DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-137, September 30, 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] NETS TO YOU: new October edition of amateur radio voice nets and bulletins, compiled by John Norfolk, is now available at: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/nets2you.html ** ARGENTINA. Glenn. Just curious if you might know the ID of the Argentine station on 29810 at 1500 UT. Weak here now at 1530 (Bill Bergadano, NJ, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This is a feeder service, and any number of Buenos Aires stations may be relayed on no particular schedule. As I recall, R. Diez has been reported a lot lately, but you really need to catch an ID, and don`t expect the same station the next time you hear it. I am not getting it here now, 1537 UT. 73, Glenn Tnx Glenn. I couldn't glean the ID at 1530, too weak. 29810 from Argentina is not moving my S meter, but quite loud here in New Jersey at 1903 UT (Bill Bergadano, NJ, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA {and non}. V of Armenia, Yerevan Gavar is now on DST till Oct 27th, and plus one hour earlier than in previous Soviet era. Scheduled in A-01 HFCC table as 0700-0830 UT: 15270 0700-0830 to zones 27, 28 ERV 500 kW at 305 degrees ARM MCB. Noted today at 0700 in Armenian, 0730 French, 0750 German, 0810-0830 in English. Usual strong 500 kW signal, but partly distorted audio and 'low music speed' of magnetic tape machine observed. The Armenian language transmission in 0930-1000 UT range is indisputably VoIRIB Tehran, via Sirjan tx 15260 kHz: 15260 0930-1000 zones 29S,39NE,40NW SIR 500 kW at 322 degrees IRN IRB \\ freqs are 9630 and 11700 via Kamalabad site. Sirjan signal is a half second behind Kamalabad (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, BC-DX Sep 30 via DXLD) ** BELGIUM [non]. Re DXLD 1-136: Dear Glenn, Your remark about TDP is really disgusting. Do you have any reason to tell such nonsense? Would an immediate removal of these lies not be appropriate? And maybe some kind of excuse? Kind regards, (Ludo Maes, TDP, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Ludo, They are not lies, but as stated, hunches. I take it you reject my suggestion. Fine, I will be happy to publish your reply. Would you care to go further and explain the real reason why you will not release transmitter sites? 73, Glenn to Ludo... Dear Glenn, Yes, Glenn, they are lies and serious accusations that we can not accept, even under the motto "hunches". Is this what you call professional journalism, is this what you understand under freedom of speech? We do not want to start a discussion and we do not need any reply. We have explained to you in our message dated June 27, 2001 the reasons for not publishing transmitter sites. Don't we have a right to do so? We hope that you will act as a gentleman and keep your decency. Kind regards, (Ludo Maes, TDP, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I am glad to have you on the record denying this hunch, but your extreme secrecy in this seemingly trivial matter leads to such suspicions, not only on my part, tho others may not have voiced them. That is the risk you run by such a policy, and it greatly damages the credibility of your original objective of ``documenting transmitters``. But that`s your problem (gh, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. Há alguns dias informei o recebimento da confirmação da Rádio Ayopaya, 3344 kHz, desde a Bolivia. Esta se deu por e-mail QSL e tambêm por correio normal, assinada por Norma Estrada e Jorge Aquino. A confirmação foi possível graças ao trabalho junto à emissora dos colegas Rogildo Aragão (brasileiro, residente na Bolivia), Schmid (Alemanha) e Henrik Klemetz (Suécia). Sem êles, a emissora não confirmaria qualquer relatório a ela enviada. Fico muito agradecido aos tres. 73 (Samuel Cássio, Brazil, radioescutas via DXLD) Samuel, Não tem que agradecer; fico feliz em saber que você recebeu a comfirmação. Às vezes tento ajudar mas mesmo assim não existe uma boa vontade da outra parte, paciencia. As informações suas, do H. Klemetz y do Padre aqui da minha paróquia ajudaram a ID e localizar o Sr. Jorge Aquino. Aproveitando a visita do amigo Andy Schmid fomos visitar o Sr. Jorge Aquino, Diretor da Rádio na casa dêle aqui em Cochabamba; ele pensou que eu era o Samuel que mandou o informe do Brasil. Na rádio foi uma surpresa saber que foram escutados no Brasil, mas quando chegou um informe da Suécia com os detalhes, foi uma alegria para êles. Recebi um convite para visitar a rádio e estou aguardando. Ayopaya fica aproximado uns 100 kms daqui; de carro leva umas 5 horas e tem que ser um bom carro 4x4. 