DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-094, July 6, 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] RADIO ENLACE: primera parte de nuestro informe DX de julio comienza el viernes 6 y domingo 8 en Radio Enlace de Radio Nederland ** AUSTRIA. ROI - RADIO AUSTRIA INTERNACIONAL A-1136 Wien-Viena, Austria Tel. +43/676/530 94 96 (cel.) Tel: +4301/50501-16041 - Fax: 16016 http://roi.orf.at Mag. Jan A. van der Brugge jan.brugge@orf.at ¡Cordiales saludos desde Viena! Ya es un hecho, somos "facultativos", es decir que depende del libre albedrío de la (¿nueva?) dirección de ORF si quiere financiarnos. No sabemos si en enero seguiremos existiendo, aunque sí existe un rubro, en el presupuesto para la ORF, de unos 90 millones de chelines, destinados a financiarnos. Alguien en la historia austríaca creó un eslogan, que es característico de la mentalidad austríaca: "La situación es desesperante, pero no seria" (sic!) Os informaremos, espero que informéis. El artículo "la nueva situación" es un comentario de nuestro director, Roland Machatschke, publicado hoy 5 de julio. El artículo sobre "el futuro", está ya en nuestras páginas de Internet. Un abrazo a todos! Mag. Jan A. van der Brugge Radio Austria Internacional - Wien/Viena (Manuel Aletrino, director Departamento Hispano-Latinoamericano hispano@orf.at) GSM Tel. *43/676/530 94 96 RADIO AUSTRIA INTERNACIONAL 050701 La nueva situación Este 5 de julio de 2001, el Parlamento austríaco aprobó, con los votos de la coalición popular-liberal la nueva ley de radiodifusión y televisión. No sólo acarreará importantes cambios para la ORF, radio y televisión austríaca, sino también para la emisora que están escuchando, Radio Austria Internacional (ROI). A partir del 1 de enero de 2002 quedará suprimido lo que hasta ahora es el mandato legal para la ORF de producir el programa internacional de Radio Austria Internacional. Esto significa que la ORF puede seguir realizando los programas de ROI pero pagándolos con sus propios medios. Al mismo tiempo la nueva ley abarca disposiciones que limitarán las posibilidades de la ORF de obtener beneficios de la publicidad, destinados a financiar aquella parte del presupuesto que no está cubierta por los ingresos procedentes de las tasas obligatorias. En el debate parlamentario, la diputada Madeleine Petrovic, del partido de los Verdes, presentó en nombre de su grupo la moción de obligar a la ORF por ley a producir Radio Austria Internacional. La moción fue desechada. Como director de Radio Austria Internacional estoy consternado por la situación. En todos los países comparables, se financia, con medios fiscales, programas de radio para el exterior, que son la representación mediática de un país en el mundo. Después de 40 años, el Gobierno federal austríaco, sin mencionar razones, lo ha terminado. Deja así a la ORF, debilitada financieramente por la nueva legislación, la decisión de seguir produciendo su programa internacional en la forma actual, que ya ha sido drásticamente limitada, ó reducirlo aún más, ó suspenderlo por completo. Radio Austria Internacional es el único medio de comunicación del país que, aparte de en lengua alemana, se puede oír en el mundo entero en otras cinco lenguas. Millones de personas en todos los continentes aprovechan la posibilidad de informarse sobre la política y la sociedad, las artes y la cultura de este país, cosas sobre las que los medios de sus propios países apenas darán informaciones. Centenares de miles de austríacos residentes en el extranjero, mantienen el contacto con su país de origen a través de ROI. Ahora es virulento el peligro de que se siga reduciendo, o que "se cierre" del todo, esa "ventana mediática hacia el mundo", como describía a ROI hace pocos días la ministra de Exteriores Benita Ferrero-Waldner. RADIO AUSTRIA INTERNACIONAL - EL FUTURO El 5 de julio de 2001, el Parlamento austríaco aprobó una ley que implicará grandes reformas para la Radiodifusión Austríaca (ORF). Afecta también directamente a Radio Austria Internacional (ROI). Actualmente, en la versión hasta ahora vigente de la ley, "se encomienda a la Radiodifusión Austríaca la realización y transmisión de un servicio exterior eficiente, que se llevará a cabo por encargo del Gobierno federal y que será financiado por la República". En el futuro, "la Radiodifusión Austríaca puede ser encargada, .... siempre que lo permitan el desarrollo tecnológico y la viabilidad económica, ... de la realización y transmisión de un programa de radio y un servicio "online" eficiente destinados a austríacos residentes en el extranjero y dedicados a la representación de Austria en el mundo (Servicio Exterior)". Esto significa que la financiación de ROI por medios fiscales, que en el transcurso de los últimos dos años ya ha sido reducida en el 47 por ciento, se acabará para finales del año 2001. Será la dirección de la ORF que decida si y qué medios se pondrán a disposición de ROI. El programa de onda corta de la Radiodifusión Austríaca comenzó en 1955 en forma de emisiones experimentales. En 1960 se puso en servicio la planta emisora de onda corta de Moosbrunn. En 1969 la ORF y el Gobierno federal firmaron un contrato sobre el servicio y la financiación de un programa permanente destinado al extranjero. El contrato se rescindió a finales de 2000, sin que hubiera discusión alguna sobre los contenidos de ROI. La Cancillería Federal, responsable de la financiación, se limitó a comunicar que dejará de suministrar medios financieros para cuando se haya enmendado debidamente la Ley de radiodifusión. En los pasados días se publicaron varios comentarios sobre la situación de Radio Austria Internacional: La ministra de Exteriores, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, respondió a una interpelación parlamentaria de los Verdes haciendo constar que: "ROI es el único medio electrónico austríaco audible en el mundo entero también en lenguas extranjeras...ROI sirve para mantener el contacto con los aprox. 380.000 austríacos residentes en el extranjero Austria. En muchos países del mundo ROI es a menudo la sola fuente informativa para informaciones de actualidad sobre Austria. Austria necesita una ventana mediática al mundo como Radio Austria Internacional". El eurodiputado Hans Kronberger: "Como embajador valioso de Austria en el mundo tiene que mantenerse ROI... Invito a todos los políticos que en Austria se ocupan de los medios de información a encontrar una solución constructiva, sin criterios partidistas, para mantener y garantizar la existencia de ROI. Sería un error deplorable subestimar la relevancia de esa importante voz de Austria en el mundo". El sindicato de periodistas exigió en una carta al canciller federal Wolfgang Schüssel y a los portavoces de los cuatro partidos parlamentarios, "que se asegure la base financiera de ROI también en el futuro mediante un aporte correspondiente de la Cancillería Federal". El sindicato teme que, por la formulación de la ley, pueda quedar suspendido pronto el programa en onda corta de ROI. Stefan Schennach, diputado parlamentario por los Verdes y portavoz para medios de comunicación de su partido, confirma las inquietudes del sindicato de periodistas: "Sólo un inequívoco mandato legal podrá garantizar la existencia de la voz de Austria en el mundo. La actitud de la coalición es totalmente incomprensible, pues ROI es la ventana cultural de Austria hacia el mundo, que también es de gran importancia para