Monthly Archives: February 2019

Spectres of Shortwave streaming online for limited time

Many thanks to Amanda Dawn Christie, who writes:

I also want to let you know that Spectres of Shortwave is currently screening online, for a limited time (March 4), on this science film website: https://www.labocine.com/film/2172

I think it costs $3 for the month to access all of the films on this site.

Feel free to let others know.

Many thanks for letting us know, Amanda!

Post Readers: I’ve been to a screening of Spectres of Shortwave—it’s a wonderful film and certainly a must-watch for anyone who loved Radio Canada International.

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Mark spots a self-powered radio in “The Division”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark Hirst, who shares the following:

I’ve recently got back into computer games after a gap of several years, and have recently discovered one called “The Division”.

The level of detail in the game is amazing, and the representation of parts of Manhattan compare very favourably with Google Street View.

Radios popup fairly regularly as props in houses and military bases, including this windup model shown in the image above.

Thanks for sharing, Mark! That’s impressive design detail for a game. Looks like a radio I’d consider purchasing. I’m very curious if it’s based on a real life design–if so, I’ve never seen it. Please comment if you can ID this radio.

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Stan compares the C. Crane CCRadio3 with the CCRadio2E

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Stan Horzepa (WA1LOU), who shares the following post originally published on his blog:

I bought a first-production-run C.Crane CCRadio3 AM/FM/WX/2-Meter receiver after reading K4SWL’s preview on his blog, The SWLing Post.

I already own the highly-regarded C.Crane CCRadio 2E Enhanced, which I reviewed here five years ago, so I decided to compare the two on the AM, FM and weather bands. Before comparing the two radios, I recalibrated the antennas of both radios, then with the radios sitting side-by-side, I tuned each radio through each band channel-by-channel

My findings follow.

On the AM band, the 3 captured signals faster than the 2E.

Occasionally, signals were stronger on the 3 than on the 2E and vice versa, but most of the time, the signal strength was the same on both radios. So I conclude that the sensitivity of the two radios are the same.

I tried the 3’s new Bluetooth function before reading the manual. I just pressed the Bluetooth button to access the Bluetooth mode and my iPhone and MacBook Pro found the 3 without pressing the radio’s Pair button, as instructed by the manual.

In conclusion, the differences I found between the 3 and the 2E were (1) the 3’s ability to capture AM signals was noticeably faster than the 2E and (2) the addition of the Bluetooth function in the 3.

I did not notice any other performance enhancements. I was hoping that the 3 might be more sensitive than the 2E (not that the 2E is not sensitive — it certainly is!), but I’d say that the 3 and 2E Enhanced are about equal sensitivity-wise, as well as selectivity-wise.

Believe it or not moments… During the comparison, I was very surprised that on two occasions (on 820 and 1500 kHz), each radio simultaneously received different stations while tuned to the same frequency!

Click here to check out Stan’s blog.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts after comparing the two receivers, Stan! I think this supports the idea that if one owns the CCRadio2E and doesn’t need Bluetooth functionality, there’s no real reason to upgrade to the CCRadio3. With that said, and as I think you found Stan, the Bluetooth functionality in the CCRadio3 is excellent. It must be one of the best Bluetooth receivers I’ve tested and as you point out, it’s also very easy to engage and use.

Thanks again!

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Video: N1SPY brings a GE seven band radio back to life!

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ivan Cholakov, who writes:

Thomas Cholakov (N1SPY) picked up an old General Electric radio from the 2019 Orlando Hamcation and brought it back to life. Unfortunately with all of the radio’s 7 bands, it did not have shortwave.

Click here to watch on YouTube.

Brilliant job resurrecting that GE portable, Tommy!!! Thank you for sharing.

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Target Jim Creek: is an Obscure Washington State Naval Radio Facility in Russia’s Nuclear Crosshairs?

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A new article in the Seattle Times newspaper discusses a large VLF radio facility that many people even in nearby Seattle, WA are not aware of:

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/obscure-snohomish-county-navy-radio-station-named-as-top-russian-target/

This story reminds me of my 1960s childhood, growing up with a father who worked on the USA’s Minuteman ICBM missile defense program. This Cold War era missile system was a cousin to the submarine-based nuclear weapons. The Jim Creek transmitter was–and still is–a vital communications link to U.S. subs stationed worldwide.

Guy Atkins is a Sr. Graphic Designer for T-Mobile and lives near Seattle, Washington. He’s a regular contributor to the SWLing Post.

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Channel Africa and other broadcasters affected by closure of Meyerton Shortwave Station

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Meyerton Shortwave Station

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Gaétan Teyssonneau, who notes that Channel Africa will end their shortwave service on March 31, 2019. The Meyerton Shortwave Station is closing which will effectively end Channel Africa’s shortwave service but also end Africa relays for a number of other major international broadcasters.

Alokesh Gupta reports:

“It is confirmed that Sentech of South Africa is ending SW broadcast from 31 March 2019. So Channel Africa (Old Radio RSA), BBC, NHK, VOA, AWR. Deutche Welle & South Africa Radio League etc.broadcasting via Meyerton transmitting site will be only in memory shortly informs Jeff White in the AWR Wavescan program of 24th Feb 2019. (Via Jose Jacob)

Meyerton Short Wave Broadcasting Relay station is operated by SENTECH in South Africa, the signal distributor for the South African broadcasting sector. The organisation began operations in 1992 as the signal distributor of the SABC. Sentech now operates as a commercial enterprise.”

Channel Africa is asking for your feedback and will even have management live in-studio on the dates below:

Click here to view contact details on the Channel Africa website.

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“This Is A Music Show”: Thursdays at 0100 UTC on WRMI

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Many thanks to “Your Host” who writes with an announcement about his new weekly radio show via WRMI:

Just wanted to give you (and your readers) a heads-up about a new show I’ve started called “This Is A Music Show” which can be heard Thursdays 0100-0200 UTC (Wednesday evenings in the Americas) on 5850 kHz via WRMI. It’s an hour-long music program playing a variety of tunes sourced from thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, and sometimes curbside. I also include some digital modes in the latter half of the show.

The first broadcast went out last [Wednesday] night, and reception was quite good at my QTH in Toronto. I recorded the show on a couple different radios/antennas and have merged the recordings into a different type of AM Stereo. It sounds pretty cool, IMO. 🙂 It can be heard here:

https://soundcloud.com/thisisamusicshow/this-is-a-music-show-001-offair-2019-02-20