DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-207, December 28, 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] WORLD OF RADIO #1111 (STREAM) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1111.ram (DOWNLOAD) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1111.rm (SUMMARY) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1111.html (First broadcast on WWCR, Thu 2130: courier did not get tape to station in time, so 1110 replayed instead. It arrived a couple hours later) NEXT AIRINGS on WWCR: UT Sat 0300 3210, UT Sun 0330 5070, 0730 3210 FIRST AIRINGS on RFPI: Fri 1930, Sat 0130, 0730, 1330, 1800, Sun 0000, 0600, 1200 on some of: 7445-USB/AM, 15040v, 21815-USB AIRINGS on WORLD RADIO NETWORK: Sat 0900 to rest of world, 1500 to NAm 2001 --- THE SHORTWAVE YEAR IN REVIEW by GLENN HAUSER, appears on this week`s VOA Communications World, first airing UT Sat 0133 on 9455, etc. For full schedule, see http://www.trsc.com/cw DX PROGRAMS, updated December 27, e.g. including XERMX`s: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** AFGHANISTAN [and non]. Media round-up Thursday 27 December 2001 - Radio Afghanistan from Kabul monitored - Media in Afghan capital returning back to normal - Iranian radio - Herat asks for Iranian technical support - Al-Jazeera TV airs new Bin-Ladin tape - US PsyOps radio urges Afghans to support interim government Radio Afghanistan Radio Afghanistan news bulletins from Kabul were monitored for the first time by BBC Monitoring on 24 and 25 December on 96 MHz FM; programme summaries are included below. [I wonder if this was accomplished at a distance, such as from BBCM Tashkent, thanks to a sporadic-E opening, which we were having on the other side of the world around that time; next report below says they could not hear it the next day --gh] 24 December The 1530-1630 gmt news bulletin in Pashto included the following items: - Appointment of Gen Abdorrashid Dostum as deputy defence minister. - Chairman of the interim government Hamed Karzai meets Afghan officials, and envoys from Bangladesh and the Chinese Foreign Ministry. - Messages of congratulations to the interim government. - Ministerial announcements. - Commentary on the interim government and its pledges to improve women's rights. 25 December A 10-minute news bulletin in Pashto at 0230 gmt was a shorter version of the main news bulletin broadcast on 24 December from 1530-1630 gmt. At 1430-1510 gmt, Radio Afghanistan broadcast a news bulletin in Dari, which was read out by male and female presenters, included the following items: - Announcement by the London-based Radio Voice of Afghanistan calling on people to listen to its programmes. "Radio Voice of Afghanistan, which operates outside the country within the framework of the Afghan broadcast agency affiliated to Said Jalal Afghan, has begun broadcasting for a while on shortwave from 1800-1700 Kabul time [1330-1430 gmt] in Pashto and Dari." - Hamed Karzai's meetings with Shi'i Muslims, and officials and representatives from various provinces. - Messages of congratulations to the interim government. - Foreign Minister Dr Abdollah meets diplomatic representatives from various foreign countries. - Minister of culture meets Indian envoy and spokesman of UN special envoy. - Ministerial announcements. - Curfew announcement. At 1530-1609 gmt, the station broadcast a Pashto news summary, and a news bulletin in Dari which repeated the earlier 1430 gmt bulletin. 26 December Radio Afghanistan was not observed broadcasting from 0230-1530 gmt due to technical problems. Media in Afghan capital returning back to normal - Iranian radio | Excerpt from report by Iranian radio from Mashhad on 24 December .. [Presenter] Mr Irfani [the radio's correspondent in Kabul], could you tell us whether Afghan radio and television have resumed work and (?how) programmes are broadcast?. [Irfani] The Kabul radio and television are broadcasting as follows: Kabul radio broadcasts programmes from 0600 to 0800 [0130-0330 gmt; all broadcast times for Radio Afghanistan in Kabul are subject to change] in the morning and from 1800 to 2200 [1330-1730 gmt]. Mr (?Ghulam Hasan Hazrati), deputy [word indistinct] of the radio, said that they were trying to increase broadcasting hours. Kabul TV is also broadcasting from 1800 to 2200 [1330-1730 gmt]. It covers all spheres and has programmes on political, social, cultural, ethical, sports and religious affairs. I must add that Mr (?Shamsuddin Hamed), who is in charge of broadcasting of Kabul TV, said that TV programmes include Iranian TV films and serials... [Presenter] Mr Irfani, could you tells us about the situation with the press? [Irfani] The newspapers Anis and Herat are being published by the information and cultural department of Afghanistan and a publication called Sirat [Character] is being published by women in Kabul. These women are independent from any parties, groups and the interim government. Source: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mashhad, in Dari 1330 gmt 24 Dec 01 Balkh Radio Balkh Radio, which is based in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif, Balkh Province, was observed broadcasting on 25, 26 and 27 December. Transmission and programme timing are subject to change. The morning broadcasts are usually from 0230-0430 gmt daily except on Fridays when the broadcast begins later and lasts from 0430-0730 gmt. The evening broadcast usually begins at around 1230 gmt and signs off between 1505 and 1610 gmt. Herat asks for Iranian technical support | Text of report by Iranian radio from Mashhad on 25 December The head of the radio and television centre of the town of Herat [the capital of Herat Province in western Afghanistan] has asked Iran to provide technical aid and equipment to restore radio and television stations in the province. A correspondent of the external service of Voice and Vision of Iran reported from Afghanistan, quoting Mr (?Bahrain), that the Afghan and Iranian peoples had common religious, cultural and spiritual values and that is why Afghans were greatly interested in listening to and watching programmes of the Voice and Vision of Iran. The head of the Herat radio and television centre said that 80 per cent of the centre's television programmes were rebroadcasts of Iranian television programmes. After a six-year break, about a month ago, the Herat radio and television centre resumed broadcasting [Under the Taleban, television was banned and Herat radio broadcast as Radio Voice of Shari'ah]. For technical reasons it is broadcasting only three hours a day. Source: Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mashhad, in Dari 0300 gmt 25 Dec 01 Al-Jazeera TV airs new Bin-Ladin tape Qatar-based Al-Jazeera TV at 2034 gmt on 26 December broadcast a four- minute and 40-second extract from a recorded videotape by Usamah Bin- Ladin. Bin-Ladin accused the United States and the West of hatred towards Islam, proven by the "excessive" bombing campaign in Afghanistan. He said terrorism was necessary to stop US support for Israel. "Our terrorism against America is commendable. It seeks to make the unjust stop making injustice. It seeks to make America stop its support for Israel which kills our people." Bin-Ladin said that he was making the broadcast "three months after the blessed attack against the international infidels and its leaders, the United States, and two months after the beginning of the fierce Crusade against Islam" - referring to US bombing raids on Afghanistan which began on 7 October. Bin-Ladin referred to the bombing of a mosque in Khost in southeast Paktia Province as taking place "a few days ago". "A few days ago, they hit what they claimed to be Al-Qa'idah positions in Khost and dropped a guided missile at a mosque. They said that this was a mistake. After investigations, it was confirmed that the ulema [scholars] were reciting their Ramadan night prayers... They bombarded the mosque while the Muslims were praying, killing 150." He accused the US of advocating humanitarianism and freedom yet committing crimes against the people of Afghanistan. "Those who lived these months under the continuous bombardment by the various kinds of the US aircraft are well aware of this. Many villages were wiped out without any guilt. Millions of people were expelled during this very cold weather..." Al-Jazeera TV chief editor Ibrahim Hilal said the station had received the tape "a couple of days ago" by air courier from an anonymous sender in Pakistan, UK newspaper The Guardian reported on 27 December. The channel said that it would broadcast the entire 33 minutes of the tape at 1830 gmt on Thursday 27 December. US PsyOps radio US PsyOps Information Radio continues to be observed by BBC Monitoring broadcasting in Pashto and Dari to Afghanistan. On Thursday 27 December, the broadcasts were heard from 0030-0530 and from 1230-1500 gmt. [Note, for some time the second broadcast has been ending earlier than the original -1730 –gh] Information Radio is heard on 8700 kHz upper sideband mode and at times on the former Kandahar mediumwave frequency of 864 kHz. A third announced channel of 1107 kHz (former Kabul frequency) has not yet been observed by BBC Monitoring. The 864, 980 (reportedly a relay of Voice of America) and 1107 kHz channels are believed to be broadcast from US PsyOps "Commando Solo" EC-130 aircraft. On 25 December, US PsyOps radio broadcast a message in Dari calling on Afghans to support the interim government. "It is the time to celebrate a new beginning and the formation of the interim government, which will determine the direction of Afghanistan's future. This is a very important phase in your life and in the history of your country. This is because Mr Hamed Karzai and his cabinet members will lay the foundation for a more permanent government. The success of the interim government and the Loya Jerga [council], which will be convened, requires your assistance and cooperation. "You, the noble and brave people of Afghanistan, should become united in order to ensure that the future government will be a democratic one and will take into account the interests of all ethnic groups in Afghanistan. "This new government will not be oppressive and despotic like the Taleban. This is because it will resolve the issues peacefully and honourably. Similarly, the government is not formed by one faction or by one ethnic group, representatives of all factions and groups in Afghanistan have participated in the new government..." Radio Voice of Afghanistan broadcasts Radio Voice of Afghanistan, which is based in London, continues to be observed on its scheduled frequency of 9950 kHz at 1330-1430 gmt daily. On 27 December, RVOA broadcast news on UN humanitarian activities in Afghanistan, the interim government and the Bin-Ladin videotape broadcast by Al-Jazeera TV on 26 December, as well as international news. Advertisements for the station were broadcast in Dari. Compiled by Foreign Media Unit, BBC Monitoring Telephone +44 118 948 6261 e-mail: fmu@mon.bbc.co.uk Source: BBC Monitoring research 27 Dec 01 (via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [and non]. Media round-up Friday 28 December 2001 Radio Afghanistan BBC Monitoring has confirmed that Radio Afghanistan in the capital Kabul is now broadcasting on mediumwave 1570 kHz. On 27 and 28 December, the radio was confirmed signing on at 1230 gmt. The precise mediumwave frequency was measured as 1570.15 kHz at 1345 gmt on 28 December. The FM 96.0 MHz frequency, which had been observed recently, was not heard on 27 and 28 December. Balkh Radio Balkh Radio, which is based in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif, Balkh Province, continues to be heard. On Friday 28 December, the morning broadcast was observed from 0430-0630 gmt. The evening broadcast on Friday was observed from 1227-1530 gmt. Broadcasts are on the usual frequency of 1584 