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Is Shortwave radio dying?
Hello all
For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Thanks for any input, JM Doiron |
Hello again Also, I was wondering what I can expect for reception of different stations north of Edmonton, Alberta Canada. I am interested in Shortwave, and also AM. Cheers, Jason |
Jason wrote:
Hello all For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Thanks for any input, JM Doiron Only if you believe what they said in the magazines 30 years ago. You can get nice (well, adequate) SW rcvrs cheap as dirt these days...if you are skittish, buy a cheapo and feel out whats there before plunking down big bux for a quality radio. -Bill |
No, it's not safe to assume that. In fact, I think you
can assume the opposite. There will come a day, and the signs have been there for some time, when analog shortwave receivers will not be useful for much at all, and the question will become whether digital transmissions from those broadcasters who relied on analog for years will continue to commit funds to transmit digitally via shortwave, or direct all their broadcasting for foreign audiences to internet and internet television. From: Jason Organization: Shaw Residential Internet Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2003 02:12:24 GMT Subject: Is Shortwave radio dying? Hello all For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Thanks for any input, JM Doiron |
or direct all their broadcasting for foreign audiences to internet and
internet television. The problem with Internet broadcasting is limited bandwidth. In wireless shortwave, the number of listeners is limited only by propagation and the number of SW radio owners. Anyhow, for a "look see" starter radio, check out the following: http://www.radiointel.com/review-jwinjxm14.htm I paid $19.99 plus S&H, but others have found cheaper sources. Look back for the jWIN thread(s) of a month or two ago. 73, Bill, K5BY |
WBCQ (7.415) a listener supported SW station
just celebrated its fifth year . I think the reports of SW dying are exaggerated. In article , Jason writes: Hello all For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Thanks for any input, JM Doiron |
"Jason" wrote in message
... Hello all For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Shortwave has been "dying" ever since I got started in the hobby. That was when John F. Kennedy was President-remember him? Craig, WPE1HNS Meredith, NH USA Drake R8B/Alpha Delta DX Sloper Sony SW-77 Sony ICF-2010 2 x Phillips/Magnavox D2935 Uniden CR-2021 Knight Kit Star Roamer (permanently tuned to Turkey on 9460) GE Superadio II/Select-A-Tenna Delphi Ski-Fi XM/3" Antennae Tuning since 1963 |
Dying isn't the correct word, really, I don't think it
really describes what is taking place currently.. I think the number of transmitters and listeners is down, mostly I think due to the prevalence of the internet... however, while it may wane a touch here or there, it will not totally disappear, as there are many shortwave broadcasters that still want to reach third-world nations that do not have the internet access that modern industrialized nations do. I would think that SW will be around at LEAST for another decade, inso far as there will still be SW broadcasters. I love SW and listen to it frequently, and will continue to do so as long as there are SW broadcasters. However, like I said, since some broadcasters still see a market of one sort or the other in that part of the world where there isn't much internet access or use of digitalized or satellite communications, it will still be around for so many years to come that I think it will be worth it if you want to invest in a good reciever. Clint KB5ZHT -- -- Former New York Mayor Ed Koch, self proclaimed DEMOCRAT, SHORTLY after the 9/11 attack- "...everybody has a right to have thier own oppinion... ...i'm even a Democrat... ...but in this time of trouble, we need to show the world our resolve and we're united, and we should NOT denigrate the president." -- Tom Daschle believes in the rich paying taxes.... ....um, except for HIMSELF... http://sibbyonline.blogspot.com/2003...e_archive.html -- If you sympathize with terrorists & middle eastern tyrants, vote for liberals... -- "Jason" wrote in message ... Hello all For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Thanks for any input, JM Doiron |
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"--exray--" wrote in message ... Hey, I know that guy. I met him on the street today but kept my distance because of the smell. NO, I didn't give him any spare change. -BM That's a good point. I'm sure many of these guys are best appreciated at a distance of one SW hop. Frank Dresser |
and more reliable...
....especially, and God knows I hope this never happens, if there is ever a surplus of EMR after a few nations or terrorists get mad enough to light off a few really big ones... you can kiss all modern communication goodbye, and even modern transistorized rigs. I keep an old grandfatherly-type tube reciever around, JUST IN CASE the doom & gloom prophet nuts are right. Clint KB5ZHT -- -- If you sympathize with terrorists & middle eastern tyrants, vote for liberals... -- "Frank White" wrote in message ... In article , says... Hello all For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Thanks for any input, JM Doiron I've been hearing for years that shortwave was dying and other means of communication would replace it. Shortwave's still here. Many of the people making those prophesies aren't. Draw your own conclusions. (I access the BBC's Internet broadcasts through my computer occasionally. It works. IF you have a computer. And a stable source of electricity. And a modem. And a phone line or network. And access to the internet with the necessary software. And if the lines are clear, and the BBC is on line, and if you can connect, and if you don't get disconnected too often. That's a LOT of "if's". Shortwave is much easier, and cheaper.) FW |
"King Pineapple" wrote in message nk.net... "Jason" wrote in message ... Hello all For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Shortwave has been "dying" ever since I got started in the hobby. That was when John F. Kennedy was President-remember him? Yes it has and yes I do. The truth of your point simply points up the truth of the contention you're arguing against. In turns of international broadcasting nations and transmitters on the air and listeners using shortwave, SW has deminished each and every year since Kennedy was president. And, I suppose that within the next year, yet another nation or two will announce that they're discontinuing international broadcasting via shortwave. So ask yourself this: "Are there as many stations on the air now for as many hours as when I started in the hobby?" Your answer will be "no." It's "no" because, yes, shortwave _is_ dying. I take no satisfaction in this, but the facts are the facts and they are indisputable. -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Don Forsling "Iowa--Gateway to Those Big Rectangular States" |
"WShoots1" wrote in message ... or direct all their broadcasting for foreign audiences to internet and internet television. The problem with Internet broadcasting is limited bandwidth. In wireless shortwave, the number of listeners is limited only by propagation and the number of SW radio owners. In other words there are immense and very serious limitations. I think the word "only could well be eliminated from the paragraph above! |
Shortwave Radio will be around for many years to come, so keep on listening
to the voices of the world!!! -- Stewart H. MacKenzie, WDX6AA "World Friendship Through Shortwave Radio Where Culture and Language Meet" ASWLC - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASWLC/ SCADS - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SCADS/ "Jason" wrote in message ... Hello all For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Thanks for any input, JM Doiron |
"Don Forsling" wrote in message ... Yes it has and yes I do. The truth of your point simply points up the truth of the contention you're arguing against. In turns of international broadcasting nations and transmitters on the air and listeners using shortwave, SW has deminished each and every year since Kennedy was president. And, I suppose that within the next year, yet another nation or two will announce that they're discontinuing international broadcasting via shortwave. So ask yourself this: "Are there as many stations on the air now for as many hours as when I started in the hobby?" Your answer will be "no." It's "no" because, yes, shortwave _is_ dying. I take no satisfaction in this, but the facts are the facts and they are indisputable. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- -- Don Forsling "Iowa--Gateway to Those Big Rectangular States" Even if international broadcasting disappeared entirely, there would still be shortwave radio. There's less co-channel and adjacent channel interference, the Soviet woodpecker is gone and the US domestic SW broadcasters are far more entertaining than the BBC or Radio Moscow. There's still hams, military, avaition and nautical communications. Still some utililties, too. Never been more pirates. I can't go more than a few days without stumbling across a numbers station. As far as I'm concerned, shortwave radio has never been better. Frank Dresser |
well put....
