Article: 1724 of sfnet.harrastus.dx-kuuntelu
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From: MSUORANTA@FINABO.ABO.FI (Mika Suoranta Tkkk)
Subject: SCDX 2198 19.4.94
Message-ID: <1994Apr20.183650.6137@abo.fi>
Sender: usenet@abo.fi (Usenet NEWS)
Organization: Turku School of Economics, Finland
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994 18:36:50 GMT
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Msg #158036 Type:B Stat:F To:SCDX @EU From:SM0IIN
Date : 20-Apr 08:05
Subject : Sweden Calling DXers, April,19 1(3)
Path: !OH0RBA!SM0GJK!SM0ETV!
From: SM0IIN@SM0ETV.STHLM.AB.SWE.EU
To : SCDX@EU
via sm0etv @ sm0etv.sthlm.ab.swe.eu
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
:: MediaScan ::
:: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS ::
:: from Radio Sweden ::
:: Number 2198--April 19, 1994 ::
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Satellite, shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio Sweden.
This week's bulletin was written by George Wood.
Packet Radio BID SCDX2198
All times UTC unless otherwise noted.
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NORDIC MEDIA NEWS:
DAB AND RADIO SISU--Digital Audio Broadcasting is the next breakthrough in
radio, set to replace FM with CD-quality that doesn't fade as you drive your
car among the downtown urban gulleys and canyons. Either you've got the
signal perfectly, or you don't have it at all.
When DAB comes to Sweden, it will bring with it a number of changes,
including a new national radio network. A Swedish Radio working group has
just published its report on Radio Sisu, a planned 24 hour national channel
in the Finnish language.
The Finns are the largest minority group in Sweden, 400,000 strong, and
Swedish Radio's Finnish Department currently produces just over an hour and a
half a day of programming. The working group was led by Eija Bjrstrand of
Swedish Radio in the southern city of Jnkping, whom we interviewed in
today's program.
There are three target groups for the new channel: Finns who are living in
Sweden, the people of the Tornedalen province of northern Sweden, who speak a
dialect of Finnish, and members of the Swedish-speaking minority in Finland
who may be visiting or moved to Sweden. Serving this third group means that
Radio Sisu will also be programming in the Finnish dialect of Swedish. This
will be done by splitting the DAB channel and providing programming at times
simultaneously in two languages.
There will also be programming from Finland's YLE, including joint
productions.
Sisu, by the way, is a Finnish word meaning sort of "inner energy". The
launch of Radio Sisu depends on the introduction of Digital Audio
Broadcasting in Sweden, we also interviewed Christer Grewen, Swedish Radio's
Director of Technical Development.
The original timetable for the introduction of regular DAB broadcasts in
Sweden has slipped slightly, from the end of 1995 to early 1996. Sweden may
not be the very first European country to broadcast regularly in DAB, but it
will be among the first. Other pioneers include Britain and France, along
with Canada.
Broadcasts will probably be around TV channel 12, where a 7 MHz allocation
would permit 4 DAB blocks. Another allocation above TV channel 12 is being
discussed at 230-240 MHz. Canada and France will use L-band channels around
1.5 GHz, otherwise a satellite band.
Swedish Radio will initially use 1 block, which can carry 5 stereo programs.
This would be the current 4 national channels and Radio Sisu, but it can be
reconfigured dynamically to carry extra narrowband channels, such as
programming in minority languages. This may be done to carry the current
Stockholm International service nationally.
Sweden's new private broadcasters haven't shown any interest in DAB, but
those that survive can be expected to try DAB in a few years.
If DAB service begins in 1996, reasonable coverage of the entire country can
be expected by the end of 1997. FM service will continue in parallel with DAB
during a 10 to 12 year phase-out period. So FM will be a thing of the past
here by 2010.
Britain and the Netherlands, along with Sweden, are currently carrying DAB
test transmissions. Britain is expected to begin regular broadcasts next
year. But there is a hitch. According to a well-informed source, Britain's
Department of Trade and Industry only wants to allocate DAB frequencies for
15 years. The BBC says this is too short, and is demanding assurances of a
longer period before committing itself to the investments required to build a
national DAB network.
