From: xberri@quark2.aero.org (Jason E. Berri)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Subject: SCDX 2133
Date: 12 Jul 91 20:48:00 GMT
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1
As stated in my previous message, my posts of both issue 2133 and 2134 went
into the bit bucket, so here they are again in this and the following
message. Back issues of the SCDX bulletins are available via anonymous ftp
from arecibo.aero.org (130.221.193.155) during off-peak hours (locally).
-Jason
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:: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS ::
:: from Radio Sweden ::
:: Number 2133--June 4, 1991 ::
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Shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio Sweden.
This week's bulletin was written by George Wood.
Packet Radio BID SCDX2133
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SWEDEN--We're sorry to report that Sarah Roxstrom has resigned as the head of
Radio Sweden's English service, following a six months dispute between the
English Service staff and management over organization. The Swedish
Journalists Federation is now negotiating with Swedish Radio to find a
solution for the dispute between the English Service staff and Radio Sweden
management. We're sorry the dispute has delayed the distribution of the
Electronic Edition of this bulletin, as well as some Radio Sweden
programming. (DX Editor)
EDXC--The European DX Council, which just held it's 25th annual conference,
this time in Barcelona, in Catalonia, in Spain. The EDXC is an umbrella
organization, bringing together clubs for shortwave listeners across Europe.
But the organization has had problems, and there hasn't been an official EDXC
conference for two years. The report on the EDXC meeting was to be included
in this bulletin has been delayed because of the labor dispute at Radio
Sweden. (DX Editor)
ETHIOPIA--With the fall of the previous government of Ethiopia, the various
rebel groups have taken over the country's radio transmitters. BBC Monitoring
says the Voice of Ethiopia external service disappeared from the airwaves
during the afternoon on May 27th, while the domestic service vanished shortly
afterwards. The following day the Voice of Ethiopia regional medium wave
transmitters, in Asmara on 945 kHz and in Harer on 855, were heard calling
for co-operation with the rebels.
The Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, which supports the Eritrean Peoples
Liberation Front, has extended its schedule on 7490 and 14338 kHz, as has the
Voice of the Tigray Revolution on 7315 and 7820 kHz. (BBC Monitoring)
Now more updates to the new edition of our booklet "Communications in
Space: The DXers Guide to the Galaxy".
SATELLITE-TV/EUROPE--The European Community Commission is currently
discussing the introduction of the digital D2-MAC standard for satellite
television. D2-MAC is seen as a transition to a future high defination
television system to be called HD-MAC. A rapid introduction of D2-MAC and a
phase-out of the current PAL standard is supported by electronics companies
such as Philips, and the governments of countries with major electronics
companies, such as the Netherlands, in order to prevent the Japanese HDTV
system from becoming a world standard. This is opposed by satellite
broadcasters such as Astra in Luxembourg and countries such as Britain, which
is the home of many satellite broadcasters.
While a recent article in the Swedish newspaper "Dagens Nyheter" claimed
imposition of D2-MAC would be negative for Swedish satellite-TV viewers, the
reverse is in fact true. Just about the only current user of D2-MAC is the
Scandinavian broadcaster Scan-Sat (owner of TV3 and TV1000), which means that
Scandinavian satellite TV viewers have to purchase expensive D2-MAC
receivers. The imposition of D2-MAC would mean high volume sales of the new
satellite receivers, increasing prices in the rest of Europe but dropping the
prices in Scandinavia.
As we reported last time, Eurosport has returned to the airwaves. At first
signals were only on the Eutelsat II-F1 satellite, on 10.97 GHz, which is
different from its previous transponder on that satellite. A few days later,
Eurosport reappeared on Astra, but not on its old transponder on Astra 1A.
Instead, it's on Astra 1B on 11.538 GHz. That's vertical polarization, which
means a very weak signal into Scandinavia.
And the teletext service seems to have disappeared, including the Radio
Sweden schedule to Europe, which had appeared there.
Thomas Bergstam reports that FilmNet seems to have divided up its services
between two satellites. The same films are being broadcast over Astra 1A and
Eutelsat 2-F2, but the Thomas says the teletext systems are different.
FilmNet has confirmed to Radio Sweden that the Astra signals are being
uplinked from Stockholm, for distribution in Scandinavia. The Eutelsat
signals continue to originate in Belgium.
Sweden's TV4 has shifted transponders for its relays to Norway on Intelsat
5A-F12. The new frequency is 11.133 GHz. Meanwhile, TV4 is to
get some competition on its other spacecraft, Sweden's direct broadcast
satellite Tele-X. On October 23rd, the new Baltic University will begin
broadcasts via Tele-X to 50 universities in Leningrad, the Soviet Baltic
Republics, and Poland.
The programs will be courses about environmental problems in the Baltic Sea
region, and universities in Copenhagen; Uppsala, Sweden; and the Finnish city
of Turku are involved.
Another European satellite broadcaster, WH Smith, says it is selling its
satellite channels, including Screensport and Lifestyle, to a consortium made
up of the American sports network ESPN, the American ABC network, and
France's pay-TV Canal Plus.
Canal Plus is also involved in a project with the over the air broadcaster
TF1 to launch an all-news channel in French. That service would be launched
in mid-1992 at the earliest.
SATELLITE-TV/NORTH AMERICA--The Financial News Network has been sold to its
competitor, the Consumer News and Business Channel. Gary Bourgois reports on
CompuServe that the CNN International feed on the Galaxy 2 satellite,
transponder 1, is now scrambled. The coding system used is called Leitch,
which is not legally available.
Bill Rood reports on CompuServe that the Galaxy 1 satellite is moving from
134 degrees West to 133 degrees during the week between June 21st and June
28th. That satellite includes many popular services, including the Disney
Channel, Home Box Office, Cinemax, Showtime, CNN, Turner Broadcasting, ESPN,
the Discovery Channel, Arts and Entertainment, and the USA Network. TVRO
owners will have to shift their dishes during the week.
AMATEUR RADIO IN SPACE--Britain's first astronaut, Helen Sharman, returned to
Earth on May 27th after an 8 day visit to the Soviet space station MIR. She
operated the amateur radio station there, under the call sign GB1MIR.
WEATHER SATELLITES--The American weather satellite NOAA-12 is now
transmitting on 137.5 MHz, the same frequency as NOAA-10. The new satellite
can be heard about 45 minutes after the older satellite passes.
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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 since 1948. The program is now broadcast on the first and
third Tuesday of each month. RS broadcasts to North America:
15:30 hrs on 17875 and 21500 kHz
02:00 hrs on 9695 and 11705 kHz
03:30 hrs on 9695 and 11705 kHz
To Latin America:
23:30 hrs on 9695 and 11705 kHz
To Europe, Africa, and the Middle East:
17:00 hrs on 1179, 6065, and 9615 kHz
18:30 hrs on 6065 and (Middle East) 15270 kHz
19:30 hrs on 1179, 6065 and 9655 kHz
20:30 hrs on 6065 kHz
22:00 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz
23:30 hrs on 1179 kHz
And to Asia and the Pacific:
11:30 hrs on 11960, 17740, and 21570 kHz
13:00 hrs on 11960, 17740, and 21570 kHz
01:00 hrs on 9765 kHz
The Radio Sweden schedule to Europe in Swedish, English, German, French, and
Spanish can be found on EuroSport (on cable and on the Astra and Eutelsat II-
F1 satellites) Tele-Text page 496.
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 2:201/697 or to SM0IIN at the packet radio BBS SM0ETV.
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 this week's contributors Good Listening!
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--
Jason Berri (SPEEDX USSR Editor)
INTERNET: berri@aerospace.aero.org or berri@arecibo.aero.org
[SPEEDX is a SWL club, send email to the above address for more information]