PJB Bonaire
Harold Sellers sends an item from Wolfgang Buschel's BCDX newsletter which advises that this summer (date unspecified) PJB's 500 kW transmitter on 800 kHz at Bonaire is to be replaced with a new Canadian-made Nautel NA-100 transmitter running at 100 Kw (PJB is pumping 500 Kw now). The existing five 186 metre antenna towers are to be replaced by four 130 metre towers. As before, PJB's audience target will be Central and south America,  Cuba, and The Caribbean areas. Language services are in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Future plans include Creole broadcasts. (via Lothar Ruehl-D, ERF/TRF press release, Apr 8)

CHEV! Where are you?
Harold also wrote about CHEV, the little (50 watts) special events station that made a big but brief splash by broadcasting Jr. Hockey games on 1610 kHz. He wrote, "Today (Fri, 7 May 1999) I drove by the RV lot where CHEV used to park their RV for much of the year. It is now vacant pending development on the site. It made me think that I haven't heard CHEV for a long time and I don't think I've seen any logs. I wonder what's up with them?" Yes, it's been a while since I saw any logs myself. Anybody heard this one recently or know the current CHEV activity situation?

The Csorbay Report
Mike writes, "Some things I've found while netsurfing; WBZ-1030 Boston, KNX-1070 Los Angeles, and WGN-720 Chicago are three stations I've found so far that have some historical information about their stations on their website, going back to the early days of radio and continuing to present day.

I found a couple of stations I've never heard of. I'll be trying to dig up more on them for future columns for you. One is  1610-WCKS, Grand Valley State University in Allendale MI, a 25-watt station that is usually silent during summer months, due to lack of personnel; hopefully I'll get more on them in the fall, and maybe some ODXers may hear them as a result!  I also saw listed a WCD on 1680 kHz. I didn't really enter the web site, but what I saw on the home page led me to believe they are (or will be) a real station, operating from South Padre Island, Texas. Again, hopefully I can get more on that for you soon.

One other (possibly) newsworthy item; 1440 WJJL Niagara Falls NY simulcasts CH.7 WKBW "Eyewitness News", presumably at both 6 and 11 PM, so that may help someone out there ID them. One other thought on the current state of AM DXing ... Shouldn't these Radio Disney stations be DAYTIME ONLY? Kids go to bed when it gets dark, so the station should sign off... it only makes sense. However, if that were true, I'd never be able to hear the one in CO on 1690 kHz !!"

Adieu CBL
Another CBC station has left the air since I wrote something here. Landmark CBL (anyone who traveled on the 401 west of  Toronto knows what I mean) is gone from 740. Here is the text of a message which I announced on my page and to various groups on June1. "This evening at 2120 EDT, I received a telephone call from fellow ODXA  member, Wayne Plunkett. According to Wayne, who has it from a reliable source (within the CBC's Engineering Group) the date for CBL to leave the AM band will be Saturday June 19. Full details are not yet known re: time, etc. Presumably, shut-down will follow the same pattern as already used when the two CBC Montrealers on 690 and 940 left the air. Regular programming continued there until the target closing date and time, then a  continuous tape loop announced the closure and advised listeners to tune to FM. Listen the evening of June 18, just before midnight. If the plug isn't pulled, then June 19. Thank you Wayne for this information."

And CBL left the AM band, just like that! Programming abruptly switched to a tape loop (a text of the full announcement is found in Bruce Conti's log), and was eventually followed by silence on 740. Did I say silence? ODXA's resident BBC expert and electronics  technician extra-ordinaire, Andy Reid (he installed my Icom's  PLAM), wrote  "Like many good DXers, I taped the sign off of CBL.  The trick is though - I left the tape run for an hour from my Lowe HF 225 E w/ 20m of longwire. I mostly heard a jumble but at about 00.40 ET (judging by the tape) I had copied CHCM." Details are in the loggings section.

Radio Ya
Back in April, I wrote a piece about this Sandinista station in Managua, Nicaragua after hearing the distinctive "Ya Ya Ya Ya" slogan on 600 kHz. Terry Krueger in Florida sent the following item.

