DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-075, May 23, 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] WORLD OF RADIO on WBCQ: a reminder of our new time, UT Thursday 0400 on 9330-CUSB. Please try this if you cannot hear Wednesday 2330 on 7415 well, and let us know about reception in your area (gh) ** ANGOLA [non]. Isn`t anybody paying attention? DX publication after DX publication has picked up the BBC Monitoring sked of R. Ecclésia which says the extended broadcast to 2130 on 13810 is on Sundays, while it has already been confirmed here as on Saturdays (gh, DXLD) ** ARGENTINA. Escutei hoje (22/05) a Radio Bosque "RAL" Rádio Argentina Libre transmitindo desde Avellanera, província de Buenos Aires. Anunciou tres freqüências: 6802, 11425 e 14687 kHz. Audível por aqui em 11423.85 LSB com muito bom sinal e modulação. Ouvida a música "Margarita" no llores por mi Argentina. O horário foi entre 1750 até aproximadamente 1830 UT quando encerrou a transmissão (Jorge R. García, Lista ConDig via @tividade DX via DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. MÚSICAS BOLIVIANAS: Este é um ótimo site de música boliviana, além de bonita, é uma música muita ouvida nas ondas tropicais. Confiram: http://www.ssc.msu.edu/~llajta/mono14.html (Samuel Cássio, @tividade DX May 20 via DXLD) ** BRAZIL. Re: Rádio Senado, ouvi a informação enviada pelo Célio, através da Voz do Brasil, com discurso de Jáder Barbalho e outros eventos, mas por incrível que pareça, não anunciaram a QRG...pelo que ouvi haverá trechos da programação em paralelo com a Senado FM além de boletins de notícias preparados especialmente para as ondas curtas. O alvo das transmissões serão as regiões norte, nordeste e centro-oeste. Eles possuem a expectativa também de serem sintonizados no caribe. 73's do amigo (Caio Fernandes Lopes, radioescutas via DXLD) Célio, não colocando em check a sua informação. Eu também ouvi ID em 6180 da Rádio Nacional. É a Nacional da Amazônia, a Nacional 1130 do Rio, a Nacional do Brasil, ou nada disso, ou seja, alguma retransmissão qualquer da Radio Nacional via uma freqüência que existe da Rádio Senado que anda meio apagada? Agradeço algum esclarecimento (Rudolf Grimm, São Bernardo, SP, ibid.) ** CANADA. Mistrust reigns at CBC: survey Employees vent anger at executives OTTAWA - Morale among CBC employees has plummeted over the past two years, with much of the discontent directed at senior management, an internal survey indicates. Sources say the main thrust of the messages employees sent to Robert Rabinovitch, president of the CBC, and his team of vice-presidents is that management is untrustworthy and lacks competence and a clear direction. "Answers to several of the questions indicated that senior management and leadership in general were either not trusted or seen to be incompetent," one source said. "Many employees also feel that the quality of their own units is steadily declining. People don't think there is any real vision or direction at the CBC and management is not seen as being responsive." The findings were said to be "devastating" to the executives. Rest at: http://www.nationalpost.com/search/story.html?f=/stories/20010522/569635.html (via Eric Geringas, May 22, via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CONGO. 4765 RF, R Congo Brazzaville with news in English at 1905 May 22. ID after news at 1914. Then mix of western and folk songs, program in French 1920 with local music and ethics from Banamoy. Close program 1955, then music. 2000 with news till 2015, then program with information, correspondence and public announcements (as far as I could understand them). (Zacharias Liangas, Greece, DX LISTENING DIGEST) 4765, Rdiff. Congolaise, May 20, 1850 EE transcription PX on human rights (mentioned mailing address in Cameroun), 1859 EE ID, Radio Congo announcement, YL thank you for listening, goodnight & goodbye, 1900 FF ID Ici Radiodiffusion Nationale Congolaise, PX continues in FF, very strong signal (ex 5985) (Leigh MORRIS, South Australia, hard-core-dx via DXLD) 4765 21/05 1725(fade in) -2150, de volta de 5985 em francês com notícias, comentários, afropop, exceto notícias em inglês 1900-1915, bom (Anker Petersen, Denmark, @tividade DX via DXLD) WRTH 2001 reporta: BOITE POSTALE 2241, BRAZZAVILLE. Directeur: DIEUDONNÉ MWETUTUIKALE. FAX: +243-830513 Una web de un congreso de jornalistas MARZO 2001 reporta direçao diferente: L. B. 975, BRAZZAVILLE. e-mail: medmiland@yahoo.fr Mr. MILANDOU MENARD, Chef Redacteur, Radio Télévision Nationale Congolaise. Buena suerte con tu control de sintonia !!!! Muchos 73's desde Italia, (Dario Monferini playdx@libero.it http://listen.to/playdx radioescutas via DXLD) ** CONGO et al. Comment on the return of Radio Congo to 4765: I'm very surprised! The recent comment in DXLD on the decrease of tropical wave band stations all over the world is, of course, correct. But concerning Africa, the "normal" shortwave broadcasts are also decreasing dramatically. But there have been disappearing more stations/countries from tropical bands and remaining on the "normal" shortwaves than vice versa in the past ten years: Chad, Sénégal (?), Benin (Cotonou), Côte d`Ivoire, Zambia, Ruanda, Burundi, Guinea, Africa No. 1, until last week also Congo. I thought there might have been three reasons for this: 1. increasing use of mediumwaves, replacing tropical wave bands for medium+long distance coverage in the evenings. 