DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-110, August 14, 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] The huge DXLD 1-103 has now been corrected and reposted at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1103.txt ** AUSTRALIA. "RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS RECORD OF LICENCES": The complete listing of all official broadcasting services in Australia is available from the Website of the Australian Communications Authority. This is a real-time searchable database of licence details for all radio and TV services (LF, MF, HF, VHF, UHF, Satellite), (excluding amateur), and it includes powers, emission designators, transmitter site locations, antenna characteristics, addresses, owners, operational dates, frequencies, callsigns, and lots more. The database is updated daily, and it may be interrogated by order of specific frequency, or by a frequency range (inputting lower and upper frequency limits). The dataBase is titled "RADIOCOMMUNICATIONS RECORD OF LICENCES". It has several hundred thousand entries, and it may also be purchased as a CD-ROM for A$117.70. A 12-month subscription is available for A$1680.80, which includes daily updates, which would put this out of reach to most hobbyists! It may be accessed at: http://www.sma.gov.au/database/radcomm/freq.htm This product would also be useful for medium-wave monitors interested in the extended-band services licenced from Australia, between 1611 and 1701 kHz. Note that the data refers to authorised licenses issued, which would include actual operational services. Data is given for many aspirational and on-air services on MF and VHF, such as the low-powered narrowcast and short-term services which are now proliferating across the nation. You will find current HF allocations for Radio Australia, the ABC's Northern Territory Service, Christian Voice, VNG, and everything else which uses the spectrum! You may also view the detailed Licence Terms for any station, which may include technical operational restrictions. The Conditions for Christian Voice, Darwin, make for interesting reading! (Bob Padula, Melbourne, Australia, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Subject: [A-DX] VOTE FOR RADIO AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL Nachdem die Aktion "Eine Stimme für Österreich" so grossartig angenommen wurde, gibts jetzt auf meiner Webseite auch noch ein mehrsprachiges PDF und Erklärungen in Englisch, für alle Hobbyfreunde die nicht deutsch sprechen. Und zusätzlich nochmals die Erinnerung eine Minute für das Ausfüllen und Absenden des einfachen Webformulares zu verwenden, diese Minute ist gut aufgehoben! 73 Christoph. siehe: http://www.ratzer.at Over the last few years, extreme budget cuts for the Austrian broadcasting services for abroad have been made and this year the whole funding will again be cut in half (!). No broadcasting service for abroad can survive with a budget of only ATS 45 million, so this practically means THE END for RADIO ÖSTERREICH INTERNATIONAL (Radio Austria International). Services that have already been dismissed are voice services in German, Spanish, Arabic and Esperanto. All listeners should show their solidarity with ROI NOW. Let´s give our VOTE FOR RADIO AUSTRIA INTERNATIONAL. Just fill in the easy web-form and send it to ROI, or download the PDF-file, print it and send it to ROI. We all should be able to spare this one minute it takes! NOW it´s our turn as listeners! Web-form and multilingual PDF-file can be found at: http://www.ratzer.at Thanks a lot for your support ­every vote counts! Greetings from Salzburg, Austria (Christoph Ratzer, OE2CRM, A-DX via Wolfgang Büschel, Wolf Harranth, DXLD) ** BELARUS [non]. Subject: RL: Riga-576 deleted Below the current operational schedule for the Belorussian service of Radio Liberty. 576 (Riga) deleted here, too, also in the version sorted by frequency; cancelled in favour of 612? Perhaps IBB was dissatisfied with the performance of the Riga-Ulbroka transmitter; Mikhail Timofeyev reported a while ago a quite weak signal at St. Petersburg? It now also turns out that it is Woofferton [on SW] which is almost a second ahead of the German sites as well as Marcali. BR RL RL-4 0300 0500 MOR 03 9635 043 BR RL RL-4 0300 0500 KAV 03 7295 355 BR RL RL-4 0300 0500 LAM 09 6170 055 BR RL RL-4 0300 0400 MAR A 1188 999 BR RL RL-4 0300 0400 VLN A 612 999 BR RL RL-4 0400 0500 VLN A 612 999 BR RL RL-4 1300 1430 VLN A 612 999 BR RL RL-4 1500 1700 MOR 10 15480 043 BR RL RL-4 1500 1630 BIB 03 11725 063 BR RL RL-4 1500 1630 HOL 03 7295 059 BR RL RL-4 1500 1630 VLN A 612 999 BR RL RL-4 1630 1700 BIB 03 11725 063 BR RL RL-4 1630 1700 HOL 03 7295 059 BR RL RL-4 1630 1700 VLN A 612 999 BR RL RL-4 1700 1900 WOF 06 15565 075 BR RL RL-4 1700 1900 LAM 02 11730 056 BR RL RL-4 1700 1900 BIB 01 7190 063 BR RL RL-4 1700 1830 VLN A 612 999 BR RL RL-4 1830 1900 VLN A 612 999 BR RL RL-4 1900 2030 WOF 07 11865 070 BR RL RL-4 1900 2100 HOL 01 9750 057 BR RL RL-4 1900 2030 BIB 10 9530 063 BR RL RL-4 1900 2030 MAR A 1188 999 BR RL RL-4 1900 2030 VLN A 612 999 BR RL RL-4 2030 2100 WOF 07 11865 070 BR RL RL-4 2030 2100 BIB 10 9530 063 BR RL RL-4 2030 2100 VLN A 612 999 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM. Radio Borderhunter, pirate, 15795, 0453 UT Aug 5. Each Sunday announcements and music "I have a one way ticket." USB Mode SIO 434 (Costa Constantinides, Cyprus, August 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. The other day, I followed a link from the As It Happens website and I ended up at http://www.cbcradio3.com. No listing of programs, no RealAudio, just a Canadian-only contest to win a new computer. Just what is a CBC Radio 3? Does it actually put a signal into the ether and if so to what end? (classical music? jazz? heavy metal? The Ukrainian equivalent of Polkas? talk?) Might its motto be "a website and, real soon now, beyond"? Might its symbol be a half- baked exploded pizza? (Joël Rubin, NY, Aug 13, swprograms via