The SWLing Post

From the Isle of Music, July 29-August 4, 2018: No interviews this week, just some excellent Cuban music from the 1970s and 1980s for your listening and dancing pleasure. Four options to listen to the transmission: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Chris Peters, who shares the above photo for Boat Anchor Tuesday and writes: I was lucky enough to recently pick up both these familiar faces for $150. Hallicrafters S-40B and SX-100 Both are in decent shape but are due for a recap and alignment. Wow–both of these are classic sets, Chris! After a […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ulis (K3LU), who shares a link to the full text of the H.R.5709 – PIRATE Act–a bill to “amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide for enhanced penalties for pirate radio, and for other purposes.” Here’s an excerpt from the preface of the bill: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John Figliozzi, who shares a link to this website which has archived radio listings from four major U.S. cities/newspapers from 1930-1960: http://www.jjonz.us/RadioLogs/index.htm As John pointed out, there is some serious nostalgia to be found here! Thanks for the tip, John!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m currently at the Circle of HOPE (Hackers On Planet Earth) convention in New York City. Yesterday morning, I grabbed some breakfast and a cup of coffee then headed to the Hardware Hacking Village–a space in the Hotel Pennsylvania with over 50 soldering stations–sat down and started to […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mike Hansgen (K8RAT), who shares this message from Wayne (N6KR) of Elecraft. This message was originally posted on the Elecraft email reflector: Several KX2/KX3 users have asked what I use as an adapter to go from an iPhone headset to the rig’s headphone and mic jacks. Here it is. […]

(Source: The Sandpiper via Richard Langley) Who knows how many Americans realize that 100 years ago the United States was at war? After all, when about 25 people on the street in Beach Haven in the summer of 2012 were asked for a SandPaper article what war the U.S. had been involved in 200 years […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mike S, who comments with his short review of the Sangean HDR-14. Mike writes: Well, I did something I said i would not do, triggered by Amazon’s tendency to introduce impossibly low prices on things for a couple of days, I sprang for the HDR-14. I have used it […]

From the Isle of Music, July 22-28: This week, our special guest is Cuban Jazz saxophone virtuoso Michel Herrera, who will share and talk about some of his new recording Nueva Era. Four options to listen to the transmission: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Price Kagey, who shares the following photo for Boat Anchor Tuesday and writes: “My wonderful HRO-50T. I have replaced all tubes and now need to start on capacitors and resistors.” What a beautiful radio, Price! Once you’ve re-capped and replaced the resistors in this girl, you’ll have a phenomenal receiver. […]

(Source: SNIPER IN MAHWAH & FRIENDS) After my first few public posts about shortwave trading, I gradually realized that I’d inadvertently created a worldwide network of deputy antenna sleuths. This is the final post in the Shortwave Trading series since the terms of my forthcoming employment agreement will prohibit me from future public talk on the […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Kris Partridge, who shares the following comment regarding John Harper’s recent post: The receiver which featured in Same Sky is of Italian manufacture, it’s from Geloso but I’m not able to identify which model. Here is a link to a very interest and comprehensive page, by Tony I0JX, about […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who shares the following guest post: Micro Go-Box for the ICOM IC-7100 by Mark Hirst You’ll be familiar I’m sure with the IC-7100 base unit and separate head unit design. It lends itself very nicely for vehicle installation. Using it in any ‘portable’ situation however has always […]

(Source: SNIPER IN MAHWAH & FRIENDS) I’ve heard that years ago, there was a stable business selling microwave data radios to local governments for networking their offices. Then the traders discovered microwave and everything changed for the radio vendors. Their new customers weren’t so much concerned about the cost—they just wanted the lowest-possible latency in the […]

(Source: Hackaday via bernieS) Unless you live in a cave, you’ve probably heard a little about the thirteen people — mostly children — trapped in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Thailand. What you may have missed, though, is the hacker/ham radio connection. The British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) was asked for their expert help. [Rick […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), who writes: Saw this Sony receiver at a current high price on eBay: Interesting that it has a cassette recorder, although back in those days cassettes were popular and other radios had ’em installed to record your favorite shows or to just use as a player. Yes […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, John Harper (AE5X), who writes: I don’t know if you’ve heard of a new series on Netflix – “The Same Sky” is a Cold War spy series regarding an attempt to gain access to an American eavesdropping facility in Berlin in the 1970’s. Not a lot of radio-related activity […]

