DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-036, March 22, 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 NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1400 Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1515 WRMI 7385 Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB [irregular] Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 7385 Wed 1130 WRMI 9955 Wed 2300 WBCQ 17495-CUSB 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 NOTE: this issue does not cover all the news which has accumulated since the last issue dated March 17; gh may or may not manage to get caught up after a necessary slowdown. DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD, which seems to be coming out less frequently? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg without delay. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location. Those who do not, unless I recognize them, will be prompted once to do so and no action will be taken otherwise. Here`s where to sign up http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** ALBANIA. R TIRANA DURING THE SUMMER SEASON A-08 Language Destination UTC/Days Tx kW kHz Beam Albanian Europe 0630-0800 1234567 Shijak 100 7105 OND Fllaka 500 1458 338 degr 0801-0900 1234567 Shijak 100 7105 OND Fllaka 500 1395 033 degr 1400-1530 1234567 Fllaka 500 1458 OND 2030-2200 1234567 Shijak 100 6005 OND Shijak 100 9390 310 degr NoAM 2300-0030 1234567 Shijak 100 7425 300 degr Shijak 100 9390 310 degr English UK/IRL 1845-1900 .234567 Shijak 100 7430 OND Shijak 100 13640 310 degr 2000-2030 .234567 Shijak 100 7460 OND U.S.A. 0030-0045 1.34567 Shijak 100 9390 310 degr 0145-0200 1.34567 Shijak 100 9390 310 degr 0230-0300 1.34567 Shijak 100 7425 310 degr 0330-0400 1.34567 Shijak 100 7425 310 degr 1430-1500 .234567 Shijak 100 13640 310 degr 2000-2030 .234567 Shijak 100 13600 310 degr French FRANCE 1730-1800 .234567 Shijak 100 7430 310 degr 1901-1930 .234567 Shijak 100 7465 310 degr Greek GREECE 1545-1600 .234567 Fllaka 500 1458 OND German GER 1801-1829 .234567 Fllaka 500 1458 338 degr 1931-2000 .234567 Shijak 100 7465 OND Italian ITALY 1730-1800 .234567 Shijak 100 7460 300 degr 1901-1930 .234567 Shijak 100 7430 300 degr Serbian Ex-YUG 1800-1815 .234567 Shijak 100 6145 OND 2015-2030 .234567 Fllaka 500 1458 004 degr Turkish TURKEY 1530-1545 .234567 Fllaka 500 1458 OND Note: Sunday 1, ..... , Saturday 7 A08 TRANS WORLD RADIO _ FLLAKE, ALBANIA 1810-1840 ......7 Macedonian 1395 500 330 1810-1840 123456. Serbian 1395 500 330 1840-1915 1234567 Hungarian 1395 500 330 1915-1930 1...... Croatian 1395 500 330 1915-1930 .234... Bosnian 1395 500 330 1915-1930 ....5.. Arabic 1395 500 330 1915-1930 .....6. Croatian 1395 500 330 1915-1930 ......7 Slovene 1395 500 330 1930-1945 1234567 Croatian 1395 500 330 1945-2015 12345.. Croatian 1395 500 330 1945-2015 .....67 Bosnian 1395 500 330 2015-2045 1234567 Polish 1395 500 330 Day 1 = Mon .. 7 = Sun Summer A-08 schedule for CRI via Fllake-ALB, 500 kW: English Europe 0600-0800 UTC 1215 kHz Tx.1 Ant F-03 ND Albanian Albania 1500-1600 UTC 1215 kHz Tx.1 Ant F-03 ND Esperanto Europe 1600-1700 UTC 1215 kHz Tx.1 Ant F-03 ND Bulgarian Europe 1600-1700 UTC 1458 kHz Tx.2 Ant F-05 ND Romanian Europe 1700-1800 UTC 1215 kHz Tx.1 Ant F-03 ND Italian Europe 1700-1800 UTC 1458 kHz Tx.2 Ant F-05 ND Hungarian Europe 1901-1959 UTC 1458 kHz Tx.2 Ant F-05 ND Polish Europe 2030-2129 UTC 1458 kHz Tx.2 Ant F-04 004deg Serbian Europe 2101-2201 UTC 1215 kHz Tx.1 Ant F-03 ND Czech Europe 2130-2230 UTC 1458 kHz Tx.2 Ant F-04 338deg (all: Drita Çiço, March 17, via wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Mar 21 via DXLD) ** ALGERIA [non]. R. Algeria Holy Qur'an in Arabic via ISS 500 kW, March 10-17: [so is all this off since March 17?? --gh] 0400-0600 5960 / 194 deg NoWeAf; 7295 / 162 deg CeEaAf, both not active 0600-0700 7295 / 162 deg CeEaAf; 9430 / 194 deg NoWeAf 0700-0800 11625 / 162 deg CeEaAf; 13830 / 194 deg NoWeAf 0800-1000 15230 / 162 deg CeEaAf; 15750 / 194 deg NoWeAf 1000-1100 15230 / 162 deg CeEaAf; 15615 / 194 deg NoWeAf 1600-1700 13830 / 194 deg NoWeAf; 15495 / 162 deg CeEaAf, both not active 1700-1800 9390#/ 162 deg CeEaAf; 13830 / 194 deg NoWeAf 1800-2000 9390 / 162 deg CeEaAf; 9825&/ 194 deg NoWeAf 2000-2100 7375*/ 162 deg CeEaAf; 9825 / 194 deg NoWeAf 2100-2300 7295 / 194 deg NoWeAf; 7375*/ 162 deg CeEaAf; # co-ch Kol Israel in Farsi till 1725 & co-ch Adventist World Radio till 1830 * co-ch Radio Farda in Farsi till 2130 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, March 18, via DXLD) ** ANGUILLA. DGS, 11775, on late still at 2206 March 22, over CCI, presumably Chicom jamming and/or RFA Cantonese via Tinian. Yup, nothing yet on 6090, where AIA is supposed to QSY at 2200 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. RAE, Radiodifusión Argentina al Exterior, desde el pasado 17 de Marzo está probando emisiones en internet. Por favor, chequear el sitio de la emisora y hacer 'click' donde dice "Escuchar RAE". http://www.radionacional.gov.ar/rae/rae.asp (fuente: Gabriel Iván Barrera, Argentina via Arnaldo Slaen, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1400,DX LISTENING DIGEST) Checked at 1525 the RAE feed seemed to be a domestic relay; in the 1800 UT hour I could not get a connexion to stick, just heard bits of music so could not confirm the English service. Even less funxional at 0114 check March 21. But it was working in English at 0217 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks GIB, this from A-DX ng yesterday night: Problems with Radio Nacional Faro (AM 870) connection occured, but I could open the path just few seconds ago. Windows Media Player starts after 6 seconds here in Germany: No succes to open via address: (Wolfgang Büschel, March 19, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Mar 21 via DXLD) Just to confirm that I am listening to the RAE English service at 1800 UT today (21 March) via their internet feed at http://www.radionacional.gov.ar/rae/rae.asp with a solid connection. Programme of News, Tango music, Talk about Good Friday, DX Supplement (reading items from Wolfgang Bueschel`s BC-DX #849), some piano music, Sports Review and more Argentinian music to finish (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) At 1940 UT, RAE International DX programm in Italian, starts within 5- 6 seconds here in Europe. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** AUSTRALIA. New Website design of Radio Australia http://www.abc.net.au/ra/ Program guide under Program Schedules on http://www.abc.net.au/ra/programguide/ Reception in Europe http://www.abc.net.au/ra/waystolisten/europe.htm in row: Livestream, Podcasts, Partner Stations, Shortwave, Satellite. (Juergen Fenn, Germany, March 19, A-DX via BC-DX March 21 via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 2325, ABC-VL8T, Tennant Creek, 1045-1105, March 22, sports commentary. Weak but readable. Weaker on // 2310-Alice Springs and // 2485-Katherine (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No sign of Dominican Republic 5009.78 on March 21 during checks at 2315-2400 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BHUTAN. This Kingdom in the high Himalaya has isolated itself for centuries until recently. But the wise, old, absolute King decided that democracy might make the people happier, so it is gradually opening its borders to the outside world. TV was introduced around 1999, but now it goes fast. At the birthday of the young King Jingme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck (28) on Feb 21, he got a new service as a present from the Bhutan Broadcasting Service: A website with streaming audio. It is heard well here in Denmark at http://www.bbs.com.bt/Index.html at *0000-1500* with the last hour in English. 6035 on SW is in parallel, but much more difficult to hear. But back to the coming democratic election on Mar 24, as the King has decided. There must be political parties to vote between, and Bhutan recently has developed two parties for this election: People's Democratic Party, lead by Mr. Sangay Ngedup, and The Decent Party of Bhutan, lead by Mr. Jigme Y. Thinley. According to the news on the website on Mar 17, many official institutions will be closed for a week around Mar 24 to enable their employees to get home and vote. The border to India will be sealed Mar 22-25 to avoid terrorist attacks! (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window March 19 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4915, ZYF360, Rádio Macapá; 0331-0338+, 20-Mar; M in Portuguese with campo tunes; ID spot at 0332 -- included 3 mentions of Rádio Macapá. SIO=433, swiper QRM; non GHANA (Harold Frodge, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Received from a friend: The 50 kW powerhouse on 1070 kHz, CBA near Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada is scheduled to be taken off the air on April 7th, 2008 shortly after 1130Z. This will mark the last of this area's AM transmitters. The next nearest one being some 40 miles away near the Nova Scotia border. This particular transmitter has a bit of history behind it as it was the first all solid state 50 kW transmitter ever made for a commercial broadcaster. The manufacturer was Nautel and the serial number is 1. CBA is currently simulcasting on its new FM frequency of 106.1 MHz. -- 73 de (Joe Miller, KJ8O, Troy, MI -- Grid EN82 – NRC AM via DXLD) i.e.: Just in case some of you MW BCB DXers are interested, the 50 kW powerhouse on 1070 kHz CBA near Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada is scheduled to be taken off the air on April 7th, 2008 shortly after 1130Z. This will mark the last of this area's AM transmitters. The next nearest one being some 40 miles away near the Nova Scotia border. This particular transmitter has a bit of history behind it as it was the first all solid state 50KW transmitter ever made for a commercial broadcaster. The manufacturer was Nautel and the serial number is 1. CBA is currently simulcasting on its new FM frequency of 106.1 MHz. I do not belong to any other group, so if this posting is picked up by some other DX group, please feel free to pass the news along. Regards to all (Cam Leblanc, R75 group via Sylvain Naud, QC, MWC via DXLD) ** CANADA. Right now I'm listening to pop/rock on 1670 kHz. In between songs, French is spoken. Very weak. Receiver is a 1955/1963 Collins/Teledyne R-390A fed by a LF Engineering M-601C active whip located 22 feet outside and away from the VY2PR Radio Room. I strongly suspect it is the new kid's station in Gatineau QC. I saw one reference online [wikipedia] to callsign CJEU. I did find a website and looked at pictures of their tiny 1KW Nautel transmitter, the 85 foot tower and the site. http://tinyurl.com/2bftmx (Phil Rafuse, VY2PR, Stratford PEI, Canada, 0319 UT March 22, ABDX via DXLD) ** CHAD. 4904.97, RNT, 2205-2232*, March 19, French talk. Afro-pop music at 2230. National Anthem at 2231 & off. On later than usual. Sign off usually around 2130. Fair to good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Re: Mark Schiefelbein's 4830 log: heard with a good-very good signal 1242-1315+ 19 March with similar program, language sounded like a Chinese dialect rather than Mongolian (which, to me, sounds "Russian-ish"), phone calls with words "hai", "ba", "ni-ha" frequently heard, 5+1 pips at 1300, and usual W/M "ID" tag, but nothing sounding like "renmin guangbo diantai" at the end; just before TOH and at 1315, "ba ba ba-shi" heard (and sounds just like "baa baa b(l)a(ck)-shee (p)"). (Dan Sheedy, CA, R75-EF102040, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Mark and Dan, Interesting logs, as CHBC has not been reported for a while. Would be great if this is indeed them. In the past their winter schedule was both 4830 and 6185, with a summer schedule of only 6185. Unfortunately Singapore's (RSI) 250 kW now dominates on 6185 from 1100 to 1400, in Chinese. Once it was very easy to ID CHBC by their very distinctive singing station jingle in English, but I have not seen reports of it being used for a long time now. Any chance it is still in use? (Ron Howard, CA, ibid.) CHBC QSY from 6185 to 4830 kHz on Mar. 20. Now on at 2230-0100 and 1200-1700 4830; 0100-1200 6185. CHBC Live Streaming: mms://218.5.3.181:1250/ (S. Hasegawa, NDXC-HQ, ibid.) 4830, China Huayi Broadcasting Company, *1200-1300+, 03/22/08, Mandarin. Carrier on at right around 1200 followed a few seconds later by audio, a presumed news report then a female presenter anchoring a program with various guests and callers on the phone, 5+1 pips heard at 1300 amid a nearly faded-out signal. Was able to definitively // this to their streaming audio at mms://218.5.3.181:1250/ thanks to S. Hasegawa for the tip. (I noted on the webstream that during the news report they took the liberty of adding angry-shouting-mob sound effects during a report with frequent mentions of Xizang, a.k.a. Tibet.) Mostly poor. Also heard 03/21 w/similar strength and program, but from around 1220-1240 the carrier was switching off and on amid low audio - technical difficulties. I had initially thought this was Mongolia on my first report, but it would now definitely seem to be CHBC (newly reactivated on this frequency?) that I've been hearing the last few days. Thanks to all who helped to pin this down (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. CRI tests in DRM on 12030 0800-0900 and 11825 1300-1400 UT. Wie im DRMRX Forum zu lesen ist, hat anscheinend RCI heute Tests in DRM begonnen. Empfangen wurden die Sendungen u.a. in Schweden und in der Schweiz auf der Frequenz 12030 kHz von 0800-0900 UT und heute Mittag 1300 UT-1400 UT auf 11825 kHz. Es wurden diverse Bitraten und Modes sowie der Journaline Dienst probiert. Weitere Informationen sind bislang nicht bekannt, auch nicht, ob diese Tests regelmaessig stattfinden sollen (oder nicht). (Stephan Schaa, Germany, A-DX Mar 17 via BC-DX March 21 via DXLD) Sites? Inside or outside China? (gh, DXLD) ** COLOMBIA [and non]. Marfil Estéreo, 5910, underneath Russian at 0534 March 20, and making a low het with it. That`s DW via Rampisham scheduled at 0500-0630, 48 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. 