The SWLing Post

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John (AE5X), who writes: Hi Thomas: There’s an interesting movie now on Netflix that your readers might enjoy: A Call to Spy. Based on the story of Virginia Hall and two other female spies in WW2. She was trained in Morse Code and used a Paraset radio in helping […]

(Source: BBC Radio 4) Scotland’s Lord Haw Haw Radio played a key role in the propaganda campaigns of Nazi Germany. The most notorious personality in this radio war was William Joyce, or ‘Lord Haw-Haw’ – who came to be known as the English voice of Nazi Germany. But he wasn’t alone in this effort. Professor […]

As the Eton Elite Satellit comes closer to fruition, I’ve gotten a lot of questions and comments from readers about the price retailers are publishing. Here they are so far (all in USD): Eton Corporation $699.99 Hammacher Schlemmer $699.95 Universal Radio $599.99 Even the lowest price ($599.99 via Universal) is no trivial amount for most […]

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM It was research on preselectors that led me to this: Improving HF Reception – The RadioReference Wiki In that section of the RadioReference Wiki, written by Mike, KA3JJZ, I found the following: Another way an active preselector could be used is to use it to load a very short dipole – […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Adi, who writes: Hi Thomas, I just finished watching “Spycraft” on Netfilx. It’s 8X30min parts documentary. The last part is “Recruiting the best spy“. I first spotted this lovely 880 Eddystone receiver but coming into the ~20 min was the story of the ICF-2010 and how an American spy […]

by Guy Atkins As reported yesterday by Dave Zantow N9EWO and in the SWLing Post, the Eton Elite Satellit HD receiver has left the vaporware zone and arrived in production. Universal-Radio started taking orders on June 28th. Any new receiver is cause for celebration, but the closer I inspect the available manuals and marketing materials, […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave (N9EWO), who shares the following: “WKRP In Cincinnati” – “Tornado” S01 E12 (February 1979) “The station staff finds themselves in danger when Herb unplugs a teleprinter just as it is receiving a local tornado warning.” Look for the Radio Shack Realistic PRO-16 (cat no. 20-165) scanner receiver at […]

Hi SWLing Post community, Fastradioburst23 here letting you know about two transmissions of WELK, another installment of the imaginary radio stations show to be broadcast this weekend and next by the good folks at WRMI. The first transmission is on Sunday 3rd July 2022 then Sunday 10th July 2022 both at 2200 utc on 9395 […]

Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy! Many thanks to Eric Jon Magnuson for summarizing these news items for Radio Waves! Here Comes the Sun—to End Civilization (Wired) Every so often, our […]

I received a message from a reader recently regarding the Tecsun PL-330. They pointed out that Tecsun listed the PL-330 as “Discontinued” but I’ve confirmed that this is not the case. This is simply a poor translation/word choice. The PL-330 is still very much in production, however I also learned the global chip shortage is […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alexander (DL4NO), who shares the following photos and notes from Friedrichshafen: First Hamradio After Two Years Alexander (DL4NO) Finally the biggest amateur radio event in Europe happened again: Last weekend hams from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, GB and more gathered in Friedrichshafen. The location is […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Giuseppe Morlè (IZ0GZW), who writes: Dear friends, I’m Giuseppe Morlè from Formia, central Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. I want to share with you my latest ferrite antenna for listening; it is composed of 3 ferrites of 20 cm each in a tube for electrical systems with 2 separate windings, one for […]

Bill Tilford, Curator of Radio Angela (WBCQ 5130 kHz) writes: This week, Radio Angela (WBCQ 5130 kHz) has the following special broadcasts: Thursday, June 30 0200-0300 UTC (Wed 10pm-11 EDT): WBCQ Open Mic This edition of WBCQ’s occasional “Week 5” broadcast includes a blues band from Argentina, Indonesian Dangdut (pop) submitted by a listener in […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Pedro Andrade, who shares the following article. Note that the following excerpt has been translated by Google from Italian to English. Click here for the original in Italian at FM-World.it: On 11 September 2022 Rai radio broadcasts in medium wave will cease (FM World) Before the end of the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who writes: Hi Thomas, Several listeners have posted videos on YouTube about receiving broadcasts of “The Voice of Korea” on 6140 kHz DRM – Digital Radio Mondiale. One video in particular caught my attention, from Indian listeners in the Kerala region: Indeed, these headphones use a Chinese […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who shares the following notice from RTI’s French language service. Note that the following article was translated into English by Google. Click here for the version français. Direct broadcast from RTI’s Tamsui station This year, the French service offers direct broadcasting from RTI’s Tamsui station to […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jack Kratoville, for the following guest post: My Perfect Radio Trifecta by Jack Kratoville Last Fall, I asked SWLing readers to assist me in my decision as to what portable radio I should take on a two-week trip to Germany. While I came up with an initial list of portables I […]

