DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-071, June 20, 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 1413 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 ** ALAND ISLANDS. OH0B - MIDSUMMER IN ALAND ISLANDS, JUNE 19-22 Not many people have probably thought about the meaning of Midsummer for the folks up in Northern Europe and specifically those rituals that are related to Aland Islands. Maybe not even about the reason why OH0 ranks as another DXCC counter. Simply, Aland is a highly modern society of some 27,000 people and a dozen or so active hams. Also, it is home to three super stations stuck away at different points of the archipelago. To reach Aland Islands one needs to take a ferry from mainland Finland. See more details at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%85land_Islands It was 28 years ago when Martti, OH2BH and Leena, OH2BE visited the easternmost island of the Aland group - Brando - and fell in love with its beauty and remoteness plus the instant pileups always created from there. And that marked the beginning of what is now one of the well-known super stations frequently active with several callsigns. In terms of hardware, the latest addition there was an 80M beam that was put up last autumn. That particular occasion almost thirty years ago was the Midsummer celebration which is very special to these islands. This weekend Martti and Leena will be on that same mission, and you will hear OH0B activated mostly on 20M SSB. QSL via OH2BH. Midsummer celebration at: http://www.visitaland.com/en [OH2BN] (I.C.P.O. Bulletin (June 19 - 27, 2008) "Islands, Castles & Portable Operations" via editor Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. R. Tirana 1458 kHz? German service 1458 and 7465 kHz absent tonight! Hi dear Drita, Instead of German service program noted some Albanian MUSIC program instead today June 16th. Was the German language announcer/editor ill and absent of broadcasting house today ? Regards de Wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, June 16, via Drita Çiço, DXLD) Dear Wolfy, Due to recent radio/relays problems in Shijak radio station, e.g. 16 June, from 01:00 LT, instead it is broadcasted Radio Tirana First Program in Albanian, not only for RT German Program. Our Director and engineers are working hard to resolve the problem as soon as possible. We kindly apologize for the inconvenience. All the best from sunny warm Tirana, (Drita Çiço, ARTV-Head of Monitoring Center, RADIO TIRANA, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So also affected English Mediumwave transmissions: only Fllaka / 500 kW is on the air. Fllaka Dy transmetuesa qe operojne ne 3 frekuenca: 1215/1395/1458 kHz / Radio Tirana Foreign Service/TWR/CRI All the best from sunny warm Tirana, (Drita Çiço, ARTV-Head of Monitoring Center, RADIO TIRANA, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGOLA. 4950, 0517, R. Nacional poor with Portuguese talk, music 2/6. A longpath rarity here but evidence of a good DX night (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai, New Zealand, with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWE to NE and various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) 4950, RNA-Canal "A", Mulenvos, 1933-, 13 Jun, Portuguese, sports news; 25241; better on 14 Jun at 2215 (Carlos Gonçalves - POR) 7217, RNA-Canal "A" (?), Mulenvos, 2112-, 16 Jun, barely heard, talks in UNID language which didn't seem to be parallel to 945 kHz which I was unable to ascertain whether it was AGL or its neighbouring Portuguese speaking country STP; 14341, adj. QRM de VTN 7220 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. RADIO ANTARES: LA PRIMERA EMISORA DE PILAR EN LA AMPLITUD MODULADA --- Si bien la pujante ciudad de Pilar, en la provincia de Buenos Aires, cuenta con varias opciones en la frecuencia modulada, Radio Antares comenzó a transmitir en la onda media, empleando una frecuencia en la “X-band” o banda ampliada.- El pasado 24 de mayo de 2008, a las 12:30hs, inició sus emisiones oficiales - luego de un período de prueba de aproximadamente quince días – LRI 227 Radio Antares - AM 1650-, emisora comprometida con la defensa de la argentinidad, el revisionismo historiográfico y las tradiciones. Según informa el Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Históricas Juan Manuel de Rosas, en la inauguración se encontraron presentes el Dr. Norberto Chindemi, el Dr. Oscar J. Denovi, el Sr. Robin V. Mezquida, la Sra. Norma Helena Junco, el Sr. Miguel Angel Ramírez, el Dr. Eduardo Desiderio García, el Dr. Daniel Fernández, el Dr. Omar Kraiquer, el Sr. Marcelo Castillo – Vicepresidente del Concejo Deliberante de Pilar -, el Sr. Zarich – concejal de Pilar -, la Sra. María Cristina Tempini y el R.P Hugo Acuña, quien bendijo las instalaciones. Esta nueva emisora confirma los fines que el Instituto se propuso entre ellos la divulgación de una historia que no es otra cosa que “la presencia del pasado en el presente, para proyectar en el futuro” como dijera el maestro Vicente Sierra, pensamiento que es actual en el presente año en que se cumplen setenta años de la existencia de esta Institución. El Licenciado Luciano Gentile, de Santa Fe, informó a El Mundo de la Radio de la existencia de esta nueva emisora, cuyo eslogan, según reporta nuestro colaborador, es “La radio de la familia”. El Licenciado Gentile también nos informa que la emisora estaría transmitiendo con una potencia de cinco kilovatios (Luciano Gentile, para El Mundo de la Radio, via Arnaldo Slaen, June 17, condiglist yg via DXLD) So not a pirate if it has a callsign (gh, DXLD) ** ASCENSION. BBC TO USE WIND POWER FOR ASCENSION ISLAND SHORTWAVE STATION --- In an article which will bring a smile to the faces of diehard shortwave listeners, The Economist writes: “Short-wave’s retreat has slowed. Though the BBC’s World Service uses around 15 different technologies to reach its listeners, short-wave is still king: latest figures, published last week, show 105m of its 182m-strong global audience still listen that way, the majority of them in Africa. In Nigeria the short-wave audience even grew slightly last year. That’s not going to change soon: the BBC is upgrading its transmitters on Ascension Island (to be powered, greenly, by a new wind farm). Mike Cronk, a BBC bigwig, says the business case was “compelling”. Read the complete article [see UK for link] (June 20th, 2008 - 9:39 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. 6230 (USB), VMW (Australia Weather West), *1400-1418*, June 20, at 1355 short announcement (full ID and frequencies for VMW: 4149, 6230, 8113, 12363 and 16528 and also for VMC: 2201, 4426, 6507, 8176, 12365 and 16546), ToH marine weather conditions and forecast, gives wind conditions (knots) and pressure (hectopascals), almost good reception, // 8113 USB (fair). Website: http://www.bom.gov.au/marine/marine_weather_radio.shtml 6507 (USB), VMC (Australia Weather East), *1400-1420*, June 20, marine weather conditions and forecast, gale warnings for Tasmania, almost good reception, // 8176 USB (fair), stayed on longer than VMW (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. Re 8-070: >> The question is what ``check`` means! In English it can mean stop, or it can mean try out, verify << Which appears to be the best possible verbatim translation of "überprüfen", as it was used in this case. The head of the ORF trust did his best to avoid frank statements when interviewed for the referenced article, and what he said is quite technocratic. I think "überprüfen" means that they will discuss whether or not they will close down the shortwave and/or mediumwave services. This not necessarily implies any closer examination of their usefulness. For shortwave it is not really new; rumours about a possible closure arose already in last year, back then an ORF spokesperson gave the carefully worded statement that "this is not a plan by the management at present". But a possible closure of mediumwave, too, is indeed news. In fact ORF had already abandoned mediumwave at yearend 1994, but in March 1997 they revived 1476 with a very special service, still including Radio Afrika International which is no longer on shortwave since ROI ceased to exist in 2003. During the Kosovo war they even reactivated the 600 kW Brown Boveri transmitter, under big difficulties (capacitors blew etc.) since it was off for more than four years. At present 1476 is on air 18:00-00:08 local time (UT = 1600-2208 summer / 1700-2308 winter) with a 100 kW Thomson M2W transmitter, running at reduced power of 60 kW: http://www.hcrs.at/BSBG.HTM (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BENIN. 5025, ORTB, Parakou, 0926-, 12 Jun, French, talks, still perceivable at 1300!; audio back as normal, rated 45333 at 2125; 15441. 5025, ORTB, Parakou, 1609-1640, 17 Jun, French, newscast till 1624, songs; 25442 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BIAFRA [non]. Biafraland missing? It`s time for weekly hour V. of Biafra International, Fri 20-21 UT. Has been on WHRI 17650 and still sked there per WHR and VOBI websites, but nothing audible here. Propagation? Greenville is inbooming on 17895. Nothing on 15280, supposedly replacing 17650 in June; only weak WHRI signal on 15665 with other programming, I think. Please check these and tune around for other possible VOBI channel (Glenn Hauser, OK, 2010 UT June 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos Glenn, cuando son las 2020 estoy escuchando emisión en 17650, un hombre con comentarios y ha empezado emisión musical, regae africano??, mucho ruido y mala señal, SINPO 24232. No puedo determinar que se trate de la Voz de Biafra, pero intuyo que se trate de ella. JMR. [later:] 17650 Voice of Biafra, escuchada en inglés desde las 2020, comentarios, emisión de música regae africano, escuchada la identificación, ha mejorado la señal, SINPO 24332 (José Miguel Romero, Spain, ibid.) ** BOLIVIA. 4409.8, R. Virgen de los Remédios, Tupiza, 2300-2309, 14 Jun, Castilian, religious program, announcements & music; 25241. 4451.2, R. Stª Ana, Stª Ana del Yacuma, 2215-2226, 16 Jun, Castilian, talks (seemingly some religious program); 13341, adjacent utility QRM (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So Virgen is no longer on 4005v, or does it jump back and forth? (gh, DXLD) see also VATICAN 4865, R. Logos, Stª Cruz de la Sierra, 2122-2134, 15 Jun, English, talks; 24241 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) How much English, and on what schedule? (gh) ** BOLIVIA. 5952.49, Fairly respectable reception of presumed Emisora Pio XII at 0212 UT June 18 with a woman speaking in Spanish, interspersed with musical bridges. I have to use USB to avoid splatter from WYFR relay of RTI, but it's not much of a problem. It's been fun testing several receivers. So far they are virtually identical. I'm having difficulty picking a best receiver, but perhaps the Icom 756Pro2 has the edge, but by the slimmest of margins. Other receivers, all very good were the AOR 7030+ (normally my number one receiver when the going gets tough, the Perseus SDR and SDR-IQ, and finally the WinRadio 313e. I really couldn't tell much difference between any of them. The radio station seemed to suddenly go off around 0227 without any announcements or NA. Darn! We still have another couple of hours before it gets dark. The signal was improving right up to sign-off (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 3235, R. Globo, Marília SP, 2133-2138, 13 Jun, talks, advertisements, IDs (simply as “Rádio Globo”, not “R. Globo-Santos”), music; parallel to 5940 & 5045; 15231 but fair on 16 Jun at 2215. 4825, R. Educadora, Bragança PA, 2119-2136, 12 Jun, Portuguese grammar lesson, ID + frequencies at 2130, slogan "A Voz Católica da Família Paranaense", music; 45333. 4825, R. Canção Nova, Cachoeira Paulista SP, 2120-2128, 12 Jun, religious program; 32331, QRM de R. Educadora, B. 4974.8, R. Mundial, Osasco SP, 2212-2219, 14 Jun, ballads; 25331. 5045, R. Globo, Presidente Prudente SP, 2131-2140, 13 Jun, talks, advertisements, IDs; 25341 but better on 14 Jun at 2140; parallel to 5940 (worse), 3235 (poor). 5940, R. Globo, Guarujá SP, 2123-2132, 13 Jun, advertisements, IDs simply as "R. Globo!", talks; 15431; parallel to 5045, 3235. 5980, R. Guarujá, Florianópolis SC, 2114-, 13 Jun, news program "Vanguarda [sic] Notícias" until 2125, advertisements, then "Guarujá Desporto"; 34433, adjacent QRM. 5990, R. Senado, Parque do Rodeador, Brasília DF, 2156-2200*, 11 Jun, senate report followed by abrupt closure at the start of "A Voz do Brasil" national news magazine; 55444. 6080.1, R. Nova de Paz, Curitiba PR, 2226-2229, 14 Jun, dramatised religious program; 33442, QRM de China; parallel to 9515. 6135, R. Aparecida, Aparecida SP, 2159-2205, 11 Jun, program announcements, ID, "A Voz do Brasil" news; 35433, blocked by R. República at 2200. 6135, R. Aparecida, Aparecida SP, 2143-, 12 Jun, program "Pé na Estrada"; 43442, QRM de CRI in English; parallel to 5035, 9630, 11855 the last of which was very good. 6135, R. Aparecida, Aparecida SP, 0850-f/out 0920, 14 Jun, folk songs program "O Ar do Sertão"; 25442. 9505, R. Record, São Paulo SP, 2135-2151, 11 Jun, program about football; 34443, QRM de CUBA in French Creole to the Caribbean. 9505, R. Record, São Paulo SP, 1345-, 12 Jun, phone-ins, ads, etc.; 25432 and still audible at 1500. 11815, R. Brasil Central, Goiânia GO, 1348-1520, 12 Jun, music dedication program, news program “Correspondente Brasil Central”, football news at 1500; 25432, very good on 17 Jun at 1430. 