There's no way streaming audio on the Internet can replace shortwave. For
one thing, shortwave is broadcast. That's the reason it exists. Anybody can
pick it up, free of charge, even with a very inexpensive radio. If a major
catastrophe should happen, anywhere in the world, there's always shortwave
radio to fall back on. Shortwave is always there. The internet is more of a
narrow cast thing to an elite audience with the wherewithall to have a good
computer and a fast, reliable internet connection from an ISP that doesn't
charge if a certain amount of usage is exceeded. So you want to listen to
radio out in the boondocks or out in the yard? You can do that easily with a
broadcast receiver. How the heck do you do that using the internet without
an elaborate wireless router system and a good laptop computer if at home,
or at all if away from civilizaition? There's just too much technological
overhead. Even if you do have access, anyone spending a few hours using the
Internet knows how frustrating it can be. Digital wants your butt at home in
front of a computer desk, no matter whether it's digital photography, the
Internet, or whatever. It's the very antithesis of why shortwave exists in
the first place.

Pierre


"Richard" wrote in message
...

Ah!, But you are presuming all have access to the Internet, and many
staions - like VOA, BBC, etc are aimed at second and third world internet
access is poor at best.

This will be the great break on the Internet replacing short wave

Boy are you in your own little world. International shortwave
broadcasts from any country that is not sponsored by a religious group
cost that country money. Usually used for propaganda by the nazis,
communists, anarchist or some political nut case. These countries are
in a budget cutting era and they are finding that with satellite and
internet and cable that they can reach more people with fewer of their
dollars expended. They really don't care about the poor African with
the wind up radio. That's for their little country to deal with.
Is shortwave dead. Yes, as we now know it. Programming and broadcast
hours is getting smaller all the time. The world is trying to keep up
with it self and get into the 21st century.
Now tell me how Amateur Radio is the savior of military communications
and in a national emercency the Hams will come through with jammed
repeaters and morse code. Just another hobby that is dead or will be
shortly.
Money talks and the international broadcasters know that the money
isn't with shortwave radio.
Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.


"Pierre" wrote in message m...
There's no way streaming audio on the Internet can replace shortwave. For
one thing, shortwave is broadcast. That's the reason it exists. Anybody can
pick it up, free of charge, even with a very inexpensive radio. If a major
catastrophe should happen, anywhere in the world, there's always shortwave
radio to fall back on. Shortwave is always there. The internet is more of a
narrow cast thing to an elite audience with the wherewithall to have a good
computer and a fast, reliable internet connection from an ISP that doesn't
charge if a certain amount of usage is exceeded. So you want to listen to
radio out in the boondocks or out in the yard? You can do that easily with a
broadcast receiver. How the heck do you do that using the internet without
an elaborate wireless router system and a good laptop computer if at home,
or at all if away from civilizaition? There's just too much technological
overhead. Even if you do have access, anyone spending a few hours using the
Internet knows how frustrating it can be. Digital wants your butt at home in
front of a computer desk, no matter whether it's digital photography, the
Internet, or whatever. It's the very antithesis of why shortwave exists in
the first place.

Pierre


"Richard" wrote in message
...

Ah!, But you are presuming all have access to the Internet, and many
staions - like VOA, BBC, etc are aimed at second and third world internet
access is poor at best.

This will be the great break on the Internet replacing short wave

Mike Terry wrote:

Radio Finland, the external service of the Finnish Broadcasting Company
(YLE), may close down its service on the shortwave and mediumwave bands.
This would leave external service programming available only via satellite
and on the Internet. The aim would be to cut expenses. Currently
distribution costs for Radio Finland total 3.4 million euros annually. YLE
Administrative Council is expected to decide the fate of shortwave later
this year. In 2002 (see DXing.info news in June and September 2002 as well
as a history of the cuts in the DXing.info Community) Radio Finland closed
down its services in English, German and French, while Finnish, Swedish and
Russian programming continued on shortwave as well as for Northern Europe
also on the mediumwave band. A source at YLE tells DXing.info that possible
lobbying from the part of DXers would only reduce the chances of remaining
on the air, because the only justification for shortwave is to serve
expatriate Finns, who number about 250.000. A decision to cut shortwave
would become easier if the station is viewed as serving primarily a fringe
audience of radio hobbyists.

(DXing.info, June 9, 2004)

Some other comments from DXLD:

A point I have made over and over again for the past several decades,
often to the irritation of DXers. But still people insist on write-in
campaigns which only serve to convince the broadcasters that the
people listening are not the ones they want to reach. I'm glad that
this point has been made, especially by a broadcaster and Web site in
a country where DXing remains a popular hobby (Andy Sennitt, June 10,
dxldyg via DXLD)

Ah, then, we hobbyists should all write to YLE urging them to close it
down, so they will not close it down in order to spite us! Actually,
the only language they use any more I can sort of understand is Latin
(gh, WORLD OF RADIO 1233, DXLD)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steve
Holland, MI
Drake R7, R8 and R8B

http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm