DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-171, November 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 Check the WOR websites: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/ http://www.worldofradio.com [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. I think there used to be a clandestine station (Radio Takhar) from northern Afghanistan in the 40 metre ham band, so perhaps the Taliban moved the Kabul shortwave outlet into this range primarily as jammer and then just left it on 7085? The former, official frequency was 7200, the channel which was once in use by the destroyed Stubline transmitter in Serbia. Interesting coincidence, isn't it? (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN [non?] DIEGO GARCIA(British) [tentative?] 8700, Just a short one from TZA on the 8700 bc: I can hear it quite loud and strong (O=4) here in Dar es Salaam on my Sony ICF 77 with just a couple of meters indoor antenna from local late afternoon (UT 1500) onwards. I can only check earlier times over the weekend to come. This also would rather point to Diego García operations than some airborne tx over AFG, also, Diego García is much closer to here than Afghanistan (Gerhard Werdin, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, BC-DX Nov 6) 8700usb [British Diego Garcia] Commando SOLO, at 1644-1702 very clear signal in USB without interference and low noise (QSA 6); male voice in Arab and probable others langs, Arab mx, many words like "... Afghanistan, Taleban, American, Kabul ...", no ID or others IDs. (Daniele Canonica, Switzerland, hcdx Nov 4 via BC-DX via DXLD) Commando Solo was missing off 8700 yesterday when I tried the channel - around 1530 I think. Maybe there are no Taleban left to bc to ?! (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX Nov 13 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. RÁDIO DIFUSORA DE POÇOS DE CALDAS * Site da Rádio Difusora de Poços de Caldas, que transmite em ondas médias-1250 kHz e Tropicais-4945 kHz: http://www.difusorapocos.com.br (Marco Antonio Archanjo, Sorocaba, SP, Radioescutas via DXLD) Ocorre o seguinte com a Rádio Difusora de Poços de Caldas: devido ao racionamento de energia, ela tem ligado seus transmissores em determinadas horas do dia. É possível sintonizá-la nos seguintes horários (hora de Brasília): 05:00 - 08:00 14:00 - 20:00 Conversei com um dos diretores e ele me garantiu que, assim que o racionamento acabar, a Rádio Difusora volta a sua programação normal (Marco Antonio Archanjo, Radioescutas, via @tividade DX via DXLD) ** BRASIL? TRANSMISSÃO EXPERIMENTAL SÁBADO AMIGOS, ANUNCIO TRANSMISSÃO EXPERIMENTAL - RADIO LANDELL, 7147 KHZ, SABADO DIA 17 NOVEMBRO 2001, 2230 HORA BRASÍLIA, DOMINGO UTC 0030 DIA UTC 18 NOVEMBRO, PROGRAMA DE 30 MINUTOS, MODO AM, POTENCIA 20 WATTS. FAVOR REPASSAR PARA LISTA CONEXION E OUTRAS LISTAS DX. CONFIRMAREMOS COM CARTAO QSL RELATORIOS PARA rld73@h... [truncated by yahoogroups] 73 (RADIO LANDELL, Nov 13, radioescutas via DXLD) ** CANADA. Hi everyone, On Wednesday, Nov. 14 from 6 to 9 am CST (1200-1500 UT) CBW-990 will have a special programme called "Marconi Moments" broadcast live from the Hotel Fort Garry in downtown Winnipeg. It will feature radio personalities from the past and programmes from long ago. For those in the live audience there will also be exhibits of antique radio equipment and a look ahead at radio of the future which I assume means digital broadcasting. I realize that it may be difficult or impossible for most of you to tune in CBW directly at this time but the CBC Manitoba Website (Radio One) will simulcast it and webcams will be set up so that internet users can view the displays (Morris Sorensen, Winnipeg, Nov 13, ODXA via DXLD) ** CANADA. today's Globe & Mail has an interesting story about this CBC Radio show -- "Comic genius or 'niggers in red face'?" http://www.theglobeandmail.com/series/apartheid/stories/20011109-1.html (Eric Floden, Calgary (for now), Nov 9, swprograms via DXLD) ** CHINA. Xinjiang PBS back with reinforcements. Xinjiang PBS SW has been operating irregularly for some weeks, being wholly or partly off the air. Before that they had been operating with only one instead of two transmitters per language channel. Now they are back, not only to normal, but to double