DX LISTENING DIGEST 8-007, January 19, 2008
Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com
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NEXT SHORTWAVE AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1391 **flexible times
Sun 0730 WWCR1 3215
Sun 0900 WRMI 9955
Sun 1200 WRMI 9955
Sun 1615 WRMI 7385
Mon 0400 WBCQ 9330-CLSB [irregular]
Mon 0515 WBCQ 7415 [time varies]
Mon 0930 WRMI 9955**
Tue 1130 WRMI 9955**
Tue 1630 WRMI 7385
Wed 0830 WRMI 9955**
Latest edition of this schedule version, including AM, FM, satellite
and webcasts with hotlinks to station sites and audio, is at:
http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
For updates see our Anomaly Alert page:
http://www.worldofradio.com/anomaly.html
WRN ON DEMAND:
http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24
WORLD OF RADIO PODCASTS VIA WRN NOW AVAILABLE:
http://www.wrn.org/listeners/stations/podcast.php
OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO:
http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html
or http://wor.worldofradio.org
** AFRICA. Africalist updated --- Hi there, I have just updated
http://www.africalist.de.ms for the first time this year, and,
hopefully improved it. So all the best for 2008 from the africalist
editor! (Thorsten Hallmann, Münster, Germany, Jan 19, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** ALASKA. HAARP moonbounce experiment on SW: see INTERNATIONAL VACUUM
** BENIN. TWR BENIN TO LAUNCH ON 1 FEBRUARY
MNN 17 January 2008 http://www.mnnonline.org/article/10799
After four years of spiritual battle, a new transmitting station will
broadcast for the first time in Benin on February 1. Trans World Radio
hopes the station will be automated within three months. They will be
broadcasting programs from local churches and ministries.
With at least 15 languages reaching into 9 countries, they will be
able to reach areas that are difficult to reach, such as northern
Nigeria. There is a specific group that they hope they will be able to
impact. "We'll broadcast on a regular basis, every night, and Islam is
growing there. They need to hear the Gospel, a clear presentation of
the Gospel, so programs like 'Through the Bible' will get in very
clearly to those area now," said TWR's Ray Alary.
The potential listening audience is 63 million. Though the date is
approaching for the first broadcast, there are still needs. "We are
looking for at least one more staff member. We've got a builder there
and an engineer there right now. We really need some support there for
them. It's a tough place to be. We are a pioneering missionary there,"
said Alary. They are 35 miles out of town, and the nearest town has no
electricity.
"Even though we're ready to go on the air, I think in some ways we
need to be bathed in prayer even more now than in the building
process," said Alary. They still need funding, as well, to cover
costs.
Trans World Radio
Phone: 800-456-7TWR
300 Gregson Drive/ Box 8700 Cary, NC 27512
(Mission Network News via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD)
The transmitter is on 1566 kHz. Protestant evangelical Trans World
Radio has its headquarters in Cary, North Carolina. Previous reports
about the Benin facility have mentioned that it has room to add
shortwave transmitters. Posted: 19 Jan 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott,
kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
** BOLIVIA. 4732.02, R. Universitaria, *1025-1040, Jan 16, Spanish. On
suddenly with brief announcer and up-tempo music. Different musical
selections at 1027; fade-out under band noise by 1040. Sign-on
presumed, nothing here at earlier 1010 check. Fair at sign-on (Scott
R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R8, R75, NIR10, MBL1, 200' Beverages,
60M dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
4732, Radio Universitaria, Cobija, Pando and 4800, Mexico, XERTA both
being received well at 2330 in Southeast Florida (Robert Wilkner,
Pómpano Beach, South Flórida, Icom 746Pro, Jan 18, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** BOSNIA. BIJELJINA, Bosnia TX P H O T O S
Dear DXers, I've just added PHOTOS of Bijeljina, Bosnia HF
transmitting station on my website.
http://www.geocities.com/dlekic_dx/BIJ-tx.html
Enjoy! Best regards! (Dragan Lekic from Subotica, Serbia, dxldyg via
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Nice; how did you get those aerials? Er, I mean aerial photos from
high angle. Soon maxed out, unavailable. QRX, try again later (gh,
DXLD)
** BRAZIL. Olá, 3235 aparentemente reativada com bons sinais em Porto
Alegre, RS, 2325 UT de 18jan2008, retransmitindo programação da
Guarujá FM, paralelo com 5045 KHz (este com recepção difícil).
Diversos comerciais, vinheta "Guarujá FM', música popular tipo
'pagode'. 33323.
3235 seems reactivated with good reception in Porto Alegre, Brazil at
2325 UT 18jan2008. Fed with "Guarujá FM" audio, parallel with 5045 KHz
(this one hard to hear). Lots of local ads, musical station ID
'Guarujá FM', followed by Brazilian popular song hits. 33423 (Huelbe
A. Garcia, Icom R75, 1-turn loop, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil (30S, 51W),
Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BRAZIL. 5955, R. Gazeta São Paulo SP, 01/19, Portuguese, 0515-0525,
ID "R. Gazeta", Brazilian pop selections all sung in PP. It seems 5955
R Gazeta was off since 12/2007, like mentioned in LATIN AMERICAN SW
LOGS; 43333 (Lúcio Otávio Bobrowiec, Embu SP, Brasil (23 33 S, 46 51
W), Sony ICF SW40, dipole 18m, 32m, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BURKINA FASO. 7230, Radio Burkina, *0810-0835, Jan 19, abrupt sign
on with vernacular talk. Local African tribal music. Afro-pop music.
Presumed. Good signal (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** BURMA [non]. Clandestine, 5955, Democratic V. of Burma Jan 02 2331-
2349 44444 Burmese, Talk, ID at 2347 and 2348. Also Jan 06 *2330-2340
34433 Burmese, ID at 2330, Talk. Also Jan 07 *2329-2339 44433 Burmese,
2329 sign on with ID, Talk. Also Jan 08 *2329-2336 44433 Burmese, 2329
sign on with opening music, ID, Opening announce, Talk (Kouji
Hashimoto, Japan, Japan Premium Jan 18 via DXLD) Wertachtal, 75
degrees (gh, DXLD)
** CHAD. 4904.97, RNT, *0429-0440, Jan 19, Sign on with National
Anthem. Opening French announcements at 0430. Afro-pop music. Fair
(Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 250 kW! ---
In a newscast on Radiodiffusion Nationale Tchadienne on January 16 the
head of the station's technical department gave some details about the
new shortwave transmitter which has now been put into use. It's a 250
kW unit which he described as being of "new generation" technology. He
mentioned that the following frequencies will be used: 4905, 6165,
9615 and 11760 (??) kHz. As 4905 can be monitored mornings and
evenings/nights, I suppose the others are for daytime services.
(Christer Brunström, Halmstad, Sweden, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CONGO DR [non]. Radio Okapi heard for the first time on new 9635
after 0400, Jan. 18, completely in the clear, strange (?) combination
between French and Lingala (per Aoki B07). Comments and news analysis.
SIO 25273 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Sony ICF7600GR + T2FD, UT Jan
18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) Via SOUTH AFRICA
** COSTA RICA. Found the 5954 mystery station on the air before 2300,
their usual sign on time, again playing Mexican group Maná, but they
were off by 2315. Might be they started testings earlier this Friday
18. What is not a mystery is that the station is Costa Rica soil, most
likely Central Valley. I phoned again today an executive friend at
Control Nacional de Radio, but he wasn't around, reason why I don't
have late minute info (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Jan 18, dxldyg via
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. TERRIBLE FATE OF CUBA’S IMPRISONED JOURNALISTS RECALLED ON
EVE OF ELECTIONS http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=25099
Reporters Without Borders today reiterated its call for the release of
24 detained Cuban journalists as the population prepared to vote - but
not choose, as there is no choice - its representatives in national
and provincial assembly elections to be held on 20 January.
In a news conference yesterday in Madrid, the press freedom
organisation voiced concern about the especially alarming situation of
some of the journalists held since the “Black Spring” crackdown of 18
March 2003. One of the victims of that crackdown who is now an exile
in Spain, Cuba Press agency found Raúl Rivero, described the current
plight of four of these journalists who are seriously ill.
The four are Normando Hernández González, the director of the Colegio
de Periodistas Independientes de Camagüey (CPIC), José Luis García
Paneque, the director of Libertad, a small independent news agency,
and Adolfo Fernández Sainz and Ivan Hernández Carrillo of Patria,
another independent news agency.
“The state of health of these four journalists, as indeed the
situation of all the dissident journalists jailed in Cuba, justifies
at the very least the suspension of their sentences and their release
on humanitarian grounds,” Reporters Without Borders said. “If the
government agreed to this, it would show a minimal respect of human
rights, in which there has been no progress since Fidel Castro handed
over to his brother in July 2006.”
The organisation added: “The 20 January elections should not raise any
hopes. Political pluralism is not on the agenda and the only
candidates that Cubans will be able to vote for are the already-
designated 614 representatives of the Communist Party of Cuba, the
only political party that is permitted.”
At yesterday’s press conference, Rivero described the mistreatment,
solitary confinement punishments and lack of medical care that Cuban
detainees have to endure. He said García, who is serving a 24-year
sentence in Las Tunas prison, in the east of the country, has suffered
a shocking deterioration in his health as a result of his poor
intestinal absorption, for which he is getting no appropriate food or
medicine.
Hernández Carrillo is being denied all contact with his family and
staged several hunger strikes last year that have weakened his health.
Fernández and Hernández González have serious digestive and
respiratory problems but the authorities refuse to cut their
sentences. Fernández is serving a 15-year sentence, while Hernández
Carrillo and Hernández González are serving 25-year sentences. The
Cuban authorities never replied to Costa Rica’s offer to give
Hernández González humanitarian asylum.
A total of 20 journalists, including Ricardo González Alfonso, the
Cuba correspondent of Reporters Without Borders and founder of the
dissident magazine De Cuba, have been held without interruption since
2003, serving jail terms ranging from 14 to 27 years that were imposed
on the absurd grounds that they were “mercenaries in the pay of the
United States.”
Since Raúl Castro took over as acting president, three dissident
journalists have been sentenced ranging from three to four years in
prison for being a “pre-criminal social danger. Oscar Sánchez Madán, a
regular correspondent of the Miami-based Cubanet website who has been
held since 13 April 2007 in Combinado del Sur prison (in Havana
province), went on hunger strike on 9 January.
According to the Cuban Commission for Human Rights and National
Reconciliation (which is illegal but tolerated), Cuba’s prisons
currently hold a total of 234 prisoners of conscience (Reporters
Without Borders 17 January 2008 via DXLD) not heard about on RHC!
** CUBA. Sat Jan 19 at 1503 found 13680 RHC frequency still on the air
with unID Spanish programming which I hoped to identify with a
domestic network relay such as sometimes happens after 0700 on 49m,
but it cut off a minute later, as I was meanwhile quickly checking
other RHC frequencies to find that they were already off: 11760,
11805, 12000, 13760, 15370.
Reminder that RHC`s revived European service is due to start Sunday
Jan 20, 2000-2300 on 11750. Please check if English at 2030-2130 on
11760 remains on the air (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** DEUTSCHES REICH [non]. EX-SHORTWAVE HOST FOUND GUILTY: K A STROM
There was a vile program on shortwave and a few MW stations called
American Dissident Voices. It was an absolutely sick thing. I ran
across this story about the guy who was the voice of the program and
what recently happened to this sick individual, Kevin Alfred Strom
(Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD)
GREENE MAN GUILTY OF CHILD PORN
OTHER CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST 'WHITE NATIONALIST'
By Rob Seal / January 15, 2008 Charlottesville [VA] Daily Progress
http://www.dailyprogress.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=CDP/MGArticle/CDP_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173354215293
The founder of a self-described “white nationalist” group pleaded
guilty in federal court Monday to possessing child pornography.
