DX LISTENING DIGEST 9-027, March 26, 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 2009 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 1453 Thu 0530 WRMI 9955 [axually was 1452 this week] Fri 0000 WBCQ 5110-CUSB Area 51 Fri 0100 WRMI 9955 Fri 1130 WRMI 9955 Fri 2030 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290 [1930 from April] Fri 2030 WWCR1 15825 [or 2029] Sat 0800 WRMI 9955 Sat 0800 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 9510 [except first Sat, and March 28] Sat 1530 WRMI 9955 [March only] Sat 1630 WWCR3 12160 Sun 0230 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0630 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0800 WRMI 9955 Sun 1515 WRMI 9955 Mon 0500 WRMI 9955 Mon 2200 WBCQ 7415 Tue 1100 WRMI 9955 Tue 1530 WRMI 9955 Wed 0500 WRMI 9955 [or new 1454] Wed 1530 WRMI 9955 [or new 1454] WBCQ is also airing new or archive WOR editions Tue-Fri 1900 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 ** ALASKA. USA: KNLS A-09 Schedule --- Although the new schedule does not yet show on the KNLS English pages, it can be found on the Russian pages, as follows: English 0800 7355 1000 6890 1200 7355 9780 1400 7355 Mandarin 0800 11765 0900 11765 1000 11765 1100 11870 1300 9780 9795 1400 9795 1500 9920 1600 9920 1700 9920 Russian 0900 7355 1100 7370 1500 7355 1600 7355 1700 7355 (KNLS web pages in Russian, via Alan Roe, UK, March 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. Re 8-026: In order to avoid a conflict, for A-09, R. Tirana is rescheduling Italian an hour earlier to 1700-1730 on 7430 (via Drita Çiço, R. Tirana, March 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Tirana via Shijak site in A-09 season. ITALIAN Mon-Sat 1700-1730 7430 SHI 100 kW 310 deg to Italy [due to CHINA 7435 QRM one hour earlier !] [you mean later; originally scheduled at 1800. Other Italian remains: --- gh] 1901-1930 7430 SHI 100 kW 300 deg to Italy 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARGENTINA. 6060, 24/03 0920, R. Nacional, Buenos Aires, YL talk about desaparecidos durante a ditadura (áudio terrivelmente distorcido!) 45444. Equipamento utilizado: Receptor RFSpace SDR-IQ, Antena Loop Wellbrook ALA1530S+, Faseador JPS ANC-4. 73 (Ivan Dias - Sorocaba/SP, radioescutas yg via DXLD) At least they are on the proper frequency (gh) ** ARGENTINA. Hello all, Ian, Wolfgang and others. I must confess this is probably one of the most fascinating groups on Yahoo. I have already spent a few hours pasting the coordinates into a Google Earth tour of the world`s SW transmitter sites. I wonder where RAE did its monitoring, which would have been used to monitor Radio South Atlantic via Ascension Island in 1982? I see a log periodic on one of the RAE sites, but perhaps that`s for transmission (linking to Antarctica)? I spent a fascinating day at RAE in Buenos Aires in November 2007 where they showed me all the studios and archives. In the playout centre they had an old Kenwood R-1000 for monitoring the overseas service, but it wasn`t working. Their job was to feed audio to the transmitter site not check if it was really on the air. I remember them saying that one of the problems was that the land near the site was now a housing estate so any expansion or higher power would be impossible (Jonathan Marks, Netherlands, March 8, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) ** ASIA [non]. Hello D X --- Friends all over the World ! I herewith enclose the RADIO FREE ASIA frequencies A09 for your future reference. We wish good listening ! Best wishes and greetings (T i b o r S z i l a g y i, EDXC Secretary General, March 26, DXLD) A09 Daily Broadcast Frequencies As of March 29, 2009 All times UTC Burmese (4 hours daily) 0030-0130 13820 13865 17835 1230-1330 7390 9320 13675 1330-1400 7390 9320 12140 1400-1430 7390 9320 1630-1730 9945 Cantonese (2 hours daily) 1400-1430 11595 1430-1500 7280 11595 2200-2300 9355 11715 11785 Khmer (2 hours daily) 1230-1330 12140 15160 2230-2330 7580 13740 Korean (5 hours daily) 1500-1700 1350 5810 7210 7455 1700-1800 1350 5810 9370 1800-1900 1350 5810 7210 2100-2200 1350 7460 9385 12075 Lao (2 hours daily) 0000-0100 15545 15690 1100-1200 9355 15145 Mandarin (12 hours daily) 0300-0600 13760 15130 15615 15635 17615 17880 21550 21690 0600-0700 13760 15130 15615 15635 17615 17880 21550 1500-1600 9455 9905 11540 11625 12025 13675 15495 1600-1700 9455 9905 11540 11795 12025 13675 15530 1700-1800 7260 7280 9355 9455 9540 9905 11540 11795 13625 1800-1900 7280 7355 9355 9455 9540 9865 11540 11700 13625 1900-2000 1098 7260 7355 9355 9455 9850 9865 9905 11700 11785 13625 15510 2000-2100 1098 7260 7355 9355 9455 9850 9905 11700 11740 11785 13625 2100-2200 1098 7355 9455 9850 9905 11740 11935 13625 2300-0000 7540 11760 11785 15430 15485 15585 Tibetan (10 hours daily) 0100-0300 9365 9885 11695 15225 17730 0600-0700 17510 17780 21500 21690 1000-1100 15460 17750 21530 1100-1200 7470 13830 15375 17750 1200-1400 7470 11590 11605 13830 15375 1500-1600 9370 11550 11585 11795 2200-2300 5865 7500 9880 2300-0000 7470 7500 9805 9875 Uyghur (2 hours daily) 0100-0200 9350 9490 11895 11945 17640 1600-1700 9350 9370 9555 11750 Vietnamese (2 hours daily) 0000-0030 7525 11580 11605 13740 15535 15560 1400-1430 1503 7520 9715 9805 11605 11680 12140 1430-1500 7520 9715 9805 11605 11680 12140 2330-0000 7520 11580 11605 13740 15535 15560 (RFA March 26 via Tibor Szilagyi, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. HCJB Australia A09 Effective Sun, Mar 29 2009 – Sat, Oct 24, 2009 TO EAST ASIA 2200-2230 15525 English Daily 2230-2300 15525 Japanese Sat/Sun 2230-2300 15525 Mandarin Mon-Fri 2300-0000 15525 Mandarin Daily 0000-0030 15525 Fujian Daily 1030-1130 15400 Mandarin Daily 1130-1230 15400 Mandarin Sun/Sat 1130-1200 15400 Fujian Mon-Fri 1200-1230 15400 English Daily 1230-1245 15400 English Daily 1245-1300 15400 English Sun-Fri 1245-1300 15400 Mandarin Sat 1300-1330 15400 Eng/Mandarin Daily 1330-1430 15400 Mandarin Daily SOUTH EAST ASIA 0000-0030 15400 Indonesia(Bahasa) Mon-Sat 0000-0030 15400 Myanmar(Rawang) Sun 0030-0100 15400 Myanmar(Rawang) Daily 1200-1230 15340 Malay(Bahasa) Sun 1230-1330 15340 Indonesia(Bahasa) Mon-Sat 1330-1330 15340 Myanmar(Rawang) Daily SOUTH ASIA 0100-0115 15400 Nepali Daily 0115-0130 15400 Malayalam Sun 0115-0130 15400 Gujarati Mon 0115-0130 15400 Urdu Tues 0115-0130 15400 Marathi Wed 0115-0130 15400 Bhojpuri Thu 0115-0130 15400 Punjabi Fri 0115-0130 15400 Tamil Sat 0130-0200 15400 Urdu Daily 0200-0230 15400 Hindi Daily 0230-0245 15400 Chhattisgarhi Fri/Sat/Sun 0230-0245 15400 Kuruk Mon/Thu 0230-0245 15400 Marwari Tues 0230-0245 15400 Telegu Wed 0245-0300 15400 English Daily 1300-1315 15340 Nepali Daily 1315-1330 15340 Malayalam Sun 1315-1330 15340 Gujarati Mon 1315-1330 15340 Urdu Tues 1315-1330 15340 Marathi Wed 1315-1330 15340 Bhojpuri Thu 1315-1330 15340 Punjabi Fri 1315-1330 15340 Tamil Sat 1330-1400 15340 Hindi Daily 1400-1430 15340 Urdu Daily 1430-1445 15340 Chhattisgarhi Fri/Sat/Sun 1430-1445 15340 Kuruk Mon/Thu 1430-1445 15340 Marwari Tues 1430-1445 15340 Telegu Wed 1445-1530 15425 English Daily SOUTH PACIFIC 0730-0930 11750 English Daily DX PARTYLINE 1245-1300 15400 FRI TO EAST ASIA 1445-1500 15425 SAT TO SOUTH ASIA 0800-0815 11750 SAT TO SOUTH PACIFIC All times are in UT, frequencies in kHz --- (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, March 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM [non]. Radio Vlaanderen International Summer 09 frequencies effective 29th March 2009 (A09) 08:00 - 09:00: 13685 kHz 12:00 - 13:00: 13685 kHz 16:00 - 17:00: 13675 kHz 19:00 - 20:00: 13685 kHz (Supratik Sanatani, India, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) This looks quite straightforward, but it`s really a bit more complicated, not direct from Belgium, but some relayed by Moscow, some by Rampisham UK, and the times must NOT be in UT but in CEST = UT +2; sked in UT is: 13675 06-07, 17-18 Moscow 230 degrees; 10-11 & 14-15 Rampisham 180 degrees. 13685 06-07 and 17-18 Moscow 240 or 230 degrees; 10-11 and 14-15 Rampisham 180 degrees. All in Dutch, of course (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4796.4, RADIO LIPEZ. Uyuni. 2230-0015 marzo 21. Nuevo nombre: Ex- Radio Mallku. Programación en vernacular y español. Programa de complacencias conducido por una locutora. "gracias por estar con Radio Lipez, Radio Lipez en sus dos frecuencias... 92.3 frecuencia modulada y 4795 kHz onda tropical..." pgm: sábados especiales. ID pregrabada: "Estás escuchando Radio Lipez..." Notada con cierre a las 0015 mencionando Federación Regional Única de Trabajadores Campesinos del Altiplano Sud y a Cleotilde Yucra como Directora. Según una carta-QSL recibida de Radio Mallku en el año 2000, el sudoeste potosino está conformado por 5 provincias: dos de estas son Nor Lipez y Sud Lipez. En el bandscan realizado el pasado fin de semana, reporté como tentativa a Radio Mallku operando en esta frecuencia, ya que no había logrado identificarla totalmente, pero ahora parece estar con un nuevo nombre (Rafael Rodríguez R., Bogotá D.C. - COLOMBIA, JRC 525 hilo 30 mts, condiglist yv via WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DXLD) Rafael doesn`t bother with accents, but I put them in; however, that leaves us wondering about the most important word in this item, LIPEZ --- I googled it and most of the top hits, mostly in English, did not have an accent on it, but a few did, and I am inclined to believe the latter, ergo Lípez, accented on the first syllable. Perhaps a Bolivian can confirm this one way or the other for us (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Re 9-026: ``4825.986, R. Educadora, Bragança PA, Mar 24, *0840-1000 - . . .`` Surprised Glen[n] didn't catch this one! Frequency is 4924.986! In well again this morning with *0832 with no open carrier this time, sign-on announcements, religious talk into those inspirational vocals. The likely R. Cançao Nova on 4824.96 was also present, but still not strong enough for audio (Brandon Jordan, TN, March 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Everybody is imperfect. But you almost tripped me up again, and I had to edit the item out of WOR 1453 at the last minute. You mean, I assume, the frequency is REALLY 4824.986, not 4924.986 for R Educadora de Bragança. On 4925v is the other Educadora, Rural Tefé (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Yes, really 4824.986. I am going to have to start printing my 60 mb reports on paper to proof-read before I send them out. I find it easier to catch typos on paper, and I think may be a bit dyslexic to start with! For some reason, I don't seem to have much trouble with other frequency ranges, something about the 48xx and 49xx that trip me up when I type them. 73, (Brandon Jordan, ibid.) Yes, I often see typos better when reproed in a different font. Unfortunately, no printing out here (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. These are the first batch of loggings from an overnight Perseus SDR recording spanning 4600-6200 kHz made from 0330 to 1253 UT on March 25; antenna used is a Wellbrook ALA100. Due to much better conditions on March 25, I moved to this session rather than continue with the March 24 session. Further gleanings may be posted if my schedule allows. 4754.93, (presumed) R. Imaculada Conceição, Campo Grande MS, Mar 25, 0333-1000 - Best from tune-in until slowly fading from 0500 to threshold audio levels. Continuous Catholic religious talk, no ID heard. Absolutely no dawn at transmitter enhancement. Transmitter very stable on exactly 4754.93 kHz, but electrical spurs +/- 60 Hz, and much stronger +/- 120 Hz. Strong CODAR (Brandon Jordan - Memphis, TN, USA, http://www.bcdx.org dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also DJIBOUTI; PERU in this issue ** BRAZIL. 6090 RADIO BANDEIRANTES. São Paulo. Brasil. 0914-0950 marzo 22. My buena señal, tapando a la University Network desde Anguilla. "..esta é a Rádio Bandeirantes de São Paulo..." música California dreams de Mamas and the Papas. Programa: Arquivo musical. "Roberto Carlos canto de Caetano Veloso o sucesso que acontecou em 1976, Muito Romantico; depois con Louis Armstrong o sucesso de 1968 A wonderful World... estamos apresentando Arquivo musical.. são aa 6 29, Bandeirantes, a rádio que - - - por você..." Luego promo transmisión nueva temporada de la Formula 1 (Rafael Rodriguez R., Bogotá D.C. - COLOMBIA, JRC 525 hilo 30 mts, condiglist yv via DXLD) ** CANADA. Re 9-025, RCI A09 sked. There is at least one error, compared to the pdf I got from Bill Westenheaver: ENGLISH 0000-0057 DAILY KUN 11700 0005-0105 TUE-SAT SAC 6100 0100-0159 DAILY EMR 9620 1500-1557 DAILY URU 17720, KUN 11675 1505-1705 DAILY SAC 9515 1705-1905 DAILY SAC 9515 [this is FRENCH, NOT ENGLISH] 1800-1859 DAILY KAS 9530, SKN 11765, SAC 17735, SKN 17810 2000-2100 DAILY SAC 15235, SAC 17735 2305-0005 DAILY SAC 6100 (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CBC announcement forthcoming --- According to insidethecbc.com: CBC President Hubert Lacroix just sent this out: "Join the Senior Executive Team and me on Wednesday, March 25 at 11:45 a.m. ET for an overview of our financial situation, strategy and the changes to come. This presentation will be high-level and strategic, rather than operational. You can expect your Vice-Presidents and their management teams to start rolling out specific operational announcements within 24 hours of this briefing with more information about how the changes relate to your component specifically." (via Ricky Leong, AB, 0341 UT March 25, DXLD) Viz.: CBC FACING 800 LAYOFFS --- CBC EXECUTIVES UPDATED STAFF THIS MORNING ABOUT THE STATE OF CBC FINANCES, ANNOUNCING 800 LAYOFFS. “I wish I could be standing here in better circumstances,” CBC President Hubert Lacroix said, but “these are tough times for the public broadcaster.” He said, “we need $171 million to balance our budget, which will mean 800 positions.” The plan is to raise about $125 million through the sale of assets he said. It’s based on the assumption that the government will allow the CBC to keep the proceeds of those sales. But even with those sales, balancing the books “still results in 800 positions,” Lacroix said. Lacroix also said that the most senior managers would see a minimum 20 per cent reduction in take home pay, through bonus cutbacks, and the corporate level will face a five per cent cut across the board. The layoffs would start over the summer months, and finish by the beginning of September. Richard Strusberg, Vice-President of English Services, said “We’re going to have to cut as many as 400 people,” in English Services. He said he wants to maintain Radio One’s and Radio Two’s share without introducing advertising on radio. He also doesn’t want to lose the gains made in English Television or online. Another 336 cuts will come on the French side, and 70 corporate service positions. But English television will feel the cuts slightly more than English radio, however “the beef of the schedule remains largely intact,” he said. “About 20 per cent” of the cuts will fall on the regions Stursberg added. The rest will come from the network. Tomorrow all of the managers will meet with the areas that are effected, “but it will be impossible to say exactly who will go and who will stay,” Stursberg said because of the uncertainty about the voluntary retirement package and how many people might take them. Another town hall for English services will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. By: Paul Mcgrath (insidethecbc.com March 25, via WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DXLD) Hi Glenn, 800 jobs to go at the CBC. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/608109 (Dale Rothert, March 25, WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No mention whatsoever of RCI in either story; who cares about that? Except searching on ``rci`` I got a hit on ``commeRCIals``. As usual, followed by reader comments, many of whom do not comprehend what a national treasure in CBC they have, or are losing (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DXLD) BARELY ALIVE BLOG OF LACROIX, STURSBERG, LAFRANCE PRESENTATIONS Much more in the coming days as the regions get their own interpretations. 80 percent network, 20 percent regions cuts is telling. No mention of PromoGuy's future. from the Teamaker's blog; maybe see also Planet CBC? Wednesday, March 25, 2009 Liveblog of CBC budget town hall, by Fake Ouimet (Joe Clark) Started 2009.03.25 11:45. . . http://teamakers.blogspot.com/2009/03/liveblog-of-cbc-budget-town-hall.html (via Dan Say, alt.radio.networks.cbc, March 25, via Mike Cooper, DXLD) http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/608838 (Dale Rothert, March 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Haven't you noticed that reality has a distinctly liberal bias? Believe it or not lotsa people do watch CBC -- and many also listen to it. Of course there are problems with it. It's as riddled with cronyism and bad habits as any other large institution. But here's the thing: after the CBC is gutted and private networks are permitted to run more American hits, and more newspapers go under, it will become harder and harder to see what government and business are doing. The CBC is a shared asset -- we all own a little bit of it. Now OUR Corp is going to sell off some of its real estate. In other words, more public assets will be funneled into private hands (during the worst possible time to sell). How convenient, eh? There are aspects of the CBC I don't like, but if we lose it, most of us will be poorer (in every sense of the word) for it. Submitted by rmpotter at 7:26 PM Thursday, March 26 2009 (comment to the above Star story, via DXLD) CBC CUTS HIT NEWS, DRAMA, SPORTS, RADIO Last Updated: Thursday, March 26, 2009 | 3:19 PM ET CBC News http://www.cbc.ca/arts/media/story/2009/03/26/cbc-layoffs.html CBC English Services plans to cut up to 80 positions from its news division and a further 313 from sports, entertainment, current affairs, sales and support across the country as part of its efforts to make up a $171-million shortfall in 2009-10. Richard Stursberg, executive vice-president of CBC's English Services, announced details of the cutbacks to radio and TV in a speech to employees on Thursday. The details came a day after CBC president and chief executive Hubert Lacroix announced the public broadcaster would have to cut about 800 full-time positions in total at the CBC/Radio- Canada, as well as selling about $125 million in assets. The cuts to programming at CBC English Services will mean fewer episodes of many prime-time television shows and cuts to entire programs on both Radio One and Radio 2, Stursberg said. Changes coming to Radio One and 2 Changes on Radio One include: * Cancellations of The Inside Track, Outfront and The Point. * Reduction of regional noon-hour programs to one hour. * Reductions in drama. Changes on Radio 2 include: * Cancellations of In the Key of Charles and the weekend edition of The Signal. * Reductions in live music production and recordings. * More consolidations with Radio 3. On CBC-TV, investigative programs such as The Fifth Estate and Marketplace will have reduced budgets, though it's not yet known whether that will mean fewer episodes. Canadians can also expect to see more repeats of many prime-time programs, with shorter seasons ordered for ones including: * The Border. * This Hour Has 22 Minutes. * Being Erica. * Little Mosque on the Prairie. The CBC will also reduce spending on new children's programming and cancel the Living programs produced in each region. In CBC Sports, there will be reductions or cutbacks in coverage of: * International figure skating. * CONCACAF Champions League soccer. * World aquatics. * World athletics. * Skiing. The CBC will also drop its Blue Jays baseball telecasts. CBC Radio loses 121 jobs About $14.4 million must come out of radio, leading to a reduction of 121 jobs, including 20 in Toronto. There will also be job losses in the Ontario cities of Windsor, Thunder Bay and Sudbury, in Quebec City, in the New Brunswick cities of Moncton and Saint John, in Sydney, N.S., and in Corner Brook, Gander and Grand Falls in Newfoundland and Labrador. There will be budget reductions at CBC North. (Perhaps an excuse to do away with CBC NQSWS?