2. lack of cheap tropical wave band receivers on the market (as there is nobody producing them any more) while "normal" cheap SW receivers from western production are still available. 3. more clear frequencies on the normal short waves as jammers from Eastern Europe have disappeared and many international broadcasters have decreased their shortwave usage. I don't have any proof for this; maybe anyone can help (thorsten hallmann, muenster, germanistan, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CROATIA. Croatian Radio First Programme, domestic service: Address : Hrvatski Radio, Prisavlje 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. Tel : +385 1 616 3355 Fax : +385 1 616 3347 E-mail : zelimir.klasan@hrt.hr or program_hr@hrt.hr Web Site : http://www.hrt.hr SW portion of schedule: 6.165-(0400-2300), 7.365-(0400-0900), 9.830- (0430-1800), 13.830-(0900-2300) (© BBC Monitoring May 23 excerpted for DXLD) ** DENMARK. Danish Radio's Mon-Fri 5 minute NX in English in the home service is accessible in RealAudio at http://www.dr.dk/dr-nyheder/international/engelsk.shtml (BC-DX via DXLD) ** ECUADOR. Hi Glenn- I was sort of involved with something when it was announced on HCJB's program, 'Inside HCJB' last night, so, I missed the announced details, but, I did confirm via a phone call to their offices in Colorado, that former HCJB staffer, and announcer, Bob Beukema, passed away quite recently at the age of 72. (That gentleman had an incredible radio voice). (Bill Bergadano, Freehold, NJ, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Gott sei die Ehre ** ERITREA. VOBME heard 1800-1830* on 7100 with fair signal. (thorsten hallmann, muenster, germanistan, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA. Radio Fana heard 1800-1900 on 6210 \\ 6940. Fair signal on both frequencies (thorsten hallmann, muenster, germanistan, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ETHIOPIA [non]. Contributor Ludo Maes BELGIUM. SITE? There is a test transmission of a new station towards Ethiopia today from 1700 to 1800 UT on 12.110 kHz (Maes May 21) Sorry, just got this. Not sure if just happened or is about to. Time to check with the javaradio. Bulgaria? (Johnson May 21, Cumbre DX Special via DXLD) Contributor Ludo Maes BELGIUM CLANDESTINE from BULGARIA? to ETHIOPIA 12110 (Cumbre DX Special follow up) Netsanet Radio seems to be the name of this one. Per Ludo, their website is at http://www.netsanet.com The next test will be on Wednesday 1700-1800 (Hans Johnson, Cumbre DX Special via DXLD) ** INDIA. 'All India Radio' to upgrade radio coverage to north east India. Indian govt. is considering a special plan to boost radio coverage in the north eastern region. New radio stations are being set up at Churachandrapur, Dharmanagar, Longtherai, Changlang, Khonsa, Natun Bazar & Phek. At Silchar a 20 kw MW txer, at Imphal 300 kw MW txer & at Kohima 100 kw MW txer is being provided. New FM channels are being provided at Shillong, Imphal, Agartala & Aizwal. During 2000-01 an amount of Rs. 14.7 crore was allocated for development of AIR services in the north east. Regds, (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) But what about SW??? (gh) ** INTERNATIONAL WATERS [and non]. Subject: 500 kHz recordings Dear Glenn, I am trying to get copies of recordings of military and commercial marine and aviation and point-to-point CW (morse code) transmissions. I have some recordings going back to 1913 but I still would like recordings so that an archive can be made of communications history. I especially would like 500 KC (kHz) 600 meter distress recordings of coast stations and ships and aircraft. Any SOS or XXX broadcasts that have been recorded. I have some on my web site - see http://www.qsl.net/n1ea I will take submissions on Edison Dictograph cylinders, V-disk, metal disks, wire recorders, reel-to-reel tape, cassette, or CD. I prefer cassette or CD. Contact: David Ring N1EA P. O. Box 9 GREEN HARBOR, MA 02041-0009 or email me at N1EA@ARRL.net Thanks !!! You are welcome to play bits of the recordings on my web site - I have the SOS from ms Prinsendam - ship burning in Gulf of Alaska October 4, 1980 - all 535 people rescued SAFE from life boats from frigid waters (Ring, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** IRAQ. [SWL] Radio Iraq International heard here in VA with a good signal 5/21 at 0155 UT on 11.785 MHz. Anti-American commentary, news in English. Arab music. Continuing well past 0200. SINPO 44333. "Here" is in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Front Royal to be exact. Equipment used was a Grundig Satellit 800 with a modified 220 foot loop longwire antenna (Roy Unger, swl@qth.net via DXLD) ** LITHUANIA. Glenn, Following from Mr. Usas of Radio Vilnius. "Transmitters are located in Lithuania, Sitkunai town. Vytautas Usas" 73, (-.. . Kraig Krist, KG4LAC, May 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** LITHUANIA [non]. Latest DTK operational schedule dated May 17 still shows R. Vilnius relay, nor is it flagged as standby or temporarily inactive, which it surely must be: 9855 0000-0100 7,8,9 105 295 216 1234567 2503-281001 LRT (gh, info via Ralf Weyl, DTK via Wolfgang Büschel, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** MALAWI/NAMIBIA [tentative] 7215: 7215, MBC, for the last few days they have been here 1600 just after CRI (in Nepali) goes off. Nx and rpts in