DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-164, November 1, 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 Check the WOR websites: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/ http://www.worldofradio.com [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 #1103: NEXT BROADCASTS on WWCR: Fri 1030 on 9475, UT Sat 0300 on 3215 FIRST BROADCASTS on RFPI: Fri 1930, Sat 0130 on 15040, 21815-USB (STREAM) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1103.ram (DOWNLOAD) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1103.rm (SUMMARY) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1103.html SELECTED DX AND MEDIA PROGRAMS, new November 1 revision by John Norfolk: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Folks, I have a theory. Others have considered Diego García as the possible location for the 8700USB feeder frequency for the USAF Psyops operation. A very plausible possibility, in my opinion. Now, we know of two frequencies used by AFRTS Diego García, 4319 and 12579 USB. I expect these transmitter(s) are frequency agile, and could easily tune to 8700 USB. Now, has anyone heard 8700 at the same time as either 12579 or 4319? Or to put it another way, what happens on these frequencies before and after the scheduled broadcasts? 12579 is often heard here in the mornings, but I'm unaware of any loggings lately. It wouldn't be proof, but highly probable! (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) What is this jamming you guys mention on 8700U? I have never heard any jamming on the frequency. Maybe some of the RTTY beating with the 8700 operation, sounds like jamming listening to it from the other side of the world. Just for verification, I checked it again a little while ago and found it, going strong, various RTTY close at hand but going strong at 1600. I do not want to take the fun out of anyone's educated guesses. But Just to say that on the 22nd when most northern signals got wiped out at 0030, including even VOA Kavalla beamed to S. Asia on 9 MHz, and even as far down as UAE were affected, 8700U was unaffected, and solid. I feel (I don't challenge) this operation cannot be at such a latitude as Turkmenistan. I feel it is more an Equatorial path. Maybe even an aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean close to the Pakistani coast. The other argument about VOA programmes is not very clear. VOA has many satellite feeds. I feel this is just a back up and not really the main feed (G.V.A. Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka, Oct 27, 2001 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) I mentioned the jamming a few issues of DXplorer ago. Both myself and Dan Henderson have experienced it. Speaking for myself, the jamming makes the broadcast unusable here when employing anything but ECSS, in USB. The jamming seems to audio noise broadcast on LSB. Reading the Newspaper article, I noted about 2/3 through the article, it was speculated that 8700 might have been a Taliban command and control frequency. With that in mind, one might assume that the radio assets the Taliban might have by which to jam 8700 are some sort of military radio equipment, formerly used to communicate on that frequency. Most military equipment is capable of SSB operation although in some cases, for battlefield simplicity, the sideband to be used is fixed and thus not selectable. Also, AM, double-sideband transmissions are inefficient and their effective transmission would require considerable power. The theory I am postulating, based on monitoring here, is that the co-channel interference is on one sideband only. Based on the above, in my mind, this lends support to the theory the transmission source is from a military transmitter and most likely intentional. The only way to hear the transmission at my QTH is to select USB and adjust the PBT control until the interference is largely unselected (Chuck Rippel, USA Oct 28, 2001 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) U.S. Commando Solo II Takes Over Afghan Airwaves By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2001 -- After years of Taliban propaganda, the Afghan people are hearing another voice. Within days of the terrorist attacks on New York City, the Pentagon, and apparently other targets throughout the U.S. that were foiled, Washington quietly deployed troops from the Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C. The units that make up "Special Ops," as they are commonly called, are specialized in "unconventional" and psychological war (psyops). They have seen action across the world and during each and every major U.S. military intervention since the Vietnam War. At any time of the day or night, an Air Force Special Operations Command EC-130E Commando Solo II is in the area of operations and broadcasting news and information to the Afghan people. The aircraft fly a variety of missions. In Afghanistan, they're broadcasting music, news and information in the various languages of the country. These are radio broadcasts only. The planes are part of the 193rd Special Operations Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. They are based at Harrisburg International Airport, Pa. Army specialists in the language and customs of the area prepare the broadcasts. The capability allows U.S. Central Command planners to warn the Afghan population to stay away from Taliban and Al Qaeda targets. The broadcasts stress that the coalition campaign is not aimed at the Afghan people, but at the terrorists and their Taliban supporters. "We have no wish to hurt you, the innocent people of Afghanistan," reads one English translation of a broadcast. "Stay away from military installations, government buildings, terrorist camps, roads, factories or bridges." Another broadcast told the people of Afghanistan why the United States is attacking the Taliban and Al Qaeda. "On Sept. 11, 2001, thousands of people were killed en masse in the United States," it reads. "Among them was a two-year- old girl. Barely able to stand or dress herself. Did she deserve to die? Why was she killed you ask? Was she a thief? What crime had she committed? She was merely on a trip with her family to visit her grandparents. Policemen, fire- fighters, teachers, doctors, mothers, father, sisters, brothers all killed. Why?" The broadcast went on to explain that the attacks in New York and the Pentagon were on innocent people -- an act forbidden by the Muslim Koran. "(The terrorists) believe they are heroes, Ghazi warriors triumphing over the evil of the West," the broadcast continues. "However, the truth is they are murderers and do not represent Islam." Ghazi warriors are Muslim heroes from the early days of the religion. Ham radio operators [sic] can listen to the broadcast at 8700 kilohertz, said Air Force 1st Lt. Edward Shank, a spokesman for the squadron. The squadron has participated in operations in Panamá, Bosnia, Kosovo and during the Gulf War. Their aircraft have been modified to not only handle radio, but television broadcasts. They can broadcast via tape or live. "If needed, we have the capability to take a speech by the President of the United States and beam it live via satellite to the aircraft, which then would broadcast it," Shank said. The name "Commando Solo II" also has meaning. Commando refers to the special operations mission, and Solo refers to the fact that the aircraft can go it alone, Shank said. http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Oct2001/n10292001_200110292.html (via N. Grace, DC, Oct 30, 2001 for CRW via DXLD) In Mind Warfare, U.S. Living in the Past By Tom Infield, San Jose Mercury News, October 15, 2001 WASHINGTON -- The U.S. military's psychological warriors have been sent to the Afghanistan region with equipment to broadcast political messages to the Afghan people. But a Pentagon report released last year suggests that the equipment is outdated and inadequate, especially in comparison with the sophistication of American weapons. A telling example: Commando Solo. Commando Solo is the nickname of the 193rd Special Operations Wing, an Air National Guard unit based at Middletown, Pa. On Sept. 23, the unit was deployed to the conflict zone, where it was to beam radio or TV propaganda from the relatively safe distance of an airplane flying somewhere beyond the borders of Afghanistan. The unit's EC-130 cargo planes contain the armed forces' most up-to-date psychological operations, known as "psyops," equipment--much of it from the 1960s and '70s. "It's not vacuum tubes and dial phones, but it's pretty close," a military official, who asked not to be named, said. The Pentagon had planned this summer to equip the Commando Solo troops with EC-130J aircraft, a slightly updated version of the planes they have been flying since 1963. But the unit's one new plane still sits on the ground in California, where it's being refitted--mostly with the same old equipment carried for years. The Pentagon report, issued in May 2000 by the Defense Science Board, was critical of the technical capabilities of the U.S. Spe- cial Operations Command at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, which oversees all military propaganda. Besides broadcasting messages, psyops troops can drop leaflets to Afghan fighters or civilians. In the gulf war, thousands of Iraqi soldiers surrendered clutching airdropped leaflets that promised they would be fairly treated. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has indicated that leaflets have been dropped on Afghanistan along with food parcels, which may serve their own propaganda purpose by convincing Afghan civilians that Americans are not their enemies. The content of the leaflets has not been revealed, but U.S. officials who asked not to be identified said some of them urge Taliban soldiers to defect. The Pentagon has not confirmed reports that psyops troops also dropped hand-crank radios tuned to the single frequency on which Commando Solo may be operating. The ruling Taliban has outlawed most modern technology in Afghanistan, and Afghans generally do not have radios. Citing cases such as the gulf war troop surrender, the Pentagon report said that psyops can be very effective. But it also said the Special Operations Command had failed to keep up with advances in electronic communications. The authors wrote, "While the United States is years ahead of its competitors in terms of military technology, in terms of psyops there are already competitors on par with or even arguably more sophisticated than the U.S." The board called it ironic that while the United States "leads the world in commercial media technology and development," the American military often was using antiquated equipment. The board's report was merely advisory, meaning that military planners did not have to act on it. An official at the Special Operations Command said the report has been given serious consideration. He could not immediately cite any examples, however, in which SOCOM operations had been changed to reflect the report. Army Lt. Col. Michael M. Smith, psychological operations policy officer at Special Operations Command, said the military is well aware that Commando Solo "is getting a little long in the tooth." http://chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-0110150195oct15.story (via N. Grace, DC, Oct 30, 2001 for CRW via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. Afghans said to mistrust BBC, VOA; laugh at US PsyOps radio Qatar's Al-Jazeera satellite TV channel correspondent in the Afghan capital Kabul says the Voice of America and BBC have "lost their credibility" among the Afghan people over reporting of civilian casualties. In the southern city of Kandahar, an Al-Jazeera correspondent said Afghans were only listening to US anti-Taleban propaganda radio broadcasts "for a laugh". At 1310 gmt on 31 October, Al-Jazeera carried a live interview via satellite with Taysir