DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-092, July 2, 2001 edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.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. For restrixions and searchable 2001, 2000 contents archive see} http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/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] ** AFGHANISTAN. Re DXLD 1-091: The "mystery" DX-Pedition location: CNP - Coorong National Park, SA (Leigh Morris) (Craig Seager, ARDXC via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Re DXLD 1-091: Hi, no, according to the German listener ref. RAE German transmission of June 22, that should happen on Mon or Tue Jun 25/26 ??? Señores Éramo, Barrera or Slaen maybe could explain - what happened ... Somebody had a comment of 'banana republic' ... 73 de (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The item in 91 seemed to me unrelated to the previous items here that Argentina would go OFF yearound DST June 17, switching from UT -3 to UT -4, subsequently negated. This had nothing to do with Europe, but timings of SW broadcasts might have switched one UT hour LATER if required to stay on local time (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 6062v, Radio Tupi heard; this was an unID as early as 0845 till 1013 tune out July 2. Portuguese religious programming, no ID than I could detect. Drifting up and down a bit from here. Asked Tony Jones about this; his reply follows (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX Special via DXLD) Yes, it`s the Deus e Amor crowd: 6062 in parallel with 9565 (Universo) and 5955 and 9685 (Gazeta), the last two frequencies out of phase with the Universo channels (Tony Jones, Paraguay, July 2, Cumbre DX Special via DXLD) Per PWBR 2001, Deus e Amor is a Pentecostal church that rents time on these outlets (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) 6061.85, unID Brazilian, weak on a pretty good (albeit QRNed) morning; 0745 Jul 1, man talking to crowd, M&W talking as well, faded out before long. Tupi-6060? (Jerry Berg, MA, ARDXC via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. I thought I was done talking about the US Navy`s spy plane that force landed in China, but there`s still more news about this incident. According to NewsMax, an online news service, China has broken some of the codes used by the US military from inspecting the hardware aboard the captured EP-3 spy plane [sic]. The codes for the NATO Link-11 communications system were compromised, and Japan has ordered its military to change their codes. Link-11 is, of course, that raspy ``dink-dink-dink-diiiiiiiink`` signal heard all over the HF bands. In case you`re not familiar with what it sounds like, listen to 4703 USB some evening. The captured EP-3 was equipped with the latest version of the Link-11 system, code named ``story book``. However, the Chinese navy has already been using a stolen version of the system, called Link-W. Japanese officials are concerned because they use the system in two Boeing 767 spy planes which have missions to operate surveillance against China. These aircraft are also equipped with radar to watch aircraft and missile launches inside China. Japan is concerned about the compromise of the codes because their Link-11 system may be jammed in case of war with China, preventing them from passing important data. Pentagon sources are convinced that the April 1 incident was no accident. Several other incidents of Chinese fighters flying too close to American recon aircraft have occurred before, but they were dismissed by Pentagon officials as lone actions by ``hot-shot`` pilots. But now it appears that the previous incidents were attempts to force a US spy plane down on Chinese territory so they could steal whatever secrets they could from the aircraft. Chinese pilots operate under a strict Soviet-style control system which would not allow them to fly close passes to other aircraft without permission. So there`s no doubt that this was a deliberate action (Tom Sevart, KS, Covert Comms, July A*C*E via DXLD) ** CYPRUS. Dear Glenn, After the Vatican Radio radiation fears we have the same story in Cyprus. Activists fear radiation from British Bases station in the Akrotiri Bases near Limassol. M.P. Marios Matsikas Diko party warns Limassolians population of the fears of radio radiation and the loss of rich bird life from the site. As the area is in a salt lake area where huge antennas are to erected this week. Green Peace and other parties are urged to take action to stop the building of the antennas. Today British and Cypriot officials are due to meet in London to discuss matters further. locals are up in arms over these antennas. Note the British have special treaty to lease bases on the island for many years now. For security and defence needs. 