kHz. Balkh radio calls for government aid to get broadcasts going Although the leaders of the administration in northern Afghanistan have ordered measures to get radio and TV broadcasting back on its feet, Balkh radio is still short of funds and has no reliable power supply. A commentary broadcast on the radio on 26 December said that local officials clearly did not understand the importance of broadcasting, and forecast a "tragic and sad fate" for the station unless official attitudes changed. It added that since Balkh radio was having such problems broadcasting, getting TV back on air was impossible. The following is an excerpt from the commentary: A [Balkh] radio political commentator writes: Religious and Muslim compatriots, radio and television are a source of information and news and a centre of culture and education. There is no doubt that society needs them desperately. [Passage omitted: Radio brought about a revolution in communications, people all over the world can hear news speedily by radio] As the honoured people of our country know, Afghanistan has been a focus of news events and developments for 25 years and they have heard about all those developments, events and changes through the radio. From the financial point of view, large proportions of budgets round the world, whether independent or multi-source budgets, are spent on propaganda. BBC radio, the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and other radios are the biggest radio stations which spend a great deal of money on broadcasting. If such broadcasting is not crucially important, then why are those radios operating and spending a great amount of money without generating any revenue? We witness today that the BBC is the fulcrum of all news and broadcasting in the world. This reveals the importance of radio at a time when serious developments are taking place in the world. Balkh Province also has radio. There was also a television station in the province once. Although the radio has not been able to fulfil its task as was required, it has been a source of information to those who know the importance of radio and listen to it. It arouses hope in people. They know they also had a television station once. Radio Balkh has been at the service of the people and served the people and society, despite having many problems. Regrettably, no foundation, either governmental or nongovernmental, has helped radio and television in this critical and sensitive situation. The leadership of the northern zone, esteemed Alhaj Gen Abdorrashid Dostum, esteemed Ustad Ata Mohammad and esteemed Ustad Moheqeq have issued instructions to improve the state of radio and television, but those agencies which should have carried out the order have never taken the relevant action. Mazar-e Sharif's fertilizer and electricity generating plant, which is the only source of electricity for the radio, cannot help as they have problems themselves, so they say. Mazar-e Sharif's fertilizer and electricity plant supplies the power department with an amount of electricity that is not enough for the town and is being used by those people who appropriate it by force. Unfortunately, the radio remains without electricity. To solve the problem, the radio uses a generator and to receive money for the fuel, its staff have to wait at the doors of banks for weeks. This kind of treatment shows that the radio has not been properly recognized by institutions, administrations and offices as a dynamic and clear source of propaganda. If the authorized and competent officials do not help Balkh radio and television, it will face a tragic and sad fate, as it is suffering from maltreatment. Many of our compatriots are contacting us and asking when television will start broadcasting. As we are facing lots of problems running the radio, can we activate television with all these numerous problems? You can judge for yourselves. Source: Balkh radio, Mazar-e Sharif, in Dari 1430 gmt 26 Dec 01 US PsyOps radio US PsyOps Information Radio continues to be observed by BBC Monitoring broadcasting in Pashto and Dari to Afghanistan. On Friday 28 December, the broadcasts were heard from 0030-0530 and from 1230-1500 gmt. Information Radio is heard on 8700 kHz upper sideband mode and at times on the former Kandahar mediumwave frequency of 864 kHz. A third announced channel of 1107 kHz (former Kabul frequency) has not yet been observed by BBC Monitoring. The 864, 980 (reportedly a relay of Voice of America) and 1107 kHz channels are believed to be broadcast from US PsyOps "Commando Solo" EC-130 aircraft. Radio Voice of Afghanistan broadcasts Radio Voice of Afghanistan, which is based in London, continues to be observed on its scheduled frequency of 9950 kHz at 1330-1430 gmt daily. Said Jalal Karim, Radio Voice of Afghanistan's founder, is an Afghan entrepreneur currently operating from London. The station's postal address is: Afghan Broadcasting Company, P O Box 36467, London, EC2A 2YF, UK. Since 2 December, the station has also announced a contact address in Kabul: Post Box 5459, Kabul. Radio Voice of Afghanistan can be contacted by telephone on +44 (0)207 382 9610 or by e-mail at afbc9950@hotmail.com. The contact for press enquiries is Alex Longson. Compiled by Foreign Media Unit, BBC Monitoring Telephone +44 118 948 6261 e-mail: fmu@mon.bbc.co.uk Source: BBC Monitoring research 28 Dec 01 (via DXLD) ** ALASKA. KNLS Anchor point to Asia on 9615 at 1300 is blocked by All India Radio Sindhi (Language) Service on 9620 (Manikant Lodaya, south central India, Dec 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. What`s with R. Tirana, English to NAm? Recently not heard. It`s been a mix: 6115 on or off while 7160 off or on. At times both open carrier, no audio. Sometimes both silent. It`s 6115 and 7160 at 0245 and 0330. 7160 often hit by hams 7153-5-7158.7. Hams on 40 getting feisty with 41mb broadcasts (Bob Thomas, CT, Dec 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ANGOLA. In this DXLD we arbitrarily pick a few countries from the lengthy report now at Mark Connelly`s website, NEWFOUNDLAND DXPEDITION X, 10 to 18 November, 2001, A report assembled by Jean Burnell, with reports by these participants: Mark Connelly [MC] Billerica, MA Drake R8A (Connelly DXP-4) 15-18 Nov Jim Renfrew [JR] Byron, NY Drake R8 (Connelly DXP-4) 15-18 Nov John Fisher [JF] Calgary, AB Drake R8A (Quantum Phaser) 12-17 Nov Bruce Conti [BC] Nashua, NH Drake R8B (Connelly MWDX-5) 10-17 Nov Jean Burnell [JB] St John`s, NF Drake R8A (modified MFJ-1026) 10-18 Nov Besides ANGOLA, see AUSTRIA, AZORES, BOLIVIA, PARAGUAY, URUGUAY. There were also lots of rare stations from ARGENTINA, BRAZIL and all over Europe extending into the Middle East, Africa. The entire report is at: http://www.geocities.com/MarkWA1ION/nfdx2001.htm 1484.55 | ANGOLA EP do Kuanza-Sul, Sumbe, 15 Nov, 2048 - Presumed; Portuguese talk with African accent; very poor [JF]. 17 Nov, 2012 - "Angola" and "esportiva" mentioned; at 2102 pulsing dance music, then announcements with strong reverb (nearly local strength on the truncated Africa wire), "Musicado (voz?) ... 91.7 FM, 1480 onda media;" a subsequent announcement after the next song repeated the frequencies, and may have shouted "Emissora!" [MC/JR]. 1502 | EP de Benguela, 11 Nov, 2035 - Excellent; man in Portuguese and lively African pop music [BC]. (Newfoundland DXpedition via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Hi Glenn, I am surprised at all the questions I keep seeing about the "new" Radio Africa International in DXLD and on the mailing lists. It took me about 20 seconds to locate the Web site that gives all the information people have been asking for. Perhaps the confusion arose because nobody thought to check http://www.radioafrika.net :-) I have put together a news item on this station at http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/medianews.html 73, Andy Sennitt, Holland, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.: There's More Than One Radio Africa International -- 27 December 2001 When two international broadcasters choose the same name, confusion is bound to arise. That's happened in the past few weeks with Radio Africa International, an Austrian-based project that some shortwave listeners wrongly believe to be connected with the Radio Africa International operated from the US by the United Methodist Church. The 'new' Radio Africa International is not, in fact, new at all. It has existed in Austria for nearly four years, broadcasting programmes on FM via Orange 94.0 and on mediumwave 1476 kHz. It has suddenly come to the attention of listeners abroad with the commencement of broadcasts on shortwave via the Moosbrunn facility of Radio Austria International. Radio Africa International says it exists to overcome the prejudices, clichés and stereotypes often perpetrated about Africa by the European media. It offers free airtime within its programmes to African broadcasters. Programmes are produced in English, French and German plus a number of African languages including Woloff, Lingala, Kinyarwanda, Swahili and Kirundi. Currently, Radio Africa International is broadcasting internationally at 1100-1200 on 17815 1500-1600 on 17895 1800-1900 (Sun) on 1476 2200-2300 (exc. Sun) on 1476 2215-2300 (Sun) on 1476 English is scheduled at 1103-1115, 1503-1515 and 2303-2315 UTC on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, plus a sports programme at 1800- 1815 on Sunday. The mailing address is Radio Afrika Center, Heigerleinstrasse 7, A-1160 Vienna, Austria. Tel/Fax +43 1 49 44 033. The E-mail address is radio.afrikas@sil.at. The station's Web site is currently available only in German and French. Live audio is also available on the site. (© Radio Netherlands Media Network via Andy Sennitt, DXLD) specifically: 1100 on 17815; 1500 on 17895: 1103-1115 & 1503-1515: Mon Sport EE, Tue Reportage EE, Wed NGO`s EE, Thu Music, Fri Guest Line EE, Sat Tous asmut FF, Sun Disques des auditeurs FF/EE 1115-1130 & 1515-1530: Mon Woloff, Tue Jeunesse FF, Wed Wurzeln Afrikas GG, Thu Contes & tales EE & Ewe, Fri Voyage nach Afrika GG, Sat Informations spéciales FF, Sun Temps Contemporain FF 1130-1140 & 1530-1540 quotidien: Soleil des grands lacs FF 1140-1158 & 1540-1558: Mon, Wed, Sat Lingala, Swahili; Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun Kinyarwanda, Kirundi (grid reformatted by gh for DXLD) Also: 1476 | AUSTRIA R. Africa International / R. Austria, Wien/Bisamberg, 13 Nov, 2200-2232 - New program of African news consisting of African news items and music from the country in the music, program seemed to be called "Report from Africa," ID as "Welcome to Radio Africa, broadcasting from Vienna, the capital of Austria," German program started at 2217 and French program at 2231; good [JF]. 14 Nov, 2000 - Good; end of German program, "Radio Austria International" ID and news in English from Vienna, over UAE [BC]. 16 Nov, 2008 - News in English, ID as "Radio Austria" [JR]. 16 Nov, 2108 - German news mentioning Milosevic; good, over UAE [MC]. (Newfoundland Dxpedition – see ANGOLA, via DXLD) Re: ``I checked ORF web site as well e-mail to ORF for additional information about this station. Their reply was since they hired the air time out they have no information about a contact for this station? Strange, if I was selling air time I sure would to know who I was selling the air time too? Any one have additional information about this organization? (Edward Kusalik-CAN, DXplorer Dec 17)`` Forget all the speculations. The entry in "Sender und Frequenzen" is not correct. This is simply one of the many groups that contribute to the MW programme on 1.476 via Wien-Bisamberg. ORF, the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation, offers access to the airwaves to volunteer initiatives, ethnical minorities, students of radio schools etc. a few hours each day in the late afternoon and early evenings. Some of these programmes were relayed via ROI/Moosbrunn when, due to budget cuts, the external service was replaced by relays of the home service. The team of "R Africa Int" managed to raise some funds to enlarge their SW presence. That's all. If you want to listen to them, you are most welcome. If you really and dearly need a confirmation: write to them c/o ORF, Argentinerstr. 