DX LISTENING DIGEST 9-034, April 19, 2009
Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com
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SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1456, April 16-22
Thu 0530 WRMI 9955
Thu 1900 WBCQ 7415
Fri 0000 WBCQ 5110-CUSB Area 51
Fri 0100 WRMI 9955
Fri 1130 WRMI 9955
Fri 1900 WBCQ 7415
Fri 1930 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 7290
Fri 2030 WWCR1 15825 [or 2029]
Sat 0800 WRMI 9955
Sat 0800 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 9510 [except first Sat]
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
Tue 1900 WBCQ 7415
Wed 0500 WRMI 9955 [or new 1457 starting here?]
Wed 1530 WRMI 9955
Wed 1900 WBCQ 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
** ABKHAZIA. Venerdì 17 aprile 2009, 0702 - 9535 kHz, APSUA R. -
Sukhumi (Georgia), Musica locale. Segnale insufficiente-sufficiente
(SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo
(Genova), Italia, R7 Drake, Satellit 500 Grundig, 2 DE1103 Degen,
bclnews.it yg via DXLD)
** ALBANIA [and non]. 7390 collision: Maybe I missed it but I don`t
recall seeing any reports of what happened at 0630-0700 this past
Saturday with WHRI/WHRA. So a reminder maybe you guys want to check it
this Saturday morning. 73, (Glenn Hauser, April 17, to Noel Green and
Wolfgang Büschel, via DXLD)
No Glenn, you didn't miss it, but I did check it, and WHRI?WHRA? was
again co-channel. Albania was just about on top of a weaker American
signal. Why HRI should be here instead of clear channel 7365 (at 0630
anyway) is a mystery that may never be solved! I'll tune it again
tomorrow just in case. 73 Noel Green, England, April 17, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
I checked 7390 today - Saturday the 18th - and I found only Shijak
using the frequency at 0630 UT. Signal strength and audibility good.
WHRI/WHRA was using 7365 instead - signal peaking to 10dB over 9, so
it would have caused a lot of problems today, at my location, if still
using 7390.
So it seems that George Jacobs - or someone he knows! - has arranged
for this to happen, and now we can listen to both stations in the
clear.
Despite World Harvest beaming (according to HFCC registrations) to
southern Europe and NW Africa on Saturdays, I didn't find the signal
much different to what I hear during weekdays on 7365. If there is a
change in azimuth from 42 to 75 degrees then it is hardly noticeable
to me. Greetings from sunny Blackpool (Noel Green, ibid.)
Hi Glenn, I woke up for some minutes monitoring around 0655 UT: I
noted Shijak 7390 only on the channel with a peoples theater joke play
or something else. WHRI 7365 was very poor signal here at my location,
only S=1-2 strength or so. regards de Wolfy (Büschel, ibid.)
** ALGERIA [and non]. 252, R. Algérienne, Tipaza, 2205-, 17 Apr,
French, French songs; QRM de MRC 171 - Luxembourg effect? Most likely.
At some instances, the signal was annoyingly strong. Today [19 Apr] at
around 1100, the same phenomenon could be noticed underneath R.
Algérienne tx at Béchar 153 though at a much smaller scale (Carlos
Gonçalves, Portugal, April 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ANDAMAN ISLANDS [and non]. Report from India. A fast check reveals
on 15th April, that both Lucknow and Port Blair have left their old
frequencies and have moved to their new ones [7 MHz] as planned. More,
very soon. While you have all the nature near you, we have in
Bangalore, nothing but noise, pollution in the air, power cuts, etc.
(Arasu Manuhar, VU2UR, to Uli DJ9KR, Apr 15 via BC-DX April 17 via
DXLD)
** ANGUILLA [non]. Re 9-033, Melissa Scott: In my opinion, with her
preaching, this is just another way of prostituting herself. Probably
she should go back to calling herself "Barbie Bridges". 73, (Kraig,
KG4LAC, Krist, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ANTARCTICA. 15476, 15/04 2010, R San Gabriel [sic], Spanish, desde
San Gabriel, com 10 kW, mx pop Argentina (dessa vez não ouvi os
tradicionais tangos), às 2011 UT OM e YL talk e depois mais music, às
2020 sinal degradou e não mais ficou audível, #gravado#, 35333. 73
(Jorge Freitas, http://www.ipernity.com/blog/75006 Feira de Santana
Bahia - Brasil, Degen 1103, Antena Dipolo de 16 metros e balum 4:1 em
toroide. Direção Leste/Oeste, HCDX via DXLD)
ANTARTIDA, 15476, LRA 36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Base
Esperanza, 1800*-2010, 17-04. Inicio del programa a 1800, canción,
locutor: "Vd. está escuchando LRA 36, Radio Nacional Arcángel San
Gabriel, transmitiendo en la frecuencia de 15476 kHz, banda de 19
metros, desde Base Esperanza, Antártida Argentina", más canciones,
locutora: "Muy buenas tardes queridos oyentes, aquí empieza nuestro
programa de Esperanza al mundo". A las 1845 locutora: "Seguimos con
las noticias internacionales", noticias, terremotos en Afganistán y en
Chile. 1859: "Pasamos a la segunda hora, para que el mundo conozca
Argentina a través de la radio, Radio Arcángel San Gabriel, de
Esperanza al mundo, de lunes a viernes de 15 a 18 horas, para todo el
mundo por la frecuencia de 15476 kHz.". "Vamos a conocer todo sobre la
música folclórica argentina" (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas
realizadas en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW7600 G, Antena
de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ARGENTINA. 15345.07, Rdif. Argentina al Exterior (presumed); 2327-
2335+, 14 Apr; 2M discussion in Spanish; several mentions of
Argentina; BoH pips but no break in discussion. SIO=3+53, tough copy
due to undermod. 6060 nor 11710 audible (Harold Frodge, Midland MI,
USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie, 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ASIA [non]. RFA streaming audio --- If you listen to Radio Free
Asia on short waves. but you're not sure is it RFA, here are their
streaming links. All 4 channels are 24/7, but I've listed only those
broadcasting on short wave. All audios are in WMA format, 128 kbps, 48
kHz, stereo (DUAL MONO actually):
RFA Channel 1:
mms://a1545.l2130853544.c21308.g.lm.akamaistream.net/D/1545/21308/v000
1/reflector:53544
RFA Channel 2:
mms://a652.l2130856651.c21308.g.lm.akamaistream.net/D/652/21308/v0001/
reflector:56651
RFA Channel 3:
mms://a386.l2130822385.c21308.g.lm.akamaistream.net/D/386/21308/v0001/
reflector:22385
RFA Channel 4:
mms://a359.l2130858358.c21308.g.lm.akamaistream.net/D/359/21308/v0001/
reflector:58358
RFA-1: 0300-0700mand 1400-1500cant 1500-2200mand 2200-2300cant 2300-
2400mand
RFA-2: 0030-0130burm 1230-1330burm 1400-1500viet 1500-1900kore 2100-
2200kore 2330-0030viet
RFA-3: 0000-0100laot 0100-0200uygh 1100-1200laot 1230-1330khme 1330-
1430burm 1600-1700uygh 2230-2330khme
RFA-4: 0100-0300tibe 0600-0700tibe 1000-1400tibe 1500-1600tibe 1630-
1730burm 2200-2400tibe
DL (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, April 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** AUSTRALIA. Had a fair signal of Shepparton 11945 kHz English
service, readable program content at 0900-1000 UT Apr 17th, S=6-7
signal strength. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, April 17, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** AUSTRALIA [and non]. Radio Australia takes it on the chin on 31
metres --- For decades it was a pleasure to listen to news + from the
other side of the world from Radio Australia. For the last 5 years
though, listening on RA's long time 9580 frequency has been marred by
CRI's sloppy Cuban relay on 9570. I and others have complained about
this in the past to no avail. Listeners in this area had an
alternative tho: slightly weaker 9590 but this too now receives
interference because Cuba itself now uses 9600 kHz. There oughtta be a
law (Andy Reid, Peterborough Ontario, April 19, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST) 9600 closes at 1300 anyway (gh, DXLD) See also FIJI
** AUSTRALIA. 6507-USB, VMC Charleville *1330-1337 Apr 16. Popped on
at 1330 with "Forecast for eastern Northern Territory and Queensland
coastal waters" - warnings and weather for these areas, including
Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef. Good with ute QRM (John Wilkins,
Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** BAHRAIN. 6010, R. Bahrain, Apr 05 1606-1626, 24322-23322, English,
Dance music, SJ at 1618 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium via
DXLD) = singing jingle??
6010, R Bahrain, Abu Hayan, 0110-0120, Apr 06, English ann [sic ---
does that mean announcer or announcement? There is a difference ---
gh], English pop music, 33333, QRM R Sweden in Swedish, via Sackville.
Thanks for tips from Goonetilleke in Dubai! (Anker Petersen,
Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window April 15 via DXLD)
** BANGLADESH. Last (17th April) night Bangladesh Betar MW stations
were noted with extended broadcasts due to cyclone "Bijli" that hit
coasts of Bangladesh. Following MW outlets were noted all night with
Bengali songs & special weather bulletin every half an hour.
558 kHz - Khulna
630 kHz - Dhaka A
693 kHz - Dhaka B
873 kHz - Chittagong
As per on air announcements MW outlets at Barisal (1287 kHz) & Cox's
Bazar (1314) were also on air with extended broadcasts but not heard
at my location (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dx_india yg via DXLD)
Early this morning I heard them on 558, 693 & 873 at around 1.00 am
(1930 UT). 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur
Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, April 18, ibid.)
** BANGLADESH. Bangladesh plans to start applying summer time UT +7h
in June (WRTH Update April 14 via DXLD) What nonsense! That will make
it a sesquihour ahead of India which is not only west, but north and
east of Bangladesh, and even a semihour ahead of Burma further east
(gh)
** BELARUS. The Hrodna shortwave transmitter of 7110 kHz has moved to
7280 kHz. BR2 MW and BR1 SW transmitters operate now on reduced
schedule, between 1500-2100 (WRTH Update April 14 via DXLD)
** BELARUS. I have checked the Belarusian home service channels in 49
and 41 metrebands at various times, since I noted them off on Apr 01.
The stations seem to have reduced their schedules considerably from
0400-2200 during B08 to 1500v-2100 in the present A09 period. Their
sign on times have been observed as follows in April:
*1430: BR1 on Brest 6010, Hrodna 6040, BR2 in Hrodna 7265, BR1 Hrodna
7280 (ex 7110).
*1440: BR1 on Brest 6070, Minsk 6080,
*1500: BR1 on Minsk 6115, Mahilioú 6190, Mahilioú 7135 (ex 7145).
(Anker Petersen, Skovlunde, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window April 15 via
DXLD)
7210, R. Belarus Minsk, 2132-2145, April 15, English. M & W talk and
music bits; frequency schedule at 2135 with contact info; URL; jazz-
like music at 2137, into music program featuring same; ID at 2140;
poor-fair; difficult to detail; // 7255-weak under Nigeria; // 7390-
barely audible (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH-USA, NRD-545, RX-
350D, MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BIAFRA [non]. V. of Biafra International via WHRI on 17520 for the
second Friday in a row! So maybe they will stay a while. Reception
this time sufficient, April 17 at 1858, frequency already on with
long-form WHRI ID giving frequency and militaristic in-your-face-to-
the-heathens, Onward, Christian Soldiers theme --- we will conquer and
convert you by force if necessary. {The OCS theme on WHR is
instrumental-only, so the unchurched will not be aware of its virulent
lyrix, invoking the Crusades.} 1900 switches to VOBI theme, ID and
usual opening of Finlandia, and All Hail Biafra --- BTW, the English
lyrix really take some forcing into the metre of the music, so
originally some other song, or some other lyrix?
1906 ``Let Us Pray``, but instead of 5-minute supplication, a lively
song in vernacular for a sesquiminute, hardly seemed prayerful.
1907:30 already into newscast in Biafran English. By then, three
station IDs by The Orator, with webfeed artifacts, had gone by, none
of them mentioning the frequency. Has it been updated on their own
website http://www.biafraland.com/vobi.htm – of course not! Still
shows 15280 at 2000, where it existed only in the dim, distant past.
Yet this same page has been updated with the latest audio file linx
including April 17 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BIAFRA [non non]. Re 9-033, UNIDENTIFIED: Glenn, Enugu has
certainly been back on the air for some time now. I am not able to
measure the exact frequency and on’t know the exact hours of
transmission but I can confirm the station is on the air. I checked
6025 on 15/04/2009 at 2059 just in time to hear Enugu join the network
service of Radio Nigeria for the Network News at 2100 (parallel to
Kaduna on 4770).
The "national station" in Ilorin (6050) has been inactive for many
years and I have not heard the Abuja station (7275) for a long time
either. With best wishes from (James MacDonell, Niger State, Nigeria,
April 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Thanks Glenn! Great news, and many thanks to James for the
confirmation they were active. I initially suspected this was Enugu
from the start due to the fade-out pattern of the carrier. A few
nights ago I was able to make out drumming at 0425 and talk by man in
what sounded to be heavily accented English from 0430. Fingers crossed
I can get them good enough for a proper ID and enough details to try
for a QSL before they disappear again. 73, (Brandon Jordan, TN, dxldyg
via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BOLIVIA. Hi Glenn, Just finished a DX session, these logs are "hot
off the press." Excellent trop band condx in Australia tonight.
4796.274, tentative, R. Lípez, 1047 April 17, presumed with occasional
snatches of Andean music. Very weak and only readable in LSB to avoid
Chinese station high side (David Sharp, FT-950 and ICF-2010, NSW,
Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BOLIVIA. 6155.26, Radio Fides, La Paz, 0105-0145, April 17, Spanish
talk. Spanish ballads. Ads. ID at 0127. Poor to fair (Brian Alexander,
PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BOLIVIA. 5952.5, Radio Pio XII, Siglo XX, 2206-2222, 17-04,
locutor, comentarios, español, "Radio Pio XII cumple 50 años", "En
esta primera parte de nuestro programa", "Cochabamba, Oruro, el
departamento de Potosí", "continuamos con la actualidad de nuestros
municipios". 23322 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas
en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW7600 G, Antena de cable,
10 metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 4805, Rdif. do Amazonas, 0945, Lively Portuguese man in
full reverb, with brief music bridges, several local references.
4865.015, Tentative, R. Alvorada, 0958, religious talk by a man but no
clear ID. Weaker than 4805. Apr 17 (David Sharp, FT-950 and ICF-2010,
NSW, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. BRASIL, 4915, Radiodifusora Macapá, Macapá, 0556-0622, 18-
02, locutor, locutora, portugués, comentarios, canciones brasileñas,
identificación a las 0601: "630 kHz onda media, 4915 onda tropical,
Radiodifusora Maacapá AM, a nossa voz". "Acabamos de presentar Clube
da Madrugada". 35433.
4925.2, Radio Educação Rural, Tefé, Amazonas, 2127-2137, 17-04,
locutor, locutora, portugués, comentarios. A las 2132 identificación:
"Rádio Educação Rural, onda tropical 4925 kHz, faixa de 60 metros,
Tefé, Amazonas", noticias de la región del Amazonas. A las 200
programa "A Voz do Brasil". 24322.
9818.9, Radio Nove de Julho, São Paulo, 0903-0910, 18.04, portugués,
canciones religiosas, comentarios por locutor. Señal muy débil. 14321
(Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Friol, Grundig
Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros,
orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 10000, 15/04 2149, BRASIL, time signal do Observatório
Nacional, 44333 (Jorge Freitas, http://www.ipernity.com/blog/75006
Feira de Santana Bahia - Brasil, Degen 1103, Antena Dipolo de 16
metros e balum 4:1 em toroide. Direção Leste/Oeste, HCDX via DXLD)
Amigos: estou ouvindo nesse momento nos 10000 kHz com sinpo 55555 uma
emissora que se identifica como Observatório Nacional. Uma locutora de
10 em 10 segundos diz o horário "Observatorio Nacio [sic] 15Hs com 40
segundos....." (Anderson José Torquato, Garopaba SC, Brasil, 1842 UT
April 19, radioescutas yg via DXLD)
9999.96, Observatório Nacional, Río de Janeiro, 2004-2008, April 19,
Portuguese, pips, IDs & announcing QTR each 10 seconds by female :
"Observatório Nacional --- 16 horas, sete minutos, 10 segundos", 35443
(Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BULGARIA. 6000, R. Varna, Apr 05 *2055-2115, 33433-34433,
Bulgarian, 2055 sign on with test music, 2059 SJ [singing jingle?],
2100 Chorus music, Opening announce, News and music, 2114 SJ.
6000, R. Varna, Apr 12 2058-2108, 33333-32332, Bulgarian, Test music,
SJ at 2059, 2100 chorus music, Opening announce, News (Kouji
Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 17 via DXLD)
HFCC has this as Sunday and Monday 2130-0300, but surely means one
transmission starting on Sunday and ending on Monday, and the hours
are obviously wrong. DX Mix News showed:
RADIO VARNA Bulgarian
2100-2400 Sunday Black Sea 6000 V100/ND
0000-0300 Monday Black Sea 6000 V100/ND
And while we`re looking at their schedule, let`s outpoint these odd
transmissions:
EURANET English 0700-0710 Sat/Sun West Europe 9600 P300/306
EURANET German 0710-0720 Sat/Sun West Europe 9600 P300/306
EURANET Spanish 0700-0710 Sat/Sun South Europe 11800 P170/260
EURANET French 0710-0720 Sat/Sun South Europe 11800 P170/260
HORIZONT HS-1 Bulgarian
0900-1200 Mon-Thu West Europe 11900 S050/306 DRM
0400-0700 Friday West Europe 9400 S050/306 DRM
0600-0900 Sat/Sun West Europe 11900 S050/306 DRM
(Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
** BURMA [non]. 12140, April 15 at 1337 in Burmese, bits of Handel
music, a nice touch, but 1343 into Burmese rap(?) with drumming,
QRMing CODAR; see UNIDENTIFIED. This is Radio Free Asia via Tinian,
1330-1400 with 250 kW at 267 degrees but good signal way over here too
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BURMA [non]. Today, Apr. 19 at 1428z I tuned to 15480 kHz and what
I heard was the short beep tone, which I recognized as WRN feed tone
(when no program is aired) on HotBird satellite. At 1430z started
Democratic Voice of Burma in Burmese. Reception was very good (15480
kHz/1430-1530z/ERV/300/100/DVB).
Then I checked on HB satellite: "GBTS5" (12.597 GHz/A:2043) and there
it was! Yerevan-Gavar & HB with no delay. So, now we know those GBTS
channels on HotBird are for feeding SW transmitters. By the way, GBTS7
no longer carries WRN Moscow feed. Regards, DL (Dragan Lekic, Serbia,
April 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CANADA. CHU - On April 12 - 09. Son #2 drove me around Ottawa
looking for the transmitter towers for CHU. Son #2 thought this was
really dumb. I tried to explain how I had listened to this station
since I was a kid and just for the heck of it I wanted to see the
transmitter towers. All I could find out on-line was the location was
in a suburb of Ottawa (can't recall name at the moment). Anyway #2
knew where it was. Upon arriving near the location I turned on my 2010
and all 3 CHU frequencies were hammering in. #2 asked what that noise
was and when I told him that the station I was seeking was a time
signal station. He rolled his eyes.
We saw 2 towers. Both were near the corner of Greenbank and
Strandherd. The one was covered with satellite dishes and tons of
other hardware. I think it belonged to the fire and ambulance dept.
The second was a standard red and white tower but had no antenna on it
that I could see. #2 had enough and we headed back but while speeding
east on Fallowfield I saw an open field with 3 small towers spaced
quite far apart but there was no turning back. I figured this might be
CHU but was not sure.
Back at the house continued to make my case for wanting to see the CHU
towers but I got little sympathy. I even dialed CHU (613-745-1576) and
let them listen to the telephone version. Blank stares. I told them
CHU was just one of many services offered by the National Research
Council of Canada. At this point #2 mentioned he had seen NRC on a
sign at the 2nd tower we saw but didn't feel it was important enough
to bother mentioning. Normally I would say, "You had to be here", but
since most reading this (if Liz allows it on the tip sheet) are radio
heads like myself I think most will understand (Jerry Coatsworth,
Easter weekend in Ottawa, Ont., MARE Tipsheet April 17 via DXLD)
Of course I'm going to allow it. The thought of looking for a
Canadian time signal sends chills down my spine (Ed. Liz Cameron,
ibid.)
6660/USB, CHU Ottawa ON, Canada; 2043, 14 Apr; Time station, 2 x 3330.
// 3330 & 7850; 14670 not heard. 6660 covered by periodic ute bursts
(Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet via DXLD)
** CANADA [and non]. 6030, after 1300 April 17, Chinese and less than
1 kHz het on hi side, jamming against Ming Hui Radio or something
else? At 1314 surged an ID for ``Classic Country AM 1060``, then
``I`ll Only Love You``, i.e. from CFVP Calgary (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHAD. Tnx to Brandon Jordan`s tip, I looked for RNT on 6165 during
the one-hour RN Bonaire break. April 17 at 0450, hilife music, good
signal, pause for brief announcement in French saying good morning
from Ndjamena. Modulation was slightly distorted on music. Blocked at
*0458 by RNW OC and IS, opening Dutch (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
6165, RNT, *0434-0459. April 18, abrupt sign on with local African
music. Some French talk. Good signal but covered by a strong Radio
Nederland at their 0459 sign on (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** CHECHNYA [non]. Chechnya Svobodnaya / Program Kavkas closed down?
All references to radio transmissions have been removed from the
http://www.chechnyafree.ru website. This must have been done not
earlier than on Friday, since they are still in the Google cache from
April 17. Is somebody able to check out 171 from Tbilisskaya? Here in
Germany the frequency is blocked by Bolshakovo (Radio Rossii for the
Baltics and/or Belarus), so it is not possible to find out from here
(Kai Ludwig, Germany, 1354 UT April 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
The state of emergency in Chechnya was lifted a few days ago - this is
probably connected to that event (Dave Kernick, UK, ibid.)
Kai, it's heard loud and clear in Moscow throughout the whole
broadcast day. The location of the Russian capital is such that you
can quite easily listen to either Tbilisskaya or Kaliningrad here
(Kaliningrad is weaker than Tbilisskaya, though).
But you are right, I don't see a link to a live streaming on
http://www.chechnyafree.ru/ - only recorded reports and a link to
Russia's news TV channel Vesti. Moreover, the old audio link
http://radio.chechnyafree.ru:8000/listen.pls doesn't seem to work
anymore. But news are still updated.
So much for Bystritskiy's promise of a bright Internet future for
VoR's services!
VoR's Programma Kavzaz is now dealing with wider Russia's Caucasus
plus Georgia proper. Well, it's coming from Tbilisskaya, after all :)
I wonder if Kavkaz is going to launch a new website and if it still
has Chechen service. 73, (Sergei S., Moscow, April 19, ibid.)
Be careful when you are writing to Kavkaz radio service. On their
website they publish a monthly mail review. In it they have a nasty
habit of publishing email addresses of everyone they respond to.
Here's one interesting entry from January 31, 2009 translated from
Russian by Google with a bit of my editing:
Tsunehito Inoi, Japan, 45 years, tsune960(AT)ybb.ne.jp:
Hello! I'm Japanese. From autumn to spring I listen to European and
Asian LW radio stations. I used to listen to Chechnya Svobodnaya radio
at a frequency of 171 kHz. But in the last month or two I can not find
the call sign Free Chechnya that you used to carry every half hour.
Now I hear something that sounds like programma Kavkaz of the The
Voice of Russia radio company.
What does this mean? Is there still radio Free Chechnya. Or has it
changed its call sign? If you have any information, please write to
me. Thank you!
Answer: Yes, indeed, there were some significant changes in our
program. Now it is called Kavkaz (the Caucasus). Chechnya Svobodnaya
was set up at a time when the Chechen Republic had an extremely tense
situation. There was an urgent need to pay maximum attention to
Chechnya.
Today the situation in our republic returned to normal. The management
of our radio station decided it would be appropriate to inform the
audience about the events taking place not only in Chechnya proper but
also in the entire Caucasus region, including Ingushetia, Kabardino-
Balkaria, Daghestan, North Ossetia, etc. That is why the program is
now called Kavkaz.
Now only one program is specifically devoted to the Chechen Republic.
It goes on the air daily from 16.30 to 17.30 (12.30-13.30 UT). Its
reruns can be heard the same day 22.30 to 23.30 (18.30-19.30 UT) and
the next morning from 10.30 to 11.30 (6.30-7.30UT). Listen to our
programs on 171 and 657 kHz.
Source:
http://www.chechnyafree.ru/article.php?IBLOCK_ID=377&SECTION_ID=0&ELEMENT_ID=84948
(Sergei S., dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA. 3900, China, PBS Hulun Buir, Hailar. April-19 CC 0940 pop
music, 0941 YL talks, 0943 romantic chinese music, 0947 YL talks
followed by a chinese lachrymose romantic music (tending me to tears),
0950-0952 YL talks on music near its end, after OM talks. Consistent
3905 PNG QRM with Het and splash, 22222 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu
SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING
DIGEST) LOB, Welcome back to DX reporting after about two months (gh)
** CHINA. I do not know if it has already been mentioned somewhere,
but Xinjiang PBS is also still operating on 7120 from 0320 and on 7155
from 0300 in the evacuated band (Olle Alm, Sweden, 17 April, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA [and non] Firedrake, 1514-1535, April 16. Scanned every 5
kHz. from 7000 to 19000, but did not find any noticeable Firedrake.
Are they really gone? (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg
via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
15 April, 0728 - 13970 kHz, FIREDRAKE -> Sound of Hope TWN, Segnale
sufficiente.
April 15: 15900 kHz
0858 - Mx CHN non in // a 13970.
0859 - Firedrake in // a 13970.
0900 - S/off
0913 - S/on non in // a 13970.
