DX LISTENING DIGEST 1-201, December 20, 2001 edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@hotmail.com {Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only if full credit be maintained at all stages and we be provided exchange copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission. For restrixions and searchable 2001, 2000 contents archive see} http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/Dxldmid.html Check the WOR websites: http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/ http://www.worldofradio.com [NOTE: If you are a regular reader of DXLD, and a source of DX news but have not been sending it directly to us, please consider yourself obligated to do so. Thanks, Glenn] WORLD OF RADIO #1110 (STREAM) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1110.ram (DOWNLOAD) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1110.rm (SUMMARY) http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/wor1110.html NEXT AIRINGS on WWCR: Fri 1030 on 3210, Sat 0300 on 3210 FIRST AIRINGS ON RFPI: Friday 1930, Saturday 0130, 0730, 1330 on some of: 7445-USB/AM, 15040, 21815-USB [WOR 1109 may also play Friday before or after 1110 on RFPI] WORLD OF RADIO ON RADIO LAVALAMP Hi Glenn, Just thought I'd update you on things here. Last weekend I was able to change to the current program before 1700 UT, Saturday. That means the current WOR program ran 3 out of the 4 "loops." Most likely, from now on, the previous week's WOR program will run at 05/17 UTC, Saturday & the changeover to the new WOR will be made in time for the 05/17 UTC, Sunday programs. Thanks also for the blurb re: Radio LavaLamp. Keep up the excellent work. 73s (Ralph Famularo, Osaka, Dec 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST) MUNDO RADIAL en WWCR: nueva emisión para diciembre hacia enero a partir del 21 de dic, todos los viernes a las 2215 TU en 3210. Guión a seguir. ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Congress OKs Radio Free Afghanistan Story Filed: Thursday, December 20, 2001 5:58 PM EST WASHINGTON (AP) -- Congress voted Thursday to spend $19.2 million to beam news about America and Afghan current events to Afghans in their local languages. Radio Free Afghanistan broadcasts could begin late next month. Patterned on the Cold War-era Radio Free Europe, the Pashto- and Dari-language service is important in diminishing suspicion of the United States, particularly in rural and mountainous areas, said Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., a leading congressional advocate. Royce and other supporters originally made the case for the broadcasts to counter the Taliban's Radio Shariat. Royce said Radio Free Afghanistan remains important even though the Taliban have been deposed and Radio Shariat is off the air. ``As we attempt to replace the Taliban ... it is important that the Afghan population have access to the truth, first, about the Taliban and, second, about the United States,'' Royce said. The money was included in the annual military spending bill and the anti-terrorism package that won overwhelming approval in the House and Senate. The service is to be run by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which already employs eight Pashto and Dari speakers, said Thomas A. Dine, president of the private, government-funded organization. The broadcasts will originate from its Prague facility. Radio Free Afghanistan expects to broadcast a half-hour of programming by late next month, Dine said, eventually increasing to 12 hours a day. The money also will help pay for moving three transmitters from Spain to Kuwait to strengthen the signal to Afghanistan, Dine said. On the Net: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: http://www.rferl.org/ Copyright © 2001 Associated Press Information Services, all rights reserved. You may now print or save this document (via Mike Cooper, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. Radio Voice of Afghanistan, which is based in London, continues to be observed on its scheduled frequency of 9950 kHz from 1330-1430 gmt daily. Said Jalal Karim, Radio Voice of Afghanistan's founder, is an Afghan entrepreneur currently operating from London. Note new contact details: The station's postal address is: Afghan Broadcasting Company, P O Box 36467, London, UK EC2A 2YF. Since 2 December, the station has also announced a contact address in Kabul: Post Box 5459, Kabul. Radio Voice of Afghanistan can be contacted by telephone on +44 (0)207 382 9610 or by e-mail at afbc9950@hotmail.com The contact for press enquiries is Alex Longson. Compiled by Foreign Media Unit, BBC Monitoring Source: BBC Monitoring research 20 Dec 01 (via DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [and non]. IOM to launch humanitarian radio project Source: UN OCHA Integrated Regional Information Network Date: 12/12/01 ISLAMABAD, 12 December (IRIN) - In an effort to inform Afghans about relief activities, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) is set to launch its Humanitarian Emergency Afghan Radio (HEAR) project through international and local radio networks in two weeks time. Information manager with IOM, Michael Barton told IRIN: "The HEAR bulletins would provide information to Afghans not from an institutional point of view, but from a very strong and practical Afghan perspective." He added that HEAR would not repeat information from other sources but would collect original material through its own network of Afghan correspondents. The material would be about humanitarian issues such as food distribution, security, or other issues particularly relevant to displaced people. The 15 minute short programmes in native Pashto and Dari languages would be broadcast from international radio networks such as the BBC and Voice of America (VOA). Initially they would be passed onto stations in written form, for presenters to read out on air. Barton said that an important thrust would be to highlight the work of local NGOs or proide information relevant to a vulnerable community, such as details on local transport for displaced families. A network of Afghan correspondents