DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-045, March 30, 2001 edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.com {Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. For restrixions and searchable 2001, 2000 contents archive see} http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/Dxldmid.html [NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn] DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-044 Note: a corrected version including a few numbers, concerning frequencies and time replaced the original version in our archive at 0229 UT March 30. We also took the opportunity to add some updates and parenthetical remarks which may not appear in the following edition. So if you got it direct or downloaded it before that time, please replace the original version with this: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/dxld1044.txt ** AUSTRALIA. RA is heard here in the +1300-1400* period on 21820; I believe this is a major frequency in Europe, but at solar max we also get it, presumably by long path, which would be directly across Africa from Tananarive to Ifni, per my NGS globe. March 30 at 1317, ``The Planet`` was presenting some terrific Turkish jazz-like music, so I quickly brought up 9580 for much better reception here, and found this blurb at http://www.abc.net.au/rn/music/planet/ If you're at all partial to the clarinet, you must hear MUSTAFA KANDIRALI (although chances are excellent that you haven't.. being "huge" in Turkey doesn't really register in those megacorporations' head offices!) Unfortunately, his spontaneous jam with Louis Armstrong one Istanbul night in 1954 was NOT captured on disc. But "CAZ ROMAN" does present the master at the peak of his powers, in 1984. While one might like to hear more about Australia than just news on the hour during morning prime from RA, this Monday-Friday 1300-1500 show originating with Radio National is wonderful for world music fans (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Radio people take note: Sat. 0205 on 15515 - OCKHAM'S RAZOR - Sharp talk about science. This week, "Marconi's Legacy". The dawn of the technological age started way back in 1895 with an electrical spark, witnessed by Guglielmo Marconi who developed its potential for communication. Architect Peter Jensen presents this Ockham's Razor telling the story of how the first three dots of Morse Code sent in 1901 became part of the foundation of modern communication (Also 2305; Sun. 0330) Transcripts available (John Figliozzi, volunteer publicist for RA, swprograms via DXLD) ** BELGIUM. Received this e-mail to-day. They did a transmission last Sunday on 6 megs but I could not hear it at Otaki. E-mailed them saying unable to receive them here; now they have decided to move up in frequency for this weekend. Hope you all can monitor and if you do receive their transmission e-mail them. Thanks (Arthur de Maine, NZ, March 30 via Paul Ormandy, ARDXC via DXLD) --Original Message----- From: HANS ANDERS borderhunter@hotmail.com Subject: Euro test. Hello, I will try again to make a test transmission next weekend. At first next Friday evening start at 2300 UT on the frequency 15800 or 15810 kHz. This will be in LSB mode. Also on the same frequency and mode on next Sunday morning start at 0500 UT. Hope the times are good for your side? If you can hear us, please let us know. '73 (Frans, operator Borderhunter Belgium, P.O. Box 44, B-2387 Baarle-Hertog, Belgium (via de Maine via Ormandy, ARDXC via DXLD) ** CANADA. CHNX was back March 30 on 6130-USB after 0600 check with frequent but not continuous SW IDs interspersed with oldies (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA [non]. Re Radio Canada 5.995 MHz relay via Sweden, Sunday broadcast was in 2 x 30 min (nominally) sections. Presume that Saturday broadcast will be the same; this gives you 4 x approx.-30 min Sections each week-end. Booming in here (Birkenhead, Merseyside) on 5.995 on Sunday last and only slightly worse, despite solar disturbances (roughly northern path as well!!) on Wednesday (28th), this is MUCH better for us here in U.K. than the 'old' Merlin (Skelton?) relay on the same frequency during the 'A' Seasons in previous years (Ken Fletcher, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. Your readers may be interested in a new China Frequency List which has been compiled by the NDXC (Shigenori Aoki), at http://www2.starcat.ne.jp/~ndxc/ Thanks (Bob Padula, Victoria, March 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA. 25250 harmonic 5050 x 5 Guangxi FBS, Nanning (tentative) March 30 at 1307, weak signal, but definite Chinese language program, with both male and female announcers. Short opening, peaking at 1310 here in TN, and pretty much gone by 1335. J W Schemerhorn, also in the USA, logged this one Mar 25 around 1200. According to the 2000 WRTH (my most recent copy) only the Nanning station is on at 1200. V.O. Strait signs on at 1300. Since this is dated info, and skeds switch around so much, Nanning is just a guess on my part. Perhaps someone in the know can confirm which outlet this harmonic is (David Hodgson, Nashville, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi Glenn, 25250 is 5th harmonic of Jiangsu PBS. It has been there since 1990. Cheers! (Richard Lam, Singapore, ODXA via DXLD) Glenn: Thanks for getting back to me with the info. Seems to have peaked about 90 minutes after local sunrise, but audible for not more then 30 minutes. I have a feeling this harmonic has only a narrow opening to NA; maybe