The SWLing Post

Recently I have spent a little more time listening out for Tropical Band stations from my shack in Oxford UK, attempting to emulate some of the very nice signals I have previously recorded out on DX’peditions. The obvious problems with this (and they are numerous) include the relatively weak signal strength of many tropical band stations, the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Gary Wise (W4EEY), who shares the following guest post: It’s funny how much we radio folks share in common. The recent posts on Arvin radios made me smile because I have an Arvin radio too. An Arvin transistor was my very first radio, and here she is: This is […]

Hi there, I thought some of the readers of SWLing post might be interested in my reception of Mayanmar Radio, Yangon, during a late-night DX’pedition in Oxfordshire, UK. I managed to catch them on 5985 and 7200 kHz; the latter was a personal first and perhaps further confirmation that my 200 metre longwire is contributing in a […]

I’ve only had my Elecraft KX2 since Monday evening and have been so busy, I’ve only had an hour or so to tinker with this pocket transceiver. Monday evening, before putting it on the air, I updated the KX2 firmware to the latest Beta release which includes the new AM mode. I’ve had so many questions from […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who writes: My listening post as it stands now Time: 1600-1700 UTC Location: Galena, Alaska (Rural central interior, halfway between Nome & Fairbanks) Equipment:Tecsun PL880, 225 foot long wire oriented north south and 225 foot long wire oriented east west, EmTech ZM2 Antenna Tuner, Workman Antenna Switch […]

I just noticed that John (AE5X) has updated the firmware on his KX2 and made a short video of a shortwave band scan. On his blog, he notes: Before getting my ham ticket, I was a SWL and am very happy that AM capability has been added to the KX2, making a fantastic radio even […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Gary Wise (W4EEY), for the following review of the RTL-SDR dongle: Based on your blog post on the Version 3 release of the RTL-SDR dongle I had to buy one. I ordered mine from Amazon for $25, and it came in two days. I have an earlier version of this […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Marco, who writes: Great blog! I am an SWLer (have been inactive for some time but I am back again, mainly when I travel) and I really love it. I am a Mac user and have now found a great, free SWL logging application: KB6IBB SWL Logger. I suggest you give […]

Many thanks to John Harper (AE5X) who shares the following in reply to our post about transistor radios: Attached is a pic of a like-new transistor radio from 1967 [see above]. Remember the days when they bragged about how many transistors a gadget contained?! Sort of like bragging about RAM or clock speed today I […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jeff McMahon, who writes: There might be a bidding war on this “possibly never used” with box Panasonic RF-2200. Click here to view on eBay. Last night, when Jeff sent this link, the price was still under $300–it’s now over $400. I suspect this listing might achieve top dollar. […]

Many thanks to “HoustonCleanListener” who writes: One more “sticky radio” suggestion. Here in the Houston area we are getting in to the heart of hurricane season. I have a little Eton FR-300 radio that has am, fm, tv and weather bands, a flashing red light, a white light, and a siren. I hadn’t picked it […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Chris Freitas, who writes: I came across this find on eBay. I was tempted to buy one myself, but I am content with the PL-680 I have right now. However, some SWLing Post readers may want to check it out: Click here to view on eBay. Thanks for the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors, Ron and Aaron, who shared a link to Jay Allen’s latest post–an update on his pocket AM/FM radios. Like Jay, I’ve always had an affinity for pocket transistor radios. My first one was an AM-only model: a Realistic Model 23-464. It was about the only new pocket radio I could […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), who recently wrote an article for the excellent Radio World magazine. His topic? The Memorex TrackTec Scannocular! Mario writes: Ever heard of a Scannocular? Universal Radio used to sell ’em, they were for race fans, basically a scanner with surgically attached binoculars: http://www.radioworld.com/article/whats-black-and-red-and-hears-all-over/279408 “I’ve always had […]

Many thanks to Chris Smolinski, at Black Cat Systems, who recently announced new mySdrPlayback features: I’ve released a new beta of mySdrPlayback, which is a Mac app that lets you easily go through SDR recording files. It works with recording files produced by SdrDx and SpectraVue, as well as Perseus. This version adds a DGPS […]

Hi there, I thought I would share some Brazilian shortwave catches with you, obtained using my Sony ICF-2001D receiver and 200 metre experimental longwire. The first is Radio Bandeirantes, Sao Paolo on 9645.4 kHz. This is a station that I’ve only heard once or twice previously, but was received with excellent signal clarity and strength recently, using my […]