Kevin Alfred Strom was originally scheduled for a trial this week on
several child porn charges. Instead, the 51-year-old pleaded guilty
to a single count and prosecutors dropped the remaining charges
against him.
During the hearing, Strom said he is neither a white supremacist nor
a neo-Nazi and maintained that he’s been threatened in jail after
media accounts described him as such, said defense lawyer Andrea
Harris.
“The bottom line is that he feels like those terms don’t accurately
reflect what his beliefs are,” Harris said. “He adamantly denies
being either one of those things.”
However, others said Strom’s denial lacks credibility.
“I find that the most ludicrous comment I’ve heard this decade,” said
Mark Potok, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s
Intelligence Project, which tracks hate groups.
Strom was once part of the leadership of the National Alliance, a
West Virginia-based organization Potok said was a white supremacist
group.
Strom edited some of the organization’s publications and produced and
sometimes hosted its shortwave radio and Internet broadcast.
“Jews are so dominant and influential in debasing and deceiving white
women and girls on such a massive scale that, to any decent white
person, no forgiveness is possible,” Strom said at the beginning of
one August 2003 radio show.
Still, his wife, Elisha Strom, said in a telephone interview Monday
that neither she nor her husband would ever have described themselves
as white supremacists or neo-Nazis.
“In our political world there are subtle differences,” Elisha Strom
said. “The thing I kind of wonder more about is that he doesn’t seem
upset that he’s being called a pedophile, but he has a problem being
called a neo-Nazi.”
Elisha Strom, who is estranged but not divorced from her husband,
said they moved to Greene County in 2000, when Kevin Strom was
working for National Alliance.
They split with the group after a falling out around 2005 and Kevin
Strom created the National Vanguard, Elisha Strom said.
Things started to break down for the couple in 2006, after Elisha
said she returned home one day and found her husband sitting naked in
front of the computer looking at child pornography.
Afterward, in an apparent attempt to patch things up, the two signed
a notarized contract in which Kevin Strom agreed to seek treatment
for pedophilia. But the couple’s relationship continued to
disintegrate.
In August 2006, investigators seized Strom’s computer during a raid
of his home. He was arrested in January 2007 after a federal grand
jury indicted him on charges of witness intimidation and possession
of child pornography.
Elisha Strom was the alleged victim in the witness intimidation case.
She said her husband attacked her to keep her from coming forward
about the child porn, and that he filed a lawsuit and criminal
charges against her.
In April, Kevin Strom was indicted on an additional charge of
attempting to sexually entice a minor. Authorities said he’d been
fixated on a 10-year-old classmate of his stepdaughter’s.
During an October trial on the enticement and intimidation charges,
witnesses testified that Kevin Strom sent the 10-year-old girl
flowers and presents and wrote a love poem in which he expressed a
desire to marry her.
However, judge Norman K. Moon threw out the charges. Though he said
there was “overwhelming evidence” that Strom was sexually attracted
to the girl, Moon ruled that there wasn’t enough evidence to charge
him with attempting to sexually coerce her.
Elisha Strom testified against her husband at the October trial,
saying he attacked her to keep her from outing his predilection for
child pornography and that he filed a lawsuit against her and sought
to have her charged criminally in an effort to keep her from aiding
authorities.
Moon also threw out the intimidation charge, which was based almost
entirely on her testimony.
The trial for the remaining pornography charges was postponed until
Monday. In a summary of what the case would have been had it gone to
court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Gould wrote that Strom later
acknowledged to authorities that he’d downloaded child pornography.
Strom will remain at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail
until his sentencing. He could face up to a decade in prison at his
April sentencing in U.S. District Court, though federal guidelines
could call for a much lighter sentence (via Kevin Redding, Jan 19,
ABDX via DXLD)
IIRC, Strom was also behind "The Voice of To-morrow," a neo-Nazi
shortwave pirate radio station active in the early 1980s.
(Harry Helms W5HLH, Smithville, TX EL19
http://harryhelmsblog.blogspot.com/ ibid.)
As WB4AIO, I knew him and visited him in the mid 70's. I remember when
his father committed suicide, and I think he went downhill from there.
He was very intelligent, and I wonder what REALLY went wrong with him.
(Powell E. Way III, W4OPW, ibid.)
American Dissident Voices was still airing on WWRB not too long ago,
but I don`t see it on any of their current schedules for Global I, II,
III or IV. Search on ``Kevin Alfred Strom`` to weed out Strom Thurmond
stories, and you get 6 more KAS items since last May via:
http://search.dailyprogress.com/Search.jsp
(Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ECUADOR. Stop the presses! HCJB may have finally caught on that for
the last few years, they have been automatically announcing the wrong
frequencies for their morning Spanish broadcast. I checked 11960 Jan
18 at 1359, 1429 and 1459, and instead of the Einstein- or other
notable pseudo-evangelical quotations plus frequencies, I heard all
three times the formerly alternating ID break consisting of quena and
HCJB`s mailing address instead. They still don`t have the automation
coördinated properly, as the tail end of the previous program gets cut
off for the ID at 30 seconds before the hour and half hour. But I
won`t be satisfied until I hear a new announcement with the correct
frequencies, 11690 and 11960 instead of 11760 (which was never
correct), and 9745.
15270-15275-15280 DRM, Jan 18 at 1425, sounding just like the Dentro-
Cuban jamming on 15330, 15710. Presumably HCJB 4 kW testing DRM again
on its usual 19 mb frequencies. Those who invented DRM should have
made it sound less like jamming on an analog receiver; bad PR this
way.
DRM-DX schedule checked a couple sesquihours later still shows HCJB
DRM only at 11-12 UT, German to Europe (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING
DIGEST) More DRM:
IMPORTANTE - HCJB TRANSMITE DRM PARA CURITIBA EM 26/01
Hola Marcelo. Quiero avisarte que POR FIN tendremos transmisiones de
prueba en DRM para Brasil. Eunice Carvajal tendrá más detalles en su
programa DX-HCJB este fin de semana, pero también quiero compartirte
los datos más importantes:
Fecha de comenzar la transmisión 26 de enero del 2008
2300-2400 UT
11795 kHz
4 kW
antena "rhombic" a 110 grados
La señal no está dirigida a Curitiba, pero ojalá llegue suficiente
señal para que puedas escuchar la transmisión de prueba. Cualquier
pregunta o inquietud, estoy a tus órdenes y Eunice también. Muchas
bendiciones desde Quito, (Allen Grájam, Jan 18, to and via "Marcelo
Vilela Bedene, Paraná, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
HCJB`s pending DRM transmission to Brasil from Jan 26, 2300-2400 on
11790-11795-11800 at 110 degrees will be on a *new* rhombic antenna,
said Allen Grájam, discussing this with Eunice Carvajal of the
Portuguese service, on the Spanish DX program Aventura Diexista, Sat
Jan 19 at 1457 on 11960. So HCJB is not only demolishing old antennas
but building new ones. It looks like the three frequencies were well
chosen, with nothing much to bother on any of them (Glenn Hauser, OK,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** EGYPT. Re 8-006, 9250 missing: Raúl, sin lugar a dudas lo que
escuchaste fue Wadi El-Nil, me sorprendió no captarla a esa hora;
según Aoki esta emisora tiene el siguiente esquema: de 1700 a 2000 y
de 2000 a 2300 UT. Quizás en el día de ayer de 2000 a 2100 no hubo
servicio, desconozco el motivo; si tengo ocasión, intentaré chequearla
en el día de hoy para ver si se aprecia algún cambio en su horario o
por el contrario se trató de algo puntual. 73 (José Miguel Romero,
Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ETHIOPIA [and non]. Dear friends, On February 16th 2007 I heard an
African station on 1044 kHz, playing HoA music. Although never
confirmed by the station itself, several DX-ers found out that I had
heard the new Mekele station in Ethopia. In the 2008 edition of WRTH
there is a note about the station starting in January 2008. [200 kW --
- gh]
Yesterday night, January 18th 2008, I heard again a station with
exactly the same programming style on 1044 kHz, lively HoA music and
lots of "phone-ins", at 2150-later on, many times with better
reception than the German MDR Info on the same frequency. At 2200
there was a news bulletin in presumed Amharic. I believe that the
station in Mekele is now on with regular programming.
The conditions towards Africa were generally good, because I earlier
in the evening also heard Radio Kahuzi on 6210 kHz for the first time.
73 from (Björn Fransson, DX-ing on the island of Gotland, Sweden, HCDX
via DXLD)
** ETHIOPIA [and non]. "Listeners are encouraged to call and inform
VOA which line is jammed and which one is clear and the cat and mouse
game will go on for the near future. It is sad VOA's board is not
coming out in the open and give its ultimatum to the Ethiopian
regime." http://www.africanpath.com/p_blogEntry.cfm?blogEntryID=3154
(Tedla Asfaw, AfricanPath, 17 January 2008. Posted: 19 Jan 2008, via
kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
** EUROPE. WR International on air now [when?]. Hi Guys, Just a
reminder that WR International is now on air at 12257 kHz AM. A
playout system is in operation until we go live at 0800 GMT Sunday 20-
01-2008 until 1100. Also for those that are unable to hear us on SW
our on-line audio is also running with the radio Destiny system. Our
audio can be heard at our web site http://wrinternational.co.uk
this is a 20 kb mono feed and only needs java to listen (although
quality is low). A better quality and stereo stream is at
http://pirateradionetwork.com We are in the mixed format section. For
this you will need to download the destiny radio player. For those
wanting to listen, happy listening. We would also love to hear what
you think of our output and any ideas on what you would like to hear,
please e-mail us radio @ wrinternational.co.uk we look forward to
hearing from you. Happy listening, Dave Jones. [SW-pirates] via
Roberto Scaglione, Sicily, UT Jan 20, shortwave yg via DXLD)
** GABON. 7270, Radio Gabon, *0759-0820, Jan 19, Sign on with local
African music. French talk at 0800. ID. Weak but readable (Brian
Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GERMANY [non]. Ran across German on 15335, Jan 19 at 1506, fading
in and out; not normally heard, with DCJC and Martí on 15330. Must be
DW, so can`t be from Germany. It`s Sines, Portugal at 80 degrees (Glen
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GERMANY. DEUTSCHE WELLE: MORE SHORTWAVE CUTS LOOMING
In a just aired RBB radio interview (which will later appear online)
Christoph Lanz, the director of DW TV, had been asked about the
outcome of a DW management conference which took place yesterday or a
few days ago. His reply in a loose translation of this non-formal
talk:
"As an example, we talked about where we will finally say good-bye to
shortwave, [reference to DW's history]. In Africa one can certainly
not do without it so far, but things are entirely different in Asia
although one has to make distinctions there." (Kai Ludwig, Germany,
Jan 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GERMANY. EMR Relay + internet service
Date 20th of January
Time 1300 to 1330 UT
Channel 6140 kHz
Our January 2008 programme will be available
at the following times on http://www.emr.org.uk
Sunday 20th January 2008
1300-1330
1500-1530
1800-1830
2100-2130
Monday 21st January 2008
1300-1330
1500-1530
1800-1830
2100-2130
Good listening 73s (Tom Taylor, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
European Music Radio Relay This Sunday
Date 20th of January
Time 1300 to 1330 UT
Channel 6140 kHz
Programme Schedule: Tom Taylor (Music and EMR info for 2008)
Relays via MV Baltic Radio on 6140 kHz
From January to March 2008
1st Sunday of every month
(VIA T-SYSTEMS ON 6140)
1300 to 1400 MV Baltic Radio
3rd Sunday of the month
(VIA T-SYSTEMS ON 6140)
1300 to 1330 EMR (Jan - Mar
1300 to 1400 EMR ( Feb )
4th Sunday of every month
(VIA T-SYSTEMS ON 6140)
1300 to 1400 Radio Gloria
EMR Programme Schedule for February & March
Dates Times- UT Programme Schedule
17th February 1300-1400 - Tom Taylor (1315) Mike Taylor (mail box)
16th March 1300-1330 - Paul Graham (oldie programme)
Good Listening 73s (Tom Taylor, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** GUATEMALA. R. Cultural Coatán, 4780 is a regular here in the
mornings; unfortunately I don`t usually fire up until after sunrise.
