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:: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS ::
:: from Radio Sweden ::
:: Number 2062--Sept. 26, 1989 ::
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Shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio Sweden.
This week's bulletin was written by Ingemar Sandberg.
Electronic Edition edited by George Wood.
Packet Radio BID SCDX2062
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CORDLESS TELEPHONES--A new generation of cordless telephones is appearing in
Europe, which are being called "the poor man's mobile telephone". At the same
time, the current cordless phones in Sweden cost more than cellular
telephones in many other countries.
Cordless telephones have become popular all over the Western World and the
Far East. The exception is Sweden, where cordless telephones remain too
expensive for ordinary households. In fact, Swedish cordless telephones cost
more than the mobile or cellular telephones used in automobiles in other
countries.
This is because Sweden uses a unique frequency band for its cordless phones.
The kind found in the rest of the world use frequencies around 49 MHz. This
band is, however, still used by television in Sweden. Two transmitters for
Swedish Channel 1 use frequencies close to 49 MHz. Rather than move those two
transmitters, Swedish Telecom has decided that cordless phones in this
country shuld use the exotic frequencies of 914 and 959 MHz. Because of this,
the legal cordless phones sold in Sweden cost as much as 10 times what
similar units cost abroad.
Consequently, many Swedes buy cordless phones in other countries and try to
smuggle them past Customs. So far this year Swedish Customs has confiscated
1500 to 2000 cordless telephones. That's roughly twice as many as during all
of last year.
Now Britain has begun testing the next generation of cordless phones, called
CT-2. This operates at 864 MHz, using special digital signals. When you use
CT-2, you carry the handset in your pocket, and around town there are relay
stations called phonepoints, instead of traditional phone booths. The idea is
that you can call out from anywhere within range of a phonepoint, although
you can't receive calls. That's why the system is being called the poor man's
mobile telephone.
The pilot service has only 100 users and 30 phonepoints, all in London. The
service is expected to cover all of London by the end of this month, and 1000
phonepoints are to be installed during the first year. When Britain is fully
wired, there will be 16,000 phonepoints.
The British decision is controversial, because European standards have yet to
be decided. Britain hopes to sell its CT-2 system to the rest of Euyrope, so
that the same pocket telephone can be used anywhere in the continent. It now
looks as thought the French have accepted the British system, for their
"Pointel" public cordless network.
Happily for Swedes, Swedish Telecom has indicated it will adhere to the
forthcoming international standard for CT-2. (George Wood)
SPACE--After more than 400 lift-offs, NASA launched its last unmanned rocket
from Cape Canaveral, Florida Monday September 25th. The final launch was a
125 million dollar navy communications satellite called Fleet Communications
Satellite, or FLTSATCOM-8. It is the last of a series of satellites which
provide orbiting switchboards to link land, sea, and air forces around the
world with the American Joint Chiefs of Staff, the National Command
Authority, and the President's Military Command Network. (Dow Jones)
AFGHANISTAN--Updating SCDX-2044 Radio Afghanistan's broadcast in Urdu is now
at 13:30-14:00 hrs on 6100 and 4775 kHz. (Salil Kumar Paul, India)
ARGENTINA--Reception reports to Radio Korea can now be sent to the following
address in Argentina: Wansu Park, Radio Korea, Embajada de la Republica de
Korea, Avenida del Libertador 2257, Codigo Postal 1425, Buenos Aires,
Argentina. (Jorge Garcia, Argentina)
AUSTRIA--Radio Austria International has introduced programs in Arabic. Since
September 24th there is Arabic on Sundays at 05:05-05:30 on 6155, 13730,
15410 and 21490 with a repeat at 19:05-19:30 on 5945, 6155, 12010 and 13730
kHz. (Harry Niebuhr, West Germany, Paul Gager and Manfred Schida, Austria)
BANGLA DESH--The external service of Radio Bangla Desh uses the unannounced
frequency of 17978 kHz between 07:00 and 08:00. English at 12:30-13:00 uses
the new frequency of 17910 kHz. (S.Anand, India and Don Hosmer, USA in Glenn
Hauser's "DX Listening Digest")
BELGIUM--The new English schedule of the BRT is as follows: 00:30 on 9925
kHz, 08:00 on 6035, 11695 and 21815 kHz, at 10:00 on 21810 and 26050 kHz, at
13:30 on 21810 and 21815 kHz, at 16:30 on 17580 and 21810 kHz, at 18:30 on
1512, 5910 and 11695 kHz and at 22:00 on 1512, 5910 and 9925 kHz. (Harry
Niebuhr)
French to Europe from RTBF is broadcast as follows: weekdays: 06:30-07:35
on 5965 kHz, 11:00-13:00 and 16:00-16:45 on 9925 kHz. Saturdays: 06:30-07:30
on 5965 kHz, 07:30-13:05 and 16:00-16:45 on 9925 kHz. Sundays: 06:30-07:30 on
5965 kHz and 07:45-16:45 on 9925 kHz. (Francois Chalory, France)
CAPE VERDE ISLANDS--Updating SCDX-2019, three 500 kilowatt commercial
shortwave transmitters will be installed soon by the French Company "Media
Connection International". The project will be operational in 1991 and it
will broadcast commercial programs towards the Americas, Africa, Southern
Europe and the Middle East. (AFP New agency via BBC Monitoring)
COSTA RICA--French programs from Adventist World Radio are broadcast
daily except Saturdays at 11:00-12:00 on 11870 kHz. (Andre Hemlin, Quebec,
Canada)
HONG KONG/TAIWAN--The world's first underwater optical fiber
telecommunications system is planned to be built between Hong Kong and
Taiwan. The 730 kilometer line will carry data, facsimile and video signals
as well as voice communication. It will operate at a rate of 420 Megabits per
second. (Vitaly Liberny, USSR)
IVORY COAST--Radiodiffusion Television Ivorienne has drifted away from its
nominal frequency of 7215 kHz to 7208. (Thomas Sundstrom, USA)
NETHERLANDS--A couple of changes in Radio Netherlands schedule valid from
September 24th: English at 10:30 is on new 9505 kHz and English at 11:30 is
on new 21615 kHz. (A. Ghiri and Ajay Kumar, India)
PHILIPPINES--Radio Veritas Asia has moved from 11735 to 11820 kHz for their
Tamil and Sinhala broadcast at 00:00-00:55. (Salil Kumar Paul, India)
POLAND--The London Correspondent of PAP news agency learned about a project
to build in Warsaw a satellite transmission station which would make it
possible for residents of Warsaw and nearby localities to receive BBC World
Service 24 hours a day as well as BBC Polish programs to be aired on VHF.
