Passport to World Band Radio 2009

As with any good recipe, a range of ingredients has to come together if a reference book is to succeed. Solid content is, of course, essential. But in recent months other considerations have had an increased bearing on the future of Passport to World Band Radio®.

So it is that the 26th Edition of Passport to World Band Radio® is being held in limbo. Despite this, for now we are continuing to maintain the WorldScan® database and uphold all proprietary material. Among other things, this should help allow for an orderly return to production, under IBS’ aegis or otherwise, should conditions allow.

For Passport® readers and our small team, alike, this is a seminal moment. After all, Passport to World Band Radio® goes back a quarter century and has had something like a million readers worldwide. But the future has its own rhythm that confounds prognostication. There may yet be more chapters to this story. Stay tuned.

Best regards,
Lawrence Magne, Publisher
Passport to World Band Radio
International Broadcasting Services, Ltd.
mktg@passband.com
www.passband.com

July 26: It is an honor to receive your kind comments and suggestions about Passport to World Band Radio. As of this weekend all of us have been able to study and discuss them, so we’ve answered various key questions raised in emails and comments (search for “Ed.:” within Comments). Thank you for taking the time and trouble to make your thoughts and feelings known so meaningfully.

—Larry Magne

July 29: Our ISP’s server that handles the Passband.com domain encountered file corruption, so we were informed; thus, it was inoperative most of today. It sprang back to life around 2350 UTC and now appears to be functioning properly.

November 28: Thanks for your many kind and helpful comments, which have touched us greatly.

Alas, although the long-term future of IBS’ activities continues to be mulled over, there will definitely be no printed 2010 edition of Passport to World Band Radio. At this juncture it appears nearly as certain that online options aren’t going to be feasible, either. Nonetheless, the Japanese-language (only) Blue Pages for 2010 will be offered within Japan, as in the past, by ohtaket@kyp.biglobe.ne.jp later this year.

For equipment issues, Passport readers have increasingly been visiting Passport equipment maven David Zantow’s webpage for up-to-date equipment news and expert advice.
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Continue reading ‘Passport to World Band Radio® in Limbo (rev. 28 Nov.)’

Wellbrook ALA1530 vs. RF Systems DX-One Pro Mk II

The ALA arrived on loan on June 30, 2009. It is mounted on a plastic pole 6 meters off the deck and some 6 meters from the DX-One and is oriented N/S. The ALA1530 was checked for continuity and is working fine with full power at the head.

On LF (longwave) the DX-One Pro hears things that are unheard on the ALA. For example, 515 kHz CW, MAJ Majuba is quite clear on the DX-One but not heard on the ALA1530, and the same is true with various others. 252 kHz Algeria is faint on the DX1 but unheard on the ALA, while 361 kHz CW ASN Ascension is clear on the DX-One but barely audible on the ALA. Continue reading ‘South African Reader Compares Antennas’