DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-188, December 2, 2001 edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.com {Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. For restrixions and searchable 2001, 2000 contents archive see} http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/Dxldmid.html Check the WOR websites: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/ http://www.worldofradio.com [NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn] WORLD OF RADIO #1107: (STREAM) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1107ram (DOWNLOAD) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1107.rm (SUMMARY) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1107.html NEXT AIRINGS ON WWCR: Mon 0100, 0600 on 3210, Tue 1200 on 15685 NEXT AIRINGS ON RFPI: Mon 1730, Tue 1900, Wed 0100, 0700, 1300 on some of: 21815-USB, 15040, 7445-USB WORLD OF RADIO, CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL BROADCAST SCHEDULE EFFECTIVE December 2, 2001 has already been revised as RFPI frequency usage changes, outdating the Dec 1 version just distributed. Please replace with http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/radioskd.html DX PROGRAMS: Another revision by John Norfolk has been posted Dec 2: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html ** AFGHANISTAN? Glenn, I heard an unidentified station last Thursday on 7090,02 kHz around 1915 UTC. Many references to Talibans and holy qur`an programming. It could be a station run by the Northern Alliance commenced November 13th?. Am I right? Is it R AFGHANISTAN? 73 (Jouko Huuskonen, Turku, FINLAND, Dec 2, RX: AOR AR7030 Plus, ANT: Wellbrook ALA 1530 P, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Maybe, but beware of the Kurdish clandestine which has been on 7090 for quite some time. Needs further checking (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** AFGHANISTAN [and non]. Media round-up Sunday 2 December 2001 - French media watchdog's concern over press restrictions - Taleban free Canadian journalist - Voice of Afghanistan broadcasts - Officials meet to discuss starting TV broadcasts - Konduz radio station not heard by BBC - Boom in sale of audio and video equipment French media watchdog's concern over press restrictions Text of press release by Paris-based organization Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) on 30 November At a press conference held in Koenings Winter, Germany, where the conference on political transition and the restoration of security in Afghanistan is taking place, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières - RSF) has launched an appeal urging the various Afghan representatives to ensure the security of journalists and put an end to the extortion that the press has been the victim of throughout the country. Eight journalists were killed within less than 20 days. In addition, the organization has asked Afghan representatives to launch serious investigations into the eight journalists' deaths. At the same time, Reporters Without Borders has announced that interventions with the legal authorities of the various countries where the killed reporters came from (Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden) had been made so that investigations about the conditions in which these journalists lost their lives are launched. Up to now, only the Rome Prosecutor's Office has launched such an initiative. RSF has also asked media owners who have reporters on the ground to take all necessary measures to ensure their security. Contrary to certain statements made by high officials of the Northern Alliance, many areas under its control remain very dangerous. The press freedom organization has recommended that the international community's support for the reconstruction of Afghanistan be conditioned by the respect for media pluralism. RSF is worried about certain measures being introduced by the new authorities in Kabul. Among other things, they have demanded that Afghan journalists working for foreign media outlets register with the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From now on, before being authorized to work for the international press, Afghan journalists must be recommended by an officer from the ministry. RSF also announced that in collaboration with independent Afghan journalists, the organization would help relaunch the Kabul Weekly, which ceased publishing in 1996. For further information, contact Vincent Brossel at RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, Tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: asie@rsf.fr Internet: http://www.rsf.fr Source: Reporters Sans Frontières press release, Paris, in English 30 Nov 01 Taleban free Canadian journalist | Text of report from Radio Canada International audio web site on 2 December A Canadian held prisoner by the Taleban in Afghanistan since Tuesday [27 November] is in Pakistan after being freed on Saturday [1 December]. Ken Hechtman, a 33-year-old freelance journalist on assignment for the Montreal Mirror, is in good health and says he was not mistreated while in captivity. He says he was mostly left alone to sit in the sun. Mr Hechtman was handed over to Canadian officials Saturday after several days of negotiations with Taleban officials. He was asked if he had been worried. [Hechtman] Not really, because I knew I wasn't a spy, I knew I could prove I was a journalist, I knew I could prove that I was somewhat friendly and sympathetic and this was all going to get sorted. Source: Radio Canada International audio web site, Montreal, in English 0200 gmt 2 Dec 01 Voice of Afghanistan broadcasts Voice of Afghanistan continues to be observed on its scheduled frequency of 9950 kHz from 1330 to 1430 gmt daily. Said Jalal Karim, Voice of Afghanistan's founder, is an Afghan entrepreneur currently operating from London. The station's postal address is: Afghan Broadcasting Company, 21 Worship Street, London, UK EC2 2DW. Voice of Afghanistan can be contacted by telephone on +44 (0)207 382 9610 or by e-mail at afbc9950@hotmail.com The contact for press inquiries is Penny Munro. Radio Voice of Afghanistan programme summaries The station, which is based in London, was observed by BBC Monitoring on 1 and 2 December from 1330-1430 gmt on 9950 kHz. On 1 December the broadcast began with the usual opening announcements, programme preview and a recitation from the Koran. This was followed by news in Pashto which included these items: - News headlines: Northern Alliance runs into problems at Bonn talks - former President Borhanoddin Rabbani objects to the role envisaged for the former monarch ; Colin Powell's forthcoming visit to Central Asia; Pakistan and Iran issue a joint statement on Afghanistan. - News in detail: woman presenter, followed later by a male presenter: - Bonn talks run into problems over differences in the Northern Alliance ranks on the composition of the interim council. Main objection coming from Rabbani to the role of former King Mohammad Zaher Shah; Yunos Qanuni, who is heading the Northern Alliance delegation at the Bonn talks, has said Rabbani's approval is needed for the list drawn up for the interim body but Rabbani unlikely to approve it; UN exerting pressure on the delegates at the Bonn talks to reach an agreement; Governor of Nangarhar Province Haji Abdol Qadir had walked out of the Bonn talks over what he called inappropriate Pashtun representation at the talks; Haji Qadir told the radio that he supports the idea of holding a Loya Jerga; Haji Qadir says the talks at Bonn are not proportionally represented as far as the ethnic composition of the country goes; he says the UN is trying to push for a decision at the Bonn talks; US bombing is continuing in the south; there have been reports about ongoing negotiations between the Taleban and local Pashtun tribal leaders in the south. - Foreign news: - Pakistani and Iranian foreign ministers have said that the two countries have come closer together following the fall of the Taleban; - The Iranian foreign minister has expressed regret over the killing of the Taleban prisoners of war in Mazar-e Sharif; - Colin Powell will start a tour of Europe and Central Asia from Monday - to include Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; - Weather forecast for Afghanistan - Repeat of main headlines - Jingle - Report on a UN-sponsored conference in Pakistan on the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Telephone interview with Pakistan- based Afghan expert. - Patriotic song in Pashto Programme in Dari [1400 gmt] - Jingle - Opening announcement - Programme preview; Said Jalal Afghan Foundation funded radio; times and frequencies. - Readings from the Holy Koran. - The radio for 30 minutes - News headlines: Bonn talks runs into problems because of the Northern Alliance; US continues bombing raids in the south. - News in detail: The Afghan factions continued their talks in Bonn with new differences emerging in the Northern Alliance over the list of names for the interim body; Rabbani has called on his delegation to return to Afghanistan; Rabbani's main objection is the role envisaged for former King Zaher Shah; the groups in Bonn are now under pressure to come up with a settlement; Yunos Qanuni told the radio that the delegation had asked Rabbani to approve the list but Rabbani has asked the delegation to return to Afghanistan and Qanuni has also said that the delegation had failed to convince Rabbani; Qanuni has said it would be unfortunate for Afghanistan if such a historical opportunity is allowed to slip away; Haji Abdo Qadir told the radio that Pashtuns must be appropriately represented in the Bonn talks; US troops are getting closer to Kandahar; the US will not accept any safe haven for the fleeing foreign Taleban fighters; Colin Powell is expected to start a nine-day tour of 11 countries including Central Asia to discuss the future of a post-Taleban Afghanistan - Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan; Iran and Pakistan have said they have come closer together since the fall of the Taleban; the Iranian foreign minister has expressed regret