From news.cs.tut.fi!news.funet.fi!funic!nic.funet.fi!compuserve.com!70247.3516 Wed May 5 17:30:38 EET DST 1993
Article: 19982 of rec.radio.shortwave
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Path: news.cs.tut.fi!news.funet.fi!funic!nic.funet.fi!compuserve.com!70247.3516
From: 70247.3516@compuserve.com (George Wood)
Subject: SCDX 2178
Message-ID: <930504135030_70247.3516_EHB46-2@CompuServe.COM>
Sender: root@nic.funet.fi (The FUnny NET guru)
Organization: Finnish University & Research Network
Date: Tue, 4 May 1993 16:50:31 +0300
Lines: 396
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:: MediaScan ::
:: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS ::
:: from Radio Sweden ::
:: Number 2178--May 4, 1993 ::
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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 SCDX2178
All times UTC unless otherwise noted.
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NORDIC MEDIA NEWS:
RADIO SWEDEN--The Swedish parliament voted on April 28th to cut Radio
Sweden's budget by 2 million dollars a year, that's one third our operating
budget. The legislation calls on the government to consider using licence
fees to cover the difference, but there's no telling when, or even if, the
government will respond.
According to the head of Radio Sweden, Hans Wachholz, the decision means
Radio Sweden will have to drop programs in Spanish and French. Our programs
in Swedish will be replaced by relays from the Home Service. The cutbacks
will begin to go into effect on July 1st.
The latest on our medium wave transmitter in Soelvesborg, which was damaged
by a fire some weeks back, is that the new transmitter is being tuned up.
There are to be round-the-clock tests on Thursday and Friday, and we hope to
have it back in regular service on 1179 kHz this weekend.
NORDIC NEWS CHANNEL--At a meeting of the Nordic Council back in March,
Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt proposed setting up a common Nordic
television channel. The suggestion has now been refined into a more concrete
plan for a common Nordic news channel. A working group has presented several
alternatives for how the schedule would be put together.
According to one, some of the programs would be broadcast on a delayed basis,
which would allow time to translate subtitles for the programs in Icelandic
and Finnish. Annual cost for the channel would be around 10 million dollars a
year. The Nordic prime ministers will decide at a meeting in July whether to
go ahead with the plan. (TT)
COMMERCIALS--Sweden's first and only terrestrial private TV channel, TV4, has
been told it must pay more than 100,000 dollars in fines if it continues to
violate the terms of its contract with the State, and broadcasts commercials
in the the middle of programs. The station's manager says they've broken the
contract on purpose to test the law. They now have two weeks to appeal the
decision. (TT)
Meanwhile, the satellite-only channel TV3, which set up in London to avoid
Swedish legislation, now says it will reduce the number of commercial breaks
to bring it more in line.
FILMMAX--TV3's sister channel, the oldies pay-film outlet FilmMax, has now
appeared on satellite, on Intelsat 601 on 11.668 GHz. But tuning in will be
difficult. Not only does FilmMax use D2-MAC, so far only Norwegians are being
allowed to buy subscription cards.
EUROPEAN SATELLITE BROADCASTING:
ASTRA 1C--European satellite TV viewers are looking forward to the event of
the year, the launch of the Astra 1C satellite. It will provide 16 channels,
in addition to the 32 already available at just one position in the sky, 19.2
degrees East. The latest information we have is that the launch has been
delayed until May 12th, sometime between midnight 51 and 01:49 hrs UTC. (AFP)
We've reported many times on what channels may be appearing on the satellite,
when it switches on in late July or early August. Two Spanish channels are
confirmed, as are Discovery, the Children's Channel, and FilmNet. Turner
Broadcasting says its combined Cartoon Network/TNT channel will also be on
Astra 1C. To that you can add Bravo, TV Asia, MTV's kids channel Nickelodeon,
the Family Channel, and most certainly one or two German outlets.
"Sky Guide" reports that Paramount and MCA in the United States want to
launch European versions of their USA Network and Science Fiction Channel.
James Robinson tells us that Astra 1C will also carry a new sports channel
from Ireland, called Setanta Sport. We've already reported that Thames
Television is planning on using its option for another Astra transponder.
