Monthly Archives: May 2020

Return of “radio six international” to shortwave June 6, 2020

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(Source: radio six international via Gérard Koopal)

Shortwave broadcast on June 6th

After an absence of five years, Scottish station radio six international returns to the HF bands to mark the outlet’s 57th anniversary.

Saturday Sounds with Tony Currie will air from 22:00 to 24:00 UTC on 6,070kHz (49.39m) via Channel 292’s 10kW transmitter in Germany. The programme will largely feature independent and unsigned music from around the world. QSL cards will be issued on receipt of either one Euro of one US dollar for return postage, with Reception Reports requested to be sent to Radio Six International, 21 Sherbrooke Avenue, Glasgow G41 4HF, Scotland. E-QSLs will happily be sent free of charge.

Launched in 1963 as an afternoon’s entertainment by a group of primary school children, it never went away and after various incarnations – including a spell as Europe’s first commercial cable radio network in the 1980s – the station has been webcasting round the clock for the past twenty years.

For a time, the station maintained a daily shortwave presence from 2004, using the facilities of both IRRS and WBCQ, switching to weekly transmissions from Ulbroka, Latvia in 2005 and daily programmes on medium wave and satellite via RTI in Tatras, Slovakia.

In 2008 the various transmissions were ended to concentrate on the internet service and the provision of syndicated programming around the world. 58 stations now take some or all of our output, with 9 hours a week simulcast on FM in New Zealand and 4 hours on FM in Taiwan.

Our broadcast on June 6th is currently on one-off; however we are considering a more regular return to the HF bands in the future.

Note: Radio Six International is an internet station at www.radiosix.com with audited listeners in 200 countries worldwide. It’s been webcasting since 2000, and syndicates up to 9 hours a week of programmes to its affiliate network of 58 AM, FM and DAB Digital stations around the world.

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Dean’s love of the JRC NRD-515 spans 35 years…

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dean Bianco, who kindly allowed me to share his note which accompanies the photo above:

Me and my then brand-new JRC-NRD-515 in 1985.

Thirty-five years later in 2020, it is still with me. It works today as it did when it was first taken out of its box! This fact is a testament to the 515’s precision engineering, high-quality components, and tank tough build! The only trouble in these 35 years was the gummy 2.4 kHz mechanical filter issue that all 515’s eventually suffer. However, that was an easy fix and other than de-oxit every five years in the controls, and dusting the interconnect circuit wire RCA plugs, it performs flawlessly. It was used two hours ago.

I have an advanced SDR stand-alone, the astounding Icom R-8600 that has better sound, better specs, and more facilities to peak and tweak a flea-powered signal out of a huge pile of powerhouse flamethrowers than does the old 515. But, when I want to experience the old-school large knobs, the large tuning wheel and the sheer enjoyment that only an old heavy metal radio can provide, I turn to the classic NRD-515!

I don’t blame you, Dean.  I have never owned an NRD-515, but I have always admired its design and layout. It has such an all-business, military/rugged look.  One thing I really love about the NRD-515 is how the RF and AF gain pots flank either side of the main encoder. The controls spacing is also ideal, in my book. Check out the following photo I took of Dan Robinson’s NRD-515:

Thanks so much, Dean!

Any other NRD-515 owners or lovers out there?  Please comment!

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Eton Elite Satellit delayed until 2021

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Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post readers who have pointed out the recent update from Universal Radio regarding the availability of the Eton Elite Satellit.

Per Universal Radio:

05/11/20
Eton expects this new model to be available in 2021. Beacause of the date uncertainty we are not accepting web pre-orders at this time. Please check back in 2021.

i can’t say I’m very surprised by this since we really haven’t had an update on this model in such a long time. That and, of course, the Covid-19 pandemic has really botched up design, production, and the supply chain for so many products.

I’ll admit it: I’m a bit bummed. I was really looking forward to comparing the new Elite Satellite with my recently acquired E1 XM.

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Ed discovers a shortwave portable marketed to visually impaired listeners

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ed, who writes:

While perusing products for a disabled family member, I came across this shortwave portable for visually impaired listeners. Its HF coverage is limited to 2300 – 21950KHz, but it also receives
standard AM & FM and plays mp3 files from a microSD card. Interestingly, its advertised features include, “Large easy to see buttons, Large LED display screen, Unique memory and delete design”!

This could be a piece of Chinese junk, but I’ve long been drawn to weird and unusual radios, no matter how well they perform. For $39.95 this radio might be fun to play with and give to a
visually-impaired friend or family member if it works. Do you or any SWLing Post readers know anything about this strange radio?

https://www.maxiaids.com/ez-fm-am-sw-multiband-radio-mp3-speaker

Post readers: Please comment if you have any experience using this radio!  I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this model marketed under other brand names.

Thanks, Ed!