normal, with at least 16 frequencies identified so far as follows (all noted 1700- 1800 today, Sunday): Uighur: 3990, 4980, 6120, 7195, 9595, 9600 (yes, only 5 kHz apart) Mongolian: 4500, 6190, 7120 (covered by co-channel CRI to Europe from 1730, no coordination there), 9705 Kazakh: 4330 (lone one) Chinese: 3950, 5060, 5960, 7155, 11770. All programs went off just before 1800. Some of the higher frequencies may be relays from sites located outside Xinjiang, but there being no appreciable delays this seems less likely. I believe more channels will be found at hours with less congestion in the low frequency bands. The batch of testing new CNR transmitters are currently operating 0800-2400 with breaks when CNR is off the air. They are using a multitude of frequencies, some in order to suppress co-channel stations like RFA, VOA, etc. (including Falun Dafa 5925 at 2100- 2200). Since the signals are very weak on 25 m at 0800 s/on and then rise to good or very good levels I believe these new transmitters (five each for CNR-1 and CNR-2) are located in the far south of China. I have also noted at least three more transmitters testing briefly (Olle Alm, Sweden, BC-DX, Nov 11 via DXLD) Xinjing PBS was well heard this morning. Contrary to earlier practice, the freqs were partly different from the evening ones, and also did not include several of the tropical band channels. Uighur 4980 6120 7275 9455 9600 11885 13670 Mongolian 7120 7230 9705 Kazakh 7340 9470 Chinese 5060 5960 7310 9560 9595 11770 It will probably take some time before the freqs are finally settled. Xinjing PBS was heard until the late morning on the higher freqs, but after that has been silent. Only one or two freqs noted in the afternoon/evening, so apparently they are still very much in a testing phase (Olle Alm, Sweden, BC-DX, Nov 12 via DXLD) CNR-1 from the Lingshi site has been on 15180 until 1000 for some time, now serving as jammer for Taiwan 15175. Again no Xinjiang activity this morning, so they still have job to do before switching on the whole line of new rigs for regular service. (Olle Alm, Sweden, BC-DX, Nov 13 via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. CLANDESTINE from CIS to CHINA. Falun Dafa Current untraced on 9710 as of late. (Olle Alm, Sweden, Nov 7, BC-DX via DXLD) Schedule is 2100-2200 UT on 5925 and 9945 (Ludo Maes, Belgium, TDP, BC-DX, Nov 8 via DXLD) CIS: 9710, Falun Dafa Radio, at *2100-2210, Chinese on top of CNR-1 which had Chinese from *2000 and was \\ 4460 and 5030. Strong, but very distorted signal from Falun Dafa R which now has replaced 12075. 43441 (Anker Petersen, Denmark, DXW, Oct 24 via BC-DX via DXLD) 5925 [IRKUTSK?] and 9945 [TAJIKISTAN?]. (BC-DX via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. CRI Beijing RELAYS in B-01 season: Via Sackville, Canada: 0100-0157 9790 English 0300-0357 9560 Spanish 0500-0557 9560 English 1200-1257 11855 Cantonese 1300-1357 13650 English 1400-1457 13650 English 2300-2357 13680 English Via Cuba: 0000-0057 15210 Spanish 0100-0157 9580 English 1200-1257 9570 Chinese 1300-1357 9570 English 1400-1457 17720 English 1500-1557 17720 English 2300-2357 5990 English 2330-2357 13650 Portuguese Via Bamako, Mali: 0830-0857 7170 Hausa 1300-1357 17880 13685 French 1400-1457 15125 13685 English 1500-1557 15125 13685 English 1600-1657 17880 13685 Arabic 1700-1727 15125 13685 Swahili 1730-1757 15550 13685 Hausa 1800-1827 15550 13685 Hausa 1830-1927 *15550 13685 Arabic (*alternative: 15125) 1930-1957 *15500 11735 Portuguese (*alternative: 15125) 2000-2057 15125 13640 English 2100-2127 15125 13640 English 2130-2227 15500 11975 French 2230-2257 15500 11975 Chinese 2300-2357 11975 7170 Chinese Via Russia: 1600-1657 7130 Arabic (St.Petersburg) 1800-1857 7130 Persian (St.Petersburg) 1830-1927 7200 Arabic (Moscow) 2030-2127 7215 Fr (Samara) 2200-2257 7170 En (Taldom) Via Montsinéry, Fr Guiana 0000-0027 11850 Portuguese 0030-0057 11850 Portuguese 0200-0257 13685 Spanish 0300-0357 9720 Chinese 0400-0457 9730 English Via Noblejas, Spain: 0200-0257 9690 Chinese 0300-0357 9690 English Via Issoudun, France: 1900-1927 7305 Romanian 1930-1957 7305 Czech 2000-2027 6150 Esperanto 2030-2057 6150 Bulgarian 2100-2127 6150 Albanian 2130-2157 6150 Hungarian Researched from engineering data from the administrations, and