Online registration for 2011 Fest and online hotel reservations now available

Check out the details at the 2011 News page of the Fest website.

In case you haven't seen the news elsewhere, the 2001 Winter SWL Fest is at a new location -- see the link noted above for details.  Don't panic -- the Fest hotel has moved only about 10 miles.

New Fest website now live; 2010 registration form available with PayPal option

Many thanks to Ralph Brandi for setting this up. Check out http://www.swlfest.com for all the details.

Reminder: Bring Name & Address Labels or a name stamp for your raffle tickets

It is much easier on our raffle management team (don't that sound
deliciously bureaucratic) if you put sticky lablels on the half of the
raffle tickets you drop in the drum.

As we all age, the print seems to shrink...

And, for you first-time Festers, these are twin tickets...the half
that says "KEEP" you, uh, keep. The half that says "TICKET" is where
you affix the label and drop that sucker into the Drum.

Rest assured Maryanne K. can sort this out for you...

Safe travels -

Richard

Looks like good travel weather for the Fest...sunny Thursday through Sunday

See http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=19443&wuSelect=WEATHER

Even the forecast for those coming down from Montreal isn't too bad...

See http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=plattsburgh,%20ny&wuSelect=WEATHER

Safe travels, everyone!

Richard

--
Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA

International broadcasting / shortwave blog:
http://www.intlradio.blogspot.com

Reduced-fee registration receipt deadline: Saturday 28th February

Hopefully everyone has mailed in their registrations, right?

It'll cost you a bit more if they show up in the Post Office box up in
Albany after Saturday.

Thanks for helping us out.

Richard

Finalize Fest hotel reservations soon

As you know, the Best Western sets aside a block of hotel rooms for us for the Fest. As the Fest approaches, the Best Western can take any unsold rooms that were set aside for the Fest and then allow other people or groups -- not associated with the Fest -- to reserve them.

So, if you're planning to join us and haven't made your hotel reservations yet, consider doing so in the next few days.

Call the hotel directly at +1 215 368 3800 to reserve your room. The hotel also has its own inbound toll-free number, 1 (800) 277-3615, that can save you the toll charge.

You can't use the website booking functionality because the special SWL Fest rate ($85) is not available there.

See you all in less than three (egad) weeks

2009 Forums -- Winter SWL Fest

Friday, March 13th

0900 – World Christian Broadcasters--Madagascar Project (Paul Ladd)

1030 – The Future of Radio in Our Lives (Rob de Santos)

1330 – The History of UK Land-Based Pirate Radio (Andy Walker)

1500 – The Annual Pirate Forum (George Zeller)

1630 -- Loop Antennas (Greg Majewski)

2000 – Listening Lounge (David Goren)

Saturday, March 14th

0900 –Free Satellite Radio (Tracy Wood)

1030 – The Annual Scanner Forum (Tom Swisher)

1330 – Internet Radio Update (Dan Srebnick)

1500 – Radio Shacks of the Stars of the Fest—i.e.: You! (Tim Lemmon)

...plus the usual add-ons such as the Radio Listening Room, Swap Meet, Silent Auction, and Saturday Banquet!

Fest prize list

Here are some of the prizes in the raffle:

ICOM R-75
Eton E1
Sangean WFR-20 (Wifi radio)
Sony ICF-7600
Eton E5
C. Crane CCRadio Plus
Kaito KA-2100 (2 of 'em!)
Grundig YB 300
Sangean PR-D5

We have other prizes and surprises as well...buy tickets early, buy them often!

Richard

Reminder: Registrations received after 2/28 are priced higher

Today (Tuesday, February 26th) is likely your last day for mailing your registrations in at the "pre-registration" prices. And that is the case only if it takes your mail no more than two days to reach Albany, New York.

Even if you plan to register on site on Friday of next week, you must have your registration complete and PAID FOR by 10 AM Friday 3/6 or you won't be able to sign up for the Saturday lunch and banquet.