la economía nacional. Tanto los austríacos de residencia permanente en el extranjero, como los expertos que trabajan por tiempo limitado fuera del país y turistas, obtienen de ROI las informaciones importantes sobre su país. Renunciar a ROI, ahora, poco antes del comienzo de la época de la digitalización, sería proceder con falta de responsabilidad. Además, ROI tiene la única redacción políglota del país. Sería simplemente absurdo que Viena, la tercera ciudad sede de la ONU, cerrara su emisora para el extranjero. Después de las drásticas reducciones de la programación realizadas en el año 2000, Radio Austria Internacional transmite ahora diariamente durante 14 horas en onda corta, por satélite y en Internet. Incluye los noticieros en lenguas extranjeras, así como retransmisiones simultáneas de noticias en lengua alemana y otros programas informativos desde el programa nacional Ö 1. Las horas restantes se dedican a otros programas de la ORF, Ö 1 y Ö Regional. La plantilla se ha reducido a más de la mitad. El equipo de colaboradores de ROI está motivado a producir los mejores programas. También en la nueva constelación crearán un programa que interese a millones de personas en el mundo entero, pese a todos los problemas y restricciones. Si quieren escribirnos su opinión acerca de la situación de Radio Austria Internacional, les rogamos escriban a: roi.intendanz@orf.at También Radio Canadá Internacional se enfrenta a un futuro incierto. Encontrarán informaciones bajo http://geocities.com/rciaction/index.html (via Pedro Sedano, AER via DXLD) I wasted a good deal of time searching for this and its English version on ROI`s unfriendly website. If anyone can find the English version, please send us a direct link or copy it (gh, DXLD) ** BRAZIL. There was an exceptional 31/25 mb opening to Brasil the other evening (2300-2400 on July 2). I took the opportunity to make a quick frequency scan, not waiting for IDs. All IDs listed are "presumed." Several presumably-active frequencies were occupied by other, stronger stations in this period. 9504.97 R. Record? weak 9565.02 R. Tupi 9630.17 R. Aparecida 9645.12 R. Bandeirantes 9684.77 R. Gazeta 9689.96 RAE Argentina 9694.95 R. Rio Mar 9704.97 R. Nacional 11829.96 R. CBN 11915.03 R. Gaucha 11924.96 R. Bandeirantes 11949.64 R. MEC Also had an unID in Spanish around 2341 on 9649.96, wonder if this could be Uruguay? 73, (Al Quaglieri, NY, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. BREVES BRASILEIRÍSSIMAS - Faz duas semanas que a Rádio Educação Rural, de Campo Grande, estado do Mato Grosso do Sul, não aparece na sua habitual freqüência de 4755 kHz, na faixa de 62 metros. Será que a emissora também adotou a contenção de despesas? - Faz algum tempo que a Rádio Canção Nova, da cidade de Cachoeira Paulista, no estado de São Paulo, tem sido sintonizada novamente na freqüência de 4825 kHz, em 62 metros. Inclusive, a programação permanece no ar durante a madrugada, sinal de que a economia de energia não está na ordem do dia para a Canção Nova, que transmite, ainda, em 6105 e 9675 kHz, também com boa sintonia durante a madrugada. - As diversas mensagens pedindo o não desligamento dos transmissores entre 2200 e 2300 UT parece que não sensibilizaram a direção da Rádio Aparecida. Muitos ouvintes notaram o sumiço do sinal nas freqüências de 5035 e 6135 kHz, no último sábado, quando tentavam sintonizar o programa Encontro DX. - Ao que tudo indica, não existe um critério definido para desligar os transmissores na Rádio Bandeirantes, de São Paulo. Seja durante o dia, seja de madrugada, qualquer de suas freqüências: 6090, 9645 e 11925 kHz, podem estar desligadas. A freqüência de 6090 kHz é a menos visada, pois está quase todo o tempo no ar, incluindo na madrugada (Celio Romais, @tividade DX July 5 via DXLD) ** CANADA. Hi Glenn: I got a response from RCI audience relations today to my complaint about their broadband 19 m QRM. The QRM is still there today, at about the same level. I suspect there is little or no monitoring done by RCI, of their own transmissions any more, due to budget cuts. This QRM has been going on over 10 days and I doubt anyone at RCI is even aware of it. Here is the e-mail I sent: This is to let you know that your North American transmitter on 15170 kHz is causing interference over hundreds of kilohertz on the 19 meter band, starting at 0030 UT. I have detected this interference from below 15000 to 15305 kHz. Perhaps you could direct this e-mail to RCI monitoring. Thanks, David Hodgson, Nashville, USA Dear Mr. Hodgson, Thank you very much for your e-mail which I have forwarded to our monitoring station for their information. If you could be so kind as to advise your full postal address, I would be pleased to forward detailed printed information on RCI programming via snail mail and put your name on our regular mailing list. Thank you very much in advance. With greetings from Canada, July 5, 2001 (via Hodgson, DXLD) ** CANADA/U S A. The Boundaries of Ignorance Canadian TV Show Satirizes Americans By DeNeen L. Brown, Washington Post Foreign Service Thursday, July 5, 2001; Page C01 TORONTO -- For a Canadian, sometimes the hardest thing about talking to Americans is keeping a straight face. But Rick Mercer keeps trying, trying not to grin or giggle as he travels the States asking those astute Americans very simple questions about their neighbor up north -- and bumping into mountains of ignorance. "Excuse me, ma'am," Mercer says, holding... Entire story: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A20075-2001Jul4?language=printer (via Tom Roche, GA, DXLD) ** CHINA [non]. Realtime China Press Release As of July 9, 2001, more stations across the US are now carrying China Radio International`s daily news magazine RealTime China. Realtime China Producer/Presenter: Keith Perron e-mail: usbox@cri.com.cn or kperron@hotmail.com WROL 950 am Boston, Mass 50 kw 6:00-6:00 am Mon to Fri WHOO 1080 am Orlando, Fl 10 kw 9:00-9:30 am Mon to Fri WJJG 1530 am Chicago, Il 5 kw 8:00-8:30 pm Mon to Fri CRN-1 National 2:30-3:00 pm Mon to Fri (CNR Radio Cable Network) If you would like information on how to add Realtime China to your schedule, please contact Keith Perron at China Radio International. Tel: 86-10-68498888 Ext 63732 Cell: 86-13301031199 (Keith Perron, July 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. High stakes for the faithful in an online game of cat and mouse. Oppressed by the Chinese Government, Falun Gong adherents need all their guile, writes Craig Smith. Tapping away at one of his computers in a cramped two- room flat in western Beijing, Lloyd Zhao is engaged in an extraordinarily dangerous endeavour - searching through the night for holes in the electronic wall that the Government has built to keep Chinese from seeing Web sites of Falun Gong, the outlawed spiritual movement. Periodically, firewall programs he has installed on his computer detect a signal from another computer in China that is trying to identify him. The string of numbers from the snooping computer that appears on Mr Zhao's screen can invariably be traced to a branch of the Public Security Bureau. "They look for anyone who tries to reach Falun Gong Web sites overseas," says the shaggy-haired Mr Zhao, 33, a fervent Falun Gong follower and an advanced computer technician. When the surveillance becomes too intense he switches Internet accounts, operating systems, even hard-disk drives and telephone