11815, R. Brasil Central, Goiânia GO, 1942-2109, 13 Jun, religious program, news at 2100, advertisements; 44433, heterodyne with REE via Costa Rica still off channel which I believe is not a mere question of transmitter misalignment but deliberate (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Many more of his Brazilian and other logs appear in full in the dxldyg ** BRAZIL. Re 8-070, 6104.8 --- I'm quite sure it was Radio Filadélfia - ID was clear enough. I was jumping up and down when I heard the ID, then had to double check that I had the right frequency. It was way down on my list of possibilities. LSB was to separate it from something else (very weak) presumably BBC. Here, BBC was hardly audible at that time. It is strange that you were hearing the opposite, although that happens with Jim Ronda [OK] and me sometimes (Mark Taylor, WI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL, 9669.6v; R. Cultura, São Paulo-SP, 2004, 12/06, P, news SP [what does SP mean here? surely not Spanish nor São Paulo]; ID, música MPB [?], com Narrow ligado e até 9666.9v; S-2 (ROGILDO FONTENELLE ARAGÃO, QUILLACOLLO, BOLIVIA, SONY ICF-2001D / LOWE HF- 225E, ANT: LW 26M - RGP1, @tividade DX via DXLD) Nominal 9615, but has been jumping/varying all over the place, previously below 9615 (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL [non]. Re 8-070, My item about the documentary Brasil Rising, which I also posted to two Brazilian DX groups on June 15, has prompted absolutely zero response as of June 20 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Good shows fall by the wayside as CBC Radio goes into summer season, and among them this year is Search Engine. The June 19 edition is the last. Host Jesse Brown explained at the end that CBC is quite satisfied with the show, so much so that from September, Jesse gets to contribute SE-type material to the flagship CBC news shows --- but no more Search Engine. He says the podcast and blog will continue, but only by him, as the program staff is being eliminated. This will allow him to do it in his underpants. Gave his address for comments, jesse.brown @ cbc.ca Strangely enough, I see nothing about the show`s termination at the CBC website of it, http://www.cbc.ca/searchengine/ (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CBC Radio One has posted its summer schedule at: http://www.cbc.ca/radiosummer/ Some intriguing options: Crossing Boundaries --- Tuesdays at 3:30 pm, Wed. at 11:30 am A 30-minute program featuring the best documentaries from public broadcasters around the world. Global Perspectives --- Fridays at 9:30 am Eight public broadcasters from around the world have collaborated on this series of documentaries on the theme of escape. Each program gives a flavour of local concerns in national radio style. World of Mystery --- Wednesdays at 11pm, Fridays at 11:30am International Radio drama at its most mysterious. We share mysteries from the BBC World Service, Radio New Zealand, Ireland, Australia and the U.S. DNA Files --- Mondays at 8:00pm A documentary series from National Public Radio which explores the science of genetics and its ethical, social and legal implications. Lots of comedy and other domestic programs as well. Looks like some great radio this summer (Fred Waterer, June 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Here`s the lineup of some of major variety blox, effective June 23: 9:30 am local [webcast 1230/1330/1430/1530/1630 UT] Mon Alien Nation Tue The Late Show Wed Diet for a Hungry Planet Thu Between You and Me Fri Global Perspectives Sat White Coat, Black Art 11:00 am local [1400/1500/1600/1700/1800 UT] Sat Irrelevant Show Sun The Late Show 11:30 am local [1430/1530/1630/1730/1830 UT] Mon White Coat, Black Art Tue ReVision Quest Wed Crossing Boundaries Thu Mashup Fri World of Mystery Sat Age of Persuasion Sun The Debaters 7:30 pm local [2230/2330/0030/0130/0230 UT] Mon Diet for a Hungry Planet Tue Mashup Wed Alien Nation Thu Irrelevant Show Fri ReVision Quest (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Re: ``Toronto`s L-band digital radio stations gone, except for CBC cluster`` --- If it is of interest: The technical term for that is ensemble (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 6030, 0656, CFVP Calgary sneaked through 2/6 during Radio Martí’s Monday silent period. Initially very weak but able to make out announcements and country music vocals over 10 minute period. Frequency seems to be just above 6030, was best on East EWE (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai, New Zealand, with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWE to NE and various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** CANADA. 2598 kHz, 0940, Canadian Coast Guard, VON, St John`s, Nfld, Gale warnings for Grand Banks. Ice pressures, Ice drift and speed. Request for ice sightings, direction and speed. 2749, 0800, Canadian Coast Guard, VCS, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Weather Bay of Fundy, lists of longitudes and latitudes location of strings of crab pots. Both VON and VCS have been heard since March (Neville McKenty, Napier, New Zealand, JRC NRD with numerous antennas, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) Nice catches, but surely March at latest for the ice stuff. Dates are deleted from all ute loggings, why? (gh, DXLD) ** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. 7220, R. Centrafricaine (presumed), Bimbo, 1539-1605, 17 Jun, African pops; underneath an unID in Arabic; 12441 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHAD. 7120, RD. Nationale Tchadienne, Grevia, 1119-1345, 12 Jun, French, tribal songs, talks; 25332; rated 35433 on 17 Jun at 1530 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHAD. Per recent DXplorer logs of RNT-Chad, 7120, the following may be of interest and worth monitoring. NDJAMENA, Chad (AFP) - Chadian rebels seized a second town Sunday as they headed west towards their stated objective, the capital, but government authorities dismissed its capture as a publicity stunt. . . http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080615/wl_afp/chadunrestrebels (Scott Barbour, NH, DXplorer June 16 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** CHINA. The Firedrake is back on 20 meters Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1610 - June 20, 2008 The so-called Firedrake intruder is back on 20 meters. ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, says that he has received reports from Intruder Watch monitors in Texas, Montana, West Virginia, Massachusetts, Colorado, Washington, Nevada and Pennsylvania hearing the mainland-China based jammer on 14010 and 14070 kHz. Hams in IARU Region 1 have heard the jammer on 14000, 14005, 14010, 14030, 14050, 14050 [sic] and 14090 kHz. According to one Region 1 monitor, the jammer originates from Chinese government transmitters in an attempt to block out the Sound of Hope short wave broadcasts. Skolaut said he heard it on 14070 at 1500 Eastern time on June 6th from ARRL HQ. The FCC's High Frequency Direction Finding facility in Columbia, Maryland. also has heard the Firedrake jammer. It has sent a harmful interference report to the Chinese government but has no authority to make intruder stations outside the US to stop transmitting on Amateur Radio frequencies. Such situations typically are dealt with through diplomatic channels. The last time the Firedrake jammer was heard in the ham bands was about two years ago (ARRL [sic] via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CHINA. 6060, Sichuan PBS, 1346-1358, June 18, in Chinese with radio drama, fair, // 9740, almost fair with BBC QRM. Both 7225 and 12015 unheard as covered by QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CONGO DR [non]. SUDAFRICA, 11890, Radio Okapi, 1645-1657, escuchada el 17 de junio en Lingala a locutor con comentarios y conversación con invitado, emisión de música melódica; se aprecia fuerte zumbido en la emisión, hay que templar a 11889 para evitarlo. Desde las 1650 la emisión es francés con locutor en posible boletín de noticias, referencias a Uganda, termina a las 1654 y continua en lingala hasta final de emisión, referencias al Congo y Ruanda, cortan emisión de forma abrupta, SINPO 44444 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So is that jamming? ** COSTA RICA. 980 AM Radio Alajuela arrasado por tromba de agua. --- CABEZA DE AGUA ARRASÓ RADIO ALAJUELA http://www.nacion.com/ln_ee/2008/junio/18/sucesos1583502.html Alajuela. Los fuertes aguaceros que cayeron ayer en la tarde en Alajuela provocaron varias inundaciones en el cantón. Incluso, una cabeza de agua arrasó la emisora local Radio Alajuela. Según testigos, minutos antes de las 4 p. m. un muro de contención cedió, lo que dio paso a gran cantidad de agua proveniente de un desagüe y arrastró varios carros. Todo impactó contra las instalaciones de la emisora y destruyó el equipo de transmisión. Tres automóviles resultaron dañados. Siete empleados de la radio que estaban en ese momento en las instalaciones resultaron ilesos. “Estamos acostumbrados a reportar a diario este tipo de incidentes, pero hoy (ayer) nos tocó vivirlo en carne propia”, expresó Ramiro Rodríguez, jefe de programación de Radio Alajuela. La emisora, que en el momento del suceso se encontraba haciendo un llamado de alerta por las fuertes lluvias, quedó fuera del aire por tiempo indefinido. Otros sectores de Alajuela también sufrieron. Una casa se inundó en el distrito San José, se debió cerrar el paso por el puente de la arrocera, y las calles quedaron intransitables por la gran cantidad de agua en el barrio El Arroyo. Otros torrentes invadieron el paisaje urbano en Desamparados, Invu Las Cañas, Guadalupe, Pueblo Nuevo y El Coyol (via José Miguel Romero2, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CUBA. 530 is nowhere as loud here as it was at my old location in the Austin area; I expected it to be louder here at the coast. I suspect it has something to do with their antenna pattern, but has anyone else noticed a reduced signal level on this station? (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ June 17, ABDX via DXLD) ** CUBA. DentroCuban Jamming Command still running residual pulses on 7365, June 19 at 1258 check, tho WHRI Cuban music tests are no longer there. OTOH, RHC missing from 9550, June 19 at 1316; all the other frequencies on 11, 12, 13 and 15 MHz were on as usual. DentroCuban Jamming Command is crazy, jamming frequencies with nothing on them. A quick bandscan June 20 at 0615 found the same raspy pulsing at the rate of two per second on these frequencies: 9840, 11775, and by 0622 also on 7365, 6100. I did not use a second receiver to see if they were synchronized, but probably were. As recently pointed out, 6100 is used at other times, only two hours a day, by R. República, and was also testing Cuban music later in the night from WHRI. 7365 is R. Martí at other hours and formerly Cuban music via WHRI until 1500. 11775 is R. Martí, only earlier in the evening. But 9840? No targets known there, but since it is a WHRI frequency, currently available at 1300-2000 per HFCC, I suspect this points to yet another previous Cuban music test we may have missed. Checked at 1752, 9840 was on with usual WHRI gospel rock music fill (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DJIBOUTI. 4780, 0258, Radio Djibouti with tone test, anthem at s/on, announcements in Arabic type language [Afar?], followed by Qur`an. Later a speech, possibly political, carried. Poor signal but still audible 0405 though deteriorating 4 June. Probably my farthest longpath DX on 60 metres (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai, New Zealand, with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWE to NE and various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 6250, RNGE/R. Malabo, Malabo, 1300-1540 (no, I am not mistaken about the time), 16 Jun, perceivable carrier, then audio too at around 1400, Castilian, Spanish songs, long newscast at 1500, then inaudible at 1700 (!); 15341 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. R. Africa, 15190, received an email from Robin M. Boggs (Pan American Broadcasting): "We have received many sporadic reception reports from the United States and Europe, receiving this phenomenal signal… During our technical upgrades early 2008, our transmitter was being upgraded to incorporate a stronger and clearer signal… We are going to be implementing additional technical upgrade work on the tower in the next 2 months, this will allow our programming to expand in hours." (Ron Howard, June 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) How vague; upgraded how, exactly? (gh, DXLD) ** ERITREA. 7100, 0357, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea with interval signal, idents, fair and clear until obliterated by Ethiopian jammer at 0402. Back here since 23/5 after period of absence. 7175, 0358, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea with interval signal 25/5, equal strength with co-channel Radio Liberty. Completely covered by Ethiopian jamming from 0400 sign-on (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai, New Zealand, with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWE to NE and various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. What was almost certainly Ethiopia was also peaking up to S2+ around 0700 on about 9704.2, causing a heterodyne, with typical Horn of Africa music, then talk after 0700, while the External Service was on about 9559.65, but varying, after 0700. There was no trace of // 7165 or of tentative ERITREA 7175 or any other HoA stations (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. Pirates --- 1646.3, UNID (...zender), almost surely HOLLAND, 2201-, 13 Jun, Dutch, folk music; 35342. 1662, R. Barones, HOLLAND, 2130-..., 16 Jun, Dutch/English, music, mentioning reception reports, IDs; 35343. 3218, UNID Greek, 2207-, 16 Jun, talks; distorted audio; carrier+LSB; 25342. 3905.5, Zender Zanussi (tentative), HOLLAND, 2140-2210, 13 Jun, Dutch, polkas & Dutch folk music; 15331; also 14 Jun at approx. same UTC when rated 35333. 3930, Antonio R (tentative), HOLLAND (?), 2143-2230, 14 Jun, polkas & Tirol-like songs, oldies; 25332. 4025, Laser Hot Hits, Great Britain (or Ireland?), 2211-2230, 16 Jun, English, music, IDs; 35332 which is about the best I’ve ever got on this LHH frequency (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. Radio Midnight Sun: 21 hours UT this evening June 20 starts 24 hours transmission of Radio Midnight Sun's on 1602, 5980/6170 and 11690/11720 kHz. Happy listening friends, (Alpo Heinonen, Scandinavian Weekend Radio, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. RADIO FRANCIA INTERNACIONAL --- UNA HUELGA AFECTA NUESTRA PROGRAMACIÓN --- Artículo publicado el 17/06/2008; Ultima reactualización 17/06/2008 09:49 TU http://www.rfi.fr/actues/articles/102/article_8231.asp La programación de Radio Francia Internacional se verá seriamente perturbada entre el martes y las primeras horas del jueves 19 de junio por dos huelgas que afectan al servicio audiovisual público. El martes, los sindicatos manifiestan su oposición a los planes gubernamentales de modificación de la jornada laboral de 35 horas y el régimen de jubilación, mientras que el miércoles los gremios de radio y televisión que dependen del Estado protestan contra el nuevo proyecto de financiación de su sector. A partir del martes 17 de junio y hasta las primeras horas del jueves 19, las emisiones de RFI se verán afectadas por una huelga de 48 horas. El martes cuatro gremios encabezados por la CGT, primer sindicato de Francia, protestan contra los proyectos gubernamentales para modificar semana laboral de 35 horas y el régimen de pensiones. Los dirigentes de estas organizaciones esperan lograr una movilización nacional superior a la del 22 de mayo, cuando 700.000 personas se manifestaron a través de todo el país. Las medidas de fuerza empezaron a perturbar en la mañana del martes el transporte público y algunas emisoras radiales, entre ellas RFI. El miércoles, la huelga estará a cargo de los trabajadores del audiovisual público, que expresarán sus preocupaciones frente a la reorganización de la radio y televisión del Estado. El gobierno de Nicolas Sarkozy anunció la supresión de la publicidad en los canales estatales, lo que privará al sistema estatal de 810 millones de euros por año, a los que se agregarían otros 400 millones de ahorro en concepto de remodelación de la programación. Para redefinir la futura financiación, una comisión especial a cargo del diputado Jean-François Copé redactará las conclusiones de su informe el miércoles, publicándolas el 25 de junio. Los sindicatos temen que el servicio audiovisual se vea fragilizado en detrimento de lacompetencia privada, que recibiría con gusto el dinero perdido de la publicidad estatal. (Para más información, ver el Tema del Día preparado por Braulio Moro.) (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, June 17, dxldyg via DXLD) FRANCIA. Hoy 18 de julio me dispongo ha realizar un chequeo de las emisiones de RFI, está proyectada para el día de hoy una huelga de los medio públicos franceses que incluye a RFI. Se observa sin señal en 15300 vía Issoudon con servicio programado de 0700 a 2000; tampoco hay señal en la frecuencia de 17620, ni en 17850. Monitoreado a las 1605 UT. Otro chequeo posterior a las 1714: se observa una emisión musical en 13695 muy interferida por el servicio en árabe de Family Radio en 13700; la señal es pobre. Emisión en paralelo por 15300. Se aprecia música afro-pop; sin embargo no hay emisión en 17620. Tampoco capto servicio en portugués por 11785. En esta frecuencia también emiten la misma música (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. 