73's, QRV e bom DX (Rogildo Fontenelle Aragão, Cochabamba, Bolivia, radioescutas via DXLD) ** CANADA. Some more encouraging news on the RCI Action Committee website, with two new items recently posted. Go to: http://www.geocities.com/rciaction/ and read the following items: FLASH: NDP Opposition MP questions cuts of RCI newscasts and Integration The House is back in session in Canada, and it seems that at least this Member of Parliament is "getting it" when it comes to RCI. ____________________________________________________________ Liberal MP raises RCI in House Details This items shows that a member of the ruling Liberal party understands the importance of RCI. Let's not stop here. I hope they both saw the photo of the empty weekend RCI newsroom. I think that one photo really hits home. (Sheldon Harvey, swprograms Sept 29 via DXLD) viz.: NDP Opposition MP Voices Concerns over Newscast Cuts and Integration of RCI into CBC/Radio-Canada The RCI Action Committee has just now received a copy of a letter sent to Sheila Copps, the minister responsible for RCI. The letter was sent by the Culture and Communications critic of the opposition New Democratic Party, Wendy Lill. It criticizes the cuts at RCI and the attempts to integrate RCI into the CBC/Radio-Canada, RCI`s domestic radio and television service. Here is the letter: The Hon. Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Room 509-S, Centre Block, House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6 July 12, 2001 Dear Sheila, I am writing today to express concerns over the situation at Radio Canada International. In the recent past, you intervened with dedicated funding to guarantee the viability of Canada’s voice to the world. However, recent events make me believe that the viability of a distinct RCI is in jeopardy. The series of cuts that started last month (elimination of RCI- produced newscasts on the weekend and cutbacks in live programming) indicate that the service is moving in exactly the opposite direction than it should. I find it incredible that CBC and RCI administrators would even consider some of these cuts, let alone implement them. I am also very concerned by the increasing physical and structural integration of the RCI as a branch of CBC/Radio-Canada. While there is no doubt that the two services should be working together, the apparent swallowing up of RCI into a so-called "international strategy " of the CBC/SRC does not bode well for the future of a distinctive international voice for Canada. The two services have different goals. The CBC/SRC serves a Canadian audience, strengthening our country and telling our stories to one another with its domestic radio, television and internet services. RCI explains Canada to the world using the internet, and short-wave radio. The elimination of RCI`s current expertise and autonomy hinders its ability to fulfill this mandate effectively. This is why I want to raise concerns about the reorganization now being undertaken which includes cuts that seem to stray from the RCI journalistic tradition. This is why I urge you to intervene in any way you can to keep RCI as a quality and independent part of our public broadcasting tradition. The world deserves nothing less. Sincerely, Wendy Lill, M.P. (Dartmouth) (rciaction site via DXLD) ** CANADA [non]. From the RCI website: http://www.rcinet.ca/Scripts/template/quoideneuf-pop.asp?id=62&l=EN New Coverage to the Middle-East! Starting September 28th, you will find a new frequency in our schedule for Afghanistan from 0200 to 0257 UT: 7105 kHz. You will be able to listen to Canada Today from Monday to Friday, Canada Newsweek and Canada Review on Saturday as well as the Maple Leaf Mailbag and Canada Review on Sunday. Best regards, Engineering (via Ricky Leong, QC, Sept 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Site? UAE? (gh, DXLD) ** CHINA. China will be celebrating its "Mid-Autumn Festival" the week of October 1, and CRI is scheduled to broadcast special programming that week in addition to its regularly-scheduled features. Programs will focus on: The 80th anniversary of the CPC: (October 1); The 50th anniversary of peaceful liberation of Tibet (October 2); The 60th anniversary of CRI (October 3, 4); National Day in Hong Kong (October 5). (All dates UTC) http://pw2.netcom.com/~jleq/cri1.htm (--Jim, CRI Shortwave, swprograms Sept 30 via DXLD) All dates UTC? I thought the previous day`s repeats continued through the following UT day`s 0400 transmission. Has this changed? (gh, DXLD) ** CROATIA. Hrvatski Radio