sivagnan@bgsuvax.UUCP (Vasanthan Sivagnanadasan) (05/17/85)
I am keen to get a copy of the Radio and TV Handbook 1985. Can anyone give me details about where I can get it along with the price?
wmartin@Almsa-2 (Will Martin -- AMXAL-RI) (05/20/85)
The list price of the 1985 World Radio TV Handbook is $19.50, which is far too much. I always order my copies by mail from Century Print Shop in California, which sells them for a reasonable discount, especially if you order in advance. Ordering after-the-fact, as you would now, you don't get that much of a discount. I'll have to look up the cost and address at home tonight and message you tomorrow about that. Actually, though, I *don't* recommend you buy the 1985 issue now, unless you really want it and have looked at it already and are convinced that you need it. You see, the WRTH is prepared around the end of the year, with station schedules and frequency lists valid at that time, and with info for most broadcasters about their next schedule period, which ends in the summer. So buying it now, you are getting info which will become obsolete very shortly, yet are paying full price anyway. I always figured that if you couldn't order in advance, so you get the WRTH as soon as it is initially distributed, you were not getting your money's worth. It should be being sold for at least 33% off by now, and drop down to half-price or less as soon as the schedules listed in it are superseded. Around September or October, it should be closed out for a dollar or two. This is only my personal opinion, but it is how I view the value of this sort of time-dependent data. The only things you'll find of value in the WRTH after the schedule listings are superseded are: a) info on stations who do NOT change their schedules, like medium wave & TV, and b) station addresses, interval signals, and technical information, and c) the receiver reviews and articles in the back. I buy this thing every year out of habit, mostly, read the back section when I get it, and stick it on the shelf. If I refer to it 10 times a year, I'd be surprised. I know that other people refer to it constantly, so this is just personal, but I wanted to point out that it is not a vitally necessary resource for every SWL. I get MUCH more out of a subscription to Review of International Broadcasting than out of the WRTH. Regards, Will Martin ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin