Radio Explorer
Version 2.6.5, July 2007 radio explorer
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Last updated on June 03, 2008
History
June 29, 2007
Version 2.6.5 Release
This version provides an adjustment that makes it possible to open the HFCC schedule for the current broadcasting season (summer 2007, A07) using the original schedule zip archive, without having to manually modify the names of some files contained in the schedule zip archive.
In addition to that, this version provides correction for the problem with information about the days of week not being displayed correctly in some cases for Prime Time Shortwave schedules, as well as corrections for some minor problems.
It should be noted that there is still a relatively significant known problem in Radio Explorer, with incorrect information about the number of transmitter locations in a schedule displayed on the Statistics tab of the Properties dialog box for EiBi and HFCC schedules. Correction for this problem, as well as corrections for a few minor problems, will be provided in the next version of Radio Explorer, which should be released in the near future.
For more information about schedules supported by Radio Explorer, please see the Input Data page.
March 24, 2007
Version 2.6.4 Release
This version provides adjustments that add support for time-ordered EiBi schedules in the new format, which changed as compared to the previous, original time-ordered format during this ending B06, winter 2006 - 2007 broadcasting season. For details on opening the time-ordered EiBi schedules in the new format in Radio Explorer, please see the Input Data page.
June 1, 2006
Version 2.6.3 Release
This version is a response to a minor format change introduced in the latest Prime Time Shortwave schedule, published on May 13, 2006. The Prime Time Shortwave schedules now use the se keyword to designate broadcasts in Special English (a simplified variant of the language), currently offered by the Voice of America. Radio Explorer has been updated to handle this keyword and display language information accordingly. Keywords SpEng and SE, which were previously used for the same purpose, are now also supported. This means that you can query the latest Prime Time Shortwave schedule, as well as previous ones, for broadcasts in Special English using the language criterion.
In addition to that, handling of other keywords has also been improved. Previously, for broadcasts marked with the alt keyword, information displayed in the broadcast notes was the keyword itself. Now the keyword is expanded and broadcast notes display the alternate frequency text. Similarly, for broadcasts marked with the occ keyword, broadcast notes now display the occasional use text.
May 12, 2006
Version 2.6.2 Release
This version brings corrections for a number of minor problems discovered since the previous release. In particular, information about transmitter locations in EiBi schedules is now handled with increased precision.
Also, this version adds support for DRM (Digital Radio Mondiale) broadcasts in EiBi schedules. For stations that contain the DIGITAL keyword in their names, broadcast modulation is assigned the DRM value. Now you can query an EiBi schedule for DRM broadcasts by modulation, and then precise your query by other criteria. It should be noted that with the Prime Time Shortwave schedules, support for DRM broadcasts has already been available.
December 24, 2004
Version 2.6.1 Release
This version adds two adjustments.
The first one enables Radio Explorer to open the FCC HF Seasonal schedule for the current broadcasting season (winter 2004 - 2005, B04). The schedule has changed the header format since the previous season (summer 2004, A04).
The second one makes it possible to use Radio Explorer with the latest version of Java software, the "Tiger" 1.5 version. Note that the java.com site, the consumer site for Java software, still installs the previous 1.4.2 version of Java software on user machines by default. You can get the Tiger version free from the Sun Microsystems' Web site by pointing your browser to java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/download.jsp and then following the Download JRE link. From the user point of view, the Tiger version of Java software better manages Java applications that can be installed via the Java Web Start technology.
July 1, 2004
Version 2.6 Release
This version adds support for the FCC HF Seasonal shortwave broadcasting schedules. More information about this is available on the Input Data page.
April 20, 2004
Version 2.5 Release
This version brings support for viewing all of the supported schedules in the local time mode, in addition to the world time mode.
April 4, 2004
Version 2.4 Release
This version, developed in collaboration with Peter J. Edwards MW5ARR, adds support for Portuguese as an interface language. More information about international features of Radio Explorer is available on the Radio Explorer in Your Language page.
March 24, 2004
Version 2.3 Release
This version, developed in collaboration with Mª Ángeles Barba Sánchez and Peter J. Edwards MW5ARR, adds support for Spanish as an interface language.
March 4, 2004
Version 2.2 Release
This version adds support for refreshing solar information values, including solar flux, A index, and K index, using data from the Geophysical Alert Message. The solar information values are used for estimating radio signal propagation conditions.
February 15, 2004
Version 2.1 Release
This version, developed in collaboration with Tunç Aytı, adds support for Turkish as an interface language. Furthermore, starting with this version you can use Radio Explorer to browse through the Prime Time Shortwave broadcasting schedules. Please refer to the Input Data page for details. Also added in this version is support for monitoring memory usage, a convenient feature if you work with many schedules at once. Lastly, this version features performance improvements in expanding and collapsing several tree table rows at once and in the online help system.
January 20, 2004
Version 2.0 Release
This version adds support for programming (thematic) schedules. Now you can open a broadcasting schedule (frequency schedule) and a programming schedule in one view and then query both schedules at once. In particular, SWBC English-language programming schedules are supported, as are SWBC broadcasting schedules. Please see a large screenshot displaying both of the schedules opened. For more information about the SWBC schedules, see the Input Data page. This release also adds support for opening multiple program windows, so now you can browse through several schedules at once. Additionally, in response to user suggestions support is added for expanding and collapsing several rows of the tree table simultaneously, so that you can easily get overview of the entire expanded schedule.
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November 20, 2003
Version 1.5 Release
This version adds significant enhancements to querying schedules in Radio Explorer. Here is the complete list of query criteria available: station name; broadcast language; program name and format; time; frequency; signal modulation, power and azimuth; broadcast target area and CIRAF zones; transmitter location name, country and CIRAF zones. For textual criteria, such as broadcast language, you can specify several query values at once (like English, German). For numeric criteria, which include time, frequency, power, azimuth, target and location zones, you can indicate ranges (spans) and specify several single values and ranges at once (like 3:00, 6:00-9:00 or 5,000; 10,000-15,000). Moreover, with the frequency criteria, you can use shorthand abbreviations for the most common ranges, including the meter bands: LW (long waves), MW (middle waves), and starting from 120m (120 meter band) up to 11m (11 meter band).
November 7, 2003
Version 1.4 Release
This is an adjustment release, which provides correction for a problem with opening the HFCC schedule for the current broadcasting season (winter 2003 - 2004, B03). The problem is due to a very slight format change. This version also adds support for opening schedule files via drag-and-drop. Starting with this release, a new site is recommended for downloading and installing Java software. The new Java software consumer site is available at java.com.
October 21, 2003
Version 1.3 Release
This version, developed in collaboration with Francesco Di Giovanni, adds support for Italian as an interface language. Please see the Radio Explorer in Your Language page for more information. Also, some minor corrections have been made to handling EiBi schedules.
October 9, 2003
Version 1.2 Release
This version adds support for Eike Bierwirth's Comprehensive Schedules, which some consider as the best shortwave guide available on the Internet (for example, visit this link). For more information about the EiBi schedules, see the Input Data page. In response to user suggestions, starting with this version Radio Explorer displays the latest modification date of a schedule file in the window title bar near the file name. The scrolling behavior of the Station tree table when using the wheel mouse has been corrected so that the scrolling direction is now vertical rather than horizontal. Lastly, this version provides correction for a problem with internal files of the online help, which prevented Radio Explorer from starting on some localized operating systems.
September 3, 2003
Version 1.1 Release
In response to user suggestions, this version comes with the new feature of MUF chart and map printing. Also, starting with this version Radio Explorer is Java Web Start compliant and can be installed on your machine with a single click on a Web page link.
August 26, 2003
Swing Sightings feature Radio Explorer
Sun Microsystems have included Radio Explorer into the Swing Sightings #17 review, which is intended to provide 'good examples of what is possible with Swing'. Swing is a software library by Sun Microsystems used for developing user interfaces on the Java platform.
July 15, 2003
Version 1.0.1 Release
This maintenance version provides correction for a problem with displaying detailed information about a station or a broadcast in a tool tip.
July 12, 2003
Version 1.0 Release
The first version of Radio Explorer is publicly available.