4777, RD. TV Gabonaise / "R. Gabon, Melen, 1843-1900*, 12 Jun, French, African pops; 45443. 7270, RD. TV Gabonaise / "R. Gabon", Melen, 0916-1340, 12 Jun, French, talks, African pops; 25432 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Radio Gloria Internation[al?] this Sunday [June 22] Date 22nd of June 2008, Time 1200 to 1300 UT, Channel 6140 kHz The transmissions of Radio Gloria will be broadcast over the transmitting station Wertachtal in Germany. The transmitter power will be 100 000 Watts, and we will be using a non-directional antenna system (Quadrant antenna). Good listening 73s (Tom Taylor, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. During the Olympics, Norddeutscher Rundfunk will produce an ARD-Olympiaradio for all ARD members. It will be on air daily from 0300 UT until the late afternoon. No detailled frequency information is available yet, but it appears that it will be carried by the mediumwave transmitters of Norddeutscher Rundfunk (702/792/828/972), Radio Bremen (936), Saarländischer Rundfunk (1179), Hessischer Rundfunk (594) and probably also Westdeutscher Rundfunk (720/774). Deutschlandradio will relay the ARD-Olympiaradio as well, "on mediumwave or longwave", which should mean some frequencies on both wavelengths (maybe 153 and 990, but that's just a wild guess). http://www.ard.de/intern/presseservice/-/id=8058/nid=8058/did=820468/1ctlnvn/index.html (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GIBRALTAR. 1458 kHz, R. Gibraltar, Wellington Front, 1315-1425, 16 Jun, Castilian, advertisements, quiz songs, English later at 1400; 45454 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Dear Friend Babis: I think Avlis 3, 9420 KHz., has finally gotten rid of the noise and is back up to full strength; what about Avlis 2? Regards, (John Babbis, MD, June 17, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ERT Athens Avlis 3rd transmitter still missing, lasts since May 28th (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, June 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: I asked Demetri Vafeas about the problem with the Avlis 2 transmitter. This is his reply: Thank you John for informing me. Regarding Avlis, there is the hope that the damage will be fixed by the end of the month. Let's hope. Best regards, Demetri (via John Babbis, June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Third transmitter on air again on June 20th, was silent since May 28th. At 1420 UT logged ERT in Greek on 9420 + 15630 kHz, and ERA 3 Thessaloniki relay on 9935 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUINEA. 7125, R. Guinée, Sonfonya, 1347-1450, 17 Jun, French, program of African songs, African pops after 1400, talks on youth and education; muffled audio during speech, not when music was played; 35333. Better reception now via a still very short 5th Beverage beamed 180º which despite being very short does make a difference relatively to the 300 m Beverage at 225º (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. No already “Buzzy” from Saudi Arabia but there is from AIR in Russian 1610-1715 on fundamental 15140 and buzz on 15190-15195 kHz on June 1st. Indian folk songs are well received here (when absents Greek pirate) on MW 1566 \\ 9425 kHz at 1910 June 1st and at 2320 UT on June 2nd (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, June 13, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 19 via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 4790.03, RRI Fak Fak, 1243-1311, June 18, in BI, EZL pop songs, ToH singing jingle, song of Coconut Isles, R.R.I. ID, news, fair with light CODAR QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. Really amazed that after more than a week RRI 9680 remains off the air, at least from 0800 to 1400 when most noticeable here. Not even our more “fiebre” Indonesian reporter Ron Howard hasn’t expressed a word. Or must be they changed frequency and I’m missing something. As I posted from last Friday, only VOI 9526 is available on the same time period. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Raúl, In the past RRI-Jakarta (9680) was the most reliable of all the Indonesian stations, but can recall them being off for short periods before, although more than a week is indeed very unusual. The best time for my reception was always 1000-1100, as Taiwan and Firedrake signed on at 1100, effectively covering this frequency for me. Must confess that since I confirmed that their Kang Guru Radio English program is no longer on the air from 1000 to 1020, I never tune in now, but will do so to hear if I can get anything. Thanks for the alert (Ron Howard, CA, June 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. Older staffers at RRI's VOI dismayed at lack of foreign- language skills by younger broadcasters --- The following link to a UCLA AsiaMedia website web page may be of interest to you: http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=93772 (via dxfool, DXLD) Viz.: OLD RADIO HANDS REUNITE, FAULT GAP IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE SKILL Voice of Free Indonesia announcers and colleagues gather for the station's 62nd anniversary --- Jakarta Post, Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Former radio announcers of the Voice of Free Indonesia (VOFI) have criticized contemporary announcers for their low proficiencies in foreign languages, especially English. "They must improve their language skills because the radio programs are broadcast all over the world," Zuraida "Ida" Rosihan Anwar said here Monday. "Most announcers used to speak more than one foreign language like Dutch, English, French and German, fluently. Today, I see current announcers have limited capacity to speak foreign languages. They should train more," said Ida, who speaks English and Dutch. Ida, 84, was one of the VOFI's first announcers. She was speaking at a talk show to celebrate the spirit of independence in conjunction with the radio station's 62nd anniversary with several of her former colleagues. "I really enjoyed broadcasting even though I was just a part-time announcer at the VOFI. During the day I worked as an editorial secretary at the Kedaulatan Rakyat daily newspaper in Yogyakarta, while I worked at the radio in the evening," said Ida, who is wife of senior journalist Rosihan Anwar. She said the establishment of the VOFI was initiated by 15 people, including Suryo Diputro, Hayi, Budiman, John Senduk, Wiarto and Ganis Harsono, in 1946. Eleven of the 15 have died, while those still alive include Ida, Nani, Susanti and Des Alwi. The VOFI broadcast in four languages -- Dutch, English, French and Indonesian. It took part in boosting the spirit of the nation in the struggle to defend the country's independence, and could be heard in countries as far away as Europe. In 1950, the VOFI became a part of the Voice of Indonesia, or Suara Indonesia, the international program of the state-owned radio broadcasting station Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI). Today, the VOI broadcasts 24 hours a day (14 hours through terrestrial and Internet programming, with 10 hours on radio Internet only) in 10 languages -- Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Indonesian, Korean, Malay and Spanish. Des Alwi, who was VOFI technical division head, suggested the VOI improve its transmitter. "It should have a more powerful transmitter to reach faraway areas and produce great sound quality," he said. Alwi, Ida and other former VIFO staffers like Mien Soedarpo Sastrosatomo and Susanti Pudjo looked excited as they met with their old friends. They shared hugs and laughter, chatting in Dutch and English. "I was so excited and happy being here. They are still great even though they are more than 80 years old. It reminds me of our struggle in developing the VOFI during the colonial era in the 1940s when we were much younger," Santi, 86, said. She used to announce news daily in English and Indonesian at the VOFI. "I often went home at midnight when I was working as an announcer but it was not a big deal. I really enjoyed working at the VOFI because I could make a lot of friends there," she said. "We were happy even though the salary was quite small. Luckily, the radio station often provided lunch or dinner for us," she said. Santi had been through the sweetness and bitterness of the VOFI. She said they often moved because they faced threats from the Dutch government who wanted to reinstate its rule in the country. Date Posted: 6/17/2008 (via AsiaMedia via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. ACB Radio Mainstream’s schedule has changed. World of Radio still airs on Fridays, but less often. Following are airtimes in UT: * Friday 0300 * Friday 0800 * Friday 1300 * Friday 1800 * Friday 2300 Please use the following URL: http://www.acbradio.org/mainstream ACB Radio should be written with a space (i.e. “ACB Radio”) Cheers and thanks, (Geoff Shang, ACB Radio, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. Galei Zahal, 15785 missing for the 2nd subsequent day, June 17 & 18 (Wolfgang Büschel, June 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also 6975v has been silent (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) Army radio Galei Zahal is back on air exact 15785.00 shortwave, checked around 1040 UT, June 19 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) And the parallel 6973 also audible when checking at 1540 (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) Yes, noted on 6973.00 at 1620 UT S=3 weak in Germany, S=6 at 1755 UT. June 19 (Büschel, ibid.) The suspicion being that when GZ manages to land on a double-naught exact frequency, it is really via former IBA SW transmitters (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Wolfi, 15785 Galei Zahal, 1319-1322, escuchada el 19 de junio en hebreo a locutor con comentarios e ID “Galei Zahal”, emisión de música, “..halep shalom, shalom halep.” SINPO 45544. 73 (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY. 26000, R. Maria, Andrate, 1359-1630, 12 Jun, children’s quiz, phone-ins, Heidi songs, etc., rosary heard later; 25443; audible as early as 0930 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) By Sporadic E, no doubt. And evidently STILL not in DRM, its original raison d`être. Anyhow SWBC LIVES within Italy! (gh, DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. WORLD OF RADIO VIA SLOVAKIA --- A reminder that WORLD OF RADIO is supposed to start today Friday via IPAR at 1930 UT on 7290. Will appreciate reports from Europe and vicinity; especially concerned about how bad the adjacent channel QRM may be. Thanks, (Glenn, June 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WoR at 1930, SINPO 44554 - 43553 here in France. CRI is on 7295 and causes interferences especially when they play music. Regards (Jean- Michel Aubier, France, ibid.) Dear Glenn, You can find in attach a mp3 file recorded tonight at 1935-1937 UT of your program via IRRS on 7290 kHz. Reception in Milan was good with some interferences from China Radio on 7295 kHz. My receiver is JRC 525 with a wire antenna. Best 73, (Gigi Nadali, Milan, Italy, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos Glenn, aquí en Valencia la estoy captando con un SINPO 43443, se aprecia mucha interferencia de CRI en inglés emitiendo por 7295. JMR (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WoR heard here in Karlsborg, Sweden, SINPO 54534 with a Sony ICF-SW55; interior antenna. No problem with QRM from CRI on 7295. 73 (Eric SM6JSM Lund, ibid.) Down here in the South Pacific, World of Radio on 7290 noted with good readability at 1945 tune-in. Here too CRI English on 7295 is the major adjacent signal, but listening on LSB largely avoided them. This is a good time for us to hear WOR - thanks Glenn! (Bryan Clark, Mangawhai - NZ, ibid.) Tnx, everyone for your quick responses! (gh) ** JAMAICA. FM Es Jamaica to SC MUF 108+++ I'm logging almost every Jamaican station from bottom to top of the dial. MUF 108+++ at 1950 EDT - very potent Es Cloud. [later:] FM Es Jamaica/Cuba/Cayman Is to SC still in very strong at 2043 EDT -- Like listening to locals - several even have RDS Will report when band closes (Fred Nordquist, Moncks Corner, SC, 33.21756N 79.95798W, June 16, WTFDA via DXLD) Jamaica/Cayman Is to SC, Es summary - 6/16 Re: 2040 [EDT] UNID-100.1, PTA [probable target area]: Jamaica. English with tropical music and Jamaican? 2 English IDs: “??-FM 100.5 Whippany?” I solved one of my unIDs. It is BESS-FM-100.1 Flower Hill, Jamaica (2000 watts). (see their web site: http://www.bessradio.com --- they are also on the other 100.3/100.5/100.7/100.9 “100” channels). 100.5 must be their prime channel (Fred Nordquist, Moncks Corner, SC, WTFDA via DXLD) ** JAPAN. 