READING INTERNATIONAL RADIO GROUP The next meeting of the Reading International Radio Group will be on April 18 in Room 3, Reading International Solidarity Centre, 35-39 London Street, Reading at 2.30 p.m. Amongst other items we will be continuing our look at pre-war shortwave broadcast listening, BBC programmes in 1936 as well as more recent developments and audio from international and UK radio. For more information email me or phone 01462 643899.
AFGHANISTAN Radio Solh transmissions via VTC Merlin have been cancelled. We can only wonder if this PsyOp has been a casualty of the new administration in Washington, although it seems unlikely that would be much of an Obama priority; but saving our taxpayer money is called for. This was the most redundant service on earth, playing exactly the same content day after day. Might cost less to give every Afghan a CD of it. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
Checking the IBB Monitoring website I found that the last transmission ended at 1800 on January 23. (Dragan Lekic, Serbia, ibid)
And the next working day (in the US), Monday 26 January, VOA expands its overnight service to Afghanistan and Pakistan. There may not be an exact correlation in terms of costs, but perhaps the idea of ending one project and shifting the funds to another one might have appealed to a tidy bureaucratic mind. (Chris Greenway, UK, DX Listening Digest)
I have not heard their transmissions from within Afghanistan on 6700 for days. (Al Muick, Afghanistan, January 29, DX Listening Digest)
The 6700 transmissions have not been heard here since at least the beginning of 2009. (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid)
A media survey which was carried out in Afghanistan in January 2008 found that shortwave is still the predominant radio medium for listeners across the country, with 55% of those who ever use radio using shortwave, 52% using FM, and 46% using medium wave. The survey found that rural listeners were more likely to use short, medium, and long wave. (VTC Communications Newsletter via NASB via DX Listening Digest)
ANGUILLA The Pastor Melissa Scott station, also known as Caribbean Beacon but never giving any local identifications as such, continues to be irregular on shortwave. Not heard on 6090 at 0626 January 22, was back the next night. (Glenn Hauser, Oklahoma, DXLD)
6090 heard at 2242 January 24 but with transmitter buzz, 11775 not heard the whole weekend. (Harold Frodge, Michigan, ibid)
Caribbean Beacon heard reactivated on 1610 at 0400 January 24 with Melissa Scott preaching. (Willis Monk, Tennessee, amfvtxdx at qth.net via DXLD)
ANGOLA Radio Nacional de Angola has been missing from 4950 for a couple of months, at least during our afternoons. If it has permanently shut down, I guess that means no more Angola on shortwave except flea-power 7216.8 kHz, which is never more than a tiny heterodyne here. (Bob Hill, Massachusetts DXplorer Jan 28 via Wolfgang Bueschel)
BRAZIL Radio Ondas Tropicais heard on 4845.2, 0150 to 0157 off February 8, large group, singing with comments by man in Portuguese over top. Programme cut off suddenly, short formal identification with frequencies, much utility interference. Heard again February 10 with similar programme and same sign-off and weak signals. Strong signal though 0147-0200 February 22. (Paul Brouillette, Illionois, DX Listening Digest)
The station is Radio Cultura Ondas Tropicais, which operates with 10 kW, from Manaus in the Amazonas. (Adalberto Marques de Azevedo, Brazil, DX Listening Digest)
Radio Educaçao Rural noted on 4925.2 2220 February 13 with 40 minutes of romantic music in Spanish. At 2300 identification in Portuguese, followed by a religious programme, strong signals. (Bjorn Fransson, Sweden, SW Bulletin via DXLD)
CANADA Radio Canada International is no longer using 11805 for the 1800-1900 English broadcast. (Bill Hodges, Georgia, DX Listening Digest)
CHINA China Radio International received 2.706 million letters from 161 countries in 2008. It was 3.98% increase from the previous year. The number of letters has been increasing continuously for 5 years. The features in 2008 were 1) a great many letters for the important information or event, 2) large increase of letters via internet, 3) listeners were divided into younger and older generations. (Takahito Akabayashi, Japan, DXLD)
CONGO DR Radio Okapi via Meyerton is now using new 9635, ex 11890, for its 1600-1700 transmission, heard here February 1 and 2 at 1615 to 1700, French/Lingala talks about Congo, SINPO 55333. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DX Listening Digest)
CUBA After decades on the air and the expense of half a billion dollars, it remains unclear whether any Cubans listen to or watch U.S.-funded radio and television broadcasts to the island, according to a new congressional report on Radio and TV Marti released February 5.
Last year, fewer than 1 percent of people surveyed said they had listened to Radio Marti in the past week, said the study by the Government Accountability Office, the investigating arm of Congress. But the same report said nearly half of new Cuban arrivals to the United States said they had listened to the broadcasts in the past six months.
Pedro Roig, director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, questioned the listener surveys because even the pollsters acknowledged that Cubans who responded to survey calls believed the surveyor was a member of the Cuban government — and Radio Marti is illegal in Cuba.
The report’s best guess is that less than 2% of Cubans have heard or seen the broadcasts in the past two years. This is, undoubtedly, in part due to Cuba's efforts to jam the signals, an operation the investigation finds the US has few details on. (Denver Post and Miami Times via Zacharias Liangas)
One of the Greenville transmitters is starting to squeal, à la WEWN, probably exactly the same problem, needing replacement of modulation cards covering a certain audio frequency segment: heard on 15330 February 9 at 1453 with Radio Marti very strong, and jamming not a problem at the moment. So even when it can surpass jamming, R. Marti interferes with itself. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
CZECH REPUBLIC Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty made it’s first broadcast from its newly completed headquarters in Prague at 1800 February 3 when Radio Free Iraq broadcast a news bulletin. This was the first step in re-locating all of RFE/RL’s 500 employees to the facility is in Hagibor, ten minutes from the city centre. The five-story, 236,000 square foot broadcast centre features multimedia recording studios, interlinking offices, and a modern newsroom. It is also energy-efficient and one of the most secure buildings in Europe. (RFE/RL website via Zacharias Liangas)
DENMARK DR Radio has moved to "DR Byen", and the address for reports for the analogue transmissions on mediumwave 1062 is now: DR, Emil Holms Kanal 20, DK-0999 København K, email teknikinfo@dr.dk. Transmissions on medium wave are at 0445-0507, 0730-0807, 1045-1130 and 1645-1735. (Herman Boel, Belgium, Medium Wave Circle)
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Radio Cristal International transmitter on 5009.8 broke down early January. The engineer who assisted them died last December but they do plan to try to get it back on the air. (Dino Bloise, Florida, Connexion Digital via DX Listening Digest)
ECUADOR New president of religious international broadcaster HCJB Wayne Pederson "says technology is going to allow the ministry to expand its ministry, but not through aging short-wave and similar technology. Pederson says, 'Internet, live streaming, podcasting, using mobile devices, sending Scripture messages out on SMS with text messaging.' He adds, 'We're looking at doing video for Facebook and YouTube and using some of the social networking that's available globally as a very cost-effective way at getting the message out.' (Mission Network News via kimandrewelliott.com via Mike Terry, DX Listening Digest)
ERITREA Voice of Asena started broadcasts February 16, Monday, Wednesday and Friday 1730-1800 on 9610, brokered by TDP, presume using Samara. (Dave Kernick, Media Network)
I got a very nice, personal letter in English, confirming my reception of Voice of Asena on 9610 on February 16. The director and founder, Amanuel Eyasu, says that I was the first to send them feedback through a detailed report. When you say "Asena" to a person it means "that you are happy about something", so I say "Asena" to you all. Website is www.assenna.com, email aseye.asena@googlemail.com. (Bjorn Fransson, Sweden)
ETHIOPIA Radio Xoriyo Ogadenia in Somali is now Wednesdays and Fridays 1700-1730 on 7530 and 9485 both via Samara. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria, via DXLD)
Ethiopia Adera Dimts Radio is a new station via Nauen 1700-1758 Saturdays on 11835. (WRTH update via Dave Kernick, DX Listening Digest)
FALKLAND ISLANDS After all these years, finally an FIBS QSL! Original reports to Falkland Island Broadcast Service on March 30, 1983 and again on August 27, 1987 went unanswered. In 2008 contacted the station manager, Ms. Cornia Bishop. Provided her detailed reports for the 1983 and 1987 broadcasts.
