GLENN HAUSER'S SHORTWAVE/DX REPORT 99-82, Dec 29, 1999 {Items from this and all our reports may be reproduced and re- reproduced only providing full credit be maintained at all stages. If excerpting, this means appending the line above} THIS WEEK ON WORLD OF RADIO 1018: See topic summary at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1018.html 1999 : THE SHORTWAVE YEAR IN REVIEW Partial version Dec 25 on VOA Communications World; complete version on WOR 1018, and the copyrighted text is now posted at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/swyir99.txt ** CHINA/CUBA. Cuba relays China Radio International on SW Excerpt from report by the Cuban news agency Prensa Latina Havana, 27th December: Cuban Communications Minister Silvano Colas today reported that the island has taken over the broadcasts of China Radio International to the American continent through an agreement signed with this Asian nation's radio and television network. Colas told the media that the transmissions are done using two Cuban transmitters for eight hours a day and explained that the broadcasts are sent via satellite, picked up here, and retransmitted to the hemisphere. Since May, China Radio International has broadcast in four languages [via Cuba]: Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese and English. This is the only communications installation or centre in Cuba that has to do with Chinese interests, he stressed while categorically denying any other military use. He disclosed that the transmissions should increase soon and affirmed that shortwave is being used... Source: Prensa Latina news agency, Havana, in Spanish 0155 gmt 28 Dec 99 ((C) BBC Monitoring, via WORLD OF RADIO 1018) ** EGYPT. R. Cairo was back in English at 2300 on 9900 December 28, after several days in Portuguese instead. I suppose it was a feed mixup. Tho audio was fair, there was so much ME flutter that I had to listen carefully for some time to be sure it was really English. Once again, R. Cairo English was on 9900 Dec 29 including majestic news theme at 2315, news at 2316. Following log from earlier in Dec show where Portuguese is supposed to be, so maybe English was on 15420 - which I could not hear - while PT was on 9900! (Glenn Hauser, OK) ** EGYPT. 15.420 11/12 23:00 Egito, R. Cairo, Cairo, PP, px "Mulher Egípcia" 33233 (Celio Romais, RGS, radioescutas) ** ETHIOPIA. I did not make clear in the R. Ethiopia external service sked in 99-81 that English is at 1600-1700, with the news at 1630 (Glenn Hauser) ** LITHUANIA [non]. Hi Glenn - While listening to Radio Vilnius on 6120 kHz [via Germany] at 0030 Dec. 29, they reported at the beginning of the broadcast and right after the news about their dire budget crisis. It sounded as if Program 2 and 3 (one is the external service) could be going off the air as the Parliament was shocked by the financial losses. It also sounded like 21 employees will be placed on vacation for a month. There were no dates or definite actions announced but the situation sounds grim, to the point of just not being on the air one day. Their web page does not make mention of the crisis, I'm sure you can listen to their real audio broadcast to confirm what I heard. (Dean Bonanno, CT) BBC Monitoring reports about the same as what you heard (Hauser) ** MADAGASCAR. 3306 : R. Madagasikara noted on 28 Dec at 18.55 and went off at 19.00 after ID and NA. Checked to-day [29 Dec] at 18.00 and still parallel with 3287 and 5009; fair reception (Mahendra Vaghjee, Mauritius) What about Zimbabwe on 3306? (Hauser) ** MONGOLIA. 9720, Great signal of the Voice of Mongolia's English broadcast to Europe with mailbag program at 2018 today. Had to use LSB, since there was a het from 9720.3. Tried their parallel of 12085, but all I could hear was another station, I believe, on 12085.26. (Volodya Salmaniw, BC, 28 Dec) Believe VOM is currently using 12015 rather than 12085; always check both (Hauser) ** UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. Do not expect any news about Dubai, especially if it is negative, on UAE Radio's diminished English newscasts. Dec 29 at 1330 on 13675 the three minutes contained only a few international stories before going to a Ramadan feature at 1334. Just a few minutes later on Newshour, BBC spent as much time on one story from their correspondent in Dubai, about merchants falsifying invoices to avoid paying tax on imported luxury items (Glenn Hauser, OK) ** U S A. 9339.97 WBCQ #2 on the air testing with continuous, mostly rock music and no announcements until sign-off at about 2100. Signal varied from very weak to quite good, so not sure if they were manipulating transmitter power or antennae, or what. Judging from signal strength, I would guess they were using a maximum of 10 kW, if not much less. (Volodya Salmaniw, BC, 28 Dec) Al Weiner says he has the best quality SSB anywhere on this transmitter. Still does not have program test authority, and it may be another month before regular programming starts (Hauser) ** U S A. Jim Bohannon has been promoting his NYE extravaganza, UT Sat from 0307, staying live beyond the usual 3 hours on the Westwood One network (Glenn Hauser) ** U S A. Glenn, I read your comments regarding whether KKSU is now using the WIBW transmitter. Today, I checked at 12:30 pm and noticed that KKSU is (at least at this time) broadcasting via their own transmitter. According to http://www.radiostation.com , WIBW runs a two (2) tower array for nighttime operation. Perhaps the switchover occurs earlier in the afternoon, during the shortest of winter daytimes, with WIBW carrying the remainder of KKSU's programming. (Just a guess!) I too, have been to KKSU's studios, as a guest on "Agriculture Today" with Eric Atkinson. The studios appear as if they're a relic from the 1950's, however, they do invest a lot in new technology. For instance, our interview session was recorded digitally on a pc in the control room. Speaking of being stuck in the 50's, have you viewed KFRM's web site? They have a lot of interesting pictures of the old towers and the old control room and studio: http://www.kfrm.com/history.htm I grew up in Marysville, KS. In the late 80's our local broadcaster, Herb Hoeflicker, sold his AM and FM stations in Marysville, in order to purchase KFRM. The station had previously been owned by a rock station in Wichita and had been using the KICT call-letters, simulcasting with KICT-FM. Luckily, Hoeflicker brought back the historic KFRM call-letters. 73, (Ken Kopp, Topeka, Kansas, Dec 27) I'll bet you are right; KKSU may well have been using the WIBW transmitter all along only for the night-pattern portion needed only in the winter, perhaps after 2245 UT or so currently. I did not hear any break when checking Dec 28 around 2230 (Glenn Hauser, OK) ###