-FW) One-person bureaux in La Ronge, Sask., and Thompson, Man., will be closed. About 109 positions will come out of television entertainment, including the previously announced cancellations of Fashion File and the placing of Steven & Chris on hiatus. A further three jobs will be cut from CBC-TV Sports. A total of $7 million must be cut from the news division, including 80 jobs in radio news, current affairs and TV current affairs. The number of people who lose their jobs could be reduced if a number of employees opt for a retirement package to be announced in April. Stursberg also said there would be further details released about cuts in news on April 16. He called the cuts "painful" and said he was worried about the future of news, TV drama and children's programming. He noted that the cuts in drama will also have an impact on dozens of independent producers and their employees. "We want to maintain as much as we can and stay on strategy as much as possible as we make these cuts," Stursberg said. He emphasized that radio morning and afternoon drive shows have been spared and radio remains ad-free. On television, the CBC will keep 80- per-cent Canadian content in prime time and increase it during the day, with shows such as Martha Stewart and The Simpsons expected to be cancelled. Cuts needed despite high ratings He said the CBC tried to make cuts that would maintain the strong position it has now with high ratings in radio and television. "The irony is, we are in financial difficulty when we're doing better than we've ever done before," he said. More than 20 million Canadians tune in to CBC Radio, CBC-TV and CBC.ca every week, he said. Stursberg said he didn't know whether further cuts would be necessary, perhaps a year from now. Ad revenue by all conventional broadcasters has been falling and private broadcasters, like the CBC, have experienced a steep decline in revenue. "It depends in very large measure on what happens to earnings. If ad markets recover, we will be in much better shape," Stursberg said. "We can't really see where the bottom is. No one has any sense of when the economy is going to come back." At a speech in Montreal on Thursday, Lacroix warned there would be deeper cuts if the CBC is unable to sell off assets. He announced on Wednesday that the CBC was hoping to sell $125 million in assets — but those sales must be approved by the federal government. Lacroix criticized the Conservatives for leaving the CBC in limbo over its budgetary allocation for 2009-10, saying the government has not yet let the CBC know whether it approved the special $60 million for programming it has received since 2001. The CBC's new fiscal year begins in five days. Supper hour newscasts cut in Quebec Lacroix said no part of Radio-Canada will be untouched by the cuts. Among the large cuts on the French side are the elimination of noon hour news shows in Quebec City, Ottawa, Moncton and Sherbrooke and reduction of the supper hour newscasts in those markets to half an hour from an hour. The programs Vous êtes Ici and Macadam tribus have also been cancelled. Lacroix also announced Radio Canada International will eliminate its Ukrainian and Cantonese services. President of the Canadian Media Guild's CBC branch Marc-Philippe Laurin said employees face a hard six months. "It's sad that we've come to expect layoffs as a way of life at CBC," he said in memo to CMG members, saying these decisions "cut to the very heart of what we do and who we are." "It is also very disappointing that the Conservative government has let this happen at a time when our members and the public broadcaster are doing better than ever in every market across the country in providing valuable and informative programming to Canadians," he added (via Fred Waterer, Ont., March 26, dxldyg via DXLD) Just a short observation from across the border... Economics seems a convenient excuse for Harper and the Conservatives to do to public media what they've always wanted to do. (Of course, the Opposition Liberals--with the notable exception of the NDP -- haven't been a champion of the CBC in recent years either.) (John Figliozzi, Halfmoon, NY, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) And way deep into the story, this nugget: "(CBC President and CEO Hubert) Lacroix also announced Radio Canada International will eliminate its Ukrainian and Cantonese services." (Ricky Leong, Calgary (but currently in NYC), ibid.) ¿C`est tout? (gh) --- Which Cantonese service? Do they produce any separate material in Cantonese, or could it be that the service labelled as Mandarin (whatever Chinese dialects they may use in detail) will be eliminated? If so it could well be the end for the airtime exchange with NHK and KBS, too. Btw, the latest edition of the VTC newsletter includes a somewhat cryptic article, headlined "VTC looks to new opportunities overseas", that talks about plans to "grow a network of shortwave transmission assets in key strategic locations around the world". Perhaps a selling of the Sackville site by the CBC is looming here? And it seems that RCI should not expect any internal solidarity. From http://www.insidethecbc.com/updates-from-the-town-hall-meeting#comments "What's Up With... says: Radio Canada International? Could we just slash that please?" (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) Gov't urges maintaining of CBC services ah, but which government? [Yukon: see below] Press release http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2009/25/c4190.html CBC URGED TO MAINTAIN SERVICE TO THE NORTH WHITEHORSE, March 25 /CNW/ - Premier Dennis Fentie is urging the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to continue the current level of support for northern radio and television services as they consider their financial constraints. The Government of Yukon presented a motion in the legislative assembly today urging the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) to keep its northern broadcasting system intact. The North makes up 40 per cent of Canada's land mass and this broadcasting service is vitally important to link northern, remote communities. "Northerners and Canadians have relied on CBC for generations," Fentie said. "Here in the North, CBC radio and television provide essential communications to our communities, our sister territories and our nation." For further information: Emily Younker, Cabinet Communications, (867) 633-7961, emily.younker @ gov.yk.ca (via Dan Say, alt.radio.networks.cbc via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. From this at pugetsoundradio: http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/cgi-bin/forum/Blah.pl?m-1237998259/ and this: http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090325/090325_cp24_breakfast/20090325/?hub=CP24Entertainment "CP24 LAUNCHES MORNING SHOW, AM RADIO STATION" 1050 CHUM will change formats at 5 ET [9 UT] from oldies to simulcasting CP24. CP24 is a satellite/cable news, traffic etc. channel that serves the GTA. So it is the end of music on 1050 [for the 2nd time - remember Team 1050?]. The articles do not indicate if the format change is 24/7 or not but I suspect it is (Andy Reid, Ont., March 25, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I hear nothing but regular programming right now on 1050 but I have only been listening for 15 minutes. As usual, New York and others are kicking the &#*%$* out of it [6 PM ET]. (Andy Reid, Peterborough, Ont., DX LISTENING DIGEST) What this means as far as jobs: After, myself being blown-out the door at CHUM-FM last Friday following some questions I had posed to management - here is what I have learned about what transpired today. An executive assistant to programming who has worked with 4 big bosses was let go - over 20 years there. Two people from engineering were cut, one of them having a tenure which rivaled anyone else's in the building. A couple more people from the administrative side were let go. As well as long time radio MS host Gord James and all part-time 1050 CHUM announcers; which includes radio stalwarts Robbie Lane and Charlie O'Brien. Hundreds of years of experience has been leeched from the building. Certainly, this is a huge cultural shift from the cozy and secure environment that CHUM has always exemplified for radio employees. Also, at least one key management figure was nowhere in the building when all this happened. This news, while tragic, is hardly surprising with the reality that the CHUM predicament in Toronto is; being a stand-alone (1050 has not made $$ for years) FM frequency in a market place of FM radio clusters, and is at a grotesque disadvantage in sales regarding what clients get in cost per point with Astral, Corus, etc. Seeing as there is much bloodletting in the industry, I expect these changes to go relatively un-noticed and to be easily swept away under the guise of tough economic times. That said, there are still many wonderful people in the building and I feel honoured to have had the chance to walk its halls and work amongst some of the best people I have ever met in my 20 years on the air. Good luck to them and everyone, who is still lucky enough to collect a paycheque from any broadcasting jobs that are left (Woodman, from pugetsoundradio, March 25 via DXLD) What`s Puget Sound got to do with Tirana? They can`t possibly get away with ``CP24`` as a real callsign, but no doubt will ban `CHUM` as much as possible, and as we know, no one cares about Canadian stations IDing legally. And there`s probably a CP24 in Bolivia, or was, as WRTH has deleted all callsign listings there (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 1050 CHUM DEAD AGAIN Just received a news release announcing that tomorrow morning at 5 marks the launch of a new all-news service, "CP24 Radio 1050," on the Toronto radio dial --- which means that CHUM is dropping oldies for a second time. "CP24" is the all-news cable channel that CTV/CHUM runs. I guess now Toronto will get a 24-hour radio simulcast. Yippee. s (Scott Fybush, March 25, IRCA, via WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DXLD) To me, this is welcome --- but sad. CHUM-AM has a long tradition. From a selfish perspective, I live in an area of western NY state devoid of an all-news channel. Newsradio 680 from Toronto has a marginal signal but CHUM 1050 has a good signal, so I can at listen to this new format from CHUM (Andy O`Brien, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Interesting. Maybe I'll actually listen to CHUM now. I suppose that CHUM must have an audience for its current (soon to be former) oldies format, but to me it is just too dreary to listen to. I have it on right now, out of some sense of duty to hear it in its last hours as an oldies station, and am having to physically restrain my hand from reaching out to change it to another station (Greg Shoom, Canada, ODXA yg via DXLD) CHUM AM DIES AGAIN, IS REBORN AS CP24 RADIO 1050 National Post - Toronto, Ontario, Canada By Rob Roberts and Adam McDowell March 25, 2009. The legendary radio station has been rebranded CP24 Radio 1050, and will run programming from TV's CP24 all-news channel. It will debut tomorrow morning carrying CP24's new morning show, anchored by Ann Rohmer and featuring a CP24 newcomer: well-known radio personality Steve Anthony, doing traffic updates on the channel's helicopter. Both broadcasters are owned by CTVglobemedia. The radio station - which will continue to run a few hours of radio-only programming on the weekend - will have its own sales staff, and run radio-only commercials. . . http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/archive/2009/03/25/chum-am-dies-again-is-reborn-as-cp24-radio-1050.aspx (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) CFTR 680 kHz AM in Toronto is already an all-news radio station http://www.680news.com/ Jim, does the 680 station not make it into your area? (Sheldon Harvey, QC, NRC-AM via DXLD) 680 is audible around Rochester, where Jim and I both live, but not very well. With eight towers on the southern shore of Lake Ontario (Grimsby, Ontario) aiming all of its juice due north into Toronto, there's little signal going anywhere else, especially due east towards Rochester and co-channel 680s in Binghamton and Boston. I have a feeling the new "CP24 Radio" on 1050 isn't going to be very satisfying for Jim, if he's still missing CBC on 740; it sounds like they're going to be running it very much on the cheap, mainly simulcasting the TV newscasts that air on CP24's TV signal, hence little or none of the international news that Jim and I both miss from the CBC... s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) If I recall correctly, when the CFTR facility originally came on, WRNY was still on the air in Rochester on 680 with all of 250w-D so it was certainly unlikely that there would be much signal coming in that direction. I am sure Scott can elucidate but wasn't allowing the 5 kW 990 facility sort of a Canadian payoff for moving WRNY off 680? (Pete Taylor, Tacoma, WA, ibid.) Absolutely correct! When the two 680s were co-existing in Rochester and Toronto, the Toronto facility (initially CHFI, later CFTR) was a 13-tower array somewhere in Mississauga, aiming mostly north and east into Toronto. I don't think it was a full 50 kW then, either. Before *that* 680 had been in London, as CHLO. Ted Rogers Jr. paid CHLO to move to 1570 to free up the 680 frequency for Toronto in the late sixties. But there had been that pesky 250-watt daytimer in Rochester much earlier - WRNY at first back in 1946, then WRVM and finally WNYR. So in the late seventies, Rogers paid to move WNYR to 990, working with the Canadian government to get special clearance to put the US station on what was supposed to have been a Canadian clear channel. Rogers money first built a temporary three-tower DA (250 watts, I think) at the old 680 site on the west side of Rochester, then to put up a new six-tower DA way west of Rochester. (Attendees to the 2004 NRC convention may recall our tour of that site, complete with the sinking of Ernie Wesolowski's car in the mud... ;-) It was only once Rochester had been moved out of the way that CFTR was able to move to the current site in Grimsby, where it puts at least a little signal toward Toronto. Many years later, WINR in Binghamton figured out that with Rochester gone, it could also increase day power. It now runs 5 kW and can also be heard, weakly, in Rochester. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) From David Gleason's old Broadcasting archive: - WRNY-680 Rochester signed on in 1947 as a 250-watt daytimer. - CHLO-680 St. Thomas (near London) signed on the next year. Listed as 1,000 watts - doesn't say whether daytime or full but I think it was a daytimer? - CHLO is in the 1967 Yearbook as 1,000 watts U3, still on 680. - In 1971, CHLO has moved to 1570 with 10,000 watts U4. - And, CHFI has appeared in Toronto on 680 with 2,500/10,000 U4. Yes, more powerful at night than during the day. (I suppose because they didn't have to worry about Rochester at night!) - Rochester was still on 680 in 1979, the newest listing I found on David's site. It was on 990 by 1988, the oldest reference I have at home. – (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) Actually late 1946...BY {Broadcasting Yearbook] never got this one right, for some reason. ``CHLO-680 St. Thomas (near London) signed on the next year. Listed as 1,000 watts - doesn't say whether daytime or full but I think it was a daytimer?`` DA-1, per the history at http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=349&historyID=143 [also via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD] ``- CHLO is in the 1967 Yearbook as 1,000 watts U3, still on 680. - In 1971, CHLO has moved to 1570 with 10,000 watts U4.`` 2/13/70, per the link above, which relates the whole weird story regarding the St. Thomas/Toronto frequency mess - CHFI started as a daytimer on 1540, initially tried to pay CHLO to move to 1410 (which was granted instead to a new London station, CKSL), began operating on 1540 days/680 nights in 1963, went fulltime on 680 in 1964 after paying CHLO to accept some interference, and then paid off CHLO to move to 1570. ``And, CHFI has appeared in Toronto on 680 with 2,500/10,000 U4. Yes, more powerful at night than during the day. (I suppose because they didn't have to worry about Rochester at night!)`` Per the history at: http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php?id=399&historyID=181 CHFI moved to 680 fulltime 3/28/66, initially with just 1000/10000, increasing to 2500/10000 in 1969. By 1975, it was running 25000/25000, still sharing the frequency by day with Rochester. (That last power increase was the one that led to the 13-tower directional array!) ``Rochester was still on 680 in 1979, the newest listing I found on David's site. It was on 990 by 1988, the oldest reference I have at home.`` The move happened in July 1980, if memory serves. I recall WNYR testing on 990 for a few nights in early July after signing off for the night on 680, then switching for good the night of July 4. That - along with a shift of CKGB Timmins from 680 to 750 - finally cleared the way for CFTR to build its present 50000/50000 facility. s (Scott Fybush, NRC-AM via DXLD) I was thinking that the calls CHLO once applied to a CBC IS shortwave frequency; perhaps someone with WRTH or FBIS from the 50s or 60s can check that (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CIRA-FM Montreal has applied to the CRTC for a AM relay station in Gatineau, Quebec on 1350 kHz, 1kW day, 180 watts night. This is I think the first time a commercial FM station has applied for a AM relay - some of the low power CBC AM relays relay a FM station. Gatineau, Quebec, Application No. 2009-0244-6 Application by Radio Ville-Marie to amend the broadcasting licence for the French-language specialty FM radio programming undertaking CIRA-FM Montréal. The licensee proposes to add an AM transmitter in Gatineau to broadcast the programming of CIRA-FM Montréal in order to serve the population of Gatineau. The transmitter would operate on frequency 1350 kHz with a transmitter power of 1,000 watts daytime and 180 watts night-time. The licensee indicates that the addition of the transmitter in Gatineau is necessary in order to respond to the requests of the Greater Ottawa and Gatineau population. 