Following John Wilkins` hypothesis [8-006, UNIDENTIFIED] that XERTA
might be on 4780 too, I paid more attention than usual, Jan 18: around
1333 mariachi music, mixed with talk but hard to ascertain language,
suspect not Spanish. 1401 ID mentioning 60 metros, but could not catch
name of station. Musical bed with the ID was, incongruously for
either, ``London Bridge``.
Afterwards in talk segment, evidently preaching, in non-Spanish,
except for occasional recognizable Spanish words such as ``capítulo``,
``versículo``, i.e. chapter and verse in Bible quotations. Gradually
fading, but still audible at 1410, almost gone by 1420 when I quit.
I doubt that XERTA in the DF would be broadcasting in any native
language, but TGLT certainly does. Meanwhile, nothing more than a
carrier detectable on 4800, if that was XERTA. There was no more than
one signal on 4780, aside from the constant CODAR sweeping by that and
4800. Then I see Scott Barbour`s report of Jan 17 that TGLT signed on
at 1129 with ``London Bridge``. That clinches it for me (Glenn Hauser,
OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Viz.:
4780, R. Cultural, *1129-1138, Jan 17, Spanish. Sign-on with
instrumental "London Bridge is Falling Down" and OM with ID, sign-on
announcement; brief music at 1130 followed by announcer with religious
talk. Fair/good (Scott R. Barbour, Jr., Intervale, NH, R8, R75, NIR10,
MBL1, 200' Beverages, 60M dipole, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
4779.96, R. Cultural Coatán, 0130-0300* Jan 19. Ranchera-style
religious vocals, M speaking occasionally in Spanish and maybe Indian
languages, as well; CST time checks; heard ID's both as Radio Coatán
and Radio Cultural Coatán; church announcements 0231-0242, then back
to music; closedown at 0300. Decent signal for 1 kW and this is
probably my unID from January 17, which I guessed might be XERTA. Tnx
to Bob and Glenn for setting me straight on this one - I'm just not
used to Guatemala still coming in at 1400 UT! Guatemala sunrise would
be around 1225 in January (John Wilkins, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Drake
R-8, 100-foot RW, Cumbredx mailing list via DXLD)
** GUATEMALA. 8 ANIVERSARIO DE RADIO VERDAD, QSL CONMEMORATIVA
Hola! La RADIO VERDAD de Guatemala, 4052.5 kHz se está preparando para
su 8 Aniversario el próximo mes de febrero, así que estén pendientes
de su programación para más detalles. Como PRIMICIA para los diexistas
de todo el mundo, les envío la muestra de la Tarjeta QSL Número 8,
conmemorativa, de colección!!!
Aunque la emisora no solicita ningún $ dólar para portes postales, el
oyente interesado puede anexar algún apoyo ($ 1.00 US, 2.00 o más, de
acuerdo a la distancia) para costear en parte el envío. 73's, RADIO
VERDAD, APARTADO 5, CHIQUIMULA, GUATEMALA. Noticia de : (Magdiel Cruz
Rodriguez, Jiutepec, Morelos, Mexico, via Dario Monferini, Jan 17,
playdx yg via DXLD)
** GUIANA FRENCH. Re 8-005: ``JAPAN +non --- not sure if NHK replaced
all GUF outlets, needs more monitoring ... maybe transmitter(s) down
temporarily?``
Were any other NHK transmissions from Montsinéry left than those
listed here? Could not find any at a glance. And Polskie Radio 2030-
2100 on 9660 and 11940 was on air tonight. So I don't think that they
have technical problems; instead it appears that NHK simply stopped
using TDF facilities (Kai Ludwig, Germany, Jan 18, dxldyg via DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** HAWAII. USCG Honolulu weather on wrong frequency: 8412.7 USB, NMO,
USCG Honolulu, regular 0600 voice sked in the new "IronJohn" machine
voice, parallel 6501, weather and maritime information. This is
supposed to be on 8764.0, which is dead. Plenty of QRM from the DSC on
8414.5, 16 Jan 08 (Hugh Stegman, Jan 16, UDXF yg via DXLD)
** HONG KONG. REBEL BROADCASTERS FREE TO GO BACK ON AIR OVER THE
WEEKEND --- Yvonne Tsui Jan 19, 2008
Citizens' Radio was given the green light yesterday to go back on air
over the weekend after a judge refused to extend a temporary
injunction imposed a week ago. But the rebel station still faces the
prospect of a permanent injunction from Monday. . .
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=99575d44b3d87110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&s=News
(via Dan Say, BC, DXLD)
** INDIA. 17799.97, AIR Bangalore, English at 1040, S=3, surprise,
surprise, never heard of Swiss-SWE BBC-Asea transmitter wandering
around ... 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. Re 8-006, PROPAGATION:
HAARP moonbounce tests and QSLs --- Here's the answer regarding QSLs
for the upcoming HAARP moonbounce tests. Good news for us wallpaper
hangers. I've also asked about reporting with audio recordings. I'll
forward any reply I get on this question too. Jim Pogue
KH2AR/WPE9HLJ/KG6DX1A (Memphis, Tennessee USA, IRCA via DXLD)
-----Original Message-----
From: infohaarp [infohaarp @ maestro.haarp.alaska.edu]
Cc: infohaarp @ haarp.alaska.edu
Jim, Thanks for your inquiry. Well - I guess we'll have to get some
QSL cards printed up. We have the standard ones but the moon bounce
test deserves a unique design. Thanks for the reminder. I.H.
Jim Pogue wrote: I am interested in participating in these tests and
wonder if you will be offering listeners a QSL card as you have done
in the past for some other tests? Thanks (IRCA via DXLD)
Jim, Audio recordings would be appreciated but files of signal
strength versus time would be of much greater scientific value
although we realize that this may not be possible for many people.
Thanks, I.H (via Jim Pogue, IRCA via DXLD)
7.4 and 9.4 MHz pulses explained : EME studies
They originate from HAARP and are received on small HF antennas at the
New Mexico site of the 30 dishes (I drove through there once, going
from Albuquerque to Tucson, but decided to take the back road --- no
cell coverage, but a wonderful drive. The VLA very large aperture
radio telescope has dozens of steerable dishes on railroad tracks. I
did see those HF antennas and took a few photos. They're quite close
to the visitor center, in case you're interested). Here's the link to
the story:
http://www.farnorthscience.com/2008/01/08/news-from-alaska/haarp-probes-the-moon-with-radar/
(radioman390, Jan 11, UDXF yg via DXLD) Viz.; see original for photos,
grafix and linx ---
HAARP PROBES THE MOON WITH RADAR --- By Doug O'Harra
The antenna array at HAARP outside Gakona [caption] Source: HAARP
How long does it take to radio the Moon? 2.4 seconds.
Radar pulses from the HAARP research station outside Gakona in
Alaska’s Copper River basin have been bounced off the moon and picked
up by a radio telescope system in New Mexico — the lowest frequency
radar echo from the moon ever detected on the home planet.
The signals, beamed skyward from antennas at the sometimes
controversial High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, zapped
the moon in a manner somewhat like sonar, and then illuminated secrets
of the ionosphere as they returned to Earth.
These pulses were then caught by newly developed receivers at the
Longwave Length Array in the New Mexico desert, an ongoing project to
create a ground-breaking (and inexpensive) radio telescope that will
listen to space for as-yet unknown low frequency signals. (Motto:
“Catching Big Waves with small blades.”)
“Detecting the very weak radio signals after their round trip to the
moon and back was challenging and required careful modification of the
LWA antennas to improve their performance at these frequencies,” says
NRL Remote Sensing Division scientist, Dr. Kenneth Stewart.
The HAARP, sometimes the focus of criticism and outright paranoia from
the tin-foil-hat crowd, conducts research into Earth’s ionosphere and
magnetic field using radio waves. Aside from basic exploration of the
weird electrically-charged world at the edge of space, HAARP helps
military scientists and engineers figure out new possibilities for
radio communications.
Radar graph [caption]
For more detail about zapping the moon with radar, check out this
somewhat technical online story posted by the Naval Research
Laboratory:
A team of scientists from the Naval Research Laboratory, the Air Force
Research Laboratory’s (AFRL’s) Research Vehicles Directorate, Kirtland
Air Force Base, N.M., and the University of New Mexico (UNM) has
detected the lowest frequency radar echo from the moon ever seen with
earth-based receivers.
In the lunar echo experiment (more properly called a lunar bistatic
radar experiment), the Air Force/Navy High Frequency Active Auroral
Research Program (HAARP) high power transmitter, located near Gakona,
Alaska, launched high power radio waves toward the moon.
The reflected signal, weakened because of the long distance to the
moon and back, was detected by receiving antennas in New Mexico.
NRL consultant scientist Dr. Paul Rodriguez, of NRL’s Information
Technology Division, who conceived and proposed the experiment
explains:
Antennas in New Mexico [caption]
“Analysis of the echo gives information on the properties of the lunar
sub-surface topography, because the low frequency radar waves
propagate to varying depths below the visible surface of the moon. It
is somewhat like sonar, except that we are using electromagnetic waves
rather than sound waves. The experiment also allows us to study the
interaction of the echo signal with the earth’s ionosphere along its
return path, because the ionosphere is only partially transparent at
low frequencies.”
During the experiment, which was carried out on Oct. 28 and 29, 2007,
the radar signals from HAARP were at 7.4075 MHz and 9.4075 MHz. Both
the transmitted signal and the echo from the moon were detected by NRL
Remote Sensing Division scientist, Dr. Kenneth Stewart, and NRL
engineer Brian Hicks with antennas built for the Long Wavelength Array
(LWA).
LWA is a radio interferometer being built in the desert west of
Socorro, N.M., by UNM, NRL, the Applied Research Laboratories at the
University of Texas at Austin, Virginia Tech, and Los Alamos National
Laboratory, for studies of space physics and astrophysics.
The LWA is intended to work below the 88 MHz edge of the FM band, but
to get down to the HAARP signal frequencies, the antennas were
equipped with digital receivers and specially designed matching
networks developed by Stewart, Hicks, and engineer Nagini Paravastu at
NRL.
NRL LWA Project Scientist Dr. Namir Kassim notes, “One of the
successful goals of this experiment was to demonstrate that the LWA
can work with instruments like HAARP at lower frequencies than its
nominal design.”
HAARP lies outside Gakona in rural Alaska [caption] The HAARP radar
antenna array was “phased” to point about 45 degrees away from the
zenith, in order to track and directly illuminate the moon.
Its full total power capability, about 3.6 MW, was used to transmit
pulses two seconds in length every five seconds over a period of two
hours each day, one hour at each frequency. Using such a pulse pattern
makes the echo, which arrives back from the moon 2.4 seconds later,
immediately recognizable, allowing the scientists to distinguish the
moon’s echo signal from the HAARP signal.
The HAARP signal reached the receiving antennas in New Mexico by
reflecting off the underside of the ionosphere, the region of the
Earth’s atmosphere from 50 to 400 km in altitude that is partially
ionized by solar radiation.
