DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-089, August 5, 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 1420 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 [time varies] Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 0530 WRMI 9955 Wed 1130 WRMI 9955 Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html For updates see our Anomaly Alert page: http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html WRN ON DEMAND: http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN NOW AVAILABLE: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/podcast.php OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org ** ARGENTINA. Heren, Op 15345 zit RTV du Maroc en op 15344 zit Radio Nacional Argentina. Met de juiste instelling op de Perseus haal je ze nu uit elkaar. Zaterdag had ik dat geluk al een keer, maar het doet zich nu weer voor op het moment. Groetjes (Jan, Netherlands, Aug 4, bdx mailing list via DXLD) Jan, ik denk dat je Perseus niet goed ingesteld staat. Argentina zit op 15345.25 en Maroco zit op 15344.98 kHz. Argentina is nu in het Engels bezig. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, 1841 UT Aug 4, ibid.) See also MOROCCO ** ARGENTINA. Novedades en AM: 530 kHz, AM 530, LA VOZ DE LAS MADRES (Buenos Aires) se encuentra inactiva en forma temporal. No reportada desde el día de ayer sábado 2 de agosto, situación ésta que permitió la escucha y recepción en dicha frecuencia de la Falkland Islands Radio Service (Islas Malvinas) con programas en inglés y con QRK 2/3 a eso de las 0300 UT. 730 kHz, RADIO GUARANÍ AM opera en este nueva frecuencia, abandonando así su anterior de 1140 kHz. El cambio obedece a la fuerte interferencia con Radio Independencia (Remedios de Escalada) que opera también en 1140. El QTH de Radio Guaraní se halla sito en la calle Dr. Ignacio Arieta 3950, San Justo, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4482-2597.- [this one was heard abroad on harmonic 2280 --- gh] 740 kHz, RADIO COOPERATIVA (Buenos Aires) se reporta temporalmente inactiva. Vale señalar que esta emisora ofrece sus facilidades de transmisión a AM 530 La Voz de las Madres, razón por la cual resulta claro que se encuentra fuera del aire la planta transmisora ubicada en la localidad de Valentín Alsina, Provincia de Buenos Aires. 1300 kHz, EMISORA SANTIAGO Y COPLA, es una nueva emisora de carácter “no oficial” que emite programas de música folklórica para los residentes de la provincia de Santiago del Estero en Buenos Aires. Al parecer su QTH se localiza en la ciudad de Gregorio de Laferrere, Buenos Aires. Tel: (011) 4603-3180. 1390 kHz, RADIO RIBERA SUR (Ingeniero Budge, Buenos Aires) se reporta inactiva desde hace varios días a esta parte, desconociéndose el motivo de su salida del aire. Vale recordar que esta emisora tenía orden de decomiso por parte del COMFER ante la denuncia por interferencias de LR-11 Radio Universidad Nacional de La Plata, que opera en la misma frecuencia. ============================================================== PARA TENER EN CUENTA: Argentina debe ser el único país del mundo en el cual en un radio de 60 kilómetros a la redonda, a contar desde el Congreso de la Nación ubicado en la ciudad de Buenos Aires, operan alrededor de 140 emisoras de Onda Media, la mayoría de ellas sin la autorización legal pertinente. A la fecha las estadísticas marcan esta realidad: Área Múltiple Buenos Aires (AMBA): Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires: 37 emisoras activas (15 de ellas “Legales”) + 1 inactiva = Total: 38 emisoras Gran Buenos Aires: Partido de Almirante Brown: 7 emisoras activas + 1 inactiva = Total: 8 Partido de Berazategui: 1 emisora inactiva = Total: 1 emisora Partido de Esteban Echeverría: 7 emisoras activas = Total: 7 emisoras Partido de Ezeiza: 4 emisoras activas = Total: 4 emisoras Partido de Hurlingham: 3 emisoras activas = Total: 3 emisoras Partido de Ituzaingó: 2 emisoras activas = Total: 2 emisoras Partido de José C. Paz: 3 emisoras activas = Total: 3 emisoras Partido de La Matanza: 26 emisoras activas (1 de ellas “Legal”) + 2 inactivas = Total: 28 emisoras Partido de Lanús: 8 emisoras activas + 1 inactiva = Total: 9 emisoras Partido de Lomas de Zamora: 8 emisoras activas (1 de ellas “Legal”) = Total: 8 emisoras Partido de Malvinas Argentinas: 2 emisoras activas = Total: 2 emisoras Partido de Merlo: 5 emisoras activas + 1 inactiva = Total: 6 emisoras Partido de Morón: 4 emisoras activas = Total: 4 emisoras Partido de Presidente Perón: 1 emisora activa = Total: 1 emisora Partido de Quilmes: 3 emisoras activas (1 de ellas “Legal”) = Total: 3 Partido de San Fernando: 1 emisora activa = Total: 1 emisora Partido de San Isidro: 1 emisora activa = Total: 1 emisora Partido de San Martín: 6 emisoras activas = Total: 6 emisoras Partido de San Miguel: 2 emisoras activas = Total: 2 emisoras Partido de Tigre: 2 emisoras activas = Total: 2 emisoras Partido de Tres de Febrero: 2 emisoras activas = Total: 2 emisoras Partido de Vicente López: 1 emisora activa = Total: 1 emisora Total: 140 emisoras Nota: No se incluyeron las emisoras que pertenecen al segundo cordón que rodea el Gran Buenos Aires (La Plata, Luján, General Rodríguez, Pilar, etc), que suman alrededor de 10 emisoras más (Marcelo A. Cornachioni, Lomas de Zamora, Argentina, Aug 3, condiglist yg via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Google Maps - Street View now available for Radio Australia - Shepparton Hi folks, A huge amount of Australia (except Darwin region & Cape York) is now covered my Google Maps 'Street View'. This was activated today. Of interest to our group is the Radio Australia - Shepparton site, which can now be seen on the right side (heading north) at around 498 Verney Rd, Shepparton, Victoria. Obviously there's other sites of interest, I'll look for those when more time allows. ENJOY! Cheers (Ian Baxter, Australia, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) RA Brandon site MW 630 4QN has a link to http://www.panoramio.com/photo/8694913 19 30'39.01"S, 147 20'27.29" E (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) All I see is the MW tower (gh) Thanks Wolfgang, A further scan around Australia reveals (re SW): 1. Alice Springs masts nearby (ALICE SPRINGS) 2. View of the SW dipole antenna at the old VLW Perth - Hamersley site (PERTH) North east corner of site. 3. Maybe two old SW masts (no antennas) at old SW VLI Liverpool - Prestons site. I may have to check with someone about this (SYDNEY) 4. No SW antennas/masts seen at all from old VLQ Bald Hills site (BRISBANE) 5. I note a vertical mast at location of Radio Symban (PEATS RIDGE) Members with access to Google Earth may prefer to use this application to view these images in preference to Google Maps. I found it quicker & easier to use than Google Maps. Cheers (Ian Baxter, ibid.) ** BHUTAN. 6035, BBS, 1407-1501*, Aug 5, best reception so far with news by man and woman, fairly sure of the ID at 1410: "You are listening to the news from the Bhutan Broadcasting Service", sounded like an interview, segment of pop songs in English, sign-off announcement, pop instrumental music followed by indigenous music till off, only light QRM (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. RADIO GLOBO, SÃO PAULO, COM IBOC --- Hoje [??] a noite meu receptor começou a piscar o indicativo “HD” (áudio em alta definição com IBOC) quando sintonizei a Globo SP em 1100 kHz. Rapidinho, Renato Uliana de Garulhos/SP ligou o RF Space SDR-IQ e confirmou via espectrograma: a Globo 1100 realmante ativou o IBOC. O IBOC da Globo vai de 1085 até 1095 e depois de 1105 até 1115. Entre 1095 e 1105 está o sinal AM. Por duas vezes o receptor “cortou” o áudio analógico (como se fosse fazer a comutação para o digital) mas ficou apenas mudo. Eu não espero sintonizar IBOC aqui no RS. Conforme falado antes pelo PY4ZBZ Roland, seria necessário que os canais adjacentes estivessem livres para que o sinal alcancasse maior cobertura geográfica (Huelbe Garcia, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil, @tividade DX August 3 via DXLD) You guys on the coasts of Europe and New England should have fun decoding IBOC from this relatively easy one in analog (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Emissoras não captadas em OC recentemente do Brasil?? Guarujá 5940 Cultura 9615 [but see below] Marumby 11750 Tupi 11765 Super Boa Vontade 11895 Gazeta 15325 [but see below] Cultura 17815 Cultura de Ondas Tropicais 4945 Pioneira 5015 Difusora de Poços de Caldas 4945 (mais de 1 ano inativa) Rádio Relógio 4905 Rádio Roraima 4875 Vóz do Coração 4885 Jornal A Crítica de Manaus 4935 (QRA: Édison Bocorny Jr. QTH: Novo Hamburgo- RS Brasil August 2, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 15325, 1852 Aug 4, R Gazeta, música José Augusto, após sertaneja, às 1859 anúncia identificação, "Rádio Gazeta, a identidade de São Paulo", às 1900 programa prorrogação, logo após forte interferencia da R Canada em francês, até as 1900, 34333, apos as 1900 fica inaudível (Jorge Freitas, SWL1023B, Feira de Santana Bahia, Degen 1103, Antena Long Wire 10 mts, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 5869.9, R. Voz Missionária, Florianópolis SC, 2207-2222, 31 Jul, A Voz do Brasil national news magazine; 25332. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) CG`s full report, including more Brazilian logs appeared in the dxldyg ** BRAZIL. Cultura reaparece nos 31 metros! Porém, completamente fora do seu QRG que é de 9615 kHz. A mesma foi captada em 9662 com o áudio completamente distorcido e baixo, mesmo em modo SSB (Édison Bocorny Jr, Brasil, Aug 4, radioescutas yg via DXLD) 2380, 0304, R. Educadora de Limeira SP, às 0306 identificação, música às 0308, Joana cantando "fazendo falta de voce"; logo após, Roberto Carlos e às 0349 Guilherme Arantes, 25322. 3140, 0325, Rádio Cidade (?), "a estação do clima", programa show da madrugada, 25322. Alguém sabe me informar sobre esta captação que fiz hoje as 0325 em 3140 kHz? Consegui ouvir "Rádio Cidade, a estação do clima"; o programa era o show da madrugada e o sinpo 25322. Não consta nas fontes que tenho; já era tarde e estava cançado. Ontem choveu rádios americanas por volta dos 3000 kHz. Um abraço, (Jorge Freitas, SWL1023B, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil, Degen 1103, Antena Long Wire 10 mts, Aug 5, radioescutas yg via DXLD) A shower of American stations around 3000 kHz? O que quer dizer? Look on your Brazilian MW lists for R. Cidade on 1570, of which 3140 is the second harmonic. I find only one in this graveyard, in WRTH 2008: ZYL344, Corinto MG, 1/0.25 kW, nice catch! (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Fim [?] da Voz do Brasil --- Desde o último dia 11/07 liminar garante às emissoras de rádio do estado do Paraná o direito de transmitir o noticiário da Voz do Brasil em qualquer horário entre as 19 e 24 horas. Da Redação A decisão ainda não é definitiva, mas já é um começo. O Rio Grande do Sul foi o primeiro Estado do Sul do país a conseguir a flexibilização do horário de transmissão do noticioso da Voz do Brasil. Lá as emissoras podem transmitir a Voz do Brasil em qualquer horário, até 24 horas do mesmo dia. Atualmente o Sindicato das Empresas de Radiodifusão e Televisão do Paraná conseguiu liminar na Justiça para que as rádios façam a transmissão em horários alternativos com base no que acontece com as emissoras gaúchas. Em Santa Catarina, ouvida a presidente da ACAERT – Associação de Empresas de Rádio e Televisão, Marise Westphal Hartke foi categórica: “Essa é mais uma vitória da Radiodifusão contra o atraso. A Voz do Brasil não tem mais sentido, pois o programa utiliza um horário nobre do Rádio com informe ‘chapa branca’. Já foi comprovado, através de pesquisa, que a grande maioria do ouvinte desliga o rádio na hora da Voz. Este espaço poderia ser ocupado com mais qualidade, levando ao ouvinte programação jornalística e de utilidade pública, como é o caso dos grandes centros, que sofrem com o rush. Espero que essa vitória dos colegas paranaenses fortaleça a nossa campanha de flexibilização do programa. A posição da ACAERT, inclusive, é mais dura, pois a entidade é a favor do fim da Voz do Brasil” Fonte: http://www.carosouvintes.org.br (via Marcelo Bedene, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) ** BURKINA FASO. 7230, R. Burkina, Ouagadougou. August 4, French, 0911-0923, OM and YL talk segments alternating African music. Progressive enhance till 0918 when stabilized, 24322. 73 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7230, R. Burkina, Ouagadougou, 1438 4 Aug, vernacular, chantings; 45433. It's been the second strongest African station on 41 m right after Mali's 7284.5 (i.e. when Mauritania 7245 is off) which is now putting a slightly better audio than on parallel 9635! 