would report on civilian needs and gather feedback on aid operations. "It will describe to the listener what form the humanitarian aid is going to take," he said, adding that instead of focusing on aid agencies they intended to directly address beneficiaries. In due course the bulletins, a mix of news and features would also be available on a website. They would cover all humanitarian themes while particularly focusing on the needs of more vulnerable groups like women and displaced people, Barton said. Although funded solely by USAID, Barton strongly rejected the idea that their coverage would be partial. "To absolutely ensure credibility with the Afghan audience we are avoiding anything political," he maintained. [ENDS] [This Item is Delivered to the English Service of the UN's IRIN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or to change your keywords, contact e-mail: Irin@ocha.unon.org or Web: http://www.irinnews.org If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Reposting by commercial sites requires written IRIN permission.] Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2001 ------------------------------------------- For more information on this emergency, see http://www.reliefweb.int (via Dennis Frado, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN [non]. New on DVD: OBL. A high-definition version of Osama's "smoking gun" videotape offers extra footage, amusing bloopers and helpful technical information. - - - - - - - By Tom McNichol http://www.salon.com/people/satire/2001/12/18/obl_dvd/index.html?x (via Tom Roche, DXLD) ** AFGHANISTAN. Change of plans for YA5T op: Peter Casier, ON6TT, reports he's running behind on his current travel schedule and now is back in Pakistan and does not expect to return to Afghanistan--and the YA5T operating position --- until after the Christmas holidays. He had expected to be on the air from Kabul last week. Afghanistan is among the top 10 "most-wanted" DXCC entities. The ARRL DXCC Desk recently accepted documentation for YA5T and approved it for DXCC credit. In addition to Casier, YA5T will be operated --- as schedules permit --- by Mats Persson, SM7PKK, Robert Kasca, S53R, and Mark Demeuleneere, ON4WW. All work for the UN World Food Program. The DXCC documentation covers contacts with YA5T made on or after November 20, 2001 (ARRL December 19 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** BOLIVIA. 4600.35 Perla del Acre (presumed) 0946-1030: sign-on between 0945 and 1000; drifting upwards from 4600.2 and settling around 4600.35, possible canned sign-on announcement, live announcer by 1000 with time checks, Christmas talk and songs, but no ID 's. Dec. 19 many mentions of "Radio Rural", but perhaps the name of the morning show. Program format is different than the last time they were active a few years ago, but I think I recognize the announcer's voice. Fair to poor signal (Mark Mohrmann, VT, Dec 14,15,19,20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** CANADA. The following is a news item posted on CBC NEWS ONLINE at http://cbc.ca/news ____________________________________________________ CBC, TECHNICIANS TO RESTART TALKS WebPosted Thu Dec 20 09:08:24 2001 TORONTO -- The CBC and its technicians will meet Thursday in Ottawa to try to end their dispute. A federal mediator called the two sides together in an attempt to reopen stalled negotiations. The 1,800 technicians are members of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP). Talks will be supervised by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. Both sides have agreed to say nothing about the meeting. The standoff began on December 7 after the union said the CBC locked them out. The CBC said the technicians went out on strike. The dispute has caused the cancellation of regional and local newscasts, as well as production on some CBC shows. Copyright © 2000 CBC All Rights Reserved (via Ricky Leong, DXLD) ** CHINA. New Chinese channel for unidentified station is 4760 from 0100 UT December 20. Reception is very good. Absolutely no interference from very poor signal of AIR Port Blair [see INDIA] (Vladimir Kovalenko, Tomsk, Russia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** DUCIE ISLAND. Ducie Island DXpedition set for March 2002: With assistance from an ARRL Colvin Award, the Pitcairn Island Amateur Radio Association (PIARA) plans to mount a DXpedition to Ducie Island in March. Ducie --- which became the newest ARRL DXCC entity as of November 16, 2001 --- has not yet been activated, making it the most- wanted DXCC entity. Poor weather scuttled the initial attempt to land a DXpedition team on Ducie Island in November. PIARA President Tom Christian, VP6TC, has announced that a DXpedition team now plans to depart by boat from Mangareva on March 12. Once on Ducie Island, the DXpedition will use a VP6 call sign to be announced at the start of the operation, which will include both SSB and CW and possibly RTTY on 160 through 6 meters. In addition to Christian, operators will include Kan Mizoguchi, VP6BK/JA1BK; Dave Brown, VP6DB; Mike McGirr, K9AJ; Vince Thompson, K5VT; Miralda Warren, VP6MW; Jin Fujiwara, JF1IST; and Mac Shimamoto, JA3USA. HF QSLs go to Garth Hamilton, VE3HO. Six-meter QSLs go to JA1BK (Tom Christian VP6TC, ARRL December 19 via John Norfolk, OKCOK, DXLD) ** ECUADOR. I saw in latest SWB that TBV and BEFF have been listening to La Voz del Napo in Tena. There are a lot of people who are curious to find out regarding "Radio María", both Nordic and South European DXers? also HK has asked me to listen extra carefully. So here comes my little story, caused by the reason several DX-ers noted both "Radio María Ecuador"- and "Radio María Colombia" IDs around 3280 kHz: 3279.56, La Voz del Napo, Tena (Ecuador) //Radio María Ecuador //Radio María Colombia // with unknown station in U.S.A. Dec 19 2001 - 0200- 0300 UT. I don´t know if I had luck or not but anyhow: I called up the FM-transmitter Radio María Ecuador here in Quito at the telephone (+593 2)2239 800 to get information about "La Voz del Napo" in the jungle town of "Tena" and their connection to "Radio