DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-041, April 2, 2008 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2008 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1402 Thu 0530 WRMI 9955 Thu 1430 WRMI 9955 Thu 2200 WRMI 9955 Thu 2330 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0800 WRMI 9955 Fri 2030 WWCR1 15825 Fri 2230 WBCQ 5110-CUSB Sat 0800 WRMI 9955 Sat 1630 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1515 WRMI 9955 Mon 0300 WBCQ 9330-CLSB [irregular] Mon 0415 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 1130 WRMI 9955 Wed 2300 WBCQ 15420-CUSB [NEW] 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 ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. R. Solh, 17700 via UK, was audible earlier on April 2, already fair at 1410 but with some deep fades, same music as always during this semihour, previously on 15265 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALASKA. Re 8-040, daytimer: Glenn, An amusing piece. But there really was once an Alaskan daytimer! The original operation of what is now KENI, 650, 50 kW NDA [non-direxional antenna], unlimited, was with 5 kW NDA daytime only on 630 kHz! The station was put on the air by our old friend Bob Fleming in 1967, Anchorage's 5th AM station, during a period when the FCC had a freeze on nighttime applications. When that freeze and the restrictions on applications on the U.S. I-A clear channels were modified, the station moved to directional operation with 50 kW day 25 kW night on 650 kHz. The directional was to protect the absurdly located FCC monitoring station, and the 25 kW power reduction to protect Nashville. We modified it to 50 kW non-DA fulltime when the FCC changed the propagation algorithm and relaxed the protection requirement to the monitoring station. Oh, and the original call letters were KYAK (Ben Dawson, WA, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA [and non]. R. Tirana, 13640 to NAm, checked again April 1 at 1430. This time it was just barely audible, overshadowed by much stronger CVC Darwin in English on 13635, despite not aimed this way, but with a propagational advantage; much different than the day before. R. Tirana, 13600 to NAm, at 2000 April 2, opening with correct new schedule in English, now quite readable, S9+20 peaks with fades (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALGERIA [non]. UNIDENTIFIED. Picked up a station on 7150 last night 4/1/08 Monday local, 0411 UT (Tuesday UT). All male announcers and singers. The speech was Middle Eastern, I cannot tell the difference between the major dialects. There was chanting, regular speech chanting and singing, maybe Kor`anic, maybe not. Allah was mentioned several times as well as Hezbollah. I listened from 0411 until 0459 UT without hearing a decipherable ID. The signal varied from an SIO of 333, to 322 and down to 311. I could find no listing in PWBR, HFCC, or EiBi. Just wondering what I stumbled into (Steve Cross, Del City, OK, UT April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PORTUGAL/UK, 7150, R Algerienne, *2100-2115, Mar 30, Holy Qur'an programme in Arabic, March, ID in Arabic: "Huna Al-Djazair", religious songs, 44444 \\ Skelton 9710 (25222). Scheduled 2100-2300 during A08. Broker VTC. [7150 Sines-POR relay 250 kW 170 degr] 11810, R Algerienne, via Woofferton, 1945-2100*, Mar 30, Holy Qur'an programme in Arabic, talks about Islam, recitations, songs, ID, 35444 \\ Rampisham 9765 (35343). Scheduled 1900-2100 during A08. Broker VTC. It may also be relayed at 0400-0600 on 7150 (Sines tx 134degr) and Skelton 7260 (300kW 180deg). (Anker Petersen, Denmark, March 30, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 3 via DXLD) 7150 unID Arabic language station on 7150, first noted on 3/31 and again on 4/1 with chanting and into Arabic talk about Middle East politics; on 4/2 at s/on 0400 with time pips and choral anthem; strong signal but over modulated (Jim Ronda-OK-USA, DXplorer Apr 2, ibid.) Radio Algiers International, new relay via DWL ProFunk Sines Portugal for the first time. VTC-exMerlin brokered. 7150 0400-0500 smtwtfs Sines 250 134 Non-Spec NoAF 7150 0500-0600 smtwtfs Sines 250 134 Non-Spec NoAF 7150 2100-2300 smtwtfs Sines 250 170 Non-Spec NoAF 9765 2000-2100 smtwtfs Sines 250 170 Non-Spec NoAF \\ morning 7260 0400-0600 smtwtfs Skelton 300 180 Non-Specific NoAF \\ afternoon 9710 2100-2300 smtwtfs Skelton 300 160 Non-Specific NoAF \\ 11810 2000-2100 smtwtfs Woofferton 250 160 Non-Specific NoAF Not in sync. Sines Portugal feed is one second behind Skelton outlet. At 0440 UT Apr 2nd (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 2, ibid.) ** ASIA [non]. A COLLOQUY ABOUT THE FUNDING OF RADIO FREE ASIA "With the CIA's deep involvement with the Free Tibet Movement and its funding of the suspiciously well-informed Radio Free Asia, it would seem somewhat unlikely that any revolt could have been planned or occurred without the prior knowledge, and even perhaps the agreement, of the National Clandestine Service (formerly known as the Directorate of Operations) at CIA headquarters in Langley." Richard M Bennett, Asia Times, 26 March 2008 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Originally, I wasn't going to mention this item in a post, because it is so obviously wrong. RFA's funding is accounted for, and there is nothing suspicious about a good news organization getting scoops. However, James Glassman, chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, responded: (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) "Richard M Bennett made an outrageous, untrue, and defamatory claim about the financing of Radio Free Asia (RFA). ... Mr Bennett says that RFA's Tibet broadcasts are 'suspiciously well-informed.' There is nothing suspicious in the least about the RFA's journalistic achievements. They have been won the hard way - mainly by cultivating reliable sources in Tibet to bring accurate, unbiased news to the people of the region." Letter to Asia Times, 31 March 2008. Bennett responded back, mentioning the Radio Free Asia of the early 1950s. ibid. (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) As documented in Eric Barnouw, The Image Empire: A history of broadcasting in the United States (Oxford University Press, 1970), Radio Free Asia "was luanched in 1952 with short-wave transmitters in Taiwan and the Philippines. Set up in similar fashion [as Radio Free Europe], it was shielded by a Committee for Free asia, which also carried on propaganda activities in other media, not only in Asia but also in the United States. ... The Committee for Free Asia was by an Asia Foundation, similarly financed. Radio Free Asia continued for about two years." The Asia Foundation still exists. Its website is vague about its history, other than to say that its activities are "drawing on more than 50 years of experience in Asia." In FY 2008, it received $15 million from the U.S. government, though it has many other donors. When the new "surrogate" station for Asia was funded by Congress in the mid-1990s, leaders of U.S. international broadcasting wisely planned to call it Asia Pacific Network -- a bland, neutral name that would have been unobjectionable to partners in the region. Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC), a prime mover in the creation of the new station, called those leaders into his office and very unwisely compelled them to revert to the originally designated Radio Free Asia. The content of RFA would probably not create any objections on the part of Thailand and the Philippines, host of two important IBB relay sites that RFA needed to reach its target countries. It was the name Radio Free Asia, with all its historical baggage, and its association with formerly CIA-funded Radio Free Europe, that caused those two countries to forbid RFA relays from their soil. RFA was forced to lease transmitters where it could. East Asia, because of its vastness, is one of the most difficult targets for international broadcasting to get a signal into. Because of its mostly competitive domestic media environments, it's one of the most difficult areas in which to cultivate an audience. Because of a lack of press freedom and other restrictions, it's one of the most challenging areas to get news out of. Successful international broadcasting to East Asia requires all of the resources U.S. international broadcasting can muster. As good as RFA and VOA are, they divide those resources, and compete for budget, talent, and audience. As such, U.S. international broadcasting to East Asia is less successful and more expensive than it ought to be. Posted: 02 Apr 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.; for linx to stories see http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=3694 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. A Inconfidência voltou ao ar, já um certo tempo, porém com áudio ruim, com modulação espalhada. A frequência é de 6010 kHz 49m. A falta de cuidado com as condas curtas de certas emissoras, denota bem que elas não têm muito interesse nelas. Poucas rádios dão o devido cuidado e se preocupam com elas. 73 (Luiz Chaine Neto, Limeira sp, March 30, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** CANADA. VERIFICACIÓN CON QSL DESDE CHU, CANADÁ, 3330, 7335 y 14670 Aunque por muchos años oimos las señales horarias, quizás no le prestamos demasiada atención como para elaborar y enviarles un reporte de recepción, pero encontré que esta señal horaria CHU, recibe muy bien dichos reportes vía e-mail. Dentro de unas cuantas horas me respondieron que me enviarían QSL por correo, y el día de hoy pude recogerla en mi buzón postal. Reporte del 18 y 20 Marzo 2008, 3330 y 7335 kHz. Reception reports from around the world, are gladly accepted from listeners. We will respond with a QSL card. Please send reception reports to: Radio Station CHU National Research Council of Canada 1200 Montreal Road, Bldg M-36 Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6 Or by e-mail to radio.chu @ nrc-cnrc.gc.ca Información en su página web: http://inms-ienm.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/time_services/shortwave_broadcasts_e.html Raymond Pelletier, es quien verifica los informes de recepción. ============================================ Frequency and Time Institute for National Measurement Standards National Research Council Canada M-36, room 1026 1200 Montreal Road Ottawa, Canada K1A 0R6 Tel: (613) 993-3430 Fax: (613) 952-1394 raymond.pelletier @ nrc-cnrc.gc.ca Government of Canada ======================================== Fréquence et temps Institut des étalons nationaux de mesure Conseil national de recherches Canada M-36, salle 1026 1200 chemin Montréal Ottawa, Canada K1A 0R6 Tél: (613) 993-3430 Télécopieur: (613) 952-1394 raymond.pelletier @ nrc-cnrc.gc.ca Gouvernment du Canada ======================================== "INMS, Radio.CHU" Radio.CHU.INMS @ nrc-cnrc.gc.ca (MAGDIEL CRUZ RODRÍGUEZ, JIUTEPEC, MORELOS, MÉXICO, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 9625 - trans-Atlantic conditions even better last night 1 April 2008. I monitored the following: 2100-2110 English CBC News, 2110-2130 Inuit, 2130-2140 Local news in English, 2140-2200 English magazine programme, 2200-2230 The World at 6. I hope this helps Liz and others but doesn't this prove that CBC NQ is on its summer timings? 73's (Dan Goldfarb, England, April 2, WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CBC STRIKES SOUR NOTE [continued from 8-040] The Edmonton Journal, Saturday, March 29, 2008 http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/opinion/story.html?id=58ab167c-3bc2-4b85-92c0-b4547a1c9e6b Is the nation's public broadcaster turning its back on classical music? It's increasingly seeming that way to many aficionados across the country. Recently, they learned that CBC's Radio Two will be cutting back prime-time classical music programming to satisfy more middlebrow sensibilities. Thursday, 35 members of Vancouver's CBC Radio Orchestra were told in a closed-door meeting that the final baton would come down on the storied, 70-year-old institution in November. The stated reason for the closure was, simply put, value for money. The orchestra makes recordings, along with performing eight public concerts a year. CBC management won't disclose its budget other than to state that it is below an annual $1 million. A corporation spokesman said CBC could no longer afford to maintain the freelance orchestra given its modest output. But then again, no money will be saved since the current allotment is scheduled to now flow toward commissions by other Canadian orchestras. You'd think that the prospect of more commissions for Canadian composers might be relished in that realm. But Colin Miles, who heads the Canadian Music Centre told Canwest News: "If it's costing so little, why get rid of it when it's a national treasure?" Richard Kurth, dean of the University of British Columbia's school of music called the closure "a tragic event," expressing skepticism that savings would reach other orchestras. Management at media corporations must sometimes make difficult decisions that upset certain loyal supporters. In fact, although broadcast orchestras --the BBC supports five and a full-time choir -- are common in Europe, Vancouver's CBC Radio Orchestra was the last survivor on this continent. The fabled NBC Symphony Orchestra rang down its closing coda in 1954. Still, the CBC remains a publicly funded institution pledged to quality Canadian content not supplied by private sources. It will upset its loyal, loud, influential classical music listeners at its own peril. © The Edmonton Journal 2008 (via Ricky Leong, DXLD) "CBC NEEDS TO BE SAVED FROM ITS SUPPORTERS" Yet more on Radio 2 and the orchestra: From the National Post. http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2008/03/31/cbc-needs-to-be-saved-from-its-supporters.aspx or http://tinyurl.com/2flfkm (via Ricky Leong, WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DXLD) ** CANADA. "CBC-TV TO DROP ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FARCE" After 15 years on the air, TV series will end with shortened 10- episode run starting in the fall. . . http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080401.wairfarce0401/EmailBNStory/Entertainment/home (via Dale Rothert, DXLD) +222 comments so far (gh) You may remember this show from radio. http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/408720 (Dale Rothert, ibid.) ** CHINA. 7285 kHz at 2100-2145+ on April 1st --- am not sure what program from China in English is on 7285 right now starting from 2100 - maybe Beijing 846 AM? Thanks for any help (Mikhail Timofeyev, Russia, HCDX via DXLD) Seems to be "China Drive" from CRI Easy FM, http://english.cri.cn/ce_easyfm/program-chinadrive.htm (Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.) ** CHINA [and non]. Excellent Firedrake reception, so we could try to enjoy the lively music, but we can`t forget what it`s for. We wonder if the original performers ever knew what nefarious business their art would be used for? April 2 at 1325 on 7310 // 7330 and also // 7445 with a SAH. 7330 was overshadowing RCI 7325. Otherwise nothing much audible underneath on 7310 or 7330. 7310 presumably Sound of Hope as before, but what`s being jammed on 7330? All I find listed is VOR Vladivostok at 230 degrees toward China, but what language or service meriting blockage? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. Re 8-040: Right Glenn, the ELCOR 5954 transmitter didn't show up this Wednesday April 2, at least on the schedule they have been testing, 2230-2330. I can't tell of last Monday and Tuesday. As I pointed out, was off the air last weekend too. Maybe they forgot to pay the power bill. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. OLD COSTA RICAN RADIO PHOTOS --- I got an e-mail from a ham who has a family connection to the old Limón Radio TIM in Costa Rica. This was a maritime CW station that dates back to the 1923. It went off the air around the late 1990s. It was originally founded by one of the banana companies. The location is still there and actually for sale. He has a lot of interesting pictures up at the following page. It's a lot like my visit to TI4NRH in 1990. http://s181.photobucket.com/albums/x64/k4ncg/Limon%20Radio%20TIM/ "Love your enemies. It makes them so damned mad." – Percy Dale East http://librarydust.typepad.com/library_dust/2006/07/pd_east_mississ.html Radio & Latin American website: http://www.pateplumaradio.com/ (Don Moore --- donmooredxer @ yahoo.com April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. RHC on yet another mixing product, 13620, April 1 at 1437, with CRI English on 13740 leapfrogging over RHC Spanish 13680 transmission. CRI relay, 9570, April 2 at 1347 in English, overcome by heavy intermittent noise on its own modulation, also scratchy to the sides, but not enough to bother Australia here on 9560, 9580 or 9590. How`s it in Ontario, Andy Reid? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. Jamming: see OKLAHOMA [and non] ** CUBA. Curiosidades de Cuba. --- 1922 - La primera emisión de radio cubana fue en inglés y no en español. Ocurrió el 10 de Octubre de 1922 al ser inaugurada la PWX por el presidente Alfredo Zayas; la primera voz que se escuchó fue la de Raúl Falcón que presentó el mensaje presidencial en inglés al igual que la del presidente al inaugurarla. 1950 - Cuba fue uno de los primeros países en tener emisiones de TV. Se inauguró Unión Radio Canal 4 el 24 de Octubre de 1950 desde la casa de Gáspar Pumarejo en La Habana y las primeras imágenes transmitidas fueron publicidad de los cigarros Competidora Gaditana y la Cerveza Cristal, así como un espectáculo con Pedro Armendáriz y Carmen Montejo. 1953 - Cuba fue el primer país de América Latina con transmisiones en vivo de los juegos de las Grandes Ligas. Creación de los hermanos Mestre, uno de ellos padre de la presente Gran Duquesa de Luxemburgo. Se mantenían en el aire dos aviones DC-3 que actuaban como antenas, uno entre Nueva York y Miami [sic] y otro entre Miami y La Habana. 1958 - Cuba fue el segundo país del mundo después de USA en transmitir emisiones de televisión en colores. Ocurrió en 1958 y permitió a Cuba tener el tercer canal de TV a color de la historia del mundo. (Ing. Yandys Cervantes Rodríguez, Profesor Adjunto Sede Universitaria Municipal, Buey Arriba, Granma, March 27, noticiasdx yg via DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC [non?]. 6000 kHz, Radio Prague (transmitter site unclear) with a decent SINPO 34444 at 2255 ending Spanish program, IDs, going into French. March 30 (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, Grundig Yachtboy 400 PE with an external long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No such transmission scheduled in B07 or A08 per HFCC, nor on current R. Prague schedule; just 2330 in Spanish via Sackville on 6000. Did they put it on an hour early by mistake?? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. HCJB, 11960, April 2 at 1359:30 as usual cut off Spanish programming in progress which was just giving contact info, for automated ID also giving contact info, but never with frequencies any more, which means they can never get the frequencies wrong, as they had been doing for years! Ever changing Apartado 17-17-691 is much less likely than a QSY. I must also give HCJB points for their automated timesignal which unlike so many heard on SW is pretty correct. It`s really the exception, and a sad commentary of the state of contemporary horology (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 6250, Radio Nacional-Malabo, 2134-2210+, April 2, local Afro-pop music. "Radio Malabo" ID at 2203. Spanish talk. Fair to good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hey, should now be clear of Cairo QRM! (gh, DXLD) ** ERITREA. 5955.00, VBME Asmara, 0356, April 02, IS & multilingual IDs on clear frequency but blocked by co-channel RFE Romanian 0400. Same IS noted on 7180 at 0357. Is this new 49 mb freq a replacement for regular 7100 which was silent this morning or possibly some kind of jamming operation? (Martien Groot, Schoorl, Netherlands, WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. What [R. Miami International] clandestines are currently scheduled via relays? (Glenn Hauser to Jeff White, April 2, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Just Voice of Oromia Independence, Saturdays 1700-1730 on 15650 via Germany (Jeff White, RMI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 24/3, *1600 lunedi - 9445 (R7), ETHIOPIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH - Samara (Russia), Amarico, canti locali e tk YL. Segnale buono-molto buono (Luca Botto Fiora, Rapallo (Genova), G.C. 09E13 - 44N21O, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. 15205, DW from Kigali Relay, 2106 with English, Newslink, with summer replacement for 11690 kHz. Tough to hear, SINPO 24322, I imagine even worse to the west. I guess this is another station to hear only over our local NPR station, at 6 am Sunday morning for their one hour a week (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, Grundig Yachtboy 400 PE with an external long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. DW Russian, 15420 via Rampisham, 62 degrees, April 1 at 1443 with Russian talk about Germaniya, clip of Deutschland Über Alles, and for good measure ID as ``Nemetskaya Volna`` (have I got the gender right?), as scheduled 1400-1500. No sign of WBCQ yet, ex-17495, and I failed to check later in the target day April 1, but Allan indicated it might take a bit longer to retune everything due to all the snow piled up. Anyhow, DW and BBC have 15420 rather tied up from various sites until 2057, so WBCQ usage may be problematical before then. UT I mean, not year. Please check at 2300 UT Wednesday to see if WORLD OF RADIO is on 15420-CUSB, and which edition (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See U S A, tho April 2 ** GERMANY [non]. DW Amharic on 15660? See RUSSIA ** GREECE. Re: ``Sundays only English programme Greek in Style noted March 30 0905-1000 on 9420 and 15605 (Mike Barraclough-UK, April WDXC- UK Contact magazine via dxld Apr 1)`` Should be 15630 (Wolfgang Büschel, BCDX April 3 via DXLD) ** INDIA. 