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Re VFF, Iqaluit, what means MCTS? Glenn, I found this on the web and will use it in my next Arctic Waves column: Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS) is a core Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) program providing services in support of marine safety, security, environmental protection and efficient marine transportation. Service covering Canadian Arctic waters is provided through three MCTS Centres located at Thunder Bay (Churchill), Iqaluit and Inuvik. Current service lines provided by MCTS are the continuous monitoring of International Distress and Urgency mobile maritime frequencies; weather, ice and Notices to Shipping broadcast and information; ice and weather charts facsimile broadcast; communications related to pollution reporting; Marine Safety Advisory Service on the Mackenzie River and the provision of public correspondence communications. The Canadian Marine Transportation Security Regulations require that all ships must report certain detailed information to a MCTS Centre at least 96 hours prior to arriving in Canadian waters (Harold Seller, Ontario DX Association, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [non]. CBC Radio One catch Sunday morning (correction) --- I reported earlier that I had [suspected] 91.5 Orillia ON (CBC Radio 1) showing PTY Public and IDing as CBC Radio One during Chinese cultural programming - that is, introducing Canadians to modern day Chinese culture basically. Well, that didn't make sense to me and to Saul either, who checked out the RDS of that station, his local, and said they don't run RDS. For a mostly-Chicago tropo opening during which I sat parked in my one location where Chicago dominates the dial, it didn't make much sense either. If it was Orillia, it wouldn't have faded out when I drove back into the little valley I live in. It would have stayed in, as it enhances reception to the east and blocks from the west. Well, after some searching... it was the ever-so-confusing WBEZ (again)! Chicago Public Radio has not been a fun station to deal with this summer. I swore I heard CBC Radio 1... and apparently so. The programming schedule, which if I had taken the time to look that morning, shows the program I heard mentioned: "Definitely Not The Opera" which runs in that time slot and talks about modern culture and such. It's CBC Radio One programming and the link leads to the CBC site as well. So they're just replaying it on local radio here. But for someone DXing and hearing a ton of CBC mentions and stuff about Canadians and having the signal in solid with no other IDs --- well, I'm sure anyone could have made that mistake. A little disappointing, but I'd rather be disappointed than to never be sure what I heard (Chris Kadlec, Fremont, Mich., August 5, WTFDA via DXLD) On one hand, consider the possibility you had two stations. One being WBEZ, the other the CBC. I don't have time to check right now, as I have a work appointment soon here in Toronto. But it would be worth checking program skeds to see who carries the Definitely Not the Opera show on CBC - Radio 1 or Radio 2, and at what time, and same with WBEZ for that time slot. I often hear NPR stations with As It Happens, but that's usually about it. If you had a CBC R1 station, it could have been a weak 91.5 Orillia. (You won't hear Ottawa unless there's a super good duct). (Saul Chernos, Toronto, ibid.) The whole point of DNTO is that it`s an alternative on CBC Radio One while opera is on Two, Saturday afternoons (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** CANADA. Has anyone heard or seen what the CBC will be doing with their web streams during the Olympics? If memory serves almost all streams were down during the last Olympics. Thanks (Mr. Sandy Finlayson, Philadelphia, PA, swprograms via DXLD) Maybe the answer is buried somewhere here: http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/ (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Dear Glenn, I've just checked 6150 kHz tonight (04 Aug) between 1352-1400 UT. What I can get is strong Firedrake with Mandarin speech in the background, probably Radio Taiwan International. All of this ended at 1400. Also checked 6080 at 1352UT. It was blocked by very strong Firedrake on 6085 kHz (Yogesh, Hong Kong, August 4, dxldyg via DX LISTIENING DIGEST) i.e. ex-Singapore frequencies ** CHINA. 6115, Voice of Strait (presumed), 0932-0957, Aug 4, in Chinese, relay of the Life and Entertainment Channel, on-air phone conversations, // 7280 up to 0957, then into their own Channel in Amoy, ToH pips, into what seemed to be news, 1015-1033 heard with traditional Chinese music, fair (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 7280, Voice of Strait (presumed), 0932-1033, Aug 4, Life and Entertainment Channel, in Chinese, phone conversations, // with 6115 till 0957, pips, continuing on with their own programming, pop songs, fair (Ron Howard, Monterey, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 6184.97, China Huayi BC (presumed), 1041-1103, Aug 4, in Chinese, pop songs, ToH pips, format seemed correct for CHBC. They do not use both frequencies at the same time. 4830 consistently observed with sign-on at 1200, so this must sign-off at 1200, as scheduled. Nothing heard on 6185 at 1250, 1303 & 1325, when CHBC was fairly well heard on 4830 (Ron Howard, Monterey and Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 9740 - RE: DXLD 8-088: Glenn's question: "Could this have been PBS-1 Sichuan? Is that service (started during the earthquake) still on air?": Sichuan PBS has consistently been heard here since shortly after the quake. After 1300 on Aug. 4 heard in Chinese relaying PBS-2 programming, mixing with BBC in English (about equal strength), // with PBS-2 Sichuan on both 6060 (fair) and 7225 (poor- fair under VOA). Before 1300, PBS-2 (6060 & 7225) has their own indigenous programming in assume Yui, so assume before 1300, 9740 has their own PBS-1 programming. Regarding the other PBS-1 Sichuan frequency of 12015: am unable to hear it as the Voice of Korea is heard in Korean before 1400 and in Russian after that. Did not note any QRM from Sichuan (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks Ron - the question was actually mine, and thanks for this information. I have not been able to hear whatever it was on 9740 at 0630 UT again, but it does seem from your report that it probably was PBS-1 [is/was sched 24 hours]. As for 12015 - I have a report that it was being used around 0200 and 0800 and heard in Japan. Still no trace of anything here though (Noel R. Green (NW England), ibid.) No, we BOTH asked the question, so there! Hi (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. VOA Korean service, 11740 via Philippines, usually good here for the American song segment, but as that ended 1318 August 5, it was suffering co-channel in Chinese. Are the Chicom helping out the Chocom with defacto jamming? This is apparently CNR2, scheduled 11-16 on 11740 via Lingshi site, 100 kW at 286 degrees, which BTW per EiBi is shown as in English during this hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. PRESIDENT BUSH `PLANS OLYMPIC SNUB' OVER CHINA RIGHTS "There hasn't been the slightest improvement on the Communist regime's part, and this has been a huge embarrassment for the Bush administration and has made it extremely difficult for the administration domestically, in facing the Republican Party, and with Congress." - China Democracy advocate Wei Jingsheng [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wei_Jingsheng ] http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/world/bush-olympic-rights-china-snub-1957.html (...) A miracle took place on Capitol Hill yesterday, July 31, 2008. Democrats and Republicans in the House united on a vote of 419-1 to explicitly and in itemized detail condemn the Chicom government of China. (...) House Resolution 1370 is the most pro-American statement of Congress in modern times. (...) Predictably and laughably, the Chicoms exploded in rage. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao called the vote "a disgusting action of a small group of anti-Chinese lawmakers," and called the resolution "blasphemous" and "against the will of people all over the world." That over-the-top fulmination meant the resolution hit the bulls-eye. (...) the full text of H. Res. 1370 http://www.tothepointnews.com/content/view/3282/44/ (via tribby2001, dxldyg via DXLD) that pretty well covers it ** CUBA. R. Rebelde, normally a loud and clear signal on 5025 belying its alleged NVIS antenna, Aug 5 at 0549 and for at least several mintues thereafter, was nothing but a big hum, with traces of modulation. Wiggle that patchcord! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. 5955, 0123 [Aug 5?], R. República Cuba (?), Spanish, YL e OM conversam, parece também falar em um dialeto parecido ao espanhol, 33222 (Jorge Freitas, SWL1023B, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil, Degen 1103, Antena Long Wire 10 mts, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Another report of this on 5955, where I have yet to confirm it (or 5954?), but I suppose with the (?) there was not a definite ID (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Re Rudy Espinal --- Hi Jeff, Belatedly trying to bring up R Raices, don`t get anywhere at http://www.radioraices.org.do/ Is that correct? 73, (Glenn to Jeff White, Aug 3, via DXLD) Glenn: That's weird. It was working a few days ago. I tried it several times. But I just tried again, and it didn't work. However, I found this link: http://www.centroleon.org.do/esp/r_raices.asp The site is similar, but not the same. The other one had a profile of Rudy and others affiliated with the station, including Teo Veras. This new site has a think to click to listen to the audio, but it doesn't work for me. Maybe you can try it and see if it works for you (Jeff White, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Audio link is http://66.98.64.211/102.9fm – opens winamp but no play (gh, DXLD) ** ECUADOR [and non]. HCJB Quito German service 9740, daily 0630-0730 UT is OFF also today (seemingly out of service here since August 1st?) (Wolfgang Buschel, Germany, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) HCJB missing from 9740 for German to Europe at 0630-0730, as checked August 4 at 0635. Still on the schedules, as is German DRM at 2000- 2200 on 15355-15360-15365 whose noise I was still hearing August 3. Here`s the page which has not been updated, still showing 0900 MESZ on 9740, and DRM at 1400 MESZ on 15350, which was replaced already in April by 2200 MESZ on 15360! http://deutsch.hcjb.org/content/view/3/5/ Equally outdated is the Plattdeutsch page http://plattdeutsch.hcjb.org/content/view/86/6/ Does HCJB really believe they have a bigger audience in Germany for DRM than for analog? Tough luck for the German DX program. Peter Kruse reminds us it`s this: http://www.rmrc.de/content/C060_RMRCDXSendung/RMRC_Sendung.html which is also outdated showing winter times and ex-frequencies but Iris Rauscher from HCJB is to visit Frankfurt August 8, perhaps with bad news. Is HCJB`s Hi & Lo German to Mexico still on the air, 0230-0330 on 9780? Yes, VG here Aug 5 at 0230 on 9780 opening with FesteBurg theme (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: Is everyone from here in the Rhein-Main Radio Club? Iris Rauscher from HCJB visits on Friday (August 8th) a meeting from the Rhein-Main Radioclub in Frankfurt/Main. See http://www.rmrc.de (Peter Kruse, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, Does DRM make any sense what-so-ever or is it just more interference? Is there some bureaucracy committed to DRM even though receivers for this seems rather scarce? Best 73, (Bob Wilkner, FL, NASWA yg via DXLD) No, Yes and Yes (gh, ibid.) Tough luck: I would not say so, because there is still the 3955/6015 transmission via Media Broadcast (now booked at the Issoudun site of their new parent company). Initially the DX program was indeed on the Pifo transmission only, while the airtime on 3955/6015 had been used for other programming, but this changed quite some time ago. Btw, this DX show contains also other contributions than the ones from Markus Weidner, like pieces from Hans Werner Lange on behalf of ADDX, cf. http://www.addx.de/Service/real.php (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) As usual I noted the "Lower German" sermon of HCJB on 1700-1730 UT today, followed by German letterbox program at 1730 UT via Issoudun France site channel 6015: 6015 1700-1800 27W,28 ISS 100kW 45degr F HCJ DTK Bad interference by domestic PBS Xinjiang Urumchi 50 kW co-channel. Well far away station propagation tonight on 49 mb, all stations closer than 600 km distance suffer much signal strength tonight like ORF Moosbrunn 6155 and DLF Britz 6190 at my post (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) There has been no trace of a signal from HCJB 9740 at 0630-0730 since I last wrote about it on the 2nd August, so it really seems that direct AM broadcasts from Pifo to Europe have ceased. I don't know if their DRM tests are on air though (Noel R. Green (NW England), 4th August, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Radio program in Ecuador produced inside of prison UNA RADIO ROMPE EL ENCIERRO DE LOS INTERNOS DE IBARRA El programa radial ‘La Paradoja’ se emite desde el interior de la prisión todos los jueves. Los presos por distintas infracciones participan y están contentos. El jueves no es día de visitas en el Centro de Rehabilitación de Ibarra, pero el ajetreo se acentúa momentos antes de las 14:00. Un grupo de reclusos, hombres y mujeres, cruza con rapidez el pasillo principal y entra en una estrecha habitación de uso múltiple. Los psicólogos Roberto y Margarita Ramírez (no son parientes) encabezan al grupo. Todos llegan a un área de dos por tres metros, donde se graba semanalmente el programa radial ‘La Paradoja’. . . http://www.elcomercio.com/noticiaEC.asp?id_noticia=211165&id_seccion=4 (via Leigh Robartes, ID, DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 6250, RNGE / R. Malabo, Malabo, 1700-..., 04 Aug, Castilian, newscast, vernacular at approx. 