It is also interesting that the die-hard shortwave fans seem to be relieved at any news of DRM's failure - because it means interference levels are lower on the increasingly less crowded bands. They have made a pastime of searching for weak, unusual signals. But the argumentation goes on, saying that analogue shortwave is therefore here to stay because it is a "rather cheap way of reaching large audiences". Problem is that this is no longer the case. 100-500 kW for a single audio channel is becoming a very expensive way to share an idea - the only way for some countries, but they are definitely in the minority these days. The death of analogue shortwave has far more to do with the lack of decent programming. Compare the 49 metre band with the range of programmes on a wifi-radio or on a free to air satellite TV tuner. Just as few people watch an evening of Youtube, so shortwave has become a medium of last resort. As a former shortwave broadcaster, it is shame to say it. But the fact that this part of the dial is no longer commercially viable speaks volumes. It explains why analogue shortwave is haemorrhaging now, rather than being just the long slow fade. Let's move on, guys. Radio has this terrible user interface, sorting content by frequency. Where are tagged interfaces for audio and the electronic programme guides? Blinkx experimented with audio and video feeds but is rightly concentrating on the video side of the business. Why? Because radio stations cannot supply them with any relevant metadata. Are you going to leave it all to iTunes? May be you are! Posted by Jonathan Marks at 2/26/2008 09:25:00 AM 1 comments [sic]: John Figliozzi said... I don't know if my personal experiences can be counted as a sort of "canary in the coal mine", but I can tell you that even I -- a former dyed in the wool shortwave listener -- have shifted most of my listening to satellite radio (XM/Sirius), podcasting and –- now -- wifi internet radio. The last one surprised me, to be frank. Internet radio has been available to me for years via my desktop and laptop computers, but I've accessed it that way only sporadically. On a whim, I purchased a wifi radio (Com One Phoenix) about six weeks ago. It runs on rechargeable batteries and it follows me around the house almost constantly. As you say, the better quality audio (at least on many, if not all, stations), better content at greater variety, and ease of use all contribute to a much more satisfying experience than what I can get today from my old friend shortwave. Podcasting extends the experience to my daily walks; satellite to the car. Sadly, there's hardly any room for shortwave -- especially sad because I own about two dozen radios. I still worry about the very real potential for interdiction of all radio not delivered by analog shortwave--that characteristic of shortwave remaining its only tangible benefit over the other platforms. In sober moments, it should be recognized as a significant concern; but in all the euphoria over the alternatives it gets lost in the discussion quite readily. As with many things, we all may just have to learn the hard way on that one. Thu Feb 28, 03:34:00 PM (Critical Distance blog via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ RangeMaster AM1000 Glenn, You covered on WOR a few weeks ago about part 15 AM broadcast transmitters; ironically one popped up here over the last week on 1700 kHz. Monitoring to the recorded audio loop, I discovered the source being the "New Life Assembly Church". This is almost 2 miles away from me. I'm even hearing a good strong 6th harmonic on 11900 kHz out of this thing. After some research (not saying that this is the one being used by the Church above), I found this US made transmitter, the "Hamilton RangeMaster AM1000" that appears is able to put out up to 750 mw. That would be way over the 100mw part 15 limit for these devices. It also appears to be a FCC certified device. The transmitter is mounted entirely outside with the 102 inch CB whip attached to the box to eliminate the feed line. http://www.am1000rangemaster.com/index.html The web page is very elusive about the maximum power output (it is fully adjustable). Here is the ONLY spot on this web site I found that indicates the maximum 750 mw output of this transmitter : http://www.am1000rangemaster.com/pdf/AM1000.pdf (David Zantow, Janesville WI, Feb 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) SIMPLIFIED PROCESS FOR USING VALCOM AM ANTENNAS The FCC's Media Bureau has adopted simplified application procedures for AM broadcast non-directional (non-D) Valcom antennas. This antenna is a relatively short self-supporting whip with a "Valcosphere," a wire-framed sphere, mounted on top (it's a fancy-looking top-loading hat). The antenna is only authorized for non-D operation at this time. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-08-448A1.doc (CGC Communicator Feb 25, via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) EARLY RADAR - NOT EXACTLY SHORTWAVE 1935: "The feasibility of radar is demonstrated for the British Air Ministry. It would prove to be a just-in-the-nick-of-time invention that helped save Great Britain from defeat in World War II. ... A Royal Air Force Heyforth bomber was used for the War Ministry demonstration at Daventry. Three times the plane passed overhead and three times the main beam of a BBC short-wave radio transmitter picked up reflected signals." Wired, 26 Feb 2008 http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/02/dayintech_0226 Actually the then BBC television frequency 7.6 metres (39.446 MHz). See http://www.bairdtelevision.com/radar.html 73 (Kim Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ HARMONICS, 19-31 MHZ FROM ASIA TO AUSTRALIA Log from Adelaide South Australia Grid PF95ga 35 Degrees South 138 Degrees East Icom R75 and G5RV North/South ALL TIMES UT, February 26 2008 30670, H2, 2 x 15335 kHz, BBCWS via Singapore, 250 kW to SE Asia and Australia, heard 0717 with English, readable, and nice to hear it so soon after the last reception, January 1st, MUF peaking around 35 MHz to SE Asia. 23690, H2, 2 x 11845, CPBS Xi`an, PR China, carrier only at 0748, between weak and fair level, maybe a better chance in the next 6-8 weeks or so. 23900, H2, 2 x 11950, Xizang PBS, Lhasa [TIBET], PR China, carrier only at 0751, just above weak level, but distinctive when you hear it, having a lot of trouble with local birdies, hampering harmonic hunting, baby monitors, etc.; harder to hear the carriers, than in previous years. 19060, H2, 2 x 9530, CPBS Xi`an, PR China, or Vietnam DS1, 50 kW, carrier only at 0757, another to watch, have to watch your step, around here, as an active international broadcast band, may lead to a wrong conclusion! Active Sporadic E at the time of reception on 6 metres and Band 1 TV, in VK, noted 50046, VK8RAS/b, and 46172, RTQ0 strength S7. 10 Metres open to Hong Kong and Japan, and VK4 > VK6 and VK5, so worth a look on the lower bands for some harmonics !! 73 (Dave, Adelaide South Australia, Vitek, swl call VK5001SWL, Grid PF95GA, Feb 27, harmonics yg via DXLD) SF 70, K 3, BUT MUF AT LEAST 29 MHZ FROM SOUTH AMERICA Despite this situation: Geophysical Alert Message # Solar-terrestrial indices for 28 February follow. Solar flux 70 and estimated mid- latitude A-Index 22. The mid-latitude K-index at 2100 UTC on 28 February was 3 (34 nT). No space weather storms were observed for the past 24 hours. No space weather storms are expected for the next 24 hours (SWPC via DXLD) 15, 12, 11 and 10 meters were open as far as Argentina the afternoon of Feb 28; we should be getting into the Trans-Equatorial season affecting Caribbean/Southern Brasil paths up to 108 MHz, which may have something to do with this opening, tho I have not seen any FM reports lately. My logs: 2111 on 21305, TI5/KG4UVU, in Costa Rica, pronouncing / as `stroke`, working US stations. Sounded like contest work, only the basics, but maybe just warming up for the weekend? I was checking around here just in case VP6DX Ducie was still going after planned 2000* QRT, but not heard 2113 on 21290, LW9EOC, QRZ and working US stations; seems to have US accent in English 2114 on 21270, a PY5, could not copy complete call and said he was about to QSY 2124 on 28500, LU8EOT, Mark contacting various US stations 2127 on 28360, TG9AWM in Guatemala City, much stronger signal than the SAms, in Spanish, somewhat rough modulation, working a CX, Uruguay, later at 2131 calling CQDX in English 2135 on 27025 AM, heavy Jamaican accent, hard to understand, had a call starting with L plus a letter and some numbers, always mentioned Jamaica, and said `be gone` instead of over (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###