The hotel needs us to finalize their meal count by then.

See everyone next week -

Please finalize hotel reservations soon

The Best Western tells me that there are rooms still available for the nights of the Fest, but be aware that we do release our assigned block of rooms back to the hotel a few weeks prior so they can fill them if Fest traffic can't.

A few years back this became an issue, and the hotel was actually sold out on Saturday night and several Fest participants (including John & I) were shut out.

So...if you haven't reserved your room yet, please do so without delay!

Muchas gracias.

Revised Fest Forum Schedule

Friday 7 March

0830 – Fest Orientation 101

For those who’ve never been here before (and those with developing memory retention problems who don’t remember being here), we present a tour of the Fest via the mind of Skip Arey and friends. (It may be too early to go there for some of us.)

0930 – eBay Trends – Fred Zalupski

This session explores the pricing and availability of modern shortwave radios in the used market with an emphasis on seller and buyer behaviors.

1100 – The Year in Review, Scanner Scum style

Can those last two words be used together under any circumstances? But we digress. Presenting one of our most popular forums-- the annual review of the scanning hobby.

1200 - Lunch on your own. (You get 90 minutes which is a heckuva lot more than you get at work.)

1330 – Linux and the SWL – Tim Lemmon

Easy and fun way to find $$$ to buy a new radio! What is Linux? Is it easy to install? Easy to use? What programs are available for the SWL? Can I still run my Windows programs? Live demonstrations. FREE Linux CD's at end of presentation!

1445 – Status of the Hobby in Europe – Risto Vähäkainu

A half hour report on developments in Europe including the recent jubilee celebration of the EDXC and European DX trends.

1530 – Domestic DRM – Bennett Kobb

A focus on the introduction of new U.S.-based HF stations using DRM to broadcast to domestic audiences. Not a technical talk about DRM, it concerns the steps by which the FCC can be persuaded to authorize experimental DRM operations and license new community, regional and national stations.

1645 – The Year in Review, Pirate Style

Can those last two words be used together…. Oh, never mind. Presenting the other most popular forum—the annual review of the pirate and clandestine radio hobby. George Zeller dons the ceremonial eye patch.

1745 - Dinner on your own.

1930 – Swap Meet

2030 - The Listening Lounge – David Goren

An informal, after hours celebration of the sounds of shortwave radio, its history, and influence on popular culture. This year's Lounge features live musical evocations of the radio spectrum with special guests including Saul Brody, Myke Weiskopf and Jack Widner. We'll also reprise the Interval Signal quiz (with prizes!), and present sonic marvels from our archives.

Saturday, 8 March

0900 - Offshore Radio 1584 (UK) – Andy Walker

An in-depth look at the world's first licensed offshore radio station which was granted a 28 day Restricted Service Licence by the UK authorities in 1992. The project was funded by the Caroline Movement who were the support club of the famous lady of the high seas, Radio Caroline.

1000 – Silent Auction opens.

1030 – Hidden Antennae – Skip Arey

Many swls and dxers face significant local restrictions in erecting antennae that can overcome the prodigious RF noise that modern home devices generate. This session will explore the ways some pretty sophisticated receiving wires can be deployed without appearing to violate those covenants.

1200 - Pizza and Salad Lunch

Remarks by Sheldon Harvey. President CIDX. Topic: “DXing and the Grim Reaper”

(Those choosing not to partake in the group lunch are welcome to return by around 1240 to participate in the discussion.)

1330 – Eton in 2008 – Shan Hassan

The new 2008 Grundig product line: Introduction to the Grundig Satellite 750, Grundig G4 world Recorder, and the Grundig G6 Aviator and their features. Plus a Q&A forum, at least part of which will involve the company’s popular E1 portable.

