 |
by Thomas on (#4DDGA)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Emilio Ruiz, who writes: Hi Thomas, I’m sending you and The SWLing Post readers these screenshots from the cult movie Sneakers; a great movie about incipient world of hacker security (phreaking, hacking, cryptography, etc). In a scene with Robert Redford and Dan Aykroyd, it looks like a radio communications […]
|
The SWLing Post
| Link | https://swling.com/blog |
| Feed | http://swling.com/blog/feed/ |
| Updated | 2025-12-21 23:47 |
 |
by Thomas on (#4DB79)
Talk about hitting all of my nostalgia points! Hat tip to SWLing Post reader, Mitch, for sharing this ad from a 1960s comic book: Do you enjoy the SWLing Post? Please consider supporting us via Patreon or our Coffee Fund! Your support makes articles like this one possible. Thank you!
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4D8PJ)
There’s a new QRP transceiver on the market: the twelve band ALT-512 by Aerial-51. At first glance, you’ll see a similarity between the ALT-512 and the LnR Precision LD-11/Aerial-51 SKY-SDR. The LD-11 and SKY-SDR, are very similar, save the LD-11 is marketed to North America (via LnR) and the SKY-SDR to Europe. The SKY-SDR had […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4D8K8)
(Source: Southgate ARC via Eric McFadden) Join us this Easter, our 55th Birthday, for our Annual Fundraiser. We will be broadcasting Radio Caroline North live from our radio ship, Ross Revenge, anchored in the estuary of the River Blackwater, from 9:00 am on Easter Friday until 2:00 pm on Easter Monday (all UK times). You will be […]
|
by Bill Tilford on (#4D7ZM)
From the Isle of Music, April 21-27, 2019: No guest this week – instead, we honor Jazz Appreciation Month with an hour of excellent Cuban Jazz from some outstanding artists living in the United States and Mexico. The broadcasts take place: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of […]
by Troy Riedel on (#4D5YH)
Though sunspots have been rare this year, Sunspot AR2738 has been producing bursts which have been heard as radio static – that sounds like “ocean surf†– on shortwave. This was posted early this morning at spaceweather.com – along with a recording: If you have a shortwave radio, you might have heard some unusual sounds […]
 |
by Thomas on (#4D4H1)
SWLing Post friend, David Goren (the same fellow behind Shortwaveology and the Brooklyn Pirate Radio Sound Map) has just produced and presented a BBC World Service documentary about the pirate radio scene in NYC. Spoiler alert: it’s amazing–! Below, I’ve included the description and audio links from the BBC World Service: New York City’s pirates of […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4D4EF)
(Source: Radio Tumbril) Classical Music broadcast on Sunday afternoon in Europe & USA Encore this week will start with a beautifully lyrical Piano piece by Sibelius, then we’ll have a movement from Elgar’s Cello Concerto in an historic recording by Jaqueline du Pré. There will also be a song from Gluck, two string quartet pieces […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4D4EH)
(Source: VOA News via Michael Bird) VOA’s Learning English program is bringing its decades’ long expertise of teaching foreign audiences the English language to refugee camps in Bangladesh. Learning English is VOA’s multimedia source of news and information for millions of English learners worldwide. At the end of March, a VOA Learning English team travelled to the […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4D1NE)
Many thanks to Brice Avery who writes: Hi Thomas, Thanks for all the quality work at the SWLing Post. I have recently started a weekly programme on SW playing Classical Western Music. There is hardly any now and there used to be a lot more. The show is called Encore and goes out on 6070 […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4D0XC)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Andrea Borgnino, who recently visited the studios of Radio Bulgaria and shared the following photos: Wow! Thank you so much for sharing this with us, Andrea! I’m most impressed with their auditorium which can accommodate both a full orchestra and an audience!