En, 1630 ads and ID as Malawi Bcing Corp. and Malawi Natl Radio, then continuous mx prgm. Poor rcpn, and lost when VOA s-on at 1700. Many IDs. Namibia hrd (and alone) on May 19 & 20 (Mahendra Vaghjee, Mauritius, NU May 20) 7215, unid., 0615 May 1, choral singing with a definite tribal flavor; fair strength but extremely low audio. Is Abidjan back on the air? (Bob Hill-HI-USA, NU May 1) Re the item from Bob Hill - it was Namibia I heard on 7215, and around this same time. I had a tentative of it on April 18th at 0650 but have not heard it since then. Hans Johnson said it broadcast their all night program, but could have changed for their winter. As far as I know, there is nothing on SW on air from Abidjan. This was the stn I was looking for when I found Namibia! (Noel R. Green- UK, May 15) Many thanks for your help on this. The very low audio suggested something other than Namibia, but I just didn't have time to stay with it. 0600 is 8 PM in Hawaii, but unfortunately it's 2 AM on the East Coast, so it's unlikely that I will be doing much listening at that hour from here (Bob Hill-USA, May 15) 7215 is a freq I usually tune across most mornings, but rarely hear anything! Reception here of Namibia is always characterised by rapid fading and low(ish) audio on this freq, and "something" different seems to occur to make it audible to me. Looking back to last year, I find that the most consistent (if it can be called that) period of reception occurred before the solstice, but hardly anything afterwards. I think if Abidjan was on air I would have heard something - unless, of course, it has come on very recently. I'll let you know if/when anything is heard on 7215 in the 0600 UT+ time period, but I understand what you are saying about your local East Coast time limitations! (Noel R. Green-UK, May 16, all: BC-DX via DXLD) ** MALI. RTM heard several times 0830-0910 on 9635 with fair/weak signal and news in French at 0900. //s 7285+11960 blocked. No signals in the morning from Congo 9610 or Niger 9705 (thorsten hallmann, muenster, germanistan, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** NIGERIA. Voice of Nigeria announced 15120 to America + 7255 to Africa yesterday in the beginning of the English broadcast at 1900. English is now 1900-2300 and 0500-1000(?). Vernacular before 1900. At 2255 they announced 7255, 117?? [11770 used to be, and I think announcing ancient and possibly future frequencies is customary -gh] and 15120, but nothing heard but 7255. Some details from the programme schedule: Thursday 2230: "World Peace", Saturday 2200: "Who are the Nigerians?", 2230: "African Monarchies", Monday 2230: "African Integration". Ibadan heard on 6050 at 2000, but much much weaker than Ruanda on 6055 (thorsten hallmann, muenster, germanistan, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA. "EKHO MOSKVY" REFUTES "THE WASHINGTON POST" The US daily "The Washington Post", concerned about the freedom of speech in Russia, has carried an article about the Moscow-based radio station "Ekho Moskvy", which can allegedly lose its independence. "The Voice of Russia" political observer Alexander Seregin looks into what is actually happening around the radio station, and these are the points he makes. It is very hard to make any civil analysis of or comment on the article in question. A stone's throw away from "The Washington Post" a drama has been unfolding before the eyes of the honorable American public, with the staff of the two national newspapers, "The New York Times" and "The Wall Street Journal", being disbanded. The two have just won America's most prestigious prize - the Pulitzer Prize. Also the staff of the national TV channel ABC is cracked down on, and a journalist of the US radio station "Radio Liberty" is fired for political dissent. Yet "The Washington Post" fails to take any notice of the developments under its very nose, but, as if to make up for it, it claims that the situation around the Moscow-based radio station "Ekho Moskvy" is a case of infringement on the freedom of speech. {What the hell are they talking about -- ``disbanding the staffs of the NYT and WSJ``?? It appears the Big Lie is alive and well in neo- Soviet Russia - note: bracketed remarks like these mean they were added after initial publication and distribution of a DXLD issue -gh} According to "The Washington Post", the independent news medium "Ekho Moskvy" is seized by the state in the person of "Gazprom", and now the radio station is about to close down for good. Neither more, nor less. But actually the situation is very much different from what it was plaintively depicted by the US daily. First of all, "Gazprom" does not seize anything, but exercises its right of property on the basis of a court ruling. Actually under the current legislation no decision on the news media performance can be taken in circumvention of court in this country. Russian law closely follows the Council of Europe's recommendations for the mass media. Besides, the state accounts for only 38% of joint-stock company "Gazpom's" shares, so one can identify "Gazprom" with the state either for lack of information, or because of malicious intent. Also, Russia is known to have signed the European Human Rights Convention of 1950, of which clause 10 states in most unambiguous terms that government agencies must in no way interfere in the process of providing information. The clause in question