lines to mask his online identity. Mr Zhao says the threat of detection will not dissuade him from his self-appointed mission to keep open the lines of communication between the discipline's United States-based founder, Li Hongzhi, and followers in China, where a government campaign to eradicate the movement has entered what Beijing hopes is the endgame. Since China set out to crush Falun Gong nearly two years ago up to 200 people have died, possibly thousands have been beaten or tortured, and millions have been cowed into renouncing their faith in Li's apocalyptic cosmology. In the latest incident, the Chinese Government claims 15 Falun Gong followers hanged themselves in a labour camp. But a Falun Gong spokesman said they were murdered by guards at the re-education camp. Mr Zhao and hundreds like him continue to elude the security forces, using temporary mobile-phone numbers, encryption programs and obscure Internet services based overseas to keep the remaining network of followers connected. That makes Mr Zhao one of the most dangerous of Falun Gong's remaining proponents, according to He Zuoxiu, a physicist and a Communist Party member who has played an integral role in having the movement banned. He says Falun Gong is an evil cult that, unchallenged, could threaten China's tenuous stability, should it galvanise the millions of people disenfranchised by the transition from a centrally planned economy to a market-driven one. People like Mr Zhao should be hunted down and locked up until they have recanted their beliefs, he says. Mr Zhao said he decided to speak out because Mr Li says followers should step forward to "validate" Falun Gong. Under attack, Falun Gong has evolved from a well- regulated movement with a structure not unlike that of the Communist Party into a non-hierarchical mass movement whose structure mirrors that of the Internet, on which it depends. Although Mr Zhao is an important node in that network, he is the first to admit he and his friends are dispensable. If they are caught, he says, other devotees will take their place. In April China issued a new legal interpretation of the anti-subversion laws that allows it to hand down long jail terms to followers who distribute leaflets or disseminate Mr Li's messages, which have grown increasingly apocalyptic. "It is in fact time to let go of your last attachments," he wrote to followers in August, adding that believers should "let go of all worldly attachments (including the attachment to the human body)." On January 1 Mr Li told his disciples: "The present performance of the evil shows that they are already utterly inhuman and completely without righteous thoughts. So such evil's persecution of the Fa can no longer be tolerated." That set off a debate among Falun Gong followers in China about what Mr Li's message meant. He never clarified his remarks, and three weeks later five followers ignited themselves in Tiananmen Square. The Chinese Government seized on the self-immolations as proof of its allegations that Falun Gong encourages hazardous behaviour, while some Falun Gong followers insisted that Mr Li prohibits suicide and that, therefore, the five could not have been Falun Gong followers. Mr Zhao says his job is to keep Mr Li's message pure and to prevent more followers from going astray. With a few keystrokes in the darkness he circumvents the Government's electronic barriers, and up pops Mr Li's image on the screen, with a message that reads: "Removing the evil beings that manipulate people to damage humankind is also protecting humankind." (The New York Times via Sydney Morning Herald July 6 via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) Incredible that in a story this detailed about Falun Gong they never get around to mentioning their SW program! (gh, DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. A Spanish-language broadcasting station that carries mostly music is still being heard on 14301.1 kHz variable, causing interference to several Amateur nets operating on 14300 USB. The station identifies as "Radio Majagual" and is believed to be the station of the same name, located in Sincelejo, Sucre, Colombia, broadcasting on the medium wave channel 1430 kHz. Ignacio Barraquer, HK3CC, IARU liaison with Liga Colombiana de Radioaficionados (LCRA), has been in contact with the general manager of Emisora Radio Majagual about this harmonic. While the manager "doubted" that his station was the cause of the interference, he promised to try to take care of it. It is hoped that he will be convinced by the evidence and will be able to find and eliminate the source of this extraordinary 10x harmonic (IARUMS Newsletter July via Ron Roden, UK, Jul 2 via Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** CONGO. A Rádio Congo tem chegado com um sinal muito bom aqui em Aracaju quase que diariamente, em 4765 kHz. Há uma transmissão de 15 minutos em espanhol, entre 2100 e 2115 GMT. Trata-se do programa Por el Mundo Hispánico, que apresenta músicas cubanas. Antes desse horário a transmissão é em francês e depois das 2115h começa um programa em língua local. Aparentemente a transmissão em espanhol é feita apenas de segunda à quinta-feira (Núcio Ribas, Aracaju-SE, receptor Sony ICF-SW7600G, antena longwire 20m, @tividade DX July 5 via DXLD) De volta em 4765 ex-5985 ou informe atrasado, sem data?? ** CYPRUS. British Bases Riots Dear Glenn, Further news about the anti - antenna riots at British Bases of Akrotiri and Episkopi. Pitched battles at the bases on Tuesday 3rd ended with rioters burning cars, trashed inside of radio building, and set fire under antennas. Protesters left much destruction, fighting soldiers with sticks and attacking bases personnel. The riots started after DIKO deputy MP was arrested and later released after 3 hours. Early 3 am riots finally stopped and now discussions on between British / Cypriot officials. People are worried about radiation fears in light of hugh [huge, high? -gh] umbrella antennas; construction has now ceased until further notice as tempers calm down. Bases personnel were caught unprepared. Now more security has stopped any further problems. But the issue is still very serious for EEC and a solution to the island`s division after 27 years (Costa Constantinides, Cyprus, July 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I wonder exactly which facilities were involved? BBC/Merlin MW/SW relay? Or two-way military communications only? (gh) ** CYPRUS. Here is a slightly different take on the IBB relay planned for here, so at this point nothing had been decided: In the May 15th Commerce Business Daily, evidence that plans are moving ahead for the major Voice of America broadcast initiative in the Arabic language. The publication had a notice from the U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors stating that the BBG has an anticipated requirement, subject to funding, for the design, manufacture, shipping, installation, and testing of a 600 kilowatt multi-tower medium wave broadcast antenna system on Cyprus. The notice says preference will be given to a contractor that can meet the anticipated target operational date of January 15th, 2002 (Kim Elliott, VOA Communications World June 9 via DXLD) ** FINLAND. OK, here I forward this info of Scandinavian Weekend Radio, Virrat in Finland. Don't forget to listen also DJ Madman's programmes 00-04, 05-06 and 16-18 UT (Alpo Heinonen, Rovaniemi, Finland, http://personal.inet.fi/koti/alpo.heinonen/ NRD 525 "A weak voice from the Finnish Arctic Circle") Greetings from Scandinavian Weekend Radio! This message is sent to you from Scandinavian Weekend Radio's mailing list. If you wish to unsubscribe, just click the link in the end of this message. Main topics in this newsletter: 1. SWR`s one year birthday and open doors day (7th July) 2. SWR start transmissions in 48 mb in July 7th 2001 3. Our new frequency schedule. 