The SWLing Post

Many thanks to SWLing Post conttributor, Valentino Barbi (I4BBO) who writes detailing a novel approach to FSL antenna design. Please note that I translated Valentino’s message from Italian to English via Google translate so please forgive any errors. Valentino writes: FSL antenna radio enthusiasts typically use numerous ferrite bars with high cost, weight and scarcity, Ukrainian […]

(Source: BBC Media Center via Larry W) BBC News and CBS News announced today a new editorial and newsgathering relationship that will significantly enhance the global reporting capabilities of both organisations. The announcement was made by BBC Director of News and Current Affairs James Harding and CBS News President David Rhodes. This new deal allows […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who writes Have a few IC-R8600 “first observations” posted on the test sample we now have here. It looks much better in person than in the photos (very nice). It is also a bit smaller than the IC-7300. http://webpages.charter.net/n9ewo2/news.html Thanks, Dave! I’ll follow Dave’s updates for […]

Many thanks to Mauno Ritola who shared the following news on the WRTH Facebook group: Voice of Indonesia [has added a] new language service: Dutch between 1500-1600 on 9526 kHz. Many thanks for the tip, Mauno!

At the 2017 Hamvention, I spent a little time checking out Icom’s latest wideband communications receiver: the IC-R8600. Check out the photos above and below. I spoke with Icom North America at Hamvention–the representative told me the MSRP of the IC-R8600 would be about $2,999 US, but that retail pricing would be lower. Universal Radio […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Colin Newell, who shares a fascinating 2017 eclipse experiment outlined on the website HamSCI. Here’s the summary of the experiment: On 21 August 2017, a total solar eclipse will traverse the continental United States from Oregon to South Carolina in a period of just over 90 minutes. Previous research […]

Many thanks to Kenneth Crips who recently shared an eBay link to this antenna switch on the Gary J. Cohen’s Shortwave Listeners Global Facebook page. The switch is not a kit–it is pre-built and appears to contain quality parts. The manufacturer, Electro Resales, makes a number of other products for the radio, astronomy, RC and […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who shares the following video from CBS Sunday Morning and notes: For those who may have missed this recent CBS Sunday Morning piece, which tells the story of a guy who, inspired by BBC broadcasts of Wimbledon, built his own top-level court in Iowa. It’s not often […]

(Source: TX Factor) TX Factor goes digital as Mike Marsh gives Bob McCreadie an introduction to operating on DMR, Yaesu Fusion and D Star as part of his digital fun. In part one of a three-part series, they take a trip to a local farm to see how an amateur has set up his own […]

(Source: The Guardian) [Radio Erena founder, Biniam Simon, writes:] “You have to understand: Eritrea is completely closed. No information is available there at all, about the outside world or what is going on internally. So if you’re an Eritrean journalist, and you make it to a place where so much information is available, the first […]

Many thanks to an SWLing Post contributor who shares a link to the following public notice from the FCC: Wireless telecommunications bureau seeks comment on request by Shipcom, LLC, and Global HF net, LLC, to allow use of high seas marine frequencies by first responders and federal agencies during disasters Section 80.123 of the Commission’s […]

Many thanks to Chris Fallen (KL3WX), Assistant research professor in the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical – Space Physics group , who shares the following information about the upcoming HAARP Open House: HAARP Open House 19 August, September campaign The next HAARP open house will occur on 19 August 2017 and include round-trip bus transportation from Fairbanks for […]

(Source: Southgate ARC) Young radio amateurs Zechariah WX4TVJ, Faith Hannah AE4FH, Hope KM4IPF and Grace KM4TXT have released a video about their Go Box Many people have asked us to make a detailed video about our Go Box, so we decided to make one. We show you what is in the Go Box and how we installed all of the equipment. There […]

(Source: WWV) Current 25 MHz Broadcast Specifications As of 2042 UTC 7 July 2017 the 25 MHz broadcast is now on a turnstile antenna with circular polarization and will remain in this configuration until after the solar eclipse on 21 Aug 2017. Signal reports are requested. Schedule: typically continuous. As an experimental broadcast, the 25 […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Cap Tux, who writes: This radio seems to have recently been released in Oz, no idea of its performance on SSB et al. but seems to do everything the C.Crane Skywave does. Heavy on batteries though at 4 x AA and nearly twice as heavy with similar dimensions to […]

One fits in a car (well, most vehicles anyway) and another easily slides into a small daypack; which antenna is best for DXing on-the-go? The ALA1530LNP and Boni Whip are at opposite ends of the portability scale (as well as the price scale). I’ve written about the ALA1530LNP in the pages of the SWLing Post […]

