The SWLing Post

Many thanks to Colin Snow for sharing the following photos and commenting on his Hammarlund HQ-120X restoration. I originally noticed his photos in the Extreme Shortwave Listening group on Facebook and he kindly wrote up descriptions for each image to be published here on the SWLing Post: Hammarlund HQ-120X restoration by Colin Snow Purchased on […]

(Source: Radio Mag Online) PARIS — The use of the medium and short wave bands can provide extensive coverage at low cost in inaccessible locations or for those at a disadvantage due to lack of infrastructure. […]France’s TDF Group has started a project they call SmartCast that aims to study and build a long range […]

Another two hour broadcast of rock n roll music–“The Classics Experience”–will happen tonight via the transmitters of Shortwave Service in Kall, Germany. 6005 kHz Friday June 24th 1800-2000 3985 kHz Saturday June 25th 0000-0200 Both broadcasts will have the MFSK32 text and picture as well. However, the picture will NOT decode properly and it isn’t […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Rafman, who writes: Heard sad news this morning while listening to [RNZI’s] 9700 broadcast. It makes their future dimmer [IMHO]. RNZI will be running on a single transmitter for both analog & DRM. So now you won’t be able to try DRM on 9890 while 9700 is on air. Thanks for […]

If you live in North America and have an interest in becoming a ham radio operator, this is the weekend to check out what amateur radio is all about, and meet local radio enthusiasts. It’s Field Day! What is Field Day? I’ll quote from the ARRL, who sponsors the event: “ARRL Field Day is the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alex, who has just informed me that he’s created a printer-friendly A4 sheet guide to BBC World Service frequencies for the 2016 summer season. You can download his BBC World Service chart by clicking here (PDF) or by visiting his website Shortwavetimes.com where he has a number of charts. Many thanks, Alex!

We’ve just posted yet another excellent recording by Jim Jordan to the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive. This Cold War recording of Radio Moscow dates back to September 19, 1984. Jim notes: A nice Cold War piece from Radio Moscow on the double defection of the Soviet journalist Oleg Bitov. The real story behind it was […]

Many thanks to Andy Sennitt, who posted a link to this Mission Networks News article on Facebook. Imagine being able to download an app…without the internet. Well, it’s finally happened, thanks to shortwave radio. Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), take note: Faith Comes By Hearing (FCBH), a Christian organization that distributes Bibles in parts of […]

If you live in the UK, you might take note that the retailer, Maplin, has the Intek PL-660 on sale for 59.99 GBP. Though I’ve never held an Intek PL-660 in my hands, I’m pretty certain it’s simply a rebadged Tecsun PL-660. (Readers, please correct me if I’m wrong.) Click here to view the Intek PL-660 at […]

Only a couple of hours ago, I packed up the Sony ICF-SW55 and CC Skywave portables in search of a quite spot to listen to the BBC World Service Antarctic Midwinter Broadcast. I’m currently traveling in Canada and staying in a condo–the RFI in this building couldn’t be much worse. There was no way I’d hear the broadcast through the […]

Every year, the BBC broadcasts a special program to the scientists and support staff in the British Antarctic Survey Team. The BBC plays music requests and sends special messages to the small team of 40+ located at various Antarctic research stations. Each year, the thirty minute show is guaranteed to be quirky, nostalgic, and certainly a DX-worthy catch! After […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Jerry (WWØE), who shares a link to this rare Sony CRF-1 on eBay. Here’s an excerpt from Bigapple59’s (the Seller) description: This Ebay listing is for a Sony CRF-1 “portable” radio manufactured in Japan from 1981- 1986 and selling for a new price of around $1,795 not including the power […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, John, who hosts TheReportOfTheWeek channel on YouTube and writes: Hello Thomas, This is John from VORW Radio International and I wanted to let you know that I will be having a special shortwave broadcast on June 21st and 22nd. The broadcast will consist of talk and music and I hope […]

Remember Mr. Carlson’s excellent video of the Sony CRF-320 restoration? Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ken McKenzie, who shares a link to the latest Mr. Carlson video–a Yaesu FT-1000MP repair:

I know you can’t cheat physics or RF and that magic pixie dust won’t work, but I’m hoping those with a little more technical expertise can help me solve an antenna dilemma. I’m in the central interior region of Alaska and want to pick up Radio Vanuatu 7260 kHz a bit better. I also get […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Ivan, who writes: [U]niversal radio has a used NRD 525 for $699. If I had the time to use it I would have picked it up already. These are so hard to come by and represent the best of the shortwave listening era. I’ve never owned a JRC NRD-525, but […]