1500 - C.M. Stanbury II: Imagining Short Waves to Pulp Fiction – Jack Widner

This is a history of C.M. Stanbury II's contribution to the shortwave hobby, who invited controversy in the shortwave hobby in the 60's thru the mid-80's with his interest in the political as well as "clandestine" side of SW broadcasting. He edited the obscure but fascinating "Shortwave News Service" and from this work moved himself into the Small Press movement of the 70's, culminating in a novel "Anti Matter" which may be the most interesting book.

1615 – Silent Auction ends. (Collect your treasures and pay the man.)

1800 - Dinner and Dancing (er, make that Drinking) -- Cash Bar – 1800, Dinner –1830.

After Dinner Remarks by Dr. Adrian Peterson, Coordinator of International Relations for Adventist World Radio (AWR) and National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters (NASB) Board Member.

Followed by the Grand Raffle

(Those choosing not to partake in the banquet are welcome to return by around 2015 to hear Dr. Peterson’s remarks and participate in the raffle.)

Speaker Backgrounds

Skip Arey N2EI is the author of Radio Monitoring - A How to Guide. He is a contributing editor to Monitoring Times and has written extensively for the radio hobby press. More information about his radio hobby (and other) exploits can be found at www.tjarey.com and www.scannerscum.com

David Goren is a radio producer. He recently launched www.shortwaveology.com, a blog and podcast about his long distance radio obsessions.

Sheldon Harvey is President of the Canadian International DX Club (CIDX) and the originating co-producer of a weekly DX program on a Montreal community radio station.

Shan Hassan is a part of the Etón US Sales team and have been working with the Etón/Grundig product line for the past 3 years.

Bennett Kobb covered the FCC as a trade journalist, analyst and consultant for 20 years. He was editor of the first newsletter and magazine for the cellular telephone industry; the co-founder, with Apple Computer, of a trade association devoted to unlicensed wireless

devices; and he is the author of Wireless Spectrum Finder (McGraw-Hill), a handbook of U.S. frequency allocations, called the "bible of the wireless industry" by the Wall Street Journal.

Tim Lemmon, WK4U has been fooling around with computers for a long time. He has numerous technical certifications and has played with many different Linux distributions over the past four years. He enjoys learning how to better use computers and radios.

Dr. Adrian Peterson is a native of South Australia. Since 1944 he has written several thousand articles on radio history which have been published in 25 languages, and been a monitor for many broadcasters while stationed overseas. He is coordinator of international relations for Adventist World Radio, a board member of the National Association of Shortwave Broadcasters. An avid collector of radio memorabilia, he has in his possession a 1902 radio card of Marconi believed to be the oldest known radio card.

Andy Walker was directly involved with the Offshore Radio 1584 project and helped prepare the ship for broadcasting. He also was part of the crew and one of the on air voices. He has many photos and lots of private video footage, plus hours of audio.

Jack Widner goes back to the early 60's of the shortwave hobby, and was a contributor to the Shortwave News Service from its inception to its end. He is a librarian at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

Fred Zalupski is a lifelong avid radio collector and user. Fred has observed approximately 2000 eBay auctions of table top and premium portable radios over the past year. He undertook this project to learn the effects of diminishing programming and radio manufacture on the used radio market.

Check out the February PopComm...

Popular Communications editor Edith Lennon, who attended her first Fest in 2007, commissioned Rich D'Angelo to write a preview article about the Fest for PopComm. It's in the February issue; you can read an excerpt here.

Edith plans to join us again this coming March -- be sure to thank her for helping to promote the Fest!

Tentative SWL Fest Forum schedule

Here is the tentative forum schedule for the 21st (!?) Winter SWL Fest. This is subject to change, like most aspects of the Fest.

More detailed descriptions will soon follow.