"What Satellite TV" says this will probably be a women-oriented channel,
offering cookery, health and fitness, and gardening programs from the BBC and
Thames libraries.
And, when the Astra 1D satellite is launched next year, the BBC intends to
start three more channels. According to "Sky Guide", these will be a news
channel, a documentary channel, and a children's channel.
Astra 1D, and its follow-up 1E, due for launch in 1995, will use digital
compresssion techniques, squeezing 8 channels into each transponder. British
Sky Broadcasting is planning on using the plethora of channels to provide
pay-per-view movies. ("Paa TV")
But that's in the future. Astra 1C is about to be launched, and with it
another satellite, which is being looked forward to by people all over the
world, and not just in Europe. This is the French amateur radio satellite
ARSENE.
ARSENE is to orbit over the equator. It's farthest distance from the Earth
will be 36,000 kilometers, the same distance as geostationary satellites, but
since it will get as close as 20,000 kilometers, it will appear to slowly
drift from west to east. The high orbit will mean access time of nearly 12
hours a day for stations up to 40 degrees latitude.
This will be the 24th amateur radio satellite at least, and personally, I
wonder why radio amateurs seem reluctant to put a true geostationary
satellite into orbit? That would eliminate the need for expensive and
complicated antenna rotors and tracking programs. Users could train their
antennas on one sure spot in the sky and enjoy 24 hour communications.
Be that as it may, ARSENE will offer a number of interesting features. It
will work as a packet radio repeater in the sky, with ordinary FM packet,
rather than some of the more complicated systems used on other satellites.
The downlink will be at 145.975 MHz. (Pat Gowen in "Practical Wireless" and
"AMSAT-SM Newsletter")
ARSENE and Astra 1C are to be launched on the Ariane flight 56 from French
Guyana. Ariane's current policy is to transmit the launches on the Eutelsat
II-F1 satellite, unfortunately coded in B-MAC.
But Bertil Sundberg writes in "Paa TV" magazine that the launch may be
carried live on Astra on the RTL 4 transponder.
Because of the amateur radio satellite, there will be lots more coverage of
the launch. According to a message on packet radio from Dr. Bernard Pidoux,
there will be three 90 minute video transmissions, the first on the day of
the launch, and then the two following evenings. The programs are scheduled
for 20:00 to 21:30 hrs, and the frequency on Eutelsat II-F1 will be 11.658
GHz.
There's also a good chance that the launch will be carried to North America
on the NASA Select channel on Satcom 2R, transponder 13. We've seen another
report that mission coverage could be on Galaxy 6 or Galaxy 7. And the AMSAT
network will be carrying live coverage on amateur radio, on many frequencies.
One to look for is 14295 kHz in upper side band.
INTELSAT--There's a new uncoded channel on Intelsat 601. The Cable Network,
has appeared on 11.498 GHz. Owned by United Artists, this is to carry
lifestyle programs aimed at women during the day, and hobbyist programs for
men during the evening.
News feeds from Sarajevo have moved from Intelsat 601, and can now be found
on Intelsat 603 at 34.5 degrees West, on 11.476 GHz. (Bertil Sundberg in
"Elektronikvaerlden")
Roger Bunney reports in "Shortwave News" that Intelsat is moving its 504
satellite to 31 degrees West to provide increased leasing capability across
the Atlantic.
RADIO--Virgin 1215 may be gone from Astra, but two long-delayed new stations
have finally appeared. One is the country music station Q-CMR, which has
shown up on the Sky News transponder, audio 7.38 MHz.
The other is United Christian Broadcasters, which has begun tests on the Sky
Sports transponder, audio 7.56 MHz.
Radio Finland has begun broadcasts on Eutelsat II-F1 on the Deutsche Welle
transponder, audio 8.10 MHz. (James Robinson)
VOA--The Voice of America has cmopleted the installation of digital receivers
in all US embassies and USIA locations for downlinking satellite audio and
data services. ("Satnews") Because of the switch to digital links, VOA Europe
will no longer be available on the Deutsche Welle transponder on Eutelsat II-
F1. (James Robinson)
EUTELSAT--Turkey's TRT is now broadcasting all day on Eutelsat II-F1.
Unfortunately, the daily English and German news broadcasts have been
discontinued.