600    NICARAGUA   R Ya, Managua, 6/14 0957-1000 (UTC) - tuned in to canned "Ya, Ya, Ya, Ya, Ya,Ya, Ya, Ya, Ya" (maybe more), station promo by a man, more loopy "Ya's."   Might have been end of a s/on segment. Very good. (TK-FL)

Domestic Loggings
540    CBK   SK  Regina, 6/21 0010 - Fair under CBEF with // program on CBW-990 Winnipeg, which was good. (WF-ON)

590    CKRS   PQ  Jonquiere, 7/14 2300 - Good; "CKRS, cinq-quatre-vingt-dix" ID and telephone sports talk in French on Radiomedia network in WEZE-Family Radio null. (BC-NH)

600    CKAT   ON  North Bay, 7/14 2220 - Fair; jingle ID and C&W music in WICC null. (BC-NH)

650    WRPT   MA  Ashland, 7/14 2200 - Fair with WSM nulled out; G. Gordon Liddy, "You're listening to the talk center, the home of local talk, AM 650 WRPT Ashland-Boston," and UPI World Web News Network, on rather late for a daytimer. (BC-NH)

680    WINR   NY  Binghamton, 7/14 2140 - Fair in WRKO null; "AM 680 WINR" ID and WW1 NOS with frequent local time checks. (BC-NH)

690    CBU   BC  Vancouver,  7/4 0055 - Reception #3; weak but discernible, serious CBC type female commenting on "the social democratic process". ID as "You're listening to CBC Radio One" at 0459 then  program notes and CBC fanfare (news flourish) at 0500 followed by news as it faded (though seemingly // 990 while audible). Third time heard since CBF left this channel. (WF-ON)

730    WLIL   TN  Lenoir City, 6/20  2245  Chased this off and on for an hour or so;  on Atlanta Braves' baseball net, // 750-WSB with play-by-play and most commercials; however, ad at 2349 for something in Lenoir City clinched it.  Fair, mixed in with C&W station and a sports station. (MC-ON)

740    CBL    ON Toronto, 6/19 1400  - continuous tape loop inviting listeners to tune to specific FM stations in their locality. (JR-NY)

740    CBL  ON  Toronto, 6/19 2359 - The last day of broadcasting, with a  repeating message, "Here's an important message for CBC radio listeners.  As of tonight, CBC radio will no longer be available on 740 AM.  To receive CBC  radio programming, please tune your radio to 99.1 FM in the greater Toronto  area.  If you live in the Guelph-Kitchener-Waterloo area, tune to 89.1 FM.  In London, tune to 93.5 FM.  In the Owen Sound area, tune to 98.7 FM.  If you  live in the Wingham area, tune to 93.5 or 98.7 FM.  In the Midland area, tune to 89.7 FM.  If you live in the Orillia area, tune to 91.5.  In southern Niagara, tune to 90.5 FM.  If you have any reception problems, call 416-205-5949, or you can call toll-free at 1-877-300-5548" was followed by a final announcement, "This is CBC Radio One broadcasting from the Hornby transmitter at 740 AM.  In the Toronto area, we will now move to 99.1 FM,  with additional frequencies throughout southern Ontario.  This transmitter has served the community well since 1937 and has been at 740 AM since 1941.  This is the end of an era in Canadian broadcasting history.  Now, signing off from CBL, adieu." (BC-NH)

740    WMBL   NC  Morehead City, 6/20 0004 - Fair; "We're AM 740, WMBL" ID and NOS over/under CHCM with CBL off. (BC-NH)

740    CHCM   NF  Marystown,  6/20 0040 (approximately) - Talk of Canada Day event and some sort of Canada Day game,  then ID "Five Ninety VOCM" . (AR-ON) 6/22 2330 - high-powered announcer playing older rock, VOCM spots, Labrador City mentioned, VOCM Million Dollar Give-Away spots, fair. CHTN Charlottetown very good at this time. (WF-ON)

740    WMBL    NC Morehead City, 0203  6/20 - Ad for Fat Whacker dietary  supplement, ID as "Radio 740 WMBL" and into NOS music; fair, CBL R.I.P.  New, #1354, #51 NC. (MC-ON)

740    WMBL    NC Morehead City, 0204 6/20 - CNN news, local ID, local ad, strong. CBL appears to be gone for good now.  (JR-NY)

