End of Radio Australia HF broadcasts!

[El Pinguino]

Well, hopefully not as many influential people and organisations are not happy, including the Northern Territory government.

The ABC high command advised a few weeks ago that RA broadcasts to SE Asia and the SW Pacific were to cease at the end of January and the *Australian* $2.4 million saved would be spent elsewhere.

https://pasifik.news/call-abc-review...rvice-pacific/

[Jim Cate]

Sadly, the days of passing night watches listening to exotic HF broadcast stations are pretty well gone. I remember some fairly entertaining stations, and a good many that promised me personal salvation for a very modest investment. It was never convenient to send off those checks... I guess I'm doomed!

But I'm really sorry to learn of the demise of the ABC HF services. They used to be damn good, and many expats we met in the Pacific islands relied upon them for news of home. For those folks, I guess the internet has replaced the airwaves... if they have access. Many of them were as isolated as we were at sea.

An era gone...

Jim

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

....

But I'm really sorry to learn of the demise of the ABC HF services. They used to be damn good, and many expats we met in the Pacific islands relied upon them for news of home. For those folks, I guess the internet has replaced the airwaves... if they have access. Many of them were as isolated as we were at sea.

An era gone...

Jim

Only gone if people don't stick on a blue over it.... as they are doing https://www.ntca.org.au/news/2016/de...ntca-president

In my experience internet access is not cheap in the islands even where it is available and you will not be streaming video etc over it.

According to the head banana at the ABC HF radio is 100 year old technology and should be replaced by new stuff...... silly cow.

[SV DestinyAscen]

Sigh - when I was a child growing up in Browns Bay in New Zealand, I would spend many a nights listening to the radio. I learned Mandarin Chinese listening to broadcasts from Formosa. I guess kids have the internet now... But I wonder what people who can't pay will do.

[JPA Cate]

I'm disapointed, I hoped someone'd post a link whereby we might write in to politely educate the chairman. Isolated Australians (those out where there is little or no internet) both within Australia, and those living abroad who are similarly isolated will be losing a significant resource.

Ann

[Stu Jackson]

Did they announce the "demise" only on the internet? How would the many folks who still depend on that way-back technology learn about the fact they were gonna be shut off? Saving $2.4 million? That's $6,500 a day! Seems strange when the equipment is already there. Strange bookkeeping?

[MarkJ]

Wow. Australia finally moving forward.

HF is defunct.

Wasting $2.4m per year on it is ridiculous.

[packeteer]

Well that sucks. No more radio offshore, or in the outback

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Wow. Australia finally moving forward.

HF is defunct.

Wasting $2.4m per year on it is ridiculous.

Really? RCI ( Radio China International ) doesn't seem to think so.

Here on Campo Pinguino ( NE Victoria ) it is currently 1850 local time.... about 30 HF stations being picked up on my Tecsun 880 ( my 390 is getting about 20 straight off the whip) as I sit under a nice shady tree with a glass of cider. Majority are chinese with a good percentage of them in English.... viz 17710 where on the news they just advised me that one of the Volvo boats has hull damage and is heading for Bluff.

Dead my left foot.

[donradcliffe]

There will be still a few English broadcasts available.

http://www.primetimeshortwave.com/asiaoceania.txt

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

I'm disapointed, I hoped someone'd post a link whereby we might write in to politely educate the chairman. Isolated Australians (those out where there is little or no internet) both within Australia, and those living abroad who are similarly isolated will be losing a significant resource.

Ann

This may be a start

ABC Radio Australia

[transmitterdan]

My information is that RA are not stopping all HF broadcasts. They are closing the Sheparton station according to what I heard. I will try to find the exact details and report back here.

Sheparton HF station is a very remote site (airplane required) and costs quite a lot to maintain as a result. Grid power is also very unreliable. BA have other HF stations in less remote locations (Canberra for example). I doubt they will close these soon so I suspect this does not portend the end of Australian HF.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by transmitterdan

...I suspect this does not portend the end of Australian HF.

“... All Radio Australia Shortwave Transmissions Cease from Brandon in Queensland on January 31st, 2015
Services to Asia and the Middle East have now also ceased.
Radio Australia will cease transmission 31 January 2017 ...”
➥ SWLD - Shortwave Listeners Delight - Radio Australia Shortwave Broadcast Schedule

“... The ABC will end its shortwave transmission service in the Northern Territory and to international audiences from 31 January 2017 ...”
“... Once international shortwave ceases transmission, international listeners can continue to access ABC International services via:
a web stream at: Listen Now | ABC Radio Australia
in-country FM transmitters, see Radio Australia’s ‘Ways to Listen’ at: Ways to listen | ABC Radio Australia
the Australia Plus expats app (available in both iOS and Android)
partner websites and apps such as TuneIn: Listen to Online Radio, Music and Talk Stations and vTuner Internet Radio ...
➥ ABC Exits Shortwave Radio Transmission | About the ABC

[UNCIVILIZED]

Sad to hear this. And like Ann, I'm wondering who to chat with to sort things out.

[MarkJ]

I wonder how many lsteners these stations would have nowadays?

Not thousands... maybe not even hundreds. Maybe the $2.4 was just for 20 or 30 listeners.

No stats in audience because it would show what a waste of money its been for the last 10 years lmao.

Also, if HF was being listened to in Asia Africa and the ME there would be a huge bunch of HF receivers for sale on the internet.

But look. There's just the few expensive (for 3rd world buyers) sets that's been round for years.