4. Our crew in DX-camp Baarle-Nassau (Netherlands) 5. New version of our T-shirt available. 1. Welcome to visit us during our July broadcast! On July 7th our station has 1 year birthday and we celebrate it with you during 11-15 local time. If you are in Finland, please meet us in Virrat! More details are available by e-mail from info@swradio.net or just reply into this message. 2. SWR starts broadcasting in three new frequencies on a 48 mb-area on July 7th. These frequencies are 6170, 5980 and 5990 kHz. This new band will serve listeners in the near areas (where 25 mb can't be heard regularly). According our test transmissions, we are expecting to reach a good audibility in Finland, Sweden, Norway, nearest areas of Russia and Baltic-countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania). These 48 mb frequencies can be heard well occasionally in some other North- European countries, too (Poland, Belo-Russia, Germany, Denmark etc.) On 25 mb we will continue our service normally on 11690 / 11720 kHz. Our new 48 mb transmitter has been approved for use a few weeks ago. Finnish authorities burned their dummy load during measurements, so there should be some power coming out of that box. Some details on what has been done in transmitter area can be seen in our updated technical info page: http://www.swradio.net/eng/technical.htm Please let us know how you are receiving us. We have a live telephone line during our broadcasts, so call or send SMS-message into +358 400 995 559. At other times you can leave a message into our voice mail machine. You can also leave messages to our web page's guestbook, message board or you can send your reception report from there. And of course we are waiting for your reports by snail. Our mailing address is: SWR, P. O. Box 35, FIN-40321 Jyväskylä, Finland. PLEASE NOTE: We do not send our printed QSL-card without return postage (2 IRC or 2 USD and make sure that you get those IRCs stamped correctly; otherwise they are useless). 3. Our newest frequency schedule (all times are local UTC +3): On 48 mb: 00 - 06: 5990, 06 - 18: 6170, 18 - 20: 5990, 20 - 24: 6170 kHz On 25 mb: 00 - 22: 11720, 22 - 24: 11690 kHz. The most recent schedule can be always found on: http://www.swradio.net/fin/tietoja.htm 4. Our boys, Frank, Esa and Radiojack are in Baarle-Nassau pirate- radio meeting during our next transmission (7th July). Live phone reports, interviews, Dx-tips from there will be presented in our shows during this day. And of course, if you are there too, go and meet them! You recognize them by wearing our brand new T-shirt (Ask them how to get your copy!). More information about this meeting via http://www.free-radio.de : On July the 7th 2001 Radio Borderhunter organizes a Free Radio Summer- Meeting at the Dutch / Belgium border. ALL!!!! Stations and Listeners are very welcome. Come and meet your Free-Radio friends! The meeting-place is in Baarle-Nassau. You find Baarle-Nassau on a map exactly 15 kilometres south between the Dutch city Breda and Tilburg. On the motorway between Breda and Tilburg you take exit Gilze, Baarle-Nassau. From there you can follow the billboards to Baarle-Nassau. In Baarle-Nassau you must follow the billboards F.R.(Free Radio). If you can't find the billboards or lost your way, please call the phone number 0031 (0)610531057. Tell where you are and we help you. In the location hanging antenna's for listening or TRANSMITTING. At around 17.00 UTC we have a great barbeque. If you want to sleep in a hotel with breakfast (costs are 65 Dutch Guldens) it's good to tell beforehand. You can also sleep in the Pirate camping. (10 Dutch Guldens) There is a roof above your head and you have a real bed. Don't forget your sleeping bag! We start at 13.00 UTC (15.00 local time), till late at night. Music, drinks, listeners and stations together on the Dutch / Belgium border on July 7th. It will be fine to visit the DX-Camp. For more information contact Borderhunter@hotmail.com or komopdeband@hotmail.com 5. New version of our T-shirt is now available! Our T-shirts are good quality (Fruit of the Loom's value weight T). T-shirts are available in two beautiful colours: stunning bright orange for the brave and conservative, ash for the shy ones. Our new SWR-logo is printed into chest and www.swradio.net text on back. Printing is in black. Shirt is available in two sizes: large (L) or extra large (XL). Prices for the shirt is: 80 FIM, 30 DEM, 15 USD or 10 UK pounds. The price includes postage and package to planet Earth. Send your order with the money to (please specify colour and size): SWR, P. O. Box 35, FIN-40321 JKL, FINLAND With best regards, (Ville-Veikko Haikarainen, Scandinavian Weekend Radio http://www.swradio.net DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Dear DX Friends, My web site on Broadcasting in India is operational now. The site address is http://bcdx.qrzindia.net It gives lot of LATEST information on India not available in any other sites (-Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, Raj Bhavan Road, Hyderabad 500082, India, July 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Indian mail services are somewhat unreliable. My friend was working in India a couple of years ago. She subscribed to a Finnish weekly magazine (Suomen Kuvalehti) to India to get info about events in Finland. Her estimation was that every second issue arrived in India. The University of Tampere library has about the same experience. When they subscribed for Indian quarterly journals they had to ask the publisher every year for 1-2 missing issues. Some publishers replied and complained about Indian mail services. As a DXer I wouldn't send cassettes to India, or letters with "too" beautiful stamps. An ordinary looking letter might be the best solution. Or send the station two reports: one with cassette & other stuff, another with report & letter only. IRCs are almost useless in India, I think so. If stations there QSL or not, it is not question of money. First they must receive the report, then they must decide who replies. In AIR they have a funny system that reports sent to local stations are sometimes forwarded to AIR main office in Delhi. But not always, some stations reply directly. Possibly they must have a long negotiation at the station before they can decide. I have never received e-mail QSLs from India. Has anyone else? AIR has a nice website at http://air.kode.net/ Here are some of my AIR QSLs, I have been listening to India more than 30 years, now some 75 QSLs... http://www.kaapeli.fi/~jmantyla/ (Jorma Mantyla, Kangasala, Finland, July 5, hard-core-dx via DXLD) {E-QSL: DXLD 1-096} I have received ham QSLs from India for a pair of IRCs. In some countries it's a serious criminal offense to possess foreign currency. As Patrick learned, some of these countries are not ones you would expect. Unless you're going to Canada, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, or Western Europe, it's probably safest to stick with IRCs (Doug Smith, NRC-AM via DXLD) To my knowledge, the enclosure of cash in letters is forbidden in India and can cause serious trouble. 