30A, A-1040 Wien. - I have taken note of your curiosity and will interview the team's leader for "Intermedia" in mid-January (Wolf Harranth OE1WHC - Radio Austria International - http://roi.orf.at QSL Collection - http://www.qsl.at via Wolfgang Büschel, Dec 28, DXLD) ** AZORES. 1503 | AFRTS, Lajes, 12 Nov, 2100 - Fade up with promo/ID for "Island 96" then "wear sun-screen" announcement; 33333 for a few minutes [JB]. 13 Nov, 2000 - Good; language lesson, message about careers in the Air Force, over/under BBC R. Stoke [BC]. 16 Nov, 1950 - "Armed Forces Radio" mention; over 1502 het [MC]. (Newfoundland DXpedition -- see ANGOLA, via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 1550 | R. Caranavi, 16 Nov, 0918 - While trying to dig an ID out of the Venezuelan I realized that I was listening to this Bolivian, with some sort of inspirational morning talk, including two IDs, followed by a chorus of children singing an Andean tune, faded soon after, so in for about eight minutes; it may have been back at 0937 with a children’s chorus; WRTH indicates an 0930 sign-on, but this was obviously on earlier [JR]. (Newfoundland DXpedition -- see ANGOLA, via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4600.28, Perla del Acre, Dec 21, 0950 carrier on, 0953 announcements, flute music, 0957 canned ID. Weak, fair signal (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BOLIVIA. 6134.78 kHz, Radio Santa Cruz, Dec. 24 at 0943-1000. SINPO 23332. Folk song and male talk in Spanish. ID was heard at 0944 (Iwao NAGATANI, Kobe JAPAN, NRD-545 with 20 meters LW, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4885, 26 Dec 2345, Rádio Difusora Acreana, Rio Branco, Acre has a lot of canned IDs and they love to send them. So no chance of missing this station. S 3+ and fine folklore, this night more Portuguese-style than Brazilian, I think. No other station here, so R Clube do Pará's transmitter was probably off. 73 (Johan Berglund, Trollhättan, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But: 4885, 2333-2338 27/12 Radio Clube do Pará, Belém (B)-2333 UT, YL talk in PP, 32333 (Marco, Italy, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** CANADA. I get a 404 when trying to go to the links you have for CBC North stations (gh to Kevin Kelly) Hi Glenn, Yes, all the URL's for CBC North have changed. I just updated them. Schedule information for these stations is hard to come by. The web site only lists local programs, and network programming isn't always on at the time you would think. For example, the last time I monitored Iqaluit's schedule closely, they had the World at Six at both 6 p.m. ET and 8 p.m. ET, with Inuktitut in between at 6:30-8:00 p.m. ET, and then picking up the Mountain Time feed for the rest of the evening (AIH at 8:30 p.m. ET or 6:30 p.m. MT, and everything afterward in sequence, not getting to CBC Radio Overnight until 3 a.m. ET or 1 a.m. MT). But since then, Iqaluit has become part of the new Nunavut territory and that territory has changed time zones twice, so I couldn't tell you whether this is still the schedule. (I used to track these four stations closely when they were the only non-ET streams available, but with the other streams available now, I've mostly stopped trying.) Only the Yukon stream seems fully predictable (Pacific Time, carrying all network programs as far as I can tell). As you suggest, this is the most useful one anyway, as a backup for Vancouver. So I will at least add those listings. Best wishes, (Kevin Kelly, Arlington, Mass., PublicRadioFan.com Dec 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I was listening to the webcast of CBU-690 Vancouver much of Dec 26 for CBC Radio One`s excellent set of Boxing Day specials --- but the feed was constantly on one side only, annoying, tho no stereo to lose. Fortunately, we have at least one alternative webcast on the CBC Radio One PST feed, CFWH Whitehorse, which I later confirmed was working, and better. On the other hand, it`s a shame Alaska and Canada have messed with their timezones so much. I think Yukon should still observe UT minus 9, giving us one more chance to hear CBC programs; and central Alaska on UT minus 10 yearound (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. CBC weekend previews. Saturday Dec 29: THE MUCKRAKER: This Saturday morning, The Muckraker continues its year in review with a Taliban version of Politically Incorrect, a tour of Crossharbour with Lord Conrad Black and a farewell to George Harrison. The Muckraker year in review - all the news that isn't fit to print, Saturday morning at 11:30 (noon NT) on CBC Radio One. QUIRKS AND QUARKS: This week on Quirks and Quarks...the Great Question Show. Bob and the gang track down the experts who can answer your questions. Find out why we don't feel queasy As the World Turns, how chameleons change colour, why men have nipples, and more. That's Quirks and Quarks, with host Bob McDonald, Saturday afternoon at 12:06 (12:36 NT) on CBC Radio One. Sunday Dec 30: THE SUNDAY EDITION: This week on The Sunday Edition, host Michael Enright has the Richard Rodgers Hour, a salute to one of the most beloved figures in American musical culture. Robert Harris explores the life and music of this extraordinary composer. That's The Sunday Edition, right after the 9 a.m. news (9:30 NT) on CBC Radio One. (CBC Hotsheets via gh, DXLD) ** CANADA. From The Hollywood Reporter: CBC, techs reach accord; union vote begins Thurs. Dec. 26, 2001 TORONTO -- Locked-out technicians reached a tentative agreement Saturday with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp., ending a two-week labor dispute that has played havoc with programming at the public broadcaster's English-language radio and television networks. Mike Sullivan, a spokesman for the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, representing 1,600 CBC technicians, said the deal will be presented to his membership for ratification from Thursday-Sunday. The CEPU will recommend ratification of the deal but faces a hard sell to its membership, the camera operators, designers, lighting and other workers at the CBC. The technicians are to receive a 3.5% pay raise over two years. Compromises on both sides were made on such contentious issues as altering meal penalties, overtime and turnaround times. According to the union, the CBC withdrew demands for removal of double-time and double-time-and-a-half after 12 hours of work, maintaining an industry standard at the public broadcaster. The CBC also agreed to add 1% to all pay scales as compensation for future meal displacements and short turnarounds, and to deal partly with the two-tier pay issue as new employees also will receive the money (Etan Vlessing, Hollywood Reporter via David Alpert, DXLD) ** CANADA [and non]. A Celebration of the life and career of Reginald Aubrey Fessenden --- From http://sask.cbc.ca/toonies/fezzlast.html Radio 101 --- The story of Reginald Fessenden... Many people around the world are firmly convinced Guglielmo Marconi is the father of radio. They base this belief on Marconi's great first -- the first trans-Atlantic radio transmission 100 years ago. But the reception of the Morse code for the letter "S" at Signal Hill, Newfoundland, on December 12, 1901, is rivaled by events equally wonderful in the history of radio. And they're events with a strong Canadian connection. Radio 101, a two-hour radio special being heard across Canada on Boxing Day, December 26, 2001, explores these happenings through the eyes of Reginald Aubrey Fessenden. Fessenden's beginnings... Fessenden is a little-known Canadian hero, a rival in the view of the producers of Radio 101, to Marconi for the title the Father of Radio. In 1900, this native of Fergus, Ontario, was working in the United States on trying to solve the problems of early radio. Since childhood, Fessenden was obsessed with transmitting words without wires. He was annoyed that Alexander Graham Bell's recently invented telephone was anchored to wires. He pondered the idea and he frew up and went to school in Canada. By the time he moved to the United States after his university days he had an idea. He pitched his concept of wireless voice communication to his mentor, who, like him, was another brilliant, self-taught engineer. But Thomas Edison dismissed the Fessenden's plan for "words without wires." When Fesseden asked him the feasibility of the concept, Edison said, "Fezzie, what do you say are man's chances of jumping over the moon? I think one is as likely as the other." Yet Fessenden persisted. In 1900 he was hired by the U.S. National Weather Service to find some way of telegraphing forecasts -- without wires. He was convinced he could do that and more. Not only could he send telegraphic dots-and- dashes out over the air, he could transmit the human voice without wires, too. The great experiment... He picked Cobb Island in the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., to conduct his experiments. When Fessenden and his team of assistants got there, they set up two primitive radio towers. They were each a little over 15 meters high and were about one-and-a-half kilometers apart. Almost exactly 101 years ago, on December 23rd 1900, Fessenden spoke into a crude microphone. He sent a voice message through the air to his assistant Thiessen, who was listening at a receiver on the other end of the island. Speaking into the microphone, Fessenden said, "One, two, three, four. Is it snowing where you are Mr. Thiessen? If it is, telegraph back and let me know." Mister Thiessen heard it and telegraphed back that it was, indeed, snowing. Words had flown electronically through the air for the first time. It was nearly a full year before Marconi's transmission to Signal Hill. A new age was born thanks to a Canadian working on the banks of the Potomac. The next leap forward... As brilliant as he was, Fessenden could be cranky, defensive and quarrelsome. His much more charming and business savvy rival, Marconi, prospered in the early days of radio. Fessenden did not -- and he knew needed another great leap forward in radio to upstage the Italian inventor. Six years after that first voice transmission from the island in the Potomac Fessenden came up with something new and dramatic. On Christmas Eve, 1906, Fessenden engineered the broadcast of the world's first radio show. It was a show conceived, produced, directed and hosted by...Reginald Fessenden. How it happened... Fessenden was hired to improve radio communication with the fleet of ships used by the United Fruit Company. The company give him enough money to build a large transmitter at Brant Rock, near Boston. It was a high-tech transmitter, for its time, and it was based on Fessenden's newly invented radio wave technology. In theory, it could send radio signals thousands of kilometers. As the transmitter approached completion in late 1906, Fessenden telegraphed the radio crews aboard United Fruit ships around the world that he was going to transmit "a special treat" to them on Christmas Eve. They assumed it would be a normal Morse code transmission. They knew nothing of Fessenden's latest experiments. Back in the world's first radio studio, on Christmas Eve 1906 Fessenden switched on a transmitter, placed a cylinder recording on an Edison gramophone, and for the second time in his lifetime, he launched a new epoch in human civilization. Hear our recreation of the world's first radio broadcast!...[click here!] Fessenden broadcast an aria from Handel's opera Xerxes sung by Clara Butt and then followed that with the first live music on radio when he personally played O Holy Night on his violin. He then wished all the United Fruit radio crews, "A Merry Christmas, and good night!" On person wrote that for the thunderstruck radio operators hearing words on the air instead of dots0and-dashes was, for them,, "as if a tree talked." Radio never looked back. The end of Fessenden's career... Again, Fessenden was unable to turn his technical triumph into commercial success. His most humiliating moment came in the 1920s when the Canadian government picked Marconi's technology over his own for a national network of radio transmitters. Even worse, other rivals were stealing many of his most brilliant inventions. The holder of over 500 patents was forced to spend much of the 1920s in court protecting his rights. Finally, in 1930, the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) was forced to hand over hundreds of thousands of dollars to Fecund for infringing on his patents. Fessenden exiled himself to Bermuda and lived the last two years of his life in comfort, if not at peace. And the end of his life, he wrote: "In my lifetime, I developed over a hundred patentable inventions including the electric gyroscope, the heterodyne, and a depth finder. I invented radio, sending the first wireless voice message in the world on December 23, 1900. But despite all my hard work, I lived most of my life near poverty. I fought years of court battles before seeing even a penny from my greatest inventions. And worst of all, I was ridiculed by journalists, businessmen, and even other scientists, for believing that voice could ever be transmitted without using wires. But by the time of my death, not only was I wealthy from my patents, all of those people who had laughed at my ideas were twisting the dials on their newly bought radios to hear the latest weather and news." He was unhappy, ignored and in exile from his home and native land, Canada. And he was also right about his legacy. END Copyright © 2001 CBC All Rights Reserved / SRC Tous droits réservés. (via Mike Terry, DXLD) ** CHINA. China/Taiwan: Cross-Strait radio to launch broadcasts in Amoy | Text of report by Chinese news agency Zhongguo Xinwen She Fuzhou, 25 December: The radio station Voice of the Strait [a Fuzhou- based radio station broadcasting to listeners in Taiwan] will be the first in the country's broadcasting system to officially launch programmes in Amoy, beginning from 1 January 2002. As one of the major dialects of the Chinese language, Amoy is derived from the Heluo dialect of the Central Plains in ancient times; and it is widely spoken by the overwhelming majority of people in southern Fujian and Taiwan, as well as people in Guangdong's Chaozhou, Shantou and Leizhou Peninsula, Hainan Island; and Wenzhou Prefecture in the border area between Zhejiang and Fujian. It is also spoke in some southeastern countries and regions. According to statistics, about 60 million people in the world speak Amoy [known as Xiamen in Standard Chinese]. The Voice of the Strait will be broadcast in Amoy daily at 873 kHz on the medium wave and at 494 and 1159 kHz [as received, probably 4940 and 11590 kHz] on the short wave from early morning until 0100 the next day. During the 18.5-hour daily broadcast, the radio station will air all kinds of interesting programmes to listeners in southern Fujian, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. Among the programmes are the "Grand Vision Across the Strait," a news feature programme on major events across the Taiwan Strait and inside the territory; the "Harmony in Family Helps Smooth Sail in All Fields of Endeavour," a service exchange programme of interaction, which discusses and reflects on family ethical issues; and the "Good Time for You and Me", an entertainment programme to promote understanding between listeners and the programme hosts. In addition, the radio will broadcast a host of literary and artistic programmes in Amoy, such as the "Gift of Good Songs", a programme for lovers of songs in Amoy; the "Big Amoy Theatre", a programme for listeners who are fond of all kinds of local operas of Fujian and Taiwan, Liyuan opera, puppet shows and Xiang opera; the "Amoy Storytelling", a programme which will air folklore, novels, and literary plays in Amoy; and "Amoy Quyi" in which popular singers will sing folk music rich in local flavour, including ballad singing, storytelling, and cross-talk from Xiang opera, southern opera, and Chaozhou music. [According to BBC Monitoring records, Voice of the Strait already carries programming in Amoy. However the three frequencies given in the report - 873, 4940 and 11590 kHz - are used by the the Fuzhou-based China Huayi Broadcsting Corporation rather than Voice of the Strait]. Source: Zhongguo Xinwen She news agency, Beijing, in Chinese 25 Dec 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) Ha! The Chicoms can`t even keep their own propaganda organs straight; or have they actually interchanged them? (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA. Presumably one of those new transmitters testing, or serving as music jammer, tho nothing else heard on frequency: Dec 26 around 1930 I was looking for background music, and found some on 13745, strong but fluttery signal with continuous Chinese music, percussion plus high-pitched whistling and strings, off abruptly at 2000*, never any announcements (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COLOMBIA [non]. No sign of Idea Radio on occasional checks of 7380 the last couple weeks. Much of the evening, the frequency is relatively clear for it here, but there are problems: such as Polish 0615-0630 Dec 27, I guess TWR Albania in one of their typically brief broadcasts (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** COSTA RICA. Punching up 15040 for RFPI, Dec 27 at 0610, it sounded a bit off, so measured it: about 15038.9, also next day (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CUBA. RHC: sometimes 6000 silent while 11705-USB and 9820 OK. Or 600 and 9820 silent, 11705 OK. Other day 600 was in Spanish, not English, 11705 USB in English and 9820 silent, at 0400 (Bob Thomas, CT, Dec 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DENMARK [non]. I have received today from Radio Denmark a QSL card verifying my report of hearing the 10 minute news broadcast in English that was broadcast by mistake due to a computer malfunction during the 15th of December, 2001. I heard the broadcast at 08:30 UTC on 13,800 kHz via Radio Norway. This QSL show the lower right quarter of a painting symbolizing the Danish National Anthem. I also received a Danmarks Radio sticker and a broadcast schedule. May I send you my very best wishes for a happy new year and all the best for 2002! Yours Sincerely, (Michael Stevenson, Port Macquarie, N.S.W., Australia, EDXP via DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 5009.7, Radio Pueblo, 1019-1041 Dec 27, Tropical mx. Announcement for the Secretaría de Agricultura. Greetings to listeners and Christmas wishes. Several IDs including one with the address at 1036 and one which gave the SW frequency. Also several times gave slogan ID as just "quince diez" (15-10, their MW frequency). Into news at 1038. Good with slight het (Don Moore, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 3279.6, La Voz del Napo, 0949-1004 Dec 27, Mix of Ecuadorian and lite vocal music. Talk in indigenous language with time checks in Spanish. Man with what seemed to be a prayer beginning at 1001. No ID as either La Voz del Napo or Radio María, who reportedly is buying this station. Fair. 4781.4, Radio Oriental 1005-1012 Dec 27, Ads, including one for the caramels at Commercial California. Several mentions of Tena. Fair with some ute QRM (Don Moore, visiting PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** EGYPT. Media campaign will address "misunderstanding" of Islam - minister | Text of report in English from Egyptian news agency MENA web site Cairo, 26 December: The Egyptian media address of the outside world, especially Europe and US, will be part of an integrated Arab rhetoric to maintain the Arab and Islamic identity and rectify the misunderstanding of the Islamic religion which is calling for peace, security and stability, said the Egyptian minister of information [Safwat al-Sharif]. Elaborating on the future media plan, Safwat al-Sharif said in statements to MENA on Wednesday [26 December] that the plan is eyeing people in Europe and the US. The future rhetoric is bound to reflect the reality of our Arab communities in order to face the ferocious campaigns which are targeting Arabs and Muslims, said Al-Sharif. Egypt has the biggest Arab site on the Internet, namely the State Information Service (SIS) which has been visited so far by 130 million [people] from [around] the whole world, said Al-Sharif. A number of TV channels have been installed on the world wide web and their few hours transmission will be increased later to continue for 24 hours and go in line with the globalization trend, said Al-Sharif. The Egyptian overseas media plan includes transmission of the Egyptian satellite channel as of early January to the US in a new design and programme schedule so that it would appeal to the American taste, said the information minister. The transmission is set to reach the West Coast of the US and to be relayed from there as well, he added. The news bulletins addressing the US will be different from those aired to the Arab and other regions, said the minister. The Egyptian radio stations broadcast to a number of world regions, especially the Hebrew-language station broadcast to Israel, will be augmented, said Al-Sharif. This latter will be fostered with programmes expounding the Arab rights and stressing restoration of the Palestinian legitimate rights, he said. For that purpose, an FM wave transmission will have its relay tower built in El Arish to air the Hebrew-language programmes. The Nile TV News channel will also transmit a two-hour daily programme in Hebrew to Israel, said Al-Sharif. Radio stations speaking in Chinese, Japanese, Spanish and Portuguese are also under way, he added. All directed radio stations will be aired via the Egyptian satellites along with the powerful shortwave transmission centres, he said. With the completion of Mubarak International Studio Complex in the 6 October City in 2002, almost all of the giant media infrastructre of Egypt will have been completed, he added. The complex will have 35 studios equipped with the most up-to-date digital technology to stand on a par with the world's most advanced studios, said Al-Sharif. Source: MENA news agency web site, Cairo, in English 26 Dec 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** EL SALVADOR. Como estoy de vacaciones he podido actualizar la lista de estaciones de televisión en El Salvador, específicamente los recibidos en San Salvador, la capital, y sus alrededores. Incluye algunas fotos de logos para facilitar el trabajo de identificación para los "TVDXers". El sitio es http://www.geocities.com/hmolina.geo/tv.htm (Humberto Molina, San Salvador, Conexión Digital Dec 27 via DXLD) ** FINLAND. Glenn, My Radio Finland YLE schedule arrived this 26th of December with English to North America on Shortwave at 1330-1400 UTC on 15400 and 17660 kHz. However they actually have it as "UT", reflecting your influence on the SW world. I remember some years ago, perhaps during your DX Daily daze, you asked the question of "..why do they not just shorten "UTC" to "UT" in the schedules...?". Well, it appears they have finally or I have just let it slide by unnoted 'til now. Thanks much for your fine reports. SW listening would not be what it is without you. Have a fine 2002 (LeRoy Long, Edmond, OK, Dec 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) We`re lucky to have UT at all; as previously discussed, they prefer Finnish local time. Really, I`m not the only one preferring ``UT`` (gh, DXLD) ** GERMANY [non]. Deutsche Welle in English to As/Au/NZ eff. Dec. 20: 0900-0945 on additional NF 9510 (54444) // 6160 7300 17820 17845 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 27 via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. Glenn, Re your question in DXLD-1206: the power of R. Maya de Barillas, Guatemala, on 3324.9 (listed as 3325v) is given as 1 kW in both the country section and the shortwave table of WRTH2002. 