over the killing of the Taleban POWs in Mazar-e Sharif; whereabouts of a foreign journalist in Afghanistan is not known. - Weather forecast for Afghanistan - Repeat of main headlines - Jingle - Telephone interview with Commander Daud Khan in Konduz - Daud says the situation is returning to normal; he says no one is allowed to engage in acts of revenge; Daud further says that most of the local Taleban are living peacefully at home; on the Taleban POWs Commander Daud says the 600 or so foreign Taleban fighters had fled Konduz towards Mazar-e Sharif without permission where they had surrendered and eventually been killed by the US aerial bombing over Qala-i Jangi; he says there is no fighting in the north; Commander Daud says in the region of 7,000 Taleban prisoners were transferred to Balkh by Gen Dostum's men; he says those Taleban fighters who managed to flee or are hiding will eventually be found; on reports that foreign aircraft had flown into Konduz when the Taleban were still in control of the province - he says three large (?Mi-26) helicopters which Pakistan has landed in Konduz and transferred 110 Arabs and 400 Pakistani nationals who were in Konduz to an unknown destination in Pakistan - adding that those who claim that they are in control of the skies over Afghanistan are probably aware of this; on women's rights, he says girls' schools have been opened, as well as boys' schools. - A UN-sponsored conference is being held in Pakistan to discuss Afghanistan's reconstruction - telephone interview with an Afghan expert in Islamabad who is taking part in the conference. - Announcement: Address in Kabul and London for listeners; email address also given. The station closed at 1430 gmt. On 2 December the 1330-1430 gmt broadcast contained the following reports: - Opening announcement and programme preview in Pashto, followed by readings from the Holy Koran. - News headlines followed by news in full in Pashto: - Afghan groups are continuing their deliberations in Bonn on proposals put forward by the UN. According to observers, the Northern Alliance has accepted a UN proposal on the setting up of an executive council which will be headed by a Pashtun. The Northern Alliance is expected to occupy key portfolios in the council. Proposals for an interim parliament have been shelved for the time being. - US aircraft continue bombing raids on Taleban positions in Kandahar. Anti-Taleban forces are expected to renew their attacks on Kandahar airport once the US bombing is ended in the area. A spokesman for the tribal forces says that they are not in a hurry to attack Kandahar. US Marines are consolidating their presence in a base near Kandahar. There are also reports that Australian, German and British soldiers have also been deployed in this base. Reports also say that thousands of refugees are leaving Kandahar for the Afghan-Pakistani border. - The US military has rejected reports that its aircraft have bombed two villages in Nangarhar Province. It has been reported that 50 civilians were killed in the two villages near Tora Bora where Usamah Bin-Ladin is thought to be hiding. - According to international news agencies, more than 80 Taleban prisoners have been discovered alive in a prison in Mazar-e Sharif. Hundreds of prisoners were killed last week in a rebellion in the prison. - According to news reports from Pakistan, a leader of the Northern Alliance, Rasul Sayyaf (leader of the Ettehad-e Eslami-e Afghanistan), is expected to take a group of Pakistani captives with him to Peshawar to meet Pakistani officials. The Pakistani captives are said to be volunteer fighters who belong to the Tehrik-i-Nifaz-i- Shariah and other Islamic groups. Another leader of the Ettehad-e Eslami, Qiyyamoddin Kashaf, said that these prisoners had been captured in various parts of Afghanistan and had been brought to Kabul. Kashaf said they could not save those Pakistanis who were killed in Mazar-e Sharif. - Taleban have freed a Canadian journalists. - Report on suicide bomb attacks in Israel in which 25 people were killed and 170 were wounded. - Weather forecast for Afghanistan. Listeners are asked to send their views about the contents of Radio Voice of Afghanistan's broadcasts to two addresses in Kabul and in London. The Kabul address is: Post Box 5459, Kabul. E-mail address is: afgbc9950@hotmail.com {typo? originally and above as afbc9950@hotmail.com} - Pashto song. - World of sport. Reports on tennis and on draw for football World Cup. - Pashto song. 1400 gmt - Start of Dari transmission. - Readings from the Holy Koran. - Repeat of news in Pashto. See D above. - Weather forecast for Afghanistan. - Excerpts from an article in New York Times on the fall of the Taleban and the rise of the Northern Alliance. - Song in Dari. - World of sport. Reports on World Cup football and tennis. - Addresses to contact the radio station. - Closing announcement. The broadcast ended at 1430 gmt. Balkh Radio Balkh Radio, which is based in the northern city of Mazar-e Sharif, Balkh Province, continues to be observed. On Sunday 2 December the radio broadcast as scheduled from 0230-0430 gmt (0700-0900 local time) and 1128-1458 gmt. All broadcasts are on the usual frequency of 1584 kHz. On 30 November the station announced that a programme called "The Voice of the people" would be launched soon, and asked listeners to send in their questions and suggestions. Officials meet to discuss starting TV broadcasts Text of report by Afghan Balkh radio on 2 December A meeting has been chaired by the head of the information and culture commission, Abdollah Roien. According to Bakhtar news agency, the meeting was attended by the head of radio, television and Afghan film, Mr Ustad Abdorrab Jahed; Mohammed Omar Farzad; the editor of the Bedar daily newspaper, Mohammed Zaman Naik Rae; general director of information and culture commission, Mr Abdorrashid; general director of radio and TV broadcast, Abdol Aziz, and some other officials. They discussed starting TV broadcasts, extending radio broadcasts, providing more facilities for the daily newspaper Bedar and organizational problems. Important decisions were made and necessary instructions were given to the officials concerned. The meeting ended with a prayer. Source: Balkh radio, Mazar-e Sharif, in Dari 0925 gmt 2 Dec 01 Kabul TV/Radio The BBC has not yet observed radio and TV broadcasts in the capital Kabul. Kabul radio is broadcasting daily for three hours in the morning and four hours in the evening via a mobile transmitter. Kabul TV is broadcasting via a 10-Watt transmitter, which is very low power in terms of TV broadcasting, so range would be limited, probably to central Kabul. The station is on the air three hours a day. Konduz radio station reportedly on the air, pro-Northern Alliance According to a report on the International Herald Tribune (IHT) web site on 30 November, the former pro-Taleban radio station in Konduz has now switched sides and is broadcasting in support of the Northern Alliance. The web site carried a report from a New York Times Service correspondent in Konduz who said the station had resumed test broadcasts on 28 November. The IHT report said the Konduz radio station was now broadcasting for one hour a day from 5-6 p.m. local time (1230-1330 gmt) on 1520 kHz mediumwave (although BBC Monitoring believes the frequency is more likely to be 1521 kHz). The reported broadcasts from Konduz radio have not yet been observed by BBC Monitoring. Source: BBC Monitoring research 30 Nov-2 Dec 01 US PsyOps broadcasts continue US PsyOps Information Radio was observed by BBC Monitoring broadcasting in Pashto and Dari to Afghanistan from 0030-0530 gmt and again from 1230 gmt. Information Radio 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. The 864, 980 (reportedly a relay of Voice of America) and 1107 kHz channels are believed to be broadcast from US PsyOps "Commando Solo" EC-130 aircraft. Boom reported in sale of audio and video equipment Excerpt from report in English from Tehran Times web site on 2 December (the original report in English was carried by French news agency AFP on 1 December): Kabul, 1 December: Abdul Razol Bezad has reopened his bookstore on the corner of Flower Street after years of hiding his precious stock at home from the Taleban militia. "If I had tried to sell these books the Taleban would have accused me of being a Christian," said Bezad, displaying dictionaries, scientific manuals in English and novels by popular Western writers. He picks up an atlas of Afghanistan whose cover carries a photograph of three women on a donkey. "Just a few days ago I was prohibited from selling this book," Bezad said in a reference to Taleban objections to the depiction of living beings. "I've kept these books at home for years. Things are different now." The rout of the Islamic fundamentalist Taleban and takeover of the Afghan capital by the Northern Alliance nearly three weeks ago has been a godsend for merchants and consumers alike here. Prices of most items have come down and numerous goods previously sold under the counter are now on shelves or in display windows... The electronics sellers here appear to be among those who stand to benefit the most from the flight of the Taleban, who had banned playing or listening to music and the possession of television sets. Shops in Pashtunistan Street, in another neighbourhood of Kabul, have filled up magically overnight with tape decks, radios, televisions, VCRs, CD players and other items. The sidewalks have been invaded by home-made satellite television dishes hammered out of paint tins and other materials. "I once spent 15 days in prison under the Taleban because I had a television set in the back of my store," said electronics seller Guhlam Farooq. "I've never sold as much as during the past two weeks. I had to place more orders." Toryalai, who also owns an electronics store, claims to have been selling 50 televisions a day. "It's crazy. Even poor people are borrowing money to buy them without knowing how they'll pay back their loans," he said, adding that he takes the local currency, the afghani, US dollars or Pakistani rupees. His