DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-084, July 23, 2008 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2008 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1418 Wed 2100 WBCQ 15420-CUSB Thu 0530 WRMI 9955 Thu 1430 WRMI 9955 Thu 2330 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0100 WRMI 9955 Fri 0800 WRMI 9955 Fri 1930 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290 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 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.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org ** ABKHAZIA. 9494.67, R. Respubliki Abkhazia/Apusa Radio (presumed), 0425, 7/17. Weak to fair but channel clear. 0425 tune-in to vocal selections. 0430, man in Russian, then, briefly, woman, but returned to man who continued talking, maybe political commentary or news. Steadily weakening to 0443 fade. Have been trying for this one for a long time and finally the “stars all aligned” (Don Jensen, Kenosha WI, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) A new NASWA CLC country for him? (gh) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. R. Solh, 17700 via Rampisham, UK, poor but audible July 23 at 1324 with announcements, 1329 back to music; will it still play the sticking/skipping CD at 1346? Yes! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALASKA. Re 8-083: I've done a little more poking around with Digital Aurora Radio Technologies, Delta Mine Training Center, and Whit Hicks, the head of both. I've located the IRS tax returns for Delta (non-profit tax returns are public records) and Whit is the only paid executive employee --- the VP, corporate secretary, etc., earn nothing, which tell me they're just "placeholder" officers and Whit runs the whole show. Whit paid himself $119,000 from Delta in fiscal 2007, along with $17,000 in non-cash benefits (insurance, retirement plan contributions, etc.). And Whit owns a construction company that received over $89,000 in payments from Delta in 2007. Whit declared on the Delta tax return that he was a full-time (40+ hours weekly) employee of Delta, so I wonder who's running the construction company for him? ;-) Construction company owner, trainer of aspiring miners, and now pioneer in DRM shortwave radio --- he's the renaissance man I always wanted to be!! I'll write this up in case anyone takes issue with my remarks in the latest DXLD. To me, the Alaska DRM tests seem like nothing more than a huge scam to fleece money out of the federal government. 73, (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DRM CONSORTIUM WELCOMES SHORTWAVE TESTS IN ALASKA The Digital Radio Mondiale Consortium (DRM) says it’s pleased to learn that the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) of the USA has granted a licence to Digital Aurora Radio Technologies (DART) that will conduct a 2 year experiment for coverage of the state of Alaska with DRM signals in three of the lower shortwave bands around 5, 7 & 9 MHz. The Consortium says that if the tests show excellent results for digital broadcasts to cover the entire state, the next step would be to obtain approval to use the DRM system and the transmission station for a regular broadcasting service. Alaska has a surface area of approximately 1,300,000 square kilometres. With one DRM transmission, either 10 or 20 kHz in bandwidth, the entire state would be covered with approximately “FM- like” quality for up to 4 simultaneous programmes, such as four different languages of newscasts. Because of the severe ionospheric propagation conditions at the high latitudes for the state, these experiments will yield valuable information on what is needed to get excellent audio coverage at realistic powers for this concept – that is, for “regional coverage” on the order of hundreds of thousands to perhaps 2 million square kilometres from one shortwave transmitter located “in the middle” of the coverage area. The full test plan will include several variations of DRM system variables in order to determine which combination works best under the different ionospheric propagation conditions to be encountered. For the latter, this includes sunspot number, season and time of day. For the former, it involves different levels of audio quality for example with or without stereo and different levels of error correction. Finally, there is the choice of the 3 shortwave broadcasting bands at around 5, 7 & 9 MHz. (Source: DRM Consortium) (July 22, 2008 - 1043 UT by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) Comments so far: ruud July 23rd, 2008 - 14:42 UT Any one knows how many languages are spoken in Alaska?? English, for sure, Inuit language I guess, and??? 4 channels on 1 DRM carrier, is 5 kHz for each channel, that is the same quality as is proposed for simulcast DRM outlets (10 kHz split into 5 kHz analogue and 5 kHz digital) and gives poor mono quality (and analogue quality). My basic and simple question would be, did anyone try to cover Alaska with simple analogue SW? If yes, what are the results? (I can hear RNW in excellent quality on a 5 Euro analogue receiver, size of a credit card) Today s advice: keep it simple for the receiver. Jonathan Marks July 23rd, 2008 - 17:52 UT I saw some plans to use this idea to broadcast to Asia in 4 languages, thus saving money on transmission costs. But it failed, in my opinion, since the area to be covered with English, Tamil, Indonesian and Hindi programming was so large the question was what sort of antenna would be used (Media Network blog comments, ibid.) ** ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS. 4760, AIR Port Blair, 1319-1325, July 22, clearly parallel with 4920 (AIR Chennai, with QRM), 4970 (AIR Shillong) and 5010 (AIR Thiru.), all mostly poor to almost fair, carrying impassioned political speeches, must be related to today's winning of the vote of confidence by the Congress-led UPA government, faded out by 1325, the others continued on with speeches till 1336 tune-out (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGUILLA. 11775, Caribbean Beacon (presumed), 2212, 7/20. 2212 English with religious programming. Abruptly went off the air at 2215. Tuned to 6090 kHz at 2220 and heard English religious programming there with a gospel type show and USA address. Maybe late in making the switch of frequency since Passport has the station signing off on 11775 at 2200. Good signal on 11775 and poor on 6090 (Tom Gavaras, Minnetonka, MN, Ten-Tec RX-320 (stepping my toe back into the DX waters again), NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Yes, their QSY times vary considerably (gh) ** ARGENTINA. NOVEDADES EN AM --- Más novedades en el sobresaturado dial de Amplitud Modulada correspondiente al Area Múltiple Buenos Aires (AMBA): 1120 kHz, RADIO SUDAMERICANA es una nueva emisora de carácter "no oficial" que transmite desde la zona norte del Gran Buenos Aires, posiblemente desde Victoria o Virreyes. La misma ha sido reportada cuando AM Tango (1120 KHz) de Buenos Aires cerraba sus emisiones en el día de ayer a las 0300 UTC. La emisora anuncia como su única vía de contacto, el siguiente E-mail: info@sudamericana. com.ar Pertenecería a la colectividad paraguaya en Buenos Aires.- 1210 kHz, RADIO LA LUZ es el nombre cn se identifica esta nueva emisora religiosa evangélica de carácter "no oficial" que emite desde el Partido de La Matanza, Buenos Aires. La estación solo difunde música cristiana en calidad de prueba.- 1550 kHz, RADIO POPULAR fue reportada anunciando su QTH en la Avenida Brigadier Juan Manuel de Rosas 2468, de la localidad de José León Suárez, Partido de San Martín, Buenos Aires. Su teléfono es el (011) 4729-1545. - Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Lomas de Zamora, Argentina a través de [Lista ConDig]. * Por la zona norte de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires llega con muy buena recepción. Marcelito, corroborando tu aseveración que la emisora transmite desde la zona norte del GBA, lo cual da fe la excepcional señal que tengo en mi QTH también quiero señalar que anoche, en el programa Pasión Funebrera, dedicado al C.A. Chacarita Juniors, se indicó que por Radio Sudamericana comenzará hoy sábado un nuevo programa dedicado al club de mis amores, con la conducción de Hugo Parisi (perodista partidario) a las 11 LU. Siendo Chaca un club de zona norte del GBA (San Martin) un programa dedicado al mismo sólo puede ser transmitido por una emisora de la región. En cuanto a la emisora de 1210 Khz, según vi en afiches del barrio de Mataderos, tiene un programa dedicado al club Nueva Chicago (ahora en Primera B, je, je) 73’s Arnaldo Slaen a través de [Lista ConDig] 12/07/08. Provincia de Buenos Aires --- DOS NUEVAS AM EN MONTE GRANDE Dos nuevas emisoras religiosas operan desde la localidad de Monte Grande, Partido de Esteban Echeverría, provincia de Buenos Aires: 1260 kHz, RADIO LAS NACIONES, es una nueva emisora religiosa evangélica que opera en esta frecuencia, anunciando el teléfono (011) 4296-0771. Su QTH posiblemente esté localizado en la calle Leandro N. Alem 218 de Monte Grande.- 1460 kHz, RADIO JERUSALEN, es una nueva emisora que opera desde el QTH sito en la calle Fragata Heroína 2035, (B1842FQI) Monte Grande, Teléfono: (011) 4284-2830. E-mail: info @ amjerusalen.com.ar Página Web: http://www.amjerusalen. com.ar. Su director es el Sr. Angel J. Rivera.- Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Lomas de Zamora, Argentina a través de [Lista ConDig] (all via Conexión Digital July 20 via DXLD) See also UNID 2280 ** AUSTRALIA. HCJB Australia has a new website at: http://www.hcjb.org.au Latest (May 2008) issue of HCJB Australia newsletter "HCJB News" is available for download at: http://www.hcjb.org.au/docs/129_Aus_May08.pdf (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 6025, R Patria Nueva, La Paz, July 21, SS, 2236 ID "emisora del Estado Boliviano", talks about referendum, "47 días para conecer la verdad... consulta al pueblo... día 10 de agosto...", 2243 presumed a news program "lo noticioso de mayor cobertura... incremento de precios de transporte público...". 2244 annoyed by QRM of unID station, returning at 2249, fady 22422. 73 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 2380.64, Radio Educadora, (tentative) 0836-0845 July 22, have signal here that is very weak with music. I am assuming it's Brazil's Educadora based on the frequency. Signal is too weak to glean any details (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston FL, NRD545, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4785, Brasil, R Brasil, Campinas SP. July 22. Portuguese, 0945-0950 "programa do Bambuzinho" with astrology and Sertanejo music, ID "Radio Brasil...". From 0950 quick deterioration, reactivated but checked later tonight was off, 34333. 73 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also LANGUAGE LESSONS ** BRAZIL. Re 8-082, ``Voz Missionária, 5870: Also planned on 11750 kHz in 25 mb (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX via DXLD) No mention on their sintonia page at the first site about 5870, just 9665 and 11750. Hmmm, 5870 is almost one half of 11750; could it be a semi-harmonic of mistuned 11740? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` Even if not, it could still be that 5870 is no accident, for antenna resonance purposes, close enough (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. VOZ DO BRASIL" COMPLETA 73 ANOS Tradicional noticiário de Rádio do país, a Voz do Brasil está completando neste dia 22 de julho, 73 anos de existência. Segundo consta, o programa foi criado em 1935, pelo então presidente Getúlio Vargas, inspirado em Joseph Goebbels, o ministro da propaganda nazista, afim de transmitir para todo o país notícias do governo. A primeira edição do programa foi apresentado pelo locutor Luiz Jatobá, e foi levado ao ao com o nome "Hora do Brasil". A transmissão de forma "obrigatória começou em 1938. Atualmente produzido pela Radiobrás, o objetivo é levar informação jornalística diária aos mais distantes pontos do país. Com a expansão das notícias e da prestação de serviço, muitas emissoras no Brasil já conseguem liminar na Justiça para transmitirem o programa em horário alternativo, já que o horário tradicional do programa é às 19h00, pelo horário oficial de Brasília. [2200 UT; 2100 during DST] Saiba mais, clicando aqui. Fonte: http://www.bastidoresdoradio.com (via Marcelo Bedene, July 22, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) ** CANADA. With regard to CFRX: It`s getting close to the big switch being flipped at CFRX. Just about everything is wired up now. The antenna tuning unit, which goes at the base of the new vertical, has been re-built but still needs to be mounted and tuned. Holidays for the engineering staff have now slowed things a little further. One of the editors of a popular shortwave magazine made comment that considering a new transmitter was purchased, why stick with 1,000 watts, why not more power to broadcast a better signal? Also, why the same frequency? Both are odd comments and the editor should know better; CFRX is licenced for 1,000 watts on 6.070 MHz. It`s not on a protected frequency (if such a thing exists on shortwave) so whatever happens on or around that frequency CFRX will have to compete with, and so shall we as listeners. Its also not licenced as a shortwave broadcast station that can change power and frequencies to follow the seasons. Its mandate has always been to re-broadcast the programming of CFRB 1010 kHz, 24/7. Its re-activation will be noticed! We just have to wait a little more. Hope everyone is having a great summer. 73 (Steve Canney, July 22, VA3SC & VE3DUQ, VA3ODX UHF Repeater (442.225 MHz), CFRB/CFRX QSL Manager (17 years), CFRX yg via DXLD) Must be talking about me. I should know better? I know exactly what CFRX is licensed to do. But why think small? Sure, run 1 kW, and don`t even think about trying to change things for the better when you have a chance to do so, a new beginning. We`ll be hearing CVC Chile mainly on 6070 at night, just like we were before CFRX went off, or a bad mix of the two. If they wanted to bother, and really serve their audience better, CFRX could apply for a new frequency in a less congested area; and/or prevail upon the government, or RCI, to make sure it`s registered with HFCC so the big boys can`t pretend it isn`t there. Naaah, it`s just a very low-priority toy, and we`re lucky CFRB haven`t turned in the licence like most of the other private Canadian SW stations. If I seem somewhat peeved at their attitude, perhaps it`s because CFRX has a special place in my heart, my very first SW QSL in 1957y (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. I`ve tried most of the CBC Radio 1 summer shows, but one stands out as a new, entertaining and informative produxion, rather than reruns or admittedly repackaged material --- ReVision Quest, even tho I am a member of the Last Nations myself. Tuesdays 11:30 am local = 1430/1530/1630/1730/1830 UT on webcasts across the timezones ``Want to know more? Visit http://www.cbc.ca/radiosummer/revisionquest First Nations comic Darrell Dennis plunders the past to challenge misconceptions of what it means to be an Aboriginal person in Canada today. And, he kicks some assumptions for the listener. A Native People's History of Canada as filtered through the eyes and funny bone of Darrell Dennis. This program is part of CBC Radio One's summer schedule from June 23 to August 31, 2008`` Says the CBC program guide, only time shown as Fridays 2330 UT [+1/2/3/4 hours], and past episodes are also available on demand (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CHOK to FM? I just noticed on the CHOK 1070 Sarnia website that they are launching a new Country station on 103.9 FM Wednesday July 23 at 6:00 am. A promotional message is being broadcast on the frequency. The station has been using a low power FM transmitter on 100.9 for several months, originating from a site at the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre, relaying 1070 owing to poor reception in areas close to the petrochemical plants south of the city. I assume that 1070 will close down. Yet another Canadian AM to bite the dust? [Later:] Looks like this new 103.9 station is the re-broadcaster ex 100.9 on a new frequency. The power is 200 watts. So 1070 will continue. Update: "For the first time in more than 60 years CHOK is broadcasting on the FM Band. The official launch of Country 103-9 taking place this morning atop the Kenwick Building downtown where the new FM transmitter tower is located. Station General Manager Ron Dann says plans have been in the works for about a year. Country 103-9 FM is being simulcast on the long standing 10-70 AM frequency for Lambton County coverage. The station will continue to be the region's news leader as well as the radio home of the OHL Sarnia Sting." So it looks like the 100.9 frequency was never used; there was never any signal on that frequency from my QTH so I just assumed that the low powered signal was out of range (Colin Miller, VE3CMT, July 22, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** CANADA. CBC LPRT CBMO-1240 Lac-Mégantic Quebec applies to move to FM - temporary CBMO-1240 Lac-Mégantic Quebec, a 40 watt relay of CBVE-FM Quebec City is now silent, and the CBC has applied to the CRTC for authorization for a temporary LP FM transmitter (104.1 MHz, 50 watts, -38.7 meters) to serve this community for three months. Don't expect CBMO to come back however, as reading between the lines of the full application I suspect that eventually a permanent FM transmitter will be installed to serve this area. Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Application No. 2008-0942-8 Application by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, to amend the licence of the radio programming undertaking CBVE-FM Quebec. The licensee proposes to add a temporary low power FM mono transmitter at Lac-Mégantic to broadcast the programming of CBVE-FM, in order to adequately serve the population of Lac-Mégantic. The licensee states that this transmitter is temporary for three months and is necessary because the present low power AM transmitter, CBMO, had to be turned off due to renovations to the site made by the municipality of Lac-Mégantic. The transmitter would operate on frequency 104.1 MHz (channel 281LP) with an effective radiated power of 50 watts (non-directional antenna/antenna height of -38.7 metres). This temporary low power FM transmitter will restore the Radio One service to Lac-Mégantic. 73, (Deane McIntyre VE6BPO, July 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHILE. 6010.0, 0231-0246, Radio Parinacota, Putre, Jul 19, Músicas regionais em espanhol, logo a seguir foi tocado um bolero. Muito ruído estático que dificulta a escuta. Às 0242, uma voz feminina conversa com o locutor, sem muita condição de entender o que eles conversam. 24232 (Cleiber Andrade Jr. - Conselheiro Lafaiete MG - Brazil, Kenwood R1000, ANT- Big Loop http://dxinfologs.blogspot.com/ HCDX via DXLD) ** CHINA. TV NETWORKS FIGHT SHORTER OLYMPIC LEASH By Brian Stelter (IHT) Monday, July 21, 2008 http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/21/sports/21nbc.php For several years now NBC has meticulously planned all the details for its coverage of the many sports events at the Summer Olympics in China. But with the Games only 19 days away, many at the network are concerned about how they will permitted to cover any unscheduled events, like political protests or government crackdowns — or whether the Chinese government will allow them to cover such things at all. One of the most common hypothetical questions NBC officials have bandied about involves the opening ceremonies on Aug. 8. Hundreds of athletes will parade into a stadium in front of world leaders, including President George W. Bush, and a huge global television audience. If an athlete holds a protest sign or waves a Tibetan flag, how will the Chinese hosts react? Will the television networks show the scene? How will the Chinese handle the media for the rest of the Games? The stakes are high for both the network, which paid $900 million for broadcast rights for the Olympics, and the reputation of NBC News. If it covers any controversies aggressively, it risks drawing the ire of the Chinese and interfering with coverage of sports events. But if it shies from coverage of any protests, NBC risks being criticized in the West for kowtowing to China — particularly since its corporate parent, General Electric, is aggressively expanding its investments in China. One thing is for sure, vows Steve Capus, the president of NBC's news division: "If there's news, we're going to cover it." NBC and other broadcasters have been at odds with Chinese authorities over what, where and when they will be allowed to film. During the last seven years, broadcasters had been assured that they would receive the same freedoms they have had at previous Olympics, but in the last few months, those promises have been contradicted by strict visa rules, lengthy application processes and worries about censorship. Seeking to defuse growing tension, network executives met face to face two weeks ago with representatives of the International Olympic Committee and Chinese officials. At an eight-hour meeting in the International Broadcast Center in Beijing, the Chinese organizing committee relented slightly, saying that broadcasters like NBC that have paid for rights to the Olympic Games may transmit live from Tiananmen Square — but for only six hours a day, from 6 to 10 a.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. The broadcasters, which include the BBC in Britain, the CBC in Canada, the Seven Network in Australia and SABC in South Africa, unanimously pressed for further access, according to minutes of the meeting obtained by The New York Times. According to two people at the meeting, when the Beijing vice mayor, Cao Fuchao, remarked that his country's authorities would not reverse their decision to restrict access, Alex Gilady, an IOC commissioner and NBC vice president, pointed his finger and said: "We still have one month to go. We will pursue this to the end." But time is not on the broadcasters' side. Nineteen days from now, when the torch is lit in Beijing, journalists and viewers could be facing the most restrictive environment for an Olympics in modern times. At the meeting, on July 9, after months of uncertainty, Chinese officials said that all applications for live broadcasting would be approved throughout Beijing and the other cities where Olympic competitions were planned. Furthermore, the committee said that all broadcasters could tape reports from Tiananmen Square. But the broadcasters say they will not believe it until they see it. One IOC commissioner, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid further complicating the situation, said matter-of-factly that Chinese officials had "put a tourniquet" on the Olympics. "Had the IOC, and those vested with the decision to award the host city contract, known seven years ago that there would be severe restrictions on people being able to enter China simply to watch the Olympics, or that live broadcasting from Tiananmen Square would essentially be banned, or that reporters would be corralled at the whim of local security, then I seriously doubt whether Beijing would have been awarded the Olympics," the commissioner said. The contentious negotiations are particularly perilous for NBC, part of NBC Universal, which is trying to produce 3,600 hours of coverage. The company paid a record amount for the broadcast rights, and it expects to generate $1 billion in advertising revenue. The coverage will be produced by NBC Sports under the direction of Dick Ebersol, chairman of NBC Universal Sports and Olympics. But the network could find itself covering news outside the track or swimming pools if there are political protests or another government crackdown. Capus of NBC acknowledged that these Games were arguably the most newsworthy Olympics in a generation, since they have put a spotlight on China's environmental problems and human-rights abuses. He was diplomatic about the recent negotiations. "We are encouraged by the progress that we saw last week, and the potential for the cooperation that has been pledged," Capus said. NBC has good reason to cross its fingers. Its owner, GE, has had its sales in China grow rapidly this decade, to a projected $10 billion by 2010, from around $1 billion in 2000. The company is involved in more than 300 projects related to these Games, including technology for the new National Stadium. Jeffrey Immelt, the chief executive of GE, has said the Olympics will create "decades of good will in China." NBC Universal has taken out an insurance policy to protect itself against the disruption or cancellation of the Games. This is a standard precaution: an NBC spokesman said that networks covering the Games had taken out such insurance since 1980, when the United States boycotted the Moscow Olympics. "It's pretty much a given that this is not Barcelona, and this is definitely not Atlanta," one of the correspondents said on the condition of anonymity, because the network prohibits speaking to the news media without authorization. "So how much access will we get? I don't think we'll know until we're there." "Today," NBC's morning show, is traditionally the news division's signature Olympic program, and a co-host, Matt Lauer, will be in China before the Games, broadcasting from the Great Wall and other cultural icons. Then his colleagues Meredith Vieira, Al Roker and Ann Curry will join him at the program's set at the Olympic Green in Beijing. Because of the 12-hour time difference, the sun will be setting during the American morning show. "NBC Nightly News With Brian Williams" will originate from Beijing for the first week of the Games. Tom Brokaw, the network's senior correspondent, will be in Beijing, as will Richard Engel, NBC's chief foreign correspondent, who spends most of his time in war zones and hot spots. But NBC officials are not eager to discuss the peculiarities of broadcasting from China. Ebersol would not respond to a request for an interview, the network said. Some news organizations have had to leap through hoops merely to rent office space, order phone lines and set up satellite dishes. Stations that reserved locations for live shots later have had their permissions revoked, and journalists have speculated that the bureaucratic hurdles have been put in place to discourage free reporting, despite the country's promises. Once the staff is in place in China, many of the hypothetical situations about the Olympics will hinge on a single question: what is sports and what is news? Broadcasters expect that the country's security apparatus will work hard to prevent a repeat of the early stages of the Olympic torch relay, where pro-Tibet protesters disrupted the run and extinguished the flame several times. The primary television feed of the sporting events is produced by Beijing Olympic Broadcasting, a partnership between China and the IOC If a demonstration occurs at an Olympic site, the official broadcast may not capture it. But networks like NBC have their own cameras in place that could film spontaneous developments at the events. In such cases, the responsibility falls to NBC to decide what to show the American audience. "Those are decisions that will be made on the fly when it happens, and you hope they make the right decision," one of the NBC correspondents said (via tribby2001, dxldyg via DXLD) JOURNOS COME TO GRIPS WITH REPORTING RESTRICTIONS By MICHAEL DONALDSON - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 20 July 2008 I almost started this column under a pseudonym just in case it comes back to bite me when I arrive in China next month for the Olympic Games. One of the fears for journalists going to Beijing is that things we might normally do at home can get us arrested in China. … http://www.stuff.co.nz/4624666a2201.html OLYMPICS TEST PRESS FREEDOM --- BEIJING SEEN FALLING SHORT ON PROMISES David R. Sands THE WASHINGTON TIMES [Moony] Sunday, July 20, 2008 http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/20/olympics-test-press-freedom/ MEANWHILE: BLACKS BULLIED IN BEIJING AS OLYMPICS APPROACH http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=70116 http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12796&size=A (all via tribby2001, dxldyg via DXLD) ** CHINA. 4940, Voice of Strait (Channel 1), Fuzhou, 1257-1302, July 22, good reception, in Chinese, orchestra music, 5+1 pips, English ID "This is the Voice of Strait News Radio". Have recently heard several of these new IDs. Have not monitored the other VOS channels (Channel 2 - Lifestyle & Entertainment and Channel 3 - Fujianese-dialect programs) to know if it is only Channel 1 (News and Public Affairs) that has English IDs (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. 5963.97, Radio Exterior España, 0750-0759 July 22, Noted male in Spanish comments between pop music selections. At 0759 a clear ID given by a female twice, "Radio Exterior España, ... Radio Exterior España". This was followed with a close of the transmission. The interesting aspect of this was the fact that REE was off frequency. Otherwise the signal was good. I checked my receiver's frequency readout with WWV and it was right on (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston FL, NRD545, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Has been off for several months now (gh) ** CUBA. DentroCuban Jamming Command still ruining frequencies needlessly, pulsing at the rate of 128/minute on 9490 and 9640, July 23 at 1330, even tho R. República uses 9490 only at 10-11 via Sackville, and 9640 only at 00-02 via UK. Previous timing of the pulses came to only 120/minute, i.e. 2 per second (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Estimados: Hace algunos días recibí este esquema (el que modifiqué en su diseño para que quedara en una sola hoja) de Radio Habana Cuba con sus frecuencias para este periodo, en todos sus idiomas. Lo envío para compartirlo con ustedes y esperando que les sea útil en sus programas y boletines. Cordiales saludos, (Eduardo Peñailillo Barra, July 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: RADIO HABANA CUBA, HORARIOS, BANDAS Y FRECUENCIAS (DESDE MARZO HASTA OCTUBRE DE 2008) ZONAS GEOGRAFICAS FRECUENCIA HORARIOS (UT) TRANSMISIONES EN IDIOMA ESPAÑOL (en la mañana) Río de Janeiro 9550 / 31 m 1100-1500 11805 / 25 m 1100-1500 Norte, Centro y Suramérica 6000 / 49 m 1100-1400 11760 / 25 m 1100-1500 Nueva York 6180 / 49 m 1100-1300 12000 / 25 m 1100-1500 San Francisco 15370 / 19 m 1300-1500 Chicago 9600 / 31 m 1100-1300 13680 / 22 m 1300-1500 Buenos Aires 13760 / 22 m 1100-1500 ALÓ PRESIDENTE [only on Sundays, they forgot to mention] Chicago 13750 / 22 m 1400 Centro América 13680 / 22 m 1400 Antillas 11670 / 25 m 1400 Chile 11875 / 25 m 1400 Río de Janeiro 17750 / 16 m 1400 MESA REDONDA Chicago 9820 / 31 m 2230–2400 Washington 6000 / 49 m 2230–2400 REVISTA IBEROAMERICANA (en la tarde) Río de Janeiro 9550 / 31 m 2100-2300 Antillas 11800 / 25 m 2100-2300 Buenos Aires 13760 / 22 m 2100-2300 Europa 11750 / 25 m 2100-2300 TRANSMISIONES EN ESPAÑOL (EN LA NOCHE) Río de Janeiro 9550 / 31 m 0200-0500 Norte, Centro y Suramérica 11760 / 25 m 2400-0500 Nueva York 6060 / 49 m 2400–0500 Buenos Aires 9600 / 31 m 2400-0500 13760 / 22 m 2400-0500 Caribe 5965 / 49 m 2400-0500 América Central 6140 / 49 m 2400-0500 Chile 11680 / 25 m 2400-0500 Chicago (solo en verano) 6180 / 49 m 2400-0100 Washington (solo en verano) 6000 / 49 m 2400-0100 TRANSMISIONES EN IDIOMA INGLÉS Norte, Centro y Suramérica 11760 / 25 m 2030-2130 Antillas 9505 / 31 m 2030-2130 Rio de Janeiro 9550 / 31 m 2300-2400 San Francisco 9550 / 31 m 0500-0700 Chicago 6180 / 49 m 0100-0700 Washington 6000 / 49 m 0100-0700 New York 6060 / 49 m 0500–0700 TRANSMISIONES EN IDIOMA FRANCÉS Norte, Centro y Suramérica 11760 / 25 m 2000-2030 2130-2200 Caribe 5965 / 49 m 2200-2230 2300-2330 Antillas 9505 / 31 m 2200-2230 Río de Janeiro 9550 / 31 m 2400-0100 0130-0200 TRANSMISIONES EN IDIOMA PORTUGUÉS Río de Janeiro 17705 / 16 m 2200-2230 2300-2330 Antillas 11800 / 25 m 2000-2030 Buenos Aires 13760 / 22 m 2300-2400 Europa 11750 / 25 m 2000-2030 TRANSMISIONES EN IDIOMA ÁRABE Antillas 11800 / 25 m 2030-2100 Europa 11750 / 25 m 2030-2100 TRANSMISIONES EN IDIOMA ESPERANTO [Sunday only they forget to mention] Norte, Centro y Suramérica 11760 / 25 m 1500-1530 1930-2000 Buenos Aires 9600 / 31 m 2330-2400 América Central 6140 / 49 m 2330-2400 San Francisco 6000 / 49 m 0700-0730 Caribe 5965 / 49 m 2330-2400 TRANSMISIONES EN IDIOMA CREOLE Río Janeiro 9550 / 31 m 0100-0130 Norte, Centro y Suramérica 5965 / 49 m 2130-2200 2230-2300 2330-2400 Antillas 9505 / 31 m 2130-2200 2230-2300 TRANSMISIONES EN IDIOMA GUARANÍ Rio Janeiro 17705 / 16 m 2230-2300 Buenos Aires 17705 / 16 m 2330-2400 TRANSMISIONES EN IDIOMA QUECHUA (No se está transmitiendo en este idioma. Se transmite la programación en idioma Portugués hasta nuevo aviso) Buenos Aires 17705 / 16 m 2400-2430 (further tidied up by Glenn Hauser for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Re 8-083, R. República Reception Report Thank you very much for your reception report of Radio República on 9640 kHz. Unfortunately, this was not a transmission from our station, WRMI Radio Miami International. We only broadcast on 9955 kHz. We do air Radio República during certain hours on weekends, and we will be glad to verify any transmission of WRMI on 9955 kHz with our QSL card. Feel free to send any reports of 9955 kHz to this address for verification. Jeff White, General Manager WRMI Radio Miami International 175 Fontainebleau Blvd., Suite 1N4 Miami, Florida 33172 USA Tel +1-305-559-9764 Fax +1-305-559-8186 http://www.wrmi.net (via Dave Askine, DXLD) I got a non-detailed letter in January 2006 for a snail-mail report to the address announced at that time on air: P. O. Box 110235, Hialeah, FL 33011, USA. 73, (Patrick Robic, Austria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. No part of the below can be used by the National Radio Club without expressed, written permission, which will then be swiftly denied. 