6055, R. Nikkei-1, 1314-1330*, June 17, English language lesson, mostly in English with some Japanese, good, // 3925, fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR [and non]. INDIA "MAY BLOCK" PAKISTAN RADIO STATIONS | Text of report by official news agency Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Islamabad, 20 June: After imposing ban on airing of Pakistani television channels in occupied Kashmir, Government of India is contemplating to block the signals of all Pakistan and Muzaffarabad based radio stations in Poonch and Rajouri districts of occupied territory. Puppet authoritative told mediamen that the Indian Defence Ministry has directed All India Radio (AIR) to block all Pakistan and Muzaffarabad based radio signals in Poonch and Rajouri, KMS reported. [paragraph as received] "Defence Ministry has passed on strict directions to AIR and intelligence agencies to make sure that the radio signals along the Line of Control (LoC) are blocked. Orders in this regard have been issued with the instructions that immediate steps should be taken to implement these orders," the sources added. "A five-member team of top AIR and intelligence officials landed in Poonch and Rajouri last week to take stock of the situation," authorities said, adding, "Though the team gave the impression to the district administration that they were here to strengthen AIR signals but they had arrived with the intention of locating nine points near LoC where they will erect the towers to disrupt the Pakistani radio signals. As the team visited Behram Gala and Pirbadesar areas and identified the locations." "Pakistan Radio, Mirpur FM and Tralkhal FM of Muzaffarabad are the most popular radio stations in both these districts and about 80 per cent of the populace listens to the programmes aired by these stations," said a local Fareed Khan. Khan said that Hayya Allal Falah and Soutul Koran aired by Radio Pakistan are the most listened programmes in the area. "These radio stations are popular as most of the programmes are aired in local languages Pahari and Gojri," he added. Experts said that if Government of India will install towers to block radio signals it would also disrupt the signals of other radio stations including that of BBC, Voice of America, Radio AAP Ki Duniya and Voice of Germany [Deutsche Welle]. District Development Commissioner Rajouri, Rafiq Shaykh confirmed that a team from New Delhi had arrived in the area to take stock of the situation. "The team had come to carry out an inspection to install more AIR towers along LoC in Poonch and Rajouri," Adding that all the team members interacted with him about the situation of the area. Source: Associated Press of Pakistan news agency, Islamabad, in English 0801 gmt 20 Jun 08 (via BBCM via DXLD) `Blocking` sure looks like JAMMING to me. But ``installing towers`` to do that certainly does not mean BBC, VOA, AKD, VOG shortwave broadcasts would necessarily be affected at all unless their frequencies were also deliberately targeted (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. KOREA D.P.R. Three different types of jammers were observed here on 3912, 6518 and 6600 kHz at 1955-2000 UT and seems to be originated from DPRK vs. Voice of the People from Republic of Korea on June 1st (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, June 13, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 19 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. VOK, 11710, strong enough to audiblize its spur on 11644.1, June 19 at 1310 in English to NAm. The spur more distorted than the fundamental. Also could detect matching spur carrier on 11776, but buried under PMS, Firedrake, and Firedrake victim. Also audible on // 9335 and // 13760 for Europe, within a SAH of RHC and underneath it. KCBS domestic service with choral music on 11679.8, June 19 at 1312. VOK Chinese on 11735+ a smidgin above at 1325 June 19 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 6020, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze (JSR) via Yamata, Japan, *1400-1405, June 18, in rarely heard Chinese (just as with their English programming, the announcers had strong accents), on with piano IS, "JSR" ID, moderate jamming present, along with light QRM from assume VOV (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. Re 8-070, R. Kuwait schedule: Thank you. I suppose he has used WRTH schedule and made changes to it? I found only these: Arabic Days Area kHz *0200-0930 daily NAf 15495kbd 0800-1305 daily ME 6055kbd *[alternate 7250]* *1515-1800 daily Eu, NAm 13620kbd (instead of 1545-) 73, (Mauno Ritola, June 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) By `found only these` do you mean none but these are really on air? The DRM and English transmissions are still being reported (gh, DXLD) No, I meant that I found only those being slightly different compared to the WRTH summer schedule. Happy Midsummer! (Mauno Ritola, Finland, June 20, ibid.) ** MADEIRA [non]. Re PORTUGAL, 8-070, Abraço da Madeira: 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) Most likely it´s Christiane. The RdPI-QSLs are normaly signed by Christiane Haupt (who only signs with her first name) or Isabel Saraiva. 73, (Patrick Robic, Austria, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I confirm the program in question is *not* a sports program, and is produced at the RDP Madeira studios and aired both locally & via RDPi - R. Portugal (b.t.w., what's "RPI"?). As you said, it's a link to "madeirenses" who live abroad. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 5964.93, Klasik Nasional FM via RTM, 1306-1349, June 16, in vernacular, RTM Kuala Lumpur news (news only is // 7130 Sarawak FM via RTM), EZL pop songs, IDs for "Klasik Nasional" and also the "Klasik Nasional" singing jingle, fair. 7295, Traxx FM via RTM, 1246-1256, June 17, DJs playing pop songs, on the phone with a listener who just won an album, IDs, fair. 6049.63 Asyik FM (till 1400) & Suara Islam/Voice of Islam (after 1400), off the air June 19 during checks from 1330-1433. Back again on June 20 with fair reception. 7270, Wai FM, 1408-1429, June 19, in vernacular with DJ playing EZL pop songs, not often heard, usual QRM from PBS Nei Menggu. Hard to believe this was once the strongest and most regularly heard Malaysian for me, until PBS came to this frequency in 2006 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA/SARAWAK. 7130, Sarawak FM via RTM, 1348-1400, June 19, in vernacular, reciting from Qur'an, fair with light QRM from CNR-2/CBR, // 5030 under CNR-1 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALI [and non]. Radio Mali, Bamako heard with good signal and audio (SIO 344) on 7284.48 kHz this afternoon from 1625 UT tune-in until close at 1759 UT. "Radio Mali" IDs copied soon after tune-in then mainly monologue in local language until local song at 1658, drum beats and "Salam aleikum" greeting at 1703. [parallel 9635 kHz heard at 1740 UT (SIO 233) which also closed at 1759 UT - so two transmitters in use.] 7285v has been reported inactive for a few months. But still no Radio Mali heard on 60 metres, although African reception was fairly good this evening (Alan Pennington, Caversham, UK, AOR 7030+. Longwire, June 19, BDXC-UK via DXLD) 60m used to be 4835v, 4783v, unheard for longtime. 9635 is occupied by CVC La Voz, Chile at 1300-2300, and audible here after 1300. Guess the southern winter is pushing the signal along past the Equator (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA. 783 R. Mauritanie, Nouakchott, very good evenings. 4845, R. Mauritanie, Nouakchott, 0810-, 13 Jun, Arabic, newscast; 34444; noted on 7245 at 0810 on 14 Jun (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6104.77, 1030-1035 June 17. Tuned in on carrier which should be Mérida, but no audio heard during the above time frame. Possibly the station is not broadcasting yet or the signal will fade in a little bit later? Will check back. Got to walk the dogs right now (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, FL, NRD545, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. [tentative] On 9599.02 kHz noted a tiny carrier, S=2 at 0840 UT, could be R. UNAM from Mexico. Reported lately on 9599.28 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, June 18, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 19 via DXLD) No sign of it here around 1330 June 19, but I don`t think XEYU has ever been reported as low as 9599.02 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non]. 1030 kHz loggings --- KCTA is still blasting away with a 50 kW open carrier at night, but at least I've been able to ID two stations under it. XEQR, Radio Centro, in Mexico City is the dominant one. It discussion- type programming involving two people, usually a man and a woman. I guess the best description would be a "serious talk" format. XEQR is supposedly 5 kW at night but, judging from the way it makes it here, I'd bet my life they're on 50 kW day power. The other station I've been able to ID is XEPAV in Tampico with bouncy vocal music and "la picosita" slogan after almost every song. It's way under XEQR but there's enough dead air in XEQR's talk programming to let this one slip through (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ June 17, ABDX via DXLD) ** MOROCCO. 1593, RTM-“A”, Marrakech, 0919-2231, 13 Jun, Arabic, Arabic songs; 25453; parallel to 1640 (the one with FM-like signal), 207, and others later in the day, viz. 819, 612, 540 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR/BURMA. 5985.0, Myanma Radio, 1313-1340, June 19, in vernacular with EZL pop music, BoH usual musical chimes plus one loud chime/pip, fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Coverage of Euro 2008 continues --- The Dutch football team qualified for the quarter-finals of Euro 2008 with maximum points, and will now play Russia at 1845 UTC on Saturday 21 June. RNW will be carrying live commentary on this match in Dutch. Because of possible extra time and penalties, all shortwave transmitters will stay on the air until 2200 UTC. This means that the regularly scheduled transmission from Bonaire at 2059-2157 UTC on 17605 kHz will be dropped on 21 June. Full details on our schedule page (Andy Sennitt, Media Network newsletter June 19 via DXLD) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. VON: see CANADA ** NEW ZEALAND. TE REO IRIRANGI O AOTEAROA, O TE MOANA-NUI-A-KIWA P O Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand Phone: +(64 4) 4741 437 Facsimile +(64 4) 4741 433 E-mail address: info @ rnzi.com Web Address: http://www.rnzi.com Please note we have made a change to our schedule to improve our DRM signal to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Tuesday, 17 June 2008 FREQUENCY SCHEDULE Effective from 19 June, 2008 UTC kHz Primary Target ANALOGUE SERVICE 1300-1550 6170 Pacific 1551-1850 7145 Cook Islands Samoa, Niue, Tonga, Fiji 1851-1950 9615 Pacific 1951-2050 11725 Pacific 2051-2235 15720 Solomon Islands, Vanuatu **Change** 2236-0458 15720 Pacific 0459-0658 9615 Pacific 0659-1058 7145 Pacific 1059-1258 9655 NW Pacific, Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, Timor DRM SERVICE - A DRM Capable Receiver is required for this service 1200-1550 NO SERVICE AT THIS TIME 1551-1850 6170 Cook Islands Samoa, Niue, Tonga, Fiji 1851-1935 9890 Samoa, Niue, Fiji, Cook Islands, Tonga 1936-2050 11675 Tonga, Samoa, Niue, Fiji, Cook Islands 2051-2235 13730 Solomon Islands, Vanuatu **Change** 2236-0258 13730 Pacific 0259-0458 11675 Samoa 0459-0658 9890 Pacific 0659-1158 6170 Pacific Regards (Adrian Sainsbury, Technical Manager, Radio New Zealand International, P O Box 123, Wellington June 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The previous schedule was: 2051-0258 15720 AM, 13730 DRM, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Daily So there is no more AM on 13730, and AM lasts from 2051 to 0458 on 15720 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6170, RNZI, 1354, June 16, in English with ID for R.N.Z.I., the Voice of the Pacific, good reception (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGER [and non]. Today (June 19) there was a very good - well, better than usual - S6 signal on 9705.00 at 0655, but heavily splattered by REE 9710 till they went off at about 0657. A male voice in French seeming to be reading out frequencies was heard. I only caught a little of what was said in the clear, and the announcement was followed by nondescript music. There appeared to be a problem with audio just before the hour, as little was heard until a few minutes after 0700, when a female voice in an unknown vernacular was heard. Maybe someone further south can give these frequencies a try tomorrow morning (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 4770, R. Nigeria, Kaduna, 1434-, 16 Jun, English, talks; terribly overmodulated signal & therefore of little use; 15341. 6090, R. Nigeria, Kaduna, 2145-2155, 15 Jun, English (possibly, but the audio quality was such that language ID was tough), speech, applause; 44444, adjacent QRM (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6090, 0503, Radio Kaduna presumed the signal on 6089.87 measured, mixing or under Dr Gene Scott with news in unID language. African music from 0507, mentions of Nigeria at 0529, some traces still at 0558 26/5. First time I’ve heard this after many tries, but DRM splash from 6085 usually a problem (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai, New Zealand, with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWE to NE and various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) There is usually a het from this on DGS any night around this time here; only chance is on occasions when Anguilla is absent (gh, DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. 