73 (Costa Constantinides, Cyprus, July 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And what about the upcoming IBB 600 kW MW station about to be built on Cyprus?? (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY. The Deutsche Welle 6140 English 0600-1400 transmissions are still being heard. The information in the last bulletin appears to be incorrect (Mike Barraclough, July World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** GERMANY [and non]. Latest DTAG Jülich news: - DRM transmission during the IFA Berlin fair from Aug. 23 until Sep. 2: 0905-1500 on 5975. Comment: So another DRM shortwave outlet will be on air for presentation purposes during the IFA fair, alongside with already announced shortwave from Sines as well as mediumwave 531 from Burg and Berlin-based transmitters on 810, 855, 891 and 1485 (probably some of them not DRM but AM to provide a comparison; if so using docile 4.5 kHz audio bandwith and not any soundprocessing I guess). - Radio Vilnius 0000-0100 on 9855 is now shown as backup - Democratic Voice of Burma: 2330-0030 on 9490 (instead of ex-9495) since June 26. On 15405 since July 1 1430-1530, previously not starting until 1455. On 17805 since June 6 1455-1530. Comment: Until now 15405 was on air from Kvitsøy 1430-1455. 17805 is shown in the RNW operational schedule for the Madagascar 50 kW "special purpose" transmitter 1430-1455, so evidently Jülich still takes over during the ongoing broadcast here at 1455. - Voice of Hope: Since July 1 on 9495 only 1700-1900 (ex 1700-2100), instead added 15750 (115 degrees) 1700-1959 - Adventist World Radio: Additional since June 10 1600-1659 15415, 1700-1759 15235, both daily and aiming at 115 degrees (Notes from DTAG Jülich schedule, updated July 1, by Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDONESIA. 3264.8, RRI; Gorontalo, July 1, 2059-2111, Opening tune, followed by announcement and full local ID by female in Bahasa Indonesia. Then SCI ID, and Jakarta news relay (undermodulated). At 2107 "Bagimu Negri", followed by talk and another local ID, popmusic. Weak signal, but almost no interference. 73, (Mark Veldhuis, the Netherlands, bdxc via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH. Dear Sir, R Korea International informed in response to my query that in near future they have no plan to go on World R Network or broadcast via Worldspace satellite radio system. They will give priority on SW first. Thanks & regards, (Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata- India, July 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MOROCCO. Received a partial data QSL (My name, time, frequency) from RTV Marocaine for a report I sent at least a year ago, for their Arabic broadcast on 15345 kHz. Per a schedule received from them at that time this was listed specifically as via Nador. ("Passport" also lists this as via Nador). Received for a detailed English report, US$, and a local postcard that I sent to them (Lee Silvi, Mentor, Ohio, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. [not UK? as in DXLD 1-090] Mike Radio International is now using 9290 first Sunday of each month 0500 till around 0800. (Yahoo SW pirates) Verification received July 2nd says he is running a 1 kW Rohde und Schwarz transmitter. Address is Mike Radio, P.O. Box 23, 8090AA Wezep, Netherlands, website http://www.mike48.com and email mikeradio48@hotmail.com (Mike Barraclough, July World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS (& non). Hurray to RNW for getting lots of mileage out of the fact that they`re on former BBC frequencies. Tuned in on 6175 via Sackville at 24xx (sorry, can't remember the minutes) and about 0215. Lots of mentions about the virtues of shortwave, technical things like sporadic-e, the fact that they're on ex-Beeb freqs, and that they`re via Canada. RNW obviously has a far superior PR department than the BBC. Apparently, the BBC didn`t consider the fact that they axed the NA service just in time for July 4th when Americans remember that we`re not under English rule. I love English humor. But the Beeb doesn`t have the equivalents of Monty Python and Keeping Up Appearances on SW. While I don`t think that those two particular shows could translate easily into radio programs, the BBC doesn`t really try to come up with something similar. Remember that the English wore big red jackets during the Revolution and thought they were invisible. Likewise, they assume that there are scads of 30somethings like myself that would love to watch the Real Audio player rebuffer a teenybopper music show every minute. Not my cup of tea (pun intended). Happy Independence Day! (Liz Cameron, MI, 30 June 2001, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS [non]. Hi Glenn, Radio Nationaal is quoted as saying "Vanaf the overkant van de Noordzee, dit is Radio Nationaal." I'd be very surprised if they said that, as "the" (pronounced tay) is the Dutch for 'tea'. I suspect the announcement actually said 'de overkant van de Noordzee' (the other side of the North Sea). 73, (Andy Sennitt, Holland, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OMAN. 19470 (2 x 9735), R Oman, 2140 June 29, Arabic language px. Mideastern mx. I really worked at this one, but couldn`t figure it out. Checked several sources and scanned 31-13 mb with no //. Harmonic weak to fair, fundamental good. Thanks to members of the Harmonics group for identifying this for me. Also: Oman, 19520 (2 x 9760), R Oman, 0031 June 30, Arabic language and mx. Harmonic weak/fair, fundamental good. Thanks go to the folks at the Harmonics group for identifying this one, as well (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Oman was my guess since it is a small service with no //. I found a listing for it in the 2000 ed of Passport. The only other mid-eastern on the fundamental freq, I found listed was Iran, and they have oodles of frequencies. My books are dated though, and these things change so fast. I spent all the time scanning, with the harmonic on the