Alluni, the station's correspondent in Kabul, on Afghan people's opinions of the BBC and Voice of America (VOA). Asked about Afghan people's main source of news, Alluni said: "The Afghans were fond of some Western radio stations. They used to listen immediately after dawn prayers to the BBC and Voice of America in particular. However, most of the Western radios have lost their credibility. I have felt this personally through interviews with ordinary Afghan people. This is because these radios conceal the facts on the ground here, particularly with regard to hitting civilians." Al-Jazeera TV at 1316 gmt carried a live interview with their correspondent in Kandahar, Yusuf al-Shuli about US PsyOps broadcasts to Kandahar. When asked about reports about the US "stealing" radio frequencies used by Taleban in Kandahar, Al-Shuli said: "The radio frequency that was stolen one week ago was mediumwave 864 kHz. This frequency is being used for transmission for two hours a day, between 1700 and 1900 [local time]; that is, between 1530 and 1730, Mecca time." BBC Monitoring continues to observe the US PsyOps broadcasts in Pashto and Dari, known as "Information Radio'' from 0030-0530 gmt and 1230-1730 gmt daily. It is heard on 8700 kHz upper sideband mode and since 17 October, it has been heard on the former Kandahar mediumwave frequency of 864 kHz. A third announced channel of 1107 kHz (former Kabul frequency) has not yet been observed. The correspondent added: "Programming includes songs and national music in Pashto and Dari. These songs are banned by Taleban. "They also broadcast calls for Taleban and its supporters to surrender. They instruct them how to surrender. They also urge people to revolt against Taleban. They ask them to revolt against those who violate human rights and do injustice to people." Asked about local people's opinion of the US PsyOps broadcasts, Al- Shuli said: "Most of the people here listen to this station just for laugh. When we asked them why they listen to it, they said that they do so only to laugh. So, they only consider it a means of passing time. That is what they told us." Source: BBC Monitoring research, 31 Oct 01 (via WORLD OF RADIO 1103, DXLD) Afghanistan: Media round-up 31 October 2001 Balkh radio heard by BBC Monitoring Radio Voice of Shari'ah of Balkh Province - the Taleban-controlled provincial radio station based in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif - continues to be observed on 1584 kHz. The radio is usually on the air from 0230-0430 gmt; 0430-0730 (Friday only) and 1230-1500 gmt. On Wednesday 31 October, the 0230-0430 gmt broadcast was not heard, although, the evening broadcast was heard as scheduled from 1230-1500 gmt. Kabul radio still unheard by BBC Monitoring... US PsyOps broadcasts to Afghanistan continue Information Radio continues to be observed by BBC Monitoring broadcasting in -Pashto and Dari from 0030-0530 gmt and 1230-1730 gmt daily. It is heard on 8700 kHz upper sideband mode and at times on the former Kandahar mediumwave frequency of 864 kHz. A third announced channel of 1107 kHz (former Kabul frequency) has not yet been observed. BBC Monitoring has not observed the broadcasts of Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Europe (RFE) or Radio Liberty (RL) on the announced 980 kHz frequency. The 864, 980 and 1107 kHz channels are believed to be broadcast from US PsyOps "Commando Solo" EC-130 aircraft. During a US Department of Defence press briefing on Tuesday 30 October, Rear-Adm John D. Stufflebeem, Joint Staff, said Commando Solo broadcast missions had continued on 29 October. Stufflebeem added that US aircraft had dropped leaflets over the northeast region near the Afghan-Tajik border and in southeast of Kabul near the border with Pakistan. AIP agency reports US PsyOps broadcasts in Kandahar The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) news agency at 1725 gmt on Tuesday 30 October reported on US PsyOps broadcasts on Kandahar radio frequencies. US PsyOps Information Radio broadcasting to Afghanistan has used the Kandahar frequency 864 kHz, as well as the Kabul mediumwave frequency 1107 kHz and 8700 kHz upper sideband (USB) mode frequency, since the start of operations. The radio frequencies were printed on leaflets which were dropped from US aircraft flying over Afghanistan. An AIP reporter in Kandahar quoted local people as saying that "they do not listen to the broadcast and they do not believe in what it says". AIP said that people in Kandahar considered Voice of America [VOA] broadcasts to be US propaganda and did not listen to VOA. AIP said if people listened to VOA they did not trust it. Pakistan tribes near Afghan border said to establish radio station The Pakistani newspaper Khabrain on Wednesday 31 October reported that tribes in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, which borders Afghanistan, have set up a radio station. Following is text of the report: There are rumours suggesting that tribesmen in the North West Frontier Province [NWFP] have established a radio station in the northern areas of Pakistan. The radio station reportedly has started its transmission from a valley surrounded by mountains in Bajaur Agency [an administrative division near the border with Afghanistan; coordinates: 34 50 N and 71 30 E]. Guards perched atop the surrounding mountains are keeping a close watch on the valley. Transmissions of the radio station are being received in different parts of the northern areas. Besides motivating people to wage jihad, the transmissions also urge people to donate funds for the Afghan people. The radio is also airing programmes based on the Holy Koran and Hadith [tradition of Prophet Muhammad]. The radio station's transmissions are in Pashto, Hindko, Brahui [regional dialects spoken in NWFP and Balochistan] and Urdu languages. [WTFK!! gh] Taleban allows foreign journalists to visit Kandahar - AIP The Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) news agency at 1712 gmt on Tuesday 30 October reported that some 30 foreign journalists had arrived in Kandahar on Tuesday. The Afghan consulate told the agency that the journalists, including correspondents of "some important international news agencies", had been issued with visas by the Taleban government. The journalists travelled to Kandahar on Tuesday afternoon via the Pakistani border town of Chaman and the Afghan village of Spin Boldak, the agency said. Compiled by Foreign Media Unit, BBC Monitoring Telephone +44 118 948 6261 e-mail: fmu@mon.bbc.co.uk Source: BBC Monitoring research, 31 Oct 01 (via WORLD OF RADIO 1103, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. From: http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/medianews.html 30 October 2001 Although not in the broadcast bands, other kinds of radio signals in Afghanistan are being jammed by the US military. Ironically it is a signal from the Global Positioning Satellites launched originally by the US military. Former US President Clinton allowed the military to release a more accurate consumer version in May 2000, improving the accuracy of the system for the pocket GPS receivers used by hikers and explorers worldwide. Aircraft, both commercial and military, have become much more reliant on the GPS system since some short- and mediumwave navigation beacons have been phased out. But since the start of October, the U.S. Defense Department is believed to be selectively GPS jamming signals in Afghanistan. GPS is used to navigate the "smart bombs", but at the same time US military want to avoid the chance that the Taliban forces are using commercially available GPS equipment for their own actions. GPS sets can pinpoint your position on earth down to around 30 metres! The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, California, operates electronic test ranges that have GPS jammers capable of an output of 500 watts according to their Web site. That kind of power will obliterate the signal from GPS satellites to receivers anywhere within a wide area. An updated guide to GPS has just been published (in PDF format) by the US Department of Defense. Richard Langley is a professor in the Department of Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering at the University of New Brunswick in Canada. His webpage contains lots of useful links and publications for those interested in further details on how GPS works. ((C) RN Media Network via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) AND NOW, A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR by Tony Callaghan and Rohan Jayasekera, The Index Reader -- In attempts to gain control of Afghani radio waves, Washington, London, and Paris are bombing transmitters and jamming stations with anti-Taliban programming.... http://www.indexonline.org/news/110901/20011018_afghanistan.shtml (via George Lessard, caj-list via Ricky Leong, DXLD) Rather strange article from Index on Censorship suggests bombing VOS may have been a war crime, and claims Commando Solo is on 7084v, etc. (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Some good news (IMHO), for a change.... Cyclone Shier blows out of ABC after 19 months By CAROLINE OVERINGTON and MALCOLM MAIDEN Thursday 1 November 2001 http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/2001/11/01/FFXQIEZYFTC.html (via John Figliozzi, swprograms via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Radio Africa Int. via ROI-Moosbrunn 1100-1200 English/French on 17815 (Silvain Domen, Belgium, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) You don`t mean the Methodist show, do you? (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA [non]. Checking to confirm RAI in English at 1630 via Sackville on 17865, Oct 31 led news with story that Vienna hospital has a spray which will instantly kill anthrax powder, previously developed for other substances. I would be very interested to know if anyone has heard his potentially vital item on any US domestic news medium??! (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BELGIUM. Belgium issues special prefix to honor princess' birth: According to John Devoldere, ON4UN, many Belgian stations have begun using the prefix "OQ" rather than the usual ON or OT. Belgian authorities issued the special prefix to honor the birth of Princess Elisabeth. The OQ prefix may be used through December 31, 2001. (The Daily DX via ARRL October 31 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** BELGIUM. Hi Glenn, Indeed RVI is sorted out now. A "wishful thinking" schedule it was. Hoping Santa would drop some of these in their sock... (Silvain Domen, Belgium, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. CNR, 1030 with commercials on 15430 + lots of known parallel frequencies. Another test frequency? (Silvain Domen, Belgium, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. China has resumed blocking the Web sites of many Western news organizations. Some of these sites, including those of BBC, CNN, and the Washington Post, were unblocked during the recent Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Beijing. The VOA Web sites remained blocked throughout the forum. My friend in Xi'an confirms that BBC's Web site is again blocked, as is the site of Deutsche Welle. But, he says, www dot whitehouse dot gov, President Bush's official Web site, is in the clear (Kim Elliott, VOA Communications World Oct 27 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** CHINA. Another mistake CRI perpetually makes in publishing its own schedule is the morning broadcast direct to NAm on 7405: Supposedly new schedule previously published shows it at 1300-1500 UT, but in the winter it always shifts to 1400-1600! Didn`t think to check earlier, but Oct 31 tuned in 7405 in time to hear very weak carrier under noise go off at expected 1557* so it appears the switch has been made (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Guangdong to become "special media