[HCDX]: DX Listening Digest 00-79 June 24

["Glenn Hauser" <wghauser@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

	DX LISTENING DIGEST 00-79, June 24, 2000
	edited by Glenn Hauser, wghauser@xxxxxxxxxxx

{Items from DXLD may be reproduced and re-reproduced only providing
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** BOLIVIA. 4802V (listed at 4815): R. Mamoré is back operating at
full power. Through coordination of Cumbre contributors Walt Fair
(Venezuela) and Bill Smith (TX), a pair of new 813 style transmitting
tubes (Russian GU-13) was generously donated by Latvian amateur radio
operator Gintras Sakenas, LY2KW, who direct shipped to R. Mamoré
three weeks ago. R. Mamoré owner Lucio Montan reported to Fair June
20 the tubes were safely received, installed in the transmitter and
that he, Lucio, is appreciative for the assistance. Sakenas is a
distributor of radio parts and equipment. R. Mamoré is a rare DX
catch. Lucio Montan has agreed to broadcast specific DX test
transmissions for tropical band DXers. The time and dates are being
determined. CUMBRE readers will be advised. This is an example how
shortwave DXers and amateur radio operators can help keep small ``mom
and pop`` tropical band radio stations serving their intended local
audience while providing excellent DXing opportunities (Bill Smith,
TX, Cumbre DX June 22 via DXLD)

** CONGO DR [non]. CLANDESTINE from/to CONGO; 15725: Radio Télé
Liberté: saw the BBCMS report via DXLD that this one was back so I
decided to give it a shot. I heard it June 21 from 1915 with music,
retuned at 1930 to hear the same male announcer I heard before a few
months back till 1945 fade. (Hans Johnson, WY, Cumbre DX via DXLD)

** ETHIOPIA [non]. CLANDESTINE from GERMANY to ETHIOPIA; 15715: Radio
Huriyo is the ID the ILG is listing for this new one. Heard both Jun
16 and 20, sked is Tue and Fri  1630-1700. 1627 open carrier, jumped
into percussion tune lasting about a minute, Islamic greeting
[strange, I thought Ethiopia was largely Christian, but it I guess we
know Radio Huriyo's slant now]. ID by man in Amharic [Radio Freedom?
Hurriyah is 'freedom' in Arabic; wonder if Huriyo is freedom in
Amharic.] Short Koranic recitation. Some very short talks, but mostly
music until 1658 suddenly off. I also hear Voice of Oromo Liberation
on the same frequency at 1700, but at a much weaker level. (Johnson
Jun 16, 20) heard at 1915 tune in mixing with presumed WYFR in
German. Talk in Amharic with Western music bridge at 1923, one
Ethiopian song. Then closing announcements with ID and off at 1929.
(Hans Johnson, WY, June 21, Cumbre DX via DXLD)

** GUATEMALA. 4052.47, R. Verdad, June 10 0125-0219, Soft SP
religious music throughout with occasional announcements by live man
announcer. Mention of San Felipe and ``...escucha todo el país...``
at 0133, and ``La Cruz`` at 0142. ID during announcements at 0150
``TG?? (could be AV) Chiquimula...este es... R. Verdad...informa ??.
Saludos amigos...escucha...``, and at 0154 ``...el corazón...
principal...de potencia ?? R. Verdad...P.O. Box (yes, address in
EG!!) ?? Guatemala, oficina... (music bridge) ...R. Verdad, desde
Chiquimula, Guatemala...``. A Coo-Coo SFX was played at 0203 denoting
top of the hour followed by a canned announcement, but didn't get an
ID there. Several more IDs were noted at 0206 and 0218 (2). Poor
signal amid the noise, but just good enough to ID. Surprised to hear
this as I didn't expect it to be on so late (Dave Valko, PA, Cumbre
DX June 22 via DXLD)

** LIBYA [non?]. Tho Radio Northsea International is not mentioned,
Meister & Bollier continue to make news in connexion with the
Lockerbie trial. Here`s one from last week:

Cape Zeist, Netherlands (AP) ? The co-owner of a Swiss company that
supplied electronic components to the Libyan government testified
Friday that he received an ``urgent`` order for 40 timers just days
before the 1988 explosion of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie,
Scotland.

Irwin Meister of the Swiss firm of Meister and Bollier, Ltd., said
his business partner, Edwin Bollier, took 40 Olympus timers to
Tripoli at the request of the Libyan government, but brought all of
them back to Switzerland.

The timer the prosecution believes detonated the explosives wasn`t an
Olympus timer, but another sort, called MST13.