The lunar echo measurements at 7.4075 MHZ are believed to be the
lowest frequency (longest wavelength) at which bistatic radar
measurements have been conducted.
“Even though lunar echoes have been detected before at higher
frequencies, it was really exciting to see them arrive in real time
out under the full moon in the New Mexico desert,” says NRL’s Hicks.
(via DXLD)
** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. HAARP Moonbounce experiment came
thru well here, rather to my surprise. Jan 19 at 0510 UT tune-in,
6792.5 had 2-second carriers as promised from Gakona, but the echoes
were almost as strong, making me think at first that something went
awry. Further monitoring showed that the strength of the echoes varied
greatly, sometimes not audible for several minutes, usually quite a
bit weaker than the originals, but still audible. This was on the FRG-
7 with usual mostly E-W longwire of 30 meters or so. S-meter was
pretty constant at S9+20 at the local noise level, with HAARP barely
deflecting it further.
At 0523 I went outside with the DX-398 portable with whip only to see
if I could at least get Gakona and confirm the frequency. Not only did
I hear that, but the echoes too --- standing there under the bright
gibbous Moon. Hello, Moon! I have rarely felt so close to you. The
reduced noise level made up for the reduced antenna. Yes, 6792.5 kHz.
Back inside, Gakona was not heard around 0528-0530, pause in
transmission or propagation? Again heard at 0530, but some other pulse
QRM was especially bad at 0531-0533. Thruout, there was occasional QRM
from other utility noises, and SSB on the low side.
At 0548 was hearing Gakona only, not the echoes; by 0552 the echoes
again became just barely audible. I wonder if the wide variation in
echo strength was solely a funxion of terrestrial ionospheric factors,
or were the signals focused tightly on the Lunar surface so that
different parts of it reflected differently. What is the Lunar albedo,
anyway at 7 MHz? What was the ERP of these transmissions? Did it vary
during the hour?
Transmission ceased at 0559:30, no doubt to switch frequency to
7407.5. I listened there for two minutes in the skirts of the Dentro
Cuban Jamming Command and Radio Martí, but did not hear Gakona or
echoes. Checked again at 0658, and maybe heard the tail end of one
Gakona, no echo. This was certainly an enjoyable exercise; otherwise
listening to beeps every 5 seconds would have quickly become boring.
This proves that the Moon would be a feasible SW relay site. Just wait
till the Chicom land there. Covering an entire Earthly hemisphere from
one location, with CRI, and, why not? JAMMING!!! Of course, for best
reception under the ionosphere, higher frequencies passing thru it
would be preferable, like 25 MHz band (Glenn Hauser, Enid OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
Glenn, The fading of lunar echoes is primarily due to two causes. The
first cause is Faraday rotation of the signal arriving at your
linearly polarized receive antenna as the waves transit the
ionosphere. I do not know if the uplink is circularly polarized but if
not, there would also be rotation of the uplink polarization. This
rotation depends on the amount of ionized gas and the frequency used.
For a given ionization level, the rotation becomes greater as the
wavelength gets longer. This effect can be measured at microwave
frequencies and is a concern when designing satellite communications
links.
The second cause is the rough surface of the moon providing multiple
reflection points. Sometimes the reflections add in phase and
sometimes they cancel. The moon's attitude oscillates slightly, a
phenomenon called "libration". Libration causes the angles involved to
all reflection points to shift slightly with time. The ERP of the
transmitted beam was 3.6 megawatts maximum. You can read more about
this experiment at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080108113605.htm
(Joe Buch, FL, swprograms via DXLD)
Really? I should think the original polarization would be randomized
upon reflexion; nor should libration be a factor during this brief
time period. I was also thinking that the distance between Earth and
Moon is constantly changing due to elliptical orbit, but again in this
brief period, should not be enough to cause a Doppler effect (Glenn
Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Unless you can measure down to Hz – (gh)
I was happy to see the high level of interest in this test, and to see
that so many folks across Europe and North America heard it. Please
remember that the HAARP researchers up in Alaska would like to hear
from you, and that they've also promised a special QSL card for the
test (I've already e-mailed my report). Here is what they say on their
Web page regarding the test and reports:
"We are interested in receiving signal reports from radio amateurs
(and SWLs) who may be able to detect, or not detect, the lunar echo or
the transmitted skywave pulse from HAARP. It will be helpful if your
report includes your call sign and the type and location of your
receiving equipment and antennas. Reports may be sent to the following
address: mbreport @ haarp.alaska.edu"
Additionally, Questions of a technical nature may be submitted via e-
mail to: infohaarp @ haarp.alaska.edu 73s, (Jim Pogue
KH2AR/WPE9HLJ/KG6DX1A, Memphis, Tennessee USA, NRC-AM via DXLD)
I'm hearing quite nice moon bounce best using USB tuned to 6791.8 USB.
HAARP itself is very loud at S9+10 or more, whereas the moon bounce is
quite weak, heard in that 3 second time frame after the 2 sec HAARP
signal. CW seemed to work (exactly on 6792.5, but the bounce wasn't so
obvious, nor was it very good on LSB for some reason. The bounce was
well heard at 0513 UT, but seems to come and go (for instance nothing
now at 0514:45). Time to play with my various antennae (Walt in
Victoria BC Salmaniw, UT Jan 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Same report here in Southern California. Incredibly loud HAARP signal,
and reflected signal occasionally (Rick N6NKN Zolla, 0542 UT Jan 19,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
HAARP moonbounce experiment heard here at my QTH starting right at
0500 UT on 6792.5. Due to the elevated A index, surprised to hear
HAARP as strong as I did. Even more surprised to hear the moon echoes.
73 - (J. D. Stephens, Hampton Cove, AL, Drake R-8, randomwire, Jan 19,
UDXF yg via DXLD)
I began hearing the HAARP signal promptly at 0500 UT, fairly well in
CW mode right on 6792.5 kHz. Using the relative audio levels of
Spectrogram software, the HAARP signal often rose 5-15 db above the
noise. The echo was very occasional but could be seen to match the
frequency and timing, just 2-3 db above the noise.
At 0524 HAARP changed frequency slightly, from 6792.5 to 6792.35 but
continued to be heard for the remainder of the test until 0600.
There appeared to be some spoofing going on, but off frequency enough
to see it wasn't the real signal. One carrier camped for a couple
minutes precisely on the initial frequency but then quit. Several
instances of strong interference from utility signals but only for
brief periods.
Way too much interference and noise on 7407.5 to hear or see anything
during the second part of the test (W. Curt Deegan, Boca Raton,
(southeast) Florida, USA, udxf yg via DXLD)
I first tuned in around 0510 and was amazed to be getting clear
echoes, but they never lasted more than a half minute. The main signal
ranged from 559 to 579 [RST] with fade, and the echoes were heard
maybe 1 minute in every 4 or 5, and for no more than 20 to 30 seconds,
running about 519 to 539. There was occasional other signals heard, a
rapid sweeper very loud, and occasional CW interference such as "up".
"7407" and "tu" at the end, weak. I think the 0510 was the best signal
and never as good, shoulda been there on time.
The 7407 was useless here due to some loud interference. Rx a Kenwood
TS430S (gen coverage rcvr) and a 20 meter longwire (Bob Foxworth,
Tampa FL, UDXF yg via DXLD)
Copied HAARP and Moon Echo of HAARP well in South Bend, Indiana using
a SDR-IQ on a 10-160 Carolina Windom Antenna on 6792.5. 73 from (Bill
- WD8ARZ http://hflink.net/qso/ ibid.)
I too heard both the source, and echo signals. Images at
http://www.nk7z.net and select HAARP. Thanks, (Dave Cole, NK7Z/NNN0RDO
http://www.nk7z.net UDXF yg via DXLD)
I'd make them to be about 11 Hz low on the HAARP transmitter. The
echoes have come in a bit lower in freq, then above and now back to
below the transmit frequency, in the first 40 minutes. The shift on
the echo (Doppler I assume) was somewhere in the area of 1 Hz or less.
I don't think it's on my end. Noticed a short gap at 0530 but then
right back on. The frequency is very clear - HAARP is S9+20 and the
echoes typically don't move the S meter but are easily heard. Antenna
is a 4-30 log pointed west. My location is near Edmonton, Alberta
CANADA. 73 (Don VE6JY Moman, ibid.)
I'm hearing it here too, also using USB. The HAARP skywave signal is
not tremendously strong - more like S1-2, with considerable fading.
The moon bounce echo is in and out of the noise, and was better near
the beginning than now (0545 UT). It's easily seen on a spectrogram
display, however, and it has quite a bit of Doppler shift - the echo
is about 4 Hz lower than the skywave signal, and its trace is much
less "fuzzy". Interesting stuff! (Barry McLarnon, VE3JF, Ottawa, ON,
IRCA via DXLD) where this is very off-topic
Moon bounce is back again at 0546 after the bounce portion being
absent for about 5 to 10 minutes. Dang, it's gone again at 0548. I'd
say that the bounce was audible about 1/3 of the time here in
Victoria. And there it is again at 0549:30, though weakly.
[Later] Hi, Barry (and Don). The 7407.5 is a lot weaker here in
Victoria. The interesting thing is that the moon bounce portion, at
times, is at the same strength as the HAARP signal itself! Again, I
haven't fiddled with the SDR span to measure the exact moon bounce
frequency, but they are obviously very close. I guess I wouldn't be
able to differentiate a few Hz anyway. From the SDR, the HAARP signals
are only 10 to 15 dB above the noise floor, and it's impossible to
differentiate the HAARP from the moon bounce. They kind of flow into
one another, so sometimes it's sounding like a continuous tone. Yes,
sure is interesting, but wouldn't a voice transmission be really
awesome! (Walt Salmaniw, BC, IRCA via DXLD)
Using CW here at 0625 UT, and can certainly hear (but not always
"see") the bounce on the SDR14, though the strength of both the
initial signal and the bounce varies considerably fadey. Recorded the
earlier portion as we were out at that time, so will have to play it
back. There seemed to be a dead period around 0628, and am now only
hearing the initial signal with no echo. Now, was this one of the BTC
tests, hi? Best wishes, (Nick Hall-Patch, BC, ibid.)
I didn't mention that I heard some of the QRM as well. The occasional
sweep, rapid CW, and related crud. Overall, they were far weaker than
the HAARP, so I simply ignored them. Yes, 7407.5 was far weaker
overall. HAARP paused for 30 seconds at the BOH, before continuing.
7407.5 didn't suffer from any interference otherwise here, although I
could sure see signals on the SDR (especially 7405) (Walt Salmaniw,
ibid.)
The test was copied in Seattle beginning at 0500. The transmitted
signal was quite good at first on 6792.5, about 25-30 db above the
noise floor, with a the echo almost as strong. As time went on, the
echo became less noticeable, especially after 0530. The transmitted
signal became gradually weaker after 0540, and was maybe 10 db above
the noise by 0600. I could actually watch it get weaker on the SDR
display. I switched to 7407.5 at 0600. The transmitted signal was
there weakly, but the low signal strength was probably due to
ionospheric conditions rather than anything done at the transmitter --
- I think the Alaska-Seattle path was becoming less viable, judging
from what I saw and heard on 6792.5. I didn't hear the echo at all on
7407.5. I found reception was best using the CW mode (Bruce in Seattle
Portzer, SDR-IQ receiver, slightly broken K9AY antenna, IRCA via DXLD)
I listened for the full 2 hours of the lunar echo test, and heard the
echoes the full period. I had to switch to the 6 Hz narrow audio
filter after about 45 minutes in order to keep hearing them as they
got weaker and weaker. Even the TX was barely heard the last 30
minutes or so. But Doppler effect had the echoes about 8 Hz away from
the TX, making it easier to tell the TX from the echoes. Lots of fun!
