Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bruce, who writes:
This appeared in Episode 4 of the 1st Season of Good Omens. No sign of a brand name
on the front, unless it’s in the lower left corner which is covered.
It has a shortwave band. Does anyone recognize it?
– Bruce
If you recognize this radio, please comment!
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent NOAA forecast. Carlos writes:
Recently I have been receiving NOAA’s Pacific high seas forecast via 12579 kHz USB. According to the NOAA schedule these SITOR-B transmissions come from the USCG base in Guam (NRV). But I’m not sure about that, since the signal is very strong to come from so far away. Attached is the illustrated report.
Signal received with XHDATA D-808 receiver and long wire antenna.
All the best,
Latuff
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Terry Colgan, who shares the following announcement and update to our previous post:
Due to unforeseen issues on our end, no TRSW shows will air this weekend, despite a previous announcement.
We ceased all operations today.
Thanks and 73.
tc
Terry Colgan N5RTC
Manager
Texas Radio Shortwave
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Terry Colgan, who shares the following announcement:
September 10 will be the final day of TRSW broadcasts for a while.
We realize this is abrupt and apologize to listeners for the short notice.
We may be back on the air, but there are no immediate plans to do that. We’ll inform hobby and media outlets if the situation changes.
73.
tc
Terry Colgan N5RTC
Manager
Texas Radio Shortwave
In the Photo: Adrian Korol , RAE Director , Alejandro Pont Lezica , Executive Director of Radio Nacional Argentina, Javier Gratz, donor of shortwave transmitter, Jorge Taiana, Minister of Defense Argentina Republic, and Lic. Rosario Lufrano, head or RTA (Radio and TV Argentina) during the ceremony.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Adrian Korol, who shares the following press release from RAE and LRA 36 [note that this article has been machine-translated into English]:
Defense Minister Jorge Taiana, together with the Joint Antarctic Commander, Brigadier General Edgar Calandín, the head of Radio y Televisión Argentina SE (RTA), Rosario Lufrano, and the Executive Director of Radio Nacional, Alejandro Pont Lezica, headed a ceremony on the donation of a shortwave transmitter to radio LRA 36 “Arcángel San Gabriel”, located at the Antarctic Base Esperanza.
This action – which is part of a new collaboration between the Joint Antarctic Command (COCOANTAR) and public media entity RTA – will allow the station to significantly improve its coverage and signal’s quality, thus keeping its international reach and fulfilling the objective of disseminating the work of the Armed Forces and the scientific personnel stationed in Argentina’s Antarctic bases.
“This is an act of generosity, of solidarity with the Argentine people as a whole… it is also an act of patriotism, because it will make it possible for all of us to listen to radio broadcasts from Antarctica”, said Taiana.
For the Minister, “it is important for all Argentine men and women to have present, in their minds and hearts, that there is a part of our territory down there, and that there are Argentine men and women working hard in that continent”.
On his part, Lufrano said: “We have always said that our National Radio and Public TV must be broadcast by land, by sea, by air, and we are fulfilling that mission. It has been an honor to bring this piece of equipment on board of icebreaker ARA “Almirante Irízar” so that they could listen to all our programming, listen to our radio and watch our public television”.
In his turn, Brigadier General Calandín said: “For us it is a joy, an enormous satisfaction, to be able to show all that Radio Nacional and the Ministry of Defense have done to contribute to Argentine sovereignty in Antarctica”.
And he pointed out: “This transmitter will allow us to spread Argentine culture, all that Argentine culture means for Argentine sovereignty in Antarctica…this is essential to us”.
Javier Gratz, the donor of the transmitter, was present at the event and he stressed that the piece is entirely manufactured in Argentina.
The donation was preceded by a technical survey carried out at the Joint Antarctic Base Esperanza by Alejandro Petrecca (Head of Radio Nacional’s Transmission Plant in Pacheco) and Engineer Alejandro Alvarez, and promoted by the relationship they have with RAE (RadioDifusión Argentina al Exterior).
The event was broadcast by AM 870 and the entire public radio network throughout the country. The special program was attended by the director of Radio Nacional, Alejandro Pont Lezica; RAE director Adrián Korol; journalist Marcelo Ayala (who was in Antarctica earlier this year broadcasting from there) and hosts Mario Giorgi and Federica Pais.
LRA36 began transmissions on October 20, 1979 and since then has been operating non-stop from the Esperanza Base in Antarctica, Argentina. It is one of the most sought after stations by shortwave listeners from all over the world, and its signal has been picked up in places as distant as Alaska, Iceland, Japan, most European countries, and Latin America.
It is the only public radio station that broadcasts from Antarctica on shortwave, a characteristic that, added to the fact that it is operated by personnel of the Joint Antarctic Command, makes it unique in relation to the other stations of Radio Nacional, such as RAE.
In 2022, and for the first time, the entire LRA36 team was integrated by women only. The same happens this year and in 2024, as well.
Radio Nacional staff, teachers from the Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, RAE and the Antarctic Joint Command, under the coordination of Juan Carlos Benavente, all take part in the training of the station staff as well as in the general coordination.
Being a radio station of international scope, its goal is to disseminate Argentine culture, but above all, the work of our Armed Forces in the Antarctic bases, the scientific research work and, fundamentally, the long-running historical claim of Argentine sovereignty over this portion of Antarctic territory.