11620 heard from 2128 UT, with news, talk, subcontinental music, ID. Fair modulation. Mostly unreadable by 2200, then found on 9445 kHz (Bangalore), at 2201, SINPO 33222, somewhat readable. April 1. Not just an April Fool’s joke; both frequencies came in very well from about 2130 to 2215 on the second; 11620 kHz peaked at 54334, while 9445 was SINPO 34323 at 2210. No sign of Portugal at all, which was on 11620 during the winter (Roger Chambers, Utica, NY, Grundig Yachtboy 400 PE with an external long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. All India Radio A-08 FREQUENCY SCHEDULE Frequency Schedule for 30th March, 2008 to 26th October, 2008 http://www.allindiaradio.org/schedule/fqsch.html [GOS i.e. ENGLISH] Service Time(UTC) Frequency (KHz) NORTH EAST ASIA G.O.S-I 2245-0045 9950 11645 13605 G.O.S-II 1000-1100 15020 15410 17800 Chinese 1145-1315 11840 15795 17705 EAST AND SOUTH EAST ASIA G.O.S-I 2245-0045 9705 11620 13605 G.O.S-III 1330-1500 9690 11620 13710 Hindi 2300-0000 9910 11740 13795 Indonesian 0845-0945 15770 17510 17875 Tamil 0000-0045 9910 11740 13795 Tamil 1115-1215 13695 15770 17810 Telugu 1215-1245 13695 15770 17810 Thai 1115-1200 13645 15410 17740 AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND G.O.S-II 1000-1100 13695 17510 17895 G.O.S-V 2045-2230 9910 11620 11715 MAURITIUS & EAST AFRICA G.O.S-IV 1745-1945 11935 15075 17670 Gujarati 0415-0430 15075 15185 17715 Gujarati 1515-1600 11620 13645 15175 Hindi 0315-0415 15075 15185 17715 Hindi 0430-0530 15075 15185 17715 Hindi 1615-1730 9950 15075 17670 Swahili 1515-1615 9950 13605 17670 WEST AND NORTH WEST AFRICA G.O.S-IV 1745-1945 9445 13605 15155 French 1945-2030 9905 13605 13620 WEST ASIA Arabic 0430-0530 11730 15770 17845 Arabic 1730-1945 9905 11585 13620 Hindi 0315-0415 11840 13695 15075 Hindi 1615-1730 7410 12025 13770 Kannada 0215-0300 11985 15075 Malayalam 1730-1830 7115 12025 Persian 0400-0430 11730 15770 17845 Persian 1615-1730 7115 9905 11585 UK & WEST EUROPE G.O.S-IV 1745-1945 7410 9950 11620 G.O.S-V 2045-2230 7410 9445 9950 11620 Hindi 1945-2045 7410 9950 11620 EAST EUROPE Russian 1615-1715 9585 11620 15140 NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES PAKISTAN Baluchi 1500-1600 6165 7195 9620 11585 Punjabi 0800-0830 702 1130-1230 702 1300-1430 702 Saraiki 1230-1300 702 Sindhi 0100-0200 5990 7125 9635 1230-1500 6165 7195 9620 11585 Urdu 0015-0430 702 6155 7195 9595 0100-0430 11620 0830-1130 702 7195 7250 9595 11620 1430-1930 702 4860 6045 1430-1735 3945 AFGHANISTAN Dari 0300-0345 9835 9910 11735 1315-1415 7255 7410 9910 Pushtu 0215-0300 9835 9910 11735 1415-1530 7255 7410 9910 TIBET Autonomous Region [sic] of People's Republic of China Tibetan 1215-1330 1134 7420 9575 11775 NEPAL Nepali 0130-0230 594 3945 7420 9810 11715 0700-0800 7250 7420 9595 11850 1330-1430 1134 3945 4860 7420 11775 BANGLADESH Bengali 0300-0430 594 7420 0800-1100 594 7420 1445-1515 1134 7420 1600-1730 1134 7420 MYANMAR Burmese 1215-1315 11620 11710 15040 SRI LANKA Sinhala 0045-0115 1053 7360 11740 11985 1300-1500 1053 7270 9820 15050 Tamil 0000-0045 1053 7360 9835 11740 11985 0115-0330 1053 1100-1115 1053 1115-1215 1053 7270 15050 17860 1215-1300 1053 1500-1530 1053 GOS-II 1000-1100 1053 7270 15260 (via José Miguel Romero, April 1, dxldydg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA [non]. CVC A08 Hindi to India 0000 0100 6260 0100 0400 6260 9975 0400 1100 13630 1100 1400 13820 1400 2000 6260 English to India 0100 0300 11790 0300 0900 15515 0900 1100 15230 1100 1800 13635 (Partial schedule as monitored on 30th Mar, 2008) [sites? gh] (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, April 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. Re 8-040: Here is the updated AWR schd - Version 02/2008-03-14/pub --- Regds Alokesh ----------------- AWR Broadcast Schedule A08 (2008-03-30 to 2008-10-26) Version 02/2008-03-14/pub AWR Frequency Management Office Sandwiesenstr. 35, 64665 Alsbach, Germany, Phone: +49 6257 9440969. SEA Site Start Stop Language Service Area kHz m kW Days SDA 0000 0200 Mandarin NE-China 12025 25 100 1234567 SDA 0000 0030 Burmese Myanmar 15510 19 100 1234567 SDA 0000 0200 Mandarin C/N-China 15300 19 100 1234567 SDA 0030 0100 Karen Myanmar, Thailand, China 15510 19 100 1234567 TAI 0100 0200 Vietnamese Vietnam 15445 19 100 7 SDA 0100 0200 Mandarin S-China 15615 19 100 1234567 MOS 0200 0230 Urdu Pakistan 6065 49 300 1234567 MDC 0230 0330 Malagasy Madagascar 3215 90 50 1234567 MOS 0230 0300 Pushto Pakistan 6065 49 300 12345 MOS 0230 0300 Panjabi Pakistan 6065 49 300 67 WER 0300 0330 Oromo S-Ethiopia 9545 31 250 1234567 SDA 0300 0330 Russian E-Russia 17645 16 100 1234567 WER 0300 0330 Tigrinya Eritrea 5915 49 250 1234567 WER 0330 0400 Amharic Ethiopia 9815 31 250 1234567 MOS 0330 0430 Farsi Iran 7220 41 300 1234567 WER 0400 0430 Arabic Iraq, Arab Peninsula 9735 31 250 1234567 MOS 0430 0500 French Morocco, Algeria 6135 49 300 1234567 WER 0500 0600 Bulgarian Bulgaria 6185 49 100 1234567 WER 0700 0800 Arabic Morocco, Algeria 11980 25 100 1234567 WER 0800 0830 Kabyle Morocco, Algeria 11980 25 100 1234567 WER 0800 0830 French Morocco, Algeria 15260 19 100 1234567 WER 0830 0900 Tachelhit Morocco, Algeria 15260 19 100 1234567 NAU 0900 1000 Italian Italy 9790 31 100 1 SDA 1000 1100 Mandarin C/N-China 15495 19 100 1234567 SDA 1000 1100 Mandarin S-China 15510 19 100 1234567 SDA 1030 1100 Ilocano Philippines 11925 25 100 1 SDA 1030 1100 Ilonggo Philippines 11925 25 100 45 SDA 1030 1100 Tagalog Philippines 11925 25 100 23 SDA 1030 1100 Cebuano Philippines 11925 25 100 67 SDA 1030 1100 English N-China, Mongolia 11780 25 100 1234567 SDA 1100 1200 Mandarin NE-China 11775 25 100 1234567 SDA 1100 1130 Indonesian W-Indonesia 15540 19 100 1234567 SDA 1100 1200 Mandarin S-China 12080 25 100 1234567 SDA 1100 1200 Mandarin C/N-China 12105 25 100 1234567 SDA 1130 1200 English Indonesia, Malaysia 15540 19 100 1234567 SDA 1200 1300 Mandarin S-China 9720 31 100 1234567 WER 1200 1230 English NE-India, Bangladesh 15435 19 250 1234567 SDA 1200 1300 Mandarin NE-China 9800 31 100 1234567 SDA 1200 1300 Korean Korea 9880 31 100 1234567 SDA 1200 1300 Mandarin C/N-China 12105 25 100 1234567 WER 1230 1300 Bangla NE-India, Bangladesh 15435 19 250 1234567 SDA 1300 1330 Japanese Japan 11975 25 100 1234567 SDA 1300 1330 Bangla Bangladesh 15275 19 100 1234567 SDA 1300 1400 Mandarin C/N-China 12105 25 100 1234567 SDA 1300 1330 Japanese W-Japan 9805 31 100 1234567 MDC 1300 1400 Vietnamese Vietnam 17670 16 250 1234567 WER 1300 1330 Mandarin W-China 15320 19 250 23456 WER 1300 1330 Uighur W-China 15320 19 250 17 SDA 1330 1400 Khmer Cambod, Viet, Thai, Laos 11880 25 100 14 SDA 1330 1400 English Bangladesh 15275 19 100 23567 WER 1330 1500 Mandarin W-China 15320 19 250 1234567 SDA 1330 1400 Russian E-Russia 11845 25 100 1234567 SDA 1330 1400 Assamese NE-India 15275 19 100 14 SDA 1400 1430 Sinhalese Sri Lanka 12130 25 100 1234567 SDA 1400 1500 Mandarin C/N-China 12105 25 100 1234567 SDA 1400 1430 Chin Myanmar 9565 31 100 1234567 MOS 1400 1430 Urdu Pakistan 15440 19 300 1234567 SDA 1400 1500 Mandarin S-China 9700 31 100 1234567 SDA 1430 1500 Karen Myanmar, Thailand, China 9565 31 100 1234567 MOS 1430 1500 Afar Djibouti, NE-Ethiopia, Somalia 17610 16 300 1234567 SDA 1430 1500 Burmese Myanmar 11885 25 100 1234567 SDA 1500 1530 Telugu S-India 9530 31 100 1234567 SDA 1500 1530 Mizo NE-India 11895 25 100 1234567 MOS 1500 1530 Turkish Turkey 15160 19 300 1234567 SDA 1500 1530 English S-India 11720 25 100 1234567 WER 1500 1530 Panjabi N-India 15225 19 250 1234567 SDA 1500 1530 Tamil S-India 11870 25 100 1234567 WER 1500 1530 Nepali Nepal 15160 19 250 1234567 WER 1530 1600 Hindi N-India 15160 19 250 1234567 SDA 1530 1600 Malayalam S-India 11870 25 100 1234567 SDA 1530 1600 Hindi C-India 11905 25 100 1234567 WER 1530 1600 English Nepal, Tibet 15225 19 250 1234567 SDA 1530 1600 Marathi C-India 11895 25 100 1234567 SDA 1530 1600 Kannada S-India 11720 25 100 1234567 MDC 1530 1628 Malagasy Madagascar 3215 90 50 1234567 SDA 1600 1630 English C-India 11805 25 100 1234567 SDA 1600 1630 English S-India 11720 25 100 1234567 MOS 1600 1630 Urdu Pakistan 15260 19 300 1234567 SDA 1600 1630 Urdu N-India 6155 49 100 1234567 WER 1630 1700 Somali Somalia 17575 16 250 1234567 SDA 1630 1700 English N-India 6155 49 100 1234567 MOS 1630 1730 Farsi Iran 15260 19 300 1234567 WER 1700 1730 Arabic Iraq, Arab Peninsula 11660 25 250 1234567 SDA 1700 1730 Hindi ME 11640 25 100 1234567 MEY 1700 1730 Kiswahili Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda 9600 31 250 1234567 SDA 1700 1730 Cebuano ME 9980 31 100 67 SDA 1700 1730 Ilonggo ME 9980 31 100 45 SDA 1700 1730 Ilocano ME 9980 31 100 1 SDA 1700 1730 Tagalog ME 9980 31 100 23 NAU 1730 1800 Kabyle Morocco, Algeria 11780 25 100 1234567 SDA 1730 1800 Tamil ME 11640 25 100 1234567 SDA 1730 1800 English ME 9980 31 100 1234567 WER 1730 1800 Oromo S-Ethiopia 17575 16 250 1234567 MEY 1730 1800 Masai Tanzania, Kenya 9600 31 250 1234567 MOS 1800 1830 Bari S-Sudan 15315 19 300 2 MOS 1800 1830 Juba Arabic S-Sudan 15315 19 300 3 MOS 1800 1830 Zande S-Sudan 15315 19 300 6 MEY 1800 1830 English E-Africa 9610 31 250 1234567 MOS 1800 1830 Moru S-Sudan 15315 19 300 1 MOS 1800 1830 Acholi S-Sudan 15315 19 300 7 MOS 1800 1830 Col English S-Sudan 15315 19 300 4 MEY 1800 1830 English SW-Africa 3215 90 100 1234567 MEY 1800 1830 English Botswana, S.Africa, Zimbabwe 3345 90 100 1234567 MOS 1800 1830 Dinka S-Sudan 15315 19 300 5 MOS 1830 1900 Arabic Libya 15260 19 300 1234567 WER 1900 1930 Arabic Morocco, Algeria 11730 25 100 1234567 NAU 1900 1930 Fulfulde Cameroon, Ghana, (Senegal) 15205 19 100 1234567 MOS 1900 1930 Hausa Nigeria 11955 25 300 1234567 JUL 1900 2000 Arabic Morocco, Algeria 15260 19 100 1234567 WER 1930 2000 Ibo E-Nigeria 15205 19 250 1234567 WER 1930 2000 Tachelhit Morocco, Algeria 11730 25 100 1234567 MOS 1930 2000 French C-Africa 15260 19 300 1234567 MOS 2000 2030 Dyula Burk. Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali 11955 25 300 1234567 WER 2000 2030 French Cameroon, Niger 11755 25 100 1234567 WER 2000 2030 French Morocco, Algeria 11730 25 100 1234567 MEY 2000 2030 English C-Africa 9655 31 250 1234567 NAU 2030 2100 Mandarin Morocco, Algeria 9480 31 100 1234567 MOS 2030 2100 French W-Africa 11955 25 300 1234567 WER 2030 2100 Yoruba Nigeria 11755 25 100 1234567 SDA 2100 2130 Japanese Japan 11980 25 100 1234567 MOS 2100 2130 English W-Africa 11955 25 300 1234567 SDA 2100 2200 Korean Korea 11790 25 100 1234567 SDA 2100 2200 Mandarin C/N-China 11750 25 100 1234567 SDA 2100 2130 Japanese W-Japan 11850 25 100 1234567 SDA 2130 2200 English W-Japan, S-China 11850 25 100 1234567 SDA 2200 2230 Indonesian W-Indonesia 11850 25 100 1234567 SDA 2200 2300 Mandarin C/N-China 15215 19 100 1234567 SDA 2200 2300 Mandarin NE-China 12120 25 100 1234567 SDA 2200 2230 Indonesian W-Indonesia 15320 19 100 1234567 SDA 2230 2300 English W-Indonesia 15320 19 100 1234567 SDA 2300 2400 Mandarin C/N-China 15370 19 100 1234567 SDA 2300 2400 Mandarin NE-China 12120 25 100 1234567 SDA 2300 2400 Vietnamese S-Vietnam 15320 19 100 1234567 Site: JUL = Jülich NAU = Nauen Days: 1 = Sunday 5 = Thursday MDC = Madagascar SDA = Agat 2 = Monday 6 = Friday MEY = Meyerton TAI = Taipei 3 = Tuesday 7 = Saturday MOS = Moosbrunn WER = Wertachtal 4 = Wednesday (via Alokesh Gupta, dxldyg via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. If your audience has web access, wouldn't they prefer to absorb your content by way of web pages rather than audio programs? That is, unless the content involves music, or personality, or something in which radio has the advantage. -- Also, interesting that IBA is keeping at least two shortwave transmitters on the air for one remaining language. On the other hand, maintaining the transmitters keeps them available in case they are needed in the future. Posted: 01 Apr 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) I don't know if I've posted this a few years back, but this is the (unofficial?) website for Israel Radio in Persian. http://www.radis.org It's only in Persian (Farsi), so all I can make out are the radio frequencies and web URLs. They have existing links to Persian on- demand from WRN's website and have added a new link to http://www.intkolisrael.com (Doni Rosenzweig, April 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. 