DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-165, November 3, 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] NEW CONTINENT OF MEDIA 01-10 started on RFPI November 3: Saturdays 1730, 2330, Sundays 0530, (1130) Tuesdays 2000, Wednesdays 0200, 0800, 1400 Fridays 1900, Saturdays 0100, 0700, 1300 on some of: 21815-USB, 15040, 7445 (when reactivated) (STREAM) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0110.ram (DOWNLOAD) http://www.worldofradio.com/com0110.rm (SUMMARY) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/com0110.html RADIO ENLACE: our new series of DX reports in Spanish started airing this weekend, on Friday and Sunday RN broadcasts WORLD OF RADIO #1103: NEXT BROADCASTS on WWCR: UT Sun 0330 on 5070, 0728 on 3210; UT Mon 0100 and 0600 on 3215 NEXT BROADCASTS on RFPI: UT Sun 0130, 0730, 1330 on 15040, 21815-USB and/or 7445 (STREAM) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1103.ram (DOWNLOAD) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1103.rm (SUMMARY) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1103.html USED RECEIVER PRICES, new November edition from MARE: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/rxtips.txt SELECTED DX AND MEDIA programs has been revised again November 3: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ANOTHER DX PROGRAM SCHEDULE (English and German): Hi Glenn, just posted the first WWDXC B-01 dx px list (Version 04) of our CeEUR radio scene. 73 de wb Try : http://www.wwdxc.de/swl.pdf (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN. In some DX-bulletins there's been mentioned that Afghanistan/Voice of Sharia haven't been using the 60 mb for ages. Actually, they have, at least in 1998. Checking my loggings, these two items were found; (NOTE: these are OLD loggings :-) ------ Oct 30, 1998 on 4776.3V at 1520 AFG: Voice of Sharia, Kabul. IDing at the TOH "Afghanistan Kabul". Noted already Oct 24, 1998 on 4771V. Was in parallel with 7199V. ------ Dec 14, 1998 on 4796V at 1525 AFG: Voice of Shari'a, Kabul. Was in parallel with 7077. This 60 mb freq is rather irregular, the 7 Mhz tx heard almost daily. ------ I guess the transmitter was taken out of service soon after Dec 1998. It was irregular, rather unstable as you can see (4771-4796) and the signal was also rather weak. 73 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, FINLAND, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) Off for two sesquiyears = `ages`, admittedly imprecise (gh, DXLD) I always thought that AIR Imphal dominated this channel at this time [1600]. Afghanistan hasn't used this channel in years (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. Pentagon says propaganda war proving to be tough By DALE EISMAN, The Virginian-Pilot © October 30, 2001 [two paragraphs from a much longer article covering familiar territory:] The propaganda battle is being waged largely from a pair of converted cargo aircraft, each loaded with radio and television transmitters, tape machines, CD players, fax machines, computers and jamming equipment that allows them to block competing broadcasts. The $70 million ``Commando Solo'' planes, run by a Pennsylvania National Guard unit, fly daily shifts over portions of Afghanistan. They broadcast a mix of radio news programs from the Voice of America and U.S. announcements tailored for Taliban fighters or Afghan civilians.... http://www.pilotonline.com/military/ml1030pro.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Good evening, Just picked an encripted message off Mil/Com from the Colonel, Seems fair enough to pass on, Jose in India, He says 40 Meter into India early mornings, Pick a frequency. Also to all the radio listeners, There`s one that he says comes in like a local, The Pashtun and N Alliance love it, but the Taliban hate it, So they are playing it over loudspeakers across the valley to piss them off. Tune to 15.495 MHz at 0000 gmt and same time 9.900 MHz. Women aren`t supposed to sing according to the Taliban, and on these two women sing all the time (Capt Charles, Acting CO, Army Radio Station adn3u via Col. Jon Standingbear, Oct 31, DXLD) Rural legend? 15495 maybe Kuwait, 9900 Egypt (gh, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Here's a piece on the Pashto-language (and apparently also Dari) soap opera which the BBC WS broadcasts. The soap has been mentioned in a number of other stories, but this version in the Sydney Morning Herald also includes a translation of part of a script, something I haven't seen elsewhere. http://www.smh.com.au/news/0111/03/world/world14.html 73- (Bill Westenhaver, QU, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Copyright 2001 Plain Dealer Publishing Co. The Plain Dealer November 2, 2001 Friday, Final / All SECTION: FORUM; Pg. B9 LENGTH: 721 words HEADLINE: 'Radio Free Afghanistan' needed now BYLINE: William Safire Washington - Most people in Afghanistan - including Taliban soldiers, suffering civilians and wavering warlords - have one link to the outside world: short-wave and AM transistor radio. No television, FM, newspapers or Internet. Radio is it. Our bombing knocked out the Taliban broadcast studios. Though some transmissions from fanatics in Pakistan can still be heard, we have a relatively clear broadcast band on which to get our message across. That message, in the voice of every Muslim cleric we can find who speaks Pushto, should be: The Taliban are corrupting the Quran. Suicide bombers are not blessed with black-eyed beauties in paradise but spend eternity in hell. The Taliban and their terrorist "guest" are the cause of Afghan casualties. As soon as the fanatic Arab outsiders surrender, peace, food and jobs will bless the land. Who can deliver that simple, hard-sell message designed to cause desertions, produce tip-offs to hideouts, make deals and give pause to brainwashed would-be suicides? Not the Voice of America. That taxpayer-supported broadcaster puts its "credibility" first, evenhandedly presenting the news, never getting its hands dirty by stressing messages that would advance our military's cause. According to Peter Tomson, a veteran U.S. diplomat who served in that area and speaks the language, the VOA Pushto service was long penetrated by Taliban sympathizers. After an "equal time for Hitler?" outcry, the VOA, under Robert Reilly, its new director, terminated that tilt toward terrorists. But the VOA's mission is to present a picture of America, and not to act as a surrogate free press for the struggle raging inside Afghanistan. As battles loom, such a surrogate medium is urgently needed to persuade Afghans to desert the Taliban and inform on al-Qaida. The House International Relations Committee marks up and sends to the floor this week a bill to establish and finance "Radio Free Afghanistan" with $15 million. It requires the Radio Free Europe organization to submit a plan within two weeks to the Broadcasting Board of Governors that would broadcast our potent message in Pushto and other languages to Afghans. RFE, with its front line in Prague, is ready to snap into action. But you're not going to believe who's against it. "The administration is not ready at this time," goes a foot-dragging letter from the State Department to the chairman, Henry Hyde, "to commit to the concept of a 'Radio Free Afghanistan.' Our choice of options will depend in part on how the situation in Afghanistan evolves over the coming weeks." How's that for urgency? I assumed this lackadaisical approach to a wartime need was the work of some striped-pants type at State worried about the effect of straight talk on our Muslim brethren. Wrong. Ashen-faced buck-passers lead one to the office of Elliott Abrams at the National Security Council in the White House. He was behind that strange reluctance to have RFA tell the anti-Taliban story to Afghans. Say it isn't so, Elliott, I said to the longtime hard-liner in a phone call (monitored by a White House flack, presumably for quality control). On background, which prevents attribution to a specific person, an administration official contradicted me; he thought that the RFE crowd, admittedly harder-sell than VOA, was still not tough enough. In the back of his mind, I think, is a third option: a U.S. government broadcaster under direct control of the White House. That third way will never fly, nor should it. Hello, fellow hard-liners: In Voltaire's aphorism, "the best is the enemy of the good." What's good - and ready for action now, in close opinion-making support of our troops within a few weeks - is Radio Free Afghanistan. The saintly Henry Hyde is undeterred by the lack of Bush support; the House should pass Rep. Ed Royce's RFA bill promptly. The Senate should take it up as it stands and not let it get bogged down in the $280 million worldwide Muslim public diplomacy package Sen. Joe Biden discussed with President Bush on Oct. 23. The White House should stop horsing around and name a new broadcasting board right away. Then let's get the anti-terrorist message on the air now, as we put troops on the ground. Time's a-wastin'; there's a war on. Safire is a columnist for the New York Times. LOAD-DATE: November 2, 2001 (via Plain Dealer via Artie Bigley, DXLD) Why am I not surprised that William Safire, alleged journalist, has no understanding of the importance of credibility? I'm surprised he even knows the word, although I suppose he probably came across it in his other role as guardian of the English language. He certainly isn't acquainted with it in a professional capability. (Ralph Brandi, NJ, swprograms via DXLD) Well, those are an out and out lies. The VOA broadcasts editorials that have been saying just this over and over again. As for the VOA Pashto service being "penetrated by Taliban sympathizers", Mr. Safire should read his own paper. The country welcomed the Taliban because it put an end to both the chaos the country was in and supplanted the various warlords that had been terrorizing the population. Of course, subsequent experience with the most extreme elements of the Taliban have led much of the population to rethink those conclusions. So, if the Pashto working for the VOA thought well of the Taliban even just initially, it may be because they restored some semblance of order after the US government abandoned the country to chaos once the Soviets were defeated. The US saying that the Taliban are perverting Islam means nothing. Muslim clerics saying it...anywhere...now THAT would be something! And the VOA would report it, if it were happening. But, as we all know, it's not. [Personal editorial: The problem with the Safires of this world is that they see things in black and white (or, if you prefer, "good" and "evildoers"). In the case of the VOA, Safire feels that if we just feed this vision of the world to foreigners, they'll just fall into line and adopt our perception of things because the poor, uneducated devils wouldn't know any better. The sad thing is that if the VOA just did what Safire wants, it would just compound OUR troubles. The evidence thus far is that the South Asian region and the world in general knows far more about what is going on than we insular Americans. I suppose Safire would advocate that he and us just be fed bullshit as well --- for our own good, of course, and in the interests of "patriotism".] (John A. Figliozzi, NY, swprograms via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. Media round-up 2 November 2001 Balkh radio still 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 was not heard during the normal Friday-only hours of operation from 0430-0730 gmt. The station did sign-on however at 1230 gmt as normal. 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 by BBC Monitoring. 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. [why not? in daytime, I suppose the 10 kW range would be rather limited, and is there co-channel QRM at night blocking these frequencies in Tashkent? I wonder how the ground conductivity is in Afghanistan, probably not good in a rocky desert; but Commando Solo does not exactly use ground radials! So would g.c. have any effect on an airborne MW transmitter`s range? And for that matter would the altitude really have any significant effect? ---gh] Programme summary of Afghan anti-Taleban web radio 1. Pakistan is continuing to support the Taleban by sending ammunition. (No more details). 2. An eyewitness who spent a couple of days in Jalalabad and Laghman said that military and training bases of Usamah Bin-Ladin in Jalalabad had been destroyed in air strikes and rocket attacks. He added that a number of Taleban subdivisions were destroyed as was the old airport of Jalalabad. Many Taleban, Pakistanis and Arabs were killed. According to the eyewitness, the Taleban were burying the bodies of their troops at night in order not to dampen the morale of their forces. Source: Radio Voice of Mojahed web site in Dari 1630 gmt 1 Nov 01 Pakistan: Illegal radio rallies pro-Taleban support [see PAKISTAN] USA: Radio Free Afghanistan one step closer The United States may be about to step-up its media campaign against the Taleban in Afghanistan. A committee of the House of Representatives has approved legislation to re-establish a "Radio Free Afghanistan" to explain America's war goals and motives to the Afghan population, international news agencies reported on 2 November. The project does not yet have the total approval of the US Administration and has yet to be voted on in a plenary session of the House of Representatives. The Senate has yet to place the subject on its agenda. The plan includes the relocation of three radio transmitters from Spain to Kuwait, providing better reception in Afghanistan and the Middle East, at a possible cost of 10m dollars. Responding to the news, a spokeswoman from Prague-based Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) said it would be willing to run special broadcasts to Afghanistan, the Czech News Agency CTK reported. Sources: BBC Monitoring research 2 Nov 01 Germany: Daily paper sees need to win media war An article in a German paper believes the Americans and the British are starting to understand that all military victories are in vain if the media war is lost. It argues the West must develop the message that it has "the stronger battalions and the better arguments", but it must also give hope that after the military action its commitment will be transformed into civil forms. The following is the text of report by German newspaper Die Welt web site on 2 November: "It is not the actions that unsettle people, but rather the words about the actions." What the Greek general and historian Thucydides wrote more than 2,000 years ago about the Peloponnesian War can also be said about the operations against the al-Qa'idah worldwide terrorist network, the Taleban, and the soft voice promulgating hate and revenge from the mountains of Afghanistan. The Americans and the British are beginning once again to understand that all military victories are in vain if the media war is lost. For that reason they are now setting up three situation and information centres, in Washington, London and Islamabad. Operating around the clock, these centres are to respond, immediately and with authority, to the information war being waged by Bin Ladin and the Taleban, taking the lead in shaping public opinion. Better late than never. Asymmetrical war follows its own laws. The operations are part of a larger event that encompasses not only military hardware, but also, and just as importantly, psychological software. Moreover, this war has not yet been defined, lacks a theory, and is thus open to any interpretation. There is still a need to emphasize that this is not a battle where the West is lining up against the East. The terrorist acts are not a matter of revenge by the disinherited from the Third World, for which Arabs usually have nothing but contempt. Nor is this a struggle between cultures and religions. At its core, it is an Arab civil war with battlefields around the world, waged with all means, from the dramatization of terror to the presentation of the victims. The citadels of US power were attacked because they lend protection to the regimes that Bin Ladin wants to wipe off the face of the earth. False analyses lead inevitably to false strategy. The West, be it military men and politicians or experienced intellectual interpreters of reality, are only now beginning to understand. This war began, in keeping with a cynical script, as a terror and media war. Fear and conformity were to be imposed by force, together with the humiliation of the US world power and the withdrawal of the armed forces stationed in the Middle East on water, on land, and in the air. Earlier terrorist attacks were aimed at these very potentials. Since then, what matters most to the United States is not only engaging in retaliation and showing that the superpower will not let its enemies force its hand, but also restoring deterrence. As the RAND Corporation recently declared in its interpretation of the future: The West must prepare for asymmetrical "netwars" the strategy and tactics of which the Western militaries have yet to fully comprehend. In this sense, old-fashioned categories such as power, honour and faith, sacrifice and redemption will play a bigger role than all the book learning would ever think possible. Clearly this new type of "netwar" does not function in a vacuum: It needs bases and retreat zones, resupplies and capital to invest in terror and destruction. The defensive campaign by the West and its half-allies will take a long time and include setbacks and defeats. But it must be waged. Otherwise the incendiaries and blood-drinkers from a time that is no longer that distant will control the world of reality and the world of souls - to say nothing of land and oil and flows of capital. But in the end it is the war of images that decides the war of weapons. If things go poorly after the first contact with the enemy, all strategic planning ends in chaos and defeat. If things go well, it results in a system of makeshift solutions. This is the situation in which the West finds itself at present. It must redefine the objectives and assign the means to them, not only a military ground deployment, without which it cannot proceed; it must also develop the message that the West has the stronger battalions and the better arguments. A necessary addition to this is the hope that after the military deployment the commitment will not end, but will be transformed into civil forms. It is a big strategy to work on peace during wartime through information, dialogue, and the justified prospect of better times. We are now in the third scene sequence of a drama that will play out for a long time to come. In the end it is not the actions that will decide, but rather the words about the actions. Source: Die Welt web site, Berlin, in German 2 Nov 01 France: Daily paper reviews West's failures in media war Text of editorial by Jacques Amalric: "Inaudible", from French newspaper Liberation web site on 2 November Aware of losing valuable points on the information front, the United States and Britain have just announced the setting up of three propaganda centres, in Washington, London and Islamabad. Open around the clock and linked by satellite, those facilities will be charged, according to the White House spokesman, with fighting "against the misinformation of the Taleban and the al-Qa'idah network". While that decision, announced yesterday, clearly confirms the realization of a lack of communication, it is not so much from a lack of counter- propaganda that the current antiterrorist campaign is suffering as from grave shortcomings in the information for Western public opinion, beginning with US public opinion. Not a day goes by without such shortcomings manifesting themselves on the part of Washington, very often in the form of contradictory statements on this or that matter. The anthrax affair is a model of this malfunctioning, but so is that of Iraq's possible involvement with Bin-Ladin's networks, not forgetting, of course, the scale of the bombing's collateral damage or the impossibility of setting up a post-Taleban government in Kabul, following the veritable right of veto granted to Islamabad on this matter. Traumatized by the 11 September massacres, the US media have reacted only slowly to these shortcomings, but the debate is now in the public arena. And there is little chance that it will be stifled by the government's patriotic "instructions", because many people suspect - in the name of the principle that "what is clearly understood can be clearly expressed" - that that inability of the authorities to communicate is in fact just a reflection of their inability to define a credible strategy. Some signs suggest that the US leaders are at last considering conducting a strategic reappraisal as regards, in particular, overthrowing the Taleban regime and committing special forces on the ground. But, even on that crucial matter, they have not yet really communicated. Source: Libération web site, Paris, in French 2 Nov 01 Compiled by Foreign Media Unit, BBC Monitoring Telephone +44 118 948 6261 e-mail: fmu@mon.bbc.co.uk Source: BBC Monitoring research in English 2 Nov 01 (via DXLD) ** ALASKA. Station transmitting gospel to Muslims. That`s the headline of an article in the Local News section of The Tennessean, October 25, page 1B and 3B, clipping sent on to us by Chas. Gossett. A time-wasting search of the Tennessean website, which admits it is incomplete, failed to turn it up, so a brief summary of an article about KNLS but never mentioning it by name! World Christian Broadcasting Corp. is based in Franklin, TN, near Nashville, where tapes are produced for broadcast ``In English, Russian and Mandarin Chinese. Its target audience is strictly unbelievers, and it produces its own programs and does not sell airtime to other ministries. Its main support is from Churches of Christ.`` It broadcasts from a `tower in Alaska`. The Religion Editor, Ray Waddle, who wrote this, apparently thinks SW stations use a single tower like an FM station. Not likely, unless it`s a log-periodic, and even then it is the antenna on the tower which broadcasts, not the tower itself (as in AM stations). ``Its signal is aimed at non-Christians in Russia, China and the Pacific Rim, home to millions of Muslims in countries such as Indonesia. At least 300,000 people tune in regularly, according to station estimates.`` Seems to me it`s unlikely KNLS has much of an audience in Indonesia or other predominantly Moslem countries. Like not using their languages, for starters, and a weak signal by the time it gets there, for finishers. Hey, I estimate my audience at 300,000,000! --- why not? ``The station plans to erect a second Alaska tower [sic] next year. That will double its daily broadcast time from 10 hours to 20``. There are 24 hours in a day, so a single `tower` could handle 20 hours a day. There must be something more to this `tower` business! ‘`There are longer-term plans to transmit programming in Arabic to the non-Christian world of the Arab Middle East. That would require building a new tower [sic], perhaps in the Mediterranean, or placing a transmitter on an existing tower close to the region.`` Now he`s putting the transmitters on the towers, instead of on the ground next to them! ‘`The station has plans to add Arabic as a fourth language. Has added a new series called `Greetings to Muslim Friends` [evidently in English] in recent weeks, produced by Wesley Jones, who was a missionary in Indonesia in the 1970s.`` ``One local Muslim, though, said Christians ought to work for peace in the world and for the eradication of poverty rather than to try to convert Muslims. `In this volatile situation, what would Jesus do?` said Randall Venson, a community organizer and a Muslim. `The best thing Christians can do at this particular time is to follow the example of Jesus, who`s called the prince of peace, and work for peace. It`s kind of arrogant to think they can preach the Christian gospel to others and then the world political situation will be solved.``` (excerpts in quotation marks verbatim, interspersed with gh`s comments, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ALBANIA. R. Tirana, English to NAm: 0245-0300 and 0330-0400 on 6115 (which I have heard on 6110) and 7160 (Bob Thomas, CT, Oct 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ARMENIA [non]. TAPESTRY: This week on Tapestry...Armenia: The Country That Was, The Country That Will Be. This year marks the 1700th anniversary of Christianity as the state religion of Armenia. It was a nation devastated by genocide, re-invented as a Soviet state, and now being re-invented again. Learn more on Tapestry, with host Don Hill, Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. (2:30 NT; 4:00 p.m. MT; 3:00 pm. PT) on CBC Radio One (CBC Hotsheet via DXLD) When will they ever learn the drawbacks of ``state religions``?? Only SW airtime on RCI: UT Mon 0006 via Xi`an 11895, Kimjae 9750 (schedule via Bill Westenhaver, DXLD) Webcasts by timezone are disrupted by the necessity to carry Cross-Country Checkup live in all zones, so above times in UT are: Sun 1800, 1900, 2000, 2300 –- and shouldn`t those be at :05 or so after news? See also CANADA for the latter, et al. (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. Shier bliss over news By MARIAN WILKINSON Thursday 1 November 2001 Whoops of joy were heard on every floor of the ABC tower block at Gore Hill, in Sydney, as news of Jonathan Shier's exit spread. Up at Four Corners the beer fridge opened and staff drank to the board's decision. "He's gone, he's gone," greeted every stunned new face walking in. One program veteran opened the combination safe. Inside, the office sweep to predict the date of Mr Shier's fall. The winner was a producer with real journalism nous who circled November 8 - just a week out. Calls of congratulations rang in from ABC offices around the country and the world, from commercial TV, from the BBC and CNN and from the public. The most telling epitaph was not Mr Shier's demise but the unanimous celebration of his departure. "I hate to be cruel," said investigative journalist Chris Masters, "but I don't think Shier succeeded at any level. Even in his clear mission to change the ABC culture he was a failure." Others were less diplomatic, "I'm glad the ----'s gone," said Paul Barry, whose highly successful Media Watch program was axed under Mr Shier. This story was found at: http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/2001/11/01/FFXCY1C0HTC.html (Melbourne Age Nov 1 via Wolfgang Büschel, Oct 31, DXLD) An excellent explanation by Mark Colvin, a noted ABC Radio journalist, of the difference between being a commercial broadcaster and a public service broadcaster. It also places marketing, which I agree (with Rich Cuff) is important, in the proper context when it comes to public service broadcasting. Death of a salesman: Why Shier failed --- By MARK COLVIN Friday 2 November 2001 http://www.theage.com.au/news/state/2001/11/02/FFXGN8P4ITC.html (via John Figliozzi, swprograms via DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA/BRUNEI/NEW ZEALAND. Glenn, per DXLD 1-163, to further this esoteric discussion: Some organisations pre-print the 'postage paid' markings on their envelopes for convenience/corporate identity. But they don't pay anything for the postage of the item until it is actually lodged with the post office (usually in bulk and on an account payment basis). So, the 'postage paid' marking has no intrinsic value of its own. Cheers, (Matt Francis, Canberra, AUSTRALIA, Nov 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AUSTRIA. Radio Africa International / UMC: If I remember correctly it was mentioned elsewhere that they indeed intended to use Moosbrunn, too. Anyway this 17815 transmission should be Merlin brokerage, so it's certainly worth to check their schedule (I have this file not at hand yet). Best regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Nov 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, About Radio Africa Int. Nope, it's not the Methodist show... Heard them again today and they announced the following transmissions: daily: 1100-1200 17815 via AUT-Moosbrunn 1500-1600 17895 via ? Sundays: 1900-2000 5945 and 6155 via AUT-Moosbrunn on the net http://www.radioafrica.net All the best, (Silvain Domen, Belgium, Nov 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, The URL indeed doesn't seem to work, but I found this via Google... http://gbgm-umc.org/nwo/01ma/radio.html And this indeed is from the Methodists... The programs are in English, French and German. Stories, travelreports etc... They also announce transmissions via FM-Orange in Vienna, so I'm sure it's a relay via shortwave. All the best, (Silvain Domen, Belgium, Nov 3, DXLD) In you last sentence, which ``they`` are you referring to? It`s still not clear to me whether the above broadcasts via Austria are from the Methodists, or something totally different using the same name. The Olma URL is a general article about the UMC starting the African broadcasts early this year with no time or frequency details (gh, DXLD) ** AUSTRIA: Re spray for anthrax in RAI news: I don't know exactly what they are touting, but as a person who deals with disinfectants for a living, I can tell you that bleach will do the job! 73, (Jim Smith Manager, Technical Services, Intercon Chemical Company, voice: 800.325.9218 x580; fax: 314.771.6608; reply to: jmsmith@interconchemical.com DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** BRAZIL. Escuta ocorrida ontem às noite: 2420, Rádio São Carlos, São Carlos-SP, 02/11 01:32 programa religioso, com o pastor anunciando eventos para a região de São Carlos. Isto mostra que mesmo irregularmente, a Rádio São Carlos está de volta. Um abraço a todos, (Rudolf Grimm, São Bernardo, SP, DX Clube do Brasil Member, radioescutas via DXLD) ** CANADA. RCI Cuts Six Positions By Katie Tower Staff Reporter, The Sackville Tribune-Post The loss of half a dozen maintenance jobs at Radio Canada International's transmitter plant in Sackville may put the safety of the remaining workers in jeopardy. "From what the union tells me, it puts them in a very dangerous situation," said Wojtek Gwiazda, a spokesperson for the RCI action committee which is made up of a coalition of RCI employees and supporters. Gwiazda said the action committee is upset not only because of what this represents in terms of cutting people from the RCI family, but that CBC is also putting its workers in danger by using the excuse of a "shoestring budget." Alf Walker, chairperson of CBC's bargaining unit council of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP), said the cutbacks didn't take into account the safety of the workers. Six out of the 20 maintenance employees at the transmitter plant will be let go next month which will cause a major impact, he said. Currently, the workers use the buddy system, with two technicians working together, because they work on high voltage equipment. Federal health and safety regulations require a certain number of people to work in these conditions. "You keep on stretching people, you get to a limit," said Gwiazda. "They are certainly being put into a very difficult situation . . . and it would appear dangerous also at the same time." Walker, a transmitter technician at the facility, said he was told the cutbacks were a result of the federal government's refusal to dish out more money to RCI. However, Gwiazda tells a different story. Although CBC is terming the latest