(BBC Monitoring)
SYRIA--Radio Damascus broadcasts to Europe in Russian at 17:00-18:00 on
12085. German at 18:05, French at 19:05 and English at 20:05 are on new 9950
and 12085 kHz. (Vitali Liberny and Thomas Sundstrom)
UNITED KINGDOM--BBC World Service has just added two new 250 kW transmitters
and four new antennas to its relay base on Ascension Island in the Atlantic.
These are to be used for broadcasts to South America in Spanish and
Portuguese and to West Africa in English, French, and Hausa. (Reuters, BBC)
USSR--Radio Kiev's new schedule reads: 18:00-18:30 to Europe on 9600, 7240,
7205 and 7150 kHz. At 23:30-24:00 and 02:00-02:30 on 17690, 17665, 15180,
11675, 9800 and 9610 kHz. Heard in use but not announced was 7400 kHz at
23:30. (Thomas Sundstrom) Radio Kiev was heard with English to North America
at 02:00 on 11790 kHz. (Salil Kumar Paul, India)
Towards the end of the year a non-governmental youth radio station, the
first of its kind in the Soviet Union will come into operation in Vilnius,
Lithuania. Called M-1, the new station will operate on VHF with 4 kilowatts
and the programs will feature much music, live discussions, interviews and
reports on youth life. The station is financed by the city of Vilnius, local
companies, and youth organisations. (Radio Vilnius via BBC Monitoring)
VATICAN CITY--Vatican Radio's new schedule shows English at 02:00 on 11750
kHz and at 15:00 on 17870 kHz, Hindi at 01:15 on 7125 kHz and at 14:30 on
11955 kHz. (Salil Kumar Paul)
UNOFFICIAL RADIO--"Democracy Broadcasting Station" is a station hostile to
the Chinese government and is thought to broadcast from Taiwan. It has been
obeserved with 15 minute broadcasts in Standard Chinese on 7125 kHz at
11:40, 13:35, 14:40 and 15:15. (BBC Monitoring)
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Sweden Calling DXers is the world's oldest radio program for shortwave
listeners. Radio Sweden has presented this round-up of radio news, features,
and interviews on Tuesdays since 1948. Beginning Sept 24, RS broadcasts to
North America:
15:30 hrs on 17880 and 21610 kHz
02:30 hrs on 9695 and 11705 kHz
To Europe, Africa, and the Middle East:
15:30 hrs on 21655 kHz (East Africa)
18:00 hrs on 1179, 6065, and 7265 kHz
21:00 hrs on 1179, 9655 and 11705 kHz
23:00 hrs on 1179 kHz
00:00 hrs on 1179 kHz
And to Asia and the Pacific:
12:30 hrs on 15190, 17740, and 21570 kHz
14:00 hrs on 11905 and 17740 kHz
01:00 hrs on 7225 and 9640 kHz
The Radio Sweden schedule to Europe can be found on Sky Channel's teletext
Service, Sky Text, on page 496.
The Electronic Edition is based on the Sweden Calling DXers bulletins
which are mailed out every 4 weeks to contributors. Contributions can be sent
to DX Editor George Wood to Swedish telex 11738, CompuServe (via the HamNet
Forum or Easyplex 70247,3516), through the FidoNet system to 2:202/297 or to
SM0IIN at the packet radio BBS SK0TM.
Reports can also be sent to:
Radio Sweden
S-105 10 Stockholm
Sweden
Contributions should be NEWS about electronic media--from shortwave to
satellites--and not loggings of information already available from sources
such as the "World Radio TV Handbook". Clubs and DX publications may reprint
material as long as Sweden Calling DXers and the original contributor are
acknowledged, with the exception of items from BBC Monitoring, which are
copyright.
We welcome comments and suggestions about the electronic edition, Sweden
Calling DXers, and our programs in general.
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Thanks to 33 contributors this week Good Listening!