Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: xberri@quark2.aero.org (Jason E. Berri)
Subject: SCDX 2147
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41
Reply-To: xberri@arecibo.aero.org
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1992 06:28:00 GMT
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: MediaScan ::
:: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS ::
:: from Radio Sweden ::
:: Number 2147--Jan. 7, 1991 ::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Satellite, shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio Sweden.
This week's bulletin was written by George Wood.
Packet Radio BID SCDX2147
All times UTC unless otherwise noted.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
(This edition was compiled by George Wood, in a wood-heated California
farmhouse, equiped with laptop computer, shortwave receiver, and satellite
dish.)
THE GLOBAL VILLAGE/FUTURE TECHNOLOGY:
CNN--The founder of the Cable News Network, Ted Turner, has been named Man
of the Year 1991 by "Time" magazine. Turner was hailed as a visionary, whose
network the magazine says changed the definition of news "from something
that has happened to something that is happening at the very moment you are
hearing it."
It was just 15 years ago that Ted Turner put his little Atlanta station
WTCG on a satellite. It was the first of the so-called "Super Stations" and
the beginning of modern American cable television. WTCG had had an audience
of just 24,000 in Atlanta. Within a year, it could be seen in almost 2
million homes. That number doubled the following year and doubled again the
year after.
Today, the Turner empire includes the Turner Broadcasting System, Turner
Network Television, CNN, and CNN Headline News. The National Cable
Television Association in the United States has ranked CNN as the number 1
cable network channel. With 58.9 million viewers, CNN is pursued by the
sports channel ESPN, with Turner's TBS channel in 3rd place, followed by
MTV.
CNN has also won the cable industry's highest honour - the Golden ACE, for
the second year running, for its coverage of the Gulf conflict.
Meanwhile, Turner Broadcasting is expanding. Turner and Scientific- Atlanta
have joined forces to produce the "Checkout Channel", a live television
service which will be broadcast to American supermarkets.
Turner Broadcasting has also bought the Hanna-Barbera cartoon production
company, home of Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound. SatNews says Ted Turner is
believed to be planning the launch of an animated children's television
network in 1993. (AP, "Los Angeles Daily News", and "SatNews")
FUTURE TECHNOLOGY--Satellite television expert Mark Long predicts integrated
receiver/descramblers in the next century. Viewers will call up a special
onscreen menu and specify what kinds of programming they want to watch, with
an order of preference. The satellite receiver will then call up a
satellite-delivered log of the month's program fare, and propose one or more
custom viewing scenarios.
Once a schedule is chosen, the receiver automatically will perform all the
right moves to put the selections on the screen as they occur. (Mark Long in
"Satellite Orbit" magazine)
CABLE TELEVISION--The average American cable TV system is capable of
receiving around 35 channels. But in Queens, New York Time Warner Inc. has
launched the world's first 150-channel cable television system.
The Queens system was already larger than usual, with 75 channels. Fifty-
seven of the new channels are for pay-per-view programming, including the
on-screen ordering of movies and special events. The other 18 channels will
be reserved for satellite programming services and interactive
telecommunications tests.
These include a minicellular telephone service, computer networks, fax
machines, electronic banking, and, as the technology develops, high
definition TV television, or HDTV, the planned high density images that will
include screens with the proportions of movie screens. ("Los Angeles Times")
HDTV--A Japanese satellite is already broadcasting in HDTV, using a system
called Hi-Vision, which some observers say is already obsolete, since it is
totally analog. The United States is moving ahead on developing a completely
digital HDTV system.
The American Federal Communications Commmission is to choose between four
digital technologies in 1993.
Europe is in the middle, with the European Commission trying to impose a
half-digital/half-analog system called HD-MAC on broadcasters. EC Technology
Commissioner Filippo Maria Pandolfi and electronics companies hoping to sell
millions of new television sets, wanted to force satellite broadcasters to
switch to a system called D2-MAC as part of the planned transition to HD-
MAC. So far, just abuor the only user of D2-MAC has been the Swedish ScanSat,
which operates TV3 and TV1000. Other satellite broadcasters have continued
to use the current PAL system.
The efforts to impose D2-MAC and HD-MAC suffered a setback on December
19th. Following 15 hours of intense discussions, EC ministers agreed on a
significantly watered-down version of the directive proposed by Technology
Commissioner Pandolfi.
The directive says the D2-MAC standard must be used for all new satellite-TV
services in the extra-wide, 16-by-9 ratio format, as of 1995. But contrary
to initial plans, existing TV channels won't be required to switch over to
D2-MAC.
The directive also leaves the door wide open for future broadcasts using
all-digital technology. While the Japanese and HD-MAC systems are
imcompatible, digital systems can easily be converted in other standards.
(Dow Jones, Reuters)
FILMNET--D2-MAC has won one small victory. FilmNet began regular broadcasts
using D2-MAC on December 16th, on Astra 1B channel 23, 11.559 GHz.
