Sport Shooting On Shortwave Radio
Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 12:40 am
Here in the USA, we often forget, or are unaware, that target shooting is still a VERY popular sport in many parts of the world, as it once was here. (A century or more ago, major shooting events were front page news here in the USA. They even ran more trains from New York City out to Long Island for the major annual matches and all the newspapers covered the events.)
I was reminded of this recently by an interesting coincidence. First a bit of background. As a ham radio operator, holding an Amateur Extra class license, now and then I also enjoy listening to shortwave radio. Many countries still transmit to various parts of the world, whether to reach their contrymen abroad with news from home, or to spread their ideas worldwide. For example, listen to Radio Habana (Cuba) or (North) Korea Central Broadcasting for a different perspective.
One evening a month or two ago, two separate broadcasts from two parts of the world reminded me of the wide popularity of target shooting and the universality of sportsmanship.
While listening to the news on Radio Prague (Czech Republic), the sports segment started off normally enough with a story about a professional football (soccer) player who had achieved some incredible feat. The second story was about one of that country's best known athletes announcing plans to step back from competition the rest of this year and all of next year, and included some personal "family" information about her and her husband. Also, quite normal. Except the sport was shooting and the athlete was none other than Katie Emmons. In a subsequent email from Matt, I learned that Katie gets coverage in the local tabloids as well. This is just as our football (the funny shaped one) and other professional sports stars are covered here in the USA.
Less than an hour later, on China Radio International, I heard a segment of their program series on the top 25 athletes of the Olympic Games. Each athlete is profiled and interviewed in a segment that lasts several minutes - a long time by broadcasting standards. The segment I heard covered... you guessed it... Matt and Katie Emmons. They were interviewed together. Topics included both of them adding to their Olympics medal collections, and of course Matt's 3x40 events at the last two Olympics. Rather than emphasize the "failure" aspects of the events (as would happen here on ESPN, et al), the interviewer's comments, and the sound clips from Matt and Katie that the interviewer chose to air, all placed emphasis on sport, striving, and sportsmanship. In all, it was a very inspiring interview and story. (Matt and Katie were mobbed by admiring fans in Bejing while they were there. The locals knew who the top athletes were in all the sports!)
Though it may indeed be only coincidence that both stories aired on the same night, it does demonstrate the popularity of the sport in many parts of the world. After all, that is two more stories than I have heard on shooting aired here in the USA! ;-)
Be safe and have fun... on the range!
---
Curious about shortwave radio? Go to www.passband.com and buy their book. Then buy a Sony SW7600GR for about $140 or so. Enjoy! Curious about ham radio? go to www.arrl.org for information.
I was reminded of this recently by an interesting coincidence. First a bit of background. As a ham radio operator, holding an Amateur Extra class license, now and then I also enjoy listening to shortwave radio. Many countries still transmit to various parts of the world, whether to reach their contrymen abroad with news from home, or to spread their ideas worldwide. For example, listen to Radio Habana (Cuba) or (North) Korea Central Broadcasting for a different perspective.
One evening a month or two ago, two separate broadcasts from two parts of the world reminded me of the wide popularity of target shooting and the universality of sportsmanship.
While listening to the news on Radio Prague (Czech Republic), the sports segment started off normally enough with a story about a professional football (soccer) player who had achieved some incredible feat. The second story was about one of that country's best known athletes announcing plans to step back from competition the rest of this year and all of next year, and included some personal "family" information about her and her husband. Also, quite normal. Except the sport was shooting and the athlete was none other than Katie Emmons. In a subsequent email from Matt, I learned that Katie gets coverage in the local tabloids as well. This is just as our football (the funny shaped one) and other professional sports stars are covered here in the USA.
Less than an hour later, on China Radio International, I heard a segment of their program series on the top 25 athletes of the Olympic Games. Each athlete is profiled and interviewed in a segment that lasts several minutes - a long time by broadcasting standards. The segment I heard covered... you guessed it... Matt and Katie Emmons. They were interviewed together. Topics included both of them adding to their Olympics medal collections, and of course Matt's 3x40 events at the last two Olympics. Rather than emphasize the "failure" aspects of the events (as would happen here on ESPN, et al), the interviewer's comments, and the sound clips from Matt and Katie that the interviewer chose to air, all placed emphasis on sport, striving, and sportsmanship. In all, it was a very inspiring interview and story. (Matt and Katie were mobbed by admiring fans in Bejing while they were there. The locals knew who the top athletes were in all the sports!)
Though it may indeed be only coincidence that both stories aired on the same night, it does demonstrate the popularity of the sport in many parts of the world. After all, that is two more stories than I have heard on shooting aired here in the USA! ;-)
Be safe and have fun... on the range!
---
Curious about shortwave radio? Go to www.passband.com and buy their book. Then buy a Sony SW7600GR for about $140 or so. Enjoy! Curious about ham radio? go to www.arrl.org for information.