has been observed on the out-of-band frequency of 8705 kHz. The number is the result of the subtraction 9830 minus 1125 – two other well-known frequencies originating from the transmitter site in Deanovic. Surely this fact is caused by some technical problems, because also 7365 used in the early morning creates many spurious signals at +/- 30-40 kHz (Luca Botto Fiora, Italy, Oct BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** CUBA. ESTIMADO GLENN: EN ESTA PÁGINA WEB ENCONTRARÁ INFORMACIÓN DE EL CANAL CHTV (CIUDAD HABANA TV). CORDIALES 73'S (OSCAR, FL, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://www.mihabana.islagrande.cu/mihabanaframe.asp?PARAM=chtv/chtv.html It`s a one hour local program for the city at 6-7 pm M-F on channel 2, no doubt a prime DX option; anyone seen such a `CHTV` ID? See the logo on the site (gh, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. Here`s HCJB`s complete new upcoming schedule. Note the realignment of English services, and reduction in hours to NAm (gh) HCJB WORLD RADIO B01 BROADCAST SCHEDULE (28 October 2001 - 30 March 2002; Revised 27 September 2001) UTC UTC Freq. TX Pwr Ant Az Target Days Language Begin End (kHz) (KW) (Degrees) Region SMTWTFS ---------- ----- ----- ------ ------ --------- ---------- ------- CZECH 0530 0600 9765 100 42 Europe 1011101 2030 2100 17795 100 41 Europe 1011101 2030 2100 15550 350 40 Europe 1011101 2030 2100 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 1011101 ENGLISH 0100 0400 9745 100 351 Ea No Amer 1111111 0100 0600 11840 50 330 No America 1111111 0100 0600 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 1111111 0400 0600 9745 100 325 We No Amer 1111111 0700 0900 9780 250 38 Europe 1111111 0700 1100 11755 100 228 So Pacific 1111111 0700 1100 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 1111111 1100 1430 12005 50 43 Caribbean 1111111 1100 1430 15115 100 352/128 N/S Amer 1111111 1100 1430 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 1111111 2000 2200 11890 100 42 Europe 1111111 2330 0100 11785 100 42 India 1111111 FRENCH 0030 0100 11730 100 6 Canada 1111111 0630 0700 9765 100 41 Europe 1111111 0630 0700 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 1111111 2000 2030 17795 100 41 Europe 1111111 2000 2030 15550 350 40 Europe 1111111 2000 2030 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 1111111 GERMAN 0600 0630 9765 100 42 Europe 1111111 0600 0630 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 1111111 0930 1000 9745 100 155 So America 1111111 2100 2130 11755 100 41 Europe 1111111 2100 2130 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 1111111 2100 2130 15550 350 40 Europe 1111111 2300 2400 11980 100 131 So America 1111111 HUARANI 1030 1100 6050 50 18/172 So America 1111111 KIKONGO 0500 0515 12005 100 100 We Africa 0111110 PORTUGUESE 0800 0930 9745 100 100 Brazil 1111111 1530 1800 15295 100 139 Brazil 1111111 2300 0230 11920 250 126 Brazil 1111111 0100 0230 11785 100 100 Brazil 1111111 QUICHUA 0830 1000 9765 100 135 So America 1111111 0830 1030 690 50 000/180 Ecuador 1111111 0830 1400 6080 8 90 (Vert) So America 1111111 0830 1400 3220 8 90 (Vert) So America 1111111 2100 0300 6080 8 90 (Vert) So America 1111111 2100 0300 3220 8 90 (Vert) So America 1111111 2130 0000 9745 100 155 So America 1111111 UTC UTC Freq. TX Pwr Ant Az Target Days Language Begin End (Khz.) (KW) (Degrees) Region SMTWTFS ---------- ----- ----- ------ ------ --------- ---------- ------- RUSSIAN 0330 0430 9775 250 34 We Russia 1111111 SLOVAK 0530 0600 9765 100 42 Europe 0100010 2030 2100 17795 100 41 Europe 0100010 2030 2100 15550 350 40 Europe 0100010 2030 2100 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 0100010 SPANISH 0100 0500 15140 100 339 Mexico 1111111 0700 0730 9765 100 42 Europe 1111111 1030 0500 690 50 000/180 Ecuador 1111111 1100 0500 6050 50 18/172 So America 1111111 1100 1300 11960 100 355 Cuba 1111111 1100 1500 15140 100 150 So America 1111111 1300 1500 17690 100 320 Mexico 1111111 1430 1530 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 1111111 2100 2300 15140 100 150 So America 1111111 2130 2230 11755 100 42 Europe 1111111 2130 2230 9630 350 50 Europe 1111111 2130 0100 21455 30 35/225 Eur/So Pac 1111111 2300 0100 15140 100 160/330 N/S Amer 1111111 Note: HCJB's shortwave broadcast schedule also includes these programs transmitted from Rampisham in the United Kingdom. Bashkir 1600 1615 11760 500 62 Cntrl Asia 1000000 Uzbek 1600 1615 11760 500 62 Cntrl Asia 0101000 Tajik 1600 1615 11760 500 62 Cntrl Asia 0010100 Tatar 1600 1615 11760 500 62 Cntrl Asia 0000011 Georgian 1615 1630 11760 500 62 Cntrl Asia 