15789, Galei Zahal, 1300-1310, escuchada el 2 de abril en hebreo a locutor con boletín de noticias de tres minutos, a las 1303 despedida e ID “..Galei Zahal”, locutora con presentación, comentarios con música de fondo, segmento de música melódica; se aprecia ligera interferencia de Firedrake Jamming en 15795 intentando atorar al servicio en Chino de la All India Radio, SINPO 44444 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Cf 8-040; So much for staying on frequency 15785 (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. No more relays: see SRI LANKA ** JORDAN. 9630 [tentative], Jordan Radio Amman in Arabic at 0300-0600 UT. ?Hetting REE Cariari CTR on co-channel (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Mar 30 via DXLD) ** KASHMIR. Hi Glenn, The A 08 schedule of the Azad Kashmir Radio Trarkhel is as follows: 0045-0215 UT 4790 Khz via Islamabad API-8 100 Kw 0230-0425 UT 4790 khz via Rawalpindi APR 10 Kw [sic] 0900-1215 UT 7265 khz via Islamabad API-8 100 Kw 1335-1430 UT 4790 khz via Rawalpindi APR-10 Kw [sic] 1445-1815 UT 4790 khz via Islamabad API-8 100 Kw Regards (Aslam Javaid, Lahore Pakistan, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Aslam, Tnx, but could you clarify ``APR 10 kW``? I guess there is another number after API instead of APR? (Glenn to Aslam, via DXLD) Hi Glenn, The 10 kW transmitter at Islamabad with call sign API-7 is reportedly off air. According to Radio Pakistan, the 10 kW transmitter at Rawalpindi with call sign APR-2 is being used for Azad Kashmir Radio Trarkhel. The number which may added will be '2'. Regards (Aslam Javaid, Lahore, April 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. ``Korean Cultural Programming`` as in WHR schedule for KWHR 9930, April 2 at 1338 with ``Come Fly With Me,`` sounds like Harry Connick, Jr., who sounds not quite like Sinatra; into announcements in Korean. Sounds like American cultural programming to me! Now, which clandestine service is this? No jamming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 22/3 1430, 11995 kHz (R7), FURUSATO NO KAZE - Darwin (Australia), Giapponese, tk OM/YL. Segnale sufficiente-buono (Luca Botto Fiora, Rapallo (Genova), G.C. 09E13 - 44N21O, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. RE: DXLD 8-040: ``** MALAYSIA (SARAWAK). 6049.63, RTM, 1153-1200 31 March. Heard signal on own receiver but couldn't get any audio because of 6050 QRM. On the Prunedale CA web rx, heard soft Asian pop music program hosted by M in SE Asian dialect, "RTM" jingle just before 1200 ToH, then W with news. Good but also a little QRM from 6050 (Dave Valko, Dunlo PA, HCDX via DXLD)`` Hi Glenn, Just to keep the record straight: actually this would be Asyik FM on 6049.63, relayed via RTM at Kajang, near Kuala Lumpur and currently scheduled from 0500-1400. Would not be RTM Sarawak on 6050.0, via Sibu, currently scheduled from 0400-0700. Here in Monterey, Asyik FM is heard almost daily with a fair to good signal and heard with the distinctive singing "Asyik FM" jingles. Believe the het to be from PBS-Lhasa XZDT on 6050.0, scheduled from 1000-1800. BTW – Prunedale is about 25 miles away from where I live (Ron Howard, CA, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MARION ISLAND. ZS8 MISSION CONTROL: THE RED TAXI HAS LANDED Good news for the last day of March. Thanks to suitable weather conditions, SA Agulhas (a.k.a. "Red Taxi") reached Marion Island today in the early hours without any difficulties. This means Petrus ZS8T is now at Marion Island, where this will be his QTH for at least 12 months. We'd like to remind the current research team scheduled for 2008/2009 including its leader - Petrus ZS8T) is overloaded with work which has to be completed in the next few weeks. This is why ZS8T's activity won't start earlier than end of April. With regards the above, please keep in mind, especially on April 1st, when false spots may hit dx-clusters leading to chaos and misunderstandings (as already happened with previous Petrus' activity from Bouvet Island). The beginning of ZS8T's activity will be announced only at ZS8T.net website. As a confirmation you may start chasing one of the most wanted DXCC entities - Marion Island. We hope to have the first pictures of Marion Island (from Petrus) as soon as possible. UPDATE: ZS8T spotted today at 16:49z on 14.255.00 was a fake of course (via Mike Terry, April 1, dxldyg via DXLD) ** MEXICO. PUBLICACIÓN MENSUAL ACERCA DE LA RADIO MEXICANA AM+FM Atención amigos de México: El día de hoy recibí un correo electrónico desde la Revista AM+FM, que es una publicación del tipo "teleguía" pero de radio de la Ciudad de México y sus alrededores - en base al monitoreo, se enlista la programación de cada emisora, algo muy útil para seleccionar algún programa de interés -, que fue presentada durante el pasado evento diexista en agosto 2007 en la Ciudad de México. Se informa que siguen publicando dicha revista y están en proceso de hacer suscripciones, y si no las encontramos en los puestos de revistas, se están distribuyendo en la cadena de tiendas Sanborn's. Más información directamente a amfmrevista @ yahoo.com (MAGDIEL CRUZ RODRÍGUEZ, JIUTEPEC, MORELOS, MÉXICO, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. New International Broadcaster (soft of): EURANET --- As folks may know, the EU has funded a new intra-EU broadcast initiative with news & analysis relevant to the countries of the EU. This was initially called the "European Radio Project" but now goes by the moniker "EURANET". April sees the launch of the first broadcast services relating to EURANET. Existing broadcasters have been tasked with spearheading daily programming in various languages. English is one of those languages, and Radio Netherlands (surprise: not the BBC) is responsible for English language content. So, "Network Europe" is now a 7 day-per-week initiative, as follows: Mon-Fri: Daily news / current affairs / culture programming Saturday: Weekly review Sunday: "Arts and Culture" edition RNW will be creating a website as of July for this initiative, but for now has this website set up: http://www.radionetherlands.nl/euranet/ This includes on-demand content. So far, the weekly highlights do not mention this program, as it isn't global; the weekday editions only air on MW and various digital platforms (including webcast): 1500-1530 UT on mediumwave 1296 kHz [via UK] to Europe, repeated at 1830-1900 on WRN Europe and at 1700- 1730 and 2100-2130 on the RNW2 stream on Internet and satellite. More information as it is available. Thanks to Andy Sennitt for the details (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, International broadcasting / shortwave blog: http://www.intlradio.blogspot.com Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS ANTILLES [and non]. Checked the Bonaire relays to Africa at 2000 UT April 2: 17810 with RNW in English quite weak, but it`s our only chance at this hour; however, VOA French on 17895 was quite a bit stronger, why? I suspect it`s Greenville instead. What has become of the RNW/IBB relay exchanges? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. 7145, RNZI, at 1015 UT after recent changes this past weekend, fair only, on March 30th. This has been audible / readable from about 0830 on most days, to 1058 (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, Grundig Yachtboy 400 PE with an external long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. Jamming against World of Radio via WRMI I came across the scheduled airing of World of Radio #1401 this morning (02-April-08) via WRMI on 9955 kHz from 1130 to 1200 UT. The broadcast was airing as normal on WRMI, in addition the signal was also being solidly jammed by a grinding Cuban jammer. I heard a similar situation with WOR being jammed a few months ago, but this time I had the computer hooked up and was able to record some audio. I've uploaded a short excerpt to the "Station Sounds" folder on the yahoo group. Would this be considered Commies vs. Okies? (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DX LISTENING DIGEST) If being jammed is a badge of honor, I proudly wear it! Axually, the Dentro Cuban Jamming Command is too lazy or incompetent to pick out the times when they really need to jam WRMI, only during exile programs in Spanish; but with 9955 now 24/7, it`s so easy just to leave the jammers on all the time (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also USA: WRMI ** PAKISTAN. PAKISTAN'S MILITANT RADIO MULLAH STILL BROADCASTING IN SWAT REGION | By Steve Metcalf of BBC Monitoring on 27 March Despite the large-scale offensive launched by the Pakistan army against militants in the Swat region in November 2007, rebel leader Maulana Fazlullah is still at large and broadcasting on his FM radio station. His radio is just one of many unlicensed stations operating mainly in the North-West Frontier Province and the Federally- Administered Tribal Areas. Interior Ministry spokesman Brig (retd) Javed Iqbal Cheema told a weekly media briefing in Islamabad on 25 March that security forces had seized three illegal radio stations in Swat in the past week. Cheema said that audio cassettes and "provocative literature" had also been seized, along with weapons and ammunition. (Associated Press of Pakistan news agency) The spokesman said that the equipment of the three illegal stations had been seized in the Kabal subdistrict (about 10 km west of Mingora) during "search and cordon operations". He said the stations had been "intercepted for broadcasting messages of militants". (The News website 26 March) An Associated Press report on 21 March said that the stations had been shut down the day after they broadcast "a fiery speech" by Maulana Fazlullah. It quoted a senior police officer in Swat as saying; "We believe one of Fazlullah's cassettes was used by the channels." He added that the speech was likely to have been pre-recorded because of security concerns of the militants. Government countermeasures A government official said that Fazlullah's radio had resumed broadcasts after a closure of almost three months, the Daily Times (Lahore) website reported on 21 March. The report said the official had told BBC Urdu that the radio had been "broadcasting Fazlullah's speeches for the last three days, but it has not yet been fully active". The unnamed official said that the government had increased the