Another Turkish channel, Satel, is testing on Eutelsat II-F2. James Robinson
has found them at 13:00-21:00 hrs on two transponders, a strong signal on
10.987 GHz, audio 6.65 MHz, and a weaker signal on 11.017 GHz, audio 6.6 MHz.
(James Robinson and Martyn Williams)
TV Polonia has started regular broadcasts on Eutelsat II-F3, on 11.080 GHz.
Another Polish service, called Polsat, is on the same satellite, at 11.675
GHz. ("Elektronikvaeden")
RUSSIA--Russia is to replace its aging Ghorizont satellites, with a new
series called "Express". Each will have 10 C band and 2 Ku-band transponders,
that compares to just one Ku-band transponder on the Ghorizonts. The first
Express will be launched later this year. The first Ghorizonts to be replaced
will be those at 40, 103, and 140 degrees East. (Roger Bunney in "Shortwave
Magazine")
PACIFIC SATELLITE BROADCASTING:
RIMSAT--Repositioned Ghorizonts are to be placed at 130 and 134 degrees East
to provide the new Rimsat satellite service to the Pacific, from Tonga's
orbital slots. Five more satellites are to be launched for Rimsat over the
next few years. (Roger Bunney in "Shortwave Magazine")
AUSTRALIA--Bidding closed last week for Australia's new satellite pay-TV
channels. Two commercial licences are to be granted, with successful bidders
being allowed to broadcast up to four channels each. One bid is from a
consortium made up of all of the country's major media empires: Rupert
Murdoch's News Corporation, Kerry Packer's Nine Network, the Seven Network,
and the TEN Network.
The world's biggest media-entertainment company, Time-Warner, and the
American cable TV operator Continental Cablevision are also bidding, although
the two companies have refused to say whether they have launched joint or
separate bids.
A third licence, for two channels, will go to the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation. (AP, Reuters)
ASIAN SATELLITE NEWS:
INDONESIA--Hughes Communciations has signed an agreement to build a third
generation of satellites for Indonesia, Palapa-C. The first two satellites
will be delivered in July 1995 and January 1996, with an option for a third,
which expires in 1999. Each satellite will carry 30 C-band and 4 Ku-band
transponders, providing coverage through-out southeast Asia and parts of
China and Australia. ("Satnews")
NORTH AMERICAN SATELLITE BROADCASTING:
GALAXY-A PAL feed of CNN International can be found in the clear on Galaxy 7,
transponder 20.
CBS has started an affiliate feed service on Galaxy 7, with a West Coast feed
on transponder 2, an east Coast feed on transponder 19, and occasional video
on other transponders.
The All News Channel has moved from Satcom F2R to Galaxy 1, transponder 5.
Mamny services appeared on Galaxy 3 around April 1st. Asia TV has appeared on
transponder 7, the Empire Sports Network on transponder 2, the Video Catalog
Channel on transponder 17, Satellite Market USA on transponder 9, and what
appears to to be two feeds of the American Family Entertainment Network are
on transponders 22 and 24. The Caribbean Satellite Network has moved from
transponder 7 to 14.
KGAY, the audio service for Gays and Lesbians, has moved their feeds from
Galaxy 5 to Galaxy 6, transponder 17. They are reported to have financial
difficulties. (Robert Smathers in "Satnews")
SATCOM--Satcom F4R was turned off and returned to Canada in the early morning
of April 1. (Robert Smathers in "Satnews")
COMPUTER CHANNEL--A new TV channel aimed at computer users will be launched
in the United States in May. Initially, it will be included with the Mind
Extension University Network, on Galaxy 3, transponder 11. ("Satnews")
TVFN--The Television Food Network, a 24 hour channel dedicated to food, is to
be launched through-out the United States on November 22nd. ("Satnews")
DIGITAL AUDIO BROADCASTING:
USA--USA Digital Radio has successfully completed initial over-the-air
testings of its DAB service. The first public demonstration of the service
was at the National Association of Broadcasters 1993 conference in Las Vegas.
("Satnews")
EUROPE--European agreement has been reached on the introduction of DAB. The
BBC will begin DAB tests across London later this year, from a transmitter at
Crystal Palace in the 220 MHz band. If transmissions prove successful, then
use of 220 MHz will remain as the DAB band in the UK. However, a band at 60
MHz will remain as a back-up.
