Monthly Archives: October 2013

Halloween: pirate radio’s holiday

Halloween is typically the most active day of the year for shortwave pirates…so, here are two things you’ll want to do this Halloween:

1.

HobbyBroadcastingBlogCheck out Andrew Yoder’s new pirate radio blog with its deceptively simple title, the Hobby Broadcasting blog. Andrew is the author of the Pirate Radio Annual and a guru on shortwave pirate radio. His blog is still relatively new, but he has already posted several station loggings and QSLs. He’s even logged some Halloween stations, as Halloween began last night in Universal Time.

2.

Like Andrew, listen for pirate radio stations today!  Turn on your radio anytime today, but especially around twilight and tune between 6,920 – 6,980 kHz. Pirates broadcast on both AM and SSB; you’re bound to hear a few.

Happy Halloween to all! 

Spread the radio love

Whether fearsome or forgettable, The War of the Worlds left us with a gift

orson_wellesWithout a doubt, one of the most famous broadcasts in radio history––indeed, in American history––was Orson Welles’ radio production of the H. G. Wells’ classic sci-fi novel, The War of the Worlds.  A Halloween radio drama from the The Mercury Theatre on the Air series from the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)The War of the Worlds aired on October 30, 1938–exactly 75 years ago, today. And it’s still creating a stir…

Memorable legend?

The Welles’ production of The War of the Worlds invariably receives a side note or breakout in US history texts because of the unprecedented panic it incited in unsuspecting radio listeners during the tense period just prior to World War II, when radio was truly king of mass media and information.  Listeners reportedly took to the streets upon hearing the Mercury Theatre’s seemingly credible “accounts” of monsters from Mars invading New Jersey.

dailynews-WOTW-PanicBecause many listeners tuned in the production without hearing the Welles’ introduction to the drama, they heard what sounded like a live news report of Martians attacking our planet.  While it seems dubious today, what made Welles’ production so convincing was his innovative use of mock news breaks, and what listeners described as a “deafening” silence after a supposed “eyewitness report.” It sounded, in short, terribly authentic, and therefore convincing.

Few believe Welles was intentionally trying to trick his audience; rather, sources suggest he was attempting to treat his listening audience by infusing what would have otherwise been a fairly staid radio drama with imagination, creating a captivating thriller.

The result? By most accounts, Welles’ succeeded. Without doubt, The War of the Worlds propelled this young theatrical director into the public spotlight, onto the big screen, and made his name known the world over.

Last night I had the pleasure of viewing a brilliant documentary about The War of the Worlds on PBS’s American Experience. It told, in detail, of the events leading up to the production, the very convincing reasons why it had the impact it did, and offered entertaining listener accounts from letters sent to CBS. If you missed it,  you can watch it, too, by clicking here.

NPR’s RadioLab also devoted their most recent show to Welles’ production of The War of the Worlds. You can listen to their broadcast on their website, or via the embedded player below:

…Or forgettable myth?

War-of-the-worlds-tripodThen this morning, I read a rather provocative article by  and  in Slate; their mutinous view of the impact of Welles’ The War of the Worlds broadcast flies in the face of the American Experience and RadioLab documentaries and, indeed, every history textbook which devotes space to Welles. These authors claim:

“The supposed [War of the Worlds] panic was so tiny as to be practically immeasurable on the night of the broadcast. Despite repeated assertions to the contrary in the PBS and NPR programs, almost nobody was fooled by Welles’ broadcast.”

The authors go on to explain that the myth of Welles’ mass hysteria was fabricated:

“How did the story of panicked listeners begin? Blame America’s newspapers. Radio had siphoned off advertising revenue from print during the Depression, badly damaging the newspaper industry. So the papers seized the opportunity presented by Welles’ program to discredit radio as a source of news. The newspaper industry sensationalized the panic to prove to advertisers, and regulators, that radio management was irresponsible and not to be trusted.”

I encourage you to read the full Slate article, however, as it goes into much greater detail supporting the author’s assertions, which I find both logical and compelling.

But that’s not all.  This afternoon, while writing this post, NPR published a new article about The War of the Worlds, highlighting the Slate piece and the American Experience and RadioLab productions, but drawing no conclusions of their own. Click here to read the full NPR post.

Strangely, nothing I’ve read so far about The War of the Worlds mentions what I feel to be most obvious.

So, what came of it?

welles-war-of-the-worldsI believe Welles’ controversial radio production did something for radio listeners regardless of the level of panic it may––or may not––have engendered. Welles’ Halloween production left them (and us) with a gift. How so?

Prior to the dense radio propaganda surrounding World War II, The War of the Worlds undoubtedly made radio listeners, from that point forward, seriously question what they were hearing over the air. It forced them to listen with a skeptical ear, to realize that no matter how “real” a report might sound, not to assume its authenticity just because it was broadcast on the radio––or, for that matter, printed on the page of a newspaper. This was to become an invaluable tool in the coming days of American involvement in the war, especially for GIs desperate for news from the home front while propaganda seized the media.  Whether during Welles’ thrilling production or in the news frenzy that followed,  radio’s power had been publicly highlighted, and that power was sure to have an enormous impact on the coming world war.