15300 [sic] USB PIRATE ­ WHYP, 0203-0230, Jun 10, Unknown, Fair (Mike Rohde, Columbus, OH. Equipment: TenTec Rx-340, Wellbrook ALA 330s loop, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Filed between other 15 MHz frequencies, but I still wonder if this was supposed to be 5300? Quite unusual for a pirate to funxion in the middle of the 19m band (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. Re 8-070, SPOOKY MEDIUMWAVE TESTS FROM OKLAHOMA ARE UNDERWAY: From DXLD 7-085: There are two locations: Chilocco, Oklahoma, which is right at the Kansas border north of Ponca City, on an abandoned water tower at an Indian school; and Flying H [sounds like the name of a ranch/brand; is it?], New Mexico, which is in the back country SW of Roswell. Both mobile (suspect aeronautical) and fixed are authorized. The same callsign applies to both locations, WE2XFZ. Like last year`s tone tests from Virginia on 1610, 1020 and 590 kHz, each of these has three frequencies at the bottom, middle and top of the band, and ditto FM: Chilocco, OK: 540, 830, 1680 kHz, 92.3, 99.1, 107.5 MHz Flying H, NM: 530, 950, 1680 kHz, 88.3, 97.7, 107.3 MHz They are using a 2.5 and a 10 kW AM transmitter and 1 kW on FM, 5 kW ERP. They also mistakenly give ERPs for the MW frequencies. Tests will consist of 1 kHz tones or audio for 5-10 minutes. The equipment is capable of transmitting the callsign. NOTE: THERE COULD BE SHORTWAVE TESTS TOO --- PATROL THESE FREQUENCIES A later filing is for shortwave frequencies too, with 1 kW on USB, LSB, AME, also from the same two locations, but different callsign, WE2XEV, on 4015, 4085, 12115, 12185, 22015, 22085, 26115, 26185. NTIA has accepted these, but two more frequencies have not yet been accepted, 12415 and 12485 (via DXLD 8-071) I too picked up the tone as reported by Glenn Hauser on June 16 on 540 kHz at 0853 UT on June 17, 2008 and it's still on at 0950 but I noticed that it fluctuates in pitch pretty close to every nine seconds. It seems to extend about one kHz on each side of 540 kHz. the signal shows five bars on my bar graph as I'm using a Grundig S350 for medium wave reception and it has no S-meter. I'll report any further reception (Rich Brock, Bridgewater, Pennsylvania, (Near Pittsburgh), Grundig S350, SW/NE long wire antenna, mwdx yg via DXLD) Glenn: The station is sending a tone on 1680 kHz at this moment (17.6.08 at 1340 CDT [1840 UT]) with S9+20DB strength. Using my Sony SRF-T615 receiver I was able to null the signal roughly on a 120/300 axis. This pretty much pin points the signal as probably coming from Chilocco. WE2XFZ shut down on 1680 kHz just before 1530 CDT [2030 UT]. It's now on 830 with S7 signal strength. No tone - yet. The 830 transmission ended at 1606 CDT [2106 UT] June 17 (Richard Allen, S of Billings OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, Richard and Kirk: Thanks for the tip on this. It probably explains what I heard today, June 17, 2008, on my 2004 Pontiac car radio with RDS for FM. At 5:14-5:23 P.M. Central Time or 2214-2223 UT, I heard a very loud tone on 107.5 MHz. It was easily s9+ from the sound of it. Since this is one of the frequencies mentioned for the test from Chilocco, it is probably what I was hearing. It was still there when I had to tune out to return to work. I will check the other frequencies that you mentioned. Interesting! I wonder what they are up to ?:) (Carl DeWhitt, Ponca City OK, June 18, mwdx yg via DXLD) Hello Carl, Yes, that’s probably what you heard on your Pontiac radio. I checked 540 kHz at 2:00 AM Eastern time this morning, 6-18-08, and the fluctuating tone that I described is still loud and clear. Check out the links that Glenn included in his e-mail. It’s confusing but from what I can gather the military, including the Navy and Homeland Security are or will be testing experimental sensors that detect biological threats and others. They also want to find out if and how bad these “broadcasts” interfere with other radio stations. I haven’t checked the FM frequencies. I’m sure that there are other reasons for these tests also (Rich Brock, Pittsburgh PA area, June 18, mwdx yg via DXLD) WE2XFZ is testing on 1680 kHz at this moment (0921 CDT June 18 [1421 UT]). (Richard Allen, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Good Morning Glenn and Richard, In regard to Richard`s email I just received: I just now checked both 540 and 1680 kHz at (0955 CDT), and I heard very weak 1 kHz tones on both the frequencies. Not even close to the strength of the signal I heard on 540 kHz Monday (Kirk Allen, Ponca City, ibid.) I think they could have picked a better FM frequency than 99.1 for their tests. If they plan to use that, it might interfere with KLOR 99.3 in Ponca City. There is also a Ark City, KS station on 107.9 that`s a bit close also. I heard 540 kHz this morning at 11:35 a.m. It was still there at 11:46 a.m. recheck [1635, 1646 UT June 18] (Carl DeWhitt, ibid.) I have been away at OK Mozart Festival in Bartlesville for two days. Did not ever hear the AM or FM frequencies while there, or on the way over Tuesday morning, but couldn`t check very often. I did however, hear 1680 for the first time, in Enid, June 18 from 1257 tune-in until 1322*. The frequency was slightly off compared to BFO hets stepping to nearby broadcast frequencies on the ATS-909. Altho the documentation from FCC said the transmitters were capable of transmitting IDs, I have never heard anything but open carrier or tones, and AFAIK no one else has either. WE2XFZ has not IDed near hourtop nor when closing down, altho I have never caught it turning on. On the way back thru Ponca City I took a side trip up to Chilocco, altho it was after closing time, to see what I could see, 2340-2350 UT June 18. Nothing on the air at that time either. However, on that day and the day before when in the area, the FM frequencies appeared ill- chosen, with 92.3 dominated by Wichita, 99.1 next to Ponca City, 107.5 the clearest. But that`s partly because KOSN Ketchum is currently off the air; see separate item. Yes, the US77 (not 177) gate to the Indian School was locked, and nothing visible from there. However, I went around to the unpaved stateline road (signed 332nd Road, West of 51st Rd) on the north side and was able to see the water tower, and just to the west of it, a single radio tower, which could well be the MW antenna (no VHF antennas visible mounted on it). There is a separate tower to the east with a bunch of antennas on it. Looks like a cable headend. The water and other towers were too far away to photograph without a telephoto lens, and all we had was a low-resolution pocket camera. Shots of the sign over the main gate, with the sun behind it, and of a nearby granite marker legend, are at http://www.w4uvh.net/chilocco1.jpg http://www.w4uvh.net/chilocco2.jpg [good resolution photos of the school have been found on the web, including the now famous water tower; see below] It`s the OSU Multispectral Lab which is doing this. Dropped by Gate F at Conoco-Phillips on South Street in Ponca City and the guard confirmed UML is within the compound, but they use Gate G. Nobody there in the evening, and behind security you can`t just walk in without an invitation. It`s not part of the University Center, in which OSU is also involved, she said. UML seems rather hush-hush, as the phone directory does not have it under Oklahoma or Oklahoma State, but just a white pages phone number, no address, under OSU UML. I wonder how common knowledge in PC the existence of UML is? If you google Multispectral Laboratory OSU Ponca you will find a lot about its being set up recently and what a great thing it is for the economy there. I should point out that there may well be some tests from airplanes, or UAVs (unmanned), which could account for the variable strength. I wonder if there is an airstrip on the school grounds. Also, is the Chilocco Indian School currently funxioning as such? Or during the school year if not right now? And I am not quite sure how to pronounce it. Richard, I also wonder if you have ever been up there and visited the grounds. 73, (Glenn to Kirk and Richard, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: Chilocco is pronounced “sha-lock-co”. I attended Perry High School and, at the time, the two schools competed in sports. I have a friend who went to school there in the 1950s. While she is part Muscogee (a.k.a. Creek) from eastern Oklahoma, she said most of the students then were Navajo and Hopi. You can find a little more information on the Chilocco Indian School Alumni Association website http://www.chilocco.org/ It even mentions OSU-UML. I’ve never been to Chilocco other than drive past going to and from Arkansas City. The reason I knew of the radio activity was I came across the information on the FCC website several weeks ago. At the time I didn’t give it a second thought. I heard the station a couple of times this morning (18.6.08) on 1680 kHz. But they didn’t stay on the air very long. Good night (Richard Allen, OK, UT June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) We've heard no activity out of the Roswell frequencies yet. The suspected site is an old aux emergency air strip 12 miles +/- SSW of Roswell that was outfitted with four Nike launchers near the end of the SAC days. Part of the facility has been converted to a long term detention center (Jerry Kiefer, Roswell NM, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sporadic chex of Chilocco 540, 830, 1680 have not turned up any further tests June 19 or 20 (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tnx, Richard for that alumni link. It seems the CIS lands are being divided up among various tribes with a stake in it and there are already TWO casinos and accursed smokeshops just south of it on the highway. The Water Tower, last item in a slideshow which also includes a campus map showing the tower at the extreme left edge: http://www.chilocco.org/DesktopModules/Gallery/Viewer.aspx?tabid=87&mid=412&path=Later%20Years¤titem=23¤tstrip=4 It looks like there is some small stuff on top of the tower, maybe just a lightning rod. But it was taken in 2005 long before UML. Hi Glenn and Richard, Here’s an email my brother Tim sent a while ago. You all probably have seen this stuff before, but it was actually the first time I had. Chilloco is pronounced “Shill-awk-o” with the emphasis on the second syllable. My brother also wrote this little bit of other stuff in a different email: During Governor Henry’s first term, he had a big group of smart people study what Oklahoma needs to do to create a bunch of good jobs. Among the findings was that Oklahoma had a strategic advantage with sensor technology — specifically with OSU. This is obviously an outgrowth of that thing. Why we have an advantage over other states in this area, I have no idea. Hell, I’m not even sure what sensor technology is. I guess it has something to do with strange radio transmissions at Chilocco. I worked today, and I haven’t heard anything yet on any of their frequencies since I started checking around 2100 UT (Kirk Allen, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OSU LAUNCHES NEW DAY FOR SENSOR RESEARCH WITH UML OPENING (PONCA CITY, Okla., June 3, 2008) -- Oklahoma’s sensor industry launched a new chapter today with the grand opening of the OSU University Multispectral Laboratories in Ponca City. The OSU-UML is a national center focused on the test, evaluation and implementation of defense, homeland security, energy, and intelligence systems. Wholly owned by OSU and operated by Triton Scientific, an Oklahoma business, the OSU-UML brings researchers together with government and industry to rapidly and efficiently advance new technologies and capabilities to the end user. “The UML is a shining example of the power of partnerships,” said OSU President Burns Hargis. “We greatly appreciate the support of the federal government, the State of Oklahoma, Ponca City and ConocoPhillips. “OSU is creating a land-grant university model that cuts across disciplines to allow students to use their skills, imagination and creativity to enrich their lives and the lives of others. The exciting sensor research that will take place here will support that mission, helping ignite innovation and creating solutions for our state and our world,” Hargis said. “The OSU-UML will change the landscape of the sensor industry,” said Stephen McKeever, OSU Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer and Executive Director of the OSUUML. “The UML will be a national resource for researchers, companies and the government and will facilitate the process of delivering necessary technologies to our nation’s first responders.” “As a government-owned, contractor-operated facility, the OSU-UML is similar to other national labs, like Los Alamos, in both structure and operation,” said Lab Director Web Keogh. “The UML’s focus is not just on the individual technology that is being developed, but on the proper implementation of entire systems that enhance operational capabilities. The OSU-UML acts as a trusted agent because we have no ownership in the technologies or systems we are evaluating or helping to develop, allowing us to equally serve technology developers, government acquisition agents, and end users. For us, the key is fusing our analytical, technical and tactical expertise and solutions to meet the needs of the customer.” Although the OSU-UML staff has been working since December 2006 to establish infrastructure, build capabilities, and engage in research and assessments, today’s event marks the completion of the first phase of renovations to Research East, the facility donated to OSU by ConocoPhillips in Ponca City. Renovations to the entire facility should be complete by 2010. “We’re really excited about what the OSU-UML is going to do not only for the sensor industry but also for our region,” said David Myers, Executive Director of the Ponca City Development Authority, which provided a $2 million incentive to the project in 2006. An economic analysis of the OSU-UML projects a $140 million positive economic impact on Ponca City over the next ten years. “By attracting high-level scientists to the area and forging relationships with institutions like Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and the Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory, the OSU-UML ties North Central Oklahoma to a cutting-edge industry in the national and global economy,” Myers continued. The OSU-UML continues to receive significant support from local, state and federal groups. In addition to the $2 million Ponca City investment, ConocoPhillips provided another $2 million and donated the 70,000-square-foot laboratory to OSU. More than $3.1 million has also been appropriated by the U.S. Congress to support sensor development and other security-related technology. The state of Oklahoma has appropriated more than $6.6 million to the construction and renovation of OSU-UML facilities. The grand opening ceremony featured remarks by Hargis; Lou Watkins, Chair of the OSU/A&M Board of Regents; Joe Alexander, State Secretary of Science and Technology; Senator David Myers; Ron Armstrong of ConocoPhillips; Lee Evans, President of PCDA; and Keogh. Those in attendance toured the newly renovated facility and saw demonstrations of safety and security technologies being evaluated or developed by the OSU-UML (via Tim Allen via Kirk Allen, DXLD) FACT SHEET OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, SENSOR AND SENSOR-RELATED RESEARCH OSU’s sensor and sensor-related technology transfer has contributed to a phenomenal increase in income from all OSU technologies. .. Through the end of FY05, OSU had leveraged $16.2 million of a special state appropriation for sensor and other homeland security- related research to attract $51.5 million in additional external funding---a ratio of 3:2:1. .. Focusing on sensor testing and evaluation programs to support the Global War on Terrorism, the UML is expected to generate additional funding. OSU’s Intellectual Property Office reports sensor and