DX LISTENING DIGEST 0-110, September 12, 2000 edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.com {Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only providing full credit be maintained at all stages and we are provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. For restrictions and searchable archive contents see} http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/Dxldmid.html ** AUSTRALIA. Christian Voice/Vision conduct test transmissions from its newly acquired site at Cox Peninsula near Darwin. Here is a tentative test schedule of CV from Darwin in NAu. 18 Sep-28 Oct, 2230-0230. Freqs 6010 13585 17775 21680. 250 and 300 kW of power. Tx site Darwin (DRW). Antennas: HRS 4/4/.5 (ITU code 216). Bearings and slews: 303 deg +/-13 degr. 315 degr +/-25 degr. 340 degr +/-23 degr. Target zones: 40 41 42 43 44 45 50 51 54. (Andrew Flynn, Head of Engineering, Christian Vision, e-mail: Tel: +61 8 89 81 65 91, Fax: +61 8 89 81 28 46. via BC-DX via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. DX Information from the British DX Club (BDXC-UK). 11 September 2000: Radio Australia have expanded their intended shortwave coverage of the Olympics. Originally a special broadcast feed of local ABC Sydney radio station 2BL (702AM) was planned for the Pacific region only, but now additional frequencies will beam this special programme towards East Asia. The Special Transmission Schedule as announced on Radio Australia's "Feedback" programme is: To the Pacific (and hopefully audible in the Americas for some of the time) UTC Frequency: 2130 - 2400 17715 kHz, 0000 - 0800 17580 kHz, 0800 - 1200 13605 kHz, 1200 - 1300 11650 kHz To East Asia (and hopefully audible in Europe for some of the time) UTC Frequency 2130-2400 21740 kHz, 0000-0900 21725 kHz, 0900-1300 21820 kHz. [THIS is the new portion; note that 21740 normally is on a different beam toward Pac and NAm -gh] Radio Australia are also putting a lot of effort into their Olympics coverage on the Internet. Check it out at http://www.abc.net.au/ra/olympics/ (Bryan Clark) The above information may only be reproduced if full credit is given to the original contributor AND to the British DX Club (BDXC-UK). (via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) [LATER: This actually originated with RN Media News, source somehow omitted by BDXC-UK] ** AUSTRALIA [non]. Sept 11 New Statesmen: Why Do Aussies Have It In For Robert Hughes? http://www.consider.net/forum_new.php3?newTemplate=OpenObject&newTop=200009110035&newDisplayURN=200009110035 Excerpt: The pettiness leaves a sour taste. Australians might like to consider what they would lose: his rich, original voice, often gruff and belligerent, is a rare commodity to find anywhere in the world these days. Beyond the Fatal Shore, is, in its genre, the first and only sustained critique of Australian culture, identity, nationhood. For all its flaws, Hughes is probably the only Australian who could have attempted such a project convincingly. Australians love to tell us that they have come of age as a nation, the colonial cringe a thing of the past. We might wonder. Why are they so oversensitive to an "outsider's" view of their country? Have they just lost their sense of humour, or is the chippy, provincial mindset that Bob fled 35 years ago still alive and kicking? Christopher Spencer is the series producer of Australia: Beyond the Fatal Shore (Oxford Film & Television), which is shown on BBC2, Sundays, 8pm, until 1 Oct (via Chet Copeland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BENIN. 7210.27, Radio Benin heard with fair signals at 0540 tune- in with talk in vernacular and French. Good signal when rechecked following day at 0601, when "Radio National du Benin" clearly heard. (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC 6 - 7 September, DX LISTENING DIGEST) * BRAZIL. Hello All, The next Brazilian summer time will begin on October 8, and will end on February 18 of 2001. States located in the north of the country and in the larger part of the northeast continue to use the same current time. 73 (Djaci Franklin Silva, Brazil, hard- core-dx Sept 10 via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. WE'RE YOUR GLOBAL COMMUNITY RADIO - SUPPORTED BY YOU, OUR LISTENER! NOTES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: RFPI celebrates its 13th anniversary this week! Tune in for 4 hours of live programming from UTC 0000 - 0400 Sunday, 17 September (that's 8 pm - Midnight, Eastern Saturday the 16th where we hope to hear from you! As always we'll pick up the cost of your the call to the studios that night wherever you may be in the world! Tune into this week`s Mailbag on Friday 15, September at 2000 UTC for more details. FREESPEECH RADIO NEWS (NEW!!) (30 minutes) Fri: 2200, Sat: 0130, 0600, 1400 Sat: 2200, Sun 0600, 1400 (encore)- Weekly newscast Freespeech Radio News is a production of Pacifica Reporters Against Censorship. Over 40 freelance reporters in 14 US states and four continents are boycotting the Pacifica Network News for censoring legitimate news stories. These reporters are putting their livelihoods on the line. For more information and to support the strike fund visit http://www.savepacifica.net/strike/news (RFPI Weekly Update via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. 