zone" for foreign broadcasters | Text of report in English from Hong Kong iMail web site on 31 October The Central Government plans to formally approve broadcasts by more than 30 overseas television stations in Guangdong [Province] in the near future in a sign that the booming southern province is set to become a "special media zone" for overseas investors, according to an official report. Such a move would represent a further bold step in opening up the mainland media market following recent permission for Hong Kong-based Phoenix satellite TV, owned by tycoon Rupert Murdoch, and American giant AOL Time Warner to screen their programmes in the province, the Guangzhou-based New Express News daily said. As a "special media zone", Guangdong would serve as a buffer for the country before it inevitably embraced full-scale opening up of the market, the sister publication of the Guangdong Communist Party's official Yangcheng Evening News said. It said overseas media organizations were making aggressive efforts to enter the mainland market as China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) was imminent. The opening up of the market seemed "inevitable" although no deadline is specified in WTO deals. Some overseas media organizations have already entered the market in joint ventures with local organizations or by selling individual programmes, the report said. National Geographic has enjoyed the most success in selling its programmes to China Central Television. Since the opening up of the media market was inevitable, it would be better for the country to set up a "special media" zone to buffer the shock to the domestic market as overseas media organizations flocked in, the New Express News said, quoting Prof Yu Guoming from the College of Journalism at the People's University of China in Beijing. This would also allow mainlanders time to adjust to different cultures. Professor Yu said media people throughout China would be able to visit Guangdong to learn from overseas organizations operating in the "special media zone". Compared with their overseas colleagues, mainland media organizations were less experienced in terms of organization and operation, and the "special media zone" would provide an opportunity for them to learn and improve their competitiveness, Professor Yu said. Beijing does not allow overseas networks to broadcast news programmes, but Professor Yu said the demarcation between news coverage and commentaries and discussions was blurred. Source: Hong Kong iMail web site, Hong Kong, in English 31 Oct 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) SEE ALSO HONG KONG ** CROATIA [non]. (via ?), 9885 via ?? // 9925 Julich, Voice of Croatia, Sign on at 0000 with IDs and frequency announcements in Croatian, English, and Spanish, then Croatian broadcast with presumed news. News in English started at 0008 (Lee Silvi, November 1, Northeast Ohio, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Both are via Jülich, as in sked here some time ago (gh, DXLD) ** CUBA. 2440.01, Radio 26, Central España (2 x 1220 harmonic), 0958 Oct 31, Spanish talk, ID. Fair signal (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @ 180 degrees, "LA-DX" at http://sover.net/~hackmohr/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. Karel Honzík commented on the Litovel longwave back-up I brought up: All three masts at Litovel are down, so the site is no longer operable. There should be still another longwave transmitter at Liblice but was not thrown in on 270 by Ceske Radiokomunikace for whatever reason (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 2700.10, Ondas del Yuna, Bonao (2 x 1350 harmonic), 0904-1020 Oct 28, nice bachata music, 1020 full ID. Good to very good signal all morning long (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @ 180 degrees, "LA-DX" at http://sover.net/~hackmohr/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Re: This entry has a rather strange start date, the 3rd day of the 71st month of the 92nd year: 15700 1600 1629 48 103 125 217 47 037192 310302 TIS (G. Hauser-USA, from sked via R.Weyl, W.Büschel-D in DXLD 1-163) Hi, you make me SMILE ! Noo, it`s a pure translation error from Excel .xls format into .prn or .txt format. See the updated START date of Mr. Weyl, interspersed with 'full stop' dot. 28.10.01 73 de wolfy The new line in the 281001.xls file I received from Ralf Weyl looks this way: 15700 1600 1629 48 103 125 217 47 28.10.01 310302 TIS So the start date is noted in German spelling as "28.10.01". (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. SCANDINAVIAN WEEKEND RADIO New Scandinavian Weekend Radio Frequency schedule for 3rd November transmission (2nd Nov. 22 UTC till 3rd Nov. 22 UTC) 48 mb: 22-00 6170 00-06 5980 06-14:30 6170 14:30-19 5990 19-22 6170 25 mb: 22-01 11690 01-06 11720 06-14 11690 14-18 11720 18-22 11690 Towards North-America: At Friday 22 hours UT till Saturday 7 hours UT our 2-element beam antenna for 25mb is towards North America (320 degrees). Propagation forecast http://www.swradio.net/fin/031101/index.html seems quite promising so you might get SWR to your earphones this time! So we wish YOU GET US this time! PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR US. It would be nice if you could call directly to our phone line +358 400 995 559. You can also send SMS-messages. Contact info: 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 http://www.swradio.net/eng/index.htm 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). With Best Regards, (Alpo Heinonen, Scandinavian Weekend Radio, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE. Hi Glenn: For the second day in a row, I have heard multiple NFM signals jammed between 25925-6. The opening is very precise. Just after 1210, the signals become much stronger, as they did yesterday. Today I was not able to get usable audio due to the sheer number of signals maybe between 10 to 20, but I was able to determine without a doubt these are frequency modulated carriers. As I said yesterday, I was able to get good audio for a few seconds on 30/1210 UT, and identified the language as French. I even heard "... La France" The audio did sound TV PX like. If any of your readers have information on this, a reply would be much appreciated (David Hodgson, TN, Oct 31, WORLD OF RADIO 1103, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [and non]. Hi, Glenn. I just spoke with Alan Roberts regarding these signals. As of this morning he has heard nothing except for a very weak carrier 25925 kHz. He indicated that since the time change last weekend, he has been making a point of carefully checking the 25 Plus frequency spectrum looking for possible new broadcast signals. In the mornings he is hearing three stations on the band; 25740 kHz, Deutsche Welle; 25820 kHz, Radio France International, and the usual WFLA 25870 kHz. In the afternoons, 25950 kHz from the West Coast surfaces. Other than these signals, he has heard only the usual out- of-band CBers in various spots on the band. Given that David Hodgson reported hearing French language signals, Alan closely checked out the frequencies previously used by Radio Neige several years ago, but found nothing. That's the latest from Alan. He told me he will spend the next few mornings monitoring the 25925 kHz. frequency specifically to see if anything shows up. I will keep you posted (Sheldon Harvey, QB, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn: received here again for the 3rd day in a row. This time managed to get a little audio from one again. Definite French language program. The trouble is there are so many of these NFM signals layered on top of each other, it's difficult to get audio out of them. The one I did hear was apart from the others on 25928.05. Again very precise opening with nothing till 1220. Note adjustment for lengthening night. Peak here 1230-1235. One must DX this before LA CBer traffic becomes active @ 1300 (Here in SE USA). There are several of these LA CBers who hang out around 25927 (David Hodgson, TN, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi David, I have controlled old WEBs, this is probably Radio Nostalgie "neige" links 1-10 watts on the Alpi French area mountain service, you may see the list of the frequencies heard in the 1998 period visiting: file://www.swl.net/radiochina/drawingboard/11meter-nfm-stations.html compiled 22 november 1998 by Hans Van Der Boogert. The contact address of the station is : Radio Nostalgie Grenoble, 121 Place Grand Place, FR-38100 Grenoble, France. Naturally this is just a suggestion and reference, if some one living in the area may confirm all is most welcomed, Best regards, (Dario Monferini, from Milano, Italy, Nov 1, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** FRANCE. Oct 30, 2001, (La Tribune /FT Information via COMTEX) -- French radio stations have gained five million listeners over the last ten years; over 40 million French people now listen to the radio every day, 14.4 per cent up on he start of the 1990s. Some 21.6 per cent of radio listening took place in the car, with music stations predominating; 25 per cent pre-programmed the French radio station NRJ into their radios, 22 per cent Nostalgie and 18 per cent RTL. The proportion of the radio audience listening at work went up to 15 per cent this year from 13 per cent in 1998, though listening at home has gone down two points. The Internet is having an effect on radio listening. During April-June 2001, 3.9 per cent of those over 15 listened to the radio on the Internet compared to 2.1 per cent in the same period last year (Abstracted from La Tribune by Mike Cooper, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GABON. Glenn, I tuned in on 4890 kHz this morning at 0400 UT ready for Radio France Int'l to sign on but found Africa No. 1 signing on on that frequency: 4890 0400 Africa No 1, Moyabi, Gabon. S/on with Afro Music & ID. French (Nov 01) (Should have been Radio France Int'l S/on, but switching error or start of new service?) A recording of the ID at 0400 UT is on the Tropical Band Latest Page of the Online DX Logbook http://www.shortwave.org.uk 73's (Graham Powell, Wales, Webmaster for The Online DX Logbook and 21MHZ.COM, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Full Details are available at http://www.shortwave.org.uk ** GERMANY. And Dieter Leupold just wrote that he found a disastrous scene at the Uhlenhorst transmitter site in Berlin-Köpenick a couple of days ago: The transmitter halls are destroyed, only one mast remained, all other mediumwave antennas are gone. Recently Voice of Russia received some listener complaints about deteriorated reception on 603, and I wonder if this is the result of another antenna in use now. One of the 250 kW transmitters (ex 693 and 1359) was dismantled in time and rebuilt at Königs Wusterhausen as a museum piece; reportedly the other one was a victim of burglars looking for non- ferrous metal. They also set the transmitter hall on fire, resulting in at least a part of the destruction Dieter found (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. Re Eurosonor [see BULGARIA, DXLD 1-163]: Dear Glenn Try http://www.eurosonor.de/radio/emenu.htm which is in English. Best 73s (Stig Hartiv Nielsen, Denmark, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Eurosonor Radio: As well-known they were first unable to tell about the transmitter site but when they were asked again immediately after the frequency change to 7590 they stated, that they now use "Krasnodar". It was this statement which actually alerted me to check, and the modulation characteristics indeed had changed into the typical CIS style, confirming Tbilisskaya as new site. By the way, the just discussed 1170 channel is from the Tbilisskaya centre, too, and indeed it carries also CRI already for quite a while; also a Turkish programme of Deutsche Welle goes out on this frequency (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY [non]. Deutsche Welle October 31, 2001 0100-0145 UT on 6310 kHz. Mixing product? If so, I can't seem to calculate. Thoughts? 