phone over my left ear and the other rx scanning with another phone over the right. I`ve got used to listening to 2 rxs playing different stations at the same time, hi, hi. Actually I`ve discovered a little DX trick. If one listens to a weak station with 2 different receivers and antennas with 2 sets of head phones (draped over the head so one ear piece is against the ear per rx/ear) the audio clarity is noticeably enhanced. One can hear the audio swirling around as the differences in phase shifting between antennas becomes apparent. It's 3D audio, or stereo SW! I guess the improvement in clarity happens because, when the signal is dropping out on one antenna it isn't on the other. Anyway, I didn`t have time just to listen to the fundamental for px details. Thanks for your help on this (Hodgson, harmonics via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. ``KBBN``-- Our SW project was put on hold due to the fact that FBN (David Robison) thought that the used transmitter he was sending was going to be more trouble than it was worth (Brad Wells, PNG, Jul 2, Cumbre DX Special via DXLD) SMFT (gh) ** PHILIPPINES. After several weeks of failing to reach the Veritas- website, the forwarding now works and leads to a new address. The homepage of Radio Veritas Asia (Buick St. North, Fairview, Quezon City, Philippines) now has the address http://www.rveritas-asia.org/ The website has language by language subpages and schedules which took me 1 hour to download. I have already written to the webmaster/webmistress to request a complete technical schedule for fast download as they used to have. "RVA broadcasts daily from 2100 to 0330 UT on different frequencies from 19 to 49 meter bands in two simultaneous transmissions. The programs aired are produced both in the Fairview studios in Quezon City, Philippines and in the target area production centers. Pursuing its two-fold objective of Evangelization and Human Development, RVA communicates with 21 countries in Asia in 17 languages." Compared with the "non-denominational" religious broadcasters this main-line church broadcaster does take a more respectful attitude towards non-Christian religions (Dr. Hansjörg Biener, Germany, 1 July 2001, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ROMANIA. CONCURSO: Estimados oyentes, Radio Rumanía Internacional, organiza un concurso sobre temas de cultura general bajo los créditos: Rumanía, tercer milenio; Maramures comarca sin par. Como de costumbre deberá responder por escrito algunas preguntas sobre la historia, la cultura y la geografía de Rumanía, escuche nuestros programas, responda correctamente y podrán ganar. Esperamos sus participaciones hasta el 31 de Julio del año corriente, fecha del matasellos. Habrá muchos premios ofrecidos por las autoridades locales y por patrocinadores de Maramures, comarca situada en el norte de Rumanía. Ofrecerá sus mejores auspicios, la Diputación de la Provincia, el Consejo Departamental de Maramures, el Consejo Departamental para la Cultura, la Cámara de Comercio e Industrias, los Ayuntamientos de los Municipios de Vallamare y????????? la Asociación Familiar Borlean, Agro Tour de Vadulise. El gran premio consistirá en una estancia de siete días en Maramures, norte de Rumanía para dos personas a finales del mes de Septiembre. Y ahora las cuatro preguntas: 1.....En qué parte de Rumanía esta situada la comarca de Maramures. 2.....Menciona uno de los principales alicientes turísticos de Maramures. 3.....Mencionen tres personalidades culturales rumanas del siglo XX. 4.....En qué organización internacional ocupa Rumanía la presidencia en este año 2001. Les rogamos nos escriban también que les ha determinado participar en este concurso realizado por Radio Rumanía Internacional. Nos pueden enviar sus cartas, faxes o correos electrónicos. Nuestras direcciones son: Radio Rumanía Internacional Casilla de Correos 111, Bucarest. Rumanía. Nuestro número de teléfono y fax es: 4012232613. Nuestro correo electrónico es: rri@rri.ro o bien: span@rri.ro Esperamos sus participaciones hasta el 31 de julio fecha del matasellos. Anunciaremos a los ganadores por las ondas de Radio Rumanía Internacional el mes de Agosto. Les deseamos mucho éxito. (via Banda Tropical, June 29, Club DXistas de la Amistad, Venezuela, via DXLD) ** SUDAN / NETHERLANDS. Sudan protests at Dutch-sponsored radio | Text of report by Dutch newspaper NRC Handelsblad web site on 28 June The Hague, 28 June: Sudan has filed an official protest with the foreign ministry concerning a radio station donated by the NCRV [Dutch broadcasting organization] that makes programmes for the people of Southern Sudan, who have been ravaged by civil war. According to the government in Khartoum, which has been fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in the South, the station is disseminating military and political propaganda in violation of earlier agreements. Late last week, a Sudanese diplomat, it now appears, filed a memorandum of protest in The Hague. Development Cooperation Minister Herfkens, who is providing financial support to the station on the condition that it refrains from such propaganda, is having Khartoum's complaint investigated. Informed sources say that the wrath of Khartoum, which considers the station a tool of the SPLA, has been aroused mainly by critical reports about bombings of Southern villages by government aircraft. The station, known as the Voice of Hope, was established last year at the initiative of the NCRV on the occasion of its 75th anniversary. It aims to give the people of Southern Sudan access to independent information. Previously, the South relied on official radio broadcasts from the Muslim North. Pax Christi and the ICCO [Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation] also support the project. [According to the current Radio Netherlands transmission schedule, Voice of Hope is broadcast on Saturdays at 0430-0525 gmt on 12060 and 15320 kHz via the Radio Netherlands Madagascar relay station.] Source: NRC Handelsblad web site, Rotterdam, in Dutch 28 Jun 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. 