Segnale sufficiente- insufficiente prob. -> Sound of Hope TWN.
16 April, 0926 - 15840 kHz, FIREDRAKE -> Sound of Hope TWN, Segnale
insufficiente- sufficiente, 15900 off (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto
Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, R7 Drake,
Satellit 500 Grundig, 2 DE1103 Degen, bclnews.it yg via DXLD)
UNIDENTIFIED station with accompanied Firedrake music jammer, noted at
1000-1200 UT, Apr 18 on 15840 kHz. Maybe another Xi Wang Zhi Sheng
SOH-Sound of Hope service from Taiwan? 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel,
Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Puzzle -- Firedrake on 15635 kHz at 1300-1400 UT, against ?? 73 wb
(Büschel, April 19, ibid.)
** CHINA. 7130 & 7185 previously reported as "China Business R" and
commented by Ron Howard in DXLDyg 13Apr'09 do seem to be CNR-1, and
suggested comparisons against other CNR-1 outlets which I did
yesterday, 18 Apr, so while tuning 7130, I found the same program
content as follows:
at 1620 UTC, \\ 7365 CNR-1 at 1712 UTC, \\ 6145, 7345 CNR-1
However, another Mandarin (?) program was observed underneath, just as
I reported back on 13 Apr - surely Taiwan being jammed (Carlos
Gonçalves, Portugal, April 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CHINA [and non]. 7270, Nei Menggu PBS (presumed), 1312-1340 Apr 14.
Alternating long segments of talk and regional music // 9750. The 7270
signal was way under Kuching, and 9750 was way under NHK (John
Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via
DXLD)
** CHINA [non]. 15 Apr at tune-in 1720 CRI seems to be on 963 in
Romanian. And at 1800 in German (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski,
Finland, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1456, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
and here past 18 UT, CRI is in GERMAN on 963. So probably German 18-
20, and NOT 20-22?? (Erik Köie, Copenhagen WORLD OF RADIO 1456, ibid.)
Probably a misunderstanding: The editors got the slot specified as
20:00-22:00, were believing that it was UT while in fact they were
given CET times.
I had only time for a quick check at 2050 and found a Chinese language
lesson in progress, probably as part of French programming. Strong
signal, clearly dominating the frequency here. Still the same audio
processing than in the YLE days.
Other reports mentioned that also English is carried on 963 until 1700
(Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.)
Pori 963 kHz now at 1610 on the air with CRI English. No noticeable
offset. The good thing is that now Finland is back and available in AM
with a high-power transmitter! 73, (Mauno Ritola, Joensuu, Finland,
April 15, mwoffsets yg via MWC via Mark Connelly, NRC-AM via DXLD)
Now it turned out that CRI's announcement was correct and just the
wrong feed on air for the first two days. Tonight I checked back while
walking home at 2030, and now German was on as announced.
Earlier in the evening Olle Alm noted that the transmitter went on at
1558 for Russian, still going on after 1700. Beyond that he found the
transmitter also on when checking shortly after 0300, and it stayed on
until 0600, with an apparent relay of FM programming from Beijing,
presumably still the wrong feed, so it remains to be seen what is
scheduled for 963 in the morning. For now it's clear that 963 carries
Russian 1600- and German 2000-2200.
Another interesting news: Since Wednesday a CRI signal is also on air
via Eutelsat Hotbird 8, on 11.604 GHz h:
http://de.kingofsat.net/sat-hb8.php
Michael Schnitzer reports in the A-DX mailing list that it contains
German at 2000, too, so it is quite obvious that this is the audio
source for Pori. This multiplex is run by Media Broadcast from their
Usingen uplink station (if that name rings a shortwave bell: Usingen
was once a utility site and became a satellite teleport after the
demise of the fixed ute. services).
This Hotbird signal is presumably a remux from Intelsat 10 where CRI
runs a multiplex with more than 30 audio channels on 4.085 GHz v.
Picking it up directly at Pori appears to be not feasible:
http://www.lyngsat-maps.com/maps/intel10_c.html
(Beware; dish sizes given by Lyngsat refer to hobby purposes only,
real requirements for such a 34 dBW C-band signal are 4 metres for
professional use and 3 metres for private installations.)
This is not a surprise, both Media Broadcast and Digita (the operator
of the Pori site) belong to the TDF group. Still it is another
question if the Hotbird signal is merely a feed to Pori or aims at
private dish owners, too. 963 kHz and Hotbird in a package, so to
speak (Kai Ludwig, April 17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Info from Finnish DX mailing list and onlinelog (kotalampi.com),
credits to Arto Mujunen, Hannu Perttula, Juha Solasaari and
Heikki Aarrevaara; .....
China Radio International via 963 Pori:
Language / UTC
Russian / 0200-0400
Estonian / 0400-0500
Lithuanian / 0500-0600
Russian / 1600-1800
Polish / 1800-1900
Czech / 1900-2000
German / 2000-2200
Info via Digita
The Estonian program mentions often Futuvision and radio86.com
websites that are also mentioned in Finland during "Chinese Hour"
program in Finnish on Classic Radio FM network (Jari Savolainen,
Kuusankoski, Finland, April 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Can someone confirm those Estonian/Lithuanian services please? The
thing is: CRI never broadcast in those languages before. No webpages
for Estonian/Lithuanian seem to exist on CRI.cn. The station has good
relay connections in Lithuania proper. Why wouldn’t it carry
Lithuanian programs locally?
Note that CRI Ukrainian still functions as an online-only service.
Ruud, to be fair CRI came a long way from R.Peking of old days. Give
it a try, CRI today isn’t exactly some kind of hard core propaganda.
It’s unfortunate that YLE chose to stop using that 600 kW transmitter.
Now the transmitter is up for hire (SRG, April 19th, 2009 - 20:16 UTC,
Media Network blog via DXLD)
This Tampere-based company also handles the CRI relays via Marnach-
1440 since New Year's Day 2008, when CRI ceased to work with WRN. In
the days before some rumours appeared here in Germany about 1440 to
carry "Radio 86" instead of CRI, and it was quite a disillusionment
for the mediumwave fans when the day came and it turned out that
"Radio 86" is merely a new can for the same wine.
Perhaps somebody has more insight on this Futuvision company, but it
is my impression that this is basically an European branch of SARFT in
general or CRI in particular. Presumably RTL and various FM relayers
(like Classic Radio in Finland) prefer to work with such a European
company instead of SARFT itself.
In the case of CRI Finnish, Estonian and Lithuanian such frequent
mentions of Futuvision / Radio 86 are no surprise because these
programs are not on shortwave and apparently never were, it seems that
they came to life as rebroadcasting offerings.
I don't know if it has already been mentioned: CRI no longer uses the
transmitters in Lithuania since April 1. Judging from the schedule it
is quite apparent that they in practice replaced the arrangements in
Lithuania by the Pori relay.
And those with Hotbird reception capability could also check out what
is on the satellite channel when the mediumwave transmitter is not on
air (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.)
Two or three days ago, I heard the French programme at 2000. But it
was unreadable. Probably a test? (J-M Aubier, France, April 18, ibid.)
As mentioned last night: Apparently the Usingen teleport first picked
a wrong one of CRI's 30+ satellite channels. So just a switching error
that was corrected yesterday.
It appears that for the first two days German 1800-2000, French 2000-
2100 and English 2100-2200 were carried. This would be the feed meant
for the Luxembourg relay, and indeed reports indicate that 963 was //
1440, away from some delay, caused by the additional satellite
distribution step (it's not just the famous third second but also all
the time required for the multiplexing at the uplink site, something
that can take up to a couple of seconds). RTL seems to take the feed
from China directly since 2008, and during the first days they had
quite some problems with it. Well, in all likelihood it was the very
first time BCE had to deal with huge C-band dishes.
Romanian 1700-1800, also carried by this mistake on Hotbird and 963,
is presumably meant for the Fllaka mediumwave site in Albania, to be
relayed on 1215 there. Anything else, in particular the FM programming
heard in the morning, does not appear to be directly related to relays
in Europe.
Amendment: I was just told that 963 was a bit less than a second ahead
of 1440. So presumably no four metres dish in Luxembourg but some more
complicated feed route, with the signal for the 1440 relay being
picked up somewhere else (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.)
** COLOMBIA. 5910.073, Marfil Estereo, 0819, best signal ever, with
traditional Spanish ballads, pre-recorded ID, then ad (or similar) and
into more music. 17 Apr (David Sharp, FT-950 and ICF-2010, NSW,
Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** COLOMBIA. OCUPA EJÉRCITO COLOMBIANO EMISORA DE GUERRILLA DEL ELN
domingo 19 de abril de 2009
La entidad señaló en un comunicado que desde las instalaciones se
emitía señal a una amplia zona del departamento del Casanare
BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA.- Militares colombianos ocuparon una emisora
clandestina del Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), durante una
operación contra uno de los campamentos del grupo rebelde en el
oriente del país, informó hoy el Ejército.
La entidad señaló en un comunicado que desde las instalaciones se
emitía señal a una amplia zona del departamento del Casanare, donde
opera el ELN, el segundo mayor grupo guerrillero de Colombia.
Precisó que en la operación, ejecutada por efectivos de la Décima
Sexta Brigada, se decomisaron los instrumentos de la radioemisora y se
ubicó además una fábrica de explosivos y un sitio adecuado para
albergar a unos 50 integrantes de la organización rebelde.
En su interior se hallaron 280 kilogramos del explosivo anfo, 40
kilogramos de súper anfo, cinco kilogramos de metralla, cuatro minas
antipersonales, 440 estopines eléctricos y 20 granadas hechizas, entre
otros elementos.
Fuente:
http://www.informador.com.mx/internacional/2009/96050/6/ocupa-ejercito-colombiano-emisora-de-guerrilla-del-eln.htm
NOTA: La Voz de la Libertad que emitia en los 95.5 MHz FM [logo,
QSL?]:
http://www.nodo50.org/patrialibre/fgo/imagenes/voz2.jpg
Ir a URL: http://www.nodo50.org/patrialibre/fgo/donde.htm (via Yimber
Gaviria, Colombia, http://yimber-gaviria.blogspot.com April 19, DXLD)
** CROATIA. 3984.94, Hrvatski Radio, Deanovec, 0131-0208, April 15,
presumed Croatian/English. "Crooner" ballads in vernacular; cut-off at
ToH for 2+1 pips; English ID, into "Croatia Today" program re war
crimes; international news re Somali pirates; poor-fair listening with
ECCS-LSB (Scott R. Barbour Jr. Intervale, NH-USA, NRD-545, RX-350D,
MLB1, 200' Bevs, 60m dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Should be much better via Germany on // 7375 (gh, DXLD)
** CUBA. 13880, new RHC mixing product thanks to new fundamental
13780, over which old 13680 leapfrogs, April 15 at 1320. 13880 had
similar modulation breakup as on 13680, but not 13780. There should be
a matching one on the other side, 13580, and indeed I could hear
traces of RHC under R. Prague in English to NAm during this semihour -
-- Commies vs ex-Commies! Recheck at 1349 when Praha had changed to
less favorable azimuth, RHC more detectable on 13580, but still
stronger on 13880.
Meanwhile RHC continued with much weaker and lower-modulated signal on
// 13760 from the other site. At 1403 Bárbara Betancourt plugged the
upcoming Mesa Redonda at 6:30 pm [2230 UT] on 9820 and 6000.
Apparently she has not read RHC`s new frequency schedule which shows
9640 instead of 9820 for that, maybe facilitating Nove de Julho
reception; BTW, per HFCC, 9640 collides with CRI via Kashi in Spanish
to Spain until 2300.
I have also noticed after 0500 when both 6000 and new 6010 are on in
English that there is an echo between them if you tune just right to
6005 with adequately wide bandwidth. It`s a safe bet than whenever two
RHC or China/Venezuela relay frequencies are only 10 kHz apart, as
happens in several other cases, they are from two different sites, and
thus cannot spawn leapfrogs (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1456, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA [and non]. As usual, RHC`s new online schedule is inaccurate
and incomplete.
http://www.radiohc.cu/espanol/frecuencia/frecuencias-espanol.htm
{Not only does it ignore the pervasive mixing products but it fails to
mention all the fundamentals actually in use.}
I am still hearing RHC in Spanish on 6120, altho on the schedule it
shows only one semihour per week, Sunday 2330 in Esperanto to CAm.
April 17 at 0447, RHC in Spanish, rough modulation on 6120.
I was looking for // to 5965, where RHC continues to collide with REE
Costa Rica; at the moment RHC was on top, along with Vatican Radio in
French for a 3-way SAH; at 0440 Vatican changes from 10 to 330 degrees
with 250 kW from SMG; and 330 tho intended for Europe carries on to
NAm beyond. After 0500 Vatican is in English.
Back on 6120 at 0459, RHC signing off mentioning 6000 and 6180 which I
assume were referring to *1100 channels. Played a different version of
national anthem, which seemed to mix in bits of La Marseillaise! Then
plugged repeat of transmission coming up on webcast only, IS and off.
REE was playing some nice ME music before 0500, which I wish I had
time to stay with, clearer on 6055 direct, but also with RHC ACI from
6060.
Then I went to 6010 waiting for that new RHC English frequency to come
on. Finally did at *0502 overriding sermon in English being translated
into Spanish, i.e. LV de tu Conciencia, COLOMBIA --- this may explain
people hearing English from HJDH elsewhen. The modulation on RHC 6010
was much better than on 6120, so I hesitate to conclude they were the
same transmitter.
At 0515 I was also getting RHC English weakly on 5960, but this may
have been receiver overload rather than transmitted, i.e. 6060
leapfrog over 6010.
As soon as RHC`s new frequency to Europe became known, I outpointed
that it would collide with Saudi Arabia, already using 11820. This
usage is even in PWBR `2007` at 1800-2300 to Western Europe, which
means they have been using it since at least 2006 and probably longer;
so there`s no excuse for RHC`s frequency manager missing it, really
blowing this pick. How long will they keep clashing, to avoid losing
face by admitting their mistake? April 17 at 2040, found RHC making a
SAH of about 5 Hz atop some muezzining underneath on the non-buzzy
BSKSA channel. I`ll bet it`s a different story in Europe, BSKSA aiming
500 kW at 320 degrees from Riyadh. RHC 11820 signal here stronger than
its // 11800 for all the Arabs in the Caribbean.
At 2101, these were going into Spanish, opening announcement 50% wrong
as to four frequencies in use: ``13760, 9550 to S America; 11800 to
Caribbean; 11750 to Europe``. As per RHC online sked, 9550 and 11750
have been replaced by 13790 and 11820 respectively. Besides its legion
of technical problems, internal communication at RHC is so bad that
the left hand does not know what the left hand is doing (all hands
there are left). Then to Siboney-on-synthesizer theme, which had an
audio cut of several sex in it.
Meanwhile I checked the English frequencies on the 2030-2130
broadcast. At 2046, I could barely detect the new one, 17660, very
poor with music // but not synchronized to 11760. How`s it doing for
all the Anglophiles in Rio de Janeiro, the apparent target? And what
about São Paulo, Brasília, Curitiba, etc., etc.? At 2057 a song was
cut off in the middle for more than two minutes of dead air before it
resumed.
13780, April 18 at 1433, Cancionero Iberoamericano, hostess mentioned
that it is on the air ``cada tarde de sábado`` --- no doubt it also
airs Saturday evenings, but she seems unaware that it has been a
Saturday morning staple for many sesquiyears. This week, Argentine
group El General Paz (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. RHC English internet webcast? Dear Radio Friends, Can you
please let me know at what times in UT I can tune in to Radio Habana's
English program through the internet webcast? Thank you (Kris Janssen,
Belgium, April 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
According to Arnie Coro`s announcements it is only at 0500-0700 UT,
tho I have not confirmed this. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.)
** CUBA [and non]. Glenn, after 46 years of embargo, time is over-due
for negotiations between both. Cuba is not the colony of USA, - US
government is in the learning curve now. Germany would be still
divided, if we had never talked on negotiations with the communists.
Raul Cuba should be on the Trinidad table too. 73 wolfy (Wolfgang
Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
R. Martí reporting on Pres. Obama thawing relations with Cuba, new
rules on remittances, 1415 April 18 on 11845, still jammed. If the
DentroCubans really want to improve relations, Mr. Castro, start by
TEARING DOWN THAT WALL of radio noise (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** CZECHIA. English number station with Czech accent noted 0846-0848
UT Friday morning April 17th on 9575.95usb mode. Announced "232 Oblix
Zer" over and over again. In previous year same intelligence service
was in 9580-9610 kHz range on few mornings too (Wolfgang Büschel,
Germany, April 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CZECHOSLOVAKIA [and non]. PAVEL MINARÍK AND THE COLD WAR ON THE
AIRWAVES [09-04-2009 07:48 UT] By David Vaughan Listen 16kb/s ~ 32kb/s
If there was one sound guaranteed to infuriate Czechoslovakia’s
communist leaders during the 1970s and 80s it was the call-sign of the
US-funded Radio Free Europe, broadcasting from Munich to the countries
of the Eastern Bloc. After the Soviet-led invasion of 1968, many Czech
and Slovak émigrés of a wide variety of political hues ended up
working for the station’s Czechoslovak Section. Back home they found a
receptive audience and Czechoslovakia’s communist leaders became
little short of obsessed with discrediting Radio Free Europe’s
broadcasts. Here is a short extract from a Czechoslovak Radio
programme from 1976, which opened by playing that despised call-sign:
Pavel Minarík in 1976, photo: CTK [caption]
“This is the signature of an illegal radio station, which is a tool of
the subversive and espionage activity of the Central Intelligence
Agency of the United States of North America [sic], infamously known
by the abbreviation CIA.” The report then turned its venom to
dissidents within Czechoslovakia: . . .
http://www.radio.cz/en/article/115140
(via Kraig Krist, VA, dxldyg via DXLD)
** EASTER ISLAND. The following comes from Bryan Clark – A remarkable
LF catch of the NDB beacon on Easter Island by Roelof Bakker in
Holland. “At 0220 UT a weak station surfaced on 281.026 kHz. The lower
sideband is at 278.970 and just a bit better than the upper sideband.
IPA-280 was received on my mini-whip, mounted 5 metre high, 6 metre
from the house in my small garden”. Bryan comments – Not aware if the
frequency is clear in NZ but we should have better chance of hearing
the station if it is (April NZ DX Times via DXLD)
There was another log of this reported recently from Brasil, but I
can`t seem to find it now (gh, DXLD)
** ECUADOR. Hi Glenn. HD2IOA, 3810, 1009, clear but weak with pips and
time checks every minute by a man in Spanish. Have been trying for
this for several nights - first logging of this here. 16 Apr (David
Sharp, FT-950+ICF-2010 NSW Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ECUADOR. 3279.71, LV del Napo, 1011, Continuous talk by Spanish
man, presumed, no clear ID. 17 Apr (David Sharp, FT-950 and ICF-2010,
NSW, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EGYPT. R. Cairo responded with "Dear Andrew, Thank you for your
message, I'll follow up the QSL cards' staff in the Egyptian Overseas
Radio and their work to send your QSL card. And I'll do it again till
you tell me that you received it, even if I had to visit USA myself
:). Your friend, Marwan Khattab or MIRO" (Andrew Yoder, PA, Drake R8 +
100'longwire (I rolled up 200' so that I could mow the yard), Cumbre
DX via DXLD)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Radio Nacional and Radio Malabo, 6250 and 5005,
Spanish, 2105, both stations in parallel with national news. 6250 much
stronger. 12 Apr (David Sharp, FT-950+ICF-2010 NSW Australia, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Radio Nacional (Bata): 5005, 4/16/09, 2255-2300* Afro-pop song, then
NA. MARS net started as NA was ending. No ID or any other talk heard,
but assume it was them. Good sig (Andrew Yoder, PA, Drake R8 + 100'
longwire (I rolled up 200' so that I could mow the yard), Cumbre DX
via DXLD)
6250, Radio Nacional, Malabo, 2035-2259*, April 17, Afro-pop music.
Some Euro-pop ballads. Spanish talk. Radio Malabo IDs at 2253 and
2256. Sign off with National Anthem. Fair.
5005, Radio Nacional - Bata, 0521-0540, April 18, tune-in to Euro-pop
music. Afro-pop music. Some periods of dead air. Only heard an open
carrier after approximately 0535. Weak. Not // 6250.
6250, Radio Nacional - Malabo, 0521-0610, April 18, Euro-pop music.
Spanish pop music. Spanish talk. Possible news at 0600. Radio Nacional
ID at 0602. Radio Malabo ID at 0608. Good. Not // 5005 (Brian
Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA ECUATORIAL. 5005, Radio Nacional de Guinea
Ecuatorial, Bata, 2000-2130, 17-04, comentarios en español por
locutora y locutor, canciones africanas, canciones en inglés. A las
2100 identificación por locutor: "Radio Nacional de Guinea
Ecuatorial", comentario por locutor y locutora sobre como prevenir el
paludismo, canciones, a las 2110 noticias: "Tiempo de noticiario en
Radio Bata", noticias de Guinea Ecuatorial, "22 horas 13 minutos en
toda la Guinea Ecuatorial, 1 hora menos Tiempo Universal", "Noticias
de fuera de casa", noticias internacionales. Durante las noticias, en
paralelo con 6250 Malabo. Después de las noticias a las 2130, programa
de música distinto en cada emisora. 35433.
También escuchada 0500*-0520, 18-04, con inicio de programación
matinal, canciones africanas. 35433.
6250, Radio Nacional Guinea Ecuatorial, Malabo, 1810-1835, 17-04,
canciones africanas, locutora, locutor, comentarios. A las 2110
noticias de Guinea Ecuatorial y del mundo, en paralelo con 5005, Radio
Bata hasta las 2130 horas que terminan las noticias, luego programa
independiente de música en cada emisora. A las 2200 noticias de nuevo
por Radio Malabo. 24222.
También escuchada *0500-0540, 18-04, inicio de la programación de la
mañana, canciones africanas, a las 0530 noticias. Programa distinto
del de Radio Bata en 5005. 24322.
15190, Radio Africa, 1820-1835, 17-04, inglés, locutor, comentario
religioso. 45444 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en
Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW7600 G, Antena de cable, 10
metros, orientada WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
15 April, 0700 - 15190 kHz, R. AFRICA - Bata, EE, tk OM e mx Gospel.
Segnale insufficiente-sufficiente. Molto irregolare (SWL I1-0799GE,
Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, R7
Drake, Satellit 500 Grundig, 2 DE1103 Degen, bclnews.it yg via DXLD)
** EQUATORIAL GUINEA [and non]. Hi Glenn, Perhaps you can be of
assistance. I need to find an authoritative website that explains the
new regulations pertaining to the changes for 7100 to 7200 kHz., so
that I can send it along to Robin Boggs at Pan American Broadcasting
(Radio Africa) regarding 7190, that he claims is still their
frequency. Please see the following email in response to my question
to him about the status of their supposed 7190 frequency and I
mentioned the new regulations. I assume that if R. Africa is on 7190
(which I wonder if this is really true), that they would be subject to
vacating that frequency. Thanks for your help. Any suggests or
comments would be appreciated! (Ron Howard, Asiomar Beach, CA, April
15, to gh, via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.:P
Original message: Subject RE: Radio Africa reception in Monterey, CA
Hi Ron, Thank you for your report on our Radio Africa Network, it
truly is a blessing to receive reports like this, it is solid
testimony of the power of this Christian radio Outreach inside of
Africa. The Radio Africa Network is broadcasting on two frequencies,
7190 & 15190. We are constantly upgrading our station for better
quality radio service. As we celebrate our 25th year inside of Africa,
we are truly the major source for Christian radio, Amen. We have a
full schedule, thankful for those dedicated ministries sharing and
witnessing the Gospel across Africa. *I am not aware of any
regulations at this time pertaining to frequencies*. We thank you
again for this report, God Bless you, Robin Boggs, Pan American
Broadcasting (via Ron Howard, ibid.)
Hi Ron, There is probably something more specific and legalistic
available from ITU, but I quickly found this at HFCC:
http://www.hfcc.org/pro/A09-7MHz-changes.pdf
Where one can infer that 7190 is not available for broadcasting.
http://www.iaru.org/ac-08spec.pdf shows 7100-7200 exclusively for
amateur now in all regions including 1 where they are. Probably more
at ARRL, but IARU should be more relevant. I assume 7190 has been off
for a long time, never any reports. 73, (Glenn to Ron, via DXLD)
** ERITREA/ETHIOPIA. ERITHIOPIA --- Yesterday's ex-41m-Log at 1655 /
1715 was quite interesting: on 7165 three signals: R. Ethiopia, VoBME
1 and Dimtsi Ertran making each other completely unintelligible, 7100
and 7175 clear, also 7220. 73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, April 16,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ERITREA. 7175-7165, VOBME, program 2, *0354-0410, April 18, sign on
with IS/ID sequence. Vernacular talk at 0400. Completely covered by
noise jammer at 0400. Eritrea moved down to 7165 at 0401 and jammer
followed at 0402.
7209.98, VOBME, program 1, *0354-0410, April 18, sign on with IS/ID
sequence. Horn of Africa music at 0400. Vernacular talk. Fair (Brian
Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ETHIOPIA. 6090, 6.4 1730, OID, men alldeles säkert Amhara Regional
State Radio, Etiopien, eftersom musiken var från ”Horn of Africa”-
typisk. ID-ar: ”Amara Kilil Radio”. Stördes av BBC på Dari och kl 1757
kom CRI och förstörde nöjet helt. BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW
Bulletin via DXLD)
6090, 6.4 1730, UNID but certainly Amhara Regional State Radio,
Ethiopia, because the music was typical ”Horn of Africa”. ID as:
”Amara Kilil Radio”. Disturbed by BBC in Dari and at 1757 CRI starting
up destroying the pleasure completely. BEFF (translated by editor
Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ETHIOPIA. 6110, R. Fana, Addis Ababa, 2051-2056, 15 Apr, Oromifa
(as listed), talks, songs; 33442; lost under even stronger adjacent
QRM (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, April 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** ETHIOPIA [non]. via Samara, Russia, 15350, Radio Xoriyo Ogadenia,
*1700-1715+, April 17, sign on with Horn of Africa music and opening
ID announcements. Talk in listed Somali. Brief breaks of Horn of
Africa music. Good signal for first minute but then fairly well
covered by noise jammer at 1701. Only heard a strong noise jammer on
listed // 17870. Mon, Fri only (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** EUROPE. Old Time Radio from Finland will be on the air again
Saturday --- Hello all Free Radio Friends! Old Time Radio from Finland
will be on the air again with high power this weekend.