good for a couple of weeks now, and again in the fall. I`ll keep a watch on it (-David Hodgson, TN, DXLD) ** CHINA [non]/KOREA NORTH. March 30 I checked new RCI relay of CRI on 11855 in the 1200 hour, and found it in Cantonese, \\9570 via Cuba but a few words apart; 1253 Putonghua lesson and off around 1257. Switched to 13650 waiting for that to come up with two hours of English, and heard La Voz de Corea loud and clear from *1300 with opening exercises in Spanish; not until *1301:47 did Sackville come on, with CRI news already in progress about -- ``North Korea`` as even they now call it, and its improving relations with China. Went on to blast Dalai Lama and Taiwan for ganging up against the Homeland, and this signal was even louder, overriding poor P`yongyang which still caused a nasty het and undercurrent (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CHINA [non]. CLANDESTINE from BULGARIA to CHINA. WFDR is back in the 12120-12150 band 2200-2300 - at least the multitude of frequency hopping CNR-1 and CNR-2 jammers indicate the presence of WFDR (Olle Alm, Sweden, Mar 29, Cumbre DX via DXLD) World Falun Dafa Radio This morning as I was tuning around for those anti-Iranian signals which have seemingly disappeared since the time changeovers, I came across another clandestine operation. This time it was Falun Gong Radio. I quote from my log entry: 29th March 2242 12135 kHz DSB. UnID broadcast in Chinese (Putonghua) with female announcers with traditional Chinese music in background throughout. Frequent mention of Falun Gong. Interference from ARQ/E3 mode on channel. Suddenly went off at 2248 mid-word but appeared almost simultaneously on 12130 kHz clear of any interference. SINPO 23512 (12135), 35523 (12130). No jamming present on either channel. 2300 ID given as "Falun dafa diantai" before sign/off. Modulation was excellent as was frequency stability. Frequency shift was deliberate, apparently to avoid jamming which was not heard. Unable to determine site but could be central Asia or Taiwan. Receiver used: Yaesu FRG-7700 to an inverted vee antenna at 20 feet (Robin L. Harwood, Launceston, Tasmania, VK7RH, Electronic DX Press, oh oh, where clandestines are off-topic, via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Hi friends, After my recent email to HCJB for their new broadcast for India in an inconvenient time they informed me that because of transmitter and antenna availability, this is the only time they are able to broadcast at this point. The release to India is being run only on a trial basis. If response is favorable, they will continue the release, but if it is not, they will have to discontinue it on their next broadcast cycle. So, they would appreciate very much honest evaluation of signal strength, quality, interference and all of those things from as many people as possible. So all (specially Indian) listeners / DXers are cordially requested to send their feedback to keep alive this new broadcast in future cycles. Thanking you, (Swopan Chakroborty, Kolkata, India, Electronic DX Press March 30 via DXLD) ** GERMANY. FDP criticizes financing of Deutsche Welle | Text of report from German newspaper Die Welt web site on 30 March Berlin: The media policy spokesman for the FDP [Free Democratic Party] Bundestag Group, Hans-Joachim Otto, is demanding non- government funding of Deutsche Welle. Only through an independent commission can freedom from the government be guaranteed, he said on Thursday [29 March] in Berlin. Until now, the foreign broadcasting station has been funded by the federal government with tax revenue. As a model Otto mentioned the Commission for Determining the Financing Needs of Public Broadcasting Stations (KEF). If there is no "clean funding regulation" this year, a suit will be filed with the Constitutional Court for an independent funding commission. At the same time the FDP politician accused the red-green government of "scandalous violations with respect to freedom of the radio and press" in dealing with Deutsche Welle. In a 122-page paper on the issue of "Deutsche Welle on the Way to Government Radio?" Otto documents "targeted and deliberate constitutional violations" particularly through the massive budget cuts by former State Minister for Culture and Media, Michael Naumann. This "massive intervention into the self-administrative autonomy" is contrary to the legally stipulated medium-term funding guarantee, which ranks as constitutional. Furthermore, Otto demanded a public search for the position of director of Deutsche Welle, and that he should be picked at a public meeting, the way it is handled at the Land broadcasting stations. An "independent journalist personality" and on no account another "party vassal" must become the head of German foreign broadcasting. Otto urged the new State Minister for Culture and Media, Julian Nida- Ruemelin, to launch a "new beginning" in broadcasting policy. In particular, cooperation by ARD [Working Association of Public Broadcasting Stations] and ZDF [German Channel 2] with Deutsche Welle is urgently necessary with a view to the economic problems. The time for this is favourable. In fact, a shake-up is currently under way at the external broadcasting station located in Cologne. On Friday the director and former CDU [Christian Democratic Union] politician Dieter Weirich will prematurely clean out his desk after 12 years in office. Bremen SPD [Social Democratic Party] state councillor Erik Bettermann is being mentioned as successor to Weirich, who on a nonpartisan level is