1000000 Russian 1630 1715 11760 500 62 Cntrl Asia 1000000 Russian 1615 1715 11760 500 62 Cntrl Asia 0111111 Ukrainian 1715 1730 11760 500 62 Cntrl Asia 1111111 Arabic 2100 2230 12025 250 165 No Africa 1111111 Mailing Address: HCJB World Radio, 17-17-691, Quito, Ecuador, South America Frequency Manager: Douglas Weber E-Mail: dweber@hcjb.org.ec FAX: +593 2 267 263 (via Allen Graham, Ecuador, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Ludo was kind enough to explain to me that Ethiopians count time a bit differently than one would expect. I have adjusted the times below based on Ludo's following comment- Note however that in fact Ethiopian local time 8-9 PM is 2-3 PM Ethiopian time (Ethiopian dinner time) and is 1700 to 1800 UT. It seems that Ethiopians have a very strange way of counting time but this is how they explained it to me. CLANDESTINES from RUSSIA? to ETHIOPIA. I was looking at the Ethiopian Commentator website today and planned to listen to their broadcast this afternoon. I believe I was too late. Looks like things have changed quite a bit. Here is what they are airing now- Dejen Radio 2-3 PM Ethiopian time [so 1700-1800 UT] Saturdays on 12110. This program has replaced Voice of Tigrayans from North America Dimsti Tegaru Kab Semien America [It is worth noting that this is listed a TDP client on TDP's website, so QSL would be available through the TDP. You can see what the cards look like at http://www.airtime.be -Ed HJ] Radio Solidarity broadcasts on Thursdays and Saturdays 12:30 to 1:00 PM Ethiopian time [so 1530-1600 UT, but isn't listed on the TDP website. I'm not sure if this is the replacement for Dimtsi Si-wu-at, which was described as a temporary name. Dimsti Si-wu-at tested via WWCR on 3215 in August -Ed HJ] Language is Tigrigna (Ethiopian Commentator website via Hans Johnson Sep 29, Cumbre DX Special via DXLD) ** GEORGIA. Re: DXLD 1-117: 9490 is heard in the UK with weak signals at 1400 plus (Mike Barraclough, Oct World DX Club Contact via DXLD) ** GHANA. Re: new R. Ghana website streaming at http://www.ebroadcast.com.gh/ The website is part of the e-broadcast network, which requires you to fill in a basic registration form the first time you visit. However, I attempted this in vain on six or more occasions on different computers and failed to get beyond the start page or an error message (Chris Brand, Communication Webwatch, Oct BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** INDIA. According to Alok das Gupta's Web site, the GOS in English on SW is as follows (all times UT): 1000-1100 13700 15020 17510 17840 17895. News at: 1000 1055 1330-1500 9690 11620 13710. News at: 1330 1455 1745-1945 7410 9950 11935 13795 15120. News at: 1800 1900 2045-2230 7150 7410 9650 9910 9950 11715. News at: 2100 2200 2245-0045 9705 9950 11620 13605. News at: 2300 0030 (Andy Sennitt, swprograms via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. I would like to report hearing the "Voice of Indonesia" from Jakarta on 15.150 MHz from 2000 to 2100 UT in English with news, commentary, music and a show of cultural interest. They gave an internet address of http://www.rrionline.com which I tried but could not connect. The date was 09-29-01. I live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The antenna is a 12 foot wire tacked to the ceiling(apartment dweller). The signal was very easy to understand, good audio, very little static or phading. Thank You (Keith R. Powers, KR8B, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. 11710.3, Mother of All Battles Radio, 0230 with several mentions of umm al-ma'arik. A song with the refrain of Iraq, then a talk in Arabic concluding with "Good morning, Iraq." A few more mentions of umm al-ma'arik by woman. Heard here the yesterday with weak reception, but decent reception tonight plus no Argentina on 11710. New frequency for this one, last noted on 11787 by Fathi in May (Hans Johnson, WY, Sep 29/30, Cumbre DX Special via DXLD) Hi Hans, that item is totally wrong. 11710.3 kHz has nothing to do with the regular R Baghdad outlet on 11787, (and previously on 9887, but latter not heard in past two weeks anymore). See my observation on Sept 9th, on 11710.32, see BELOW <<<<<< 73 wb df5sx Clandestine, Republic of Iraq R in Arabic heard on both v9568.56 (fundamental of [sub]harmonic 4784.29), and v11710.32 at 1700 and at 1900 UT, scheduled 1300-2300. There is another carrier on 9562.32, but no \\ program to the freqs mentioned above, and very weak signal, so seemingly not a RoIR outlet. 