shelves are overflowing with pirate copies of films such as "Mr Bean," "Mission Impossible 2" and "Tomb Raider" selling for just 150 Pakistani rupees (about 2.50 dollars) each. Music is also making a comeback and in another store, Jawid Ahmad proudly displays his prize product - an electronic keyboard for which he wants the astronomical sum in Afghan terms of 1,500 dollars. Source: Tehran Times web site in English 2 Dec 01 Compiled by Foreign Media Unit, BBC Monitoring Telephone +44 118 948 6261 e-mail: media@mon.bbc.co.uk Source: BBC Monitoring research 2 Dec 01 (via DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. Received two full data QSLs with station stamp for two very detailed reception reports I sent to Gabriel Ivan Barerra via the address listed in the Passport to World Band Radio. Also sent return postage, Cleveland postcard, and souvenirs to Gabriel. The reports were for broadcasts I heard and the station had not verified. Gabriel also enclosed a personal note and stated due to the monetary situation in Argentina QSLs have become harder to obtain direct from the station. I am Quite pleased to add Antarctica to the list of countries I have verified, and Gabriel did so in a month or so. (Lee Silvi, Mentor Ohio, Dec 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) And maybe gone for good now; see previous issue (gh, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Listado actualizado de estaciones operando en la banda ampliada argentina: 1610 kHz / RADIO CULTURA (*) QTH: Bernal -ex Domingo Purita- 2247 (1826 Remedios de Escalada) Tel: (011) 4247-6171 OP: Sociedad de Fomento y Cultural Villa Talleres 1610 kHz / RADIO CÁNTICO NUEVO QTH: Av. Oliver 1319, Barrio 9 de Abril (1842 Monte Grande) Tel: (011) 4272-2943 DG: Alfredo H. Soto 1610 kHz / RADIO ÉXITOS Posiblemente: (Ex Radio Shopping, Moreno, ex AM-1130 kHz) 1620 kHz / RADIO TROPICANA QTH: Av. San Juan 2461 (1232 Capital Federal) Tel: (011) 4941-1723, 4941-9280, 4941-7601 OP: Asociación Civil "Jesús es mi Salvador" DG: Genuario Rodríguez Almeida 1630 kHz / AM-1630 RADIO BUEN AYRE (RED 92) QTH: Calle 32 Nro. 426 (1900 La Plata) Tel: (0221) 483-0478 E-mail: am1630@red92.com OP: NCA S.A. 1640 kHz / RADIO BOLIVIA QTH: Av. Int. Francisco Rabanal 1467 (1437 Capital Federal) Tel: (011) 4919-3659 1650 kHz / AM RESTAURACIÓN QTH: Tgrl. Pedro E. Aramburu -ex Debussy- 2948 (1686 Hurlingham) Tel: (011) 4662-6387, 4662-9032 DG: Osvaldo Adrián Silva 1660 kHz / RADIO UNIDAD (*) QTH: Molina 830 (Rafael Calzada) Tel: (011) 4241-2544 OP: Iglesia Internacional Unidos en el Amor de Jesús DG: Alicia del Carmen Velil 1670 kHz / BBC AMÉRICA LATINA E-Mail: 1670@starmedia.com TXR: via RADIOMANIA (San Justo) 1680 kHz / AM GETRO QTH: Av. San Martín 4280, Dpto. 2 (1824 Lanus oeste) Tel: (011) 4286-1735 OP: Iglesia Jesucristo La Roca Viva DG: Pablo J. Mahíquez 1690 kHz / APOCALIPSIS II QTH: Monseñor Bufano 3386 (1754 San Justo) Tel: (011) 4484-4517 OP: Fundación "Cristo la Solución" Nota: (*) Reportada inactiva. (DG) Director General o Propietario. (OP) Operada por ... (Marcelo Cornachioni, Argentina, Conexión Digital Dec 2 via DXLD) ** CANADA. **M** KIM: Later this month we will be immersed in radio history. December 12th will be the one hundredth anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi's first transmission, by Morse Code, across the Atlantic. The transmitter was in Poldhu, Cornwall, England. And the signal was received, December 12th, 1901, near St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. Because Canada figures largely in this event, CBC Radio of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is planning an ambitious schedule of special programs. Information about them is available from a special Website: http://www.tuningtheworld.com. James Roy at CBC Radio in Toronto is coordinating producer of the programs. AUDIO [NOT TRANSCRIBED] KIM: James Roy at CBC Radio in Toronto. The special Web site again is http://www.tuningtheworld.com To hear these program outside of Canada, Internet audio is available at http://www.cbc.ca/audio.html That's www.cbc.ca/audio.html In Europe, you can also listen on the Radio Canada International channel on Hot Bird 5. And, then, there is shortwave. The schedule for the CBC specials via RCI shortwave is as follows... The special program Planet Radio, about radio around the world, will be heard on the third hour of This Morning, 15 to 16 Universal Time, on 9515, 13655, and 17710 kilohertz, daily except Saturday through December 11th. "The World is a Ball on the Inside Track," about sports and radio, December 9th at 2330 to midnight UTC on 5960, 6175, 9590, and 9755 kilohertz. And the big Tuning the World special on December 12th , the anniversary date, live from St. John's, will be at 1230 to 17 UTC on 9515 and 17710, and from 13 to 17 on 13655. With possible high demand on the CBC Internet audio, December 12th might be a good day for us in the United States to stay home and listen to our shortwave radios (Kim Elliott, VOA Communications World Dec 1 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** CANADA. HI Guido, here some references to contact CKTM offices [26143-26150 kHz]: WEB is : http://nouvelles.cgotv.ca {corrected} E-mail: service technique Mr. Marcel St. Arneault mstarnau@cgotv.ca or ctech@cgotv.ca Best regards, (Dario, PLAY-DX ITALY, Monferini, Dec 2, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. A rather different picture of RFPI`s latest frequency schedule emerges from James Latham with Joe Bernard on a new Mailbag, first broadcast at the unexpected time of 0200+ UT Sat Dec 1, but not caught here until 0030 UT Sunday. 7445-USB, instead of just 0200-0800, on weekends, UT Sat and Sun, is extended until 1200. 15050-AM, instead of starting at 2000, is now to be found from 1400 to 0600. 21815-USB, instead of closing at 2400, will be on until 0100 or so, tho may fade out earlier; from 1200. Thus the WOR/COM schedule just distributed Dec 1 is already outdated (surprise), and a newer version incorporating the above info is not redistributed yet but posted at http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/radioskd.html More info from the Mailbag: Altho 7445 can be run on AM at any time, and may be testing AM occasionally, the plan is to keep it mainly on USB for another month or so, as it is using a temporary antenna about halfway up the 200 foot tower, a very simple dipole with the second tower behind it acting as a corner reflector, producing some gain; it has two major lobes, north and south, and RFPI hopes to be getting more reports on this from South America now. They are already pleased with how well it is getting out to the north. When the new antenna is activated at the top of the 200 foot tower, there should be about 6 dB of gain over the present setup, and then the permanent switch to AM mode will be made. A new program schedule should be posted within a week on the website. However, because of holiday/mail delays, will not attempt to publish VISTA in December, but wait until January. It will include a lot of photos from South Africa and other conferences attended recently by staff (notes by Glenn Hauser for DX LISTENING DIGEST) I've noticed that RFPI seems to be a bit on the low side... near 15039 kHz instead of 15040 (Ricky Leong, QB, Dec 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) By golly, you`re right; but not a good idea, that much closer to Trenton 15034. Perhaps they will quickly adjust (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA. Hi, Hrvatski Radio 1 (Zagreb, Croatia) changed its 60 mb frequency from 5040 to 5035 kHz. Heard today, NOV 29 at 1800 UT. GOOD DX, (Karel Honzik, the Czech Republic (Czechia), hard-core-dx via DXLD) Since 5040 was a mixing product, 6165 minus 1125, I`ll bet 6165 has moved to 6160 in order for it to show up on 5035. Please check (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) This change has got a short life: 4 hours later I found the station back on 5040 kHz (Karel Honzik, the Czech Republic (Czechia), ibid.) I've read two messages from Karel Honzik that Croatia moved its 60 m. frequency from 5040 to 5035 and then from 5035 to 5040 kHz. I think that 5040 is a mixing product in Deanovec from their 100 kW MW transmitter on 1125 kHz and their 100 kW SW transmitter on 6165. When they moved SW transmission from Deanovec to 6160, also their mixing product went 5 kHz down. It's so easy.... That's all folks (Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, ibid.) ** CYPRUS TURKISH. Dear Glenn, Just got some info about Radio Bayrak on again on short wave. I will monitor this frequency and let you know. I tried for a short period at 0955 UT but heard nothing. 73,s. (Costa Constantinides, Cyprus Greekish, Dec 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Well, previous notice implied they were not testing at the moment, but would resume Dec 10 at 0430 on 6159 (gh, DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. Bandscanning at 1300 UT Dec 2, I was pleased to find R. Buenas Nuevas, 4800, audible this late, something only possible with our latest sunrises, weak but clear except for windshield wiper swipes, with full ID in Spanish, including 102.1 FM and timecheck as 7 a.m. So this part of Guatemala, at least, must be on UT minus 6 at the moment. Announcer seemed to have a slight gringo (or maybe just evangelical) accent, in keeping with the use of the adjective ``nueva`` as a noun instead of ``noticias``, which I have always suspected results from a too-literal translation from English (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** HAWAII. 50-kW, 24-hour station to go dark: TheBuzz BY ERIKA ENGLE, Friday, November 30, 2001 Christian light to go dark It's almost unheard of in the radio business, but KAIM 870 AM will go dark, or permanently sign off the air, at the end of this year and the frequency will no longer be used in Hawai`i. It first signed on in 1952 and was joined the following year by KAIM 95.5 FM, which plays contemporary Christian music. The stations, owned by California-based Salem Communications Corp., are operated by Salem Media of Hawai`i Inc., which also runs KGU 760 AM and KHNR 650 AM. "In order to facilitate a good transition for KAIM AM on Dec. 1," said KGU, KHNR and KAIM FM Program Director Michael Shishido, "we're taking all that programming and putting it on KGU AM 760. That causes a chain reaction, where KGU's (talk radio) programming gets merged into (all-news) KHNR." Then as of Jan. 1, KAIM AM will go off the air and KGU's slogan will become "First in Ministry." It is a play on the fact that KGU in April 1922 was the first radio station licensed in the Territory of Hawai`i. It signed on in May and was followed hours later by KDYX AM (590, now known as KSSK). The decision to pull the plug was made for economic and other corporate reasons, according to Doug Campbell, general manager of Salem Media of Hawai`i Inc. Employees will be "reallocated," he said, but there will be no staff reductions as a result of the plan. Operating its 50,000 watt transmitter on Molokai costs $12,000 to $13,000 a month for electricity, Campbell said, and for technical reasons, "most of Honolulu from Hawai`i Kai to Pearl Harbor doesn't hear the station or hears it poorly." Conversely, electricity for KGU's 10,000 watt transmitter in Oahu's Kewalo basin area costs roughly $1,000 a month and it provides "stronger service to the main population base." With 870 inactive as an AM frequency in Hawai`i, Salem can boost KRLA 870 AM in Los Angeles from 5,000 to 50,000 watts with no concerns about interference from this side of the Pacific, Campbell said. The transmitter site on Molokai is owned by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, which sold KAIM AM and FM to Salem in October 1999. "The transmitter and processors are ours," Campbell said, but the transmitter building and antenna array must be addressed by the association. The transmitter site and radio frequency interference with new residential developments around it became the topic of controversy for the Maui County Planning Commission in recent years. After public hearings, the commission granted Salem an extension of its special use permit for the transmitter site, "pending resolution of the (interference) issues and concerns of the community," Campbell said. Those issues will now become moot. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin via Brock Whaley, GA, ex-HI, DXLD) Here`s what they should do: keep the frequency, protecting LA, and a lower-powered transmitter on Molokai and turn it into a locally- programmed non-religious station for that island. Yeah, sure (gh, DXLD) ** ICELAND. Re: Ríkisútvarpið are no longer on SW... 189 kHz, RUV, 0910 Nov 30: One may still tune in Iceland on LW when geomagnetic conditions are quiet enough. Got a little break in the recent high activity, and was able to get a weak copy from their 189 LW outlet on the morning 0f 30 Nov. YL speaking Icelandic, but not strong enough to understand what she was saying, but caught RUV ID tones @ 1000. From the type of music it sounded like channel 1. Since Iceland is located just under the Arctic Circle, this time of year, there is a very long period of greyline enhancement. Signal can hang in there till around 1100 (David Hodgson, Nashville TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. AIR Lucknow noted just now (December 2, 2001 from 1215 UT) on 4887.8 kHz. Their normal frequency is 4880 and sked on this frequency is 0025-0400, 1215-1741. The Cricket test matches between India and England start tomorrow, December 3, 2001 and look out for extended broadcasts from different stations of AIR on SW with live commentaries on the following dates: December 3 to 7, 1 to 15 & 19 to 23. The approximate timings are 0400 to 1200 (9.30 am to 5.30 pm IST). The details of stations and exact timings will be given after a day's monitoring tomorrow. 73 (Jose Jacob, VU2JOS, dx_india via DXLD) ** INDONESIA. 3960.2, RRI Palu. Signed on and connected to Jakarta news at 1900 Dec 1. After ending of the news, Indonesian pops program started. This is Ramadan special schedule. Poor condition but very nice for me for impossibility to pick up local evening program due to heavy interference. RRI Jambi on 4925 kHz is now signing off at 1600. Sign on time monitoring during Ramadan period: 3214.8 RRI Manado *1759- 3264.6 RRI Gorontalo *1829- 3324.9 RRI Palangkaraya *1855- 3344.9 RRI Ternate *1759- 3960.2 RRI Palu *1900- 4925.0 RRI Jambi *1859- Many RRI Stations start with exotic interval signals. It is worth it to hear them. In Japan, Ramadan is good chance to hear them and record on tape (Juichi Yamada, Tokyo, Japan, Jembatan DX Dec 2 via DXLD) ** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Glenn, regarding the current Radio Caroline programming: I must say that I fully agree with Mike Cooper. I can only judge from what they carried via Riga-Ulbroka 5935 and Orfordness 1296, but somebody with an Astra dish simply told me "it's indeed nothing particular" when I asked because I could hardly believe that it was the famous Radio Caroline that I heard (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRELAND [non]. Perhaps the transmitter sites for RTE should be added: 6155 Rampisham, 15540 Singapore, 9895 Rampisham, 13640 Sackville, 21630 Ascension. And I conclude from the recent report about cut-backs at RTE that the shortwave transmissions will probably cease by the end of this year (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** KURDISTAN [non]. Dengi Mezopotamia broadcasting monitored as follows: 1500-1700 (ex 1400-1600) 11530 kHz. S/on & S/off with a march like tune (a sort of anthem) with repeated mentions of "Dengi Mezopotamia" and schedule in Kurdish? 73s, (GRDXC, Punjab, Dec 1, via DXLD) ** MALI [and non]. A nice QSL card from here is displayed at http://swlcontest.homestead.com along with details of the 2001 and July-August 2002 ``vacation BCL contest``, offering some good prizes (via Frank Parisot, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MEXICO. CELEBRA EMISORA INDIGENA DE LA CHINANTLA 10 ANOS DE ESTAR AL AIRE San Lucas Ojitlan, Oax., 26 Nov (Notimex).- La emisora XEOJN "La Voz de la Chinantla", cumplió hoy 10 años de estar al aire y de comunicar a los indígenas establecidos en el embalse de la presa Miguel Alemán y pueblos aislados de la Cuenca del Papaloapan. "La Voz de la Chinantla", transmite lo mismo en el idioma español que en chinanteco, cuicateco y mazateco, y su programa de mayor audiencia es el de "Los Avisos Comunitarios", servicio usado comunmente por migrantes que radican en Estados Unidos. Tras 10 años de mantener su señal al aire la XEOJN, inició este lunes sus festejos y fue ampliamente felicitada por los radioescuchas no sólo de la zona, sino también por quienes son originarios del área y que radican en distintos puntos del interior del país. El director de la radiodifusora del Instituto Nacional Indigenista (INI), Carlos R. Zapata, señaló que la mejor forma de seguir uniendo a los pueblos de esta zona es convertir a la emisora en una verdadera promotora de las constumbres y tradiciones. Señaló que en el marco de estas celebraciones se realizan actividades culturales donde los actores principales son las propias comunidades, como el caso de la muestra de trajes regionales de las mujeres chinantecas que se promueven a través de este medio de comunicación. Los festejos proseguirán hasta el próximo miércoles en los que se efectuará un Taller de video indígena impartido por personal del Centro de Video Indígena de Oaxaca y que se denominará "Una mirada a la Chinantla". La XEOJN se estableció en San Lucas Ojitlan en 1991 y hasta hoy ha sido el puente de comunicación de las comunidades que resultaron afectadas por la construcción de las presas "Miguel Alemán" y "Miguel de la Madrid" o "Cerro de Oro". El Instituto Nacional Indigenista (INI) estableció la primera emisora cultural en 1979 y a la fecha operan en todo el país un total de 20 radiodifusoras que transmiten en diversas lenguas indígenas y tan sólo en el estado de Oaxaca existen cuatro (via Héctor García Bojorge, México, Nov 26 via Nicolás Éramo, Nov 28, Conexión Digital via DXLD) {WTFK??!! I meant to include this before initial distribution: Fred Cantu`s list has it on 950 but in Tuxtepec, Oaxaca. The SCT list does put it in San Lucas Ojitlan, on 950 with 5 kW day, 0 kW night, and non-directional (gh, DXLD)} ** MONGOLIA. A full data handwritten QSL received from the Voice of Mongolia, in 39 days, for an English Report and $1 return postage. QSL was a color photo of a camel, two circular houses [yurts], and motorcycles. Heard at 1030 UT on 12085 kHz on October 20 and 21. Also a nice individual letter, including the following: ``Congratulations on persevering for so long, especially as of course for some reason we do not target either of the Americas, despite the fruitful market it would seem to offer! Our masters have their own wise reasons, not doubt.