(Source: RadioWorld via Southgate ARC) International radio remains the most reliable, robust source of information for people in some nations North Korea is rated as the second most censored county in the world after Eritrea, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. North Koreans who are caught accessing information not approved and disseminated by the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who shares the following news via TRT World: Turkey’s cabinet appointed Eren, who had served as deputy director general of TRT for four years. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday approved the appointment of Ibrahim Eren as the 17th director general (DG) of public broadcaster Turkish […]

(Source: RadioWorld via Richard Langley) Noise interference is the menace of all wireless broadcast communications services Background noise interference is degrading the quality of broadcast reception, two-way communications, mobile cellphone services and every other form of wireless communications used today at an alarming rate. The FCC and the ITU agree that the DC to 60 […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John from VORW Radio International, who writes: Hello Thomas, the broadcasting schedule of VORW Radio International has changed somewhat so I would like to provide an updated schedule for your readers! Each broadcast features a mixture of my commentary and listener requested music. It’s the listeners who choose the playlist in every […]

Hi there, you might remember my post from last month focussing on the Bonito MegActive MA305 E-field antenna, kindly supplied to me for testing, by Bonito themselves. That post was essentially a report on my experiences travelling to Crete with the MA305, navigating through security at London Gatwick and Heraklion airports (mostly with relative […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who forwarded a message from The Bulgarian DX blog which notes that Médi 1 Radio (Radio Méditerranée) has stopped broadcasting on shortwave: “MOROCCO According to Jean-Michel Aubier France and a mail sent by Abdellah El-Atmami from transmitting station Nador, Radio Medi 1 (Mediterranee) has stopped shortwaves forever: […]

Today is Amazon’s “Prime Day” summer sale. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you might follow some of the deals that are being posted. This morning, I spent a little time picking out my favorites from all upcoming deals; ones that might interest SWLing Post readers. I did not see a single shortwave portable in […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who writes: The Voice of Croatia is no longer on the shortwave, but it still has programs in German, English, Spanish and Croatian in the Web: http://voiceofcroatia.hrt.hr/ They are announcing “Soon a new, more modern Voice of Croatia, with more content” in a Youtube video, in which you can […]

(Source: Radio Info via Nigel Holmes) Radio leads the way as the most trusted media in Australia and is seen as the most credible source of news, according to a new survey by global research firm GfK. The GfK Radio Insights study found 42% of respondents surveyed consider radio trustworthy, with a wide gap to […]

I’m currently in the process of adding 200-300 watts of 12-volt solar panels to my truck camper. Solar panels will keep my camper’s 12V deep-cycle battery topped off, thus allowing longer stretches of time for boon-docking or primitive camping, during which an occupied camper is off-grid from shore power. My truck camper actually came with […]

One thread that’s had a surprisingly long run here on the SWLing Post deals with sticky radios. A number of portable radios manufactured in the past decade were coated in a rubberized, tactile material that was quite functional when the products were new. With time, however, the coating breaks down and becomes incredibly sticky to […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Troy Riedel, who writes: Anon-Co is offering a Tecsun PL-606 Clone for $31.99 shipped. It’s badged as a: “Ritmix RPR-7020”. I’ve never heard of that badging/brand, maybe you have? Kaito (via Amazon) currently prices the PL-606 at $41.80, Amazon’s price is $46.50. Click here to view special on Anon-Co’s […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Brian Smith (W9IND), who shares the following guest post: “Night of Nights” 2017 by Brian D. Smith, W9IND “Night of Nights XVIII” – radio’s answer to “Night of the Living Dead” – will again unfold on July 12 (July 13 UTC) with the return of maritime Morse code transmissions […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who writes: I have attached my latest Music on Shortwave List Update (A-17 v2)[.] 1) Updated frequencies for RNZI (0300-0500) 2) Corrected/expanded entries for RAE 3) Additional SP program added for RRI 4) Added additional entries for V of Hope Africa (1700-1930) 5) Corrected station name of Countdown2.Christmas R […]

(Source: SDRplay Press Release via Jon Hudson) SDRplay are pleased to announce a price reduction for their entry-level SDR receiver, the RSP1 to $99.95 USD making it the most competitive mid-range SDR to include reception down to low frequencies without the need for an upconverter. The RSP1 provides general coverage receiver and panadapter capability from […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Kris Partridge (G8AUU) who writes: BBC Monitoring is leaving it’s home of over 70 years and moving to Central London. On BBC Radio 4 yesterday I was listening as I drove home from a ‘Breakfast’ shift, 04h30 – 16h30 local ..! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08wqp00 It looks like it will be repeated […]