1715, talks, African songs; 25332 but improving. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. EUROPirates: 1565.9, UNID Greek, 2033- 1 Aug, Greek songs; 34443, adjacent QRM. Was heard on 05 Jul. 6309.8, R. Lowlands, HOLLAND, 2204-2221, 1 Aug, Dutch/English, songs, IDs, e-mail info; 35343. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 7110, R. Ethiopia, Geja Dera, 1430-1450, 04 Aug, English, news, western pops; 35343; parallel to 9704.2 (very bad this time). 7210, R. Fana, Addis Ababa, 1427-1439, 04 Aug, Amharic (as listed), talks, music; 25342. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. AN1, 17630, Aug 4 at 1353 good with music in French, 1359 ``vous écoutez Africa Numéro Un Radio,` 4-pip timesignal and into long talk segment, presumably news. Time to start looking for // 19160 again, 2 x 9580, but nothing heard there at this time. ANO, 17630, once again Aug 5 had built up to a good signal by 1400, but unlike the day before, continued with music past 1400, finally talk in French at 1404. So much for news on the hour (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GAMBIA. 648, GRTS, Bonto, 2040-2105, 01 Aug, Vernacular, talks, newscast at 2100; 44433, QRM de España. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Kavala plans: see MOROCCO ** GUINEA-Conakry. 1385.9, R. Rurale, Labé, 2128-..., 02 Aug, vernacular as usual but also French at 2130 for an interview; 45444. 7125, R. Guinée, Sonfonya, 1435- 4 Aug, Vernacular, local songs; 15332 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. OF SPECIAL INTEREST --- 620, KIPA, HI, Kalaoa, 7/11 2024 [EDT?] noted back on after 3 months with Big Island ads, “Lava 1-oh-5- point-3 weather” (volcano eruption haze as usual), outro “Let’s get back to The Greatest Hits of All Time on Lava 1-oh-5-point-3.” BTOS’s “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet” and hits from the mid-60’s to early 80’s. Per phone call to spokesman (sounded like the GM) 7/23, station has been testing with 250 watts (electricity is very expensive on the Big Island) with talk format weekdays and relays KBGX-FM “Lava 105.3” oldies weekends but will officially launch with talk “sometime next week.” Spokesman says all three towers (the main one in Hilo and the two synchronous ones on the West Side) are being used and will broadcast with 10 kW. He was surprised the station was being heard in the daytime in East Honolulu (albeit only when I’m on the road in certain locations, not at the home QTH) but said the night skywave propagation prevents it from being heard here at night. I mentioned hearing only XESS Tijuana at night (Dale Park, DX’ing in East Honolulu with Honda car radio, IRCA DX Monitor Aug 2 via DXLD) ** HUNGARY. Since August 1, MR has replaced 5965 with 5940 at 01-02, and its complete residual SW sked is: 01-02 5940 306 degrees to NAm 04-05 3975 ND to CEu, Sundays only 10-11 6025 ND to CEu 16-17 6025 ND to CEu 21-22 3975 ND to CEu However, IBB is still using the same site in Hungary, also with some changes August 1, all 250 kW at 65 degrees, daily: 03-04 7155 13-14 11725 14-15 15265 17-18 9520 18-1830 9520 Note how none of the times conflict with MR times, so is there only one transmitter left? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 4970, AIR Shillong, 1245-1318, Aug 5, in English, woman DJ playing pop songs in English (Celine Dion "Power of Love", etc.), 1315 end of program, ID "This is the North Eastern Service of All India Radio on 60.36 meters on shortwave", into vernacular, subcontinent music, fair-poor. Of all the AIR stations, I like this one the best because of the many local IDs they give (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 15155, 1813 [Aug 4?], All India Radio, English, comentários citando Bangladesh, às 1815 música típica indiana, às 1830 OM e YL anunciam freq. e endereço e inicia programa respostas às cartas que enviam relatorio de recepção, 43333 (Jorge Freitas, SWL1023B, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Degen 1103, Antena Long Wire 10 mts, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Astounded to find VOI the dominant signal on 11785, instead of just a het, Aug 4 during the English broadcast, ex-9526. But it was still a bad clash with VOI on 11784.9 or so, next being VOA Chinese, and Firedrake underneath. If this had been a Sat or Sun, Hmong via WHRI would have surpassed them all. At 1310 VOI ending news with address, 1315 with website http://www.voi.co.id and This Day in History, brief bits about a shogun flag on Aug 4, 1854, and about the 1960 birth of future Spain PM Zapatero. 1318 P O Box address, e-mail english @ voi.co.id and then a talk about the Indonesian International Defense Institute. The QRM was just too much to keep listening, but if this had been on a clear 25m frequency, reception would have been very good. Nearby open ones are 11770, 11790, 11795 or with Habana adjacent, 11765 and 11800. But VOI will never move within a band, just jump unpredictably back to 9526 or 15150 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11784.87, Voice of Indonesia, 1005-1019, Aug 4, in English, sounded like the same program Glenn heard here after 1300 today, poor-fair, assume signed on at 1000, as nothing heard during earlier checks. 9526 was off the air. After 1100 covered by strong Firedrake (music jamming) and also CNR-1 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Night program to Europe, NE, ME at 315 degrees 1500-2100 UT today Aug 4th on 11784.86 kHz, noted Gamelan music around 1750-1755 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, ibid.) Jakarta op 11784.85 kHz. Terug goed tenemen, 1720 UT. Program in Arabe about local news, many IDs. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, Aug 4, bdx mailing list via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. I have been noticing lately a big gap on the 49m band, with hardly any signals of consequence between Anguilla 6090 and Bonaire 6165, e.g. at 0530 August 4. Who says 49m is crowded? Those with low noise level might dig out some DX; otherwise, major broadcasters are missing an opportunity (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL. IBA: Reshet Bet - overnight live programming cut The current edition of the Jerusalem Report (Aug, 18, 2008), has an article titled, "The Power of Nostalgia" (page 15), which talks about people protesting, to save a popular Reshet Bet overnight radio show, hosted by Netiva Ben-Yehuda. In it, it mentions, "The cancellation of the show, effective from the end of July, was announced by the IBA as a cost cutting measure. All late-night shows aired on the "Reshet Bet" station, including Ben- Yehuda's program, which ran every Wednesday night from 1 to 4 AM, were to be dropped and replaced with taped reruns [of other programming- dzr]. Fans of Ben-Yehuda's program did not take this decision lying down. They held demonstrations, bombarded the IBA the thousands of e- mails and circulated a petition all over the world, demanding that the show be saved." It turns out that due to the protests, this particular show was saved. I checked the Reshet Bet program schedule and it does seem that overnights now consist of mostly concerts, music etc... which I'm gathering is now pre-recorded. I just found this Jerusalem Post article from the 29th of July: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1214726152411&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull The Jpost article said that, "The Israeli Connection" show where expatriates and others would call in from around the world was saved from the cuts. On the other hand, I don't see it on the latest Reshet Bet schedule and the on-demand audio for "The Israeli Connection" on the IBA's website, has a concert. I guess that since the deadlines have past, next week's schedule should be more accurate. The news is still broadcast on the hour, as usual. The overnight shows will either be moved to another time, another network and time or be cut altogether. TV is undergoing the same ruling of no overnight live shows (Doni Z. Rosenzweig, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN. Re: "Why are the RJ presenters so reticent in identifying themselves?" Glenn, A possible answer to your question is the fact that in the Japanese culture it is considered impolite to attract too much attention to one's self (Being too 'Egoistic') and therefore, a 'Humble Attitude' is highly prized (Dr. Mark J. Ferrioli, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN [non]. JAPÃO – A Rádio Japão cometeu um erro ao trocar a freqüência de 9530 pela de 13630 kHz na emissão em português que vai ao ar às 1030. Em Gravatá (PE), Antonio Avelino assinala que o sinal da emissora simplesmente não é captado na nova freqüência faz um bom tempo! (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 3 via DXLD) 13630 is Sackville (gh) ** KOREA NORTH. Voice of Korea, op 4404.85, 1927 UT. Wel veel QRM, ook op de Lowe 225e. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, bdx mailing list via DXLD) `Feeder` frequency; is it RC and/or SSB? (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 7530, TAJIQUISTÃO, R. Free North Korea, (via Dusambe-Orzu?), coreano, 2058, 03/08, OM, notícias, 35233 (Rubens Ferraz Pedroso; Bandeirantes – Paraná – Brasil, Sony ICF SW 7600GR, Kenwood R600 e Philco Transglobe B481-3. Antenas: De carretel Sony AN71 e LW improvisada de 6,22 e 7,58 metros, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. 11990, R. Kwait, Sulaibbiyah, English, 1831, 03/08, música instrumental + bips, ID OM: This is Radio Kwait” [sic], notícias internacionais, 45333 (Rubens Ferraz Pedroso; Bandeirantes – Paraná – Brasil, Sony ICF SW 7600GR, Kenwood R600 e Philco Transglobe B481-3. Antenas: De carretel Sony AN71 e LW improvisada de 6,22 e 7,58 metros, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. 5964.93, Klasik Nasional FM via RTM, 1337-1358, Aug 5, in vernacular, on-air phone conversations, pop songs, woman DJ, many "Klasik Nasional" IDs, on the phone mentions "Klasik Nasional FM", fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA. MESSAGE NATION --- Written by Sheldon Chad Photographed by Michael Nelson Mohamed Salem’s head turns under his black howli turban to follow the lone car passing on this dirt road 150 kilometers (93 mi) outside Ouadane in the Mauritanian Sahara. We’re shooting the breeze about the weather. “When the rainy season comes around, I get the feeling that I should turn on the radio and expect a balagh, like, ‘Mohamed Salem: It rained in Zuarat. Go. It will be good for the camels.’” Any balagh (message) he receives comes to him over the radio program Al-Balaghat (“the messages,” pronounced “ahl bah-la-ghaat”), broadcast nationwide in Mauritania each weeknight for the past 42 years. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Mauritanian alive who hasn’t heard it, and most know it intimately. When Al-Balaghat first hit the airwaves shortly after Mauritania’s independence from France in 1960, the population of the sand-swept country was much as it had been for centuries: more than 95 percent nomadic. How, then, its founding fathers asked, to get diverse peoples to see themselves as a nation? The answer began to take shape in 1966, when the nation’s young Radio Mauritanie started the nightly broadcast of personal messages. Sparely worded like telegrams in simple Arabic, honey-dipped in the regional Hassaniyya dialect, they were delivered in a rapid-fire, hypnotically resonant, rhythmic plainsong that quickly became an art form all its own. It was as if the traditions of desert griots (troubadors), who had helped centuries of nomads exchange songs, stories, poems and gossip, had stepped into the age of mass media. . . [much more, illustrated, audio samples] http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200804/message.nation.htm (via gh, DXLD) This article goes on with the history of R. Mauritanie. It alludes to its early years in connexion with radio in Sénégal but does not mention that it first operated from across the border in St.-Louis, Sénégal. SAUDI ARAMCO WORLD is an excellent free 2-monthly magazine on quality stock, about the Arab world, published in Houston. Your petrodollars at work (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MAURITANIA. 783, R. Mauritanie, Nouakchott, 2035-2115, 01 Aug, Arabic, talks; 54444, QRM de España. Silent on // 4845, like on 31 Jul, and hasn't been heard on this or 7245 until today, 4th Aug. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOROCCO. Hasta hace un tiempo podía escuchar todos los días sin dificultad R. Médi 1 de Marruecos en 9575 kHz, desde la tardecita hasta avanzada la noche (local). Sin embargo en los últimos tiempos no la podía recibir en absoluto, lo que achaqué a la mala propagación imperante. Anoche súbitamente sí la pude escuchar razonablemente bien aquí en MVD y apenas con la antena telescópica dentro de casa, siendo que el dial estaba muy vacío (apenas R. Martí 7365, una religiosa en inglés en 7315 entraban como cañonazo, y poca cosa más). La pregunta que me hago es si Médi 1 no estaría fuera del aire estos tiempos y acaba de reaparecer. ¿Alguien tiene noticias? (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, Aug 2, condiglist yg via DXLD) May well be off the air, like 15340/15345 transmitters, unknown if permanently (gh, DXLD) 9575, R. Médi, Nador. This is for Glenn: it was active this morning, and is not too [bad?] as compared against // 171 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, August 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9575 was on air yesterday and also at present, now Aug 4th at 1810 UT, signal strength at present S=9+20dB in 1850 kilometers distance Morocco to Germany (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) No. I checked a couple of times since the reports about 15340/15345 being off emerged, suspecting that the Nador shortwave transmitters could have been closed completely. Not so, 9575 was always on and is on also tonight. I wonder if SNRT now decided to drop shortwave altogether and has done with it after loosing access to the Briech site? If so a revival of these facilities, under whatever responsibility, appears even more unlikely than it would anyway. Reminds me on the plans to reactivate the Xánthi/Kavála plant in Greece, announced at an NASB meeting if I recall correct. Is anything beyond wishful thinking in the pipeline here? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) Anyway, the lowcountrymen are reporting Morocco back on 15345, clashing with ARGENTINA, q.v. (gh, DXLD) 9575, MARROCOS, Medi 1, Nador, Arabic, 1932, 02/08, música AA, 45233 (Rubens Ferraz Pedroso; Bandeirantes – Paraná – Brasil, Sony ICF SW 7600GR, Kenwood R600 e Philco Transglobe B481-3. Antenas: De carretel Sony AN71 e LW improvisada de 6,22 e 7,58 metros, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) Re Medi 1 off the air too? No it isn't - 9575 has been audible recently whenever I've tuned around the frequency. It's good strength at 0945 UT today - August 5th. And Radio Marocaine via Nador 15340 is also back on air at 0950 today, with MUCH improved audio/modulation level. Clear ID in Arabic and jingle at 1000UTC followed by news. Perhaps the transmitter has been off air for maintenance? (Noel R. Green (NW England), August 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) MARRUECOS, MEDI-1-Nador, 9575 kHz. 1955 UT 4/8, programa habitual de música pop occidental, a las 2000 noticias en árabe con mención a Miguel Angel Moratinos (ministro de AA. EE. Español); no he notado en días recientes ninguna ausencia, llegando como siempre con una gran señal, 55444. Cordialmente, (Tomás Méndez, El Prat de Llobregat- Barcelona España, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I guess AA. EE. above could mean ``asuntos exteriores`` = foreign relations, what we would strangely call Secretary of State (gh, DXLD) ** MYANMAR/BURMA. 5985.78v, Myanma R., 1414-1437, Aug 4, in vernacular, pop songs in English till BoH, into indigenous songs. The following is just speculation on my part: believe the new transmitter at Nay Pyi Taw, with the steady frequency of 5985.00, was not in service today but they instead used the old transmitter located at Yangon. The signal strength today was not as good as usually heard via the Nay Pyi Taw transmitter. Myanmar reception in general was very good today, with 5770 (Myanmar Defense Forces BC) being heard with a decent signal before 1300. 5985.78v, Myanma R., Aug 5, continues to be on this frequency (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. Voice of Nigeria, sterker dan andere dagen op 9690, 0900 UT. Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, Aug 3, bdx mailing list via DXLD) 9690, Aug 4 at 2202, good signal with tonal language, and nothing on 7255, so I suspect it was VON on 9690 by mistake, especially since it cut off abruptly at 2206. Earlier around 2040 I tuned past 15120 which I assumed was VON. WRTH May update had them on 15120 in English until 21, then 7255 in French 21-22, 7255 in Hausa 22-23 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 3905, R. New Ireland, 1139-1210 Jul 29. Slow- talking M in English with occasional interludes of island music to 1200; five minutes of dead air were followed by a program of music. Fair signal but the frequency was taken over by ham op K0GBZ at 1210 (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 3905, R. New Ireland, Kavieng. August 4, English, 0947 English pop selections, 1000-1011 YL announcements, instrumental music, OM and YL talks presumed news, mentioned "Solomon Islands", "Olympic Games... Beijing". 33433. 73 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Is there any ham QRM on the 75mb in SAm? ** PRIDNESTROVYE. Hi Glenn, I tuned into Radio PMR last night, 2215 UT on 6040. Heard about the recent heavy flooding which has affected parts of Tiraspol and surrounding areas. There was a very heavy reverb on the audio. They later announced that the ground floor of the radio had been evacuated, which then explained the change in audio, recorded in a different room. Heard an interesting report also in the broadcast regarding the anniversary of the radio. Best wishes (Chris Lewis, England, August 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MOLDOVA, R. PMR-Kishinev-Grigoriopol, 12135 kHz. 1444 UT 5/8, final de programa en alemán e inicio en inglés, comentarios sobre economia por OM en inglés, dirección y email, siguen en francés, a 1459, 35333. Cordialmente, (Tomás Méndez, El Prat de Llobregat-Barcelona España, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. NEW ROMANIAN SW TRANSMITTERS ON THE AIR --- The website of Radio Romania International carries the following announcement: On August 4th, at midnight (Romania’s time) or August 3rd at 21 hours GMT, the new 300 kW, short wave transmitters located in the locality of Galbeni started operating. The transmitters are the property of the National Radio Communications Company, RADIOCOM. We are waiting for your written feedback related to the quality of reception. The old transmitters in Tiganesti will be decommissioned, to be replaced, in about 2 months’ time, with new 300 kW transmitters. Therefore, in the coming months, RRI’s broadcasts can be received on the same frequencies on which you have listened to our programmes so far and which we announced in mid May 2008. RADIOCOM has given a warning though, that, given the complexity of the radiant system and of the new automatic switch system, the functioning of the new short wave transmitters in Galbeni might be interrupted. We will notify you about these possible interruptions as soon as we get news of it from our colleagues at RADIOCOM. Radio Romania International http://www.rri.ro/index.shtml?lang=1 (August 4, 2008, 1407 UT by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) WTFK? Anyway, http://www.rri.ro/art.shtml?lang=1&sec=8&art=13858p where we find this disappointing follow-up: Things to know TECHNICAL PROBLEMS WITH RRI'S NEW SHORT WAVE TRANSMITTERS The representatives of the National Radio Communications Company, RADIOCOM, have assured us that they are working intensely with the representatives of the provider, Continental Electronic Corporation, to remedy the technical problems reported. The second transmitter is functioning normally. We apologise on behave [sic] of our colleagues at Radiocom and inform you that the programs scheduled to be broadcast on the following frequencies have been or are being affected: The programs beamed to India at 3 hours UT on 11895 kHz, to Australia at 0530 on 17770, to Western Europe at 1700 on 11735, to North America (the East Coast) at 2030 on 11940 and at 2200 on 9709 [sic – must mean 9790] kHz. On August 4th, the new 300 kW, short wave transmitters located in the locality of Galbeni had been scheduled to start operating. The old transmitters in Tiganesti will be decommissioned, to be replaced, in about 2 months’ time, with new 300 kW transmitters. As soon as the malfunction is remedied RRI’s broadcasts can be received on the same frequencies on which you have listened to our programs so far and which we announced in mid May 2008. We wish you good reception conditions (RRI via gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST, also posted on MN blog) First mention of the supplier of the new transmitters I saw. With 300 kW these are 419G units, cf. http://www.contelec.com/419G.html Actually just what was to expect, since I seem to recall that Harris refers customers to Continental for shortwave equipment. And Harris supplied new equipment for most if not all Romanian mediumwave and FM sites. When reading this I checked for RRI in German at 1857 UT, but apparently already too late (RRI transmissions usually cease at **56). At 1859 UT a carrier with RRI interval signal came on 9775 kHz and cut off again immediately, then back on, followed by a number of more trips until things had stabilized so far at 1902 UT. Yes, other modulation than before, so obviously the working Galbeni transmitter. No sign of listed // 11715 kHz. Also no sign of Ukrainian on 5910 and 7205 kHz either, but haven’t they suspended this service anyway for the duration of the transmitter replacements? (Kai Ludwig August 4th, 2008 - 19:15 UTC, ibid.) Galbeni 46 45'4.39"N, 26 51'16.40"E http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&hl=de&geocode=&q=46%C2%B045%274.39%22N+26%C2%B051%2716.40%22E&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16 Yes, only one of the new Continental 300 kW beasts at Galbeni is on air at 1800-1856 UT slot, i.e. Romanian on 9625 kHz very powerful on S=9+30 dB level here in Central Europe. And tiny 50 kW unit at Saftica on 7130 kHz too, Italian 1800 UT, Aromanian 1830-1856 UT. Missed German sce on 7160 kHz totally. wb. 9625 kHz noted at 1856 UT much powerful CLEAN audio signal on the air. And now from 1900-1956 UT on 9775 kHz in Spanish. Both S=9+30 dB here in Stuttgart, central Europe. And Ukrainian 5910 kHz at 1900 UT missed also, though Saftica 50 kW unit on 7205 kHz is on air tonight (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Subject: [A-DX] Fw: [dxld] NEW ROMANIAN SW TRANSMITTERS ON THE AIR [or not] Der 1. Teil der Modernisierung bei RRI, eher National Radio Communications Company, RADIOCOM Galbeni greift ab heute 0000 ROM Lokalzeit. Andy Sennitt bei RNW und Glenn Hauser melden heute die Fertigstellung der Errichtung neuer 300 kW CONTINENTAL Made in USA Kurzwellensender sowie die Modernisierung der Antennen, Feeder und Stromversorgung in Galbeni, Ost-Rumänien. Wobei einer der zwei Sender schon wieder ausser Betrieb genommen wurde, Details siehe weiter unten von der National Radio Communications Company, RADIOCOM aus Rumänien. Deshalb gibt es auch heute Abend keine Aussendung in deutscher Sprache auf 7160 kHz sowie in Ukrainisch auf 5910 kHz. Man hat also eiskalt auch den Stecker schon in Tiganesti gezogen, um den 2. Teil des Modernisierungsprogramms anzugehen. Der dritte Standort Saftica wird dann ab Oktober 2008 modernisiert. Statt aus Tiganesti bei Bukarest dürfte in den folgenden 2-3 Monaten deshalb aus Galbeni über die neuen Anlagen nach dem unten stehenden limitierten Sendeplan gearbeitet werden. Auf 9625 kHz ist soeben bis 1856 UT ein super sauberes Signal in der Luft. Und jetzt ab 1900-1956 UT auf 9775 kHz in Spanisch. Beide S=9+30 dB hier in Stuttgart. Links oben in der Ecke steht der 200 kW MW Sendermast. Frage: bezahlt die EU "dat Janze"? Und die US Firmen Harris und Continental dürfen liefern? Kosovo ick hör' Dir trabsen... (Wolfgang Büschel, A-DX via dxldyg via DXLD) FRENCH 2000-2026 7215--off tonight. 