73, (via Deane McIntyre VE6BPO, DXLD) ** CANADA. CFGT-1270 Alma Quebec has applied to the CRTC to move to FM (97.7 MHz, 50 kW, 77.6 meters): Alma, Quebec, Application No. 2009-0380-9 Application by Groupe Radio Antenne 6 inc. to convert the French- language commercial AM radio station CFGT Alma to the FM band. The applicant proposes to maintain its adult contemporary music format. The new FM station would operate on frequency 97.7 MHz (channel 249B) with an average effective radiated power of 50,000 watts (maximum effective radiated power of 50,000 watts with an effective height of the antenna above average terrain of 77.6 metres). The applicant is requesting permission to simulcast the programming of the new FM station on CFGT for a period of 3 months from the date of implementation of the new FM station. The applicant is also requesting that the Commission revoke the licence of CFGT effective at the end of the simulcast period, pursuant to section 9(1)(e) of the Broadcasting Act (via Deane McIntyre, AB, March 25, DXLD) ** CANADA. An application has been filed for a new (analog!) station on channel 4 in Canada. It'll be a French-language community station in Laval, a Montreal suburb. At 79 watts it'll be quite a challenge to log --- though maybe not after mid-July with all the U.S. analogs gone and only one DTV to replace them (Doug Smith, TN, WTFDA via DXLD) It'll still be a huge challenge from my direction, with full-power CBOT Ottawa right in the way along the same bearing from here. I think I'd have better luck logging Turks and Caicos! :-) [q.v.] s (Scott Fybush, Rochester NY, ibid.) ** CHILE. Re 9-026 --- Wasn't the story rather that in the end only a single transmitter was still in operational condition, lingering around on 15140 with Radio Nacional programming (// the co-located 1140 kHz transmitters, what's the arrangement in regard to it anyway?) with foreign language services being long gone? I vaguely recall some descriptions how much transmitters CVC first planned to refurbish into working condition. Presumably never all eight ones were operational again after the Pinochet era. Check out http://www.cvclavoz.cl === Nosotros -> Galería de Fotos The transmitter hall photo http://www.cvclavoz.cl/im/im12.jpg is quite impressive, with the rough architecture and the rustic lighting fixtures with mercury vapor lamps. And what is this sticker on one of the transmitters? Left from the Radio Nacional days? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) And I wonder what the water(?) jugs are for in front of each transmitter? (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Perhaps this is distilled water? Do these transmitters have cooling systems that could be refilled from these jugs? Or are they kept at hand as substitutes for professional extinguishers (cheap stuff like powder would cause more damage than the fire itself and non-distilled water would be no good idea either)? (Kai Ludwig, ibid.) I agree with Kai, it is probably for cooling. Notice the copper pipes above the jugs. The water is usually routed to a jacket around the tubes where it is converted to steam, then to a heat exchanger and back to the tubes. Some systems operate by convection only, thus requiring no pumps. It's a closed system but some water loss is inevitable and must be replenished (Jerry Lenamon, TX, ibid.) ** CROATIA [and non]. According to http://www.hrt.hr/index.php?id=186&tx_ttnews[cat]=99&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=18551&tx_ttnews[backPid]=185&cHash=51e4cf6a73 this is the A09 schedule of VoCroatia: 7375 2200-0300 SAm 7375 2300-0300 NAm-E 7375 0100-0500 NAm-W 11675 0800-1200 NZ 11675 0800-1200 Au 3985 2030-0500 Eu 6165 0500-0800 Eu 7355 0800-1600 Eu 6165 1600-2030 Eu 1134 1300-0530 Eu So, they will change the 9830 frequency to Europe to new 7355. Regards (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, March 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Via GERMANY on 7375; CROATIA direct on 3985, 6165, 7355, 1134. Does that mean there will be two transmitters at slightly different azimuths on 11675 during exactly the same hours? No, one via SINGAPORE, 100 kW, 140 degrees (gh) ** CUBA [and non]. Re: ``AUSTRALIA. None of the 120m VL8s were audible March 21 at 1312, but I checked 5025 again in case VL8K was still stuck on its daytime frequency at night. Yes, at 1317, R. Rebelde still exhibiting fades of 40 per minute, the same SAH as 24 hours earlier, 0.67 Hz presumably caused by Katherine. Anyone further west hearing it for sure on 5025 at this time? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` I have been looking at Rebelde for some time with SpecLab, checking for dusk/dawn enhancements. It is not particularly stable. Some months ago it was fading in here in the UK about 5 Hz lower than VL8K but was corrected so it was much closer to 5025. From time to time VL8K is clearly heard when it switches frequency before it fades out. Rebelde is close to 5025 now around 2200 UT but this morning was 3.7 Hz high. I see VL8K switching this morning, very close to 5025, propagation will not let me be too accurate. Thanks for all your work (Alan G4ZFQ, Isle of Wight, March 26, ptsw yg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Tnx, Alan. So it could have been VL8K I was getting under Cuba on 5025, but no exact match on the SAH (gh, DXLD) See also PERU! ** CZECHIA [non]. Re 9-025: ``2330-2357 11730 Sackville Caribe/S.Am Cordialmente, (Tomás Méndez, QTH: El Prat de Llobregat-Barcelona España, dxldyg via DXLD) I believe they have not used Sackville before. There are probably additional bonus broadcasts via WRMI; see its own schedule (gh)`` Of course R. Prague have used Sackville before! I must have been thinking in context of Spanish, or 25m. The 0330 on 6080 in English has been and continues to be via Sackville (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. 4779.997, (presumed), R. Djibouti, 0333-0400 - Fair at tune in, monologue by male in Arabic until 0345, then ethnic vocals accompanied by drums and stringed instruments, likely the tambura. Signal had faded to poor levels by 0400. Strong to moderate CODAR (Brandon Jordan - Memphis, TN, USA, http://www.bcdx.org dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC [non]. Glenn: Rudy Espinal says he'll be on the Golf Channel (I don't get that one, so I don't know which cable / satellite service it's on) this weekend early afternoon Sat and Sun I believe, translating a press conference or two for Jack Nicklaus at the Cap Cana golf tournament in the Punta Cana area. He said it may be carried on some other channels also (Jeff White, Miami, March 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I don`t get it either, and not missed until now (gh) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. RMI A-09 via DTK: Friday 1730-1800 on 13830 is Radio Oromiyaa Liberation. Saturday 1700-1730 on 13830 is Voice of Oromia Independence. Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday 1600-1630 on 11760 and 15670 is Voice of Oromia Liberation Front (Jeff White, Radio Miami International, March 25, WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Re 9-026: ADM QSL --- In response to requests for information about my logging of what I reported as Abu Dhabi Media, here are some details. Media Broadcast’s “B08 operational DTK schedule 28th November 08” showed a broadcast on 13790 from 1600 to 1657, on Wednesday only, with 500 kW from Issoudun. The program was identified only as “ADM” and was directed to ciraf 47E, 48 --- the same area as its Radio Miami International broadcasts to Ethiopia and Eritrea. I heard the broadcast from 1600 to 1649 on Wednesday, December 10. I had no idea what ADM stood for, so when I sent a reception report to TDF I asked who it was. But on my QSL they simply marked “ADM/DTK”. In January (I don’t have the exact date) Media Broadcast’s “B08 period Gesamtplan (January 2009)” showed a broadcast on 11835 from 1700 to 1758, on Saturday only, with only 50 kw via Nauen with no ciraf indicated and no program name. I suspected it might be the same broadcast and also wondered if the listed power might be a typo. In checking the Internet I discovered that a number of respected DX sites indicated these ADM broadcasts were from Abu Dhabi Media Company. It is based on these that I reported my QSL as being for a broadcast of that organization. But some sources say ADM stands for Ethiopia Adera Dimts Radio. And there appears to be some evidence this might be true. Or if it is Abu Dhabi Media, it’s not one of their generic broadcasts but one tailored for Horn of Africa audiences. I’m certain the music I heard was HofA rather than Middle Eastern. And, although noise made much of the broadcast unreadable, I’m fairly sure the language was a Horn of Africa language rather than Arabic. It included a number of English- sounding words --- program, Africa, etc. Here’s what I heard. The station came on at 1600 with brief instrumental music. At 1600:30 men spoke with occasional very brief instrumental music. At 1609 vocal and instrumental music, and at 1610 men continued speaking with occasional brief instrumental music. Actually, one man would speak for a few minutes, then 2 or more men would speak for a few minutes (dialog?). The signal faded rapidly at about 1649. At 1600 signal strength had been fair, but even then noise made overall reception very poor (Wendel Craighead, Prairie Village, Kansas, USA, wendelcd @ yahoo.com Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD) Thanks for the detailed answer. But the bottom line seems to be we still don`t know which station/program/service you heard and QSLed since DTK/M&B isn`t saying (gh, DXLD) I checked 13790 on Wednesday March 25 at 1600 but I couldn't detect any signal at all. Perhaps the frequency is too high for reception in my area? 73 (Noel R. Green (N England), Cumbre DX via DXLD) Is like one of three different Ethiopian veiled stations on different days of the week? Two brokered direct via DTK, the 3rd via ADM via DTK. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) A lot of speculating about this. Why can't the ADM just mean Adera Dimtse Radio? [because that would be ADR? gh] They have a program on Dec. 10th see http://www.ecadforum.com/YE_ETHIOPIA_ADERA_DIMTSE.html but that doesn't open for me. All the other info, transmission beam/language suggests that this broadcast was for Ethiopia. Someone with good contacts with Media Broadcast may easily find out what was then on the air. If I'm wrong, tell me, I can stand it. 73, (Jari Savolainen, Finland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Re 9-026, SRI LANKA [non] --- ``The DTK M&B schedule via Sakthi Vel does not mark which transmissions are DRM, as you seem to think this one in question is. I believe it is analog, and indeed IBC Tamil, via Nauen, 0000-0100 on 5935; replacing 6045 Wertachtal in B- 08. Glenn`` No, of course I don't. I mentioned DRM just as background, since this WRN project was one of the things presented on the legendary IFA 2005 press conference. DRM transmissions can be reliably identified in the Media Broadcast schedule by way of their power which is usually 40 kW. Anything higher is AM; 100 kW from 100 kW transmitters, 500/250/125 kW from 500 kW transmitters. And looking it up shows only the two Polskie Radio transmissions. I think there was some English religion to the UK as well (maybe from the Bible Voice Broadcasting brokerers), but this is gone or rather has been reverted back to AM (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) ** INDIA. 15050, AIR Sinhala service, poor and fluttery, March 25 1454 with chanting usually heard at this hour. Gives the impression of something religious, but surely that would be out of bounds for a state broadcaster from one multi-religion country to another. This is 100 kW, 174 degrees at 1300-1500 from Delhi (Kingsway) site, per Aoki, so am I getting it long path or short path? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Mebbe the "gives the impression of something religious" is an incorrect assessment? And do you have a detailed knowledge of Akashvani/AIR's mandate? (Theo D, ibid.) Mebbe. And no, do you? Please enlighten (gh, DXLD) ** INDIA. All India Radio A09 --- Shifting of AIR frequencies from 7100-7200 kHz Band wef 29th March, 2009 External Service changes AIR Panaji (250 kW) 1615-1730 Persian (W.Asia) 7250 (ex 7115) 1730-1830 Malayalam (W.Asia) 7250 (ex 7115) AIR Chennai (100 kW) 0000-0115 Tamil (Sri Lanka) 7270 (ex 7360) 0115-0200 Sinhala (Sri Lanka)7270 (ex 7360) 0200-0430 FM Gold (Chennai)HS 7270 (ex 7360) AIR Mumbai (100 kW) 0015-0430 Urdu (Pakistan) 7340(ex 7195) 0830-1130 Urdu (Pakistan) 7340(ex 7195) 1130-1140 HS (Hindi/Eng) 7340(ex 7195) 1230-1500 Sindhi (Pakistan) 7340(ex 7195) 1500-1600 Baluchi (Pakistan) 7340(ex 7195) AIR Delhi(Kingsway)(50 kW) 0030-0040 HS (Hindi/Eng) 7370(ex 7150) AIR Delhi(Kingsway)(100 kW) 0100-0200 Sindhi (Pakistan) 7370(ex 7125) AIR Delhi(Kingsway)(100 kW) 1600-830 [sic; -1830?] Nat. Prog 7370(ex 7140) (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, dx_india yg via DXLD) ** INDIA [non]. Re 9-026: ``English? 6260 0000-0400 and 1400-2000 UT, 9660 1100-1400 UT, 9975 0100-0400 UT, 11790 0100-0300 UT, 11800 0030- 0330 UT, 13630 0400-1100 UT, 13680 0300-0600 UT, 15515 0300-0900 UT, 15555 0330-0930 UT via Tashkent-UZB site (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST)`` Tentative CVC Hindi A09 shud be like this : Hindi 0000-0400 6260 0100-0400 9975 (x 9425 in B08) 0400-1100 13630 1100-1400 9660 (x 9500 in B08) 1400-2000 6260 (All via Tashkent) (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, March 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. All India Radio on SW (Home & External Services) A-2009 kHz kW Station UTC (Target Area) 3945 50 Gorakhpur 0130-0230 Nepali (Nepal), 0230-0300 HS, 1330- 1430 Nepali (Nepal), 1430-1735 Urdu (Pakistan) 4760 10 Leh s0130/w0213-0400/0413/Sun 0430 1130-1700 4760 8.5 Port Blair 2355-0300 1030-/1700/1730 4775 50 Imphal 0000/0030-0215 1030-1700/1730 4800 50 Hyderabad 0020-0215 1130-1742 4810 50 Bhopal 0025-0215 1130-1742 4820 50 Kolkata 0025-0215 1220-1744 4830 50 Jammu 0025-0445/Sun 0450 1030-1741 (Off air) 4835 10 Gangtok 0100-0401(Sun 0415) 1030-1600 4840 50 Mumbai 2355-0400 1230-1730 4850 50 Kohima 0000-0415 1000-1600/1630/1700 (Irregular) 4860 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 0025-0440,1220-1330 HS, 1330-1430 Nepali (Nepal),1430-1930 Urdu (Pakistan) 4880 50 Lucknow 0025-0430(Sun 0415v), 1215-1741 4895 50 Kurseong 0055-0400 1130-1700(Sat, Sun 1741) 4910 50 Jaipur 0025 0430(Sun 0415) 1130-1741 4920 50 Chennai 0015-0245 1200-1739 4940 50 Guwahati 0000-0415 1135-1700(Sat 1741) 4950 50 Srinagar s0025/w0120-0215 1120-1739 4960 50 Ranchi 0025-0445 1100(Sun 1130) -1741 (Off air) 4965 50 Shimla 0025-0200 1235v-1730(Sat, Sun 1741) 4970 50 Shillong 0025-0400 1056-1630 4990 50 Itanagar 0020-0400 1000-1630 5010 50 Thiruvananthapuram 0020-0215 1130-1740 5015 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 1220-1841 5040 50 Jeypore 0025-0435 (Sun 0445, Sat 0545 v), 1130-1741 5050 10 Aizawl 0025-0400 1130-1630 5965 50 Jammu 0630-0930 (Off air) 5985 50 Ranchi 0630-1000 (Off air) 5990 500 Bengaluru 0100-0200 Sindhi (Pakistan) 6000 10 Leh 0700(Sun 0630)-0930 6020 50 Shimla 0215-0410, 0700 (Sun 0415-1000)-0930 1130-1230 6030 100 Delhi (Kingsway) 0200-0310 6030 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 1215-1430 6040 50 Jeypore 0700-0936 6045 100 Delhi (Kingsway) 1430-1930 Urdu (Pakistan) 6065 50 Kohima 0430-0510 0700-0900 (Irregular) 6085 10 Gangtok Irregular 6085 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 1220-1310 1330-1340 1345-1420 1430- 1440 1445-1615/1630/1700/1730v, 1730-1740 6100 100 Delhi (Kingsway) 0230-0330 1430-1530 6100 50 Delhi (Khampur) 0900-1200 (Vividh Bharati, DRM NVIS) 6110 50 Srinagar 0225-0509 (Sun 1115), 0600-1115 6150 50 Itanagar 0700-0900 6155 250 Delhi (Khampur) 0015-0430 Urdu (Pakistan) 6165 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1230-1500 Sindhi, 1500-1600 Baluchi (Pakistan) 6190 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 0730-1030 7210 50 Kolkata 0230-0401v (Sat,Sun 0501), 0700-1000(Sun 1030) 7220 Delhi For special broadcasts 7230 50 Kurseong 0620-1030 7235 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 0215-0320 0330-0340 (Sun 0355) 7240 50 Mumbai 0530-1035 7250 50 Gorakhpur 0700-0800 Nepali (Nepal), 0830-1130 Urdu (Pakistan), 1130-1140 HS 7250 250 Panaji 1615-1730 Persian, 1730-1830 Malayalam (W. Asia) (Ex 7115) 7255 250 Aligarh 1315-1415 Dari, 1415-1530 Pushtu, 1530-1545 English (Afghanistan, Pakistan) 7270 100 Chennai 0000-0045 Sinhala, 0045-0115 Tamil (Sri Lanka), 0130-0430 HS (Ex 7360) 7270 100 Chennai 1000-1100 English, 1115-1215 Tamil, 1300-1500 Sinhala (Sri Lanka) 7280 50 Guwahati 0600-0930 0945-1130 (Sun 0530-1130) 7290 50 Thiruvananthapuram 0230-0430(Sat 1000, Sun 1030), 0630-1000 7295 10 Aizawl 0700-0930(Sun 1000) 7315 50 Shillong 0656-0930 (Ex 7130) 7325 50 Jaipur (Sun v0430-0500), 0630-0931 (Ex 7120) 7335 50 Imphal 0225-0400/0530(Sun 0500), 0630(Sun 0600)-1000 (Ex 7150) 7340 100 Mumbai 0015-0430 Urdu, 0830-1130 Urdu, 1130-1140 HS, 1230-1500 Sindhi, 1500-1600 Baluchi (Pakistan) (Ex 7195) 7370 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 0030-0040 (Ex 7150) 7370 100 Delhi (Kingsway) 0100-0200 Sindhi (Pakistan) (Ex 7125) 7370 100 Delhi (Kingsway) 1550-1615/1630/1700/1730v 1730-1740 (Ex 7140) 7380 50 Chennai 0300-0430(Sun 0500), 0610-0930 (Sun 1130) (Ex 7160) 7390 8.5 Port Blair 0315-0400 (Sat 0415,Sun 0500), 0700-0931(Sun 1000) (Ex 7115) 7410 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1315-1415 Dari, 1415-1530 Pushtu (Afghanistan, Pakistan), 1745-1945 English, 1945-2045 Hindi, 2045-2230 English (W. Europe) 7420 50 Guwahati 0130-0230 Nepali, 0230-0300 HS, 0300-0430 Bangla, 0700-0800 Nepali, 0800-1100 Bangla, 1215-1330 Tibetan, 1330-1430 Nepali, 1445-1515 Bangla, 1515-1600 HS, 1600-1730 Bangla, 1730-1740 HS 7420 50 Hyderabad 0225-0400(Sat 0505,Sun 0500), 0545-0930 (Sun 0530-1030) (Ex 7140) 7430 50 Bhopal 0225-0447 (Sun 1031), 0700-0931 (Ex 7180) 7440 50 Lucknow 0700(Sun 0430)-1000, 1005-1006 (Ex 7105) 9425 500 Bengaluru 1320-0043 (National Channel) 9445 500 Bengaluru 1745-1945 English (W NW Africa), 2045-2230 English(W. Europe) 9470 250 Aligarh 1320-0043 (National Channel) 9575 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 1215-1330 Tibetan (Tibet), 1330-1420 1430-1440 1445-1615/1630/ 1700/1730v, 1730-1740 HS 9595 250 Delhi (Khampur) 0015-0430 Urdu (Pakistan) 9595 100 Delhi (Kingsway) 0700-0800 Nepali (Nepal), 0810-0830 HS, 0830-1130 Urdu (Pakistan), 1130-1140 HS 9595 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1615-1715 Russian (E. Europe) 9620 250 Aligarh 1230-1500 Sindhi, 1500-1600 Baluchi (Pakistan) 9635 250 Aligarh 0100-0200 Sindhi (Pakistan) 9690 500 Bengaluru 1330-1500 English (E SE Asia) 9705 250 Panaji 2245-0045 English (E SE Asia) 9810 250 Panaji 0130-0230 Nepali (Nepal) 9820 250 Panaji 1300-1500 Sinhala (Sri Lanka), 1530-1545 English 9835 100 Delhi (Kingsway) 0000-0045 Tamil (Sri Lanka) 9835 250 Delhi (Khampur) 0215-0300 Pushtu, 0300-0345 Dari (Afghanistan, Pakistan) 9835 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 1330-1615/1630/1700/1730v, 1730-1740 9870 500 Bengaluru 0025-0435 0900-1200 1245-1740 (Vividh Bharati) 9890 100 Delhi (Kingsway) 0730-0830 9910 250 Aligarh 0215-0300 Pushtu, 0300-0345 Dari (Pakistan, Afghanistan) 9910 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1315-1415 Dari, 1415-1515 Pushtu, 1530-1545 English (Afghanistan, Pakistan) 9950 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1515-1615 Swahili, 1615-1730 Hindi (E. Africa) 9950 50 Delhi (Khampur) DRM :1745-1945 English, 1945-2045 Hindi, 2045-2230 English (W. Europe) 11585 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1230-1500 Sindhi, 1500-1600 Baluchi (Pakistan),1615-1730 Persian, 1730-1945 Arabic (W. Asia) 11620 250 Aligarh 0100-0430 Urdu (Pakistan) 11620 250 Delhi (Khampur) 0830-1130 Urdu (Pakistan), 1130-1140 HS, 2245-0045 English (E SE NE Asia) 11620 500 Bengaluru 1215-1315 