April 2001

Christan Voice and HCJB from Australia
The Australian Broadcasting Authority has allocated the first twointernational broadcasting licenses for shortwave broadcasts from Australia issued under the new legislative regime for international broadcasting.
They have been issued to Christian Voice (which will operate from Darwin), and HCJB, which will operate from a purpose-built facility at Kununurra in the Kimberley region of north-western Australia.
Christian Voice is targeting audiences in SE Asia, China and India with Chinese, English and Hindi programs.
HCJB will beam towards South Asia and the South Pacific.
Matt Francis, Australia, via DXLD, April 26, 2001



Never ending EDXC feud
EDXC officials seems to have struck back in the ongoing feud around the new Italian leadership, forcing a satricial EDXC web site closed.
"This action is a symptom of the very worrying psychological state within the EDXC", says Enrico Oliva, editor and webmaster of the fake sites.
It is also said that two out of three Italian DX clubs participating in EDXC are considering leaving the organization.
hcdx news desk, April 24, 2001

The EDXC fight goes on

Radio LPC ? new on 5175v kHz
5175.5 L.P.C., new Peruvian from what may be Querillos, probably in Departamento San Martín.
Heard on April 20, 2001, between 1100 and 1115 UTC, with its premiere transmisson on this Friday morning.
Björn Malm, Ecuador, hcdx partner SWB, April 20, 2001

Heard as Radio MPC (or NPC?) on 5175.8 kHz on April 21, from 2321 until close down at 0250 UTC.
Transmitting from what sounded like Guerillo (?), in Provincia de Moyobamba.
Rafael Rodriguez, Colombia, April 21, 2001, via Conexion

Nothing in Peruvian gazeeter that looks like "Querillos" in San Martín or neighboring departments. Closest sounding would be Mariscal Castilla, which is near Chachapoyas in Amazonas Dept.
Not finding it doesn't mean much, though, as this area is constantly getting new towns as more settlers move into the upper Amazon.
Don Moore, USA, to hcdx April 25, 2001

More on Radio LPC ?

Peruvian gazeeter lists the distritro of Cajaruro in Utcubamba province, Amazonas Dept. Town is at 5 43 S, 78 24 W. Elevation 550 meters, distrito population of 36,000 in 1987.
Don Moore, USA, to hcdx April 25, 2001

More on Unid 6524 kHz

CNN story on Vatican Radio

Earth hit by solar storm
A severe geomagnetic storm began at 1400 UTC, April 11, when a powerful solar wind disturbance hit Earth's magnetosphere.
The gust was probably the first of two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) en route to Earth, reports SpaceWeather.com.
hcdx news desk, April 11, 2001

More on SpaceWeather

KSMR closed and operator expelled
Steve Anderson has been expelled from the Kentucky State Militia for continuing broadcasts of United Patriot Radio, ClandestineRadio.com reports.
According to an official communique Kentucky State Militia (KSM) 'Brigadier General' Charlie Puckett states that Anderson violated specific orders to close his radio station.
hcdx news desk, April 11, 2001

Full story on Clandestine Radio
More on KSMR

Sarandi, Uruguay, briefly on shortwave
Radio station Sarandi Sport, Montevideo, Uruguay, has been reactivated briefly for one week on shortwave 6045 kHz.
The station is retransmitting its local medium wave coverage "La Vuelta Ciclista del Uruguay" between 1000-1700v local time.
The cycling competion Tour Uruguay will end Sunday April 15.
Email address is ciclismosport@sport890.com.uy.
Horacio A. Nigro, Uruguay, ConDig list, April 7, 2001



Radio Ezra, religion via Belgium
What seems to be a private crusade for Christianity has hit the Web and the international shortwave bands.
Calling his mission Water Into Wine Ministry, John D. Hill in Stockton on Tees, UK, invites "all believers and none" to his web site, as well as to his "own private radio station" on shortwave 15440 kHz, a station scheduled to broadcasts a 15 minute weekly programme every Sunday at 1100-1115 UTC.
"My message, like Ezra's, is to rebuild the spiritual condition of the people of God", says John D. Hill on his web pages.
Radio Ezra, starting broadcasting on March 25, has been heard by several DXers already.
The station broadcasts from Wavre, Belgium, using a 100 kW transmitter. Transmissions are targeted for "Europe, North Africa, Middle East, North America".
hcdx news desk, April 7, 2001

More on Radio Ezra web site

German Eurosonor on 6900 kHz
Eurosonor Radio, Germany, is yet another shortwave venture.
A group of Germans launched their Eurosonor Radio on April 1, and plans to transmit one hour every Sunday at 1600-1700 UTC on 6900 kHz.
According to the station's web site they are using a "50 kW transmitter somewhere in western Europe".
Their aim is to "improve the international understanding", while their programming is in German only and to 80 percent music. One other goal is to start a FM radio station within Germany, adding that at present they cannot be more specific on this goal.
Email address for reception reports and other queries is radio@eurosonor.de.
hcdx news desk, April 7, 2001

