On Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:54:08 -0800, wrote:

I've gotten bits and pieces of stories on the news - I realize those are
sometimes not too reliable - about radio being used as an outlet for the
government or being controled by the government here in the U.S. If I
understood correctly, this has not yet happened but is a very real
concern for the near future. Does anyone have any concrete information
on this happening?? Thanks.

It is illegal for the US Government to propagandize to the USA population.

On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:44:37 -0600, Dave wrote:

On Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:54:08 -0800, wrote:

I've gotten bits and pieces of stories on the news - I realize those
are sometimes not too reliable - about radio being used as an outlet
for the government or being controled by the government here in the
U.S. If I understood correctly, this has not yet happened but is a
very real concern for the near future. Does anyone have any concrete
information on this happening?? Thanks.

It is illegal for the US Government to propagandize to the USA
population.

That may be true but it hasn't stopped the Office of National Drug
Control Policy (ONDCP, aka "Drug Czar") to spew the most ridiculous
garbage about Cannabis and the WarOnDrugs. Source MPP.org

Dave wrote:

snip
It is illegal for the US Government to propagandize to the USA population.

Or so I thought until the disingenuous propaganda spots for the DTV conversion
that proclaim "digital is better" when in fact for a worrisome number of viewers
the conversion will prevent over the air reception of their customary
stations even with substantial hardware 'upgrades', signals are for the most
part SD and often are plagued with artifacts and sync issues, and the
reclaimed spectrum for the most part will be auctioned for government
revenue. Some of these spots are so flagrantly propaganda that I have
wondered why there aren't challenges of fairness and complaints to stations
that air them without a disclaimer of editorial content.

[SW] added to subject line to flag post as 'radio related'.

msg wrote:

Or so I thought until the disingenuous propaganda spots for the DTV
conversion that proclaim "digital is better" when in fact for a
worrisome number of viewers

Well, maybe so...or not. What do you call a "worrisome number of viewers"?

Surprisingly enough (to me at least), only 13% of viewers across the
nation receive their TV "over the air".

the conversion will prevent over the air reception of their customary
stations even with substantial hardware 'upgrades', signals are for
the most part SD and often are plagued with artifacts and sync
issues,

Hard to believe that that many of the 13% will have the problems you
describe. If their analog service was that bad, they probably would have
gone to cable long ago. Those that receive their over the air signals
from translators, will still be able to continue to do so with the
'analog pass through' feature of their 40 buck converters.

and the reclaimed spectrum for the most part will be
auctioned for government revenue.

You expected otherwise from those fine folks at the FCC? ;-)

However, technical issues aside, it seems digital TV is not high on the
list of things this country needs.

the original topic about gubermint propaganda, don't overlook the
fiasco known as 'Homeland Security', a huge money pit with very little
benefit. Orange light, anyone?

On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:12:10 -0500, Billy Burpelson wrote:

msg wrote:

Or so I thought until the disingenuous propaganda spots for the DTV
conversion that proclaim "digital is better" when in fact for a
worrisome number of viewers

Well, maybe so...or not. What do you call a "worrisome number of
viewers"?

Surprisingly enough (to me at least), only 13% of viewers across the
nation receive their TV "over the air".

the conversion will prevent over the air reception of their customary
stations even with substantial hardware 'upgrades', signals are for the
most part SD and often are plagued with artifacts and sync issues,

Hard to believe that that many of the 13% will have the problems you
describe. If their analog service was that bad, they probably would have
gone to cable long ago. Those that receive their over the air signals
from translators, will still be able to continue to do so with the
'analog pass through' feature of their 40 buck converters.

and the reclaimed spectrum for the most part will be auctioned for
government revenue.

You expected otherwise from those fine folks at the FCC? ;-)

However, technical issues aside, it seems digital TV is not high on the
list of things this country needs.

the original topic about gubermint propaganda, don't overlook the
fiasco known as 'Homeland Security', a huge money pit with very little
benefit. Orange light, anyone?

Not all DTV converters have analog pass-through. Way more than 13% of
the viewing is over-the-air. Almost everyone has a portable TV they use
from time to time. And HDTV looks better over-the-air than it does on
cable or satellite; plus, it's free. I predict people will be dropping
pay TV in substantial numbers.

On Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:44:37 -0600, Dave wrote:

On Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:54:08 -0800, wrote:

I've gotten bits and pieces of stories on the news - I realize those are
sometimes not too reliable - about radio being used as an outlet for the
government or being controled by the government here in the U.S. If I
understood correctly, this has not yet happened but is a very real
concern for the near future. Does anyone have any concrete information
on this happening?? Thanks.

It is illegal for the US Government to propagandize to the USA population.

And who is going to arrest the government? All Presidesnt and there
flunkys lie on and off the air.

FCC Shortwave [HF] Radio Stations Seasonal
Operating Frequency Schedules for Broadcasts
originating from the USA and US Territories
http://www.fcc.gov/ib/sand/neg/hf_web/seasons.html

These Schedules include the following information:
1. Frequency in Kilohertz
2. Start and Stop Times (UTC time)
3. Station Call Sign
4. Transmitter Power in Kilowatts
5. Azimuth Antenna is Pointed (Degrees from True North)
6. Target Zones - Area of Intended Reception
-see- Section 73.703 of FCC Rules
7. Days of the week (1=Sunday)
8. Start Date and Stop Date (YYMMDD)

WINTER 2008/2009 "B08" FCC Shortwave [HF]
Radio Station Schedules starting 28-OCT-2008 FCC
http://www.fcc.gov/ib/sand/neg/hf_web/B08FCC01.TXT

ABOUT - High Frequency [HF] Shortwave Radio Broadcasting
http://www.fcc.gov/ib/sand/neg/hf_web/welcome.html
A Radio Service Licensed by the FCC to operate
between 5,950 kHz and 26,100 kHz.

LIST of Shortwave High Frequency [HF] Radio
Stations that are Licensed by the FCC
http://www.fcc.gov/ib/sand/neg/hf_web/stations.html