DXLD) Radio 3 is Webcast only, though a few of the dreadful programs leak out as fill for the Radio 1 (talk and current affairs, pop music). It was an attempt to make a youth network as the average listener to CBC skews much older. Run out of Vancouver and the empire of the hated Susan Englemann, it is widely ignored. The CRTC regulators had refused an extra broadcast network licence to CBC (Daniel Say, BC, Aug 14, swprograms via DXLD) ** CHECHNYA [non]. GEORGIA. OFFICIAL SAYS NO PROOF OF CLANDESTINE CHECHEN RADIO STATION EXISTS. Georgian National Communications Control Commission official Temur Dzagnidze told Caucasus Press on 8 August that his agency has been unable to trace the Chechen radio station that Russian officials claim is broadcasting to Chechnya from the Georgian village of Duisi. Dzagnidze said either that radio station does not exist, or its signal is so weak that only local radio engineers in eastern Georgia could trace it. ("RFE/RL Newsline," 8 August via RFE/RL Media Matters Aug 10 via DXLD) Well, DXers have heard it, as previously here ** CHINA. 10000, BPM Time Signal Station, "National Time Centre China" card, veri statement only "Thank You For Your Report" v/s Douzhong. This for a December 1999 reception, no follow up replies from Canada. The follow up mailed from Cuba, reply direct back to Canada in 4 weeks. Sked: 2.5 MHz 0730-0100 GMT 5.0 MHz 0000-2400 GMT 10.0 MHz 0000-2400 GMT 15.0 MHz 0100-0900 GMT Address: Shaanxi Astronomical Observatory Chinese Academy of Sciencenes (CSAO) PO Box 18, Lintong, Shaanxi, China Return postage was: 85 fen (Joe Talbot, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, Aug 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Head of CRI Online on developing web-based broadcasting Text of article by Fan Jianping, head of China Radio International Online, entitled: "Radio International: Web site-based broadcasting"; published on Chinese Communist Party newspaper Renmin Ribao web site on 11 August In his "1 July" speech, General Secretary Jiang Zemin proposed: "It is necessary to strive to master and develop all kinds of modern means of diffusion and actively drive the diffusion of advanced culture." Of all the modern means of diffusion, the Internet is undoubtedly the youngest, fastest developing means of diffusion that has the greatest potential. How to make full use of the Internet as a means of diffusion and open up a new prospect for the Chinese people's international broadcasting, which is soon to celebrate its 60th birthday, is the question we are facing now. Through the development of our web sites, we have realized that the process of mastering, developing and utilizing the Internet as a modern means of diffusion should be a process of taking account of our reality and the actual conditions of our station and demonstrating our characteristics. The uniqueness of China Radio International's web sites is twofold: The first is its linguistic strength, broadcasting in 43 languages; the second is a daily serving of over 200 hours of audio programme resources. Therefore, China Radio International [CRI] has created independent web sites in nine languages, namely: Chinese, English, French, German, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Portuguese. Together, they make up a multilingual and multimedia web site cluster. At present, all the language-specific web sites are attaching great importance to their audio feature. Visitors can not only listen to programmes live, but can also request recordings of hot programmes. When it comes to major reporting assignments, the audio programmes on our web sites have also become big crowd pullers. For example, during this year's "two sessions", the CRI web sites conducted five live broadcasts. In the web pages dedicated to the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the CCP's founding, the web sites provided live coverage of General Secretary Jiang Zemin's "1 July" speech in English, Russian and Spanish. The recording of the speech was also uploaded as an on-demand audio programme. Networking not only provides a new means for conventional broadcasting, but also imparts new meaning and functions to broadcasting. Broadcasting using the Internet as carrier has broken the confines of radio broadcasting and has embarked on the path towards "wide area broadcasting". The CRI shall make full use of text, audio, graphic, video, and other formats provided by networking to spread advanced culture far and wide, so that the world understands China better and China understands the world better. It is foreseeable that networking will become the main platform of international broadcasting. Today, we run broadcasting-based web sites; tomorrow, we will run web site-based broadcasting. Source: Renmin Ribao web site, Beijing in Chinese 11 Aug 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** CHINA. WS337 ADVENTIST WORLD RADIO + David Barasoain with Wavescan 337, Sunday June 10 * Narrator: World War 2 Memorabilia - The Radio Scene in Shanghai During the era under review in this edition of Wavescan, the city of Shanghai in China was an important international city. These days it is listed as the world's largest city with a population in excess of 10 million people. However, the beginnings of Shanghai go back more than a thousand years when it was just a small trading center. After the Opium War in 1842, England was granted trading rights in Shanghai. Soon afterwards, other European powers were also granted the same trading privileges in Shanghai and each country was given its own territory, a "concession", in an area to the north of the city. In this way, Shanghai truly became an international city with separate residential areas for England, France, Germany, Italy, America and Japan. When radio stations were established in the city of Shanghai, each of the foreign concessions established its own station, though mostly with Chinese callsigns. Many of these stations were heard throughout the world on shortwave. A