73, (Andy Sennitt, Holland, Dec 26, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ICELAND. 13865, Iceland, RUV (ch. 1 SW relay), 1243 Dec 28, good copy. This is the best winter time slot to monitor in the Eastern part of NAm, because of near full greyline effect. News, sports, financial news. Time check at 1240, then weather. Storm with seas 13-18 meters off the south coast... 950 millibar low over Jan Mayen. Next weather at 1610. Then death notices, followed by ads including one for Blomaval which a flower shop in Reykjavík. Lots of after Christmas sales. ID "Útvarp Reykjavík", time check at 1258. Classical music filler till 1305. Another ID and time check, and SW relay went off. Program light on news today because of the holiday period (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Iceland is heard with an S9 signal today Dec. 28 at 1215 UT on 13865 kHz. So they are definitely back. 73, (Erik Køie, København, Denmark, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** JAPAN [non]. U A E/U K(non): Updated schedule for Radio Japan NHK World in Japanese to ME/AFG 0200-0400 6180 DHA 500 kW / 300 deg 0400-0700 15470 DHA 500 kW / 300 deg (ex 0500-0700) 0700-1300 15165 DHA 500 kW / 300 deg 1300-1500 17555 RMP 500 kW / 105 deg 1500-1600 NF 15255 SKN 250 kW / 105 deg (ex 15265 to avoid VOA in Ar/En) 1600-1700 15495 SKN 250 kW / 105 deg 1700-1900 11880 DHA 500 kW / 285 deg 1900-2100 9590 DHA 500 kW / 300 deg 2100-0100 6160 DHA 500 kW / 300 deg (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 27 via DXLD) Dear Mr. Glenn Hauser, Hello from Bulgaria! Thank you very much for using my contributions on your web-site. Regarding the usage of Radio Japan on 6120 Sackville English at 1100-1200, as well some of the others like on 6190 Yamata Chinese and Korean at 1130-1230, Radio Japan will continue the program "Year End Hitparade", instead of these languages' broadcast on 31 Dec. vy73, (Kunitoshi Hishikawa, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Please do not use the previous schedule for Year End Hit Palade, as another revision is pending (Toshi (Kunitoshi Hishikawa) from Bulgaria, Dec 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. Turkey: Kurdish radio begins live broadcasting in three dialects | Text of unattributed report, "Denge Mezopotamya broadcasting live", published by the German-based Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Politika web site on 27 December The Denge Mezopotamya [Voice of Mesopotamia] radio station, which broadcasts in all three dialects of Kurdish to all four parts of Kurdistan, has begun live broadcasts. A new Kurdish media outlet, the Denge Mezopotamya radio, has begun live test broadcasts. The radio, which to date had been broadcasting daily prerecorded four-hour programmes, will broadcast every day from 7:00 a.m. [0500 gmt] to midnight (Kurdistan time), starting on the first day [1 January] of 2002. Nuri Dicle, of the Denge Mezopotamya Programming Board, has said that the radio, which has its headquarters in Rotterdam, will broadcast to all four parts of Kurdistan, as well as to the Middle East and Europe. Stating that their goal is to provide up-to-the-minute information on developments to all the peoples of the Middle East, and especially to the peoples of Kurdistan, Dicle noted that they will broadcast in all three dialects of Kurdish - Kurmanji, Zazaki, and Sorani - and that they hope in this way to contribute to the development of Kurdish language and culture. Noting the importance of the media in attaining Kurdish national unity, Dicle stated that they intend that their broadcasts, of both national and regional character, will reach all parts of society, and that they will play an active role in society's expressing itself. Dicle noted in addition that the radio has begun live broadcasts in the 11530 kHz shortwave band. Source: Ozgur Politika web site, Neu-Isenburg, in Turkish 27 Dec 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) RUSSIA: Denge Mesopotamya in Kurdish now on the air: 0500-1700 on 11530 SAM, ex 0700-1100 on 15230 YER & 1500-1700 on 11530 YER (Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 27 via DXLD) YER meaning it was Yerevan, meaning Kamo meaning Gavar? SAM meaning it`s all now via Samara (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. A blast of winter sporadic-E opening erupted Dec 26, when I was too busy producing WORLD OF RADIO to pay much attention to it; but at 0145 UT Dec 27, the lower channels were essentially hash, with the only viewable video on 6, a novela in Spanish, quickly flashing an Azteca Trece ID. Possibilities from: http://personal.bna.bellsouth.net/bna/w/9/w9wi//tvdb/channels/6.htm La Paz, BS XHAPB-TV 50.00 0.00 N H 24 9'50"N 110 18'55"W XV-XE Arriaga, CH XHOMC-TV 10.00 0.00 N H 16 13'50"N 93 55'35"W XV-XE Ojinaga, CI XHHR-TV 100.0 0.00 Z H 29 33'52"N 104 25'23"W XV-XE Jocotitlan, MC XHXEM-TV 300.0 0.00 Z H 0 0' 0"N 0 0' 0"W XV-XE Puebla, PU XHPUR-TV 25.00 0.00 Z H 19 3'43"N 98 12'48"W XV-XE Mazatlán, SN XHLSI-TV 50.00 0.00 - H 23 15'34"N 106 23'11"W XV-XE Cd. Obregón, SO XHCSO-TV 100.0 0.00 Z H 27 34'30"N 109 56'27"W XV-XE Villahermosa, TB XHVHT-TV 25.00 0.00 + H 17 55'49"N 93 0' 4"W XV-XE Pachuca, HD XHPHG-TV 0.00 0.00 Z H 20 7'22"N 98 44' 5"W XX-XE So I`m almost certain it was one of these, altho the stations with zero power or zero coordinates are suspicious! (Glenn Hauser, Enid, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MYANMAR: Radio Myanmar, 4725 at 1237 27 Dec w/faint talk. Music at 1241. Very faint, so this is presumed. Tip per Dave Hodgson in DXLD 1- 206 dated 26 December. I haven't heard this one before, though I did hear the Army station about ten years ago. Wasn't that reactivated? I checked but nothing (Liz Cameron, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. Hoi, *Luid en duidelijk* om 2040z. Mark Hattam in Engeland hoort het signaal ook: Can hear them too on 3880 kHz ... best in LSB and pretty weak. Time now 2110 UT on 26th. Best guess is that it's 9895 - 6015 = 3880 kHz as both the 9 and 6 MHz channels come from Flevo per http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/schedule.html (Mark Hattam via Piet Pijpers, BDXC via DXLD) ** NORWAY. Hello from Copenhagen! Radio Norway International's last broadcast will be on Dec. 31 at 2200-2230 UT on 7465 kHz to the Far East and on 7530 kHz to the Canary Islands and South America. After this final broadcast Norway will relay their home service program 'Always News' between 0500 and 1930 UT Mon-Fri. At other times, including Holidays (like Jan. 1st), the NRK 1st home service program is aired. This until further notice. (Which means until an agreement is made with the 'transmitting company' Norkring.) Kvitsoy 1314 kHz continues as before (1200 kW). Radio Denmark is not affected by this. Happy New Year, (Erik Køie, København, Danmark, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** OKLAHOMA. Glenn, I would go to a lot of trouble to get a recording of the Cherokee language, from one of those stations you mentioned. I have never heard the sound of this language, though I am told it sounds quite different from other Native American languages I have heard on the radio, such as Navajo or Lakota. What I would want is the spoken language, not chanting, because, as you well know, the spoken language is what gives you the real sounds of the language (Tim Hendel, AL, December 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. 21460, R Pakistan, 0620 Dec 28. Multiple M-Class flares over the last few days have driven the solar flux index up to 275, allowing 13 meter reception of Pakistan during the middle of the night here in the southern USA. Nice Subcontinental music with YL announcer. What sounded like news by OM till 0635. Subcont music resumed till 0655. ID by YL at that time. National Anthem and s/off at 0700. Fair signal, with nice peaks (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PALESTINE [non]. 27 December 2001. A 'Radio Free Gaza' has been proposed by Michael Freund, who was deputy director of Communications and Policy Planning in the Israeli Prime Minister's Office from 1996 to 1999. Writing in the 26 December edition of the Jersualem Post, Freund is critical of the current US stance on the Palestinian issue, and suggests a number of measures the United States could take in support of Israel. Freund writes that "just as it did in the Cold War, when it established Radio Free Europe, America should now consider opening a 'Radio Free Gaza' to broadcast accurate news and information to Palestinians. Such a step is critical to countering the vicious anti- Israel and anti-American propaganda that is broadcast in Arafat's official PA media outlets." (© Radio Netherlands Media Network via DXLD) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. Someone sent me a copy of the so-called January 2002 issue of PopComm --- I wouldn`t dream of shelling out my own money for it --- and I now see for myself the horrible mistake on page 70 confusing an Afghan exile webstation with V. of Shariah, dealt with months ago here, and another also bylined Gerry Dexter to accompany it: on page 10, a frequency list of PNG stations starts with 2410 as NBC, Port Moresby. As any died-in-the-wool DXer ought to know, the 2410 station is instead Radio Enga. And I have yet to go thru the entire mag with a fine-tooth comb, if ever. As an example of the extremely long lead time, tho its cover date still has not yet arrived, the Afghan article obviously went to bed sometime between Sept. 11 and Oct. 7, before VOS was bombed off the air, and GLD had to hedge his bets about whether it would still be there when we read this (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PARAGUAY. 920 | R. Nacional (ZP1), Asunción, 11 Nov, 0032-0058 - Guitar music, ID and frequency announcement, into harp music; better than // 9737.86 kHz, which was a distorted, buzzy signal; 33333-2 [JB]. 14 Nov, 0257-0301* - National anthem // 9736; poor under CJCH, Halifax [JF/BC]. 1020.09 | R. Ñandutí (ZP14), Asunción, 11 Nov, 2341-0002 - Sports program, ads , IDs at 2351 and 2359; 44332 using USB to reduce QRM from 1020 [JB]. 14 Nov, 0500 - Poor; "Radio Ñandutí, en Asunción" and many "en Paraguay" mentions [BC]. (Newfoundland DXpedition – see ANGOLA, via DXLD) ** PERU. 2258 kHz, Radio La Mejor, Tumbes (2 x 1130 harmonic) 1005-1032 Dec 28, Possible sign-on on raspy carrier with sudden talk and Andean music. 1025 announcement block with ID, "Radio La Mejor presentó...", Carrier drifting upwards from 2256.97 to 2258 by 1030. Mostly poor signal with occasional fair peaks (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @ 180 degrees, "VT-DX" at http://sover.net/~hackmohr/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. 4795, Buryatskoe R., Dec 20 1110-1132, 25332-35333 Buriyt and Russian, 1110 IS and ID. ID at Buriyat and Russian. Talk (Kouji Hashimoto, Yamanashi, JAPAN, NRD525 + RD9830, NRD515, FRG-7, 35m LW, Japan Premium via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. 