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