The SWLing Post

Many thanks to Raoul van Hall, producer of Jazz from the Left, who shares the following news: WRMI is adding two more weekly frequencies for Jazz from the Left starting this week on 9395 kHz at 0000 UTC Saturday. For the moment, they are simulcasting the 0000 UTC hour on 9455 kHz, so the program would be on both frequencies. […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Trevor, who writes: You might wish to share this with your readers. An example of an excellent commercial rack-mounted receiver at (what I would consider) a reasonable price on eBay: the Harris RF-550. If I lived in The States, I would buy it. Sounds like it’s had a go-over […]

Many thank to SWLing Post reader, Stefano Mollo–a licensed Australian broadcaster–who shares the following news: Hi, Thomas, I have started test transmissions from Perth, Western Australia, on 5,045 kHz, at 75 watts (300 PEP). For the time being, I am using the same audio of my other station–77.4 MHz FM–which you can also find and stream […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John from VORW Radio International, who writes: Thanks to the support of our VORW Radio listeners, I am proud to announce that VORW Radio International now has a transmission to South America on 9955 kHz! Each broadcast features a mixture of my commentary and listener requested music. You’ll hear […]

(Source: Southgate ARC) FCC to modernize Part 95 Regs – GMRS, FRS, CB The FCC is to legalize 27 MHz CB DXing and boost power of license exempt UHF FM Family Radio Service (equivalent of UK PMR 446) Under its new Chair Ajit Pai, the FCC is seeking to modernize radio regulations and is scrapping […]

For the eighth year in a row, fellow volunteers and I will be representing the charity Ears To Our World (ETOW), at the Hamvention now in Xenia, Ohio. Note that this is the first year the Hamvention will take place in Xenia–a major change for the largest amateur radio convention in the world. Please note that we will be […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Gary DeBock, who shares the following notes and recordings from an Ultralight DXpedition in Kona, Hawaii: April 2017 Kona, Hawaii Ultralight DXpedition The first long-range test of a “Frequent Flyer” FSL Antenna By Gary DeBock, Puyallup, WA, USA April 2017 Introduction Ever since the U.K.’s Graham Maynard published his […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mick Holland, who shares the following: This popped up on my Facebook news feed this week. Posted by Giampiero Bernardini in the WRTH – World Radio Tv Handbook Facebook Group: “Arctic Radio Club in Sweden celebrates the 2017 Convention in Jönköping, Sweden May 6 & 7th. Our radiostation ( the […]

(Source: WRMI) Recently Radio Tirana in Albania ended its broadcasts on shortwave. Radio Tirana’s programs were legendary during the years of the Cold War, when it was one of the strongest signals on the shortwave bands. Its programming is entirely different now in a free Albania, but the signal was quite poor in recent years, […]

Hi there, subscribers to the Oxford Shortwave Log YouTube channel and regular readers of this excellent website will be aware that I have been using a Bonito Boni whip E-field wideband antenna for a couple of months now. You may have seen my previous post here, detailing some excellent initial DX results achieved with the Boni Whip. […]

Many thanks to Adrian Korol, at RAE Argentina to the World, for sharing the following update: During the time that requires the repair of our shortwave transmitter, we are going to maintain our HF presence both in English and Spanish, via WRMI relay station It is fundamental for those who love the short wave sharing of […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Porter (G4OYX), who shares a link to this excellent video tour of the ABC Central West radio transmitter in Cumnock, NSW, Australia. Click here to view at ABC.

From The Isle of Music, April 30-May 6 April is Jazz Appreciation Month, and April 30 is International Jazz Day. In honor of this, we dedicate this week to the new generation of Jazz musicians in Cuba and to a wonderful series of recordings in Cuba, the Jazz Young Spirit. Our special guest is Gloria […]

Here’s a hot tip for those of you who enjoy building transceiver kits: The Four State QRP group has just released The Cricket: a simple 80 CW transceiver kit. The Cricket was designed by David Cripe (NM0S) who is behind a number of successful kits (including the Ozark Patrol and the Bayou Jumper). The amazing part […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Neil Bolitho, who shares the following story in reply to our post yesterday Australian Codebreakers in WWII. Neil writes: Never to march, never to be mentioned. Since the end of the Second World War, many thousands of returned service personnel have marched at Anzac Day services throughout Australia. My father never […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ian P, for sharing the following from the radio program, ABC Overnights: The crucial role of Australian code breakers in World War 2 Thanks to the recent film, The Imitation Game, you may be familiar with the story of how British intelligence, led by mathematician Alan Turing, cracked Nazi codes […]