has been observed closely, since, according to the Russian Constitution, the international acts that Russia has signed take priority over home laws. But the "Ekho Moskvy" radio station can indeed close down for good, if not funded any longer. The former station owner Mr. Gusinsky, who has the controlling stake, is accused of misappropriation of 100 million dollars, and the Russian Prosecutor's Office sees him as a most welcome visitor. So, if the station does not change hands, it will certainly close down for ever. This is as clear as day, so it's strange that "The Washington Post" has missed the point. Unless, of course, it has done so deliberately. Meanwhile "Ekho Moskvy" is continuing to beam its traditionally interesting broadcasts and even features European Union officials on its live programs. Incidentally, the EU guests claim they have no premonition that the state poses any threat to the station. "The Washington Post" also feels for the station's editor-in-chief Alexei Venediktov, but when the official was asked to comment on a closing down and his sacking, he dismissed it as poppycock. (05/18/2001 From http://www.vor.ru via Sergei Sosedkin, IL, May 22, DXLD) ** RUSSIA. Kremlin Setting Up New Siberian TV Press Minister Mikhail Lesin and the chairman of the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Corporation (VGTRK) Oleg Dobodeyev have gone to Novosibirsk to set up a new television channel. The new channel is to cover all Siberia and is intended to act as a counterbalance to localised TV channels and media outlets under the control of regional governors. The aluminium giant Russian Aluminium will finance the channel. strana.ru, 05/22/01. For details go to: http://www.gazeta.ru/2001/05/22/KremlinSetti.shtml (Sergei Sosedkin, May 23, DXLD) ** TAIWAN. Change in 'RTI' Eng freq's for Asia wef 1st June'01 -------------------------------------------------- 0200-0300 to S.E.Asia - 11825 will be replaced by 11740 0200-0300 to Japan/Korea - 11745 will be replaced by 15345 0300-0400 to S.E.Asia - 11825 will be replaced by 15320 1400-1500 to S.E.Asia - 15125 will be replaced by 15265 0300-0400 to Philippines - 11875 (new ) Regds, (Alokesh Gupta, New Delhi, India, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** TAJIKISTAN. Interview with head of external radio service The external service of Tajik radio places great importance on its Dari programmes about life in Afghanistan. In an interview with the Tojikiston weekly, published on 4 May, the head of the service said that the service had been "filling the information vacuum" that had emerged in Afghanistan after the Taleban came to power. He said the service broadcasts news and commentaries on Afghanistan as well as interviews with experts on Afghanistan, and Afghan political and literary figures. The following is excerpt from the interview: [Newspaper headline] This is Dushanbe Every day thousands of radio listeners hear this signature tune in many countries of the world. [Interviewer] Rajabali Qudratovich [Qudratov], almost half a century has passed since your external service, as this unit of the radio of Tajikistan is called, was set up. Who started it? [Qudratov] We will mark the 45th anniversary of our service next year. The external service's main editorial office was set up under [former Tajik statesman and historian] Bobojon Ghafurov's personal instructions and with his assistance. We were set a precise task to propagate the progress achieved in Tajikistan during the period of the Soviet government, that is to say, to acquaint the Persian- speaking world with the republic's face and achievements in economy, agriculture, culture, art and science. At first, our programmes were destined for the Tajiks who lived abroad; later we started broadcasts in Persian for Afghans and Iranians... [Interviewer] What issues do you highlight, economic or political ones? [Qudratov] Why, we also broadcast literary programmes about writers, poets, artists and musicians. A series of very interesting programmes entitled "The Tajik language is the language of Rudaki" [founder of Tajik literature in the ninth century] with the participation of poets and writers, literary critics and linguists was prepared and presented by Rahim Hoshim. [Interviewer] Has the subject of your programmes changed since Tajikistan became an independent state? [Qudratov] Yes, of course. We propagate the policy being carried out by President Emomali Sharipovich Rahmonov [of Tajikistan] and highlight cultural events in the country. We place particular importance on our Dari programmes on the life in Afghanistan. They do not have their own broadcasting services now that the Taleban are in power. We are filling this vacuum. We broadcast news and commentaries, interviews with Orientalists and experts on Afghanistan and give Afghan poets and former politicians the opportunity to speak on our radio... We are planning now to tell our listeners about Tajikistan's role in the development of civilization in eastern countries. We have prepared 15 programmes on the basis of Emomali Rahmonov's book "From Aryan to Samanids", and in addition 150 programmes have been prepared at the requests of correspondents in Takhar [Province in northeastern Afghanistan]. [Interviewer] What sort of programmes are they? [Qudratov] They are health programmes, both scientific and non- traditional. [Interviewer] Do you think your editorial