DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-070, June 16, 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 1412 Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 0530 WRMI 9955 [new] Wed 1130 WRMI 9955 SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1413 Wed 2100 WBCQ 15420-CUSB [sometimes last airing, not first] Thu 0530 WRMI 9955 Thu 1430 WRMI 9955 Thu 2330 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0100 WRMI 9955 Fri 0800 WRMI 9955 Fri 1930 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290 [NEW; see ITALY] Fri 2030 WWCR1 15825 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 0415 WBCQ 7415 [time varies] Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 0530 WRMI 9955 Wed 1130 WRMI 9955 Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN NOW AVAILABLE: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/podcast.php OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradsio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org 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/ EDITOR`S NOTE: It`s been a full week since the last issue, so this issue does not completely cover all the usual sources. We`ll try to get caught up in subsequent issues. Note carefully the dates of items herein. ** ALBANIA. R. Tirana, Albanian to NAm at 2300-2430, finally clear of WWRB QRM, June 12 at 2330 check as Tirana moved from 9390 to 9345, leaving WWRB to blast Brother Scare sidebands away from 9385 an hour later than its authorized 2300 closing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Radio Symban Symban @ radiosymban.com.au welcomes reception reports to the above email address. Please in the subject field put: Reception report. Radio Symban welcomes recordings in mp3 from your location. Please give your name, address, receiver that you`re using along with the antennae, the time in your area. A brief outline of reception conditions. Angelo and Con will be extremely delighted to receive your reports. Radio Symban operates 24 hours a day on 2368.5 kHz. 1000 watts of power, omni directional, from Peats ridge, near Gosford NSW, Australia. Radio Symban plays Greek music. Good luck (John Wright, Australian Radio DX Club, June 11, HCDX via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DXLD) Johno, Is it actually back on the air, 24 hours? I have seen no reports of anyone actually hearing it since the initial discovery last month for 2 or 3 days. 73, (Glenn to Johno, via DXLD) Hi Glen[n], Yes, Con and Angelo phoned me yesterday (Wednesday), and advised at around 3 pm local Sydney time, (0500 UT), it was on air for good! So it was off air since the 20th May till the 11th June. Anyone hearing in between, has hearing induced madness of too much DXing! QSL hunters, for email reports see below as advised previously. For snail mailers, well, it looks like being me. If you all wish I can gather reception reports say till the end of July 08. Then go to the record store that Radio Symban use and get Con and Angelo to verify the reports. I guess we can buy postcards, of Sydney, and write on the reverse. HMMM, so you can write to John Wright "Reception reports", 29 Milford road, Peakhurst NSW 2210, Australia. Please enclose either 2 IRC's (current accepted IRC's), or 2 US dollars, as this will probably come out of my pocket if you don't include return postage. Glen[n], hopefully this will satisfy the QSL hunters. Regards (John Wright, UT June 11, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 2368, R. Symban: heard at very imagine levels on Jun 11 at 0957 with what sounded like Greek music and chants, man in probably English but too weak to tell. A tentative e-mail report with .mp3 file to symban @ radiosymban.com.au led to e-mail from Angelo with verification statement that their frequency was 2368.5 and 'You heard our broadcast.' They didn't mention it, but I think the power is 1000 watts. A check on Jun 12 turned up nothing. Reception pattern from Jun 11 was just after dawn here, about the same time PNG stations are peaking (if you could call it that). (Dan Henderson, MD, DXplorer via Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA [non]. HOBART RADIO INTERNATIONAL (No known e-mail or drop): 6/8-9, 2331-0013*, 6925/USB; SIO=242/242-. I had this one as unID, but on FRN, Maple Leaf R. posted a link, http://www.dx.hriradio.org/ and the programming listed was exactly what I heard. Screeching, drums & cuckoo noises at sign-on. Into a pgm of strange speeches and fables by an OM. Lengthy DX segment similar to World of Radio, but DX tips were not given by Hauser's voice. Rock oldies tunes played during the show. No address announced and really didn't hear a good ID (George Zeller, OH, Free Radio Weekly via DXLD) HRI is run by Robb Wise, as publicized from time to time (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Re 8-069: 5945 ORF1, ¿servicio español cancelado? Hola amigos, no se que ha ocurrido con la emision de onda corta en 5945, pero al ir a comprobarlo he visto que en Internet se puede oir el audio y el podcast de OE1, R. Austria en español de todos los programas incluido el del lunes dia 9 de Junio. Buena radio (Paco Rubio, ADXB, Spain, June 10, noticiasdx yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1412, DXLD) Gracias Paco, yo conecté en esos momentos con la emisión por Internet de ORF y era en alemán; veremos pues que es lo que pasa en los próximos días (José Miguel Romero, ibid.) Hola José Miguel y colegas: Ciertamente parece que Austria ha dejado de emitir en español, probablemente desde hace más de una semana, sin previo aviso y casi a escondidas, eran cinco minutos, pero en los últimos tiempos se notaba que no estaban por la labor, ya dije una vez que llenar esos cinco minutos con una canción de Gloria Estefan era un poco raro. Lo que es más raro todavía que en estos dias transcurridos nadie en las listas DX se diera cuenta de ese cese de emisiones, tan rápidos que somos a veces, y que solamente el amigo J. Miguel tuvo el detalle de comprobarlo cuando yo lo solté casi de pasada y disimuladamente en mi post del pasado domingo. Entonces el cese de ORF-1 en español es casi lógico, pocos lo escuchaban y pocos se dieron cuenta de que faltaba. De todos modos yo envié un mail a la emisora el pasado jueves 29 de mayo preguntando, aquí va el texto: Hola: Estimado Manuel Aletrino, Esta noche no escuché el programa en español via onda corta, el podcast sí que estaba, por lo que me pregunto si existe algún problema de tipo técnico o es un cambio de orientación. Le agradeceria que me aclarara este asunto y le doy las gracias por anticipado. Lamentablemente no he recibido ninguna respuesta, Un cordial saludo a todos y buenos DX (Tomás Méndez, QTH: El Prat de Llobregat-Barcelona España, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Esto que voy a acotar, tal vez por enésima vez, ciertamente no es DX, pero tal parece que ocurre por compartir un pasatiempo que va cuesta abajo (decía Gardel) en un proceso irreversible. Recuerdan cómo disfrutábamos, tal vez los ferrocarrileros frustrados como yo, aquellos viajes sobre rieles en la época dorada de los trenes. Yo he mencionado que debo haber nacido a destiempo, pues aunque disfruté en mi Costa Rica de los 1950s de aquellos viajes en tren entre Puerto Limón-San José y viceversa, tirados por aquellas locomotoras Baldwin tipo Mogul 2-6-0, me perdí los años dorados años anteriores como para haberlos vivido en Norteamérica "when railroad was king" en los 1930s y 1940s. Exactamente lo mismo está pasando con algo que nos encariñamos al extremo, como que fuera un miembro viviente de nuestras familias, y eso pasó a ser la onda corta, que la vivíamos tan ricamente en tardes o noches de lluvia, que antes que pensar en salir de casa, era más reconfortante pegarse al receptor a escuchar las cosas más antojadizas y distantes, que como jóvenes más seguíamos por una alternativa musical que no teníamos a mano en la radio local, y ya estando más maduros, le parábamos oído a los puntos de vista políticos del mundo occidental y aquellos que nos llegaban con impresionantes señales de detrás de la Cortina de Hierro. Pero ya ven, queridos colegas, nos toca ser partícipes de la agonía de la onda corta, que por un momento más vendrá a beneficiar al DX desde los países del tercer mundo, una vez que las super powers apaguen sus transmisores para siempre. Porque todo radica en una cuestión de costo-beneficio: si la Internet me resulta más barato para alcanzar el mundo entero, que chiste tiene usar costosísimos transmisores que sólo me permitirán llegar a una región y a determinada hora. Seguir con la onda corta es como vender pesos a peseta. Algo más. el compacto cassette no pudo enterrar al disco de vynil, pero llegó el CD y virtualmente enterró a estos dos. Yo tomaría un tren en cualquier parte del mundo y no me importa para donde vaya, sólo por el placer de viajar en tren. Análogamente, con todo y los ruidos y desvanecimiento de la onda corta, resulta más romántico y atractivo quebrarse la cabeza por identificar a una distante emisora, a que todo nos lo dé tan fácil la Web. Puede que seamos parte de una especie en vías de extinción. Y queda claro que nada es eterno, si fuera de otro modo, que chiste tendría la existencia de Dios, aunque algunos sigan empecinados en negarla. Como las ondas radiales: no las vemos, pero ahí está. Así que, disfrútenla mientras exista. Así como la vida, cada día puede repentinamente ser el último día. 73 y buen DX (mientras se pueda) (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Other reports followed up that Spanish IS still on SW, but maybe the exact times have changed, or temporarily pre-empted due to sports coverage in German (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA [non]. Checking out report that English was missing from Ö1, June 11 at 1515 there it was starting after German via Sackville on 13775, as scheduled, which is unnecessarily complex, but per EiBI: 1505 1520 Mo AUT Radio Austria Int. E WNA 13775/CAN 1505 1530 SaSu AUT Radio Austria Int. E WNA 13775/CAN 1515 1530 Tu-Fr AUT Radio Austria Int. E WNA 13775/CAN 1535 1600 SaSu AUT Radio Austria Int. E WNA 13775/CAN 1545 1600 Mo-Fr AUT Radio Austria Int. E WNA 13775/CAN Note: you might think that what happens in the second half hour mirrors what happens in the first half hour, and you would be wrong. The rest of each full hour is occupied by German (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. ORF will "check" MW/SW services --- The Austrian public broadcaster ORF expects a loss of 10 million Euro in 2008. A strategy for the period until 2015 stipulates to "check" the services on mediumwave and shortwave. Other possible cost saving measures include the cancellation of 250 job positions until 2010 and getting rid of some engineering departments as well as the symphony orchestra. http://derstandard.at/?url=/?id=3372265 (pointed out by Herbert Meixner) (via Kai Ludwig, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DXLD) The question is what ``check`` means! In English it can mean stop, or it can mean try out, verify (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** BIAFRA [non]. Re 8-069: ``New [sic] 17650, *2000-2100*, CLANDESTINE, Friday 06.06, Voice of Biafra, via WHRI, Cypress Creek, USA. English/Ibo religious hymn, 3 ID's: "You are tuned to the Voice of Biafra, coming to you from Washington, D.C.", talks about Biafra and Nigeria. 2058 announcement: Next broadcast will be on 15385! 25232. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 m longwire, here in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) Listened to last few minutes of June 6 file at their website http://www.biafraland.com/vobi.htm and after God Bless Africa anthem, outro said nothing about frequencies before other African music and cut off. So not really same file? Anyhow, as above, it was supposed to move to 15280 last week, not 15385 next week, which BTW would collide with KJES (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` ``Next broadcast`` must have been the usual frequency change announcement by WHR; that`s what they call it when they are about to make a change. So this `next` means coming up in a minute on the same WHRI transmitter, NOT coming up next week in 167 hours from VOBI! Trouble is, WHRI is not moving to 15385 at 2100, but to 7385, as per schedules. It is important to differentiate what is contained in the program and what is announced by the host station (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BIAFRA [non]. V. of Biafra International remained on WHRI 17650, Friday June 13, contrary to FCC-scheduled change to 15280 supposed to start in June. Tuned in at 1959 for early false-start. Not only did the transmitter drop off the air several times --- I thought they might belatedly be remembering to switch to 15280 --- but also the audio feed had annoying internet artifacts and glitches, also starting over. Finally at 2003 started once again and seemed to keep going, but I couldn`t keep listening. It was still on 17650 when I caught the closing at 2058, WHRI ID, and then WHR QSY announcement (nothing to do with VOBI), yes, to 7385. Meanwhile at 2000, WHRI was also on 15665 but with other programming. That had been the previously planned replacement for 17650 instead of 15280. So what will happen next Friday? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA [and non]. IBOC or DRM? Ya viene la radio digital: La radio AM obtiene nueva vida gracias a la tecnología digital --- Una empresa de Recoleta fabrica transmisores de radio digital y exporta el 90% de su producción. Aunque la Subtel no enfrenta este tema aún, Continental Lensa prospera. . . (El Mercurio, CHILE, via José Miguel Romero, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DXLD) Unclear how much of this about Bolivia rather than Chile ** BRAZIL. 6104.8, R. Filadelfia, 0559-0647+, 6/15/08, in Portuguese. YL talk with music; very poor. Time pips, announcement includes "Rádio Filadélfia" (definitely not Canção Nova), OM talk, 0605 YL & OM converse. 0617 brief flute music, OM & YL, lively Brazilian music, YL, 0630 ID “Rádio Filadélfia” and mention of Foz do Iguaçu, OM talk to 0647 tune-out. Best in LSB. Schedules do not show it on at this time. Perhaps on for a special occasion? (Mark Taylor, WI, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) This is remarkable, for when I have checked in the 0600 semihour, all I heard on 6105 was BBCWS in French via Ascension. By ``best in LSB``, do you mean to avoid BBC on 6105.0? Strangely, there were no reports in this FS issue of Mérida on same frequency (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 1956, 11925.15, ZYE958 R. Bandeirantes, PP, live Fussball, O=2-3 2000, 11829.90, ZYE441 R. Anhanguera, PP, talks, O=2-3 2003, 11815, ZYE440 R. Brasil Central, PP, ID loop mit QRGs, O=2-3 2005, 11804.73, ZYE775 R. Globo, PP, talks, radioglobo.com ID at 2029, O=2-3 2032, 11854.93, ZYE954 R. Aparecida, PP, talks, ID, O=2 2036, 9629.92, ZYE954 R. Aparecida, PP, Balladen, ID, Zeitansage, O2-3 2048, 15325, ZYE964 R. Gazeta, (tent.) PP, soft local pops, O=1-2 2110, 11784.52, ZYE853 R. Guaiba, live Fussball, ID alle 5 min., O=3-4 ID: R. Guaíba de Porto Alegre (Hans Pammer, Austria, A-DX June 8 via BC-DX June 12 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL [non]. The documentary ``Brasil Rising``, cf 8-069, now has audio and other linx: http://www.stanleyfoundation.org/articles.cfm?id=464 I pointed it out on the Brazilian DX lists, wondering how fair they find it (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHAD. REBELS ADVANCING ON CHAD CAPITAL --- RNW News reports: Rebels in Chad are continuing their march towards the capital N’Djamena. The move follows heavy fighting around the city of Goz Beida, 75 km from the Sudanese border. The rebels, who want to overthrow President Idriss Deby, are threatening to occupy the capital within a few days. Radio Nationale Tchadiènne is normally well heard in Europe in the evenings on 4905 kHz. This is a frequency worth monitoring in the coming days (June 16th, 2008 - 8:34 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DXLD) ** CHAD. As reported by Jari Savolainen, the station playing Afro-pops at 0640 past 0700 on 7120 on June 11th was probably Chad. The signal was fair at best in local noise, and language of announcements sounded a vernacular one. There was also a signal present same time on adjacent 7125, but this was very weak, and impossible to ID as Conakry, which is usually what I hear (Noel R. Green, NW England, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I got a definite ID for Chad on 7120 at 0507 UTC 11 June. Signal was good and clear but pretty well gone at 0555 recheck. Regards, (Bryan Clark, Mangawhai NZ, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, ibid.) Here we go again: same thing happened a few months ago and rebels briefly took over RNT (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** CHINA. They've got mail - Article on CRI --- An article on China Radio International was published in 8th June 2008 edition of Hindustan Times, Delhi. Article along with pictures can be accessed at: http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=08_06_2008_011_007&typ=1&pub=47 (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** CHINA. 10250, Firedragon jammer (tx product?), 1519 5 April, // 11500 11540, SIO 433 (David Gascoyne, Kent, May BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) 9555, R. Free Asia, 1606 4 May, drums, strings and whistles, SIO 433. 9615, RFA, 1611 4 May, parallel signal, drums, whistles, 433. 9680, RFA, 1615 4 May, drums, whistle, co-channel in background, 322 11765, RFA, 1603 13 May, drums, wind and strings instruments, SIO 433 (Keith Knight, Middlesex, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) This is NOT the kind of informational programming RFA put out, but FIREDRAKE jamming against it! We have explained this again and again, but some people just don`t get it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Not much Firedrake above 12 MHz audible June 10 at 1308, but weakly in on 14410 against Sound of Hope; none found within the 20m hamband (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also TIBET [non] Must be solsticial conditions despite pitiful solar flux that account for Firedrake on 17 MHz at 13 UT. Specifically, 17565 at 1308, also audible on 17705, but not on the latter at 1338 recheck. 17565, presumably against V. of Tibet, was stronger than Spain shortpath on 17595 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Some Firedrake observations: 9865, June 12 at 1840, fair vs RFA Chinese via Tinian. 14410, June 13 at 1530, VG signal against no sign of Sound of Hope, stronger than 15285, 12040, 11990, and weak 17565. June 14 at 1420 the latter was on 17550 instead, no doubt following the peregrinations of V. of Tibet (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also TIBET [non] ** CHINA. 17475, CRI, 1015 8 May, Olympic flame on Mt Everest, OM and YL, English, SIO 555 (Tim Ritchie, Suffolk, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ?? Not listed anywhere; the lowest CRI frequency on 17 MHz is 17485, and not at this hour. Furthermore, since this was in English, not likely to be a thinly disguised jammer chasing Sound of Hope or some other clandestine (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. "The Lost Voice of Radio Beijing" --- As we approach the anniversary of the Tianneman [sic] uprising in China, this piece offers a brief vignette of one event that took place at the time. Lost Voice was produced by Jack Urso as a short feature for the Producing Historical Documentaries course in the spring of 2000. . . http://www.albany.edu/talkinghistory/archive2/530-urso-beijing2-56.ram (Talking History Web Archive Jan-Jun 2001 via Clara Listensprechen, DXLD) 3:25. Includes excerpts [only] of the famous broadcast. Lots of other archival audio altho this may be the only one from a SW broadcast. See: http://www.albany.edu/talkinghistory/arch2001jan-june.html (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Es June 9, 2008, time is CDT, 1745-1815 the following stations believed to be CUBA: 94.1 W in SP, "música romántica" 98.1 SP comedy with two M in SP, //95.9, 94.9 100.7 SP radio novela, // 99.1 102.7 radio novela W in SP, SP vocal ballads 103.1 SP ballads, música Cubana "SON de Cuba" 103.5 talk by W in SP (Steven Wiseblood, South Padre Island, TEXAS, Kaito DE-1102 Indoor FM Quad, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 5025, R. Rebelde, 0232-0341 May 11, M&W with music program of up-beat music, ballads, ID; QRN static. F-G; here in Roma, it`s currently the strongest signal from Latin America (Giovanni Serra, June NASWA Journal via DXLD) On 60m or anywhere? More evidence their NVIS antenna isn`t working properly (gh) DTV: see DIGITAL BROADCASTING ** CUBA. RHC Spanish on 11680 June 12 at 1426 producing SAH with another station in music, but RHC cut off after a few seconds. Not scheduled on 11680 at this hour, but messing around again (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. 15570, RHC, 1631 13 May, music and OM speaking, SIO 333 (Keith Knight, Middlesex, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) RHC not normally on air at this hour, a Tuesday; special occasion? (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. No further sign of Cuban music tests on 17660 or 15460 since June 7, yet June 12 at 1832 I could still hear some jamming on 15460, just in case. Also lite jamming on 6100 at 0621 June 14, vs nothing; R. República is on there evenings, and has also been a madrugada WHRI test frequency for Cuban music. See also UNIDENTIFIED 7365. Heavy jamming on 6100, June 16 at 0601 check against nothing --- R. República is on 6100 for only two hours in evening, and WHRI has tested Cuban music recently around 0900-1300. At 1342, also jamming on 7365 but no WHRI Cuban music audible this date; previously ran until 1500. 7365 jamming was at about same level as against R. Martí on 7405, also inaudible tho supposedly runs until 1400. At 1436 recheck, jamming still on 7365, but jamming gone from 7405. BTW, WHRI 11785 was not on the air at this time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 5950, Voice of Tigray Revolution, 0314-0350 Jun 14, non- stop Horn of Africa instrumental music until 0330 ID and talk by woman announcer in Tigrinya. Return to music program at 0343. Poor to fair with QRM WYFR ... sometimes over them and sometimes underneath them. (Rich D'Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) 5950, V. of Tigray Revolution, Mekele, Ethiopia: 1842 27 April local music, YL ID, vernacular, off at 1900, SIO 343 (Edwin Southwell, England, BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) 4 May 1820 lively music, 1858 news headlines in presumed Tigrigna, audio cut off 1900, SIO 344 (Dave Kenny, ibid.) 1845 4 May HOA-type music, closing news headlines(?) in vernacular, 1900 sign-off, SIO 444 (Tony Rogers, ibid.) 1817 12 May, local music, OM with announcements, vernacular, SIO 454 (Edwin Southwell, ibid.) ** ETHIOPIA. 6110, R. Fana: 2005 4 May, mix of modorn and traditional music // weak 7210, 2058 ID, 2101 closed, SIO 333 (Dave Kenny, England, ibid.) 1830 6 May, discussion in vernacular with mentions of Al-Jazeera, HOA-Style music,, SIO 343 (Tony Rogers, ibid.) 1820 10 May, YL on phone, local music, co-channel QRM CRI, vernacular, SIO 444 (Edwin Southwell, ibid.) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. RUSIA? 21585, Addis Dimts Radio ??, 1610-1620, escuchada el 15 de junio a locutor en idioma sin identificar; en la página web de Addis Dimts Radio: http://www.addisdimts.com/ anuncian emitir por 21585 kHz. Un chequeo rápido en 17875 se observa que no hay emisión. La señal no es lo suficiente buena como para compararla con la emisión en Internet, ``Salam..