few struggling experimental stations with irregular callsigns were launched on mediumwave by commercial enterprises in the Chinese area of Shanghai in the mid 1920's but most of them failed soon afterwards. More substantial mediumwave stations began to appear on the radio dial in the early 1930's and these were all licensed with callsigns in the X series. The first shortwave station in Shanghai was launched in 1931 on the channel 5000 kHz exactly and given the regular callsign XCTE. This station also disappeared soon afterwards. Japanese forces occupied Shanghai in 1937, but each of the foreign concessions was permitted to retain its area of influence and to continue in its regular activities, at least for a while. In early 1938, the Japanese occupation forces took over a mediumwave station previously owned by a Japanese merchant in Shanghai. This was station XQHA, with 250 watts on 580 kHz. During the Pacific War, there were five different and important international shortwave stations located in Shanghai, all owned and operated by different nations. Early in the year 1939, station XMHA was installed in the American concession in Shanghai with its identification announcement as "The Call of the Orient". Early in the year 1942, this station was taken over by the Japanese, still with the same identification announcements, XMHA and "The Call of the Orient". This station was monitored frequently by Arthur Cushen in New Zealand for news and information of interest to the South Pacific. Early in the year 1940, station XGRS was installed in the German concession in Shanghai. It could be presumed that the callisgn XGRS stood for "German Radio Station". Programming from this station was violently anti-British and it carried significant news and information from both Germany and Japan. When peace was declared in Europe, Japan took over this station giving it the callsign XGOO. Three months after peace was declared in the Pacific, the Chinese took over this station, giving it a new callsign XORA. This 5 kW crystal controlled transmitter was the only shortwave station that remained on the air in Shanghai after the war. The Italians also erected a station in their concession in Shanghai with the callsign XIRS; and likewise, it could be presumed that XIRS stood for "Italian Radio Station". The French erected a mediumwave station in their concession some years before the hostilities began in Europe, though this station identified with the French callsign FFZ, rather than a Chinese callsign. Early in the year 1940, a 400 watt shortwave unit was installed and after the German occupation of France, this station became the Asian voice for the Vichy government. For a period of a year or so, a shortwave station in Shanghai purported to be located "somewhere in India". This station announced on air as "The Voice of Free India" and "The Voice of Indian Independence" and it was first noted in New Zealand in March 1942. This station was heard frequently with two channels in parallel. Towards the end of the same year, programming was revamped and the station identified as "The Voice of the Indian Independence League". Thus for half a dozen decisive years around the middle of last century, many of the major powers in conflct in Europe and Asia were represented on the shortwave scene in Shanghai. References -------------------------------------- 1937 Japan invaded China 1940 Jul French capitulation 1941 Dec 7 Pearl Harbor Shanghai - American & Japanese XMHA wandering all around 25 m band; R&H 79.11 5-39 58 XMHA plain QSL card; R&H 79.11 7-39 53 XMHA SW 11857 schedule; LI July 1938 79.24 XMHA 11850 1st reference; ARW 77.8 1-12-39 37 XMHA details; 77.10 R&H 11-40 55 XMHA under Japanese control, Call of the Orient; ARW 77.8 4-42 22 XMHA under Japanese; ARW 77.8 11-42 20 XMHA 1st heard in Melbourne Oct 1942; Meo 35 XMHA broadcasting to Australia 11860 22-2-43 6:30 pm; Meo 47 XMHA 11850 ATC TLG 61 Shanghai - German XGRS 12015 1st reference; ARW 77.8 6-40 34 XGRS Shanghai announce 11880, on 11920 new German; 77.11 R&H 10-40 55 XGRS issuing QSL letters, promising card; 77.11 R&H 9-41 55 XGRS issuning series of 6 QSL cards; R&H 11-41 52 XGRS German; R&H 10-42 XGRS taken over by Japanese as XGOO on May 25, 1945; RN 7-46 112 XGOO continued after Japanese surrender; RN 7-46 112 XORA new callsign under Chinese began Nov 25 1945; RN 7-46 111 & 112 XGRS-XGOO-XORA 5 kW crystal controlled transmitter; RN 7-46 112 Shanghai - Italian XIRS 11980 1st reference; ARW 77.8 6-40 34 XIRS 11980 1st reference; 77.11 R&H 6-41 53 XIRS Italian; R&H 10-42 Shanghai - French FFZ 12060 new station 1st reference; 77.10 R&H 5-40 62 FFZ MW many years, just began SW; 77.10 5-40 58 & 59 FFZ 12050 1st reference; ARW 77.8 6-40 30 FFZ 400 watts; R&H 79.11 10-41 57 Shanghai - British ? X.xxx; R&H 10-42 ?? Shanghai - Indian Freedom Station Freedom Station; ARW 77.8 4-42 & 5-42 & 11-42 Freedom Station 2 channels in parallel; ARW 77.8 7-42 Voice of Free India, Japanese station, heard in April; R&H 79.12 5- 42 54 Voice of Free India, 2 channels 3 frequencies; R&H 79.12 7-42 49 Voice of Free India heard in NZ; R&H 79.12 8-42 49 Radio Shanghai Indian Independence League; 11970; R&H 12-42 89 Indian Independence Radio Shanghai; R&H 79.12 1-43 49 Indian Independence Radio Shanghai final entry; R&H 79.12 3-43 44 Early 1943 Shanghai foreign stations no longer listed. =================================================================== (Adrian Peterson, AWR Wavescan, via Alan Roe via Mike Barraclough, World DX Club via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. Analysis: Colombia's rebels engage in media warfare | Text of editorial analysis by BBC Monitoring on 14 August Clandestine radio has played a crucial role in Colombia's conflict for the last 20 years, helping the armed groups to spread their propaganda to a mainly peasant and guerrilla audience. A US Agency for International Development (USAID) field report has recently identified the media as a major focus in the