if, by a numbers station, are you referring to that oriental woman that would continuously read off a series of 4 numbers, pause, and continue... over and over? I never knew what that was, but it sure fed conspiracy theories for a long time. Clint KB5ZHT -- -- If you sympathize with terrorists & middle eastern tyrants, vote for liberals... -- "Frank Dresser" wrote in message ... "Don Forsling" wrote in message ... Yes it has and yes I do. The truth of your point simply points up the truth of the contention you're arguing against. In turns of international broadcasting nations and transmitters on the air and listeners using shortwave, SW has deminished each and every year since Kennedy was president. And, I suppose that within the next year, yet another nation or two will announce that they're discontinuing international broadcasting via shortwave. So ask yourself this: "Are there as many stations on the air now for as many hours as when I started in the hobby?" Your answer will be "no." It's "no" because, yes, shortwave _is_ dying. I take no satisfaction in this, but the facts are the facts and they are indisputable. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- -- Don Forsling "Iowa--Gateway to Those Big Rectangular States" Even if international broadcasting disappeared entirely, there would still be shortwave radio. There's less co-channel and adjacent channel interference, the Soviet woodpecker is gone and the US domestic SW broadcasters are far more entertaining than the BBC or Radio Moscow. There's still hams, military, avaition and nautical communications. Still some utililties, too. Never been more pirates. I can't go more than a few days without stumbling across a numbers station. As far as I'm concerned, shortwave radio has never been better. Frank Dresser |
"Clint" rattlehead@computronDOTnet wrote in message ... well put.... if, by a numbers station, are you referring to that oriental woman that would continuously read off a series of 4 numbers, pause, and continue... over and over? I never knew what that was, but it sure fed conspiracy theories for a long time. Clint KB5ZHT The most common ones here are voiced by an automated female in Spanish. They are more fun to theorize about than actually listen to. Here's a few links: http://www.spynumbers.com/ http://home.freeuk.com/spook007/ http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/ Frank Dresser |
In article , rattlehead@computronDOTnet
says... and more reliable... ...especially, and God knows I hope this never happens, if there is ever a surplus of EMR after a few nations or terrorists get mad enough to light off a few really big ones... you can kiss all modern communication goodbye, and even modern transistorized rigs. This is something we've kicked around over at misc. survivalism. The problem is, to generate the kind of EMP wave that would trash communications on a widespread basis you need a very high altitude nuclear detonation. There aren't many nations capable of doing that, and the only way terrorists could pull off such a stunt would be to smuggle a hydrogen bomb onto a jetliner and set it off as the jet reached maximum altitude. Doubtful. This doesn't rule out the risk of a once in a hundred lifetimes solar flare that does the same thing... I keep an old grandfatherly-type tube reciever around, JUST IN CASE the doom & gloom prophet nuts are right. Those are fun! FW |
On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 04:10:46 GMT, Frank Dresser
wrote: "Clint" rattlehead@computronDOTnet wrote in message ... well put.... if, by a numbers station, are you referring to that oriental woman that would continuously read off a series of 4 numbers, pause, and continue... over and over? I never knew what that was, but it sure fed conspiracy theories for a long time. Clint KB5ZHT The most common ones here are voiced by an automated female in Spanish. They are more fun to theorize about than actually listen to. Here's a few links: http://www.spynumbers.com/ http://home.freeuk.com/spook007/ http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/ Frank Dresser - wow, that must be the *slowest* way to transfer files! |
"Jack" wrote in message ... Gawd... I recall back in the 60's when I was just beginning. It was a very human woman's voice in Spanish speaking endless 5 number cipher groups. I recall the first time I heard her. Mid-afternoon one summer in 1967 on something close to 8 Mhz. My receiver was a 1937 A****er Kent console my father recapped and gave me. The one that intrigued me the most was a signal that sounded like a inebriated bagpiper playing the same weird series of notes over and over, broken by infrequent short bursts of what sounded like scrambled speech (inverted sideband?). It would show up at a wide assortment of HF frwquencies, most often around 10-10.5, 11-12, 14-15, and 17 Mhz. I don't know if it was riding propagation or what; seemed to be random. Sometimes several different bagpipes were playing at once on different freqs. Sometimes it appeared broken, with tones missing or slight variations of the sequence. This occurred more frequently as the years went on. I first heard it around 1965, but it was still around, in one variation or another, until at least 1978, when I was forced to "get a life" and stop SWL'ing. Anybody think they know the one I'm referring to? (I wish I still had the tapes I made of it). I think I recognize it, or something like it. There's some recorded sounds, and links to other sites with recorded sounds, he http://www.wunclub.com/ On a slightly different note, there was what appeared to be a PTP relay for a paging service that was heard on oddball HF freqs between 14 and 18 MHz at different times of day, ca.late 60's, early 70's. "Rochester Tel-Page, KEC519. We have no messages for our subscribers at this time. KEC519." It had a sister station, KEC518, uttering the same repetitive message. No records in the FCC archive, but KEC518 belonged to an Arlington, VA based paging (Type CD) service (canceled in 1999). I used to drive my parents nuts listening to these weird utility/spy(?) stations for the rare message traffic between the repetition.. Yeah, I'm kinda strange. g 73 Jack -- 14 to 18 MHz sounds low for a pager system. The old Aircall system was in the low VHF band. Do you think your radio was tuning in low VHF with an oscillator harmonic? The old pager system was still in use at a hospital about a mile away from me, back in the 70s. I guessed what it was from the selective tones and messages. It was operating somewhere around 40 to 45 MHz. Sure sounded primative! Here's a link: http://www.smecc.org/richard_florac_..._fm_radios.htm Frank Dresser |
have you heard, then, the one i'm referring two?