(Source: Southgate ARC via Ralf Bender) The ex-DDR call-sign group from Y81A through Y89U, not used for 28 years has been issued especially for the WRTC Championship in Wittenberg, Germany. BUT …. These call signs will ONLY be on the air for the 24 hours of the WRTC / IARU HF contest – after that these call signs may never appear on […]

There has been some fascinating functionality added to the excellent KiwiSDR network of online software defined radios: Time Difference of Arrival (TDoA) direction-finding functionality. RTL-SDR.com has posted an informative article about this new feature and how effectively it works: The KiwiSDR is a US$299 HF SDR that can monitor the entire 0 – 30 MHz band at […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Brian Smith (W9IND), who writes: The cast may be smaller than in previous years, but the “Night of Nights” nostalgia show will go on. At 8:01 p.m. Eastern Time today (0001 UTC July 13), two maritime CW stations operated by the Maritime Radio Historical Society will begin transmitting Morse […]

(Source: Southgate ARC) 88 MHz Trans-Atlantic signals heard in Ireland On Sunday the 8th of July 2018, there was a remarkable opening on the VHF bands across the North Atlantic. While there were plenty of strong multi-hop Sporadic-E signals on the 28 MHz and 50 MHz bands, the maximum qusable frequency did reach as high […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mike Hansgen, who shares this latest Space Weather report from Tamitha Skov: Space Weather jumps into action this week with two weak solar storms en route to Earth. NASA models predict they will hit starting July 9 and they could easily bring aurora to high latitudes, if not mid-latitudes. […]

Yesterday, as I took a little time to curate a massive collection of photos I took at the Museum of Radio and Technology, I posted a few “boat anchor” (heavy metal vintage radio) photos and labelled them “Boat Anchor Tuesday” on Twitter and Facebook. Much to my surprise, I received a number of comments and […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jeff McMahon, who writes: I wanted you to know that my Sangean WR-2 keeps perfect time when I don’t play the radio, but when I do play the radio I lose 25 minutes; the clock is 25 minutes slow in other words. I’ve read other complaints from Sangean owners, […]

From the Isle of Music, July 15-21: This week, our special guest is trovador Pedro Luis Ferrer, who also spent a couple of years in the Rock/Pop group Los Dada. We will listen to some archival music of that group plus selections from Mr. Ferrer’s recordings over the years. Some other surprises as well. Four […]

Many thanks to Rainer Ebeling at Channel 292 who writes: I have to shut down the transmitter for three months beginning 13th July at 0700 UTC. I have no other choice to do this because part of the transmitter needs replaced and I cannot get this part fast it needs to be made from the company. […]

Dear Post Readers, If you live near or are planning travel to New York City next week, I would encourage you to check out the HOPE (Hackers On Planet Earth) conference at the Hotel Pennsylvania (July 20-22, 2018). The location couldn’t be more accessible: across the street from Penn Station and down the block from the […]

(Source: The BBC Media Centre) BBC’S Global audience rises to 376m The BBC is reaching a record weekly audience of 376m people, new figures published today reveal. The figures – the Global Audience Measure (GAM) – show how many adults the BBC reached weekly with its news and entertainment content in the year 2017/18. The […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jarno de Haan, who shares this US Army Training Film about circuit testing via YouTube. If you own vintage radio gear, you should check this out: Click here to view on YouTube.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Lilian Putin?, who writes: Greetings, my name is Lilian Putina and I am from Moldova. I’ve been following your blog for a long time, with the help of it I’ve purchased a short wave radio, SDR, and WRTH almanac. I take everything a little bit: shortwave, FM DX, weather images […]

(Source: Radio New Zealand via Mike Hansgen) China is taking up a lot of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s former shortwave radio frequencies into the Pacific region. In response to budget cuts, the ABC last year ceased shortwave broadcasting in the Asia-Pacific region ahead of a transition to FM transmission. Since that withdrawal, frequencies on which […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor,Harry Lythall (SM0VPO), who shares the following update to his excellent homebrew 20 meter magnetic loop antenna post: 3D Printed 10KV Tuning Capacitor by Harry Lythall (SM0VPO) Introduction You may have seen my 20m (14MHz) loop, or frame, antenna, and the ease of construction with just a bit of wire and a […]

