Monthly Archives: October 2015

DXtreme Reception Log X

SWLing Post sponsor, Bob Raymond (NE1I) at DXtreme, writes:

I’m pleased to announce that the latest version of our logging software for radio and TV monitoring enthusiasts is now available:

www.dxtreme.com (Version 10.0).

Please find the full product announcement below:

DXtreme Reception Log X (Version 10.0)

DXtreme Software™ has released a new version of its popular logging program for radio monitoring enthusiasts: DXtreme Reception Log X™ (Version 10.0).

Like other logging programs, DXtreme Reception Log X lets listeners and DXers log the stations they’ve heard. But unlike other logging programs, Reception Log X provides advanced features that can add a new dimension to logging activities.

New Features in Version 10.0

Afreet Ham CAP1 Integration — Lets users run short- and long-path propagation predictions from the Schedule Checker, Reception Log, Countries, and Transmitter Sites windows. Reception Log X sends key data to Ham CAP which, in turn, displays a chart showing the signal-to-noise-ratio prediction by time and frequency and a Mercator projection showing the current propagation prediction for the path between the user and the target station.
Improv ImagingTM — A dedicated tab on the Reception Log window, Improv Imaging lets users associate ad hoc images with log entries. Users can capture from their screen, scan from their image scanner, or paste from the Clipboard any images they want to associate with a displayed log entry, such as screen captures of stations received on digital applications, waterfall displays, Amateur TV pictures, Ham CAP maps showing propagation conditions at the time of reception, etc. An Improv Image Explorer lets uses peruse their collection of Improv images, and call up the log entries with which they are associated.
Preview QSL Image Viewer — Is now larger and expandable on the Verification tab of the Reception Log window, and the new QSL Image Explorer lets uses peruse their collection of QSL images, and call up the log entries with which they are associated.
Colorful User Experience Enhancements — Lets users set the foreground and background colors of heading and data rows on grids throughout the program — one set of foreground and background colors for odd data rows, and another for even data rows — making it easier to view schedules on the Schedule Checker, log entries on the Last Log Entries grid and window, and data in Reports.

Advanced Features

Schedule CheckerTM — Lets users import schedules from Aoki, EiBi, and
FCC AM web sites and display that schedule data according to the filter criteria they specify. A list box lets users switch between the schedules at will. And, depending on the schedule type, users can filter schedule information by band, frequency, station, country, city, state, time of day, language, antenna direction, and target area. When the What’s On Now? function is activated, the schedule refreshes automatically at the top of each hour for Aoki and EiBi schedules.

For each schedule item, Schedule Checker queries the Reception Log X database to let users know – by means of user-defined, foreground and background display colors – whether they need to monitor a station for a brand- new or verified country. Schedule Checker also displays bearing and distance, runs Ham CAP propagation predictions and DX Atlas azimuth plots2, tunes supported radios to schedule frequencies when double-clicking schedule items3, and starts log entries for scheduled stations.

Last Log Entries Grid— Located on the Reception Log window, the grid shows up to 5000 of the most recent log entries added. Its records can be sorted, and double-clicking records displays detailed data on the Reception Log window.Users can resize the grid columns and scroll horizontally to columns that do not appear initially. But because the names of stations and NASWA countries can be quite long, users can also display a larger, resizable Last Log Entries window. A Properties dialog box lets users change the order of columns, the number of log entries to display, and the foreground and background colors and font attributes of grid headings and data rows system-wide.
Reception Reports — Users can create customized paper and e-mail reception reports plus club report entries for reporting catches to clubs and magazines.
Social Media Posting — When users add or display a log entry, Reception Log X prepares a post announcing their DX catch and displays it on the Social Media Post tab. From there, users can drag the post to their favorite social media web site(s) to share their catch with others.Using the Script Editor window, users can create and edit social media scripts that format social media posts to their liking. A browse button lets users select the script they want to use. Three scripts come with Reception Log X.
Direct Print SWL and Address Labels — Users can prepare SWL and Address labels for direct output to their printers, and print labels one-at-a-time or in any number up to the maximum number of labels on each page of label stock.
Rig Control — Retrieves the frequency and mode from supported radios and permits tuning from the Schedule Checker and Reception Log windows.
Multimedia Features — An embedded Audio facility lets users maintain an audio archive of stations heard. An integrated QSL ImagingTM facility lets users scan, display, and explore QSL and e-QSL images.
Performance Reporting — Produces reports that track the performance of the user’s monitoring station, and lets users FTP those reports to user-provided Web space for remote access. Reports integrate with DX Atlas to generate pin maps.
Support for Monitoring Amateur Radio Operators — Users can retrieve call sign and address information for monitored hams from optional Web services (HamQTH.com, BuckmasterTM HamCallTM, and QRZ XML Logbook Data) and send automatic eQSL requests to monitored hams via www.eQSL.cc.
Documentation — Includes on-line Help and a Getting Started Guide.

