DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-035, March 15, 2001 edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.com {Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. For restrixions and searchable 2001, 2000 contents archive see} http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/Dxldmid.html [NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn] WORLD OF RADIO 1072: (stream) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1072.ram (download) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1072.rm (summary) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1072.html CONTINENT OF MEDIA 01-03 for March: (stream) TBA soon; on RFPI from Fri March 16 at 1900 (summary) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/com0103.html MUNDO RADIAL MARZO: (corriente) http://www.freespeech.org/hauser/sounds/mr0103.ram (texto) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/mr0103.txt ** AUSTRALIA. R. Australia preview: Fri. 2305 on 21740 - LINGUA FRANCA - A program about language. This week: POOR ENGLISH - WHY JAPAN IS A NON-PLAYER IN THE IT REVOLUTION. Japan educated Computer Science student ALEXANDER SAYLE explains. JAPAN - which led the electronics revolution - has been left behind by the IT revolution. And it doesn't look as though it is trying to catch up. Few Japanese universities offer courses in Computer Science. The problem is English...ALEXANDER SAYLE is one of the few Westerners to have completed all 12 years of his schooling in the highly competitive Japanese education system, and one of the few Japan-educated students who is fluent in both Japanese and English. Because he wanted to study Computer Science, he had to come to Australia - to the University of New South Wales. Now in the third year of his studies, he's already in demand as an IT consultant to a number of Japanese firms. ALEXANDER SAYLE explains why. (Also on Sat. 0530, Sun. 1005.) Transcripts available (John A. Figliozzi, swprograms via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND. TRANSPACIFIC TESTING AT THE END OF MARCH Various ZL and VK LF stations are planning to transmit on selected frequencies during the last weekend of March. East of international date line, happens Friday night, 30/31 March. West of the international date it is Saturday night. While the tests are called trans-Pacific, most stations would be keen to obtain DX reports for trans-anything. Could interested receiving station operators please check out the frequencies below for local QRM and report findings by email direct to vernall@xtra.co.nz If problems are reported the frequency list could be revised before the tests. FREQUENCY SCHEDULE FOR TRANSPAC TESTING --------------------------------------- FREQUENCY MOD & ID CALLSIGN LOCATION kHz 176.50 DFCW AX2TAR AX2TAR Hobart, VK7 177.0148 QRSS ZL3FJ ZL3FJ Christchurch 181.40 CW ZL1WB ZL1WB Whangarei 182.10 CW ZL3VN ZL3VN Christchurch 182.70 CW ZL3PN ZL3PN Timaru 183.50 CW ZL3JE ZL3JE Pareora 184.00 CW ZL4MD ZL4MD Cromwell 184.4000 DFCW Q ZL6QH Wellington 184.4000 QRSS L ZL4OL Dunedin Note: Signals from ZL6QH and ZL4OL are deliberately "co-channel" so they can fit on a single Argo screen with 120 second dot setting. ZL6QH will send QQQQQ. with -0.5 and +0.5 Hz offset. ZL4OL will send LLLLL. with no offset. Thus the signals do not clash on the display. SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES (UT) ------------------------------ LOCATION SUNRISE SUNSET Halifax 0957 1141 Los Angeles 1341 0213 Honolulu 1625 0446 Whangarei 1834 0619 Wellington 1835 0615 Christchurch 1844 0622 Dunedin 1854 0630 Hobart 2026 0826 Port Moresby 2015 0816 It is likely that CW and SSB liaison frequencies will be nominated for the 14 MHz amateur band. Further information will be posted to the LF reflector in due course. Bob ZL2CA for QNEWS (via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BANGLADESH. Dear Mr. Hauser, In addition to the schedule of Bangladesh Betar (DXLD 1-033 March 11) Home Service from Dhaka can be heard on these SW frequencies 0000-0505 4880 1200-1000 4880 1200-1710 15520 And there is slight correction to the Tel / Fax numbers. Tel : +880 2 8615294 and Fax : +880 2 8612021 and these numbers are for DG (Director General) Office not for External Services. Email addresses are : dgbetar@bd.drik.net (DG Office) and ts-betar@bdonline.com (External Services). Another postal address is: GPO Box 2204, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh. Regards, (Rifat J. Eusufzai, DX Forum, GPO Box 488, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh Email: reusufzai@hotmail.com Web : http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/dxforum March 13, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. I am picking out this logging to remind us all of where the accents go on these names! (gh) 4.905 10/03 04:20 Rádio Anhangüera, Araguaína (TO), locutor: "É forró arretado! Alegria nesta madrugada de domingo!, SINPO 34333 (Célio Romais, Porto Alegre, radioescutas via DXLD) ** CAMEROON. Radio Cameroon provincial station - Buea. Address : CRTV, P.M.B. Buea or CRTV, BP 1634, Yaounde, Cameroon Tel : + 237 21 4077 Alt Tel : + 237 21 4088 Fax : + 237 20 4340 Web Site : http://www.crtv.cm -------------------------------------------------------------------- 0430-2315 Daily MULTILINGUAL Domestic Ter: 6.005 94.5 (FRENCH/ENGLISH/VERNACULARS) 0500-0510 Daily Local news (FRENCH) 0530-0540 Daily Local news (ENGLISH) 0600-0610 Daily Local news (FRENCH) 0630-0640 Daily Local news (ENGLISH) 0700-0710 Daily Local news (FRENCH) 1200 Daily National network news (FRENCH) 1400 Daily National network news (ENGLISH) 1500-1630 Daily Prog in (VERNACULAR) 1630 Daily National network news (ENGLISH) 1830 Daily National network news (ENGLISH) 1900 Daily National network news (FRENCH) 2300 Daily National network news (ENGLISH) -------------------------------------------------------------------- (© BBC Monitoring March 14 via DXLD) As I said on WOR 1072, I don`t recall any DX reports of this in ages; is 6005 really active? (gh) ** CONGO DR. 6210, Radio Kahuzi reactivated on shortwave from Bukavu, started Feb 22nd after HCJB personnel installed a 1,000 watt transmitter. Running at 810 watts, they feel it will get out about 300 miles. Time schedule not known. All this per HCJB. This is the station of the Christian group Believers` Express; website is http://www.besi.org Kahuzi is still on FM and schedule we have had previously is: 0700-1030, 1200-1400, and 1430-1830. Not sure if this is still current or if it even applies to the shortwave. The station is named after the highest mountain in this area (DIRECT via Hans Johnson, Mar 14, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** GERMANY. Glenn, your comments about "silly ballgames" are well- known, so it is perhaps of interest for you and Kim how much the German public broadcasters will pay for the right to cover the world championship next year: 7,000,000 DEM for one match, i.e. 100,000 DEM for a single minute. I`m not able to comment on this in detail without bad polemics, because it is my money they will pour down the drain, but there is certainly no need for further remarks at all. Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non non]. The Jülich site just distributed a provisional A01 schedule. Some notes: Lithuanian Radio is still on the list although they recently canceled; planned frequency is 9855 (0000-0100 at 295 deg. of course). Radio Nederland Wereldomroep will have again a special summer outlet from June 1 until Sept. 13, 0557-0659 on 13720 towards zone 18 (20 deg.). WYFR Family Radio, which has tested recently via Jülich, is now listed with regular broadcasts: 1600-1800 13855 (145 deg.), 1800-2100 15775 (160 deg.), 1900-2200 13855 (200 deg.). Planned schedule for Hrvatska Radio: 2300-0059, 0100-0259, 0300-0459 on 9925 (230, 300 and 325 deg., respectively) for the Americas; 0500- 0659 on 9470 (230 degr.) and 0700-0859 on 13820 (270 deg.) for New Zealand / Australia (via long path of course). Other new customers: The German "Missionswerk Werner Heukelbach", so far operational via RTL 1440 and VoR German service, will start daily transmissions via Jülich on May 1; 1600-1615 on 6015. AN unID broadcaster which is marked as "RSU" will start on May 6; Sundays only 1000-1400 on 6015. Some further schedules of interest (all daily unless otherwise stated): RTBF: Mo-Fr 0257-0459 9490, 0500-0712 17580, 0957-1206 21565, 1457- 1716 17570; Sat 0427-0459 9490, 0500-0959 17580, 1000-1117 21565, 1557-1716 17570; Sun 0427-0459 9490, 0500-0806 17580, 1057-1117 21565, 1457-1716 17570; as usual all aiming at 160 degrees. United Methodist Church: 0400-0559 on 11775 (140 deg.) and 13810 (160 deg.), 1700-1859 on 13820 (145 deg.) and 15485 (160 deg.). Adventist World Radio: Daily 0300-0400 5840 (120 deg.), 0700-0930 15620 (200 deg.), 1600-1759 9875 (115 deg.), 2100-2330 9745 (200 deg.); Sat, Sun only 0900-1000 11880 (140 deg.) [I guess Mo-Fr Forli 2.5 kW instead] Trans World Radio: Daily 0655-0820 6045 (ND; Sat/Sun from 0645) [replaces current 12070 from Albania], 1227-1245 9490 (130 deg.); Fri, Sat and Sun only 1627-1645 7135 (110 deg.) and 9855 (120 deg.), on Sun starting at 1557. Democratic Voice of Burma: 2330-0030 on 9495, 1456-1530 on 15405. SBO ("Voice of Oromo Liberation"): Thursday, Friday and Sunday 1700- 1759 on 15715. Tamil Broadcasting Corporation: 1230-1329 on 21590. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GREECE/BELGIUM. Radiofonikos Stathmos Makedonias (Thessaloniki, Greece) which has been heard for several years on 9935 kHz (// 7430 and 11595) suddenly moved to 9930 kHz a few weeks ago, causing some interference to Radio Vlaanderen Internationaal (Brussels, Belgium) on 9925 kHz. This week they told RVI that they have now moved to 9940 kHz. I have not yet checked this: now at 2140 UT I can only hear them on 7430 kHz (Paul Brems, Belgium, March 14, rec.radio.shortwave via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. Source: Eastern Radio. Comments: First heard in December 2000, it initially identified itself as "Experimental Radio from the Mediterranean Basin". The frequency 756 kHz was previously used by Voice of the South - a radio station operated by the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army which broadcast from Kafr Killa in southern Lebanon. This station closed in May 2000 when the Israeli army withdrew from southern Lebanon. Programming consists of comments and talks dealing with Arab issues, especially Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian affairs. It is critical of Syria and the pro-Syrian Lebanese groups such as Hezbollah. Translated Name : Al-Idha'ah al-Mashriqiyah Address : PO Box 52341, Limassol 4062, Cyprus Fax : +44-207-6917678 (London Off) Alt Fax : +1-202-4680261 (Washington Off) Web Site : http://www.carmelnews.org --------------------------------------------------------------------- 0000-2359 On Demand ARABIC Global Net: http://www.carmelnews.org - live audio 0600-0700 Daily ARABIC MEDom Ter: 0.756 1500-1600 Daily ARABIC MEDom Ter: 0.756 (repeat of the 0600-0700 broadcast) --------------------------------------------------------------------- (© BBC Monitoring March 14 via DXLD) ** ITALY/VATICAN. Vatican Radio seeking way out of electrosmog controversy | Text of report in English by Italian news agency ANSA web site Vatican City, 14 March: Vatican Radio indicated