Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: xberri@quark2.aero.org (Jason E. Berri)
Subject: SCDX 2154
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41
Reply-To: xberri@arecibo.aero.org
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation
Date: Sat, 25 Apr 1992 22:02:00 GMT
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:: MediaScan ::
:: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS ::
:: from Radio Sweden ::
:: Number 2154--Apr. 21, 1992 ::
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Satellite, shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio Sweden.
This week's bulletin was written by George Wood.
Packet Radio BID SCDX2154
All times UTC unless otherwise noted.
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CABLE AND SATELLITE 92:
The show was held at the Olympia center in London between April 13th and
15th. More than 250 companies exhibited, of which at least 80% were involved
in hardware--such as satellite receivers and antennas--the rest in
programming. Among the TV programmers who took part were CNN, BBC World
Service Television, British Sky Broadcasting, the Children's Channel,
Lifestyle and Screensport, the Adult Channel, and TV Asia.
Satellite radio was represented by Radio Luxembourg, Quality FM, Deutsche
Welle, and Radio Sweden.
CNN--The Cable News Network, CNN, is now broadcasting in the clear on the
Astra 1B satellite, using transponder 28 at 11.626 GHz.
This will make the more than 8 million Astra dish owners in Europe very
happy, especially as there are no plans to scamble or code the signal.
Parallel transmissions on Intelsat 6-F4 will continue through September.
Mark Rudolf, Managing Director of CNN International Sales in London told
Radio Sweden this is part of a global effort to upgrade CNN's satellites,
including moves to a new Galaxy satellite over North America, direct to home
over Japan on Superbird, Indonesia's Palapa, and the new Arabsat 1C to the
Middle East and South Asia. CNN is also adding an Intelsat relay to southern
Africa and the Mediterranean.
BBC WORLD SERVICE TELEVISION--Another major broadcaster announced news at the
Cable and Satellite Show, but not a similar hoped for switch to Astra. BBC
World Service Television has expanded to Africa, initially using the existing
24 hour news service to Asia.
The signal is being carried on Intelsat VI-F4 at 27.5 degrees West, which is
already carrying BBC World Service to Europe, in the Ku-band. The new African
Service is on C-band, 3.65 GHz. The signal is to be in the clear from April
15th until the last week of May, after which it will be encrypted using the
IRDETO system, requiring a decoder from the South African-based M-Net
company.
When the service is in full operation, BBC will be broadcasting between 00:00
and 09:00 and 15:00-17:00 hrs UTC. The rest of the time M-Net will be
operating a pay-TV service on the channel.
Meanwhile, the BBC World Service TV service to Europe is still considering
changing satellite from Intelsat VI-F4, and changing to a more available
decoding system. Recently the channel went 24 hour when World Service Asia
programming was added during the night. This additional service is being
broadcast uncoded. (BBC World Service)
In this week's English Edition of Sweden Calling DXers, we'll be talking to
CNN and BBC WS TV about their new projects. Next week we'll be talking to
Radio Luxembourg and the Adult Channel.
BBC AND ASTRA--Even if World Service Television has no plans to switch to
Astra, another section of the BBC, BBC Enterprises, is launching a new
channel on Astra with Thames Television, the company that recently lost the
London independent television franchise.
The new service is to be on the satellite by the end of the year, drawing
from the libraries of both the BBC and Thames. Initially it will be in the
clear, so Astra viewers across Europe will be able to watch. But the
intention is to introduce a scambling smart card subscription system,
limiting the channel to the British audience.
MTV--It was also announced at this year's Cable and Satellite Show in London
that MTV Europe is launching a teletext service, which will include program
information, pop news, and tour dates. (MTV) (As of April 21st, this service
had yet to appear.)
MTV was removed from Norwegian cable networks on April 1st. The dispute was
over a demand from MTV for a carriage fee. The Norwegians were willing to pay
the fee, if MTV could be included as a pay channel, but MTV rejected this
offer. Key to the problem is MTV's reluctance to encode its signals. Cable
operators want to know why they should have to pay for the service when Astra
dish owners can receive it for free?
MTV was briefly removed from Finnish cable networks, but was restored when
negotiations resumed. Swedish cable operators are continuing to carry the
service while similar negotiations continue. There's a general feeling that
MTV is making excessive demands. A spokesman for the country's largest cable
operator, Swedish Telecom, commented "They can't have their cake and eat it
too." ("Cable and Satellite Express")
HARDWARE--Most of the Cable and Satellite Show was in fact about hardware,
and there were a number of new satellite receivers and antennas on display.
Revox had their little horn and Technisat a small 47 cm squarial, both of
which replace the 60 cm antennas needed for Astra reception in much of
Europe. Unfortunately, there was nothing corresponding to the 80 or 100 cm
antennas needed in areas like Scotland or Scandinavia.
And, for viewers in Asia or Africa wanting to tune in to those BBC World
Service TV broadcasts in the C-band, there's an alternative to a 3 or 4 meter
dish. Space and Scientific Limited displayed a yagi antenna, the kind used
for terrestrial TV reception, for the C-band. Their yagi corresponds to a 2.4
meter dish.
EXPANDING AMSTRAD RECEIVERS--Radio Sweden broadcasts on Astra, on the
transponder at 11.597 GHz, audio subcarrier 7.74 MHz. Unfortunately, many
satellite receivers have restricted audio tuning, and don't carry that
frequency, especially older and less expensive models. Among these are the
very popular Amstrad models SRX 100, 200, and 400.
