DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-129, December 18, 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 1439 Wed 2200 WBCQ 15420-CUSB Thu 0630 WRMI 9955 Thu 1530 WRMI 9955 Fri 0030 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0200 WRMI 9955 Fri 0900 WRMI 9955 Fri 2030 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290 Fri 2130 WWCR1 15825 Sat 0000 WBCQ 5110-CUSB Area 51 Sat 0900 WRMI 9955 Sat 1730 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Mon 2300 WBCQ 7415 [confirmed December 8] Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Tue 1630 WRMI 9955 Wed 0630 WRMI 9955 [or new 1440] Wed 1230 WRMI 9955 [or new 1440] WBCQ is also airing recent archive editions of WOR M-F 2000 on 7415; except on Wednesday or Thursday this should be the latest edition. 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 ** ALASKA. Anyone monitor HAARP lately? (Kurt KD7JUK, Feb 25, 2007, UDXF yg via DXLD) At the moment (0150z) they appear to be transmitting on 2750.0 kHz. This can be viewed on their Spectrum Monitor at their website. The signal is just a series of beeps. They are not always those "harp-like" tones. This may be a moon-bounce test as I seem to hear faint echoes after each beep. Also, the moon is directly overhead at this time (0430z) at my location. HAARP is transmitting right now (0905z) on 3250.0 kHz (Arne, location unknown, Dec 9, 2008, ibid.) Are you sure you were not hearing Voice of Korea? Strange sounds from time to time on there. Still transmitting at 1400Z (Don, Upland, CA, ibid.) It was definitely HAARP. Ended at 0945z. Their Spectrum Monitor Waterfall Chart indicates it started at about 0100z. I came across it at about 0900z (Arne (central AZ, USA), ibid.) Do you know a schedule of HAARP? 73, Tamás Gyebrovszki, Hungary?, ibid.) Nothing down this way in SP !! Only "Voice of Korea" at S/on at 0900 Z in Japanese till 1200 z. Are you sure that it was HAARP?? !!! Frequency not listed as a HAARP one (Andrew D, ZL3DX, ibid.) According to the HAARP website they can transmit between 2.8 MHz and 10 MHz. see: http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/haarp/factSheet.html Cheers (John Volpato, ibid.) Seems we always find out about HAARP after it has been up and running a few hours. Do they publish a list of specific tests and frequencies AHEAD of time? I always find the information on their site during or after a test. A heads-up a day or two in advance would be nice (Kurt, Dec 10, ibid.) Hi Kurt, You are absolutely right. Today I got up earlier than as usual expecting HAARP to be active and I found that from about 0240 to 0300 UT was active so it was bad idea to get up so early. The frequency was above 3 MHz a little, may even be 3250 kHz. 73, (Tamás Gyebrovszki, Dec 10, ibid.) At 0615 UT Dec 11 "they" seem to be on 2750 with a wide signal taking up almost 100 kHz with multiple swept frequencies making a nice pattern on the Perseus screen (Don, VE6JY, Moman, near Edmonton Alberta, ibid.) Concur: 0630Z up to S8 on 2750 (and wider). Classic HAARP rising tones. I'm south of Vancouver, and north of Seattle (Brendan WA7HL Wahl, Bellingham Wash., ibid.) Started at 0200z on 2750 kHz until 0700z. However, it switched to 3250 kHz from about 0240z to 0300z Dec 11 (Arne (central AZ, USA), ibid.) Must have been heard in Europe? I couldn't. What type of sounds can be heard then? (Tamás, Budapest, ibid.) ** ALBANIA. Dear Drita: Yesterday I had a nice surprise I want to share with you. The phone rang and a cheerful female voice I did not recognize was heard, speaking Swedish. After a moment I heard it was Cherrie Hooper, with whom I have got in touch through Glenn Hauser and his blind DXing friend Tim Hendel in Alabama. Cherrie is also blind since birth, and what is interesting to you Drita is that she is learning Albanian, and I can say she is making remarkable progress! We had a small conversation in Albanian on the phone. Cherrie seems to compensate her lack of eyesight with high qualities in other fields, including languages and as I heard also music as a skilled pianist. Her Swedish is excellent after studying our language and spending one year in Sweden. And now, at last, comes the best thing for you, Drita. Cherrie is using Radio Tirana on shortwaves for training her Albanian pronunciation! Unfortunately I had no time to go on talking to her, since we were getting ready for a concert where Arlinda played the violin, so I had to stop all too soon the conversation with this remarkable young lady. But more will come, for sure. It is wonderful to intermediate in positive matters, and I very often do. People turn to me so often that I almost feel like a guru... But I have no particular philosophy to offer, just some practical advise in the fields I know. And often this is quite enough! I am sure Glenn Hauser will be pleased to read this, but I also think we DX listeners should remember the blind who might be interested in world radio matters and where we can assist them. The blind are often fantastic, I remember in the 1960'ies when I was a transmitting radio amateur (SM4DXL) in our town lived also Urban, SM4AKZ, who was totally blind. He built his own transmitter using his skilful hands (getting advoce by telephone from our nestor SM4PG) and his CW was excellent. Limits in our abilities are often just a matter of mental barriers. What we really want to do, we can do! Kind regards from Sweden, Ullmar Qvick, (via Drita Çiço, R. Tirana, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. Me poshte jepen ndryshimet ne Programin e Transmetimeve te Kanalit III-te te Radio Tiranes qe do te fillojne te zbatohen me 22 Dhjetor 2008: 1. Emisioni Shqip per Bashkatdhetaret ne Ameriken e Veriut ora e Shqiperise 0100-0230 ne vend te frekuences 9345 KHz do te kalohet ne frekuencen 7425 KHz 41m Tr.1 Antena S-10. 2. Emisioni Anglisht per Ameriken e Veriut ora e Shqiperise 0230-0245 ne vend te frekuences 9345 KHz do te kalohet ne frekuencen 7425 KHz 41m Tr.1 Antena S-10. 3. Emisioni Anglisht 7465 KHz ora 2045-2100 antena S-01 do te kalohet me antenen S-08 300 . 4. Emisioni Italisht 6155 KHz ora 2101-2130 antena S-01 do te kalohet me antenen S-08 300 . 5. Emisioni Gjermanisht 7465 KHz ora 2131-2200 antena S-01 do te kalohet ne Tr.1 me antenen S-10 310 . 6. Emisioni Shqip per Bashkatdhetaret ne Europe ora 2230-2400 ne vend te frekuences 9345 KHz do te kalohet ne frekuencen 7435 KHz 41m Tr.1 Antena S-10 310 . SHENIM: Ndryshimet ne pikat 1 deri 5 do te jene deri ne fund te sezonit dimeror B08, 28 Mars 2009, kurse ndryshimi ne piken 6 do te jete deri me 28 Shkurt 2009. Pergatiti: Inxh. Drita CICO – Pergjegjese e Qendres se Kontrollit ne bashkepunim me Z. Noel R. Green – UK, Z. Wolfgang Bueschel – Ger, Z. Glenn Hauser - USA (via Drita Çiço, Radio Tirana, Dec 17-18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) i.e.: Frequency/antenna changes effective Dec 22-Mar 28, u.o.s. here in UT: English to Eu 1945-2000 7465 from non-direxional to 300 degrees Italian to Eu 2001-2030 6155 from non-direxional to 300 degrees German to Eu 2031-2100 7465 from non-direxional to 310 degrees Albanian to Eu 2130-2300 7435 ex-9345, 310 degrees [to Feb 28] Albanian to NAm 0000-0130 7425 ex-9345, 310 degrees English to NAm 0130-0145 7425 ex-9345, 310 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANTARCTICA. 15476, 2016, LRA36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, weak audio on peaks with Spanish songs and announcements by female. Deep fadeouts then peaking for 10 seconds or so. Frequency measured as 15476.03. Closing at 2059 included references to Esperanza. At 2100 closedown, carrier when on and off repeatedly for a few seconds, almost as though they were sending some CW. Listed weekdays only. 28/11 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWEs to NE, E and SE, plus various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 6135, 0918, Radio Santa Cruz appeared to open abruptly as lively band music popped up on frequency at this time 26/11, followed at 0921 with comprehensive ident in Spanish. Checked other listed Bolivian frequencies at this time and noted weak Latins on 4699.38 and 4716.68 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWEs to NE, E and SE, plus various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) Usually circa 6134.8, but apparently did not measure it like the others (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 6010, RADIO INCONFIDENCIA. Belo Horizonte, Brasil. 2345- 0015 diciembre 13. Conciencia [COLOMBIA] fuera del aire. Con anuncios y promo "...Aqui na Inconfidência... sertanejo moderno, a super parada sertaneja..." TC: "Rádio Inconfidência, 9 y 46". A las 000 [sic] promo del noticiero de la emisora llamado: A [sic] diário do radio. Luego completa identificación: "...ZYL 275 ondas médias 880 kHz; em ondas curtas na [sic] 49 metros, 6010 kHz, - - MHz freqüência modulada: emissoras da Rede Inconfidência de Rádio, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil..." (RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ R., Bogotá D.C. - COLOMBIA, Winradio G303i, JRC 525, Sony ICF 2010, antenas hilos de varias longitudes, playdx yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 6089.86, Radio Banderantes, São Paulo, 2205-2214, Dec 18, Portuguese talk. Poor with QRM from a weak Nigeria on approximately 6089.95. Covered by Anguilla at their 2214 sign on. Better on // 9645.29, 11925.23. 11721, 11839, Radio Nac da Amazônia, 0205-0215, Dec 18, very distorted matching spurs from 11780 heard again with Portuguese talk, instrumental music, local music (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, TenTec RX-340, two 100 foot longwires, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Amigos, Está em fase de licitação a compra de dois novos transmissores de 250 kW para a Rádio Nacional da Amazônia (6180 e 11780). A compra deve ser feita em fevereiro. Daí até o início das operações, não sei quanto tempo vai. Mas leva uns bons meses. A Rádio Nacional OM Brasília (980) voltará a transmitir com 600 kW à noite. Mas talvez só lá em 2010. Abraços (Lucio Haeser, Brasília, Dec 18, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Maybe that will get rid of the spurs, tho aside from those, the old SW transmitters seem to be funxioning pretty well. I assume the audio cutting out recently was a feed problem, not blamable on the outsenders (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Observatório Nacional --- Agora sim! Está em 10000 kHz! O ronco de 60 Hz diminuiu, mas continua... 73 de (Roland Zurmely, Brasil, Dec 18, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ex-9999v Amigo Roland, e demais amigos da lista, Eu tinha observado isso também, mas não falei nada por não ter nenhum equipamento prá avaliar a precisão de meu receptor e preferi ficar quieto. Com a tua constatação, fico duplamente satisfeito: a) O pessoal do Observatório Nacional está batalhando para aperfeiçoar a emissão. b) Meu receptor apresenta uma leitura correta. Um grande abraço, (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, Barbacena - MG - Brasil, ibid.) ** BULGARIA. 