|
Thought I might try to hear SIBC to hear of any further
news about Fiji so tuned to 5019.932 this a.m. [5 a.m. local, 1200Z]. Strong
signal [-88 dBm] heard of boring male singer and chorus of “island-like” music.
SINPO was 44444. I tuned off briefly to get time hack and when I returned a
female was giving some public service announcement about calling police, but
then went back to the same singing group. I decided to listen to easy to hear
PNG on 4890 kHz but nothing was heard. This seems strange since the Solomon
Islands and PNG are relatively close to each other and I almost always can hear
PNG on this frequency. I left DAT tape on and returned some 80 minutes, or so, later
and rewound to 1300Z and heard the sign-off and ID of SIBC followed by their
national anthem. For true SWL fans I recommend the DVD version of the
Microsoft Encarata Encyclopedia, which includes Atlas, dictionary and
encyclopedia. This atlas is the finest I have ever seen. Great maps. Easy to
use. It can also tell you exact distance between any two places on globe and
you can find the transmitter locations of short wave transmitters because this
electronic atlas shows you the exact geo-coordinates of your cursor. This
software alones justifies the cost of any PC and demonstrates its usefulness as
a “learning tool”. You can find out all you want to know about the Solomon
Islands and hear their rather forgettable national anthem. Yuck. If you want an idea of what life was like on delightful Guadalcanal
in the “good old days” rent “The Thin Red Line”, an almost surrealistic at
times, movie of the horror of combat in WW2. Other goodies on Guadalcanal can
be found with your search engine. Tom Roach |