End of Radio Australia HF broadcasts!

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by StuM

Depends on who wants the control. I think Deepfrz was suggesting that Murdoch wants control of the media (not the State).

I see "control" of existing media as being distinct and quite different to control of "market share".
Does private media do HF broadcasts in Oz? Surely if Murdoch was controlling Guthrie's strings, then getting his news on the ABC broadcasts, would be a better route to media domination.

[lockie]

Originally Posted by Mirage Gecko

"Plenty of new very high quality HF portables out there from companies like Tecsun, Kaito, and Eton/Grundig and not expensive either. You can pick up a Tecsun 310ET, introduced this year, for $55 delivered ex Ebay, .. and that is at the quality end of the market."

Do these units above pick up the frequencies on HF used by the BOM for transmitting weather forecasts?
Chris

I have just returned from cruising Bass Strait and used my tiny little el-cheapo Tecsun PL-606 to get the Charleville HF weather broadcasts in places with no VHF or 3G coverage, which was a great help.

The speech was pretty garbled and took a lot of concentration to understand, but maybe one of the higher-spec receivers would be better.

Reception was better during daylight - after dark a whole heap of high-powered (I think) Chinese stations dominated.

Question for the experts - the Tecsun PL-606 does not have SSB - would SSB give better reception of the weather sched's?

Cheers, Graeme

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by lockie

I have just returned from cruising Bass Strait and used my tiny little el-cheapo Tecsun PL-606 to get the Charleville HF weather broadcasts in places with no VHF or 3G coverage, which was a great help.

The speech was pretty garbled and took a lot of concentration to understand, but maybe one of the higher-spec receivers would be better.

Reception was better during daylight - after dark a whole heap of high-powered (I think) Chinese stations dominated.

Question for the experts - the Tecsun PL-606 does not have SSB - would SSB give better reception of the weather sched's?

Cheers, Graeme

Yes it would... them being broadcast in USB and all

Best bang for the buck for what you want to do would be a Tecsun 680.... if you are 'in funds' then the 880.

Ping

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

I see "control" of existing media as being distinct and quite different to control of "market share".
Does private media do HF broadcasts in Oz? Surely if Murdoch was controlling Guthrie's strings, then getting his news on the ABC broadcasts, would be a better route to media domination.

Radio Australia and ABC Northern Territory HF are just 'by catch'.

The ABC is a quite large and well respected domestic broadcaster ( TV, FM, AM )...

ABC - Australian Broadcasting Corporation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austra...ng_Corporation


However the incumbent regime in Straya - who are a bit to the right of Ghengis Khan - thinks it is run by a pack of commos and would dearly like to shut the whole of the ABC down.

So this Guthrie woman is serving both her masters very well.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

The ABC is a quite large and well respected domestic broadcaster ( TV, FM, AM )...

ABC - Australian Broadcasting Corporation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austra...ng_Corporation

However the incumbent regime in Straya - who are a bit to the right of Ghengis Khan - thinks it is run by a pack of commos and would dearly like to shut the whole of the ABC down.

So this Guthrie woman is serving both her masters very well.

Sad, that. In Canada, the hard-right bang on constantly about wanting to dismantle the CBC. During Canada's last dance with a right-wing government, one of their memorable acts was to forbid scientists in the civil service from speaking out publicly. There's ample evidence out there on the public's trust level with media when there isn't a public broadcaster to set a standard. You get 'alternative facts'...

In general, it's sad that international shortwave broadcasting is being abandoned by so many western powers. I did a fair amount of shortwave listening as a kid. I still build the odd HF receiver and listen occasionally, but it ain't the same. The available HF stations are less interesting, and the HF band is way more polluted now with the RF racket from dimmers and bad power supplies.

Oh well. We move on.

[Alan Mighty]

If all the pollies lobby for HF, would Guthrie change her mind?

https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...oadcasts-in-nt

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Alan Mighty

If all the pollies lobby for HF, would Guthrie change her mind?

https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...oadcasts-in-nt

Doubt it ... she is on a mission from ? ....

There has been rather a lot of stuff out there protesting the shutdown of the ABC shortwave service - which doesn't just serve the NT but pretty much everywhere north of a line drawn from just north of Perth to just north of Adelaide to up by Rockhampton or thereabouts - not so much about Radio Australia services to the SW Pacific.

There has been a bit ... Radio Australia site a vital link | Shepparton News

It will be a sad day...

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Sad, that. In Canada, the hard-right bang on constantly about wanting to dismantle the CBC. During Canada's last dance with a right-wing government, one of their memorable acts was to forbid scientists in the civil service from speaking out publicly. There's ample evidence out there on the public's trust level with media when there isn't a public broadcaster to set a standard. You get 'alternative facts'...

In general, it's sad that international shortwave broadcasting is being abandoned by so many western powers. I did a fair amount of shortwave listening as a kid. I still build the odd HF receiver and listen occasionally, but it ain't the same. The available HF stations are less interesting, and the HF band is way more polluted now with the RF racket from dimmers and bad power supplies.

Oh well. We move on.