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I think this is another typical Sackville mixing product, DW on 6040 with VOV on 6175, 135 kHz apart (gh, DXLD) ** GREECE. B-01 schedule for Voice of Greece is attached. 73, (F. Brazhnikov via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) ERT S.A.: THE VOICE OF GREECE B01 SHORT WAVE TRANSMISSION SCHEDULE Effective from 28/10/01 to 31/03/02 (00:00)UTC Service Area GMT/UTC m kHz m kHz m kHz m kHz m kHz (1) EUROPE 0000-0350 49 5865 41 7475 0400-0550 31 9420 41 7475 0600-0700 31 9420 19 15630 0700-0800 31 9420 19 15630 0800-1000 31 9420 19 15630 1100-1200 19 15630 1200-1300 31 9420 19 15630 1300-1400 31 9420 19 15630 1400-1500 31 9420 19 15630 1500-1700 31 9420 19 15630 1700-1800 31 9420 19 15630 1800-1850 31 9420 19 15630 1900-2000 41 7475 49 5865 25 12110 2000-2100 41 7475 49 5865 25 12110 2100-2200 41 7475 2200-2300 41 7475 2300-2400 41 7475 49 5865 1400-1430 19 15650 Foreign Language 1430-1657 25 11645 Transmissions 1700-1800 25 12110 1800-1900 25 12110 1900-2000 25 12110 MW 0900-1800 792 2100-2230 792 2300-2400 792 TASKEND 1200-1430 19 15650 0000-0350 19 15630 0400-0600 13 21530 17 17520 M.EAST 0600-0700 13 21530 17 17520 INDIAN.OCEAN 0700-0800 13 21530 17 17520 1200-1430 19 15650 MW 1000-1500 1260 2200-2230 1260 0000-0400 41 7475 25 12110 0400-0600 31 9420 41 7475 ATLANTIC 0600-0800 19 15630 31 9420 OCEAN 0800-1000 19 15630 1100-1200 19 15630 1200-1850 19 15630 1900-2400 41 7475 0000-0350 25 12110 1700-1850 [sic; no entries show on these lines] AFRICA 1400-1500 1900-2000 2000-2050 2300-2400 25 12110 JAPAN 0600-0800 25 11900 PACIFIC OCEAN AUSTRALIA 0000-0350 19 15650 0400-0800 17 17520 13 21530 0600-0800 25 11900 1200-1430 19 15650* 2100-2257 31 9420 19 15650* 2300-2400 19 15650* NORTH AMERICA 0000-0550 41 7475 1200-1500 25 11900 1600-2200 16 17705 SOUTH AMERICA 0000-0350 25 12110 PANAMA ZONE 2000-2200 16 17565 & SW AFICA 2300-2400 25 12110 (1) Gr=Greek, Eng= English, Al= Albanian, Ar=Arabian, Bg= Bulgarian, F=French, E= Spanish, I=Italian, Pl=Polish, P=Portuguese, R=Romanian, Rus= Russian, S= Swedish, Sc=Servocroatian, Tr=Turkish [unfortunately the language keys disappeared from this copy -gh] LIVE AUDIO URL: http://www.ert.ntua.gr Reports via e-mail: era5@ert.gr. Techinical information: bcharalabopoulos@ert.gr ERT S.A. MACEDONIA STATION Greek 1100-1950 31 9935 Greek 2000-2250 41 7430 ERA 5 'THE VOICE OF GREECE' Messogion 432, 15342, Ag. Paraskevi Attikis, Tel +301 6066308, 6066297, Fax +301 6066309 Macedonia Radio Station: Angelaki Str 2, 54621, Tel:+3031 244979, Fax:+3031 236370 Genaral Direction of E.RA (Engineering Div.): Messogeion 432, 15342, Ag. Paraskevi Attikis Tel +301 606 6257 Fax +301 606 6243 (via Brazhnikov via Büschel, WORLD OF RADIO 1103, DXLD) Note the above shows 5865 instead of 5895, and 11900 [Delano] at 1200-1500 [Delano] instead of 9690 (gh) Well, last night right when they had the schedule, the sound went bad and didn't get it. But I can tell you these for sure: 1200-1500? UT - 11900 kHz - heard it this morning and sounds great. 1600-2200 UT - 17705 kHz - others may find 17565 working for them but not for me. 0000- 0400 UT - 7475 kHz, 12110 kHz - with the later being the best overall and 7475 kHz is really targeted for Europe and sounded better for me starting at 0300 UT. 0400-???? - 7475 kHz, 9420 kHz - were heard and good reception here. Both are targeted for Europe. They mentioned the times. Again it was very noisy when they said the schedule - 5685 or 5695 [sic] kHz but was unable to hear UT times. I hope this is a more complete schedule. Voice of Greece, To South America region: 2000-2200 UT 17565 kHz. Got this one as they are broadcasting Champions league football/soccer game live at that time above. I think I have given pretty much everything. Phone numbers for V of Greece: 011-30-1-6066297 011-30-1-6066298 011-30-1-6066309 FAX At 1300 UT they broadcast in another language the news and I am no expert on foreign languages - maybe Albanian - not sure. About 5 minutes. At 1400-1430 UT - They have a show called "The Mailman" - A mailbag show where listeners write to them with their letters. This one is from ERA 5. At 1430-1500 UT - Stock market, financial show with news on Greek, Europena, New York Stock Exchange markets. This one comes from ERA. I think you had enough from me and got better things to do but if you need something in the future let me know. I am severely visually impaired person - 98 percent blind to be honest. Take care (Petro Giannakopoulos, GA, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HONG KONG. RTHK has "no plans" to turn into "BBC-style" station | Text of report by Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post (Business Post supplement) on 31 October RTHK said yesterday it had no plans to revive the issue of corporatization after the recent debate over its role as a public broadcaster. Director of Broadcasting Chu Pui-hing said the issue was "not on the agenda in the foreseeable future", but welcomed further discussion and stressed other options should be explored. A proposal to turn RTHK into a BBC-style broadcaster was first raised in 1984 but shelved because of political sensitivity in the run-up to the handover. The issue of RTHK's independence re-emerged this month when Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa described its current affairs programme "Headliner" as being in bad taste after his administration was compared to the Taleban regime in Afghanistan. The row prompted RTHK to commission a focus group to examine the public's views on satirical programmes. Officials hope it will be completed in two months. Myrna Whitworth, programme director of the Voice of America, said at a reception before the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union general assembly yesterday that she supported RTHK maintaining editorial independence. The US state-funded broadcaster was recently warned by the State Department after it carried an excerpt of an interview with a Taleban military leader. Ms Whitworth said: "I think in a democratic society where you have thinking people, you have to have a press that forgives all points of view. "Sometimes those views may be opposing the government. But as long as you keep things in context and you are responsible, that's the role of a journalist in a free society." Forever Sze Wing-yuen, senior executive producer of "Headliner", said he had been more "alert" in his work following the controversy. He said he would consider improving programmes based on the outcome of the focus group study, but dismissed fears it was a step towards gagging freedom of expression. Source: South China Morning Post (Business Post supplement), Hong Kong, in English 31 Oct 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** INDIA. AIR GOS B-01 schedule includes: ENGLISH 1000-1100 1053 15260 Sri Lanka, 11585 15020 17800 NE Asia, 13700 17510 17895 Australia NZ 1330-1500 11620 13710 SE Asia 1745-1945 7410 11620 Europe, 11935 13605 15155 17670 Africa 2045-2230 7410 9650 11620 Europe, 7150 9910 11715 Australia NZ 2245-0045 9705 9950 13605 Asia (via Jose Jacob, India, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. On 10-31-01 at 2130z, I logged IRIB in English on (approx) 11895 with 34433 signals on that same homebrew converter [as hearing UZBEKISTAN, last issue]. BTW, I finally added a calibrated dial to it so I should be a lot closer this time (grin). Both the MT and Uni- Leipzig lists listed IRIB in this time slot in EE on 31 and 22m. The broadcast began with a s/on announcement, followed by prayers. Signal faded rapidly after 2145. 73 (Steven Zimmerman Milwaukee, WI, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Latest sked only had 11740 at this time on 25m, but such contradictions are SOP for IRIB (gh, DXLD) ** ISRAEL. While the Kol Israel schedule hasn't been updated on the israelradio.org website yet, on the IBA's official site, the new schedule has been posted: http://bet.iba.org.il/shortwavws.html (Daniel Rosenzweig, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ITALY [and non]. A list of Italian broadcasting can be found at http://www.bclnews.it where there are also a lot of new B01 schedules and many others info. BCLNEWS.IT is still the only Italian BCL webpage regularly updated (Roberto Scaglione, Italy, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN. Turkey: Radio station closed for broadcasting Kurdish songs | Excerpt from unattributed report from Mersin: "Radio Closed Because of Kurdish", published by German-based Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Politika web site on 30 October The Radio and Television High Council [RTUK] decided to close the SES Radio, a local radio station in Mersin [northeastern Turkey] , for a period of seven days on grounds of violating Paragraph (t) of Clause 4 of Law 3984 by broadcasting songs in the Kurdish language. Within the framework of its adaptation to the EU, Turkey is making constitutional amendments and additional arrangements in order to give the impression that it is undergoing "democratization." Certain institutions, however, continue to insist on taking anti-democratic measures. Taking opportunity of the fact that the adaptation laws with regard to the constitutional amendments have not yet been passed, the RTUK once again adopted a banning stand with regard to the Kurdish language. The broadcasts of the SES Radio had been stopped in the past for 15 days on grounds of featuring an article by Toktamis Ates, a writer in the Çumhuriyet newspaper. The Ankara 8th Administrative Court had stopped the implementation of the decision. This way the SES Radio had continued to broadcast. This time, however, the SES Radio is in trouble because of broadcasting songs in the Kurdish language. The RTUK has recently decided to close the SES Radio for seven days on grounds of violating the principle of "the broadcasts of radios and televisions should be in the Turkish language. Languages that are used in universal and scientific works may be taught and may be used to report news" as mentioned in Paragraph (t) of Clause 4 of Law 3984... The SES Radio will be closed on 6 November... Lawyer Kadir Arikan applied to the Ankara 8th Administrative Court on behalf of the SES Radio and demanded that the court stop the implementation of the RTUK's and cancel the decision. Noting that the decision to stop the broadcasts of the SES radio was made on grounds that the said radio station played songs in the Kurdish language, Arikan's petition noted that the RTUK's decision is not valid in terms of authority, content, reason and aim. Arikan demanded that the court cancels the decision and stops its implementation. Source: Ozgur Politika web site, Neu- Isenburg, in Turkish 30 Oct 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Voice of Nigeria commissions shortwave transmitters Voice of Nigeria on 29 October commissioned three 250-kW shortwave transmitters at its Ikorodu station in Lagos, This Day newspaper reported. Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Information and National Orientation Prof Jerry Gana said: "On the part of the federal government, we are committed to funding VON adequately and ensure the corporation continues to be run as a properly service- oriented organization." Source: This Day, Lagos, in English 30 Oct 01 (via BBCM via WORLD OF RADIO 1103, DXLD) ** PERU. Hello, Radio Cultural Amauta (4955 kHz) in Amauta, Perú, will broadcast a special program to listeners abroad as a part of their 41 years anniversery on November 7th. In an email addressed to some 15 persons, most of them in the Nordic countries, but also in South America, Japan and Australia (those who have got their email QSL earlier?), the administradora at the station, Demétria Montes Sinforoso, tells about the anniversary, and about the program. The transmission to foreign listeners will be held on November 7th. 1900-2000 local time in Peru (that should be at 0000-0100 UTC, November 8th. /UTC -5 hours/). [NO! see below -gh] Please find below her full message. Best regards (Jan Edh, Hudiksvall, Sweden - DX-ing in Fredriksfors, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ``Apreciados amigos radioescuchas en el Exterior del Perú. Para mí es un inmenso gozo, poder recibir sus noticias, desde tierras lejanas. Le saludo con un fuerte abrazo deseando la paz de Dios en su vida personal y en su familia. Muchas gracias por sus reportes de recepción de nuestra señal, la hemos recibido oportunamente, y esto nos motiva a seguir esforzándonos en el ministerio de Radiodifusión. Nuestra emisora está conducida por una Asociación y está situada en la sierra central del Perú, que es Huanta, la primera provincia del departamento de Ayacucho. Actualmente nuestro contexto está en un momento muy especial, pues el gobierno peruano ha establecido una Comisión de Verdad y Reconciliación, quiénes estarán investigando los hechos de violencia que suscitaron en el Perú durante los años de terrorismo. Para nosotros, como radio emisora es una tarea muy importante de mantener informado a nuestros oyentes en todo este proceso. Efectivamente, nuestra frecuencia es 4,955 kHz, en 60 metros Onda Corta, y el indicativo es OAX5S. Nuestra misión es cumplir la gran comisión de Cristo, predicar y enseñar el Evangelio de Jesucristo, sirviendo a la iglesia y a la comunidad en coordinación con las organizaciones y las instituciones públicas y privadas. Somos una Radio Cultural que está preocupado por informar, educar, orientar y divertir a nuestros oyentes. Este 07 de Noviembre estamos celebrando nuestro 41 aniversario sirviendo a Dios y a la Patria, y tenemos un programa especial para los radioyentes del exterior el día martes 6 de noviembre desde 1900 a 2000 horas, hora del Perú. Donde estaremos saludando a Ud., por su nombre. Esperamos su sintonía. Muchas gracias por su afecto y su fiel comunicación. Actualmente, estamos siendo afectados por las fluctuaciones eléctricas en nuestra planta de instalaciones de Onda Corta, razón por la estaremos entrando a algunos cambios luego de nuestro aniversario. Nuestra limitación siempre ha sido, el auspicio de programas educativos. Existe una paradoja en nuestro país, mientras las radios culturales educativas están preocupadas por transmitir información fidedigna al oyente y educando en temas tan importantes como son los Derechos Humanos, rescate de valores morales, defensa de la salud, etc. No encontramos apoyo del gobierno y por muchos años estamos prohibidos de tener propagandas comerciales. Entonces nuestra única fuente de financiamiento son ofrendas de nuestros oyentes y donación de amigos de Amauta (4 misioneros jubilados que viven en Estados Unidos). Por la gracia de Dios seguimos adelante, porque creemos que la obra es de Dios y no de los hombres solamente. Si Ud., algún día visita al Perú, tiene que llegar a Huanta y conocer nuestras instalaciones, nosotros le esperamos con brazos abiertos para compartir nuestra amistad. Muchos a su familia y amigos de nuestra parte. Esperando una pronta comunicación, les deseo las ricas bendiciones de Dios en todo su trabajo. Muy cordialmente, Demétria Montes Sinforoso, Administradora, Asociación Radio Cultural Amauta`` (via Edh, Oct 31, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) The Spanish text clearly says tho the anniversary is Nov 7, the special will be Tue eve Nov 6 at 19 local, so UT Wed Nov 7 0000 (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1103, DXLD) ** PERU. 3172.69, Radio Municipal, 0907-0940 Oct 28, Andean music, announcer with very slight reverb, 0937 time check and ID in passing. Good signal. On 4750.11, Radio San Francisco Solana, 1020 Oct 25, LA pop vocal, announcer with ID. Fair to good signal (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, VT, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @ 180 degrees, "LA-DX" at http://sover.net/~hackmohr/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Hello, probably the Bolshakovo site is completely off air at present. VoR German 1000-1100 is again scheduled on 12010 (see http://www.vor.ru/germanf.html but be aware, 693 is of course 603 now) and this outlet used to originate from Bolshakovo. But on a quick check prior to 1100 I could not detect a signal on 12010, only 15540 from elsewhere was up. Will further check for 1143, 1215 and 1386 as well as missing VoR German outlets on 41 metres after 1600 if the amount of local noise on my workplace permits (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Later: Bolshakovo: All 1143, 1215 as well as 1386 was still off tonight, on 1215 leaving Virgin Radio in the clear. Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Last evening Bolshakovo was also silent on its normal SW frequencies, i.e. 5920, 5950 and 7445. The R Rossii relay on 15355 is also absent today (Olle Alm, Sweden, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) It was silent for a couple of days, and not only 1386 kHz, but also 1215 and 1143 kHz. I first noted the silence on 30.10.2001 at 1950 UTC, then monitored frequently, last checked 01.11.2001 at 1420 UTC and all three frequencies still were silent. Next checked an hour later, and all three frequencies were on the air again. Must have been some maintenance (Sigitas Zilionis, Vilnius, Lithuania, Nov 1 via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) Bolshakovo restored all transmissions this afternoon. Bernd Trutenau traced a damage of the 330 kV power line from Kaliningrad to Sovetsk as obvious reason for the temporary silence; presumably the transmitter plant was cut off in order to reduce the load on the line (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Hi Glenn, The site That relays R Kumru and CRI is Tblisskaya, in the Caucasus; I once received the 2nd harmonic of this site, but can't hear 1170 (at home) due to my local station on the channel. 73 (Tim Bucknall, UK, DX LISTENING DIGESTo ** RUSSIA. Voice Of Russia in Chinese on 18940 (spurious or a venture in this band) before 1210 and till at least 1400. All the best (Silvain Domen, Belgium, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. Voice of Russia program schedule October 28, 2001-March 30, 2002 News every hour on the hour (11 mins) News in Brief on the half hour (1 1/2 minutes) TBA - nothing listed in box Daily Reflections of the Year-Round Scripture Readings - a daily supplement to the Christian Message From Moscow 1500 Sun: Sunday Panorama, Russia People & Events; Mon-Sat: News & Views 1530 Sun: Kaleidoscope; Mon: Folk Box; Tue, Thu: Yours For the Asking, Music At Your Request; Wed: Jazz Show; Fri: Moscow Yesterday & Today; Sat: Timelines. 1600 Sun: Moscow Mailbag; Mon-Fri: Focus on Asia & the Pacific; Sat: Newmarket. 1630 Sun: Russian By Radio; Mon: This Is Russia; Tue: Moscow Yesterday & Today; Wed: Audio Book Club; Thu: Folk Box; Fri: Songs From Russia, You Write To Moscow; Sat: Kaleidoscope. 1700 Sun, Tue: Science & Engineering; Mon, Thu: Newmarket; Wed, Fri: Moscow Mailbag; Fri: Music & Musicians. 1730 Sun: Timelines; Mon, Wed, Fri: XX Century; Tue, Thu: Alternative Programs [Bless the Lord, O My Soul every 2nd and 4th week]; Sat: TBA 1800 Sun: Music & Musicians; Mon, Thu, Sat: Moscow Mailbag; Tue, Fri: Newmarket; Wed: Science & Engineering. 1830 Sun: TBA; Mon: Kaleidoscope; Tue: Yours For the Asking, Music At Your Request; Wed: Moscow Yesterday & Today; Thu: Musical Portraits of the 20th Century, Russia People & Events; Fri: Folk Box, Sat: Songs From Russia, You Write To Moscow. 1900 Sun: Musical Portraits of the 20th Century, Mon-Fri: Commonwealth Update; Sat: Science & Engineering. 1930 Sun: Christian Message From Moscow; Mon, Wed, Fri: XX Century; Tue, Thu: Alternative Programs [Bless the Lord, O My Soul every 2nd and 4th week]; Sat: This Is Russia. 2000 Sun: Sunday Panorama, Russia People & Events; Mon-Sat: News & Views 2030 Sun: Moscow Mailbag; Daily Reflections. Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri: Russia People and Events, Daily Reflections; Tue: Destined by Fate, Daily Reflections; Wed: Russia and the World, Daily Reflections. 2100 Sun: Music & Musicians; Mon, Thu: Science & Engineering; Tue, Fri: Moscow Mailbag; Wed, Sat: Newmarket. 2130 Sun: TBA; Mon: Songs From Russia, You Write To Moscow; Tue: Yours For the Asking; Music At Your Request; Wed: Musical Portraits of the 20th Century, Russia People & Events; Thu: Folk Box; Fri: Jazz Show; Sat: Russian By Radio. 0200 Sun: News & Views; Mon: Sunday Panorama, Russia People & Events; Tue-Sat: Commonwealth Update. 0230 Sun: Moscow Yesterday & Today; Mon: Timelines; Tue: Folk Box; Wed: Jazz Show; Thu: Musical Portraits of the 20th Century, Russia People & Events; Fri: Yours For the Asking, Music At Your Request; Sat: Christian Message From Moscow. 0300 Sun, Mon, Thu: Moscow Mailbag; Tue, Fri: Science & Engineering; Wed, Sat: Newmarket. 0330 Sun: Songs From Russia, You Write to Moscow; Mon: This Is Russia; Tue: Kaleidoscope; Wed: Musical Portraits of the 20th Century, Russia People & Events; Thu: Moscow Yesterday & Today; Fri: Russian By Radio; Sat: Audio Book Club. 0400 Sun, Tue-Sat: News & Views; Mon: Sunday Panorama, Russia People & Events. 0430 Sun: Kaleidoscope; Mon: Audio Book Club, Tue, Thu, Sat: XX Century; Wed, Fri: Alternative Programs [Bless the Lord, O My Soul every 2nd and 4th week]. 0500 Sun: RHM; Mon: Musical Portraits of the 20th Century; Tue, Fri: Moscow Mailbag; Wed, Sat: Science & Engineering; Thu: Newmarket. 0530 Sun: Timelines; Mon: Jazz Show; Tue: Yours For the Asking, Music At Your Request; Wed: Moscow Yesterday and Today; Thu: Folk Box; Fri: Audio Book Club; Sat: Timelines. 0600 Sun: Science & Engineering; Mon: Moscow Mailbag; Tue-Sat: Focus on Asia & the Pacific. 0630 Sun: Audio Book Club; Mon, Wed: Russian By Radio; Tue: Kaleidoscope; Thu: Moscow Yesterday & Today; Fri: This Is Russia; Sat: Christian Message From Moscow. 0700 Sun, Tue, Thu: Moscow Mailbag; Mon, Fri: Science & Engineering; Wed, Sat: Newmarket. 0730 Sun: Musical Portraits of the 20th Century Daily Reflections; Mon, Tue, Wed, Sat: Russia: People and Events, Daily Reflections; Thu: Destined by Fate, Daily Reflections. 0800 Sun: Newmarket; Mon: Music & Musicians; Tue, Thu, Sat: Update; Wed: Science & Engineering; Fri: Moscow Mailbag. 0830 Sun: Songs From Russia, You Write To Moscow; Mon: TBA; Tue: Folk Box, Wed: Audio Book Club; Thu: This Is Russia; Fri: Moscow Yesterday & Today; Sat: Kaleidoscope. 0900 Sun: Music & Musicians; Mon: Science & Engineering; Tue: Focus on Asia; Wed, Fri: Update; Thu: Newmarket; Sat: Moscow Mailbag. 0930 Sun: TBA; Mon: Moscow Yesterday & Today; Tue: XX Century, Musical Portraits of the 20th Century; Wed: This Is Russia; Thu: Folk Box; Fri: Jazz Show; Sat: Christian Message From Moscow. (VOR web site via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Voice of Russia B-01 Broadcast schedule from October 28, 2001 till March 30, 2002. All times are Universal Time (UTC), also known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). English to Africa 1800-1900 11510 9830 7335 1900-2000 11510 9830 7335 Satellite broadcasts via WRN English to Australia New Zealand 0600-0800 21790 17665 17655 15470* 15460** 15275 0800-0900 17665 17655 17525 17495 15470* 15460** 15275 0900-1000 17665 17525 17495 15470* 15460** 15275 Satellite broadcasts via WRN English to Europe 0400-0600 1548 693 0600-1000 1323 693 1500-1600 1386 1323 1215 1600-1800 1494 1800-1900 9775 7340 6175*** 5940*** 1494*** 1900-2000 9775 7360 7340 6175 5950 5940 2000-2100 9775 7340 6175 5950 5940 1548 1386 2100-2200 7340 7300 6175 5950 5940 1494 1386 1323 Satellite broadcasts via WRN *** - Sat Sun English to Middle East 1600-1700 9830 6005 4975 4965 4940 972 1700-1800 9830 9470 648 1800-1900 1251 Satellite broadcasts via WRN English to North America 0200-0300 17595** 13665* 12020 9765 7250 7180 0300-0400 17595** 13665 12020 7250 7180 0400-0500 17660** 17595 15595 13665* 12020 12010 7330 7180 7125 0500-0600 17595 15595 12020 12010**** 7330 7180 7125 1500-1900 7260 Satellite broadcasts via WRN *- from 29.10.2000 till 06.03.2001 [sic] ** - from 06.03 till 25.03.2001 [sic] ****- from 30.04 till 10.08 [sic] English to Asia 0800-1000 1251 1500-1600 9875** 7315* 6205 972 1600-1700 7305 4975 4965 4940 972 1700-1800 1269 1800-1900 1251 Satellite broadcasts via WRN *- from 25.03 till 01.09 ** - from 02.09 till 27.10 */**/**** reproduced exactly as given on web site (VOR web site via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** RUSSIA/TAIWAN. Got a nice QSL card from the Voice of Russia today; showed the Cosmos Hotel (saw it actually myself in person when I visited Moscow in '93). It's one of the old Radio Moscow cards instead of the QSLs that VOR's been sending lately which say simply "Voice to the World." Actually the accompanying letter from Tanya Stukova, the very nice woman who's responsible for their letters department, said "I don't think we've sent you this one before." I've gotten some nice cards from them in the past. Sent reception reports to Radio Taipei a while back - they always send lovely cards and neat stuff!! 73's, (Sue Hickey, Nfld, GRDXC via DXLD) ** SAUDI ARABIA. Analysis: Saudi media in the eye of the storm Since the 11 September suicide attacks on the US, Sa`udi Arabia's media has trod a fine line between reflecting public concern for the fate of Afghan Muslims, while taking care not to criticize the Sa`udi government's alliance with the US. But Sa`udi Arabia has recently come under sharp scrutiny from the Western media for its criticism of the US campaign against terrorism. Many of the presumed hijackers involved in the US attacks are believed to be Sa`dis. A spate of recent US editorials has accused Sa`di Arabia of being an exporter of terrorism or of not cooperating enough with the US investigation of the hijackings. The New York Times said: "...The Sa`udis have refused to admit that the terrorists could have operated from Sa`udi territory, even though the hijackers' nationalities exposed the extent to which a terrorist network exists in the kingdom, and its own vulnerability." The Washington Post said senior members of Sa`udi society had supported Bin-Ladin's Al-Qa'idah network with cash donations since he arrived in exile in Afghanistan in 1996. Saudi papers retaliate against US media criticism Sa`udi newspaper editorials have reacted to the US media's unprecedented criticism of the Kingdom. They criticized the US-led bombing of Afghanistan for killing hundreds of innocent civilians, branding Washington's military campaign "genocide". Sa`udi Interior Minister Prince Nayif said recently of the bombings: "We are not at all happy with the situation." "The air strikes on Afghanistan have assumed dangerous proportions that reached the extent of genocide against civilians," said Al- Bilad, an independent newspaper generally supportive of the Sa`udi government. Another independent pro-government newspaper, Ukaz, said the anti- terror campaign, led by the United States, had left hundreds of dead and wounded "amid worsening living conditions". Sa`udi English-language newspaper Arab News on 26 October accused The New York Times, Washington Post and Chicago Tribune of attacking Sa`udi Arabia's government, religion, education and society. The English-language Riyadh Daily on 30 October accused the New York Post of bias. The paper said: "A reader of American newspapers cannot but be amazed at the unjustified campaign launched against the Kingdom of Sa`udi Arabia and Sa`udis." Sa`udi press link US criticism to anti-Islam agenda International media criticism also provoked a sharp response from Sa`udi Crown Prince Abdallah, the de facto ruler of the kingdom, who accused the Western media of having "a hidden hatred of Islam". "The fierce campaign against Sa`udi Arabia by Western media is a result of a hidden hatred against Islamic doctrine and the kingdom's commitment to it," Abdallah said on 25 October. Many Sa`udi newspapers have linked US media criticism to a long-held view that "Zionist-controlled" media in the West are waging an ideological smear campaign against Sa`udi Arabia, Muslims and Islam. Arab News on 27 October said there was a "media blackout" in the US of foreign media. "...In our countries, as in most of the world we can, and do, watch tens of TV stations that give local, regional and international news, programmes and shows of all kinds. In the US, this is a "no-no". The American people are programmed through their media to be ignorant of, and arrogant toward, the peoples and nations outside the US... It is difficult to get newspapers from outside the US. Foreign TV stations do not reach the American people. Zionism, which controls most, if not all, of the US media, through Jewish ownership, majority shares, editorship, talk show hosts, TV programme presenters etc., has a stranglehold on their minds," the paper said. Perceived threat from Bin-Ladin Officially, Riyadh and Washington have played down reports of bilateral tensions, in a move apparently aimed at mitigating Bin- Ladin's appeal to Muslims to oppose the US. But the ruling Al Sa'ud family fears that Bin-Ladin's declared so-called holy war on the US is aimed at undermining their rule. One of Bin-Ladin's most widely publicized demands is for the Sa`udi government, which he regards as corrupt and debasing, to rid his native land of the "infidel" US troops who have, in his view, defiled the holy land since arriving to help expel Saddam Husayn from Kuwait in 1990. Since the 11 September attacks, Qatar's Al-Jazeera satellite TV channel, the only foreign TV bureau allowed to operate in Afghanistan, has aired several defiant statements from Bin-Ladin and his associates. The Sa`udi government has responded with its own media message to Bin-Ladin by regularly denouncing the jihad terrorism of Bin-Ladin and Al-Qa'idah. However, many Sa`udis are said to be doubtful of Bin- Ladin's culpability in the US terror attacks. Gulf adopts media plan to counter "Zionist propaganda" Concerns over the negative image of Arabs in Western media has prompted Sa`udi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain to mobilize a media campaign against "tendentious Western campaigns against Islam and the Kingdom of Sa`udi Arabia" and "Zionist propaganda". To many Arab governments, the US supports Israel's crackdown on the Palestinian struggle for liberation. Information ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) proposed three satellite TV channels in English, French and Spanish aimed at viewers in Europe and the United States. GCC Secretary-General Jamil Ibrahim al-Hujaylan pointed out that since 11 September, the Arab world had been completely unable to stop the Western media's campaign of "hatred and hostility" towards Arabs and Muslims". Overseas Sa`udi paper links Saudi bad publicity to press censorship The press in Sa`udi Arabia tend to see Western media criticism as racist, anti-Islamic or Zionist, but an overseas Sa`udi-owned newspaper has laid part of the blame on the Kingdom's restrictions on press freedom. London-based Al-Hayat (Life) on 24 October said: "There is no doubt that Sa`udi Arabia's image in the Arab and international media does not represent the truth for many reasons. But the blackout exercised by some official circles, the reliance on bombastic wordings to report news, and the disregard for the people and their right to know are the most important reasons for this unrealistic image." Al-Hayat on 29 October warned that even before 11 September, Arabs were not considered very attractive to the world. The paper warned that Zionist conspiracy theories could backfire on Arab governments and media, particularly in the US. "...Expressions like the 'White House rabbis' or 'Jewish control over the media' are enough to destroy all the efforts that can be made and the money that can be spent to improve the image of Arabs and Muslims," Al-Hayat said. Sa`udi press freedom restricted Sa`udi Arabia has one of the wealthiest and most censored media sectors in the Middle East. The privately-owned print media are closely monitored, and tightly controlled by, the Ministry of Information. Foreign newspapers, periodicals and books are screened at point of entry and often censored or banned for controversial political content. Pictures of women in magazines are blacked out. The government owns the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) and newspapers tend to follow SPA's lead on whether or not to publish news on sensitive subjects. The state Broadcasting Service of the Kingdom of Sa`udi Arabia (BSKSA) is responsible for all broadcasting in the Kingdom and is directly controlled by the Ministry of Information. Satellite dishes are banned but more than half of Sa`udi households are believed to have them. Viewers in the country's Eastern Province have a wide choice of programmes as they can pick up signals via terrestrial aerials from more liberal Gulf neighbours, especially Qatar's Al-Jazeera TV channel. Viewers in the Western Province can watch TV from Egypt, Sudan and Yemen via terrestrial aerials. Private radio stations are not permitted apart from MBC FM, owned by Sheikh Walid Al-Ibrahim, brother-in-law of King Fahd. However, Internet access is still not available through a public provider in Sa`udi Arabia. Internet users need permission from the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KASCT). Even government departments do not have unrestricted access to the Internet. According to Arabic news portal Ajeeb.com, as of March 2001, Sa`udi Arabia had an estimated 570,000 Internet users - 2.59 per cent of the population. Other estimates put the figure at about 300,000. Unauthorized Internet access has been possible through Bahrain and UAE, but the financial costs are high. The government has invested heavily in firewalls to control access to Internet sites carrying pornographic or politically sensitive material. Overseas dissident web sites have to change their Internet and e-mail addresses regularly to bypass firewalls set up by the Sa`udi government. Sa`udi dissident groups join calls for reform Several dissident Arab web sites do exist in the US and UK, including the London-based Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia (MIRA), whose current Internet addresses are http://www.miraserve.com and http://www.islah.org. MIRA alleges that despite the Sa`udi media's denunciations of Usamah Bin-Ladin, many Sa`udis are sympathetic towards his cause. It said Sa`udi reaction to the 11 September attacks was a frantic exchange of congratulatory text messages through mobile phones and celebratory feasts. "America does not know of this seething hatred towards her in the region in general and in the Kingdom in particular..." MIRA added that the Sa`udi government has become "more repressive" on press freedom since the 11 September attacks. The House of Sa'ud fears an internal backlash and has reportedly mobilized intellectuals and figures to Internet chat rooms to criticize Bin-Ladin and support the US campaign in Afghanistan, MIRA alleged. The dissident group said the Al Sa'ud family had shaky legitimacy and little credible popular support. The ruling family had instigated the Sa`udi media campaign "to limit their embarrassment and postpone facing the fact that the Kingdom of Sa`udi Arabia is in the eye of the storm", MIRA said. New media technology - impact of Sa`udi Arabia In the last decade, the proliferation of international Arab newspapers, satellite TV channels and the Internet has given people throughout the Middle East access to relatively independent news and different perspectives banned in state-run Arab media. Arab governments are confronting critical regional media operating outside their borders, which may force them to ease press controls. Some international private newspapers such as Al-Sharq al-Awsat, Al- Hayat and Al-Quds al-Arabi have emerged as authoritative and relatively independent sources of information. Al-Hayat, formerly Lebanese-owned, was bought by Sa`udi Arabia as way of limiting the paper's criticism of the Kingdom, although the paper is in no way a government mouthpiece. But overall, Sa`udi Arabia could be a possible exception to this reformist trend, according to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a US think-tank. "Sa`udi capitalists are so dominant in financing the regional media and are so closely tied to the Sa`udi state, and because Sa`udi consumers represent such an important market for regional advertisers, the kingdom is likely to retain significant influence over the regional media into the future," the institute said. As the war on terrorism continues, the media inside Sa`udi Arabia are unlikely to challenge the government at such a sensitive period. The Sa`udi government controls the armed forces and enjoys considerable support from the religious establishment and business elite. As yet, it faces little pressure to encourage criticism from the media. Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 31 Oct 01 (via DXLD) ** SEYCHELLES. FEBA winter schedule [English only excerpted] http://www.feba.org.uk/schedule/brodschd.htm FEBA Radio - Mahe, Seychelles, Indian Ocean Broadcast Schedule B01, Winter 2001 28th October 2001 to 31st March 2002 Transmitter Site (SEY): 04 deg 36" S, 55 deg 28" E. B: Broad beam of 68deg at -6dB, CHR 2/2/0.8 N: Narrow beam of 35deg at -6db, CHR(S)4/2/0.8, slew +/-12 or 18deg Frequency Azimuth Power Time UTC Days Languages kHz deg Kw ------------------------------------------------------------------- NORTH INDIA, NEPAL, TIBET 1445-1500 .....f. ENGLISH Slow 11600 040 B 100 SOUTH INDIA, MALDIVES, SRI LANKA 0830-0845 .....f. ENGLISH S.Asia 15460 052 N 100 1500-1530 ....t.. ENGLISH S.Asia 11600 040 B 100 1515-1600 .m..... ENGLISH S.Asia 11600 040 B 100 1515-1545 ..tw.f. ENGLISH S.Asia 11600 040 B 100 1530-1600 s.....s ENGLISH S.Asia 11600 040 B 100 MIDDLE EAST 1245-1300 ......s ENGLISH Slow 15535 340 B 100 EAST AFRICA, ETHIOPIA, SUDAN, INDIAN OCEAN 0345-0400 .....f. ENGLISH Slow 11885 280 B 75 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Schedule Engineer, FEBA Radio, Ivy Arch Road, WORTHING BN14 8BX, UK. WEBSITE: http://www.feba.org.uk/schedule B01bs01 dated 23.10.01 rww (via Dr. Hansjoerg Biener-D, Oct 31 via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) ** SLOVAKIA. Radio Slovakia International English to Europe heard at 1730-1800 and 1930-2000 on 5915 6055 7345. Transmissions to North America announced as 0100-0130 on 5930 7230 9440 and to the Pacific 0700-0730 on 15460 17550 21705. Website http://www.slovakradio.sk/rsi has details of a contest with a main prize of a holiday for 2 for two weeks in the Vysne Ruzbachý spa, questions, together with the text which contains the answers, are on the website. Deadline for sending answers to the first question is November 8th (Mike Barraclough, World DX Club Nov via DXLD) ** TURKEY. Re: At 0405 when on a Delaware beach I logged what appears to be a domestic service from Turkey on 6900. Broadcast in Arabic {sic}, music sort of a mix between Middle Eastern and Indian styles. Very clear, SIO 444 (Larry Will, Mount Airy, MD, October 4, DX Listening Digest) That would be Meteorological Radio (Glenn Hauser) Have not seen this logged for awhile and not traced here afternoons. (Mike Barraclough, World DX Club Contact, Nov via DXLD) ** UKRAINE. I asked Alexander Yegorov about the current situation of RUI, below his comments. Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ---------- Now (even from today) there is a threat of the switching off also 207 kHz. Only UKW/FM will be available somewhere. Kopani is unreliable also. I think, that's the end of the Ukrainian idea in the broadcasting - "World Service of Radio Ukraine" 24 h-s a day in Ukrainian. But what we must do? The first idea is a broadcasting over the Internet. Maybe this will be realised in 1-2 months. The second idea - satellite - is much expensive. With the best regards, (Alexander Yegorov, RUI, via Kai Ludwig, DXLD) Radio Ukraine Int. October 31, 2001 7375 kHz 0101 UT S9 +30 dB to S9 +47 dB, slight QRM from University Radio, Costa Rica on 7375. 0131 UT same signal meter reading and same QRM (Kraig Krist, VA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RUI still silent today, except 7375 for NAm, which was well heard last night. 73s (Olle Alm, Sweden, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, some reshuffling of program feeds. As well-known RUI has two ones; the first one includes German, the second one English at 1200 exclusively. At times also the Ukrainian-language stuff on both networks is different or at least this used to be the case. I just checked and found all 9600, 11720, 11825, 11840 and 15520 still off air. 6020 was always very weak during daytime here, but 31, 25 and 19 metres would be unmistakable. In the meantime Olle wrote that he cannot confirm 7285 (Kopani) either. This would mean that 7375 is all they have on air at present (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) RUI 7285 was indeed heard this morning with Engglish // 7375 at 0400 and then Ukrainian. No other RUI freqs traced. 73s (Olle Alm, Sweden, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hello, Kai! It grew the reality: yesterday, October 31, 1420 UT, transmitter on 207 kHz was switched off. So, almost the whole Brovary Radio Centre became calm. Only one Tx on 612 kHz is on the air with BBC programmes. Today's morning I have monitored the LW: on 207 kHz Deutschland Funk was heard good (no QRM) // 153 kHz (QRM R. Romania Actualitatsi). Maybe 207 will be switched on again today or tomorrow, but about SW transmitters I'm not aware. With the best regards, (Alexander Yegorov, RUI, Nov 1 via Kai Ludwig, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Alexander Yegorov said that both longwave 207 and shortwave at Brovary were again switched on around 1400. When checking after 2100 indeed all 5905, 7240 and 9560 was on air, both 5905 and 9560 had German, only 7240 carried Ukrainian // 7285 from Kopani (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** UNITED ARAB EMIRATES. UAE Radio Dubai, monitored in English 30th/31st October in English 1030-1050 on 13675 15370 15395 21605, 1330-1350 on 13630 13675 15395 21605 and 1600-1635 on 13630 13675 15395 (Mike Barraclough, England, World DX Club Contact, Nov via DXLD) Seems 21605 is active some days at 1330, other days not. And what about the 0330 and 0530 English; any changes there? (gh, DXLD) ** U K. Best BBC frequencies in the morning here: 1800-2000 9740, 2000-2200 12095, 2200- 11685 replacing 11955 (Chris Hambly, Victoria, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. ``RADIOSCILLY" radioscilly@aol.com wrote in message news:<20011031090753.17863.00000567@mb-fr.aol.com>... Radio Scilly, the world's smallest radio station, will be back on-air from Dec 15th until Jan 2nd 2002 on 106FM and live with streaming audio on the web. To read more about the islands' own commercial radio visit http://www.radioscilly.co.uk On the site you can hear audio extracts from our summer month-long broadcast and hear testimonials from mainland and island advertisers who were pleased with the result from their campaigns. For more advertising info e- mail radioscilly@aol.com Enjoy! (via Mark Savage, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** U K. FREE RADIO. During Mike Radio¹s transmission on 48 metre band 28th October around 0000 the station was raided. 4 police cars, one of the RCD and one van for the transmitters were involved. All the transmitters and audio equipment were taken, in total 9 men came to the studio, I will collect stamps! (Mike Radio via Yahoo Swpirates, via Mike Barralcough, Nov WDXC Contact via DXLD) As I recall this one was in UK, not Holland, tho not so headed in Contact. Can we say it`s UK, now? Also used low 9 MHz band (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. This just shows how business doesn't look past its nose when it comes to finding a good place to build something. They'll either use property that no one will want for a hundred years, (something they learned by the squeeze being put on AM radio transmitter sites by land developers and State authorities, i.e. the NJ Meadowlands), or the closest thing that has to be ruined to accommodate business. If they cared to look, there is an area right near Governor's Island that is ripe for development, there are plenty of abandoned buildings, empty lots and property owned, (and abandoned), by the Port Authority, the same people who built and owned the World Trade Center. It is the Red Hook section of Brooklyn. The major problem is transportation, or it would be a prime candidate for urban development. There is an already overcrowded highway, but another exit is needed to serve the area without having to go around the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel entrance. The nearest subway line is a good walk away, and then a good long walk upstairs, the station holds the record for being the highest elevated rail road station in the world. It is on a bridge over the Gowanas Canal, another eyesore that has to be cleaned up by the Army Corps Of Engineers every decade. Yet another problem is that half the area of the mini peninsula is occupied by one of the toughest NY City housing projects that you have to pass through to get to the wasteland. All these are strong deterrents to redeveloping the area or building anything there, except maybe a TV tower that no one would want to live next to anyway (Steve Coletti, Oct 30, swprograms via DXLD) Is it clear that a 2000 foot standalone tower is an eyesore? The Eiffel Tower and the CN Tower in Toronto have become the great symbols of their respective cities. There has been the beginning of a cleanup and redevelopment on the Gowanus Canal and there IS a community in Red Hook, however poor and marginal. If an antenna tower is so bad for the neighborhood then it shouldn't be shoved down the throats of those without the money or power to scream loud enough. On the other hand, there is no one living on Governor's Island except perhaps some caretakers. By the way, the Times article said that only 2 (CBS), 41 (Univisión) and now 7 (ABC) are at the ESB. Murdoch's 5 (Fox) and 9 (UPN) certainly look like they are there. 