DX LISTENING DIGEST 9-015, February 18, 2009 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 1448 Thu 0630 WRMI 9955 Thu 1630 WRMI 9955 Fri 0030 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0200 WRMI 9955 Fri 1230 WRMI 9955 Fri 2030 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290 Fri 2129 WWCR1 15825 Sat 0000 WBCQ 5110-CUSB Area 51 [irregular] Sat 0900 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 9510 [exc first Sat] Sat 0900 WRMI 9955 Sat 1730 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Sun 1615 WRMI 9955 Mon 0600 WRMI 9955 Mon 2300 WBCQ 7415 [confirmed Feb 9] Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Tue 1630 WRMI 9955 Wed 0600 WRMI 9955 [or new 1449] Wed 1630 WRMI 9955 [or new 1449] WBCQ is also airing new or archive editions of WOR M-F 2000 on 7415 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 or http://schedule.worldofradio.org or http://sked.worldofradio.org 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://podcast.worldofradio.org or http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/podcast.php OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org ** AFGHANISTAN. Radio Solh which stands for Radio Peace in English closed down on January 3. It was broadcasting from a studio in Washington DC on the strange out-of-band frequency of 6700 kHz. Its emissions were addressed to Afghanistan (Rumen Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX program Feb 13 via DXLD) There is no evidence that the 6700 transmissions broadcast from a WDC studio. The 6700 transmitters were certainly within Afghanistan. It was not // the other R. Solh on 13830, etc., via UK and UAE transmitters, which as discussed at some length here, apparently was a US PsyOp, and may have been run covertly from the same facility as R. Free Afghanistan/RFE/RL (or Praha?). But once they had recorded the single program broadcast over and over every day for months, it hardly matters if they did it in WDC, as the playback could have been anywhere, such as Merlin/VTC control in London. As for when 6700 closed, DXLD 9-010 had this: ``Solh transmitters on 6700 in Afghanistan have not been audible at my QTH since (at least) beginning of 2009 (Jari Savolainen, Finland)``. What is Rumen`s source for the precise date of January 3? His own daily checks? Yes, there were two transmitters on the frequency, sometimes interfering with each other (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) On the trail of Radio Solh --- Greetings from Kandahar Air Field! Arrived here four days ago and have been extremely busy erecting two 3.7m sat dishes for a satellite hub. My project is slightly delayed due to the cheapness of some people in my organization who insist on shipping everything via FedEx Economy rather than getting it here promptly via DHL Express.... But that's another story. For those who don't know, this military facility is h-u-g-e! In my travels thus far, I have not identified any sort of permanent transmission antenna which might have served for the 6700 kHz Radio Solh. The only ones I have seen thus far are a dipole over the Dutch Battalion (used for comms per their XO) and a TV transmission antenna by the British unit used for transmitting BFBS TV. I have passed some mobile units with high power whip antennas of interesting length which I shall investigate further, and continue looking around as time permits me. On a side note, I am amazed at the quality and variety of military mess halls here. These are run by KBR UK and they do an excellent job with variety and taste. This is certainly a helluva lot different from the military food when I was in. There is no alcohol on base (it is dry - but nothing is checked so you bring it in and consume at your own risk), and there are entertainment evenings (big open-air concert coming up) and several fast-food places like Burger King and Subway and even a Tim Horton's for you Canadian donut freaks. :-) And, so far, none of the ubiquitous rocket attacks! Will report more when and as I can. Best 73 (Al Muick, Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGUILLA. Pastor Melissa Scott is Live from Anguilla --- She is doing a live service from Anguilla right now. She is there this week to visit the Caribbean Beacon. http://www.drgenescott.com/Live_Video.asx 73, (Chaz Lambrusco, 1915 UT Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So also on Anguilla 11775, WWCR 13845 (gh) Here is the local Anguillan news coverage of the event http://www.anguillian.com/article/articleprint/6549/-1/140/ (Chaz Lambrusco, Feb 16, DX LISTENIING DIGEST) Viz.: BEACON RADIO ORGANISING PUBLICITY CONCERT IN ANGUILLA Owner of the Caribbean Beacon Radio at Sandy Hill, Anguilla, Mellisa Scott, widow of the late Gene Scott of Los Angeles, California, is the principal organiser of a religious musical event which is expected to provide a lot of publicity for the island while at the same time presenting “The Love of God through music and The Word.” The event was announced on Tuesday this week by Dean Hopkins, an aide to Pastor Mellisa Scott who, in addition to being the owner of the Beacon, is the Minister of two churches in Los Angeles, California. The concert will be held at the Landsome Bowl Cultural Centre on Sunday, February 15, from 2.30 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. “We are going to have an event that combines music and a message from God’s Word,” Mr. Hopkins said. “We are going to focus on the love of Christ, but the principal purpose is that we want to show people in the United States, via this live television broadcast, that will be beamed across the US, Anguilla as they have not seen or considered it. “These are people who know about Anguilla but probably many of them have not considered coming here to make this a place of their vacation or visit. We want to show them a little slice of the island.” Several religious singing and musical groups on the island will be featured at the event. They will include the St. Augustine Chorale and Orchestra under the direction of Professor Lennox Vanterpool; Chris Richardson and his Unity Singers and the No Walls of Hope Church Youth Choir. Pastor Mellisa Scott, a noted singer, will also be performing and will deliver a short message. Mr. Hopkins, who will be bringing in television equipment to Anguilla for the live broadcast next week, said the event was expected to be an interesting one which, apart from its religious significance, would be a showpiece for attracting tourists to the island. “We have a large network that reaches across the United States and goes international as well,” Mr. Hopkins who is a frequent visitor to Anguilla went on. “There is a very large audience in the United States and we also tape the broadcasts for playing at other occasions outside the live hours. I think many people do not have a concept of Anguilla and I believe it is a culturally fascinating place. My hope is to make the event something that we do every year.” The event will be under the chairmanship of John Benjamin, Chairman of the Anguilla Tourist Board, and legal representative of the Caribbean Beacon Radio (via Chaz, DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. Hi Glenn, Interesting article about Antarctic research station to be set up by Belgium. It will be interesting to determine if there will be plans for a "communications post," perhaps including shortwave? BELGIUM OPENS NEW ANTARCTIC POLAR RESEARCH STATION http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_belgium_antarctic_polar_station (Ed Insinger, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Comms are certainly essential for any remote base in Antarctica; as for broadcasting, we can only hope this will lead to a ``Voice of Belgian Antarctica``; someone needs to do a better job of it than LRA36 --- hmmm, have not seen that reported for some time on 15476. Are they on another annual summer break, crew rotation? Please check right away whether 15476 has anything between 18 and 21 UT (Glenn Hauser, OK, Feb 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have a weak carrier centered near or on 15476.0 at 1910 UTC...but then, that's about I all I usually ever get here from LRA36 anyway. I would imagine it's them, but someone in South America could probably provide a more definitive answer (Mark Schiefelbein, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 11710.85, RAE, 0115-0135, Feb 14, local Spanish ballads. ID. English talk. Very weak modulation in noisy conditions (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 19m band opening Febr 14, log at 1939 UTC, Perseus, FD-4 ant. Einfach mal drueber gedreht. Quick and dirty: keine ID abgewartet. 15345.000 - 71 RAE Sp (Albert Kosnopfel-D, A-DX Feb 14, via BCDX via DXLD) ??? Does the Perseus display frequencies to three decimal places, even when they are wrong? By pure chance, RAE could land on its nominal exact frequency, but it is habitually way off. A bunch of other logs were all also shown as .000, unlikely. Please study the concept of significant digits (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Und mit dem Leichtgewicht Eton Lextronix E1 um 2000-2030 UT auch noch: 15344.94 S=8 RAE ARG (Wolfgang Büschel, Feb 14, BC-DX via DXLD) That`s more like it ** AUSTRIA [non]. Monitored 13675 after CRI relay closed at 1559, and up came something in German at 1600, with ``12 Uhr`` timecheck and immediately into Mittagsjournal, but no ID! It`s rather poor form to initiate a transmission without even identifying yourself. Hmm, it`s noon in Sackville, so are they now producing German programs there? But context of items soon led one to believe it was Wien, and therefore this `news` was at least 5 hours old! What if something important had broken in the interim? Never mind, you vill vait until 24 hours later to hear about it (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AZERBAIJAN [and non]. AZERI RADIO STATIONS INVITED TO ENTER US MARKET | Text of report by private Azerbaijani news agency Turan Baku, 11 February: The US Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) held "fruitful" talks in Baku over broadcasts of Voice of America and the BBC programmes in Azerbaijan, US ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse said in Baku today. She added that, as proposed by Azerbaijan, the BBG had advanced its proposals. In particular, the preliminary version of a draft of an intergovernmental agreement was presented. The "issues" of resuming foreign radio broadcasts in their previous form were reflected in the draft. At the same time, the draft gives Azerbaijani broadcasters the chance to broadcast their programmes in Azeri and English on the USA's FM frequencies as well as short-wave and medium- wave. "This would have allowed the American audience to get acquainted with information about Azerbaijan and its culture," the ambassador said. She expressed the hope that the talks would end successfully. Source: Turan news agency, Baku, in Russian 0833 gmt 11 Feb 09 (via BBCM via DXLD) ?? Does ``USA`s FM frequencies`` refer to the hoped-for resumption on transmitters inside Azerbaijan? Not according to the headline, which may have been written by BBCM rather than Turan. The US ambassador has no power to put any Azerbaijani programs on FM or AM stations in the USA, all of which are private and make their own programming decisions, unless they could be persuaded for the good of the nation. I suppose she could diplomatically give them a `chance`, knowing full well that they have little chance. And it`s hard to imagine IBB SW transmitters anywhere carrying Azerbaijan programs, but that could be done as the price of getting back on the air inside the country. Those transmitters would still not serve US audiences intentionally (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) AZERBAIJAN INTERNATIONAL RADIO QUID PRO QUO IN THE WORKS? "The U.S. has offered Azerbaijani radio stations the right to broadcast in the English language in the U.S. should Radio Liberty and Voice of America (VOA) resume broadcasting on national frequencies. 'The U.S. Broadcasting Council officials made a preliminary proposal to resume broadcasting Radio Liberty and VOA in Azerbaijan,' U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ann Derse told journalists on Feb. 11. 'Our officials have been discussing the issue since Feb. 10.' ... The proposal envisages resuming broadcasting based on an intergovernmental agreement. Azerbaijani radio stations will have the right to air their programs in the English language in U.S." Trend News Agency, 11 February 2009. See my speculation on 22 January. http://www.kimandrewelliott.com/?id=5714 "Azerbaijani Parliamentary Vice Speaker Bahar Muradova said prohibiting foreign radio stations from broadcasting on national frequencies was the correct decision. 'The decision to ban foreign radio stations from broadcasting on national frequencies should not be discussed. Azerbaijan has not stopped broadcasting foreign radio stations, period.'" Trend News Agency, 10 February 2009. "Representatives of the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG) will meet this week to discuss returning Radio Liberty and Voice of America (VOA) to the Azerbaijani airwaves, head of the Public Relations Department at the U.S. Embassy Terry Davidson told Trend News on Feb. 9. ... 'We welcome the BBG's willingness to determine a legal framework within which Radio Liberty and VOA can broadcast their programs in the manner prior to the NRTC's decision,' Davidson said." Trend News Agency, 9 February 2009. "Today, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe is giving a paid speech to a pro-government NGO in Azerbaijan, according to media reports (RFE/RL, Ken Silverstein, and Ben Smith). The journalist in Baku who broke the story of Plouffe's visit, of the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, told a contact that she and other journalists tried to attend Plouffe's speech Monday at Baku's Gerb (Western) University but were not allowed in. Plouffe was also scheduled to have a meeting with the president of Azerbaijan. The visit comes 'on the eve of a referendum abolishing term limits which will leave the president in power for as long as he wants,' a former U.S. oil executive who worked in Azerbaijan writes The Cable. 'This visit will be represented inside Azerbaijan as a sign of President Obama's personal support for Ilham Aliyev. ...The runup to this referendum has seen the government shut down Radio Liberty, VOA and BBC and also harassing/arresting/beating anyone who tries to campaign against it.'" Laura Rozen, Foreign Policy The Cable blog, 9 February 2009. See previous post about same subject. Posted: 11 Feb 2009 (see http://kimelli.nfshost.com/index.php?id=5878 for linx, via DXLD) ** BELGIUM [non]. See ANTARCTICA ** BRAZIL [and non]. For the second day in a row, R. Uirapuru-760 Fortaleza, Brazil atop channel in Portuguese 2217 UT (Marc DeLorenzo, South Dennis, Cape Cod, Mass., Feb 15, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) Notice WABC's IBOC is now off (Rick Shaftan, 2227 UT Feb 15, ibid.) It's been off for maybe two weeks now. Even got WCHP-760 and WTME-780 in late afternoon daylight thanks to that. However, am I hearing things or did they widen their analog signal to pre-IBOC levels? Wonder what the reason is for this. Maybe IBOC stations will start looking at their IBOC fees in this distressed economy? (Joe Fela, NJ, ibid.) ** BRAZIL. 4925.25, Radio Educacao Rural, Tefe, 0150-0202*, Feb 14, lite music. Portuguese talk by man & woman. Closing ID announcements at 0201. Poor in noisy conditions. (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Hello Glenn, The station that Paul Brouillette, of Geneva, captured in 4845 and heard speaking a few words "Tropical Waves", should be the same Rádio Cultura Ondas Tropicais, which operates with 10 kW, from Manaus in the Amazonas. The most recent hearing that we had this season is the Anker Petersen on December 26, 2008 (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, Barbacena MG, Brasil, Feb 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Colegas, Nesse momento, 0135 UT de 17/02, ouço a WWV em 10000 kHz com SINPO 34433, nem sombra da interferência do ON. Será que saiu do ar ou é a propagação? 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL [and non]. RNA, 11780, Feb 15 at 0633, again putting extremely distorted spurs plus and minus 50 kHz, causing severe interference to RFI on 11830, and on 11730 ratcheting the top side of RNZI 11725 requiring one to side-tune lower for it. Previously the spurs have been more like 58-59 kHz away from fundamental. This was so heavy on RFI that I had a hard time identifying the language they were speaking. It`s supposed to be Portuguese, via South Africa, but sounded mostly like French; perhaps there were extended excerpts of something originally in French. But hey, no more audio dropouts on RNA itself, listening to 6185 and 11780, tho the 11780 modulation was a bit low, which may correlate with putting out lots of distorted modulation on the spurs. The sign-on time of RNA varies by day of week, but now that DST is over, should be one hour later than during the past quadrimonth. Unlike the night before, Sunday morning, RNA was absent from 11780, Monday Feb 16 at 0633, and so were its spurs on 11730 and 11830. I`ve yet to figure out the real schedule for these and 6185 transmissions; XEPPM was also QRM-free. They do vary depending on day of week, and now local time is UT -3. WRTH 2009 just shows 0900-0200 but this is certainly incorrect, or incomplete. PWBR `2009` shows 11780 at 0645-0230, but one hour later in ``mid-year`` (i.e. 0745-0330 now that DST is over; it really doesn`t feel like mid-year yet! only one sesquimonth into 2009), and furthermore filling in the gap on Sundays only for 24-hour operation. That corresponds roughly with what I have been hearing, not hearing. PWBR fails to mention any Brazilian station under Voices From Home, page 330! This one would certainly qualify more than any other, if they are dealing only with strong signals heard worldwide. Aoki says 11780 is on at 0700-0245 7 days a week, but power as only 7.5 kW, instead of 250 as in WRTH, so other Aoki info is questionable; PWBR does not hazard a guess as to power. Aoki`s azimuth is 360 degrees, meaning due north, I suppose. Eibi guesses both 6185 and 11780 are 24 hours, and doesn`t deal with azimuths from anywhere. HFCC has no entries for Brasil on 11780 or 6185, but frequency managers ignore these behemoths at their peril. BTW, there was a report a few months ago that RNA would be buying new transmitters in February, hopefully spurless ones (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. BETTY ZIMMERMAN, 85: RADIO EXECUTIVE Broadcast 'pioneer' led Radio Canada International SANDRA MARTIN, February 12, 2009 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090212.OBZIMMERMAN12//TPStory/Obituaries As one of the first female executives in Canadian broadcasting, Betty Zimmerman headed Radio Canada International and extended its mandate in the 1980s and 1990s, breaking barriers for women in her field. "She was one of those no-nonsense, focused women who broke through the glass ceiling," said Michael McEwen, a consultant and former executive vice-president of the CBC. "She was a pioneer." Describing Ms. Zimmerman as a great friend and protégé of the late William (Bill) Armstrong, a former president of the corporation, Mr. McEwen said she was "gruff" and not "especially nurturing," but fair - "and I think she was very fair because she had had to fight her own way up the ladder. I found her an even-handed, thoughtful kind of leader." Elizabeth (Betty) Zimmerman was the only daughter and middle child of Harry Zimmerman, an insurance salesman, and his Icelandic wife Elizabeth, a theatrical producer. She was born in Winnipeg in 1923. Like many girls of that era, she joined the Brownies. And that was how, in the depths of the Depression, she met Jackie Park (then Rosen) in the basement of the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue. They became lifelong friends. "She always had the idea of being self-sufficient and of being able to take care of herself in the world," said Ms. Park, "and a lot of that came from her mother, who was a very independent woman and well known in Winnipeg for putting on theatrical shows and concerts." Even as a child, the blonde and blue-eyed Ms. Zimmerman was prone to illness and had a "weak chest." She never let that slow her down, but she was always very modest about her own achievements, according to Ms. Park. Betty went to Kelvin High School and then the University of Manitoba. After graduating in 1944, she moved to Ottawa to work as a negative cutter at the National Film Board, where Ms. Park was already working as a production assistant under legendary British documentary maker John Grierson. The two young women pooled their resources - Ms. Park remembers her own salary being $70 a month - and took a little apartment together on Rideau Street. After working at the NFB for about eight years, Ms. Zimmerman was hired as a producer-director of documentaries at Crawley Films, an independent film company founded and run by Frank (Budge) Crawley. Early in her career, Ms. Zimmerman acted and directed at the Ottawa Little Theatre, performed with the Orpheus Society and was active with the Ottawa Children's Theatre, for which she wrote three plays. She was involved with the Ottawa Film Society, serving as its president in 1958 and 1959. In 1959, she joined the CBC as a producer of current-affairs programs for radio. By then, the television service was well established, and she soon began working in that medium as well. In the mid-1960s, she worked on The Observer, a weekly early-evening current-affairs show broadcast in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, under Harry J. Boyle (obituary Jan. 24, 2005). Ms. Zimmerman also worked on Live and Learn, a weekly educational broadcast that was initially produced in co-operation with the University of Toronto. She produced Perception and Learning with Robert Wake and Russell Wendt and faculty for Carleton University. In 1978, as the CBC's director of overseas and foreign relations (later international relations), she co-ordinated the broadcaster's international interests all over the world. The same year, she was appointed to succeed Marshall McLuhan on UNESCO's International Commission for the Study of Communication Problems, chaired by Irish politician Sam McBride. She was the only woman among the commission's 16 members, who included Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez, Japanese journalist Michio Nagai and the director-general of Tass, the Soviet news agency. Although the commission's mandate was "to approach communications globally," this was far from an easy task during the Cold War. The McBride Commission's 1980 report "Many Voices, One World" is thought in some quarters to have prompted Washington to withdraw from UNESCO. It has had a longer shelf life on postsecondary communications and journalism courses. In 1979, Ms. Zimmerman reached the pinnacle of her broadcasting career when she was appointed director of Radio Canada International, the CBC's shortwave service. "She bridged the old mandate of RCI, coming out of the war, and the new mandate, which was speaking to communications in the 1980s and 1990s," said Mr. McEwen. "The fact that RCI is still with us speaks to the fact that she was able to convince people that RCI was important for Canada's cultural and economic mission outside its borders." During her 10-year tenure at RCI in Montreal, Ms. Zimmerman tried very hard to keep the shortwave service independent of the agenda of the Department of External Affairs, and she expanded RCI's range to include Asia and the Pacific Rim in several languages. She retired in 1989, but that didn't mean she put her feet up. "The most interesting thing about Betty is that there were so many sides to her nature. She tried to do everything, and she was pretty good at almost anything, because she had a terrific amount of energy and she didn't quit," Ms. Park said. "She was seriously interested in the theatre and in cooking - she would have been called a foodie today - and she was also living a professional life as a broadcasting executive." Although she never had children, she was very close to her nieces and nephew, according to Ms. Park. She took up Aquasize in her 70s and tap-dancing at 80. About three years ago, Ms. Zimmerman, an inveterate smoker, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. Despite a death sentence and rigorous treatment, she lived another three indomitable years. BETTY ZIMMERMAN was born in Winnipeg on Dec. 19, 1923. She died Jan. 26, 2009, after a stroke combined with complications from lung cancer in hospital in Ottawa. She was 85. Predeceased by her parents and her brothers, she is survived by dear friends Hellie Wilson and Jackie Park, two sisters-in-law, a nephew, two nieces and extended family (via Dan Say, BC, DXLD) OBIT ** CANADA. It seems there is a DX segment (DX news?) within RCI`s Spanish mailbag show, ``The Message Beaver``; I should listen sometime (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: From: Facebook Subject: "EL CASTOR MENSAJERO" Date: Friday, February 13, 2009, 11:49 AM Ginella Díaz envió un mensaje a los miembros de/del EL CASTOR MENSAJERO. Asunto: ¿Qué tiene el Castor para este fin de semana? Hola familia, Este domingo en el Castor conversaremos vía telefónica con Pedro Iraeta, un oyente salvadoreño, radicado en Montreal. En el Espacio DX contaremos con la participación de Francisco Rubio Cubo de España, Marco Rubén Ruiz Díaz y Leonardo Nicolás Enmanuel Reiman de Argentina. Ginette Law de Generación Web estará con nosotros para hablar de internet a través de la telefonía celular y escucharemos a un canadiense de todos los tiempos, Bryam [sic] Adams. ¡Buena escucha y buen fin de semana! (via Yimber Gaviría, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) ** CANADA. How come the DX Digest show was not included on this history of the CBC? Have you heard this? Click here http://secure.ckut.ca/128/20090215.10.30-11.00.mp3 (Artie Bigley, OH, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) That would be the International Radio Report this week (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. Fun: Let the tower mesmerize you: http://www.cbctransmission.ca/ (via Bill Hepburn, WTFDA via DXLD) Linx to maps showing all CBC-owned tower sites; soliciting extra bizness, guess (gh) ** CANADA. CRTC CHANGES ITS TUNE ON RADIO PLAYLISTS --- EXCEPT IN MONTREAL AND OTTAWA Grant Surridge, Financial Post Published: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 The federal broadcast regulator upheld rules Wednesday limiting the amount of popular music English-language FM radio stations in Montreal and Ottawa can play, a situation one broadcaster says puts it at a disadvantage. The Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission said commercial FM stations in those two bilingual markets will remain restricted to devoting at maximum 50% of their air time to top 40 hits. The rules were implemented in 1975 as part of wider measures to protect AM broadcasters. But because French-language FM broadcasters must play at least two-thirds of their set lists as French-language songs, owners of those stations were concerned they would be at a disadvantage alongside their English-language competitors. . . http://www.financialpost.com/story.html?id=1279094 (via Dale Park, HI, DXLD) ** CANADA. 6030, Feb 16 at 1431, very weak signals mixing to produce fast SAH, but briefly one dominated with YL giving Canadian news headlines, ergo CFVP Calgary. Brief ``running water`` ute QRM, but no jamming audible this time; the DentroCubans had either turned it off or it had faded out. 6160 CKZU was also audible slightly better at 1432, talking about risk of landslides in BC (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [and non]. CJAM-FM BEING PUSHED AROUND BY FCC A good example of a poorly organized non-caring government agency picking on the little guys outside their jurisdiction in order to preserve the flow of money and the expansion of crappy American commercial radio, opposed to a popular Canadian low-powered college station minding its own business. Although both sides have some fault in this debate, I'm finding it hard to support the approve-almost-any-station FCC over a small college station stuck across the river from a metro area of 4+ million people. >From the Windsor Star last week -- "After 25 years on the air, University of Windsor's community radio station CJAM-FM (91.5) could lose its licence in an international turf war between the U.S. and Canada. Adam Fox, CJAM manager, said there is a real concern the station's FM frequency will be taken over by a commercial radio station in Michigan. "The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has already granted a licence to a station in China Township," said Fox. It is located in St. Clair County, north of Port Huron, but its signal power would reach the Detroit-Windsor market and the frequency would no longer be available to CJAM. The move is the latest slap in the face for CJAM, which languishes in unprotected status with its low-power signal. Last fall, CBC applied for a licence at 91.5 to move its Radio One service off the AM dial. That application has since been withdrawn in favour of..." Read the rest of this story here including claims of interfering with 91.7 WUOM: http://www.windsorstar.com/Entertainment/CJAM+risks+losing+licence/1274166/story.html (Chris Kadlec, Fremont, Mich., Feb 16, WTFDA via DXLD) There is MUCH more to this story. First of all, it's impossible for a US station to "force" a Canadian station off the air, or vice versa. Any new FM application within a certain distance of the border has to be approved not only by the FCC, but also by Industry Canada, and sure enough, right there in the file for the China Township, MI application (not yet a granted CP) is this note: "Comments: 2/6/2009: Accepted on channel 218A by Industry Canada in 1/6/2009 letter as a specially negotiated, short-spaced allotment limited to the proposed parameters, including directional antenna pattern, towards channel 217A(L) in Chatham, ON (Az. = 76 deg to 162 deg)." In other words, the Canadian regulators had to approve this before the FCC could act on it, and they did. (Note that Canada actually has two agencies involved - the CRTC decides whether an application can be approved from a market-concentration standpoint, but Industry Canada handles the technical aspects.) The key here is to note that as far as the FCC is concerned, CJAM doesn't exist as a protected station right now. That's not the FCC's fault *at all* - the nature of the license that CJAM applied for is that it's an "unprotected" station, and there's language right on the license that explicitly states that it's subject to being bumped by a station of a higher class. In the specific case of CJAM, while it's really running 900+ watts, it's reported *by Canada* to the US as a "class D translator," with no domestic protection status. Again, that's not the FCC's fault - it's simply working with the information it receives from its counterparts in Canada. Such unprotected stations often aren't even reported to the FCC by Industry Canada, since the only reason the FCC has Canadian stations in its database is for protection issues. (This works in both directions - Canadian stations need give no protection to US signals with "unprotected" status, such as translators.) Yes, the FCC makes a convenient bogeyman for CJAM when it's making its case in the press, but the fact is that CJAM could just as easily have been bumped (and indeed, almost was) by a Canadian broadcaster. And in any event, CJAM is doing the right thing now behind the scenes, applying for protected status on 99.1. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) ** CHAD. 4905, RNT N'djamena, 0430, Feb 13, French. NA in progress at tune-in; M with s/on announcements in French into Afropops; re-check at 0506 with music; announcer with local TC (6 o'clock) and tentative mention of "FM Nationale"; signal abruptly gone at 0509; stayed on frequency for a few minutes more but signal never returned; fair (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, N.H. USA, NRD545, RX350D, CLR/DSP, MLB1, 2000' Bevs, 60m Dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) A few nites ago I was hearing this as late as 0645, which must be right at fadeout time, if they are on the air at all, steadily earlying (Glenn Hauser, OK, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. CHINESE CITIZEN JOURNALISTS REPORT FIREWORKS AT CCTV by Andy Sennitt 11-02-2009 [see illustration at:] http://www.radionetherlands.nl/features/media/090211-cctv-fireworks-bloggers Chinese bloggers are defying censorship efforts and taking delight in ridiculing the state television station CCTV. Only a few weeks after the Chinese government declared that it plans to expand its overseas TV broadcasting to better inform the world about events in China, CCTV failed to adequately cover a major story literally on its own doorstep. The problem for CCTV is that the blaze that burned down part of its new headquarters was its own fault. It had organised a fireworks party for its staff and their guests, but had failed to get permission from the authorities. One of the fireworks started a blaze which engulfed a nearly completed 30-storey cultural centre that was to house a luxury hotel, a television studio and an IT centre. One firefighter died trying to contain the blaze. Main tower undamaged The complex that was destroyed was located next to the spectacular, gravity-defying CCTV tower designed by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, which is due to open in October. Fortunately, the tower - which has become the latest showpiece in Beijing - was undamaged. Embarrassed CCTV officials tried to censor coverage of the fire, but thanks to the millions of Chinese users on the Internet, the story got out anyway. Members of the public armed with camera phones, text messages, and email filled the void. One blogger, Wang Xiaofeng, wrote that "Even though the fire was up to their eyebrows, they were still trying to hide the truth... in this breaking news, the official media was defeated by the citizen media." Directive China's propaganda authorities quickly sent out a directive to media demanding no photos, video or in-depth reports, and that they rely only on the version put out by the official Xinhua news agency. But someone quickly published the directive on the Internet, so now tens of millions of Chinese people, and the rest of the world, know that the authorities were trying to restrict coverage. The website of CCTV International does have a report, including video, of the blaze, and even has a poll on the site asking whether fireworks should be banned. But the domestic website of CCTV doesn't appear to feature anything about the fire on its Home Page. Xiao Qiang, head of the University of California's China Internet Project, told the AFP news agency that the online response reflected frustration among Chinese people about having to endure CCTV's propaganda-driven agenda. "Many of the 'critical comments' that the authorities are busy deleting actually reflect a popular antagonistic attitude among netizens toward CCTV." Damaged repuation This is the latest in a series of negative stories that have damaged the reputation of CCTV both at home and abroad. Twenty-two academics last month launched an online boycott campaign condemning CCTV's "brainwashing" and failure to report sensitive news such as the contaminated milk scandal that led to six children dying and nearly 300,000 falling ill. Separately, another website called "Anti-CCTV" dedicated to highlighting the broadcaster's mistakes has attracted more than 178,000 visits since April last year. Meanwhile, Chinese prosecutors are probing the blaze. According to The Procuratorial Daily, the newspaper of the state prosecution and anti- graft agency, officials are investigating "dereliction of duty". Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper said "suspects and evidence have been placed under police control". It did not specify who was under investigation or for what offences. The fire swept quickly through the side building in part because of lack of water, the report said. "The hoses of the firetrucks could not reach the rooftop, and there were no water supplies inside the building." CCTV has apologised for staging the unlicensed fireworks display. (Sources: AFP, Reuters)(RNW via DXLD) Viz.: CCTV OFFICIAL DETAINED OVER MASSIVE FIRE http://www.chinaview.cn 2009-02-12 09:55:43 http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-02/12/content_10805915.htm Related Videos [linked]: CCTV itself responsible for Monday's massive fire: Official Crowds watch hotel destroyed by fire beside Beijing's new CCTV headquarters Firefighter dies in CCTV hotel fire, 6 others in hospital [I watched the second one above; 3 minutes long starting and ending in English but including lengthy clips of two eyewitnesses speaking only in Chinese, no captions or translations; what`s with that?? --- gh] BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Beijing police have detained an official of China Central Television over Monday night's massive fire that caused one death and seven injuries in a building which housed part of its new headquarters, the municipal public security bureau confirmed Thursday. The detained man, Xu Wei, born in 1959, was taken to a police station near CCTV's new site in eastern Beijing's central business district after flames engulfed a 30-story building at 8:27 p.m. Monday, a bureau spokesman told Xinhua. Xu, who is in charge of the new site's construction, was suspected of having been responsible for starting the fire by using banned fireworks, the spokesman said. Xu is a native of Beijing and began working at CCTV in 1983. The picture taken on the night of Feb. 9, 2009 shows a big fire is engulfing a building next to the new tower of China Central Television (CCTV) in east Beijing. No casuality is reported yet and the cause of the fire is under investigation.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>> He is among 12 people detained so far. The other 11 included three CCTV workers and eight people CCTV hired from a fireworks company in central Hunan Province to set off the explosives, the spokesman said. Monday was the traditional Lantern Festival and the last day fireworks were allowed in downtown Beijing as it marked the ending of this year's Chinese New Year celebration period. CCTV workers at the new site said they all received a text message inviting them to a grand fireworks display at 8 p.m. outside the nearly-completed building. When flames claimed the building that houses some CCTV facilities as well as the then-unopened Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the eight fireworks operators fled, leaving 21 packs of extra large fireworks and equipment for lighting the explosives. Police caught the eight in Langfang, a tiny city on the Beijing-Hebei border Tuesday. A Beijing government spokesman said the fireworks they had set off were extremely dangerous and needed approval before being allowed in downtown Beijing. He alleged that CCTV had not got approval and further alleged that its workers ignored policemen's warnings that night. A source close to CCTV, who refused to be named, said fireworks had been set off at the iconic new tower since 2007. He said CCTV spent about 1 million yuan (146,000 U.S. dollars) on the festive explosives this year. CCTV apologized Tuesday for the "great loss" and traffic congestion caused by the lethal blaze. The fire paralyzed traffic in eastern Beijing and led to the evacuation of 626 residents. One firefighter died from breathing toxic fumes and seven people were taken to hospital, including six firemen and one construction worker. CCTV did not say if the fire would postpone the inauguration of the new site, originally slated for October. The burnt building and CCTV's main tower were both designed by Rem Koolhaas's Rotterdam-based Office for Metropolitan Architecture. Total investment is about 5 billion yuan (Xinhua via DXLD) Xinhua, so you can never be sure all this is true, but seems rather glasnosty. Weblink above leads to many other stories re (gh, DXLD) OPINION-- Straits Times Singapore / CHINA: CREDIBILITY OF CCTV TARNISHED BY BIG FIRE 2009-02-16 14:29 BEIJING, CHINA: It was one of the gems in Beijing's makeover for the Olympics, and its jaw-dropping design helped the Chinese capital achieve a skyline to rival those of the world's most modern cities. Then an inferno gutted an unoccupied 30-storey building that was part of state broadcaster China Central Television's (CCTV) almost completed 5 billion yuan (US$731 million) base last on 9 Feb. The reaction that followed online was not quite the response of a public distraught over the ruin of one of their capital's top architectural draws. Instead, the blaze - reportedly sparked by an unlicensed fireworks display organised by CCTV staff to mark the end of the Chinese New Year - unleashed a storm of ridicule and criticism from netizens who took pot-shots, ranging from the sarcastic to the comical, at CCTV. Their main beef - that the country's national television station created one of the year's biggest news stories, but failed to report the event promptly, or honestly. As 10m-high flames devoured the building, members of the public recorded the blaze on their mobile phones and uploaded their recordings within the hour. Yet when some rushed to their computers for updates that night, they found no mention of the fire on CCTV's website. Censors soon removed the most dramatic images of the burning building circulating on the Internet. But the damage to CCTV's image had already been done. A popular Chinese blogger, Wang Xiaofeng, declared victory for citizen journalists: "Even though the fire was up to their eyebrows, they were still trying to hide the truth...in this case of breaking news, the official media was defeated by the citizen media." Others slammed CCTV for its double standards: "Had it been another organisation...CCTV would have gone to town with it!" Another group was furious over 'immense wastage' - it took 140,000 tonnes of steel to build CCTV's new complex, three times the amount used to construct the Bird's Nest stadium and now part of it might have to be pulled down. The blaze could have caused at least 600 million yuan (US$87.7 million) of damage, reported the latest issue of China Newsweek magazine, quoting an unnamed architect. Analysts said the fire opened the floodgates of pent-up frustration with CCTV - the Chinese Communist Party's powerful, well-funded, but ostensibly not very well-liked, propaganda mouthpiece. Last month, 22 Chinese lawyers and academics, issued an open letter - carried on a US-based website - calling for a boycott of CCTV news programmes they termed 'low-grade propaganda'. They accused CCTV of biased coverage and of white-washing sensitive news. Hours after the blaze, investigators revealed that CCTV officials had used the tower, meant to house the Mandarin Oriental hotel, as a backdrop for a pyrotechnics display involving fireworks so powerful that a government permit was needed. They said CCTV staff did not have one and also ignored police warnings. The fire took some 600 firefighters almost six hours to put out. One firefighter died and seven others were injured. On Tuesday (10 Feb) afternoon, CCTV apologised for the 'loss', and the traffic congestion as police had to cordon off roads. But its 7pm news bulletin relegated the story to the second last item and kept it brief. CCTV failed to show footage of the blaze at its height, dwelling mainly on images of firefighters and police. It was not because it did not have the clips - CCTV staff had recorded the fireworks on four cameras when the fire started, reports said. Beijing authorities acted swiftly and have detained 12 people, including the chief of construction for CCTV's new base. Local courts which deal with dereliction of duty are investigating the case, Xinhua reported, suggesting heavy punishment could be meted out. Still, bloggers maintained that questions remain unanswered. Shanghai-based Han Han, 26, a star blogger who was among the first to post about the fire on the Internet, wondered if there was more to the accident. How 'unauthorised' could it have been given that the fireworks did not come cheap, the display was controlled by computer and recorded by cameras? "Can we infer then that a CCTV department director doesn't need to get permission before he decides to spend millions on lighting fireworks?" he asked in a 11 Feb post on his China blog which was deleted but later resurrected on a US-based website. It is increasingly the trend in many countries that mainstream media is beaten to the news by citizen journalists and bloggers. But CCTV's belated reporting of a news story of its own making was a 'miscalculation', said Renmin University's journalism school dean Yu Guoming. This feet-dragging over bad or sensitive news is a remnant of a system under which permission must be obtained before negative news can be reported. But the Internet is leaving this system in the dust, Prof Yu told The Straits Times. "This should be a lesson not only for CCTV, but for all overseeing authorities - that the more you try to hide, the more you hurt your credibility when it gets out through other channels," he said. China's propaganda authorities had instructed domestic media not to run photos, video or in-depth reports on the fire, and to carry only the version put out by Xinhua. But even this directive was leaked online. Thus instructed, newspapers avoided reporting on the CCTV-bashing. Instead, they reopened a debate on the dangers of fireworks and firecrackers. The discussions on whether to reintroduce a ban on fireworks in downtown Beijing and calls for improvement of China's firefighting expertise were no less lively, but it highlighted the clear disconnect between Chinese netizens and the censors. Wrote one frustrated blogger: "Censors...are truly out of touch with what people are really talking about. Looks like the Internet is the only place to get real and interesting news these days." (By TRACY QUEK/ The Straits Times/ ANN) MySinchew 2009.02.16 SEE ALSO: CCTV Fire: Funny Photoshops By Chinese Netizens http://www.chinasmack.com/pictures/cctv-fire-funny-photoshops-by-chinese-netizens/ (both via Tom Roche, DXLD) ** CHINA. 4940, Voice of Strait, 1500-1530, Feb 15 (Sun.); pips (5+1), briefly in Chinese, into "Focus on China" program in English (broadcast only on Sunday); "This is the Voice of Strait, Fuzhou, China"; news about China; brief promo for China; moderately strong QRM from AIR Guwahati. Was nice to hear this again, as it had been preempted twice during the Chinese New Year's Holidays. Since Nov. 2008 has always been heard with a 25 minute program, but today for the first time was a full half hour. At 1530 into Chinese (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. 6030, Feb 14 at 1357 with DentroCuban Jamming Command pulsing vs. Chinese from CNR1 program // 6040 and 5030. CNR1 went off 6030 after timesignal at 1400, uncovering something weaker, presumably India, Cyprus, and/or Calgary, but the jamming continued. Commies vs Commies! The Cuban jamming is overrun against R. Martí, which closes 6030 two hours earlier! and CNR1 is axually Chinese jamming, per Aoki, against ``Ming Hui Radio 1300-1400 1234567 Chinese 100 325 Tanshui TWN`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 6065, CNR-2/China Business Radio, 1330-1400, Feb 16; "English Evening" program with John and a Chinese woman; continues with their shortened half hour program; segment with "Studio Classroom Worldwide"; fair; I want to monitor this for a few more weeks before I say they have actually "permanently" changed their schedule. The weekend edition of "English Evening" is still 1300-1400, but only consists of recorded highlights from the previous week. Parallel with 6090, 6155, 7130, 7140, 7150, 7245, 7315 and 7375 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 7245, Feb 17 at 1357 W&M in English discussing relationships, the word ``cherish``; religious? Hardly, soon switched to Chinese, so this is CNR-2 as scheduled, 150 kW, non-direxional from Beijing 491 site, per Aoki; ham QRM (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Glad you had a chance today to hear the "English Evening" program (recently broadcasting from 1330 to 1400), with the segment produced in Taiwan called "Studio Classroom Worldwide", talking about their magazine article: "Will you marry me?"; about marriage proposals. The audio for the Feb 17 show can be heard at their website http://www.studioclassroom.com/sc/sc_radio.php which has "cherish" at 12:38 + 12:51. In the past E.E. carried a full half hour of S.C.W., but recently it is limited to just 15 minutes FYI - YouTube "Studio Classroom" introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVstyF7FCyM&feature=channel plus many other "SC" videos are on YouTube (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Firedrake not only on 8400 and 9000 as often the case, but also on 9300, Feb 12 around 1445. This too is in Aoki as a 1 kW Sound of Hope transmitter, also tying up more Chinese jamming. This monstrous country is scared to death of what tiny SOH may have to say (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. 5990, 2230-2310, CHINA, 11.02, China R International, via La Habana, Cuba. Thai (presumed), new broadcast 2230-2300 talk and native songs, 2300 English broadcast as scheduled starting with two ID's: "China Radio International", world news and comments, 34333. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) If Cuba was broadcasting CRI in Thai, it would have to be another total SNAFU at Habana, but there are no SE Asian languages on the CRI schedule on any frequency during the 2230 semi-hour; the closest being Korean and Mandarin. Instead I think you must have been hearing this as listed in EiBi: 2230 2300 PHL FEBC Manila MIE SEA 5990 --- MIE per EiBi readme means: Mien / Iu Mien: S China (0.5m), Vietnam (0.3m) Per Aoki, it`s 100 kW, 280 degrees from Bocaue (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Dear Glenn, Yes, I think you are right. It also was strange to me with such a new broadcast from CRI. The language sounded more Thai to me, than Vietnamese, Khmer or Mandarin or for that matter Korean, so it might well have been this small minority language. Thank you for clearing this up. I now see that also WRTH 2009 has the schedule under FEBC. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COOK ISLANDS. Cook Islands Radio --- A new Radio Heritage Foundation documentary exploring the history of radio in the Cook Islands can be heard as audio on demand from RNZI for the Mailbox program of February 8 2009 at http://www.rnzi.com This special documentary covers early broadcasting in the 1940's and 50's right through until today, looks at the difficulties involved with providing radio service to 2.2 million square kilometers of the South Pacific from a population base of less than 20,000, and is accompanied by traditional Cook Islands music. You'll learn about the new outer island radio network, hear a rare station ID from TK3ANA, excerpts from Radio Cook Islands, Matariki FM and Radio Ikurangi KCFM including station IDs, jingles, local adverts and music, and other program highlights. This is a rare glimpse into what radio on Rarotonga really sounds like, and you'll also enjoy visiting http://www.radioheritage.net to read the article 'ZK1ZA Cook Islands' which tells the story of early radio from these islands in the South Pacific. 'Cook Islands Radio' is part of an ongoing series of radio heritage documentaries covering the islands of the Pacific, often featuring exclusive audio recorded locally and drawing heavily on private radio archives to which the Radio Heritage Foundation now increasingly has access (David Ricquish, RHF, Feb 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA. HRT replaces 9830 with 7370 as of Feb 11 for the 100 kW non-direxional broadcasts direct from Deanovec, at 0900-1400 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Was overdue! Whole B-08 season of 9 MHz frequency selection was far too high, due of seasonal propagation condition signal skipped over the Croatian national audience in central Europe. In B-08 the large dimension of the "skip-zone" is noticeable. Best reception experience on 31 mb is from stations greater of 1800 kilometers far away. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is still being heard today (13th) via 9830 at 1000. As Wolfgang reports, it is a poor strength signal - even up here in the NW of England (Noel R. Green, UK, ibid.) Anyway after 1500 they are on 6165, with Italian programme from Radio Pula. Bad co-channel interference with fast SAH, presumably from CRI in Persian via Urumqi (Kai Ludwig, Feb 13, ibid.) Frequency change of Croatian Radio HS-1 in Croatian from Feb. 18: 0858-1357 NF 7370 DEA 100 kW / non-dir, ex 9830 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Feb 16, via DXLD) So still pending at the moment (gh) ** CROATIA [and non]. While trying to collect some of the new countries that have appeared in the last 20 years I noticed the following deviation from online sources (and their own website). 7375 relay [via GERMANY] noticed not starting until 2330 with Spanish on 02/15 and 02/16. No English news distinguishable 02/15 on 3985 at 2315-2330 (almost all music with only a few words.) Spanish to 2400, then into presumed Croatian on both frequencies. I am listening from St. John's, NL Canada with a JRC NRD-525 and 15 m long wire. Hope this is of interest (Terry Toope, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Further chex needed; English back or retimed? (gh, DXLD) SINGAPORE, 15360, V. of Croatia via Singapore, Feb 06, 0659-0710, 35433, Croatian and English, News and talk, ID at 0700 and 0703 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** CUBA. I recently heard the following played on Radio Rebelde, 5025: >> It's Raining Again (Supertramp) >> Careless Whisper (George Michael/Wham) Hearing this kind of pop music emanating from Cuba was a bit surreal. Regards, (Pete Jernakoff, Wilmington, DE, K3KMS, http://www.21centimeter.com Feb 12, ABDX via DXLD) Wonder if they are getting due royalties from the Commies? ASCAP or BMI? (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. Rx. Sony 7600G, Ant: Kaito KA33, Cali, Colombia, Todas las Horas en UT (Hora Universal) 530, Radio Enciclopedia, La Habana, Cuba, 16 feb 09, 0500 UT, con señal regular a buena. ID por YL, seguido por música instrumental; también los escuché a las 0525, e igual a las 0715 UT. NOTA: Radio Enciclopedia en esta frecuencia, alguien sabe algo sobre ésta? Incluso la escuché sin la antena KA33 y me siguió dando señal. Acaso es una frecuencia imaginaria??!! (Yimber Gaviría, Colombia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ?? You should not need an external antenna on the 7600G on MW; doesn`t it have a built-in ferrite rod for MW? Desde hace mucho tiempo en 530. Para bloquear a Radio Martí que no transmite más via avión en la misma. Primero utilizaron otra cadena cubana; no importa, es el mismo transmisor cerca de La Habana (Glenn to Yimber, via DXLD) 530: see also USA: Terry Krueger`s report, vs LYQ. IRCA Crew, In my daily bandscan, I hear CM-- 530 kHz Radio Enciclopedia Popular under WPGU846 Eastern Carolina University TIS- 530. Most certainly, must be about 25 kW. [meaning daytime, I assume] CMDC-570 daily overrides WDNZ-620 Raleigh. Radio Rebelde under WPCM, [920] Portsmouth, VA. 73 de (Chaz WD4INP A. Taylor, NC, Feb 16, IRCA via DXLD) ** CUBA. RHC, 11760 and // somewhat undermodulated 12000, Sunday Feb 15 at 1435-1454 ``La Cultura en Cuba`` this time featuring classical pianist Fran Fernández who is about to perform a 50th-anniversary concert. I had never heard of him so Googled, and got around a megahit starting with http://www.franfernandez.com/ --- but that`s a different Fran Fernández, Spanish guitarist born in Granada in 1981! It seems there are lots of other Fran Fernándezes such as a makeup artist/hair stylist in Tampa. Refining the search by adding Cuba, one gets only 666 hits but still too much chaff. Adding pianista gets it down to 166, such as http://www.thecubaexperience.co.uk/articles.asp?id=286 where he is referred to both as Fran and Frank; and this long interview with him: http://www.cmbfradio.cu/cmbf/musica/musica_5.htm Tho Esperanto was missing last Sunday, it was back on RHC this Sunday Feb 15, at 1501 on 11760, and also on 13760 at 1510 check, so unclear if another overrun error, but supposedly scheduled on 11760 only. OM announcer made a mistake right away, stressing Amériko rather than Ameríko as required by inflexible Esperanto rules. RHC, 12000, even more undermodulated than usual, Feb 18 right at end of transmission when checked at 1458 with frequency lineup for 2100 broadcast, and only meter bands for the 2400 transmission, which axually starts about an hour earlier. At 1459 checked // 11760 to see if its modulation was OK, but it was already off, perhaps being retuned to 11680 for Venezuelan relay. 1459:30 back on 12000, introducing `audio real` repeat of morning broadcast, Despertar con Cuba, with Bárbara Betancourt starting it, but by 1501 modulation cut off; carrier still on at 1509 final check (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also VENEZUELA [non] ** CUBA [non]. EL INFORME NEGATIVO DE RADIO Y TV MARTÍ Parece que se acabó lo que se daba http://www.cubaperiodistas.cu/noticias/febrero09/13/03.html El Duende El ambiente amaneció funerario por los predios de Radio y TV Martí cuando se conoció el resultado de la investigación ordenada por el Congreso Federal sobre la audiencia y el impacto de las trasmisiones de ambas emisoras dirigidas al pueblo de Cuba en las que se invierten todos los años inútilmente la generosa suma de unos 34 millones de dólares sin que apenas haya unos pocos que les presten atención. Según el informe, TV Martí no se ve en ninguna parte de Cuba y la emisora Radio Martí apenas la oye el uno por ciento de los posibles radioescuchas, según una encuesta realizada en la isla a través de la Sección de Intereses de Estados Unidos, lo que representa un rotundo fracaso de audiencia. Pedro Roig, el director de Radio y TV Martí acaba de regresar de Washington a donde fue en gestiones de “salvamento” pero aunque no ha querido hacer declaraciones a la prensa, por la cara de velorio que pone cuando le preguntan qué va a pasar con las emisoras bajo su dirección, es más que elocuente que espera lo peor. La última esperanza que tienen es que entre los senadores cubano- americanos, el demócrata Bob Menéndez y el republicano Mel Martínez, unidos al apoyo de los congresistas también cubano-americanos, el demócrata de Nueva Jersey Albio Sire y los republicanos de Miami, Ileana Ros y los hermanos Mario y Lincoln Díaz Balart, estos logren, con la mayoría demócrata del Capitolio una fórmula de compromiso que salve de la guillotina a Radio-Martí a cambio del cierre definitivo de la emisora de televisión. La operación le ha costado a los contribuyentes norteamericanos la respetable suma de unos 500 millones del dólares desde que salió al aire Radio-Martí. Pero parece que se acabó lo que se daba. Lo que se dice es que el cierre de TV Martí está fijado para el próximo 20 de mayo y que no habrá velorio ni entierro, solo incineración que es más barato y es lo que está de moda en estos tiempos difíciles de recesión. Consummatum est (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD) Note the above is from a Dentro-Cuban source, likely wishful thinking; that TV Martí would close down May 20, but R. Martí be preserved (gh) ** DESECHEO. Re 9-014: K5D --- Delayed getting on the island due to wind. February 12, 2009. Per Glenn WØGJ and Bob K4UEE @ 23:45Z: "Heavy winds during the day delayed several helicopter flights so we're running quite a bit behind schedule. For example, we had to wait until the last helicopter trip to begin erecting shelters. We're all exhausted and have quite a bit of infrastructure work yet to do (in the dark). Regrettably, this will delay our planned QRV until (hopefuly) near 1600Z tomorrow (Friday). We're sorry to disappoint those expecting us on the air tonight." http://www.kp5.us (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, Feb 13, dxldyg via DXLD) >>> K5D * DESECHEO ISLAND <<< Due to continued questionable weather (large waves, dangerous surf, high winds and rain unusual for this time of year), the K5D Team decided that all personnel and equipment (more than seven tons) would be transported to Desecheo Island by helicopter. The first flight with five team members took off from Rincón, Puerto Rico at 12.40 UTC on 12 February, but heavy winds during the day delayed several helicopter flights. The team was quite a bit behind schedule, and K5D became QRV at 16 UTC on 13 February. The team consists of 22 operators: eight of them (K4UEE, K9SG, N4GRN, NA5U, VE7CT, W0NB, W0RUN and W8OI) will remain on the island through 26 February; other seven (K0IR, K5AND, N6MZ, W0GJ, W2GD, W6IZT and WB9Z) will leave Desecheo on 19 February and be replaced by the third group of seven (K0JGH, K1KD, K5AC, N4NX, NP4Z, VA7DX and WP3MW). K5D will be QRV on 160-10 metres CW, SSB and RTTY, with eight stations for the HF bands, plus one station for 6 metres (SSB and CW). Suggested frequencies (please read the Special Notes on the website) where to find K5D are: 1826, 3523, 7023, 10106, 14023, 18072, 21023, 24892, 28023 and 50106 kHz (CW); 1843.3, 3781, 7084 [see below], 14190, 18165, 21295, 24987, 28470 and 50130 kHz (SSB); 3589, 7089, 10149, 14089, 18108, 21089 and 28089 (RTTY). Bookmark http://www.kp5.us for updates, propagation charts, on-line logsearch and detailed information on how to contribute, as financial support is still being sought and very welcome. An Online QSL Request System (OQRS) will be activated after the DXpedition goes QRT. You will be able to request your QSLs one of four ways: OQRS Direct, OQRS Bureau, direct mail to N2OO (Bob Schenck, P.O. Box 345, Tuckerton, NJ 08087, USA) or via bureau to N2OO (425 DX News Feb 14 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) The K5D Desecheo 2009 DXpedition is On! The big DXpedition to Desecheo Island, KP5 staged February 12 – 26 is using the special call sign K5D and will be active on all bands CW, SSB and RTTY. The announced frequencies are: CW – 1826, 3523, 7023, 10106, 14023, 18072, 21023, 24892, 28023 and 50106 kHz; SSB – 1843.3, 3781, 7084, 14190, 18165, 21295, 24987, 28470 and 50130 kHz. Team co-leader said that the US Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) Headquarters has allowed antennas on the ridge above the helicopter pad, providing a clear shot to Europe, North America and Japan (Radio Bulgaria DX program Feb 13 via DXLD) K5D, Desecheo Island, heard here at 1910 on 18145 (Steve Lare, MI, Feb 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard the big ham DX-pedition to this tiny island in the Caribbean west of Puerto Rico on 14190-USB, Feb 14 between 1422 and 1444. During that entire period I never heard the word ``Desecheo`` mentioned once. The op there IDed only as ``K5D`` without fonetix, but he used a lot of fonetix on the stations he was calling, ICAO alfabet except S = sugar, e.g. calling an SN4- at 1428. What`s he got against sierra? I am baffled why so many hams mix up their fonetik alfabets; is this deliberate or just carelessness, or ignorance? Among the calls logged were ON4QX at 1423, then ON4EB, 1424 ON5JV; hmm, what a coincidence, three Belgians in a row. Was this set up? Every so often, including amid these contax, K5D mentioned ``200, 220`` meaning he was listening on 14200 and 14220 (or 14200 thru 14220?); yet every so often someone would call him on 14190, which hi- traffic DX-peditions try to keep free for the DX station only. W3LWH didn`t get it, calling periodically on 14190 at 1420, 1431, 1432, 1432, 1434; at least he made it quick with nothing but his call, and we were to assume he was really trying to contact K5D. Then at 1433 someone said ``Oscar Lima`` a few times on 14190; not sure what that meant, just spoiling? AM carriers too at times on frequency. At 1443 someone equally exasperated with W3LWH and some others interjected that K5D was ``listening up``, and ``what a zoo`` --- I agreed and had enough. A new DXCC country is safely in my log, unless I heard the last DXpedition there. Much of the time, there was a much stronger SSB ham on the low side around 14185, so not good on the wide FRG-7; best reception on the ICF SW07, which I break out for such special occasions, as always just using the Sony loop in the south-side window. I also tried 7084 a bit earlier before 1400, but no sign of K5D there, just a strong Mexican(?) on 7087. Nor did I have any luck around 0700 on 3781 or 1843.3, other frequencies publicized for the K5D DXpedition. Also checked 18165 and 18145 at 1445, but not there either. This Desecheo DXpedition also got me thinking about the whole deal. Just once, it would be nice if a DXpedition to a rare island promulgated some slightly different rules, such as: each contact must last at least one minute, and include: not only call, signal report, but also handle, location by town, state or country, and a factoid about that location. The DX station would do the same, especially the factoids. What`s the point of going to an exotic place and not saying anything about what it`s like, its history, obstacles overcome, etc., etc. Here`s a bit about it on their website: http://69.89.25.185/~trexsoft/t-rexsoftware.com/desecheo/about.htm But this would drive the DXCC crowd batty, as it would reduce the supremely important goal of racking up as many meaningless contacts as possible. The derivation of the name of the place should be interesting. The root in Spanish refers to refuse, or throwing stuff out. This page confirms it means ``thrown away``: http://www.dokufunk.org/amateur_radio/dxcc_entities/index.php?CID=4728&lang=EN Another thing: at very little additional cost, such a DXpedition could also put a SW broadcast station on the air! One more transceiver, and antenna (or diplexing onto another one) could be dedicated to broadcasting prepared recorded one-way programming about the place. Preferably on AM, but we`d settle for SSB; preferably in a broadcast band (just one will suffice), or at least in a fixed band outside the ham bands. Turn it on and let it run, not interfering at all with the ham activity. This should not be a pirate, but duly authorized like the ham operation, so there is no question about counting it as an SWBC country. In places under US jurisdixion like Desecheo, this could be accomplished with an experimental license, which would bypass all the unreasonable requirements for a regular SWBC station, like 50 kW minimum, step-by-step construction permit, program test authority, etc. Experimental licenses are routinely granted by the FCC for all kinds of stuff with some scientific or covert purpose. Dream on: tho a lot of hams are allegedly also SWLs, I bet this idea has never been seriously considered, and certainly never fulfilled (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 3796.3, DESECHEO ISLAND. Amateur Radio Station KP5D, 0345, 2/15/09. Working US hams in 8, 9, and 0 call areas. S9 signal on peaks. Occasional deliberate interference. New amateur radio "country" for me (Jerry Strawman, Des Moines, IA, AOR AR7030 Plus, Wellbrook ALA-100 Loop, dxldyg via DXLD) I've heard the op on 7174 (yesterday, 7175) using "K 5 Desecheo" call at various times. When mentioning "200, 220" meant listening either up or down as the case may be from the freq K5D was using. The "Oscar Lima" was a case of the calling ham giving last two letters of his call to establish initial contact with K5D, though that won't work when calling K5D on his freq when K5D is listening either up or down! At any rate, K5D currently on 7174 at 1127 (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, USA, Feb 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UPDATE February 14, 2009 (2330z): "Because of higher-than- expected winds which delayed helicopter trips, we were unable to complete our full setup on Thursday. At this writing, those problems are behind us and the camp and all antennas are in place and working. The QSO count is just under 10,000 in the first 24 hours with only two stations operable for most of that time. We now have five stations on the air hoping for two or three more tomorrow. We have no internet connectivity as our satellite link and our 900 MHz terrestrial link both failed. We have a plan that should get them both working in a day or two. In the meantime, no logs have been uploaded and, of course, no photos. When the links are working you'll learn about it here. The Team is in high spirits and the weather is good now, nice breeze, calm seas but hotter than expected. Last night we were forced to move our 40M operation away from our planned frequency. This was because of the RTTY contest which wiped out most of the band for us below 7.1MHz. The contest ends tomorrow and we expect much better 40M performance especially to Europe. We're sensitive to the fact that some EU countries/amateurs cannot transmit above 7.1 MHz; this problem will self-resolve when the RTTY contest ends late tomorrow." (KP5 Web page) (via The Ohio/Penn DX Packet Cluster DX Bulletin No. 896, February 16, 2009, Editor Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW Provided by BARF80.ORG (Cleveland, Ohio), via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. 4780, Radio Djibouti, *0259-0330, Feb 14, sign on with National Anthem. Qur`an at 0301. Arabic talk at 0311. Horn of Africa music at 0328. Weak. Poor with CODAR QRM (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR [and non]. Radio Heritage Interview, HCJB Quito, Ecuador A major new interview about the work of the Radio Heritage Foundation can be heard as audio on demand from HCJB for the DX Partyline program of January 30 2009 at http://www.hcjb.org Host Allen Graham in the Quito studios talks with Radio Heritage Foundation chairman David Ricquish about how the Pacific wide radio heritage preservation project got started, its progress, and the importance of making such an effort to protect and preserve the stories of radio. Since going live on line some 5 years ago, the website http://www.radioheritage.net has received millions of visitors, page views and hits from some 125+ countries, and has become a popular free resource for researchers, students, people in the broadcasting industry, radio listeners and enthusiasts and increasingly, genealogists. In the same period, thousands of original items of radio memorabilia have been saved from damage or loss, hundreds of original articles and photos placed on line, some 30 major radio heritage documentaries researched and broadcast over RNZI, and much more. Amongst the international board members that help give the Radio Heritage Foundation its unique global perspective on radio heritage issues are well known broadcasters Dr Adrian Peterson [Adventist World Radio], Jonathan Marks [previously with Radio Netherlands] and Martin Hadlow [until recently with UNESCO]. The Radio Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit organization connecting radio heritage and popular culture across the Pacific. Visit http://www.radioheritage.net to learn more about its current activities and programs, and to find out how you can get involved. You can also support the radio heritage programs by donations, materials, radio memorabilia and ephemera, and your time and goodwill. These are challenging times financially for all heritage preservation projects, and your donation will help save our Pacific radio heritage for future generations. Radio Heritage Foundation, PO Box 14339, Wellington 6241, New Zealand. Visit us today at http://www.radioheritage.net listen to this latest interview on HCJB at http://www.hcjb.org/media/dx_partyline/dxpl_audio_files.html [January 30 2009] (David Ricquish, RHF, Feb 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. 