cutbacks as being "efficient," Gwiazda said this year will be the fourth year in which RCI has had permanent funding from the Ministry of Canadian Heritage. "So in principal we don't cost CBC a single penny," he continued. RCI's mandate is to tell the world about Canada on a daily basis and to attempt to do it in a way that is understandable to an external audience. Its mandate comes from the federal Broadcast Act, and is very clearly explained in the Program and Corporate Policy of the CBC. Gwiazda said he doesn't believe the excuse which was given to the union about a lack of government funding. "At this point, we are convinced this is not because of budget reasons. "What the reasons are I can't really guess at; but it is radically affecting our programming and is leading to stupid decisions like cutting people in Sackville and like, last week, we cut, by 50 per cent, all the live programming that we were doing." And to make cutbacks now, he continued, when everybody around the globe is trying to get more information about what's going on in this part of the world is incomprehensible. "It's the worst timing in the world," he said. "It's hard to understand the thinking behind it." Gwiazda explained that the cutbacks that seem to be happening at RCI on a regular basis over the last couple of years may be CBC's way of trying to integrate the shortwave service into the domestic service. "As you see with Sackville, and the other things they're up to, it's not more efficient; it's just firings and cuttings. It's an accountant's way of dealing with things instead of respecting what it is that we do." RCI has been named among the most sufficient international broadcasters in the world and Gwiazda said the action committee finds it difficult to understand what CBC and RCI administrators are up to. "Basically, the action committee takes the stance of 'just leave us alone and let us do our jobs.'" He said the cutbacks of the technicians are a concern for the action committee since they are the ones RCI depends on to get the programs out. "You have to wonder whether 'Canada's Voice for the World' is a priority to the domestic service." Not only is CBC making cuts on a technical level, he continued, they've also radically cut back on its news coverage, live coverage and language services. Walker and the other RCI transmitter workers were informed of the cuts last Wednesday, at which time they were told the cuts were a result of government funding cutbacks. "The government hasn't increased the funding to cover inflationary costs in quite a few years," said Walker. "So to meet with next year's budget, they (management) have to lay off people." RCI's funding comes from the government as a separate allocation, Walker explained, and that funding has remained at $15.8 million for the last several years. He said there have been no increases to make up for inflation over that period of time. Therefore, said Walker, RCI had to make some cutbacks which resulted in the loss of seven jobs, six of which came from Sackville's transmitter plant. The other layoff was in West Carleton, Ont. "The government has refused to increase the budget and RCI will go into a deficit at the end of the fiscal year if changes aren't made," he continued. The job losses, which will be conducted in order of seniority, aren't being referred to as layoffs but as redundancies. Walker explained the jobs are termed redundant because they are no longer said to be necessary because of technical advances and a recent reduction in business after British Broadcasting Corporation cancelled its shortwave service. "They (management) feel they can do the work with less people," he said. Walker doesn't agree, however, with management's opinion regarding the necessity of the jobs, especially considering the job losses will have a major impact on the remaining workers. "That's six out of 20 people; the remaining staff will still have to do the same amount of work," he said. "We man the plant 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year so the plant is always staffed." The workers have not yet been given an opportunity to review management's plan, said Walker, which is still in the development stages. "The union hasn't received anything other than some brief discussion on the issue. But I just don't see how the work will get done with this type of plan." The plant workers at RCI maintain the transmitter building, the equipment and the transmitters that the facility houses. As well, they also service the outside structures including the antennas and towers. Some of the local union workers have worked at the Sackville facility for close to 20 years, Walker said, and they were not given any warning of the most recent job cuts. He said a national union representative attended a meeting in Montreal last Tuesday, at which time she was made aware of the redundancies. The plant staff in Sackville were informed of the job cuts when they were called to a meeting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday. Walker said he feels the job losses will have a huge impact on the Tantramar area. "Those jobs represent six steady employment-type jobs that will cease to exist," he said. "And the economic impact that they do have on the town will cease to exist as well." "It doesn't sound very big but it's six jobs gone from the Sackville area," Walker said. Sackville Mayor Jamie Smith said council will be sending a letter of objection to RCI regarding the job loss and to further clarify if the cuts were needed. "Council's view is that, at this time, we certainly don't need any job cuts in this area," said Smith. André Beaudet, RCI's director of communications in Montreal, was unavailable for comment (via RCI Action Committee website via Ricky Leong, Nov 2, DXLD) ** CANADA. QUIRKS AND QUARKS: This week on Quirks and Quarks...Next Stop: the Millionth Floor - Riding an elevator to space. The idea is simple: build an elevator 36,000 kilometres up into the sky, and escape the Earth's gravity in a cheap and easy manner. Sound preposterous? Well, now Nobel Prize winners and NASA scientists are taking the idea seriously - and it could soon move from science fiction to reality. Also, drinking water off a beetle's back. That's Quirks and Quarks, with host Bob McDonald, Saturday afternoon at 12:06 (12:36 NT) on CBC Radio One (CBC Hotsheet via DXLD) SW times: Sat 1606 on Sackville 9515, 13655, 17710; Sat 1706 on CBC Northern 9625; UT Sun 0006 on Sackville 5960, 6175, 9590, 9755; 9750 via Korea, 11895 via China; Mon 1206 via Japan 9660, 11730; Mon 1506 via China 15360, 17820. Also hourly via timezone-shifted feeds webcast Sat 1606, 1706, 1806, 1906, 2006 (gh, DXLD) CROSS-COUNTRY CHECKUP: Sunday on Cross Country Checkup ...bankrupt churches? The government is offering to split the bill with churches 70-30 in settling native residential school claims. The churches say it's not fair: their share of an estimated two billion dollars would still put them under. What do you think? How much should churches pay for past wrongs? Join host Rex Murphy Sunday on Cross Country Checkup, from 4 until 6 (EASTERN) on CBC Radio One. (not on SW --- except maybe 9625? But webcast at 2100-2300 UT (gh, DXLD) ** CANADA [non]. You might be interested in this piece from Thursday's Boston Globe, concerning how Dick Gordon (from CBC) is doing as the new host of the "Connections" programme, replacing Christopher Lydon: http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/305/living/Cool_calm_and_connected+.shtml 73- (Bill Westenhaver, QE, DXLD) ** CHINA. Nov 3 monitored 7405 from 1457 to 1501 UT; CRI carrier stayed on and indeed English direct to WNAm restarted at 1500, contrary to always-lagging published schedule (Glenn Hauser, CNAm, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. I was wondering what became of CRI in Spanish at 0200 on 9665, a relay from somewhere. Following thinks it`s from Brazil, but I thought no more relays were going through there for quite some time (gh, DXLD) Quem tentou ouvir a programação da Rádio Internacional da China, em espanhol, emitida em 31 de outubro, em 9665 kHz, acabou sabendo tudo do futebol do Rio de Janeiro. É que, entre 0100 e 0156, a CRI emite, na freqüência mencionada, via Radiobras. Aconteceu que, suponho, ao invés de conectar a programação vinda da China, o operador da estatal brasileira deixou a programação da Rádio Nacional. Então, tivemos o programa "No Mundo da Bola", apresentado pelo Eduardo Farias, gerado pela Rádio Nacional do Rio de Janeiro. A princípio, pensei que fosse a Rádio Marumby. Mas não teria nada a ver: uma emissora religiosa emitindo programa sobre futebol. No dia seguinte, fui conferir novamente a freqüência, no mesmo horário, e lá estava a CRI, em espanhol. Pelo menos eu suponho que tenha ocorrido isto, pois a CRI emite, nesta freqüência, via Radiobras, de acordo com o ILG. Posso estar enganado! Alguém notou algo semelhante? (Celio Romais, Porto Alegre, radioescutas via DXLD) ** COLOMBIA. 6114.85, La Voz del Llano, 0045-0105 Oct 22, Latin music, much of it XE-sounding. Canned ID at 0101:30 as " En el aire, La Voz del Llano, Villavicencio, HJKS 1020 kHz onda larga, 6115 kHz onda corta, banda de 49 metros. La Voz del Llano, Villavicencio, emisora de la Cadena Súper de Colombia..." and into more music. QRM from BBC Antigua 6110 until 0115, then in the clear (John Wilkins, CO, Cumbre DX Nov 2 via DXLD) ** CUBA. Here`s another story in the saga of importing Chinese TV sets into Cuba. UHF circuits are removed to prevent DXing or TV Martí reception, and then local neighborhood spy groups have to decide who`s a good enough commie to merit one of the rationed sets, causing a lot of enmity (gh, DXLD) ENEMISTAD ENTRE CUBANOS POR TELEVISORES PANDA............ Asambleas para entregar televisores terminan en peleas entre vecinos LA HABANA, 1 de noviembre (Juan Carlos Linares / CubaNet) - La distribución de televisores chinos marca Panda en asambleas de barrio está creando enemistad entre vecinos, según se reporta desde diferentes municipios de la capital cubana. "Estas reuniones casi siempre están terminando en discusiones acaloradas en las que nadie se pone de acuerdo a quién entregarle el aparato", dijo un residente del municipio Diez de Octubre. Según una fuente confiable, del millón de televisores chinos que se compró, una parte no precisada se le asignará a jubilados e impedidos físicos que carezcan de este equipo, pero estas entregas también deben ser aprobadas en asamblea. "A cada Comité de Defensa de la Revolución se le asignará al menos un televisor Panda, pero su entrega depende de la participación del candidato en las tareas revolucionarias", precisó la fuente. Cuando el solicitante gana el "derecho" a comprar el Panda se le entrega el bono oficial que autoriza esa venta. "En mi cuadra llevan más de una semana discutiéndose el televisor chino. Las escenas son deplorables, humillantes", dijo una mujer que reside en la barriada de Mantilla, en el municipio Arroyo Naranjo. En este momento no hay dónde comprar televisores en Cuba porque a principios de agosto los que se vendían en los comercios dolarizados fueron recogidos por órdenes del gobierno, que los destinó a las escuelas para que los escolares reciban clases politizadas como parte de lo que denominan "batallas de ideas". Según una fuente confiable, los Panda iban a ser ensamblados en Cuba, pero se desistió de la idea. Luego se acordó extraerles el circuito de UHF para que los cubanos no pudieran instalarle antenas que les permitan captar televisoras extranjeras. Aunque la parte china se opuso a este procedimiento, al final los aparatos fueron importados. "La calidad de estos equipos es buena", aseguró la fuente. Esta información ha sido transmitida por teléfono, ya que el gobierno de Cuba no permite al ciudadano cubano acceso privado a Internet. CubaNet no reclama exclusividad de sus colaboradores, y autoriza la reproducción de este material, siempre que se le reconozca como fuente. Cordiales 73's (via Oscar, FL, Nov 2, DXLD) ** CUBA. SALIDA DIRECTA INTERNACIONAL (DISCADO TELEFÓNICO AUTOMÁTICO) Servicio de telefonía inalcanzable para el pueblo cubano LA HABANA, 1 de noviembre (Juan Carlos Linares / CubaNet) - La Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (ETECSA) ofrece un nuevo servicio de telefonía cuyos precios en dólares lo hacen inalcanzable para la población. Se trata de la llamada "salida directa internacional", por la que los abonados a este servicio podrán discar directamente números de teléfonos radicados en otros países. Para obtener la salida directa internacional primero hay que depositar 25 dólares de fondo en la correspondiente oficina de ETECSA, pagar la tarifa establecida para cada país por cada minuto de comunicación, más 0.25 dólares por cada llamada realizada. Aunque ninguna oficina de ETECSA en la capital del país dispone de un listado de precios oficiales, se pudo confirmar con algunos empleados que por una llamada a Estados Unidos se cobran 1.80 dólares por minuto de comunicación. También se supo que llamar a países europeos cuesta más de tres dólares por minuto. Al solicitar más detalles sobre el nuevo servicio de ETECSA, una empleada del Departamento de Información Comercial contestó que ella no conocía nada sobre el asunto. En opinión de algunas personas encuestadas, la salida internacional directa es un servicio muy caro para los extranjeros residentes en el país e inalcanzable para los cubanos, porque éstos reciben su salario en moneda nacional y el cambio actual del dólar por el peso está a uno por veintiséis. El salario promedio en Cuba, según datos del gobierno, es de 247 pesos mensuales. (via Oscar, FL, DXLD) ** CZECH REPUBLIC. US-sponsored radio ready to start Afghan broadcasting from Czech capital | Text of report in English by Czech news agency CTK Prague/Washington, 2 November: The possible introduction of special broadcasts to Afghanistan by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) from Prague would not be likely to raise the risk of a possible terrorist attack against the radio, its spokeswoman Sonia Winterova told CTK today. She was reacting to a proposal to launch a Radio Free Afghanistan station approved by the US Congress House of Representatives International Relations Committee on Thursday [1 November]. The station would be run by RFE/RL and would spread news and information on US military activities in Afghanistan in local languages. The US administration, however, does not agree with the project, which is yet to be voted on in a plenary session of the House of Representatives. The Senate does not have any such point on its agenda. Assistant Secretary Paul Kelly said that the government was considering other possibilities of radio broadcasts in support of the goals of US foreign policy, and added that the decision making would also depend on the development of the situation in Afghanistan in the weeks ahead. Winterova told CTK that the whole legislative process in this case was only at its beginnings. But if a decision were made, RFE/RL would be ready "to do its best and fulfill the mandate". The RFE/RL building in downtown Prague has been guarded by soldiers against a possible terrorist attack in connection with the attacks against the USA on 11 September. The possibility of moving the radio station to a less busy place is also being considered. RFE/RL moved to Prague from Munich in 1995. Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 1148 gmt 2 Nov 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) Czechs informed by USA about new seat for US-sponsored radio | Text of report in English by Czech news agency CTK Prague, 2 November: The Czech Foreign Ministry has been informed about the US idea of a building to which the US-financed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) could be moved from the centre of Prague in the future, ministry spokesman Ales Pospisil told CTK today. He said, however, that although talks on moving the station to a safer location were under way no definitive decision had been taken yet. Pospisil was unable to say whether the danger of a terrorist attack on the station would be enforced by the establishment of the Radio Free Afghanistan station which was proposed by the US House of Representatives foreign committee on Thursday [1 November]. He said that in such case it would be necessary to act according to an analysis of information from secret services. However, the danger of an attack on the Czech territory is not only connected with the RFE/RL Prague broadcasts but with the Czech Republic's membership of NATO and the participation of Czech units in the anti-terrorism campaign, Pospisil said. Interior Minister Stanislav Gross said today that the interministerial emergency committee today discussed the possibility of lowering the level of security measures concerning RFE/RL. "There is no information which would justify lowering the level of security measures," Gross told journalists after the meeting. Tightened security measures at the RFE/RL building and other institutions in Prague were taken immediately after the 11 September terrorist attacks on New York and Washington and on 27 September they were tightened still further when armoured personnel carriers, soldiers and concrete barriers were placed around it. Source: CTK news agency, Prague, in English 1551 gmt 2 Nov 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) Czechs confirm Iraqi agents interested in US-sponsored radio | Excerpt from report by Czech radio on 2 November [Announcer] Iraqi agents were interested in the Prague seat of Radio Free Europe, BIS [Security Intelligence Service] Director Jiri Ruzek said after the meeting of the central emergency committee [on 2 November]. US weekly Newsweek reported this week that former Iraqi consul Ahmad Ani had taken photographs of the RFE building. Ani met terrorist Muhammad Ata in Prague. Ani was deported from the Czech Republic in April. [Ruzek] The deportation of the Iraqi consul was linked to his activities which were incompatible with a diplomatic function. I can confirm that Radio Free Europe was a subject of interest to Iraqi services. [Reporter] For the time being, the security measures around the RFE building in the centre of Prague will not change. For several weeks now the building is being protected by armoured vehicles. According to Interior Minister Stanislav Gross, the emergency committee today discussed the possibility to relax these measures: [Gross] We stated that at this point there was no information which would justify any relaxation in security measures... Source: Czech Radio-Radiozurnal, Prague, in Czech 1700 gmt 2 Nov 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. This has just been added to HCJB's posted program schedule: News / Studio 9 will include the following programmes: Monday - Inside HCJB; Tuesday - Did You Hear?; Wednesday - Ham Radio Today; Thursday - Did You Hear?; Friday - Música del Ecuador. Studio Nine is heard weekdays at the same times that DXPL is heard on weekends (John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) Hi folks, it appears DXPL is no longer even 30 minutes. Tuned in this morning 0700, found 9 minutes of news followed by 21 minutes of DXPL :-(( Saludos amigos followed at 0730 UT on 9780 with good signals and audio (Many years on the SW bands From SE England Karl kruger 73's :- {)} Nov 3, GRDXC via DXLD) ?? HCJB was supposedly canceling news on weekends, and DXPL at least would occupy those 10 minutes whilst losing 30 minutes at the other end (gh, DXLD) HCJB started late for their broadcast to Europe at 2000 on 11890 --- transmitter didn't come on until 2015 when I checked again, with Ecuadorean music, then about 2019 went to DX Party Line, in progress (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FRANCE [non?]. Hi, Glenn. Just got off the phone with Alan Roberts (2100 UT Nov. 2). He was closely monitoring 25925 at length this morning and finally, around 1350 UT, he did hear something in Parisien French, only about 12 to 13 seconds of useable audio though. He could not get anything definite which might have led to getting any sort of identification. The signal was in Narrow FM, and he indicated that the male voice did have a "professional broadcaster" type of sound to it. What was particularly noteworthy though is that he found no presence of European CBers in the vicinity of the frequency. Several years ago when signals were being monitored here from Radio Neige in several ski hill locations in France, there were numerous out of band European CBers on the band as well. During this morning's brief monitoring of the NFM signal at 25925 kHz., Alan did not hear any Euro CBers, but did hear some southern U.S. operators. Alan and I discussed that just because we hear European French, it does not necessarily mean that the origin is France. There are several countries around the world, in Africa, in the Caribbean and even here in North America (St. Pierre & Miquelon, for one) who broadcast programming with origins in France. Here in Canada, we carry the TV-5 TV network from France, which carries mostly programming originating in France. So, the lesson to be learned here is that just because it is European French, it doesn't mean that it has to be coming from there. Alan is leaving for a week in Europe next Tuesday. Until then he will continue to monitor the frequency on his scans through the 25 Plus spectrum. He also may have the chance to check it out while overseas. We'll keep you posted on any further developments (Sheldon Harvey, QB, Nov 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 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: http://www.swl.net/radiochina/drawingboard/11meter-nfm-stations.html compiled 22 november 1998 by Hans Van Der Boogert (via Willi Paßmann, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Hallo all, I have in my archives: 25900 and 26070 kHz: Radio Neige Narrow FM, 3-80W, most of the programmes originate from Radio Nostalgie in France. Maybe they changed frequency? I don't know who or what is Radio Neige (neige = snow) and I remember these signals could be heard in ski-lifts. I have never heard Radio Neige here in the Netherlands. 73, (Max van Arnhem, The Netherlands, Hard-Core-DX mailing list Oct 31 via DXLD) Alan Roberts who discovered these and followed them closely a few years ago, even visiting the lifts in France, found that they had been replaced by some other system, and were not likely to reappear on 25 MHz band (gh, DXLD) ** GEORGIA. The president of Georgia, Eduard Shevardnadze, has dismissed his entire government. He gave no immediate reason for the decision. The dismissal comes hours after Mr. Shevardnadze threatened to resign if the parliament fired his interior minister and public prosecutor in the wake of a nation-wide controversy over a police raid on a private television station. On Wednesday, Mr. Shevardnadze accepted the resignation of his security minister, Vakhtang Kutateladze, who stepped down after coming under criticism for the raid Tuesday by his department on Rustavi-2 television station. The 30 security officers said they wanted to check the station's accounting records and claimed to have a warrant for the raid, which they refused to display (RCI Cyberjournal Nov 1 2001 via Fred Waterer, Nov 2, DXLD) ** GERMANY. Confirming DW frequencies in English to NAm, these had problems: 0100, 9765 fair with QRM from both sides; 11985 faint; 0300 9760 faint (Bob Thomas, CT, Oct 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GERMANY. Glenn, some update information about Germany`s MW. VIVA Radio, originally announced start with end of October on Jülich 702 kHz, Nordkirchen 855 kHz, and Berlin 891 kHz (all 5 kW), delays its beginning until March 2002. At least on 855 kHz test transmissions by Deutsche Telekom have been heard. There are also rumours that another station will use 702 & 855 until VIVA Radio finally starts. VIVA Radio is the Radio branch from Germany`s popular music TV VIVA. In Thuringia, the land`s media authority plans to inaugurate three new MW frequencies: Wachenbrunn 999 kHz; Weimar 1089 kHz; Keula 1170 kHz; Weida 1458 kHz. Sorry, I have no information concerning the powers, but presume they will be 1…10 [sic, from one to ten?? -gh] kW. Greetings & best 73’s, (Sascha Zimmer, Viersen, Germany, Nov 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** GHANA. GBC, Accra seems to have also French programs. 3366, 1935 Oct 22, GBC Accra. Program in French IDing as "R Ghana". At 2000 into English (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, FINLAND, hard-core-dx Nov 1 via DXLD) ** GREECE. Got this response from ERA5: Dear friend, of the Voice of Greece. We inform you that frequencies have changed . The new frequencies and utc hours for North America are: 0000 0550 7475 KHZ 1200-1500 11900 KHZ 1600-2200 17705 KHZ (Petro G., Atlanta, Nov 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Interesting that only one frequency in the evening is designated for us any more; it`s direct, the other two Delano. Weekly hour in English, Hellenes Around the World confirmed now at 1700 UT Sat on 17705. Same 100 km/hr YL announcer, has finally learnt to pronounce it ``hel-EENZ`` instead of previous ``HELL-uh-nuzz``. Entire show was series of interviews about returning Parthenon marble sculptures from British Museum to Greece in time for the 2004 Olympix, but British government is dragging feet. Now to find ``It`s Greek to Me`` music show announced in English on Sundays, at 1800, or 1900? (Glenn Hauser, Nov 3, DXLD) Voice of Greece in English language 1705-1755 UTC Saturdays - Culture Show, 17705 kHz. Show was about Parthenon marbles. Marbles must be returned to Greece. They are in Britain. Are they going to return them by Olympics Athens 2004 was one questions asked to various persons interviewed on the show. Greek music song ends show 1756-1759 UT. I heard and checked the above with my own 2 ears on the Sangean receiver. Signal was very good for me. I am in Atlanta, GA; I also have the Grundig but didn't use it for this. If I am home tomorrow. I will check the Sunday English language show for you (Petro G, Nov 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR is well heard, back on 11620 for the 2045-2230 English broadcast (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, Nov 3, DXLD) ** IRAN. EBRI*NEW http://www.irib.com/worldservice/shalomRADIO/SHALOM/ferekanc.htm Hi Glenn, is that a Hebrew sce of IRIB ??? 73 wolfy (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Not new; has been on schedule for a season or two; this link goes to a jpg which says ``You may also listen to us on 7175 and 7255 at 2000-2030 UT``. Supposedly Hebrew for Israel, but someone checked it months ago and found it music only, or in English. How about now? Perhaps IRIB have trouble finding politically-correct Hebrew speakers (Glenn Hauser, DXLD) ** IRAN. IRÃ - A recepção da Voz da República Islâmica do Irã, no Sul do Brasil, nunca foi tão boa como nos últimos dias. Em 28 de outubro, entre 0530 e 0630 UTC, a sintonia era como se fosse local, em 17590 e 17785 kHz. A emissão originalmente é destinada à Espanha. Já a emissão de 0130 às 0230 UTC, com destino à América, tem sinal razoável em 9660 e 9630 kHz (Célio Romais, Panorama Atual das Ondas Curtas, Nov 2 via DXLD) concerns Spanish broadcasts, not Portuguese ** IRAN. Iran Resumes Jamming RFE/RL Farsi Broadcasts From: http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/medianews.html 2 November 2001 Iran has a sophisticated network of jamming transmitters across the country. It was really prominent during the Iran-Iraq war between 1980-1988. But since then, the network has been maintained at a lower level for selective blocking of broadcasts from abroad. The most recent case until now has been in early February 2000, when the Iranian authorities jammed the Farsi-language programmes of Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the BBC by broadcasting another programmes on the same frequencies. The measures were taken in the run-up to the 18 February legislative elections. Media Network's Victor Goonetilleke, listening in Sri Lanka, notes that on October 26th jamming of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE- RL) Farsi language transmissions has resumed, first noted around 1400 UTC on 11730 kHz with a strong "bubble" jammer. Not all channels are jammed though. Between 1400-1730 UTC the same RFE-RL transmission is carried on 6030 and 15195 from 1400-1500, and 1400-1730 on 9435, 11730, and 17885. However only 11730 is bubble jammed. 9435 kHz is difficult to understand because an Iranian transmitter is operating on 9436 kHz creating heavy interference within Iran. RFE-RL broadcasts in the morning are also jammed between 0430-0730 on 15290 and 12015 kHz. 9585 is also active at this time, but cannot be monitored in Sri Lanka. So far Voice of America and BBC World Service broadcasts Farsi have not been jammed, and western broadcasters using English to this region have never been subject to deliberate interference. (© Radio Netherlands Media Network via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) ** ISRAEL. KOL ISRAEL - A Kol Israel não está mais respondendo aos informes de recepção, apesar do envio de IRCs. A informação é do associado do DX Clube do Brasil, José Moacir Portera de Melo (Célio Romais, Panorama Atual das Ondas Curtas, Nov 2 via DXLD) [is not QSLing any more, even if IRCs are sent] ** JAPAN. JAPÃO – A NHK – Rádio Japão dedica um espaço do programa "Buzón", nas emissões em espanhol, para os informes de recepção dos ouvintes. O programa é emitido aos domingos. Eis o esquema das emissões: das 0400 às 0430, em 9660 kHz. Das 1000 às 1030, em 9685, 12030 e 15590 kHz. Entre 0500 e 0530, em 11895 e 15355 kHz. Das 1800 às 1830, em 11970 kHz. Endereço eletrônico para o envio de informes: rj-espa@intl.nhk.or.jp (Célio Romais, Panorama Atual das Ondas Curtas, Nov 2 via DXLD) ** JAPAN [non]. Glenn, I checked 9590 again, this time at 1945 Nov 3, and yes, it is Radio Japan in Japanese, relaying the NHK home service (N-1); likely via Abu Dhabi. Good signal with increasing reception conditions on 31 meters heading into the late afternoon hours here. 15495, also via Abu Dhabi, which you and I listened to earlier, signs off at 1700 UT (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KOREA NORTH. 