5954.145, 18/3 2258 UNID, transmitter reported in Costa Rica, slow songs, no ID, strong QRM by a carrier at 2300, good again at 2309, fair to good. Ciao (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano - Italia, March 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. REE relay, 9675, March 20 at 0530, with semi-hour timesignal, ID, and // 5964. Another frequency which has not yet stepped down a kHz (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. UNIDENTIFIED. Hearing something on 3261.05 on 19 March 2008 at 0350 UT. Not real strong, but have been able to hear M & W talking at times, modern music, and at 0400 time pips. Signal dropped off after the pips, but can still hear carrier. Anyone hearing this, and know what it is? (Alex Vranes, Jr., Harpers Ferry, WV, FRG-100B + 60-m. dipole, NASWA yg via DXLD) Again hearing something 22 March on exact same freq. Nothing heard 0130 check, but carrier detected 0155 recheck. Nothing but carrier heard 'til 0200, then mostly W speaking, occasionally M briefly speaking; perhaps news? After 0205 occasional bits of music, and M speaking more. Again not real strong, but language seems to be Spanish. Anyone else able to hear this? (Alex Vranes, Jr., Harpers Ferry, WV, FRG-100B + 60-m. dipole, NASWA yg via DXLD) I have it now (0310 UT) in Missouri, measured at 3261.03-05 but a little tricky to pin down exactly - a couple of different male announcers and one female speaking in an uncertain language. It's definitely there but pretty far down in the noise, but when it fades up a bit it does seem like perhaps Spanish or Portuguese or some other similar-sounding language (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The language became clearer and it was sounding like Spanish dashing my hopes for a pirate. At 0330 I heard time pips. Not sure why I didn't think of this earlier but I checked 3350 kHz which is Spain's relay in Costa Rica. It was // so our mystery on 3261 is // 3350 which is the Costa Rican relay of Radio Exterior de España. 73, (Rich D`Angelo, PA, NASWA yg via DXLD) O yes, their 17850 outlet has put out spurs too. Time pips on the semihour are a good clew to REE (gh, DXLD) Excellent -- thanx for the help!!! Would make sense, as seems it came on 0200, and according to Eibi is sked *0200 on 3350. Wonder if this is some kind of mixing product, or spur? Will have to check 3438.95 tonight and see if it's on the high side as well. Thanx again!! (Alex Vranes, WV, NASWA yg via DXLD) ** CUBA. DST of UT -4 started here March 16; Arnie ``sounds like a phone-in`` Coro mentioned this in a news item at 0529 UT March 19 on 6000, as happening ``this past weekend`` to save energy, etc., (rather than to catch up with the USA which went on DST a week before). March 30 had been the expected change date for Cuba at timeanddate.com but they have already corrected that to March 16 at 0500 UT. This should have no effect on RHC UT scheduling, except possibly some domestic programs relayed such as Mesa Redonda. There`s a time check every day at 1402 UT on multiple RHC frequencies such as 12000; last week they said it was 9:02 am; on March 19 they said it was 10:02 am. But what about Radio Rebelde? On March 16 I went looking for the mid- day broadcast which I figured would now start at 1600 UT = local noon, but no sign of it on any of the previously monitored frequencies, 17735, 17555, 15570, 15370, 13750, 11655. EiBi and Aoki can`t agree on which ones start at 1600 or 1630 or 1700. 17735 is occupied anyway by CRI Sackville until 1700, and 17555 has WYFR from 1700. Checked again and again, around 1630, 1700, 1730, 1800 but no trace of any activity from Rebelde during these hours when plenty of transmitters are available, the break between RHC`s morning and afternoon programming. I did not scan all bands thoroly, however, in case frequencies other than the above be used. So is this service closed? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1400, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Here`s our answer: Sí, amigos; yes, my friends; oui, mes amis, this is the weekend edition of DXers Unlimited and here at the request of several listeners is information about the Radio Rebelde´s short wave broadcasts. Radio Rebelde is now only operating on 5025 kiloHertz with 50 kiloWatts and its Tropical Band high take off angle main lobe antenna. The daily morning and mid day transmissions are no longer on the air. So, again, for your information, Radio Rebelde´s only short wave outlet that is operational at this moment is on the 60 meters Tropical band, on 5025 kiloHertz and this transmitter is on the 24 hours, to provide primary sky wave service to all of the Cuban archipelago. And another Cuban broadcast related news item, Radio Angùlo, the Holguín provincial network, is now with two ten kiloWatt transmitters, one on 740 kiloHertz and the other one on the long time 1110 kiloHertz. The new 740 kiloHertz relay of Radio Angulo is also a 24 hours operation and it is located in Sagua de Tanamo, a mountain[ou]s region of the province, where the use of a lower frequency on the AM band should improve the coverage (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited March 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Dear Mr. Hauser, I was wondering if you might know whatever happened to "Yolanda Fisher" formerly heard on Radio Havana Cuba? I visited the RHC studios in Nov of 2003 and while I didn't meet her, I did see her photo as I sat at her desk. I was introduced to an (approximately) 60-year-old balding, thin, white guy with a salt and pepper beard... he was introduced to me as "Langston Wright." I spoke with him for perhaps five minutes yet knew that "Langston Wright" was actually an African-American. The man I met was probably another RHC broadcaster, the one known as "Simon Wollers." Everything was very deceptive, upon reflection. Nevertheless, I did see their concrete- wall-ceiling-and-floor-painted-royal-blue studios and office. Do you have any info on "Yolanda Fisher" that you're able to share? Thanks, (Jan Douglas Tuckley, March 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jan, No, I don`t, but thanks for your observations. I did see something on YouTube recently interviewing various people at the RHC studios. You might want to look for that (Glenn to JDT via DXLD) Thanks for your reply. The English language office of RHC was simply a concrete room of approximately 20' x 12' (all blue paint) with eight (or ten?) desks lined up (four or five on each side) an old 386 computer on several of the desks and not a piece of paper in the entire room. It was as though someone had gone through and taken all the paper off of the desks prior to my walking into the room. There were two concrete studios (again -- royal blue paint-top bottom and sides) each containing an old wooden table with two old wooden chairs and an old microphone. The control room for each identical studio contained some very old reel-to-reel tape recording equipment, probably made in the USSR. I was able to see this English language office (and studios) after having climbed to the top floor of a six story building, then climbing back down one story via a narrow circular staircase. The time was Saturday morning at perhaps 10 am Havana time, so the place was nearly deserted, except for the guy with a British accent who led me in and introduced me to "Langston Wright" - who, of course, wasn't "Langston Wright" or Michael Finey (the now-late fugitive from U.S. justice) either. I would describe the photo I saw of "Yolanda Fisher" as was pointed out to me under the glass top of (supposedly) her desk, but given the overall level of deception that probably wasn't her photo or even her desk (Jan Douglas Tuckley, March 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REPUBLIC [non]. 9955, CZECH REPUBLIC [non]. Radio Prague (via WRMI), 2310, 03/21/08, English. Business news, a preview of special Easter programs, and arts report. R Prague IS/ID followed by WRMI's at 2330 before going into 'Radio Praga noticias'. Surprised to come across this since it's on neither R Prague's website nor WRMI's R Prague page, but it's there on the downloadable spreadsheet (supposedly since 4-Feb, Mon-Fri, but I logged World of Radio via WRMI at this time/freq on 14-Feb!). Fair to good with no jamming. (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The WRMI grid is in local time whether EST or now EDT. R. Prague had been on weekdays for some time at 00-01 UT before DST, so now 23-24. WOR was on Thursday at 2300, now 2200 UT. So no contradiction. I have pointed out before that you cannot expect each program page on the WRMI website to be up to date, unfortunately (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 5009.78, Radio Cristal Internacional-Radio Pueblo, Santo Domingo, 2320-2400*, March 19, Tentative. Spanish announcements. LA music. Spanish ballads. Fair to good signal strength but somewhat low modulation (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5009.77, 19/3 2320, Cristal presumed, Rep. Dominicana, signal fair, but very low modulation, talks, songs. Poor. Ciao (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano - Italia, March 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5009.78, Radio Cristal Internacional, Santo Domingo, 2312-0002*, March 20-21, LA music. Spanish ballads. Steel drum music. Spanish announcements. Call letters and "Radio Cristal Internacional" IDs at 2356 & 0000. Good signal strength but modulation could be a little stronger. No sign of Madagascar [q.v.] but they were heard 1½ hours later (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5009.732, Radio Pueblo, 2330 to 0000; Dominican music, vocals; clear OM ID as "capital de la República Dominicana... Radio Pueblo [call letters] banda de ...metros" 0000. Off at 0002 (Robert Wilkner, Icom 746Pro, Pompano Beach, South Florida, 0009 UT March 21, HCDX via DXLD) 5010v kHz, Radio Cristal Internacional desde Santo Domingo. Escuchada con señal muy débil a las 0015 UT [March 21?] con SINPO 25222 (3-5 db) con música variada y varias identificaciones, inclusive escuché 2 temas de música folclórica colombo-venezolana conocida también como 'musica llanera'!!! A las 0200 UT en esa misma frecuencia escuché otra emisora no identificada en un idioma desconocido con un SINPO 35222 [MADAGASCAR --- gh]. (Ing. Santiago San Gil González, March 20, CLUB DIEXISTAS DE LA AMISTAD, http.//diexismovenezolano.blogspot.com/ Receptor: Yaesu FRG-7 Musen con frecuencímetro digital. Antena Dipolo Hy-Gain Modelo 2BDQ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [non]. The Arabic Christian service HCJB is involved in, transmitted via Sackville, 12025, logged March 22 closing at 2141 giving website http://www.arabicbroadcasting.com --- those words were pronounced as in English, appropriately. But then the announcer spelled out the letters, pronouncing them in French! And then gave a P-mail address in Málaga, España. O, how multicultural! 