conflict. Colombia's troubles can be traced back to peasant uprisings in 1964, out of which the FARC-EP (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia- People's Army) were born. The rebels fund the war through drug money and "taxation". Right-wing paramilitary groups have also cashed in while fighting the leftist guerrillas. According to a report published by http://www.clandestineradio.com Colombia's first clandestine radio station was La Voz del M19, which aired propaganda for the M19 guerrillas throughout the 1980s. From 1987 to 1999 the ELN (National Liberation Army) broadcast from Radio Patria Libre, which was eventually closed down by the government. The gap was plugged by the FARC, who had set up a network of stations known as La Voz de la Resistencia. The USAID report identified 15 FARC stations and one paramilitary station, while the army have 53 and the police run 30. The Bogotá daily El Espectador says that the 15 FARC blocs were already broadcasting on both FM and SW in January 2001, when the government granted the FARC a demilitarized zone (DMZ) in the south as a site for peace talks. Venezuela's Globovisión TV has also reported FARC transmissions from Zulia State on the border with Colombia. This has been a source of tension between Caracas and Bogotá, although the rebels deny the claim. The FARC say the radio is another battlefront, which helps the peace process by explaining to Colombians "the true interests" of all the parties, through war bulletins and "News Bombshells". Archived radio reports can be heard at http://www.radioresistencia.com The Cuban news agency Prensa Latina highlights the growing audience of young Colombians the FARC claim to be attracting. Part of their success is attributed to revolutionary play lists and a lack of advertising. In July, FARC commander Raul Reyes told Prensa Libre that transmissions to the capital will begin soon, "based on successful tests that will guarantee coverage of almost eight million inhabitants who are being misinformed". This National Bolivarian Network will broadcast on a single frequency. According to clandestineradio.com, since 1999 the government has attempted to counter rebel propaganda by broadcasting "black" clandestine stations under the name El Pueblo Responde. Broadcasts are timed to interfere with or "jam" guerrilla newscasts. The station has been heard playing popular "vallenato" music over La Voz de la Resistencia. USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives is also busy, "strengthening networks of independent community radio stations, as well as networks of journalists committed to using neutral, non-inflammatory language". War is not only being waged on the airwaves. In July, the United Self-Defence Groups of Colombia (AUC) - a right-wing paramilitary organization - announced the restructuring of their official web site at http://www.colombialibre.org The FARC also have a Spanish-language web site at http://www.farc-ep.org which was established in February 2001 and is still under construction. The AUC site invites visitors to send in "their complaints and concerns, expressions of solidarity and regular voluntary economic support". The AUC has grown in both influence and popularity as the conflict intensifies. The BBC's Colombian specialist, Jeremy McDermott, says that polls suggest up to 10 per cent of the population support what they see as a semi-legitimate army. The web site provides a broad base of information, from the text of the group's constitution to an organizational chart of the Central Command and a political cartoon section. Weekly editorials are published by the political wing under the direction of Carlos Castaño. Visitors are encouraged to give feedback by e-mail. Most letters are anonymous, often signed "A Colombian citizen" or "A sympathiser". In Colombia, many killings by all the armed groups are justified on the grounds that those targeted were "collaborating" with one of the opposing factions. ((c) BBC Monitoring research 14 Aug 01 via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. All three RFPI transmitters, 21815-USB, 15049, 7445, were noted on the air at the same time after quite a while with only two; I think it was around 0300 or 0400 UT August 12 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA? 3840.75 heard here in Nashville as well on Aug 11th @ 1017, with mx (Hodgson, TN) Still unidentified. Noticed several new harmonics below 4 mc, of which this is one (David Hodgson, TN, August 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. Nuevas frecuencias para la zona del Mediterráneo: A través del programa "En Contacto" de RHC (TU Agosto 13 de 2001 0135, 15230) su conductor Norberto Hernández dijo ``Como hemos anunciado desde el pasado 8 de agosto, efectuamos un cambio de frecuencias en las transmisiones de la Revista para Iberoamérica con el fin de tratar de mejorar la recepción de nuestra señal. Esas nuevas frecuencias son el banda de 19 metros por 15210 kHz y en la banda de 16 metros por 17750 kHz. Nos complacería mucho recibir los reportes de cómo llega nuestra señal hasta ustedes. Esto representa una excelente ayuda para nosotros``. RHC abre páginas en INTERNET: Además Hernández anuncio que ``A partir de mañana lunes 13 de agosto la señal de Radio Habana Cuba podrá ser escuchada por medio de Internet. Nuestros sitios en la red serán los siguientes: http://www.infocom.etecsa.cu y http://www.cubasi.cu También desearíamos conocer cómo llega la señal a todos aquellos que tienen posibilidades de acceder a Internet. Por esos sitios se transmitirá toda la programación en español de Radio Habana Cuba y las programaciones en el resto de los idiomas en sus horarios habituales``. (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Rosario, ARGENTINA, August 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA [and non]. CARIBBEAN CRUISE By Paul Zecchino A most discrete and enjoyable meeting was arranged with Mr. Kobayashi aboard a certain vintage cruise ship a short time