(Steve NE Oregon Ratzlaff, IRCA via DXLD)
The test was also copied here in Pennsylvania starting at 0500 on
6792.5 kHz. Setup was a Drake R-8 with 100' west-pointed sloper tuned
to 6792.53 kHz. Transmitted signal was quite visible on Spectran
display at ~30 Hz line when playing back recorded audio file, and most
of the bounces were also visible, although some were not strong enough
to show above the noise floor. Some joker tuned a carrier down onto
the frequency for a few minutes near the start, but then lost interest
I guess. I checked for about 20 minutes and signal was visible the
entire time. Also set up for 7407.5 kHz with SDR-IQ but forgot to
check the box for delayed start on Spectravue (doh!) so nothing was
recorded (Brett Saylor, Central PA, IRCA via DXLD)
NOTE: all the above reports concern the first pair of tests on UT Jan
19, published before the UT Jan 20 reprise a sesquihour later, i.e.:
6792.5 at 0630-0730z and on 7407.5 at 0730-0830z (gh)
** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [non]. "Listening to Coast to Coast"
It's just about impossible to spin the dial across the AM band after
midnight in North America without coming across the talkshow programme
"Coast to Coast" where they talk about UFO's, conspiracy theories, the
paranormal and "things that go bump in the night".
It used to be hosted by Art Bell (who by the way is a ham) but is
currently hosted by George Noory (don't know if he's a ham or not).
I came across this satirical little ditty by someone who goes by the
name "UFO Phil" called "Listening to Coast to Coast". It had me
rolling on the floor laughing.
You can either play or download the mp3 audio file of the song at UFO
Phil's website: http://www.ufophil.com [original or cover]
I understand the "Coast to Coast" folks play the song every once in a
while, so obviously they don't take themselves too seriously ;)
73 – (Bob Chandler, VE3SRE, ODXA yg via DXLD)
** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [non]. ROB LEIGHTON - GREAT MUSIC BROADCASTER
I have just read on the Caroline Yahoo groups list the following
message from Peter Moore. Rob was one of my favourite Caroline
presenters, first hearing him on Worldspace and later on Sky. He had
a great taste of music and a really cool and calm authorative [sic]
broadcasting style. He had a specialist knowledge of Rock etc. We
were in occasional email touch and I never knew he suffered from
Chrohn`s disease. A very attractive young lady I worked with at the
BBC also suffered from this, I have lost touch with her but trust she
is still enjoying quality of life. Keith
ROB LEIGHTON
It is with shock and deep sadness that I announce the death in the
early minutes of Jan 17th of my good friend and Caroline broadcaster
Rob Leighton.
Aside from the fact that he was from time to time absent from his
weekly programmes, his audience will not have known that Rob was
continually suffering from and battling with a wretched illness called
Chrohn's disease, a chronic and progressive condition that caused him
much suffering, The nature of the illness meant, among other things,
that his diet had to be precisely controlled. Any deviation caused
severe reactions.
Returning from one of his many and ever more frequent spells in
hospital, I asked him what had gone wrong this time and he replied,
with just the slightest tinge of annoyance `you know, I just really
wanted to eat an orange`.
The archetypal stoic Englishman, if he ever discussed his health, he
just stated that it was `a bit of a nuisance` although I knew that he
structured the recording of his programmes within a window of time
when he was not either in too much pain to make the programme or so
sedated by pain killing medication that he could not do a proper job.
He did not want his audience to think that he might be drunk.
Typically, he worried more about my dubious health than his own. When
he detected that I was under excessive stress he would warn, using the
precise pronunciation that was his on air trademark `Be careful, you
are a thoroughly good chap you know and we don't want to lose you`.
Again it will not have been known that Rob was a brilliant technician.
Some broadcast equipment is at his home, while he waited for his
health to rally sufficiently to take it and install it overseas as a
Caroline relay. He was also hoping that in the spring he might be able
to go to Ireland to recover more equipment that he had built, which
was then destined for Italy to set up a relay there. [SW??]
I know that he was frustrated in having to hand in for a time his
driving licence, but that he was waiting for the moment when he could
again drive his much loved vintage Wolseley car.
Musically, he embraced the genre of progressive folk and rock, within
which areas he was highly regarded. Rob's wife Sharon who called me
with the sad news, mentioned that an album by the band Blue Horses had
just arrived at their home in Staffordshire and that the band had
thanked Rob and Radio Caroline personally for helping their career.
The gentlest of men, Rob never abandoned his ideals of tolerance,
freedom, love and liberty. He was genuinely perplexed when some were
unpleasant, cruel and even offensive in their criticisms of Radio
Caroline. Certainly this news makes me understand that the petty
squabbles I am presently involved in are supremely irrelevant.
I salute Rob, mourn his passing and am devastated and diminished by
his loss. We will post further information concerning funeral and
other arrangement when and if Sharon feels this is appropriate. Peter
Moore. 6.30am Jan 17th 2008 (via Keith Knight, BDXC-UK via DXLD) OBIT
** IRAN [non]. 4285 V. of the Communist Party of Iran, 0450-0501,
escuchada el 18 de enero en idioma sin identificar, emisión de música,
no reconozco de que zona, parece hindú, aunque también podría tratarse
árabe, locutor con comentarios, termina la emisión con música de
sintonía, SINPO 24332 (José Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), Spain,
Sangean ATS 909, Antena Radio Master A-108, YAESU FRG-7700, dxldyg via
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** IRELAND. ANGER AS RTE TO SWITCH OFF MEDIUM WAVE BAND
Irish Independent, Dublin, By Laura Noonan, January 19 2008
http://www.independent.ie:80/national-news/anger-as-rte-to-switch-off-medium-wave-band-1269254.html
It's being billed as "goodbye to an old friend". RTE is to axe Radio
1's medium-wave services, in a move which has drawn political
criticism and which is set to provoke outrage among churchgoers.
Since 1926, the much-loved service has been a mainstay for people
living in rural areas where FM reception is poor and a vital tool to
broadcast church services. But station executives believe that modern
technology, has signed medium wave's death warrant, and it will switch
off on March 24.
RTE also believes the transmission costs of supplying the service no
longer justifies its existence, since the content is now available
elsewhere. Medium-wave shares almost all its content with the FM
version of Radio 1, except for Sunday religious services and a mid-
week soccer game.
There is to be a public information campaign ahead of the switch-off
date. This will highlight the fact that the full Radio 1 MW services
will remain available on long-wave radio. The broadcaster is also
talking to charities about providing subsidised radios for those who
don't have sets with FM or long-wave frequencies.
The station's research shows that one in 10 radio listeners use the
medium-wave version of Radio 1, with the service particularly popular
with the elderly and those living in remote areas.
Fine Gael communications spokesman Simon Coveney said shutting down
medium wave transmissions has implications for people in rural parts
of the country and at sea. "This is a public service broadcaster and
this shouldn't be abandoned," he said.
Labour communications and marine spokesman Michael McCarthy said the
decision would have the biggest implications for fishermen working 50
or 100 miles off the coast and relying on the broadcasts for weather
reports and for farmers (via Kevin Carroll DXLD)
WTFK??? 500 kW on 567, but a 10 kW Cork relay on 729, going off too?
And why would a relay in Cork be needed anyway? Surely 500 kW on 567
would cover the entire country, and then some. And what`s a state
broadcaster doing, broadcasting church services? Oh yeah, it`s Europe
without separation of church & state. Church is supposed to be on CB
(Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
** ISRAEL. BACK IN THE NEWS: THE VOA ISRAELI RELAY THAT NEVER WAS.
"Fifteen years after one of Israel's most important environmental
battles, the proposed construction of the Voice of America radio
station in the northern Arava, the Society for the Protection of
Nature (SPNI) again claims that the region is in serious environmental
danger. ... [Hothouses are proposed] where the Voice of America high-
power transmitters were planned. The fight over the radio station
began in the late 1980s, when the Israel agreed to the U.S. request to
build the station, to be able to broadcast to what was then the Soviet
Union. The plan was canceled in 1993 after a battle by
environmentalists, which included an appeal to then vice president Al
Gore." . . . http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/945728.html
(Ha'aretz, 17 Jan 2008. Posted: 18 Jan, kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
** ISRAEL. One Response to “IBA decides not to close classical music
station” --- Roland Hauri Says: January 17th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Re Kol Hamusica. The Israeli classical music station is the only
public radio channel that is not available via internet stream. For
more than two years I have written not only to Kol Hamusica but also
to the Israeli Embassy in Berlin who addressed me to the Rome Embassy
(because I live in Italy !!): I only wanted to know whether and when
they foresee an internet service of Kol Hamusica - no reply from
nobody.
It is one of Israel’s contradictions when a public authority decides
to relay all their public radio stations (and a lot of commercial
ones) via internet without including Kol Hamusica. It is a shame that
neither IBA nor the Kol Hamusica itself nor the Embassy think they
should reply to a simple question. Another shame is that while in
Europe you can watch hundreds of Arab, Indian, Pakistani and African
television and radio stations via satellite, you are not in a position
to see one Israeli program for free. A question of money?
Israel? Ununderstandable and ridiculous. There are apparently more
cultural minded people in Israel than elsewhere. So why promote
hundreds of Israeli pop stations via internet, even if the songs are
in Hebrew, more or less it is the same as elsewhere - without
considering to relay also at least one classical music station.
The foreseen closure of the Kol Hamusica station goes in the same
direction - no culture, please. But now they have apparently reviewed
their decision (Media Network blog via DXLD)
** KOREA SOUTH. 1566, HLAZ, Cheju Island (33 28'N 126 23'E) JAN 15,
1231 - Local Sunrise here is 1218 from JAN 10 to JAN 15 when it
reverses. 1566 Korea is listed in Chinese until 1230 and presumably
switch their beam to a more favorable direction for us. West coast
DXers report them long after west coast LSR. So I have been parked on
1566 at 1230 with zero results until this morning. Tuned in at 1231 to
find a fair carrier. It continued at this level thru 1235 dropping to
very weak at 1239 and fading out. This station probably not possible
in northeast with a LSR around 1208 in Boston. However, should be real
possibility in midwest where LSR is listed as 1312 UT in Chicago. Can
west coast DXers confirm that they do switch their beam at 1230?
JAN 17, 1230 - Noted again this morning weak to fair carrier 1230 well
after my LSR of 1217 UT. I assume Korea changes their beam when they
switch from Chinese to Japanese at 1230 (Ray Moore, Ft. Myers FL;
Modified R1000, Super SCAF audio filter, passive 23-inch spiral loop,
NRC IDXD Jan 18 via DXLD)
** KURDISTAN. 6335, V of Iraqi Kurdistan, 0527-0532, escuchada el 18
de enero con emisión de música folklórica local, SINPO 24322 (José
Miguel Romero, Burjasot (Valencia), Spain, Sangean ATS 909, Antena
Radio Master A-108, YAESU FRG-7700, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Re 8-006: Hi Glenn, This station was heard using both 'Voice of
Kurdistan' and 'Voice of Iraqi Kurdistan' ID's as long as two years
ago - ref this BBCM report:
http://www.clandestineradio.com/crw/news.php?id=235&stn=318&news=563
A clip recorded at that time can be heard on the Iraq page of the
Interval Signals Online website http://intervalsignals.net giving the
VoIK identification in Kurdish and the VoK identification in Arabic.
