DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-194, December 10, 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 #1108: (STREAM) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1108ram (DOWNLOAD) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1108.rm (SUMMARY) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1108.html FINAL 1108 AIRING ON WWCR: Tuesday 1200 on 15685 FINAL 1108 AIRINGS ON RFPI: Tuesday 1900, Wednesday 0100, 0700, 1300 on some of: 21815-USB, 15040, 7445-USB DX PROGRAMS updated Dec 10: http://www.worldofradio.com/dxpgms.html YAHOO PROBLEMS. Please do NOT use our yahoo address, but instead wghauser@hotmail.com MARCONI CENTENNIAL SPECIAL SITE: http://worldofradio.com/marconi.html ** AFGHANISTAN. Currently, all YA5T operators are out of the country and are expected to be back sometime early this week. Be advised that there has been a SLIM [i.e, pirate --jn] active using the YA5T callsign on 20 meters CW (KB8NW/OPDX December 10/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. US Information Radio starts to broadcast in Arabic: As the situation in Qandahar deteriorates, US Information Radio started to broadcast messages in Arabic too, along with Dari and Pashto. The messages are targeted to people in Kandahar. Obviously, the Arabic messages are aimed at "Foreigners" in Taliban faction. I will send you detailed information as soon as I finish the translation (T. Hirayama, Japan, Dec 8, 2001 for CRW via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Media round-up Sunday 9 December 2001 [excerpts] US PsyOps broadcasts continue US PsyOps Information Radio continues to be observed by BBC Monitoring broadcasting in Pashto and Dari to Afghanistan. On 8 December, the broadcasts were heard from 0030-0535 gmt and 1230-1730 gmt. On 9 December, the broadcast from 0030-0535 gmt was observe; between 1400- 1500 gmt the station was not observed broadcasting. 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. Radio Voice of Afghanistan broadcasts Radio Voice of Afghanistan, which is based in London, continues to be observed on its scheduled frequency of 9950 kHz from 1330-1430 gmt daily.... The 8 December broadcast included the following reports: - Unknown whereabouts of Taleban leader Mola Mohammad Omar - Fight continuing for control of Kandahar - Fighting at Tora Bora, a suspected Al-Qa'idah hideout - UK, Germany could lead multinational force in Kabul - Interior Minister Designate Yunos Qanuni says the differences over the Bonn decision on the interim council can be resolved - Mazar-e Sharif commander Gen Abdorrashid Dostum, Herat commander Esmail Khan and Pir Gailani oppose the Bonn decision on the interim council; - Russian Defence Minister Ivanov holds talks with Foreign Minister Designate Dr Abdollah Abdollah in Tajikistan - according to Abdollah, Russia is prepared to render every kind of assistance; - Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf speaks to Hamed Karzai by phone - new Pakistani envoy could be appointed soon to Kabul; according to another report Karzai might be visiting Pakistan in the near future for talks with Musharraf. - UK press review - "Women and society" [Dari: Zan wa zhamia] - brief biographies of the two women members of the Interim Council: Deputy Prime Minister Designate Sima Samar from Ghazni, member of Hezb-e Wahdat and Hazara; Gen Suhaila Sediqi - surgeon, Pashtun, from Kandahar, health minister designate. - News on women's affairs - meeting of Afghan women in Belgium - Afghan women from various countries attended the meeting; biography of an Afghan woman in New York where she works as a hairdresser - Zahera. 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 9 Dec 01 (via DXLD) Re: The transmitting site of this broadcast is Samara in Russia with 200 kW of power according to the information given by ITU frequency list (T. Hirayama-JPN Nov 28, 2001 for CRW 089 Extra) Correction: The source to the above information was of course a HFCC frequency list, not one by the ITU. Sorry for the error (CRW via DXLD) 9950, Radio Voice of Afghanistan *1330-1430* Dec. 6: Sign-on with tones, then National Anthem of Afghanistan, followed with clear IDs for 'Da Afghanistan Ghaq Radio' (more anthem) then 'Da Afghan nasharati moasesai wa'. Followed with open announcements, gave schedule. Verse from the Holy book, Koran. Newscast about Afghanistan followed at 1334, with headline and detailed news reports. Weather Forecast and Commentary Review at 1345, reports from various newspapers such as the NY Times and India Times. Afghan music played to finish off the broadcast to 1358 closing notes, Stn ID, into opening anthem for the Dari service. Opening comments, schedule followed with verse from the Kor`an. Headline News, weather Report, then report from Bonn on peace talks . Closing selection of music, but off before closing announcement or ID Excellent reception on this morning. I was able to produce this tape at the local Immigrant Service, where Nasim, a Transcriber/Journalist who was [in?] Kabul (Newspaper and Television), and [is?] in Canada since 1992, was able to translate this broadcast (Ed Kusalik, Alberta, Dec 8, 2001 in DXplorer-ML via CRW via DXLD) I was listening to 9950 around 1342-1348 UT Dec 10, and did not notice any change of language; has the quarter-hour pattern changed? (gh, OK, DXLD) ** ANTARCTICA. Chris, N3SIG, has been showing up a few days during the week as KC4/N3SIG from the McMurdo Base Station (AN-011). Watch 14243 kHz after 0400z. QSL via AI3D. Also, look for KC4AAA on the same frequency generally earlier, after 0200z. QSL via K1IED (KB8NW/OPDX December 10/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** AUSTRALIA. **M** Radio National of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation is planning a special, "the Great Marconigram," about Marconi and radio in the past 100 years. This will be December 12th at 9 UT, and repeated December 30th at 4 UT. There are no plans to transmit this program via shortwave, but Radio Australia might use some excerpts. Information about the program is available at http://www.abc.net.au/rn/events/radio100/marconi.htm. Audio samples of the program are also available there, including this amazing sound collage by Russell Stapleton... AUDIO http://www.abc.net.au/rn/events/radio100/audio/Alive_or_Dead_2856.ram (Kim Elliott, VOA Communications World Dec 8 via John Norfolk, DXLD) Well, there is good news and bad news concerning the Marconi specials this Wednesday. The good news: Per Roger Broadbent, via John Figliozzi, ABC Radio National's "The Great Marconigram" will be transmitted by Radio Australia this Wednesday at 1105-1300 UT. Kim Elliott, DC, DX LISTENING DIGEST) The bad news... see CANADA ** AUSTRALIA. Latest information from HCJB about their Western Australian project: since the granting of HCJB's licences last April, approvals have been received from most of the 18 government agencies. Only one or two to go. Also, the community radio station at Kununurra, where the HCJB site is, has asked for help to increase the Christian content of its station. No frequency given, and it's presumed this is FM (Don Rhodes, Yarra Glen, Victoria, Australia, EDXP Dec 9 via DXLD) ** AUSTRIA. Additional changes for AWR to Af via Moosbrunn: 0730-0800 Dyula on 17820 (not 17670) 0800-0830 French on 17820 (not 17670) 0830-0900 English on 17820 (not 17670) 0900-0930 