529/530 kHz, PARTS UNKNOWN +CUBA unidentified carrier + Radio Enciclopedia; 1600-2000 July 19, 2008. I had the usual local level Enci on for background music while working about the house, in LSB as usual to see if you-know-what would appear. Recheck at 1800, the 529 carrier was present as a low het under Enci. By 2000, the carrier was off (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. Federal Communications Commission DA 08-1290 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of Request of Broadcasting Board of Governors United States of America For Extension of Authorization ) MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER Adopted: June 2, 2008 Released: June 2, 2008 By the Chief, International Bureau: 1. This Order addresses a request by the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) that the Commission extend for one year the authorization for TV Martí to operate Channel 13 facilities with technical parameters at variance from those that the Commission originally authorized. 1 The Commission originally granted to the United States Information Agency (USIA) authorization to use Channel 13 for TV Marti facilities to broadcast television programming to Cuba.2 Thereafter, BBG became responsible for TV Marti, and on August 19, 2004, the Commission adopted the Modification Order that amended the allocation of Channel 13 to BBG.3 The Modification Order also authorized TV Marti to operate Channel 13 facilities with technical parameters at variance from those that the Commission had previously authorized.4 The International Bureau subsequently granted three requests by BBG to extend the authorization for an additional year.5 BBG now requests an additional one year extension.6 As discussed below, we grant the request, subject to conditions to ensure the TV Martí facilities do not cause harmful interference to Commission licensees. 2. Consistent with the Commission’s previous orders, we have evaluated BBG’s request to extend the authorization of the modified facilities for one year, and find that BBG’s operations comply with the Modification Order.7 In accordance with the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act8, and in recognition of the foreign policy interests noted by BBG, we grant BBG’s request and allow TV Marti to continue to operate Channel 13 facilities with technical parameters at variance from those the Commission previously authorized. This authorization is subject to the same conditions enumerated in the Modification Order and the Extension Orders. 3. As this change to the TV Marti authorization carries out the mandate of the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act, and reflects foreign policy determinations made by Congress and the President of the United States, we find for good cause that public notice and comment thereon is unnecessary.9 4. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that TV Marti may operate Channel 13 television facilities with technical parameters at variance from those previously authorized by the Commission. Such operations shall be permitted until January 24, 2009. 5. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that TV Marti’s operations on Channel 13 be on a non-interference basis. Such operations must cease if the Commission determines that they are causing harmful interference to any lawfully operating Commission licensee. 6. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this Order shall be effective immediately upon release. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Helen Domenici, Chief, International Bureau [Footnotes:] 1 Letter from James K. Glassman, Chairman, Broadcasting Board of Governors, United States of America, to Kevin J. Martin, Chairman, Federal Communications Commission, dated March 24, 2008 (BBG Letter). 2 Request of United States Information Agency For Assignment of License of Television Station Channel 13 Key West, Florida, Memorandum Opinion and Order, FCC 91-80, 6 FCC Rcd 1714 (1991), as modified by Letter of Roy J. Stewart, Chief, Mass Media Bureau, to Joe Bruns, Acting Director, Voice of America, dated July 26, 1993, and subsequently modified in Request of United States Information Agency For Modification of Authorization, Memorandum Opinion and Order, FCC 95-160, 10 FCC Rcd 4514 (1995). 3 Request of United States Department of State for Modification of Authorization, Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 04-2592, 19 FCC Rcd 16259 (2004) (Modification Order). 4 Id. 5 Request of Broadcasting Board of Governors United States of America for Extension of Authorization, Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 05- 452, 20 FCC Rcd 3699 (2005); Request of Broadcasting Board of Governors United States of America for Extension of Authorization, Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 06-135, 21 FCC Rcd 456 (2006) and Request of Broadcasting Board of Governors United States of America for Extension of Authorization, Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 07- 2724, 22 FCC Rcd 11,174 (2007) (collectively the Extension Orders). Federal Communications Commission DA 08-1290 6 BBG Letter. We note that although BBG filed this request late, the standards applicable to late-filed renewal applications submitted by the Commission’s licensees are inapposite in light of Section 243(d)(3) of the Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act. See 22 U.S.C. § 1465bb(d)(3) (mandating that the FCC exercise the authority of the President specified in Section 305 of the Communications Act in assigning a frequency for TV Marti, and that the FCC treat it as a government station). Consistent with the flexibility of the process employed by the National Telecommunications Information Agency (NTIA) for renewing government station authorizations, coupled with the circumstances involving this particular station, we will treat BBG’s request for a one-year extension as timely filed. 7 See Modification Order; Request of Broadcasting Board of Governors United States of America for Extension of Authorization, Memorandum Opinion and Order, DA 04-2592, 19 FCC Rcd 16259 (2005) and DA 06-135, 21 FCC Rcd 456 (2006). 8 22 U.S.C. §1465bb(d)(1). Television Broadcasting to Cuba Act, in Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991, Part D of Title II, Pub. L. No. 101-246 Stat. 58, Section 242(3). 9 See 5 U.S.C. § 553(a)(1), (b)(3)(B). (FCC via DXLD) ** DEUTSCHES REICH [non]. Ernst Zündel case: see USA WRNO ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. FM Es - 88.1 RDS: "PRIMERA" tentative Santo Domingo --- I got home at 1530 [EDT? = 1930 UT] having missed out on the Es action, but apparently on the tail end of the Es, with antenna aimed directly south, I got a Spanish-speaking station on 88.1 with RDS "PRIMERA" briefly locking in several times between 1551 and 1600, as well as an RDS subtitle "...Emisora de..." below the "PRIMERA" once. I initially thought Florida or Cuba were likely, but after looking it up it seems to be Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic at 1493 miles. Not much of a context here with only one station received (other than interfering semi-local WYPR 88.1). Is there anything I'm missing here? (Les Prus, Alexandria VA (38.7264 -77.0720), July 22, FM: Denon TU- 1500RD (APS-13); Sangean HDT-1 (Radio Shack 5 element Triple Beam), WTFDA via DXLD) That's them. I got them last August, and when I replayed the recording I was also lucky enough to get a clear "Primera" ID. Congrats! (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA (15 mi NW of Philadelphia), [no elevation stated] ibid.) ** ECUADOR. 4909.2, Radio Chaskis, 7/16, 0905. Andean music, ID in Spanish with e-mail address ("correo electrónico") at 0910, back to music, ID again at 0913; lots of IDs, program "Música Ecuatoriana" (Ralph Brandi, Middletown, New Jersey, AOR AR-7030+, Drake R8, Etón E1, 300' mini-Beverage antenna, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 8000, Bana? 1545 July 21, talks by YL. Seems like a poem. In between and under with Ethiopian traditional / folk music. Also 1600 clear from QRM with talks by man. 34443. 5990 & 7110 at 1758 July 21 with folk songs. Signals S7 and 9 respectively. Both at 1800, 7110 QRMed from Farda 7105 with signal S20 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. R. Fana full data QSL received by Registered Ethiopian Mail; I sent the report on June 1 and had the reply by July 18. A nice card that came in an envelope with great Rhino stamps. The back of the envelope carries a stamp imprint with the words "Radio Fana Share Company Archives and Record Service." The envelope alone is worth the price of admission (Jim Ronda, Tulsa OK, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** GREECE. Ciao Amici Piratomani, scusate il ritardo, tante cose da fare per le vacanze... Salutoni, Silveri 1636.00, 1007 2150 unid, Gr, traditional by man 24422 1646.00, 1207 2228 unid, Gr, traditional song by man 24422 1663.00, 0707 2153 unid, Gr, talks 24422 1666.00, 0707 2145 unid, Gr, talks tilefono 24422 1670.00, 0707 2150 unid, Gr, talks, traditional song by woman: Efgaristos 24432 [thank-yous] 1670.00, 0907 2207 unid, Gr, talks by man 24322 1670.00, 1007 2152 unid, Gr, talks, duet song, traditional by man 24422 1680.00, 1207 2230 unid, Gr, talks, song by man 24432 1690.00, 1007 2215 unid, Gr, talks 24432 1700.00, 1007 2225 unid, Gr, talks 24322 1712.00, 1307 2145 unid, Gr, talks, traditional song by man 23322 1718.00, 0707 2155 unid, GR, traditional song by man 24432 (Silveri Gomez, FRAGA, CATALUNYA NORTE, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) Pirates in Greek, so presumably from Greece. I find it remarkable that all of them were on exact frequencies to two decimal places, and suspect instead that be an unjustifiable artifact of his logging method. But it should be of interest to have these approximate frequencies to help with unIDs; and also look for their second and third harmonix, tho his report further on did not mention any. Are people no longer taught about significant digits as part of their basic education? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 5040, AIR Jeypore, 1319-1336, July 22, was not parallel to 4760, 4920, 4970 and 5010 until I checked at 1330, after which they also carried the political speeches, poor (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see ANDAMAN & NICOBAR IS. ** INDIA. ALL INDIA RADIO COMPLETES 81 YEARS By Radioandmusic.com (23 July 2008 6:30 pm) http://www.radioandmusic.com/headlines/y2k8/july/23july/air.php New Delhi: AIR (All India Radio) completed 81 years of operations on Wednesday. Once an only player in the country; the pubcaster has had to, with time, face competition with the arrival of private radio channels in the country. When asked about how the private FM sector has affected AIR's position in the country AIR's Deputy Director General - Programming, planning, policy, development and commercial G Jayalal said, "AIR is still the number one player in the county because of the kind of reach it has. All India Radio reaches places where private FM players have not entered yet. Our signal reaches the remotest areas in the country." However, it gives the impression that nothing could dampen the spirits of AIR, as the public broadcaster is now headed towards digitalisation of its content alongwith revamping its website. Jayalal remarked, "Yes, it is true that we are now digitalising our content. Apart from that we have also been working at giving a facelift to our website for some months now." As a public service broadcaster, AIR had always emphasised on broadcasting socially relevant content; content that would spread evangelism. "Since we are into public service we have to concentrate on serving the public. So while primarily most of our channels have socially relevant content; we also have channels like Rainbow that concentrates on music and entertaining listeners. But even in channels like Rainbow we try to incorporate as much socially relevant content as we can", added Jayalal. While AIR is trying to evolve with new technology and content; it would be interesting to watch how in the coming days, the radio from the public sector takes its fight ahead against the private FM players (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, July 23, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Jakarta op 11785.98 kHz, 21/7 1559 UT. Met leuke muziek en vele IDs in het Engels. Goed signaal en audio kan iets beter. Dit is een nieuwe frequentie voor Indonesia t.o. de vorige die was 1 kHz lager. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, BDX via DXLD) VOI, July 22nd, 9525.97 to 1530 UT, from 1600 UT on 11785.97 --- Noted VOI today on 9525.97 til 1530 UT sharp. 0800-1530? to SoEaAS, NoEaAS - at 30 degrees. From 1600 UT on 11785.97 again, but 1600-2100 UT towards SoAS, NE, ME, EUR, at 315 degrees. Adds: English 1500-1530 daily SoEaAS,NoEaAS 9526jak Hindi 1630-1700 daily SoAS,NE,ME,EUR 9526jak Indonesian 1600-1700 daily SoAS,NE,ME,EUR 9526jak [rather a program in Hindi noted 1630-1700] http://en.voi.co.id/realtime/ only via Microsoft Internet Explorer Windows Media Player, but n o t Firefox V3 Browser including PlugIn MS Media Player version. wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOI, 9526, July 21 at 1300 open carrier, 1301 IS and ID, frequencies, opening English, but only fair. Next day, July 22, good enough to be listenable with some concentration, from 1259 opening in English with ID, program summary. 1301 news, almost all of which was about what various members of the bureaucracy were doing! Is there no significant non-government news happening in this vast nation? Antara news agency attributed at times. At 1307 even concerned diplomatic relations with Serbia, and some sporting event there involving Indonesians. Focus segment, something about the Singapore national anthem at 1314-1316 was introed and outroed with VOI ID and slogan ``The Sound of Dignity``. Next about a Thailand/Cambodia border dispute since 1962. 1317 news in brief. 1323 Arts & Culture about the Dyak tribe and their long ears, in Kalimantan forests. 1330 Let`s Speak Bahasa Indonesia Through Songs, playing a song, speaking the lyrix and translating them, a feature returning next Tuesday. 1341 another music show as signal weakens. Next morning, July 23, on 9526 reception was much poorer, but could detect news in English at 1300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Jakarta op 11785.98 kHz, 1746 UT July 23, Zeersterk (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, bdx mailing list via DXLD) So now this one too is almost 1 kHz hi like 9526 (gh, DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 4750, RRI Makassar, 0942-1000 July 23, tuned in while usual EZL type music from Indonesia is being present. Between music selections, a female in Indonesian comments then back to music. At 0950 a male and female comment. This seems to be a promo for a future program possibly? Music continues after the promo. At 0958 female comments again until 0959 when Islamic programming begins with possibly the Qur'an being recited by a male. I can't recall the last time I heard Makassar. It's been either off the air or condx have been too poor to hear them. However, this mornings condx aren't better than usual and I am suspecting that Makassar's transmitter being easily heard, may have possibly been down for maintenance recently and this is the improved results? Just my opinion. Signal remain fair during the listening period (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. En 3985 kHz escuché el 19/7 a las 2120 UT a la Voz de la República Islámica de Irán con programación en español y locución femenina. Según la lista EiBi y la lista Aoki a esa hora el idioma en esa frecuencia debería ser ruso. ¿Error o cambio? Las 2130, luego de la habitual música de sintonía y el gong, comenzó una transmisión en otra lengua que no pude identificar dado que la señal era baja y ruidosa. Sea lo que fuere, sin duda dirigido a Europa (Moises Knochen, Cuchilla Alta, Uruguay, Degen DE1103 y antena exterior de 15 m, July 20, condiglist yg via DXLD) See also ITALY [non] ** IRELAND. EUROPirates --- 3915, Reflections Europe, IRELAND, 2107- 2121, 20 Jul, English, religious propaganda; 45433; parallel to 6295. 