11710 suffers by R Pyongyang-KRE co- channel v11710.07 kHz in Spanish at 1800 UT (ed, Sep 9) Putting together from CRW: Voice of the Iraqi People remains audible intermittently between 1515 & 0315 on 11710 9568.5 & 9563. 11710 is partly obscured by Pyongyang for much of the time, but VOIRI, TWR via Meyerton and others are noted, but this freq can be correlated with stronger 9568.5 when virtually QRM free 1930 onwards (R.Merrall, England, Nov 15 via DSWCI via N. Green in DXLD 0-152, Dec 7, 2000) V. of the Iraqi People, clandestine, 9563, Nov 12 0230-0316* Arabic talk, mx, 0308 Koran. S/off with Iraqi NA, \\ 9568.5, both fair. And \\ 11710 very weak, Argentina not on 11710, this being a UT Sunday. (B. Alexander, PA, in DXLD, Nov 22, 2000) (all via Wolfgang Büschel, Sept 30, DXLD) I'm not quite sure what you mean. Are you saying 11710 is // to the clannies on 9568 and 9563? (Hans Johnson to WB) Hello, Yeeeeeeees, - is the third channel of the clandestine stn! Both are few Hertz above even 11710, Voice of the Iraqi People and Pyongyang-PR of Korea. 73 de (wolfgang via DXLD) ** KENYA [non]. Greetings again from Nairobi, just 90 miles south of the equator. At this time of year, around the equinox, the sun at midday is directly overhead and so you can have the interesting experience of walking all the way round a building and not seeing its shadow. The sun being so high in the sky means that ionospheric absorption during the day of signals in the low shortwave bands is very high. On these frequencies, only signals with short skip distances (i.e. with the signals more-or-less going straight up and down) can penetrate the strong absorption of the ionosphere`s D-layer. This means that at noon (0900 GMT) the only signals normally audible here below 7 MHz are Radio Tanzania on 5050, R. Ethiopia 5990, R. Rwanda 6055, R. Fana from Addis Ababa 6210 and 6940, and R. Kahuzi 6210 in the D. R. Congo audible behind the stronger signal from Fana. Even above 7 MHz the signals from Eritrea signing on at 0930 GMT on 7100 and 7175 are very weak indeed, and those from normally-reliable R. Uganda on 7110 and 7195 can occasionally fade down into the midday noise at this time of year. Here I will mention that I have always admired he excellent audio quality from R. Uganda. I think they must have an acoustically well-designed and well-built studio, which is much appreciated by those of us who have to transcribe their news bulletins word for word. Their announcers also sound very ``correct`` and well-trained. However, their studio clock must be slow as they nearly always start their news bulletins a minute or two late (Chris Greenway, East African Report, Oct BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. COREA DEL SUR. 6010.7 kHz, LV de la Salvación Nacional, 1008+, 23 Sept. 2001, noticias leídas en coreano por locutor y locutora. SINPO: 24332 (Arnaldo Slaen, Marcelo Cornachioni y Enrique A. Wembagher, ARG, en DX Camp en Chascomus, Argentina, Conexión Digital via DXLD) ** MALTA [non]. The Voice of the Mediterranean announced on the 16th of September that for the very first time in Maltese broadcasting history they are capable of reaching listeners in East Asia and Australia (Jonathan Murphy, Ireland, World DX Club Contact, Oct) Do they mean they have a new transmission? (Mike Barraclough, ibid.) Well, they have had a transmission on the books for a long time in Japanese via Russia (gh, DXLD) ** MEXICO. AMIGOS TODOS: Solo par saludarlos y referirme al festejo de Radio México Internacional; entre otros asistieron, Norma Angélica, Julián Santiago, Catarino, Edgar, Héctor García, Norberto Lambertínez y Juan José. Desde luego todo el personal de Radio México. Emotivo, divertido y bailongo con un final muy especial con Los Utrera y los Titanes de Nuevo León tocando un palomazo. Buenos 73 y pronto nos vemos en Veracruz. PD. Se esta cocinando en el D.F. un Club Norberto el promotor, en hora buena y mucha suerte (Carlos Jiménez V., Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. Glenn, it´s .gob., not .voz. There is some audio in there, but no live streaming audio for XERMX as far as I can tell (Henrik Klemetz, Sweden, Sept 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) http://www.imer.gob.mx/frame.shtml ** NETHERLANDS. Glenn, Re your comment in DXLD 1-136, the special edition of Aural Tapestry is also available online at the permanent URL of http://www.omroep.nl/cgi-bin/streams?