`` Letter and QSL signed by David O`Connor, Editor, Voice of Mongolia. This is (I think) about #127 or so verified, and one of my most wanted cards for years, having only heard them about 3 times previously, and never as good as this past October at the Mohawk Valley SWL Club DX camp (Roger Chambers, Utica, New York, via Daryl Rocker, ODXA Dec 1 via DXLD) I had Radio Ulan Bator verified in the late '60's with a very lovely personal letter, the final paragraph of which wishing me a "Merry Xmas and a Happy New!" Over the years I've had opportunity to request information from them, i.e., program schedules, and they have always been the picture of cooperation. With each reply came a personal note, some great post cards, often several Mongolian stamps and, on one occasion, a couple of issues of the Mongolian Times. The impression given is that this is a national trait, that is to say, an overt warmth and friendship extended to strangers. It just seemed to go far beyond what would normally be expected from any radio service. Has anyone else noticed this? Cheers es vy 73, (Ori VA3ORI Siegel, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA, ODXA via DXLD) ** PERU. Some loggings from last night: 4940, Radio San Antonio, Atalaya, Perú, good 0000 until s/on of India 0007. Heard closing at 0315 UT (Gert Nilsson R75 + beverages, Dec 1, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** PERU. Distinguido oyente del extranjero, De mi especial consideración, es grato el momento de saludarlo muy cordialmente y al mismo tiempo felicitarle por tener la amabilidad de escucharnos o de captar nuestra señal de radio Frecuncia VH `` La Voz de Celendín`` en los 4,485 kHz OC. En breve participo a Vd. una pequeña reseña histórica de nues[tra] participación como medio de comunicación: En primer aspecto, Celendín es una provincia pequeña y de bajo rendimiento económico; nosotoros participamos en el Éter talvez como afición o inclinación a la comunicación social y aun más porque ejercemos un poco en el ramo de la electrónica. Precisamente, esta es la razón por la cual nos iniciamos en lo referente a radio comunicación social. Inicialmente surgimos con un pequeño oscilador como una pequeña diversión, pero viendo la acogida del público, empezamos por ampliar nuestra potencia de 05 watts, pasamos a 150 watts de potencia, pero como no contábamos con emergía eléctrica, optamos por funcionar con acumuladores de energía; por el día entreteníamos a la población de la ciudad con el pequeño oscilador de 5 vatios y por la noche hacíamos funcionar nuestro equipo de OC, porque contábamos con fluido eléctrico algunas horas en la noche. Posteriormente, por los años de 1997 cuando ya contamos con fluido durante las 24 horas del día, empezamos a funcionar con equipos en amplitud modulada con una potencia de 0.500 [sic] watts. Nuestro horario de trabajo es de apartir de las 05 horas en AM hasta las 18 horas, y a partir de las 18 horas, empezamos a transmitir en la onda internacional de los 4485 kHz. Cabe indicar que en la AM, transmitimos en los 1440 kHz con resolución ministerial No. 291-MTC. Indicativo OCX-2M-OM [sic]. Coordenadas L.O. 78, 09, 07; L.S. 05, 22, 30. En la mayoría de nuestros programas nos caracterizamos por difundir la música folklórica vernacular del Perú profundo. Es pues para nosotros una inmensa alegría saber que nos escuchan en los lejanos países del extranjero; por eso con mucha satisfacción contestamos su amable carta que nos escriben dando por confirmado que sí hemos recibido muchas de sus amables correspondencias al cual una vez por todas les agradecemos y felicitamos a todos nuesros delectos radio oyentes a la distancia dando muestra de ser fieles QSL. En espera siempre de sus gratas noticias nos despedimos, deseándoles muchos éxitos hoy y siempre. Atentamente, [sello circular: Radio Frecuencia VH | 4ta | DC | ``La Voz de Celendin``], (Fernando S. Vásquez Castro, Director-Gerente, Celendín Cielo Azul del Eden, Provincia de Celendín, Depto. Cajamarca, Perú, Tel. (044) 855149, 7 Oct 01 reply to Adie H. Durden, reduced reproduction in Dec NASWA Journal QSL column, page 37, retyped and corrected by gh for DXLD) At the upper left corner of the letterhead are a couple of satellites with solar panels almost abutting in a V formation. From the above we may deduce that as in a previous item from Durden we quoted, he has plied them many reports (or follow-ups), and this is a reply to all of them. And surprise, the SW is not mentioned as having any license, tho the MW has. Note format of ``deep Peruvian vernacular folk music``. I`m not positive of the signer`s name, which was rubber- stamped and scribbled; no exact address is shown (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** POLAND [and non]. Radio Polonia: In fact they already did some test transmissions via Jülich a few years ago; one frequency I remember was 5840. First Radio Renascenca from Portugal was aired instead due to an error (the satellite receiver was programmed to a wrong Eutelsat Hotbird transponder), of course resulting in much confusion because Radio Renascença once operated a shortwave rig at Muge, its main transmitter site (now 594 only) (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Dec 1, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SWEDEN. R Sweden Coverage Maps for Dec 2001 Available I have made a set of propagation forecasts for the English SW broadcasts of R Sweden in December 2001 at: http://www.uwasa.fi/~jpe/sr/dec01/ DISCLAIMER: These forecasts are my personal view only, based on a statistical assessment of their ITU requirement files. No guarantees whatsoever for suitability for any purpose. 73s (Jari Perkiömäki, Vaasa, Finland jpe@uwasa.fi Dec 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** SYRIA. 13610, 1920-, R. DAMASCUS, Dec 1. French programming heard at good level. Powerline like hum audible in background. Best using LSB to avoid WEWN splatter from 13615. Parallel to 12085 with same hum, but weaker. Lots of splash there from 12080 VOA Botswana with French programming and African music at very strong levels (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, Canada, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. PA 11/29 1604 FARMER FINDS RADIO 4 IS BEST FOR TALKING TURKEY By Owen Fairclough, PA News A farmer believes he has found the key to silencing his flock of noisy turkeys with soothing round-the-clock radio broadcasts. David Cartwright keeps his flock of 500 Kelly Bronze birds entertained with a daily diet of different sounds at his farm near Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The 27-year-old believes the constant broadcasts have mollified the flock and stopped them from smothering each other to death from panic. Mr Cartwright, of Home Farm, Condover, invested in the unusual turkeys, which sell for about 3 [pounds?] per lb, as a niche market for the festive food season. But he became concerned when four of the turkeys were smothered to death as they huddled together in the barn after panicking over loud noises. Knowing his sister's wedding last month would involve a disco blaring out from a marquee next to the barn, Mr Cartwright decided to try a mixture of different radio channels to see if the flock would acclimatise to loud noises. "A month later we had the wedding and I went to have a look at the flock, and they were totally calm, there was no problem at all," said Mr Cartwright. "They are free range and everything we do here is organic, so it is much better to have them relaxed and wandering around, rather than huddling up scared in the barn." Mr Cartwright said after experimenting with different stations, including BBC Radio Shropshire, he found the turkeys preferred the sound of BBC Radio 4 (via Mike Cooper, Nov 29, DXLD) Me too ** U K. **M** The Discovery program on BBC World Service will mark the Marconi anniversary on its broadcast on December 28th. Listen on your favorite World Service stream. And the Thunderer Squadron, which is the engineering education command of the British Royal Navy, is planning a reenactment of the Marconi transmission on December 12th. This will be done in cooperation with the United States Naval Academy, the Canadian Forces School of Communications and Electronics, and the Poldhu Amateur Radio Club. I will have an interview next week with representatives of the Thunderer Squadron about this event on December 12th. In the meantime, information is available from http://www.atlantic-leap.org (Kim Elliott, VOA Communications World Dec 1 via John Norfolk, DXLD){URL corrected} ** U S A [and non]. Richard Hartman is an American living in West Java, Indonesia. Among other times, he listens to VOA News Now at 1 Universal Time - that's during the morning his time. At that time, he can hear News Now on four frequencies: 11705, 15250, 17740, and 17820. He has each of these frequencies in the memory buttons of his Sony ICF-2001D receiver, so he can switch immediately from frequency to frequency. Richard notices that 17740 and 17820 are completely in phase. Those are both via Tinang, in the Philippines. However, 11705, which is via Thailand, is delayed by about two seconds from the 16 meter band frequencies. And 15250, via Sri Lanka, is delayed by about four seconds. Richard knows this is more than the time needed for a signal to go up to a geostationary satellite and come back down, which is less than a second. So he would like to know what explains these delays. Other Communications World listeners have asked similar questions about delays from transmitter to transmitter. I have been putting off answering this question because, well, you'll see why. As you would expect, part of the reason has to do with the satellite circuits used to feed VOA programs to the transmitter sites. For the rest of the story, I called in Pat Chapple, an engineer in the VOA Network Control Center. AUDIO [NOT TRANSCRIBED] KIM: Pat Chapple of the VOA Network Control Center. In addition to the phenomena that Pat described, at some VOA transmitter sites, programming on some transmitters is delayed slightly from identical programming on other transmitters, so that all the transmitters do not peak at the same time. This smooths out the energy demand at the relay station. There, it took about five minutes to describe a four-second delay (Kim Elliott, VOA Communications World Dec 1 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. Looking at the WTJC QSL card reproduced on page 35 of Dec NASWA Journal, seems they have swiped the ``lighthouse`` logo from Scripps-Howard... (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Does anyone at HCDX know what happened to WRNO World Wide? They are not on the air at either of their two frequencies, 15420 and 7 something something, nor are they listed in the latest Passport to World Band Radio. What's the deal? I e-mailed the regular WRNO In New Orleans, but got no response. I have an SWL Site, and if they are no longer around, I would like to delete the WRNO Link. Anyone know what's up??? (Vince Ponzio, Nov 30, hard-core-dx via DXLD) They are no longer on shortwave. Their former owner died, and the shortwave facility was sold. However, at this time it is not on the air. WRNO-FM is still around, but has nothing to do with the people who bought the shortwave operation, so that is probably why you got no answer. You may delete their link from your SWL site. 73, (Marie Lamb, Host and