12040, RUI with excellent (!) reception at 2420 30 June w/mx prg. 1000 kW? Nab this while you can-you never know when and where they`ll be next (Liz Cameron, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) By 2420 30 June, do you mean UT July 1, as I would?? (gh, DXLD) {No, June 30 - Liz, later} Radio Ukraine International really plans to broadcast in Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish and Polish but decision should be made at the highest level (Sergey Kolesov, Ukraine, July World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** U K. From Los Angeles Times Opinion Page http://www.latimes.com/print/opinion/20010701/t000054432.html The Sudden Silence of BBC Radio By MARC COOPER I'm a licensed member of a near-secret fraternity, amateur radio operators. We have an almost religious devotion to the hum of power transformers, the warm glow of vacuum tubes and the magic of charged electrons bouncing off the ionosphere and into a lit receiver. We "hams" are among those most saddened--and alarmed--by the news that the venerable BBC World Service will be cutting back its international shortwave broadcasts starting today.... (via John Townes, swprograms via DXLD) OK -- here we go again. The following are Americas stream frequencies targeting Central and South America--- From 2100 UT, I tuned in to 12095: w/the Lowe 150 and A/D sloper -- S6-7 with RTTY QRM. Was able to use the notch on the AP-150 and the sync mode to get rid of most of it. But this won't work for someone with a portable; w/the Sony SW07, results were less satisfactory. It was useable but just barely -- the sync there reduced the RTTY QRM but couldn`t eliminate it entirely. From 2300 UT, I tuned to 5975: w/the Lowe -- S9-+10. Very good with slight fading, as it was on the Sony SW07. From 0000 UT, I tuned to 9915: w/the Lowe -- S9-+10. Even better than 5975 at this time, same with the Sony SW07. There's a new late (the last day or two) announced frequency for Mexico (isn't that in North America???? It is on my map.) at 0000- 0100. This is 11810 from Delano: w/the Lowe---S6-S8. Not terrible, but not as good as either of the above. This one may be better, though, in the western half of NA. 11835 from Delano--another new one for Mexico -- will open from 0100 to 0500 and we`ll check on that one later. This afternoon after 1700 and prior to 2100: 21470 (E. Africa stream), 17830, 15400 (bad het most of the time), 11835 (all W. Africa stream), 12095 (w/lots of rtty/Middle East stream) and 9410 (w/some rtty of its own/Europe stream) were audible and some were quite good on the Lowe at times. Unfortunately, they were much less impressive on the Sony SW-07. Under normal circumstances, the only frequency that would prove listenable during this period on a portable might be 21470 from 1700 to 1900. Later: I don't know how this plays in "Mexico" to whom this frequency is beamed from Delano; but on the east coast, it is obliterated by DW Antigua signing on from 0052 or thereabouts. 11835 came on at 0100 as scheduled, putting about an S7 signal into the northeastern US on my Lowe HF-150 w/ A/D sloper. [Later later:] Although others had warned me, I was skeptical. A public acknowledgment to Mr. Richard Cuff: your information was correct. 5975 continues past 0400. Now all that remains to be seen is how late it will actually go. Lots of frequencies from several streams are doing quite well tonite. Here's a list at 0410 UT: 11835 and 5975 - Americas stream 6195, 9410, 12035, 12095, 15575 - Europe and Middle East streams combined 7120, 7160 - West Africa stream 15420, 17640 - East Africa stream 15310 - South Asia stream (John A. Figliozzi, NY, swprograms via DXLD) RN`s ``stunt`` might have an ulterior motive -- holding the frequencies for BBC in case the cuts be reversed in a few weeks, rather than letting Merlin sign them over to some gospel huxter in a long-term contract. Altho my heart is with the campaign, after the first day of BBCWS ``gone`` from SW to North America, I am forced to suspect this has all been much ado about nothing. I.e., it can still be heard, well, and easily. New frequencies to Mexico! How about that? It`s the decision itself, its intent, and the way it has been handled, which is so offensive -- not the result. (Glenn Hauser, swprograms via DXLD) I dunno... I find the result just as offensive. As for RN shilling for the BBC? No way (John A. Figliozzi, ibid.) Glenn, I agree with you that the intent and handling by the BBCWS is the most offensive aspect of this, but I believe goes hand in hand with the practical result. If they had respected their audience and sought our input before the decision they could have found ways of reducing their budget without alienating