Regards, (Dave Kernick, Interval Signals Online, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** LATVIA. Relays this weekend on 9290 kHz
Sat January 19th Radio City 1000-1100 UT
and 2000 UT only 945AM and http://www.radionord.lv
Latvia Today 1100-1200 UT
Sun January 20th Latvia Today 1400-1500 UT
(Tom Taylor, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST) + in advance on the dxldyg
** MALI. 5995.00, RTM Bamako, Saharan music, news at 0700 "Bonjour" in
French. S=7 signal. 6-7 UT is the best window of this broadcast at
present. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** MEXICO. 4800, XERTA and 4732, Radio Universitaria, Cobija, Pando,
Bolivia, both being received well at 2330 in Southeast Florida (Robert
Wilkner, Pómpano Beach, South Flórida, Icom 746Pro, Jan 18, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** MONACO. 18 Jan at 1402 UT while scanning the bands, noted presumed
National Anthem on 8728 USB. This was followed by female announcer
"This is Monaco Radio.." She gave the sched of weather forecasts. At
the end "...brought to you by the Principality of Monaco and Naya"
Gave website http://www.naya.mc then Anthem and off.
The HF sched was a mixture of French time and GMT. I guess it was like
this: Western Med 0930, 1403, 1930 French time (should then be 0830,
1303, 1830 UT)
Eastern Med 1030 GMT
Atlantic 0930 GMT
All on channels 403, 804, 1224 and 1607 which means frequencies
4363, 8728, 13146 and 17260.
As earlier reported by others, Monaco Radio didn't sign-off at the end
of 2007 but is still audible (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski, Finland,
Jan 18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
What`s NAYA? http://www.naya.mc/webkit/jsp/pres_station.jsp
but the name derivation still not explained (gh, DXLD)
MONACO RADIO
Bonjour! Pour Monaco Radio, voilà les explications: OUI, la station
est toujours sur les ondes pour les contacts avec les bateaux (c'est
le Prince Albert qui a demandé la continuation de ce service). Par
contre la Météo Marine n'est plus sur les ondes courtes. Enfin depuis
le début janvier, Monaco Radio est devenu une société privée:
http://www.naya.mc
NAYA propose au travers de son service radio maritime MONACO RADIO :
. la diffusion d'informations et bulletins météorologiques,
. le contrôle et la validation de stations et installations
radioélectriques,
. la vente d'équipements HF et VHF , terrestres, aéro, marines,
. l'installation de systèmes de communication radio,
. l'étude et la réalisation de projets spécifiques.
Plus d'infos sur les fréquences utilisées:
http://www.naya.mc/webkit/jsp/renseignements_01.jsp
Renseignements
Horaires d'ouverture NAYA :
09h00 à 17h00 du Lundi au Vendredi
09h00 à 13h00 Samedi et Dimanche
NAYA Sarl
1, ch. du Fort Antoine - 98000 MONACO
SOURCE: C. GHIBAUDO & PLAYDX http://swli05639fr.blogspot.com/ (via
Francesco Cecconi, HCDX via DXLD)
The rest of Christian Ghibaudo`s info:
SERVICE V.H.F.
Canal de diffusion : VHF C20
Fréquence : canal 20 - 161.600 / 157.000
SERVICE H.F. :
Monaco Radio
3AC/navire 4 MHz
3AC/navire 8 MHz
3AC/navire 12 MHz
3AC/navire 16 MHz
3AC/navire 22 MHz
Toutes zones
Canal 403 4363/4071
Canal 804 8728/8204
Canal 1224 13146/12299
Canal 1607 17260/16378
Canal 2225 22768/22072
Liste de trafic à H+03
Bons écoutes! (Christian Ghibaudo, playdx yg via DXLD)
** NETHERLANDS [non]. Re 8-006, RADIO NETHERLANDS' NEW FM STRATEGY IN
INDIA --- This new strategy does make sense, but keep this in mind:
the Indian private FM stations cannot broadcast news, either their own
or that of international partners. They can relegate your programs to
fringe hours. They can drop your programming when they get bored with
it. International radio stations like to mention their umpteen
thousand partners around the world, but usually this means agreements
had, at one time, been signed with umpteen thousand partner stations.
It does not necessarily mean that those partner stations are actually
using your programs now. Shortwave may be passé, but it least its a
way to get your radio program to every square kilometer of India at
the time of your choosing. Posted: 19 Jan 2008 (Kim Andrew Elliott,
kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
** NETHERLANDS ANTILLES. Re 8-005: ``DRM --- So either RNW now has TWO
DRM transmitters running at Bonaire``
Both old Philips transmitters have been replaced by new rigs from a
still unknown manufacturer, so they indeed have (Kai Ludwig, Germany,
dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Which reminds me, the 6165 transmission 0400-0700 has awfully
splattery sidebands, wide signal bothering out to 6155, 6175 (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** NIGERIA. 7274.88, Abuja at 0615 UT underneath of Sfax Tunisia, but
free channel from 0635 UT, S=6 signal today, level changes from day to
day. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** OKLAHOMA. WHY ISN’T KXZY BROADCAST ON THE RADIO?
Michael Bevers/O’Collegian
Unable to obtain a radio frequency from the Federal Communications
Commission, student-run station KXZY is available on campus cable
channel 75 or online at http://kxzy.okstate.edu
Student-run station KXZY isn’t broadcast on the radio because over-
the-air frequencies aren’t available. The Federal Communications
Commission licenses frequencies to radio stations and none are
available, said Jack Hodgson, KXZY’s faculty adviser.
“There’s only so much room on the spectrum, and we’re maxed out,”
Hodgson said. “We would have to get an existing frequency if someone
were willing to sell or donate one.”
Although KXZY isn’t on the radio, students can listen on the station’s
Web site, Hodgson said. KXZY streams through a link on the Web site
and can be heard with Quicktime or iTunes, according to staff reports.
KXZY is also broadcast on campus channel 75. To tune in, visit
http://kxzy.okstate.edu/
(Daily O`Collegian, OSU Stillwater, via Artie Bigley, OH, DXLD)
Wonder how they came up with those calls? But if they were to go on
the air, would have to change, as the *real* KXZY is LP in Waco TX, on
100.7: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=134259
The previous student station at OSU was KVRO 105.5, but soon became
commercial and ultimately sold off, I think. Then there`s public radio
KOSU 91.7, whose beginnings were also as a student station (Glenn
Hauser, Enid, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** PAKISTAN. REVAMPING OF EXTERNAL SERVICES OF RADIO PAKISTAN
Hi Glenn, While going through recent press reports dated January 05,
2008 regarding the reinforcement of Radio Pakistan External services
through quote “ the readjustment of broadcast transmitters and the
services would be relayed through powerful transmitters to improve the
signals of the broadcasts” unquote, it was thought Radio Pakistan
external services will reduce the transmission of World Service (Urdu)
and will utilize the 250 Kw transmitters of World Service for the
external services.
Instead they have decided to discontinue Tamil, Turkish, Turki,
Nepali, Sinhali, Russian, Arabic and some English transmissions, while
the retained services will continue to be transmitted through API-3
(100 kW). Frankly speaking the services which have been discontinued,
do not deserve even an obituary. In recent past when certain state
broadcasters stations decided to discontinue their external services
the listeners' outcry forced them to reverse their decision. But in
case of Radio Pakistan the foreign language services discontinued
w.e.f 5.01.2008 had already lost any listenership which they had in
past owing to faulty and worthless transmitter, inappropriate timings
and poor program content.
Here I would like to point out the sorry state of affairs of Turki
language service. Ironically Turki language (may not be confused with
Turkish) had only a handful of speakers in Afghanistan but this
service was on air from Radio Pakistan since last many decades. The
Sinhali, Russian and Nepali services were newer ones but failed to
gain any listenership. Obviously very few listeners could afford the
risk of Hearing impairment by listening to horrible buzz of API-3.At
least the discontinuation of these services enlisted above is an
admission that the transmitter signals of API-3 are not capable of
going much beyond Pakistan borders. The retained services are
primarily those which are directed for neighbouring countries.
Coming to the Transmitter API-3,which has been retained for “Powerful
transmission” it could undoubtedly be declared as the worst
transmitter being used by any external service at the moment. I have
been monitoring the shortwave broadcasts of more than 100 stations
since last many years in my region but have yet to find such a poor
transmitter being used by any broadcaster.
Radio Pakistan seem to be unaware of three pre-requisites for an
external service for gaining listenership on shortwave, which are
effective program content being of target audience’ interest, strong
signals and appropriate transmission timings. In case any of the above
elements are missing the service proves to be waste of time and
resource as is the case with Radio Pakistan.
Interestingly the duration of some of the retained services like
Hindi, Dari, Persian have been increased. I wonder what good Radio
Pakistan intend to achieve by increasing transmission time of these
external services, if these are to be transmitted through API-3. It is
still not understood why they could not wait till 2009 for complete
installation of two new shortwave transmitters (100 kW) coupled with
High Frequency aerial system at Landhi Karachi. We can surely conclude
that when it comes to absurd decisions, no one can beat Radio Pakistan
External Services (Aslam Javaid, Lahore Pakistan, Jan 19, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
** PAPUA NEW GUINEA. 7324.96, Wantok R. Light, Jan 03, 0753-0803,
33433, English, Music, ID at 0758. Also Jan 08, 0801-0811, 33443,
English, Music and talk, ID at 0804 (Kouji Hashimoto, Japan, Japan
Premium Jan 18 via DXLD) Where are the North American reports of
this?? (gh, DXLD)
** PORTUGAL. Re 8-005: ``A partir de 14 de janeiro, retorna à grade de
programação da RDP - Rádio Portugal o segmento Caixa Postal/Dexismo,
onde são contestadas, no ar, as cartas e informes de recepção enviados
pelos ouvintes. A 1ª edição vai ao ar, às 0845, em 15555 kHz; a 2ª, às
1418, em 15465 kHz. Uma reprise irá ao ar, nas terças-feiras, ás 0030,
em 11960.``
Glenn, Here's the straightforward Lusitanian version:
A partir de 14 de Janeiro, volta à grelha de programação da RDPi a
rubrica Caixa Portal/DXismo, onde são respondidas as cartas e
relatórios de recepção enviados pelos ouvintes. A 1ª. edição vai para
o ar às 0845, em 15555 kHz, a 2ª. às 1418, em 15465 kHz. Haverá um
repetição à terça-feira [3ª.-fª.], às 0030, em 11960 kHz.
* month names are exactly that, i.e. names, so should be written with
capital letter. *grade* instead of *grelha* is a strange choice -
nobody would think of using this *informe* for us is no noun - it
pertains to verb "*informar* and is used in the 3rd person singular
*reprise* is clearly & uselessly borrowed from French, and has no
meaning in Portuguese. 73, (Carlos Gonçalves, Lusitania, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)
I also meant to add that the DX program absence past several months
was attributed to maternity leave by the presenter. Hope all went well
with the new offspringing (gh, DXLD)
** ROMANIA, 0625, 7170, RRI Galbeni, French, distorted audio feed,
tremendous powerful S=9+40db, pull the E1 dial. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel,
Germany, Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SAIPAN. KRNM MAY SHUT DOWN --- Thursday, January 17, 2008
By Ruth Tighe, Special to the Saipan Tribune
http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=76145&cat=1
Public radio station KRNM may soon join the growing list of
establishments that have gone out of business as a result of the
CNMI's shrinking economy.
Northern Marianas College, which has hosted the station since its
inception 10 years ago, recently announced that due to the extent of
its budget cuts it can no longer afford to do so. In the past, NMC
provided space for the station, paid the cost of utilities and staff,
and provided other related services. Now this will no longer be
possible, NMC officials have said.
KRNM, the first and only publicly supported radio station in the CNMI,
carries no advertising. It depends on listener support for its
programs, conducting two fundraising drives a year in conjunction with
national fund drives conducted by National Public Radio, from which
KRNM receives many of its programs. Programs are also received from
Public Radio International.