RADIO--One of the new Swedish private radio networks, Storstadsradion, also
known as City Radio, is now using Femman's (the former TV5 Nordic)
transponder on Tele-X, audio 8.45 MHz. (Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV")
Some months ago we noted with surprise that Radio Sweden and the Voice, the
two radio stations on the TV4 transponder on Tele-X, could also be heard on
Femman's transponder (and more recently on the TV4 relay on the new Sirius
satellite at the same location). It turns out that the move was made because
the TV4 transponder had become unreliable. While Radio Sweden's management
hasn't bothered to tell anyone, our official transponder is now Femman's,
although the TV4 relay continues.
INTELSAT--Following the failure of the most recent Ariane launch, the new
high-powered Intelsat 702 satellite is now due to go into orbit in late May.
It will replace Intelsat 512 at 1 degree West, the same position as Norway's
Thor direct broadcast satellite. TV Norge, which is currently at that
position, will continue in PAL, and it will be joined by Norway's TV2 in D2-
MAC and the public broadcaster NRK in D-MAC. NRK is moving from Sweden's
Tele-X satellite. (Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV" and Jan Johansson)
We reported a few weeks ago that the major cable TV companies in the Nordic
countries are working together to provide a complete program package on
Intelsat 702.
SARAJEVO--Sweden is providing USD 66,000 in support to the independent radio
station ZID in Sarajevo. This follows an appeal from Unesco, and the money is
to be used to buy equipment for the station, an independent voice in a
country where presidental power has been exerting more and more control over
the media. (TT)
....cont....
�End Msg #158036�
Msg #158044 Type:B Stat:F To:SCDX @EU From:SM0IIN
Date : 20-Apr 09:00
Subject : Sweden Calling DXers, April,19 2(3)
Path: !OH0RBA!SM0GJK!SM0ETV!
From: SM0IIN@SM0ETV.STHLM.AB.SWE.EU
To : SCDX@EU
EUROPEAN MEDIA NEWS:
ASTRA--The German channel VOX ha run out of money and is being run by a
skeleton staff until April 30th. If a new investor can't be found by then,
the channel will go off the air. A lot of people are hoping NBC's new
improved Super Channel will take its place on Astra. (BBC Monitoring, James
Robinson, Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV", "Skyguide", and "Satnews")
The German travel channel Reise TV is to broadcast all night, 01:30-06:00 hrs
UTC, on the UK Gold transponder. (James Robinson)
British Sky Broadcasting hopes to launch a second Multi-Channels package on
Astra 1D, when it's launched at the end of the year. Sky is negotiating to
purchase all available transponders on the new satellite. Thiscould include
channels rumored for the first package, such as the Sci-Fi Channel (now
reported coming first in September, along with VH-1 and Nick at Nite), and
members of the first Multi-Channels seeking a full transponder (CMT Europe,
but see below). ("Skyguide" and James Robinson)
Country Music Television is reported to want to leave the current Multi-
Channels package, as of September 1, when it might switch to Eutelsat II-F1,
or the coming Eutelsat II-F6X a few months later. Sky is reportedly hoping to
move the Travel Channel from Intelsat 601 to CMT's coded part-time slot on
Astra. (Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV") Unfortunately, the Travel Channel's
current part-time slot on Intelsat doesn't match CMT's times on Astra.
EUTELSAT--There have been some Astra channels that have popped up on Eutelsat
II-F1. Country Music Radio has been heard on the Super Channel transponder,
audio 8.10 MHz. And the Cartoon Network and TNT tested on 11.596 GHz, with a
special transmission using both ordinary PAL and the new digital standard
MPEG-2 at the same time. These were special broadcasts in connection with
last week's Cable and Satellite Show in London, and they're both gone now.
(James Robinson)
The British authorities have told Super Channel to remove most of the Quantum
"Super Shop", as only one hour a day of home shopping is permitted under EU
rules. While the reduction will certainly deprive the station of income, it
will hardly disappoint viewers, since it would mean increased entertaiment
programming. (Bertil Sundberg in "Paa TV")
Baseball fans still smarting at Eurosport's refusal to carry the sport, can
take solice in a weekly program called "This Week in Baseball", Saturdays at
17:30 CET on Super Channel, beginning May 28th. (Super Channel) (My personal
appeal to Turner Broadcasting to carry Atlanta Braves games in the middle of
the night on TNT has gone unanswered.)
World Tamil Television started regular broadcasts on April 14th on Eutelsat
II-F3, 11.575 GHz. (James Robinson) The sound quality is terrible, but when
the Vatican, Moslem, and Albanian stations are off that channel, you can
indulge yourself in movies from the Subcontinent.
There's a new private Hungarian station on mornings and early afternoons
until 13:00 hrs UTC on Eutelsat II-F3 called BP-1. It's on 11.638 GHz, which
it shares with Polsat. (James Robinson)
A new "adult" channel called TV69 is due to start broadcasts on Eutelsat II-
F3 on June 1st on 10.986 GHz (former home of Red Hot TV, which is now
reported to be moving to an uplink in the former Yugoslavia, where hard
currency is in demand). (James Robinson)
Besides the regular broadcasts on 10.970 GHz on Eutelsat II-F3, Morocco's RTM
is using 11.006 GHz for feeds. (James Robinson)
The external service of Polish Radio Warsaw is now broadcasting on via
Eutelsat II-F3 on the TV Polonia transponder on 11.080 GHz, audio 8.28 MHz.
(BBC Monitoring)
The Turkish Kanal D on Eutelsat II-F4 11.575 GHz, is carrying a radio station
called Radio Klub on 7.02 and 7.20 MHz. There is an Arabic language station
called Radio Orient on MBC's transponder on Eutelsat II-F1 on 7.38 and 7.56
MHz. It is being carried on 5 cable systems in the London borough of
Westminster. (James Robinson)
HISPASAT--New channels have begun broadcasting on Spain's Hispasat. Tele
Cinco is on 12.631 GHz, Tele Deporte is on 12.149, Canal Clasico on 12.226,
Canal 31 on 12.302, Telesat 5 on 12.379, and Antena 3 Satellite on 12.456
GHz. There are also feeds from the uplink station Hispasat PMC CCS Arganda on
12.660 and 12.710 GHz and others feeds on 11.538 GHz. (Bertil Sundberg in
"Paa TV") All I ever see is test patterns....
A QUERY--Can anyone tell me why when we try to get UK Gold's teletext here at
Radio Sweden (where we don't have a videocrypt decoder), we can get page 100,
which refers us to the index on page 200. But it's impossible to get page 200
or any other page. The numbers scroll past, but the picture sticks on page
100. Why?
RUSSIA--The European Bank for Reconconstruction has pledged USD 10.3 million
to start up a program to launch European satellites using Russian rockets.
Under the agreement, a Proton rocket will be used next year to launch an
Inmarsat-3 satellite. (Reuters, AP)
AFRICAN MEDIA NEWS:
IVORY COAST--The BBC launched its first FM service in Africa on April 15th,
in the Ivorian capital Abidjan, in the face of growing FM competition in
Francophone countries. The Ivorian government ended the state broadcasting
monopoly in December, 1991, and a year later agreed to allocate FM
frequencies to five foreign radio stations. Four are now on the air.
The French government-run Radio France Internationale has led the assault on
FM in West Africa, followed by the Gabon-based Africa Number One. In Abidjan,
the BBC will also compete with a joint French-Ivorian music venture called
Radio Nostalgie.
BBC Afrique will operate in stereo around the clock, adding music, hourly
news, and two hours a day of BBC English programs to the existing French
service output. The frequency 94.3 MHz was chosen because test transmission
started in March, 1994.
The next BBC FM station in Africa will probably be in Mali's capital Bamako.
The BBC has also agreement in principle to set up an FM station in the
Congo's capital Brazzaville, which would also reach across the Congo river to
Zaire's capital Kinshasa. (Reuters, IPS)
...cont...
�End Msg #158044�
Msg #158051 Type:B Stat:F To:SCDX @EU From:SM0IIN
Date : 20-Apr 10:45
Subject : Sweden Calling DXers, April,19 3(3)
Path: !OH0RBA!SM0GJK!SM0ETV!
From: SM0IIN@SM0ETV.STHLM.AB.SWE.EU
To : SCDX@EU
NORTH AMERICAN MEDIA NEWS:
TURNER--Turner broadcasting has launched its first commercial-free cable TV
channel. Turner Classic Movies draws on the massive MGM film library, and
will air hundreds of classic films every month. Cable subscribers will pay no
direct fee to Turner for the channel, as they do to HBO and Showtime.