9360, 13/02 2246, R Cairo, Portuguese, desde Abu Zaabal, com 250 kW, OM apresenta px de mx egípcia, s-meter cheio e modulação muito baixa, audível mesmo apenas com mx, qualidade da modulação é medíocre e temos de contar ainda com a péssima dicção do locutor, 45444 (esse SINPO se refere ao sinal da portadora, não qualifica a modulação) (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, 12º 15' 1.57" S 38º 58' 40.30" W, Degen 1103, Antena fio longo com 20 metros e balum 9:1, HCDX via DXLD) ** EGYPT. EGIPTO, 6225, Radio Cairo, 1757-1802, escuchada el 15 de febrero repitiendo música de sintonía; a las 1800 se corta bruscamente, tonos horarios, locutora con comentarios, señal fuerte con nivel de audio casi inaudible, el servicio es italiano, sin señal en 6255, emisión musical, SINPO 35442 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A- 108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Presumably punch-up error (gh) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 15190, Radio Africa, 2110-2150, Feb 13, gospel music. English religious talk. Good, clean audio, but slightly low modulation (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15190, must be R. Africa heard at a much earlier time than usual, Sat Feb 14 at 1541, sounds like the jailed Tony Alámo with his low-key preaching; next check at 1555, a YL was on instead, talking about visiting Mali and Mozambique. I bet if I had been listening between the off-timed programs, there would not have been any ID, anyway. Unlike some other signals on 19m, this one had no flutter fading, sufficient with no QRM, rather like Morocco 15345 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. R. Bana, 5100 kHz - Ministry of Education - P.O. Box 609 - Asmara - Eritrea con lettera QSL in 76 giorni. Si 1 IRC (Roberto Pavanello, Vercelli / Italia, Feb 13, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** ERITREA [non]. BELGIUM (non), New opposition station via TDP - Voice of Asena from Feb. 16: 1730-1800 on 9610 SAM 250 kW / 188 deg to EaAf Mon/Wed/Fri in Tigrinya (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Feb 16, via DXLD) Dear Friends, I am happy to announce that I got a very nice, personal letter in English, confirming my reception of Voice of Asena on 9610 kHz on the 16th of February. The director and founder, Amanuel Eyasu, says that I was the first to send them feedback trough a detailed report. When you say "Asena" to a person it means "that you are happy about something", so I say "Asena" to you all. Website: http://www.assenna.com [correct] Email to the station: aseye.asena @ googlemail.com 73 from (Björn Fransson, DX-ing on the island of Gotland, Sweden, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [and non]. Re 9-007: 9559.97, R Ethiopia, Addis Ababa (tent.!), 1610, Jan 08, FS in English, news about Indian-Pakistani relations, etc, 55555(!) - or even Indian or Pakistani???? (Johann Wiespointner, Schörfling, Austria, DSWCI DX Window Jan 21 via DXLD) Surely that is too close to the correct frequency to be Ethiopia --- only 30 Hz off! In fact, DW is scheduled in English via Sri Lanka on 9560 at 1600, even two 250 kW transmitters, one at 60 degrees, another at 345 degrees, per Aoki, where both of us should have uplooked it earlier (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thank you for your observation, Glenn. Do you have any comments ón this, Johann? Best 73, (Anker Petersen, ibid.) Dear Anker, I fully admit that this station on 9559.97 truly might have been from DW Sri Lanka, although their English spoken as well as from their correspondents led me to the assumption of being definitely "non-European" or "non-USA"! Signals have been exceptional, probably Ethiopia never would have reached that level, although I've heard quite a lot of such stations with similar quality recently! Nevertheless, I've marked it as a "tent.", but also well being as from India or Pakistan, judging from the contents! At least I am happy that this UNID finally has been solved! Best 73 from Austria, (Johann Wiespointner (via Anker Petersen, ibid.) Dear Johann, Thank you for your immediate response. Today (Feb 13), I checked 9560 from 1555 to 1630 UT and heard the following: On 9559.67 was a station in East African vernacular and Horn of Africa music, no doubt R. Ethiopia heard with QSA 3 and a severe heterodyne probably from Trincomalee. At *1600 Deutsche Welle signed on in English from Trincomalee with QSA 5 with news and reports from Germany. This is mentioned in the WRTH 2009 as well as Klingenfuss SW Frequency Guide 2009 which even mentions two transmitters in use Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9559.90, R. Ethiopia, Feb 11, 1359-1410, 32332-33333, Arabic, 1359 IS, ID, News and Ethiopian pops and talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 9695 // 11760, Voice of the Oromo Liberation (via Wertachtal) 1617-1659* Feb. 1, 09. Program of commentary and interview talks about situation in Ethiopia, Horn of Africa musical breaks, off with Horn of Africa musical interlude at 1659 after closing notes by female speaker in Oromo Language. 9695 was stronger but prone to het whistle with 11760 better audio (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. USA (non), 17690, Voice of Meselina [sic] via WHRA- Angel Five. Full data (with site - Greenbush) "20 years of Short-wave Ministry to the World" QSL Card for an mp3 CD postal report to Indiana. Reply in 4 months. v/s: "LWV" (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) = C.E. Larry W. Vehorn? (gh) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. 15195, Feb 16 at 1614 noted carrier, weak station mixed with what sounded like DRM noise, barely bothering Equatorial Guinea too on 15190; noise suddenly stopped at 1621. What does PWBR `2009` say? Nothing! HFCC also has nothing at all on 15195 between 1500 and 1700. But Eibi and Aoki agree it is the Monday-only 1600-1700 broadcast of Ethiopian Orthodox Church (EiBi) = EOTC Holy Synod Radio (Aoki), via Samara, Russia, 200 kW, 188 degrees, accompanied on Sundays only by Addis Dimts Radio, all in Amharic. So was the noise jamming? No DRM scheduled anywhere around here; they sound so much alike (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING) ** EUROPE. PIRATE. 6880, Radio Playback International, 0225-0250, Feb 15, Tentative. ex-6870. Very weak. Some peaks up to a fair level. Pop music of the 50s. Brief English announcements but could not hear an ID (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. RFI English, 15605, Monday Feb 16 at 1631 starting a strange show called ``Mission Paris``, announced as a co-produxion with Deutsche Welle, and the EU. Seems to be a drama, with lots of SFX, à la video game? About demonstrations, mentioned remote-control (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. DW STUDIOS --- After just five years in service (the equipment may have been purchased in 2001, but the Bonn studios did not become operational before 2003). Deutsche Welle completely refits its SK4 and SK5 continuation studios, replacing the original Klotz consoles by DHD 52/MX systems. SK5 has been completed at the end of last year, SK4 is expected to be ready until summer: http://www.thummahr.de/DWSK45.html I already saw a comment "they have no money for making radio anymore but can afford such things". However, it's worth to read the news release behind the lines: It explicitly mentions "smaller productions, audio modules for the internet, plain self-op broadcasts" besides more complex productions and broadcasts with an audio engineer. With the new set-up a self-sufficient console system is installed in one of the two announcers rooms (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. DEUTSCHE WELLE REACHES 86 MILLION WEEKLY Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Director General Erik Bettermann: Foreign-language services are especially successful. Deutsche Welle’s radio, television and online services are used by at least 86 million adults around the world every week. Director General Erik Bettermann presented these figures to the Frankfurt Press Club. The projections are based on representative studies from more than 60 countries. Radio programming from Deutsche Welle is especially successful in Africa. “In Ethiopia for example, we reach more than 10 percent of adults and 43 percent tune in to the Kiswahili program in Tanzania,” says Bettermann. He went on to say that the Hausa program is popular in Nigeria, where it has nearly 10 million listeners weekly. . . http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4026717,00.html (Press Releases | 13.02.2009 via Alokesh Gupta and gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. The new radio station “Abu Dhabi Media Company” broadcasts from Nauen, Germany only Saturday from 17 to 18 hours on 11835 kHz (Rumen Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX program Feb 13 via DXLD) Not exactly; as in 9-012: ``Hi Glenn, This mystery is solved by the recent WRTH update: it's Ethiopia Adera Dimts Radio! http://wrth.com/files/WRTHB08UpdateFEB2009.pdf Regards (Dave Kernick, Interval Signals Online, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` Abu Dhabi Media Company is the agency responsible for the four 500 kW transmitters carrying out numerous relays at Dhabbaya, UAE, altho WRTH 2009 says VTC is managing them until 2011. ADM is not a new radio station itself, but appears on the latest DTK/M&B schedules as brokering the time for this Ethiopian clandestine, perhaps due to lack of capacity at UAE at the times desired. Other Ethiopian clandestines on the same frequency at the same time other days of the week do not involve ADM, but the scheduling can hardly be coincidental (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) However, the explanation can be as simple as Media Broadcast conveniently using the same slot for programmes to the same target area. I do not think that this necessarily excludes completely independent bookings. Concerning Abu Dhabi Media Company things appear to be a bit more complicated: Wouldn't it be far much logical to use another VTC site when Al-Dhabbaya has no capacity left for a certain transmission? Instead Abu Dhabi Media Company went to the competition. I think this indicates that they still own the transmitters but do not participate in their usage in any way. In other words, first they leased out their own shortwave facilities, now they got involved in shortwave broadcasting themselves again and do so with another partner (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. MEDIA BROADCAST GmbH (formerly T-SYSTEMS - DTK) B08 B08 period (26/10/2008 - 28/03/2009) as of 09.02.2009 - B08 operational DTK schedule frq startstop ciraf azi typ day from to loc pow brc 3955 1800-1900 27W,28 ND 976 1234567 161208 280309 JUL 100 HCJ 3975 1800-1900 28 ND 926 1234567 291208 280309 WER 250 YFR 3975 1900-2000 28 ND 926 1234567 190109 280309 WER 250 YFR 3975 2030-2100 28NW ND 926 1234567 151208 280309 WER 40 PRW DRM 5850 1630-1930 40 105 216 1234567 WER 250 IBB 5850 1930-1959 29S 75 146 1234567 WER 100 PRW 5935 0030-0045 41 75 216 1.....7 WER 250 BVB 5935 1900-1929 29S,30 75 216 1234567 WER 100 PRW 5935 1930-2030 29S 75 201 1234567 WER 100 PRW 5945 0800-0830 27,28N 280 156 1...... 071208 280309 NAU 100 BVB 5945 0800-0915 27,28N 280 156 ......7 NAU 100 BVB 5945 0845-0900 27,28N 280 156 .....6. 051208 280309 NAU 100 BVB 5955 0658-0758 27S 220 216 1234567 NAU 250 RNW 5955 0758-0859 18,27,2 ND 930 1234567 010109 280309 WER 250 RNW 5955 1100-1458 18,27,2 ND 930 1...... 010109 280309 WER 250 RNW 5955 1500-1557 18,27,2 ND 930 .234567 WER 40 RNW 5955 2000-2100 44E 48 216 1...... 010209 150209 NAU 250 BVB 5955 2330-0030 41,49 75 218 1234567 WER 125 DVB 5960 1900-1959 28E,29 75 208 ......7 WER 100 CHW 5960 2000-2159 37,38W 210 146 1234567 201108 280309 NAU 250 YFR 5960 2200-2300 37,38W 210 216 1234567 111108 280309 WER 250 YFR 5965 1230-1259 28NW ND 926 1234567 WER 100 PRW 5965 1400-1500 27,28 ND 976 1...... JUL 100 RTR 5965 1626-1659 29S,39N 90 216 .23456. WER 100 TWR 5965 1626-1659 28 105 201 ......7 271208 280309 WER 100 TWR 5975 1230-1259 28NW 40 805 1234567 WER 100 PRW 5980 0430-0500 27,28 60 208 1234567 WER 250 NHK 6000 1530-1600 29S 97 156 1234567 231208 280309 NAU 100 PRW 6000 1600-1630 29S 80 805 1234567 060109 280309 WER 100 PRW 6005 0800-1100 28 ND 926 ....5.. 251208 251208 WER 100R700 6010 1659-1757 27S,36, 240 215 1234567 WER 250 RNW 6015 1800-1859 27 300 206 1234567 151208 280309 WER 40 PRW DRM 6015 1900-1930 28,29 45 146 ..3..6. WER 125 BVB 6015 1900-1945 28,29 45 146 ....5.7 WER 125 BVB 6015 1900-2000 28,29 45 146 1...... WER 125 BVB 6015 1915-1930 28,29 45 146 .2.4... WER 125 BVB 6020 1931-2016 37,38 150 201 1...... WER 250 PAB 6020 1931-2031 37,38 150 201 ......7 WER 250 PAB 6020 2000-2030 37,38 150 201 .....6. WER 250 PAB 6025 0500-0600 28E 120 201 1234567 WER 100 AWR 6030 0030-0100 41 90 217 1234567 WER 250 BVB 6035 0759-0857 18,27,2 300 215 1234567 WER 100 RNW 6035 1430-1529 28NE,29 60 205 1234567 WER 100 PRW 6040 2030-2100 47,48,5 190 156 .23456. NAU 250 IBB 6040 2030-2100 37,38,4 190 156 1.....7 NAU 250 IBB 6045 0000-0100 41 105 216 1234567 WER 250 WRN 6045 1000-1100 27E,28 ND 926 1...... WER 100 HLR 6050 1800-1859 28E 100 206 1234567 JUL 100 YFR 6050 2200-2300 28NE,29 55 201 1234567 WER 250 PRW 6055 1000-1059 27,28 90 201 1...... WER 100 CHW 6055 1130-1200 27,28 ND 926 1.....7 WER 125 EMG 6055 1200-1215 27,28 ND 926 1...... WER 250 MWA 6060 1727-1800 30S,40 90 216 1234567 WER 100 TWR 6105 0400-0459 28,29 60 217 1234567 WER 250 IBB 6105 0742-0920 27 285 146 1...... NAU 125 TWR 6105 0757-0850 27 285 146 .23456. NAU 125 TWR 6105 0812-0850 27 285 146 ......7 NAU 125 TWR 6105 1700-1759 40 105 216 1234567 NAU 500 YFR 6110 1400-1559 27,28W 290 805 1234567 JUL 100 TOM 6110 1559-1657 27S,37N 220 146 1234567 NAU 250 RNW 6110 1800-1859 39,40 120 216 ......7 WER 125 BVB 6110 1830-1859 39,40 120 216 1...... WER 125 BVB 6120 0400-0600 29 60 218 1234567 WER 250 IBB 6120 0559-0657 27S,37N 220 216 1234567 NAU 250 RNW 6120 0859-1100 27S 255 215 .23456. WER 250 RNW 6120 1802-1902 37N 230 216 1234567 NAU 250 YFR 6135 2000-2030 29N 45 208 1234567 WER 100 PRW 6140 1300-1400 27,28 ND 926 1...... WER 100 MVB 6140 1630-1759 28NE,29 55 201 1234567 WER 100 PRW 6165 0030-0045 41 90 216 1...... WER 100 PAB 6175 2100-2200 27,28W 300 206 1234567 WER 100 TOM 6195 1645-1800 39,40 120 215 .2.4... WER 100 BVB 6195 1715-1730 39,40 120 215 .....6. WER 100 BVB 7105 1630-1700 28NW ND 926 1234567 WER 100 PRW 7150 1500-1530 30SE,31 75 216 1234567 161208 280309 WER 250 IBB 7165 2000-2200 29 60 218 1234567 WER 250 IBB 7170 1457-1600 28-30 60 216 1234567 WER 100 TWR 7170 1600-1629 29S 75 201 1234567 231208 280309 WER 100 PRW 7180 1430-1530 28NE,29 60 217 1234567 WER 100 PRW 7180 1800-1859 29,30 60 208 1234567 251108 280309 WER 250 YFR 7200 2330-0030 41NE,43 75 216 1234567 WER 250 GFA 7205 0230-0330 40 105 216 1234567 WER 250 IBB 7205 1800-1830 37NW 240 216 1...... WER 100 BVB 7210 1800-1815 39,40 100 216 ......7 JUL 100 BVB 7210 1800-1830 39,40 100 216 .2.4.6. JUL 100 BVB 7210 1800-1859 39,40 100 216 ..3.5.. JUL 100 BVB 7210 1830-1859 39,40 100 216 1...... JUL 100 BVB 7215 0030-0130 40E,41N 90 217 1234567 WER 250 GFA 7220 1600-1659 29 65 216 1234567 120109 280309 NAU 250 IBB 7235 1900-1930 39N 105 216 1234567 WER 250 FEB 7260 1830-2000 46,47 155 216 1...... JUL 100 BVB 7260 1930-2000 46,47 180 217 ......7 WER 125 BVB 7260 1945-2015 46SW 210 217 .23456. 020209 280309 WER 125 BVB 7265 2000-2100 44E 45 218 1...... 040108 280309 WER 250 BVB 7280 0300-0330 48 135 216 1234567 WER 250 AWR 7285 1130-1200 28NE,29 100 156 1234567 NAU 100 PRW 7305 2100-2159 46E,47, 180 216 1234567 WER 500 YFR 7315 0300-0330 48 135 216 1234567 WER 250 AWR 7315 0330-0359 48 135 216 1234567 WER 250 AWR 7315 0430-0527 47W,48 150 216 1234567 151108 280309 WER 500 RNW 7325 1300-1400 18 40 805 1234567 261108 280309 WER 100 PRW 7335 0200-0400 6,7,8 300 216 1234567 111108 280309 WER 500 VOR 7335 0400-0600 6,7,8 318 156 1234567 301008 280309 GUF 250 VOR 7345 1800-1900 18 25 216 1234567 ISS 250 PRW 7375 0000-0400 7,8,9,1 300 216 1234567 WER 100 HRT 7375 0200-0600 2,3,6,7 325 216 1234567 WER 125 HRT 7375 2300-0400 11,12,1 240 216 1234567 111108 280309 WER 100 HRT 7425 0400-0430 39,40W 120 216 1234567 WER 250 AWR 9405 1600-1700 41 90 217 1234567 WER 500 YFR 9415 1600-1659 29 60 208 1234567 121208 280309 WER 250 IBB 9430 0400-0500 40 105 217 1234567 WER 250 IBB 9445 1130-1159 27 300 217 1234567 WER 100 PRW 9445 1700-1729 39,40W 120 216 1234567 WER 250 AWR 9450 1300-1359 27 300 216 1234567 WER 100 PRW 9460 1630-1915 39,40 130 156 1...... NAU 100 BVB 9460 1645-1700 39,40 130 156 .2.4... NAU 100 BVB 9460 1645-1715 39,40 130 156 .....6. NAU 100 BVB 9460 1645-1720 39,40 130 156 ..3.... NAU 100 BVB 9460 1645-1745 39,40 130 156 ....5.. NAU 100 BVB 9460 1645-1929 39,40 130 156 ......7 NAU 100 BVB 9460 1800-1900 39,40 130 156 ..3.... NAU 100 BVB 9460 1830-1859 39,40 130 156 .....6. NAU 100 BVB 9465 1600-1629 29S,39N 105 217 1234567 WER 250 IBB 9465 1800-1859 46E,47W 183 216 1234567 NAU 500 YFR 9470 1800-1859 47,48 150 216 1234567 060109 280309 WER 250 IBR 9470 1901-1931 39,40 120 217 ......7 WER 250 BVB 9470 1915-1945 39,40 120 217 1...... 040109 280309 WER 250 BVB 9470 1930-1959 39,40 120 217 .....6. WER 250 BVB 9480 1900-2200 46,47,5 185 216 1234567 201108 280309 NAU 500 YFR 9485 1600-1659 29SE 103 216 1234567 090109 280309 NAU 250 IBB 9485 1730-1759 48 135 216 .23456. WER 250 IBB 9485 1800-1900 48 140 216 1234567 NAU 250 IBB 9485 1900-1930 48 140 156 .23456. NAU 250 IBB 9495 0230-0330 40 105 216 1234567 WER 250 IBB 9500 1900-2000 37E,38 150 218 1234567 060109 280309 WER 250 YFR 9520 1600-1658 29 45 218 1234567 031208 280309 WER 250 IBB 9540 1700-1829 40 100 216 1234567 251108 280309 NAU 125 IBB 9565 1400-1459 40E,41N 75 216 1234567 WER 250 IBB 9585 1500-1559 41SE 90 216 1234567 141108 280309 WER 500 YFR 9595 0700-0800 37,38W 210 217 1234567 WER 100 AWR 9595 1400-1500 30S 75 217 1234567 WER 250 IBB 9595 1800-1859 40 105 216 1234567 WER 250 IBB 9595 2000-2059 46E,47, 165 216 1234567 WER 500 YFR 9605 1600-1630 29,30 60 218 ......7 211208 280309 WER 250 EMG 9610 1000-1100 28W 180 216 1...... NAU 100 AWR 9615 0430-0500 39,40 120 217 .2345.. 081208 280309 WER 250 BVB 9615 0430-0545 39,40 120 217 .....6. WER 250 BVB 9625 1830-1900 29SE 90 217 1234567 140109 280309 WER 250 IBB 9640 2030-2100 28NW 35 216 1234567 GUF 250 PRW 9650 1600-1659 40 105 217 1234567 WER 500 YFR 9660 1730-1759 39S,47E 140 216 1234567 JUL 100 IBR 9660 2200-2300 27S 40 216 1234567 GUF 250 PRW 9665 1500-1530 41N 90 216 1234567 WER 250 AWR 9665 1530-1559 41N 90 216 1234567 WER 250 AWR 9670 0100-0300 42,43 75 217 1234567 WER 250 IBB 9680 1700-1730 47E,48 130 216 ......7 JUL 100 RMI 9680 1730-1759 47E,48 130 216 .....6. JUL 100 RMI 9680 1830-1929 40 105 216 1234567 060109 280309 WER 100 IBB 9695 1600-1659 47E,48 130 216 1.3.5.. 011208 280309 JUL 100 RMI 9695 1900-1959 37,46 210 217 1234567 WER 500 YFR 9730 1600-1759 38S,39S 140 216 .2345.. JUL 100 BVB 9730 1600-1859 38S,39S 140 216 1....6. JUL 100 BVB 9730 1630-1830 38S,39S 140 216 ......7 030109 280309 JUL 100 BVB 9750 1559-1657 27S,37N 225 216 1234567 120109 280309 NAU 250 RNW 9760 1600-1659 39 120 216 1234567 WER 250 YFR 9760 1830-1845 52,53 160 216 ..3.5.. JUL 100 RRP 9770 1700-1800 40 105 217 1234567 WER 250 IBB 9790 1530-1600 29N 45 146 1234567 WER 100 PRW 9800 1500-1600 41E 95 216 1234567 NAU 500 YFR 9800 1830-1859 46S,47S 180 217 1234567 WER 500 LWF 9800 1900-1929 38E,39 120 216 1234567 WER 100 PRW 9805 2000-2030 37,38W 210 216 1234567 WER 100 AWR 9815 1900-1930 47E,48W 150 216 1234567 WER 250 IBB 9820 1630-1659 38E,39S 140 216 ..3..6. 231208 280309 JUL 100 RHU 9830 1730-1759 37,38W 210 217 1...... WER 100 AWR 9830 1730-1800 37,38W 210 217 .234567 WER 100 AWR 9845 1800-1859 37E,38 150 146 1234567 WER 250 YFR 9845 1900-2030 46N,46S 210 217 1234567 WER 100 IBR 9850 1600-1630 39,40 100 218 1...5.. JUL 100 PAB 9850 1700-1759 39 120 217 1234567 WER 250 YFR 9885 1700-1759 29,30 60 208 1234567 251108 280309 WER 250 YFR 9895 0559-0658 28S,38, 140 216 1234567 NAU 250 RNW 9895 0658-0757 28S 120 217 1234567 WER 250 RNW 9895 1100-1557 27S,37N 225 217 1...... WER 250 RNW 9925 1530-1729 39,40 105 216 1234567 260109 280309 WER 100 BVB 11605 1600-1659 29SE 90 218 1234567 WER 250 IBB 11635 0430-0500 48 135 218 1...... WER 125 BVB 11635 0430-0530 48 135 218 ......7 WER 125 BVB 11645 1530-1629 40E,41N 90 217 1234567 WER 250 GFA 11645 1730-1759 47,48,5 145 217 1234567 JUL 100 IBR 11675 1400-1429 30N,31W 60 218 1234567 281008 280309 WER 250 PRW 11675 1500-1530 41N 75 217 1234567 WER 250 AWR 11675 1530-1600 41N 75 217 1234567 WER 250 AWR 11685 1700-1759 37,38 180 216 1234567 120109 280309 NAU 125 YFR 11695 1400-1459 41 90 217 1.....7 050109 280309 WER 250 BVB 11720 1300-1329 42,43W 70 216 1.....7 NAU 250 AWR 11720 1300-1329 42,43W 70 216 .23456. NAU 250 AWR 11725 1330-1500 42,43W 70 216 1234567 NAU 250 AWR 11760 1600-1700 47E,48 130 217 1.3.5.. 041208 280309 JUL 100 RMI 11760 1900-1930 37,38W 210 216 1234567 WER 100 AWR 11760 1930-1959 37,38W 210 216 1234567 WER 100 AWR 11795 1730-1759 48 135 218 1234567 WER 250 AWR 11810 1700-1758 38E,39S 130 216 1..4... 120109 280309 JUL 100 SBO 11830 1500-1559 41 90 217 1234567 WER 500 YFR 11835 1700-1758 47E,48 145 216 ......7 030109 280309 NAU 500 ADM 11835 1700-1758 38E,39S 145 216 ....5.. NAU 125 ELF 11835 1700-1758 38E,39S 145 216 1..4... 080109 280309 NAU 250 EFD 11840 1200-1230 19,20,2 35 216 ......7 NAU 250 EMG 11840 1400-1429 29 60 217 1234567 WER 100 PRW 11875 1630-1729 47,48 145 206 1234567 120109 280309 JUL 100 BVB 11875 1729-1745 47,48 145 206 .....6. 120109 280309 JUL 100 BVB 11895 1500-1530 41 87 216 1.....7 151108 280309 NAU 250 BVB 11895 1500-1556 41 87 216 ....56. 151108 280309 NAU 250 BVB 11895 1515-1556 41 87 216 ...4... 151108 280309 NAU 250 BVB 11895 1530-1556 41 87 216 .23.... 151108 280309 NAU 250 BVB 11905 1630-1659 48 135 218 1234567 011208 280309 WER 250 AWR 11905 1730-1759 48 150 217 .23456. WER 250 IBB 11905 1800-1859 48 150 218 1234567 WER 250 IBB 11935 0759-0857 27S,36, 240 217 1234567 WER 250 RNW 11955 1600-1759 47,48 150 217 1234567 120109 280309 WER 500 YFR 11955 1900-2000 37,38W 215 216 1234567 211108 280309 NAU 100 AWR 11970 1625-1715 39,40 120 217 .2..5.. 010109 280309 WER 250 BVB 11970 1625-1715 39,40 120 217 ..3..6. WER 250 BVB 11970 1625-1729 39,40 120 217 ...4... 010109 280309 WER 250 BVB 11975 0800-0830 37,38W 210 217 1234567 WER 100 AWR 12005 1430-1529 41NE,43 75 218 1234567 WER 250 GFA 12010 0800-0830 37,38W 210 217 1234567 WER 100 AWR 12010 0830-0900 37,38W 210 217 1234567 WER 100 AWR 12015 1400-1500 30S 75 216 1234567 WER 250 IBB 12035 1515-1559 40,41 90 217 ...456. 041108 280309 JUL 100 BVB 12035 1530-1559 40,41 90 217 ..3.... 041108 280309 JUL 100 BVB 12035 1530-1559 40,41 90 217 1.....7 JUL 100 BVB 12045 1759-1957 47E,48, 150 217 1234567 WER 500 RNW 13575 0000-0100 12,13 181 151 1234567 311008 290309 GUF 250 VOR 13600 1400-1459 30S,40N 75 217 1234567 281008 280309 WER 250 YFR 13630 0100-0300 12,14,1 195 151 1234567 GUF 250 VOR 13645 1400-1415 39N,40 90 217 ......7 WER 250 PAB 13645 1400-1430 41 90 217 1..4... WER 100 PAB 13645 1415-1430 41 90 217 .23.567 WER 100 PAB 13645 1430-1445 41 90 217 1...... WER 250 PAB 13680 1230-1559 40 105 217 1234567 141108 280309 WER 250 IBB 13700 1400-1558 41 95 218 1234567 151108 280309 NAU 500 YFR 13750 1330-1429 41NE,43 88 218 1234567 NAU 250 GFA 13810 1400-1520 28,29W, 120 156 1234567 111108 280309 NAU 100 TOM 13810 1520-1556 28,29W, 120 218 1234567 111108 280309 NAU 125 TOM 13820 1300-1500 41E 85 216 1234567 060109 280309 NAU 500 YFR 13840 1200-1229 29S 90 217 1234567 WER 100 PRW 13840 1400-1459 41S 105 217 1234567 WER 500 YFR 15185 1330-1459 41 90 217 1234567 311008 280309 WER 250 GFA 15190 0830-0900 38-40 105 217 1234567 WER 500 NHK 15215 1300-1345 41 90 217 1234567 WER 500 NHK 15215 1345-1515 41 90 217 1234567 WER 500 NHK 15225 0500-0600 39N,40W 105 218 1234567 NAU 250 IBB 15495 1200-1230 41NE 90 217 1234567 WER 250 AWR 15495 1230-1259 41NE 90 217 1234567 WER 250 AWR 15520 1200-1229 29 60 217 1234567 WER 100 PRW 15520 1230-1330 41NE,42 78 218 1234567 151108 280309 NAU 250 GFA 15565 1200-1230 31S,42N 70 218 .23456. NAU 250 BVB 15620 1630-1700 48 135 217 1234567 WER 250 IBB 17485 1500-1559 46E,47, 160 216 1234567 JUL 100 TOM 17545 0900-1000 38,39 135 217 .....6. WER 125 BVB 17650 1530-1559 47,48 135 217 ...4... WER 100 BVB 17675 0600-0700 40 105 217 1234567 WER 250 IBB List of Broadcasters which are using MEDIA BROADCAST technical equipment ADM Abu Dhabi Media Company AWR Adventist World Radio BVB High Adventure Gospel - Bible Voice Broadcasting CHW Christliche Wissenschaft CVC Christian Vision DTK MEDIA BROADCAST (ex Deutsche Telekom) DVB Democratic Voice of Burma EFD Ethiopeans For Democracy ELF Eritrean Liberation Front EMG Evangelische Missionsgemeinden in Deutschland FEB Feba Radio UK GFA Gospel for Asia HCJ Voice of the Andes HLR Hamburger Lokalradio HRT Hrvratska Radio Televizija IBB International Broadcast Bureau IBR IBRA Radio Schweden LWF Lutheran World Federation MVB Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Baltic Radio MWA Missionswerk Arche NHK Nippon Hoso Kyokai PAB Pan Am Broadcasting PRW Polskie Radio Warsaw RHU Radio Huriyo (Xoriyo) RMI Radio Miami International RNW Radio Netherlands World Service RRP Radio Reveil Paroles de Vie RTR Radio Traumland (Belgium) SBO Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo TOM The Overcomer Ministry TWR Trans World Radio VOR Voice of Russia WRN World Radio Network YFR WYFR Family Radio Michael Puetz MEDIA BROADCAST GmbH Order Management & Backoffice Josef-Lammerting-Allee 8-10 D-50933 Koeln, Germany Please send your inquiries and reception reports to: E-Mail: QSL-Shortwave @ media-broadcast.com Internet: http://www.media-broadcast.com/en/radio/kurzwelle.html (DTK / M&B via Mike Bethge-D, http://www.wwdxc.de Feb 15 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** GERMANY. 11780, Adventist World Radio via Wertachtal. Full data .pdf e-mail QSL received after several attempts, reply in 7 months total for an initial e-mail report to: QSL-Shortwave@media-broadcast.com v/s: Michael Puetz. 9655, Lutheran World Federation via Wertachtal. Full data .pdf e-mail QSL received after two follow-ups, reply in 5 months total for an initial e-mail report to: QSL-Shortwave@media-broadcast.com v/s: Michael Puetz (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE [non]. 1Africa, CVC about to get off 9420? See ZAMBIA ** GREENLAND. 720: The other day, I found while reviewing my recordings a quite seldom visitor here. From time to time, I was monitoring this channel but without any success. This time, I could hear something before WGN hits my antenna. That was on last February 1st at 2159 UT (my local sunset period). The music must be Danish I think then time or ID announcement in Inuit followed by a program in Danish. Listen: http://www.quebecdx.com/greenland_720.mp3 Distance of the transmitter would be around 2 Mm, of course not that impresive compared to Iran for example but from a DXer point of view, it sure is a very exotic catch. Thanks to OJ Sagdahl at Realdx for his quick confirmation about this station (Sylvain Naud, Portneuf, QC, Canada, MWDX yg via DXLD) ** HONDURAS. 3339.99, HRMI-Radio MI, 0221-0257, Feb 14, English announcements at 0221 & 0254 with Radio MI IDs, mention of frequencies and studios in California. Inspirational music. Local Spanish music. Poor to fair (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) HRMI has been missing lately from 3340, but it was active Feb 14 at 0646 check with music, 0706 talk in Spanish; presumed ID as nothing else there and when active habitually runs late- or all-night; poor with quite a lot of fading, and frequency a smidgin on the low side. Yes: earlier in the evening Brian Alexander measured it on 3339.99 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 4775, AIR Imphal; Feb 15, seemed to have transmitter problems; not heard about 1325; fair signal about 1415; not on the air for the "News at nine" (1530). 4920, AIR Chennai, during many checks here from 1330 to 1530, Feb 15, heard the usual heavy QRM from Tibet (Xizang PBS), which has returned here after being off the air for a short time. Was great to have just AIR here, even if for only a few days. 4970, AIR Shillong, 1347-1434, Feb 15; in English with program about health and nutrition; "Win an attractive prize provided by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Ministry of Woman … Government of India. Send answer into Health and Nutrition, P.O. Box 4912, New Delhi, India 110 029"; pop songs in English; into vernacular and subcontinent music; many local IDs; fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4970, Air-Shillong 1425 2/16, English and Hindi talk at low modulation levels, 1427-1428 silence, followed by romantic Bollywood songs introduced by W. No news on the half-hour, just romantic Indian songs until 1444. Low level Hindi talk by M followed by 38 seconds of silence. 1445 W : "This is the Northeastern Service of All India Radio broadcasting from Shillong on the frequency 60.36 metres shortwave. Good evening." Then news headlines. 1446 "Those were the evening news headlines (at the moment?) from the Northeastern Service of All India Radio". 1447 "Tonight our spotlight in on Jim Reeves" followed by C&W song "Hold Your Sweet Lips A Little Closer To The Phone." Followed several more selections by the same singer (David Walcutt, Eugene, OR, NASWA yg via DXLD) Hi David, Glad to see someone else listening to my favorite AIR station. It's great they give so many local IDs, plus I like the wide variety of music they play. For me it is the strongest AIR on 60m, which makes it enjoyable to listen to on a regular basis. Thanks for the posting! (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, ibid.) ? 60.36 metres is a wavelength, not a frequency! Shillong must think most radios around there are still calibrated in metres only. Can that be true? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also SIKKIM ** INDIA [non]. 4775, AIR Imphal (presumed); 1357 + 1410 + 1425, Feb 16. Follow up to yesterday's log: today found them at times off-the-air completely or only with open carrier (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR Mumbai is just now (0415 UT of 17 Feb 09) observed on 7190 instead of 7195. (100 kW). Their full sked is: 0015-0430 Urdu, 0430-0440 HS, 0830-1130 Urdu, 1230-1500 Sindhi, 1500-1600 Baluchi. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, Hyderabad 500082, India, dx_india yg via DXLD) Back on 7190 when I checked in at 0100, 18th feb 2009 (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, ibid.) AIR Mumbai on 7190 instead of 7195 again today 18 Feb 09. Yesterday they were noted till 1600 on 7190. SLBC Sri Lanka on 7190 was blocked by them. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, dx_india via DXLD) A lot of MUDDLE-headed these days on Indias's AIR performance. See also intermodulation products, spurious emissions like harmonics items at TopNews #899 http://topnews.wwdxc.de Lazy and unmotivated engineering staff ? 73 wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR VBS, 9870, Feb 17 at 1414 running produced ads mixing Hindi and English, including ``the best performance, the best your vehicle can get`` followed by march tune. Usual polar flutter but good signal (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA [and non]. DW/BBC DRM Transmission to India for BES Expo 23.02.2009 - 25.02.2009 DRM consortium is holding a workshop for All India Radio engineers at the annual BES Expo international conference and exhibition on 23rd February 2009 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India. Engineers from 35- 40 AIR stations (which plan to convert to DRM) as well as other delegates will take part in the workshop. There will also be a full DRM session on 24th Feb. Ruxandra Obreja, Chairperson DRM, will deliver the keynote speech on the first day of the conference that will be attended by other DRM members such as Lindsay Cornell and Julian Cable (BBC), Joseph Troxler (Thomson), Thomas Feustel (DW), TVB Subramanyam (Analogue Devices), Vineeta Dwivedi (DRM). Sharad Sadhu, Technical Director ABU will chair the DRM session. There will be a chance to listen to the recently launched DW / BBC channel for Europe, that will be transmitted to India. Deutsche Welle will offer this additional DRM transmission from Trincomale (Sri Lanka) to India (New Delhi) from 22nd to 26th of Feb, 0500-0759 UTC on 12050-12055-12060 KHz (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, Feb 13, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDIA. Dear Friends, During Dec 2008 I visited All India Radio station at Mussourie. The article on the visit is available at following link: http://alokeshgupta.googlepages.com/AIR_Mussoorie.pdf 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad 500082, India (via Alokesh Gupta, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. Most likely Radio Voice of Indonesia may have abandoned the frequency of 9525 kHz because it has been received recently at 20 hours with a program in English on 11786 kHz. The station has registered on 9525 kHz one-hour emissions in English at 02, at 10, at 13, at 15 and at 20 hours. The QSL address is: Voice of Indonesia, P. O. Box 1157, Jakarta 10110, Indonesia (Rumen Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX program Feb 13 via DXLD) No, it hasn`t. It`s been using 11786v regularly after 16 UT for months. Just heard it Feb 13 during the 14 UT hour in Malay still on 9526v, and no doubt also for English at 10 and 13 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOI, 9525.9 at sufficient level for a change, Feb 15 at 1348, YL talking about laws and regulations on investing in Indonesia, citing them by 5-digit number, MEGO. 1349 outro that this was the weekly Miscellany program, ID in passing, 1351 Music Corner. Must be running late as these usually start earlier in the semi-hour. Yes: English hour wrapup not until 1407 and into Malay (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11785.86, Voice of Indonesia, 1540-1545, Feb 15; first time I have heard them here during this time period, as normally not here till about 1600. In English with a clear ID. Nothing heard on 9525.9 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Re impending XM/Sirius bankruptcy: The Echostar satellites are geostationary. But I see no real synergy between current Echostar businesses and the XM/Sirius satellite capabilities. The DISH Network satellites all use frequencies above 10 GHz. The Sirius/XM birds are in the 2 GHz region and have much more limited bandwidth. Ergen probably wants to continue the current services and after the debt is wiped out by the bankruptcy, and Karmizan and Howard Stern and their inflated contracts are voided, the company can make a nice profit. I am sure the only use for the XM birds would be for one way transmission of information to very small antennas in a ground footprint approximately the size of the 48 contiguous states and adjacent Canadian provinces. The information could be anything with a point-to-multipoint mission and need for small antennas that need not be pointed accurately. I believe the total bandwidth of the transponder is about 10 MHz allowing fast digital transfers of information. If one were to walk the XM satellites to different longitudinal positions, a similar area could be covered anywhere in the world. One way transmission to small antennas located on military helmets or robotic vehicles could have interesting military applications. One could even envision triggering events in politically or militarily sensitive locations with small solar-powered receivers prepositioned by clandestine operatives. Sirius birds are not really in polar orbits. They are in highly elliptical orbits that are geosynchronous but not geostationary. The apogee of the orbits, as now established, occurs over central Canada. The perigee occurs south of the equator. I entered the Sirius orbital parameters into one of those earth-view programs many years ago. From the current orbit at apogee the satellites could see Western Europe and Northern Russia. I do not know if the satellite antenna beam is steerable to off-point the beam from directly under the satellite to a target near the horizon and that could limit many applications. If the satellite beam can be off-pointed, one could get excellent coverage of the Arctic Ocean region where geostationary satellites cannot see. Geostationary satellites a cannot see anything above 81 degrees North Latitude. If one were to walk the orbits eastward so apogee occurred over Western Europe, one might be able to send one way traffic from the USA to Western Asia with only one hop minimizing delay time (Joe Buch, Feb 12, swprograms via DXLD) LIBERTY EXTENDS $530 MILLION LOAN TO BAIL OUT SIRIUS XM By Cecilia Kang, Washington Post Staff Writer, February 18, 2009 Liberty Media, the company that owns DirectTV and the Discovery channel, yesterday threw faltering Sirius XM Radio a lifeline, agreeing to loan the company $530 million to help pay off some of its debt and avoid bankruptcy. The deal will give the Englewood, Colo., media company the largest stake in the nation's only satellite radio provider and access to Sirius's best assets: 20 million subscribers and $2 billion in annual revenue. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/17/AR2009021700928.html (via Mike Terry, Feb 18, dxldyg via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. BRIDGES TV FOUNDER BEHEADS WIFE Hi Glenn and Anne, I recalled Bridges TV coming up in DXLD late last year. http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld8129.txt This item was overshadowed in the news on Thursday by the plane crash nearby... http://www.buffalonews.com/437/story/578644.html "Muzzammil Hassan is the founder and chief executive officer of Bridges TV, which he launched in 2004, amid hopes that it would help portray Muslims in a more positive light." This can't help much (Fred Waterer, Ont., DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: PROMINENT ORCHARD PARK MAN CHARGED WITH BEHEADING HIS WIFE === By Gene Warner News Staff Reporter Updated: 02/13/09 09:54 PM http://www.buffalonews.com/437/story/578644.html Orchard Park police are investigating a particularly gruesome killing, the beheading of a woman, after her husband — an influential member of the local Muslim community — reported her death to police Thursday. Police identified the victim as Aasiya Z. Hassan, 37. Detectives have charged her husband, Muzzammil Hassan, 44, with second-degree murder. "He came to the police station at 6:20 p.m. [Thursday] and told us that she was dead," Orchard Park Police Chief Andrew Benz said late this morning. Muzzammil Hassan told police that his wife was at his business, Bridges TV, on Thorn Avenue in the village. Officers went to that location and discovered her body. Muzzammil Hassan is the founder and chief executive officer of Bridges TV, which he launched in 2004, amid hopes that it would help portray Muslims in a more positive light. The killing apparently occurred some time late Thursday afternoon. Detectives still are looking for the murder weapon. "Obviously, this is the worst form of domestic violence possible," Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III said today. Authorities say Aasiya Hassan recently had filed for divorce from her husband. "She had an order of protection that had him out of the home as of Friday the 6th [of February]," Benz said. Muzzammil Hassan was arraigned before Village Justice Deborah Chimes and sent to the Erie County Holding Center (via Fred Waterer, DXLD) Got this CNN article in via Twitter just now -- founder of Bridges TV turns self in and confesses to beheading his wife, who had filed for divorce: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/02/16/buffalo.beheading/index.html?eref=rss_topstories (Clara Listensprechen, Feb 16, dxldyg via DXLD) Bridges TV Press Dept. - 716-961-3140, info @ bridgestv.com Buffalo, NY - Bridges TV is deeply shocked and saddened by the murder of Aasiya [Zubair] Hassan and subsequent arrest of Muzzammil Hassan. Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to the families of the victim. We request that their right to privacy be respected. Bridges TV Press Department (http://bridgestv.com via DXLD) ** IRAN. 3945, 0215-0228* 11.02, VOIRI, Zahedan. Urdu announcement, male recitations from the holy Qur'an, female priest reading prayer (!), piano I/S 55544 // 6010 (54444) (Anker Petersen, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** IRAN. 6095, Voice of the Islamic Rep of Iran, (presumed), 0235-0330 Feb 15. I've been hanging out on this frequency for almost an hour, trying to catch some kind of ID. I heard a male mention "Iraq" a few times, but other than that, nothing significant. Signal remained down in the poor range with hardly any muscle behind the signal. Noted a female talking off and on during the period. Of course the language was a problem too since I could understand what it was? At 0322 a female begins talking, but only briefly. The male returns shortly in comments. At 0326 the talking ceases and short music heard until 0330 then off the air (Chuck Bolland, FL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VIRI Pushto listed, via Kamalabad (gh) ** IRAN [non]. Sembrerebbe che la Voiri abbia ripristinato le trasmissioni diffuse dal relay di Sitkunai, se qualcuno domani mattina potesse tentare anche la trasmissione in italiano... questa la situazione a prima della disattivazione: 0730-0828 9770 Italiano [correxion below: 0630-0728] 1430-1528 3960 Russo 1730-1828 6180 Tedesco 1830-1928 6115 Francese 1930-2028 6115 Inglese 2030-2128 6055 Spagnolo Al momento da Sitkunai è regolarmente in onda su 6055 anche The Mighty KBC con dell'ottima musica (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, 2141 UT Feb 12, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Also Russian is again on air after 1500 on 3960. Faint signal here, more than a hour before sunset. Wonder how long it will last this time? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) IRIB with Persian-Russian - seemingly - language lesson on 3960 kHz at 1510 UT with S=8-9 signal strength in southwestern Germany. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) See also LITHUANIA! ** IRELAND. Lunedì 2 febbraio 2009, 0747 - 5505 USB, SHANNON VOLMET (Irlanda). Wx rpt *YL*-PC (ex OM-PC). Segnale buono-sufficiente. Anche in Italia per le stazioni meteomar ad un certo punto hanno sostituito il sintetizzatore vocale da maschile a femminile, forse perché ha una tonalità più elevata e quindi a livello di ricezione si comprende meglio (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, Feb 18, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) They switched from male to female voice and now is more intelligible; as also has been done in Italy (gh, DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. Studio DX, in Italian via WRMI 9955, Feb 16 at 0648, fair signal mixing with DentroCuban jamming pulses, so Roberto Scaglione should also have a bone to pick with fellow DX program producer Arnie Coro, who never gets jammed. Airing as scheduled UT Mondays 0630 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KALININGRAD. RUSSIA. Additional frequency for Voice of Russia in German in DRM mode: 1000-1300 on 7325 KLG 015 kW / 220 deg to CeEu (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Feb 16, via DXLD) ** KOREA [sic]. The frequency used by KCBS is 3480 kHz and not 3840 kHz as published in “World Radio & TV Handbook 2009”, pages 495 and 570. Perhaps it is a typo (Rumen Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX program Feb 13 via DXLD) If so, they did it four times. 3480 is certainly correct, as also heard here recently, and by many other loggers, offsetting all the other errors at R. Bulgaria. WRTH had 3480 correctly in the 2008y edition; why change? BTW, this is Korea North, or Korea South [non]. I find it strange some DXers are not too concerned about differentiating the Koreas; reunification advocates? (gh, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. JSR, Shiokaze, 5910 confirmed in English again this Friday, Feb 13, at 1414 check with heavy accent talking about N Korea. No jamming or other QRM audible, but insufficient signal. Even worse 24 hours later, and not in English (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5910, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze via Yamata; 1405-1410, [Sun] Feb 15; believe in Korean; heavy jamming/pulsating noise present (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 7390, Open Radio for North Korea. Received two data (except for site) personal letters, for two different dates, in 18 months. Mentioned in the letters that they don't have QSL cards due to a temporary printing difficulty. This for a postal report with an mp3 CD recording to: Open Radio for North Korea, P. O. Box 158, Mapo, Seoul, 121-600 Republic of Korea. v/s: Han Gwang Hee, Programme Director (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7550, Open Radio North Korea, Yerevan-Gavar, 2120-2130, escuchada el 16 de febrero en Coreano a locutora en una especie de recitación acompañada de música de piano y canto de pájaros, segmento de música melódica, SINPO 35433 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN. 4849.86, *0300-0315, CLANDESTINE, 11.02, Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, via Salah al-Din, Northern Iraq. Kurdish martial music, 0304 and 0308 ID: "Aira dangi Kurdistan Irana", martial song, Kurdish announcement by female, 0309 Muslim Call to Prayer - and then the Iranian jammer immediately started! CODAR QRM 33433 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. I can receive Radio Kurdistan in sounds like Kurdish on 3999 kHz at 1330 to 1435* on Feb. 16. As ID "Radio Denge Kurdistan" by female at 1400. PERSEUS Screenshot by A.Ishida http://userdisk.webry.biglobe.ne.jp/016/006/65/N000/000/000/123479529009316228973_03999-090216-1433.jpg Audio file by peace-J http://sky.geocities.jp/peace_jju_ujjj/2009/090216_2300_3999kHz.mp3 Radio Kurdistan HP http://radiokurdistan.net/index.php (S. Hasegawa, Japan, NDXC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Their website, upper left corner and hard to read, says 3900 kHz, but really on 3999? I guess so, as Aoki shows: 3999 Radyo Dengi Kurdistana 0245-0430 1234567 Kurdish/Persian 50 ND unknown TKM 057..E38..N KDP-I 3999 Radyo Dengi Kurdistana 1245-1430 1234567 Kurdish/Persian 50 ND unknown TKM 057..E38..N KDP-I i.e. thought to transmit from Turkmenistan. I wonder which faxion this is? WRTH 2009 says on page 493 under Target: Iran: Kurdistan Democratic Party, with an address in Sweden and a phone in Iraq. Shows exactly same hours but on 3930. Probably varies or jumps frequency a lot; not to be confused with Greenland out of the ages (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) If you look down the right-hand column, an inch or two under the animated radio tower, you can also make out "75" [metres] and "3930" [kHz]. Also very feint, on the right-hand bottom corner of the header graphic, it says "The voice of Kurdistan" and of course their on-air ID translates as "Radio Voice of Kurdistan" rather than simply the "Radio Kurdistan" implied by their URL. Incidentally, I wonder if they still broadcast in Persian, or just Kurdish now? WRTH only lists Kurdish, and I can't find any Persian audio files on the website. Although there's an apparent link to a "Farsi" page (top-left, under the feint times and frequency), the page itself is blank! (David Kernick, Feb 18, dxldyg via DX LISENING DIGEST) ** KUWAIT. 11990, Radio Kuwait (reactivated), 1818-1840 Feb 15, English service with “Under the Umbrella of Islam” program followed by pop music and rap music. At 1828 a man announcer gave ID and frequencies) 963 kHz, 96.3 MHz and 11990 kHz for Europe and North America). Five + one time pips at 1830 followed by ID and TC for “7:30 PM Kuwait local time.” This was followed by the news. Good signal. I checked for this during the week but unheard so not sure when it returned. Nice to have the English service back (Rich D'Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** KUWAIT. Some changes of Radio Kuwait in Arabic to NCAf: 0200-0940 NF 13650*KBD 500 kW / 286 deg, ex 15495 1000-1740 NF 11630#KBD 500 kW / 286 deg, ex 15505 1800-2400 NF 13600 KBD 500 kW / 286 deg, ex 15495 #co-ch 1000-1200 CNR 1/8 and 1300-1500 Voice of Russia in Russian WS *co-channel 0700-0900 Voice of America in Chinese + music Jammer (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Feb 16, via DXLD) ** LAOS [non]. 11785, Hmong World Christian Radio via WHRI - Angel 6. Full data (with site - Cypress Creek) "20 years of Short-wave Ministry to the World" QSL Card for an mp3 CD postal report to Indiana. Reply in 4 months v/s: "LWV" (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) = C.E. Larry W. Vehorn? (gh) ** LITHUANIA. Lithuanian Public Radio announced that it will stop renting the 500 kW mediumwave transmitter in Sitkunai on 666 kHz from 1 April (no April fool). (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 10 via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA/IRAN. IRIB was suspended only temporarily. Broadcasting resumed today, February 12th. Besides IRIB, we carry KBC on 6055 as well, at 2130-2230 UT (Sincerely, Sigitas Zilionis, Lithuania, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 12, ibid.) 6055: Thanks to Sigitas Zilionis' mail I noted IRIB Tehran Spanish program tonight around 2100 UT Feb 12 with S=9+50 db !! superpower signal here in Germany. IRIB with Persian-Russian - seemingly - language lesson on 3960 kHz at 1510 UT Febr 13 with S=8-9 signal strength in southwestern Germany. At 1822 UT Feb 13 IRIB German service via Sitkunai on 6180 kHz, S=9+50dB, same strength level like DWL 6075 kHz. 6180 kHz heute Febr 14 um 1720 UT S=5-6, typische Horn of Africa Musik von FEBA Dhabayya in Oromo. Ab 1725 UT Sitkunai Litauen on-air, nur Traeger [carrier]. 1730 UT alle drei Kanaele von IRIB Deutsch in wunderbarer kraeftiger Modulation und Signale. 6180 Sitkunai Litauen S=9+40dB, am staerksten. 6205 S=9+30dB; 7380 S=9+30dB. Startet mit Lesung Sure #33 aus dem Koran und deutscher Uebersetzung. And now IRIB French on 6115 kHz, equal superpower S=9+50dB from 1830 UT. QRM YFR Spanish via DTK/M&B Nauen 6120 only poor in local skip zone. 6110 BBC Arabic via both RMP 500 kW and SKN 300 kW stronger QRM. 1830 UT alle drei Kanaele von IRIB Franzoesisch in wunderbarer kraeftiger Modulation und Signale. 6115 Sitkunai Litauen S=9+40dB, am staerksten. 6180 KAM S=9+10dB, 7380 SIR S=9+30 dB. IRIB in Italian very strong S=9+60dB at [correct time! ] 0630-0728 UT Feb 14 via Sitkunai-LTU 9770 kHz, in \\ 13620 and 15085 kHz, all superpower about S=9+20dB (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 12/13/14 via DXLD) IRIB relays resumed via Sitkunai, Lithuania today LITHUANIA/IRAN, 6055. Thanks to Sigitas Zilionis' mail I noted IRIB Tehran Spanish program tonight around 2100 UT with S=9+50 db !! superpower signal here in Germany. Tentatively like this: LITHUANIA/IRAN B-08 Winter schedule of Sitkunai relays 0630-0728 9770 SIT 100 kW 259 deg WeEU VOIROI/IRIB in Italian 1430-1528 3960 SIT 100 kW 079 deg EaEU VOIROI/IRIB in Russian 1730-1828 6180 SIT 100 kW 259 deg WeEU VOIROI/IRIB in German 1830-1928 6115 SIT 100 kW 259 deg WeEU VOIROI/IRIB in French 1930-2028 6115 SIT 100 kW 259 deg WeEU VOIROI/IRIB in English 2030-2128 6055 SIT 100 kW 259 deg WeEU VOIROI/IRIB in Spanish 2130-2228 6055 SIT 100 kW 259 deg WeEu Mighty KBC in English 0100-0200 9480 SIT 100 kW 079 deg Asia RFA Uighur 0200-0258 6110 SIT 100 kW 310 deg NoAM Mighty KBC English Sun (wb, Oct 28) (Wolfgang Büschel, Feb 12, 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Saludos cordiales Wolfgang, puedo confirmar la emisión de VOIRI en español por 6055 vía Sitkunai, se capta aquí en Valencia con un SINPO 55444. Curioso el restablecimiento de VOIRI vía Lituania, justo unos días después de que las emisiones de Radio Al Aqsa en 5815 y 5835 hayan cesado, o al menos ya no se captan aquí en Valencia, no estoy seguro de la relación que haya podido tener el cancelamineto de VOIRI a través de Lituania semánas atrás con la aparición de Radio Al Aqsa, y justo despues de no escucharse más Radio Al Aqsa, aparece VOIRI a través de este transmisor, Casualidad?? 73 (José Miguel Romero, Spain, ibid.) Guess what? Sitkunai has previously used 5815 or at least registered it, almost a year ago as found in B-07 HFCC: 5815 1430 1530 29 SIT 100 40 1234567 210208 290308 D LTU LRT ZRC (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But would they still be allowed to use such a frequency? The Lithuanian telcom regulation authorities had suddenly introduced a restrictive policy in regard to OOB frequencies, effective March 2008. Back then anything above 6200 became taboo, but 5815 could be out of limits for Sitkunai now, too. Be that as it may: I don't think so, these signals did not appear to originate from broadcast transmitters in Europe. But how about IRIB itself? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 3215, 1640, 11.02, R Feon'ny Filazantsana, via Talata- Volonondry. Malagasy religious talks, 35333 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR [and non]. In light of the recently improved reception in North America of R Nasionaly Malagasy, I scanned 60m Thursday evening at about 0330z to compare RNM (100 kW ND) at S-5 to S-9 with other African stations. CVC Lusaka (100 kW ND) on 4965 was a bit lower in strength (S-5 to S- 7) to RNM. VOA Botswana (100 kW at 20 ) was about the same as CVC. So a somewhat stronger signal from RNM even though it was about an hour after sunrise in Madagascar while Botswana and Zambia were still dark. I recall that 5010 was usually very marginal compared to CVC and VOA. But now it's somewhat better with quite improved audio. So what could have changed? Might there be a change in the transmitter site? Could they be using the Talata site or perhaps even the new site at Mahajanga built by World Christian Broadcasting? Any ideas? (Jerry Lenamon, Waco TX, Feb 13, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 6027.0v, 1255-, RTM Kuala Lumpur (very tentative), 15/02, Malay-like YL talk - weak under local noise and strong splashes from 6030 (CNR), it seems their transmitter was off at 1300 or 1301. 73! (Mikhail Timofeyev, Location: North-East part of the St. Petersburg city, Russia, Receiver: Sangean 909, Antennas: 15 meters outdoor long wire, HCDX via DXLD) Surely Ron Howard would have heard this if it were Malaysia; searching the DXLD archive we find some logs last summer, topped by this in 8- 074: 6035, PBS Yunnan, 1243, June 28, in Vietnamese, fair, both spurs also heard: 6027 (poor) and 6043 (fair), all clearly parallel. Thanks to Mauno Ritola of Finland for his help identifying these spurious signals (DXLD 8-072) (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST via DXLD 9-015) Aoki: 6025 RTM Kuala Lumpur 0400-1300 Malay 75 ND Kajang; sign-off time fits (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 6049.60; RTM's Suara Islam program continues to still have modulation/audio problems since Glenn and I heard them on Feb 10. They have almost no audio/modulation during checks made after 1400 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Feb 15, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6049.60, Suara Islam/Voice of Islam via RTM; 1534-1542, Feb 16; singing "Malaysia" jingle; in vernacular; regularly scheduled Monday segment about higher education; today mentioning several technical institutes and various professors; audio has returned to normal. Earlier at 1420 clearly heard QRM from Tibet (Xizang PBS) on 6050.0 (poor) in Chinese and parallel with 5935 (fair) and 7170 (fair-poor) (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA, Logs from Bali, Indonesia: 07.02. 1322 UT 6050 kHz RTM Sibu, Iban, O=3-4 s/on 0000 UT (not everyday on air) 07.02. 0600 UT 9750 kHz open carrier over hours (should be VoM), 15295 kHz no signal (Uwe Volk, touring Indonesia and Thailand, Feb 13, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 15 via DXLD) Are you SURE it was Sibu and not Kuala Lumpur at 1322? Perhaps cannot tell on portable if it is on 6049.60 (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. 4800, Radio Continental de America, 0458-0538 Feb 14, program of vocals hosted by a man announcer with Spanish talks. Nice ID at 0518 followed by a formal ID with call letters at 0522 and more music. Fair with CODAR QRM (Rich D'Angelo, PA, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Did they really call themselves that instead of Transcontinental? Self-deprecating, down a notch? (gh, DXLD) 4810, XERTA, R. Transcontinental de América. F/D QSL card ("Certificado de Sintonía") on heavy card stock with station logo and flags of many nations on front, log data handwritten on back; also sent cover letter. Received in 88 days from last f/up for $1. V/S Rubén Castañeda Espindola, Director General. Have been trying off and on to get this QSL'ed since 1997 but my reports, apparently, could not keep up with all their address changes. Current address is Calle Gabriel Guerra #13, Col. Zona Escolar, C.P. 07230, Ciudad de México (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) See also UNIDENTIFIED 4800 ** MEXICO [and non]. CONCERNING KUSC(FM) SENDING PROGRAMMING TO XHLNC Re the story in CGC #881 entitled, "Application Accepted for Filing for Cross-Border Program Permit." KUSC's application to send programming to XHLNC is the result of a request by that station to broadcast two KUSC programs: Saturday morning opera and The Record Shelf. In spite of what is suggested in the FCC release, KUSC doesn't own the station. Eric DeWeese, General Manager, Classical KUSC edeweese (at) kusc.org http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-288190A1.pdf EDITOR'S COMMENT: KUSC HAS SECOND THOUGHTS In a surprising turn of events, KUSC has apparently told the FCC that it no longer wishes to send programming to XHLNC: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-288479A1.pdf (CGC Communicator Feb 14, via Kevin Redding, TN, ABDX via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. CANADA, Radio Netherlands Relay-RNI, 9525, 2358, English, 333, Feb 13, OM on the economy downfall on the News Line program. Suddenly off the air at 0000 (Stewart MacKenzie, WDX6AA, Huntington Beach, California, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not via Canada; where did you get that? Scheduled during this hour is RN in Indonesian via Tinang, Philippines, or rather until 2357 only -- - so another screwup by IBB, leaving the transmitter on too long and putting the wrong feed on the air. However, per Aoki, RCI has a Dutch relay via Canada ending at the same hour on 9520 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEVIS. Rare visitor here in Memphis, Voice of Nevis on 895 kHz coming in extremely well at 0400+ on the SE/NW ALA100 antenna. Noted a strong het on 900 kHz with the T615 ULR and checked with the SDR-IQ and sure enough a very strong signal on 895 kHz with back-to-back vocals R&B vocals. ID just heard at 0419 "You`re listening to VON". Also audible during peaks on the E100 Slider + ALA100, best by off- tuning to 896 kHz to knock the stronger co-channel 890 down! -- (Brandon Jordan - Memphis, TN, USA, 0422 UT Feb 13, IRCA via DXLD) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. 2009-02-14: 2182, 0634 VCM CAN USB St. Anthony cg radio ann gale warning on 2598 2598, 0635 VCM CAN USB St. Anthony cg radio gale warning 2182, 0639 VON CAN USB St. John `s cg radio ann gale wrng on 2598 2598, 0640 VON CAN USB St. John`s cg radio gale warning (Bert van Rij, Naaldwijk, Negtherlands, NRD 535, aangepaste K9AY, BDX via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. New Zealand to get 7.1-7.2 MHz Primary - The New Zealand regulator the MED has announced that the Amateur Radio service will gain Primary access to 7.1-7.2 MHz after 29 March 2009. The Ministry of Economic Development (MED) website says: In accordance with the ITU Radio Regulations published last year the use of the frequency band 7.1 to 7.2 MHz for Broadcasting services will cease after 29 March 2009. This change aligns use of the band in ITU-R Regions 1 and 3 with Region 2. (Region 3 includes New Zealand). PIB 21 will be amended by removing the New Zealand broadcasting allocation in this band. This change means that the amateur radio service will enjoy primary access to the band after 29 March 2009. The announcement 'Broadcasting use of frequency Band 7.1 to 7.2 MHz' can be seen at http://news.business.govt.nz/news/info/rsm/article/9362 (I.C.P.O. Bulletin (February 12 - 20, 2009) via editor Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. New On the Air --- A new Radio Heritage Foundation documentary looking back at how new radio stations signed on the air in New Zealand since the 1970's can be heard as audio on demand from RNZI for the Mailbox program of January 25 2009 at http://www.rnzi.com Featuring many recordings of announcements and jingles, the program includes Radio Hauraki starting its first legal broadcast on 1480, a promotional program with rare jingles from 1XI Radio i 1590, jingles from Radio Avon 1290, Radio Otago 1210, Radio 1XX 1240, and jingles and announcements from several new FM stations in Hamilton and Whangarei as well as a zany wake up special from long time DJ Muzza Inglis on a long gone Auckland FM station. The program explores how early private radio in New Zealand promised to serve local communities, and connects these lofty ideals with the new BIG 106.2 FM local FM station that recently began serving Auckland City. It also draws heavily on private radio archives to which the Radio Heritage Foundation now increasingly has access. Listeners will also enjoy visiting http://www.radioheritage.net to see the very popular article 'NZ Radio Dial 1978' that features many of the stations in the documentary, with logos, station lists and expert commentary on the Kiwi radio scene that year. 'New On the Air' is part of the ongoing Kiwi Radio Campaign undertaken by the Radio Heritage Foundation that has now rescued thousands of items of radio ephemera from around the country (David Ricquish, RHF, Feb 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. 6170, Radio New Zealand. '60 Years Serving the Pacific Special Anniversary QSL' in 13 days after posting a report with $2.00 Postage (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 6089.94, Radio Nigeria, 2157-2205, Feb 14, local tribal chants. Vernacular talk. Weak. Very poor with DRM QRM on low side & adjacent channel splatter on high side. Covered by Anguilla at their 2205 sign on (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA [non]. 15180, Feb 16 at 1616 apparently in Hausa, mentioning Abuja, Nigeria. What does PWBR `2009` say? Nothing! But this is of course Aso Radio, not a clandestine, but relay of a local FM station back to the country, as in Aoki, M-F 1600-1700, guessing the site is France. EiBi doesn`t guess on the site at all. HFCC doesn`t know anything about it. However, as we outpointed previously, WRTH 2009 says it comes via Samara, RUSSIA. There was also QRM from an open carrier on 15178, but I am not certain whether this was something local. {However, I am not convinced it is Samara, due to lack of other Russian signals on 19m at this time, and similar signals from Issoudun on 15300, 15605} (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15180, Aso Radio International (via CIS?), 1622-1657* Jan. 30, 09. Noted with a program in Hausa, lengthy interview and commentary talks. Many mentions of Aso Radio International and gave a web site as http://www.asoradioonline.com Initially the signal was quite strong but gradually it faded-out by 1645 but managed to hear a final sign- off announcement, web site and drum/flute interval signal to 1657* (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORFOLK ISLAND. Jim Smith, VK9NS, SK --- The sad and shocking news of the death of the legendary Australian radio amateur and DXer Jim Smith, VK9NS, was spread quickly among the ham radio community world wide. His son, Bruce, G3HSR has released the following message: “It is with deep sadness that I inform you that Jim, VK9NS, passed peacefully away on Norfolk Island on 10 February 2009 after a short illness. Jim is survived by his wife Kirsti, VK9NL, and his four children: Bruce, G3HSR, Stuart, Sheena and Fraser. Jim’s contribution to Amateur Radio, DXing and IOTA is inestimable. He will be sadly missed”. (Radio Bulgaria DX program Feb 13 via DXLD) + JIM SMITH, VK9NS + The DX community worldwide mourns the loss of James B. Smith, VK9NS, who passed peacefully away on Norfolk Island on 10 February after a short illness. First licenced in 1947 as VS1BQ (Singapore), over sixty years Jim operated under a large number of callsigns and from many countries all over the world, including new and rare DXCC entities and IOTA groups (A35MR, A51JS, A52JS, H40AB, S21ZA, T31JS, T33JS, VK0JS, VK9WW and W1RZ/KH9, just to name a few). "I mention being dragged 'kicking and screaming' into the hobby", he said in his autobiography ("The Old Timer"), "but once there now feel that I have participated in the hobby in many ways. I have been lucky (if that is the right word) to have travelled extensively and often the travel has been related to Amateur Radio in the sense of DXpeditions. I have always been interested in DXing and being able to give something back to the hobby has been lots of fun and dare I say it often hard work". The stories of a number of his DX operations can be found on the website of the Heard Island DX Association http://www.hidxa.nlk.nf formed in 1980. Jim's inestimable contribution to DXing was acknowledged in 1986, when he was inducted into the CQ DX Hall of Fame. Jim is survived by his wife Kirsti (VK9NL) and his four children: Bruce (G3HSR), Stuart, Sheena and Fraser, all living in the UK. Condolences can be sent to Kirsti at jimkirsti @ ni.net.nf "A Tribute to Jim B. Smith, VK9NS" can be found on the Documentary Archive Radio Communication' s website http://www.dokufunk.org/vk9ns (425 DX News Feb 14 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) OBIT ** NORWAY. Re 9-005: Dear Glenn Hauser! Read the new MWN/Medium Wave News today (Vol 54/No 9). I notice in Tom's World News that an old Open Letter (2001) now almost 8 years old, and quite outdated http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1123.txt from our company is cited. I also find this cited in a recent DXLD. http://www.w4uvh.net/dxld9005.txt At any rate this material is both published in MWN and DXLD without anybody having asked for our comments, we think this would be commonly accepted editorial policy. We find this to be quite odd. Regarding the more or less sarcastic comments on DXLD these notes from us: *What is now Northern Star saw opportunities for private AM broadcasting in and from Norway from the early 90s as it was announced that the Decca system (136 metres masts in Norway, excellent for low- end MW) was to be phased out at the end of the decade. *By 1994 we had started lobbying for 2-3 of these. One of them, fully equipped, was offered for $10000 on the estate market! *153 kHz (Tromsø-Langnes, 10 kW, off per early 1992, demolished) and 216 kHz (Oslo-Kløfta, 200 kW off per early 1995, demolished) became unused channels. *153 in Geneva Plan (implemented November, 1978) was to be Vannøy (NW Tromsø) 1200 kW and 216 in Geneva Plan to be Bastøy (Oslofjord) 1200 kW. These stations, along with Smøla, 630, 1200 kW were never built, as NRK could not get the funding. *Norway in 1997 wanted all the same to take both 153 and 216 back in use to avoid other countries taking them. *Looking for AM-frequencies, preferably MW, we approached the authorities. Our project was then in 1997 encouraged to apply for the two super-power LW channels as they were vacant. *We were very hesitant, knowing a transmitting site for an efficient LW aerial would be very difficult to find. As said, Norway had already demolished two LW sites, and was to demolish many more sites that could have been converted, such as the Decca ones. As late as the day of writing this, another military aerial of 150 metres that we have put an interest in was demolished: http://www.nrk.no/nyheter/distrikt/sorlandet/1.6475582 http://www.fvn.no/lokalt/kristiansand/article647694.ece http://www.fvn.no/fvntv/index.jsp?id=12647 *We took the challenge however. The coverage of stations like Allouis- 162, Europe 1-183, RMC-216 and RTL-234 were very inspiring. We were first promised 153 by the P&T in 1998, but this went to Norkring for the Ingøy site.