today that it was seeking a way out of the controversy that has blown up over the allegedly dangerous levels of electromagnetic pollution emitted by its transmitters. The network's director of programming, Father Federico Lombardi, told Ansa that the strength of transmission signals had already been cut following claims that the "electrosmog" put people living near the transmitters at risk. The La Repubblica daily today cited figures from the Lazio public health authority which said children living near the transmitters were six times more likely to get leukaemia than those living in the rest of the region. Vatican Radio's transmitters, which beam programmes all around the globe, are situated near the village of Cesena just outside Rome. Anxious local people have protested recently over the Vatican's attitude to their fears. Father Lombardi also told Ansa that the radio network was awaiting details of plan being discussed by Italian and Vatican officials to jointly measure the actual levels of "electrosmog" produced by the transmitters. He said a member of the bilateral commission created to look into the problem had indicated in an interview that progress was being made. "In an interview with Vatican Radio, Giovanni Hermanin said that a technical accord is on the way to jointly carry out new measurements of the level of emissions after the Radio itself cut the strength of its transmission signal substantially." Hermanin, a Green Party member, immediately denied that an interview had taken place and said his comments were made in confidence and not meant for publication. He declined to comment on whether a technical accord to measure electromagnetism was on the cards, adding that Environment Minister Willer Bordon spoke for the government on the question. Bordon has sharply condemned the Vatican for refusing a court summons to answer charges of endangering local people's health with the electrosmog produced by its powerful transmitters. The minister has also registered himself as a civil plaintiff in the case against three key Vatican officials connected with the radio station. Today he again contested the Vatican's contention that Italian courts had no jurisdiction over its radio transmitters because of their extraterritorial status under Italy-Vatican agreements. "The health of Italians is not extraterritorial," he said. "This is a matter for the health ministry, the environment ministry and the courts." Speaking to Ansa, Father Lombardi said Vatican Radio's next step would be to see whether its listeners were still receiving its service as well as before the reduction in signal strength. On February 14 Italy became one of the first countries in the world to adopt legislation aimed at protecting its population from electromagnetic pollution. The law targets the so-called 'electro-smog' produced by sources such as electrical power lines, mobile phone relay stations and TV and radio transmitters. At least 200,000 Italians are thought to be regularly exposed to emissions from electromagnetic fields at a level which could adversely affect their health. Prosecutors say the field created by the Vatican Radio transmitters, which beam programmes all around the globe, are well above safety limits although the precise level has not be revealed. Source: ANSA news agency web site, Rome, in English 0000 gmt 14 Mar 01 (via BBC Monitoring via DXLD) see also VATICAN/ITALY ** JAPAN. See also AUSTRALIA ** JAPAN/VATICAN. Japanese SW services under threat in cyber age | Text of report in English by Japanese news agency Kyodo; subheadings added editorially Vatican Radio, HCJB drop Japanese SW services Tokyo, 14 March: For 76-year-old Michiteru Takagi, 25 March will signal the end of a daily ritual he has practised for 42 years. On that day, Vatican Radio ceases its Japanese-language service. Takagi has been a technical monitor of the religious station since it began its Japan broadcasts on 17 February 1959. The Japanese service is the first of a number of Vatican Radio's 34 language programmes to be shut down over several years due to financial troubles in the papal state. The station plans to relaunch its Japanese service over the Internet. "The cessation is regrettable as I am myself a Catholic. But the transition to the Internet is probably inevitable because the broadcasts on shortwave are often difficult to hear," said Takagi, who lives in Tokyo. Vatican Radio's move follows the discontinuation of the Japanese- language transmission of "HCJB, the Voice of the Andes", an evangelical station based in Quito, Ecuador, at the end of last year. HCJB's Japanese service was launched in 1964 for the benefit of Japanese immigrants to South America, and the station started broadcasting to Japan the following year. Kazuo Ozaki of HCJB's Japanese section says the role of shortwave has decreased. For example, Japanese immigrants in South America can now watch the same television programmes as viewers in Japan via satellite TV, he said. HCJB plans to launch its Japanese service over the Internet in April. Decline in Japanese SW broadcasts The number of Japanese-language foreign broadcasts in Japan peaked in 1985 at 23 stations. By the time Vatican Radio turns off its transmitter, that number will have dropped to 16. The major Western international broadcasters have all given up their shortwave transmissions in Japanese. The Voice of America (VOA) ended its Japanese service in 1970. Radio Australia followed suit in 1990, as did the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) and Radio Canada International in 1991. Deutsche Welle, the German international broadcaster, halted its Japanese-language programming in 1999 under a drastic restructuring