DX LISTENING DIGEST 00-87, July 7, 2000 edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.com {Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only providing full credit be maintained at all stages and we are provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission} THIS WEEK ON WORLD OF RADIO 1043: See topic summary at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1043.html GH THIS WEEK ON VOA COMMUNICATIONS WORLD: we are providing the media news segment this week. First airing is UT Saturday July 8 on 9455 RADIO ENLACE: comienza nuestra serie de informes DX para julio, hoy 7 y repetido domingo 9 en Radio Nederland WORLD OF RADIO ON WORLDSPACE: Dear Glenn, I've been away on vacation for a month, but am now back again. As I now have a World Space receiver, the JVC, I remember that you some time ago asked if somebody listened to your show via WRN/Afristar - so I can now tell you that I do! World of Radio is broadcast three times, but the most convenient time for me is Saturday at 08 UT, as it is followed by VoA's Communications World at 08.30. On the JVC signal strength is measured by up to three bars (or 'pins'), and with the removable 'built-in' antenna I normally have a 'two bar' reception. Inside my window it is ˝ bar - but as we are talking about digital signals there is no difference in audio quality. You either hear the program - or don't. Just for your information. Thanks for your excellent DX programs. Kind Regards, (Erik Křie, Holte, Denmark) ** ARGENTINA. RAE is keeping broadcasting on 15345 for decades! Few years ago the RAE unit drifted downwards to around v15341...15342, but in a common action between ARG and European DXers, RAE was asked to move back to more or less even 15345 channel freq. In ARG wintertime the reception of RAE isn't so bad in Southern Europe-- GER/AUT/SUI/POR due to the dead zone around Nador. (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, BC-DX via DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Rather interesting catch this evening, July 5 at 2350, on 3338 LSB R. Nacional, Buenos Aires, "Nacional, usted confia...", followed by broadcast of a public ceremony with the Argentine president, national anthem by military band; SINPO 25542 (Rudolf Walter Grimm, Brasil, radioescutas, translated by gh for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ASIA [non]. Radio Free Asia A-00 updated schedule July 7th, valid till Oct 28. RFA uses IBB txs in HOL=Holzkirchen Germany, IRA=Iranawila Sri Lanka, SAI=Saipan & TAI=Taipan [sic, means Tinian? -gh] N Mariana Isls. And relays in ALM=Almaty Kazakhstan, DUS=Dushanbe Tajikistan, WHR=KWHR Hawaii, HBN=KHBN Palau Isl-marked [P], ULA=Ulaan Bataar Mongolia, and YER=Yerevan Armenia. 0000-0100 LAO 7550I 11830A 15545T 0030-0130 BURMESE 13680T 15660A 17525D 17645S 0100-0300 TIBETAN 9365Y 11975H 15225T 15695D 17730U 0100-0130 UYGUR 9350D 11520D 15405T 0300-0400 MANDARIN 13670T 13760T 15150T 15665T 17495D 17525D 17615S 17880S 0400-1000 MANDARIN 13670T 13760T 15150T 15665T 17495D 17525D 17615S 17880S 0600-0700 TIBETAN 17510D 17535Y 17720U 21500T 1100-1300 TIBETAN 7470U 11590Y 13625T 15695D 17855H-(from 1200) 1100-1200 LAO 9355S 9545T 15560T 15660A 1200-1300 CAMBODIAN 9355S 13765T 15185T 15660A 1300-1400 TIBETAN 7470U 11590E 13625T 15695D 17855H 1400-1500 CANTONESE 9445S 11950S 13625T 1400-1500 VIETNAMESE 9455S 9635T 9930W 11510Y 11520A 11765T 13775P 15660D 1400-1500 KOREAN 7380U 11790T(x11715) 13720T 15690Y 1500-1600 BURMESE 9920A 11750T 15695D 1500-1600 TIBETAN 7470U 11510Y 13835D 1500-1600 MANDARIN 9905P 11765T 11945S 13690T 15510T 15680D 17640T 1600-1630 UYGUR 7460D 9370D 13625T 1600-1700 MANDARIN 9455S-(fr 1630) 9905P 11750T 11795T 11945S 13690T 15510T 15680D 17640T 1700-1800 MANDARIN 9455S 9905P 11750T 11795T 11945S 13690T 15510T 15680D 17640T 1800-1900 MANDARIN 9355S 11520D 11740T 11945S 11955T 13680T 15510T 15680D 17640T 1900-2000 MANDARIN 9355S 9905P 11520D 11740T 11945S 11955T 13625T 13680T 15510T 15680D 2000-2100 MANDARIN 9355S 9455S 9905P 11520D 11700T 11740T 11935S 13625T 15515T 15680D 2100-2200 CANTONESE 9355S 11785T 13675T 2100-2200 MANDARIN 9455S 9910P 11700T 11740T 11935S 13625T 15515T 15680D 2200-2300 CANTONESE 9355S 9955P 11785T 13675T 15430T 2200-2300 KOREAN 7460U 9455S 11670S 2230-2330 CAMBODIAN 9930P 11570A 15175I 15485T 2300-2359 MANDARIN 9910P 11785T 13800S 15430T 15550T 15680D 2300-2359 TIBETAN 7470U 9365Y 9875H 15695D 2330-0029 VIETNAMESE 11540D 11560A 11580U 11670T 13720S 15560P (various sources, also BDXC-UK Communication, Italian and Argentine sources, BBCM, Bulgarian OBSERVER, but updated by Wolfgang Büschel, July 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRALIA. Talks have started between the ABC and the British based group, Christian Voice, on buying time for Radio Australia on the Cox Peninsula transmitters near Darwin. The Federal Government has sold the former Radio Australia transmitters to Christian Voice Australia. The group's Australian director, Mike Edmiston, says talks started this week in London between the chair of Christian Voice and the chair of the ABC board. Mr Edmiston says talks are also planned next week with the head of Radio Australia in Melbourne. "We regard Radio Australia as a quality broadcaster," he said. "I understand that there are a few issues to be resolved for Radio Australia and between our organisations, but we're approaching that with a very positive view I guess." (ABC News Online via Robin L. Harwood, Tasmania, July 5, swprograms; and via Matt Francis, EDXP; and via BBC Monitoring; via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Program schedule received from RA. When I requested it I included a dollar for airmail postage but it still took almost ten weeks to get here. How do you like those target area designations at the top? They correspond to the pictorial column at the left side of the schedule. I call them ``shale`` [Pacific programs], `cracked earth`` [Australian programs] and ``coffee beans`` [Asian programs]. You`ve probably already got it via internet, but this one came with a bumper sticker! Nowhere on the entire schedule is there an effective date. Still, everything I`ve found and wanted to hear has been at the correct time, so I guess it`s current. I got a kick out of that guy who heard Australia`s ``Sound Quality`` one Friday between 1200 and 1300 UT. I heard that too, and it DID sound like a mistake. Of course, I heard something just as bad on the Beeb a week ago. It was Concert Hall, to the Americas Sunday at 1505, the BBC Orchestra playing ``Millennium Scenes`` and that too sounded like something had gone drastically wrong! One of my favorite Radio Australia programs for some time now has been the ``Country Club``, actually from the Radio National network, Sundays 1200-1400, and they play a wide variety of country songs, many that I`ve never heard before. It`s definitely not the top forty. (Pete Bentley, NY, July 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. Radio Austria International facing budget cuts, new media law | Text of report by "Media Network" report by Radio Netherlands on 6th July Several listeners called and e-mailed us in the past few days after monitoring announcements of the weekend on Radio Austria International. The station is just putting the finishing touches to a new 100kW shortwave transmitter at its Moosbrunn transmission centre. But, as Roland Machatschke, director of Radio Austria International, explained to us, it looks as though shortwave output from Moosbrunn will be cut by 50 per cent. [Machatschke] The government cut our budget, which was roughly 160m Austrian shillings last year, to 120m shillings this year, which is quite a sizable cut, and the government also intends to cut our budget for next year to 80m shillings, which means half of 1999. [Presenter] The 5.5m dollars won't leave much left over for programming. [Machatschke in English] This means a sizable reduction in output. I am just designing different programme approaches beginning from the winter schedule at the end of October. It will mean that we can't have a continuous programme as we do now. We will have to use quite a lot of the domestic output in the German-language service and we might have to cut in the size of the French and Spanish-speaking programmes and we have to cut altogether our programmes in Arabic and Esperanto. [Presenter] The station will have to abandon a new digital editing system built specially for their needs at the ORF TV centre and move downtown to share offices with radio colleagues. Sharing technical facilities will help to reduce cost. But does not the station plan to challenge this government move? [Machatschke] Well, we tried to get help. For instance our Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner, she did quite a lot for us, and also some other politicians with international connections, but to no avail at all. They [the government] don't talk to us. And anyway, the contract between the Republic of Austria and Austrian Radio and Television, ORF, was cancelled last week, unanimously by both partners. [Presenter] What does that mean, that contract? [Machatschke] The contract regulates what we have to do or what we are doing at Radio Austria International and no-one really knows what that means. Does it mean that the government still will give some money? Will it mean that a new treaty, a new agreement has to be negotiated? Does it mean that the government does not pay anything at all except what they have to pay - for instance, transmitters - and the rest or some rest is paid by ORF? We do not know at the moment. We are completely in limbo. We get questions: Can we do anything at all? As far as I can judge the situation even letters or e-mails by listeners and protests won't do very much. It's a complicated situation which is also complicated by a plan of the government to change the broadcasting law. Radio Austria International is just a very small chip on a very large board. [Presenter] Media commentators and media network listeners are unanimous in their interpretation of events. The junior partner in the Vienna coalition, the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party, has always disliked the ORF. Now they have power, they are busy curtailing the Socialist and Christian Democrat influence on the cultural scene, like festival, as well as in public radio and television. Augustino Pendolla [phonetic] in Italy notes that in early 90s the Freedom Party helped to finance a radio station for the southern province of Corinthia, Radio Freies Europa, actually broadcasting to Austria from northern Italy. It folded a couple of years back. Wolf Harranth is media editor at Radio Austria International. We asked him to explain more about this new media law. [Harranth] Well, we have a new government and the new government is going to redesign, to reshape the whole broadcasting scene. We do not yet have private commercial television, neither analogue nor digital. They are about to find new solutions there. They are also (?trying) to redefine the role Austrian Broadcasting Corporation which is a public radio corporation. We don't know yet whether they will allow windows for commercial broadcasters in there or whatever. In all this nobody really knows what is going to happen and how soon it is going to happen. [Presenter] Are you afraid that the Austrian government which, of course, has very much been in the news, will take control of the ORF in terms of making it more a political organization? [Harranth] No, they would not take control. All they do is to make suggestions. They have a majority in the political committees, they definitely will try to have a greater influence. Source: Radio Netherlands external service, Hilversum, in English 1130 gmt 6 Jul 00 