back as this most seaworthy and elegantly decorated boat passed just west of Peninsula de Guanahacabibes, Cuba. This spit of land is the westernmost tip of the island presenting in appearance as an otherwise unremarkable sandbar. Mr. Kobayashi generously provided the patented Keyser Soze loop antenna for this scribe's most well worn Sony '2010. Not one to leave ajar the door to chance, Mr. Kobayashi arranged for a Sangean '803 to serve as backup. Initial observations were that 570 Reloj and 620 Rebelde were among the missing and in light of their fortitudinous omnipresence along the Florida Gulf coast, further speculation was raised that these signals may be strongly directional. Jamaica was weak on 700 and 720 whilst virtually all Florida west coast stations were clearly audible, including WENG 1530, a 1 Kw omni. In fact, this was heard with medium strength by day in Cozumel. The 1200 mystery station is R. Ariguanabo, location San Antonio de los Banos, Habana, with 250 watts. Soft music and softer announcements constitute a quite soothing format. Radio Sandino was heard briefly in the immediate area of the island on a frequency of 652.5 with religious sounding music and mention of "Caiman". Heard only while in close proximity to the island. Bearings from home place the possible transmitter site along a north-south axis from Habana southward. This seems at odds with WRTH site as Ciudad Sandino (help anyone - can't find on any map) in the Pinar del Rio province. Squealing jammer heard on 940 among other frequencies, heard in south Florida of late from about 800 to 950 KHz. On 1140 WQBA Miami was heard by day and night. Along with the night came the mystery jammer sounding somewhat akin to the control data channel of a trunked radio system. Bearings over several evenings from various well separated positions fixed this site to a few miles east of Habana. Bearings taken from the Florida mainland by a Mr. Dean Keaton corroborate this position fix. Bearing lines were identical with those for Progresso 640 and Musical 590 as well. Strong Radio Reloj on 850, situated upon the lovely Isle of Pines. [Milspec390@aol.com] (NRC International DX Digest Aug 3 via DXLD) ** EGYPT. Radio Cairo solicita informes de recepción para mejorar las condiciones técnicas de transmisión (con distorsionado audio en Sudamérica: 9475 Khz). Los reportes deben enviarse al Telefax 002-02- 5746840. (Anunció locutora el 13 de agosto de 2001 a la 0145 TU). (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Rosario, ARGENTINA, August 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. Voice of the Broad Masses, Asmara, 7100, 0537 till 0615 Aug 13 in local language with announcements and discussion. SIO 444. Grundig P.E. 400. QSL card issued for any reports (Costa Constantinides, Cyprus, August 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA. There is a station in Eritrea called Radio Unmee operated by a UN Body using 7.100 and 7.175 Wednesdays 1000-1100. Both Frequencies. http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/unmee/pr27.htm I went on this site and it lists this station. Address: ECA Building, BOX 3001, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Costa Constantinides, Cyprus, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) As in DXLD 1-107; I ask again, is this time local, so UT would be 0700-0800? (gh, DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA. Hi Glenn! It's time for another Ethiopia-Special: Six channels heard at the same time on August 13th (all presumed - no ID caught). 6210 (weak)// 6940 (fair): 1715-1800 Radio Fana: traditional music, announcement with echo. 5500 //6315 (both fair-good): 1745-1800 Voice of Tigray revolution: traditional + modern Ethiopian music, short announcements 7165 (fair): 1742-1757* Radio Ethiopia: French broadcast, report about Gabon (?), drums, later French chansons, sign-off without announcement. Never heard that before, but the drum signals were typical for Ethiopia. 9705 (fair): 1730-1830 Radio Ethiopia home service, local music, news 1800-1815, then music again. (Thorsten Hallmann, Müenster, Germany, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. As of Aug 14 it was uncertain whether the Tigray clandestines (DXLD 1-109) would test again Thursday Aug 16 at 2100 on WWCR 15685. Another possibility is Friday the 17th during the 2000 hour (Adam Lock, WWCR, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Extended Broadcasts from India. DX Friends, This is to inform you that India is celebrating its Independence Day on August 15th, i.e. tomorrow. So there will be extended broadcasts by all stations of All India Radio in the local morning then with running commentaries of the parade in Delhi etc. So watch out for All India Radio stations from around 0130-0630 hrs UT approx. With Independence Day Greetings, Sincerely yours, (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Hyderabad, India http://www.bcdx.qrzindia.net Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. I remembered I had a better link to that XM story with a quote on their potential for growing marijuana and a picture: http://www.kurthanson.com/HTM-RAIN/NewsArchives/0801/080801.htm The Wall Street Journal story on lightbulbs interfering with XM and Sirius satellite reception is at: http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=010806005096&query=XM+Satellite+Radio I would have forwarded it you but you posted that you were not covering the many XM stories (Mike Barraclough, UK, August 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am more disposed to do so, as with other off-shortwave topic items, if I can just link to articles elsewhere (gh, DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. Kenya/USA: WorldSpace to begin web access | Excerpt from report by Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation web site, in its Business Week section, on 14 August; subheading added editorially Digital broadcast pioneer WorldSpace is set for a major strategic