``, SINPO 24332 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Aoki just added this listing: 21585 Addis Dimts Radio 1600-1700 1...... Amharic 200 188 Samara RUS 05015E5317 ADR a08 Jun. 15 --- so it`s Sundays only. Unusual to go to a new 13m frequency during solar cycle trough. Website indicates they originate in Washington DC area and have a local broadcast there (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Recommend the website of R. Ionosphère. It plays a wide range of music, with some regular and some unusual categories which include Dark night, 100% Frenchy, Electro dome and blue note at http://www.ionosphere.fr (Eric Cooper, Webwatch, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** GERMANY. On mediumwave 720 & 774 can be heard during the European Soccer Championships WDR Event, normally a Digitalradio project from the WDR. http://www.wdr.de/radio/home/event/ http://www.wdr.de/wdrlive/audioevent/livestream.phtml (Peter Kruse, June 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. QSL Policy Changed? After numerous attempts for getting a reception report for the Ukrainian broadcast of Radio Emmanuel verified, I was able to get a reply from Sabine Gawol Media broadcast Sabine.Gawol @ t-systems.com Her reply was this: “To your reception report: Since 01.01.2008 Christian Vision is operating at their own liability over the transmission station in Juelich, which is bought by Christian Vision. So, I am not able to confirm the following reception report. I'm sorry.” I did get a reply from Walter Brodowsky, (prior to my reply from Ms Gawol) who stated that “My colleague Sabine Gawol will respond to your reception reports” so his status as verifying reports is no longer there. I hope the status of getting verification replies from Media Broadcast (a.k.a. DTK-Juelich) improves; for in the past Mr. Walter Brodowsky was excellent in this position (Edward Kusalik-Alberta, CANADA, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. From 1938 until today, Hellenic Radio faithfully serves news, entertainment and education and tries to stay in tune with the signs of the times as well as the needs of its listeners. Public radio is ready to keep you company at all times, as well cover all your interest. Its programs appeal to all audiences and preferences. The most significant factors of its successful development are its employees, who guarantee quality, reliability and morals. Hellenic Radio puts you in the mood with its many diverse frequencies. Are you in the mood for Greek, foreign or classical music? For news or sports? Or are you looking for communication? Wherever you area and whatever you like, there is an ERA station that will fit your mood. Anyway, ERA is everywhere, all over Greece, all over the World. Furthermore, obeying to the changes in technology and the demands of the millennium, ERA, and all its programs, are now on the Internet. Basically ERA's profile is as follows: Five radio stations with nationwide coverage, (NET, SECOND, KOSMOS, ERA3, ERA SPORT) with a wide variety of topics and aiming to satisfy the needs of the varios listener groups, One radio station with international coverage ?R?5 "Voice of Greece", FILIA for the immigrants living in Greece, 19 regional stations with local coverage, ERA International Network, Macedonia's short wave program, with international coverage. . . http://tvradio.ert.gr/radioen/radioprofil.asp (ERT Online page, with audio linx, via John Babbis, DXLD) Dear Friend Babis: One of your 100-kW transmitters has been out of action since May 28. Is there any information as to when it will be back in service? Regards, (John Babbis, Silver Spring MD, June 11, to Babis Charalampopoulos, ERT, cc to DX LISTENING DIGEST) ERT3 Thessaloniki is on 7450 at 1700-2250 UT; not 7475. Avlis 2 was back on 7475 last night June 11) from 2300 UT. Regards, (John Babbis, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. Last evening while tuning around, I picked up WWVH on 10000 kHz from 0250 past 0300 UTC. Female ID’s before WWV (also heard clearly) announcements. 0259 ID as “This is Radio Station WWVH…” In the clear, despite static bursts. I remember you explaining this once before as to propagation conditions that allowed me to pick up YVTO; the same may apply to this occurrence last evening, though WWV was heard well too. (6/10 UT) 73’s, (Ed Insinger, NJ, June 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That`s not at all unusual here, as WWV is often in the skip zone depending on the time and frequency (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. V. of the Revolution and V. of the Communist Party of Iran have changed times --- now heard in Kurdish and Farsi at 1428- 1527 and new 1557-1727 (sometimes to 1748) on stable 3881 and 4366. V. of Kurdistan now 0245-?0425 on 3920v and 0325-0425? 4880v and presumed 1325-1425 on 3930 and 4880 (Rumen Pankov, 15 May, June BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Google Earth imagery. Tx location found. Israel's second MW & SW transmission center called "Hillel" at Porat-Kodima, 31 km northeast of Tel Aviv. Of 1952, closed late 2003, 31 Dec. ISR Bezeq [former IBA] Tel Aviv "Hillel" stn 576 kHz 200 kW / 738 kHz 1200 kW; SW station 100/500 kW. At 32 16 51.27 N 34 55 54.38 E see below. It took me some five hours at least intensive research. Most of the Fallingrain entries refer mostly to Arabic names, Hebrew names are often cut-out. Google Earth images are mostly visible, but very, very less Hebrew village / suburb names given, - I guess all vailed by Israel's m.o.s.s.a.d. service interests! Google search string < KOL OR Israel OR Tel OR Aviv "Hillel station " > (Wolrgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 5 via DXLD) I was also going to suggest/request a research question to your fellow former Israeli editor/contributor of the Klingenfuss SW Guide to see if he can reveal to us the former Kol Israel SW site at Hillel. I have forgotten his name - the Israeli transmitter engineer for KOL Israel's tx site maintainer - from memory. Any thoughts? (Ian Baxter, Australia, June 5, shrotwavesites yg via ibid.) Mr. Moshe Oren, BEZEQ Ooh yes, I remember me on this matter in Dec 2003 / Jan 2004: and in German too: ISR Bezeq [former IBA] Tel Aviv Hillel stn at 32 16 51.27 N 34 55 54.38 E. Still visible two poles of the former 1200 kW MW masts. Formerly SW masts seemingly on the northwestern and southwestern corner of area, some wounds in the field is still visible. Antenna degrees 50 to RUS / 90 to IRN / 330 to Eu/NAm. Near village Porat 32 16 40 N 34 56 56 E in the east. Yanuv village 32 17 15 N 34 56 38 E in the north-east. Tzoran-Kadima village 32 16 52 N 34 54 51 E in the west. 'En Sarid village 32 16 00 N 34 55 60 E in the south. (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 5, via ibid.) History of 2003 / 2004: Kol Israel --- Here are some more details regarding the Hillel transmitter site: Since 1984, Bezeq has operated the Hillel station for the IBA, and has done so in accordance with all the operational requirements demanded by the IBA and the competent authorities. Four transmitters at the station provide radio broadcasts for the IBA - two short-wave and two medium-wave, which operate in accordance with and subject to the approvals Bezeq received from the Ministry for the Environment. It is further noted that on 31.12.2003, the Company ceased all broadcasts from the station, as required by the State and the Broadcasting Authority, and since that date the site has not been used as a broadcasting station. The Hillel station closed on Jan 1[2004] and with it the two AM transmitters: 200 kW for Alef on 576, and 1200 kW for Dalet on 738 that was not in use due to ban from the environmental authorities. That location also had two shortwave transmitters: 100 kW Thomson from 1959 (11585 kHz) and 500 kW from Telefunken from 1983. Only the 500 kW transmitter is being retained; everything else in the station is being scrapped. Staff have been dispersed and dismantling is now starting. As opposed to the original plan, they have decided not to replace any of the lost frequencies so Alef coverage is greatly reduced. Looking at Google Earth the image date is somewhere between February & July 2006. Pity we can't access older images pre 2004. Likewise, during the first quarter of 2007, sale of the Hillel Station premises has been completed (as set out in the Company's immediate report dated November 15, 2006). The area of the premises is approximately 956 dunams, and the consideration received for sale of it is approximately $ 20.8 million in (Ian Baxter-AUS, SW TXsite June 5 via BC-DX June 12 via DXLD) ** ISRAEL [non]. Is it time to give up on the BBC? By GAVIN GROSS At Britain's Zionist Federation (ZF), the topic on which we get the most correspondence is the perceived anti-Israel bias of the BBC. While I tell people they can complain to the BBC if they have a problem with a particular news item, from the ZF's point of view I have always argued that it is more useful to feed the BBC with interesting Israel story ideas and assist producers as programs are being made, rather than attacking them after a particular story airs. However, after my experiences in the lead-up to Israel's 60th anniversary, I wonder whether this is simply a lost cause. . . http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1212659690359&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull (via Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. Many thanks to Alfredo Cotroneo of NEXUS/IBA in Milan who has invited WORLD OF RADIO onto the schedule of IPAR (International Public Access Radio) via IRRS, 150 kW on 7290, Fridays at 1930 UT. We hope this will bring WOR to many new listeners in Europe and beyond. Reports invited (Glenn Hauser, June 15, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAMAICA. Es June 9, 2008 time is CDT; 1810-1820 the following stations might be JAMAICA (heavily accented Caribbean English) 92.1, EG M talking about politics 93.5, talk show; M & W in EG, possible mention of St. Martin 94.1, talk show, telephone conversation talking about the students (Steven Wiseblood, South Padre Island, TEXAS, Kaito DE-1102 Indoor FM Quad, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN [and non]. NHK World Network, Radio Japan, as the ID goes, 11705 via Canada, June 12 at 1426 accompanied by pre-echo direct from Yamata, much weaker but certainly audible (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR. The latest information on AIR Kargil is as follows: 2 Channels are in use now as follows: A Channel 684 kHz (200 kW, Tx. Commissioned on 1 Sept 2006) B Channel 1584 kHz (1 kW) Srinagar C frequency (10 kW) has been changed from 684 kHz to 1224 kHz in order to avoid mutual interference. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, dx_india yg via DXLD) This answers our question about press reports claiming that 684 just started using 200 kW on May 30, 2008 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. 13650, June 10 at 1306 choral music in PDRK style, 1307 talk in Chinese, so quite sure it is VOK as scheduled, 238 degrees from Kujang per Aoki; altho that also shows CRI itself in Chinese via Urumqi, 270 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. 9940 with strong open carrier June 10 at 1252; 1259 pulse jamming becomes audible before 1300 start of North Korea Reform Radio, via Taiwan, with Carmen theme, Korean talk (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1412, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. 