plan caused by government budget cuts. "The Internet and diversified media are now in Japan providing the latest knowledge about other countries, and shortwave is not essential. Shortwave listening is a personal hobby in Japan, and enthusiasts are not many," said Setsuro Kitayama, a Radio Japan news desk employee who specializes in the history of international broadcasting. The BBC claims 151 million people listen to its World Service broadcasts every week. Worldwide, shortwave listening is still growing and accounts for more than 70 per cent of its listeners, the BBC said in its 2000 annual review. Thirty-two of the BBC's 43 language services are now also available via the Internet. The VOA, which became the first international broadcaster to offer programmes across the Internet in 1994, is available online in all 53 languages. Kitayama notes that international shortwave broadcasts, including Japanese-language ones, were tools of psychological warfare during World War II and the Cold War. The VOA, the BBC, Radio Australia and Radio Moscow all inaugurated their Japanese services during World War II. Japanese-language broadcasts of China Radio International's predecessor went on the air in 1941 from a cave in Yanan, Shaanxi Province, the then stronghold of the Chinese Communist Party. SW still a useful medium Kitayama said shortwave is still a useful medium for Asian countries to send messages to Japan. China, Taiwan, North and South Korea, Mongolia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand all transmit Japanese programmes on shortwave. North Korea comes top in terms of daily broadcasting with eight hours a day, followed by China with six hours and Taiwan and South Korea with four hours each. P`yongyang - which has no diplomatic relations with Tokyo - places great importance on its Japanese-language service because it also reaches Korean residents in Japan, said Noriyuki Suzuki, director of Radiopress Inc. Radiopress is a news agency that monitors broadcasts around-the-clock from China, Taiwan, Russia, Vietnam and North Korea. The Japanese programme of Radio Pyongyang, which changed its name to the Voice of Korea on 16 February, is the station's longest daily transmission among its eight foreign-language services. North Korea's foreign broadcasts are traditional forms of propaganda with the style and content of Cold War programming, said Suzuki, who specializes in North Korean affairs. Shortwave broadcasts that only require relatively simple equipment to receive audio signals will continue to be useful political tools, Kitayama said. Jamming still prevalent Although Soviet jamming of Western broadcasts ceased with the end of the Cold War, East Asia continues to be an airwave battle ground, and foreign broadcasts are often jammed to block undesirable information. China jams Taiwan's stations, the VOA, US-funded Radio Free Asia (RFA), the BBC and World Falun Dafa Radio, the station of the Falun Gong movement. North Korea jams South Korean stations, the VOA and RFA and Vietnam jams RFA. RFA, which broadcasts in 10 languages to Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar and North Vietnam, was founded in 1996 to be a "forum for a variety of opinions and voices from within Asian nations whose people do not fully enjoy freedom of expression". In 1999, RFA began broadcasting 24 hours a day to China. According to the Tibet Information Network's February newsletter, China has stepped up the jamming of Tibetan-language broadcasts of the VOA, RFA and the Voice of Tibet, a Norway-based exile station. As well as being a source of information on events taking place in the outside world, many Tibetans rely on these broadcasts to find out what is happening in other areas of Tibet, a useful alternative to the officially sanctioned views presented by Chinese state media, the London-based organization said. Source: Kyodo News Service, Tokyo, in English 0624 gmt 14 Mar 01 (via BBC Monitoring via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. Source: Korean Central Broadcasting Station Comments: Provincial stations relay programmes from the KCBS in Pyongyang when not carrying local programmes. Local programmes are carried weekdays at 0500-0600 approx: Chongjin, North Hamgyong 3940v, 702 Haeju, South Hwanghae 1080 Hamhung, South Hamgyong 3220, 999 Hyesan, Yanggang 3920, 765 Kaesong City Service 810 Kangaye, Chugong 3960 Pyongsong, South Pyongan 3350 Wiwon 720 Sariwon, North Hwanghae 2350, 927 Sinuiju, North Pyongyang 864 Wonsan, Kangwong 3970v, 882 Station identification: "choson chungang pangsong" NB: All shortwave frequency use is sporadic. Address : Korean Central Broadcasting Station, Jonsung-dong, Moranbong District, Pyongyang Tel : +850-2-812301 Fax : +850-2-814418 --------------------------------------------------------------------- 0000-1800 Daily 0.702 0.720 0.765 0100-0110 Daily News 0.810 0.819 0.864 0300-0315 Daily News 0.882 0.927 0.999 0600-0610 Daily News 1.080 2.850 3.220 0800-0810 Daily News 3.350 3.970 3.980 1100-1125 Daily News 6.100 9.665 11.680 1200-1235 Daily News, commentary 1300-1310 Daily News 2000-2359 Daily 0.702 0.720 0.765 2000-2010 Daily Sign on and prog preview 0.810 0.819 0.864 2100-2120 Daily News 0.882 0.927 0.999 2200-2230 Daily News 1.080 2.850 3.220 3.350 3.970 3.980 6.100 9.665 11.680 --------------------------------------------------------------------- (© BBC Monitoring March 14 via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Today I received a very nice large format QSL card (14 x 18 cm) from R "Gardarika" R Studio with a drawing of the Church of Resurrection in St. Petersburg. My report was sent by e-mail to studiosw@metroclub.ru but the envelope gives also