shift when it starts selling its multimedia product within the next two weeks. The service will enable customers to use their receivers or personal computers (PCs) to access several specialized information [web] sites, without the need for dial-up or phone line. At present, the firm's main product has been the provision of over 20 audio channels to consumers in Africa, Middle East and the Mediterranean basin via satellite to special receivers... "Our plan is to enable customers to access, use and even download from a rich and diversified menu of content that includes news, entertainment, sports, finance and health. We recognize that information is the competitive edge of this era. We are ready to deliver it," the firm's chief financial and operations officer, Mr Mesfin Ayenew, told Business Week. He said the service had several advantages, being the cheapest available way to transmit data globally. Managing Director Isaiah Okoth said WorldSpace was preparing to start retailing the hardware that enables the multimedia product - a special PC Card which turns an ordinary PC into a satellite receiver and a Data Adaptor which is used together with a computer and a WorldSpace receiver. According to Mr Okoth, the firm is also radically changing its entire proposition to the market. This would involve forming information user "communities" such as education, health, business and consumer groups, and presenting them with relevant data. Future pricing policy WorldSpace receivers have been in the market for over a year, but analysts contend that the reception from the market would have been better were it not for their relatively high prices. It was not a very endearing interpretation of founder Noah Samara's vision to use the WorldSpace technology to inform and empower "underserved and poor" communities in the developing world. But the company and its suppliers have been trying to bring prices down to an affordable level, and there has been some progress, seen in the fall from a high of 27,000 shillings [about 240 pounds] at launch to under 10,000 shillings [about 90 pounds] currently. So far, about 20,000 units have been sold locally, a figure company officials say was a "pleasant surprise " compared to the performance in other parts of the world. In Mr Ayenew's words, the company will continue to strive for lower costs, but that its new strategy "was to let the hardware market drive itself". WorldSpace had contracted 12 more manufacturers - which included BPL (India), JS Info (South Korea) and Polytron (Indonesia) - to make cheaper sets. These will add to the existing roll of the four Japanese suppliers, which include JVC, Panasonic, Sony and Hitachi. Mr Ayenew said that a special foundation had been formed to further the firm's social vision for the developing world. Source: Daily Nation web site, Nairobi, in English 14 Aug 20 (via BBCM via DXLD) WTUK? ** IRAN. Nunca antes pude lograr tan excelente señal de IRIB La Voz de la República Islámica de Irán en su emisión diaria en español de las 0130-0230 por 9810 con SINFO=55444, el pasado 13 de agosto de 2001. Receptor utilizado: KENWOOD R-5000; Antena: T2FD Dipolo Plegada de 27 metros. Un cordial saludo y hasta muy pronto.- (Rubén Guillermo Margenet, Rosario, ARGENTINA, August 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN [non]. August 14. "Seday-e Iran" as reported earlier in DXLD on 17520 from 1600 on. Heavy bubblejammer makes this one practically inaudible. But can this be Radio Voice Of Iran, formerly on 15690? (Silvain Domen, Belgium, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. August 14. Voice Of Mesopotamia now on 11530 from ???-1600. Lots of ID's. Loud and clear here in Belgium (Silvain Domen, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LAOS. 6130 kHz, Lao National Radio, full data letter with station stamp, V/s Ms. Malivarn, English Section, Lao National Radio from an April 17th 2000 English report, after having no luck with follow-ups. I asked a former colleague of mine, a Stuck Hole Engineer working for Canadian Hunter in Northern Laos to have one of the local kids deliver the report. Boom, my letter was carried over to Laos July 8th, delivered July 24th and returned today August 13th. She sent me a beautiful Laotian Red Border Guard neck scarf, a long friendly letter and request further correspondence with me. 73's (Joe Talbot, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LIBYA. Voice of Africa. Programmes from Libya have been noted back on 17725 kHz (ex 15415) during the last couple of days. Heard in AA with occasional News in English e.g last night (Aug 13/08) with English news at 2222. 73's (Graham Powell, UK, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO [non]. WRMI will broadcast a special bilingual edition of its "Viva Miami" program about the 7th National Meeting of Mexican DXers which took place Aug. 9-11 in Guanajuato, Mexico. The 30-minute program, which will be half in Spanish and half in English, will be aired at the following times and frequencies: UT Sunday Aug. 19 at 0500 on 7385, 1300 on 15725, 1430 on 15725 and 2200 on 15725 kHz. UT Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 0930 on 9955 kHz. UT Wednesday, Aug. 22 at 0000 on 9955 and 0230 on 7385 kHz. The transmissions on 9955 kHz will be beamed to the Caribbean and Latin America, while the broadcasts on 7385 and 15725 will be beamed to North America. Listeners in Mexico should try all frequencies. WRMI transmitirá una edición especial bilingüe de su programa "Viva Miami" sobre el Séptimo Encuentro Nacional de Diexistas Mexicanos que tuvo lugar del 9 al 11 de agosto en Guanajuato, México. El programa de media-hora será la mitad en español y la otra mitad en inglés, y será transmitido en los siguientes horarios y frecuencias: TU domingo 19 agosto a las 0500 en 7385, 1300 en 15725, 1430 en 15725 y 2200 en 15725 kHz. TU martes 21 agosto a las 0930 en 9955 kHz. TU miércoles 22 agosto a la 0000 en 9955 y a las 0230 en 7385 kHz. Las transmisiones