Friday, March 7

9:30 - eBay Trends – Fred Zalupski
11:00 - Scanning – Scanner Scum
1:30 - Linux and the SWL – Tim Lemmon
3:00 - Tools for Portable Listening in a Digital World – Richard Cuff
4:30 - Pirate Radio – George Zeller

8:30 - Listening Lounge – David Goren

Saturday, March 8

9:00 - Offshore Radio – Andy Walker
10:30 – Hidden Antennae – Skip Arey

Lunch - DXing and the Grim Reaper – Sheldon Harvey

1:30 - Eton E1 – Adrian Camponera
3:00 - C.M. Stansbury—Jack Widner

2008 Registration form now posted to swlfest.com

The 2008 form is also available on letter-sized paper at its normal home, the swlfest website.

Please contact me with any questions...thanks!

Richard

2008 Fest registration form now online

Its temporary home is here; we'll have a copy posted to the Fest website soon. Stay tuned for additional information on the 2008 edition of the Fest!

The Two Bobs and "Switzerland In Sound" visit the 20th SWL Fest

Bob Zanotti and Bob Thomann, whom many may remember as "The Two Bobs"
from Swiss Radio International's "Swiss Shortwave Merry-Go-'Round",
interviewed Ian McFarland, John Figliozzi and me regarding the 20th
Fest over a decent-bandwidth Skype connection.

You can listen to the 45-minute program at
http://www.switzerlandinsound.com; click on "The Two Bobs" and then
the link labeled "20th Kulpsville SWL Winterfest".

If you didn't have the chance to join us in person this year, you can
get a bit of the flavor of the Fest by listening to the program.

Thanks to Bob Zanotti for the arrangements!

Richard Cuff / "co-Festmeister"

Hotel rooms and window screens

Many folks like to hang antennas out their hotel room windows, but the
hotel has asked me to caution everyone that any ripped screens will
cost you $100.

There are, however, 20 rooms currently with "pre-ripped" screens that
can be specifically requested to facilitate an outdoor antenna.

If you want a room with a pre-ripped screen, request it at check-in.

Travel safely!

--
Richard Cuff

Nearly Final Fest Activity Schedule

2007 SWL Winterfest Activity Schedule (updated 2/28/07 and stll subject to change—but not much)

(All times EST. All forum sessions run 60 min. unless otherwise indicated.)

Thursday, March 8

0900 - Registration Table Opens/Exhibit Room Opens

1030 – Session 1. Satellite Broadcast DXing - Have you ever wondered what happened to your favorite shortwave broadcaster? Many have moved to the Clarke Belt and now broadcast digitally over satellites to both small- and big-dish alike. Learn how to receive domestic/international broadcasters. Dramatically falling hardware prices, small footprint Ku-band dishes, and plentiful “Free-to-Air” offerings let you enter this DXing realm for less money than many shortwave radios. (Tracy Wood)

1130 - Lunch on your own. Hospitality Room open.

1330 – Session 2. GPS—A New Radio Hobby? – Also incorporating satellite communication, here’s a look at various GPS receivers and a demonstration of geocaching as well as APRS beaconing. Playing with GPS is becoming a popular thing to do. Does that make it a hobby? (Skip Arey)

1500 – Session 3. Zenith’s Mexican Connection--Cespedes Marin - Marin is considered the father of Costa Rican radio. His pioneer station TINRH first operated in May 1928 and was the fifth regular shortwave broadcast station in the world, the first in Latin America. Marin first "met" Eugene McDonald, President and Founder of Zenith Radio Corporation, via radio while McDonald was on a treasure hunting expedition nearby. He met McDonald in person in 1938 and the two became lifelong friends, although they never saw each other again. McDonald saved little TINRH in 1939 and continued to financially support the station until his death in 1958. Marin's devotion to McDonald bordered on the fanatical. Drawing on hundreds of letters from 1937-1958 between the two, found in the McDonald files, the author tells the story of this unique friendship. (Harold Cones)

1630 – Session 4. Cool Software for the SWL – Covering current software programs that easily predict HF propagation from your home, detect actual propagation with your radio, make current HF broadcasting schedules easy to figure out, decode digital short wave broadcasts, record hours of audio in CD quality from your radio to your computer, decode TV signals on HF. Also, talk about a few excellent web sites for the SWL and about a few radio control programs that are currently available. (Tim Lemmon)

1730 - Dinner on your own. (Hospitality Room open.)