signal strength of state-run Swat Radio, in order to disrupt and jam the frequency used by Fazlullah. On 16 January, Pakistan's Director-General Military Operations, Maj- Gen Ahmad Shuja Pasha, told a press briefing in Rawalpindi that the army had adopted a new policy to counter militant propaganda in Swat. The policy involved setting up "more and more" FM channels to neutralize the "highly provocative views" of Fazlullah. Gen Pasha said that since the start of the operation the army had set up 12 FM radio stations. (Dawn website 17 January) Dawn had reported on 7 January that Fazlullah had called on his followers not to listen to the "propaganda" broadcast by the government's Swat FM channel. Broadcasting after what the newspaper called "a two-week break", Fazlullah described supporters of President Musharraf as "enemies of Islam" and told his followers to kill security personnel wherever they could. Fazlullah pledges to fight on The Daily Times report on 21 March quoted locals in Swat as saying that the interference from the government station made Fazlullah's speeches inaudible, because another voice started speaking loudly at the same time as the rebel cleric was speaking. The report quoted official sources as saying that Fazlullah's radio was believed to be broadcasting from the Matta subdistrict, about 30 km north of Mingora. The resumption of Fazlullah's broadcasts, and efforts to interrupt them, were also reported on 20 March by Aaj Kal, a recently-launched Urdu sister publication to the Daily Times. It said that Fazlullah's broadcasts began at 2030 (local time, 1530 gmt) and ended at 2100. It quoted Fazlullah as saying that his Tehrik-e Taleban movement was "as strong today as it was in the past". Fazlullah went on: "We will succeed and the people should be patient with the prevailing testing times, which is temporary. All of our colleagues are safe and sound and are busily involved in activities under a new strategy." According to the paper, he said that "the enforcement of the Islamic system" was his sole objective, for which he would fight "until the very end". On 26 February the Frontline/World programme on US public broadcaster PBS showed a report on Maulana Fazlullah compiled by David Montero. It included what the programme's website calls the "only known video" of the militant leader. Montero visited Swat in May 2007 (when he interviewed Fazlullah) and again in December. His report includes two brief audio clips which appear to have been recorded from the mullah's radio broadcasts. In the first one, the captioned English translation reads: "I salute you, my Taleban. May God strengthen you, and may God enable you to crush the infidels." The caption to the second clip reads: "We will fight and do jihad as long as we have one drop of blood and one breath." Cheap set-up costs A report in the Nawa-i-Waqt newspaper on 13 March said that Fazlullah's radio was one of 32 operating in the Swat region. It quoted the founder of one channel, Fatehpur Mohammad Ali alias Nadar Mullah, as saying that his channel was devoted to transmitting the teachings of the Koran and had "passed no edict" against the security forces. On 5 July 2007, Dawn newspaper published an article on illegal FM stations in Swat and other districts. It said there were "at least" 25 in Swat and it named many of their owners, almost all of whom had the religious honorific title of Maulana. The article said there were at least 32 channels, some in Afghan refugee camps, in the lower Dir area (to the west of Swat) and at least 10 in Malakand. The owner of one radio told Dawn's correspondent that it would only cost 5,000 rupees (80 dollars) to set up a station with a reach of up to four or five kilometres. Provincial government policy The Dawn article said that one of the reasons for the mushrooming of illegal FM channels was the "policy of indifference" of the MMA (Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, alliance of religious parties) government of the North-West Frontier Province. It quoted a social worker in Swat as saying that a number of clerics belonging to the MMA were running illegal stations and using them as a tool for their political objectives. The Daily Times reported on 23 May 2007 that the MMA government had struck a deal with Fazlullah that allowed him to continue his broadcasts. One of the conditions was that he stopped using his radio to campaign against a polio vaccination project and education for girls. The same paper had also reported an agreement between the provincial government and the cleric's Tehrik Nifaz Shariah Muhammadi (TNSM) movement in 2006, when he was waging a campaign against televisions and video players. It quoted NWFP Sports Minister Hussain Kanju as saying, after a meeting with Fazlullah: "If others can use illegal FM stations, why can't the TNSM?" (Daily Times 18 August 2006) However, in the elections of February 2008, the MMA was soundly defeated in the NWFP. The largest party in the new provincial assembly is the more secular Awami National Party, followed by the Pakistan People's Party. It remains to be seen whether this change of provincial government will result in a new policy towards the proliferation of illegal FM channels. Source: BBC Monitoring research 27 Mar 08 (via DXLD) ** POLAND [non]. After Polish Radio was well heard for a few months at 1300 on 9450 kHz, it is not being heard at all on listed 9525 or 11850 at 1200 UT on the 30th of March or 1st of April (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, Grundig Yachtboy 400 PE with an external long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See 8-040: 11850 is really on 7330, not likely to make it in summer. 9525? Indonesia on 9526! (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. 7240, RDP outlet suffered by some audio feed fault this morning April 2nd. Transmission to Europe scheduled Mon-Fri 0500-0800 UT. At 0502 UT came across the usual strong empty carrier, no audio at all could be logged. At 0540 transmitter went off, at 0552 to 0555 UT off and on again many times. But RDP feed of Portuguese program to Europe started very late at 0647 UT! 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I had noticed this good new frequency and made mental note to check it for late-nite music, no problem at that moment (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Dear Wolfgang, I'm almost sure that at 0500 UT = 0600 UTC+1 (DST hour in POR) nobody is working inside S. Gabriel (the HF centre) and at the central tech in Lisbon. Probably, at that time of the morning, techs were sleeping comfortably on their beds while listeners tried to tune RDPi (just kidding...), as technical support to transmitters, as far as I know, is done only at office hours from Monday to Friday. Well, possibly at 0647 UT (0747 in POR), RDP already have available techs to solve problems on txs or audio feed. To be honest, it's not so rare to find faults on transmissions...As they aren't interested to have technicals available 24 hours a day to troubleshoot detected problems, and as txs are automated, some breakdowns may take some time (probably hours !) to be repaired. I believe that sometimes they have knowledge of they own problems only when some nice listeners phone them. Well, so I hardly believe that RDP isn't much careful on football days, when most listeners tune RDPi just to listen the 22 guys chasing the ball inside the grass field... and if there's no signal, it's much probable that some people pick immediately the phone to claim. This afternoon, transmission on 11905 kHz worked properly. Although I must confess that I'm in an ungrateful QTH to receive RDPi, as my city is too far to get direct wave, but also too close to obtain a good skywave signal. Maybe Carlos Gonçalves can give you more details about this situation (which, of course, is specially a question of policies & money). 73. (Luís Carvalho, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. Sines now relaying BBC: see U K [non] ** QATAR. MAINSTREAM MEDIA NOW REPORTING ON THE ALJAZEERA ENGLISH DEFECTIONS. "David Marash, the most prominent American anchor on Al Jazeera English, has quit the 24-hour international news channel, citing an increased level of editorial control exercised by the channel’s headquarters in Doha, Qatar. ... He said he also sensed an anti- American sensibility creeping into the coverage. " New York Times, 28 March 2008. Marash "said there was a 'reflexive adversarial editorial stance' against Americans at Al-Jazeera English. ... Marash is being being replaced by former CNN International host Shihab Rattansi and he said that there were now more Canadians than US citizens working at the Washington Bureau." Brand Republic, 28 March 2008. See also NYT TV Decoder, 27 March 2008. "Will Stebbins, Washington bureau chief for Al-Jazeera English, denied any bias against Americans. 'We certainly evaluate U.S. policy rigorously,' he said. 'But we do our best to give everyone a fair shout.'" AP, 28 March 2008. See previous post about same subject. "The fight in Basra is being billed as the Iraqi government versus the militias of Shi'ite cleric Moktada al-Sadr. But it's just as much a fight between rival Shi'ite factions. This Al-Jazeera English clip gives as good a primer as any on who the groups are, and why they're fighting. Just filter out the standard Al-Jaz sneer -- there's good information here." Noah Shachtman, Wired Danger Room blog, 27 March 2008. "Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser al-Missned, the wife of the Emir of Qatar ... put full weight behind the founding of al-Jazeera's Children Channel, in addition to the 24-hour news service, to promote education among Arab children." Asia Times, 28 March 2008. Posted: 28 Mar 2008 (see http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=3666 for linx, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 15550 from VOR to S Asia has resumed, as it was a major signal in A-07; April 1 at 1420 ID as ``Radio Seda-ye Azadi…``, or something like that so I did not think it was VOR at first, but I see nothing else scheduled; with news, liners every few minutes. This is a Moscow site at 140 degrees. After 1500, IBB Tinang takes over, not yet heard then (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Looks like 15660 is the best bet for North Americans wanting to hear VORWS mornings in English: April 2 at 1400 with Soviet Gymn, or whatever they call it now, 1401 ``Carl Watts`` signing on with generalities about their programming, 1402 news. 15660 is a Moscow site at 100 degrees for South Asia. What about DW`s Amharic service via Rwanda, which was here in B-07 and supposedly in A-08? There was a lite het less than 1 kHz on the hi side; maybe that was a jammer, but nothing of DW audible now. VOR frequencies at 14-15 per their website are: 15660, 15605, 11755, 9745, 7255, 7165. Before 1400, I was getting S Asian language well on 15605 // 15550 with Russian music, but contrary to above, 15605 went off at 1400 while 15550 continued in non-English. It will be recalled that last A-season, one of these transmitters went haywire and put spurs all over the area for weeks. Cross your fingers (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SERBIA. Beograd