[HCDX] URL Update: RE: Radio Cook Islands: Local Quality 90-Min MP3 Recording Available

["Guy Atkins" <dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My apologies, but I discovered that the URLs I listed may not work for those
who are not on the Comcast network. Try these alternate links:

http://guyw.atkins.home.comcast.net/files/R_Cook_Islands_1.zip

http://guyw.atkins.home.comcast.net/files/R_Cook_Islands_2.zip

Guy Atkins
Puyallup, WA USA


-----Original Message-----
From: Guy Atkins [mailto:dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2003 3:52 PM
To: hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: wghauser@xxxxxxxxx; dxplorer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
icomr75@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; grayland_dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
sunnybeach@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Radio Cook Islands: Local Quality 90-Min MP3 Recording
Available



A recent discussion thread on Hard-Core-DX about Radio Cook Islands prompted
me to make the following MP3 audio files available to the DX community.

Each recording is a 45-minute segment of a 90-minute cassette tape I made
while visiting Rarotonga in 1993. The files are Zipped together with a
"Readme" to save a bit of file size. The MP3 particulars are 16-bit, 16-kHz
encoding in monaural format.

If you can only download one of the two segments due to ISP costs, online
time, etc., I'd recommend the first recording. Both are enjoyable, but the
first MP3 has more programming variety.

http://home.comcast.net/~guyw.atkins/files/R_Cook_Islands_1.zip  (5 Mb
download)

http://home.comcast.net/~guyw.atkins/files/R_Cook_Islands_2.zip  (5 Mb
download)

Below is the text of the README file included with each segment:
----------------------------------------------------------------

Radio Cook Islands
630 kHz mediumwave

Recorded: April 6, 1993 at the Rarotongan Resort (7 km from transmitter)
Equipment: Grundig Sat. 500 receiver, Marantz PMD-221 Cassette Recorder

The programming of Radio Cook Islands is bilingual, and announcers are
fluent in both English and Cook Islands Maori.

Music selections on RCI encompass all styles, to appeal to many age groups.

This recording was scheduled to include as much local music as possible.

A visit with station personnel revealed that Radio Cook Islands' 11760 kHz
shortwave transmitter and antenna were destroyed in a fire in May 1992. The
outer islands are being served by AM and FM repeaters and RCI will not be
reactivating their shortwave outlet. The shortwave transmissions on 11760
were simply rebroadcasts of the 630 kHz mediumwave station.


PROGRAMMING NOTES:

R_Cook_Islands_1.mp3

National anthem & hymn; sign-on announcements & music.
Music; weather; sign-off announcements & national anthem.
Local & regional news; weather; ads; music.

R_Cook_Islands_2.mp3

"Party Time" music request show; weather; local ads; more music.


OTHER NOTES:

RCI programming includes all the hallmarks of a small, non-professional
station: stuck records & tape carts, dead air, poor modulation, and other
miscues. However, that's part of the flavor of local radio, and these errors
are heard throughout this recording. Particularly noticeable is the bassy,
over-modulation of the studio announcer during sign-on announcements
(R_Cook_Islands_1.mp3 segment).

RCI's headquarters is in downtown Avarua, and their 5 kw transmitter and
modern quarter-wavelength vertical antenna is located in the town of
Matavera (northeast side of Rarotonga).

Guy Atkins
dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Puyallup, WA USA

original cassette recording of Radio Cook Islands transcribed to MP3
10/30/03.



---[Start Commercial]---------------------

World Radio TV Handbook 2004 is coming out! Preorder yours now! Only $20.97 through us.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0823059685/hardcoredxcom

---[End Commercial]-----------------------
________________________________________
Hard-Core-DX mailing list
Hard-Core-DX@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://dallas.hard-core-dx.com/mailman/listinfo/hard-core-dx
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/
_______________________________________________

THE INFORMATION IN THIS ARTICLE IS FREE. It may be copied, distributed
and/or modified under the conditions set down in the Design Science License
published by Michael Stutz at http://dsl.org/copyleft/dsl.txt