11735.1, June 12 at 1427 in Korean with low het, VOK versus? Per online skeds it`s either R. Liberty Biblis, Germany in Russian, or Brasil. RNA 11780 was in well, so likely R. Nova Visão if on (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN. V. of Kurdistan, Salah al Din, heard in English on 27 April at 1600-1700 on 6335 with mainly pop and rock songs in English, also brief news at 1615-1617 and ``Kaleidoscope`` at 1645-1648; everything else was music (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) See also IRAN [non] ** KUWAIT. RADIO KUWAIT (Gov) kHz: 6055, 9750, 9855, 9880, 11675, 11990, 13620, 15110, 15495, 15505, 17885 === Summer Schedule 2008 Arabic Days Area kHz 0145-0400 daily ME 6055kbd 0200-0930 daily NAf 15495kbd 0300-0700 daily NAm 11675kbd 0400-0800 daily ME 6055kbd+ 0800-1305 daily ME 6055kbd [alternate 7250] 0915-1315 daily Eu, NAm 13620kbd+ 1015-1745 daily CAf 15505kbd* 1200-1505 daily FE, Pac 17885kbd* 1315-2115 daily NAf 9880kbd+ 1515-1800 daily Eu, NAm 13620kbd 1800-2130 daily Eu, NAm 15505kbd 1800-2400 daily CAf 15495kbd 1800-2400 daily Eu, NAm 9855kbd 2200-0300 daily NAm 11675kbd+ English Days Area kHz 0500-0800 daily ME 15110kbd 1800-2100 daily Eu, NAm 11990kbd Filipino Days Area kHz 1000-1200 daily PHL 17885kbd Persian Days Area kHz 0800-1000 daily ME 9750kbd Key: + DRM; * Holy Qur`an program (R Kuwait coloured leaflet, via Peter Boeck-D, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 16 via DXLD) Listeners can obtain Frequency Schedules and other Information through URL http://www.moinfo.gov.kw (Paul Gager, Austria, A-DX June 15, ibid.) ** MEXICO. Re 8-069: Después de leer el informe que [adelantó] el amigo Glenn Hauser sobre la escucha que realizó un colega en Florida de 6105 kHz, me comuniqué telefónicamente con el director de "RASA Mérida", Bernardo Laris, quien amablemente me informó que efectivamente desde hace dos meses han estado transmitiendo nuevamente por algunos lapsos después de varios años de no hacerlo, en los 6105 kHz, tomando la programación de su frecuencia en onda media que emite desde la Ciudad de Mérida, capital del Estado de Yucatán. Utilizan el mismo viejo transmisor de 250 vatios con las limitantes que esto implica. Me informó Bernardo que ha estado buscando apoyo de diversas organizaciones para conseguir un nuevo transmisor, ya que, el plan que tienen en mente es de transmitir las 24 horas del día, dividiendo 12 horas para programación en lengua maya y las otras 12 horas tomando la señal de la "Radio 620" que es la estación piloto de la "Gran Cadena RASA" y que se ubica en la Ciudad de México. Los últimos dos días, la señal de 6105 no había salido al aire por una falla en el transmisor; sin embargo hoy pude captarla alrededor de las 2300 UT (18:00 del Centro de México) con un SINPO variable de 1 a 2, escuchando un programa musical, identificación de la emisora y anuncios locales de Mérida. Ojalá que fructifique este proyecto, ya que sería otra estación mexicana que retoma la onda corta, y mas aún por que, tendría un perfil que prodríamos denominar hasta cierto punto cultural, toda vez que la emisión en lengua maya resulta por demás atractiva considerando la gran cantidad de personas que hablan dicha lengua, principalmente en los estados mexicanos de Yucatán, Quintana Roo, Campeche, Tabasco y Chiapas, así como países centroamericanos como Belice, Guatemala y Honduras. Mantendré contacto con "RASA Mérida" para ver los avances de dicho proyecto. 73´s (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Summary translation: The manager of the RASA Mérida group says 6105 has been back on the air for two months, with a few lapses, and had not been on for the past two days due to a transmitter problem. It`s the old 250 Watt unit; they are trying to get funding for a new transmitter. Plan is to broadcast 24 hours a day, half of that in Maya, and the other half relaying the network`s flagship on 620 in Mexico City. Julián heard it back on the air with a weak signal at 2300 UT June 11, with local announcements, and thinks it`s a great idea for the Maya language to be heard on SW (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Julián, Gracias por toda esta info. Pero, ¿cómo se identifica exactamente en 6105, solo con siglas citadas? ¿De cuál frecuencia de OM? Se creía llamarse Candela FM, que parece transmitirse también en OM 970, mientras XEMQ en 810 ya es exclusivamente maya. 73, (Glenn to Julián via DXLD) Hola Glenn: por el momento no hay identificación en los 6105 kHz, Bernardo me informó que le darían un nombre (en lengua maya) mismo que no recuerdo. Al parecer utilizan la onda media de los 970 kHz; la próxima semana me comunicaré con Bernardo (está de viaje) y le pediré más información (Julián Santiago, June 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Escuchada el día de hoy entre las 0017 y las 0031 UTC (19:17 a 19:31 centrro de México) con señal débil, SINPO máximo de 2. Programación con música variada en español, anuncios comerciales diversos, y al parecer identificación de la FM de "Rasa Mérida" 95.7 ???? por lo que sería la programación que se emite en FM y no la de la onda media 970 kHz. 73 (Julián Santiago, UT June 13, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) XEQM, 6104.9, June 12: at first check 1308 just a mess on frequency and did not hear a het of 200-400 Hz as required by previous reports of Mérida`s varied frequency; 1335 Firedrake was audible. That was gone by 1350, just a very weak signal from presumed XEQM. This was probably even closer to 6105.0 but not quite. Talk intonation seemed to be Spanish but could not recognize any words to be sure. 1352, a bit of ``When You Wish Upon A Star`` music underneath; 1354 just music with a beat; 1400 produced announcement, probably ID, again seemed Spanish but not positive, just too poor. Signal still in at 1421, momentarily QRMed by ``running water`` ute; and still at 1433. Those a little closer to Yucatán and/or with a bit better gain, S/N ratio should get this OK even in the daytime. Julián Santiago phoned the station and found out they have been back on the air, with lapses, for two months, the old 250 watt transmitter. They want to get a new transmitter and run 24 hours, half of that in Maya language, which is already running on XEMQ 810, but there are other stations in their group, and it`s not clear which one they are relaying now when in Spanish, and whether they are putting Maya on SW yet. I want to know exactly what ID is to be heard on 6105v (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Looking for Mérida: June 14 at 0621 could only hear BBC French via Ascension on 6105, 0600-0630, no het, so not 24 hours or just too weak? (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) 6104.79, Radio Mérida [sic], 1330-1420 June 16. Staying in with a steady signal, noted a bunch of ads on the half hour until about 1337, then a period of music presented. This format continued thru the period. At 1410, a canned ID as, "... onda corta ... La Voz Mérida, Mérida". Not sure if "La Voz" is correct since a crash of noise blanked the signal. The Signal was fair at 1330, but dropped to threshold by 1420 (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DTV: see DIGITAL BROADCASTING ** MONACO. 8728-USB, Monaco R., 0925 19 May, weather reports in French, 0935 English, 0943 off, SIO 344 (Dave Kenny, England, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** MONACO [non]. Trans World Radio plans directional antenna on 1467 Trans World Radio (TWR) is planning to modify the antenna of its 1000 kW transmitter at Roumoules in Southern France to provide a stronger signal in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The current omnidirectional antenna on 1467 kHz will be converted to a directional antenna at a cost of US$200,000. TWR’s John Summerville says the change has the potential of reaching 15 million new people in Arabic and four different Berber dialects. (Source: Mission Network News) (June 10th, 2008 - 9:33 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) 2 comments so far --- 1 Anthony June 10th, 2008 - 9:45 UTC They usually broadcast to Europe in English at 23:15 UK time (00:15 CET) using that transmitter which is picked up well in the UK (I regularly listen on 1467 kHz/205 m MW at that time). Will this mean UK listeners will get a poorer MW night signal because it’s going onto a directional beam? 2 Raymond Woodward June 10th, 2008 - 18:13 UTC --- Yep. (ibid.) Why bother to broadcast in English at all once this is done? (gh, DXLD) Just left a comment at http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/trans-world-radio-plans-directional-antenna-on-1467-khz And now the original article seems to answer my question: >> The solution: change the configuration and the reach of their radio signal from an omni-directional, semi-circular one, to a directional one. << Note the word "semi-circular". I would interpret it as "not fully circular". But a non-directional antenna pattern would be fully circular. Thus I assume that the objective of this project is to get a narrower beam with more gain for the 241 degrees azimuth. Another explanation would be that the pattern switching of the existing antenna is no longer operational and some other configuration, probably indeed non-directional or rather close to it, is in use since not too long ago. In the latter one case it would be rather a major repair. It would need a current technical schedule of TWR Europe to find out (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) if you are interested to see some photos from the site, including the 5 MW and 4 LW towers go to my: http://www.qsl.net/oz3yi/Roumoules.html It is, unfortunately, in Danish only. Click on the photos to enlarge. 73, (Erik Koie, Copenhagen, ibid.) ** NIGERIA. Usually hear nothing in summer on 9690 in the mornings, tho on a good winter day AIR sesquihour in English to SE Asia at 1330 sometimes makes it. So surprised to find fair signal with hilife music, June 16 at 1346; soon IDed at 1348 as V. of Nigeria. For a while there was a fast SAH, possibly India. Then at 1351 the VON signal suddenly increased to good S9+20 level, as if they had pumped up the power or made an antenna switch, but maybe just a propagational quirk. 1353 talked about singer Victor Olaya (sp?) from the 1960s. Modulation was at good level, but somewhat distorted; outro program ``Time for Hilife``. 1359 live YL announcer took over, said that show is Mondays at 1330, ID, 1400 she went into newscast, as signal was fading down again, and there was a pause of at least 30 seconds within, not sure if program feed problem, or she was hunting for copy. A shorter pause later before ending at 1405, with ID, into discussion show, but unreadable by 1415, still audible at 1434. Wonder if it could have been by longpath (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. The KOSU website http://www.kosu.org has added photos of the damage to KOSN, captioned: ``A lightning strike during the Memorial Day Weekend severely damaged the KOSN broadcast transmitter and antenna system. The feed line (center photo) suffered major damage. Lightning also created a two inch diameter hole in the output filter (right photo). The antenna (not shown) also must be removed, rebuilt and remounted on the top of the Ketchum broadcast tower`` KOSU continues to announce that 107.5, 107.3 and 101.9 relays are down indefinitely, referring listener there to webcasts; yet produced breaks still include them as well as weather for the Tulsa area. Axually, 91.7 makes it marginally into Tulsa directly from Stillwater (Glenn Hauser, Enid, June 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Noted something this morning (16.6.08) you might want to check out. Sometime between 0800-0900 CDT [1300-1400 UT], I noticed a loud 2000 Hz wide test tone on 540 kHz. The S-meter on my G313e indicated S9+10db. It suddenly stopped allowing me to again hear the usual KWMT (S7) daytime tug of war with KDFT. Then at 10:03 a.m. CDT, it resumed at S9+20dB. At 10:25 CDT the test tone stopped and the carrier signal dropped to S9+10dB. My guess is it must be located within a 60-mile from my location. A check of all the stations in the area find them operating at full power on their assigned frequencies. I find no indication of a new station at the FCC website. I hope it's an anomaly for the world doesn't need another station on 540 kHz, and especially NOT in Oklahoma! If you tune to 540 kHz now (1055 CDT), you find a carrier signal blocking KWMT from being received. At this moment it's the strongest signal being received between 530 and 680 kHz (Best wishes, Richard Allen, Perry OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks for a great tip. This is very likely the long-awaited testing of a hush-hush project by the OSU Multispectral Laboratories in Ponca City, from Chilocco (N of there at the KS border). There is a lot about in some issues of DXLD last year. Other possible frequencies: 830, 1680, 92.3, 99.1, 107.5. Shortwave and TV too. Call: WE2XFZ See under OKLAHOMA: http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld7082.txt http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld7084.txt http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld7085.txt http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld7134.txt Yes, I am getting the 540 carrier at 1611 UT check. Not `local` strength here, but certainly nothing ordinary. Loops 45 degrees or slightly less, which checks with Chilocco. Soon resumed continuous tone test, by 1635 until cut off abruptly just before 1707, without any ID on the hour or any announcements at all (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was aware of OSU's transmitter at Chilocco (just west of US 177, across the river from Arkansas