6105 Sept 3, Radio Universidad, San José, 0555-0610*, 343, OM ``Acaban de escuchar Inolvidable (program name, Oldies Boleros) ...todos los sábados a las 10 de la noche (0400 UT Sun) por Radio Universidad ...96-7,`` then with closing off announcement with full ID...Radio Universidad, la emisora cultural de Costa Rica...96- 7, 870(AM), 6105(SW) (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA? Hi Glenn: I have been hearing a station on 4260.7 kHz around 10:30 GMT, for the last 2 or 3 weeks, only when the DX is above average from L.A. Not Andean, but positively Latin American. Fast talking announcer, in SP. Fair signal today, but heavy lightning QRN. Do you know what I might be hearing? (David Hodgson, TN, Sept 12, dx LISTENING DIGEST) David, Checking Mark Mohrmann's excellent LA Log, we find: 4260 CUBA * R Rebelde, [1008/2339] Dec 99 A (h)6x710 You might want to bookmark this for future LA unIDs: http://homepages.together.net/%7Ehackmohr/highindex.htm Your description sounds like Rebelde, and you could clinch by // 5025 or MW if possible. You know, they put out oodles of harmonics. Of course, it still could be something else, fundamental or 3 x 1420, etc. Regards, (Glenn) Glenn: It`s interesting that you mentioned Cuba, because the music sounded "Cuban" to me. I did check R. Rebelde on 5025 kHz, but there was no match. I guess I should have also tried 1180 kHz, which usually is audible here. Could another Cuban be using R. Rebelde`s equipment? -(David) Anything is possible in Cuban broadcasting... (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 5980 Sept 10, Radio Federación, Sucua, 2250-2330*, 444, OM and YL in Shuar. Note: Reactivated frequency (Yimber Gaviria, Colombia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Allen Graham announced on today's broadcast (September 11) of "El Mundo Futuro" that this program is being retired with today's program being the last. This is related to a recent reassignment to the Spanish section at HCJB. He is still going to produce the DX Partyline, but there is not enough time for his new duties and two programs in English also. As there is no one there that will continue the show, so it will be retired. This is unfortunate. While there may be other science programs that are a bit better, it is too bad to lose this fine science program. (Roger Chambers, NY, swprograms via DXLD) ** GUIANA FRENCH. Hi Glenn, The very last item with few details of course of a fire at the SRI relay station. I wonder if anyone will notice? 9905 kHz (Sept 13 UTC 0157) was coming from somewhere, but I bet it was not the relay as even here on the West Coast 9885 kHz from Switzerland was much stronger. Audio attached (Larry Nebron, CA, Sept 12) ``Finally, for listeners on SW in Africa, Central and South America: A fire at the SRI relay station in French Guiana is disrupting broadcasts. Repair work is expected to take about a week. We apologize for any inconvenience`` (Jonathan Fowler, SRI recording as above via Nebron, transcribed by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) We immediately checked 9885 and 9905 at 0235 and found them about the same strength here and no satellite delay between them, only a slight reverb. Another Bonaire? They are playing it down! (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** ISRAËL. Dear friends, please delete the entries from A00 schedule 15640 1600 1730 27-28,6-10 isr 300 330 0 eng rom - instead add: 17535 1600 1730 27-28,6-10 isr 300 330 0 eng, rom, hun valid from 13 sep 2000 thanks (Moshe Oren, Bezeq, Sept 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAËL. The Ministry of the Interior announced yesterday: Israel will return to standard time at 01:00, Friday, Oct 6, 2000 (Information Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem via Daniel Rosenzweig, Sept 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAËL. Subject: Arutz Shevah http://www.a7.org Of course, you know that Arutz Shevah is primarily the voice of nationalist religious settlers in "Judea and Samaria"/"The Territories" (depending on your politics) and that its status is that of a pirate which is too well politically connected to shut down. When one votes for parliament in Israel, one votes for a party list, not an individual and the top n people get into parliament depending on how many votes the party gets. This gives small parties far more representation in coalition making than the first-past-the-post