María". OK, no problem, "but on the condition you participate in a direct broadcast!". Very surprised to this tack I agreed - the joint broadcast, "enlace", I participated in consisted of La Voz del Napo, Radio María in Ecuador and Colombia plus transmitter (Radio María?) in U.S.A. We talked for 5- 6 minutes and I actually found out the answer to the `riddle`. The very nice DJ told me that Radio María just now is negotiating to buy the frequency 3280 kHz, i.e. not a direct purchase of La Voz del Napo, which, according to the programme director will cease its broadcasts - but you never know for sure, maybe they come back on a new frequency. Radio María Ecuador broadcasts on FM from Quito, province Guayás (I didn´t catch the town) and from Santo Domingo de los Colorados. I wonder if anybody back home in Sweden listened? The DJ greeted you all! After 0300 UT Radio María Ecuador continued with a request music program. Very nice station with a soft appearance. At least, La Voz del Napo actually exists and IDs as usual, - Radio María at the moment buys programme time. 73 from (Björn Malm in Quito! translated by SW Bulletin editor Thomas Nilsson for DXLD) ** ECUADOR. 4960.06, R Federación? (tentative), s/on at 10.45 19TH Dec, with slow deliberate talk in unidentified language, into guitar music and tentative ID at 1114, signal fair but lousy conditions (David Norrie, Auckland NZ, AOR 7030, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** ECUADOR. 4770.05, Radio Centinela del Sur (tentative) 1047-1114 Dec 14, religious program, ended at 1059 with local address in Loja. 1103 announcer with time check and possible ID, more mentions of Loja. Fading by 1114, but very good signal until then. 5040.05, La Voz del Upano 1059 Dec 15, end of religious program, 1102 animal sound effects, live announcer with "Buenos Dias Compadre!" and into new show with Andean music. Excellent signal (Mark Mohrmann, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** FINLAND. SWR's Christmas Broadcast --- Christmas is coming! Listening of SWR's alternative Christmas Day show will be good way to spend time during this "nothing is going on" -time. Because for family reasons etc. not may of us is spending their Christmas time on station, we try to make our shows as interactive as possible. That is why we take all kinds of equipment in full use: phones, SMS-messages, Fax machines, e-mail, Internet forms, chat... Here you can find our contact information: GSM and SMS- messages: +358 400 995 559 Fax: +358 3 475 5776 E-mail: info@swradio.net Reception reports: raportit@swradio.net Report form http://www.swradio.net/fin/rapo.htm Christmas messages: http://www.swradio.net/fin/viesti.htm Chat: http://www.swradio.net/cgi-bin/chat.cgi Webmaster Ville is doing ChatRadio on 11-12 UT. Please feel free to join him on our chat and of course, in airwaves! We also welcome you to join our broadcast by forwarding your season's greetings. Record your message in sound file and send it to us. We will play and read them all night, morning, day, evening long. The easiest way to you to send your message and / or sound file is our message form on following address: http://www.swradio.net/fin/viesti.htm#eng Not all programme details will be available at advance, because a big part of SWR's shows is based on improvisation. Therefore, you will just have to listen to find out. Hopefully it is not too painful ;-D Anyway, some kind of timetable is as follows: 25th December UTC Frequencies Details 22-00 6170 and 11690 Notice date 24th Dec. 00-01 5980 and 11690 01-06 5980 and 11720 06-09 6170 and 11720 09-12 6170 and 11690 (10-11 World Radio Roulette. This show contains contest! 11-12 ChatRadio!) 12-17 5990 and 11720 12-13 Perkele! Finnish Metal 17-19 6170 and 11720 19-21 6170 and 11690 21-22 5990 and 11690 A reception forecast is available on http://www.swradio.net/fin/251201/index.html SWR crew wishes a lot of sunspots from Santa Claus... I have made a new photo album; it can be seen on http://www.swradio.net/fin/album2001.htm Descriptions are in Finnish, but I think you can get the idea of our activities... Merry Christmas! Ville-Veikko Haikarainen, Scandinavian Weekend Radio, http://www.swradio.net (via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK and via Rudolf Grimm, Brazil, via DXLD) ** GREECE. Re DXLD 1-198: Orientations programme in English still half an hour, monitored here 1930-2000 on 11645 19th December and 0930-1000 on 9420 15630 20th December (Mike Barraclough, Letchworth, UK, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. This morning (December 20) there's regular AIR Port Blair signal on 4760. No signs of yesterday's problems except new Chinese channel starting at 0100 (see CHINA). I'm not sure yesterday's drifted station might be AIR Leh. I never heard this station clearly and good. I'm even not sure I ever heard AIR Leh. Sometimes I can hear some program on the background of AIR Port Blair but reception was never good enough to identify mysterious station. Sometimes TWR Swaziland propagates better than other two stations on the frequency. By the way this morning propagation from India was good so I could hear AIR Aizawl on 5050 with SINPO=14441. Usually it's impossible. Also I received poor signal on 5020 with speaking in language similar to Sinhala or Tamil. Maybe that's SLBC (Vladimir Kovalenko, Tomsk, Russia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** INDIA. Hi all, just came across this story on the BBC World Service website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1719000/1719353.stm Nice article and a few pictures of old equipment... 