The SWLing Post

Folks have been known to say that good things come in small packages. And, do you know what? They’re sometimes right. [Spoiler alert: This review features a good thing which comes in a small package.] I’ve been in the process of evaluating some pretty complicated pieces of communications equipment lately. So when Sangean approached me […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dean Denton–our intrepid 13 year old DXer. Dean writes: How are you doing? I have found a recording on the archives of a recent North Korean recording of the Voice of Korea on the Panmunjon Summit, between both North and South Korean leaders. Not only am I pleased with the news, but […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul McDonough, who notes that CountyComm is once again offering $20 off the price of their GP5-SSB this weekend: Click here to view the sale at CountyComm. Click here to read out review of the GP5-SSB.

(Source: Radio World via Mike Hansgen) LONDON — The BBC World Service, available on radio, TV and online, is part of one of the largest news organization in the world, the BBC. The weekly reach of the World Service on all platforms accounted for 269 million (up from 246 million in 2015–16). […]Large numbers of […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Cripe (NM0S) for sharing the flyer above announcing the first annual Midwest STEM TechFest. This looks like an exciting event and frankly where I believe where most amateur radio conventions should be investing their time: in recruiting future engineers and makers! Well done!

(Source: Michigan Public Radio) In a world of Skype and FaceTime, a Kettering freshman is bringing back ham radio club She may be busy with her double major in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Physics, but Kettering University student Ruth Willet always finds time for her passion: amateur radio – also known as “ham radio.” And even in this era of […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Gary DeBock, who shares the following notes from his Cook Islands Ultralight DXpedition: Aitutaki Sunset DX Aitutaki in the Cook Islands had some dazzling sunsets, and [my wife] loved to take sunset pictures with her new phone. Of course, I participated as well. As a result, sunset DXing was […]

Many thanks to Dennis Walter at Bonito for sharing the following product announcement: MegaDipole MD300DX wideband active dipole The MegaDipole 300DX is a broadband active dipole with a maximum upper working frequency of 300 MHz. The dipole reacts to the electrical component (E-Field) of the electromagnetic field and will deliver best results regarding signal strength […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Brian D. Smith (W9IND), who shares this information about SWL-friendly awards offered by his amateur radio club to commemorate the three major auto races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Indianapolis Motor Speedway special event stations: Act now for your shot at a 2018 certificate! Attention, paper chasers: Amateur radio station […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ivan Cholakov (NO2CW), who shares the following: Thomas, there has been a lot of discussions regarding Airspy HF+ ever since it came out – heated exchanges regarding comparisons with peers, modifications and firmware updates. I took my Airspy HF+ and conducted two tests with it: Airspy HF+ vs. SDRPlay RSP-1A […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, William Lee, who shares the following links to articles regard cuts faced by the Aaustralian Broadcasting Corporation and other Australian media news: ABC hit in Federal Budget ABC Adelaide sound library axed as jobs shift to eastern cities US public radio consortium buys Australian podcasting app Pocket Casts Regarding […]

(Source: DVIDS via Kim Elliott) Going the Distance! 1BTC Uses HF Radio to Go Far and Wide FORT DRUM, NY, UNITED STATES 05.03.2018 Story by Capt. Ed Robles 1st Brigade Combat Team,10th Mountain Division (LI) FORT DRUM, New York (May 3, 2018)–Captain Luke Reese, commander of C Company, 7th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Brian Smith (W9IND), who shares the following press release regarding the historic U.S. Navy callsign NSS that will be reactivated during the 100th anniversary of the former Naval Radio Station in Annapolis, Maryland: Historic NSS Call Sign to be Reactivated During its 100th Anniversary Historic U.S. Navy callsign NSS […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Eric McFadden (WD8RIF), who notes that Elecraft co-founder, Eric Swartz (WA6HHQ), is featured on the latest episode of Ham Radio Workbench. Here’s the description of the interview provided by Ham Radio Workbench: Eric Swartz WA6HHQ, co-founder of Elecraft, joins us to guide our understanding of RF receiver performance specifications. […]

(Source: Radio World via Mike Hansgen) Pirate Radio Bill Formally Introduced Bipartisan legislation designed to thwart and penalize radio pirates and supporters BY SUSAN ASHWORTH, MAY 9, 2018 Another legislative step has been taken in the effort to fight illegal pirate radio operations. On May 8, Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ) and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY) […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alan Roe, who notes that he has now compiled his Music on Shortwave listing for the A18 broadcast season. Alan, thanks so much for keeping this excellent guide updated each broadcast season and for sharing it here with the community! Click here to download Alan Roe’s A18 Shortwave Music Guide version […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, London Shortwave, who shares this fascinating article which takes a look at high-frequency trading firms: (Source: Sniper in Mahwah & Friends) Shortwave Trading | Part I | the West Chicago Tower Mystery Since 2014 this blog has extensively covered the wireless networks built by high-frequency trading (HFT) firms or network providers to […]

(Source: SDRplay) Steve Andrews contacted the SDRplay forum recently to share ideas for a new Spectrum Analyser tool for use with SDRplay RSPs. A lively discussion started, with a lot of enthusiasm and encouragement from the user community, for something optimised for these devices. Steve is progressing well with the software development and hopes to […]

From the Isle of Music, May 13-19: No interviews this week, rather a potpourri of new releases of new Cuban Jazz and Popular Dance Music Four opportunities to listen on shortwave: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) […]

(Source: Southgate ARC) Radio Caroline Trip 2018 The Martello Tower group will once again be running a special event station GB5RC from the Radio Caroline ship the MV Ross Revenge over a long weekend 3rd to 5th August. This weekend we have arranged 6 trips out to visit the ship for a tour of the ship including studios, transmitter room etc. […]

(Source: Deutsche Welle) Deutsche Welle marks 65th anniversary For six-and-a-half decades, Germany’s international public broadcaster has been providing the world with news and information. Deutsche Welle’s offerings are more diverse and widely used than ever before. “Dear listeners in faraway countries” — with these words from German President Theodor Heuss, Deutsche Welle (DW) began broadcasting on […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader @medmouad who recently shared a link to the following article by Kenji Rikitake at Medium.com: I’m sure Japan is one of those countries which implement the worst online broadcasting policies. You cannot listen to Japanese internet radio stations from outside the nation, thanks to the geotagging technology for the IPv4 address; most […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Robert Gulley (AK3Q), who notes that Black Cat Systems has developed a simple 22 meter beacon kit. The price is $20 shipped! A few details: The kit includes the PCB and components, including a custom programmed microcontroller that will continuously transmit the ID / callsign of your choice, up to […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Hemphill (WD9EQD) who shares the following: I went to the Warminster Amateur Radio Club (WARC) hamfest [yesterday] in Bucks County, PA. For some time, I have been thinking about making a loop antenna for AM DXing. It was my lucky day. When I walked to the inside tables, […]

Rather than take pictures of the Milky Way, astronomer Mark Heyer decided to capture it in a completely different art form. This amazing video is part of an article from Interesting Engineering depicting the motion of the Milky Way translated into a musical score. While most astronomers love capturing unique and stunning images of the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who writes: Here’s a blast from the past that might be interesting reading for the SWLing Post. Back in 1986, just before ending my three year tour as VOA East Africa bureau chief, I had an opportunity to visit Zanzibar, with a group of journalists. Back then, […]

(Source: Deutsche Welle via Mike Hansgen) Beethoven on the air: the DW signature tune When Deutsche Welle went on the air 65 years ago, the broadcaster opted for a melody from “Fidelio” for its signature tune. Ludwig van Beethoven’s opera is about an act of liberation. A political prisoner is starved and nearly tortured to […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, DanH, who writes: I put up a couple of videos on my “Willow Slough DX” YouTube channel nine hours ago that may rate at least an Arte Johnson (Laugh-in) “verrry interestink”. These are two videos of the North Korean shortwave station Voice of Korea operating with their new time […]

(Source: The Independent via Mike Hansgen) Nairobi, Kenya | AFP | Burundi’s press regulator on Friday said it was suspending broadcasts by the BBC and Voice of America (VOA) by local radio stations ahead of a constitutional referendum on May 17. The head of Burundi’s National Communications Council told journalists in the capital Bujumbura that […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, who shares a rare Eddystone 40A find on eBay. Dan notes: What is interesting also about this is the similarity to the Drake SW8 — notably the carrying handle. 40A s are rarely seen on the used market, and in line with other older Eddystone equipment, they […]

Today is popularly known as Star Wars Day––and I’m reminded of one of my favorite posts, featuring Star Wars sound designer, Ben Burtt, who to my surprise, contacted me to answer a question I published here on the SWLing Post. Once again, here it is. Enjoy! And “May the fourth be with you!” SWLing Post readers […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Gary DeBock, who shares the following notes from his Cook Islands Ultralight DXpedition: Checking out transoceanic DX propagation at an exotic ocean beach site can provide the hobby thrill of a lifetime– if a DXer is lucky enough to choose the ideal time, place and gear to make the […]

In response to the spaceweather.com article about a lack of sunspots I posted yesterday, SWLing Post contributor, Rob Wagner (VK3BVW), replies: Oh Thomas! Really? It’s not all doom-and-gloom, you know! The low-frequency part of the SW spectrum is proving very good value at the moment. And the mediumwave guys are telling me that there’s plenty […]