2144-2145* RCI IS and ID loop (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. R Cairo in A-08: 6140 0045-0200 ABS 250 252 Spa 6250 1500-2245 ABS 250 315 Fre, Eng 6270 1600-1800 ABZ 250 90 Urd 6290 0000-0300 ABS 250 315 Ara 6290 1100-2400 ABZ 250 315 Ara 6860 1700-1900 ABS 250 5 Tur 6860 1900-2000 ABS 250 5 Rus 6860 2000-2200 ABZ 250 110 Ara 7270 0045-0330 ABZ 250 315 Spa, Eng 9250 1700-2300 ABZ 250 180 Ara 9280 2030-2230 ABS 250 241 Fre 9280 2300-0430 ABZ 250 330 Ara [English 2300: see below] 9360 2215-2330 ABZ 250 245 Por 9360 2330-0200 ABZ 250 245 Ara, Spa 9380 1900-2030 ABZ 100 250 Eng 9735 2330-0045 ABS 250 241 Ara 9915 0045-0200 ABS 250 252 Spa 9960 1900-0030 ABZ 100 160 Ara 9990 1800-2100 ABS 250 241 Hau 11550 1500-2245 ABS 250 315 Ge, Fre, Eng 12170 1430-1600 ABZ 250 70 Pashto 12170 1600-1800 ABZ 150 195 Eng 13580 1500-1600 ABZ 250 50 Ozbaki 15040 1330-1530 ABZ 100 70 Per 15080 1300-1600 ABS 250 241 Ara 15115 0700-1100 ABZ 100 250 Ara 15155 1600-1900 ABZ 100 160 Som 15170 1015-1215 ABZ 250 90 Ara 15710 1230-1400 ABS 250 106 Ind 17810 1530-1730 ABZ 100 170 Saw 17835 1215-1330 ABZ 250 90 Eng (Gordon Brown-UK, NWDXC Mar 19 via BC-DX March 21 via DXLD) Note how they prefer out-of-band, or band-edge frequencies, including some new ones like 12170, 9280, 6860. This list looks shorter than previous seasons; consolidation or fewer transmissions? Season after season, the English sesquihour to ENAm at 2300, surely their most important broadcast, gets lost in this version of R. Cairo schedules. It has been on 9465, but it appears A-08 will be on 9280, the only thing that fits, not completely in Arabic (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** FINLAND/ÅLAND. The licence that had been awarded to Roy Sandgren for 603 kHz from Åland has been returned and will be put on auction (ARC) (ARC Information Desk 17 Mar via Editor Olle Alm, DXLD) ** GERMANY. Frequency changes of Trans World Radio to CeAs via DTK T- Systems: 1630-1700 5995 WER 100 kW / 090 deg Mo-Fr Armenian, ex 5950 \\ 7165 1700-1730 5995 WER 100 kW / 090 deg Daily Persian, ex 5950 \\ 7165 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, March 18, via DXLD) ** GREECE. Dear Dimitris and Tasos: Avlis 1 which carries the ERT 3 Radiophonikos Stathmos Makedonias program from Thessaloniki is supposed to sign off of 7450 kHz at 2250 UT. Avlis 1 is then supposed to change frequency to 12105 for ERA 5 programing from Athens. Last night 7450 continued on with a very strong signal and programming in Greek until 2350 UT when the usual prerecorded announcement came on with the times and frequencies of ERT 3 in Greek closing out. Regards, (John Babbis, March 22 to ERT, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUAM. 11690, AWR-Voice of Hope, KSDA, Agat, 1600- March 22, English religious programming with Adventist World Radio IDs. Contemporary Christian music. Religious talk. Poor. Weak in noisy conditions plus rtty QRM on low side. Very weak on // 9585 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONDURAS. Once again, 3340 with open carrier instead of HRMI programming, March 20 at 0532 check. Open carrier again on 3340, presumed HRMI, March 22 at 0527-0530 check. Wake up! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Re 8-035, AIR Itanagar back on 4990: Please correct the date 13th March. I seem to be living in the future. Hi! That's what happens when you don't have to go to your morning QTH daily!! (Victor Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, dx_india via DXLD) Not March 14 ** INDONESIA. 3325 (Palangkaraya), 3976.1 (Pontianak), 3987 (Manokwari), 3995 (Kendari), 9680 (Jakarta), 1207-1230+ 19 March. All heard // running "warta berita Jakarta" with "RRI" (er-er-ee) generic ID at 1229 and back to local programs at 1230 (Dan Sheedy, CA, R75- EF102040, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA [and non]. 3325, RRI Palangkaraya, 1204-1223, 3/21/2008, Bahasa. Two stations of approximately equal strength were noted on this frequency. One with talk in Bahasa, the other with talk in what appeared to be Pidgin. One is assumed to be RRI Palangkaraya, and the other Radio Bougainville (PNG). Both signals were weak but readable. Neither made the expected change to music. Both were audible with fading until the final plunge below noise level at 1223. 3344.85, RRI Ternate, 1201-1230, 3/21/2008, Bahasa. A collision of weak signals on/around 3345 this morning. Station with talk in Bahasa on 3344.85 (Ternate) mixing with talk in Pidgin from Radio Northern (PNG) on 3345. Ternate's signal was weaker most of the time, but occasionally peaked equal to that of R. Northern. Similar situation noted on 3325 (Jim Evans, Germantown, TN, TenTec RX-340, Drake R8B, RF Space SDR-14, 90' Random Wire, 60' PAR EF-SWL, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9525.98, Voice of Indonesia, 1125-1200, March 19, tune- in to local music. Programming in listed Mandarin. English ID at 1200 and programming in Japanese. Fair signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOI was active on 9526, March 21 at 1355 as a bit early ran the IS and English announcement that they were transitioning from Korean to Indonesian. This is really insulting --- English is good enough for such continuity announcements, and they also do English IDs inside other language services, but they won`t put an axual English language hour on the air when we could hear it well, e.g. at 1300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. Hi Glenn, This story about World Radio, since 1963, and now in 47 languages. And unfamiliar to me, until I figured out they are the "other" WRN. http://www.christianchronicle.org/article2158286~Continental_connection:_World_Radio_spreads_the_gospel_to_100_nations_in_47_languages Main website: http://www.wfr.org Their not-easy-to-find schedule: http://www.wfr.org/Radio%20Stations/schedule_of_broadcasts.htm 73 (Kim Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Looking thru their station and program lists, it`s clear this is a loose organization of gospel huxter programs placed on non-owned radio stations, mainly in Africa, and mainly on FM. However. Toward the bottom of the list are some segregated shortwave listings, the first one however not in the SW section! SRI LANKA Colombo Gospel of Peace Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation 11905 KHZ Saturday 7:00-7:15 a.m. [if local = UT 0130-0145] English and Singala [sic] Asee Darla, Reggie Thomas, Lilani Thomas SHORTWAVE ALL AFRICA Radio West Africa Reaches Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Ghana, Togo, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leon [sic] and Guinea AIMF (Africa Institute of Marriage and Family) Shortwave 7190, meter band 41 Tuesday 8:30-9:00 p.m. (1930 UTC in Equatorial Guinea) English Fielden and Janet Allison Radio East Africa Reaches regions of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Congo, Somalia, Burundi, Rwanda, Gabon and parts of Equatorial Guinea AIMF (Africa Institute of Marriage and Family) Shortwave dial 15190 on meter band 19 Saturday 7:00-7:30 a.m. (0600 UTC in Equatorial Guinea) English Fielden and Janet Allison IRAN – PAKISTAN Reaches Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Albania, Kuwait, Turkey, Saudi Arabia Sedaye Mohebat -- Beacon of Hope 9850 kHz. 19 meter band Thursday 6:00-6:30 p.m. (1600 UTC) Farsi Matthew Pourrajabi NORTHERN AFRICA Reaches Morroco [sic], Algeria, Tunisia, Congo, Central African Republic, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, Cameroon, Chad, Libya, Egypt, Niger, Benin, Senegal, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina, Mauritania, Western Sahara Lisez la Bible, Le Livre 15325 kHz. 25 meter band Thursday 6:00-6:30 p.m. (1400 UTC) 7:00-7:30 p.m. 7260 kHz French Jean Grenier The 7190 and 15190 frequencies obviously belong to Radio this-or-that Africa, except 7190 has not been reported active in years. Equatorial Guinea should be matched with local time, not UT --- since UT is everywhere! Don`t they know this? The other time conversions are questionable, as no part of Northern Africa is 4 hours ahead of UT. Likewise, Iran and Pakistan are certainly a lot more than 2 hours ahead of UT. Assuming 1600-1630 Thursdays is the correct UT for the 9850 program there is a DTK transmission scheduled: 9850 1600 1630 39,40 JUL 100 100 5 251107 300308 D D DTK DTK Also in Aoki attributed to Pan American Broadcasting, in Persian but with no further naming. 15325 kHz at 1400: per Aoki, those tuning in now would hear Brother Scare in South Carolinian, not French, via Nauen, nor is French scheduled on that frequency at any other time. Somewhere else there is a mention of a program placed on Africa 1, Gabon. And so it goes: these gospel huxters are putting up out of date, incomplete, and contradictory info about their own broadcasts. Note: I did not search exhaustively thru all their stuff looking for SW. Skimming thru the Globetrotting page, about ministries in various countries, it looks as if baptism is the be-all and end-all, as if accomplishing that is the goal, and then move on to the next victim. I don`t think I would for a moment confuse this with World Radio Network (London), tho I might with World Radio Network (Rio Grande Valley) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. Re DRM tests on 9475-9480-9485, not on the DRM DX schedule at all, but here is a thread about it, very poor audio: http://www.drmrx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1915 (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1400,DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. For the first time in many years Iraq will not observe daylight saving [sic] time, which usually falls on Apr 01 each year. The decision to cancel daylight saving time in 2008 was made at a meeting for Iraq's Council of Ministers recently. More details at http://www.timeanddate.com/news/time/iraq-dumps-daylight-saving.html (Bernd Trutenau, Vilnius, Lithuania, Mar 10, DSWCI DX Window March 19 via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. I missed the original article which was pointed out in the Media Network blog, but it's available for purchase, with an online free summary. It says that they are seeking funding for Farsi language broadcasts to remain on shortwave. Also from April 1, people who have been listening to shortwave will be able to listen via the Internet (as if it wasn't available before). http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/jpost/access/1447647601.html?dids=1447647601:1447647601&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Mar+17%2C+2008&author=Herb+Keinon%3BGree+Fay+Cashman%3BHaviv+Rettig%3BJudy+Siegel&pub=Jerusalem+Post&edition=&startpage=4&desc=News+in+brief A reminder (which I hope I'll remember to post later). Is that Israel changes to Summer Time on March 28. So, all Israel Radio times shift 1 hour UT [earlier], to match the local time broadcasts. On the other hand, Galei Tzahal shortwave, shifts even more. (all times local Israel time, as per website) http://glz.msn.co.il/inner.aspx?page_id=5 Summer (Israel summer clock time): 15785 6 AM - 8 PM Israel Time 6973 8 PM - 6 AM Israel Time Winter (Israel winter clock time): 15785 8 AM - 6 PM Israel Time 6973 6 PM - 8 AM Israel Time (Doni Rosenzweig, WORLD OF RADIO 1400, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I misspoke on WOR 1400, saying Israel was starting winter time March 28, instead of summer time (gh) That URL in the message below was broken up badly by the mail server. Here's a link that should work better: http://tinyurl.com/27u6jf – (Larry Cunningham, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. ISRAEL BROADCASTING AUTHORITY REPRIEVES SHORT-WAVE PERSIAN BROADCASTS --- The Jerusalem Post March 21, 2008 By Abe Selig http://info.jpost.com/C007/Services/JP.Newsletter/ With highly appropriate Purim timing, the Israel Broadcasting Authority has saved the Jews of Persia --- as an audience. Four million shekels have been allocated in the IBA's budget to spare Israel Radio's budget-threatened shortwave Farsi broadcasts, which are widely listened to in Iran, and are regarded as a crucial bridge to the Jewish community there. But the radio respite has not been extended to the IBA's other foreign language broadcasts, including English, which will no longer be available to radio listeners outside Israel after the end of this month. The broadcasts will continue in Israel on the Reka channel, available on medium wave and FM, but the shortwave broadcasts will cease, silencing Israel Radio's English, Amharic, French, Spanish, Yiddish and other foreign language overseas transmissions for the first time in decades. Would-be listeners will henceforth only be able to hear the programs via the Internet. "It's