9655 new Galbeni S=9+20dB in Central Europe. Wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD) Thanks Wolfy. I was awake and checked now 9515 English 2030. 232 barely coming due propagation (G. VICTOR A.GOONETILLEKE, 4S7VK, Sri Lanka, via Büschel, ibid.) ENGLISH 2030-2056 9515 11940. - 11810 15465 not on air. 11940 is OFF tonight. 9515 powerful S=9+20dB in central Europe. wb SPANISH 2100-2156 -- 9755 S=9+10 dB signal, but my location is on side-lobe. 11965-off tonight. wb ENGLISH 2200-2256 7185 9790. - 9675 11940 not on air. 7185 powerful S=9+30dB here in Germany. Firedrake on 7180. 9790-off the air tonight. wb SPANISH 2300-2356 9655 9745. - 11880 11935 not on air. 9655 off the air tonight. 9745 S=8-9 signal today in Germany (Wolfgang Büschel, Aug 4, multiple posts to dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Whenever wb says ``missed`` I am pretty sure he means ``missing``, i.e. it was not there. ``Missed`` in idiomatic English is too ambiguous, but primarily means ``I neglected to try to tune it in``, or ``I tuned in too late so I don`t know if it was on,`` or ``I regret that it is gone``. I have previously sometimes corrected this to ``missing`` but not in the above comments (gh, DXLD) RUMANIA. R RUMANIA INT - Galveni?? 9755 kHz. 2100 UT 4/8, No señal en 11965, (ante noticias de problemas en transmisor), programa habitual con algún corte breve de emisión, en español, 45444. Cordialmente, (Tomás Méndez, El Prat de Llobregat-Barcelona España, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Problemas en nuevos emisores de RRI Novedades sobre RRI, tomado de su web en español, tan solo señalar que a las 2100 UTC la emisión en español en 9755 está saliendo al aire aunque con algunos cortes en la emisión -- Cita: Problemas técnicos A causa de problemas técnicos surgidos en uno de los dos emisores de Galbeni que han entrado en función el lunes, 4 de agosto, las emisiones programadas a ser difundidas por este transmisor no se pueden efectuar. Los representantes de la Sociedad Nacional de Radiocomunicacioens, Radiocom, aseguran que trabajan intensamente para remediar los problemas. El segundo emisor funciona normalmente. Pedimos disculpas por las molestias ocasionadas y les informamos que están afectadas las emisiones programadas en las siguientes frecuencias: Programas en español: 2300 – 2400 9655 EL CARIBE 0200 – 0300 9520 ARGENTINA 1900 – 2000 11715 ESPAÑA 2100 – 2200 11965 ARGENTINA Inmediatamente después de solucionados los problemas técnicos, los programas de RRI se podrán escuchar en las frecuencias que anunciamos a mediados del mes de mayo de 2008. Cordialmente, (via Tomás Méndez, El Prat de Llobregat-Barcelona España, Aug 4, playdx yg via DXLD) One of the new Continental 300 kW beasts at Galbeni is on air. Slot 0000-0656 UT not fully checked yet. Due of very uncomfortable monitor time here in Europe. wb http://www.rri.ro/art.shtml?lang=1&sec=8&art=13858 ROMANIA Google Earth imagery: Galbeni 46 45 04.39 N 26 51 16.40 E http://maps.google.de/maps?f=3Dq&hl=3Dde&geocode=3D&q=3D46%C2%B045%274.39%22N+26%C2%B051%2716.40%22E&ie=3DUTF8&t=3Dh&z=3D16 RRI schedule of August 4th. Refurbished Galbeni TX site now. Also via remaining Saftica tx: # Observed via new 300 kW Continental tx Galbeni on Aug 4/5. * Old Saftica 20/50 kW unit. logged further registrations/not on yet. ROMANIAN "Curierul romanesc" Suns only 0700-0756 9700 15260 11970 17720 0800-0856 11875 11970 9700 15450 0900-0956 11830 15380 11925 15250 FRENCH 1000-1056 15380# 11830 15250 17785 S=9+20dB GERMAN 1100-1156 9525# 11775 S=9+20dB ENGLISH 1200-1256 15220# 11875 S=9+40dB powerhouse ROMANIAN 1200-1256 7160*!!! 7165*11920 15195 S=6-7 CHINESE 1300-1326 9790# 11795 15435 S=9+10dB RUSSIAN 1330-1356 9790# 11855 S=9 ARABIC 1400-1456 11945# 15160 S=9 QRM BBC Kranji in Burmese. ROMANIAN 1400-1456 Nothing 11965 9760 ITALIAN 1400-1426 7170* AROMANIAN 1430-1456 7170* UKRAINIAN 1500-1526 7210* RUSSIAN 1500-1556 Nothing 7325 9760 SERBIAN 1530-1556 6135* ITALIAN 1600-1626 9620* FRENCH 1600-1656 9680# 11950 S=9+30dB powerhouse ROMANIAN 1600-1656 Nothing 9690 7205 AROMANIAN 1630-1656 7135* ENGLISH 1700-1756 Nothing 11735 9535 UKRAINIAN 1700-1726 6135* ROMANIAN 1700-1756 11865# 9625 S=9+30dB powerhouse SERBIAN 1730-1756 6105* ITALIAN 1800-1826 7130* till Sep. 6. 1800-1826 5955* from Sep. 7 GERMAN 1800-1856 Nothing 7160 9775 ROMANIAN 1800-1856 9625# 11945 S=9+30dB powerhouse AROMANIAN 1830-1856 7130* till Sep. 6. 1830-1856 5955* from Sep. 7 SPANISH 1900-1956 9775# 11715 S=9+30dB powerhouse UKRAINIAN 1900-1926 7205* 5910 SERBIAN 1930-1956 6130* 7215 [ex 6065* 7140] <<<<< FRENCH 2000-2026 9655# 7215 S=9+20dB ENGLISH 2030-2056 9515# 11940 11810 15465 S=9+20dB SPANISH 2100-2156 9755# 11965 S=9+10dB ENGLISH 2200-2256 7185# 9790 9675 11940 S=9+30dB powerhouse SPANISH 2300-2356 9745# 9655 11880 11935 S=8-9 ENGLISH 0000-0056 11790# 9775 S=9+10dB ROMANIAN 0000-0056 9525 11960 ROMANIAN 0100-0156 9525 11960 FRENCH 0100-0156 6130 9515 SPANISH 0200-0256 5975 9520 9645 11945 ENGLISH 0300-0356 6150# 11895 9645 9735 [Ron Howard] CHINESE 0400-0426 11790 15215 RUSSIAN 0430-0456 7190 9555 FRENCH 0500-0526 9655# 7180 S=9+20dB ENGLISH 0530-0556 9655# 17770 11830 15435 S=9+20dB GERMAN 0600-0626 9740# 7125 S=9+20dB ARABIC 0630-0656 9700 11730 9685 11790 At present RRI Tiganesti tx site is on refurbishing procedure. RRI broadcasts still now on limited basis (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Aug 5, 2008, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. 6150, Radio Romania International, 0307-0326, Aug 5, in English, news, apologized for the problems they are having with their shortwave transmitter, think they were giving a list of specific frequencies they were having trouble with, didn't get them all but believe I heard 11895, 17770, 11735, 11940 and 9790, story about a Romanian puppet theater started in 1945, "Earth News", "Sports Roundup", many IDs, fair-poor (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA [and non]. Romania Honors RFE/RL Gedmin and Romanian President Basescu [caption] July 30, 2008 (BUCHAREST, Romania) Romanian President Trajan Basescu today presented awards to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) and the BBC in recognition of their decades of broadcasts to Romania, which are scheduled to end on Friday, August 1. "We are honoring RFE/RL and the BBC not just for their activity during the communist era, when they fought for truth, but also for the important role they played in supporting the birth of a civil society and democratic Romania after the collapse of communism," said President Basescu. He added that he is both gratified and sad that they are leaving Romania – gratified because it marks the end of Romania's transition to a stable democracy, and sad because their voices will be missed. Accepting the award at the ceremony held in Bucharest's Presidential Palace, RFE/RL President Jeffrey Gedmin dedicated it "to the hundreds of RFE/RL journalists, researchers and analysts who, over the course of nearly 60 years, displayed extraordinary bravery, dedication and commitment to a free and independent press in Romania, often at great risk to themselves and their families." Gedmin said it was humbling to hear stories from the President and the assembled Romanian guests about how Radio Free Europe changed people's lives. "Americans are indebted to our Romanian friends for reminding us what it means to struggle for freedom. Your stories are a lesson for us about the values we cherish but sometimes risk taking for granted." For years, RFE/RL's broadcasts were a thorn in the side of Romania's communist rulers. In a 2006 address to Parliament, President Basescu paid homage to the RFE/RL journalists who, he said, "fought with altruism and passion for the knowledge and utterance of the truth…Their unforgettable Free Europe broadcasts were the moral conscience of Romanians." The RFE/RL Romanian Service began experimental broadcasting on July 14, 1950, and was fully operational by May 1, 1951. The BBC Romanian Service started broadcasting on September 15, 1939. Note: After August 1, RFE/RL's Romanian-language broadcasts to Moldova and the Transdniester region will continue. http://origin.rferl.org/section/Romania+Moldovo/160.html Click here for more on the ceremony in Bucharest http://www.rferl.org/content/Romanian_President_Basescu_Honors_RFERL_For_Heroic_Broadcasts/1187428.html (RFE/RL press release July 30 via DXLD) This page indicates that the Romanian language service of RFE/RL is now available only ondemand or via affiliates, no ``waves`` = SW frequencies, as for some other languages, or satellite info: http://origin.rferl.org/howtolisten/RO/20080801/ondemand.html As of August 3, the latest audio files were for August 1, so is it weekdays only? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SINGAPORE. 6080, R. Singapore International, 1230-1315 Jul 31. Business news to 1236, then a program of reminiscences from listeners on this, the last day on SW for RSI. Vocal music at 1256 was followed by news at 1300 and then the long-standing pop music program "Singapop". Good signal but starting to fade so did not get to follow the transmission all the way to the end (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Radio Singapore Intl. - Audio files of final broadcast http://alokeshgupta.blogspot.com/2008/08/radio-singapore-intl-audio-files-of.html (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, August 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R Singapore International programs still available for streaming! Dear all, Although http://www.rsi.sg/english is terminated, you CAN STILL hear streaming audio of R Singapore Intl's programs: CONNECTIONS from July 31, 2008 1220Z: mms://202.172.226.198/RadioRSI/RSI_English/RSI_E_Thu2020.asf NEWSLINE from July 31, 2008 1205Z: mms://202.172.226.198/radiorsi/rsi_English/rsi_e_thu2005.asf All audio is in WMA format, 16 kbps, 16 kHz, mono. I have only these links, but probably all the others are working; you just need to know the exact address. Best regards! (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, Aug 5, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. Expect lots of your favorite programs to be blown away for Olympic coverage; REE has already done that with Clásicos Populares, which had been Mon/Tue/Wed 1305-1400, but Aug 4 at 1323 on 17595, 15170, instead heard nothing but talk well past 1330 about the `pix, including that 25K Spaniards would be going to Beijing, and that massive screens in Madrid would show the opening ceremonies to ethnic Chinese, no soundtrack in Castilian. More Olympic talk 24 hours later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. ESPANHA - Quem escuta a programação da Rádio Exterior de España na Alemanha, Argentina, Brasil, Colômbia, Estados Unidos, França e Reino Unido pode contactar gratuitamente com a emissora via número de telefone gratuito. Para chamar, o ouvinte deverá usar o código de acesso internacional do país e discar 80034100100 (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 3 via DXLD) ** SPAIN. 9710, REE powerful signal, produces two oscillate/wobble signals in 9636-9642 and 9778-9785 kHz range, today Aug 4th. [As listed:] 9710 0500-0700 18,27,28 NOB 350kW 50degr SPANISH E REE (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA. 08/05/2008, SLBC Presumed, Colombo, 11905 kc[/s], 0205- 0230 UT, SIO 333. traditional music interspersed with talk by lady in unID language (Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF, Lakeland, FL. Rig Icom IC-746 Pro. Antenna 90-11 meter doublet up at 35 feet, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SURINAME. 