The transmitter will have a power of 10 kw and is expected to be working effectively during the Antarctic Campaign 2024.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob (K7ZB), who shares the following note and recording:
Hi Thomas,
I recently started using an SDRplay RSP1A with their new software release SDRconnect.
Quite a nice piece of work and my first foray into SDR after 60 years of analog radio (K7ZB).
Today I was listening to WWV on 10MHz and it was being interfered with a strange type of digital signal that pretty much covered the band.
I finally tracked it down to 9.979MHz, recorded it and sent it to a friend who did a bit of audio analysis on it by expanding out the signal to look at individual bursts.
I certainly don’t recognize the modulation although it sounded like a form of CW in burst mode.
I am just curious if you have any insight on this signal or where I might go to find out more about it.
Thanks,
Bob
K7ZB
Gilbert, AZ
Post readers: Can you identify this signal? If so, please comment and thank you in advance!
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, TomL, who shares the following guest post. Click here to check out all of the posts in this Audio Plugin series:
by TomL
Processing legacy audio still has a place in an increasingly digital world for the time being. The first article on this topic was strictly using the speaker jack output from an old Kenwood transceiver using a simple Behringer UCA-202 RCA-to-USB converter. However, my main receive radio is the SDR based AirSpy HF+. Either type of radio should work with the apps discussed below as long as the audio gets to your Windows computer unmolested. There are VST apps for Mac and Linux, too.
Also mentioned was how to install VST Host and the VST apps run inside it. A simple reminder is that VST Host does not really install. It just resides in any one Directory/Folder you want and you create a shortcut to run VSTHOST.EXE. All the .XML files and profiles will be stored there.
I like tinkering with many apps but you may prefer things a lot simpler. I use 64-bit versions when possible, like VST3 and x64 DLL files. Because of the myriad settings involved, I will just list the apps in order of processing with brief comments. The second icon on the top of each app opens up its control panel and the bottom left icon will Bypass the app as if it is not in the audio chain. The top-left icon Links to the Preceding app in the audio chain. Most controls inside the apps let you double-click on that control to reset to a default.
The general functional order of these apps is:
I would suggest not to spend any money until you get to use apps from each of these broad categories to understand how they work. It is very easy to destroy the audio with a couple of offending settings. If you need help with understanding how plugins work, there are plenty of YouTube videos available. One channel I like is “In The Mix” from a Scottish music production engineer, Michael Wynne (over 1 million subs!). He gives simple to understand instruction videos (especially EQ and Compressors), among other topics.
Check out: YouTube – In The Mix
Welcome to the world of Audio Production. Here are some plugins (most are FREE!):
Reaper ReaComp – A Compressor which I am using to limit volume spikes in the <300 Hz range.
Kotelnikov – A great dynamic Compressor that helps compress volume peaks in both Peak and RMS (average) levels. Useful for highly variable signals and highly recommended.
Reaper ReaFir – A dynamic processor, the Subtract feature is a special “negative EQ” which only reduces specified frequency “Points”. It is also used as a brick filter for low & high frequency limits.
Klevgrand Brusfri Denoiser – In Swedish, “brusfri” means “noise free”, and is a Denoiser app that functions similarly to Audacity’s Noise Reduction feature but works in real time. I move to a blank frequency on the same shortwave band, have Brusfri “Learn” for about 5 seconds, and it starts working.
Bertom Denoiser Pro – A good Denoiser app but on noisy shortwave it can have digital artifacts that get very loud. I use it sparingly immediately after Brusfri.
Bitsonic Sound Recovery – This app beings midrange more forward and can brighten up dull audio. However, it can lead to increased sibilances, accentuated fading distortion, and “boxy” sounding voices.
TDR Nova – A clean sounding parametric EQ; my settings are a work-in-progress for best settings. I am experimenting with having the Wideband setting do most of the work with a slight expansion of the audio coming from the SDR. Also used as a better Gain control for Bitsonic.
Modern Exciter – Set to MIN for shortwave, this app can enhance the extreme low and extreme high frequencies without increasing noise.
LOADES – A DeEsser from Analog Obsession, controls sibilance and squeaks (beware of wonky controls!).
Klevgrand Brusfri Denoiser & Bertom Denoiser Pro run a second time. More Denoising is needed after the processing done by Bitsound, TDR Nova, and Modern Exciter.
Klevgrand FreeAmp – A simple Drive and Gain control that was free when I purchased Brusfri. It makes sure audio is driven correctly into Voicemeeter AUX Input.
Voxengo Stereo Touch – Allows adding “stereo” to a mono signal. Various Presets are available, from narrow (Voice or Guitar) to wide soundspaces (Stage, Surround, and Wide). Very interesting!
Here are three VST Host processed .MP3 files from an IQ recording of Radio Amazonia using 5.3 kHz & 7kHz filters in SDR Console 3.2 (Noise Reduction 4 was used but only 1dB Reduction). The third one is using the Stereo Touch app using just the lowest setting (Voice). I like it! 🙂 :
VST processed 5.3k:
VST processed 7 kHz:
VST processed 7 kHz with Stereo Touch:
Click here to download all VST processed 5.3k & 7k .MP3 files
Happy Listening & 73’s,
TomL