Microtelecom has just announced their latest SDR receiver: the Perseus22. INTRODUCING NEXT-GEN SDR RECEIVER Perseus22 is a 4 channels, direct sampling receiver with a continuous frequency coverage from 10 KHz to 225 MHz and a typical image rejection larger than 70 dB. All channels are synchronously sampled by an high SNR, 14 bits A/D converter […]

Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy! Triple J is shedding young listeners, but radio isn’t a dead medium yet (The Age) I’ll never forget the excitement I felt as I bought […]

Hi all, Fastradioburst23 here letting you know about the return of DJ Frederick’s Free Radio Skybird that takes to the air again on Sunday 26th June via WRMI on 9395 kHz at 2200 utc. Tune in for a mixture of great tunes from all genres!

Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy! Many thanks to Eric Jon Magnuson for summarizing these news items for Radio Waves! Pirate radio stations operating outside London (Southgate ARC) In a Freedom […]

In the comments section of this post, I’d like you to share your recording of the BBC Midwinter Broadcast to Antarctica! In years past, I’ve created a post with all of the Midwinter recordings curated in one article. This usually takes me 12+ hours to prepare over a couple of weeks as many of 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–35 individuals this year–located at various Antarctic research stations. Each year, the thirty minute show is guaranteed to be quirky, nostalgic, and certainly a […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who shares the following note from Alan Pennington via the WoR io group: BBC Antarctic Midwinter broadcast – June 21 frequencies confirmed From: Alan Pennington Thanks to Dave Passey at Woofferton who has just confirmed to me the frequencies for the BBC Antarctic Midwinter broadcast tomorrow, Tuesday […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Colegrove, who shares the following guest post: My Very First Radio By Bob Colegrove Sears and Roebuck Co., Silvertone, Catalog No. 8003, Model No. 132.818-1 I don’t remember much from 1949. I was seven years old and still in the first grade. I do remember being gifted a radio […]

Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy! Opinion: The Future of AM Radio England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (FrequencyFinder.co.uk) Summary AM radio in the British Isles is now in terminal decline […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Giuseppe Morlè (IZ0GZW), who writes: Dear Thomas and all friends, This is Giuseppe Morlè, IZ0GZW, from Formia, central Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea. I went back to listening with my Kenwood R1000 and indoor homemade cross loops …this time a station in Kuwait, 9k2yd Younes on general call. I used the 2 […]

On May 14, 2022, this blog published an announcement of the Annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Test. The blog included a link to a PDF file that listed all the details, such as times, frequencies, and military stations that were participating (including some that were aboard ships), and there was even a link where you […]

(Guest Post) By Robert Gulley K4PKM (Note: This review was requested by Radioddity, who provided the in-production radio to the reviewer, with no strings attached or pre-approval.) I confess to have been a little bit skeptical when Thomas asked me to review this radio, not because of past experience with RADDY, but because tiny radios […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark C, who writes: Thomas, You have posted numerous photos of radios appearing in film. I found something similar but with an interesting twist. The link is to the YouTube clip Good Vibrations the Lost Studio Footage. Watching the Beach Boys singing that iconic musical selection is thrilling enough […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who shares the following message from Dave (M0MYA): Hello All, There is to be a second set of test transmissions for the BBC Antarctic special. The will take place tomorrow (Friday 17.06.2022) at 2130 – 2145 UTC. The frequencies are the same as they were on Tuesday […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who writes: Hello Thomas, I hope everything is fine. To complete Carlos Latuff’s contribution, here is a recording of the French language program of “La Voix de la Corée” made the afternoon of May 30, 2022 at 14h00 UTC on the frequency 13760 kHz with a TECSUN […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson who writes: An NRD-301A, still one of the rarest of JRC receivers, appears headed for a record selling price on the Japan Buyee site. In 2021, even rarer NRD-302A receivers sold in the $5000 range. Click here to check it out on Buyee. What a beautiful radio! […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Irish, who writes: Icom America has indicated that it no longer services Icom radios manufactured after December 2010. Please let me know if you have a recommendation for someone who repairs older Icoms, preferably in DC metropolitan area or in North Carolina and in Virginia. Thank you, Mark […]