system. The prime minister now has a separate election but he still has to hold a coalition. Not that there's anything wrong with listening as long as you know who they are. There have been a lot of problems with WRN recording the 0400 KY broadcast which they blame on the IBA. My favorite IBA webcast is [was?] the Yiddish music most days after the news at 1600 (Joël Rubin, NY, Sept 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ISRAËL. Galei Zahal at 1045 very poor 25222 on v15784.23, and KOL 35333 on 15759.95 Sep 10 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, BC-DX via DXLD) ** KENYA. KBC shortwave usage is erratic, but here are some nominal schedules extracted from BBCM: Central Service: M-F 0200-0700, Sat 1130-2110, M-F 1130-1300; M-F 1500-2110 all on 4915. Eastern Service: M-F 0900-1915 4885; English/General Service: Daily 0200-2110 on MW, includes 4935 for news at 0400-0415. Swahili service on MW, FM includes 6150 irregular for two minutes of news at 0500, and 7140 iregular for 15 minutes news at 0600 (© BBC Monitoring Sept 6 extracted by gh for DXLD) ** KUWAIT. 15110, Radio Kuwait heard with their English program on a good evening with a high MUF, Sept 6 at 0507, with a male and female announcer discussing Arabic music. Fair, even good at times. Usually unreadable here (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MIDWAY ISLAND. Hiro/JF1OCQ and Takeshi/JE1RXJ will be active as W1VX/KH4 and NB6A/KH4, respectively, from September 22-24th. They will be active on 80-6 meters using CW and SSB. They plan to operate a beacon on 50.115 MHz all times. QSL to W1VX/KH4 via JF1OCQ, NB6A/KH4 via JE1RXJ. (KB8NW/OPDX September 11/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MONGOLIA. 24170 (2 x 12085), Voice of Mongolia; Ulaanbaatar, September 12, 1044-1053, Harmonic of 12085 kHz. Female speaker in English, reading listener's letters and IDing as 'the Voice of Mongolia'. Weak signal with deep fades. Signal on 12085 had equal strength. Best 73', (Mark Veldhuis, the Netherlands, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. RNZI starts its summer schedule Oct 1, hoping to continue it until next March: 1650- NEW 15120 ex-6095, 1850- 17675, 0705- 15175; 1205-1650 occasional for sport, cyclone warnings: 6095 [This is the ``generalised`` version, not going into weekend variations, such as the 1650 broadcast opening later. Previous sked was supposed to run till Oct 8; guess Oct 1 is the real date for DST to start? -gh] (Adrian Sainsbury, RNZI Mailbox Sept 11, notes by gh for DXLD) Shortly after hearing this, his official version arrived; note the earlier beam switch at 0900 on 15175 which will mean diminished reception in NAm after that hour (gh) 1650-1850 15120 Mon-Fri NE Pacific, Samoa, Cook Islands 1850-0705 17675 Mon-Fri All Pacific 1855-0705 17675 Sat-Sun All Pacific 0705-0900 15175 Daily All Pacific 0900-1205 15175 Daily NW Pacific, Bougainville, East Timor, Asia 1205-1650 6095 Occasional Use (Adrian Sainsbury Technical Manager, Sept 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERÚ. Around 1200 UT today Sept 12 I tuned R. Unión using 6115, SINPO 34423. Greetings. (SPACEMASTER, Perú, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Previously reported a few weeks ago FMing around 6300 instead (gh) ** POLYNESIA FRENCH. By the time you read this, James, K9KUZ, should be active as FO0KUZ from Bora Bora (IOTA OC-067) until September 13th before he moves on to Moorea Island (IOTA OC-046), September 14-15th. Suggested frequencies are: 14200, 21250, and 28400 kHz. (KB8NW/OPDX September 11/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Mayak on shortwave from Russia is not QUITE dead yet. It can still be heard [in the UK] from Khanty-Mansiysk on 4520 kHz, certainly not super-powered as it's listed as 5 kW - last heard Sept 10 at 1820, closing at 1900 (Dave Kernick, UK, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Dear Glenn, Ref. DXLD 0-108: Karel Honzík is correct in saying that the literal translation of "Radio Rossii" is "Radio of Russia" (or "Russia's Radio") rather than "Radio Russia" (as Rossii is the genitival case of the noun). And when Radio Rossii first came on the air we at BBCM referred to it as "Russia's Radio". However, the station itself said at some stage that they wished to be known in English as "Radio Russia" - presumably as the "correct" translations sound a little odd. I also seem to recall seeing a letterhead from the station with Radio Rossii in Cyrillic script and Radio Russia in Roman script. (Chris Greenway, UK, Sept 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non?]