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Radio Yura seems to be the talk of the town... >Three QSL´s from this station have been reported, one each from Sweden, Finland and Japan. Not one of the recipients has disclosed the v/s e-mail address so far. Answers to this and many other questions can be found in my article "New Bolivians on the dial" [Yura, and Mallku] at "Freeze! DXing Arctic Style": http://www.makelainen.com/dx/index.htm 73 (Mika Mäkeläinen, Finland, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. [Re: difficulty of telephoning R. Yura] Dear Winter, Try 591 81 36216 Tel. del Centro de Capacitación and try to talk with Radio Yura announcer Gregorio (Rogildo Fontenelle, Bolivia, radio- escutas via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4920 2318 B Unid., PP, OM, religious program of the Igreja Internacional da Graça (missionary R. R. Soares, the same who presents a similar program on TV Gazeta canal 11, Săo Paulo). Could it be Radio Relógio reactivated with frequency altered from 4905 to 4920 as before? There was no ID (original reporter not shown in quote, radio-escutas) Radio Nova Relógio transmitters are out of order. Sometimes it is on 4905, other times on 4920, as heard here and also by Partamian. According to Lenildo Carqueja, it now calls itself 'Nova Relógio'. (Célio Romais - Pôrto Alegre - BRASIL) As I suspected from the outset, but you have confirmed it for me. I have QSLed them on MW, but no reply to several reports on tropical band. And how could 4920 be QSLed, since 4905 is their official frequency? What negligence. Hug, (Rudolf Grimm, Săo Bernardo, SP) Célio, this is nothing new, has been going on for a long time (Rogildo Fontenelle, Bolivia) – (All from radio-escutas translated by gh for DXLD) ** BRAZIL. 4955.00, Rádio Clube Rondonóolis, 2345-0010 July 5, 2 announcers over phone lines reciting lots of numbers (telephone? lottery?), ad for a drogaria, many mentions of "Mato Grosso". 0008 jingle and canned ID. Fair to good signal (Mark Mohrmann, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. RCI/CBC PREVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, JULY 7: Note in particular the AIH segment on hate radio in the Congo, and CBC`s new Friday evening lineup for the summer: AS IT HAPPENS: Tonight on As it Happens...Radios in central Africa are broadcasting messages of hate and encouraging the killing of all Tutsi people. If you think you've heard this all before, you have. It all sounds eerily similar to events leading up to the slaughter in Rwanda. But this time it's next door in the Congo. That's tonight on As It Happens, with Mary Hynes and Raphi Vigod at 6:30 (7:00 NT) on CBC Radio One. THE MUCKRAKER: This week on the Muckraker, Preston Manning prepares for the leadership convention, children await the arrival of Harry Potter and Celine Dion keeps on retiring from showbiz. That's The Muckraker, tonight at 7:30 (8:00 NT) on CBC Radio One. [I heard last week’s show and judging from the topical humor, it was new; also scheduled Saturday 6:31 pm local -gh] ROAD-DOT-TRIP: Join Jonathan Goldstein on the road tonight in Road- Dot-Trip, an interactive trip through undiscovered - and unexpected - places in Canada. This week, Jonathan's in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island, meeting people who've gone there to re-shape their lives. That's Road-Dot-Trip, tonight at 8:05 (8:35 NT) on CBC Radio One. THE OTHER STORY: Tonight on The Other Story, "The Handbag": the fashion icon, the ball and chain, the black hole of the universe. Join Alan Neal while he straps one on and rummages through the purse, on The Other Story, the intelligent person's guide to everyday life, tonight at 8:30 (8:35 NT) on CBC Radio One. (CBC Hotsheet via DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. CRI does not announce schedules on-air, preferring we check on-line. I caught English at 2300 on 5990, a test? Not very strong at first, S 1-2, with has and up to 5 splash on 5990. It also had several dropouts. Aside from weak signal, poor modulation just below the hash. I heard ``pops`` in the audio along with the sizzle. So, a modulation problem. I don`t know the intended target. Within 10 minutes some signal improvement, S 1 to 2.5. It seems pretty safe to say CRI has abandoned 9570, the Cuba relay. This was last heard June 28, came on at 0218 in Chinese, disturbing Romania, but not for long. At 0225 CRI was gone. More than likely transmitter woe. Brief test tone 0243. Guess they gave up? I think CRI is running a few test transmissions at other times, but I haven`t found them yet (Bob Thomas, CT, July 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 5990 is also Cuba, of course, to the Caribbean; they have been piddling around with these tests for over a year now (gh) ** CHINA [and non]. On 4 and 5 July, I noted a strong CNR-2 signal coming on 9915 kHz at around 1325, joined by a noticeably weaker CNR- 1 signal at approx 1345. Then extremely strong noise jamming began at 1356, probably accompanied by distorted audio, perhaps in narrow-band FM mode, and possibly also from CNR-1 but hard to confirm. Absolutely no chance at this location of hearing the Falung Gong station through all of this. It would be interesting to know where the Falun Gong transmitter site is located. My own uncorroborated speculation would be Taiwan -- any comments? Regards, (Alan Davies, Melaka, Malaysia, Electronic DX Press July 7 via DXLD) ** CONGO. Hi, very nice surprise in my letter box today: RTV Congo (5985 kHz) confirmed my reception report of 1 May 2000 with a very nicely written personal letter signed by Alphonse Bouya-Dimi, Station Director. In my French reception report, I had enclosed one USD and a postcard of Denia. According to Mrs Bouya-Dimi, Radio Congo broadcasts a Spanish news bulletin daily from 2200 to 2215h local time [2100-2115 UT; also has been reported with English news at varying times between 1830 and 1930 -gh]. I haven't heard this program yet, but the Station Director is asking for reception reports for this transmission, so all you Spanish-speaking folks out there, there is a challenge for you. According to the information provided, the station transmits daily from 1600 to 1800 on 9610 kHz and from 1800h onward [are these local or UT??] on 5985 kHz using a Siemens transmitter with 100 kW output. BTW, this is the first QSL from Congo I have seen reported in many years. Vy 73, {Enzio Gehrig, Dénia, Spain (38.50N 00.07E), July 6, JRC-535d/IC-R75/AR-3030 Multiband Dipole/ALA-1530, DX LISTENING DIGEST} ** CONGO DR [non?]