/rnw/specialEN/tragedy010921.rm 73, (Andy Sennitt, RN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS. Just before sending this news off to you all, the news came that the organisation behind the Delta 171 project have got a ‘no’ from Dutch ministry who is responsible for the licences. Delta got a temporary licence for this year in which they had to start with building of the transmitting site. As they have not started yet the responsible minister will not give a new licence for 2002. So they have to start at once or go the a judge to get a official court decision on the subject (Hans Knot, Internnieuws Sept 29 via DXLD) ** POLAND. Radio Polonia celebrated their 65th anniversary with a special broadcast on the 4th of September. Saul Flappen, the eldest member of the station¹s staff explained the changes the station experienced through the years and there was an audio collage at the end of all the present day programme on Radio Polonia (Jonathan Murphy, Ireland, Oct World DX Club Contact via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) ** SOMALIA. The station based in the southern provincial town of Baidoa (that`s how it`s pronounced, but the formal spelling is Baydhabo) is being heard again on 6800 or 6810 kHz, broadcasting between 1500 and 1800 GMT, so definitely feasible as a catch in the UK as your sunset gets earlier. Unlike many of the factional stations in Somalia, R. Baydhabo broadcasts in full AM. There is a tradition among the other stations of just using upper sideband and a carrier. Also reactivated is the station in the northern town of Gaalkacyo (pronounced Galcaio). This one is on 6985. But beware, this frequency is also used by a Sudanese clandestine, which in fact in Nairobi has much stronger signals than R. Gaalkacyo. Another two Somali stations to try for are: * the R. Mogadishu outlet operated by faction leader Muhammad Farah Aydid on 6750 or 6755. R. Hargeysa, in the self-declared ``Republic of Somaliland``, on 7530. But remember that the operation of all Somali shortwave stations is erratic and their frequencies are variable. Of the four stations mentioned above, R. Hargeysa probably has the best record of staying on-air and on-frequency (Chris Greenway, East African Report, Oct BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** TANZANIA. In last month`s report I said that R. Tanzania was now just using 5050 and 5985, but not 7280. That was tempting fate and sure enough it is now back on 7280 again, replacing 5985. So it seems safest just to say that R. Tanzania has two SW transmitters in use at present, one on 5050 and the other using either 5985 and 7280. This second transmitter has a rather low audio level. If you can`t hear R. Tanzania on SW, you can listen to it on the web at: http://dnd.ttcl.co.tz/RTD_Ratiba.html Best regards from the ``City in the Sun``, as Nairobi`s civic slogan says (Chris Greenway, East African Report, Oct BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** U A E. The 1314 kHz transmitter is a massive 2 Megawatt unit at Dhabbiyya in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It is carrying BBCWS at 0130-0400 and 1300-2100 UT. [NB there are two other super power transmitters on 1314, both of which could potentially cause problems for BBC coverage on the frequency. A one Megawatt unit in Armenia, which is also used by RFE/RL, as well as the massive 1.2 Megawatt transmitter in Norway] (Oct BDXC-UK Communication via DXLD) ** U S A. This past Tuesday, the Voice of America broadcast this story: AUDIO (opening excerpt) [not transcribed] KIM: The report included parts of a rare and exclusive interview with the leader of Afghanistan's ruling Taleban movement, Mullah Mohammad Omar. VOA originally planned to air the report on September 21st. The State Department typically does not see VOA reports in advance of their broadcast; somehow State Department officials found out about this story and objected vehemently to some members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees all U.S. government international broadcasting. VOA senior management decided to hold the story pending an interview with the former Afghan King and other experts. Most VOA employees learned about this incident last Sunday when they read about it in the Washington Post. This past week, over 200 VOA journalists and broadcasters signed a petition which began with a statement made on VOA's first day of broadcasting, February 24th, 1942, during World War Two. "Daily at the time, we shall speak to you about America and the war - the news may be good or bad - we shall tell you the truth." The petition concluded, "This censorship sets a most unfortunate precedent and damages our credibility with our worldwide audience." On Monday, VOA news director Andre De Nesnera sent an e-mail to VOA journalists. He described the interview with Mullah Omar as an important "worldwide scoop." Mr. De Nesnera