The SWLing Post

(Source: Vanuatu Broadcasting & Television Corporation via Peter Marks) RADIO VANUATU CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT WORK BEGINS With the support of the Government of Vanuatu, the Vanuatu Broadcasting & Television Corporation (VBTC) has begun work this month on a 942 million vatu (US$8.1m) infrastructure upgrade to improve radio and free-to-air television service throughout Vanuatu. The first phase […]

I found this tip from Lorne Waters on the SDRplay Facebook page: I was having a lot of trouble with local noise and not getting really good signal spikes. Well I took a chance after reading many articles on using better USB cables. The picture below is what I purchased from amazon. It’s a USB […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who writes: One of Glenn Hauser’s more interesting “extra” programs to me over the years was his radio 1981 summer vacation recordings to South Dakota (near the Nebraska border). Attached is the entire WRNO recording of that program (which aired on Sep 8, 1984). This was […]

(Source: Radio World via David Iurescia and Michael Bird) WOOFFERTON, England — Nestled in the beautiful Shropshire countryside, just a few miles from England’s border with Wales, is the tiny village of Woofferton. That name is synonymous with shortwave radio for millions of listeners around the world as just a short distance from the village itself, […]

So the ALT-512 QRP SDR transceiver has landed at SWLing Post HQ. This little rig is on loan from Aerial-51 and I’ll be spending the next month or so putting it through the paces. I can already tell that the ALT-512 has some strong points: It’s incredibly portable and easy to take to the field, […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Giuseppe Morlè (IZ0GZW), who writes: I’m Giuseppe Morlè from Formia, Italy, on the Tyrrhenian Sea … I had the pleasure of listening to the transmission of LRA36 Base Esperanza Antartida Argentina on 15,476 MHz on 21 September 2019 at 14.01 UTC. I used a 25 meter wire, on the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who writes: As the DX/SWL community knows, LRA-36 Radio Arcangel San Gabriel in Antarctica Argentina put on a special broadcast on September 21st for listeners around the world. This had some pre-publicity via an announcement from the station, so chances are many people heard it. My listening […]

Encore – Classical Music on Shortwave – Broadcast on Sunday afternoon in Europe and USA Encore – Classical Music this weekend is being broadcast as usual by Channel 292 (Europe) on 6070 kHz at 15:00 UTC Sunday 22nd September. And by WBCQ on 7490 kHz at 00:00 – 01:00 UTC Monday 23rd September There is […]

May thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Srebnick, who writes: Unexpected SWBC QSL in the mail today [see above], the first in years. World Music Radio 5815 kHz (7 kw) for a May 2004 report! Interestingly, mailed from Andorra where the EDXC meeting was just held. Wow! A 5,588 day turn-around! As they say, “better […]

Glenn Hauser’s World of Radio will air episode 2,000 this weekend. The thirty minute World Of Radio show, which covers all things DX, debuted in 1980 on WUOT-FM in Knoxville, Tennessee, and moved to shortwave outlets two years later. Glenn Hauser has faithfully produced the show since then. SWLing Post Executive Producer, Scott Gamble, contacted […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor (and our intrepid radio deal reporter) Christian, who writes: The price of the Eton Executive Traveler was down several months ago, but then increased on Amazon. I’ve been watching and now prices are back down to historic lows for this modelare back down to historic lows for this […]

(Source: Radio Today Ireland via Mike Terry) Pirate radio stations are appearing on unlicenced DAB digital multiplexes in Dublin and Cork, and more are planned for other cities in Ireland. The “FreeDAB” platform, now carrying around ten stations, was born out of frustration over the procedures in place to broadcast legally on DAB in Ireland. […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Adrian Korol, who shares the following announcement: LRA Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel, Argentina Antártida Special issue This Saturday, September 21, LRA 36 will make a special transmission from the Esperanza Base, Antarctica Argentina. From 10 to 1115 Argentine time (13 to 1415 UTC) by 15476 kHz 19 meter […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Day (N1DAY), who has completed a thorough review of the MLA-30 loop antenna. In this review, he compares the MLA to the Wellbrook ALA1530-LF and a 30 foot square ground loop antenna. In short, he finds that the MLA-30 performs fairly well on the AM broadcast/mediumwave band, but […]