English NF 11670 (42452) co-ch RFI in French, ex 17820 to avoid DW in En (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 10 via DXLD) ** CANADA. **M** Operation MARCONI 2001. The Wireless Set No. 19 Group, Inverary, ON plans to mark the 100th anniversary of Marconi's experiment by using vintage equipment to make amateur radio contacts. Since its formation in 1991, the Wireless Set No. 19 Group has had a tradition of bringing attention to significant anniversaries by conducting on-air operations using vintage equipment. These include the 50th anniversary of the 19 Set (Jan 1992), 50th anniversary of D-Day (Jun 1994), 90th and 95th anniversaries of the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals (Oct 1993 & 1998), Camp-X (May 2000), Atlantic Hop - II (Feb 1999) and the 100th anniversary of Fessenden's first voice transmission (Dec 2000). These have been excellent opportunities for Group members to display their collections and to participate in live operations. Another such opportunity will present itself on 12 December 2001 with the centenary of Marconi's trans-Atlantic experiments. Phase I (12 Dec 0100 - 0200Z) will be a special edition of the regularly scheduled Tuesday night training net. For this net, all stations will operate exclusively with vintage equipment. Phase II (12 Dec 0200 - 2359Z) will be a challenge amongst Group members to work the equivalent distance between Mullion Cove (Cornwall, England) and Signal Hill (Newfoundland, Canada) using vintage equipment which, in whole or in part, was manufactured by the Marconi Company. Of additional interest to Group members will be a demonstration of a spark-gap transmitter from St. David's, Ontario. This is an initiative of VE3BBN and it has been approved by Industry Canada for the period 9- 10 pm EST (13 Dec 0200-0300Z ). David Lawrence, VA3ORP intends to begin his participation in Phase II from the former site of the Marconi Great Lakes Station (callsign VBH) which was located directly behind Fort Henry (Kingston). This was a 5 KW spark station that became operational in January 1914. Weather permitting, he will be operating from the car with his W.S. No. 19, Mk II (serial C-3406, manufactured by Canadian Marconi Company in 1942). His plan is to use a 3/4 wavelength, long wire antenna with a kite for a skyhook. Planned operating details are: 7.020 MHz (+/- 10 KHz) from 1300 to 1400 EST on Wednesday 12 Dec '01 (1800-1900Z on 12 Dec '01). VA3ORP. may be reached by phone at (613) 387-2094; by email at va3orp@kos.net or by snail mail at 1309 Sunbury Rd, R.R. #2, Inverary, ON K0H 1X0. In the absence of VA3ORP, Chris Bisaillion, VE3CBK may be reached by phone at (613) 592-2008; by email at whiskey1@sympatico.ca " or by snail mail at 1324 Old Carp Rd, Kanata, ON K2K 1X7 (from http://www.rac.ca/dnews.htm via DXLD) ** CANADA. The Dec 9 Cross Country Checkup was not about radio, in the Marconi tradition, but changed to Afghanistan, due to the strike which prevented origination from St John`s --- bodes ill (gh, DXLD) **M** CBC MARCONI SPECIAL CANCELLED Hi, Glenn. Sad news from the CBC today. Here is the URL. It was also the last story on the CBC National News here this morning on Radio One at 6, 7 and 8 AM (Sheldon Harvey, QB, Dec 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) URL: http://cbc.ca/cgi-bin/templates/print.cgi?/news/2001/12/10/radio_labour011210 ------ CBC labour dispute silences live radio special WebPosted Mon Dec 10 04:50:14 2001 TORONTO-- A labour dispute at the CBC has forced the cancellation of a major live broadcast this week marking the 100th anniversary of the first radio transmission. CBC management says "Tuning the World" will no longer be broadcast on December 12 because 1,600 technical workers are walking the picket lines across the country. The world-wide program was to originate on Signal Hill in St. John's, Newfoundland, marking the location where Guglielmo Marconi's first transmission was received in 1901. Planning for the program had been underway for years, but now the Canadian portion won't be heard. CBC Radio's executive director of programming says the quality of the broadcast would suffer with technicians off the job. "The program involved live link-ups with Australia, New York, as well as linking up with South Africa, Prague, Sarajevo, Italy. And we just felt that it was very ambitious," said Adrian Mills. The CBC will still have to pay for satellite link-ups with foreign broadcasters, although Mills won't say how much the corporation will lose because of the cancellation. And the labour dispute is affecting more than specialty programming. Local radio and afternoon shows are being replaced by national programs, while evening television news show The National will be off the air for the duration of the dispute. The CBC says changes to lunch times, overtimes and shift turnaround rules will save it $6 million. Members of the Communications, Energy & Paperworkers Union of Canada (CEP) say the 3.5 per cent pay raise currently implemented won't cover the losses of missed meals and back- to-back shifts. Copyright © 2001 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - All Rights Reserved ===== (via Sheldon Harvey and Ricky Leong, Dec 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Owner-Radio H.F., Canada's specialist in radio communications, http://www.total.net/~radiohf President-Canadian International DX Club, Canada's national radio monitoring club since 1962 http://www.anarc.org/cidx/ (also via Susan C. Hickey, Newfoundland; Mickey Delmage, Alberta, DXLD) The bad news: The CBC Radio special "Tuning the World" is cancelled because of the CBC technicians' labor dispute. Steve Lemay at RCI tells me that some elements of the program will be heard on CBC Radio's "This Morning" on Wednesday. This will be transmitted on RCI shortwave at 1300-1600 UT on 9515, 13655, and 17710 kHz. (Kim Elliott, DC, Dec 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. A new provincial station commenced SW broadcasting in early December. It is the Yushu Peoples' Broadcasting Station in Qinghai. The initial schedule is for four hours and ten minutes daily, using 6075, carrying Tibetan programs, including a relay of CNR1, 2255-0100 and 1025-1230. The CNR1 relay is 1135-1230). (Nagoya DXers Circle via EDXP via DXLD) see also TIBET ** CHINA. The XINJIANG PEOPLES BROADCASTING STATION (Urumqi) has this new monitored schedule. The full frequency usage has not yet been confirmed, but has been monitored as follows: Chinese 9885 0000-1800 9355 0000-1800 9600 0000-1800 11770 ....-1100 7310 1100-1800 7155 ....-1300 5960 0000-1800 5060 0000-1800 3950 0000-1800 Kazakh 6015 1204-1800 4330 1204-1800 9470 ....-1200 7340 .....1200 Mongolian 0000-0330, 0530-1030, 1230-1800 (freqs not available) Kyrgyz .... 0330-0530 9705 1030-1230 7230 ....-1300 7120 0000-1800 6190 0000-1800 4500 1300-1800, and 0000 onwards Uighur 13670 0000-0800 11885 ....-1300 9560 0000-1800 9530 0000-1800 9355 0000-1800 7275 ....