Recently I have spent a little more time listening out for Tropical Band stations from my shack in Oxford UK, attempting to emulate some of the very nice signals I have previously recorded out on DX’peditions. The obvious problems with this (and they are numerous) include the relatively weak signal strength of many tropical band stations, the ubiquitous blanket of QRM, resulting in generally poor SNR, lack of space for a large antenna……need I go on?! Fortunately, the Elad FDM DUO has proven to be a very senstive and selective receiver, capable of, at times, incredible SNR, coupled with almost limitless signal conditioning options and SSB, SYNC, ECSS etc. Throw the Wellbrook ALA1530 active loop into the mix (not literally!) and you have a very powerful Tropical Band receive set-up. The Wellbrook is able to null most (although not all) QRM in my shack and that really can make the difference between simply observing a carrier and actually hearing audio. Clearly one cannot expect to hear DX at home under heavy QRM as well as you might outdoors, however, the following stations were logged in the past month or so, with respectable signals, with the ALA1530 indoors:
- Direct link to Oxford Shortwave Log video; Radio Logos 4810 kHz, Peru
- Direct link to Oxford Shortwave Log video; Radio Cultura Ondas Manaus 4845 kHz, Brazil
- Direct link to Oxford Shortwave Log video; AIR Bhopal 4810 kHz, India
- Direct link to Oxford Shortwave Log video; Rádio Educação Rural 4925.2 kHz, Tefé, Brazil
- Direct link to Oxford Shortwave Log video; Radio Mosoj Chaski 3310 kHz, Bolivia
Video links also follow below, thanks for reading/ watching.
Direct link to Oxford Shortwave Log video; Radio Logos 4810 kHz, Peru
Direct link to Oxford Shortwave Log video; Radio Cultura Ondas Manaus 4845 kHz, Brazil
Direct link to Oxford Shortwave Log video; AIR Bhopal 4810 kHz, India
Direct link to Oxford Shortwave Log video; Rádio Educação Rural 4925.2 kHz, Tefé, Brazil
Direct link to Oxford Shortwave Log video; Radio Mosoj Chaski 3310 kHz, Bolivia
Clint Gouveia is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. Clint actively publishes videos of his shortwave radio excursions on his YouTube channel: Oxford Shortwave Log. Clint is based in Oxfordshire, England.
After sifting through some of the articles here on this site,, I think that the Sangean ANT-60 sounds really good.
Gene
Hi. I have a Tecsun PL-660 and I was wondering about an antenna, possibly one for inside. What are some of the antenna possibilities for this radio??
Thank-you
Gene
Great job. You’d think that being located in Florida I can do tropical band DX but no…not many signals coming up here. I get better tropical band DX when I try from locations up North than here in Florida.
That’s impressive, Clint. It’s so difficult to fight that combo of weak signals, QRM and limited antenna space. The great thing is, by getting out in the field so often, you’ll be there when those amazing openings happen and the stars align!
Thanks for sharing!
Thomas
Very succinctly put Thomas and you’re quite right; effort applied (overcoming my inertia to get outside, usually in the early hours!) is proportional to results obtained!