Producer, DXing with Cumbre, ibid.) This is not exactly the case. Marie has apparently overlooked some recent reports in DXLD (and, I think, Cumbre) of a very weak transmitter on 7354.4, in the 2300-0300 UT period, apparently relaying some New Orleans religious FM station. This is no doubt the old WRNO backup transmitter, but under what calls it may now go we are uncertain. It also tends to mix with WWL 870 producing products plus/minus 870 from 7355, (and/or 7395, its other frequency). Regards, (Glenn Hauser, ibid.) Re WRNO off the air: Hold on now. They are on the air with a very low power transmitter. I've heard them as recently as a couple of weeks back, around the frequency of 7354.4 or so, with a variable sign-off of 0200 to 0230. They now relay a local FM station in New Orleans. I suspect they are running only a few hundred watts (Walt Salmaniw, Victoria, BC, Canada, hard-core-dx via DXLD) Glenn, finally had a bit of time to DX tonight. Heard them on 7354.37 with Christmas carols from 0217 tune-in. Poor reception, but better when rechecked after the half-hour. They ID'd twice as WRNO Worldwide, from the United States of America, the last being at 0257, then off suddenly. This I believe is a change from the relays they have had recently (Walt Salmaniw, BC, UT Dec 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Found these contact details for Good News World Outreach, the new owners of WRNO: P. O. Box 895, Fort Worth, Texas 76101, United States of America Tel: 817.226.6100 Fax: 817.226.6105 rmawire@goodnewsworld.org http://www.goodnewsworld.org BTW also found this related item in DXLD-1048 "** U S A. WRNO Worldwide shortwave is sold to a non-profit religious group, whose directors include a citizen of Zimbabwe and a citizen of Australia. The New Orleans operation was one of the very few attempts to create a viable commercial shortwave operation (doing CHR). It was an offshoot of WRNO-FM, and has recently been in the hands of executor and New Orleans communications attorney Ashton Hardy. Looks like the Ft. Worth-based Good News World Outreach will run WRNO Worldwide as a non-commercial proposition (Mstreet Daily Apr 5 via Lawrence rec.radio.shortwave via Lamb, Cumbre DX via DXLD)" and in DXLD-1088 the FCC information, confirming approval of the sale, can also be found: Apparently the call is unchanged. I did a search on WRNO on the FCC site, and came up with a document at http://ftp.fcc.gov/Bureaus/International/Public_Notices/2001/pnin1123.pdf which says that the FCC transferred the licence from Ashton R. Hardy (successor to Joe Costello) to Good News World Outreach on 14 June 2001. The same document also refers to the granting of a Construction Permit to Assemblies of Yahweh's WMLK "to make changes in antenna structure to accomadate [sic] increase in power." As regards power, the B01 schedule on the FCC site lists 50 kW. (Andy Sennitt, standard disclaimer, Dec 2, DX LISTENING DIGEST) WRNO is still there. On 28th November I heard them here in UK with their usual weak signal on 7354.4 kHz at 0055 relaying New Orleans station Lifesongs 89.1 FM, giving a WRNO ID when signing off around 0255 (Dave Kernick, England, Hard-Core-DX mailing list, via DXLD) I just tuned to 7355 (but was definitely on 7354.4 as Glenn states). The FM station being relayed is WBSN-FM, 89.1 MHz owned by Providence Educational Foundation, 3939 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70126. Plenty of "89.1 FM" IDs are given, but at the top of the hour, also gave a website as http://www.lifesongs.com (http://www.wbsn.com also works with the same site info). No mention of SW, though, that I could find. Got info from MIT Stations on the Internet website, who list this as Christian Contemporary music. Played a lot of Christmas music and had solid S9 signal on my K9AY the half hour I listened to it researching the data (John Sgrulletta, Mahopac, NY, Dec 1, hard- core-dx via DXLD) ** U S A. I've received a couple more spurs // BBC on 6135 [Delano]. 6263.45, 6279.55, and 6295.6 (separation of 16.1 kHz) 0515 DEC 02. My guess is that these are the upper half of a set of symmetrical spurs; however, due to powerful 49m BC signals where the lower half would be, I am unable to confirm this theory (David Hodgson, TN, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Firesign on PBS (by Firesign sector as well!) via Brock Whaley, Atlanta, Subject to change check with your local PBS station All stations will have a pre-recorded Firesign appearance * indicates LIVE Firesign appearance (1 or more members) Philadelphia (Ossman, Proctor & Bergman; Austin will appear via tape) New York (Proctor & Bergman) Atlanta (Ossman) Minneapolis (Ossman) Houston (Proctor & Bergman) Austin will not be appearing in Austin "Weirdly Cool" schedule alphabetical by city Akron, OH WNEO Tue 12/11 9:30 pm Alabama Public Television (WBIQ) Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Allentown, PA WLVT Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Amarillo, TX KACV Mon 12/3 10:05 pm Athens, OH WOUB Sat 12/1 11:00 pm, Sat (Sun) 12/2 2:30 am *Atlanta, GA WPBA Sun 12/2 9:00 pm Austin, TX KLRU Sat 12/1 11:00 pm, Sun 12/9 10:30 pm (KLRU2) Baton Rouge, LA Louisiana Public Broadcasting Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Binghamton, NY WSKG Tue 12/4 10:00 pm, Fri 12/14 10:00 pm Bloomington, IN WTIU Tue 12/4 9:30 pm Boston, MA WGBH Sat 12/1 11:00 pm, Sun 12/2 9:30 pm (WGBH 44) BOZEman, MT Montana PBS Wed 12/5 11:00 pm Buffalo, NY WNED Fri 12/14 9:00 pm Carbondale, IL WSIU Sat 12/1 10:30 pm Chicago, IL WTTW Sat 12/1 10:45 pm Cincinatti, OH WCET Sat (Sun) 12/9 12:35 am Cleveland, OH WVIZ Sun (Mon) 12/10 12:30 am Colchester, VT Vermont Public Television Wed 12/12 11:00 pm Columbia, SC South Carolina ETV Sat 12/1 5:30 pm, Mon 12/3 11:30 pm, Sat 12/8 10:00 pm Dallas, TX KERA Wed 12/5 10:15 pm Dayton, OH WPTD Sat 12/1 10:00 pm, Wed 12/5 10:00 pm Denver, CO KRMA Sat 12/1 10:20 pm (approx) East Lansing, MI WKAR Sat 12/1 10:00 pm El Paso, TX KCOS Sat 12/15 11:00 pm Erie, PA WQLN Sat 12/1 10:30 pm & midnight Evansville, IN WNIN Sat 12/8 10:30 pm Fairbanks, AK KUAC Sat 12/1 11:30 pm Fort Myers, FL WGCU Sat 12/1 midnight, Mon 12/10 11:00 pm Fresno, CA KVPT Tue 12/4 11:00 pm Gainesville, FL WUFT Tue 12/4 10:00 pm Grand Junction, CO KRMJ Sat 12/1 10:30 pm Grand Rapids, MI WGVU Mon 12/3 10:00 pm, Fri 12/7 11:30 pm Honolulu, HI KHET Mon 12/3 9:30 pm *Houston, TX KUHT Wed 12/5 7:00 & 8:30pm, Sat 12/8 2:30 pm Idaho Public Television Sat 12/29 11:00 pm MST / 10:00 pm PST Indianapolis, IN WFYI New Year's Eve 10:00 pm Jacksonville, FL WJCT Thu 12/6 11:00 pm Joplin, MO KOCJ Thu 12/6 10:30 pm Juneau, AK KTOO Sat 12/1 11:30 pm Kansas City, KS KCPT Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Knoxville, TN WSJK Wed 12/5 10:00 pm La Cruces, NM KRWG Sun 12/16 6:00 pm Las Vegas, NV KLVX Fri 12/28 9:00 pm Lewiston, ME WCBB Sun 12/2 10:00 pm Lincoln, NE Nebraska ETV Network Sat 12/1 11:00 pm, Sun 12/2 11:20 pm Los Angeles, CA KCET Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Los Angeles, CA KOCE Sat 12/8 10:00 pm Miami, FL WPBT Sat 12/1 11:00 pm, Tue (Wed) 12/5 3:00 am, Wed (Thu) 12/6 3:00 am Milwaukee, WI WMVS Sat 12/1 10:40 pm *Minneapolis, MN TPT (KTCA) Tue 12/4 9:00 pm & 3:00 am Nashville, TN WDCN Tue 12/4 10:30 pm *New York, NY WLIW Fri 11/30 10:00 pm, Sat (Sun) 12/2 12:20 am Orlando, FL WMFE Sat 12/8 11:30 pm Pensacola, FL WSRE Sat 12/8 11:00 pm Peoria, IL WTVP Sat 12/1 8:00 pm *Philadelphia, PA WHYY Wed 11/28 8:00 (Live pre-show) + 9:30 pm, Sat 12/1 11:00 pm (pre-show) + 12:30 am Phoenix, AZ KAET Sat 12/8 10:00 pm Pittsburgh, PA WQED Sat 12/8 9:30 pm, Wed 12/12 Portland, OR Oregon Public Television Wed 12/5 11:00 pm Pueblo, CO KTSC Sat 12/1 10:30 pm Pullman, WA KWSU - KTNW Fri 12/7 10:30 pm Redding, CA KIXE Wed 12/5 9:30 pm Reno, NV KNPB Tue 12/11 9:30 pm (not firm) Rohnert Park, CA,KRCB 22 Sun 12/2 7:00 pm Sacramento, CA KVIE Sat 12/8 midnight, Sun 12/9 5:00 am St. Louis, MO KETC Sun 12/2 9:30 pm CST, Wed 12/5 10:00 pm Salt Lake City, UT KUED Sat 12/8 11:00 pm San Antonio, TX KLRN Sat 12/8 10:00 pm San Bernardino/Riverside, CA KVCR Wed 12/5 11:00 pm, Sat 12/8 9:30 pm San Francisco, CA KQED Sat (Sun) 12/2 1:00 am Scranton, PA WVIA Sun 12/2 10:30 pm Seattle, WA KCTS Fri 12/14 11:00 pm Springfield, MO Ozarks Public Television Wed 12/5 10:30 pm Tacoma, WA KBTC Mon 12/17 9:00 pm & 1:30 am Tallahassee, FL WFSU Tue 12/4 10:00 pm Tampa, FL WEDU Wed 12/5 11:30 pm Texas A&M University, TX KAMU Fri 12/7 8:00 pm Toledo, OH WGTE Fri 12/7 11:00 pm, Sat (Sun) 12/9 12:30 am Tucson, AZ KUAT Tue 12/4 10:30 pm University Park, PA WPSX Fri 12/7 9:00 pm Urbana, IL WILL Fri 12/7 9:30 pm Vermillion, SD South Dakota Public Television New Year's Eve 9:00 pm Washington DC, WETA Sat 12/1 10:00 pm & 1:30 am Watertown, NY WPBS Sun 12/2 9:40 pm Wichita, KS KPTS Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Yakima, WA KYVE Sat 12/8 8:30 pm, Fri 12/14 11:00 pm "Weirdly Cool" schedule geographically New England Lewiston, ME WCBB Sun 12/2 10:00 pm Colchester, VT Vermont Public Television Wed 12/12 11:00 pm Binghamton, NY WSKG Tue 12/4 10:00 pm, Fri 12/14 10:00 pm Buffalo, NY WNED Fri 12/14 9:00 pm *New York, NY WLIW Fri 11/30 10:00 pm, Sat (Sun) 12/2 12:20 am Watertown, NY WPBS Sun 12/2 9:40 pm Boston, MA WGBH Sat 12/1 11:00 pm, Sun 12/2 9:30 pm (WGBH 44) Allentown, PA WLVT Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Erie, PA WQLN Sat 12/1 10:30 pm & midnight *Philadelphia, PA WHYY Wed 11/28 8:00 (Live pre-show) + 9:30 pm, Sat 12/1 11:00 pm (pre-show) + 12:30 am Pittsburgh, PA WQED Sat 12/8 9:30 pm, Wed 12/12 Scranton, PA WVIA Sun 12/2 10:30 pm University Park, PA WPSX Fri 12/7 9:00 pm Washington DC, WETA Sat 12/1 10:00 pm & 1:30 am Confederacy Alabama Public Television (WBIQ) Sat 12/1 11:00 pm *Atlanta, GA WPBA Sun 12/2 9:00 pm Columbia, SC South Carolina ETV Sat 12/1 5:30 pm, Mon 12/3 11:30 pm, Sat 12/8 10:00 pm Knoxville, TN WSJK Wed 12/5 10:00 pm Nashville, TN WDCN Tue 12/4 10:30 pm Joplin, MO KOCJ Thu 12/6 10:30 pm St. Louis, MO KETC Sun 12/2 9:30 pm CST, Wed 12/5 10:00 pm Springfield, MO Ozarks Public Television Wed 12/5 10:30 pm Baton Rouge, LA