17970 (spur of 17735) Radio Pyongyang 0216 Oct 25, Spanish woman giving frequency changes for November. The spur was fair and in the clear, as opposed to fundamental 17735 which had interference on both lo/hi sides. Also // (good-fair) 15230 (Ralph Famularo, Japan, Cumbre DX via DXLD) matching spur on 17500? (gh) ** KOREA SOUTH. CORÉIA DO SUL – A Rádio Coréia Internacional transmite, em espanhol, um bom programa sobre o mundo do rádio e das ondas curtas. É o "Antena de la Amistad", levado ao ar, nas edições de Sábado, nas vozes de Ramiro Trost e Sonia Scho. O programa conta com a participação de um boletim especial de Ruben Margenet uma vez por mês. Confira entre 2040 e 2100, em 7275 e 9870 kHz. Entre 1040 e 1100, em 7550, 9580 e 11715 kHz. Das 1840 às 1900, em 9515 e 9870 kHz e, entre 0140 e 0200, em 11810 e 15575 kHz (Célio Romais, Panorama Atual das Ondas Curtas, Nov 2 via DXLD) ** KOREA SOUTH [non]. RKI, new via RCI 0200 in English on 9560, is fair here with co-channel (Bob Thomas, CT, Oct 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) From what? For a change, no such problem here (gh, OK, DXLD) ** KYRGYZSTAN [non]. Kyrgyz MP to lobby in Iran for radio broadcasts in Kyrgyz - agency | Text of report by Kyrgyz news agency Kabar Bishkek, 2 November: MP Tursunbay Bakir Uulu [the leader of the opposition Erkin Kyrgyzstan (ErK) (Free Kyrgyzstan) Party] plans to get radio broadcasts in Kyrgyz set up in Iran during his forthcoming visit to that country, he told Asaba newspaper. He said there was a need for this because "no radio stations in Asia were broadcasting to Kyrgyzstan, whereas radio broadcasts from the USA, Britain and the Czech Republic exist". Bakir Uulu said that there was a Khorasan radio broadcasting station in Mashhad, which broadcast in the Tajik, Uzbek and Turkmen languages, but it had not prepared programmes in Kyrgyz as yet. A special cooperation agreement has been signed between Khorasan Province and the [Kyrgyz] town of Osh, and Bakir Uulu, by his own admission, is going to Iran specially in order to tackle that issue as a deputy from Osh Region. He also said that during the visit, organized by special invitation by Iran, he planned to invite Iranian businessmen who wanted to work in Kyrgyzstan to cooperate, and to establish relations with deputies of the Iranian parliament. Source: Kabar news agency, Bishkek, in Russian 1209 gmt 2 Nov 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** MEXICO. 900, XEW, Mexico, DF, Oct 27 0201 with legal ID, including address which didn't seem to match '00 WRTH. Also announced relay stations XEWA-540 in San Luis Potosí, XEWB-900 in Veracruz, and XEWA- 540 in Monterrey, so the flagship station thinks that these are all operating. There has always been some doubt as to the existence of the 540 station in Monterrey. Visitors to Monterrey haven't even heard this station. And why would they have the same calls as the SLP station on the same freq? [John Wilkins, CO, NRC IDXD Nov 2 via DXLD] ** MEXICO. IRCA Mexican Log, 7th Edition. JUST PUBLISHED!!! The IRCA MEXICAN LOG lists all AM stations in Mexico by frequency, including call letters, state, city, day/night power, slogans, schedule in UTC/GMT, formats, networks and notes. The call letter index gives call, frequency, city and state. The city index (listed by state, then city) includes frequency, call and day/night power. The log has been completely updated from the 2000 edition and carefully cross-checked by several IRCA members. This is an indispensable reference for anyone who hears Mexican radio stations. Size is 8 1/2" x 11" and three hole punched for easy binding. Prices: IRCA/NRC members - $9.00 (US/Canada/Mexico/sea mail), $10.00 (rest of the Americas airmail), $10.50 (Europe/Asia airmail), $11.00 (Australia/New Zealand airmail). Non-members: add $2.50 to the above prices. To order from the IRCA Bookstore, send the correct amount (in US funds payable to Phil Bytheway) to: IRCA BOOKSTORE, 9705 MARY NW, SEATTLE WA 98117-2334. Thanks (phil bytheway, NRC-AM Nov 1 via DXLD) ** MOLDOVA [and non]. TAs IN BRAZIL. I don't know if it's the miraculous K9AY [antenna], the season or just my increased time devoted to listening, but the TA situation is getting better and better here in Rio de Janeiro. African stations have been pouring in right after my local sunset in these last days. It's a 30-40 minutes window, not much, before their sunrise or s/off time. Some examples: Mozambique on 873 and 1026, both s/off at 2200. Angola on 1502, 1485.5 and 945. Mauritania on 783. I suspect the 28-30th October high magnetic activity has something to do with it, it has already occurred. But the real surprise was "Voice of Russia" on 1548, with a good signal on the 30th Oct from 0410 to 0440. News in English, in parallel with 7125 and 7180. The weird thing is that no other Euro channel was open, apart from a weak Norway on 1314. Jean Burnell told me that Russia on this frequency is very uncommon in North America. Herman Boel's great list states that Grigoriopol` tx beams at 245 degrees. Rio de Janeiro is an unlikely target for that 1000 kW transmitter... but it works... [Rocco Cotroneo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, NRC IDXD Nov 2 via DXLD) ** NETHERLANDS. Hi Glenn: Concerning Mike Radio: Mike Radio is from The Netherlands. Radio Nova which occupied this [9290] frequency earlier in the year, before it was raided in the spring, is located in The UK. As I remember, R Nova had broadcast continuously for 3 weeks before the authorities shut them down. Mike Radio began using that frequency about a month later. I last logged R Nova on 9290 March 18, '01 with fair signal @ 0507-0630. Also making a brief appearance on 9295.4 v a couple of weekends in March was Free Radio Service Holland (Dvid Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEWFOUNDLAND and LABRADOR. ***NOTE ABOUT TIME ZONES, WITH THANKS TO RUSS GERMAIN AND CHRIS O'NEILL-YATES: Even though the official name of the province has changed to "Newfoundland and Labrador," the time zones have not changed. Labrador is still in the Atlantic Time zone, not the Newfoundland Time zone. So it's still correct to say "half an hour later in Newfoundland" without tacking on Labrador (Victoria Wilcox, CBC Hotsheet for Nov 5 via DXLD) ** NEWFOUNDLAND [non]. Mark it on your calendars, folks. The Great Eastern will be back for ONE SHOW ONLY, Wednesday, December 12, 2001 on CBC Radio 1. The occasion is a special broadcast to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Marconi's transatlantic wireless success, which has been a big touristy deal here all year. Jim Brown, our local morning man, and Sheilagh Rogers will host the show and they will break away to the BCN for two 15 minute segments during the program. Steve Palmer was in town the weekend from his teaching job at the University of Windsor for a writing weekend and by all accounts, things are cookin'. [Evidently G.E. mailing list] Cool, or what? Now I'll have to update that furshlugginer web page (Gerry Porter, Great Eastern yahoogroup via Mike Cooper, DXLD) Dear Mr. Porter, Furshlugginer? Is that Newfie or vintage Mad Magazine? But thanks for the fantastic news. I'll be travelling that day and will have to get someone (I hope) to tape it for me. Thanks for the glad tidings, Moe (Maurice Pooby, Oct 10, Great Eastern yahoogroup via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** NEW ZEALAND. A couple of New England hams are getting New Zealand TV audio on 50.740, 50.750, and 50.760 MHz. This could be a once in a lifetime event. Later 1925 UT: Getting video from the 45.240! Extremely ghosty but the vert. int. bar is obvious. Hope it gets better... Later 2304 UT: The ZL carrier video was on ~45.2396 MHz to be exact. There are two 100kw stations on minus offset listed. One is Te Aroha which looks like it serves Auckland (Northern Island), and the other is Southshore which looks like it serves Christchurch (South Island). Unfortunately Te Aroha is listed as 45.239600 MHz and Southshore is listed as 45.239633 MHz so this hardly helps at all! More than likely it was Te Aroha i think. I took some pics but doubt if anything recognizable came out except for the VIB. The signal had deep, deep fades (Jeff Kadet, Macomb, IL, Nov 1, 1901 UT, WTFDA via DXLD) Congratulations!, Te Aroha is what you received. It has high power (100 kW), and is also located near the top of NZ. 45.23963 Southshore is a very low power relay, that I have only been able to detect on my scanner. 45.2396 Te Aroha, 45.2603 Hikurangi, and 45.249975 Wellington are the most likely transmitters to be received in the northern hemisphere. 73s, (Todd Emslie, Sydney, Australia, WTFDA via DXLD) Several other NAm TVDXers reported hearing the video buzz from NZ, but apparently no one else was set up to see it (gh, DXLD) ** NICARAGUA. 5770, R. Miskut 0021-0030 Nov 1. Best heard in some time. Audible and clearly above the noise floor at S6 level. Long talks with mention of anthrax so maybe a news article. Possible ID at 0027 and then to local tune. Nice copy (Bob Montgomery, PA, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. The New Voice of Nigeria: On Monday 29 October 2001, Voice of Nigeria officially commissioned three new 250 kW shortwave transmitters. Radio Netherlands' Eric Beauchemin has just visited the station, and shares his impressions. http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/nigeria011101.html (Media Network Newsletter Nov 2 via John Norfolk, DXLD) See the original for illustrations, captions, sidebars and links including some audio files! (gh) On Monday October 29th 2001, Voice of Nigeria officially commissioned three new 250 kW short-wave transmitters and announced plans to put this part of West Africa firmly back on the international broadcasting map. Radio Netherlands' Eric Beauchemin has just returned from a visit to the station and shares his impressions. "The station was five feet under when we got here," says Taiwo Allimi, the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria. In less than two years, he and his team have revived the external service of Africa's most populous nation. "When we arrived in this building in August 1999, there was not a single computer. None of the radio's vehicles worked. The staff hadn't been paid in months, and the station's five transmitters had been off the air for over two years. Even Nigerians began to think that maybe the Voice of Nigeria was a newspaper or a magazine!" Today, the only remnants of that bygone era can be found in a museum on the ground floor of the Voice of Nigeria's offices in Ikoyi, one of the islands that make up Lagos. Among them is an ancient manual typewriter. "We only retired the last one in January 2000," says Taiwo Allimi with a chuckle. Over 15 years of military rule and mismanagement had left the station in complete shambles. Transmitters were in disrepair and were often absent from their assigned frequencies. But shortly after elections were held in 1999, the country's new president, Olusegun Obasanjo, appointed Taiwo Allimi and his team of two assistants to turn the Voice of Nigeria around. They drew up a new Mission Statement for the station and started providing computer training to their staff of 435 employees. They also asked the federal government for additional funding to pay salary arrears and outstanding debts as well as to purchase new studio equipment and computers. "The government and the National Assembly, were very sympathetic. They realised that the station could play a vital role in Nigeria's return to democracy." Within a year, the Voice of Nigeria has been transformed. Three 250- kilowatt transmitters now beam the station's programmes throughout Africa and around the world. The Voice of Nigeria currently broadcasts in six languages: English, French, Arabic, Kiswahili, Hausa and Fulfulde. By the end of the year, the station plans to launch a German service, as well as broadcasts in two other Nigerian languages: Igbo and Yoruba. The station is on the air 18 hours a day. Nine hours are in English, but this will soon expand to 18 and even 24 hours a day when the station acquires two more short-wave transmitters. By the end of 2001, the station will also launch its own website: http://www.voiceofnigeria.org though that server is NOT yet active. They aim to have all their programmes on-demand in RealAudio by the middle of next year. The Voice of Nigeria's output has also been completely revamped, according to Ayo Sulaiman, the Director of Programmes and News. "The station's last programme schedule dated back to 1995. So we had to sit down and develop new programming concepts. We introduced 42 new programmes as well as 24 news broadcasts. Our staff was so de- motivated that we had to spend a lot of time trying to get our employees to actually produce programmes. I think we have now succeeded in developing a very dynamic programming format. Our programmes speak about Nigeria and Nigerians, and we also devote a lot of time to developments in the rest of Africa." The Voice of Nigeria co-operates with eight other international broadcasters in Africa, from South Africa to Sudan, from Sierra Leone to Kenya. "We meet once a year with these stations," says Taiwo Allimi, "because we feel it's important to present a common view on developments in Africa. We should not cover African problems from the perspective of a foreigner. We must cover events in our continent from an African perspective." The station is also investing heavily in training. It recently opened a training centre about an hour's drive from Lagos in Ikorodu, where the station's transmitters are located. In the near future, the Voice of Nigeria intends to provide training to other radio and television stations who have also suffered setbacks under military rule. As Taiwo Allimi puts it, "we believe we should be an ally in strengthening democracy in Nigeria." Voice of Nigeria, P.M.B. 40003, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria Tel. +234-1-269 3075; Fax: +234-1-269 1944 E-mail: dgovon@nigol.net.ng or vonlagos@fiberia.com Future Web Address: http://www.voiceofnigeria.org (Media Network via DXLD) Just one thing: are three transmitters *actually* operational now? Did Eric or anyone else ever hear them on 11770? If it is on, why have we not seen one DX report of it, even tho it is for Central Africa? (gh, DXLD) ** PAKISTAN. Thursday, 1 November, 2001, 13:43 GMT Pirate radio rallies pro-Taleban support http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1632000/1632283.stm Vocal support for Taleban - now some are ready to fight By the BBC's Umer Afridi Pashtun tribesmen in Pakistan's north-western frontiers are using four locally built FM transmitters to recruit fighters for jihad, or holy war, in Afghanistan. The transmitters are located in the Bajaur valley, 125 km north of the Pakistani capital Islamabad and close to the Afghan border. Six months ago, a local mullah with some technical expertise built the transmitters to disseminate the teachings of the Koran and the Prophet among the 700,000 devout Pashtun tribesmen who live in the valley. But after the US attacks on Afghanistan began, the nature of the programmes broadcast via these transmitters changed. Recruitment role Reports suggest these FM radio stations have played a pivotal role in organising the tribal people in support of the Taleban. They are also thought to have aroused passions against Pakistan's official policy of cooperating with the United States. Since the operations began, religious programmes have been followed by sermons from local clerics encouraging the people to register for jihad and raise funds to help the Taleban. The stations normally broadcast after early morning and late evening prayers. However, the clerics running the stations also broadcast special transmissions when they feel the need. Tribal autonomy The transmitters are installed in mosques, and each has a range covering a radius of 20 kms. The mullah who built these stations is thought to be in Afghanistan, helping the Taleban build similar equipment. Not all tribesmen in the valley have radio sets, however. A neighbour will often connect his own radio to a microphone-and-power amplifier, so that the whole village can listen to these programmes. It is mandatory in Pakistan to obtain a licence for operating any broadcasting equipment. But because of the semi-autonomous status of Pakistan's tribal agencies, it seems difficult for local authorities to enforce the law (BBC News via Rian Raleigh, DXLD) ** PARAGUAY. Hi, R. Nacional del Paraguay at present (2325 Nov 1) carrying live coverage of football game competition in Spanish on v9737.91 (not 9737.2 as reported elsewhere). Reception in usb mode using Collins filter, due to QRM from Arab stn on 9735.00, seemingly Oman? 