(Opened October 2000 with only 100 kW, funding had earlier also been secured for a new 675 kHz station at Røst Island(20 kW, opened May, 1999), at a converted Decca site.) *After much lobbying 1997-2000, the Norwegian Parliament opened for private AM-broadcasting 2000, and 216 kHz was advertised. *We were then awarded a provisional license for 216 in 2001 by the Media Authority after an application process involving Dept of Culture in 2000. *Ofcom of course never seriously considered using 300 kW from Daventry; it was Crown Castle, owning the site then who offered it to us at the IBC in Amsterdam 2000. We did not want to go down this road, for a number of reasons. *The coverage maps are historical now, of course, but reflect the strong faith at the time in the bureaucracy and Government in utilizing the great coverage possible on LW. Nobody has ever wanted to offend other users of these channels such as Donebach and Roumoules. The maps also reflect our sheer enthusiasm! *We of course knew that moving the allocations, such as to SW Norway would have meant changes, and new ITU coordination. (On the other hand, there is a history re Norway vs. Monaco on 216/218 long before our involvement.) http://www.northernstar.no/216history.htm http://www.northernstar.no/clear.htm http://www.northernstar.no/lfmf5.jpg *For commercial radio, as it is well-known, also Delta 171/The Lounge and MM 279 had LW projects. We thought it a very good idea to "put Norway on the air" to the rest of Europe! http://www.northernstar.no/dxn08.htm *We have so far felt it unwise to return the offer of 216, but in reality had turned to MW opportunities in Norway and Europe by 2003, as Norkring did not want to build the LW at the SW in Sveio. This is already now 6 years ago. *Regarding DRM it is of course an open question whether this broadcasting mode will take off in the AM bands, and the availability of non-expensive good radios that can take digital modes is of course essential. In closing: Everybody has the right to express their opinion. But we think it would be helpful if the media experts would care to seek information at the right source. More research in this case might have led to the discovery that there are more sides to a matter than found from the armchair. http://www.northernstar.no/press.htm Yours sincerely (Svenn Martinsen, Northern Star International Broadcasters AS, PO Box 100, N5331 RONG, NORWAY, Feb 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Hello Glenn Hauser, How many times have you told a friend or colleague about something you heard on KGOU public radio? Maybe it was a story on Morning Edition, or a discussion on The Diane Rehm Show, or some interesting insight on any number of programs on KGOU. There are some parts of Oklahoma that are missing out because they have no access to public radio over the airwaves. KGOU has opportunities to bring public radio to two such areas, and to improve service to another. As you may have heard, KGOU is working on three projects to build stations in Woodward, Ada and Chickasha. You can help simply by spreading the word. Please forward this e-mail to everyone you know who lives in those areas, and tell them how public radio enriches your daily life. Each project has its own unique circumstances, challenges and opportunities. KGOU General Manager Karen Holp and other members of the staff will be holding public meetings in each location to provide information to members of the local community: Woodward - Monday, February 23 at 7 p.m. High Plains Technology Center, Rooms 201 A & B Ada - Tuesday, February 24 at 7 p.m. ECU Student Center, The Regents Room Chickasha - Monday, March 2 at 7 p.m. USAO Student Center, Station 81 More information is available at our Web site: http://www.kgou.org/expand_campaign.php Again, please forward to everyone you know in these areas and invite them to the public meetings. Thanks for your help in this endeavor, and for everything you do for KGOU! (Laura Knoll, Membership Director, KGOU Public Radio, 106.3 FM Norman, 105.7 FM Oklahoma City, 103.1 FM Seminole, 97.9 FM Ada, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. KEOR-1120 --- been listening to this station from time to time. Never hear an ID. What is the xmtr power? Receiver here is R-71A with an indoor active antenna. Signal not too gud but then neither is the ant. 73 (John Herman in Vinita [NE OK], Feb 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi John, It`s supposed to be 2 kW, but with direxional antenna from Sperry aimed SSW across Tulsa. Weeks ago I heard an occasional legal ID, but not lately. It also seems weaker here than it was at first. And still doing the oldies thing the afternoons of Feb 16, 17, 18. On Feb 18 I monitored at 1759 UT when there was a pause between ``Runaway`` and ``Smoke Gets in Your Eyes``, but no legal ID appeared. Ditto two hours later during a pause between two other tunes (Glenn Hauser, Enid, ibid.) ** OKLAHOMA. Feb 17 DTV transition notes: 1530 UT during Regis & whatshername, KWTV-9 analog signal noticeably weaker than usual, snowy. Probably running old backup transmitter one last time in preparation for turning on the full-power DTV-9 for the first time instead of 39. KETA-13 seemed same as usual. At 1900 UT, the analog KETA-13 cut off the air just as a program was starting, and a few seconds later analog KWTV-9. Within 5 minutes they were both back on in DTV. I have two main rooftop antennas. The higher UHF-only one, as presently aimed, gets a slightly stronger signal from KETA on 13 than does the lower and lower-gain VHF/UHF antenna! Perhaps with a little tweaking both will stay locked in on 13. I was also getting KWTV-DT-39, which just turned off, better than I am getting KWTV-DT-9. But maybe not fully powered up just yet. Shortly after 1900 UT, KAUT-43 analog also vanished, after playing back a general DTV transition report as had been on its primary station KFOR-TV, which is delaying. KOKH-25 and jointly owned KOCB-34, kept running crawlers that they would cease analog on Feb 17, but obviously not at the same hour as the others; still on and crawling at 2019 UT. KOCB-34 has been chosen as the `nightlight` station in the market. Both stations` websites are totally unhelpful about exactly what they are doing and when. [Later:] I was watching these two at midnight, UT Feb 18 0600; at 0601 they both started playing a NAB-produced nightlight show starting with ``this channel is no longer broadcasting in analog…`` Lots of info in there conveyed as simply as possible, but a BIG error: claimed rabbit ears only pick up VHF channels! About 9 minutes long, alternating with same in Spanish --- will these loop for the next 4 months, or 1??? Both still going at 2128 UT Feb 18; it`s hardly necessary for both channels to ``nightlight``, wasting lotsa watts. BTW, if this is what ``nightlight`` means, it will be no advantage for DXers, no constant IDs, but just these already worn-out loops. Promo on OKLA (KETA-13.2) at 1928 UT finally addressed the issue of what happens with their translators? Showed a map of them along the N/NW border, and the S border, said they would remain analog through 2009, [not merely thru June 12] and then change to digital. Another promo had Mark Norman, tech dir., saying that viewers need to rescan their converters on Feb 18! And do without OETA for a semi-day? He also recommended that everyone rescan converters or DTVs once a month to be sure they are getting all available stations. I have news for those urged to use this technique: The scan will miss some weaker signals at that moment, which you may want to have on the menu when they come in a bit stronger. Why not once a sesquiweek? What`s sacred about a month in this mess? Another report on the 0030 UT Feb 18 news said that while KOED-11 and KETA-13 had gone digital only in the metros, the other two full-power relays KOET-3 Eufaula and KWET-12 Cheyenne would continue analog as well as digital, for the greater benefit of rural areas. KSBI 52/D51 runs a crawl that not only are they keeping analog on until June 12, but from Feb 20 they are moving from Cox Cable channel 9 in OKC to channel 15 --- for sesquiyears their occupancy of cable 9 has been a big problem, due to bleed-thru from full-power analog off- the-air KWTV. Now with KWTV DT on 9 the situation must have become intolerable. I wonder who loses C15 as a result? The station originally on Cox Cable 7, KFOR, I think, had the same problem when KOCO started DT-7, so it also got a new cable channel (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) much more under DIGITAL BROADCASTING ** PALESTINE [non]. Is anyone still hearing the Al Aqsa TV relays on 5815, 5835, or the Al Quds TV relays on 6220, European/Mideast afternoons and evenings? Any more clues or theories about where these may be transmitted from? (Glenn Hauser, Feb 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Glenn, sounds like -whoever- was transmitting these 2 TV networks decided to stop them. I have been trying during the weekend and I get nothing on 6220, 5815 and 5835. I guess it was just a trial to get a voice out of Gaza to the world. All the best (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, Egypt, Feb 15, ibid.) Dear Glenn, I cannot receive 5835v and 6220v kHz after Feb. 5 by the monitoring in Japan. The reception of my last logging at 1900 on Feb. 4. and 5815v kHz not confirm after Feb. 2 (S. Hasegawa, Japan, NDXC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5815, 5835, and 6220, - nothing heard in Europe too on Feb 14, wb (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX via DXLD) Could the 5815, 5835 and 6220 TV relays have been via LITHUANIA? q.v. Saludos Glenn, rebuscando en internet, me he encontrado una emisora que operó en 2001 con el nombre de Voice of Al-Aqsa, creo que fue un programa desde Irán: No se que relación puede tener la actual Radio Al Aqsa con este programa. http://www.clandestineradio.com/intel/station.php?id=203&stn=612 Organization --- Ostensibly broadcast as part of Iranian state radio (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting, IRIB) under the guise of a "surrogate" service the program is under the direction of the Iranian regime. The name is derived from the 2000 Palestinian uprising dubbed Al-Aqsa Intifadah. Location Iran. Languages Arabic. Identification (Arabic) Sawt Intifadat al-Aqsa min Tehran. Active: December 2001 - present? Contact e-mail: radiohadi@irib.ir (José Miguel Romero, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Unfortunately, clandestineradio.com hasn`t been updated in sesquiyears (gh, DXLD) This was an IRIB external service (as they clearly identified on air as being broadcast from Tehran, I wouldn't class it as "clandestine"), transmitted when the second Palestinian intifada was in full swing. There's a 5-minute clip of it at Interval Signals Online http://intervalsignals.net (David Kernick, ibid.) ** PALESTINE [non]. HAMAS-RUN AL AQSA TV TO BEGIN BROADCASTING FROM BEIRUT http://portal.sawtbeirut.com/content/view/16727/2/ Saturday, 31 January 2009 --- Hamas-run Al Aqsa TV will begin broadcasting an hour a day from Beirut for hour daily in an effort to develop its broadcasting capabilities outside Gaza, the daily Al Akhbar said Saturday. Al Aqsa TV was hit during the 22-day Israeli offensive on Gaza (via José Miguel Romero, Spain, Feb 16, dxldyg via DXLD) ** PERU. 4857.43, Radio La Hora, 1115-1125 Feb 12, Signal consisted of steady music with canned ID every once in awhile over the music. The time frame was rather late, so the signal was very poor with deep fades. 5039.16, Radio Libertad, 1125-1135 Feb 12, Another late logging, noted music here. It was the traditional Huaynos type of music with the yelping that is usually heard. Between music, noted a male in Spanish comments. Signal was fading to threshold (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 5025, 14/02 2238, Radio Quilhabamba [sic], aymara px religioso racdos 2245 ss resa om id (RADIO QUILHABAMBA LA EMISSORA CATOLICA PERUANA), leitura de salmos 90, 44444. 5130, 14/02 2308, Perú, UNID, mx peruana, mx de Tomaz Pacheco, om para Bambamarca. mx linda flor, 33433 qrm cw (Ivanildo Gonçalve Dantas, radio motoradio pf 76ac, antna inv l, 50m navrgantes [sic] Machados SC, dx clube pr yg via DXLD) Aoki doesn`t have anything, but EiBi shows: 5120 1000-0230 PRU Ondas del Suroriente S PRU And that is certainly the closest known Peruvian to 5130. WRTH 2009 also has it on 5120, but in Quillabamba. PWBR `2009` has it on 5102v instead, as alt to 5071v, so it may move around more. LA SW Logs: 5120.3v PRU # Ondas del Suroriente, Quillabamba [1748/2340] (0.0-0.4) Jan09 A SS ex5070.7v? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A = reported in Conexión Digital ** PHILIPPINES. 9520, S Asian singing, but modulation breaking up badly, Feb 17 at 1437. This is RVA Telugu service, 250 kW, 280 degrees from Palauig-Zambales, following two other semihours in Sinhala, Tamil (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND [non]. B-08 Media Broadcast (ex DTK T-Systems). Part 1 of 4: Polish Radio External Service 1130-1200 on 7285 NAU 100 kW / 100 deg to EaEu Polish 1130-1200 on 9445 WER 100 kW / 300 deg to WeEu Polish 1200-1230 on 13840 WER 100 kW / 090 deg to EaEu Russian 1200-1230 on 15520 WER 100 kW / 060 deg to EaEu Russian 1230-1300 on 5965 WER 100 kW / non-dir to WeEu German 1230-1300 on 5975 WER 100 kW / 040 deg to WeEu German 1300-1400 on 7325 WER 100 kW / 040 deg to NoEu English 1300-1400 on 9450 WER 100 kW / 300 deg to WeEu English 1400-1430 on 11675 WER 250 kW / 060 deg to EaEu Russian 1400-1430 on 11840 WER 100 kW / 060 deg to EaEu Russian 1430-1530 on 6035 WER 100 kW / 060 deg to EaEu Belorussian 1430-1530 on 7180 WER 100 kW / 060 deg to EaEu Belorussian 1530-1600 on 6000 NAU 100 kW / 097 deg to EaEu Ukrainian 1530-1600 on 9790 WER 100 kW / 045 deg to EaEu Russian 1600-1630 on 6000 WER 100 kW / 080 deg to EaEu Ukrainian 1600-1630 on 7170 WER 100 kW / 075 deg to EaEu Ukrainian 1630-1700 on 7105 WER 100 kW / non-dir to WeEu German 1630-1730 on 6140 WER 100 kW / 055 deg to EaEu Polish 1730-1800 on 6140 WER 100 kW / 055 deg to EaEu Belorussian 1800-1900 on 6015 WER 040 kW / 300 deg to NoEu English DRM 1800-1900 on 7345 ISS 250 kW / 025 deg to NoEu English 1900-1930 on 5935 WER 100 kW / 075 deg to EaEu Russian 1900-1930 on 9800 WER 100 kW / 120 deg to ME Hebrew 1930-2000 on 5850 WER 100 kW / 075 deg to EaEu Ukrainian 1930-2000 on 5935 WER 100 kW / 075 deg to EaEu Ukrainian 2000-2030 on 5935 WER 100 kW / 075 deg to EaEu Ukrainian 2000-2030 on 6135 WER 100 kW / 045 deg to EaEu Russian 2030-2100 on 3975 WER 040 kW / non-dir to WeEu German DRM 2030-2100 on 9640 GUF 250 kW / 035 deg to WeEu German 2200-2300 on 6050 WER 250 kW / 055 deg to EaEu Polish 2200-2300 on 9660 GUF 250 kW / 040 deg to WeEu Polish (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Feb 16, via DXLD) Has anything changed here? ** QATAR [non]. Al Jazeera English Applies for Canadian License; Wants to open a Canadian news bureau, too, because CBC sounds too American. Whaaaaat?? http://www.insidethecbc.com/al-jazeera-applies-for-canadian-license (Clara Listensprechen, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) License for what? Sparse on details. I assume they are not looking for OTA TV stations, but just permission to be on satellite and/or cable. Seems to me, in the USA you don`t need a `license` for that, but nevertheless, AlJ has had problems getting seen (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** ROMANIA [and non]. 15235, Feb 14 at 1545 a bit surprised to hear a song in Spanish, but this turned out to be the Arabic service of RRI via Galbeni, 1547 YL speaking Arabic, 1548 song in Romanian(?), 1555 IS and off after frequency announcement. Heavy flutter. At 1605 a weaker signal from Channel Africa in French had taken over 15235 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Feb 13 at 0700 I was tuned to 7200, hearing R. Rossii ID and timesignal mixing with R. Bulgaria IS. Ex-Commies vs ex- Commies! The two deliberately collide since R. Rossii is Yakutsk scheduled all the way from 2000 to 1600, 100 kW non-direxional; R. Bulgaria is starting a broadcast in Spanish via Plovdiv 250 kW, 258 degrees, to Spanish Morocco and nearby countries. 9900, Feb 17 at 1405, SW Asian singing reminding me of R. Solh; alternated music and talk segments, Pashto? Several mentions of Afghanistan, but too much talk to be R. Solh. Also had very heavy polar flutter, worse than AIR 9870. Weakened gradually but still audible at 1447. What does PWBR `2009` say? Nothing at this time except 1400-1430 mid- year FEBC Bocaue, Philippines in unID language to C Asia. That doesn`t fit either, as no such polar flutter on Tinang 9760. Aoki and HFCC have the answer, I would not have guessed: VOR Pashto/Dari service at 13-15 via Samara, 250 kW, 140 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. 15435, BSKSA, now with a very big buzz at roughly equal level to the Arabic modulation, Feb 14 at 1543, and still at 1604. Much weaker // 15225 without buzz. BSKSA, 15435, Feb 17 at 1502 again with BB, AA, i.e. big buzz and Arabic at about equal levels. 15435, BSKSA Qur`aning with no buzz, Feb 18 at 1510, so settled in for my morning fix, 1515 ID as from Mecca --- but don`t DF this in order to align your prayers, as it`s really a bit off from Riyadh site! 1516, the buzz became audible, and steadily grew past 1528 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Harris reported a very large transmitter order from Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Culture and Information, or MOCI. The job is part of ongoing modernization of Saudi TV and Radio's transmitter infrastructure, and includes both radio and TV products. The Saudi MOCI chose 21 AM radio transmitters, including 3DX digital solid-state transmitters; 40 FM radio transmitters, including the ZX range of low-power transmitters; and 36 TV transmitters, including Atlas digital solid-state air-cooled transmitters, Harris stated. "These transmitters have been deployed across multiple Saudi TV and Radio facilities to allow for the broadcast of audio and TV programs terrestrially throughout the kingdom," Harris reported. "The new TV transmitters are an especially critical element of Saudi TV and Radio's program to upgrade its television infrastructure to digital. Four DVB-T transmission sites have already gone live this year with Harris transmitters." Dr. Riyadh Najm is deputy minister of engineering affairs for MOCI. Harris systems integrator First Gulf Company is the contractor. The Ministry of Culture and Information is owner of the official Saudi TV and Radio Network. It has four TV channels and four radio channels. To cover the country terrestrially, the ministry has about 20 medium- wave transmission stations and some 130 TV and FM transmission stations of varying power levels. http://www.radioworld.com/article/73886 (Feb 10) Unfortunately no details are given in the story (BC-DX via DXLD) ** SIKKIM [and non]. AIR Gangtok is noted now 16 Feb 09 on 6085 from sign on just before 0500 UT covering the budget programs. It is expected to be on air till around 0930 UT today. This frequency is used only on rare occasions [and when it is, only daytime, I expect -- - gh]. The following special broadcast is scheduled by AIR to cover the presentation of the Budget in the Indian Parliament. Feb 16, 2009 0500-0730 approx. on 7410, 11620, 15205, 15040 (All Via Delhi Khampur 250 kW). The same will be relayed by all stations of AIR. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, Feb 16, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** SINGAPORE. 3915, BBC, 2303-2315, Feb 15, English BBC news and BBC news oriented programming. Weak but readable (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SLOVAKIA. All medium wave transmitters in this country were closed down except that on 1098 kHz of Radio Patria broadcasting for the minorities (Rumen Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX program Feb 13 via DXLD) In 9-011 it was confirmed that all frequencies including 1098 were quiet. In 9-008 R. Patria was discussed, not as continuing on 1098, but on FM (Glenn Hauser, OK DX LISTENING DIGEST) But: Hi all, As you know recently all Slovak medium wave transmitters were shut down. However, for SRo 5 - Rádio Patria, a Hungarian minority station, this meant that it could no longer be received in the capital Bratislava and surroundings as there was no FM frequency available. That is why a provisional 1 kW transmitter has been reactivated on 1098 kHz, broadcasting from Mytna Street between 0500 and 1700 UT. This transmitter will probably remain active until the end of the year, by what time the station hopes to have received an FM frequency. The radio company's original plan was to start DRM transmissions on this frequency, but this will now have to wait. As usual, the EMWG http://www.emwg.info has already been updated with this information. 73 (Herman Boel, http://www.emwg.info Feb 16, MWC via DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. No reply from Radio Slovakia International? Having not received replies from Radio Slovakia International, I emailed them on Friday, February 13, 2009. Here is their reply. "The Slovak postal office has been quite slow due to the euro introduction so please be patient." 73, (Kraig, KG4LAC, Krist, Manassas, Virginia, Feb 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) So, they are tied up inspecting each piece of mail and calculating whether postage due should be collected?? (gh, DXLD) Radio Eslovaquia QSL card mailed in Bratislava February 4, received in Barcelona, Spain, February 13. The reception report was emailed to Spanish dept. on Dec 29. The euro introduction in Slovakia, Spain, and other European countries is very recurrent lie. 73, Cordialmente, (Tomás Méndez, El Prat de Llobregat-Barcelona, España, ibid.) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 9541.50, SIBC (presumed), 1438-1533, Feb 16; conversation in English; poor with some type of noise/QRM, which ended at 1500; ToH BBC News, followed by BBC World Briefing; after 1500 was almost fair at times; 1530 BBC News; my local sunrise was about 1455. On a few rare occasions I have noted an open carrier here during this time period, but today was the first I have heard them well above a threshold level. What is their schedule? (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AMERICA [and non]. Acabo de recibir este mensaje de RC. Saludos! Jorge Estimado amigos! Esta noche volvemos al aire, conmemorando nuestros 12 años de actividad. Ya está solucionado el problema que nos afectó. A partir de las 2200 UT y con transmisión hasta al menos las 0900 UT de mañana. Este esquema vamos a ejecutar por algunos días. Cabe destacar que la potencia del transmisor es de solo 20 vatios en portadora, con la modulación la potencia es alrededor de 80 vatios (PEP). Por esa razón, captar nuestra emisora es un logro muy destacable. Saludos cordiales de Cachito http://www.geocities.com/rcochiguaz correo electrónico: radio_cochiguaz@... [truncated] Casilla de correo 159; Santiago 14; Chile Dear Friends! This evening we are back with our 12 years anniversary broadcast. We have fixed the problem with the transmitter, thus we will be on air from about 22 UT until at least 06 UT tomorrow. This sched. will be continued fore some days. Actually it is a really DX catch if you can receive our signal as the transmitter deliver only 20 watt of carrier, about 80 watt modulated power (PEP), a real low power station. Anyway it has been heard very long away. Greetings from Cachito http://www.geocities.com/rcochiguaz correo electrónico: radio_cochiguaz@... [truncated] Casilla de correo 159; Santiago 14; Chile (via Jorge, Radio Piranha, 2114 UT Feb 13, condiglist yg via DXLD) WTFK? Four nights ago on first try it was 6307, as in 9-013 under SOUTH AMERICA (gh, 0434 UT Feb 14, dxldyg via DXLD) Sent: Saturday, February 14, 2009 7:32 PM Subject: problemas con relay Europeo/Problems with the European relay Queridos amigos! Hoy habíamos planeado salir también por medio de una repetidora en Europa, pero por algunos problemas técnicos lo pospondremos para otro día. Sin embargo desde la planta aquí en Sud América estamos saliendo. Estaremos transmitiendo hasta las 1000 UT de la mañana. La frecuencia es de 6307 kHz AM, 20 vatios en portadora, 80 vatios PEP. Esperamos que las condiciones nos ayuden en algo. Saludos cordiales de Cachito http://www.geocities.com/rcochiguaz correo electrónico: radio_cochiguaz @ yahoo.com Casilla de correo 159; Santiago 14; Chile Dear friends! Today we had planned to be on also via a relay in Europe but due to some technical problems we had to postpone this. Anyway we are on with our transmission from South America. We will broadcast until 10 UT tomorrow. The frequency as usual: 6307 kHz AM with 20 watts on carrier, aprox. 80 PEP. We hope condition give us a hand.... Greetings from Cachito http://www.geocities.com/rcochiguaz email: radio_cochiguaz @ yahoo.com Casilla de correo 159; Santiago 14; Chile (via Arnaldo Slaen, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) ** SOUTH CAROLINA [non]. WCKY, 1530, Cincinnati OH, Feb 12 at 0641 tuneby, Brother Scare mixed with audio noise bursts. Not local QRN, but transmitted that way, bad feed. Once great station not only takes no pride in its programming but in its engineering (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN [and non]. REE, Amigos de la Onda Corta, at new time 0605 UT Sat, instead of originally publicized 0505 UT, Feb 14 monitored on webcast. If I had been listening on SW, would have been on 5965 via CR. NOT on the frequencies mis-announced at the beginning of the show. Tho they had corrected the time from 0505 to 0605, still listed the frequencies in use at 0505, including 6055 and 3350, which are off the air after 0600! After 0630 I was listening on SW and confirmed those two were off, 6055 already occupied by Nikkei, Japan; as REE`s companion mailbag show Cartas del Oyente was starting, again with listing of all times and frequencies for it, but still with both wrong time and consequently wrong frequencies, `0530` including 3350 and 6055! Will REE ever get its act together? Among topics on the DX program was an interview with someone from the S500 club in Valencia on the campaign to get `diexismo` and `diexista` approved as real words and entered into dixionary of the Spanish Royal Academy (DRAE). It might help if these words weren`t mimicking English pronunciation of ``DX`` --- in proper Spanish they should be spelt deequisismo, deequisista, but that isn`t going to happen. Also their definitions as explained were SWL-oriented only, including QSLing as mandatory! I beg to differ --- one can DX in any language without QSLing, which is an optional sub-hobby; the QSL-maniax cannot imagine doing one without the other, and try to dominate or denigrate the rest of us. Ignored also were hams who use these same terms to refer to two-way contacts only. Also monitored the Cariari relay`s behavior on Saturday morning, Feb 14: At 1552, big open carrier from 17850; 1559 both this and 15125 had sign-on message also mentioning 9765 --- 1600 is the start-time only on Saturdays. But after one-second-late timesignal, 15125 went quiet, while 17850 started programming with news. It was not until 1607 that the audio was faded up on 15125, program about opera. Meanwhile I confirmed 9765 // but just barely audible. Will REE ever get its act together? Oops, I already said that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Link to REE-Spanish frequencies is wrong at present, http://www.rtve.es/files/70-2882-FICHERO/Frecuencias08.pdf latter which gives the whole Spain, ... Melilla FM schedule. but correct on file link http://www.rtve.es/files/70-13342-FICHERO/Microsoft_Word_-_Frecuencias+++_pdf.pdf and foreign languages http://www.rtve.es/files/70-13364-FICHERO/FRECUENCIAS__extranjeras_en_su_idioma.pdf 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Feb 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. DRM noise audible on 9775-9780-9785, Feb 15 at 0640. What`s this? REE as scheduled from Noblejas, 05-09, 100 kW at 50 degrees (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. CLOSURE OF UNIVERSITY'S RADIO COMPLUTENSE Hi Glenn, Radio Complutense was a low-powered FM station (107 MHz) that the students at Madrid's Complutense University (La Universidad Complutense de Madrid) used to practice their broadcast skills -- something similar to the station you oversaw at U of Tenn. in Knoxville during the late 1970s and similar to others in different college campuses throughout the US. However, this wasn't wasn't "an official" university project; it began as a student project later supported by an alumni association. Last week, the dean at the College of Communication Sciences threw everybody out of the campus studios and pulled the plug on the station. Without prior notice, he explained that the area was going to be remodeled, but cut the phone lines and changed the locks. A few journalism students contacted me and I wrote this piece for El País-English which appeared on Thursday. What is so ironic about all this is that the university has a good journalism program that attracts so many students from all over Latin America. The web site is that of the program Punto de Encuento (meeting spot) that was broadcast weekly on Radio Complutense. The main page traces the entire closure of Radio Complutense. http://www.puntoencuentrocomplutense.es/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/english-edition.jpg Best (Marty Delfin, Madrid, Spain, Feb 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not exactly: I worked for the professional public radio station WUOT, and really had nothing to do with the student station WUTK (gh, DXLD) ** SRI LANKA [and non]. On the topic of BBC ./. SLBC see this: http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/15592 Quite robust, and it certainly explains why the BBC did not choose the diplomatic approach this time. Actually it is signal theft what the SLBC does with BBC WS English now. See also http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/listeningpost/2009/02/2009213104038330240.html Makes me wonder how safe the operation of the Iranawila and Trincomalee transmitter sites is. Better resist from broadcasting material we view as support for the LTTE, else...? Would DW and VOA stand [for] any such threats? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA [non]. Germany, (non), 6045, IBC Tamil Radio, (presumed), 0010-0035 Feb 15, buried in the splatter, the signal is just audible with a poor signal. Noted a male in rapid talk while a female comments briefly with him. Could not ID the language but it wasn't English or any other language I could give a name. It sounded like one of the many Asian languages however. At 0032, heard a musical type story from a male - talk over a tune. At 0044 a female begins to talk in length. At 0057 a male talks until the hour, then the station stops abruptly. Nothing heard after 0100. Signal remained poor with splatter (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SRI LANKA [non]. Voice of Tigers back to shortwave? Since the government of Sri Lanka has revoked the FM licence of the LTTE's radio station, Voice of Tigers, the station has regained its pirate/clandestine status. It has operated on shortwave in the past, and it seems to me highly probable that it will reappear on shortwave in the near future, assuming that the Sri Lanka Government puts its FM transmitters out of action. Something to listen out for (Andy Sennitt, Feb 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Like I said in 9-009: ``This might lead to resumption of SW clandestine broadcasts from outside, if LTTE have enough resources or resolve left, and if they can find a host, triply iffy (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` ** SUDAN [non]. via Rimavska Sobota, Slovakia, 15650, Miraya FM, 1502-1514, Feb 13, English news concerning Sudan. Miraya 101 FM ID. Mentioned MirayaFM.com website. Into Arabic at 1514. Poor to fair, mixing with a weaker Greece & many strong peaks over Greece. Greece usually the dominate station but not today (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Miraya FM, via IRRS via Slovakia, 15650, Feb 16 at 1500 was unreadable under Greece, but that having QSYed to 15630 at 1600, in the clear at 1635, heavily accented English M&M discussion about Rwanda, intermittent hums; peaks S9+10 but still difficult copy (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SURINAME. 4990.01, 0045-0055 09.02, R. Apintie, Paramaribo. Dutch talk, 24232, QRM Brazil 4985 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. R. Sweden, 1179, back on air with big signal at 1700 13/2/09 (Steve Whitt, UK, MWC via DXLD) ** SYRIA. 9330, 13/02 2239, R Damascus, Spanish, desde Adra, com 500 kW, com azimute de 278 a tx se destina a Europa, s-meter cheio, mas a modulação é muito baixa e quase não se ouve o locutor, muito semelhante ao problema da R Cairo [see EGYPT, 9360], YL com nx, 45433 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, 12º 15' 1.57" S 38º 58' 40.30" W, Degen 1103, Antena fio longo com 20 metros e balum 9:1, HCDX via DXLD) 9330, Radio Damascus, 1758-1942*, Feb 14, tune-in to local Mid-east music. Brief announcement at 1800 & only an open carrier at 1800-1806. German talk at 1806. Mid-East music. Some classical music. French at 1900 to 1942 sign off. Strong carrier but slight hum. Good modulation at first but modulation became weaker as the transmission wore on. Nothing heard on 12085 at 1806 check but surprised to hear // 12085 at 1850 check, but with hum & very low modulation. 9330, Radio Damascus, 2211-2305*, Feb 14, noticed back on the air at 2211 check with local music. Spanish talk. ID. Anthem at 2301. Abruptly off at 2305. Fair level but with slight hum. // 12085 with very weak modulation & strong hum. 9330, Radio Damascus, 2145-2201+, Feb 15, in English!! Tune-in to local music. English at 2157 with brief news bulletin. Into Spanish at 2200. I should have tuned in earlier. Poor with low modulation. Carrier only on // 12085 with possibly very low imaginary modulation (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 12085 - Radio Damascus putting in a fair signal at 2008 today with English news and local Arabic music. Slight hum on signal and some fading but overall a good signal from them today. I can actually understand the news being read at 80 -90 %. Into news and views program with feature on Israeli elections. Nothing noted on 9330 (Steve Wood, South Yarmouth, MA, Drake R8b, 30 x 70 flag E/W flag antenna, Feb 16, NASWA yg via DXLD) Kris Janssen in Belgium had been reporting that the 2000 English broadcast had been skipped on SW 9330 for some time, back on for the 2100 English (gh, DXLD) ** TAIWAN. 9410, 13/02 2314, Fu Hsing BS, Chinese, desde Kuanyin, com 10 kW, mx pop romántica chinesa, forte interferencia não identificada, talvez das emissoras em 9405 e 9415, 32332 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, 12º 15' 1.57" S 38º 58' 40.30" W, Degen 1103, Antena fio longo com 20 metros e balum 9:1, HCDX via DXLD) Usual warning that could be Chicom jamming instead? No, not in this case, per Aoki there is no jamming and nothing else scheduled on frequency at this hour (gh, DXLD) ** TAIWAN [non]. Radio Taiwan International-RTI, 9660, 2345, Chinese, 333, Feb 13, YL and OM with comments. An echo on this frequency (Stewart MacKenzie, WDX6AA, Huntington Beach, California, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The echo is a dead giveaway that you were hearing instead CNR1 mainland jamming of RTI, which uses more than one transmitter site and/or deliberately duplicates the audio from one site to make it even more annoying. All these Chinese broadcasts by RTI are jammed, so you should assume that is what you are hearing, rather than RTI itself, unless you get a specific ID. Most listings do not show the Chinese jamming as a legitimate broadcast, tho it may sound like it is, which is exactly what the Chicom want you to think. But the Aoki list shows which frequencies are jammed, with an asterisk (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET. Re 9-014, what`s up with Tibet: ``4905, Xizang PBS – Lhasa, 1430-1532, Feb 11; fair reception with the usual mushy audio; parallel to 5240 (poor), 6110 (poor) and 7385 (poor); noticeably absent today was Tibet on both 4920 and 6200 (both of which are normally well heard every day) (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ditto here 11 Feb at 1700 UT (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, ibid.)`` Xizang PBS-Lhasa 5935, 6050 kHz in Chinese and 4920, 6200 kHz in Tibetan were stopped from Feb. 11 with my monitor. Later started broadcast at 1545 of Feb. 14. de Hiroshi (S. Hasegawa, NDXC, Japan, Feb 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TUNISIA. TUNISIAN POLICE CLOSE INDEPENDENT RADIO STATION, HARASS ITS JOURNALISTS - RSF | Text of press release by Paris-based media freedom organization Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF) on 11 February Radio Kalima journalist Zakia Dhifawi was arrested by six plain- clothes policemen yesterday afternoon as she was leaving a trade union building in Tunis and was held for an hour at the Charles de Gaulle Street police station, where she was subjected to humiliating treatment. Kalima trainee journalist Faten Hamdi was meanwhile threatened with prosecution yesterday, three days after she was briefly arrested. "It is intolerable that the staff of Kalima, Tunisia's sole independent radio station, are being subjected to the same kind of harassment to which all independent journalists are exposed," Reporters Without Borders said. "After closing the radio station's premises and confiscating its equipment, the police are now clearly targeting its staff with the aim of making their lives so difficult that they leave Tunis and stop working as journalists." After being taken to the police station, Dhifawi was put in a room on her own. Then two women police officers came, forcibly undressed her and subjected her to a body search. Before releasing her, the police warned her that she could be subjected to the same kind of "punishment" every day as long as she stayed in Tunis and continued to work for Kalima. Dhifawi had been questioned by police for three hours the day before (10 February) about her work for Kalima. On that occasion, she was threatened with being prosecuted and imprisoned if she did not stop. A writer who also works occasionally for the opposition weekly El Mouwatinoun, Dhifawi spent 102 days in prison last year after covering and participating in a march in support of the protests in the Gafsa mining region. Since then, she has not been able to resume her work as a teacher in Kairouan (120 km south of Tunis). Meanwhile, members of the political police yesterday told Hamdi, 24, that she would be imprisoned if she continued to work for Kalima. On 7 February, she was arrested on Habib Bourguiba Street in Tunis and was held for three hours, during which she was threatened with prosecution. Three journalists working for the satellite TV station El Hiwar Ettounisi were also arrested on 7 February and threatened with prosecution if they did not abandon their journalist activities. Source: Reporters Sans Frontières press release, Paris, in English 0000 gmt 11 Feb 09 (via BBCM via DXLD) And yet, HFCC lent its prestige to this police state by holding its latest meeting there; shame. So did everyone have a good time in Tunisia? Not so much for the natives (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: The meeting went very well. I am doing a written report for the NASB Newsletter, and I have an interview with the main organizer which we will probably run as two parts on the Voice of the NASB on the DX Party Line this month and next month. (So the first part will be Saturday, Feb. 21 -- and repeats.) I am aware of the reports regarding press freedom in Tunisia (although I wouldn't call it a "police state"), but this is the HFCC/ASBU coordination conference, and this time it was hosted by the ASBU, which is a pan-Arab organization that has its headquarters in Tunis. So the ASBU offered to host the meeting at its headquarters, which is logical. It was held there for the first time in 1998. As you can imagine, these conferences are like mini United Nations meetings, with delegates from so many countries. They try to stick to their purpose of frequency management and leave politics out of the equation. For example, this time the U.S. IBB delegation and the IRIB Iranian delegation were seated right next to each other, and everyone gets along very well. There are two meetings each year, so the venue varies widely from one to another. Personally, I think that if they were to take politics and human rights allegations into account in deciding where the meetings will be held, it would probably be hard to find a place that everyone would agree upon. The ASBU and the Tunisian authorities were very good hosts for this technical conference. But I'm not a spokesman for the HFCC or the ASBU (Jeff White, NASB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TUNISIA. TÚNEZ, 7190, RTV Tunisia, Sfax, 0840-0850, escuchada el 14 de febrero en árabe a locutor con comentarios en programa musical, música folklórica local, SINPO 55454. Servicio listado de 0400 a 0800 tanto en EiBi cómo en Aoki, posiblemente con servicio ampliado (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), probando Dejen DE 1102, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRTH 2009 shows until 0810. Possibly some scheduling confusion since Tunisia observes DST, UT +2 in summer. 7190 also a nightly guest here, most appreciated when they are playing music. But it has only a sesquimonth left: in A-09 7190 is replaced by 7335; whew, CHU escaped, while the // 7275 remains, probably still closing earlier. 