Broadcasts will be on 19, 48 and 180 metrebands, somewhere frequency
areas 15050-15100, 6200-6325 and about 1650-1670 kHz or other
potential frequencies nearby. Reception reports are very welcome. E-
mail address is: oldtime48@gmail.com
Messages will be answered later because there is no Internet
connection to the broadcasting site but it is possible that you will
receive some information e-mails when we are on the air.
Also address for letters:
SRS Deutschland
Old Time R.
Postfach 101145
99801 Eisenach
Deutschland 73's, Old Time Radio team (via José Miguel Romero, April
18, dxldyg via DXLD)
Here in north-east part of Germany now on 6285 with SINPO 35343. vy 73
(Peter Vaegler, 1813 UT April 18, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Hi power on
15 MHz? Doubt it (gh)
6285, Oldtime R, 1835-, 18 Apr, German/English, pops, postal address
info, asked for reception reports; 45444.
6305 UNID (Oldtime R?), 1718-, 18 April, pops; 44433.
1675, Oldtime R, HOLLAND? FINLAND?, GERMANY? Where? 2106-2110*, 18
Apr, Dutch/English, talks, c&w music; 34443. According to José Miguel
Romero, Spain, in DXLDyg (18Apr'09), this station is in Finland. If
we're talking about the very same station, don't they use the Finnish
language? Also, the signal (check 6285 & 6305 below) seemed to be
quite strong. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, April 19, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST) see also NORTH AMERICA
** FIJI [and non]. RNZI's Version of the Closing of Radio Australia's
Fiji FM Relays --- Interesting that RFI is still on air!
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=45961
FIJI INTERIM REGIME CUTS FM REBROADCASTS OF RADIO AUSTRALIA
Posted at 02:27 on 15 April, 2009 UTC
Fiji’s interim government has ordered the shutdown of the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation’s radio transmitters in Fiji which are
operated by the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.
Fiji technicians were ordered to close down the two FM relay stations
in the capital Suva and in Nadi.
The shutdown also affects Radio New Zealand International whose
weekday current affairs programme Dateline Pacific is rebroadcast by
Radio Australia. Radio Australia is still broadcasting to Fiji on
short wave as is Radio New Zealand International.
The rebroadcast of Radio France International has not been cut.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International, PO Box 123,
Wellington, New Zealand (via Barry Hartley, Auckland Operations
Manager, Radio New Zealand, Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa, DXLD)
FEARING DIFFICULTIES, FIJI TIMES REJECTS RNZI AD
Posted at 07:03 on 16 April, 2009 UTC
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=46003
The Fiji Times newspaper has refused to accept an advertisement from
Radio New Zealand International.
RNZI sought to place the advertisement to inform Fiji about how to
listen to its broadcasts after Fiji’s interim government ordered the
shutdown of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s FM radio
transmitters in Fiji. The ABC’s service includes a daily RNZI
programme.
Radio New Zealand’s Communications Manager John Barr says they merely
wanted to remind listerners in Fiji of the frequencies to tune in to
RNZI. “The response that we got back from the Fiji Times was that they
could not accept the advertisement from Radio New Zealand. They
considered it provocative and it would potentially result in
difficulties for their senior staff.”
Radio New Zealand International continues to broadcast into Fiji on
shortwave radio and the internet.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International
PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand
(via Barry Hartley, RNZ, April 16, DXLD)
FIJI MILITARY SHUTS DOWN FOREIGN FM RELAYS
The current media crisis in Fiji deepened earlier today [April 15]
when Radio Fiji technicians accompanied by armed soldiers shut down
the two local FM relay transmitters of Radio Australia.
The local relays [Nadi on the western side of Viti Levu island and
Suva on the eastern side] both broadcast on 92.6 FM and carried 24/7
broadcasts from Radio Australia in Melbourne.
The main international airport is located at Nadi, and the relay also
served tourists in the popular resort areas nearby. Suva is the
capital.
The closure of the Radio Australia FM relays currently leaves just
the BBC and Radio France International FM relays as independent news
sources for residents and visitors alike apart from shortwave
broadcasts.
Military personnel are stationed in newsrooms of local radio
stations, many of which are operated by the state broadcaster Radio
Fiji. News bulletins are censored under an emergency decree issued
over Easter weekend, and no negative items about the new interim
government or its activities are permitted.
Radio Australia and Radio New Zealand International continue to serve
Fiji with shortwave broadcasts. It's not yet clear if popular RNZI
news programs such as 'Dateline Pacific' will still be carried on
local AM and FM stations without local censorship in Fiji.
According to the Radio Heritage Foundation, Radio Fiji operates six
separate radio channels, the main private competitor another five
channels, and a variety of other local FM stations operate mainly
from studios in Suva.
The closure of the Radio Australia local FM relays in Fiji is a set
back for the broadcaster, which has been expanding its Asian and
Pacific FM network. It recently claimed high levels of local
listenership to these relays.
According to RNZI, internet cafe owners in Fiji are also reported to
be closed down as their operations are investigated by government
officials. A number of blog sites carrying negative comments about
the interim government have received widespread publicity in recent
days.
Currently, people in Fiji can still listen to foreign news broadcasts
via shortwave or from some of the more powerful local AM stations in
Australia and New Zealand that can be heard at night. Relays of Radio
Australia and RNZI news from Radio Tonga [1017 AM] and 2AP Samoa [540
AM] may also be heard at night in some parts of Fiji.
The Indian language Radio Tarana station in Auckland [NZ]
broadcasting in Hindi at 1386 AM is often well received at night
throughout Fiji.
Internet streaming of Radio Australia broadcasts can be received in
Fiji as well, so long as the local ISP operations remain open. The
Fiji military is reported to be considering shutting down
non-government internet access.
Fiji TV has already had to curtail news bulletins after initially
defying the military, and the situation regarding relays of satellite
delivered TV news channels channels via local rebroadcasters remains
unclear. Individuals with satellite dishes are probably still able to
use them, at least for now.
The situation regarding amateur radio operations is also unclear.
There are no reports of clandestine radio broadcasts attempting to
circumvent the military crackdown on media news coverage.
This report draws on coverage from Radio Australia, RNZI and
independent sources.
The Radio Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit charitable
trust connecting popular culture and radio heritage across the
Pacific. To read about Fiji's radio history at our website, enter
'Fiji' in the Google search box at http://www.radioheritage.net (RHF
David Ricquish, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
FIJI RADIO SILENCED, RNZ HIT
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/2337232/Fiji-radio-silenced-RNZ-hit
Fiji's military regime has forced the shut down of the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) radio transmitters in Fiji, affecting
Radio New Zealand International (RNZI).
ABC Radio Australia said it had been ordered to close its FM relay
stations in the capital, Suva, and in the tourist town of Nadi, AAP
reported. "Local sources have since confirmed Radio Australia is off
the air in both locations," the ABC said.
RNZI manager Linden Clark said its Dateline Pacific programme was
affected by the shut down. Radio New Zealand International re-
broadcasts programmes via the ABC. Ms Clark said RNZI was still able
to broadcast on its shortwave transmitter.
The clampdown comes a day after TV3 reporter Sia Aston, cameraman Matt
Smith and ABC correspondent Sean Dorney were deported from Fiji by
officials unhappy about international coverage of the political
upheaval.
The military government, in power since a December 2006 coup, has
gained more strength in recent days following a Court of Appeal ruling
that the government was illegal under the 1997 constitution.
In reaction, the country's ailing president Ratu Josefa Iloilo
dissolved the constitution, sacked the judiciary and briefly removed
Frank Bainimarama from power before reinstating him as prime minister.
Bainimarama has since imposed tough reporting constraints on the
media, telling Radio New Zealand this morning that press freedom had
been "causing trouble" in Fiji. Thumbing his nose at democracy, he
said he did not want to hear any opposition to changes he imposed.
Media freedom group Reporters Without Borders has called the
restrictions on media a "mortal blow" to press freedom. "The military
government is heading dangerously towards a Burmese-style system in
which the media are permanently subject to prior censorship and other
forms of obstruction," Reporters Without Borders said.
It was appealing to the European Union and United Nations to respond
"to this manifest desire to restrict the free flow of news and
information by speaking out and firmly condemning media censorship".
NZPA, AAP (via Zacharias Liangas, Greece, April 15, DXLD)
But in this case, RA has fully retained its shortwave frequencies for
this region and maintained those broadcasts *in addition to* the local
relay in Suva. So, the local FM was 'value-added' and probably
increased listener awareness and use of the service. The effect is
likely to be that motivated Fijian listeners will just switch to the
HF frequencies that the government has no power to interdict. RA
likely has more listeners in Fiji now than what it had as a shortwave
only service.
I think using local relays *instead of* shortwave is folly because the
service is more likely to lose use of the local relay precisely at the
time the service is needed most--during a time of crisis.
Respectfully, Paul, I think this is what you meant to say had you been
as wordy about it as I am here. <g> (John Figliozzi, April 17, HCDX
via DXLD)
Hi John, Very true, but the result would still have been the same had
Radio Australia followed the examples of other broadcasters and shut
down shortwave, in this case, it would have boosted Radio New Zealand
International's listener figures.
I heard on this morning's RNZ local news, foreign reporters will again
be admitted into Fiji, RNZI will be sending in a reporter over the
weekend, I imagine that this could be a step along the way to having
the local RA FM station reinstated (Paul, NZ, ibid.)
When I was listening to Radio Australia during their morning show,
they announced this and said two SW frequencies have been added, not
sure which ones as they didn’t announce it on air.
FM or AM relays in a country are good, but when you have a political
situation which is unstable, this always happens. I see it this way.
In underdeveloped countries programs on domestic relays are always
subject to censors who edit programs and when things get hot, just
remove them. In developed countries, the programs air at very odd
times like 2 or 3 in the morning. But yet SW still gets through.
Here in Taipei the BBC World Service is also on FM for an hour a day.
Monday to Friday from 5 to 6 am and weekends from 12 to 1 am. But yet
I can pick them up clear as a bell on SW at more reasonable times.
Last year when I was in Singapore I heard a program from Radio
Netherlands on Media Corp. Singapore. Well, an upcoming story was on
Human Rights in Asia and guess what happened? For maybe the 4 to 5
minutes the piece was, there was nothing but music. That night I had
to tune to SW to hear the report (Keith Perron, April 19th, 2009 -
4:28 UTC, Media Network blog via DXLD)
** FINLAND. China on MW 963: see CHINA [non]
** GABON. And another non-log re: UNID 7270: absolutely clear at 1700,
if Gabon was there at that time, I would have expected at least a
carrier. Maybe only nighttime when Africa No. 1 is off 9580?
73 (Thorsten Hallmann, Germany, April 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GERMANY. EMR 33rd Birthday programme
Time 0900 to 1000 UT
Date 19th of April 2009 [Sunday]
Channel 6140 kHz
0900 to 0920 Tom Taylor
0920 to 1000 Mike Taylor (mail box programme)
Good listening 73s (Tom Taylor, April 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST) and in
advance on the dxldyg
** GERMANY. Harmonic DLF Heusweiler 1422 x 5 = 7110 kHz. Im Saarland
wird der DLF auf 7110 kHz im neuen ausgeweiteten 40 mb gehoert.
Harmonic Mittelwellensender SR / Sender Heusweiler 5. Oberwelle von
1422 kHz auf 7110 kHz. Wir hatten auf 2844.00 kHz gleiches Programm
wie 1422 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, Stuttgart, April 10, wwdxc BC-DX
TopNews Apr 17 via DXLD)
** GOA. Ronald Rodrigues wants to share [41] photos with you!
http://tinyurl.com/dyr98r
Hello! Kindly find photos of our recent Gardi Island, Goa, India IOTA
Dxpedition. Yours sincerely, (Jose Jacob, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GREECE. 9420, Voice of Greece (presumed); 1921-1932+, 14-Apr;
Monks? Chanting to 1927+, then M commentary in Greek; chanting
continued at 1932. SIO=3+52+, // 15630, SIO=2+52. Noticeable
improvement in 9420 at 1930, but not so much on 15630. Both target
Americas per A09 sked. Same combo there at 2116 (Harold Frodge,
Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie, 85 ft. RW & 180 ft.
center-fed RW, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUATEMALA. 4052.5. On Apr 04 I sent an e-mail to Mr. Edgard [sic]
Amílcar Madrid asking him about the works with the transmitter of
Radio Verdad and on Apr 05 he reply me. Here is his mail translated
from Spanish. We hope the words of Mr. Edgard will be true and R
Verdad return to the air in a month.
"Apreciado amigo Don Manuel: Thanks for your mail and interest
expressed about the repair of the transmitter of Radio Truth. I must
inform you that we are still hoping that we receive the transistors
that we need for repairs. We trust that we will receive them soon, so
that we can be on the air in less than a month, if God permits. When
we are on the air, we will inform you by e-mail. Meanwhile, on the
Internet you can tune in to any of the following two addresses:
http://radioverdadguatemala.blogspot.com and
http://www.radioverdad.org May God bless you and protect you. Édgar
Amílcar Madrid, Director y Gerente." (Manuel Méndez, Spain, Apr 5,
DSWCI DX Window April 15 via DXLD)
** GUIANA FRENCH. TDF Montsinery will transmit a special DRM programme
to NAB Las Vegas using the following parameters:
*Montsinery (French Guiana) G3 **Transmitter
*P = 150 kW
Freq = *17545 kHz*
antenna = Toucan 1
azimuth = 308
config = 4/4
Programme = RFI
DRM mode B
MSC=16 QAM
B=10 kHz
cr=0.62
bit rate # 14,5 kbits/s
audio encoding = AAC
*Time schedule = *2059-0050 UT (13h59-17h50 Las Vegas local time)
*Associated datas = *
label = < TDF Montsinery >
Text Message = "DRM transmission by TDF, French Guiana, to NAB - Las
Vegas - USA; F=17545 kHz"
*Days of transmissions* = Saturday 18-04-09 + Sunday 19-04 + Monday
20-04 + Tuesday 21-04 + Wednesday 22-04-09
DRM transmissions have no priority in case of breakdown of an other
transmitter which could be backuped by G3 transmitter.
*Remark:* On 23 and 24 April, DRM transmissions to Mexico will be
performed using different parameters to be specified.
Wishing you happy listening in Las Vegas and other parts of the United
States! Regards. Jacques Gruson F6AJW (via Alokesh Gupta, India, April
18, dxldyg via DXLD)
** INDIA. SPECIAL AIR PROGRAMMES ON POLLING DAYS
The News Services Division of All India Radio has made elaborate
arrangements to Broadcast Special Radio Bridge programme from 9.30 P.M
to 10.30 P.M on each day of polling in the General Elections. The
first programme in the series will go on the air on 16th April 2009.
In this hour-long bilingual programme in Hindi & English, AIR Delhi
will be linked through Radio Bridge with important capital stations of
the States/Union territories going for polls in the first phase.
Eminent Journalists, experts/commentators and AIR correspondents will
take part in the discussion. Similar Live programmes will also be
broadcast on the dates of the remaining four phases of polling on 23rd
and 30th April and 7th and 13th May 2009. The programme will be
broadcast on the National hook up and on Rajdhani channel. The News
Services Division is also planning day long elaborate programme for
the counting day i.e. the 16th of May 2009 (Press Information Bureau,
Govt.of India via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, April 15, dx_india
yg via DXLD)
Have Indian national elexions always been spread out over a month? I
realize it may be impractical to do it all in less than 24 hours, when
the day finally comes, as in the USA, since India is expecting 300-400
million voters and many of them are in rural areas, but it seems to me
this allows for elexioneering DURING the axual voting process spread
out for so long, five Thursdays in a row. At least we get a `snapshot`
of the voters` will as of a certain day, but in India, without knowing
what the ultimate numbers will be, the voting could overall be
favoring one side on day 1 and the other side on voting day 5
depending on what happens in the interim, not least these AIR
programmes. Or are different races (electoral contests) voted on
different weeks, so a single race would all be handled on a certain
day? But then people would have to go to the polls five times, which
would be counterproductive; or is it by regions? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. 9425, AIR Bengaluru - National Channel, 1431-1440, April 15.
In English; news bulletin; ID seemed to be: “This is the National
Channel of A.I.R. on 191.6m, 1566 kHz, 246.9m, 1215 kHz, and on
shortwave 9425 kHz and 9470 kHz, in the 31m band”; program “Vividh”(?)
with talk about “Leadership in Education”. This is the regular program
in English that I have recently been hearing at this time and seems to
only be in English every other day, but needs more monitoring to
confirm. Unable to hear them on 9470 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA,
Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA AIR Khampur DRM on 6100 kHz --- On 11th April, 2009 All India
Radio DRM transmission via Khampur on 6100 kHz was noted till 1212 UT,
way past its scheduled sign off at 1200, with Tamil program between
1200-1212 UT (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, Apr 15, dx_india yg via DXLD)
** INDIA. UT-April 17: Fair reception of Indian music between 0107 and
0125 on 5990, some splash from Cuba +10 at times. This is All India
Radio in Sindhi for Pakistan, from Aligarh, 250 kW, 240 degrees (Joe
Hanlon, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INDIA. Yesterday 17 April 2009, just after 0845 UT I heard AIR
Kolkata on 7200 instead of 7210 kHz. Today they were noted back on
7210 kHz. This is for your kind info. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National
Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India,
dx_india yg via DXLD)
** INDONESIA. 3325, RRI Palangkaraya, 1222-1302 Apr 13. Jak news just
ending; into local programming at 1224 with flute opening, then YL
taking a bunch of phone calls (dedications?); finally into a block of
sub-continental music a few minutes later; alternating telephone and
music blocks continued past ToH to 1302 tuneout. Fair signal (John
Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, CO, Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** INDONESIA. The VOI/Banjarmasin log in 9-033 was indeed on Tuesday,
correct date April 14, not 13 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
9525, Voice of Indonesia, 1005-1030 Noted a male giving the news in
English language. "... is coming from the Voice of Indonesia in
Jakarta" ID by a female. After, she continues with the news. Signal
was good (Chuck Bolland, April 17, 2009, Clewiston, Florida, Watkins
Johnson HF1000, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
9524.98, Voice of Indonesia, 1001-1020+, April 17, English programming
with opening ID announcements at 1001. English news 1002. Commentary
at 1014. Fair to good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** INDONESIA. 9680, RRI Jakarta, 1052 17 April, soft Island music with
vocals by W, 1056 W in Indonesian with apparent song announcements,
then another soft song. 1101 jingle, a few words by M, then lively
music with M giving RRI Jakarta ID and mention of Radio Nasional. 1103
choral NA, then same studio W announcer returned. Co-channel QRM
slowly taking over. 73 (Dave Valko, Dunlo, PA, USA, NRD-535D, HQ-129X,
T2FD, Windom, HCDX via DXLD)
9680, RRI with atonal singing accompanied by seemingly unrelated
gamelans, Sat April 18 at 1305; no QRM, so maybe the Taiwan/China
radio war abates on weekends? Same music still going at 1348 (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INTERNATIONAL. AUMENTO DE LAS EMISIONES EN ONDA CORTA?
Hola a todos: ¿Habéis observado el último listado de Aoki? Me da la
sensación de que aumentó el número de tranchas horarias y con ello el
uso de la onda corta, lo que sería buena señal para los aficionados,
aunque generalmente son emisiones de tipo religioso y en idiomas
extrañísimos para un europeo. Pero ahí están los datos.
Parece como si los radiodifusiores hubiesen decidido "enmudecer" en el
PRIMER MUNDO y concentrar toda su artillería en el resto. Como si la
situación en el primer mundo no fuese lo suficientemente dura como
para dejar de informar y no manipular. ¿La nueva técnica de
mantenernos como exclavos-consumistas sin que abramos los ojos? (JUAN
FRANCO CRESPO, E-43800 VALLS-TARRAGONA (ESPAÑA-SPAIN-ESPAGNE-SPANIEN),
DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hard to quantify; is this true? (gh, DXLD)
** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. Hi Glenn, I have an online station called
Radio For Life http://www.radioforlife.net which is a Christian and
family based station. I would like to carry World of Radio and air it
on Saturdays at 1:00 central daylight time (1800 UT). I've been a fan
forever and think that what you do is the greatest. All the best and
thanks for what you do and how honest you are (``BMW``, April 15, to
gh via DXLD)
This is from Lynn White of Bible Gateway. Program schedule in UT -4 is
here: http://www.radioforlife.net/schedule.html
It`s not on 24/7, but Saturday at 1550 with some rollicking Motown.
We are now on several webcast-only stations, in addition to live
streaming from most of the broadcast stations carrying WOR (Glenn
Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Re First interplanetary echo of ham radio
signals. Glenn, someone wrote to your DXLD 9-031 that some German hams
lately had been the first hams to bounce ham radio signals off another
planet. In point of fact, hams have been doing this for decades with
VHF and UHF signals and the obviously piercingly capable homemade
equipment complements needed to get the bounce done. Integrated
(repeated, synchronized) signal transmission and recording is always
needed with the result that the return is usually recorded but about
as exciting to look at (candidly not ultimately) as watching paint
dry.
It`s a pity though that a lot of the equipment that`s accomplished
this often goes with the ham to Florida or Scottsdale, Arizona or
similar when the ham retires and gets discarded locally. Even though
"plumbing" radio with its WE-315B tubes, sometimes specially cooled
semiconductors and similar doesn`t generate any as many QSOs as the
shortwave stuff, it`s good for future hams to keep experimenting (and
succeeding) in their hobby (Frederic Jodry, April 19, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** IRAN. VOIRI: In response to an e-mailed report to VOIRI, I received
"Hello Dear Listener, I hope you feel OK. We're going to publish a
magazine on the occasion of 30th anniversary of victory of the Islamic
Revolution of Iran, so your viewpoints on this occasion will be highly
appreciated. We 're going to publish them in our magazine. Thanks in
advance." Nothing received since (Andrew Yoder, PA, Drake R8 + 100'
longwire (I rolled up 200' so that I could mow the yard), Cumbre DX
via DXLD) Give them you phone number so they can call you in the
middle of the night like they do Sue Hickey (gh, DXLD)
** IRAN. 15 April, 0724 - 13800 kHz, IRIBuzz - Zahedan (Iran). AA,
reportage telefonico OM. Segnale buono-sufficiente. Anche eco che non
sembrava propagativo. 13790 senza buzz, 13620 in italiano
sovramodulata (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21,
Rapallo (Genova), Italia, R7 Drake, Satellit 500 Grundig, 2 DE1103
Degen, bclnews.it yg via DXLD)
** IRELAND [non]. 6220, RTE, relay via Meyerton, SOUTH AFRICA, 1950-
2010, Apr 09, English interviews on financial/economic topics, news
summary at 2001, TC’s 30 minutes out of synchronization, so obviously
they rebroadcast the 1900-2000 segment at 1930-2030, very good signal
(Vashek Korinek, Florida Hills, Rep. of South Africa, DXplorer via
DSWCI DX Window April 15 via DXLD)
** ISRAEL [and non]. ISRAEL/IRAN 9986 / 11595 KOL Israel in Persian
and accompanied Iranian intelligence service oscillating whoop-whoop
bubble jammer at 1500-1600 UT on 11595v. Two jammers on 11594.91 and
11596.20 kHz. Another bubbler on 9986.03 kHz, but I couldn't trace the
KI signal close there, but noted a carrier on 9986.00 even though
(Wolfgang Büschel, April 15, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 17 via DXLD)
** ISRAEL. 15784.55, Army forces radio Galei Zahal was on even
frequency since Kol Israel ceased their program. But now traced today
on a very odd frequency, at 0900-1000 UT, signal S=7-8 in Germany
(Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, April 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
15784.88, once again odd frequency, Israel forces radio Galei Zahal
with distorted audio at 1000-1100 UT, Apr 18. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel,
Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ITALY. All RAI MW-, FM- and TV- transmitters in the Abruzzo
earthquake area are operating, a friend of mine, a journalist with the
local team of RAI, told me on Apr 09. The hit area is about 600 sq. km
wide in the Province of L'Aquila. The sole MW transmitter is located
on the Adriatic Coast (over 100 kms far from the quake zone) on 1035
kHz (Pescara San Silvestro). Radio is playing a major role in the
area. On Apr 08 evening, a popular TV programme helping to find
missing people was partly broadcast on RAI Radio 1 network to reach
survivors who are relying on radio as their first source of
information (Luigi Cobisi, Firenze, Italy, DSWCI DX Window April 15
via DXLD)
** KOREA NORTH. 3960, North Korea, KCBS Pyongyang, Kanggye. April-19
0953-1002 orchestral music. During past week the KCBS unlisted 3980
appeared // 3960, today seemed off; deteriorating 24322 (Lúcio Otávio
Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg
via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH. Re 9-033: Korea, DPRK / North. Apparently a new super
power transmitter is now used by Radio "Voice of Korea" heard between
15 and 20 hours with programs in Russian and German on 9352 kHz (Rumen
Pankov, R. Bulgaria DX March 27 via DXLD)
?? No other reports of this on 9352; really a spur from 9335 or
something? Or a typo of 9325? (gh, DXLD)
The frequency is 9325 - there's no signal on 9352. The signal is
better than usual at 1545 in Russian, and peaking to S9. Parallel
12015 is much weaker. Maybe it's just conditions as 15245 and 13760
were also well audible at 0800 today (April 15). (Noel R. Green (NW
England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [non]. 5910, Shiokaze/Sea Breeze, ex: 6120, *1400-
1430*, April 15. In Korean with piano music in the background; fair to
good reception; another clear frequency for them. This is a good
solution to their problem of jamming by N. Korea. Just change
frequency before any jamming is used against them. Most listeners know
by now that they stay in the 49m band during this time period, so it
is not difficult to re-locate them. They were on 6120 for about two
weeks (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF
RADIO 1456, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** KOREA NORTH [non]. 17 April, *1300:27 - 11640 kHz, OPEN RADIO FOR
NORTH KOREA, Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Coreano, tk OM/YL e mx jazz.
