KNLS NEWS   
Kathy Caudill

At the regular meeting of their board of directors on March 18, 2000, it was decided that World Christian Broadcasting will double the capacity of KNLS, its shortwave station in Anchor Point, Alaska.  Plans are to add another 100,000 watt transmitter and double the antenna array.

Right now KNLS's ten hours of daily programming are divided into Russian, Chinese and English segments - five, three and two hours respectively.  The second transmitter will double the number of hours of programming to 20.  Along with increasing the station's variety of programming, a second transmitter also doubles the option for attracting more listeners:  One transmitter will beam signals in Chinese, the other in English and Russian.

Any questions should be referred to:
Kevin Chambers, Director of Engineering, silver@ptialaska.net
Dale Ward, Executive Producer, or
Charles Caudill, President/CEO, ccaudill@worldchristian.org

Tel - 615-371-8707
Mailing  Address - 605 Bradley Court
Franklin TN 37067
 
 

A summary of several of the NASB 2000 Annual Meeting presentations follows:

 
FCC  Report to the  NASB Meeting
Ted Haney

Unfortunately, Tom Polzin had to be in Michigan and Charlie Breig attended the  WRC  in Istanbul, Turkey.  However, Tom and Ted had a long conversation concerning observations on what Tom sees going on around the world as viewed from his participation in the  HFCC  and the  G-6  meetings.

As far as the  WRC  meetings are concerned, the "HOT" button right now is the next generation mobile phone and other mobile devices that access the Internet.  There is  nothing on the present  WRC  agenda regarding shortwave, but it will be a topic on the  WRC  agenda in 2003.

Tom represents the   FCC  licensed broadcasters at the  HFCC  meetings, which are held twice a year.  He also attends the  G-6  meetings that meet in between the  HFCC  meetings.  The G-6 is the original group of shortwave broadcasters of the Western nations while the  HFCC  includes 80 percent of all shortwave broadcasters.

(You may recall that Tom's ability to attend these meetings was, in large measure, the results of the  NASB's  efforts several years ago.)   By means of the  G-6  meetings, many "collisions" are avoided or resolved before the  HFCC  convenes.  At the present time we are near the top of the sunspot cycle and there are fewer "collision" problems.  However, at the bottom of the cycle Tom estimates there may be some major problems.  Presently, more than 50 percent of the shortwave frequencies assigned by the  FCC  are out of band, which is an indication of the crowded condition currently prevailing.  Probably the most crowded area of the world right now, frequency-wise, is the Far East because of the increasing importance of China in the world economy.  The addition of many new transmitters in that part of the world for targeting China and the fact that China is jamming some of the broadcasts into that country add to the congestion.

Shortwave is essentially the only way to get information into China without having to go through a "gatekeeper."  China right now seems to be able to filter access to what comes into the country through the Internet.  In one sense China's actions are similar to that of the former Soviet Union during the "cold war" as far as jamming is concerned.

The bands in Europe continue to be quite crowded, as has been true in the past.  There are not many additional requirements for frequency hours by the African nations.  Their ability to increase broadcast hours is more of an economic matter.  Economically it appears they are able to sustain about what they currently have.

Russia still requests a lot of frequency hours, but many of these are for the purpose of reserving frequency hours in the coordinated schedule to be used for the sale of time on their transmitters to other broadcasters or programmers.  When the sale of time on their transmitters is unsuccessful, the frequency hours go unused.  Reportedly, this is similar to what many broadcasters do when the main purpose is to sell time to others.  Coordinating frequency hours that are not used creates a major problem for the success of any frequency coordination process.

There are now 24  FCC  licensed shortwave broadcasters.  Tom expressed his deep appreciation for what the licensees are doing in sorting out their own interference problems before coming to him.

Respectfully submitted by Ted Haney on behalf of Tom Polzin, FCC.
 

IBB/VoA Report
Terry Balazs and John Wood

As of October 1, 1999, a new federal entity called the Broadcasting Board of Governors came into existence.  This provides  leadership and oversight for all non-military U.S. government international broadcasting.  They are independent and separate from the State Department.  This facilitates accurate, objective, comprehensive presentation of news and information.

"The creation of an independent broadcasting board of governors also belies statements that we are a Cold War institution whose work is done.  International broadcasting will continue to be vital as long as segments of the world's population are denied access to a free press, and hunger for alternative sources of news and information about their own countries and about the rest of the world.  The end of the Cold War was not the end of history.  It was not the end of repressive regimes.  Our mission is growing as are our methods of delivering news and information to people around the globe.  U.S. international broadcasting reaches out to the world currently in 61 different languages, touching more than 100,000,000 listeners, viewers, and these days, internet users.  Yet, Freedom House estimates that more than 4 billion people live in societies
where governments severely control or suppress print and broadcast media, or where the media are only partly free.  Our broadcasting entities, the Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Worldnet Television, and Radio and TV Marti provide the populations with news, balanced analysis, insights into American policy, and the straight story on what is going on in their own countries."