City) but didn't put it and the test signals together in my mind until now. It's a healthy S9+20 here at the moment. Its test signal is only 2 kHz wide so it isn't interfering with KFRM, yet. I hope it goes away as suddenly as it came. I'll have to get my old Space Magnet in action and see what direction it is coming from. The G313e is connected to 21-meter wire running NE- SW which seems to favor stations to the northeast like KWMT-540 or WTDY-1670. I'm in the process of constructing an EWE or two for medium wave. Oh well, I can forget it for the moment. They ceased transmission at 12:06 CDT (lunch break?) and KWMT is back over KDFT. From the amount of lightning static, it sounds like it might be a stormy afternoon. (Richard Allen, ibid.) Hi Kirk, Tnx to a tip from Richard Allen in Perry, the hush-hush OSU test from Chilocco I mentioned to you some time ago seems to be on the air now, 11:30 am CDT, carrier on 540, sometimes with tones. You might want to check this out, and other possible frequencies, 830, 1680, 92.3, 99.1, 107.5, not to mention some TV and SW as in several items about this last year in DXLD. 73, (Glenn to Kirk Allen, ibid.) Hi Glenn, You happened to catch me with a little time to spare, so I checked out all the AM/FM frequencies you mentioned. (I'll read all the links you sent asap). At 1710 UT, I heard a very clear 1 kHz tone (or near that) on 540. Nothing on any of the other frequencies. I heard the "station" on an Eton E-100. Very loud clear signal here (Kirk Allen, Ponca City, June 16, ibid.) Hi Kirk, Both Richard and I heard the tone test on 540 cut off at 1707 UT. If you were still hearing a tone after that, perhaps they cut back to much lower power. Still not back on as of 2015 UT. Nor anything on the other frequencies. But they could be back, tomorrow morning if not sooner. Please let me know if you hear anything further from this (Glenn to Kirk, via DXLD) Glenn: With the use of the G313e receiver's spectrum analyzer, I found the unidentified station sending a 2 kHz wide test tone on 830 kHz at 1320 CDT [1820 UT] with S9+30db signal strength. It was the strongest signal in the entire AM band at that time. The transmitter powered down just before 1330 CDT due most likely to a thunderstorm moving through the Arkansas City area at the time. I did some quick direction finding my old YB400 and it appears to be on a NE-SW bearing. So you're probably correct about it being at Chilocco (Richard Allen, ibid.) Will check that frequency as often as I'm able. I just now checked it and heard nada at 0110 UT June 17 (Kirk Allen, OK, ibid.) Nothing further heard here either, tho I have not been able to check them all very often. People at a distance may want to look for OCs or TTs on these frequencies at night. As in last year`s info, the same organization is also licensed to test experimentally from Flying H, SW of Roswell NM, different frequencies (Glenn Hauser, Enid, ibid.) ** PHILIPPINES. QSL: 9570, Radio Teos, Catholic broadcast via Radio Veritas Asia in Russian. Date/time/frequency and language indicated on QSL card showing the 15 languages that are used. Also sent two postcards, schedule, reception report forms, in 31 days. This for a CD mp3 reception report with return postage. V/s nil (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. QSL: 15560, Abraço da Madeira (sports) program via RPI. Date/time/frequency of RPI Headquarters 2004 QSL card, along with schedule, semi-verie letter, RPI summer hat and necktie key chain. Reply in 17 days for a CD Mp3 report. V/s: Chistina (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, June 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s not a sports program, but about what`s going on in Madeira, which could include sports, linking to Madeirans abroad. Cristina, maybe? (gh, DXLD) ** QUEBEC. TOO MANY ENGLISH STATIONS? SOME QUEBEC POLITICIANS WANT CONTROL OVER RADIO AND TV BROADCASTING DON MACPHERSON The Gazette Tuesday, June 10, 2008 http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/features/viewpoints/story.html?id=2f337eb7-6884-4948-ae02-3d297978f498 Does Quebec have too many radio and television stations? And if so, which ones should be taken off the air? Those are some of the questions raised by the growing support among political parties in Quebec for provincial control over the licensing of broadcasters in its territory. In February, the Quebec Liberal Party's policy commission proposed that Quebec be given a veto over decisions of the Canadian Radio- Television and Telecommunications Commission affecting the granting or renewal of radio licences in the province. The proposal was submitted to the Liberal policy convention in March but not considered there. It now is to be considered at a meeting of the party's general council in September. While the CRTC now is an independent authority, the proposal calls for the Quebec government to appoint one-third of the CRTC commissioners "who grant or renew radio licences for stations broadcasting on the Quebec territory." These Quebec government representatives would "have a veto right for all decisions exclusively pertaining to the Quebec territory." So the Quebec government could, say, prevent new English-language radio stations from starting up or force existing ones to shut down when their licences come up for renewal. Or it could require English- language music stations to play the same proportion of songs in French as their French-language competitors. The Parti Québécois would go farther, giving the province control over the licensing of television as well as radio stations while it is still part of Canada. In fact, the PQ platform adopted in March, which suspended the party's commitment to hold another sovereignty referendum, calls for Ottawa to hand over to the province all "powers and budgets" over communications, culture and language. So the Quebec government would have control over not only the licensing of English-language stations but also the funds allocated by the CBC for its English-language network in the province. And on the weekend, the PQ's federal ally, the Bloc Québécois, reiterated its call for the CRTC to be replaced in Quebec by a new provincial authority, the CQRT. In May, the Bloc introduced a bill in the House of Commons to amend the Broadcasting Act to allow the federal government to delegate regulatory power over broadcasting within its boundaries to any province that requests it. When it introduced its bill, the Bloc said in an explanatory statement that its proposed CQRT "would be a body independent from the Quebec government and would have its own regulation related to the interests and concerns of the Québécois nation. "With a CQRT, Quebec could by itself grant operating licences, modify them and renew them, or not." But the provincial CQRT that would thus be created would be different from the federal CRTC. It might not be as independent from government. When the Bloc announced its bill, Bloc MP Maria Mourani said that if Quebec controlled the licensing of broadcasters, "the Quebec government would not hesitate to issue the necessary instructions" to the French- language TQS network to maintain its news service. The prospective new owners of the money-losing network want to eliminate the service. But the CRTC, which must approve their purchase of TQS, has told them to come up with a proposal to maintain it. That is, the CRTC has already done what the Bloc wants its Quebec replacement to do. And for Quebec, the Bloc's bill would do away with existing explicit protection for English-language broadcasting. The Broadcasting Act now says the Canadian broadcasting system should reflect the "linguistic duality" of Canadian society. The Bloc's bill says that in Quebec, the system should reflect "the distinct character of Quebec society, its values, history, culture and language." So the questions remain, for the Bloc and the other parties calling for Quebec control over the licensing of broadcasters: Should any stations be closed? And if so, which ones? © The Gazette (Montreal) 2008 (via Zacharias Liangas, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. VOR WS in English, 7330, at 1411 June 14, and not making it on 19m where I had heard it occasionally during this hour. Per Aoki, 7330 is Vladivostok-Rasdolnoy at 230 degrees, on air long hours but English during this hour only, 1420 VOR promo (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. VOR via Moscow, 12260, 1644 21 March, OM singing, 2 x 6130, English, SIO 132 (David Gascoyne, Kent, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Not to be confused with Firedrake which I have also heard on 12260 to block Sound of Hope (gh, DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 13380, BSKSA, Riyadh, 1353 12 May, two OMs speaking fades, SIO 333 (Keith Knight, Middlesex, June BDXC Communication via DXLD) How to explain this frequency? Far OOB; 13775 the only Riyadh frequency scheduled on 13 MHz at this hour, in Urdu. How did you ID it? O, I bet this is supposed to be 15380, in Arabic. Let all editors and reporters rededicate ourselves to proofreading (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. BSKSA, 15170, very weak June 12 at 0530 with Qur`an, but could not hear any buzzing which used to be all one could hear. Apparently buzz has been fixed, tnx to complaint by Mike Barraclough via HFCC, which got a reply June 9 from BSKSA that they had worked on it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. QSL: The Overcomer, 13650 via Nauen, East Germany: T-Systems forwarded my report to SC from where I received the QSL, Overcomer magazine, schedule and other items. Station says the transmissions cost $100,000 per month (Marlin Field, MI, QSL Report, June NASWA Journal via DXLD) see also USA: WBCQ ** SRI LANKA [non]. VOICE OF TIGERS CEASES SATELLITE TRANSMISSIONS FROM SERBIA The Voice of Tigers (VoT), the official radio of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which started transmissions on 1 June from Serbia, ceased its transmissions on June 9. According to reliable sources, the Government of Serbia terminated the broadcast licence granted to VoT to retransmit to Europe, North Africa and Middle East via satellite, when the authorities came to know that VoT was the official broadcast organ of a banned terrorist outfit. It is reported that several influential contacts helped the LTTE to obtain the transmission licence for the broadcast of Tamil FM radio through a Serbian satellite. However, the Serbian authorities were not aware of the true nature of the contents of VoT, and the moment they realised the connection between the VoT and the LTTE, the transmission was terminated. Previously the VoT, as well as the LTTE’s television service, the National Tamil Television (NTT) used the US-based Intelsat 12 for radio and television transmissions. Intelsat terminated the transmissions when it was pointed out that the LTTE was a listed terrorist organisation in the US. (Source: The Nation via Sri Lanka army website, June 15th, 2008 - 11:10 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DXLD) ** TAIWAN [and non]. 11560, June 10 at 1258 with Hail Marys from WEWN, fast SAH from another station under, which per Aoki is Family Radio via Hu Wei, Taiwan, in English, 100 kW, 285 degrees. Catholix vs Protestants! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. 1575 kHz: Mr. Wolfgang: Google Earth picture of Rasom transmitter site (near Ayutthaya) dated Nov 06 is interesting because it shows new coaxial feedline to #3 tower but not yet to #'s 1 & 2. After installation of new feedline to #3 shown in photograph, the site was operating non-DA from #3 during replacement of lines to 1 & 2 and installation of new feeder networks at central tuning house and antenna tuning houses. After we completed all retuning it was returned to normal service by 31 March 2007 (according to Thai exit stamp in my passport). (Benj. F. Dawson III, P.E. Hatfield & Dawson Consulting Engineers, LLC and The dTR/H&D Joint Venture, Consulting Engineers, 9500 Greenwood Avenue, North Seattle, WA 98103 USA via wwdxc TopNews June 7, BCDX via DXLD) IBB Ayutthaya 1575 kHz 1000 kW: 14 24 22 N, 100 46 48 E, north of Bangkok (Alan Davies, at present touring in Indonesia, May 31, wwdxc BC-DX June 12 via DXLD) ** TIBET [non]. 