Burmese (Myanmar) 11620 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1330-1500 English (E SE Asia) 11620 500 Bengaluru 1515-1600 Gujarati (E. Africa), 1615-1715 Russian (E. Europe), 1745-1945 English, 1945-2045 Hindi (Europe) 11620 2x500 Bengaluru 2045-2230 English (Australia/NZ/Europe) 11645 250 Delhi (Khampur) 2245-0045 English (NE Asia) 11710 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 1115-1140 HS, 1215-1315 Burmese (Myanmar) 11715 250 Delhi (Khampur) 0130-0230 Nepali (Nepal) 11715 250 Panaji 2045-2230 English (Australia/NZ) 11730 250 Delhi (Khampur) 0400-0430 Persian, 0430-0530 Arabic (West Asia), 0530-0600 Urdu (Haj Season) 11735 500 Bengaluru 0215-0300 Pushtu, 0300-0345 Dari (Pakistan, Afghanistan) 11740 250 Panaji 2300-2400 Hindi, 0000-0045 Tamil, (SE Asia), 0045-0115 Sinhala (Sri Lanka) 11775 250 Panaji 1215-1330 Tibetan (Tibet), 1330-1430 Nepali (Nepal) 11830 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 0125-0340 (Sun 0355) 11840 250 Panaji 0315-0415 Hindi (West Asia) 11840 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1145-1315 Chinese (NE Asia) 11850 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 0700-0800 Nepali (Nepal) 11935 100 Mumbai 1745-1945 English (E. Africa) 11985 250 Delhi (Khampur) 0000-0045 Tamil, 0045-0115 Sinhala (Sri Lanka) 11985 500 Bengaluru 0215-0300 Kannada (W. Asia) 12025 250 Panaji 1615-1730 Hindi, 1730-1830 Malayalam (W. Asia) 13605 500 Bengaluru 1515-1615 Swahili (E.Africa), 1745-1945 English, 1945-2030 French (W NW Africa) 13605 2x500 Bengaluru 2245-0045 English (E SE Asia) 13620 500 Bengaluru 1730-1945 Arabic (W. Asia), 1945-2030 French (W NW Africa) 13645 500 Bengaluru 1515-1600 Gujarati (E.Africa) 13695 500 Bengaluru 0315-0415 Hindi (W.Asia) 13695 500 Bengaluru 1000-1100 English (NE Asia, Australia/NZ), 1115-1215 Tamil, 1215-1245 Telugu (SE Asia) (ex 13710) 13710 500 Bengaluru 1330-1500 English (E SE Asia) 13770 500 Bengaluru 1615-1730 Hindi (W. Asia) 13795 500 Bengaluru 0000-0045 Tamil, 2300-2400 Hindi (SE Asia) 15040 100 Delhi (Kingsway) 1215-1315 Burmese (Myanmar) 15040 250 Delhi (Khampur) For special broadcasts 15050 500 Bengaluru For special broadcasts 15050 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1115-1215 Tamil, 1300-1500 Sinhala (Sri Lanka) 15075 500 Bengaluru 0215-0300 Kannada (W. Asia), 0415-0430 Gujarati, 0430-0530 Hindi (E. Africa) 15075 2x500 Bengaluru 0315-0415 Hindi (W.Asia, E. Africa) 15075 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1615-1730 Hindi, 1745-1945 English (E. Africa) 15135 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 0125-0205 0215-0310 (Sun 0355) 15140 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1615-1715 Russian (E. Europe) 15175 250 Panaji 1515-1600 Gujarati (E. Africa) 15185 250 Panaji 0315-0415 Hindi, 0415-0430 Gujarati, 0430-0530 Hindi (E. Africa, Mauritius) 15185 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 0730-0930 1115-1140 15205 50 Delhi (Kingsway) For special broadcasts 15410 500 Bengaluru 1000-1100 English (NE Asia) (Ex 15235) 15410 250 Panaji 1115-1200 Thai (SE Asia) (Ex 15235) 15260 50 Delhi (Kingsway) 0700-0930 HS, 1000-1100 English (Sri Lanka) 15770 250 Aligarh 0400-0430 Persian, 0430-0530 Arabic (W.Asia), 0845-0945 Indonesian, 1115-1215 Tamil, 1215-145 Telugu (SE Asia) 15795 500 Bengaluru 1145-1315 Chinese (NE Asia) 17510 250 Delhi (Khampur) 0845-0945 Indonesian (SE Asia), 1000- 1100 English (Australia/NZ) 17670 250 Delhi (Khampur) 1515-1615 Swahili, 1615-1730 Hindi, 1745-1945 English (E. Africa) 17705 500 Bengaluru 1145-1315 Chinese (NE Asia) 17715 250 Delhi (Khampur) 0315-0415 Hindi, 0415-0430 Gujarati, 0430-0530 Hindi (E. Africa, Mauritius) 17740 500 Bengaluru 1115-1200 Thai (SE Asia) 17800 500 Bengaluru 1000-1100 English (NE Asia) 17810 250 Panaji 1115-1215 Tamil, 1215-1245 Telugu (SE Asia) 17845 250 Delhi (Khampur) 0400-0430 Persian, 0430-0530 Arabic (W. Asia), 0530-0600 Urdu (Haj Season) 17860 100 Delhi (Kingsway) 1115-1215 Tamil (Sri Lanka), 1220-1245 HS 17875 500 Bengaluru 0845-0945 Indonesian (SE Asia) 17895 500 Bengaluru 1000-1100 English (Australia/NZ) S = Summer W = Winter V = Varies HS = Home Service A-2009 changes given in red [in original html; refers only to new frequencies 7200+, 13695 and 15410 with ex-frequencies] (Prepared by Jose Jacob, India, March 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The [same] A 2009 frequency schedule of All India Radio valid from 29 March 2009 is now available at: http://www.qsl.net/vu2jos/sw/freq.htm 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS National Institute of Amateur Radio (via Alokesh Gupta, Cumbre DX via DXLD) see INTERNATIONAL ** INDONESIA. 9524.96, Voice of Indonesia, 1620, March 26. Heard in Bahasa Indonesia with weak signal (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. DXing in the 7105-7200 range --- There's something special about next Sunday's (29 March) routine twice-yearly frequency changes. On that date, all broadcasting stations are supposed to vacate the 7105-7200 range, which becomes an exclusive amateur allocation worldwide. The 41-metre broadcast band will start at 7205. This may open up some DX possibilities. Although major international broadcasters will probably comply with the new regulations, I suspect that many domestic stations will not (at least for a while). Without the interference from the higher-powered stations, some of these domestics may become easier to hear (although they may have to compete with amateurs). There are almost a dozen AIR stations and more than a dozen Chinese domestics listed in the 7105-7200 range, along with Myanmar 7185 and several Africans, including Ethiopia on 7110 and 7165, Guinea on 7125, Uganda on 7195 and Sudan on 7200. To compensate for the loss of 7105-7200, the upper limit of the broadcast band officially becomes 7450 (formerly 7350), though in reality a number of stations already "stretch the band" by using up to 7500 and beyond (Chris Greenway, UK, March 25, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Question for Kai Ludwig (and others) about satellite --- Dear Kai, I've noticed you are expert for satellites, and I have a question for you. Today (25.03.2009) 1100-1200 UT I've heard RADIO BUDAPEST (MR Szulofoldunk) in Hungarian on "GBTS5" channel on HotBird 12597 MHz/V/A:2043. My question is: what is GBTS and why is R Budapest SW service here? From 1200 UTC nothing noted on this channel, only a short beep every 5 seconds. Regards, (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, March 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Dragan, nothing noted on tp94 http://www.lyngsat.com/hb6.html under ONID-TID Audio 2043 http://www.satmania.com/eng/satchannels/wrn_special.html http://www.satmania.com/eng/satchannels/13_0e/packages/globecast/ Though not lively interest in this matter (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) Those GBTS channels appear to be capacity leased by WRN for satellite transmissions outside their "real" stations. One of them carries also the Persian programme from Kol Israel if I recall correct. And this "GBTS 5" channel appears to be the feed for "WRN Multilingual for Asia Pacific" on AsiaSat 2: http://www.wrn.org/listeners/schedules/schedule.php?ScheduleID=9 The multiplex on 4.000 GHz there is uplinked from Israel, so Hotbird is of course a suitable feed. Actually I first thought this could be a newly set up feed for the transmissions via Wertachtal that are listed as of Sunday. However, it seems that the Szülöföldünk programmes are prerecorded anyway and transferred to WRN as audio files, so the same method appears to be likely for the Wertachtal transmissions, too. Btw, I seem to recall that the 7.92 MHz subcarrier of the analogue Duna TV signal on Hotbird 6, 10.813 GHz h, carried the "full" Radio Budapest, in a quite poor quality (lots of non-linear distortion)? If it was there the feed has since been replaced by MR 4. Good night, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) ** IRAN. IRANIAN RADIO UZBEK SERVICE CHANGES BROADCAST FREQUENCIES | Text of report by state-run Iranian radio external service from Mashhad on 25 March Esteemed listeners of the Uzbek service of the [Mashhad radio of the] Islamic Republic of Iran. Starting from 29 March of this year, our morning programmes will be aired at 0700-0730 Iranian time or at 0730- 0800 Uzbekistan time on 720 kHz of mediumwave band, on 9740 kHz of 31- metre shortwave band and on 11940 kHz of 25-metre shortwave band. Our evening programmes will be aired at 1930-2030 Iranian time or at 2000- 2100 Uzbekistan time on 720 kHz of mediumwave band, on 5945 kHz of 49- metre shortwave band and on 9680 kHz of 31-metre shortwave band. Source: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran External Service, Mashhad in Uzbek 1500 gmt 25 Mar 09 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ITALY [non]. Re 9-025: ``WORLD OF RADIO times will presumably make the one-hour DST shift: Fri 2030 on 7290, Sat 0800 on 9510 --- gh]`` Oops, Current time, one more Friday in March for WOR is 2030 on 7290; from April will shift to 1930 (Glenn Hauser, March 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JORDAN. Radio Jordan has resumed transmissions on a second transmitter - and obviously beamed towards Europe. 11960 was on air today (25th) at 0730 and closed at 0810. It's registered with the HFCC for 0600-0815 via 350 degrees. The usual 11810 was in parallel - registered 0500-0815 at 94 degrees. And now 15290 has come up at 1138 in midst of a music programme. This one is registered at 1145-1230 via 287 degrees. I hear a faint 11810 in parallel - registered 1145-1400 at 94 degrees. Unfortunately, 11690 is no longer registered, so we may not hear any English there later - but worth checking. [Later at 1534 UT:] Jordan 15290 did close down at around 1230UT, and I've been tuning 11690, but as expected, there has been no trace of Radio Jordan in English. The next transmission therefore should be the normal one at 1745-2100 in Arabic on 9830 via 300 degrees. Under current conditions I think this frequency should make it to Stateside fairly early, and even better later (Noel R. Green (NW England), March 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. “RADIO CAN LEAD NORTH KOREAN PEOPLE TO CHANGE THEIR SOCIETY” North Korean experts suggest that through radio programmes broadcast into North Korea, the people can be separated from the regime. President of Radio Free Chosun (RFC) Lee Kwang Baek was speaking at a discussion cosponsored by the Citizens United for Better Society and Open Radio for North Korea on Tuesday on the topic of “How can fundamental changes be induced in North Korea?” He hypothesized, “Radio broadcasting can galvanize North Korean people to acknowledge North Korean societal problems and the direction of the society’s future.” Lee pointed out, “Awareness changes in the residents of the former USSR and Eastern European society were incited by radio broadcasts which transferred information from the outside world. It is the most effective media for driving the North’s closed society into change.” He urged the South’s government to “deal with the North’s regime by keeping its distance while receiving the regime courteously as the autonomy of North Korea requires. The political and ideological battle to criticize the Kim Jong Il regime and to force them to change is NGO work. Radio broadcasting can take this role.” Representative of Open Radio for North Korea Ha Tae Kyung emphasized and explained, “The most powerful tool to lead North Korean people to change their awareness is radio, because they don’t have the Internet and television is under perfect government control.” Ha said, “It has been confirmed that there are presently four empty frequencies which could be used to broadcast to North Korea. As President Lee Myung Bak promised US President George Bush that he would allow the South’s nongovernmental broadcasting companies to broadcast into North Korea in April, 2008, so it has to be carried out.” He emphasized, “Radio broadcasting can ultimately change North Korea much more effectively than missiles.” In conclusion, he added that, “In a situation where the nongovernmental radio broadcasting companies targeting North Korea have been accelerated, the South government should support them with broadcasting facilities and frequencies and financial aid to produce programs, and should entrust broadcasting to them.” (Source: Daily NK) March 25th, 2009 - 10:18 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) 4 comments so far : 1 Keith Perron March 26th, 2009 - 2:34 UTC They must be living in a dream world. Since 2001 I have been to North Korea 4 times and I can tell you no one can listen in anyway shape or form to broadcasts outside the DPRK. All radios sold in the DPRK are pre-tuned only for stations inside the country. Yes, it’s true you can find SW radios on the black market, but this accounts for less than 1 percent of all radios in the country. It sounds like a white elephant to spend money broadcasting to a country where no one can listen. The only listeners of these broadcasts to the DPRK are government officials in Pyongyang, a few high ranking directors at Voice Of Korea (a.k.a. Radio Pyongyang) and maybe the less than 1 percent that got a SW radio on the black market. When I was in Pyongyang I tried to listen to radio stations from the ROK on am and fm. Cannot, they are all jammed. The DPRK does not even bother to jam SW frequencies as no one even has a way to listen. 2 ruud March 26th, 2009 - 14:45 UTC Very interesting comment. How do the North Koreans pretune the receiver, by gluing the tuning knob, removing it or…? Does the jamming of South Korean stations also affect reception in S. Korea itself? As in alternative the RFC could try fase modulated transmissions against the North Korean carriers on AM. This will result in multi- receiving but with this technique you might out-modulate the original programme. This requires very high powered transmitters. 3 SRG March 26th, 2009 - 15:34 UTC Keith, you say that the government officials in Pyongyang are listening to those programs. That’s a very valuable audience. As you know DPRK is not a democratic state so political broadcasters don’t really care much for reaching the peasants or workers but targeting elites, instead. 4 Andy Sennitt March 26th, 2009 - 15:58 UTC True, and that is exactly Keith’s point. The argument that radio “can lead North Korean people to change their society” cannot be logical if the people aren’t listening to it. And those few who are listening will be members of the privileged classes who have a vested interest in keeping society exactly as it is (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. VOICE OF KOREA, Pyongyang, DPR Korea (North), will start its A09 Summer Schedule on Sunday, 29 March 2009, 0700 UT. Announcements so far suggest that it will be exactly the same schedule as last year's. This year, however, will be the first time ever to completely synchronise the frequency change date with the international community. Up to now they usually changed frequencies twice a year on the first Mondays of May and November. Last year they just missed out one day when they effected the changes on Monday, October 27. Following the complete schedules sorted by either languages or time. Voice of Korea are also anxious to receive letters and reception reports on their programmes. Please address all mail to: VOICE OF KOREA PYONGYANG DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA (North Korea) Transmission Schedule of the VOICE OF KOREA, Pyongyang, DPR Korea effective Sunday, 29 March Juche 98 (2009) last modified: 25 March Juche 98 (2009), Version: 1 Arabic 15^00 9990 11545 Near & Middle East; North Africa 17^00 9990 11545 Near & Middle East; North Africa Chinese 00^00 13650 15100 Southeast Asia 02^00 7140 9345 9730 Northeast China 03^00 13650 15100 Southeast Asia 08^00 7140 9345 Northeast China 11^00 7140 9345 Northeast China 13^00 11735 13650 Southeast Asia 21^00 7180 9345 Northeast China 21^00 9975 11535 China 22^00 7180 9345 Northeast China 22^00 9975 11535 China German 16^00 9325 12015 Europe 18^00 9325 12015 Europe 19^00 9325 12015 Europe English 01^00 7140 9345 9730 Northeast Asia 01^00 11735 13760 15180 Central & South America 02^00 13650 15100 Southeast Asia 03^00 7140 9345 9730 Northeast Asia 10^00 11710 15180 Central & South America 10^00 11735 13650 Southeast Asia 13^00 13760 15245 Western Europe 13^00 9335 11710 North America 15^00 13760 15245 Western Europe 15^00 9335 11710 North America 16^00 9990 11545 Near & Middle East; North Africa 18^00 13760 15245 Western Europe 19^00 7100 11910 South Africa 19^00 9975 11535 Near & Middle East; North Africa 21^00 13760 15245 Western Europe French 01^00 13650 15100 Southeast Asia 03^00 11735 13760 15180 Central & South America 11^00 11710 15180 Central & South America 11^00 11735 13650 Southeast Asia 14^00 13760 15245 Western Europe 14^00 9335 11710 North America 16^00 13760 15245 Western Europe 16^00 9335 11710 North America 18^00 7100 11910 South Africa 18^00 9975 11535 Near & Middle East; North Africa 20^00 13760 15245 Western Europe Japanese 07^00 621 3250 9650 11865 Japan 08^00 621 3250 9650 11865 Japan 09^00 621 3250 6070 9650 11865 Japan 10^00 621 3250 6070 9650 11865 Japan 11^00 621 3250 6070 9650 11865 Japan 12^00 621 3250 6070 9650 11865 Japan 21^00 621 3250 9650 11865 Japan 22^00 621 3250 9650 11865 Japan 23^00 621 3250 9650 11865 Japan Korean 00^00 (PBS) 7140 9345 9730 Northeast China 07^00 (PBS) 7140 9345 Northeast China 09^00 (KCBS) 7140 9345 Northeast China 09^00 (PBS) 13760 15245 Europe 09^00 (PBS) 9975 11735 Far Eastern Russia 10^00 (PBS) 7140 9345 Northeast China 12^00 (KCBS) 11710 15180 Central & South America 12^00 (KCBS) 11735 13650 Southeast Asia 12^00 (PBS) 7140 9345 Northeast China 13^00 (PBS) 9325 12015 Europe 14^00 (KCBS) 11735 13650 Southeast Asia 17^00 (KCBS) 13760 15245 Western Europe 17^00 (KCBS) 9335 11710 North America 20^00 (KCBS) 7100 11910 South Africa 20^00 (KCBS) 9325 12015 Europe 20^00 (KCBS) 9975 11535 Near & Middle East; North Africa 23^00 (KCBS) 7180 9345 Northeast China 23^00 (KCBS) 13760 15245 Western Europe 23^00 (KCBS) 9975 11535 China Russian 07^00 13760 15245 Europe 07^00 9975 11735 Far Eastern Russia 08^00 13760 15245 Europe 08^00 9975 11735 Far Eastern Russia 14^00 9325 12015 Europe 15^00 9325 12015 Europe 17^00 9325 12015 Europe Spanish 00^00 11735 13760 15180 Central & South America 02^00 11735 13760 15180 Central & South America 19^00 13760 15245 Western Europe 22^00 13760 15245 Western Europe All times in UTC, all frequencies in kHz , subject to change at short notice. Programmes last 47 to 57 minutes. Data based on announcements and schedules of the Voice of Korea and own monitoring. KCBS = Korean Central Broadcasting Station (Choson Jungang Pangsong) PBS = Pyongyang Broadcasting Station (Pyongyang Pangsong) Please feel free to publish this schedule by mentioning the source: Arnulf Piontek, Berlin, Germany** ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Transmission Schedule of the VOICE OF KOREA, Pyongyang, DPR Korea, including feeder frequencies, effective Sunday, 29 March Juche 98 (2009) last modified: 25 March Juche 98 (2009), Version: 1 0000 Chinese 13650 15100 3560 SEAs 0000 Korean (PBS) 7140 9345 9730 4405 NECHN 0000 Spanish 11735 13760 15180 CAm, SAm 0100 English 7140 9345 9730 4405 NEAs 0100 English 11735 13760 15180 CAm, SAm 0100 French 13650 15100 3560 SEAs 0200 Chinese 7140 9345 9730 4405 NECHN 0200 English 13650 15100 3560 SEAs 0200 Spanish 11735 13760 15180 CAm, SAm 0300 