In conclusion, perhaps we need another such event in this age of television and Internet. All too many people no longer question what they see, read, or hear from either source; these readers/viewers accept reporting of any stripe with blind faith, swallowing news bites and opinion pieces like digital candy. Then they tweet…and re-tweet.

Indeed, this is a common complaint I hear from many shortwave radio listeners.  I suspect this is because we, in contrast, tend to be motivated by hearing the many differing voices on the air and allowing our grey matter––our brains––to discern fact from fiction.

We owe Welles a debt of gratitude.

But don’t take my word for it…

RadioListeniningRegardless:  whether Welles created widespread or merely local panic, or whether you even buy my theory that this production taught us to question what we hear, it’s difficult to deny that the Orson Welles’ production of The War of The Worlds was a brilliant, ground-breaking radio drama.  And, I would add, great seasonal entertainment. Fortunately for us, almost 75 years later (nearly to the minute!), we can listen to archived recordings of the original CBS production.

If you would like to hear the original, simply click here to download the broadcast as an MP3, or listen via the embedded player below.

Happy Halloween!  Enjoy (and keep your hat on, folks):

Spread the radio love

Listener Post: Neil Goldstein

Analog Radio DialNeil Goldstein’s radio story is the latest in a new series called Listener Posts, where I will place all of your personal radio histories. If you would like to add your story to the mix, simply send your story by email!

In the meantime, many thanks to Neil for sharing his personal radio history:


Neil Goldstein

r355I developed a love for electronic things in general at a very young age. My folks had a huge problem with me taking phonographs apart to try to figure out how they worked. I remember my older brother Lee, starting a log of AM radio stations that he could receive, and getting a Wards Airline multiband radio that received Shortwave. It was right about then (early 70’s) that I was given my first Shortwave radio. We had a family friend who lived nearby that had traveled the world. She referred to herself as The Baroness Charlotte Serneaux Gregori. She owned an import/export company in New York, and was an accomplished painter of abstract art. Her house was filled with things she had collected in her travels, and she found out that I was curious about Shortwave radio. She gave me a small National Panasonic AM/SW transistor radio. That hooked me.

My second radio also came from her. Another National Panasonic. I still have this one, but it is not functional anymore. I went through a series of radios, including some of the classics (Panasonic RF-2200, Sony 6500, Sony 2010, Sangean 803a). I owned some Ham Radio equipment for a time, hoping to get my license, but that didn’t happen till about 2 years ago.

r_803h_774326Charlotte passed away when I was a teenager. I have a couple of her paintings in my possession, as well as that radio. I recently purchased a Bulova AM-SW transistor radio that reminded me of the original one she gave me. I am having it restored to its original glory, which I hope to also have done to the second one. That might be a bit more of a job though.

I think one of the most valuable things I got from radio listening was to get more than one view on world events. When something happened in the world, I would listen to the BBC, Radio Australia, Radio Canada, Radio Tirana (for comic relief mostly), and many others.

Neil's Nissequogue River State Park QRP expedition

Neil’s Nissequogue River State Park QRP expedition

These days I’m a licensed Ham. I love experimenting, and playing with low-power equipment, and I’m thrilled with the way Ham radio has embraced my career in computers now with digital modes, SDR, and so much more. I have gotten back into building things. I have to think that being a SWL for 40 years before getting my Ham license gives me a different perspective on the world of Ham radio. With everything going on in that world for me, I still listen. I’m a little disappointed in the direction that Shortwave radio is heading, but there’s still something to hear, and multiple views and opinions to absorb. I miss the good old days, and wish I had some of todays technology back when there was more to hear. Can you imagine having a SDR in the early 80’s?


Many thanks, Neil, for sharing your story!

Readers, be sure to check out Neil’s blogs: Fofio! and Radio Kit Guide.

Click here to read our growing collection of Listener Posts.

Spread the radio love

Radio Northern Star test broadcast: Thursday, Oct 31

RadioNorthernStarMany thanks to Svenn Martinsen for the tip!  Sven writes:

“LKB/LLE is on the air with new test broadcasts this week from LLE-2 (1314 kHz) and LLE-3 (5895 kHz)[.]

Morning Broadcast today Wednesday @0615-0900 UTC, and afternoon broadcast Thursday @1530-1730 UTC. […]

Our QSL card has arrived, and are being sent out, but still reports are welcome!

Address:
Box 100
N5331 RONG
NORWAY

or [via email] [email protected].

I didn’t get this tip in time to tune to the first broadcast (today, 6:15-09:00 UTC), but I hope some of you can try listening on 5,895 kHz between 15:30-17:30 UTC tomorrow (Thursday, Oct 31).