She sounded as though she spoke with an oriental accent (my oppinion), but it was in english.... a series of four numbers, a pause, then a series of another four numbers... continuously. I never listened long enough to see if there was a pattern, but then again, i would get too bored before that could ever happen and change the frequencies. She changed frequencies periodically, I think (I never found her on the same one), and I heard that nobody ever could find the station, that the transmission point kept moving. I local buddy of mine and ham radio operator who is now a silent key, KB5HUD Jerry, was a big conspiracy theory nut and "black helicopter" type, and boy, when he'd pull a cork at night and get slobbery drunk on the ham bands, boy would he churn out his ideas about "what it all meant". I found it hard to believe, though, that nobody in this day and age of technology, satellite triangulation and so forth, that she could not be found if somebody wanted to find the transmission point bad enough. Clint KB5ZHT -- |
heh.....
john has a long mustache... john has a long mustache.... Clint -- -- If you sympathize with terrorists & middle eastern tyrants, vote for liberals... -- "Jack" wrote in message ... On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 08:57:29 GMT, (billy ball) wrote: On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 04:10:46 GMT, Frank Dresser wrote: The most common ones here are voiced by an automated female in Spanish. They are more fun to theorize about than actually listen to. Here's a few links: http://www.spynumbers.com/ http://home.freeuk.com/spook007/ http://www.simonmason.karoo.net/ Frank Dresser - wow, that must be the *slowest* way to transfer files! Gawd... I recall back in the 60's when I was just beginning. It was a very human woman's voice in Spanish speaking endless 5 number cipher groups. I recall the first time I heard her. Mid-afternoon one summer in 1967 on something close to 8 Mhz. My receiver was a 1937 A****er Kent console my father recapped and gave me. The one that intrigued me the most was a signal that sounded like a inebriated bagpiper playing the same weird series of notes over and over, broken by infrequent short bursts of what sounded like scrambled speech (inverted sideband?). It would show up at a wide assortment of HF frwquencies, most often around 10-10.5, 11-12, 14-15, and 17 Mhz. I don't know if it was riding propagation or what; seemed to be random. Sometimes several different bagpipes were playing at once on different freqs. Sometimes it appeared broken, with tones missing or slight variations of the sequence. This occurred more frequently as the years went on. I first heard it around 1965, but it was still around, in one variation or another, until at least 1978, when I was forced to "get a life" and stop SWL'ing. Anybody think they know the one I'm referring to? (I wish I still had the tapes I made of it). On a slightly different note, there was what appeared to be a PTP relay for a paging service that was heard on oddball HF freqs between 14 and 18 MHz at different times of day, ca.late 60's, early 70's. "Rochester Tel-Page, KEC519. We have no messages for our subscribers at this time. KEC519." It had a sister station, KEC518, uttering the same repetitive message. No records in the FCC archive, but KEC518 belonged to an Arlington, VA based paging (Type CD) service (canceled in 1999). I used to drive my parents nuts listening to these weird utility/spy(?) stations for the rare message traffic between the repetition.. Yeah, I'm kinda strange. g 73 Jack -- Email replies to: n2hqc at earthlink dot net Now that I'm retired and SWL'ing again, it would be just too weird to run into it (or it's digitally synthesized successor) again! g |
Vinyl was supposed to be dead as a musical delivery medium, also! Yet it has
survived that cd onslaught and is faring well into the new millenium! So will shortwave broadcasting. If Auntie Been was so sure her North American audience would follow over to the internet, how come she kept so many English broadcasts obstensibly aimed towards Latin America & Mexico? Wonder how Deutsche Welle's audience numbers are doing lately. |
(Frank White) wrote in message ...