Chinese 13650 15100 3560 SEAs 0300 English 7140 9345 9730 4405 NEAs 0300 French 11735 13760 15180 CAm, SAm 0700 Japanese 621 3250 9650 11865 4405 J 0700 Korean (PBS) 7140 9345 3560 NECHN 0700 Russian 9975 11735 FE 0700 Russian 13760 15245 Eu 0800 Chinese 7140 9345 3560 NECHN 0800 Japanese 621 3250 9650 11865 4405 J 0800 Russian 9975 11735 FE 0800 Russian 13760 15245 Eu 0900 Japanese 621 3250 6070 9650 11865 4405 J 0900 Korean (KCBS) 7140 9345 3560 NECHN 0900 Korean (PBS) 9975 11735 FE 0900 Korean (PBS) 13760 15245 Eu 1000 English 11710 15180 CAm, SAm 1000 English 11735 13650 SEAs 1000 Japanese 621 3250 6070 9650 11865 4405 J 1000 Korean (PBS) 7140 9345 3560 NECHN 1100 Chinese 7140 9345 3560 CHN 1100 French 11710 15180 CAm, SAm 1100 French 11735 13650 SEAs 1100 Japanese 621 3250 6070 9650 11865 4405 J 1200 Japanese 621 3250 6070 9650 11865 4405 J 1200 Korean (KCBS) 11710 15180 CAm, SAm 1200 Korean (KCBS) 11735 13650 SEAs 1200 Korean (PBS) 7140 9345 3560 NECHN 1300 Chinese 11735 13650 SEAs 1300 English 9335 11710 NAm 1300 English 13760 15245 3560 WEu 1300 Korean (PBS) 9325 12015 4405 Eu 1400 French 9335 11710 NAm 1400 French 13760 15245 3560 WEu 1400 Korean (KCBS) 11735 13650 SEAs 1400 Russian 9325 12015 4405 Eu 1500 Arabic 9990 11545 ME, NAf 1500 English 9335 11710 NAm 1500 English 13760 15245 3560 WEu 1500 Russian 9325 12015 4405 Eu 1600 German 9325 12015 4405 WEu 1600 English 9990 11545 ME, NAf 1600 French 9335 11710 NAm 1600 French 13760 15245 3560 WEu 1700 Arabic 9990 11545 ME, NAf 1700 Korean (KCBS) 9335 11710 NAm 1700 Korean (KCBS) 13760 15245 3560 WEu 1700 Russian 9325 12015 4405 Eu 1800 German 9325 12015 4405 WEu 1800 English 13760 15245 3560 WEu 1800 French 7100 11910 SAf 1800 French 9975 11535 ME, NAf 1900 German 9325 12015 4405 WEu 1900 English 7100 11910 SAf 1900 English 9975 11535 ME, NAf 1900 Spanish 13760 15245 3560 WEu 2000 French 13760 15245 3560 WEu 2000 Korean (KCBS) 7100 11910 SAf 2000 Korean (KCBS) 9325 12015 4405 WEu 2000 Korean (KCBS) 9975 11535 ME, NAf 2100 Chinese 7180 9345 NECHN 2100 Chinese 9975 11535 CHN 2100 English 13760 15245 3560 WEu 2100 Japanese 621 3250 9650 11865 4405 J 2200 Chinese 7180 9345 NECHN 2200 Chinese 9975 11535 CHN 2200 Japanese 621 3250 9650 11865 4405 J 2200 Spanish 13760 15245 3560 WEu 2300 Japanese 621 3250 9650 11865 4405 J 2300 Korean (KCBS) 7180 9345 NECHN 2300 Korean (KCBS) 9975 11535 CHN 2300 Korean (KCBS) 13760 15245 3560 WEu '73s & happy listening, (OM Arnulf Piontek, Berlin, Germany, March 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. While I was browsing Youtube the other day I came across some recorded audio from Voice of Korea. One user that is worth checking out is dprktvradio. In addition to some recent video from Korean Central TV (assuming he recorded it from their satellite), there's also some features from Voice of Korea, varying from biographies and messages of greatness on the Kims all the way to the Sunday mailbag show. See if you can recognize any familliar names. Dprktvradio's profile: http://www.youtube.com/user/dprktvradio Voice of Korear mailbag: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSrKuzi7yaY (Jon Pukila, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. Re: WCBC Madagascar shortwave project set back but proceeds --- "The 4 antennas being built" and now look here, on page 3 (and elsewhere for some photos of site): http://www.worldchristian.org/Updates/LatestNews/WCBC_Dec2008_Newsletter.swf Here they talk about four *towers* which would mean three antennas. And this would be in accordance with information from 2005 which indeed mentioned three antennas, two ones for 9...17 MHz and the third one for 7...15 MHz. Can't find the azimuths, only a mention of the circumstance that Central Europe is amongst the target areas (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 25, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DX LISTENING DIGEST) From Mahajanga, Madagascar an East Africa azimuth would include the Nile Valley as well as Southern and Central Europe. Madagascar is a great location for a shortwave transmitting station (Jerry Lenamon, Waco TX, ibid.) Yes, initially WCBC talked about using Madagascar site for its Russian language broadcasting. Lately those talks died out so I thought maybe WCBC gave up on that idea... I guess not (Sergei S., Russia, March 25, ibid.) Re Monitoring Times, April 2009, Global Forum Dear Glenn, Thanks for mentioning World Christian Broadcasting in your latest article. Obviously, things have changed since you went to press, so let me bring you up to date on where we are now. We did not post anything on our website during the crisis because we did not want to speculate on the possibilities of a change in government. Our website has been updated since the change so you will find a statement there. Although the former president was a friend of World Christian Broadcasting, we are not a political organization. The new regime has asked for foreign investors. That’s what we are, so we are going ahead with construction as before the crisis. Our position on the future of the project is that we are proceeding full speed ahead. It is peaceful in the area around our building site; we have not lost even one worker during the crisis, so our work is going on as usual. Thanks again for mentioning World Christian Broadcasting. If you have any questions, please let me know (Charles H. Caudill, President/CEO, World Christian Broadcasting, 615- 371-8707, March 25, to gh at MT, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 5010.0, RNM (presumed), 0321-0341, March 25. Heard on exact frequency and in USB + carrier mode. Hi-life music till 0331, started talking in either French or vernacular. 6134.92, RNM, 1422-1429, March 25. Non-stop Hi-life music; clearly // 5010.0 (USB + carrier mode); 1429 covered by BBC sign-on (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONACO [and non]. TRANS WORLD RADIO - EUROPE TRANSMISSION SCHEDULE SUMMER A09 29 MAR 2009 - 24 OCT 2009 Updated: 25 March 2009 SW (Shortwave) TIME/UTC DAYS LANGUAGE FREQ PWR AZI ZONES ---------------------------------------------- TRANS WORLD RADIO - MONTE CARLO,MONACO 0545-0600 1234567 POLISH 5915 100 44 28 0545-0600 1234567 POLISH 7355 100 65 28 0600-0615 12 45 CZECH 5915 100 44 28 0600-0615 12 45 CZECH 7355 100 65 28 0645-0750 7 ENGLISH 9800 100 324 27 0700-0750 12345 ENGLISH 9800 100 324 27 0715-0750 6 ENGLISH 9800 100 324 27 0757-0827 6 SERBIAN 9430 100 85 28 0830-0900 1234567 HUNGARIAN 7210 100 65 28 1000-1030 6 ROMANIAN 9440 100 85 28 TRANS WORLD RADIO - WERTACHTAL,GERMANY 1400-1430 1 BELORUSSIAN 7220 100 60 28/29/30 1400-1500 234567 RUSSIAN 7220 100 60 28/29/30 1430-1500 1 RUSSIAN 7220 100 60 28/29/30 1529-1559 6 RUMANIAN 9440 100 105 28 1529-1559 12345 ARMENIAN/EAS 9440 100 90 29S/39N 1630-1700 1234567 FARSI 9505 100 90 30S/40 TRANS WORLD RADIO - NAUEN,GERMANY 0645-0750 7 ENGLISH 6105 100 285 27 0700-0750 12345 ENGLISH 6105 100 285 27 0715-0750 6 ENGLISH 6105 100 285 27 TRANS WORLD RADIO - MOOSBRUNN,AUSTRIA 1400-1430 1 BELORUSSIAN 9725 100 55 28/29/30 1400-1500 234567 RUSSIAN 9725 100 55 28/29/30 1430-1500 1 RUSSIAN 9725 100 55 28/29/30 1529-1558 12345 ARMENIAN 11695 300 90 29S/39N 1630-1700 1234567 FARSI 11995 100 115 30S/40 Day 1 = Mon .. 7 = Sun Trans World Radio Frequency Coordination Vienna Office Postfach 141 A-1235 Vienna AUSTRIA Telephone : +43-1-863-12-0 Fax : +43-1-863-12-20, or +43-1-862-12-57 Visit our website at: http://www.twr.org --- (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, March 25, dxldyg via DXLD) MW sked also appeared in dxldyg; via France, Estonia, Albania, Cyprus, Moldova Re: TRANS WORLD RADIO - NAUEN,GERMANY 0645-0750 7 ENGLISH 6105 100 285 27 0700-0750 12345 ENGLISH 6105 100 285 27 0715-0750 6 ENGLISH 6105 100 285 27 Strange enough. In Media Broadcast A-09 stays another frequency: 6145 0642 0750 27 350100 285 156 1234567 290309 241009 NAU 100 TWR So, who is right? ------ 73! (Alexey Zinevich: a DXer from Minsk, Belarus, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6105 0645-0750 Nauen is very correct (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) ** MYANMAR. 5915.0, Myanma Radio - Minorities and Educational Service, 1509-1513*, March 26. Checking sign-off time; in vernacular; indigenous music at sign-off. QRM from the usual China/CRI, but today also from Zambia/ZNBC, with Hi-Life music (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [and non]. Hello from Hilversum, It's very busy here at RNW. Our new frequency schedule goes into effect on Sunday, and along with it the English programmes are changing. Details of what to expect in each hour are on our website. http://www.radionetherlands.nl/listeningguide/programmetimes Next Tuesday, 31 March, sees the one-day international conference on Afghanistan in The Hague. Representatives of 80 countries have been invited, among them President Karzai of Afghanistan and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A total of some 800 journalists from around the world are also expected to attend. In the build-up to the conference, we have launched a special website in English http://www.radionetherlands.nl/afghanistanconference/ which also gives details of how RNW can help foreign broadcasters in their coverage of the event. In connection with the conference, Ashleigh Elson and Michel Walraven, hosts of Curious Orange, are in Afghanistan as guests of the Dutch forces in Kamp Holland. You can read more about their trip in the Curious Orange blog http://blogs.rnw.nl/curiousorange/ (Andy Sennitt, Media Network newsletter 25 March via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS ANTILLES. Dutch on 6225, March 25 at 0517; therefore must be from RNW, and not via Netherlands. Is leapfrog mixing product at Bonaire of RN Dutch 6165 over NHK Spanish relay on 6195. Could not make out any Spanish mixing on 6225, nor was Cuban leapfrog on 6220 audible at this time (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. Frequency help! Any members in Europe? Hi Everyone, Well I was given a choice of 4 frequencies from a relay in Italy [sic]. But since I am not in Europe I'm not sure what there signal quality is like. So if anyone in the group is in the EU can you tune into the following and let me know. Frequencies: 5990 0430 to 0730 UT 7290 1800 to 2300 UT 9515 0930 to 1400 UT 15650 1500 to 2000 UT Also can anyone pick up the SABC in Asia or Europe? Channel Africa's sister company Sentech leases airtime, but as I don't have a powerful organization behind me I need help from others around the world to check signal quality. If you want you can reach me directly at kperron@... . [truncated] Thanks :):) (Keith Perron, March 17, thehappystation yg via DXLD) Here is the link for the March 26, 0100 UT transmission of Happy Station. http://www.radio4all.net:8080/files/kperron@gmail.com/3101-1-happy_station.mp3 The 1500 transmission will be rebroadcast April 2nd on 9955 at 0100 and 1500 UT. You can also tune in via the webstream at http://www.wrmi.net (Keith Perron, Taiwan, March 26, ibid.) ** NIGERIA. 9690, Voice of Nigeria, Ikorodu, Mar 26 0757-0839. In listed Hausa, phone-ins being taken by an OM until ToH then ID in Hausa and English followed by news by an OM mentioning Nigeria frequently as well as naming other African countries. News ended at 0822 to be followed by excellent tribal music until tune-out at 0830. Blazing in with a strong signal, reading S9 +20 (Bruce Barker, Broomall, PA, Equipment: NRD535D with an Alpha Delta DX Sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA [and non]. I could hardly believe my ears: the ``liberal`` Ed Schultz talk show on an OK station? There he is on 1600, March 26 at 2107 UT talking about how he`s about to get flooded out of Fargo. Usual daytime groundwave signal from KUSH in Cushing, but to be positive, I got a local ad and ID at 2159-2200; around 2208 they were doing local news or PSAs – hard to tell which. Toward the end of the previous hour Schultz had David Shuster on, for whom he substituted on MSNBC`s 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, this Monday, I think, and Schultz is going back to guest there on Friday. During the hour, QRM increased from KRVA 1600 in The Metroplex, with a 190/minute SAH (3.17 Hz), in Vietnamese, and also a slight audible het from elsewhere I have yet to nail down. Meanwhile I noticed a gaping hole on 1580 with semi-local KOKB Blackwell OK off the air at 2107 and still past 2200. Is it really off? At 2201 checked 1020 for normally // KOKP Perry OK, and briefly they were, with a reverb in Talksports Network, but that must have been something else, as not // a minute later when KOKP was doing a Ponca City commercial; and at 2205, 1580 had weather without any local references heard, and then ID as ``The Sports Hog, 103.1 and 1580 AM`` so despite reference to Oklahoma City, a later one to Arkansas clinched this as KKHG Van Buren AR, listed as sports format in NRC AM Log, but lacking the 103.1 and slogan info. I understand some Arkansas sillyballgame team is porcine, and they`re proud of it! KOKB 1580 back on at 1522 UT check March 26 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And yes, they love their hogs down there! (Paul Walker, Ord NE, NRC-AM via DXLD) I am beginning to hear Ed Schultz in a lot of not so liberal markets. He is on most Air America stations, but I am hearing his show pop up in other more moderate areas like KXRO 1320 Aberdeen WA. Big Eddy is more of a moderate, being a Republican for years, before changing over to be a Democrat in recent years. He is a gun toting, fishing man's man, but also more of a moderate. I listen to him often. He kind of fills the gap between the far Left and the far Right (Patrick Martin, Seaside OR, NRC-AM via DXLD) Checked the next day, KUSH has Boortz on in the hour before Schultz (gh, Enid, DXLD) ** PERU. [see introduxion at BRAZIL] 4746.92v, R. Huanta 2000, Huanta, Mar 25, *1010-1200 - Lively male announcer with sign on greetings, another man at 1013 with station ID mentioning Huanta, Perú, onda corta, teléfono then further announcements by both male and female speakers, "la hora del Perú". All talk until station fade out, unfortunately no music heard. Transmitter slightly wobbly +/- 1 Hz as it slowly drifted upward to 4746.93 by 1200 carrier fade out. Would have been a fair signal except for the massive CODAR spoiler here! 4789.98v R. Visión, Chiclayo, 0333-1000 - Fair with male in religious monologue, musical bridge at 0400 then La Voz de la Salvación program ID by man at 0401 and into their distinctive religious services at 0405, poor acoustics with echo. This format continued, with occasional breaks with inspirational vocals, studio talk. A canned La Voz de la Salvación ID at 0701, longer ID at 0803. Station switched to local programming from 0900 with nice Andean vocals, "¡Atención, es la Radio Visión!" between and during songs. Fair signal through, marred by strong CODAR. Transmitter drifted from an initial 4789.982 at tune in up to 4790.007 by 1000 UT. 4824.46v, La Voz de la Selva, Iquitos, *1056-1130 - Sign-on with flute music, canned ID announcement also mentioning web site (I found http://www.cnr.org.pe/aa/vselva/index.html via google), then buenos días greetings by fast speaking female until 1106, then chatter back and forth between her and male speaker, perhaps local news items. Best at sign on but steadily fading, very poor by 1115. Transmitter appeared to be oscillating +/- 1 Hz while drifting from 4824.457 up to 4824.47 and then back down to 4824.465, where it stabilized until carrier fade-out. Thankfully CODAR not too bad here (Brandon Jordan - Memphis, TN, USA, http://www.bcdx.org dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU [and non]. 5025, Radio Quillabamba, 1005-1015 March 25, Not a very good catch. Noted Quillabamba under Radio Rebelde which dominated. Heard mainly music with some Spanish comments from a male. Signal was very poor (Chuck Bolland, Clewiston, Florida, NRD545, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Chuck, Was there a subaudible het between them, and if so, how much? This would tie in to counting SAH between Rebelde and presumed VL8 on 5025. 73, (Glenn, ibid.) Glenn, Not sure what a subaudible het is, but all I could hear was the audio from Quillabamba under Rebelde. From what I could determine, both Quillabamba and Rebelde were exactly on the same frequency. I didn't notice a het other then the station's carrier (BFO?) when I was using USB on my receiver? Of course, that was a logging from yesterday, and I don't a have a very good memory, where I can recall every detail. I did, however, go to that frequency this morning and did not hear Quillabamba there; but I would say that conditions were worse today compared to what we had yesterday. Don't you agree? (Chuck Bolland, FL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am not usually tuning around until a few hours later, but agree conditions were certainly poor the morning of March 26. I have explained subaudible heterodynes a number of times and am not up to doing it again just yet (gh, DXLD) See also CUBA I checked my Perseus recording from Mar. 24 and 25 and clearly observed likely R Quillabamba signal both morning, with transmitter turned on a few minutes before 1000 UT and drifting downward until stabalizing approximately 45 minutes later. The sign-on time matches the one listed on the LA SW Logs list for Quillabamba. The signal is quite a bit stronger on the morning of the 25'th, but no hope here for pulling anything out from under Rebelde. No sign of any other carriers present, although anything co-channel Rebelde would have been masked. Rebelde is stable on 5025.003 kHz, with significant 60 Hz spurs + harmonics. March 24: transmitter on at 0957 on 5024.953 and drifting downward until stabilizing on 5024.927 from 1045 UT. March 25: on at 0955 on 5024.94 and stabilizing on 5024.915 by 1045 UT. 73, (Brandon Jordan, TN, ibid.) ** PERU. 6173.8 RADIO TAWANTISUYO. Cusco, Perú. 1156-1210 marzo 23 mx folclórica "... Radio Tawantisuyo, la voz de la expresión andina, transmite desde Cusco, Perú..."! 