DX LISTENING DIGEST 9-087, December 29, 2009 Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. Materials taken from Arctic or originating from Olle Alm and not having a commercial copyright are exempt from all restrictions of noncommercial, noncopyrighted reusage except for full credits For restrixions and searchable 2009 contents archive see http://www.worldofradio.com/dxldmid.html NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1493, Dec 30, 2009-Jan 5, 2010 Wed 1630 WRMI 9955 [usually first airing] Wed 1930 South Herts Radio 3935 Wed 2000 WBCQ 7415 Thu 1300 WRMI 9955 Thu 2000 WBCQ 7415 Fri 0100 WBCQ Area 51 5110-CUSB Fri 0200 WRMI 9955 Fri 1230 WRMI 9955 Fri 1530 WRMI 9955 Fri 2130 WWCR1 7465 Sat 0900 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 9510 [pre-empted until January 9?] Sat 0900 WRMI 9955 Sat 1430 WRMI 9955 Sat 1730 WWCR3 12160 Sat 1900 IPAR/IRRS/NEXUS/IBA 6170 Sat 2000 WRMI 9955 Sun 0330 WWCR3 5070 Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215 Sun 0900 WRMI 9955 Sun 1230 South Herts Radio 5835 Sun 1615 WRMI 9955 Sun 2000 WRMI 9955 Tue 1200 WRMI 9955 Tue 1630 WRMI 9955 Tue 2000 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://193.42.152.193/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24 WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN: http://www.wrn.org/wrn-listeners/world-of-radio/ http://www.wrn.org/listeners/world-of-radio/rss/09:00:00UTC/English/541 OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO: http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html or http://wor.worldofradio.org DXLD YAHOOGROUP: Why wait for DXLD, which seems to be coming out less frequently? A lot more info, not all of it appearing in DXLD later, is posted at our yg without delay. When applying, please identify yourself with your real name and location. Those who do not, unless I recognize them, will be prompted once to do so and no action will be taken otherwise. Here`s where to sign up: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxld/ ** AFGHANISTAN. Deewa Radio MW Khost site on 621 kHz Harris 200 kW is overdue. Any news about this installation? In Google Earth/Maps see in the vicinity of 33 19 54.76 N, 69 56 10.84 E (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) ** ALBANIA. 6100, R. Tirana, Dec 24 at 0437, S9+5, SINPO 45444, ending press review, into show about Albania and the EU, summary of 2009 efforts to join (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) R Tirana in Albanian 1457.857v kHz; on Relay foreign broadcast stations like CRI Beijing in Albanian at 1620 1215.128v kHz. Now mornings on Dec 25 at 0950 UT Radio Tirana via Resht [non- direxional] antenna on 7389.988 kHz, signal S=8-9 in peaks (Wolfgang Büschel, A-DX Dec 24/25 via DXLD) MW, Dec 26 at 2130-2145 on TWR 1394.852, and CRI Polish 1457.852 too. And mornings RT Shijak Reth non-dir antenna on 7389.984 kHz, folk music at 0845 UT (Wolfy Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Drita, and a very, very Merry Christmas to you. I want to tell you that there is continued improvement on the Albanian programs at 2130 UT on 7435, and 0000 on 6130. Sometimes the modulation is a little low, but, in general, it is much, much better than when you and I started writing. Also, the program in English at 0430 on 6100 is better. Sometimes modulation is lower than on the Albanian, but it too is much better. Sometimes the interval signal is loud, the recorded frequency announcements are a little softer, and, when Klara Ruci starts to read the news, her voice is lower. Still, overall, the sound has improved. I heard a very interesting program last night (this morning, 0430 UT) on 6100. It was about Christmas in Albania. However, there was a problem, instead of beginning at 0430, the program seems to have started earlier. I don't know when. At 0445, the interval signal was played, and the program started over, but before it could finish, the transmitter went off, at 0500. I am sorry, because you played some very interesting music (Tim Hendel, AL, Dec 26, via Drita Çiço, R. Tirana Monitoring via DXLD) ** ALGERIA. 666 kHz, R. Algérienne/R. Tindouf, Tindouf, 1846-1955 & around 2230, 27 Dec, channel 1 relay (\\ 549 [reactivated] for instance), Arabic, talks, local program 1900, news in English till 1915, then talks in both Arabic & English, Arabic again; news in Castilian 2230, ID in French "R. Algérie International" prior to news in this language at 2235; 32441, QRM de PORTUGAL local (10 kW; 38º 58' 49.16" N, 08º 57' 25.38" W, i.e. at some 30 km to the north of me). I was unable to find any internet data on this, and don't remember having heard them [Tindouf] with such programs, v.g. newscasts in foreign languages, but then if one has followed the recent news about W. Sahara, maybe this makes sense as Tindouf is Algeria's outpost in the west of the country, with the border just some 220 km away from the Atlantic; and, frankly, just between you and me, one of the good reasons for backing Polisario (station located 27º 33' 13.47" N, 08º 05' 56.29" W). 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRTH 2010 shows the Chaîne Internationale, which includes foreign- language news, only on three FM frequencies elsewhere in the country. 666 at Tindouf is a 10 kW unit carrying Ch. 1 and local programs (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) ** ANGOLA. 4949.8, Rádio Nacional de Angola, 0454-0520 Dec 21, man speaking Portuguese before crowd. Music at 0458 indicating end of program with man giving announcements over music. Four time pips at 0500 followed by ID and news headlines. Another man gave new details with several remote reports. At 0516 another ID followed by group vocals. Poor to fair (Rich D'Angelo, Wyomissing PA, Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R-8B, Eton E1, Eton E5, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, RF Systems Mini- Windom, Datong FL3, JPS ANC-4, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Caro Arnaldo, Gostaria de saber sobre a RAE. Por que tiraram as ondas curtas de 25 m do ar? E a de 19 metros? Procure se informar e passe-nos aqui para o grupo. Thanks Gracias 73 (LUIZ CHAINE NETO, LIMEIRA - SP - 26-12-2009, dxclubepr yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) ?? Asks why RAE took their 25 and 19m frequencies off the air. Have they? AAMOF, have not heard them for some time on 15345v or 11711v. One should also ask Gabriel Iván Barrera (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA. 4810, 27/12 1903, Armenian National Radio, Gavar, in Arabic, reports, also about Azerbaijan, songs, fair/good (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, Drake R8; SDR-IQ -- ANT: T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. 2368.5, Radio Symban (presumed), 1450-1515, Dec 28. Finally heard some audio! Hovering at threshold level; two brief openings with positive Greek music and singing; otherwise unusable; could not make out anything about announcers, only heard the music. This was just before my local sunrise. Seemed to be slightly below .5 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Re 9-086: Johno here, Peakhurst, Sydney, Australia. 6080, 21st December 0940, heard Radio ABC National with the Cyclone watch for Western Australia. I think this is ex [out of, rather than formerly] Shepparton. Good level with phone-in line and did so but too many to be interviewed. Otherwise I would have also given why ain`t Darwin on line???? Anyway it wasn't on air 22/12 or tonight the 23rd. Geezez can anyone out there put brains into politicians? Darwin, yes, looks like closing end of lease and the Kendari folk take over their land (not that they will be on this particular block of it). Oh dear Copenhagen, smoke and mirrors. Regards (Johno Wright, NSW, HCDX via DXLD) 6020, "ABC Local Radio" (via Radio Australia). 1256-1310 December 26, 2009. Country music, female with "ABC Local Radio" ID's often, "ABC National News" 1300, back to ABC Local Radio ID's from 1305. Same audio on 9580 and 9590. 9580 abruptly off 1358* More: December 27, 6020 with interval signal until abruptly off 1359*, 9590 still on at 1400 with ABC National News (lots of flooding), "Radio Australia" promo after the news feed, but into an ABC canned opera program. 9660, Radio Australia, Brandon. 0738-0742 December 26, 2009. Supposedly only 10 kW, Pacific-beamed. Clear and very good with Pacific yacht race updates (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. RADIO AUSTRALIA "DROPS" SPORTS BULLETINS AMID SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS http://www.theage.com.au/national/radio-australia-to-cull-sport-news-20091226-lfqi.html or http://preview.tinyurl.com/yz9qdv8 A troubling story, particularly for those of us who are fans of Radio Australia, and more so since have been interviewed by Ms. O’Shea and met Mr. Telfer while in Melbourne in past years. – (Rob de Santos, Columbus, OH, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST; also via Dale Park, HI) Presumably relays of sports coverage from parent ABC continue. Radio Australia will want to restore its own sports programming as soon as possible. BBC World Service has demonstrated the importance of sports coverage in attracting an audience. Posted: 28 Dec 2009 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Yacht race sked --- try 6516, 0605 UT for the dingy race to get to Hobart (Johno Wright, Dec 27, ARDXC via DXLD) Sydney Hobart Radio, Sail-World.com 28 December 2009 Sail-World.com is streaming the 1705 [0605 UT] Sydney Hobart Radio sked and Radio relay traffic on 6516 kHz courtesy of Peter Bye, who operates VK2MPJ from North Nowra, on the NSW south coast. Daily position reports (skeds) will be conducted on the race frequency (6516 kHz). The last radio sked was at 0735 this morning (AEST) They are in fact at 0735 and 1705 hours each day and as at other times as may be advised by the Radio Relay Vessel JBW. [= 2035 and 0605 UT] During the race, boats retiring will report to JBW on this frequency as did the boats making their Mandatory Green Cape declaration *** (details below) and emergency race traffic will also be directed to JBW who will maintain a listening watch 24 hours per day. Boats will report wind strength over 40 knots. (although that is unlikely to happen today, as the fleet sails into softening conditions in Bass Strait. The main voice you will hear on JBW, the relay vessel is David Kellett, ISAF Treasurer and former Commodore of the CYCA. Peter is a volunteer member of the NSW Rural Fire Service and at this time of the year could normally expect to be on bush fire fighting standby, but with ex-cyclone Lawrence heavy dumping rain across NSW, there is no immediate bushfire threat, but the rain has caused another problem Peter explains 'I hope you are enjoying the streaming feed. 'I apologise for the less than perfect reception, but I have done all that I can to clean it up. I have tracked some of the noise down to the High Voltage power lines at the rear of my property; they have never been an issue in the past, but then again, it has not rained on me during the Sydney to Hobart before. 'The insulators are quite old and with all the moisture there is some arcing between the elements; not only is it causing noise on HF, but you can stand outside and hear it. So aside from cutting down the power lines, I cannot do anything about it, sorry. Peter comments 'By the way everyone, the NSW Rural Fire Service is constantly looking for volunteers, so if you feel you might have the time to help look after the community go to http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au ' Providing more detail on his equipment, he explains 'The joys (or pitfalls) of HF are that it relies heavily on atmospheric conditions, so perhaps there has been some improvement that has worked in my favour. I am also led to believe that marine HF is 'interesting' at the best of times. 'Certainly interference from foreign broadcast stations on a nearby frequency after 2000 hours doesn't help. 'I am using an Icom IC-7000 Transceiver connected to a home built antenna. I did set-up a commercially made centre fed wire di-pole in an inverted 'v' configuration running East - West yesterday, to see if that improved anything at all. 'Unfortunately it did not; in fact the home made antenna is working better, which surprised me as the commercial unit has worked well for me in other settings. 'I have also set up my old faithful Yaesu FRG-7 Shortwave Receiver. This radio is possibly older than I am, and uses old school analogue tuning technology, unlike the Icom which is fully digital and only 12mths old. 'The FRG-7 (or Frog 7 as they are known) requires a different approach and 'touch' to operating, but the results are very rewarding. To myself and many other radio enthusiasts, the old technology simply sounds better. 'The main reason I stuck with using the Icom as the main radio though, is it has the ability to 'filter' out some of the interference in order to hear the desired signal; whilst sometimes this does not work as well as we would like, it is far better than having to listen to ear piercing squeals and the like!' http://www.sail-world.com/UK/Sydney-Hobart-Radio-sked-1705-and-Radio-Relay-traffic/64850 (including online chat) (via Mike Terry, UK, dxldyg via DXLD) How long does the race last?? Is it over now? Looking around that website, it seems the finish would be sometime on Dec 31 (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Hello to all of you out there and merry Christmas! I just wanted to make a little announcement that today, 25.12.2009 there will be a special transmission from HCJB Australia, Kununurra in German towards Europe from 1500 to 1530 UT on 15340. The time- slot/frequency combination is not perfect, but anyway: There's a special QSL Card your everybody that receives the programme and writes to the German department of HCJB. 73, (Stephan Schaa, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Sorry, no propagation into Germany this afternoon, Dec 25 (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX via DXLD) 15340, HCJB, Kununurra, *1500-1515, programa especial de Navidad, en alemán para los DX-istas de HCJB, locutor, identificación: "Quito, Ecuador", frecuencia, dirección: "Quito, Ecuador, South America". Comentarios. 33333 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW7600G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orienta WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. 6155, Österreich 1, Moosbrunn. 0750-0800 December 26, 2009. Excellent with classical music, German announcer in-studio, short phoned-in talk by female (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) From 2010y, this is to be cut back to stop at 0715* weekdays, earlier on weekends. Check next week whether English and French token local newscasts remain at 0708-0715 M-F, and repeated on 7325 0000+UT (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. AWR, 9770, at 2000 in Dyula. Language and station ID. Music. Excellent signal. 23 Dec. AWR, 9830 at 2107 in English. Severe rtty QRM. Discussion about education. Otherwise strong signal. 23 Dec. Enjoy the season and 73s/ (Liz Cameron, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AZERBAIJAN. 9677.3v, R Nagorny Karabakh, Stepanakert, 0617-0637*, Dec 12, Armenian talks with mentions of "Karabakh Respublika" and one "Space" music theme, short report in Russian and talk, fair-good with usual distorted audio (Mikhail Timofeyev, St Petersburg, Russia in Dxplorer via DSWCI DX Window Dec 23 via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) Not heard since Jan 2007 (DSWCI Ed. Anker Petersen, ibid.) ** BANGLADESH [and non]. Bangladesh will shift its clock back by one hour from midnight of 31st December 2009. It means 11.59 Hrs Bangladesh time [23.59] will become 10.59 Hrs [22.59] on 31st December 2009. This will continue till 31st March 2010 when it will shift forward by one hour again. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=119573 BBC Bangla had earlier shifted its time to match the changed Bangladesh time and VOA Bengali service recently announced that it will shift its evening service by one hour from December 31st to match the Bangladesh time. However, the VOA announcement was made before this announcement of shifting back of Bangladesh timings on 25th December 2009. It will be interesting to watch the international broadcasters match this twice a year change and also manage the A and B frequency change seasons (Supratik Sanatani, West Bengal, Dec 29, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) So the UT when the clox set back will be 1659 Dec 31 (gh, DXLD) Odd!! Just as we pass the solstice and so daylight hours increase, the country switches to "winter" time!! (Chris Greenway, UK, ibid.) ** BELARUS. 6155, Radio Station Belarus. 2205-2302 December 24, 2009. Tune-in to English male news items with three-ish note separator between each item, ID 2207, back to news. ID, URL, frequencies, schedule, address, URL, email and fax number (none of which I bothered to copy). A little later, very nice traditional folk vocals and instrumentals, many sounding very Irish folk to this Belarussian uneducated listener. Sign-off announcement from 2257, including "Happy holiday greetings." Also, phoned soundbytes from listeners ("I am one of the regular listeners to Radio Belarus... and I wish all the best.." Brief clip of "Jingle Bells" on xylophone, more closing announcements, "... a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year's..." into another language, either Russian or Belarussian from 2300. Very good copy (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM. 9970, RTBF at 1440 in French with pop music and a man with small talk and taking occasional phone calls and a "Vivacité" network ID at 1500 and into a woman with news in brief then more music - Weak to Fair in Peaks Dec 27. If reports are true that this one will cease broadcasting at year's end, then I may have caught one of their last broadcasts and we may have lost another radio country as Radio Vlaanderen stopped using SW from Belgium some years ago. [Later:] We are definitely losing a radio country as Andy Sennitt mentioned on the ODXA Yahoo Group that their website is announcing the shutdown effective 2215 UTC December 31st (Mark Coady, Ont, NASWA yg via DXLD) Re 9-086, RTBF quitting SW Dec 31: see also: http://www.rtbfi.be/rtbf_2000/bin/view_something.cgi?id=0189874_sac (via DXplorer, Dec 21) RTBFi - Arrêt de la diffusion en ondes courtes le 31/12/2009. À l'instar d'autres organismes européens de radio, la RTBF a decidé d'arrêter la diffusion de ses emissions en ondes courtes a partir du 31 decembre 2009 à 23h15 [HEC]. Vous pouvez continuer à écouter RTBF international: En Europe et dans le monde entier via internet, en streaming, et en ecoute à la demande, comme pour l'ensemble des chaînes radio de la RTBF. En Afrique par satellite (AB3) et en FM a Kinshasa, sur 99.2 MHz, avec le soutien de la Communauté française, En Belgique en ondes moyennes (621 kHz), notamment a la côte, et dans les regions limitrophes (300 km autour de Bruxelles). Source (19.12.2009, 17:26 MEZ) Frequenzen auf Online-QSL und Kontakt (via Douglas Kaehler-D, A-DX Dec 19 via BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) Countdown to suicide: two days left after Dec 29, RTBF, 9970, poor in French at 1415 YL being interviewed by OM, 1416 into music; some echo. Or is it? The Wavre transmitter then becomes available for rent to some gospel huxter; that would suffice for the country-counters to keep Belgium as active on SWBC. Of course TDP keeps Belgium on the map via transmitters elsewhere; see KURDISTAN (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BIAFRA [non]. V. of Biafra International continues to be missing, for the third week in a row from its previously scheduled time of 19- 20 UT Fridays on WHRI 15665; nothing there Dec 25 around 1930. Website continues to lack any audio files since Dec 11, which did not get a SW airing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 4409.8, Radio Eco, Reyes, 2310 to 0000 every day for last week. 4451.2, Radio Santa Ana, Santa Ana de Yacuma, 1020 and 2330 each day being received well. 5580.2, Radio San José, San José de Chiquitos, 2330, weak with music, on 25 December. 73s de (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, Drake R 8, Icom 746Pro DL, noise reducing antenna, 60 meter band dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Amigos, A Jovem Pan 620 SP está fora do ar, pelo motivo já informado antes: festejos de Natal de seus funcionários. Deverá ser assim por 6 horas, até às 6 da manhã de 25.12. Abre caminho para uma pesquisa nas horas seguintes sobre o que ela habitualmente ela cobre quando está no ar. Em 780, o IBOC da CBN SP está um tanto esquisito. O invés dos canais inferior e superior estarem ‘colados’ com a freqüência principal, hoje está havendo uma lacuna entre estes e os 780 kHz: O inferior estranhamente ocupa de 765 a 770 kHz, e o superior, de 790 a 795 kHz. Normalmente, ocupam respectivamente 775 a 780 e 780 a 785 kHz. A Cultura Brasil SP 1200 kHz está com o IBOC ‘perneta’. A emissora está no ar, porém o canal inferior do IBOC está desativado, ficando com o segmento superior do IBOC de 1207 a 1215 kHz (estranhamente) . Vai entender esse padrão técnico das emissoras usuárias de IBOC. A Bandeirantes SP 840 é a mais exagerada. Está no ar, e o IBOC dela vai linearmente de 825 a 855 kHz. Portanto, ocupa nada menos que 30 kHz do espectro. Come literalmente 15 kHz de cada lado. Em suma, até agora, meia noite e 17, só a JP fora do ar. Talvez à uma da manhã mais alguma desative o seu transmissor. Um abraço, e boas escutas para quem está acordado (Rudolf Grimm, São Bernardo, SP, radioescutas yg via DXLD) One station was *off* the air for holiday; others had IBOC out of spex, worse than usual (gh) ** BRAZIL. 3365, 27/Dez 2300, BRASIL, R Cultura de Araraquara, PP, desde Araraquara SP, com 1 kW. Mx de rodeio. Som limpo sem ruídos, (apenas o das descargas de raios que se aproximam, rss) As 2301 UT chamada do programa Alô Cidade todas as tardes na Cultura, advs. "bolsa de empregos". 2303 vinheta musical da Radio Cultura. 25433 4935, 28/Dez 0052, R Capixaba, PP, desde Vitória ES, com 1 kW. Px religioso, um homem contando a benção recebida. Outra emissora que no verão está sempre presente com bom sinal. 35443 [another log below] 4945, 28/Dez 0055, R Cultura Ondas Tropicais, PP, desde Marituba, ID completa, fim do programa "raridades da MPB", 35444. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 5045! ** BRAZIL. 4885, Dec 24 at 0424, songs in Spanish provoke a double- take, but retracted due to Portuguese announcement between them, ``bom dia``. Best Brazilian signal on 60m at this time, presumed R. Clube do Pará, even better than its neighbor R. Cultura do Pará on 5045 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 4935.2, Rádio Capixaba, 0534-0610 Dec 25, excited man preaching in Portuguese until 0556 when there was a series of announcements and jingle ID. After brief instrumental music bridge, another man gave ID and frequency announcements. Pop music selection followed before the preacher returned with another Christmas Day sermon. Poor to fair with CODAR QRM (Rich D'Angelo, Wyomissing PA, Ten-Tec RX-340, Drake R-8B, Eton E1, Eton E5, Alpha Delta DX Sloper, RF Systems Mini-Windom, Datong FL3, JPS ANC-4, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) Another log of this one above. On late(r) for Xmas? So also for NYE? WRTH 2010 does not attempt to give hours for any Brazilian SW stations. No, LA-DX and Aoki show it`s normally 24 hours, but I`ve seldom heard it (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4985, Rádio Brasil Central, Goiânia, 2320 to 0000 with mix of Portuguese and English music including Harry Nilsson - Everybody's Talkin' (1969) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AzEY6ZqkuE and Minnie Riperton, "Lovin' you is easy cause you're beautiful...". Blasting in with excellent signal 20 December. 73s de (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, Drake R 8, Icom 746Pro DL, noise reducing antenna, 60 meter band dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 5045, RADIO CULTURA DO PARÁ. Belém, Brasil, 0935-0950 dic 26. A las 0936 ID: "...93.7 MHz Rádio Cultura FM, emissora Funteba, Fundação Paranaense de Radiodifusão; Avenida Almirante Barroso 735, Belém, Pará, Brasil..." "...você está ouvindo Brasileirismo..." música instrumental "...Brasileirismo, da segunda a sexta, 5 manhã..." a las 1000 programa Jornal da Manhã (RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ R., Bogotá, Colombia, Winradio G303i, condiglist yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 9665, 26/12 23.10, R. Marumby - Florianópolis, PP canti di Natale // a 5940 kHz (ma allora, Radio Marumby e Radio Paz no Valle son la stessa cosa? Stesso programma, stesso indirizzo... . Boh??? ) suff (Roberto Pavanello, Italy, playdx yg via DXLD) NON SONO LA STESSA COSA, MA ENTRAMBE FANNO PARTE DELLA ORGANIZZAZIONE EVANGELICA BRASILIANA GIDEOES DO BRASIL VOZ MISSIONARIA. CONTATO http://radioevangelismo.com/contato.htm Radio Marumby Ltda. Avenida Parana, 1885. Bairro: Boa Vista - Curitiba/PR CEP: 82510-000- PARANA' (Dario Monferini, playdx ed., ibid.) ** BRAZIL. R Senado em 5990 --- Colegas. Entre os dias 28/12/2009 até 03/01/2010 a Rádio Senado estará em recesso e durante a sua programação diária só terá a reprodução de músicas e segundo a locutora é uma seleção de excelentes músicas em destaque desse ano e de décadas passadas. Nesse momento, 1120 UTC, ela chega com o sinal 35433. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, Dec 23, radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 6070.05, Súper Rádio Deus é Amor, Curitiba, 0507-0602 Dec 19, Portuguese. Listened to preacher, then ID at 0527, impassioned prayers, then a man and woman speaking to a crowd, a series of IDs for different stations at the top of the hour. Very poor on this frequency, dramatically better on 9565.18. A previous Flashseet Report suggests this is Rio de Janeiro, but wouldn't this be the Curitiba stations on 6070 and 9565? (Jim Renfrew, Holley NY, Drake R8B, 600' longwire west, 500' longwire northeast, 200' wire southeast, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ? What Curitiba station on 6070. WRTH 2010 shows the only 6070 Brazilian as R. Capital, Rio; mox nix as more and more of them are selling out, whatever their original remit. You may hear Miranda on multiple frequencies, not necessarily //; were these? (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 9505, Rádio Record, São Paulo. 0803-0810 December 26, 2009. Clear and good with children's vocals in Portuguese, Portuguese male host at 0805, coo-coo clock sound effects into another kiddie vocal. Only bad Brazilian parenting would allow kids to stay awake this late. Presumed the one. [early? It`s 6 am there, they imagine with DST] 9565.24, Rádio Tupi, Curitiba, Paraná. 0742-0746 December 26, 2009. Portuguese male preacher, presumed the one. Fair and good. 9645.34, Rádio Bandeirantes, São Paulo. 0734-0738 December 26, 2009. Portuguese-Brazilian man. Good. 9675, Rádio Canção Nova, Cachoeira Paulista, São Paulo. 0746-0750 December 26, 2009. Portuguese male preacher, gospel vocal. Clear and very good, but the audio was somewhat distorted. Presumed. 9685.15, Rádio Gazeta, São Paulo. 0750-0754 December 26, 2009. Presumed the one with seemingly gospel vocals in Portuguese. Clear, but low audio (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. 9675, 28/Dez 1020, BRASIL, R Canção Nova, PP, desde Cachoeira Paulista, com 10 kW. Missa ao vivo. Sinal forte e distorcido, situação que se arrasta há alguns meses. 45443, geral em regular devido a distorção (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 10000, Brasil, Observatório Nacional, Rio de Janeiro RJ. December 22, Portuguese, 1901-1905 female time announcements every 10 seconds “Observatório Nacional, dezessete horas, dois minutos, zero segundo” (three time pips); at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 seconds, one time pip only. 45444. 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Pessoal: Não tenho escutado a Radio Globo em 11805 kHz. Algum problema?? Feliz Natal. 73, (Karl Leite, PS7KM, Natal, RN, Brasil, Dec 24, dxclubepr yg via DXLD) Olá Karl Leite, tudo bom? A Rádio Globo, não transmite mais em 11805 kHz; até um bom tempo quem estava nesta frequência era a igreja do Pastôr Miranda, mais depois sumiu. Um forte 73, Feliz Natal e um Próspero Ano Novo, Edson Kaphussú (Edson Ferreira Gomes Ferreira Gomes, ibid.) 11805 was the one which was terribly off-frequency way above 12 MHz for a while at a variety of spots; out of its misery? (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Amigo Glenn, Lendo o DX Listening Digest 9-086, vi seus comentários sobre a Rádio Bandeirantes. Reafirmo as informações do Jorge Freitas, pois a Bandeirantes é realmente uma emissora de notícias muito séria. Ela mantém serviço de helicópetoros verificando as condições do trânsito para dar as informações em tempo real. Ela contrata um serviço exclusivo de previsões climáticas. Paralelamente ela apresenta diversos serviços culturais, como informações sobre vinhos, curiosidades, etc. Além de ter um cast com os melhores radio jornalistas brasileiros da atualidade, profissionais com muito tempo na área e muita experiência. O Jorge tem razão em qualficá-la como uma emissora muito séria em termos de informações. Um grande abraço, (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, Barbacena - MG - Brasil, Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. BRASIL. Muchas emisoras brasileñas ofrecieron programas especiales con motivo de la Navidad. 4885, Rádio Clube do Pará, Belém, 0721-0845, 25-12, "Programa especial Natal Clube", locutor, canciones brasileñas. 34433. 4985, Rádio Brasil Central, Goiânia, 0706-0820, 25-12, "Programa especial Natal Na Beira da Mata, com Carlos Veloso" "Na Beira da Mata, feliz Natal", "Na Beira da Mata, último programa do ano 2009", comentarios y canciones brasileñas. 35433. 6185, Rádio Nacional da Amazônia, Brasília, *0700-0820, "Bom dia Amazônia, Bom dia Brasil", "Programa especial Natal", canciones brasileñas. A las 0800: "Rádio Nacional da Amazônia, programa especial". A partir 0820 se deteriora la señal y predomina Rádio Educación [MEXICO]. 24322. 9695, Rádio Rio Mar, Manáus, 1021-1110, 25-12, portugués, canciones religiosas navideñas. 24322. 11815, Rádio Brasil Central, Goiânia, *0830-0945, 25-12, "Programa Na Beira da Mata especial Natal". "A festa Brasileira", "Radio Brasil Central, comunicando para o mundo" 35433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW7600G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orienta WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BURMA [non]. BURMESE ETHNIC GROUPS PLAN SHORTWAVE BROADCASTS Burma News International (BNI), an umbrella organization of ethnic media groups, says that it is developing plans to set up shortwave radio broadcasts in ethnic languages. At least 10 languages would be broadcast in 15-minute daily programmes, according to Khin Maung Shwe, the BNI secretary of development. Meanwhile, BNI said it plans to ask ABC, based in Australia, or Burmese broadcasting media to air its programmes. (Source: The Irrawaddy) (December 23rd, 2009 - 14:12 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) Or in more detail: FM FOR ETHNIC BROADCASTING IN BURMA, EXCEPT THAT FM IS NOT AVAILABLE. HENCE, SHORTWAVE. "Burmese ethnic journalists met in Chiang Mai on Tuesday to discuss how best to cover the 2010 election and agreed that FM radio offers the best medium to reach a wide ethnic audience. ... One outcome of the meeting was agreement to create proposals to create one or more FM radio stations and to seek donors to fund the proposals. FM radio would be an effective tool to educate people about the 2008 Constitution and election, he said. However, it is not easy to create an FM broadcast station, according to members of the Kaowao Newsgroup based in Thailand. ... Ethnic groups make up about 40 percent of Burma's population. No FM radio stations are run by in-country ethnic groups. Ethnic languages usually have about 15 minutes a week in broadcasts by the Democratic Voice of Burma and Radio Free Asia. ... Meanwhile, Burma National News (BNI), an umbrella organization of ethnic media groups, said that it is developing plans to set up a shortwave radio broadcast in ethnic languages. At least 10 languages would be broadcast in 15-minute daily programs, according to Khin Maung Shwe, the BNI secretary of development. Meanwhile, BNI said it plans to ask ABC, based in Australia, or Burmese broadcasting media to air their programs." Lawi Weng, The Irrawaddy, 23 December 2009. (via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) Is The Irrawaddy independent or junta-approved?? (gh, DXLD) So here is the thing about FM in international broadcasting. People almost always prefer to listen to clear FM than to scratchy, fady, interference-prone shortwave (even though shortwave need not be as bad as all those adjectives indicate). International broadcasters should use FM for international radio wherever FM is available. But in countries that have the most need for international broadcasting, FM is generally not available to international broadcasters. Hence the need of Burma National News to use shortwave. And the need for all serious international broadcasters to maintain their shortwave capabilities, even though we are supposed to deride shortwave and to hasten its demise. Posted: 27 Dec 2009 (Kim Andrew Elliott, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD) ** CANADA. What`s this, Xmas music on CFRX? Can hardly call it ``NewsTalk 10-10`` any more, at several 6070 chex UT Dec 25, and also 0556 UT Dec 26, with jazzed-up Joy to the World; however back to a call-in talkshow around 1400 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non] As if there isn't enough Christmas music on the air, CFRB- 1010 replaced usual news-talk with Christmas songs today. Other news- talkers also noted this morning with ho-ho-ho tunes: WBEN-930, WJR- 760, WGY-810, WLS-890. Just when I thought I had escaped hearing "Grandma got run over by a reindeer" on the radio. Excuse me while I strangle the stupid little drummer boy! 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, Dec 25, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CANADA. CHU, 7850 at 2000 with sloppy pips. Excellent signal // 3330 good, // 14670 poor, best USB. I thought they cured this problem but I haven't checked in awhile. 24 Dec (Liz Cameron, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) What do you mean exactly by ``sloppy pips``? ** CANADA. RADIO CANADA INTERNATIONAL’S SPECIAL PROJECTS TEAM LAUNCHES THE ROOTS CHALLENGE Montreal, December 8, 2009 – Radio Canada International’s Special Projects Team launches The Roots Challenge, a national competition of short films and multimedia productions. The Roots Challenge is open to all Canadians and permanent residents, 18 years and older, who wish to submit a video or multimedia production, 3 to 8 minutes in length. This competition targets citizen participation and aims to show the contribution of all cultures to the Canadian mosaic. Radio Canada International is looking for original productions, in all styles, that present a story about your roots or lack of. Avant-garde, sit-com, short docs, all styles are welcome in video, animated shorts, photo essays, anything that shows the story in a visual form! “I’m often asked where I come from and the only answer I can give is «What do you mean ?