credited with doing a very good job managing the Welle. Due to the departure of Michael Naumann, whose relationship with Weirich was extremely bad, there is now, according to Otto, a major opportunity to rethink the government guidelines. A plan, called the "Hanten paper" after its author, from the State Ministry for Culture in July 2000 triggered intensive debate about freedom of the press and independence from the state of Deutsche Welle. The paper proposed greater influence by the federal government on the planned content of the broadcasting station. Following the change to the red-green government, Naumann imposed DM83m in cuts up to the year 2003 on the external broadcasting station. Also, in the last three years alone 40 per cent of the established positions were cut back to a total of 1,600 now. Source: Die Welt web site, Berlin, in German 30 Mar 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** GREECE. Hello everyone, I've been monitoring V of Greece today again. I've already passed some information to Wolfie, but this is what I`ve heard so far: Greek Service (0400?)-0800 21530 17520 15630 9420 (0600?)-0800 Delano 11900 // above 0800-c0950 15630 & 12105 1100-1200 15630 only 1200-1300 15630 & 12105 1300-(1630+) 9420 only - but 15630 noted in // at 1350+ (maybe a late s-on?) Interprograma starts one hour earlier on 11645 only: 1300 Arabic, 1330 German, 1400 Russian, 1430 Spanish, 1500 Romanian, 1530 Turkish, 1600 Serbian, 1630 Bulgarian, 1700 Albanian........... On March 29 I tuned this service at 1540 and was surprised to hear BBC Turkish // 11780. At 1600 the ERA IS etc was played, and then Serbian started -- and again a relay of the BBC // 9780. But the transmission had reverted to Athens by 1615 check. I thought this might have been a mix up -- until today. The Russian service at 1400 had ERA intro and then joined the BBC // 13745 for about 4 minutes of news, before reverting to Athens for the rest of the half hour. At 1600 the same again -- an ERA intro and they clearly mentioned the BBC and carried BBC Serbian news until 1608 // 9780. And again at 1700 -- an ERA intro and four minutes of BBC News // 6050, then back to Athens. As far as I could tell, all other transmissions originated from Athens -- including all Turkish. Rf. St. Makedonias -- thanks to Olle -- was heard at 1100-c1655 on 11595, and a change to 9935 at 1700. 9935 was still on air at 2030+ March 29th. The IBB sched shows ERT from KAV at: 0400-0800 21530 & 17520; 15650 2100-2245 & 2300-2345; 12105 0000-0345, 1200-1300, 1900-2045 & 2300- 2345; 11645 1200-1500 & 1500-1900; 9420 0000-0345, 1300-2045 & 2100- 2245 and this is proving remarkably accurate for a change - so far! via Delano: 17705 1600-2200 (I can't hear it at 1630/1700 check); 11900 0600-0800 and 9775 1200-1500 (propagationally impossible here in summer); via Greenville: 17565 2000-2200. All for now. Best 73's, (Noel Green, England, March 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) I happened to hear VOG in Greek on 21535 around 1250 March 30, \\ 9775 and no more than a reverb away. This one not in Babbis` or your reports yet (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAN. My past experience (as somebody noted the other day) is that VOIRI will QSL any two broadcast days, postage not sent. Typically you may receive a packet containing the QSL, an English language newspaper and probably a paperback book on the fundamentals of Islam (they have different books on the subject). Also, it appears to be not unusual to receive "reminder notices to listen" in the form of a blank QSL quite awhile after the first packet arrives. IN FACT, I once received a packet containing a QSL card for a report that had been previously QSL'd 2 years earlier with the same date EXCEPT for the year which was 2000. I presume the report sat on somebody`s desk for a couple years, they figured it hadn`t been answered and that it was a current report (which I naturally always date). 73 de (Phil KO6BB Atchley, DX Begins at the Noise Floor! ko6bb@elite.net 37.18N 120.29W CM97sh, Merced, Central California, swl@qth.net via DXLD) ** IRAN [non]. CLANDESTINE from GERMANY? to IRAN. 15690 KRSI. Thanks tips. New frequency. I have listened to this one for the last three days. Here are my observations: It is bubble-jammed every day. The jammer is on before the broadcasts ever start. KRSI and/or the site are having what seem to be problems with the feed. On Mar 27/28, they signed on OK at 1628. There was the intro song, but then there was just open carrier till almost 1700. On both days, they suddenly resumed in mid-sentence. On Mar 29 there wasn`t any dead air, but there was an awful hum in the audio. The transmissions really start fading by 1715 or so. The transmitter comes on just before the start of the intro song and I do not hear any test tones. This is just a guess, but based on the sign on pattern, signal strength, and frequency, my guess is that this is via Jülich. I am sure that European DXers can quickly confirm or refute this (Hans Johnson, AZ, Mar 27-29, Cumbre DX via DXLD) ** KURDISTAN [non]. CLANDESTINE from SITES to IRAQ CLANDESTINE. 9450, Radio Bopeshawa (via Bulgaria?) March 19 *1459-1600*. Noted with test tone prior to sign-on, followed with opening chorus by signers [sic]. Female speaker with opening announcements in Arabic, (poor) with reference to 'kilohertz's' 'radio' & '1999'. Followed with commentaries with references to Iraqi/Kurdistan/Israel a'l television /Iran (1502 signal jumped in strength as if directional change). One clip (1505) talked about the Iraqi invasion about Kuwait. Commentary news items were interspersed with orchestra music. 