But funds solicited from listeners will not fill the gap KRNM now
faces. Carl Pogue, station manager, was told that NMC will continue to
offer space for the station until the end of Fiscal Year 2008 provided
the station finds $70,000 by the end of May to carry it through until
Sept. 30, 2008. Beyond that, the station will need approximately
$150,000 per year to continue to operate.
Pogue said he and members of his advisory board are vigorously
pursuing grant opportunities and other sources for funds.
Contributions from listeners are also welcome, he said. Listener
contributions will be held “in escrow,” in effect-if the station does
not survive, they will be returned to the contributor; if the station
does survive, they will be used for the station, he promised.
The station was forced to cut back on some of its programs last year
because Guam's public radio station stopped using the satellite
connection that both stations had shared, and KRNM could not afford to
carry the cost on its own. It has turned, instead, to feed from Radio
Australia, a public radio station from “down under.”
The amount of NPR and PRI programs the station carries depends largely
on user contributions-some NPR and PRI programs remain on the KRNM
schedule, but other available programs are no longer carried due to
weak support from the listening audience.
KRNM is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission as a non-
profit station; Pogue said the license had just been renewed for
another eight years, which means that if the station is sold, it will
nonetheless have to be operated as a non-profit, though not
necessarily as the familiar listener-supported public radio.
Further information can be obtained from the station website at
http://www.krnm.org or from Pogue at 234-5766, or via e-mail at carlp
@ nmcnet.edu (Saipan Tribune via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
Program sked is quite a novel mix of NPR and Radio Australia; could do
worse. No webcast (gh, DXLD)
** SAMOA. CALL ON SAMOAN GOVERNMENT TO RETAIN RADIO 2AP
Radio New Zealand International
The Voice of New Zealand, Broadcasting to the Pacific
Te Reo Irirangi O Aotearoa, O Te Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa
My RNZI Posted at 03:31 on 18 January, 2008 UT
The Samoa government has been urged to abandon its plan to sell the
public broadcaster’s radio division, known as Radio 2AP. The call
comes from independent MP, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, who says the
station using the AM band should remain a government property.
He says this is to continue a service in times of natural disasters
and other important public announcements. Speaking in parliament,
Lealailepule said only the SBC television and the FM radio station
should be privatised.
But the Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, says the sale
of the broadcaster has been in the pipeline for years and there is
nothing to worry about as government will pay to get media access (via
Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD)
Samoan broadcasting is also one of the subjects on RNZI Mailbox Jan
21, says David Ricquish (gh, DXLD)
** SERBIA. Hi, Who can help me with information about and a contact
address to "Radio Balcania", transmitting from Beograd, Serbia on 1699
kHz? Sounded like a radio amateur with two-way contacts (I could not
hear the other), like a Dutch pirate station. ID's in English and
Serbo-Croat. 73 from (Björn Fransson, DX-ing on the island of Gotland,
Sweden, Jan 19, HCDX via DXLD) see also BOSNIA
** SRI LANKA. 9770, SLBC completely in the clear playing Kharma
Kamaleon (Culture Club) at 0220, announcer with greetings unto Relax
(Frankie Goes To Hollywood). SIO 252. Long time absent due to
conditions. 0230 heavy splatter from 9780 HCJB Quito signing on with
German. 73 (Raúl Saavedra, Costa Rica, Sony ICF7600GR + T2FD, UT Jan
18, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SUDAN [non]. 0645, 15674.96, SSIRI, English from Meyerton, ID in
strong accented female English voice, mentioned Mo/We/Fr only
schedule. Also same frequency 1400-1430 UT Tue/Thur/Sat. Fading at S=3
level. 73 (Wolfgang Büschel, Germany, Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** SURINAME. Radio Apintie sintonizada el 14/01, a las 0354 UT, en los
4990 kHz. Sonaba el clásico de la banda Nazareth, ``Love Hurts``;.
SINPO 24322. He escrito muchas veces a esta estación para obtener una
QSL y nunca me han respondido. En una oportunidad se quedaron hasta
con los IRC adjuntados a mi informe de recepción. Muy triste, de
verdad. 73s y buen DX (Adán González, Receptor: NRD-71B (JRC)/ Antena:
TH3 MK3. Catia La Mar, Estado Vargas, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAIWAN. Today in radio history 19 January --- Radio Taiwan
International --- On this day in 1977, US President Gerald Ford
granted a pardon to Iva Toguri, a Japanese-American woman accused of
being Tokyo Rose. Tokyo Rose broadcast Japanese propaganda in English
to Allied troops in the Pacific Theater during the Second World War.
Many such broadcasts originated from the Japanese broadcasting base in
southern Taiwan, which would eventually become absorbed into the
broadcaster known today as Radio Taiwan International.
http://english.rti.org.tw/Content/GetSingleNews.aspx?ContentID=51143
(via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** TAJIKISTAN. Radio Voice of Tajik was heard in Sofia with news in
English at 0950 and at 1705 hours on 7245 kHz (Rumen Pankov, R.
Bulgaria DX Jan 18 via DXLD)
** UGANDA. 4975.97, UBC Radio, *0219-0235, Jan 18, Abrupt sign on with
vernacular talk. Some English. Afro-pop music. Phone talk. Weak, poor
in noisy conditions. CODAR QRM started at 0228. Uganda heard next day,
January 19, with sign on at approx 0237 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** U K [non]. BBC Español 1100-1200 UT, estaba fuera del aire la
mañana de este sábado 19 en 6095 a diferencia de su // 13640. ¿Será
acaso un cambio de frecuencia de última hora? (Raúl Saavedra, Costa
Rica, Jan 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) 6095 is/was Greenville
** U S A. WERE TOMLINSON, ROVE, MURDOCH, AND THE NEOCONS BEHIND THE
VOA SERVICE CUTS?
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_wayne_ma_080116_the_dc_press_is_up_i.htm
"Journalists at the Voice of America (VOA) have long been up in arms
over the move by the Bush administration and members of the
International Broadcasting Board (IBB) [sic] to shut down
traditionally independent VOA radio broadcasts into key parts of the
world and provide more support for more politically-biased broadcasts
that hew to the neocon line. The move to close some VOA broadcasts
were supported by then-Broadcasting Board of Governors Chairman Ken
Tomlinson, a longtime friend of right-wing GOP operatives, including
Karl Rove, who was recently signed up by the Washington Post Company's
other major publication, Newsweek, as a columnist.
The IBB favors forcing international listeners of the VOA to
broadcasts by Alhurra, the Arabic language satellite TV channel; Radio
Sawa, the Arabic language radio network; Radio Farda, the Persian
language radio station that broadcasts into Iran; Radio Free
Afghanistan; Radio TV Martí, that broadcasts into Cuba; Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty that broadcasts into the former USSR and Eastern
Europe; and Radio Free Asia, that broadcasts into China, North Korea,
Southeast Asia, and Tibet.
The curtailment of VOA broadcasts is also intended to force more
people to the right-wing satellite networks operated by Rupert
Murdoch's worldwide media empire." Wayne Madsen, OpEdNews.com, 16
January 2008. Posted: 18 Jan 2008 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
** U S A. NEW RFE/RL FRONT-OFFICE HIRES ARE MOSTLY FROM THE OUTSIDE.
John N. Catlett, chief operating officer, "was the final manager of
the legendary Radio Luxembourg, and he introduced the first private
radio stations to India in 2001 for Rupert Murdoch's News
Corporation." Ricki Green, senior editor, "was producer and executive
producer of Washington Week in Review, PBS's longest running public
affairs program." John O'Sullivan, executive editor, "helped found the
Canadian daily, the National Post [and was] editor of the magazines
The National Interest and National Review." Julia Ragona, chief
broadcast operations officer, joined RFE/RL in 2003 and was previous
director of marketing and affiliate development.
http://www.rferl.org/releases/2008/01/512-160108.asp
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty press release, 16 January 2008.
Posted: 19 Jan 2008 via kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
** U S A. NEW 100 KW MEDIUMWAVE TRANSMITTER PLANNED FOR MARATHON, FL
The Broadcasting Board of Governors - Office of Cuba Broadcasting
(OCB) has issued a tender for the supply of turnkey services to
upgrade the power distribution system at its Marathon Transmitter
Station in the Florida Keys. Work involves upgrading one of two
existing electrical power services provided by the public utility
service to better accommodate the planned installation of a new 100kW
mediumwave transmitter system. (Source: FedBizOpps)
Related story: BBG/IBB to install new mediumwave transmitter at
Marathon
http://blogs.rnw.nl/medianetwork/bbgibb-to-install-new-mediumwave-transmitter-at-marathon
(January 18th, 2008 - 16:32 UTC by Andy, Media Network blog via DXLD)
Piddling along with low power. If the OCB were really serious about
the radio war with Cuba, they`d put in a 500 kW to 2 MW unit --- yes,
there are such things as 2000 kW MW transmitters, as in Saudi Arabia
(gh, DXLD) See also ISRAEL
** U S A [and non]. The problems that AFN on 7811 USB out of Florida
had recently with audio drop-outs seems to have been fixed. At least
during the 2200 hour today.
I had been also looking for AFN Diego Garcia on 4319 USB during the
same time frame but nothing heard here today (Steve Lare, Holland, MI,
Jan 19, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. NIST EYES EAST COAST VERSION OF WWVB
January 18, 2008 Radio World Newsbytes :: Technology
http://www.radioworld.com:80/pages/s.0101/t.10746.html
The National Institute of Standards and Technology is considering
setting up a U.S. East Coast low-frequency radio station broadcasting
NIST time in binary code format to complement the present NIST 60 kHz,
WWVB broadcast.
"The proposed new East Coast broadcast will operate with the same time
code format as the present WWVB signal, however at a different carrier
frequency, potentially at 40 kHz," John Lowe, the WWVB station
manager, told RW.
Eight years ago, the power of the WWVB broadcast out of Colorado was
increased from 13 kW to 50 kW and has since been increased to 70 kW,
he said; but "even at this power level there are locations on the East
Coast that have difficulty consistently receiving the time code."
Some advocates say an East Coast broadcast would make the time code
easier to receive, increase sales of radio-controlled clocks and spur
development of radio-controlled timing devices in appliances and other
consumer products. Lowe is seeking comments about the possibility and
asks that readers write to him. His e-mail address is lowe @
boulder.nist.gov (via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD)
** U S A. 4915, WWCR Spur, 1055-1058*, Jan 19, as reported here
before. Good, strong spur: 5070 - 9985 = 4915. Two different WWCR
programs from 5070 & 9985 heard mixing together onto 4915. Off when
9985 left the air at 1058 (Brian Alexander, PA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. Altho there is still no word from KAIJ owner Mike Parker
about its future, the webstream is back in service, with mostly live
network programming, and World of Radio episodes may even be updated,
says George McClintock. See
http://24.151.207.180/k/kaij/pages/listen-live.php
I just confirmed the Q stream was running at 0200 UT Jan 20 (Glenn
Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A [and non]. WYFR normally owns 15130 all day long, scheduled
1245-2345, in Spanish, huge signal despite being only 50 kW instead of
100, at 285 degrees; but Jan 19 at 1507 it was remarkably weak, and
with co-channel from something in nondescript talk, seemed Russian,
with a fast SAH of maybe 10 Hz. Per HFCC and Aoki that is R. Liberty
via Morocco. By 1530, WYFR was overtaking it, but still weakish (Glenn
Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. WWRB`s Kevin Alfred Strom; not only a Nazi, but pedophile:
see DEUTSCHES REICH [non]
** U S A. WBIX 1060 KHZ NATICK (BOSTON) MASSACHUSETTS DX TEST
Date: Sunday morning (late Saturday night), Feb. 24, 2008.
Time: Midnight - 2:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, 0500 - 0700 UT.