. Radio Télé-Liberté was observed on 12925 kHz at 1755 on 5th July, just before the frequency change to 15725 kHz at 1800. A clip of this frequency change being announced with a full identification announcement in French can be heard on the intervalsignals.com website at: http://www.intervalsignals.com (Dave Kernick, July 5, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Quite nice clear recording, again claiming to broadcast from Gbadolité, within the DR, tho some reports claim it is actually in Uganda, or at least backed by Ug (gh) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. New Ogaden opposition radio on shortwave A previously-unheard Ethiopian opposition radio station has been observed recently by BBC Monitoring. The station broadcasts in Somali and identifies itself as "Radio Freedom, Voice of the Ogadeni People" (Somali: Halkani wa Radio Xuriyo, Codki Ummada Ogadeniya). The radio is observed at 1630-1700 gmt on Tuesdays and Friday on the shortwave frequency of 15715 kHz. It is believed to broadcast via a hired Deutsche Telekom transmitter in Jülich, Germany. (Deutsche Telekom is known to hire transmitter time to various other opposition stations broadcasting to the Horn of Africa, including Voice of Oromo Liberation, Voice of the Democratic Path of Ethiopian Unity and Voice of Democratic Eritrea.) The radio's programming focuses on the Ogaden region of eastern Ethiopia, largely inhabited by ethnic Somalis. It is hostile to the current Ethiopian government, which it describes as the "Tigray regime" (a reference to the supposed domination of the government by ethnic Tigrayans). In its broadcast on 30th June, Radio Freedom carried a news bulletin which included the following: 1. Most hospitals in Ogaden region have no drugs and the Tigray regime has ignored this problem. The regime is collecting money from the people to finance its war with Eritrea rather than solving the acute drug shortage. 2. The Tigray regime is trying everything to hide the intense drought in the Ogaden region from the outside world. Many pastoralists have moved their animals to the eastern Ogaden. 3. "Our reporter in Addis Ababa has faxed us a report that 14 students returning from the war with Eritrea have been executed 23 km from Debre Zeit [central Ethiopia]. They were killed after being accused of refusing to defend their country. The students came from secondary schools in Addis Ababa and Gondar [northwest Ethiopia]." 4. Women traders have been robbed of their property and money by Tigrayan soldiers manning a roadblock in Jijiga (in the Ogaden). After a patriotic song the following statement from the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) was read out: "The ONLF Executive Council and the National Council have decided to issue a warning against individuals collaborating with the enemy, who is visiting problems on our people. As a second reminder, you are warned not to be part of the oppressive regime, but instead you are required to work for your Ogadeni people. Stop selling your people for a mere morsel of food, or else you will face the ONLF music. You have enough time to stop collaborating with enemy and instead work for your flag. Thank you." Source: Monitoring research 30 Jun 00 Radio Freedom, Voice of the Ogadeni People, in Somali 1630 gmt 30 Jun 00 ((c) BBC Monitoring July 4 via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Further to my message earlier this week, I am now able to confirm that a FIFTH opposition station is now broadcasting via Deutsche Telekom (DTK) to the Horn of Africa. It is called VOICE OF ETHIOPIAN SALVATION (in Amharic: "Ethiopia Medhin Dimts"). It broadcasts at 1600-1700 GMT (Sundays and Thursday only) on 15365 kHz. (The same frequency is used on Mondays at 1600-1700 by Voice of Democratic Eritrea.) After the signature tune, listen for the opening announcement "Yih Ye Ethiopia Medhin Dimts New" ("This is the Voice of Ethiopian Salvation"). To recap, DTK is now hiring time to at least five such opposition stations: 1. Voice of Oromo Liberation. 2. Voice of the Democratic Path of Ethiopian Unity. 3. Radio Freedom, Voice of the Ogadeni People. 4. Voice of Democratic Eritrea. 5. Voice of Ethiopian Salvation. (Chris Greenway, England, July 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) OK, this is the one we had listed as Democratic Eritrean Revival as per an item in the Bulgarian Observer. Nice to have the actual name and ID text confirmed. Has been heard in Wyoming with a fair signal. (Hans Johnson, July 7, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** ETHIOPIA/ERITREA [nons]/GERMANY. There was a program with the same name that operated from Sudan in the late 1990. The first Democratic Voice of Eritrea had two "sister" programs Voice of Truth and Voice of Free Eritrea. First heard by Steve Martin of California in the fall of 1997 went off the air as relations improved between Sudan and Eritrea in 1999. Its transmissions were short, 30 minutes, but it was a daily and all broadcasts were directed to Eritrea. It appears that there have been great changes at the ELF, from Sudanese proxy to an organization able to purchase airtime from Jülich and interested in reaching not only Eritrea, but Europe and North America as well (Hans