Very pleasant mailbox surprise on January 12. A QSL for the FIBS reports of 1983 and 1987. This is more than 26 years for the 1983 report and more than 21 years for the 1987 report. 311 days after the follow up report on March 7, 2008.
To see the QSL please visit my site, http://www.kg4lac.com and click the now active Falkland Island link on the left. Ms. Bishop tells me these cards are rare and only a few have been sent out. Only took about half my life, but worth it! (Kraig Krist, Virginia, DXLD)
Kraig heard them on 3958, I had forgotten that they used that frequency. I can remember occasionally hearing them tentatively on 2370, along with other UK DX'ers, but there was always so little audio that it was impossible to send them a reception report. I found an interesting webpage online “The Famous Falkland DX Sessions” about the Three Mile Island DX Association in Pennsylvania in the late 70’s, photographs and a recording of FIBS on 2370 as well as the QSL, a different one than Kraig’s. It’s part of Brett Saylor’s website, www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/b/d/bds2/swl.html, which has lots of other DX material and recordings. (Mike Barraclough)
FRANCE Radio France International (RFI) was due to stop programmes in German, Polish, Serbocroatian, Albanian and Laotian January 31. They also plan to cut 242 out of 1042 job positions, including 106 journalists. The station had a deficit of 9 million Euros in 2008. The French government is willing to provide additional funds for RFI but requires the station to be “modernised”. (Press reports via Kai Ludwig, DX Listening Digest)
The weekly magazine Telerama magazine says that RFI has a low profile in France, as it can't be heard outside of Paris and that few French people know that RFI broadcasts in 20 languages. The management made the decision to drop language services as they had little audience. RFI's priority languages will now be French, English, Portuguese, Hausa, Swahili and Arabic. In the coming months, they propose to expand offerings in Spanish, Mandarin, Russian, Persian and Vietnamese, doing so with reduced staff. RFI had an estimated 27.8 million listeners in Africa in 2007, 10.5 million in the Middle East, 4.2 million in the Americas, 2.2 million in Europe and 1.7 million in Asia. (Mike Cooper, Georgia, ibid)
FREE RADIO Radio Playback International heard on 6880 0223-0250 February 15, ex 6870, weak apart from peaks to fair level. Featured 50’s pop music. (Brian Alexander, Cumbre DX)
Heard in New Zealand on 6880 at 0602 February 21. (Bryan Clark, DX Listening Digest)
GERMANY Deutsche Welle’s (DW) radio, television and online services are used by at least 86 million adults around the world every week said Director General Erik Bettermann to the Frankfurt Press Club. Radio programming from DW is especially successful in Africa. “In Ethiopia for example, we reach more than 10 percent of adults and 43 percent tune in to the Kiswahili program in Tanzania. The Hausa program is popular in Nigeria, where it has nearly 10 million listeners weekly. 90 per cent of listeners tune into DW radio broadcasts in languages other than German. (Press release via Alokesh Gupta, Cumbre DX)
Deutsche Welle will soon switch to FM in its pursuit of a bigger Bangladesh market share as short wave broadcast increasingly becomes a thing of the past. It plans to share websites with people in "two to three years", and make sure when the short waves disappear that "we are still an important force in the media here in this country", said Graeme Lucas, Head of SE Asia team. (BD24.com via Mike Barraclough)
Bible Voice Broadcasting Network has a new English broadcast to West Africa 1945-2015 via Werchatal on 7260 Monday to Friday. (DX Mix News Bulgaria via DX Listening Digest)
MV Baltic Radio will be moving to a new timeslot for the summer schedules starting March 29, 0900-1000 Sundays on 6140. (Tom Taylor, Cumbre DX)
HONDURAS HRMI Radio Misiones International heard on 3400 February 14 0221-0257 in English with inspirational and local Spanish music, poor to fair reception. (Brian Alexander, Cumbre DX)
Missing lately but also noted here at 0646 with music, talk in Spanish at 0706. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
INDIA Many regional stations of All India Radio, which have simultaneous broadcasts on more than one shortwave frequency, are showing inter-modulation products, causing severe interference to amateur radio operators in the 40 metre band (7000 to 7100, soon to expand to 7200). This information has been notified to the concerned All India Radio, but, they still continue to create the inter-modulation products.
Chennai simulcast on 7160 and 7270 around 1030 creates an inter-modulation spurious emission on 7050, with both the audios coming through. (2 x 7160 - 7270 = 7050)
Mumbai simulcast on 4840 and 7195 around 0230 creates an inter-modulation spurious emission on 7065, with both the audios coming through. (3 x 7195 - 3 x 4840 = 7065)
The AIR Domestic service transmission from Tiruchchirapalli on 936, was producing its 15th harmonic on 14040, which was the fixed frequency for all "Islands on the Air- IOTA" expeditions.
There was a serious case of AIR Thiruvananthapuram, emitting many (almost five frequencies in the 40 metre amateur band) whenever they started their morning domestic service on 7290 from 0230. The worst of the spurious emissions was on 7050 where emergency communications for Tsunami etc., were carried out by amateur radio operators from India and Sri Lanka. After continuous exchanges through telephonic conversations, emails, and letters, they did do something and the problem has since subsided and we are not hearing these spurious emissions in 2008 and till now in 2009. (B.L. Manohar, India via DJ8KR via DXLD)
Since the beginning of November 2008 many licensed Amateur Radio operators have been reporting a strong and wideband intermodulation product of All India Radio drifting between around 7060 and 7070. The signal strength is up to S 9 + 20 dB, and the signal is about 10 kHz wide. The programme is very much distorted with a rocking carrier. It is carrying Hindi 1945-2045 and the General Overseas Service 1745-1945, 2045-2230. The fundamental is on 7410 with S 9 + 45 dB and a second spurious signal ("mirror") around 7751. Also on 7090 there is the same programme with S 9 and with clear modulation. (Ulrich Bihlmayer, DARC-MS Intruder Watch and Spectrum Control via DX Listening Digest)
IRAN Voice of the Islamic Republic of Iran transmissions via Sitkunai, Lithuania resumed on February 12. Schedule 0630-0728 Italian on 9770, 1430-1528 Russian on 3960, 1730-1828 German on 6180, 1830-1928 French and 1930-2028 English on 6115, 2030-2128 Spanish on 6055. (Roberto Scaglione, Italy, bclnews.it via DX Listening Digest)
IRELAND RTE carried out a test transmission on January 28 from 1930-2030 on 6220 and requested reports from listener in Africa, the Middle East and Europe. The transmission was brokered by World Radio Network and used the Meyerton, South Africa site. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
A QSL back from World Radio Network says that RTE plans to start regular transmissions to Africa, I think they will replace the now defunct service on Worldspace. (Christian Ghibaudo, France, ibid)
I believe the Irish government supplied Worldspace receivers to many of their missionaries in Africa so that they could hear the RTE Worldspace broadcasts. (Mike Barraclough)
KURDISTAN Radyoy Dengi Kurdistana noted on 3930 at 0255 with songs until 0300 when identification followed by martial music. Jammed from 0304. (Jose Turner, Portugal, DX Listening Digest)
Same station heard on 3999 at 1330 to 1435 off February 16. (S. Hasegawa, Japan, DXLD)
Voice of Iranian Kurdistan, via Salah al-Din, Northern Iraq heard on 4849.9 0300 to 0315 February 11. Kurdish martial music, identification: "Aira dangi Kurdistan Irana", martial song, announcements and Muslim Call to Prayer at which point Iranian jamming started. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DX Listening Digest)
KUWAIT Radio Kuwait Arabic now at 0200-0940 on 13650, ex 15495; 1000-1740 on 11630, ex 15505; 1800-2400 on 13600, ex 15495. (DX Mix News. Bulgaria via DXLD)
NEPAL A further message from Ram Karki on plans for refurbishment of the 5005 shortwave transmitter, only currently heard with weak carrier and little audio says: “I need to find the donors. Government is not funding us this time. We are not in priorities. So it may take long time.” (Al Muick, Afghanistan, DX Listening Digest)
NETHERLANDS Regarding the ending of the 1600-1700 Radio Netherlands English transmissions on 1296 this has always been a Dutch service slot. Our English department have never asked to use it. But Peter Venendaal, Head of our Dutch service, offered the use of the frequency for the launch of Euranet, to make sure that the broadcast could be heard loud and clear in Brussels during the launch period. The English version of Euranet is produced at Radio Netherlands (RNW) but is not an official RNW programme. It is produced by the Euranet consortium and has its own staff, budget and website.