Ligovskiy prospekt 174, St. Petersburg, 192007, Russia as address. Return time was 4 weeks. The back of the card gives a full detail verification text and some extra info. V/s is Dmitry Vasyliev, Short wave project manager (Guido Schotmans - Antwerp, BELGIUM, March 14, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Regarding VoR on 12010 in the 1800...2000 range: MCCBN claims that it originates from Volgograd but that`s wrong data; actually I wonder how long these guys will continue to spread such USSR-style nonsense although there is nothing to hide anymore. There are indeed shortwave transmitters at Volgograd, but only a single 100 kW (transmitter RV-981) which used to carry Radio Mayak and is now silent, as well as some former jammers which were in use by Radio Vedo years ago; I remember some confusion amongst German listeners because Radio Vedo at times carried VoA Europe, which was not available through own VoA shortwave transmitters. The registered parameters for the outlet in question are 500 kW and 310 degrees, so the actual site is certainly Tbilisskaya, some 120 km east of Krasnodar, also frequently listed as Armavir. The target area is northern Europe, but that`s the same azimuth and likely indeed the same antenna than a service to North America would use from Tbilisskaya, so it is of course no surprise that 12010 is well heard over there, too. Currently Tbilisskaya should still substitute for Grigoriopol` on 7125; prior to this measure the North America low bands antenna there was idle since Voice of Vietnam canceled its usage of Tbilisskaya in favour of Sackville. In the past this North America outlet (winter frequency was usually 5940 with various 41 metres summer counterparts) used to carry alongside with RM/VoR also Radio Minsk and Radio Vilnius. Recently Kim Elliot reminisced how Radio Vilnius was replaced by fill music for obvious reasons ten years ago. I remember how we (Andreas Erbe and yours truly) were wondering what will replace Radio Vilnius when they cancel Tbilisskaya in favour of Jülich, because they broadcast in between Radio Moscow and Radio Minsk slots. Well, no replacement at all was arranged; Radio Vilnius simply left 30 minutes of open carrier on 5940 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 14, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SOUTH AMERICA. Subject: Radio Corsario Internacional/ Hola a todos. Gabriel, esta estación yo le he escuchado en 5 oportunidades, siempre a la misma hora la última vez el día jueves primero de marzo, esta ultima oportunidad en USB. La sena es relativamente buena 3554, acá en Caracas, Venezuela; algunas veces más fuerte, otras más bajo. En cuanto a la frecuencia, esta no es de radioaficionados; el rango asignado para este uso es de 14000-14350 y si algún radioaficionado está haciendo estas transmisiones, no lo hace como tal. El reglamento en todos los países del mundo estipula que los radioaficionados no pueden, entre otras muchas cosas, trasmitir música. De todas formas, el audio de esta estación es bastante bueno, y parece estar operando con una consola o un sistema controlado por computadora, ya que no se notan las pausas que normalmente ocurren cuando se usa un sistema manual para pasar de una canción a otra; por lo que más bien creo que es una estación clandestina transmitiendo en baja potencia, quizás unos 300 ó 400 vatios IRP. Un detalle interesante es que, como indico arriba, la última vez que la escuché, al igual que Radio Habana Cuba en 11.705, la trasmisión fue en USB y no en AM; esto podría indicar que quienes están trasmitiendo, podrían estar realizando algún tipo de prueba controlada para cocer la cobertura en diferentes modalidades (AM y SSB) utilizando una misma potencia. Hoy voy nuevamente a monitorear esa frecuencia en el horario indicado para ver si la escucho. Saludos cordiales a todos (Jose M. Valdés R., March 13...) Later, UT March 14: Radio Corsario está en el aire en estos momentos 0337 UT 3554 en USB 14.540 (José M. Valdés R., YV5LIX, Caracas, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** SWITZERLAND. I`m not sure you knew that SRI would be discontinuing its service to the West Coast of North America. They may not want to admit it, but most of its audience is still listening on shortwave. In fact, by their own admission fewer than 100 people per day are listening in English via the internet which shortwave is supposed to replace. While I understand the Ministry has NO editorial control over SRI, you do fund about 45% of its operations and replacing shortwave by internet may sound like it`s operationally sound; it`s not. SRI`s own web page http://www.swissinfo.org according to ALEXA.COM is only the 38,500th most popular -- a low ranking even compared to other international broadcasters. Unlike other most other international broadcasters, SRI-English has the resources with a staff of 24 people, compared to 24 at Radio Netherlands which produces two hours a day in English vs. 26 minutes for SRI, compared to six people at Radio Sweden and 4.5 people at Radio Vlaaderen International, both of the above producing about 30 minutes a day. If you have more question feel free to call (Larry Nebron, Daly City, CA letter to Swiss Embassy in Washington via DXLD) Subject: the death of SRI on the West Coast Glenn, The name of the Swiss Ambassador to US is Alfred Defago. I think I recall hearing a piece on SRI where the Ambassador may have finished his term? The email is vertretung@was.rep.admin.ch I hope a few listeners will write, but I not getting my hopes very high. Sad to say, SRI never had many vocal listeners and at least in my mind that indicates that they do not have many in total. During 1991, the 