Segnale sufficiente-buono
*1330 - 11560 kHz, NORTH KOREA REFORM RADIO - Orzu (Tajikistan),
Coreano, tk YL/OM. Segnale insufficiente-sufficiente. QRM Pakistan
11565 (per EiBi 11570). (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 -
44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, R7 Drake, Satellit 500 Grundig, 2
DE1103 Degen, bclnews.it yg via DXLD)
** KOREA SOUTH [and non]. My sincere thanks to Alan Davies for
alerting me to a GE update to South Korea. Indeed all of South Korea
is now in medium/high res; unfortunately not what you would call very
high resolution, still difficult to resolve some landmarks.
I believe the Hwaseong SW (?) site might be here:
37 12 51 N 126 46 41 E (very difficult image).
The image for the Kimje SW site also reveals the towers - image
remarkably similar (same?) as that from Yahoo Maps (Alan Davies,
Thailand, Ian Baxter, Australia, shortwavesites yg Apr 13)
Fair resolution image in Google Earth.
KBS Sagang Hwaseong SW site. 37 12 49.04 N 126 46 40.29 E
<http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=37.214167&lon=126.778056&z=17.5&r=0&src=yh>
(Ian Baxter, Australia, SW TXsite, via BC-DX TopNews Apr 12)
<http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=37.214167&lon=126.778056&z=17.5&r=0&src=yh>
Gimje/Kimje is a little bit better, you can count even the
masts/curtains.
Still on poor/fair resolution: KOR HLAZ Cheju 1566 kHz
33 29 10.16 N 126 23 07.16 E (wb, SW TXsite Apr 13)
South Korean clandestine SW radio stations: Radio Echo of Hope 3985
6348 kHz and Voice of the People 3912 6600 kHz.
Webpage has been updated this year & I'm fairly certain that the SW
transmitter site location/names have changed for the above respective
stations.
Check out:
<http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=11691>
So on looking at the website & GE: Radio Echo of Hope TXing from:
Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (37N09 126E59) which is what we
have listed in the Excel files (Extinct) as:
Suwon: 37 09 25 N 126 59 36 E (Ex. KBS Radio Korea Int.) usage.
As for: Voice of the People (126E50 37N35) 'Goyang-si'; I didn't look
hard enough, but Mauno Ritola-FIN has located the SW TX site at:
37 35 40 N 126 50 40 E - this looks promising.
(Ian Baxter, Australia, SW TXsite Apr 13)
Bingo - bright and glossy
<http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=37.594444&lon=126.844444&z=17.9&r=0&src=yh>
4 curtains
37 35 42.90 N 126 50 50.20 E
37 35 42.82 N 126 50 47.57 E
37 35 41.77 N 126 50 37.69 E
37 35 39.31 N 126 50 32.38 E
1 easy dipole in between,
37 35 42.28 N 126 50 40.55 E
2 MW single masts on the south-eastern and south-western corner
37 35 37.29 N 126 50 43.86 E
37 35 36.91 N 126 50 27.84 E
And center north - just north of the two easy dipole masts: a fountain
signal like 4/5/6 MHz STEEP SIGNAL BEAM with 4 masts and central
supply feed at 37 35 43.53 N 126 50 42.72 E,
like R Rebelde 4-mast array 5025 / 6000 kHz for non-direxional Steep
target at Quivicán, Cuba, 22 49 25.47 N 82 17 47.46 W
or like at Gavar Armenia 6-masts for 4810 kHz, 40 25 16.57 N 45 12
04.20 E (Wolfgang Büschel, shortwavesites yg Apr 14; all via BC-DX
April 17 via DXLD)
** KUWAIT. 15 April, 0735 - 11675 kHz, R. KUWAIT - Kabd, Musica locale
in // 13650. Segnale insufficiente- sufficiente. Per EiBi s/off 0700.
NF? Anche alle 0840! (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 -
44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, R7 Drake, Satellit 500 Grundig, 2
DE1103 Degen, bclnews.it yg via DXLD)
** LAOS. Lao National Radio, 4412.7, 1041, low modulation but solid S7
signal. Nice local music with occasional talk by a woman. Have seen
this parallel on prior checks with 6130. 16 Apr (David Sharp, FT-
950+ICF-2010 NSW Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
4412.61v, Lao National Radio - Sam Neua (site per EiBi), 1222-1233*,
April 16. Talk in vernacular; // 6130 till sign-off announcement and
choral National Anthem (Pheng Xat Lao); both frequencies about equal
strength; 6130 continued on (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
4412.646, 1107, drifting down from usual 4412.7 and tonight much
stronger with full modulation. News read by a woman to 1110, then into
local music. Didn't check to see if parallel to 6130. 17 Apr (David
Sharp, FT-950 and ICF-2010, NSW, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MADAGASCAR [non]. 5895, R Mada Internationale (Cf. DX-Window no.
373). I have tried several times, but there is no trace of it (at
least not on 5895) here in Johannesburg neither at 0400-0430 nor 1700-
1730. Sentech’s website still shows it as 0400-0430 via Meyerton on
5895 (Vashek Korinek, Florida Hills, Rep. of South Africa, April 13,
DXplorer via DSWCI DX Window April 15 via DXLD)
Did you try before it was suspended after April 6 at 0430? (gh, DXLD)
WRN BROADCASTS RADIO MADA INTERNATIONALE ON SHORTWAVE
WRN recently broadcast a series of special, one-off shortwave
broadcasts for Radio Mada Internationale, a clandestine station which
supports the deposed Madagascan president Marc Ravalomanana.
WRN was contacted on 17th March by followers of the deposed president
who had aspirations to broadcast into Madagascar on shortwave. At the
time, Radio Mada existed purely as an idea, however, under WRN's
guidance, the station was launched and broadcasting on shortwave
within 24 hours.
The station is an initiative of Tiako I Madagasikara (I Love
Madagascar, TIM) which is a political party in Madagascar founded by a
group of individuals on July 3, 2002. It is now the largest party in
the National Assembly of Madagascar with 106 of 127 seats, after the
parliamentary election held on September 23, 2007.
For more information on WRN’s shortwave services, contact Sales at
sales@wrn.org (Wired [sic], WRN News April 2009 via DXLD)
WRN CONFIRMS INVOLVEMENT IN GETTING RADIO MADA ON SHORTWAVE
Andy Sennitt adds: Although WRN does not mention the transmitter site,
Madagascar Online says that the shortwave transmissions were from
South Africa, i.e. Meyerton. Thanks to Kai Ludwig for spotting that.
(April 15th, 2009 - 17:37 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via
DXLD)
** MALAYSIA. 6049.6, RTM-Suara Islam, Kajang, 1633-1659, 12 April,
Malay, light songs; 34432, blocked by R Liberty in Bielorussian
(Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MALI. 5995, RTV du Mali, Apr 15 0618-0645. Tuned-in to fabulous
tribal music featuring great vocal gymnastics and lots of drums. The
next songs featured guitars and drums that swept past BoH until 0639
when a high-energy announcer came on, introducing more vocals. Signal
was decent and was audible over local lightning crashes. Music
continued until tune-out at 0645 (Bruce Barker, Broomall, PA, NRD 535D
and an Alpha Delta DX Sloper, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
5995, RTVM, *0555-0630, April 18, sign on with guitar IS. National
Anthem at 0558. Flute IS at 0559 along with French ID announcements.
Local guitar music & rustic tribal vocals at 0601. “Radio Mali” IDs.
Poor to fair with some adjacent channel splatter (Brian Alexander, PA,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
9635, R. Mali, Bamako. April-19 FF 0922 OM talks, short music,
mentions of "Somalian, Burundi" many "Mali", 0931-0936 short African
music, canned announcements on music, OM talks. 24422 (Lúcio Otávio
Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg
via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. Radio Mil, 6009.967, 1017, presumed with nearly non-stop
Spanish pop music. Brief talk by a man but couldn't pull an ID. 16 Apr
(David Sharp, FT-950+ICF-2010 NSW Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. Muy buena propagación para Radio Mil y Radio Educación.
6010, Radio Mil, México D. F., 0359-0758, 18-04. Identificación a las
0400: "Vive México en Radio Mil, locutora, comentarios, canciones, a
las 0436 amplio comentario y entrevistas sobre la industria del vino
de Querétaro, entrevista sobre embotellado y etiquetado del vino.
Anuncio del Instituto Electoral Federal, otros anuncios, "El
chocolate, producto 100% mexicano", anuncios sobre programas, "Escucha
en Buenas Tardes México, aquí a las 3 de la tarde...", "Núcleo Radio
Mil", luego canciones mexicanas e identificación entre canciones.
24322 e incluso 34333 entre las 0700 y las 0720. Ni rastro hoy de La
Voz de tu Conciencia.
6185, Radio Educación, México D. F., 0407-0752, 18-04, locutora,
canciones y música, comentarios sobre las canciones. Identificación a
las 0602, "Radio Educación, donde está siempre la radio", "Radio
Educación... Colonia del Valle, México D. F.". "Relieves, tema de
actualidad, escúchenos todos los días por 1060 AM", "En Radio
Educación estamos en donde se siente la radio". 34333 (Manuel Méndez,
Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y
Sony ICF SW7600 G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orientada WSW, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO [and non]. Interesting Things at Mexico's Radio Centro??? I
gotta wonder what is going on down at Radio Grupo Centro in Ciudad
México. I did TOH recordings overnight in the semi-null of semi-local
690-KGGF in Coffeeville [sic], KS and tracked two Mexican stations and
another US station at almost every TOH. KGGF went off at our local
midnight (0500) and reappeared at local 5:00 AM (1000 UT). I never
did ID the other US station or the second Mexican. However, the
slightly more dominant Mexican was XEN, Ciudad México.
What threw me for quite a while in the deep overnight is that they
were running XERED-1110 programming, their sister Radio Grupo Centro
flamethrower on 1110 in Mexico City. On 690, there were numerous
"Radio Red, La Red" IDs at TOH times. I just don't understand paying
the electric bill to run TWO flamethrowers in the same market with
the same programming. However, at 1100, there was a classic Mexican
National Anthem followed by slowly and clearly enunciated "X-E-N,
Cuidad [de] México" and the frequency and power followed by "Grupo
Radio Centro." I was hurrying to another sign-on and I did not catch
whether XEN then started their "La 69" programming or continued to
simulcast XERED. Verrrry interesting. I wonder what about a megawatt
of electricity each night costs???? (John Bryant, Stillwater, OK,
April 16, IRCA via DXLD)
** MEXICO. XESDD(AM), NEAR TIJUANA, STILL SEEMS GROSSLY OVERPOWERED
Question (paraphrased): What can you tell me about XESDD, 1030 kHz?
They still seem to be grossly overpowered toward the U.S. They put a
VERY STRONG signal 25 miles west of Yosemite and I've heard them
further east near Lake Tahoe with a good nighttime signal! (Name
withheld)
Answer: In 2004 and 2005, the CGC Communicator did a series of
articles on XESDD and a few other Mexican stations that did not appear
to be living up to their internationally coordinated engineering
terms. XESDD should have three towers, but a recent report (CGC #840,
June 2008) indicates that they are still using only one tower.
XESDD is authorized for 5 kW unlimited hours with a three tower
directional pattern, same pattern day and night, and their published
relative field pattern indicates that they should produce very little
signal toward the U.S. XESDD apparently used a slant wire at one time
in an attempt to somewhat directionalize the station.
Considerable information on XESDD is available by visiting CGC's word
search Web page and doing a search on "XESDD" (without the quotation
marks): http://www.bext.com/_CGC/search.html
(CGC Communicator April 17 via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD)
** MEXICO. Tampico Cultural Radio cumple un año ¡al aire!
La página tampicocultural.com.mx/radio celebrará “más o menos un año
de transmisiones más o menos ininterrumpidas” e invita a los
internautas a escuchar mañana su programación especial.
Mar, 14/04/2009 - 20:21
Tampico.- Los editores del portal de arte y cultura regional
tampicocultural.com.mx afirman haberse bajado de la periquera al dar
sus primeros y cibernéticos pasos con su estación de radio por
Internet. Tampico Cultural Radio celebrará mañana miércoles 15 de
abril su primer aniversario con una programación continua de 9:30 am a
8:00 pm donde los locutores platicarán con el público, pondrán música
y debrayarán “como siempre”, lee el boletín. Para ser partícipe de
este proyecto virtual que cumple “más o menos un año de transmisiones
más o menos ininterrumpidas, y de ofrecer contenidos que representen
una opción distinta -o cuando menos divertida- a los medios de
comunicación de la localidad” la dirección es la siguiente:
http://www.tampicocultural.com.mx/radio Y aunque se trata de
profesionales poco convencionales, no son ajenos a las redes sociales
más populares como el MSN; puedes agregarlos a tus contactos:
tampicocultural@hotmail.com o bien usar el Facebook, buscando un amigo
llamado “Tampicocultural” les encontrarás.La página, iniciativa del
fotógrafo Miguel Ángel Camero, ha sido desarrollada por distintas
personas y computadoras, actualmente Josué Picazo, Roberto González y
practicantes universitarios como Christian Cabrera y Alexandra Schultz
son quienes más tiempo dedican a ella. Fuente: Milenio.com
http://www.milenio.com/node/199348 via Yimber Gaviría, Colombia, March
14, DXLD)
Beware, audio autolaunches at station website, how rude! Maybe we are
already listening to something else or even recording it and don`t
want it interrupted without permission?! Not cultural in the sense of
high culture, one soon learns (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NEPAL. Likewise, I emailed Radio Nepal about their shortwave
service, which, from their website, "seems" to be on the air. There's
been no reply to that inquiry (and I haven't heard any of their
transmitters at my location). 73's (David Sharp, FT-950 and ICF-2010,
NSW, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NEW ZEALAND. See FIJI [and non]
** NIGERIA. Tuned into Radio [sic] Nigeria, 15120, just after 1800
April 17, found them there, however the audio is horribly distorted.
17 April (Steve Lare, Holland, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA [non]. Re 9-033. I enjoyed reading the report of Aso Radio
so much that I failed to pay attention to the details. I`m afraid at
18-19 on 15215 it`s Libya in Hausa instead, as in the schedule also in
that issue, while Aso Radio on 15215 is at 1600-1630 (Glenn Hauser, DX
LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.:
"NIGERIA" - 15215, Aso Radio International, *1600-1630* Apr 16. Usual
flute/drum opening, then into Hausa talks and commentaries; went off
about 1630. Good on peaks but QSB. Via Samara (John Wilkins, Wheat
Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** NORTH AMERICA & EUROPE. QSLs and responses --- It's a shame that
few SWBC stations seem to QSL anymore. I sent out maybe 5-10 reports
(some via e-mail and some through the mail) over the holidays and
received nothing, except a few greetings. [see EGYPT, IRAN, RWANDA]
By contrast, I've received about a dozen pirate QSLs over the same
time period, with some stations (Channel Z and R. Zulu Delta) going
above expectations by mailing nice color QSLs when I had only e-mailed
reports. It's a shame that in this era, whe't [sic] funding bodies by
the amount of mail they receive, that they discourage mail by not
responding. On the other hand, having started DXing in the days when
many serious DXers dismissed pirates, I find it ironic that today the
pirates are much more reliable and generous QSLers than the SWBC
stations.
Barnyard R.: 6925U, f/d color smiling donkey e-QSL in 1 day for report
on frn.net. Thanks! (Yoder,PA)
R. First Termer via WEAK R.: 6925U, f/d color tank in Iraq e-QSL in 1
day for report on frn.net. Thanks!
R. Zulu Delta (Netherlands): 6307, f/d skull & crossbones glossy card
in two months for an e-mail report. Only 1 watt AM!
Voice of KAOS: 6925U f/d color secret agent e-QSL in a few days for an
e-mail report.
Radio Paardenkracht (Netherlands): 6205 f/d transmitter e-sheet and
color e-QSL. 400 w from Rohde & Schwartz ex-army SK050 transmitter
(Andrew Yoder, PA, Drake R8 + 100' longwire (I rolled up 200' so that
I could mow the yard), Cumbre DX via DXLD)
Andrew: Yes QSL's are more rare than the Dodo bird these days;
suggestion: audio record all your broadcast logs and satisfy yourself
that what you heard is what you say. Not only is the QSL rate 100%,
but you get the satisfaction of hearing your logging over and over
again! (Bruce Churchill, CA, ibid.)
** OKLAHOMA. KTBO-14 OKC was on the FCC list to close down April 16. I
did not notice when they went off, but certainly gone as of April 18.
I never did see them running any warning streamers about the impending
analog closedown. Like other TBNs they have FIVE digital channels, all
of them crap from RF 15.
BTW KOCB-DT-33.7 carrying SD from parent station KOKH-DT-24 lasted
only a few days. Must have been a temp need by some cable system. So
the remaining analog fullpower OKC stations are: KFOR-4, KOCO-5, KSBI-
52, KOPX-62.
April 18 around 2130 UT as there is severe weather in NW OK, I notice
that KFOR-4 analog has a permanent weather warning map as usual in the
UR corner --- but it`s missing on KFOR DT-27.1, just an unmarred 16:9
letterboxed HD NBC pix from a golf course. This axually comes in
handy, e.g. during SNL`s Weekend Update when some of their grafix were
right under the weather map on the analog version.
But KOCO-5 and KOCO-DT-7.1 are both running their own weather warning
map in the UR corner. KFOR and KOCO also have continuous but more
generalized regional and national weather on their .2 channels (Glenn
Hauser, Enid, April 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PAKISTAN [and non]. Re DST change to UT +6: and R. Pakistan news in
English heard today at 1000-1004 on 15100 and 17835 kHz. 73, (Mauno
Ritola, Finland, April 15, WORLD OF RADIO 1456, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Mauno - there is no PAK transmission at 1600 on either 9385 or 11565,
so my guess is that it MIGHT appear at 1500-1515 within the service to
the Gulf & ME at 1330-1530. 73 from (Noel Green April 15, via Mauno
Ritola, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hi Noel, you are right: English at 1500 on 9385 and 11565 kHz. 73,
(Mauno Ritola, Finland, ibid.)
15100, 17835, R Pakistan, Islamabad, English news at 1000-1004:02,
when both transmitters switched OFF midst on the sentence (Wolfgang
Büschel, Germany, April 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
15 April, - 0850 - 15100 kHz, R. PAKISTAN - Islamabad, Musica locale.
Segnale sufficiente- buono. Per EiBi 15105. Typo? (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca
Botto Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, R7 Drake,
Satellit 500 Grundig, 2 DE1103 Degen, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) Already
discussed in DXLD. Nominal 15105, really 15100 (gh, DXLD)
But VOA Urdu didn't moved time slot, like last year(s). I wonder why?
(Dragan Lekic, Serbia, April 15, dxldyg via DXLD.) It has now: see U S
** PAKISTAN. STEPS BEING TAKEN TO IMPROVE SW TRANSMISSION OF RADIO
PAKISTAN --- Pakistan’s Parliamentary Secretary for Information Azeem
Daultana has told parliament that that Radio Pakistan is broadcasting
external services programmes in seven languages and steps are being
taken to improve shortwave transmission for world and external
services (Source: South Asian News Agency) (April 17th, 2009 - 10:11
UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) how vague
** PAKISTAN. The April 18 (weekend) edition Wall Street Journal had
this piece http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124001042575330715.html on
the Pentagon's plan to jam Taliban FM stations in Pakistan (as many as
150 are operating, and not just on the border with Afghanistan).
(Chuck Albertson, Seattle, Wash., April 19; also via Mike Cooper, DX
LISTENING DIGEST) Plus lots more about PsyOp. And one excerpt, WTFK?:
As part of this push, the U.S. has started U.S.-funded radio stations
in many rural parts of Afghanistan. In one example, Army Special
Forces teams in eastern Paktia, a restive Afghan province that abuts
the Pakistani frontier, put on air a radio station late last year
called "the Voice of Chamkani," referring to the village where the
U.S. base is located, and distributed hundreds of radio receivers (via
Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 2410, R Enga, Wabag (presumed), 1110-1120, Apr
07, a male and female talking together in English. Noise is very
strong. Threshold signal did not improve (Chuck Bolland, FL, DSWCI DX
Window April 15 via DXLD) Reactivated after tribesmen attacked the
tower system in July 2007 ? (DSWCI Ed. Anker Petersen, ibid.) MW
harmonic unlikely on 2410 (gh)
** PAPUA NEW GUINEA [and non]. Grayline reception has been very good
the past three mornings, with all but two of the 90m PNG stations
heard around 1200; but 60m was dead. 120m also good for the VL8s and
105m for 2850 Korea North (William Brown, Independence MO, April 16,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
3335, R. East Sepik (presumed), 1216-1237 Apr 14. Chatty M announcer,
selections of vocal music; think language was Pidgin, but not sure.
Fair signal but usual band noise was present; still there at 1307 re-
check but weaker (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake R-8, 100-
foot RW, Cumbre DX via DXLD)
The NBC Papua New Guinea website still lists 4890 and 9675 as active.
I've asked about the status of these transmitters, and whether they
will be reactivated, but no reply to my email (David Sharp, FT-950 and
ICF-2010, NSW, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7325, 0745 5 March, Wantok Radio Light. Fair in
local dialects (Ian Cattermole, Blenheim, New Zealand, JRC 535, EWE,
April NZ DX Times via DXLD)
** PERU. 4746.934, Radio Huanta Dos Mil, 1123, very good with a solid
S9 signal, greetings by lively male announcer, music bridge, time
check at 1127. 17 Apr.
4824.466, LV de la Selva, 1135, starting to fade but still good -- not
much more than a carrier on previous nights -- one reference to
"Iquitos" by male announcer, local music. 17 Apr (David Sharp, FT-950
and ICF-2010, NSW, Australia, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PERU. 6195.83, Radio Cusco, 0045-0105, April,17, Spanish talk.
Spanish ballads. Peruvian music. ID at 0057. Poor but readable. Very
poor & very difficult reception after 0100 due to strong adjacent
channel splatter from Prague 6200 & unidentified station on 6195.0
(Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PHILIPPINES. 9570, R. Blagovest via R. Veritas Asia, Mar 31, 1507-
1517, 44444, Russian, Talk, Gongs IS and ID at 1513.
17830, R. Blagovest via R. Veritas Asia, Mar 31 *0130-0148, 55444,
Russian, 0130 sign on with IS, ID, Opening announce, Talk (Kouji
Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 17 via DXLD)
** POLAND [non]. Poland was all the 5's 17-18 UT here in Copenhagen
via their new 9790 Issoudun, FRANCE (ex 9555). 73, (Erik Koie, April
15, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1456, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PORTUGAL [and non]. Re 8-031: ``15770, April 8 at 1349 was only
hearing RDPI, tho WYFR in Spanish is scheduled until 1400, then its
own Portuguese. Propagation was poor, but a bit better from Europe
than Florida at this hour. At 1400, RDPI timesignal and time check as
usual mentioning an hour earlier in Madeira. 1454 recheck, WYFR
Portuguese was totally dominant, with RDPI barely audible underneath.
Also of curious interest, when I intuned at 1349 there was an open
carrier on the side at 15768. It lasted almost until 1400, and then
came back on. Nothing was audible on 15560, which is RDPI`s NAm
frequency, but guaranteed on the air this early only on weekends,
otherwise reserved for `special` transmissions. 15770 is for ME/India
(Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)``
Glenn, This is late, I know, and also of little relevance. You have
either misheard or the announcer was wrong as both mainland and
Madeira share the same Summer Time, UTC+1 h, whereas the Açores have
UTC. Conversely, Winter times are UTC for POR+MDR, UTC-1 h for the
AZR.
I'd expect a stronger signal via the back lobe should they be able to
apply 300 kW onto the ME/India rhombic. VEN at 261º is also at 100 kW
for the same reason. Those rhombics are, as far as I could learn, the
last remaining of this type at the CEOC, and I wonder why they don't
invest in new units; space is by no means an issue at their site. 73,
(Carlos, Gonçalves, Portugal, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PRIDNESTROVYE. Moldova / Radio PMR - has anybody heard them lately,
and if yes, where and at which time? 73, (Erik Koie, Copenhagen, April
17, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
As reported in recent DXLDs, 9665 at 2215-2300 just before VOR relay.
UT Sun-Thu (Glenn Hauser, ibid.)
9665 2200-0500 UT:
PMR 2200-2300
VOR 2300-0500
Nothing on afternoon anymore, no budget, no money; Grigoriopol
transmitter site belongs now to Russian commercial communication
company. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.)
MOLDOVA. 9665, Radio PMR; 2219-2232+, 15 April; English feature on
history of the Moldova/PMR/Romania conflict; gave frequency as 6240--
not there. Continued in French at 2231+. SIO=4+53+ (Harold Frodge,
Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie, 85 ft. RW & 180 ft.
center-fed RW, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PUERTO RICO. Saludos cordiales, queridos colegas diexistas. Espero
se encuentren muy bien. Escuchada a las 2345 UT la transmision de
Radio Paz 810 AM de Puerto Rico con transmisión deportiva. He revisado
el WRTH y en esa frecuencia aparece "AM 81/Cabe M; podría algún colega
diexista con el WRTH 2009 confirmar que emisora aparece en esa
frecuencia? Voy a grabar la señal para tenerla de muestra. Receptor
utilizado SONY SRF-M-37. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela,
April 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hola Jose Elias, WKVM, AM 81, Cabe M y no dice Radio Paz. 73, (Glenn
to JE, via DXLD)
Saludos cordiales, amigo Glenn. Entonces quiere decir que WKVM, AM 81
Cabe M ha cambiado de nombre, porque te comento que todo se refería a
Bayamón, y en WRTH aparece San Juan. A lo mejor la cambiaron hasta de
localidad, que piensas tu? Un abrazo y gracias por tu respuesta.