(Source: Christian Milling via WRTH on Facebook) Radio Prague celebrates 80 years of broadcasting. We bring them back on Shortwave for one day. Tune in on Wednesday, 31st of August. 1630-1700 UTC on 9535 kHz towards 65° Russia at 100kW (Russian)* 1800-1900 UTC on 11845 kHz towards 305° Europe at 100kW (German / French) 1930-2030 UTC […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ken Hansen (N2VIP), who shares a link to the following news item on BGR India: China to crackdown on unauthorised radio broadcasts Reportedly, in a national campaign aided by more than 30,000 airwave monitors, in over past six months, more than 500 sets of equipment for making unauthorised radio broadcasts were […]

(Source: DRM Consortium) DRM will be part of a big anniversary on a small island in the Atlantic Ocean. On 28th of August at 1155 GMT Babcock International will ensure a special BBC digital transmission on 21715 kHz from the BBC Atlantic Relay station, marking the fiftieth anniversary of the BBC’s first short-wave radio broadcast […]

The Elad FDM DUO makes for a fantastic receiver, in both standalone mode and via the FDM-SW2 software. Thus far it has been demonstrating this by outperforming the Sony ICF-2001D in many of my reception tests using an experimental longwire antenna. Bear in mind that whilst this might not be such a surprise, the Elad without the FDM-SW2 […]

After two months in Canada and one month spent catching up on work, I’m pleased to make some time this weekend to activate PK01 (the Blue Ridge Parkway) for the ARRL National Parks On The Air (NPOTA). I’ll be joined by my good friend, Vlado (N3CZ) on August 28–we plan to set up at the Folk Art […]

(Source: University of Alaska Fairbanks via Andrea Borgnino) OPEN HOUSE AUGUST 27, 2016 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at HAARP, 11.3 mile Tok Cutoff Highway, Gakona, Alaska Facility tours, mobile planetarium, permafrost exhibit, science demos and talks, and BBQ. Free and suitable for all ages! ALSO: Science lecture Friday August 26, 7 p.m. at the […]

After publishing the post this morning regarding the AM mode addition to the Elecraft KX2, SWLing Post contributor Ivan Cholakov (NO2CW) created the following video comparing the KX2’s daytime shortwave reception with that of the Kenwood R-2000: Click here to view on YouTube.

Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post readers (including, Eric, Dave, Jim and Greg) who shared the following message from Wayne (N6KR) on the Elecraft message boards: We added AM mode to the KX2 today, both transmit and receive. Its primary purpose is for SWL (short-wave listening), i.e. copying commercial AM stations. (Remember that […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Martin Kraft, who writes: Where’s the hidden den of pirate radio? The Caribbean? The South China Sea? Nope, according to RadioWorld, it’s the New York City metro area: http://www.radioworld.com/article/nybsa-76-pirates-stations-in-new-york-northern-nj/279213 NYSBA: 76 Pirate Stations in New York, Northern N.J. A number of pirate stations are operating throughout New York City […]

(Source: Paul Walker) The next broadcast of The Classics Experience with Paul Walker is going to be the biggest yet. It’ll all take place in late August with 2 hours of rock n roll music with maybe a few country songs thrown in for good measure. The show is ALL about the music and providing something different on […]

Our August 30 (August 29 in the Americas on WBCQ) program offers more of Caribe Nostrum, winner of Cubadisco 2016 in the Concert and Chamber Music category and one of the two Gran Premio winners. Guido López Gavilán, the Director, will join us to talk about the music. Our Jazz guest is Carlos Averhoff Jr., […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Harald Kuhl (DL1ABJ), who shares more details about the new Titus 2 DRM receiver via the DRM Consortium Chairman, Ruxandra Obreja: NEW DRM RECEIVER UNVEILED at HFCC MEETING IN MIAMI, FLORIDA THIS WEEK! The HFCC meeting is being held 22-26 August in Miami and on this occasion there was a live […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Gary DeBock, who shares this summary of the July 2016 Rockwork 4 Ocean Cliff DXpedition: July 2016 Rockwork 4 Ocean Cliff DXpedition An International Team Gets Full “Exposure” to a Wild New DXing Venue By Gary DeBock, Puyallup, WA, USA Introduction In the previous century the outstanding receivers developed by […]

