Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who writes:
Hi Thomas:
I hope you have started a very good year!!!
I’m sending you the link where you can see the new 2016 QSLs from Radio Prague:http://radio.cz/en/static/qsl/qsl-cards
These are about religious buildings in the Czech Republic.
Yours from Argentina
David Iurescia LW4DAF
Very cool! Thanks for passing this along, David!
To celebrate 37th anniversary of Iranian Islamic revolution, the first Iranian ham contest is going to be held on February 1st, 2016 and will last for 10 days.
Objective: To encourage and increase contacts (especially DX ones) with Iranian radio amateurs.
Dates:
Contest Period: 10 days (Feb 01, 00:00 UTC – Feb 11, 23:59 UTC)
All modes (CW, SSB, RTTY) can be used on this period.
Bands:
40, 20, 15 and 10 meters
Note: On 20m, the upper limit is 14.250 MHZ
Contact information:
For contest information and any sort of inquiries contact [email protected]
Certificates:
Certificates will be awarded to:
1- Top single operator (at least 30 contacts on all modes)
2- Top CW operator
3- Top SSB operator
4- Top RTTY operator
5- Any operator who contacts at least 3 Iranian hams
Getting QSL card:
If you need the printed certificate, you should send 5USD (or equivalent in your currency) to this address: “P.O. Box 14185-736 , Tehran, Iran”
Please use registered mail to make sure it delivers without problems.
WebMoney and Bitcoin are also accepted. (Contact us for more information)
Misc:
Iranian amateurs will use “/contest” at the end of their call sign for this contest.
The deadline for contacting us for certificate is 3 months after the contest.
List of Iranian participants:
Mehdi Asgari, the author of this post, is a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. Mehdi lives in Tehran and is an active member of the EP2C amateur radio club.
An SWLing Post reader recently sent me the following YouTube video–a recording Hanz (W1JSB) made on the 20 meter ham band several years ago. Here’s his description from YouTube:
Several years ago I was tuning around the 20 meter amateur radio band and heard this lively, engaging, and impressive exchange on the maritime mobile frequency, 14.300 MHz.
Vessel ‘Elusive’ at sea in the North Pacific was being followed by another ship. The occupants felt threatened that it might be a pirate, so they called for help on the HAM
radio.
Volunteer radio operators around the country worked together to communicate and relay messages with the Coast Guard in California. They also came up with some brilliant ideas to stay safe and get direct help as soon as possible.
The following is a recording from my location in New Hampshire.
– Hanz W1JSB
Many of us who’ve been long-time SWLs and ham radio operators have heard interesting broadcasts and exchanges on the HF bands. Please feel free to comment with your notable listening moments!
Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Bill, who shares a link to this Signal Identification Guide:
http://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Signal_Identification_Guide
Curious if any readers have been using this guide–seems like a convenient resource to ID those numerous signals on the bands. Entries show what each signal looks like on a spectrum waterfall display and provides audio clips.
Thanks for the tip, Bill!
This must be the day for eBay finds! This one will not be a deal (price-wise) unless you’re on the market for a NOS (New Old Stock) classic receiver.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), who writes:
On eBay is an auction that is worth watching, just to see what the final bid will be:
Sears 412.36380700 (613638) Yaesu FRG-7 Shortwave Communications Receiver / NOS
This is a new old stock Sears version of the FRG-7, no different from the Yaesu except it had the Sears name on it.
Used ones have been sold on eBay but this is the first one I’ve seen that was NOS.
Amazing what people have stored away in attics, closets, basements, etc. I had one of the Sears versions years ago. Note that the older versions of the Yaesu FRG-7 did not have the fine tuning knob. This one is apparently one of the later versions.
All round excellent radio, nice big speaker, excellent sensitivity, selectivity, one of the shortwave radio hall-of-famers!
Indeed, Mario! Thanks for the tip! As you say, it will be fun to see how high this listing may go befor ethe bidding ends tomorrow afternoon/evening. It’s rare to find a Sears or Yaesu so pristine.
Here are few more photos I pulled from the listing–click to enlarge:
Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Ken McKenzie, who writes:
Came across this ad on the local Craigslist. I’m not interested
but I know there are tube guys out there who may find this
very interesting.
http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/nvn/ele/5401857934.html
Here’s the seller’s description:
Vintage 1942-44 Marconi CSR-5A – X2
Commercial Communication Receivers – SW & LW
The CSR-5A receiver was described by the Canadian Marconi Company as a high grade instrument especially designed to provide the maximum reliability for fixed and mobile station operation.
It was designed to provide maximum sensitivity and stability under the most severe conditions of operation, such as vibration and high humidity.
The frequency ranges covered are in 2 groups – 79 to 518 kc and 1.5 – 30 mcs.
The ranges are covered in 6 colour coded bands, the dial assembly being reminiscent of the Marconi R1155 aircraft receiver.
Both in good working order
Includes 1 power box and 1 Marconi Speaker
WOW! If I lived anywhere near Vancouver, British Columbia, I would snatch these up in a heartbeat! They’re an absolute bargain at $95 CDN! The speaker alone may be worth that much.
Here are a few more photos from the listing:
Just check out that gorgeous dial!
Thanks for the tip, Ken!
I should mention: since this is a Craigslist ad, you should do your due diligence to make sure this isn’t a scam. This listing doesn’t have any of the hallmarks of a scam, but Craigslist has no real seller or buyer protections like, say, eBay.
My tips? Communicate with the seller directly, meet with them in person to make the purchase (don’t try to have anything shipped) and pay in cash.
In addition–especially with a piece of vintage gear like this–ask them about the radio’s history. Every radio has a story.
I hope some lucky SWLing Post reader in the area picks this package up and gives it a good home! If you do, please let us know! (I’ll be a few shades of envious, of course!)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Korchin (K2WNW), who writes:
I remember when I was a young kid back in Saskatoon, being invited over to a friend’s house to hear his “English stereo.”
We both worked at the CFMC-FM radio back then (he did the 10 PM-2AM slot, and I worked overnights). He being a little older, wise, cooler, than me, I jumped at the chance to browse his vinyl collection, read through his punk magazines and generally look to have his coolness rub off on me.
It was the first time I heard a Quad stereo system. He had the pre-amp, amp, and FM tuner (I think he might have had a Technics turntable, and a pair of Klipsch speakers). I remember being awestruck by the warm sound and the precise imaging of the system. Tracks that I thought I knew intimately took on new dimension. I wanted that system!—and I still don’t have it.
But I’ve noticed a few pieces on eBay, and I wondered if you’ve heard of them, too?
Surprisingly, Acoustical made MW and SW tuners, too!
Here’s an early FM example:
And a later one, that I think I saw at his house:
These are all tube rigs, OM! And if nostalgia carries any weight, they are worth checking in to.
Many thanks for the links and trip down memory lane, David!
Some of you may know that David is my ultimate radio enabler; my savings account nemesis! 🙂 He about got me this time, too. I almost pulled the trigger on that Acoustical Manufacturing Shortwave Tuner. It is a beauty indeed! Though not tested (and one would assume it could use some new caps), it does look very clean and I bet it performs like a charm.
Still, I’ll pass this time. I recently dipped heavily into my radio savings so I need to allow a little time for the account to build up again!
I’m curious if other SWLing Post readers are familiar with Acoustical Manufacturing products? Please comment!