4990, R. Apintie, Paramaribo, 2225-2237, 02 Aug, talks seemingly preaching, but I can be completely wrong), hymn-like songs; 15341 (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, Aug 4, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN [and non]. RTI Delhi Listeners Club celebrated the 80th anniversary of Radio Taiwan International with a listeners get- together on Friday, 1st August, 2008. Here's a report : http://alokeshgupta.blogspot.com/2008/08/rti-delhi-listeners-club-celebrates.html (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** TAIWAN [and non]. Harmful interference by "Sound-of-Hope" - Reply from Taiwan Telecoms. Dear Mr. Bihlmayer: The NCC was unable to find harmful interference caused by illegal Sound-of-Hope broadcasting on the exclusive Amateur Radio frequencies - range 14000-14350 kHz.. NCC regularly monitors the exclusive Amateur Band (14000-14350 kHz) and will continue to investigate this matter. Maintaining order of frequency and removing interference are both critical responsibilities of the NCC. If you have any further information that could help us with this enquiry, please do not hesitate to email us. With best regards, National Communications Commission (NCC), contact @ ncc.gov.tw (via Uli Bihlmayer, DARC, August 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I haven`t heard Firedrake either lately within the 20m band, but I only check after 1230 or so UT. It`s a good sign when it`s on 14420 outside 20m (gh, OK, ibid.) ** TIBET. 4905, Xizang PBS, 1307-1311, Aug 4, with their own programming, not relaying CNR-1, fair, // 4920 (poor with AIR Chennai QRM). 6200, PBS-XZDT, Lhasa, 1307-1311, Aug 4, continues to relay CNR-1, fair, // 5030 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. 13635, Turkish music just at tune in 1255 August 3. There was some co-channel interference, which continued after TRT went off off at 1257. This is TRT Emirler, scheduled 0700-1300 with 500 kW at 310 degrees toward us since July 17, and CVC Darwin in English to S Asia until 1800. Why Turkey would have moved onto CVC frequency is not clear. Also checked 13685 for the VOT English broadcast aimed eastward, but nothing heard there, tho 15450 toward us has been audible lately (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ex-13675 kHz TRT channel. Freeded obviously due of interference to co- channel RFI Issoudun on 13675 kHz in this time slot (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As previously discussed. That explains why they moved off 13675 but not why they should wind up on the CVC frequency instead of some other one (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** TURKEY. TURQUIA, V. TURQUIA, Emirler, 15390 kHz., 1254 UT Aug 3. Final de emisión con despedida y website, en turco, 45444. Cordialmente, (Tomás Méndez, QTH: El Prat de Llobregat-Barcelona España, Coordenadas 41º 19' 26" N- 02º05'25" E, RX: GRUNDIG Satellit 700, SONY ICF-SW7600GR,ICOM IC-R2. ANT: L.W. exterior 10 mts. y telescópicas. Visite mi sitio Web en : http://www.amarantadx.net dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S S R [and non]. Alexander Solzhenitsyn quote --- Noted this in the latest dxld: Alexander Solzhenitsyn told the Wall Street Journal in 1981, "American broadcasts are the mighty non-military force whose kindling power in the midst of Communist darkness cannot even be grasped by the Western imagination." The Toronto Star reports Solzhenitsyn passed away yesterday. Terrific writer. http://www.thestar.com/News/Obituary/article/472046 (Fred Waterer, Ont., dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ALEXANDER SOLZHENITSYN (1918-2008) AND INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING "Solzhenitsyn had always been an avid listener to foreign radio stations on shortwave, and when he heard the news that 'Gulag' had been published abroad he allowed himself just a moment’s satisfaction. ... Not only was 'Gulag' now out in the West; it was also being read in Russian over Radio Liberty—a phenomenon that insured even greater outrage in the Kremlin." David Remnick, The New Yorker, 14 February 1994. After arriving in exile in Vermont, Solzhenitsyn listened to "BBC Russian-language news, which Solzhenitsyn would rush outdoors to tune in to on a portable shortwave radio." Serge Schemann, New York Times, 5 August 2008. "From exile, he read this series, 'The Red Wheel,' over The Voice of America, sending his words back into Russia. ... Critics said it revealed a deep anti-liberal bias." Martha Wexler, National Public Radio, 4 August 2008. Posted: 05 Aug 2008 (for linx see http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=4548 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. 15790, fair Aug 4 at 1320 with `Voice of America, Washington`` ID inserted into another language after Bollywood music, then talk about Obama. This is Radio Aap ki Dunya, the Urdu service, now 332 degrees from Sri Lanka and favorable for us, instead of 70 degrees from Kuwait as it was until June 1 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hi Glenn, For what's it worth. I caught a WRNO sign on ID which I recorded. Aug 04 just past 0100 UT on 7505 KHz (again this was right at a sign on). MP3 file attached. Regards, (David Zantow N9EWO, Janesville, WI, August 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ``This is WRNO, Worldwide, beginning its test broadcast from its transmitter site in New Orleens, Louisiana. We welcome reports of reception and comments of our test programming, which can be sent to: WRNO Worldwide at Post Office Box 895, Fort Worth, Texas, 76101, in the USA. Or e-mail us at wrnoradio at mailout.net`` (YL as transcribed by gh, not sure if `mailout` is correct, for DX LISTENING DIGEST) This clip has been posted in the station sounds folder of the dxldyg files. I missed that transmission, nor have I heard WRNO at all again on either frequency at various checks into early UT Tuesday August 5. [Later:] WRNO, 7505, continues sporadic or on limited schedule; UT Aug 5 at 0100 check, not on the air, but it was running with music at 0325 recheck. If anyone finds a definite program or transmission schedule, let us know (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re 8-088: WBCQ: schedule changes and the return of "Area 51" The Overcomer Ministry has cancelled all airtime on WBCQ 5110 and 9330 effective immediately. They were on 1200 to 1800 and 1900 to 0100 on 9330 and 0100 to 1200 on 5110. All this time is now available for purchase from WBCQ. The "Area 51" entertainment block is returning to WBCQ 5110 starting today, Sunday, August 3, 2008. Area 51 will run from 2300 UT Sunday to 0100 Monday on 5110 (Larry Will, Aug 3, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) And for those of too far out to get 5110 very well at this early hour, is it webcast again, and if so where? (Glenn to Larry Will, ibid.) I am running an off-air webcast of Area 51 right now on http://www.johnlightning.com:8024 and will try to do a studio webcast or off-air webcast every week. Lw (Larry Will, ibid.) ** U S A. Re 8-088, U.S.-Mexico border 4-year analog extension passes Senate Off the top of my head, this would affect just a handful of TV markets: San Diego, Yuma, Tucson, El Paso, Laredo, and Harlingen- Brownsville-McAllen are the only ones that come to mind. Since it passed unanimously in the Senate, it will probably pass the House as well. Part of the rationale (unstated in the article -- it AIN'T about AMber Alerts, folks) is said to be that poor Hispanics without DTV will just go on watching the Mexican analogs, at the cost of ratings and ad money for the U.S.-based Spanish networks. Of course, they COULD just apply for a converter box like everyone else, but... Anyway, 4 years is a long time, and this brings up a number of interesting questions: From the consumer standpoint --- will the CECB coupon program be extended or reinstated at a later time for these areas? Or will they be encouraged to get their coupons now, and have their boxes at the ready 4 years from now? Will they simply allow the current coupons to be used later, and will there even still be an adequate supply of converters available when the time comes? If they don't get boxes with analog pass-thru, they will likely not bother using them until the delayed analog switchoff anyway. Seems like this will just instill a greater sense of complacency in the lower income Hispanic populations of these markets. From the broadcaster standpoint --- are there stations that will be changing channels (either back to their original analog channel or to another in-core assignment) and have already purchased the necessary transmitting equipment, antennas, and tower space to do so, only to see it sitting in mothballs for four years, unable to be amortized/depreciated over that time? Will there be conflicts and interference issues between current analog channel assignments in these markets and post-transition co-channel assignments in adjacent markets? Seems to me this is just opening up a whole new can of worms, and complicating the whole process more than a mite (Stan Jones, Orlando FL, Aug 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What about the Canadian border? By the same reasoning, poor folks might be watching Vancouver, Sault Ste Marie, Windsor, Toronto, & Montreal next year (Bill Hepburn, Ont., WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. Re KSFV, 8-088: Doug, Tnx for the info. Ha, third listing from top, but my initial search of the page on the call letters did not find it. However, as I reported, the audio ID called it KSFV-LP, not -CA. How come? And FCC listing too shows it as -LP: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?list=0&facid=49704 Perhaps this is hairsplitting but there must be a reason for the different classifications and suffices (Glenn to Doug Smith, W9WI, via DXLD) It does list as -LP in the FCC DB, doesn't it?! Looks like it doesn't yet hold a license-to-cover for the conversion to Class A status (as with all stations it can begin operation under that status after receiving "test authority" though a mechanism not reported in the CDBS, while waiting for action on their application for license). I suppose until the license-to-cover is issued, they're still technically KSFV-LP, even on channel 6 (concurrent with the conversion to Class A status, they're moving from channel 26. Presumably channel 26 is already off, it's being bumped by KVCR-DT). Some Class A stations appear in the FCC records with the -CA suffix, others don't. Confusing. I coded my site to put on the -CA suffix for all stations that have that status, not sure whether it's more confusing to do that or not! Class A stations are a kind of legal hybrid between LPTV and regular stations. They are limited by the LPTV power limits but are required to observe all other regulations applicable to regular stations (such as E/I programming, etc...) In return, they receive co-primary status with regular stations - they cannot be bumped from their channels by power increases or channel changes and can bump -LP stations. (The initial DTV facilities of full-license digital stations had the ability to bump -CA stations but any "maximization" increases beyond the initial table facilities had to protect -CAs. To that end two Denver-area full-power stations got their permanent DTV channels changed so they could maximize without running afoul of a local -CA.) -- (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, DX LISTENING DIGEST) LETTERS RECEIVED ON CONVERTING S. CALIFORNIA CHANNEL 6 LPTV/TV TRANSLATOR STATIONS INTO FM BROADCAST STATIONS o The 87.75 in Victorville is KCIO-LP. It operates from Quartzite Mt. on an STA. [This station is reportedly missing a visual carrier. -Ed.] o There is a Channel 6 on Quartzite Mountain at Victorville which has a huge signal and is causing a lot of interference in the Palmdale/Lancaster area to the one you mention on El Paso Peak. Along with the one on Mt. Harvard (not Mt. Wilson), they all operate as FM stations. Victorville and Harvard use conventional FM stereo, but the one on El Paso Peak is in mono. All run FM-type 75 kHz deviation. o 87.7 is covering the San Gabriel Valley like gang busters! What is the deal? One more thing, they are running a full load of commercials. 