Stubline always used 20 kW units on 7200 and 9505 kHz domestic relays in past 40 years (Wolfgang Büschel, BCDX April 3 via DXLD) vs. 10 kW given in sked, 8-040 ** SERBIA [non]. IRS on new 6185, English to NAm at 0000, April 3 just caught closing at 0028 with IS, off at 0030*. Was fair, and atop presumed XEPPM, aside huge Cuba/Brasil collision on 6180. Back on at 0100 15 degrees further west, and checked at 0103: poor signal, undermodulated/muffled, and QRM from presumed XEPPM; meanwhile 6190 and 6195 seemed vacant! Yes, except for Berlin on 6190 if that is active. Serbia could easily use 6195 at 0000 and 0100 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SEYCHELLES [non]. FEBA RADIO Broadcast Schedule, Summer A08 30th March to 26th October 2008 Tx Site Codes ARM Armavir Russia ASC Ascension Island DHA Dhabayya KIG Kigali Rwanda MEY Meyerton S. Africa MOS Moosbrunn Austria MSK Moscow Russia NVS Novosibirsk Russia TAC Tashkent Uzbekistan WER Wertachtal Germany Day 1 = Sunday (ITU Convention) Days Frequency Metre Site Time UTC 1234567 Languages kHz band code -------------------------------------------------------- NORTH INDIA, NEPAL, TIBET 0015-0030 smtwtfs BANGLA rural 7375 41 TAC 0030-0045 s..w... HINDI 7375 41 TAC 0030-0045 .mt.... MIXED LANGUAGES 7375 41 TAC 0030-0045 ....tfs BANGLA 7375 41 TAC 0045-0100 smtwtfs HINDI 7375 41 TAC 1200-1230 smtwtfs TIBETAN 15215 19 DHA 1430-1445 smtwtfs URDU 12025 25 DHA 1445-1500 ...wtfs KASHMIRI 12025 25 DHA 1445-1500 smt.... MIXED LANGUAGES 12025 25 DHA 1430-1500 smtwtfs HINDI 9540 31 TAC 1500-1530 smtwtfs BANGLA rural 7370 41 TAC SOUTH INDIA 0030-0100 smtwtfs TAMIL 7225 41 DHA 0130-0200 s...tf. TELUGU 9725 31 DHA 0145-0200 .mtw..s MIXED LANGUAGES 9725 31 DHA 1400-1430 s...... ENGLISH 12025 25 DHA 1400-1415 .mtwtfs MALAYALAM 12025 25 DHA 1415-1430 .mtwtfs MIXED LANGUAGES 12025 25 DHA PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN, IRAN 0200-0300 s...... URDU 12035 25 DHA 0200-0230 .mtwtfs URDU 12035 25 DHA 0230-0300 .mtwtfs MIXED LANGUAGES 12035 25 DHA 0200-0230 smtwtfs PASHTO 9725 31 DHA 0230-0300 smtwtfs DARI 9725 31 DHA 1400-1445 smtwtfs URDU 9500 31 NVS 1445-1500 smtwtfs MIXED LANGUAGES 9500 31 NVS 1430-1500 smtwtfs PASHTO 9830 31 ARM 1500-1530 smtwtfs DARI 9830 31 ARM 1530-1545 smtwtfs HAZARAGI 9830 31 ARM 1545-1600 smtwtfs MIXED LANGUAGES 9830 31 ARM 1515-1530 s....fs BALUCHI 9840 31 ARM 1530-1600 smtwtfs PERSIAN 9840 31 ARM AFRICA, ETHIOPIA, SUDAN 1530-1545 smtwtfs AMHARIC 12125 25 MEY 1545-1600 smtwtfs MAKONDE 12125 25 MEY 1600-1630 s...tfs AMHARIC 12125 25 MEY 1600-1630 .mtw... GURAGENA 12125 25 MEY 1630-1700 smtwtfs AMHARIC 12125 25 MEY 1600-1630 smtwtfs AFAR 11655 25 ARM 1630-1700 smtw... TIGRINYA 9865 31 DHA 1630-1700 ....tfs AMHARIC 9865 31 DHA 1700-1730 smtwtfs SOMALI 9865 31 KIG 1730-1757 smtwtfs TIGRINYA 9865 31 KIG 1700-1730 smtwtfs OROMINYA 6180 49 DHA 1830-1900 smtwtfs FRENCH (Cent+West Af) 7255 41 MEY 2145-2215 ....tf. HASSINYA/PULAAR (WAf)11985 25 ASC MIDDLE EAST 0800-0845 smtwtfs ARABIC 15280 19 MOS 1900-1930 smtwtfs ARABIC 7230 41 WER 1900-2030 smtwtfs ARABIC 9550 31 KIG FEBA Radio, Ivy Arch Road, WORTHING BN14 8BX, UK. Updated : 20.3.08 (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SINGAPORE. 7235, RSI/R. Warna Singapura, 1309-1322, 1358-1402 1 April, "Radio Singapura Internasional siaran Indonesia.." ID, warta berita with phone reports, MediaCorp URL for emails, RSI singing jingle at 1320 into Indonesian pop music, 1358: end of news, "R S I- check it out!" jingle and long sung RSI promo in Indonesian, closing announcement for RSI, anthemic bridge, then "warta berita dan Radio Warna Singapura" into news. Decent signal until R. Australia-7240 *1400 (Dan Sheedy, CA, G5/"mo' bettah" 5m silly wire, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6150, "9-3-8 Live" FM (via Kranji) 1410-1416+ 1 April, English regional news program (including 8-car pileup on Singapore's Central Expressway (CTE) from MediaCorp hotline @ 68222268), "9-3-8 Live gets you talking" jingle, stock market reports, "9-3-8 Live" drop-in, MediaCorp promo, into more traffic/weather, another 9-3-8 jingle, into "The Living Room" (encore program about people with disabilities integrating back into society). Fair-good signal but crunchies from Firedrake-6145 (Dan Sheedy, CA, G5/"new, improved, low-carb" 5m silly wire, ibid.) ** SLOVAKIA. Re 8-040: Kraig, sorry to say that at least in my tico case this was a great choice from RSI dropping 7230 for 5930 for the Spanish sked. Strong and clear kind of S5 at 0230 and no splatter at all from WWCR. Not that 7230 was making it bad, but it was better than 9440, slightly poorer here. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. [this country never mentioned in the following release] IRRS-Shortwave A08 Schedule --- Hi all, Please notice that IRRS- Shortwave and European Gospel Radio newest frequency schedules for A08 (Summer 2008) are now in effect as follows: A08 schedule from IRRS-Shortwave and European Gospel Radio operated by NEXUS-IBA, Milan, Italy =========================================================== 7290 1800-2000 UT Fri, Sat, Sun to Europe, MEast, Africa 9510 0930-1200 UT Sun to Europe, MidEast, North Africa 9825 1500-1800 UT daily to Africa Here are the main changes for the A08 season: 1) To allow cleaner reception on our target area, there will be a 5 kHz frequency shift from 7285 to 7290 kHz effective April 4, 2008, for our evening broadcasts. Two hours on Saturday evening have also been added on 7290 kHz, to complement our Friday and Sunday broadcasts on weeek-ends between 1800-2000 UT (2000-2200 CET, summertime). 2) The antenna type and direction for all broadcasts on 7290 kHz (150 kW) has been changed to allow better coverage of Middle East and the whole of Africa. Europe will be covered through the back and sides of the directional antenna. 3) Broadcast on 9510 kHz on Sundays will still use an antenna favoring reception of Europe, North Africa and the near Middle East. DX reception, however, may be also possible outside of the above mentioned targets. NEXUS-IBA and its members broadcasters welcome all reception reports, and above all comments on programs heard. Emails and letters received at NEXUS-IBA HQ will be forwarded to the original program producer who may reply with a letter or QSL of their own. Please address your correspondence to IRRS-Shortwave, PO Box 10980, 20110 Milano, Italy or by email at: reports (at) nexus (dot) org or to the addresses that you hear on the air. Our programs may also be heard online via streaming audio 7/7 and 24/24 at http://mp3.nexus.org - Frequency and program schedules, as well as last minute changes are available at: http://www.nexus.org/NEXUS-IBA/Schedules and at http://www.egradio.org Stay tuned! 73, (Ron Norton, NEXUS-IBA, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. Brother Scare creamed by DW on new 15420 WBCQ: see U S A ** SRI LANKA. New monitored schedule of SLBC, from 1 Apr 08 0100-*0330** * English 6005 9770 15745 -*0300** * Hindi 7190 11905 0830-*0930** * Telugu 7190 11905 *0930-1030* Malayalam 7190 11905 *1030-1230* Tamil 7190 11905 1330-1533 Hindi 7190 11905 1600 Sinhala 11750 The English presenters are noted soliciting listeners` support to extend the timings like before. [Later:] SLBC noted just now in Hindi from 1230 on 7190 11905. Must keep monitoring them for latest info. New ones in *bold* (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, Hyderabad, India, WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DX LISTENING DIGEST) NHK ceased using the 300 kW unit at Ekala last Saturday, March 29th. Did the SLBC/Ceylonese Telecom get this left tx unit AS A PRESENT to Sri Lanka? Maybe the SLBC schedule changed due of higher 300 kW power and different sw frequency selection on the bands? (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX April 3 via DXLD) ** THAILAND. Bangkok VOLMET, 6676.5 SSB, April 2 at 1332, robot YL with quick weather summaries in English. I never could understand the first word of each item, i.e. the location whose conditions were forthcoming! It needs to work on its enunciation/pronunciation. At first I thought this was an Aussie outlet till I looked up the frequency, where Bangkok is reported on 6676, but this was a bit higher than that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET [and non]. CHINA STEPS UP JAMMING, SAYS VOICE OF TIBET "The exile radio network Voice of Tibet on Wednesday accused Beijing of stepping up jamming of its shortwave news broadcasts into the Himalayan province during a crackdown on anti-Chinese demonstrations in Tibet and ahead of the 2008 Olympics in China. ... 'The Chinese jamming transmissions contain a mixture of dragon dance music, drums and noise, and affects listening also in India, Nepal and Europe.'" "AP, 2 April 2008. See previous post about same subject (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Using the IBB Monitoring RMS receiver in Kathmandu, I did not find any samples of Voice of Tibet, but I did find RFA and VOA Tibetan thoroughly jammed on most frequencies. However, in these audio samples, RFA Tibetan is fair with the Firedrake jammer in the background (27 and 29 March, 0114 UTC, 7470 kHz). Posted: 02 Apr 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, see http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=3698 for linx, via DXLD) ** TURKEY [and non]. After having no signal at all on 7325 at 0300 UT March 30, when the new VOT relay via Sackville should have started, I did not get around to checking again until UT April 3. Strong signal came on at 0259:30, but no familiar IS, just some unknown music, timesignal which was 4.5 seconds later than CHU, and immediately into talk over music for 3 minutes. It sounded like Turkish, and ``Türkiye`` was mentioned, but it could have been a related language. 0303 into pop music only which could well have been Turkish. So Sackville is broadcasting the wrong feed! Trouble is, looking thru the TRT A-08 schedule, I don`t find any Turkish, or any other language than English during the 03-04 hour, to any target area! At 0312 confirmed that the direct English frequencies were OK, altho much weaker, 5975 to NAm, and 7265 to Asia eclipsed by strong Arabic music on 7270, which must be Cairo, English until 0330, but much better modulation than we are accustomed from them. Meanwhile, the 7325 signal was getting weaker and fading by 0320, still just music, as I suppose the skip was lengthening and the MUF falling. WBCQ 7415, the closest SW station to Sackville, was already weak at 0300, but CHU 7335 was still holding up well. Let`s hope VOT can get this straightened out with Montreal and Sackville (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST, copies to Montreal, Sackville, Ankara) ** UKRAINE. 