11775 with Firedrake making 4 Hz SAH over Defunct Gene Scott, Anguilla, June 10 at 1302, but no trace of its real target: AIR Tibetan via Goa, 1215-1330, 250 kW at 25 degrees, per Aoki (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE [non]. ALEMANIA, 11855, CVC con relay de Radio Emmanuil, 1646-1658, escuchada el 15 de junio en ucraniano a locutor con comentarios en programa musical, temas de música pop y popular interpretada por instrumentos de cuerda y viento, ritmo vivo y muy alegre, locutor con ID “Radio Emmanuil”, emisión en paralelo por Internet, http://svitle.org/index_en.php Cortan emisión de forma abrupta, SINPO 45444 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also GERMANY, QSL ** U S A [non]. Deewa Radio, 9390 via Iranawila, Sri Lanka, QSL on a label stuck to the rear of the VOA Wertachtal card. I guess they did this to economize (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, QSL Report, June NASWA Journal via DXLD) I have a VOA QSL with 13 QSL labels on the rear. I guess you are correct (Sam Barto, ed., ibid.) see too ZIMBABWE [non] ** U S A. Some WBCQ observations: 15420-CUSB was on the air with newest WORLD OF RADIO 1412 during its newly rescheduled semihour, Wednesday June 11 at 2113 check. 9330, now dedicated to Brother Scare, was missing June 12 not only at 1431, but still at 1840 check; back on by next check at 0030 UT Friday June 13, but gone again June 14 at 1412. At 0030 Friday I was really checking 7415 for WORLD OF RADIO, which did not start until 0034, upcut after Goddess running late, long pause, standard ID and another long pause. 9330 seems to be missing a lot in the morning hours, thru June 16 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I received the following e-mail from Cosmik Debris in response to my reception of Radio New York International via WBCQ: I can verify your RNI reception report from my knowledge of the station and the RNI broadcast you reported on Sunday night. RNI has been on WBCQ from 8 to 11 pm Eastern time since 1998. Before 2007 they were on at 8-midnight. The longtime host of RNI on WBCQ is John Lightning, from Brooklyn, New York. Unfortunately in March 2008, John suffered a fire in his Brooklyn apartment building and is on hiatus for a while until his place is renovated. In his absence the loosely affiliated RNI circle of friends has been providing various programming in the Sunday night block. On June 9, from 0100 to 0200 UT, you heard Big Steve Cole, who is the producer of the RNI broadcasts while John is on hiatus. This was a special show recorded very recently just for airplay on RNI. We are trying out best to keep the content on the RNI block current. This Sunday will be a very special live broadcast from near Boston, Massachusetts, which I will be assisting with, that will be on at 0000-0400 on WBCQ 7415. Radio Jamba Int'l via WBCQ, 6/9, 7415 following the Doo Wop Cafe via Radio New York Int'l. Mix of island and C&W music, very enjoyable. ID’d as Jamba Jamba Jamba several times during program. Funny bit of PR News at 0215. Triple ID as Radio Jamba International, Radio New York, this is Kracker Radio. Wow, could this possibly translate into 3 verifications? A radio lover’s dream. Good signal from WBCQ. DJ Big Jack from the Doo Wop Cafe sent me this e-mail: "I’m happy you enjoyed listening to the Doo Wop Café Radio Station via WBCQ. One of our DJ’s does rebroadcasts and that must be what you heard. He’s a big ham radio fan. Personally, I’m not familiar with amateur radio procedures and don’t have a process to provide reception reports --- other than this e-mail to you." I had a similar experience with The Checkerboard Lounge based in Chicago, for a report sent to them on an excellent jazz program (Ed Insinger, NJ, Free Radio Weekly via DXLD) ** U S A. WHRI missing from scheduled 11785 again, June 10 at 1301 and 1439 checks. At 1301, Firedrake and VOA Chinese via Thailand were dominating (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1412, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Surprised to hear Arabic on 17690, at quick check 1831 UT Wednesday June 11. A new clandestine service, and/or was it really WHRA as scheduled? No and Yes: WHR ID in English at 1859. Looked up later on the WHR online skeds, we see this: 1830-1835 2:30- 2:35 PM M-F Bible Pathway Rich Hash 17690 1835-1840 2:35- 2:40 PM M-F Nice Jewish Boy Jonathan Cahn 17690 One of the very annoying things about WHR schedules is that they do not explicitly state language of each listing, often given in English when they are not really in English! Website for show per linx page is http://www.biblepathway.org/ And at first glance, they are in English, nothing about Arabic, but if you look at the Daily Devotional linx, we do find Arabic http://www.biblepathway.org/Arabic/TodaysDevotional.html and several other languages, which I suppose could appear on WHRA at this time: English, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish? Maybe not all of them. This page: http://www.biblepathway.org/English/Ministry-Radio.html gives SW schedule times on WRMI, KWHR, WHRI and WHRA, including these two designated Arabic: WHRA Angel 5 Middle East, North Africa (Arabic) 1:30PM Mon-Fri ET, 1830 Mon-Fri UTC 15670, Jerusalem: 9:30PM WHRA Angel 5 Middle East, North Africa (Arabic) 2:30PM Tue-Fri ET, 1930 Tue-Fri UTC 11785, Jerusalem: 10:30PM Trouble is, ET/UT conversions are obviously for ST, not DST, so is the 1830 UT broadcast I heard now the one called ``1930``? WHRA sked currently shows both 1830 and 1930 as well as 1705. Wrong frequencies, too. BP sked is far out of date, still showing Venezuela on an even timezone! And why of all Arabic-speaking cities, do they pick out Jerusalem? And why don`t they call it Al-Quds? And why in this case, do they have a 3-hour summer-time difference between UT and Israel even tho ET/UT are 5 hours apart instead of 4? God apparently has not granted them the power to figure out timezones correctly. At the bottom of the page B.P. admits it is trying to save ``country after country`` from being ``taken over by Islam``. Bible, Kor`an, Torah/Talmud - they`re all Abrahamic monotheists, so why can`t they get along? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Happened to tune by 17690 again Thursday June 12 when Arabic was on WHRI again, listed as Bible Pathways. At 1834 same announcer switched to English for address: P O Box 6007, Milton TN 37118, USA. However Googling this leads nowhere, and the contact address on the http://www.biblepathways.org is a different box in Murfreesboro TN. At 1835 into ecumenically scheduled ``Nice Jewish Boy`` show, except they are both no doubt really Christians of some ilk. 11785, WHRI, supposedly on all the way from 13 to 24, missing at 1837 check June 12 and at 1336 June 13. See also UNIDENTIFIED 7365; BIAFRA [non] (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Today at 1 PM [1700 UT June 10] while in my car in Clinton, MD, about 10 miles Southeast of downtown Washington, DC I noticed a dead carrier on 93.5. On the hour a Morse ID "WD2XAB" was sent. Googling this call I see that it is an experimental station in Columbia, MD used to test second-adjacent interference levels of IBOC to Baltimore's WPOC-93.1. I hadn't observed this station before but apparently the tests have been underway since February 2008. Regards, (Fred Laun, Temple Hills, MD, June 10, WTFDA via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DXLD) ** U S A. I really don`t mind ABC TV having a British-accented Pakistani(?) as co-anchor of Nightline, tho he is awfully stiff, but how much longer must Martin Bashir live in the US before he learns how not to pronounce Los Angeleez? O, he`s stuck in NYC, where it`s just ``Ellay`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, UT June 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN [non non]. I have been hearing VR on 4005 with additional broadcasts at 2210-2230 in German, 2230-2300 English, 2300-2330 Italian, observed 5-7 May. In the schedule these broadcasts are listed only on MW 1611 kHz in DRM, but it seems thy are also on 4005 AM. NB: the 10 kW transmitter on 4005 is located within the Vatican itself rather than at the Santa Maria di Galeria site on the outskirts of Rome (Dave Kenny, June BDXC-UK Communication via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DXLD) That muddies the situation with R. Virgen de Remedios, Bolivia, another Catholic station, also being reported in this time period on 4005v, at least in South America (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA [non]. R. Nacional de Venezuela via Cuba, good most nights on 11670 at 2200-2300 in Spanish and on 13680 at 2300-2325 in English, 2325-0000 in Spanish (Dave Kenny, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) Is the English timing really reliable nightly? And not on the other broadcasts? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Sunday, June 15 observations of Aló, Presidente service via Cuba: at 1418 on 13750 and 17750 synchronized, but weaker 11670 with a SAH was unsynchronized, making an echo with the others. No signal on 13680. 11875 had open carrier, which suddenly brought up program audio in progress at 1432 // 13750 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** YEMEN. Republic of Yemen Radio, 9780, 0615-0636 Christmas Day, 2007. Received a p/d card in 164 days for an English report, and one email follow-up, $1, 1 IRC, an applause card, and a local postcard. The card featured a city scene and had three nice stamps on it. V/S Ali Ahmed Altashy, Technical Director. Station address: Radio Sana’a, PO Box 2371, Sana’a, The Republic of Yemen. Email addy: ali_tashy @ yahoo.com This is the first new Middle Eastern country I have verified since 1997. It was a minor miracle it arrived at all since it was missing my zip code and had the street name misspelled (Joe Wood, TN, NASWA Flashsheet June 15 via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA [and non]. 5915, Family R via Wertachtal, religious program in Arabic, 2150-2200* 4 May, SIO 444. Then at 2200 Zambia NBC, Lusaka, closing announcements and sung anthem audible just after Family Radio sign-off, SIO 242 (Tony Rogers, Birmingham, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. VOA EXPANDS COVERAGE OF ZIMBABWE'S RUN-OFF ELECTION Multi-media news and information updates country's citizens Washington, D.C., June 16, 2008 – The Voice of America (VOA) has expanded coverage of Zimbabwe's presidential run-off election to provide up-to-the-minute, multi-media news and information to millions in the country, which has experienced a surge in political violence. Responding to the deepening crisis in Zimbabwe, VOA's Studio 7 program has doubled radio broadcasts in English, Shona and Ndebele (the primary languages in the country), enhanced Internet offerings, and increased subscribers to its daily e-mail news bulletins. "We are using every available avenue to get accurate news to Zimbabweans leading up to the June 27 presidential run-off," said VOA Director Danforth Austin. "Providing a multi-media stream of timely news and information to the people of Zimbabwe is critical during this time," he added. Studio 7 airs 19 hours of radio broadcasts weekly to Zimbabwe, including a repeat of its 90-minute evening broadcast. Programming includes reports from correspondents on the ground, interviews with local political leaders, and local, regional and world news. The service offers daily news bulletins via text message to more than 15,000 subscribers in Zimbabwe and ongoing updates online. Though the Harare government has been deliberately interfering with Studio 7's AM signal for the past two years, the program reaches listeners on shortwave and VOA now reaches more than 10% of adults each week, the largest audience of any international broadcaster in Zimbabwe. In addition, VOA's website traffic increased 126% between January and May. Studio 7 broadcasts seven days a week at 7:00 p.m. local time on medium-wave (AM) and shortwave radio. From Monday through Friday program segments are 30 minutes each in English, Shona, and Ndebele. On Saturday and Sunday, language segments are 20 minutes each. Please visit Studio 7's website at http://www.VOANews.com/Zimbabwe for more information. (VOA press release June 16 via DXLD) Yet the