6295, Reflections Europe, 1805-1821, 20 Jul, English, religious propaganda spice with silly church tunes choirs; 34433. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, July 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY [non]. IRIB : COMUNICATO DA RADIO ITALIA Nuova frequenza RADIO ITALIA --- Caro amico, considerando la cattiva qualita` di ricezione sulla frequenza di 11670 kHz, abbiamo deciso di sostituirla con la 9770 kHz applicabile da Lunedi 21/07/08. Sperando che tu possa seguire i nostri programmi inviandoci sempre le tue lettere e i tuoi rapporti d'ascolto, cogliamo l'occasione per porgerti i nostri piu` cordiali saluti e siamo in attesa di ricevere i tuoi rapporti di ricezione sulla nuova frequenza sopraccitata. Ora (UT) Frequenza (kHz) 6:30 - 7:30 9770 13770 15085 19:30 - 20:00 5910 7380 Con amicizia ti salutiamo dall'Iran, Ali (via Dario Monferini, Italy, July 22, playdx yg via DXLD) TROTS: I suppose the problem was Kuwait and/or UAE on 11675; 11670 was Sitkunai, LITHUANIA relay, so 9770 must be too (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 6015, Shiokaze - Sea Breeze via Yamata, Japan (new frequency - temporary move from 6020?), *1400, July 21, in Japanese. Is this their new anti-jamming alternative frequency (ex: 6005) or a new primary frequency (ex: 6020)? Am glad they did not return to 6005, due to the interference caused there by Echo of Hope on 6003. Before 1400 heard weak Asian station (assume PBS Xinjiang), ToH pips and assume it was CNR-8 that was totally covered by Shiokaze signing on after the pips. Am grateful to Dan Sheedy for this tip. He first heard them here on July 16 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. S KOREA (cland), 6518, V of People? 1658 July 21 with Korean type operas, S7 max, Man with talks in 'heavy' Korean at 1700. At 1709 men shouting angrily (revolutionary tones), then into operas. Reception preferable with narrow band filter in order to cut hiss and some minimal QRM. On 6600 heavily QRMed from a dig stream [jamming?] on 6598. 6348, Echo of Hope at 1820 July 21 with a popsong, then talks in Korean!! Song Whenever (Phil Collins) at 1826. Possible shifting upwards (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA SOUTH. KOREAN GOVERNMENT MOVES TO DISMISS KBS HEAD The Korean government is moving to unseat Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) head Jung Yun-joo despite controversy over the President’s right to dismiss the state-owned public broadcaster’s chief. Media-related civic groups are strongly opposing the move, claiming the Lee Myung- bak administration is attempting to take control of the media by appointing new heads favourable to the government. . . http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/korean-government-moves-to-dismiss-kbs-head (July 22, 2008 - 9:21 UT by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** LAOS. 6130, Lao National Radio, 1415-1430, July 22, after the news in Laotian, "I am Elizabeth Moore and welcome to Functioning in Business", "Functioning in Business is an intermediate level business English course with a focus on American business practices and culture", "Checking In - Part 3", business dialogues about confirming hotel and airline reservations, fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Radio UNAM cambio --- Desde hace un par de semanas ha dejado de ser el encargado técnico de Radio UNAM el Ing. Eusebio Mejía quien aceptó un ofrecimiento del Instituto Mexicano de la Radio. Hablé al Departamento técnico de Radio UNAM y aún no nombran a su sucesor. Ojalá que quien tome dicho puesto ponga el empeño que tuvo el Ing. Mejía en particular con la onda corta, misma que actualmente y de nueva cuenta se encuentra en reparación su transmisor. XEXQ Radio Universidad SLP --- La señal de XEXQ en los 6045 kHz ha estado prácticamente ausente; el Ing. Moreno me informa que sí están al aire pero que hicieron un nuevo reacomodo de la antena en su planta transmisora. Siguen en espera de los postes que han de dar sostén y altura a la nueva antena y de esta forma nuevamente disfrutar de la excelente señal y contenido de XEXQ. Saludos, (Julián Santiago D. de B., DF, July 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) XEYU 9599.3 lost its chief engineer and his replacement has not been named. So don`t expect SW back on before then, if ever. XEXQ says it is still on the air, but unheard, as they still have issues with the antenna location (gh`s summary translation, WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DXLD) ** MEXICO. XERTA NUEVA DIRECCION --- Me informa el amigo Andrés Cruz la nueva dirección en la que se encuentran las oficinas de la XERTA "Radio Transcontinental de América", por lo que, tanto la más reciente dirección y el apartado postal quedan anulados. El cambio se debió al costo de la renta que pagaban en sus anteriores oficinas. La dirección actual y a la que debe dirigirse la correspondencia es: XERTA Gabriel Guerra, 13 Col. Zona Escolar Oriente 07239 - México 75, D.F. MÉXICO Con los teléfonos: (55) 53064668 (55) 53234060 Asimismo me informa Andrés que el transmisor se encuentra en el denóminado "Pico de los Tres Padres" ubicado en la parte norte de el Distrito Federal, en donde hacen confluencia la Delegación Gustavo A. Madero del Distrito Federal y los Municipios de Coacalco y Ecatepec del Estado de México. 73´s (Julián Santiago Díez de Bonilla, DF, July 21, WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6010, Radio Mil, México DF; 1443-1615 July 19, 2008. Noted at fair level on spot checks in this timeframe. No trace of the 6105 nominal XE this day, or seemingly the past few weeks (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. GREAT MARIACHI MUSIC ON XED --- As The Krumudgeon sits keyboarding information for Mexican log update and works on Baja California, where there is a lot of conflicting information, I link via the Radiorama website to streaming audio from XED. Fred Cantú has for a couple of years identified XED's slogan as "Radiorama Siglo XXI" while at the same time MPM has shown XED as "W Radio." It's both. Full ID's show "Radiorama XXI" as primary slogan, but time checks are given "Aquí en W Radio, Mexicali." But the most fun is the grand, old-style mariachi music that's playing this Sunday afternoon, much of which dates back to the parallel big band era, north of the border. Wish I had the locutor's deep voice! The Radiorama site links to affiliates' programming all over México, and is the most reliable with the fewest drop-outs on my dial-up set- up. Also fun are the Distrito Federal links with which one can connect via Fred Cantú's site. These give us some good practice on our Spanish for those elusive ID's. And speaking of off-air monitoring, I actually listened a little last night. Since I've been here in Texas, I've not added anything on 1260 kHz, but have noted in passing XEL, with its female-oriented talk programming, dominating at night, but I've also heard the Ojinaga station squeak through once (and maybe again last night if it was the one that left the air with the Mexican National Anthem just a bit before 0400 UT. I had earlier squeezed out a couple of slogan IDs and some commercial content from a third XE, "La Mexicana," leading me to believe it was XESA in Culiacán, Sinaloa, and, after the s/off station left, heard a good XESA full ID, but haven't yet connected my recording equipment since reorganizing the den. Qal R. Mann, Krumudgeon (John Callarman, Krum TX, July 20, ABDX via DXLD) I'm starting to work on the IRCA Mexican log and here are some updates from my listening. Some from a recent camping trip east of San Diego. Some might be repeats. Any XE logs with slogans would be appreciated. Remember, 8-20 is ocho veinte and 820 is ocho cientos veinte. 540, XESURF Tijuana, slogans "News Talk 12-60 and 5-40" and "AM 12-60 and 5-40", English talk //KGIL-1260. 690, XEWW Rosarito, slogan heard is always "W Radio, La Voz del Pueblo" 730, XEEBC Ensenada, slogan "La Co Madre" reported in December. [comadre: midwife, pal, go-between, gossiper --- Random House dixionary via gh] 790, XESU Mexicali, slogan heard was "7-90 AM y 105.9 FM" on 6/20/08. 820, XEABCA Mexicali, slogans heard "Radio ABC", "Radio Frontera", "8-20" and "Canal 820" on 6/21/08. 850, XEZF Mexicali, slogans heard "ZF 8-50 AM" and "ZF La Más Picuda on 6/21/08. [Mexicanism: clever, crafty, sly --- Random House dixionary via gh] 860, XEMO Tijuana, complete slogan is "La Poderosa 860 AM, La Estación de los Grandes" 940, XEMMM Mexicali, slogans heard "Oldies 9-40" in English, "9-40 AM Oldies" and "9-40 Oldies" on 6/21/08. Some slogans are sung. 1030, XESDD Tijuana, listening right now and slogan is "La Tremenda 10-30 AM". 1470, XERCN Tijuana is "Radio Hispana 14-70, La Voz de las Californias", no tilde in Hispana. Announced 10 KW, Uniradio, 7/16/08. 1700, XEPE Tijuana is "San Diego's 1700" or "The new San Diego 1700 AM" English talk (Martin Foltz, ibid.) ** MEXICO. Hola a todos: XHUANT-FM 101.1 MHz, Radio Universidad, emisora de la Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit transmite con 3,000 watts de potencia, y también vía internet desde Tepic, Nay., MÉXICO. Página web: http://www.uan.edu.mx/radio-eventos.html XHUTX-FM 99.5 MHz, Radio Universidad, emisora de la Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala transmite con 3,000 watts de potencia desde las 07:00 a 22:00 horas tiempo del centro del país, así como también por internet desde Tlaxcala, Tlax., MÉXICO. Página web: http://www.radiouniversidadtlaxcala.org/ y/o http://www.radiouniversitlax.com/ Atentamente, (Roberto E. Gómez Morales, July 21-22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR/BURMA. 9730.77, Myanma R., 1411-1428, July 23, in English and vernacular, English lesson with a series of questions and answers ("Question Number 10: Do the Japanese drink tea?"), 1424 into vernacular, weak. Clearly this is their Minorities and Educational Service (ex: 5040.6). Thanks to tip from Dan Sheedy. He heard what sounded like an English lesson here on July 12, at 1503 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. I'm surprised that RNZI never announces their DRM frequencies. 11675 closes down at 0500 and then switched to 9890 (both perfect reception). All they announce is to "Please retune to 9615". (Walt Salmaniw, BC, drmna yg via DXLD) I.e., the analog frequency (gh) Only in their data/info screens do RNZI give their DRM frequencies over the air; otherwise, they're only online, on their website. They're actually broadcasting a few fewer hours than earlier this year. Also note: RNZI's DRM audio is EXACTLY that of their analogue (and online) transmissions, with alot of it being from their National service. (Which is why I say RNZI is the most "provincial" English- language shortwave broadcaster I know of, and certainly one of the most eclectic program selections and music libraries I've EVER heard, often a treat to listen to, often full of surprises. :) ) (Dennis M Falk, July 16, drmna yg via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. V. of Nigeria, 9690.0, July 23 at 1404 tune-in as news by YL was ending, badly overmodulated with big S9+20 signal. OM announces website http://www.voiceofnigeria.org and into next show with a percussion theme, something about the doings of Nigeria`s president. 1414 outro of this M-F 1405 program, ID with frequency but modulation so bad I could not tell whether they really announced this frequency. Next program to be from the VON Abuja studio; 1415 YL named Rebecca opening that, still quite distorted and also with hum, some interview about refugees, UNHCR. 1420 signal weakening and fading, 1431 even weaker as into music. This is a repeat of my log on June 16, see DXLD 8-070. In the meantime in almost daily bandscans around this time, have not heard it. This is extremely interesting propagationally. Nothing else from Africa audible on 31m at this time, and at peak the signal strength rivaled WWRB 9385, RHC-9550, Sackville-9650, Firedrake-9930, but of course sounded louder than any of them tnx to overmodulation. No contest with superPete WWCR 9980, however. BTW, it was a quite poor East Asian morning with hardly any Firedrake audible besides 9930 and 15285. I got out the NGS globe to check the long- and short-path routes. If it`s short, signal exits Africa at the border between Western Sahara and Mauritania, crosses the Atlantic unimpeded, enters North America around DelMarVa, then on to Enid, coming in at an azimuth of 78 degrees, distance of about 6600 statute miles. If it`s long-path, exits Africa in the middle of Mozambique, across the southern tip of Madagascar, Indian Ocean, enters Australia around Adelaide, exists SE Queensland, across Vanuatu, Kingman Reef, enters North America around Ensenada, then on to Enid, coming in at an azimuth of 258 degrees, some 18400 miles. Either path is far from the auroral zones, going only a little farther from the Equator than Enid is. Assuming it`s not some highly unlikely skewed path. I wonder if it was being heard in Adelaide at the same time, or if it was even better in DelMarVa and vicinity. I could ask people there to check the next day, but conditions will probably be quite different. What is the transmitted azimuth? Not registered with HFCC, but Aoki shows A-08 info for 9690 as 248 degrees from Ikorodu, while 15120, whenever it`s on, is at 7 degrees, neither of which is at all favorable for NAm, long or short-path (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. TCS Saturday Night! *0100. Greetings, friends! The Crystal Ship is going on the air on a rare Saturday night tonight, on 6700 kHz and on 5385 kHz. There's going to be retro; blame The Radical. He started singing 'Grooveline' at me over the phone and now I can't get it out of my head. We must exorcise it! We will probably show for Sunday evening, then that will be it. I have to pack up the radios.... -- 73s and FIGHT for FREE RADIO! (The Poet, The Crystal Ship, July 19, via Will Martin, DXLD) TCS Sunday Night: The Last Show Good evening, all my fine friends! The Crystal Ship goes on the air tonight, for what may be the last time for quite some time to come. Logistically, I'm not sure I will be able to send that "radio station in a box or two" where I'm going... and it might be better for me that I didn't have that distraction from my main purposes there. Anyway, we'll be on 6700 kHz AM this evening, starting around 0015 UT, and probably running for quite a while. We'll be playing classics, classic TCS favorites and some of our typical 'moments'. Thanks to everyone for all their support over the last four years. I'm sure we'll be heard from again, sometime, from somewhere, but I don't know when that will be, after tonight. So, until we meet again via the f00kin ionisphere, Aloha! -- 73s and FIGHT for FREE RADIO! (The Poet, The Crystal Ship, July 20, via Will Martin, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. The Chilocco transmitter is presently testing on 540 kHz. Time is presently 2109 UT/1609 CDT. S9+30dB signal indicated on my R75. QRM in background from KWMT (Richard Allen, OK, July 21, WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing there when I checked at 2230, nor on the other AM and FM frequencies, 830, 1680, 92.4, 99.5, 107.5 (Glenn to Richard, via DXLD) The transmission stopped at 2115 GMT (Richard N Allen, ibid.) I just happened to catch Chilocco on 830 kHz just now from 1912 to 1915* July 23. I didn't really even have to time to send an email before their signal went off. Not a really strong sig here, but no trouble hearing it at all from my location. Nothing heard yet on any of their other test frequencies (Kirk Allen, Ponca City, ibid.) It`s back on at 1935 UT July 23, open carrier only on 830, same NE direxion from here as before (Glenn, Enid, ibid.) HUGE open carrier here right now too! Thanks (Kirk Allen, 1940 UT, ibid.) WE2XFZ ** OKLAHOMA. Re: ``While bandscanning for FM DX, noticed there is now a strong local signal on 105.5. RDS on the DX-398 shows 88.9 / K-LOVE. FCC FM Query shows K288FX as a CP ``off the air`` in North Enid, yet the transmitter site is obviously the Broadway Tower along with so many other low-power stations, in downtown Enid, non-North, 36-23-48, 97-52-39. BTW, the location of the star denoting Enid on the Tiger Maps is NOT the center of the city, where the BWT is. Owned by the so-called Educational Media Foundation, Rocklin, California, front organization for huge number of gospel-huxter transmitters all over the country polluting our radio dials, base station KAER. This one relays KYLV OKC from 88.9, also audible //. So is 105.5 operating without being duly licensed? (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` Thanks for your e-mail. My dad says that the 105.5 translator in North Enid OK is probably operating on program test authority and is perfectly legal. He doesn't think that the originating station is KAER, which is *89.5 Saint George UT. It could be Family Stations' KEAR-FM *88.1 Sacramento, which hosts a bunch of translators, including one in Duluth MN. Sincerely, (Kristine Stuart, FMedia, July 22, ibid.) Kristine and Brucey, Tnx for the reply. I am not sure where I got the callsign KAER for their base station. Maybe it was outdated info somewhere. The 105.5 translator is surely not from Family Radio (KEAR), but from the so-called K-Love network, like Air-1: http://www.emfbroadcasting.com/stationlist.aspx Part of Educational Media Foundation. Unfortunately that list doesn`t bother with real callsigns. Like I said, it had K-Love in the RDS and frequency as 88.9, which means it was relaying their OKC station KYLV. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** OKLAHOMA. Having got my converter box running, I am pleased to be able to get OKLA [KETA-DT-2] in Enid just a mile or two from KXOK-LP, which I thought would still be too much and block your DT signal on RF channel 32. That is, if I position the rabbit ears just right, and then never touch them, but it still breaks up occasionally. The roof UHF antenna gets too much signal from KXOK. Maybe you could persuade them to turn off analog before the deadline? Since your analog 13 is subject too often to tropo DX interference from Dallas, Fayetteville, sometimes totally ruining your signal, I can only hope that after you are back on 13, the situation will be better, with KERA staying on 14, altho there will still be DT 13s in Garden City, Pittsburg, Topeka, and several other Arkansas and Texas cities including Houston, which like Dallas is almost the same direction from Enid as OKC. What becomes of your ch 46 translator for Pond Creek? With a little power boost and change or added directionality, it could serve Enid from the present site with OETA DT if on a clear channel. I`m sad that you did away with your other two sub-channels in January, months before I got DTV going here. I realize that a lot of HDTV cuts down on the extra channels, but if Ion and TBN can give us 4 or 5 programs on `one` DTV channel, can`t you give us more than two, most of the time? What was the reason for consolidating all those into one extra?? Most annoying are the constant DTV promos on OKLA. Did it ever occur to you that DTV-transition blah blah notices are totally redundant on OKLA as anyone who can see it already has DTV?!?!?!?! Regards, Glenn Hauser, Enid (to OETA July 20 via DXLD) No reply as of July 23 (gh) ** PAKISTAN. R. Pakistan external services changes w.e.f. Jul 1 2008 Hi Glenn, Pakistan government abruptly decided to adopt Daylight Saving Time (UT+6 ) w.e.f. June 01, 2008. Radio Pakistan could not make requisite revisions in the shortwave schedule resulting in interference for other stations. But from July 01, 2008, changes have been announced for the external services. The time of Pushto and Dari services have been changed as confirmed by me through monitoring both services after July 01, 2008. The revised schedule for external services is as follows. Dari 1300-1400 UT 6060 khz Pushto 1430-1530 UT 6065 khz Hindi-I 0215-0300 UT 9380 khz Hindi-II 1030-1130 UT 9340 khz Bangla-I 0115-0200 UT 9380 khz Bangla-II 1200 1245 UT 9340 khz Pushto 1430-1530 UT 6065 khz Gujrati 0400 0430 UT 9380 khz Irani 1700 1800 UT 7500 khz Chinese 1200-1300 UT 9385, 11370 Khz The world service programs in Urdu for Europe and Middle East have also been reverted to their pre-June timings (Aslam Javaid, Pakistan, July 21, WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That must mean English news capsule for a while at 1000 is back to 1100 on 17835, 15100, at the end of the 0830 broadcast; how about English which was at 1500-1515 instead of 1600-1615? Chinese had been at 12-13 on 11510 per EiBi, 11570 per WRTH May; 11-12 on 11510 per WRTH July, so I assume 11370 is a typo, in an aeronautical band. Here`s the full entry in the WRTH July update: RADIO PAKISTAN Chinese 1100-1200 daily EAs 11510isl (ex 11570) English 1600-1615 daily ME, Af 11565isl (ex 11570) Urdu 1330-1530 daily ME, Af 11565isl (ex 11570) Note: All R. Pakistan transmissions are one hour earlier until the end of summer time on 31st August 2008. (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, You are right, 11370 for Chinese service was a typo. Correct frequency is 11570 as pointed out by you. I have so far monitored Hindi, Bangla, Chinese, Pushto and Dari broadcasts in July 2008. I have not been able to monitor world service broadcasts in Urdu in July owing to poor reception these days in my region. As per revised schedule posted on Radio Pakistan website in July 2008, the world service broadcasts will now be as follows: Middle East 0500-0700 UT 15100, 17835 khz West Europe 0830-1100 UT 17835, 15100 khz Middle East 1330-1530 UT 11570, 9385 khz West Europe 1700-1900 UT 9390, 7530 khz Someone closer to the target areas could confirm accuracy of Radio Pakistan world service Urdu schedule and new timings of short English bulletin at 1100 and 1600-1615 English news and comment (Aslam Javaid, Lahore, July 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Have been checking Pakistan this Monday, July 21, tuning in to their European Urdu broadcast at 0840. At 0900 they had Urdu news and at 1000 they carried English news until 1005. After 1005 they continued in Urdu until 1100 on 15100 & 17835. Then sign off. So I suspect that they now sign ON at 0830. 73, (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, Denmark, WORLD OF RADIO 1418, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So in this case the span of the transmission has gone back to pre-DST timing, but programming within it remains one UT hour earlier! (gh) Yes, that's correct. All but three services have now resumed broadcasting at their pre-Summer Time schedules - i.e. UT +5. The exceptions (because they are relays of domestic programming) are World Service to SE Asia still at 2345-0115 (instead of former 0045-0215) and as far as I know still using 11580 & 15490. English News & Commentary has to stay at 1500-1515, and is incorporated within World Service to Gulf & ME at 1330-1530 on 11565 & 9385. So there is no transmission at 1600-1615. The Islamabad Programme to Gulf & Iran on 6065 also stays at the new time 1815-2345. The English news that Eric heard at 1000 is what was formerly broadcast at 1100. All services will return to former timings after August 31 (Noel R. Green, (NW England), ibid.) ``new timings of short English bulletin at 1100 and 1600-1615 English`` - still, as reported English news was at 10 today, and I wasn't at home at 15 UT, but at 16 there was NO English news. Best frequency at that time was 9380. 73, (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, Denmark, ibid.) So contrary to the earlier posts, there IS a transmission at 16 on 9380 but not in English; Urdu? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) I was mistaken. Just heard 'something other than English' at 16 on 9380 (the correct Pakistan frequency is 9385 - see below). Confirmed EiBi's entry today on 9380: Voice of America to Afghanistan. At 15- 1515 Pakistan has English on 9385, 11565 and possibly also the not heard 15625. Their evening Urdu service to Europe is 16-18 on 7530 and 9390. 73, (Erik Køie, Copenhagen, July 22, ibid.) The Chinese service frequency on 11 MHz at 1200-1300 UT was changed to 11510 to avoid Clandestine activity on former 11570. The parallel frequency remains at 9385. Other services mentioned by Aslam in this same mail are correct - as monitored here (Noel R. Green (NW England), July 22, ibid.) ** PERU. 5014.26v, R. Altura, 0346-0401, July 22, in Spanish, Happy Birthday sung in English three different times, OA music and songs, ID "Radio Altura Peru", almost fair reception (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Re: Emisora peruana en 5059 NO IDENTIFICADA --- Saludos Amigos DX! Ayer alrededor de las 22-23 UT estuve captándola en los 5059.2 kHz y FULL ruido. CREO que la señal se emite desde Huancabamba. Cualquier novedad les aviso, cordiales 73! (DXSPACEMASTER ALFREDO BENJAMIN CAÑOTE BUENO, Lima, Perú, July 22, condiglist yg via DXLD) ** PORTUGAL [and non]. "The Internet is allowing something illegal into Portugal. And Trans World Radio is the organization getting it in there. John Summerville with TWR says, 'In Portugal, it is illegal to have a Christian radio station like we're accustomed to hearing in the U.S. If you have more than two hours of Christian broadcasting, then the government mandates a whole other set of rules for that radio station, and most radio stations aren't willing to go there.' However, Internet radio allows them to have a full-time Christian radio station without the rules." Mission Network News, 25 June 2008 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Shortwave would have been used for that purpose in previous years. Posted: 21 Jul 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) see LANGUAGE LESSONS ** RUSSIA. 6160.00, 0330-0350 19.07, R Rossii, Arkhangelsk, Russian announcement, Russian traditional songs, 33333, heard // 171 LW Bolshakovo (55555). 6160 is a rare catch here! (Anker Petersen, my new model of the AOR, AR7030PLUS performing very well, with 28 metres longwire here in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) Altho Arkh. is in a relatively close part of Russia (gh) ** SAINT HELENA. The following was received from Robert Kipp regarding the Radio St. Helena project earlier today (Sunday): "Hello Fellow DXers, Radio St. Helena informs all DXers that RSH has a "pile of envelopes (with QSL's) just waiting to be posted". The delay, at the moment, is because the good ship RMS St. Helena (the only official mail carrier), is currently in dry dock in Cape Town (the home port) for some repairs. This means that the RMS is way behind schedule in delivering people, cargo, and mail. When the RMS does sail again to St. Helena, she will go straight back to Cape Town. Therefore, the QSL's will not be posted until "end August / early Sep.". I assume that that means that the QSL's will be mailed (airmail) from South Africa, but it could mean that the cards will not be sent until the RMS sails again to Ascension island. From there, the QSL's would go to the UK and then on to the rest of the world. RSH reports that "all the 2007 Reports received have been QSL'd". (Naturally, only the correct reports.) This does NOT mean that ALL the reports SENT to RSH also arrived at RSH (unfortunately). Regarding 2006 / 2007 QSL's, I have been in contact with RSH and have passed along information from several DXers. Rich D'Angelo in USA sent me a list with about 17 names. I was directly contacted by DXers from Brazil (RS), France (CG), Spain (SG and MM), Holland (AB and HJB), USA (KA), Germany (KE), and Switzerland (CAS). I hope that all these QSL- questions have been clarified. Thank-you one and all for your patience. With best regards, Robert Kipp for Radio St. Helena" (via Rich D`Angelo, PA, July 20, NASWA yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DXLD) ** SPAIN. REE`s classical music hour on Mon/Tue/Wed at 1305, best signal from Europe on 16m, July 23 at 1355 on 17595 with The Moldau, ending precisely before the timesignal at 1400. There`s a professional operation where they know how to back-time, unlike the BBC on 9410 which cuts off classical music in progress an hour earlier. I`ll really miss REE when Spain abolishes SW, surely the number one international broadcaster in Spanish from the standpoint of cultural programming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA. Re 8-083, R. Damascus, The Program Schedule: The daily transmission start always with the news, followed by press reviews and commentaries. The second part of the broadcast consists of the following programs (variable) : Saturday : Welcome to Syria, Arab Human Rights, Arab Civilization Sunday : An Arab Profile, Palestine: forever in mind, Music from the Orient Monday : Dialogue with Europe and the World, From our Literature, Listeners Overseas Tuesday : Arab Affairs in the World Press, Syria Today, Peace: People's Option Wednesday: Listeners Overseas, Arab Affairs in Focus, Syria: Land of Civilizations Thursday : Social Perspective, Israel: A State of Fraud, Guest of the Week Friday : Arab News Week, Cultural Magazine, Arab Press in a Week (Kris Janssen, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TATARSTAN [non]. 15110, Voice of Tatarstan/GTRK Tatarstan via Samara, *0410, July 22, ToH continuous tone for one minute, back to open carrier, IS at 0410, ID in English, IS continues, assume news, poor. Tuned in yesterday and heard nothing at all here, assume just variation in conditions (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. 15275, R. Thailand, at 0229, July 22, in English, continues to announce the wrong time for this English program, "0300 to 0330 G.M.T.", poor (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [and non]. BBCWS in English finally audible here on new 13675 via Rampisham, fair July 21 at 1826, ex-13865. Scheduled 1700-1900 for Western Russia. BBC Mundo Radio, 9410 via WHRI, classical fill music on M/W/F at 1234- 1300* included Wednesday July 23 at 1240-1250 some heavenly music which must have been Monteverdi, as ever unannounced (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [and non]. George Poppin asked me to put together a list of recommended BBCWS in English frequencies for North American listeners. Going thru the complete sked in WRTH May update, as amended in July, I would pick these as heard here in CNAm during at least some of the spans shown; of course those in ENAm would get more from UK sites, and those in WNAm would get more from EAsian sites. 03-04 6145-Ascension, 6005-South Africa 03-06 7160-Ascension 04-06 9410-UK, 7120-South Africa 04-0710 6005-Ascension 09-16 9740-Singapore, 6195-Singapore 11-21 17830-Ascension 12-14 11750-Thailand 13-17 21470-Ascension 15-23 15400-Ascension 17-19 13675-UK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC SW CALLSIGNS POST-WW II. The BBC used to have callsigns for each SW frequency. John Babbis compiled them in a jpg which has been uploaded in the files (not photos) section of this yg (Glenn Hauser, July 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Interesting, do they have these or other callsigns "officially" still today? OK, callsigns by broadcaster are not used on the air (except in the Americas, some Asiatic and Austral countries etc.) or in any published listings, but are they "by telecommunications rules" still valid / necessary / allocated ? For international / ITU registration purposes, somewhere in their license papers? I always ask BC stations in my RRs to add their callsign (=real name) on the QSL, but they rarely do so (as nobody at the PR dept. knows what callsigns are, hi). 