73, (Willi Passmann, Germany, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Even if sending cash in the mail is not illegal, it almost guarantees that your letter will be stolen. One U.S.$ (about 45 rupees at today's exchange rate) is more than a day's wage for many Indians. I've had mixed success sending and receiving mail from India. Some letters took only 10 days to arrive. Don't forget the PIN code (the 6-digit Indian zip code). The state doesn't seem to be necessary, i.e. you can write "Calcutta, 700001", rather than Calcutta, West Bengal, 700001". 73 (Mike Brooker, Toronto, ON, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) Reception Reports may be sent to Director (Frequency Assignments), All India Radio, Room No. 204, Akashwani Bhawan, Parliament Street, New Delhi 110001, India email: faair@nda.vsnl.net.in Of course reports may be sent to The Station Engineer of the local stations also and reply may be got if you are lucky. Return postage is NOT needed. More info on Broadcasting in India may be had from my new website [see above] (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. MUSEUM SHIPS WEEKEND EVENT *** sponsored by the USS SALEM RADIO CLUB Well now that the new year has started let's put aside July 21st and 22nd 2001 for this year's Museum Ships Special Event. The operating time will be from July 21 0001Z through 2359Z July 22. The ships listed below will using SSB and CW on various frequencies on all the Amateur HF Bands. All of these museum ships are open to the public so that all may experience what it was like to live and work on a ship.... See: http://www.qsl.net/k1usn/event.html (via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** KENYA. 4935 kHz QSL: Date/Frequency only letter in 378 days from v/s Robinson Wanjau Githae, Engineer in charge of Maralal Radio Station. My report was addressed to the now retired Engineer in Charge Mr. Martin Ouma Ojach at P. O. Box 38, Maralal. The letter states that KBC no longer broadcasts in English on short wave due to "modernization process that calls for installation of FM stations". "We still transmit in all our MW (AM) stations like 1386 kHz (English service, Maralal)". I received this reply for a taped report and IRC (Mickey Delmage, Alberta, Cumbre DX July 5 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. My Compliments to Jonathan Marks and the RN staff for the excellent job you've been doing on the recently-dropped former- BBC frequencies to the Americas. The introductory explanatory broadcasts are well-conceived to bring former BBC listeners to RN, and the other programs being aired are appreciated by regular listeners like me. I hope that you can find it worth while to continue a regular local- morning service to North America from Bonaire after all this settles down. I was wondering if you are using or going to use Bonaire for any of these "test" broadcasts, or are you relying on Sackville and Delano for all of them? It might be informative to try using Bonaire for each frequency for a while just to see how well propagation gets your signal all over North America during the daylight hours, in preparation for a possible regular morning service from there. Regards, (William Martin, Saint Louis, Missouri USA, cc to DXLD) We had an E-mail from a guy who said he'd heard the showcase programme 36 times, and when are we going to broadcast something different? Well, if you're tuned into a Sackville frequency at times when we're running English to another target area, you should be hearing that English transmission. As of this lunchtime (Dutch local time) we still didn't have an audio feed to Delano, due to some unforeseen problems. My colleagues in the Programme Distribution Department have been working their socks off trying to come up with a solution, so hopefully you will soon be hearing our regular programming on all frequencies. In the meantime, if you do hear the Showcase programme, please note that it's not compulsory to keep listening to it. It will not earn you any "extra Marks" (sorry). (Andy Sennitt, July 5, swprograms via DXLD) Looking at RN's technical schedule, I see the Delano antenna listed as non-directional (ND). I've seen that before indicated for BBC usage. Maybe this is a question for Kim, but I will ask it here in case others know -- my understanding of the FCC rules with regard to shortwave transmitters licensed in the U.S. is that they all must use directional antennas (with I believe a 10 dB minimum gain). How is it that VOA can use a non-directional antenna in this case? (The use of directional antennas as I understand it is specifically for broadcasting to regions outside the U.S. As was noted a few days ago with regard to VOA and the restriction of not broadcasting domestically, this also holds true by the rules for private and commercial shortwave broadcasters in the U.S.) Cheers from North Dakota, where 5975 is still audible, although not the greatest (Kevin Anderson, Bismarck, North Dakota, ibid.) Dan Ferguson may come along and give a more definitive answer. In the meantime: VOA is not subject to FCC regulations. The ND antenna was used for BBCWS and now RNW, but was never used for VOA broadcasts, as far as I know (Kim Elliott, ibid.) Actually the beam is 0/180 degrees, but Rocus de Joode tells me that in HFCC documents they always list such cases as ND, so that's why I did it. There is no intention to mislead; I am merely using industry conventions :-) BTW this sort of technical question should not really be posted in swprograms, so I apologise for being off-topic (Andy Sennitt, ibid.) Would someone please explain how a N/S beam could possibly be considered non-direxional, which ought to mean equal signals going out in all direxions? Or is it *really* with lobes to 0 and 180 degrees? And nulls at 90 and 270 degrees??? (gh, DXLD) ** PALAU. 9985, T8BZ is off the air. Per Bill Burton- "We had a typhoon over here a few days ago with much damage and so 9985 not on air at the moment. Doing repairs to curtain antenna and then we should be back on air. Tx's also have plenty of water blown in thru the ventilation system to the PAs!!! (DIRECT via Johnson, Jul 4, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** U K. BBC Online not for Free in Future According to an item in Heise Report, Germany, the BBC New Media Director Mr. Ashley Highfield said in an interview to "The Guardian", that BBC Online users worldwide have to PAY for that service in future. So the closure of BBCWS on SW towards NAm, Au and NZ makes sense. Maybe someone in UK may contribute the URL link to the Guardian interview. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, July 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The original article is at http://www.mediaguardian.co.uk/bbc/story/0,7521,516215,00.html There was a followup to this in an article in today's Guardian where Greg Dyke kind of dismissed Mr. Highfield's comments: The BBC is considering a plan to digitise its TV programmes and sell them on a pay-per-view basis via the web. Questioned about this at today's press conference, the BBC director general, Greg Dyke, said: "The problem with streaming online is that every additional person that takes up the service costs you more. "Streaming could be a back-up to the BBC but if we start streaming on the internet then it's going to be an enormous cost. At some stage we'll sit down and work this out. Ashley was just thinking aloud." Full article at: http://www.mediaguardian.co.uk/bbc/story/0,7521,516817,00.html Do I really have to say how irritated I am at the fact that Dyke says that each additional person using streaming media costs the BBC more money? (Ralph Brandi, swprograms via DXLD) If you go back and read this article: http://www.mediaguardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,516815,00.html you'll get a real clear picture of what madness this really is. The BBC is in the process of: 1. Putting all its eggs in the Internet basket 2. Abandoning completely the public service model, upon which the Corporation's reputation (on which it continues to trade and which, ironically, permits it the space in which to do this with public money) was painstakingly built over nearly 80 years 3. Deliberately putting at risk its public funding, which -- as it delves deeper into commercial enterprises -- will most certainly be reduced and then withdrawn.* Ladies and gentlemen, we are witnessing no less than the wholesale destruction of a once great and noble experiment and enterprise. When these clowns have finished, the BBC will be nothing more than another commercial broadcaster -- still trading on that which others with real vision built. And, no, I haven't been drinking. *One suspects this is a deliberate policy of New Labour under Blair. He and it make me want to vomit. (John A. Figliozzi, ibid.) John: A couple questions. 1. How much of this madness, do you think, can be quarantined at the domestic service level without having it spill over into the World Service? I keep hoping that the WS is isolated somewhat from the domestic issues. 2. How much of this relates to streaming video, vs. streaming audio? I know of very few examples of anyone yet willing to pay for streaming audio for radio programs; has anyone checked (I haven't) how audible.com is doing these days? I might pay them a call tomorrow. 3. More of an observation than a question: Is the license fee so loathed in the UK that the masses would trade commercial status to be rid of the license fee? We sit here in the US and shake our heads at this, but what is the attitude of those actually paying this bills for the BBC? (Richard Cuff, ibid.) The BBC wants to get rid of the free ride... they dump shortwave to us, tell us to listen via FM and on the Web (the latter of which isn't viable because everyone is trying to hear it too)... now they want listeners to pay for listening via the web! What're they, nuts? Yep, they see the future, and they want to make a quick buck off this venture, while saying they are saving money by ending a valued treasure (shortwave for the USA) that has been a staple for nearly seven decades. Somehow, Mr. Byford doesn't realize the real value that listeners would get, if he kept shortwave coverage as it was... (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, ibid.) Keep in mind, folks, that the funding structure for all the domestic services is far different than it is for the World Service. Also, the brand value of "BBC" is far different in the UK than it is here. At this point in time I don't plan to lose sleep over this as it could apply to the World Service. However, it *might* apply to those of us who are fans of, say, Radio 4 or Radio 5 Live (Richard Cuff, ibid.) BBC floats pay-per-view plan for heavy users -- Amy Vickers Media Tuesday July 3, 2001. The BBC is considering radical plans to start charging people to download TV and radio programmes, ranging from Today on Radio 4 to EastEnders on BBC1. Although no decision will be made for some time, a senior BBC executive has admitted he has raised a pay-per-view option for heavy users as part of a long term bid to make BBC Online pay its way. Ashley Highfield, the BBC's director of new media, said the cost of putting all the BBC's TV programmes online could run to "several billion pounds". Part of the problem is that more than half of the 10m or so visitors to BBC Online come from overseas and have not paid any form of licence fee to view the licence fee-funded content. But now it's not just overseas visitors who could be charged to view licence fee- funded programming. "The licence fee could give viewers a certain amount of credit to use a certain amount of content and once that credit has run out they would have to top it up," said Mr Highfield in an interview with the Financial Times. "The increasing cost of distribution to the BBC is an issue. If all the BBC's content was streamed on the web it could cost several billions of pounds." If approved, the controversial plan could cast severe doubt on the long-term viability of the licence fee, implying that the £2.4bn it rakes in each year is not enough to give people unlimited access to the corporation's content on TV as well as online. The plan will inevitably incur the wrath of the internet industry, in particular the BBC's arch-rival, the British Internet Publishers' Alliance. A Bipa spokesman said representatives from the internet industry were due to meet this morning and expected the BBC's latest proposal to be on the agenda. BBC Online has long been the target of widespread criticism from Bipa for its increasing commercial activities, especially the plans to introduce an international news website, BBCNews.com, that is likely to be funded by advertising. At this stage, the 'heavy user' plan is a tentative one and may not even be tabled until the next BBC charter comes up for renewal in 2006, and then not be introduced for another 10 years. A spokeswoman for the BBC said this morning: "The idea is part of our ongoing discussions to make savings across the BBC. "We encourage an atmosphere of voicing ideas and Ashley was just talking hypothetically bandying around this idea to make money for BBC Online." Last year, the BBC spent £73m on digital development, of which £32m was accounted for by BBC Online (Guardian July 3 via Daniel Say, DXLD) BBC spends £52m on web services -- Amy Vickers Media Wednesday July 4, 2001. The BBC has opened itself up to further criticism by revealing it spent a staggering £51.9m of licence fee income on its internet services last year. According to the annual report published today, the online service gobbled up even more viewers' cash than BBC Choice or BBC News 24. They cost £46m and £48.1m to run respectively. Overall, the BBC has spent £131.7m on its public service website over the past four years, according to its published accounts, and this shows no signs of slowing. The amount spent on the corporation's online service will provide fresh ammunition to commercial rivals who believe the BBC is abusing its privileged public service position in many areas on the internet. The figure marks a £13.8m increase on the £38.1m spent in 2000 and accounts for the biggest spend of all services in its digital operations. The cost of maintaining and developing BBC Online has been spiralling upwards ever since the BBC started hiving off expenditure for the division in 1998. Defending its huge expenditure on online media, the BBC annual report says: "After high start-up costs four years ago, BBC Online is becoming better value for money as the editorial process becomes more efficient and the number of users grows." Under the new director of new media, Ashley