5925, Radio Central [sic], Test broadcast on December 24 from 0305 to 0342 fadeout, Weak signal but music was audible until fadeout (Lee Silvi, Mentor, NE Ohio, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAJIKISTAN. New IBB 60 mb frequencies still aren't in normal operation. On December 27 I heard 4760 at 0057 with VOA Special English and at 0140 with VOA in Thai or Vietnamese (Vladimir Kovalenko, Tomsk, Russia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See USA [non] Thanks to several friends (Andy Sennitt, Marie A. Lamb, Roberto Scaglione etc.) who gave info on the new broadcasts on 4760. It`s Radio Liberty in Tajik via Dushanbe at 0100-0200 as per the IBB list dated 26 December 2001. Today December 27, 2001, however, till 0100 Special English broadcasts of VOA was heard on that frequency which is unlisted in the latest IBB list. Happy New Year! 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, Hyderabad, dx_india via DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. I also heard Turkmen Radio in English on 5015 at 1300-1309. And on December 25 I found Russian speaking on 5015 at 1643. It's very unusual but wasn't a program. That's just recording of Turkmen president Saparmurat Nijazov's meeting with new ambassadors of Romania, India and Saudi Arabia. They presented their credentials. It's very interesting that Turkmen Radio have no Russian program but president speaks to foreign officials only in excellent Russian. Romanian ambassador spoke in Russian, Indian and Saudi ones spoke in English and Arabic respectably with translation into Russian. The same program was on 4930. I hear such a programs a couple of times each year (Vladimir Kovalenko, Tomsk, Russia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UGANDA. Glenn, R. Uganda (based on ILG data), 4976 kHz, 26 Dec 2001, 2044-2103 UT. No // heard on 7195 kHz. All recorded music - played a variety of Christmas carols in English until 2100. No station ID heard but a short orchestral piece played at 2100 (national anthem?). Abrupt termination of carrier at 2103 after a few minutes of silence (Rich Skoba, New Jersey, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Heard Radio Uganda on its old frequency of 4976 around 1830, fair signals (Manikant Lodaya, south central India, Dec 28, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. Glenn: My unID on 17004 U logged Dec 15th 0826-0900, turns out to be most likely a ute. As I said in the log, I was not 100% sure of the language, and as it turns out, I was wrong about it being Portuguese. It is really Russian instead. Those two languages sound very similar to my ears. Dmitri Mezin heard my recording of the station, and he writes: ``This is Radio Omega Polis, Sevastopol`, Ukraine. Usual commercial FM- style: advertisements (some clear mentions of Sevastopol` heard), Russian pop music. ID "Omega Polis 103.7" (not so clear). It's curious, I've been near there on vacation last summer, in the South Crimea seashore, appx 25 km of Sevastopol. I believe the frequency is used by coastal station Sevastopol` Radio for communications with seamen. When there's no traffic, they probably entertain the audience with FM relay.`` 73, (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ukraine, 12508.53 USB, Radio Omega Polis, Sevastopol` (tentative), 0811 Dec 28, exactly the same type of transmission that I heard on 17004 USB on the 15th of this month. I think I even recognize the voice of one of the announcers from the FM feed. This time the FM feed ended abruptly after 20 minutes (around 0830), and 2-way voice traffic began. This would support Dmitri Mezin's idea that this is a nautical station which was just relaying a bit of local radio, for the entertainment of the fishing fleet. Strong signal here (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. DX Information from the British DX Club (BDXC-UK). **M** 12th December 2001 "What a con" On radio and television and it seems through the RSGB news we hear that the R.N. Thunderer Squadron succeeded in recreating Marconi's spark signal and sent it across the Atlantic 100 years later from Poldhu to St. John`s in Newfoundland using Marconi equipment! THE TRUTH: The equipment was tested out at the Eden project on 3rd December and did not emit a squeak let alone a spark. On 12th December their "spark" replica of the Marconi apparatus never left the back of a van all day and never had an aerial attached. Lt. Mickey Rooney waffled on about the cloud layer being too low for radio waves to bounce off it! The real Marconi apparatus was huge and produced a spark that could be heard a mile away. What did happen was that a spark was produced and was fed into a mobile phone and received at one of the R.N. transmitting station and was sent using SSB on 17 MHz to St. John's. This inelegant deception was hailed as a great triumph and success by Lt. Rooney. I doubt if many radio amateurs were fooled by this deception. The letter "S" sent from Poldhu by Lady Mary Holborrow, Lord Lt. of Cornwall was sent in CW on 12 MHz and was received in St. John`s and was far more representative of the events of 100 years ago. THIS WAS SENT TO ME BY A CONTACT IN CORNWALL (David Thorpe, BDXC-UK Dec 27 via DXLD) ** U K. Hi, Glenn! A sort of program-related topic, inspired by a BBC newscast: I heard this morning (Dec. 27th) on a BBC newscast an announcer/newsreader say the phrase "Mister bin Laden" referring to you-know-who. This struck me as odd and probably wrong. As I recall, "bin Laden" means "son of Laden". So would you say "Mister son of George"? I don't think so. I expect to use honorifics appropriate to the language of the person in question: "Herr Hitler", "Señor González", "Señorita Sánchez", "Monsieur Chrétien", etc. (I'll let gh make the "n" into an enye if he can; I don't know how. :-) So what is the proper honorific for Arabic? In Japanese I think it is "name-san", but is "name" personal or family name there? The question of whether ObL *deserves* an honorific is left to further discussion... :-) Regards, (Will Martin, MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, lots of western names in -son mean ``son of`` but that doesn`t stop us from Mistering them (gh, DXLD) ** U K [non]: Special transmissions of BBC to ME/Afghanistan: 0730-0800 Persian 12030 17870 0800-0830 Persian 15175 17870 0830-0900 Pashto 12030 17870 0900-1000 Persian 15175 17870 1000-1100 English 15175 17870 1100-1200 Persian 15155 17870 1200-1300 Pashto 15155 17800 1300-1330 Persian 15380 17800 1400-1430 Pashto 15360 17870 1430-1530 Persian 6195 15155 17870 1530-1615 Pashto 6195 9915 13755 15575 1615-1700 Persian 6090 6195 9915 13755 15575 1700-1800 Pashto 6090 11805 1800-1900 Persian 6090 11805 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 27 via DXLD) Sites not specified, but by heading [non] are you saying none of these are UK? (gh, DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Some changes for VOA/RFE/RL schedule to ME/AFG: VOA Arabic 1500-1600 11955 15120 15265 17795 <<<<< ex 1500-1530 1600-1700 11950 15120 17795 <<<<< ex 1600-1630 RL Azeri 1400-1500 11795 15430 17605 <<<<< additional txion VOA Dari 0200-0230 6035* 6170 9705 9750 0230-0300 6035* 9750 15580 15705 17780 <<<<< additional 1630-1700 9705 9875 11760 <<<<< additional txion VOA English 1530-1600 11955 15120 15265 17795 <<<<< deleted 1630-1700 11950 15120 17795 <<<<< deleted RL Kazakh 1500-1600 5005* 6055 12010 <<<<< additional txion 1600-1700 5005* 7105 11920 <<<<< additional txion RL Kyrghyz 0100-0200 NF 15115, ex 6050 0200-0300 5035* 9555 11795 <<<<< additional txion 1500-1600 9595 11760 13615 <<<<< additional txion VOA Pashto 0100-0130 6170 7145 9750 <<<<< additional txion 1400-1430 6170*11770 13605 15515 15705 17680 <<<<< additional txion 1430-1530 NF 17680, ex 11990 VOA Persian 1130-1230 15415 17560 17730 <<<<< ex 1130-1200 1430-1500 13650 15290 17855 <<<<< ex 1430-1500 RL Persian 1400-1430 13605 15705 <<<<< deleted 1900-2000 6150* 7175 11835 <<<<< additional txion RL Tajik 0100-0200 4760* 6050 7275 <<<<< additional txion 0230-0300 9750 15705 <<<<< deleted 0330-0400 6050 7275 9585 <<<<< additional txion 1400-1500 12010 15405 17660 <<<<< additional txion 1630-1700 4760* 9695 11705 <<<<< additional txion RL Turkmen 1400-1500 9865 12030 15185 <<<<< additional txion RL Uzbek 0500-0600 11750 11905 17870 <<<<< additional txion 1630-1700 12020 17805 <<<<< additional txion * via transmitter in Dushanbe 100 kW. 73 and A Happy New 2002 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 27 via DXLD) see also TAJIKISTAN ** U S A. USA/Turkey: VOA Turkish service expands to one hour daily | Text of press release by Voice of America on 21 December Washington DC, 21 December: With the recent addition of a 30-minute block of airtime, the Voice of America (VOA) now broadcasts one hour of Turkish-language programming to Turkey from 1900 to 2000 UT [Universal Time; gmt] (2100 to 2200 in Turkey). The Turkish Service is one of six VOA language services that have increased their broadcast times following the terrorist attacks on 11 September. "I consider, from my own experience in working in foreign policy and in public diplomacy, that the Turkish audience is one of the single most important for the United States to reach," said VOA Director Robert Reilly. "Turkey is an invaluable ally to the United States, an invaluable member of NATO, and invaluable in its role throughout the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Caucasus." VOA reaches Turkish audiences in Turkey, Cyprus, Europe and the Caucasus via direct medium and shortwave broadcasts, simulcasts on FM affiliates, and the Internet. Currently, VOA Turkish programmes can be heard on individual FM stations in some of the most populous cities of Turkey, including Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir. FM stations in Nicosia, Cyprus; and Baku, Azerbaijan; also simulcast VOA Turkish broadcasts. In addition, VOA Turkish broadcasters have provided news reports and have been guests on question and answer programs with a number of radio and television stations in Turkey, Germany and on Cyprus, since the 11 September terrorist attacks. Internet users can access the texts, audio and video of VOA Turkish broadcasts at http://www.voanews.com/turkish Source: Voice of America press release, Washington, in English 21 Dec 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U S A. In my bandscan at 0630 UT Dec 27, came upon some southern gospel music, originally a live performance with applause, but quite weak signal, on 7490, which certainly points to WJCR (or whatever it is becoming under new ownership) reactivated on low power. The signal was absolutely no comparison to other US stations nearby, such as KTBN 7510 and WWCR 7560. No further signs of WJCR at occasional later checks on 7490 or 13595 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Looking thru some recent issues of my GLOBAL FORUM column in MONITORING TIMES, to compile SW YEAR IN REVIEW, I am reminded of previous publicity put out by Dave Frantz about the new station in Tennessee he was then calling ``WWCV`` -- The recent tests on 12172 as WWRB did not specify type of antenna or azimuth, but he had said that he would have three different types of antennas, all 190 feet high --- close enough to the 200 feet he was announcing Dec 24: two rhombics at 340 and 045 degrees; four 190-foot-high phased corner reflectors at 360, 090, 180 and 270 degrees; and two 7-element wide-spaced yagis at 310 and 130 degrees. So which have we been hearing on 12172? 