Johnson, July 1, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Here is my all source list of clandestine programs beamed to the Horn of Africa from hired facilities at DTK Julich- 6045 1300-1400 Voice of Democratic Eritrea 9855 Sat 0100-0200 Rainbow Radio Sun 0100-0200 Voice of Democratic Eritrea [unconfirmed] 15105 Wed 1600-1700 Voice of Democratic Path of Ethiopian Unity 15365 Mon 1600-1700 Voice of Democratic Eritrea Thu 1600-1700 Democratic Eritrean Revival Sun 1600-1700 Democratic Eritrean Revival 15715 Sun 1700-1800 Voice of Oromo Liberation Tue 1630-1700 Radio Huriyo [sic] Wed 1830-1930 Voice of Democratic Path of Ethiopian Unity Thu 1700-1800 Voice of Oromo Liberation Fri 1630-1700 Radio Huriyo [sic] Fri 1700-1800 Voice of Oromo Liberation 21550 Sun 0700-0800, 0800-0900 Voice of Democratic Path of Ethiopian Unity (compiled by Hans Johnson, Jul 6, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Subject: catch the rare Shortwave b'cast ! In 1989 the first Love Parade took place on Berlin's Kurfürstendamm, initiated by a disc jockey called Dr. Motte. Originally conceived as a "housemusic demonstration", the event evolved into a demonstration for tolerance, respect and understanding between nations. Instead of speeches there was music. The event grew from 150 participants and one truck in 1989 to last year's 1.5 million ravers and 50 trucks. The Love Parade has become the annual techno holiday for the international followers of this European-born music movement. In 1996 the annual event moved to Berlin's Tiergarten. Special Shortwave Broadcast Love Parade 2000 will be held over the weekend of 7-9 July, and for the first time listeners around the world will be able to sample the atmosphere of the event thanks to a 48 hour shortwave broadcast by Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg. ORB is the public broadcaster for the German federal state of Brandenburg. Since 1993, it has only been broadcasting on FM, so this is rarer opportunity to hear the station outside its own region. The station will be carrying a special marathon edition of its youth program "Fritz"... (Portboys, UAE, July 7, DX LISTENING DIGEST) [see DXLDs 00-77 and correction in 00-80; 00-77 already included a correxion on the time to NAm, 0000-0500 UT Sat, which nobody else seems to have picked up! It was supposed to start at 1600 UT Friday July 7, but we found zilch on 15725, good news for R. Télé-Liberté after 1800; our next chance from 2200 Friday only on 9405 to SAm (gh, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)] ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. The revised Hurricane frequency list at http://www.ecom.net/~snyder/index.html has been ``not found`` July 6 and 7, referenced in DXLD 00-86. (Pete Costello and gh) Wonder what happened? If you really need this, downloaded a few days ago, we can forward it on request (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. [Tho similar to the report in DXLD 00-85, this version contains updates:] I guess there's no threat of a false alarm this time... THERE IS NOW a LIVE Realaudio feed of Israel Radio International (Kol Israel's International service). Two of the four Kol Israel English broadcasts are available (the other two broadcasts available on shortwave and locally in Israel, 0400 UTC and 1400 UTC, are on Reshet Alef which isn't part of the Internet relay). 1030-1035 UT (6:30 - 6:35 AM ET) - relay from Reshet Hey (Israel Radio International network); 1900-1925 UT (3:00-3:25 PM ET) - relay from Reka (Reshut Lkitat Aliyah - Immigrant Absorption Network). Take a look: http://www.israelradio.org/livestream.htm Reshut Hashidur - the Israel Broadcasting Authority just updated its website. Unfortunately, at this point, it's mostly in Hebrew. http://www.iba.org.il It now adds a live feed of the Arabic Arutz Dalet (4th network). It has had a live feed of Reshet Bet (the second network news/talk) for a while now. It has "Coming Soon" spaces for Reshet Gimel, the Third network - which plays Hebrew only pop music (it went to Hebrew only when the licenses were given for the regional radio stations). I'm not 100% sure yet whether there will be a live feed - or just a webpage. It also has a coming soon for a live feed of Israel TV's Channel One (Channel One is run by the IBA 7 days a week (unlike Arutz 2`s multiple ownership), so I would assume that it would be available every day). The webpage currently has Mabat TV news articles in print. The website says that there will be a live Mabat feed coming soon. Since channel 1 will be live, I don't know if they mean that Mabat will be available on-demand - or just live, as it happens. I just emailed mabat@iba.org.il [see below] BTW, the "On Demand" section tells you what program is currently playing on Reshet Bet. Note that last I checked this PM (4th of July) - the website had KI's Winter 99-00 frequency schedule and not the current schedule. You can get the current schedule at http://www.israelradio.org News from israelradio.org website (Which now has links to parts of the updated IBA website too. FYI- Israel's Foreign Ministry official website has a link to israelradio.org....) http://israelradio.org/dat.htm "From mid July there will be a new radio station called Kol Israel Reshet Dat - which translates as Religious Network. A section of the Israeli public has demonstrated a desire for a radio station whose programming reflects the values of orthodox Judaism and the IBA is responding to this. The station will be heard on 104.7 FM and initially will be available in the Central region of the country. Involved in the management of the new station is veteran Kol Israel staffer Shabtai Bibi." Just as a reminder, the 1400 UT broadcast is still available, which means that you can listen to A) 1030 UT live (6:30 AM ET); B) 1400 UT recorded (10 AM ET) (usually within an hour of actual 1400 UT broadcast); C) 1900 UT