…Are you talking geography, genetics or culture? My identity, my DNA, my roots are part of or even the total sum of all 3!» That’s Boris Chassagne talking, he is the coordinateur of the Roots Project. “What I would like to see from the participants is humour, fun, sincerity, something surprising, touching, emotional something they feel --- everybody has a story to tell.” The competition has a French section also, called Racines. In French as in English, the productions must be submitted by March 7th 2010. The winners will share nearly $13,000 in prizes and their names will be disclosed on line in the spring of 2010. RCI’s jury will select 8 winners, 4 in French and 4 in English and web surfers will also have a chance to vote for their favorite production in the “short film” and multimedia categories, at http://www.rcinet.ca/roots Radio Canada International’s Special Project Team, created in 2007, targets through its projects, newcomers to Canada as well as Canadians of all origins. It has produced series such as Seeing Double, Diversity Makers, Digital Diversity and the Rock’n Road Show. Roots follows in this pattern of New Media and audio visual initiatives of Radio Canada International. For the submission form, the contest rules as well as the evaluation criteria go to : http://www.rcinet.ca/roots (via Harold Sellers, BC, dxldyg via DXLD) Hey, why can't people outside Canada enter? They're talented, too, in their own way! (Richard Clifford, ODXA yg via DXLD) I'm not defending them and I have no association with RCI or this contest, but I guess the answer to your question lies in this quote from the first paragraph: "This competition targets citizen participation and aims to show the contribution of all cultures to the Canadian mosaic." (Harold Sellers, ibid.) I see. But I found out in Glenn Hauser's World of Radio that the rules say, "All entrants must be Canadian residents." (Richard Clifford, ibid.) Yep, that's what it says. H (Sellers, ibid.) RCI does it again --- I really wonder what is going through the heads of the people at Radio Canada Internal or Radio Canada Immigration. If you read the rules for the "so-called" contest they are running, to me it sends the message that: 1. They know no one outside Canada is listening, 2. They've just confirmed RCI is now a domestic service. I say put them down as you would with a horse with not just one, but four broken legs. Radio Canada Immigration has given me a good idea. For the next Happy Station contest it will only be open to Taiwan residents. Was talking with a SWL/HAM Liu Tsio and David Monson here in Taipei and we've come up with more of what RCI really stands for: 1. Radio Canada Internal 2. Radio Canada Immigration Now the new ones 3. Radio C**** (banned word) International 4. Radio Condom International 5. Radio Canada Idiots 6. Radio Canada Insane 7. Radio Canada Icecap 8. Radio Canada Iceberg (already hit the Titanic) 9. Radio Canada Impotent 10. Radio Canada Impossible 11. Radio Canada Impractical 12. Radio Canada Incest 13. Radio Canada Inartistic 14. Radio Canada Inactivity 15. Radio Canada Incurable 16. Radio Canada Incurable 17. Radio Canada Intoxicated 18. Radio Canada Intestinal 19. Radio Canada Itch 20. Radio Canada Inflammation 21. Radio Canada Insane Well, this is what we come up with during our Sunday coffee meetings (Keith Perron, Taiwan, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Keith, I nearly choked from laughing so hard at these names. Nice work :) Which reminds me, Keith you said a few weeks ago you received a phone call from the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei about a meeting with regards to RCI. Whatever became of that meeting? (Jon Pukila, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, ibid.) You need to also thank David Monson with them as well. The meeting: all I can say right now was very interesting. As much as I would like to give the details of the meeting, as this moment in time I can not say anything publicly about it as they asked me to keep quiet until the end of February. The only thing I am willing to say right now is some people within certain government departments in Canada are not exactly happy. That's all I can say right now (Keith Perron, ibid.) ** CANADA. Both RCI's mandate and their audiences have changed -- it affects both what they do & how they do it. I'll give them credit. Many broadcasters are sitting there wondering where all their listeners have gone; RCI at least has put a stake in the ground; whether you disagree or agree, at least they're doing something (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ODXA yg via DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. While RCI gets derision from its former fans, making up new meanings for the ``I`` other than International, its domestic-orientated programming attains wider and wider dissemination! ``The Link`` bumped many foreign stations off CBC Overnight, nationwide on Radio 1, and now tnx to carriage on WRN, is also being relayed by WRMI! On 9955 Dec 24 at 0642 there was Marc Montgomery, an excellent host and a trooper making the best of his assignment, but who needs this via WRMI? Only fair signal but no jamming audible. Furthermore, at 0655 on 6160, I believe he was one of two guys chatting, presumably CKZN with CBCR1 relay; not // 9955, as the RCI version on WRN via WRMI is in half-hour segments at 0630-0700 and 0930-1000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What is said about RCI in the CBC's 2008-2009 Annual Report I've extracted this from the 2008-2009 CBC Annual Report. What it says about RCI today (and in the future) bears now resemblance to the RCI many of us remember. Harold Sellers From CBC 2008-2009 Annual Report Radio Canada International (RCI), CBC/Radio-Canada’s international radio service, broadcasts in seven languages via the Internet, digital and analogue shortwave, satellite, and some 400 partner stations worldwide. RCI’s STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES In 2008–2009, RCI’s two priority objectives were to pursue its mission worldwide and to help its RCI viva web service to take root in Canada’s cultural communities. To this end, RCI implemented an action plan; its results appear in the following table. RCI – PERFORMANCE INDICATORS Continue RCI’s shift to a multimedia and multiplatform model RCI 2008–2009 targets • Projects completed RCI 2008-2009 Results • The national and international Migrations competition: Over 200 films submitted from 22 countries, across five continents. • Creation of a spinoff product – Migrations 14–17 – with the support of Québec’s education and immigration departments. • Production of new online series: A New Face for Beijing / Le Nouveau visage de Pékin. • Seeing Double / Voir Double (simulcast on RDI). L’Érable à Palabres and MLMB Road Show. • Broadcast of Tam-tam Canada, Tam-tam weekend and Courrier mondial on Première Chaîne. • Launch of the weekly radio program Masala Canada for a South Asian audience (in English). • Production of Diversity Makers, co-produced by member countries of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD). Expand RCI’s rollout by continuing multiplatform productions RCI 2008–2009 targets • Distribution and broadcast of RCI’s multiplatform products, at home and abroad RCI 2008-2009 Results • Greater use of partner sites and virtual communities (iTunes, youTube, Facebook). • Development of a new, more interactive site, RCIviva.ca, where various linguistic communities can come together. RCI’s Future Directions • Incorporate RCI operations more organically into the larger CBC/Radio-Canada group. • Continue to develop media platforms. (via Harold Sellers, Dec 24, dxldyg via DXLD) Oh brother! I would love to shake the hand of the spin doctor who wrote this. Masala Canada when I heard the show sounds like an informercial, just to increase immigration from certain countries. Where is the best place to get news about Canada and what's going on? Certainly not from RCI. I personally get more news from Canada listening to CBC Radio via the internet. The Link, linking Canada to the world. Why not just say: The Link, welcome to Canada. Stay tuned as we tell you how to immigrate to our nation. That's all it is. I'm so happy I left Canada and I don't need to see my tax dollars going to fund a service like RCI. I support Canada having an international service. But what they have now is not an international service. It's just a immigration radio service. I know this may not sound PC, but I don't care. But is seems Canada is kissing the (guess the word) of certain ethnic group (Keith Perron, Taiwan, ibid.) ** CANADA. 6250, Sackville spur, 0140-0159*, Dec 25, Radio Canada International heard on 6250 in Spanish. Not to be confused with Equatorial Guinea. Weak but readable. 6250 is the leapfrogging spur of 6100-Radio Canada Int. 6100 leapfrogging over 6175-Voice of Vietnam via Sackville and landing on 6250. Note 75 kHz separation between each frequency (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** CANADA. 9609.949, RCI, Sackville. 1658-1728 December 27, 2009. One of their failing transmitters -- at least the audio level was OK -- with mailbag in which the host butchered names, cities etc. Oscar Peterson cover of "Jingle Bells" then canned ID mentioning this is "RCI Viva" a multi-language Internet stream [RCI Plus] and on Sirius [Sirius Canada?] channel 95. News summary, into Canadacentric music, the only thing allowed I suppose, beginning with "Cripple Creek" by The Band. Barry Haig (sp?), the host, claimed The Band is still together and touring despite some member deaths (ouch, how musically- uninformed he is). Apparently a repeat show, too, as he referenced the Kopenhagen Klimate Konference as being in progress and "... as Christmas approaches..." Nice k.d. lang cover of Neil Young's "Helpless" and others. Curious if they are allowed to play a k.d. lang song -- she being Canadian -- if the cover was not written by a Canadian. Or would she be graced in if the cover was co-written by a Canadian (say, Neil Young) and a non- Canadian (say, Stephen Stills). At least they allow persons who don't capitalize their names airtime (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. 9625, CBCNQ, Dec 24 at 2305 in CBC World At Six special with reports on the 20th anniversary earlier this year of the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Including how only in Hong Kong they managed to hold a vigil in honor of the martyrs, suppressed by police everywhere else, but ``China cannot face its future until it faces its past`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Greetings, Snap Crackle Pop fans, I’ve had a couple of notes from regular SCP listeners wondering if Paul Grant and I will be doing our ‘traditional’ New Year’s Morning show on CBC Radio One. Unfortunately, the answer is ‘nope, not this year’. Here’s the deal. After thirty-plus years with the CBC, my pal and SCP co-host Paul Grant retired last summer. He’s taking some well deserved time to do whatever the heck he wants and I know that all of us wish him well. We out here on the West Coast really miss his warm and knowledgeable presence on the CBC. He’s one of the good ‘uns! . . . http://www.ckua.com/programs/roysrecordroom/index.html Thanks for listening, folks, and a big ol’ Merry Christmas to ya. Sincerely, Roy Forbes. PS. If you’re partial to Mince Meat Tarts, go here for some seasonal fun. http://www.royforbes.ca/tart.html (via Fred Waterer, Ont, too bad, it was always a good show, Dec 24, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. Another station wanting to flee AM http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2009/2009-803.htm as below (via Ricky Leong, AB, DXLD) CIBQ-1340 Brooks AB has applied to the CRTC to move to FM (105.7 MHz, 6.6 lW, 45.6 meters) Once they go, the only AM stations left in southern Alberta will be those that serve the Calgary market. The signal of CIBQ has degraded considerably as heard in Calgary over the past several years (Brooks is about 90 miles/150 km SW of Calgary) 15. Brooks, Alberta Application No. 2009-1220-6 Application by Newcap Inc. for a broadcasting licence to operate an English-Language commercial FM radio programming undertaking to replace its existing AM radio station CIBQ Brooks. The new station would operate on frequency 105.7 MHz (channel 289B1) with an average effective radiated power (ERP) of 6,600 watts (maximum ERP of 14,000 watts with an effective height of antenna above average terrain of 45.6 metres). The applicant proposes to maintain its current country music format. The applicant requests permission to simulcast the programming of the new FM station on CIBQ for a period of three months from the date of implementation of the new station. The applicant also requests, pursuant to sections 9(1)(e) and 24(1) of the Broadcasting Act, the revocation of the licence for CIBQ effective at the end of the simulcast period. 73, (via Deane McIntyre, VE6BPO, DXLD) ** CANADA. - CISL-650 Richmond, B.C. (Vancouver) has applied for permission to broadcast in Russian for up to 20% of the broadcast week during the Vancouver Olympics, between the 10th and 28th of February. This is not the first application for permission for temporary changes in programming in the Vancouver area during the Olympics. An FM translator in the Whistler area had applied for permission to originate programming during the Games. Those within "DX range" of Vancouver might expect some *interesting* programming during the Olympics (Doug Smith W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, Dec 23, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** CANADA. Re Bogdan Chiochiu's report in DXLD 9-086 Mr. Bogdan Chiochiu really needs to do a little bit of research before making uninformed assumptions about things he is hearing. He has already been correcting on his assumption that WIZN FM 106.7 in Vergennes, Vermont had switched from classic rock to country. Now, in DXLD 9-086, Chiochiu reports the following: "Another pirate on 107.7, Jewel, never any call-letters, just MoR easy vocals, now with your Xmas classics from today and yesterday. But are they all pirates? Yesterday, Jewel was weaker than they usually are (I heard them for the 1st time two years and a half ago), maybe the tropo-scatter conditions were almost inexistent, which is not unusual for this time of the year!" A simply search for "Jewel" and "107.7" would quickly return the following page http://www.jewelradio.com/ showing clearly that 107.7 FM The Jewel is a legitimate station in the Evanov Communications network of radio station in Canada. The 107.7 outlet is CKHK in Hawkesbury, Ontario. Taking a few minutes to look at the webpage of WIZN 106.7 in Vergennes, Vermont, would have told him that they were still a classic rock station and had not switched to country. For someone seemingly as much into radio as Bogdan is, perhaps he should be listening to shows like The International Radio Report on CKUT on Sunday mornings where all the news on the 106.7 stations has been reported in great detail. Also the Radio in Montreal Yahoo Group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/radioinmontreal has also had this information posted in detail in the last couple of weeks. My suggestion therefore is to simply take a few minutes to research things before circulating misleading, unsubstantiated and erroneous information. Thanks (Sheldon Harvey, QC, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. INTRODUCTION TO CANADIAN RADIO DX Tool Box by Shawn Axelrod amandx @ mts.net 30 Becontree Bay, Winnipeg MB R2N 2X9 Canada Welcome to the DX Tool Box Column number 9. Greetings once again from the Heart of the Continent. This time around we have an Introduction to Canadian Radio. Once you have spent time DX’ing on the Broadcast Bands both AM and FM, you will notice that there is a difference between the Canadian and American radio stations. These differences may be subtle and some may be more noticeable. In this article, I will attempt to outline these differences in an effort to help you out in ID’ing some of the stations up here in the Great White North. ID’S --- WE DON’T NEED ANY ID’S Yes, up here some stations particularly those stations on FM may never give what you would call a legal ID, as the American stations have to once each hour. Canadian stations as far as I can figure must give their legal call sign once an hour but many never do. The CBC is the worst offender of never giving a legal ID. This can lead to stations using only their slogans as an ID. This may be catchy and keep the listeners’ attention but it does nothing for a DX’er. If you are looking for a legal ID containing call sign frequency and location as given in the USA you may have a long wait with some Canadian stations. Often relays never give a separate ID at all just one from the main station. A slogan may have to do for many stations here in Canada. To help you ID many of the stations that have fallen into the habit of using only a slogan or slogans, I recommend that you make good use of a good Slogans List found on line or in the NRC AM Log. CALLSIGNS Yes, even if they do not use them all the time, all stations do have a call sign. All of the stations in Canada will have a call sign that starts with a “C.” Well, almost all of them. In the province of Newfoundland and Labrador they still use callsigns that start with “VO”. These stations were allowed to keep their old callsigns when Newfoundland and Labrador joined Canada as a province in 1949. There are fewer and fewer of these “VO” calls and they easily stick out if you hear one. However any station in Newfoundland and Labrador that wishes to obtain a new call sign or apply for a new station must take a call sign starting with a “C” as is the case for the rest of Canada. In fact the stations not only start with a “C” but due to international allocations, all AM and FM stations in Canada will start with “CB”, “CF”, “CH”, “CI”, “CJ”, “CK”, “VF” and “VO” only. You will also find that some relay stations will have the same call sign as their main station but will have a number after the call sign to distinguish them from one another. This is particularly true of the CBC relay stations. As an example here in Manitoba we have CKSB on 1050 in Winnipeg with one of its many relays, CKSB-2 on 860 in Ste. Lazare. This is a definite difference between US and Canadian stations on the AM and FM bands. As well many relay stations that run under 100 watts start VF then 4 numbers. These will not ID separately but will use the callsign of the originating station. Almost all of the CBC or Canadian Broadcasting Corporation stations start with the two letters “CB.” This is another oddity of Canadian radio. If you look in the internationally allocated Callsigns you will see that the entire “CB” call sign block is allocated to Chile in South America and not Canada. This means that technically most CBC stations are using illegal callsigns. However there is an out for the CBC as the international agreement states that stations can call themselves what they want. The good old CBC has decided to “borrow” these callsigns. Some of the TIS stations in Canada also use these “CB” calls and add a “P” after the “CB.” This is done as the TIS stations are licensed to the CBC here in Canada as part of the service to the public. Almost all save for two stations that are TIS stations use the “CBP-” callsign system. Also if you look through the TIS listings that most Canadian TIS’s are not located on 530 or 1610 KHZ, but are located throughout the AM band. There is a movement to the FM band where most of the new applications for TIS are being made. On FM you will find many stations that have an unusual call sign. These are very low powered relay stations that serve isolated communities. These relays will have a call sign that starts with a “VF” then four numbers between 2000 and 7000. It is extremely unlikely you will ever hear the call sign used as these are relays that are under 100 watts, and for the most part under 50 watts. The main station will use its callsigns, not those of the relay station or stations if and when they ID. If you are lucky enough to hear one of these low powered relays you have a great catch. As you can figure out, any other station you will hear will start with a “C” and have two or three call letters after it. The trick of course is to hear the call sign at all. As with the Spanish stations in the USA, these stations will ID in French, however unlike the USA Spanish stations these stations will not ID in English on the hour. In fact many of the CBC French service or SRC (Société Radio-Canada) stations as they are called in French will ID only as RADIO CANADA or SRC. Keep your ears open and listen carefully to the station and you will hear a call sign or slogan that you can use to ID the station. FRENCH IN CANADA Do not forget that there are stations broadcasting in French that are private as well as the SRC stations. They have a wide variety of music and programming. As a rule if the station is broadcasting in French and it is outside of Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick you can almost bet on it being part of the SRC system. Check for parallels, as many stations broadcast the same programming across the country. Most stations from Quebec and some scattered across the country are non SRC French stations so make sure that the French station you hear is or is not an SRC station. There are also more and more ethnic stations springing up across the country so be careful that the station you are listening to is in French and not some other language that is being used by the station. These ethnic stations so far are in major centers across the country such as Winnipeg, Toronto, and Vancouver as an example. LANGUAGE As previously mentioned there are two main languages heard in Canada, English and French. We do have some ethnic stations that will broadcast in several languages each day. However it is the English stations I will be dealing with here. Our English is about the same as you would find in the USA but we do have some differences you may notice. First off we do say ZED and not ZEE for the last letter of the alphabet. This helps in partial ID’s you may get. We also tend to say EH a lot of the time, as in “How’s it going eh?”. Canadians will also pronounce the “A” at the end of a word as an “A” and not “ER” as Americans tend to. It is NOT Warshington DC for your nation’s capital nor do we live in Canader. [that is a very regional dialect, New England. Most Americans do not say it that way --- gh] Also you will notice that the top of a Canadian building has a “roof” not a “ruff” and we play “rock” not “rack” music on our stations. In fact these tricks are used at the Canada-US border by the border guards to separate the Canucks from the Yanks. It is said that we sound more British up here and that is because many of the teachers in the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s were of British descent, so listen closely and you will hear the difference. In an effort to insure that there is a consistent pronunciation on the CBC the network has a pronunciation guide that all announcers are asked to follow. This may seem a bit much for some people but it does lead to news, weather, and sports reports that are uniform, and no matter what station you are listening to you know what the information is about and who is being reported on. NEWS SPORTS AND WEATHER REPORTS Well, here is an area you can really use to tell if you are listening to a Canadian station. Our news weather and sports will sound different from USA stations. This is particularly true of the weather and sports reports. I will attempt to show you some of the major differences to help you separate Canadian from American radio stations if all you catch is a news, weather, or sports report. I will deal with each type of broadcast separately to give you some of the finer points of each. Some of this information is fairly common knowledge, but some will be new. NEWS REPORTS As you could guess the first thing you will notice is we talk a lot more about Canada and less about the USA. You will hear news about such things as: Parliament and not Congress House of Commons not the House of Representatives Senate and … (hey we have one too!) Ours is appointed, not elected The Prime Minister, not the President Premier of a province, not a state Governor MP’s are Members of Parliament not Congressmen MLA’s are Members of the Legislative Assembly, not state representatives of various descriptions The President of the United States, not just the President, as there is more than one President Provincial news and not State news SPORTS REPORTS Yes, we do play hockey, but not quite all year. We do give out sports reports on all kinds of different sports including hockey, football, baseball etc., but once again this will have a Canadian slant to it. Some differences will be: Football will talk about the CFL or Canadian Football League before the NFL scores. Hockey is big in the fall, winter, and spring, so watch for NHL and other hockey league scores Baseball will probably start with information on the Toronto Blue Jays Basketball - Toronto and Vancouver get top billing in scores Curling is big in the winter and early spring so watch for “bonspiel” results Not a lot of attention is given to college or university sports except championship games There is some coverage of local sports but almost no broadcasts of high school games WEATHER REPORTS No, it will not be colder all the time. In fact, where I live in Winnipeg, MB, the worst storms we get seem to come from the Dakotas. You can keep your storms; we have our own! You will notice some very basic differences, however, in the way Environment Canada reports the weather. EnviroCan is our version of NOAA and is the main source of weather reports and forecasts although some stations use Accu-Weather or The Weather Network. Now for those weather differences: Temperatures will be in Celsius and not Fahrenheit, so it will sound colder than it really is Wind speed is in Kilometers per hour or KPH, so it sounds windier than it is Barometric pressure is in Kilopascals not inches Precipitation is measured in millimeters and centimeters, not inches, so it may sound very wet Mention of “Canadian Cold Fronts” will mean you have an American, not Canadian station. Cold fronts in the winter are not called Canadian up here as we know where the cold comes from. Of these news weather and sports reports, the weather reports are the biggest tipoff that you have a Canadian station as the news and sports can be similar depending on world events. Local broadcasts are always a big help because of the information they contain. Large stations, the CBC/SRC stations in particular, will give the weather not only for their city, but for a large region or on occasion the entire province. Be careful if there are stations that may overlap in coverage or national forecasts that are general in nature. TIME ZONES Canada has the privilege of having numerous time zones to contend with. As with the USA there are the four basic time zones: Eastern Time, Central Time, Mountain Time, Pacific Time. However, as the country stretches further to the East and to the West than does the continental United States, we have added two time zones. These time zones are Atlantic Time and Newfoundland Time. The Atlantic Time covers the Provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Labrador. This time zone is one hour ahead of Eastern time. Finally we come to Newfoundland. As you will remember Newfoundland was the only province in Canada that had stations whose callsigns could start with “VO”. Well, another condition of joining Canada way back in 1949 was that Newfoundland could keep its unique time zone. Newfoundland is situated in an area where it is between the Atlantic Time Zone and the next one over. To keep time correctly Newfoundlanders set their clocks one half hour ahead of Atlantic Time. This half hour is still enforced to this day so Newfoundland Time is one and a half hour ahead of Eastern Time. You will notice this when you hear a station from Newfoundland or when you are listening to a national network, the CBC in particular. You will hear announcements like: “Listen to a program at nine o’clock, nine thirty in Newfoundland, or the time is one o’clock, one thirty in Newfoundland or we will be live at two o’clock, a half hour later in Newfoundland.” Well, you get the idea about this most unique of all North American time zones. There is an old joke about the soothsayer who walked through the Eastern part of Canada carrying a sign saying: The World Will End At 2:00, 2:30 In Newfoundland! CONCLUSION I hope that this information has been of use to you and that in some small way it has helped to understand how Canadian stations are different than our cousins to the South. It is more than language or weather it is a system and a set of traditions that go back to the earliest days of radio. Over the years the public, the owners and the government have molded the way Canadian radio stations operate and the way they sound. It is what makes Canadian stations unique and we love it. So Good Luck and Bonne Chance with your DX’ing the AM and FM radio stations in the Great White North. Oh, yes … Have a Good Day, eh!!! This month’s DX Tool Box web site is: The History of Canadian Broadcasting web site in association with Ryerson College. This web site has both a time line showing the growth of radio in Canada and a huge comprehensive General Directory section. This latter section has great articles and histories of all the major Canadian AM FM and TV stations, as well as networks and groups. Also included are sections on: Personalities, Engineering, Sports, Regulations, Cable, Satellite and News Broadcasting. If it is about Canadian radio and TV this site has it and if you want some history of what went on in the Great White North this is a super spot to start: http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/ (Shawn Axelrod, NRC DX News Oct 19 via DXLD) ** CANADA. RED RADIOS IN CANADA'S ARCTIC http://www.odxa.on.ca/ArcWavJan10.pdf (Jan ODXA Listening In via DXLD) ** CHILE. HCJB via CVC, Calera de Tango, 11920, is *still* accompanied by spurs we and others first reported weeks ago; is no one paying attention at Quito, Calera de Tango, Colorado Springs or West Bromwich? Dec 24 at 2352, tho 11920 in Portuguese sounded OK, it was flanked by distorted, motorboating, mushy spurs with matching audio centered at approximately 11902 and 11938, the latter too close to a legitimate transmission on 11935, presumably CRI in Cantonese via Kunming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also ECUADOR ** CHINA [and non]. BEIJING PRESSURES ASIAN COUNTRIES TO SILENCE SOH As the Chinese regime negotiates free-trade deals with Taiwan, it is also extending its long arm to restrict freedom of the press on the neighbouring island. Sound of Hope (SOH), an independent radio network headquartered in the United States, has been warned by its carrier in Taiwan that its contract could be terminated. SOH contracted with Taiwan’s Central Broadcasting System (CBS) in 2004. “It is because of Taiwan’s democratic system that SOH chose to work with CBS,” SOH President Zeng Yong said, adding that the station has been getting more and more popular among mainland Chinese because of its unbiased news reports on current political and social problems in China. The station has worked with CBS in a mutually successful relationship for nearly six years. Broadcast times have increased by two hours every year since 2004. Madam Ke of SOH said, “According to a source, since the second half of 2008, the Beijing regime has been using various means to pressure CBS to cut off the shortwave broadcasts by SOH. CBS President Wang Tan- ping told us that it was difficult to continue the relationship because of the pressure from Beijing. After the contract expires on 11 January 2010, we have been told that it will need to be reviewed and adjusted,” Madam Ke continued. Mr Zeng said that he believes the problem is caused by issues of economic gain. According to Mr Zeng, the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper demonstrated that it is not necessary to sacrifice one’s principles in exchange for economic interests on a recent visit to China. “This is not just interference to SOH, but a challenge to the democratic Taiwan’s freedom of the press,” Mr Zeng said. “We believe the decision to adjust the contract did not come from Taiwan’s government as a whole, but rather from a few individuals. We hope to rectify the situation through communication with the Taiwanese government,” he said. SOH’s branch in Indonesia, Batam-based Era Baru Radio Network, encountered similar interference from Beijing. Era Baru started its Chinese and Indonesian language broadcasts in March 2005. Its signal also covers neighbouring countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia. In 2007, the Chinese Embassy sent a threatening letter to the Indonesian government’s Communications Ministry and the Indonesian Broadcasting Committee, demanding termination of Era Baru’s license because its programmes on media cover-ups and human rights issues in China were influencing Chinese people living within the broadcast area. Currently, Era Baru is arguing the case with the Indonesian Broadcasting Committee in the Indonesian Supreme Court. (Source: Epoch Times) NB: Epoch Times and SOH were founded by practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual discipline, after the government of the People’s Republic of China banned the movement in 1999 (December 24th, 2009 - 10:43 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) ** CHINA [and non]. CLANDESTINE --- 6280, Sound of Hope R, Int'l, Tanshui, TAIWAN, 2301-2308, 25 Dec, Mandarin, talks; 15431, then jammed by CHINA with regular [CNR-1?] program like on 7105 (see below) 7105, Sound of Hope R, Tanshui, TWN, 2225-2300*, 25 Dec, Mandarin, talks; 22431, QRM de CHINA, presumably CNR-1, which s/off at the same time as the targetted stn; \\ 9635 also jammed the same way, but with a stronger signal, one could actually follow the program. 8400, Sound of Hope R, site?, 2300-2307, 25 Dec, Mandarin, talks; 25432, "firedragon" jammer at 2305; \\ 6280. This is listed as a "clandestine" station in the WRTH and possibly other publications; that only makes me see both CNR & CRI as mere CLAND stations instead. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The only jamming against a sect/church by China mainland at present happens annoying against Falun Gong sect / Sound of Hope broadcasts. Is the greatest antagonist of the PRCHN government. Look behind http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_of_Hope Most of ham radio operators worldwide will be happy in future, when Taiwanese shut down the shortwave outlets of Sound of Hope, due of SOH intruding into ham radio bands often. wb df5sx (Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [and non]. 9000, 22/12 2321, Firedrake Chinês, bom sinal. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, radioescutas yg via DXLD) Firedrake Dec 23 at 1440: good with flutter on 8400; nothing on 9000, 10210 or 11300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CNR1 echo jamming, Dec 23 at 2323 on 11775, and same on 15430. Aoki shows both are in use that hour by RFA in Chinese via Tinian. At 2329 I was also hearing non-echoing CNR1 on 15550, yet another RFA Mandarin frequency via Tinian, but this one had some weak audio under, which sounded like WJHR. Were they testing overtime? It`s pointless unless the frequency is absolutely clear (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The far-eastern music is back on 11300 again very strong into Wisconsin, 2240 UT (Mark Knowlton, Dec 23, UDXF yg via DXLD) Forgot about this last time it was discussed. Research "Firedrake" out of China on Google and you'll probably agree that's the source (Bob Wylie, ibid.) I am also receiving strong oriental sounding music on 11300; it`s peaking 40db over. Is this coming from china??? I am away to google "firedrake" (Steven Gibbons, South West Scotland, 1047 UT Dec 24, ibid.) Firedrake just stopped on 11300 at 1100 UT. I have googled it, and it says that it is a "jamming station". What exactly is this please? Sounds very interesting, Thanks in advance, (Steven Gibbons, South West Scotland, ibid.) Odd that there is no Firedrake here in SW England. Only the usual AFI- 3 aero stations. -- 73 de (Jim, (MPJ), 1348 UT Dec 24, ibid.) A jamming station is just what the name implies, a radio transmission used to prevent the reception of another unrelated transmission. In other words, if a particular government/agency/bad guy wants to prevent another 'enemy' from receiving a particular transmission, they set up a transmitter on the same frequency to overpower and hopefully block the intended signal. There are many documented cases of this going back to the invention of radio. You'd never get any government to admit it participates in jamming, but anyone can research and monitor what must certainly be radio signal intended to mask other transmissions on the same frequency. The 'popular' one to debate is Cuba vs. the USA, which to most SWL hobbyists can still be proven to be happening almost every hour of the day, 7 days a week on certain frequencies (Bob Wylie, ibid.) Broadcast jamming is not to prevent an `enemy` from receiving a transmission, but the inhabitants of the same country doing the jamming. Unless they consider their own population enemies -- (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi there Steven and I can confirm it is Firedrake, as I heard it myself at 1050 but it was not // 8400 or 9000.It went off at 1100. Firedrake was on 11350 at the same time but there was a station underneath, presumably the target, methinks RFA. The 11300 signal is not synchronised with the others but definitely FD. 11300, 1050, Firedrake with usual music but not in parallel with 8400 9000 and 11350. Location unknown and considerably weaker also than the others. QRT 1100. 11350 1050+ Firedrake on top of another station presumably RFA//8400 and 9000 353. RX: Icom R70 to an indoor wire antenna (Robin Harwood VK7RH, Norwood, Tasmania 7250, Radio Monitor, SWLR-KS001, 1337 UT Dec 24, UDXF yg via DXLD) RFA would not be operating in an aero band! Surely target is Sound of Hope. So need to check 11350 as well as 11300 (gh, DXLD) 24 Dec, 1145 UT: strong on 8400 kHz, weaker on 9000 kHz. Top of hour, no modulation. Resumed at 1205 UT same frequencies. Check at 1309, strong 8400, weaker 9000 (Leonard Rooney, Springfield, Delaware County PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Firedrake Dec 25 at 1453: just barely audible on 8400, inaudible on 9000, 10210, 11300. Firedrake Dec 26 at 1417: very poor on 9000, nothing on 8400, 10210 or 11300; nor 11350 where it`s also been reported recently. Firedrake Dec 27 at 1424: 8400 barely audible, 9000 just BA; 10210, 11300 and 11350 not audible (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, What a difference 14 hours earlier makes! Heard these Firedrake on Dec 26 from 2345 to 0000* (usual 5 minutes off at ToH) // 8400, 11300, 11350, 13970, 14430, 14780, 14970, 15140 and 16700. SOH is still emphasizing their broadcasts to China during their local mornings. Also a non-parallel FD on 14520, against who and is it new? (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 8400, FireDrake music jammer 1105 12/28, first of Firedrakes heard here this AM (Rick Barton, Phoenix AZ, ABDX via DXLD) Firedrake Dec 29 at 1412: just barely audible on 8400, not 9000 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. When you hear a ChiCom transmission echoing, it`s a sign of one of their accursed jamming techniques, to degrade their own broadcast so no one will want to listen to it, let alone anything mixed in. However, at 2353 Dec 24, CRI`s latest farang/gaijin voice of China, Paul James in Beijing was making secular remarx about the Xmas season just before closing on 11790, and that had quite an echo. In this case it must have been long/short path as echo-jamming is normally imposed only with CNR1 domestic programming, and there is nothing known requiring interdixion at this hour on this frequency, i.e. 190 degrees from Xi`an (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 5050, Beibu Bay Radio, 1255, 12.27.09, in Chinese and Vietnamese. Band / orchestral music with announcer, woman announcer just before 1300 multi lingual ID (Chinese, Vietnamese, English) over music, continuing with previous woman. Poor (Mark Taylor, Madison WI, R-75, Winradio g313e, Eton E1, Satllit 800, Kaito 1103; 2 Flextennas, EWE, attic mounted Flextenna, NASWA Flashsheet via DXLD) ** CHINA. 10000, time pips pitched higher than WWV or WWVH, so knew I had something else, Dec 24 at 2358. Unfortunately it wasn`t PPE Brasil since there were no announcements every dekasecond; but conveniently at 2359 began repeated Morse code IDs in A2 as BPM until 2359:45, on top of WWVH YL complete ID during this minute and at :29 hourly. BPM is at Lintong, a suburb of Xi`an whence I was also getting CRI on 11790 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. CRI LAUNCHES NEW RADIO STATION FOR HAKKA SPEAKERS What's on Xiamen, 24 December 2009 After broadcasting in the Hakka dialect for years, CRI opened a new studio dedicated to producing programs for Hakka speakers around the world in Meizhou City, Guangdong Province on Dec 22nd, 2009. Meizhou City is one of the main locations in China where the Hakka people are based. The word Hakka refers not to an ethnic group, rather an individual subset of the Han Chinese that have maintained their own traditions and linguistic features over the centuries. . . http://www.whatsonxiamen.com/news9257.html (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Since CRI already broadcasts in Hakka; it`s a new studio, not a new station, tho it may lead to expanded hours, per WRTH 2010 only three per day, but to targets as far away as E Africa, Madagascar (gh, DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 6010.14, LV de Tu Conciencia, 1115-1125, Dec 26, presumed. English religious sermon with Spanish translation. Poor to fair. Covered by Radio Japan IS on 6010 at their 1125 sign on (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** COSTA RICA. 2860-, quick check on portable away from some of the household noise sources, Dec 29 at 0130 could detect broadcast audio, presumed R. San Carlos, still harmonicizing 2 x 1430- (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA [and non]. 