7190`s evening transmission 17-24 moves to 7345 (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** TURKEY. Cancelled transmissions for Voice of Turkey from Feb. 1: 1000-1025 on 9560 CAK 250 kW / 320 deg in Romanian 1100-1125 on 13770 EMR 500 kW / 310 deg in Hungarian 1430-1455 on 9525 CAK 500 kW / 295 deg in Bosnian 1630-1700 on 7170 CAK 250 kW / 313 deg in Serbian 1700-1725 on 7180 EMR 500 kW / 290 deg in Croatian 1800-1855 on 6135 EMR 500 kW / 020 deg in Russian 1900-1925 on 6055 CAK 250 kW / 313 deg in Bosnian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Feb 16, via DXLD) ** U A E. Abu Dhabi Media Co.: see GERMANY ** U K [and non]. Feb 15 at 1325 found strong co-channel interference over PMS via WWCR, 13845, and zero-beat to her, central Asian language, then classical music until cut off at 1330* with no further announcement. I had the misfortune to tune in during the only semi- hour per day when WWCR does not have 13845 to itself worldwide. Per Aoki, this is the Kyrgyz service of BBC via Rampisham, 500 kW, 62 degrees, which started Dec 6; IIRC, BBC was banned from local FM relays in Kyrgyzstan so had to go back to outmoded SW (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non non]. BBC Dari Service, 9505 @ 1815z, Feb 14, music was a mix of tribal music and rap, lots of percussion. Aoki lists this from Singapore, 250 kW @ 315 . Even though it's high noon here, the path is about 2/3 in the dark with the terminator in the Aleutians. Unusual to have Singapore (about 9800 miles) at this time of day. (Jerry Lenamon, Waco Texas, Drake R8B, Vertical, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I believe this has changed to Rampisham, UK site (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ** U K [non]. Frequency changes of BBC: 1300-1330 on 12075 CYP 250 kW / 064 deg, new on SW Kyrgyz 13845 RMP 500 kW / 062 deg, new on SW Kyrgyz 15180 SLA 250 kW / 020 deg, new on SW Kyrgyz 1330-1500 NF 7550 TAC 100 kW / 131 deg, ex 7580 Bengali, Sunday only 1400-1500 NF 9535 NAK 250 kW / 300 deg, ex 9800 Hindi (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Feb 16, via DXLD) Kyrgyz `new` 2+ months ago ** U K. Program reductions at BBC Russian --- Dear DXers, On Friday evening I was listening to BBC Russian radio program, and I've heard something that they will change the time slot for the breakfast show as of FEBRUARY 16, and, I don't recall correctly, but they will reduce program content as of MID-MARCH (or they will tell the listeners about reductions in mid-March, I don't recall). Regards, (Dragan Lekic from Serbia, Feb 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [and non]. BBC WS moving out of London As an addition to this report, pointed out by Kim Andrew Elliott: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/feb/13/bbc-world-service-vote-strike For this move the BBC sets up rather extensive studio facilities in Delhi, including four fully equipped live studios ("cubicles" in BBC speak) with DHD RM4200D consoles: http://www.thummahr.de/BBC_WS_Delhi-lang-en.html (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Feb 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The heading of this message is misleading. Of course BBCWS is not "moving out of London", but it is reducing the number of London-based positions for its South Asian services and moving more jobs to Delhi, which will greatly reduce labour costs. This plan has been on the cards for several years already, and naturally the unions oppose it. The reasons given by BBCWS for relocating are disingenuous. The BBC has been able to cover breaking news in South Asia quite adequately for many decades from London. The real reason for the change is much lower labour costs, at a time when the BBC is looking to launch an Urdu TV channel. Obviously the chances of gaining significant extra funding from the government have nosedived because of the economic crisis (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) On OKLA channel 13.2 which I can now get, I notice that the BBC TV news at 2230 UT is anchored from Washington; more outsourcing. To what comes the world? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Nothing of my writing here claims to maintain journalistic standards in regard to using unequivocal wordings, being balanced etc. It's merely an informal exchange of informations and personal views. If such a disclaimer is necessary, well, here it is. And concerning the BBC's Hindi service: The details given by Thum&Mahr indicate some integration of the new Delhi studios and the London facilities. But to me it seems that a considerable amount of the programming is supposed to originate from Delhi in future. Presumably enough for a sensational description that BBC Hindi moves from London to Delhi (Kai Ludwig, ibid.) ** U S A. BURMESE SERVICE LAUNCHES NEW VOA TV PROGRAM VOA launches its first satellite TV program to Burma this weekend Washington D.C., February 12, 2009 - Voice of America (VOA) launches its first satellite TV program for Burma this weekend, bringing fresh news and information to people living in one of the world's most restrictive media environments. "This program will expose people in Burma to information and images they may never have seen before," said VOA Director Danforth Austin. Called Burmese Weekly TV Magazine, the program's first edition includes international, national news and features, including a special report on the Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic group from northern Burma. Burma's Junta has persecuted the Rohingyas, forcing many to try to flee to neighboring Thailand. In the first show, VOA anchors Thar Nyunt Oo and Nyo Nyo Lwin also discuss UNICEF's campaign to vaccinate children against polio and Thailand's economic problems as a result of a drop in the price of rice. The TV program, airing Sunday mornings in Burma and repeated during the week, expands VOA's Burma Service http://www.voanews.com/burmese/ radio programming, which now broadcasts three hours daily on shortwave. Research indicates about 12 percent of the urban households in Burma have satellite dishes, allowing them to see the new satellite TV program without interference. Burma, a country with about 47 million people, has one of the most restrictive media environments in the world, according to Freedom House, the non-governmental organization that ranks press freedom around the world. VOA is only source of independent news and information about the United States in Burma (VOA press release via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Frequency change for Voice of America in Kurdish: 1400-1500 NF 17740 MEY 250 kW / 015 deg, ex 15530 (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Feb 16, via DXLD) [new? Not exactly; I first heard this 2 months ago on Dec 16 --- gh] ** U S A [non]. 7210, Radio Free Asia (via CIS [Irkutsk, per Aoki --- gh]) *1500-1530 Feb. 11, 09. ID as "This is Radio Free Asia; the following program is in Korean". Noted with interviews, commentary and reports about an incident at near the DMZ. 9385, Radio Free Asia via Iranawila. *1700-1730 Feb. 15, 09. ID as "This is Radio Free Asia; the following program is in Korean". Noted with interviews, English audio clips, commentary and reports about Iranian and North Korean relations. [any WWRB QRM?? gh] 9905, Radio Free Asia via Palau. *1600-1630 Feb. 15, 09. Sign-on as: "This is Radio Free Asia" the following program is in Mandarin". Noted with commentary news and interview reports by RFA reporters. Signal initially was poor but gradually improved (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. The defunct KAIJ is finally off the books in FCC scheduling. Strangely enough, its two frequencies, 5755 and 9480, are now officially assigned to WWCR, but I assume this is only a holding pattern, as they would need a fifth transmitter, or to move one of the other four there, for which there seems to be no urgency: 0000-1200 on 5755, 1200-2400 on 9480, the same for A-09 too. Strangely enough, these show the same azimuth, 320 degrees as was used by KAIJ from Dallas (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 7480.6, WWCR Nashville TN; 2235-2318, 13-Feb; Spanish religious program abruptly interrupted at 2245 and into new Spanish religious program; English announcement at ToH, but got covered; into English religious program with Brother Larry commenting on the place of women. SIO=322+ on peaks; only copyable in USB due to Greece (presumed) on 7475; disappeared suddenly and completely into the QRN at 2318. Heard again 14-Feb, *2200 // 7465 in clear. 7480.6 poor and 7465 S35 signal. 7465 OC on 2158:21 with steel drum IS; ID at 2159 and English religious program on at 2200. 7465 announcements were crisp; religious program was muddy (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Othernesss --- 7505.34, Strong OC; 2240...2407+, 9/10 Feb; Possibly WRNO warming up transmitter? I've only caught WRNO once since they came back on the air (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie; 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) = random wire 7505.30, WRNO, New Orleans, *0159-0230 Feb. 11, 09. Sign-on with ID, news read by Jonathan Peters, into contemporary pop selection. Initially very good signal but gradually deteriorated by 0230 (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. Surprised to hear WEWN in English with EWTN women`s program on 9390, Feb 16 at 0704, instead of usual 9455. All current online schedules including WEWN`s own at http://www.ewtn.com/radio/freq.htm show 9390 not on the air until 0900; a change, or SNAFU? WEWN in Spanish, 11520, Feb 16 at 1448, co-channel QRM with SAH varying 3-4 Hz; what does PWBR `2009` say? Nothing colliding in W- season; but in fact it`s RNW English to S Asia via Madagascar during this hour. WEWN back on 9455 where it is supposed to be, Feb 18 at 0750 check during the same show for women I heard before on 9390 by mistake, this one about the dilemma of a Catholic marrying a Seventh Day Adventist in the Philippines. Advice: anyone who would do that is not really a devoted Catholic (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. I haven't seen this on DXLD or I just missed it but WWRB is now streaming "Global 1" on their website in mp3 and "ogg" at 16 kbps. I gave it a listen twice and the first time it sounded like the feed was from an actual shortwave radio complete with the occasional shortwave drop! On second listen I didn't hear any drops so maybe they did something right and it was a straight board feed. The usual religious hucksters both listens, surprisingly not Brother Scare! (Travers DeVine, Feb 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST) News to us (gh) ** U S A. A split-second check of WHRI-6, 11785, Sat Feb 14 at 1551 confirmed a gospel-huxter was on instead of DXing with Cumbre. Consulting the WHR online schedule, I see that DWC has finally been deleted from that timing, 1530, now shown on 11785 Saturdays at 1830 UT only. So was DWC heard then? Of course not! Not even on the air! But it was on the webcast (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5850, British-Israel-World Federation via WHRI Angel Two. *2330-2344* Feb. 14, 09. Sign-on noted with ID, hosted by Douglas Nesbit; into today's broadcast (Mark of Israel). Address given at the end of the broadcast (2x) (Edward Kusalik, Alberta, CANADA, Feb 15, DX LISTENING DIGEST) You don`t mean they turned the transmitter on and off in only 14 minutes for this, do you? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. WRMI, 9955, fairly good signal with KBS World Radio wrapping up Tue Feb 17 at 2157; cut off start of news capsule from WRN, ID, and 2200 sharp into R. República; still no jamming audible nor for at least 5 minutes, tho e.g. 9565 vs Martí was grinding away. Did not hear any break in WRMI transmission or change in strength as expected for switch from NW to S antenna (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Glen[n], Kind of a rarity for me, picking up WRMI on 9955 kc here in MWC. Your show #1447 was coming on at 1634 UT. Signal varied from 323 to 311. I could tell you were there but not what you were saying. I did here you talk about reception on 120 Meters, and a numbers station out of North Korea on 6215, finally before I lost ability to distinguish voice you were talking about something on 5715. Not sure what. WRMI doesn't come in for me very often but I check periodically. Got lucky two ways today -- heard the station and it was WOR. Enjoy your day (Steve Cross, Midwest City, OK, USA, Tue Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. 7175, Semeynoe Radio (via Irkutsk). Vietnamese (Dmitry Mezin, Kazan, Russia / "open_dx", Rx: Sangean ATS 909, Ant: 7 m, via Rus-DX Feb 14 via DXLD) What`s that? Time? Looking at Aoki, it must be Family Radio, scheduled thus at 1200-1400, 250 kW, 180 degrees (gh, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. GERMANY, 3975, YFR in Hungarian, Croatian and Serbian language? Hallo, kuerzlich habe ich eine Meldung gelesen, dass es auf 3975 (Wertachtal) von 1800-2000 UT eine neue Sendung von YFR Family Radio geben soll - angeblich in Englisch. Habe gerade reingehoert: YFR stimmt, aber die Sprachen waren 1800-1900 Ungarisch und 1900-2000 vermutlich Kroatisch (nicht ganz sicher). Diese Sprachen sind auf der WYFR-Homepage nicht gelistet. Scheint also was Neues zu sein (Hans Pammer-AUT, A-DX Feb 9) Letzte Woche hat Anker Petersen bei mir angefragt, er hat irgend etwas Slawisches gehoert, Kroatisch wuerde ja passen. Glenn Hauser bekommt immer 4 Wochen vor Saisonbeginn eine Mail mit einer Riesentabelle aller Sprachdienste aus Okeechobee Florida, also anfangs Maerz wird mans wissen. Ansonsten ist die Publizierung uebers Jahr gesehen bei YFR sehr lausig. [later] Dear Dragan, two hours YFR via Wertachtal 3975, I identify Hungarian language at 1800-1900 UT slot, but the ex-YUG language from 1900 UT puzzles me, - also DX friends Anker and Hans too. Is Croatian or Slovene language? May you can check this puzzle? 73 wolfy (wb, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 9) Dear Wolfy, The 1800-1900z is Hungarian. The 1900-2000z block is very MIXED: 1900-1930z CROATIAN [Serbian speaker tries to speak Croatian + speaker with Bosnian accent]. 1930-2000z SERBIAN [regular Serbian + Serbian with Bosnian accent]. (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Feb 14 via DXLD) Thank you for solving this complicated language broadcast, hi! It is good to know DX-ers who really know these languages when the station is not informative! (Anker Petersen, Denmark, dswci Feb 14, ibid.) ** U S A [non]. GERMANY: B-08 Media Broadcast (ex DTK T-Systems) WYFR (Family Radio): 1300-1500 on 13820 NAU 500 kW / 085 deg to SoAs Bengali 1400-1500 on 13600 WER 500 kW / 075 deg to CeAs Uzbek 1400-1500 on 13840 WER 500 kW / 105 deg to SoAs Pashto 1400-1600 on 13700 WER 500 kW / 090 deg to SoAs Hindi 1500-1600 on 9585 NAU 500 kW / 095 deg to SoAs Tamil 1500-1600 on 9800 NAU 500 kW / 095 deg to SoAs Gujarati 1500-1600 on 11830 WER 500 kW / 090 deg to SoAs Kannada 1500-1600 on 13655 NAU 500 kW / 095 deg to SoAs Tamil 1600-1700 on 9650 NAU 500 kW / 105 deg to ME Persian 1600-1700 on 9405 WER 500 kW / 090 deg to SoAs Hindi 1600-1700 on 9760 WER 250 kW / 120 deg to ME Arabic 1600-1800 on 11955 WER 500 kW / 150 deg to EaAf Amharic/Swahili 1700-1800 on 6105 NAU 500 kW / 105 deg to ME Persian 1700-1800 on 9850 WER 250 kW / 120 deg to ME Arabic 1700-1800 on 9885 WER 250 kW / 060 deg to EaEu Russian 1700-1800 on 11685 NAU 125 kW / 180 deg to NoAf Arabic 1800-1900 on 6050 JUL 100 kW / 100 deg to EaEu Romanian 1800-1900 on 6120 NAU 250 kW / 230 deg to SoEu Spanish 1800-1900 on 7180 WER 250 kW / 060 deg to EaEu Russian 1800-1900 on 9465 WER 500 kW / 183 deg to WCAf Hausa 1800-1900 on 9845 WER 500 kW / 150 deg to NoAf Arabic 1800-2000 on 3975 WER 250 kW / non-dir to WeEu Hungarian/Serbian, ex-English 1900-2000 on 9500 WER 250 kW / 150 deg to NoAf Arabic 1900-2000 on 9695 WER 500 kW / 210 deg to WeAf French 1900-2200 on 9480 WER 500 kW / 185 deg to WCAf English 2000-2100 on 9595 WER 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf French 2000-2300 on 5960 WER 250 kW / 210 deg to WeAf Arabic 2100-2200 on 7305 WER 500 kW / 180 deg to WCAf French (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Feb 16, via DXLD) ** U S A [non] RUSSIA (non [sic]) New additional transmission of WYFR Family Radio via TRW from Feb. 13: 1100-1200 on 9720 NVS 250 kW / 125 deg to EaAs in Chinese (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Feb 16, via DXLD) ** U S A. DXing for Desecheo, Feb 16 at 1535, found nothing on 14190 but a VA3, so tuned up to 14200 at 1538 and heard brief urgent no- frills contacts between a WX3B and numerous Europeans, as if he were about to close down forever at any moment. Where is this exotic station? Carroll County, Maryland, he soon revealed, and even has a QSL manager. I must visit this rare DX county sometime, of which the seat is Westminster, directly NW of Balmore on the way to Taneytown, per the Rand McNally atlas, which inexplicably devotes two pages to Maryland and only one page to New Mexico, which is 12.4 times larger, but hardly 24.8 times less congested, and worthy of no less map detail. 14202-USB, Feb 17 at 1454, frequent calls by AB9KT stroke mobile. Never heard whom he was calling, but he then complained he had been trying two hours for a contact. He was atop pileup on frequency, so probably K5D Desecheo was the target. Tuning around, never found where K5D was transmitting, but not 14190 where I logged it previously (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. ATC audio of crash in Buffalo? http://archive-server.liveatc.net/kbuf/KBUF-Feb-13-2009-0300Z.mp3 2/12/2009 11:40 PM EST on wgrz.com (via DXLD) more about this below Reports were the crash was around 0315 or 0330 UT. Why did it take CNN until 0500 to get on the story, and apparently from London / International, anchorette obviously unprepared? Had to look down to read, no TelePrompTer. Relaying WGRZ-2 Buffalo so I looked at their website. In the ATC audio file, first heard contacts with 3407, at 12 minutes in, normal approach instruxions. 3407 communicator was a woman`s voice. Losing contact with her in the 17th minute. Announcing no response from it, 5 miles out, in minute 20. WGRZ forum bloggers are keeping up with this. Watch out for contradictory info and rumors. http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=64153&catid=37 (Glenn Hauser, OK, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Local TV stations (WGRZ/Ch 2, WIVB/Ch 4, WKBW/Ch 7) stayed on the air all night providing live coverage, something that is a rarity in the Buffalo market, which shows how bad the plane crash was. Sincerely, (Dave Jeffery, Feb 13, ibid.) WBEN 930 http://www.wben.com/ has been wall-to-wall since the story broke last night. Apparently they are having very heavy traffic on their website and their audio stream online. Lots of audio and video on the WBEN website as well. As far as I know its the first time they have gone with continuous coverage like this since the "October Surprise" snowstorm a couple of years ago. Tom Bauerle, the mid- morning host is live from the Clarence, NY Library. WBEN 930 dumped Limbaugh for the day...Bauerle is going to 1:30. Sandy Beach who normally starts at 3 is going on at 1:30. Buffalo, NY is a city, but also very small-townish. Lots of rumours about who was on the plane; only two confirmed identities. WBEN has an audio report on its website and has played it on air at least once. Its the words of the woman on the ground who survived the crash into her house. She and her daughter survived but she lost her husband. After they aired it, they noted that reporter Barbara Burns who was covering the story and interviewed her, is related to the woman. Small town indeed (Fred Waterer, Ont., Feb 13, ibid.) WBEN Live And Local --- Early this morning, Friday February 13, I tuned across WBEN 930 Buffalo and they were live and local covering the plane crash there. I really doubt if there was a similar situation here in Harrisburg Pennsylvania or a lot of other cities if many other stations would do the same (Tom Dimeo, NRC-AM via DXLD) I was in the Buffalo area, Tom, when it happened and can attest to WBEN going into live coverage mode shortly after the crash, and I'm fairly sure they stayed with the coverage all night long (I slept with an earphone hooked to my SRF-59 and woke frequently through the night) (Brent Taylor, VY2HF, Stratford, PEI FN86, ibid.) Yup - WBEN has been amazing all day. They blew out all their syndicated programming, including Rush, and have been wall-to-wall nonstop since 11 or so last night. Most impressive. s (Scott Fybush, Rochester NY, ibid.) Who owns them? (Bruce Collier, York, PA 722ft ASL, FM19px, ibid.) [Later:] Then I looked it up myself, and see it's Entercom. I think I've read they're been whacking staff in some areas, so I'm glad to hear of this success story. In my instance at WHYL, since we're so small, I'd likely just throw the channel 8 WGAL feed on the air as long as they were live. 73, BC (Collier, ibid.) Entercom, believe it or not. It's one of only a tiny handful of Entercom stations that still has a serious news presence, and while it's nothing like the force that it once was, WBEN is still the biggest radio newsroom in western NY. (On the flip side, Entercom pretty much made it impossible for anyone to compete - they now own not only WBEN but its two former commercial AM competitors, WGR 550, which they flipped to all-sports from news- talk, and WWKB 1520, which is a pale shell of its old self. The other AMs in the market are pipsqueaks by comparison to Entercom's big 3.) s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) And a sad thing from a former Buffalonian (Wayne Heinen, N0POH, CO, ibid.) ** U S A. INNOVATIVE WEB SITE POSTED CRASH'S RADIO TRAFFIC February 17, 2009 By CAROLYN THOMPSON BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - The air traffic controller's words were pointed but steady as Flight 3407 burned on the ground near Buffalo. "Either state police or sheriff's department. You need to find out if anything is on the ground. This aircraft was five miles out and all of a sudden we have no response from that aircraft." The recordings show there was no mayday call. They capture other nearby pilots discussing ice on their wings. They are telling and, in hindsight, touching, and were posted to http://www.LiveATC.net --- a Web site that is changing the pace of aviation news. Because they were captured by a network of amateur radio and aviation enthusiasts, they aired far sooner than any federal agency would typically release a recording or transcript related to last week's crash that killed 49 people aboard the plane and one in the home the plane hit. ___ 10:29:18 - Tower. Cactus 1452 is coming up on the Klump. And, uh, we saw the ground. You guys know what's going on? 10:29:24 - Cactus 1452...Yes sir, we are aware. ___ That exchange between the Buffalo tower and a plane nearing the airport radio beacon known as "Klump" was captured just after the crash, and was quickly posted to the LiveATC site. The Web site is the creation of Dave Pascoe, a Boston-area Internet site executive, radio enthusiast and pilot who's melded his hobbies into a worldwide network that allows visitors to listen in on pilot-tower transmissions live or after-the-fact. Volunteers who live near airports hook police scanners to the Internet through a network that allows them to feed only air traffic channels. "I put it up and all of the sudden this outpouring of people" began volunteering to add airports near them, said Pascoe, whose day job is vice president of operations for the talent discovery site http://www.ourstage.com "It kept growing by leaps and bounds." After nearly six years in operation, the site now monitors air traffic at between 230 and 250 airports in the United States, Japan, South Africa, Europe and Australia. ___ 10:17:25 - Colgan 3407. Approach. 10:17:33 - Delta 1998 look out your right side about five miles for a Dash-8. It should be about 2,300 (feet). Do you see anything there? 10:17:41 - Negative. Delta 1998. ... ___ It was volunteer Dan Salmons whose equipment captured the Buffalo feed. Although he listens often, he was not tuned in when the Continental flight crashed onto a house on approach to Buffalo Niagara International Airport. "Once in a while you hear an emergency but I never thought that I would hear something like that," said Salmons, a HAM radio operator and parts manager at a Buffalo-area auto dealer. Pascoe has organized the computers that support his site to group the flood of incoming recordings in 30-minute blocs. After hearing about the 10:20 p.m. Buffalo crash, he went back to the 10 p.m. segment and chained together audio from different receivers, editing out dead space. It was on the air within hours. "It was pretty chilling for me," said Pascoe, who as a pilot has flown in the area where the plane went down. Although his site sees a spike in traffic when there are disasters, it's more common use is as a training tool for pilots and air traffic controllers, who use the recordings to critique themselves or to get a feel for communications at unfamiliar airports. The Federal Aviation Administration refers to the site in some training sessions, Pascoe said. No one has ever asked him to take the site or any recordings down. "Anybody can be picking up these transmissions so it's not something that is top secret," he said. "It's just a natural evolution of living in an information society." The cause of the Flight 3407 accident remains under investigation, with icing emerging as an early suspect. "We're proceeding as normal," said Terry Williams, a National Transportation Safety Board spokesman. "It's not unusual for the FAA to release the discussion between the tower and pilots ... That happens in most accident investigations." The listener- and advertising-supported LiveATC site can be heard using programs like iTunes, Winamp or Windows Media Player, or mobile devices like iPhones, BlackBerries and Treos, Pascoe said. The most recent accident it captured before the Continental flight was the fatal crash of a small plane operated by a volunteer group that was carrying a cancer patient to Boston in August (AP via Pete Costello, Feb 17, DXLD) ** U S A. Dashboard DX from upstate NY --- I had to head west this evening to cover a news conference with Senator Schumer and NTSB representatives - yes, concerning last Thursday night's plane crash - and was twisting the dials a bit on the way down the Thruway, largely out of curiosity to see "who's interfering with my signal THIS WEEK?" At about 1825 EDT [sic], on I-490 in western Monroe County, 1370 was being dominated by a nonstop series of ads for churches in the Charlotte, NC area, presumably (though no ID heard) WGIV-NC. 45 big watts! On the way home at 2100 EDT [sic], still on 1370, logged a nice clear "Your home for Timeless Favorites, WKMC Roaring Spring/Altoona." 38 big, big watts! Harumph... s (Scott Fybush, WXXI Rochester NY, Feb 16, ABDX via DXLD) [Later:] Yes, WKMC is heard here far more often than one would expect from 38 watts. We've run some tests late at night on WXXI where we've shut down our carrier for a few seconds right at the top of the hour while I have timed recordings going here (just 2 miles or so from the transmitter site), and I have a nice collection of WKMC legal IDs as a result. Interestingly, the two 1370s that should make it in here, since they both predate Rochester's 1370 on the channel, rarely do - that would be WFEA-NH and WSPD-OH. I think both are dealing with aging antenna systems and not getting out as well as they should. s (Scott Fybush, WXXI Rochester NY, Feb 16, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Update on the Alex Jones major market commercial ads first heard on WLS Chicago a couple of weeks ago: Those spots evidently were "make goods" aired during local WLS programing. I have noticed several Genesis Communications Network spots being run on Premier Radio/Clear Channel stations. One spot features GCN owner Ted Anderson. Also heard Alex Jones during Coast- to-Coast AM doing the same garden seed commercial which aired on WLS. Seems GCN is trying to ride the wave of Premier/Clear Channel and their conservative programs. Ironically, these are the same talk show hosts (Limbaugh, Hannity and Bill Cunningham) which the folks at GCN bash daily on their own programs. 73, (Bill Lauterbach - WA8MEA, Feb 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Glenn, The FCC is inviting comments on two petitions that would widen the scope of permissible transmissions of Travelers Information Stations (TIS). One of the petitions http://aairo.org/fcc-petition.htm filed by the American Association of Information Radio Operators (AAIRO), would clarify that locally targeted transmissions -- for example, addressing vehicles headed for specific bridges -- and NOAA Weather Radio rebroadcasts are permitted. The other petition http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6520034669 filed by TIS equipment maker Highway Information Systems, would rechristen TIS as the Local Government Radio Service and would offer licensees more flexibility over content and station location. The company asked the FCC to stop limiting TIS to areas near roads, highways and public transportation terminals. "The determination of site locations should be left to the government licensee, provided that the interference criteria are met with respect to commercial AM radio stations," it said. Both petitions cite incidents in which cities were found in violation of "pertinent content" rules by broadcasting weather information. "Public agency licensees, local municipalities and other public safety officials want to transmit pertinent, potentially lifesaving, information - but have become wary, lest their agencies be sidetracked and embarrassed by FCC enforcement action," AAIRO wrote. Comments are due March 16, 2009; see http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-249A1.pdf (Benn Kobb, Feb 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I heard back from someone at Ohio DOT, who confirmed that they do indeed rebroadcast NOAA weather on their Toledo-area HAR stations [1630 kHz] when they aren't broadcasting traffic info. The calls for the HAR stations (3 sites) are WQEU865, and the local NOAA station is WXL51 (162.5 MHz). Saul Chernos has also heard this one on 1630 - he sent me an audio clip that includes the WXL51 ID. First new one here on 1630 since KKGM in 2002! (Barry McLarnon VE3JF Ottawa, ON, Feb 17, IRCA via DXLD) ** U S A. TERRY KRUEGER LOGS, CLEARWATER FL --- All times/dates are in GMT unless otherwise indicated. Frequencies are in kHz unless otherwise specified. DISCLAIMER FOR ALL LW/MW ITEMS: No portion of the below may be reproduced or redistributed by the National Radio Club, their editors or current members without my expressed written permission, which will then be swiftly -- and we do mean swiftly -- denied. Editors receiving this directly from me are excluded, provided this entire disclaimer is included once, where any of the below LW/MW items are first reproduced. 529 / 530, TENNESSEE vs. CUBA LYQ (aero NDB), Manchester, Tennessee vs. Radio Enciclopedia. Cuba; 0140-0145 February 15, 2009. While listening to Enci, LYQ put in a good het and cycled L Q Y [sic] signal under the Cuban, in the vicinity of the Gandy Bridge. Logged on the 2004 Chevrolet Impala stock radio. 1300, FLORIDA WFFG, Marathon; 0000-0010 February 15, 2009. On I-4 near Haines City, I sat upon 1300's jumble. This one bubbled up right at 0000 with male canned "WFFG, Marathon and the Florida Keys." Up briefly a little later with possible commercials and references to Marathon. In the mix, something talk that kept claiming to be the "WOR Radio Network" (whatever that is). Not sure if it was WFFG or someone else. Logged on the 2004 Chevrolet Impala stock radio. 1620, FLORIDA (LPR) "WSLU" Saint Leo University, Saint Leo; (Also on channel 96 in the residence halls.) The transmitter is an FCC Part 15 Certified Hamilton Rangemaster, driven with a high level broadcast processor, located on the roof of the Daniel Cannon Memorial Library. The signal covers the campus and extends outward about a mile. The student-run station airs news and events of interest to Saint Leo University as well as alternative music and jazz. Syndicated programming includes Between The Lines, This Way Out and more. You can listen to WSLU at http://wslu.saintleo.edu Saint Leo University is located on State Road 52, 4 miles east of I- 75, in the Town of Saint Leo. This information was kindly provided [to Florida Low Power Radio Stations] in February of 2009 by John H. Mouw, Manager of Classroom Technology and Media Services, Department of Instructional Technology, Saint Leo University. 1620, FLORIDA (PIRATE) "Radio Keenam", Orlando; 1510-1520+ February 14, 2009. The usual huge, overmodulated signal heard all over metro Orlando with Haitian kreyòl programming. Logged on the 2004 Chevrolet Impala stock radio. 1640, FLORIDA (TIS) Florida DoT / Florida's Turnpike, Orlando; 1415- 1420 February 14, 2009. Female loop. The usual good signal in the I- 4/Turnpike junction area, just west of Orlando. Logged on the 2004 Chevrolet Impala stock radio. 1640, FLORIDA (TIS) Florida DOT, I-4 at Lakeland; 0030-0045 February 15, 2009. Uninterrupted relay of NOAA Weather Radio KHB32, at times quite well over WTNI, Biloxi, MS. No automated DoT break-in ID's or DTMF tones, as has usually been the case with the I-4 construction mobile transmitters. But the signal was gone near the Thonotosassa exit, so surely the source. Logged on the 2004 Chevrolet Impala stock radio. 90.5 MHz, FLORIDA (PIRATE) "Radio Melodie FM", Orlando; 2310-2340 February 14, 2009. A new one. Haitian kreyòl programming, live local DJ taking badly-patched call-ins with no limiters or processing, Haitian pop vocals, short live-read store commercial plugs. At first the ID's sounded like Radio Étoile (Star) FM, but closer listens seemingly as Melodie. Barely audible near Lake Ivanhoe, but peaking with a big signal on I-4 near the John Young Parkway exit, so located in southwest Orlando. In this area, the signal was bleeding down on 90.3. Probably doing the same on 90.7 but the local station here blocked that. Logged on the 2004 Chevrolet Impala stock radio (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. ILLEGAL RADIO BROADCAST SILENCED, SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS THE LEDGER Published: Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 7:19 a.m. Last Modified: Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 2:19 p.m. A Winter Haven man was arrested Wednesday after he was discovered making an illegal radio broadcast, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said. According to the Sheriff's Office, deputies and along with representatives from the FBI, FCC, Winter Haven Police Department and State Attorney's Office, served a search warrant at 214 Lee Ave. N.E. about 4:15 p.m. Wednesday. The warrant was served after it was discovered that an illegal transmission on the frequency of 87.9 FM was coming from the home, the Sheriff's Office said. . . http://www.theledger.com/article/20090212/NEWS/902120293/0/YOURTOWN08 (via Benn Kobb, DXLD) Florida, near Orlando ** U S A. CASE EXAMPLE WITH NUMBERS: THE DAMAGE THAT PIRATE RADIO DOES IN SOUTH FLORIDA After just over a week of co-channel interference to WMKL inflicted by a pirate radio station, the North Miami Beach Police Department promptly took a pirate radio station off of the air this morning. The location was found in about 30 minutes using a field strength meter. The transmitter (RVR) was hidden inside a fabricated box in an elevator service room on the rooftop of a 10 story condo building. The program audio was fed in via a cable modem run in from the outside. A high-end sound card produced a processed stereo signal complete with RDS ID. The box was completely screwed shut, had air vents covered with mesh painted grey and with fans on the inside. Power was stolen directly from a disconnect box. The antenna was a Dominator type antenna fed with about 12 feet of 1/2" coax. Pictures and coverage map: http://www.callfm.com/pirates/antenna1.jpg http://www.callfm.com/pirates/antenna2.jpg http://www.callfm.com/pirates/piraterack.jpg http://www.callfm.com/pirates/stealingpower.jpg http://www.callfm.com/pirates/insidethebox.jpg http://www.callfm.com/pirates/insidethebox2.jpg http://www.callfm.com/pirates/insidethebox3.jpg http://www.callfm.com/pirates/freq.jpg http://www.callfm.com/pirates/fwd.jpg http://www.callfm.com/pirates/map.jpg The FWD power was 946 watts (transmitting on WMKL's co-channel frequency of 91.9 MHz). Doing the math: 946 watts FWD power: -0.24 dBk Antenna gain: 3 dB http://fmbroadcastantenna.com/dominator.html Line loss for 12 feet of 1/2 foam coax: 0.1 dB ERP: 2.66 dBk ERP: 1.85 kW HAAT: 39 meters Pirate station 60 dBu population: 837,793 persons (54 dBu population: 1.62 Million) WMKL 60 dBu population: 265,422 persons (50 kW) Interference area population: 145,087 persons (or 55% of WMKL's 60 dBu population) Harmless fun, right? Or is it "free" speech? http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=c6a4adf2c175c30006ba7a0900768e71&topic=120648.0 (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Starting long thread on pirates vs FCC, etc. ** U S A. If anyone is interested, KCBS is loading up a lot of content on their web site for their 100-year anniversary. It`s worth a look (Mike Hawkins, Feb 14, IRCA via DXLD) http://www.kcbs.com/pages/3504672.php 100 years in 2009y? Certainly not as KCBS, but they apparently trace ancestry back to an experimental or shore-to-ship predecessor (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA [non]. Unlike last Sunday, this Sunday Feb 15 there was no RNV CI broadcast at 1500 via Cuba on 11680, and once again there was no sign either of Aló, Presidente on 11875, 13680 or 13750, nor at recheck 1603 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM [non]. 