87.7 is transmitting KSFV call letters on their RDS! Last time I checked, you are not allowed to transmit standard FM stereo with a 19 kHz pilot and RDS on a TV allocation. o There are several licensed LPTV stations playing radio over TV. One in LA is Univisión CH 6. Would suspect the 19 kHz is to light up the stereo light in radios. [Some radios will skip non-stereo stations.] I do not know the legalities of running FM type stereo on a TV aural carrier. Anyone else know? This is a niche market and there is some money to be made. Most modern FM radios will tune to "CH6" audio. o As your readers may know, the FM 87.7 MHz [Ch 6] on Mt. Harvard has been around for several years as "Almavisión" [Spanish religious music] complete with bumper stickers seen in the San Gabriel Valley with a logo that is "suspiciously reminiscent" of Major League Baseball's. Apparently the Victorville area station on this frequency is another satellator of the same organization, whom recently applied for Ch. 10 in Arcadia [CGC #845]. o The new Victorville "Franken-FM" signal has a different format (religious) as described by your [reader] in the area. The 87.75 at El Paso Peak, and another 87.75 at Hauser Mountain near Palmdale, are running content... under the Radio BETO format in Spanish.... Why the established FM broadcasters have not gotten their torches and pitchforks and gone after this Frankenstein Monster, I do not know.... [Letter was well over 100 words and truncated. -Ed.] o The reason that the FCC has done nothing about FM-like LPTV stations on Channel 6 is a simple one, but one that apparently is unknown to engineers with little to zero LPTV/TV translator experience. The signal components of full service TV are regulated by the FCC; visual, audio, etc. The FCC explicitly only regulates (for analog) the signal envelope of LPTVs and TV translators. All one has to do is to actually read Part 76, subpart G, and you see that the only technical references to Part 73 have to do with digital modulation. Keep reasonable frequency stability and 'it's all good' with Part 76.... [Letter was well over 100 words and truncated. -Ed.] ****************************************************************** A SPECIAL REPORT ON 87.7 IN NEW YORK CITY ("NYC") While not a West Coast matter, I drove past NYC this weekend and tuned the radio in my rental car to 87.7 MHz. As has been reported, "Pulse 87 FM" was heard loud and clear from South of Newark, NJ, to well north of the CT stateline. My radio did not have a pilot indicator, so I'm not sure whether they were in stereo or not. The apparent loudness of the audio was similar to other FM stations, so I expect that the station's deviation is significantly greater than the 25 kHz normally used by analog TV stations. The station identifies itself as "WNYZ, New York, broadcasting from the Citicorp building in Queens." CDBS lists WNYZ-LP on Channel 6 as a 3 kW LPTV station, licensed to Island Broadcasting of Roslyn, NY, Richard D. Bogner, Partner. There is a nice write up on them in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNYZ-LP That Wikipedia article links to a number of other "87.7 MHz FM" stations, including the one in LA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KSFV-LP ****************************************************************** THANKS! The Editor of the CGC Communicator thanks each and every one of you who took the time to write in. We welcome your views. In the future, please limit letters to 100 words or less. If you have more to say, post your thoughts on the Web and send us the URL along with a synopsis not exceeding 100 words for direct publication in the Communicator (CGC Communicator July 21 via DXLD) Re this Communicator story: Class A TV Station KBOP-CA, "located atop Mount San Miguel near El Cajon," issued an EAS violation for failure to monitor the local LP-1, KOGO(AM). Reader comment: However, run a TV station without a visual carrier so you couldn't inform the folks in your coverage area even if you had properly operating EAS stuff - that's OK [in the FCC's myopic view]. I'm referring to Ridgcrest's Channel 6 LPTV. They run as an FM with no visual carrier. ______ Re this Letter to the Editor: The 87.75 in Victorville is KCIO-LP. It operates from Quartzite Mt. on an STA. [This station is reportedly missing a visual carrier. -Ed.] Reader comment: It surprises me how many technical people do not realize that without the visual carrier, a TV cannot receive the aural carrier and produce sound. This, of course, is because all TVs made in the last 50+ years are intercarrier sets. I see nothing in the rules that allows either a LPTV or full power TV to run only the aural carrier. ______ Re this Letter to the Editor: There are several licensed LPTV stations playing radio over TV [using the aural carriers to mimic FM broadcast stations including adding 19 kHz pilot carriers]. I do not know the legalities of running FM type stereo on a TV aural carrier. Anyone else know? Reader comment: The rules allow for stereo systems other than the BTSC stereo system. It is perfectly legal to operate with the system typically used for FM broadcast, but you must keep the area of the BTSC pilot frequency clear of any [interference]. Why a legitimate TV broadcaster would want to [convert his station to FM] boggles my mind since, to my knowledge, there has never been a TV receiver built that will recover the FM Broadcast stereo system (CGC Communicator July 26 via DXLD) Doug Smith replies to the above: > LETTERS RECEIVED ON CONVERTING S. CALIFORNIA CHANNEL 6 > LPTV/TV TRANSLATOR STATIONS INTO FM BROADCAST STATIONS > > o The 87.75 in Victorville is KCIO-LP. It operates from > Quartzite Mt. on an STA. [This station is reportedly missing > a visual carrier. -Ed.] At one time KZND-LP channel 6 in Anchorage got in trouble for running only the aural carrier. They ended up putting up a visual signal with a test pattern & ID. That said, the way I read Part 74, I don't see anything that requires the operation of a visual carrier! (but remember, I'm not a lawyer!) The other loophole --- Again, I'm not a lawyer, but I don't see anything in Part 74 that limits the aural power of a LPTV station! > o There is a Channel 6 on Quartzite Mountain at Victorville > which has a huge signal and is causing a lot of interference in > the Palmdale/Lancaster area to the one you mention on El Paso > Peak. Along with the one on Mt. Harvard (not Mt. Wilson), they > all operate as FM stations. Victorville and Harvard use > conventional FM stereo, but the one on El Paso Peak is in mono. > All run FM-type 75 kHz deviation. It would seem to me that the 25 kHz definition of 100% modulation applies to LPTV stations. 74.750(d)(1) says full-power rule 73.687(b)(3) applies to LPTVs; 73.687(b)(3) says aural modulation limits are set in 73.1570. 73.1570(b)(3) defines 100% modulation for TV aural at 25 kHz. In other words, if these stations are running FM deviation, they're running 300% modulation. > o 87.7 is covering the San Gabriel Valley like gang busters! > What is the deal? One more thing, they are running a full load > of commercials.... 87.7 is transmitting KSFV call letters on > their RDS! Last time I checked, you are not allowed to transmit > standard FM stereo with a 19 kHz pilot and RDS on a TV allocation. As the other writer comments, to the best of my knowledge it is legal to use the FM stereo standard and RDS on a TV station as long as the 31.5KHz TV stereo subcarrier is protected. > The signal components of full service TV are regulated by the > FCC; visual, audio, etc. The FCC explicitly only regulates (for > analog) the signal envelope of LPTVs and TV translators. All one > has to do is to actually read Part 76, subpart G, and you see that > the only technical references to Part 73 have to do with digital > modulation. Keep reasonable frequency stability and 'it's all > good' with Part 76.... [Letter was well over 100 words and > truncated. -Ed.] I'm not sure I see where Part 76 applies - it's for cable... > Reader comment: However, run a TV station without a visual > carrier so you couldn't inform the folks in your coverage area > even if you had properly operating EAS stuff - that's ok > [in the FCC's myopic view]. I'm referring to Ridgcrest's > Channel 6 LPTV. They run as an FM with no visual carrier. This is a good point. 74.780 says Subpart G of Part 73 (full-power regulations) applies to LPTV stations that originate programming. Part 73 Subpart G in turn incorporates Part 11, the EAS regulations. I don't have a copy of Part 11. Presumably it would include the requirement to relay EAS Required Monthly Tests visually, and to originate Required Weekly Tests? But arguably, 74.701(h) says if the programming arrives at the transmitter via microwave or satellite, the station is NOT originating programming and thus need not comply with EAS. Seems a bit weird. (especially given the same sentence says if the programming arrives via a TV Studio-Transmitter Link station, EAS compliance is required. What's the difference between feed via microwave and feed via a S-T Link?) > Why a legitimate TV broadcaster would want > to [convert his station to FM] boggles my mind since, to my > knowledge, there has never been a TV receiver built that > will recover the FM Broadcast stereo system. Of course, these broadcasters do not intend for anyone to watch their programming on a TV. I doubt many TV viewers would be deterred by the station coming in in mono, but the 300% modulation would probably put most of them off! -- (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. ALABAMA RADIO READING SERVICE FOR BLIND FALLS SILENT WEEKEND READINGS OVER; WEEKDAYS IN DANGER Monday, August 04, 2008 WILLIAM C. SINGLETON III News staff writer For 20 years, the first Saturday morning of each month for Deloye and Diane Burrell had gone as follows: Clip the Saturday newspaper and sort articles into colored folders based on topics. Yellow folder for editorials, faded pink for sports, purple for national and international news. Light blue for front page articles, black for metro and state news. By 9 a.m., the Cahaba Heights couple were on the air live, reading to visually impaired listeners who received the signal of WBHM 90.3 FM via a special sideband receiver. In their two-hour broadcast, the Burrells would get through a good portion of the newspaper. But last month, their voices fell silent, as did the voices of other volunteers who read the news for the blind. State budget cuts forced WBHM to eliminate its Saturday and Sunday reading service, said Philip Habeeb, program director for the Alabama Radio Reading Service in Birmingham. . . http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1217837761229100.xml&coll=2 (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) If run by volunteers, why so dependent on external funding? (gh, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. VENEZUELA DISPUESTA A ACOGER RADIO SUR Caracas, sábado 05 de julio, 2008 Cortesía http://www.eluniversal.com/2008/07/05/pol_art_venezuela-dispuest Helena Salcedo pone a la orden la experiencia nacional La directora del circuito Radio Nacional de Venezuela (RNV), Helena Salcedo, anunció que la sede de Radio Sur pudiera estar en Venezuela, pues al asumir la nación venezolana la presidencia de la Conferencia de Ministros de Comunicación de Países no Alineados (COMINAC) las condiciones estarían dadas para ello. "Venezuela tiene una experiencia con este trabajo desde hace tres años y, a propósito que va a tener la presidencia de la Comisión, es pertinente hacer esta contribución para crear esta red de emisora. Ya la idea de cómo debe funcionar la radio está bocetada, lo que resta es que se diseñe el funcionamiento", destacó Salcedo, citó la prensa oficial. Señaló que se gestionan con Consejo Nacional de Telecomunicaciones (CONATEL) algunos diales para que la Radio del Sur pueda funcionar de manera independiente. Salcedo, representante de Venezuela en la VII COMINAC, sostuvo que el propósito está bien definido y va encaminado a cambiar los esquemas en materia comunicacional y acercar los pueblos. "Expusimos a representantes de Egipto y Jamaica cómo funcionaría este tejido comunicacional, porque puede llegar a zonas donde los medios no son accesibles. Podemos tener corresponsales en distintos países y esto es una ventaja que nos permite tener información veraz y oportuna directamente". (via Fiesta DX July 31 via DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. Cuba/Venezuela, Aló Presidente , 11875 arroba 1935 UT, Discurso Hugo Chávez, Español, 24332 (Antonio Madrid, Moraleda, Granada (España), noticiasdx yg via DXLD) Wow, another one running quite late; I did not pay any attention to A,P this week (gh, DXLD) ** VIETNAM. 