4 (NBC), 11 (Chicago Tribune/WB) and 13 (PBS) clearly aren't. Also, does anyone know anything about 11's relay on 64? What about Univisión's English outlet carrying AIN on channel 68 including Doby Gillis reruns from 1962. By the way although WNYE (Board of Ed., Brooklyn) is no longer parallel to WNET/13 during prime time it is still showing some shows from 13, usually the next day, with an announcement that it is due to 13's transmitter situation (Joël Rubin, Queens, ibid.) As I understand it, there's another more technical problem. No matter where they place this mega-tower, broadcasting from it is bound to create other dilemmas. The matrix, as it was configured prior to 9/11, ensured minimal interference with other stations broadcasting on the same frequencies/channels in adjacent areas. Once activated, broadcasting from a new location will almost assuredly not guarantee the same coverage area. This will almost assuredly impinge on other stations in other adjacent markets. This, in turn, will have an effect on market share, financial returns, etc. The trick is going to be not only finding a suitable location, but also slewing coverage areas to approximate the patterns that existed prior to 9/11. Sounds like a tall order. (No pun intended.) (John Figliozzi, ibid.) For yet another angle on this whole thing: as I said, I lived on Governors Island from 1966 till 1969. That was before the WTC was built. Our TV reception on the northern part of the island in those years was scrambled by all the large (for that era) buildings in lower Manhattan directly in the path of the Empire State Building. The southern part of Governors Island had a direct view of the Empire State Building, but the northern part of the island did not. And this was in the days before cable TV (Craig Seufert, ibid.) Noticed that WABC-7 is running a promo (done by Regis) aimed at non- cable/satellite listeners stating they are back, are now transmitting from the Empire State Building, and to orient their antennas accordingly. This must have been the change made Sunday morning. (Joe Fela, central NJ, Oct 30, WTFDA via DXLD) ** U S A. WWFV, 5085v, with "Stairway to Health" fright piece about mercury tooth filling amalgam till 0457 Oct 29, then anti-immigration talk show. I shudder to think of how people in other countries think of Americans based on these shows. In any event, the frequency appeared to be drifting up and down, as I had to constantly adjust the passband offset (Jim Renfrew, Byron NY, USA, Drake R8, 500' e/w longwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) U S A. VOA expands Uzbek-language broadcasts | Excerpt from press release by Voice of America on 24 October Washington, DC, 26 October: The Voice of America (VOA) will increase its broadcasts in Uzbek by 15 minutes starting on Sunday, 28 October. The additional block will expand VOA's Uzbek schedule to 30 minutes daily at 1500-1530 UT (10:00-10:30 a.m. Washington time). Another 30 minutes of broadcast time at 1230-1300 UT will be added in the near future. Uzbek is spoken in Uzbekistan and in parts of northern Afghanistan. "The Voice of America recognizes the importance of Uzbekistan to events in the region," said William Royce of VOA's South and Central Asia Division. "We want the Uzbek people to receive reliable, accurate news and information on events in the world and in neighbouring Afghanistan, along with clear statements of US government policies and actions in the war against terrorism." VOA is committed to providing up-to-the-minute news to Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the surrounding region. Following the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, VOA sent two full-time correspondents to Islamabad, Pakistan, to cover events in that country, and VOA also moved two reporters into northern Afghanistan. A two-person television team from VOA is in Islamabad to provide TV coverage of events in that country and the region. VOA's correspondents in the United States and other parts of the world have continued to report on the campaign against terrorism. Since the 11 September attacks, VOA has twice expanded its broadcasts into Afghanistan. Dari and Pashto - the two principal languages spoken in Afghanistan - are now on the air two hours and fifteen minutes a day and will soon be expanded to three hours each. VOA has also expanded broadcasts in Arabic to the Middle East, Farsi to Iran and Urdu to Pakistan... For additional information, please contact the Office of External Affairs at [+1] (202) 619-2538 or send email to pubaff@voa.gov Source: Voice of America press release, Washington, in English 24 Oct 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U S A [non]: B-01 combined schedule for VOA and RFE/RL to Middle East and Afghanistan: [updating and correcting last issue!] ARABIC VOA 0500-0530 15705 IRA 500/334 17855 IRA 500/332 0730-0830 15165 KAV 250/095 <<<<<< co-ch NHK Japanese via Abu Dhabi 15235 KAV 250/112 17875 KAV 250/095 1100-1130 15165 KAV 250/095 <<<<<< co-ch NHK Japanese via Abu Dhabi 15235 KAV 250/112 17895 KAV 250/095 1400-1430 11690 KAV 250/051 <<<<<< co-ch Radio Jordan in English 13735 MOR 250/083 15265 MOR 250/084 1500-1530 11955 KAV 250/051 13735 MOR 250/083 15120 MOR 250/083 15265 MOR 250/084 1600-1630 11950 LAM 100/112 13735 MOR 250/083 15120 MOR 250/083 DARI VOA 0200-0230 6170 KAV 250/100 9705 UDO 500/308 9750 IRA 500/304 1045-1100 13660 UDO 500/308 <<<<<< co-ch BBC in Arabic and CNR-2 15215 IRA 500/340 17665 IRA 500/340 1215-1230 13605 UDO 500/300 15705 IRA 500/340 1530-1630 7260 UDO 500/300 11770 UDO 500/300 15705 IRA 500/340 1900-1930 7260 UDO 500/308 9575 UDO 500/304 ENGLISH VOA 0000-0100 5995 MOR 250/067 6015 MOR 250/084 6105 MOR 250/083 7265 MOR 250/083 0100-0300 5995 MOR 250/067 6015 MOR 250/084 6105 MOR 250/083 7255 MOR 250/083 0600-0730 11915 LAM 100/108 12025 KAV 250/095 15335 KAV 250/112 0830-1100 15165 KAV 250/095 <<<<<< co-ch NHK Japanese via Abu Dhabi 15235 KAV 250/112 17895 KAV 250/095 <<<<<< not 17875 1200-1400 15170 KAV 250/095 15260 KAV 250/112 17630 KAV 250/095 <<<<<< co-ch AWR En/Ru via Adu Dhabi 1530-1600 11955 KAV 250/051 13735 MOR 250/083 15120 MOR 250/083 15265 MOR 250/084 1630-1700 11950 LAM 100/112 13735 MOR 250/083 15120 MOR 250/083 2100-2200 6160 KAV 250/112 <<<<<< co-ch NHK Japanese via Abu Dhabi 7140 KAV 250/105 <<<<<< co-ch BBC Ar till 2115 9530 KAV 250/108 9880 KAV 250/095 <<<<<< co-ch R. Kuwait in Arabic till 2130 2200-2400 6160 KAV 250/112 <<<<<< co-ch NHK Japanese via Abu Dhabi 7290 KAV 250/105 9530 KAV 250/108 9880 KAV 250/095 PASHTO VOA 0130-0200 6170 KAV 250/100 9705 UDO 500/308 9750 IRA 500/340 1030-1045 13660 UDO 500/308 <<<<<< co-ch BBC in Arabic and CNR-2 15215 IRA 500/340 17665 IRA 500/340 1200-1215 13605 UDO 500/300 15705 IRA 500/340 1430-1530 11770 UDO 500/300 11990 MOR 250/067 15705 IRA 500/340 1830-1900 7270 UDO 500/308 9505 UDO 500/304 11865 IRA 500/340 PERSIAN VOA 0300-0430 15705 IRA 500/334 1130-1200 15165 KAV 250/095 <<<<<< co-ch NHK Japanese via Abu Dhabi 15235 KAV 250/112 17895 KAV 250/095 1230-1300 13605 UDO 500/300 15705 IRA 500/340 1430-1500 11690 KAV 250/051 <<<<<< co-ch Radio Jordan in English 13735 MOR 250/083 15265 MOR 250/084 PERSIAN RL 0000-0100 6170 KAV 250/100 9750 IRA 500/334 0430-0500 15705 IRA 500/334 17855 IRA 500/332 1400-1430 13605 UDO 500/300 15705 IRA 500/340 TAJIK RL 0230-0300 9750 UDO 500/308 15705 IRA 500/334 TURKMEN RL 1630-1700 11770 UDO 500/300 15705 IRA 500/340 UZBEK RL 1300-1400 13605 UDO 500/300 15705 IRA 500/340 IRA=Iranawila, Sri Lanka KAV=Kavala, Greece LAM=Lampertheim, Germany MOR=Morocco UDO=Udorn Thani, Thailand 73 from (Ivo and Angel!, Observer, Bulgaria, Oct 31 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Russia/USA: VOA announces new Moscow FM rebroadcaster | Text of press release by Voice of America on 26 October Washington, DC, 26 October: The Voice of America's (VOA) Russian broadcasts are now available on RDV 105.2 FM in Moscow and other Russian cities. RDV rebroadcasts one hour of VOA Russian via a strong FM signal that blankets Moscow. RDV 105.2 carries contemporary music along with news from local and international sources. The station's core audience is interested in economic and business news as well as features on family, health, and culture. RDV 105.2 FM was established in 1992 in Moscow on AM [medium wave] and evolved into today's fourteen-city FM network. VOA Russian news, news analysis, and feature programming is carried for one hour daily at 0700-0730 and 2200-2230 local Moscow time. VOA's Russian Service broadcasts three and a half hours a day to Russia and other republics of the former Soviet Union. VOA English and Special English are also heard in the region. The Voice of America is a multimedia international broadcasting service funded by the US government. VOA broadcasts over 900 hours of news, informational, educational, and cultural programming every week to a worldwide audience of 91 million. Programs are produced and broadcast in English and 52 other languages. For additional information, please contact the Office of External Affairs at [+1] (202) 619-2538 or send email to pubaff@voa.gov Source: Voice of America press release, Washington, in English 26 Oct 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** U S A. 2260.00, WLBA Gainesville, GA (2 x 1130 harmonic) 1040-1102 Oct 23, Spanish announcer with ID, "La Favorita" and "Música Mexicana" slogans. Fair signal with good peaks. On 2479.98, WGVA, Geneva, NY (2 x 1240 harmonic) 1018 Oct 31, Talk and ads, mention of "Art Bell", "Finger Lakes News Network", 1100 ABC net news. Fair to good peaks. On 2780.02, WRIV, Riverhead, NY, (2 x 1390 harmonic), 0958-1138 Oct 29), Music, talk and ads, 1115 "Hometown Station" slogan, ID, local weather. Fair signal with good peaks (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry, Vt. USA, NRD 535D, V-Beam 140m @ 180 degrees, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [non]. World Beacon`s "Africa Beacon" service is now using the new channel of 17850, replacing 15365, via the Abu Dhabi relay, and noted here in Melbourne with good signals at sign-on 1800, Oct 31 (Bob Padula, EDXP via DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation to go commercial From: http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/medianews.html 30 October 2001 The Media Institute of Southern Africa http://www.misa.org/ closely monitors Southern African media developments. They report that the Zimbabwean government has approved the commercialisation of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) into a public company wholly owned by the government. The ZBC commercialisation bill still has to clear parliament and intends to split the public broadcaster into two separate companies: one responsible for broadcasting and the other for signal transmission. The rationale is to make the ZBC concentrate on its core business of providing radio and television broadcasting. The new signal carrier company will concentrate on providing signal transmission services for broadcasters to get efficient signal transmission service without prejudicing "national security". The newspaper also stated that commercialisation would give ZBC the opportunity to make a profit and not rely on government subsidies. A new look ZBC is expected to be launched in November. The privatisation of transmission facilities is a trend seen elsewhere in the world, e.g. with the BBC in Europe. However, in the case of Zimbabwe, the ZBC remains the country's sole broadcaster, even though a new Broadcasting Act, which paved the way for the entry of private players, was passed in April. The Zimbabwean government has not implemented the act, leading to conclusions that there is no political will on the part of the authorities to open the airwaves. The transmission company that would be formed from a split ZBC is seen as one way that the government could use to choose who gets a licence or not. No individual, organisations or companies would be allowed to own signal carrier transmitters, leaving the transmission company with a monopoly. ((C) RN Media Network via Mike Terry, BDXC- UK via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 5015, station with English lessons (American accent and American situations), perhaps in Chinese or Japanese. Strong at 2226 tune-in, but faded badly by 2250 Oct 28, so no ID at top of hour. With approaching darkness I would have expected this to improve. Maybe others have reported this but I haven't seen anything listed in NASWA loggings (Jim Renfrew, Byron, NY, Drake R8, 500' e/w longwire, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. I am hearing a swept signal in the ranges of 4775-4800 and 4895-4920 kHz, audible day and night. It sounds like pulse modulation and sweeps at approximately once per second. OTH radar? Is anyone else hearing this? (John Cobb, Roswell, GA, Oct 31, DX LISTENING DIGEST) This has been reported several times, and referred to jocularly as the National Windshield Wiper Synchronization Signal. Actually it`s radar studying ocean waves, we are told, from sites in the US and Honduras. Try searching on Windshield Wiper at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/Dxldmid.html (gh, DXLD) ###