The station will conduct the test at 40,000 watts power using their
two-tower daytime antenna pattern. Programming will include a one-hour
CD of Todd Rundgren Music with Morse code, sweep tones and
announcements every 10 minutes or so.
The Broadcast Test Committee will be handling all reception reports
and verifications for this test. Both eQSL service and traditional
paper QSLs will be offered. Recordings on disk in .mp3 or .wav format,
audio files via e-mail or cassette recordings will be accepted as
proof of reception. Send reception reports and recordings to:
IRCA/NRC Joint BTC, Attn: WBIX DX Test, P. O. Box 3777, Memphis, TN
38173-0777 USA. E-mail reports and audio files may be sent to: KH2AR @
comcast.net The station is particularly interested in knowing the
receiving equipment and antennas listeners use to hear the test.
NOTE: All requests for paper verifications must be accompanied by
return postage in order to receive a reply. Our sincere thanks to WBIX
Chief Engineer Grady Moates for agreeing to conduct this test, and to
BTC member Paul B. Walker Jr. for his persistent efforts to arrange it
(Jim Pogue - KH2AR@comcast.net http://www.dxtests.info
IRCA/NRC Joint BTC Coordinator, Jan 18, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
And for anyone wondering who the Todd Rundgren fan is, it's WBIX Chief
Engineer Grady Moates And this picture of him in a Todd Rundgren T-
shirt standing next to WBIX's Broadcast Electronics 4MX50/50 Kilowatt
Transmitter says it all:
http://www.fybush.com/Tower%20Site/060519/wbix-4mx50.jpg
(Paul Walker, The Mighty 1590 http://www.walkerbroadcasting.com
http://www.wabv1590.com ibid.)
** U S A. Re 8-006: COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO TO ACQUIRE 88.1 FM IN DENVER
I have to assume this 88.1 transmitter is located on the ch. 6 tower
in Denver to prevent interference? (John L., Muskego, WI, WTFDA via
DXLD)
You assume correctly. And while I haven't checked to be certain, it's
a pretty good bet that 88.1 will be able to increase its power (and at
the very least add horizontal polarization) after channel 6 goes dark
in a year and a month. s (Scott Fybush, NY, ibid.)
There's nothing on file yet, but that doesn't mean it won't happen. I
might imagine KGNU-88.5 Boulder will be a limit on how far this
station can increase power, but I don't think it will prevent an
increase altogether (Doug Smith, W9WI, Pleasant View, TN EM66, ibid.)
** VANUATU. R. Vanuatu --- Olá Glenn, Fiz uma pergunta sobre aquela
queda muito forte na qualidade do sinal da R. Vanuatu entre 2006 e
2007 para o David Ricquish, e ele gentilmente respondeu o seguinte:
Hello Lucio, Sorry for the delay responding but I had to find out more
information. The SW towers and other facilities are in good condition,
but the transmitters are not, thus the problems you have hearing Radio
Vanuatu on SW at present.
As part of an international aid program, the MW and SW transmitters
are being replaced. The two NZ funded new MW transmitters are on air
and operating well on 1125 and 1179 and providing excellent MW
coverage.
However, the new Australian government seems to be reviewing its part
of the aid program, and, as a result, the new DRM capable SW
transmitters have still not arrived in Vanuatu.
A technician was due to fly out about now to install them but his
visit is postponed until the project resumes. Just when that will be
is currently uncertain. Thanks for your kind words about our projects.
73 David Ricquish, Radio Heritage Foundation
http://www.radioheritage.net
(via Lucio Otavio Bobrowiec, Brasil, Jan 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VATICAN. When we get around to it department: I am pleased still to
be on the P-mailing list of a few SWBC stations, including VR.
Received on 17 Jan, and meter-marked 9 Jan, VR`s B-07 schedule folder,
which went into effect in November, now that the season is halfway
over. Feature article this time, in English, Spanish and French is how
wonderful DRM is, the wave of the future. As for the transmission
schedules, still shows 6100 for Am at 0230-0330+, relay site Sackville
suppressed, but that lasted only a couple weeks into the season before
R. República forced VR to move that to 6040 (but RR subsequently went
to 6185, so is VR back on 6100? Have not checked lately).
Accompanying the schedule is the really, really slick, VR 2008
calendar. It shows not only the day of the week for every day of the
year, but the saint, or other notable person or event, of each day.
For example, January 18 belonged to St. Prisca (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
** VENEZUELA. Hola Glenn, saludos desde Catia La Mar, VENEZUELA. YVTO
al aire en los 5000 kHz, el 17/01, a las 0016 UT. SINPO 35333.
Radio Amazonas capturada en los muy sobremodulados 4937kHz, a las
0021UTC, con SINPO de 35533. Locutor con comentarios. (17/01). (Adán
González, Receptor: NRD-71B (JRC)/ Antena: TH3 MK3. Catia La Mar,
Estado Vargas, VENEZUELA, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED. Another observation: For months I have regularly heard a
carrier on 1181 kHz causing a het to Cuba/WHAM but for two nights now
it has been absent. Can anyone in the Americas still hear this? BTW,
did anyone ever get a possible location by direction finding? 73s
(Steve Whitt, UK, Jan 17, MWC via DXLD) As already reported here, also
missing lately. Circa Santa Clara, Cuba (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
UNIDENTIFIED. 8GAL, 6074, heard once again Jan 17 at 1400-1401 with
VVV/CQ marker, but not audible Jan 18 at same time (Glenn Hauser, OK,
DX LISTENING DIGEST)
I did hear 8GAL here this morning (18 January) at 1400. This thing
really amazes me, it must be inbooming somewhere? (Steve Lare, MI, Jan
18, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
UNIDENTIFIED [non]. 6355 NO ID, 1845-1855, escuchada el 18 de enero en
idioma sin identificar, de origen asiático, con locutor y locutora con
comentarios y segmentos musicales; la señal es muy débil, presumo
pueda tratarse de ¿ECHO OF HOPE vía Gimpo en Corea del Norte, ex 6348?
SINPO 24422.
En un principio pensé pudiera tratarse de una emisión fantasma, aunque
he descartado esa posibilidad realizando comprobaciones a +/- 450 y
900 kHz. Ayer 17 de enero observé en la misma frecuencia una emisión
que no hice caso, ya que presupuse que se trataba de una emisión
fantasma; sin embargo al repetirse en el día de hoy, me he centrado en
ella (José Miguel Romero, Spain, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Hola Jose! I think it is a transmitter mixing product in Austria. 5955
VO Vietnam via AUT mixing with 6155. It's rather common here to hear a
mix of two Austrian transmitters operating in the 49 mb. Cheers, (Jari
Savolainen, Finland, ibid.)
Thanks Jari, en efecto, de ahí la emisión en francés del día de ayer.
Un saludo (José Miguel, ibid.)
UNIDENTIFIED. 15710, presumed Cuban grind jamming, strong as usual Jan
19 at 1505 check, but this time accompanied by weaker pulses out to
15690 and 15730 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
UNSOLICITED TESTIMONIALS
++++++++++++++++++++++++
Late but not forgotten! (Andre Schmidt, Lautert, Germany, DL8WX with a
generous contribution via PayPal to woradio at yahoo.com)
SHORTWAVE MUSIC
+++++++++++++++
SHORTWAVE LIVES ON, AS MUSICAL EXPRESSION (updated)
Re 8-006, Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood's "'Popcorn Superhet Receiver'
Update: Reviewed: "The church was packed, and the audience — not the
usual faces seen at classical or even new-music concerts — sat in rapt
silence through Mr. Greenwood’s work and early Minimalist scores by
Gavin Bryars and John Adams. As it turned out, Mr. Greenwood’s 20-
minute work was by far the most viscerally exciting and intellectually
engaging of the three." . . .
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/18/arts/music/18jonn.html?_r=1&ref=arts&oref=slogin
(Allan Kozinn, New York Times, 18 January 2008 (via
kimandrewelliott.com Jan 18 via DXLD)
And, then, there is also the Canadian band Shortwave.
http://blogto.com/music/2008/01/burn_treatment_for_shortwave/
Freshdaily Toronto, 16 January 2008
See (or listen to) also http://www.shortwavetheband.com
Posted: 18 Jan 2008 (kimandrewelliott.com via DXLD)
What is it with these shortwave-inspired musix? They depend on
deficient SW reception, rather than near-perfect as we all know is
really possible, misleading the masses. And more often than not when
SW or even MW tuning-around is portrayed in the movies or on TV, it`s
with variable hets even without BFO --- the symptom of poor image
rejexion, not inherent in the medium (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
WORLD OF HOROLOGY
+++++++++++++++++
FROM ``TICK TOCK TIMES`` TO ``AT THE TONE``
Seventeen years ago, I founded a short-lived organization for
shortwave radio enthusiasts called the International Time-Signal DXers
Association (ITDXA). I dreamed up the concept for the group while on a
family holiday. My father had just emergency-spliced an audio cable
for the purpose of recording my unfathomably clear reception of the
Ecuadorian radio station, HD2IOA, and as the tape rolled on
monotonously for a good half-hour, I wondered silently if I was truly
the most oddball obsessive of the international bands.
HD2IOA, you see, is what's known as a time-signal station, a fixture
of the shortwave radio bands whose sole purpose is to broadcast the
official world time, second by second, minute by minute, in highly
precise, cesium-calibrated intervals (give or take the effects of
propagation). Time-signal stations were among the earliest radio
broadcasters and remain in use in many countries (though ever fewer,
as satellite-based alternatives proliferate). I had devoted the bulk
of my studies to these stations, which I found hopelessly alluring in
their mechanized, ultra-utilitarian wonder . . .
http://www.mykeweiskopf.com/ATT-Temp.htm
(via Shortwave Music blog via DXLD)
DIGITAL BROADCASTING DRM: see ECUADOR; NETHERLANDS ANTILLES; VANUATU;
++++++++++++++++++++ VATICAN
PROPAGATION
+++++++++++
Here is item one: The forecast about solar activity you heard during
the mid week edition is holding up pretty well, and solar activity
continues to be very low, with the ionospheric absorption index
reaching also rather low values. Solar flux is hövering around 70 to
75 units, and the sunspot count has stayed at extremely low levels,
actually at ZERO, no sunspots for the past 7 days in a row!
we are all still watching how the higher frequency amateur bands are
now just good for local work, 10 and 12 meters are behaving, most of
the time, like the two meters VHF band, and 15 and 17 meters are
opening up for DX for very brief periods as the solar cycle has
already reached its minimum and the new one is just beginning.
According to the most recent forecasts we will have to wait at least
until the end of 2008 to see some worthwhile improvement in short wave
propagation conditions, when the sunspots of cycle 24 become
plentiful. So, amigo, here is my advice: keep those long wire antennas
up and running, as most of the DX activity will still be concentrating
on frequencies spanning from 2 to 10 megaHertz, and sometimes, during
your local evening hours this winter, the maximum useable frequency
curve will barely reach 6 or 7 megaHertz! And now amigas and amigos,
just before going QRT, here is our
EXCLUSIVE AND NOT COPYRIGHTED HF PLUS LOW BAND VHF PROPAGATION
FORECAST
Solar activity is very low, and will almost surely continue at a very
low level for the next several days. Solar flux number to be used for
short term HF forecasting using propagation analysis software is
around 75 units. Expect very good DX conditions on the AM broadcast
band, the Tropical Bands on 120, 90 and 60 meters and the
international short wave broadcast band on 49 meters. Radio amateur
operators will enjoy nice DX on 160, 80 and 40 meters during the local
evening hours. VHF openings via sporadic E if any , will be almost non
existent, and if they happen they will be very short lasting (Arnie
Coro, CO2KK, RHC DXers Unlimited Jan 19, HCDX via DXLD) ###