740    WMBG    VA Williamsburg, 0311 6/20 - ID during NOS program, under WMBL.  (JR-NY)

740   WGSM  NY  Huntington, 7/13 2100 - Good after WJIB power reduction; IDs as "1100 WHLI and 740 WHLI," sign-off with invitation to continue listening at  WHLI.com, anthem, and legal IDs. (BC-NH)

740    WSBR  FL  Boca Raton, 7/14 0000 - Tentative; sounded like a dual ID for W?AA and WSBR, heard through break in WMBL audio. (BC-NH)

740    WMBL  NC  Morehead City, 7/14 0000 - Fair; "Playing the best music from the forties to today for the world's most beautiful listeners, we're AM 740 WMBL Morehead City.  It's 12 o'clock and here's the latest news from CNN Radio," over unID stations. (BC-NH)

750    CBGY  NF  Bonavista Bay, 7/14 2330 - Fair; classical music // CBA-1070 in WSB null. (BC-NH)

880    CKLQ   MB Brandon, 6/11 0020-0045 - thru WCBS, then with it nulled (on Sony 2010!), C&W music to 0030, "880 CKLQ" ID by M, weather forecast, promo for "Couch Potato" contest (call in and identify TV theme songs; grand prize a color TV from Television City, also prizes from Leon's), more country including "A Boy Named Sue" by Johnny Cash (classic!), partial ID @0043 "...more country favorites, 880 CKLQ" then f/out.  NEW, #1351, #9 MB. E-mailed report, fingers crossed for QSL! (MC-ON)

910    CHRL  PQ  Roberval, 7/15 0000 - Fair; "...a CHRL" and Radiomedia ID in WNEZ null. (BC-NH)

920    WIRD  NY  Lake Placid, 7/15 0005 - Good; "You're listening to the best air in the Adirondacks, 105.5 from Lake Placid, 102.3 out of Tupper Lake, and 920 on your AM dial, and on the world wide web at RadioLakePlacid.com" and pop music over WHJJ. (BC-NH)

940t    WADV    PA Lebanon,   5/15 0635 - country gospel format, ads for Ebersol excavating (phone # (717)367-3597) who are also looking for help, also Carl Wanger's of Meyerstown, back to music 0636; no ID but sure it's them as area code fits, just not sure if calls are the same.  Heard years ago as WVLV. (MC-ON)

940    CJGX   SK Yorkton,  5/21 2315-0006 - in and out w/C&W music, "GX 94" IDs but little else, till improvement in signal at 0000 with ID and Broadcast News to 0004, quickie local sports report and weather forecast.  Not heard for many years, but heard quite often since, now that CBM is defunct. (MC-ON) 6/21 0004 - Caught with news ending, ID as "GX 94! Now That's Country!" into regional weather for Yorkton, large parts of  Saskatchewan and Manitoba, including Hudson Bay. Good. CKLQ 880, fair under WCBS at this time. 6/23 2207 - Good. Heard with "Classic GX Country 940!" spot. (WF-ON)

940    WADV  PA   Lebanon, 6/4 2105 - Good; USA news, quick ID, and Solid Gospel, with CBM off. (BC-NH)

940    WKGM   VA Smithfield,  6/16  2259-2302  -  In very good with Br. Ray Pringle "The Word of Prophecy" program, ID as "The Ministry Station, WKGM", also "Since 1980, WKGM Smithfield, Norfolk, Virginia Beach".  Booming in now with CBM off; I assume they've adjusted their power or antenna pattern accordingly, now that CBM no longer needs to be protected... (MC-ON)

940    WGFP   MA  Webster, 6/19 1900 - Fair; "940 WGFP Webster... 1310 WORC Worcester" ID and One-On-One Sports, with CBM off.  Also on 7/14 1300 - Good; "You're listening to the new home for the NASCAR Motor Racing Network... on the twin towers of Hot Talk, 940 and 1310 WORC Worcester," ABC news, and G. Gordon Liddy.  This has also been heard later in the evening with One-On-One Sports. (BC-NH)

940    unID, 7/13 0425 - "Classic KC Country 940" ID and nostalgic C&W in a good fade up over XEQ-Mexico, again 7/15 0020 "Your new home for the greatest country hits of all time, Classic KC Country 940." (BC-NH)

940    WADV   PA  Lebanon,  7/13 2030 - Fair; "Solid Gospel music radio" jingle and quick sign-off leaving WIPR in clear. (BC-NH)

950    WROL   MA  Boston,  6/17  0030  -   Fair-good with WWJ nulled; end of "Praise in the Night" program, ID'ed as WROL Boston and listed other affiliated stations (730 WACE, 830 WCRN, and station on 1310, and one in 96 MHz range); first time heard at night. (MC-ON)

950    CFAM   MB  Altona, 6/9  2301 - Brief local news, into Broadcast News at 2302(?);
weather forecast 2304 mentioning Winnipeg, Brandon, Altona, Steinbach; quick sports report w/MLB, NBA and NHL items, Insurance Bureau of Canada ad, quick "950 CFAM" ID and lost to WWJ.  Fair signal. 6/14  2302 - ad for Alvin's Furniture in Morden, weather forecast mentioning many MB towns till 2304, LONG pause of dead air, then some talk before f/out. (MC-ON)

960    WTGM   MD  Salisbury,  6/16  2356 -  Just heard "weekday mornings at 5 AM on -- The Game", IDed per NRC Log in WFIR semi-null battling w/C&W station; originally logged in 1987 as WSBY. (MC-ON)

990    CKTM   PQ  Montreal, 7/8 2348 - Hyped up "oldies" programming and spots like  "Rock on Montreal",  "CKTM Montreal's only Oldies station", etc. Not exactly great DX, but perfect signal on the K9AY NE element, erased in favour of CBW when switched to NW element. (WF-ON)

1000    CFLP   PQ  Rimouski, 6/1 2229 - presumed the one, with French talk mixing with C&W from CKBW, WMVP reduced on the K9AY NE wire.  (WF-ON)

1040    WYSL   NY Avon,  6/19  0145 - Nice ID package as "WYSL News 1040 AM"; assume this was the one driving me nuts the three previous nights with tele-talk thru WHO, but never in good at ID time; new, orig. heard on 1030 kHz...how long have they been here?? New, #1352, #113 NY. (MC-ON)

1310t    KNOX   ND  Grand Forks,  6/16  2305 - In with Sports Byline USA program; net search of affiliates showed this as only one on 1310 kHz, but an ID would have been nice! (MC-ON)

1350    WHWH   NJ  Princeton,  5/20  2229 -  in with local news items, WHWH weather by meteorologist Frank Lombardo, said more news and weather in 30 minutes; very good. (MC-ON)

1400    WRAK   PA  Williamsport,  5/29 2359; just in with phone number heard (327-1400); IDed thanks to NRC Log's listing of every station's phone  number!  Thanks guys, #1350 heard. (MC-ON)

1450    WMAJ   PA  State College,  5/22 0120 - in very good briefly with ad for coverage of Winston Cup race at 7:30 PM following evening from Charlotte, "...only on WMAJ". (MC-ON)

1470    CHOW   ON  Welland,  6/4 2140 - Good; contest promos, weather, "The new spirit, 91.7 FM" and "Today's country, 91.7" IDs, over WZOU. (BC-NH)

1470    WKAP   PA  Allentown, 6/5 2105 - Fair; ABC news, "1470 WKAP... good songs, great memories" ID and WW1 NOS. (BC-NH)

1480    WADR   NY  Remsen, 6/12 2120 - Good; promo for Mike Gallagher talk show, IDs for "The Stars Radio Network" on 1350, 1480, and 1550, and "AM 1350 WRNY," WW1 NOS. (BC-NH)

1530    WCTR   MD  Chestertown, 7/14 2020 - "You're at the right place... WCTR 1530 AM Chestertown, Maryland" briefly over WDJZ. (BC-NH)

1580    WLIM   NY  Patchogue,  5/15 0651 -  NOS/STD music, MALE announcer "...that was Mindy Carson on WLIM, the high spot on your dial"; ad for Long Island Railroad  Engineers meeting, "1580 WLIM" ID and more elevator music.  Very common catch late 70's-early 80's with their Monday morning equipment tests; think this is only the second time I've ever heard programming from them! (MC-ON)

