All,
I have a Grundig Satellite 800, which unfortunately, I must admit has lately only been used for my local NPR FM station. The last copy of Passport I have is dated 2009, and I can’t find a newer copy. Does anyone know the status of this publication? As a rather novice SW'er, I used this book as a decent frequency finder. Thanks.
Larry Magne and his crew last published a PWBR for 2009 with a copyright date of 2008.
Some years earlier the 'passport.com' domain had been sold to Microsoft who had some grand plan for its use within the Microsoft web presence. Microsoft first registered the domain on Wed, Oct 02, 1996 per a WHOIS lookup. PWBR changed its pages over to the 'passband.com' domain. Magne announced in March 2010 that the passband.com web site would close. See Kim Andrew Elliot's blog:
Kim Andrew Elliott reporting on International Broadcasting
Currently there is no traceroute to the site, but the domain is still owned by IBS (Larry's company name). See
passband.com Whois - passband - Who.is for more details. The domain comes up for renewal in 2013 but I would assume it will be renewed to prevent others from trading off the name.
Here is the full decline-of-SWBCing article that KAE's blog points to:
Radio World: Whatever Happened to Shortwave Radio?
For whatever it is worth, the entries in PWBR's blue by-frequency pages were sometimes "opined." The by-frequency entries in the annual World Radio TV Handbook are all assigned frequencies, but not all frequencies are in use in any given broadcast season. I still like referring to a book in hand (I've been reading the WRTH since the 1950s) rather than on a screen. The WRTH has changed since Andy Sennitt (now of Radio Netherlands) was editor, but I continue to add this to my collection each year. Major bookstores (Borders in my case) carry the editions after the first of each year, and the usual mailorder places like Universal and Grove Enterprises (aka Monitoring Times) and Ham Radio Outlet carry the WRTH. The WRTH web site is:
WRTH Online
Also, to stir the blood, a great time for all SWL and scanner listeners can be had in late Winter/early Spring at the annual Winter SWL Festival outside of Philadelphia. The 'fest is not under any corporate umbrella, registration costs are minimal. (Air and train travel to Philly is easy. Attendees have come from all six continents.) The gathering of the clan has been ongoing for more than 25 years. It is the largest annual meeting of listeners in the world. Great place to make and meet friends, ask questions, see equipment demos, attend (or give) talks and have fun. Recommended:
NASWA Winter SWL Fest
Hope this helps.
Tom
