[HCDX]: G Hauser's Shortwave/DX Report 99-56

[Glenn Hauser <wghauser@xxxxxxxxx>]

        GLENN HAUSER'S SHORTWAVE/DX REPORT 99-56, Nov. 19, 1999

{Items from this and all our reports may be reproduced and re-
reproduced only providing full credit be maintained at all stages}

** AUSTRIA. Happened to hear ORF English at 1625 Nov 19 on Sackville 
17865 interviewing their webmaster for http://roi.orf.at He said ORF 
has some 200 pages on the internet. Now some of them are available in 
new non-frames version, for the benefit of blind visitors using 
Lynx(?) browsers for reading text only, in German, English, Spanish 
and French. As far as he knows, ORF is the only station in Europe 
doing this. Also plans to increase the amount of audio on demand for 
benefit of blind and all listeners (Glenn Hauser, OK)

** CANADA. November 19, 1999

Thanks to a tip from Ricky Leong of Brossard, Quebec. A promotional 
loop tape is appearing now (3 PM EST, 2000 UTC) on 940 kHz promoting 
the new CKNN 940News.

The continuous tape is announcing 940 as the future home of 
MetroMedia's 940 News, CKNN. They are announcing a start date of 
December 14. They are also announcing that they will be using 50,000 
watts, the most power allowed by law.

They are also indicating that they will have an affiliation with CNN 
News, with Wolf Blitzer of CNN Washington, doing a promo for 940 
News. Lots of other details as to what we will be hearing on the 
station.

Both 940 and 690 kHz were testing earlier today with classical music 
feeds over both frequencies. It appears that MetroMedia is using the 
old CBM 940 and CBF 690 kHz transmitter site in Brossard/Laprairie,
Quebec.

Presumably, 690 kHz will have a similar format in French, but it has 
not been confirmed at this time as to whether or not the Info 690 
service will begin on the same date. More as it develops.

(Sheldon Harvey, CIDX, Greenfield Park, Quebec)

** COSTA RICA. See INDIA below

** CUBA. This is nothing new, and I am sure many others have noticed 
it, but yet another RHC engineering problem needs to be put on the 
record. The transmitter on 11760 is accompanied by a huge buzz on 
both sidebands. This is not the sound you hear when tuning plus or 
minus 5 from any other strong signal, but quite distinct, making the 
adjacent channels less usable by other stations than they should be, 
and annoying the ears of anyone tuning across 11760. If one tunes 
exactly to 11760, the buzz is hardly audible, but increases with 
tuning off to either side. I imagine it would be quite obvious and 
strange on a spectrum analyzer. This was at 1250 Nov 19, and I 
believe I have also noticed it on other RHC frequencies at other 
times. (Glenn Hauser, OK)

** GREECE [non]. VOA-USA relay at 1800-2200 continues on 17705 only, 
nothing on 17565 any more Nov 19, tho it is still used immediately 
before and after (see USA below).

This day, VOG audio was even worse than usual, during the English 
news at 1800 and Spanish at 1815. It sounded like an FM station 
mistuned to the side, and in addition, at only a slightly lower level 
was continuous talk in Greek, evidently mixing from another ERT 
program on the satellite feed. It?s hard to be sure whether the 
downlink at VOA was mistuned, or the uplink in Greece, but more 
likely the problem is in Greece, where they have never been able to 
get a decent quality audio signal into the VOA USA relays since they 
started! Fortunately, Europeans and perhaps eastern North Americans 
can get the same service direct from Greece on 9425 which was audible 
here tho weak and fluttery; as far as I could tell there was no 
crosstalk and the audio was decent (also listed on //7450) (Glenn 
Hauser, OK)

** INDIA/COSTA RICA/U S A. The transpolar All India Radio seldom puts 
a listenable signal into deep North America (whatever became of their 
plans for a relay in West Africa or Caribbean??), but Nov 19 at 1827 
I was pleased to find some Indian music on 13750, with some flutter. 
Worse, there was a low heterodyne, whose audio was more detectable by 
switching to LSB -- who else but Dr Gene Scott via Costa Rica. True to 
form, he wants to use his new toys 24 hours unlike AWR, and damn the 
QRM. I understand that 9725 is running 24 h, tho I cannot hear it at 
midday; and I found 11870v also reactivated. 1830 GOS of AIR ID and 
into talk in English, but I was concentrating on measuring the two 
frequencies. TIDGS was on about 13748.8 and AIR on 13748.9 (Glenn 
Hauser, OK)