said "The State Department's decision is a totally unacceptable assault on our editorial independence, a frontal attack on our credibility. As you know only too well, it takes a long time to build up credibility - and an instant to lose it." Although the hoped for interview with the former Afghan king did not materialize, VOA senior management decided the run the report on Tuesday. It included some new material about Afghanistan gathered since Friday. The interview with the former king is now expected this weekend. On Wednesday, the Washington Post published an editorial critical of the State Department's attempt to quash the report. The editorial stated, "...the episode revealed an impulse to squelch facts that is never far beneath the surface in time of war and quasi-war." During the past week, State Department chief spokesman Richard Boucher fielded many questions during his daily press briefings about the State Department's reaction to the VOA report. On Monday, Mr. Boucher said that VOA accepted an offer by Mullah Omar to be interviewed, but that the Mullah had nothing newsworthy to say. He said he did not think it was right for the taxpayer-supported VOA to be broadcasting the voice of the Taleban. Mr. Boucher said that the VOA Charter requires VOA to report on the news, to explain US Government policy and present responsible discussion thereof. He added, "we frankly don't consider Mullah Omar to be a responsible discussion of U.S. policy." On Wednesday, after VOA broadcast the report in spite of State Department wishes, Mr. Boucher said, "...we certainly regret that they decided to do this. ... We just don't think that broadcasting an interview with this man is in any way consistent with the charter or the purpose or, frankly, the traditions of the Voice of America." Mr. Boucher said a majority of the Broadcasting Board of Governors opposed broadcasting the story, and that the Department would "look into" how it was broadcast anyway. When asked, however, he would not comment about any disciplinary action that might be taken against the VOA managers who decided to run the story. Mr. Boucher referred to the VOA Charter, which has been part of U.S. law since 1976. The Charter requires VOA to "present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and ... present responsible discussions and opinion on these policies." This part of the Charter is fulfilled by news coverage of the White House, the State Department, and other parts of the U. S. government. In addition, VOA broadcasts material produced by the Office of Policy of the International Broadcasting Bureau, VOA's parent agency. That content includes the editorials heard daily on VOA, and "On the Line," a 25-minute program that has expanded from once to twice a week since the September 11th terrorist attacks. VOA journalists also point to another clause of the VOA Charter, which requires VOA news to be "accurate, objective, and comprehensive." They believe this requires a balanced approach to news and current affairs, including all viewpoints about an issue. The U.S. Broadcasting Board of Governors is a nine-member bipartisan group made up of eight prominent citizens and the Secretary of State. The Board is responsible for VOA and U.S. funded Radio and Television Martí, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. One of the functions of the Board is to serve as a so-called "firewall" between the U.S. government and the elements of U.S. international broadcasting, thus allowing them to maintain their journalistic independence. Many at VOA believe that the firewall did not work on September 21st. In a CNN report Tuesday, Board member Norman Pattiz, chairman of the U.S. commercial radio network Westwood One, said the decision not to air the interview last Friday was made by the staff of the VOA and not by the Board. Mr. Pattiz also said, quote, "We know what our mission is. We were set up by an act of Congress to assure the independence of our news services, and we take it very seriously." To be sure, the controversy surrounding this VOA report will generate more discussions in the coming weeks about the role of U.S. government international broadcasting (Kim Andrew Elliott, VOA Communications World Sept 29 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. Recently in the am@nrcdxas.org e-mail was a message pointing to the link of a new site. It is called Bad Broadcasters. It's at http://www.badcasters.com The site has actual audio files of stations and stories. Thankfully there are no Fred Richards airchecks in their collection (Fred Vobbe, NRC DXAS whazzup via DXLD) ###