11700, again with motor-boating over weak audio, Dec 17 at 1453, and this time the carrier was unstable with BFO on. Still not positive it is R. Bulgaria with the problem, so I monitored // 15700 which used to be the motor-boater but is now OK, to see if they went off at the same time, 1459:50. Yes, or very close, but 11700 was immediately blasted at 1500 by DRM from HCJB 11705. BTW, 15700 just cut off some classical piano music in progress without the courtesy of any farewell. No warbling problem on 11700, Dec 18 at 1356 with R. Bulgaria folk music // much stronger 15700 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CFRX is back, and better than ever! This shows how good it can be, by way of full modulation and getting the max out of only 1000 watts, but can they keep it up this time? Dec 17 at 0653, giving CVC Chile a run for its money on 6070, CFRX axually on top but not by much and far too heavy co-channel QRM for pleasant listening, SAH of about 6 Hz. In talkshow with a psychiatrist cleverly titled ``Shrink-Rap``, giving 514 area code! Yes, it originates with CJAD 800 Montréal, as mentioned later in joint ID in passing, but nothing about 6070! So CJAD anyway has an indirect SW relay too. Closing full ID for both was ``Montreal`s news-talk leader, CJAD, 800 and Newstalk 1010, CFRB Toronto`` --- so CFRB cannot claim to be the leader in its market?? 0700 into CFRB (only) news, temp -2. Next check at 1432, still good signal in daypath, no QRM, and still -2 degrees as Jessica concluded her Skywatch traffic report, back to the Bill Carroll Morning Show. Still good at 1516 when I confirmed the frequency was as close to 6070.0 as I could measure it by comparing to WWV and KFTI-1070 Wichita on the FRG7 BFO. Weakening a bit at 1540. Did not have a chance to check it yet thru low noon with minimum noise sources, but I bet it`s audible solsticially (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1439, DX LISTENING DIGEST) "...--- so CFRB cannot claim to be the leader in its market??..." -- Actually, no; if memory serves me correctly, CFTR/680 regularly kicks CFRB's proverbial can in the ratings. CFTR is much truer to the News format, anyway, with concise presentation and rather attractive imaging ("680 News"), albeit without much emphasis on the call letters (GREG HARDISON, El Lay, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12/17, 1729Z CFRX back on 6070 with solid sig (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) From the engineer himself: ``CFRX is back on at 1000 watts and sounds great near field The transmitter having recently been repaired and retested at the Armstrong factory in Syracuse NY is running full out and very well. We will be getting an on site type approval of the transmitter by Industry Canada very soon.`` It`s back! (via Steve Canney, VA3SC, via Niel Wolfish, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 5W1, Dec 17, WORLD OF RADIO 1439, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6070, CFRX, Toronto ON; 1720-1731+, 17-Dec; Toronto at Noon talk show; News-Talk 10-10 CFRB; Sky Watch traffic from the CFRB All-Day Traffic Center; ads for Bruno's Fine Foods & Alarm Force. S9-10 sig; minor QRM -- co-channel or studio bleed? // 1010 CFRB, SIO=343 (Harold Frodge, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have just learned that the new CFRX Armstrong Transmitter was repaired and is back at 1000 watts with full modulation. Check out 6070 kHz, guys and gals! For a while it had been putt-putting at 250 watts and poor modulation. Apparently, it was shipped back to Armstrong, gone over, repaired, and is now in place. Some good initial reports coming in that it now can kick out a decent signal (Phil Rafuse, PEI, Dec 17, ABDX via DXLD) Thanks for this. I have it here in Crump, TN center of the known universe at 1436 CT [2036 UT] with a VERY NICE signal (Kevin Redding, Dec 17, ibid.) 6070, CFRX, 2000, Dec 18, Noted here with excellent signal and fully modulated. Signal peaked 20 db over s9 (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I've noticed an improvement also. Up until a few days ago, I could only hear a poor CVC signal on 6070 after 0000 UT (using my Eton E5), and I live just a few kilometres away from the CFRX tower! (Todd Demone, Ont., Dec 18, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** CANADA. Glenn: In case you haven't heard, Sackville was back up and fully functional at around midnight tonight ET (Jeff White, FL, Dec 17, WORLD OF RADIO 1439, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I.e. 0500 UT Dec 17 (gh) Transmissions returned to normal around 0500 UT according to a message we received at RNW (Andy Sennitt, Dec 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Woke up this morning (1245 UT 12/17) to find KBS W/R back on 9650 from Sackville, with Culture on the Move segment in progress. SIO 555. Was surprised to notice that KBS's sign-off music at 1257 was not interrupted by the usual Sackville cutoff at two minutes to hourtop. It was only after the O Canada bars of RCI's interval at 1259 was the transmitter cut. Also noticed CBC North-Quebec on air [9625] with news in Cree at 1300. SIO 555. 73, (Jon Pukila, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sackville finally back on the air after more than five days silence, Dec 17 at 1444 check with CBCNQ 9625 back to usual distorted undermodulation, much better signal from KBSWR relay on 9650; 1458 confirmed CRI on 15230, 1505 on 13675. 1505 RCI Russian as really scheduled, on 9610. Jeff White tells me they resumed full funxions around 0500 UT Dec 17. It would be interesting to find out exactly what kept them and their many relay clients off for such a long period (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1439, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. I’ve been listening to Radio Canada since 1955 but since 2005, the station has ignored all requests for QSLs. No reply to numerous letters with or without IRCs, either ordinary or registered mail, or to emails sent via the ‘Reception Report’ form at their website. Can somebody help please? (Gunter Jacob, Passau, Germany, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) As to Radio Canada International, they’ve had a no QSL policy for years now and are clearly rigidly sticking to it. Why not send a formal complaint to the Canadian Ambassador in Berlin? However, like a growing number of SW stations using remote controlled receivers, RCI actually don’t need reception reports. I’m sure (David Ricquish, ed., ibid.) Jacob is the #1 ``won`t take no for an answer`` QSLer (gh) ** CHAD. 4904.97, RNT, 0440-0505, Dec 18, Afro-pop music. French talk. Poor. Weak. Stronger at 0530 check with local drums. 4904.97, RNT, 2215-2233*, Dec 18, French talk. Afro-pop music. Euro- pop/rap. Sign off with National Anthem. Fair (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, TenTec RX-340, two 100 foot longwires, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 3985.00, 1520-1530 10.12, CNR-2, Ge'ermu. Chinese announcement, light songs, 1525 ID's in Chinese and English: "China Business Radio - Your Radio!" 45344 heard // 7310. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres antenna here in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** CHINA. Hubei PBS Economic Service has a new transmitter on 1053 kHz, which is audible in parts of SE Asia at night. According to the station's website, the new transmitter is a 50 kW unit at Qianjiang (Alan Davies, 8 December, ARC Information Desk Dec 15 via DXLD) Liaoning PBS Story Station moved to 1053 kHz in late October 2008 (ex- 900 kHz), using a new transmitter at Liaoning Transmitting Station 033 near Shenyang (Alan Davies, 17 November, thanks to tip from Sei-ichi Hasegawa in Japan, ibid.) What`s a `Story Station`? (gh) ** COSTA RICA. Radio Nacional de España Relay Station (5965 kHz) verified my reception report in Spanish with $2.00 by a PFC QSL card in Spanish after 39 days via express mail. QSL signer was Sr. S. Esquiol. The mailing address was: Radio Nacional de España, Centro Emisor de Onda Corta, 500 Oeste Palí, Cariari, Cariari de Pococí, Limón, Costa Rica (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, Dec 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I suppose it is somewhat unusual to get a QSL direct from this relay, requiring a prepared card (gh) ** CZECHIA. La serie de QSLs del año 2009 de Radio Praga está dedicado a las Locomotoras Checas ya se pueden ver en: http://www.radio.cz/es/html/qsl2009.html Cordialmente, (Tomás Méndez, QTH: El Prat de Llobregat-Barcelona España, logsderadio yg via DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. 4780, Radio Djibouti, 2045-2107*, Dec 18, local music. Euro-pop music. Arabic talk. Sign off with National Anthem. Poor with strong CODAR QRM (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, TenTec RX-340, two 100 foot longwires, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 5010, RADIO PUEBLO. Santo Domingo, Repl. Dominicana. 2325-2350 diciembre 13. Música popular de fin de año. "...Navidad Radio Pueblo, parranda navideña de la 15-10 AM estéreo digital...", a las 2320 con ID "...en la República Dominicana, origina su señal - - - Radio Pueblo 15-10 AM estéreo digital - - - banda internacional de 60 metros..." (RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ R., Bogotá D.C. - COLOMBIA, Winradio G303i, JRC 525, Sony ICF 2010, antenas hilos de varias longitudes, playdx yg via DXLD) So are they C-QUAM on MW? Rarely active on SW and only before 2400 UT (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. 6889.92, Radio Fana, 2035-2059*, Dec 18, Amharic talk. Local music. Poor to fair in noisy conditions. // 6110 - good level but poor overall signal due to co-channel QRM (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, TenTec RX-340, two 100 foot longwires, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. I heard a sign off with a national anthem just after 2100 UT today 12/17 on 7110, but nothing else stood out. I am not sure, but I believe this is Ethiopia. I have an audio clip that I would be willing to share if asked directly. Has anyone else heard them on this frequency? If this is not Ethiopia, I still would be interested in determining who it is (Bill Harms, Elkridge, MD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Bill, yes, Radio Ethiopia domestic service is heard regularly on that frequency and it signs off at 2100. 73, (Mauno Ritola, ibid.) ** GERMANY [non]. DEUTSCHE WELLE B-08 - CHANGES CAMBIOS EN EL SERVICIO DE ALEMAN DE LA DEUTSCHE WELLE.- A PARTIR DEL 1º DE ENERO DE 2009, SE PRODUCIRAN CAMBIOS EN LAS TRANSMICIONES EN IDIOMA ALEMAN HACIA AMERICA LATINA; LAS MODIFICACIONES SON LAS SIGUIENTES: UTC SE CANCELA SE EMITE ORIGEN POTENCIA AREA 2200-0000 9545 KCS 9475 DHABAYYA 250 kW 260º 0000-0200 9545 KCS 9775 ASCENSION 250 kW 260º Atte, (Héctor Frías, Radioescuchas FEDERACHI, Diciembre 17, 2008, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Some more DW changes effective Jan 1, for 2000-2059 English: 9545 Woofferton at 160 degrees changes to 9690. 