From: xberri@arecibo.aero.org (Jason E. Berri) Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave Subject: SCDX 2128 Date: 24 Mar 91 22:58:24 GMT Organization: The Aerospace Corporation -Message-Text-Follows- [line eater fodder] ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS :: :: from Radio Sweden :: :: Number 2128--Mar. 19, 1991 :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio Sweden. This week's bulletin was written by George Wood. Packet Radio BID SCDX2128 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SWEDEN--The big media news here in Sweden is that the political parties seem to have finally agreed to keep commercials off the public service Swedish Television channels 1 and 2. A new private third channel will be commercial, and some of that money will help finance Swedish Television. Coming up on March 31st we're changing some of our Radio Sweden schedule. Here are the changes to our English programs: To Europe and Africa, the 18:00 hrs transmission is switching to 17:00 hrs, and the frequencies then will be 9615, 6065, and 1179 kHz. Instead of the 19:30 hrs broadcast, we'll have programs at 18:30, 19:30, and 20:30 hrs. At 18:30 the frequencies will be 15270 (which is aimed at the Middle East and East Africa) and 6065 kHz, while at 19:30 they'll be 9655, 6065, and 1179 kHz. At 20:30 we'll be on just 6065 kHz. The broadcast at 22:00 hrs continues on 6065 and 1179, and the one at 23:30 hrs continues on 1179 kHz. The transmission at 01:00 hrs will be discontinued to Europe. There's also a time change on our broadcasts to Asia and the Pacific, which along with the switch back to standard time in Australia and New Zealand, means you ought to be receiving us at a much better time. The 12:30 hrs broadcast changes to 11:30, and 14:00 switches to 13:00, and the frequencies remain 21570 and 17740 kHz, along with a new channel of 11960. At 01:00 hrs we're shifting slightly to 9765 kHz. Our schedule to North and South America will remain the same. Remember these changes go into effect at midnight UTC on March 31st, 1991. SATELLITE-TV--Right now satellite TV monitors in Europe are waiting anxiously to see what channels will emerge on the new Astra 1B satellite, which is due to begin regular broadcasting in less than 2 weeks. Astra is very close- mouthed about the transponder bookings. According to a reliable source, here are the probable (NOT 100 percent certain) allocations: As expected, Sky's Movie Channel and the reborn Sky Sports are included. But the third English channel would appear to be CNN, which is reportedly 99 percent certain. But CNN may scramble its signals. German channels would be the expected ARD 1-Plus, Premiere and Tele 5. But, in addition, West 3 and possibly Bayern 3 would also use Astra 1B. Scandinavian TV viewers will be pleased that two Swedish Channels will apparently be moving to Astra: Nordic Channel, which currently uses Eutelsat 2-F1, and either TV4, which right now is available on the Tele-X direct broadcast satellite. or the pay-film channel SF-Succe, which is on Intelsat. Four or five French programs are also reported interested in using the new Astra. BBC WORLD SERVICE TV--Something pretty exciting for European satellite and cable TV viewers happened last Monday, March 11th, when the first newscast from BBC World Service Television went on the air. The half hour bulletin of global news is being broadcast daily at 19:00 hrs UTC on BBC TV Europe. And where CNN claims to be around the world in 30 minutes, and is usually around the USA in 30 minutes....BBC World Service TV really is around the world. It's just like the World Service news on radio, only with pictures. The service is to expand next month, although the BBC is not saying yet exactly how it will change the current BBC TV Europe output. There will probably be more newscasts, and later in the year versions in other languages to be marketed to broadcasters, cable channels, and other users. And the service will be expanded to other parts of the world. (BBC) BBC WORLD SERVICE RADIO--There's news from BBC World Service radio as well. Starting March 31st, there will be a second daily edition of Newshour, beginning at 13:00 hrs. The current edition will be move one hour earlier, which is good news for Europe, to 21:00 hrs. The BBC plans to add a third edition at 05:00 hrs, starting in January, 1992. (BBC) SATELLITE-RADIO--Not every international broadcaster has the relay network of the BBC. And so far only a few stations are being carried on satellite for home listening. But all that may change within the next few years. An American company called the International Radio Satellite Corporation, or RadioSat, has announced plans to create a worldwide direct broadcast satellite service (DBS-Audio, or DBS-A) for international radio. The aim of the enterprise is to ultimately replace shortwave broadcasting. RadioSat plans to launch three high-powered satellites, each with more than 200 channels to be leased to international broadcasting organizations. RadioSat says the Voice of America, BBC World Service, Radio Moscow and 5 other broadcasters have expressed interest and support. The planned downlink frequencies would be in the L-Band, between 1429 and 1525 MHz. The upcoming 1992 World Administrative Radio Conference will discuss the reallocation of frequencies, including DBS-A. Some countries would like to see DBS-A to use the S-Band, which is around 2.5 GHz. RadioSat prefers the L-Band because of cheaper technology and better propagation. RadioSat's Dick Marsten says he believes small portable receivers the size and cost of current short wave receivers would be possible for L-Band reception. RadioSat hopes to launch the first of its three spacecraft in 1995. (Janne Olsen) AMATEUR RADIO IN SPACE--Radio amateurs have been able to tune in to a new amateur radio satellite, Amsat-Oscar 21. Users should monitor the downlink on 145.983 MHz. There's a morse code beacon as well, on 145.81 MHz, and FM or packet radio beacons on 145.838 and 145.8 MHz. On March 2nd, radio amateurs in Hawaii enjoyed a record 16 two way voice contacts with the Soviet MIR space station, which has the call letters U2MIR. The Soviet cosmonauts on MIR have been active on 145.55 MHz, in both FM voice and packet radio. Next month there's another amateur radio mission planned for the American space shuttle, and amateur radio contact between the shuttle and MIR appears possible. ("Space News" via Kauto Huopio and "AMSAT-SM Newsletter") CANADA/JAPAN--This weekend, Ian McFarland, host of Radio Canada International's very popular "SWL Digest", announced that due to budget cuts he's leaving the station. Ian says he's moving to Radio Japan as a consultant for the English language broadcasts. (Bill Sobel via CompuServe) FINLAND--Beginning March 30th, Radio Finland will be broadcasting to North America in English at 11:30, 12:30, and 13:30 hrs, and at 13:45 in French, The frequencies will be 21550 and 15400 kHz. There's another broadcast to North America and East Asia at 23:00 hrs on 15185 and 15430 kHz. German at 23:30 hrs is being dropped, and the German broadcast at 20:25 hrs is being moved to 19:15. There will be a new Russian broadcast at 19:40- 19:55 hrs. (Juhani Niinistoe, Radio Finland) NETHERLANDS--"Media Network's" Jonathan Marks has been made head of the station's English service. Hopefully, what is an excellent program won't suffer because of the promotion. And congratulations to Jonathan and his wife Marian on the birth of their third child, Vivien Felicity Marks, last Thursday. USSR--Radio Vilnius in Lithuania is now reported using 11770, 11860, 15180, 17690, and 17720 kHz for English at 13:00 hrs and Lithuanian at 15:00 hrs. (Internet via Kauto Huopio) ANARC--Reports of the death of the Association of North American Radio Clubs have been exagerated. ANARC voted itself out of existence in September when only a few club representatives showed up at the annual convention. But, according to the All Ohio Scanner Club, the vote wasn't legal, because there wasn't a quorum present. And many member clubs have indicated they want to continue. ("American Scannergram", All Ohio Scanner Club) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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: 18:00 hrs on 1179, 6065, 9655, and 15270 kHz 19:30 hrs on 6065 and 7265 kHz 22:00 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz 23:30 hrs on 1179 kHz 01:00 hrs on 1179 kHz And to Asia and the Pacific: 12:30 hrs on 9765, 17740, and 21570 kHz 14:00 hrs on 9765 and 21610 kHz 01:00 hrs on 9770 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 I- F4 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 2:202/297 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! ============================================================================= Distributed by The Pinelands RBBS * 609-859-1910 * HST DS V.32 V.42 * 64 MB FIDO 1:266/32 * RBBS-Net 8:950/2 * Shortwave Listening * Ham & Packet Radio Home of PC Software by W2XQ * Receiver Control Programs for JRC & Kenwood English Language SW Broadcast Schedules (1988 WRTH Industry Award Winner) SYSOP Tom Sundstrom * W2XQ * MCI Mail 244-6376 * InterNet 2446376@mcimail.com TRS Consultants * 609-859-2447 * FAX 609-859-3226 * Telex 6552446376MCI UW ============================================================================= -- 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]