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CY91)
In January, when I first heard about David Vaughan’s book Hear My Voice, I knew then and there I would have to read it. So I picked up a copy on Amazon with the intention of doing so…well, soon. However, I’ve got quite a number of books in my to-be-read stack at the moment, so […]
|
by Thomas on (#4CY5H)
Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post contributors who shared the following sad news from Radio Havana Cuba. I’m sure many of you have heard Rosario Lafita on the air and perhaps even corresponded with her as she also confirmed listener reports: Dear listener: With great regret, we inform you that journalist Rosario Lafita […]
 |
by Thomas on (#4CVPC)
(Source: Radio World via Michael Bird) Radio Republik Indonesia has revealed that it plans to purchase four DRM-capable medium-wave transmitters. The public radio broadcaster says it intends to use the first pair to reach populated areas of the Southeast Asian archipelago, and the second pair for emergency warning in west Sumatra and West Java. Freddy […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CVJB)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jochen, who shares this announcement via Radio Tamazuj: Radio Tamazuj launches English news bulletin The independent broadcaster Radio Tamazuj has launched its English news bulletin today to help expand its listenership in South Sudan and Sudan. Broadcasting daily in colloquial Arabic and Juba Arabic from 6:30-7:30 a.m. [3:30 – […]
|
by Bill Tilford on (#4CVFP)
From the Isle of Music, April 14-20, 2019: No guest this week – instead, we honor Jazz Appreciation Month with an hour of excellent Cuban Jazz from some of its masters. The broadcasts take place: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of […]
 |
by Thomas on (#4CV89)
Many thanks to Mike Terry on the WRTH Facebook page, who notes that RFI’s “The Sound Kitchen†will no longer broadcast on shortwave. From The Sound Kitchen‘s latest post: For our DX enthusiast and shortwave listener friends: I am sad to announce we no longer have a shortwave frequency; we have severe budget constraints which no […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CS8Z)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Cap Tux, who shares this eBay find: a Dieter Rams Braun T1000CD. I must say, £675.00 is a lot of money, but I’m not so sure it’s an inflated price for the Braun T1000CD. I believe I’ve seen them fetch even higher prices and the condition of this unit is […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CS2H)
The following article originally appeared on The Radio Kitchen blog by Michael Pool, a.k.a. “The Professor.†In an effort to preserve his writings and recordings, we are republishing The Professor’s archived posts in a special collection here on the SWLing Post. Note that not all of the original links and recordings could be recovered, but the majority have […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CPQN)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who writes: Our greatly “Updated†SDRplay RSP1A review is now available (with new number two 2019 manufactured test sample). As usual with our web pages be sure and have pop up blocker on full (allow no pop ups) and browser security settings at default or above. […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CN46)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Emilio Ruiz, who notes: Searching archive.org found this [compilation] book: 50 Years of Wireless Design (click to view on Archive.org) Click here to download a PDF copy. I hope it will be interesting for you and the readers of the blog. [The attached] cartoon is very funny… How eliminate […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CN48)
Many thanks to the Southgate ARC who notes this recently published 1947 silent film from the Radio Society of Great Britain: The RSGB has released a vintage silent black and white video of an Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) field day held in 1947 at Chipping Barnet which was then in Hertfordshire The Incorporated Radio […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CN29)
(Source: NOAA via Michael Bird) The NOAA/NASA co-chaired international panel to forecast Solar Cycle 25 released a preliminary forecast for Solar Cycle 25 on April 5, 2019. The consensus: Cycle 25 will be similar in size to cycle 24. It is expected that sunspot maximum will occur no earlier than the year 2023 and no […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CKM6)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Thomas Ally, who notes that Andrew Yoder has released the 2017-2018 Pirate Radio Annual. Here’s the announcement from the Hobby Broadcasting Blog: 2017-2018 Pirate Radio Annual is done and I’ve received the copies back from the printer already! This edition is 308 pages and contains an audio CD-R (playable on […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CKM7)
