Dear Jim,

PASSPORT's "What's On Tonight" section is fairly accurate, based on
information available at presstime and educated guesses. The "Blue
Pages" frequency list is more accurate when the book is first
available, growing somewhat less so as time goes on and as we enter the
summer schedule. PASSPORT is at its strongest with regard to its
product reviews which are, in my opinion, the finest available. While
not totally "unbiased" (as long as you have human beings you will have
bias!) they are far more informative and accurate than, say, users
opinions on eHam, etc., valuable as those are. PASSPORT actually uses
laboratory instruments to measure the SW products being tested and I
know of no other source which does that.

For frequency schedules, WRTH is more accurate, as it is published
later in the year than is PASSPORT, and WRTH updates their frequency
list online when the summer season starts. WRTH has far more frequency
and station information than does PASSPORT, especially for MW and/or TV
DXers.. WRTH is weaker with regard to product reviews.

PrimeTimeShortwave is, in my experience, the most accurate and
up-to-date schedule list and is updated very fast. However, its main
limitation is that it does not show what "shows" are playing (and, of
course, you have to be "online" to read it or download it). I
personally still prefer looking things up in a book though, of course,
I realize that an online list can be inherently more accurate.

All that said, I find both PASSPORT and WRTH to be invaluable guides
and I buy them every year. Frankly, I don't see how a serious SWL can
do without them. I couldn't! Of course, I also make use of whatever
other sources of information I can. They ALL have their place.

Best,

Joe

I buy PTWBR mostly for the equipment reviews. I also like the highlights on
various countries' program offerings and their spotlight on a particular
region/nation (2006 features China). I find that *sometimes* the blue page
schedules are dead-on, but oftentimes they're not. That's why I also have
primetimeshortwave.com fired up and ready to search in case I come across a
broadcast that is not listed in PTWBR.

Jackie

Thanks everyone for your input. Seems Primetime is most peoples favorite in
regards to accuracy...



"Buzzygirl" wrote in message
news
I buy PTWBR mostly for the equipment reviews. I also like the highlights
on
various countries' program offerings and their spotlight on a particular
region/nation (2006 features China). I find that *sometimes* the blue
page
schedules are dead-on, but oftentimes they're not. That's why I also have
primetimeshortwave.com fired up and ready to search in case I come across
a
broadcast that is not listed in PTWBR.

Jackie

Dear Jim,

The ILG database is also superb. Formerly it took over a month for the
current schedule to be posted but this time they've outdone themselves:
the A06 schedule is already posted. I recommend that you and everyone
else get their password and download it.

Also keep checking WRTH's site. I'm sure they will have the complete
A06 schedule available for downloading very soon.

Best,

Joe

I have never cared for the ILG database. I don't like the format that it's
presented in...


"Joe Analssandrini" wrote in message
oups.com...
Dear Jim,

The ILG database is also superb. Formerly it took over a month for the
current schedule to be posted but this time they've outdone themselves:
the A06 schedule is already posted. I recommend that you and everyone
else get their password and download it.

Also keep checking WRTH's site. I'm sure they will have the complete
A06 schedule available for downloading very soon.

Best,

Joe

junius wrote:


rkhalona wrote:
Greg wrote:

I buy it for nostalgia, and for the cool cover illustrations.


and the equipment reviews and the ads..., but never for the schedules!
:-)

RK

The Addresses Plus section is pretty decent, too, I'd say.

A better editing job could be done on PWBR, though. On the WL-500
review in this year's Passport, it's stated that the unit has been
discontinued; nevertheless, it's written that "this is a new model" in
the next to last note (a failure to update a comment from the year in
which the antenna was first reviewed). I laughed aloud when I saw that
Eton's toll-free tech support was listed as one of the Eton Mini
300PE's "Cons". Is their tech support THAT bad??


It must connect you to China. And the help desk droids speak Chinese, or
speak English that's so bad no American can understand it.

http://www.shortwavelog.com/default-english.html


"Lisa Simpson" wrote in message
. ..
What program do you use?