The problem is, to generate the kind of EMP wave that would trash communications on a widespread basis you need a very high altitude nuclear detonation. There aren't many nations capable of doing that, and the only way terrorists could pull off such a stunt would be to smuggle a hydrogen bomb onto a jetliner and set it off as the jet reached maximum altitude. This is a job for ... the New World Order! SW isn't as much fun as it used to be, what with no more Radio Tirana and Radio Moscow. I'm not selling any of my radios, though. In fact, I checked the cells in my DX-392 today, as Hurricane Isabel approaches. Guess what - I had one installed backwards. Duh, maybe that's why it ran fine on the power adapter but not on the cells. "Read the instructions," indeed. As someone else asked elsewhere (of the orginal poster for this thread), how much is your friend asking for the DX-392? |
For serious international broadcasting, yes. Quite dead.
But Ute monitoring is still fun as is listening to the Nut Job Network on domestic HF. The international powerhouses have (or soon will) migrate totally to internet and satellite. see wrn.org On Sat, 13 Sep 2003 02:12:24 GMT, Jason wrote: Hello all For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Thanks for any input, JM Doiron |
"Don Forsling" wrote in message ... Yes it has and yes I do. The truth of your point simply points up the truth of the contention you're arguing against. In turns of international broadcasting nations and transmitters on the air and listeners using shortwave, SW has deminished each and every year since Kennedy was president. And, I suppose that within the next year, yet another nation or two will announce that they're discontinuing international broadcasting via shortwave. So ask yourself this: "Are there as many stations on the air now for as many hours as when I started in the hobby?" Your answer will be "no." It's "no" because, yes, shortwave _is_ dying. I take no satisfaction in this, but the facts are the facts and they are indisputable. Hey, there's a LOT more than "international broadcasters" to listen to. In fact, I listen to said stations very little. |
Jack wrote:
The one that intrigued me the most was a signal that sounded like a inebriated bagpiper playing the same weird series of notes over and over, broken by infrequent short bursts of what sounded like scrambled speech (inverted sideband?). It would show up at a wide assortment of HF frwquencies, most often around 10-10.5, 11-12, 14-15, and 17 Mhz. I don't know if it was riding propagation or what; seemed to be random. Sometimes several different bagpipes were playing at once on different freqs. Sometimes it appeared broken, with tones missing or slight variations of the sequence. This occurred more frequently as the years went on. I first heard it around 1965, but it was still around, in one variation or another, until at least 1978, when I was forced to "get a life" and stop SWL'ing. I remember the bagpiper. I don't remember the bursts between, but I might not have paid attention to them back then. I do remember a definite click at certain regular intervals in the recording. I remember the magazine columns of the time kept referring to a "kiss me honey" (or "honey honey") signal, named after some song. I always wondered if the bagpiper was that one, because I never heard anything I could remotely connect with "kiss me honey". -- "Here, Outlook Express, run this program." "Okay, stranger." |
It's not just one. There are lots of them.
"Clint" rattlehead@computronDOTnet wrote in message ... well put.... if, by a numbers station, are you referring to that oriental woman that would continuously read off a series of 4 numbers, pause, and continue... over and over? I never knew what that was, but it sure fed conspiracy theories for a long time. Clint KB5ZHT -- -- If you sympathize with terrorists & middle eastern tyrants, vote for liberals... -- "Frank Dresser" wrote in message ... "Don Forsling" wrote in message ... Yes it has and yes I do. The truth of your point simply points up the truth of the contention you're arguing against. In turns of international broadcasting nations and transmitters on the air and listeners using shortwave, SW has deminished each and every year since Kennedy was president. And, I suppose that within the next year, yet another nation or two will announce that they're discontinuing international broadcasting via shortwave. So ask yourself this: "Are there as many stations on the air now for as many hours as when I started in the hobby?" Your answer will be "no." It's "no" because, yes, shortwave _is_ dying. I take no satisfaction in this, but the facts are the facts and they are indisputable. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- -- Don Forsling "Iowa--Gateway to Those Big Rectangular States" Even if international broadcasting disappeared entirely, there would still be shortwave radio. There's less co-channel and adjacent channel interference, the Soviet woodpecker is gone and the US domestic SW broadcasters are far more entertaining than the BBC or Radio Moscow. There's still hams, military, avaition and nautical communications. Still some utililties, too. Never been more pirates. I can't go more than a few days without stumbling across a numbers station. As far as I'm concerned, shortwave radio has never been better. Frank Dresser |
Considering the time frame, that frequency range would not be unusual.