73 de (Thomas, DL1CQ Roth, dx_india via DXLD) ** ISLE OF MAN [non]. Station gets Radio Caroline's old spot GOVERNMENT has given the green light for a long wave radio transmitter to be stationed five miles off the coast in Ramsey Bay, the same spot used by Radio Caroline in the 1960s. Isle of Man International Broadcasting has received approval in principle from the IOM Government to position a platform with the transmitter and antenna at the site. It will mean the creation of between 40 and 50 jobs in the north of the Island. The firm had originally wanted to build a mast at Ayre but this was opposed by residents, Bride Commissioners and Ayre MHK Edgar Quine. IoMIB founder Paul Rusling revealed news of the off-shore site at the firm's annual meeting last night. He said: 'The station is expected to launch towards the end of 2002 and we are looking at employing between 40 and 50 staff, both full-time and part-time.' The cost of the unmanned platform and equipment will be around the £5.25 million mark, while promoting the station and working capital mean it's a £12 million project, the funds for which Mr Rusling says will be fully raised early in the new year. The station's studio and offices will be situated in Ramsey. Mr Rusling added: 'The launch will bring greater diversification to the Island's economy, helping the further development of the north of the Island by bringing a significant number of all year round jobs to Ramsey while generating substantial revenue for the Treasury.' Marketing director Geoff Holliman said: 'The project has a lot to offer the Island, particularly post foot-and-mouth and September 11. 'More than ever the Isle of Man needs a powerful voice and our radio station, reaching into millions of homes, will sharpen the Island s international focus.' (IOM Newspapers website Dec 20 via Paul Rusling on the RadioAnoraks Yahoo group via Mike Barraclough, DXLD) IOMBC had encountered all kinds of obstacles to building their antenna on the IOM itself (gh, DXLD) ** ITALY. ADVENTIST WORLD RADIO ANNOUNCES THE CLOSURE OF FORLI Adventist World Radio (AWR) officially announces the end of broadcasting from its shortwave station located at Forli in Italy, effective December 31, 2001. The low powered 2.5 kW station in Forli has been on the air since 1985. The decision to cease broadcasting from the Forli site ultimately became inevitable after AWR began leasing airtime from two more powerful stations; Deutsche Telekom in Juelich, Germany, and ORF in Moosbrunn, Austria. Adventist World Radio is the international radio system of Christian ministry operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church with its headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. AWR owns and operates a major shortwave broadcasting station on the island of Guam, licensed by the FCC as KSDA, with four transmitters at 100 kW. AWR also leases time on shortwave relay stations in six additional countries; Germany, Austria, Slovakia, South Africa, Madagascar, and the United Arab Emirates. AWR also broadcasts on national radio throughout Russia, as well as in Kazakstan and Uzbekistan. AWR also operates a satellite program distribution system serving a local network of downlink stations located in Latin America; from Guatemala to Argentina. Additionally, AWR operates a growing internet-based system of program distribution accessible at http://www.awr.org The mission of Adventist World Radio is to speak the message of hope in Jesus to the peoples of the world in their own languages. (Geoff Patterson, Communication Director, Adventist World Radio PattersonGe@gc.adventist.org via Adrian Peterson, Dec 19, DXLD) Strange, no mention at all of Argenta, the new site AWR was building in Italy to replace Forlì --- is it no longer necessary, either? (gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1110, DXLD) ** JAPAN [and non]. The Monitoring Section of R. Japan informed me on 20 Dec. the following schedule for the Year End Hitparade, which will broadcast on 31 Dec. from 1030 to 1545 UT. To: Southeast Asia 1000-1500 11815 Yamata 1100-1200 13660 Yamata (extended) 1500-1600 7200 Yamata To: Asian Continent 1000-1500 9750 Yamata 1500-1600 11910 Yamata To: Southwest Asia 1000-1400 21695 Rampisham (extended) 1400-1500 9845 Yamata 1500-1600 12045 Yamata (instead of Ekala) To: North America 1000-1100 6120 Sackville (extended) 1100-1200 6120 Sackville 1200-1300 6120 Sackville (extended) 1300-1500 11705 Sackville 1500-1600 11705 Sackville (extended) 1500-1600 9505 Yamata To: Hawaii 1000-1500 9710 Yamata (extended) 1500-1600 9835 Yamata (extended) To: Central America 1000-1030 9835 Yamata (extended) 1030-1100 12030 Yamata (extended) 1100-1200 6120 Sackville 1200-1300 6120 Sackville (extended) 1300-1400 11705 Sackville 1400-1600 17825 Montsinery (extended) 1500-1600 9535 Yamata To: South America 1000-1500 9710 Yamata 1500-1600 9835 Yamata To: South America (Eastern Area) 1100-1600 15590 Montsinery To: Oceania 1000-1100 21755 Yamata 1100-1230 21755 Yamata (extended) 1200-1300 17680 Dabaya (extended) 1300-1330 7140 Yamata (extended) 1430-1600 undecided To: East Europe 1000-1600 12020 Woofferton (extended) To: South Europe 1000-1600 9820 Rampisham (extended) To: Middle East and North Africa 1000-1300 15165 Dhabbaya 1300-1500 17555 Rampisham 1500-1600 15265 Skelton To: Africa (West) 1000-1600 17865 Ascension (extended) To: Africa (Central) 1000-1200 17685 Dhabbaya (extended) 1200-1600 17685 Meyerton (extended) (via Kunitoshi Hishikawa, Bulgaria, Dec 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PAKISTAN. Radio Pakistan or Azad Kashmir Radio was on 4771 at 1740 on December 19 and signing on at 0056 today, December 20. 5027 [Quetta] signed on today at 0043 (Vladimir Kovalenko, Tomsk, Russia, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4824.41, La Voz de la Selva 1036 Dec 15, announcer with talk, time checks and ID. Good signal. 4834.92, Radio Marañón 1030-1100 Dec 14, Live in-studio program "Canto Carioco" with lots of people coming up to the mic with saludos, talk and songs. Announcer/MC with lots of time checks, but the ID comes from a studio guest thanking Radio Marañón for the opportunity to send saludos. Very good signal (Mark Mohrmann, Coventry VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** PERU. 4834.91, R Marañón, 1035 19th Dec, pops, two IDs up to 1100, poor with pops and jingles, moved from 4835.5, thanks to Mark Mohrmann for tip and help with ID (David Norrie, Auckland, NZ, AOR 7030, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** RUSSIA [non] Re DXLD 1-199 and 1-200: Hi, re my reporting of Mix- Master 4940 last Sunday, Dec 16, until 1500. Sorry friends, it was a bad mistake. I shouldn't have submitted it. It was not any wild imagination that led me wrong. The program format was strange and didn't sound international at all, a word or two here and there, music styles that I had never heard before, all that put together fooled me. I apologize. Many thanks to Vladimir Kovalenko, Tomsk for letting me and others know. That's what the lists are for, aren't they? Ironically the very next morning, Monday Dec 17, around 0900 it was the right station there. With the right format. 