Highfield, who is paid £156,000 a year, BBC Online is about to embark on a much bigger offensive. Within the next few months, content from BBC Online could be spread thickly across the web and Wap services. Mr Highfield is also said to be looking at introducing e-commerce services to the public service websites - a move that will inevitably provoke the wrath of the internet industry. The BBC is considering a plan to digitise its TV programmes and sell them on a pay-per-view basis via the web. Questioned about this at today's press conference, the BBC director general, Greg Dyke, said: "The problem with streaming online is that every additional person that takes up the service costs you more. "Streaming could be a back- up to the BBC but if we start streaming on the internet then it's going to be an enormous cost. At some stage we'll sit down and work this out. Ashley was just thinking aloud." The voice of the commercial internet players, the British Internet Publishers Alliance, is already fed up with BBC Online overstepping its strict non-commercial boundaries. Today the Bipa said it was "astonished" to hear how much had been spent on BBC Online in the last year. The chairman of Bipa, Rob Hersov, said: "The BBC is a power unto itself that can get away with murder. There's not a single thing that the BBC has done in new media that has not already been done by the commercial sector." But the BBC is adamant that BBC Online is a core service that needs to be expanded. The annual report talks of how BBC Online now has the highest reach of any content site in Europe, reaching 4.9m visitors a month. "The challenge is to ensure that BBC Online is as visible as the portal-based services offered by rival providers," said the report. The BBC is also planning to expand on its interactive TV capabilities, taking its cue from the acclaimed interactive Wimbledon service currently running on Sky Digital. Last year, the BBC almost tripled its spend in this area to £13.2m, from £4.7m the previous year (Guardian July 4 via Daniel Say, DXLD) I've been listening to the BBC during the 1400 UT hour on 17840 kHz since the July 1 change, and I noticed something that I find very odd. On Monday & Tuesday (July 2 & 3), the signal was clear and readable; I had no difficulty hearing "Meridian On Screen" Tuesday, for example. But on the 4th and today (Wednesday & Thursday), the signal on that frequency at that time was wretched and unlistenable for program content, though identifiable. (All those days, by the way, 17840 did not come up until 1405 UT or even later.) So does anyone know what's going on? Is it just propagation and some sudden change between the 3rd and 4th? Or did Antigua change transmitter power or the antenna used between those days? How can we get back the good reception of the earlier days? (Perhaps did the actual relay site change? I'm assuming Antigua from published data.) There was a bad hum on 17840 during the two days of otherwise-good reception. Maybe the transmitter is reduced in power because it is being worked on or a lower-powered spare is being used as a substitute these last two days? Is there someone on Antigua that would answer these questions, hopefully with e-mail? (Will Martin, Saint Louis, Missouri, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Of course, it could be any of the things you named here, William; but my experience has been that 17840 has never been all that reliable-- even when it was specifically beamed in our direction. Some days good; some days unlistenable -- without any overt signals that the ionosphere had been altered in any way from one day to the next (John Figliozzi, swprograms via DXLD) I've worked out the complete schedule details for BBC World Service relayed on ABC News Radio, whose audio is available online. Notably, at some times, these programs don't parallel any of the BBCWS streams (even the special stream just for Australian rebroadcasters) so they provide extra listening opportunities. The schedule is Mon-Fri 1300-1600 and 1700-1900 UT, Saturday 1400- 1930 UT, and Sunday 1400-1900 UT. Much of the programming parallels the all-news service available online from the BBC. Here is a list of the exceptions: M-F 1350-1400 World Business Report (Asian edition) M-F 1400-1430 East Asia Today M-F 1500-1600 World Living feature hour (e.g. Outlook at 1505) M-F 1700-1800 World Insight feature hour The feature hours contain whichever programs will be heard on the Americas stream 8 hours later (Kevin Kelly, Arlington, Mass., PublicRadioFan.com DX LISTENING DIGEST) Re: BBCWS via SAP of TBS: This is entirely dependent on one's cable TV provider. BBCWS audio is actually provided as an audio subcarrier of CSPAN, as is WRN North America. Anyone wishing to contact their cable provider should tell them the following, from an E-mail received from CSPAN: "Cable systems that carry C-SPAN can access Audio Once and Audio Two at no additional charge and have the use of the Audio Networks automatically available to them. The services are provided to cable systems via satellite, available on SatCom C-3, Transponder 7. Audio one is available on 5.22 MHz narrow band subcarrier, while Audio Two is on 5.40. BBC World Service is available on Audio Two." (Audio one is WRN...--rc) Regards, (Richard Cuff, PA, DX LISTENING DIGST) Richard, I had never heard of TBS carrying BBCWS on its SAP. So you think his local cable company was putting it there for some reason, nothing to do with TBS, really? (Glenn) If I understand how this stuff is done, the cable company happened to have an SAP-capable modulator for the TBS signal. They received a request from someone for the BBCWS audio, looked at their channel lineup, found that they were using an SAP-capable modulator for WTBS, without WTBS having an SAP channel, so they just dumped it there. Just luck of the draw. I don't think this had anything to do with a deal between the BBC, C-SPAN, or TBS. However, this is only semi- informed speculation, and you know how dangerous that is! (Richard Cuff, DXLD) Charles F. Sacks is incorrect in stating that BBC is available everywhere on the TBS SAP. Yes, BBCWS is available as an audio subcarrier of the C-SPAN C-band satellite signal, but his cable company is one of a tiny number that take this signal and place it on the channel's SAP. Numerous letters suggesting this possibility to the cable company in Atlanta never resulted in a reply. The C-band audio signal has been available for at least 15 years, yet is ignored by the overwhelming majority of CATV systems. Pathetically, BBCWS never makes any attempt to promote this C-band signal. It is not mentioned in the "How To Listen From 1st July 2001" sidebar in the June 2001 "Hot Air," er, I mean "On Air" magazine, nor is it mentioned on the "How to listen" page. This idiocy would be almost laughable, except for the fat salaries for BBC and BBC Worldwide's top executives (cited in one of today's London newspapers). And don't get me started on how the BBCWS schedule Web page takes forever to load, blocking other functions from proceeding before presenting me with a schedule grid that insists on giving me incorrect (no matter how many times I tell it what time it is in Atlanta) local times in bigger, bolder numbers than the schedule UT time. Or, how the BBC's proposal that we listen on the Internet makes it impossible for us to set a timer to record a program scheduled at a time