Thanks to SWLing Post reader, Owl, we know how to display the firmware version of your Tecsun PL-880:
1.) With the radio turned off, simply press and hold the “AM BW” button and the full display panel will turn on.
2.) Then press and hold the “AM BW” again and your 880’s firmware version will display (a four digit number).
I would love to know if the firmware is user upgradable. I’ll try to find out from Tecsun.
You can follow all Tecsun PL-880 updates by bookmarking/checking this link.
(Click to enlarge)
If you live in Newfoundland, Canada, you might want to take part in the Signals To Santa event at the Signal Hill National Historic Site Visitor Centre, which is sponsored by Parks Canada and the Newfoundland Radio Amateurs (SONRA).
Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Tom Ally, for the tip. Tom did some research to find the HF frequency of the event, so it could be monitored. The response from the event coordinators was 146.520 MHz. Not exactly shortwave (ahem, not even by a long shot!).
Still, I love the idea behind the event and think the Parks Canada poster is brilliant!
I believe an amateur radio club organizes a “talk to Santa” type on-the-air event each year. If anyone knows the frequency or details, please comment.
Many SWLs like listening to the World Radio Network. It appears WRN will be cutting some of their services including their web-based audio player and podcast.
WRN mentioned this in their weekly newsletter this morning:
“WRN Broadcast has announced that as part of the company’s continued growth strategy it will be refocusing its seven international radio networks to concentrate on the core service regions. As a result the French and German Networks will cease broadcasting from midnight 31 December 2013, and the wrn.org web-based stations audio on-demand and podcasting service will cease on 16 December 2013. This Newsletter will also close with the last edition published on20 December 2013.”
See WRN’s full press release below:
WRN Broadcast today announced that as part of the company’s continued growth strategy it will be refocusing its 7 international radio networks to concentrate on the core service regions.
David Treadway, CEO, WRN Broadcast, said: “As a business we’re in fantastic shape, with significant growth year-on-year from our comprehensive range of services across TV, Radio and Digital, but as a longstanding broadcast service company we are always evolving services to better meet the needs of our clients. With this development of The Networks, we’re future-proofing the service for all of the international listening community and our broadcast partners. We look forward to continuing our working relationship with all those existing network broadcasters as well as the clients in our core areas of broadcast distribution and managed services.”
The World Radio Network was created to aggregate news and current affairs from leading worldwide public and private broadcasters and content producers, including NHK, VoR and KBS. The network developed to include Arabic, Russian, French, and German whilst evolving the original English network into 3 specific networks covering Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Both the French and German services will cease broadcasting as part of this development.
The move will increase partner opportunities for the network of channels and allow further development of key areas of business growth, which centre around the company’s first-class broadcast distribution and managed services across TV, Radio and Digital.
The WRN French and German Networks will cease broadcasting from midnight 31 December 2013, with the web-based radio on-demand and podcasting service terminating on 16 December 2013.
WRN Broadcast contacts:
Email: [email protected]
(Source: Bonito Press Release)
Bonito AntennaJet ASM300
With the AntennaJet ASM 300, we add another component to our supplies of receiving equipment. It is USB-controlled and you can connect up to three different receiving antennas from 9 kHz – 300 MHz loss-free to one output socket.
Additionally, you can combine all three input channels according to your needs. They are then connected in phase to the output socket. Thus you can always find the best combination of antennas when receiving conditions are bad.
Because there are no mechanical components like relays, the switching of the channels is done electronically by using active elements. So above average intermodulation values (IP3:+40 dBm at 7MHz typical) and extremely high insulation values are achieved. The electronics are installed in strong aluminum profile housing.
The HF-inputs are BNC and are protected against short and pulse-shaped voltage surges with complex ESD protection circuits. Because the voltage supply is integrated via USB, you do not need an additional power supply, which make the ASM300 ideal for portable operation.
Technical Data
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Insulation between output and input: 110dB typ< 0.3MHz
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A very simple hidden feature: by turning off your Tecsun PL-880, then pressing and holding the number 8 on the keypad, you can turn on the PL-880 clock seconds display. Use the same process to toggle between settings.
Be warned that this free feature will not buy you extra time. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)
You can follow all Tecsun PL-880 updates by bookmarking/checking this link.
Photo source: Tecsun PL-880 Yahoo Group
There has been some confusion (mainly on my part) about the hidden feature behind button number 5.
Pressing and holding the number 5 will toggle the radio between 50 and 75 uS.
But what, exactly, is this function?
Thankfully, Eric Cottrell has the answer:
“The 50/75 uS setting is the FM De-emphasis. 75 uS in the US and 50 uS in Europe.”
Eric then pointed to a discussion about de-emphasis on DIY Audio’s website.
Many thanks, Eric, for clarifying this (and thanks to others SWLing Post readers who pointed this out in comments as well).
You can follow all Tecsun PL-880 updates by bookmarking/checking this link.
In the following video, I compare single side band reception between the Tecsun PL-880 and PL-660. On 80 meters, in SSB mode, you can hear that the PL-660 has a slightly lower noise floor than the PL-880. Note again, however, that I mistakenly had the tone control of the PL-880 set to “bass.” I’ll try to make another video later with the tone control set to the “treble” position.
You can follow all Tecsun PL-880 updates by bookmarking/checking this link.