-1230 7195 1300-1800 6120 1200-1800 4980 0000-1800 3990 1230-1800 The QINGHAI PEOPLES BROADCASTING STATION, new monitored schedules: Tibetan 2225-.... and 1055-1540 on 4220 and 6500 Chinese 2220-.... and 0925-1505 on 4750 6260 and 6145 (NDXC via EDXP Dec 9 via DXLD) CNR. A count here in Melbourne of CNR freqs in use on Dec-08 at their morning sign-on showed this: CNR1 *2000 33 channels CNR2 *2100 20 channels That does not include provincial stations carrying CNR1 or CNR2 relays. Outlets in the tropical bands noted with the morning service are: CNR1: 5030 4800 4750 4460 CNR2: 5010 3985 4850 and 3290 (Bob Padula, EDXP Dec 9 via DXLD) ** COSTA RICA. RFPI Frequency Schedule: BAND FREQUENCY/MODE UTC/GMT TIME (frequencies/hours subject to change without notice) 40 meters: 7.445 MHz (USB): 0200 - 0800 19 meters: 15.040 MHz (AM): 1800 - 0600 [ex 1400-, ex 2000-] 13 meters: 21.815 MHz (USB): 1200 - 0200 (RFPI Weekly Update Dec 9 via DXLD) ** CUBA. Radio Habana Cuba to Eu noted on Dec. 6: 2000-2030 in French, 2030-2130 in English and 2130-2200 in French on 13750 AM co-channel VOIROI/IRIB in Arabic & Gene Scott/University Network in English on odd 13749.8 \\ 13660 USB totally blocked by BBC in Arabic in AM (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 10 via DXLD) The 13750 clash has been going on forever, DGS being Costa Rica, tho the third station used to be India (gh, DXLD) ** DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. Re: The WRTH [2001?] frequency listing has incorrectly listed the prefix on all Dominican stations as "CM" (Rick Kenneally, NRC-AM via DXLD) Hi Glenn, This is the 2001 edition, not the 2002, that does not include the call letters in the MW frequency list by region, which is where the problem was last year (Mike Barraclough, Dec 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST, who received his WRTH 2002 Dec 7) ** ECUADOR. 3380.07, C.R.I. Centro Radiofónico de Imbabura, Ibarra. Dec 8, 2001 - 0000 UT. Must be new on shortwave, correct me if I am wrong. Has been on air a few times during the last week with "semi religious" programmes, which made believe that it was Radio Chortís (Guatemala) and lazy as I am, I didn`t wait for the ID! This date they had instead nonstop cumbia-music in a hot tempo, a music style that does not fit for Guatemala. The programme was called "Al aire" which ended 0005 UT when the ID also came as a total surprise: "Escuchan C.R.I., Centro Radiofónico de Imbabura, transmitiendo en 1230 kilociclos desde la ciudad de Ibarra". Jingle: "C.R.I. Radio - la diferencia en radiocomunicación". I have several times called the number listed by "Supertel", +593 06 955-897 but no answer? I really want to check if they will continue their transmissions on shortwave; in fact, no shortwave frequency is announced. A few months ago I was staying in "Chachimbiro" a small health resort not far from Ibarra. On WRTH`s behalf I checked the activity of MW stations in the province of Imbabura. Our member Tore Larsson/TL at the WRTH editorial staff handed over a list of 6 MW-stations in Imbabura. I found out that 10 of these were "on the air" - "C.R.I. Radio"-1230 kHz was one of the active. One interesting note: when I was in the province of Imbabura several of the stations gave a different QTH than the listed "Ibarra". Several towns in Ecuador have in fact a different name than the name used on a daily basis: Ibarra: "San Miguel de Ibarra" Quito: "San Francisco de Quito" Riobamba: "San Pedro de Riobamba" Guayaquil: "Santiago de Guayaquil" Cuenca: "Santa Ana de los 4 ríos de Cuenca". 73 from (Björn Malm, Quito! Via Thomas Nilsson, SWB, for DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ERITREA [non]. Sawt al Qarn - On November 30th the content of the programme seemed to me only religious. Starting at 1330 UT with qur´an like chantings, then at 1400 UT ID in Arabic and English, followed by report about Ramadan and in the last 10 minutes report about "the beauty of Islam" in English (P. Robic, Austria, Nov 30, 2001 for CRW via DXLD) ** EUROPE. Pirata: 25610 kHz, Radio Victoria, estuvo realizando pruebas el pasado fin de semana en modo LSB, con una antena a 11 mts de altura y de 5/8 de onda, con una potencia de 150 watts. Su e-mail es: freeradiovictoria@hotmail.com (Frank, operador de RV, en SW-Pirates 1/12, via Enrique A. Wembagher, Argentina, Conexión Digital Dec 9 via DXLD) ** GREECE. Voice of Greece in Greek and English noted from Dec. 8: 1900-0550 on NF 7477.0, instead of nominal 7475.0 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 10 via DXLD) ** GUATEMALA. Hi Glenn, There was a comment on Radio Amistad in DXLD #192: ``They are technically a "pirate" since there is no license to operate on SW, or FM for that matter.`` However, at SIT - Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones' web site, the http://www.sit.gob.gt/Attachment/inventario.pdf contains this kind of entry: 4.6975 4.7025 EMILIO ROBERTO DARDON CALDERON 13-01-2012 50 -90 TUF R.1240 NACIONAL It seems that SOMEONE has licensed this frequency for 10 years on. I don't know if this Sr. Calderón has anything to do with Radio Amistad. 73 de (Pentti Lintujärvi, Helsinki, FINLAND, Dec 10, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. Some frequency changes for VOIROI/IRIB effective Dec.2: 0930-1227 Arabic on 17550 DELETED 1830-0227 Arabic on 7115 EXTENDED, ex 1830-2127 1430-1657 Azeri on 6200 EXTENDED, ex 1500-1657 0030-0127 Bengali NF 9640, ex 6185 1430-1527 Bengali NF 11560, ex 11870 0830-1157 Dari on 11860 ADDITIONAL 0930-1027 Dari on 11675 DELETED 1200-1457 Dari on 3945 ADDITIONAL 1330-1457 Dari on 7180 DELETED 1730-1927 Dari on 3945 EXTENDED, ex 1730-1827 1100-1227 English NF 15375, ex 15575 1530-1627 English NF 11640, ex 11775 1830-1927 French NF 9565, ex 9535 1830-1927 Hausa NF 15140, ex 15550 1300-1357 Kazakh NF 11745, ex 11750 1330-1457 Pashto NF 11640, ex 11775 (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 10 via DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. Ed, P5/4L4FN, continues to be active on 10 meters after 2200z. However, he has been showing up on 20 meters on 14260 kHz after 1300z, usually working stations from Asia and Europe (KB8NW/OPDX December 10/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** KOREA NORTH. Radio Echo of Hope. Asian Broadcasting Institute - Please refer our web page at http://www.246.ne.jp/~abi/clandest.htm You can find the new photograph of transmitting site of Radio Echo of Hope (T. Yamashita, Japan, Dec 8, 2001 for CRW via DXLD) ** NEPAL. Heard with a good signal yesterday. Best I've heard them thus far this season. NEPAL 7164.4 Radio Nepal 1415 8 Dec, Nice clear signal with English news read by a man, starting with the PM's remarks about SAARC. The news was followed by a special weather bulletin for a mountaineering expedition. Winds were 100 to 110 knots at 9000 metres! Nigel Pimblett Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, Dec 9, Hard-Core-DX mailing list via DXLD) ** NETHERLAND. Free Radio Alfa Lima International with music and English announcements noted on Dec. 8: 0600-0802 on 15070.0 (55444) (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 10 via DXLD) ** NEWFOUNDLAND. Hello Glenn, I heard the items re Newfoundland. I didn't notice any reference to the province's name change, but maybe I missed it. Newfoundland officially changed its name a few days ago (or possibly late last week) to "Newfoundland and Labrador". Don't know whether that would count as logging a new province ;-) Best regards (Carlos Coimbra, Ont., Dec 9, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND: Radio New Zealand International in English noted on Dec. 9: 0359-0758 (ex 0359-0705) on 15340 (45454) 0759-1005 (ex 0706-1005) on 11675 (32432), QRM RFI in French on 11670 and co-channel VOIROI/IRIB in Pashto 0900-0927. 