From the Isle of Music, May 6-12: This week, musicologist and producer Gretel Garlobo helps us explore Trovuntivitis, a contagious musical movement that broke out in Villa Clara province Then, we listen to some excellent Afrocuban Fusion from Los Hermanos Arango. Four opportunities to listen on shortwave: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond […]

Unfortunately, this is not news to brighten your day. According to Spaceweather.com, sunspots are disappearing faster than expected: Sunspots are becoming scarce. Very scarce. So far in 2018 the sun has been blank almost 60% of the time, with whole weeks going by without sunspots. Today’s sun, shown here in an image [above] from NASA’s […]

(Source: Southgate ARC) Antique Wireless Association Valve QSO Party The AWA Valve QSO Party is a phone contest held over two sessions on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 May 2018. On Saturday afternoon the AM session will be on the air from 13:00 to 17:00 UTC and on Sunday the SSB session will run from 13:00 to […]

SWLing Post contributor, Matt, writes: Thomas: I know you’re a self-proclaimed pack geek and so am I! You published a photo of your EDC pouch in a post last year. Just a teaser really! What is that pouch and I assume you have a larger carry bag as well? Can you provide more details? I’m ever […]

With North Korea in the global spotlight, I’ve been making every effort to listen to the Voice of Korea on shortwave. Unfortunately, from here on the east coast of North America, conditions have simply not been in my favor. Fortunately, a couple of SWLing Post and SRAA contributors have had my back. Yesterday, Richard Langley, uploaded […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Brian (W9IND), who shares the following announcement regarding the next Armed Forces Day Crossband Test: The Army Military Auxiliary Radio System will host this year’s Armed Forces Day Crossband Test, scheduled for May 12, 2018. This annual event is open to all radio operators, and will not impact any […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Gary DeBock, who shares the following note about his recent Cook Island DXpedition: The farthest DX received during the Cook Island DXpedition (on Aitutaki island) was 657-All India Radio in Kolkata, India, at 8,072 miles (12,991 km). Recorded by accident during a sunrise check of the Korean big guns at […]

This is an amazing video – hand-made vacuum tubes! About 17 minutes long – well worth the watching if you have any interest at all in old equipment! You can find the video here Enjoy! Robert Gulley, AK3Q, is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. Robert also blogs at All […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alexender (DL4NO), who shares the following comment in response to our recent post about LED bulb QRM: The DARC does even more: It is planning a long-term project with some 50 automatic monitoring stations with standardized, calibrated antennas and according to standardized methods to document the changes. Every monitoring […]

(Source: DailyNK via Andrea Borgnino) North Koreans continue to seek out foreign radio despite crackdown Police in North Korea have recently focused their attention on cracking down on listeners of South Korean radio broadcasts in another sign of the government’s dual-approach to warming ties with the South, according to a source inside the country. Speaking […]

(Source: RTL-SDR.com) Nexmon SDR: Using the WiFi chip on a Raspberry Pi 3B+ as a TX capable SDR Back in March of this year we posted about Nexmon SDR which is code that you can use to turn a Broadcom BCM4339 802.11ac WiFi chip into a TX capable SDR that is capable of transmitting any arbitrary signal from IQ data within […]

(Source: Southgate ARC via Mike Hansgen) LED Bulb RF Pollution – Elektor Magazine investigates DARC, the German national amateur radio society, are requesting amateurs to send LED bulbs which pollute the RF spectrum to the magazine Elektor for investigation A Google English translation reads: Elektor-Verlag GmbH calls all readers and especially all radio amateurs to send non-compliant […]

This was posted today in Radio World: Bills head to Senate accompanied by applause from stakeholders The House has unanimously passed the Music Modernization Act, a compromise bill that creates a framework for better compensating artists for digital plays of their music and making it easier for music rights organizations to collect those fees from […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, @UlisK3LU, who notes that New Jersey pirate radio station operator, Winston Tulloch (KC2ALN), has been fined $25,000 for operating an unlicensed station on 90.9 MHz FM. According to the FCC, the hefty penalty comes after after multiple requests to halt broadcasting starting in February 2015. The station was finally taken […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Thomas Cholakov (N1SPY), who shares his latest video explaining the operation of a simple homebrew AM loop antenna: Click here to view on YouTube. Brilliant video, Thomas! I love the fact you included a demonstration with your SDRplay RSP1A as well. Via the spectrum display, it’s easy to see the […]

From the Isle of Music, April 29-May 5: International Jazz Day is April 30, and this year the official concert site is St. Petersburg, Russia, but in 2017, Havana was the official concert site, and this week we listen to some of that 2017 concert. Four opportunities to listen on shortwave: 1. For Eastern Europe […]