3985, only 75m broadcaster audible at 0428 Dec 24 in Croatian, mentioning Hrvatski, 0436 music. S9+5 and a good signal ahead of German relay on 7375. There had been speculation that HRT runs only 10 kW here, but sure sounds to me like 100 now. Also around 0430 and earlier, // 1134 was putting in one of the stronger TA carriers, and many more were detected all over the MW dial at 9-kHz spacings (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. The DentroCuban Jamming Command is still interfering with Kol Israel via WRN via WRMI 9955, Dec 23 at 0619, pulses about equal level to KI which was concluding a talk program and going into music. Same type of pulse jamming but much louder, against nothing on 9810, 9825. SF hit 82 the day before but propagation still poor tonight with nothing above 12 MHz, and weakish signals even on 7 MHz. Yet another RHC leapfrog mixing product I had not noticed before: 13570, Dec 23 at 2253, very weak but identifiable RHC talk and music // 13790. That was jumping over the adjacent transmitter on 13680 which was running open carrier before the RNV relay at 2300. Fortunately for WINB, it`s off 13570 by then. RHC check at 0421 Dec 24: only one frequency in English, 6000, and it is only fair; meanwhile there are plenty in Spanish, 6060, 6110, 6120, 6140, 9600, with a variety of strengths and modulations. Also scheduled in Spanish until 0500 are 11690, 11760, 13770, 13790, the higher ones seldom propagating here. One has to wonder about RHC`s priorities, such a token service during North American prime time; tho 6140 sometimes is in English instead. Hey, I am not complaining, just observing. Only after 0500 do decent strong signals in English start, on 6010, 6060, sometimes 6140. At 0653 Dec 24, 6150, 6140 and 6120 in Spanish; 6060 and 6010 English. RHC Dec 24 at 2322 on 13790 in English, and 13770 in Portuguese, plugging their 50th anniversary philatelic contest. Strangely, both emissions are designated for ``Buenos Aires`` rather than English- or Portuguese-speaking areas. A third language, Spanish, was to be heard on 11770, overrun from supposed 2300 close after European service. RHC Dec 25 at 0557: 6140 very lowly modulated with music // 6060 and 6010, ergo English service this time; whilst Spanish was on 6150 and 6120 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Sí, amigos, this is the weekend edition of DXers Unlimited, with more radio hobby related information, amigos. Our 11760 kiloHertz frequency, running 100 kiloWatts into a phased array of dipoles that provide 6 db of omni-directional gain, continues to be heard by many listeners in North America who have sent very nice reports via e-mail, making our transmitter engineers very happy. Likewise we have received many reports of our Spanish language morning local time broadcasts on 6110 kiloHertz, that is heard not only in North America, but also all around the Caribbean and Central America, on 6110 kiloHertz we are using a similar omnidirectional antenna, but with a 250 kiloWatt transmitter (Prof. Arnie Coro Antich, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Dec 19 via DXLD) This is about the only way to find out the powers and antennas being used on particular RHC frequencies, doled out in bits by PACA (gh, DXLD) RHC Dec 27 at 0534: DXers Unlimited starting on 6010, but other English frequency 6060 missing, leaving Spain 6055 unimpeded. Spanish as usual on 6120, 6140, 6150. DentroCuban Jamming Command again pulsing away on 11600 where there are no known opposition transmissions at any time, now or in the past: Dec 28 at 1400 atop R. Prague in English. Conspiracy theory: guilt by association: since R. Prague is relayed by WRMI, and since the CIA runs WRMI, therefore R. Prague should be jammed even when it is broadcasting direct from Czechia in languages other than Spanish, which have nothing to do with Cuba! 11600 is not even aimed at the Americas, but 107 degrees eastward. R. Prague`s // 13580 to NAm is not jammed, except by the RHC leapfrog mixing product of 13780 over 13680. At 1517 when R. Prague is in Spanish, jamming still going on 11600. Jamming against WRMI, when relaying yesterday`s Prague English from 1500, was still pulsing atop 9955 at 1509 when often it has receded. Just like RadioCuba`s RHC transmitters, the DentroCuban Jamming Command transmitters are in dire need of maintenance, putting pulses on extraneous frequencies --- at least, we think they are. But hey, since their purpose is disruption, who cares if there is a little extra? This reinforces Cuba`s reputation as an outlaw nation, unwilling to behave like a mature, self-confident society, since the government was and is imposed by force upon an unwilling and betrayed populace, who must be `protected` from contrary ideas. Dec 29 at 1410, DCJC pulses in the middle of the exclusive 40m hamband, around 7140, coming and going. Altho jamming sometimes extends beyond 1400 on 7405 where Radio Martí was, no jamming heard there now or anywhere above 7300, so unseems spurious from that. Could the DCJC have heard some anti-Castro comments by an exile ham? Possibly, but the regular diatribes we have run across before were on 7210. More: Dec 29 at 1402, DCJC pulses against nothing wandering around 9900-9915, bothering Arabic on 9915, i.e. BBC Cyprus. At 1524 this was ranging 9870-9895, bothering AIR VBS on 9870. Could be spurs from a transmitter on 9955 where WRMI was still getting sufficient pulse jamming to make Prague English relay unreadable; but then VOA Spanish is on 9885 at totally different dayparts (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [non]. 9810, Dec 27 at 2300, R. República opening ``Barrio Adentro`` show, about equal level with DentroCuban wall of noise jamming. Wish I had intuned a few sex earlier in case there was a formal sign-on mentioning schedule or frequencies, but doubt it. Signal here usually loses out to jamming not long after starting. And the jamming is still heard pulsing around 0600, propagation permitting, well after RR is finished (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CYPRUS [and non]. OTH radar, presumed from here, intruding in the middle of the exclusive SWBC 19-meter band, Dec 28 at 1429 covering 15260-15290, quite strong and severely interfering with S Asian language station on 15285. Victim research: per Aoki, Mondays during this quarter-hour it is: 15285 GOSPEL FOR ASIA 1430-1445 .23.... Sambalpuri 250 90 Wertachtal But there are numerous other languages we never heard of during other quarter hours and other days of week in this Gospel for Asia block at 1230-1500. Well, if this impedes the gospel huxters from converting numerous minority ethnic groups away from their original religions, and consequently cultures, turning them into good little Westernized Christians, it serves a useful purpose. EiBi`s comprehensive SW language list at http://www.eibispace.de/dx/README.TXT shows: Sambalpuri (dialect of Oriya) (India - Orissa) Could also detect a carrier underneath the mid-peak of the noise on 15275: merely DW in German via Kigali (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECHIA. Radio Prague Mailbox, 27 December 2009, By Pavla Horáková http://www.radio.cz/en/article/123425 This week in Mailbox we look back at 2009 and read from your letters of support and encouragement regarding the future of Radio Prague. Listeners quoted: Charles Konecny, Simon Hockenhull, Jayanta Chakrabarty, Rich Bisignano. Welcome to Mailbox. After three days of special Christmas-themed programmes, we are back to our regular schedule. Thank you very much for all your lovely Christmas and New Year's greetings - we are trying to reply to all of them as quickly as we can. Trebechovice Mechanical Nativity [caption?] Our regular listener Charles Konecny from Ohio says he has enjoyed the 'Czech Christmas' section on our website: "You all do a fine job singing the Christmas carols and with the printed words I tried to sing along. I just wish my Czech was better. I also took note of the Trebechovice Mechanical Nativity. What a marvelous piece of work it is. I googled it for more information. So much work had to go into it." Another year is about to end and this past one has brought many changes. Some members of the Radio Prague staff have left to pursue their careers elsewhere, some new ones have joined us; our website got a facelift and the number of listeners' e-mails has once again grown compared to the previous year. But 2009 has also brought some question marks about the future of Radio Prague's shortwave service. We were really touched by the number of letters of support we received from you, the listeners, concerning the proposed budget cuts. Let's listen to some of the most recent ones: Simon Hockenhull writes from Great Britain: "I hope you change your minds about closing your HF service and become just yet another internet only radio station competing with perhaps hundreds of thousands of other stations. With radio you can turn it on and listen, it does not matter what other people in the household do whereas with internet radio you have to have access to a pc and internet which in a busy household like mine is not always guaranteed. I think your main outlet should still be on HF backed up by a good internet site. Please don't let Radio Prague slip into oblivion which has already happened to other international radios stations from Austria, Norway and Switzerland." Jayanta Chakrabarty from India is our faithful listener: "My association with Radio Prague dates back to my childhood days. I first stumbled upon Radio Prague in 1965 when listening to shortwave late at night. My radio set was one of those valve operated ones. The friendly voice of the lady announcer (maybe Marie) in a typical Czech accent and interesting programmes attracted my attention. Radio Prague introduced me to the rich Czech-Slovak culture, its music and literature. I soon became a fan of the haunting voices of popular singers Karel Gott, Karel Zich and Helena Vondrácková. My asscociation with Radio Prague since those happy days has strengthened with time. In fact, I grew up with Radio Prague." "The news that Radio Prague is about to close its SW broadcasts after February 2010 is not only heart-rendering but really a sad day for shortwave radio all over the world. A radio station that has contributed so much to enhance its country's image and been a source of inspiration to countless listeners, like myself, should at least deserve a better deal. On behalf of thousands of devoted Radio Prague's worldwide listeners, I take this opportunity to request the authorities of Radio Prague and the Czech Foreign Ministry to once again reconsider their decision on winding up the shortwave section. I would be willing to do my small part at a personal level to keep Radio Prague running." Rich Bisignano from the US is also a faithful listener: "I have been listening to Radio Prague for at least 45 years and have enjoyed every broadcast I have listened to over shortwave radio. I have learned much from Radio Prague and the information acquired from Radio Prague led me to take three trips to your country and partake in pursuing the building of HBO Czech. Please save Radio Prague shortwave broadcasts from the junk heap. It is not outdated but a real form of cultural sharing and education worldwide. It would be a true loss to the global radio community especially since I understand that the cost savings would not be that great. Thanks in advance for keeping the shortwave broadcasts of Radio Prague alive." Thank you so much for your support and concern. Negotiations are still taking place and the only thing I can say for certain now is that we will be meeting in January according to the regular broadcast schedule. Once we have more information about Radio Prague's future, you'll be the first to know. And even in this last Mailbox in 2009, it is my duty to repeat the quiz question for this month: In December we are asking you to send us the name of the Austrian author interested in mysticism and the occult who spent two decades of his life in Prague around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. His most famous novel takes place in and around Prague's old Jewish Ghetto. You have four more days to send us your answers to english @ radio.cz or Radio Prague, 12099 Prague. Thank you for listening to Mailbox in 2009 and please stay faithful to Radio Prague in the upcoming year (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** DJIBOUTI. 4780, Dec 24 at 0426, HOA music, fair vs CODAR. Nice to hear R. Djibouti as I am seldom monitoring early enough to get it. Nominal schedule is 03-21, and eastern NAm also hears it winterly in afternoons. Capture it now before R. Discovery, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC comes on the frequency next year (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 6025.09, Radio Amanecer Internacional, 1057- 1110, Dec 26, Christmas music. ID. Spanish religious talk. Religious music. Poor to fair with occasional adjacent channel splatter (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** EAST TURKISTAN. 9705.00, 1200-1230*, CHINA, 20.12, Xinjiang PBS, Urumqi, 1200 Chinese ID, Kyrgyz ann, Kyrgyz songs, closing ann and instrumental music. Heterodyne from Ethiopia 9704.20. 34333 heard // 7295 (32432 QRM Voice of Russia in Russian) Best 73, Glædelig Jul! (Anker Petersen, on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** EAST TURKISTAN. CHINA, 15220 at 0740 UT, S=9+20dB. Urumchi CRI in French has an extremely wide signal of 11 kHz, from 15214.5 to 15225.5 kHz; I set the filter to 20 kHz and had an extremely good sound on the various Chinese songs, like in the 50ties on the valve receiving sets! (Wolfy Büschel, Germany, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 3279.84, La Voz del Napo, Tena, 1055 with music, good signal, 22 December. 73s de (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, Drake R 8, Icom 746Pro DL, noise reducing antenna, 60 meter band dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Stamattina si è rifatto vivo l'Instituto Oceanográfico de la Armada ecuadoregno, 3810-LSB, 0640-0650, HD2IOA, Instituto Oceanográfico de la Armada, Guayaquil, segnale sufficiente; con certezza posso dire che hanno cambiato format di trasmissione nel minuto: un bip ogni 10 secondi seguito dall'indicazione oraria in spagnolo, mentre prima i bip erano continui e l'indicazione oraria ogni minuto. – (Leonardo Bolli - Italy. AppuntiDx Radio Blog: http://appuntidx.blogspot.com Dec 26, playdx yg via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 6050, HCJB, La Voz de los Andes, Pichincha, *0828-1002, 25-12, 0828 himno, locutora, probable en quechua y frases en español, identificación: "HCJB, Quito, 690 AM, onda corta 6050 kHz". 0830 señales horarias, comentarios y música del Ecuador, mencionan "Voz de los Andes", "Nochebuena", "HCJB, Hoy Cristo Jesús Bendice". 34433 (Manuel Méndez, Lugo, España, escuchas realizadas en Friol, Grundig Satellit 500 y Sony ICF SW7600G, Antena de cable, 10 metros, orienta WSW, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6050, ECUADOR (not), HCJB. No trace of this in the 1300-1630 window today, December 27, 2009. Finally down for the move, or just taking the day off? (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) but heard Dec 30 (gh) ** ECUADOR [non!]. 11920, 26/12 2355, HCJB Voice of Andes, Equador, in Portuguese, songs, ID on the hour, good (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Now via CHILE, q.v. (gh, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. LA RADIO ARÚTAM PERDIÓ SU FRECUENCIA Ayer, también se hizo pública la terminación del contrato de concesión de la frecuencia de La Voz de Arútam. Dicha emisora funcionaba en el dial 107.3 MHz y servía a las ciudades de Macas y Sucúa. La resolución se tomó amparada en el artículo 67 literal j de la Ley de Radiodifusión y Televisión, en el cual se establece que es causal de terminación de contrato el incitar a la violencia y al levantamiento armado. . . Fuente: http://ww1.elcomercio.com/noticiaEC.asp?id_noticia=324051&id_seccion=3 (Via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DXLD) Probably related to ex-SW stations Radio Sucúa, Federación Shuar (gh) ** ECUADOR. CENSURA EN ECUADOR: RAFAEL CORREA CERRÓ TELEAMAZONAS http://www.teleamazonas.com/ Han suspendido la cuenta en Twitter de la televisora y por el momento solo transmite por Internet. Gobierno los acusa de transmitir información falsa. La programación de la televisora de oposición Teleamazonas fue suspendida por tres días de acuerdo con una resolución de la Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones del Gobierno ecuatoriano de Rafael Correa. El organismo dedició suspender la señal de Teleamazonas por la transmisión que hizo de una protesta de los habitantes de isla Puná, quienes se oponían a que se realicen trabajos de prospección para encontrar gas natural en la zona, informó El Comercio de Ecuador. Por el momento, Teleamazonas está transmitiendo en vivo a través de su página web, aunque se prevé que esta señal también sea levantada los días que obliga la norma oficialista. Su cuenta en Twitter ya ha sido suspendida. LA OPOSICIÓN APOYA A TELEAMAZONAS Varios políticos opositores a Correa se encuentran en la sede del canal y hasta al frontis han llegado decenas de personas que critican la decisión del Gobierno. Algunas personas llevan sombreros y camisetas con el mensaje “Yo también le declaro persona no grata”, en referencia al presidente Correa. Asimismo, fue clausurada la radio la Voz de Aruntan de Sucúa Macas. Es una radio shuar acusada por incitar a la violencia por tras el paro indígena en Macas, en septiembre pasado. GOBIERNO DE ECUADOR: “HAN TRANSMITIDO INFORMACIÓN FALSA” El ente de control acusa al canal de transmitir información alarmista sobre un evento suscitado meses atrás relacionado con actividades petroleras que emprende el presidente Rafael Correa. “Hemos seguido el debido proceso, hemos dado la oportunidad a Telemazonas para que ejerza su derecho a la defensa”, dijo el Superintendente de Telecomunicaciones, Fabián Jaramillo. Fuente: http://elcomercio.pe/noticia/384863/censura-ecuador-rafael-correa-cerro-teleamazonas-radio-indigena (Via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, Dec 23, noticiasdx yg via DXLD) Más... Transmisión online del canal Teleamazonas internacional http://www.teleamazonas.com/online.asp Programación y horarios en vivo 07H00 HORA 7 08H00 24 HORAS 2DA EMISION 09H00 ECUADOR EN VIVO 10H00 LA PLENA 10H30 HISTORIAS PERSONALES 13H30 24 HORAS 14H00 EN CORTO 14H15 COMUNIDAD 14H35 DEPORTE TOTAL 19H45 24 HORAS (Yimber Gaviría, ibid.) I got a `live` stream immediately at 0020 UT Dec 26, when it was a musical performance, and the same a few hours later; I wonder if this is really what they would have been programming on the air. But lots of chat attached about the TA situation (gh, DXLD) REGRESA EL CANAL TELEAMAZONAS http://www.teleamazonas.com/ El canal ecuatoriano de televisión Teleamazonas reanudó sus transmisiones tras tres días de suspensión y no descarta acudir a la Corte Interamericana de los Derechos Humanos. 28.12..2009 Licencia Espinel - Quito, Ecuador | voanoticias.com Una vez cumplidos los tres días de suspensión, el canal de televisión ecuatoriano Telemazonas, sancionado por violar la ley de Radio y Television al difundir noticias falsas basadas en supuestos, reanudó sus transmisiones sin polemizar con la Superintendencia de Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones o con el gobierno. . . Fuente: http://www1.voanews.com/spanish/news/Regresa-el-canal-Teleamazonas--80199542.html (via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, Dec 28, DXLD) Also about Shuar station ** EGYPT. 6270, R. Cairo with English news. Modulation weak but not nearly so muddy as usual -- they get some maintenance on their systems here? :) ID at :35 as "the Europe Service of Radio Cairo". The feature programs began at :41 and the modulation level dropped into the mud at that point. The news was understandable, the features were NOT! This station has such potential, but it sure doesn't live up to it! I'd love to be able to understand what they were saying! SIO 3+43+ 2131- 2141 20/Dec (Kenneth Vito Zichi, MI, MARE Tipsheet Dec 25 via DXLD) Falando sério sobre a Rádio Cairo... Caros amigos, Nestes dias, em que estava sem internet, fiquei de tocaia, para verificar como a Rádio Cairo está chegando por aqui em Barbacena. Esperava conseguir ouvir um áudio de melhor qualidade, mas me decepcionei com o que constatei. A emissora continua com o mesmo áudio que nos dá a impressão que o locutor está falando com a boca abafada e dentro de uma lata de Nescau. A Rádio Cairo, possui dois sites de transmissão, um de 250 kW localizado em Abis, e outro com transmissores de 100 e 250 kW localizado em Abu Zaabal. Não pesquisei profundamente, mas acredito que a nossa emissão ocorre desde Abu Zaabal, pois no mesmo horário das emissões em português, que são de 2215 às 2330 UT, em 9390 kHz, eles também fazem uma emissão em inglês, em 6270 kHz, e como lá existem dois transmissores, a dedução foi rápida. Acredito, que em termos de prioridade e importância, a emissão em português, seja feita com o transmissor de 100 kW enquanto que a emissão em inglês, destinada á Europa Oriental seja feita com o transmissor de 250 kW. Não que o nível de sinal que eles colocam aqui seja deficiente; muito pelo contrário, pois o sinal dela sempre chega muito bem, firme e sem fadding. Independente disso, como falamos, temos captado, até que um nível de sinal muito bom, porém o problema da emissora, não está no nível do seu sinal, mas sim na modulação do sinal, que é a percentagem de áudio que é aglutinado á portadora transmitida. Não sabemos se por desleixo ou imperícia, a Rádio Cairo não consegue achar um ponto onde ocorra uma correta equalização do áudio a ser implementado á portadora de RF e assim a sua recepção torna-se muito difícil, com um áudio muito distorcido, metálico e de difícil entendimento. Durante as transmissões, observamos que as melodias e também quando a locução é feita por uma mulher, temos uma pequena melhora nas condições de entendimento do áudio que é captado. Este fato nos leva a crer que está ocorrendo um problema de modulação da portadora, principalmente nas freqüências mais baixas de áudio, visto que a voz feminina e as melodias tem uma tendência de ocupar a banda mais alta do espectro de áudio. E eu sempre tive uma especial predileção pela programação apresentada pela Rádio Cairo, que sempre julguei muito interessante, com alguns pequenos concursos que apresentava aos ouvintes e com informações sobre a história e a cultura do país, o que sempre me causou muito atrativo. Já enviei diversas mensagens á Rádio Cairo, informando sobre este problema, que é recorrente já há muitos anos, e não obtenho resposta direta deles. Eles me respondem com muita educação, pois são muito atenciosos com seus ouvintes. Agradecem pela mensagem, me enviam alguma lembrança, mas nem tocam no assunto qualidade do áudio. E o problema persiste. Qual será o problema que ocorre com a Rádio Cairo? A impressão que tenho, é que este serviço em português, que é motivo de surpresa para mim, ser mantido no ar até hoje, nestas condições; ou é fruto de alguns idealistas atirados, dentro da emissora, os quais não tem tanto suporte da equipe técnica da emissora, ou a própria emissora possui algum problema crônico neste transmissor e não possui condições pecuniárias de corrigi-lo. Posso estar levantando uma lebre que não deveria ser levantada. Visto que depreciar um serviço feito em nosso idioma, por tantos anos, numa época em que os serviços estão sendo fechados por emissoras muito mais fortes, no mundo todo... Mas não posso fazer "ouvidos de mercador" e me calar sobre a péssima qualidade deste serviço em português que nos está sendo oferecido a tanto tempo. As emissões são tão ruins (exclusivamente em termos de áudio) que consigo captá-las, já há muito tempo, com um excelente sinal, porém sem a mínima condição de redigir um Informe de Recepção que lhes possa ser enviado, visto que aquilo que pode ser entendido, são apenas palavras esparsas, o que é inconcebível ser apresentado num Informe de Recepção de uma emissão em nosso idioma pátrio. Eu a ouço com muita freqüência, mas o último cartão QSL que tenho dela remonta há muito anos atrás, quando ela transmitia com um áudio excelente. É por isso que desanimei com a Rádio Cairo. Infelizmente, acredito que não temos meios de mudar esta situação. Joguei o assunto aqui na lista, pois quem sabe aparece alguma idéia interessante que possamos utilizar para tentar modificar esta situação. Um abraço a todos, (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, Barbacena - MG - Brasil, Dec 24, Membro do DX Clube do Brasil, http://www.ondascurtas.com radioescutas yg via DXLD) ** EQUATORIAL GUINEA. 6250, Dec 26 at 0559, fair S9+15 signal, with self-serving promo, ``Informamos lo que acontece, Radio Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial, desde Malabo``. 0600 short ID just as ``Radio Malabo``, hilife music, 0601 repeat the 0559 ID. Since this is one of the worst, most corrupt dictatorships in Africa, we should take their claim with a grain of salt and perhaps establish a ``Radio Free Equatorial Guinea``. Any takers? Spain? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENINIG DIGEST) ** ERITREA. 7175, Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, Asmara, 1840- 2001*, 25 Dec, Arabic, talks, Arabic & HoA songs & music, ID at 1900, news until 1905, more songs, national anthem at 1959; 45433. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. 7175, VOBME - program 2, 1910-2002*, Dec 26, local Horn of Africa music. Vernacular talk. Sign off with National Anthem at 2000. Poor with ham QRM. 7210, VOBME - program 1, 1930-2000:30*, Dec 26, local Horn of Africa music. Vernacular talk. Sign off with National Anthem at 1959. Poor. Weak with adjacent channel splatter (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** ERITREA [and non]. The Horn-of-Africa trio in the 40m hamband were all in at about equal poor-fair levels, presumably long-path, Dec 23 at 1426 past 1430: 7175 noted first with HOA music when hams relented; 7165 with talk going into music; 7110 with not // talk. 7110 is surely R. Ethiopia, but one cannot be sure whether the others are V. of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, or Ethiopian jamming/clandestines. However, I could not hear more than one audio on each frequency, and no noise jamming (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also ETHIOPIA ** ETHIOPIA. 6030, Radio Oromiya, *0323-0329, Dec 28. Faintly heard the IS through the jamming; otherwise unusable; no hint of Calgary (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 5950, Voice of the Tigré Revolution, Geja Dera (or G. Jawe?), 1837-1907, 25 Dec, Vernacular, talks, interviews, prayer at 1900; 53443, adjacent QRM. 6890, R. Fana, Geja Dera (or G. Jawe?), 1704-1723, 25 Dec, Vernacular, talks; 25432. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6890, Radio Fana, 2035-2059:25, Dec 26, rustic Horn of Africa music. Talk in listed Amharic. Abrupt sign off mid-song. Poor to fair. // 6110 - mixing with several other stations on frequency (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** ETHIOPIA [and non]. 7165 at 0415 Dec 24, music and noise jamming in Eritrea/Ethiopia radio war, the hams mere bystanders; 7110 R. Ethiopia clear with talk in presumed Amharic. Presumed short-path, better signal than 14 hours earlier via longpath (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. 7165, R. Ethiopia, Geja Jawe, 1607- 26 Dec, English, talks, music, blocked by a jammer-like noise signal for some minutes after 1629, then in the clear again, and aired the French program at 1700; 25332. This is usually worse than R. Ethiopia's home service on 7110. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7164.44. Heard the usual trio of Ethiopia/Eritrea stations on 41m band (7110.0 and 7175.0) at 1522, Dec 28, but this one clearly off frequency. Normally on 7165.0. All of them almost fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. via Samara, Russia, 7530, Ginbot 7 Radio, *1701- 1730*, Dec 24, presumed. Abrupt sign on with talk in listed Amharic. Some Horn of Africa music at 1719. Poor to fair. // 9610 - very weak under Radio Canada International. Tues, Thur, Sat only (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** EUROPE. 6220, ITALY (PIRATE), Mystery Radio. 0730-0734 December 26, 2009. Good in passing with the usual Eurodance music (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EUROPE. -PIRATES. 7610.05, Radio Amica, 0050-0120, Dec 25, US pop music. Euro-pop music. Italian talk. IDs at 0105. Weak but readable. PIRATE. 6870, Playback International, 0120-0150, Dec 26, contemporary Christmas music. IDs. Poor in noisy conditions (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** EUROPE. 5800, Free Radio Service Holland, 1150-, 27 Dec, English, music; 15331; \\ 7685 better. 7685 ditto, 1151-1812, 27 Dec, English, talks, music, IS at 1306, announcements, Dutch used too; s/off announcements (closure at approx. 1813); 35433, very poor at 1800; \\ 9300 after 1300. 9300 ditto, 1531-1813, 27 Dec, English, "FRS Goes DX" program, music, German heard later; s/off announcements; 45433, very poor at 1800. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) EURO-PIRATE. 7685.11, FRS - Holland, 0903-0920, Dec 27, pop/rock music. IDs. Acknowledged listeners’ reports. Poor in noisy conditions (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) EUROPE. NETHERLANDS, 9300, FRS-Holland, in German at 1630 with OM announcer and ID at 1639. 35332, 2009/12/27. Best 73s (Pedro Turner, Gondomar, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. RFI: David Page announced today that this was his last Club 9516, after almost two decades, and that Susan Owensby (who I believe is from Texas) will be taking over the show. Page announced on the program that he's planning to spend more time as a communications consultant and author (Mike Cooper, GA, Dec 27, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) End of an era, not just end of a year (gh, WOR) Re your reception of RFI Spanish on 21690 at 1818. RFI lists no SW frequencies for Spanish at this hour, but continues to provide a half-hour in Spanish from 1800 to 1830 UT audible on Galaxy 19 Ku-band MPEG free-to-air (Mike Cooper, Dec 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I did not hear Spanish; Stewart MacKenzie reported it. Possibly on that occasion the satfeed got put on SW? (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. 6140, *1000-1100* Sunday 20.12, EMR, via Wertachtal, English pop songs from the 1960'ies, Mailbox. No broadcast in January. 55544, Best 73, Glædelig Jul! (Anker Petersen, on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Re PALAU, trying to find T8WH --- Hello, I think you now have the precise information about the location, to know exactly where to go on another attempt? Reminds me of IBB's Lampertheim plant. It is located in a forest and just invisible. One has to know the access road and go to the gate, or to know the location of the antenna field and walk through the forest. It should be almost impossible to find the site by chance. The former 100 kW mediumwave site of SFB/RBB in Berlin was literally invisible, too; even immediately at the fence it was difficult to find a place where more than the tip of the mast was visible. And as I said, my experience is that locals just know nothing about transmission facilities in their neighbourhood. Of course they are aware of prominently visible antennas, but even then they not necessarily know what they are good for. As an example, ask a local about the Wertachtal transmitter plant. No doubt they know this mysterious installation but have no clue what it is, rather associate it with spy activities than broadcasting. Best regards, (Kai Ludwig, to Larry Fields, via DXLD) ** GERMANY. SHORTWAVE GAINS LOW-POWER INTEREST Radio World - article at about German stations at: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/newbay/rwi_200912/#/0 (Mike Terry, Dec 23, dxldyg via DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. Frequency change for Deutsche Welle via Bonaire From 1 January 2010 the frequency for Deutsche Welle’s broadcast in German to Australia and New Zealand at 0800-1000 UTC via Bonaire will change from 9885 to 9785 kHz. (Source: RNW Programme Distribution) December 23rd, 2009 - 15:18 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. A TV report about the German forces broadcasting service from tonight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26_ZXw1SbdU Lots of footage from their studios in Mayen, to where they have moved from Andernach years ago. Nevertheless the station still calls itself Radio Andernach. It should be noted that the Lili Marleen close-down song is a Wehrmacht tradition, introduced at Soldatensender Belgrad in 1941, cf. http://www.hdg.de/fileadmin/static/lilimarleen/page2798.htm (Kai Ludewig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY EAST [and non]. GORBACHEV'S RESIGNATION ON EAST GERMAN TV Perhaps our earlier conversation was of interest for other readers, too, so again to the list: Here is a recording of East German TV reporting the resignation of Mikhail Gorbachev in an obituary-like style, just one week before it went off the air for good (on 31 Dec 1991 at 24:00 CET): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5vx3sSLlMQ Some explanations: From 15 Dec 1990 until its closure Deutscher Fernsehfunk, as the station was again called since 12 March 1990 (until then it was since 1972 Fernsehen der DDR, like Stimme der DDR instead of Deutschlandsender), broadcast only one program on its former second network, while the first network now relayed ARD "Das Erste" (however, still with local program windows in the early evening, thus still routed through the Berlin-Adlershof studios). Originally it was planned to call this program "Ost 3" or "O 3". At short notice this name had been banned and DFF forced to use the technocratic, unattractive term "Länderkette" ("states network"). But they nevertheless rolled out the already created logo, since it was sufficiently abstract to say that it's just a circle with a triangle. See also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWP_rm4D1Vc (and disregard the headline -- all video posted under this title is from 1991, away from the archive footage in the Gorbachev piece -- btw, the party convention video is pretty bad). And I just discovered another historic item: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imswqNP_hU0 This is the close-down of DFF 1 in the wee hours of 15 Dec 1990. In fact this is the very last SECAM video that ever went out via high power transmitters in Germany (others than the low powered Gosteleradio relays). The next morning DFF returned with PAL video, presenting a "best of" until DFF 1 ceased to exist at 19:58 CET, as can be just barely seen on the program schedule. Continuation announcer was again Petra Kusch-Lück who says good night on this close-down. She did not show off her feelings on air but on an interview another TV station made in the studio. It should be also noted that no national anthem had been played in GDR times. The "Sendeschluß" slide had been faded out and after a few seconds the transmitters went off on this black image from the vision mixer, without any test cards or other video signals being shown anymore. (Contrary in Czechoslovakia they had an elaborate close-down procedure: VTR of waving flag with national anthem, then test card of CST, then test card from the Radiokomunikace control room where CST handed over the program signals, then test card from the individual transmitter sites, and only then carrier off.) And a recording of DFF 1 resuming its program on 14 Dec 1990, its last full day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juIaLgu-wD8 The traditional DFF logo, depicting the Brandenburg Gate, has replaced the Fernsehen der DDR logo (two F letters, for the two networks), but otherwise it is still the same than as of 1987 or 1988. I lively remember this because it was in summer 1989 the first program video that showed up on our new colour TV. Until then it were just the shades of grey a worn out picture tube could still produce after 15 years. Now the test card made way for a really black image, and -- booooom -- the blue slide came up. What a blow! Like in the cinema! (The colour TV sets made in the GDR at this point had a pretty good picture quality, with the domestic picture tube production using Toshiba technology. And such bad "SECAM fire" as in these pieces shows up only on seriously disturbed video which would not look good with PAL or NTSC either, so it is not representative.) (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 22, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. 23 Dec, Greek pirate, 1625 kHz, R Pilio from Volos at 1810 UT. Best reception on 3250 (2nd harmonic) with signal max S4 and Greek carols (a very bad version) then YL!! acting as speaker. IDing and making songs offers. Upon calling her, I noticed her about the condition and told me that her husband was picking the songs. She then offered me two songs! Signal: 1625 322x2 S5; 3250 232x3 S3-S6, using the standard AM filter (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE. Re 9-086, ERA Avlis: Three transmitters at their disposal. John Babbis says 9420 is 1 x 250 kW. All others, 7450, 7475, 9935, 12105, 15630, 15650 are 2 x 100 kW (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) WRTH 2010 has quite different Avlis info: 1 x 100 kW, and 5 x 250 kW! If so, most of the 250s must be sidelined. And a separate mention of 1 x 100 kW for Makedonias station (gh, DXLD) Re 9-086: When checked Dec 23, noted Filia in German [0800 UT] again, so separate Filia program back on 12105 kHz. At same time Greek program VOG on both 9420 and 15630 kHz till 1000 UT. But today Dec 24 the common program on all three channels 9420, 12105, and 15630 kHz appeared again (Wolfgang Büschel, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) CHRISTMAS FESTIVE GREEK RADIO PROGRAM ERA-5 will be connected with the Christmas festive program of the Greek radio on Thursday, December 24, at 06.00 Greek time (0400 UTC) until Monday, December 28 at 06.00 Greek Time (0400 UTC). VOICE OF GREECE (ERA 5)-LIVE INTERNET RADIO http://tvradio.ert.gr/radio/liveradio/voiceofGreece.asp RADIO FILIA-LIVE INTERNET RADIO http://tvradio.ert.gr/radio/liveradio/filia.asp RADIOPHONIKOS STATHMOS MAKEDONIAS (ERT 3)-LIVE INTERNET RADIO http://tvradio.ert.gr/radio/liveradio/102fm.asp (John Babbis, MD, Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And also on SW ** GREENLAND. 3814.98, occasionally at 22, Tasiilaq can still be heard until closedown 2215 with weak signal. Transmitter is automatically controlled by a clock which during autumn slowed down about a second per 24 hours. That’s the reason for [closing] already at 2207. I sent a message to the station and the clock is now adjusted (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Dec 27, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GUINEA. 7125, Dec 24 at 0649, RTG on the air in the morning for a change, intruding in the 40m hamband, but they`ve got more serious problems than following ITU allocations. Reverby speech from a large venue in French regarding ``la violence``, with interjexions by studio announcer. 0704 recheck considerably weaker in music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7125, Radio Guinée, 2305-2355*, Dec 24, special Christmas programming with French talk. Preacher. Local choral music. Abrupt sign off. Good. 7125, Radio Guinée, 2320-2358*, Dec 25, vernacular talk. Afro-pop music. Abruptly pulled plug mid-song at 2358. Good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** HAWAII. Station News: 620, KHNU, Kalaoa and Hilo, 11/30, 0120 EST [0620 UT] Noted with dead air. Thought station was affected by windstorm but heard at 0159 ID, ABC-E news and local commercials before returning to dead air instead of satellite programming. Barely perceptible English-lang music heard, probably not KPOJ-OR or XESS. 1110, KAOI, Kihei, 11/20 Now IDing at TOH as “KAOI AM Kihei, 11-10 AM and 96-Point-7 FM,” meaning station has taken over translator K244AG- FM from sister station KAOI-FM, which the following week moved its tower and cut back its power by 96.5 percent. Also noted on 11/20 that station had added Content Factory’s Dan Patrick 2200-2400 (the last two hours), cutting into the airings of Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller and it now runs the full Kim Komando at 2006-0100 Saturdays. (Dale Park, HI, Domestic DX Digest, NRC DX News Dec 21 via DXLD) Times are required to be in the imaginary ``ELT`` zone, so that would convert to 0300-0500 UT and 0106-0600 UT; but does Saturday refer to the 2006 time or the 0100? (gh, DXLD) ** HONDURAS. 