terribly sad. We're shutting ourselves off from vast, passionate audiences," one veteran Israel Radio English staffer told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday. "The whole French Jewish community, the whole Latin American Spanish-speaking community, Ethiopian Jews - we're cutting them all off." In Britain, the Post was told, concerned listeners apprised of the imminent move protested to the new Israeli ambassador, Ron Prosor, who said the matter was out of his hands. Menashe Amir, the veteran director of the Persian broadcasts, hailed the Farsi-language respite as a case of salvaging victory from the jaws of defeat in the realm of Israeli public relations. "We could not have afforded another defeat in regards to Iran," he said. The short-wave Persian broadcasts had been going out since 1958, serving not only as a cultural lifeline to Iran's Jewish community, but as a credible news source for Iranian Muslims too, said Amir. "Our broadcasts aim to give information about Israel, and to explain the Israeli position toward the Palestinian issue and peace process, to the Iranians, who face vast, poisonous propaganda from the Iranian regime against Israel," he said. "The broadcasts also constitute great support and encouragement to the Jews in Iran, strengthening their position in the Persian community." IBA spokeswoman Linda Bar said Chairman Moshe Gavish had stepped in with the funding to save the Persian broadcasts precisely because of that vital role. Amir said Israel Radio's Farsi broadcasts were widely regarded in Iran as a non-biased and accurate counterpoint to the government-controlled news agencies there. "In [prime minister Yitzhak] Shamir's time," he recalled, "the IBA went on strike for two months. A joke came about that [Ayatollah] Khomenei had told Shamir, 'We'll pay the workers' salary demands. Just bring back Israel Radio in Persian. We want to know what's going on in Iran!'" As regards the other languages, Bar noted earlier this week that the IBA was not mandated to provide shortwave broadcasts under the Broadcasting Law. For many years, such broadcasts were co-funded by the Foreign Ministry and the Jewish Agency, which gradually dropped out of the partnership (via Mike Terry, March 21, dxldyg via DXLD) Not only are the Israelis myopic about the value of reaching Jews abroad on SW, but even more so about reaching Gentiles (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Historical moment! At 1231 UT on March 18th on 15760 kHz Reshet Bet of Voice of Israel played the National Anthem of Germany (forbidden to play there for around 60 years?), followed by the National Anthem of Israel during the live transmission of arriving of German federal chancellor Mrs. Angela Merkel on her visit to Israel! (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Mar 21 via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) ** JAPAN. 5006, JG2XA, Tokyo, 1308 19 March. Thanks to John Wilkins' & Jari Savolainen's tip in DXLD 8-035, finally sat on the frequency long enough to drag a few Morse IDs out of the often-heard AM carrier (Dan Sheedy, CA, R75-EF102040, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. NORTH KOREA DENOUNCES SOUTH'S "SMEAR BROADCASTS" | Text of report by state-run North Korean news agency KCNA [more detail to story in 8-035] Pyongyang, 16 March: The conservative ruling forces in South Korea are now carrying out smear broadcast moves against our Republic in collusion with the right-wing conservative forces in the United States and Japan more maliciously than ever. The right-wing conservative forces that had been driven out by the roaring current of the North-South reconciliation and unity in the wake of the publication of the 15 June Joint Declaration have now reared their heads as if they have found an opportunity to come back as soon as the conservative forces came into power in South Korea, enthusing over once again with their shameful and crafty anti-Republic smear broadcast moves. The right-wing conservative forces in South Korea, babbling that the smear broadcasts against the North are an effective weapon to peacefully "bring down" the system in the North and an important means to bring the North's "human rights issues" to the attention of the people at home and abroad, recruited riffraff to fabricate such smear broadcasts as "Open Radio for North Korea," "Trans World Radio Korea," and "Radio for Reform in the North" and driven them out as a shock brigade against us. Recently, they have once again fabricated an anti-North smear broadcasting called "Voice of Freedom" and wickedly trumpeted all sorts of falsity and deception through it, ratcheting up the intensity of their smear broadcasts against the North from the very day of its start. Chiming in this, "Radio Free Asia" and "Voice of America" - that serve the US right-wing conservative forces as their mouthpiece - actively encouraged these bastards, and the Japanese reactionaries have joined the smear campaign against us by openly setting up a smear broadcast against the Republic under the direction of the [Japanese] prime minister. The conservative forces in South Korea, losing their minds after being instigated by their US and Japanese masters, blathered that an international body should be formed to put the anti-Republic smear broadcasts in the United States, Japan, and South Korea under the unified control and have gone the length of scheming to expand the smear broadcasts on a worldwide scale. The Central Committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland resolutely denounces the anti-Republic smear broadcast moves maliciously being carried out in South Korea in conspiracy and collusion with the US and Japanese reactionaries, branding them as an unpardonable anti-reunification and anti-national crime designed to turn the North-South relations - which have been favourably developing with each passing day - to those in the era of confrontation before the [adoption] of the 15 June [Declaration]. The fact that the right-wing conservative forces in South Korea are carrying out their anti-Republic smear broadcast moves more maliciously than ever at about the same time as the conservative ruling forces in South Korea kicked up a "nuclear racket" and "human rights racket" pairing with the United States and Japan as soon as they formed a "regime" clearly shows that it is none other than the conservative ruling forces that pull the wire. Not content with the war exercises for aggression they are frantically conducting against our Republic in league with the United States and encouraging military confrontation through them, the conservative forces in South Korea are causing the fellow countrymen to confront each other [over] ideology and system by even carrying out anti- Republic smear broadcast moves. This is an unforgivable anti-national, anti-reunification racket of confrontation. Putting to bad use the broadcasts that should be made to contribute to human civilization for the purpose of slandering and casting aspersions [on our Republic] is an extremely wicked crime against humanity and a violent challenge to justice and truth. We will never overlook the fact that the conservative ruling forces in South Korea and the US and Japanese reactionaries are clinging to such provocative smear broadcasting to dare to defame our dignity and threaten our system and will keep thorough tabs on them. The conservative ruling forces in South Korea are well advised to behave themselves, mindful that they would be held fully accountable for all the consequences to be entailed by their smear broadcasting moves against the Republic. Source: KCNA, Pyongyang, in Korean 0513 gmt 16 Mar 08 (via BBCM via DXLD) And if that`s not enough --- ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. Another Wild Dream of US http://www.kcckp.net/en/news/news_view.php?0+11429 Of late, the US has newly opened a medium-wave broadcasting of anti- DPRK radios including the “Voice of Free Asia.” [sic] In accordance with this, the “Voice of Free Asia” has started the medium-wave broadcasting and increased the time of the short-wave broadcasting. The VOA has also begun the medium-wave broadcasting in Korean language. This shows the US assertion of no hostility toward the DPRK is a downright lie of badly trifling with the international community and that it has no intention to switch over its policy toward the latter, as it lays bare the US’s unchanged disapproval of the latter. The army and people of the DPRK are watching with high vigilance the anti-DPRK hostile moves of the US intensified on a full scale by all means of military blackmail and psychological warfare and all the approaching overtures of the US administration aimed at destroying their system. The US would be well advised to awake from its pipedream to squarely see its dialogue partner and stop at once the provocative psychological warfare against the DPRK (Naenara March 18 via OM Arnulf Piontek, Berlin, ADX via Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. Saturday March 22, WHR filled 11785 as follows: 1300 Hmong Lao Radio, 1400 Hmong World Christian Radio, 1430 DXing with Cumbre. That`s extrapolated from chex as follows: 1355 HLR music; 1359 hymn music and short-version of WHR OCS ID, 1400 HWCR opening with lots of MHz mentioned (FM affiliates), and http://hwcr.us website given in English; 1455, DWC closing theme music. The online program sked http://www.whr.org/customcf/dsp_schedule_read.cfm?Search=Angel1 has been corrected to show HLR at 1300 both Sat & Sun, but still shows HWCR as 1500 Sat instead of 1400! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. 7325, Radio Vilnius, 2337-2359, March 21, English news commentary. ID, schedule, contact information. Local folk music. Poor to fair with weak co-channel QRM, plus RTTY QRM and general noisy conditions. Poor to fair audio quality. Completely covered by a very strong Radio Austria at their 2359 sign on. Lithuania not heard at any other time when I checked between 0000-0200 on the other published frequencies (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 5010, Radio Madagasikara; 0314-0327+, 20-Mar; W in language -- sounds like a mix of French and something else, or possibly alternating languages; English pop tunes -- not Western versions. ID by W at 0317 as Radio Madagasikara and by M at 0325+ as Radio Madagascar. SIO=353 (Harold Frodge, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5010, RTV Malagasy, 0135-0210, March 21, an eclectic mix of local music, ballads, local children`s chorus, Euro-pop music. Fair to good. Suppressed carrier USB (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Madagasikara, 5010-USB, 03-22-08, 0300-0330 with usual programming, ID's. in the clear with best armchair signal ever heard. the meter was steady s7 to s9 on the modulation as the greyline passed over the island. Signal held an s3 to s5 about an hour before and after sunrise in Madagascar. Sig went down into the mud around 0430 (Stephen J. Price, Johnstown, PA, R-5000, 400 foot longwire, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Sorry to note that XEYU, Radio UNAM has been missing again lately from 9599.3v, such as March 21 at 1355 check, and various chex on March 22 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOZAMBIQUE. MOÇAMBIQUE, Matola site. Here is a website with some historic and technical information, including photos, about the Matola transmitter site near Maputo, once the home of LM Radio and Rádio Clube de Moçambique. http://www.lmradio.org/more_history.htm (Colin Miller, Canada, VE3CMT, SW DX site via BC-DX March 21 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. RNW A08 --- now online: http://pdis.rnw.nl/werkman/amschedule.php http://pdis.rnw.nl/werkman/drmschedule.php All RNW in DRM via Nauen and Bonaire will cease. The only thing that remains is 5955 via Wertachtal, to be used for DRM Mon-Fri and until June 26 only 1059-1457, Mon-Fri and from Sept 1 only 1000-1457, throughout A08 1659-1757. During the summer season the 1059-1457 airtime will be used in AM instead. Thus on weekends and throughout the whole summer only a one hour token service per day will remain. A new site, to my knowledge never used by RNW before, will be Issoudun: June 29 till Sep 1 only Dutch to northern Europe and the Baltics on 9835 (until last year this holidaymakers service was on air via Jülich); throughout A08 Dutch to southern Europe 0559-0657 (Sun 0559- 0800) on 11655 (replaces Skelton); Dutch to Central Europe Mon-Fri only 0759-1000 on 6035 (replaces Hörby); July 05-28 only Dutch to Europe 1159-1600 on 7235 and 13825 plus 1159-1657 on 13700, the latter also