15680, Que Huong R., Feb 11, 1205-1221, 33333-34333, Vietnamese, talk, 1211 Former South Vietnam national anthem, ID at 1212 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD) Via TAJIKISTAN, Wed, Thu and Fri only, per Aoki (gh) ** ZAMBIA. CVC has registered a new frequency for Lusaka at 17-22 UT, 13835, 100 kW, 315 degrees. Presumably this will replace 9420 which has been colliding with Greece thruout the B-08 season, but that`s not completely clear, nor when it will go into effect. As of Feb 11, John Babbis was still hearing the collision on 9420 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And Feb 12, SINPO ratings at 2000, 2100, 2200 and 2300: *22232 *23332 *12221 55455 *Severe co-channel interference from Zambia, 1Africa, on 9420 kHz (John Babbis, MD, DX LISTENING DIGEST) John`s monitoring Feb 13-17 continued to show CVC on 9420, with similar or even worse SINPOs, so it`s not clear what CVC`s intentions are. With one such transmitter it has to be either 9420 or 13835 (gh) ** ZANZIBAR. 11735, Radio Tanzania-Zanzibar, 1800-1808, Feb 15, English Spice FM news. Into Swahili at 1808. Also heard at 2040-2100* with Hindi style vocals. Swahili talk. Sign off with National Anthem. Fair level. Still with good audio. No distortion or wobbly carrier (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Re 9-014: On 549, where two DLF transmitters from Germany normally dominate, there was a second transmission at almost equal strength. The language at 0800 sounded to be a Balkan language - maybe Romanian or similar, which might mean it was the listed 150kW Maiac transmitter in the PMR (local time there was 10hrs). I read that the UKR stations on 549 have gone off air. There's also a 10 kW transmitter listed in Pristina-Kosovo which is slightly closer to my location, but less powerful. Can anyone verify what language is aired via R. Pridnestrovya at 0800 UT? So far I've not succeeded in doing so (Noel R. Green (NW England), Feb 11, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think none, because Radio Pridnestrovye no longer uses mediumwave for domestic programmes? How about Slovenia? Here in Germany it is not uncommon for the Beli Kriz transmitter to be audible underneath Deutschlandfunk (Kai Ludwig, Feb 13, ibid.) I took my information re PMR from the WRTH where it is still listed, although I've never been able to hear it and haven't seen it reported. But I agree that Slovenia is the most likely (somehow I missed that country!). Conditions have changed and, although I can hear something "under" DLF around 0730/0800, it's been impossible to obtain a decent copy of what it might be (Noel R. Green (NW England), ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. UnID station heard on 1660 at 0900, Feb. 13, playing oldies back to back, among them Jimmy Mack by Martha & The Vandellas. Poor signal. No station shown with oldies format in the X- Band list for North America. I guess must be a recent change. Any ideas? (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1660, WCNZ Ex-Relevant Radio, as previously mentioned in the forum, was heard here this morning: 1660, WCNZ, Marco Island FL; Weather forecast ending “and that’s your weather from your true oldies station, AM 1410 Fort Myers, AM 1660 Naples and AM 1380 Marco Island.” Fair, 0754 13/2 AB Note the use of Naples as the QTH on 1660. I don’t know whether it’s significant or not (Andrew Brade, UK, MWC via DXLD) Hello Andrew, Should give call and city of licence within 2 minutes of toh. FCC still has col as Marco Island. BTW, Andrew, did you catch any toh news? Nothing heard here but WWRU growl! (Barry Davies, ibid.) 1660 heard here in The Netherlands on Feb 8 at 0718 UT `this is Relevant Radio` (Max Van Arnhem, ibid.) Barry, I didn’t record continuously to the TOH at 0800, but at 0700 I could hear “Light my fire” by The Doors straight after the TOH, and, if this was WCNZ, there was no news bulletin (Andrew Brade, ibid.) It sounds like the station is "stunting" pending a switch to a more permanent format. I'll guess Spanish hi! (Barry Davies, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. My UNID on 3215 is still heard here, partly with good signals, but did not get a positive ID yet. Time was approx. 1655 UT when it has gone Best 73 (from Austria, Johann Wiespointner, Feb 12, via Anker Petersen, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I also checked 3215 at 1628-1645 and probably heard R Feon'ny Filizantsana, via Talata-Volonondry, Madagascar, in Malagasy with religious hymns by choir and vocal most of the time, SINPO 34333. The station had signed off when I rechecked it at 1657. Best 73, (Anker Petersen, Denmark, Feb 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. One the way from Fak Fak to Makassar I was waylaid by some SSB on 4769, Feb 17 at 1334. This turned out to be a good ole boy in a monolog about his messy divorce, replete with expletives. The guy could not get 5 words out without cussing. Sounds like an escapee from CB. Stopped suddenly at 1342. Never heard any ID, nor the other station he was presumably talking to. Truly a frequency to remember. Searching the 19,794 posts so far on the UDXF yg, got only one relevant hit: ``4769.0 lsb unIDed fishermens in English, Milton and friends talking about his Mackerel catch. 0236:01 UT (2008-09-21) (Jon-FL in Florida, USA on StarChat#monitor)`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. 4800, 1008-1115 Feb 14 --- I usually have two carriers around 4800 kHz. One is GTM and the second is Mexico, but not this early. This morning I heard a station exactly on 4800 with a male in rapid Spanish comments. The character of the talk sounded religious. The male talking lasted until about 0413 [sic] when music was presented. I can hear GTM on 4799.80 with a very clear signal, but this unID is on 4800 exactly. A few months ago, someone heard a Bolivian here with the name of Radio Católica Mundial [WEWN relay]. Could this be that? At 0122, music ceases and a male talks in a normal tone. After the hour, a long religious discourse by a male. Noted words like "Biblia" and "la Luz". Couldn't pull out any other details since the signal was too weak (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston FL, NRD 545, DX LISTENING DIGEST) XERTA is 24 hours, and format matches, so that would be most likely, not too early (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Glenn, Thanks - Yea, I came to the same conclusion the next day, but I had already reported. In the meantime, I didn't hear them as well then. Thanks (Chuck Bolland, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. OTH radar pulsing during my morning bandscan Feb 17: at 1349, 5110-5150, and 5260-5300. I think they often come in pairs like this. At this hour on this band, cannot be Cyprus, but E Asia if not closer. At 1353, another stronger pair at 6765-6805 and 6960-7000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Strange money-man on 5779.75 --- On 15 Feb at 1615 noted on 5779.75 a strange station with DSB (both USB and LSB audible). A male voice in English with times and costs. One and half hours at 12 dollars and 95 per hour. One hour 25 minutes at 80 florins per hour plus 10 percent GST. 65 minutes at 41 florins per hour. One hour at 75 dollars and 35 cents per hour. 47 minutes at 12 dollars 75 per hour. 45 minutes at 12 dollars 75 per hour. 35 minutes at 36 dollars 81 per hour. 98 minutes at 15 dollars per hour. etc. Off at 1625 while fading down, mentioning "costs" and "2009". The sums compared to times didn't make sense :-) Any ideas who is this one? (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, Feb 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Rates for a pirate relay? (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 6074, stood by for 8GAL V/CQ marker at 1400 Feb 15 after R. Rossii closing timesignal. 8GAL did not start until about 1400:38 until 1401:25; just barely audible, not helped by my leaving the attenuator engaged, having had to use it on 31m to hear VOI 9526 without cross mod from PPP via WWCR 9980. 6074, good clear copy of 8GAL V/CQ marker, Feb 17 at 1400 starting promptly after few-seconds-late 6075 R. Rossii timesignal; its carrier stayed on until a little past 1401, so I didn`t really need the BFO (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Una tarea, amigos; quisiera me ayudaran a identificar una señal, que creo se trata de comunicación de tráfico áereo, escuchada por los 6215 KHz, aproximadamente, con señal fuerte en idioma inglés... El audio está en mi blog: http://entre-ondas.blogspot.com/2009/02/haciendo-dx-utilitario-senal.html O directamente en el servidor de audio: http://www.esnips.com/doc/6ce69776-28a8-4771-99bb-ac1fdae5a07d/Unknow_Acapulco_ 6215KHz_1337_130209 Gracias! (Magdiel Cruz Rodríguez, Morelos, México, playdx yg via DXLD) Hola Magdiel, 6215 no es una frecuencia aeronáutica sino de comunicación marítima, entre barcos, en este caso yates yanquis para visitar a Acapulco. Discutieron dónde conseguir combustible, falta de seguridad en el puerto, hay que mantener una persona a bordo, etc. No oí identificación de la primera persona hablando, pero hacia el final, el otro dijo ``Vessel 26`` (Glenn Hasuer, ibid.) Muchas gracias, amigo Glenn!!! Gracias por tu ayuda en esta identificación, excelente. Y no olvides que estás invitado a nuestro Encuentro DX!!! http://www.gratiswe b.com/dxmexico/cuernavaca2009.htm (Magdiel Cruz Rodríguez, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 11532.0, that big open carrier was back Feb 16 at 0645 overriding WYFR Camping on 11530; never heard any modulation, and off at 0658 check (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. As I was monitoring 13845 and the BBC/WWCR collision, noticed SSB on the hi side, Feb 15 at 1326; tactical net, probably US military, one ID as ``Catskill``; did not have time to measure frequency but was 13848 plus or minus 1 kHz. Gave time as 0829, which would be UT -5 = EST, off by a couple sesquiminutes. Hey, it could really be in the Catskills, but somehow, I doubt it. Searching the 19,775 posts so far in the UDXF yg, separately on 13847, 13848, 13849 and Catskill did not produce a single relevant hit (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Hello, I am not sure you can assist me with this but on Sunday (2/15) at 1710 UT I came across a frequency of 17435 and heard what sounded like somebody counting in Spanish. The signal was quite strong from here on Long Island. The station went off the air at around 1745. Do you have an idea of what I may have been hearing? 73, (Ryan McCarthy, KC2LKS, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ryan, It`s a Cuban spy numbers station, often reported on this frequency and heard here, can be very strong signal too. It`s not counting, but cypher groups of 5 at a time (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Hi Glenn, I recently returned to shortwave listening after more than 20 years, and yours is the one name that I still remember from NASWA! Glad to see that you are still so involved (Terry Toope, St John`s NL, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ HFCC: see TUNISIA SWL WINTER FEST Ye Festmeisters have been busy. I am a member of the "sandwich generation", with children at home AND aging parents to help care for. It keeps me hopping. Rest assured Fest preparations are moving forward. Best way to keep tabs on the Fest is to join the Fest e-mail list. You can do that by sending an e-mail to swlfest-request @ kotalampi.com and include the word 'subscribe' in the subject line. That's also the best way to ask any questions you might have. I hope to add the Forum schedule to the blog in the next day or two, once I have a bit of time. Thanks for your patience, and see you in a few weeks! (Richard Cuff / co-chair, Feb 15, NASWA yg via DXLD) DX AND SHORTWAVE MEETINGS OF 2009 Hello, here follows a list about DX and SW meetings this year. Updates and amendments are very welcome. Dates: March 13-14 Location: Kulpsville, PA, USA Organzation: Winter SWL Fest Expected Attendance: 200 More Info: http://www.swlfest.com Dates: May 7-8 Location: Nashville, TN, USA Oganisation: National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters More Info: http://www.shortwave.org Dates: May 15-17 Location: Dayton, Ohio, USA Organization: Dayton Hamvention Expected Attendance: 20,000 More Info: http://www.hamvention.org Dates: May 15-17 Location: Vejers Beach, Jutland, Denmark Description: The annual general meeting of DSWCI and listening camp Organization: Danish Short Wave Club International Expected Attendance: 30 More Info: http://www.dswci.org Dates: June 12-14 Location: Gothenburg, Sweden Description: The annual DX-Parliament of Swedish DXers Organization: Swedish DX Federation Expected Attendance: 30 More Info: http://www.sdxf.org Dates: June 26-28 Location: Friedrichshafen, Germany Description: Ham Radio, biggest annual hamfest in Europe Dates: July 29-August 1 Location: Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico Description: The Annual Mexican DX Meeting (15th anniversary) Expected Attendance: 50 More Info: http://www.gratisweb.com/dxmexico/english.htm Dates: August 7-9 (not confirmed) Location: Finland, no more exact info yet Description: The Annual Summer Meeting Organization: The Finnish DX Association Expected Attendance: 80 More Info: http://www.sdxl.org Dates: August 20-24 Location: Solingen-Wald, Germany Description: Summer DX Camp Organization: Kurzwellenfreunde Rhein/Ruhr More Info: infohq@kwfr.de Dates: August 22-23 Location: Tokyo, Japan Organization: Tokyo Ham Fair Expected Attendance: 30000 Dates: August 28-30 Location: Dublin, Ireland Description: European DX Conference Organization: European DX Council/Irish DX Club Expected Attendance: 50 More Info: http://www.edxc.org Dates: September 4-9 Location: Berlin, Germany Name: IFA Internationale Funkausstellung Description: Consumer Electronics Fair - Including Radios (Best 73 Risto Vähäkainu, FDXA, Feb 12, HCDX via DXLD) You might add these (gh) WTFDA/NRC CONVENTION 2009, ALLENTOWN PA, LABOR DAY WEEKEND Last week the NRC and WTFDA agreed on a combined convention. The convention this year will be in Allentown PA over the Labor Day Weekend. Bob Smolarek is hosting the convention. I've already reserved Friday as a vacation day so my wife and I can drive down there. I don't have any more details on it yet but we'll get them as Bob gives them to us. Is it possible to FM DX around Allentown? All I know about it is what I see on Google Earth (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT, Feb 14, WTFDA via DXLD) IRCA CONVENTION, ALBUQUERQUE NM, SEPT 17-19, 2009 The 2009 IRCA convention will be held Thu Sept 17, Fri Sept 18 and Sat Sept 19 at the Days Inn, 2120 Menaul blvd NE, Albuquerque NM 87107 (Near I-40 and Hwy 25) http://www.midtowndaysinn.com. Guest room rates $44.95 1 person, $54.95 2 persons. Free shuttle within 5 mile radius (includes airport and train station.) Phone number for reservations is 505-884-0250 (events manager is Danita). Registration fee is $25 (not including banquet) payable to Mike Sanburn, PO Box 1256, Bellflower CA 90707- 1256. mikesanburn@hotmail.com (IRCA DX Monitor Dec 27 via DXLD) Greetings, just a quick forum to say a belated happy new year and to mention a few side-activities that folks can look into during this years’ IRCA convention in September. The New Mexico State fair will run concurrently (Sept. 11-27.) For online info go to http://www.exponm.com Museum goers may wish to visit http://www.nmnaturalhistory.org Rail fans like me should check out the worlds’ highest 3 ft. narrow gauge steam train by visiting http://www.cumbrestoltec.com It runs between Chama NM and Antonito CO. Their toll free number is 888-286-2737. Also there is the Santa Fe and Southern tourist train in nearby Lamy NM. For those wishing to take a train all the way to the convention in Albuquerque, the Amtrak Superchief parallels Route 66 between Chicago and L.A. Visit http://www.amtrak.com or call 1-800-USA-RAIL. We're hoping for some great station tours this year. Don't forget the convention hotel`s website: http://www.midtowndaysinn.com Hope to see EVERYBODY there (Mike Sanburn, PO Box 1256, Bellflower, California 90707-1256, IRCA DX Monitor Feb 14 via DXLD) I always AVOID Albuquerque during the state fair, and Balloon Fiesta - -- too crowded, hotel rates go up. Cumbres & Toltec rail ride highly recommended, but quite a distance from ABQ (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ H-Net Review Publication: 'The Sound of History Repeating Itself' Christopher Sterling, Michael Keith. Sounds of Change: A History of FM Broadcasting in America. Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Press. 336 pp. $22.50 (paper), ISBN 978-0-8078-5888-2. Reviewed by Noah Arceneaux (San Diego State University) Published on Jhistory (February, 2009) Commissioned by Donna Harrington-Lueker THE SOUND OF HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF Within the ever-increasing body of historical radio studies, many aspects of this particular medium have been explored, though one large topic remained in the dark, specifically the development, diffusion, and eventual dominance of FM broadcasting. It is as if media scholars agreed that yes, radio was indeed important to study, but only so far as it laid the foundation for television. Christopher Sterling and Michael Keith, by contrast, bring their considerable expertise to bear on the most significant technological change within the radio industry in the twentieth century: the transition from AM to FM broadcasting. . . http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=23664 (via DXLD) RADIO PHILATELY +++++++++++++++ RADIO HAVANA, CUBA, NEW [sic] PHILATELIC CONTEST OF THE WORLD OF STAMPS SHOW --- Honouring Ernesto Che Guevara on the 40th anniversary of this death in Bolivia and his 80th birthday. Questions: What's your opinion about the first stamp dedicated to the heroic guerrilla Commander? What's the importance of the Cuban postal issues about Ernesto Guevara? The best 40 answers will be awarded Cuban postal issues on various topics. Besides, all participants will receive Cuban stamps dedicated to Che. Contest deadline is December 31st, 2009 R Havana website http://www.radiohc.cu (via Swopan Chakroborty, India, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) RHC`s contests are no fun, because you KNOW that all entries must be Politically Correct. Unless you feel like playing along with them for the hell of it. What if you tell the truth that the Cult of Che, and to an only slightly lesser extent, the man himself, are frauds? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The information must be wrong. I participated in this competition and it ended Dec 31st 2008. I got the following message from RHC this week. Best wishes from (Björn Fransson, the island of Gotland, Sweden, Feb 12, 2009, HCDX via DXLD) Viz.: Esteemed friend: It’s a pleasure to inform you that your essay for the Contest organized by “The World of Stamps” show, honoring heroic Guerrilla Commander, Ernesto Che Guevara, won one of the prizes. By airmail you’ll receive several issues of Cuban stamps on diverse themes. We congratulate you and invite you to continue collaborating with this program of Radio Havana Cuba dedicated to the philatelic hobby. Sincerely, Lourdes López, Head of Correspondence Dept. (via Fransson, ibid.) I received the information from Radio Habana only on 10th Feb, 2009. Below I copy the contents: (Swopan Chakroborty, ibid.) Quote: On 10/02/2009, correspondencia wrote: Dear friend: We haven't heard from you for a few months now and don't even know if you received the pocket calendars we had sent you. Attached you'll find some information on the new philatelic contest we're running. Besides, we invite you to stay tuned to Radio Havana Cuba's shortwave broadcasts and to visit our webpage at http://www.radiohc.cu Fraternally, Lourdes López, Head of Correspondence Dept. (via Swopan, ibid.) Website http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/filatelia/portadafilatelia.htm still has item about the 2008 Che contest, nothing found yet for 2009y. Add one more RHC SNAFU (gh, DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see ETHIOPIA [non]; GERMANY; [INDIA +non]; ++++++++++++++++++++ KALININGRAD; NIGERIA; NORWAY; POLAND [non]; SLOVAKIA; SPAIN Re: LOSING DTV IN STORMS Hi Glenn, Your comments on losing the Oklahoma City digital signals were right on target. I suspect the stations were not off the air but simply the heavy moisture content in the air blocked them to your location. This happens here frequently in heavy rain and I'm not much more than six or seven air miles from stations which fail to come in during heavy rain or even at times fog. When the trees leaf out more digital signals disappear because they won't penetrate the moisture in the leaves. This is actual experience here where I get more stations in the winter than summer. The whole digital mess is simply a fact of life but a lot of surprises will be arriving after more and more analog stations go off early. As you're probably aware the estimate is 85% of viewers get TV by cable or satellite and that leaves 15% of us with over the air. The TV industry estimates they'll only lose 2% of their viewers with digital and I feel in areas like this (eastern Ohio, western PA) the number will be higher. Of course if you're in the 2% you lose 100% of your viewing. Finally the original plan was that all the VHF channels (2-13) would be abandoned with those stations shifted to UHF so the spectrum would be free for other uses. Well as you note on Ch 9 there are lots of cases where the VHF channels will still be used, so much for freeing that spectrum. All of this is simply my way of agreeing with what you noted on this week's show [WOR 1447]. (Dale Rothert, Feb 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Dale, Yes, some others have commented that torrential rain could have blocked the signals, but I`m not so sure in this case, as all three of them disappeared within seconds of each other. I believe I checked the strength meter on the STB and it showed zero signals rather than too-weak signals. They were also absent direct to me and to the Suddenlink pickup somewhere else. It`s hard to know for sure without input from the stations. Whichever, it`s a big drawback of DTV. 73, (Glenn Hauser, Enid, ibid.) During the latest OKC tornado, I wasn`t sure which FM station KFOR-4 was partnering with, but in a promo seen Feb 17, it`s Clear Channel`s KTST 101.9, what else? ``The Twister``. Presumably other CC OKC stations will be added with KFOR soundtrack if it gets really bad (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DTV TRANSITION Talk About Confusion!!!!! Thanks, FCC According to a new public notice from the Keystone Copps (posted by an AVS Forum member... :-) ) or sometimes known as the FCC, 123 stations are now under the microscope. Unless they ask permission again, in a nicer way, they could be denied the right to sign off by 2/17. For example, the three full power network stations in South Bend, IN (WNDU-16, WSBT-22 & WSJV-28) are currently being denied the right to sign off. Together, the three stations have to work up a plan to provide some nightlight service and/or provide a better reason as to why they must sign off. The stations on this list must file these plans to the FCC by tomorrow, Friday at 6 p.m. EST. So by the time you go through the weekend, this will provide some of these stations less than 48 hours to know whether they will be able to sign off permanently and/or provide nightlight service. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-7A1.doc These 123 stations are up in the air, and probably VERY ticked off that they've met other previous conditions plus they've been promoting on-air and/or via websites that they planned to terminate analog services by 2/17. http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-7A2.xls Talk about confusion! I wonder if any of these stations, IF DENIED the right to terminate on 2/17, will be looking for some good attorneys (Steve Rich, Indianapolis, IN, Feb 12, WTFDA via DXLD) Whew, no Oklahoma stations on the .xls list. Here`s the .doc item: (gh) FCC 09-7, February 11, 2009 FCC REQUIRES PUBLIC INTEREST CONDITIONS FOR CERTAIN ANALOG TV TERMINATIONS ON FEBRUARY 17, 2009 Certain Stations Must Respond By Friday, February 13, 2009 On February 5, 2009, the Commission released a Public Notice, FCC 09-6 ("February 5th Public Notice"), in which it granted a partial waiver of the Third DTV Periodic Report and Order to permit television broadcast stations to cease analog broadcasting on February 17, 2009, despite the extension of the national DTV transition deadline to June 12, 2009 pursuant to the DTV Delay Act. In the February 5th Public Notice, the Commission reserved the right to limit or reconsider the partial waiver if we determine that analog termination on February 17 by a station or group of stations is contrary to the public interest. As explained in the February 5th Public Notice, the primary concern of the Commission is to ensure that viewers relying on over-the-air television do not lose access to local news, public affairs and emergency information before they are ready for the full power television transition to all-digital television service. It was this concern that prompted the Congress to delay the digital transition until June 12, 2009, and it is this concern that prompts our action here. We have now reviewed the 491 termination notices filed by the stations intending to end analog service on February 17, 2009. We find that 368 of these stations may proceed with their intended termination of analog service on February 17th. We remind these stations of their obligations to provide viewer notifications and continuous crawls before they terminate their analog service on Tuesday, February 17, 2009. Over 100 stations indicated that they will provide nightlight- type service for at least two weeks on their analog channel. This nightlight service should include DTV education and emergency information, as needed. We also strongly urge these stations to increase their local outreach efforts in their communities. To assist the consumers in these markets, the Commission is assessing and re-deploying field staff and resources to key locations where stations are terminating on February 17. We are also coordinating with our contractors, partners, and industry stakeholders to provide extra support in these areas. The Commission is also mobilizing the expanded Call Center, in conjunction with industry groups, to assist with expected increase in call volume on February 17th, and the days just before and after these analog terminations. We will do our utmost to assure that, with the cooperation of the stations in these markets, and our outreach partners, the partial transition moves with minimum disruption to viewers. We also commend the two-thirds of stations that will remain on the air, providing analog service beyond February 17, 2009. We appreciate that many of these stations are committed to continuing to provide analog service to their viewers until the new DTV transition deadline of June 12, 2009. We also recognize that there are some stations that are planning to terminate analog service before June 12, 2009. We are evaluating whether a revised process for these stations would be warranted. In contrast to the stations remaining on the air and those that have previously terminated analog service or complied with the Third DTV Periodic Report and Order procedures to terminate analog service before February 17th, we have identified 123 stations of the 491 intending to terminate analog service on February 17th whose early termination poses a significant risk of substantial public harm. We developed this list of stations by first identifying the markets in which all of the stations would be terminating analog service on February 17, 2009. We also identified markets in which affiliates of all four of the major networks, ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC, would be terminating analog service, or, in markets that do not have affiliates of all four networks, we determined if all of the major networks broadcasting in those markets would be terminating their analog service on February 17th. We also considered loss of major network service in cities within the larger DMAs. We considered the presence of major networks and their affiliates critical to ensuring that viewers have access to local news and public affairs available over the air because the major network affiliates are the primary source of local broadcast news and public affairs programming. Therefore, even if independent or non- commercial stations remain on the air in these markets, we still considered these areas at risk. The stations and markets that we identified in this analysis are attached in the Appendix. Accordingly, we hereby reconsider the partial waiver granted by the February 5th Public Notice to those stations listed on the Appendix attached to this Public Notice. These stations are, therefore, not permitted to terminate their analog service on February 17th, unless they comply with the conditions and procedures described below. Any station that was listed in Appendix A to the February 17, 2009 Termination List Public Notice, DA 09-221, and is not listed in the Appendix to this PN, is expected to proceed with termination of its analog service on that date, subject to the conditions previously described in the February 5th Public Notice. Stations listed in the Appendix to this Public Notice may obtain reinstatement of the waiver necessary for them to terminate analog service on February 17, 2009 by certifying to the Commission, not later than the close of business (6:00 pm EST) on Friday, February 13th, that they will individually undertake the measures specified herein as a means of ameliorating the public interest harms that the termination of their analog service would engender. We also encourage stations in the markets listed in the Appendix to cooperate and undertake the actions on a joint basis. Each station should certify in response to this Public Notice its compliance with the following eight measures. These certifications will reflect that the station is undertaking the action individually or that they have confirmed that another station will do so. Ensure that at least one station that is currently providing analog service to an area within the DMA that will no longer receive analog service after February 17, 2009 will continue broadcasting an analog signal providing, at a minimum, DTV transition and emergency information, as well as local news and public affairs programming ("enhanced nightlight" service ) for at least 60 days following February 17, 2009. The local news, public affairs, or other programming may include commercial advertising. Ensure that on-air educational information (prior to February 17 and thereafter as part of "enhanced nightlight" service) will include demonstrations of converter box installations, antenna setups, and other helpful information. Ensure that enhanced nightlight service concerning the DTV transition or emergency information will be provided in Spanish and English and accessible to the disability community (e.g., silent scrolls or slates do not provide information to the visually impaired, and therefore, broadcast notices must have an aural component, as well as being closed or open captioned). Ensure that the DTV educational information, both on-air and through other means, will provide information describing areas that may be losing over-the-air signal coverage temporarily or permanently as the station transitions to digital-only broadcasting. Such information may include detailed maps, listings of affected communities, and instructions on how to assess what type of antenna may be necessary to retain or regain the station’s digital signal, as well as identifying specific locations that will not be able to receive a digital signal regardless of antenna. Each station individually or collectively in the market commits to assisting viewers by providing local or toll-free telephone assistance, including engineering support. Such assistance may be provided jointly with other stations, organizations, and businesses in the area. Each station alone or together with other stations or local businesses and organizations in the market will provide a location and staff for a consumer "walk-in" center to assist consumers with applying for coupons and obtaining converter boxes, to demonstrate how to install converter boxes, to provide maps and lists of communities that may be affected by coverage issues, and to serve as a redistribution point for consumers who are willing to donate coupons, converter boxes, televisions and for those in need of these items. Each station, individually, is complying with the obligation established in the February 5th Public Notice to broadcast a crawl on their analog channel regarding the station’s termination of analog service, for the seven day period from February 10 through the termination of the station’s analog signal on February 17. For the first five days, the crawl must be aired for 5 minutes of every hour of the station’s analog broadcast day, including during primetime. For the final two days, the crawl must be aired for 10 minutes of every hour of the station’s analog broadcast day, including during primetime. Each station will include in the crawl the FCC toll-free number for our Call Center (1-888-CALLFCC, 1-888-225-5322) beginning as soon as possible following the release of this Public Notice. Each station will consider and is encouraged to coordinate with and use community resources to provide consumer outreach and support, including in-home assistance. Stations listed in the Appendix that do not certify that they will undertake the actions described above may make an alternative showing to the Commission that extraordinary, exigent circumstances, such as the unavoidable loss of their analog site or extreme economic hardship, require that they terminate their analog service on February 17th. The showing should not exceed five (5) pages, not including attachments. We do not anticipate that many stations will be able to meet the high burden applicable to this showing. Any station electing to make this showing must await a determination by the Commission that its showing is sufficient before terminating analog service. The Commission will endeavor to resolve all of these cases prior to February 17th. Stations certifying to the above conditions are permitted to cease analog operations on February 17, 2009 without further authorization from the Commission. Pursuant to this Public Notice, we restore the waiver to be effective at the time the station certifies compliance with the public interest conditions. The FCC reserves the right to take appropriate action against stations that certify they will meet the conditions, fail to do so and nevertheless go off the air on February 17, 2009. For additional information, contact Barbara Kreisman, Barbara.Kreisman@fcc.gov, of the Media Bureau, Video Division, at (202) 418-1600. Action taken by the Commission on February 11, 2009: Acting Chairman Michael J. Copps and Commissioners Jonathan S. Adelstein and Robert M. McDowell. FCC - (via DXLD) ABOUT THE SUNDAY DEADLINE TO JUMP SHIP The following comments are from a former radio broadcast engineer in the San Francisco area who has been following the FCC DTV transition paperwork closely. She offers some important insights. -Ed. ...Yesterday the FCC set a deadline of tomorrow (2/15) for stations that want to change their minds and wait until June 12th to switch off analog, without the previously mandated penalties for doing that after declaring a Feb. 17th date. It's clear from the past week's Public Notices that they are making it as easy as possible for stations to wait, and as difficult as possible for them to go on Tuesday. In case you didn't see the mention of Sunday's deadline, it's in the "Report and Order and Sua Sponte Order on Reconsideration" (see the URL below) that was released yesterday (separately from the info about which stations had been granted permission to cut on Feb. 17th). It's in a section on page 4 called "Sua Sponte Reconsideration." Here's the relevant sentence: "Due to the limited period of time remaining before February 17th, stations that wish to withdraw their notifications must notify us no later than 6:00 pm EST on Sunday, February 15, 2009." ("Notifications" meaning notifications of intent to go dark on Feb. 17th.) So they're saying, "Are you SURE you want to go dark on February 17th? Are you really, REALLY sure?? 