It was expected that one of the other language versions of Euranet (e.g. French, produced at RFI, or German, produced at Deutsche Welle) would use the second half hour, but this has not happened. To fill the gap, since RNW was paying for the airtime, we carried our own English service on this frequency for the second half hour. To the best of my knowledge, we have never advertised 1296 as an English service frequency, as it was never intended to be. Once it became clear that the other language versions of the programme are not interested in using 1296, our management decided to switch it back to the Dutch service. I am not aware of all the discussions, and the ramifications thereof, within the Euranet consortium. (Andy Sennitt, DX Listening Digest)
NEW ZEALAND The Board of the NZ Radio for the Print Disabled considered all the facts
presented but came to the decision to cease broadcasting as ZLXA on 3935 forthwith. The main reason for this decision is the state of the valves on the transmitter. We would need to renew the four valves (4/400c) at a cost of approximately $3000 also the cost of power at $400 per month and an annual licence of $700 combined makes this broadcasting service completely unfeasible.
The Board, though, has agreed to broadcast on 3935 over a weekend from 5.00 pm Friday 20th March through to Monday morning 23rd March 2009, (0400 20/3 - 1900 22/3 UT), depending on the transmitter functioning for that period. This is the best that we can do to enable the many international DXers to receive our transmission for one last time. (Kelvin Brayshaw, QSL Manager, NZ Radio Reading Service, EDXC via Michael Murray)
NIGERIA The Nigerian Minister of State for Education, Hajia Aishatu Dukku, has commissioned the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) Radio Station Radio at the NTI premises in Kaduna. However, the FM station has limited reach, and the minister appealed to the authorities of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to approve the expansion of the station from FM to shortwave in future, for the sake of all teachers in the country. (Guardian, Nigeria via Media Network)
NORTH KOREA Trans World Radio covertly brought 3400 radios into North Korea last year. Despite the difficulties in receiving TWR broadcasts and in contacting the outside world they received 19 letters from North Korea last year. (Noticiacristiana.com via Jose Miguel Romero, DX Listening Digest)
Radio Free Chosun added an additional broadcast on February 2, at 1230-1300 on 7550. (S. Hasegawa, Nagoya DX Circle, DX Listening Digest)
PAKISTAN Every night around 8 o’clock, the terrified residents of Swat valley crowd around their radios. They know that failure to listen and learn might lead to a lashing or a beheading.
Using a portable radio transmitter, a local Taliban leader, Shah Doran, on most nights outlines the newly-proscribed “un-Islamic” activities in Swat, like selling DVDs, watching cable television, singing and dancing, criticising the Taliban, shaving beards and allowing girls to attend school. He also reveals names of people the Taliban have recently killed for violating their decrees and those they plan to kill.
“They control everything through the radio,” said one Swat resident, who declined to give his name for fear the Taliban might kill him. “Everyone waits for the broadcast.” Soldiers largely stay inside their camps and have not destroyed mobile radio transmitters mounted on motorcycles or pick-up trucks that Shah Doran and the leader of the Taliban in Swat, Maulana Fazlullah, have expertly used to terrify the residents. Being named in one of the nightly broadcasts often leaves just two options: fleeing Swat, or turning up headless and dumped in a village square. (TheNews.com via DX Listening Digest)
Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Athar Abbas yesterday said the military was acquiring the latest technology to jam the illegal radio transmissions of the Swat Taliban, a private TV channel reported. The ISPR spokesman told the channel that the Taliban’s FM radio transmitters were mobile and could not be destroyed immediately. However, Abbas said, the acquisition of the technology would help block the illegal transmissions. (Daily Times via Media Network)
PALESTINE Al Quds TV audio heard on 6220 1610 February 3, much of the news was about the situation in Gaza. (Tarek Zeidan, Cairo, DX Listening Digest)
Shortwave audio about 30 seconds ahead of the web, heard signing on at 1600. (Jari Savolainen, Finland, ibid)
Several reporters to DXLD say that neither this station, nor the relay of Al Asqa TV audio on 5835, have been heard since February 4. They were both Hamas affiliated TV stations based in Beirut.
