October 2001

Special Operations for Afghanistan
Turkmenistan is supporting American efforts to broadcast psyops "Information Radio" to Afghanistan, reports HCDX partner site ClandestineRadio.com.
The special broadcasts on 8700 KHz USB has been hears with strong signals aroundthe world, as reported by many DXers on the HCDX mailing list.
hcdx news desk, October 27, 2001

Reception reports on 193rd Special Operations can be sent to the following address:
193rd Special Operations Wing
Attn: Lt. Edward Shank
81 Constellation Court
Middletown, PA 17057, USA
Manfred Reiff, Germany, hcdx list, October 22, 2001



Rare Norwegian on the air
During the student festival in Trondheim, Norway, the local student radio UKE-senderen will transmit 24 hours between 11 October and 3 November.
It will transmit on mediumwave 1485 kHz and shortwave 7215 kHz, with an estimated power of 1 kW.
The station is only active every second year.
T.S.Bauge, Norway, via hcdx list, October 9, 2001

Propagation Forecast for UKE-senderen at 7215 kHz by Finnish DXer Jari Perkiömäki. This web page contains 24 coverage maps and may take a while to download.

Radio Miskut back to normal
According to a personal letter dated Sept. 13, 2001 from Evaristo Mercado P., Director, Radio Miskut, they are now operating without problem on 5770 kHz and 104 MHz FM at 1200-0000 UTC.
A 3 kW amplifier has not been installed, because it causes interference to telephones and TV around 50 sq.m. They are now looking for a new transmitter site at suburban area.
Tetsuya Hirahara, Radio Nuevo Mundo, Oct 7, 2001, via DXLD

Ezra never from Belgium
Nobody has ever heard of Radio Ezra transmissions at Radio Vlaanderen, says Frans Vossen, editor of Radio World on RVI, Belgium, adding:
"I just chequed again with the engineer who should know, and he insists that this must have been a false rumour."
Ezra owner has repeatedly claimed that his programmes were transmitted from the Wavre site in Belgium, while most others believe it has been from Bulgaria (see earlier info).
Frans Vossen, Belgium, October 9, 2001, via DXLD

Radio Ezra now says that it is broadcasting from Vladivostok, Russia, on 12110 kHz.
hcdx news desk, October 9, 2001



Afghan opposition radio planned
The Afghan opposition is set to wage a sophisticated radio war against remaining Taliban forces, Clandestine Radio Watch (CRW) has learned, preparing the stage for the return of King Zahir Shah and an end to the immediate conflict.
The station, which has been described as a "major" radio operation, is being organized by non-governmental organizations in Europe with support from local Afghan communities. It has been in development for over four months, the source says.
Nick Grace, Clandestine Radio Watch, October 8, 2001

Kabul Radio target for air strikes
The allied military operation against Afghanistan got under way on 7 October.
As expected, one of the first targets was the Taliban regime's radio station, Radio Shariah.
Within the first hour, journalists in Afghanistan reported that the station had gone off the air.
Then the Foreign Minister of the opposition Northern Alliance said that 'Kabul Radio' had been one of the first targets to be attacked by the allies.
Those reports, however, later proved to be incorrect. Voice of Shariat came back on the air on the morning of 8 October on 7085v kHz.
Later came reports that the station went off again, but I suspect this is due to power failure rather than attack.
Media Network, Radio Netherlands, October 7 and 8, 2001

How the region's media reported the attacks, in a special Afghanistan issue from DX Listening Digest.
hcdx news desk, October 7, 2001

Radio France to launch M'Toulouse
On Monday, October 8, Radio France will launch M'Toulouse, a temporary radio station of "solidarity and hope" which will broadcast to people living in the areas of Toulouse affected by the explosion at the AZF chemical plant [in which 29 people died].
The radio station, which will broadcast seven days a week from 0630 to midnight until Christmas. The station will broadcast on mediumwave 945 kHz and later on 98.7 FM.
AFP news agency, October 5, 2001, via BBCM and DXLD

Lao Radio back on 7145 kHz
Lao National Radio, Vientiane, appears to have reactivated their external service on 7145 kHz.
Heard with French at 1315, with lots of mentions of Laos. Into English at 1330, mainly news-type programming, with some music prior to close down at 1400.
This station has been off the air for many years and vacated shortly after receiving a new 10 kW transmitter, from Australian aid as I recall.
The transmitter on 7145 sounds more than 10 kW, but further investigation is needed.
The domestic service has been available on 6130 kHz throughout.
Craig Seager, Australia, October 4, 2001, ADXN via DXLD

Secrecy on new QSL cards
A debate has started regarding QSL being offered by Belgian Ludo Maes' Transmitter Documentation Project.
The offer is "available for broadcasts organized by TDP as of October 1, 2001", according to a message from Ludo Maes at TDP.
The QSL cards, however, do not include any information on transmitter sites whatsoever.
"My hunch, and it is only that, about the reason for TDP secrecy on actual transmitter sites, is that some of this business is under-the- table, i.e. technicians at certain under-used sites are paid to put the programs on the air without full knowledge or authorization by the governmental agencies owning them," writes Glenn Hauser in an issue of DX Listeners Digest.
Ludo Maes has responded with dismay to these "lies and serious accusations", adding:
"Don't we have a right for not publishing transmitter sites?"
No further information was given on the reasons why, leaving it up to DXers and the DX community to go on debating the real value of these new QSL's.
hcdx news desk, October 2, 2001



VOA under tighter control
President George W Bush intends to appoint Robert R. Reilly to be Director of the Voice of America, the official US broadcasting station.
Reilly has hosted the weekly foreign policy talk show, "On The Line", and is closely connected to the White House.
The appointment comes after serious critisism from the White House of the Voice of America for having broadcast an exclusive interview with the leader of Afghanistan's ruling Taleban movement, Mullah Mohammad Omar.
The State Department found the broadcast wrong and that they "frankly don't consider Mullah Omar to be a responsible discussion of U.S. policy" as stated in the VOA charter.
Over 200 VOA journalists and broadcasters have signed a petition stating that "This censorship sets a most unfortunate precedent and damages our credibility with our worldwide audience."
hcdx news desk, October 2, 2001

War on Terrorism
Those wishing to follow the War on Terrorism live on shortwave can find an broad selection on Radio Netherlands' Media Network web site (European tilt) as well as the World of Radio web site (American tilt).
hcdx news desk, September 28, 2001