73 and Good DX (Johan Berglund, Trollhättan, Sweden, DX LISTENING DIGEST) Hi, This is a Yangi-Yul relay (Tajikistan). It was heard here (under good conditions) last week, but only 15 minutes or so (Piet Pijpers, Netherlands, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U K. TEAMtalk 252 launches on 252 kHz LW 25th Feb 2002 - this from the Atlantic 252 website: http://www.atlantic252.co.uk TEAMtalk Media Group acquired dance music station Atlantic 252 in December 2001 and will rebrand it TEAMtalk 252 and relaunch as a non- stop sports station on 25th Feb 2002. TEAMtalk 252, Britain's first national radio station truly dedicated to sport. Providing opinionated, fan-friendly, entertaining and informative coverage of all UK football, rugby, racing, cricket and major sporting events, it will also give a voice to specialist sports. Broadcasting 24/7, the station will have mass appeal to all sports fans wanting to hear the latest results and analysis as well as 'back page' style authoritative opinion, in a distinctive and highly entertaining style. Audience participation will be key with phone-ins, e-mails, dedications, votes, polls and guest reporting and presentation spots for both prominent sporting personalities and sports fans. TEAMtalk 252 will dedicate 100% of its programming to sport --- which is more than three times the level of its national rivals BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT. As the station is dedicated to sport, we do not have to balance the demands of news and sport. This means that we will have a vast amount of airtime to cover more sports and personalities in greater depth. The station will pride itself on its in-depth coverage of sport, which will include: Football - News on every professional team in the UK - every day Horse Racing - Previews every morning plus every result from every race Rugby - Daily coverage of all top flight clubs across both codes Motorsports - Daily news on Formula 1, NASCAR and CART racing Cricket - Comprehensive coverage of England's Test & One Day internationals, plus daily news, reports and results from the County game Golf - Extensive coverage of the majors plus European & US tour events In addition to news, comment, commentary & phone-ins, TEAMtalk 252 will feature sports weather, sports travel and sports business reports. The station is targeted at a broad market of sports fans but with a core target market of 20-35 year old listeners. TEAMtalk 252 is part of the TEAMtalk Media Group, a world-leading provider of sports content and entertainment. A team of over 100 in-house journalists and 270 freelancers source news and information, which is delivered to TEAMtalk customers via a number of platforms, including its network of websites, TV, mobile phones, premium rate fixed line telephone and satellite networks. Other UK radio assets include TEAMtalk Broadcast Ltd, the number one in-store radio programming provider with customers such as Asda and Moto. Established in 1988 as a provider of premium rate fixed line telephony services, TEAMtalk Media Group now services business partners around the world with its content, including 200 radio stations across Germany, Austria and Switzerland (via Mike Terry, BDXC-UK via DXLD) What a waste; and QRM de revived Algeria co-channel (gh, DXLD) ** U S A. From: Pacifica Campaign pacificacampaign@yahoo.com Subject: An Urgent Message from Juan Gonzalez December 13, 2001 --- Pacifica Campaign Release An Urgent Message on the Pacifica Radio Settlement Dear Pacifica Campaign Supporter: Late yesterday we received news that there has finally been a legal settlement in the long and bitter battle against the corporate clique which hijacked the Pacifica network. For the settlement text go to http://pacificacampaign.org/pacificasettlement.html We in the Pacifica Campaign have not had a chance in such a short time to convene an official meeting and decide our position on the settlement. We have, however, publicly stated for many months that such a negotiated settlement was not only possible but was in the best interests of preserving a viable network for the listeners. We never deluded ourselves, however, about such a settlement, knowing that in this, as in any bargaining process, the "devil is often in the details." What I offer below is my preliminary analysis of the settlement and what it means for our movement. I want to stress that this is my individual view, not the official position of the Campaign, which can only come later. But given the controversy this settlement is sure to generate, I believe it is urgent to initiate reasoned debate over its terms as soon as possible. So here it is: The movement for democracy in the American mass media won a historic victory yesterday, one that is sure to inspire new struggles for media accountability. For perhaps the first time in U.S. history, a people's movement of listeners, employees and political activists succeeded in wresting majority control of a radio network away from a small corporate clique that had illegally seized the reins of power several years earlier. That movement accomplished this extraordinary victory by a persistent and creative combination of an amazing array of tactics -- including peaceful direct action, civil disobedience, massive public meetings and protests, a well-organized listener boycott, skillful use of direct mail and internet electronic picketing campaigns, as well as numerous court challenges. Thanks to the combination of those tactics, which aroused tens of thousands of people around the country to unprecedented