"mike maghakian" wrote in message
...
I have been saying that for years...I own every issue and I keep buying
them
but NOT for the schedules.

the internet is the ONLY source for schedules and stuff like that

I use a program that imports several databases so I always have the best
info available to me at all times


"Jim Hackett" wrote in message
. com...
Is it just me, or do others find that in way over 50% of the time that
I
hear something on "X" frequency at "Y" time, and look it up in
Passport,
there's NOTHING listed?
Example: Right now, 23:23 on 15.340, I'm hearing some music that
sounds
like it belongs in some musical. I look in Passport, there is NOTHING
listed for that freq/time...
Kind of defeats the purpose of buying the book...

the fineware software is obsolete and hasn't been supported for a while,
there are other programs that do better like:

http://www.shortwavelog.com/default-english.html



"junius" wrote in message
oups.com...
Have you tried the ilgdata file in conjuntion with Fineware's Radio
Listener's Database (RLDB)? Works quite well, in my opinion.

Since I prefer my frequency guide on paper, I like to download the
ilgsimpo file and convert it into an Excel document. After deleting
some columns, shifting and/or renaming some, abbreviating certain text,
reducing font size, etc., I come out with a decent product contoured to
my preferences. 250 pages (landscape, all columns on one page); so 125
pages, printing on both sides. Hole-punch the pages for a three-ring
binder. Requires a few hours to revise/format after downloading of the
files, but for a 6 month season, I find that it's more than worth it to
take the time...

As others have noted in this thread, though, it's good to be able to
refer to a variety of sources. EiBi is great; and for English-language
program listening, I wouldn't want to be without Daniel Sampson's
excellent PrimeTime Shortwave listings.

junius


Jim Hackett wrote:
I have never cared for the ILG database. I don't like the format that
it's
presented in...


"Joe Analssandrini" wrote in message
oups.com...
Dear Jim,

The ILG database is also superb. Formerly it took over a month for the
current schedule to be posted but this time they've outdone themselves:
the A06 schedule is already posted. I recommend that you and everyone
else get their password and download it.

Also keep checking WRTH's site. I'm sure they will have the complete
A06 schedule available for downloading very soon.

Best,

Joe

Yep - same one I use! EXCELLENT program!

"mike maghakian" wrote in message
. ..
http://www.shortwavelog.com/default-english.html


"Lisa Simpson" wrote in message
. ..
What program do you use?

"mike maghakian" wrote in message
...
I have been saying that for years...I own every issue and I keep buying
them
but NOT for the schedules.

the internet is the ONLY source for schedules and stuff like that

I use a program that imports several databases so I always have the
best
info available to me at all times


"Jim Hackett" wrote in message
. com...
Is it just me, or do others find that in way over 50% of the time
that
I
hear something on "X" frequency at "Y" time, and look it up in
Passport,
there's NOTHING listed?
Example: Right now, 23:23 on 15.340, I'm hearing some music that
sounds
like it belongs in some musical. I look in Passport, there is
NOTHING
listed for that freq/time...
Kind of defeats the purpose of buying the book...

You hit the nail on the head Junius! I'm getting older by the minute. I
don't have time for all that!



"junius" wrote in message
oups.com...
Have you tried the ilgdata file in conjuntion with Fineware's Radio
Listener's Database (RLDB)? Works quite well, in my opinion.

Since I prefer my frequency guide on paper, I like to download the
ilgsimpo file and convert it into an Excel document. After deleting
some columns, shifting and/or renaming some, abbreviating certain text,
reducing font size, etc., I come out with a decent product contoured to
my preferences. 250 pages (landscape, all columns on one page); so 125
pages, printing on both sides. Hole-punch the pages for a three-ring
binder. Requires a few hours to revise/format after downloading of the
files, but for a 6 month season, I find that it's more than worth it to
take the time...

As others have noted in this thread, though, it's good to be able to
refer to a variety of sources. EiBi is great; and for English-language
program listening, I wouldn't want to be without Daniel Sampson's
excellent PrimeTime Shortwave listings.

junius


Jim Hackett wrote:
I have never cared for the ILG database. I don't like the format that
it's
presented in...


"Joe Analssandrini" wrote in message
oups.com...
Dear Jim,

The ILG database is also superb. Formerly it took over a month for the
current schedule to be posted but this time they've outdone
themselves:
the A06 schedule is already posted. I recommend that you and everyone
else get their password and download it.

Also keep checking WRTH's site. I'm sure they will have the complete
A06 schedule available for downloading very soon.

Best,

Joe