"Frank Dresser" wrote in message ... 14 to 18 MHz sounds low for a pager system. The old Aircall system was in the low VHF band. Do you think your radio was tuning in low VHF with an oscillator harmonic? The old pager system was still in use at a hospital about a mile away from me, back in the 70s. I guessed what it was from the selective tones and messages. It was operating somewhere around 40 to 45 MHz. Sure sounded primative! Here's a link: http://www.smecc.org/richard_florac_..._fm_radios.htm Frank Dresser |
And cut off most of the world. I don't think so.
"David" wrote in message ... The international powerhouses have (or soon will) migrate totally to internet and satellite. |
I just started listening to shortwave again and if anything the bands
seem more and more crowded. I have a feeling shortwave will be around a long time yet. Lloyd Jason wrote in message ... Hello all For a long time I have been interested in Shortwave listening, and I have noticed on the internet that Digital radio is becoming more prevalent. Before I go out and invest some money on a quality reciever, is it safe to assume it is a hobby I can enjoy for years to come, or will Shortwave be replaced in 5 years by more modern technology? Thanks for any input, JM Doiron |
Jack wrote:
When was the last time you heard the bagpiper? As I said earlier, I last heard it in the late 1970's. That sounds about right to me, middle to late '70s. Assuming it was a marker for utility, I'm sure they either discontinued or upgraded it to a more modern system by then. I don't remember anyone even having a good guess about its purpose. :) -- "Here, Outlook Express, run this program." "Okay, stranger." |
I was talking about where I live.
I really don't see any sophisticated world power advancing their culture via an 80 year old low-fi platform listened to almost exclusively by expatriates and gruff hobbyists, in a country with 100,000,000 internet users and 400 channel cable and satellite systems, not to mention XM and Sirius. On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 20:59:36 GMT, "CW" wrote: And cut off most of the world. I don't think so. "David" wrote in message .. . The international powerhouses have (or soon will) migrate totally to internet and satellite. |
"David" wrote in message ... I was talking about where I live. I really don't see any sophisticated world power advancing their culture via an 80 year old low-fi platform listened to almost exclusively by expatriates and gruff hobbyists, in a country with 100,000,000 internet users and 400 channel cable and satellite systems, not to mention XM and Sirius. I heard a guest on a radio program advocating a greater role for US public diplomacy. As an example, he praised a program which set up public libraries in various countries. That's pretty old technology! I don't know if there's any value in for another first world broadcaster to broadcast to the US. Consider Radio Exterior Espana. The Spanish government made the effort to become a first line broadcaster for a few years. Then, it really diminished a couple of years ago. I guess REE is still around, but it's not nearly the same. Did it make any difference? Did anyone think more or less of Spain when their SW service was high or low profile? Did it have the slightest effect on tourism? Exports? I suppose somebody could ask the people in the Spanish government who make these decisions. Or we could see that the decision speaks for itself. However, thousands of FM transmitters have been installed in third world countries over the last 20 years. Buying time on these stations is an attractive alternative to SW, for the countries which still are interested in radio broadcasting. Frank Dresser |
In rec.radio.shortwave on Sun, 14 Sep 2003 20:45:28 GMT,
Jack wrote: When first I heard the sucker, I thought it was an interval signal for a SW broadcaster, but when it kept going 10, 15, 20 minutes nonstop, I became mystified and awed by it. When I caught it, I'd stay tuned to it for hours. Why? Not so much patience, but a maniacal, pathological interest in it!!! That's how I first heard the voice bursts a couple years after I first discovered the signal. I first heard it in the early 60s and, like you, listened for long periods. I still remember the "melody" the thing emitted. Over time it seemed to gain and lose "notes" from the beginning and the end. It was several years before I heard the voice bursts, which I assumed were SSB, but was never listening with an SSB-capable receiver at the proper moment. mdr |
Yes, but libraries today lend videos and provides internet access.
On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 18:08:06 GMT, "Frank Dresser" wrote: "David" wrote in message .. . I was talking about where I live. I really don't see any sophisticated world power advancing their culture via an 80 year old low-fi platform listened to almost exclusively by expatriates and gruff hobbyists, in a country with 100,000,000 internet users and 400 channel cable and satellite systems, not to mention XM and Sirius. I heard a guest on a radio program advocating a greater role for US public diplomacy. As an example, he praised a program which set up public libraries in various countries. That's pretty old technology! I don't know if there's any value in for another first world broadcaster to broadcast to the US. Consider Radio Exterior Espana. The Spanish government made the effort to become a first line broadcaster for a few years. Then, it really diminished a couple of years ago. I guess REE is still around, but it's not nearly the same. Did it make any difference? Did anyone think more or less of Spain when their SW service was high or low profile? Did it have the slightest effect on tourism? Exports? I suppose somebody could ask the people in the Spanish government who make these decisions. Or we could see that the decision speaks for itself. However, thousands of FM transmitters have been installed in third world countries over the last 20 years. Buying time on these stations is an attractive alternative to SW, for the countries which still are interested in radio broadcasting. Frank Dresser |
"David" wrote in message ... Yes, but libraries today lend videos and provides internet access. Not these libraires. The guy who was interviewed said he was setting them up in a single room with some bookshelves, etc. I don't remember if he got specific about what he put on the shelves, but I can't imagine there was much more than an encyclopedia, some donated books and State Department handouts. He said such libraries could be kept going for the cost of one big diplomatic party. His point wasn't about the libraries, but public diplomacy. He believed there should be more diplomatic outreach to everyday people in foriegn countres. He also mentioned such approaches as buying radio time on local stations. And I'll agree with that. There's alot of FM in around the world now, and if that's what the people are listening to, that's where we should put the programming. Interesting programming would be nice, too. SW is most useful as for getting into closed societies and as a backup to our other broadcast operations. Frank Dresser |
Jack wrote:
(Michael Rathbun) wrote: I first heard it in the early 60s and, like you, listened for long periods. I still remember the "melody" the thing emitted. It was sort of hypnotic to me, though it annoyed the hell out of everbody around me. g The basic rythym went something like: da-di-dah, di-da-da-da-dah. da-da-di-dah, da-di-di-dah--di-di-dah-dah. Hm. That doesn't sound at all like the tune that's been going through my head ever since this thread started. Mine was more like da-da-da-da-da-daaaa-da-da-da-da-daaaa-da-da-da-da-daaaa-daaaa-da-da- | | | | | | | | | daaaa-da-da-daaaa-da | | | | where each "|" beneath symbolizes a sharp, short click in the sound. There was a pause about the length of three of the long "daaaa" notes, and it repeated. -- "Here, Outlook Express, run this program." "Okay, stranger." |
"Clifton T. Sharp Jr." wrote: Jack wrote: (Michael Rathbun) wrote: I first heard it in the early 60s and, like you, listened for long periods. I still remember the "melody" the thing emitted. It was sort of hypnotic to me, though it annoyed the hell out of everbody around me. g The basic rythym went something like: da-di-dah, di-da-da-da-dah. da-da-di-dah, da-di-di-dah--di-di-dah-dah. Hm. That doesn't sound at all like the tune that's been going through my head ever since this thread started. Mine was more like da-da-da-da-da-daaaa-da-da-da-da-daaaa-da-da-da-da-daaaa-daaaa-da-da- | | | | | | | | | daaaa-da-da-daaaa-da | | | | where each "|" beneath symbolizes a sharp, short click in the sound. There was a pause about the length of three of the long "daaaa" notes, and it repeated. Ah, the memories. Back in the sixties, there was one pro-Western station (and it was not VOA - which always used "Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean",) who's musical signature was the first four notes of Beethoven's Fifth, followed by a voice saying: "The West will win!" followed by the next four notes of the Beethoven. One of the European stations, and it's either DW or SRI still uses the same musical tune it used back in the sixties, I know (I am a musician, and tunes get lodged in my memory forever). Tony ----== Posted via Newsfeed.Com - Unlimited-Uncensored-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeed.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= 19 East/West-Coast Specialized Servers - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
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