700th anniversary of Switzerland, they requested comments and questions to cabinet ministers and the President almost daily for two months. They received three replies. On the 700th anniversary day August 1, 1991, did SRI in English have a special program? NO. Did they even lead with the celebration? NO! If the Capital Letters show read my letter, they are not censoring. If they read three or four letters with serious program comment or feedback, that must be all they received! Nothing has changed in the ten years except they thought the two Bobs were too 'hickish' for the station and canned their program eight years ago. I am a big fan of listening on the Net, but in this era with a billion web pages thousands of audio sources, while a net broadcasting may be cheaper, if only a hundred or two hundred are listening and the statistics on this don`t lie, it`s much much more expensive per listener. Like a sick dog with cancer, maybe it would be more humane for all, if the station was put down? Not a nice statement, YES, but if a broadcaster has no sizable audience even by International broadcast standards, a program that most of the International broadcast audience does not find useful, entertaining or interesting, why bother other than to employ a few elderly managers who need a few years to max out their retirement. How many people in the World of Radio, DXLD, COM Audience can honestly say. 'I've listened more than dozen times in last twelve months? (Larry Nebron, CA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TURKEY. On a hunch, and since I forgot to check UT Monday March 12 for VOT`s new live call-in show, at 2300 on 9655, I threw on a tape UT Tuesday March 13, and when checked later, there it was, starting around 2315 after news and press review. So ``Tuesday at 1 am local time`` really meant Wednesday local time. ``Live from Turkey`` did not have any calls on its initial outing, perhaps because of the scheduling confusion, so Reshide Morali played several pieces of music and talked with her sister co-host who also works for VOT. Reshide revealed that two of the daily English broadcasts are normally done live, at ``3:30 and 9:30`` meaning 1330 and 1930 UT (so 2130, 2300 and 0400 are repeats). A teenager in Shropshire, Christopher Lewis, had suggested a couple of years ago that VOT call and interview him. Now arrangements have been made for a weekly live call-in. The phones are 90-312-491-2896 and -491-2370. Although 1:15 am is an inconvenient time in Turkey, the 2300 UT broadcast was chosen for this since it would be best for North America (rather than 1930 when most people are still at work), and for Australia in their mornings (and I suppose feasible in Britain for those staying up late). Also invites E-mail to ankayra@yahoo.com and read one message from Greece, mentioning i.a. Bibles in Turkish but using the Greek alphabet. The call-in should be up and running next week, and let`s hope she gets some calls now that we have the correct scheduling (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UKRAINE. 15 MAR'01 Radio Ukraine International Summer Broadcasting Schedule (A01 Schedule, First Edition) Frequency Time TX Site Tx Azimuth Target Area 5905 1600-0100 Kyiv 254 S.-W.Europe 6020 1500-2000 Kyiv ND C.Europe 7320 0000-0500 Kharkiv 55 Russia (Tyumen) 7410 0300-1000 Kharkiv 235 S.Europe 7410 1900-2400 Kyiv 266 W.Europe 9560 1500-2300 Kharkiv 290 W.Europe 9620 0400-0900 Kyiv 254 S.-W.Europe 9640 0000-0400 Kyiv 74 Russia, N.Kazakhstan 9640 1400-1800 Kyiv 74 Russia, N.Kazakhstan 11705 0500-0900 Kyiv 272 W.Europe 11705 1900-2300 Kyiv 254 W.Europe 11840 0300-0900 Kyiv 93 S.Kazakhstan 11840 1400-1800 Kyiv 93 S.Kazakhstan 11950 1900-2300 Kharkiv 290 W.Europe 12045 1100-1800 Kyiv 55 Russia (Tyumen) 13590 2100-0800 Kyiv 307 E.of N.America,N.-W.Europe 15135 0900-1400 Kyiv 307 E.of N.America,N.-W.Europe Schedules of programmes in various languages are as follows: GERMAN (one hour long) except on 13590 kHz: at 1700, 2000, 2300. ENGLISH (one hour long) except on 12045 kHz: at 2100, 0000, 0300, 1100. UKRAINIAN programs are transmitted on all frequencies and at all times except for the time reserved for German and English programs, as shown above. ROMANIAN (half an hour long): on 657 kHz (Chernivtsi), Medium Waves, at 1700, 1930, 2100 UT. Notes: 1) The output of all transmitters is 100 kW, except on 657 kHz where the power is 25 kW. 2) The Schedule is subject to changes. 3) Please, send us the reception reports of all frequencies. Alexander Yegorov -- DX editor of RUI. Happy Listening ! (via Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, Electronic DX Press via DXLD) ** U S A. Just in. . . From Jeff Hugabone of WTIC via Eric Disen of KRLD . . . "WTIC WILL GO OFF 1:35 AM UNTIL 2:29 AM local time SUNDAY MARCH 18TH (So let`s see- that`s 35 min of WTIC and no KRLD, and at least 25 minutes of no WTIC OR KRLD.) (Bill Hale, Fort Worth, NRC-AM via DXLD) That is, UT 0635-0729 March 18 when WTIC will be OFF – unless all this be postponed again (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1072) ** U S A. The following message is the complete response from Kim Elliott at VOA Regarding the "Cannot Verify" note I received regarding the special VOA Presidential Inauguration broadcast: (Lee Silvi, OH) Dear Lee: Thanks for your e-mail. VOA audience mail employees answer the reception reports. They use a printed list of frequencies which does not include special transmissions, such as for the inauguration. Because 21735 was not on their list, they wrote the usual "cannot verify." I confirm your reception of the Voice of America, January 20, 2001, 1600-1720 UTC, 21735 kHz, via Delano. Regards, Kim (via Lee