Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Zack Schindler, who writes:
Oh this brings back memories. I bought a lot of stuff from Radio West. Here is their catalog from 1983. Had them install a Collins mechanical filter in my Kenwood R-1000.
Click here to download Radio West Catalog 5 (PDF).
Thanks for sharing this bit of retail nostalgia, Zack! This download is one of thousands available at the excellent American Radio History website.
Any other patrons of Radio West? Please comment!
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and supporter, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), who writes:
Hope you are doing well, am really enjoying the SWLing Post, it’s my daily version of the New York Times for the radio hobbyist. I realize that this is not SW related but did you know there is an unusual aircraft scanner sold by Sporty’s Pilot Shop?
The AirScan II is an AM/FM/VHF air band scanner.
Beauty of it is you can listen to your favorite AM or FM broadcast while it scans your favorite air band channels, then it’ll interrupt the broadcast when it finds an active channel.
https://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/air-scan-ii-radio-with-aviation-interrupttm.html
I think it’s an excellent idea. I’ve purchased from Sporty’s in the past, they are excellent. Keep up the good work Thomas and 73’s.
Thank you for the tip, Mario! That is a brilliant feature–especially for aviation monitoring. This little scanner also has some bluetooth functionality, so you could connect your smartphone, tablet, or PC to it, play your favorite recordings, and it would also interrupt the Bluetooth audio for aviation traffic. Very cool.
Reviews say that air band sensitivity is mediocre, but I bet with an external antenna, it would be improved. As you say, Mario, Sporty’s has an excellent reputation as an aviation retailer.
And thanks for the kind compliments about the SWLing Post!
Please comment if you own or have used the Sporty’s Air Scan II!
SWLing Post contributor, Robert Gulley (K4PKM–formerly AK3Q) recently posted two excellent articles on his website about the “care and feeding” of electronic equipment. Here’s the description from Robert’s blog, All Things Radio:
Just a quick note to let you know there are two new articles published in the Reviews and How-Tos section dealing with simple checks and preventative care of electronic equipment. Over the years I have learned some important lessons for keeping computers and radios working properly, with the goal of having as little downtime as possible. The two articles were originally published in The Spectrum Monitor June and August issues, respectively. (If you have not subscribed to this magazine, you really should check it out – it is in my opinion the best radio magazine on the market today, and not just because they occasionally publish my articles!)
Here’s a quick link to the review page:
And while you are there, check out some of the other reviews I have posted! Cheers, Robert K4PKM
Your articles are always amazing, Robert. Thanks for sharing!
Cypress tree avenue towards KPH. Photo by Frank Schulenburg via Wikimedia Commons
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Van Hoy, who writes:
“The Last Radio Station,” an article about maritime radio station, KPH, is up on TechCrunch ( https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/18/the-last-radio-station/ ).
KPH is silent on maritime frequencies, but through the hard work of volunteers continues operation 24/7 with a 3-30MHz KiwiSDR receiver (http://198.40.45.23:8073/) and various activities throughout the year. Full information on all things KPH can be found the excellent Maritime Radio Historical Society Website (http://www.radiomarine.org/).
Finally an excellent “Bay Area Backroads” episode about KPH is available on Youtube:
Can you copy the CW message at the end of the show?
Please comment if you can copy the CW message!
Thanks to much for sharing this, Dan!
Patrick Lindecker, author of MULTIPSK, has announced an update to the software with the addition of DMR decoding (not to be confused with DRM, the subject of several recent posts – alphabet soup!!).
Here is a portion of the announcement:
New release of MULTIPSK (4.42)
The new release of MultiPSK (4.42) is on my Web site (http://f6cte.free.fr/index_anglais.htm).
The mirror site is Earl’s, N8KBR: https://www.paazig.net/f6cte/MULTIPSK_setup.exeThe main improvement of MULTIPSK 4.42 is the following:
Ham DMR decoding (but not the voice)“DMR” is the acronym for “Digital Mobile Radio”. The basic specifications of this mode are public (ETSI TS 102 361-1 to 3 for the “Tier II” protocol used by Hams), but any supplier can add supplementary functions. It is used in VHF and in UHF, mainly for voice communication but also for data communication. It is a mode for professionals but also used by amateurs (according to a precise organization). For Hams, it is spread in a world net by using, among other means, repeaters and Internet.
The amateur DMR communications are the sole object of the Multipsk decoding (professional communications are decoded but ignored). The DMR is considered as a “professional” mode by Multipsk (but the Ham decoding is not limited in time).
It is here only considered the data communication which summarizes to identifiers (callsigns+first names) and possible text messages (with some rare positions).