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST) No, it was 9736.2 previously, agreed measurement from Argentina and Japan, so never mind my remark on Radio-Enlace this month (gh, DXLD) ** PITCAIRN. Thought you might like to see this piece on Pitcairn Island opening up to tourism­. Why not DXpeditions? Pitcairn islands embrace tourism WELLINGTON Saturday 3 November 2001 http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/2001/11/03/FFXGU9VTITC.html 73- (Bill Westenhaver, QC, DXLD) ** PORTUGAL. RDP Portugal current B-01 schedule Port Mon-Fri EUR 0600-0900 9755 LPV 30 degr / 11 dB (x9580) 0600-1300 9815 RHOS 52 / 20 (x11960) 0745-0900 11660# HRS 55 / 18 0900-1300 11875 LPV 30 / 11 (x15140) 1700-2000+ 11800 LPV 30 / 11 1700-2000+ 11860 RHOS 52 / 20 1700-2000+ 13585 RHOS 66 / 20 ME 1400-1600 15490 RHOS 81.5 / 19 AF 1100-1300 21830 HR 142 / 18 1700-2000+ 17680% HR 144 / 22 USA/CAN 0600-0800 11675 RHOS 310 / 19 1300-2400* 15540 RHOS 294 / 20 VEN 1800-1955* 17745 RHOS 261 / 19 (additional) 2000-2400* 13770 RHOS 261 / 20 Brazil/Capo Verde/Guinea 1100-1300 21655 RHOS 215 / 20 1100-1300 21725 RHOS 215 / 20 1700-2000 21655 RHOS 215 / 20 1700-2000+ 21800 RHOS 215 / 20 Tue-Sat USA/CAN 0000-0300 9715 RHOS 294 / 19 0000-0300 11655 RHOS 310 / 20 VEN 0000-0300 13700 RHOS 261 / 20 Brazil 0000-0300 11980 RHOS 215 / 18 0000-0300 13770 RHOS 215 / 20 Sat & Sun EUR 0800-1455 11875 RHOS 52 / 20 0800-1455 15575 LVP 30 / 11 0930-1100 11995# HRS 55 / 18 1500-2100+ 13660 RHOS 52 / 20 1500-2100 13790 LPV 30 / 11 2000-2400* 11800 LPV 30 / 11 AF 0800-1755 21830 HR 142 / 18 1800-2100+ 17680% HR 144 / 22 USA/CAN 1300-2100+ 15540 RHOS 294 / 20 VEN 1300-2100 17745 RHOS 261 / 19 2000-2400* 13770 RHOS 261 / 20 Brazil/Capo Verde/Guinea 0800-2100 21655 RHOS 215 / 20 1300-2100+ 21800 RHOS 215 / 20 All 100 kW from Centro Emissor de Onda Curta Sao Gabriel, except marked % = 300 kW. # marked which is via Pro-Funk [Deutsche Welle] Sines relay 250 kW. + Possibility to transmit and may be extended up to 2400 UTC. * Special transmissions, reserved for extended schedule ONLY. (C. R. de Assunção Gonçalves, Portugal, Oct 30, via Wolfgang Büschel, DXLD) ** ROMANIA. Dear friends; anyone out there participating in Radio Romania's Listeners Day on November 4th? I've been asked to participate, they'll phone me and ask me questions about the future of our planet :-) ! That's about 1430 UT. so as our fellow DXer Karl from Germany [sic] (he of the solar reports) says, "you've read the letters - now hear the voice" 73's, (Sue Hickey, GRDXC via DXLD) Great sounding transmission from RRI, Bucharest, English at 0400 on 11830; also to WNAm at 0600 on 9530, 11830 (Bob Thomas, CT, Oct 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ROMÊNIA – A mudança de freqüências da Rádio Romênia Internacional, em sua programação para o Brasil, entre 0100 e 0156 UTC, não foi boa. Em 11875 kHz, há a presença da Rádio Havana Cuba, em espanhol, no mesmo horário. Já em 15250, aparece programação, em inglês, da Voz da América. A única freqüência com melhor sintonia é a de 11720 kHz. Boa mesmo continua sendo a emissão das 2200 às 2256 UTC, em 15365 kHz, que originalmente tem Portugal como destino (Célio Romais, Panorama Atual das Ondas Curtas, Nov 2 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. US company to upgrade Romanian radio broadcast infrastructure | Text of report in English by Romanian news agency Rompres web site Bucharest, 3 November: The National Radio communications Company, SNR, signed with US Harris Corporation, an agreement for the former's modernization, amounting to 85m dollars, for a period of three up to five years. The contract has been recently signed by Romanian Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dan Nica, on the occasion of an official visit in the United States by a Romanian delegation led by Prime Minister Adrian Nastase. Harris Corporation is the main supplier of equipment for the extension and upgrading of the national radio broadcasting infrastructure. Harris Corporation will supply equipment, consulting and training programmes for the Romanian party, as well as a modern system for the management of the networks, that will be used efficiently, at lower costs. The contract will make it possible for the public radio stations to enjoy good reception, at world standards, Dan Nica said. The Romanian communities in areas close to Romania's boundaries can listen to Romanian public radio stations. Data transmission can be developed, by upgrading the SNR access networks. Source: Rompres web site, Bucharest, in English 0858 gmt 3 Nov 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) Hope this includes new SW transmitters (gh, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Hi Glenn, Have you noticed the "new "V.O.R. Interval signal? It sounds like the old one played at half speed. Wait a minute... it IS the old one played at half speed. What`s up with that?? Heard on 12020 @ 2:58 UT, Nov. 3 (Dave Hughes, K.C. MO, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Yes, I checked 12020 an hour later at 0358, but overriden by WSHB IS (gh, OK, DXLD) ** RUSSIA: Re DXLD 1-164 Voice of Russia freq schedule. The following was somehow overlooked: English to Latin America: 1500-1900 15735 Asterisks finally explained: * - from 28.10.2001 till 02.03.2002 ** - from 03.03.2002 till 30.03.2002 *** - Mon-Fri **** - Mon - Sat. (VOR web site via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) 15735 no good here (gh) VOR in English: add 7240 and 7250 to your 0300 UT list (Bob Thomas, CT, Oct 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) VOR English program schedule in consecutive day/time format: http://www.topica.com/lists/swprograms/read/message.html?mid=1605253978&sort=d&start=11291 (via Richard Cuff, swprograms, via DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Kaliningrad 1386 kHz is apparently not on the air during the Eur. Evenings in the B-01 period. Yesterday I checked the frequency around 2050 UT. The channel was empty and gave way to IRIB // 6200 somewhat later. Today, there is once again no trace of Kaliningrad. Just heard the Kenyan National Anthem, and a bit later English talk from a unID RSL (Guido Schotmans - Antwerp, BELGIUM, Oct 31, Benelux DX Club via DXLD) RADIO STATIONS GO OFF THE AIR IN KALININGRAD. Four radio- transmitting stations in Kaliningrad Oblast have lost their power because the local electricity supplier has cut off their electricity due to unpaid debts, Interfax-BNS reported on 31 October. Local television stations remain on the air. Kaliningrad is the most recent region to lose either its radio or television broadcasts; other regions affected have been Kamchatka, Pskov Oblast, and Primorskii Krai. ("RFE/RL Newsline," 1 November via RFE/RL Media Matters Nov 2 via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Yesterday I listened around and found out that the Voice of Russia transmitter in Bolshakovo on 1386 kHz is back on air with winterschedule. This means that it switches off at 2200 UT (was 2100). Therefore reception of KBC Marallal signing off at 2107 is impossible now (Dick van der Knaap, Netherlands? Nov 1, Benelux DX Club via DXLD) ** SAINT KITTS. Regarding R. Paradise, St. Kitts now on 820, Steve Francis said "Wow, that's the fourth frequency for Radio Paradise, after 1265, 825, and 830. Also the third time a Caribbean station has quit 830 for another nearby frequency. In the 70's, CMCA in Havana moved to 820, and 4VEF in Cap-Haïtien, Haïti, left for 840." And Fred Vobbe said "You wonder, Steve, why is 830 so unattractive? Perhaps WCCO is just skipping in at the right angle?" WCCO is a total non- player here in MA, let alone in the Caribbean. Usual 830 here is WCRN-MA over CFJR-ON. More likely the main interference in the Caribbean area is R. Sensación, YVLT, in Caracas, Venezuela. Its 25 kW signal has pretty good clout on Cape Cod during auroral conditions, sometimes over WCRN. There are also Colombian and Dominican Republic stations on 830, as well as a R. Reloj Cuban [Mark Connelly, MA] (all: via NRC IDXD Nov 2 via DXLD) ** U K [non]. I find BBC to SAm/Carib on 9525 JBA --- hampered by 9520 R. Swoboda/Liberty (Bob Thomas, CT, Oct 29, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 9525 is from WYFR 285 degrees toward Mexico, not SAm/Carib, and quite good here 0100-0400, but understandably not way up in New England, just barely audible (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. [BDXC-UK] BBC World bans poppy wearing DX Information from the British DX Club (BDXC-UK). Following on from our recent thread about BBC World, the Beeb's global television service, tonight's Evening Standard front page carries a story about presenters and contributors being barred from wearing Remembrance Poppies on air. The logic goes that the Poppy is a symbol which will mean nothing to much of the "global" audience for BBC World which goes way beyond the Commonwealth where the Royal British Legion's traditional emblem will be high profile between now and Remembrance Sunday/Armistice Day on November 11th. This is despite the fact that the RBL says the emblem is recognised internationally as a symbol of remembrance and not just among Christians- Muslims too acknowledge it in this way. Respected war correspondent Robert Fox was livid when asked to remove his poppy on arrival at BBC World's new studios in Wood Lane, West London (close by "The Concrete Donut" otherwise known as Television Centre) by an insistent producer. My personal view is that this ban is outrageous for two reasons. Firstly, is not BBC World supposed to represent Britain to the world in the same way as its radio cousin? Remembrance has been an important part of our national culture and calendar since the early 1920s- before the BBC was even incorporated. Representatives of royalty have acknowedged the war dead of all nations with the poppy in countless foreign nations where BBC World is now seen and respected. Secondly, I can't help feeling this is a knee-jerk reaction in view of recent events, i.e less the reason for the poppies is misunderstood, which is also crazy. Heads ought to roll! The irony of all this is that among domestic TV outlets at this time, poppy wearing is effectively compulsory for all on-screen appearances (contributors and presenters) during Remembrance, whether or not these folk would choose to wear one outside. It is the only charity emblem that BBC staff are encouraged and allowed to wear, with the possible exception of the ubiquitous Pudsey in a couple of weeks time. (MARK Savage, BDXC-UK via DXLD) The above information may only be reproduced if full credit is given to the original source, contributor AND to the British DX Club (BDXC- UK). Can anyone hear the lack of poppies on the radio of the BBCWS? Or can they wear them covertly while in mufti? (Dan Say, BC, swprograms via DXLD) Perhaps should have considered the (by)product of poppies at the outset before adopting them symbolically (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Although I didn't check that outlet today, 17640 is seemingly a typo, should read 17630. 73 wb (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DXLD) Referring to the VOA Comms World schedule for the 1333 Sat airing: To Middle East/North Africa/Europe 1333 1197 15170 15260 17640?? (17630?) Hot Bird* Astra** <<<< IBB schedule shows: 17630 1200-1400 VOA H ENGL KAV 10 095 2810-300302 VOA ENGL 17630 AM KAV (via Büschel, DXLD) ** U S A. Click here to read this story online: http://www.csmonitor.com/2001/1101/p1s3-usmi.html Headline: In PR war, US gets ready to turn up volume Byline: Howard LaFranchi Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor Date: 11/01/2001 WASHINGTON America's movie stars may be universally known, and toes may tap the world over to American music. But when it comes to the US government getting out its message - especially to the Arab and Muslim populations - the star-spangled know-how looks more like can't-do. The Voice of America's Arabic service reaches a paltry 2 percent of the Arab population. Even Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld admits the US is not doing a very good job of telling the world about the war. And surveys indicate that little US-government broadcasting - call it objective news or plain-old propaganda - reaches the crucial under-30 audience among the world's 1 billion Muslims. But look out, world: Uncle Sam has decided he wants you as a listener. The idea is to take what Americans supposedly do well - communications and the media - and get back in the PR war that the US seems to have lost so far in the terror war. The US military is believed to be broadcasting propaganda messages (and Taliban-banned music) from EC-130 planes over Afghanistan. But shortly, Congress is expected to approve creation of Radio Free Afghanistan, and then approve up to $30 million to create the Middle East Radio Network. The Pentagon, too, has awarded a four-month, $400,000 contract to a PR firm to present the US side of the war to 79 countries. "There's the war of bombs and guns, and then there's the ... war for the hearts and minds in that part of the world," says Norman Pattiz, a board member of the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB), the State Department entity that manages Voice of America. "Of course our enemy is winning it, because we're not even there." The US can do better just by getting into the game, most officials and media experts agree. But it's not going to be a quick fix. The Pentagon's wartime PR firm, the Rendon Group of Boston and Washington, can work quickly with focus groups and local media to get out the US word. But it will confront often antagonistic media and suspicious audiences. The task to get new radio broadcasting up and running is even trickier. The lead time to lease transmitters or build new ones is such that, a year from now, US officials hope at best to reach 5 percent of the population in Arab countries. "We're playing catch-up," says Tom Korologos, a longtime radio journalist and another IBB board member. "Al Jazeera [the dominant Arab news network] has an audience of 300 million, but when we go over there, people ask us, 'Where are you guys? Where has the USA been?' " What happened is this: At the end of the cold war, the US decided it could dismantle much of its PR machinery. "Everybody said we're out of business if the Berlin Wall falls, and it did, and we thought these [services] were relics of the cold war," says Mr. Korologos. "But now, it's needed more than ever." In the post-cold-war years, national leaders took their cue from an American public showing less and less interest in the world, despite intensifying globalization. "I've been trying to convince the former administration, and now this one, to go with Radio Free Afghanistan, but until Sept. 11, it was all uphill," says US Rep. Edward Royce (R) of California, who first called for the service's creation in 1996. "If the people of Afghanistan had been given access to the truth, I don't think the Taliban could have taken the country." In the new climate, $14 million in funding for Radio Free Afghanistan over the next two years is expected to sail through Congress. Royce aides say the service is "ready to roll" as soon as funding for new transmitters and other items comes through. Many who broadcast from Radio Free Europe to Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion are still at the service, and can quickly pick up broadcasts. Start-up won't be quite so fast at the Middle East Radio Network. Plans for the proposed $30 million network call for building or leasing a series of transmitters at strategic sites around the region, with capabilities of reaching listeners on AM, FM, and satellite waves - and in more than a dozen languages. Some of the transmitters have been negotiated for countries where the governments don't want the deals publicized, officials say. Such difficulties demonstrate the sensitivity over bringing US-style reporting to a region of mostly