Dennis Walter, from the German radio manufacturer Bonito, just sent some photos he took at the 2013 Dayton Hamvention. Photos feature Bonito’s booth in Hara Arena, inside exhibits and the outdoor flea market area.
(Photo source: QRZ.com)
Shortwave Central has posted a message from Dan Elyea of WYFR announcing its closure on June 30, 2013:
(Source: Shortwave Central)
We regretfully inform you that the final day of operation for WYFR will be June 30, 2013.
This station descended from W1XAL (an experimental class license assigned in 1927). In 1939 the call letters were changed to WRUL, and then changed to WNYW in 1966.
Initially, broadcasts came from Boston. In 1936 the station moved to Scituate, Massachusetts.
On October 20, 1973 Family Stations, Inc. took ownership of the station using the call letters WYFR. (FSI had been buying airtime from WNYW starting in January of 1972.) At that time, the station sported four transmitters and nine reversible rhombic antennas.
Construction started in Florida in 1976. On November 23, 1977 the first transmission from Okeechobee went on the air.
For several years WYFR operated simultaneously from Scituate and from Okeechobee. The last broadcast from Scituate took place on November 16, 1979.
The Okeechobee site eventually grew to 14 transmitters and 23 antennas. And now we’ve gone full cycle.
Good listening to all, and 73,
Dan Elyea
(Photo source: AP / Petros Giannakouris)
Though the Voice of Greece has only been off the air very little, this court order will allow them to legally broadcast again:
(Source: Reuters)
A Greek court ruled that shuttered state broadcaster ERT must reopen immediately, a court official said on Monday, offering the squabbling ruling coalition a way out of a political crisis over the station’s abrupt closure.
The ruling – which ordered ERT switched back on until a restructured public broadcaster is launched – came six day[s] after Prime Minister Antonis Samaras took it off air in the name of austerity and public sector layoffs to please foreign lenders.
The ruling appeared to vindicate Samaras’s stance that a leaner, cheaper public broadcaster must be set up but also allowed for ERT’s immediate reopening as his coalition partners had demanded, offering all three a way out of an impasse that had raised the specter of snap polls.
“It appears that the interim decision of the top administrative court gives the three leaders an opportunity to find a face-saving formula,” said Theodore Couloumbis of the ELIAMEP think-tank.
A live feed of ERT – whose journalists have continued broadcasting over the Internet in defiance of orders – showed workers breaking into applause on hearing the court ruling. ERT’s Symphony Orchestra began an outdoor concert outside its headquarters, playing an old news jingle to cheering supporters.
“I’ve been here seven nights and this is the first time I’ve seen people smile,” said Eleni Hrona, an ERT reporter outside the headquarters.[…]
Read the full story at Reuters. Many thanks to Zach for the tip!
The ShouYu SY-X5
Thanks to Paul, I just found out about the ShouYu SY-X5: a new analog DSP-based shortwave radio with built-in MP3 player. Like the Degen DE321, DE32, Kchibo KK-9803 and the recently released Tecsun R-2010D, the SY-X5 has a mechanical tuning mechanism powered by a Silicon Labs DSP chip.
I just purchased the ShouYu SY-X5 from this seller on eBay. The total cost was $27 US including shipping from Hong Kong. There are other sellers
offering the SY-X5 on eBay, but their prices are almost double (with shipping from the US).
At a low price of $27 US, my expectations will be adjusted accordingly. My hopes are somewhat higher for the Tecsun R-2010D as Tecsun tends to do a better implementation of DSP chips than their competitors. Since I’ll be receiving both units within days of each other–and I still have the DE321 and DE32–I will certainly compare them.
Gezi protest in Ankara (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
A few days ago, I posted a recording of the Voice of Turkey that noticeably lacked coverage of the Gezi Park protests.
Friday, I recorded VOT’s English language broadcast and was surprised to find that they actually mentioned the protests (admittedly, without it’s due weight) in several news items. I’m very curious how future VOT broadcasts will cover news of yesterday’s riots in Istanbul as police cleared crowds of protesters with water cannons and tear gas.
Click here to download the full recording, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
(Source: radioakroatis.blogspot.gr)
SWLing Post reader, Christos, has been reporting regularly on the state of ERT broadcasting in defiance of a government shutdown.
Here’s his latest report:
My logging on the frequencies used by ERT employees:
- 1404 KHz – KOMOTINI
- 1260 KHz -RODOS
- 1512 KHz – CHANIA, CRETE
- 9420 KHz – AVLIDA
This radio programme can be heard at the following internet address: http://193.43.93.230/ert.php
- 1008 KHz CORFU, [is] relaying audio from live video streaming.
This programme can be watched at: http://www3.ebu.ch/cms/en/sites/ebu/contents/news/2013/06/monitor-ert-online.html
- 729 KHz
- 96 MHz FLASH FM for Athens, Attiki.
They broadcast another radio programme.
666 KHz , 981 KHz : Transmitters are active, but there is no audio.
Also, check out Christos’ blog where he has posted several photos he took at ERT protests: http://radioakroatis.blogspot.gr/
The AOR AR6000
AOR has announced their latest (very) wide band receiver, the AR6000 last month at the 2013 Dayton Hamvention.
As with most AOR equipment, the AR6000 comes at a premium price–$6,500 US–but this receiver is quite unique in that it covers most of the radio spectrum 40 kHz to 6 GHz. I imagine AOR sells most of these to commercial and government entities; indeed it’s only available for export or government purchase here within the US.
Details below:
(Source: AOR USA)
The AR6000 delivers continuous tuning from 40 kilohertz to 6 gigahertz in a wide variety of modes for professional monitoring performance that’s nothing short of amazing in terms of accuracy, sensitivity and speed. Standard modes include AM, FM, WFM, FM Stereo, USB, LSB and CW. An optional module can add the capability to receive APCO25 digital communications plus an optional I/Q output can be added to capture up to one megahertz of bandwidth onto a storage device for later listening or signal analysis.
Designed for the monitoring or technical service professional, there are no interruptions in the AR6000’s tuning range. With exceptional tuning accuracy and sensitivity throughout its tuning range, the AR6000 begins at the floor of the radio spectrum and continues up through microwave frequencies so it can be used for land-based or satellite communications. It works as a measuring receiver for those seeking a reliable frequency and signal strength standard. To support its broad spectrum, the AR6000 has two antenna ports, with the added capability of an optional remote antenna selector from the front panel of the receiver.
With its popular analog signal strength meter and large easy-to-read digital spectrum display, the AR6000 is destined to become the new choice of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, the military, emergency managers, diplomatic service, lab technicians, news-gathering operations and security professionals