1620    KAZP   NE Bellevue, 0041 6/19 - sports program, weak under WHLY, IDs as "Koil 1180", new.  (JR-NY)  0159  June 19  In with presumed WHLY with ESPN Sports Overnight program, NICE ID at 0200 "Sports Radio 1180 KOIL, Bellevue - Omaha - Council Bluffs"; #1353, #4 NE (MC-ON)

1680   WTTM   NJ Trenton, 6/21 2300 - Ad for "The Extra Point", talk about Knicks- Spurs game in progress on "ESPN Game Night" program, ID overtop at 2300 "Sports Radio 1680 WTTM" and "WTTM Trenton"; good, finally someone here to balance out that awful WJNZ!!!  #1355, #24 NJ (MC-ON)

1650    WHKT   VA Portsmouth, 6/12 2359 - Good; "This is the Big Cat, AM 1650 WHKT Portsmouth" and sign-off with phone number 757-488-1010 for comments on programming, leaving KDNZ Iowa in clear. (BC-NH)

1680    WTTM   NJ  Princeton , 6/3 0124-0135 - ESPN promos, "Thunder" baseball play-by-play, ID's for "13-50 WHWH," not "WTTM;" SIO 343 (JB-NF).

1700t    KTBK   TX Sherman, 0200 6/20 - from ESPN Stanley Cup final went to local coverage of excited Stars fans in Dallas.  No IDs heard, and poor under KBGG, no sign of Miami station.  (JR-NY)

1700t     KQXX   TX Brownsville, 0351 6/20 - rose up with ranchera music, quite strong for a few moments, as I was still digging for a KBTK ID. No announcements heard. Would be a nice one to get!  (JR-NY)

Foreign DX Loggings
153    ALGERIA  Bechar, 6/22 0307 - Arabic talk or drama, poor (WF-ON)

162    FRANCE   France-Inter Allouis, 6/22 0313 - French male announcer playing pop music. Poor but // 1375, which was also poor. (WF-ON)

670    VENEZUELA    YVLL   R. Rumbos Caracas, 6/1 0321 - Spanish, Rumbos doorbells between announcements and promos. Good-no sign of WWFE tonight! (WF-ON)

675    NETHERLANDS   R. Ten Gold  Lopik, 5/21 2341-2346 - Mushy '70's tunes, ID and chat in Dutch; unfortunately no sign of the special broadcast from new NRK Rost; SIO 333 (JB-NF)

690    COLOMBIA   HJCZ   R. Recuerdos Bogota, 7/10 0506 - presumed the one with numerous announcements and "telefonos" mentioning "Bogota", "la capital",  etc. Fair though with QRN and R. Reloj ( also heard on 940) underneath.  7/14 0649 - caught with female Spanish announcer, time check/quasi-ID as "Radio Recuerdos! Dos  y (obscured)", Reloj underneath again. Poor. (WF-ON)

780    VENEZUELA   YVMN  R. Coro Coro, 6/1 0330- Spanish pop vocal rising to good levels, quasi-ID as "por Radio Coro!" then several announcements. (WF-ON)

810    COLOMBIA   HJCY  CARACOL Bogota, 6/1 0250 - Spanish talk, good signal and // 5076.8. July 14 0712 -  poor with on-the-spot news, // 5076.8. (WF-ON)

837    ENGLAND   BBC Radio  Cumbria, Barrow in Furness, 6/3 0059-0111 - BBC network programming // 909; generally weaker than Asian Network, SIO 222-1 (JB-NF).

837     ENGLAND   BBC Asian Network Freemen's Common, 6/3 0052-0111 - All news items in Hindi or similar language; Spain reduced by phasing (Azores are on 836 these days), SIO 322 (JB-NF).

999    ENGLAND  Magic 9-90 Preston, 6/2 2343-0003 - Phone-in program, ads at 2350, Independent Radio News 0000-0002, slogans heard at 2344, 2348 and 0002; SIO 322 with Madrid nulled by phasing (JB-NF).

999   ENGLAND  BBC R. Solent Fareham, 6/2 2343-0003 - Phone-in mixing with Magic 9-90's phone-in but callers seemed 30 years older; SIO 222 (JB-NF).