1518 a very clear ID for `ela Alamaam` was heard. This program heard to 1526 then closing comments, followed with a pause, then opening song, male speaker in Kurdish with a clear ID for 'Ira Radio Bopeshawa' (repeated twice) followed with martial music, interspersed with news items in Kurdish (signal fairly strong and no sign of jamming). The rest of the broadcast consisted of speeches/talks and noted to 1600* with abrupt sign-off in mid-sentence. (Signal gradually deteriorating). No address or web site heard or given during the Arabic and first part of the Kurdish broadcast. Also noted at *1500 on March 21 & *1459 on March 23 in Arabic with poor reception both dates (Ed Kusalik, Alberta, Mar 19) Missing on Mar 29 (Olle Alm, Sweden, both Cumbre DX via DXLD) And nothing heard here at 1515 March 30 on 9450, but would not expect much propagation anyway; I wonder if those further west are getting it by longpath? (gh, OK) ** LITHUANIA. There will be 10 transmissions from Lithuania to test reception of Lithuania`s 1107 kHz synchronous network of stations outside Lithuania. The test transmissions will take place April 2 and April 3 at various times of the day, to check reception quality both during daytime and at night. The times of transmissions will be 0400- 0430, 0800-0830, 1200-1230, 1600-1630, 1800-1830 and 2000-2030 UT. The frequency will be 1107 kHz. RFE-RL channel marker will be used as audio signal. There will be no QSLs issued, only email confirmation to those who request it. However, voluntary help to identify reception quality, especially in Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Kaliningrad and Western Russia is appreciated, to the address riplei@takas.lt (Sigitas Zilionis, dx@is.lt Vilnius, Lithuania, March 30, DX LISENIN DIGEST) ** NETHERLANDS ANTILLES. 18915, Radio Nederland via?; 2240-2305+, 28- Mar; M&W in SS w/nx cmtrys & correspondant rpts. Mentioned Hilversum @2255. SIO=252, Sig is AM but fady & very scratchy. //15315 via Neth. Antilles, SIO=554+ Hrd same time next day w/worse sig quality. (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE via DXLD) Very interesting. This would be a mixing product between the two Bonaire frequencies 15315 and 11715, 3600 kHz apart! But normally the two have deliberately unsynchronized audio to avoid power supply overload, so you should have been hearing double audio a couple seconds apart in the mixture (gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NEW ZEALAND. Subject: RNZI Frequency Update: Adrian Sainsbury Friday, 30 March 2001. Due to interference affecting two of our frequencies, the RNZI Schedule will change from 2300 UT 31 March. ** denotes change UTC kHz Days Target 1650-1850 6095 Mon-Fri NE Pacific, Cooks/Samoa 1851-2050 **15160 Daily All Pacific 2051-0458 17675 Daily All Pacific 0459-0705 15120 Daily All Pacific 0706-1105 **11675 Daily All Pacific 1106-1305 15175 Daily NW Pacific, Timor/Asia 1305 Usual Closedown 1305-1650 6095 Occasional, e.g. sport/or cyclone Adrian Sainsbury, Technical Manager, Radio New Zealand International http://www.rnzi.com (also via Harjot Singh Brar, for Globe Radio DX Club, http://clik.to/GRDXC via DXLD) ** NIGERIA. Glenn, I think the piece in DXLD 1-044 was saying that existing FRCN/NTA services won`t be privatised. Private broadcasting IS permitted in Nigeria. But I`m amazed that HAM have a licence to broadcast from Jos "to reach Nigeria`s Muslim neighbours" and also want to broadcast on FM in Jos itself. Nigeria has been the scene of recent violence between Muslims and Christians, and Jos in located in the mainly Muslim north of the country. If true, HAM`s plans are likely to provoke debate within Nigeria and its neighbours (Chris Greenway, England, March 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PHILIPPINES. 9580.1v, DZRM heard from 0000. I believe it`s now operating longer hours, but after around 1000 it is drowned under BBC QRM and Chinese jamming whenever I have tried to check. DZRM is not particularly strong anywhere in the Philippines where I have tried listening, and is currently a bit above channel (Alan Davies, Davao City, Philippines, Cumbre DX March 29 via DXLD) ** ROMANIA. RRI, English at 2300 nice strong signal on 9570, fair on 11940 (Bob Thomas, CT, March 27, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Per skeds in DXLD 1-041, it is on 9750 at this hour, not 9570, and it is not for NAm but WEu! Their typos, or yours? The others are 11775 WEu, 15105 NAm (gh, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. R. Gardarika (=R.Studio Nevskaya Volna) will use 7370 kHz (to Central/South-East Europe) instead of 6235 (to North-West Europe) at 1800-2030 UT starting on April 1, 2001. I think some interfering problems can be at 1800-1840 when Vatican R. uses 7365 to South-East Europe too. If you will be near your receivers on Sunday please send some words about reception quality and possible interfering problems directly to me: timofeyev@sp.ru Thank you in advance for any help (Mikhail Timofeyev, St. Pete, March 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA/USA: VOA to reapply for Ufa, Volgograd frequencies | Text of report by Russian newspaper Sevodnya on 29 March Yesterday Voice of America [VOA] was refused a licence to broadcast on mediumwave in Ufa and Volgograd. The remarkable thing is that there were no other applicants for the two frequencies on offer in the competition