sensor-related technology has resulted in a number of new patents, license agreements, disclosures, new start-up companies, and increased license income. .. Since FY2000, 11 new patents were issued, 4 license agreements were negotiated, 63 disclosures were submitted, 6 start-up companies were formed, and license income from all sensor patents increased to $1,265,906. Sensor and sensor-related research performed by more than 40 OSU faculty have led to new technology developments for a number of applications. .. Sensors to detect bacterial agents in antibiotic resistant infections will enable both military and civilian medical applications. .. Developments in biosensor technology enable the rapid detection of dangerous food contaminants, such as listeria monocytogenes, to give food processors early warning of the presence of harmful bacteria. .. Development of molecular switches or beacons which are directed at specific structural targets will sense biological and chemical warfare agents. OSU sensor technologies commercialized by private firms include a personnel radiation monitor, a corrosion sensor, optical sensors to detect plant nutrition and many others. .. OSU researchers developed a method to measure radiation that Landauer, Inc., with operations in Stillwater, developed into a radiation badge to be worn by radiation workers, including astronauts in last summer’s space shuttle. .. OSU researchers collaborated with a commercial firm to develop “Greenseeker,” an integrated optical sensor and fertilizer sprayer used to maximize productivity by directing differing amounts of expensive chemicals to sections of a large plot. OSU research will improve the survivability, security and reliability of military sensors. .. Sensors deployed in enemy territory to collect observational data on the environment, detect chemical agents or track the movement of troops are fragile with limited power, memory and battery life, and vulnerable to enemy intrusion. .. OSU researchers are working to make the sensors more resilient to enemy attacks so that, if captured, U.S. military can detect if the sensors have been tampered with and contain false information (via Tim Allen via Kirk Allen, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. A few daytime groundwave observations on the road in northern OK, June 17 [see also USA for non-OKLAHOMA]: 1120, no sign of Catoosa OK yet on the air, checking at Bartlesville. 1170, KFAQ, and 1430, KTBZ from Tulsa were obviously IBOC-buzzing away their adjacent channels, as monitored from Bartlesville. Did not hear any from 1380, KMUS, however. 1340, with a SAH of 3 Hz between two stations at 1457. Probably the two closest ones, Sand Springs OK and Pittsburg KS. 90.3, around Pawhuska noticed that full-power gospel huxter on 90.5, KNYD, Broken Arrow-Tulsa, was duplicated on 90.3. Only likely possibility I see in FCC FM Query is K212DX, translator in Ponca City, tho a bit far away for it. Which station a translator relays is not part of the seemingly obvious basic info at FCC. The Oasis Network website http://www.oasisnetwork.org/affiliates.asp shows KBXO Coachella/Palm Springs, CA 90.3 FM, so it`s conceivable there was a DX opening during the few seconds I was monitoring at 1516, but doubtful. 90.7, KAYE is on the air even in summer from Northern Oklahoma College, as driving past Tonkawa, low power, losing out shortly east of Ponca City. Rock. No ID heard around hourtop. And earlier in June I was in OKC a couple times; the R. Free Austin pirate relay was always heard on 107.1, solid signal over much of the city, and the uninformed probably think it`s legal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. The `new` KOSU classical-suppressed program grid at http://www.kosu.org/media/KOSU%20program%20grid.pdf which went into effect in April-May has not been corrected. It still shows the wrong times for Neva Hill and Frosty Troy, as previously mentioned. I also lamented that National Native News had been dropped. It`s not shown, but axually still heard, as I found it at its previous time 0001-0006 UT weekdays, such as June 19. KOSU 91.7 announced at 1729 UT June 20 that they hoped to have KOSN 107.5 full-power relay in Ketchum, NE OK, back on the air in a week, after storm damage; asking for more money (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. There are still a few 50 kW blowtorches that still cover half the country and still do local stuff. Stations like KTWO in Casper. All of western America gets to hear local high school football and basketball from Casper Wyoming as well as the Wyoming Cowboys football and basketball teams. KTNN in Window Rock AZ is another good example. They do sportscasts in Navajo! Interesting listening and their signal also covers most of western America. I think it's sad that these kinds of stations that cover half the country are still out there but it doesn't seem to matter any more. Not like it used to in the old days when they KNEW they covered half the country at night and gladly took calls from listeners and actually PROMOTED that their huge coverage. It was only within the last 10-15 years that even KOMA 1520 was still promoting it and taking calls from across the country for requests at night and stuff like that. I actually got to see their big map in the studio with all the little straight pens on it showing everywhere they've gotten calls from. Sorry, venturing off-topic. Oh wait, or am I actually venturing ON-topic?? MJR n WYO (Michael J Richard, June 18, ABDX via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3290, 0716 NBC Port Moresby fading in with music program. Birdcalls theme at 0800 and 0901 followed by English news. Good signal by 0830 27/5. At 0915 noted same news program running // on 3275, 3315, 3335 & 3345 (best). 3365, 1900, Radio Milne Bay with anthem and relay from Port Moresby “This is the National Broadcasting Corporation” and listing shortwave frequencies as 4890 and 9675 [presumably imaginary, inactive – gh]. Running // to 3335. At 1915, “As I Saw It”, archival recording of emergency evacuation of Rabaul in 1937 due volcanic eruption. Ident as “Voice of Karai” at 1928, fading by 1940, 25/5 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai, New Zealand, with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWE to NE and various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3235, 1241-, Radio West New Britain, Jun 18, Poor reception with just audible music. A presumed logging for this one. 3335, 1238-, Radio East Sepik, Jun 18, Fair reception with female announcer. Not parallel to the other PNGs heard today. Tok Pisin. Heard mention of 'O'Clock'. 3365, 1236-, Radio Milne Bay, Jun 18, A presumed logging with poor to fair reception with two males talking in presumed Tok Pisin. 3385, 1234-, Radio East New Britain, Jun 18, Strong signal with EZL music and DJ in Tok Pisin. Sounds more like local programming than Radio National, but can't be sure. Continued past 1300 (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3385, Radio East New Britain, 1230-1257, June 16, in Tok Pisin, ad for auto dealership which had some English (similar to Mark Schiefelbein's nice audio clip at NASWAyg sound files), DJ with pop songs, fair; 1218-1237, June 17, DJ in Tok Pisin playing pop songs in English, seemed to be a dedications program, between songs she gave list of names with their various locations (Solomon Islands, etc.), fair (recently better than their usual reception, as Walt Salmaniw also observed on the 18th) (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 3329.7, R. Ondas del Huallaga, Huánuco, 2248-2303, 14 Jun, Castilian, lively Indian pops repertoire; advertisements; 34242. 4746.9, R. Huanta 2000, Huanta, 2242-2252, 12 Jun, Quechua, Indian songs, talks; 25332. 4991, R. Manantial (tentative), Chilca, 2217-2229, 12 Jun, Quechua (tentative), Indian songs; 23341, strong splatter de B 4985 & sporadic utility QRM. 5120.2, R. Ondas del Suroriente, Quilllabamba, 2254-2307, 14 Jun, Castilian, advertisements, music; 35241. 5470.7, R. San Nicolás, S. Nicolás, 2306-2317, 14 Jun, Castilian, Indian tunes; 15331. 5939.3, R. Melodía, Arequipa, 2222-232, 16 Jun, Castilian, talks, songs; 15331, heterodyne with B 5940 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND [non]. A ‘useless’ card from Polish Radio with no time zone and incorrect text [‘The station you listened to is Warsaw operating on…’] annoyed Gunther Jacob, Passau, Germany, who continues his battles to obtain the perfect QSL from every station he reports. He adds, ``After several registered letters and reminders, they fulfilled my request to authenticate my own prepared cards for 2006 reports with their official stamp ‘Polskie Radio dla zagranicy’ verifying Montsinery relays on 9640 and 11940.`` Thanks Gunther. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. In today’s DX world, when shortwave stations are closing down, staff and financial resources are limited and any response for a reception report is a kind courtesy from the station, I believe that insisting on full data QSLs increasingly runs the risk of alienating stations against responding at all, let alone staying on the air. Forget the ‘official’ stamps and full data and just write your own details on any response you get is my advice to all DXers in 2008. By the way, how many of us bother to write back and thank the stations for the cards, letters and gifts they do send us in response to our reception reports? (Bryan Clark or David Ricquish, ed., Mailbag, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. ARABIA SAUDITA, 17565, 10/06 1700 BSKSA Jeddah, Arábia Saudita, Arabic Program-?, 44444 (LUIZ EDUARDO LOPES DA SILVA, SALVADOR-BA, BRASIL, SONY ICF 7600GR, ANT: FERRITE/TG-34/ LOOP RGP3, @tividade DX via DXLD) ?? This is supposed to be on 17560, per Eibi: 17560 1600-1800 ARS BSKSA Holy Qur`an A WAf So did it change, drift, or wrong frequency reported? (gh, DXLD) ** SENEGAL [non]. Re: [dxld] West Africa Democracy Radio contradixions http://www.wadr.org/english/indexang.html Saludos Glenn, a pesar de que ya ha pasado casi un mes de la cancelación de las emisones de WADR en Onda Corta, siguen las contradicciones en la web, siguen anunciando emisiones por SW. ¿No se habrán enterado? 73 (José Miguel Romero, June 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) No ** SINGAPORE. Responding to my reception report Karamjit Kaur, Sr Station Administrative Executive at RSI English Service informed that Radio Singapore International will cease transmission from end July 2008, they are in the midst of winding down with last broadcast on 31st July 2008. Regards, (Alokesh Gupta, India, June 20, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Previous reports were that the RSI SW (and internet?) service would be entirely closed down, not just English. Correct? (Glenn, ibid.) No information on other languages. Received response from English service. Regds (Alokesh Gupta, ibid.) Peter DJ8XW told me yesterday that SBS will cease all SW frequencies and language services as of July 31, 2008, accordijng to an e-mail of the former SBS Kranji technical director. The BBC Kranji site in the neighbourhood is NOT affected. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Viz.: Hallo Wolfgang, habe soeben vom frueheren technischen Direktor der SBS eine e-mail bekommen: Ende Juli 2008 wird die KW-Station Kranji stillgelegt. Grund: Die Regierung von Singapur beschloss auf Grund von abnehmenden Hoerer-Zahlen und steigenden Kosten diese Station zu schliessen. Das betrifft alle KW-Frequenzen und Sprachen. Die gegenueberliegende Stn. der BBC bleibt erhalten. 73 ... PETER - DJ 8 XW. (Peter Jenus, 81373 Muenchen, Germany, via Büschel, ibid.) ** SOMALIA [non]. UAE IRIN via Al Dhabbaya. 13685 kHz at 0830-0845 UT, 250 kW to 225 degrees, Zone 48. Dear Costas, Yes, confirmation all correct, thank you very much I’ve no idea what a QSL card is, sorry. Best, Louise (Louise Tunbridge June 10) Dear Costas, Yes, confirmation all correct, thank you very much. I’ve no idea what a QSL card is, sorry. Best. Louise (Louise Tunbridge June 12; via Costas Constantinides, Cyprus, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 19 via DXLD) And why should she? ** SOUTH AFRICA. Hi Glenn, hope all is well. Spending a much needed restful (long) weekend in Lyon, France. SW reception, however, dreadful. But I ran across this item, in case I may have missed a past posting on DXLD. I use to pick up Springbok Radio fairly good back home in Texas in the early 1980s. It was a classic!!! Anyway, this is a great site. http://www.springbokradio.com/INTERNETRADIO.html (Marty Delfin (Lyon, France), June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) webcasting starts July 1 ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. 6890, WWRB Manchester TN; 2345, 12-June; Bro. Swear on a roll; said he didn't care if you like what he says or not; M announcer [Dave Frantz] broke in with ID and said that 9385 was going off to tune to 5745 --- checked both and nothing on either one! 6890 continued with Bro. Swear. SIO=3+53- 6890, WWRB Manchester TN (presumed); 2240, 17-June; Bro. Swear wants me to write in for a brochure on prophecy. Why? These are the last days aren't they and he made no promise it would get to me on time. SIO=453 (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) ** SPAIN. 