From: schmidt@auvax1.adelphi.edu
Subject: Re: Taiwan news worldwide via shortwave radio
Organization: Adelphi University, Garden City NY
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 05:05:01 GMT

In article <1992Jul22We135313a.Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM>, Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM writes:
>>>>>> On Wed, 22 Jul 1992 15:49:32 GMT, hhwu@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (eric.wu) said:
> 
> eric.wu> I tried short wave radio once.  I got a portable one (Sharp or 
> eric.wu> Panasonic or something Japanese) for <$200.  I ended up returning 
> eric.wu> it the next day.  Its reception is quite poor.  Is it because of 
> eric.wu> cheapy radio or is it the norm of short wave?  What does it take
> eric.wu> to receive good quality short wave?
> 
> There is a whole newsgroup about shortwave "rec.radio.shortwave".
> Yes, the reception is affected by many factors.  Since most Taiwan
> broadcasts are relayed by station WYFR, Okeechobee, Florida USA, they
> are much stronger than if broadcast direct from Taipei, but still you
> will have some static sounds and signal drift.  My US$100 "ghetto
> blaster" or "boom box" even includes shortwave ("SW1" and "SW2"
> bands.)
> 
> eric.wu> Someone is (mail order ads on WJ) selling a special radio for 
> eric.wu> $99 that can receive Chinese program (Chiao Sheng).  I guess the 
> eric.wu> program is broadcasted at a different frequency other than AM/FM 
> eric.wu> so we need a special radio.  Has anybody try this?  How is the 
> eric.wu> reception or the program?
> 
> eric.wu> What interests me the most is the little ear.  You can get one
> eric.wu> for $288 plus shipping but I was told that you need to spend
> eric.wu> more to get a higher end model.  But it will still be a good 
> eric.wu> deal if the program it can receive is good.  Would somebody 
> eric.wu> who has seen this kind of program tell us more about it?
> 
> Hmmm, sounds odd, I better crosspost this to rec.radio.shortwave for
> full peer analysis.
> -- 
> Dan_Jacobson@ATT.COM Naperville IL USA Chinese~{;}5$Da~}Ji1Dan1ni2

I'm not sure but this sounds like it may be an SCA on an FM station in his
area.  The Hatians have a service "Radio Tropical" in this area and others in
the USA which originates from studios close to here, and is sent by satellite
to FM stations where they lease the SCA, and sell fixed frequency SCA receivers
to listeners.  They buy program time on local ethnic stations for a period when
they start in a new area, to build up an audience, and tell them they have to
buy the SCA receiver to keep receiving the service after the trial "broadcast"
period ends.  It apparently is reasonably successful, audience wise, but a hard
sell for commercials, as the advertiser can't hear his spot, unless, of course,
he owns a receiver, which limits spot sales pretty much to Hatian owned
businesses.

If this is the case here, Mr. Wu should make sure he can return the receiver
for a full refund if reception is not adequate.  SCA coverage area is (like
stereo, only worse) much less than main carrier coverage for FM stations, due
to the low "injection", and high subcarrier frequencies used.  Outside antennas 
are often required for good reception outside the "city grade" contour of the
transmitting station.  If he can get the signal well, it can be worthwhile, if
he can afford the special receiver.  But if he moves to another city, it won't
work (at least without modification) as it is fixed frequency, at least in SCA
mode.

The other type of "narrowcasting" i've seen is cable FM, over the cable TV
systems.  Some only require a splitter to any FM radio, others use special
digital or other formats requiring special receivers.

John




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John H. Schmidt, P.E.              |Internet: schmidt@auvax1.adelphi.edu
Technical Director, WBAU           |Phone--Days     (212)456-4218
Adelphi University                 |       Evenings (516)877-6400
Garden City, New York 11530        |Fax-------------(212)456-2424
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Newsgroups: soc.culture.taiwan