. I read about the Vatican's relay of VOR for B00 UT 0200-0300 9765. Has anyone considered the possibility that the 0100- 0200 VOR broadcast on 11825 may also be relayed by Vatican Radio or even someone else? Traditionally, VOR has not used the 11 MHz band in the evening to NAm after the first weekend in September. This broadcast also goes a few seconds past 0200 and then shuts down. Normal Russian transmitters shutdown just before the hour. 73, (Ivan Grishin, Ont., Sept 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, I have suspected 11825 could be from some unexpected new relay. Keep monitoring for clues, such as other station`s IS before or after. I would say the signal is too good here for Vatican (gh, DXLD) Glenn, No conclusive evidence about a relay for VOR on 11825 0100- 0200. No noticeable delay between VOR on 7180 & 11825. The audio quality sounds like a VOR transmitter. Hmmm, wonder why they want a relay via Vatican if this is from Russia. It's working great right now. Now, if only Radio Ukraine Int. could get a relay with someone going... (Ivan Grishin, Ont., Sept 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SERBIA. Re Yugoslavia - renting facilities in Russia or elsewhere (aren`t they friendly with China?) would seem a cheaper operation, and one that might give them better coverage, than from Stubline in Serbia. Can anyone remember all four listed transmitters at Bijeljina being on air at the same time? I can't - the most I think I heard was two, but I could be mistaken. As they`ve only had one on air recently maybe that could indicate that the others have been quietly removed to elsewhere (Noël R. Green, UK, Sept 10, BC-DX via DXLD) Furthermore, transmitters in Russia or China are far less likely to be bombed by the U.S. again! A case where it is actually advantageous not to have one`s own facilities – with a tight contract (gh, DXLD) ** SOLOMON ISLANDS. Caught the sign-off of SIBC - Radio Happy Isles today (September 9) at 1101 UTC followed by their national anthem. They invited everyone to tune in again at 6 o'clock (1900 UTC). So they are still on their reduced broadcast day (Mark Coady, Ont., Sept 9, ODXA via DXLD) [5020v] ** SOMALIA. With very poor signal were heard two local radio stns outside the 41 mb. R Mogadishu 1630-1730 on 6750, and "V of Democracy" at 1600-1900 on 6805 (R Bulgaria English service DX program via Rumen Pankov, Sept 1, BC-DX via DXLD) ** SRI LANKA [non]. On Sat only heard the SLBC Skelton relay on 6010 again, 1858-1958. Suffered a little bit from a BUZZY bass tone, really from the UPLOAD from Sri Lanka to satellite up in the Indian Ocean sky. Never heard this before, I trust the Skelton technicians! Program content was much better than previous issues, at least for Western hemisphere ears. A lot of local SL music examples were played. BUT the inexcusable fault was the stn announcement (four times) of the old B-99 freq of 5975 in 49 mb. The summer freq 6010 coordinated in mid Feb, came into effect on March 26th! At 1958 Skelton left the air, and at 1959 Merlin Zyyi Cyprus came on air 5 kHz up on 6015 with Roumanian sce of BBC Londra. But well directed towards Balkan, it was only 2-3 in S level. (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Sep 9, BC-DX via DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. Hello there again, I have some more news for you, this time from SRI. On the 10th of September Ron Pauper, the Head of the English Service came on the Capital Letters programme to establish the new weekend programming schedule. All regular weekend features, such as the Name Game and Capital Letters are now running from 1800 CET on Saturday to 1800 CET on Sunday. Up to Saturday 1800 CET their Business feature is broadcast. From Sunday 1800 CET to Monday 1800 CET a news and current affairs format is being followed, with emphasis on reviewing the past week and looking forward at the week ahead. It is also within this time that features on Swiss life will run. NB, I am not too sure about the spelling of the Head of the Eng Service's surname, it sounded like Pauper though don't quote me on it! I hope you can use the information. Best wishes, (Jonathan Murphy, Co. Cork, Eire, Sept 11 via Mike Barraclough, World DX Club via DXLD) SEE ALSO GUIANA FRENCH! ** TIMOR EAST. Erkki, OH2BF, is active as 4W/OH2BF and is currently working for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Díli for a few months. He has been active on 17 and 12 meters CW between 1130 and 1500z. However, we have not seen any QSNs since the tragedy of Pero, 9A4SP (see "Sad Note" below). QSL via OH2IC. Also, according "The Daily DX", Jose, CT1FKN, who has been in Dili since August 15th working in the Portuguese Army for the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), is expected to be active soon as 4W6FK. He is expected to be there until February 2001. ADDED NOTE: The 4W/K7BV Web site for the upcoming operation has been updated: http://www.qth.com/k7bv/timor (KB8NW/OPDX September 11/BARF- 80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TIMOR WEST. SAD NOTE. It is with great sadness to report that amateur radio