3250, Radio Luz y Vida, San Luis, Christmas music with marimba band, 2321 on 20 December. 73s de (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, Drake R 8, Icom 746Pro DL, noise reducing antenna, 60 meter band dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 4965, AIR Shimla, 1501-1516, Dec 23. After frequent checks here, this is my first reception since their return, as recently noted by Victor A. Goonetilleke in Sri Lanka; weak signal with subcontinent music till 1512 switched over to Delhi programming. After 1512 noted // 4775, 4820.0, 4880, 4970, 9425 and 9470 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5040, AIR Jeypore, 1338-1720, Dec 24. Late starting; was not on the air before 1338; coverage of the 4th ODI cricket match between India and Sri Lanka; equally in English (Scottish accent) and Hindi; numerous ads (“Brought to you by BSFN EZEZ Home Loans” and also ad with singing Christmas tune); back to studio from time to time for news and commentary; India won the match; at 1708 went back to the stadium for presentation of the “Man of the Match”; mostly fair, but poor by tune out. At times cricket coverage was // 4880 and 5010 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 22 DEC 2009, 6180, AIR-Bengaluru; 2039 announcements by W in Hindi, Bollywood-type vocals; 2050 M in English, subcontinental chanting with sitar & sliding drums. Fair-Good // 7550 better. QRM from DW-Germany's Russian service. 7550, AIR-Delhi; 2018 W in Hindi, 2050 M in English, subcontinental chanting with sitar & sliding drums (Steven C. Wiseblood, Brownsville TX, (2 miles from Boca Chica Beach, GULF of MEXICO), Radio Shack DX- 399, Grundig G-8, 150' center fed LW, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 9470, AIR National Channel via Aligarh, the one which was blobbing all over the place for months, checked Dec 23 at 1443, very weak but music seems // 9425 Bengaluru. With BFO on I can tell this transmitter is wobbly, but fortunately still keeping to its permitted bandwidth. Or maybe it was trans-polar Doppler effect, also fluttery (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 9690, All India Radio, Bangalore. 1330-1358 December 27, 2009. Just missed sign-on, English news in progress. The usual 50 Hz audio buzz. Later, Indian pop vocals. Very good. Parallel weaker 11620 and very poor 13710 (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR GOS, 9690, Dec 29 at 1424 with ever-present hum which Terry Krueger calculates at 50 Hz, ending Press Review by main announcer who has excellent diction overcoming hum, and into next show India Ahead(?), by another speaker who was undermodulated and with playback problems, incomprehensible. Tsk, as uncharacteristically, this was better signal than VBS on 9870, and much better than NC on 9425 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. 9870, All India Radio "Vividh Bharati" service. 1532-1610 December 27, 2009. Local level with nice Hindi pop and film vocals, Hindi female host. Break at 1549 with email address read repeatedly by man. Warm, robust audio moving the neighborhood walls with this on the ICOM and NRD, windows wide open and 54-degrees outside (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. VOI is millimetering closer and closer to 9526.0, Dec 23 at 1446 with music during presumed Malay hour. As I step 1 kHz up and down with the BFO on the YB-400, there is hardly any difference in pitch (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ciao Glenn, As you asked, I made a measurement of Voice of Indonesia on 9 MHz. When I listen in remote is sometimes difficult to read the exact frequency. So I did it in Milan with my SDR-IQ and on 24 December I found VOI on 9525.98 kHz. Here is my tip: 9525.98v, 24/12 1405, Voice of Indonesia, Talks in Asian language like reports, signal weak but good modulation. Merry Christmas and Happy 2010 with a lot of DX to everybody (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Check! : Dec 24: 9525.98, VOI-Jakarta; 1410 news read by W in Malaysian, 1441 flute solo and then prayers, al qur'an. fair-good. 9680, RRI-Jakarta; 1418 discussion by 2 M in Indonesian, Indonesian vocal music, anmts by M in Indonesian with background music of seashell chimes which sound a bit like a xylophone. Strong! (Steven C. Wiseblood, Brownsville TX, 2 miles from Boca Chica Beach, GULF of MEXICO, Radio Shack DX-399, Grundig G-8, 150' center fed LW, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9525.972 odd, Behind strong CRI transmission in English on even 9525 kHz I see VOI Jakarta at 1530 UT Dec 24, S=8-9 level. Checked the PC twice, on standard time signal stations DCF 77.5 kHz and Moscow 9996 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) [and non] Habe heute mal wieder die Saechelchen zusammen gesteckt. Dann sieht man auch schoen, dass vor allen anderen bei den russischen Stationen, der IBB in Biblis und Lampertheim, sowie auch bei den Rumaenen mit ihren neuen Continental Sendern sehr korrekt fast aufs letzte Hertz geschafft wird. Dagegen liegen die VTC-VT group und auch RFI Sender schon etwas daneben. Gut macht sich der 59 Jahre alte RIAS/DLF Sender Berlin Britz 6190 mit 10 Hertz Abweichung heute Vormittag (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, A-DX Dec 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOI, now only a smidgin below 9526.0, Dec 25 at 1453 from music into English promo announcement as ``being the first, being different, being the best`` --- but is it really, when the next thing they do is play Xmas songs by Chipmunx? 1455 another English ID, then Jingle Bells --- it`s hard to imagine a one-horse-open-sleigh in Jakarta! But never mind. After CRI Kashgar, EAST TURKISTAN het came up at 1457, VOI still on top with Merry Xmas song. I had concluded that VOI was again running the English hour 60 minutes late instead of Malay at 14-15, but at 1459 ID in Indonesian (mentioning Bahasa Indonesia, not Malaya), ending with English slogan ``sound of dignity``. And at 1500 transition announcement from Malay to English, so now we/they are really confused. But audio cut off before English could start, just open carrier with unimpeded hum until 1503:50* (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9526, Voice of Indonesia, Cimanggis, 1614-1709, 25 Dec, Indonesian, talks, ID + announcements in both BI & English for Arabic program at 1700, prayer; 33442, then rated 54444 at 1700 to deteriorate later. The following foreign language programs, in Castilian & German, were aired as the times matching those on the WRTH 2010. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9525.98, Voice of Indonesia, 1015-1055, Dec 26, English programming. Local pop music. IDs. Fair level but weak modulation. Improved somewhat by 1050 (Brian Alexander, PA, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX Listening Digest) 9526, VOI Jakarta with program in Spanish. 1806 with several IDs, S5, 35434. Back 1832 marginal. Also on 27.12 at 2010 with news in English on 9526 with strong QRM from 9525, so that USB and the narrowest PBT was required for the station to be heard (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) At 2000 on 9525 we have CRI 318 degrees in Russian via Beijing, and TWR 343 degrees from Swaziland in Lingala/French (gh, DXLD) 9526-, VOI still just a smidgin below 9526, not missing this Sunday, Dec 27 at 1426, but very undermodulated, presumed Malay. No trace of VOI on 9526v, not even a carrier, Dec 28 at 1439 check. The previous week, it was absent on Sunday, Dec 20, rather than Monday. See also UNIDENTIFIED 4750 VOI missing for the second day from 9526v, Dec 29 at 1420, nothing there tho RRI Jakarta was audible with Indonesian talk on 9680 at 1424. Could not detect VOI on alternate 11785v instead; see SAUDI ARABIA. At least on weekdays that`s the only obstacle, during the 5- day break between Furman FueraHmong inblasts (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL. For newcomers, and as a reminder to oldcomers, the standard litany about Xmas eve DXing goes something like this: Thorough patrols of the tropical bands may turn up some nice catches, as some stations extend broadcast hours much later than usual, making them more DXable, even all-night; or even temporarily reactivate dormant transmitters, in order to convey Xmas greetings, play seasonal music, etc. Latin America primarily, Africa secondarily and other Christianized areas tertiarily, e.g. Papua New Guinea. Likewise for New Year`s Eve. Since the holidays are on Fridays, some of this might extend into the following weekends as well (Glenn Hauser, Dec 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) e.g. RWANDA ** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. COMO LOCALIZAR OS PROGRAMAS DX NA RADIO LEGAL Amigos, Em atenção aos que me solicitaram informações de como ouvir os programas, Noticias DX, Propagando as Ondas de Radio e Atividades DX no Ar , na Radio Legal, por estarem com dificuldades, informamos os passos a seguir: 1º. - Acessar o site da Radio Legal: http://www.radioleg al.org/ 2º. - Na parte inferior da pagina clicar em: Ouvir a Radio Legal agora 3º - Aparece a tela do Windows Media Player 4º. – Inicia-se a ouvir a programação da semana normalmente com musicas selecionadas por Reinaldo. 5º. - Na parte inferior central da tela nos podemos ver os controles , se clicarmos a primeira seta da direita, avançaremos o áudio que estamos ouvindo. 6º. – Se clicarmos a segunda seta a direita, avançaremos na programação. 7º. - Na parte inferior do lado esquerdo aparece escrito o que se esta ouvindo no momento. 8º. – Clicando a segunda tecla da direita iremos verificar , lendo do lado esquerdo que programas estamos ouvindo. 9º. – Pra localizar os Programas DX desta semana informo que estão indicados das seguintes formas: vinhetaqtclgal - apresentação dx8 – Noticias DX propagando11 – Propagando as Onds de Rádio Caso desejarem poderão ouvir também o Recordando a PRK 30 um programa completo indicado: prk11 Procurem ouvir os outros interessantes programas e verificarem com quais se identficam. QRV (Ulysses Galletti, Dec 25, radioescutas yg via DXLD) See UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Worldspace India to stop service from New Year --- Times of India December 26: It's sad news for radio listeners. Satellite radio WorldSpace will go silent in India from New Year. Broadcast of services would stop at midnight of Thursday (December 31). In a communication to its subscribers, WorldSpace said, "on December 31, 2009, the WorldSpace satellite radio broadcast service will be terminated for all customers serviced from India. This action is an outgrowth of the financial difficulties faced by WorldSpace India's parent company, WorldSpace, Inc, which has been under bankruptcy protection since October 2008." Company officials could not be reached. Customer support officials said, "we will go off air on December 31. As regards the fate of dues to you, we will send detailed email messages on how you should seek a refund. The company is in bad financial shape and has gone belly-up." WorldSpace offers international, national, and regional radio programming through portable and mobile radio receivers owned by customers. The company broadcasts around 90 separate digital channels, delivering music and multilingual news, sports, information and data. It provides digital audio radio service, an operational satellite- based digital radio system, and consumer audio receivers. There was a glimmer of hope for subscribers when news of a potential buyer getting into discussion with the WorldSpace management to buy out assets surfaced recently. "The potential buyer of much of WorldSpace's global assets has decided not to buy the assets relating to and supporting WorldSpace's subscription business in India. As a consequence, WorldSpace Inc must discontinue its subscriber business in India," the mail from the company said. For trapped subscribers, the mail said, "your subscription contract is with WorldSpace Inc, a US company that is in a bankruptcy proceeding in US. The company recognizes that you may have paid for services to be rendered beyond the termination date, but is not in a position to offer a refund for any unused portion of your subscription." Leaving around 4.5 lakh subscribers high and dry, some of whom said that they had signed up just two months ago, the company said, "you may have a potential remedy under the US bankruptcy law. You may file a claim under the procedure that is intended to protect creditors of the bankrupt company. Sometime early next year, a claim servicing company will send notice to all creditors listed by the company." (via Mike Barraclough, UK, Dec 26, dxldyg via DXLD) The Times of India, 26 December 2009, 01:48am IST http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/biz/india-business/WorldSpace-to-stop-service-from-New-Year/articleshow/5379398.cms (via Ray T. Mahorney, DXLD) ** IRAN. 9575, GIRI, Dec 25 at 1456, good modulation for a change and also good signal during a Qur`an qlip, Russian comment; JBA on // 9730. No ecumenism here, not a jingle bell to be heard; it is just another Friday, after all (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6175, Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sirjan. 1313-1325 December 27, 2009. After hearing Radio Farda via presumed Kuwait, checked for this and indeed there, weak under something in possibly Chinese. Listed Urdu, with Iranian classical music, news by man from 1315, parallel very strong 9790 and 9835, both listed as via Kamalabad (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. 5860, KUWAIT, (CLANDESTINE) Radio Farda. 1307-1325 December 26, 2009. Surprised to hear this one, and quite good at that, with presumed Farsi vocals, male announcer. Presume via Kuwait. Listed as from Kuwait 0830-1400; via Sri Lanka on this channel 0030-0230. Parallel 15690 from Sri Lanka. Good copy the next day, December 27, 1322-1330 (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND. 6295, 27/12 2304, Reflections Europe, Ireland, in English, talks also about Obama, good signal but QRM from 6290 Cairo and 6297 RASD (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italy, RX: Drake R8 & SDR-IQ -- ANT: T2FD -- QTH Milano, Italia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAEL [and non]. re: 9-086, FM RELAYS AVAILABLE IN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE "WTFK? For that matter, what is the name of the station? (gh, DXLD)" Details here: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/rnw-arabic-service-via-radio-all-for-peace (Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: RNW ARABIC SERVICE VIA RADIO ALL FOR PEACE October 1st, 2009 - 11:08 UTC by Andy Sennitt Starting this evening, RNW’s Arabic service will be broadcast daily at 2200-2300 local time (2000-2100 UT) via Radio All for Peace, a joint Palestinian/Israeli station which covers central Israel, the West Bank and the northern part of the Gaza strip, as well as the west of Jordan. The station has two FM transmitters - in Ramallah on 107.2 MHz and in northern Israel on 89.3 MHz. Radio All for Peace also carries programmes of the Voice of Russia, Polish Radio and NHK Japan (Media Network blog via DXLD) Brokered by WRN (SRG comment, ibid.) ** ITALY [non]. 6170, IRRS Milano, Italia. 2033-2100* dic 25. Presentando programación religiosa de la United News Information. Programa Focus on issues: "...This is IRRS Shortwave, Italian Radio Relay Service in Milano - - - reception report or send your comments our programs to receive special number QSL card please - - - to Nexus IRRS, P.O. Box 10980, 20110 Milano, Italy. This is IRRS shortwave in Milano, Signing off..." Buen DX (RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ R., Bogotá, Colombia, Winradio G303i, condiglist yg via DXLD) ** JAPAN. 9595, R. Nikkei-1 at *2155 UT. Man in Japanese with ID and sked info; chimes till 2159 UT, when ID and sked info repeated. Single pip at 2000 UT and into music programming. A bit choppy and echoey but still fair overall. WRTH 2009 still lists s/on time as 2045 UT, but perhaps this has been corrected in the 2010 edition. The R. Nikkei-2 relay on 9760 kHz just cuts on at 2300 UT in mid-program; some days is almost fair but was extremely poor when checked on Dec 18 (Bob Hill, MA, DXplorer Dec 18, 19, via BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) First program: Sun-Wed 2225-1400 (Thu 2225-Fri 1415, Fri 2155-Sat 1230, Sat 2155-Sun 1200) on 3925, 6055, 9595; as above except 2300- 0740 on 3925 (Nemuro). [does that mean Nemuro is ON the air, or OFF the air at 2300-0740? All the other frequencies, and 3925 when not used by Nemuro, are from main site Nagara (Chiba). Timing depends on day of week; if it was on UT Friday Dec 18 or Saturday Dec 19 that he heard *2155 on 9595, it fits] Second program on 3945, 6115, 9760: Sun-Thu 2300-0605, Fri & Sat 2300- 0900 (9760: 0800) (WRTH 2010 page 246 via gh, DXLD) ** JORDAN. 11960, R Jordan at 0755 UT, into time pips at 0800 and news reader. S=9+25dB. BUT final tube at Al Karanah site is in very bad shape, annoying scratched audio a lot on music and speaker pieces (Wolfy Büschel, Germany, Dec 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KASHMIR. 4950, R. Kashmir, *0119-0225*, Dec 28. AIR IS; song “Vande Mataram”; brief selection of subcontinent music; a little too weak to ID language; brief segment of reciting from the Qur`an and segment of indigenous singing/chanting, but mostly talking. Clearly on past their scheduled 0215 sign off. Best in USB to get away from Angola carrier. This is one of my better DX catches! (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. I would like to get in touch with anyone, who received a QSL from Pyongyang. Is it worth sending a report? What postage etc. Your help will be appreciated (Alex Wellner, Australia, Dec 26, ARDXC via DXLD) Alex, Haven't reported them for some time. Just send your report direct to them - I never sent any postage. Expect to get some propaganda which is funny to read (and also boring). Regards, (Wayne Bastow, Wyoming, NSW, Australia, 33 23' 44.29" South, 151 21' 11.99" East, ibid.) Not so easy for evil Americans (gh) Hi guys, I have often wanted to visit North Korea and 2010 is the year the dream come true! I have been granted the needed time off work and booked the trip in July. You have to pay 100% in cash (either USD or Euros) to the North Korean agent in Beijing where they pick you up and you are in the capable hands of minders sticks for the next 11 days. I can't wait!! If you prepare some reports I will post them in country :-) I am ready for a crazy week and half of non-stop "education". Cheers, (Mark Fahey, Australia, Dec 26, ARDXC via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. KOREA D.P.R., 9665v, KCBS, Pyongyang at *1959 UT "Song of General Kim Il-Sung" IS several times interspersed with "... pangsong imnida" IDs. Pips at 2000 UT followed by National Anthem, then strident announcements in Korean and into patriotic chorus. Quite strong but choppy and with nasty growl on carrier, a sure sign of transmitter instability. Nothing on listed \\ 11680 kHz (Bob Hill-MA- USA, DXplorer Dec 14 via BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) See LAOS 7145 or 7140? ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 5910, Shiokaze = Sea Breeze has moved again, from 5985 back to 5910, Dec 25 at 1419, another English Friday, M announcer talking about Kim Jung-Il and other North Korean matters, his accent not so heavy that I could not understand almost every word. So this was a `news` program rather than an abductee-listing program. No QRM, fair signal and 1426 into wrapup by YL mentioning they are originating in Tokyo, Japan. No doubt Ron Howard will be pleased JSR is again away from Myanmar 5985, tho it makes no difference here (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5910, Shiokaze - Sea Breeze via Yamata, 1402, Dec 26. Thanks to Glenn’s tip, heard them here (ex: 5985) with no jamming; in Korean. Unfortunately the North Korean jammers are not as observant as Glenn and continued with heavy jamming of “Naypyidaw Myanma Radio” on 5985 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [non]. 5910, Shiokaze - Sea Breeze via Yamata, 1401, Dec 28 (Monday). First time I recall hearing them in English on a Monday; “Today’s News Flash”; this is their usual Friday news format, as Glenn just heard last Friday (25th) (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH [and non]. INFORMATION WALL COMING DOWN IN NORTH KOREA? topnews.in By Lee Jong-Heon, UPI Correspondent, Published: December 24 Seoul, South Korea — The information wall North Korea has set up along its borders to keep its people isolated from the rest of the world for half a century is finally coming down, with the help of mobile phones. Defectors from North Korea and ethnic Koreans in China, who have extensive contacts in North Korea via cell phones, are bringing outside news into the North and obtaining information on what's happening inside the hermit kingdom. They are selling the information they collect from North Koreans to civic groups and government officials in South Korea, which is hungry for intelligence on its reclusive communist neighbor, according to the groups on Thursday. . . Source: http://www.upiasia.com/Society_Culture/2009/12/24/information_wall_coming_down_in_north_korea/4544/ (Via Yimber Gaviría, Colombia, DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 4780.02, 0445-0459* CLANDESTINE, 25.12, Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, via Salah Al-Din, Iraq. Farsi talk, jammed. 32432, QRM R Djibouti (Anker Petersen, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire here in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdxyg via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. 7540, 25/12 1940, Denge Mezopotamya, Clandestine, talks reporting about demonstrations, Kurd language (presumed). weak signal but clear (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 11530, V. of Mesopotamia, good signal Dec 28 at 1403 with chanting and clapping: YL emits a pair of six syllables each, then group of OMs repeats them. They sound almost the same from one iteration to the next, but I think they are changing slightly as time goes on. 1405 YLs ululating as finale, 1406 to other talk over music. 11530, V. of Mesopotamia, Dec 29 at 1455 with great music, 1459 brief announcement, 4-pip timesignal ending at 1459:50, and off abruptly as frequency via UKRAINE changes to 7540. Kurdistan must be an advanced society, 10 seconds ahead of the rest of the world, but we wonder if these 500 kW SW broadcasts pervade the country [non], which surely has plenty of local AM and FM stations now (see WRTH 2010 pages 236-238, mixed in with the rest of IRAQ). Does one hear VOM emanating from every taxi, every shop --- or any of them, since it`s SW [and Hotbird satellite] only? Presumably it represents one particular faxion, so does that lack local transmitters for some reason, requiring this platform? WRTH 2010 page 500 explains: ``Station is licensed in Belgium and is produced by the Kurdish- Belgian media production company Roj NV``. BELGIUM? That fits for this transmission brokered by TDP, which linx to website, but apparently only in Kurdish with Roman letters: http://www.denge-mezopotamya.com/ (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, There's also a satellite "Roj TV" based in Brussels (though licensed in Denmark) which no doubt has a much bigger audience than the radio. The TV is aimed more at viewers in Turkish Kurdistan than in Iraq. Of course, Kurds in Turkey do not have all those local stations broadcasting in their own language that you mention for Iraq. Kurdish written in Roman letters also suggests more of an interest in targeting Turkey than Iraq (Chris Greenway, UK, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, that`s misleading, naming it for Mesopotamia, deliberately so? (gh, DXLD) To put it in other words: Denge Mezopotamya is simply the radio station of Roj TV. A web search should bring up enough reading about Roj TV, the discussion whether or not it is run by the PKK, the actions taken against it etc. In these discussions the radio operation always seems to not appear on the radar. The only exception I'm aware of where reports by NRK in Norway around 2003, criticizing Telenor for transmitting a PKK radio. Probably it was even this very hassle that led to the declaration that the Norwegian shortwave transmitters are available only for DRM anymore. But otherwise nobody cares for the shortwave radio that Roj TV runs, too. Not that this would surprise me (Kai Ludwig, Germany, ibid.) ** KUWAIT. 15110, one of the better extracontinental signals on 19m, Dec 25 at 1511 with Arabic music, announcement; 1600 heavy beat Arabic rock, announcements; altho did not catch ID, it is surely R. Kuwait as scheduled. WRTH 2010 says to S Asia at 1115-1800. I wish WRTH would include azimuths, but they never do --- after all, adding so many three-digit numbers might require another signature (or maybe not: there is still a lot of white space in tabular listings). Aoki shows this as 500 kW, 230 degrees as of A09, which would not be to S Asia; registered as 100 degrees to CIRAF 41, which is indeed S Asia, but this is certainly not in English (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS. 6130, LNR, 1425-1433, Dec 26. In equal amounts of English and Laotian; “New Dynamic English” program produced by VOA. 7145, LNR, 1325, Dec 26. End of segment in French; pop song till BoH and start of English segment; news mostly about different Laos government agencies (Department of Rural Development and Alleviation of Poverty, etc.); series of “Happy New Year” messages; ID; starts FM relay in Laotian for a few seconds and suddenly off at 1400 (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7145, 27/Dez 0014, Lao National Radio, *tentativa*, em Cambodian (o idioma que ouço é oriental), desde Vientiane, com 10 kW. YL fala pausadamente. Ao fundo (que pode não ser dessa transmissão) o som parecido com o ressoar de tambores em intervalos regulares (pode ser uma QRM não identificada). As 0023 UT ouve-se musica estilo chinesa. Moderada QRM de atividade de radioamadores. Após a música, às 0028 UT, não ouço mais a YL, os tambores continuam em intervalos regulares. Não há mais sinal ao fundo, apenas atividade de radioamadores. As 0031 UT percebe-se o fim de uma portadora que estava na frequência. Não ouço mais o ressoar dos tambores. 22322 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, HCDX via DXLD) Chinese Drumming? Smax of Firedrake. But Laos is only station besides Hargeisa at other times Aoki-listed now on 7145 (gh, DXLD) Oops: 7145, 27/12 0040, Voice of Korea, North Korea, serious speech and music, poor/fair (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ex-7140? Aoki has various N Korean services on 7140 at 00-04, 08-13 (gh, DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR. FIRE PUTS RNW MADAGASCAR RELAY STATION OFF THE AIR There has been a fire in the high voltage room of the external mains power supply at Radio Netherlands Worldwide’s relay station in Madagascar. Firefighters from the Madagascan capital Antananarivo managed to bring the blaze under control within hours. The fire destroyed the high voltage circuit breaker equipment, so broadcasts from Madagascar will be suspended for at least three days and possibly up to a week. This means that large parts of Africa and Southeast Asia will be unable to receive RNW shortwave broadcasts for the time being. Satellite and Internet broadcasts are not affected. It may be possible to move some transmissions to other sites, but because of the Christmas holidays this may take longer than usual to organise. Updated details will be published here as soon as possible. Update 1: The transmission in Dutch to West Africa at 2100-2131 UT on 13700 kHz will from tonight be broadcast from Bonaire, 250 kW, azimuth 80 degrees (December 25th, 2009 - 13:10 UTC, by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) Update 2: All Radio Sweden transmissions normally via Madagascar at 0200-0300, 2000-2100 and 2100-2200 UTC will be broadcast from Hörby in Sweden. Hörby will also take over the RNW English transmission to India at 1400-1600 UTC on 15595 kHz (350 kW). Update 3: All Vatican Radio transmissions normally via Madagascar between 0300-0530 and 1600-1630 UTC will be broadcast via Santa Maria di Galeria as from tomorrow. Further temporary broadcasts are being negotiated and details will be published as soon as possible (later, MN blog via DXLD) See also NETHERLANDS [non], further updates I was tuned to Radio Sweden on 9490 kHz at the start of its 2030 UT English broadcast from Madagascar to Africa. The program just got into the meat of a report from Bill Schiller about Copenhagen when the carrier was terminated at 2032 UT [Dec 24]. I waited for the program to return but it never did. Based on the Andy Sennitt report, I suspect the fire interfered with the Radio Sweden transmission. 73, (Rich D`Angelo, PA, NASWA yg via DXLD) ** MADAGASCAR [non]. Fire puts RNW Madagascar relay station off the air. There has been a fire in the high voltage room of the external mains power supply at Radio Netherlands Worldwide's relay station in Madagascar. Firefighters from the Madagascan capital Antananarivo managed to bring the blaze under control within hours. The fire destroyed the high voltage circuit breaker equipment, so broadcasts from Madagascar will be suspended for at least three days and possibly up to a week. Some transmissions have already been moved to other sites, but because of the Christmas holidays this has taken longer than usual to organise. Additional changes are pending and will be published when confirmed. MADAGASCAR Here details of temporary replacement services from Dec. 25 & 28: [this may already be out of date by the time you read it --- gh] Radio Sweden International 0200-0300 11550 HBY 350 kW / 055 deg to SEAs in Swedish/English 2000-2100 9490 HBY 350 kW / 055 deg to SEAs in Swedish/English 2100-2200 7425 HBY 350 kW / 190 deg to SoAf in Swedish/English Vatican Radio 0300-0430 9660 SMG 250 kW / 145 deg to EaAf English/Swahili/Amharic 0330-0400 7360 SMG 250 kW / 130 deg to EaAf in Swahili 0430-0500 9660 SMG 250 kW / 170 deg to WeAf in French 0500-0530 9660 SMG 250 kW / 170 deg to SoAf in English 1600-1630 13765 SMG 250 kW / 169 deg to CeAf in Swahili Voice of America 0430-0600 9885 BOT 100 kW / 010 deg to SoAf in English 0530-0630 7265 SAO 100 kW / 020 deg to NWAf in French Mon-Fri 1000-1030 21590 BOT 100 kW / 350 deg to SoAf in Portuguese Sat/Sun 1300-1400 15620 SAO 100 kW / 088 deg to EaAf in Somali 1700-1800 12080 LAM 100 kW / 132 deg to SoAf in Shona/English/Ndebele 2100-2130 9680 SAO 100 kW / 052 deg to WCAf in French RFE/RL Radio Farda 0500-0600 12015 BIB 100 kW / 105 deg to WeAs in Farsi Radio Dabanga 1630-1730 13800 NAU 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf in Arabic >>> from Dec 28 [Radio Dabanga [later, Dec 29:] 1530-1600 13800 ISS 500 kW / 138 deg to EaAf in Arabic >>> from Dec 29 1600-1630 13800 MDC 250 kW / 325 deg to EaAf in Arabic >no replacement 1630-1730 13800 NAU 250 kW / 150 deg to EaAf in Arabic >> from Dec 28] Radio Netherlands Worldwide 1400-1600 15595 HBY 350 kW / 095 deg to SoAs in English > till Dec 27* 1730-1800 11655 NAU 250 kW / 140 deg to ECAf in Dutch >> from Dec 28 1800-2000 11655 ISS 500 kW / 138 deg to ECAf in Dutch >> from Dec 28 1900-2100 7425 ISS 500 kW / 155 deg to SoAf in English 2000-2100 11655 GUF 250 kW / 080 deg to WeAf in English 2100-2130 13700 BON 250 kW / 080 deg to WeAf in Dutch *This has now been cancelled due to poor reception in the target area NO DETAILS FOR THE FOLLOWING TRANSMISSIONS: Adventist World Radio 0230-0330 3215 MDC 050 kW / 020 deg to MDC in Malagasy 1430-1530 3215 MDC 050 kW / 020 deg to MDC in Malagasy Radio Voice of People 0400-0500 11610 MDC 050 kW / 265 deg to EaAf in English/Shona/Ndebele Voice of Tibet 1330-1400 17550 MDC 250 kW / 045 deg to SoAs in Tibetan Democratic Voice of Burma 1430-1530 17495 MDC 250 kW / 055 deg to SEAs in Burmese Radio Dabanga 1530-1630 13800 MDC 250 kW / 325 deg to EaAf in Arabic WYFR Family Radio 1600-1700 9590 MDC 250 kW / 320 deg to EaAf in Swahili 1800-2000 7395 MDC 250 kW / 320 deg to EaAf in English 1900-2100 6020 MDC 050 kW / 255 deg to SoAf in English Radio Netherlands Worldwide 1630-1700 13740 MDC 250 kW / 350 deg to N/ME in Dutch 1700-1730 9895 MDC 250 kW / 335 deg to EaAf in Dutch 1730-1900 6020 MDC 250 kW / 255 deg to SoAf in Dutch Fiangonana Loterana 1630-1700 3215 MDC 050 kW / 020 deg to MDC in Malagasy Deutsche Welle 2200-2300 7380 MDC 250 kW / 080 deg to SEAs in Indonesian (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, Dec 28, as updated, via DXLD) The Lampertheim replacement from 1700 to 1800 [VOA to ZIMBABWE] is kind of a last resort, it apparently uses an antenna built in the early nineties for transmissions into the former Yugoslavia. This is the beam closest to Zimbabwe (which is about due south from Germany) they have there. As well-known Lampertheim was originally designed for transmissions into the former Soviet Union and never meant for any other purposes. For readers who have not seen the further updates about transmissions added as of today: Radio Dabanga 1627-1727 on 13800 and RNW Dutch 1730-1757 on 11655 via Nauen [azimuths rather around 180 deg. I think? 300/325 deg. would go out to North America], RNW English 1800-1957 on 11655 via Issoudun (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I have now updated the Media Network blog as follows: On 30 December, our Station Manager in Madagascar reported that the two Philips transmitters are in working order, and have been tested using generator power. Technicians are still working on restoring the mains supply and will finish tomorrow (31 December). A temporary schedule will then be put into effect on 1 January using these two Philips transmitters. The other two transmitters (one 250 kW and one 50 kW) are also thought to be OK, but still have to be tested at the weekend. New switches also have to be installed to connect these two transmitters to the antenna system. We hope to bring them back on the air in the course of next week. Tomorrow (31 December) I will publish details of the interim schedule which has been worked out for next week using two transmitters at Madagascar (Andy Sennitt, Dec 30, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MADAGASCAR. 5010v (USB + carrier mode), RTVM, 1514-1602, Dec 26. Hi-Li music, French ballads, Christmas choir(?), etc. Light QRM from AIR; started out poor and improved to almost fair (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 7270, 26/Dez 0852-0920, RTM Wai FM, in Iban / Bidayuh / Kayan / Ken, from Kuching-Stapok, with 100 kW. YL between short talk and pop music. 0900 UT bip time, ID and OM presents news. 0909 YL talks to the phone with an outside correspondent. 0915 end of news. 0916 YL discloses a site, ID and returns to present the music program, 25332 (Jorge Freitas-Brasil, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) continued: 7270, 28/Dez 0947, MALASIA, RTM Wai FM, Iban / Bidayuh / Kayan / Ken, com 100 kW. Pop mx. É, parece que a propagação vem melhorando nos 41 metros e as emissoras estão sendo ouvidas até mais tarde após a Gray Line daqui. Às 0949 UT YL fala entre fundo musical de musica suave. Baixo ruído e apesar do sinal fraco ouve-se muito bem o áudio. Voltando à frequência às 1003 UT ainda se ouve o sinal, desta feita OM fala. 25432 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil, Cumbre DX via DXLD) The Cumbre group has a Portuguese-sounding name (or Spanish) even tho it is originally North American and in English. For those not familiar with the background: Its original name was even more misleading: Jihad-DX, since its American founder had studied Arabic, but that was changed when jihadism began to acquire somewhat negative connotations. Calling it Cumbre did not make it ipso facto Latin-American (gh, DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. 7295, 27/12 0021, Traxx FM, Malaysia, slow songs, fair (QRM Voice of Russia 7290) (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAYSIA. 15295, 1150-1200* 23.12, Voice of Malaysia, Kajang, Chinese talks, but with three IDs in English: "Voice of Malaysia", music, 1200 two time pips and a short ann in Malay and s/off. New schedule! 44433. Best 73, Glædelig Jul! (Anker Petersen, on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) ** MALI. 7286.1 at 1728-1758* UT, R. Bamako, Dec 19, Vernacular, OM talks, guitar-like local instrumental music, local pop songs, final short IS and YL ID in French at 1758 as "Radiodiffusion ... de Bamako" - strong almost good signal at the beginning, but then poor under Sines at *1730-1757* UT (Mikhail Timofeyev, Russia, DXplorer Dec 20 via BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) 7285.88, RTVM, *0800-0840+, Dec 24, sign on with flute IS and opening French ID announcements followed by vernacular talk. Local instrumental music. “Radio Mali” ID. Very weak. Much stronger on // 9635. Rustic vocals heard at 0910 check. Sign on times for 7285v varies between 0745-0800 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** MAURITANIA. 7245.00, 1525-1545 23.12, R Mauritanie, Nouakchott, Arabic, reading poems with string music, 43433, Sideband QRM. Best 73, Glædelig Jul! (Anker Petersen, on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) 7245, 28/Dez 0945, R Mauritanie, em francês, desde Nouakchott, com 100 kW. OM fala. Essa emissora já se faz presente nas manhãs sendo a última a desaparecer o sinal por aqui. 25433 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** MEXICO. Heard on an Etón E1 and 150 foot wire 12/24: 1610, XEUACH Radio Chapingo, Chapingo, México, 1935 [CST = 0145 UT 12/25], Buddy Holly. Rolling Stones, sounds like an FM station from the 60s. Nice music. ID 1940 into G_L_O_R_I_A - Gloria! NEW (Kevin Redding, Crump, TN, ABDX via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 4800, XERTA, 1055-1100 música romántica with strong signal 22 December, 0945 pop music with full ID. Call letters by OM. 73s de (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, Drake R 8, Icom 746Pro DL, noise reducing antenna, 60 meter band dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 6104.78, XEQM Radio Mérida, 1212, 12/25/09. Presumed the one with romantic ballads and a few announcements. Low audio modulation. Splatter from 6110 Cuba. Poor overall signal (Jerry Strawman, Des Moines, IA, Drake R8B, Wellbrook 330S 1M Loop, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [and non]. 6185, XEPPM, Dec 25 at 0559 with Mexican national anthem, as required at local midnite; atop Vatican co-channel rippling SAH which would not be so fast if XEPPM would get on frequency. Then live ID only for MW 1060 with 100,000 vatios (However, WRTH 2010 shows night power cuts to only 20 kW! No wonder it is seldom heard here on 1060, and always subject to lots of QRM.) No mention of SW, which compared to MW must be inconsequential for the DJ, if he is even aware it exist. 0600 is when separate SW programming ends and MW simulcast begins. It so happens that 6185 is useless until 0557 when CRI via Sackville closes powerful 6190. That has been expanded to last three hours from 0300. Radio Educación also has co-channel from Brasília until 0300 per Aoki, but does it really stay on that late during DST? And also VOR in Spanish via St. Pete. No longer on the HFCC roster, XEPPM is treated by international broadcasters as if it does not exist. But then 250 kW Radio Nacional da Amazônia is also a phantom to them, accounting for VOR`s self-defeating frequency choice (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. 