I’ve just learned that my buddy Jeff, over at the Herculodge, has reviewed the Sangean WR-2. Jeff writes: I haven’t had a Sangean WR-2 in a year because a year ago Southern Cal Edison fried all the electronics on our block doing unauthorized work. They had to pay tens of thousands of dollars to residents. […]

No seasoned shortwave DXer can forget one of the most distinctive interval signals ever–the “barnyard animals” which marked the beginning of the broadcast day of Radio Botswana, Gaborone, for decades. On its long-time frequency of 4820 kHz, Botswana was an occasional catch for me from the Seattle USA area. I yearned for clearer, more reliable […]

The next edition of From the Isle of Music: The June 21 (June 20 in the Americas on WBCQ) program features special guest Ethiel Failde, whose album Llego la Failde was nominated in the Opera Prima and Traditional Popular Music categories in Cubadisco 2016; we will also play some of the winner of the Traditional […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader Cap, who writes: This little gem just popped up on eBay UK, it’s working and looks to be in very good condition and is also open to offers: Click here to view on eBay. [More info about the Mark 328 (a.k.a. MK.328) can be found here.] This follows on […]

(Source: ARS Technica) by Rupert Goodwins It’s a good time to be technical. Maker communities are thriving around the world, tools and materials to create and adapt are cheaper and more powerful now than ever, and open source hardware, software, and information mean that if you can think it, you can learn how to do […]

SWLing Post contributor, London Shortwave, just published an interesting post on his blog. He begins: I have been regularly recording the small spectrum window containing the endangered stations I mentioned in one of my previous posts. Three days ago I noticed something strange: a morse code transmission superimposed onto the Voice of Turkey’s signal on […]

Maybe it’s my radio-loving fascination with technology, travel, and what at times seems like sheer magic–-but for some reason I’ve long been something of an aviation enthusiast, as well. Over the years, I’ve discovered quite a lot of SWLs and ham radio operators share this interest…and if you’re one of these folks, well, have I got a post for you. […]

Commenting on our post about the FCC Noise Floor Inquiry, SWLing Post contributor, Steve Yothment writes: One of the definitive documents on Radio Noise is the ITU-R Recommendation on Radio Noise, version P.373-12. This (latest) version is dated 07/2015, so it’s only a year old. You can download it [as a PDF] here. It has […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Neil Goldstein, who shares a link to this Barlow Wadley XCR-30 Mark 2 on eBay. The Seller writes the following description: Up for auction is a rare military green Barlow Wadley XCR-30 Mark2. The radio works perfectly. This is a late serial number 14995. Please request a shipping quote before […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Bill, who shares this public notice from the FCC: Comment Deadline: August 11, 2016 The FCC’s Technological Advisory Council (TAC), an advisory group to the FCC operating under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, is investigating changes and trends to the radio spectrum noise floor to determine if there is an increasing […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who shares his updated Music on Shortwave list for the A16 period. This version (2.1) incorporates several suggested additions by SWLing Post readers. Alan, again, thank you so much for publishing this excellent little guide! Click here to download Music on Shortwave A-16, Version 2.1 (PDF).

I’ve just received a confirmation from The Mighty KBC that The Giant Jukebox will be on the air this Sunday (June 19) from 08:00-10:00 UTC. This is a correction to the UTC time in our previous post.. If propagation isn’t favorable where you live, consider tuning to 6095 kHz on Sunday via the University Twente […]

[Correction: Julio’s version of the DE1103 is the first, non-DSP (current) version.] Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Julio Cesar Pereira, who comments with his mostly positive impression of the DSP version of the Degen DE1103 receiver: I’ve got a DE1103 and haven’t noticed any AM bleeding on SWL so far. I sometimes stay at one of […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Thomas Ally, for noting that The Mighty KBC has announced that The Giant Jukebox will be back on this air this Sunday, June 19 at 10:00-12:00 CET (8:00-10:00 UTC) on 6095 kHz. If propagation isn’t favorable where you live, tune to 6095 kHz via the University Twente WebSDR.