the Nagoya Dxers Circle (Bob Padula, Victoria, edxp Nov 6 via BC-DX via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. VOICE OF CHINA (clandestine): [in TAIWAN schedule] CHINESE 2200-2300 15280 (Miller Liu, Taiwan, WWDXC BC-DX Nov 13 via DXLD) ** CUBA. Hi Amigo: E-Mail working OK now. 9550 kHz starts at 0100- 0700 UT. Antenna beaming to 020 degrees azimuth may provide some signal to Europe too, if the freq is clear. Your Friend from La Habana Arnie Coro CO2KK, Host of Dxer Unlimited (Dietrich Rose, Germany, A-DX Nov 13 via BC-DX via DXLD) After lengthy storm outage, RHC 9820 and 6000 noted back on by UT Nov 14 at 0147 check in English, DXers Unlimited, whose script I will skim at some future date (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. Subject: Huracán Michelle en Cuba. Saludos queridos colegas diexistas. La siguiente información fue extraida de la publicación Granma Internet, y en la misma se puede leer algo sobre el sistema de antenas utilizado en Cuba en la radio y televisión y porqué no fueron dañados por el Huracán Michelle. Atte: (José Elías Díaz Gómez) Comparecencia de Carlos Lage Dávila, Secretario del Comité Ejecutivo del Consejo de Ministros, ante las cámaras y micrófonos de la Televisión Cubana, sobre la marcha de la recuperación en las provincias afectadas por el paso del huracán Michelle, 8 de noviembre de 2001, "Año de la Revolución victoriosa en el nuevo milenio". (Versiones Taquigráficas - Consejo de Estado) Héctor Martínez (Moderador).- Muy buenas noches. Tal y como se ha informado oportunamente por los medios de prensa de nuestro país, comparece esta noche, ante las cámaras y micrófonos de la Televisión Cubana, el Secretario del Comité Ejecutivo del Consejo de Ministros, compañero Carlos Lage Dávila, para hablarnos de las tareas de recuperación que tienen lugar en las provincias afectadas por el paso del huracán Michelle. Le damos las buenas noches al compañero Lage, le damos también la bienvenida a nuestro estudio y le cedemos de inmediato la palabra. Carlos Lage.- Gracias, Héctor. Compañeras y compañeros: por la intensidad de sus vientos máximos sostenidos de 210 kilómetros por hora y rachas de hasta 250 kilómetros por hora, y por su diámetro de influencia de 500 kilómetros de extensión, puede decirse que un huracán como Michelle no nos visitaba desde 1952. Debemos decir, en primer lugar, que las señales internacionales del país, de radio, televisión y comunicaciones, no se afectaron; es decir, las antenas que garantizan estas comunicaciones tienen un sistema que permite inclinarlas. Esa operación se realizó cuando ya el ciclón estaba prácticamente entrando en el país y unas seis u ocho horas después se restablecieron a su posición normal, no se dañaron; solamente hubo interrupción de las comunicaciones y de la señal de radio y televisión con el exterior en una parte del tiempo durante el cual el ciclón cruzó por nuestro país (vía José Elías Díaz G., Nov 13, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. HAVEL SAYS RFE/RL BROADCASTS FROM PRAGUE ARE 'HONOR' FOR CZECHS. President Vaclav Havel on 9 November said that the RFE/RL broadcasts from Prague are "an honor for the Czech Republic," CTK reported, citing presidential spokesman Martin Kraftl. Havel added that widening broadcasts to include programs for Afghanistan would signify "an additional Czech contribution to the struggle against terrorism." MS (From RFE/RL Newsline email digest Vol 5 No 215 Nov 13 2001 via Fred Waterer, Ont., Nov 13, DXLD) ** EGYPT. During auroral conditions Nov 6, v9698.03 Voice of Arabs, Abis, Arabic discussion, wandering 9698.03 ... 9698.21 within 20 mins. 24222. 100 kW, 280 degrees, 1700-2330 (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX via DXLD) ** GREECE. VOG Foreign Language transmissions. (languages missing in the Excel File, and updated according to B-00 schedule ed.) Ar 1400-1430 15650 Ge,Ru,Sp,Rom,Turk 1430-1657 11645 Se,Bulg 1700-1800 12110 Alb,Fr 1800-1900 12110 Polish,En 1900-2000 12110 (BC-DX via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. 3560 and 4405 are AM but never announced, so no doubt back-up feeders, and I remember some reports that they are indeed used for the actual transmissions on occasion. By the way, I already noted clear differences in audio quality between the individual cable circuits to the transmitter site (see the enclosed report), one channel can contain quite a lot of non-linear distortion while another one sounds quite good with punchy bass. Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) North Korea monitoring. January 2000. Olle Alm During the recent period with repeated, not to say regular, blackouts of North Korean shortwave transmitters monitoring has shown some interesting results that can be used as a basis to discuss the locations. Olle Alm, Sweden. Pyongyang main group One group of transmitters that have always come and gone together during blackouts consists of the following ones: 2850, 3250, 3320, 3560, 6250/6010, 9665/4120. Since two feeders (3250, 3560) are included here, its can be assumed that this group is located near Pyongyang. The group does not necessarily consist of a single site as a blackout may affect more than one site, but at least the transmitters are located within the same power grid sector. The lower frequency transmitters are not likely to be 200 kW, rather 50 kW, while the higher band transmitters may well be 100 kW. Foreign service main group With one exception, all foreign service transmitters seem to be co- located. Correlated sign ons, similar technical procedures, no notable delays between transmitters carrying the same programme, blackouts affecting the whole group and some cases of intermodulation products provide strong indications. At most times nine frequencies are used. There are indications of a tenth transmitter, mostly used as standby. One day I also noted several cases of a transmitter seemingly interfering with itself with an interference whistle, the pitch of which was drifting. This may have been a pair of ynchronized transmitters temporarily losing synchronism. Thus, its is reasonable to assume that the site has ten transmitters. The powers may be 200 kW as listed or just 100 kW. Since the major expansion took place in the late 60s and early 70s, 100 kW is the most likely power, although a later increase to 200 kW could have taken place if Soviet equipment was used. Anyhow, 200 kW could always be produced using parallel pairs. As to the location, comparison with the feeder frequencies shows a clear delay. A location somewhere in central North Korea, well away from Pyongyang, appears to be the best bet. The listed site there is Kujang (full name Kujang-dong), but the coordinates given for Kujang is for a location not far from Sinuiju, in the far northwest. Tuning of these transmitters seems to be exclusively or at least largely by VFO with tuning-knob adjustments being made during tune up and sometimes between programmes. The VFO tuning points to a Chinese rather than a Soviet origin of the transmitters. 6400/11680 group These two transmitters clearly form one group. No correlation with other groups has been found so far. The listed site is Kanggye, far north of Pyongyang, near the Chinese border. Since the delay is much shorter compared to Pyongyang on 9665 than compared to Kanggye on 3960 a location not too far from Pyongyang appears more likely. Mostly rather clean audio, especially compared to the foreign service transmissions, also points to a location not very remote from the studios. Since he signal is usually rather good a power in the range of 100 kW seems reasonable. 4405 This is an oddball. During the monitoring period it was operating irregularly without clear correlation to any other transmitter or group of transmitters. This being another feeder, a location near Pyongyang is very likely. For several days there was no audio. When the audio was restored it was soft and clean, indicating a location not far from the studio. The reason for the irregular operation is not known. It could be technical problems or shared use with other operations (clandestines). The power is hardly more than 50 kW, possibly lower. 