outside this period 1459-1557/1657; English to western Africa 1859-1957 on 11660 (replaces Wertachtal); June 29 till Sep 1 only Dutch to southern Europe 1959-2057 on 9690. Another new site: Montsinéry! Spanish 2359-0157 on 9895, an addition to Sines which moves to 9450. The new RNW transmissions via the IBB transmitters on the Northern Marianas have already been revealed here, but perhaps not the full schedule: Via Tinian English 0959-1057 on 11895, via Saipan from May 3 Dutch to AUS/NZL 0900-0957 on 9700; has this 195 deg. beam been ever used since IBB purchased the Saipan site? Also new: "Dushanbe" 100 kW, i.e. Yangi Yul, English 1359-1557 on 9345. This replaces Tashkent which will no longer be in use. No longer in use by RNW after March 29 as well will be Skelton, Tbilisskaya (remember RNW English to Africa in the 60 mB from here, way back in the nineties?), Lesnoy/Kurovskaya/Taldom (summarized as "Moskva", still leaving a mystery about which of these three sites is/are in use), Angarsk and Meyerton. And to make sure: Again no transmissions via Flevo anymore. What happened to this plant; does KPN still keep the transmitters there in black heating mode or have they been mothballed if not shut down definitely? Transmissions of other broadcasters via the RNW-operated sites: VOA via Talata V. (airtime exchange for TIN/SAI/PHT, of course part of the substitutes for the doomed Briech site): English 0400-0430 on 9575, 0400-0500 on 12080; Portuguese 0430-0500 on 7340 and 1800-1830 on 7125; Kurdish 0500-0600 on 15380; French Mon-Fri only 0530-0600 on 13710 and 1830-1900 on 9815; Somali 1300-1400 on 15115; "Multilingual" to Africa 1700-1800 on 13755. No Radio Farda via Talata Volonondry anymore. Radio Sweden (airtime exchange for Hörby) via Talata V.: 0200-0300 Swedish (-0230) and English to Asia on 11550, 2000-2100 Swedish (2030) and English to Africa on 7395. RCI via Talata V. (airtime exchange for Sackville): Arabic 0300-0400 on 11790. Deutsche Welle (airtime exchange for Sines): Via Bonaire German to Australia 0800-1000 on 9855 and to the Caribbean 1000-1200 on 5905; via Talata V. Indonesian 2200-2300 on 7380. NHK via Bonaire: Japanese to South America 0200-0359 on 11935 and 2200-2300 on 15325; Portuguese 0230-0259 on 9660; Spanish 0400-0430 and 0500-0530 on 6195. CRI via Bonaire: Spanish 0000-0100 on 9745. Family Radio via Talata V.: Portuguese 0500-0600 on 9525; Swahili 1600-1700 on 9590 and 1800-1900 on 5870 (first use of 5800...5900 by Talata V. ever, or do I miss something?); English 1800-2000 on 7395 and 1900-2100 on 6020. AWR via Talata V.: Local service 0230-0330 and 1530-1630 on 3215; Vietnamese 1300-1400 on 17670. Malagasy Lutheran Church via Talata V.: 1630-1700 on 3215. Voice of the People via Talata V.: 0400-0500 on 11610, 1700-1800 on 7120. Voice of Tibet via Talata V.: 1400-1430 and 1530-1600 on 17550. Democratic Voice of Burma via Talata V.: 1430-1500 on 17625 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I suspect this schedule as interesting as it may be, is not complete. For example it shows no activity at all from Bonaire between 1227 and 1959, a period when we have had reports that IBB would start using it to Africa. And will Bonaire really give up DRM after installing two new DRM-capable transmitters which have been running this season? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Well, the headline of these documents assures that "here are all AM transmissions" and "here are all DRM transmissions" ... Indeed slightly more RNW transmissions via IBB sites than VOA transmissions via Talata Volonondry show up, but not so much more that there would be room for much Bonaire use, 8 vs. 6 frequency hours if I counted it right. Bonaire off between 1227 and 1959 would mean a cancellation of these transmissions from the current B07 schedule: English to NAm 1200-1257 on 11675, DRM Sat-Sun only 1700-1757 on 17605/17700, DRM Sat-Sun only 1800-1857 on 15315/17605, Dutch Mon only to Atlantic 1800-1857 on 17605, Dutch Mon only 1900-1957 to NAm on 15315, English 1900-2057 to Africa on 17810, Sat-Sun only also on 15315/15525 to NAm. Andy had already announced the cancellation of the English transmissions in question, as quoted in DXLD 8-034: >> Analysis of feedback that we received last autumn showed that our early morning transmission is not widely listened to. Furthermore, colleagues who visited the States in recent months reported that the signal from Bonaire was sometimes poor at that hour of the day. So we're dropping that transmission. Also disappearing will be the extra transmissions on Sat/Sun [1900- 2100 on 3 frequencies], which were started several years ago to find out if an audience existed for a daytime shortwave service at weekends. Again, it appears that very few people regularly listen to these transmissions. << These weekends-only DRM transmissions appear to be such an "is anybody out there" as well. Perhaps Andy can comment on this matter, but I suspect that simply nobody is listening to these transmissions or the paralleling of the regular English 0500-0557 on 6165. And these Dutch transmissions on Mondays only, which will go away as well: Perhaps a service for seaman, since the northern Atlantic is explicitly specified as target for 17605? To my knowledge the same goes for Radio Rossii via Taldom: It is meant for ships, thus it was also SSB on non-broadcast frequencies (one I seem to remember is 8005) before it switched over to standard broadcast AM. And RNW in English at a glance, minutes rounded in some cases: 0359-0457 6195/BON NAm 0959-1057 11895/TIN 12065/P.K 13820/KHB 15110/PHT As 1359-1557 9345/Yangi Yul SAs 1400-1557 9890/MDC 11835/MDC SAs 1759-1857 6020/MDC SAf 1759-1957 15535/WER EAf 1900-1957 7395/MDC 11660/ISS 15335/NAU WAf 1859-2057 5905/MDC 7425/MDC Af 1959-2057 17810/BON WAf 2359-0157 9845/BON NAm Another remarkable novelty is the return of RNW English to mediumwave after 2.5 years; the Orfordness transmitter on 1296 will carry it daily 1459-1600, in addition to RNW Dutch (Mon-Fri 0759-1000, stays hereby at same local time). This is remarkable in as far as 1296 beams towards Central Europe. All earlier mediumwave transmissions of RNW English, with the last attempt being made in the A05 season on a very late 2300-2400 slot on the Swedish 1179 transmitter, were primarily meant for listeners in the UK (Kai Ludwig, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. Pirate, 3429.63, The Crystal Ship, 0010-0020, March 20, tune-in to English news about the war in Iraq. ID. Announcer John Poet with yahoo address & Belfast, New York address. Said power was 150 watts. Anti-war music. Fair. Stronger on // 6700.15 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. 15140, Radio Sultanate of Oman, 1427-1445, March 22, tune-in to pop music. Chimes/gongs and ID at 1430. English news at 1431-1439 followed by pop music. Weak but readable. Lost in the noise at 1445 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Radio Southern Highlands (3275 kHz) verified by QSL letter after 30 days for my reception report in English with US$1.00. QSL signer was Mr. Andrew Mels, Director Provincial Radio. Address: P. O. Box 104, Mendi, SHP, Papua New Guinea. Telephone: +675 5491017; Mobile Telephone: +675 6946848 (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, March 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) a.k.a. NBC Mendi, apparently (gh) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Great PNG opening on 90 meters March 22 March 22 was a great morning here for Papua New Guinea on 90 meters from 1155 to 1225 UT. Signals were uniformly good, all building toward my local sunrise. While all have been logged before, it was a treat to hear the below at such nice levels: 3315, Radio Manus with choral music, male and female announcers in English. 3325, Radio Bougainville noted after 1200 with apparent news or commentary show with male announcer and guests with "telephonic" audio on their segments; this was my unID from last week --- I thought this was supposed to sign off by 1200. 3335, Radio East Sepik with beautiful choral music. Also heard after 1200, which I thought was their sign off time (the divinely inspired and therefore inerrant Passport to World band Radio 2008 says 1200 sign off). 3385, Radio East New Britain with male and female announcers and (yes!!) choral music, perhaps the strongest of all four signals after 1210. Tried for 3305, 3355, and 3365 outlets without luck. These loggings were with the Etón E5 and its whip antenna. I find myself constantly surprised and delighted by the performance of this little wonder! (Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19 http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ March 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5014.32, Radio Altura, Cerro de Pasco, 0410-0500*, March 19, Spanish announcements, IDs. Peruvian music. Canned announcements. Abrupt sign off. Fair. On later than usual and reception better than usual (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. 9615, Radio Veritas Asia, 1140-1155*, March 19, tune- in to listed Mandarin. Short English segment at 1144 with story about Bobby Fischer. Back to Mandarin at 1149. English ID announcement at 1155 and off. Fair (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 7320, GTRK Magadan, 0710-0724, March 20, in Russian, with their local programming, sounded like the news, // 5935 (poor, under WWCR). Pre-0710 and post-0724 had R. Rossii programming, IDs for R. Rossii just before and after their local programming. Still could not make out their local ID (Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOMALILAND. Re 8-035 item - I checked several Somaliland related websites and yes, many of them give the frequency as 7120. Some sites give the power as 25 kW and one Somali page mentions "Costarica". The transmitter arrived Hargeysa in the beginning of December 2007. So it seems it probably is a new 25 kW Elcor unit. Somaliland's Foreign Minister Duale 25 Sept 2007 mentions at http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2007/297/90.shtml Meanwhile, Duale affirmed that Somalilanders all over the world would be able to listen their country's home news through Radio Hargeysa. "The long awaited transmitter (25 kW shortwave) will be installed shortly; all Somali speaking people will be able to hear it from many places around the world," he said. (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, March 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) When last heard here in late 2005 Radio Hargeisa was using 7530 kHz (Steve Lare, Holland, MI USA WORLD OF RADIO 1400, ibid.) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Brother Scare expanding on WBCQ: see USA ** SRI LANKA. 3/22/08 1615-1725 UT, 11750 kHz, good reception. Unidentified language (presumed Sinhalese); lite sub-continental pop music; phone-ins, including people singing over the phone; occasional URL http://www.slbc.lk announced in English. Is this a new frequency? Not noted here before (Bruce Fisher, Lexington, MA (Palstar R30cc, longwire antenna), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s the external service to the MidEast at 310 degrees; per EiBi at 1600-1845 (Thursdays to 1945). I believe it has been there for some time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWAN ISLAND. 14245-USB, HQ8R, 1708 19 March. Calling QRZ with no takers, at least initially (Dan Sheedy, CA, R75-EF102040, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://www.hondurasdx.com/ until March 23 (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1400, ibid.) ** SWITZERLAND. 558 kHz: Mr. Stefano Franchini, Director of RTSI, whom I met during the EDXC conference in Lugano, said that the authorities want to close the transmitter on June 30th, but they can't close it so soon as the law stipulates that 'we must have at least one transmitter on mediumwave for each Swiss region'. This means that the law has to be amended before the transmitter can be closed, and that will take longer than until June 30, 2008 (Bengt Ericson 3.3.2008, Sweden, ARC Information Desk 17 Mar via Editor Olle Alm, DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 4635, Tajik Radio, Dushanbe Yangiyul, 0200 UT, SINPO 35222 (1 a 3 db). 0215 UT [March 21?] (3-5 db) Idioma desconocido (Tajik?). Música folclórica de Tajikistan, locutor hace anuncios cortos y sigue la música tipo danzas árabes. Tambien escuché locutora con anuncios cortos + música (Ing. Santiago San Gil González, March 20, CLUB DIEXISTAS DE LA AMISTAD, http.//diexismovenezolano.blogspot.com/ Receptor: Yaesu FRG-7 Musen con frecuencímetro digital. Antena Dipolo Hy-Gain Modelo 2BDQ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. 