1000    COLOMBIA   HJAQ  RCN Cartagena, 6/1 0229 - Spanish news/talk, RCN IDs  (RCN para Colombia), Coca Cola ad, almost alone on the K9AY south wire. (WF-ON)

1017    ENGLAND  Classic Gold 1017 Shrewsbury, 6/3 0037 - Presumed; bits of British ads poking through the German's pop music; SIO 222-1 (JB-NF).

1107    SCOTLAND   Moray Firth R  Inverness, 5/22 0019-0025 - Presumed; "Good  times, great oldies, 'Classic Gold'" slogans over/under Spain and TalkRadio; SIO 322 (JB-NF)

1152    SCOTLAND   Clyde 2  Glasgow, 5/22 0028-0033 - Oldies, Scottish-accented DJ gave weather at 0030, "11-52 Clyde 2" and "The greatest hits of all time" slogans; SIO 333 (JB-NF)

1332    IRAN   IRIB  Tehran,  5/21 2350-2358 - Tentative, not // 1566; Koran, talk, and music on oboe-sounding instrument; SIO 322 over/under Brit stn(s) (JB-NF)

1375    St. PIERRE & MIQUELON   France-Inter, 7/11 0304 - Male/female announcers babbling away, then played French ballad. Good level at first but fadey, // 162. (WF-ON)

1476    ENGLAND   County Sound Guildford, 5/21 2333-2340 - '60's tunes, DJ was Teddy Johnson; SIO 443 (JB-NF)

1530    ENGLAND   West Yorkshire Classic Gold Huddersfield, 6/3 0202 - News ends, ID, '60's pop tune; SIO 333, sometimes mixing with often // Worcester station (JB-NF).

1566    IRAN   IRIB Bandar Abbas, 5/21 2322-0006 - Monitored intermittently with Koran then talks in Farsi; SIO 433 (JB-NF)

1566    INDIA   AIR  Nagpur, 5/21 2322-2332 - Repetitive chanting under Iran, faded up just before 2330 with pips at 2330 and woman with news in Hindi; SIO 322 (JB-NF)

1575    CLANDESTINE   "Al Mustaqbal", 5/21 2317 - Iraqi pop music, ID, classical music with AA talk, woman with talk about human rights in Iraq; SIO 443 over Spain (JB-NF)

1620   ARGENTINA   R. Esmeraldas  Buenos Aires, 5/22 0100 - SS preaching "para Argentina," but I'm not sure of the ID/slogan these days; SIO 253-2, which was a pretty good signal considering the antenna was not at all in the correct orientation (JB-NF)

1638   NETHERLANDS   unID Pirate, 5/22 0041-0059 - Schmaltzy Dutch and German songs, operator spoke Dutch but intonation was so sloppy that I couldn't  decipher the ID and/or address (included "Kilo Tango") at 0051; SIO 343 (This is likely Radio Monte Carlo, a 150-watt station in the Netherlands. Thanks to Derek Taylor in the UK for helping with this one.)  (JB-NF)

QSL Report
940    CJGX   SK Yorkton - Date only "GX94" Map/logo card, also large "Thank you for listening!" card, in 9 days for E-mailed report, v/s Bryan Mierau, Technician. (MC-ON)  My first QSL in about 8 years....what's that?? You have to actually SEND reports??  Oh, that could be the problem!!!  SASK 100% QSLed - both stations... (MC-ON)

Contributors
(AR-ON) Andy Reid, Peterborough ON: Lowe HF 225 E,  20m longwire
(BC-NH) Bruce Conti, Nashua NH:  R8B, MWDX-5, 100-ft wires
(JB-NF) Jean Burnell near St. John's, NF: Drake R8A, 200m wire at 65 degrees
(JR-NY) Jim Renfrew, Rochester NY:  Drake R8, Radio West Loop
(MC-ON) Mike Csorbay York ON:  Sony ICF-2010,  R-5000, random wire
(TK-FL) Terry L Krueger Clearwater FL:   NRD-535, dipoles
(WF-ON) Werner Funkenhauser, Guelph ON: Drake R8B, K9AY terminated loops