(José Elías, ibid.)
Bueno, Bayamón es un suburbio de San Juan así es que no importa mucho
[and another report from JEDG said they were carrying a SBG from
there] (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
De acuerdo a esta información, AM 81 Cabe M no existe más; ahora es
Radio Paz 810. Así que actualicemos ese dato en nuestros WRTH.
Mientras que Radio PAZ 810 AM, antes conocida como WKVM 810 AM,
también enfrenta una renovación que tiene como centro “una
programación de sentido evangelizador”, según dijo Alan Corales,
gerente general y vicepresidente de programación de ORO 92.5 y Radio
PAZ, quien destacó el “jingle” de ésta última, fue realizado por
Alberto Carrión. La info completa en :
http://www.vocero.com/noticia-19199-buscan_hacer_ms_con_menos.html
(José Elías Díaz Gómez, Venezuela, ibid.)
Its legal callsign is still WKVM, unheard on your clip, but don`t know
if you made it at hourtop. Per FCC AM Query, owner is now: CATHOLIC,
APOSTOLIC & ROMAN CHURCH IN PUERTO RICO so no wonder it`s religious.
50 kW direxional, same pattern day and night, major lobe 120-154
degrees; least signal, but not a really tight null, at 308 to 329
degrees, apparently protecting ZNS3 Freeport. However, has an
application to have different constants day and night, still three
towers, but new pattern plot does not load (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** ROMANIA. 7440, Radio Romania International; 2207-2212+, 15 Apr;
English feature about Romania-Moldova conflict -- didn't mention PMR.
SIO=453-, QRN (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft.
bow-tie, 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ROMANIA. R. Romania International: 11735, 4/15/09, 1704-1743 YL
with news. Later, chamber music by Madrigal Choir, including “I Cried
Out to Thee, O' Lord” & “I Praise Thee, Lord”. Excellent signal. At
QRT, said transmission was beamed to W Europe (Andrew Yoder, PA, Drake
R8 + 100'longwire (I rolled up 200' so that I could mow the yard),
Cumbre DX via DXLD) And then, ZANZIBAR, q.v.
** ROMANIA [non non]. Something wrong conclusion on the following
item: ``ROMANIA [non]. GERMANY. 9770-9775-9780 DRM, Radio Romania
International via apparent German "Transradio Sender" site according
to DRM text, 1852-1858*, 04/11 with a test transmission. Email reports
were requested to c.hoerlle @ tsb-ag.de 95% DRM copy on an S8 signal.
(Dan Srebnick, Aberdeen, NJ Equipment: Perseus SDR, Alpha Delta DX-CC
dipole and 130' end fed wire, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD, Apr 14)``
There is no >"Transradio Sender" site< in Germany. RRI Bucharest at
Tiganesti transmitter site in Romania uses 2 x 300 kW US Continental
419G shortwave transmitter gear.
9775 1800-1857 TIG 300kW 307deg
One of these transmitters is fed by an additive DRM modulation
"sender" exiter, which call identification is "Transradio Sender", see
DRM DMOD3 on pages 13 - 15 on
http://www.transradio.de/DRM-AM-TRANSRADIO1.pdf
Noted for the first time on Oct 30th, 2008 as test on 6115 kHz via RRI
Tiganesti with DRM call identification "SNR Tiganesti E2". 73 wb
(Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RUSSIA [and non]. Checking VOR frequencies, April 16 at 0135, 9890
poor, and 9665 had a fast SAH of approximately 12 Hz. That must be CRI
via Brasília, which is registered on 9665 at 01-02, 250 kW at 215
degrees in Spanish, so not much signal here, but enough to bother VOR
when southern conditions are up and northern propagation is down.
CRI/Brasília resumes at 03-04 in Spanish, this time at 314 degrees but
I`ve yet to check how the collision goes during that hour. {And this
transmitter repeatedly goes haywire putting out spurs and distortion.}
Every A-season, Russia [non] and China [non] clash like this, but now
it`s more serious with only one alternative from Russia --- 9890 until
0200, then no alternative (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
VoR A09 schedule about to change? The Voice of Russia seems to have
received plenty of listeners' complaints about limited reception in
the new season. Upon my enquiry, editor Marina Chechneva replied that
a new frequency schedule is currently being worked out, and promised
to send it to me as soon as it's available. No further details, as to
which language services will be affected. Let's hope it's change for
the better. Good dx, (Eike Bierwirth, CO, April 15, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
I couldn't find the link to the complete VoRussia .pdf file yet.
<http://www.ruvr.ru/index.php?lng=eng> see frequency list
Choose your language
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&w=129&p=> English
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=fre&w=58&p=> French
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=ger&e=130&p=> German
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=ita&w=63&p=> Italian
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=pol&w=90&p=> Polish
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=prt&w=60&p=> Portuguese
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=rus&e=464&p=> Russian
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=scr&w=201&p=> Serbian, also 11840
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=spa&w=90&p=> Spanish
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=arb&w=49&p=> Arabic
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=pek&w=56&p=> Mandarin Chinese
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=dar&w=45&p=> Dari
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=hin&w=49&p=> Hindi
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=jap&e=73&p=> Japanese
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=mon&w=66&p=> Mongolian
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=pas&w=47&p=> Pashto
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=per&w=57&p=> Persian
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=tur&w=46&p=> Turkish
<http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=urd&w=46&p=> Urdu
(Wolfgang Büschel, April 12, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 17 via DXLD)
** RUSSIA. V of Russia has started following DRM transmissions to
India :
UTC Days Freq Beam Target Power Lang Site
------------------------------------------------------------------
1200-1300 Daily 9445 234 India 15 Russian Irkutsk-Odinsk
1300-1400 Daily 9445 234 India 15 Hindi Irkutsk-Odinsk
1400-1500 Daily 9445 234 India 15 English Irkutsk-Odinsk
1500-1600 Daily 9445 234 India 15 Hindi Irkutsk-Odinsk
45 minutes of log for VOR English at 1410-1455 UT:
http://alokeshgupta.googlepages.com/9445_090413_1410_alokesh.JPG
Screenshot of VOR English at 1452 UT:
http://alokeshgupta.googlepages.com/vor.eng_9445_1452utc_13apr2009.JPG
Screenshot of VOR Hindi at 1502 UTC (On screen lang ID says English!!)
http://alokeshgupta.googlepages.com/vor.hindi_9445_1502utc_13apr2009.JPG
(Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dx_india yg via DXLD)
** RUSSIA. RUSSIAN TV REPORTS ON THE VOICE OF RUSSIA (video +
translation)
On March 31, the Russian news channel Vesti run a report on the Voice
of Russia. You can watch it here:
http://www.vesti.ru/doc.html?id=269847&cid=1
I used a google translator to translate Russian transcript into
English, with some additional editing for clarity. Time markers are
also added. Sergei
News host: Broadcasting Company "The Voice of Russia" launched a new
project - a 24x7 information channel for the Russian-speaking
audiences worldwide. For now it is available only on the Internet, but
soon will appear on the FM-band. Another news from the company - the
Voice of Russia started a non-stop service in English.
Natalia Litovko reports:
"This is the Voice of Russia Word Service. The news. First - the
headlines."
The Russian news in English is born here, in a small studio. A host
Svetlana Yekimenko is on the air. Right now she is the "voice of
Russia."
"We already have a rather wide audience that listens to us all over
the world, - says Yekimenko. - I have a lot of close friends in
different countries who have corresponded with me for many years. They
were surprised when we stopped a round-the-clock service."
Now the news, analysis, cultural entertainment and musical programs
will go on non-stop. The World English Service of Voice of Russia is
switching to round-the-clock operation.
1:01
Vladimir Zhamkin, Program director of the World English-language
service of Voice of Russia, explains why:"First, this will mean better
audience coverage. We have been broadcasting on the block-based
structure. Previously, when we broadcast in North America, we were not
heard in China. So now program goes into non-stop mode. "
The Voice of Russia now broadcasts to 160 countries, on the short and
medium waves - more than a hundred hours of airtime daily. The radio
station is heard across all continents in 38 languages, including
Urdu, Pakistani, Indian Hindi, Afghan Pushtu.
1:45
On display in the lobby - the history of the creation of the Voice of
Russia. Here's one of the first buildings. The first radio narrators.
The first equipment.
Radio then was called upon to tell the foreigners about the Soviet
Union. In the world it was the time of mass radio development. The
home radios went on sales in stores, and central radio gradually
penetrated into the remotest corners of the USSR.
External broadcasting in the Soviet Union started in the late 1920s.
Russia was the first country to enter the international radio market.
The station was initially called Radio Moscow. Later it was renamed
the Voice of Russia.
The words spoken then by the host into a microphone are now a legend:
2:34
"Hier ist Moskau! Greetings from Moscow!"
That was a radio call sign heard by the residents of Germany for the
first time on October 29, 1929. Thus began the history of the Russian
external broadcasting. Radio Moscow started "speaking" in German.
Later English and French broadcasts were added. BBC's International
Service started broadcasting three years later, and the Voice of
America - seven years later.
3:00
A well-known journalist, writer, political observer Valentin Zorin is
about the same age as the Voice of Russia. He has worked at the
station for more than half a century. The walls in his office display
his own photo-version of VoR's history.
His journalistic career began in the External Service. Today, this
respected specialist on the US says that it was a great journalistic
school. Such people as Primakov, Lyubimov, Taratuta worked at the
Voice of Russia. Russia's oldest radio company is still the place for
preparing top-notch communicators. Now Professor Vladimir Zorin
himself trains others by sharing his experiences with young
journalists.
"Once I met with a prominent American journalist, who told me that he
was listening to Radio Moscow, including my commentaries. And he told
me, 'I do not agree with you.' I replied, 'Why don't we start a
discussion?' And he says, 'No, we cannot. We are not allowed to do
that. According to the opinion of our authorities, we shouldn't draw
attention to the Voice of Russia'," - remembers Mr. Zorin, station's
political observer and a professor of the Institute for USA and Canada
Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
4:22
Major changes are awaiting The Voice of Russia in the near future.
There will be a technical upgrade. For now the equipment is far from
modern but the station is already expanding its online presence.
Audio, video and graphic files are now available online.
"When the Voice of Russia first appeared, there was no television. Now
we live in a totally different environment. And this fact is changing
the Voice of Russia. Our service will become more and more multi-media
oriented," - explains the chairman of The Voice of Russia Andrei
Bystritsky.
In the future, The Voice of Russia will launch broadcasting in a few
new languages of the CIS. The station is planning to expand its Latin
American service. All this while it is preparing to celebrate its
anniversary. - This year the Voice of Russia will turn 80 years old
(via Sergei S., Russia, dxldyg via DXLD)
Thank you for pointing out this! Another face to a voice I already
heard so often, even just by chance (for a German there is of course
little point in listening to VoR English). Two notes:
>> We have been broadcasting on the block-based structure. Previously,
when we broadcast in North America, we were not heard in China. So now
program goes into non-stop mode. <<
--- Which does not mean that they will be heard also in China when
they broadcast to North America. It seems that editors have been told
they are again audible around the clock at every point in the world,
but this is just not true.
The other round this "block-based structure" was not logical either.
Here in Germany it was during its existance a familiar DXer's joke
that VoR uses the Wachenbrunn mediumwave transmitter to serve Asia,
because during the morning they emphasized so much that they are
broadcasting to Asia while they were on 1323 (and later the other
frequencies in Germany as well), too.
>> There will be a technical upgrade. For now the equipment is far
from modern <<
--- Apparently quite true, no matter that their current studios are
almost brand-new. The footage seems to indicate that they are just
small chambers. Could it be that these are completely different rooms
than the previous studios, fitted in preparation for the 1980
Olympics? And then the small, portable-looking mixer in the control
room. The shots do not reveal much details at a first look, but these
open XLR connectors at the top of the mixer are not promising.
Could it be that continued maintenance of the ageing Hungarian
consoles started to become a problem, forcing them to install new
studios on a shoestring budget? (Kai Ludwig, April 18, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST) see also RADIO PHILATELY below: POPOV stamp
** RUSSIA. 7320, Radio Rossii, 0950-1005 April 17, With a program of
music and Russian comments from a male and females. The male must be
very funny since he seems to be tickling the gals with his comments.
On the hour, canned ID's as, "Radio Adygeya ..." possibly? Actually
the ID sounded like "Radio Ah-key", phonetically speaking. Following
the ID, news presented. Signal was good (Chuck Bolland, April 17,
2009, Clewiston, FL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Good Morning Chuck, Interesting log you had for Russia. Just noticed a
similar log by José. Same station? Wish you continued good listening!
(Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, via DXLD)
RUSSIA?? 7325, Adygeyskoye Radio??, Krasnodar, 1730-1739, escuchada
presuntamente el 13 de abril en idioma sin identificar, probablemente
en Adigués, locutora con comentarios, segmento musical, locutor con
comentarios, SINPO 33442 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia),
España, Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
7320 is certainly the Magadan transmitter on the air at 1000 and for
long hours before and after. The Adygeyan stuff is on a very limited
schedule on 7325 via Krasnodar per Aoki, but the question is whether
R. Rossii on 7320 would ever be carrying any such programming. Viz.:
7325 R. MAJKOP 1700-1800 .2...6. Adygeyan 100 190 Krasnodar RUS
04048E4436N MAJKO a09
7325 R. MAJKOP 1800-1900 1...... Adygeyan 100 190 Krasnodar RUS
04048E4436N MAJKO a09
7325 R. NALCHIK 1730-1800 ....5.. Balkarian 100 190 Krasnodar RUS
04048E4436N NALCH a09
7325 R. NALCHIK 1730-1800 1..4... Kabardino 100 190 Krasnodar RUS
04048E4436N NALCH a09
(Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also CHECHNYA [non]
** RWANDA. R. Rwanda responded with "Happy New year Andrew. Yes we
recieved your email and we r glad you listen to Radio Rwanda. Hoping
you will spare some tym to visit this beautiful country called a land
of a thousand hills. Keep in touch! Happy New 2009" I wrote back
describing what QSLs & e-QSLs are & have heard nothing the past 4
months (Andrew Yoder, PA, Drake R8 + 100'longwire (I rolled up 200' so
that I could mow the yard), Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** SAIPAN. Re 9-034, DRM tests from FEBC Saipan --- Depending upon
conditions, 11650 can give a useful signal at my location in NW
England, and has done so for many years. Propagation is poor today
(April 15th) but at 0930 UT I can hear the roar of something in DRM,
even though the signal is registering only 1 or 2 S points. I wonder
how many reports they will receive from Russia of this broadcast?
(Noel R. Green, England, April 15, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SAUDI ARABIA. Anoche también descubrí que ARABIA SAUDITA en la
trancha horaria de 1800-2255 en idioma árabe (Sagrado Cor`án) en la
frecuencia de los 11915 (como siempre potente como nunca) tenía en
paralelo la de 11925 que no me consta en el listado Aoki recién
distribuido. CORDIALES SALUDOS / GOOD LUCK / (JUAN FRANCO CRESPO,
E-43800 VALLS-TARRAGONA (ESPAÑA-SPAIN-ESPAGNE-SPANIEN), DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
Mercoledì 15 aprile 2009, 0646 - 17730 kHz, BuzzSKSA - Ryadh (A.
Saudita) AA, Radiodrama. Segnale sufficiente-buono 17740 on-off senza
buzz. Lavoravano sul tx sbagliato?
15 April - 0711 - 17730 kHz, BSKSA - Ryadh (A. Saudita), AA, tk OM/YL.
Segnale molto buono. On-off e poi il buzz è sparito.
April 15, 0908 - 17805 kHz, BuzzSKSA - Ryadh, AA, tk OM. Segnale
"buono". Se ne sono accorti e hanno spento. Alle 0912 il buzz era
sparito.
Giovedì 16 aprile 2009: 0729 - 17730 kHz, BuzzSKSA - Ryadh, AA,
consulenze mediche. Segnale "molto buono" Di nuovo il buzz!
0918 - 17805 kHz, BuzzSKSA - Ryadh, AA, tk OM. Segnale sufficiente -
buono Ieri era subito sparito, oggi no! (SWL I1-0799GE, Luca Botto
Fiora, G.C. 09E13 - 44N21, Rapallo (Genova), Italia, R7 Drake,
Satellit 500 Grundig, 2 DE1103 Degen, bclnews.it yg via DXLD)
17805: As usual BUZZ radio from Riyadh, with S=7-8 at 0900-1200 UT.
1st program also \\ 9675 and 21705 kHz, but 11730 was OFF.
HQ Holy Qur`an program at same time on 11935 17615 and 21495 kHz
(Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, April 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SAUDI ARABIA. 15120, Radio Saudi Arabia. Apr. 15 at 1200-1230 in
Bengali(?). SINPO 34433. S/on with National Anthem till [sic] 1200,
then ID. Male talk followed. Kor`an recitation at 1203 (Iwao Nagatani,
Japan, Japan Premium via DXLD)
Per WRTH, BSKSA opens both Bengali and Urdu at 1200, on different
frequencies in B-08. Current Aoki does not have any BSKSA on 15120,
but it is Bengali (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
** SERBIA [and non]. Existence of Radio Yugoslavia to call into
question - the gravity of the situation. See also French and Serbian
version in FOCUS. [could not find it in French either --- gh]
http://glassrbije.org/F/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=21&Itemid=34
http://glassrbije.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=20&Itemid=33
missing yet on the English website
http://glassrbije.org/E/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=23&Itemid=32
73 wb
DIE EXISTENZ VON RADIO JUGOSLAWIEN IN FRAGE GESTELLT. 17.04.09
Die Selbstständige Gewerkschaft von Radio Jugoslawien (Internationales
Radio Serbien) möchte auf diese Weise die Öffentlichkeit über die sehr
schwierige Situation benachrichtigen, in der sich, nicht durch ihre
Schuld, die Beschäftigten in diesem Medienhaus nach 73 Jahren seines
Bestehens befinden.
Der Grund für eine solche Situation ist nicht nur der undefinierte
Status unseres Hauses, sondern auch das unregelmäßige Finanzieren der
Tätigkeit, zu der auch die Auszahlung der Gehälter der Angestellten
gehört.
Obwohl der Haushaltsausgleich für 2009 angenommen wurde, hat die
Öffentliche Bundesanstalt Radio Jugoslawien immer noch keine
offizielle Information über die Höhe der jährlichen Budgetrate für die
Tätigkeit des Hauses bekommen.
{...} Quelle:
http://glassrbije.org/N/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=19&Itemid=32
(via Christian Milling via Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD)
** SINGAPORE [non]. Re 9-033, Wavescan Canceled: What is Wavescan's
current schedule? I only found a few 2005 Wavescan announcements and
files at AWR.org. Here's AWR language/frequency grid:
http://schedule.awr.org/CurrentSchedule.php
Also, there are two news items from AWR.org that I'm forwarding to the
list (Sergei S., Russia, April 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Wavescan schedule? See http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html
For KSDA, Wertachtal and WRMI airings (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Viz.:
LIVE STREAM DISCONTINUED
Written by Daryl Gungadoo, Wednesday, 15 April 2009
AWR has officially terminated our live stream from the Europe
satellite feed in favor of a multilingual service of Internet audio-
on-demand and podcasting. Your patience is appreciated as we test and
deploy this service throughout this year. This service will be run by
an asset management system recently purchased by AWR . It is the same
platform used by international broadcasters and service providers like
CNN, Ascent Media, Globecast, HBO and BBC World Service. For more
information contact the web team.
AWR ASIA/PACIFIC REGION OFFICE TO RELOCATE
Written by Shelley Nolan Freesland, Monday, 13 April 2009
The Adventist World Radio Board of Directors has voted to relocate
AWR's Asia/Pacific region office from Singapore to Batam Island,
Indonesia. The move is scheduled to take place by the end of May this
year.
"Just by relocating, AWR expects to save well over $100,000 per year.
The money we save will go toward airtime for our broadcasts, and
should cover the costs of broadcasting several languages," says AWR
president Ben Schoun.
Batam Island is located just off the coast of Singapore, with a
population of approximately half a million people; it can be reached
in about half an hour by ferry. It is a developing location with a
fast-growing economic market. There is already an Adventist radio
station on the island.
As the cost of living and operating in Singapore continued to rise
over the past few years, AWR began exploring the feasibility of other
locations in the region.
"This opportunity on Batam Island came about through the generosity of
a committed Adventist Indonesian businessman, Stevanus Widjaja,"
Schoun says. "He owns several buildings there and made a tremendous
offer to AWR, not only of office space but also of several houses. Our
staff will be able to have the same Internet access for their work and
can easily travel across to Singapore as needed. We are pleased with
this solution, and greatly appreciate Mr. Widjaja's contribution to
AWR's ministry." (via Sergei S., dxldyg via DXLD)
I fail to see the correlation between moving across to Batam and the
need to cancel Wavescan (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
In case anyone is wondering if this will affect the 2009 DX Contest, I
got this response from Shelley Nolan Freesland, Communications
Director at AWR, after asking the question via the online form.
"Hello Jonathon: Thank you for taking the time to write to us re:
Wavescan. AWR has announced that the Asia/Pacific region office will
be relocating to Batam Island, Indonesia, by June 2009. The future of
Wavescan is currently being examined, but we expect that any changes
would not take place until after the DX contest. Sincerely, Shelley"
So it looks like the contest is still on for now (Jon Pukila, Thunder
Bay, ON, Canada, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SOLOMON ISLANDS. Also of note: over past days, I am hearing SIBC
Honiara less often, on 9541v. A few weeks ago, they seemed to be
running 24/7 to compensate for the loss of 5020. But now the second
transmitter is proving less reliable (David Sharp, FT-950 and ICF-
2010, NSW, Australia, April 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
9541.51, SIBC, Apr 06 0736-0802, 45444, Pidgin and English, Music,
Address announce at 0750, 0800 IS, News (Koiji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan
Premium April 17 via DXLD)
** SOMALIA. On Sam Voron's website
https://sites.google.com/site/somaliahamradio/
among other interesting stuff, there's a mention of new Somali
shortwave station Radio Hage. Info says it operates from Galkayo with
1.25 kW on 3980 and 6915 at 0900-1000 and 0300-0500 UT.
Direct links about Radio Hage:
https://sites.google.com/site/somaliahamradio/somalia-short-wave-
radio-broadcasts
https://sites.google.com/site/somaliahamradio/radio-hage-somalia
(Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland, April 16, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
While discussing with Sam Voron about Somalian shortwave
activity, the following request was made:
-----
In case it becomes possible to find a donor for Somalia do you know of
any QUICKLY available AM short wave linear amplifiers in Europe for 1
kW or more AM output (4 kW pep)? Most amateur linears are 1.5 kW pep
(400 Watts AM maximum). If not, please keep a lookout and maybe we can
get something to help the community Radio Galkayo back onto short
wave. 73, Sam
-----
If you've got something available, please contact Sam at
somaliahamradio at yahoo.com (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland,
April 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
I`d want to be damn sure any contribution goes only to the good guys
in Somalia (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
** SOMALILAND. 7145.04, 1712, SOMALIA, Radio Hargeisa very good in
clear 31/3, thanks to most international broadcasters evacuating 7100-
7200 kHz range. Monitored in presumed Somali through to 1900 closedown
with educational and religious talks including some Qur`an, regular
idents, popular local songs (Bryan Clark at Mangawhai with AOR7030+
and Alpha Delta Sloper, EWEs to NE, E and SE, plus various 100 metre
BOGs to the Americas, April NZ DX Times via DXLD)
SOMALIA. 7145.03, R Hargeisa, Somaliland, 1630-1900v*, Mar 31, Apr 01,
02, 03, 04, 08 and 09, Somali talk, reports and songs with string
instrument, hymn at 1659, ID as Hargeisha and Somalia at 1700, Horn of
Africa music, news with several mentions of Hargesia and Somalia,
National Anthem at close, QRM from radio amateurs, 44534 deteriorating
to 22222 (Bernardini, Liangas, Mille, Petersen, Rajeesh, Robic and
Romero, DSWCI DX Window April 15 via DXLD)
But no trace of R Hargeisa at s/on as listed 0330 (Harald Kuhl in
DXplorer, ibid.) As in WRTH 2009 which said: 7530v 1 kW imactive:
0330-0600, 0900-1200, 1500-2000 (gh, DXLD)
** SOMALILAND. You guys monitor about stations and what is the use of
that? I see every they posting RADIO HARGEISA came on air bla bla even
on youtube from Japan; I`m lost. Don`t see why someone sits in front
of a radio trying to see who is on air (Kayse April 8th, 2009 - 5:49
UTC, Media Network blog via DXLD)
Yep, the station is heard loud and clear on 7145 during recent days in
Hurghada, Egypt. On some days it seems to start at noon UT and others
at 1500. No trace of morning broadcasts. I’m not sure when the
programs finish. (I heard them as late as 1630 UT.) The language is
Somali Arabic, with some music and frequent mentions of Somaliland. It
sounds like a pretty professional operation. I listened to R. Hargeisa
on Sony ICF-SW7600G with both a telescopic and long wire antenna (SRG,
Moscow, April 15th, 2009 - 17:44 UTC, Media Network blog via DXLD)
7145, 6.4 1655, Radio Hargeisa är nu igång med, troligen, en ny
sändare. Hördes riktigt skapligt, men modulationen var skral och det
hördes att den kommer långt bortifrån. Det var svårt att hitta något
rapporterbart. Somaliska språk. S. 2-3. BEFF (Björn Fransson, Sweden,
SW Bulletin via DXLD)
7145, 6.4 1655, Radio Hargeisa most certainly with a new transmitter.