4450 Yet another oddball. It has been on the air throughout most of the blackouts. There is only a small delay compared to 4120, so a location not too far from Pyongyang can be assumed. Reception of this one has been rather stable, indicating a power in the range of 50 or 100 kW. 6070/6100 This is the only transmitter that has been noted for staying exactly on frequency. This makes it a likely candidate for one of the imported ex-Swiss Radio 250 kW transmitters from Brown Boveri. Due to heavy co-channel interference I have been unable to study this transmitter closely, so any blackout correlation with other transmitters is not known. There is a pronounced propagation time difference compared to Japanese on other high frequencies. The transmitter could be co-located with 4405 or 6400/11680, but this is only speculation. I have not found any other transmitter with western frequency precision. The in-band frequencies 6070/6100 were introduced in the summer of 1995 at about the time that the Swiss transmitters would have been available in North Korea. Development Going by schedules listed in the WRTH, the North Korean shortwave facilities were installed gradually over may years. Around 1960 four shortwave channels were in use for home and foreign services. North Korea being under heavy Soviet influence at that time, it can be assumed that Soviet made equipment was used, i.e. 50 and 100 kW Sneg transmitters. For transmitters installed after the Soviet withdrawal a few years into the 60s, Chinese equipment may have been used. By 1973 North Korea was using six foreign service channels, again going by the WRTH. In WRTH 1983 nine channels, as still in use today, appeared for the first time. Since the equipment no doubt is very old the increase from 1983 may have been the result of splitting up transmitters until then permanently operated in synchronized pairs. As a comparison, Albania received a 100 kW Soviet transmitter consisting of a Sneg pair in 1961 and six Chinese 50/100 kW transmitters modelled on the Soviet Snegs in 1967 (from TDP information). Since Radio Tirana at the peak of its activities operated more than seven simultaneous frequencies, it can be assumed that some pairs were split up as needed. Other transmitters North Korea also has a number of local or regional shortwave transmitters, generally of low power. These being very difficult to hear in Europe, I have not included them in my monitoring operation. Frequencies heard are 3481, 3960 and 4557. 3481 has been very irregular, 3960 suffers from co-channel interference and 4557 is jammed (Olle Alm, via Kai Ludwig, Nov 13, DXLD) ** LIECHTENSTEIN. Webcast DX in Oregon: Radio L, Triesen. Web page is at http://www.radio.li/ Excellent audio on Real Player at 24 kbps. Plays lots of rock music with English lyrics. Gives frequent IDs as "Radio L". Language is a dialect of German. An E-mail address per WRTH01: radio@radio.li failed, so tried report by post but didn't think to translate into German (Bill Flynn, Cave Junxion, Nov 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. XERTA, Radio Transcontinental de América, regresó al aire el 8 de noviembre en la frecuencia de 4865, el 9 de noviembre por 4842, el 10 de noviembre lo hizo por 5785. Todas las transmisiones han sido con muy mala modulación de su señal y cerrado a las 0600 UT. Transmitiendo música religiosa. (Héctor García Bojorge, México DF, Nov 11, Conexión Digital via DXLD) Correlates with the 4840 unID earlier (gh) ** MEXICO. 2340.00, XERLK, Super Stereo Miled, Atlacomulco (harmonic 2 x 1170) 1035-1127 Nov 12. This one popped up out of nowhere with an ad string and good ID right at TOH! A few good peaks but mostly in the noise (Mark Mohrmann, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 6816.74, La Voz de las Huarinjas (tentative) 1015-1039 Nov 12. Andean vocals and announcer with lots of time checks and possible IDs, but nothing definitive. Fair to good signal (Mark Mohrmann, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Hola Amigos; de lo poco que he podido hacer en las últimas semanas les reporta la nueva frecuencia por la cual transmite Radio Altura desde Cerro de Pasco, ahora esta en los 5009.3 pero anunciando los 5010 kHz como nominal. Escuchada el sábado y domingo entre las 0020-0130. con música folclórica en el espacio Melodías Campesinas. ID: "...