12095, Radio Thailand, Udorn, 0055-0103, March 22, just caught the end of the English broadcast with IDs. Announcement about getting a VAT refund. Weather at 0057. Chimes/gongs at 0100 followed by TC, National Anthem and into listed Thai at 0102. Good signal. Scheduled to move from 12095 to 12120 for the A-08 season (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. Hola: Como parte de mis escuchas de esta tarde, Según Aoki BBC en Persian 1800-2000, en 9510 via Nakhon Sawan ... sin embargo en estos momentos (1835-1847) solamente se escucha una identificación en inglés "BBC in english and arabic 24 hours +website" repetida continuamente. Cordialmente (Tomás Méndez, Spain, March 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET [non]. Corrected, yes 1600 UT outlet is rather VoA Tibetan. BOTSWANA/GERMANY/PHILIPPINES/SAO TOME/SRI LANKA/THAILAND/TINIAN Additional transmissions of IBB: Voice of America in Swahili Mon-Fri effective March 16 0930-1000 15740 BOT 100 kW / 010 deg 17565 SAO 100 kW / 100 deg 17885 BOT 100 kW / 010 deg 21765 SAO 100 kW / 092 deg Voice of America in Tibetan effective March 17 0300-0400 15545 UDO 500 kW / 316 deg 17665 UDO 500 kW / 316 deg 21570 IRA 500 kW / 020 deg Corrected: 1600-1700 7395 UDO 500 kW / 316 deg 9395 PHL 250 kW / 315 deg 11865 BIB 100 kW / 075 deg Radio Free Asia in Tibetan effective March 17 1000-1100 11540 TIN 250 kW / 295 deg 15375 TIN 250 kW / 297 deg 15675 LAM 100 kW / 080 deg 2200-2300 5865 TIN 125 kW / 309 deg 7550 TIN 125 kW / 297 deg 9860 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg (R BULGARIA DX MIX News, Ivo Ivanov, via wwdxc BC-DX Mar 18 WORLD OF RADIO 1400, DXLD) AIR Delhi in Tibetan is also jammed by China mainland jammers. 1215-1330 1134 Calcutta, 9575 Delhi, 11775 Goa (WRTH) (Büschel, ibid.) * TURKEY [and non!]. VOICE OF TURKEY A08 LANGUAGE FREQ BAND TIME(UTC) SITE POWER ---------------------------------------- EUROPE Albanian 9700 31 0600-0630 CAK 250 Albanian 11875 25 1130-1200 EMR 250 Bosnian 9655 31 1330-1400 CAK 500 Bosnian 5980 49 1800-1830 CAK 250 Bulgarian 7210 41 1100-1130 EMR 250 Croa-Serb 9605 31 1600-1630 EMR 500 English 5975 49 0300-0400 EMR 500 English 15450 19 1230-1330 EMR 500 English 9785 31 1830-1930 EMR 500 English 6195 49 2200-2300 EMR 500 French 5980 49 1930-2030 EMR 500 German 13760 22 1130-1230 EMR 500 German 11835 25 1730-1830 EMR 500 Greek 9840 31 1030-1100 EMR 500 Greek 6050 49 1430-1500 CAK 250 Hungarian 13770 22 1000-1030 EMR 500 Italian 9610 31 1630-1700 EMR 500 Macedonian 11690 25 0800-0830 CAK 250 Rumanian 9560 31 0900-0930 CAK 250 Russian 13660 22 1300-1400 EMR 500 Russian 9840 31 1700-1800 EMR 500 Spanish 9770 31 0100-0200 EMR 500 Spanish 11925 25 1630-1730 EMR 500 Turkish 11680 25 1300-1530 EMR 500 Turkish 9460 31 1530-2100 CAK 500 Turkish 11980 25 0400-0700 EMR 500 Turkish 13675 22 0700-1300 EMR 500 AMERICA English 5975 49 0300-0400 EMR 500 English (*)7325 41 0300-0359 SAC 250 English 6195 49 2200-2300 EMR 500 Spanish 9770 31 0100-0200 EMR 500 Turkish 9460 31 1530-2100 CAK 500 AUSTRALIA English 13685 22 1230-1330 EMR 500 English 7170 41 2030-2130 EMR 500 Turkish 15390 19 0900-1300 EMR 500 Turkish 7150 41 1530-1900 EMR 500 ASIA Arabic 11690 25 0900-1100 EMR 500 Arabic 15520 19 0900-1100 EMR 500 Arabic 9755 31 1400-1600 EMR 500 Azerbaijani 11730 25 0700-0800 CAK 250 Azerbaijani 13760 22 0700-0800 EMR 500 Azerbaijani 7150 41 1400-1500 EMR 500 Chinese 17715 16 1100-1200 EMR 500 Da-Uz-Pesht 11730 25 1500-1600 EMR 500 English 7265 41 0300-0400 EMR 500 English 13685 22 1230-1330 EMR 500 English 7170 41 2030-2130 EMR 500 Georgian 9760 31 0700-0800 EMR 500 Greek 7295 41 1030-1100 CAK 250 Kazakh 9690 31 1330-1400 EMR 500 Kyrgyz 9575 31 1330-1400 CAK 500 Persian 11795 25 0830-1000 CAK 500 Persian 15220 19 0830-1000 EMR 500 Persian 11940 25 1230-1330 CAK 500 Russian 13660 22 1300-1400 EMR 500 Russian 9840 31 1700-1800 EMR 500 Tatar 9855 31 1500-1530 CAK 500 Turkish 6040 49 0400-0700 EMR 500 Turkish 11750 25 0700-0900 EMR 500 Turkish 11955 25 0700-1300 CAK 250 Turkish 7260 41 0100-0300 EMR 500 Turkish 15390 19 0900-1300 EMR 500 Turkish 7150 41 1530-1900 EMR 500 Turkish 6120 49 1530-2100 EMR 500 Turkish 5960 49 1530-2100 CAK 500 Turkmen 11935 25 1400-1430 EMR 500 Urdu 13710 22 1200-1300 EMR 500 Uzbek 11795 25 1200-1230 EMR 500 AFRICA Arabic 11690 25 0900-1100 EMR 500 Arabic 15285 19 1400-1600 EMR 500 Arabic 9755 31 1400-1600 EMR 500 English 7265 41 0300-0400 EMR 500 French 9535 31 1930-2030 EMR 500 Turkish 11955 25 0700-1300 CAK 250 Turkish 5960 49 1530-2100 CAK 500 (*) VOT Transmission from Canada - Sackville Transmitter Site TURKISH TIME : UTC + 3 (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, dxldyg via DXLD) Big story here is starting a relay via Sackville for one English hour at 0300. Should have done this sesquidecades ago, and likewise other marginal stations trying to reach NAm, especially WNAm (gh, DXLD) This is great news for those further west seeking a good signal from Turkey without flutter fading, and it's long overdue. I recall listening to your speech at the MT Convention over a decade ago (I still have the tape recording of it) and you had suggested that Turkey could make good use of a relay in the Caribbean or somewhere close for improvement in NAm reception (Joe Hanlon, NJ, to gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The new broadcast in Dari, Farsi and Pashto dialects to Afghanistan launched today at 1600-1700 UT on 9705 kHz (Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, March 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Summer timing 1500 as under ASIA on 11730 (gh) ** UGANDA. 4750: I am sure I need to correct my tentative logging of Radio Peace on 4750 to Dunamis from Uganda. The Swahili and skeds fit and at 1710 UT today English religious programmes as well. Anyway disappointment in that it`s not Sudan, but Dunamis is also as good a catch for me. Listed 1 kW. As I write at 1740 still playing Swahili type music. I need to thank Mauno for alerting me to Dunamis (Victor Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, 4S7VK, DXplorer Mar 17 via BCDX March 21 via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. Summer A-08 schedule of Radio Ukraine International from March 30 0000-0500 on 7530 KHR 100 kW / 055 deg to RUS 0500-0800 on 9945 KHR 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu 0800-1300 on 11550 KHR 100 kW / 277 deg to WeEu 1300-1700 on 7530 KHR 100 kW / 055 deg to RUS 1700-2100 on 7490 KHR 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu 2100-2400 on 7510 KHR 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu 2300-0400 on 7440 LV 600 kW / 303 deg to NoAm English 0000-0100 on 7440 LV 600 kW / 303 deg to NoAm 0300-0400 on 7440 LV 600 kW / 303 deg to NoAm 0500-0600 on 9945 KHR 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu 0900-1000 on 11550 KHR 100 kW / 277 deg to WeEu 1100-1200 on 11550 KHR 100 kW / 277 deg to WeEu 1900-2000 on 7490 KHR 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu 2100-2200 on 7510 KHR 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu German 1700-1800 on 7490 KHR 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu 2000-2100 on 7490 KHR 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu 2300-2400 on 7510 KHR 100 kW / 290 deg to WeEu Ukrainian-all other times and frequencies (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, March 18, via DXLD) ** U K. Buenas y malas noticias --- Podrá parecer una frase de cajón, y sí, lo es, pero hoy realmente tenemos una buena y una mala noticia para nuestros amigos de BBC Mundo. Primero la mala. Hoy iniciamos un nuevo recorrido en el que nos tocó tomar duras decisiones. Nuestro servicio radial se reducirá a raíz de un cambio estratégico y por eso despedimos a BBC Mundo Hoy, BBC Deportes, BBC Enlace, Ciencia al día, Fútbol Europa y Notas de Jazz, entre otros. Desde este lunes 24 de marzo nuestra oferta se concentrará exclusivamente en resúmenes ilustrados de noticias de tres minutos de duración a las 12:00; 13:00; 14:00; 22:00; 23;00 y 00:00 horas GMT. Además mantendremos 15 minutos diarios de noticias internacionales a las 12:00 GMT. El exitoso y popular programa Efemérides también seguirá haciendo parte de nuestra oferta, al igual que una edición semanal de Estudio Abierto, nuestro espacio de entrevistas interactivas en los que han participado Oscar Niemeyer, Santiago Roncagliolo, Jefferson Pérez y Cesc Fábregas, por mencionar sólo a algunos. Estos programas se escucharán en América Latina a través de nuestras emisoras asociadas, en onda corta y estarán también disponibles acá, en nuestra página de Internet. Además el Podcast de BBC Mundo se mantendrá con nuestro nuevo programa de noticias en el que el contexto y el análisis serán piezas esenciales. Es una decisión difícil que tiene su origen en las nuevas necesidades del mercado. En la mayoría de los casos dependemos de terceras partes para poder llegar a ustedes en la radio, mientras que con el sitio de internet, nuestras puertas siempre están abiertas a cualquier hora y en cualquier momento. Y es acá precisamente donde viene la buena noticia. BBC Mundo concentrará todos sus esfuerzos en su sitio de internet y en las próximas semanas empezarán a notarse los cambios. Además de ampliar nuestra red de corresponsales para estar aún más cerca de nuestros lectores y oyentes, se incrementará la oferta de video y habrá más recursos económicos y humanos concentrados exclusivamente en nuestra página. Queremos que fluya aún más la constante conversación con nuestros lectores y oyentes y que BBC Mundo siga siendo el punto de encuentro del mundo de habla castellana. Arranca una nueva etapa en la que es imposible evitar la nostalgia y la melancolía por el cierre de los programas de radio que estuvieron con nosotros durante tantos años. Pero el desafío de las nuevas tecnologías y la posibilidad de comunicarnos con ustedes en cualquier momento y en cualquier lugar hace que el futuro se vuelva más promisorio que el pasado. Sigamos conectados (-- -- ..- -.-. .... --- ... / --... ...-- Luis Valderas CANAL 2 TV SAN ANTONIO Calle Patria 1951 San Antonio Código Postal 2662683 CHILE, via Antônio Schuler, noticiasdx yg via DXLD) A number of long-running Spanish programs are cancelled, but BBC will continue with 3-minute newscasts at 12, 13, 14, 22, 23 and 00 UT, plus 15 minutes of international news at 1200, on SW, as well as internet. It hardly makes sense to have 3-minute SW broadcasts 6 times a day, but that`s what they are saying. And how can it be both 3 minutes and 15 minutes at 1200? Check 9410 at 1200 to see if BBC Spanish is there, and just how long it really lasts (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. HI, Glenn -- The BBC did make an announcement at the end of today's (3/21) Caribbean Report about the end of the shortwave service, and redirected listeners to local BBC rebroadcasters and partner stations--no mention of satellite or internet. There was also a 30 second announcement during the 2159 break with the same info, pretty much repeating what the BBC website had to say. Looks like tomorrow 3/22 is the last day, as they are saying "March 23rd forward" for the SW closure (Stephen Luce, Houston, TX, March 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Made a point of listening for the very last time to BBC WS in English to America, March 22 at 2149-2159* on 11675-Greenville, better than // 9525 WHRI, in Newshour discussion of US economy`s effect on rest of world. 