045 degrees --- rhombic --- would be best for Middle East, and 090 degrees --- corner reflector --- for Africa? (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Dear Glenn, Re- the last WOR on WBCQ, the Grand Old Opry starts, in fact, at 6:30 Central time. There are two shows, and WSM AM broadcasts both of them. I have a very good daytime signal on WSM here, and I will keep you informed of any format changes. I have a fair signal on WWTN, 99.7, the talk station which Gaylord Entertainment owns, and a sometimes signal on WSM-FM, 95.5, so I can let you know if those two change format. Can't get WKDA on 1430, but I often get to Nashville, so I'll keep watch on it. It hasn't been Spanish for all that long, just a few months (Tim Hendel, Huntsville AL, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. A Different Kind of Oldies Show Program News for the week of 12/28/2001: Currently Running on live365.com: Christmas Doo-Wop from 12/22. Open up url http://www.live365.com/stations/15660 in your browser to listen in mono or http://www.live365.com/stations/63579 for stereo. Also now on the Stereo port; "Vault Of Vintage Vinyl Show" from 12/16. Next Week's Show: This is definitely not a real oldies show we're planning. We're gonna be VERY tongue-in-cheek with this last show of the year. You'll have to tune in to find out the weirdness we're doing. Join us on the world band [sic] radio, WBCQ at 7415 kHz this Saturday night at 8PM Eastern Time/0100 UT-Sunday for our first airing. The show will also be on live365.com starting next Sunday morning if not earlier. Sundays at 3 PM Eastern, (2000 UT), it's "The Vault Of Vintage Vinyl" on Doo Wop Café Radio. This Sunday afternoon we'll be featuring one of the pioneer R&B groups. The group that introduced the "church" sound to black pop music and created the R&B vocal group sound. For the bulk of the two hours it's the best of Sonny Til & The Orioles. We'll skip through the years from their start as the Vibriaires in 1947 to some of Sonny's last recordings in 1981. These shows are live and only selected shows may be taped and rebroadcast. Link to http://www.doowopcaferadio.com and your real audio player will start automatically. Check the Doo Wop Café website out for more information and other shows from Doo Wop Café Radio. It's http://www.doowopcafe.net --> (NOTE THE NEW URL). The club also has a presence on Yahoo! It is used for our members` chat room which is how you become interactive with the D.J., http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/doowopcafe is the url. In addition to the new Sunday broadcast on Doo Wop Cafe Radio, we are also airing airchecks of various old doo-wop radio shows that were on NY radio in the 1970's on an irregular basis. We found a bunch when we were looking for some Time Capsule Shows. We will run them on alternate Sunday mornings, (the weeks that Dave Kirby, N1DK, is not doing Cybershortwave Live on live365.com). Try us at 10 AM Eastern, 1500 UT, on Sunday December 30th at http://www.doowopcaferadio.com Start times will vary for future shows; it depends how long the tape is. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> < "Big Steve" Coletti > < A Different Kind Of Oldies Show on WBCQ, 7415kHz Shortwave > < Saturday Evenings at 8:00 ET, 0100 UTC-Sunday > < e-mail: bigsteve387@msn.com web page: http://bigsteve.wbcq.net > < US Mail: P.O. Box 396, New York, NY 10002 > (via DXLD) ** U S A. Does all news mean no talk? If so great. Otherwise KRLD has been all news for years. Regards (Dave McDonald, Dec 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Also, contrary to Bill Smith`s expectation, I saw a report somewhere that KRLD would still be carrying silly ballgames (Glenn Hauser, WORLD OF RADIO 1111, DXLD) ** U S A. 9465, WMLK Bethel PA (presumed); 1635-1640+, 10-Dec; EE preacher ragging on the Catholics. Xmtr hum & audio sounds like the mic at the opposite end of the hall from the speaker. SIO=442+ (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE via DXLD) ** U S A. Mother Angelica, of EWTN, has suffered a stroke in Birmingham AL (CNN news streamer at 0314 UT Dec 27 via gh, DXLD) Also of WEWN --- why does her ``2-megawatt`` SW operation always get eclipsed by the cable TV thing, running only a few watts at its uplink? (gh, DXLD) EWTN Foundress Mother Angelica Hospitalized Irondale, AL - Mother Mary Angelica, Foundress and Chairman Emeritus of EWTN Global Catholic Network was hospitalized in Birmingham on Monday after suffering a second stroke at her Monastery in Hanceville. Mother Angelica was hospitalized in September for what doctors called a mild stoke that affected her left eye and the nerves on the left side of her face. On Christmas Eve, Mother Angelica underwent a surgical procedure to remove a blood clot from her brain. She came through the surgery well, but remains in intensive care. Mother Angelica, a Poor Clare Nun of Perpetual Adoration, founded EWTN more than 20 years ago. Today the network is the largest religious media organization in the world, reaching more than 70 million households on cable television and by direct broadcast satellite. In addition, the network's programming is satellite delivered to AM and FM radio stations in the U.S. and abroad and via worldwide short wave radio. EWTN also maintains an active presence on the Internet (www.ewtn.com). (EWTN website checked a few minutes later via gh, DXLD) Then I went to CNN.com and searching on Mother Angelica, only turned up one story from 1996 about Brazilian girl prostitutes, one named *Maria* Angelica. I am not impressed with CNN`s search funxion nor timeliness. As for EWTN, if they go out of their way to feminize this celibate as a ``foundress``, why is she not also an ``emerita``? (gh, DXLD) UPDATE: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2001, 5:00 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME Mother Angelica's Condition Slightly Improves Irondale, AL (EWTN) - Doctors treating EWTN Foundress, Mother Mary Angelica in a Birmingham, Alabama hospital said her condition shows slight improvement since her surgery on Christmas Eve to remove a blood clot in her brain that had caused her to suffer her second stroke since September. Doctors said she is stable, her vital signs are improving but she remains in intensive care. Since Monday, thousands of well wishers have sent email and telephone messages to EWTN offering prayers for Mother's speedy recovery. EWTN will continue to provide updates on Mother Angelica on the network's web site http://www.ewtn.com as conditions warrant (via DXLD) ** U S A. East Coast State of Mind Rules TV News Media: Executives aren't sure what to do about a growing perception that coverage of the West is overlooked. By ELIZABETH JENSEN, Los Angeles Times NEW YORK --- Since Sept. 11, a TV media world already East Coast- centric seems to be paying even less attention to the time divides that carve the country into four regions. Tune into a 24-hour news channel and there's usually an anchor offering up some version of this: "Here are the latest developments as we hit noon" or 2 or 5 or 8 ... "here on the East Coast." TV news will forever be a business driven by time, in which the ability to take viewers to the scene as it is happening separates the winners from the losers. So it's not surprising that newscasters make a habit of noting what time an event is unfolding, or a news conference is being held--underscoring the immediacy of the report. Still it can feel that the entire world of news operates on East Coast time. West Coast viewers, and those in the Central and Mountain time zones, are left to "do the math" on their own. Even before September, data from ratings service Nielsen Media Research show that West Coast viewers watched the all-news channels less than their Eastern counterparts, giving rise to a "chicken-and-egg" debate that news executives have yet to settle: Do people watch less news on the West Coast because they have less interest in world events, or because news operations pay relatively little attention to happenings within their time zone? Understandably, in the aftermath of the terror attacks virtually all the attention of broadcast news organizations has been focused on New York, Washington and Afghanistan. While Atlanta-based CNN and New York- based MSNBC and Fox News Channel aspire to be news channels for the country, their recent on-air look is almost all East Coast, when it's not Afghanistan. New, high-profile CNN anchors such as Aaron Brown and Paula Zahn are based in New York, which is facing a massive recovery from the terror attacks, not CNN's Southern headquarters. And with resources concentrated on war coverage, CNN, for one, has put off indefinitely a plan to launch a Los Angeles-based morning show. Of the growing perception of a chasm between the coasts in terms of coverage, news channel executives say they are aware of the divide but not quite sure what to do about it. "I totally get it and am sympathetic to it because I lived in California for so long," says Jamie Kellner, who moved from Santa Barbara to Atlanta earlier this year when he took over running AOL Time Warner's basic cable channels, including CNN. "It may seem to be more New York-centric than ever before, but ground zero is the biggest story of our time." Erik Sorenson, president of MSNBC, based just over the Hudson River from New York in Secaucus, N.J., finds the reaction from viewers is as much about their state of mind as it is about coverage. From the Easterners, he says, it is: "Don't they understand that we're in World War III, that we've been attacked, that they could be next?" From Westerners he gets this: "What's wrong with them, they're obsessed, paranoid, overwrought, they need a break." But does it matter? Some argue the consequences of an overlooked West Coast are severe. "L.A. is always ignored or, when it's convenient, it's dissed," says Joel Kotkin, Los Angeles-based author of "The New Geography: How the Digital Revolution Is Reshaping the American Landscape." The result, he says: "It accentuates the phlegmatic nature of the town, the disassociation of people from their community, the indifference or torpor of its elites." It can have an effect on capital markets, he says, noting that the relative strength of Los Angeles' economy has been almost totally overlooked. But given the gruesome nature of the story that most recently has put New York front and center, Los Angeles should "count its blessings," says William A. McClung, author of "Landscapes of Desire: Anglo Mythologies of Los Angeles." He believes the current news focus is "unavoidable" and notes that there's even a "relative neglect" of the plane crash at the Pentagon, which rarely gets mentioned. New York, he says, "epitomizes the American city, Manhattan epitomizes New York, skyscrapers epitomize Manhattan, and the [World Trade Center] towers epitomize skyscrapers. Thus we have an Eastern grounding all the way down to ground zero." And TV news, he adds, "thrives on that encapsulating." The current population distribution also helps explain the East Coast focus. Nielsen's breakdown shows that of a total pool of 270 million people 2 and older with television in the U.S., 130 million (48%) are in the Eastern time zone, 78 million (29%) are in the Central time zone, while the Mountain and Pacific time zones combined have 62 million people (23%). With few exceptions, most national radio and TV stations have been East Coast-based, an outgrowth of broadcast networks' hometowns and the overriding attention on Washington news that dominated national news coverage well into the 1980s. Media consolidation in the last decade has only increased the concentration of headquarters in New York. In the 1980s, cable's Financial News Network originated much of its programming from Los Angeles, but that ended when it merged with New York suburb-based CNBC; New York-based Time Warner acquired CNN in 1996 (and itself was acquired by AOL this year). Today, Public Radio International's "Marketplace" business program, which is produced in Los Angeles, prides itself as being "the only daily national news program originating from the West Coast." Media operations rarely spend the extra money to have shows originate from outside their Eastern studios. National Public Radio is working on an expanded Los Angeles production facility, but CNN in February slashed its West Coast production unit as the new media revolution sputtered. L.A.