their listeners. There are areas of duplication that could have been reduced through compromise. Even the aftermath of the announcement could have been less rancorous if they had not been so high-handed and stubborn. For example, here in the northeast in "primetime" evening, it's admittedly not much worse than before, because the off-target frequencies come in fairly well. But in the daytime, the BBCWS is now almost non-existent. Personally, I'd have been willing to give up the targeted evening frequencies and put up with a slightly weaker signal at night in exchange for being able to listen during the daytime. This is a big country, and they could not have found ideal solutions to please everyone. But at least if they`d been willing to compromise and work with its audience, instead of their arrogant "take it or leave it" disregard, the BBCWS could have reduced their costs without sacrificing decades of goodwill and respect (John Townes, swprograms via DXLD) Hello, Glenn...Just my two cents on the BBC North America cuts, from someone who has been a regular fan of their shortwave broadcasts for 35 years: Listening Sunday evening July 1 between 0000 and 0100 UT (July 2 UT) it would seem to me that all the fretting and hand- wringing has been overblown...Here in Houston 5975 from Antigua coming in just fine as it always has. 12095 from Ascension also with a solid signal, and 9915 at a decent level as well. Later in the evening 6195 and 9410 will be good alternatives, and there are the various frequencies beamed to Africa (7160 is best here) that will work. In the morning we still have Antigua, plus the usually reliable 9740 from Singapore. So it seems the chickens will still lay eggs, the cows will still give milk, the sun will rise tomorrow morning in the east, and shortwave listeners in North America will still have the BBC. Later: Hello, again, Glenn...just one further note on BBC changes...per tip on rec.radio.shortwave from John A. Figliozzi, around 0130 checked BBC on new 11835 from Delano -- Signal blasting into Houston. All this may actually be an improvement over the old frequency lineup. I agree with you, I don't like the intent of the cuts, either. I've never been thrilled with "gatekeepers" standing between broadcasters and listeners, as the "new BBC distribution" includes; in this case FM station managers and internet providers (Steve Luce, Houston, July 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn & John, Tuned around yesterday monitoring freqs for BBC Otherworld Service. Best here near Atlanta were 6195/15220/17840 during the morning hours, and 5975/9410/9915/12095 evening. All is not lost. Keep up the pressure on them, and keep us informed of freqs and program times in MT. 73, (John Cobb, Roswell, GA, July 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ...I don't think it was very nice of Radio Nederland to snap up the freed BBCWS frequencies, even if only for a while (Alan Bosch, to Carole Cady, UK Ambassador to US office, cc to DXLD) Alan: I agree with everything you said except what you said about the RN move. The BBC having abandoned these frequencies; they are "prime real estate", especially immediately in the aftermath of July 1. I commend RN for being aggressive, stepping up to the plate as it were, and putting their money where their mouth is. The BBC has given them and other international broadcasters a unique opportunity to capitalize on the BBC's arrogance in this matter and demonstrate their own commitment to listeners. It also may prove to be an eye- opener for more than a few listeners who bought their radios just to hear the BBC, eschewing all others. RN is likely using this period after July 1 to publicize its own station and gauge listener reactions for any changes or improvements going forward it may wish to make. I think it's a stroke of genius. I doubt they can afford to occupy these frequencies indefinitely. Nonetheless, if this proves to strengthen RN -- which, I'm sure you agree, offers programming of high quality, so much the better. The BBC should have no problem with this whatsoever. After all, to them shortwave is dead here in this region. Right? Thanks for writing the BBC and helping to keep the pressure on (John Figliozzi, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Preliminary BBC/ex-BBC loggings at Boston: The BBC is still on several frequencies I'd been afraid we'd lose. The frequencies retained/dropped do NOT correspond directly to Monitoring Times' designations of NA (North America) vs AM (AMericaS). As I'd hoped, the signals to the Caribbean and So.Am. are nice and fairly strong in Boston MASS. Not as strong as say 5.975 used to be, which didn't require ANY antenna, but pretty good none the less. Radio Nederland has popped up on most of the vacated frequencies with a Best-Of teaser, "on behalf of all the remaining European Shortwave broadcasters", inviting us to become regular listeners of them. Nice touch. I liked the dry humor of the intro addressed to BBC listeners. I'd been expecting to listen to more RNI & DW in the post 7/1 period anyway. This announcement was a pick-me-up in my check of which BBC freqs were still active. They do tout the coming "Digital Shortwave, sounds like FM" just a bit too much for a devoted SW monitor to stomach -- how well Digital can survive fading with a broad signal is yet to be proven! AM provides a warning of fading; FM and digital