7790-SSB, 2-way contact in Spanish between YL with stronger signal, and OM weaker, discussing a kilometer marker on the highway to Querétaro. I speculate it`s a trucking company using old-fashioned HF to check in. For clarity in Spanish, they express numbers not only as cardinals but also as ordinals, something which doesn`t work in English, where ``fifth`` and ``sixth`` are hard to tell apart, while in Spanish they are ``quinto`` and ``sexto`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. TELEVISA ANUNCIA LA CREACIÓN DE UN NUEVO CANAL DE NOTICIAS El Grupo Televisa, la mayor empresa de medios de comunicación de habla hispana, tendrá el próximo año un nuevo canal de noticias por televisión vía satélite, con el que buscará estar a la par con otras cadenas internacionales. Así lo ha anunciado su presidente, Emilio Azcárraga, através de la red social Twitter, donde ha asegurado que el nuevo canal, que operará las 24 horas, estará comandado por el reconocido periodista León Krauze, director de un informativo de radio, que comparten Televisa y el Grupo español Prisa. "Fuimos los pioneros en hacer un canal de noticias con Eco (un segmento abierto las 24 horas en la década de los 80), y ahora lo corregimos y aumentamos", señala el ejecutivo mexicano. Televisa tiene el 73,9% de la audiencia en México y cuenta con un portal de Internet, la mayor editorial de revistas en español y una participación accionarial en La Sexta (El Mundo via Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, Dec 25, condiglist yg via DXLD) ** MEXICO [and non]. Mexican and U.S. officials, in discussions over shared communications issues, have laid out a plan for what they’ll talk about in the next couple of years. It includes IBOC interference and other points of interest to radio and TV broadcasters. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has given his support to three actions coming out of meetings of administration officials on the United States-Mexico High-Level Consultative Commission on Telecommunications. One is a joint statement about continued coordination on spectrum along the border and cooperation on communications issues of mutual interest. Another is a communications protocol to govern public safety use in the 4.9 GHz band. Of immediate interest to broadcasters, the U.S. and Mexican governments also approved a work plan for the next couple of years that includes work on an agreement toward protection of television stations on Channel 6 from operation of some FMs along the border; technical criteria involving digital radio along the border as well as to eliminate “claimed harmful interference to Mexican radio stations allegedly caused by the temporary operation of U.S. stations using the IBOC system”; a possible new framework agreement for TV services; and working to finalize verification of a database of AM stations in 535– 1605 kHz (via Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 21 via DXLD) ** MONGOLIA. 12085, 26.12 1045, Voice of Mongolia in English and QSA 1-2, not enough to get the program details. Last winter often heard quite well due to lower band noise (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin Dec 27, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOROCCO. 15345, RTM at 1507 Dec 26, good S9+15 signal, but no modulation. Well, almost none --- filling the gap was their transmitter whine (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But apparently no RAE vQRM: see ARGENTINA ** MYANMAR. 5770, 0033-0040, BURMA, 23.12, Defence Forces BC, Taunggyi, martial music with horn, Burmese ann and talk, native song, 25232. Best 73, Glædelig Jul! (Anker Petersen, on the AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdx yg via DXLD) 5769.99v, 27/12 0048, Myanma Army Radio, Burma, talks and slow songs, poor, better in USB to avoid utility QRM. 7200.09v, 27/12 0030, Myanma Radio, Burma, start of broadcast with slow music, female talk, slow long song religious style, later songs. An ID heard at 0106. Fair, fading (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, RX: TenTec/GW RX321 - Drake R8 - SDR-IQ, ANT: T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR/BURMA. 5985.0, “Naypyidaw Myanma Radio”, 1545-1600*, Dec 23. In English; pop songs; sign off announcement; “This is Naypyidaw Myanma Radio”; anthem. For some time now I thought I was hearing something different in their ID, but until today I was not confident as to what it was. Comparing the pronunciation of Naypyidaw < http://forvo.com/word/naypyidaw/ > in Burmese with my recording, I believe it is the same word. Note it can also be spelled Nay Pyi Taw, which is the capital of Myanmar (Ron Howard, Asilomar Beach, CA, Etón E1, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. 747 MW in Holland --- Dutch website shows an update on transmitter power for 747. They are now operating at 1096 kW (1.096 MW). Previous power was 400 kW which matched the output of 1008. According to site photos, both stations are using a common facility in the polder area of the country. Has anyone in the east noticed an improvement in strength on this frequency? (Bill in BC Kral, Dec 22, IRCA via DXLD) It's one of the more consistent signals this season. Do you know when the increase went into effect? (Jim Renfrew, Holley NY, ibid.) Bill, That would explain the good signal into CO last night. 747 was in stronger than any other TA signal. 73, (Chris Knight (N0IJK), ibid.) 1096 kW? That is certainly a suspicious figure. What Dutch website? I find nothing about it at http://www.omroep.nl (Glenn Hauser, Dec 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re-checking the Dutch website "Alle Legale Radio en TV Zenders in Nederland" (English: All Legal radio and TV Senders in the Netherlands((Licenced land based broadcasters)) I could not find any time frame for the power boost at Radio 5 Nostalgia (the latest name of the station on 747 AM). Most of the info in their calendar of events mentions updates about the FM stations. On a couple of trips there and listening to them on my Sony ULR I travelled within about 20 km of the transmitter site, which is visible for miles from railroad tracks running from Amsterdam east across the polder area of Holland. There was no sign of distortion or IF images from the 400 kW output on both 747 and 1008, which were covering all of Holland and Belgium as far south as France with listenable strength and as far east as Cologne, Germany with weak but understandable audio daytime. With the new output of 1096 kW I would guess that 747 now gets out to cover the eastern half of England (648 comes in good in Holland), all of Belgium, Brittany in France, most of West Germany [sic] and southwest Denmark (The AM from Copenhagen was reaching northern Holland). I wish I could get them here on the west coast but I don't think I have the equipment or location to pull it off therefore I'll rely on reports from anyone who can pick them up and let me know when it drops in on this side of the pond. Thanks (Bill in BC Kral, IRCA via DXLD) Googling on the website title above I find the page which says 747 kHz is 1096 kW, but specified as ERP --- on MW?? http://radio-tv-nederland.nl/am/am.html That must mean they are taking into account direxionality without specifying it as such. That would explain the odd figure, a calculation rather than a standard round quantity. So what is the real transmitter power and direxional pattern, day/night? And I suspect this website is unofficial, especially since it has a hotmail address (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Andy, Any comments on the accuracy of this info? 73, (Glenn to Andy Sennitt, via DXLD) Hi Glenn, Indeed, in the official register of Agentschap Telecom, column 5, 1096.000 is listed as power in kW. The power in dBW is listed as 60.40000. But I think this must be an error. The next line lists Hulsberg 1251 kHz as 10.965 kW and 40.40000 dBW. The listing for 1008 kHz, which originally used the same transmitter type and antenna, lists 400.0000 kW and 56.0000 dBW. I think 1096.0000 should also be 400.0000, though since I am not a technical person I cannot explain why the dBW is different. To view, go to http://www.agentschap-telecom.nl/bedrijven/Media/Pages/Omroepvergunningen.aspx and click on 'open register'. I will see if I can get one of my technical colleagues to comment this week, but some are on holiday and others have a little problem in Madagascar to deal with :-( You're correct to be suspicious of unofficial websites. The comments you quote are absolute nonsense. There have been no technical changes recently at the mediumwave site to my knowledge. But the official register doesn't include everything - for example, Radio 5 Nostalgia sometimes operates overnight with 60 kW from Lopik, which has a standy transmitter for that purpose. But it isn't mentioned in the register (Andy Sennitt, Dec 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. The Media Network newsletter this week pointed out that RNW in English is now relayed in NAm by WRMI since it is carrying WRN at 0500-0600 on 9955 (it`s UT M-F, not Tue-Sat, tho), as previously reported in DXLD. So I checked for it UT Fri Dec 25 at 0547, but nothing was audible other than weak DentroCuban pulse jamming. The MUF near midnight fluxuates a lot, and sometimes WRMI is just not propagating, if it is not off the air, aimed SSE anyway rather than NW. In reality, RNW reception is much more reliable when in English to W Africa via Bonaire, even Madagascar, when that is not off the air for up to a week due to a fire, as currently the case. One of the other Florida SW stations, WYFR is always handy for propagation comparisons, and it was not to be heard on its five 31m channels, while often they are inbooming. Hardly any signals were audible between 9.7 and 10 MHz, making me think the band was about dead, but then encountered a strong REE Costa Rica on 9675, VOA Greenville French on 9480, WTJC 9370, weaker but sufficient ANO Gabon on 9580, Zambia on 9430, Greece on 9420 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) FIRE PUTS RNW MADAGASCAR RELAY STATION OFF THE AIR Fire has broken out at Radio Netherlands Worldwide's relay station in Madagascar. Firefighters from the Madagascan capital Antananarivo managed to bring the blaze under control within hours. The cause is not yet known. Broadcasts from Madagascar will be suspended for at least two days and possibly up to a week. This means that large parts of Africa and Southeast Asia will be unable to receive RNW shortwave broadcasts for the time being. Satellite and internet broadcasts are not affected. I have no more details at the moment. I will of course publish updates in the Media Network blog when I have more information. So far I have not received any details of substitute transmissions, and I imagine that because of the Christmas holiday it's quite difficult to arrange things at short notice (Andy Sennitt, 1320 UT Dec 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also MADAGASCAR 15595, RNW in English, 1426 Dec 26 with program promos for Bridges with Africa, European Jazz Stage; contact addresses, 1428 saying goodbye to WRN-Europe listeners, continuing to S Asia on 12080, 15595; 1429 Earthbeat Xmas special. 1506 going from news to The State We`re In, co-produxion with WAMU 88.5. While 15595 is an erstwhile Madagascar frequency, hearing this reminds me that it has not been audible for a long time. The only reason we are hearing it now is that Hörby, SWEDEN, 350 kW toward S Asia is substituting due to fire at Talata which put the Mad relay off the air. Details are here, now with a photo added of serious damage to the racks, and updates on substitute transmissions, also concerning Sweden and Vatican relays: http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/fire-puts-rnw-madagascar-relay-station-off-the-air As for 12080, altho it was announced, could hear nothing there but at 1509 a very weak carrier and could not match traces of modulation to 15595, which would not be synchronized anyway. That used to be Madagascar too, but in B-09 is scheduled as Tinang, Philippines before 1500, and UAE afterwards. 15595 missing for R. Netherlands English, Dec 28 during bandscan around 1430. The past few days this had been quite audible here, since moving site from fire-damaged Madagascar, to Sweden, as in my previous report. Here`s why, from the updated Media Network site: ``Hörby took over the RNW English transmission to India at 1400-1600 UTC on 15595 kHz on 25- 27 December. This has now been cancelled due to poor reception in the target area.`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, it's mid-winter in the northern hemisphere, thus at sunset the MUF should (I mean: does from experience) rapidly drop below 15 MHz. And for this path the first reflection point is at 1400 just barely in the twilight area, with the terminus running from southern Finland of the Caucasus. At 1500 there is sunset already at Hörby itself, with the terminus running via Poland to Turkey. For this cover arrangement it was just bad luck that the need arose near the winter solstice (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9895, Radio Netherlands` Arabic service toward North America via RWANDA, excellent signal Dec 27 at 2212 with Arabic pop music; 2214 pause for YL ID mentioning ``Idha`at Amsterdam . . . Saut ul-Holanda`` or something like that, again no mention of Hilversum, and right back to music, which kept going the rest of the hour, with another ID break at 2237, this time mentioning hunaamsterdam.nl Cut off at 2257* before announcer could complete the final Arabic announcement. So I am still wondering, 1) What became of Hilversum; does this really originate in Amsterdam instead? 2) What`s the point of sending the West Africans an hour of Arabic music from Holland? Perhaps RN has more funding for this than it knows what to do with. I see the URLs on the website are now a mixture of Roman and Arabic letters. Why is the website apart from http://www.rnw.nl ? (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, 1. The decision to call the programme 'Huna Amsterdam' was a pragmatic one, simply because a lot more Arabs have heard of Amsterdam than have heard of Hilversum. It's the same reason we had a programme in English called Amsterdam Forum, even though it was usually recorded in Hilversum. 2. The Arabic music is because at the moment we only have funding for Mon-Fri programmes, but we might be able to increase that in the future. Apparently it costs us no extra to be seven days a week on shortwave - I think it has to do with relay exchange arrangements. Yes, you will see more and more URL's in non-Roman alphabets following the ICANN decision to allow these. I have suggested that we get easy- to-remember Chinese and Arabic URL's which redirect to the current ones. 73, (Andy Sennitt, RNW, Dec 28, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio Nederland, 6 QSL cards confirming reports about broadcasts via 6 different relays: Rampisham, UK (6040), Moosbrunn, Austria (6015), Bonaire (6165), Greenville, USA (9895), Kigali, Rwanda (9895) and Trincomalee, Sri Lanka (9895). All in 5 weeks for e-reports to cartas @ rnw.nl. v/s Jaime Báguena (Artur Fernández Llorella, Catalonia, Spain, Dec 26, HCDX via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. This week`s Happy Station Christmas Show is now online with a special contribution from Tom Meijer in song. To hear this show go to http://www.pcjmedia.com and click on ARCHIVE SHOWS. Tom will also join us next week in one of the two hours specials for December 31st (Keith Perron, Taiwan, Dec 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Happy Station Tom Meijer Special --- A special edition of Happy Station is airing this weekend on our partner stations. The show is now available online at the PCJ Media site. This is a special edition about Tom Meijer. It will air the 26, 27, and 28. For the stations and areas where the show will be heard you can find this out at http://www.pcjmedia.com (Merry Christmas, Keith Perron, Taiwan, Dec 25, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) SPECIAL HAPPY STATION NEW YEARS LIVE SHOWS Just a reminder about the two 2 hour live editions of Happy Station this week: 0200 to 0400 UT (Latin/South America/Caribbean) - My special guest co- host will be David Monson and we will be cutting to a number of special reports from Japan, South Africa, USA, Canada, and Quito. Colin Newell will present a special piece A Conversation With Ian McFarland. This show will be live from Taipei. 1600 to 1800 UT (North America/Caribbean) - This show will be done live from Hong Kong overlooking Victoria Harbor. It will include special reports from Canada, USA, Holland and Switzerland. Bob Zanotti and Bob Thomann will present a special edition of the Swiss Shortwave Merry Go Round and Tom Meijer will be reporting from Port Almere, Netherlands. The frequency for these two transmissions will be 9955 kHz. If your out of the target areas you can listen live via the WRMI website at http://www.wrmi.net For more information on PCJ and Happy Station Show go to http://www.pcjmedia.com The PCJ Partner Stations will receive an edited version of the live 1600 UT transmission. Regards and Happy New Year (Keith Perron, Taiwan, Dec 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. 6170, RNZI, Rangitaiki, 1559-1744, 25 Dec, English, music, TS, news, Boxing Day's "Story Time" (not the program announced on the webpage) at 1700 when much better as to both QSA & QRM; 12431, adjacent QRM. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6170-AM is now scheduled all the way from 1300 to 1750, but with a beam change at 1550 (gh, DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Voice of Nigeria, 15120, QSL, sticker, sked in 3 weeks for e-report to englishvon @ yahoo.com (Artur Fernández Llorella, Catalonia, Spain, Dec 26, HCDX via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Abuja SW Sites -- Dear all, There has been much discussion between Wolfgang, Mauno & myself regarding the two Abuja SW sites past months. If I may make a summary (& hopefully I get it right) from our notes & material in Wolfy's latest BCDX I think the picture will be clearer. If anyone has any other material to add then please let us know. 7275 kHz (regional domestic service) was used by Kaduna site until around 2004 then moved to Abuja MW site located at: Gwagwalada 08 55 52N, 07 04 23E but has been inactive on SW since February 2008. After new works at site (commencing early next year), the SW frequency may be heard again from mid/late 2010. New Abuja - Lugbe SW site located at: 08 57 57N, 07 21 36E for new Voice of Nigeria International SW Service site should be operational with any luck in early 2010. Please read the material below from latest BCDX newsletter. The video's make for great viewing. <----------- -- SEE BELOW My sincere thanks to Wolfgang for obtaining some of this later material & resolving some confusion between us all over various matters over past months. Other non printed material provided by Mauno, Bodo & myself which resolved other matters. Regards (Ian Baxter, Australia, Dec 25, shortwavesites yg via DXLD) New RFCN [sic] VoN Abuja shortwave site --- I'm eager to know more about the international service Voice of Nigeria in English, Arabic, French, Kiswahili, Hausa, Fulfulde, Igbo, Yoruba; and new Portuguese, German, Mandarin Chinese and also Hindi [Urdu?] services on 7255 9690 11770 15120, and also ?17800 kHz (Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 19, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 25 via DXLD) Re: New RFCN VoN Abuja shortwave site. Answer from Bodo Fritsche 5N0OCH / DU9 / DL3OCH. "Broadcasting aus Abuja, Nigeria. The station is ready to go on general service, transmitter and antenna wise. All technical gear is ready. All four frequencies tested a lot on air (7255 9690 11770 15120; except 17800 kHz). 17800 is not an official client frequency yet, but is in discussion. If that frequency would be an official one, Bodo would tune the antennas to this band and would start some test broadcasts on 16 mb at the site too. But few delays in civil works[? means broadcasting house matter downtown and staff? wb.], and the start termin of total Lugbe regular service is uncertain! [civil works probably means infrastructure – gh] Bodo assume the regular start at Lugbe will be in March 2010 then. Then he will travel to Lugbe again, to check the whole installation again and start the local engineer training. 7275 kHz transmitter site is Radio Nigeria in Gwagwalarda. He visited that site in November 2009 and made an EXPERTISE on this site equipment for the Thomson management + VoNigera. The site is in very bad shape. 2 x 100 kW transmitter need to be overhauled / repaired in January 2010 by Thomson engineer colleagues of his Swiss/Mannheim group, in transmitter and antenna division. 7275 Gwagwalarda shortwave site facility will get the same modern control system unit like at Lugbe site. He assume the 7275 kHz Gwagwalarda site will be ready in regular service again in mid 2010. He feel not certain of exact date, but the Gwagwalarda site is out of service some years now, he guess they stopped service in late 2005?" [-see below.] (Wolfgang Büschel, wwdxc BC-DX / SW TXsite Dec 23) Hallo Bodo 5N0OCH, mit Interesse habe ich die Meldungen von Dir aus dem VoN/Thomcast Work-Camp in Abuja Lugbe neben dem Lattice Tower an der Airport Road, gegenueber der neuen KW Sendeanlage auf der drueberen Seite gelesen und verfolgt, bzw. Deine Webseiten angesehen. Nach dem Abschluss der Arbeiten von Thomson Schweiz / Mannheim auf dem 120 Hektar Gelaende in Abuja warten wir nun auf den Start der regulaeren Aussendungen von der Voice of Nigeria in English, Arabic, French, Kiswahili, Hausa, Fulfulde, Igbo, Yoruba; und neu Portuguese, German, Mandarin Chinese sowie Hindi[Urdu?] services auf 7255 9690 11770 15120, und auch ?17800 kHz. Einmal bisher wurde in Europa eine Musiktestsendung auf 11770 kHz beobachtet. Jetzt eine ganz andere Frage an Dich. Ist Dir bekannt von welchem Sendegelaende Abuja seit 2003 auf 7275 kHz sendete? Nach meiner Annahme muesste dies vom Sendegelaende der FRCN Abuja in Gwagwalada gewesen sein. Dies ist die Mittelwellenanlage Abuja 909 kHz, einige 32 Kilometer westlich der neuen Lugbe Anlage. Oder kam das Signal vom hohen Lattice Tower in Eurem Thomson Workcamp? Frohe Festtage Dir in Untersiggenthal (wolfgang, df5sx P11, Dec 19, ibid.) The ITU entries on SW location in ITU Geneve list. Global HF Transmitter Site Table IBN Ibadan NIG 07N23 003E54 IKO Ikorodu NIG 07N23 003E56 JAR Jarji NIG 10N45 007E33 LAG Lagos NIG 06N34 003E21 I checked all these G.E. imageries, but all Abuja images are older of 2005 year. We need urgently new images of 2008/2009y ... to solve that mystery. see screenshot of video[not dia show], stopped at .054seconds of total 3m12sec. On the snap also the small communications mast tower is visible in the background. I guess the curtain antenna pictures also show the big rock in the background like at 08 55 37.22 N, 07 20 10.07 E What about the large building with the BLUE roof leftside of the estimated G.C., some 300 meters away of the small hut and the garden fence? 08 58 44.93 N 07 22 23.58 E is location of his Thomson work camp, but n o t the Lugbe TX site coordinates, which is on the opposite side of airport road. FRCN/VoN Thomson work camp at Abuja Lugbe New location of the FRCN/VoN Abuja Lugbe shortwave site, approx.: Re Broadcasting aus Abuja, Nigeria. Hi, I suppose Gwagwalada 7275 kHz is then co-sited with the MW 909, but the SW antenna is not visible (Mauno Ritola, Finland, shortwavesites yg Dec 24, ibid.) In G.E. is a lonely single image snap date only n o w . But I guess two years ago we had much more satellite images on this site: NIG FRCN Abuja (Gwagwalada) 909 kHz. History. 7275 ended approx. 12 Feb 2008, according Carlos Goncalves in Portugal 12 Feb 2008 log. Last log in my archive, 7275 at 0810 on Oct 31, FRCN Abuja, in English, easy talk. 33333 (Wolfgang Büschel, visited Algarve cliff coast, Portugal, wwdxc BC-DX Oct 29-Nov 4, 2006, ibid.) and Odd frequency [indicator] approx. 7274.86 kHz (wb, wwdxc BC-DX Jan 18, 2008) QSL in 127 days. Radio Abuja 7275 kHz. QTH: Broadcasting House, P. O. Box 377, Gwagwalada / P.M.B.71, Gark1, Abuja, Nigeria. v/s Ben Obeta. (Patrick Robic-AUT, A-DX Nov 8, 2005) 7275, FRCN-Abuja, nice looking date + fqy veri ltr confirming Abuja xmsn and giving hrs. as 0430-2130 UT (not sure if all on the same fqy) in En and Nigerian langs. V/S Ben Obeta for Exec. Director; in 20 wks. for CD rpt and $1. Ltr is dated Aug 4 but postmark is illegible, so I can't tell if it was really en route for 3 mos. or not. Address on ltr: FRCN Abuja National Station, Broadcasting House, P.O.Box 377 Gwagwalada P.M.B. 71, GARK1 ["GARK one"], Abuja, Nigeria. tel. 09-8821065 & 8821341, Fax 09-8821040 (Jerry Berg-MA-USA, DXplorer Nov 6, 2005) 7275, Radio Nigeria - Abuja verified with a date/frequency letter in 108 days from v/s Ben Obeta for the Executive Director. Address from letter: Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (Abuja National Station), Broadcasting House, P.O.Box 377 Gwagwalada, Nigeria. P.M.B 71, Gark1, Abuja, Nigeria. The verie letter provided the schedule as 0430-2130 UTC (0530-2230 Nigerian time). (Rich D'Angelo-PA-USA, DXplorer Nov 13, 2005) DREAM COMES TRUE. After years of planning and study, the dream of a new SW broadcasting center in Nigeria is coming true. Voice of Nigeria (VON) has contracted Thomson and its local partner for the supply of a DRM turnkey station close to the capital Abuja. The project will be implemented in two phases, whereby the supply of the first phase includes: 250 kW digital DRM tx, Thomson Type TSW 2300D; Cirrus, the Thomson DRM Multi-Program Multiplexer; Stratus, the Thomson DRM Versatile Modulator/RF Exciter; Thomson fix curtain antenna; New tx building, access and service roads, mains supply, fresh water supply, etc. The second phase will include two additional transmitters and a rotatabe antenna system. With the implementation of this ambigious [sic] new project, VON will have a highly modern, efficient and fully flexible broadcasting solution at its disposal, thus re-instating its roll as a leading SW broadcaster in Africa (Thomson RadioNews, Summer 2006, via Bernd Trutenau-LTU, DXplorer Aug 5, 2006) Watch the video on youtube! The project, which started in 2007 on 120 hectares of land at Lugbe, is said to be the first of its kind in sub-Sahara Africa. BROADCASTING - Voice of Nigeria which started with prototype RCA 100 kW HF transmitters, installed and commissioned in 1963 graduated to Brown Boveri Transmitters with antenna system in 1980. VON now has 250 kW Thomcast AG Transmitters [at Ikorodu]. (from Google search...) (ALL: BC-DX Dec 25, 2009 via DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. TCS Sunday Evening ON AIR *2200- Greetings, friends! The Crystal Ship will be taking to the airwaves for a while this evening, starting around 2200 UT, 5 pm EST, on about 5385 kHz AM, transmitting with the Johnson Viking II. Hope the holiday season is treating you well! -- (John Poet, The Crystal Ship, 2153 UT Sunday Dec 20 via Will Martin, DXLD) TCS, New frequency (test) *2315 --- Sorry folks. We had some difficulties earlier and had to terminate prematurely. Now, we will be doing a test on about 3431 kHz AM, starting about 2315 UT (John Poet, The Crystal Ship, 2314 UT Sunday Dec 20 via Will Martin, MO, DXLD) ** NORTH AMERICA. 6925-USB, USA (PIRATE), unidentified. 2002-2035 December 25, 2009. Nonstop Christmas music: Bing Crosby, Dean Martin to ELP and Tom Petty. Off by re-check at 2044. Good. Others logged Radio Free Euphoria here a little later in the morning with Christmas music format, so maybe them. 6925-USB, USA (PIRATE), Radio Ga-Ga. 1335-1345 December 27, 2009. Clear and fair with male, "This is Radio Ga-Ga" at tune-in, then old punk/New Wave tracks. Off or lost in some type of data noise utility that came up at 1345. 6925, USA (PIRATES), unidentified and "WNKR". 2051-2245 December 27, 2009. AM mode. Tune-in to The Beatles "She Loves You" followed by UK- accented male jock; "Not Fade Away" instrumental; mention of Radio London. Other songs, including The Beatles "Paperback Writer"; "... wish you a very Merry Christmas..." and mention of London Music Radio, "...096-954..." (partial phone number?). Male version of "You're No Good"; intro'ed an oldie seemingly titled "My Name Is Jack"; The Beatles "Eight Days A Week"; greetings to listener friends by name, including someone in Essex, and mention again of Radio London. "Green Onions" by Booker T & the MG's at 2133; "Happy Holidays" Christmas vocal seguéd into The Beatles "Love Me Do". Closing announcements, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones, then into another program at 2146, also with a UK-accented male jock, opening with 80's New Romantic Movement-era vocal; Tom Jones; AC/DC "Back In Black" etc. Quite a few clear "WNKR" ID's. Signal slowly improved, presume Stateside, but who knows (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NORTH AMERICA. [Pirates]. 6240.3 am, WNKR, 1530-1646+, Dec 26, someone re-broadcasting this U.K. pirate. Very strong with pop/rock music of the 80s. IDs as “WNKR, 1512 am” and “Western North Kent Radio”. ID jingles. Station promos. Thanks to Andy Reid tip. 6950 USB, Outhouse Radio, 0510-0530, Dec 25, wide variety of country music, rock Christmas music. Novelty music. ID. Fair to good. 6952.55 AM, Radio Free Euphoria, 1550-1605, Dec 25, novelty Christmas music. Rock Christmas music. ID. Good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) 6925, WNKR, 1645-1650+, Dec 27, someone re-broadcasting this U.K. pirate. IDs. Pop music. Station promos. Jingles. Also heard here at 1810-1815+. Very good. 6930 USB, Weak Radio, 2110-2125, Dec 26, IDs. Rock music. Good (Brian Alexander, PA, DX Listening Digest) ** NORWAY [and non]. Re 9-086: Norway/Sweden: Arctic Radio Morokulien will be active on 1584 kHz from 28 December 2009 (in fact starting at 2300 UT on 27 December), celebrating the 50th anniversary of Morokulien and the Arctic Radio Club. Their license is valid till 10 January 2010. Morokulien is a territory shared between Norway and Sweden. They have a shortwave station there too, but it is only for ham radio operation. Maybe one of our Scandinavian members can tell us a bit more concerning this interesting radio project (Harald Kuhl, Germany, Dec DSWCI SW News via DXLD) I visited that unusual, joint territory in 1989 when the annual Conference of the European DX Council was held there. There was no border control, so we had our Conference in Sweden while we slept in huts in Norway 100 meters away (Harald Kuhl via Anker Petersen, ibid.) However in DSWCI DX Window Dec 23, the second comment above was attributed only to Anker, which makes more sense (gh, DXLD) ** OKLAHOMA. 1120, KEOR, was licensed to Catoosa, NE of Tulsa, but as I found when I tracked down the transmitter site, it`s really in Sperry, N of Tulsa. Yet I was surprised to hear an ID Dec 22 at 2012 as ``Old School R&B, KEOR, Sperry-Tulsa, and Hot 1340, KJMU Sand Springs``. Anyhow it seems to be on the air every day now (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Old School: see also USA: KRJO ** OKLAHOMA. Check for Emergency Comms --- Oklahoma is shut down. Check to see if anyone is on with high power and day pattern. Happy hunting! (Kevin Redding, TN, 0050 UT Dec 25, ABDX via DXLD) OK storm --- The state has issued a state of emergency and my bet is 99% of the stations have no live staff on duty tonight (Alan Furst, TX, ibid.) KRMG 740 Tulsa is doing live coverage of the storm tonight (Alan Furst, 0334 UT Dec 25, ibid.) I did not check MW at all; the big 3 TV stations in OKC blew away all network programming all day Dec 24, even the 5:30 pm network news. KWTV CBS and KFOR NBC got back to framed network primetime after 7 pm, while KOCO ABC stayed with local live coverage of ``the emergency``. KFOR announced they were being simulcast on KTOK-1000, helpful for all those stranded drivers, but never heard any FMs mentioned. In tornados, each TV station adds a bunch of FM relays. OKC got 14 inches of snow that day, but in Enid we only got a sesquiinch (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. Still in question. Fragezeichen habe ich auch noch bei Oman Thumrait, sind schwach ausmoduliert, hoere sie aber tent. 17632.017 kHz wandernd von 17630.00 weg (Wolfgang Büschel, A-DX Dec 24 via BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) ** OMAN. Hi Glen[n], I have been chasing the BBC for times and frequencies for their Oman relay, but they don't answer to my e-mail messages. Would you know when are they on? Best wishes and a Happy Hew year to you and your family (Alex Wellner, Australia, Dec 27, to gh via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Alex, You can search out all the frequencies here on Seela: http://www.geocities.jp/binewsjp/bib09.txt And any other transmitter site as long as the searched name be unique. It show where the BBC relays are. It just uses abbreviations, like OMA for Oman. Since there are other non-BBC transmitters in Oman, I picked Seela as the search term which would limit the hits to the BBC site. The WRTVH also shows this info with a three-letter code after each frequency in the schedules. There is a key to those in the back. For BBC the Oman ones are -sla. Best New Year greetings to you too. 73, (Glenn to Alex, ibid.) ** PAKISTAN. PAQUISTÃO, 7535, R. Paquistão, Islamabad, em urdu, pelas 1720, com trechos de discurso "ao vivo". O transmissor parece sofrer de alguns problemas. Recepção difícil, mas melhorando ao longo do tempo. 34432 2009/12/27. Saluti! Rx. Kenwood R-2000 + Sony 7600GR Ant. TTFD 17 m (Pedro Turner, Gondomar, Portugal, bclnews.it yg via DXLD) 7535, R. Pakistan, (presumed), Rewat, in Urdu, at 1720 with live speech excerpts. Seems to have some modulation problems, together with strong hum. Improving with time. 34432, 2009/12/27 (Pedro Turner, Gondommar, Portugal, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Since the recent change of frequency for English news at 1600-1610 from 7510 to 7535, Radio Pakistan has also begun to use 7535 instead of 7530 for Urdu to W Europe at 1700-1900. I thought it might be a mis-tune, but obviously not so, as it is heard daily. And the old Rewat transmitters are still in use with no sign of anything from the new installation at Karachi-Landhi (Noel R. Green (NW England), ibid.) ** PALAU. Where did T8WR [sic] go? I arrived yesterday on the island of Palau and got a day off scheduled for the next day to go out and explore the island of Palau. I asked around the area for any info on where and how I could see the shortwave station on the island. I checked various sources including the internet, only to find out no one here had ever heard of the station or locations of the transmitters. I went on line and got a map info from one of the ones who emailed it on my hotmail account. I even wrote down the info and went and hired a driver to go to the location. Paul and I drove to their side of the island and even went on a few extra locations. Only to be told by several that the antennas were torn down years ago, which made me wonder if this is true, then where are they coming from and did the transmitters be moved or sold (Larry Field, n6hpx/mm n6hpx1 @ hotmail.com Dec 24, SWL at qth.net via DXLD) Hmmm, now we need to go to Naalehu and see if KWHR is really still secretly running (gh) Re T8WH Has Vanished from Palau --- I would not jump to conclusions so quickly. From experience one should never expect locals to know anything substantial when being asked about "the shortwave station", especially when it is not more than a foreign outpost. And who knows what kind of towers may have been turned down in Palau. The location of the transmitter site is quite remote. It looks as if seeing it requires to take the right path and drive til the dead end. Until then the antennas may well be hidden in the forest. Perhaps they are not even visible from public grounds at all. See http://maps.google.de/?ie=UTF8&ll=7.457906,134.477881&spn=0.003904,0.004774&t=k&z=18 http://www.whr.org/Photos.cfm (Kai Ludwig, Germany, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Really, hfcc, ibb and us.fcc would be wrong now, and contain outdated data ? See map below for the TAXI driver ... wb (Wolfgang Büschel, ibid.) From Google Earth with location and routes marked (gh) I for one didn`t give up too easy and figure it`s still out there as I mentioned to the guy it`s listed as being active on the website. So will still check around on this and see what happens. The taxi did cost more than the 5 dollar fees though and hope to rent a car next time (Larry in Palau, Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) First wish to thank Glenn and some of his group for the email info on Palau transmitter site. Wished I had that yesterday but the driver Paul made a few inquiries in local language and we still never located it. We drove around for about 4 hours and it cost a lot more than the normal ride which is suppose to be $5, came more to around $75 but it`s a good experience. I am still looking around for the site and we are here till after new years 2010. Anyways Happy Holidays and hope every got at least 1 or 3 radios for this day. 73's de (Larry, n6hpx, Dec 24, swl at qth.net via DXLD) 9965, unusually something between WRMI and WWCR, Dec 25 at 1517, strong signal with American preacher, ``there is a mighty God``. I consulted the B-09 Broadcasts in English booklet from the British DX Club I keep next to the radio instead of defunct PWBR, and hunting thru the 1500 UT listings, soon found T8WH in vernacular/English. At 1535 recheck it had changed to Korean. Once the computer was on, today`s Aoki agrees it is T8WH, daily in English until 1530, then daily in Korean from 1530 with Nippon no Kaze clandestine; the azimuth switches from 318 to 345 degrees but I did not notice much difference here. Merchant marine Larry Fields is visiting Palau and tried to find T8WH. The locals had never heard of it, and he did not find it, despite driving toward where it was supposed to be, racking up $75 in taxi fare. Google Earth mapping researched by Wolfgang Büschel shows it on the opposite side of the island from Koror, and Kai Ludwig suggests the antennas may be obscured by trees until you are right upon them. Larry is still on the island for another week and is going to try again (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello Glenn, I had a meeting with a local Ham George T88GN and as I was leaving I met another person who told me the station is here but in a different location from where we went. I think my driver didn’t know much and kept asking the wrong people. 73 (from Larry on Palau till January 2; Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also GERMANY Palau island update --- Hello again, ran into a local ham here named is George, T88GN and we spent about 20 minutes talking about ham licensing here. I have plans to obtain one for future, but in the meantime, I ran into a friend of his who told me that the Palau site is still in use and he knew some people who worked there. My plan is to see it still before I leave for our next Port of Guam, so will see what happens there. Will post it in my Bloggers site and also my other site http://qrv.me/n6hpx 73 de (Larry, n6hpx/mm, Fields, n6hpx1 @ hotmail.com USNS Kiska, Dec 28, swl at qth.net via DXLD) ** PERU. 580, RADIO MARAÑÓN. Jaén, Perú, 0040-0051 dic 27, música tropical "...el fin de semana, pásalo con Radio Marañón..." Durante algunas canciones mención "... la voz y el sentir de nuestros pueblos..." En 4835.4 kHz solo portadora, no audio (RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ R., Bogotá, Colombia, Winradio G303i, condiglist yg via DXLD) ** PERU. 3329.53, Ondas del Huallaga, Huánuco, 1040 to 1100 with OA music, OM DJ, best signal on 21 December, strong carriers all other days this week with CHU notched. Also noted 2315 to 2345 on 22 December. 