73, (Tom Rösner, DL8AAM, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. DEATH OF CHARLES Z. WICK, USIA DIRECTOR UNDER REAGAN, FOUNDER OF WORLDNET "Wick, 90, died of natural causes Sunday at his home in Los Angeles, according to his son, Douglas. Wick was the longest-serving director of the USIA, manning the post from March 1981 to January 1989. During that time, he is credited with modernizing the agency with computer networks and doubling its budget. In 1983, he began WORLDNET, the first live global satellite television network designed to link Washington with U.S. embassies and posts overseas." … [more] http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_9960325?nclick_check=1 (Contra Costa Times, 22 July 2008 via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) See also AP, 22 July 2008 http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hchqm62l9x-4RhKQpdzRdYfF2wlAD92368E81 (Posted: 22 Jul 2008, ibid.) OBITUARIES --- CHARLES WICK; REAGAN ALLY RAN U.S. INFORMATION AGENCY Charles Wick was a Hollywood agent before getting into government. (Twp File Photo) --- By Joe Holley Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, July 23, 2008; Page B07 Charles Z. Wick, 90, a Hollywood agent and entrepreneur who became the longest-serving director of the U.S. Information Agency and an original member of the "kitchen cabinet" that financed Ronald Reagan's first run for the California governor's office in 1966, died July 20 of cardiopulmonary failure at his home in Los Angeles. During his USIA tenure from 1981 to 1989, Mr. Wick was credited with raising the profile and influence of a traditionally staid agency in ways seldom seen since Edward R. Murrow served in the same position under John F. Kennedy. He was an impassioned Cold Warrior and used his close friendship with Reagan to more than double the USIA budget and embark on projects that drastically expanded its reach, including the launch of Voice of America's [sic] anti-Castro Radio Martí and Worldnet, the first live global satellite television network. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/22/AR2008072202165.html?hpid=sec-nation (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. WYFR is not exactly DX nor of any programming interest, so I rarely log it, but could not help but notice that it was inbooming on 21670, July 21 at 1756 with Mexican music, briefly making me wonder if it was something else new, but 1758 WYFR theme music, 1759 Spanish ID giving 21670, 15130, 6085. MUCH stronger than other WYFR transmitters on 13m, 21525 and 21455, which doesn`t make sense as 21670 is supposed to be on 44 degree antenna to Europe, roughly off the side here, just like 21455, while 21525 is 87 degrees to Africa. I can only conclude that 21670 must really have been on an antenna such as the 315 degree which is aimed this way. Once again July 22 at 1818 check, 21670 much stronger than 21525 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 8-082, 8-083: Hello, On July 19 I was tuned to 15590 at 2350 UT checking for WRNO testing. I heard an unidentified station playing Country music then at 0004 they switched to Spanish sounding music and abruptly went off the air at 0030. I never heard a station ID but can't imagine that it was WRNO. For some reason I couldn't get into the EIBI website to check what stations are on that frequency at that time (Rich Brock, Bridgewater, Pa. USA, (Near Pittsburgh), HCDX via DXLD) Surely you did have WRNO, as reported by others with same music at same time; even if no IDs. EiBi July 20 update shows for 15590: 15590 0900-0930 J NHK Radio Japan E SAs 15590 0000-2400 USA WRNO Tests E NAm However, WRNO is authorized for 15590 for shorter hours, per Aoki: 15590 WRNO New Orleans 1400-0100 1234567 English 50 20 09007W 2950N which also has Japan at 0900-0930 as the only other station on 15590. And FCC shows the full authorized schedule for WRNO as: 7355 2200 0400 WRNO 50 20 3-5,9-11,17 1234567 300308 261008 7505 2200 1600 WRNO 50 20 3-5,9-11 1234567 300308 261008 15590 1400 0100 WRNO 50 20 3-5,9-11 1234567 300308 261008 But it looks like they will not be using 7355, and not using the other frequencies to their full extent at first. 73, (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1418, ibid.) What wonderful news, friend Glenn. I was reading in Monitoring Times on the issuing of this epic. At this stage of so many closures of transmissions, will be very good terms more a passing U.S. OC (Adalberto Azevedo, Barbacena-MG, Brasil, ibid.) WRNO: 15590 USA , WRNO (tentative), July 19 2350-0030*, testing with country and western music until midnight when non-stop Latin music filled the airwaves. Off at 0030 without any announcements. Good signal on E10 in DC (Rich D'Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) 15590, WRNO, 1530+, 7/19. testing noted with open carrier about 1530+. Tnx Jerry Strawman. Rechecked at 1627 and found modulation/ programming, a preacher sermonizing. Recheck about 20 minutes later and it was gone. So what's the story on this one? I thought Melissa's outfit bought the old `RNO transmitter? Who own this now? Any info on call letter changes? I'm afraid I haven't been paying much attention to domestic developments (Don Jensen, ibid.) You sure haven`t. Melissa`s outfit --- Doctor Gene Scott, University Network --- has nothing to do with this (gh, DXLD) WRNO --- Already seen their website, updated not too long ago? http://www.wrnoworldwide.org/aboutus.htm Reads as if they had to repair the antenna but did not change its location or type. Note also the transmitter photo, indeed revealing what should be an Elcor SW-50 K, cf. http://www.elcor.org/sw50k.html (note also the TDP design of Elcor's website). Meanwhile some old press reports about Ernst Zündel broadcasts appeared online. It appears that the WRNO transmissions went by widely unnoticed here in Germany, but WWCR got some bad press in 1993, I think because their signal made it into Germany for real (i.e. not as a mere DX catch), something one could not say about WRNO: http://wissen.spiegel.de/wissen/dokument/dokument.html?id=13679665&top=SPIEGEL http://www.goest.de/cm/93_3.html#_Toc440535271 In case it has not been reported abroad what became of Ernst Zündel after Canada deported him to Germany: In February 2007 he had been sentenced to five years of prison for Volksverhetzung, a term my dictionary translates into "incitement of the people". The detention while awaiting trial will be taken into account, so a possible early discharge could take place soon (Kai Ludwig, Germany, July 21, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7505 kHz, July 21. 2230-2245 UT. SIO 544. Presumed WRNO testing with classical music instead of previously reported country & western. Low audio except when louder strings were played. No ID's or airchex noted here (Jon Pukila, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, July 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I understand that the feed point of WRNO`s log-periodic antenna is at the front, not the back, so it is aimed right into the nearby subdivision. Also, the higher frequency radiating elements of the LP are higher above ground than the lower frequency portion, in order to make the take-off angles uniform, which makes it look like it is aiming into the ground, but not really (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) FCC info about WRNO, obviously incomplete: (gh) Main Station Record - WRNO Permittee: Good News World Outreach Call Sign: WRNO File Number: IHFRWL20020702 License/Renewal: Grant Date: 01/11/02 Expire Date: 01/11/10 CP/Pending Applications: IHFC/P-20030618 CP expires 10/17/06 Transmitter Location: [blank!] Transmitter City: New Orleans, LA Coordinates: 29 50 10 N Latitude 090 06 57 W Longitude Tower Heights: 0 Meters OHAGL 0 Meters OHAMSL Obstruction Markings: Conditions: None Target Zones: [blank] Address: Good News World Outreach Radio Station WRNO 777 Main St. Suite 1235 Fort Worth, TX 76102 Transmitters: Power No. of No. Model (KW) TXs Freq. Tol. Emission ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 .00 Antennas: Gain Azimuth Beamwidth Elevation. No. Model (dB) (Deg) (Deg) (Deg) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 LP 14.00 20 68.00 21.00 (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC info about KTMI, construxion permit, and perhaps the next US SW station to go on air (gh, DXLD) Main Station Record - KTMI Permittee: Transformation Media International, NA Call Sign: KTMI File Number: IHFCP-20050204 License/Renewal: Grant Date: 00/00/00 Expire Date: 00/00/00 CP/Pending Applications: IHFC/P-20050204 CP expires 10/3/08 Transmitter Location: SW corner Totem Pole Rd & Mt Hope Dr. Approx 7 miles East of Lebanon Transmitter City: Lebanon, OR Coordinates: 44 34 00 N Latitude 122 50 00 W Longitude Tower Heights: 100 Meters OHAGL 100 Meters OHAMSL Obstruction Markings: XXX Conditions: XXX Target Zones: [blank but already spelt out in HFCC registrations] Address: Transformation Media International, LP Radio Station KTMI 240 2nd Ave. SW Lebanon, OR 97321 Transmitters: Power No. of No. Model (KW) TXs Freq. Tol. Emission -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Harris Planck, 745 Exciter 50.00 1 0.0015% 9K00A3E 2 Harris Planck, 745 Exciter 50.00 2 0.0015% 9K00A3E 3 Harris Planck, 745 Exciter 50.00 3 0.0015% 9K00A3E 4 Harris Planck, 745 Exciter 50.00 4 0.0015% 9K00A3E Antennas: Gain Azimuth Beamwidth Elevation. No. Model (dB) (Deg) (Deg) (Deg) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 LPH20/23.8/21. 8.10 70 80.00 16.00 2 RH110/70/20 19.30 309 16.00 19.00 3 RH80/70/30 17.90 130 22.00 16.00 4 RH80/70/30 17.90 110 22.00 16.00 (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. FCC info about KAIJ, acknowledged as no longer on the air, and we expect this will be of historical interest only (gh) : Main Station Record - KAIJ Permittee: Two If By Sea Broadcasting Corporation Call Sign: KAIJ File Number: IHFRWL-20010914 License/Renewal: Grant Date: 01/11/01 Expire Date: 01/11/09 CP/Pending Applications: Transmitter Location: Hwy 380, 5.8 km West of State Route 289, Dallas, Texas [axually near McKinney, Frisco] Transmitter City: Dallas, TX Coordinates: 33 13 05 N Latitude 096 51 48 W Longitude Tower Heights: 44 Meters OHAGL 224 Meters OHAMSL Obstruction Markings: None Required Conditions: OHAG: 44m, OHAMSL: 224m Target Zones: 2-5,9,11-13,18,27,28,34,35,45 Address: Two If By Sea Broadcasting Corp. Radio Station KAIJ 718 Griffin Ave. - PMB37 Enumclaw, WA 98022 Transmitters: Power No. of No. Model (KW) TXs Freq. Tol. Emission -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Continental Electronics 418-E 100.00 1 0.0015% 9K00A3E 2 Modified GE BT-50A 50.00 1 0.0015% 9K00A3E Antennas: Gain Azimuth Beamwidth Elevation. No. Model (dB) (Deg) (Deg) (Deg) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 LS-551 Cr Refl 10.00 142 80.00 28.00 2 LS-551 Cr Refl 10.00 42 80.00 28.00 3 TCI 516-3A-100 14.50 320 68.00 21.00 (via Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** U S A. The shortwave hobby does not come without frustration. I used to try to listen to the ham radios show on 9480 [KAIJ] when that station was on the air. The station would run the same outdated program week after week much like they did with World Of Radio. They would cut the show off or not start it at all and they did the same for World Of Radio. One week they had a preacher on instead of World Of Radio and they had an organ music program called Unshackled on instead of the ham program. You would think things would get better but no evidence of that so far. Each week on 7415 [WBCQ] I am further aggravated now trying to listen to this ham show QSO with the same host. The week prior they did not start the 10 pm segment until 10:20 pm [CDT = UT Sunday 0300-]. Over 20 minutes of silence after the 9 pm segment ended. I left the radio on only by chance as I was busy across the room. I was quite surprised to hear the audio pick back up at at 10:20 as I thought it was over at 10:00 pm. There was nothing but carrier for over 20 minutes. This week the signal on 7415 was quite good but at precisely 10:19 in the second half of the show the audio stopped and never returned. A carrier was on until about 11:00 pm. No announcement was made about any technical problems. There was no answer at their listed phone number in Monticello Maine. I would not normally call a radio station to complain but this is irritating. No one to complain to as far as I can see. Wondering is this normal for this ham show or Monticello station? (Bernard Graham, Wichita, Kansas, July 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It happens far too often, no one minding the store, but what can we do about if from afar? (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) Mr. Hauser, Listening to WBCQ during the broadcast QSO Saturday night 7/19/08. Programming stopped in the middle of the broadcast at 11:19 PM EDT. I monitored 2 carriers one presumably from WBCQ another from an unknown source not zero beat but off by a few hertz beating a few times per second. The additional carrier was present as well when the program was running. This is getting to be the usual for WBCQ. Any idea where the second carrier may have been coming from? (Don Thompson, Pitt County, Greenville NC, July 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Don, WBCQ supposedly has worldwide exclusive on 7415, among broadcast stations, that is. Could be any non-broadcast signal, or maybe WBCQ experimenting with a second or backup transmitter? (Glenn to Don, ibid.) ** U S A [and non]. Hurricane DX --- Listening from the northern fringes of Dolly, I note KVNS-1700 Brownsville is currently off the air, leaving KKLF-1700 relaying KTCK-1310 with sports. By contrast, XESFT-780, Matamoros --- just across the Rio Grande/Bravo (take your pick) from Brownsville --- is in well here with their usual music programming and "la tree-play tay" IDs; listening to them, you'd have no idea a category 2 hurricane was on their doorstep! Locally, KKTX-1360 is doing a good job with storm coverage. Corpus Christi Mayor Henry Garrett has been in the studio today and was hilarious earlier this morning recounting his interview on CNN ("The producer told me 'here are the things I want you to mention', and I told him, I'm here in Corpus, you're in New York, and I don't need you to tell me what I should say"). KROB-1510 in Robstown is a Tejano station and they've been providing coverage in English, Spanish, and "Spanglish" --- it's been a hoot to listen to! Also, KTSA-550 in San Antonio has reporters in both Brownsville and Corpus doing live reports. Otherwise, however, everyone in the affected area seems to be sticking to their usual satellite-fed/syndicated programming, like KCTA-1030. Some of the best coverage has been via the W5BCH repeater on 147.10. It was gripping to listen a little over an hour ago when we had a tornado outbreak, including one on the bay that was heading for downtown Corpus. All "roped out" before hitting land, fortunately. So far, it's been like a strong cold front here with a lot of rain and some lightning, but conditions should deteriorate later this afternoon. But I've broken out my hurricane preparedness kit --- consisting of several bags of nacho chips, two cans of Cheez-Whiz aerosol cheese, two 12-packs of Diet Dr. Pepper, and a stack of Spiderman comics I haven't read --- and I'm ready to ride out the storm (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ 1616 UT July 23, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. JAY BARBREE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS AT NBC Space correspondent Jay Barbree begins his 51st year with NBC News today. Barbree began at NBC July 21, 1958. He is the only journalist who has covered all of the USA's manned space missions and many robotic missions as well. He has reported from Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center on all the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, and space shuttle flights, NBC News, NBC Radio News, and MSNBC. And when he's not reporting for NBC, he's an accomplished author. He has written or co-authored several books, including "Moon Shot" and "Live From Cape Canaveral." Barbree also wrote "Pilot Error", which was an episode of The Six Million Dollar Man. Barbree survived a 1987 near-fatal heart attack, which he wrote about in his book "The Day I Died." (source? via Pete Kemp, July 23, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. AM Stereo Aircheck.... http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/3514/audio.html Scroll down to WLS and listen to DX from Wareham, Mass in glorious and magnificent AM Stereo. Kinda different than HD radio when it comes to DX. You AM stereo folks will really enjoy this. 2004 WILD 1090 Boston with some nice R&B in AM Stereo! http://airchexx.com/markets/boston/quickcheck-wild-1090-am-stereo-boston-january-13-2004-534 1997 KNEW 910 SF, Cal in AM stereo. Its the last day for Country radio. Scroll down to Richard Ryan and Sully.... http://www.bayarearadio.org/audio/knew/index.shtml (Kevin Redding, TN, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. Antenna question --- A few days ago, I was watching a WKRP episode on WGN. While the show's opening credits are rolling and the jingle is being sung, there is a brief shot of what looks to be a huge radio (or TV?) tower. My curiosity has gotten the better of me: does anyone (like Scott Fybush) know whose tower that is (or was)? Just wondering. Regards, (Pete