Dunno about less interesting... and them as tend to use it from need don't have issues with dimmers and bad power supplies

Always look on the bright side.... RNZI is still out there and ( as far as ABC NT HF is concerned) gets into a big slab of Oz.

I'm on the campo in SE Straya just now... tend to sit outside in the evening -days have been running in the high 30's (C) recently - and listen to RNZI on 9765... off the whip on small portables its as good as local AM and FM stations.
Came inside 30 mins ago ... now have RNZI on 11610 but getting a bit 'not so good' ... 'nother station (Taiwan 11600) interfering with it.

In Chile I can be 'off the grid' for up to two months at a time.... BBC African service on 15400 from Ascension in the arvo... OK so you become an expert on african football scores... is OK.... RNZI on 15720 when it fades..

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

During Canada's last dance with a right-wing government, one of their memorable acts was to forbid scientists in the civil service from speaking out publicly.

Bit off topic, but the pinkos have been in power for over a year now - can you point to any instance you know of, where a government scientist has spoken publicly? For that matter, feel free to cite any such public statements during any of the previous liberal reigns.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Bit off topic, but the pinkos have been in power for over a year now - can you point to any instance you know of, where a government scientist has spoken publicly? For that matter, feel free to cite any such public statements during any of the previous liberal reigns.

"pinkos" ...o-kaaay.

Scientist speaks out after finding ‘record’ ozone hole over Canadian Arctic | National Post

At least there weren't threats of criminal charges for tweeting... I shouldn't complain about mere suppression, I guess.

Back on topic - how do you feel about the democracies of the world getting out of international shortwave broadcasting?

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

"pinkos" ...o-kaaay.

Scientist speaks out after finding ‘record’ ozone hole over Canadian Arctic | National Post

At least there weren't threats of criminal charges for tweeting... I shouldn't complain about mere suppression, I guess.

Back on topic - how do you feel about the democracies of the world getting out of international shortwave broadcasting?

No problems.... China Radio International has taken up the slack.... they broadcast in English on 150 ... yep .... 150 different frequencies.

They must think someone is listening..

[alctel]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Bit off topic, but the pinkos have been in power for over a year now - can you point to any instance you know of, where a government scientist has spoken publicly? For that matter, feel free to cite any such public statements during any of the previous liberal reigns.

The liberals are, at best, extremely middle of the road. Hardly pinkos. Sadly.

And although I don't like them very much, one of the good things they've done is greatly loosened the reporting restrictions from different departments - you see press releases from different departments all the time! On all kinds of media! Like seriously, there are several a week.

Under Harper that was strictly not allowed - there was a lot of press on that draconian policy.

[transmitterdan]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

No problems.... China Radio International has taken up the slack.... they broadcast in English on 150 ... yep .... 150 different frequencies.



They must think someone is listening..

Actually these are thinly disguised jamming stations. They flood their own people with English so it's hard for them to find broadcasts from outside the country. If you are a Chinese citizen trying to find news from the outside world you have to wade through dozens and dozens of channels and may never hear a non-Chinese state run broadcast. China has many hundreds of shortwave broadcasts going all the time. 90% of them are aimed inside the country.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

"pinkos" ...o-kaaay.

Scientist speaks out after finding ‘record’ ozone hole over Canadian Arctic | National Post

At least there weren't threats of criminal charges for tweeting... I shouldn't complain about mere suppression, I guess.

Back on topic - how do you feel about the democracies of the world getting out of international shortwave broadcasting?

I asked you to point out an instance of a govt scientist speaking publicly during a Liberal govt - you've provided an example of one speaking during "Harper's reign of terror". Hardly supports your assertion that Harper muzzled the boffins.

I quite enjoyed listening to RCI, when it actually had something scheduled in a language I understood, and content I cared to listen to. BBC world service was superior - I don't know if they've maintained that. The reality is, that technology has advanced to a point that SW broadcasts are no longer the sole link remote outposts have to the world. Taxpayer-funded services have to be carefully assessed vis-à-vis cost to benefit. It is entirely conceivable that fiscal prudence means cutting SW, and investing in online and satellite delivery.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by alctel

The liberals are, at best, extremely middle of the road. Hardly pinkos. Sadly.

And although I don't like them very much, one of the good things they've done is greatly loosened the reporting restrictions from different departments - you see press releases from different departments all the time! On all kinds of media! Like seriously, there are several a week.

Under Harper that was strictly not allowed - there was a lot of press on that draconian policy.

Umm, press releases are not new - they came out all the time during Harper's time, from many departments. Harper just tightened up the guidelines. Some of the depts. had similar guidelines that preceded Harper - DND for instance has always stressed that anyone is free to answer questions from the media, as long as you stay within your area of expertise, don't disclose classified info, defer to higher authority or public affairs when the questions are outside of your purview, etc. etc. This is why most levels and sections of govt (as well as major corporations) have media relations depts./ spokespersons/ etc. - it ensures that the official line is clear and unambiguous.

The point is that scientists in the Public Service have always had avenues to address the public - I just don't recall it being very common for them to do so, during either liberal or conservative reigns over the past 40 odd years.