Louisiana Public Broadcasting Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Amarillo, TX KACV Mon 12/3 10:05 pm Austin, TX KLRU Sat 12/1 11:00 pm, Sun 12/9 10:30 pm (KLRU2) Dallas, TX KERA Wed 12/5 10:15 pm El Paso, TX KCOS Sat 12/15 11:00 pm *Houston, TX KUHT Wed 12/5 7:00 & 8:30pm, Sat 12/8 2:30 pm San Antonio, TX KLRN Sat 12/8 10:00 pm Texas A&M University, TX KAMU Fri 12/7 8:00 pm Fort Myers, FL WGCU Sat 12/1 midnight, Mon 12/10 11:00 pm Gainesville, FL WUFT Tue 12/4 10:00 pm Jacksonville, FL WJCT Thu 12/6 11:00 pm Miami, FL WPBT Sat 12/1 11:00 pm, Tue (Wed) 12/5 3:00 am, Wed (Thu) 12/6 3:00 am Orlando, FL WMFE Sat 12/8 11:30 pm Pensacola, FL WSRE Sat 12/8 11:00 pm Tallahassee, FL WFSU Tue 12/4 10:00 pm Tampa, FL WEDU Wed 12/5 11:30 pm Sectors R and N Akron, OH WNEO Tue 12/11 9:30 pm Athens, OH WOUB Sat 12/1 11:00 pm, Sat (Sun) 12/2 2:30 am Cincinatti, OH WCET Sat (Sun) 12/9 12:35 am Cleveland, OH WVIZ Sun (Mon) 12/10 12:30 am Dayton, OH WPTD Sat 12/1 10:00 pm, Wed 12/5 10:00 pm Toledo, OH WGTE Fri 12/7 11:00 pm, Sat (Sun) 12/9 12:30 am Bloomington, IN WTIU Tue 12/4 9:30 pm Evansville, IN WNIN Sat 12/8 10:30 pm Indianapolis, IN WFYI New Year's Eve 10:00 pm East Lansing, MI WKAR Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Grand Rapids, MI WGVU Mon 12/3 10:00 pm, Fri 12/7 11:30 pm Kansas City, KS KCPT Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Wichita, KS KPTS Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Carbondale, IL WSIU Sat 12/1 10:30 pm Chicago, IL WTTW Sat 12/1 10:45 pm Peoria, IL WTVP Sat 12/1 8:00 pm Urbana, IL WILL Fri 12/7 9:30 pm Milwaukee, WI WMVS Sat 12/1 10:40 pm *Minneapolis, MN TPT (KTCA) Tue 12/4 9:00 pm & 3:00 am Lincoln, NE Nebraska ETV Network Sat 12/1 11:00 pm, Sun 12/2 11:20 pm Vermillion, SD South Dakota Public Television New Year's Eve 9:00 pm Vast Wasteland BOZEman, MT Montana PBS Wed 12/5 11:00 pm Denver, CO KRMA Sat 12/1 10:20 pm (approx) Grand Junction, CO KRMJ Sat 12/1 10:30 pm Pueblo, CO KTSC Sat 12/1 10:30 pm Idaho Public Television Sat 12/29 11:00 pm MST / 10:00 pm PST La Cruces, NM KRWG Sun 12/16 6:00 pm Phoenix, AZ KAET Sat 12/8 10:00 pm Tucson, AZ KUAT Tue 12/4 10:30 pm Las Vegas, NV KLVX Fri 12/28 9:00 pm Reno, NV KNPB Tue 12/11 9:30 pm (not firm) Salt Lake City, UT KUED Sat 12/8 11:00 pm Seattle, WA KCTS Fri 12/14 11:00 pm Pullman, WA KWSU - KTNW Fri 12/7 10:30 pm Tacoma, WA KBTC Mon 12/17 9:00 pm & 1:30 am Yakima, WA KYVE Sat 12/8 8:30 pm, Fri 12/14 11:00 pm Portland, OR Oregon Public Television Wed 12/5 11:00 pm Fresno, CA KVPT Tue 12/4 11:00 pm Los Angeles, CA KCET Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Los Angeles, CA KOCE Sat 12/8 10:00 pm Redding, CA KIXE Wed 12/5 9:30 pm Rohnert Park, CA,KRCB 22 Sun 12/2 7:00 pm Sacramento, CA KVIE Sat 12/8 midnight, Sun 12/9 5:00 am San Bernardino/Riverside, CA KVCR Wed 12/5 11:00 pm, Sat 12/8 9:30 pm San Francisco, CA KQED Sat (Sun) 12/2 1:00 am Fairbanks, AK KUAC Sat 12/1 11:30 pm Juneau, AK KTOO Sat 12/1 11:30 pm Honolulu, HI KHET Mon 12/3 9:30 pm "Weirdly Cool" schedule chronologically *Philadelphia, PA WHYY Wed 11/28 8:00 (Live pre-show) + 9:30 pm, *New York, NY WLIW Fri 11/30 10:00 pm Columbia, SC South Carolina ETV Sat 12/1 5:30 pm Peoria, IL WTVP Sat 12/1 8:00 pm Baton Rouge, LA Louisiana Public Broadcasting Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Dayton, OH WPTD Sat 12/1 10:00 pm East Lansing, MI WKAR Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Kansas City, KS KCPT Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Washington DC, WETA Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Wichita, KS KPTS Sat 12/1 10:00 pm Denver, CO KRMA Sat 12/1 10:20 pm (approx) Carbondale, IL WSIU Sat 12/1 10:30 pm Erie, PA WQLN Sat 12/1 10:30 pm Grand Junction, CO KRMJ Sat 12/1 10:30 pm Pueblo, CO KTSC Sat 12/1 10:30 pm Milwaukee, WI WMVS Sat 12/1 10:40 pm Chicago, IL WTTW Sat 12/1 10:45 pm Athens, OH WOUB Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Alabama Public Television (WBIQ) Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Lincoln, NE Nebraska ETV Network Sat 12/1 11:00 pm *Philadelphia, PA WHYY Sat 12/1 11:00 pm (Rebroadcast of live pre-show) + 12:30 am Allentown, PA WLVT Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Austin, TX KLRU Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Boston, MA WGBH Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Los Angeles, CA KCET Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Miami, FL WPBT Sat 12/1 11:00 pm Fairbanks, AK KUAC Sat 12/1 11:30 pm Juneau, AK KTOO Sat 12/1 11:30 pm Erie, PA WQLN Sat 12/1 midnight Fort Myers, FL WGCU Sat 12/1 midnight New York, NY WLIW Sat (Sun) 12/2 12:20 am San Francisco, CA KQED Sat (Sun) 12/2 1:00 am Washington DC, WETA Sat (Sun) 12/2 1:30 am Athens, OH WOUB Sat (Sun) 12/2 2:30 am Rohnert Park, CA, KRCB 22 Sun 12/2 7:00 pm *Atlanta, GA WPBA Sun 12/2 9:00 pm Boston, MA WGBH Sun 12/2 9:30 pm (WGBH 44) St. Louis, MO KETC Sun 12/2 9:30 pm CST Watertown, NY WPBS Sun 12/2 9:40 pm Lewiston, ME WCBB Sun 12/2 10:00 pm Scranton, PA WVIA Sun 12/2 10:30 pm Lincoln, NE Nebraska ETV Network Sun 12/2 11:20 pm Honolulu, HI KHET Mon 12/3 9:30 pm Grand Rapids, MI WGVU Mon 12/3 10:00 pm Amarillo, TX KACV Mon 12/3 10:05 pm Columbia, SC South Carolina ETV Mon 12/3 11:30 pm *Minneapolis, MN TPT (KTCA) Tue 12/4 9:00 pm Bloomington, IN WTIU Tue 12/4 9:30 pm Binghamton, NY WSKG Tue 12/4 10:00 pm Gainesville, FL WUFT Tue 12/4 10:00 pm Tallahassee, FL WFSU Tue 12/4 10:00 pm Nashville, TN WDCN Tue 12/4 10:30 pm Tucson, AZ KUAT Tue 12/4 10:30 pm Fresno, CA KVPT Tue 12/4 11:00 pm *Minneapolis, MN TPT (KTCA) Tue (Wed) 12/5 3:00 am Miami, FL WPBT Tue (Wed) 12/5 3:00 am *Houston, TX KUHT Wed 12/5 7:00 *Houston, TX KUHT Wed 12/5 8:30pm Redding, CA KIXE Wed 12/5 9:30 pm Dayton, OH WPTD Wed 12/5 10:00 pm Knoxville, TN WSJK Wed 12/5 10:00 pm St. Louis, MO KETC Wed 12/5 10:00 pm Dallas, TX KERA Wed 12/5 10:15 pm Springfield, MO Ozarks Public Television Wed 12/5 10:30 pm BOZEman, MT Montana PBS Wed 12/5 11:00 pm Portland, OR Oregon Public Television Wed 12/5 11:00 pm San Bernardino / Riverside, CA KVCR Wed 12/5 11:00 pm Tampa, FL WEDU Wed 12/5 11:30 pm Miami, FL WPBT Wed (Thu) 12/6 3:00 am Joplin, MO KOCJ Thu 12/6 10:30 pm Jacksonville, FL WJCT Thu 12/6 11:00 pm Texas A&M University, TX KAMU Fri 12/7 8:00 pm University Park, PA WPSX Fri 12/7 9:00 pm Urbana, IL WILL Fri 12/7 9:30 pm Pullman, WA KWSU - KTNW Fri 12/7 10:30 pm Toledo, OH WGTE Fri 12/7 11:00 pm Grand Rapids, MI WGVU Fri 12/7 11:30 pm *Houston, TX KUHT Sat 12/8 2:30 pm Yakima, WA KYVE Sat 12/8 8:30 pm Pittsburgh, PA WQED Sat 12/8 9:30 pm San Bernardino / Riverside, CA KVCR Sat 12/8 9:30 pm Columbia, SC South Carolina ETV Sat 12/8 10:00 pm Los Angeles, CA KOCE Sat 12/8 10:00 pm Phoenix, AZ KAET Sat 12/8 10:00 pm San Antonio, TX KLRN Sat 12/8 10:00 pm Evansville, IN WNIN Sat 12/8 10:30 pm Pensacola, FL WSRE Sat 12/8 11:00 pm Salt Lake City, UT KUED Sat 12/8 11:00 pm Orlando, FL WMFE Sat 12/8 11:30 pm Sacramento, CA KVIE Sat 12/8 midnight Cincinatti, OH WCET Sat (Sun) 12/9 12:35 am Toledo, OH WGTE Sat (Sun) 12/9 12:30 am Sacramento, CA KVIE Sat (Sun) 12/9 5:00 am Austin, TX KLRU Sun 12/9 10:30 pm (KLRU2) Cleveland, OH WVIZ Sun (Mon) 12/10 12:30 am Fort Myers, FL WGCU Mon 12/10 11:00 pm Akron, OH WNEO Tue 12/11 9:30 pm Reno, NV KNPB Tue 12/11 9:30 pm (not firm) Colchester, VT Vermont Public Television Wed 12/12 11:00 pm Pittsburgh, PA WQED Wed 12/12 Buffalo, NY WNED Fri 12/14 9:00 pm Binghamton, NY WSKG Fri 12/14 10:00 pm Seattle, WA KCTS Fri 12/14 11:00 pm Yakima, WA KYVE Fri 12/14 11:00 pm El Paso, TX KCOS Sat 12/15 11:00 pm La Cruces, NM KRWG Sun 12/16 6:00 pm Tacoma, WA KBTC Mon 12/17 9:00 pm Tacoma, WA KBTC Mon 12/17 1:30 am Las Vegas, NV KLVX Fri 12/28 9:00 pm Idaho Public Television Sat 12/29 11:00 pm MST / 10:00 pm PST Vermillion, SD South Dakota Public Television New Year's Eve 9:00 pm Indianapolis, IN WFYI New Year's Eve 10:00 pm (via Brock Whaley, GA, Dec 1, DXLD) Tnx a lot, Brock! Got to me just in time to catch on Wichita. Is it on in OKC? Of course not! The show itself was a funnyfest, but it`s used, with the coöperation of Firesign, as a begathon attraxion. As presented on KPTS, the pledge breaks were virtually as long as the segments, totalling a sesquihour, and the SOBs did a final pledge break *before* running the credits, faking us out about whether the show was really over. Give them money, and you`ll still never see Firesign again! While I avoid begathon breaks with a passion, I cannot help but notice a change in tactics recently --- less local, more generic. These breaks, I think, admittedly originated at WHYY, not KPTS, and previously I have detected generic-itis on such breaks, avoiding any local references, and full of unfamiliar faces. It seems local PBS affiliates are taking the easy way out, not going to the trouble of firing up their own studio production, if they had any such capability (Glenn Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. WNYE Lesson: A Is for Advocacy By DAVID HINCKLEY, Daily News Staff Writer There was a David-vs.