staff is working productively? [Qudratov] I am sure of it. The point is that over 20 countries are broadcasting in Persian and Dari now, including the BBC (Great Britain), [Radio] Liberty (the USA), the Voice of Khorasan [Iran], the Voice of Iran, Radio [Voice of] Shariah (Taleban) [Afghanistan] and others. Their reports on Tajikistan contain slander and a hostile attitude towards our country. Not to respond to them means we agree with them. We are responding directly, without evasion, and proving by our programmes that all of them are lying. Our programmes are being recorded in specially set-up centres, I am sure of this. [Interviewer] Who prepares programmes, selects items or specifies issues? [Qudratov] There are 30 people: the editor-in-chief, the deputy editor-in-chief, the editor and presenters. Nusratsho Tavalloyev is a veteran broadcaster, who has been working since the first days of foreign service broadcasting. He is the head of the Dari service. He has recorded voices of famous people like Nafisi, Khalili, [a famous Soviet era Tajik poet, Mirzo] Tursunzoda, [a famous Dagestani poet, Rasul] Gamzatov, [Kyrgyz writer Chingiz] Aytmatov, [Tajik scholar Muhammad] Osimi and many others. The deputy editor-in-chief, Amirbek Kuchakbekov, who is also a presenter, has been working here for 30 years, and Burhon Rahmatov has been working as a presenter for 42 years. Most of the staff has been to Iran and Afghanistan. They know these peoples' languages and customs very well, which promotes their productive work. Our younger colleagues, Mavjuda Kholova and Shahlo Sattorova, present English-language programmes and Inoyatullo Hojimurodov presents programmes in Arabic. Note: R. Qudratov began his activity in Tajik radio in 1961 as an editor and worked his way up to senior editor, deputy editor-in-chief and editor-in-chief of the external service's main editorial office. The job is a very serious and responsible one and needs deep knowledge, erudition and broad experience. However, he has been carrying this heavy load for a quarter of a century with pleasure and satisfaction. In response to the question whether he was satisfied with his choice, he said that he was happy because he loved his job very much. Source: Tojikiston, Dushanbe, in Russian 04 May 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) Don`t forget their virtually unnoticeable and inaudible two quarter hours a day in English. Was not aware that R. Liberty is lying about Tajikistan. Stop that!! (gh, DXLD) ** TURKMENISTAN. Turkmen Radio seems to have rearranged its transmissions. Preliminary observations are that 4930 is on the air 0100-2100 and 5015 2100-1900. More observations are needed to confirm the exact schedule. 4930 now opens with programs in Turkmen at 0100, no longer R Mayak. After the opening ceremony there is news in Turkmen at 0105. 4930 continues using USB+carrier. Currently the LW txer on 279 can only be heard briefly after 2200, and when heard has been \\ 5015 as before (Olle Alm, Sweden, May 20, BC-DX via DXLD) ** U K. Topic A amongst us finally gets covered in the mainstream: From Shortwave to New Wave Radio: BBC pulls the plug on 1930s technology by moving its World Service to the Internet in North America See: http://www.latimes.com/business/updates/lat_radio010522.htm (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) From today's Los Angeles Times: http://www.latimes.com/business/20010522/t000042855.html (via Harry Helms, DXLD) (also via Wolfgang Büschel) Wonder which link will remain available longer? (gh) Considering the audience -- the general public -- I think it's a good article. It's good visibility -- for a change (Rich Cuff, swprograms via DXLD) But we're not the general public. We're ... hobbyists! And according to the BBC, our input doesn't count. See Jim Strader's post about his experience with the BBC WS focus group. That really clarified my impression that the BBC has defined away their entire audience on shortwave in North America and Australia. If we listen on shortwave, we are, by definition, hobbyists, even those people (the vast majority of BBC listeners here) who have no contact with the hobby subculture. Hobbyists are unreasonable and not to be taken seriously. We are not "real BBC listeners". Therefore, since there are in effect no real listeners on shortwave, nobody will be hurt by discontinuing shortwave. I seem to recall this sort of logic being used to great comic effect by Douglas Adams in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. – (Ralph Brandi, ibid.) ** U K / AUSTRALIA. Subject: ABC FM stations Relaying BBC? Dear Sir/M'am, I beg to differ in your view that ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) is relaying BBC programs via any FM network. The only ABC station that relays any of BBC programming is the parliament broadcasting and news radio network which is only available when parliament is not sitting, and these stations are only in the state capital cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth which do not cover any country regional cities. These Stations, 2PB Sydney, 4PB Brisbane, 3PB Melbourne, 5PB Adelaide and 6PB Perth actually are on the AM Band. They however do not carry your full service, only news and some sport. It is correct to assume that there are some community based 'FM' stations (these are not owned by the ABC but are owned by non-profit Associations set