action and garnered nationwide press attention, the clique in control of the network and their few active supporters in the management and staff of the five stations were soon overwhelmed and forced to retreat. The agreement reached yesterday is merely the legal reflection of our movement's enormous strength and a recognition of its victory. There are those who will ask, how can we call this a victory when our movement has not totally ousted all the members of the former board majority? Under the agreement, the reform movement will most likely have a 9-to-6 majority on an Interim Board during a 15-month "transition period," at the end of which new bylaws will be written and a new permanent board elected. During that interim period, however, voting rules will be such that our "majority" will be unable to reach major decisions without, in effect, at least one member of the new minority voting with us. Any board decision by a simple majority vote that does not meet such criteria will automatically be referred to the California judge who is overseeing the agreement, and the judge will then decide the matter. So how can that be considered a victory if the old raiders can still throw obstacles in the way of our new majority? The answer is simple. A few weeks ago, our dissident board members were in the minority. Under this agreement, they will be in the majority. A few weeks ago, our dissident board members were powerless to block all but a few major actions by the corporate raiders. Now the raiders have no power to initiate any major actions. All they can do is throw roadblocks, but even then, at least during the transition period, the judge has the final decision, not the raiders. Most importantly, the one area where a simple majority can rule is in the election of the Foundation's officers. That means that our dissident board members will have the power to elect the new chair, treasurer and secretary of the Foundation. That means the power to determine when the national board meets, what the agenda will be, who will chair committees and how votes will be conducted, will be on our side. That alone is an enormous change compared to the current situation where listeners and board members were given as little information about board meetings as possible. And this was all accomplished without spending millions of dollars more on a trial that may have ended up giving us less than what the settlement did. In addition, the new settlement gives a majority of three of the five Local Advisory Boards (LABs) virtual veto power over the amending of any bylaws concerning the election of board members. If the LABs reject the bylaws, the Spooner listeners' suit and the Adelson LAB law suits can proceed to trial. Moreover, the settlement forbids any sale of a station during the interim period and mandates consultation with listener groups and local communities over bylaw amendments. There are some who are already lining up to criticize the agreement. They seem most outraged by the fact that the clique of raiders will retain a powerful minority position on the board. My response to that is two-fold: 1) The clique who remain are far different and far less potent than those who were on the board last Dec. 22, the night of the Christmas Coup at WBAI. Former Chairman David Acosta is gone. Former Vice-Chair Ken Ford is gone. Former treasurer Micheal Palmer is gone. Former secretary Andrea Cisco is gone. So is Karolyn Van Putten and Frank Millspaugh. Even the infamous John Murdock, the defiant, belligerent Murdock of the anti-union firm, Epstein, Becker & Green, is reportedly gone, since he will apparently not be part of the new board. Neither will Houston's Valrie Chambers. In other words, eight members of the one-time raiders will be gone, including the ringleaders of the coup. But that's not all. Former director Bessie Wash was forced out. So was national program director Steven Yasko and his successor, former WBAI interim station manager Utrice Leid. When you think about it, our movement has accomplished an incredible sea-change. In less than one year we have forced out from all the top positions of the network those who most sought to move Pacifica away from its original radical mission. No, we have not yet succeeded in ridding the network of all the bad apples. But that brings me to my second point. 2) Those who believe that all of our movement's goals could be accomplished in one swoop, like some modern day version of a Bolshevik or Sandinista uprising, have perhaps underestimated the real world in which we live. We cannot isolate the Pacifica struggle from the capitalist environment that surrounds us, nor can we neglect the reality that we find ourselves in the midst of a new right-upsurge and weighed down by a horrible new war. The progressive movement in America needs a strong Pacifica now more than ever. It needs to have Democracy Now! back on the air at all Pacifica stations, broadcasting news and information the American people cannot hear anywhere else on the radio dial. We cannot allow bitterness and anger to cloud our judgments. As I have told Pacifica activists repeatedly during the past few months, the great revolutionaries in history, the Mandela's, the Ho Chi Minh's, knew when to fight and when to negotiate. They knew when to stand on principle and when to make difficult compromises. They knew when to choose reconciliation over revenge. A perfect example of this is former board member Bob Farrell. In retrospect, the election of Farrell as chairman several months ago, while certainly a move that many of us opposed, turned out to be a watershed moment. Farrell announced he wanted to make peace within Pacifica. Many of us were skeptical, but he went about doing just that. Yes, he had been part of the raiding clique. But Farrell chose to change, and he dragged the remaining members of his group to the table, even as they were kicking and screaming. Farrell will not be on the new board. His own side chose not to elect him. But I believe that by abandoning the old bankrupt policies he played a pivotal role in moving Pacifica toward a new era, so