government-controlled media. But US broadcasters say they see a hunger for the services the new network would provide - especially among young people. "We want to diversify to reach all [the youths], from the kids throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers in the West Bank to college students and tomorrow's leaders," says Mr. Pattiz. Not only do people under 25 make up about 60 percent of the population in the Arab region, but US broadcasters know that it is young Arab men who embraced virulent anti-Americanism and became terrorists. (c) Copyright 2001 The Christian Science Monitor. All rights reserved. Click here to email this story to a friend: http://www.csmonitor.com/cgi-bin/send-story?2001/11/01/text/p1s3.txt (via Bill Westenhaver, Artie Bigley, Jim Moats, DXLD) ** U S A. The Jim Lehrer News Hour for Nov. 1st had a segment on the VOA with the title "Winning Hearts and Minds" Terence Smith discusses the war of words against al-Qaida and the Taliban with Geoffrey Cowan, Dean of the Annenberg School of Communication at the University of Southern California; Edmund Ghareeb, adjunct professor of international service at American University; Allen Weinstein, president of The Center for Democracy; and John Reinhardt, who served as the Director of the United States Information Agency under President Carter. realaudio and video available; Transcript: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/media/july-dec01/heartsminds_11-1.html (via Tom McNiff, VA, DXLD) ** U S A. Different Kind of Oldies Show Program News for the week of 11/3/2001: This week's show: We mentioned that a website about the legendary Time Capsule Show has been set up and that it features a history of the show by co host/founder Joe Marchesaini. Well, tonight I'm heading into the archives for a retrospective I did on the TCS back in 1983 for the successor show, the Group Harmony Review. There are highlights from their Pirate Radio days and from some of their early shows. Tune us in on WBCQ, 7415kHz shortwave at 8PM eastern, 0100- UTC, (Sunday), or listen to it in MP3 Streaming Audio from live365.com by opening up url http://www.live365.com/stations/15660 in your browser. Since this show is entirely in mono, what is normally our Stereo port, http://www.live365.com/stations/63570 will instead feature a collection of some old Time Capsule Shows from 1968 through 1974. Remember, there are 12 more shows available for listening or downloading in Real Audio on Nikki & Jim's Time Capsule Show webpage. To link to it: http://66.96.213.131/timecapsule.htm Next week's show: Another I have no idea what to do show, but it will be fresh. No archived productions to dust off for next week. We've started a new almost all Doo-Wop netcast on Sundays at 3PM Eastern, (2000 UTC). By way of Real Audio you can hear our "Vault Of Vintage Vinyl" show on Doo Wop Café Radio. These shows are live and, as of right now, we don't plan to rebroadcast them anyplace else or even record them for posterity, so you gotta tune in to listen. Link to http://www.doowopcaferadio.com and your real audio player will start automatically. Check the Doo Wop Café website out for more information and other shows from Doo Wop Café Radio. It's http://www.doowop.net/index.php The club also has a presence on Yahoo! It is used for our members chat room which is how you become interactive with the D.J.; http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/doowopcafe In addition to the new Sunday broadcast on Doo Wop Cafe Radio, we are also airing airchecks of various old doo-wop radio shows that were on NY radio in the 1970s. We found a bunch when we were looking for some Time Capsule Shows. We will run them on alternate Sunday mornings, (the weeks that Dave Kirby, N1DK, is not doing Cybershortwave Live on live365.com). This week we've got a 3 1/2 hour show called "The Collectors Special", a one time program hosted by Rich Adcock and "Jivin' Joe" Pecoraro from March of 1973. Join us at 9 AM Eastern, 1400 UT, this Sunday at http://www.doowopcaferadio.com Start times will vary for future shows; it depends how long the tape is. Future Shows: Send in your suggestions. Please e-mail me at bigsteve387@msn.com or write me at P.O. Box 396, New York, NY 10002 with your suggestions as to what you want to hear on A Different Kind Of Oldies Show ("Big Steve" Coletti, Nov 3, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. A Song About Courage: "Fly..." Les Sampou sings on Courage: "Fly..." as recorded at Sound & Spirit's studios (It concluded the Program on Courage aired Oct. 28- Nov. 3) Here 'teacher' and 'student' movingly change roles. "While looking for the perfect song to clinch and cap off the program, host Ellen Kushner happened to hear a live performance of "Fly" by [Boston singer/songwriter] Les Sampou on the radio. Calling immediately, Ellen found out that the song hadn't been recorded yet* --And so she arranged for Les to come into the Sound & Spirit studios at WGBH Radio, Boston to record the song for us." Below are the lyrics Also: RealAudio so you can listen to it as you read .[Doesn't work on upgraded Web TV]: Listen: http://www.wgbh.org/wgbh/radio/realaudio/ss316.ram ++++++++++++++++++ "Fly" by Les Sampou It comes as some surprise; we thought you were so brave "No mountain was too high to climb"-- the epitaph for your grave But now this fear of flying, and references to age Keep you down upon the ground; an eagle in a cage You talk to me about courage Wasn't it you who said "Once you stop trying, you're better off dead" It's time to FLY.............. There are things that must be said; you can't shortchange the truth Uttering quaint civilities while they piss upon your boots You do it for the kids, you do it for the wife You do it until you can't deny you've done in your whole life You talk to me about courage Wasn't it you who said "Once you start lying, you're better off dead" It's time to FLY....... There once was an old man who lived upon the edge "come here to me my little one," "No, I'm afraid...," the Child said He coaxed her with a smile, saying "No harm will come to you" Then he pushed her off into the wind; she spread her arms and flew You talk to me about courage Wasn't it you who said "Once you start flying, you'll never fear death" It's time to FLY............ * "Fly" by Les Sampou (c1998) appears on her recording on Rounder Records http://www.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/pri/spirit/season6/602song.html Sound & Spirit celebrates courage - how we seek it, and what happens when we find it (or don't.) Join Ellen Kushner for songs and stories about staying strong through life's darkest moments, fighting impossible battles, and rebounding from fear. There's music from Zulu warriors, songs from the concentration camps and civil rights marches, and even the lament of a cowardly lion. --------------------------- Where to Listen? Guide to listening to S&S on the web (National listings): http://www.publicradiofan.com/cgi-bin/program.pl?programid=47 In New York City: WNYC-FM Sundays, 7AM [If you miss it, WFUV-FM 90.7 FM) airs the programs six days late: Saturdays, 6AM) ------------------ Upcoming Programs http://www.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/pri/spirit/upcoming.html [Program 643: Week of October 28, 2001 Courage] Program 644: Week of November 4, 2001 To End All War Program 645: Week of November 11, 2001 The Sufi Spirit Program 646: Week of November 18, 2001 Harvest Home Program 647: Week of November 25, 2001 Healing Program 648: Week of December 2, 2001 Welcoming Children Program 649: Week of December 9, 2001 Sabbath Program 650: Week of December 16, 2001 Blessed Virgin Mary Program 651: Week of December 23, 2001 Stuff Program 652: Week of December 30, 2001 Cycles Program 701: Week of January 6, 2002 Friendship (via Chet Copeland, NY, DXLD) ** U S A. WBUR Boston helps set up Rhode Island`s own public radio station, then cuts out local programming... A question of promise Financial backing for WNRI was based on the pledge of a strong local presence. But after the suspension of One Union Station, some supporters have doubts about the depth of WBUR's commitment BY IAN DONNIS http://www.providencephoenix.com/archive/features/01/11/01/WNRI.html (via Artie Bigley, DXLD) ** U S A. Diary of a diary: I was an Arbitron household - Sunday, 10/28/01 By CRAIG HAVIGHURST Staff Writer, Tennesean Arbitron first reached out to me by post card. ''Be part of the ratings!'' it said in cheerful type. A few days later, as the card promised, they called. An extremely polite woman asked if I'd be willing to participate in a weeklong radio ratings survey. I let her get four or five paragraphs into a prepared, crystal-clear explication of the Arbitron system before I let on that I knew what it was and basically how it worked. She seemed delighted to know that and to hear that a 35-year-old, unmarried man was willing to be an Arbitron household. I later learned that 30-ish men are the demographic that least frequently returns diaries.... http://www.tennessean.com/business/archives/01/11/10013394.shtml?Element_ID=10013394 (via Tom Roche, Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Surfin': See Really Big Transmitters By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, Contributing Editor, November 3, 2001 This week, you can see how the other half transmits as we surf to a site where broadcast radio station tours are available 24-hours-a- day. When I was a kid, my favorite radio station was WABC, 770 on the AM radio dial. I was a big fan of WABC and knew all the station jingles and their DJ's on-the-air schedules by heart. Even though WABC was 90 miles away in New York City, their signal pounded into downtown Waterbury as if it was local. And after dark, it was even stronger than the locals. Yes, it was a clear channel powerhouse, but its voice was still impressive and being a little technically oriented, I always wondered how they managed it. Now, I know! I just took a tour of the WABC transmitter site circa 1966 at Jim Hawkins' Radio And Broadcast Technology Page http://www.jphawkins.com/radio.shtml Jim, who is also known as WA2WHV, offers transmitter site tours of WABC and other famous radio stations at his Web site. In addition to covering a bunch of stations in the New York metropolitan area, Jim also checks out transmitter sites in Atlantic City, Nashville, and various locations in the Buckeye State. For shortwave aficionados, there are also tours of three Voice of America transmitter facilities and Radio Canada International. And there's more. At the deep end of the spectra, you can view the VLF transmitter facilities of NSS. Virtual (VRML) tours of a 50-kW transmitter site and a circularly polarized, high-gain FM panel antenna are also on Jim's site. Jim's page has loads of pictures of transmitters and antenna farms and plenty of links to send you off into WWW-land to find more nuggets of information about your favorite radio transmitter. Until next time, keep on surfin'. Editor's note: Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, of downtown Wolcott, Connecticut, is an ARRL Life Member and an incessant contributor to QST and QEX (561 pieces in 23 years), not to mention the author of five ARRL books and contributor to a bevy of other ARRL titles. First licensed in 1969 as WN1LOU, he upgraded to WA1LOU in 1971. Stan began using computers with Amateur Radio in 1978 when he bought a Radio Shack TRS-80 Model I computer and wrote BASIC programs to dupe contests and calculate antenna bearings. A virtual beach boy, Stan has been surfing the radio dials as long as he can remember; however, instead of surfing all over Manhattan and down Doheny Way, he now surfs the Internet searching for that perfect page. To contact Stan, send email to wa1lou@arrl.net (© ARRL via John Norfolk, OKCOK) ** U S A. A while back we mentioned the USPS `EID` stamp, a rare case of the American government promoting a non-Christian religion, in violation of church and state --– but this is a time for ecumenism, isn`t it? NPR Weekend Edition Saturday Nov 3 interviewed the calligrapher; you may read the transcript, see the stamp, and find a link to the audio at: http://www.npr.org/programs/wesat/features/2001/stamp/011103.stamp.html But how`s your Arabic? Can you find the mistake in the illustration? (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Wash Leaves Top Post at Embattled Pacifica, By Lisa Allen- Agostini Bessie Wash, Pacifica Radio's former executive director, said yesterday that she quit her job last week after being asked to step down by the station's new chairman, Robert Farrell.... To view the entire article, go to http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A27501-2001Nov1.html Wash Leaves Top Post at Embattled Pacifica By Lisa Allen-Agostini Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, November 2, 2001; Page C03 Bessie Wash, Pacifica Radio's former executive director, said yesterday that she quit her job last week after being asked to step down by the network's new chairman, Robert Farrell. Farrell, based in Los Angeles, did not return calls yesterday seeking comment. Wash said she was not fired because she'd already submitted her resignation from the independent, left-leaning network in late September, effective at year's end. "I'm tired," said Wash, who was executive director of the five- station public radio network for nearly two years, about the length of time it has been embroiled in a bitter internal fight over its direction. Some have accused Pacifica's leadership of trying to commercialize the network and move it away from its hallmark alternative news format. It's been an ugly dispute, complete with management lockouts of workers, on-air protests by employees and allegations of threats of violence. "I had done everything I had set out to do," said Wash, a former general manager of WPFW, Washington's Pacifica station. "I had a five-year plan; everything was done, and it was just time." There was no animosity between Wash and the network's board, she said. Wash presided over the network during some of its most turbulent times, including last December when she fired the general manager, program director and union steward of WBAI, Pacifica's New York station, in a move that became known as the "Christmas Coup." Joanne Meredith, Pacifica's national development director, says she'll serve as interim executive director. She began her new duties Tuesday but declined to comment further. (© 2001 The Washington Post Company via Bill Westenhaver, Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Subject: journalism's failure, Noonan In a luminescent [?] essay on America's luck and the systems failure leading to Sept. 11, Peggy Noonan has this to say about journalism: One of our greatest institutions, American journalism, failed. When the editors and publishers of our great magazines and networks want you to worry about something--child safety seats, the impact of air bags, drunken driving, insecticides on apples--they know how to make you worry. They know exactly how to capture your attention. Mathew Shepard and hate crimes, Rodney King and racism: The networks and great newspapers know how to hit Drive and go from zero to the American Consciousness in 60 seconds. And the networks can do it on free airwaves, a gift from our government. Did the networks and great newspapers make us worry about what we know we should have worried about? No. Did they bang the drums? No. Did they hit this story like they know how to hit a story? No. In January 2001 the Homeland Security report, which declared flatly that international terrorism would inevitably draw blood on American soil, was unveiled. They called a news conference in a huge Senate office building. Congressmen came, and a senator, Pat Roberts of Kansas. Only a half dozen reporters showed up, and one, from the greatest newspaper in the nation, walked out halfway through. It was boring. Every magazine and newspaper had, over the past 10 years, a front- page story and a cover on the madmen in the world and the weapons they could seize and get and fashion. But they never beat the drum, never insisted that this become a cause. Why? In part I think for the same reason our political figures didn't do anything. It would have been bad for ratings. The people don't want serious things at 10 o'clock on a Tuesday night, they want Sela Ward falling in love. I will never, ever forget the important Democrat who told me over lunch why Bill Clinton (president of the United States, January 1993 through January 2001) had never moved and would never move in a serious way to deal with the potential of nuclear and biological terrorism. Because it doesn't show up in the polls, he said. Because it doesn't show up in the focus groups. http://opinionjournal.com/columnists/pnoonan/?id=95001382 (via Deborah Jones, caj-list via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** U S A. For anyone interested, here's a reminder of upcoming DX tests; if anyone has any additions or corrections, please contact me. (BE SURE TO NOTE THE TIME OF THE TEST; THEY ARE IN THE LOCAL TIME OF THE STATION) Sunday, November 4, 2001 - WODI-1230, Brookneal, VA 1:00 - ?? EST. (NRC/DXAS) E-mail: wodi@lynchburg.net (Lynn Hollerman, IRCA Nov 1 via DXLD) Sunday starting at 0600 UT ** U S A. Subject : Fw: United Patriot Radio Bingo 6.925 MHz Just snagged United Patriot Radio Bingo at about 0613-0628 UT Tuesday on 6.925 MHz broadcasting the further adventures of "Steve Anderson on the Run." Broadcast served up a great parody rendition of "Man on the Run" with references to Anderson, Glenn Hauser and others, plus a spot-on impersonation of the colonel himself. Other bits included a diatribe about being "brainwashed by the Jew tube" and a woman declaring "Praise Yahweh!" in a Donna Summer orgasmatron-style moan ("Give me more of your gun!"), etc., etc. She then made a reference to freeze- dried food that I didn't catch. Also, an instrumental version of "Ghost Riders in the Sky," samples of Beatles' "Number 9, Number 9, Number 9" and a statement by Captain Ron. Amusing snippets that interrupted the show included: -- "I love JAIIIIIIIIIIIIISUSSSSSSSS!!!" -- "I just want cocks!" (Or "cops," couldn't tell.) -- "I don't know what I'm doing" and -- "Man, am I ripped as hell!" Closed out with "Secret Agent Man." Signal was reasonably strong on my SW77, sounding best in upper sync. Occasional QRM from the electric L trains up the block; I was unable to maintain sync for last few minutes of broadcast. (Leigh Hanlon, Chicago, USA, God Bless America. God Save the Queen. VIVA NEW YORK CITY! (Oct 30, rec.radio.shortwave via Mike Terry, DXLD) George Zeller got one [QSL] from United Patriot Militia Bingo 6955 with a full data and picture collage shot with slogan of "Advocating patriotism through the playing of Bingo" in 81 days for report to Merlin. No verifying signature. ------------------------------------------------------------- Mail Drops: Merlin: Box 293, Merlin, Ontario NOP 1W0, CANADA (Free Radio Weekly Nov 3 via DXLD) ** U S A. Freedom on the Airwaves: Does Rebel Radio Have a Future in America? BOOK FORUM Thursday, November 1, 2001 4:00 p.m. Featuring Jesse Walker, author of Rebels on the Air: An Alternative History of Radio in America (New York University Press, 2001); with comments by Tom Hazlett, American Enterprise Institute. The Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001 Watch the Event in Real Video Listen in Real Audio (Audio Only) [go directly to website for above links:] http://www.cato.org/events/011101bf2.html Most histories of radio broadcasting in America --- as typically told by government regulators and large broadcast interests --- stress the importance of federal management of the broadcast spectrum, the licensing of large broadcast stations to serve the national market, and the regulation of program content to conform with "the public interest." But in his new book ``Rebels on the Air: An Alternative History of Radio in America``, Jesse Walker, an associate editor of Reason magazine, offers a refreshingly different perspective on the history of radio told largely through the eyes of the small entrepreneurs whose eccentric style and range of programming has offered the public meaningful listening options. ``Rebels on the Air`` also explains how FCC regulators and large broadcasting giants have worked tirelessly to craft rules that favor licensed broadcasting giants and penalize unlicensed amateurs and local community microbroadcasters. Tom Hazlett, one of America's leading experts on the history of broadcasting, will provide additional analysis of government involvement in the development of the broadcast marketplace. (via Harry Helms, ACE Pirates Nov 1 via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. Altas Ondas, new Portuguese DX Program on Voz Cristã, Miami via Chile, officially starts Nov 9, Fridays 1600-1630v UT on 21500: Amigos da lista, recebi ontem um email do Pastor Edson Bruno, um dos coordenadores da equipe brasileira da Radio Voz Cristã, informando que o programa ALTAS ONDAS, voltado para a radioescuta e para o dexismo, iniciará as suas transmissões oficiais a partir da próxima sexta-feira, 9 de novembro, às 14h00, horário de Brasilia, através da frequencia de 21500 KHz. O programa terá 30 minutos de duração, com flexibilidade para um tempo mais ampliado, conforme a pauta a ser apresentada. O ALTAS ONDAS é um programa produzido pelo próprio departamento portugues da Rádio Voz Cristã, e conta com a colaboração de alguns dexistas brasileiros na equipe de suporte. Não será uym programa gravado, e os assuntos a serem abordados estarão na medida do possível contextualizados com a época de transmissão dos programas. A Rádio Voz Cristã recebe os informes de recepção por enquanto através do email edsonbruno@h... [truncated by yahoogroups] Portanto, na próxima sexta-feira, às 14h00 (horário de Brasilia) inciia-se mais uma etapa no dexismo brasileiro, através da transmissão do programa ALTAS ONDAS nos 21500 KHz. Vale lembrar que as transmissões desta emissora visam os paises de fala portuguesa de todo o mundo, portanto, as informações de dexistas brasileiros (escutas, eventos, endereços, fatos, etc...) serão de conhecimento além de nosso território. A seguir a resenha do programa a ser apresentado todas as semanas, informada pela propria Radio Voz Cristiana: ********************************************************************* DC - Distante Conhecido : nesta página vamos apresentar os DXistas que nos escrevem. Aqui o Desconhecido tem oportunidade de se tornar Conhecido. Clubes em Ação! : página que apresentará as atividades de Clubes DXistas. Aqui os encontros, reuniões especiais e outras atividades de Clubes, poderão ser divulgadas. O Correspondente DXista: Apresentaremos aqui notícias do mundo das Ondas Curtas. Novas emissoras captadas por DXistas e reapresrentação de notícias e reportagens que fizeram história em transmissões de Ondas Curtas. Sintonia Fina: Página reservada para detalhes técnicos dos mais diverssos. Apresentação de melhores receptores. Sistema de recepção digital e analógica. Modulos de recepção. Antenas especiais. Melhores horários de recepção no Brasil e os segredos dos grandes transmissores. ********************************************************************* 73s, (Rudolf Grimm, São Bernardo, SP, DX Clube do Brasil Member, Nov 3, radioescutas via DXLD) ** U S A [non]. R. Africa International: see AUSTRIA ** U S A [and non]. SHARING SPECTRUM WITH OTHER SERVICES A HAM RADIO REALITY --- Amateur Radio operators can get mighty territorial when they perceive that some other radio service is intruding upon "their" turf. What many hams often don't understand, however, is that Amateur Radio is a secondary service in the US on several popular bands or subbands. As such, it's subject to interference from primary radio service occupants and, by law, must avoid interfering with them. And, of course, ham bands are not all the same everywhere in the world. Hams share most of their spectrum--especially the UHF and microwave allocations--with other users, typically the US Government and Fixed and Mobile services. The popular 70-cm band, 420-450 MHz, is a good case in point, says ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Brennan Price, N4QX. "Amateur use of the 70-cm band is secondary to government radiolocation services in the US, so hams must tolerate interference from the primary service and may not QRM it," Price explained. No operation in the 420-430 MHz band is permitted in some parts of the US (in the vicinity of the Great Lakes), while 50-W output power limits apply to operations centered near certain US military installations. Price notes, however, that military use of the band is not confined to these areas, and the band is utilized aboard aircraft. "We occasionally receive inquiries from amateurs who complain of 70-cm disruptions when military planes fly overhead," said Price, who also serves as the ARRL Monitoring System coordinator. "We have every reason to believe that the current spate of widely heard disruptions is due to high-altitude airborne operations by the band's legal, primary occupant--the US Government." The 420-430 MHz segment is allocated on a primary basis worldwide to the Fixed and Mobile (except Aeronautical Mobile) services. Two meters --- 144 to 148 MHz --- is an exclusive allocation in ITU Region 2, which includes North and South America. US hams who have taken along an H-T while vacationing in Europe or elsewhere in Region 1, however, know that the 2-meter band in that part of the world is 144-146 MHz. In Region 3, hams have exclusive access to 144-146 MHz and share 146-148 MHz on a co-primary basis with Fixed and Mobile Service stations. Six meters --- 50 to 54 MHz ---is an exclusive ham allocation in Regions 2 and 3, but the band is allocated exclusively for broadcasting in Region 1 --- although certain countries do allow limited 6-meter operation. The sharing news is much better on the higher HF bands. The 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10-meter bands are allocated to the Amateur Service on an exclusive basis worldwide --- with a few minor exceptions for the high end of 20. On other HF bands, some sharing occurs. On 30 meters --- 10.1 to 10.15 MHz --- hams are secondary to non-US Fixed Service stations throughout. Amateurs must avoid harmful interference to these stations. The 40-meter band is currently the focus of an effort supported by the International Amateur Radio Union and ARRL to obtain a 300-kHz worldwide exclusive allocation. Most of the world does not have access to the 300 kHz-wide swath from 7.0 to 7.3 MHz that US hams enjoy. In the rest of the world, the upper two-thirds of 40 is dominated by broadcasters. This issue is on the agenda for the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/WRC-03/ One suggested remedy would shift the allocation downward to create a 300-kHz worldwide band at 6.9 to 7.2 MHz. The 80/75-meter band --- 3.5 to 4.0 MHz --- is exclusive to the Amateur Service in the US. Elsewhere in Region 2 hams have exclusive status from 3.500 to 3.750 MHz and share the rest of the band with foreign Fixed and Mobile services on a co-primary basis. Amateurs in Regions 1 and 3 share parts of the band with Fixed and Mobile. There is no amateur operation allowed above 3.8 MHz in Region 1, which includes Europe. The 1.8 to 1.9 MHz segment of 160 meters is exclusive to US amateurs. Hams in the US are secondary on 1.9 to 2.0 MHz to the primary Radiolocation Service (government and non-government). A table of US Amateur Radio allocations is available on the ARRL Web site http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/USbands.pdf The "Considerate Operator's Frequency Guide" details band plans for Amateur Radio http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/conop.html (ARRL Letter Nov 2 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** UZBEKISTAN. Tashkent in English at 2030 and 2130 on new winter frequency 7105, and \\ 5025 + 11905 (x9540, x9545). 73 de wolfgang df5sx (Büschel, Germany, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VIETNAM [non]. Fine 55555 signal of Vietnamese SEAs type music on new B-01 winter frequency 5970 kHz via Moscow, Russia relay, scheduled VOV Vietnamese service 2030-2130 UT, (ex-7390 in S-01 season). VOV Hanoi's Website shows still the S-01 schedule !!!! 73 de wolfgang df5sx (Büschel, Germany, Nov 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** YEMEN. Yemen Radio (Radio Sana'a) has web site at: http://www.yradio.gov.ye/ eMail-address: yradio@y.net.ye 73 de (Pentti Lintujärvi, Helsinki, FINLAND, Webmaster of 1000 Lakes DX Page, http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Park/3232/dx.htm and dxlinks.com (http://www.dxlinks.com hard-core-dx via DXLD) All in Arabic, apparently, even the programs page, tho we know they have an English hour or two! (gh, DXLD) ** YUGOSLAVIA. External Radio Yugoslavia cannot be privatized, director says | Text of report by Serbian independent news agency FoNet Belgrade, 2 November: Regarding the indications that federal media might be privatized, Radio Yugoslavia director Milena Jokic has rejected the possibility of this radio station being privatized in a statement sent to FoNet today. "It would be the first such case in European and world practice. Just imagine a privatized BBC or RFI or Voice of America. Such institutions, which were founded by special legal acts adopted by parliaments or governments and which are exclusively financed from the budget, are neither privatized nor can they ever be", Jokic stated. "The case of Radio Yugoslavia still remains to be discussed and if there are opinions in the government that Radio Yugoslavia should be privatized, then those have been prompted by either ignorance or panic on the part of some federal officials", she concluded. Source: FoNet news agency, Belgrade, in Serbo-Croat 1242 gmt 2 Nov 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** YUGOSLAVIA [non]. From R. Netherlands Previews: Weekly Documentary Serbo-Croatian: one language - or two? or three? Serbians, Croatians and Bosnians all read each other's newspapers, share the same literary tradition and enjoy the same music and television. Yet most of these people now claim they speak different languages. The war in former-Yugoslavia has politicized not just the use of language, but language itself. Croats have flushed all Eastern influences from their vocabulary and resurrected long-unused, old Croat words. Muslims are recycling old Turkish words and Serbs have all but rejected the Roman alphabet in favour of Cyrillic. Croats now refer to their language as 'Croatian' and Serbs as 'Serbian'. But what do the Muslims speak? The Serbs of Banja Luka in Bosnia use a Croatian dialect, but they now insist on calling their language Serbian. In this documentary, Jonathan Groubert looks at the politics of language and examines how it has changed ethnic perceptions during and after the war in Yugoslavia. Wednesday 7th November Broadcast times (UT): 10.00 (Pacific/Asia/Far East), 12.30 (Europe/East Coast USA), 15.00 (Asia/West Coast USA), 18.00 & 19.30 (Africa), 22.00 (Europe), [THURSDAY UT:] 00.00 & 05.00 (North America) Repeat Friday 9th November Broadcast times (UTC): 10.30 (Pacific/Asia/Far East), 12.00 (Europe/East Coast USA), 15.30 (Asia/West Coast USA), 19.00 (Africa), 22.30 (Europe), [SATURDAY UT:] 00.30 (North America) On the Web: http://www.rnw.nl/en/html/doco_previews.html (via Andy Sennitt, swprograms via DXLD) ###