4739.57v, R. TV. Son La (presumed), 1349-1400*, Aug 4, in Vietnamese, indigenous music and singing/chanting, audio too poor (muffled) to ID (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 3200, I am hearing VOA in English, at 1825 August 5; also heard it signing off at 2030 August 4. From where? (Chris Hambly, Victoria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TWR Swaziland is scheduled on 3200 in English at 1700-2030, 50 kW, 233 degrees. Possibly they were relaying VOA part of the time? (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. I've heard a weak carrier the last three evenings dead on 6210.0 kHz from fade in around 2200, and goes off at 2300. Seems too regular for a Pirate station, with exact same s/off time each evening, and most pirates are a little off-frequency. Anyone else hearing this and have an idea what this could be? Definitely too late for Kahuzi, and Eibi lists nothing else on 6210. Any help in ID'ing this would be appreciated (Alex Vranes, Jr., Harpers Ferry, WV U.S.A., Aug 4, HCDX via DXLD) Mixing product? One could start by searching on 2200 2300 broadcasts on 49mb in the schedules, as I did, looking for leapfrog matchup, but there are too many of them. Oops, you indicate it was on before 2200 anyway. Some clue as to language would help a lot (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ XIV ENCUENTRO NACIONAL DE DIEXISMO Como siempre, recibe mis calurosos y afectuosos saludos, desde estas tierrras mexicanas, te agradezco todo el apoyo que tú has mostrado ya que al publicar o poner nuestras notas en tu boletín, se difunde la información diexista, gracias por apoyar directa o indirectamente al XIV Encuentro Nacional de Diexismo, fue todo un éxito. Te esperamos en México el año entrante, la sede será en Cuernavaca, Morelos!!!!! PD.- De regreso del Encuentro, cuando venía en autobús, pude sintonizar World of Radio, tu programa!!! Lo increíble para mí fue que pude escuchar onda corta en un pequeño receptor analógico, siendo que en los autos casi no se recibe onda corta porque generan mucho ruido, así que para mí fue algo sorprendente 73's y buenos DX (Magdiel Cruz Rodríguez, Jiutepec, Morelos (area metropoliana de Cuernavaca), Aug 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glad to help, and I would really like to attend one of these years. BTW, the group photo on his blog should have the people identified as left to right rather than right to left. The only gringo, er foreign guest, there, whom I recognise, was Ludo Maes of TDP. As for hearing WOR on the bus, if that was Sunday night, most likely WBCQ 7415 at 0420+ which once again started playing the wrong show from last week, and I had to do another phone feed, unfortunately on their line with hum (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MUSEA +++++ UPDATE EUROPEAN RADIO HISTORY SITE Hi all, I have just added no less than 57 new sound clips (13 MB) to the LW/MW Radio History web site --> http://radiohistory.hermanboel.eu A pile of info is waiting to be processed. Should you have something that could be of help... 73 (Herman Boel, Aug 4, BDX via DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ PROPOSAL TO REALLOCATE AM STATIONS TO 76.1 TO 86.9 MHZ An outfit calling itself the "Broadcast Maximization Committee" is floating the idea of moving existing AM stations to the spectrum to be vacated by analog TV channels 5 and 6: http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0100/t.14794.html http://www.radioworld.com/pages/s.0100/t.14795.html (Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17, http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ Aug 4, ABDX via DXLD) Japan and China already make the radios. That would not be a problem like IBOC. The radios that covered the expanded FM band would probably be less expensive since they don't have to have anything to block the frequency like they have to for US radios now (Kevin Redding, TN, ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see ECUADOR ++++++++++++++++++++ IBOC: see BRAZIL; also just above "A VERY TINY FRACTION OF THE 70 MILLION RADIOS WHICH ARE SOLD A YEAR ANNUALLY." A Summer Update From HD Radio HD RADIO technology is continuing to make strides on many fronts, from automotive and new programming channels to international stations going on the air. Its momentum was picked up by USA TODAY recently, which featured HD RADIO broadcasting in three major stories in one issue. Here’s some of the exciting news since thelast communication. Click on the links to get the full stories: IBIQUITY DIGITAL Pres./CEO BOB STRUBLE points to numerous recent successes. On the automotive side, MERCEDES officially announced that it will offer factory-installed HD RADIO technology on select 2009 vehicles, and the HYUNDAI GENESIS featured HD RADIO technology in their 2009 model press demonstration events. Many low-cost radios are available at retail this summer, including sub-$100 HD RADIO products from ILUV, JVC, PIONEER, RADIOSOPHY and SONY. And many sub-$200 products are also available from a variety of manufacturers, including COBY, which announced the first battery operated HD RADIO receiver. A full list of HD Radio products can be viewed here. ITUNES TAGGING is making major inroads. CLEAR CHANNEL RADIO announced that all of its 350 HD2 stations are ITUNES TAGGING compatible in addition to their main HD RADIO stations. Several new Tagging products are available this sum mer, including receivers from SONY and JENSEN. ESPN launched the ESPN HD RADIO network, which is making available compelling sports content for HD2/3 channels. The network, which was launched with the UEFA EURO 2008 tournament, makes ESPN’s vast inventory of sports content available to member stations to easily create high-quality, customized sports channels for its listeners. Several HD RADIO stations are on the air in MEXICO after that country’s FCC -- MEXICO’S FEDERAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (COFETEL) -- authorized HD RADIO broadcasting within 320 kilometers (200 miles) from its border with the U.S. Some Basic Facts About The Status Of HD Radio * More than 1,700 HD Radio stations are on the air in the U.S. * More than 800 new HD2 or HD3 multicast channels are on the air. * More than 60 unique HD RADIO SKUs are available. * More than 12,000 stores and online outlets offer HD Radio products. * Factory-installed HD RADIO technology is available in all BMWs and Minis. * Dealer-installed HD RADIO technology is available on Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles. * HYUNDAI’s GENESIS will be equipped with HD RADIO technology at dealerships this summer. * MERCEDES, FORD, JAGUAR, SCION and VOLVO have announced that HD RADIO technology will be a factory-installed feature in future models. So ... How Are Sales? HD RADIO has been one of the the most advertised products on radio for going on two years or more, now. According to MEDIA MONITORS, it was the #2 most advertised product 7/21-27, behind WAL MART. Has all this attention translated into sales of HD RADIO units? CLEAR CHANNEL News/Talk WERC-A/BIRMINGHAM reports "HD RADIO sales are still quiet, saying a survey has found that only 24% of respondents knew what an HD radio was. It has been four years since the first high- definition radio hit store shelves, and sales are still minuscule. A total of 300,000 HD radios were sold in 2007 and a projected 1 million units are expected to be sold in 2008, which is a very tiny fraction of the 70 million radios which are sold a year annually." EDISON VP TOM WEBSTER said, "Programming is a regional crap shoot of varying quality. The industry has to create value through the creation of strong, passionate brands that may be augmented by music, but stand for more than 'one great song after another." ALL ACCESS has also placed a formal request for more specific HD Radio unit sales with iBIQUITY and the HD RADIO ALLIANCE (allaccess.com via Brock Whaley, HI, DXLD) with ALL ACCESS` gusto for all-CAPS TONIGHT'S HD ON THE SONY HDR-F1HD... In one scan ... 13 flashing HD symbols - 0 decodes. 660 - 670 - 700 - 720 - 780 - 840 - 880 - 1030 - 1060 - 1100 - 1120 - 1210 - 1560. What can I say... HD is outstanding technology. All the IBOC hash QRM sure is worth seeing those flashing HD symbols !!!! (William R. Hepburn, Grimsby, ON, CAN, Web Site: http://www.dxinfocentre.com August 2, WTFDA-AM via DXLD) HD is out standing in the middle of a pool of sludge at the local sewage treatment plant (Mike Bugaj, Enfield CT, ibid.) I got about the same results with my Sony HD tuner when I had it. Although I will say that the Sony managed to lock on a few out of market signals that the Sangean didn't even see (Bill Nollman, ibid.) Yes, the Sony will decode WTIC 1080 down here in the basement if I hold the antenna just right. The Sangean wouldn't. It's an improvement, but not much. At night the HD light blinks on a few stations but nothing decodes, not even WTIC. This is why WTIC runs their AM programming on WTIC-FM's HD2 stream. They know it (Bugaj, ibid.) The one thing that I don't like about the HDT-1 is the fact that it does not let you know you've tuned to an AM station broadcasting HD until it's ready to decode it. The stereo in my car, a Sanyo ECD- HD1990M, will light the HD indicator regardless of what mode the radio runs in (there's a separate 'Digital' indicator to advise that the radio is in HD mode). So a bandscan in the car will tip me off to every station on the dial that has HD, while it's a guessing game the Sangean. When I saw this post last night, I did a quick bandscan with the HDT-1 using a Terk Advantage loop which seems to work well with this unit. At night, the only Albany area locals running HD are 810, 980, and 1540. 1460 (Radio Disney O&O) hasn't been running HD for a while now. 810 locks and holds no problem, even netting up to a full scale signal when CKLW isn't being a pest. When 800 fades up, you'll see the signal meter for 810's HD start to drop off to say 3 bars or so. 980 locks and unlocks (we're in the null of their night pattern), but will lose it altogether if 990 Rochester is strong that evening (sometimes is, sometimes isn't). 1540 is the strange one --- HD will usually lock solid, even if the analog is swamped with Toronto & Iowa co-channel slop. Kinda cool to hear the noise floor drop right down to nothing, and have the local rise up out of the din. On a side note - one thing I will say, lightning is no friend to AM- HD. Even on local powerhouse WGY, the HD will cut out when there's a thunderstorm in the area. Depending on the amount of lightning, the radio will either switch back & forth, or drop the digital stream altogether during storms that really flicker. Last week, we had several hours of t-storms with more lightning in one than we've had all year combined. WGY would not lock on HD anywhere within 5 miles of that storm, even when LOS to their tower! (so much lightning in fact, it tripped several local stations off the air, eventually taking out WGY as well for the night) On the DX side, I can get brief decodes of 660, 1030, 1100, 1210 and 1560. 1030 will hold the longest, but only if KDKA is down in signal. And there's a period just after sunrise and just before sunset when WBZ will decode for an extended period of time. Despite 1080 Hartford's presence on the dial 'round the clock, I've never been able to get them to decode at home or in the car. And yes, there's a certain signal level threshold where the calls will display before the audio kicks in on the Sangean, while the Sanyo has to have a lock on the signal for several seconds before text info is displayed. One thing about the Sanyo unit is that once calls have been decoded, it stores them in memory on that channel, until a non-digital/non- decodable signal is received, where it will then delete them. For example, when I first got this unit 2 years ago, I was able to decode WJR at night with a fair amount of regularity. Since I have not dwelled on 760 much since then, the unit still shows 'WJR' on the display every time I tune pass 760. It will not store message text, only the calls. Also, the message display differs between the two units; on 810 the Sangean will show 'NEWS-TALK 810 WGY' in the space under the call sign. The Sanyo will only display 'News-Talk' with empty space afterward. (For text messages that are long, the Sanyo will Marquee them the same way as it will song titles and artists). I don't know why there's that difference. The Sanyo is really a neat unit, but I've never recommended it for a few reasons: Analog AM is very, very narrow, unless you happen to pass near the tower whereas the radio is fooled into switching to wideband mode; it being a first generation product it does not receive the FM HD-2 or HD-3 channels; and the control button latency is just downright annoying at times (using the remote eliminates this). I like HD radio for regular listening of certain talk programs (Coast to Coast AM for example), so I'm tempted to add the Sony tuner to the arsenal here and retire the Sangean permanently (Andrew MacKenzie, Ballston Lake NY, ibid.) ###