From the Isle of Music, September 22-28: This week we listen to a variety of new and recent releases. 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 and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jim Krause, who writes seeking an explanation about a problem he’s experiencing with his Tecsun PL-880: Tescum PL-880 Problem: The speaker will not output any sound when in the FM band. The speaker outputs sound fine when in all other bands (AM, SW, etc.). When switched into the FM […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Patalon, who shares a link to the following article on Extreme Tech: Last Tuesday at 1744 UTC (1:44 PM EDT) UR3RM, a ham radio station in Ukraine blindly sent out a message on 7040.138 kHz. It was automated. It was text. Maybe someone would hear it. Maybe not. […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul, who notes that John’s Tech Blog recently posted a review/preview of the $47 MLA-30 loop antenna. Click here to read. Click here to view the MLA-30 on eBay.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Steve Lebkuecher, who notes that C. Crane is now shipping the CCRadio3: Click here to read our review of the CCRadio3—a unit we consider to be one of the best full-sized AM radios currently on the market. Click here to check out the CCRadio3 at C. Crane.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jerry Rappel, who writes: Being both retired, my wife and I frequently visit various estate sales and garage sales. I’m mainly looking for ham radio items, vintage radios, Beatles items, and pre 1925 – 78 records. I have been rather lucky in finding a couple vintage phonographs, vacuum tubes, […]

(Source: ARRL News) Starting on Monday, September 16, WWV and WWVH will broadcast a US Department of Defense message to mark the centennial of WWV and to announce the WW0WWV special event from September 28 until October 2 at the WWV transmitter site near Fort Collins, Colorado. The DoD message transmissions will air until October […]

My Labor Day weekend was free of travel this year, so I was able to make another pilgrimage to the Shelby (North Carolina) hamfest with my good buddy, Vlado (N3CZ). The Shelby Hamfest–referred to, locally, as “The Grand-Daddy of them All”–has long been regarded as one of the largest outdoor hamfests in the southeast US. This […]

Many thanks to Mike Ladd of SDRplay who shared the following note on the SDRplay Facebook page: Just a heads up. The RSP1/RSP1a metal case upgrade are almost all gone. I will not be re-releasing this case. Grab them now while you can. Click here to purchase on eBay. Click here to view on Amazon […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who writes: I’m wondering if SWLing Post readers who use Imperial Dabman web radios might want to read about this serious security vulnerability. (Source: Threat Post) Attackers can drop malware, add the device to a botnet or send their own audio streams to compromised devices. Imperial Dabman IoT […]

Long-time SWLing Post readers know that I geek out about a number of things: radio, of course, but also travel and packs. No doubt my love of backpacks and carry bags stems from my love of travel…and the need to have a radio or two along. In the past, I’ve reviewed a number of backpacks, […]

(Source: Budapest Business Journal) Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the U.S. government-funded organization that broadcasts news and analysis to countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East “where a free press is banned or not fully established,” is set to restart in Hungary, following recent relaunches in Bulgaria and Romania. During the Cold War, […]

(Source: Radio World via Michael Bird) North Korea has returned to digital radio broadcasting after an absence of nearly two years. The latest Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) shortwave transmissions began mid August. The country has had periodic DRM broadcasts for many years. It appears unclear at this time however whether the current series of transmissions […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Martin Butera, who shares the following announcement for a new radio enthusiast group in Brazil: The new 15 point 61 Crew São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the Americas, and the seventh largest in the world, with a population of 11,300,000. This was the stage for […]

From the Isle of Music, September 15-21: This week we focus on Cuba’s urban music with special guests from Zona Franca. 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 and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on […]

(Source: ARRL) The FCC is seeking comment on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that is part of an overall plan to complete its transition to electronic filing, licenses, authorizations, and correspondence. The notice proposes to make all filings to the Universal Licensing System (ULS) completely electronic, expand electronic filing and correspondence elements for related […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Porter, who notes that the former RMP site is now on the market. (Go ahead…you know you want it!) Click here to view the real estate listing.