1930 - Thursday Swap Meet Opens [in the Exhibit Hall]

2000 – Special Event - CIDX, Canada's national, general coverage, radio club, is 45 years old in 2007. To mark the anniversary we welcome everyone to this session, hosted by CIDX's President and VP. Learn about the club and its history, where we've been and where we are heading. (Sheldon Harvey & Mickey Delmage) (Held in the Exhibit Hall, near the Radio HF booth]

Friday, March 9

0800 - Registration Table Opens/Exhibit Room Opens

0900 – Session 5. Radio on the Road - CIDX members and CKUT's Inernational Radio Report hosts Janice Laws and Steve Karlock talk about radio listening and dxing while travelling. Many tips from trips for beginners to experts. Enjoying our hobby while traveling around the world .Come see and listen to Janice and Steve's radio adventures and share some of your own at this forum. (Janice Laws & Steve Karlock)

1030 – Session 6. Digital Radio - Various forms of digital radio are here today. Internet radio, HD, satellite and DRM have gained momentum to one extent or another. Which of these have the potential to change the face of radio?

Internet connectivity (No, not propagation!) permitting, a live demonstration of the Acoustic Energy AE-1 radio will be presented. (Rob de Santos & Daniel Srebnick)

1130 - Lunch on your own. Hospitality Room open.

1300 - RCI and NHK’s Ian McFarland with a special announcement

1330 – Session 7. DXing Worldwide - A briefing on one longtime DXer’s experiences and targets heard during 35 years of DXpeditions in Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia, with "do's and don'ts" for dxers DXpeditioning overseas. (Dan Henderson)

1500 - Session 8. The Year in Pirate Radio - Hundreds of unlicensed broadcasters pepper the shortwave bands (and other frequencies) every year. Some have even been known to pepper the airwaves of this very hotel. We hold our traditional discussion of what happened among the pirates this year. Unlike some other shortwave broadcasters, pirates are just as active as they ever were. Why? We will ponder this issue. Trench coats and pulled down hats optional. Reports go to PO Box 1, Belfast, NY 14895. (George Zeller and friends.)

1630 – Session 9. The Listening Lounge Daytime Edition – A celebration of the shortwave radio listening experience, with aural gems unearthed from an extensive archive of airchecks. Also, evidence of shortwave's impact on popular culture from the realm of rock, jazz, and classical music as well as excerpts of shortwave references in literature, as read by some very special guests. (David Goren & friends)

1730 - Dinner on your own. Hospitality Room opens.

1800 - Vintage Radio Collection Tour (location/details to be announced)

1930 - Friday Swap Meet Opens [in the Exhibit Hall]

2100 - Session 10. The Listening Lounge After Dark - pulls out all the stops! Some of the featured sound will include a behind the scenes look at the taping of the Unshackled radio drama, a complete Voice of Revolutionary Vinco program, and the best of the Sublime Frequencies ethnic radio recording project. But wait! There's more!! Stop by around 2130 for our amazing, first ever Interval Signal and Foreign Languages Quiz with the legendary Ian McFarland as M.C! Prizes (not Pussy!) Galore! And don't forget to bring a portable receiver with you, because as the hour gets late, the Listening Lounge goes experimental with a radio jam session. Roll over John Cage, and tell Karlheinz Stockhausen the news! (David Goren & friends) [This one goes as late as it goes!]

