The SWLing Post

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who shares the following guest post: Revisiting the Tecsun PL-368: Assessing a Later Firmware Unit by Dan Robinson This past April, I reviewed Tecsun’s PL-368, the update of the PL-365 (also sold by CountyComm as the GP5). There were some major changes: Tecsun shifted from AA batteries to a flat […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Giedrius Blagnys, who notes: The first national radio broadcast in Lithuania started on 1926-06-12 d. Photo above: the mic used for the first broadcast. Recording of the first transmission: Many thanks for sharing this interesting bit of history with us, Giedrius!

Many thanks to my buddy, Skip, who shared the following video on his Facebook page: Click here to view on YouTube.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, 13dka, who shares the following guest post: The Icom IC-705: Is this really a new holy grail SWL/BCL receiver? by 13dka When Thomas got wind of its development in 2019 he immediately asked “could the Icom IC-705 be a shortwave listeners holy grail receiver?”. I usually wince a little when […]

Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Because I keep my ear to the waves, as well as receive many tips from others who do the same, I find myself privy to radio-related stories that might interest SWLing Post readers. To that end: Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting […]

From the Isle of Music, June 13-19: Part 2 of 2 parts: This week, our guest is Alejandro Falcón, a Cubadisco nominee in multiple recordings in several different genres. Also, music from Ecos de Tivoli, a nominee in the Archivo y Versiones category with their tribute to Trio Matamoros. The broadcasts take place: 1. For […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Rob, who writes: I have a question about the digital signals I received today during what must have been an E skip opening to the southwest. Can you identify by the bandwidth the wide signal in one screen capture vs. the normal FT8 signals which were decoding today quite […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave, who writes asking if any Icom IC-705 or IC-7300 owners have created a database of SWL frequencies that could be imported into memory. I think this is a great idea as both transceivers are quite capable shortwave listening receivers. If you have a database file and would like […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Porter, who shares information about a multi-media arts project set at the North Hessary Tor Transmitter site in Devon, England. Dave writes: A little while back I was contacted by Alex Robins as he and others were involved in an Arts Project centred round the North Hessary Tor […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who writes: Today (June 5, 2021) I heard another mysterious CW transmission here in Rio Grande do Sul coast, this time on 8779 kHz, 18h31 UTC. I did some research and this frequency is related to Rome Radio (which is no longer transmitting in CW) and a […]

Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Because I keep my ear to the waves, as well as receive many tips from others who do the same, I find myself privy to radio-related stories that might interest SWLing Post readers. To that end: Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Steve Whitt, who writes: Hello Thomas Just a brief note to tell you about exciting developments here at the Medium Wave Circle. We’ve just launched our new-look website at https://mwcircle.org/ And we’d like to share the news far and wide. Some of the features of the new website are: […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who writes: Hey Tom, Check out this recording. I heard it today on 16976 kHz USB, at 13h08 UTC, here in Tramandai coast, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Maybe your readers may have an idea what is this CW about? Thank you for sharing this, Carlos! Post […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who shares his latest A21 season guide to music on shortwave. Click here to download Music on Shortwave A-21 v3 (PDF) Note that we’ve created a permanent page for Alan Roe’s guides! This page will always have the latest version of Alan’s guide available for download.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, TomL, who has put together a four week series of Comb Stereo tests that will be aired on WRMI. Here’s the full announcement: Starting this Saturday June 5 at 01:45-02:00 UTC (Friday 9:45pm EDT), I will be conducting a four-week series of tests using Comb Stereo. The broadcast will […]

Man thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jim Salmon (2E0RMI), for sharing the following: RADIO EMMA TOC WORLD SERVICE – SCHEDULE SUMMARY – JUNE 2021 Programme Contents – Solar powered radios in South Sudan & Radio Miraya / interview with Martin Kirby from ‘The Flash’ / hellos to listeners / the Voice of Peace Ways to […]

From the Isle of Music, June 6-12: Part 1 of 2 parts: This week, our guest is Alejandro Falcón, a Cubadisco nominee in multiple recordings in several different genres. The broadcasts take place: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Giuseppe Morlè (IZ0GZW), who shares the following video and notes: I recently bought a Tecsun S-8800 to be used mainly on shortwave. I carry it in an aluminum case to use it everywhere: Many thanks for sharing this, Giuseppe! I love the integrated antenna–so clever! Post readers: Giuseppe has […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Kris Partridge, who shares a link to the following radio auction via the British Vintage Wireless Society: https://www.bvws.org.uk/auctions/photos.php/2021-06-04-online-auction Kris notes: The online auction link, above, has 1499 photos of 310 lots. Not a small viewing..! There is only one small proviso, you have to be a member of the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Don (W7SSB), who writes: Hi Thomas, One of my friends has probably the best museum in the history of radio ! https://www.radioblvd.com/ Your readers can spend days looking at all the information from the early days to present ! Plenty of pictures! Don W7SSB Thank you for the tip, […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Hemphill, who shares the following guest post and addendum to his most recent post on BBC Re-Tune messages: Radio Moving Day by Bill Hemphill (WD9EQD) After listening to the BBC “Re-Tune” broadcasts, it reminded me of when the United States had its own “Re-Tune” day on March 29, […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Marwan Baayoun, who writes: Hello Thomas, I hope this email finds you and yours well and in good health. Before our trip to Turkey next Sunday, my wife and I went to see our three month and only grand kid we have. In her play room I noticed that […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who has recently been in touch with Anna at Anon-Co and discovered a few Tecsun S-8800 hidden features we haven’t mentioned in the past. Anna notes: There are some hidden features for this model that are worth mentioning, and are available on all S-8800 radios, also the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Hemphill (WD9EQD), who writes: Hi Thomas, The BBC in their transition to digital radio has started closing some of their AM radio stations. See following link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/work-warning/news/mw-closures-2021 The AM stations being closed are broadcasting “Re-Tune” instructions on their frequencies. Not sure how long they will be doing this. […]