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM Murphy’s Law: If anything can go wrong, it will. 1st corollary: Even if anything can’t go wrong, it still will. 2nd corollary: It will go wrong in the worst possible place at the worst possible time. Most devastating corollary: Murphy was an optimist. “It’s tough to make […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Richard Langley, who writes: Hi Thomas: According to a posting on the WoR io group, the frequencies for the 21 June broadcast won’t be finalised until after the test transmissions, but the latter have now been scheduled. They will be on air today Tuesday, 14.06.2022, at 2130-2145 UTC. ASC: […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ulis, who shares a link to the following episode of the Cold War Conversations podcast which focuses on numbers stations: Cold War number stations You might remember listening to short wave radio during the Cold War and coming across weird transmissions of metallic voices reciting random groups of numbers […]

Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy! Giant Magnetic Waves Have Been Discovered Oscillating Around Earth’s Core (Science Alert) Earth’s interior is a far from quiet place. Deep below our surface activities, […]

Hi all, Fastradioburst23 here reminding you about X-Raydio on Channel 292 this Sunday 12th June 2022 at 2200 utc on 3955 kHz. The broadcast will be a little different to the one on WRMI last weekend. X-Raydio explores audio from unusual musical formats and features a piece on Bone Music by Stephen Coates from The […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John (KC8RZM), who writes: Hi Thomas, Don’t know if this is relevant to SWLing but maybe there’s others out there that might be interested in the following. I always kicked myself not picking up one of Icom’s IC-R8500 receivers before Icom discontiued it. I know this wideband receiver has […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark (AE2EA), with the Antique Wireless Museum who shares the following: This isn’t a SWL, or even a ham radio story, but it’s a nice technology story about a vacuum tube at the beginning of the digital age and near the end of the tube age, that I thought […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Kostas (SV3ORA), for sharing the following guest post which originally appeared on his radio website: TAP: A Morse alternative mode for the HAM, with no need for training by Kostas (SV3ORA) Introduction The thinking of this new mode, came to me when someone posted that he quit the HAM hobby because he […]

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM Truth be told, I’ve been curious about the MFJ 1020C for a long time. Back when I wrote for Passport to World Band Radio, over a decade ago, I wondered if the 1020C was a worthwhile device, but then I had a big wire antenna outside connected to a communications receiver, […]

Friends, I’d like to share some good news with you! The short version: I’ve created an SWLing Post discussion board that anyone can join, free of charge, at SWLing.net. My hope is that this will be a spot for community members to get quick answers to questions and connect with other like-minded operators. Everyone is […]

You might have noticed a lack of posts this weekend and that would be because I was completely off-grid and off-line, camping with two good friends in Pisgah National Forest. It was brilliant, actually. I got to hang with friends I’ve known for over 30 years, test my new one person backpack tent (a.k.a. the […]

This morning, I was searching hundreds of half-finished articles I’ve accumulated on the SWLing Post over the years looking for a particular note. During my search, I stumbled upon the following post from September 2020 that I thought I published but had not. There’s no time like the present, right? Here you go: A couple […]

Hi all, Fastradioburst23 here letting you know about some transmissions on the shortwaves over the next couple of weekends via the services of WRMI and Channel 292. X-Raydio will explore some audio from unusual musical formats (think flexidiscs, 5″ vinyl etc.) and will feature a piece on Bone Music by Stephen Coates from The Real […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who writes: Hi Thomas, I am reacting to the latest Radio Waves news items on the SWLing Post: Funklust is back on air with a boost Connected to a Kiwi SDR installed in Portugal, I listened to this experimental station on its 15785 kHz DRM frequency and […]

Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy! Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Eric Jon Magnuson, who has been taking an active role in helping to curate our Radio Waves tips. Taiwan […]

Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy! Russian radio voices sow fear in Ukraine war zone (France24) Lysychansk (Ukraine) (AFP) – The portable radio in the dark cellar of the rocket-damaged kindergarten […]