I love listening to NPR Terry- wonderful, in depth stories...it drives me crazy to listen to any other "news" updates- after I listened to NPR it was somewhat pointless to listen to only part of a story...

Figure I can wake this topic up.... Ive listened to NPR from both Chicago and Milwaukee (Wisconsin Public Radio) - Really like Wisconsin Public Radio more - they actually have topics of interest to those in Wisconsin with call ins as opposed to the Chicago radio which seems to always have the NPR feeds out of Washington or where ever they originate. I actually favor Pacifica radio but not sure if they have any distribution in the area. I used to listen to KPFT in Houston and found their programming to be very diverse and not just the 'Voice of the Beltway'. Other faves include WNUR out of Evanston (Northwestern University) which has a really good music selection as well as WLUW (Loyola University) These stations play interesting music that will never see the light of day on Top 40 radio and are very eclectic. I hope LPFM gets going so that there will be a real community voice. When I want news, I listen to the BBC or Radio Canada International. Mike

You and me, Mike. News from BBC or Radio Australia International (very loud out here in the Pacific), but for music and interesting in-depth science stuff which does not talk down to you or snow you either, NPR does it as well as PBS. Perhaps we will attract Barrett Golding for some input - he is a big fan of Buckminster Fuller... but works for PBS, if what I read about him is correct...!

Put juice in to the Bucky topic, that will attract him.

I'll certainly try. Today would seem to be a good day to do so just in case he has the time and the inclination.

Another radio station that I had a short listen to was KRBD when I was making a port call in Ketchikan Alaska - it was kind of neat hoofing it around town and listening to Reggae music on the portable. This station was part of Alaskan Public Radio - I stopped by the station store and picked up a schedule - seemed like some good local programming as well as stuff from the lower 48. I feel that a good mix would be 70/30% with the emphasis on locally produced programs and music. Although I didnt get a chance to, I would have liked to listen to some of the programming out of the community stations in Vancouver - I did pick up a program sched and it looked like a good eclectic mix of programs and music. There has been quite a stir regarding the LPFM movement recently. People/Groups would like to bring in community broadcasting and deep pocket outfits like the National Association of Broadcasters want to squash the push on the grounds that there would be lots of interference between stations. More like the LPFM's will be stealing market share with their unique broadcasts and programming. Although not 'public radio' in the NPR sense, there are shortwave broadcasters that sell airtime to the public - one example is WBCQ 'The Planet' on 7415Mhz which has a very fresh approach to interesting broadcasting - stuff you won't hear on NPR/PRI outlets. (Especially the shows dealing with black helecopters, the WTO, trilateralist, etc. Also, Radio NewYork International, Radio Free NewYork, a show dedicated to the use of tube gear, various call ins, music shows, etc...). Phun for the whole family! Mike

Gonna check out the 7415 MHz station as soon as that band comes in with more than just noise. That particular frequency used to lease time to some really out-there religious organizations mixed with small eastern European countries which ground their political axes during the 90's and earlier. Looks like they still do from your comment about black helicopters and one world government. The were doing Art Bell world wide before Art Bell was! Are there any of these stations available on the Internet? That's about the only way I'm gonna hear most of them. Skip is lousy!

(Mike, what is tube gear?)

Howdy again Im not quite sure of the web page but try www.wbcq.com or do a search on WBCQ. The tube gear show is all about vintage ham radios, repairing, operating, etc - one of the hosts is the Timtron who is pretty well known up and down the east coast for his AM ham activity. I listened to it once and there was a discussion about improving a Collins S Line receiver. Re the black helecopter shows, there are several shortwave broadcasters that spend 99 percent of their time covering global conspiracy/NWO topics - the WBCQ broadcasts have a bit of that since anyone can buy air time but I listen more to the home produced music/talk shows later in the evening. 3's n 8's de Mike Radio Free Cosmo

Here I thought you were ready and suited up for SCUBA or some such. Ah...Those Tubes - how could I forget. Thanks for the link. I'll go check and post anything of interest...then check WRNO and other out of the mainline stations out there. Early evening (7pm) is the best time to catch them. 3's n 8's Marcia who is listening to Jawaiian music which is really pathetic