being conducted by the Federal Tenders Commission. The decision to grant licences is made by the commission's nine permanent members and three representatives of the local authorities. According to Deputy Press Minister Mikhail Seslavinskiy, VOA's application did not get a majority of votes from the commission members. Manana Aslamazyan, commission member and general director of the Internews Company, told Sevodnya that "there were votes for and against and abstentions, but this opinion prevailed: [The licence] should not be granted, since our mass media do not broadcast over there. Maybe this is just the influence of the moment: Our people are being expelled from there, theirs are being expelled from here, and everything could be different in a month`s time. In any case, this is not connected in any way with the radio station`s status in Moscow and other cities." It should be pointed out that the Federal Tenders Commission violated the competition procedure by its vote yesterday, for when there is just one applicant, according to the statute on holding a competition, the deadline for receiving applications should be extended and the vote should be taken on the sole candidate only after the expiry of the additional period. Like other major Western radio stations - Radio Liberty, the BBC, and Deutsche Welle - VOA has, in addition to its traditional shortwave broadcasting from the territory of Western Europe, medium-frequency broadcasting in Moscow and also in many other regions where local radio stations retransmit individual programmes or entire blocks. VOA spokesman Joe O`Connell declared in Washington that, since a new competition will now be announced for the same frequencies, "we will participate in it once again". Mikhail Lesin, press minister and chairman of the Federal Tenders Commission, was not present for yesterday's competition. Some observers ascribe this fact to the "ethical aspect": Exactly one month ago he announced that the Ministry for the Press, Radio and Television Broadcasting, and Mass Communications would publish a report on the situation with regard to freedom of speech in the United States and distribute grants for the creation of a positive image of Russia in the West. Source: Sevodnya, Moscow, in Russian 29 Mar 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** SPAIN. Here`s the latest from REE. Sincerely and good DX, (Colonel Jon Standingbear, CA) Dear Mr. Standingbear, The frequencies have changed and, since your mail address has been included in our mailing list you will receive the current brochure as soon as it becomes available. Until then, we kindly suggest you to visit our website for information regarding frequencies: http://www.rtve.es/rne/ree/index.htm Please note that we have a new e.mail address for DX and reception reports. From now own we will be delighted to answer your reception reports and DX related letters in: dxree.rne@rtve.es We are obliged for your collaboration and we look forward to receiving more reports from you. Yours sincerely (Pilar Salvador, Relaciones con la Audiencia, REE, March 30 via Standingbear, DXLD) ** THAILAND. R. Thailand still hasn`t got its act together, 9885 at 1259:30 news still in progress at mandatory cutoff by Udorn, March 30 (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Glenn, I am hearing Radio Thailand in English March 30 0055 on 15395 with a great signal. Nothing on 13695. 73, (Ivan Grishin, Ont., DXLD) Radio Thailand to North America is now using 15395 for the summer, as noted at 0030 UT on March 30 with usual Thai music program (Joe Hanlon in Philadelphia, both DXLD 1-044 revised via 1-045) ** U K. BBC Radio 2, 3, 4 weekend picks; all times here changed to UT! 2 Fri 2030-2100 UT: Listen to the Band Frank Renton presents a session by the Mount Charles Band from Cornwall, conducted by Bryan Hurdley. 3 Fri 2115-2300 UT: Hear and Now Verity Sharp investigates contemporary music from Japan, with specially recorded performances of music by two generations of Japanese composers. Kalle Randalu (piano), Miyumi Miyata (sho), BBC SO/Kazushi Ono. Keiko Fujiie: Beber. Toshio Hosokawa: Utsurohi-nagi. Toru Takemitsu: Ceremonial - an Autumn Ode. Toshi Ichiyanagi: Kyoto. Karen Tanaka: Departure (BBC commission, world premiere). Michio Mamiya: Piano Concerto No 3. 3 Sat 1700-1730 UT: Jazz File: Downtown Avant-Garde - the Music of John Zorn Steve Beresford presents a four-part series on virtuoso jazz saxophonist John Zorn, who has been at the heart of the downtown New York music scene for a quarter of a century. The series is based on a rare interview with Zorn. Other contributors include Bill Frisell, Phillip Glass, Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Fred Frith, Milford Graves and Tim Berne. 1: `Soho Music Gallery'. Zorn's early years were influenced by the radical film and theatre scenes of the 1960s and 1970 and inspired by composers Charles Ives and Philip Glass and improvisers Eugene Chadbourne, Evan Parker and Derek Bailey. Repeat 4 Sat 1900-2000 UT: News; The Archive Hour: Some Like It Hot Cleo Laine revisits the golden age of the all-girl swing band in the United States. From Ivy Benson to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, she explores the careers of professional women musicians from the 1940s in their own words and music. Repeat 4 Sun 0505-0535 UT: Something Understood: The Wings of the Morning Mark Tully explores the enduring quest to fly like the birds, which has given rise to myths and heroes, adventure and tragedy, wonder, ingenuity and hubris. Repeated later [Sun 2230, but conflict] 4 Sun 1230-1300 UT: At Home with Healey - New Series - The Town Waits Tim Healey explores the history and sound of the town waits, the municipal bands that started out as watchmen at the gates, playing shawms, sackbuts and lutes to signal the hours. They also entertained distinguished visitors and became the official town bands, with their own liveries. Repeated Saturday 2 Sun 1500-1530 UT: Ballroom Lives - New Series Lionel Blair presents a four-part series exploring the heyday of the ballroom. 