Use of the 60, 220, and 1500 MHz bands for DAB will occur across Europe once
the service becomes established. France will also be testing later this year
across Paris, possibly opting for a small (1.75 MHz wide) band at 60 Mhz and
more at 1.5 GHz. Germany plans to start regular broadcasts in DAB from
Septebmer 1995 at 220 MHz. ("Shortwave Magazine")
SWEDEN--Swedish Radio has conducted initial DAB tests at 224 MHz, and more
tests will follow this year.
LOCAL AND SHORTWAVE:
AUSTRIA--Between May 9th and 28th, Radio Austria International will broadcast
on 9880 khz between 00:00 and 03:00 hrs in ordinary AM on odd-numbered days,
and in SSB on even-numbered days. (Andreas Volk, Internet News, via Kauto
Huopio)
ESTONIA--There were major changes in Estonian Radio on May 1st. Frequencies
broadcasting Estonian Radio's first channel were taken over by a new
commercial channel called Radio 2. This will form part of the state radio,
even though it will be financially independent. Programming includes 4 hours
a day of VOA Europe. The first channel now uses the "Vikerraadio"
frequencies. The third channel is being seriously cut. For the time being,
rebroadcasts from Radio Liberty, Radio Free Europe, Voice of America,
Deutsche Welle, the BBC, and Radio Sweden will continue on this channel. (BBC
Monitoring)
GERMANY--Deutsche Welle intends to respond to worldwide changes in the media
landscape by expanding its 16 hour a day television service to 24 hours, and
limiting itself on radio to 13 languages. The head of DW's administrative
board says that broadcasting in 40 languages is unfeasible for financial and
technical reasons.The corporation is to decide on a comprehensive structural
reform by June. (DPA via BBC Monitoring)
LITHUANIA--Radio Vilnius is cutting back, with the 23:00 hrs broadcast to
North America now in Lithuania, replacing English, on weekends. Monday to
Friday the broadcast remains in English, on 11750 kHz. Other English
broadcasts are at 19:00 and 21:30 hrs, and Lithuanian at 21:00 hrs, all on
612, 666, 1557, and 9710 kHz (presumeably all to Europe). (BBC Monitoring)
PALAU--The Christian broadcaster KHBN, on the Pacific island of Palau, has
added Persian to its schedule, and is now on the air, on 9830 kHz: 08:00-
15:30 and 20:00-01:00 hrs. Persian is 14:45-15:00 hrs. English is: 12:00-
14:00, 15:00-15:30, and 20:30-01:00 hrs. (High Adventure Ministries)
TAJIKISTAN--Tajik Radio was to begin broadcasts in English on May 1st. The
program was to be on the air at 21:45 hrs local time, which ought to be 15:45
hrs UTC. Tajik Radio's external service operates on 972, 1143, and 7245 kHz.
(BBC Monitoring)
USA--High Adenture Ministries has denied a report in the British pirate-radio
fan magazine "Caroline Movement News" that it is broadcasting from a ship
near Java. (High Adventure Ministries)
UNOFFICIAL--The Irish pirate station calling itself Radio Caroline has been
heard on 3940 kHz, in parallel with the regult 6295 kHz. This station is
heard weekends. (Andy Linton, Ireland)
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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 in English:
Europe and Africa:
18:30 and 22:00 hrs on 1179, 6065 and 9655 kHz, and
23:30 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz
Middle East and East Africa:
18:30 hrs on 15270 kHz
Asia and the Pacific:
13:30 hrs on 15240 and 21625 kHz
22:00 hrs on 11955 kHz
01:00 hrs on 9695 and 11820 kHz
North America:
16:00 hrs on 17870 and 21500 kHz
02:00 hrs on 9695 and 11705 kHz
The 13:30, 18:30, and 22:00 hrs transmissions are also broadcast to Europe
via satellite:
Astra 1B (19.2 degrees East) transponder 26 (Sky Movies Gold/TV Asia/Adult
Channel) at 11.597 GHz, audio subcarrier at 7.74 MHz,
Tele-X (5 degrees East) (TV4 transponder) at 12.207 GHz, audio subcarrier
7.38 MHz.
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 MediaScan/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!