Jernakoff, K3KMS, Wilmington, Delaware, http://www.21centimeter.com ABDX via DXLD) I tracked it down about five years ago; the tower in question really was in Cincinnati - it was the WLWT (Channel 5) tower, one of several self-supporting towers that dot the ridge just north of downtown Cincy. That WLWT tower came down recently, replaced with a newer, taller tower just adjacent. There's a picture here: http://www.fybush.com/site-030130.html s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) How could a channel 5 TV tower be confused with a MW antenna?? (gh) WOW! I am so glad Pete asked that question as I too passed through Cincinnati on my recent cross-country trip. As I'm a big-time WKRP fan, I wondered if I'd see the "WKRP Tower" used in the opening sequence. I thought maybe I had seen it a few times as I came in from the north (from Columbus) there are indeed several ridges that look that and they have self-supporting towers on them. I guess I didn't see it if it's no longer there :) I was hoping I'd see it and recognize it and snap a picture of it that would match the one on TV exactly. Also wanted to take a picture of the building that the show supposedly took place in. I'm sure it's not actually called the "Flemm Building" which is what I think they call it in the show. Unfortunately we wanted to make it to Northern Indiana by later that evening so we didn't have much time to mess around. Cincy was quite a detour as it is but well worth it as the only purpose was to see WLW's Blaw-Knox tower. Anyways, great memories and a great show about radio (Michael n Wyo Richard, ibid.) I always got a chuckle over the wall coverage map for WKRP. In the early episodes, it was a large circle, covering about half of the USA. Then it changed and was a lot smaller, but still a good size. I just assumed WKRP was originally intended to be 50 KW Class IA but then evolved into a 5 KW omni Class II. Or something along those lines. I will always remember the turkeys. And, the line of tape Les Nessman used to show where his office walls were going to go. Not to mention John Fever and his fear of the phone cops (Phil Rafuse, PEI, ibid.) The "Flimm Building" shown in the show was actually the old Cincy Enquirer building at 617 Vine Street: http://www.enquirer.com/editions/1999/07/04/loc_wkrps_back_on_air.html The building still stands, and I think there was some talk not long ago about converting it to condos. It's about a block from Fountain Square, home of the fountain shown in the opening credits. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) ** U S A. SPOTLIGHT: 'BIG TALKER' MAY QUIET DOWN AT NIGHT Jim Kershner Staff writer July 20, 2008 The Federal Communications Commission approved KGA-AM's (1510) nighttime power reduction plan on Tuesday. This opens the way for owner Mapleton Communications to reduce the nighttime power of the station once known as "The Big Talker" from 50,000 watts to 15,000 watts. It also permits Mapleton to boost the nighttime power of its Piedmont, Calif., station, KPIG-AM, to 2,400 watts at night. KPIG is on the same 1510 frequency as KGA. An objection filed by a citizen argued that the reduction will cause KGA to "lose much of its historical West Coast nighttime service area." The station will lose its longtime status as a Class A, clear- channel station operating at maximum power. The FCC's ruling essentially said that increasing the reach of other stations and "reducing total interference in the AM band" were higher priorities than keeping KGA a Class A station. KPIG would gain 1.8 million potential listeners in the Bay Area; other stations in Oregon City, Ore., and in Ontario, Calif., would also increase their reach due to reduced interference from KGA. Meanwhile, the FCC decision says that KGA will lose approximately 136,000 potential listeners at night in its primary service area, as well as most of the listeners who currently can pick it up at night up and down the West Coast. It may take up to a year before KGA's nighttime power is actually reduced. Mapleton's management did not return our call by press time, but Mike Roth, the Gonzaga University athletic director, said he has been told the reduction will not take effect until at least after the upcoming basketball season. Gonzaga basketball is carried on KGA (Spokesman-Review article on KGA downgrade, published 7-20-08 via Leigh Robartes, Moscow, WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DXLD) Hmm, wonder if KGA stands for GonzaGA ** U S A. W269CE/Dyersburg, TN - the weirdest FM translator in America So, as the Es was dying down this afternoon, I made a trip to my wife's office in Union City, TN. Passing through Dyersburg, TN, I heard the new translator on 101.7 for the first time. First of all, it's a whopper. Fully 250W at 300', coming close to the signal of a class A. I carried the signal easily to Union City -- nearly a 30-mile trip. But it's what's on it that's odd. As I had heard, W269CE is translating an AM station, WTRO/1450. But, it's not actually translating it. WTRO is a standard-sounding AM, in its monophonic glory. W269CE is stereo, with really nice-sounding processing. The WTRO transmitter is nowhere in the W296CE audio chain. If I had more time on the way home, I would have flipped through the STL band (since I noticed a newer-looking STL dish on the WTRO tower), but it was getting late, and my 10-year-old was getting sleepy. For the Record, most of the time, one hears W269CE calling itself "Oldies 1450 and 101.7 FM." But, I heard a full callsign ID at one point. Yes, "WTRO/Dyersburg and W269CE 101.7." Wacky. Someone *will* hear this on Es one day, and will be very confused. So, this new translator is essentially a locally-originating FM station. What the FCC intended? Peter, N4LI (Peter Baskind, J.D., LL.M., Germantown, TN, 901-624-5295 http://applezombies.wordpress.com/ WTFDA via DXLD) So far, all the translators for AM stations that I've heard have had the audio quality of FM stations, definitely not actually picking up the signal of the AM station. I don't believe they're required to do so (Jeff Lehmann, Hanson, MA, ibid.) What the FCC is now allowing, quietly, via Special Temporary Authority. There are a whole bunch of these on the air now (note the list of AM-on-FM translators in Pennsylvania posted to the list via Bruce Elving [below] earlier this evening), and more yet to come. The FCC doesn't require that these translators be fed directly off-air from the AM - in fact, they're allowing daytimers to originate programming on their FM signals after the AM has signed off for the night. A lot of people (myself included) expected the FCC would move very quickly on approving a rulemaking proceeding that will make these translators official. Certainly the approval of all these STAs suggests the FCC is leaning toward approving the rulemaking, yet it's been sitting without action for many months now. I don't think anyone has a comprehensive list right now of just how many translators are relaying AM signals at the moment. An educated guess says the number is close to 100 by now. But there's no easy way to search - you'd literally have to look at every translator STA grant in the last eight months or so to find them all... s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) It is my understanding that a translator whose service area is confined to within the predicted service area of the originating station may use any desired means to receive that originating station. Only if the translator is predicted to cover areas not predicted to be covered by the primary must the translator use off-air pickup. Except when the primary is non-commercial and the translator in the non-commercial band. Apparently when the primary is AM the FCC is considering only the *daytime* predicted coverage of the primary (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) AM STATIONS ON FM TRANSLATORS IN PENNSYLVANIA From Bruce Elving......... - ** Hi, an e-mail from a Pennsylvania broadcast consultant came, clarifying which of "several AM stations on FM translators" there are in that state. Here goes. [This message courtesy Bruce Elving, Esko MN, who tries to follow the status of FM translators in the "FM Atlas."] The translator calls in the following e-mail have been added. Bruce, All of the translators in this area are receive the AM stations by other means and not off air from an AM station. I don't have all the calls but I know the frequencies and cities of licenses. W241BB 96.1 Wilkes-Barre is WBAX 1240AM Mono STL feed, Wilkes-Barre PA (from WEZX 106.9 Scranton); W241AZ, 96.1, Dunmore is WEJL, 630AM Mono Line/STL feed Scranton PA (from WEZX); W230BL 93.9 (moving from 93.3) Russell Hill PA is WEMR 1460AM Stereo STL feed Tunkhannock, PA (from WLKA *88.3 Tafton); W282AP 104.3 Bloomsburg is WHLM 930AM STL feed, Bloomsburg (from WHLM- FM 103.5 Berwick); W281AR 104.1 Williamsport is WLYC 1050 AM Mono Line Feed, Williamsport (from WCOZ 103.9 Laporte PA); W237DE 95.3 Harrisburg is WTCY 1400 AM Stereo T1 feed, Harrisburg (from WZXM *88.1 Harrisburg); The two following have applied to rebroadcast AM's --- W256BF 99.1 Center Moreland to be WEMR, 1460AM Stereo STL feed, Tunkhannock (from WVHO-LP *94.5 Nanticoke); and W269CF 101.7 Clarks Summit is to be WEMR 1460AM Stereo pickup (Tunkhannock PA; from WEZX), received from the other translator. [Those listed with a * are converting from noncommercial to commercial operation.] There may be more in Shippensburg and Carlisle, PA. (via Mike Bugaj, ibid.) ** U S A. "NO NONSENSE NEWS" ON CNN AND CNN INTERNATIONAL “'Fareed Zakaria GPS' (GPS stands for 'Global Public Square') ... is, in effect, an international version of 'Meet The Press,' with prominent newsmakers answering his tough, well-researched questions. ... In an era in which Americans are demanding — and thus getting — less international news, Zakaria’s 'GPS' is an auspicious event indeed. Only 'BBC World News' has been offering this kind of responsible global perspective and news to U.S. view." Bill Mann, Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, CA), 20 July 2008. Posted: 21 Jul 2008 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) I have watched this some; it`s at 17-18 UT Sundays, only, no repeats on domestic CNN, unlike other shows repeated ad nauseam (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. 4939.6, 0300-0310 19.07, R. Amazonas, Puerto Ayacucho (presumed) Spanish announcement, pop music - very distorted signal, 25332 (Anker Petersen, my new model of the AOR, AR7030PLUS performing very well, with 28 metres longwire here in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. Cland, 6300, RASD, 1815 July 21 with sports program. Song at 1818, Signal S9, 45344 (Zacharias Liangas, Thessaloniki, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZANZIBAR [and non]. TANZANIA, 11735, R. Tanzania, Dole, Zanzibar, afternoon of 20 Jul, Swahili, selection of varied music, ranging from Arabic style to East African pop like, prayer; no recorded log, so no SINPO, but I'd rated it as fair~good in strength, no QRM. On one brief occasion, R. Transmundial in Brazil seemed to be "wanting" to be heard too. This was via a 41 m inverted V here at home, so no chance to select either Africa or S America, very low angle or higher angle. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, July 21, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. SW RADIO AFRICA’S GERRY JACKSON INTERVIEWED IN THE INDEPENDENT --- Gerry Jackson, boss of SW Radio Africa, is interviewed in today’s edition of The Independent. She explains how the station came to be set up, and the challenges of running the station from the UK with a small team of journalists. I have the good fortune to know Gerry personally, and this is one of the best articles about SW Radio Africa that I have seen. Read the article http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/gerry-jackson-the-radio-heroine-defying-mugabes-heavies-872650.html (July 21, 2008 - 1128 UT by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD; also via Alokesh Gupta, David Pringle-Wood, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. Emisora no identificada fue escuchada hoy 20/7 en 2280 kHz a eso de las 0030 UT, con música caribeña y canciones latinoamericanas. No pude escuchar ninguna locución, sólo música. Dada la frecuencia me inclino a pensar en una armónica, tal vez de una emisora argentina, pero es apenas una corazonada. La señal era muy baja y por momentos se perdía en el ruido. ¿Alguien más pudo escucharla? 73, (Moises Knochen, Cuchilla Alta, Uruguay, Degen DE1103 y antena exterior de 15 m, July 20, condiglist yg via DXLD) Yo tengo mucho ruido en la QRG pero no sé porqué, Moisés, algo me dice que es el armónico de la emisora para la paraguayidad que opera en los 1140 kHz desde el partido de San Justo [presumably meaning in Argentina]. Un abrazo! (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, July 23, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 3451.2, 0145-0205, Bolivia????? Jul 21 Locutor em espanhol fala algo sobre 'São Miguel', o sinal muito débil impossível identificação. 25222 (CAJ). Não consta em nenhuma listagem ou WRTH 2008. RX- Kenwood R1000 Ant- Big Loop 73's (Cleiber Andrade, Conselheiro Lafaiete MG, Brasil, HCDX via DXLD) Una, aparentemente boliviana en 3450.5 kHz (medido con el BFO). La escuché el 18/7 a eso de las 2200 UT, hablando extensamente de la visita de los presidentes Chávez y Lula a la localidad boliviana de Riberalta donde se reunieron con el presidente Morales. La recepción no era buena, apenas 25332 llegando a 3 en algún máximo de la señal. Ayer 19 la volví a escuchar más o menos a la misma hora con programación aparentemente religiosa, (me atrevería a decir católica) y con señal igual de pobre. La locución en todos los casos era femenina. Tengo idea de haber visto alguna mención de una emisora en esa frecuencia en esta lista pero ahora no la puedo encontrar. ¿Alguien sabe qué puede ser? No aparece nada en el WRTH, en la lista EiBi ni en la Aoki en esa frecuencia (Moises Knochen, Cuchilla Alta, Uruguay, Degen DE1103 y antena exterior de 15 m, July 20, condiglist yg via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 4270, July 22, 2231-2233, Seems to be a short number transmission and repeating always same phrase, unID language, in parallel with 4880 which I logged on July 14, 22232. 73 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Mx afro on 5050 kHz, very very strong here in south Italy. Tanzania reactivated? (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, July 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Was the time 2241 UT? Pretty late for them. Could it have been a musical prelude on WWRB? It`s on at 2310 with preacher in English. (Glenn Hauser, OK, ibid.) Still on, 9+40. afropops and DJ in F. No ID since 2240, recording available 2300-2317 UTC http://www.bclnews.it/5050-080722-2300UTC.mp3 (Robert Scaglione, ibid.) Am listening to it [his recording]. Certainly not WWRB! But unlikely Tanzania either of course, in French. Are the usual French African stations in place on 60m? Burkina 5030? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Burkina was, and is still, on 5030 (Scaglione, ibid.) Burkina Faso noted in New Zealand in French on 5030 at 0610 UT today. (Bryan Clark, Mangawhai, New Zealand, July 22, ibid.) Nothing further from Roberto; perhaps he had to sleep (gh, DXLD) Checking 5050, for the intriguing new African music station with French announcements, heard by Roberto Scaglione in Sicily, July 22 from 2241 past 2317, very strong per his recording --- blocked in NAm by WWRB, already on with preacher in English at 2310 check; and at 0533 July 23, nothing audible on 5050. WWRB is authorized by FCC to run 5050 from 0000 to 0500, but as usual sets its own schedule beyond that. We should check 5050 well before 2300, and as soon as WWRB goes off, if that is 0500; WWRB website shows ``6 pm to 12 am``, never specifying timezone, altho it is located barely to the west of the ET/CT boundary. Those in Europe and eastward, please look for it! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 5059: see PERU UNIDENTIFIED. 9500 sweep tones audible as early as 1211 July 21, but not at 1251; and not heard, July 22 at 1259 UT or later. On previous dates ran as late as 1330. Not heard either July 23 at 1240 check. What`s this? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hello Glen[n] Hauser, Enjoy World Of Radio immensely and listen as often as possible. I have not reported any due to what I hear are stations that you and your correspondents call attention to. I find World Of Radio the best source for adventuring on to the shortwave bands and testing your skill if you are a novice like myself. Enjoy hearing anything of Oklahoma radio so thanks for passing the latest info along as well as, bracing for a solar superstorm. That is very well what may be headed our way. Keep up the great work! (Bernard Graham, Wichita, Kansas, July 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ AMSAT-UK COLLOQUIUM TO BE WEBCAST BY BATC Thanks to the British Amateur Television Club (BATC) this years AMSAT- UK International Space Colloquium will be streamed live to the web. Peter Blakeborough G3PYB, President of BATC, will be streaming video of the presentations live to the Internet so that Radio Amateurs and SWL's can watch them from anywhere in the world. This service will be available at http://www.batc.tv/ As well as the live webcast BATC will also be providing a Live Chat web page enabling viewers to post messages. The 23rd AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium will be held at the University of Surrey, Guildford from Friday 25th until Sunday 27th July and is open to all. New for 2008, it has been arranged with the University for "walkin" day delegates for £10 per day. For this, you do not get any meals, only attendance at lectures/beginners sessions. It does not entitle you to any other of the functions. There is no need to book, just turn up on the day. It would help if you could let us know in advance if you intend using this facility, please email g3wgm @ amsat.org Prof Sir Martin Sweeting, G3YJO Chairman AMSAT-UK, will open the Colloquium at 1400 BST (1300 GMT) on the Friday. At 1600 BST (1500 GMT) there will be a presentation on the UK MoonLITE mission by Dr Adam Baker of SSTL. This will be the first lunar mission by the United Kingdom. He will be followed at 1645 BST (1545 GMT) by Dr Rob Gowen, Department of Space & Climate Physics (Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London and Coordinator of the UK Lunar Penetrator Consortium) who will speak on "Science Penetrators for the UK MoonLITE mission". On Saturday at 0905 BST (0805 GMT) the Delfi-C3 team will be giving presentations on their exciting new satellite. Its SSB/CW 435/145 linear transponder will be activated in a few days time and is sure to prove popular with satellite enthusiasts world-wide. Later that day at 1130 BST (1030 GMT) there will be presentations from AMSAT-DL. These will be on the eagerly awaited P3E High Earth Orbiting satellite and the pioneering Mars Orbiter P5A. This will be the first private venture spacecraft to travel to the Red Planet providing Radio Amateurs with some true DX signals. For further details see http://www.uk.amsat.org/Colloquium/ Programme: http://www.uk.amsat.org/content/view/640/213/ Travel information: http://www.uk.amsat.org/content/view/23/52/ A site map showing location of the Management Building and the adjacent main car park and conference visitors parking can be seen at http://www.uk.amsat.org/images/stories/uosmap6.jpg AMSAT-UK Tel: +44 (0)1258 453959 Email: g3wgm@amsat.org Web: http://www.uk.amsat.org/ Related URLs: British Amateur Television Club (BATC) http://www.batc.org.uk/ BATC Video website http://www.batc.tv/ 73 (Trevor M5AKA, July 21, monitoringmonthly yg via DXLD) THE TINY TRAP +++++++++++++ ICELAND – a ``tiny nation``, claims Katie Couric, CBS ‘Evening` News anchor, both July 21 and 22 (Clara Listensprechen, DXLD) You know the drill LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ PORTUGAL PAYS LIP SERVICE TO BRAZIL'S SUPREMACY By Elizabeth Nash in Madrid Friday, 2 May 2008 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/portugal-pays-lip-service-to-brazils-supremacy-819728.html Portugal may have to recognise the inevitable by bowing to the economic and cultural predominance of Brazil, its former colony. The once proud imperial power is considering reforming its language to accommodate recent linguistic developments in the South American economic powerhouse, with which it shares a language. However the proposed reform of the Portuguese language in favour of Brazilian usage has sparked a heated polemic among the Portuguese, with the distinguished poet Vasco Graça Moura leading the rearguard action. "There is no need for us to take a back seat to Brazil," he protests. A more relaxed view of the proposed changes is taken by José Saramago, Portugal's only Nobel literature laureate, who recently infuriated compatriots by suggesting that Portugal become part of Spain. "We must get over this idea that we own the language," the 85-year-old said. "The language is owned by those who speak it, for better or for worse." The proposal to be put before parliament on 15 May would standardise Portuguese around the world and change the spellings of hundreds of words in favour of the Brazilian versions. The measure is largely a response to commercial interests. But for the once proud imperial power, whose language is spoken by 230 million people worldwide, it is a blow to national pride comparable to Britons adopting American spellings and writing, say, "traveler" instead of "traveller". The Portuguese modifications would match spellings to the way words are pronounced by removing silent consonants. Thus optimo (great) would become otimo, and accao (action) would become acao. The word humido (humid) would become umido. This might create problems when the new words already exist with a different meaning – for example facto (fact) would become fato: but in Portugal a fato is a suit. [sic; who needs accents?] Advocates say benefits include easier internet searches in Portuguese, and a uniform language for international contracts. Portugal's publishing industry, especially the lucrative school textbooks sector, stands to benefit enormously. And Portuguese officials hope the measure would advance an old ambition of getting Portuguese adopted as an official language at the UN. Jose Socrates's Socialist government wants Portugal's politicians to ratify the spelling agreement with the world's seven other Portuguese- speaking countries: Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, East Timor, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and São Tomé and Principe. The letters k, w and y would be included in the Portuguese alphabet for the first time, to accommodate words like kilometro (kilometre) and kwanza, the Angolan currency. The changes would affect some 2,000 words out of a Portuguese vocabulary of 110,000 words. But three quarters of the modifications would have to be adopted by Portugal, the mother country. "The Portuguese don't like their language being changed any more than we would like ours," said the British writer Peter Sage, a longtime resident in Lisbon. "Portugal has lost its colonies, its power and its wealth, but at least it could pride itself on its linguistic influence in the Portuguese-speaking world." But he said many people in Portugal were having to come to terms with the shifting of economic power in the Portuguese-speaking world. Today Brazil, which gained its independence from Portugal in 1822, is home to 190 million Portuguese speakers and is one of the world's big economic players. Portugal has a population of just 10.6 million (via DXLD) See also: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spelling_reforms_of_Portuguese DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: ALASKA; NEW ZEALAND ++++++++++++++++++++ DTV: OKLAHOMA RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ TOWER DOGS I just noticed that tonight's edition of Dateline NBC is called "Tower Dogs" and is about people whose profession is climbing antenna towers (Patrick Griffith, CBT CBNT CRO, Westminster CO, IRCA via DXLD) Video here, all of it? http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25786803/ (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) There's going to be a Dateline NBC show tonight at 10 Eastern about "Tower Dogs," people that climb various kinds of radio / TV / communications towers. It should be pretty interesting, just thought I'd pass the word along here, as I've gotten it on several different ham lists that I'm on. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032600/ (Jeff Lehmann, Hanson, MA, WTFDA via DXLD) I just read about this on another list. Sorry if somebody posted it here previously and I missed it. This is the listing for Dateline NBC tonight. Tower Dogs --- Tonight at 10:00 pm WESH-DT (ch 1020) Exploring the dangerous job done by tower climbers, workers who rise high to install and maintain high-tech communications towers for cell-phone, Internet and broadcast systems (via Jay Heyl, FL, ABDX via DXLD) I used to do this on ships. I LOVED IT! You have the heights plus on the ships you are rocking and swaying all over the place. If I got a chance to do it again even at 52 years old, I would do it again in a second. For me, this is an absolute must watch. Thanks for putting this on the list (Kevin Redding, TN, ibid.) I hope everybody recorded that to either VHS or a DVD. It was a great show!! (Robert M. Bratcher Jr., TX, ibid.) I was a huge fan of the Patrick O'Brian books about life in the British Navy in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Some of these books were the basis for the movie "Master and Commander". (Which could have been SO much better if they'd just stuck with the book. The first book of the series would have almost made itself as a movie.) Anyway, O'Brian wrote often of the men going aloft during foul weather, with the ship listing so bad the yardarm would practically skim the water. I just can't imagine being 60, 70 feet above the deck with the ship swaying so you first find yourself out over the ocean to port, then a few seconds later you're hanging out over the ocean to starboard. You gotta be a special kind of crazy to love doing that (Jay Heyl, FL, ibid.) Only 70 feet up? Submarine radio masts are 70 feet above the water on smaller submarines. The deck on a carrier is 100-125 feet above the waterline then add the superstructure and some masts on top and you are starting to get up there. They have to fold the masts down to get them under some few bridges they can get under. Destroyer radio masts are about 200 feet. The view from a cruiser radio mast is pretty good as it`s higher up. It`s like one of the best amusement park rides you have ever been on when a ship is at sea even on a calm day when you are at the top of the highest mast. Sometimes I would work on a mast and it was cool to look down on the I-95 Gold Star bridge over the Thames River in Connecticut. It could get kind of exciting when you would be up there on a snowy 5F day and the wind blowing. I sure loved it (Kevin Redding, TN, ibid.) SONY UPDATES THE ICF-36 Hello Glenn: Sony has once again updated one of their radios. The ICF- 36 was a portable with AM/FM/WX/TV. It has been replaced by the ICF- 38, AM/FM only: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016OEV7C/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top This is a good portable, billed as having extra sensitivity, and it does. Build quality is also very good, despite the low price. And once again, no one else makes anything like this except Sony. Regards (Ron Smith, July 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SOLAR-ACTIVITY FORECAST FOR THE PERIOD JUL 18 - 24, 2008 Activity level: very low Radio flux (10.7 cm): a fluctuation in the range 64-71 f.u. Flares: weak (0-3/day) Relative sunspot number: in the range 0-25 Astronomical Institute, Solar Dept., Ondrejov, Czech Republic e-mail: sunwatch(at)asu.cas.cz (RWC Prague) _________________________________________________________________ Geomagnetic activity forecast for the period Jul 18 to Jul 24, 2008 quiet: Jul 18 and 21 quiet to unsettled: Jul 19 and 20 unsettled: Jul 22, 23 and 24 active: 0 minor storm: 0 major storm: 0 severe storm: 0 Geomagnetic activity summary: geomagnetic field was quiet on Jul 10 and 16, quiet to unsettled on Jul 11 and 15, unsettled on Jul 12, 13 and 14. RWC Prague, Geophysical Institute Prague, Geomagnetic Dept, Czech Republic, e-mail: geom(at)ig.cas.cz _________________________________________________________________ Geomagnetic activity forecast for the period of one solar rotation unsettled to active: Jul (18,) 22, (26,) 27, Aug 7 active to disturbed: Jul (23-24), Aug (2,) 8, (9,) 10, (11-12) quiet: Jul (19,) 20-21, (25, 28,) 29-31, Aug (1,) 3-6, (13) Survey: quiet on: Jul 6-10 mostly quiet on: Jul 15-16 quiet to unsettled: Jul 13-14 quiet to active on: Jul 11 unsettled to active: Jul 12 Notice: Days in brackets refer to a lower probability of possible solar activity enhancements depending on previous developments on the sun. F. K. Janda, OK1HH, Czech Propagation Interested Group e-mail: franta.janda(at)quick.cz (via WORLD OF RADIO 1418, DXLD) Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels during 14 - 16 July, though active to minor storm conditions were observed at high latitudes on 14 July. Activity decreased to quiet levels for the rest of the period. ACE solar wind data indicated Earth was under the influence of a waning recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream. Solar wind velocities gradually decreased from a high of 740 km/sec on 14 July to a low of 278 km/sec near the close of the period. Minor changes were noted in the interplanetary magnetic field during the period with Bz readings in the + 4 nT range and Bt in the 1 - 4 nT range. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 23 JULY - 18 AUGUST 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 24 - 26 July and 09 - 17 August. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels during 23 July with minor storm periods at high latitudes due to a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to quiet to unsettled levels on 24 July as coronal hole effects subside. Activity is expected to be at mostly quiet levels during 25 July - 06 August. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels on 07 August. A further increase to active levels is expected during 08 - 09 August with minor storm levels at high latitudes due to a recurrent coronal hole high- speed stream. Activity is expected to decrease to unsettled levels during 10 - 13 August as coronal hole effects subside. Quiet conditions are expected during 14 - 17 August. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels on the last day of the period. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2008 Jul 22 2324 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 Jul 22 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2008 Jul 23 66 15 4 2008 Jul 24 66 10 3 2008 Jul 25 66 5 2 2008 Jul 26 66 5 2 2008 Jul 27 66 5 2 2008 Jul 28 66 5 2 2008 Jul 29 66 5 2 2008 Jul 30 66 5 2 2008 Jul 31 66 5 2 2008 Aug 01 66 8 3 2008 Aug 02 66 5 2 2008 Aug 03 66 5 2 2008 Aug 04 66 5 2 2008 Aug 05 66 5 2 2008 Aug 06 66 5 2 2008 Aug 07 66 10 3 2008 Aug 08 66 20 5 2008 Aug 09 66 15 4 2008 Aug 10 66 10 3 2008 Aug 11 66 10 3 2008 Aug 12 66 10 3 2008 Aug 13 66 8 3 2008 Aug 14 66 5 2 2008 Aug 15 66 5 2 2008 Aug 16 66 5 2 2008 Aug 17 66 5 2 2008 Aug 18 66 10 3 (SWPC via DXLD; too late for WOR 1418 where last week`s was used) TIPS FOR RATIONAL LIVING ++++++++++++++++++++++++ THOU SHALT FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE LIKE THE BIBLE TELLS YOU TO By Anneli Rufus, AlterNet. Posted November 17, 2007. Author A.J. Jacobs spent a year trying to follow the 600+ laws he found proscribed in the Bible, and concluded he's doomed to live in sin. The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs (Simon & Schuster, 2007) He didn't want to stone adulterers. But that was part of the deal. That's what A.J. Jacobs was being paid for. "The Hebrew scriptures prescribe a tremendous amount of capital punishment," Jacobs writes in The Year of Living Biblically (Simon & Schuster, 2007), his account of an experiment in which the lifelong agnostic spent 12 months obeying the Old Testament as literally as possible -- while living in an Upper West Side apartment and working for Esquire. "Think Saudi Arabia, multiply by Texas, then triple that. It wasn't just for murder. You could also be executed for adultery, blasphemy, breaking the Sabbath, perjury, incest, bestiality, and witchcraft, among others. A rebellious son could be sentenced to death. As could a son who is a persistent drunkard and glutton. "The most commonly mentioned punishment method in the Hebrew Bible is stoning. So I figure, at the very least, I should try to stone. But how?" . . . http://www.alternet.org/rights/68194?page=entire&ses=56c36d37124d6d963bab5cfea234b0b9 (via Oklahoma Observer, via DXLD) ###