modes copy fine until they disappear completely or go choppy. You'll have to be well above LUF and well below MUF for it to work. However, there was one glitch. At 20010702T0200Z (10PM EDT) last night, RNI's signal was on 5.975, quite a few DB below a very strong BBC signal still on that frequency at that time. This added some unintentional irony to the "BBC used to be here" announcement :-) Loggings attached below. More later, Bill Ricker Amateur Radio licensee N1VUX Boston, Mass 02122-1420 USA =================== BBC and ex-BBC loggings, Boston MA, station N1VUX '=' indicates same stream 20010701T0440Z 9.590 RNI Sampler 9.410 BBC good, = 6.175 BBC QRN, = 5.975 BBC = 6.195 BBC good/strong, = 12.095, v.weak, un.id 20010701T0500Z 6.195 BBC good =, short news then pop music 6.175 BBC fair, QRM, = 5.975 vacant 9.410 BBC OK = 12.095 BBC Euro-stream? "World Today" 20010701T1231Z 9.515 RNI 15.220 BBC News 20010701T1500Z 15.220 RNI 9.515 RNI 20010702T0130 5.975 BBC Wright-around-the-world = 6.175 RNI 9.410 BBC WOrld Today 6.195 vacant 6.135 vacant 9.590 RNI 12.095 ?BBC Wright=? weak w/QRM 9.915 BBC = 20010702T0200Z 9.915 BBC World Today = 9.410 BBC weaker = 5.975 BBC strong =, with RNI QRM! 6.135 RNI 6.195 BBC 12.095 BBC 6.175 RNI 20010703/1130Z 5.965 RNI 6.190 nothing heard / looking for BBC AF-service, not heard, LUF too high? 15.220 BBC (NOT LISTED in MT!) Got my fix of Alastair Cooke's Letter from AMerica, yeah! 17.830 BBC AF weak 20010703/1200Z 17830 BBC AF weak 9.515 RNI 15.220 BBC Carib (NOT LISTED IN MT!) 5.965 vacant (listed in MT but not used in June either, which is why RNI is off this one. BBC listeners know not to listen here now, since 5965->9515 switch at 8AM EDT has been in effect for months.) (Ricker, DXLD) Communications World listener Sarkis Garjarian tells me that Sir Christopher Bland, Chairman of the BBC, will take questions during a BBC live chatroom session, July 5 at 2200 UTC (6:00 p.m. local in the UK). See http://www.bbc.co.uk/livechat/index.shtml This site also has a section which accepts suggestions for other guests (Kim Andrew Elliott, swprograms via DXLD) Huh? 2200 UT is 9 pm BST; when is it, really? (gh) 6 pm local time, 1700 UT (Richard Cuff, John Fibliozzi, ibid.) Thanks Glenn -- it's 6:00 p.m. BST, thus 1700 UT, July 5 (Kim Elliott, DXLD) ** U K [non]. Hello Glenn, Radio Ezra 13850 sent a QSL card in 3 weeks, stating that "I have had a lot of problems with the audio and hope to sort these out before any future programmes". Signed by John D. Hill, station owner; Water into Wine Ministry, P.O. Box 16, Stockton on Tees TS18 3 GN, U.K. For what it's worth, transmitter location is printed as Wavre, Belgium. 73 (Fabrizio Magrone, Italy, July 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Across the Tracks, special distributed by Public Radio International, about Route 66, hosted by Martin Milner: http://www.unm.edu/~wrtgsw/atc/route66.html appears to be an official site for the series. However, it mainly contains general information about Route 66, and says little about the radio series beyond that it's supposedly five hours (maybe an original intention that was subsequently reduced?) There's a detailed description of a 3-part series on WFSU's web site: http://www.fsu.edu/~wfsu_fm/specials/rt66/rt66.html WFSU will be carrying the program on July 2, 3, and 4 at 2100 ET, and it does has a live stream. I hope you get a chance to hear it. Enjoy, (- Kevin A. Kelly Arlington, Massachusetts, USA, publicradiofan.com DXLD) I have already, the first and third episodes via WUOT, WBEZ. The third, which will also be on WBEZ Sunday, July 8 at 10-11 pm CDT, deals briefly with my old hometown, around the middle of the hour, Santa Rosa NM, and its most famous (?) resident (gh) ** U S A. WUOT has scheduled a couple of special programs to help you celebrate the 4th of July: Tuesday July 3, 8:30-10:30 p.m. [EDT] -- Grant Park Symphony Orchestra Independence Eve Concert. Broadcast live from Chicago, produced by WFMT. In this official Independence Day celebration for Chicago, Andre Raphel Smith will conduct the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra, with Kevin Maynor, bass. The program will include an array of traditional and patriotic music. The concert concludes with the annual performance of Tchaikovsky's "1812" Overture. For the seventh year, the orchestra will continue its performance over the backdrop of Chicago's spectacular fireworks presentation including "The Stars and Stripes Forever". Wednesday, July 4, 2-4 p.m. [EDT] -- Celebrating our Independence With the Choral Arts Society. Martin Goldsmith hosts this 2-hour special featuring music by such American luminaries as Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, James Hopkins and Charles Ives. (WUOT list via DXLD) webcast via http://www.wuot.org – The Grant Park concert would be on WFMT and a number of other stations (gh) ** U S A. WQXR's (N.Y., Classics) New Webpage. From New York Radio Guide: http://www.nyradioguide.com/ A Web Classic: (July 1) WQXR (96.3 FM), the classical music station of the New York Times and New York`s oldest FM station, has re- designed and expanded its website, http://www.wqxr.com In addition to the station`s program schedule and announcer profiles, the site includes complete station playlists, which are searchable by composer or by individual composition. Users are provided with free access to the online Grove