** PHILIPPINES. The unID on 12095 clashing with BBC's sesqui-decades- 
old frequency in 99-54 turns out to be: FEBC. The next day, Nov 18 at 
1201, we heard their IS, ``We have heard the joyous sound, Jesus 
Saves, Jesus Saves [allegedly]''. Then went to FEBC website and opened 
their exhaustive frequency-management schedule which promptly 
admitted to usage of 12095 from Bocaue on 280 degrees, at 1030-1045 
in Mien, 1045-1100 in Khmu, 1100-1130 in Blue or White Hmong 
depending on day of week (I believe that refers to the color of their 
traditional garb), 1130-1200 Lao, 1200-1300 Khmer. Recheck Nov 19 
found both this and BBC quite weak but still clashing. I imagine this 
is a big problem for BBC in Asia, Mideast and Africa. They are now 
aware of it, so we?ll see how long this conflict lasts. I notice that 
Alan Davies in Malaysia thinks FEBC had moved this service from 11610 
(Glenn Hauser, OK)

** ROMANIA. We continue to check RRI's faulty transmitters on 16 
meters. Nov 18 at 1320 we were surprised to find RRI actually on 
17805.0 directly clashing with some other station, but a few minutes 
later the het appeared on about 17807.45 as RRI apparently jumped to 
the usual variable offset. Nov 19 at *1300 RRI we measured on about 
17806.96 (Glenn Hauser, OK)

** TURKEY. Based on the B-99 TRT frequency schedule, of which we now 
have a hard copy, we publicized a new broadcast in Spanish daily at 
1730-1800 on 11670 from Emirler, 500 kW DSB to CIRAF Zones 28 and 27. 
Every line also specifies period of operation, i.e. 311099 to 260300. 
But Jaime Baguena in Holland told me Nov. 18 that he had checked for 
it and heard nothing but noise on the frequency. So this may well not 
have actually started. Of course, Turkey and TRT have plenty of more 
important problems. Possibly they are waiting until Jan 1 to hire 
some of the Spanish staff DW will be dismissing as of Dec 31! (Glenn 
Hauser)

** U S A. Now seems VOA has a full hour of Spe-cial Eng-lish at 1600-
1700; happened on this Nov 19 at 1628 on 17895, better than //13600, 
when they were referring to http://www.dyned.com -- that is the site 
of the commercial enterprise Dynamic English, which apparently since 
Oct 1 has a contract to provide VOA Special English programming and 
associated learning materials. A week by week schedule of topics is 
included. 1630 went into news. The Special English page on the VOA 
website is apparently outdated, since it does not show any at 1600-
1630. But the schedule by language shows:

English-Special 
0030-0100 UTC (Middle East and Asia) 1548 1575 7215 9890 11760 15185 
              15290 17735 17820 
0130-0200 UTC# (Caribbean and Latin America) 7405 9775 13740
              [# probably means Tue-Sat]
1500-1530 UTC (Asia) 6110 9760 9845 12040 15460 
1530-1600 UTC (Asia) 1575 6110 9760 9845 12040 15460 
1600-1700 UTC (Africa) 13600 15445 17895 
1900-2000 UTC (Middle East and South Asia) 9785 12015 13640 
2300-2330 UTC (Asia) 6045 7130 7140 9545 11925 15395 
2330-2400 UTC (Asia) 6045 7140 9535 9545 9760 11805 15205 15395 

While I was at it, I checked for info on VOA Creole broadcasts, which 
continue to be heard on 17565 at 1730-1800 and 2200-2230, the 
frequency which has stopped carrying V. of Greece relay between them. 
The site has a history and description in English of each language 
service. Creole features ``News in Verse'' on the Friday morning 
broadcast. That should be fun, and perhaps comprehensible to those 
speaking standard French.

Creole 
1230-1300 UTC Mon-Fri 9525 9670 15305 
1730-1800 UTC 15305 15385 17565 
2200-2230 UTC 9670 17565 21485 
(Glenn Hauser, OK)

** U S A. Dear Glenn, Pleased to report new programs on WBCQ-The 
Planet. Planet Lavender starts Nov 27, [Sat] 2200-2300 utc; it's an 
oldies music program for lesbians and gay men. Radio Detective starts 
Fri Nov 26, 2230-2300 utc, featuring talk of old radios, programs and 
some music of the period of radio's golden age (1930's). Regeneration 
airs Sunday 2230-2300 utc and features music and political commentary 
in a very entertaining way.