-based entertainment shows, such as Fox News Channel's weekend "Entertainment Coast to Coast," have been preempted for war coverage, and though CNN talk host Larry King is based in Los Angeles, he frequently broadcasts from New York and Washington. That geographical base translates on the air. Nameless, faceless "media," Kotkin says, "are actually people; they live somewhere and they've made life choices and very often lifestyle choices that affect how they look at the world." That so many of them are now New Yorkers, he says, can't help but have an effect. West Coast viewers also have to adjust to East Coast scheduling on news from the broadcast networks. The networks generally update their tape-delayed morning and evening newscasts when the news warrants, which in recent months has been several times a week. But when they don't, viewers on the West Coast see news that was taped three hours earlier. One exception is ABC's "World News Tonight," which airs at 4:30 p.m. on "Monday Night Football" days. Cable has a unique problem, however, because to save money, most networks choose to have just one signal that airs simultaneously across the country. It's standard practice for many anchors to give viewers East Coast time, so when CNN's Brown says it's noon, it isn't for more than half of the country. If MSNBC's Sorenson had his way, the cable news network anchors wouldn't announce the time at all. "I think people know what time it is wherever they are," he says. "It drives me crazy." There are some advantages to the time disparity, says Kellner. On the West Coast, he could catch CNN's Larry King at 6 p.m, a definite plus "because I generally was out" by the time the 9 p.m. prime-time replay rolled around. Sorenson, a former news director at KCBS-TV, says his biggest complaint when he lived in Los Angeles was the taped programming that cable viewers get in some prime hours. Indeed, by 11 p.m. CNN has moved into airing programming from its London-based international network. Since Sept. 11, however, West Coast viewers of MSNBC have been getting a live newscast at 8 p.m., says Sorenson, something the broadcast networks can't do. He says it will continue indefinitely. "The world is going to be serious enough for long enough that there will be support for that program," he says. Beefing up coverage for the West Coast is a tough call when cable news organizations look strictly at the numbers. In March, to cite an extreme example, 61% of MSNBC's viewers came from the Eastern time zone and just 16% from the Mountain and Pacific time zones. More recently, in September, 55% of MSNBC's total viewers each day on average came from the Eastern time zone, compared with 20% from Mountain and Pacific; for CNN, 51% of its audience was in the Eastern time zone and 21% in Mountain and Pacific. Fox News Channel in September hewed more closely to the population breakdown, with 48% of its viewers in the Eastern time zone and 23% in Mountain and Pacific. All the figures were based on Nielsen data as analyzed by the MSNBC research department. Whatever the reason--whether it's the lack of coverage of local issues or the culture of the coast, "people on the West Coast seem not to be as interested in news as people back East," says Sorenson. As sheepish as news executives are about the stereotype, there may be some truth to it, says Kotkin. "L.A. is a backyard society, and the focus is on life that isn't the life of the city." For many who moved to Los Angeles, "no matter how ambitious they were, or how hard they intended to work, a part of their mind was focused on the idea of how to escape the hard realities of Eastern life," says McClung. "It's part of the cultural mythology of the place." Network news executives have toyed with being more mindful of their West Coast viewers. Before Sept. 11, CNN was working on a program meant to draw West Coast viewers away from "Today" and "Good Morning America" by airing in the morning hours in the Pacific time zone and midday on the East Coast. The show would have been hosted by Willow Bay, a CNN anchor based in Los Angeles because her husband, Walt Disney Co. President Robert Iger, lives there. But the show went on the back burner after Sept. 11. "So many additional resources are going to covering the war that to add other elements is just not practical," says Kellner, adding that CNN will "definitely come back to it." (LA Times via Tom Roche, Dec 27, DXLD) ** URUGUAY. As the final item extracted from the X Newfoundland DXpediton report, we present all the Uruguayan loggings --- something we landlocked DXers with more modest equipment can only dream of: 610 | R. Capital (CX4), Montevideo, 12 Nov, 0204-0232, 0304-0307* - Mainly talk first half hour, returned at 0304 for sign-off announcements and address twice, off at 0307; peaks at 33333 [JB]. 650 | SODRE (CX6), Montevideo, 11 Nov, 0245-0258 - Classical music, woman introed pieces and announced a concert at a Montevideo cathedral; 33333 [JB]. 12 Nov, 0325 - Woman with info about classical composer; 33332 [JB]. 14 Nov, 0235 - Tentative; continuous uninterrupted classical music, no ID through the top of the hour, in CKGA- Newfoundland null [BC]. 770 | R. Oriental (CX12), Montevideo, 14 Nov, 0055 - Fair; folk music, "Transmite CX12, Radio Oriental, 770 AM, Montevideo" [BC]. 14 Nov, 0107-0132 - Latin music, ads and IDs; fair with QRM from Colombian station [JF]. 17 Nov, 0131 - Detailed news of Uruguayan soccer team; 33333 [JB]. 850 | R. Carve (CX16), Montevideo, 11 Nov, 0238 - Promo for "Simplemente Clasicos" (pop oldies) program "en Carve;" 44333 [JB]. 930 | R. Monte Carlo (CX20), Montevideo, 15 Nov, 0120 - Brief fade in with CJYQ-Newfoundland and CFBC-New Brunswick phase-nulled on Brazil and Africa wires; news from Washington, "Radio Monte Carlo" ID [BC]. 1050 | SODRE (CX26), Montevideo, 11 Nov, 0231 - Soccer discussion; 33322 [JB]. 12 Nov, 0235 - Fair; "CX26" ID and web address, "Historia de Radio" program, 0255 web address, Montevideo and "nacional Uruguay" mentions, anthem and off leaving WEVD New York in clear [BC]. 15 Nov, 0206-0215 - Bit of music, lots of telephone numbers, ID at 0213; big fades, 33322 [JB]. 15 Nov, 0228 - "Montevideo ... una estación de Grupo Uruguayano," and at 0230 "CX26, SODRE, Montevideo, Uruguay" [JR/JF]. 1090 | R. Imparcial, Montevideo, 14 Nov, 0505-0517 - Jingle ID, ads, nice ID over "Love’s Theme" as "Desde Montevideo, Radio Imparcial;" good [JF]. 1130 | R. Nacional (CX30), Montevideo, 15 Nov, 0403 - ID "desde Montevideo ...Radio Nacional ..." [JR]. 16 Nov, 2359-0005 - Wins the Battle of the R. Nacionals with luxury-item ads (wine, orthodontist…), slogan "1130 La Radio" and accordion music from 0003; 43433 [JB]. 1170 | Radiomundo (CX32), Montevideo, 16 Nov, 2356 - Religious programming, report from a street in Montevideo, ID before fade; 33423- 2 [JR/JB]. 1470 | R. Cristal del Uruguay (CX147), Las Piedras, 17 Nov, 0010 - Series of speakers (with applause) at a public meeting, mentions of "Ciudad de Montevideo," "Turismo en Uruguay," ID finally heard at 0043 [JR]. 17 Nov, 0039-0045 - Speech to car enthusiasts, two IDs around 0044; 33333 over R. Vibración [JB]. 17 Nov, 0050-0056 - News mentioning Uruguay, ID [JF]. 1560 | R. Maldonado (CW51), 16 Nov, 0057 - Fade up for "Maldonado" ID; 32242 [JB]. 1590 | R. Real (CX159), Colonia, 16 Nov, 0018 - Telephone numbers, Uruguayan and local (Colonia) news; 34322 [JB]. (Newfoundland DXpedition – see ANGOLA, via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. Last winter there was a message on local Vietnamese stations with mention of Houa Phan on about 4661. It wasn't mentioned in Roland Schulze`s message in DXLD 1-199. I still receive this frequency at around midnight UT but can't identify it because of poor signal. I think it's still the same station (Vladimir Kovalenko, Tomsk, Russia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM. Radio plans to expand Khmer language broadcasts | Text of report by Vietnamese radio text web site on 27 December A seminar on Khmer language broadcasts was held in the southern province of Soc Trang on 27 December. Addressing the seminar, Voice of Vietnam Radio Deputy General Director Nguyen Thi Kim Cuc stressed significance of broadcasts in the Khmer language. About one million people of the Khmer ethnic group are currently living in southern Vietnam. The Voice of Vietnam broadcasts three Khmer language programmes a day, each lasts about 45 minutes. The station expects to expand airtime in the near future. Radio stations in Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Kien Giang, An Giang and Bac Lieu provinces and in some districts where a large number of Khmer people live have produced their own programmes in Khmer language. In his closing speech at the seminar, Tran Mai Hanh, member of the Party Central Committee and General Director of Radio Voice of Vietnam expressed appreciation on solutions proposed by participants to further improve the Voice of Vietnam's Khmer broadcasts to better implement the Party guidelines and State policies on ethnic minority groups. Source: Voice of Vietnam text web site, Hanoi, in Vietnamese 27 Dec 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** VIETNAM. Hi-- I got a Christmas card from the Voice of Vietnam today (26 Dec). Nice watercolor of a bridge. Latest sked that was in the card: (English as of 30 Nov) 0100 6175 NAm 0230 6175 NAm 0330 6175 CAm 1000 9840 12020 SEAs 1100 7285 1242 SAs 1230 9840 12020 SEAs 1330 9730 7145 Eu 1400 1242 CAs 1500 1242 SWAs 1600 9730 7145 Eu 1630 1242 CAs 1800 5955 7145 9730 Eu 1900 9730 7145 Eu 2030 9730 7145 Eu 2330 9840 12020 Eu Plus FM from Hanoi on 101.5 at 1000, 1230, 1330, 1600. (73/Liz Cameron, MI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** YUGOSLAVIA. Something`s apparently amiss with/at R. ``Yugoslavia``. Last heard English to NAm Dec 11. Silent at 0100 to ENAm on 7115 (scheduled UT Mon-Sat, not Sun); silent at 0200 [on 7130] for WNAm daily. Of course, in past they`ve taken short breaks due to transmitter malady, site squabbles, some political issue or budget woe. Which is it now? VOA English heard at 0100 when no Yugo on 7115 (Bob Thomas, CT, Dec 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Budget, no pay electric bills, as reported meanwhile, but not so explicit at http://www.radioyu.org Dec 27 alongside a Xmas card: ``OBAVESTENJE. Zbog trenutnih problema u radu tehnike, nismo u mogucnosti da emitujemo program na kratkom talasu u sledecih mesec dana. INFORMATION: Due to the current technical problems, we regret to have to inform you that we will not be able to broadcast our program on short waves during a period of approximately a month.`` But starting when was this month? I find no date on the notice. That`s like a store putting a note on the locked door, ``back in an hour``. Still nothing on 7115 at 0100 UT Dec 28 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) CLANDESTINE Regarding Mathias Kropf`s annual report on clandestine trends: Andy Sennitt comments: Part of the reason for increased activity is the availability of airtime on high power transmitters at competitive rates. The privatisation of some companies that operate shortwave facilities has created new opportunities for shortwave airtime brokers. By selling airtime to an intermediary, broadcasters avoid the awkward political questions that would arise if they sold airtime directly to some political organisations. Whereas 20 years ago, the appearance of a particular clandestine station on a certain country's transmitters usually reflected a political connection, these days it's just as likely to be simply a commercial arrangement. Of course, "traditional" clandestines operating from transmitters in secret locations are still around, but nowadays even these are often supplemented by audio-enabled Web sites. For in-depth coverage of this fascinating area of international broadcasting, we recommend Clandestine Radio Watch (© Radio Netherlands Media Network via DXLD) ###