Concise Dictionary of Music; there are articles and links to extensive classical music resources. Listeners can also tune in to WQXR`s streaming audio. Metropolis, Inc., a New York-based design firm, is responsible for the site`s redesign and reëngineering. [Actually, The station's been promoting it on-air for some time now. It's taken me time, but often I prefer WQXR to WNYC-FM. Chet] (Chet Copeland, NY, July 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) About time they provided a program grid on their website; unfortunately, with their format, there`s not much to it (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. KCRW July 4 Highlights: July 3: Capitol Steps 7-7:30 PM (PT); July 4th: 13 hour jazz singer marathon 9 AM-10 PM (PT) http://www.kcrw.org/about/pressreleases/010621Julyhighlights.html (Chet Copeland, NY, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Film Week is a show I enjoy on WOR outlet WSUI, Sundays 8-9 pm CDT via http://wsui.uiowa.edu It appears to be a networked public radio program, featuring LA critics discussing the latest movies in some depth, but I have not found it on any other station (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, Here`s what I found out about Film Week. It`s on exactly two stations, the other being KPCC in the Los Angeles area (which isn`t webcast). The host is Larry Mantle, who also hosts a local talk show on KPCC. Impressively, there are complete transcripts of the shows at http://www.transcripts.net/transcripts/filmweek/ (Kevin A. Kelly, publicradiofan.com DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Re DXLD 1-091: Enjoyed the item on WWKB -- I still have trouble calling it that. I grew up about 10 miles due East of 'KB's transmitter, and it overwhelmed the top third of the MW band on the Lafayette "Explor- Air" kit radio my father built me; that radio was my intro to shortwave. Since 'KB was local for me, I never appreciated what a following it had in NY / CT in the '60s and '70s until I went to college with bunch of folks from NY City. I remember Joey Reynolds in his regular program shift; never realized until years later how popular he was beyond Western NY. I still remember several of their jingles, too. Even back then, 'KB was a harbinger of things to come. In the mid '60s, local news was still important on many stations; not KB; they had 2-3 minutes at :15 and :45. (Richard Cuff, Allentown, PA, July 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KKWY/1630 still on low power I was in Cheyenne today and I checked out KKWY again. They are still transmitting from the site they share with sister station KJJL. In Denver, 90 miles away, I rarely hear KKWY even with the Drake R-8 and the Kiwa loop. But in Cheyenne I can easily hear the Denver 1650 and 1690 stations on my basic car radio. To compare the signal strength of KKWY and KJJL I removed the whip antenna for my car radio and checked the 2 stations for distance. I found that in any direction that I drove from the transmitter site I could hear KJJL's 1,000 watts about 3 times farther than I could hear KKWY. KKWY, of course, is licensed for 10,000 watts during the day. These results indicate to me that KKWY is probably still transmitting with 1,000 watts or less and may still be using the "temporary" short horizontal wire antenna which remains on the site. At any rate I don't think they have ever transmitted at full power. After I saw the transmitter building I was surprised that either station was on the air. It appears to have been on fire recently! All of the glass block windows are broken out and the front door has been replaced by a construction style temporary doorway. You can see where smoke came out of the windows and doorway and left soot up the sides of the building. There is also a construction style temporary power stand next to the front door so repair work must be under way. Yes, I did take some pictures of the KKWY transmitter site today. I just posted them at http://community.webtv.net/AM-DXer/KKWY Enjoy! Unfortunately the station was all locked up being a weekend and all. There isn't much to see from the outside. It's on the 2nd floor of a storefront building on the main street in downtown Cheyenne. I had a great tour right after KKWY went on the air. They even let me sit at the main console and play with the automation until I put them off the air and made everyone run. :-) But that was before I got the digital camera so I have no pics. I'm still on light duty at the fire department after my heart problems last March. So I'm working daytime Monday thru Friday which makes it hard to get up there on a weekday. However I have survived 2 recent attempts by my doctors to kill me on treadmill tests. So they may declare me as "unkillable" and release me back to regular duty soon. If that happens I'll try to get up there and get some station photos on a weekday. Patrick Griffith, Westminster, CO, USA QSL Manager for KBJD, KNUS, KRKS http://www.angelfire.com/co/antenna/ http://community.webtv.net/N0NNK/ (July 1, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. "Mister Guitar," Chet Atkins, W4CGP, SK NEWINGTON, CT, Jul 2, 2001-Guitar picker, music legend and Amateur Radio operator Chester B. "Chet" Atkins, W4CGP, of Nashville, Tennessee, died June 30. He was 77. Atkins reportedly died of cancer complications. Known as "Mister Guitar," Atkins hailed from East Tennessee. He began his