1: The 1930s. This edition looks at the explosion of dance bands all over Britain following the spread of syncopated jazz after World War I. Along with the traditional waltz, foxtrot and quickstep, there were more exotic dances like the black bottom and the turkey trot. 4 Sun 1530-1600 UT: Poetry Please - New Series Frank Delaney introduces a selection of humorous poems for April Fools' Day, from Belloc and Betjeman to the humble limerick. Repeated Saturday 4 Sun 2030-2100 UT: Analysis - Taming the Globe Mary Kaldor asks if the anti-capitalism protests in Seattle and Prague were just a passing phenomenon or symptoms of an emerging global society. She also considers whether globalisation can be tamed and whether a new kind of democracy can emerge as power slips out of the grasp of national governments. [previously] Broadcast Thursday 3 Sun 2215-2300 UT: World Routes Lucy Durán meets Iranian singer Googoosh, who is now performing again after 21 years of state-enforced silence. And Peter Culshaw visits Azerbaijan, home of a musician who has been described as the world's best singer - Alim Qasimov 4 Sun 2230-2300 UT: Something Understood - The Wings of the Morning Mark Tully explores the enduring quest to fly like the birds, which has given rise to myths and heroes, adventure and tragedy, wonder, ingenuity and hubris. Broadcast earlier [Sun 0505] 4 Sun 2315-2348 UT: Under African Skies Three-part series in which Robin Denselow talks to African musicians about the development of their music and its cultural and political impact within their countries. 1: Femi Kuti, whose father Fela Kuti was the founder of Afrobeat, is himself a renowned musician, determined to live up to his father's reputation as a musical spokesman for Nigeria. First of three programmes, Repeat (BBC Radio 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 websites, picks by gh for DXLD) ** U K [non]. DX Information from the British DX Club (BDXC-UK). According to this week`s Radio Magazine LBH Radio won`t be returning to 1386 kHz -- according to Ray Anderson they have terminated their 3 year contract early due to there being "little response" from the medium wave transmissions. LBH continues 24h on Sky Digital and internet only (Dave Kenny, England, March 30, BDXC-UK via DXLD) Tsk, the gay radio station. That leaves a big gap on 1386, until the Russians get another client, open for DX in Europe now? (gh) ** U S A. I'll be testing a new transmitter for our news crews today starting at noon today (EST). The transmitter is on 26.410 MHz, and will be tested with 20 watts. Antenna is at 160 feet on WLIO`s tower. I will be testing this most of the day between 5-minutes till the hour to 5-minutes after the hour, and from 25-minutes past the hour to 35-minutes past the hour. Detailed reception reports can be sent to: Frederick R. Vobbe, VP/CE WLIO Television 1424 Rice Avenue Lima OH 45805-1949 Email: w8hdu@wlio.com Reports that I can verify as correct will be QSLed with a WLIO picture postcard. Reports that I can not verify will not be acknowledged. [Later:] I might just keep the 26.410 transmitter on till 19:00 EST today. Looks like a good day for propagation on 11.5 meters. I`ll turn it on tomorrow morning at 6:30 when I get in the office on Friday (Fred Vobbe, WLIO-TV, Lima OH, NRC-AM March 29 via DXLD) The best proof would be in reporting what is heard just before the top and bottom of the hour, or during our local news at 6 & 11 EST. I'll leave the transmitter run all weekend. Freq is 26.410 with power of 25 watts. QSLs will only be issued to reporters with specific, and identifiable program details. "Heard WRN", or "heard news", or "heard your ID" will not be acknowledged. I've got to have something specific that is tied to a precise time to guarantee that the person reporting is actually hearing the station and not guessing/faking. A WLIO picture postcard will be issued for correct reports. Reports sent in with taped examples will be verified first, and if correct, will be returned with a promo item (Fred Vobbe, WLIO-TV, March 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [clandestine]. Ex-KSMR: Glenn, I did not see any mention in DXLD 1-044, but.... this morning, about 0305 UT, heard the station "that used to be known as KSMR" on 3259.9 kHz USB; now claiming to be the United Patriot Radio and no longer affiliated with KY State Militia. Announcer seemed to be ad-libing -- upset about a trial in MI and said no one is on alert at this time and he would be on daytime today 6880 kHz (?) if situation warrants. He also said that there is NOT a garrison in his driveway guarding the station! Running about s9 +15 on my ICOM R-70. Turned my antenna switch off while rcvr was still on and could still hear about S-5. Got bored and turned it off about 0315! (Paul Spurlock, Old Hickory, TN, March 30, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Capitol Steps: The "April Fools" edition will air Saturday, March 31 at 4:30 p.m. [CST] and Sunday at 