Operating Systems, Pricing, Contact Information

DXtreme Reception Log X runs in 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows® 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista®, and XP. It retails for $89.95 USD worldwide for electronic distribution. Pricing for CD versions and upgrading users is available on our Web site. All prices include product support by Internet e-mail. For more information, visit www.dxtreme.com or contact Bob Raymond at [email protected].

Bob, thanks for sharing your product announcement and thank you for sponsoring the SLWing Post!

Click here to visit DXtreme or here to download the PDF of this product announcement.

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Alan logs shortwave stations while camping

1 Reply

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Alan, who writes:

I really appreciate your site. It has been my favorite since I got back into shortwave listening and DXing…great enough that I actually subscribe to posts via e-mail so I don’t miss anything.

In case you are interested, I did a post about what I was able to hear using my Kaito KA1103 and a Sangean antenna while camped in a tent in the back yard. Nothing amazing by many people’s standards…but I enjoyed it enough to stay up too late!

http://strasburg.rocks/2015/10/late-night-dxingswling/

Either way, thanks again for SWLing.com.

Alan, there are few pleasures in life better than SWLing while camping–even if it’s in your own back yard! Thanks for sharing your experience and thanks for the kind comments. This weekend I hope to log a few stations from my tent at the SWLing Post DXpedition.

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Anniversary of Sputnik I Launch & Radio Moscow

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

Yesterday, 4 October, was the anniversary of the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik I, the first artificial Earth satellite. The launch heralded the beginning of the space age. Sputnik I’s Doppler-shifted radio transmissions on 20.005 and 40.002 MHz led to the development of the U.S. Navy Navigation Satellite System (Transit) and the equivalent Soviet system (Tsikada) and, eventually, to GPS and GLONASS and the other modern global navigation satellite systems.

The Sputnik I radio signals were picked up by many shortwave listeners. The 20 MHz signal was close to that of WWV and so was easy to find. And, apparently, WWV turned off its 20 MHz transmitter during some of Sputnik I’s passes over the U.S. so as not to interfere with reception.

There are several good sites on the Web with information about Sputnik I and its radio signals including:

http://www.amsat.org/amsat/features/sounds/firstsat.html

http://online.sfsu.edu/hl/Explorer1958.html

http://sjhrc.org/sputnik.html

http://sjhrc.org/beeps.html

http://web.archive.org/web…arrl.org/news/features/2007/09/28/03/

(Click to enlarge)

Sometime in high school, I received a card from Radio Moscow celebrating the launch of Sputnik I [see above]. Perhaps it was issued in 1967 for the 10th anniversary of the launch.

Richard: You never cease to amaze me! Thank you so much for sharing all of this Sputnik I information and resources! That gorgeous QSL Card is perhaps my favorite design from Radio Moscow.

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Radio Kiribati and WiFi Radios

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Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Paul Walker, who writes:

Thomas.. I know this isn’t quite SW news anymore, but Radio Kiribati usedto be on SW a while ago and is now on AM.

I just found out something to those of us interested in Pacific radio signals. Radio Kiribati 1440 JUST started a live web stream…JUST…as in, like within the last few days!

The audio levels can be a bit loud and overdriven at times, but i am corresponding with their Chief Engineer and the Radio station manager at the Broadcasting & Publications Authority in an effort to get levels set just right.

The audio is average and I wouldn’t expect much more, quality wise, then what they’ve got now.. as most of these stations have hare basics when it comes to some equipment.
The Radio Kiribati stream was just added to the Reciva.com database for internet radios and should be there soon if it isn’t already.

The stream is at http://202.6.120.13:8000/ The stream itself is of amazing quality at 64k vorbis, which sounds good to my ears via my CC Wifi Radio and CCrane Senta speaker.

Radio Kiribati only broadcasts local programming at certain times of day. Sometimes I’ll hear Radio New Zealand International outside of local broadcasting, other times I won’t.

TX times are as follows…most of their programming is in their native language, which is Gilbertese according to Wikipedia. It’s a Micronesian language of the Austronesian language family. They do three segments of English broadcasting every day, some 30 minutes long and one is an hour long.
Kiribati is UTC+14… at 416pm Thursday in Southwest Arkansas, where i am.. it’s 916am Friday morning in Kiribati.

Morning: 0700am to 0830am. English at 8am

Lunch: 1200 noon to 1330. English at 1300

Evening: 1700 to 2130. English at 1800

Feel free to post this to your own blog, website, Facebook group or page.. let’s spread the word!!

Thanks, Paul!

WiFi radios

Though pricey, I’ve heard the Pure Evoke F4 has fantastic audio and a meticulously curated database of Internet streams.

This is one of the benefits of Wi-Fi radios and Internet streams: the ability to hear “local” stations–many of which used to broadcast on shortwave–from all corners of the globe.

I’m seriously considering purchasing a Wi-Fi radio for my wife to make it a little easier for her to listen to Internet streams in her office.

I’ve been looking at the C.Crane CC WiFi radio, the CC WiFi 2, the Grace Digital WiFi Music Player and the (much pricier) Pure Evoke F4 which my buddy, John Figliozzi, so highly recommends.

Any suggestions and recommendations are most welcome.