Silvi, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, duh, someone please give the employees accurate lists including special transmissions, which after all, are more likely to attract reports, especially when unusual sites are involved! (gh) ** U S A. Dialog, that Public Radio International program discussing Yugoslavia I heard Sat 1300 on 15685, appeared unexpectedly again on WWCR Thu March 15 at 1330-1400. I see it is now in the printed schedule at both these times. It`s produced by the Woodrow Wilson Institute a.k.a. International Center for Scholars, per closing info, also audible on web via http://www.wilsoncenter.org/dialog and e-mail radiodial@aol.com This show, evidently recorded in December, interviewed Alexa --, a Serb scholar with good insight into the situation, especially about Miloshevich. Don`t I know how to spell Milosevic? Yes, I do. Slavic names should be rendered phonetically into English! There is no reason to spell them any other way, especially when originally in Cyrillic alphabet! Furthermore, please spare us French and German phonetic transliterations, which should be irrelevant in English, quite capable of accessing these languages directly (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [clandestine] CRW 064-Extra 3 & Cumbre DX Special 337.6 March 15, 2001 The following report is a collaborative effort between Cumbre DX and Clandestine Radio Watch. USA: STANDOFF WITH KSMR UNDERWAY By Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX Nick Grace C., Clandestine Radio Watch - Washington Bureau with reports by Chris Lobdell and Martin Schoech. [Mar 15] A standoff is underway between the U.S. government and the recently-launched Kentucky State Militia Radio (KSMR) and the situation is on the verge of reaching critical mass. With time ticking both sides are preparing for a showdown that could happen within days. Documents just obtained by CDX-CRW indicate that members of the Kentucky State Militia (KSM) have been under investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for alleged amateur radio violations since December. The documents reveal a tense confron- tation between KSM "Major" Steve Anderson, who engineers and hosts KSMR, and "Commander" Charlie Puckett against the FCC, which has culminated in the revocation of Anderson's amateur radio license. Anderson, who held the Extra-class license AA8DP, received a "Warning Notice," dated December 8, 2000 that states "Monitoring information before the Commission indicates that on December 4, 2000 you operated radio-transmitting equipment on 6.890 MHz, a frequency not licensed to you under your extra Class license." Puckett, when interviewed independently by CRW and CDX last week, denied published monitoring reports that the KSM or its members were involved in the alleged transmissions, which jammed commercial radio station WWFV. The FCC, according to the documents, also began an investigation into Puckett, who holds the Technician-class license KF4ZMG, for operating on 3860 kHz in December. Puckett denied the violation in writing, stating that the transmissions were under the "control" of Anderson - who is licensed for operation on that frequency. When the government requested specific details from Anderson about the dates, times and the nature of the transmissions' identification, he returned his license to the FCC. "At this time," he wrote in response to the government, "be advised that... the contract with the agency Federal Communications Commission, an agent of a foreign corporation, under the auspices of Amateur Radio license AA8DP, is hereby rescinded. All authority assumed by the F.C.C. is null and void." "I do not reside in any territory or possession of the Federal Government of the United States of America," he continued, "and am not subject to any regulation by this fictitious entity." In what seems to be a major development, Anderson announced during a broadcast on Friday, March 9, that he received another letter from the FCC - presumably for his transmissions as KSMR. "(There is) no point in citing me," he stated. "This is not my station. This is the Kentucky Militia station... We don't want to hear from you (be- cause) you don't have anything to say to us. You don't have any authority over us. We are asserting our First Amendment Rights here and are protecting them with the Second Amendment." The Second Amendment refers to the right to bear arms. -- "Take My Gun from My Cold Dead Hands" -- Anderson launched KSMR on March 3 and has broadcast nightly on 3260 kHz USB between 0300 and 0400 UTC. The live programs, confirmed by CRW and CDX to be sponsored by the KSM, begin with a song called "Take My Gun (From My Cold Dead Hands)" by David VonKleist that segues into 15 minutes of militia announcements. Anderson proceeds into a thirty-minute commentary on such topics as Christianity, alleged U.S. government cover-ups, and justifications for the existence of patriot militia movement - which perceives itself to be defending the country against a corrupted and conspiratorial federal government. The program then ends with a 15-minute recitation of militia contact addresses across the United States. "We are trying to protect and defend the (U.S.) Constitution and our sovereign Republic," Anderson told CRW-CDX when reached by telephone. "I hope we're giving a positive message." According to Puckett, the KSM is sponsoring the station to provide news and information that is not widely available to the public. In fact, he alleged, commercial shortwave stations have been censoring patriot programming. "They were selectively pulling programs off... Information that people need!" Published reports, however, indicate that many programs have been