Spread the radio love

BBC World Service Radio Archive: how you can help

The BBC World Service Radio Archive (Prototype) contains over 50,000 digital recordings, spanning 45 years of the World Service; indeed, more than the BBC can tag and categorize by hand. Read below to learn how you can create a login with the archive, browse, listen to and tag recordings if you wish.

(Source: BBC Research and Development)

BBCWSArchive

BBC Research & Development is running an experiment with the BBC’s World Service radioarchive to demonstrate how to put large media archives online using a combination of algorithms and people. With your help we aim to comprehensively and accurately tag this collection of BBC programmes.

This prototype website includes over 50,000 English-language radio programmes from the BBC World Service radio archive spanning the past 45 years, which have all been categorised by a machine. You can explore the archive, listen to the programmes and help improve it by validating and adding tags.

[Click here for more details…]

Many thanks to Mike Barraclough for the tip!

Spread the radio love

Solomon Islands Broadcasting adds to shortwave

SIBC-Solomon-Islands-Broadcasting-CorporationMany thanks to David Ricquish of the Radio Heritage Foundation for this tip.

David writes:

Solomon Islands Broadcasting has reactivated its daytime shortwave transmitter on 9,545 from 20:00-05:00 UTC daily for those who like to chase rare shortwave radio stations.

Indeed, this will be challenging DX for much of the world. I imagine the maximum output power will “only” be 10 kilowatts or so–enough power to cover the Solomon Islands, but not enough for reliable global coverage.  Still, this is the type of DX station I love to chase.

For a list of SIBC AM/FM and Shortwave frequencies, click here.

Spread the radio love

Listener Post: Ed McCorry

Ed McCorry’s radio story is the latest in a new series called Listener Posts, where I will place all of your personal radio histories. If you would like to add your story to the mix, simply send your story by email!

In the meantime, many thanks to Ed for sharing his personal radio history:


Ed McCorry (KI4QDE & WDX2PNH)

How did I get my start in SWL’ing? Well I suppose it was a lot like many other people way back in the 60’s.

Hallicrafters-S-120As I remember, I was always a tinkerer with a keen interest in all things electrical, taking things apart and putting them back together, not always without modification or in working order. I was a freshman in high school (1962) and was working on a project with a classmate at his house one day and found out he was a ham. I had heard about this but this was the first time I had met someone who had radio equipment. He was new to the hobby and had a Hallicrafters S-120 receiver (didn’t everyone?) and a Morse code transmitter. He showed me how it worked and we listened for awhile and I was hooked.

Back in those days living in New Jersey, we had a black and white TV and received the three major network feeds and a few independents from New York. The stations went off the air sometime around two in the morning and there wasn’t a whole lot to watch anyway so I was always looking for something to do. Shortwave radio was the answer!

Like a lot of other families back then we had all the necessities we needed but there wasn’t any extra money to go buy a radio (the S-120 cost $65.00, a weeks pay). Well by doing odd jobs and mowing lawns I was able to save up to buy a used 4 band shortwave radio for $25.00 (can’t remember the brand). I threw some wire out of the window for an antenna and I was in business. I would listen for hours to places I had only read about. Little did I know then that it would still be a hobby when I was 65 years old!

(Image: RFCafe)

(Image: RFCafe)

From there I started reading Popular Electronics where Hank Bennett had a shortwave column, registered SWL’s and gave out call signs. Mine was WPE2PNH. From that column I learned how to send reception reports and get QSL cards. There were so many stations back then. I got a job after school and finally had the money to go buy that S-120. Meanwhile I was taking electronics in school and building some of the simpler projects from PE.

After High School I was in the military for the next 8 years and had the S-120 with me when I was in the States but between going to Viet Nam and Thailand for 3 years and everything else going on there wasn’t much time for SWL’ing. However, I did build my first of around 30 Heathkits back then. It was a Q-Multiplier for the S-120.

After I left the service I got back into listening and in 1978 I wrote Hank Bennett who had left PE and started his own SWL registration and he changed my call sign to WDX2PNH (still have the certificate on the wall).

I was never interested enough in all those years to go get my ham ticket until I was on a Search and Rescue team in 1995 that required it. So I received my Technician license, KI4QDE, and until recently spent much more time listening than talking. I’m pretty much 2 meters but I will probably upgrade to General in the near future as it seems that there is less to listen to month after month with the BCB stations cutting short wave.

So here we are, many years, radios, antenna’s and QSL’s later, I consider myself lucky growing up when I did. Times were much simpler, (even though we were afraid of being blown up by an H-bomb) we were at the beginning of a technical explosion, and we made due with what we had. I wonder if I was 13 years old today if I would have the same enthusiasm about radio as I did back then. Probably not, I’m sure radio seems old fashioned to the kids today with all the computer games, internet, smart phones etc. Sure there is more information available to the SWL on the internet but in my opinion it’s also killing the hobby. It’s to bad progress has to leave some good things in the dust…

73,
Ed McCorry
KI4QDE & WDX2PNH
Willow Spring, North Carolina


Many thanks, Ed, for sharing your story!
Click here to read our growing collection of Listener Posts!

Spread the radio love