I wish to publicly thank him for keeping his word. Most importantly, I believe we owe much gratitude to the litigants in the three law suits. All of them spent countless hours, so many of them frustrating and seemingly fruitless, trying to find common ground first with each other, then with the rest of us in our complicated and amorphous reform movement, than with the various representatives of the raiders. They sacrificed so much time away from their families, their jobs, their own personal lives, all to save Pacifica. Thank you Leslie Cagan, Tomas Moran, Pete Bramson, Rob Robinson, Rabbi Aaron Kriegel, Dave Adelson, Miguel Maldonado, Sherry Gendelman, Robbie Osman, Barbara Lubin, and of course, Carol Spooner. As for those who are dissatisfied, or who believe that this agreement sells out our movement's principles, I urge you to reconsider your views. There will always be some people who are not satisfied with an agreement. Many of us, myself included, had hoped for more. Many wanted several other issues to be resolved right away, including the immediate return of all the banned and the fired from WBAI. But my interpretation of the provisions of this agreement leads me to believe that the WBAI situation will be resolved very soon. Remember, this is only a transition agreement. When North Vietnam and the United States negotiated an end to the Vietnam War, their Peace Treaty dealt primarily with the transitional conditions under which the U.S. army would withdraw from the South. The U.S. did not surrender and endorse the liberation and reunification of South Vietnam with the North. That momentous event happened later. Not very much later -- but still later. So rather than quibble over what should have been in this transitional agreement now and what should be decided later, rather than begin attacking those we fought so hard to save the network, we should first take a step back, look at the forest instead of the individual trees, and celebrate the magnificent victory our movement has accomplished. When I resigned from Democracy Now! on January 31 and we launched the Pacifica Campaign, few people believed we could drive out the hijackers and regain control of Pacifica. Some told us we would either destroy the network or meet a humiliating defeat. Neither of those things happened, as the terrific staff organizers of the Pacifica Campaign -- Dan Coughlin, Farah Davari, Linda Duggins, Arturo Lemus, John Martinez, Denis Moynihan, Bok-Keem Nyerere, Karen Pomer, Myla Reson, Ursula Ruedenberg, Darius Sarrafi, Don Underwood, Valerie Van Isler, Bernard White, Andrea Buffa, and the many volunteers dug in, criss-crossed the country and fought on relentlessly. No, we do not yet have democratic accountability to listeners and staff. We do not yet have a return of Free Speech. We do not yet have the return of the banned and fired. But we have taken a giant step toward each of those goals by removing from power those who promulgated the dictatorial and retrograde policies at Pacifica I believe this agreement thrusts our movement into a new stage. During this transition period we have two important challenges. We must mobilize maximum support for the new board majority so that it can fashion a genuinely democratic structure for Pacifica, restore the banned and the fired, and end the gag rule. And we must end the boycott and rapidly move toward rebuilding the network's membership and finances and prepare for elections of new advisory boards so that Pacifica can emerge from this crisis bigger and stronger than ever. I welcome the debate and discussion that will ensue over the next few months as part of the new process of rebuilding the network. Maybe, the Pacifica Campaign can even join with other reform groups in scheduling a national conference on the future of the network where the various viewpoints can be openly aired. Finally, thanks to all of you for your support to the Campaign and for your devotion to Pacifica. Despite the terrible crises in this country the past few months, despite the rapid erosion of democratic rule throughout our land and the horrible calamity faced by the people of Afghanistan, I want to wish you and all your loved ones a healthy and happy holidays and offer my best wishes for the New Year. Hope to see you soon on another edition of Democracy Now! Juan Gonzalez ********************************** Pacifica Campaign 51 MacDougal St., #80 New York, NY 10012 Tel: 646-230-9588 pacificacampaign@yahoo.com http://pacificacampaign.org (Via Preston Rudy, December 20 via DXLD) ** U S A. 7354.37, WRNO New Orleans LA, 20 Dec 0114h, Presumed, no ID given through 0302 signoff. Continuous Christmas and gospel songs throughout the listening period. Signal unusually strong, 10+/S9, but with extreme warbling QRM on the upper sideband (Mark J. Fine, Remington, Virginia, USA, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. KRLD [Dallas, 1080] announced this evening Dec 19, beginning January 7 they are going all news .... that means the Rangers will be on some other pilot station..... 73 from (Bill Smith, W5USM, "An olde 50s Glowbugger", DX LISTENING DIGEST) ** U S A. Why did WABC have such a great signal? Also discusses WNBC and WCBS: http://musicradio.computer.net/transm.html (via Patrick Griffith, Westminster, CO, USA, NRC-AM via DXLD) ** U S A. Special event station K1D will prime Kid's Day pump: Special event station K1D, operated by Peter and Jeanne Schipelliti, W1DAD and K1MOM, in New Hampshire, will be on the air starting Saturday, December 22, 2001, and continuing for the next two weeks to encourage participation in Kid's Day. The next Kid's Day is January 5, 2002, 1800-2400 UTC. Look for K1D on or around 3895, 14,270, 21,370 and 28,370 kHz. QSL to 7 Dearborn Ridge Rd, Atkinson, NH 03811. A free (via e-mail) K1MOM Amateur Radio Coloring Book for children --- including operating aids for Kid's Day, log sheet, WAS map to color in and phonetic alphabet --- is available from Jeanne Schipelliti, k1mom@arrl.net ({ARRL} via John Norfolk, DXLD) ** ZIMBABWE [non]. Zimbabwe paper reports new UK-based shortwave radio | Text of report by