In reply to our Caveat Emptor post, many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Zack (N8FNR), who writes: Attached is a copy of the Sony brochure for the ICF-S5W, a photo of the front and also the inside. This is a fairly old rare radio and some of your readers might enjoy the following. I just […]

Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Because I keep my ear to the waves, as well as receive many tips from others who do the same, I find myself privy to radio-related stories that might interest SWLing Post readers. To that end: Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Nick Boras, who shares the following: I was motivated by one of Tom Styles videos (hamrad88) about Sync detection to make one of my own. It is no secret that Tecsun offers Sync on several of their radios but only the 660 and 680 really work. My take on […]

SDRplay recently posted this article which focuses on counterfeit products. It’s a worthy read. They’ve seen an uptick of people contacting them believing they’ve purchased a genuine SDRplay SDR only to discover it’s a counterfeit and will not work with new SDR Uno releases. As I’ve mentioned before: I’m not a fan of counterfeits and […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Pete Madtone, who shares the following: Just a quick one to report that the KDUB broadcast from earlier this year will be repeated on WRMI this Sunday May 30th at 2300 UTC or Midnight UK time on 9395 kHz on the shortwaves. There’s a mix from One Deck Pete called “In Dub for KDUB” at 3.09 minutes in. All the shows from the KMTS (or […]

After posting links to a few used radios online yesterday, SWLing Post contributor, Jim Teddford, commented: The thing to remember when buying solid state mulitiband radios online is that you’re buying “a pig in a poke.” Meaning you are buying a radio at your own risk. Radios from the 70s/80s/90s-(Panasonic Command Series and the Sony […]

From the Isle of Music, May 30-June 5: This week, our guest is Ernesto Vega, whose album Tradition and Beyond won the Jazz category in Cubadisco 2020-2021. This will be one of our rare conversations in English with sublime jazz. The broadcasts take place: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area […]

Yesterday, I got two tips from readers regarding deals on some used radios. First off, Richard Stahl, noted this Panasonic RF-2600 being sold on QTH.com for $110.00. The photo is a little blurry, but the seller notes: A nice condition looking and playing radio that has no damage or smoke smell etc. The only item […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Stephan, who shares a follow-up report after receiving a replacement Sangean AT-909X2 from Sangean Europe. Click here to read Stephan’s initial report along with Sangean America’s comments. Stephan shares the following update: Below are some of my observations on my recently arrived ATS-909×2. I spent two week-ends to carefully […]

Indy 500 Week Marks the Second W9IMS Special Event of 2021 By Brian D. Smith, W9IND If you’re looking to add a 2021 Indy 500 QSL card to your collection, and perhaps a certificate as well, your odds of success just accelerated. From now through the end of Sunday, May 30 (Race Day), the Indianapolis […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bruce Fisher, who writes: Hi Thomas, I recently watched an episode of a science-fiction tv series on NBC called “Debris”. There was a brief scene of an antenna array and the following dialogue: “What is this place?” “It was used to transmit news reports to the Allied Nations during […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Armin Sander, who writes: Hello Thomas, Thanks for posting the info on the SI47xx firmware-update. I have done the update and the receiver runs now on firmware ver. 3.0.7a It works fine but I hear now on am/lw/shortwave “click” noises on the radio. Is this the sign that something […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi, who writes: While perusing through a 1959 Lafayette Radio sales flyer, this hybrid radio/sunglasses radio was spotted (see image above). Put a huge smile on my face–a three-transistor, germanium diode model hihi. Runs on a Mercury battery which were common years back. That is fantastic, Mario! Love […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who recently shared this recording of an unidentified numbers station in Russian. Paul recorded this on April 26, 2021 at 0218 UTC in McGrath, Alaska, on 11,615 kHz: https://archive.org/download/11615k-hz-numbers-station-mon-apr-26-2021-0218-utc-1/11615kHz%20Numbers%20Station%20Mon%20Apr%2026%2C%202021%200218UTC%20%281%29.mp3 I’m not an expert on numbers station identification–if you can ID this station, please comment! Update: Many thanks […]