Scott recommends the new Echo Global SDR iOS App

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Scott Gamble, who writes:

For the past several weeks I have been beta testing a new iOS app – Echo: Global SDR Receiver. Echo is the first SDR client custom-built natively for iOS, and launched today (March 31) in the App Store. I have found it to be a very capable listening companion and is very stable for long listening sessions spanning multiple SDR receivers.

Echo provides connectivity to over 2,000 remote SDR receivers (KiwiSDR, OpenWebRX, WebSDR, and FM DX), accessible by multiple search capabilities including a world map display, offline frequency library, station logging, and, owing to its native iOS development, features full background audio for uninterrupted listening. The iOS version supports both iPhone and iPad. More information is available at https://echosdr.com.

The App Store link is: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/echo-global-sdr-receiver/id6759174390

The developer, Mark Garrison, is very engaged with users, and there is an active Discord community of current Echo users.

Enjoy!

Scott
W5BSG

Thank you so much for the tip, Scott!

We’ll have some fun when the clock strikes one

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report Special Edition: Africa (PDF)

Mark shares some sights and sounds from South Korea

2 Replies

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Mark Hirst, who recently returned from a trip to South Korea and, at my request, is sharing some sights and sounds with us. Mark writes:

Thomas,

I’ve been catching up on cataloguing pictures and videos from my Korea trip.

I’ve enclosed a picture taken through the Seoul North Tower observation window of an adjacent radio mast.

You can also see a view of Seoul along with its dubious air quality !

I’ve posted these radio-related YouTube videos:

AFN Korea – War in Iran:

MBC FM4U – Reporting on a fire at a ‘capsule’ hotel in Myeong-dong
I embedded English translations generated by the Korean language app, NAVER Papago:

Mark

Thank you, Mark! Wow–I can’t imagine being a guest in a capsule hotel during a fire–that sounds terrifying. And thank you for that photo of the Seoul North Tower–great shot!

A Mystery Signal and a Fast Answer from UDXF

1 Reply

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who write:

Hi Thomas

I still have a tendency to scan the utility frequencies from time to time, much as I did over 50 years ago. Now, though, I can listen in through the various Kiwi SDR receivers scattered around the globe. Having obtained my amateur ticket in 1974, I got a lot of practice copying the CW repeating “markers”, especially those in the maritime bands.

Recently, on March 20 at 1821 UTC, to be exact, I came across a CW signal repeating the same message over and over on 6839 kHz, while tuning my friend Ken’s Kiwi SDR in Northern Thailand. The text read: VVV Q2M Q2M Q2M de NYZ NYZ

At first, I thought NYZ might be some kind of U.S. military callsign, but I decided to confer with an expert, Ary Boender, at the UDXF in the Netherlands. My e-mail was sent out at 10:57 am local time, and by 11:02 I had my answer! And not at all what I expected.

Ary writes:

This is a Chinese military station, Enigma designator M89.
Here is some info about it https://www.numbersoddities.nl/Chinese-military-nets.pdf
Also related is: https://www.numbersoddities.nl/M89-profile.pdf

My thanks to Ary and the UDXF, the Utility DXer’s Forum. This is a very useful site and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in Utility DXing. Check it out here:
https://www.udxf.nl/index.html

Dan Greenall, Ontario, Canada

As Canada’s Weather Radio Shuts Down, U.S. Lawmakers Push to Modernize NOAA VHF Network

10 Replies

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Richard Cuff, who writes:

Yesterday may have been the final day for WeatherRadio in Canada, as the shutdown is scheduled for today.

Meanwhile, in the USA, there’s a bill in Congress to fund modernization
of our VHF weather network…

House Committee Passes NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Proposal (Radio World)

The U.S. House Committee on Science, Space and Technology passed the NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act at a committee meeting on Wednesday.

As we reported, the legislation directs NOAA to “modernize and expand” the VHF weather radio network that serves the U.S., with $100 million for FY 2026 authorized.

It was introduced by committee Chairman Brian Babin (R-Texas) and has bipartisan support. Cosponsors include Reps. Mike Flood (R-Neb.), Eric Sorensen (D-Ill.), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) and Gabe Amo (D-R.I.). [Continue reading…]

Thank you for sharing this, Rich! It’s nice to see a bi-partisan committee pushing this forward!