up by volunteers) that relay your programming, but this is mainly only either when they don't have a suitable program to air or after hours, late at night during sleeptime for most. Sure, overnight between 11 pm to 6 am you do get a cross section of your live satellite feeds on these community stations, but it is to the detriment of sleep time! But once again, not all of the community stations in country areas relay BBC. So, to receive any of BBC programming will be difficult for many, especially for the many battlers, pensioners and others who do not have an internet connection and who live away from the state capital cities. One can only hope that your other shortwave transmissions to the Middle East, Asia and Africa will be audible during our early mornings and evenings. I assume that Singapore will continue to beam to SE Asia and that Radio Australia will keep the 1 hour relay alive during our mornings? Regards (Tim Gaynor, Gold Coast City, Queensland, Australia, May 22, to BBC, cc to DXLD) ** U K / CANADA / U S A. Subject: BBC Abandoning Canada An interesting development on the BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/americas/canada.shtml With only 15 private FM stations relaying any BBC programming, along with the CBC Overnight service, there is an ad asking for Canadian radio stations who want to relay BBC programs. Contact Brian Jarman +044 (0) 207 557 3425. I mentioned these facts in an e-mail to the higher ups at the BBC. So much for the official announcement from the BBC that their service cuts to the Americas and Australia will hardly be noticed (Mark Coady, ODXA via DXLD) Interesting list of stations in Canada for BBC. To start with the listing for Montreal on CKUT-FM is incorrect. This is Radio McGill, where I have my show, and I can tell you the station carries no BBC programming. I would ask that other members look at just what, if anything, the other stations on the list across Canada are actually carrying. Chances are it might just be the odd programme or an outdated newscast (Sheldon Harvey, ibid.) As I suspected. The BBC announces the cuts to shortwave and NOW they are trying to build the alternate sources that they claim were the reason for making the cuts. A classic case of putting the cart before the horse. They might find out that we have very few "horses" in Canada willing to pull their "cart". I always thought BBCWS was an intelligent organization! Keep writing those letters and e-mails to the BBCWS! (Harold Sellers, ibid.) I wonder what will happen at their next budget meeting when they say that have saved a bit of money by cutting back on some of their broadcasts. When asked about their listener base, they will say that they seem to have lost several hundred thousand listeners. The response to that by those holding the purse strings could then be something like "Your listening audience has dropped that much in the past year has it? It looks like people are no longer interested in your broadcasts anymore so we will give you less money this year." Cheers! (Kevin Cozens, ibid.) I have begun checking out the other Canadian stations on the list and am finding that, in most cases, the stations are campus/community stations, and at best they are carrying 5 minute news reports from the BBC, one or twice a day on weekdays. No telling how current those newscasts are either, without actually listening to them, and how would non-shortwave listeners tuning in domestically know if they are fresh or not anyway. This is BBC World Service available domestically? (Sheldon Harvey, ibid.) Subject: BBC World Service research project Thanks to a tip from Mark Coady of ODXA, I just completed checking out the BBC World Service website listing of outlets for BBC programming available domestically in Canada, at http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/americas/canada.shtml There are 15 FM stations, plus a listing for CBC Overnight. For CBC Overnight, a half-hour of BBC programming daily is aired, currently between 3:30 and 4:00 AM local time. I do not know how old this programming is by the time it is broadcast domestically. The 15 other stations seem to be either campus, or community stations, many with low power, limiting their range and reach, particularly in a country with such wide spread population centres as Canada. There are stations listed in only 6 of the 10 provinces (BC, Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Quebec). There are no stations listed for Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland, nor the three territories. Of the 15 stations listed it appears, from their websites, that 6 of them have no BBC programming whatsoever. In one case, CKUT-FM Radio McGill, the only station listed in Quebec, it has been about 10 years since this station last carried a once-a-day BBC newscast! 