1622.5 kHz, RNE-Radio 5 “Todo Noticias”, site?, 2135-, 14 Jun, spur I suspect came from northeast; 35343 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [and non]. Miraya FM report --- According to Mr. Jean-Luc Mootoosamy, Project Manager of Miraya FM in Foundation Hirondelle, Al Jazeera TV (English) reported the station's activity in May. See http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=4U9rHA3izGo (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. Re 8-045: my recalling of the old Sweden Calling DXers show, I erred in the year of when SCDX became a "media magazine" (following the lead of Media Network). It should be 1982, when George Wood started to add space and satellite news to the show; 1993 was obviously three years after the end of the weekly show and it was still going strong then as Media Scan, airing first and third Tuesdays each month. Oh, you might recall that Glenn started calling SCDX as SWEDIA NETWORK after George made those changes (Joe Hanlon, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. Because of schedule changes Radio Sweden will no longer be relaying programs from Swedish Radio's domestic service between 2000 and 2100 UT. They're being replaced with Radio Sweden programming, which means that the English broadcast to Africa at 2030 will also be carried on medium wave 1179 and shortwave 6065 kHz to Europe. They will return to the previous schedule on August 18, 2008 (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, June 18, also via Rachel Baughn, MT, DXLD) ** SWEDEN. Test from VLF station SAQ sked for 29 June --- This was the ORIGINAL CW (Continuous Wave) the Alexanderson Alternator and it is going on the air as it does every year! The 0900Z 29 June 2008 will be the most likely to be heard in North America. Station in the North American Arctic regions (VE2, etc.) might be able to hear the later transmission also. See http://www.alexander.n.se/huvudmeny_e.htm BT Received from R/O Lars Kålland sm6nm @ telia.com GRIMETON RADIO/SAQ TRANSMISSION The annual transmission on "Alexanderson Day" with the Alexanderson alternator on VLF 17.2 kHz will take place Sunday 29th June 2008 at 0900 UT (tuning up from after 0800 UT) and will be repeated at 1300 UT (tuning up from after 1200 UT). The station will be open to visitors. Amateur Radio Station with special event call "SK6SAQ" will be QRV 0915-1200 UT on the following frequencies: - 14035 kHz CW - 14215 kHz SSB From 0700 UTC also on: 3755 kHz SSB. QSL via SK6DK or direct to address below. QSL-reports to SAQ and SK6SAQ are kindly received: - E-mail to: info @ alexander.n.se - or fax to: +46-340-674195 - or via: SM bureau - or direct by mail to: Alexander - Grimeton Veteranradios Vaenner, Radiostationen, Grimeton 72, SE-430 16 ROLFSTORP, S W E D E N Yours, Lars Kalland SM6NM (via Bob Foxworth, Tampa FL, June 17, ABDX via DXLD) Note from Bob - in past years this has been heard typically with weak signals, in CW mode, using large tuned loops and high end receivers, along the Atlantic coast of NAm. Not by me --- no gear. A possible solution is to use something like a Palomar converter with a conversion frequency of (typically) 4000 kc feeding a good communications receiver, which is (then) tuned to 4017.2 kc. This is probably the only existing example of this technology still running (Bob Foxworth, Tampa FL, June 17, ABDX via DXLD) Hope they got the UT time conversions right this time (gh) ** SWITZERLAND. The Monte Ceneri transmitter on 558 kHz will be shut down at the end of this month, so in all likelihood on June 30. “Closing down the obsolete mediumwave technology does not impair the broadcast reception in southern Switzerland and enables SRG to save high expenses”, thus the close-down has been approved: http://www.news.admin.ch/message/?lang=de&msg-id=19386 This news release also announces that a fifth TV program will be squeezed into the SRG’s German DVB-T mux. Uh-oh, I hope it at least runs in 64-QAM mode with about 20 Mbps of available bitrate. It looks already pretty bad when four programs have to share the 15 Mbps of a 16-QAM mux. Last year at IFA I came across a big screen displaying such a signal, next to other ones which were fed by a HD source. Just embarrassing. And here is a discussion about Beromünster 531 kHz: http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?11947,595327 To sum it up, SRG still sticks with the plan to close it down at yearend, but it remains to be seen if 531 will really go dark. In theory it could also fall into the hands of a competitor, something SRG is quite scared of. Operating the transmitter at reduced power of 160 kW, as it is the case already for some time, does not violate any fieldstrength limits in the vicinity of the site, no matter that SRG uses this argument as an excuse for the planned shut-down (they are required to not exceed 8.5 V/m, produced up to 12.7 V/m when 600 kW were run, thus the fieldstrength drops below the 8.5 V/m limit when going below 170 kW). But they still could turn around and tell people that technical adjustments now make it possible etc., etc., etc. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Using the word “obsolete” appears a bit harsh (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, ibid.) The German “veraltet” can also be translated as “outdated” or “outmoded”, but does this sound less harsh? Such choice of words should be no surprise in as far as they want to get rid of the transmitter, and it merely duplicates the FM service Rete 1 anyway, so it serves only some very remote places in the mountains plus the German and French speaking parts of Switzerland. Things are different with 531 and 765 kHz, however. In the case of 531 some Swiss critics say that back in 1996 SRG started the Musigwälle 531 service only because they could no longer justify duplicating DRS 1 on mediumwave and would have to surrender the frequency to Radio Eviva, a commercial folk music station which instead started on 1566 and abandoned it after only a few months, when the very poor groundwave coverage of this high frequency (it did not even put a sufficient signal into Zürich) became obvious. And now they would like to see the transmitter going dark instead of staying on air for a competitor (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) ** TAIWAN [and non]. Hi Glenn, All existing [YFR] shortwave transmissions via RTI will continue. RTI will drop 17 hours via Okeechobee as of July 1 (keeping 13 hours) --- may drop some additional hours at the start of the B-2008 season (Evelyn Marcy, WYFR, June 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Which ones will RTI be keeping via Okeechobee? (gh, DXLD) Hello Glenn, By the terms of our contract with RTI, that question should be addressed directly to them (Evelyn Marcy, WYFR, ibid.) ** TIBET. 6200, PBS-XZDT, Lhasa, 1302-1338, June 16 & 17, continues to relay CNR-1. Is this frequency ever going to air their own programming again? (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKMENISTAN. 4930, Türkmen R, Asgabat, 2137-, 15 Jun, Turkmen, 2 simultaneous feeds (!), one with music, the other with talks; carrier + LSB; 35332 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. 4976, 0406, Radio Uganda poor with news in English, signal improved past 0416. Measured freq 4975.98, reception in USB to avoid Spanish religion on 4974.8, 25/5 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai, New Zealand, with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWE to NE and various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, June NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** U K [and non]. SHORT-WAVE RADIO --- SNAP AND CRACKLE GOES POP LIFE IN THE OLD WIRELESS YET PROPAGANDA, news, curiosity and even espionage were the fuel of short- wave radio broadcasts. Readers of a certain age may recall the thrill of hearing a crackly, venomously worded broadcast from far away, such as the Voice of Free China denouncing the communist bandits on the mainland, or Radio Peace and Progress in Moscow deriding the imperialist hullabaloo about human rights. . . http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11590746 (Jun 19th 2008 From The Economist print edition via Dave White, David Cole, DXLD) What a stupid headline. Also alleges that FM is not ``crackly``! I assert that I have heard crackles even on FM (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also ASCENSION The Economist article indeed shows what I have always believed in: SW is not dead and people are very slow in using new techniques. So the question remains: are they waiting for it. It is more the broadcasters that find SW and MW/AM not sexy enough to use. They feel a bit ashamed that their programmes are in that old fashioned technology. I for myself prefer audience before technology. The need for International programmes by the listener is highest in countries that still face a lack of impartial journalistic programmes, such as Africa. In parts of the world with a decent local broadcasting system this need is limited and a niche format. There for radio FM will be the major player for a long time. The new digital systems offer no better sound quality then FM and only a limited audience want more stations. The only party that has in interest in digital systems is the Government for mor efficient use of the spectrum, or more precisely: getting more money out of the spectrum. This does not apply for DRM, so the better sound remains. Again; is any-one interested in better sound on their phone; that is: HiFi FM quality? NO. So for speech, analogue AM is more then sufficient, and even a lot of music sounds good enough on AM. Better processing (some African stations sounds awful and are poorly modulated) will improve things at very low costs, and only for the broadcaster, not for the listener (ruud, June 20th, 2008 - 13:19 UT, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U K. 17720: This morning between 0810 and 0850 UT noted the typical VTC/former Merlin pause music symbol of cello music, over and over again. Seemingly the VTC technician tested the R Solh transmitter unit from Rampisham U.K., which is scheduled later the day at 1200-1800 to zone 40NE RMP 500 kW 85 degrees. S=9+20dB. June 18th. wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. VT Woofferton are doing a DRM broadcast today 1700-1800 on 17640 at 182 degrees to their colleagues on Ascension, started yesterday, plan to be on next Monday as well, not known whether any more transmissions after that. They’d be interested in reports, email address is given in the text (Mike Barraclough, England, June 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) What text?? Not in the DRM DX schedule and not to be confused with 1800-2000 Mon-Fri 17640 45 Brazil 15 CVC CHL Portuguese Santiago Chile which has been on 17635-17640-17645 for quite a while (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The text that can be transmitted in a DRM bitstream, similar to the Radiotext feature of the RDS system on FM. And it turned out that Ascension could be reached from Woofferton only with robust mode, transmitting a glorious 11 kbps feed: http://www.drmrx.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1973 (Mike Barraclough, ibid.) ** U S A. Glenn: The Cuban program Radio Nueva Nación is returning to WRMI June 29. It will be on at 1100-1130 UT Sundays. The punto guajiro music program "A Favor de la Justicia" begins this Saturday, June 21 at 2315-2330 UT; and Cruzada Cubana begins this Sunday, June 22, at 2215-2230 UT. Both will be weekly programs (Jeff White, WRMI, June 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 7480.6, WWCR Nashville TN; 2158, 18-June; ID and English invisible guy philosophy program. Poor at QRN level; Presumed spur of // 7465, S30 (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) ** U S A. 11558.3, WEWN Birmingham AL; 1942-2000+, 17-June; Portuguese religious program to ID and brief Spanish news at 1958; ID as, WEWN Radio Católica Mundial; continued in Spanish. SIO=33-3-, fady and roar QRM; presume spur of // 11550, SIO=544+ with hum QRM. Spurs and splattering seem to be the norm for these folks (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD) News to me they have Portuguese; a fluke or regular? Looking at the June (or is it May?) ``Spanish`` schedule grid http://www.ewtn.com/radio/sp_radio_sched.asp we find ``Boteia Radio`` Mon-Thu at 1930-2000. That name does look Portuguese, altho accentless; do not find the word in my Portuguese or Spanish dixionaries, so could be proper name. Googling that, leads back only to the WEWN schedule, plus a relay by La Voz del Santuario. What does the word boteia mean to a native speaker? Could be a variant spelling of the word for bottle, but of what religious connotation? Or reference to Boetia? Have not searched thru the entire WEWN sked looking for other possibly-Portuguese shows. What an insult to Brazilian listeners, mixing Portuguese in with Spanish and not even acknowledging it (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WWRB: see SOUTH CAROLINA [non] ** U S A. Since April, KKLF-1700 has been simulcasting the sports-talk programming of KTCK-1310, “The Ticket.” I was just listening to 1700 a few minutes ago and heard KKLF under KVNS on 1700, and then it hit me-----the only ID I ever hear from them is for “13-10, The Ticket” or similar. That’s what I herd tonight at the top of the hour. I’ve never heard an ID for KKLF or 1700. Can anyone on this list confirm whether or not KKLF is giving legal IDS for 1700? (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, June 18, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. A few daytime groundwave observations on the road in northern OK, June 17: [see OKLAHOMA for more] 670, KLTT Denver CO, religion at 1504 UT June 17, E of Ponca City. So not WSCR. No WGN 720 audible on caradio. 880, KRVN Lexington NE, makes it well across the NE and KS borders, ID and ABC news at 1500 UT. 920, KYFR, Shenandoah IA, must be the hymn source at 1507. This one in the SW corner of IA does not quite make it to Enid daytimes. It has very tight direxional patterns day and night, but I see the day pattern shoots further east than Enid, so this chex out nicely. Not that I have any need to listen to Family Radio on AM! Only other 920 in the area is KARN Little Rock but it`s direxional to the SW. 1340, with a SAH of 3 Hz between two stations at 1457. Probably the two closest ones, Sand Springs OK and Pittsburg KS. 90.3, around Pawhuska noticed that full-power gospel huxter on 90.5, KNYD, Broken Arrow-Tulsa, was duplicated on 90.3. Only likely possibility I see in FCC FM Query is K212DX, translator in Ponca City, tho a bit far away for it. Which station a translator relays is not part of the seemingly obvious basic info at FCC. The Oasis Network website http://www.oasisnetwork.org/affiliates.asp shows KBXO Coachella/Palm Springs, CA 90.3 FM, so it`s conceivable there was a DX opening during the few seconds I was monitoring at 1516, but doubtful (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. TRUE OLDIES’ OUTLET TO RESURRECT WLS-FM AS STATION IDENTIFICATION June 19, 2008, BY ROBERT FEDER Sun-Times Columnist In a real blast from the past, the fabled call letters of WLS-FM are about to ride the Chicago airwaves again. Citadel Broadcasting plans to ask the Federal Communications Commission next week to turn WZZN-FM (94.7), the “True Oldies” station, into WLS-FM. If approved, the change is expected to take effect June 26. In a real blast from the past, the fabled call letters of WLS-FM are about to ride the Chicago airwaves again. The application is considered a formality since Citadel also owns news/talk WLS-AM (890). Mike Fowler, president and general manager of both stations, said the call letter change would be accompanied by a new set of on-air jingles recalling the rock ‘n’ roll heyday of WLS, along with a new logo. He also hinted at a few other surprises, perhaps involving some stars from the old days. “We’re going to develop this into the Top 40 WLS of old,” Fowler said. “We want to make it a cohesive package that presents the music in the framework of when it was all new.” The station’s local talent lineup