RUSSIA One of the most complicated schedules is of Radio Rossii. It seems they have four or more variations of their programmes, earlier named Orbita-1, Orbita-2, etc.; later Dubl-1, Dubl-2, etc. The tentative schedule looks like this (according to observations of US DXers and me):
Dubl-1 Far East: 1800-1400, regional programs usually on 12th minute after news: 6075 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy – programmes Radio Rossii and Radio Rossii Kamchatka at 2310-0000 and others; 5935 // 7320 Magadan - Programmes Radio Rossii and Radio Rossii Magadan.
Dubl-2 East Siberia: 2000-1600, includes regional programmes from Yakutsk/Radio Sakha on 6150, 7140, 7200, 7345
Dubl-3 West Siberia: 4050 Bishkek 2300-1800 (and 1800-2000 with Dubl-4 programmes), 6085 Krasnoyarsk, 6100 Kyzyl, 6195 Ulan Ude, all three 2200-1800 with regional programmes; 9495 Sukhumi, Abkhazia Mon-Sat 0600-0800 and 1600-1800
Dubl-4 Europe: Radio Rossii on: 0100-1600 6030, 0200-2200 5930 6160, 0500-0800 9840, 0825-1300 12075, 1325-1600 7310, 1625-2200 5905. Radio Rossii plus regional programmes on: Murmansk 5930 and Arkhangelsk 6160. Sometimes the programmes of Dubl-3 and 4 are common. (Rumen Pankov, Bulgaria, BDXC-UK Communication via DX Listening Digest)
GTRK Adygeya, via Tbiliskaya heard on February 23 (Monday) on 6005 1805-1850, talks in presumed Adyghian to 1830, then in Arabic 1830-1845, Turkish 1845-1850. SINPO was 43443 with interference from Radio 700, Germany.
On Wednesday February 25 I heard GTRK KabbalkTeleradio via Tbiliskaya on 6005 1830-1900 after BBC WS in Somali signed off, Kabardino announcement, native music, talks and interview. (Anker Petersen, Denmark, PLAYDX via DX Listening Digest)
ST HELENA Radio St. Helena (RSH) Station Manager, Gary Walters, is pleased to announce that, between 14 and 19 January, Radio St. Helena received 266 letters from Dxers around the world containing reports of the recent Radio St Helena Day shortwave transmission , which was held on the 15th November 2008.
Staff at Radio St Helena will immediately set to work, when we have received the new QSL cards. Gary and his staff send their best greetings to all DXers around the world and many thanks for their letters of appreciation.
The new 2008 QSL cards have been printed and have arrived in Germany. The cards will be sent to St. Helena very soon, but it will take up to three months for the cards to arrive at RSH. Therefore, DXers should not expect to find their QSLs in the mail before about July 2009. (Gary Walters, Radio St. Helena, via Robert Kipp, DX Listening Digest)
SAUDI ARABIA Buzz noted back on BSKSA February 2 at 1505 on 15435, it sounds like something frying, which may be exactly what’s happening somewhere in the transmitter, though so far it has not burned up! It’s easily audible but not strong enough yet to impede readability, cleared up by 1530. (Glenn Hauser, DX Listening Digest)
Several reports throughout last month of buzzing again on the Saudi transmitters.
SLOVAKIA Slovensky Rozhlas left mediumwave on February 1. They had been using transmitters in Presov/Haniska on 702 (100 kW), Rimavska Sobota on 1017 (50 kW) and Nitra/Jarok on 1098 kHz (50 kW). Mediumwave had been kept for Radio Patria, the minority Service, their services are now on FM. (Kai Ludwig, Germany, DXLD)
1098 returned with a transmitter in the Slovak radio in Bratislava due to poor FM overage of the capital. Radio Patria carried 0500-1700, power of transmitter up to 10kw. DRM tests 0500-1700 with 1kw. L shaped horizontal wire antenna on the top of the building. (Karel Honzik, Czech Republic, Medium Wave Circle)
SOMALIA Interactive Radio Programme for Somalis, listed in WRTH 2009, has been replaced by Somali Interactive Radio Instruction Programme. Schedule is 0545-0615 Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday and 0620-0650 Monday, Tuesday and Saturday on 15340 via Dhabbaya. (WRTH update via DX Listening Digest)
SRI LANKA BBC World Service suspended its FM programming to the Sri Lankan national broadcaster SLBC from Tuesday 10 February due to deliberate interference of its broadcasts by the Sri Lankan network. BBC programmes and individual news reports in the English, Sinhala and Tamil languages have been blocked by SLBC and have not been broadcast to listeners in Sri Lanka. The BBC expressed its concern directly to SLBC Chairman Hudson Samarasinghe in a series of letters and meetings throughout December and early January. The BBC made it clear to SLBC that such interference and blocking meant that BBC programming was being editorially compromised by SLBC's actions and this was contrary to the BBC's contractual agreement with SLBC.
BBC World Service Director Nigel Chapman said: "We are dismayed that the BBC's programmes in the English, Sinhala and Tamil languages have been interrupted on the SLBC network. We are equally disappointed to see that our programmes continue to be interfered with even after our representations. We have no choice but to suspend broadcasts until such time as SLBC can guarantee our programming is transmitted without interference. The BBC has had a very cordial and effective partnership with the SLBC since 1998 – part of a strong relationship with listeners in that country that goes back to the 1940s. We are keen to keep this relationship going provided that SLBC adheres to the agreements we have with it. But at the heart of these agreements is the guarantee that our programmes in English, Sinhala, and Tamil are broadcast uninterrupted. If this can not be guaranteed we can not continue our relationship.”
The BBC's services in all three languages remain in Sri Lanka via short wave and the internet. News bulletins in English are available via the Sri Lankan commercial broadcaster MBC. (BBCWS press release)
SLBC Chairman Hudson Samarasinghe said that SLBC had the right to do as it wished after paying for programming from outside sources. "This is the voice of the nation," Samarasinghe told Reuters. "I don’t have the freedom to air the voice of Prabhakaran who wants to divide the country." He was referring to BBC broadcasts in November that included Tamil Tigers leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran’s annual address, which state media are prohibited from broadcasting. (Reuters via Media Network)
SYRIA Radio Damascus heard on both 9330 and 12085 February 2 1802-1812 with their German programme, good signal but low modulation on 9330, weaker signal but better modulation and less buzz on 12085. (Jose Miguel Romero, Spain, DX Listening Digest)
TURKEY As of February 1 Voice of Turkey shortwave broadcasts in Hungarian, Romanian, Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian as well as the evening show in Russian, were cancelled. They continue to be available on the internet and satellite. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria via DXLD)
UKRAINE Radio Ukraine International(RUI) has laid off its DX editor Alexander Yegerov who writes: The farewell broadcast of my DX-programme, Whole World on the Dial 1616, will go on the air February 21/22. Its future will depend mostly on whether I'll be able to negotiate a part-time work at RUI.
Of course, I feel very sad about closing the programme after almost 13 years. But one can't survive just on moral satisfaction from his hobby when he only has a meagre state pension to lean on. In these difficult times we all are forced to think about our daily bread and survival. It's unclear what awaits us ahead. I have to say that producing an English language program has never been easy for me. I am not a linguist or professional narrator.
The most unfortunate part is that RUI's director publicly spoke against my DX-programme. In reality he never listened to it since he doesn't understand English. But he confidently pronounced that no one needs it and that my position should be taken up by a specialist in politics and information. (Open DX via Sergei Sosedkin, DX Listening Digest)
UNITED KINGDOM Latest RSL’s from the Ofcom website:
Birmingham: Radio Vaisakhi 87.7 April 1 to 28
Bolton: BYFM 87.9 April 6 to 9
Bradford: Sabrang Radio 87.7 March 30 to April 26
Bury: BOSC FM 87.7 March 11 to 13
Cheltenham: Cheltenham Radio 87.7 March 10 to 13
Doncaster: SINE FM 102.6 March 16 to April 9
Dundee: Bridge FM 87.7 March 28 to April 5
Farnborough: Echo 106.8 March 2 to 27
Glasgow: Subcity Radio 106.6 February 20 to March 19
Leeds: Akash Radio 99.9 April 1 to 28
Leeds: KB FM 87.7 February 26 to March 25
Leicester: SuperSonic FM 87.7 March 6 to 15
Leicester: Vaisakhi Radio 95.1 March 30 to April 26
London E2: Beta Bangla 87.7 March 31 to April 27
London NW3: NME Radio 87.7 March 2 to 29
Poole: Nerve FM 87.7 March 13 to 27
Slough: Awaz Radio 87.8 March 29 to April 25
Winchcombe: Radio Winchcombe 87.7 March 28 to April 5
Withington: Refresh FM 87.7 April 5 to May 2
Wolverhampton: Akaal Radio 87.9 April 6 to May 3
BBC World Service to South East Asia is using new 7355 via Singapore 1600-1800 ex 7270. (DX Mix News, Bulgaria via DX Listening Digest)
The Catterick LPAM transmitter on 1287, formerly Garrison Radio, is now carrying a new service, Army Talk. This is the first every all talk station for the British Army. (Steve Whitt, Medium Wave Circle)
UNITED STATES KJES is still active and heard January 24 at 1516, religious lesson in English with very low modulation on 11715. WRTH says that besides the main 50kw transmitter they have a 5kw backup so that may explain poor signals and/or modulation at times. US shortwave stations are supposed to use 50 kW at least, but if you’re on the backup of necessity, that is a legitimate excuse. This station has always stayed on-message, never straying, never selling any airtime to outsiders in order to finance its own output or obviously needed upkeep. (Glenn Hauser, DXLD)
Heard same day at 1910 on 15385 with robotic kids. (Liz Cameron, Michigan, ibid)
In addition to the Saturday broadcast at 0900 on 9510 World of Radio is also heard Fridays at 2030 on 7290 via IRRS.
Voice of America English via Sri Lanka being heard well here 1500-1600 on 12150.
WWRB heard with Brother Stair programming at 2100 on 9385. (Allen Dean, Lancashire)
ZIMBABWE Voice of the People schedule is now 0400-0457 on 11610, 1700-1757 on 7430 both via the Radio Netherlands Madagascar site. (DX Mix News Bulgaria via DXLD)
Heard in Denmark on 7430 1700-1710 February 2 with vernacular talk, SINPO 33232. (Anker Petersen, PLAYDX via DX Listening Digest)
Zimbabwe Community Radio started transmissions March 1 daily 2000-2100 on 5935 via transmitters in the UAE. From March 29 will switch frequency to 5995. In Ndebelde from 2000, English at 2025 and Shona at 2045. 5935 is a noisy channel with much co-channel and adjacent channel interference, on March 1 at 2000 there was a station in presumed Russian on the frequency and an identification in English for Zimbabwe Community Radio underneath that. (Jari Savolainen, Finland, DX Listening Digest)
Speaking to the Standard newspaper station representative William Ndlovu said: The new government, especially the two MDC parties, should fight for the liberalisation of the airwaves since they were the ones who have always been fighting for democracy. We are waiting for a license so that we can operate in the country and if we are not given that license we will continue broadcasting from outside.
He said that Zimbabwe Community Radio would provide a channel for communication on economic, political, social, cultural, and developmental issues that confront the Zimbabwean community and that "Another aim of the station includes creating awareness on the value of community radio for development, freedom of speech, and the promotion of local culture, especially among marginalised minorities," (Tony Rogers, BDXC-UK)
CONTRIBUTORS: UK: Allen Dean, Michael Murray. Germany: Wolfgang Bueschel. Greece: Zacharias Liangas. Until next month, MIKE