(Source: CBC News) Moncton artist bringing back sounds of former Sackville Radio-Canada towers A Moncton artist has brought back to life the sounds of the 13 CBC Radio-Canada International shortwave towers that once stood in Sackville, N.B. on the Tantramar Marsh. “It’s kind of like you’re conjuring ghosts of radio towers,” explained the artist Amanda […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Eric McFadden (WD8RIF), who writes with the following question: A request for assistance. After comparing the reception of the RSP2 and 1/2 doublet to the reception of the County Comm GP-5 SSB and its little external ferrite-bar, I’ve decided I probably want to make some sort of directional antenna to […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Trevor, who writes: I was very pleased this morning to discover that the latest (2017, 19th edition) of the Domestic Broadcasting Survey has been posted on the DSWCI website: Click here to download (PDF). Wow–thanks for the tip, Trevor!

From The Isle of Music, Week of April 24-29, 2017 For the benefit of our new listeners, we share one of our earliest episodes from last year with modern Cuban concert music (Piñera Concertante), Timba (El Niño y La Verdad), Danzón (Ethiel Failde, who is also our special guest), and some rare Cuban Jazz Fusion […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Steven Crawford, who shares the following: I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for posting my inquiry on the Sony 7600GR. The post comments answered my question. I also wanted to let you know your confidence in Ebay seller Anna and Anon-co continue to be well […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who shares the following: For your listening pleasure. Here is the best video yet showing the Icom IC-R8600’s Sync Detector in use. Sounds like Icom “finally” got the Sync Detector performance right with the R8600. Appears to greatly reduce fading distortion, where as with the expensive […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bruce Fisher, who adds the following to our growing archive of radios in film. Bruce writes: Here are three shots from the first few minutes of the 1962 James Bond film “Dr. No”: The second shot is a close up of the radio in the first shot. (These appear at […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Jason, who leaves the following comment in in reply to David’s recent review of the Sangean H201: I have this radio, purchased 26 Feb 2012 (so mine has lasted over 5 years) from Amazon US. Cost me $58 Australian dollars for the radio and a further $40 to ship it […]

This year, at the Winter SWL Fest, representatives from the Wave Farm recorded a number of Fest forums and events. Many thanks to David Goren who recently shared a link to these recordings on the Wave Farm’s website. For convenience, I’ve pasted a list of the recordings below which link directly to the Wavefarm archive: “Turn Your […]

ShortwaveService has uploaded the following video (to YouTube) which features the RNW Operations Van used in the recent 70th anniversary broadcast. The video includes a tour of the van, the setup used in the 70th anniversary broadcast and an extended interview with Niels Zack, who restored the operations van: Click here to view on YouTube. I listened […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Paul Beckett, who writes with the following question for our community: Hi Thomas I am hoping you may be able to help identify the fly lead plug which fits on the jack plug of the Sony mains adapter lead for the 2001D. It terminates in a four pin female socket […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Marty Meyers, who shares the following notice from WRMI (via Facebook): 6855 kHz off air Due to interference with a U.S. Army frequency, WRMIhas been asked to vacate 6855 kHz. We are now off of this frequency. However, a replacement frequency of 9455 kHz has been assigned, and we […]

Many thanks to Al Kirton, the General Manager at NQ Radio, who has kindly shared a few more details about NQ Radio and, specifically, 4KZ: Hello Thomas NQ Radio operates about 20 AM & FM transmitters in North Queensland, Australia. Our stations are 4KZ, 4AM, 4AY, KIK FM & KOOL FM. In a couple of months […]

(Source: RadioWorld) The ABC has turned off its shortwave radio transmitters, leaving Australians in remote areas without easy access to lifeline radio OTTAWA — On Jan. 31, state-owned Australian Broadcasting Corp. shut down its shortwave radio transmitters; ending both international broadcasts of Radio Australia and the ABC’s domestic service in Australia’s Northern Territory. The transmitters […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Fahey (our resident North Korea specialist) who shares the following comment regarding our recent post about the re-activation of the North Korean Numbers station: The Pyongyang numbers (designated V15) have either become less regular or changed their schedule since March. Its been a few months since I have personally […]

I had the pleasure of visiting the Champaign Aviation Museum recently and examining their under-restoration B-17G, “Champaign Lady”. Actually, the term “under-restoration” is incorrect. In actuality, the Champaign Aviation Museum is effectively building their B-17G nearly from scratch—quite an undertaking but one that the volunteers are performing skillfully and enthusiastically. Being an amateur radio operator, shortwave listener, […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Gary DeBock, who shares the following notes and recordings from an Ultralight DXpedition in Kona, Hawaii: The Kona, Hawaii Ultralight Radio DXpedition was conducted from a sixth floor oceanfront motel room in the Royal Kona Resort Motel from April 9-12 (during an anniversary trip with my wife). A newly […]