operator Pero Simundza, 9A4SP (aka 4W6SP, T98P, ZA/9A4SP), was one of three UNHCR workers that were brutally killed on September 5th in, Atambua, West Timor, Indonesia. Pero worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) since 1992. He was very active with the UNHCR. According to his friends/ colleagues he was "based in Metkovic, Croatia, during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina helping with humanitarian aid efforts. He was later based at the UNHCR office in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and worked there with the Bosnian callsign T98P. Before he joined UNHCR in West Timor earlier this year, Pero spent few months in Albania helping UNHCR Operations during the Kosovo crisis." He was also one of the first operators to be active from East Timor and gave a new one for some of you as 4W6SP. At this time, OPDX would like to send out our condolences to his family and friends. Also, during these hard moments for his family, all working colleagues and friends are asking you to enter a few words in an online condolence book available at: http://www.qsl.net/9a4sp (which later will be handed to his family). (KB8NW/OPDX September 11/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TUNISIA. Hans/DF2UU and Win/DK9IP were operating from the club station 3V8BB over the past weekend to participate in the Worked All Europe SSB Contest (WAE). Reportedly their operation started on September 6th and is to last until September 13th (early morning UTC). Look for them on the following suggested frequencies: 28443, 21243, 14243, 7043 and 3743 kHz. They plan to concentrate on CW/RTTY/PSK31 and 12m/17m/160m after the contest. IMPORTANT: QSL only for QSOs on September 6th through September 13th (2000) via DK9IP (Bureau is preferred!!!). All QSOs will be confirmed via bureau after their return. For direct QSL request use DK9IP's new address: Winfried Kriegl, Schöllbronner Str. 72, 76199 Karlsruhe, GERMANY (KB8NW/OPDX September 11/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. Will wonders never cease? Radio Uganda, Kampala, 4976, full data letter in 5 1/2 years for 4 IRC's which were returned because our local postmaster stamped the wrong side. v/s Machel Rachel Makibuuka. This deserves a return thank you note and proper postal reimbursement (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, USA, Sept 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Glenn, It must have been an aggravating Saturday for you trying to pick up LNOTP, once your ISP went down. I, too, became concerned when the program did not appear at UT 1800 on any of the listed freqs. But was relieved when 15265 came in with good reception. 17690 was never as good as either 15265 or 12035, and 7320 was a no-show. An announcement mentioned that 15265 would switch to 12035 at 1955, but 15265 stayed on until just before 2000. 12035 provided even better reception for the second half 2000-2142. A nice tribute to Andrew Davis during the intermission. (Ivan Grishin, Ont., Sept 11, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC Last Night Proms - observations in Bulgaria on Sept 9: 1810-2000 7320 to EUR (52442) co-ch VoRUS in Fr.; 15265 to ME (55555); 17690 to AF (55555); 2000-2200 7320 to EUR (55555); 12035 to ME (55555); 17690 to AF (55555) over R Budapest in Hung 2000-2100. (Observer, Bulgaria, Nat Radio, Ivo Ivanov and Anguel Datzinov, Sep 10, via BC-DX via DXLD) ** U K. Hello Baiju, Propagation conditions over the last few weeks have been good, Imagination reception in Europe is good, so it looks like you'll need to listen later in the year. I am surprised that you've not heard it yet, as it's getting to be dark here at 1900, it's dark in Dubai, and as far as I know it's the same transmitter and curtain array antenna that Merlin are using now as they used last year - when excellent reception was reported in your area in early October. Do keep trying, because it looks as though there will be some significant changes to Imagination at the end of September - and this will reduce your chances of hearing us. Thanks for being so keen! Rob ** Imagination Radio ".....we are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams....." http://www.imagination.clara.net imagination@clara.net (Rob, Imagination Radio Sept 6 via Baiju, UAE, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. IMAGINATION'S SHORT WAVE SERVICE TO END! The short wave soft rock service of Imagination Radio is to end. The service, which began on 1st October, 1999 will close at the end of our usual programme between 8pm and 9pm BST (1900 and 2000 UTC) on 29th September, 2000. Since we began our transmissions we've received thousands of letters and emails from listeners in more than 30 countries spread across 6 continents, delighted to find our programmes on a medium reserved historically for religious and political