73 from (Ivo and Angel! Observer, Bulgaria, Dec 10 via DXLD) The 53-minute shift in changeover time was explained previously as due to sports coverage, presumably not so every day. This exception never appears in schedules RNZI issues (gh, DXLD) ** PERU. Radio Marañón [4835.5 reactivated] has web site at: http://radiomaranon.org.pe/ 73 de (Pentti Lintujärvi, Helsinki, Finland, Webmaster of 1000 Lakes DX Page http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Park/3232/dx.htm and dxlinks.info http://www.dxlinks.info/ and Finnish DX Association http://www.sdxl.org/ DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. Some out-of-band-Peruvians are still active: 6310 UNID LA-station (presumed R Unión, Lima), December 8th, 2340- 2350, Spanish, talk; O=1-2 6536 Radiodifusora Huancabamba, December 7th, 2340-2350, Spanish, mensajes, huayno music, tent. ID; SINPO 22322 6673.8 R Andina, Huancabamba, December 7th, 2325-2335, Spanish, huayno music; SINPO 23322 6755.3 UNID LA-station (presumed R La Merced, Tongod), December 8th, 2350-2400, traces of LA music; O=1 6797.5 Ondas del Rio Mayo, Nueva Cajamarca, December 7th, 2335-2340, Spanish, pasillos, SINPO 23322 6956.7 R La Voz del Campesino, Huarmaca, December 8th, 2325-2330, Spanish, music of the Andes, ID; SINPO 24322 vy 73 (Michael Schnitzer - mschnitzer@cc-online.de Receiver: JRC NRD-525, Antennas: 25m longwire, DX-One Professional, EWE to South America, EWE to Asia/Pacific, Location: Hassfurt, Germany / Alemania, Hard-Core-DX mailing list Dec 10 via DXLD) ** QATAR. Analysis: Qatar's Al-Jazeera TV, 10 December 2001 Al-Jazeera (The Peninsula), a popular pan-Arab satellite TV news channel, has been a major media player in the war in Afghanistan. In the aftermath of the 11 September attacks, Al-Jazeera was the only foreign broadcaster allowed to operate in the Afghan capital Kabul, exclusively broadcasting the first US air strikes on Kabul and statements by Usamah Bin-Ladin and his Al-Qa'idah network. Operating from the Gulf Emirate of Qatar, Al-Jazeera claims to have expanded press freedom in the Arab world with its uncensored reporting on the Palestinian and Afghan conflicts. It has attracted both criticism and praise for its current affairs programmes which, in the station's own words, "offer a platform for divergent viewpoints and analyses". Origins linked to BBC Although Al-Jazeera has been called the "Arab CNN", the station often says that it models itself on the BBC. Al-Jazeera was set up in 1996 by the new Emir of Qatar, Shaykh Hamad Bin-Khalifah Al Thani, who overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995. The Emir had abolished the Ministry of Information in 1995, which ended state control over the media. Since then, quasi-governmental corporations have funded the media. While several members of the royal family, including the Emir, are on Al-Jazeera's board of directors and it is subsidized by the Qatari government, it is still regarded as a private company. The new station recruited BBC-trained staff from a failed Arabic TV venture with the Saudi-owned company Orbit which had foundered in 1996 over issues of editorial control. It was heavily influenced by the ex-BBC staff and the news and current affairs programme formats of the BBC. The majority of staff are Syrians, Palestinians, Lebanese, and to a lesser extent, Egyptians and a few Iraqis. Many of them have worked for the BBC Arabic Service or US media organizations. Funding In the first five years of Al-Jazeera's operation, the Qatari Emir spent 140m US dollars (100m pounds) subsidizing the station. This funding was due to end in November 2001, and Al-Jazeera was to become a commercial broadcaster supported by private shareholders. The Qatari emirate will continue subsidizing Al-Jazeera as the station has helped raise the international profile of the small Gulf state. In December, Muhammad Jasim al-Ali, managing director of Al-Jazeera, said the station has procured a loan from the Qatari government worth 130m US dollars for another five years. Deputy director of Al-Jazeera's London bureau, Yosri Fouda, told BBC Monitoring that Al-Jazeera would also rely on advertising and viewer revenue and rebroadcasting deals with other news organizations. Director Al-Ali told the Qatari newspaper The Peninsula that potential advertisers were under pressure from their governments not to use Al-Jazeera. Al-Ali also hinted at "indirect pressure" from the US government on US firms not to advertise on Al-Jazeera. Royalties and continued government funding should guarantee Al- Jazeera's editorial independence if advertising is cut. The station's exclusive images from Afghanistan have been sold to news organizations worldwide, with individual clips reportedly selling for as much as 250,000 dollars. Audience Al-Jazeera's reach extends to the entire Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the USA, mainly through private satellite dishes. According to unofficial estimates, Al-Jazeera is the top Arabic- language TV channel in the Middle East. Since 11 September, the station's director said its audience has risen from 35 to 45 million viewers worldwide, but this cannot be verified as some Arab countries do not carry out official viewer surveys. Al-Jazeera entered the European market in 1999, signing a contract with France's Higher Audiovisual Council, Conseil Superieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA). Al-Jazeera can be broadcast by French cable and satellite operators, for example TPS. Under the Television Without Frontiers directive, the authorization granted by the CSA is valid for all EU countries. In September 2001, the station signed up to broadcast via the UK's Sky Digital albeit at the cost of losing viewers of Al-Jazeera's analogue signal which ceased on 3 October. In the US, around 150,000 subscribers pay the Dish Network between 22.99 and 29.99 dollars a month to receive Al-Jazeera as part of a multichannel Arabic package, according to Fouad Ajami, writer for the New York Times. In autumn 2001, Al-Jazeera agreed to share its exclusive Afghan material with US TV networks CNN and ABC. After Al-Jazeera's Kabul office was damaged during a US bombing raid on 13 November, its Afghan correspondents have been working in partnership with CNN. Al-Jazeera officially launched satellite broadcasts - which until the end of the year are available free for households with access to dish receivers - to East Asia in November 2001. Malaysia's private satellite TV station, Astro, has recently started showing daily news broadcasts in Arabic and Malay from Al-Jazeera. A bureau in Australia is expected to open soon. Plans for expansion Al-Jazeera plans to launch a channel in English and two more channels - one dealing with finance and business news and showing documentaries in early 2002. A study to have all Al-Jazeera programmes translated into English is also under way, managing director Muhammad Jasim al-Ali told Qatar's The Peninsula newspaper. These plans, Al-Ali said, are aimed at reaching out to non-Arabic speaking viewers around the world. A plan to launch Al-Jazeera Radio and a special news magazine called Al-Jazeera, are also being considered. A new Al-Jazeera bureau will soon be opened in Australia. Starting with six hours daily, Al-Jazeera built up to 24 hours by February 1999, becoming a pioneer of