A few weeks ago, SWLing Post reader, David Lang, asked for a radio recommendation–one to replace the shortwave receiver that once lived on his bathroom countertop. Since he primarily wanted to listen to a local AM broadcaster, I recommended he go a different route with his next rig to save money and extend the radio’s longevity. […]

The German industrial designer Dieter Rams is world renowned for his beautiful and functional product designs, including the Braun T-1000 portable receiver. These fine, collectable receivers appear on Ebay regularly, but this one is in pristine shape: The asking price is a cool $1,800 USD, but for the near mint condition of this T-1000 it is likely […]

From the Isle of Music, Week of April 16-22, 2017 No guest this week, just a wonderful mix of multiple styles of Cuban music from the 1950s to today. Four possibilities to listen via shortwave: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in all directions with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on […]

Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post contributors who’ve shared this particular item from The National Interest: North Korea Broadcasts Really Strange Messages As New Nuclear Weapons Test Looms Pyongyang is reportedly broadcasting encrypted messages reminiscent of those used to contact spies during the Cold War. […]As North Korea prepares to mark a key […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Hawkins, who writes: This evening I watched the excellent Undercover: How to Operate Behind Enemy Lines on Netflix streaming. This is a 1943 training film for Office of Strategic Services personnel learning how be secret agents. The film was directed by the legendary John Ford who also took […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jonathan Marks, who shares the following details about the ‘Keep in touch with the Dutch’: Symposium marking the ninetieth anniversary of international radio broadcasting in the Netherlands, 1927-2017: (Source: Historici.nl via Jonathan Marks) ‘Keep in touch with the Dutch’: Symposium marking the ninetieth anniversary of international radio broadcasting in the Netherlands, […]

I was very happy to see the following message from Jon Hudson at SDRplay this morning: “ADS-B for both RSP1 and RSP2 is now available for the Raspberry Pi 2 & 3 – you can get the software from downloads – http://www.sdrplay.com/downloads If you are an RSP2 user, make sure you use Antenna Port B […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Gerard Koopal, who shares the following: Below an article about the return of RNW Netherlands out of a 1958 truck on april 15. Although i suppose you can’t read German, the times and freq’s should be clear. … zwar nur für einen Tag aber immerhin: Am 15. April, also […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Chuck Rippel (K8HU) for the following guest post: A Tale of Two Radios: Tecsun PL-880 vs Eton/Grundig Executive Satellit By Chuck Rippel, K8HU This proved to be a difficult comparison strictly when writing from the perspective of “which one is better.” In my view, the two models compliment each […]

(Source: Southgate ARC) Cross Country Wireless release HF Preselector Cross Country Wireless have released a HF Preselector. It is a passive high Q design that does not use an amplifier or external power. It tunes from 0.5 to 52 MHz. It is ideal for use with simple SDR receivers like the RTF-SDR dongle with upconverter […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who shares the following: This eBay item grabbed my attention primarily for its price. I see that you blogged about one in June last year. Click here to view on eBay. Thank you Mark! While the price is quite high at 1,100 GBP (roughly $1,375 US), it’s […]

(Source: Jon Hudson, SDRplay) API 2.10 has been released. We recommend you update your system to this latest version. We are constantly improving our software and updating to the latest version will allow us to provide you with the best possible support. Users can simply go to our Downloads page on: http://www.sdrplay.com/downloads/ and download their […]

Many thanks to Adrian Korol, at RAE, for sharing the following update from Actualidad DX: ACTUALIDAD DX.COM.AR brings you the latest news of the radio world, the short waves, the media, the telecommunications, the DX, the ham radio and the digital context every week. A production of RAE Argentina to the world, edited by Arnaldo Slaen […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who writes: There was a segment on the latest episode of AWR’s Wavescan (9 April 2017) about the Titus II DRM receiver recorded during the recent HFCC meeting in Jordan. In it, it was stated that the shipment of the first 1500 units was expected at the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Porter, who writes: Radio Laser aka Laser 558 was an 80’s pirate station off the coat of England. Looks like one of the main movers is hosting a revival. Dave shared the following email from Laser 558: 7 April 2017 Dear David, Hopefully you have now had chance […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who shares the following news from NQ Radio/4KZ: NEW SHORTWAVE SERVICE: In May 2017 Radio 4KZ Innisfail in far North Queensland will commence transmission on 5055 kHz between 4pm and about 9am seven days a week. The station will run 1.5kw into an inverted V antenna and […]