show website still shows only one broadcast, M-F 1700-1830 and S/S 1700-1800! --- http://author.voanews.com/english/Africa/Zimbabwe/broadcast_schedule.cfm Why in the world, if the point of the press release is a doubling of broadcasts, don`t they give all the times and frequencies, especially the new ones??? I must hunt elsewhere. The extra broadcast is at 1830- 2000, and may have started as early as June 1. Fortunately, the VOA by-language schedule has been updated: English to Zimbabwe: M-F 1730-1800 UTC 909 4930 13755 15775 S/S 1720-1740 UTC 909 4930 13755 15775 M-F 1900-1930 UTC 13755 15775 S/S 1820-1840 UTC 13755 15775 Ndebele: [original shows 13775 which must be a typo!] M-F 1800-1830 UTC 909 4930 13755 15775 S/S 1740-1800 UTC 909 4930 13755 15775 M-F 1930-2000 UTC 13755 15775 S/S 1840-1900 UTC 13755 15775 Shona: M-F 1700-1730 UTC 909 4930 13755 15775 S/S 1700-1720 UTC 909 4930 13755 15775 M-F 1830-1900 UTC 13755 15775 S/S 1800-1820 UTC 13755 15775 Site usage: 13755: daily 1700-1800 Madagascar daily 1800-1830 Sri Lanka M-F 1830-2000 Botswana S/S 1830-1900 Sri Lanka 15775: São Tomé at all times At some time around a previous elexion, Studio 7 stayed on much later than 2000, apparently on an ad-hoc basis (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) For the time being, I am continuing to file these reports under UNID, since we don`t know who is behind them altho on 6100 we do know the transmitter site. The WHR online skeds for Angels 1, 2 and 6 still show nothing about this! All shown on different frequencies during this time period. Assuming the tests start and end on even hours, like the previous ones, Chuck`s logs of 6100 account for 0800-1200 at least (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1412, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Cuban music test via WHRI 6100: June 10 at 1016 heard Cuban music in same style as previously on 15460, 17660 in the daytime, which never had any IDs or announcements, but not identical selexions, not Guantanamera at 1020. Jamming clearly audible mixing. Recheck at 1059 with WHRI ID and more music. Per Chuck Bolland`s monitoring, 6100 is doing this from before 0900, so it probably runs 0800-1200 at least. WHR online schedules do not have anything about this, with Angels 1, 2 and 6 all shown on other frequencies with other programming during this period (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1412, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. United States, 6100, WHRI, 0845-0901+, Steady Spanish language music mostly concerned with Cuba and Cubans. Noted an ID on the hour (0900 UT) as: "This is World Harvest Radio International, the ... broadcasting company. Broadcasting from Cypress Creek, South Carolina in the United States of America. Visit our web site at WHRI.org ..." in English. After the ID, back to music. Signal was good. This is turning into a regular (Chuck Bolland, June 10, 2008, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, WORLD OF RADIO 1412, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6100, WHRI, 0856-0910+ June 11. Been hovering around 6100 kHz for about 15 minutes waiting for WHRI to come up. Only noted interference on the frequency that sounds like jammer of some kind. However, at 0856 WHRI comes on the air fading in over the jammer briefly and fading out. At 0900 full ID in English as usual. The interference and WHRI continue to trade punches so to speak, each dominating for a moment and then dropping back down. Since previous days, the music was generally sung with Cuba as its subject, I am wondering if the jammer is being directed from Cuba to blank out WHRI? By 0905, WHRI is almost completely blocked (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Certainly (gh) At 1220 UT today (June 11), I tuned to 6105 to try for the new Mexican outlet reported there. I was unable to hear it, but did note a station on 6100 playing Cuban music. I first thought it was RHC or a new relay of a Cuban domestic network, but there were no announcements between songs or at the 1230 point. The signal was fair when I first tuned in but gradually faded as the sun rose here; the noise level also increased. By 1250, I was forced to use USB and a 2.4 kHz filter but was copying only about 50% of the transmission. It was still Cuban music with no announcements. At 1259, the transmission was interrupted in mid-song by a male announcer in English. I did not copy all of the announcement due to the poor signal --- and, to be honest, the announcement took me by surprise and I wasn't prepared! --- but I distinctly heard "you have been listening to. . . . " and what seemed to be a Washington, DC mailing address. The station immediately left the air after the announcement. It seems we probably have a new anti-Castro (or should that be "anti- nuevo Castro"?) U.S. propaganda operation on our hands (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, June 11, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It`s WHRI; should mention South Bend (gh) No trace of Cuban music on 6100 when checked June 12 at 1308, just a fair signal in Russian talking about China, presumably CRI, which however per Aoki and Eibi is supposed to be in Mongolian during this hour, in Russian until 1300. (R. Rossii in Tannu Tuva is also listed on 6100, but I can`t believe it was that.). However, at 1432 I found another frequency for the unannounced Cuban music tests: 7365! With no jamming audible. 1459 to WHRI standard ID, asking for reports, no mention of ``next broadcast`` frequency and off. Did not have time to search for the next frequency, if any. 7365 is a neat choice, already used by R. Martí at other hours, besides WHRI too. This was not // Martí 13820. BTW, WHRI was missing from 11785 this morning, perhaps same transmitter currently on 7365 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7365 still going with Cuban music tests from WHRI, June 13 at 1336 over jamming; at 1346 played ``Cuba Linda``, 1351 another very familiar syncopated tune, 1353 brief ``running water`` ute QRM. Have not found any other current frequencies for this, but lacking any official info, constant bandscanning would be necessary, which I have not had time to do. The paranoid dentroCubans were still jamming 15460 at 1832 June 12, six days after the music stopped on that frequency. Cuban music plus jamming still going on 7365, June 14 at 1411, joined at 1421 recheck by a less than 1 kHz het on hi side. This being Saturday, WHRI 11785 was on with Hmong World Christian Radio, so can`t be same transmitter as 7385. 11785 now overpowering again with sideband splash so I suspect it is back to the 250 kW transmitter; third unit on 9840 also on the air with black-sounding gospel huxter in English (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. No further sign of Cuban music tests on 17660 or 15460 since June 7, yet June 12 at 1832 I could still hear some jamming on 15460, just in case. Also lite jamming on 6100 at 0621 June 14, vs nothing; R. República is on there evenings, and has also been a madrugada WHRI test frequency for Cuban music. See also UNIDENTIFIED 7365 (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 11915 with a slight het, June 12 at 1839. Too weak to dig out, but most likely Riyadh vs Porto Alegre, as R. Gaúcha has been reported off frequency, just a few days ago, June 8, by Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium at 2021 on 11915.14 also clashing with BSKSA (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ New Perseus Databases 09062008 --- Tuesday, June 10, 2008 12:11 PM Hello Glenn, a new version of the Perseus databases is available at http://www.4shared.com/dir/5567845/166a39bd/sharing.html Included are the following updates: Niven 09062008 DXCP 02062008 vy 73 (Willi, DJ6JZ, Passmann, http://www.radio-portal.org/sdr.html SDR-Special June 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ NASB/US DRM MEETINGS VISIBLE, AUDIBLE MP3 files & power point presentations of May 2008 annual meeting of NASB and US DRM meeting is now available at NASB website : http://www.shortwave.org/mediafiles.htm (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, June 10, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING IBOC: see also BOLIVIA; USA ++++++++++++++++++++ DRM: see BOLIVIA; KUWAIT; VATICAN; just above DTV TRANSITION QUESTIONS Hello Glenn, Looks like after the Digital TV conversion the Champaign, IL area, channels 2 thru 4 are going to be clear. WCIA, analog channel 3 here in town has an application to switch their digital allocation to channel 5 and there is another application for a low-power digital on 6, but the three lower frequency channels look like they will be free. I have a few questions: 1. Will Mexico and Cuba be continuing to broadcast in analog, and can I still see them through the descrambler? and... 2. Will any of these new digital channel 6's cause any interference to any 88.1 FM stations? Thank you as always! (Eric Loy, DWS Sportsnight, WDWS Radio, Champaign IL, 217-351-5613, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Eric, I`m not the expert on this so am copying to Doug Smith. Mexico is moving toward digital but it looks like it will be many years before their transition is complete, altho likely to happen first along the border and maybe DF, other major cities. I haven`t heard anything about Cuba doing it. I expect they`ll be glad to keep analog while US goes digital and dentroCubans are less likely to be able to DX US TV stations. There`s been some discussion about whether set-top-boxes will pass analog signals that remain, and I am not sure of the answer, if there is one answer. No doubt it would be better to keep an analog-only TV running connected to an antenna for analog TV DX purposes. I know a lot of TV DXers are looking forward to next summer when all the countries around us will still be analog. 73, (Glenn to Eric, via DXLD) Yes, regarding Mexico continuing to broadcast in analog. They've begun the digital transition - there are a number of digital stations already on the air, mostly in Mexico City and areas along the U.S. border. However, they don't expect to transition totally to digital until 2020. I know almost nothing about plans for digital TV in Cuba (there was a rumor the other day that they'd selected a European digital TV standard not compatible with American sets. However, it's strictly a rumor and in any case didn't contain any information about *when* any digital conversion would happen). I think it's probably reasonable to assume analog TV will continue in Cuba for at least five more years and likely quite a bit longer. Regarding seeing them through the converter box, probably not. To my knowledge none of the converter boxes will receive analog signals themselves. A small number of models will pass analog signals through, allowing you to use the analog tuner in your TV set to get analog stations while using the converter box to get digital stations. This has been a point of controversy. In the U.S., low-power* stations do NOT have to convert by next February - viewers will not be able to receive those that don't convert. The easy fix is to use the audio/video outputs (the RCA cables) to connect the converter box to the TV, and to use a splitter (available at Radio Shack, Wal-Mart, and often Lowes & Home Depot) to connect the antenna to both the TV and the converter box. You then switch between analog and digital by using the "TV/Video" button on your remote. ``2. Will any of these new digital channel 6's cause any interference to any 88.1 FM stations?