Many thanks to Lucy Helton (KD2MFV) who writes: Dear Thomas, Between April 9th – 23rd 2019, I’m artist-in-residence at SIM, in Reykjavik, Iceland, to partner with Jón Þ Jónsson, TF3JA, an Icelandic Radio Amateur and member of Icelandic Radio Amateurs ÃRA, to transmit images via SSTV . The images, appropriated from the Reykjavik Museum of […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CHHT)
Many thanks to an SWLing Post reader who shares the following letter by FCC Commissioner Michael O’RieIly to NYC representatives regarding pirate radio operators. This passage is of particular interest–I put one statement in bold: “Since your Congressional district is located within or near the most prolific market for pirate radio, I wanted to seek […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CHF5)
(Source: VOA News) WASHINGTON —Burundi will continue to block broadcasts from two international media organizations and expand restrictions on their operations, the government announced Friday. At a meeting in Bujumbura, the president of the National Council of Communication, Nestor Bankumukunzi, said the British Broadcasting Corp. and the Voice of America are no longer allowed to […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CHCJ)
(Source: Southgate ARC) A National VOA Museum of Broadcasting Media Heritage presentation A horse clip-clops down a cobblestoned street. Muffled shouts of street vendors calling out their wares rise up, then fade out. A long time ago, before the age of the internet—and even before the age of television– radio comedies and dramas entertained the […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CFA0)
My good friend David Cripe (NMOS) has recently informed me about a new product he’s offering to the radio community via his eBay store: Kev-Flex Stealth Kevlar Antenna Wire. Kev-Flex looks like a superb option for field antennas of all stripes especially since it has an incredibly high tensile strength. It’s available in 75′ bundles, […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CF66)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balázs, who adds the following note to his recent radio sighting (of a Hallicrafters HT-32 Transmitter) in the series “The Walking Dead.†Balázs notes that in the season nine finale, he spotted the previously mentioned HT-32 (see image below), in addition to the iconic Panasonic RF-2200 (see image above). […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CCQT)
(Source: ARRL News via Eric WD8RIF) The US Department of Defense (DOD) plans to start making use of a provisional time slot on WWV and WWVH to announce upcoming HF military communication exercises and how the Amateur Radio community can become involved in them. The announcements will occur at 10 minutes past on WWV and […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CCMZ)
Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post contributors who share the following story from Radio World magazine (this summary via Southgate ARC): Managing short wave broadcasts from Ascension Island Radio World reports on the remote Atlantic Relay Station that transmits critical radio broadcasts to millions in Africa and beyond A six-mile stretch of volcanic […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CCN1)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Fahey, who writes: [A] great aircraft hijacking story with a shortwave twist…. Read the full article from NK News on the link below–the shortwave twists are here in two interesting paragraphs… “Two fight attendants from the YS-11 eventually emerged as announcers on the “Voice of the National Salvation,†[…]
|
 |
by Bill Tilford on (#4CBWA)
From the Isle of Music, April 7-13, 2019: In honor of their current tour of the United States, we are rebroadcasting our interview (plus music) with Cimafunk, the new Funk sensation from Cuba. In the second half of the episode, we listen to music from some of the entries in the Fusion category of Cubadisco […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CAA2)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor (and intrepid radio deal reporter) Christian, who writes: I’ve been following the price of the Eton Executive Traveler closely on Amazon. Each day, the price is lowered a few cents. It’s currently $41 and some change. I’m guessing Eton has triggered this continuous price drop to sell out all […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4CAA4)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mike Schuster who writes: Hi Thomas, Sangean has quietly buried yet another AM/FM HD radio in the PDF of their US 2019 catalog [download as a PDF]. It’s the HDR-15 which appears to be a small clock radio/phone dock [photo above]. Also, in their European catalog [click here to […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4C7WZ)
Thanks to a tip from SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, I spent some air time with an old friend last night: Radio Educación broadcasting from Mexico City on 6,185 kHz. Like a lot of small Central and South American shortwave stations, I believe XEPPM only broadcasts at 1,000 watts–though in the past, I believe they […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4C6GA)
