2017 World Radio TV Handbook Review
by Gayle Van Horn W4GVHCEO Teak Publishing
A new year brings many things for radio hobbyists, including new goals to enrich their listening opportunities. Ultimately, world listeners welcome the annual edition of World Radio TV Handbook, now in their 71st edition.
The
new edition begins with receiver reviews. The Icom IC-7300 offers an excellent
overall rating, as one of high quality, good performer, as well as good value
and functionality. As the popularity of software-defined radios continues to
expand, the Reuter Elektronik RDR55D is the newest edition to the market.
Discerning listeners who prefer a self-contained SDR will discover this new
addition significantly advances the state of the art. SDRPlay RSP, a lower cost
SDR known as a dongle, is a very good introduction to the capabilities and limitations
of the software-defined receiver. A review of the wideband loop antenna
Wellbrook ALA1530LNP is complimented for its performance, and an outstanding
value. Listener's using more than one radio receiver will welcome the new
Bonito AAS300. Called an 'Active RF Splitter,' by the manufacturer, it provides
three outputs from a single input. Compared to other multicouplers, it covers a
wide frequency range, and works very well.
A stalwart
of each edition is the features section. The
Mighty KBC explores the well known radio station, popular to medium wave
and shortwave listeners. Who knew KBC had such an interesting and surprising
history? KBC, a small private station has big plans for their future. Remote Reception delves into the modern
SDRs located half a world away - and available to a world audience via the
Internet.
Freelance
writer and active radio enthusiast Hans Johnson, resumes his radio travelogue
expertise covering CKZN St John's. Follow
Han's travels on the history and current use of the most easterly shortwave
transmitter in North America.
Australian
radio hobbyist and DXer Rob Shepherd shares his travels in South America and the Pacific, including a bit of DX,
and reminds us, "radio is alive and well in South America and the
Pacific."
Vagn
Fentz reminisces about radio times long ago, working with the founder of WRTH,
Olaf Johansen, on one of the very first editions.
Michael
Pütz, of Business Radio at Media Broadcast GmbH and Chairman of the
IRDR Project Working Group, outlines setting up and the progress so far in
organizing an HF disaster relief radio network. The IRDR Project, explains this vital role of radio providing
life-saving information at critical times.
Ulf-Peter
Hoppe updates the annual HF Broadcasting Reception Conditions Expected .During
2017 he predicts good year of reception.
The National Radio section includes domestic
radio stations broadcasting to a national listening audience on medium wave,
shortwave, and FM. Listings are grouped by country and include frequencies,
transmitters, kW, contact and website information. International Radio contains the same information from
international broadcasters airing to a world audience.
Clandestine and Other Target Broadcast
list stations broadcasting politically motivated programming, or those targeted
at zones of local or regional conflicts. A one-page listing of Religious Broadcasters Cross Reference Table
closes this section.
The Frequency List covers by-frequency
medium wave stations by-region, SW Stations of the World and listings of
shortwave station broadcasting in English, French, German, Portuguese and
Spanish, plus DRM International Broadcasts schedules.
The
by-country National Television section
includes information on national stations, networks and contact information for
each country listed.
Lastly,
there contains an extensive Reference
section. Informative includes indexes, abbreviations and symbols, target area
codes, transmitter sites, Standard Time and Frequency stations, clubs and
organizations and selected Internet resources.
This
year's 71st edition, and in past editions, continues their reputation as a
comprehensive exemplary reference book for the radio listening audience. It
remains the very best, most authoritative reference book for the radio and
television hobbyist. Teak Publishing wishes WRTH many years of continued
success.
World
Radio TV Handbook 2017, is available from the WRTH website at http://www.wrth.com/info.html.
Click on How to Order for information link. It is also available in the United
States from Universal Radio Inc. Go to http://www.universal-radio.com/ for the online catalog.