22/3, 0705 Saturday - 11980 LSB kHz (R7), R. DNIPROVSKA KHVYLIA - Zaporizhia (Ucraina) Tk OM/YL, mx pop locale e citazione "ukrainsko". Segnale insufficiente-buono, Fade out completo alle 0725 (Luca Botto Fiora, Rapallo (Genova), G.C. 09E13 - 44N21O, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) ** UKRAINE [and non]. Let us now speak about the Internet, which plays more and more important role in audio broadcasting. This is especially true of the Ukrainian Internet broadcasting scene. If we look at the internet-portal “The world of radio” published by Borys Skurativskiy, we’ll see on the page http://www.proradio.org.ua/netradio/index.php links to 64 Ukrainian radio stations, which duplicate their programmes on the Internet, and 29 exclusively Internet radio stations. The National Radio Company of Ukraine is presented on Internet by all of its 4 channels including the Radio Ukraine International channel with the Ukrainian, English and German language services. This list of the Ukrainian Internet radio stations is supplemented continuously. Sergiy Davydenko informed the OPEN-DX forum that “Radio Vysokyy Val” (Radio High Rampart in English) together with the Chernigiv regional radio “Siver Centre” recently commenced the Internet broadcasting of evening news, subject programmes and live broadcasts of Chernigiv regional radio on the sites http://radio.val.ua or http://radio.chernigiv.info Evening news will be available daily Monday through Friday at 18.10 local time (11.10 Washington time [1510 UT]). The time of the subject programmes will be regularly announced on the site http://val.ua/ (Vysokyy Val) Ihor Danilevych from Zbarazh, Western Ukraine, informed us about very interesting Brazilian musical Internet radio station called “Radio Zabava” (Radio Amusement in English). Its site is http://www.radiozabava.com.br/ The station plays Ukrainian music 24 hours a day. A variety of kolomyikas, instrumental and folk music, hits, rock-n-roll and varied programming – all of the Ukrainian workmanship – are in the programming of Radio Zabava. (RadioZabava) (Olex Yegorov, RUI Whole World on the Radio Dial March 21 via DXLD) ** U K [non]. 15400, BBC Ascension Relay, with Global Business at 2108 UT, April 1. Also difficult to hear, SINPO 34343 at best, but generally worse. This is one of the few programs I am able to hear locally, again, over night, between 5-7 am on weekends (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, Grundig Yachtboy 400 PE with an external long wire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. Sines, Portugal, 15425 noted at 1200-1230 UT carrying BBC French program with Bourkina Faso item. For the first? time via DWL Sines relay Portugal? \\ 17780 and 21630 both via ASC, time satellite feed in sync! (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, March 30, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews April 3 via DXLD) See also ALGERIA [non] ** U K [non]. As I tuned by 9670, April 2 at 1345, heard a time-signal about 2 seconds late compared to WWV. Standard remark. Who would broadcast a TS at such an odd hour, Nepal? No, BBCWS Burmese service as scheduled to open at this time via Singapore. BBCWS with Discovery, about Antarctica, VG on 11750, Wednesday April 2 at 1354; to be continued next week at 1332. This is Thailand at 25 degrees, so also favoring us when FE conditions are good, at 12-14 only (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non?]. Radio Fax 20th anniversary: first broadcasts online --- It is the 20th anniversary of the launch of Radiofax, the ground- breaking Short-Wave radio station. Listen again to the first four test transmission broadcasts from the 1st to 4th of April (Easter weekend) 1988: http://www.radiofax.org/audio_1988.html or Podcast feed http://www.radiofax.org/podcast_1988.xml More about the station and it's campaign to get a UK shortwave licence: http://www.radiofax.org (Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. 15130, usually dominated by WYFR Spanish, April 1 at 1439 with music and talk mixing, SAH of about 104/minute. This must be VOA via São Tomé, scheduled this hour in Kurdish, 52 degrees; after 1500 it`s in English. Good signal here mornings on 9320 from a USA service, such as 1355 April 1. Per NDXC it`s RFA in Burmese via Tinian at 1330-1430. Confirming WWCR-4 is not really on 5890 as claimed a few minutes before by Pastor Pete Peters on 9980 [see below], checked 5890 April 2 at 1350 and found VOA English lesson for Koreans on the theme of ``fasten your seat belts``; good. VOA Chinese, 11785, April 2 at 1351 was inbooming just as chinese @ voanews.com was announced; and now it cannot be said that VOA never broadcasts our national anthem. The first 11 or 12 notes were heard before fading down and under Chinese talk [12 if ``Oh`` is two syllables]. Just another bit of produxion music for VOA, I guess, not worth playing entirely. This signal was loud and clear, and no jamming audible tho the situation inside China is probably very different. 11785 is Udorn at 30 degrees and thus also favoring NAm, so it is remarkable that WHRI is allowed to use the same frequency on weekends, for Hmong Lao Radio at 13-14. Yet, with 500 kW aimed 315 degrees toward us, it usually overcomes VOA, but what about further west? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Radio Free Asia: see ASIA [non]; TIBET [and non] ** U S A [and non]. WBCQ on new 15420! April 2 at 1420, Brother Scare intonations could be heard underneath DW Russian via Rampisham, with a SAH of maybe 10 Hz. BTW, at 1428, BS mentioned a camp meeting scheduled for April 19! Don`t we all know the awful things that have happened on this date in history? The last days are nigh! Just as I feared, 15420 is hardly a clear frequency for WBCQ, unlike ex-17495. You might think DW at 62 degrees from Rampisham to Russia would not be a problem back in CNAm, but you would be wrong. DW puts plenty of signal over here off the back, like many UK transmissions. WBCQ was gaining a little as time went on, but totally useless with all the QRM. Recheck at 1506, when DW has supposedly switched to UAE site at 345 degrees for another Russian hour, that one also aiming toward us, still a big collision. DW is also scheduled on 15420 at 17-19 in Arabic, 325 degrees from Rwanda, and 19-21 in Arabic at 310 degrees. Collision remained until DW closed at 1559:30. Then BS self-QRMed, as Alex Scourby was trying to convey a Bible verse mixed with entirely too loud Overcomer theme music. But now no interference audible, in one-hour break 16-17 before DW resumes in Arabic at 1700. BBCWS is also listed for 15420 via Seychelles at 13-17 to Africa, but not heard here with the other stations going [but collision heard in England by Noel Green at 1630]. However, after 1700 UT switch to Word of the Spirit broadcast, WBCQ in the clear, no QRM audible if BBC or DW were really on 15420. Not rechecked until 1827, when 15420 was dominated by DW Arabic, via Rwanda. Traces of QRM under, presumably WBCQ. DW not as strong now as it was earlier in Russian via UK, but still owns the frequency. DW transmission break at 1857-1859: WBCQ barely audible with NM preacher. Then DW came back in Arabic stronger than ever, as expected with beam change from 325 to 310 degrees from Rwanda; WBCQ totally overcome. At 2000 recheck, no break this time, and DW Arabic continued very strong at S9+22 and by now no trace of WBCQ audible. After 2100, DW finished, and WBCQ finally has frequency to itself --- rather weak but audible without QRM. WBCQ, new 15420-CUSB, Wednesday April 2 at 2310 with World of Radio 1401 in progress; fair signal, no QRM. Certainly improved as expected over ex-17495. WOR 1402 was not quite finished at this hour, so usually it will be the previous week`s show aired at this time. Seems to me WBCQ should have got the vacated KTBN frequency 15590 instead, and inactive WRNO could keep the traditional 15420, which they could then worry about if they ever get on the air. Checking on the ATS-909, there was more audio from WBCQ on USB than LSB, but LSB not totally suppressed (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ is a loud signal here at 1630 on 15420. As Glenn remarks, most of the signal is on the USB, but it can be heard a little on the LSB. The BBC English African service is co-channel, and it's listed to be via Seychelles at this time via 280 degrees. This has to be an unfortunate clash, and could surely be avoided when so many other 15 MHz channels are available. I don't know about D. Welle, but BBC via Seychelles has used 15420 for years. Do frequency engineers these days really think that a signal only goes to the intended destination of the transmission? We are dealing with SW after all - not VHF (Noel R. Green (NW England), April 2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Pastor Pete Peters can often be heard trying to figure out his own SW schedule. This was the case as I tuned by WWCR on new 9980, April 2 at 1336, when PPP declared at 7:36 am, so it must have been live, he was on 5890, and asked for phoned reports! WRONG. On 5890 now at that hour is VOA Tinian in Korean. In previous seasons, WWCR and IBB were allowed to collide on 5890, but now WWCR finishes that at 1100, an hour before IBB opens. WWCR-4 is now scheduled 02-11 on 5890, 11-02 on 9980, and 24/7 PPP, so now he has attained the class of DGS/PMS and BS! At 1336, 9980 was still quite weak here, but at midday should be monstrous like ex-9985/9975 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Please confirm you are totally off 7385 now? Are you making antenna switches NAm/Carib on 9955 as implied in sked? Hardly ever hear anything but jamming on 9955; even when jamming is lite (Glenn Hauser, to Jeff White, April 2, via DXLD) Yes, we are totally off 7385. We are having some antenna issues using 9955 on the northern antenna, so the signal may not be optimal. But the engineers are working on that this week. They will be doing some major things tomorrow night, so we might be off the air for a while Thursday night (Jeff White, WRMI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see ETHIOPIA ** U S A [and non]. Despite staking out the lowest 22 mb frequency early, WINB no longer has 13570 to itself. April 2 at 1432 I heard some co-channel interference under preacher. VOA São Tomé is now scheduled on 13570 at 14-15, then Botswana at 15-16. Furthermore, Issoudun at 16-19, and 13570 has been reserved for DRM from Bulgaria until 1300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WWRL CUTS LIBERALLY INTO AIR AMERICA By DAVID HINCKLEY DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Tuesday, April 1st 2008, 4:00 AM Lionel [caption] http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2008/04/01/2008-04-01_wwrl_cuts_liberally_into_air_america.html WWRL (1600 AM), flagship of the progressive radio network Air America for the last 18 months, dropped the flag to half mast Monday by bumping three Air America programs, including midday hosts Lionel and Thom Hartmann. WWRL replaced Lionel's 9 a.m.-noon show with two health infomercials and former host Ron Daniels, 11 a.m.