live (3 PM ET). So all that's missing is the 0400 UT (midnight ET) broadcast. Also, while the server is being adjusted, there may be some 'blackouts' of the live feed. (Daniel Rosenzweig, July 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later: Mabat TV news IS ALREADY available 'on demand' at http://www.iba.org.il I must've missed it. It says "Mabat Leachor" in Hebrew on the webpage (previous Mabat). http://mabat.iba.org.il/mabattv.rm (Daniel Rosenzweig, July 5 via Joël Rubin) The Mabat feed requires RealPlayer version 8... Version 7 tries to load a new codec, but it can't. (Doni Rosenzweig, July 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST)) ** ISRAEL. Voice of Israel in Arabic broadcasting on Internet | Text of report by Israel radio on 6th July As of today, Voice of Israel in Arabic begins broadcasting its programmes directly and live on the Internet. Those who wish to receive the programmes of Voice of Israel in Arabic on the Internet should enter our site at http://www.dalet.iba.org.il Source: Voice of Israel, Jerusalem, in Arabic 0930 gmt 6 Jul 00 (via BBC Monitoring via DXLD) IBA to launch new religious radio station According to an independently-produced guide to the Israel Broadcasting Authority [IBA] radio networks at http://www.israelradio.org, a new radio station called Kol Israel Reshet Dat - which translates as Religious Network - will be launched in mid-July. The IBA is setting up the station in response to the Israeli public's desire for a radio station which will reflect the values of orthodox Judaism, the report in the guide says, adding that the station will be heard on 104.7 FM and initially will be available in the central region. The report also says that a veteran Kol Israel staffer, Shabtai Bibi, will be involved in the management of the new station. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 7 Jul 00 (BBCM via DXLD) ** MALAYSIA. I'm listening to 15295 kHz now (July 7th., 1645 UTC). I expected Malaysia's External Service in Arabic, but much to my surprise I heard pop-/rock music, and a DJ in English. The ID just came: "Radio 4". This is the service that's usually on 7295 kHz. On that frequency, there's a very very weak signal which seems to be // but it's too weak to be 100% sure. I assume this is an error in the control room, and the external service will be back as usual soon. 73, (Mark Veldhuis, the Netherlands, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. I tuned in RNZI 11720, July 4 0806-0840 tune out with no modulation, but with a carrier present. Same problem observed months ago. RNZI was OK July 5 on 11720 at 0706 sign-on. In fact, reception was excellent (Ivan Grishin, Ont., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAPUA NEW GUINEA/SOLOMON ISLANDS/AUSTRALIA. On 3 July 2000 at about 1130Z was listening for signals from Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia. Heard the Solomons on their usual 5019.925 kHz [good signal] in English announcing they would be signing off in 30 minutes. Also heard Australia on 2310 kHz [fair], and also 2325 and 2485 kHz [barely audible]. Heard PNG on 4890.000 [very good], 3905.000 [fair] and 3314.997 [fair]. Most unusual was R. Sandaun (Vanimo) on 3204.966 kHz. I rarely find any PNG station off frequency [?] by more than three or four Hz. This may indicate they have a new transmitter or one in need of a calibration. Next time my cat wakes me up at this ghastly hour I will check again. Also, I might note this is summer time reception, and at least on this early morning, as good as most winter nights. (Thomas B. Roach, Somewhere in the Sierra foothills, Listening with Watkins-Johnson HF-1000; Antenna: Alpha Delta DX-SWL Sloper; hard- core-dx via DXLD) ** RWANDA. Radio Rwanda: Shortwave transmissions on 6055 are from the Deutsche Welle relay station near Kigali. 0255-0600 Daily, 0600-0900 Sunday, 0900-2100 daily; includes news in ENGLISH daily 0515-0525, 1915-1925; news in FRENCH daily 0445-0455, 1800-1810; otherwise in Kinyarwanda and Swahili (© BBC Monitoring July 5 excerpted for DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES. This schedule, valid until 29th October 2000, is based on information supplied by FEBA Radio. Languages : Amharic, Arabic, Assamese, Azeri, Badaga, Baluchi, Bengali, Bhili, Bhojpuri, Brahui, Chattisgarhi, Dari, Dhivehi, Dinka, Dzonkha, English, French, Gujarati, Guragena, Hazaragi, Hindi, Hindko, Kannada, Konkani, Magahi, Makonde, Malayalam, Marathi, Marwari, Mundari, Nagpuria, Nepali, Nuer, Oriya, Oromo, Pashto, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Sindhi, Sinhala, Siraiki, Somali, Swahili, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, Tigrignya, Tsangla, Tulu, Urdu, Uzbek Address : FEBA Radio, Ivy Arch Road, Worthing BN14 8BX, UK Tel : +44 1903 237281 Fax : +44 1903 205294 E-mail : reception@feba.org.uk Web Site : http://www.feba.org.uk --------------------------------------------------------------------- 0345-0400 .....F. ENGLISH Af Ter: 11.885 0815-0900 .....F. ENGLISH As Ter: 15.460 1245-1300 .....F. ENGLISH ME Ter: 15.535 1500-1600 Daily ENGLISH As Ter: 11.600 1630-1700 Su...... ENGLISH As Ter: 11.605 --------------------------------------------------------------------- (© BBC Monitoring July 5; English only excerpted for WORLD OF RADIO 1043, DXLD; look at that language list, and shed a tear for each ethnic group having its original religion, not to mention culture, ripped away by FEBA. Quite aside from religion, Christian missionaries have a lot to answer for in diminishing the cultural diversity of the planet. WWJD? -gh) ** SOMALIA. Here is the latest on the stations in Somalia from Cumbre's Somali sources- Radio Galkaio 7012 received the parts from Cumbre DX and is operating fine. Radio Galkaio also report that their relay at Boosaaso is working just fine. Radio Baidoa was a station that operated briefly on shortwave during the