Heard quite well but with lousy modulation and you could clearly hear
that it was a faraway station. Difficult to find anything to report.
Somali language. S. 2-3. BEFF (translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SUDAN. R. Omdurman (tentative): 7200, 4/16/09, 0250+ Seemed to sign
on around this time. Heavy QRM from a ham net. One ham said “I'll try
to reach you through this wailing African garbage.” Guess their
transceiver tuning knobs don't work. On with what appeared to be
Qur`an, into pop music. Solid S9 sig -- is it usually this strong?
(Andrew Yoder, PA, Drake R8 + 100'longwire (I rolled up 200' so that I
could mow the yard), Cumbre DX via DXLD)
7200, SRTC, 0232-0430:35*, April 17, tune-in to Arabic talk. Qur`an at
0235-0245. Talk & possible radio-drama at 0245. Time pips at 0301:30
followed by news to 0311. Announcements and promos with jingles. Short
breaks of a variety of Mid-East style music & local pop music. “Huna
Omdurman” IDs. Time pips again at 0401:30 followed by news. Abrupt
sign off. Fair to good signal initially but started to get weaker
after 0350 and was very weak by sign off (Brian Alexander, PA, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** SWEDEN. 13600, Radio Sweden; 1552-1600+, 14 Apr; Radio Sweden
Tuesday; Swedish features in English; close with rock tune--lyrics
sounded like random words picked out of a dictionary. Continued in
unknown language at 1600 after multi-lingual IDs, SIO=3+54- (Harold
Frodge, Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie, 85 ft. RW & 180
ft. center-fed RW, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SWITZERLAND [non]. Swissinfo Returns to WRN English --- WRN is
pleased to announce that as of March 29th 2009, Swissinfo is back on
the WRN English Networks.
Celebrating 10 years of International broadcasting this March,
Swissinfo is a multimedia platform that produces news about
Switzerland in nine languages for an international audience. Based in
Bern and part of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, the portal
replaced shortwave radio broadcasts previously produced for decades by
Swiss Radio International.
Swissinfo aims to provide an authentic image of Switzerland through
coverage of a wide array of topics of worldwide interest including
special reports. Their target audience is Swiss nationals living
abroad and those with ties to, or an interest in the country.
Teams produce content in three national languages – French, German and
Italian –as well as English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese and
Japanese. For more information on Swissinfo visit
http://www.swissinfo.ch For further information on the WRN Radio
Networks, visit http://www.wrn.org (Wired [sic], WRN News April 2009
via DXLD)
** TIBET. 7350, CNR-11 (Tibetan service), 1430-1500, April 16. Starts
with C.N.R. and Holy Tibet IDs; items about economic developments in
Tibet and three Nepali Sherpa brothers plan to stay on top of Mt.
Qomolangma and set a world record; segment “Tourism in Tibet”; Tibetan
music and songs; // 6010; both poor to fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar
Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TIBET [non]. 15412, V. of Tibet, Apr 12 1353-1400*, 35433,
Tibetan, Talk, Closing music, 1400 sign off.
15412, V. of Tibet, Apr 13 1330-1347, 35433-45444, Tibetan, Opening
music, Opening announce, Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium
April 17 via DXLD)
15410*VOICE OF TIBET 1300-1330 1234567 Chinese 100 131 Dushanbe-
Yangiyul TJK 06848E3829N VOTi a09 15412 (Aoki A09 via DXLD)
** TURKEY. TRT has started a 24h Kurdish service on 1062 kHz (WRTH
Update April 14 via DXLD) Presumably the 300 kW at Diyarbakir,
Kurdistan. When I was in the USAF 1969-1970, there was a base there,
which had a hardship reputation (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** UGANDA. 4975.97, R Uganda, Kampala, 2050-2115, Apr 10, light pops,
English ann and chats, gone when I re-checked at 2130. Fair signal,
but stronger than what has become a norm lately; probably consistent
with the nominal 10 kW (Vashek Korinek, Florida Hills, Rep. of South
Africa, DXplorer via DSWCI DX Window April 15 via DXLD)
** U K. On the World Service for years --- Broadcaster, writer and
politician Sir Clement Freud has died at 84. “Just a minute” of
silence, please (Brock Whaley, HI, April 16, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Clement Freud has passed away.
Longtime BBC World Service and Radio 4 listeners will know Clement
from his appearances, and dry wit, on the panel game "Just A Minute".
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/books/story/2009/04/16/obit-freud-clement.html
Clement Freud, a grandson of Sigmund Freud who became a well-known
writer, politician and urbane regular on British radio, has died. He
was 84. Freud died Wednesday at his home in London, his family said.
The cause of death was not announced.
He was best known from his three decades appearing on the BBC game
show, Just a Minute, in which panellists compete to see who can talk
the longest without hesitation, deviation or repetition. Freud's well-
stocked vocabulary and his slow, deadpan speech made him a master of
the game.
"Cheek is when someone of diminished responsibility goes to the
British Broadcasting Corp. and elects to be chairman of a panel game
on the basis that he might have some idea of how to control people
whose multi-syllabic words he doesn't understand, whose meaning he is
unable to comprehend," he once said during a typical delivery.
Freud had a testy relationship with his brother, the famed artist
Lucian Freud, rooted in childhood suspicions that Lucian was his
mother's pet.
Family fled Nazi Germany
Born in Berlin, Clement Raphael Freud came to England with his family
in 1933 — "refugees from the Nazis before the habit had caught on," he
said.
He knew his grandfather, who died in London in 1939, as a sickly older
man with mouth cancer. "But he was to me not famous, but to me a good
grandfather in that he didn't forget my birthdays."
Years later, as a member of a parliamentary delegation to China, Freud
noticed that a fellow legislator — the grandson and namesake of the
wartime prime minister Winston Churchill — was always given better
accommodations. "It's the only time I've been out-grandfathered,"
Freud remarked.
He was educated at the prestigious St. Paul's School in London and
then was an apprentice cook at the Dorchester Hotel, where he saw in
the new year of 1942 with 10 portions of Beluga caviar and a bottle of
Dom Perignon pilfered from his employer.
"Sat in the store room having the most memorable New Year's Eve meal
of my life to date," he recalled.
Following his army service, he was a liaison officer at the war crimes
trial in Nuremberg. He was a restaurateur and nightclub proprietor who
developed a line in writing about food, which opened further doors
commenting on sports and politics. From 1973 to 1987, he was a Liberal
member of Parliament, a source of great pride.
"Other Freuds had been nominated for Nobel and Turner prizes," Freud
wrote in his 2001 book, Freud Ego. Having won the election, "it
suddenly occurred to me that after nine years of fame, I now had
something solid about which to be famous." There was also the
satisfaction of having bet 1,000 pounds on himself to win, at 33-1
odds.
The earlier fame came from his appearances with an equally morose-
looking bloodhound in television advertisements for Chunky Meat Minced
Morsels. When asked what he would expect for a fee, Freud reportedly
said, "What the prime minister gets."
"For 45,000 pounds, I was prepared to sit next to a dog called Henry,"
Freud said.
Stephen Fry among Freud's fans
Comedian Stephen Fry told the BBC Thursday that he was charmed by
Freud's "air of disreputability."
"He, during the 1950s and 1960s, was a real Soho figure," Fry said,
referring the bohemian quarter of London. "He knew all the girls of
easy virtue, he knew the pimps, he knew the racetrack tipsters and, of
course, the restaurateurs, which is where he learnt his business as a
chef.
"His fund of stories about that time was simply remarkable, and he
lived a sort of life on the edge."
Freud was granted a knighthood in 1987, an honour Lucian scathingly
disparaged. "I was offered a knighthood but turned it down," the
Sunday Telegraph quoted Lucian Freud as saying last year. "My younger
brother has one of those. That's all that needs to be said on the
matter."
Clement Freud had no interest in reconciling with his brother. "I'm
not great at forgiving. If I decide that I don't like someone, that's
it," he said in an interview with the Observer newspaper in 2001.
In 1950, Freud married Jill Flewett, who was said to have been C.S.
Lewis' inspiration for the character of Lucy in the Narnia tales. He
is survived by his wife, along with three sons and two daughters (via
Fred Waterer, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hi Glenn: We know him from "Just a Minute," but I also enjoyed his
appearances US television talk shows. I think it was on the brief
revival of Jack Paar on ABC. If not, then Dick Cavett.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h7SWYkr5RWhQf9JbJIe5xtIhGEOQ
(Kim Elliott, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Portrait:
http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/files/2009/04/clementfreud.jpg
(via DXLD) OBIT
** U K. Here's the answer as to those mystery BBCWS transmissions from
my contact in Audience Relations. Listen now; won't last long (Richard
Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, April 15, ODXA yg via DXLD) Viz.:
Hi Richard, 15245 kHz (from the UK) is/was a BBC Russian service
frequency which is currently carrying our Middle East English with
'Europe Today' at 1600 GMT. BBC Russian is having to cut back their
short-wave hours but the changes couldn't be implemented at short
notice before the schedule rollover, so those which will eventually be
dropped are currently carrying English as a filler. Apparently it
won't be for long, though (via Cuff, ibid.)
** U K. BBC’s Radio 4's "Americana" to tap AIR producers, stations ---
Thought news of this new BBC 4 program about the US might interest
this list. In this case AIR stands for Association of Independents in
Radio (David Goren, April 19, swprograms via DXLD) Viz.:
BBC’S RADIO 4'S "AMERICANA" TO TAP AIR PRODUCERS, STATIONS
I’m so pleased to share the press announcement below that was issued
yesterday in the UK about a new BBC program focusing on the U.S. and
distributed via Radio 4. You may have seen Erin’s Friday announcement
here that the BBC has joined AIR's ranks, and we’ve been consulting
Executive Producer Maria Balinska in recent months on commissioning
freelance work as they craft an authentic representation of the U.S.
for a British listening audience.
Maria previously produced the popular BBC international
“eavesdropping” program A World in Your Ear, which was cancelled in
2007 (to our dismay). She recently moved to DC, and is very excited to
tap the AIR ranks, build a contributor list, and to try out new ideas.
Here’s a bit more from the Americana’s mission statement. <snip>
Combining discussion and reportage, Americana will hear from the front
line of change – political, cultural, social – across America, getting
between the coasts to the towns and cities of the ‘flyover states’ to
engage the listener with America in new and unexpected ways. The
show’s guest list will be deliberately eclectic, ranging from emerging
cultural stars (like comedian Tina Fey and Austin-based creator of the
King of the Hill cartoon series Mike Judge) and provocative
commentators (like conservative Michelle Malkin and ‘progressive
populist’ Arianna Huffington) to leading thinkers (like Chicago based
Garry Wills, Stanford African American conservative Shelby Steele and
Steven Waldman, CEO of Beliefnet.com the country’s largest faith and
spirituality website)…. <snip>
The journalistic and production standards are high for the program.
The production team will be commissioning one 6 to 8 minute feature
per program/week. They are, Maria says, “looking for engaging stories
which provide original insights into contemporary America and which
use sound imaginatively to enhance the narrative and to provide the
listener with a strong sense of 'bei ng there.'” Maria is familiar
with AIR’s recommended fee structure and says that the rates they’ll
pay fall within the range we’ve outlined. http://tiny.cc/E6TQ9
The Americana team is in the process of sorting out what particular
issues and themes will be of immediate interest to the program - and
will be posting them on the AIRdaily in the days/weeks ahead.
If you want more information, you can contact Maria directly at
<maria.balinska @ bbc.co.uk>, or call AIR at 617 825 4400 (Sue
Schardt, AIR Media April 19, via Goren, ibid.) Viz2.:
:: PRESS RELEASE ::
AMERICANA BRINGS VOICES FROM ACROSS AMERICA TO BBC RADIO 4
Americana, a new weekly programme presented from the world’s most
powerful country by Matt Frei, launches on BBC Radio 4 this spring.
Matt will be joined in the Washington DC studio by an eclectic panel
of guests. Emerging cultural stars, provocative writers and some
current prominent thinkers aim to give the Radio 4 audience an
insider’s guide to the people and stories shaping the USA. Americana
will also team up with radio stations around the country, bringing
reports and features from places off the beaten track.
America’s first black president has made ‘change’ his mantra. The
meltdown of Wall Street has dislocated the country’s status. President
Obama is trying to change the way the country carries out its
diplomacy. Americana will look at what these changes mean for America
itself, and the rest of the world.
Mark Damazer, Controller BBC Radio 4 says on his blog today: “Since
Alistair Cooke’s death and the demise of his Letter From America, I
have been thinking about a new programme that would ruminate about
America - one that would give fresh insights– from the city streets of
Chicago and LA, to the small towns of Tennessee and Montana. Americana
will bring Radio 4 listeners a sense of the country’s vibrant and
often complicated character.”
Presenter Matt Frei says: “ I’m very excited by the prospect of
Americana. There is nothing like it on national radio. I feel sure the
discussions with leading thinke [cut off here] (via Goren, ibid.)
** U K [and non]. INTERNATIONAL MARCONI DAY AMATEUR STATIONS TO LISTEN
FOR
International Marconi Day (IMD) is a 24-hour amateur radio event held
annually to celebrate the birth of Guglielmo Marconi on the 25th April
1874. The IMD event is not a contest: it is an opportunity for
amateurs around the world to make point-to-point contact with historic
Marconi sites using HF communications techniques similar to those used
by Marconi, and to gain an attractive Award for achieving the
requisite number of Marconi stations worked (see IMD Award ).
IMD is usually held on the Saturday closest to Marconi's birthday,
when amateur radio stations are established and operated from original
historic sites, or nearby. These stations are known as the 'Award
Stations' and are listed on this Web Site. The list is regularly
updated as the various stations confirm their availability to operate.
Watch this site for more details as they come in, and please help to
spread the word about this website, the only OFFICIAL site for
International Marconi Day 2009
http://www.gb4imd.org.uk/introduction.htm#Page%20Top
A full list of the participating stations can be found on the GB4IMD
website http://www.gb4imd.org.uk/ http://www.rsgb.org/news/0001.php
(via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD)
** U S A [non]. New timings for VOA Urdu Service --- Fri, 17 Apr 2009
Due to the introduction of DST in Pakistan the following changes are
effective 19th April for VOA URDU SERVICE :
MW 972 1539 kHz is available at 1300-0100 instead of 1400-0200.
SW service 0000-0100 (ex 0100-0200) on 9515(IRA) 7460(KWT) kHz.
SW service 1300-1400 (ex 1400-1500) on 11835 15725(both from UDO) kHz.
(Alok Dasgupta, Kolkata, India, http://dxasia.info/news/20090417 via
Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, April 18, dxldyg via DXLD)
Thanks for this information. Question: On 972 kHz (Tajikistan), not
only VoA but also the Voice of Russia is scheduled to broadcast in
Pashto/Dari, Urdu, and Hindi from 1200 to 1600 UT. Who is actually on
this frequency at the overlapping time? Do greenbucks win, or Kremlin
friends? Thanks, (Eike Bierwirth, CO, HCDX via DXLD)
Re: VoA Urdu. And 1400-0200 UT also relayed via Al Dhabayya UAE
mediumwave site 1539 kHz. Consequence also for ASIANET RADIO Dubai,
which uses the remaining 0200-1400 UTC slot on 1539 kHz UAE. 73 wb
(Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.)
** U S A. A rationalization of U.S. international communication may be
under way: 1) Public diplomacy will be the purview of the State
Department's public diplomacy section. 2) The Pentagon will limit
itself to information operations in area where forces are deployed. 3)
International broadcasting, under the Broadcasting Board of Governors,
will provide news. The first two will have to coordinate, to make sure
their messages are on the same page. The third must not coordinate
with the first two, or it won't be genuine news. Posted: 19 Apr 2009
(Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
** U S A [and non]. Not really news, since the document dates back
from last year, but nevertheless some points from the BBG's budget
request for fiscal year 2009:
As already in DXLD:
"In FY 2007, Engineering initiated plans to install a shortwave
broadcast capability operating on the region’s widely used tropical
bands at the OCB’s transmitting facility in Marathon, Florida. Work
continues at the BBG’s Greenville Transmitting Station to convert a
medium wave transmitter, originally used at the closed BBG station in
Belize, for these shortwave (tropical band) broadcasts from Marathon.
In FY 2008, Engineering is installing a transmitter and basic antenna
system to support broadcasts to Cuba."
(Comment: Apparently not accomplished so far. Are they still planning
to go ahead with this now at all? Acc. separate BBG Highlights March
2009 publication the new solid-state transmitter for 1180 kHz is in
use since February, with substantial cost saved by carrying out the
installation with own IBB workforce.)
About the airborne transmissions to Cuba:
"On October 24, 2006, AeroMartí, OCB’s new airborne broadcast
platform, made its maiden broadcast flight with full operational
capabilities, including a live TV satellite antenna. OCB is now
broadcasting five hours per day, six days per week from the airborne
platform. OCB is utilizing contractor-owned-and-operated aircraft
rather than government-owned aircraft because the contractor has the
specialized skills and resources to handle aircraft ownership
responsibilities, including compliance with all FAA airworthiness
directives, maintenance and repair requirements, and liability issues.
By mid-FY 2007, OCB had two contract aircraft equipped and
operational. Also in FY 2007, work began to provide VHF television
transmission capability. The project, which should be completed during
FY 2008, will greatly enhance the AeroMartí broadcast capabilities."
About the closure of the Ismaning post:
"The BBG ceased operations at the Ismaning site of the Germany
Transmitting Station in 2007. The facility served the network as a
satellite gateway and as an administrative center. The BBG has
transferred the facility’s administrative functions to other sites
in Germany and reconfigured its primary satellite gateway functions to
Kuwait. Two of the three primary systems in Kuwait became operational
on December 16, 2007. The third primary system in Kuwait and the minor
systems in Lampertheim, Germany will be completed and activated in
February 2008."
About the Briech equipment:
"The BBG will deploy usable assets from Morocco to other network
locations."
About the installation of an ex-Kavála transmitter at Orzu:
"In early 2008, installation of one of the shortwave transmitters from
Greece is expected to get underway in Tajikistan, scheduled for
completion in 2009."
About the installation of the ex-Rhodes transmitter in Kuwait:
"Installation of one of the medium wave transmitters is underway at
the BBG’s Kuwait Transmitting Station with completion scheduled in
2008."
(Comment: Apparently not accomplished so far. Was supposed to operate
on 1386 kHz.)
Upgrades in the VOA building:
"Numerous projects were completed in the BBG’s Cohen Building
headquarters, including renovation of Studios 47 and 49."
VOA has a quite extensive spare broadcasting facility at an apparently
classified location outside Washington, maybe even in an underground
shelter:
"Continuity of Operations (COOP)
Engineering continued to support the BBG disaster recovery plans to
enable the Agency to continue essential broadcast mission functions in
the event of catastrophic network loss of its main telecommunications
and program production complex in Washington, D.C. The BBG, in July
2007, successfully and fully tested alternate radio broadcasting
facilities and an associated major COOP telecommunications hub at a
remote location outside of Washington, D.C.
Training exercises for VOA radio programming staff conducted at the
COOP site in August 2007 confirmed that these radio broadcast
facilities and supporting communications can be set up and fully
operational within 12 hours as required by Federal regulations.
These COOP facilities can support radio operations in 10 of VOA’s
highest priority languages. The COOP telecommunications hub
functionally bypasses and replicates the essential capabilities of the
IBB’s Network Control Center and international communications complex
in Washington, D.C. that feeds and distributes radio, television, and
Internet programming worldwide. The COOP telecommunications facilities
are functional 24/7 and are capable of rerouting, on a moment’s
notice, all essential communications services for all BBG broadcasting
entities. In 2008, Engineering will support COOP planning and
implementation of a limited television broadcasting capability,
further technical improvements to the radio capability, and additional
staff training exercises."
And an engineering upgrade at Alhurra where they must have suffered
quite serious trouble, judging from such a straight admission:
"Upgrading Television Production ($3.5 million)
The BBG proposes to replace Alhurra’s broadcast automation system –
the backbone of its television production capability – to eliminate
streamline editing; improve news system integration, eliminating
bottlenecks and on-air interruptions of live programming; increase
availability of video content, saving hours spent on manual retrieval;
and establish a reliable online video archive system, providing data
security. This project is essential to correct system instability and
avoid operational failures and archive system failures, which diminish
broadcast quality. These system failures directly undermine MBN’s
credibility and reliability in the region."
(Kai Ludwig, Germany, with his comments, April 19, dxldyg via DXLD)
** U S A. Tropical band transmitters in South Florida? Glenn, I read
that IBB plans to install a SW transmitter on the tropical bands (60
mb, likely) at Marathon, FL.
That brings me to Jeff White's WRMI station, which I could hear most
days at only fair-to-poor levels on 9955 (I did try to hear that
opening of the New Happy Station Show on UT-April 16 at 0100 but
reception was, well, as above!). Has Jeff ever given any thought,
a'la WBCQ's 5110, to trying a lower frequency on 60 meters to improve
reception in the Americas? With the solar cycle just getting above low
levels (solar flux being at 70-72 of late), this would be a good
opportunity for Jeff to look into using lower frequency areas such as
60 meters -- and Miami is just inside the tropical zone which might
help also (Joe Hanlon, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Glenn: I had not heard about Radio Marti's tropical band plans. As for
WRMI, it would be a very good idea, but I'm told that it would be
difficult to modify our transmitter to operate on 60 meters. I don't
believe our antennas are capable of operating that low either. So
unfortunately it makes the idea a moot point without a very large
infusion of cash and a bit more space (Jeff White, WRMI, ibid.)
Still no WRMI on 9955 in afternoon. Wonder what your plans are about
this, as I am sure people would like to be able to hear the WRN
stations. As for tropical band, could you still go back on 7385 if you
wanted to? How much lower could the transmitter and antennas handle
without modification? (Glenn to Jeff White, via DXLD)
As of this coming Monday, April 20, we will be coming on at 2100 UT in
the afternoon. The first week we will have a special 3-hour program
from Radio República from 2100 to 0000 April 20-24. Then probably WRN
during that time block.
It looks like WHRI has snapped up 7385 for most of the day for A09.
I'm not sure exactly how low the transmitter and antennas could go
without modification. I'll have to do some research on that. But I
think it's safe to say 60 meters would require modification to both
(Jeff White, WRMI, April 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 9955.0, 0530-0545, USA, 11.03.09, Frequencia [sic] al Dia,
via Radio WEWN, Spanish (Vashek Korinek, RSA, log in April DSWCI SW
News via DXLD)
It seems he is slightly out of touch, as 9955 is WRMI 24 hours (except
lately, taking the afternoons off). And could you imagine WEWN
carrying a DX program? WRMI carries FAD and several others. Before
WRMI started using 9955 24 hours, some other US stations shared it,
including WEWN, as listed in the `2007` PWBR, altho not at this hour.
Axually, another CONUS station is on 9955 per FCC A09 schedule:
9955 0400 0900 WMLK 125 53 27,28,39 1234567 290309 251009
But that one has been inactive for years! And even when it was active
never used this frequency. `KHBN` Palau is also listed on 9955 at
0800-1700, but broker VTC hands off some of this time to Taiwan site,
off-frequency hetting WRMI (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
** U S A. 9317.16, WWRB Manchester TN (presumed); 1935-1943+, 14 Apr;
Bro. Stair says that no one will go to Hell because of the sins
they've committed; they'll go to Hell because they rejected Jesus
Christ. What a deal! I think B.S. is onto something here. Believe in
J.C., and sin all you want. SIO=352+ on peak with gravelly audio and
QSB to zilch; // 9385, SIO=4+54. HFCC lists 9385 but not 9320 (in 09
Passport), so is 9320v now a spur? The Bible thumpers seem to
frequently be spurious. Same combo there at 2102 (Harold Frodge,
Midland MI, USA, Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie, 85 ft. RW & 180 ft.
center-fed RW, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
WWRB 3185 is producing spurious signals on 3117 and 3253. The former
is loud and scratchy, while the latter is almost completely covered by
noise but is clearly audible on the sidebands. The fundamental at 3185
is spewing out at least 10 Kc on both sides, completely covering
between 3175 and 3195. I thought that shortwave broadcasters were
limited to 5 Kc bandwidth via international agreements or FCC
regulations, but it seems that Dave's outfit is ignoring the rules as
well as failing to suppress the spurs adequately.
On 3185, at 0100, a certifiably insane paranoid conspiracy kook named
"Dr." Richard Kimble of "Future Prophecy" spent a half hour ranting
about everything from Prescott Bush to the impending collapse of
society, all wrapped up in a typical Nazi-Papal-New World Order stew
of nuttery. We actually heard him say "Satan. You Suck!" and
immediately segué into prayer. Does Dave screen any of the weirdo
programmers on his station?
Brother Smear on 3145, presumably also from WWRB Manchester, is strong
but not the splattery flamethrower that 3185 is this evening.
Observed UT Friday, April 17, 2009, from 0100 to 0215, using an Icom
R-75 with G5RV dipole, and vintage 70s Reader's Digest multiband radio
with 100 foot random wire. We copied the 3185 spurs on both radios
(Larry Will, Mount Airy, Maryland, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
WWRB spur on 9317, April 17 at 2044, weak but // 9385 as someone other
than Brother Scare was talking, no doubt one of his psychophants.