en 9955 kHz serán dirigidas al Caribe y a Latinoamérica, mientras las transmisiones en 7385 y 15725 kHz serán dirigidas a Norteamérica. Los oyentes en México pueden tratar de escuchar todas las frecuencias (Jeff White, WRMI, info@wrmi.net Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. Alpha Lima International, Pirate, 15070 0534 UT Aug 8. Each Sunday booming into my location with non stop music and station announcements for QSL reports etc. (Costa Constantinides, Cyprus, August 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. Re DXLD 1-108: I would guess the show is "Finkleman's 45s" broadcast Saturday nights (8-10 p.m. locally, 30 minutes later you-know-where), likely on CKZN 2300-0100 (only a guess). Danny Finkleman intersperses oldies music (1950s-1970s) with commentaries about everything and anything, not limited to sports (as the previous posting might suggest). Regards, (Ricky Leong, QB, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. 14 August 2001: Voice of Nigeria, VON, the international radio station of the Federal Government of Nigeria, has commenced the publication of a quarterly magazine called "VON Airwaves". The magazine is part of a strategy to convince listeners to the rehabilitated station about the seriousness of the international broadcasting outfit. It also seeks to contribute to the exchange of information among the national and international listeners of VON. The preview edition of the publication provides an insight into the vision, mission and aspirations of the station including some of the steps taken recently to reposition the organisation for the challenges of the contemporary world. It also includes words from veteran broadcasters who have contributed to the growth and development of broadcasting in Nigeria and the world at large. Articles and contributions are invited from international listeners. Contributions should be sent to: The Editor, VON Airwaves, Voice of Nigeria, Broadcasting House, P.M.B.40003, Ikoyi, Lagos. Nigeria. Fax: +234-1-269194. E-mail: tidowu@yahoo.com (summarised from press release). (RN Media Network via DXLD) Now that you have read this here, why not visit MN to see what other news be there, and to keep his counter clicking: http://www.medianetwork.nl (gh) ** PAKISTAN. Good signals are currently being heard from Radio Pakistan on 4790.36 kHz at 1955 UT with ID and a Bulletin of News in English. Not usually heard at this time on this freq. 73's (Graham Powell, Wales, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) -------------------------------------------------- Webmaster for The Online DX Logbook http://www.dxsheigra.freeserve.co.uk and 21MHZ.COM http://www.21mhz.com ** SAINT HELENA. Ham from St. Helena would like to have contact with other HAMS on the air: Name: Douglas Bennett Call Sign: ZD7JP To be listened: fridays and saturdays at 18.00h UTC EMail: douglas@sainthelena.gov.sh I would appreciate your distribution among interested people. 73,s (Volker Willschrey, Dillingen (Saar), Germany, August 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SURINAME. Amigos da Lista, Depois de algum tempo, escutada Rádio Apintie, Paramaribo, em 4991 kHz, boa recepção entre 0840 e 0900 UT. Programa em holandês, talks e música. ID às 0900 em EE e holandês, slogan em inglês " Radio Apintie the happy station". 73 (Samuel Cássio, DX Clube do Brasil, Aug 14, radioescutas via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. RADIO SWEDEN: At 7:00 hrs UT Tuesday August 14, the new Radio Sweden website launched. Visit http://radiosweden.org to see our new look site. We're especially proud to have text in Arabic, Farsi, Assyrian/Aramaic, and both Kurdish dialects online. In fact, it's said to be the world's first website with text (as opposed to graphics) in both Kurdish dialects. Among the other features, our scripts detect whether visiting browsers are in English, Swedish, or other languages, and take visitors to appropriate startpages. Should you have trouble finding MediaScan, the most direct link is: http://www.sr.se/rs/red/grupp/eng/media/media_2.htm (MediaScan Aug 14 via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Meteorolojinin Radyosu / Meteorology Radio Ankara. 6900 In Turkish with local Turkish music at 0612 13/8. QSL card issued for any reports (Costa Constantinides, Cyprus, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Pictures of 1938 45 MHz TV DX London-NYC. It's true! Here is the link: http://www.apts.org.uk/recording.htm (Mike Bugaj - Enfield, CT USA, WTFDA Circulation, Aug 13, via DXLD) I just viewed it -- site has link to rm video, movie of the TV screen for 2:46 minutes. Fascinating. Shows typical F2 mode smearing of image. The first documented TV-DX? (gh, DXLD) ** U K. Nicholas Lezard acknowledged the emails on his Mark Byford piece this Sunday at the start of his column: Independent on Sunday - United Kingdom; Aug 12, 2001 BY NICHOLAS LEZARD On the whole I have been grateful for British restraint when it comes to using the e-mail address at the bottom of this column. Very largely, it has been used mostly by colleagues at the paper telling everyone either that they have a flat to rent, are having a leaving do, or have found their mobile phone again, or by a few cunning and intrusive PR people who have worked out that everything they send through the post goes straight in the bin. Messages from you, the readers, have been entirely supportive. But I have been particularly gratified by the large response to my intemperate remarks last week about Mark Byford, head of the World Service, who takes issue with the words "World" and "Service" and would, it seems, rather not broadcast anything to anyone. I thank you all collectively for now. (via Mike Barraclough, UK, August 13, DXLD) ** U K. Dear Glenn: Just checked out the BBC World Service online sked, and it still shows 5975 in use at 2330-0800 UT and "The Greenfield Collection", one of our favorites, is on during this time. Please do check it out (Noble