spring. Some say they could not afford the fuel to stay on the air, others say that their transmitter is broken. I suspect the former. Radio Kismaayo 6900 was apparently the work of a freelancing Somali engineer using Racal equipment. Reported on at 1600-1730 in the spring, it has not been heard recently. My sources think it might have suffered the same fate as Baidoa. HornAfrik, a Somali commercial FM and TV station, is making things tough for the Somali warlord stations. The warlord stations used to get a bit of advertising from organizations such as UNICEF, but it has all been lost to HornAfrik. The latter station is also able to pay higher wages so the warlord stations have lost technical personnel as well. Radio Banaadir 7214 and reported in the spring at 1600-1900. Our Somali friends believe that this one is off, a victim of HornAfrik and technical difficulties in operating a radio station. Radio Mogdishu (Voice of Somali Pacification) 6823 is operated by Uthman Ali Ato and reported schedule is 1500-1900. Ato has a generator for his entire compound and is able to keep his station on the air. Radio Mogadishu (Voice of the People) 6760 is operated by Husayn Aydid and is hanging on, 1500-1900. As I mentioned in my June Monitoring Times article, Radio Mogadishu (Voice of the Somali Republic) and Holy Quran Radio have been off for quite some time (Cumbre DX Copyright Jul 6 Hans Johnson via DXLD) The People's Voice, a new one, according to the Somali press, via BBCMS/Hauser. Operated by warlord Musa Sudi Yalahow from the Madina district in Mogadishu. Reported operating in the 25 meter band and heard on all radios. This may mean that it is actually in the 25 meter band. Most Somali listeners cannot hear the warlord stations [found in the high 6 MHz range] as their radios will not cover them. Apparently the old PTT transmitters used by these stations have a limited operating range. I am told that these old PTT transmitters are still being peddled in Mogadishu. (via Hans Johnson, July 6, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** SOUTH AMERICA. Radio Blandengue from some place in South America will be on the air next weekend performing his pirate activities on 6950 KHz USB and 14565 KHz LSB according to the following sked: ALL TIMES AND DATES ARE UTC 6950 KHz USB July 8 2000 - 2030 Emisora Z del Dragon 2030 - 2115 Radio Sin Fronteras 2115 - 2200 Radio City 14565 KHz LSB July 8 - 9 2300 - 2330 Emisora Z del Dragon 2330 - 0015 Radio Sin Fronteras 0015 - 0100 Radio City 14565 KHz LSB July 9 0200 - 0230 Emisora Z del Dragon 0230 - 0315 Radio Sin Fronteras 0315 - 0400 Radio City All reports correct received for snail mail QSL guaranteed, And don't forget to include 2 IRC. Addresses for reports: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Emisora Z del Dragon, Casilla 159, Santiago 14, CHILE e-mail: emisoraz@yahoo.es --------------------------------------------------------------------- Radio Sin Fronteras, Casilla 159, Santiago 14, CHILE --------------------------------------------------------------------- Radio City, Postfach 220342, 42373 Wuppertal, GERMANY --------------------------------------------------------------------- Radio Blandengue, Box 293, Merlin Ontario N0P 1W0, CANADA --------------------------------------------------------------------- e-mails: radio.blandengue@altavista.net radio.blandengue@usa.net http://members.xoom.com/blandengue/ http://go.to/blandengue (Raúl González, Operator of Radio Blandengue, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** SWEDEN. Short circuit delays SAQ transmission: The giant Swedish 17.2 kHz station SAQ was on the air last weekend, but was unable to fulfill all of its original schedule. From SM6LKM, who was at SAQ, comes information on what actually happened. Around 0800 UT, the monster 80-tonne alternator was brought up to speed, but the fine speed-control did not work. It took several hours to locate the fault. Apparently there was a short-circuit in the feedback cable from one of the alternator's stator windings to the speed-control servo system in the big switchboard. This servo system is very elaborate consisting, amongst other things, of large motor-actuated liquid rheostats, which SM6LKM describes as "tall bathtubs". The faulty cable was eventually bypassed with a pair of heavy wires across the floor, and SAQ was back on the air again. Keying of the transmitter is achieved by a magnetic amplifier in the antenna circuit, where the keyed direct current is used to saturate the core. The nominal antenna current is about 600 amps into the half-ohm feedpoint. The scheduled transmissions at 0830 and 0845 UTC were abandoned, but those at 1230 and 1245 UTC took place on time. SM6LKM remarked that this was the first failure of its kind for 75 years and said, wryly, "Nobody knew that Murphy had invited himself!". (Radio Society of Great Britain GB2RS News, posted July 7, via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST). ** THAILAND. On 1 July, Radio Thailand introduced a new service in English for domestic listeners. The only announced frequency is 918 kHz (which formerly carried a Radio Thailand service in Thai for the Bangkok area), but it is also on all three of the station's domestic HF frequencies -- 4830, 6070 and 7115 kHz, which also formerly carried domestic networks in Thai. The announced operating times are 5 a.m - 11 p.m. LT (2200-1600 UT). I can confirm that sign-off is indeed at 1600. Programming mostly consists of uninterrupted American & British pop oldies, with a short recorded ID just after the top of the hour by an American-accented male saying 'Radio Thailand, the sound of [or 'sound and'] the soul of Thailand', or 'Radio Thailand, your companion in the Land of Smiles'. However, the station does also relay Radio Thailand news programmes in English, including at 0000- 0100, and also carries the external service programme entitled 'Voice of Thailand' with chit-chat and tourism promos at 1300-1330. As with all Thai domestic stations, 'ticking-clock' music, chimes, a time signal, time announcement and National Anthem are carried at 0100 and 1100. A more detailed announcement is made at the end of these relay segments, and also just before sign-off, when it is repeated in Thai. Unusually for a Thai domestic station, no Royal Anthem was played at sign-off on 5 July. Regards, (Alan Davies, Melaka, Malaysia, Electronic DX Press via DXLD) I have been hearing this too on 4830, 7115 and 1296 (which used to carry Radio Thailand Pattani). The announcement on the hour was to the effect that since 1 July, Radio Thailand has carried out a reorganisation of its network. 