One of the Olympus clocks had been set to go off at 7:30 p.m. on a
Wednesday, Meister said. The bomb that killed 270 people, including
189 Americans, went off at 7:03 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21. (Enid
News & Eagle June 17 via gh, DXLD)

NPR`s Weekend Edition, Saturday, June 24, had an item on this which
first aired at 1230-1234 UT, and is available at the ``latest program
audio`` listing on the NPR website:

Lockerbie Trial (14.4 | 28.8) -- NPR's Sarah Chayes reports on
testimony heard this week at the Lockerbie trial in Netherlands. The
court heard from a key witness: the co-owner of the Swiss electronics
firm that manufactured a timer which prosecutors say detonated the
bomb on Pan Am Flight 103. (3:30).

http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/wesat/20000624.wesat.05.rmm
or
http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/wesat/20000624.wesat.05.ram

Edwin Bollier was described as a ``cold war mercenary`` who had
worked with the East Germam Stasi for 20 years, paid in generous lump
sums. He also solid timers to Stasi, so an East German connexion in
the case was being made. (gh, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** OKLAHOMA. The current page of our Oklahoma Broadcasting News has
been changed to
http://www.angelfire.com/ok/worldofradio/Oklahoma5.html  Now that
this is active again, we may not necessarily post all Oklahoma items
in DXLD (gh)

** RUSSIA. Previously TWR rented airtime on Radio Odin, but recently
they cancelled and changed to Mayak instead. The official name of
Radio-1 according to the license was ``Radio Odin Kultura`` already
since they became a commercial broadcaster in 1997, but on air always
simply ``Radio Odin`` was used. Reportedly Radio Odin will resume
broadcasting first on a 66...73 MHz band frequency in Moscow; we
will have to monitor if Belarus will again rebroadcast Radio-1,
especially on LW 171.

And regarding Radio Slavyanka: According to Anatoly Klepov they are
23 hours a day on FM 107.8 in Moscowl; the remaining hour is in use
by the station of the Moscow police (``Militseyskaya Volna``). The
origin of the limited operations on MW 990 in Moscow area is listed
as Povarovo; this site is not mentioned for any other broadcast
frequency, so I guess this is a military transmitter; perhaps
the seldom reported 7100 outlet they had a few years ago also
originated from these facilities. By the way, Radio Slavyanka also
took over studio equipment, archives and most of the staff of Radio
Volga, the station of the Russian forces in Germany, after its
closure in July 1994 (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 23, DX LISTENING
DIGEST)

** SWEDEN. There will be another chance to listen for the Swedish
station SAQ on 17.2 kHz Sunday, the 2nd of July. The 200 kW carrier
is produced by an alternator, and was last on air to celebrate the
new year. Next weekend's transmissions will be at 0830, 0845, 1230
and 1245 UT. Associated with these historic transmissions will be an
amateur radio station, callsign SA6Q. Interference permitting, it
will be operating CW on 3,515, 7,015, 14,035, 21,030 and 28,030 kHz.
SSB operation will be on 3,740, 7,050, 14,215, 21,205 and 28,415 kHz.
(Radio Society of Great Britain GB2RS News, posted June 23, via John
Norfolk, OKCOK, DX LISTENING DIGEST)

** TAJIKISTAN. Democratic Voice of Burma, 15600, via Dushanbé, date-
only personal letter on DVB letterhead, ``Free Burma`` sticker,
business card and info leaflet, v/s Saw Nelson Ku, Administrative
Assistant. Received in 20 days for a taped report and $2 to the Oslo,
Norway address. Since the letter only mentions NRK Kvitsøy and
Deutsche Telekom-Jülich as transmission facilities, I asked Mr. Ku
for an email clarification on the exact site of 15600. He says,
``Yes, the transmission on 15600 is from Tajikistan Radio in
Dushanbé, Tajikistan. DVB has been using the Russian transmission in
Sushanbe [sic] since 1997.`` Their email address is
dvbburma@xxxxxxxxx (Randy Stewart, MO, 21 June, Cumbre DX via DXLD)

** U S A. HISTORIC MORSE CODE RADIO STATION RETURNS TO THE AIR
Former ``Wireless Giant of the Pacific`` Will Once Again Be Heard

22 JUNE 2000 (MRHS) - The former Marconi and RCA Morse code radio
station KPH will make a commemorative broadcast on Wednesday, 12
July, the first anniversary of the last commercial Morse code
transmission in North America.

KPH began life at the dawn of radio. Its first home was the Palace
Hotel in San Francisco, from which it derived its first call letters,
PH. When the Palace Hotel was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and
fire the station moved to several different locations, eventually
finding a permanent home on the mesa west of the small California
town of Bolinas. Along the way federal regulators added the K prefix
to the original PH, creating KPH, one of the most famous radio call
signs in the world.

Radio operators ashore and afloat came to regard KPH as ``the
wireless giant of the Pacific``. Only the best operators worked at
KPH. They were there 24 hours a day, ready to help with everything
from the mundane messages of maritime commerce to urgent requests for
assistance from ships in distress. The KPH signal literally spanned
the globe. Radio operators on ships in the far corners of the world
were comforted by the steady signal of KPH in their earphones.

As technology progressed the end of Morse code was predicted
many times. But KPH soldiered on providing good, reliable service
to the maritime community. The end came at Bolinas in 1997 when
Globe Wireless purchased the license and the big transmitters were
finally shut down. On July 12, 1999 Globe Wireless sent the last
commercial messages in Morse code from KFS, their master station
near Half Moon Bay. It was the last time the famous call KPH would
be heard on the air - or so it was thought.