Transmissions will continue in parallel with the PAL broadcasts on Astra 1A
channel 11, 11.362 GHz. (Jan Johansson, Sweden)
SATELLITE TELEVISION:
EUROPE--Satellite television continues to grow in Europe. According to a
report from Continental Research more than two million satellite dishes are
now installed in British homes. Continental believes that 6.8 million dishes
will be installed by 1996, and 7.25 million by 2001. ("SatNews")
SHORTWAVE:
CHINA--Radio Beijing is now broadcasting at 20:00 and 21:00 hrs via Mali on
15170 kHz instead of 15110, and was broadcasting via the USSR at 22:00 hrs on
7170 kHz instead of 9880. (Tom Sundstrom, USA)
CROATIA--Croatian Radio has been heard on a new frequency of 6210 kHz,
instead of 7240. The schedule is now: 06:00-19:00 hrs on 9830 and 7240 kHz
and 19:00-06:00 hrs on 9830 and 6210 kHz. (BBC Monitoring)
CUBA--Radio Havana Cuba is now broadcasting in English to the Americas:
00:00-02:00 hrs on 11950 kHz; 02:00-04:00 hrs on 5965, 11950, and 15140 kHz;
and 04:00-06:00 hrs on 6180 (from 05:00), 11760, and 11950 kHz.
To Europe and the Middle East: 19:00-21:00 hrs on 17705 kHz; 20:00-21:00
hrs on 9760 kHz; and 22:00-23:00 hrs on 7215 kHz. (The last two
transmissions are listed from transmitters in the former Soviet Union.) (BBC
Monitoring)
NEW ZEALAND--Radio New Zealand International is on the air 08:00-12:05 hrs on
9700 kHz, 18:00-22:05 hrs on 15120 kHz, and 22:06-08:00 hrs on 17770 kHz.
(BBC Monitoring)
THE FRAGMENTING USSR--With the end of the Soviet Union, the Radio Moscow
World Service has been taken over by Russia's Radio. Russian programming is
scheduled for 7400 kHz between 18:00 and 23:00 hrs. (Lou Josephs on
CompuServe)
But it's unclear what is happening to programming in other languages. The
English service to North America was still on the air on 7115 and 7150 kHz at
04:00 hrs on January 2nd. (DX Editor)
TURKMENISTAN--Radio Tashkent broadcasts in English at 12:00 and 13:30 hrs are
now on 5945, 9540, 15470, and 17745 kHz. (Tom Sundstrom)
UNIDENTIFIED--Does anyone know what station / service I heard on 4860 kHz
from 20:15 (tuned in while program in progess) until 22:00 UT? It is
apparently out of Moscow as there are frequent "Ist Moskva" IDs. At 20:58
there is a Moscow ID followed by the usual R. Moscow IS but then at 21:00
there is an IS played on a piano (several chords) followed by a female
announcer saying something like "ee-tokway radijo" or "isti wokway radijo"
which is repeated by a male announcer. Reception is only fair so I couldn't
make out the ID any clearer.
The language doesn't sound like Russian - it could be an eastern European or
western Asian language perhaps. At 22:00, R. Moscow in Spanish begins
without an obvious change in transmitter or antenna bearing. Any idea as to
what I'm hearing? Transmitter location? While I'm at it, do you know where
the transmitter is located which is producing the Moskovska Radio signal on
4795 kHz at about the same time? (Richard Langley, New Brunswick,Canada)
UNOFFICIAL RADIO--A station called the Voice of Kashmir Freedom has been
heard broadcasting in Urdu, Kashmiri, and English. The station opposes Indian
control over Kashmir, and although it says it broadcasts from Indian soil,
BBC Monitoring says it probably operates from Pakistan. There are one hour
broadcasts at: 02:30, 07:00. 11:00, and 14:30 hrs on 5000 and 6300 KHz, and
at 16:30 hrs on these two frequencies plus 5900 kHz. (BBC Monitoring)
PUBLICATIONS--For those who like to tune in to utility stations, such as
ships, aircraft, and news agencies, the 10th edition of the "Guide to Utility
Stations" hasjust been published. It includes more than 7500 new coastal and
fixed station frequencies, as well as changes caused by the Gulf War and
recent events in Eastern Europe. The frequency list covers nearly 20,000
channels. There are also 69 RTTY press services listed on 371 frequencies.
This essential guide for the utility DXer costs DEM 70 including airmail,
from: Klingenfuss Publications, Hagenloher Str. 14, D-7400 Tuebingen,
Germany.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Radio Sweden broadcasts to Europe in English at 19:30-20:30 hrs on medium
wave 1179 kHz, as well as shortwave 6065, 9655, and 15270 kHz.
The rest of the Radio Sweden English schedule is (half hour programs):
To Europe:
21:30 hrs 1179 and 6065 kHz
23:30 hrs 1179 kHz
To Asia/Pacific:
13:30 hrs 17740 and 21570 kHz
01:00 hrs 9765 kHz
To North America:
15:30 hrs 17870 and 21500 kHz
01:00 hrs 9695 and 11705 kHz
02:00 hrs 9695 and 11705 kHz
To Latin America:
23:30 hrs 9695 and 11705 kHz
15:30 hrs on 17875 and 21500 kHz
02:00 hrs on 9695 and 11705 kHz
03:30 hrs on 9695 and 11705 kHz
Contributions can be sent to DX Editor George Wood by fax to +468-667-6283,
from Internet, MCI Mail or CompuServe (to the CompuServe mailbox 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.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to this week's contributors Good Listening!
--
Jason Berri [berri@aero.org or berri@arecibo.aero.org]
[SPEEDX USSR Editor - send email for more info on the SPEEDX SWL club]