Besides plus and minus 68 kHz from 9385, there are several reports of
plus and minus 68 kHz spurs from 3185 at night (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. 11715, KJES Vado NM (presumed); 1543, 14 Apr; Young girl
with religious commentary in Spanish. SIO=453-, audio sounds
suppressed like under a stronger OC (Harold Frodge, Midland MI, USA,
Drake R8B + 125 ft. bow-tie, 85 ft. RW & 180 ft. center-fed RW, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [non]. 9895: Two US religious mission stations het each other
at 1800-1845 UT. Auf 9895 kHz schlagen sich zwei US religioese
Missionssender gegenseitig zwischen 1800 und 1845 UT: YFR Juelich in
Rumaenisch und TWR Al Dhabayya-UAE in aethiopischen Sprachen (wb,
April 10, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Apr 17 via DXLD)
** U S A. Dorrough Family battles against title company and developers
to establish unique shortwave radio service for blind and visually-
impaired audiences and artists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwfzbA3uZ2M&feature=related
(via Artie Bigley, DXLD) We had stories about this sesquiyears ago;
Oregon is a town in Wisconsin (gh)
** U S A. WARM, ONCE-HOT STATION, GOES COLD --- STATION THAT
INTRODUCED TOP 40 ROCK ‘N’ ROLL TO NORTHEAST PA. GOES OFF THE AIR
By Jerry Lynott Business Writer April 16
PLAINS TWP. – WARM, the AM-radio station synonymous with Northeastern
Pennsylvania, is off the air after broadcasting news, music and sports
for more than 50 years.
Former WARM radio personality Harry West mans the station in 1983. He
worked there from 1959 through July 1992. [caption]
The station has been silent and a posting on its Web site thanked
listeners for their support. “We love you and we’ll miss you,” it
read. Calls to the Citadel Broadcasting Co.-owned station were not
returned Wednesday. “WARM is done,” said Sam Liguori. “Unless there’s
a miracle they ain’t coming back.”
Liguori, 72, of Forty Fort, hosted a Saturday polka show. He said the
station’s backup transmitter had failed. “It’s a big technical problem
that would cost a lot of money” to repair, he said. Listeners found
static when they tuned in to the station’s 590 kHz frequency for the
past week. . .
http://www.timesleader.com/news/WARM__once-hot_station__goes_cold_04-16-2009.html
(via Artie Bigley, DXLD)
It seems kind of odd to shut the station down because of a transmitter
failure. Maybe the station has been losing a lot of money and this was
perhaps a good excuse to pull the plug? I would think the license and
facilities are worth a couple hundred thousand, even in Scranton in a
downer economy, and a replacement transmitter would cost - what -
$10,000? It seems like a prudent expenditure to protect their
investment.
WARM is or was a 5 kW station at the bottom of the dial, so it should
be worth something to a potential buyer, even if the owners need to
unload it at a fire sale price (Bruce Portzer, WA, IRCA via DXLD)
A 5 kW solid state transmitter costs at least 3x that $10,000 figure..
plus I`m sure there's other work that needs to be done there,
engineering wise (Paul Walker, ibid.)
Here is a GREAT READ on the issue.....
http://insidemusicmedia.blogspot.com/
I read Jerry's blog DAILY.... He "gets it"
A 5 kW Harris AM transmitter has a list price of $38 K, so Paul is
pretty darn close. A 6 kW Nautel lists out at $37.4 K (Lee J
Freshwater, Ocala, FL, ibid.)
I am shocked at what looks like the permanent demise of WARM. I
remember listening to them fairly regularly when I was growing up
in Middletown, NY. What a signal. And what great programming for
a station in a market that size,
That they have what appears to be the best AM signal in the market,
with a 0.5 contour that extends practically from Binghamton to
Philadelphia, it's very hard to imagine that it could not make it,
even in difficult times, and with FM sister stations to help support
it. From what I've read, however, such thinking does not jive with the
Citadel business model of not spending any money on non-profitable
AMs. It's that kind of thinking that has probably helped put Citadel
in the hole.
That being said, WARM is probably, to a large extent, a victim of its
own programming. A largely satellite fed station with minimal local
content, and a lot of spec programming on the weekends, is not going
to develop a consistent following. The Polka Show aside, which is a
long-time traditional component of the station, some of the other
elements just don't fit: like the Sinatra programming.
Most people who listen all week long to rock 'n roll oldies are not,
for the most part, going to stay tuned for standards on the weekend.
To make a long story short, the station has a definite identity
crisis. They would have done better sticking with the true oldies
format 164 hours per week (4-hours devoted to the polka show) and
filling the satellite breaks with lots of local content to keep the
station identifiable with the community.
When all is said and done, it would seem that if Citadel is no longer
interested in running WARM. If that is the case, they should either
dump the silent station at a discount, or make the necessary
engineering repairs to get it on the air and make the station salable
at a reasonable price. 73, (Rene' Tetro, Philadelphia PA, ABDX via
DXLD)
Funny thing - when KXAM was signing off Wednesday night, I was sitting
in a hotel room in Scottsdale listening. (Since then, I've been
driving the desert, last night in Tucson and tonight in El Centro
listening to Mexicali radio...)
I really can't find much fault with Jerry's logic on this one. You
either treat a station like it's worth promoting and investing in, or
it dies. Too many AMs are in that latter category, but few actually go
dark like KXAM and WARM.
And that's the one piece of Jerry's article I take factual issue with
- he says "hundreds of stations" have returned their licenses. By my
count, the real number is less than a dozen over the past year. I
think he's looking at the FCC "silent station" list. Usually, someone
still values the license enough to buy it, or to turn it back on one
day shy of a year, and thus keep the license alive just to run it even
cheaper and even deeper into the ground. And the screwed-up way the
FCC rules work mean that if a station DOES go dark, someone can come
along at the next window and apply for facilities on the same channel
that (for complicated reasons having to do with badly-written
interference protection rules) actually have to be WORSE than the
previous occupant of the station.
Taking a frequency dark and leaving it that way forever is nearly
impossible to do under the FCC rules, which generally means that the
stations that still care about AM and put effort into their
programming can't expand their signals to take advantage of others
going dark. s (Scott Fybush, April 17, ABDX via DXLD)
It`s that old mindset that AM can`t make it, no one is listening, so
let`s put some format on the air that no one will listen to --- and
then down the road wonder why the station is not making it. If someone
were smart down there in WARM territory, someone should buy that
station and make something of it and show these big companies how to
run a radio station, draw and keep listeners and make it profitable to
boot. WARM should not be allowed to go silent without its community
fighting to keep it on the air.
True a station such as this could combine local talent with their ABC
Oldies satellite feed. You run a cheap sounding operation, and you'll
get ZERO return out of it. I know; I've run several satellite
formatted stations in my time under my programming and operations
hats. If you do not maintain some local flavor, the station will
flounder. Now, WARM-AM could get an STA, stay off for 6 months while
the economy improves, capital investment come from the company to make
the needed transmitter repairs and revamp their programming and return
with a polished sound. Obviously there are other stations in the
group; keep the employees that were performing duties under WARM and
temporarily assign them to other stations. How can companies expect
the economy to get better when they lay off people --- who now do not
have an income to buy things to simulate the economy-? DUH! I really
do not know what some people up the "food chain" in these major
corporations are thinking. Keep your budget balanced, provide
something the public will use and enjoy, thus which brings advertisers
that spend money with the station, which pays the bills and the cycle
continues.
WARM-AM really doesn't have to fade away into the static. someone with
some business sense, great programming abilities, talent with great
pipes that know the area, account executives that could sell the
wheels off a vehicle while in motion type attitude --- and such a
station could be one of the top 20 most listened to stations in the
market again, even though the station is AM (Bob Carter - KC4QLP -
WQJK414, Mid-Atlantic-Engineering-Service of Utica NY, ibid.)
Apparently WARM has been off the air since Tuesday April 14, 2009.
Local contacts about the station said that they don't expect it to
return to the air. The FCC confirmed that the station has been silent
since Tuesday, but that station officials have not let them know about
the future of the station. Citadel owns WARM and they reported to the
Securities and Exchange Commission earlier in April that they expect a
continued decline in radio revenue in the first half of 2009. They
were uncertain regarding their ability to comply with their debt
obligations through 2009 (Bob Seaman Hazleton, PA, April 18, WTFDA-AM
via DXLD)
** U S A. The KXAM Shutdown --- I've never quoted this statement
publicly, and I won't say who made it, but in the early '90's, a
stable KXAM employee told me that "the Detroit Pistons owner bought
the station for his son to play with." That statement could have been
unduly sharp, but the station stayed in the same hands for all these
years, going from easy listening to big bands to more syndicated talk,
and finally to the combination of national and local talk shows they
had till Wednesday.
My own editorial comment here, but one thing remained stable: Matt
Gerson's celebrity interviews. Presumably Matt Gerson was the "son"
referred to by the employee.) Fifteen years ago, they were probably
freshly made. But the same ones ran over and over again, whether or
not the celebrities were still living, but presented as if they were.
For many years, Those interviews were promoted more than the rest of
the station.
And KXAM had no night signal in the west valley, and really not much
of one outside of Scottsdale and Mesa. Till the internet came along,
1310 sounded like a graveyard frequency in much of the Phoenix metro.
I can't understand how KXAM stayed in business as long as they did,
but it may simply be the talented staff, which changed over the years,
but they always had a core of dedicated and hardworking on-air
talent.
More emphasis has been put on WARM in Scranton in the past few days
because of its signal and heritage. But it's always a shame to see
owners mismanage their stations, eventually resulting in loss of jobs
for the staff, who work hard to give the impression that the emperor
has clothes on; their credibility depends on it (Rick Lewis, AZ, April
18, ABDX via DXLD)
** U S A. Why AM radio still rules in Chicago
WBBM-AM 780, WGN-AM 720 REMAIN CHICAGO'S TOP-BILLING RADIO STATIONS
Phil Rosenthal | Media, Chicago Tribune, April 15, 2009
Good times and bad, some things just don't change in Chicago. Year
after year, the news never stops and people keep tuning in to hear the
Cubs not win the pennant.
CBS Radio's WBBM-AM 780 and Tribune Co.'s WGN-AM 720 remain Chicago's
top-billing radio stations, the two perennial AM powerhouses
accounting for 17 percent of the market's 2008 revenue, according to
BIA Financial Network, which tracks radio business.
"You'd be hard-pressed to find another market where the top two are AM
stations," said Mark Fratrik, BIAfn vice president.
Nationally, the radio business was off 8.5 percent, compared with
2007. Chicago slipped only around 6 percent, Fratrik said, dropping in
2008 to $522 million from $555.2 million.
Newsradio 780 remained the No. 1 station in town, with $44.9 million,
followed by Cubs flagship WGN, which took in $44.5 million.
Tribune Co. owns WGN and, for now, the Cubs, as well as the Chicago
Tribune.
After that, the numbers drop off. Bonneville International's WTMX-FM
101.9 remained third at $34.8 million. Clear Channel's WGCI-FM 107.5
was still No. 4 with $29.7 million.
Univisión's Spanish-language WOJO-FM 105.1, which in '07 was sixth
behind Clear Channel's WLIT-FM 93.9, traded places to take fifth at
$22.9 million.
Signal corps: What used to be Chicago Heights' WCGO-AM 1600 signed off
Saturday, enabling the sister station formerly known as Evanston's
WONX-AM 1590 to double its daytime signal to 7,000 watts as the new
WCGO-AM 1590.
The new WCGO, which airs brokered ethnic programs, fulfills the
ambition of Frank Kovas, a radio entrepreneur who died in 2005. Kovas'
company acquired those stations and two others with a goal of
combining their power into a single outlet with Federal Communications
Commission approval. ... ...
You can read the rest of the article (the rest isn't as interesting)
here:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-wed-phil-column-0415-apr15,0,7679432.column
(via Chris Kadlec, Fremont, Mich., amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD)
** U S A. KXDS-FM 91 to start new station with CLASSICAL
DIXIE STATE COLLEGE BEGINS CLASSICAL RADIO BROADCASTS By Wendy Leonard
Deseret News Published: Wednesday, April 15, 2009 11:00 p.m. MDT
Residents in southern Utah now have the option of tuning in to
classical music, broadcast directly from Dixie State College.
"We hope that the music we play will lift up and inspire the
community, much like this community has lifted and inspired Dixie
State College," said Paul Bulkley, the station's program director and
adjunct radio professor at Dixie.
Dixie's old radio station, which played mostly top 40 selections from
vinyl records, phased out when its license lapsed in 1999, but
students are relaunching the station with a classical twist, "because
they know that a classical station will go a lot further on their
resumes and cover letters," Bulkley said.
The entirely student-run KXDS has been previewing on Simmons Media
station KURR 103.1 FM, since Monday, while its permanent location,
91.3 FM, is getting some final tuning. The school's own Classical 91
should be up and running within 30 to 60 days. . .
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705297436/Dixie-State-College-begins-classical-radio-broadcasts.html
(via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD)
** URUGUAY. A month ago, Mr. Gustavo Cirino, who is a person in charge
of the technical matters of various radio stations in Uruguay and
knows me from the multiple queries for updated data from radiostations
for many years, called me consulting for the general use of SSB on the
shortwaves by broadcast stations. He told me that URSEC, the country's
regulatory telecom authority, had just urged R Sarandí Sport, Rivera,
to reactivate the SW on 6045 or to resign to it [meaning give up the
frequency, I assume --- gh]. The power had to be 2 kW, but using a
transmitter of such power would have been so much in terms of
electrical consumption. An alternate way, he thought would be to use
SSB, which appears to be feasible. I have been in contact with him,
and now I am expecting more info as starting date, real power to be
used, equipment and antenna to use, if LSB. The schedule would be the
same as on MW (890) and simulcasting it. The authorized beam is to
HFCC CIRAF zone 14 (Argentina, part of Paraguay, etc.)
In the past (1980s) a 6010 SODRE transmitter was also fired on LSB
beamed to the Antarctic Uruguayan base, but this lasted for short time
and was experimental. Later SODRE discarded SSB broadcasts. Currently
6125 is active from them, but with low power and lately reported with
low modulation (Horacio Nigro in DXplorer, Apr 07 via DSWCI DX Window
April 15 via DXLD)
** VATICAN [and non]. 7320 QRDRM? I came across the Vatican Radio DRM
outlet on 7320 UT at 1405 UT, but read on the registration front a co-
channel RRI Italian service from 100 kW Saftica site too.
7320 1400-1430 28 SMG 100 350 0 DRM German/PO Polish? CVA VAT
7320 1400-1430 28SW TIG 100 270 0 Italian ROU RRO
73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VIETNAM [non]. 4739.60v, R. TV. Son La. This has not been heard for
about two months now. Have been checking randomly from about 1245-
1400. Their normal sign-off was 1401 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA,
Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ZAMBIA. 5940, 17/04 2053, CVC, English, desde Lusaka, com 100 kW,
OM talks e pop music gospel, diversas vinhetas CVC, 35333 (Jorge
Freitas, http://www.ipernity.com/blog/75006 Feira de Santana Bahia -
Brasil, Degen 1103, Antena Dipolo de 16 metros e balum 4:1 em
toroide. Direção Leste/Oeste, HCDX via DXLD) This is the first log
I`ve seen since A-09 began confirming this new frequency ex-9420 (gh)
** ZAMBIA. 6165, ZNBC, Radio 2, 0420-0434, April 18, very weak but in
the clear with English talk. Local African music. “Radio 2” ID.
Completely covered by Chad at their 0434 sign on (Brian Alexander, PA,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ZANZIBAR. R. Tanzania-Zanzibar: 11735, 4/15/09, 1802-1901+ Decent
carrier by 1855, but barely any audio; just faint (Andrew Yoder, PA,
Drake R8 + 100'longwire (I rolled up 200' so that I could mow the
yard), Cumbre DX via DXLD)
** ZIMBABWE [non]. 5995, Zimbabwe Community R., Apr 05 *2000-2038,
33433-34433, English, 2000 sign on with IS, Opening music, ID, Opening
announce, Talk, ID at 2000 and 2010 and 2013 and 2030.
5995, Zimbabwe Community R., Apr 06 *2000-2038, 24332-34433, English
and vernacular, 2000 sign on with IS, Opening music, Talk, ID at 2021
and 2026 and 2032.
5995, Zimbabwe Community R., Apr 07 *2000-2040, 33433, vernacular and
English, 2000 sign on with IS, Talk and music, ID at 2028 and 2035,
QRM from ORTM on c/c (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium April 17
via DXLD)
5950, Zimbabwe Community R, Dhabbaya, United Arab Emirates, has moved
again, this time to 5950 (ex 5995, ex 5935). Refers to the "broadcast
from U.A.E. on 5950 kHz between 10 and 11 p.m." (= 2000-2100 UT). Fair
signal on Apr 09, but 5995 was better in Johannesburg (Vashek Korinek,
Florida Hills, Rep. of South Africa, DXplorer via DSWCI DX Window
April 15 via DXLD)
UNIDENTIFIED [non]. A tribute to "Wolfman Jack" I reported to you on
19 July 2008 on the noted frequency of 5300 Kc was apparently not a
pirate station. It was a two days early debut of a tribute series to
him broadcasted out of Lithuania with a stated frequency of 6055 Kc
(Frederic Jodry, April 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) An image?
UNIDENTIFIED. Saludos cordiales, desde las 1810 estoy captando en
10000 kHz una emisión en árabe que no coincide con el servicio de
Radio Cairo en 9990; me pregunto si es alguna señal espúrea o alguna
emisión fantasma, la señal es muy débil, pero llego a captarlo en LSB
u USB, evidentemente muy interferida por señal CW de estación horaria.
73 (José Miguel, April 14, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
I believe 10000 spur was previously correlated with Jordan on 9830.
See if that matches. 73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) No further reports
UNIDENTIFIED. 11740: Noted an unID Turk language, but could also be
Tatar/Armenian/Georgian ??? at 0930-0945 UT Apr 17. S=6-7. Special
program of Vatican Radio to eastern churches? (Wolfgang Büschel,
Germany, April 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. 11946.6 aprox., 2042-2056*, 15 Apr, English, classical
music program; underneath our RDPi 11945. It seemed their transmitter
slowly moved to 11945 nearly at (abrupt) sign off. I was picking up
too much QRM for the RDPi to be able to get any clue, but I'd say the
sort of English accent sounded like BBC. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves,
Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. Noted VTC-ex-Merlin `Cello pause music from London
control room continuously from 1400 to 1456 UT on 11960, today Apr
15th. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DXLD)
UNIDENTIFIED. CODAR range detected April 15 at 1405: 12005-12060, and
stronger (at least two transmitters mixing) 12100-12270. I rarely hear
this as low as 12000, but those closer to a nearby transmitter have.
The actual range must not have a sharp cutoff, so the closer and/or
stronger the signal, the wider (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hi Glenn, I have sent a donation for you. I look at DXLD often, and it
is a help in my hobby. Thanks for your work. Sincerely (Chris Lewis,
England with a donation via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com)
PUBLICATIONS
++++++++++++
2009 EMISORAS DE FM Pre-orders
Just a quick reminder, in case you forgot - I am currently taking
pre-publication orders for the 2009 edition of 'Emisoras de FM'. For
more info and ordering information, please go to the WTFDA website:
http://www.wtfda.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=146&Itemid=75
(Jim Thomas, wdx0fbu, Milliken, Colorado, (40 miles north of Denver),
40 18.642'N 104 52.566'W, WTFDA via DXLD) But a later post said pre-
publication orders closed April 17. I`ve been proofreading it (gh)
BDXC DX PROGRAMMES, AFRICA, SOUTH ASIA & ME GUIDES UPDATED
http://www.users.waitrose.com/~bdxc/articles.html (Alokesh Gupta, New
Delhi, India, April 16, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Africa guide is particularly recommended, altho our enews about Enugu
did not make the deadline (gh)
SHORTWAVE YEARS IN REVIEW
Saludos Lic Glenn, Me pregunto si depronto tiene REPASO DEL AÑO 2001
EN LA ONDA CORTA por GLENN HAUSER. Me encontré con este en la web
traducido x Horacio Nigro, Depronto tiene de los otros años, 2002
hasta 2008 ?? Me podría dar el enlace. Gracias (Yimber Gaviría,
Colombia, April 17, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Saludos Yimber, Dejé de revisar los años, el último, 2002:
http://worldofradio.com/audiomid.html#voa
73, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.)
RADIO PHILATELY
+++++++++++++++
RUSSIA`S POPOV STAMP
16 march 2009 Russia has issued a stamp in block to remember 150 years
of POPOV birthday. The info is coming from Christer Brunstroem
compiler of the playdx philatelic page.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bclnews/attachments/folder/758811001/item/565650340/view
73's (Dario Monferini, 16 April, bclnews.it yg via DXLD)
CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
CONTINENTAL HOSTS DRM PANEL AT NAB
Las Vegas - On April 21 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Continental
Electronics booth (N7007) at the NAB Show, executives from several
companies will discuss the benefits, features, receivers and
transmitters of the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) system. The panelists
include Ruxandra Obreja (BBC and DRM chair), Michel Penneroux (TDF),
Jochen Huber(Transradio), Alexander Zink (Fraunhofer), Lindsay Cornell
(BBC), Darko Cvjetko (Riz) and Dan Dickey (Continental Electronics).
A Q&A session will be held after the presentations. A drinks reception
will follow after that. Continental will also hold in-booth DRM
briefings daily at 3:30 p.m.
http://radiomagonline.com/convention_news/nab_show/nab_insider_04142009/#drm
'COMMERCIAL-GRADE' DRM+ SYSTEM WILL BE DEMONSTRATED AT NAB
http://www.radioworld.com/article/78544
(via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, dxldyg via DXLD)
RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM
+++++++++++++++++++++
IBB REMOTE MONITORING SYSTEM VIDEO
A video with Bill Whitacre explaining how to listen to sounds recorded
by the IBB Remote Monitoring System has been posted to YouTube.
IBB operates a network of over 70 remote monitoring systems [RMSs] in
order to determine and demonstrate the audibility of its own and
others' broadcasts. Each RMS consists of an antenna, a radio and a
computer attached to the internet. A simple text file script is used
by the computer to collect and encode sound samples and bandscan
information from the radio. YouTube Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI9IPVTCGUE
Webpage: http://monitor.ibb.gov/rms/
(via Mike Barraclough, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS
++++++++++++++++++++++++
AUSTRALIA SAVED FROM BPL?
Hams down-under appear to be safe from the rollout of a nationwide
Broadband over Powerline or BPL system. This as Australia's government
announces that it will be building a system based on fiber optic
technology. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, is in Brisbane with the details:
The Australian Federal Government has announced its decision on
Australia`s National Broadband Network. In a surprise move, instead of
deploying a widely expected half-way-house fiber-to-the-node (FttN)
solution from a consortium of companies, the Government is moving
ahead with its own full-blown 100 Mb/s fibre to the home rollout,
(FttH). The reported $43 billion project will include a mix of
government and private sector funding which may or may not include
telecommunications companies.
Telecommunications analyst Paul Budde states: "This is the most
ambitious infrastructure ever undertaken in Australia and will be the
most ambitious FttH network anywhere undertaken in the world. The
Australian Government is one of the few governments who, in a holistic
way, understand the importance of broadband across the various
sectors. This network is not just for high-speed Internet and
entertainment but, more importantly, for healthcare, education, smart
grids, etc."
This is good news for Australians in general, and also for Australian
radio amateurs. Australia's largest telecommunications carrier,
Telstra, was excluded from the original selection process on the
grounds of submitting a non-compliant bid, however, as Telstra owns
most of the copper cable in the ground, any fiber-to-the-node solution
which did not include Telstra would have resulted in a variety of
'alternative' access technologies used to connect the `node' to
customers premises. Although there may be many steps along the way,
the predominant access technology in Australian cities will now be
fiber, and in less populated areas will likely be wireless.
This decision would appear to remove the possibility of widespread
interference to radio communications from any network-wide adoption of
BPL technology, but still leaves as a concern the possibility of
interference from in-home use of BPL as an internal distribution
technology.
The decision by Australia to opt away from BPL is likely a major blow
to the world-wide implementation of this technology. This is because
other nations will look at Australia's decision to go fiber and based
upon it reconsider any commitment to BPL (WIA News via Amateur Radio
Newsline Report 1653 - April 17 2009 via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD)
BRAZIL TARGETED FOR BPL
There has been a lot of concern recently about PLC being authorized in
Brasil, and its likely dire effect on the SW bands. Here`s an
extensive article about it, 22 pages with grafix (gh)
Hello Glenn, Following, a link to an article that I wrote (in
Portuguese) with extracts of DX Listening Digest, credits linked to
your page. The objective is warning about problems of BPL
implementation in Brazil and how Broadcast HF could still be an
interesting segment:
http://archangelo.net/temp/plc/archangelo_plc_texto1.pdf
(Flávio PY2ZX Archangelo, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
LOCAL QRM --- MAN CAUSED NOISE
Since the first week in April my neighborhood has been subjected to a
warbling noise, not like any noise or hash I've ever heard. I recorded
and examined a short segment using an audio editing program. The QRM
extends from about 4325 kHz to 20800 kHz. I'll add the wav file to the
DXLD Files section.
The audio display (on the editing program) shows a series of pulses
separated by a period of time that is about twice the duration of the
pulse. It looks rather like this on the display (except the ^ is
pointing down on my display)
-^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--
There are two different pulse rates (or audio frequencies); one about
650 Hz with a duration of about .05 (five/one hundredths) of a second.
I count 32 pulses in .048 second as represented in the above
illustration. -^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^--^-
The second pulse is about 1000 Hz with a duration of about .01
(one/one hundredth) of a second. I count 10 pulses in about .01
second. See above.
The two pulse rates alternate so that it takes about .058 second for
both groups to appear one time. I don't see any relationship to 60 Hz
line frequency.
Although I haven't turned off power to the house, I have turned off
every computer, and appliance in the house with no change in noise.
Using only the internal whip on my Eton E-1 reduces the noise level
dramatically, confirming my thought that the noise is external to my
house. There is a power line running along my property line, about 80
feet from the house. The outdoor antennas vary in distance from the
power line from about 40 feet to as much as about 100 feet. All of the
outdoor antennas have some level of noise.