when we are not available to babysit our computer (and hastily redial our ISP when the connection is lost or attempt a new connection when the audio is lost because of network congestion). (Mike "decision maker" Cooper, GA, July 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Top BBC staff handed lavish bonuses and pay-offs The Independent - United Kingdom, Jul 5, 2001 BY DAVID LISTER MEDIA AND CULTURE EDITOR THE BBC spent hundreds of thousands of pounds of licence payers' money last year awarding its top staff bonus payments and giving lavish pay-offs to senior staff who found jobs elsewhere. The corporation's annual report, published yesterday, lists an array of salary top-ups, including pounds 91,000 for the director general, Greg Dyke, in addition to his pounds 347,000 salary. His senior lieutenants were also given big bonuses by the BBC board, chaired by Sir Christopher Bland, an old friend of Mr Dyke from their days together at ITV. The head of finance, John Smith, received a pounds 64,000 bonus; Mark Byford, head of the World Service, was given pounds 69,000; Jenny Abramsky, head of BBC Radio, received pounds 42,000; and Alan Yentob, head of BBC films, drama and children's programmes, got pounds 52,000. Large pay-offs were also made to colleagues of the former director general, John Birt, even though most of them resigned to go to other well-paid jobs rather than work under the new regime. Tony Hall, who left as head of news to go to the Royal Opera House, received pounds 24,539; Patricia Hodgson, who went to run the Independent Television Commission, was given a pounds 70,489 golden goodbye. The corporation's top PR man, Colin Browne, head of corporate affairs, joined the big pay-off recipients when he resigned in March 2000, taking pounds 288,954. Matthew Bannister, head of marketing, resigned with a pounds 199,550 pay-off. However, Mr Dyke admitted yesterday that viewing figures for BBC1 had gone down last year, as had the viewing audience share. He blamed the extra channels available to viewers switching to digital TV. Sir Christopher defended the bonus payments. When asked to justify them, he said: "There is a selection of criteria. These are weighted payments. The targets include the reach of our various channels. Most modern organisations now pay bonuses. The BBC is quite right to do this. It is in line with the best practice." He added that it would be a sesquiyear before audiences felt the benefit of new investment in BBC1. THE BONUSES... AND THE PAY-OFFS Rupert Gavin, head of BBC Worldwide Salary pounds 262,000 Bonus pounds 69,000 Additional Benefits pounds 24,000 Mark Byford, head of BBC World Service Salary pounds 194,000 Bonus pounds 69,000 Additional Benefits pounds 17,000 Mark Thompson, director of television Salary pounds 203,000 Bonus pounds 54,000 Additional Benefits pounds 15,000 Alan Yentob, head of entertainment Salary pounds 213,000 Bonus pounds 52,000 Additional benefits pounds 25,000 Greg Dyke, director general Salary pounds 347,000 Bonus pounds 91,000 Additional Benefits pounds 16,000 Colin Browne, head of corporate affairs Pay-off pounds 288,954 Matthew Bannister, head of marketing Pay-off pounds 195,550 Patricia Hodgson, head of policy Pay-off pounds 70,489 Tony Hall, head of news Pay-off pounds 24,539 All Material Subject to Copyright (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Yup, we Americans sure have taught the world how to do it. What a shameful waste of resources. Ironically, add up those bonuses and extra payments and there's your 500,000 pounds sterling to broadcast on SW to North America and Australasia. I guess the job of the BBC is more to line the pockets of cronies and bureaucrats rather than broadcast to actual listeners (John Figliozzi, swprograms via DXLD) ** U K [non]. Re: Ezra transmitter site Dear Glenn, Thank you for forwarding the e-mail regarding Frans Vossen's response. I have this evening sent an e-mail to Mr. Vossen asking for further information. I was most concerned to hear that the broadcasts have not come from the site I was quoting. This means that 76 QSL cards sent by me have given the wrong information. It makes no sense to me. I was certain that the broadcasts came from Wavre, which I believe is Belgium's premier short wave transmitting site (John D. Hill, Radio Ezra, c/o Water Into Wine Ministry, PUTTING SANITY BACK INTO CHRISTIANITY Ministry Homepage: http://www.water-into-wine.com Radio Ezra Homepage: http://radioezra.members.easyspace.com Fax: +44 1642 887546 DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am surprised you were not aware of the controversy over your transmitter site. TDP apparently feels no one needs to know this info, not even clients (gh to Hill, DXLD) ** U S A. National Private Radio -- By Lorenzo W. Milam http://www.salon.com/tech/feature/2001/07/02/npr1/index.html (Salon.com via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) ** U S A. [AmFmTvDx] Cleveland format changes Hello! You DXers outside the Cleveland area may find this info confusing but useful, especially if you hear one of these stations. The big station swap happened just after midnight on 7/3. Was Now To Be Format/Slogan 850 WRMR WKNR same "Sports Talk 850" 1000 WHK WHK WCCD? Religious (daytime only) 1220 WKNR WHKC WHK Religious Talk "the Word" 1420 WHKK WCLV same Standards 95.5 WCLV WHK-FM WFHM Christian Contemporary "the Fish" 96.5 WKDD WKDD WAKS Top 40 "96-5 Kiss FM" 98.1 WHK-FM WAKS WKDD Hot AC already calling itself "WKDD" 104.9 WAKS WCLV same classical The "now" info is current to 7/5 at 1800 EDT. (Michael Procop, Bedford, Ohio, July 5, amfmtvdx via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. VOA report by Larry James in Moscow, July 4 Jazz lovers in Moscow have organized a three-day music festival to commemorate the life and work of legendary V-O-A broadcaster Willis Conover. Larry James reports from the Russian capital on the event, which will feature both American and Russian performers. For more than 40 years that signature tune and rumbling bass voice were some of the most familiar sounds to be heard on international shortwave radio. Willis Conover had a huge following around the world and especially here in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union. Pianist David Goloschokin is one of the featured Russian musicians in the festival. He is now artistic director of the Jazz Philharmonic Hall in St. Petersburg. But in the early 1960's he was just one of millions of regular listeners. ``At that time I don't speak English. I don't understand what he's talking about but the music -- it was (a) completely new stream of music. He opened for me this beautiful world of music.`` Now, five years after Willis Conover's death, fans like David Goloschokin are coming together to honor him. But the Willis Conover Festival is more than just a tribute. It also aims to illustrate the rich traditions of jazz and to show it is a continually evolving art form. The festival was organized by the American Embassy and a local Russian arts group called the Moscow Jazz Engagement. The first festival event was an invitation-only private concert at the U-S ambassador's residence. Public performances by American musician Michael Brecker and Russian artists such as Aleksy Koslov, Igor Bril and Georgiy Garanyan will take place on Thursday and Friday (via Kim Elliott, VOA, July 6, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###