From: xberri@quark2.aero.org (Jason E. Berri) Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave Subject: SCDX 2133 Date: 12 Jul 91 20:48:00 GMT Organization: The Aerospace Corporation News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1 As stated in my previous message, my posts of both issue 2133 and 2134 went into the bit bucket, so here they are again in this and the following message. Back issues of the SCDX bulletins are available via anonymous ftp from arecibo.aero.org (130.221.193.155) during off-peak hours (locally). -Jason --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :: SWEDEN CALLING DXERS :: :: from Radio Sweden :: :: Number 2133--June 4, 1991 :: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Shortwave and other electronic media news from Radio Sweden. This week's bulletin was written by George Wood. Packet Radio BID SCDX2133 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- SWEDEN--We're sorry to report that Sarah Roxstrom has resigned as the head of Radio Sweden's English service, following a six months dispute between the English Service staff and management over organization. The Swedish Journalists Federation is now negotiating with Swedish Radio to find a solution for the dispute between the English Service staff and Radio Sweden management. We're sorry the dispute has delayed the distribution of the Electronic Edition of this bulletin, as well as some Radio Sweden programming. (DX Editor) EDXC--The European DX Council, which just held it's 25th annual conference, this time in Barcelona, in Catalonia, in Spain. The EDXC is an umbrella organization, bringing together clubs for shortwave listeners across Europe. But the organization has had problems, and there hasn't been an official EDXC conference for two years. The report on the EDXC meeting was to be included in this bulletin has been delayed because of the labor dispute at Radio Sweden. (DX Editor) ETHIOPIA--With the fall of the previous government of Ethiopia, the various rebel groups have taken over the country's radio transmitters. BBC Monitoring says the Voice of Ethiopia external service disappeared from the airwaves during the afternoon on May 27th, while the domestic service vanished shortly afterwards. The following day the Voice of Ethiopia regional medium wave transmitters, in Asmara on 945 kHz and in Harer on 855, were heard calling for co-operation with the rebels. The Voice of the Broad Masses of Eritrea, which supports the Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front, has extended its schedule on 7490 and 14338 kHz, as has the Voice of the Tigray Revolution on 7315 and 7820 kHz. (BBC Monitoring) Now more updates to the new edition of our booklet "Communications in Space: The DXers Guide to the Galaxy". SATELLITE-TV/EUROPE--The European Community Commission is currently discussing the introduction of the digital D2-MAC standard for satellite television. D2-MAC is seen as a transition to a future high defination television system to be called HD-MAC. A rapid introduction of D2-MAC and a phase-out of the current PAL standard is supported by electronics companies such as Philips, and the governments of countries with major electronics companies, such as the Netherlands, in order to prevent the Japanese HDTV system from becoming a world standard. This is opposed by satellite broadcasters such as Astra in Luxembourg and countries such as Britain, which is the home of many satellite broadcasters. While a recent article in the Swedish newspaper "Dagens Nyheter" claimed imposition of D2-MAC would be negative for Swedish satellite-TV viewers, the reverse is in fact true. Just about the only current user of D2-MAC is the Scandinavian broadcaster Scan-Sat (owner of TV3 and TV1000), which means that Scandinavian satellite TV viewers have to purchase expensive D2-MAC receivers. The imposition of D2-MAC would mean high volume sales of the new satellite receivers, increasing prices in the rest of Europe but dropping the prices in Scandinavia. As we reported last time, Eurosport has returned to the airwaves. At first signals were only on the Eutelsat II-F1 satellite, on 10.97 GHz, which is different from its previous transponder on that satellite. A few days later, Eurosport reappeared on Astra, but not on its old transponder on Astra 1A. Instead, it's on Astra 1B on 11.538 GHz. That's vertical polarization, which means a very weak signal into Scandinavia. And the teletext service seems to have disappeared, including the Radio Sweden schedule to Europe, which had appeared there. Thomas Bergstam reports that FilmNet seems to have divided up its services between two satellites. The same films are being broadcast over Astra 1A and Eutelsat 2-F2, but the Thomas says the teletext systems are different. FilmNet has confirmed to Radio Sweden that the Astra signals are being uplinked from Stockholm, for distribution in Scandinavia. The Eutelsat signals continue to originate in Belgium. Sweden's TV4 has shifted transponders for its relays to Norway on Intelsat 5A-F12. The new frequency is 11.133 GHz. Meanwhile, TV4 is to get some competition on its other spacecraft, Sweden's direct broadcast satellite Tele-X. On October 23rd, the new Baltic University will begin broadcasts via Tele-X to 50 universities in Leningrad, the Soviet Baltic Republics, and Poland. The programs will be courses about environmental problems in the Baltic Sea region, and universities in Copenhagen; Uppsala, Sweden; and the Finnish city of Turku are involved. Another European satellite broadcaster, WH Smith, says it is selling its satellite channels, including Screensport and Lifestyle, to a consortium made up of the American sports network ESPN, the American ABC network, and France's pay-TV Canal Plus. Canal Plus is also involved in a project with the over the air broadcaster TF1 to launch an all-news channel in French. That service would be launched in mid-1992 at the earliest. SATELLITE-TV/NORTH AMERICA--The Financial News Network has been sold to its competitor, the Consumer News and Business Channel. Gary Bourgois reports on CompuServe that the CNN International feed on the Galaxy 2 satellite, transponder 1, is now scrambled. The coding system used is called Leitch, which is not legally available. Bill Rood reports on CompuServe that the Galaxy 1 satellite is moving from 134 degrees West to 133 degrees during the week between June 21st and June 28th. That satellite includes many popular services, including the Disney Channel, Home Box Office, Cinemax, Showtime, CNN, Turner Broadcasting, ESPN, the Discovery Channel, Arts and Entertainment, and the USA Network. TVRO owners will have to shift their dishes during the week. AMATEUR RADIO IN SPACE--Britain's first astronaut, Helen Sharman, returned to Earth on May 27th after an 8 day visit to the Soviet space station MIR. She operated the amateur radio station there, under the call sign GB1MIR. WEATHER SATELLITES--The American weather satellite NOAA-12 is now transmitting on 137.5 MHz, the same frequency as NOAA-10. The new satellite can be heard about 45 minutes after the older satellite passes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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: 17:00 hrs on 1179, 6065, and 9615 kHz 18:30 hrs on 6065 and (Middle East) 15270 kHz 19:30 hrs on 1179, 6065 and 9655 kHz 20:30 hrs on 6065 kHz 22:00 hrs on 1179 and 6065 kHz 23:30 hrs on 1179 kHz And to Asia and the Pacific: 11:30 hrs on 11960, 17740, and 21570 kHz 13:00 hrs on 11960, 17740, and 21570 kHz 01:00 hrs on 9765 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 II- F1 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 2:201/697 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 as a public service by The Pinelands RBBS * 609-859-1910 * HST DS V.32 V.42 * 64 MB * FidoNet 1:266/32 * RBBS-Net 8:950/2 * Shortwave Listening * Ham & Packet Radio * Home of PC Software by W2XQ * Japan Radio Company NRD-535 and NRD-525 & Kenwood R-5000 Receiver Control Programs * English Language SW Broadcast Schedules (1988 WRTH Industry Award Winner) * Software Catalog upon request or download catalog from Pinelands RBBS * SYSOP Tom Sundstrom * W2XQ * MCI Mail 244-6376 * GEnie T.SUNDSTROM * InterNet 2446376@mcimail.com * Telex 6552446376MCI UW * Fax 609-859-3226 * TRS Consultants * PO Box 2275, Vincentown, NJ 08088-2275 * 609-859-2447 =========================================================================== -- 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]