6 other stations appear to have one or more 5-minute news capsules from BBC, which they air usually as a part of their morning shows, and usually on weekdays only. 2 stations carry a 30-minute news broadcast, one day a week, and one station carries a 30-minute news broadcast 5 days a week. One other station, on their on-line schedule, appears to fill some of their overnight time with a mix of BBC programming, but it is not detailed. I have sent e-mails to all of the stations listed on the BBC webpage, asking them to confirm which BBC programming they carry, if any. If they do, I have asked them to advise me how old the programming is by the time it goes on the air. My feeling is that, particularly with the half-hour news, broadcasts may possibly be stale by the time they go to air. If this is what the BBC World Service feels is sufficient domestic coverage of Canada by radio, they are sadly, sadly mistaken and misinformed. The same BBCWS site offers a page of U.S. radio outlets carrying BBC World Service domestically. It is available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/americas/rebroad.shtml I would imagine that a study into the stations on this list would most likely reveal similar information for the United States. The Webpage lists 46 states and possessions of the U.S. having stations with BBC programming. If any of you would like to volunteer to take on the task of checking out the stations in a particular location, or locations, we could prepare a full picture of just what is available, and submit that to the decision makers at BBCWS. I think it would be an eye-opening exercise. If you would like be a part of this project, please e-mail me, telling me which area you would like to research, and I will assign that area to you, plus provide you with the material and format required for the report. The easiest way find the material needed is through the station's websites, if available. The Canadian research is complete, so it is only the U.S. that I am interested in at this time. Please do not go ahead with this project without letting me know you are interested in helping out. It is pointless to have this work being duplicated. To complete the research on the 15 Canadian stations, it took approximately 90 minutes. So you can judge the time required by this example. Please reach me, as soon as possible, at: ve2shw@yahoo.com Thank you. (Sheldon Harvey, President, Canadian International DX Club, Greenfield Park, Quebec, ibid.) BBC: I have read that you are dropping direct broadcasts in Shortwave to the United States (and other areas). This makes me very sad. I daily use your shortwave transmissions, either while driving in very remote locations, or while in mountain locations. I depend almost exclusively on your news service via evening shortwave broadcasts, as well as daytime broadcasts on shortwave. I have listened to the BBC since the early 1970's. The BBC is a real part of my life. I do not have the ability to get your broadcast in any other way while mobile or while in remote locations where there is no other media. FM radio is not reliable in some of the areas through which I travel. And I don't want to hear small snippets of your service. To not hear the rich and enlightening valuable programming is a great loss to me. Since before WWII, your shortwave broadcasts have been a stable, reliable source of information and entertainment to the world. In my lifetime, I have come to depend upon your service. I cannot imagine a world devoid of the BBC on shortwave. The Internet, FM, and satellite technology are only for a segment of the population. Yet, shortwave radio is everywhere. Your transmissions to North America are strong, reliable, and depended upon. To pull the plug on these is to leave a very empty hole in the lives of a great many people. To now see that you are dropping it saddens me greatly. It is like the passing of a loved one. I cannot believe that you would think that your alternative outlets can replace shortwave delivery. I hope that the BBC can reconsider this move. Please reconsider. 73 de NW7US, Tomas Hood nw7us@hfradio.org - -- : http://hfradio.org -- Brinnon, Washington : 122.93W : 47.67N : : http://cw.hfradio.org - CW Resources : http://accessnow.com : (Hood, swl@qth.net via DXLD) Just reconfirmed that, for now, BBCWS is still via WYFR 11865, with opening WYFR ID at *1259 May 22, but virtually lost in the sidebands, as usual of Supersplatter WEWN 11875. This relay will certainly be no loss, since BBC never had enough sense to put it on a clear frequency further from M. Angelica. The current BBC frequency folder shows it also from Antigua, another messup. BBC`s Antigua 15220 also has its problems now: at 1300 pretty bad splash from strong Cambodian(?) on 15225 noted the past few mornings. I can find nothing matching in IBB, RFA or HFCC schedules. What is it? (gh, OK, DXLD) ** U S A. KTBN (Salt Lake City) 15020 (2 X 7510) 0620 23 May, Weak to fair harmonic, very strong fundamental. American evangelical px, ID @ 0630 (David Hodgson, TN, harmonics@egroups.com via DXLD) ** U S A. Pressure forces board to continue broadcasting VOA service Bangkok Post - Thailand, May 19, 2001 The Voice of America's Thai-language service will continue broadcasting, a source said yesterday. But the Broadcasting Board of Governors may raise the closure of the service in Thai and other languages again as part of an annual review. The board last week announced that it "has decided for now to make no changes to the existing Thai broadcasting service. The board will also maintain the 30 minutes a day Turkish broadcast and the 15 minutes a day Uzbek service." Its decision follows strong opposition from the government, politicians and others including former prime minister Chuan Leekpai, ex-foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan, Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, Padaeng Industry president Arsa Sarasin, and Mass Communications Organisation chief Sorachak