6195.7 RADIO CUSCO. Cusco, Perú. 2135-2210 marzo 21. Presentando lotes de música folclórica en vernacular. Mejor sintonía en USB. A las 2155 "Desde la capital arqueológica de América, transmite Radio Cusco..." luego el programa: La Voz de la Profecia. Buen DX (Rafael Rodriguez R., Bogota D.C. COLOMBIA, JRC 525 hilo 30 mts, condiglist yv via DXLD) ** POLAND [non]. Re 9-026, A09 >>> NOTE: no more GUIANA FRENCH relays shown here <<< --- Montsinéry was since 2006/2007 always in use during winter only, when it is difficult to reach Europe from within during the evening (Kail Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. Here: http://tv1.rtp.pt/canais-radio/rdpi/distribuicao.php?canal=5 - RDP A-09 schedule is published (click "ONDAS CURTAS" and then click on the map) ------ 73! (Alexey Zinevich: a DXer from Minsk, Belarus, March 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. I was listening to Voice of Russia in Serbian, and they told listeners that, as of March 29 programs in Serbian will be expanded by 30 minutes. First airing will be expanded to 1500-1700z (ex 1530-1700z). Meanwhile, I was browsing VOR website in Bulgarian and Romanian, and saw the announcements that 12 language services will cease on radio (MW, SW, sat) but will continue as INTERNET ONLY services! Interview in Bulgarian: http://ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=bul&q=1584&cid=151&p=24.03.2009 Best regards! DL (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, 1836 UT March 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thank you, Dragan! It's a very important development that hasn't been reported yet. I guess a few people will be able to save their jobs - at least for now. The prospects for those services aren't good though - we all know how it goes with online-only external services. I'm pretty sure Internet-only service means mostly text. Another big news from Pyatnitskaya, 25 that is connected to Dragan's report: VoR is in the midst of revamping its online presence. The guy who was recently hired to develop VoR's Internet service says that everything will be different, inlc. its web-address. I'll try to provide more details when I have time to write them up. 73! (Sergei S., Moscow, ibid.) Concerning German, a rather cryptic posting appeared at http://forum.mysnip.de/read.php?8773,679418 As far as I can tell, it says that German will not be expanded. Shortwave will be abolished, away from a single transmitter in DRM mode (a reply comments that it would make much more sense to use that single transmitter for AM instead). It is unknown if the live streaming will be expanded. The whole posting is headed "Voice of Russia restricts transmissions due to crisis", and it states that they run out of money due to the financial crisis. This for what it's worth; it could be that it paraphrases something actually said on air, but this remains entirely unclear. Nothing about this or the A09 schedule for German on the VoR website (which needs the announced relaunch quite urgently) so far (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) ** RUSSIA [and non]. Voz de Rusia, Español. A-09 Diaria http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=spa&w=90&p= 5920 2000-2100 7310 2000-2100 7440 2000-2100 11510 0000-0100 9880 0000-0100 9810 0000-0100 7300 0000-0100 11510 0100-0200 9880 0100-0200 9810 0100-0200 7300 0100-0200 9880 0200-0300 9945 0200-0300 7300 0200-0300 7395 0200-0300 9880 0300-0400 9945 0300-0400 7300 0300-0400 7395 0300-0400 7395 0400-0500 9945 0400-0500 9880 0400-0500 (via José Miguel Romero2, Spain, dxldyg via DXLD) RUVR Voice of Russia in Portuguese - A-09: Time UTC: Frequencies, kHz: Target: 2100-2200 5920, 7310, 7440 Portugal 2300-0000 7300, 11510, 11605 Brasil Source: http://ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=prt&w=60&p= RUVR Voice of Russia in Turkish - A-09: Time UTC: Frequencies, kHz: Target: 1700-1800 13855, 7325, 1170 Turkey 1800-1900 7325, 1170 Turkey Source: http://ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=tur&w=46&p= 73! (Alexey Zinevich: a DXer from Minsk, Belarus, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Tuning across 19m, March 25 at 1505, noted Qur`an on 15225, reminding me to check the stronger // 15435. When I got there at 1506, there was nothing, then a few seconds later it popped on accompanied by the big frying buzz. If only the poor muezzin knew what BSKSA is doing to his art (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SERBIA [and non]. INTERNATIONAL RADIO SERBIA A09 Dear DXers, Today I've had a nice talk with the technical director of the International Radio Serbia, Mr. Predrag Graovac. We had a 20 minute talk, and he told me the following: - In A09 broadcasts to North America via BIJeljina will be aired on new frequency, and on slightly changed time. A 30-minute break will be cancelled. - Stubline [BEO] transmitting station is OFF since DECEMBER 2008!!! The station is off because the electric transformator station is roasted. They must build a new transformator station, and that will be done in upcoming months. - When BEO transmitter, 10 kW will be reactivated, they will move to new frequency in the 7 MHz band, and that is because 7200 kHz from March 29 will be in border with amateur band. The new 7 MHz frequency is not yet chosen. - Stubline [BEO] operate(d) on 1 simple dipole antenna, with azimuth of 310 degrees (2 towers and between 3 wires). - Both BIJ and BEO are fed via satellite. From Belgrade, the audio is sent via internet to Switzerland, and there is uplinked to satellite. Hopefully, the listeners in North America from this Sunday will have better reception on new higher frequency. Here is the detailed frequency schedule for the new A09 season of Intl R Serbia. Best regards! Dragan Lekic from Subotica, Serbia -- A09 INTERNATIONAL RADIO SERBIA ------------------------------ as of 1800 UTC, March 29, 2009 [9580: SEE BELOW!] 0000-0030 9580 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees NCAm SERBIAN MON-SAT 0000-0100 9580 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees NCAm SERBIAN SUN 0030-0100 9580 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees NCAm ENGLISH MON-SAT 0100-0130 9580 BIJ 250 kW/ 325 degrees NoAm ENGLISH 1800-1830 6100 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees WeEu RUSSIAN 1830-1900 6100 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees WeEu ENGLISH 1900-1930 6100 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees WeEu SPANISH 1930-2000 6100 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees WeEu SERBIAN SUN-FRI 1930-2030 6100 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees WeEu SERBIAN SAT 2000-2030 6100 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees WeEu GERMAN SUN-FRI 2030-2100 6100 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees WeEu FRENCH 2100-2130 6100 BIJ 250 kW/ 310 degrees WeEu ENGLISH NOTE: ----- IN UPCOMING MONTHS BEO TX WILL BE REACTIVATED: 1000-2130 7xxx BEO 010 kW/ 310 degrees WeEu VARIOUS BEO = Stubline near Belgrade, Serbia [STUBLINEH] BIJ = Jabanuša near Bijeljina, Bosnia [YABANUSHA, BEE-YEL-YINA] -- (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, March 25, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks, Dragan! Int. Radio Serbia's reception in eastern part of NA is usually fine. But trying to hear it in Moscow is a totally different story. The reception has been poor to nonexistent for years. Did they dismantle antenna at BIJ or what? I see that from the next season IRS's Russian broadcasting will be cut from two 30-min. programs to just one (Sergei S., Russia, ibid.) Yes, and that is already from December 2008, but in upcoming months it will be restored when Stubline, 10 kW reactivates (Dragan?, ibid.) Dragan, You might ask him why he doesn`t participate in HFCC. If he did, he might know that 9580 is totally unacceptable since it will collide with two other stations already broadcasting to North America: 0000-0100 RRI, Tiganeshti, Romania, 300 kW, 307 degrees in English 0100-0200 CRI via Habana, 250 kW, 10 degrees in English (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIBET. 6010, CNR-11, 1434-1500, March 25. Heard with the “Holy Tibet” program; CNR-11 has deleted the “Holy Tibet” IDs at start and finish of the program, but during the program there are still IDs for “Holy Tibet English program”; news segment about Tibetan farmers; “Tourism of Tibet”; “Eyes on Tibet” about Buddhism; played a lot of Tibetan music and songs, both traditional and pop; short generic sign-off announcement. Poor to fair with heavy QRM (pulsating noise) from the jamming on 6003 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY [non]. VOT, 7325 via Canada, still in Turkish instead of English at 0415 check March 25. And around 0405, 0415 March 26 --- just happened to hear music then, but I assume if English service would have been talking news at least at 0405. Hey, what am I doing? I enjoy that Turkish music more than most of their English talk which is far too scripted and/or hurriedly mumbled, accented. But I am afraid that talk in Turkish communicates even less to me (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1453, DX LISTENING DIGEST) You guessed it --- VOT via Sackville 7325 still in Turkish instead of correct English, at 0403 UT check March 27. No, I don`t expect anyone to publish every single follow-up logging like this, but I am keeping track for the record of Turkey`s grand SNAFU (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKS & CAICOS. New Lowband Country analogue --- Back in November a hurricane ripped through Turks and Caicos Islands doing significant damage on Grand Turk; the cable system there was demolished so a new, perhaps temporary, channel 4 TV station is going on the air there this week; 250 watts to phased dipoles so given there will be few if any other channel 4s in that direction when Es begins this becomes a new DX target; ID is WIV-TV (or West Indies Video-4). (Bob Cooper in New Zealand, March 26, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U K. How does BBCWS website new look look on your PC? BBC World Service has redesigned its website, with a new wider format. How does it look on your PC? Does everything fit on your display? http://bbcworldservice.com See also http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/institutional/2009/03/090323_new_look_site.shtml (Kim KD9XB, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) The display looks okay. However, multiple refreshing caused some problems with the recent highlights thumbnails not working correctly and some items on right not appearing. Main gripe would be the header label which at 09:06 GMT says "Last updated: 24 March, 2009 - 19:36 GMT", some 13.5 hours ago! (Keith, UK, ibid.) Looks like it`s all there, no obvious cut-off edges. But how would it look if I had a wide screen? (gh, DXLD) BBC WORLD SERVICE WEBSITE HAS A NEW WIDE LOOK "From today you will notice a new look to bbcworldservice.com. The new wide format makes the whole site even easier to use, creating more room for the content to be easily seen and scanned." BBC World Service, 23 March 2009. (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) It *is* a wide format. I wonder how well it can be seen on netbooks that are popular these days. These small PCs have correspondingly small displays, but they are in the "wide" aspect ratio for which the BBCWS is obviously designed. The new look BBCWS website fails the most important requirement for an international broadcasting site. Most international broadcasting operations are multilingual. Audiences in each of a station's languages must find a welcome on the station's home page, and a way to navigate to content in that language. On the BBCWS home page, non-English speakers must cursor down "below the fold," to the lower left hand corner. Even then, only speakers of Arabic, Urdu, Persian, Chinese, Hindi, Somali, Russian, Portuguese to Brazil, Spanish, and Vietnamese are in luck. The others must know, somehow, that "More languages" is the link to the links their languages. VOA manages to fit links to all of its language services on its home page. What if you speak English and you want the news? You will find the BBCWS website a nice enough source of schedule information and audio files. But where is the news? It's rather hidden. You can get there by way of the "Explore the BBC" link in the upper right corner, or the not exactly correctly worded, small-pitch "From BBC News" in the right column. Then you are transferred to news.bbc.co.uk (International Version), with its amazing wealth of news. It's a website that could one day replace BBC World Service. No wonder it's hidden. Also redesigned: bbcbrasil.com. BBCWS press releaase, 25 March 2009. Posted: 25 Mar 2009 (Kim Andrew Elliott, ibid.) ** U S A [non]. VOA South Asia A09: Afghanistan/ TV & Radio Ashna Dari 0130–0230 1296 7595 9335 1530–1630 1296 9335 9770 11575 1730–1800 1296 9335 9445 9770 1800–1830 1296 7595 9335 9445 1930–2030 1296 5750 7595 Pashto 0030–0130 1296 7595 9335 1430–1530 1296 9335 11840 12140 1630–1730 1296 9335 9770 Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Region/ Deewa Radio Pashto 1300–1500 7455 7495 9370 9565 1500–1900 5835 7455 7495 9370 Bangla 0130–0200 11500 15205 1600–1700 1575 7435 11500 Urdu/ Radio Aap ki Dunyaa 0000–0100 972 1539 0100–0200 972 1539 9520 9820 1400–1500 972 1539 7440 Afghanistan Asadabad VOA Frequency 100.5 FM Gardez VOA Frequency 100.5 FM Herat VOA Frequency 100.5 FM Jalalabad VOA Frequency 100.5 FM Kabul VOA Frequency 1296 AM 100.5 FM Kandahar VOA Frequency 100.5 FM Khost VOA Frequency 100.5 FM Mazar-e-Sharif VOA Frequency 100.5 FM Australia Sydney SBS Radio 1107 AM 97.7 FM Bangladesh Dhaka Radio AAMAR 101 FM Radio Today (Radio Broadcasting FM Co. Ltd.) 89.6 FM Canada Chongqing [sic] Radio Punjab International Inc. –KCCF-AM 1550 [what`s this? Google points to Ferndale WA, border with Vancouver BC; NRC AM Log shows it as KRPI, Radio India, in Punjabi. FCC AM Query confirms the correct current call is KRPI, 50/10 kW; there is no KCCF] Edmonton CKER 101.9 FM 101.9 FM Markham Radio India 530 AM New Zealand Auckland Radio Tarana 1386 AM Full news coverage as well as streaming audio and video can be found on each of our language service websites: Bangla http://www.VOANews.com/bangla Dari http://www.VOANews.com/dari Hindi http://www.VOANews.com/hindi Pashto http://www.VOANews.com/pashto Radio Deewa (Pashto) http://www.VOADeewaRadio.com Urdu http://www.UrduVOA.com Voice of America Audience Mail, 330 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20237 USA e-mail: letters @ VOA.gov | website: http://www.VOANews.com | fax: 1-202-382-5417 (via Jaisakthivel, Chennai, India. Access detailed VOA pdf schedule on http://www.adxc.wordspress.com dxldyg via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. 11705, VOA news in English with report from Beijing, March 26 at 1307, under big crackling open carrier, which I assume is Cuba not having turned off the Venezuelan relay transmitter at 1300. From 1315 this would also be colliding with NHK Yamata (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WRMI A09 Schedule UTC Zones kW Azimuth Days Languages 0000-1400 10-16 50 160 1234567 Eng, Spa 1400-1600 2, 3 50 317 1234567 Eng, Spa 1600-2200 10-13 50 160 1234567 Eng, Spa 2200-2400 10-16 50 160 1234567 Eng, Spa (Jeff White, General Manager, WRMI Radio Miami International 175 Fontainebleau Blvd., Suite 1N4, Miami, Florida 33172 USA Tel +1-305-559-WRMI (9764) Fax +1-305-559-8186 E-mail: radiomiami9 @ cs.com http://www.wrmi.net March 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Spanish Pirate in Hazleton, PA (on 92.5) and Possibly in Brooklyn or NYC Area The transmitter came on the air on Friday evening March 13, 2009 after 5 PM. They had a problem with the computer not downloading the audio properly and it would provide audio for a few seconds and then go off for a few seconds. This continued for a few hours until the audio stopped completely. The audio didn't return until Tuesday March 17th. The transmitter did come on the air on those days at 5 PM with dead air. Another person interested in broadcasting has been listening to the pirate broadcaster and their studio apparently is in Brooklyn, NY. They take callers to their program, so they must give out a phone number. The programming is available over the internet, but we didn't get the website address. They ID as New York, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, and another city in New Jersey. I suspect that they are broadcasting in the New York City area with either a legal or pirate station. If anyone knows about this broadcaster in the NYC area, please pass the information along. They have some talk programming, Spanish music sometimes with a lot of talk over or with the music. Some of the announcers are rather loud. The local transmitter comes on at 5 PM on weekdays and probably goes off around 5 AM. Saturday it comes on in the afternoon usually around 5 PM and it seems to be on all day Sunday. As I get more details on their programming I will post it to the list. The signal carries about 15 miles, so they probably are using at least 100 watts to transmit. I have a direction from my house and office and it appears to be coming from the west southwest area of the city or outside of the city. I have to check for the direction from one or two other locations to get a better idea of the transmitter location. It does interfere with WXTU 92.5 Philadelphia and WLGL 92.3 Riverside, PA. The FCC Query doesn't have any construction permits in PA near Hazleton for 92.5. There is a translator application for West Hazleton, but it is dated March 17, 2003 and the FCC never approved it. Also that application was made by Four Rivers Community Broadcasting the owners of WBYO 88.9 Boyertown, PA WBYX 88.7 Stroudsburg, PA, etc. which has Christian music and religious programming (Bob Seaman, Hazleton, PA, March 24, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. TURN UP VOLUME OF LOW-POWER RADIO STATIONS --- Low-power radio promotes localism and diversity, not by limiting the rights of existing voices, but by adding new voices to the mix. by GLORIA TRISTANI While the number of radio stations is growing, ownership is concentrated in fewer and fewer hands due to widespread media consolidation. This means today's radio often offers national playlists, syndicated programming and other piped-in content that threatens localism and the diversity of voices on the public airwaves. When I was a member of the Federal Communications Commission, we established low-power radio service in 2000 as a partial antidote to the negative effects of consolidation. . . http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/opinion/112816.php (via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD) WHAT NEXT FOR LOW-POWER FM? by Pete Tridish, 03.24.2009 http://www.radioworld.com/article/76748 (via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD) ** U S A. There have been some reports of KFGO 790 Fargo ND being heard where it normally is not. May well be running day facilities due to the flooding, i.e. non-direxional instead of due north. Also look for the new station on 1100, WZFG which has 50 kW day facility but seldom DX-reported for some strange reason. Without researching them further, other frequencies for Fargo stations are 740 and 970; Bismarck 550, 710, 1130, 1270. You`d never know it from US media coverage, but they are also Worried in Winnipeg; listen to CBW 990 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Gents, I have been listening to news of the Fargo, ND floods on 1630. Don't know who is doing the coverage. Could be KCJJ, KRND anyone. I sure would like to know. This was about 0705 this morning [CDT = 1205 UT] when I heard this. It was a rebroadcast of KFGO. Ideas? Very interesting coverage on the Fargo flood here: http://asx.abacast.com/radiofm-kfgoam-32.asx (Kevin Redding, Crump TN, March 26, ABDX via DXLD) ** ZAMBIA. 5915, ZNBC, 1509-1606, March 26. In African vernaculars with Hi-Life music; 1558 African Fish Eagle IS till ToH; the QRM from China/CRI ended with their sign-off at 1557. An unusual reception for me! Also heard assume R. Christian Voice/CVC on 6065 after 1607 with news in English and some African music; poor reception (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ZIMBABWE. 3396, R. Zimbabwe, 0237-0315, March 25. DJ in vernacular with program of Hi-Life music; 0300 is the time I always hear their nice canned ID in English; full ID lasting about four minutes (African drums, "Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Zimbabwe … shortwave", long list of cities with FM frequencies ["On FM, Harare 96 Mhz", etc.] and detailed schedule for SW); then back to music (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. 