taken off the air for financial and not ideological reasons. KSMR, Anderson openly revealed, operates at approximately 800 watts, uses an extended-double zep antenna at 110' (36 meters). The antenna, he said, provides for a 3dB gain over a regular dipole antenna, and plans are in the works to employ a 3 kW amplifier he calls the "rock crusher." Regardless, the station is already heard coast-to-coast and has even been monitored in Western Europe. On Wednesday, March 14, he tested 6880 kHz and claims that the station will soon carry live programming from the Genesis and Heritage radio networks through a satellite feed. If all goes as planned, the station will operate full-time from 9 AM (1400 UT) to 12 AM midnight (0500 UT) on 3260, 6880, and 12181 kHz USB. When asked for his reasoning to use this set of frequencies, which are all at least 10 kHz below WWFV, Anderson noted that KSMR will occasionally move off frequency in order to avoid interference. But, he said, if nearby WWFV "I'm easy to find." "You'd be suprised at how cohesive and unified the patriot community is," Puckett told CRW-CDX last week during a telephone interview. "KSMR is truly a national effort." He said that donations amounting to US$2800 have already been collected for the station. And indeed, Anderson often announces during his broadcasts that new equipment supplied by other militia groups have been shipped to the station "garrison." Although the Internet can be a useful and expedient communications tool, Puckett explained, the government "can bring it down. Short- wave is the only reliable communication medium... Everyone in the patriot community has got a shortwave radio." In fact, both Anderson and Puckett claim that KSMR, as the first unlicensed militia radio station, is not only showing other groups that it is possible to establish an independent voice on radio but also inspiring other groups to take to the airwaves. During a "major" militia rally in Norm Creek, Kentucky, next month, Anderson will lead a discussion on communications and antennas to members of other groups who will attend. -- Lying in Wait -- The government, needless to say, is taking the KSM's defiance seriously and, CDX-CRW has learned, is already planning for the station's closure. "We know who they are. We know where they are," Riley Hollingsworth of the FCC Enforcement Bureau said. "There will be an enforcement action... It's still an open case, and with his continuing the pi- rate station on 3260 kHz he is at risk of a minimum US$7,500 fine as well as equipment seizure." KSMR, however, is unmoved by the thought of a confrontation with the government. "This is not one guy," Anderson announced during a recent program. "There's about 13,000 of us down here... We're not worried." When reached by phone, he said "We're not threatening anybody... Wouldn't KSMR come in handy if there was a national emergency? We sure think it would." Nevertheless, the vow to protect the station under their rights as enshrined in the Second Amendment - the right to bear arms - has caused some listeners to worry that the impending physical confron- tation could lead to violence. Given KSMR's vow to defend the station, sources within the FCC have told CDX-CRW that law enforce- ment personnel will accompany the agents during the closure. But according to Larry Clance at the FCC, there has never been a case of an unlicensed station defending itself with firearms. Whether KSMR becomes the first remains to be seen. Clearly, though, the standoff has already begun. [end] Nice report, but it`s not exactly ``breaking news`` at this moment, nor a ``standoff`` yet. Seems clear to me Anderson is trying to provoke the Feds, perhaps to become a martyr. After all, it`s been several years since Waco. He needs some hard evidence the nasty USG is out to get him. But now with the far right pulling Acting President Bush`s strings, will anything really happen? (gh, DXLD) ** VATICAN. See ITALY; JAPAN ** VATICAN/ITALY. Glenn, This was in The Daily Telegraph on Monday 12th March: THREE Vatican Radio chiefs are to go on trial in Rome today in a case that has sparked a bitter diplomatic row. The three, including Cardinal Roberto Tucci, the Radio's president, are charged with polluting Italy's air, with harmful electromagnetic radiation emitted by its forest of antennae in northern Rome. The antennae, some of which have a 600,000-watt capacity and can transmit worldwide, are situated on a vast, Vatican-owned site at Santa Maria di Galeria. The trial has developed out of a magistrate's inquiry, which was opened into reports showing a higher than average incidence of tumours and leukaemia cases in the area. A new health report published last week has meanwhile found that the leukaemia rate among children under 14 who lived locally was six times higher than for Rome in general. In Cesano, the nearest town, it was reported that nine people in one block of flats alone had suffered from tumours. But the Vatican has infuriated the government by refusing last week to accept a court order to attend on the grounds that it did not recognise Italian jurisdiction. The Vatican has insisted that the site enjoyed extra-territorial status under a 1951 treaty. It said that Italy had no right to interfere in what went on inside, and has also claimed there was no proof that such radiation caused harm. Willer Bordon, Italy's Environment Minister, reacted to the Vatican's stand by calling it "incredible, serious and absurd". He said that he had expected "greater sensitivity" from the Vatican. Mr Bordon said: "The fact that it is foreign territory doesn't change a thing, since it is Italian citizens who are being harmed." (via Andy Waddelow, DXLD) ###