15275 changes from UAE at 230 degrees to Portugal at 140 degrees, which should make it more audible in NAm off the back where we are not supposed to listen to DW on SW. It will then be the same as the 1900-1930 English broadcast (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. FM RADIO A HIT IN INDIAN CITIES By Abu Mounir, Wednesday, December 17, 2008 9:02 AM "But they are back again Like a long lost friend All the songs that I loved so well…… …It`s yesterday once more, Do we remember" These nostalgic lines from a famous Carpenters' song reflect the way FM has revived radio in India. After television had entrenched itself firmly in almost every nook and corner of the country, transistor sets disappeared from the shelves in Indian living rooms, reducing radio to nothing more than a mere symbol of nostalgia. The radio was no longer turned on in the house and the All India radio (AIR) bulletins and popular Vividh Bharati programmes became a thing of the past, only to be replaced by round the clock TV news and music entertainment shows on satellite television. However, the advent of FM radio seemed like the reappearance of a 'long lost friend' to the medium. Today, FM has earned its place in urban India as a fast, catchy medium, not as a competitor to television but as a complimentary medium. Although FM was first introduced in Chennai in 1977 and in Jalandhar in 1982, it was only in 1993 that FM acquired a media profile synonymous with fast music and youth culture. This was when FM slots began to be leased out to private producers. . . [much more] http://www.itexaminer.com/fm-radio-a-hit-in-indian-cities.aspx (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 9525.90, Voice of Indonesia, 1033-1100*, Dec 18, English programming. Local pop music. Theme music at 1100 and off. Poor. Too weak to catch many program details (Brian Alexander, Mechanicsburg, PA, TenTec RX-340, two 100 foot longwires, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM? Re 8-128, ASCENSION [non]. Regarding Kai Ludwig's question and Jon Pukila's reply {whether Islamic countries proselytize to English-speakers like our Bible-thumpers do): Here in the Buffalo NY area, Time Warner Cable carries Bridges TV (way at the end of the digital tier, perhaps in hopes that folks won't find it :-)). Much of their programming is interesting -- the cooking shows are great for us vegetarians -- and, ironically (or not), they're the only TV network I know which carries Democracy Now!, an excellent alternative news program. However, in common with R. Kuwait, Bridges is either using a very soft sell or it seeks to inform, not convert. Depends on your point of view, I guess. Happy Solstice -- or whatever -- and very 73 de (Anne Fanelli in Elma NY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Perhaps you can give us some background on Bridges TV --- who is really behind it? Address is in Orchard Park NY, and they don`t even have religion as a category in their programming, altho there is a link to mecca.com (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I'll find out what I can ASAP, Glenn; Orchard Park, as every NFL fan (not me!) knows, is near here and I just assumed it was a nationwide satellite network since -- the Lackawanna Six notwithstanding--there's not too big a Muslim presence here. Bridges has a variety of programs -- infomercials and Democracy Now!, which you'd just love; can you hear the radio program in Enid? -- but the slant is definitely Muslim. Their stand-up comedy and music-video shows are gently inoffensive -- like, I guess, their Christian counterparts. 73 and enjoy the weekend de (Anne Fanelli, ibid.) Hear Democracy Now? Here in OK? On the radio? Ha, ha. Rather than satellite as in http://www.democracynow.org/stations/oklahoma I`ll just pull up a webcast from outside Oklahoma if I have the time. But I am somehow on Amy Goodman`s spamailing list, and time is running out for us to donate: http://www.democracynow.org/get_involved/donate/holiday_appeal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Guess you've seen the Bridges website http://bridgestv.com (where, I think, you can watch programs online), and my condolences on being on Amy Goodman's give-list too :-). The appeals seem especially strident this year, or maybe I'm just more annoyed by them since it's always folks who have more than we do trying to pry the last pennies out of us. Bridges seems to have its largest footprint on Verizon FIOS, but they're also on Dish Network and several cable systems (unfortunately, mainly on the left and right coasts). Believe me, you're not missing much; most of their programming is earnestly dull. When the holiday frenzy eases -- and the wx improves -- I'll take a ride over to Thorn Avenue (which is in the light-industrial part of Orchard Park -- not where you'd expect to find a national TV network, tho there's a low- power religious TV station nearby). 73 de (Anne Fanelli, WI2G, ibid.) ** JAPAN. 3925, 15/12 0800-0830, Radio Nikkei 1, Sapporo, OM /YL talks, idioma japonês, 23332 (MARCELO VILELA BEDENE, CURITIBA - PARANÁ - BRASIL, Sony ICF-2001D + Fio longo cordoalha, DX CLUBE DO PARANÁ http://www.dxclube.com.br dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think one R. Nikkei 3925 transmitter is located at Nemuro, Hokkaido, not at Sapporo, while the other 3925 tx site is at Nagara (Chiba). Schedules say that whenever Nemuro is on the air, there's also Nagara on the same channel. As the programs are same, one can't recognize one tx from the other. Except when Nemuro is off, one can say he heard Nagara. I believe there are no local IDs for the two transmitter sites. 73, (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, ibid.) WRTH page 250, says 2300-0750 UT from Nemuro, so from 0800 UT is from Nagara 50 kW, see JPN_ NSB R Nikkei Nagara-1 3925 6055 9595. -2 3945 6115 9760 35 27'52.10"N 140 12'22.32" E http://maps.google.de/maps?f=q&hl=de&geocode=&q=35%C2%B027%2752.10%22N++140%C2%B012%2722.32%22+E&sll=51.151786,10.415039&sspn=19.842079,41.308594&ie=UTF8&ll=35.464471,140.2062&spn=0.003137,0.005043&t=h&z=18 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) My basis of consultation was: http://www.geocities.jp/binewsjp/ B08 3925 RADIO NIKKEI 1 0800-1200 1...... Japanese 10 ND Sapporo 3925 RADIO NIKKEI 1 0800-1330 .2345.. Japanese 10 ND Sapporo 3925 RADIO NIKKEI 1 0800-1415 ......7 Japanese 10 ND Sapporo 3925 RADIO NIKKEI 1 0800-1500 .....6. Japanese 10 ND Sapporo 73 (Marcelo Bedene, Brasil, ibid.) Thanks, Marcelo, for reply. Also Aoki list you refer to mentions the Tokyo-Nagara station is on the frequency at the same time as Nemuro. Maybe our Japanese friends could tell us about the Sapporo/Nemuro locations, please. 73, (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid.) Viz., the rest of the Aoki 3925 Japan listings, including another Sapporo in the morning: 3925 RADIO NIKKEI 1 2040-1200 1...... Japanese 50 64 Tokyo-Nagara 3925 RADIO NIKKEI 1 2040-1415 ......7 Japanese 50 64 Tokyo-Nagara 3925 RADIO NIKKEI 1 2040-1330 .2345.. Japanese 50 64 Tokyo-Nagara 3925 RADIO NIKKEI 1 2040-1500 .....6. Japanese 50 64 Tokyo-Nagara 3925 RADIO NIKKEI 1 2040-2300 1234567 Japanese 10 ND Sapporo (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRTH writes: "... except 2300-0750 UT on 3925 (Nemuro), ... " that means 2045-2300 UT and 0750-1315/1430 UT is via Nagara instead / o n l y ? (Wolfgang Büschel, to Mauno Ritola, via WB, DXLD) "as above except 2300-0750 UT on 3925 (Nemuro)" means that the same times as for Nagara frequencies apply also for Nemuro 3925, EXCEPT 2300-0750. I suppose the word order could be different (Mauno Ritola, ibid.) Aoki shows a parallel schedule of Nagara a n d Nemuro. Parallel also on same time ??? (Büschel, ibid.) No, Nemuro is off between 2300-0800, also according to Aoki (Ritola, ibid.) May can somebody design an easy read time table of both 3925 kHz sites; the way WRTH explain that 3925 item is absurdly in my foreign language understanding. (Büschel, ibid.) I don't think anyone can do that, with these variable times of transmission, if they are given exactly, see above (Mauno Ritola, ibid.) ** KASHMIR [non]. 6100, 1445-1500, CLANDESTINE, 12.12, R Voice of Kashmir, via AIR, India. Kashmiri talk and local songs, heard best in USB due to noise on 6100 32343. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres antenna here in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) Aoki lists this merely as: 6100 AIR National Channel 1430-1530 1234567 Hindi/English 100 174 Delhi (Khampur) IND 07709E2850N AIR b08 6100 But EiBi has it as clandestine: 6100 1430-1530 CLA Radio Sadaye Kashmir UR SAs /IND-d 6100 And there is some disagreement about the language: Kashmiri? Hindi? Urdu? WRTH 2009 Target broadcast pages have no KASHMIR entries. And under INDIA in Targets, there are only the Pakistani broadcasts to Kashmir. However, on page 230 in the INDIA domestic section, this hour on 6100 is specified as Radio Sedaye Kashmir, without implying it is clandestine (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 9880.00, 1450-1500* CLANDESTINE, 11.12, Furusato no Kaze, via Darwin (presumed). Japanese talk, musical signature at close 25222. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres antenna here in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN [and non]. KYRGYZ RESTORES BBC PROGRAMMING [re 8-128, UK [non] and USA [non], and WORLD OF RADIO 1439] BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (AP) — The BBC has resumed local language broadcasts in Kyrgyzstan two weeks after having its programming pulled off the air over an alleged breach of contractual obligations, the British station said Wednesday. Authorities have drawn criticism from government opponents for the recent halting of broadcasts by the BBC and U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Kyrgyz Service. Pressure on the international broadcasters comes amid growing public frustration with the worsening economic climate and widespread power shortages in the impoverished Central Asian nation. BBC programs started airing on the local state broadcaster again earlier this week, the station's Kyrgyz office said. Melis Eshimkanov, who heads the state broadcaster, says the BBC has failed to live up to a pledge to install four relay stations across the country. He also said the only two relay stations built so far are near the border with authoritarian Uzbekistan, where the BBC is banned from operating. Government critics accuse Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan of coordinating efforts to clamp down on independent media in the region. "It seems quite likely that Kyrgyzstan's decision to put pressure on the BBC is connected with the station's broadcasts to Uzbekistan," Aziza Abdurasulova, head of the Kylym-Shamy rights advocacy group. The BBC was forced to close its World Service operation in Uzbekistan by a campaign of official harassment after its coverage of the government's violent suppression of a protest in the eastern town of Andijan in May 2005. RFE/RL's Kyrgyz service, known locally as Radio Azattyk, has been off the air since October. The station breached its contracts with the Kyrgyz National Radio and Television Corporation and gave excess coverage to opposition activities, Eshimkanov said. Eshimkanov said earlier this week that Radio Azattyk will not be permitted to brodcast until the station submits its programs to state authorities for prior approval. RFE/RL has rejected any suggestion it would amend its output to ensure a return to the airwaves. "We are not going to change the content of our broadcasts in order to please the government or anyone else," said Julia Ragona, RFE/RL chief broadcast operations officer. If a resolution is not reached, Radio Azattyk may eventually be forced to broadcast exclusively on shortwave for the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, RFE/RL said (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN [non]. Radio Liberty in Kyrgyz again on SW from Dec. 16 as follows: 1200-1230 on 9465 and 13755 both IRA 250 kW / 348 deg 1500-1530 on 7150 WER 250 kW / 075 deg and 11790 LAM 100 kW / 075 deg 73! (Ivo Ivanov, Bulgaria, Dec 17, WORLD OF RADIO 1439, DX LISTENING DIGEST) More detail, sites, to the info in 8-128 as requoted below 3 comments so far 1 Dave Kenny December 17th, 2008 - 13:37 UTC Could “short wave” in this report be a mis-translation of “ultra short wave” i.e. VHF/FM - a common mistake with translations from Russian ?. 2 Andy Sennitt December 17th, 2008 - 13:43 UTC Good point, though according to DX Listening Digest they have also resumed on shortwave: 1200-1230 UT on 9465 and 13755 kHz 1500-1530 UT on 7150 and 11790 kHz But the fact that they say “a short waveband does not cover all the territory of Kyrgyzstan” suggests your theory is correct. 3 Dave Kernick December 17th, 2008 - 15:31 UTC A further clarification, which doesn’t affect the validity of Dave’s point, but I think is useful to bear in mind: When Russian sources refer to the “ultra shortwave band” they mean specifically the old OIRT frequency range of the FM band, i.e. 66-74 MHz, the “western” (CCIR) 87.5 to 108 MHz band being simply referred to as “FM” (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** LAOS. 7145, LNR Vientiane, 1353, Dec 16, English tentative ID, definitely their "best" appearance in recent weeks but still couldn't make out more than a mere handful of words in total. Much to my delight they continued in presumed Lao 1359, talk & pop songs improving to 1424:15 carrier off. Have noticed them running past scheduled 1400 closing time on several earlier occasions, re DXLD 8- 123 & 8-124 (Martien Groot, Schoorl, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA. 9555, Probably the second SW transmitter at Sitkunai site was tested extensively on Tuesday Dec 16. This frequency registered for broadcasts from Sitkunai towards Russia and CIS states easterly at 79 degrees antenna, but never used so far for customers in this season yet. Came across still running 1000 Hertz test tone outlet of S=9+10dB signal strength in 0745-0820 UT slot (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 16 via WORLD OF RADIO 1439, DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. Re 8-128: Dear Zacharias Liangas, Minnal FM is not a Hindi radio service. It is the 24 hour Tamil Service from Malaysia. "Minnal" means Thunder in Tamil (Jaisakthivel, Chennai, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Re 8-128, Radio Mexico Internacional: Not related to the original Radio Mexico International. Stream doesn't work and webpage is hosted by qsl.net. Only a joke? (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, playdx yg via DXLD) They seem quite serious about it (gh) ** MONACO. 8728-USB, 0800, Monaco Radio (Naya) Fair in French then English with weather forecasts for Mediterranean regions in USB mode. Off at 0821 24/11 (Ian Cattermole, Blenheim, JRC 535, EWE, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** MONGOLIA. Re 8-128, audio linx: Glenn. http://www.mnb.mn/fm1009.aspx?fmid=1 needs load time about 65-70 seconds. http://www.mnb.mn/fm1009.aspx?fmid=2 needs 55-60 seconds, here in Germany via T-Online provider and DSL6000 [real 5860 average] speed. 1130 UT. Dec 17 wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Here in the UK, I find the best time to listen to these streams is in the first hour or two after sign-on, which are 2200 UT (106.0) and 2300 UT (100.9). Any other time the streams tend to be unusably intermittent. I also find IE works better - in Firefox the embedded player is shrunk so small that it's impossible to use the player controls (Dave Kernick, ibid.) ** MYANMAR. 5770.00, 1410-1500, BURMA, 12.12, Defence Forces B.C., Taunggyi. Bamar announcement, Burmese pop songs, talk, 34333, CWQRM. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres antenna here in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Sites have kept changing for RN`s Indonesian broadcast at 2200-2300 on 15280. Started B-08 Oct 26 via Tinang, changed Oct 28 to Tinian, and since November 7 to Saipan. It`s not clear which site was in use on the change dates, but if you heard it on any other dates, you may want to update your log (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. RNZI has registered 18995-19000-19005 for DRM at 0100- 0200 only thru the end of B-08, presumably replacing or alternate to 17670-17675-17680 during this hour only. Anyone hear them there yet, where they can do no damage to analog stations? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. Chris Mackerell, Wellington, has designed great promotional material – including a very colorful QSL - for his LPFM World Radio 88.5, and now has a mini-website designed for mobile phones at http://worldfm.mobi for those who want to see what a great little station this is! Of course, listeners in the Tawa area can also hear World of Radio with Glenn Hauser and the station is also streaming online at http://www.worldfm.co.nz (David Ricquish, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Radio Gotel, Nigeria, 917 kHz heard in Italy --- I was some days in Bocca di Magra (La Spezia Province, Italy) with Dario Monferini. We had planned to try on 917 kHz for Radio Gotel, Nigeria. We were lucky: we got it on 14 December 2008 with a fair to good signal from around 2105 to 2150 UT. It was a talk program with some music, in Fulani language, we presume because it is the language spoken in the area. No English was heard. We got also an ID "Radio Gotel, Yola". Yola is the capital of the Nigerian State of Adamawa, where is based "Radio Gotel", the Fulani word for "Number One Radio". Yola is located close to the border with Cameroon, in the East of Nigeria. Here some info from AllAfrica.com : http://allafrica.com/stories/200804210425.html AOR 7030 & Perseus; ant: Wellbrook LFL1010. Have nice days (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, Dec 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) In bijlage opname van gisterenavond rond 2000 UT, Nigeria op 917 kHz, Program over Somalie by female, opname in phase met verschillende antennes. Best tebeluisteren met koptelefoon!! Gr (Maurits Van Driessche, Belgium, Dec 17, bdx mailing list via DXLD) ** PERU. 4775, RADIO TARMA. Tarma, 0105-0125 diciembre 14. Luego de la ID con el programa Sentimiento Latinoamericano, con música folclórica de Ecuador, Chiley Bolivia. "...Radio Tarma Internacional. .." 4940, RADIO SAN ANTONIO. Atalaya. 2120-2200 diciembre 13. Transmisión especial de la "Radiotón" para recaudas fondos para la Navidad de los niños pobres. Presentación de artistas locales, declamadores y cómicos. "San Antonio en la Radioton 2008". 5059.2, LA VOZ DE LAS HUARINJAS. Huancabamba. 1140-1200 diciembre 14. Música folclórica. Al dar la hora: "...seis, seis de la mañana con 42 minutos; La Voz de las Huarinjas les acompaña con la programación de la mañana..." Señal muy pobre y baja modulación. 6195.8, RADIO CUSCO, Cusco. 2204-2310 diciembre 13. Reactivación, no reportada por mi desde Agosto del 2007 cuando se encontraba en 6193.4. Presentando un largo programa de la Iglesia Dios es Amor. Sin comerciales o anuncios. Dentro del programa un espacio llamado Mensajes Cantados, con alabanzas. A las 2308 una corta identificación como "...Radio Cusco..." para continuar con otro programa evangélico llamado La Voz de la Profecia. Notada también Diciembre 14 a las 1100 nuevamente presentando Iglesia Dios es Amor. Señal descubierta por Terry Krueger y escuchada por otros colegas desde USA aunque no identificada, a traves del DXLD 8- 127 de Diciembre 10, 2008. Buen DX (RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ R., Bogotá D.C. - COLOMBIA, Winradio G303i, JRC 525, Sony ICF 2010, antenas hilos de varias longitudes, playdx yg via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. RRI, which was missing from 11970 a few days ago, back on Dec 18 at 1352 check towards end of English hour, with football news. So it`s still colliding with WYFR before 1345 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. After careful listening to various V of Russia Russian- speaking branches on SW and MW, I discovered the following curious fact: All of them (i.e. Russian World Service, Radiokanal Sodruzhestvo, and International Russian Radio) start the hour with the same announcement "V efire Golos Rossii. Novosti" and then transmit the same news bulletin. So, they all are really in parallel at xx00-xx05 (and you will not hear any ID of a specific service during this time, besides common "Golos Rossii"!) After xx05 each of them go into its own programming. Hope this helps & 73, Dmitry Mezin, Russia, Dec 2, RealDX yg via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 9542, 2210, SIBC Honiara reactivated, good & clear in USB mode avoiding 9540 het. Relaying Radio Australia news reports in English, running a fraction of a second behind RA Brandon 12080. Frequency measured as 9541.54 kHz. Rechecked at 2248 and found popular island and western vocals, commercials in English. At 2300 ident in English, SW frequency announced as 9545, then SIBC Mid- Morning News in English. Thanks to ARDXC members for the tipoff. 