Do you miss Ian McFarland on Radio Canada International? Yeah, me too. That’s why I’m always pleased to receive off air recordings from Shortwave Radio Audio Archive contributor, Tom Laskowski. I’ve just posted his latest off-air recording on the archive and thought I’d post it here as well. Tom note: Here is another one of […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, TomL, who shares the following guest post as a his Backpack Shack 3 continues to evolve: Backpack Shack 3.0 – Part 3 by TomL I have now gone overboard since I think bigger must be better. The temptation was just too great and now there is an MFJ-1979 17-foot telescoping whip antenna […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Chris Freitas, who writes: I recently came across a post on the SWLing Post after I saw Sangean released the WR-7. It recently became available on Amazon and decided to purchase one after seeing your review and Radio Jay Allan’s review. As I am writing this, I am pleased […]

From the Isle of Music, July 8-14: This week, our special guest is clarinetist/composer Ernesto Vega. He will share some of his first album, Venir al Mundo and some of his work in Familia by Arturo O’Farrill and Chucho Valdés. Four options to listen to the transmission: 1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond […]

(Source: Dorset Echo via Dave Porter) It helped the BBC broadcast its radio programmes across Europe. Now the vast site of the former radio transmission station in the west Dorset countryside is set for a new lease of life. The Rampisham Down site next to the A356 Maiden Newton to Crewkerne road, which extends to […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Zach, who notes that WLO have announced that as of 04:59 UTC on July 1, 2018, “there there will no longer be 24/7 operators on duty at the Mobile, AL stations.” Here’s a screenshot from their announcement on Facebook: The end of an era indeed. Thanks for the tip, […]

I’m happy to announce that my friend and radio producer David Goren has released the Brooklyn Pirate Radio Sound Map: a detailed interactive website exploring the dynamic pirate radio scene in Brooklyn, New York: “In Brooklyn, when the sun goes down, pirate radio stations fire up their transmitters and take to the air, beaming transgressive, culture-bearing signals […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ivan Cholakov (NO2CW), who writes: Last week I took an Eton Satellit with me on a flight from Tampa, Florida to Washington DC. The radio is very light, portable and packed with features. I have used an SDR radio before for inlight FM reception where I recorded audio, but this […]

(Source: Radio New Zealand via Richard Cuff) There is a push in Australia to re-establish Radio Australia’s services to the Asia/Pacific region. Supporters of RA in Australia hope people around the Pacific will join them in sending submissions to inquiries underway in Canberra. It comes after savage cuts at RA that included shutting down shortwave […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Porter, who shares a link to the following video. As Dave notes, “A knowledge of Dutch would be an advantage but is not essential!” Click here to view on YouTube.

In 2013, I wrote the following feature for the Monitoring Times Magazine. Looking back, I realize that I never posted this article on the SWLing Post. Since we’re in the midst of the summer travel season here in the northern hemisphere, I thought I’d post this feature from five years ago. I’m also adding a […]

Once again, SWLing Post readers did an amazing job of capturing off-air clips of the BBC Midwinter broadcast to Antarctica! Thank you so much for submitting your recordings! I managed to listen to a bit of the broadcast myself in the parking lot of the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. I only […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill (WD9EQD), who writes: Shortwave Station WTWW is promoting Field Day with a special shortwave broadcast. From their Web Page: http://wtww.us/ Call in toll free at: 833-390-5085 Promote The Ham Radio Hobby To The Entire World On A Powerful International Shortwave Radio Station – WTWW BY Calling In From Your […]

If you live in North America and have an interest in becoming a ham radio operator, this is the weekend to check out what amateur radio is all about, and meet local radio enthusiasts. It’s Field Day! What is Field Day? I’ll quote from the ARRL, who sponsors the event: “ARRL Field Day is 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 of 40+ located at various Antarctic research stations. Each year, the thirty minute show is guaranteed to be quirky, nostalgic, and certainly a DX-worthy catch! After […]

(Source: British Journal of Photography) David Titlow is Eyeballing 1970s Citizens Band Radio culture Before mobile phones and social medias, there was Citizens Band Radio – a now largely defunct technology whose culture has been unearthed by David Titlow. With the project going on show at PhotoEast festival from 24 May – 24 June, we […]

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, TomL, who shares a recording he made of the Voice of Korea on June 14, 2018. This English broadcast focuses on the Singapore summit and is, no doubt, historic in its content. [Note that we’ve posted other recordings on the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive.] TomL notes: Recorded on my […]