INTERNET RADIO V. SHORT-WAVE - IS SW DYING?

I am getting back into SW from a ten year absence. I will be
purchasing a new, nice quality radio, in the next few weeks. The
reason for my renewed interest is that I purchased a YB FR-200 for
Hurricane Charley. I forgot how I enjoyed SW. However, after surfing
the Internet for a wile, I was surprised (not really) to see limited
to no growth in SW receivers. My last Passport book is from 1995, and
I found that in 2004, the receivers from the 1995 book are the ones
still available, with few new entries.

It is obvious, the advent of the Internet in the last ten years has
changed drastically, the available of worldwide audio and video
programming. With that said, what is not available on the Internet,
that is available on SW? Let me preference by stating, that I
understand SW as a hobby, and I also understand that the challenge of
pulling in programming from a radio is a lot more rewarding than point
and click Real Audio or Windows Media streams. However, for fun, over
the last few days, I would find a signal/program on my little FR-200,
and then, I would find same streamed audio on the Internet. I had a
100% success rate, and the Internet stream is superior, as there is no
interference.

Maybe the FR-200 only pulls in the major stations, and that is why I
found everything, however, is there any worthwhile programming not
streamed live, or available as archive on the Internet. To further
tilt program availability on the Internet, there are hundreds of
websites that make available, professional model SW setups, that
Internet uses can directly control.

I understand that poor countries do not widely have access to the
Internet, but US access is far reaching. Will and/or have programmers
stop targeting the US by SW? So I ask, is SW dying a slow death? I
look forward to a nice discussion, Thurston Howell III

Thurston Howell III wrote:

INTERNET RADIO V. SHORT-WAVE - IS SW DYING?

I am getting back into SW from a ten year absence. I will be
purchasing a new, nice quality radio, in the next few weeks. The
reason for my renewed interest is that I purchased a YB FR-200 for
Hurricane Charley. I forgot how I enjoyed SW. However, after surfing
the Internet for a wile, I was surprised (not really) to see limited
to no growth in SW receivers. My last Passport book is from 1995, and
I found that in 2004, the receivers from the 1995 book are the ones
still available, with few new entries.

It is obvious, the advent of the Internet in the last ten years has
changed drastically, the available of worldwide audio and video
programming. With that said, what is not available on the Internet,
that is available on SW? Let me preference by stating, that I
understand SW as a hobby, and I also understand that the challenge of
pulling in programming from a radio is a lot more rewarding than point
and click Real Audio or Windows Media streams. However, for fun, over
the last few days, I would find a signal/program on my little FR-200,
and then, I would find same streamed audio on the Internet. I had a
100% success rate, and the Internet stream is superior, as there is no
interference.

Maybe the FR-200 only pulls in the major stations, and that is why I
found everything, however, is there any worthwhile programming not
streamed live, or available as archive on the Internet. To further
tilt program availability on the Internet, there are hundreds of
websites that make available, professional model SW setups, that
Internet uses can directly control.

I understand that poor countries do not widely have access to the
Internet, but US access is far reaching. Will and/or have programmers
stop targeting the US by SW? So I ask, is SW dying a slow death? I
look forward to a nice discussion, Thurston Howell III

I was first involved with this esoteric hobby back in 1966 or so, and as I
recall, there were folks back then who said that it was dying.

Guess what? It's still here and will be what you and I make it out to be.

dxAce

As long as there's something out there besides static crashes to tune in,
shortwave listening will never die.

jw
k9rzz

J999w wrote:

As long as there's something out there besides static crashes to tune in,
shortwave listening will never die.

Microsoft does Static too?



mike

In article YVyWc.49072$X12.20498@edtnps84,
m II wrote:

J999w wrote:

As long as there's something out there besides static crashes to tune in,
shortwave listening will never die.

Microsoft does Static too?

They have the patent rights on digital static, which they will
vigorously defend with their army of lawyers so don't get any ideas.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

On Tue, 24 Aug 2004 04:54:03 GMT, Telamon
wrote:

In article YVyWc.49072$X12.20498@edtnps84,
m II wrote:

J999w wrote:

As long as there's something out there besides static crashes to tune in,
shortwave listening will never die.

Microsoft does Static too?

They have the patent rights on digital static, which they will
vigorously defend with their army of lawyers so don't get any ideas.
LOL !

m II wrote:
J999w wrote:
As long as there's something out there besides static crashes to tune in,
shortwave listening will never die.

Microsoft does Static too?

I wish. If Microsoft did static, they'd corner the market and all other
static sources would stop; and they'd do it so badly, all radios would
be 80 dB quieter.

--
If Kerry can't cope with the "Republican Attack Machine",
how can he hope to deal with Al Qaeda?

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 09:33:10 -0700, Thurston Howell III wrote:


I understand that poor countries do not widely have access to the
Internet, but US access is far reaching. Will and/or have programmers
stop targeting the US by SW? So I ask, is SW dying a slow death? I
look forward to a nice discussion, Thurston Howell III


No it's not. What happens when your cable,DSL or power goes down?

The BBC has stopped broadcasting via shortwave to North America but we
still pick it up through their other targets. This still ****es me off
personally.

There is a TON of things on shortwave radio. Get one and see for yourself!

Have fun!

Tom

Tom Randy wrote:

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 09:33:10 -0700, Thurston Howell III wrote:

I understand that poor countries do not widely have access to the
Internet, but US access is far reaching. Will and/or have programmers
stop targeting the US by SW? So I ask, is SW dying a slow death? I
look forward to a nice discussion, Thurston Howell III

No it's not. What happens when your cable,DSL or power goes down?

The BBC has stopped broadcasting via shortwave to North America but we
still pick it up through their other targets. This still ****es me off
personally.

There is a TON of things on shortwave radio. Get one and see for yourself!

Have fun!

Tom

Regarding your statement that BBC does not broadcast on shortwave to NA,
I have been listening to them almost every night clear as a bell on
5975, so the next time, i will see if they say world service or specify
another location. sure sounds like it is aimed here.
maria

maria wrote:

Tom Randy wrote:

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 09:33:10 -0700, Thurston Howell III wrote:

I understand that poor countries do not widely have access to the
Internet, but US access is far reaching. Will and/or have programmers
stop targeting the US by SW? So I ask, is SW dying a slow death? I
look forward to a nice discussion, Thurston Howell III

No it's not. What happens when your cable,DSL or power goes down?

The BBC has stopped broadcasting via shortwave to North America but we
still pick it up through their other targets. This still ****es me off
personally.

There is a TON of things on shortwave radio. Get one and see for yourself!

Have fun!

Tom

Regarding your statement that BBC does not broadcast on shortwave to NA,
I have been listening to them almost every night clear as a bell on
5975, so the next time, i will see if they say world service or specify
another location. sure sounds like it is aimed here.

Yes, it may indeed sound that way, but they no longer 'specifically' target the
USA.

They target the 'Americas', but no longer the USA.

Indeed, it is still the 'BBC World Service'.

dxAce