5:30 p.m. [CDT] (KOSU newsletter March 30 via DXLD) So on lots of other public radio stations this weekend. Nothing found on the NPR website, but a long station list, some with times, many of them webcasting is at their own site: http://www.capsteps.com/radio/ (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. Niel Wolfish sends this item about a new pirate show on WBCQ: Brother X of WBCQ`s "Complex Variables Studio" called me last night & informed me starting Saturdays between 2200 and 2300 UT, he will be hosting a call-segment for pirates on a show he`s starting so the pirates can give listening tips and other related info or to talk about their stations if they want. The segment will be called "The Farm Report". All I know is that it is on from 2200 till 2300 UT on 17495 kHz SW. He said he wanted me to spread the word so that`s what I`m doing. I thought ya guys [and Liz] might be interested whether you're just listeners or else free radio operators. Tnx for your time! (Captain Ganja, MARE via DXLD) ** VATICAN/ITALY. Minister to campaign against radio antennae arrays | Text of report in English by Italian news agency ANSA web site Rome, 29 March: Environment Minister Willer Bordon today set a new deadline for pulling the plug on Vatican Radio transmitters unless they lower electromagnetic emissions to comply with the law. Separately, the minister launched a campaign to rid Italy of thickets of aerials and antennae that sprout off rooftops without planning permission. "I'm determined to get rid of these eyesores," he said, citing aerials on a monastery in Campania, an 80m antenna near Milan`s Buzzi hospital, a forest of aerials on Pescara`s hills and a similar growth on Rome`s Monte Mario. They will all have to come down even if they meet new norms on electromagnetic levels, the minister stressed. On the Vatican case, Bordon said the transmitters just north of Rome will be cut off unless they meet legal standards by 12 May, the eve of Italy`s general election. Observers immediately began wondering whether the minister would have the nerve to go through with such a move on such a sensitive date, given the importance the Vatican still has in many people`s political calculations. But some thought the sympathies of the majority in the current case lie squarely with the parents of local children who have allegedly fallen ill because of Vatican emissions. Italy and the Vatican have set up a committee to measure electromagnetic levels and see if they break the law, as local residents contend. Today the committee agreed to abide by a government decree establishing emission levels, while the environment ministry set up a freephone number, open from tomorrow, for citizens to alert it about electromagnetic pollution. Residents near the Vatican transmitters have protested about a surprisingly high number of cases of leukaemia in the town and Rome prosecutors have opened an investigation into the case. According to one survey published in the Italian press, local children are six times more likely to contract leukaemia than their peers elsewhere in the Lazio region. A week ago Vatican Radio pleaded for more time to adapt its allegedly dangerous transmitters to Italian norms but an obdurate Bordon reiterated he would pull the plug in a matter of days if electromagnetic pollution levels stay the same. At the time, Vatican Radio chief Federico Lombardi claimed that delays in adjusting the transmitters were the fault of Italian technicians. He called for Bordon`s then-two-week deadline, issued on 15 March, to be extended. Bordon has pointed out that "the electromagnetic waves produced by Vatican Radio have repeatedly breached the limits set by Italian law." "If further breaches of the law are shown in a few days` time, I will order power company Enel to suspend the supply of electrical power to Vatican Radio," he said last week. Lombardi reiterated that the risks to public health had not been proven, but Bordon said health concerns were perfectly justified because of the cases of leukaemia registered in the area around the transmitters. Italy`s Undersecretary for Communications, Vincenzo Vita, has suggested a satellite as the solution to the allegedly dangerous levels of electromagnetic pollution. Italy and the Vatican have been sparring for weeks over the 'electrosmog' controversy which has blown up over the Holy See`s radio transmitters outside Rome. Vita said that the present situation put the health of people living near the transmitters at risk and could not be allowed to go on. When faced with the initial fortnight`s deadline, the Vatican voiced irritation, saying it had already shown its willingness to find "mutually acceptable solutions" to the health fears of people living near the transmission site at Santa Maria di Galeria. An Italian-Vatican commission was set up in September 2000 to look into the problem and suggest ways to resolve it. Source: ANSA news agency web site, Rome, in English 1828 gmt 29 Mar 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) Italy/Vatican: Holy See agrees to environmental inspection | Text of report by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on 29 March Rome: An initial working agreement on Vatican Radio has been reached between Italy and the Holy See, which is being accused of discharging electrosmog. It was reached yesterday, in a relaxed, cooperative atmosphere, by the two sides' "technical people," who were given the job, at last week`s top-level meeting, of drawing up methods and schedules for the measurement