commentary. [sic] But it's not the end of Imagination! We'll be reducing our coverage area but increasing our audience share by changing our method of programme delivery, and we are currently in discussion with a number of bodies and organisations to put this into effect. Watch this space for further details! If you enjoy hearing Barclay James Harvest, Joni Mitchell, Pink Floyd and Genesis then you will enjoy hearing us. The programmes are intended to promote tolerance and understanding in a volatile and paradoxical world, in much the same way as Radio Caroline so successfully promoted the general philosophy of humanity during the 1970s. The songs we play are sung from the heart - whether they're about love and humanity, or about drugs, prostitution, hypocrisy or war - it's warts and all. We hope that by listening people will remember that it's a very small world and that we'll all be happier if we get on with each other - and enjoy it! The programmes are currently audible on shortwave across most of the world from a 250kW transmitter located at Skelton, Cumbria, UK operating on 6010kHz in the 49 metre band (Imagination website Sept 12 via gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Hi Glenn, For your interest I'll enclose a press release that I just got from Imagination Radio this afternoon. Best wishes (Thomas Völkner, Germany, Sept 12) [different version to the above] ========= Stafford Broadcasting Society's Imagination Radio is closing its short wave service at the end of September, 2000. The station has been broadcasting its soft rock programmes around the world on 6010 kHz between 1900 and 2000 UTC each Friday since 1st October, 1999 using one of Merlin Communication's 250kW transmitters located at Skelton, UK. Initially the programmes were also broadcast across Europe in stereo on the Astra satellite as part of the Merlin Network One (MNO) satellite stream, but when MNO ended its programme service on 6th March, 2000 Imagination continued to transmit on short wave as a radio station in its own right. The station has thousands of listeners in more than 30 countries spread over 6 continents, and has received a quite disproportionate amount of publicity in relation to its small size - the station has only been on air for a total of 50 hours. As a private, non-profit making station transmitting legitimately from within the UK it has received coverage from dozens of local and international radio stations, newspapers, music and radio magazines, music publishers, bands and DX groups - even within the first few weeks it had been included in the NorDX '99 competition 'catch list'. The closure of the short wave service doesn't mean the end of Imagination, as the station's talking to a number of organisations to try and make the project more cost effective and bring the programmes to a larger audience. Details will be posted on the Imagination website as they occur. In the meantime programmes can still be heard each Friday until the end of September. (via Thomas Völkner, Germany, and Kim Andrew Elliott, DC, Sept 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UNITED NATIONS [non]. UN Radio was back when checked Monday Sept 11 at 1730 (Chris Hambly, Victoria) I did NOT suggest it would stop after the Millennium Summit (Bob Padula) At 1730 Sept 11 so poor here on 15265, 17710 that it sounded more like French than English. Heavy accent? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Dear Glenn, Plan to add daytime frequency in the 15 or 17 MHz band. Will be compatible upper sideband. Looking for a programmer wishing to cover North America, daytime, say 8am to 5pm Eastern. Otherwise things at the Planet are just nifty. We celebrated two years on the air last Friday the 8th. I am very proud of our schedule on 7415 as it presents a very diverse lineup. We even have Greek programming on Mondays 5-7 pm eastern!! We continue to notice a steady buildup of listeners to WBCQ and shortwave in general. Why not, it's in real time without net congestion! Take care, (Allan Weiner, from WBCQ Central, Sept 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. RUSSIA Puzzle on Herald Broadcasting Syndicate transmission, managed by Merlin Communications? From 1150-1205 heard the opening procedure of 17635 Herald Broadcasting Syndicate, Indonesian sce 1200-1300, widely reported as from Taiwan (their only 16 mb freq !), but to be questioned in DX publications. At 1153 tx s- on on even 17635.00, CIS pips tx opening procedure followed at 1156- 1158:30. HB stn flute IS heard at 1200-12.01:37, then into Indonesian program. I GUESS that sce is coming from Novosibirsk site towards India, and not from TWN. Has somebody ever heard a pips opening procedure on TWN channels? Alok, you are in the target, maybe you can check that opening signal too? (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Sept 10, BC-DX via DXLD) ###