around-the-clock Arab news coverage. News bulletins focus on reports by overseas correspondents and interviews rather than commentary and analysis, which are reserved for current affairs and discussion programmes. It employs about 350 editors, anchors and technicians and has approximately 30 correspondents and around 35 bureaus including all Arab countries, London, Washington DC, Russia, Paris and Brussels. Overseas bureaus are linked directly by satellite. The station broadcasts financial, cultural, religious and sports programmes, in addition to its continuous news coverage to viewers from its headquarters in Doha. The station has an Arabic-language news web site: http://www.aljazeera.net. Controversial programmes Al-Jazeera has topped ratings and antagonized governments over its controversial flagship programmes "More Than One Opinion", "Open Dialogue", "Without Borders" and "The Opposite Direction", which occasionally provide a platform for political dissidents to criticize their governments, usually with a spokesperson from the country involved to provide an official response. Viewers are encouraged to phone the shows and express their opinions. The programmes have featured live debates among Islamists and secular liberals or communists, and supporters of the peace process with Israel and its opponents. Al-Jazeera managing director Muhammad Jasim al-Ali told the Transnational Broadcasting Studies journal that some guests had been prevented from attending the discussion programmes. In the past, one guest had been arrested, others were denied travel permits or had their telephone lines disconnected. "We've had the lines in our studios disconnected in some countries while on air," Al-Ali said. The Iraqi connection Despite its outspoken reputation, Al-Jazeera has been careful not to take a pro-Western line on some of the more sensitive Arab issues and tends to adopt a pro-Arab stance on Middle Eastern affairs. With a shared culture and language, the station has gained access to and even earned the trust of Arab leaders such as Iraqi President Saddam Husayn. The Iraqi Satellite Channel in 1998 linked up with Al-Jazeera so that Qataris could watch Iraqi television. The Iraqi newspaper Alif Ba reported that Al-Jazeera was trying to secure priority in obtaining Iraqi official statements. Baghdad TV often rebroadcasts Al-Jazeera video footage and partially or entirely airs talk shows featuring Iraqi officials or expressions of support for Iraq. However, analysts of the Arab world remain divided on whether Iraqi President Saddam Husayn deliberately uses Al-Jazeera as a conduit to ensure that his speeches reach a wide Arab audience - or whether it is the station's reputation for independent reporting that has secured it the scoops on Iraq in the first place. The Iraqi government has in the past criticized Al-Jazeera. It lodged a complaint with Qatari officials when Al-Jazeera reported the enormous expenses of Saddam Husayn's birthday celebrations on 28 April 2000. Access to Bin-Ladin Following the 11 September attacks and before the Taleban evacuation of Kabul on 12 November, Al-Jazeera was the only foreign broadcaster allowed to operate in the capital. Usamah Bin-Ladin and his Al-Qa'idah network often used Al-Jazeera to communicate their views to the world, prompting the US government to express concerns to the Qatari Emir over the risk of messages to terrorists being hidden in the statements. "We've expressed our concerns about some of the kinds of things we've seen on their air, particularly inflammatory stories, totally untrue stories, things like that... We would certainly like to see them tone down the rhetoric," US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said on 9 October. Hours after the US air strikes over Kabul on 7 October, television stations worldwide broadcast Bin-Ladin's videotaped statement which had been delivered to Al-Jazeera's Kabul bureau. In his statement, Bin- Ladin said the 11 September attacks should be applauded by Muslims. TV networks on 9 October rebroadcast another taped statement supplied by Al-Jazeera, this time by Al-Qa'idah spokesman Sulayman Abu-Ghayth. On 10 October, the US government asked US TV networks to use their judgement in deciding whether to air taped statements by Bin-Ladin, supplied by Al-Jazeera - either in their entirety or parts of them - for fear that they might contain coded messages to terrorists in waiting. The UK government similarly urged broadcasters to exercise caution when rebroadcasting Bin-Ladin statements. Despite the US complaint, Al-Jazeera refused to tone down its coverage, but at the same time, it played down media reports of direct US pressure. News editor Ahmed Shaykh told the Russian newspaper Vremya Novostey on 9 October: "There has been no pressure. We are operating in a customary way and communicating with all parties to the conflict and we intend to continue to do so... We uphold in the Arab world the principles of democracy about which the United States is continually talking. Why should we retreat from them?" The station continues to air the views of analysts hostile towards the United States and its campaign against Al-Qa'idah. On 3 November, another Bin-Ladin speech was broadcast in full on the station. And a week later, Al Jazeera broadcast a third Al-Qa'idah tape showing four young men who were said to be Bin-Ladin's sons. On 29 November, the station broadcast an interview with Al-Qa'idah leader Mahfouz Ould Walid which took place around 10 November. Walid said Al-Qa'idah was not responsible for the 11 September attacks, though it approved of them. Walid said that Al-Qa'idah would use unconventional weapons against the USA if it was attacked with weapons of mass destruction. Al-Jazeera correspondents have seldom met Bin-Ladin face-to-face. In 1998, a reporter interviewed Bin-Ladin during which he urged Muslims to "target all Americans". On 20 September 2001, Al-Jazeera rebroadcast the interview for the first time in its entirety. On 22 November 2001, former Kabul correspondent Taysir Alluni said he met Bin-Ladin in Kandahar prior to 11 September, but the meeting was not recorded. He said Bin Ladin had promised to give an interview on his personal life. European concerns As a broadcaster aimed primarily at Arabs, Al-Jazeera's objectivity in reporting on the Palestinian Intifadah or the Afghan conflict has been under scrutiny in Europe. Some analysts and UK newspapers have raised concerns that Al-Jazeera's journalistic scoops may have brought it a little too close to Bin-Laden and Al-Qa'idah. The UK newspaper The Guardian noted that an Al-Jazeera subtitle during the 7 October air strikes talked of the Taleban firing at "the enemy's planes". Other UK papers have described Al-Jazeera as a "mouthpiece" of Usamah Bin-Ladin and his Al-Qa'idah organization. The Daily Telegraph called the station "bin Laden TV". However, Al-Jazeera has stressed that it is not a propaganda tool of Bin-Ladin. When asked whether rebroadcasting the 1998 interview with Usamah Bin-Ladin was promoting terrorism, news editor Ahmed Shaykh told the Russian newspaper Vremya Novostey on 9 October: "Bin Ladin's image has been extraordinarily inflated. Both President of Russia Putin and US President Bush - they are all obsessed with Bin Ladin, as though he were an entire empire, like the former USSR. How are journalists to ignore him? We need to film him to understand what he is, what he is after. He himself has not confessed to having organized the acts of terror in the United States." Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) on 13 November wrote a letter of protest to the French Higher Audiovisual Council, Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA), for its warning to Al-Jazeera to respect its contractual obligations or risk being taken off the air. On 7 November, the CSA accusing it of broadcasting live images without providing context, and broadcasting false information without subsequently providing the necessary corrections. CSA's warning followed a request by the British embassy in Paris and the UK's Independent Television Commission. AFP news agency said the British request was prompted by allegations made by Faysal al-Qasim, presenter of Al-Jazeera's "The Opposite Direction" programme. Al-Qasim reportedly said 4,000 Jews with jobs at the World Trade Center had not turned up for work on 11 September, hinting that the Israeli secret service was behind the attacks. "It is not surprising that the British authorities have sought the means to better control a media outlet that is impossible to ignore in the current conflict. We ask you to avoid any discriminatory targeting of information broadcast by the Al-Jazeera channel, and that you treat them exactly the same way as other conventional foreign channels," RSF Secretary-General Robert Menard said in his letter to the CSA. RSF also condemned the "openly discriminatory measures" imposed against Al-Jazeera journalists since 11 September in European Union countries, notably Switzerland. Accused of inflaming Arab hostility The US government, like its Arab counterparts, has regarded Al-Jazeera as a double-edged sword. They recognize the value of using Al-Jazeera to convey messages to Arabic speakers in the Middle East, the United States and Europe, but cannot influence its controversial news coverage. Since 11 September, senior US and UK officials have appeared on the channel to present the US position on the Afghan conflict and reassure Muslim and Arab viewers that the campaign against terrorism is not directed at Islam. US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice have been interviewed by Al-Jazeera. Fouad Ajami, a writer for the New York Times, however, urged the US government to concentrate instead on winning over the "less inflammatory" Arab TV stations such as the Middle East Broadcasting Centre and LBC, which, according to him, have more viewers. "Although Al-Jazeera has sometimes been hailed in the West for being an autonomous Arabic news outlet, it would be a mistake to call it a fair or responsible one. Day in and day out, Al-Jazeera deliberately fans the flames of Muslim outrage," Ajami warned. Al-Jazeera's intensive coverage of rioting in the occupied territories may have helped foster support for the Palestinian cause, nevertheless, the station has also given airtime to Israeli officials since hostilities broke out. "To be fair, often Al-Jazeera's coverage of the Palestinian violence works in Israel's favour. It was the first station to screen images of Gazans firing mortars at Israeli communities, providing important evidence of what, until then, had been something of a spectral terrorist threat," Israel's Jerusalem Post pointed out. US to rival Al-Jazeera The US plans to launch a government-sponsored international broadcasting service aimed at the Muslim world. The initiative will include a 24-hour, 7-day a week, Arabic-language satellite TV channel to rival Al-Jazeera's. The radio, TV and internet service will disseminate news and information in 26 languages, reach 40 countries, and specifically target nearly 500 million Muslims between the ages of 15-30, the US-based Salon web site (salon.com) reported on 17 November. The Voice of America has already expanded it services to Afghanistan and the Middle East, and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty plans to open a bureau in Kabul by January 2002, and to resume broadcasts to Afghanistan by February. US broadcasters could face even tougher competition from Al-Jazeera if the US campaign against terrorism is extended to Iraq, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia. The station has been used by Saddam Husayn's government as well as Al-Qa'idah, and it is an important platform for viewers across the Middle East. A new stage of the media war could extend beyond the Afghan conflict with the US and Al-Jazeera fiercely competing for viewers on an international scale. It remains to be seen whether US rival broadcasters can win over a Middle Eastern audience largely opposed to further US military action and whether Al-Jazeera can successfully attract English-speaking viewers with its Arab-oriented programming. Compiled by Foreign Media Unit, BBC Monitoring Telephone +44 118 948 6261 e-mail: fmu@mon.bbc.co.uk Source: BBC Monitoring research, 10 Dec 01 (via DXLD) ** SPAIN. This is the Radio Exterior de España schedule in six foreign languages: (source: station leaflet) English: 0000-0159 6055 to North America 0500-0559 6055 to North America 2000-2059 9680 to Europe and 9595 to Africa Mon-Fri, 2200-2259 on Sat-Sun French: 1800-1859 9665 to Europe Mon-Fri 1900-1959 9595 to Africa Mon-Sat, 7150 to the Middle East Mon-Fri and 12035 to the Middle East Sat-Sun 2100-2159 9595 to Africa on Sunday 2300-2359 6065 to North America Arabic: 1700-1859 21610 to the Middle East 1900-2059 7270 to Africa and 12035 to the Middle East Mon-Fri 2000-2059 7270 to Africa and 12035 to the Middle East Mon-Fri at 2000 on Sat-Sun German to Europe: 1730-1800 9665 Tue-Thu Russian to Europe: 1700-1730 15195 Mon-Fri and also an old Spanish variant, Sephardic (Sefardí o Judeo-Español): 1825-1855 17770 to the Middle East only on Monday 0115-0145 11795 to South America only on Tuesday 0415-0445 9690 to North America only on Tuesday The address is: Radio Exterior de España, P. O. Box 156202, E-28080 Madrid-Spain. E-mail: lenguas_extranjeras.ree.rne@rtve.es (general) (Ramón Vázquez Dourado, Spain, Dec 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAIWAN. The complete B-01 schedule for CBS, including RTI, is elusive. The official Web site is very hard to navigate, with no overall schedule shown. Each language service has its own page, and is written in that language! It appears that there have been extensive changes made recently to frequencies and timings for all services. If anyone has the complete CURRENT composite schedule in frequency order, we'd be glad to publish it here! My own monitoring here in Melbourne has revealed these occupancies: 7130 1200-1300 English 7445 1100-1200 English 9610 1200-1300 English 11550 1600-1800 English 11875 0300-0400 English 15265 1400-1500 English 15320 0200-0300 English 0300-0400 English 15465 0200-0300 English (NEW OUTLET FROM Dec-01) (Bob Padula, Australia, Dec-05 to Dec-08, EDXP via DXLD; English only excerpted by gh) ** TIBET. The XIZANG AUTONOMOUS REGION (TIBET) BROADCASTING STATION has this new monitored schedule, from Lhasa: Chinese: 2000-1730 11950 7170 6050 5935 4820 11695 0000-1400 7550 2000-0000 and 1400-1730 [sic] Relays of CNR1: 2005-2100, 2200-2340, 0030-0100 and 1030-1100 Relays of CNR2: 2105-2200 Relays of CNR3: 1130-1200 Tibetan: 2250-0730 and 0950-1700 9490 7125 7385 6200 5240 4920 4905 9500 1300-1700 11740 7150 