campaign on the powerful electromagnetic rays discharged by the Santa Maria di Galeria radio station. The technical delegations were headed by Monsignor Lion Dan, for the Vatican broadcaster, and ministerial officials Fabio Farioli (Communications) and Angelo Lozito (Environment). The measurements are scheduled to last three weeks. "At that stage, in early May, we will have all the information we need to decide what is to be done to scale down the power of the emissions and bring them back within the statutory limits," the technicians forecast. So Vatican Radio is to open its gates to the engineers whose job it will be to check out the structural conditions of the station, which is located outside Italian territory. This is the most tangible result of Operation Transparency, which sets out to make it possible to draw up a concrete metering scheme in a short time. The Holy See`s representatives pledged yesterday to submit all the technical documentation on the transmitters at the very earliest. This information will provide a better idea of the overall layout of the radio station, which uses over 50 transmitters. In the light of the information concerned, the ANPA [National Environment Protection Agency] engineers will be given the job of carrying out further measurements of the type already performed in the past in areas such as Via Senio, Via della Stazione in Cesano, and Via di Baccanello, and at Osteria Nova as well. There is no saying that the survey map, which will be finalized over the next 10 days, will not be extended to other sites as well. Yesterday`s announcement was met with cautious satisfaction by the representatives of the residents` committees that have mobilized against electrosmog. "If this memorandum serves to get the Holy See to abide by the statutory limits, we cannot but take a positive view," Augusto Rossi, Chairman of the "Children Without Radiation" Committee in Cesano, commented. "It might perhaps have been a good thing if these measurements had been made before." Source: Corriere della Sera, Milan, in Italian 29 Mar 01 p 11 (via BBCM via DXLD) ** ZANZIBAR. TANZANIA, 11734.06, Radio Tanzania Zanzibar, March 29 1815 music, ranging from African pop and Arabic-influence taraab to Hindi film music, many IDs, news at TOH, closing announcement and national anthem @ 2100, audio off @ 2100, carrier off @ 2104; no longer wiped out by RCI signing on to 11735 @ 2100, so audible to closedown (Ralph Brandi, NJ, Cumbre DX via DXLD) Wasn`t RCI coming on at 2000 before? (gh) UNIDENTIFIED. 26414.5/AM UNID; March 26, 2038-2125+, 2150-2152*, Wide variety of tunes all in EE but one in SS; lite pop, oldies, C&W, soul, rock--almost every tune a different genre. M in SS w/brief anmt between tunes. Ad/promo strings 2058-2103 & 2120-2123, all in SS. Might have ID'd in there but too muddled. Same mx format throughout. SIO=122+/on top but fady & SSB & whistle QRM. Tuned in @2150 for another shot at ToH ID but went off (not faded) suddenly in mid-John Denver. Not hrd next day (Harold Frodge, MI, MARE via DXLD) PROPAGATION BBC News | SCI/TECH | Giant sunspot erupts "Millions of tonnes of superhot gas erupt from the largest sunspot group seen on our star for more than a decade." Friday, 30 March, 2001, 14:04 GMT 15:04 UK By BBC News Online science editor Dr David Whitehouse Two major flares have erupted on the surface of the Sun in the region of the giant sunspot group designated Noaa 9393. The group is the biggest seen on the surface of our star for more than a decade. One of the flares (explosions in the Sun's atmosphere) was so energetic that it ejected a cloud of superhot gas into space. Solar observers say that the cloud, called a coronal mass ejection (CME), is heading towards the Earth and will reach us within the next 24 to 36 hours. Scientists are predicting a "geomagnetic storm" when it reaches us. There may be radio and communications interference, and possibly a fine display of the Northern, and Southern, Lights, visible from lower latitudes than is usually possible. Very excited Geoff Elston, director of the solar section of the British Astronomical Association (BAA), has been studying the monster sunspot, Noaa 9393, for several days. "It is definitely the largest we have seen for a long time, probably for many decades," he told BBC News Online. "It has overtaken the size of the most recent large one that occurred in March 1989." Elston said observers did not think the spot would get any bigger. "Over the past day or so, it has shrunk a little and this trend is likely to continue. It's probably past its best." Noaa 9393 has provided astronomers with an insight into the complicated way magnetic fields behave on the Sun's surface. Record holder Researchers were able to observe the dynamic interface between two regions of the sunspot that had opposite polarity. It was along the dividing line between the spot's north-pole and south-pole regions that the big flare took place. Magnetic energy was released along the interface and turned into heat. This caused the explosion and the CME. Although very large by normal standards, Noaa 9393 is way short of the all-time record holder. That title is held by a spot group which appeared in 1947. It was three times larger than Noaa 9393. Sunspots are magnetic regions on the Sun's surface. More of them appear on the Sun during the time of solar maximum, which happens every 11 years. Astronomers believe that 2000-1 is the time of the current maximum. (©2001 BBC News Online March 30 via Ivan Grishin, DXLD) ###