[HCDX]: DX Listening Digest 00-77 June 21

["Glenn Hauser" <wghauser@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

	DX LISTENING DIGEST 00-77, June 21, 2000
	edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@xxxxxxxxxxx

{Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only providing
full credit be maintained at all stages and we are provided exchange
copies. DXLD may not be reposted in its entirety without permission}

** CONGO DR [non]. Radio Liberté heard again on shortwave. The Ugandan
-backed Radio Liberté which is run by the DRCongo rebel group, the
Movement for the Liberation of Congo, was heard by BBC Monitoring on
20th June for the first time since early April. It was observed on
15725 kHz with a news bulletin in French at 1900 gmt. Source: BBC
Monitoring research 20 Jun 00 (via DXLD)

** FALKLAND ISLANDS [non]. DX Information from the British DX Club
(BDXC-UK). Someone asked recently if the BBCWS ``Calling the
Falklands`` programme is still on the air. I can confirm it is
currently broadcast on Tuesdays and Fridays only at 2130-2145 UTC on
11680 kHz (from Rampisham). (Dave Kenny, Caversham, June 21, BDXC-UK
via DXLD)

** FIJI. Linkname: OJR Features: The Tale of Fijilive: I think I'm
going to die here...  URL:
http://ojr.usc.edu/content/story.cfm?request=392  size: 429 lines.
Not shortwave, but an interesting story on providing a breaking news
website at short notice during the recent Fiji coup from the Online
Journalism Review of the University of Southern Calif. Fiji is all
AM/FM otherwise. (Daniel Say, swprograms, June 21 via DXLD)

And includes lots of links to further stories (gh, DXLD)

** GERMANY. Subject:  Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg on shortwave

Ostdeutscher Rundfunk Brandenburg (ORB) is the public broadcaster for
the German federal state of Brandenburg and has its headquarters at
Potsdam-Babelsberg. Since 1993 ORB uses no mediumwave transmitters
anymore but is now to do its very first shortwave broadcasts. On the
occasion of the Berlin ``Love Parade`` the ORB youth program
``Fritz`` will be carried on shortwave as follows; days referring to
the start times of the respective frequencies:

You can find a complete schedule with times in UTC at
http://www.fritz.de/loveradio/shortwave.html

July 7:
1600-1800   5965
1600-2100  15755 (Far East)
1800-0600   3965
2200-0500   9405 (South America)

July 8:
0000-0500   9525 (North America)
0600-1000  13810 (Australia)
0600-1100   5850
1100-1600   5975
1600-1800   5965
1800-0600   3965

July 9:
0600-1100   5850
1100-1600   5975

Target area is Europe unless otherwise stated. The first, somewhat
fuzzy notice (which also mentioned local times in the target areas
only, I hope I converted it properly into UTC) did not include the
transmitter site, but no doubt this will be Jülich, as the frequency
set consists mostly of regular Jülich channels. On air ID of this
special programming will be ``Fritz Love Radio``.

Address: ORB - Fritz, P.O.-Box 90 90 00, 14439 Potsdam; mail
redaktion@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; URL http://www.fritz.de. (Please, disregard
the WRTH, as the ORB entry there is hopeless outdated, even the FM
frequency table contains various errors, for example all high power
``Cottbus`` frequencies originate in fact from the separately listed
Calau site, while Dequede no longer carries ORB programming.)
Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** HAWAII. If you would like to experience Americana from the
farthest western reaches of our country, try the Web site of KCCN-FM
in Honolulu, Hawaii. KCCN has an all- Hawaiian music format and DJs
with real Hawaiian accents. There is the usual spoken word content of
commercial radio: news, traffic reports, disk jockey banter, and
weather. To me, even the weather forecasts are exotic, because they
use terms we never hear in Washington, such as "windward" and "trade
winds." TAPE: CUT 5 (deadpot at *, full to :50) KIM: The music I
heard was Hawaiian, but contemporary, not the traditional Polynesian
fare we know from the old shortwave service of Radio Tahiti. The URL
is http://www.kccnfm100.com (Kim Elliott, VOA Communications World
June 17 via John Norfolk, DXLD)

** INDIA. Glenn, Harold Sellers mentioned to me that AIR may be
audible on 11715 for their latter transmission 2045-2230. I can't
check that out until the weekend, but perhaps you can check it out
today. Their website shows this freq directed toward Oz/NZ. 73, (Ivan
Grishin, June 20, DX LISTENING DIGEST) June 20 I checked 11715 off
and on during the first hour but inaudible here; inconclusive (gh,
OK, DXLD)

** NICARAGUA. Very weak audio but could hear a male announcer. I am
guessing Miskut is back up on 5770 at 0135 UT 20 Jun 00. (Bob
Montgomery, PA, hard-core-dx via DXLD) I have checked 5770 (and 5890
for Honduras) at various hours of the morning and evening last few
days with no results yet (gh, OK, June 21, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** SWEDEN. We have a shortwave change for our broadcast to North
America at 03:30 hrs UTC. We're dropping 9495 kHz, which has suffered
from interference in some areas, while staying on our new frequency
of 15245 kHz. (SCDX/MediaScan June 20 via DXLD)

