Central Alaska: Paul shares photos of his listening post

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

You’ve posted shack photos before from other readers.

I guess this is a shack, so here’s mine. By the banks of the thawed and now flowing Yukon River.

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Paul braves some pretty cold weather in the winter to snag elusive DX from this very listening post in Galena, Alaska. He’s shared photos and a video of the frozen Yukon before–click here to check it out.

And, once again, thanks for sharing a little part of your world, Paul!

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17 thoughts on “Central Alaska: Paul shares photos of his listening post

  1. Oliver

    Paul, why do you use the microphone of the Zoom recorder instead of the 880’ers line out socket with cable? You were able to listen to the loudspeaker/headset, recording simultanously via the Zoom’s line in/microphone input.
    Oliver

    Reply
    1. Paul Walker

      Because I couldn’t quite get the audio not to be overdriven and it’s easier to just stick that up to the radio to catch something in the moment then fish my cable out of the box, plug it in, set levels, etc

      Reply
  2. Edward

    Looks like a QRM free zone. No lamp ballasts, power supplies, ignition noise. What is long wave like there?

    Reply
  3. Concerned

    Thanks for the info. All you need is a decent pack with pockets to carry it all in. I’m a summing your using the box for transport? I guess if you don’t have a car your sort of stuck unless you go for a hike!

    Reply
    1. Paul Walker

      My DX location at the banks of the river is directly across the street from the radio station where I work and live (2nd floor apartment). It’s not even 500 feet away, so the cardbox box is used to carry all my stuff.

      Reply
  4. DanH

    Interesting set-up, Paul and one that obviously works well for you. I use my Android phone online to supplement WRTH (and A16 update) station info. Home WIFI is a help. My desktop Samsung 21′ monitor generates too much RFI on SW for use while listening at home. I could use a coax feed line near the radio and monitor but I figure it is better to eliminate the RFI completely and use the smart phone instead.

    I am curious regarding what benefits the MFJ16010 antenna tuner offers for a receive-only long wire antenna? I don’t use feed line between my long wire and my SW receivers. I can manage local RFI well enough by other means although I still have issues with RFI getting into the antennas between 90 and 60 meters. This comes from a “smart” power grid meter on one side of the house. I know that you have a broadcast FM transmitter near your listening location. Does the tuner function as a preselector for you?

    I am still using the Sangean ATS-909X for SW listening. I took a marvelous old Hammarlund SP-600 JX-21 out of mothballs two weeks ago. This one must have been built after 1955 as paper capacitors were never installed and disc ceramics were used instead. I’m expecting new electrolytic filter capacitors to arrive tomorrow. This beast already hears a lot better than the Sangean. I can’t wait to try it after a through cleaning and alignment. At 65 pounds I won’t be packing it outdoors, though.

    Reply
    1. Paul Walker

      The MFJ16010 does help with my long wire, not cut for a specific frequency, to get slightly better reception. If it’s a shit signal with nothing there it won’t help but it sometimes helps weak signals.

      My set up is … Unique… But it works!

      Reply
      1. DanH

        Thanks for the answer, Paul. I appreciate the product feedback. I already broke my SW budget this month on a variac and some NOS JAN tubes. Stocking up for the vacapocalypse.

        Reply
  5. GW1HIN, UK.

    What a lovely location to be living in, but that cold would be awful to us who live further south. I see the radio is an Tecsun PL-880 but the ‘leatherette’ case belongs to the newer Tecsun PL-680. Do you have both radios.
    Best DXing.
    Ron

    Reply
  6. Concerned

    Sweet listening post. I see the PL-880, but how about an ID on the rest of your kit? Is that a tablet by the box?

    Reply
    1. Paul Walker

      That is a Zoom H1 handheld recorder and an MFJ16010 passive tuner.

      That “Red thing” is my Iphone6s used for texting, etc. I have an Iphone6Plus that’s used for recording, I switch between it and the Zoom H1. I also have an IPad used solely for looking up station data on Eibi.

      Reply

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