Today the former KPH facilities are part of the Point Reyes National
Seashore which has a strong interest in the important role the
station played in the history of radio communications. The Maritime
Radio Historical Society has been working with the Point Reyes
National Seashore to preserve and restore KPH with the goal of
eventually creating a museum dedicated to this great station that was
once heard throughout the world.

On 12 July KPH will return to the air from its original location,
using its original equipment and its original frequencies -
generously made available by Globe Wireless, the current owner of the
KPH license and operator of the equally famous KFS from which the
last commercial Morse message was sent.

Veteran operators, radio engineers and those with an interest in
radio history will gather at the Bolinas transmitter building to
watch the station come on the air one year and one minute after the
last Morse transmission from Half Moon Bay. Commemorative messages
will be sent by hand by the operators who once stood watch at the
station. And then they will listen for any calls from the few
remaining ships at sea with Morse capability.

While this event does not signal the return of KPH to commercial
Morse service we intend it to acknowledge and honor all the radio
operators who have ``worn the earphones`` and played a role in the
history of maritime radio.

The station will operate on 4247.0, 6477.5 and 13002.0 Kc on
shortwave and 500/426 Kc. on medium wave.  If additional
frequencies become available by 12 July these will be announced in
the commemorative broadcast.

Contact:

Dick Dillman Maritime Radio Historical Society
Phone: 415-512-7137 Email: ddillman@xxxxxxx

The Worldwide UTE News (WUN) mailing list. WUN is a non-profit,
dues-free club established in 1995 to share information on shortwave
utilities.  For more information: http://www.wunclub.com/
(via Sheldon Harvey, DXLD)

** ZIMBABWE [non]. Hello SWLs, The transmission of 7205 does not come
from Meyerton Radio Station (Bloemendal). This is the only shortwave
station that Sentech operates. Should I hear of any location I will
pass it on. Best wishes from South Africa, (André du Toit, June 24,
DX LISTENING DIGEST) So that leaves open the other RSA sites... (gh)

** ZIMBABWE [non]. CLANDESTINE from ? to ZIMBABWE: 7215; Voice of the
People here in English at 1707 commentary re the financial situation/
land reform/fuel pricing in Zimbabwe, etc. This was followed at 1714
by YL in vernaculars, interviewing people in the streets of Harare.
Signal: 5/9 with fades. RX RFB 65 with whip antenna. I doubt that it
will be Namibia (although that country uses the 7215 freq. in the
local afternoons). Botswana (R. Botswana) should also be out; rather
use 3 MHz from BOT as it is just across the border from Zim. May
still be VOA relay in BOT ???? Not from Meyerton; they tell me it
isn't them. But what about the R. Nederland site on Madagascar (RN in
EE this time on 6020). The 6020 bc is stronger (beamed to us) but
fading is similar to the 7215 kHz outlet. Maybe freq. usage of the RN
txers on Madagascar should be checked ???? (François Steyn, RSA, Jun
20, Cumbre DX via DXLD)

** ZIMBABWE [non]. Some further thoughts about possible sites for
Radio VOP on 7215:

Merlin Seychelles: The two transmitters of this small facility are
busy in 1700-1900 range on 6005 and 9630, so this site is impossible.

Ascension: At 1700 approximately the first 2000 km of the path from
Ascension to Zimbabwe are still under daylight, so this site is
rather unlikely, as 7215 would hardly work from there; keep in mind
that Ascension transmits BBC programming into southern Africa until
1700 on 21660.

FEBA Mahé: They already provided airtime to a clandestine operation,
so this could be a possibility, too.

Kigali: DW will hardly rent airtime to a clandestine operation;
furthermore all four 250 kW transmitters are already busy with DW
programming (from 1800 on 9735, 11810, 15390 and 17860). However,
alongside with the 20 kW transmitter of Radio Rwanda (6055) the site
contains also a 100 kW transmitter; I guess, this unit is under
disposal of the Kigali government and operated in the past the Radio
Rwanda outlets on 9610 and 15340. But, why should Rwanda...?

Madagascar: A reporter from South Africa wrote to Cumbre DX:
``But what about the R. Nederland site on Madagascar (RN in EE this
time on 6020). The 6020 bc is stronger (beamed to us) but fading is
similar to the 7215 kHz outlet. Maybe freq. usage of the RN txers on
Madagascar should be checked ???? (Steyn Jun 20)``

> From my knowledge the Talata Volondry site consists on two old 300 kW
Philips transmitters alongside with the new 50 kW one. During the
period in question already three transmissions are scheduled: 1730-
2025 RNW on 6020 and 7120 alongside with 1757-1900 RVI on 11985, but
all with 200 kW each?! What we now need is of course a monitor check
of all these listings, especially as Mr. Steyn did not mention 7120.
Regards, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, June 23, DX LISTENING DIGEST)   ###

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