-noon. It replaced Hartmann's noon-3 p.m. show with Ed Schultz, the country's highest-rated liberal talker. WWRL also put the Rev. Al Sharpton's daily show into its 8 p.m. slot, bumping Air America's "Clout" to an overnight spot. Sharpton will be heard on tape delay. Lionel and Hartmann are still heard on Air America's national network, which an informed source inside Air America said Monday remains "very much alive." The network has had ratings problems in New York, some of which have been attributed to WWRL's dial position and spotty signal, and the station itself has shown some ambivalence about Air America. It has continued to carry its own morning show, which now features Coz Carson. Air America's original agreement with WWRL expired yesterday, said the Air America source, which freed the station to drop some programs. WWRL continues to carry Air America's Randi Rhodes, 3-6 p.m., and Rachel Maddow, 6-8 p.m., as well as several weekend shows. But the Air America source said this reduced schedule has sent the network looking for another New York station that could be more of a full flagship. Meanwhile, the source said, a more limited agreement will keep some Air America programs where they are. WWRL was not commenting on anything yesterday, but replacing two hours of Lionel's show with health infomercials is largely a financial move, designed to bring in some cash. WWRL's move will inevitably trigger more speculation about the future of Air America. The network got another new owner last month, when Charlie Kireker bought a controlling interest from New York developer Stephen L. Green. But the source inside Air America said the network is holding its own with affiliates, noting that Hartmann added four stations yesterday, including Miami. The source also said the network will launch a "vastly expanded" Web site next week, noting that an increasing number of listeners get their radio on the Internet. Fans of Lionel, who has been on New York radio for years, voiced particular frustration yesterday at his disappearance. The shift gives a bigger platform to Sharpton and also to Schultz, who is popular around the country and had not previously had a New York outlet (David Hinckley, NY Daily News April 1 via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. DEMOCRATIC TALK RADIO GOES ON THE AIR IN PENNSYLVANIA by Stephen Crockett http://www.opednews.com March 31, 2008 at 04:57:52 Democratic Talk Radio will be on the air in the Lehigh Valley starting April 3, 2008 at 8:05 am on WGPA, 1100 AM. The program will be streaming live on the Internet at http://www.wgpasunny1100.com/welcomepg.html All programs will be archived on the Democratic Talk Radio website at http://66.39.111.188/arc.html for anytime streaming or downloading for Podcasting. The program will feature book authors, talk show hosts, journalists, labor leaders, officeholders, candidates, policy experts, political activists and more, as guests. The program will be co-hosted by Stephen Crockett (from Maryland and Tennessee) and Dana Garrett (from Delaware.) Both are experienced political observers and talk show hosts. Stephen Crockett writes the Democratic Voices opinion column which is widely available on the Internet. He is a member of the National Writers Union (UAW local 1981) and is active with the UAW Community Action Program. Professionally, Stephen Crockett has an extensive background in marketing, advertising and public relations. Crockett owns College Marketing.com . . . [MORE] http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_stephen__080331_democratic_talk_radi.htm (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) Not clear whether this is directly connected with the Democratic Party; I suspect not (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WASHINGTON AM TOWERS in the NEWS [KRKO 1380] Click here and note video report: http://www.king5.com/localnews/stories/NW_033108WAB_radio_tower_fight_TP.1c5b7e6c.html And NEWS report: http://heraldnet.com/article/20080325/NEWS01/32732280 (via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 3200.13v. Glenn, If you have a chance, you can go to http://www.orchidcitysoftware.com/IMAGE60.HTML where you will find a sound bite of that harmonic on 3200.13 which was recorded yesterday 4/1/08 morning at 1031 UT. The sound bite is over 3 minutes, but the ID is about 2:30 minutes into the recording, after the music. The ID is by a woman and is pretty clear, but I can't catch what it is. Drop me a note if you listen and ID it. Thanks. You can pass along the URL to others if you wish (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, FL, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chuck, [it`s a big wav file], At 2:47 in, they say ``a través de 1600 AM, Radio Minuto`` I am not positive of the word Minuto, but if not it is something similar, definitely not Mía (or Luz as in the Puerto Rico station). So we know it is definitely a 1600 harmonic. I`ve searched for a R. Minuto in WRTH and also Google, and there are stations by that name in Nicaragua on 1500, and in Barranquilla, Colombia on 1520, but nothing found on 1600. Nice mystery, maybe we can eventually clear up. Hope you can get some more recordings maybe with fuller ID or more clues. I couldn`t make anything else out significant among the static crashes. 73, (Glenn to Chuck, via WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6015.00, 0400-0421, April 02, Swahili YL news reader? in clear after co-channel BBC Arabic off 0359. Peaks at S6 but soon fading out. Wonder if this could be reactivated VOT Zanzibar which I can still remember hearing in May 2002 opening around 0300 (Martien Groot, Schoorl, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re DXLD 8-037. 6024.95, (presumed) FRCN Enugu, 0514, April 02, English female news reader :"Speaking in an interview..." Only bits & pieces mixing with co-channel VOIRI in Arabic 6024.98 but should be in the clear from about 0530 when latter station scheduled to s/off. Hearing English has made Enugu a lot likelier if not definite (Martien Groot, Schoorl, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6024.96, 2120-2210, April 2, religious sermon in vernacular. Possibly Nigeria-Enugu? Weak. Poor in noisy conditions and QRM from a weak station on 6025. Plus adjacent channel splatter after 2200 from 6030 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6055.08, 1015-1040, April 2, Spanish talk. LA music. Weak. Poor in noisy conditions. Nothing else heard on 6055. Perhaps Bolivia`s Radio Juan XXIII? (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Last several days I've been randomly checking 7120 for possible Radio Hargeysa. Before A08 started, the unID Afro station was observed after 1500 UT with a carrier usually on approximately 7120.35 and faint modulation. Sign-off time seems now to be just after 1700. When A08 began, 7120 seems to be occupied by Zim clanny Voice of the People around 1700 with the accompanying Zimmy jammer. Also Radio Rossii seems to be on the channel sometime 1725 or so onwards. The unID station has been couple of days again on lower split, 7120.18 or so. Co-monitoring Chad 4905 (which has been irregular at this specific time) shows it some days is already on 4905 when 7120+ station can be heard. Anyone tried this frequency in the morning? Gabon 4777 has been last couple of days observed sometimes past 1800 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, April 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non] 7935 - Heard today this station with male speaker and songs. It sounds like a minority language from China. Very clear a good signal at 1645. S/off at 1700. Does anybody have any idea what it could be? Thanks (Marcelo Toníolo, Auckland, New Zealand, JRC NRD 545, DSP + Longwire Antenna, Yaesu FRG-7, DXer since 1978, http://www.dxnz.co.nz March 31, dxing.info via DXLD Hi Marcelo, It`s not in HFCC or Aoki, but it is in WRTH 2008 frequency list as: 7935 100 kW CNR8 Voice of Minorities, Lingshi; page 145 shows it on air only at 1600-1700. And also a separate 7935 entry as V. of China, Beijing. Isn`t the WRTH any more one of the first references one consults? 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Hi Glenn, It's nice to hear from you again after so many years. Thanks a lot for the information about the UNID station. Most likely it was the Voice of Minorities you mentioned. Glenn, unfortunately I am no longer living in US and can't afford the WRTH. Here in New Zealand it costs NZ$60. I have the 2007 version of the WRTH and also 2007 version of Passport. I got both as a present last year for my birthday. I really like both manuals however I still prefer information taken from the Web as it is more updated. I usually use the Bi Newsleter from this Japanese DX Club that is free and I have found to be very reliable. http://www.geocities.jp/binewsjp/ However they don't have the station on 7935 kHz listed. My second source of information is this forum. The third one is the Internet (Google). As I was unable to find any kind of information about 7935 kHz I decided in posting this message to the forum (Marcelo Toníolo, Auckland, New Zealand, ibid.) Yes, I too was surprised that Aoki didn`t have it, as 7935 goes back many years as a far OOB Chinese frequency. It`s not in WRTH 2007 frequency list (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ THE HFCC A08 PUBLIC DATA FILE is now available at http://www.hfcc.org/data/index.html (Dan Ferguson, SC, April 2, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1402, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, earlier than usual only 4 days into season, but as always with lots of entries censored out (gh, DXLD) COOL RADIO MOVIES Shamelessly taken off the Broadcast Engineers mail list: This is a neat movie from 1937 called On The Air from Chevrolet. It tells how a 1937 radio station worked. 9:55 http://www.archive.org/details/OntheAir1937 Some 1938 sound effects from the production department at the radio station in Back of the Mike. 9:15 http://www.archive.org/details/Backofth1938 And lastly one from 1958 about the introduction of RCA stereo. 7:42 http://www.archive.org/details/LivingSt1958 A cool flick about the NBC network http://www.archive.org/details/BehindYo1947 24:04 (Kevin Redding, AZ, ABDX via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ THALÈS: WE DON'T SELL JAMMING TRANSMITTERS "French defence electronics firm Thalès denied accusations by human rights campaigners it sold equipment to China that has helped Beijing scramble radio broadcasts. ... Thalès said a former subsidiary had indeed sold 'standard short-wave radio broadcasting equipment to China' in 2002 but the equipment was designed for legal civil purposes." Reuters, 31 March 2008. See previous post about same subject (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) I've written before that I'm sure China uses its brand new imported shortwave transmitters for actual broadcasting, by China Radio International, etc. The new transmitters free up older domestic transmitters, the poor audio quality and frequency instability of which are actually beneficial for jamming. Often, instead of noise, China transmits content from China National Radio and other sources co-channel with the blocked station. China uses this method to claim that it is engaging in domestic shortwave broadcasting rather than jamming. One common type of audio used for China's co-channeling, dubbed Firedrake by DXers, consists of raucous excerpts of Chinese opera. Listen to this audio sample. See also discussion by Kai Ludwig and Glenn Hauser at the DXLD discussion group. Posted: 01 Apr 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.; for linx see http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=3690 via DXLD) ###