Here it is http://wbcq.net/

You'd think this would be unnecessary: WBCQ RADIO HATE SPEECH POLICY DATED MAY 27, 1999 1. WBCQ Radio shall not broadcast any speech which incites hatred against any identifying group or person where such incitement is likely to lead to their physical harm. "Identifiable" group means any section of the public distinguished by race, color, ancestry, place of origin, religion, marital status, family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or age of that person or group of persons. 2. Hate speech shall be defined as any speech that promotes the destruction, in whole or in part, of any person or group of persons as stated in Paragraph 1 by advocating or promoting: a. killing of said person or group of persons. b. deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction, such as genocide. 3. This hate speech policy only refers to that speech which prescribes the strongest emotion of hatred. The hate speech cannot be an incidental byproduct of opinion, but must be willfully promoted. A client/broadcaster/caller on WBCQ Radio is shielded from the force of this policy if the alleged hate speech statements are established to be true, or if they in good faith form part of a discussion or opinion on religious matters, or if they are deemed to be in the public interest, and/or public benefit by the station manager. 4. The station manager of WBCQ Radio shall make the final determination if a violation of this policy has occurred. 5. If a client/programmer of WBCQ Radio is in violation of this policy as determined by the station manager, the client/programmer shall be afforded an opportunity to stop the offending hate speech. If this does not occur beginning with the client's/programmer's next scheduled broadcast, the client's/programmer's program shall be removed from the air and the program canceled. SIGNED BY: Allan H. Weiner General Manager, WBCQ Radio May 27, 1999

Probably not a bad idea for the disclaimer. These types of radio stations are for the community/people (or in the case of Shortwave, the world....) If I hear anything I dont agree with, I can always tune the dial up band to catch the BBC. I have heard a few broadcasts that push the risque limit but still do not match some of the talk radio garbage that pollutes the FM dial during morning drivetime in Chicago - that time is almost exclusively 'Mikes eclectic CD music show with DJ mike' which spans from Texas Swing to 140BPM techno. Depends on my mood. Sometimes I listen to the Loyola community/university station if the conditions are good otherwise I go through a stack of CDs. 3's n 8's DJ Mike

Sound like a good plan all round. I find the more rabid on sw to be more laughable than anything else. And My set comes with two very efficient knobs as well as a whole bunch of preset-by-me buttons. I can change bands, type of waves being received, ssb or not...voice or music. No excuse for those being offended unless that is their aim in life (for some, it seems to be!) I'm with you on having the stack of salvation cds ( not in the religious sense, in the sanity sense). Unfortunately for us in Hilo, they have not yet put up the NPR repeater and with our two huge mountains, we do not get it excepting over cable with the TV signal... And, you cannot imagine the reel of cable you'd need just to drive to the store for bread and milk!

oops, did not finish my transmission with my call - sorry! 3's n 8's Marci na Hilo Wahine

Hi there Yikes! Talk about remote broadcasts. Thats kind of like the radio translator service in Alaska - also in the mountain regions around the U.S. That stack of CD's kept me sane more than once during long drivetimes. (whatever sane is....) Re shortwave, yea, there is some pretty funny stuff on there - some of which requires a sense of humor and/or thick skin. Have not talked much NPR on this thread - might have to move this to community radio or shortwave (might be a good reason to start a LPFM/Pirate discussion) Ok, one thing sorta NPR-ish - thought of some funny NPR spoof programs: "All things beaten to death" "Bar Talk with Drunk and Drunker" "This overly pretentious American Life" "Corning Edition" (program dedicated to all things Corning Ware (TM) ) "Fairy Home Companion" etc... Later! (putting on Asbestos Anti-Flame Suit...) DJ Cosmo Radio Cosmo International

*lol* (picking myself up off the floor and wiping my eyes)...they are brilliant! Now, take of your Nomex gear. (Intelligent men with senses of humor are incredibly attractive, did you know?!) Aloha! now that I have regained my eyesight and demeanor (well, sorta), comments on your comments. Yeah, sanity is always a relative term. Understood. Especially in life-threatening situations. Be happy you are not commuting on the Southern California freeways...I am happy that you are not! Yup! We're remote alright. Living on a 4000 sq mile island which is treated as though we don't exist until election time has it's drawbacks. Oh well, we love it and cherish it for those very "virtues" which make Honolulu's living on top of each other so repugnant. They will get the repeaters down the coast to us - was to be completed a year ago - also normal for here...*sigh* Super idea about creating a new topic. Do it and I'll meet you there! Lots more to discuss which is not NPR.... 3's n 8's Me in Hawaii

One of the most riveting pieces ever on NPR, about the folks that work in the Hunsville Death Row unit. http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/20001012.atc.06.ram 22 minutes of remakrable interviews. Contrast with the memory of Bush's grinning face a couple of nights ago when he held up 3 fingers.