already includes two hosts with strong associations to WLS’ past. Evening star and Radio Hall of Famer Dick Biondi was part of the station’s legendary starting roster in 1960, while morning personality Brant Miller was on from 1977 to 1991. Fowler said WLS-FM would continue to be targeting listeners between the ages of 25 and 54 with Top 40 hits mainly from the years 1964 to 1982. “The goal is to put the excitement back in the music,” he added. The switch coincides with the start of Portable People Meters, Arbitron’s electronic audience measurement system. Since the new devices do not require listeners to write down a station’s call letters, there’ll be no chance of confusion between WLS-AM and WLS-FM. Under ABC ownership, the 94.7 FM frequency last went by the call letters WLS-FM in 1995. Since then, it’s been called WKXK, WXCD and WZZN (via Pete Kemp, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** VATICAN [non non and non]. Radio Vatican late night service on 4005 confirmed tonight, with German until shortly before 2230, followed by English. Really faint signal, noticeably weaker than the 10 kW from Deanovec on 3985. Also quite low modulation, apparently no any limiter/compressor is in use. Here are pictures of the Vatican City transmitters, including the vintage Marconi shortwave rigs. True steam radio! http://www.mediasuk.org/archive/stato_vaticano/stato_vaticano.html (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4005, 07/06, 0146, CVA, R Vaticano, ???Vaticano? ??, signal interval percebido devido ao defeito do transmissor da R Virgen de Remedios veja log abaixo, 22222, RU 4005.4, 07/06, 0140, BOL, R Virgen de Remedios, Tupiza, SS programa religioso, OM comentário sobre demônio, transmissor com defeito com alguns cortes súbitos na transmissão e áudio saturado quando retorna, entre os cortes na transmissão ouvia-se o interval signal da rádio Vaticano, locutor conversando com uma moça no estúdio sobre Deus e Jesus e mx gospel, comentários sobre um congresso carismático. Sinal muito forte, 42344 (Renato Uliana, DX CAMP EM MAIRIPORÃ - SP, BRASIL, Receptor: ICOM IC-R71E, RX Auxiliar: DEGEN DE1121 ( usado para gravar os áudios em MP3 direto doIC-R71E ), Antena Unifilar 25 metros Leste- Oeste, @tividade DX via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. 4739.59v, R. TV. Son La (presumed), 1220-1241, June 18, in Vietnamese, indigenous music and singing/chanting, BoH into talk, fair. 5975.0, V. of Vietnam-1, 1305-1317, June 17, in Vietnamese, mostly talking, // 7210.0 // 9530.0 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. CLANDESTINE, 1550 Polisario Front, Rabouni, ALG, 1705-2240, 16 Jun, Arabic, prayer, music, talks, newscasts, etc.; 35454 and even better shortly later; parallel to 6300 as usual (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. ARAGÓN RADIO SE DESPLAZA A LOS CAMPOS DE REFUGIADOS SAHARAUI --- 18/06/2008 Toni Ruiz http://gozazaragoza.com/contenido.php?id=3056&d=Aragon-Radio-se-desplaza-a-los-campos-de-refugiados-saharaui Desde este jueves y hasta el próximo domingo, una parte importante del magacín matinal de Aragón Radio "Cada día más" se emitirá desde los campamentos de refugiados del Sahara Occidental en el desierto argelino. Toni Ruiz se desplaza hasta Tinduf para conocer de primera mano la realidad de un pueblo que huyo hace 33 años de la ocupación marroquí. Parte de la población saharaui se refugió en el desierto huyendo de los aviones y las tropas ocupantes. En esos días se realizarán varias intervenciones en directo y se recogerán testimonios para un programa especial que se emitirá después del viaje en la radio autonómica de Aragón. El programa tendrá un encuentro con la Media Luna saharaui, conocerá el programa de ayuda humanitaria ECHO de la Unión Europea, visitará el Hospital Nacional y una escuela, realizará un encuentro con la Unión Nacional de Mujeres Saharaui y mantendrá una entrevista con parlamentarios saharaui y miembros del Frente POLISARIO. "Cada día más" se emite de lunes a viernes de 7:00 a 12:00 horas en Aragón Radio (via José Miguel Romero2, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. WINDUP RADIOS ARE BANNED IN ZIMBABWE http://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=18973 (via The southgatearc.org web site via Vernon Erle Ikeda, Dollard des Ormeaux, Québec, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [and non]. UNID, 7120. Checking for Chad on a Euro remote receiver and I am hearing the strangest sound. I can hear two stations - 1) two men in conversation, this is the weaker one, but sometimes fading up over two very briefly. 2) A very short loop of female singing and horn sounds, played again and again. There is an occasional pause, but less than a second. Just a guess, but let’s say station one is Chad (per Jari’s recent tip) and that the second station is a jammer. I have heard the loop for nine minutes solid, 1715-1724 so I don’t think it is a song that is part of a program. I spot checked 4905 and 6165 but nothing like Chad or this other station on either frequency. [Later:] In listening some more, I believe jamming against the service Voice of the People is what is really going on here. I can hear mentions of Zimbabwe from station 1 (Hans Johnson, Jun 19, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. FREQUENCY CHANGE FOR STUDIO 7 TO ZIMBABWE, 23 JUNE Starting on Monday 23 June, the frequency of the VOA Studio 7 broadcast to Zimbabwe via the RNW Madagascar relay station at 1700- 1800 UT will change from 13755 to 11605 kHz (June 19th, 2008 - 14:52 UT by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) But not after 1800? UNIDENTIFIED. CHINA (?), 5925 China National R-5 (?), Beijing, 2224- 2233, 16 Jun, Amoy (as listed) to Taiwan, talks - or was this Xuan Mai, VIETNAM, in Hmong like I used to catch at this time in the not too distant past? 35332 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6043, 1239-1253, June 19, seems to be an Asian station here, in vernacular (similar to SE Asian language?), mostly talking, best in LSB to get away from 6045 QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. PIRATES --- Most likely Russian on their “central” frequency 6660 kHz. Religious program in Russian till 1932 on LSB and later on USB on April 18; Rap songs till 1655 and then playing many times one and same song “La Isla Bonita” sung by Madonna but no ID of the radio on June 1 (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, June 13, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews June 19 via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks to Gerald T Pollard, NC, for a Summer Solstice donation, check in the mail to P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 (gh) DX-PEDITIONS ++++++++++++ See our latest South African DXpedition at: http://www.dxing.info:80/dxpeditions/seefontein_2008_05.dx (John Plimmer, Montagu, Western Cape Province, South Africa http://www.dxing.info/about/dxers/plimmer.dx DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ PLEASE COMMENT ON THE EXPANSION OF THE FM BAND To take the frequencies used by channels 5 and 6. This is badly needed. This is the docket number MB Docket 07-294: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi Above URL is where to do it (Kevin Redding, TN, June 19, ABDX via DXLD) Hi Guys, Whacha up to Saturday ? Uncle Bob`s Garage cleanout! FREE EQUIPMENT ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SatFACTS Garage Clearance On Saturday June 21 between 10 AM and 1 PM [UT Fri June 20 2200-0100 to UT Saturday June 21] more than 150 satellite receivers, switches, feeds, antennas, and related equipment will be given away - FREE at the home of Bob Cooper in Coopers Beach, Far North, NEW ZEALAND. This collection, accumulated over the years of SatFACTS publication (1994-2008) represents digital, analogue and other equipment sent to the publication for magazine review. The publication ceased regular operation in April and as Coop winds down his lifestyle activities, the collection is now available. An attempt will be made to spread the FREE equipment amongst those attending in a fair and equitable manner. There is quite literally “several UTE loads” of FREE equipment and pre-registration skyking @ clear.net.nz is mandatory. A similar give- away of FREE ham radio HF, VHF, UHF equipment (transceivers, receivers, antennas, accessories) will occur the following day Sunday June 22 between 10 AM and 12 noon at the same location. Some Aussies will be there! Cheers from (Chris Martin, June 18, ARDXC via DXLD) ESHOO INTRODUCES LOUD COMMERCIAL BILL California Representative Anna Eshoo has introduced a H.R. 6209, entitled “The Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act” (the CALM Act for short). The bill would require the FCC to “prescribe a standard to preclude commercials from being broadcast at louder volumes than the program material they accompany.” Eshoo has stated that people put up with commercials in return for free over-the-air programming, but many are annoyed when a commercial is suddenly at a much higher volume than what they were watching. What do you think? Should Congress be involved in regulating the volume of television commercials? YES, it’s annoying and something needs to be done NO, it’s a small matter and Congress has better things to do http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/bills/?billtype=H.R.&billnumb=6209&congress=110 (via DXLD) WHEN SHORTWAVE IS NOT SHORTWAVE Re 8-070, Fire Burning in Santa Cruz County: The Palestine Herald, Palestine, Texas - Living to Serve http://www.palestineherald.com/local/local_story_168010013.html Glenn: Related to my previous e-mail... “That whole end of town had blacked out and I had taken a short-wave radio to the facility and left it with then-nursing director Peggy Howland." I suspect that those emergency wind-up radios will increasingly be referred to as "shortwave" radios, even though they will be used mainly to listen to AM or FM, and might not even have a shortwave band. 73 (Kim Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: ITALY; KUWAIT; NEW ZEALAND; NIGERIA; UK ++++++++++++++++++++ IBOC: OKLAHOMA PROPAGATION +++++++++++ Hi amigos radioaficionados, welcome to the mid week edition of DXers Unlimited at a moment when the 2750 megaHertz solar flux is very near to the lowest ever recorded levels since 1947, when Professor Arthur Covington of Canada started to monitor the Sun at microwave frequencies on a daily basis. Solar flux was at 65 units, a value very close to the minimum ever recorded. So, as may realize the daytime maximum useable frequency curve is showing a very slow build up, and is peaking at extremely low values, with the typical highest possible frequency propagating via the F2 layer not reaching higher than about 20 to 24 megaHertz and that´s for very short periods of time. More about the very low solar activity and how it may be actually enhancing sporadic E layer propagation at the end of the program. . . And now as always at the end of the show, here is ARNIE CORO´S DXERS UNLIMITED´S HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION UPDATE AND FORECAST Bottom low solar activity, extremely low F2 layer maximum useable frequencies, while plenty of E skip events are happening over North America, the Caribbean, Central America and Europe with some unique DX on 6 meters from half way around the world coming to the surprise of long time operators on the so called MAGIC BAND --- The effective sunspot number at 15 hours UT Tuesday was an extremely low ZERO TWO. A close look at the Sun shows we still have the remains of old sunspot 998, but we have are seeing a sunspot group, 999. This one is almost on the sun's equator and like 998 has a a clear cycle 23 magnetic signature. The flux has dropped to a bottom low level of 65 units and the K index was lower at just 4, units at around 14 UT Tuesday with the solar wind well over 700 kilometers per second but it's unlikely we'll have auroral conditions in the near future. Due to the higher solar wind there may be some disturbance from minor geomagnetic storming especially towards the poles. One final note that is causing concern among solar scientists. Unfortunately it looks like we have a lot further to go before we can be certain that we have actually reached the minimum of cycle 23 yet!! (Arnie Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited June 17, ODXA yg via DXLD) Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet levels from 09 June through midday on 14 June. Wind speed measurements from the ACE spacecraft were declining from around 450 km/s at the beginning of the period to about 300 km/s early on 14 June. A co-rotating interaction region was observed on 14 June at approximately 1130Z. Soon thereafter, geomagnetic activity increased to unsettled to minor storm conditions, and remained at this level through 15 June. Wind speeds quickly increased to just below 700 km/s with interplanetary magnetic field Bz component values ranging between +13 and -17 nT. Early on 15 June a transition into a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream occurred. This continued through the end of the summary period as wind speeds stayed around 650 km/s. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 18 JUNE - 14 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 18 - 23 June and again on 13 - 14 July. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled levels during 18 - 20 June due to a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 21 - 24 June. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels during 25 - 27 June again due to a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels during 28 June - 02 July as the coronal hole rotates out of a geoeffective position. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels during 03 - 05 July due to another coronal hole high speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet levels for 06 - 10 July. From 11 July through the end of the period expect unsettled to active conditions due to a coronal hole high speed stream. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2008 Jun 17 2023 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 17 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2008 Jun 18 67 12 3 2008 Jun 19 67 10 3 2008 Jun 20 67 10 3 2008 Jun 21 67 5 2 2008 Jun 22 67 5 2 2008 Jun 23 67 5 2 2008 Jun 24 67 5 2 2008 Jun 25 67 8 3 2008 Jun 26 67 10 3 2008 Jun 27 67 8 3 2008 Jun 28 67 5 2 2008 Jun 29 67 5 2 2008 Jun 30 67 5 2 2008 Jul 01 67 5 2 2008 Jul 02 67 5 2 2008 Jul 03 67 8 3 2008 Jul 04 67 10 3 2008 Jul 05 67 8 3 2008 Jul 06 67 5 2 2008 Jul 07 67 5 2 2008 Jul 08 67 5 2 2008 Jul 09 67 5 2 2008 Jul 10 67 5 2 2008 Jul 11 67 10 3 2008 Jul 12 67 15 4 2008 Jul 13 67 13 3 2008 Jul 14 67 10 3 (SWPC via DXLD) ###