2380: Last Wednesday I reported R. Educadora, Limeira on this frequency. I now believe that it could have been a mistake ... and likely was. Although at the time it did sound like Portuguese and a possible ID at 1200 ToH, this morning I had a very clear harmonic of our local 1190 AM station there - WNWC. Interesting in its own way, but definitely not Brazil. Thanks to Glenn Hauser for the skepticism (Mark Taylor, Madison, WI, March 25, NASWA yg via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED [non]. Re 6264 in DXLD 9-026 --- Hi, Glenn! Jerry Canaday's UNID pirate on 6264 was U.S. Pirate Channel Z. I caught him there some 3 hours or so later. He was testing towards Europe with I believe he said 20 or 25 watts. Z was on a European pirate chat --- Iann's chat http://www.easyshopdiscountzone.com/radio/pirate/english/ --- then, and several listeners and pirate op's in Europe heard him during that later broadcast (Alex Vranes, Jr., Harpers Ferry, WV and the cats, March 25, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, The unID in DXLD 9-026 reported on March 21 on 6264 or 6265 was a North American pirate Channel Z testing to Europe. The operator was in a free radio chatroom on the website http://www.easyshopdiscountzone.com/radio/pirate/english/ asking for reports. He was logged by DXers in Germany and the UK. North American DXers in the chatroom reported similar results to Jerry Canaday. I hope that helps (Paul Watson, Swindon, England, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 13955-13980, OTH radar pulses, approx. range covered at 1452 March 25 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 14000, very strong open carrier, March 25 at 1452-1453* and fading slightly, acting as BFO for weak ham CW on hi side. This could also have been a ham transmitter (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thank you for the decades of promoting "open source" SWDX information! 73, (Brandon Jordan, Memphis TN) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ ITU MEDIUMWAVE CHANGE NOTIFICATIONS GE75/121 is out, dated 24/3. It has to be downloaded as a WinZip file. Mostly Iraq, Algeria, Egypt and CIS stuff. (Olle Alm, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) file address changed to http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/publications/brific-ter/files/ge75/2009/GE75_121.zip 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, ibid.) ITU GE75 #121 is available for download, zip containing 3 pdf files: http://www.itu.int/ITU-R/publications/brific-ter/files/ge75/2009/GE75_121.zip DL (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, March 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ EUROPEAN DX COUNCIL, DUBLIN, IRELAND, AUGUST 28-30, 2009 Dear DX--Friends all over the World ! We are now planning to extend our Conference Programme until Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 14.00 Hours Dublin time. Because of that we kindly ask you to plan your flight for the evening --- in case you wish to leave Dublin on Sunday. Thank you. Dear DX-Friends, Shortwave Listeners all over the World! The EDXC (European DX Council, the umbrella organisation of shortwave clubs, DX-clubs in Europe) cordially invites you all to the next EDXC Conference, August 28--30, 2009, in Dublin / Ireland. We kindly ask you to make your hotel reservations already NOW! Venue of the Conference : Grand Canal Hotel, Grand Canal Street, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, Ireland. Phone : + 353 1 646 1000. Fax: + 353 1 646 1001. For room reservations please turn to the responsible person at the hotel: Ms Niamh Doorly, E-Mail niamh.doorly @ grandcanalhotel.com Home-page: http://www.grandcanalhotel.com Please observe: This is a 3 / three / star hotel. Prices: Single-room EUR 115,-- / room and night, Double-room EUR 115,--/room and night. If sharing the Double- room you only pay EUR 57,50 per person. This hotel accepts the following credit cards: VISA, MASTER CARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS and DINERS CARD. PLEASE MAKE YOUR OWN RESERVATION NOW! First you write: The special password for this reservation: EDXC CONFERENCE 2009. Then you write your family name, your christian name, your arrival date at the hotel, your departure date from the hotel. The hotel needs your credit card number at the time of reservation to be able to confirm your room. The Irish DX Club, Edward Dunne and the EDXC, Tibor Szilagyi are working on the programme of the Conference. What we know now: There will be interesting lectures about our hobby. Lecturers in Dublin: Mike Adams, Jonathan Murphy, Simon Maher and some more Sightseeing tour in Dublin by bus with English speaking guide and a visit at the Ye Olde Hurdy--Gurdy Museum of Vintage Radio in Howth, Dublin North. The traditional Banquet Dinner will take place at our Conference Hotel on Saturday evening, August 29. Please do allow me to come back to you with more detailed information about the programme, as soon as we know more about it. THE CONFERENCE FEE YOU WILL PAY DIRECTLY TO ME UPON ARRIVAL. The Conference Fee: EUR 115,-- per person includes: Use of the Conference Room, relevant papers like Conference Covers, Name-Tags, Lunch on Saturday, Sightseeing Tour in Dublin, visit at the Museum of Vintage Radio. Furthermore the Conference Fee includes the Banquet Dinner. What you consume as drinks during the Banquet Dinner, you will pay extra to the hotel staff. Another reason to attend the EDXC Conference: Special price for Spouse during the EDXC Dublin Conference: The price for spouse is : EUR 78,-- / Person. This price includes: Lunch on Saturday, August 29, 2009. Sightseeing Tour in Dublin with English speaking guide. Banquet Dinner (Only the food, drinks you have to pay extra to the hotel staff). For further information you may contact: Tibor Szilagyi. E -- Mail: tiszi2035 @ yahoo.com Written on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at 0950 Hours UT (Szilagi, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ Re 9-026: A concern! I appreciate your views, but hopefully you do realize that I am usually reporting observations of a station that is already in my logbook that I have indeed heard and ID'd before during better conditions, and not simply just DXing carriers from a list and adding them to my log. I fully understand that a carrier does not count as a "true logging" and don't that that such has ever been claimed. I would never add Radio Bana, for instance, to my logbook from carrier or threshold only reception. These observations go into my spreadsheet that I use for chasing DX targets, studying propagation, and monitoring transmitter characteristics. I personally find value in these observations and thought others might as well. Radio Bana is only in my logbook from the handful of times that I have had good enough reception to actually hear the station. On the occasion where I report details I have gleaned from a threshold or carrier-only signal, I am usually reporting things I have observed that I feel are of interest such as observed transmitter off and on times, mains electrical spurs, drifting characteristics, peak signal levels, etc. I understand that you and others may find no value in this new technology that allows one to observe characteristics of a station, even under threshold conditions and sub-par propagation, but as a tropical band DXer since I started this hobby in 1976, I find it rather fascinating. To be able to easily monitor a stations sign-on or sign-off time when the signal is only a scant few dBm above the noise floor two hours after sunrise is pretty cool, IMO. Since I am perhaps the only one who finds value in these observations, and appreciate that others do not or misconstrue the information I am trying to share as an attempt to report a "true logging", then from now on I'll just keep them in my spreadsheet for my own reference and study. I'll stick to reporting receptions that produce audio that, while others may or may not find of value, they won't dismiss out of hand as simple list-logging. And especially won't be a cause concern by one of the top ace DXers! Please understand that this isn't sour grapes and I have no hard feelings about the comments from anyone, simply one last effort to explain why I thought my observations may have been of interest and reported them. From now on, nothing but "true loggings" from me! ;) A fraternal 73 and good DX to all, (Brandon Jordan, TN, March 24, NASWA yg via DXLD) Brandon`s logs of this nature may be unwelcome in NASWA, but very welcome here (gh, DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING - DRM See also GERMANY; INDIA; RUSSIA ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DRM general assembly to discuss DRM+ technology for FM http://www.radioandmusic.com/content/editorial/news/drm-general-assembly-discuss-drm-technology-fm The DRM Consortium annual General Assembly to be held in Erlangen, Germany on 26-27 March will hear and debate how the recent decisions of India and Russia to implement DRM technology for their SW and MW bands, will become the driving force for the rollout in the rest of the world. Held under the theme of 'DRM Digital Radio - From Possibility to Reality' the General Assembly will be attended by Consortium members, experts, broadcasters, service providers and manufacturers from all over the world. India and Russia have recently made public their decision to implement DRM as the solution for digitising radio in their respective countries. The DRM General Assembly will also assess the standardisation plans of DRM +, the technology to digitise FM bands with all existing DRM features plus CD quality sound. Scientists and experts involved in the development of DRM+ will explain how this new addition will complete the DRM family and make it a viable, total solution for broadcasters all over the world. An independently commissioned business case study for DRM+ will also be unveiled at the event in southern Germany. The technical heads of the European and Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Unions will also take part and express their views on the digital scene in the two continents. Ruxandra Obreja, Chairperson, DRM Consortium and Controller, Business Development, BBC World Service says, "I am excited and encouraged by the developments in India and Russia with their huge broadcasting networks and where DRM implementation will give radio a new and exciting 'digital' lease of life. The DRM General Assembly is well-timed to discuss the implication of this roll-out and that of DRM+, expected to join the family of openly-available worldwide DRM standards later this year." The rollout of the DRM technology also heralds an opportunity for manufacturers to tap into these huge markets with smart receivers offering the consumers an enhanced radio experience (via Jaisakthivel, Chennai, India, dxldyg via DXLD) SoDiRa Ciao a tutti, grazie ad un articolo pubblicato su *Radiopassioni.it* http://radiolawendel.blogspot.com/2009/03/la-ionosfera-vista-dal-software-sdr.html ho scoperto l'esistenza di un nuovo software per poter ricevere sul proprio personal computer le tramissioni digitali in stardard DRM. Il software si chiama *SoDiRa http://www.dsp4swls.de/ ed è stato realizzato dal radioamatore tedesco *Bernd Reiser.* Sul mio sito ho realizzato una pagina con alcune schermate del software che mostrano la ricezione di segnali DRM in onde medie e corte : http://www.mediasuk.org/iw0hk/index.html 73 And IW0HK (Andrea Borgnino IW0HK - HB9EMK, March 24, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) See ITALY DIGITAL BROADCASTING – DTV ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ POWER VARIES ON DTV SUBCHANNELS? I guess that DTV stations running sub-channels can have lower ERP on one or more of the subs. I was under the impression that the maximum radiated power, as listed by the FCC, applied to all subs. This was noted in the TPT magazine, in which KTCA noted that their subs were at lower power and not being able to be viewed by some people. They hope to have the problem fixed in a few months. I guess that in DTV DXing, some, but not all subs, will decode. JE in MN (John Ebeling, March 25, WTFDA via DXLD) This is most emphatically NOT the case - at least not in 99.9% of the situations out there. But it takes a bit of explaining, so I hope you'll bear with me. (If not, Doug Smith will be along shortly to explain it in even more detail :-) I'll use my own WXXI-DT as an example. We put out 180 kW ERP on RF channel 16. What's being transmitted with that 180 kW of ERP is a stream of data that takes up the same 6 MHz wide channel (482-488 MHz, in this case) that an analog TV signal would have taken up. That data stream runs at a rate of 19.39 megabits per second, and we can divide it up in pretty much any way we want. We use most of it (usually around 14 MBPS) for our main HD service ("21.1"), most of what's left for the two SD services ("21.2" and "21.3"), and a little chunk beyond that for some hidden audio streams that feed distant radio transmitters and some data that we send out to area fire companies. Here's the important thing, though - none of those channels has its own physical reality. They're all commingled in the big fat bitstream that comes out of the transmitter and out the antenna. My DTV tuner here at home sees that stream of data and pulls each individual stream back out based on another bit of data we're sending along - the "PSIP" data that tells the tuner how to label each channel and where its bits are in the data stream. (There's actually yet another layer of coding in there, too, called PAT, but maybe Doug wants to take a stab at how that all works!) There is, in short, no physical way that we could broadcast one subchannel at a lower power than any other - they're all just part of the fat stream of data that comes out of the transmitter, and if you can get enough signal to make one stream decode, you'll get the others as well. (With some allowance for more robust error-correction and such, but again, that's Doug territory.) So what's going on with KTCA? It's actually quite simple: because they have two licenses, KTCA-DT (RF channel 34) and KTCI-DT (RF channel 16), they have not one but two fat streams of data they can send out. And instead of labeling the streams going out on KTCA-DT as "2.x" and the ones on KTCI-DT as "17.x", they're labeling ALL of them as "2.x" - 2.1/2.2 are on the KTCA-DT transmitter, 2.3/2.4 are on the KTCI-DT transmitter. It's because KTCA-DT is significantly higher in power than KTCI-DT (662 kW for KTCA, 50 kW for KTCI) that people in outlying areas can get the 2.1/2.2 channels (transmitted on the 662 kW KTCA transmitter) but not the 2.3/2.4 channels on the lower-powered KTCI transmitter. But it's VERY important to note that this is an unusual case where one "station" is spreading its subs across what are really two different stations, and it's extremely atypical of what most DXers will encounter out there. s (Scott Fybush, Rochester NY, WTFDA via DXLD) ``I was under the impression that the maximum radiated power, as listed by the FCC, applied to all subs.`` It does. A DTV station transmits a single bitstream. Actually, it broadcasts a series of 188-byte "packets" of data. A given packet may be audio, video, or PSIP data. If the station is broadcasting more than one subchannel, a given packet may be audio or video from any subchannel: Packet # Contains 23849 4-1 audio 23850 4-1 audio 23851 4-2 video 23852 PSIP data 23853 4-1 video 23854 4-2 audio 23855 4-1 video 23856 PSIP data 23857 4-1 audio etc. etc. etc. ***EVERY PACKET ON A GIVEN DTV STATION IS BROADCAST ON THE SAME FREQUENCY AND WITH THE SAME POWER.*** What I seem to recall hearing from Scott Fybush is that TPT is mixing and matching their virtual channels. There is also a "dual-stick" PBS operation in Milwaukee. WMVS-DT is running 25 kilowatts on channel 8. They're broadcasting a single HD program and using virtual channel 10-1, matching the major channel number to their analog station on channel 10. WMVT-DT is running 500 kilowatts on channel 35. They're broadcasting four SD programs and four radio stations (actually, the radio stations do have video but at VERY low frame rates) They are using virtual channels 36-1 through 36-8, matching their analog station on channel 36. From a purely technical standpoint, there is nothing to stop WMVT-DT from using virtual channels 10-2 through 10-9 instead of 36-1 through 36-8. It's a simple matter of reprogramming their multiplexer. If they were using the same mux we have at WSMV, I could probably get it changed in about 30 minutes. Either way, the eight virtual channels on WMVT-DT are being broadcast at 500 kilowatts on RF channel 35. It doesn't matter whether MPTV numbers them 10-2 through 10-9 or 36-1 through 36-8. (it *is* technically illegal for KTCI-DT to use major channel 2 for their subchannels - they should be using 17-1 and 17-2, not 2-2 and 2- 3. I strongly suspect they have a waiver from the FCC.) – (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) To VERY MUCH nitpick -- PSIP is an all-inclusive term that includes a number of "tables" of "metadata". The information that tells the tuner how to label each channel is in the "Terrestrial Virtual Channel Table", or "TVCT". The information that tells it where its bits are in the datastream is the "Program Map Table", or "PMT". There is indeed a PAT but at this hour my brain doesn't recall what it does! All of those tables, and more, are part of PSIP (for example, the program guide data is part of the "Event Information Table", or "EIT".) It's easier to just use the all-inclusive "PSIP" term rather than to try to remember which table does what! And "more robust error correction" is NOT obtained by transmitting some data at a higher power -- because the transmitter is simply not capable of doing that. I used to know how ATSC-M/H (Mobile/Handheld) worked. I've forgotten. I think they're transmitting extra copies of some of the data, so if some of it is lost to noise/interference/weak signals, there's a good chance the receiver will receive another copy.) – (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) To VERY MUCH nitpick , I don't believe they need one - I'm pretty sure there's a little-noticed provision in the rules that allows licensees who control more than one station in a market to carry one station's major channel number across multiple licenses. In practice, it's unlikely to be used in the commercial world, since an operator who owns both "Fox 17" and "CW 30" wants them to continue to be perceived as separate stations. And in the noncomm world, there are only a tiny handful of public TV duopolies out there. Off the top of my groggy head, that would be WGBH/WGBX Boston, WQED/WQEX Pittsburgh (but WQEX is leased out as a commercial station now), WMVS/WMVT Milwaukee, KTCA/KTCI, KQED/KTEH San Francisco-San Jose, WCVE/WCVW Richmond, KET/KET2 in Kentucky, and I suppose I'd include WPTD/WPTO in southwest Ohio, though WPTO has effectively moved from Dayton to Cincinnati in the DTV era. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) You're right; I'd remembered that as applicable only when the stations with the same major channel number are carrying the same program. But reading the A-65 standard, that's not true -- it's only necessary that the stations be under common ownership or control. Since I have A.65 open... ATSC tables: CAT* - Conditional Access Table CVCT - Cable Virtual Channel Table (see VCT) DCCT - Directed Channel Change Table DCCSCT - DCC Selection Code Table ("DCC" is "Directed Channel Change") (allows the transmitter to call for an automatic channel change at specified times and conditions.) A DCC may be: - unconditional (except on time); - conditional on postal (ZIP) code (with wildcards like "372??" supported); - conditional on FIPS code (which usually defines location to the county level; these are the same codes you use to program a "S.A.M.E." weather radio.) - conditional on a demographic group (changes only if you're male, or only if between 35 and 49, or only if you have a job -- but I know of no receiver that collects that data!); - conditional on what genres of programming you've selected. (again, I know of no receiver that supports that) - conditional on the program being blocked by the V-chip. - conditional on a manual selection by the viewer from up to four "Viewer-Direct-Select" buttons. (again, I know of no receiver that has these buttons) The DCCSCT establishes a list of valid program genres and FIPS codes. DET - Data Event Table EIT - Event Information Table ("Program Guide". Up to 128 EITs may exist to describe future programs. At least four must exist. Each EIT is valid for three hours starting at midnight, 3am, 6am, 9am, etc... A separate set of EITs may exist for additional subchannels.) ETT - Extended Text Table (additional text describing virtual channels and (more often) programs. If your program guide tells you who the guests are on Oprah today, that data was in an ETT.) MGT - Master Guide Table (defines the sizes and locations of other tables) PAT* - Program Association Table PMT* - Program Map Table (defines the PIDs ("serial numbers") of all datastreams contained in a given program.) RRT - Rating Region Table (defines possible program ratings - PG13, etc.. The actual rating of a given program is elsewhere, RRT just determines which ratings are valid.) STT - System Time Table (provides the transmitter's opinion of the current time, for synchronization) TVCT - Terrestrial Virtual Channel Table (see VCT) VCT - Virtual Channel Table (all-inclusive term for both CVCT and TVCT. VCTs contain the major and minor channel numbers, the short channel name ("WSMV-HD"), the program number (the -3 or -4 that shows up when the major/minor channel numbers don't decode; this information maps audio/video packets to a particular virtual channel); and a pointer to Extended Text Tables describing the virtual channels.) (Valid major and minor channel numbers must be between 1 and 99 inclusive. If non-TV data is being broadcast, the minor channel may be between 1 and 999. It's also possible to transmit tables (EITs and ETTs for program guides?) relating to analog stations, in which case the minor channel number should be zero. I know of no station doing this. Of course you can't transmit a VCT over an analog station! - it would be a DTV station transmitting a VCT for a co-owned analog station.) * confusingly, these tables are NOT part of PSIP... (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.) DIGITAL BROADCASTING – IBOC/HD ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ HD RADIO BACKERS CLAIM PROGRESS http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward/2009/03/hd_radio_backers_claim_progres.html?wprss=fasterforward This morning, a group of broadcasters called the HD Digital Radio Alliance announced that this promising but perennially underachieving technology has reached two "milestones": 1,000 FM stations now broadcast a digital-only "HD2" channel, and 100 different HD Radio models are now on sale. The 1,000-stations achievement is worth touting. For stations to continue investing in secondary channels that the vast majority of their readers can't hear is impressive, and for them to do so in this lousy economy is still more so. (But if the HD2 count stands at 900 in a year, forget I wrote the previous sentence!) Digital AM, the other part of HD Radio, goes unmentioned in that release; spokeswoman Courtney Kaczak e-mailed yesterday that 392 AM stations broadcast in HD. Don't expect that number to change much; HD AM doesn't allow for digital-only HD2 channels, though it does make music programming a more reasonable proposition on AM. (Some longtime radio listeners hate HD AM for a different reason: It interferes with the reception of out-of-town AM stations after dark.) The 100-receivers mark, however, looks a lot less impressive in context. HD Radio broadcasts began in 2004; for only 100 compatible models -- none with a list price cheaper than $79 -- to be available five years later is not all that great. Considering how long radios tend to stay in service (the clock radio that woke up me up this morning has been doing so since 1992), HD Radio can't hope to become a mainstream technology if the required hardware remains a step-up purchase that requires extra research. In my case, this limited selection means I have yet to spend a dime on HD Radio hardware, although a few models have looked somewhat intriguing (anybody try the $100 iPod dock/radio Costco is selling?). Columbia-based iBiquity Digital Corp., the developer of HD Radio, has been saying for years that the selection and price of HD receivers will improve. Then again, customers have to know that HD Radio exists at all -- something that would be hard to learn from the displays at most electronics stores. If this post follows the pattern of previous HD Radio pieces, we'll see two or three nearly-instant responses in the comments condemning HD Radio as a farce and a scam (note to those folks: reporting on a product is not the same as promoting it). They will be followed by a handful of other people saying something to the effect of "Could be interesting, but it's not just not interesting enough" -- in fewer words, "meh." Am I mistaken to expect that? I suppose I'll find out soon enough (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) It actually took nine comments for Bob and Greg to weigh in, as it turns out... :-) I'm going to be very interested to see what's on the floor and what the mood is like when I go to Las Vegas next month for the NAB show. The consensus, at least among the circles I've been traveling in, seems to be shaping up like this: 1) AM HD is effectively dead. Yes, there are a handful of new signals coming on from time to time, but those are mostly installs of equipment that was ordered and paid for a year or two ago, when finances were more flush. I don't expect to see anything much in the way of new AM HD products on the floor at NAB, and I'll be surprised if I do. There's just no market for it. As for the existing AM installs, only a couple of "true believer" companies - most notably CBS and Crawford, and CC to a much lesser degree - are maintaining them. Others, most notably Citadel, are letting the equipment break or not even installing it after it was ordered. If there are even 50 AM stations still broadcasting 24/7 IBOC a decade by now, I'll be very surprised. 2) On FM, the big issue is the proposed power increase for HD sidebands. For most stations, making that increase happen will require a lot of capital expense - new transmitters, new combiners, even new antennas, not to mention bigger power bills - so it's a tough sell, even if it is approved. There's some pretty staunch opposition to an across-the-board power increase, especially from NPR Labs, which has had the FCC's ear throughout the entire process, so it's far from a given that it will pass. The betting line is that the most that goes through is a more limited, case-by-case power increase. (I expect to hear more about this at NAB.) That means any real improvement has to come at the receiver end, and even with a few more receivers out there in the marketplace, only a few of them (like the Sony F1HD and S3HD) are really making use of DSP to improve reception. (Even at that, those Sonys are much better analog radios than digital!) 3) But that doesn't mean FM HD is going to wither and die entirely. It's found a few niches where it's working, one of course being public radio. I've told our story at WXXI enough; discussion on the public radio engineering lists makes it clear that the public stations that are providing their listeners with interesting programming and with radios are finding an audience. We certainly hear from listeners now when our HD is off. It's also being used with some success by commercial radio as a proving ground for testing formats that will later move to analog FM. "Amp Radio," which launched a few weeks ago on KLSX in Los Angeles, started as an HD2, though I suspect that even then, most of its audience was coming via streaming instead of OTA HD. HD certainly isn't high on the priority list right now for any commercial broadcaster struggling with plummeting stock prices and revenue and the rest of the mess that the industry is in...which means that it will probably continue more or less status quo for a while, with lots of automation, little innovation, and not much expansion. From the industry perspective, probably the best that most broadcasters can hope for right now is a situation like FM in the mid- fifties - the signals were on the air in most markets, solving half of the chicken/egg dilemma, and so the industry had already made most of the needed investment to be ready when other factors (stereo, the simulcast ban, the rise of underground rock, the greater availability of cheap radios) finally made the technology interesting to the public a few years down the road. This is a different marketplace, of course, with much more competition, so that rosy scenario could easily get derailed a dozen different ways in the meantime. We'll see. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) The larger point for radio is that based on the displays in most electronics stores it would be hard to learn that RADIO exists. Aisle after aisle of video games, cell phones, iPod-like devices and accessories, but try to find a radio. Maybe two or three boom boxes (good riddance to them), four or five clock radios, and a couple under-counter gizmos that will likely get installed and disused once the newness has worn off. The only spot with any substantial display of radio is the car audio section. The clear message here -- get into the cars or die. – (Jay Heyl, IL, ibid.) ``The clear message here -- get into the cars or die.`` Which is an awfully hard thing to do in 2009, when nobody's buying new cars and probably won't be for a while. And which really shows up the failings of the first generation of HD developers and marketers in not working harder and spending more to get their product out in front of the public earlier. If nearly every car that had gone out on the road since, say, 2004 or 2005 had an HD receiver in it, there'd be a much larger audience base to work with now. It's been pretty well established at the retail end that retailers (to the extent there are any left) have to have some profit motive to put any effort at all into selling something new and unproven. Sirius and XM paid. HD didn't. The results are obvious (and, OK, not all that great for the satcasters, either...) s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) The other aspect of this that most people forget - just because aftermarket car radios are manufactured doesn't mean people are going to install them. The last time I installed a car radio in my wife's car, for example, she was complaining that the steering wheel and rear seat controls didn't work any more. She won't let me install one in our new car, because it is integrated with not only the steering wheel and rear controls, but the roof mounted DVD player as well. Add to that the radio panel also contains AC controls that cannot be separated from the radio front panel, and you start getting the idea. Either by design or by expediency, car audio systems are getting so integrated into the electronic architecture of the car that it is impossible to put in an aftermarket radio. At least without sacrificing significant functionality of the system. I've heard horror stories from friends: (1) Electrical interference in the Prius and other hybrids render AM useless. (2) Antenna boosters don't work with the aftermarket radio, or actually overload the front end. (3) Distributed amplifiers at the car speakers get overloaded / burned out when somebody hooks outputs from the aftermarket receiver into their inputs. And so forth - a nightmare of new RF / speaker configurations. RF related to the miniscule antennas new car makers force on the radio, and Bose, Polk, and other high end audio systems making it into car audio and complicating the architecture. In other words - the IBOC people are a decade too late or more if they wanted to tap the aftermarket receiver market. It used to be a matter of getting the right harness and antenna connector to get into the dash, now the options are ridiculous. The HD folks either get the automakers to put in HD standard, or forget it. I predict the aftermarket car radio market is gone in 10 years (Bruce Carter, TX, ibid.) No argument there - my comments about what should have happened a decade ago were aimed at automakers and OEM radios, not aftermarket. Even with a pretty compelling reason to have HD in my car (the ability to hear my own station, WXXI 1370, via 91.5-HD2 when I'm on the east or west sides of the county at night, outside its directional pattern), I haven't bothered replacing my OEM stereo with anything aftermarket. And it's one of the simpler ones to do - a 2003 Jetta without any non-radio functions integrated into the radio or any steering-wheel control of the radio functions. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) A lot of people who work in radio are probably going to scream but there is some truth coming here. Radio is really dying and fast. I hate it but its happening. No use to bring up what corporations did with voice tracking, McRadio and the rest. Its been beat to death. I have gone in many electronics stores and lamented the lack of radios and especially ones that can do more than just pick up your local station. There are stores now with ZERO radios and HD, hah! Rotsa ruck finding those. You won't get one at Wal-Mart and probably not Target either. If you can't get it there, you know that it`s out of vogue or at least not important to the great unwashed masses. Radio is going to die for the most part when us old farts croak. What radio will become is not even satellite radio, it will be delivered over some sort of wifi situation and you will get more stations from all over the world than you could ever imagine. I don't know that a station with a stick in the air will ever completely disappear, but its changing and those in radio better be ready for it or they will be left in the dust (Kevin Redding, TN, ibid.) That it has. And here's the interesting thing: for all the damage that deregulation and its effects have wrought on the quality of broadcasting, there's been far less effect on listenership levels than you'd imagine. For all of the hype about how iPods and streaming and whatever else are the "death of radio" - and lord knows there's plenty of it - when you look at the traditional measurements of radio listening, about as many people are using radio, for about the same length of time each day, as were using radio 10 or 20 or 30 years ago. That's both good and bad news, because it suggests that listeners will put up with increasingly lousy radio just because it's there. There's still plenty of cause for concern, especially from a demographic standpoint, since there is evidence that there's a falloff (but not a complete one) of listenership among people in their teens and twenties. The issue of ad sales and revenues is a huge one, too, but even there radio is still doing significantly better than other "traditional" media such as newspapers and even broadcast TV. ``Radio is going to die for the most part when us old farts croak.`` Maybe, maybe not. The idea of a standalone "radio" as a product is indeed becoming history, but I don't think that automatically leads to the death of radio any more than it did when Joe's Radio Store stopped selling Philco consoles and became Joe's TV (and Radio) Store in 1951. The key here - and at least some of the smarter radio people out there are getting this - is to make radio reception ubiquitous in whatever devices people are using to access content. It's my understanding that a majority of cellphones sold in Europe, and possibly Asia as well, include FM tuners. Pretty much every non-iPod MP3 player I've seen has one as well. And it's still nearly impossible to buy a car without a radio. The "radio via wifi" prediction has been rattling around for quite a few years now, and I think there are some decent reasons to explain why it's yet to materialize. Broadcast radio as we know it is an exceptionally, almost frighteningly, efficient use of spectrum for programming aimed at a mass audience. You build one transmitter plant and it can serve a literally unlimited number of listeners within a fairly wide radius. (Had we better planned the use of the medium-wave spectrum, that radius could easily still encompass three-quarters of the country with a single transmitter, but that ship sailed a long time ago.) On the user end, the advantages should be pretty obvious, too - receivers are dirt-cheap, universally available and universally compatible, and the technology is as mature as it gets: you plug the thing in (or put in batteries, or crank it) and turn it on, and that's it. No monthly fees, no carrier incompatibility, no passwords to remember. If "radio" showed up now as a new technology, rather than as a 90-year-old fact of life, we'd probably be deluged in headlines talking about how amazingly inexpensive and easy it is to use, rather than writing it off as dead. Sure, it's nice to be able to tune in KNX or CJOB or Radio Zimbabwe while driving to work in Rochester, and there will certainly be some number of people willing to pay the monthly fees to a wireless carrier and figure out the technical nuances needed to make that happen, just as there have always been some number of people willing to go to some effort and expense to give themselves a more individual listening experience, right back to the days of 45 rpm record players in cars half a century ago. But I think there's still (and always) a big place for mass-market, one-to-many communication, too, speaking to the majority of listeners more interested in their own local roads and headlines and weather than in what's happening in other markets. I think a lot of that will still happen over traditional one-to-many high-powered broadcasting, and probably still in analog at that, with other technology - be it HD Radio, sat radio, streaming via WiFi, whatever - supplementing the broadcast signals as needed for specific niche audiences. Think about cable TV - yeah, I get 500 channels on my digital cable box, but at any given time, three or four of every ten viewers are still watching one of the big four local channels. That may not be as monumentally profitable for the local stations as it was in the days when they shared nearly 100% of viewership among them, but it hardly means they're dead, either, or even on death's door. That doesn't mean radio in 2030 will - or should! - sound like radio now...but I'm not convinced it will be THAT different, either. s (Scott Fybush, ibid.) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ ABOVE AVERAGE CONDITIONS TONIGHT 60 meters is full of signals tonight; looks like one of the best nights here in quite a while. Too bad I wasn't able to check earlier and get a Perseus recording started before 0330 UT. Better late than never. -- (Brandon Jordan - Memphis, TN, USA, 0340 UT March 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) For the record; such quick tipoffs an advantage of subscribing to the dxld yg (gh) ###