`` They shouldn't. Really, even with analog this hasn't been a serious problem. Digital stations are held to a strict "spectrum mask" - they are required to carefully restrict their signal to their assigned channel. With analog a bigger problem has been interference *from* 88.1 FM *to* TV (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) TV viewers at risk --- Not all stations going digital Low-power channels balk at costly switch Sunday, June 8, 2008 3:48 AM By Amy Saunders THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH About low-power stations Class A and low-power stations tend to serve smaller communities, and a translator station rebroadcasts the programs of a full-power station to areas that otherwise are too far away to receive them. These types of stations are not required to switch to digital broadcasting, and many will continue to broadcast in analog after February. Many converter boxes block analog signals, so consumers need to buy a box with "analog pass-through" capability if they want to watch analog stations. A list of converter-box models is available at http://www.ntiadtv.gov/cecb_list.cfm About a dozen stations in central Ohio might continue broadcasting in analog after February. Plugging in digital converter boxes can rescue old TVs from going dark next year, and they might cost some TV stations much of their audiences. Despite public-service announcements warning that all TV signals will be digital by February, only the nation's 1,800 full-power stations are required to make the transition. More than 7,000 Class A, low- power and translator TV stations, including about a dozen in central Ohio, can keep broadcasting in analog. But if those stations don't go digital, too, it's "absolutely suicide," said David Aiken, president of the Central Ohio Association of Christian Broadcasters. The nonprofit organization operates stations in Columbus, Delaware and Marion that are available only over-the-air, not on cable or via satellite. Those who rely on an antenna to watch TV are being encouraged to buy a converter box that will enable their sets to pick up a digital signal. The federal government is distributing 33.5 million coupons worth $40 each that can be used toward buying a box. But the majority of converter boxes -- 68 of the 86 models approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration -- also block analog signals from reaching the TV. So unless Aiken comes up with at least $135,000 to convert his channels to digital, he could lose every viewer who buys a converter box without "analog pass-through" capability. . . [more] http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2008/06/08/analog_TV.ART_ART_06-08-08_D1_6KADQJ9.html?sid=101 The association expects more than 18 models of analog pass-through boxes to be available later this summer. Only three were last fall, when the NTIA first released a list of manufacturers, alerting low- power stations that they could be blocked from their viewers. "It's ridiculous to us that (the converter-box program) could have gone this far," Herman said. "A simple adherence to practical thinking -- not having devices that block analog TV -- would solve these problems." (via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ NUMBERS STATION BINGO I have found a light-hearted game in this shape, at http://kevan.org/bingo.php This was invented in April 2008 and uses real number station codes read out from the Conet Project set of CDs, with an interactive bingo card for you to cross them off as you hear them. Almost as bizarre as the numbers stations themselves, but perhaps more fun and easier to understand its purpose! (Chris Brand, Webwatch, June BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) OVER THE HORIZON RADAR INTERFERENCE Very strong signals from ``woodpecker`` --- it seems to be from Cyprus, heard 9 May at 2000-2030 in the range 9935-9960 kHz and 12 May at 1107 on 9955 with shorter signals [? You mean narrower bandwidth, or for fewer minutes?]. OTH radar ``woodpecker`` transmitters are believed to beon air from Cyprus and Australia. Possibly also from Komsomolsk na Amure in Russia, beamed to China (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, May 15, BDCC-UK Communication via DXLD) CLASSIC AM FM TUBE RADIO, TR-1 FROM SANGEAN http://www.sangean.nl/English/Products/Leaflets/pr_TR-001_leaflet.pdf For 2008 a new tube radio. Alas, no longwave. I'd be willing to bet there is no tuned RF stage on MW (Brock Whaley, HI, DX LISENIG DIGEST) Really, or just a sham imitation? No specific specs given, nor price, but it`s 230V. It even says ``Tube Radio`` on the plate; no real tube radio ever did that (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And who's gonna repair this radio when it breaks? Oh right, I'll just take the tubes down to my 7-11 and use their vacuum tube tester. Its ad slick does however promise "classic magic eye tuning indication" which - if is like the 1953 Grundig you helped me restore, Brock - is actually a type of vacuum tube, right? It *could* be the radio's only tube if they'd set out to stretch the truth. And "high value spray finish." Is that like when ya pay an extra 50 cents over at the car wash? (tom roche, GA, ibid.) O well, nothing is worth repairing any more, so why not fill it with tubes, if any can be located (gh, DXLD) I have no idea what's inside. Just passing along the ad. It could be a sham. I know in China and Russia they still make export power pentodes like 6L6 tubes for guitar amps. I doubt, or haven't heard of, anyone making a new run of mixer pentagrid type tubes (6BE6/ 12BE6), or RF/IF amplifier tubes (6BA6/12BA6), or detector/ triodes (6AV6/12AV6) for that matter (Brock Whaley, HI, ibid.) FIRE BURNING IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, EVACUATIONS ORDERED 6/14/08 abc30.com: From report about the Martin Fire in Santa Cruz County, California: "'No internet, no radio, no TV, and luckily we have a short-wave. That is all that we were getting and it's our disaster,' said Laurie Babka, a nearby resident." http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/state&id=6205883 Shortwave is often mentioned in such disaster stories. I wonder: shortwave what? Receiver? Amateur transceiver? One of those wind-up emergency radios with shortwave but actually used to receive AM or FM? Some sort of VHF or UHF transceiver misnamed shortwave? A scanner mistakenly referred to as shortwave? If actually shortwave, what shortwave broadcast station, within the United States or abroad, would have any information of use to those affected by this fire? 73 (Kim Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ FLORIDA TRANS-PACIFICS [continued from 8-069] 6/09/08 --- Nothing great this AM - just the usual stuff. Audio none 3 1098; 2 1548, 1386, 1008w/sah, 882, 837, 702w/sah; 1 1296, 1115, 828, 693, 612, 567, 1512k, 648, 1638. Passive 23" spiral loop, modified 2010 (Ray Moore, Ft Myers, FL, NRC AM via DXLD) SUN GOES LONGER THAN NORMAL WITHOUT PRODUCING SUNSPOTS Montana State University hosted an international solar conference last week. The link below leads to a press release story they sent out. http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=5982 The home page for their Solar Physics folks is at: http://solar.physics.montana.edu/sol_phys/ (Kevin Mikell, June 10, NASWA yg via DXLD) Extremely low solar activity continues, with the effective sunspot number reaching just 2 units during the Monday morning hours local time in Havana, that is from 11 to 15 hours UT. All the world´s ionospheric vertical incidence sounders are registering a very weak ionosphere, due to the very low free electrons count per cubic centimeter, that is the yardstick used by scientists to measure ionization. Maximum useable frequencies at the peak times are not exceeding more than 25 megaHertz, and then this is happening for very short periods of time. So, if you happen to pick up DX signals on frequencies above 25 megaHertz, you can be sure that they are reaching you via the Sporadic E clouds that are typical of this time of the year and that have nothing to do with solar activity. ARNIE CORO´S DXERS UNLIMITED´S HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Very low solar activity, just one sunspot active region in sight, a lot of sporadic E skip all over the northern hemisphere, including great double, triple and even four hops propagation events (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, ODXA yg via DXLD) Geomagnetic field activity was at mostly quiet levels during 02 - 05 June. Activity increased to quiet to unsettled levels for the rest of the period. ACE solar wind measurements indicated a gradually subsiding recurrent high-speed stream was in progress at the start of the period. A peak solar wind velocity of 615 km/sec was detected at the start of the period. Velocities gradually decreased during 02 - 06 June with a low of 327 km/sec detected at 06/0213. A solar sector boundary crossing (away (+) to toward (-)) occurred at approximately 07/0900 UTC. The boundary crossing was associated with an increase in velocities (peak 551 km/sec at 07/1604 UTC), increased IMF Bt (peak 10 nT at 0856 UTC), and periods of mostly southward IMF Bz (minimum -7 nT at 07/0652 UTC). Velocities began to gradually decrease after 08/1400 UTC and reached a low of 302 km/sec by the close of the period. Forecast of Solar and Geomagnetic Activity 11 June - 07 July 2008 Solar activity is expected to be very low. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to reach high levels during 19 - 23 June. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet levels during 11 - 15 June. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels during 16 - 19 June due a recurrent coronal hole high-speed wind stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 20 - 24 June. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels during 25 - 28 June due to a recurrent coronal hole high-speed wind stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 29 June - 02 July. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels during 03 - 05 July due to recurrence. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during the last two days of the period. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2008 Jun 10 2053 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2008 Jun 10 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2008 Jun 11 70 5 2 2008 Jun 12 70 5 2 2008 Jun 13 70 5 2 2008 Jun 14 70 5 2 2008 Jun 15 70 5 2 2008 Jun 16 70 8 3 2008 Jun 17 70 10 3 2008 Jun 18 70 8 3 2008 Jun 19 68 8 3 2008 Jun 20 68 5 2 2008 Jun 21 68 5 2 2008 Jun 22 68 5 2 2008 Jun 23 68 5 2 2008 Jun 24 68 5 2 2008 Jun 25 68 8 3 2008 Jun 26 67 10 3 2008 Jun 27 67 8 3 2008 Jun 28 67 8 3 2008 Jun 29 67 5 2 2008 Jun 30 66 5 2 2008 Jul 01 66 5 2 2008 Jul 02 66 5 2 2008 Jul 03 66 8 3 2008 Jul 04 66 10 3 2008 Jul 05 66 8 3 2008 Jul 06 66 5 2 2008 Jul 07 68 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1412, DXLD) Solar-activity forecast for the period Jun 13 - 19, 2008 Activity level: very low Radio flux (10.7 cm): a fluctuation in the range 65-71 f.u. Flares: weak (0-3/period) Relative sunspot number: in the range 0-25 Astronomical Institute, Solar Dept., Ondrejov, Czech Republic e-mail: sunwatch(at)asu.cas.cz (RWC Prague) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Geomagnetic activity forecast for the period Jun 13 to Jun 19, 2008 quiet: Jun 13 quiet to unsettled: Jun 14 and 19 unsettled: Jun 15 to 18 active: 0 minor storm: 0 major storm: 0 severe storm: 0 Geomagnetic activity summary: geomagnetic field was quiet on Jun 5, 6, 9, 10 and 11, quiet to unsettled on Jun 8, unsettled on Jun 7. RWC Prague, Geophysical Institute Prague, Geomagnetic Dept, Czech Republic e-mail: geom(at)ig.cas.cz ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Geomagnetic activity forecast for the period of one solar rotation unsettled to active: Jun (17,) 18-20, 24, 28, Jul 4 active to disturbed: Jun (25,) 26-27, Jul 5-6 quiet: Jun 13-14, (15-16, 21,) 22-23, 29-30, Jul 1-3, 7-10 Survey: quiet on: Jun 4, 9-11 mostly quiet on: Jun 5 quiet to unsettled on: Jun 6 quiet to active on: Jun 7-8 Notice: Days in brackets refer to a lower probability of possible solar activity enhancements depending on previous developments on the sun. (F. K. Janda, OK1HH, Czech Propagation Interested Group, e-mail: franta.janda(at)quick.cz via WORLD OF RADIO 1413, DXLD) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ JOHN MCCAIN ANNOUNCES NEW FEDERAL DEPARTMENT June 6, 2008 - 5:27pm by Robert A. Kezelis DATELINE: Scottsdale AZ For months, the presumptive Republican Presidential nominee, John McCain, has been bedeviled by a continuing series of factual errors and misstatements. His top campaign staffers have announced the creation of a new Federal Department to deal with past, present and future errors. The Department of Special Explanations will open its doors the day of President McCain's inauguration. . . http://www.capitolhillblue.com/cont/node/8328 (via DXLD) ###