The EDXC conference was held in Andorra this year and I wish I could have attended. When I lived in Europe, Andorra was one of those destinations always on my bucket list in no small part due to my affinity for Radio Andorra. EDXC attendees–many are regulars here on the SWLing Post–were treated to a […]

If you’re a regular on the SWLing Post, you’ll certainly know our contributor, Robert Gulley. Robert is a wonderful friend and one of the biggest ambassadors for radio I know. Robert has mentored a countless number of ham radio operators and radio listeners–his enthusiasm is infectious. This time, Robert could really use our help. His […]

Encore – Classical Music on Shortwave – Broadcast on Sunday afternoon in Europe and USA – Radio Tumbril. Encore – Classical Music this weekend is being broadcast as usual by Channel 292 (Europe) on 6070 kHz at 15:00 UTC Sunday 8th September And by WBCQ on 7490 kHz at 00:00 – 01:00 UTC Monday 9th […]

Next week, I’ll be in the City Park area of Denver on a short trip. I’ve often thought about doing SWLing Post meetups when travelling, so why not start now? If you plan to be in Denver on September 10th, please leave a comment here or email me and perhaps we can get a group […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ron, who shares this article from Radio World: We can’t fully appreciate the importance of news from home to those who served in World War II. In the Pacific campaigns, G.I.s, sailors and Marines fought bloody island-hopping battles; as each island was cleared, garrison troops and hospitals moved in and carried […]

(Source: VOA News via Richard Cuff) WASHINGTON – The U.S. Agency for Global Media’s Chief Executive John Lansing said he will be leaving his post at the end of the month. Lansing, a veteran government broadcast and cable television executive, was named four years ago by U.S. President Barack Obama to be the first chief […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Brian (W9IND), who writes: If you’re chasing the W9IMS Checkered Flag Award, this weekend marks your last chance to snare the third and final special event of the year. The Brickyard 400 operation will conclude at 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 8 (Indianapolis time)/0359 UTC Sept. 9. The W9IMS crew […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Lou Lesko, who shares the following guest post: Missing the Static by Lou Lesko Nineteen-ninety-one, my girlfriend Michelle and I were asked to house-sit her parent’s place in a remote part of Morgan Hill, south of San Jose, California. One had to drive for two miles on a dirt […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bruce Atchison, who writes: I came across this video last year and I thought you’d be interested in it. I also picked up Jupiter on my CB radio one morning. We all wondered what was generating those sounds of waves crashing on the beach. Later on, I learned about […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Fred Waterer and Mike Hansgen who share the following article from the BBC: A new archive has revealed the BBC’s role in secret activities during World War Two, including sending coded messages to European resistance groups. Documents and interviews, released by BBC History, include plans to replace Big Ben’s […]

(Source: Radio Prague International via David Iurescia) For 83 years now listeners of Czech Radio’s external service broadcasts have been accustomed to hearing our specific call-sign. Both the call sign and the station’s name have changed over the years. Another small change is now in the pipeline. As of September 1, Radio Prague will become […]

(Source: Radio World via Marty) […]For years, NASB members have wanted to replace (or at least augment) the poor audio quality of analog SW with the crystal-clear sound of digital SW radio, specifically the Digital Radio Mondiale standard developed in Europe that is now being used in China and India. […]There are some DRM radios […]

From the Isle of Music, September 8-14: This week our special guests are members of Grupo Canela, which celebrated its 30th Anniversary in August. We also present a portion of a new recording by Legendarios del Guajirito. The broadcasts take place: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Colegrove, who shares the following guest post: National Association of Armchair Adventurers (NAAA) as recalled by Bob Colegrove Those of you who were into SWLing in the late ‘50s or early ‘60s may remember the NAAA. It was an engaging promotional effort by the National Radio Company to […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Tudor Vedeanu, who shares the following update regarding the threat to RRI’s shortwave service. Tudor writes: I contacted MediaSind asking for more details about the suspension of the SW broadcasts at RRI. Liviu Grosu, the general secretary of MediaSind told me this: “Following the reactions of MediaSind, the members […]

Important: Click here to read our update. Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post readers who have shared a link to this article on the AGERPRES website. The article is in Romanian and many are interpreting it as stating that the shortwave services of Radio Romani International have already been cut. I asked SWLing […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Nigel Holmes, who writes: My good friend Peter has done an analysis of registered HFBC. Tentative results at this stage – with some clearly silly results – but heading in an interesting direction. He’ll refine the methodology based on feedback. Click here to read the full article at Marxy.org.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who shares this article from swissinfo.ch regarding the history of the Esperanto language service of SWI. The following is an excerpt: Esperanto Esperanto (literally “one who hopes”) was the brainchild of Polish Jewish ophthalmologist Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof, who published his first brochure in the language in […]