0050 several other days. 5039.22, Radio Libertad, Junín, 1020 to 1110 fading out on 21 & 23 December. Weaker than normal here. 5120.43, Ondas del Suroriente, Quillabamba, 1107 fading on 21 December, 1100 on 22 December. 5460.11, Radio Bolívar, Cd. Bolívar, 2320 with weak signal, OM, fading, 20 December. 73s de (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, Drake R 8, Icom 746Pro DL, noise reducing antenna, 60 meter band dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4790.12, Radio Visión, Chiclayo, 0045-0047, December 26, Spanish, religious program "...de la Iglesia Universal del Reino de Dios...", 24432. 4955, Radio Cultural Amauta, Huanta, 0025-0029, December 26, Spanish, educative programme by male & female, 24442 6019.30, Radio Victoria, Lima, 0036-0042, December 27, Spanish, TC: "siete de la noche con 36 minutos....", ann.: "...seguimos frente a la plaza San Martín, en Lima, capital del Perú... programa La Voz de la Liberación", ID: "...desde Lima, Perú, para todo el mundo Radio Victoria, 780 kHz, las 24 horas del dia", 24332 6173.92, Radio Tawantinsuyo, Cusco, 0035-0042, December 26, Spanish / Quechua, messages for listeners: "...Feliz Cumpleaños, Avelino de parte de su hijo... atención Sr. Avelino... Atención Sr. Soria... su hija le hace saber que ella viajará a Quillabamba.....", 33333 (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PORTUGAL. The defective 15690 transmitter of RDPI is still putting out spurs at approximately plus and minus 168 kHz: Dec 28 at 1433 there was RDPI audio // 15690, on 15858 and 15522, mushy distorted FM. Fundamental was not especially strong, but spurs easily audible. Still there at 1522 recheck (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, The transmitter used for 15690 ME+India at 81.5º is, like the one used for VEN 261º 9855, reduced to just 1/3 of the power because the rhombic antennae don't take more; now, do you notice the spurs on any of the other RDPi frequencie? I haven't observed this particular frequency (15690) for some time now, so didn't notice any of the sort, and don't notice any spurs on the remainder, but then maybe the times I check them don't coincide with those on your end. Could you check 0000-0300 M-F 9855 261º and see whether the transmimtter behaves likewise? Both this and your other previous report on spurs have been channeled to the RDPi frequency manager and transmitter site director, and hope any of them reply to this and other issues I included. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Carlos, I checked 31m at 0025 UT Wednesday; 9455 was audible but not 9855, which is beamed further south, so if there were any spurs I would not be able to tell. Not much making it from Europe, e.g. Spain poor on 9535 (Glenn to Carlos, Dec 30, via DXLD) RDPI, 15690, Dec 29 at 1457, S9+8 which was strong enough previously to audiblize plus/minus 168 kHz spurs, but those not to be heard today. Perhaps our observation reached engineers who suppressed them. Carlos Gonçalves passed it on, and also heard no spurs an hour later (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I was able to check the RDPi on 15690 to INDIA/ME moments ago, and found no spurs, so it seems they cured it. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, 1553 UT Dec 29, ibid.) ** ROMANIA [and non]. 7220, 26/Dez 2327, R Romania International, English, desde Galbeni, com 300 kW. YL com news. As 2328 UT ID por OM e YL volta a falar, as 2329 UT nova ID, dessa vez por YL. Uma frequência muito disputada por emissoras com alta potência: a CRI em vietnamita com 500 kW; VOA com 250 kW e a România com 300 kW e todas no mesmo horário, embora de localidades e azimutes bem diferentes. Hoje ela se sobrepõe sobre todas as outras, de leve e ao fundo a QRM das prováveis outras. 44444. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, HCDX via DXLD) ** ROMANIA [and non]. RADIO BUCHAREST ON CEAUCESCU'S OVERTHROW On December 25, 1989, Nicolae Ceaucescu and his wife were executed by firing squad. Shortwave listeners followed the events in Romania at that time via Radio Bucharest. A 4-minute recording of Radio Bucharest on December 23 1989 can be downloaded here; also one of WNYW 1972 on the same webpage, lots of other recordings and memorabilia on the site: http://193.63.162.100/audio_other_recordings.html The two 28k Real player links on this 1999 BBC report, including a 1 minute Radio Bucharest English report on Ceaucescu being overthrown, are still active. The John Simpson and Alexandra Razvan reports are not: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/574200.stm (Mike Barraclough, Dec 26, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) > Shortwave listeners followed the events in Romania at that time via Radio Bucharest. And people in Romania did on their TV screens... Some examples: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DftuaT7anko -- 20 Dec 1989, Ceausescu speaks on TV about the events in Timisioara. (On the sidebar you should get a link to a long version in even poorer quality.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQmzpnjkXR4 -- Ceausescu's last public appearance on 21 Dec 1989. Suddenly the rally gets into panic, for still unknown reasons. This is the video tape from the OB van or its feed, the live transmission on TV had been interrupted until Ceausescu resumed his speech. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPDF5_vWCXI -- 22 Dec 1989, about 40 minutes after Nicolae und Elena Ceausescu left Bucharest by helicopter: A crowd gets into studio 4 of TVR, a set for newscasts with bluebox graphics. Heavy dispute with TV staff because the crowd suspects the TV people to fool them. Command from the director in the control room and ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdlIIpvqLHc ... on they are. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUQ0aLOB5qU First appearance of Ion Iliescu. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9KVQEK_OVE Securitate officer supports the revolution. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka8NnmkWsRY Emotional address by Casimir Ionescu, now a politician. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzQxgUNoZqw Police officer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OgULszqanU Army officer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsBdO42qgrk Nico Ceausescu brought forward, reportedly after being seriously injured. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06a9MImc97s Detailed address by Ion Iliescu, super "Free TV of Romania" which just did not fulfill since Iliescu later, as president of Romania, kept TVR as a propaganda mouthpiece. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QuK1UPcn1k Alleged "terrorist" brought forward on 23 Dec. In the evening of 22 Dec 1989 shootings started, most of the victims have been killed at a point when the Ceausescu government had already been overthrown. "Terrorists" have been blamed for this. Basically the whole matter is still a mystery. If you want to see more: A good amount of the TVR afternoon/evening broadcasts from 22 Dec 1989 is on Youtube, in 20 parts, under the title "Revolutia Romana la TV". In the last ones one can see how the shootings and fire-raisings took place in front of TVR's live cameras, too. And from now you have 18 hours left to officially view the documentary "Videogramme einer Revolution" online: http://plus7.arte.tv/de/1697660,CmC=2988306,scheduleId=2960750.html It's the version with German subtitles. An English one ("Videograms of a revolution") exists as well. The production consists of original footage, including but not limited to the taped TVR live broadcasts. This documentary is a staple of media critics (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 27, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Thanks, Kai, this is very helpful! I'm going to spend some time watching through your findings. I remember listening to Romanian AM stations back then; I could not understand much of Romanian, of course. But it was truly fascinating, nonetheless. A few days ago I caught CNNi's special on Ceausescu. The "expert" kept referring to him as a Soviet-style leader. Well, Ceausescu's style of leadership wasn't really Soviet, if one talks of post-Stalin times. Nowadays no one seems to remember that through much of his political career Ceausescu enjoyed a good deal of Western support for his "independent policies." One of the bizarre theories is that the whole "revolution" was a KGB/GRU plot. I wonder why KGB wouldn't try something similar in other socialist countries where it had good representation. The USSR peacefully withdrew from the nations that it used to control but tried to have a comeback in Romania?! (Romania wasn't really a part of the Soviet sphere of influence in 1980s.) Iliescu did study at Moscow University and was a proponent of perestroika in the end of 1980s. But who wasn't? I don't know if Ceausescu ever jammed any Western radio broadcasts in Romanian. In the mid-1980s, RFE Romanian was heard loud and clear in European USSR. That really contrasted with all other services of RFE/RL at that time. Radu Teodor, a host of a pop-music show on RFE Romanian, developed quite a following in the Soviet Union. I remember some listeners would praise his broadcasts in their letters to BBC Russian that were read on the air (Sergei S., Russia/IL, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) I spent two nights on going through the Romanian stuff. The longer recordings add up to some hours, and even while not understanding Romanian I found them fascinating to watch. By the way, I'm especially intrigued by the guy in a business suit that shortly appears in the studio before the broadcast and looks rather earnestly at the camera when leaving, while the two production guys (stage manager, director or the like) try to convince the crowd of not yelling in a mess. I guess this was someone from higher up in the TVR hierarchy. Also interesting: In part 12 of the long recording the news announcer reads out reports about reactions abroad, and he gets another item from ADN about the GDR having withdrawn the Karl Marx medal awarded to Ceausescu in 1988. Back in 1989 I did not know yet that Romanian stations are easily audible on mediumwave here (they're almost a pest, and all the Tesla transmitters there have been replaced by new Harris gear, so this situation still persists). My memories concern GDR TV, in particular a report of their Balkans correspondent in Sofia around 20 Dec 1989, in which he talked about the events in Timisoara, adding that he feels very much reminded of the Brasov rebellion in 1987 he was not allowed to mention with a single word at this time. A serious version of the plot theory leaves the USSR aside and says that it was a successful attempt to avoid a complete overthrow of the whole apparatus. Anyway many questions are still unanswered, like the mysterious panic during Ceausescu's speech the day before (where the audience did not hiss at him, as one can read here and there, this appears to be a misinterpretation of the strange panic). Jamming: I see indeed no reports about Romania ever engaging in this practice. Poking around on Youtube also brought this story to my attenzion: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantin_P%C3%AErvulescu A recording of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXjlz5S0JGQ It is remarkable that this video is in colour, recorded with Bosch KCU 40 cameras, since it is from 1979 while introduction of colour TV in Romania is said to have taken place not before 1982. Apparently this matter needs a closer look. Anyway B&W production continued even beyond 1982, I remember how GDR TV in the mid-eighties apologized for getting the following handball match from Romania fed in B&W only. In case it is of interest which gear TVR used in 1989: The studio cameras where Bosch KCP 60, which appear to be a less expensive model for price-sensitive customers. Nothing recognizable for the outside broadcasting van, but the night images indicate cameras with the Hitachi-developed Saticon tubes (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 28, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. MOSCOW RADIO TOWER ON BBC4 --- 4 days left to watch or download (Iplayer for TV programmes is officially UK only) [we are out of luck outside UK --- gh]: I have just been watching "The art of Russia" on BBC4 which had an interesting piece on the Shukhov radio tower in Moscow which pretty much blew me away, an astounding piece of architecture. The show is here http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00phtcz and the piece is 12 minutes in. Looks nice at night too http://www.flickr.com/photos/mclipsco/2406272584/ (Paul Logan, Lisnaskea, N. Ireland, skywavesmw Yahoo group via Mike Barraclough, Dec 26, dxldyg via DXLD) The flickr photos have a link to the Wikipedia entry which has more information and links to external sites (Mike Barraclough, ibid.) Yes, saw this programme on Wednesday - I'd recommend watching the whole programme on communist-era art, not just the radio-related bit. If you're in the UK, it's actually repeated at 7pm (1900 UT) tomorrow (Sun 27th) on BBC 4 TV. I was surprised BBC Health & Safety allowed the presenter to be winched up the 160m tower in the dodgy looking cradle! He said the tower was still in use - anyone know for what stations?? (Alan Pennington, Caversham, UK, ibid.) It's not in use for many years. It was used for the new FM 100-108 band (new for Russia) in 90s. This program really has some interesting moments. http://img-2006-10.photosight.ru/09/1694206.jpg (Victor Rutkovsky, Russia, ibid.) ** RUSSIA. http://www.radio.mosreg.ru - this site informs about all broadcasting in the Moscow region with all technical and other info about RTV-Podmoskovye that can be found on the homepage below... http://www.rtvp.ru - RTV-Podmoskovye own homepage 73! (Mikhail Timofeyev, St. Petersburg, HCDX via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Opening procedure of VoR Novosibirsk Spanish at 2050-2056 UT on 7340 showed great Hertz tone appearance some minus/plus 860.00 kHz apart on Perseus/Fujitsu Notebook (Wolfy Büschel, Germany, Dec 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 5965, 29/12 *0124-0130* Start of a carrier with strong signal (S 9+5dB) and sudden ID "Radio Mayak" at 0125 (recorded), then only the carrier. At 0130 the carrier disappeared! Just too much vodka? Ciao (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Might have been some other reason (gh) ** RWANDA. 6055, R. Rwanda 2045 (presumed) in French under VOIRI in Spanish dominating the frequency, off at 2100 as VOIRI continues to its 2130 sign-off. Frequency is then clear here in eastern NA past 2200. In recent years, on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) Rwanda has continued to broadcast after usual 2100* with a 'Christmas party' including segments and carols in English. At local midnight, 2200 UT, there's a whoop and holler (and crying by presumed Baby Jesus) as Christmas Day is ushered in (Steve George, Mass. USA, Dec. 23, Cumbre DX via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) ** RWANDA. 6055, Radio Rwanda, 2130-2259, Dec 24, on late for Christmas. Sign off usually at 2100. French/vernacular talk. Wide variety of African hi-life music, Afro-pops and local choral music. Phone talk. Christmas eve celebration services with talk, crying Baby Jesus at 2200. Traditional Christmas music. Good signal initially but poor to fair by 2245 due to adjacent channel splatter and completely covered by a strong Spain at their 2259 sign on (Brian Alexander, PA, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX Listening Digest) 6055, R. Rwanda, 12-24 2130, phone calls, sounded like hilife altho East Africa, French talk, mention Rwanda and R Rwanda IDs, some language talk, no QRM. First log all year (Sheryl Paszkiewicz, Manitowoc WI, NASWA yg via DXLD) Tnx to Steve George tip, heard RRR on extended Xmas eve broadcast. He said 6055 would run past usual 2100* at least until local midnight 2200 UT. I did not tune in until 2226, when Hark The Herald was being sung in uncertain language; 2228 announcement at first seemed Japanese and I feared it was R. Nikkei already, but shortly mentioned Rwanda and I realized it was an African language, presumably KinyaRwanda. Fair signal, no QRM. More music and chat continued, still going at 2257 but at *2258:50 completely blown away by REE cutting on with IS prior to its 2300 French broadcast (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SAUDI ARABIA. BSKSA Franzoesisch auch etwas krumm auf 17785.038 kHz um 0845 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, A-DX Dec 24 via BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) Checking 11785 for traces of Indonesia [q.v.] missing from 9526v, Dec 29 at 1441, heard only BSKSA buzz, but now for a change, some bits of Qur`an also audible underneath it. Progress. Usual cursory check of 13m, Dec 29 at 1526 found weak and fluttery Arabic on 21460, i.e. BSKSA, which amounted not only to the SSOB but the OSOB (strongest and only station on band) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SERBIA [non]. International Radio Serbia, 6100 and 7200, QSL card in 19 months for e-report to radioju @ sbb.co.yu Envelope with old logo of Radio Yugoslavia but QSL signed as "Medunarodni Radio Srbija". Address: Box 200, Hilandarska 2, 11000 Beograd, Serbia (Artur Fernández Llorella, Catalonia, Spain, Dec 26, HCDX via DXLD) ** SINGAPORE. 3915, BBC, Kranji relay, 2316-, 25 Dec, WS in English to SEAsia, news, World Sport programme at 2320, news headlines at 2330; 55433, but gradually deteriorating; the best in this is that it was free of the usual adjacent utility QRM. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. 5020, By the way, Solomon Islands on 5020 kHz has been off, but is now back after Radio N.Z. transmitter technician Steve White made a hurried trip to Honiara to repair the transmitter. I forgot to mention that 5020 kHz is now back on air 24 hours daily (Gordon Brown, NZ, NWDXC Dec 22 via BC-DX Dec 25 via DXLD) 5020 Solomon Isls. Dem Herrn gebuehrt Dank. So stark wie jetzt gerade (1415 UTC) habe ich die Station noch nie gehoert (Albert Kosnopfel, Germany DL6SCN, Perseus, A-DX Dec 23, ibid.) Hallo ein Gruss an Albert, ohne die (Entwicklungs-) Hilfe des Radio N.Z. in Vanuatu und Solomons waeren diese Schmankerl hier bei uns schon lange empfangsmaessig tot. Steve White hat auch letztes Jahr die 2 x 2 10 kW Sender dort errichtet. Deshalb habe ich auch einen 'breiten Buckel', was die Feedersendungen in DRM aus Rangitaiki-NZL angeht (Wolfgang df5sx, A-DX Dec 23, ibid.) 5019.962, 23.12 1400 SIBC, Solomon Islands hörs ofta bra. Julafton gick den enormt fint, se nedan (Thomas Nilsson, SW Bulletin via DXLD) Så här skriver Nils Schiffhauer i Perseus Yahoogroup: ”Hallo - SIBC, the broadcaster from the Solomon Islands, presented us with a nice signal on Christmas Day on 5020 kHz. Two short MP3s should demonstrate the good intelligibility of the transmitter after it got a repair by a New Zealand technician: http://bit.ly/7uHcqn I also used Perseus' markers to document the levels of signal as well as noise from 1330 to 1830 UT. Sunset here was 1506 UT, sunrise in Honiara at 1858 UT (73 Nils, DK8OK) (via SW Bulletin, ibid.) 5019.964, 24.12 1340, SIBC with a strength seldom heard. Their own magnificent Christmas show with among others greetings from the government to all citizens on the Islands and lots of Christmas carols. – The station has been heard almost all autumn and has been extremely frequency stable on 5019.964. This day the station was so stable so it could be measured to 5019.9644 kHz. 3 (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Dec 27, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST)) ** SOMALIA [non]. 9885, 26/Dez 1747, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, Radio Horyaal, in Somali, from Dhabbaya, with 250 kW. OM interview a man outside the studio. 1751 pop Somali music. 1758 OM talk and end transmission. Slight interference from Family Radio. 24433. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AFRICA [and non]. 7230, Dec 24 at 0416 two stations mixing at equal levels in talk, SAH of approx. 6 Hz. One of them in English, no doubt Channel Africa as scheduled, 04-07, 100 kW, 5 degrees from Meyerton. But the other? Aoki possibilities, most likely the first: R. Liberty in Russian via Biblis, GERMANY, 100 kW, 63 degrees NVK R. Sakha, Yakut/Russian via Yakutsk, 100 kW, 300 degrees AIR Kurseong, India is also listed here in WRTH, but not this early (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SPAIN. Last Monday the weekly Sephardic show on REE was out of synch with transmission time, the oddly scheduled 1425-1455, as programming was still in progress when cut off at 1455. So I tune in 15385 earlier Dec 28: 1427 no programming, just open carrier. This continued until 1445! When program opened, now not only with wrong frequency ``15325`` but wrong time, ``1425``. I knew this transmission was doomed, and sure enough, audio cut off after only 10 minutes at 1455 sharp, carrier off a few sex later. Noblejas is still turning the transmitter on and off at the proper times, but Prado del Rey studios are feeding the playout 20 minutes late! Some operator thinx it is supposed to start at 1445 instead of 1425 (after all, the two repeats UT Tue start at :15 past the hours). Or, someone misprogrammed the automation. How much longer will this go on? Does the service have any listeners at all at the station or in the world, besides myself? Will any Spaniard reading this in English get word to the powers that be? Tune in next week for another exciting episode (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. 11785, 23/12 1625, Sudan Radio Service, via South Africa, reports about Darfur, mail address on the half hour, also some African songs. Two languages used: Arabic and an unknown (to me) African language. Good Ciao (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 7280, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Sudan Radio Service, via Dhabbaya, Arabic, 25/12 0427. OM: talk, canção em ritmo + estilo africano, retorno a talk por OM, canção em SS (??) ‘Feliz Navidad’, 35543 (Rudolf Grimm, São Bernardo-SP, Rx: SDR-IQ, Ant.: Horiz 20 m cordoalha + MFJ-1026, 73, (Rudolf Grimm, SP, radioescutas yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) 9840, 26/Dez 1723, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, Sudan Radio Service, in Arabic, from Dhabbaya, with 250 kW. Pop African music, 1728 UT OM talk, ID. Short music between talk. 1730 program continues in Arabic, with OM presenting a program of African music. 35433. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana Bahia, Brasil, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SUDAN [non]. Among many services having to make temporary arrangements due to fire at RNW relay, R. Dabanga: see MADAGASCAR ** SURINAME. DX-ing on Curaçao --- I just returned from another holiday on Curaçao, but this time I was unlucky to get a lodge which was very much disturbed by noise from a neighbouring house and other lodges, especially on the Tropical Bands and SW. I can tell you that I could hear R Apintie 4990 (weak) in Dutch around 0945 UT (Max van Arnhem, DSWCI DX Window Dec 23 via DXLD) 4990, Radio Apintie, Paramaribo, 0950 to 1000 OM in Dutch, music mix, "Apintie" on hour by OM, 23 December. 73s de (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, Drake R 8, Icom 746Pro DL, noise reducing antenna, 60 meter band dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. SAQ sends greetings --- On 24th December, 2009, the Grimeton SAQ VLF transmiter sent a special message for Xmas to all radio hams. The message was in morse code at 17.2 Khz VLF with 200Kw power and can be heard here: http://hamradiotube.com/sm/media/384/SAQ/ The entire story: http://yo9gjx.blogspot.com/ --- Florian, YO9GJX on Southgate http://www.southgatearc.org/news/december2009/saq_recording.htm (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. 9400, George Wood opening R. Sweden in English, Dec 27 at 1430, with a retrospective of the Indian Ocean tsunami, which was five years ago already, and Sweden`s involvement with relief; fair with echo, 85 degrees from Hörby; better signal from same site was R. Netherlands on 15595 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I suppose it was not just about "involvement with relief", Glenn. See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4541590.stm (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: SWEDEN BITTER OVER TSUNAMI LOSS By Lars Bevanger, BBC News, Stockholm Swedes have attended memorial services in Thailand this year. Of all western countries, Sweden was the worst hit by the Asian tsunami. The devastating wave killed nearly 550 and injured some 1,500 Swedish holidaymakers, who had flocked to Thai resorts for the Christmas period. While the death toll cannot be compared with the enormous loss of life in the tsunami region, it has been felt strongly in this nation of only nine million people. . . (illustrated story from 24 Dec 2005, via DXLD) ** TAIWAN. trumix.com "Hear in Taiwan" will soon be much more than just RTI's English-language blog! We're delighted to announce that starting on December 28, listeners will be able to tune in to an audio version of "Hear in Taiwan" every weekday following the news. "Hear in Taiwan" will bring together a panel of your favorite RTI hosts for a 15-minute discussion of the hottest topics plus an introduction to our daily features and our lastest [sic] blog postings. Tell us what you think about our new program by sending an email to rti @ rti.org.tw Source: http://english.rti.org.tw/Content/WhatsNewSingle.aspx?ContentID=92142 (via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, Dec 22, DXLD) ** TAJIKISTAN. 4765.054v, 27/12 1910, Radio Tajikistan, music and talks, poor/fair (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, Drake R8; SDR- IQ -- ANT: T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** THAILAND. 7560, 25/12 1936, Radio Thailand, Udon Thani, English program to Europe, economics reports, light QRM from VOA via Kuwait. fair/good. 8743, 25/12 1933, Bangkok Meteorogical Radio, Thailand, interval signal and info, poor (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) SSB? ** TIBET [non]. 7470 at 1432 Dec 23, talk in tonal language and with ``AIR hum``, so I thought this would turn out to be India; instead, it`s a frequency used long hours for IBB broadcasts, VOA and RFA, in Tibetan and some neighboring languages. During this hour only, it`s VOA via Tinang, PHILIPPINES. Would not expect that transmitter to hum, so perhaps it`s a sign of jamming which is surely applied by the ChiCom to these (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY [and non]. VOT English to NAm, Dec 24 at 0420: much better via Sackville 6040, even tho it`s two sesquiseconds behind Emirler direct on 6020, weaker and with the perpetual Peruvian het tnx wailing wacko David Miranda and Radio Victoria; major broadcasters using 6020 are oblivious to it. Don`t they get reception reports with low-I SINPOs? Don`t they ever bring up a remote receiver or an IBB file and check it themselves? Seref Isler was as always in too big a hurry to read his script. Saturday mornings around 1430 one is faced with multiple choices for good SW music --- including Bulgaria, Cuba, Martí, Greece, Hmong Lao Radio. But from 1420 tune-in Dec 26 I was drawn most to 11815, Voice of Turkey in Turkish, wonderful music on plucked string instrument, male and female singers, and quite good reception on this 500 kW, 320 degree 14-17 UT transmission from Çakirlar toward Europe and consequently USward. 1432-1440 broke for pursed-lipped talk in Turkish, then more music; 1500 timesignal and presumed news. TRT 11815 is best heard on weekends when Spain is not using its Costa Rica relay on that frequency; Japan is always on, but not a problem today. 11815, VOT Turkish music ruined by off-channel as usual REE Costa Rica producing not only audio mix but fast, rippling subaudible heterodyne, Dec 29 at 1445. However, Turkey in the clear at 1521 as per Aoki, REE uses 11815 only from 12 to 15 and only M-F. You would not know this consulting HFCC, where much larger possible spans are woodenly registered: 00-04, 04-10, 10-23; and 18-24 with additional transmitter and antenna. WRTH 2010 agrees that the only time REE is really using 11815 is M-F 12-15, for which we are thankful and so should be the Turx. SW Asian music is still available in the clear before 1500 on nearby 11805 thanks to VOA Kurdish via GERMANY; see also KURDISTAN [non] (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. 4750, Laut dem Wintersendeplan B09 der Bible Voice Broadcasting sendet Radio Dunamis aus Mukono, Uganda von 1500 bis 1900 UT auf 4750 kHz. Die Adressen fuer Empfangsberichte lauteten: oder BVB P. O. Box 425, Station E Toronto, Ontario Canada M6H 4E3 Radio Dunamis ist zwar wegen der geringen Sendeleistung von max. 1000 W nicht leicht zu empfangen, korrekte Empfangsberichte werden jedoch zuverlaessig bestaetigt (Wolf-Dieter Behnke, Germany, A-DX Dec 20 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. 7440, RUI, Dec 24 at 0440, VG signal, so much so that I could hear a hum/whine from the generators(?), during English to NAm, quoting Abe Lincoln at the moment. M&W alternating, and the M has one of the most distinctive voices/accents on SW, a pleasure to listen to. Power is currently registered as only 600 kW altho it`s a 1000 kW transmitter at Lviv (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [and non]. Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, annual BBC tradition on Xmas eve, best heard here on Rampisham 12095, Dec 24 at 1508, but hardly necessary as it`s relayed live by hundreds of public radio stations across the USA, including the two closest ones here, which normally avoid duplication, KCSC 90.1 and KOSU 91.7. The US version requires introduxion by an American, the reverent Minnesotan Michael Barone. Did not scan the entire SW spectrum, but did notice at 1513 that BBC was carrying something other than FONLAC on Ascension 17640, so the Africans were spared this colonial relic, an overt religious service on a public broadcaster. I suspend my disbelief anyway since I enjoy the music (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. 6055, Dec 25 at 0609 with hilife music, then continuous discussion in French mentioning Sekou Touré, no doubt prompted by the current violence in Guinea. At first I imagined it would be RWANDA, which had been heard a few hours earlier on extended Xmas eve broadcast, and after all it is scheduled from 0300; but this was no doubt the semi-hour in French from BBCWS via Ascension, another competitor for Radio Nikkei (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K [non]. Checked 5800 for the WRN English football live relays via Mykolaiv, UKRAINE, Sat Dec 26 at 1511, but as expected, nothing heard. Checking the schedule later, in DXLD 9-086, no wonder, as today`s first match was to end at 1445, but there`s another at 1725- 1930, Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers; also Sunday 27th December, 1555-1800 Hull City v Manchester United. Axually, I would be surprised to hear 5800 way over here, but this may well be the last chance, on the final weekend of 2009. How do they know each match will last two hours and five minutes? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I also checked this at around 1830, and although I could hear a commentary, the signal strength was very poor, and little could be understood. Glenn - these are Premiership League games, and each game is split into two parts called the first and second half. Each half lasts for 45 minutes plus any time that the match referee adds on for stoppages of any kind - injury for instance. There is a 'half time' break of approximately 15 minutes. So today`s Hull v Manchester Utd game will kick off - start - at 1600-1645 approx, and approx 1700-1745 (Noel R. Green (NW England), dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. South Herts Radio will now broadcast as follows effective from 3rd Jan 2010. Every other Sunday from Sunday 3rd January from 0800 to 2000 UT. Shortwave 5835 kHz (52 meter band) with low power to Europe from the U.K. Only when our webstream is on air can you find us on FM anywhere between 87.6 - 107.9 MHz throughout the U.K. and Europe and on dedicated relays usually 90.9 MHz in South & East Herts, 97.9 MHz in West Herts and 102.5 MHz in North Herts thanks to our listeners relaying our webstreams on legitimate low power devices. We also operate on (WFM) 863.5 MHz in South Herts and 864.5 MHz in North Herts at a higher power of sometimes up to 50 watts. Weekdays Mon-Fri from Jan 4th we will be on (shortwave only) with low power on 3935 kHz (76 meter band) from 1900 to 2200 UT. We are also testing 7325 in the 41 meter band with low power, times and days vary. When we say low power we mean just above micro power but effective when conditions are on our side. We are also testing on the AM band in the medium wave band in parts of the U.K. again thanks to some of our listeners relaying us on low power devices. Example transmitter: http://www.vcomp.co.uk/spitfire/spitfire.htm any frequency that is clear in steps of 9 kHz. Finally we are relayed by other stations (usually clandestine) at various times and frequencies see http://www.southhertsradio.com/frequencies.html for more info. Once again the live webstream should be on air every other Sunday with (limited slots) but we do offer an excellent listen again service and downloads which we will be expanding on a much greater scale in 2010. Look out for changes to our website and schedules soon. We may miss the odd Sunday but this is only a hobby station. SHR is for the serious DXer and offshore radio enthusiast with DX related shows and pirate tributes mostly as listen on demand files. Reception reports are always welcome. In the New Year I will be devoting more time to making new shows for Laser Hot Hits. You can hear some of my previous shows for Laser on the Humyo player at http://www.southhertsradio.com/again.html Happy new year and 73. Thanks for the support Glenn. http://www.southhertsradio.com (Gary Drew, Dec 29, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. 1 Comment on “Former VOA Bethany site in urgent need of repair” [Jan 27, 2005!] Donald E Smith, MD on Dec 26th, 2009 at 15:18 --- My father worked for Voice of America. We lived in the Philippines, then in Munich Germany for 10 years. This is the station at which my father started his career. The VOA stations around the world, this being a prime example provided the American interpretation of the truth, information about our culture and world news to the millions of people who were dominated by repressive regimes, kept from the truth about the world, and lied-to and manipulated. The constant stream of information from the outside world, the music, jazz, rock carrying the message of love, freedom, and pleasure were like water eroding the base of the repressive regimes. The changes in the world seen today are brought about by information sharing and the VOA was the pioneering force that today includes e-mail, MySpace, Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, and blogs which are changing the politics even in Iran as we speak. The VOA sites around the world are in abysmal repair or have been raised [sic]. The Bethany site needs to be renovated and preserved as a true museum of this momentous undertaking in the preservation of freedom and democratic values (Media Network blog via DXLD) ** U S A. A VOA Christmas --- How odd to hear Kris Eric Stevens` syndicated "12 Hours of Christmas" on VOA right now. The same MORish special that WSB AM runs. I am only hearing one VOA signal with decent reception, 11560. This at 2215-2235..cony. 12:15 PM local on Christmas eve. Happy holidays (Brock Whaley, HI, Sent from my iPhone, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. Updated winter B-09 schedule for Voice of America. Part 2 of 2: [continued from 9-086] Hausa 0500-0530 on 1530 4960 6040 11710 0700-0730 on 4960 11710 15180 1500-1530 on 9780 11705 15770 2030-2100 on 4940 6040 9780 11705 15770 Mon-Fri Indonesian 1130-1230 on 7255 9725 15165 1400-1500 on 9360 11635 Thu-Sat 2200-0030 on 9620 11805 15205 Khmer 1330-1430 on 1575 9325 11965 2200-2230 on 1575 6060 7260 13640 Kinyarwanda 0330-0430 on 7340 9540 11750 Kirundi 1600-1630 on 11750 12010 17785 Sat Korean 1200-1330 on 1350 5890 7235 9555 1330-1500 on 1188 5890 7235 9555 1900-2100 on 648 5835 6060 7420 Kurdish 0500-0600 on 5945 9690 15225 1400-1500 on 1593 11805 13740 15160 1700-1800 on 7550 9650 9815 2000-2100 on 1593 Lao 1230-1300 on 1575 9810 11930 Mandarin 0000-0200 on 7495 9545 11925 15385 17645 21580 0200-0300 on 11925 15385 17645 21580 0700-0800 on 9845 11855 11965 13650 13765 15515 0800-0900 on 9845 11720 11855 11965 13650 13765 15515 0900-1030 on 9845 9855 11720 11855 11965 13650 13765 15515 1030-1100 on 9845 9855 11700 11720 11965 13650 13765 15515 1100-1200 on 9530 9805 9825 11720 12045 15515 1200-1300 on 6040 9530 9785 9825 11635 12045 1300-1330 on 6040 7295 9530 9785 9825 12040 13595 1330-1400 on 6040 7295 9530 9785 9825 11955 12040 1400-1500 on 6040 6105 7295 7525 9785 9825 2200-2300 on 6045 7440 9545 9755 9875 11655 Ndebele 1800-1830 on 909 4930 12080 15775 Mon-Thu 1820-1830 on 909 4930 12080 15775 Fri 1740-1800 on 909 4930 12080 15775 Fri-Sun Pashto-RADIO 0030-0130 on 1296 7595 9335 ASHNA 1430-1530 on 1296 9335 11840 12140 1630-1730 on 1296 9335 9770 11575 1830-1930 on 1296 5750 7560 Pashto-DEEWA 0100-0400 on 9370 9380 11575 1300-1500 on 7455 7495 9370 9565 1500-1900 on 5835 7455 7495 9370 Persian 0230-0330 on 7205 9495 9820 1530-1630 on 1593 9320 11705 11775 1630-1700 on 1593 5850 9320 9540 1700-1800 on 1593 5850 9495 9540 1800-1830 on 648 1593 5850 9495 9540 1830-1900 on 648 5850 9680 9960 1900-1930 on 5850 9680 9960 Portuguese to 1000-1030 on 17740 21590 Sat/Sun Africa 1700-1800 on 1530 11775 15545 21495 1800-1830 on 1530 11775 21495 Mon-Fri Shona 1700-1730 on 909 4930 12080 15775 Mon-Thu 1800-1810 on 909 4930 12080 15775 Fri 1700-1720 on 909 4930 12080 15775 Fri-Sun Somali 0330-0400 on 5960 11780 15430 1300-1400 on 13580 15620 1600-1630 on 1431 13580 15620 1630-1800 on 13580 15620 Spanish 1130-1200 on 9885 13715 15590 Mon-Fri 1200-1300 on 9885 13715 15590 2300-2400 on 5890 5940 9885 Swahili 0300-0330 on 7340 9440 Mon-Fri 1630-1730 on 9565 13870 15730 Tibetan 0000-0100 on 7255 7480 9645 0300-0600 on 15545 17860 21570 1400-1500 on 7255 7470 9670 15530 1600-1700 on 7530 7560 11920 Tigrigna 1900-1930 on 9320 9485 9860 11675 11905 Mon-Fri Turkish 0430-0500 on 7295 Mon-Fri Urdu-RADIO 0100-0200 on 972 1539 9520 12020 AAP KI DUNYAA 1400-1500 on 972 1539 7480 9390 1500-0100 on 972 1539 Uzbek 1500-1530 on 801 5930 6105 7470 9450 Vietnamese 1300-1330 on 1575 9325 11695 1500-1600 on 1170 5955 9520 9725 2230-2330 on 6060 13640 Frequency changes of IBB: 1330-1430 NF 12105 IRA 250 kW / 049 deg, ex 13855 RFA in Burmese 1600-1700 NF 7405 UDO 250 kW / 305 deg, ex 7435 VOA in Bangla (DX Mix New, Bulgaria, Dec 28 via DXLD) ** U S A. VOA TO DROP MORNING BROADCAST IN BENGALI With effect from 1 January 2010 the Voice of America is dropping its morning broadcast in Bengali at 0130-0200 UTC on 11500 and 15205 kHz. VOA also plans to change the time of its evening broadcast in line with Daylight Saving Time in Bangladesh. Details are awaited (Source: DXAsia December 24th, 2009 - 11:28 UTC by Andy Sennitt, Media Network blog via DXLD) see also BANGLADESH ** U S A. "Pastor" Peter J. Peters' ``new shortwave station`` I'm sure you know who Peter J. Peters is. On his "Scriptures For America" network he's been promoting a new shortwave station he and his people will have a "24-hour prayer marathon" on to inaugurate it. The station he's been promoting is WTWW, which, according to the latest edition of DXLD and its own website at http://www.wtww.us/ doesn't seem like it's going to go on the air anytime soon. No frequency seems to have been given out by Peters anyway. Just sending this out here in case you might find this relevant for anything. Thank you for your time reading this, and have a good day (or night). (April Ferguson, December 23, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Certainly, but cowboy PPP, who has horses, doesn`t know where to put them relative to his carts. WTWW is hardly `his` new SW station, and other clients are being considered, nothing final yet. Poking around http://www.scripturesforamerica.org/ I don`t find anything about it. But if you are not Anglo-Saxon/German, you are, ahem, not wanted there. O come on, say it: ``For Aryans only`` (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: ** U S A. WTWW update: the ex-KAIJ transmitter WTWW will use first appears to be in reasonably good shape. It has had lots of change-outs since its manufacture. Still waiting on the plumber to repair leaks in the water-cooling system; expected to do that Monday Dec 28, so the earliest possible turn-on would be that evening, if there are no further problems, low voltage at first to check out the transmitter. The rhombic antenna is up. Programming to be carried has yet to be finalized (George McClintock to gh, Dec 24, DX LISTENING DIGEST) On another recent broadcast he [PPP] claims that the "prayer marathon" will start on New Year's Eve and end sometime on New Year's Day. He also claims lots of other things. I really have no clue whether he believes what he says or not, but that's what he's claiming, anyway. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he's just lying about being on another SW station or not, to increase his standing amongst the "Christian Patriot" crowd (April Ferguson, Dec 27, ibid.) WTWW, checking for activation of new SW station in Lebanon TN, should be imminent, but nothing heard yet on 5755 or 9480 at 0130 and 1518 Dec 29 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PPP will not be on WTWW, at least not any time soon. Because the ex- KAIJ transmitter had to be kept in storage longer than expected, some more things have deteriorated, rubber parts, and even beryllium springs holding tubes in place. So startup is delayed some more, perhaps not until 2010. Initial test transmissions will not include any regular programming (George McClintock, to gh, Dec 29, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. UNKNOWNISTAN: 4910, 2310, 18-Dec; Two English Bible thumpers. Can't find any listings, so gotta be a spur or mixer from somewhere. Not enough patience to stick with it (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE Tipsheet Dec 25 via DXLD) ? This has been reported several times. It`s WWCR 9980 minus WWCR 5070, so you will find the double audio matches those two frequencies. I was just hearing it too last night, weakly, but did not bother to log again. WRTH (forget PWBR) really ought to include a by-frequency list of common spurs and mixing products from this, RHC, Sackville and several others we make sure to report in DXLD (gh) Tuneby 5890, 0557 Dec 26, at first thought PPP and WWCR-4 were missing again, but the carrier was on, openly; by 0602 modulation had resumed. 15825, WWCR with good signal for a change, Dec 27 at 1735, indicating some sporadic E has appeared. The winter Es season on VHF TV/FM has been pretty much absent, but this could be a good sign. The VHF DX map http://www.vhfdx.net/spots/map.php?Lan=E&Frec=50&Map=NA&mycall=&myloc=&freq=&prop= showed there had been a handful of 6-meter contacts in the NE quadrant of the USA, and a few more on 10m, but the current MUF was 39 MHz. No sign of axion yet on channel 2 as of 1800 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Catholix vs whatever PMS is --- Dec 29 at 1446, WEWN inbooming on 13835, unlike WWCR on 13845, the two about the same distance from here but a geographically selective opening. This allowed the dirty Ave Maria Radio spur on 13845 to impede PMS to the point of unreadability; not that I wanted to read her, an exercise in piety (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Listened to AWWW UT Dec 26 at 01-02 on webcast, instead of 7415 or 5110. Allan Weiner says he has been in Florida since the end of November and is staying until May; he`s 6 foot 5, weighs 155 pounds. He`s a snowbird now for health reasons; WBCQ funxions on under the snow in Monticello, Maine, a good place for it due to zoning, taxes, good neighbors, and good people running it, so it will stay there. Station is not making any money, barely paying its bills. He phoned in the program from FL. Jen has had a baby of almost 8 pounds (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WBCQ "Funding Request" --- WBCQ, "The Planet", Monticello, ME broke into programming at 2215z to announce the station was "under siege" and requested listeners to send in donations because of the rising cost of the electricity to maintain the high power transmitters. Announcement broadcast on 7415. Merry Christmas! Charlie (Charles Hunter, Canada, Dec 25, ODXA yg via DXLD) I thought WBCQ was using 50 kW transmitters. This is hardly high power. Sounds a little strange (Keith Perron, Taiwan, ibid.) It`s hi power if your roots are piratical (gh, DXLD) Tuned in WBCQ 7415 for Marion`s Attic, Sunday Dec 27 at scheduled time 2200 UT, but instead heard ``WGOD`` starting, which is scheduled for 2300. By the latter time, signal had just about disappeared but I could barely detect Marion starting with Xmas wishes; swapped by mistake, or rescheduled? [mistake, AW later told me --- gh] Before 2200, This Week in Amateur Radio was on, including some sound effects coming perilously close to ``music`` I had also heard the night before on WA0RCR 1860, which supposedly uses a legal amusical amateur-radio version of the show (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Due to some lost airtime on 9955, WRMI has to do some make- goods instead of complimentary DX programs. A lo-fi preacher was heard instead of WORLD OF RADIO, Tue Dec 22 at 1630, but Jeff White says the program schedule M-F at 15-17 UT has not made any permanent changes. Then on Wed Dec 23 at 1645, WOR was interrupted halfway thru for another preacher, says Miami groundwave listener Mike Lantz, who ``wanted to throw his radio out``. That was the first broadcast of new edition 1492, but only a semi-airing (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Asunto: Re: Reception report from Colombia Fecha: viernes, 25 diciembre, 2009, 4:02 am RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ R. P. O. BOX No. 67751 Bogota D.C. - COLOMBIA Estimado Rafael, [sic:] Muchos gracial por escuchar a WJHR International. Me alegre mucho para suber que hay personas muy sur de la frontera escuchando a el evanelio de Cristo! Algun dia esperamos tener programmas en Espanol. Ya estamos en paso de probar los habilidads de el estacion. El senal ha de estar mas fuerte en lo por venir cuando instalaccion de nuevo antenna es completado. Los pastores en el radio habla muy rapido de cierto! El escuchar del evangelio embonara' tu Engles. El cual es que yo pudiera aprender el Espanol. Encuentro muchos personas de su pais aqui en Florida. Hace muchos anos yo fui a Cuba hacer la obra de un misionero y hubo opportunidad hablar algun Espanol. Dioslebendiga! Continua escuchar! (G. S. Mock, WJHR @ usa.com via Rodríguez, Dec 25, condiglist yg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) 15550, The new Florida station has not yet been heard here (Björn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Dec 27, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15550, 27.12 1358, WJHR, Milton, FL started the test with bell ringing. ID on top of the hour. All in USB. O=2 (Christer Brunström, Sweden, SW Bulletin Dec 27, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15550-USB, not hearing WJHR around 1500 UT, either not on yet or not propagating yet, but Dec 26 at 1747 check it was in well enough with F&B preacher, 1802 same ID recording as originally heard Dec 8, which always seems to be two minutes late. Also Dec 27 with F&B at 1735 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 15550-USB, WJHR International (tentative), Milton, FL, 2105-2114, December 26, English, very long talk by male, 24432. Only received on USB mode (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. A wonderful Xmas gift from WINB in the form of convicted and sentenced to 175 years child-sex predator Tony Alámo (he is still entitled to have his pseudonym accented as he wishes), Dec 25 at 1602 on 13570 as he was trashing the United Nations. I can think of another SW station I hesitate to identify which is also still broadcasting this monster, according to its schedule (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. New 3145, 0405-0415 25.12, WWRB, Manchester, TN, English religious talks with American accent. New schedule // 5745 (35333), ex 5050, 25232, not // 3185 (Anker Petersen, on my AOR AR7030PLUS with 28 metres of longwire here in Skovlunde, Denmark, via Dario Monferini, playdxyg via DXLD) 3145 WWRB is NOT new. If was first reported to us by Dave Frantz as of Nov 23, *2008*, in DXLD 8-121. It had replaced 3270 which was used only briefly, apparently due to a utility/government user objection. 3145 is a strange one: It did not appear in the FCC A-09 schedule. It did not appear in the HFCC A-09 schedule. Since it was not conceived until late November, it could not appear in WRTH 2009, much less PWBR 2009. It did appear in the final Sept 8 update of EiBi A-09 (at 0100-0400) It did appear in the final Oct 23 update of Aoki A-09, but referenced as a B-08 frequency until March 7. The same listing continues in B-09. Searching DXLD archives on 3145, there were no reports of it between April 18 and October 27, 2009, but on the dates preceding and following those. So it was at least partially in use during the A-09 season. Even if on the air in summer, with nothing but Brother Scare, it could easily have been neglected by intelligent listeners. It does not appear in the FCC B-09 schedule. It does not appear in the HFCC B-09 schedule. It does not appear in the EiBi B-09 schedule. It still does not appear in the WRTH 2010. Perhaps these references are relying a bit too heavily on official info rather than info direct from stations or via DXLD? The important thing is that FCC has never listed 3145, ergo not HFCC either. So is it a pirate channel? Possibly FCC is aware of it, but it`s `temporary` or `experimental` until someone objects, so they haven`t entered into their listings. Of course, it is not even in the 90m band, which starts at 3200, so is really, really out of band, since the 90m tropical BC band does not apply in USA anyway, and any broadcast station on 3 MHz is there solely on a non-interference basis to utilities. Another WWRB 90m channel, the better-known 3185, is in the same category (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [and non]. A family Radio aumentou consideravelmente o parque de estações transmissoras de seus sinais por todo o mundo e muitas delas com elevada potência. 9575, 28/Dez 1027, USA, Family Radio, PP, desde Okeechobee, com 100 kW. OM com explicações da Bíblia. Sofre moderada QRM da R Medi 1. Não sei em outras regiões do País, mas a Family Radio deveria rever essa transmissão nessa frequência para O Brasil devido a essa QRM da R Medi 1 nessa época do ano. As duas são ouvidas na frequência e se alternam em rápidas predominâncias. As 1030 UT ouve-se na Medi 1 o fim de uma sequência musical e o início de notícias por YL. 33433. 73 (Jorge Freitas, Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brasil, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Moroccan stations do not participate in HFCC; thus, theoreticians that they are, frequency managers may assume they do not exist (gh, DXLD) 9770 - Family Radio noted here with Harold Camping's Open Forum on (I think) a new frequency (can't see it listed anywhere) from 1415 tune- in. Strong signal here, but faded suddenly at 1427, and just barely audible after this for a while. Unknown site (Alan Roe, Teddington, UK, Dec 24, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) It's a test transmission of WYFR for India via NAUEN, Germany 1400- 1500z. 73 (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, Dec 25, ibid.) 9770 FAMILY RADIO 1400-1500 1234567 English 500 84 Nauen D 01254E 5238N WYFR b09 Dec. 24- (Aoki Dec 26 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. A partir de janeiro de 2010, o ex-apresentador da CVC José Antonio Ceschin estará de volta à CVC. Ele se apresentará semanalmente durante 3 minutos na CVC La Voz, no programa em espanhol, ensinando a Língua Portuguesa. Foi o que ele me informou. Tão logo ele me passe o horário, eu informarei aqui. José Antonio Ceschin reside e trabalha em Miami USA. Como eu já havia comentado, Ceschin,locutor de primeira, não pode ficar fora do rádio. 73 (Luiz Chaine Neto, Limeira SP, 26-12-2009, radioescutas yg via DXLD) He also hosted the token classical music show on CVC A Sua Voz. Certainly a professional announcer, but we doubted his dedication to classical, as it was cut up into little excerpts (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. 4011, Navy MARS net on SSB, Dec 26 at 1405, NNN0JRET and NNN0AS74 discussing procedures for Tuesday evening when one of them is apparently substituting for the other. Look at those callsigns, getting longer and longer, and now with numbers in the suffix. Are these secretly vanity-driven, or what? Google got zero hits on the first one, but three (!) on the second, all leading to my own previous report of another Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 1315 on 4825, so calls like that are not so new, per the gh of 14+ months ago. It`s incredible that no one else in the entire world of Googledom has reported either, before or since, nor have the calls leaked out in any public MARS documents (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, a T at the end of any 3 letter suffix Navy MARS call means the call holder is in training and not a full Navy MARS member. In this case when he loses the "T" he will become NNN0JRE. NNN0AS74 likely denotes a training instructor position in his region, and not the actual call of the trainer. This is the "bible" of Navy MARS: http://www.navymars.org/ntp8/ntp8d/NTP8(D)Draft.pdf The above url is from Navy MARS homepage: http://www.navymars.org/ From what I remember (from 1999-2001), the locations/amateur calls of civilian stations participating in MARS is kept confident; one would almost have to be a member to denote who is where, but if you monitor nets you will hear what region and what net you're monitoring in the net callup. The net participants may also talk about locations and local events during net freetime. NTP8(D) will provide info on the various regions and callsigns of the various commands and all nets and scheds/freqs, but not on the calls of civilian stas save for the calls of civilian region heads, and these stay the same no matter who holds them. NNN0GAR is the head of Region 4/Iowa, and his officers are numbered after his call; say a member who is the training officer for Iowa would be NNN0GAR3, but this training officer's personal MARS call is NNN0RAS, the GAR(figure) suffix is used only when performing the duty he was appointed to in the command structure. It gets involved. Any other questions I am glad to help (N0SYA/ex-NNN0BOC Chris, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 13200/usb, Andrews AFB? Phonetic code of some sort, "Wiskey Alpha" [you mean Whisky Alfa – gh], etc. read by a (real-not computer generated) YL and ending with "This is Andrews Out" at 2135. Caught mid-stream so I have no idea what if anything started this, but there was a HUGE echo in the transmission almost as if it were trans polar, or coming from two different paths. Ideas? 2133-2135* 19/Dec (Kenneth Vito Zichi, MI, MARE Tipsheet Dec 25 via DXLD) I`ve heard the echo too on Andrews cypher broadcasts, other frequencies. I think it must be imposed deliberately in the audio output, perhaps for effect. Or maybe simulcast from two sites? There are also sometimes digital noises mixing in the background. 15016-SSB, YL with long string of phonetic letters in cyphered message, pausing periodically, no doubt from Andrews AFB, Dec 27 at 2134; some reverb on the audio. A descendant of Sky King? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1180, KERN Wasco-Greenacres CA --- Yesterday morning I listened to their webstream for the 1000 UT ID and before that they had only talk. It was hard to put up with, just right-wing Obama bashing, very stupid arguments, and you start to wonder how brain-dead can listeners be? Good that we in W. Europe are spared of such programs. So there was no music, but they started music after the 1000 news, not sure if it was just an intro, I was glad to stop listening. This is the ID via webstream http://dx.3sdesign.de/temp/1180-KERN-webstream-091226.mp3 (Jurgen Bartels, Suellwarden, N. Germany, Dec 27, mwdx yg via DXLD) That's one of the reasons I've just about given up on MWDXing. Are people really that stupid? -- [tagline:] "Be who you are, say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." -- Theodor Geisel, "Dr. Seuss" (Dave Bennett, VE7YJ, Aldergrove, BC, ibid.) Probably 1/3 to 1/2 of all U.S. MW stations now have a conservative, political talk format. I'm not sure why this is, but I suspect it has to do with the lifting of government restrictions in the late 1990s on the number of stations that may be owned by a single corporate entity (the Telecommunications Act of 1996). When I'm not DXing and just listening for entertainment, I usually listen to National Public Radio, CBC Radio One and Radio Two, or music (Keith Beesley, Seattle WA USA, ibid.) Me too. I'm glad KPLU still runs jazz. You might also try the CBC French channel on 90.9. You don't have to understand the language to appreciate the music. Or sports talk shows. Either way, they're beyond boring, and the stations that run them don't seem to be bound by identification rules anymore (Dave Bennett, VE7YJ, Aldergrove, ibid.) ** U S A. KXEL 1540 Waterloo IA gets 50 kW skywave going early now, but it`s mostly gospel huxters and far-right wacko talkhosts, so I was surprised to hear Perspective from ABC News, Sunday Dec 27 at 2120 UT, breaking for local ID and weather forecast, temp: zero. This was a year-in-review, so does KXEL carry this secular objective news magazine every week? Apparently, as it`s on their program schedule for 3-4 pm CT Sundays. It used to be a don`t-miss for me wherever I could find it, when it was more like BBC`s From Our Own Correspondent, but it`s still worthwhile, altho made up of smaller fragments. This does not get KXEL and countless other American AM stations off the hook for degrading our culture with everycreep from Brother Scare to Sean Hannity occupying gobs of airtime, and with no rebuttals. Have they no shame? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. 1660, KXTR Kansas City back on the air with classical music, Dec 23 at 2039 UT check, some QRM from other skywave stations. Need more checking to decide whether KXTR`s skywave signal has been reduced. 1680, KRJO, seems a regular afternoons here with early skywave kick- in, such as Dec 23 around 2200 UT with ``Old School`` slogan IDs, references to ``The Twin Cities``, TOH ID as pertaining to Monroe-West Monroe-Bastrop, Louisiana --- but no mention of Tallulah or Vicksburg. Is this ``Old School`` stuff something new, a syndication format? I know there are some other stations using that slogan; see OKLAHOMA. Old school could mean practically anything that is not current (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. FCC ACTIONS: 1700, KBSZ, AZ, Apache Junction - Licensed to Wickenburg on 1250, KBSZ holds a CP to move here with U1 320/50 on 1260 kHz. They followed up with an amendment for U1 800/50. In order to determine the conductivity of soil where they are proposing the new transmitter site, they have been authorized D1 1000/0 on 1700 kHz to conduct these tests (via Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News Dec 21 via DXLD) ** U S A. 860, KKOW, KS, Pittsburgh, 11/01 at 2003 ELT mentioning “what does AM radio have that all FMs could only wish for? Well of course the best listeners there are. KKOW Pittsburgh-Joplin-Columbus.” Then into Cowboy Corner and old time country music, sponsored by Marquis Feed Yards, Hereford TX and the National Cowboy Museum (John Malicky, en route to Springfield, Missouri. Delco car radio, Domestic DX Digest, NRC DX News Dec 21 via DXLD) That was before DST went off, so ELT then meant EDT = UT -4, i.e. 0003 UT; Nov 1 was a Sunday, so that would be UT Monday. Except now the program should be one UT hour later at 0105 (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. DISCLAIMER FOR ANY LW/MW ITEMS, INCLUDING ALL TIS; MIS; PIRATE; AND LPAM ENTRIES, OR ANYTHING THAT CAN BE LINKED BACK TO A LW/MW REFERENCE: No portion of the below may be reproduced in any format and/or redistributed by the National Radio Club and/or their editors without my expressed written permission, which will then be swiftly -- and we do mean swiftly -- denied. Editors receiving this directly from me are excluded, provided this entire disclaimer is included once where any of the aforementioned items are first reproduced. All times/dates are in GMT unless otherwise indicated. Frequencies are in kHz unless otherwise specified. 1080, FLORIDA (LPR), "WUTT" University of Tampa. 1415-1420 December 26, 2009. Passing by the campus on SR-60 for points eastward. Exceptionally bad youth rap music. Logged on the 2004 Impala stock radio. 1280, FLORIDA, WIPC, Lake Wales. 1520-1530 December 26, 2009. While driving to Iron Mountain, I spotted this run-down little structure with signage on CR-17A, just after turning off of US-27. Checked the channel, and indeed active with Spanish Mexican format. Back at home, it's the Sarasota station that dominates the channel. 1510, FLORIDA, WWBC, Cocoa. 1505-1535 December 26, 2009. http://www.1510wwbc.com/ Black female screaming preacher, "live" in church. Shockingly, dropping into speaking tongues (way too cool), even talking about snakes once. Better than spinning "My Life In the Bush of Ghosts." Later, caught a top-of-hour ID (2100), which also mentioned a 94.7 MHz translator relay (couldn't copy the calls while driving). An FCC dB search shows W234BI, Cocoa, licensed to Black Media Networks, Inc. (surely the one) while 1510 is licensed to Astro Enterprises, Inc. Radio-checked 94.7, but only WSYR-FM, Gifford (Vero Beach) audible from my proximity, ("Star 94-7"), which was local level. So, this would be one of those newly-approved translators allowed to retransmit the AM fundamental audio in alleged coverage hole areas, nevermind 1510 makes it to at least the Hillsborough-Polk county line. First logged on the 2004 Impala stock radio just east of County Line Road (Hillsborough/Polk County border, on SR-60, eastbound). Strong signal once at Iron Mountain, Lake Wales (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. CPs ON THE AIR: 840, KXNT, NV, North Las Vegas - Having operated on an STA of U4 50000/16000, KXNT is now licensed for, and operating with, U4 50000/25000 (no change there), but they’ve moved to a new 4-tower site at 36-23-53/114-54-57. The new day pattern sends a balloon-shaped lobe to the northeast while the adjusted night pattern send a small slender lobe to the north with a large slender lobe to the southwest (Bill Hale, AM Switch, NRC DX News Nov 23 via DXLD) ** U S A. RADIO, CIVIL RIGHTS AND POLITICAL ICON, PERCY SUTTON DIES AT 89 === Urban Network December 27, 2009 Percy Sutton, radio icon passed away at 89, at press time the cause of death was unknown. The son of a former slave, Sutton, a veteran Tuskegee Airman hung his law shingle in Harlem in 1953 where he would later represent Malcolm X. Holding many political positions in New York, Sutton also served a political mentor to Jesse Jackson for his two presidential bids. In 1971, Sutton and his brother Oliver purchased WLIB-AM in New York; the first black-owned radio station in the city. Their company, Inner City Broadcasting Corporation later acquired the highly-successful, popular and community staple WBLS-FM in NYC. Later, ICBC also purchased stations in Detroit, San Francisco, Los Angeles and his hometown of San Antonio. Along with his political and media successes, Sutton was highly- devoted to Harlem NYC. Sutton would purchase and renovate the world- renowned Apollo Theater; saving it from destruction. Funeral plans are still pending. http://www.urbannetwork.com/cms/index.php?news=1950 (via Mike Terry, UK, dxldyg via DXLD) obit ** U S A. RATIONAL RADIO SET TO EXIT AIRWAVES JAN. 1 By Robert Wilonsky in Media Wed., Dec. 23 2009 @ 9:35AM http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2009/12/rational_radio_set_to_exit_air.php Beginning next week, Big Dick and the Rational Radio crew move to the Web. And only the Web. A little more than a year ago, Dave Clifton, president and co-owner of Rational Radio (1360 on Your AM Dial), told Sam that his left-leaning station would be a success, no doubt about it: "More than half of the people who vote are on my side of the political fence, and they have very little to support their views on the radio." But that was before what Clifton now calls "The Great Bank Heist" of 2008 and '09 -- before, as he puts it this morning, "radio stations lost a lot of their value because the advertisers quit advertising." Clifton, who has been leasing the frequency from New York City-based Multicultural Radio Broadcasting Inc., says this morning he could no longer afford the lease, which the company has turned over to another broadcaster. "I'm out of money, and I have other investors now," says the Austin- based Clifton. "They haven't invested yet, but are willing to fund it. They made a counteroffer on my behalf, and Multicultural got a better offer from I still don't know who. The bottom line is on January 1 we're losing the stick." Clifton says Rational Radio will, for now, continue to broadcast over the Internet with most of its current lineup, which includes Richard Hunter and Pugs & Kelly. Jack E. Jett said last night, via e-mail, that he will not be returning: "It was a labor of love to try and bring an alternative voice to Dallas. I am saddened and bummed yet ready move on." Clifton says he'll try to convince Jett to stay during a conference call scheduled for this morning. Multicultural does have another frequency in Dallas: La Ponderosa (540 AM), which broadcasts Spanish-language religious programming. Clifton says he's fairly certain 1360 will follow suit: "I suspect we may be hearing Hindustani music in the near future." While he considers other options, including the hopes of getting free studio space in a downtown Dallas high-rise, Clifton says he's looking forward to the move to the Web. "Richard Hunter's quite excited about that," Clifton says. "He thinks it's the wave of the future. I do too. I just don't think it's here yet." (via Artie Bigley, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) This refers to KMNY, licensed to Hurst TX, 50000/890 watts day/night, psra 500 watts, per NRC AM Log. Despite the 50 kW it doesn`t make it into Enid, where 1360 is dominated on daytime groundwave by the EWTN station in Kansas. NRC Pattern Book shows the daytime pattern throws all the signal in a narrow loop to the WSW. More detailed may at FCC http://www.fcc.gov/ftp/Bureaus/MB/Databases/AM_DA_patterns/614803-77222.pdf agrees, also showing some minor lobes to the SE and NNE. Site is on the west central side of Dallas (not exactly Hurst), so that means it may be heard better in Fort Worth (and Lubbock) than the east side of Dallas (Glenn Hauser, OK, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. ROCHESTER RADIO STATION KNXR MARKS 44 YEARS ON AIR Thu, Dec 24, 2009 PB Online By Tom Weber, Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN Forty-four years ago today, a Rochester institution debuted. At 8:23 p.m. on Dec. 24, 1965, radio station KNXR went on the air, playing Christmas music. For station founder and owner Tom Jones, it was the end of a multi-year process to get the FM station up and running. "Everybody thought I was nuts," said Jones, who still owns KNXR. "They said, 'Who's going to listen?'" Nobody asks that anymore. KNXR is one of the most listened-to stations in the Rochester market, as measured by Arbitron. Amazingly, the format of the station has changed little in 44 years. The music is easy on the ears, the announcers are conversational, and the technical quality of the broadcasts is unparalleled. And Jones is still a hands-on owner, listening to new CDs in his car to select songs that will be played on the air. As a boy growing up in Rochester, Jones caught the radio bug. He monitored broadcasts from the attic of his parents' house and later set up a recording unit in the basement. After returning from the Army, Jones thought seriously about starting his own station. Recently, Jones looked back on 44 years of broadcasting. Why FM? Car radios back then couldn't even receive FM. There was a lot of skepticism that FM was going to go anywhere. We actually sold FM converters for cars. But we had better sound quality than AM, and we had stereo, which AM didn't have. There was so much going on in music at that time. How did you select the easy-listening format? Our type of music was what was played on FM. There was rebellion going on in the country, mainly among young people. Rebellion was in the music, too. We were trying to provide an alternative to the craziness of the times. How do you pick the music? We're constantly tweaking. I find new artists all the time. We place the emphasis on melody and harmony, but not at the exclusion of rhythm. We base it on how the music sounds. How many songs are on your playlist? About 8,000 to 10,000 songs. Why hasn't any other station tried to challenge your format? All the other guys out there are copying each other. Nobody's competing against us. Is there anything you wish you had done differently? I have no regrets. I've had offers dangling big money in front of me for the station. But what would I do if I sold it? I'm smart enough to know money can't buy happiness. I work with music, people and technology, all in the same business. How could you ask for anything better than that? When you can really uplift people, that's what makes it fun. Today in '65 Radio station KNXR went on the air at 97.5 FM on Dec. 24, 1965. A local hi-fi store was selling stereo consoles, promising buyers they'd be able to hear a new local FM station, in stereo, on Christmas. KNXR met that deadline by a few hours. The station operated limited hours during the evening for the next few months. Full-time operation began in October 1968. Post-Bulletin Company, L.L.C. http://www.postbulletin.com (via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD) ** U S A. Subject: 101.5 LPFM --- I am trying to identify an LPFM station that is Spanish-language, and in Los Angeles. They only go by Radio Espirito, 101.5 FM. On a clear day, KGB-FM, San Diego, covers them up. Can anyone help me? (Eric Calhoun, Los Angeles, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Eric, As long as we are dealing with non-pirates, legal FCC-licensed stations, we can look up info on the FCC FM Query function. I searched on all the 101.5 stations in California and got this list: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?state=CA&call=&city=&arn=&serv=&vac=&freq=101.5&fre2=101.5&facid=&class=&dkt=&list=1&dist=&dlat2=&mlat2=&slat2=&NS=N&dlon2=&mlon2=&slon2=&EW=W&size=9 I hope that holds together for you to go to directly. Unfortunately, FCC does not deal with slogans. It looks to me like the most probable one is Corona (next to last on the list) as at least it appears to be in Spanish. KORM-LP 268 L1 FL 101.5 MHz LIC CORONA CA US BLL-20091026ABT - 124781 0.1 kW -23.6 m TEMPLO NUEVA VIDA, INC. I`m sure you can recognize any localities which may be closer to you in the LA area. They`d better be giving a legal ID with call letters near the top of the hour. Regards, (Glenn to Eric, via DXLD) ** U S A. New NYC DTV --- WASA-LD 'Port Jervis, NY' on the air from transmission facilities in midtown Manhattan on OTA channel 25, virtual 64. 64-1 out of audio sync 4x3 informercials. 64-2 slide show of various NYC scenes (from metroscenes.com) and an ID slide with large yellow print. Quite strong viewing from my workplace in Stamford, CT. Occasional breaks or halts in their feeds suggest they are still warming up. Other boards report this station has been on the air since about 12/23/09 (Karl Zuk N2KZ, Dec 27, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A [and non]. NORTHEAST RADIO WATCH YEAR IN REVIEW 2009: http://www.fybush.com/nerw-yir2009.html (via gh, DXLD) Well worth reading if you care about the Northeast ** U S A. MEDIA NOTES: HOWARD KURTZ ON THE EVOLUTION OF MEDIA IN THE AWFUL AUGHTS By Howard Kurtz Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, December 28, 2009 Are you better off, as a media consumer, than you were 10 years ago? Having lived through the Awful Aughts -- which began with news organizations vowing to get serious after 9/11 and ended with Jon and Kate, Octomom and Balloon Boy -- do you feel better served by the news establishment? The easy answer, of course, is you must be kidding. Shriveling news operations seem increasingly seduced by the sensational, at least when they're not boring people with inside political baseball. But tilt the picture just a bit. . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/27/AR2009122701822.html?hpid=artslot (via Richard Cuff, swprograms via DXLD) While these groups have seen lamentations about the state of media throughout the decade -- remember that the BBC gave up North America on shortwave in July 2001 -- this is a thoughtful take that the past ten years have seen technology-fueled innovation in news gathering and reporting that were generally unavailable ten years ago (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, ibid.) ** URUGUAY. 6045-USB, R. Sarandí, Montevideo. After one week of silence and a couple of months since they resumed here with defective modulation and reduced carrier (saturated audio), it was monitored at 1837 on Dec. 26 with decent modulation in USB. Carries MW 690 program. In fact frequency is 6043 or arounds for a clarified voice. My Kenwood R600 has a design intrinsic frequency readout offset (Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What are the times of operation in UTC please. Regards (Tony Magon, VK2IC, Sydney NSW, Dec 26, ibid.) It was monitored 24h (Horacio A. Nigro, ibid.) Now on the air, reported frequency (monitored half an hour ago by DXer Ruben G- Margenet in Rosario, Argentina) is 6043.22 (Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, 0300 UT Dec 27, ibid.) Have looked for it in the pre-0600 period before KBS Sackville, but can`t pull it (nor XEXQ!) (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Horacio, Hoy cuando te mandé el SMS para mi gusto la estaba escuchando en 6043, pero como nunca entendí cómo determinar la frecuencia cuando uno escucha SSB en la DE-1103 me abstuve de indicarlo así. Yo tengo la ruedita del SSB centrada (marcada con pintura), estando así lograba demodular audio con el dial en 6043. No se si eso que hago es correcto. Sólo que por Cuchilla Alta llegaba muy pobre; supongo que esa zona ya estará en la zona de skip. Saludos (Moisés Knochen, Montevideo, Uruguay, Dec 26, ibid.) Recién termino de escuchar con muy buena intensidad de señal a RADIO SARANDI en los 6043.22 variando un poquito hacia los 6043.24. La recepción la hice entre las 0135 y las 0202 de hoy UT domingo 27 de diciembre de 2009. Hablo de intensidad y no de modulación la que adolece un poco de distorsión. He mejorado ese problema escuchando en modo USB con absoluta comprensión del contenido del programa. Estoy preparando el archivo sonoro para compartir con ustedes y, de paso, enviarlo a la emisora. Horacio y Moisés, me gustaría me recuerden el nombre de la persona a quien directamente destinar este informe sonoro a fin de lograr la mejor respuesta. Un abrazo! (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Argentina, ibid.) See also UNIDENTIFIED 6045.95 No tengo lectura tan certera como la de Rubén, pero ahora me parece corrigieron el asunto, más bien trasmiten en 6045. Agradezco futuros monitoreos. No sé quien es el encargado técnico ahora. El anterior, que me había, en su momento, consultado (!... antecedentes que habían en el mundo, etc.) sobre la pertinencia de poner en ssb una señal de onda corta para la emisora ante la intimación de URSEC, o se fué o lo fueron. Me voy a tener que poner en campaña y romper la cortina de hierro que ellos tienen o me parece que tienen (Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, ibid.) Adjunto achivo sonoro sobre la captación de RADIO SARANDÍ, Montevideo, efectuada hoy 26 de diciembre de 2009, a las 0135-0205 UT en la frecuencia algo variable de 6043.22 Khz en modo USB (6043.24) mientras se emitía el programa "Aquellos Años" "...Con toda la música de los años '50, '60 y '70..." y, a su término, la presentación del programa "Amplitud Musical" (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, ibid.) Llamé a Técnica de la emisora; quien me contestó no tiene el dato a mano. Esta es parte sustancial de la conversación. http://www.goear.com/listen/1e154b9/Sarandi- El resto es cháchara explicatoria. En el correr de la semana volveré a hablar con él y demandaré más detalles, (Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, ibid.) 20 seconds of audio 6045-USB, R. Sarandí, Montevideo. Info provided by Fernando Gopar, station technician, via tlc to the transmitter site located at L. Batlle Berres 6061, Montevideo. Nominal frequency is 6045. It was broadcasting on 6043.22 these days after they fixed the adjustment. While I was talking to him he retuned the transmitter (!) to go to the nominal 6045 and thus avoid hets from other broadcasters. Power is 300 W, antenna is an Inverted V, but which deserves improvement due to increased SWR (impedance mismatch). Sked is 24h. He welcomes reception reports to his E-mail address: fgopar34 @ gmail.com (Horacio A. Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, Dec 29, dxldyg via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN. 5885, Vatican Radio with Bible reading and homily in English about the annunciation including reading from Luke about the Mary visiting Elizabeth. "Womb" is a funny sounding word, isn't it? General talk about the Vatican including mention of website Pope2you.net Off briefly at :19 for a pattern change, and then right back but slightly weaker with IS and into Spanish program. SIO 4+4+4+ meant for Europe, but in better than most things these days! // 7250 SIO 3+44- 2102-2121 20/Dec (Kenneth Vito Zichi, MI, MARE Tipsheet Dec 25 via DXLD) Yes, but womb rhymes with tomb, which somehow is fitting (gh, DXLD) Special broadcasts Dec 24-25 (in CET = UT +1) Thursday 24th December 2009, Eucharistic Celebration, at 10.00 p.m. From St. Peter's Basilica, Eucharistic Celebration presided over by the Holy Father. Live broadcast from 09.50 p.m. - in Italian for Italy on kHz 5.885 SW and on kHz 1.530 MW and for the area of Rome on kHz 585 MW, MHz 105,0 FM and via Internet on Channel 1 - in French for Western Africa on kHz 7.235 and 9.760 SW, for the area of Rome on MHz 93,3 FM and via Internet on Channel 2 - in German for Central-Western Europe on kHz 4.005 SW, for the area of Rome on kHz 1.611 MW and via Internet on Channel 3 - in Chinese for Asia on kHz 5.900 and 7.395 SW, for the area of Rome on MHz 103,8 FM and via Internet on Channel 4 - in Spanish for Central America on kHz 7.305 SW, for the area of Rome on kHz 1.260 MW and via Internet on Channel 5 - in Portuguese for Africa on kHz 9.530 SW Friday 25th December 2009, The Holy Father's Christmas Message and "Urbi et Orbi" blessing at 12.00 p.m. From the Central Loggia of Saint Peter's Basilica, the Holy Father's Christmas message and "Urbi et Orbi" blessing. Live broadcast from 11.50 a.m. - in Italian for Italy on kHz 5.965 SW and on kHz 1.530 MW and for the area of Rome on kHz 585 MW, MHz 105,0 FM and via Internet on Channel 1 - in English for Western Europe on kHz 9.645 and 11.740 SW, for the area of Rome on MHz 93,3 FM and via Internet on Channel 2 - in German for Central-Western Europe on kHz 7.250 SW, for the area of Rome on kHz 1.611 MW and via Internet on Channel 3 - in French for Western Africa on kHz 15.275 and 17.675 SW, for the area of Rome on MHz 103,8 FM and via Internet on Channel 4 - in Spanish for Central America on kHz 17.600 SW, for the area of Rome on kHz 1.260 MW and via Internet on Channel 5 - in Portuguese for Africa on kHz 17.715 SW (from http://www.radiovaticana.org/coorpro/entrasmisspec.htm via gh, DXLD and in advance on the dxldyg; bookmark this page futurely) Vatican Radio 5885 at 2033 with announcements in Italian, English and Spanish about Midnight mass. Followed by organ music. Excellent signal. // 4005 poor, rare here in the city. At 2054 recheck, chants, comments in French. At 2110, heard the Pope himself chanting Mass. 24 Dec (Liz Cameron, MI, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) VATICAN [really]. 4005, no doubt Vatican Radio the station in German at 2259 Dec 24 with Roman Catholic stuff. Frequency is normally off the air at this time per skeds, but per VR`s special-broadcasts page http://www.radiovaticana.org/coorpro/entrasmisspec.htm this was: ``From St. Peter's Basilica, Eucharistic Celebration presided over by the Holy Father. Live broadcast from 09.50 p.m.`` [= 2050 UT, two hours earlier than usual to give the octogenarian B-16 an extra bihour of rest before he has to make another appearance the next morning; per BBC World News on TV] Tho it started at 2050, as usual VR did not specify an end time, but should have been over well before 2300 this year; the German-speaker I heard briefly may have been a non-Pope announcer recapping. [Later I heard that the Pope been knocked over by crazy woman; perhaps extending the coverage.] Sked showed several other special SW frequencies for this, 5885 in Italian, 7235 and 9760 in French, 5900 and 7395 in Chinese, 7305 in Spanish, and 9530 in Portuguese. Per Aoki, 4005 normally carries English, Spanish, Arabic and finally Italian between 2050 and 2250*. Not scheduled for the convenience of Western Hemispherians, from 1050 UT Dec 25 is: ``The Holy Father's Christmas Message and "Urbi et Orbi" blessing at 12.00 p.m.`` Its special SW frequencies are 5965 in Italian, 9645 and 11740 in English, 7250 in German, 15275 and 17675 in French, 17600 in Spanish and 17715 in Portuguese. No indication of how long it will last, either. This is when the pontiff gets to show off his multi-linguistic skills (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VENEZUELA. 4939.9, R Amazonas, Puerto Ayacucho, 0905-0915, Dec 11, Latin American songs with ann, 23332 (Patrick Cody, Nenagh, Ireland, DSWCI DX Window Dec 23 via DXLD) Not heard since Dec 2008, but may be reactivated (DSWCI Ed. Anker Petersen, ibid.) ? I don`t see anything resembling an ID in the above report; it did tend to be off-frequency to the low side; no definite reports of it for a long time (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** VIRGIN ISLANDS BRITISH. ZBVI 780 kHz. NEW. The Dog had us up early this morning, and while lying in bed, with the Sangean PR-D5 sitting on 780, suddenly the frequency went quiet, and then "God Save The Queen" was playing like a local, then a sign on announcement, then after a few prayers on to Christmas music. They were in strong for at least 10 minutes, until WBBM came back and took over. Sign on was at 4:30 am [0930 UT], and that was interesting, but anyway, it woke me up, for sure. This is a new one for me. It's not surprising that I eventually heard them, but how strong it was, made me wake up from my semi-sleepy state. I mean, the frequency got almost silent when they flipped the carrier on. I then spun the dial, and heard Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and then went to 740, where Toronto was like a local too. They are not a regular, and even more rare, that they are strong here. For sure, a weird, but Interesting morning. Goes to show, you never know what you can hear until you try. Thanks to Buddy, My Boston Terrier, for the DX. Merry Christmas, everyone (Juan Gualda, Fort Pierce, FL, Dec 24, ABDX via DXLD) ** WESTERN SAHARA [non]. As always on Christmas time I've got the Fujitsu-Siemens Notebook and Perseus set at my disposal til Jan 8th, borrowed from a ham radio friend who is on CT3 holiday at present. But this notebook set to the different other hobby room next to the antennas, not placed on the telephone/DSL router terminal and full size PC the next room. But on meter band checking I like more the Eton E1 rx still, and latter sensitivity is at least equal to Perseus, sometimes even better. AOR AR7030 and Perseus are not so much handy manageable. Adjustment trim check to latest 1 Hertz accuracy on Perseus rx always managed with low band time signal station DCF 77.5 kHz and 9996.000 kHz CW signal from Moscow Taldom standard frequency site. See also my separate DRM log report [below, DIGITAL BROADCASTING] RASD from Algeria on Dec 26 2125 UT on 6297.121, and Dec 27 at 2043 UT on 6297.121 too. On the mornings RASD differs a little bit on 6297.183 kHz at 0705 UT (Wolfy Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6297.17, ALGERIA, (CLANDESTINE), Radio Nacional de la RASD, Rabuni. 0711-0720 December 25, 2009. Qur'an poetry, female Arabic ID at 0713, excited talk by Arabic man. Clear and very good (Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, USA, 27.55.83 N, 82.46.08 W, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** YEMEN. 6135.01, Republic of Yemen R, San'a, 0634-0700, Dec 12 and 18, Arabic conversation and music, 15221 (Thomas Lindenthal, Mertendorf, Germany, and Anker Petersen, Denmark, DSWCI DX Window Dec 23 via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) Also heard at 1444-1454, Dec 13, Arabic talk with mentions of Iran and Yemen, 1451 ann with ID, Arabic singing, good with some fading and local noise (Mikhail Timofeyev, St Petersburg Russia, in Dxplorer via DSWCI DX Window Dec 23 via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) Used to have an English hour at 1800 on 9780/9779, but not reported in a long time and presumed inactive; another English scheduled at 0600 (gh, ibid.) ** ZAMBIA. 4965, R Christian Voice, Lusaka, 2252-2325, Dec 13, inspirational vocals with jingle ID at 2300 followed by English announcement and ID, more inspirational vocal selections, fair. They verified an electronic report with an electronic confirmation reply in 1 day from Mwiza Sinyangwe, Station Manager mwiza @ zamnet.zm The Station Manager noted that they have been transmitting on shortwave since 1994 broadcasting to southern and central Africa 24 hours a day (Rich D’Angelo, PA, DSWCI DX Window Dec 23 via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. 4828, Voice of Zimbabwe, Gweru. December, 28 seems English 2141-2205 male short talks alternating short African music, sometimes a longer slow African music segment, 2157 pause, female talks. Some heat, 23232. 73's (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP Brasil - Sony ICF SW40 - dipole 18m, 32m ** ZIMBABWE [non]. 4880, 27/12 1840, SW Radio Africa, Clandestine to Zimbabwe, via Meyerton South Africa, in English, nice Afro music, fair 4895, 27/12 1830-1854* Zimbabwe Community Radio, Clandestine via Meyerton, South Africa, Afican language, long talks, Fair signal but local noise (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, Drake R8; SDR-IQ -- ANT: T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 1710, 12/24 0449 EST [0949 UT] station with oldies music such a "Help Help me Rhonda" and "Son of a Preacher Man". Heard mentions by a male announcer of "So this is radio land huh" and "vinyl radio" and "Radio ??? Satellite System" and "top of the dial". Any ideas are more than welcome. COMMENTS My 1710 UNID is back again but I caught a bit more of what the announcer says this time. 73 and Best of DX (Shawn Axelrod, VE4DX1SMA, VE4002SWL, SWLR-SN?28, WRH and WRTH Collector, REMEMBER ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN HEAR FOREVER, amfmtvdx at qth.net via DXLD) There was an item posted by the Darklife Radio Show on SW-pirates on June 10, 2008 concerning their operations. Maybe you are hearing them? I've re-pasted their posting from last year. It sounds as if they broadcast sporadically on 1710 kHz. Regards, (John Barnard, mwdx yg via DXLD) Viz.: The Darklife Radio Show will be on at 10PM CST broadcasting with 10 watts on 1710 kHz to S/West Wisconsin and on our FM station here in our hometown. Hope to get some reception reports. Will be playing a variety of stuff and who knows what will happen. In the near future we may do tests on 1720 or 1705 kHz just to see if far away listeners can tune in to those odd frequencies. Our normal AM transmitter is usually at 1610 but on special nights like tonight we like to mix things up to see what happens. Send reception reports to darklife @ email. com C Ya (via Barnard, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 3900, 27/12 1732-1800, around* Unid Pirate, pop & rock classic oldies nonstop, fair (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, Drake R8; SDR-IQ -- ANT: T2FD, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Giampiero, That UNID pirate on 3900 might have been Bluestar R (site?). 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Portugal, ibid.) Dutch pirate Bluestar Radio was heard here on 3900 at 1620 27 Dec 2009. Later at 1801 he changed to mediumwave 1630 kHz due to large skip in central Europe. 73 (Achim Brückner, http://www.freeradio.de http://www.dxradio.de RX: NRD 525 GF ANT: ARA 30, QTH: Detmold 5156 N 852 E Germany, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 4750, now one of the three-way clashers here is far enough off-frequency to produce an audible het: Dec 28 at 1442 during music. I suspect both the music and the het were attributable to RRI Makassar, which has never been exactly on frequency; the others being Bangladesh and China. Going strictly by Aoki, Makassar would be out since it`s listed to close at 1355, and there are two Chinese to choose from: 4750 CNR 1 0900-1735 1234567 Chinese 100 ND Hailar? 4750 PBS Qinghai 0900-1600 1234567 Chinese 50 270 Xining 4750 R.BANGLADESH BETAR 1255-1530 1234567 Bengali 100 ND Shavar 4750 RRI Makassar 0745-1355 1234567 Indonesian 20 ND But the latest Ishida Indonesian monitoring list at http://www.max.hi-ho.ne.jp/a-ishida/ins/ confirms Makassar is on until 1500. Unfortunately, he does not get into split-kHz precision frequency measurement (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4926.93, 6.12 1450, Unid but probably Pakistan drifting. Bad modulation. News at 1455 among others about al-Qaida. Unstable carrier with some frequency hops between .925 and .933. 3 (Stig Adolfsson, Sweden, SW Bulletin Dec 27, translated by editor Thomas Nilsson for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ?? I am not aware of any Pakistan frequency around 4927; there is 4835, so a typo for 4826+? (gh, DXLD) Glenn, I got this reply from Stig A. ``The frequency entry is correct. I think the station was “out drifting heavily”. Only heard at this occasion. News elements about among others Hyderabad, Karachi, al- Qaida etc. Very lousy modulation. Stig Adolfsson`` 73 and a Happy New Year (Thomas Nilsson, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 4990.1, 0835-0850, Dec 15, religious talk by preacher (very like the Pentecostal programme) followed by religious songs. Very weak and sounded like Spanish or Portuguese. Signal locked on 4990.9. I doubt if it was R Apintie (Patrick Cody, Nenagh, Ireland, DSWCI DX Window Dec 23 via DXLD) It may be R Manantial, Chilca, Perú which has been drifting 4991 – 4986.8 recently, although it used to sign on *0950v (DSWCI Ed. Anker Petersen, ibid.) UNIDENTIFIED. 6045.95 at 1207-1230 on 22 December. 73s de (Bob Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, Florida, Drake R 8, Icom 746Pro DL, noise reducing antenna, 60 meter band dipole, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Details? Evidentemente la captación de Bob en 6045 correspondería a Radio Sarandí, Montevideo (Arnaldo Slaen, Argentina, condiglist yg via DXLD) See URUGUAY, but no one reported it almost 1 kHz high; 1200+ UT is also very late for propagation, local sunrise there Dec 22 was approximately 0830 UT. And clinchingly, it was reported to have come back on just Dec 26 after a week of silence (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 6074, 8GAL V/CQ marker just barely audible on CW Dec 26 at 1400-1401, at first beating against the slightly unstable Pet/Kam 6075 carrier which had just stopped modulating after timesignal; still not hearing China/Taiwan afterwards (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 6950.1, Chipmunx singing Deck the Halls and other carols in medley, no doubt a pirate, Dec 24 at 2233; poor signal and not heard at next check before 2300 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 9835, 25/12 1916, BBC, Focus on Africa in English, from where? Not reported by Eibi, good (Giampiero Bernardini, Milano, Italia, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 10500, open carrier at 1425-1434* Dec 27, probably a utility (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 12030, Dec 23 at 2256 open carrier, 2257 tone test, 2258-2300+ open carrier again, 2302 tone again. Nothing scheduled here; Spain is on 12030 until 21, and Pet/Kam from 02 or 03. I keep running across such mystery carriers and tones; something must be up (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 17650, at 1440-1458* Dec 27, 1 kHz tone test. VOA São Tomé is scheduled during this hour only in English, so lost feed from Washington? However, there was a SAH from a weaker signal underneath so that was more likely VOA, usually weak here anyway; the TT something else (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 17850 with another mysterious continuous tone test, Sat Dec 26 at 1433 and still at 1440; 1513 still audible but much weaker. Scheduled here are BBC Somali via Cyprus at 14-15, and REE Spanish via Costa Rica from 1500. Perhaps Cyprus lost the feed from London. However, per Aoki the REE variable sign-on times are 1500 on Sundays only, 1600 Saturdays, 1800 M-F (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. Japan > Korea 85-86 MHz --- This evening I've been picking up multiple signals in the 85-86 MHz range which I can't quite decipher. They're all Japanese hip-hop I think; because I would recognize it as Korean if it were Korean (and it's not really Korean style music either). I have some recordings of 85.6 and 86.3, which were the best, although different frequencies between those two were in and out depending on where I was standing, all parallel to each other, although they seemed to be obliterated when a breeze came in, and it got pretty breezy atop the mountain. It was too cold to get anything more from it and the sun had set and was getting dark too quickly to attempt an ID. I'll ask a friend to tell me if this is Korean or Japanese. It's been coming in, in no real pattern. Facing toward Russia, North Korea, just in and out all over, even in strange spots that barely get other stations. Seems unlikely to be Korean unless it's from another source. We use the same frequencies as the US and radios here don't go below 87 or 88 (my MP3 player I use as a radio can be set as "Japan"), so a pirate seems unlikely as well. Didn't seem to match any FM stations on the local band either. Band conditions were dead and some semi-locals were absent, which makes it even stranger (Chris Kadlec, Icheon, Korea, 0207 UT 24 Dec, WTFDA via DXLD) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Many thanks to Frederic Jodry, NY for a PMO in the mail to P O Box 1684, Enid OK 73702 (gh) A small gift for World of Radio in recognition of Christmas (Stephen Kellat via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com) Xmas greetings for everyone around here, specially to GH who keep us updated on this worldwide forum of brotherhood (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Dec 24, dxldyg) Happy New Year, Glenn, and thanks for your excellent reporting during 2009 (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden) Appreciate many other such comments not rounded up here. If you did not receive an individual holiday greeting from me, that is because I do not send them to anyone, not even family; but my greetings and well-wishes should be assumed (gh) Sunday, December 27, 2009, George Zeller Tonight on RJI Tonight on Radio Jamba International we will have a live interview via the telephone with Mr. George Zeller, author of The Outer Limits in Bob Grove`s Monitoring Times magazine. Monitoring Times magazine has decided to drop Mr. Zeller's column after a scientific poll they conducted asking readers what they would like to see more of in this publication. Unfortunately this poll as all polls are, is actually quite unfounded and flawed, according to the response to Mr. Grove`s decision I have witnessed. The overwhelming response in the Free Radio Community seems to be that this is a very poor business decision by Mr. Grove and will result in a drop of subscriptions as well as be the topic of conversation in the free radio community for some time to come. Also dropped by Mr. Grove was Glen[n] Hauser`s column covering shortwave radio reports. It is a great loss to the shortwave community that Mr. Grove has bestowed upon us. Thanks for nothing, Bob (from http://radiojambaintenational.blogspot.com/ via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Mestre Glenn Hauser, Em meu nome e de toda equipe técnica da Rádio Legal, nos queremos agradecer sinceramente a divulação que fez do WEBRADIO-QSL, seu boletim é lido por todo o mundo, ao meu ver é o mais tradicional e consultado boletim destinado a radioescutas e dexistas que existe. No próximo programa Notícias DX te agradeci nominalmente. Com sua divulgação, recebemos informes do Japão, Koréia, Alemanha, USA, Suécia. Conforme o que segue. Forte abraço (Ulysses Galletti, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And got a follow-up report from Björn Fransson, Sweden, who read about it in a Nov DXLD; see INTERNATIONAL INTERNET Happy season Glenn. Thanks very very mucho for your contribution to Short Wave. Not having Passport to WBR around, your postings are now much more important to all for sure (Héctor Pérez-Díaz, NP4FW, a.k.a. Luigi, Puerto Rico) PUBLICATIONS ++++++++++++ QUICK AND EASY MW DX LISTS Davie up the road (David Hamilton) sent me a link for a great mw listing which I have not seen before. Quick and easy they are called, and they certainly are. No clutter, and no begging buttons trying to sell you better versions etc. Any regular readers to this blog will know I hate clutter on software, or web sites .... There are four lists. 1. EUROPE 2. ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 3. NORTH AMERICA (AK - MEX) 4. CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA I have been on the home page before, but failed to see a link jumping out at me to these pages. A great piece of work. This is the same group of DXers who produce the superb FM listings per country. Hats off to you guys. A job very well done --- Ken Baird via http://www.ayrshirehistory.eu/tadx/transatlantic_logs_december_2009.html MWLIST - worldwide longwave, mediumwave and TBL database This is a radio station database of all Longwave (LW), Medium wave (MW) and Tropical bands stations worldwide. You can browse frequency and location lists, search for stations, and get technical information. If you register, you can use a online logbook, create bandscans, and provide update information to the database editors. This is a free, open and noncommercial hobby project which depends on the cooperation of many individuals. Please support this project with your data and information or as country editor! If you are interested in FM radio, please visit FMLIST! (from http://www.mwlist.org/ via SW Bulletin Dec 27 via DXLD) QUICK & EASY MW FREQUENCY LIST FOR NORTH AMERICA, ALASKA TO MEXICO http://www.mwlist.org/mwlist_quick_and_easy.php?area=3 (Via David Hamilton via Ken Baird, via SW Bulletin Dec 27 via DXLD) Plus: linx to some stations` websites, but a lot are missing so far Plus: includes live audio linx for some stations Plus: includes TIS/HAR stations, many with descriptions of locations by streets or highways. Makes the list VERY long Minus: TIS/HAR under each frequency in no discernible order Minus: Broadcast stations in no discernible order under each country Minus: OMITS states and provinces for all listings. You`d better know your geography for even the most obscure localities. Or: each place has a googlemap link, but that is hardly quick and easy Minus: includes powers but no antenna info whatsoever. No indications of differing day/night powers except for an occasional remark Minus: is it up to date? No: e.g. my local KFXY-1640 is still shown with a very old call used only briefly, KFNY There are three other lists covering other worldparts, including LWBC. (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I've only had a quick scan of the various lists on mwlist.org but it strikes me that they are seemingly reformatted copies of other people's work without any/appropriate credits. In the European section I can see information that has been apparently copied from EMWG and from the BDXC Radio Stations in the UK - specific data and spelling errors appear in Gunter's list that appear in these other sources. However some missing stations in the UK (for example) suggests that either older lists have been copied or that the copying process has been subject to accidental errors/omissions. Two of my local stations in York are missing. The North American list omits important data that traditionally appears in the FCC database, NRC AM Log & WRTH (day/night powers, antenna configuration) Do we really need another list unless it offers better or more accurate data from primary sources? If this list is derived from primary data sources, it would help if it said so. On the plus side, there are some neat touches like the link to Google maps for the tx site which does zero in on actual tx site (at least for those I tested). But who gets credit for all the primary research of accurate locations? But for the effort involved in setting this up for thousands of tx sites, how often will it be used? The links to webstreams look like a nice idea but I suspect will need quite a bit of maintenace to keep them working & up to date. 73 (Steve Whitt, MW Circle, mwcircle yg via DXLD) WORLD RADIO TV HANDBOOK 2010 From the WRTH website: The US copies of the 2010 edition have been released following Customs x-ray exam. Books should be sent out to Amazon and others 23 December (Mike Barraclough, Oct 26, ODXA yg via DXLD) Yesterday I received an e-mail from Amazon stating that the book had been shipped. Best, (Joe, Dec 27, ptsw yg via DXLD) CONVENTIONS & CONFERENCES +++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2010 SWL FEST Registration form, new website, and online registration are now available. Greetings! The 2010 Winter SWL Fest registration form is now available, along with a completely new website and new, online Fest registration option. The URL remains the same: http://www.swlfest.com The new website is the handiwork of NASWA webmaster Ralph Brandi, who has created a site that is easy for John and Richard to keep up to date with the latest info. As part of Ralph's efforts, we have added the capability to submit your Fest registration electronically, complete with online registration payment through PayPal. Links to online registration are available through the main Fest website. You can also still register the old-fashioned way -- by filling out the paper form and sending in a check -- but we suspect many will find the online registration to be easy and convenient. Doing our part to Whip Inflation Now, we have kept the registration fees the same as last year. The Best Western hotel has also kept its room rates the same as well. As usual, the registration rates are cheaper if you get your registration in to us early; for 2010, the magic date is February 19th. That postal address to receive a registration form -- which requires an SASE or $1 US if requesting from abroad -- is Winter SWL Festival, P. O. Box 4153, Clifton Park, NY 12065 USA. On-site registration is also possible, to avoid the hassles of international currency and postage. We'll also keep the Fest blog active, with its URL of http://swlfest.blogspot.com Please let either John or Richard know if you have any questions. As a reminder, the dates for the 23rd annual Fest are March 5th and 6th, 2010. Hope to see many of you there! Best wishes for a happy holiday season, Richard Cuff and John Figliozzi, co-Festmeisters -- (Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA, WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WORLD OF HOROLOGY see also BANGLADESH +++++++++++++++++ One for the "you never know..." files I received an unusual request a week ago from a guy, someone I figured was an SWL and DXer. The request was for some high quality on air recordings of WWV and WWVH, to be used in a "project". On further inquiries, I discovered that the "guy" was not a guy, but a very beautiful lady -- whose last album was voted "top disc of the year in the U.K." Seems she is a DXer and SWL and is working on working WWV into her follow-up album. I would love to reveal who the artist is, but I cannot until well into 2010. Just goes to show - in this hobby, anything is possible! (Colin Newell - Editor - CoffeeCrew DOT Com --- Victoria, British Columbia, Dec 27, IRCA via DXLD) LANGUAGE LESSONS ++++++++++++++++ A WAY WITH WORDS --- Somebody Loves You On the Radio Hi-ho, Martha and Grant here! Did you miss us? We've been super-busy, working hard to keep bringing you more entertaining conversation about language. Thanks for the cards, letters, and phone calls in which you share your love, too. We want to share something else, something that is super-exciting for us: "A Way with Words" is now supported by a non-profit organization, which means that your contribution to the show is now tax-deductible! As you may know, "A Way with Words" is independently produced and distributed. Bringing you the show is a labor of love for us, and we're deeply grateful for your stories, insights, and questions about language. We hope you'll consider making a contribution to help keep this show available--totally free of charge--to language lovers like you and English learners worldwide. Listener donations are an important part of what keeps the program ticking. Drop by http://waywordradio.org/donate/ and click on the big yellow "Donate" button. Thank you! In other news: In case you missed it, the San Diego Union-Tribune recently got a look behind the scenes here at "A Way with Words." Here's their report: http://tinyurl.com/yhg8jeh Personally, we'd have liked to have seen a serial comma in the description of us as "too crazy, too bullheaded, and too passionate." But whateverrrr. Grant just published his annual words-of-the-year roundup in the New York Times. There you'll find buzzwords that reflect our times, from aporkalypse to unubium. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/20/weekinreview/20buzz.html Finally, writing in the Boston Globe, Erin McKean discusses a multipurpose word that has teenage tongues wagging: "Meep!" http://bit.ly/86v8z7 Don't forget you can find out what has our tongues wagging and our fingers flying. Stay in touch with us all week long through our Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/wayword/ Thanks as always for listening, and please do let us know if you have some thoughts to share about language or about the show. Best wishes to you for peace and love in the new year, Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett, Co-hosts of A Way with Words http://waywordradio.org words @ waywordradio.org Call with your questions at any time: U.S. (877) WAY-WORD/(877) 929-9673 London +44 20 7193 2113 Mexico City +52 55 8421 9771 Donate: http://waywordradio.org/donate/ Podcast: http://waywordradio.org/podcast/ Forums: http://waywordradio.org/discussion/ Newsletter: http://waywordradio.org/newsletter/ Twitter: http://twitter.com/wayword/ Skype: skype://waywordradio (AWWW mailing list Dec 28 via DXLD) SHORTWAVE MUSIC +++++++++++++++ CQ SERENADE A new video to accompany the song CQ Serenade has been posted to YouTube by John, ZB2EO. CQ Serenade was composed by the late Canadian musician Maurice Durieux, VE2QS. Durieux was orchestra conductor employed by Radio Canada who had emigrated from France. Assisting Durieux in the creation of the song was F9KT. Watch CQ Serenade http://www.southgatearc.org/news/december2009/cq_serenade.htm CQ Serenade Song in MP3 format http://www.zerobeat.net/cqsong.html (Southgate via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD) Audio on the YouTube version is quite distorted. Much better at zerobeat, where there are also two other versions, instrumental and original French, which however pronounces the title in English (gh, DXLD) RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM +++++++++++++++++++++ INTEGRATING RADIO INTO THE HOME, 1923-1929 by Michael Brown and Corley Dennison http://www.pcasacas.org/SPC/spcissues/20.3/brown-dennison.htm The story told by broadcast historians leaves no doubt about the tremendous growth of radio in the American home. In 1921 there were approximately 60,000 radio receivers serving an audience of 75,000, and by 1930 radio receivers were in 12,000,000 homes. Americans spent $60 million on radios in 1922 and nearly $850 million by 1929. Over 3.4 billion dollars were spent in eight years. In spite of this tremendous growth, broadcast historian George Douglas noted that the radio industry did not take the lead in promoting radio as a home appliance and concluded, “there is a certain sense in which we have to admit that the radio sold itself to the American public”. . . http://www.odxa.on.ca/ArticlesJan10.pdf (via Harold Sellers, Jan ODXA Listening In via DXLD) see also CANADA: Red Radios AM MAN: CLEAR CHANNEL’S JOHN WARNER --- by Michael LeClair, 12.25.2009 This is one of a series of articles about AM radio, its challenges and successes. When it comes to AM radio stations in the United States, perhaps no engineer has quite the number of sites to worry about as does John Warner. Warner is vice president of engineering for AM for Clear Channel Radio and has responsibility for maintaining and improving literally hundreds of AM stations. With that many stations, there are always interesting projects in various stages of completion. RWEE spoke recently with Warner to hear about his latest and to learn from him how he ended up working in AM. . . . [illustrated] SOURCE: http://www.rwonline.com/article/92288 (Via Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING IBOC See also BRAZIL ++++++++++++++++++++ IBOC in OKLAHOMA: KTOK-1000: Have not heard IBOC from them day or night for a few months now, so am daring to hope it`s done with. WWLS-640 is still IBOC most of the time in the day; not sure about night when the 630s and 650s can still be heard. The Tulsa 1170, 1300 and 1430 stations still IBOC. KFAQ is especially a nuisance, day and night (Glenn Hauser, Enid, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DRM see also KURDISTAN; NIGERIA; SOLOMON IS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DRM as always once a year on Christmas time, I connect the AOR AR7030 and PC/Dream software together. QTH is southern Germany. Here is DRM mode log of Dec 26, 0930 UT, signal SNR in dB. 6085 D BR Munich Ismaning 17.1 dB, alternate 5 sec reception, 5 sec silent, tinny switchover sound. But AM mode reception from Ismaning has been never better in the past decades, due of dead zone from Weissbierland. 6095 LUX Junglinster, 23.5 dB, KBS morning relay about Makoli - Korean rice wine, and Kimchi food. Dream display window shows "RTE English", ID: E17190. 7325 RUS Sovetsk Bolshakovo in Kalinigrad Oblast, Russian, 20.8 dB, surprisingly strong powerful signal, stood out positively in this little check. 9610 POR BBC-DWL Sines, English, Theme on Nigeria. 20.3 dB. 9870 NZL negative, RNZi Rangitaiki, but also AM 9765 kHz sound like Polar zone Aurora sound at same time. Only 3 diodes shined on Sony ICF2010. 11900 BUL R Bulgaria Sofia, but Dream software scan catched nothing. DRM flank block visible, but signal level 40dB below AM stations nearby. and TOP DOG on all DRM outlets at 0930 UT in southern Germany is in 22 mb, 13810 POR BBC-DWL Sines, SNR 29.7 dB, twists the needle at S=9+45 dB. And more DRM mode log of Dec 27, 0705-0820 UT, signal SNR in dB 3995 UK BBC-DWL Skelton, only 8.4 dB jump to 14 dB peak, deep fades at 0720 UT. 6025 ROU RRI Tiganesti, German program til 0726 UT, ID: 1001, 11.6 to 18.1 dB at peak. 6130 POR BBC-DWL Sines, English, deep fades, suffered signal, alternate 5 sec reception, 5 sec silent, tinny switchover sound. From down 9 to 17.4 dB level jumped at 0710 UT. 9610 POR BBC-DWL Sines, English, ID: E1C248, revoluzionizer Rudi Dutschke theme at 0814 UT, 24.1 dB. 9780 ESP REE Noblejas, in Spanish, Report from Berlin Alemania, powerhouse 28.1 dB at 0726 UT, ID: 4711. 11635 RUS VoRussia Moscow Taldom, ID: E07002, 26.6 dB, Andean music "El Condor Pasa", nx in brief at 0730 UT, S=9+30dB, and at 0805 UT SNR 24.4 dB. 11900 BUL R Bulgaria Sofia, but Dream software scan catched nothing at 0735 UT (Wolfgang Büschel, QTH Stuttgart JN48OR, wwdxc BC-DX TopNews Dec 28, dxldyg via DXLD) DIGITAL BROADCASTING --- DTV See also USA: new NYC DTV ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Small DTV set I broke down and purchased a Digital Labs portable 7" LCD set, model DT191SA. The price was right, as with a $20. rebate, the final cost is $43.86. We use it as a kitchen TV, replacing an old Sony 5" TV/AM/FM set. I was anxious to see how it worked, as it sat in a box for a few weeks until Christmas. Well, surprisingly, it works quite well. It is amazing how much information can be included and accessed in a unit that weighs only 0.55 kg. All the normal DTV functions are included, such as 3 different audio languages, sleep timer, zoom mode (16:9/4:3), closed caption, MTS, etc. All accessed by a small remote. The one thing that is bad, is that the old blue screen covers up a dead channel (no snow). Other than that, it seems to be sensitive in picking up several weak DTV and analog signals in my location, using an outdoor antenna. I have noticed quite a number of portable DTV sets advertised lately, with prices at $99. or so on up. For the price I paid, it can't be beat. JE in MN (John Ebeling, Dec 27, WTFDA via DXLD) PROPAGATION +++++++++++ SPACE WEATHER FORECASTING CONTEST Unfortunately, they do not allow individual entrants without affiliation to some educational or research institution, but the criteria (high school students, researchers, grad students, alumni, etc.) look pretty broad, so perhaps individuals may enter after all. Probably most of us are at least alumni of some high school, correct? You can see details at http://swxcontest.gmu.edu/ (QST de W1AW, Propagation Forecast Bulletin 53 ARLP053, From Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, WA, December 24, 2009, To all radio amateurs, via Dave Raycroft, ODXA yg via DXLD) WINTER SPORADIC E [see also USA: WWCR] Wow, Here we are on Christmas Eve, close to what should be right at the height of the Winter Es Season. In fact, my records show that December 26th is the traditional peak, at least for me. Yet, at this point, the Season has brought little more than a few burps of Es. And, those "burps" were fleeting, at best. The 10m Contest a couple of weekends ago had some paths, late in the game. I have heard a few stray signals on 50 MHz, but little else. This mini-season truly has been disappointing. I don't know there is much to be learned for this. Sporadic-E is, indeed, sporadic. But, patterns usually remain. Not so this season, at least so far. Maybe the 26th will see an opening. I'm just not holding my breath. Y'all have a nice Christmas (Peter, N4LI, Baskind, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pbaskind?ref=profile Dec 24, WTFDA via DXLD) Geomagnetic field activity was at quiet levels during the entire period 21-27 December. Observations by the ACE spacecraft were consistent with the arrival of a partial-halo coronal mass ejection (CME) on 22 December. The solar wind speed increased to 354 km/s at 25/1708Z as the density increased to a peak of 13 p/cc. The interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) increased, with the total field reaching +10 nT at 25/1852Z. The southward component of the IMF ranged between -10 nT and +7 nT, with a peak of -10 nT at 25/1609Z. FORECAST OF SOLAR AND GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY 30 DEC 2009 - 25 JAN 2010 Solar activity is expected to be at predominantly very low levels during the first half of the period. Activity is expected to be at very low to low levels during the second half of the period. No proton events are expected at geosynchronous orbit. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit is expected to be at normal levels through the period. The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly at quiet levels for the forecast period. :Product: 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table 27DO.txt :Issued: 2009 Dec 29 2121 UTC # Prepared by the US Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Weather Prediction Center # Product description and SWPC contact on the Web # http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # 27-day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2009 Dec 29 # # UTC Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2009 Dec 30 78 5 2 2009 Dec 31 79 5 2 2010 Jan 01 79 5 2 2010 Jan 02 79 5 2 2010 Jan 03 79 5 2 2010 Jan 04 80 5 2 2010 Jan 05 80 5 2 2010 Jan 06 80 5 2 2010 Jan 07 80 5 2 2010 Jan 08 82 5 2 2010 Jan 09 82 5 2 2010 Jan 10 82 5 2 2010 Jan 11 82 5 2 2010 Jan 12 82 5 2 2010 Jan 13 82 5 2 2010 Jan 14 82 5 2 2010 Jan 15 82 5 2 2010 Jan 16 82 5 2 2010 Jan 17 80 5 2 2010 Jan 18 80 5 2 2010 Jan 19 80 5 2 2010 Jan 20 80 5 2 2010 Jan 21 78 5 2 2010 Jan 22 78 5 2 2010 Jan 23 78 5 2 2010 Jan 24 76 5 2 2010 Jan 25 76 5 2 (SWPC via WORLD OF RADIO 1493, DXLD) ###