Kasemsuwan. US Secretary of State Colin Powell and US ambassador Richard Hecklinger also wrote to the board that the closure might affect Thai-US relations. The board decided to close the service on Aug 7 due to a small number of listeners and the VOA's organisational restructuring and budget cuts. The service, which began in 1942 on shortwave and expanded to 18 AM and FM stations in 1988, has an annual budget of $400,000 (17.2 megabaht). (Bhanravee Tansubhapol, Copyright © Asia Intelligence Wire via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** U S A. Re the question about L. Farrakhan being heard on WWCR: he was simply a guest on the scheduled Gino Jennings show [Truth of God, Sat 1500-1600 UT on 12160]; a good thing for his point of view to be expressed without serious editing. However, as a Christian station, WWCR would not, of course, schedule a regular full-fledged Islamic program. Due to an interference complaint from a 2-way user in Australia, WWCR will be closing 7435 after 0500, and going back to 2390 for the time being, unless another 7 MHz frequency can be found (George McClintock, WWCR, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Jean Shepherd marathon on http://www.wbai.org -- Per http://www.flicklives.com/mass_back.htm Jean Shepherd Memorial Day Weekend Marathon. Tune in to WBAI 99.5FM on Sunday May 27 (6 pm to 1 am) for a 7 hour Jean Shepherd Marathon hosted by Max Schmid (Joël Rubin, NY, May 22, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UT Sun 2200-UT Mon 0500 ** U S A. WGN Extension 720`s second try at the wacky Wisconsin topic was futile again, as another stupid ballgame ran all the way until 11 pm CDT Tuesday. (By then, 720 was audible for us to confirm that the webcast had not forgotten to come back after the tough-shit loop.) No word yet on a third rescheduling, which really ought to be on a non- baseball night! Keep checking: http://wgnradio.com/shows/ex720/list.htm (Glenn Hauser, OK, May 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A [clandestine]. UPR still going at 1306 check May 22 on 6900- USB with ads for MP3 Jukebox, University of Phoenix, 1308 The Power Hour. Hmm, maybe Steve is operating the thing on a commercial income basis, not just to make a fool of himself and risk fines and jail (Glenn Hauser, OK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** VATICAN. This schedule, valid until 28th October 2001, is based on monitoring observations and information supplied by Vatican Radio. Following concerns over electromagnetic pollution in the vicinity of the Vatican Radio transmitter site near Rome, some transmitters may be operating on a reduced schedule and/or at reduced power. It has also been reported that Vatican Radio plans to transfer its high- power mediumwave transmissions to another location - possibly using relay facilities elsewhere in Europe. Most broadcasts to Europe are subject to Summer/Winter time changes. Languages : Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Belarusian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, English, Esperanto, Finnish, French, German, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Latin, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malayalam, Mandarin, Multilingual, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Slovene, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil, Ukrainian, Vietnamese Address : Vatican Radio, 00120 Vatican City. Tel : + 39 06 698 8305 Fax : + 39 06 698 83463 E-mail : promo@vatiradio.va Web Site : http://www.vaticanradio.org E-mail : sedoc@vatiradio.va Web Site : http://www.vatican.va/news_services/radio/index_it.htm --------------------------------------------------------------------- 0000-2359 Daily MULTILINGUAL Global Net: http://www.vatican.va/news_services/radio/index.htm - live audio http://www.vaticanradio.org/inglese/endemand.htm - archive audio ENGLISH: 0140-0200 Daily AsAuDom 9.650 12.055 103.8 0250-0315 Daily Am 7.305 9.605 96.3 0310-0340 Daily AfDom 9.660 103.8 0500-0530 Daily AfDom 9.660 11.625 15.570 103.8 0500-0520 Daily EuDom 1.530 4.005 5.885-v 7.250 93.3 0630-0700 Daily AfDom 11.625 13.765 15.570 103.8 0900-1000 MTuThFSa EuDom 0.527 5.885-v 105.0 1130-1200 Fri AfAsAuDom 15.595 17.515 103.8 (Religious) 1430-1500 Sa-Th MULTILINGUAL EuDom 1.530 5.885-v 7.250 9.645 93.3 (Music) 1520-1530 Daily AsAuDom 12.065 13.765 15.235 103.8 1550-1600 Sat AfAsAuDom 12.065 13.765 15.235 103.8 (Religious) 1615-1630 Daily EuAsAuDom 0.527 1.530 4.005 5.885-v 7.250 9.645 15.595 93.3 105.0 1730-1800 Daily AfDom 13.765 15.570 17.515 103.8 1950-2010 Daily EuDom 0.527 1.530 4.005 5.885-v 7.250 9.645 93.3 105.0 2000-2030 Daily AfDom 9.660 11.625 13.765 103.8 LATIN: all but the 1000 broadcast are designated religious 0530-0600 Daily EuMEAfAsAuAm 0.527 1.530 4.005 5.885-v 7.250 9.645 11.740 15.595 93.3 96.3 105.0 1000-1015 Su...... EuAfDom 0.527 1.530 5.885-v 9.645 11.740 15.595 21.850 93.3 105.0 1500-1530 Daily EuDom 1.530 5.885-v 7.250 9.645 93.3 1840-1900 Daily EuMEAfAsAuAm 0.527 1.260 1.530 4.005 5.885-v 6.185 9.660 11.625 13.765 93.3 96.3 103.8 105.0 --------------------------------------------------------------------- (© BBC Monitoring May 23, excerpted by gh for DXLD) ** YUGOSLAVIA. RY in Spanish: 1900-1928 daily on 7200 250 deg Spanish to SoEu <<<<<<< tho registered 7220 2300-2328 daily on 9680 265 deg Spanish to SoAmWe (Observer, Bulgaria, May 22 via DXLD) ###