Relays of CNR8: 2300-2357, 0400-0457, 0800-0857 and 1300-1357 (NDXC via EDXP Dec 9 via DXLD) see also CHINA ** U K. **M** I got this from BBC On Air email: BBC World Service DISCOVERY: MARCONI CENTENARY 1 x 25 mins | 28 [December] Outside, a gale was howling. A kite had lifted a thin wire hundreds of feet into the air. Inside, Mr Kemp had a telephone receiver pressed hard to his ear. At midday, he heard what he had been waiting for: 'pip-pip-pip', three morse code dots. The letter S had been transmitted from the southwest of England, nearly 3000 km from the hut in Newfoundland where Kemp was sitting with his boss, Guglielmo Marconi. The first transatlantic radio message, sent and heard on December 12, 1901. Roland Pease looks back to the birth of international broadcasting. MARCONI CENTURY West Africa | Fri 2105 rpt Sat 0205, Mon 1405, Tue 1005; Europe | Fri 2005 rpt Sat 0205, Mon 1505, Tue 1005; East and South Africa | Fri 1805 rpt Sat 0205, Tue 0805; Middle East | Fri 1805 rpt Sat 0205, Mon 1405, Tue 0905; South Asia | Fri 1605 rpt Mon 1005, 2305 Tue 0605; East Asia | Fri 1105 rpt 2005, Mon 0705, Tue 0305; Americas | Sat 0205 rpt Mon 2105, Tue 1505 So when is this broadcast on the BBC World Service - Dec 28th or ?? Above is has the minutes and a number 28 (Petro Giannakopoulos, GA, swprograms Nov 30 via DXLD) ** U K. **M** KIM: In addition to broadcasts about the Marconi transatlantic anniversary, there will other special radio transmissions. The Thunderer Squadron, which is the engineering education command of the British Royal Navy, will reëanact the Marconi transmission this Wednesday. For details, I spoke to Lieutenant, or if you prefer, Leftenant, Mickey Rooney, the Project Officer for this special Marconi event, called Atlantic-Leap http://www.atlantic-leap.org AUDIO [not transcribed] KIM: Lieutenant Mickey Rooney of the Royal Navy's Thunderer Squadron. Among the VIP guests at this special event will be Marconi's grandson, at Poldhu, and Marconi's daughter and the governor general of Canada at St. John's. The schedule again will be Wednesday at 16 Universal Time on 1700 kilohertz. The transmission will be repeated every hour on the hour, for about eight minutes per transmission, until it becomes dark in North America, about 21 or 22 UT. That will give the 1700 kilohertz frequency a better chance to propagate across the Atlantic. But here in the United States, reception of the Poldhu special transmission could problematic. The AM or medium wave broadcast band here has recently been expanded to include 1610 to 1700 kilohertz. This is what I heard recently at night on 1700. AUDIO [not transcribed] KIM: That's WEUV in Huntsville, Alabama. Lieutenant Mickey Rooney [project offer of Marconi event, Thunderer Squadron, UK] expressed skepticism about whether Marconi, at St. John's, actually heard the transmission from his company's transmitter at Poldhu, one hundred years ago. John Belrose, and engineer and radio historian at Canada's Communications Research Centre is convinced that Marconi did not hear the transmission. I asked Mr. Belrose to summarize his arguments. AUDIO [not transcribed] KIM: John Belrose of the Communications Research Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. Mr. Belrose is an aficionado of another early radio inventor, the Canadian-born Reginald Aubrey Fessenden (VOA Communications World Dec 8 via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** U S A. I do not plan to emit exhaustive schedules of holiday specials, mostly on US public radio, as I did last year, but when I find websites conveniently listing such on individual stations, draw your attention to them, such as: WBEZ Chicago: http://www.wbez.org/schedule/specials/holiday01b.htm and via Kevin Kelly, WNYC New York: http://www.wnyc.org/wnycmail/index_holiday01.html WBHM, Birmingham AL: http://www.wbhm.org/Programs/Specials/index.html WFCR, Amherst MA: http://www.wfcr.org/holiday.html Vermont Public Radio: http://www.vpr.net/onair/holidays.shtml WUWF, Pensacola FL (CST!) http://wuwf.org/holsx2001x.htm KNAU, Flagstaff AZ: http://www.knauradio.org/Issues/Issues.cfm?ID=285&c=8&RequestTimeout=500 KRWG-FM Las Cruces: http://www.krwgfm.org/prog_sched.htm KUNI: http://www.kuniradio.org/xmasku.html Minnesota Public Radio: http://music.mpr.org/features/0112_holiday/ Radio Kansas: http://www.radiokansas.org/index.cfm KQED San Francisco: http://www.kqed.org/radio/specials/ WCAL Northfield MN: http://www.wcal.org/programs/holidayhighlights.html WCPN Cleveland OH: http://www.wcpn.org/public-square/staytuned/ WETA Washington DC: http://www.weta.org/fm/highlights.html WFIU Bloominigton IN: http://www.indiana.edu/~wfiu/specials_dec2001.htm WHYY Phladelphia: http://www.whyy.org/91FM/holiday.html WKSU Kent OH: http://www.wksu.org/programs/holidayprograms/ WMUB Oxford OH: http://www.wmub.org/soundwords/ WPLN Nashville: http://www.wpln.org/holiday/index.html WUOT Knoxville: http://www.wuot.org/HolidaySpecials Wyoming Public Radio: http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/wpr/holidayprogramming.htm WYSU Youngstown OH: http://www.wysu.org/holiday.htm WMFE Orlando: http://www.wmfe.org/radio/holiday.asp KMUW Wichita: http://www.kmuw.org/temp/dec01/specials.html Georgia Public Radio: http://www.gpb.org/pspr/ Many of the specials appear to be re-runs of last years`, perennial `favorites`. Nevertheless, I have picked out some which appear to be new, of some interest to me, generally not including warhorses, folk, jazz, chanukah, and so far come up with this time schedule involving some of the stations above, and a few others. Maybe I will keep a page temporarily updated on this at http://www.worldofradio.com/xmas.html Times and dates here are strictly UT: UT TUE DEC 11 1500-1600 WUWF XMAS IN THE SOUTHWEST THU DEC 13 ALL DAY --- WFMT 50th anniversary UT FRI DEC 14 0100-0300 WUOT PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE 0100-0300 WFMT NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC LIVE – Jazz/Nutcracker [also Radio Kansas and many others; and many delay it] 0300-0400 WyPR KITKA 2130-2300 Kansas XMAS KÖLNER DOM UT SAT DEC 15 0100-0200 WMUB KITKA 0300-0400 WyPR SONIC SEASONINGS 2100-xxxx WMFE JEWISH JOURNEY ACROSS THE EMERALD ISLE UT SUN DEC 16 0100-0200 KBYU XMAS IN THE SOUTHWEST 0300-0500 WMFE PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE UT MON DEC 17 0300-0500 KNAU PAUL WITNER CONSORT S0LSTICE 1900-2000 WMFE XMAS IN THE SOUTHWEST UT TUE DEC 18 0400-XXXX KANSAS MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER 1500-1600 KMUW CHANTICLEER XMAS 1500-1600 WUWF WINTER`S NIGHT 1600-1700 WUWF KITKA 1700-1800 WCPN JOYOUS CELEBRATION -- Organ at Severance Hall 1800-1900 KMUW XMAS IN THE SOUTHWEST 1810-XXXX WPLN CHANTICLEER XMAS UT WED DEC 19 0200-0300 KNAU CHANTICLEER XMAS 0300-0400 WCAL KITKA 0300-0400 WyPR CHANTICLEER XMAS 0300-0500 YPR NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Beethoven`s 9th 0400-0500 WUOT XMAS IN THE SOUTHWEST 1900-2000 WMFE HARMONIA: Healing UT THU DEC 20 0000-0100 VPR A WINTER`S NIGHT 0300-0400 WyPR ENGLISH XMAS: USCG Band 0300-0400 WCAL CHANTICLEER XMAS 0300-0400 WUOT CHANTICLEER XMAS 0400-0500 WUOT ENGLISH XMAS 0400-0500 WyPR WINTER`S NIGHT 1500-1600 KUNI ENGLISH XMAS 1600-XXXX WUWF XMAS REVELS UT FRI DEC 21 0100-XXXX WYSU XMAS REVELS 0200-0300 WFIU HARMONIA 0200-0300 KNAU XMAS IN THE SOUTHWEST 0300-0500 WyPR PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE 1600-1700 WUWF CHANTICLEER XMAS 1800-1900 KUNI CHANTICLEER XMAS 1900-2000 WMFE ENGLISH XMAS UT SAT DEC 22 0000-0100 WCPN PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE [sic; should be 2 hours] 0100-0200 WETA A WINTER`S NIGHT 0100-XXXX WNYC BACH BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS complete, live; also Wed 26th; FM? 0100-0300 WMUB PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE 0200-0400 WFCR PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE 0200-0400 VPR PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE 0200-0300 WUWF IMAGINATION WORKSHOP (renamed RIGHT BETWEEN YOUR EARS) 0400-0600 KMUW PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE 0400-0600 WHYY PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE {?? Or 24 hours earlier??) 