We have tested our second transmitter and it runs excellent. The new
700 foot rhombic operates very well also. We have the option with this
transmitter to run very clean AM or SSB. The latter, at certain times,
we shall be using during the testing period. Currently we are
searching out a frequency in the 31 meter band and as soon as one is
found, we will be testing daily and in the evenings EST. Have one
religious programmer who wants most of the time on WBCQ - Two, but it
is not confirmed at this time. If he does not want the time I will
search elsewhere. As soon as I know a frequency, I will pass it along.
Cheers, (Allan Weiner, Nov 19)

** U S A. [The correct time for the 'Radio Hall Of Fame' Sat 11/20 is 
(apparently) 8PM CT, not 9PM]. ??

'The 1999 Radio Hall Of Fame' from Chicago's Museum Of Broadcast
Communcations airs (apparently) Sat night Nov. 20 at 8PM CT

It seems that the Museum website (Scroll to the bottom)
http://www.mbcnet.org/
lists two times for their audio/video webcast: (8 and 9 CT). 
[maybe it is two hours long?? For those abroad, we are talking about 
UT Sunday Nov 21 at 0200 and/or 0300 -gh]

However,  WGN in Chicago has advised me that they'll carry it at 8PM
Chicago time. Either KGO or KSFO in San Francisco will carry it at 
6PM PT (according to a post they sent me).  

Haven't heard from WABC. (WLS, WBBM, and WOR are other possibilities;
Also, check some of the ABC News-Talk stations here:
http://broadcast.go.com/radio/
 
[WMAL in D.C. definitely is not airing it, this year,  though they
advised me that if their former morning team had won the Regional 
award, they'd have pre-empted their sporting event]

Casey Kasem is host, Jim Bohannon is usually the 'old time' 
announcer. (You can also listen later on demand at the Museum's 
website).

BUT, Later: Glenn:
Radio Hall Of Fame At 9PM CT on WGN & 7PM PT on KGO. Here's WGN's
advice this AM.  (Check both 8 & 9 PM CT!) Chet
---------------------------
Message From: mrose@xxxxxxxxxxx 
Hall Of Fame Sat night?
Hold the presses!! I'm confused also. I've just been told the actual 
broadcast is at 9pm. Apparently it moved. Sorry. (via Chet Copeland)

** U S A. TV Without Pictures is the subject of this week's Lost and 
Found Sound on NPR All Things Considered. L&FS airs during part or 
all of the 2135-2200 UT segment on Fridays, repeated 2-hourly. BTW, 
CBC Hotsheets tipped us that This Morning is also starting a 
Canadian-oriented version using exactly the same name! We listened, 
and to start they interviewed the NPR people about their show. BTW2, 
NPR's Weekly Edition will be repeating sometime in the next few weeks 
a previous L&FS about All-Girl Radio, WHER, as I requested, having 
missed Part 2 (Glenn Hauser, OK)

THIS DAY'S SOMALI LESSON [and Arabic, and Russian]

Dear Glenn, Looking at your WOR 1012 script summary I see you ask how 
Gaalkacyo [7012 kHz] is pronounced.

Somali orthography and pronunciation is a subject by turns 
fascinating, bewildering and frustrating. Until the the 1960s the 
Somali language was generally written using the Arabic alphabet, but 
then President Siad Barre (pronounced See-add Ba-ray) decided that 
Somalia needed such modern delights as one-party rule, Marxism-
Leninism and the Roman alphabet.

However, the introduction of the Roman alphabet was done in a 
delightfully eccentric manner. For example, the letter X was deemed 
to be pronounced like H, so many Somalis have the first name Moxamed. 
Similarly, it was deemed that the letter C should be a vowel! It is 
pronounced something like a short, sharp A. Thus there is a town in 
northern Somalia which is spelt Burco, but pronounced Bur'ow. Another 
great one to catch the unwary is a town in southern Somalia spelt 
Baydhabo but pronounced Buy-doh-a.

Thus Gaalkacyo is pronounced Gaaal-ky-oh, not Gal-kak-yoh as one 
might think.

The pronunciation and spelling of Somali place names is further 
complicated by the lingering influence of the former colonial power 
in the south, Italy. Actually this can be turned to advantage as one 
can use Italian spellings to get an idea of the pronunciation. Thus, 
the Italian spelling for Gaalkacyo is Galcaio, and the town Baydhabo 
mentioned above has the Italian spelling Baidoa. As I'm sure your 
linguistic erudition extends to Italian, perhaps this will be of some 
use. [my NY Times Atlas spells it Gallacaio (Rocca Littorio) -gh]

Finally, I hope you will not mind a small correction to your Turkish 
lesson. The Arabic for "republic" is "jamhuriyah" (or "jumhuriyah"). 
The word "jamahiriyah" - with the extra syllable - is a Qadhafi 
invention for Libya. Regards (Chris Greenway, BBCM, Nov 18)

Glen, a correct name of this station should be R. Chechnya Svobodnaya 
(Svoboda = Freedom, Svobodnaya = Free). You quote Nikolay 
Pashkewitch, but he already used the correct name in his original 
message... Regards, (Karel Honzik, the Czech Republic)            ###





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