West, TN, August 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. Dear Glenn: as announced earlier, on July 1st the BBC ended their Learning English broadcasts on short waves to Europe. But the evening program at 1930-2000 gmt is still on the air, on medium waves 1296 kHz. Best 73s, (Stefano Valianti, Bologna, Aug 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. For reasons inexplicable even to many at Television Centre, the BBC has sworn a self-denying ordnance on the question of major royal deaths. The corporation's official guidelines on the handling of these events contains a sentence in bold capitals and heavily underlined. It explains that BBC news may well be aware that a senior Windsor has died for some time before the palace wishes to confirm the death. The bit drummed into the brain of every BBC journalist of assistant editor status or above says: "THE BBC WILL HONOUR ANY SUCH EMBARGO, REGARDLESS OF WHAT OTHER BROADCASTERS MAY DO." These royal death guidelines (bold capitals underlined twice) are holy writ to BBC staff. They prescribe with a combination of military precision and civil service pedantry exactly what must be done in a comprehensive range of Windsor demise scenarios. Scripts and recorded reports are itemised along with exact durations and the order in which they must be run. From Guardian, August 13, 'Please God, not on my shift'; full article at: http://media.guardian.co.uk/mediaguardian/story/0,7558,535755,00.html (via Daniel Say, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. The current Ask WWCR mentions a new program to be added shortly, ``Arabic Baptist Church,`` M-F at 1000 on 15685 for Asia. Adam Lock tells me a bit more about it: yes, in the Arabic language, and frequency usage will be adjusted to accommodate them, 15685 coming on an hour earlier than the present 1100 for this one-hour program; not expected to start until Sept. 3, replacing Bro. Scare in this hour (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WBAI Radio in Exile: http://www.wbix.org (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Re AM ham radio: Actually there is a fair and growing amount of amateur AM activity. Frequencies most commonly used are 1.885, 1.925, 1.945, between 3.880 and 3.890, 7.290 and 14.286 MHz. Most generally these are sunrise and after sunset gathering points; 7.290 after VOA signs off at 0500 is popular. The 160 meter frequencies will become much active as North American fall approaches. On 160 and 75 meters there are BCB transmitters removed from commercial service and retuned to the amateur frequencies. I think most ham AM operators would respond to a QSL request. Their address may be found at http://www.qrz.com and simply type in the amateur's call sign within the provided box, click 'go.' 73 from (Bill Smith, W5USM, Shortwave Radio Since 1950, August 13, 2001, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. ZCZC AG33 QST de W1AW ARRL Bulletin 33 ARLB033 From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT August 14, 2001 To all radio amateurs SB QST ARL ARLB033 FCC Invites Comments on ARRL's 60-Meter Petition The FCC has begun accepting comments on the ARRL's petition seeking the allocation of 5.250 to 5.400 MHz to the Amateur Service on a domestic (US-only), secondary basis. The Commission put the proposal on public notice this week and assigned a rulemaking number, RM-10209, to the proceeding. Interested parties may comment on the proposal via the Internet or e-mail using the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (EFCS), information on which can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html Those commenting should reference ''RM-10209'' in their postings. Even if the FCC eventually okays the petition, it's likely to be several years before the new band actually becomes available.... NNNN /EX 73 from (Bill Smith, W5USM, Shortwave Radio Since 1950, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. From a source in the transmitter industry: A pair of 150 kW rigs for high altitude service and three 100 kW rigs are all going to China. It looks like there will be a 600 kW medium wave rig for VOA coming up but little details yet. There are two VP100 A transmitters heading for Greece. They belong to the VOA but they were traded to the Greek government on some sort of land deal. They have been in storage for a sesquidecade and are now being tested (DX LISTENING DIGEST Aug 14) ** URUGUAY. 6140/9595/11735, R. Montecarlo/Oriental: I have tried to gather info on skeds on this and other URG stn's active on the SW, for the next WRTH as was asked to me. Nothing definitive yet. In the case of Montecarlo and Oriental, I visited tech. mgr, Gustavo Cirino, who is also a ham (CX7AT) and he was to prepare and email to me the needed info in a few more days. Most interesting I could get from him, however, is that the future of this stn on the SW is reasonably certain and even more interesting is that they will change to SSB in near future. A clever response; I see he has found in this way, to overcome the ever present QRM from Brazilians. This will take some time and not immediately, but a line power amp is also in the nearer future. Justification to stations to use SW in my country is some tax exemption (the most flagrant example was the 6045 Radio Integración Americana from Radio Sport located in Rivera from studios of MW Radio Reconquista in the 80's); otherwise SW is not profitable. Not all the SW fq's are currently in use from Montecarlo and Oriental, though. Most commonly hrd is 6140. One night 11735, fair in the clear, without QRM R. Transmundial P.S.: I lost most of my e-mail incoming messages due to local server problems. If somebody wrote to me please resend (Horacio Nigro, Montevideo, Uruguay, Aug 12, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN. VR, English at 1950 UT Aug 13, noted back on 5883, instead of 5885 where it had been for a while (Chris Hambly, Victoria, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###