Has anyone heard or seen a noise generator like this ? BPL ? Wireless
networking ? (Jerry Lenamon, Waco, April 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
Is this noise heard across the full sweep from 4325 to 20800 or is it
at various points?? If so a few numbers would help. Is it 24 hour or
only certain times? Has this been heard on more than one radio? Have
you tried this a various locations in area? Is there anything "new"
happening, that might give a clue?? This info would be needed to be
any stab at what the cause might be (Keith, UK, ibid.)
It's continuous although the strength is not uniform. The noise may be
at S-9 on one frequency but only S-3 only 5 or 10 kHz away. It's
audible on all of my shortwave radios. Destop and portable. It's heard
all over my block. I haven't tried walking several blocks to see how
widespread it is. I guess that is the next step.
The only thing new is technology. No telling what my neighbors have
added. I've heard that some of the new networking devices use
shortwave spectrum but I don't know how they function. I haven't heard
anything about BPL in my area. I haven't seen any utility crews
working the area but I'm not around during the day (Jerry Lenamon,
ibid.)
This QRM sounds very much like the type of plug-in device used to
distribute broadband and TV via the mains wiring. Here is the UK these
"homeplug" devices are being widely used and they are causing havoc to
SW reception across the country. They typically radiate QRM from 3 to
30 MHz, often with nulls in the ham bands.
A group has been set up here in the UK to campaign over the issue and
they have a web site and yahoo group. See http://www.ukqrm.org
We also have a page about this on the BDXC web site with links to
examples of the problem See http://www.bdxc.org.uk "Shortwave
Interference from BT Vision Adaptors" (Dave Kenny, ibid.)
Hi Jerry, This sounds like the Power Line Adapters (also known as Home
Plugs) that we have here in the UK that send TV/data around the house
using the mains wiring of that house. To do this they use the
frequency range of 3 to 30 MHz. I know what it's like - I've had the
same problem here for some time (although hopefully soon to be
resolved).
I have a page on the World DX Club webpages including some sample mp3
files of me stepping through selected shortwave ranges in 5 kHz steps
at http://www.worlddxclub.org.uk/WDXC_UKQRM.html
You should also look at http://www.ukqrm.org/ where the UKQRM Group is
fighting to have these things banned (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, ibid.)
May Interfere with Short Wave Radios
http://d-link.com/press/pr/?prid=493
D-LINK NOW SHIPPING NEXT-GENERATION POWERLINE
KIT FOR EXPANDING THE HOME NETWORK USING EXISTING ELECTRICAL WIRING
Equipped with D-Link Green™ Technology to Detect Data
Transmissions and Power Down When Not in Use, Saves Energy and Costs
"FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., April 15, 2009 — D-Link, the end-to-end
solutions provider for consumer and business, today introduced its
next-generation PowerLine adapter kit, an ideal solution for
connecting computers, high-definition (HD) media players, game
consoles, network attached storage (NAS), and Internet content
throughout the home."
"With the new D-Link® PowerLine HD Ethernet Adapter Starter Kit
(DHP-303) anyone can take advantage of existing home electrical
wiring to create or extend a network. The kit includes two PowerLine
wall plugs/ adapters. The DHP-303 turns every power outlet in the
home into a wall-to-wall network for connecting when connected to
a switch or wireless access point."
<snip>
"This product may interfere with devices such as lighting systems
that have a dimmer switch or a touch-sensitive on/off feature,
short wave radios, or other powerline devices that do not follow the
Universal Powerline Association (UPA) standard." (via Benn Kobb, April
15, dxldyg via DXLD)
DIGITAL BROADCASTING - DTV
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
SEVERAL ANALOG TV STATIONS TO SIGN OFF TODAY
More analogs scheduled to sign off today.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-589A3.pdf
(Steve Rich, Indianapolis, IN, April 16, WTFDA via DXLD) See OKLAHOMA
DIGITAL CHANNEL 6 IN NYC
News from the New York City metro area: I caught WNYZ-LD Channel 6 on
the air this evening using virtual channel 1-1 for an over-the air
display. Pulse 87, the quasi-FM station using analog aural carrier
frequency 87.75 MHz, was still on the air. It looks like they are
going to try to make the digital TV signal and the faux 'FM' signal
co-exist. Very interesting to see. Reasonable reception seen about 45
miles north of NYC in Northern Westchester. I am also getting DT
carriers on channels 26, 32, 35 and 43. All five of these channels are
licensed for DTVs as Island Broadcasting, Inc. I have not yet resolved
the four UHF signals to see signal content. Hopefully, more to come
(Karl Zuk, N2KZ, April 13, WTFDA via DXLD)
FCC DTV COVERAGE MAPS, BEFORE & AFTER
http://www.fcc.gov/mb/engineering/maps/
While a part of our well-known FCC site, I know that I never saw it
before. It shows, for each full-power station, their pre- and post-
transition coverage. More importantly, it shows the loss (and/or gain)
for each station after the transition occurs. You will notice gains
where previous adjacent channel interference was a blocker (see WKBW
as it comes up close to Rochester's WROC. They had been on analog
channels 7 and 8 respectively.) You'll also see how successful
coverage in mountainous areas (see WHSV in Harrisonburg, VA) on low-
band VHF becomes somewhat dicey as they transition to UHF over rough
terrain.
You can enter your address or a city name to pull up the relevant
("receivable") stations and then click on the call letters for
particulars about the station. After that you can click on a detailed
coverage map pre- and post-transition with gains and losses shown.
You can even move the little cursor around on the Google Map to point
exactly to your home or to that special DX site that may have
identified for special reception. I'm finding it very informative.
Cheers! (Rick Lucas, Rochester, NY, WTFDA Via DXLD)
Rick, That is an excellent website. I have seen some of this
information elsewhere, but it is all together in one location here.
Their reception estimates are off some. Some digital signals at my
location are much stronger than predicted and others are somewhat
weaker. Some digitals which they predict I should not be able to
receive come in very well (Bob Seaman, Hazleton, PA, ibid.)
DIGITAL BROADCASTING - DRM See also BULGARIA; GUIANA FRENCH; INDIA;
++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ROMANIA; RUSSIA; SAIPAN; VATICAN; C & C
What's screwing up shortwave is its continued use of Ancient
Modulation (Benn Kobb, ABDX via DXLD)
I don't know about that. I am not one who hates digital. It has a
place above 30 MHz and is excellent above 220 MHz. DRM is too full of
dropouts and can't handle fading to be effective on shortwave. If
lower frequencies were stable enough, I would be very supportive of
it. I personally have little problem with digital on the FM band even
and wish the government would allow the stations to increase the
power for it. I would love to hear HD again out here in the country.
I just don't think DRM is viable on HF (Kevin Redding, TN, ibid.)
It might be if power was increased to target areas & enough receivers
were available. As far as digital goes on FM lets keep it with
increased power & drop analog. Either that or offer converters like
there are for digital TV (Robert M. Bratcher, TX, ibid.)
Anyone who thinks digital modulation is viable on frequencies where
propagation is via skywave is a damn fool. Period. End of discussion.
(Harry Helms W5HLH, Corpus Christi, TX EL17,
http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ ibid.)
Harry and I agree 100% (would be more than 100% if possible). 73 KAZ
wondering how much more his hobby will be ruined by stupidity and
greed of the clueless (Neil Kazaross, IL/WI, ibid.)
Shortwave broadcast should remain AM. Like iBOC AM, digital modes are
useless during times of high geomagnetic flux (strong selective
fading), or very weak signals / cochannel hets. The average African
tribal member trying to get news and info on their crank-powered
handheld shortwave radio would hear nothing but hash and buzz if all
stations were digital.
At least if you have a weak AM signal, it's still usually easily
audible and intelligible even on the lowest-end cheap economy
shortwave radios (Darwin Long, CA, ibid.)
``I personally have little problem with digital on the FM band even
and wish the government would allow the stations to increase the
power for it.``
I have a big problem with it, and if all the locals around here (17 or
more) increased their iboc power I'd hang up the hobby and walk away.
I've been darned close to doing it already.
I would love to hear HD again out here in the country. The only place
FM Dxing is any good anymore is in the country. Let's not put HD out
there and ruin that, too (Mike Bugaj, Enfield, CT, ibid.)
As far as skywave propagation goes, even without IBOC hearing reliably
something from outside NA is a thrill, but when you add to that the
new owner of Citadel which don't turn off WABC-HD Digital
transmissions at night, then the two best frequencies for Latin
American DX, 760 and 780, are lost. When I say there are lost, it
means that, in the summer, when fewer foreign mediumwave and longwave
signals are propagating, there would be NOTHING from South America on
AM in the Montreal area.
If I write a complaint to the FCC saying I'm an expatriate Colombian
willing to hear news from RCN Cadena Basíca on 760 kHz (the
Barranquilla repeater) and that the RCN Cadena Basíca Internet stream
is unreliable, would they believe me? Nulling WABC also nulls
Barranquilla in the way of WJR-760!
I'm so frustrated. I haven't done too much DXing since WABC-770 went
into using IBOC all night long, about two weeks ago. I even hear some
of this hash against YVKS/WSB-750. I can't tell whether they are
QRMing 790 or not, since the splatter from local CJAD-800 would be
stronger than the next-to-adjacent WABC-770 IBOC hash. . .
As far as shortwave is concerned, with the advent of satellite or
Internet radio, I doubt any DRM SW broadcaster would start
broadcasting mainstream Arabic pops or something like that to be heard
around the world with the colourful sound of our hobby.
Think about it: the biggest obstacle of DX is either the lack of
targets or the huge amount of interference! On SW, we have a lack of
targets (when I began DXing back in 2000, I was slightly more
attracted by SW than MW) and on MW we are overwhelmed with QRM. . .
Shortwave is DEAD. What are the major international broadcasters
doing? Instead of testing DRM, more often than not, they cut down on
their services to North America or they cut SW completely! What are
the tropical bands broadcasters doing in countries like Colombia or
Ecuador (and several years ago in Venezuela)? They left SW!
I'm not an expert on the economy of broadcasting, but what is more
expensive? To broadcast on SW using either IBOC or DRM technology or
to broadcast on the Internet?
We moved here from Romania back in 1997 and we had Internet here very
quickly after our move. After several months, I found Internet less
and less appealing. It's like long-distance calls. It's nothing
unusual, you are feeling like anyone else. On mediumwave however, and
even on shortwave, you feel like looking forward a huge amount of
gold. Well, that was my 2 cents worth of it! May the good DX be with
you! (Bogdan Chiochiu in Pierrefonds (Montreal's West Island), QC,
ABDX via DXLD)
Bogdan, We wrote, screamed and put all kinds of comments in to the
FCC. What you fail to realize is that the Bush Administration and FCC
Chairman Michael Powell did not give a steaming crap about the public.
They wanted to care for the corporations. They took care of the
corporations and the public be damned. They allowed IBOC on MW where
it doesn't belong because the corporations asked for it.
We had these arguments over and over since 1999. People from this
list sent in scientific surveys and documents, they wrote about
people in cars not being able to hear safety warnings, they wrote
about being forced to buy radios, they wrote about everything and it
still happened that we got IBOC on MW. Write until you wear out the
buttons on your keyboard but the FCC doesn't give a fat stinking fig
about what we want. What's done is done and we can't change it. All
we can do is not whine about it and move on.
Those of us on ABDX were most of the ones who complained from the DX
world to the FCC in Docket 99-325. IRCA was not represented and a few
from the NRC but not many made comments. The ones who did not comment
seemed to be the biggest complainers when they found out what really
happened once the noise generators were fired up.
Sorry about 760 and 780 but they are gone. We can't hear them either
so we feel the same pain. The real adult world stinks. Sorry you had
to find out how things worked with this IBOC mess fouling the MW
airwaves.
If you want to hear South America, I suggest HF or net radio. ABDX
does accept HF logs and net radio logs as well (Kevin Redding, ibid.)
I agree 150%, I guess you could say I'm overmodulating in my
agreement. Digital is best left to wires, cables and the like where
things are predictable and certain. Pretty reasonable too, at UHF
frequencies and above. Skywave on MW and SW, and tropo on FM [keep in
mind that there are some parts of the world where tropo is a pretty
regular thing] make digital problematic at best (Phil Rafuse, PEI,
ibid.)
More importantly, what is the future of analog broadcasting on the MW
band? The economy in America is terrible and stations are starving for
ad money. Some stations are beginning to go dark. Stations have fired
their people and gone to the satellite to afford to stay on the air.
Sometimes a station can sell the land under the antenna for more than
they can make doing radio for many years. Few people under 30 listen
to radio these days preferring CDs and iPods.
The question should be, will AM radio be around in 10-15 years? IBOC
will not be a big thing on MW unless the government mandates it. As
it stands today, there is no reason for the government to mandate
IBOC on MW. IBOC will be on MW for probably 10 more years and then
finally gone. Sorry (Kevin Redding, ibid.)
RDS Traffic
I'm not sure what the point of RDS is, except maybe the equivalent of
digital TV and HD Radio - humans always trying to make things better,
better, better, even when what you have to start with is great.
Although the latter two can kiss my rear end, RDS has been my friend,
except when I'm DXing and it won't decode!
If you mean traffic tags, such as the "TRAF" that shows up like on my
RDS, naturally they keep those on 24/7 because it's part of their RDS
that indicates that frequency runs traffic reports. It doesn't mean
they will at 2 am, although some do, but it means that in general,
they do. However, some don't. Traffic tags confuse me, because some
stations that run them have overall weaker RDS signals. In the
instance of one of my locals, the RDS readout completely decoded for a
radius of about 60 miles. Then they added the traffic tag, and nothing
but the traffic tag would show up, even within 10 miles of the
transmitter. They've been switching back and forth between using it
and not using it and it either takes out the RDS or is flawless. Must
be switching between two different systems. But NO ONE has been able
to tell me anything about RDS, even what kinds of systems there are,
how much they cost, etc.
Station format tags aren't correct usually because the station is run
by a big corporation that hastily sets up RDS just for the hell of it
and enters the wrong codes. Power 92 (WPWX), an urban station, is
still running PTY Country, while R&B station WSRB down the road is
also PTY Country. They're certainly not trying to attract country
listeners to their stations. Even after telling them about it, 6
months later, not a thing has changed. Many stations haven't touched
their RDS since it was turned on and I bet the employees don't have a
clue how to work the systems. As for religious stations listing
themselves as rock, every now and then I'm sure you get a station that
does it on purpose, 99% of them probably because they have on-air
fundraising and abuse the system for their own profit.
If my car wouldn't show RDS messages while in motion, I would freak
out. As an RDS message collector, I would be left in the dark, since
my only radio is my car. Thankfully I can safely write down RDS
messages while driving and doing other things, after 10 years of
practice with such things. Gee, otherwise I'd probably fall asleep at
the wheel without RDS or DXing keeping my attention!!
I think the purpose of RDS is to --- well, I'm not sure. You'd think
it is to get someone money, and the last time I saw one of those RDS
systems - at WXXI - they're pretty expensive looking. But hey, hearing
a song I like and seeing the title on the screen prevents writing down
lyrics I sometimes don't understand. I'm all for that. 2008, which was
my first year with RDS, was my best ever FM DX season due to those RDS
messages. But would I be happier if it had never existed? Most
certainly I would (Chris Kadlec, Fremont, Mich.
http://www.beaglebass.com/dx April 15, WTFDA via DXLD)
There are two traffic flags in the RDS standard. "TP" means the
station regularly broadcasts traffic bulletins - and it would make
sense for that flag to be set 24/7. "TA" means the station is
broadcasting a traffic bulletin *NOW* and can be used to force the
radio to switch from a station without the TA flag, or to silence the
CD player & switch the radio on. – (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN
EM66, ibid.)
I know I wouldn't be happier without it. I have a good number of FM DX
loggings over the past several years which I'd never have ID'ed
without RDS. Not only that, there've been many times when I'd tune to
a new frequency during an Es session, hear a strong signal, and within
seconds the RDS unit would tell me it wasn't a new logging and I could
move on (Russ Edmunds, WB2BJH, Blue Bell, PA, ibid.)
PROPAGATION
+++++++++++
E-skip thoughts - and a very interesting find from PBS
I don't think anyone can chase sporadic-E skip for thirty years
without developing their own "theories" (hypotheses would be more
correct) about the phenomenon of Es.
I always found the thunderstorm theory hard to swallow for a number of
reasons. Thunderstorm activity increases in March and Es doesn't,
there is a distinct "second season" for Es around the new year, but no
increase in thunderstorms, and, on rare occasion, the whole world can
erupt in out-of-season Es, with no unusual storm activity at all.
Noticing that Es very often comes in a pattern of about 28 days, that
some particular days were incredibly likely to have Es (e.g.: 22 May,
Field Day weekend, and 17 July in years past), and that other
phenomena, such as aurora and meteors, could enhance or even cause Es,
I arrived at what I call the "pixie dust" hypothesis.
The idea is that the Earth, spinning around the Sun, and otherwise
speeding through space, is running into something in space that we
can't see (hence "pixie dust"), perhaps a super fine powder or some
kind of gas, was striking the E Layer, ionizing it, and stirring it up
with turbulence - producing Es.
The seasonal difference could be due to the orientation of the Earth
in relation to its orbital motion changing through the year. In March,
the North Pole (and its resultant magnetic "hole") is speeding head on
into the space in front of it. In June, the North Pole is at "port",
facing the sun, anything that the earth was running into would be
drawn across it at great speed, like a dog sticking his head out the
window of a Ferrari.
The position of the Moon could explain the 28-day cycle (then again,
so could the Sun's own axis rotation.)
Tonight (4-14), WTVS showed a program, "400 Years of the Telescope",
with the latter part of the program showing the latest advances in
large telescope systems.
The part that really got my attention dealt with an earth-based
telescope system that measured scintillation of a known star and
"subtracted" the scintillation from objects being observed, producing
sharp images with an earth based telescope.
Here is where Es comes in:
"where something is being observed where there are no strong stars to
use as a reference, an artificial star is produced, using a powerful
laser. The laser beam is aimed (in the direction of that which is
being observed) to produce the image of a star. This is possible
because 100 KILOMETERS ABOVE THE EARTH'S SURFACE, IS A LAYER OF SODIUM
ATOMS PRODUCED BY MICROMETEORS" (all caps for emphasis mine).
100 km? Sounds like the E-layer. Sodium produced by micrometeors?
could this be "pixie dust"? Any comments - especially critical ones,
would be appreciated. Or, better yet, just bring me a lot of skip!
(Rob, N8NU EN81fs, Grant, WTFDA via DXLD)
I believe the "second season" can be partially explained. Basically
the Es season for the southern hemisphere bleeds over north of the
equator, observed primarily by our southern radio enthusiasts, but
much less frequently by us in the northern reaches.
It seems to me that Es is more prevalent in the late spring rather
than centered around the June date of sun retreat. In fact my most
memorable Es outbreak occurred 57 years ago today when I, living just
outside of New York City, was copying mid-west FM stations like they
were local, and for hours on end (Allan Dunn, K1UCY, April 15
Speaking of 28 day cycles, I've noticed here that Es is more common
between the 20th and 25th of the month during the off months
(February-April and September-November). Everyone here knows the
seasons change around the 21st in March, June, September, and
December. I've never been a fan of the thunderstorm theory, either.
(Danny Oglethorpe, Shreveport, LA, ibid.)
Thunderstorms, of the usual variety have no connection. Thunderstorms
- severe ones particularly in conjunction with a large weather front
which also can produce tornadoes is an Es connection I can't ignore
simply because it's happened so many times and in so many places. It's
not the storms themselves which trigger the Es, but something about
certain weather fronts seems to go right along with Es.
The geomagnetic connection has been discussed here many times. It's
another one of those situations that happens too frequently to be
discarded but not often enough to be a rule. But if there's a large
sunspot area producing storming, if it's still there the next period,
that's the 28-day cycle at work.
That there is a correlation between Es and some kind of disturbance in
the E layer isn't in much dispute. It's what the various component
elements are.
My interest in these sorts of things has come into play with FM/TV DX,
AM BCB DX ( where geomagnetic disturbances have other sorts of
effects) and even in 2m hamming. I've read more scientific papers on
geomagnetic effects than I can remember over the years, and it doesn't
seem that science is a whole lot closer to having the answers than was
the case 30 - 40 years ago! (Russ Edmunds, WB2BJH, Blue Bell, PA
40:08:45N; 75:16:04W, Grid FN20id, ibid.)
I have long wondered if there are multiple causes - various factors
which can ionize the e-layer and either on their own or in some
combination create the e-skip effect. Perhaps there are different
'kinds' of e-skip, all behaving roughly the same way. Example:
aurorally-induced Es that occur mostly at night, in northern
latitudes, the summery midday stuff further south, etc.
I think it's awesome that we're all up to our necks in something about
which so little is known and/or proven. We should get some truly
academic researchers to weigh in (Saul Chernos, Ont., ibid.)
I recall that one summer during a tornado in the FL panhandle I got Es
from that area, and nowhere else (John Ebeling in MN, ibid.)
VENUS DISAPPEARS DURING METEOR SHOWER
NASA Science News for April 17, 2009
A meteor shower. A crescent Moon. A disappearing planet. These three
things will be on display next Wednesday, April 22nd, when the Moon
occults Venus during the annual Lyrid meteor shower. Full story at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/17apr_lyrids.htm?list1066436
(via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD)
METEOR SCATTER MECHANIX
When a meteor strikes earth's atmosphere, a cylindrical region of free
electrons is formed at the height of the E layer. This slender,
ionized column is relatively long, and when first formed is
sufficiently dense to reflect and scatter television and radio
signals, generally observable from 25 MHz upwards through UHF TV, back
to earth. Consequently an incident television or radio signal is
capable of being reflected up to distances approaching that of
conventional Sporadic E propagation, typically about 1500 km.
A signal reflected by such meteor ionisation can vary in duration from
fractions of a second up to several minutes for intensely ionized
trails. The events are classified as overdense and underdense,
depending on the electron line-density (related to used frequency) of
the trail plasma.
The signal from overdense trail has a longer signal decay associated
with fading and is a physically a reflection from the ionized cylinder
surface, while an underdense trail gives a signals of short duration,
which rises fast and decays exponentially and is scatter from
individual electrons inside the trail.
Frequencies in the range of 50 to 80 MHz have been found to be optimum
for meteor scatter propagation. The 88 - 108 MHz FM broadcast band is
also highly suited for meteor scatter experiments. During the major
meteor showers, with extremely intense trails, band III 175 - 220 MHz
signal reception can occur.
Ionized trails generally reflect lower frequencies for longer periods
(and produce stronger signals) compared to higher frequencies. For
example, an 8-second burst on 45.25 MHz may only cause a 4-second
burst at 90.5 MHz.
The effect of a typical visually seen single meteor (of size 0.5 mm)
shows up as a sudden "burst" of signal of short duration at a point
not normally reached by the transmitter. The combined effect of
several meteors impinging on earth's atmosphere, while perhaps too
weak to provide long-term ionisation, is thought to contribute to the
existence of the night-time E layer.
The optimum time for receiving RF reflections off sporadic meteors is
the early morning period, when the velocity of earth relative to the
velocity of the particles is greatest which also increases the number
of meteors occurring on the morning-side of the earth, but some
sporadic meteor reflections can received at any time of the day, least
in the early evening.
When a meteor strikes earth's atmosphere, a cylindrical region of free
electrons is formed at the height of the E layer. This slender,
ionized column is relatively long, and when first formed is
sufficiently dense to reflect and scatter television and radio
signals, generally observable from 25 MHz upwards through UHF TV, back
to earth. Consequently an incident television or radio signal is
capable of being reflected up to distances approaching that of
conventional Sporadic E propagation, typically about 1500 km.
A signal reflected by such meteor ionisation can vary in duration
from fractions of a second up to several minutes for intensely ionized
trails. The events are classified as overdense and underdense,
depending on the electron line-density (related to used frequency) of
the trail plasma.
The signal from overdense trail has a longer signal decay associated
with fading and is a physically a reflection from the ionized cylinder
surface, while an underdense trail gives a signals of short duration,
which rises fast and decays exponentially and is scatter from
individual electrons inside the trail.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TV/FM_DX
(via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD)
NASA SUN PROBES WATCH OVER EARTH
By Jonathan Amos, Science reporter, BBC News
Scientists say they have demonstrated the principle of a very
effective early warning system that would give notice of huge
eruptions on the Sun. Two Nasa spacecraft have been used to track
massive clouds of energetic particles thrown off our star.
These eruptions, when they hit the Earth, can damage satellites,
disrupt communications and harm astronauts. The Stereo probes have
shown how two widely separated vantage points can be used to forecast
an impact's arrival.
Although Stereo is only a scientific research mission, the project
team says its work illustrates clearly how an operational "space
weather" early-warning system could work.
"For the event we describe [in an upcoming scientific paper], we would
have been able to give 24 hours' advance notice," said Dr Chris Davis,
of the UK's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, a key partner on the
mission.
"That's ample time to power down a satellite until the worst of the
storm has passed; and if you're an astronaut on the space station, you
would have had plenty of time to get into an area that has much better
shielding."
The Stereo (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory) spacecraft were
launched on 25 October 2006.
'Petit dejourner' [sic]
One probe was put just ahead of the Earth as it moves around the Sun;
the other was stationed just behind. They have been allowed to
gradually drift apart, and that separation has enabled the orbiters to
construct 3D images of the Sun-Earth system. Scientists are using
these pictures to model the structure and movement of Coronal Mass
Ejections (CMEs) . . . Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/science/nature/7998867.stm
Published: 2009/04/14 18:15:03 GMT © BBC MMIX
(via Dan Say, BC, DXLD)
http://www.spaceweather.com/ has an interesting comment on the present
weakness of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These are the solar upsets
that are often associated with auroral events. Best wishes, (Nick
Hall-Patch, Victoria, BC, Canada, April 15, IRCA via DXLD) ###