Lately I’ve gotten a lot of questions from readers about magnetic loop antennas, certainly a popular topic on the SWLing Post. Good discussions underway. So, when I discovered an extra copy of Joe Carr’s excellent Loop Antenna Handbook on my bookshelf this morning, it occurred to me to share it with you, readers. I think I […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4C6C4)
Thanks to a hat tip from the Southgate ARC, I discovered that the excellent MagPi magazine has featured a number of ham radio projects in this month. I’ve outlined below a list of the projects with page numbers–note that many are simply summaries that link to full project notes in previous editions: Page 52: Pictures […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4C69G)
(Source: WAGM) The skyline in Monticello looks a lot different now. A 260 foot tower that will be soon be home to one of the largest short wave radio stations in the world is nearing completion. News Source 8’s Ashley Blackford has the story. Allan notes that transmitter tests may be taking place within a […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4C4S3)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balázs Kovács, who writes: Hi Thomas, Some radio fixing and a plan to create a radio connection between the survivor settlements in the latest (shocking) episode of The Walking Dead (S09E15): Very cool, Balázs–thanks for sharing! So can anyone name the model of the Hallicrafters rig on the table? […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4C3QY)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who writes: A greatly updated and expanded review on the AOR AR-DV1 has now been posted by me. Made a few typo corrections and some minor text changes from the first draft a few days ago, so I hope I have all of those fixed now […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4C2RN)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, DanH, who writes: For SWLing Post readers here is a YouTube reception video of VOK announcing a new shortwave schedule for the English Language Service. Click here to view on YouTube. The schedule is effective beginning 03:00 UTC, March 31, 2019. Southeast Asia: 05:00 – 06:00 UTC: 13650 and […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4C2RP)
(Source: Japan Today via Bill Mead) The Japan Commercial Broadcasters Association on Wednesday urged the government to allow them to abolish costly AM radio by 2028 amid falling revenues. Many broadcasters are struggling to maintain both AM and FM radio services. “Resolving the overlapping investment for AM and FM radio services is essential,†an official […]
|
by Thomas on (#4C1XE)
As a follow-up to our previous post featuring Kim Elliott’s commentary, check out the following article by Dan Robinson in BBG Watch: Former Analyst Challenges USAGM Audience Measurement Methods, Claims of Sharp Increases By Dan Robinson A former analyst for the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees taxpayer-funded broadcast and online media directed at […]
by Thomas on (#4C06Z)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Kim Andrew Elliott, who shares the following article and writes: USAGM (US International Broadcasting and Associated Media) reported a 24 percent increase in measured audience in 2018. Why the sudden increase? Did a major war break out? No, the measurement methodology changed … https://www.uscpublicdiplomacy.org/blog/usagm-audience-increase-less-startling-meets-eye THE USAGM AUDIENCE INCREASE: LESS […]
by Troy Riedel on (#4C023)
Can our brains sense Geomagnetic Storms? Do we have an “internal radar†that tells us when the sun is active? Brain waves respond to Magnetic Fields (Credit: Earth to Sky Calculus) I ran across this article this morning posted at http://SpaceWeather.com CAN HUMANS SENSE MAGNETIC STORMS? Close your eyes and relax. Daydream about something pleasant. In […]
|
by Bill Tilford on (#4BZM8)
From the Isle of Music, March 31-April 6, 2019 In a very special treat for our Russian-speaking listeners, our special guest this week is Robert Kel Torres, who has worked in Russia and sings some of his songs in Russian. In the second half, we listen to music by Chuchito Valdés. 1. For Eastern Europe […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4BXXK)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jason Whiteley, who writes: Hi Thomas, [T]here is a really interesting interview with Radio France here around their DAB+ expansion and the possible shut down of FM in France later [click here to read]. I used Google Translate to bring it to English. [Y]ou might also choose to link […]
|
 |
by Thomas on (#4BXV0)
(Source: Radio World via Ulis K3LU) A prominent advocate for the AM band is petitioning the FCC to allow stations to use all-digital transmissions in the United States. Bryan Broadcasting Corp. on Monday filed a petition for rulemaking asking the commission to initiate a proceeding to authorize the MA3 all-digital mode of HD Radio for […]
|