11675 marred from *2157 by RNV CI via Cuba OC, IS and sign-on, which in turn got ACI from WYFR in Arabic on 11665, take that! At 2209 BBCWS was still going on 9525, but nothing on 5975, which had been the // via GUF (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Brother Scare expanding on WBCQ. March 21 at 0505, I found 7415 still on the air, with B.S. Previous closedown on weeknights has been 0430 after Herald of `Truth`, until next programming day starting at 1700. But rechecked at 1335 UT, 7415 was still/again on the air with B.S.! At that time he was talking about WBCQ. Allan Weiner had come to see him (in Walterboro, apparently), and BS is now on 7415 at 12:30-3:30 am 7 days (= 0430-0730 UT). Or more, obviously. This conflicts with WORLD OF RADIO, Mondays 0415-0445, so I will have to ask Allan what gives with that? Furthermore, B.S. is praying about whether to take over 15420 fulltime, when WBCQ moves there April 1. (Actually, registrations have been changed to allow WBCQ to go to 15420 already March 14, from 1400 to 2300, but when is it really starting? Not heard yet.) He too mentioned that 15420 was formerly WRNO`s frequency. B.S. went on to reminisce about The Fury. This 7415 broadcast was about 1 second ahead of WWRB 9385, and much better audio than he ever gets on WWRB. At 1429 recheck, 7415 was not heard. But what about the current clients on 17495, which 15420 will replace? Namely The Zeph Report, Global Spirit Proclamation and Good Friends Radio Network (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [later:] Allan Weiner of WBCQ explains that Brother Scare`s 0430-0730 time on 7415 is EXCEPT for Tom & Darryl and WORLD OF RADIO, so we should still be heard UT Mondays 0415-0445. However, checked at 0540 UT March 22, no signal on 7415 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hi George, Interesting frequency swaps you have going on with WBCQ and WRNO, but what about KTBN? Are they going off the air? Why else would (silent) WRNO be on ex-KTBN frequencies, for which I am aware of no replacements? Thanks, (Glenn Hauser, to George Jacobs, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn. Nice hearing from you. Yes, KTBN, a client of mine since the mid 1980s, will be leaving the HF airways at 0100 UT March 30. With all of the "junk" on the air, this regrettably, ends 20 years of excellent religious and informational programming on HF. It will be missed. WRNO is still in the midst of recovering from the near total damage done by Hurricane Katrina. They tell me that they expect to begin testing their new transmitter in early April, and to begin program transmission by late April. but, *these dates are still subject to events beyond their control, as is so much of post Katrina recovery*. 73 (George Jacobs, March 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. George Jacobs tells me that KTBN will be closing down permanently at 0100 UT March 30. So DX it while you can on 15590 or 7505. We suspected that was going to happen, as another client of his, WRNO, gets those two frequencies for A-08. George says WRNO hopes to start testing their Katrina-damaged transmitter in early April, and programming in late April, but that`s only tentative. In turn, WBCQ gets former WRNO unused frequency 15420 from April 1, ex-17495 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) KTBN: Here are photos from 1994, really worth a look: http://www.biener-media.de/us-ktbn.html Perhaps an automation has meanwhile been installed in the control room, or is still somebody there around the clock, babysitting the transmitter and playing legal ID's from old carts? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Interesting pictures. Thanks, Kai. KTBN has always been good in giving its ID in the end of every hour. They also announce their prayer line number as part of the ID. I'm sure automation was installed there long time ago. I remember back in 1993-94 KTBN used to run a daily one-hour music show produced just for radio. The host would ask listeners to write- in with their music request and dedications but I didn't hear any of those on the air. I think the program was on around 1 pm EST on 15590. That's beside their usual TBN TV audio feed. But then the show was canceled. I doubt they did any radio production since then, only TBN TV relays. KTBN has always provided a great reception here, in the Midwest. Obviously they have a well-tuned transmitter and antenna. I have never been fascinated with KTBN programming but I will miss their reliable signal on my radio dial. Hopefully, some other station can take over KTBN's rig (Sergei Sosedkin, Il, ibid.) I cannot agree that KTBN has a ``well tuned transmitter and antenna`` --- as I have reported several times, both frequencies can be accompanied by noise spikes considerably out to each side beyond the bandwidth authorized. Good riddance! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Kai, It's hard to tell what automation is on this station. I've periodically checked from about 1745 to 1900 on Saturday 22 March on 15590 and they're playing their usual children's/teen programs. These don't take a master DJ to operate. I'll check again in a few hours. I wonder if it's too late to QSL. I QSLed their predecessor, KUSW. 73/Liz (Cameron, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Liz, here's info about KTBN's QSL policy. It doesn't hurt to try: http://www.tbn.org/index.php/2/21.html (Sergei Sosedkin, IL, ibid.) Just try contacting them via web form linked at CONTACT on same page - -- among the REQUIRED fields is your phone number! It should be easy to tell when/if they are separately programmed; just turn on your ubiquitous TBN TV channel (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Watch KTBN QSL via: http://www.achimbrueckner.de/freeradio/php/coppermine/displayimage.php?album=93&pos=12 http://www.achimbrueckner.de/freeradio/php/coppermine/displayimage.php?album=93&pos=13 73 (Achim Brueckner, http://www.freeradio.de http://www.dxradio.de Detmold 5156 N 852 E, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 8-035: ``21695, WHRI, Cypress Creek, SC, 1445-1505+, March 15, New frequency? Punch-up error? Spur? English religious programming. ID at 1500. Weak but readable. // 9840. No sign of Libya (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Maybe this: leapfrog of 9840 over WYFR 11855, plus 9840 = 21695. Except in this case it may happen in receiver if the two signals are extremely strong; both are aimed northwards toward you (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` Update to this log: Thanks to Glenn Hauser for determining that this is a receiver generated spur. Receiver leapfrogging spur caused by WHRI 9840 leapfrogging over WYFR 11855 and landing on 21695. 9840+11855 = 21695. This kind of receiver spur or image possible with both 9840 & 11855 extremely strong. Thanks Glenn (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Oops, by my own definition this would not be a ``leapfrog`` --- but a sum mixing product, simply adding the two frequencies. This is only a hypothesis, as I am not sure such a receiver mix could axually happen. If there were some trace of WYFR audio also on 21695, that would tend to confirm it (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) WHR: see also LAOS [non] ** U S A. KFI TOWER TOPPLES --- THE HALF-BUILT TOWER IN LA MIRADA, OPPOSED BY PILOTS AT FULLERTON AIRPORT, FAILS DURING CONSTRUCTION. BY ERIC CARPENTER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, Tuesday, March 18, 2008 LA MIRADA A half-built radio tower, under construction after years of debate over the safety of its location, crashed to the ground Tuesday, injuring a construction worker, city and radio-station officials said. The name of the injured worker was not released. His injuries were believed to be minor, said Greg Ashlock, market manager of Clear Channel Radio. The worker was knocked off a construction platform next to the tower when it fell, Ashlock said. The reason for the collapse was not immediately clear but was believed to be construction-related, he said. The fallen tower remained in place Wednesday as engineers and insurance crews tried to determine the cause of the collapse. Ashlock said the guy wires that would typically prevent such a collapse had yet to be secured because the tower was still under construction. Clear Channel, which operates KFI-AM radio, contracted with Seacomm Erectors Inc. to build a 684-foot-tall tower at 16608 Trojan Way. Construction began Saturday and had reached about 250 feet Tuesday when the tower came crashing down around 2:30 p.m. “There are two or three theories as to what might have happened, but right now it’s all speculation,” Ashlock said. . . http://www.ocregister.com/articles/tower-radio-construction-2001491-tall-clear (via Pete Kemp, March 19, IRCA via DXLD) plus forum discussing radio towers as aviation hazards. Rumor has it that it was a turnbuckle failure (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. FW: WHBC 1480 kHz Canton, OH DX Test --- I received this somewhat disappointing e-mail today from Dale Lamm at WHBC. I wonder if some of our list members who are professional broadcasters might contact Dale directly and see if we can still salvage a full-blown DX Test? I don't know the applicable FCC rules that well - particularly how the Commission "interprets" and potentially enforces them. Perhaps a little "broadcaster to broadcaster" communication could prove helpful. Thanks for anything anyone can do. I'll hold off for a little while before getting back in touch with Dale. 73s, (Jim Pogue, IRCA/NRC Joint BTC Coordinator, Memphis, TN, March 21, NRC-AM via DXLD) Viz.: Jim, Am writing to update you on the 3/29/08 DX test with WHBC. I am afraid we will need to postpone the test as published to avoid entanglements with FCC rule 73.72. Looking closely at FCC 73.72, it says "...provided no interference is caused to other stations maintaining a regular operating schedule within such period". See the 73.72 excerpt below. (a) An AM station may operate during the experimental period (the time between midnight and sunrise, local time) on its assigned frequency and with its authorized power for the routine testing and maintenance of its transmitting system, and for conducting experimentation under an experimental authorization, provided no interference is caused to other stations maintaining a regular operating schedule within such period. If we interpret the Rules strictly, then they would seem to prohibit operation at night while using the daytime power and antenna pattern. Because WHBC-AM has a nighttime authorization which allows us 24/7 operation, my view is that special ID's aired in the wee hours are acceptable, so long as they are transmitted using authorized power and pattern for the period. We share the 1480 frequency with other broadcasters, one of them located in our own state. Let's discuss what our remaining options are before 3/29. Dale Lamm Director of Engineering WHBC AM/FM NextMedia Group 330-471-1583 (via Pogue, ibid.) ** U S A. You might think that KOKC 1520 would own the channel here in Enid, but not so: March 22 at 0532, heavy IBOC QRM centered on the hi side of 1520, obviously from WLAC 1510. Fortunately, KOKC was carrying Roy Masters at the time, and who cares if he`s IBOCed? Also open carrier was dominating 1500 at 0532, instead of KSTP, so was that KSTP? Or Pawhuska? IBOC also audible on the other side of WLAC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. 4940 kHz, Radio Amazonas Internacional, Puerto Ayacucho, Estado Amazonas, 0200 UT [March 21?], Programa musical 'Zona Rumbera' que creo genera el Circuito Radial Rumbera Network. SINPO 35333, (15 db) buena señal pero el sonido está demasiado distorsionado. 0229 UT se escucha la portadora en el aire pero no hay audio. 0238 se restableció el audio y seguían con el mismo programa y con el mismo problema de 'distorsión aguda' pero ahora se escucha peor. 0415 UT audio fuerte (15 db) pero se escucha completamente distorsionado y no se entiende nada. ¡Qué lástima pues es la única emisora comercial de Venezuela que utiliza actualmente la onda corta! Al margen de esta información, debo decirles que conozco la historia de ese transmisor. Pertenecían a Radio Tricolor 990 AM de Barquisimeto, Estado Lara (eran 2 equipos marca Gates de 1 kW). El señor Ángel María Pérez, propietario de Radio Continental de Barinas y en ese entonces también dueño de Radio Amazonas, por sugerencia nuestra, compró los dos transmisores para emitir en onda corta tanto en Barinas como Amazonas. Luego se buscó al técnico de Ecos del Torbes y de Radio Táchira, Iván Sánchez Escobar; para modificarlos y ponerlos a transmitir en onda corta. 