Zimbabwean newspaper Financial Gazette web site on 20 December SW Radio Africa, a new Zimbabwean independent radio station, was expected to start broadcasting to Zimbabwe yesterday evening. The station, which is run by Zimbabweans, will broadcast from the United Kingdom three hours a day everyday through the shortwave frequency band. "SW Radio Africa will begin operating this Wednesday [19 December] from 6-9 p.m. [1600-1900 gmt] seven days a week on shortwave 6145 kHz in the 49-metre band," said the station's spokesperson. "Since the station will be operating from shortwave, there is no need to get a licence from the government." The spokesperson said the station was not affiliated to any political party or institution but aimed to give hope to many Zimbabweans who have been weighed down by a growing economic and political crisis. "The station is run by Zimbabweans for Zimbabweans and will give listeners unbiased information so they can make informed decisions not just on political issues but on other aspects of their lives," the spokesperson said. "SW Radio Africa will provide balanced and in-depth news coverage and a comprehensive look at current affairs and social issues, with emphasis on HIV, health and voter education." The state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, which holds a monopoly on broadcasting and is being used by the ruling ZANU-PF party as its propaganda tool, is the only entity in the country allowed to operate a radio or television station. A new authority, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Authority which is still controlled by the government, has however started receiving applications for broadcasting licences. Media analysts say the authority is unlikely to issue any new licences any time soon and certainly not before crunch presidential elections, which pit President Robert Mugabe and opposition [Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)] leader Morgan Tsvangirai, are held in March next year. As in most developing countries, radio in Zimbabwe is the single biggest medium of communication among rural people and the government is reluctant to give up its monopoly on broadcasting. Source: Financial Gazette web site, Harare, in English 20 Dec 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) 6 MHz: suspect site closer than Britain (gh, DXLD) New radio for Zimbabwe challenges Mugabe's grip on media A new radio station started broadcasting to Zimbabwe via shortwave and the Internet on 19 December. Broadcasting each evening in English, SW Radio Africa, says it is independent of any political parties and will provide unbiased news and current affairs programmes. In a press release, dated 18 December, the station says, "We will give listeners unbiased information so they can make informed choices, not just about political issues but other aspects of their lives. Our programming also aims to give Zimbabweans hope and to uplift them during these difficult times." SW Radio Africa does not say where it is located. However, a London telephone number is given and the web site, http://www.swradioafrica.com was registered in the UK. The radio is scheduled to be on 6145 kHz shortwave from 1600-1900 gmt. There are no existing independent broadcasters operating from within Zimbabwe, owing to state control of the media. The only airtime available to Mugabe's election rival is on Voice of the People, set up outside Zimbabwe for the parliamentary elections in 2000. It broadcasts in Ndebele, Shona and English for an hour a day from the Radio Netherlands relay station in Madagascar. Source: BBC Monitoring research 1215 gmt 20 Dec 01 (via DXLD) Zimbabwe: New independent radio station A new radio station started broadcasting to Zimbabwe via shortwave and the Internet on 19 December. The station, SW Radio Africa, says it is independent of any political parties and will provide unbiased news and current affairs programmes. The station does not say where it is located, and there are no existing independent broadcasters operating from within Zimbabwe, owing to control of the media. Following is the text of a press release in English by SW Radio Africa: SW Radio Africa - Zimbabwe's independent voice - will begin broadcasting on Wednesday 19th December from 6-9 p.m. Zimbabwe time. We will be broadcasting on shortwave on 6145 kHz in the 49-metre band, seven days a week. The station is run by Zimbabweans, for Zimbabweans. We will provide: Balanced and in-depth news coverage. A comprehensive look at current affairs and social issues (especially HIV, health and voter education). Interactive discussions and debates. Entertainment, music, arts and culture. We will give listeners unbiased information so they can make informed choices not just about political issues but other aspects of their lives. Our programming also aims to give Zimbabweans hope and to uplift them during these difficult times. The station is not affiliated to any political party or other institutions. SW Radio Africa is committed to telling it like it is. You speak, we listen. [The station's web site at http://www.swradioafrica.com provides archived programming and a link labelled "listen live". It also lists a full programme schedule and contact details for the station: General Enquiries mail@swradioafrica.com -- for news items news@swradioafrica.com -- request an interview phone@swradioafrica.com request an interview by phone Tel: 00 44 (0) 20 8387 1441 [London]; respond to programme questions: views@swradioafrica.com ] Source: SW Radio Africa press release in English 19 Dec 01 (via BBCM via DXLD) UNIDENTIFIED. 1740.70, 1057-1145, Spanish religious station, sign-on around 1100, religious talks, song at 1130, fading and gone by 1145 which suggests a Central American harmonic maybe 2x870 or 3x580. Very weak signal (Mark Mohrmann, VT, Dec 18, 19, 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) UNIDENTIFIED. 2379.84, 0017-0104 Dec 20, Classical orchestral music pieces with Spanish announcer between songs. Fair to poor signal. Perhaps the same as Malm's Unid. 2379.60 from November? (Mark Mohrmann, VT, DX LISTENING DIGEST) ###