4830 is now the main channel for Network 3, the main network for non-Thai speakers. They broadcast from 0500 to 2300 local time (2200 to 1600 UT). That said, I have yet to hear any other languages on these frequencies. I think these frequencies are now relaying FM 97 MHz in Bangkok, which for years has simulcast the external service and also provided its own expatriate programs for local listeners. Just like the Thai language stations, English language stations in Bangkok relay English news from the "external service" of Radio Thailand (in actual fact FM 97), plus the clock chimes and national anthem at 0100 and 1100 UT. On the English stations, the time announcements are voice over in English, whereas Thai language stations would of course carry these announcements in Thai. If you do manage to hear the national anthem on a MW station during these times, stay around for a station ID at the end of the anthem (Richard Lam, Singapore, July 5, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** TUNISIA. [Cf DXLD 00-85; one of the deleted frequencies was missing] The freqs of RTT Sfax seemingly 9720 and 15450 kHz. DELETED 9720 0200-0700 and 1700-2100 via Sfax 500 kW / 100 degrs. 15450 1200-1700 via Sfax 500 kW / 100 degrs. (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, July 4, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. BBC WS have those special freqs for "ball-by-ball" of Wimbledon tennis. 9410 1500-1800 is too low for us, but I did hear the 17595 1700-1800 July 3, with what sounded like two transmitters, one a second behind the other. Perhaps it was one tx with the signal circling the world. This may have been the only place to hear an actual "double fault" as "fault...fault". (Ivan Grishin, Ont., DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Hi, Glenn, I don't know if this is newsworthy enough for you but it is unusual so I'm sending the info just in case... At 0430 UT on July 6, WBZ Boston signed off for nearly four hours for transmitter work. The station signed-on again at about 0827 UTC. WBZ is at 1030 kHz and can normally be heard at night in 38 U.S. states and several Canadian provinces. However, the station has broadcast at less than 50,000 watts on a number of occasions during the overnight hours (local time) dating back to October for transmitter upgrade work. There was one previous sign-off during this period. The work is in its final stage now. The July 6th sign-off of WBZ was for "tuning" the transmitter (or is it the antenna? You know more about this than I do, Glenn!). I was on the air from Midnight to the sign-off at 12:30 Boston time hosting my talk show. I said that I knew what the DXers in the audience would be doing and I suggested to other listeners that they do the same and use the opportunity to try to tune in our sister station, KDKA Pittsburgh at 1020 kHz, or WHO Des Moines at 1040. It was a unique moment for me when I said, "This is WBZ Boston, signing-off." (-Steve LeVeille, WBZ, July 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Very good; if you can get more advance notice of something like this to us in the future, more DXers can be standing by (gh) ** WISCONSIN. THE WISCONSIN GREAT CIRCUS TRAIN | Special Event Station W9G will operate from the Great Circus Train on its annual run from Baraboo to Milwaukee, Sunday, July 16th. The station will operate as often as possible on 7.240 or 14.240 MHz with some work possibly on 21.340 MHz as well. Operation is also expected on a limited basis on 146.55 MHz FM simplex. The train will carry more than 60 restored circus wagons for Wisconsin's Great Circus Parade. There will also be continued operation using the W9G call sign on July 8th, 9th, and 10th. According to Jim Romelfanger, K9ZZ, the W9G call sign honors the Gollmar Brothers Circus, one of three shows rooted in Baraboo. The other two were The Ringling Brothers, and Deppe's Classic Country Circus. More information is on the web at http://www.bsss.org. (K9ZZ via Amateur Radio Newsline July 7 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) PROPAGATION OUTLOOK FROM BOULDER: SESC was 24h late posting this info, so we could not refer to it at the end of WOR 1043: :Product: 27-day Outlook outlook.txt :Issued: 2000 Jul 05 2111 UT # Prepared by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA, Space Environment Center # For a descriptive text, write to SEC or refer to our Web page. # Web page URL: http://www.sec.noaa.gov/wwire.html # # Twenty-seven Day Space Weather Outlook Table # Issued 2000 Jul 04 # # UT Radio Flux Planetary Largest # Date 10.7 cm A Index Kp Index 2000 Jul 05 160 12 3 2000 Jul 06 160 15 3 2000 Jul 07 160 15 3 2000 Jul 08 165 12 3 2000 Jul 09 170 12 3 2000 Jul 10 175 10 3 2000 Jul 11 185 10 3 2000 Jul 12 190 15 3 2000 Jul 13 190 10 3 2000 Jul 14 185 10 3 2000 Jul 15 185 12 3 2000 Jul 16 180 10 3 2000 Jul 17 180 8 3 2000 Jul 18 180 8 3 2000 Jul 19 180 12 3 2000 Jul 20 175 10 3 2000 Jul 21 170 12 3 2000 Jul 22 170 12 3 2000 Jul 23 170 20 4 2000 Jul 24 170 15 3 2000 Jul 25 165 12 3 2000 Jul 26 160 12 3 2000 Jul 27 160 10 3 2000 Jul 28 160 8 3 2000 Jul 29 160 8 3 2000 Jul 30 160 10 3 2000 Jul 31 160 10 3 ###