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Marty, who writes: The long wave community is also facing cutbacks in service, this example being in Ireland: http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2016/06/03/saving-rte-252-long-wave/ The home page for subscribing to this eNewsletter is: http://www.radiosurvivor.com/ Also, some SWL Post readers might be interested in subscribing to Radio World International, which carries a wide range of general […]

(Source: Dan Ferguson via Mauno Ritola on the WRTH Facebook group) Babcock has tests today, June 14, at 2130-2145, to Antarctica on 5985 (Woofferton), 6035 (Dhabayya), 7360 (Ascension), and 9720 (Woofferton). I think we can assume three of these frequencies will be used for the annual mid-winter transmission to Antarctica on June 21 at 2130-2200. […]

(Source: Southgate ARC) Spain’s national amateur radio society the URE has made annual compilations of its magazine Radioaficionados available for free download PDFs of the magazine are available from 2001 to the end of 2015. To download each year click on the Descargar buttons at http://www.ure.es/component/docman/cat_view/110-revistas/156-.html?orderby=dmdate_published URE website in Google English http://tinyurl.com/SpainURE

Alas, I find that I’m frequently blamed by SWLing Post readers who cite this blog as the reason they spend so much money on radios. But for the record, I’d like you to know that such spending is actually a two-way street! A couple of days ago, Post contributor Robert Gulley sent me a link to a cool Kickstarter campaign for […]

Here are some Shortwave logs from the central interior region of Alaska. I used a Tecsun PL880 and 225 foot long wire with Emtech ZM2 Tuner or a Wellbrook ALA1530LNP. I’ve only used the Wellbrook for two days so I can’t really offer a thorough comparison yet. There was one case in particular where the […]

We’ve just posted yet another excellent recording by Tom Laskowski to the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive. I thought a number of Post readers might appreciate this one. Tom notes: KNLS – Anchor Point, Alaska, from what I believe is a test transmission on August 1, 1983. According to Wikipedia, KNLS signed on the air July 23, 1983. The […]

I’m currently in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Québec (Canada) and having a brilliant time. I’ve been sans Internet for the better part of a week (save a little online time at local cafés) which is why I’m quite far behind on correspondence. The lack of Internet, though, has a positive side: it has given me uninterrupted time to surf the shortwaves! […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Walter Salmaniw, who comments: I reviewed Paul’s excellent program this morning and worked on decoding the image broadcast during his 2nd hour. Unfortunately the slant was all wrong! But gradually, working the slant on the Fldigi resulted in a nice image of his dog [see image on right], using about […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Kim Elliott, who shared a link to this tweet by USAID and notes: “I don’t know if USAID is doing them any favors by giving them a Kchibo KK-9803 …” .@USAIDOTI provides radios 2 communities displaced by Boko Haram in #Nigeria so they can access credible information pic.twitter.com/JR6MKikEfl — […]

Our June 14 (June 13 in the Americas) program features special guest Luna Manzanares, who has the lead role in Carmen la Cubana, a cubanized version of Bizet (remember Carmen Jones?). We’ll also feature some of the album Cosmopolitan by D’Corason, which won the Nueva Trova category in Cubadisco 2016. We’ll also have some more […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who shares his updated Music on Shortwave list for the A16 period. If you love listening to music on the shortwaves, you’ll love Alan’s free guide. Click here to download Music on Shortwave A-16 (PDF).

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario, who notes this first appearance of the LNR Precision LD-11 transceiver on eBay. I must say, I’ve been using the LD-11 for the past couple of months and have been pleased–it’s a fun little radio with the added bonus of broadcast band reception (see my previous post). I’ve […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Marty, who writes: Hi Thomas, I just came across this interesting new item about ARRL reaching agreement with Homeowners national association on antenna restrictions: http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-community-associations-institute-find-common-ground-on-parity-act-language Regards, Marty [Excerpt from ARRL new item] [The] ARRL did not have the final language for the substitute amendment until late last week, and the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, for the following guest post–an interview with noted shortwave repair technician, Rod Wallberg: Profile: Rod Wallberg by Dan Robinson Rod, tell us a little bit about yourself, your background, how you got interested in radio as a hobby, what focus you have now? Are you also an amateur […]

We are fortunate to have a number of active contributors to the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive who have dusted off old magnetic tapes and digitized them for all to enjoy. One such contributor is Paul Harner, who has submitted a number of recordings the past few months. Paul recently submitted a 1976 recording of What’s New […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Cuff, who notes the following recently-released suspense film: ‘Shortwave’ Attracts Something Sinister (Exclusive) Funny that shortwave is being used as a medium for “something sinister.” I do recall the film, Frequency, where extraordinary propagation helped a father and son communicate through time via shortwave. I suppose, however, another […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, TomL, for the following guest post: My Evolving, Morphing, SW Listening Station by TomL, May 26, 2016 My interest in radio listening has been rekindled after a long hiatus in parallel to my dwindling interest in Mainstream Media. It is now about 8 years without cable TV and I seriously […]