30/11 (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWEs to NE, E and SE, plus various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS [and non]. THE 12 CHAIRS OF CHRISTMAS --- Commentary by David Ricquish As we approach the Christmas Holidays season, and think of others perhaps a little more than usual, I’ve also been thinking about QSLs. Obtaining this [often] elusive acknowledgement from a station we’ve heard has been a central feature of our hobby since it began some 90 years ago. What began as a courtesy between an individual broadcast enthusiast and a listener, developed further during the 1930’s with miniature works of art in postcard form, and lasted through to the early 1980’s before the sheer numbers of stations, frequencies and listeners and technological changes began to overwhelm the practice. QSLs have become, in some cases, the only evidence left that a station ever existed. Thank goodness for those who designed them, the station owners who paid for them, the Post Offices who delivered them and for the listeners who took the time to ask for them. All have played a part in a ritual that remains at the heart of DXing. Today, the courtesy between broadcaster and listener has become less personalized. As listeners, I think we always blame the stations for this state of affairs. I read recently that the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation [a favourite SW target for DXers wanting QSLs] had no chairs for its studios and program office, and three local furniture shops in Honiara donated 12 chairs so staff could actually sit down to do their work. How little do we, as listeners sitting in our comfortable DX dens surrounded by high priced technical gear, wired into computers and software that can monitor the entire AM dial at once really know about the stations we hear? Looking back through old DX magazines, listeners were interested in the individual personalities of radio stations. DX clubs made a real effort to feature profiles of stations and individual broadcasters. Today, when I look at DX magazines, DX websites, email lists and forums, I see little evidence of any attempt to personalize the stations and staff. I see DXers complain because stations change their SW frequencies and have the temerity to not keep their websites up to date. I see DXers complain about this that and the other, especially the ‘declining’ number of DXers. I wonder. Are the SW services closing down whilst local AM and FM stations know nothing about QSLs because we, as listeners, have also moved away from them? How courteous are we as listeners any more? Whilst sending our DX reports to the SIBC, have we ever considered they didn’t even have chairs to sit on there? This Christmas, let’s reflect on how we can think more of others, including our friends who keep radio on the air for us to enjoy. Merry Christmas? (David Ricquish, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) See also CANADA ** SWEDEN. No doubt locals and/or Sveriges Radio themselves will be better placed to cover this, but I notice on tonight's SVT Sydnyt that the main item concerned Skåne's biggest earthquake in 100 years. It centred on the area around Hörby and occurred this morning. I'm sure that your Californian and Japanese correspondents will mock this entry - but even a minor quake might damage transmitter equipment particularly within the transmitter halls. Have SRI's programmes been affected? 73's (Dan Goldfarb, Brentwood, England, Dec 17, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1439, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Axually it was the morning before, 4.7 --- (gh) SWEDEN HIT BY 4.7-MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE 16 Dec 2008, 1200 hrs IST, AFP http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Sweden_hit_by_47-magnitude_earthquake/articleshow/3845204.cms STOCKHOLM: An earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale hit southern Sweden early Tuesday, the Seismological Institute at Uppsala University said, but no damage was immediately reported. The quake, which hit at 6:20 am (0520 GMT), had its epicentre some 59 kilometres (36 miles) southeast of Sweden's third-largest city Malmoe, the institute said. Media reports indicated the shock was felt throughout southern Sweden and northern Denmark, including the Danish capital Copenhagen, as buildings and homes shook but no damage was reported. Earthquakes of this magnitude are rare in Scandinavia. "For Sweden this is a very big quake," Reynar Boedvarsson of the Seismological Institute told Swedish news agency TT. "It's not dangerous for people but there may be cracks in building constructions," he said (Times of India via DXLD) ** SYRIA. I was wondering on WOR 1439 if anyone in Europe could still hear at least the carrier from Syria on 9330, or have they finally added no carrier to no modulation? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9330, SÍRIA, R. Damascus, Adra, EE, 2133 18/12, mx típica, comentários por OM e YL. 25322 (Marcelo Silveira Filho, BHMG, SWL1063B, Sony ICF- SW7600GR-Fio longo com 18m, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) BHMG = Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, I figure (gh, DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 4765.05, R. Tajikistan?? Weak carrier only at 1845 UT, on 13 Dec (Dave Valko-USA, on Micro-DXpedition, hcdx Dec 14 via BCDX via DXLD) BC outlet in 20 m ham band on 14295 kHz - TJK ? measured 14295.198 / 4765.066 harmonic? Es handelt sich mit ziemlicher Sicherheit um die 3. Harmonische von Radio Tajikistan auf 4765 kHz. Frequenzmessungen um 12:25 UTC: 14295.1766 kHz - nur 1 Modulation aufnehmbar, qsa 1 4765.0588 kHz - Modulation bruchweise aufzunehmen Die Modulation war nebenbei bemerkt nur mit dem PERSEUS mit der Noisereduction einigermassen aufzunehmen. Die Peilungen passen auch. Um einen Programmvergleich zu bestaetigen. Die Aussendungen auf 4765 kHz sind allerdings erst so gegen 1300 UT aufnehmbar. "... und die anderen, vielleicht koennt Ihr mal einen Programm v e r g l e i c h auf 14295 / 4765 kHz vornehmen ? Seit dem 26. Okt. verfolgt die Bandwatch ein ungewuenschtes Rundfunksender Signal im 20 mb auf 14295.198 variierend bis 14295.150 hinunter, und zwar muessten auf dem Perseus zwei Modulationspikes zu sehen sein. Auch die Frequenzkontrollstellen in China haben eine Kreuzpeilung vorgenommen und den Sender im Gebiet UZB, TJK, TKM, IRN, AFG und KGZ positioniert. Das Restsignal auf v14295 kHz ist hier mit einer Simpelantenne nicht aufzunehmen. Ich habe vage den Verdacht in Richtung einer Harmonischen 14295.198 / 4765.066 kHz von Dushanbe Yangi-Yul geaeussert, weil alle anderen Intermodulations-Rechnungen nicht greifen. Das stellt sich so dar: [man beachte die Persisch-aehnlichen Laute O in der Stations-Ansage!] "Radioi Tojikiston" sendet seit 26. Oktober neu auf 4765 kHz, das Programm war sofort am ersten Sendetag in Salzburg und Ostoesterreich gehoert worden. Der Japaner Aoki in Nagoya nennt einen 21 hrs Sendeplan: 4765 Tajik Radio 1 2300-2000UT Tajik 100kW ND Dushanbe-Yangiyul TJK. Tajik Radio 1 in B08. Die Japaner sind im Winterhalbjahr mit ihrer Lage oestlich von TJK natuerlich im Vorteil, die Aussendung ueber die Dunkelstrecke zu hoeren. Das WRTH verzeichnet Russischsendungen um 0400-0430 und 1000-1030 UT, man sollte um 1000 UT mal auf der 14295 achten, ob dort Russisch gesendet wird. Dort im WRTH wird auch die Sendeleistung nur mit 50 kW angegeben, noch mit der alten Frequenz 4635 kHz. Das Programm war bisher jahrelang auf 4635 kHz zugange. Die Frequenzkontrollstelle weiss aus ihren Unterlagen, dass es aehnliche Harmonische schon frueher von der Basisfrequenz 4635 kHz gegeben hat. Das Sendezentrum Dushanbe Yangi-Yul liegt 9 km suedoestlich von Dushanbe Innenstadt. Bei 38 29 10.77 N 68 49 15.08 E sind die Koordinaten, eine typische 60 mb Steilstrahlantenne ist in Google Earth zu sehen. Die 4 Mast Steilstrahlantenne ist rechts aussen, bei der oestlichen Grundstuecksgrenze gelegen. In Google Maps hier zu sehen: [later] I NEVER heard it at my place on 14295v, since October 26th. It's a very tiny signal, and only heard on days with outstanding propagation, or even with very high level gear. The frequency control unit note this signal only with PERSEUS rx and noise reduction option. There are many requests of IARU and DARC bandwatch, but the [harmonic] signal is sooooo pooooor, no chance to hear it here. I have done only the investigation, whether this is a matter of intermodulation of 22 or 19 mb frequency, ... and together -- possibly -- a MW outlet plus/minus frequency signal is involved. But I never had a solution, EXCEPT the calculation, that the 3rd harmonic of Dushanbe 4765.057 ... .066 kHz is involved, -- most likely. It's seldom, that a former CIS site wanders up 60 Hertz, but I think also VoRUS 4975 is odd by 30-40 Hertz? (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 12 - 14, ibid.) TJK is on 4765.057 kHz (Mauno Ritola, Finland, Dec 14, BCDX via DXLD) ** U S A. 15825, 2029, WWCR, Nashville. Good in English with promo for Royal Radio at 1430 on 9985. Glen[n] Hauser’s World of Radio heard at 2130 and transmission ended at 2200 UT 29/11 (Fred Humphreys, Porirua East, New Zealand, Icom IC R71, 70m longwire, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) Glad to know we make it to NZ, but no quality given (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Re 8-128, WEWN: Your description of the two-tone mass intrigued me; I don't know much about music, but maybe it was a simple Gregorian-type chant (the Wikipedia entry for "Gregorian chant" is very dense). With Pope Rat (as Mike calls him, from the left lane on the highway to hell :-)) advocating a return to the Latin mass, it's only a matter of time before the good ol'-fashioned high mass makes a comeback. With so many living languages -- some of which are hanging on by a thread -- it's beyond me why Catholics cling to a dead one. Must admit, though, that I enjoy most plainsong -- maybe knowing exactly what the next note's gonna be is comforting! Very 73 and happy solstice de (Anne Fanelli in Elma NY, Dec 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What I heard was in English, not Latin, so I did not think of associating it with Gregorian chant. WEWN does this a lot (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Hi Glenn, New show on the Planet; "Don't Tread On Me", Mon- Wed 7-8 pm on 7415. Bill Cooper kind of show. As you know I am trying my best to bring different programs to the shortwaves. Sadly some of the best shows don't have a nickel to spend. I'll keep trying (Allan Weiner, WBCQ, Dec 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 0000-0100 UT Tue-Thu; not clear if that includes the day in between (gh) ** U S A. COMMENTS ON THE AURAL POWER INCREASE SOUGHT BY KSFV-LP In response to this story in CGC #871... "There is news to report in the "Channel 6 acting as an FM radio station" department. KSFV-LP, CH-6 on Mt. Harvard (adjacent to Mt. Wilson and serving Los Angeles), has been cited by the FCC for running almost eight-times the allowable aural transmitter power. Their aural transmitter is apparently primarily used to broadcast to FM receivers tuned to 87.7 MHz...." ...and this Letter to the Editor is CGC #871: "Yeah, and now [KSFV is] asking the FCC to allow them to [run excessive power] legally. Now THAT'S chutspah! Here is KSFV's request: http://earthsignals.com/add_CGC/KSFV_LP_Waiver_App.pdf " ...two new Letters to the Editor have been received. They are presented below. COMMENT #1 Just a couple of comments on the channel 6 FM situation. The KSFV transmitter is in the same room with KUSC so I am somewhat familiar with their system. The notice of violation says that KSFV's Aural ERP was much too high. But the FCC did not measure the ERP; they looked at the transmitter power. The antennas are fed by two different sized feedlines so that accounts for some of the difference. One can conclude nothing from the transmitter power measurements without knowing the details of the antenna/line system gains and losses. And, as KSFV's waiver request indicates, they were an LPTV upgraded to Class A and no operational changes would have been required. LPTVs can legally operate with equal aural and video power as well as 75 kHz deviation and standard FM stereo. I have questioned this type of operation from the beginning, but I can't blame stations for trying to get all the coverage they can. If they do it within the rules, or if the FCC grants things we don't like, we need to work to change the rules and/or the FCC interpretations rather than act as though the stations are bandits. Lyle Henry, Los Angeles, lylehenry (at) fastmail.fm COMMENT #2: I read the petition [to allow KSFV-LP to run more aural power] and find it to be the most outlandish thing I've read in a long time. If the FCC grants this, let alone does not cite them further for excessive modulation, then the FCC has themselves become corrupt. The rules are very clear on the deviation allowed for television stations and by no stretch of the imagination can anyone interpret those (TV) rules to allow 75 (73) kHz main channel deviation. Burt Weiner, biwa (at) att.net P.S. The 73 kHz deviation comes from the sum total of allotted deviations for the BTSC main channel and subcarriers for TV. The rules have been twisted and interpreted to mean you can run 75 kHz deviation. Not true! +/- 25 kHz is the maximum deviation for the main channel audio, the audio that lies between 50 Hz and 15 kHz -- it's in the rules (CGC Communicator Dec 17 via Kevin Redding, ABDX; also via Mike Terry, dxlkdyg, via DXLD) ** U S A. CONCERNS RAISED ABOUT 'FRANKEN FMS' by Randy J. Stine, 12.16.2008 http://www.rwonline.com/article/71552 This is an updated version that corrects licensee information for WNYZ. WASHINGTON --- Some crafty low-power television broadcast licensees on TV Channel 6 are ditching regular TV programming and using their spectrum instead to program commercial FM stations and pursue radio audiences. As controversial as this might appear, legal analysts say the TV stations seem to be working within the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. However, the practice certainly does not appear to be what the FCC intended when it crafted LPTV rules. This idea of edging a presence into the lower end of the FM band appears to be gaining in popularity, observers told Radio World, and sources say it has drawn the attention of the FCC, though the commission declined to comment specifically on the question of LPTV licensees marketing themselves as FM radio stations. It is not clear whether official complaints have been filed. TV Channel 6 spectrum is next door to the lower end of the FM band, at 82 to 88 MHz. Audio for TV Channel 6 is broadcast at 87.75 to 87.9 MHz. Many car and tabletop FM receivers are able to receive these adjacent TV audio signals (indeed, some Channel 6 TV licensees promote that fact). But the stations in question here are providing minimal video programming and pitching themselves as commercial radio stations. In one case, an LPTV licensee allegedly is broadcasting nature video over and over again. "It is happening," said John Crigler, a communications attorney with Garvey, Schubert and Barer. "Apparently these licensees are not asking for authority to do this kind of thing. They are just doing it, and it appears that they are within the rules to do so. However, it appears the FCC is reviewing the matter again and deciding how to proceed. This is obviously not the FCC's intended purpose of low-power TV." Bite of the Big Apple An example is WNYZ(LP) in New York, the nation's most populous market, where FM spectrum is an extremely valuable commodity. The station is a 3 kW LPTV licensed to Island Broadcasting Co. Mega Media Group leases the channel from Island. The TV station typically broadcasts video of nature scenes and travelogues repeated throughout the day, said Alex Shvarts, chief executive officer of Mega Media Group. Its programming content is music transmitted on the audio subcarrier at 87.75 MHz. The TV station promotes itself on www.pulse87.com as "Pulse 87 — Pure Energy." Shvarts told RW that WNYZ(LP) is operating within the rules governing low-power TV. "The FCC is aware of what we are doing. I'm not aware of any concern on their part." (See sidebar.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - [sidebar:] The Pulse WNYZ(LP) may transmit television nature images across New York City on Channel 6, but it's clear the station's focus is on radio, with TV being of minor consequence. With a dance-intensive rhythmic top 40 format, Pulse 87.7's signal reaches the city's five boroughs and most of Long Island, according to people familiar with the station. Joel Salkowitz, the station's program director, is an alumnus of music station WQHT(FM) in New York. He described the station's format to Web site All Access as "top 40/rhythmic, leaning away from rock and rap and more towards club and dance sounds in their place. It's familiar rhythmic hits mixed with the very best new music." Mega Media Group, which leases the channel from licensee Island Broadcasting Co., is a multimedia entertainment holding company with several subsidiaries that offer a range of services including music production and distribution and video production. Mega CEO Alex Shvarts believes that WNYZ(LP) is operating within the FCC's rules governing low-power TV. "We are fulfilling obligations as a licensee. It's perfectly legal to send audio separate from video. We operate (Pulse 87.7) under the audio portion of our LPTV license. The FCC is aware of what we are doing. I'm not aware of any concern on their part," Shvarts said. Mega Media has marketed itself as a radio station since 2005. The company announced earlier this year that Pulse 87.7 is being rated under the Arbitron Portable People Meter system. Mega claims the radio station had more than half a million listeners and 540,700 Cume persons age 6 and older during one specific week in September. Shvarts said he is not sure what will happen to Pulse 87.7 if and when the FCC mandates a transition of LPTV stations from analog to digital TV. A switch to digital would leave consumers unable to receive the audio at 87.75 MHz. "We will worry about that when it happens. We expect the commission will give us a long transition period to figure it out." --- Randy J Stine [end sidebar] - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The legal argument Shvarts makes is based on Sec. 73.653 of the FCC rules governing low-power television licensees, which states: "Operation of TV aural and visual transmitters … the aural and visual transmitters may be operated independently of each other or, if operated simultaneously, may be used with different and unrelated program material." Several attempts for this article to reach other licensees who are practicing the same business model were unsuccessful. Publications including the newsletter CGC Communicator have cited instances in the Chicago, Los Angeles and Dallas areas, and several "TV as FM" operations are identified on Wikipedia and other online sources. In 1999, according to legal observers, the FCC staff ruled that LPTV broadcast stations must transmit both visual and aural services to remain in compliance. That ruling was the result of a complaint by several radio stations in Anchorage, Alaska, which claimed that KZND, a low-power TV station, was "operating as an FM radio station, broadcasting only an audio signal and marketing itself as an FM station that can be received at the bottom of the dial." The FCC found that KZND(LP) was violating the commission's low-power television rules and policies by transmitting an aural-only service. Crigler said the commission "basically said there had to be simultaneous transmission of visual and aural content. ... It does not specify what kind of visual content. And the audio and video does not have to be related or synchronized. However, it's clear that these LPTV stations cannot be aural-services only. They need a visual carrier, too." He said he was unaware of any appeal filed in the case by the licensee, Fireweed Communications Corp., which also operates one of the stations listed in the sidebar. [below] "The advantage these LPTV broadcasters have is that they are at the bottom of the FM band and they realize that it is a lot cheaper to play records than to cultivate TV programming," said Harry Cole, a communications lawyer with Fletcher, Heald and Hildredth, who is also a Radio World columnist. "They are within the rules. There is nothing to say that you can't separate video and audio. Plus, they sound much different than anyone else at that chunk of the FM band." TV Channel 6 also is immediately adjacent to the noncommercial portion of the FM band, not an area where you would typically find a "commercial-sounding radio station," Crigler noted. LPTV sunset Some broadcasters and their attorneys are not so sure about the legality of the practice, which is why the commission is looking into the matter, sources not quoted elsewhere in this article told RW. One observer thinks this is a big deal. "I believe that the use of TV frequency spectrum as an FM broadcast station, not transmitting any discernible visual signal, is in serious violation of the FCC rules," said Edward Tipler, president of Kitchen Productions Inc., a broadcast engineering firm. "Just because car radios can receive the signal, it doesn't mean that it is allowable to convert a TV channel into an FM broadcast station. "The FCC should immediately issue a shutdown order on all non- television-format signals remaining on the air that do not look like standard analog or HD television signals." The commission established low-power television service in 1982 to provide opportunities for expanded television service. Effective radiated power of the TV signal is 3 kW for VHF channels and 150 kW for UHF channels. The FCC reports more than 2,000 licensed and operational LPTV stations in the United States. Since low-power television stations currently have no mandatory digital transition deadline, industry experts observers expect this trend of LPTV licenses becoming FM broadcasters to continue. Some observers speculate that LPTV licensees are worried about being left behind in the digital transition and may be struggling to find new business models. It's not clear if any have openly applied for FM licenses. "I wouldn't expect