Example:
F9XYZ Michel (2088006 – France), via TG 20800 (YSF France) – Slot 1
F0ZZZ Yves (2083004 – France), via TG 20800 (YSF France) – Slot 1
Note: the voice communication decoding is excluded because it needs an AMBE+2 Codec (under a proprietary licence).
For Hams and SWL, the DMR signal can be received:
· either from the discriminator output of a classical VHF/UHF FM receiver via a direct connection to the PC sound card. However, the receiver must have a large reception bandwidth due to the high modulation speed,
· or with a SdR receiver (FunCube Dongle, RTL SDR,…) and directly demodulated by Multipsk. It is the simplest solution.
Here is the WEB address where you can know where all DMR repeaters are located, with their frequencies, for each country: https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/niche/index.php?mode=DMR
This mode is in freeware, so without time limitation.
MULTIPSK comes in two versions – a freeware version and a one-time paid version. It’s the same download, but buying a serial number unlocks many additional features. Note however, the DMR function is part of the free program.
While there have been many additional updates to the software from the time I wrote a review of the program, if interested you can access my review (published in The Spectrum Monitor) here:
Cheers! Robert K4PKM
Robert Gulley, K4PKM (formerly AK3Q), is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. Robert also blogs at All Things Radio.
Image via the KTWR Blog
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Van Hoy, who writes:
[Regarding the reception of DRM via smart phone,] I happened to find this KTWR Guam post about decoding DRM30 with a smart phone, app, and an RTL-SDR:
Convert Smart Phone to DRM 30 HF receiver!
We are pleased to report successful use of an SDR Dongle used to directly receive and Decode DRM 30 over HF today.
The SDR Dongle is an RTLSDR v3 type connected to an android smartphone using an OTG cable (phone or tablet must be OTG capable).
The Software used:
1. Android driver (free)
2. DRM+SDR Android App ($4.99)The Frequency of the HF broadcast is directly assigned within the DRM+ SDR app with two settings
1. Frequency in Hertz
2. RF Gain (0-512)Demonstration video showing Clean DRM decode of AAC Audio and Journaline data along with live metadata. (our signal was very strong, so only a short wire used for Antenna, DX’rs will need an appropriate Antenna)
Now anyone with a smartphone and a $20 SDR can receive DRM 30 HF broadcasts…
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who writes:
“These are the new 2020 QSL Cards from Radio Prague International.
The theme of this year is “Transmitters” (Antennas):”(Source: Radio Prague)
The three letters – QSL – constitute one of the codes originally developed in the days of the telegraph. All codes consisted of three letters beginning with “Q”. Later some of these “Q” codes were adopted by radio-telegraphists and radio listeners. QSL means “contact confirmed” or “reception confirmed”.
The expression “QSL card” or just “QSL” gradually came to be used among radio-amateurs and then more broadly as radio began to develop as a mass medium. Radio stations were keen to know how well and how far away their programmes could be heard and began to send their listeners “QSL cards” in return for reception reports. The card would include letters making up the “call sign” of the station – the system still used in the United States – or the broadcasting company’s logo or some other illustration. The card would also include a text stating the frequency and the transmitter output power, and a confirmation of when the listener heard the station.
Domestic broadcasters do not tend to use QSL cards these days, but their popularity remains among radio stations broadcasting internationally. They are still keen to know how well they can be heard in the parts of the world to which they broadcast. In the era of shortwave broadcasts Radio Prague sent out QSL cards for reception reports received. After curtailing our shortwave transmissions as of February 1, 2011 we will continue issuing QSL cards for reception via the Internet.
Here you can look through our current and past series of QSL cards:
- QSL 2019 – Modern architecture
- QSL 2018 – Radio equipment
- QSL 2017 – Means of public transport
- QSL 2016 – Czech religious monuments
- QSL 2015 – Czech industrial monuments
- QSL 2014 – Czech landscapes
- QSL 2013 – Czechoslovak airplanes
- QSL 2012 – Czech painters
- QSL 2011 – Czech castles and chateaus
- QSL 2010 – Czech writers
- QSL 2009 – Czech locomotives
- QSL 2008 – Czech sportsmen
- QSL 2007 – Lookout towers in the Czech Republic
- QSL 2006 – Czech scientists and inventors
- QSL 2005 – Spas in the Czech Republic
- QSL 2004 – The Year of Czech Music 2004
- QSL 2003 – Czechoslovak motor cycles
- QSL 2002 – UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Czech Republic
- QSL 2001 – Historical Radio Technology
- QSL 2000 – Past and Present of Czech Radio
- QSL 1999 – Historical Radios
- QSL 1998 – Historical Czech Automobiles
- QSL 1997 – Czech Cities
- Historical QSL Cards – We are sorry but these QSL cards are no longer available.
Click here to view all of the new QSL cards from Radio Prague.