The transmitter site should, according to German DXer Kai Ludwig and Swedish DXer Olle Alm, rather be in eastern Europe, than stated "somewhere in western Europe". Says Olle Alm:
It fits neatly with the usual tune-up procedure heard on 9960 and previously on the various WFDR requencies as well as on the R. Bulgaria frequencies used from that site.
DXLD via hcdx news desk, April 11, 2001

Eurosonor Radio web site

World Beacon to test 9675 from UAE
Having failed to start testing as planned on March 25, the religious broadcaster World Beacon now plan to test a Merlin transmitter site in the United Arab Emirates in mid April.
"We had originally planned to test a 17 MHz frequency from that location, but it has occurred to us that if we an make 9675 KHz work from Abu Dhabi, it will be a great year-round frequency that won't need to change with the seasons", Scott Westerman at World Beacon explains.
Now the station plan to compare 9675 KHz from the UAE with their 9675 facility in Rampisham, England.
"At this point, I'm hopeful that the test will commence on Tuesday, April 10", Westerman says, adding:
"To encourage hobbyists to help us evaluate the world wide impact of this potential change, we've created a limited edition QSL card to commemorate the test. We will send this card to anyone who reports reception on 9675 from the UAE during our test period."
Reception reports should be sent either via regular mail to World Beacon, 8133 Baymeadows Way, Jacksonville, FL 32256, USA
Or via email to reception@worldbeacon.net.
Andy Sennitt, Netherlands, hcdx list, April 7, 2001

World Beacon web
Radio Netherlands' World Beacon Profile

Radio Cajabamba new on 5632.9
Radio Cajabamba, Cajabamba, heard on 5632.94 kHz on April 5, 2001, until close down at 0140 UTC.
Doesn't seem to be listed in WRTH and I haven´t heard about it earlier.
ID: "Transmite, para todo el Perú, Radio Cajabamba en 99.3......frecuencia modulada......a través de la banda internacional de 60 metros 5050 kHz, Radio Cajabamba la nueva imagen de la región centro".
This station has been an unid station for me during a long time, going back to May 2000, always on exactly the same frequency.
In SWB 1434, in June 2000, I reported having heard "for the last 2-3 weeks a Peruvian station giving an ID as Radio .....bamba." The station then carried a musical program, both mornings and evenings, called "Folklore sin fronteras".
Björn Malm, Ecuador, hcdx partner SWB, April 5, 2001



Most powerful solar flare ever
The most powerful solar flare ever recorded erupted at 2150 UTC on April 2.
The event was even stronger than a well-known flare in March 1989 that led to the collapse of a power grid in Quebec.
No such calamities are likely this time, however, because this sunspot is near the Sun's west limb; the bulk of the explosion was directed away from Earth.
SpaceWeather.com, April 2, 2001

Follow event on SpaceWeather

Official EDXC web site closed
EDXC Secretary General Luigi Cobisi denies any antagonism or ongoing struggle within the organization.
"The struggle you talk about simply doesn't exist", he says to HCDX.
However, the former official EDXC web site was shut down on Monday, April 2.
"This site has been closed due to the blatant actionism and the unprofessional strategism and highly motivationism of some EDXC executive", Anton J. Kuchelmeister said on the web, adding:
"I am disappointed. Yes."
hcdx news desk, April 2, 2001

Competing EDXC web sites
The antagonism and battle for power within the European DX Council never seems to end.
The umbrella organization for some European DX clubs is now offering net surfers two sites; both similar looking, but with vastly different content.
This situation became apparent with the publication of the a PLC report by professor Filippo Giannetti at University of Pisa.
So far, HCDX has not been able to get any explanation on why the EDXC have two web sites. And no explanation is offered on any of those sites.
And just to clarify, this is no April fool's joke.
hcdx news desk, April 1, 2001

Former EDXC web site
New EDXC web site
The fight goes on

Final blow from powerline noise?
Radio listeners can expect strong interference from powerline data communication, now under testing in several countries.
"A few preliminary experimental results raise some serious concerns", says professor Filippo Giannetti at University of Pisa in an European DX Council report.
"Under some unfavourable conditions, a strong interference from PLC can badly affect radio signals, especially the weakest ones", notes professor Giannetti.
hcdx news desk, April 1, 2001

Full PLC report

Siemens pull plug on PLC
The German electronics giant Siemens has decided to pull out of experiments with powerline communications, for the time being at least.
Siemens says it believes that the right conditions, particularly the regulatory framework, are not yet in place for such projects to be profitable.
In addition to regulatory problems, there are also technical problems, such as noise on the line as electrical appliances are turned on and off. That can make a data connections fail or interfere with the datastream. Furthermore, different technical standards in different countries are also proving a major problem.
Although Simens is the only company to have decided to pull out, its explanation will give heart to opponents of PLC, which include international broadcasters and listeners who use shortwave.
Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands, hcdx list, March 22, 2001