'Cuz here's ANOTHER chance for you to change your mind...." Sheesh, next thing they'll be calling stations personally and begging them to stay on the air. :-) "Good morning, is this the station manager? Hi, this is Mike Copps calling from the FCC. Do you have a minute?" I'm sure this is causing all sorts of delight this weekend as station managers and engineers attend hastily called meetings to determine which stations in their market want to switch when, and whether someone else has to change their plans in order to free up a frequency. I think the Commission should at least offer to pay for all the pizza and root beer that their actions in the past week have forced stations to buy for after-hours meetings. Let's just hope that no one ends up in the doghouse because he or she misses a planned Valentine's Day dinner tonight! Patty Winter, patty (at) wintertime.com http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-9A1.pdf UNUSUAL EVENTS HERALDING THE DTV TRANSITION o Funeral set for analog TV on Feb. 17 at Berkeley, CA: http://bcnm.berkeley.edu/tvfuneral/ (CGC Communicator Feb 14 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) Ha ha (gh) PRIOR COORDINATION BYPASSED In the world of Licensed Terrestrial Microwave transmission, The FCC, for decades, has required all new construction, modifications, power changes, etc go through a 'prior coordination' process before allowing any changes. This required all companies who held existing microwave licenses be notified, IN ADVANCE, of such changes. It ALSO requires that a 'search' be done to identify any potential interference cases and conflicts by a qualified search firm. These firms, mainly COMSEARCH of Herndon VA, had to search all possible paths, polarities and frequencies where conflict might potentially exist. Then and only then would a Prior Coordination Notice be sent out to all in region. As a former Microwave Engineer and FCC license holder, my job was to review all of my company's frequencies just 'to be sure' that their frequencies would be protected. The thousands (over 3 years) of PCN notices I reviewed resulted in only ONE objection. As broadcasters use this same process for their STL links, I wonder, as I read of this DTV story unfolding, why they did not insist the FCC adopt similar rules for television. -- Tim Alderman, Microwave Engineer, FCC License PG00011282 (via Mike Bugaj, Feb 15, WTFDA via DXLD) Stations going off on Tuesday (and not) The FCC has released a Public Notice and three spreadsheets reflecting the disposition of the 106 stations whose requests to silence their analogs on the 17th were tentatively denied: Public Notice: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-245A1.pdf Spreadsheet A, 53 stations which certified they meet the 8 conditions necessary to signoff on time: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-245A2.xls Spreadsheet B, 10 stations which submitted showings that extenuating circumstances justify signing off on the 17th without providing nightlight service: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-245A3.xls (the FCC hopes to rule on the validity of these showings before Tuesday -- if they don't finish in time one might presume some or all of these stations will have to remain on.) Spreadsheet C, 43 stations which have given up on signing off on Tuesday and will remain on until June: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-245A4.xls I have a consolidated (but rather large) document summarizing all of this on my website http://www.w9wi.com – (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, Feb 14, WTFDA via DXLD) Here's the deal: The list that appears on that FoxNews.com page, which came from the Associated Press and before that from the FCC, is arranged by Nielsen Designated Market Areas, and the Denver DMA is enormous, taking in much of the state of Colorado and big pieces of Wyoming, too. That's why those outlying stations appear under "Denver." More to the point, that list was the Feb. 10 list of the 496 stations that initially told the FCC they intended to sign off Tuesday. A LOT has happened since then. Here's the original, straight from the FCC, version of that list (note that it's arranged in two groups - stations that were going off before 2/17, followed by those intending to go off 2/17): http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-221A3.pdf Now here's the list the FCC generated based on that list, showing ALL the stations in each DMA, with the ones intending to go off on or before 2/17 in red: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-221A5.pdf BUT WAIT! After that list came out, the FCC decided that there were certain stations - about 123 of them, though the number kept shifting late last week - that wouldn't be allowed to go off early after all, because they'd leave entire markets with no analog service from any of the "big 4" networks. Here's THAT list: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-7A2.pdf (Keep in mind that this whole mess was developing over the course of just 72 hours or so, which is an incredible burst of speed for an agency that usually does stuff like this over the course of months, if not years.) Once stations were getting a sense of what the FCC would and wouldn't let them do, some entire markets - Dayton, for instance - decided to pull back from their plans to turn off analog on 2/17. Other markets reached agreements under which one or two stations (WLNE and WNAC in Providence, for instance) would stay on in analog as "enhanced nightlights," with 60 days of DTV transition information and simulcasts of local news. Very late on Friday, the FCC released a new set of lists. Here are the 53 stations (from the original list of 123, later reduced to 106) that will still be permitted to go digital-only on 2/17, having agreed to the FCC's conditions: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-245A2.pdf Here are the 43 that decided, on second thought, to stay analog until 6/12: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-245A4.pdf And here's a list of 10 stations that made "alternate showings" to the FCC that are being reviewed tomorrow morning, with literally hours to go before they'll be told whether or not they can shut down: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-245A3.pdf Even these lists are somewhat incomplete, omitting certain stations (WLWC in the Providence market, for instance) that apparently went digital-only without having filed the proper forms with the FCC, and a few others (WMTV in Madison) that still haven't clarified their intent with the Commission. ***************************Confused yet?****************************** You should be! I spent the better part of four hours last night just trying to make sense of the stations in the northeast. You can see the results in this week's NERW, http://www.fybush.com/nerw.html Fortunately, two resources exist that are trying to keep track of this whole mess nationwide, and they're both run by WTFDA members. One is Doug Smith, whose list is here: http://www.w9wi.com/newweb/articles/ontimesignoff.html The other is Trip Ericson, whose list is here: http://rabbitears.info/dtr.php Trip's list shows only those stations that had filed, at some point in this process, an intention to go digital-only on 2/17 or earlier. Doug's shows every station in America. They both deserve a HUGE round of applause for their efforts to comb through all these last-second filings to figure out what's really happening tomorrow. s (Scott Fybush, Feb 16, WTFDA via DXLD) The FCC now says 421 stations will drop analog service tomorrow, in addition to 220 that have already done so, making about 36% of the analog dial vacant after tomorrow night. Here's the latest list, still somewhat subject to last-minute changes: http://www.fcc.gov/021609AttachmentA.pdf Stations in red have either already dropped analog or will do so Tuesday. s (Scott Fybush, NY, Feb 16, ibid.) NEW FCC COMPUTER TOOL PREDICTS DTV RECEPTION The FCC has quietly released a new computer tool to predict the strengths of DTV signals at arbitrary street addresses. The program appears to consider both the curvature of the earth and terrain obstructions and may be extremely valuable in helping your viewers. Technical notes follow: o Once an address is entered, several seconds may be required for the results to appear. o The "red teardrop" depicting the location may be dragged to another location for new calculations. o The program accepts geographic coordinate input in decimal degrees, but be sure to enter a minus sign before the longitude. For example: 33.807049, -117.125244. http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/ (CGC Communicator Feb 17 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) A LITTLE DIGITAL TRANSITION HUMOR The cartoon strip Mother Goose and Grimm is having some fun with the DTV transition... http://www.grimmy.com/images/MGG_Archive/MGG_2009/MGG0216.gif http://www.grimmy.com/images/MGG_Archive/MGG_2009/MGG0217.gif (Neil Griffin, Spartanburg, SC, WTFDA via DXLD) SUMMER NIGHTLIGHT TV DXING The new analog shut-off date is June 12. TV stations are being allowed 30 additional days of 'nightlight' operation to July 12. This will make one unique season of E-skip and tropo. I presume 'nightlight' programming should be laden with station logos, IDs and local information continually allowing for easy DX catches. Who knows what combination of stations will be on the air by then! This should be very interesting to watch and enjoy (Karl Zuk N2KZ, Feb 12, WTFDA via DXLD) UHF BETTER FOR MOBILE DEVICES I know of some stations that deliberately chose to stay on UHF instead of returning to VHF because they believe - correctly, I think - that a significant portion of their bitstream will, within a few years, be used to serve viewers receiving them on mobile devices (think iPhones). VHF doesn't work too well with those devices, but it's easy to design an internal antenna for 750 MHz. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) WHITESPACE - TROUBLE ON THE HORIZON? Here's a thread from DigitalHome.ca that has links to several articles on the subject on WSD's. If I've interpreted this right, they are going to use GPS to bump right up against gradation contours using whatever channels they want that's not in your local DMA. If that's true, goodbye to watching adjacent markets and so-long to DX, too. http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=95289 (midwestdxer, WTFDA via DXLD) DISPOSING OF ANALOG TRANSMITTERS And one has to wonder what will happen to all of those transmitters after the official February 17th & June 12th dates have come and gone (Jim Thomas, wdx0fbu, Milliken, Colorado (40 miles north of Denver), 40 18.642'N 104 52.566'W, WTFDA via DXLD) Maybe sell them to South America countries (Roy Barstow, MA, ibid.) Many of them are at the end of their lifecycles anyway, having been kept limping along for several years since there was no point replacing them with newer models. The more recent ones can generally be converted to digital operation fairly easily by swapping out exciters and filtering, and those will often end up as backup transmitters. In a lot of cases, station groups have fairly elaborate plans to move their old transmitters around after transition. For instance, my local WHEC-TV [Rochester NY] has been operating on transitional DTV channel 58 and will return to 10 after the transition. It's already taken half of its analog VHF transmitter (a fairly recent solid-state Harris) and converted it to digital, which means it's running at half-power analog for now. After the transition, the other half of the VHF Harris (the half that's still running analog) will be shipped to sister station WNYT in Albany, where it will be used to increase the power of WNYT-DT 12. The UHF transmitter that's being used now for WHEC-DT 58 will be shipped to one of Hubbard's stations in Minnesota (I think KSAX-DT in Alexandria) to allow it to go to full power DTV. Another example: WGHP in High Point NC will return to channel 8 after the transition. It's split its analog transmitter (a very recent Larcan) in half, running half-power analog and converting the other half to digital 8. The analog half will be moved to WGHP's auxiliary transmitter site after transition, and will also be converted to digital. The UHF digital transmitter now being used by WGHP-DT will be shipped to WBRC-DT in Birmingham to be used as a backup transmitter there. Perhaps the bigger waste will be all the combiners and filters that have been installed for all these transitional DTV operations - but those at least have plenty of scrap-copper value... s (Scott Fybush, Rochester NY, ibid.) Don't surprised if you find some of them auctioned off on eBay (John L., Muskego, WI, ibid.) My guess is they'll be sold off to broadcasters in Third World countries. As long as they are using NTSC and not PAL or SECAM, it'll work. Some may even be able to be modified to work with other protocols. On another list there was someone looking for a high band VHF transmitter to use as a driver for some scientific project. Some of the wheezing and ancient ones will end up scrapped. Probably the WSBE- 36 rig will end up in a junkyard. AM transmitters got scrapped when they were replaced. In the 70's I took out a couple of 1940 vintage 5 kW rigs. One was a Western Electric and the other an RCA. I kept the RCA to try to sell off the parts. Some did sell but most ended up getting scrapped years later. The Western Electric just got scrapped. I had no room for it. Both took up about two car spaces in a garage. I still have a few parts like coils and air variable capacitors from the RCA. The most disappointing scrapped transmitter is here: http://www.craighealy.com/xmtr.htm I didn't know it had been removed from service until it was long gone. I would have taken that in a heartbeat. It was the main transmitter for WBRU for about 15 years and was working perfectly when removed. They replaced it because the person they had as an engineer at the time just didn't know anything about transmitters. This was a very easy one to run and maintain. (insert sad face here) (Craig Healy Providence, RI, ibid.) Really, for the most part, analog transmitters are cross-platform -- it's the input video signal that makes it NTSC or PAL or SECAM. I would see two limitations to using a NTSC transmitter in a PAL/SECAM country: - Can the transmitter be tuned to the correct carrier frequency? (the carrier frequencies are (usually) different in PAL & SECAM countries) - Can the transmitter be tuned to pass the wider PAL/SECAM signal at reasonable efficiency & linearity? (PAL & SECAM are usually transmitted in 7 or 8 MHz bandwidths as opposed to the 6 MHz bandwidth of a NTSC signal) – (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) We both said the same thing. If the buyer can use it as NTSC it will work. PAL/SECAM has different requirements as you mentioned. They would buy one that would work on the assigned channel. Some can be made to work, others can't. The use of one as a driver for some scientific project was really interesting. Maybe I should take the old WNAC-64 box and make a microwave oven. Full turkey dinner? .4 seconds... (grin) Other things going to be added to the scrap pile include waveguide and antennas. I don't know the working range of the CH64 waveguide, but I don't think it's for the full band. I really am looking forward to the completed change. I have to wonder if some of the noise at my house from LW through VHF is artifacts or intermodulation from the local transmitters. Signals are strong enough that bad connections on metallic objects such as aluminum gutters and downspouts can be the source. A change of frequencies by the loss of CH 10 and 12 will be interesting. I think I'll stay up for the shutoff and have my SDR-14 looking at some spurs (Craig Healy, Providence, RI, ibid.) KANSAS KEEPS IT SECRET I have some hope of being able to pull in PBS DTV from Hutchinson`s KPTS. I don`t have an antenna permanently aimed that way at the moment, but I may put one up. Analog 8 was not receivable constantly, however, and doubt DTV 8 will be either. Looking at their website, I see that they already turned off analog in January. Hunting and hunting, I could find no mention anywhere of what their temporary RF DTV channel really has been (29). It`s as if they deliberately suppressed this info, even in otherwise fairly technical discussions. Just `re-scan` and you`ll find 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3! Geez (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DT SUFFIXES? When the transition is complete, will DTV stations always have the -DT suffix in their call sign? (Robert Timmerman, WTFDA via DXLD) There's a certain amount of disagreement as to whether they have the - DT suffix in their callsign right now! DTV stations appear in the FCC's database with the same facility ID number as their analog parents, and there's an argument to be made that they share callsigns as well. Fact is, the FCC doesn't care so much about callsigns these days, ever since they began giving stations unique numerical identifiers to track them through the CDBS database. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) I would argue that the -DT suffix *is* part of the callsign. Look at these documents, which are several stations' licenses: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/616584.pdf http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/1129456.pdf http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/594117.pdf http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/1136652.pdf http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/1070675.pdf Each of these specifies an Analog Call Sign (which may or may not have a -TV suffix) -- and a Digital Call Sign which *always* has a -DT suffix. Scott is right that the analog and digital facilities share a callsign record in the CDBS database. However, I would argue that what's on the station's license is what really counts. ``Fact is, the FCC doesn't care so much about callsigns these days, ever since they began giving stations unique numerical identifiers to track them through the CDBS database.`` (I sure wish the Canadians would follow suit, it would make it a LOT easier to maintain my website!) Arguably, callsigns are largely obsolete. I think the FCC would be willing to delete the legal ID rules & stop assigning callsigns if the stations were so inclined. Right now I don't think the *industry* is willing to give up on callsigns (Doug Smith, TN, ibid.) DIGITAL TV CONVERTERS Most of the converter boxes use bit / error circuitry and not AGC voltages to give a signal strength on your TV screen. If you have a station on the channel next to the channel you are trying to receive, it will affect the display. I was told by a broadcast engineer for WI Public TV that there are boxes out there that use true AGC reading? Does anyone know which model that might be? (Glenn Boche, W(zero)LUS, EN34, South St. Paul, MN, WTFDA via DXLD) Maybe that`s why the Zenith/Insignia signal meters do not show anything when there is only an analog signal on the channel, no matter how strong here. Re DTV STBs QRM SHORTWAVE, 9-010 --- I have found that the whiny noise every 72 kHz on the SW bands diminishes when I disconnect the antenna input from the STB, even tho the unit stays inplugged on standy mode, a.k.a. ``off``. So the noise is being radiated out of the TV antenna on the roof, into my SW longwire several meters away. And one thought the antenna connexion was feeding RF one-way, into the unit! Disconnecting the output cable helps more (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) C-QUAM vs IBOC, GROUNDWAVE COVERAGE I met a high executive at Radio Disney in Dallas [KMKI 620, hijacked from KWFT Wichita Falls] several years ago, and expressed my doubts to her about the new technology. I pushed C-Quam heavily to her, and told her about the Japanese AM stereo receivers still available for as low as $25. Kids certainly could afford that - I suggested the idea of Disney branded radios with the inexpensive AM stereo technology in them. The Dallas outlet is aware of their huge daytime footprint, and they even did a remote or two in Abilene almost 200 miles away. Well attended from what I heard. And they did stay in C-Quam for two years. But they finally succumbed to the siren call of IBOC, like lemmings over the cliff. Their daytime footprint suffered, too. ABC owned WBAP shut down their IBOC, it has been off for weeks. Talkers KLIF and KRLD, as well as music KAAM - along with some Spanish language stuff - are still in IBOC. I don't listen much at night. I know Radio Disney runs IBOC at night, though (Bruce Carter, TX, Feb 16, ABDX via DXLD) Interesting to note, Bruce. WBAP was what I considered probably the last of the "big guns" to leave their C-quam on even though they've been news/talk for years. I figured here in the last year or so (you would know better than I) when the stereo pilot went off that meant they were going IBOC. Hey, who knows: maybe with the IBOC off the c- quam pilot might come back on?? They were the last flamethrower out there still running C-quam before they shut it off...the engineer must have really liked C-quam (Michael n Wyo Richard, ibid.) Just a note on WBAP - while Bruce identified it as an "ABC-owned" station, that's no longer the case. Disney sold much of the ABC Radio division, but NOT the ESPN Radio or Radio Disney networks or owned-and-operated stations, to Citadel...and Citadel pulled the plug on nighttime IBOC use at all its AM stations pretty quickly after it was approved. (Informally, I hear that Citadel's corporate engineering team isn't very enthusiastic about even daytime AM IBOC, and as a result its local engineers are being told not to bother fixing "broken" AM IBOC installations, such as the one at WJR.) But there's a big distinction between the part of ABC that went to Citadel (in Dallas, that would be the "old ABC" stations - WBAP 820, KSCS 96.3, KPMZ 96.7) and the part of ABC that stayed with Disney (in Dallas, that would be Disney on 620 and ESPN on 103.3). "Disney/ABC," and especially the Radio Disney AMs, are still bullish on AM IBOC and are generally still operating IBOC around the clock. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.) WABC 770 IBOC off: see BRAZIL, 760 Come to Detroit; we have a BUNCH of them operating it by night: *WRDT-560 Monroe -- Religious, runs it until two hours past LSS (Guess this dates back to their PSSA, before they got their 13 watt nighttime license) *WFDF-910 Farmington Hills, MI - Radio Disney, runs it all night *WWJ-950 Detroit - All News, runs it all night *WCHB-1200 Taylor - Gospel, runs it all night. (They were running it all night as far back as 2002, believe it or not.) *WXYT-1270 Detroit - Sports, runs it all night. The only two IBOC stations near Detroit to shut it down at night are WRDT-560 Monroe (After two hours past LSS,) and WDFN-1130 Detroit (Right at LSS.) I cannot comment on WEXL-1340 Royal Oak, as they are usually buried way down in the GY crud at my QTH of Carleton, and are very weak by day (Eric Berger, Feb 16, ibid.) 560: This is a function of their separate transmitter sites. Only the 4-tower day site in Monroe is equipped with IBOC, and it's that site they use until two hours past LSS, when they switch to the 13-watt night facility on the WCSX-94.7 tower 30 miles north of Monroe. 1200: They had an early experimental permit for all-night operation. 1340 and 760: I believe WEXL runs it 24/7, not that anyone would notice. And WJR, to the extent their IBOC gear still runs at all, was running it only from 2 hours *after* LSR to 2 hours *before* LSS, to prevent skywave interference to co-owned WABC, which follows the same schedule. Note that the level of IBOC operation corresponds neatly to ownership: Crawford, CBS and Disney are the three biggest gung-ho supporters, and their stations (WEXL and WRDT for Crawford, WWJ and WXYT for CBS, WFDF for Disney) run it 24/7, or as close to 24/7 as their facilities will allow. Clear Channel, which owns WDFN 1130, occupies a middle ground - they run it by day, but never bothered with the complex engineering needed to make it work on the nine-tower night array. And Citadel (WJR) has largely given up on AM IBOC. I'm not sure where Radio One (WCHB) fits in - I don't think they've bothered with IBOC on most of their other AMs around the country. Detroit was a "special" market early on, as there was heavy pressure from Ibiquity to equip as many stations with IBOC as quickly as possible to give the automakers a reason to be interested in the system. We've seen how well that (didn't) work... I understand what Radio Disney was thinking when they committed to IBOC early on - as one of the few AM operations that's music- intensive, they hoped to solve their half of the "chicken-and-egg" issue by making sure music broadcasts were available early on in AM HD. They hoped (as did many in the business) that receiver manufacturers and especially automakers would follow suit quickly and begin making IBOC standard equipment in their products. That wasn't an unreasonable expectation circa, say, 2002 - and had it played out, the price of receivers probably would have dropped very quickly, just as other products saw huge cost drops once they started to be made in huge volumes. (Think DVD players, thumb drives, etc.) Had that been the case, the idea was that preteens would be forking over $20 or $30 for a "radio" that just happened to have IBOC as standard equipment, at which point the availability of Disney in digital stereo would have been a big plus for both receiver sales and for the Radio Disney stations themselves. It didn't turn out that way, of course, thanks to innumerable missteps along the way by many of the parties involved, not to mention the realization that certain parts of the technology (especially AM coverage at night) didn't live up to the hype - but that doesn't mean the original intentions weren't good. There's a long history of supposedly smart people creating technology that looks really bad in hindsight - everything from the CueCat (I think I still have one in my closet somewhere!) to Microsoft Bob to DiVX could fall into that category, and HD Radio overall actually looks *almost* successful by comparison with some of those stinkers. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) I would counter that AM daytime coverage - the analog signal - also suffers, and a LOT. KMKI was a station my daughter liked when she was younger. We did a lot of traveling to Lubbock, TX at that time, and KMKI was strong enough to have a listenable signal in Lubbock. Post IBOC - their signal was much weaker and no longer pleasant to listen to, even on a GE SR-3 or a good car radio. WBAP is a station with a huge daytime footprint. On my GE Superadio 3, when I visit my sister in law in Cypress, TX, WBAP is absolutely static free, like a local. Or it was before IBOC - it was noticeably weaker. Now, it is back to full strength again. I have additional examples - both AM and FM - of stations that sacrificed substantial analog coverage for IBOC (Bruce Carer, TX, ibid.) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ ULTRALIGHT FIRE Whatever became of the original discovery about the SRF-59, using two identical ones to phase out audio on a frequency, uncovering DX underneath? It appears everyone has lost interest in this technique, instead just seeing what they can hear on a single one, barefoot or souped up. 73, (Glenn Hauser, Feb 14, IRCA via DXLD) No replies OVER THE HORIZON (OTH) RADAR This interesting extract is from this week's Tad Cook's K7RA Solar Update at http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/02/13/10652/?nc=1 "Great Britain used a system operating from 30-50 MHz in the World War II era for over-the-horizon radar, known as Chain Home. This brought an interesting e-mail from Brett Graham, VR2BG, about Chain Home, and later HF OTH radar systems. Brett says Chain Home operated on 20-30 MHz. For images of Chain Home antenna towers, look at http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/5004131.jpg http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/5173635.jpg http://www.subbrit.org.uk You can watch an online video of Brett explaining the history of OTH radar and modern uses at a multimedia messaging server mms://max-server.net/2008_vr2bg This was recorded at the 2008 Asia-Pacific DX Convention in November in Osaka, Japan." (via Mike Terry, DXLD) Last week's Propagation Forecast Bulletin ARLP006 contained a comment about 10-meter propagation, and that Great Britain used a system operating from 30-50 MHz in the World War II era for over-the-horizon radar, known as Chain Home. This brought an interesting email from Brett Graham, VR2BG about Chain Home, and later HF OTH radar systems. Brett says Chain Home operated on 20-30 MHz. For images of Chain Home antenna towers, look at http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/5004131.jpg http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/5173635.jpg and http://tinyurl.com/dx3h38 You can watch an online video of Brett explaining the history of OTH radar and modern uses at a multimedia messaging server at, mms://max-server.net/2008_vr2bg Just click on that link, or paste it into your web browser's URL field without the usual http at the front. This was recorded at the 2008 Asia-Pacific DX Convention in November in Osaka, Japan. Many of us recall the Russian Woodpecker OTH system of past years, and the huge amount of QRM it generated all over the HF spectrum. Check out some photos of those systems at, http://www.techblog.tomksoft.com/data/duga-3/receiver-antenna.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/Yaoe2Ha8Lpk/SFHwGDeOQGI/AAAAAAAABVs/oUCKSlQsjPI/s320/Duga3.jpg and http://www.techblog.tomksoft.com/data/duga-3/antennas.jpg I believe at least one of those images is from inside the Chernobyl exclusion zone. Brett comments on the video that it took a lot of electrical power to drive those huge arrays. On the video Brett gives a great deal of information concerning current HF OTH systems operated by different countries, and the type of threat they present to HF communications. Joe Schroeder, W9JUV of Glenview, Illinois sent this memory of Chain Home signals after World War II: "N6TP's comment on Chain Home radar really brought back memories! I was a newly minted ham in 1946 and when 10 (the only HF band the military had released for ham use!) opened to Europe in the fall we used the Chain Home buzz on the high end of the band to judge band conditions to Europe. I was using a home made two element Yagi roped to the top of the chimney and 50 watts to an 807. When the FCC gave us the 27 Mc band we'd sometimes work Europe duplex by calling CQ continuously on 11 and announcing 'Tuning 28.3 to 28.4 for any calls.'" He continues, "My 807 and I had 52 countries worked when I finally went high power with a rebuilt pre-WWII amp running a pair of TZ-40s. Heady days for a young high school kid!" (QST de W1AW, Propagation Forecast Bulletin 7 ARLP007, From Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, WA February 13, 2009, To all radio amateurs, via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ LONG-HAUL TRANS-EQUATORIAL FM DX, CARIBBEAN TO SOUTHERN BRASIL Olá amigos. Voltei a ouvir FMs caribenhas por aqui. Seguem as escutas. 96.7, SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES Nice FM, Kingstown, EE, 0035, 12/02, OM, nxs 45344 97.0, GUADELOUPE RFO, Basse-Terre, FF, 0042, 12/02, mx caribenha 15241 99.9, SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES WE FM, Kingstown, EE, 0044, 12/02, OM/OM, talks 43333 92.7, JAMAICA FAME FM, Coopers Hill, EE, 0149, 15/02, OM, mx 45333 96.7, SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES Nice FM, Kingstown, EE, 0150, 15/02, mx caribenha, OM 45333 92.9, BARBADOS Voice of Barbados, Bridgetown, EE, 0152, 15/02, mx caribenha, OM 35333 107.5, SAINT VINCENT & GRENADINES NBC, Kingstown, EE, 0154, 15/02, OM, discurso 35233 91.2, MARTINICA RCI Martinique, Martinique, FF, 0156, 15/02, YL, nxs 25232 Receptor: Sony ICF SW 7600GR. Antena: LW do Degen DE1103. (73! Rubens Ferraz Pedroso. Bandeirantes - PR, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ONE SUNSPOT Amateur solar observer Tad Cook, K7RA, of Seattle, Washington, provides this weekly report on solar conditions and propagation "Sunspots returned this week, or rather, one did..." View full report at http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/02/13/10652/?nc=1 (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet levels during 09 - 13 February. Activity increased to active levels during 14 - 15 February with minor to major storm periods detected at high latitudes. ACE solar wind measurements indicated the 14 - 15 February activity was associated with a recurrent coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS). The co-rotating interaction region in advance of the CH HSS was detected on 14 February and was associated with increased velocities, increased IMF Bt (maximum 17 nT at 14/0518 UTC, and intermittent periods of enhanced southward IMF Bz (minimum -15 nT at 14/0543 UTC). The HSS commenced early on 14 February and continued through the rest of the period with a peak velocity of 623 km/sec detected at 15/0910 UTC. IMF Bz varied from +04 to -05 nT during the HSS. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 18 FEBRUARY - 16 MARCH 2009 Solar activity is expected to be at very low levels. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to increase to high levels during 14 - 16 March. Normal flux levels are expected during the rest of the period. Geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet levels during 18 - 20 February. Activity is expected to increase to quiet to unsettled levels with isolated active conditions during 21 - 22 February due to a recurrent CH HSS. Activity is expected to decrease to mostly quiet levels during 23 February - 12 March. Activity is expected to increase to quiet to unsettled levels with isolated active conditions during 13 - 14 February due to another CH HSS. Isolated minor to major storm conditions are possible at high latitudes during this period. Activity is expected to decrease to mostly quiet levels during 15 - 16 March as the CH HSS subsides. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2009 Feb 17 2122 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2009 Feb 17 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2009 Feb 18 70 5 2 2009 Feb 19 70 5 2 2009 Feb 20 70 5 2 2009 Feb 21 70 12 4 2009 Feb 22 70 8 3 2009 Feb 23 70 5 2 2009 Feb 24 70 5 2 2009 Feb 25 70 5 2 2009 Feb 26 70 5 2 2009 Feb 27 70 5 2 2009 Feb 28 70 5 2 2009 Mar 01 70 5 2 2009 Mar 02 70 5 2 2009 Mar 03 70 10 3 2009 Mar 04 70 5 2 2009 Mar 05 70 5 2 2009 Mar 06 70 5 2 2009 Mar 07 70 5 2 2009 Mar 08 70 5 2 2009 Mar 09 70 5 2 2009 Mar 10 70 5 2 2009 Mar 11 70 5 2 2009 Mar 12 70 5 2 2009 Mar 13 70 12 4 2009 Mar 14 70 10 3 2009 Mar 15 70 5 2 2009 Mar 16 70 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1478, DXLD) ###