1900-2100 WMFE XMAS REVELS UT SUN DEC 23 0000-0100 KRWG XMAS IN THE SOUTHWEST 0300-XXXX KANSAS WICHITA CELTIC BAND 0400-0600 WHYY CRAZY COLLEGE XMAS SONGS 1500-1600 WMFE KITKA 1900-2100 WFCR XMAS REVELS 2300-XXXX WCAL WORLD VOICES UT MON DEC 24 0100-0300 KWGS PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE [still Quicktime only] 0100-0300 VPR XMAS REVELS 0200-0300 WBEZ KITKA 0300-0500 KNAU SONIC SEASONINGS 0300-0500 WMFE SONIC SEASONINGS 0400-0500 WFMT SCHICKELE MIX: FARGO XMAS 0400-0500 WHYY CHANTICLEER XMAS 0500-0700 KRWG SONIC SEASONINGS 0600-0800 KUNI SONIC SEASONINGS 1400-1500 WYSU ENGLISH XMAS 1500-1600 KMUW A WINTER`S NIGHT 1500-1630 WYSU BBC FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS & CAROLS [+ many others] 1600-1800 KMUW XMAS REVELS 1800-1900 KMUW KITKA 1800-1900 WMFE A WINTER`S NIGHT 1900-2000 WMFE CHANTICLEER XMAS UT TUE DEC 25 0100-0200 WKSU A WINTER`S NIGHT 0200-0300 WAMC A WITNER`S NIGHT 0300-0400 GPB ENGLISH XMAS 0300-0400 KANSAS SONIC SEASONINGS 0400-XXXX WUOT LESSONS & CAROLS [BBC?] 0400-0530 WCPN XMAS KÖLNER DOM 0400-0600 KANSAS PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE 0600-0800 KUNI ECHOES WINTER SOLSTICE 0700-0800 WCPN A WINTER`S NIGHT 1300-1400 WKSU CHANTICLEER XMAS 1500-1600 WCPN KITKA 1500-1630 KUNI XMAS KÖLNER DOM 1600-1700 WCPN A WINTER`S NIGHT 1700-1800 WBEZ XMAS IN THE SOUTHWEST 1800-1900 WHYY CHANTICLEER XMAS 1800-2000 WBEZ XMAS REVELS 1900-2100 KUNI XMAS REVELS 2000-2100 WBEZ CHANTICLEER XMAS 2000-2100 VPR CHANTICLEER XMAS 2100-2230 MPR BBC FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS 2330-0100 VPR BBC FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS UT WED DEC 26 0000-XXXX GPB COWBOY XMAS SPECIAL 0000-0100 VPR RIGHT BETWEEN THE EARS (Imagination Workshop) 0000-0200 WCPN WORLD MUSIC JOURNAL XMAS SPECIAL 0100-0200 WKSU ENGLISH XMAS 0100-XXXX WNYC BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS COMPLETE (FM?) 0500-0700 WHYY PAUL WINTER CONSORT SOLSTICE [or 24 hours later?] UT THU DEC 27 0000-0100 GPB A WINTER`S NIGHT 2000-2100 KUNI KITKA UT SAT DEC 29 0200-0300 WUWF CAPITOL STEPS 2100-2200 WMFE CAPITOL STEPS UT MON DEC 31 1900-2100 KUNI PETE SEEGER: A LIFE UT TUE JAN 1 0000-0100 KUNI CAPITOL STEPS 0000-0100 WMFE CAPITOL STEPS 0000-XXXX WNYC NEW YORK STATE OF MIND, with Roger Rosenblatt 0100-0200 KMUW CAPITOL STEPS 1400-1500 WMUB CAPITOL STEPS 1600-1800 WBEZ WINTER SOLSTICE 1600-1800 KUNI NEW YEAR`S DAY IN VIENNA {+ WMFE, many others) 1900-XXXX WNYC NEW YORK STATE OF MIND 2300-2400 VPR CAPITOL STEPS UT WED JAN 2 0000-0100 WMUB CAPITOL STEPS 0100-0300 MPR BEETHOVEN`S NINTH SYMPHONY (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VANUATU. Is Vanuatu using 4960? During 0700-1500, both 4960 and 7260 frequencies have a good history of consistent propagation to the W Coast of North America from Vanuatu (3945 kHz in past years, too). Since April of 2001, Vanuatu has only been heard 0700-1200 on 7260. Before April, Vanuatu used 4960, but not currently. But I cannot tell you about 1500-0700. (Don Nelson, Oregon, hard-core-dx, answering query by Karel Honzik, Czechia, hard-core-dx via DXLD) ** WALES. **M** Waves in the Chatroom: if you missed the original Marconi drama on CBC Radio One Sunday Dec 9, a co-production with BBC Radio Wales, we find it scheduled on the latter Wed Dec 12 1900-2000 UT, and presumably webcast. ``This new drama by DJ Britton marks the centenary of Marconi's first transatlantic broadcast. News follows`` (BBC What`s On via DXLD) DIGITAL RADIO MONDIALE [recent discussion about this has been under GERMANY [non] -gh] DRM TESTS. There is much discussion at the hobby level about the DRM tests currently being conducted by the Consortium, over several major international HF facilities. If anyone in the Engineering Planning/Ops areas of these organisations reads this, would you PLEASE get these tests OUT of the international broadcasting bands! You are causing havoc to other users: the DRM technology is giving you an enormous "raw energy" bandwidth for each transmission, which completely obliterates all other transmissions on frequencies up to 30 kHz away! ITU regulations obligate you to insert a "Spectrum Mask", for both AM and DRM modulation, limiting your DRM transmitted bandwidth to a maximum of 10 kHz at the -10 dB point. However, the tests have revealed that your total bandwidth has blown out to 60 kHz at the -60 dB point, which means that you are destroying any conventional transmissions on carrier frequencies up to 30 kHz each side of your "nominal" allocation! ITU recommendations require that digital signals should not cause more interference to existing signals in the AM bands than existing analogue transmissions. My view, as a Communications Engineering professional, is that there is too much "techno sales hype" and drama about the current serious of tests, which ought to be outside the broadcasting bands. There's ample spectrum space available! The tests are showing (at least to me!) that successful integration of DRM technology with the conventional AM mode is a very long away, and that attempts in trying to use existing transmitter facilities, by introducing technical "design variations" to antiquated modulators, is quite inappropriate. If DRM is to be successful, it needs to be able to live side by side with current technology. One would get the impression that DRM is already here, and its developers are insensitive to existing spectrum users, who have a right to broadcast without being swamped by these crudely-designed DRM services. DRM in many respects is akin to what some of knew as spark gap transmitters, radiating raw energy all over the spectrum. Get it out of here, and do the tests in isolation until the technology has properly matured!!!! (Bob Padula, Australia, EDXP Dec 9 via DXLD) IRCS ARE CHANGING According to an article written by Keith Retzer, W7KEU, look for IRCs to become larger and more attractive. They will be printed on heavier paper (check type paper) to allow for machine processing. They will also have a distinctive watermark along with a security rainbow, fluorescent zone, and micro-printing of letter. The new IRC will have a bar code and optical character reader (OCR) characters on the back. The last day for sale of the old IRCs are coming to an end quickly December 31, 2001. The new ones will go on sale the next day. Local post offices should already have the new IRCs because they were allowed to begin ordering the new IRCs in May (KB8NW/OPDX December 10/BARF-80 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ###