Saturday, May 26, 2007

Still One More Sign the Hobby is Dying

I was really stunned the other day when I logged on to DX Tuner http://www.dxtuner.com/ to find this message:

“We have closed the Dx Tuners network after 10 years of service.”

I was surprised as I had been in touch with them via email just months ago.

DX Tuners still has a Google listing, so its unheralded demise must have been recent. From Google:


Listen to Shortwave, Ham Radio, Air
traffic control, Airband, ACARS

Web controlled receivers. Listen to Ham
radio, Tune Shortwave radio, Listen to Air traffic control, experience Airband
receptio including ACARS and Airports ...www.dxtuners.com/ - 7k - Cached
- Similar
pages
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this


Listen to Ham
radio, Shortwave, Air traffic control, Airband ...

Tune over 50 remotely
controlled receivers around the world with your browser and get live
audio.www.dxtuners.com/servlet/IBMainServlet/?ib_page=1 - 11k - Cached
- Similar
pages
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this
[ More
results from www.dxtuners.com
]

As far as I know, DX Tuners was the only service where you could tune to the frequency you wanted. (I ‘cut my teeth’ there years ago.)

At one time, DX Tuners was completely free. Then it went to a limited free trial, subscription only service. Sadly, instead of a reasonable monthly fee, they went from free to pricey. Obviously, they priced themselves right out of business!

I was also surprised that DX Tuners was not ‘sold’ or turned over to someone else, rather than just closing shop (wonder why Google or Microsoft did not buy it?)

When I was going there nightly to tune into 3.840, it was still named ‘Java Radio’ (The name was changed due to proprietary concerns of Sun Java, etc.) and the 50 tuners were kept busy all the time! Folks were there listening to SW, Airport traffic, and programming from exotic places.
The closing of DX Tuners is just one more signal that Amateur Radio has one and a half feet in a grave...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The following was on the DX Tuner site:

Ystad, Sweden, 20 april 2007

Dear subscribers and guests. For the last 10 years I have been presenting Web Controlled receivers here at DxTuners.

I have worked constantly to maintain and supervise this network together with my dedicated crew who has put so much effort into it.

Regretfully, recently due to other business and personal commitments, I am unable to dedicate as much time or find as much inspiration as before in running the network and it is with much sadness and sincere regret that I have decided to wind up my business over here.

This has been a very difficult and emotional decision for me to take, having made many friends over the years, but after a good 20 years in the IT-business I feel the time is right to move on and try something else.

I have been trying to find other solutions to continue running DxTuners but I have found it too complex for anyone else to run without my help.

I would like to thank all my friends, subscribers and especially my dedicated crew who supported me over the years. I could not have done it without you guys.

Thank you all

Kelly Lindman

Anonymous said...

Wow, "it is too complex for anyone else to run"? Don't you think highly of yourself? We can't all be so smart.

evvy garrett said...

ANON POSTED:
>>>Wow, "it is too complex for anyone else to run"? Don't you think highly of yourself? We can't all be so smart.

I am smart enough to know how to enter/respond to a comment. Apparently U are not, as no one knows what U are 'replying' too!

 

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