the sunset date for LPTV to go digital to come before 2012 and it may be as late as 2015," said David Oxenford, a communications attorney with Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. "But there will come a day when these analog LPTV Channel 6 signals will go away, and when that happens you will no longer be able to receive them on FM receivers." Much of TV Channel 6 spectrum will be repurposed after February's DTV transition. What eventually happens to that spectrum is anyone's guess right now, Oxenford said. "There are lots of proposals out there for TV Channels 5 and 6. A number of folks are suggesting it should be used for expanding the FM band. There are plenty of people against it as well," Oxenford said. RW reported on one such proposal in the Sept. 10 issue. Are any TVs operating as radio stations in your area? Tell us at radioworld@nbmedia.com. News Editor/Washington Bureau Chief Leslie Stimson contributed to this article (via Harry Helms, ABDX via DXLD) As Long as the Mood Is Right ... FM Here is a partial list of low-power television stations licensed at Channel 6 that appear to be operating predominately as radio stations. The list was compiled using Wikipedia and the FCC database. Tell us about such stations in your area; write to radioworld@nbmedia.com: KCIO(LP), Victorville, Calif. Almavision Hispanic Network http://www.almavisiontv/6.html http://www.justin.tv/almavisonradio KESU(LP), Hanamaulu, Hawaii Chang Broadcasting Hawaii LLC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KESU-LP KFMD(LP), Redding, Calif. Venture Technologies Group LLC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KFMD-LP K060L, Antelope Valley, Calif. Adelman Broadcasting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K06OL KOAN(LP), Anchorage, Alaska Fireweed Broadcasting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KOAN-LP KSFV(LP), San Fernando Valley, Calif. Venture Technologies Group, LLC http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KSFV-LP WNYZ(LP), New York, N.Y. Island Broadcasting Co. http://www.pulse87.com (sidebar to above article, via DXLD) ** U S A. KSKY-660 AM [on FM] --- Hello All, Why is KSKY-660 AM on 92.9 FM?? (Charles123, Dec 15) The FCC has been allowing AMs to use FM translators lately. KSKY has filed for several around the area as emergency FM translators. It filed the STA requests for them claiming a couple of Mexican AMs on 660 (XEEY Jalpa AZ [sic] and XEDTL San Lorenzo Tezoneo DF) are illegally operating at higher power at night (50 kW rather than 1 kW) and reducing their nighttime coverages. They have applied for and have been granted several FM translators: 95.5 Fort Worth 95.5 Arlington 92.9 Dallas The 92.9 Dallas facilities co-ordinates put it as co-located with KGGR 1040 in east Dallas: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=32.77861,+-96.73083+(KGGR-AM)&om=1 Coverage map at the end of their filing: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=662261 (txchipk, ibid.) Interesting development. I'm dubious as to whether they really need those translators for the reason they mention in the filing. It seems to me it's a way for them to get on the FM band cheaply (tested, ibid.) I don't think Salem's that stupid. Radio can't be something we have to work at to enjoy, and I think they know that. To tell listeners to tune in at 660 or two weak FM frequencies depending on where they are forces them to work at enjoying the station. Virtually no one will tolerate constantly punching buttons to hear their favorite programming for long. Also, I believe the FM translators are only supposed to operate at night. Getting on FM cheaply and easily by using a translator makes a lot of sense in markets like Waco, Wichita Falls and Texarkana. Translators can cover the population centers of those markets reasonably well. It makes no sense, however, in larger markets. Austin is a good example of this. KEYI used to do well, usually top-5 12+, with oldies. When it became Bob FM, an oldies station from Llano started broadcasting on two translators. It doesn't even crack the book. KAHL in San Antonio has also seen minuscule, if any, improvement since being allowed to rebroadcast its signal on 103.7 FM (Kent, ibid.) Great - we lose more rim shots, KSKY gets a free ride to FM. So much for the neighborhood --- With KMAD / The Bear jammed by KVTT, and KNIN / KLRK jammed by KSKY - we lose more programming choices and diversity in the area. This is not a good thing. I don't need the same Christian stations repeated on other frequencies. I already get them on their primary frequencies. I've resisted satellite for years. Enough already. I'm getting it - the hell with intentional jamming - these "Christian" stations ought to ask themselves "what would Jesus do"? He sure didn't try to out shout people with dissenting ideas. He spoke in his own venues - to people that came to hear him (Bruce Carter, ibid.) KSKY is not a Christian station anymore. It is news talk (radioaircheck, ibid.) It is more like Right-Wing extremism. I couldn't believe some of the stuff Mike Gallagher was saying on election night (stevezodiac, ibid.) Check again - they just aren't as blatantly obvious. This is exactly what I thought would happen if the FCC started allowing AMs to have FM translators. It would be the big AMs with plenty of nighttime coverage already that would use this as a back door to an FM license - not the little mom and pop stations that have NO nighttime power at all. KSKY has 700 watts at night - sure it protects New York and Window Rock, but the coverage is complete over the entire metroplex. Much more than their stupid little translator has - except for those of us who have decent radios and can hear their junk all over 92.9 for miles and miles all over the metroplex. I say - let KSKY keep their AM license, or the FM license, but not both! This is ridiculous! If it is just an issue of FM sounding better - they ought to put HD on AM 660. After all - HD is the greatest thing to ever happen to radio, it will single-handedly save AM, HD receivers are flying off the shelves to long lines of eager consumers who wait all night for the latest model. And if you believe that, Santa Claus will fly on the 24th. If we want to reward somebody with a downtown Dallas translator, somebody who is desperate and deserves it - I say it ought to go to "the ranch" people, who have been trying desperately for years to get a decent signal. I detest country, but I feel their pain. Or if you want to give it to a deserving AM, why not KAAM that really NEEDS good sound because they play music and not talk, and they don't have a good nighttime signal. Or give it to KJIM, which lost their Ft. Worth outlet years ago to yet another Spanish language station. NOT to KSKY - that doesn't really need it, and doesn't bring any more diversity to the market (Bruce Carter, ibid.) Their signals on the FM side (92.9 and 99.5) both just happen to be the recommended signals from Sirius Satellite radio for the Dallas area. I wonder if that had any thing to do with their choice of signals? Those Right Wing Morons, they are always going after Howard Stern - give it up already!!! (PandK_71, ibid.) Howard Stern was making comments about the attractiveness of slain Columbine High School girls - and you defend him? But - Siriusly - here is our answer! All KNIN and KLRK fans - leave your modulators on 92.9 and let`s jam the bastards right off of 92.9! We can disagree on politics - but we agree that we do NOT want KSKY jamming 92.9, no matter what their politics!!! (Bruce Carter, ibid.) (probably radio- info.com DFW or TX board via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. FACILITY AND PARAMETER GRANTS: 1200 KFNW West Fargo, ND 50000/700 DA-D to 13000 DA-2 (IRCA DX Monitor Dec 20 via DXLD) This one caught my eye in a long list of grants. So after achieving 50 kW daytime, KFNW decided it would rather drop to 13 kW day and night with two different direxional patterns (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. So I'm listening to a Perseus TOH session from 12/13 at 5 pm EST and on 1490, out of the 'pile' comes an 800 Hz test tone for a few seconds and then the announcement "CBS radio network, studio 42." It goes on for the whole 5 minutes of my 'tape.' Anybody ever hear this before on 1490? We hear it sometimes when we have feed problems on VOA/RFE/RFA programs at work. It's not funny then. ;-) (Bill Whitacre, IBB, VA, IRCA via DXLD) "CBS Radio Networks, CHANNEL 42" is actually what you were hearing. Hard to pin down, since it doesn't even have to have been a CBS network affiliate you were hearing. The CBS radio network backbone is used by many other nets, too, including all the Westwood One feeds, Fox News Radio, Air America, etc - and it could have been an affiliate of ANY of those services with an automation foulup causing it to be broadcasting programming that wasn't really there. It's most commonly heard on weekend evenings when WW1 sports programming has ended and the automation at the local station level doesn't correctly switch away to whatever's supposed to be airing next. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) Well Bill, if you're looking to ID it, it would help to know where you are ;=) (Paul Walker, www.onairdj.com, location not given, ibid.) Sorry. Alexandria, VA with a south-facing Wellbrook phased array -- had two NC stations IDing almost simultaneously on the same cut -- WWNB & WRMT. Not really looking to ID it. Just wanted to share. bw (Bill Whitacre, ibid.) It's quite common on the GY frequencies. I've probably heard it a few times on each of them over the past decade or so (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA ( 360' ASL ), [15 mi NNW of Philadelphia], ibid.) I think it's unfair to say it's quite common on graveyard frequencies; it's common anywhere there's an automation mishap, big or small signal/station (Paul Walker, Ord NE, ibid.) Not when that's mostly what I DX. And neither when you consider that there are many more stations on a GY so the odds are greater (Russ Edmunds, ibid.) ** UZBEKISTAN. 6225 with easily recognizable Harold Camping intoning, Dec 18 at 1405. Is PWBR `2009` any help? Yes! Says Family Radio via Uzbekistan, and that is confirmed by HFCC, Aoki and EiBi; during the 14-15 hour only, 200 kW, 131 degrees. So I will criticize Uzbekistan instead, not exactly a Christian- friendly country, for selling out to the gospel huxters after cancelling its own lamented external service, Radio Tashkent. They probably figure the ordinary listener in South Asia will never know this is coming from Uzbekistan, as there are no announcements, ``This is the Family Radio transmitter leased from Uzbekistan, signing off`` Furthermore, I was hearing a much weaker signal on 6260, some music barely audible, and heavy flutter. The online listings agree this can only be CVC International, another evangelical outfit, in Hindi to S Asia, also via Tashkent, 100 kW at 153 degrees, 1400-2000 and also 0000-0400. Being a land-locked country, Uzbekistan obviously has no respect for the marine band 6200+, as long as the Christians can get blamed for the intrusion (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also KYRGYZSTAN ** VENEZUELA. Venezuela's Communication & Information (MIJ) Minister, Jesse Chacón "has announced that [his predecessor Andrés] Izarra will return to run Telesur and that a new branch of the channel will be opened next year with better technology." Vheadline, 10 December 2008. Is the "new branch" Radiosur? Update: "The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez Frías, ... [at] the 36th Summit of the Southern Common Market (Mercosur) ... said that Venezuela will present the progress of the television channel Telesur and the creation of Radiosur, which is already structured." Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias, 16 December 2008. Posted: 17 Dec 2008 (for linx see http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=5415 via DXLD) ** YEMEN. 6005, Yemen R&TV Corp, San'a, 1601-1620, Dec 17, Arabic news preceded by brief NA?, much stronger than co-channel VOR Turkish. 6135 is still being heard here regularly from fade-in around 1345 to 1500v s/off (Martien Groot, Schoorl, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 3400, 0552 (SOUTH AMERICAN PIRATE?) with pop music (including ‘Black is Black’ oldie) and Spanish announcements 12/11. Later conversations with another, so maybe two amateurs playing around? Followed past 0600 but nothing like an identification heard. (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai with AOR7030+ and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWEs to NE, E and SE, plus various 100 metre BOGs to the Americas, Dec NZ DX Times via DXLD) Or 2 x 1700, unsounds like XEPE (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 6025, re DXLD 8-128. Would not at all be surprised if this turned out to be Enugu again. Carrier measured on 6024.95 Dec 18 in the clear after AWR Bulgarian off 0600. Could not pull out any audio; will keep an eye on this (Martien Groot, Schoorl, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6215, Korean numbers by YL, Dec 18 at 1405 after a pause. Think I may have just missed the musical introduxion. Russian was much weaker, barely audible at 1406 on 6285 from VOK (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 17740 with Merlin music loop, Dec 17 at 1502-1503*, some pauses but no announcements, sandwiched between Japan via France 17735 and SRS via Portugal 17745. Likely Meyerton running overtime from VOA Kurdish 17740 as heard recently until 1500* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks to Will Martin for a generous check in the mail to Glenn Hauser, P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 DIGITAL BROADCASTING ++++++++++++++++++++ CAMBRIDGE SOUNDWORKS 820HD RADIO Went ahead and bought an HD radio to try it out; Cambridge Soundworks 820HD was reviewed in the latest Monitoring Times, and they liked it and said that there were discounted open-box models available for $120. But when I checked online they were only $100 (free ship) plus local sales tax. I ordered one but when it came it was defective -- the display didn't show anything at all. I called them and spoke with a nice guy who sent me a free UPS-return label via e-mail and shipped me a replacement, sending me a brand-new one for the open-box price. Got it in good shape and set it up and it works fine. Really decent sound and now access to several currently-commercial-free sub-channels from the local FM stations, including a good smooth-jazz one and a variety of pop music. Also a second NPR channel with different programming than the regular one. Temporarily set it up on the bathroom windowsill but have to clear a spot for it elsewhere. AM reception is reasonable at night -- comes with a separate AM loop and the manual suggests enhancing it with a Select-A-Tenna, which I have, so played a little bit with it. Don't get much directionality with just their loop, which is only a 6" X 4" or so plastic frame on a stand, wound with what seems like 4 turns or so of wire. Twisted pair back to a 1/8th" plug into the radio. FM reception dependent on position of the whip -- local FM talk on 97.1 not listenable (that one's marginal on many radios), WSIE (88.7) in Edwardsville dependent on tilting the whip sideways (that one also often difficult to get.) Local powerhouses & subchannels reliably OK. Actually ran out of pre-sets ("favorites") when I programmed in all the FM locals and their subchannels – only 30 spots. So only AM in "favorites" is KMOX 1120. So far haven't noticed much AM audio improvement on the few HD AMers here; little there I listen to anyway. One interesting note -- one FM dash-3 subchannel is KMOX 1120 AM audio. (Not home so I can't check which station that is, sorry.) 73, (Will Martin, St Louis MO, Dec 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) TDP DRM THE BEST [DRM: see also BULGARIA; NEW ZEALAND] 17 Dec 08, TDPradio (Belgium) - via Sackville, Canada - 9790 kHz DRM at ~2300 GMT One hour of nonstop dance music (or would be if not for the occasional non-decodable DRM dropout.) TDP still has the highest-quality audio I've found on DRM, and it's in stereo. This is the station that converted me to the potential of DRM: http://www.mediafire.com/?2mqg1nutezz Streaming audio via their website, if you like this sort of thing: http://www.tdpradio.com/ (Terry Wilson, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) FCC & LEGISLATIVE NEWS o House passes TV Nightlight bill, permitting some analog TV stations to continue broadcasting for 30 days after Feb 17 with essential and emergency information. President yet to sign. http://www.tvnewsday.com/articles/2008/12/11/daily.8/ (CGC Communicator Dec 17 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) DIGITAL TUNER ON DVD RECORDER? Do you know of a DVD recorder that is available where the tuner can be setup to the new digital frequencies? For example, say I want to record a TV program on the digital channel setting of 4.1, I now use one of those converters that are available at Wal-Mart ahead of my regular DVD recorder. My DVD recorder only sees the old TV channels I.a. 3, 4, 5, 6 etc, not 3.1, 3.2 etc. I see DVD recorders at Wal-Mart which advertise Digital Tuners, but I think they are advertising that the tuner is digital as far as it's construction, not it's frequency range. I suppose I could stay with the converter, but it does not have the same quality signal that my Vizio HDTV produces and what I think a HD DVD recorder would produce. Maybe I am mistaken with the "Digital Tuning" that is advertised with the DVD recorders? I questioned a Wal-Mart employee explaining that I was looking for a DVD recorder that tuned in the Digital frequencies, and she told me that they didn't have any in stock thing! That was a couple of months ago. I don't have the option of going across the street so to speak, and check out the competition because where I live, there is no competition (Clewiston, Florida); so I thought I ask you. Any information will be appreciated (Chuck Bolland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chuck, You raise a very good question, but I`m afraid I don`t have the answer. I am still using VHS. Of course these days it`s hard to find a VHS recorder with ANY tuner in it. This is already a problem and will be more so with digital. You would think latest DVD recorders would have this capability. I would not expect Walmart employees (or most other stores) to know the correct info either. Perhaps the best thing to do is buy one and try it out, and keep the option to return it for a refund. Or insist on reading the manual before purchase. And we can open this up for DXLD discussion. 73, (Glenn to Chuck, via DXLD) DTV: more under USA RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ DOG FENCE NOISE [re 8-128] Rene, I saw these posts: http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/RFI/2008-02/msg00009.html Its possible that it wasn't installed properly and that it doesn't make a loop like it should - e.g. one end may not be properly connected. Perhaps the dog dug up and gnawed the wire. Or it was installed by Goofuss Doofuss Dog Fence, Wicker and Piano Emporum Inc. Good luck! (Phil Rafuse, PEI, ABDX via DXLD) Thanks all, for your suggestions concerning my LW-MW Interference problem. I was able to talk briefly to my neighbor (with whom I have a good relationship and want to keep it that way). She turned it off and the noise went away, so that gives me double confirmation, along with my field strength readings, that the dog fence is the culprit. She says she will turn it off when the dog is not outside, and gave me the info on the dealer who sold and installed it. He and I are going to have a nice little chat in the next few days :-) about the problem. I saw the info on the fence and it is supposed to operate on 21.5 khz. But, its broadband splatter leads me to believe something is definitely not right with the unit. I am also going to bring a spectrum analyzer home from work and take some pictures of the interference to prove my case to the dealer in case he gets testy. Thanks again for your input, guys. 73, (Rene' Tetro, PA, IRCA via DXLD) WORLD OF HOROLOGY +++++++++++++++++ WWVB OCCASIONALLY GOES OFF THE AIR CGC Communicator December 17, 2008 http://earthsignals.com/add_CGC/WWVB_fail.htm The time and frequency station that synchronizes radio-controlled clocks and wristwatches across the U.S. is WWVB, 60 kHz, near Fort Collins, Colorado. The station broadcasts with two antennas and two transmitters for reliability but still drops off the air on occasion. That was the case on December 11, 2008 from 11:36 AM to 12:17 PM PST and we asked what happened. It turns out that winds of about 50 MPH or more physically move WWVB's wire antennas enough to upset the impedance match to the transmitters. Even though an automated tuning system is in place, it can't keep up with rapid reactance shifts caused by big winds according to the facility manager. The best solution for WWVB in the presence of high winds is to assign an operator (when possible) to manually correct the antenna reactance, just the way a board operator "rides gain" on audio from a live stage production. An operator can react faster than the present automated impedance controller. During normal operation, WWVB transmits 24 hours per day, seven days a week, providing the nation with reliable time and frequency information. CGC uses WWVB to synchronize its master oscillator which is then used in CGC's frequency measuring service. (GPS is not authorized for this purpose; see FCC Rule 73.1540(c).) To learn much more about WWVB, visit: http://tf.nist.gov/stations/wwvb.htm Written by Robert Gonsett, W6VR, December 15, 2008 and referenced in The CGC Communicator newsletter #872 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg, DXLD)###