I had heard rumors that a new DRM receiver was in the works, but had not yet seen any specifications. DRMNA.info has just posted a few specs: The PantronX Titus II is actually a full SDR solution in a boombox case. Few details yet, but it is running Android, has a 100 kHz to 2 […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Brown (W1DAN) for the following guest post: A WRNO Worldwide Transmitter Site Visit by Dan Brown W1DAN The opportunity to visit a shortwave transmitter site does not come to me often. It did during the summer of 2009, so I jumped at the chance. Along with friend Bob […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Fahey, who replies to Ivan’s preliminary review of the V3 RTL-SDR dongle: With Shortwave SDRs (the receiver dongle) now costing less than $20, the time has come for us to set up a global group of receivers that we can all log into at will! Have a look at […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ivan Cholakov (NO2CW), who shares the following video review of the new RTL-SDR dongle on the shortwave and mediumwave bands. Ivan notes: This is daytime reception comparison. Nighttime could be a different picture. [The RTL-SDR dongle] tunes and frequency is 100% on spot. Using SDR Sharp you have several AGC settings to play […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Al Quaglieri, who shares the following recording, QSL (above) and notes: Here’s a nice recording I made of the first 13 minutes of Radio Baghdad’s English broadcast one day around August 8, 1990. It begins with some music and then there’s a newscast. For a couple of months, I sent […]

Radio Verdad, Chiquimula, Guatemala is quite a regular catch at home, however, their modulation is nearly always weak as the carrier struggles to lift above the ubiquitous blanket of local QRM. Another issue with hearing this station is the digital utility signal just above 4055 kHz, thus requiring LSB reception to reject the adjacent noise. This particular recording of Radio Verdad was […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Francis, who left the following reply on our Battery Endurance Contest Results post: Dear Thomas, I have been using a Sony ICF-11 for 5-6 years now, still sold new at 50-70 euro. It’s analog and rather well featured: FM (stereo on earbuds), LW, AM, and 9 SW bands. It runs […]

(Source: Southgate ARC) A tour of Caversham Park before it closes – the home of BBC Monitoring – a historical BBC World Service department which has been monitoring some of the world’s most seismic events for 75 years Caversham Park became the BBC Monitoring Headquarters in 1941 and in light of recent news that, due […]

On August 4, 2016, the same day I received my new Sangean DT-160CL, I popped a fresh set of CVS Max Alkaline batteries into the DT-160CL as well as into my trusted Sony SRF-39FP. The mission? To see which radio could perform longest on a set of batteries. I set my stopwatch as I turned on both radios, […]

In reply to our recent post about Radio Atlantico del Sur, SWLing Post contributor, Jonathan Marks, adds: Radio South Atlantic was a short-lived clandestine radio station started by the UK Ministry of Defence with programmes aimed at Argentine troops on the Falkland islands. This programme was broadcast from a transmitter on Ascension Island which was […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who shares the following info about Icom’s announcements at the Tokyo Ham Fair: Well the cat is now really out of the bag now !! Icom announced 2 new RECEIVERS at the Tokyo 2016 JARL Ham Fair. We can almost say for certain that the new IC-R8600 […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mike Barraclough, who writes: Neil Ffrench Blake is a former BBC producer and journalist who launched and was Managing Director of Radio 210, first station Mike Read and Steve Wright worked at. He was also involved in psychological warfare radio stations broadcasting to Aden, Afghanistan and managed ones to […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John Figliozzi, who writes: Sean at Universal Radio in Reynoldsburg, OH put me on to another terrific product that does the job fabulously and quite easily. It’s called MaxPro Ink/Adhesive Remover and is a citrus-based cleaner/solvent that won’t harm the radio’s plastic casing. You can get it on eBay […]

Hi there, I thought I would share my first reception of Radio Tawantinsuyo, from Cusco, Peru, recorded during the inaugural test of my 200 metre longwire antenna. Of course this particular reception could be coincidence, but a very welcome catch in any case. Once again, the Sony ICF-2001D performs very well with this large antenna, […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John Figliozzi, who shared a link the following radio program via the Shortwave Programs email list. John writes: Here’s an interesting segment heard recently on ABC Radio National’s and Radio Australia’s “Late Night Live”: Marconi: The Man Who Networked the World is a new biography of Guglielmo Marconi: Nobel […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Aaron Kuhn, who writes: [T]he newest v3 http://RTL-SDR.com RTL2832U USB receivers now have HF reception via Direct sampling over the SMA antenna connector directly out of the box with no hardware modding required. I think this might make it the cheapest, out-of-the-box HF SDR possible at this point. 9:1 […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Hawkins, who left the following comment in reply to our previous post about Radio Australia’s outage: This message found on the ABC/Radio Australia website this morning… The ABC is running a technical outage of the international shortwave service until Friday the 19th of August to test reception in […]

I just received the following message from ABC Reception Advice after inquiring about Radio Australia being off the air. I’m sure many of you also received the same message: Thank you for your recent correspondence with regards to the Radio Australia Broadcasts on Shortwave Radio in the SW Pacific. We are currently working with our […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Alex, who has just informed me that he’s updated his printer-friendly shortwave frequency charts for the summer broadcasting season. Alex mentions that he posted English in Europe on one A4 sheet, plus 5 A4 sheets running through the vast majority of stations that can now be heard in Europe. Note that […]