Instead, cable operators will be able to charge their customers more for a
basic cable service that includes the movie channel. The channel was launched
on April 14, 1994, on the 100th anniversary of New York's first movie
theater, with a ceremony at Times Square, and the opening film was "Gone With
the Wind". (Reuters)
CANADA--The Anik E-2 satellite. which suffered a breakdown on January 29th,
will return to operation in August, according to the president of Telesat
Canada, Larry Boisvert. (AFP)
ASIAN MEDIA NEWS:
INDIA--The forthcoming Insat 2-C satellite will be much different from the
earlier Insats. For the first time, India will use the Ku-band, so signals
can be received with smaller dish antennas. (AIR via BBC Monitoring)
STAR-TV--Asian satellite broadcaster Star-TV announced on April 12th that it
is eager to continue its partnership with MTV, despite reports of an imminent
break-up. The day before, the Hong Kong daily "Eastern Express" quoted
sources close to MTV as saying there was a 95 percent chance Star would drop
MTV.
This follows Star's decision to remove BBC World Service TV from its northern
beam and replace it with a pay film channel, seen as a concession to China,
which objected to the BBC's reporting on human rights abuses. (Reuters)
CHINA--On April 16th China tightened its already strict media controls,
decreeing that foreign firms would not be allowed to set up or operate cable
television stations. Nor can Chinese cable networks carry foreign programs
from satellites. The edict also forbids Sino-foreign joint ventures and co-
operatives in the booming cable television market. So far, many Chinese have
ignored an April 5th ban on private ownership of satellite dishes. (Reuters,
AP)
WEATHER SATELLITES:
GOES--The United States put the world's most sophisiticated weather satellite
into orbit on April 13th. GOES-I is part of an advanced generation of five
weather satellites the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration plans
to put into orbit in the next 10 years. It was supposed to launched in 1989,
and will boolster a pair of aging spacecraft, one on loan from Europe, which
could break-down at any time. The European Meteosat-3 has already operated 3
years beyond its scheduled lifetime, and the old GOES-7 is out of fuel to
keep it in its proper place in orbit.
The new GOES will undergo 6 months of testing before being moved into
position, where it will work in tandem with the older satellites. If all goes
well, GOES-I will become GOES-8 in service. (Reuters, AP)
RUSSIA--Russia says it lacks the money to launch an advanced geostationary
weather satellite needed to complete the global meteorlogical network. An
official at the Russian weather monitoring service says the Elektro satellite
could have been launched last year had the money been available.
The satellite is intended to hover above the Indian Ocean, covering territory
from Germany in the west to Khabarovsk in the east. (Reuters)
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Sweden Calling DXers is the world's oldest radio program about international
broadcasting. Radio Sweden has presented this round-up of radio news,
features, and interviews on Tuesdays since 1948. It's currently broadcast on
the first and third Tuesdays of the month.
Radio Sweden broadcasts in English:
Europe and Africa:
16:15 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz
17:30 hrs on 1179, 6065, 9655, and 15390 kHz
20:30 hrs on 1179, 6065 and 9655 kHz
21:30 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz, and
22:30 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz
Middle East and Africa:
17:30 hrs on 6065, 9655, and 15390 kHz
20:30 hrs on 6065 and 9655 kHz
Asia and the Pacific:
11:30 hrs on 13775, 15120, and 15240 kHz
23:30 hrs on 11910 kHz and
01:30 hrs on 9695 and 11695 kHz
North America:
12:30 and 13:30 hrs on 15240 and 17870 kHz
02:30 and 03:30 hrs on 6040 and 9850 kHz
South America:
00:30 hrs on 6065 and 9850 kHz
The broadcasts at 16:15, 17:30, 21:30, and 22:30 hrs (and weekends at 20:30)
are also relayed to Europe by 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) (Femman transponder) at 12.476 GHz, audio
subcarrier 7.38 MHz.
Radio Sweden is also relayed to Europe via the World Radio Network on MTV's
transponder 22 on Astra, audio 7.38 MHz, daily at 20:00 hrs UTC.
Radio Sweden can also be heard on WRN's North American service on ASC-1, on
SCOLA's transponder 23, audio 6.20 MHz, daily at 00:00 and 20:00 hrs.
Contributions can be sent to DX Editor George Wood by fax to +468-667-6283,
from MCI Mail or CompuServe to the CompuServe mailbox 70247,3516, from
Internet to 70247.3516@compuserve.com, 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!