4940 kHz fué la frecuencia autorizada por Conatel para Radio Continental aunque el Gates modula exactamente en los 4939,6 kHz. Este equipo estaba activo a mediados del mes de octubre de 1988 y así lo hizo regularmente por varios años sin problemas graves. Luego el 'Tigre' Perez - como lo conocemos popularmente - vendió Radio Amazonas y en el negocio incluyó uno de los transmisores para que también operaran en la onda corta. El otro equipo Gates (un serial más nuevo) aún esta en la planta transmisora de Radio Continental junto a su antena dipolo doble, pero desgraciadamente fuera del aire; modificado para salir en los 4940 kHz, pero nunca se utilizó porque a la hora de arrancar en 1988, faltaba un tubo que meses después llegó. Recuerdo que en 1990 comencé mi programa (((América en Antena))) 'El Magazine de la Radio Internacional'. Se emitía los domingos de 0000 a 0400 UT por los 940 y 4940 kHz de Radio Continental. El objetivo del programa fué atender a esa audiencia internacional de la onda corta que escribían reportando las transmisiones. Mas de 1500 QSL´s y calcomanías fueron enviadas a quienes reportaban la sintonía. Identificábamos en inglés, español, português, italiano, francés, ruso, ucraniano, sueco, finlandés y noruego. Semanalmente iba a la planta transmisora y el técnico, mi compadre Ramón Briceño Bocanegra, me informaba posibles averías e inmediatamente se llamaba al técnico autodidacta ya desaparecido Juan Francisco Torres quien lo calibraba inmediatamente. Allí trabajé durante 5 años y en todo ese tiempo si fallaba el transmisor, no pasaba de 2 ó 3 dias cuando lo subsanábamos pues teníamos el otro transmisor, si se necesitaba momentáneamente un repuesto. Yo era el más interesado que la onda corta estuviera al ciento por ciento para transmitir mi programa, pues se producía exclusivamente para esa audiencia internacional. Luego en 1993 me fuí con mi programa a otra emisora de FM y lamentablemente el transmisor al poco tiempo dejó de funcionar porque no había otro técnico que le metiera la mano y lo conociera. Hay una anécdota y es que varios técnicos venían a chequear los transmisores Nautel y Collins de los 940 kHz, pero no se atrevían a meterle mano al 'Gates' de la onda corta. En resumen puedo decirles que el Tigre Pérez es el radiofusor venezolano pionero de la onda corta en los Estados Barinas y Amazonas. Quien sabe si algún dia de estos lo veo y lo animo nuevamente a encender el otro transmisor que aún tiene Radio Continental pues de verdad la nostalgia de quienes queremos la radio aun nos reclama otra oportunidad. Ya no será el fallecido colega Torres quien pueda ajustar ese transmisor sino mi compadre Ramón que también ahora es técnico autodidacta y le conoce las mañas a ese viejo transmisor Gates!!! (Ing. Santiago San Gil González, March 20, CLUB DIEXISTAS DE LA AMISTAD, http.//diexismovenezolano.blogspot.com/ Receptor: Yaesu FRG-7 Musen con frecuencímetro digital. Antena Dipolo Hy-Gain Modelo 2BDQ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. 5000 kHz, Observatorio Naval Juan Manuel Cajigal, La Planicie, Caracas, 1 kW. Emisora de frecuencia patrón y uso horario (hora legal) perteneciente al Instituto Oceanográfico de la Armada Venezolana, no se escucha después de las 0200 UT; al parecer no están transmiiendo las 24 horas. El transmisor de 1 kW tiene un grave problema de 'radiación espúrea' pues se le escucha también en los 4900 y 5100 kHz (Ing. Santiago San Gil González, March 20, CLUB DIEXISTAS DE LA AMISTAD, http.//diexismovenezolano.blogspot.com/ Receptor: Yaesu FRG-7 Musen con frecuencímetro digital. Antena Dipolo Hy-Gain Modelo 2BDQ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Instituto Oceanográfico de la Armada pertenece al Ecuador, = HD2IOA. ¿Se emplea el mismo nombre en Venezuela? (gh, DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 9430, CVC, Lusaka, 0510-0535, March 19, lite pop music. ID. English news about violence in Tibet. Poor to fair. Tnx to Glenn Hauser for tip. 9430, CVC, Lusaka, *0500-0559*, March 20, English "Scope" news & current affairs program. Pop music. "CVC" IDs. Contact information. Threshold level at sign on but slowly improved to a good signal strength by sign off (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZANZIBAR. Re 8-034: ``Radio Tanzania Zanzibar. English news was heard Thursday, March 13, at 2000 UT to 2010 followed by usual programming in Swahili. English news is usually reported on at 1800 UT. Good reception recently especially in the last hour of transmission to 2100 and with a great local music selection. Wonder if it is the same young lady singing that I hear so often at this time on most days. As usual the national anthem is played at 2059 (Bernie O'Shea, Ottawa, Ontario, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` WTFK?? 11735 (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1400, DXLD) 11735, Radio Tanzania-Zanzibar, 1755-1815, March 22, Swahili talk. Local music. Local drums at 1759. Time pips and English news at 1800- 1810. "Spice FM" IDs. Swahili talk at 1810. Local music at 1814. Irregular. Fair signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. SWR Africa extra frequencies for election week From SW Radio Africa website: http://www.swradioa frica.com/pages/frequ140308.htm SW Radio Africa Frequency Change Over the election week we will be broadcasting on a number of frequencies: From Monday 24th - Saturday 29th March find us on: 4880, 7125, 6150 and for the second hour only we will also be on 12035 kHz From Sunday 30th March find us on: 4880, 12035 kHz [SWR Africa's two hour evening transmission is 1700-1900 UT] (Alan Pennington, England, March 21, BDXC-UK via DXLD) 12035, SW Radio Africa, *1800-1859*, 03/22/08, English. "Road to Democracy" program, a look at whether Zimbabwe is ready for free and fair democratic elections. Off at 1859 at the end of a song without any fanfare. Nice solid signal the entire hour, making their change from 49m a welcome one here. Good (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for equinoxial financial support from Gerald T. Pollard, who sent a check in the mail to Glenn Hauser, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ DALET AND RNW TAPE RECORDER [Re 8-034, NETHERLANDS] Well, the papers are also scattered over an area of the console which should house controls still in use (audio routing, perhaps telephone hybrid etc.). But that's proof of this being no staged photo. Back in 2003 I was believing that the tape machines at DW's old building in Cologne were no longer in use, but not so: At times they still rolled tape at 7.5 inch per second, just in case something goes wrong with their Dalet. This system almost appears to be a standard for international broadcasting, to my knowledge it is in use not only at DW and RNW but also at VOA, RCI and Voice of Russia. Outside DW their decision to use Dalet was not really appreciated, since earlier versions of this system employed a proprietary audio file format called SND, which is nothing else than MP2 but with auxilliary data mixed in. Thus these SND files are incompatible to the rest of the world, in this case the whole public broadcasting system of Germany. The tape machine in this photo is a Telefunken M 15, the former workhorse of ARD radio, but in another version for the tape layer facing inwards. In West Germany and West Berlin things are different, here audio tapes are in use with layer outwards. This terminology must indeed be used, because GDR radio had replaced this old German alignment decades ago in favour of the international standard, and neither ORB nor MDR reverted to the old thing. This means that the division line now even runs through a single broadcasting organization, RBB with its Potsdam-Babelsberg (inwards world) and Berlin-Charlottenburg (outwards world) seats. Not that this would be an issue, if one notes the problem too late there is still the dirty trick to fold the tape between reel and heads (and perhaps let it slide through ones fingers, I have not seen this though method by myself). And there is an opinion that newcomers should still learn how to edit tape, because many of them think that they just have to look on the screened amplitudes and click into the gaps. Nobody introduces them into the art of audio editing. The results can be heard almost everywhere (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, Dalet is now a widely used system. For many years I have run the mailing list for the Dalet User Group. There are currently 334 members representing nearly as many stations, including a lot of international broadcasters - the Voice of Vietnam being one. In the early days of audio on our website, we actually used a little batch file written by one of our engineers to strip the few bytes of extra data from the beginning of Dalet files so that they became ordinary MP2 files that were compatible with other audio programs - I'm surprised they didn't just do this in Germany :-) I agree that editing should be with your ears, not just from a waveform on a computer screen. Too many interviews end up with people sounding unnatural because the natural breath pauses have been edited out. Mind you, it helps when the material to be edited is easy to handle. I remember one interview on BBC Radio Newsreel many years ago which had been done in the middle of a busy open plan office with phones ringing everywhere. Every edit was all too obvious because the phones cut off or re-started in mid-ring (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) It seems that Dalet itself had to develop something like this for DW. Anyway DW is connected to the ARD file transfer network, and this system runs on DigaReplicator, with gateways to Dalet (DW) and VCS Dira (Deutschlandradio, MDR, NDR) being set up within the concerned broadcasting houses. Btw, VCS Dira has also been choosen by the BBC for most of its London radio operations, but apparently not the World Service. And the reference list of David includes also RFE/RL, a bit of a surprise to be since I would not have expected this BBG operation to order from a German company rather than Dalet. And while googling after the SND file format I spotted this posting about CBC Radio just arriving in the 21st century: http://insidethecbc.com/daletreview (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING IBOC: USA WLAC+; DRM: CHINA; IRAN; NETHERLANDS ++++++++++++++++++++ PROPAGATION +++++++++++ GROUNDWAVE PROPAGATION ON MEDIUMWAVE [Re 8-035]: Glenn, 1. Well, Mr. Greenway is dead wrong about MF groundwave propagation. Physics is indeed immutable, he just hasn't done his homework. It is NOT free space propagation, which is 1/r^2, but propagation in the half-space, which is 1/r. I will quote the physics gospel, from the Radio Engineers' bible (Radio Engineers' Handbook, McGraw-Hill, 1943) according to Dr. Terman: "If the heights of transmitting and receiving antennas are low enough ... the surface wave is given by E surface wave = A(2E0/d)" NOT d^2. And the scholarly references are Norton and Sommerfeld. All one has to do is look at the ITU or FCC groundwave curves to see that they are log-log charts where groundwave is related to attenuation greater than the no-loss 1/r condition. 2. I didn't say that the physics was different in N. America and elsewhere (although the location of the magnetic North Pole does make N. America fairly anomalous from a propagation standpoint); I just said that the historical interpretation of the data has led to the observation that skywave fields are higher at the upper end of the band in N. America and at the lower end elsewhere, according to ITU publications. If you examine the ITU skywave databases, you will quickly conclude that the data is sparse, and some of it very old, and was often based on very incomplete knowledge of the transmitting antenna circumstances. The skywave databases are not quite as bad as anecdotal observation, but I am skeptical of much of the older data. There are at least seven different skywave propagation algorithms which have some legal standing somewhere in the world, and the fact that they all differ demonstrates just how subjective the interpretation of the data actually is. 3. The São Tomé government medium wave transmitter (if that's the one on 945 - I know the antenna installation, but I can't remember the frequency for sure) is at the VOA site on the east side of the island, at Pinheira, about 4 or 5 kliks S. of São Tomé city. It's the same site originally established by the Portuguese in colonial times. Last time I was in Sào Tomé - a little more than 10 years ago - the VOA 1530 and the government station were the only MF in the country (Ben Dawson, WA, March 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ARNIE CORO´S DXERS UNLIMITED´S HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Solar activity is and will continue to be at very low levels as we pass trough the equinox, so, don´t expect much DX, because the ionosphere is in totally flat state. We may have short openings on 12 and 10 meters, and that´s about all for higher bands DX; while at the same time, local noise levels continue to increase as the summer thunderstorm season approaches (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited March 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE SUSPECT SOCIETY Erosion of civil liberties in the USA. Highly recommended! http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/features/suspect-society/index.html http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/media/2008/the-suspect-society-ep1.ram http://www.cbc.ca/ideas/media/2008/the-suspect-society-ep2.ram (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###