Saturday, March 10

0800 - Registration Table Opens/Exhibit Room Opens

0845 - RFA’s AJ Janitschek with a special announcement

0915 – Session 11. Faith and Shortwave - Religious broadcasting plays (and has played) a central role in the development and sustaining of international broadcasting. The history of HCJB alone demonstrates this; but there are many others who were either pioneers or innovators over the years. Be part of a discussion on religious broadcasting—including a look at what some like and what others may find unacceptable. (Allen Graham)

1015 - Silent Auction Opens

1030 – Session 12. Scanning with The Scum - The Scum will be covering some of the new software developments in scanning, a bit of UHF/VHF history, some equipment mods and a demo of non-voice sounds on the higher bands and probably a surprise or two. (Tom Swisher & Skip Arey)

1200 - Salad & Pizza Lunch

1240 - Remarks by Allan Loudell, Anchor/Reporter, WDEL

1315 - Session 13. 1988-2007 Receiver Market Review - A look back at the receivers that have defined the hobby over the past 20 years, along with a review of emerging technologies in communications receivers. (Alan Johnson & George Zeller)

1430 – Session 14. Broadcasters’ Forum - An opportunity for the broadcasters to pass on news about their stations and have a dialogue with the listeners. (Ian McFarland) [90 min.]

1600 - Exhibit Room Closes

1615 - Silent Auction Closes

1630 - Time Reserved for Club Meetings, etc.

1700 - Hospitality Room open.

1800 - Cash Bar

1900 - Banquet (After Dinner Remarks by Jacques Bouliane of CBC/DRM)

2130 - The Grande Raffle

2230 - Hospitality Room reopens.

2400 - The Voice of Pancho Villa (if one were to know such things…)

HOSPITALITY ROOM HOURS

Wed. 1930 – 0200

Thu. & Fri. 1130 – 1330

1730 – 0200

Sat. 1700 – 1800

2230 - 0200

EXHIBIT ROOM HOURS

Thu. 0900 - 1745 & 1930 - 2200

Fri. 0800 - 1745 & 1930 - 2200

Sat. 0800 – 1600

REGISTRATION TABLE OPEN

Wed. 2100 – 2300 (in the Hospiitality Room)

Thu. 0900 – 1130

1330 – 1500

Fri. 0800 – 1000

1330 – 1500

Sat. 0800 – 1000

RAFFLE TICKET SALES

Thu. 0900 - 1130

1330 – 1500

Fri. 0800 – 1130

1330 – 1500

Sat. 0900 – 1100

1800 – 1900 (at the Banquet)

2100 – 2130 (at the Banquet)

IN THE EXHIBIT ROOM

Radio HF - radio/radio accessories sales and CIDX

NASWA

Digital Radio Demonstration--DRM, HD, WiFi (Kim Elliott)

Satellite TV DXing Demonstration (Tracy Wood)

ODXA / Ian McFarland

NASB / WMLK

Chris Lobdell/Pirate Radio

A David Goren Project

Radio Taiwan International

CRI

SBS-1 demo (M. Phillips)

CIDX

Save reservations for on-site

If you haven't sent your registration in yet, please don't mail it at this point -- John won't receive it before we arrive in Kulpsville.

You can register on-site once you arrive.

Weather looks calm, though chilly, for the days up to and including the Fest; travel weather for the midwest & northeast looks good as well.

Richard

Prizes...we'll have prizes

The annual Fest raffle will feature the following items to entice you to buy tickets:

Receivers:

Palstar R30CC

Ten-Tec RX320D

Eton E1XM (two of ‘em!)

Eton E5

Icom R3

Acoustic Energy Wi-Fi Internet Radio

Squeezebox Network Music Player

Sangean HDR-1 HD Radio

Winradio G303e

Kaito KA-1121

Kaito KA-2100

GE Superadio III

Kaito KA-11

Freeplay Plus

Books/Guides:

2007 Passport to World Band Radio (3 copies)

2007 WRTH (5 copies)

2007 Super Frequency List on CD-ROM

Antennae:

Skywire Dipole

Flextenna HVU

Select-A-Tenna Model M

Twin Coil Ferrite AQM Antenna

Kaito KA-31 SW Amplified Loop Antenna

Kaito KA-33 SW/MW Amplified Loop Antenna

Assorted listening accessories: including a Digital FM Transmitter