** U S A. The Joy of Music, only program worth listening to on KTBN,
has been cancelled Tuesdays at 1600, but still is on the TV schedule;
Sundays at 0930 on 7510 (Glenn Hauser, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** U S A. From WBCQ Central: We are working on a third transmitter.
It will do both compatible SSB and full AM. Listenership is growing
steadily at the Planet. Our listeners tell us we have the widest
variety of programs and they say we are the best station on the dial.
I strive to bring the most to the station. We add another music
program ``London Calling`` on Mondays 8pm eastern [UT Tue 0000]. New
program on Saturday 5pm eastern [2100 UT] "Havezower" will feature
alternative music. More music programs in the works. Looks like the
Mon-Thu timeslot 11pm-12mid [UT Tue-Fri 0300-0400], just vacated by
Brother Stair, will also go over to an alternative music producer!
More music on shortwave-you bet!! (Allan Weiner, WBCQ, June 20, DXLD)
Later:

Dear Glenn, Flash! Great programming ahead on 7415 Mon-Thu 11pm-12mid
Eastern. Complex Variables Studio will be producing new exciting
alternative music shows as follows:
Mon. Barking Dogs And Running Water
Tues. Silk Purse
Wed. Magic Radio
Thur. Tashs Talks Continue.
Together with their weekend lineup on Friday, We've got trouble now
6:30-7pm EDT [2230-2300 UT], and Sat, Hear Now and Le Bon Bon Club
10pm-mid [UT Sun 0200-0400] It's more music and more different stuff
on WBCQ the Planet!! Cheers, (Allan Weiner, June 21, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)

** VIETNAM. VOV on new 13720 in French at 2100; in English at 2030
also on new 13750 mixing Cuba, //13740 (Chris Hambly, Victoria, June
20, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** ZIMBABWE [non]. Zimbabwe: New ``Voice of the People`` radio
continues to be heard on shortwave

The new shortwave radio station broadcasting to Zimbabwe, which calls
itself ``Radio VOP, Voice of the People``, continues to be heard.

(Radio Netherlands reported on 15th June that the new station had
been heard testing ``over the last few days``. The Harare newspaper
`Zimbabwe Standard' reported  on 11th June that the radio would start
operating on 14th June. Another Zimbabwean newspaper, `The Herald',
reported on 15th June that broadcasts had begun on 13th June.)

Radio VOP is observed broadcasting daily with two half-hour
transmissions at 1700 and 1915 gmt (7 and 9.15 p.m. local times
respectively) on the shortwave frequency of 7215 kHz. Programming is
mainly in Shona and Ndebele, the two main languages spoken in
Zimbabwe, with a lesser amount of material in English. The radio's
output is devoted to the current political scene in Zimbabwe, in
particular the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

In an announcement in English on 19th June, the station stated its
objectives: ``Radio VOP promises to inform and entertain, and at the
same time allow people to air their views. Our focus, with the
forthcoming general elections on 24th and 25th of this month, is to
give the contesting parties a chance to spell out what they stand
for.``

An announcement in Ndebele on 18th June said: ``Your vote is your
right. Your vote is secret. No-one will know who you voted for.``

The radio's programming on 18th and 19th June included a commentary
on the current political scene in Zimbabwe and the country's
involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, an
interview with political analyst Prof Masipula Sithole (a member of
the former Forum for Democratic Reform), and an interview with the
candidate for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
party in the parliamentary constituency of Mberengwa East.

Radio VOP has not been heard to announce an address or any other
contact details or any details of where it is broadcasting from. It
has also not been heard to announce details of any party or
organization that is operating or sponsoring the station.

An announcement monitored by Radio Netherlands from Radio VOP whilst
the station was testing stated that: ``This station is for every
Zimbabwean, it belongs to no political party, it does not have to
answer to any advertisers. It is your station, your views, your life
and we hope that you will be entertained and informed by our
programming. Our aim is to promote peace in these troubled political
times and we hope that, hearing many different views and many
different opinions, Zimbabweans together can hope to build a
democratic society.``

The progovernment newspaper, `The Herald,' reported on 15th June that
the new radio was broadcasting ``from an unknown location``. It cited
unnamed sources as saying that it was "suspected to be based either
in South Africa or Europe``. `The Herald' quoted the minister of
information, posts and telecommunications, Chen Chimutengwende, as
saying that the government had launched investigations to identify
those behind the station.

Sources:

Radio VOP, Voice of the People in English, Shona and Ndebele 17-19
Jun 00

Radio Netherlands external service, Hilversum, in English, 1150 gmt
15 Jun
00

`Zimbabwe Standard' web site, Harare, in English 11 Jun 00

`The Herald' web site, Harare, in English 15 Jun 00
((C) BBC Monitoring June 21 via DXLD)                       ###


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