musical career playing fiddle, but later earned his reputation as a guitarist. He went on to become the most-recorded solo instrumental musician in history. Formerly WA4CZD, Atkins, a General licensee, obtained the vanity call sign W4CGP in 1998 -- the suffix standing for "certified guitar picker." He was an ARRL member. He won 14 Grammy awards during his career and was elevated to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1973. He was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in part to recognize his guitar-picking technique as well as his wide influence on music. He had more than 100 albums to his credit. Atkins began his musical career as a youngster in the 1930s. He said he developed his unique guitar style by listening to radio broadcasts of Merle Travis. Following high school he worked as a musician for WNOX in Knoxville, playing the fiddle. But when the his boss, Bill Carlisle, heard his guitar playing, he was put on the station's mid- day barn dance show. Atkins also moonlighted as a jazz guitarist. He later moved to WLW in Cincinnati and worked briefly on the "National Barn Dance" show on WLS in Chicago. When Red Foley left WLS for Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, he took Atkins along. Atkins recorded his first tune, "Guitar Blues," while in Nashville. He was signed to an RCA Records contract in the late 1940s, but bounced around among several radio stations before returning to "Music City USA" to stay in 1950. He went on to become one of Nashville's top session musicians, playing on recordings by such greats as Hank Williams, The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley. He also appeared solo on The Grand Ole Opry. Later he became an RCA Records executive and producer, where he played a role in developing the careers of Roy Orbison, Charley Pride, Jerry Reed, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings and others. Atkins produced hits by Parton and Jennings, as well as by Don Gibson, Eddy Arnold, and Skeeter Davis among others. He also performed at the Newport Jazz Festival and entertained at the Kennedy White House. The appeal of Atkins' music extended beyond the boundaries of the country music world, and he is considered the primary architect of the more lush and uptown "Nashville Sound" that drew on his country music roots. Some country music purists accused Atkins of selling out, but the sound proved popular. Later, some would claim, the "Nashville Sound" saved country music at a time when the world was shifting to rock and pop. Atkins stepped down as a record company executive in the 1970s to again concentrate on performing. He was signed by Columbia Records in 1982, and dubbed himself "certified guitar picker" the following year. In his later years of performing, he sometimes paired up with musicians from the pop and jazz worlds and was a frequent guest on the radio program "A Prairie Home Companion," hosted by Garrison Keillor. Nashville has continued to recognize Atkins' contributions with an annual "Chet Atkins' Musician Days" festival, which benefits the Chet Atkins Music Education Fund. A Nashville street in the Music Row area also is named for him, and a statue of Atkins was erected last year in downtown Nashville. The Chet Atkins Appreciation Society holds a four-day convention each year. A funeral service for Chet Atkins will be held July 3 in Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, which formerly served as the home of The Grand Ole Opry. Atkins is survived by his wife of more than 50 years, Leona, a daughter Merle, a sister and two grandchildren. (ARRL via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** U S A [clandestine]. On the militia watchdog list, Tom Sevart found a June 15 public statement from Steve Anderson, the driving force behind Untied Patriot Radio. The message comes from a Bonnie Bergey bongerg@fast.net post via the http://www.militia-watchdog.org list [sponsored by ADL, the site itself is now an archive, no longer much activity -gh] that originated from ``Gunnfixer, Tony Hogrefe of the CA High Desert Militia`` using a Gunnfixer@cs.com e-mail address. Steve Anderson`s e-mail address was bulldogradio621@hotmail.com in this string of postings and forwarded e-mail, so that address might be good for any follow-up internet correspondence (George Zeller, Clandestine Profile, July A*C*E via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Effective Sunday July 1st, The First Church of Christ, Scientist`s Herald Broadcasting Syndicate made a frequency change for the 1200 to 1300 transmission to Indonesia and the South Pacific from a site in Russia. 12065 replaced 17835, which replaced 17635 on May 6th. 73, (Jim Moats, OH, July 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** URUGUAY. 6125, 02/07 0220, SODRE, programa "Radioatividades" ID "Transmite CX 26 AM 1050 kHz Emisora de radiodifusión Nacional SODRE, Montevideo, Uruguay, La Radio de Todos" boa recepción 6155, 02/07 0253, R Banda Oriental, Sarandí del Yi, Durazno, música uruguaya, ID "Transmitiendo en Banda de 49 metros, en 6155 del dial CWA155 Banda Oriental desde Saradí del Yi, Durazno, Uruguay, nuestro Correo electrónico....." s/off 0300 com hino, boa recepção. (Sérgio Dória Partamian, São Paulo SP, Brasil; Receptor: Hammarlund HQ 140 XA, com filtro mecânico Collins, Antenas: Longwire 20 metros com sintonizador indutivo Conexión Digital via DXLD) ###