Although they use many types of media, shortwave remains the primary way of reaching audiences, particularly those in rural
areas and across many underdeveloped nations.  One project Terry has been working on is to determine the future shortwave
requirements to serve Eastern Europe, Russia, and the newly independent states.  This determination must be made in the context of the other media alternatives available.  It seems clear to them that there will be a reduction in the use of shortwave to reach those areas.  One outcome of this research may be that, some resources presently used to deliver news and information to the areas listed above will be relocated so that they can serve areas where requirements are growing, particularly in the Far East.  Some of the resources may be held in reserve to accommodate "surge broadcasting", a timely response to situations that develop in a way that makes it desirable for additional coverage in specified areas; e.g. the Balkans.  Shortwave will continue to play a significant role in their broadcasting capability well into the foreseeable future.

Documentation on the major developments in terrestrial digital broadcasting can be found at the  NAB  website --- www.nab.org

"In spite of the fact that the perception of shortwave broadcasting is one that is diminishing, we still have a very big shortfall in
the number of frequencies versus the competing requirements."

An attempt is being made to get this issue on the agenda for the upcoming  2003  WRC.  The spread from 4 to 10 megahertz will be of particular concern, especially as this cycle of solar activity declines.

Radio Free Asia in particular is still leasing considerable time from other shortwave broadcasters and expects to continue doing so for the foreseeable future.

China, Vietnam, and Cuba are doing significant jamming of incoming shortwave transmissions.  By the use of sophisticated directional locating techniques, monthly reports of jamming from Cuba are sent to Cuba and the  ITU, giving very precisely the location of the jamming facilities.
 

Anti-jamming Receiving Antenna Request
Fred Riley

Fred is putting together a compendium of interference-fighting antennas that might be useful to listeners in countries where
incoming broadcasts experience jamming interference.  He solicited information about interference-canceling or interference-reducing antennas.  These need to be relatively simple so that they can be described to the listeners by internet, by fax, or over the air.  Such information can be sent to Fred via e-mail at  Jfriley@airmail.net  or  postal mail to his attention at
Continental Electronics Corporation, P.O. Box 270879, Dallas, TX  75227-0879. This information will not be sold.  It will be
distributed free to the people who need it.  The materials required must be commonplace and inexpensive.  It was brought up from the  floor that only groundwave jamming can be effectively dealt with by  a fixed-mounted antenna. The desired signal cannot  consistently be isolated from skywave jamming interference.  Materials relating to this are available at the website of  RFA  and the  IBB.
 

Continental-Harris Alliance
Adil Mina and Don Spragg

At the recent  NAB  Convention, Continental Electronics Corporation  and Harris Corporation announced that they have joined together in  a global strategic alliance for high-power  AM  radio projects.  This co-operative venture impacts international aspects more than  it does the domestic side.  They are working together both in  engineering and marketing aspects in a pooling of knowledge and  resources.  Details of implementation are still being worked out.  The main thrust of this venture will be to provide complete  high-power  AM  radio broadcast transmission systems to broadcasters worldwide.  This will include shortwave, medium wave, and longwave transmission equipment, engineering services and turnkey installations.  Continental-Harris and Thompson are the only major companies still making shortwave transmitters.
 
 

Report on the  USWP -10 A Committee
Walt Ireland

Walt serves as the U.S. chairman of U.S. Working Party - 10A, which concerns itself with sound broadcasting below 30 MHz.  He is also a Special Rapporteur for a 10A/2A  study group for  HF  issues including interference from encoded transmissions via power lines.
 
Two topics the  U.S.  is pushing to be on the  WRC  2003  agenda are additional frequency allocations needed for broadcasting in the 4-10  MHz range, and harmonization of the usage of the 7 MHz band. This  WRC  will take place sometime between  October 2002 and March 2003.  Once these topics are definitely on the agenda for  WRC  2003, the FCC, the State Department, and  NTIA  will   together establish Informal  Working Groups here in the U.S.  These meetings are open to the public, and Walt encouraged international broadcasters to participate in the  FCC  Working Group dealing with HF  issues.

Digital shortwave broadcasting itself will require more spectrum space, if for no other reason than to accommodate the transition period from analog to digital.  It may be also inherently require more spectrum space because each digital channel may have to be wider than a corresponding analog channel.  Any allocations that are made will come about at  WRC 2006.  So there will be a request for a considerable amount of additional frequencies at the  WRC 2003.

Concern continues regarding potential severe interference to  MF and  HF  broadcasts by wide-band, high-speed data transmission on power lines.  Walt's group is addressing this issue as possible.
                                ---
 
 

NASB Members
Adventist World Radio
Assemblies of Yahweh
Family Radio Network
Far East Broadcasting Company
Herald Broadcasting Syndicate
High Adventure Ministries
LeSea Broadcasting Corporation
Radio Miami International
Trans World Radio
World Christian Broadcasting
World Wide Catholic Radio

NASB Associate Members
Antenna Products
Continental Electronics Corporation
George Jacobs and Associates
HCJB World Radio
IBB
Technology for Communications Int.
Thomcast, Inc.