Ésta es Radio Altura en los 5.010 kHz de la banda de 60 metros, desde Cerro de Pasco, Perú...." (Rafael Rodríguez, Colombia, Nov 6, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** POLAND. Radio Polonia`s Media programme today announced that the management of Polish Radio has been considering the shut down of the shortwave transmitters. Many complaints about the quality of the shortwave signals have been received, however the transmitters are the property of Polish Telecom so Radio Polonia has no influence on the quality of the signal being transmitted. It would be too expensive for Polish Radio to buy the transmitters and upgrade them. Transmission costs are one third of the budget anyway, this was the reason medium wave transmissions were stopped some years ago. The programme is currently up at http://www.wrn.org/ondemand/ click on Poland and the report is 28 minutes in. (Mike Barraclough, England, Nov 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. CBS R Taipei Internationl B-01 schedule. Please note: 1. CBS IS AUTHORIZED TO SHIFT FREQ WITHIN THE SAME METERBAND TO AVOID CNR HEAVY JAMMING. IT APPLIES TO VARIETY AND NEWS NETWORKS. 2. V of Asia will QRT from Jan 01, 2002 !!! (Miller de Taiwan, WWDXC BC-DX Nov 13) ** THAILAND. 13780; English morning service of R Thailand Bangkok towards Europe at 0530-0600 doesn't propagate into Europa at present. Checked that 250 kW service from Udorn Thani province in past week, but noted always very, very weak signal; I couldn't hear any program content above S=1 signal level threshold (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, BC-DX Nov 5-12 via DXLD) ** TRINIDAD & TOBAGO. Escutas realizadas em Harmonia, Teutônia, Brasil: FREQÜÊNCIA MODULADA: 91.1 02/11 0043 NBS, Ilha de Tobago, várias músicas hindu, 33222 (Célio Romais, radioescutas via DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. Turkmen Radio in English. Mauno Ritola was able to receive Turkmen R. on 5015 in English on Tue 23 Oct at 1300-1310. It is likely that this spot is used for programs in foreign languges (presumably English and Russian) on a regular basis; does anybody have the possibility to check the other days as well? (Bernd Trutenau, Lithuania, BC-DX, Nov 9 via DXLD) Confirmed today at the same time! When was the Russian segment supposed to be, before or after the English? Now after English they continued in Turkmen. But what is the location of the huge BBC WS signal from Asia interfering on 5019.9 kHz? (Mauno Ritola, Finland, BC-DX, Nov 10 via DXLD) Solomon Islands of course, but --- huge?? (gh, DXLD) ** U A E. R Dubai on odd 21597.63, carrying English news 1300-1334 UT and full ID, then into English feature program today [nominal 21605]. \\ 13675, both powerhouses 54444. Another \\ channel couldn't be observed at this time span, 13630 was empty, and on 15395 two different/other programs could be observed (Wolfgang Büschel, BC-DX, Nov 10, via DXLD) 21597.63 - It seems Dubai has problems. I note 21 MHz in English at 1030 this morning, and with the usual growl in audio. I don't think 13630 operates at this time - I hear 15370 and a weak 13675. But 15395 is not operating - here, it's WEWN in Spanish! (Noel R. Green, UK, BC-DX, Nov 11, via DXLD) ** U K. IMHO, the BBC has been much too quick as of late to dump their feature programmes to shift to an all news format. Then, once they do, they stay with the single story much too long à la CNN, Fox et al. Yesterday's coverage descended into the same kind of speculation that ends up being a disservice to its listeners. Again, IMHO, this happens because once the talking heads get bored with recycling the same facts, they naturally look for something else to talk about. Better to get them the hell off the air and return to regular schedules. It's becoming clearer as time goes on that the current management of BBCWS feels a much greater commitment to its rather more narrow news and current affairs programming than its general information and entertainment offerings. (Another cost cutting move?) At one time, the Beeb had devised and maintained a careful balance between the two. That seems to be gone as, at the drop of a hat, everything shifts to news and features schedules be damned. BTW, while the BBC was all news for hours on end after the plane crash yesterday, the VOA --- whose name and format affirmatively emphasizes news --- stayed with its feature programs on non-crash- related matters (John Figliozzi, NY, Nov 13, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. After the preliminary positive for anthrax, a second test found no anthrax in the VOA mail room. Apparently the first test errs on the side of caution, so as not to miss any instances of anthrax. The second test is more accurate. We can breathe more easily now. In fact, we can now breathe, period. Cheers, (Kim Elliott, VOA, Nov 6, swprograms via DXLD) ** U S A. Since the USAF took 7460 away from it, WWCR posted revised transmitter schedule Nov. 13, which restores 2390 at 0400-0700 as the nighttime Brother Scare frequency (#4), and greatly extends the daytime frequency 9475 to 0700-0400. This means that #1, which had been using 9475 in the `shoulder` hours morning and evening, can no longer do so; instead, the nighttime frequencies 3215/3210 have been earlied to start at 2200 instead of 0000. Adam Lock confirms that this affects our Mundo Radial timing of Friday 2215, effective immediately. Nothing said about WOR, so the interim schedule in last issue is apparently not in effect, with B.S. primarily on #4 only. However, the Friday 1030 broadcast will now be on 3210 ex-9475 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Transmitter #1 - 100 KW - 46 Degrees FREQ TIME (CDT)[sic] TIME (UTC) DATES 15685 5:00AM-4:00PM 1100-2200 14 Nov 01-30 Nov 01 3215 4:00PM-1:00AM 2200-0700 14 Nov 01-30 Nov 01 3210 1:00AM-5:00AM 0700-1100 14 Nov 01-30 Nov 01 Transmitter #4 - 100 KW - 90 Degrees FREQ TIME (CDT)[sic] TIME (UTC) DATES 9475 1:00AM-10:00PM 0700-0400 13 Nov 01-30 Nov 01 2390 10:00PM- 1:00AM 0400-0700 13 Nov 01-30 Nov 01 (WWCR website via gh, DXLD) ** U S A. From the ARRL web site; why did they wait until the last second to post this, I wonder? Ham radio to be featured today on NPR program (Nov 13, 2001) -- The National Public Radio program "Public Interest" will feature Amateur Radio in today's "Tech Tuesday" segment at 1 PM Eastern Time. Guests will include Amateur Radio on the International Space Station Board Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, and Automatic Position Reporting System guru Bob Bruninga, WB4APR. Bruninga is a project engineer at the US Naval Academy Satellite Ground Station, and Bauer is chief of the Guidance, Navigation and Control Center at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The program, hosted by Kojo Nnamdi, originates at WAMU (88.5 MHz) in Washington, DC, and is heard on many NPR affiliates. It's also available in streaming audio via the WAMU Web site http://www.wamu.org/pi/ (Click on the "Tech Tuesday" link). (John Norfolk, swprograms via DXLD) And ondemand indefinitely (gh, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Amigos da lista, tive a grata satisfação de oubir o Altas Ondas, o programa para dexistas e radioescutas que a Radio Voz Cristã apresentará às 6ª feiras, a partir as 14h00 [UT = 1600! -gh] pelos 21500 KHz. Achei o programa muito ilustrado, com perspectivas de se tornar um programa ainda melhor. O Edson Bruno apresentou os diversos temas sem dificuldades, e pareceu-me em certos momentos que ele mesmo já era dexista h`pa muito tempo, pela identidade de familiarização com o tema. Foi excelente. O que me chamou muito à atenção foram os files de transmissões antigas, como o reporter norte-americano que estava narrando diretamente de uma das batalhas da 2ª Guerra Mundial, sendo que ao fundo se ouviam os roncos dos motores dos aviões que passavam por cima a caminho de bombardeios. O segundo file também me chamou bastante à atenção. As noticias produzidas pelo Célio Romais foram bem contextualizadas, e os comentários gerais também. Acho que a Voz Cristã está andando no bom caminho em relação ao dexismo brasileiro e mundial. Somando-se ao 'Amigos do Radio', 'Encontro DX', DX HCJB', e mais alguns conhecidos por todos nós, o Altas Ondas mostrou que veio para ficar, dentro de uma roupagem diferente, bastante dinâmica, dado que o programa é apresentado ao vivo pelo Edson Bruno. Penas que o programa seja à tarde num dia de semana. Quando a emissora entrar em carater definitivo, usando tambem o sabado e o domingo nas transmissões em portugues, precisamos sugerir insistentemente para que o Altas Ondas seja apresentado no fim de semana, ou pelo menos reprisado. Um abraço a todos, e ficamos contentes com mais este programa para dexistas do Brasil e demais paises de fala portuguesa (Rudolf Grimm, São Bernardo, SP, DX Clube do Brasil, radioescutas Nov 9 via DXLD) ###