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Jeff’s Updated Sangean PR-D4W Review

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Many thanks to Jeff McMahon, from the Herculodge, who shares an update to his Sangean PR-D4W review.

The good news is that Jeff continues to be impressed with the PR-D4W and ranks it above the venerable C.Crane CCRadio-2E in almost every category. At $64.50 on Amazon, the PR-D4W is a much better value.

Follow this link to his review:

http://herculodge.typepad.com/herculodge/2015/10/sangean-pr-d4w-review-with-fm-wire-antenna-upgrade.html

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Dan spots an extremely rare HRO-600 on eBay

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SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, writes:

Wow . . . a huge, amazing rarity…this is perhaps the rarest of radios, the HRO-600.

It is almost never seen on the used market and when it is, it is usually in non-operational condition. In its day it was quite advanced, though now, a Tecsun could run rings around it, and it uses NIXIE tubes…good luck obtaining those…anyway for anyone who has never seen one in this condition, and for everybody, here it is…

Click here to view on eBay.

Wow–I thought that receiver might sit on eBay for a while, but it sold for $3,895 US only moments after Dan spotted it.

Assuming this listing will eventually disappear from eBay, I downloaded a few more photos:

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I really enjoy tips like this from Dan. While rare radios like the HRO 600 are well beyond my budget, it’s so much fun to learn about them. Indeed, I had no idea HRO made a receiver that used Nixie tubes!

What is a Nixie tube you ask? Per Wikipedia:

“A Nixie tube, or cold cathode display, is an electronic device for displaying numerals or other information using glow discharge.

The glass tube contains a wire-mesh anode and multiple cathodes, shaped like numerals or other symbols. Applying power to one cathode surrounds it with an orange glow discharge. The tube is filled with a gas at low pressure, usually mostly neon and often a little mercury or argon, in a Penning mixture.

Although it resembles a vacuum tube in appearance, its operation does not depend on thermionic emission of electrons from a heated cathode. It is therefore called a cold-cathode tube (a form of gas-filled tube), or a variant of neon lamp. Such tubes rarely exceed 40 °C (104 °F) even under the most severe of operating conditions in a room at ambient temperature. Vacuum fluorescent displays from the same era use completely different technology—they have a heated cathode together with a control grid and shaped phosphor anodes; Nixies have no heater or control grid, typically a single anode, and shaped bare metal cathodes.”

As Dan states, Nixie tubes can be very difficult to source these days. I’m sure the radio collector that purchased this HRO 600 is well aware.

Update: While I don’t know what Nixie tubes the HRO-600 takes, Leeds Radio, has a substantial collection of Nixie tubes at reasonable prices. Click here to browse through the collection. Leeds, by the way, is a fantastic resource for pretty much any sort of tube/valve you may need. Check out this piece on Leeds Radio from WNYC.

I hope someone uploads a video of the HRO-600 in operation; I’ve never seen one in action.

Dan, thanks again for sharing your eBay finds!

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Share a photo of your shack or listening post for a chance to win a Grundig G2

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The listening post and ham radio shack of Giuseppe Morlè (IZ0GZW) from Ponza Island, Italy.

[UPDATE: We have a winner! If you didn’t win, fear not! Follow this link for future contests.]

Want to share your shack or listening post with the world on the SWLing Post? Want a chance to win a Grundig G2? If so, keep reading…!

This month, we’ll be collecting photos of our readers’ listening posts, radio shacks or favorite listening spot. And we don’t care if your listening post or shack is filled with gear or consists only of one radio in a public park; we’re just glad you’re listening, and we’d love to see how.

The fact is, I’ve always been interested to learn what sorts of receivers, transceivers, and accessories our readers––many of whom are also shortwave listeners and/or ham radio operators––have in their shacks or use at their favorite listening spots. After some consideration, the notion to show other readers how we listen became the basis for a fun contest. Fred Osterman at Universal Radio championed the idea, offering his encouragement in the form of a prize.

In exchange for a photo of your favorite listening post, along with a brief description of your equipment––see details below––you’ll be entered for a chance to win a Grundig G2 portable radio/recorder and player by random selection.

Again, many thanks to our good friends at Universal Radio, who will kindly make this excellent prize available to anyone in the world. That’s right; excepting applicable import taxes or duties, for which you’re responsible, Universal will ship your prize to you for free, no matter where you live!

This contest is open to everyone, save Universal Radio employees, their families, and those of us here at the Post.

How to enter…

Simply send an email to [email protected] that includes:

a photo of your listening post or shack,
your name, as you’d like it to appear in the SWLing Post,
your call sign (if applicable),
your shipping address, and
a brief description of your favorite shack gear as seen in your photo. You, too, can make an appearance in this photo if you like.

Again, the winner will be chosen at random, which means that everyone will have an equal chance of winning. By submitting an entry, you’re consenting to have your name and photo posted on the SWLing Post; after all, that’s the idea. Of course, your information stays with us and will never be sold or used for any purpose other than this contest.

Your entry must be submitted by November 1, 2015…Can’t wait to see (and share with our readers) how you’re listening!

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