But the May, 1992 issued of "What Satellite" magazine reviews a product
called Audiostar, which attaches to the Amstrad receiver through some simple
contacts to the printed circuit board, to provide coverage of all audio
channels. It costs 20 pounds, and is available from RBL, Box 145, Dover, Kent
CT17 0YX, in England.
MORE EUROPEAN SATELLITE NEWS:
CANAL SATELLITE--To Astra's disappointment, French TV broadcasters have not
booked any channels. Instead, France plans to use its own Telecom 2A
satellite, which is moving to 8 degrees West, for direct to home
broadcasting. The at least 7 channel Canal Satellite package is to be
launched soon, but has been delayed because of a disagreement between the
French government and Canal Plus, which is involved in the new channels.
Canal Plus wishes to broadcast in the existing SECAM system, while the French
government has suddenly decreed that D2-MAC is to be used. According to one
report, Canal Plus is threatening to move the package to Astra (which won't
have enough transponder space until Astra 1C is launched next year).
Besides Canal Plus, the Canal Satellite project is to include TV Sport, MCM
Euromusique, a children's channel called Canal J, Planete (the French
equivalent to Discovery), and two film channels, Cine-Cinemas and Cine-
Cinefil. The Paris regional channel Paris Premiere could also be included.
("Cable and Satellite Europe" and "What Satellite")
HISPASAT--Astra's hopes to attract Spanish customers are threatened by
Spain's Hispasat direct broadcast satellite, due to be launched before the
end of the year. Three of the five transponders are to be made available to
private broadcasters, with the remaining two reserved for public
braodcasters. Programming licences will be awarded this year and three
channels are expected to start by the beginning of January, 1993, with the
remaining two from July, 1993. ("Cable and Satellite Europe")
AUS PLUS--A group of Australian beer-makers has applied for a licence to
broadcast to Australians and New Zealanders in Britain via an Astra
satellite. The channel, provisionally titled Aus Plus, would broadcast for 8
hours a day, of which 2 would be coded. ("Cable and Satellite Express")
ASIAN SATELLITE NEWS:
AUSTRALIA--Radio Australia is planning to start a satellite TV service to
South East Asia. According to Australian Broadcasting Corporation Assistant
Managing Director Malcolm Long, the ABC is still looking for a satellite.
Asisat, home of BBC World Service, and Palapa, which carries CNN, are being
considered, along with upcoming satellites from Thailand and Malaysia, and
Intelsat. Radio Australia radio programming would also be included with the
signal, and the target date is the end of this year. (Radio Netherlands via
BBC Monitoring)
AFRICAN SATELLITE TELEVISION:
SOUTH AFRICA--The South African Broadcasting Corporation is dropping use of
the B-MAC transmission system in favor of encoded PAL. When M-Net switches to
a new satellite soon, the SABC intends to move with it and use the same
coding system and decoders. The SABC also intends to move from the C-band to
the ku-band in 1994. (BBC Monitoring)
SHORTWAVE:
CANADA--Radio Canada International is now broadcasting in English and French
to the Canadian peacekeeping forces in Yugoslavia. Broadcasts are weekdays
only, in English at 19:00-19:15, French 19:15-19:30 hrs, followed by English
again at 19:30 hrs. Frequencies are 5995, 7235, 13650, 15325, 17875, and
21675 kHz. (BBC Monitoring)
CUBA--Radio Havana Cuba has reactivated two powerful medium wave
transmitters, on 830 and 1100 kHz, for a new service to the United States at
00:00-04:00 hrs. This follows Cuban protests about the amount of American
radio programming aimed at Cuba. (BBC Monitoring)
EL SALAVADOR--The former guerilla station Radio Farabundo Marti has now been
legalised, and is broadcasting on 102.1 MHz, along with three other FM
channels, using the call letters YSFF. (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.
Radio Sweden broadcasts to Europe in English at 20:30-21:30 hrs on medium
wave 1179 kHz, as well as shortwave 6065 and 9655 kHz, and via satellite on
Astra 1B (19.2 degrees East) channel 26 at 11.597 GHz, audio subcarrier at
7.74 MHz, and on the Tele-X direct broadcast satellite (5 degrees East) at
12.207 GHz, audio subcarrier 7.38 MHz.
That program is also broadcast to the Pacific and the Far East on 17730 kHz.
We're also relay our half hour program at 12:30 hrs on satellite, otherwise
it's being carried to South Asia, the Pacific and the Far East on 15170 and
17740 kHz.
The rest of the Radio Sweden English schedule is (half hour programs):
To Europe:
22:30 hrs 1179 and 6065 kHz
To the Middle East and East Africa:
15:00 hrs on 15270 kHz
To Asia/Pacific:
13:30 hrs 17740 and 21570 kHz
01:00 hrs 9685 and 11730 kHz
To North America:
15:00 hrs 17870 and 21500 kHz
02:00 hrs 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.
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Thanks to this week's contributors Good Listening!
--
Jason Berri [berri@aero.org or berri@arecibo.aero.org]
[SPEEDX Column Editor and keeper of the vmsserv swl archive located on]
[arecibo.aero.org. Send email for more info on SPEEDX or the archive.]