Earlier this year–the day before the 2017 Winter SWL Fest, in fact–Dan Robinson and I joined forces at the National Cryptologic Museum in Fort Meade, Maryland, and following a brilliant Thai lunch, visited Dan’s place, where I surveyed his stunning receiver collection, several of which represent the Holy Grail of the receiver world. I thought […]

(Source: RadioWorld via Sheldon Harvey at the International Radio Report) Latest Radio World eBook explores radio broadcast coverage tools and how to get the most out of them Broadcasters have endless “what if” questions about their radio station’s signal. How would my coverage be affected if I … moved my FM antenna? Changed height? Increased transmitter […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Aaron Kuhn, who writes: Another “Radio in Popular Culture” tidbit for you since they seem so popular: 2014 war survival game “This War of Mine“, released on multiple platforms, features a simulated shortwave radio you can build and use as part of the game. After building the radio from […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jarno de Haan (PA3DMI), who shares the following in reference to our recent post about radio hats of yore: Radio hats are fun but I found radio stockings! In 1924 French ladies in Paris used their stockings and umbrella to receive the radio transmissions from the Eiffel-tower. The movie […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jason Whiteley, who shares a video tour of the E-4B NAOC Doomsday Plane and notes: This is a pretty interesting video of the inside of the flying Pentagon or Doomsday Plane. There is a lot of radio equipment on board including a radio antenna that can fly out of the back […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Klaus Boecker (DD2DR), who shares the following guest post: Converting Navtex from SVO Olympia Radio into an other languages by Klaus Boecker (DD2DR) SVO’s NAVTEX transmission uses the Greek language in Latin letters. Unfortunately, the Google translator can‘t translate Greek transmitted in Latin characters. I found a German web site […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Rick B, who writes: I just thought I’d share with you a hidden function I discovered documented on the web for the Tecsun PL-660. It’s how to calibrate the FM band if you have a radio that is off frequency. As my current PL-660 is accurate on FM, I […]

Heathkit recently sent the following link to their “Insiders” email list: Dear Heathkit Insider We have opened advance orders for our newest product, the HM-1002 Heathkit® Precision RF Meter™, for our most loyal customers and fans. This is the first amateur radio accessory and the first test equipment kit Heathkit has produced in over 30 […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ron, who writes: A firm in the UK is now offering new VLF converters in built, ready to go form or in kit form. Coverage is 10-500 khz full LW band or 0.1-100 kHz ELF band. Your choice of stock or SO239, BNC or RCA connectors for antenna input […]

Many thanks to DXer.ca host, Colin Newell, who requests your help: Ian McFarland is celebrating a very important birthday in July! Please join me in congratulating Ian in this milestone by sending me your best wishes for Ian to our contact e-mail. I will transcribe all of these notes onto one big card for Ian! Ian […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John Cooper, who shares the following: In today’s mail I received a big surprise. Not one, but two QSLs verifying BBC program transmission reception reports from Ascension Island that I sent them in 2014. At that time I was working on a NASWA Dx Award for verification of 50 […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Joey (KE4DRJ), who writes: I was hoping that you or the readers might be able to help me with a problem. I just received my new pl-310et. Which I purchased from anon-co. The issue is with the whip antenna. When I try to rotate the whip, it’s very stiff. […]

Mike (N1YKH) writes: Hi Thomas, Just wanted to promote an antenna I sell for a fellow HAM, It sells via http://www.dipolesusa.com/shortwave.html WDX2RADIO Timeless Classic. 50′ foot longwire antenna kit w/ 25′ foot lead in, quick clip (to click onto a telescoping antenna), wire connector ends to radio, twine, shrink tube for sealing connections, tape, and […]

(Source: Sputnik News via Sheldon Harvey) “Sputnik Radio begins broadcasting in Washington DC on the FM bandwidth, bringing its programming to FM listeners across the metropolitan area for the very first time. Sputnik Radio broadcasts, ranging from news programs to talk shows and financial analysis, are now available on 105.5 FM, 24 hours a day, […]

For the second year in a row, I had the pleasure of hanging out with the Club Radio Amateur de Québec (C.R.A.Q.) on Field Day. Members number well over 150 and the club has a history dating back to 1926. Last year, I found myself in Québec during my favorite on-air event, so I reached […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who writes: EB200 is the older model, the latest is the EB500 or at least the one that followed the EB200. We have seen quite a few R&S units on eBay of late, including EK890 and EK895s, one of which remains on eBay as of this time. […]