-Goliath feeling when ethnic programmers who buy time on WNYE (91.5 FM) last year challenged a proposal by Schools Chancellor Harold Levy for leasing WNYE to WNYC. Levy said WNYE offers little of value and that WNYC could provide better programs with more listeners. WNYC was delighted at the prospect of an extra frequency -- part of whose time it has been leasing, in a separate deal, since WNYC's FM transmitter was destroyed on Sept. 11. But more than a dozen producers who buy time to broadcast a couple of hours a week in Greek, Bulgarian, Macedonian and other languages decided to resist. They formed the Ethnic Broadcasters Action Committee, with Elena Maroulleti of the Greek-language Aktina-FM as president, and they started lobbying Board of Education members, who had to approve the Levy proposal. It worked. Levy withdrew the proposal this month, saying the board didn't want to pursue it. "I think we had a lot to do with educating the board," says Maroulleti. "We showed them the station already serves an important educational and cultural purpose, and we offered to help enhance that function." The Coalition supports Board Member Irving Hamer's counterproposal to link the station with other cultural and education institutions through various electronic media. "We can be an important part of that," says Maroulleti. "We would be happy for the station to be 100% educational, which it would not have been under WNYC." What remains, she says, is the renewal of the producers' contracts, all of which had been allowed to lapse. "That's the next step," she says, "and hopefully it will happen very soon." Original Publication Date: 11/27/01 (David Hinckley, NY Daily News via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** VENEZUELA. Glenn, R. Tachira, 4830 kHz, 02 Dec 2001, 0445-0605 UT. Very good signal and a clear station ID/jingle by a chorus at 0600 ("RA-dio Ta-HIR-a"). Male announcer playing nice LA music mix. The 0500-0600 given over to great guitar music and two enthusiastic (but not so great) singers (possibly a live show). Broadcast went well beyond 0600 (and well beyond times in 2002 Passport) but signal became unreadable due to local sweeper interference (Rich Skoba, New Jersey, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ===== "New Jersey - the most American of all states. It has everything from wilderness to the Mafia. All the great things and all the worst, for example Route 22." - Jean Shepard Since you give a pronouncer for Táchira, I must point out that it should be instead ``TAH-chee-rah`` --- perhaps distorted by being sung? (gh, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE. Radio station names changed during ZBC relaunch | Text of report from Zimbabwean radio audio web site on 1 December Information and Publicity Minister Prof Jonathan Moyo said as the ZBC [Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation] relaunches, plans are under way to make corporation pay royalties to artists whose work would be used by the ZBC. Minister said the public must be prepared for some good programming. He said the idea of introducing 70 per cent local content in ZBC's programming is soon going to be a reality. The minister urged local media personnel working outside the country to come back to ZBC since it is now a transformed institution. The guest of honour, the director-general of the Zambia National Broadcasting Services, noted that ZBC is implementing its mandate of broadcasting mainly local content, in line with aspirations of people. The relaunch has seen the names of ZBC stations changing. Radio 2 is now Radio Zimbabwe, while Radio 1 is Spot FM. Radio 3 becomes 3 FM while Radio 4 is now National FM. The relaunch, broadcast live on radio and television, was attended by thousands of people, including cabinet ministers, senior ZANU-PF officials, members of the ZBC board of governors, ZBC employees and other dignitaries. Source: ZBC Radio 3 audio web site, Harare, in English 1000 gmt 1 Dec 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) But, but, what about the SW frequencies? Surely they can`t refer to them as ``FM``... (gh, DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 6040: Friends, Today (December 2, 2001), I noticed a NEW broadcast from High Adventure on 6040 at 0045 in Tamil, 0100 in Malayalam (my mother tongue) & 0145 Sinhala. It signed off at 0130 with English ID and address as PO Box 2801, EASTBOURNE - East Sussex - BN21 2EQ - UK. email: highadventureuk@hotmail.com The signal was excellent and ID in Hindi in between different segments were given as "Radio Anmeeya Yatra" whose translation would be something like "Divine Journey Radio". The announcements indicated that they start the broadcast at 0000 UT. (I must check them in the coming days.) This info is not listed in their website http://www.highadventure.org. Their site incidentally gave the following info of interest: "We are currently building a new transmission site in Northern Nigeria where we will broadcast FM, AM and shortwave, eventually reaching most of the continent of Africa." (Jose Jacob, Hyderabad, India, dx_india via DXLD) PROPAGATION: Here`s a new propagation info source, which we reproduce here in full only once as an introduction (gh) 7 day medium wave radio propagation outlook #1 is online at http://64.176.157.9/kn4lf6.htm 73, (Thomas Giella, KN4LF, NRC-AM via DXLD) KN4LF 7 DAY MEDIUM WAVE RADIO PROPAGATION OUTLOOK (SEC) SPACE ENVIRONMENT CENTER TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS GLOSSARY SEC SPACE WEATHER MAGNETIC CLASS TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS SEC SPACE WEATHER SOLAR FLARE TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS I haven't decided just yet what the format will be for the 7 day medium wave radio propagation outlooks. I will likely add and subtract info until I'm satisfied with the end product. I will try to keep things in simple to understand layman terms, as long complicated technical explanations can be boring and make one's eyes glaze over. Unfortunately though sometimes while keeping things simple certain definitions, meanings and technical aspects can get watered down or even lost, which tends to open me up to nit pickers and naysayers, who just don't understand the KISS principle. The propagation outlooks are totally mine and derived from raw data, no plagiarism or looking at what the government boys are saying, just like my weather forecasts during the past 28+ years. Also remember medium wave frequencies encompass 300 to 3000 kc and lower frequencies are always effected by D layer absorption first. With time I may also incorporate HF frequencies into the outlooks and instant updates when big events occur. Outlook #1 Published 12:00 PM EST 12/01/01, For 12/01/01-12/07/01- Solar activity is high. The approximate 28 day cyclical solar flux minimum was 170 on 11/25/01. Today it's 221 and rising. The past three solar flux peaks were 271 on 11/09/01, 263 on 10/19/01 and 285 on 09/28/01. The next 28 day cyclical solar flux peak may exceed 250 or even 270. High solar flux values are generally considered to be detrimental to medium wave signals, as more absorption can be present but this is only a generality. I have personally been hearing WSM 650 kc Nashville, TN. as well as skywave signals on 160 meters here in Central Florida during local high noon the past couple of days. Most long haul medium wave DX signals in excess of 3000 miles is via the E/F layer ducting and/or E valley propagation modes. High solar flux values can aid in long haul medium wave propagation paths in excess of 3000 miles, as a high solar flux value ensures a strong E and F layer. Sunspot regions 9715, 9718 and 9720 have the potential for producing M-class flares, via CME's (coronal mass ejections). M7 class solar flares and above have the energy to produce visible aurora and elevated proton flux levels in excess of 10 MeV, a level capable of absorbing high latitude medium wave signals and creating what we normally call auroral conditions, when signals from a southerly direction are co-channel with or dominant over northerly direction signals. Region 9715 has good potential to produce an X-class solar flare or two. X class solar flares have the ability to create visible aurora south of 30 degrees north latitude and north of 30 degrees south latitude, polar radio blackouts, polar cap absorption, high and mid latitude absorption via D layer over-ionization and ionospheric storms. X class solar flares can produce a lingering negative effect on high latitude medium wave propagation paths, long after all elevated events are over and the A and K indices return to normal. I don't pay much attention to the A and K indices as they don't correlate very well with medium wave propagation conditions. The key is the proton flux level above 10 MeV. The higher the proton mev level the higher the frequency absorbed. I place the likelihood of an M7 class or higher solar flare at 90% and and X1 class or higher solar flare at 50%. The bottom line for the next 7 days? No substantial solar flares and high latitude path medium wave conditions continue to improve. M7 class solar flare or stronger and conditions are back to where they have been all season so far, lousy! CURRENT PROTON FLUX IN MEV As the proton flux drops below 10 MeV (10o)expect improved domestic east west propagation and improved TA and TP propagation especially on higher frequencies. However there can still be some co-channel signals from the Caribbean, Central and South America, especially on the lower frequencies. If the proton flux dips well below 10 MeV (10-1) for a couple of days and it's doubtful at the moment, expect much improved TA and TP reception. ----- Published 12:00 PM EST 12/01/01. I was operating on 160 meters, as well as listening to the domestic AM broadcast band tonight. Distant signals were much louder tonight, for the first time in a good while, especially from a northerly direction. We are on the verge of normal MW band conditions for TA and TP DX, as the proton flux has inched it's way down to 10 mev. I've been watching the proton flux and the A & K indices for a long time and can see a direct correlation between a high proton flux and poor high latitude MW propagation paths, where as the A & K don't as readily correlate. Unfortunately though the large (6 earth diameters) size and growing sunspot # 9715 has developed a beta-gamma-delta magnetic twisted "delta-class" magnetic field that harbors energy for powerful X-class eruptions. This spot is nearing the center of the Sun, so explosions from its vicinity this week will likely be Earth-directed. It's been a dismal MW DX season so far with one solar flare after another and attendant polar radio blackouts, polar cap absorption, high and mid latitude absorption and ionospheric storms. NOTE! Space weather forecasting is still an inexact science. The discussions, forecasts and outlooks are not official and are subject to human error and acts of God, therefore no guarantee or warranty implied. This site and all information herein is copyrighted © 2001 by Thomas F. Giella, all rights reserved. Reproduction of information herein is allowed as long as proper credit is given. ###