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FTIOM & UBMP To Test 7440 kHz; Schedules May 17-23

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ANNOUNCEMENT: On May 22 and May 29, From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot will be testing 7440  kHz in the hopes of adding service to the Middle East, NE Africa and South Asia (but audible in other zones as well) Fridays from 1600-1700 (FTIOM) and 1700-1800 (UBMP) UTC on Channel 292 from Rohrbach, Germany.
Schedules:
From the Isle of Music, May 17-23:
This week, we add a new test transmission on 7440 kHz. May 10 was El día del son (the day of the son cubano), and we will honor that with music from several of the best bands that play the son in Cuba.
The broadcasts take place:
1. For Eastern Europe but audible well beyond the target area in most of the Eastern Hemisphere (including parts of East Asia and Oceania) with 100Kw, Sunday 1500-1600 UTC on SpaceLine, 9400 KHz, from Sofia, Bulgaria (1800-1900 MSK)
If you don’t have a shortwave radio or are out of range, you can listen live to an uplink from a listening radio in the Netherlands during the broadcast at
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/?tune=9400am
2. For the Americas and parts of Europe, Tuesday 0000-0100 on WBCQ, 7490 KHz from Monticello, ME, USA (Monday 8-9PM EST in the US).
If you don’t have a shortwave or are out of range, you can listen to a live stream from the WBCQ website here (choose 7490): http://www.wbcq.com/?page_id=7
3 & 4. For Europe and sometimes beyond, Tuesday 1900-2000 UTC and Saturday 1200-1300 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany.
If you don’t have a shortwave radio or are out of range, you can listen live to uplinks from various websdrs in Europe.
5. TEST: For NE Africa, the Middle East and South Asia but probably audible beyond these zones, 1600-1700 UTC Friday, May 22 on Channel 292, 7440 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany.
Visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/fromtheisleofmusic

Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, May 17,19 and 22:
This week, we add a new test transmission on 7440 kHz. Episode 165 features musical comediennes from classical to popular to slightly risque.
The transmissions take place:
1.Sundays 2200-2300 (6:00PM -7:00PM Eastern US) on WBCQ The Planet 7490 KHz from the US to the Americas and parts of Europe
If you don’t have a shortwave or are out of range, you can listen to a live stream from the WBCQ website here (choose 7490): http://www.wbcq.com/?page_id=7
2. Tuesdays 2000-2100 UTC on Channel 292, 6070 KHz from Rohrbach, Germany for Europe.
If you don’t have a shortwave radio or are out of range, you can listen live to an uplink from different web SDRs in Europe
including a live uplink from a listening radio in the Netherlands at http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/?tune=6070am
3. TEST: For NE Africa, the Middle East and South Asia but probably audible beyond these zones, 1700-1800 UTC Friday, May 22 on Channel 292, 7440 kHz from Rohrbach, Germany.
Visit our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/UncleBillsMeltingPot

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Lockdown Lunacy: QRP EME has now been added to the Social DX bucket list

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When my buddy, Pete dives into a project that would have otherwise been placed on the backburner, had it not been for sheltering at home during the Covd-19 pandemic, he calls it an episode of “Lockdown Lunacy.”

Lockdown Lunancy

I don’t think there could be a better name for the bug that has bitten me.

Since my earliest days of reading ham radio magazines–well before I was licensed–I found the concept of EME (Earth-Moon-Earth) communications absolutely fascinating. I mean, communicating with someone across vast distances by bouncing signals off the freaking moon?!?

What’s not to love?

After becoming a ham, the reality set in about how much equipment and financial resources it would take to set up an EME station in 1997. I would need big X/Y/Z steerable antennas, big amplifiers, and very pricey transceivers. Even if I built half the system, I couldn’t imagine piecing it together for less than $3,000 US.

Plus, HF/shortwave signal work was what really pushed me into the world of ham radio.  Once I set up my first dipole and started making DX contacts with my Icom IC-735, I never really looked back…that is, until, I met Bill.

In 2016, my family spent yet another summer on the east coast of Prince Edward Island, Canada, in an off-grid cottage.

The cottage living area.

I brought along my Elecraft KX3, of course, with a LiFePo external battery and PV panel for charging One day, I hopped on the 17 meter band to work a little DX with a large dipole I’d set up in the trees behind the house. After turning on the rig, I heard a PEI amateur radio operator working another strong station in Europe. As he sent his 73s to the other station, I quickly interrupted and asked where he was located. Turns out, he was only 5 km way as the crow flies! After a quick chat, he invited me over for coffee the next morning and to talk radio.

That next morning I discovered two things about Bill (VY2WM / VY2EME):

Firstly, he’s a coffee snob…just like me. Best coffee I’d ever had on the island.

Secondly, the man had been bitten by the EME bug. Indeed, the mission to build a station to do moon bounce communications is really what energized him to play radio.  We spoke at length about EME and it was then I realized that QRP EME was an actual “thing.”

Bill informed me that, with the advent of weak-signal digital modes like JT-65, QRP EME contacts were possible for almost anyone and the investment in equipment, much more modest than in the past. I was truly impressed with how, over the course of a few years, Bill slowly and methodically built his station and started making contacts. Bill gave a lot of credit to his EME Elmer, Serge (VE1KG)–just check out Serge’s big gun station on his QSL card below:

Though Bill didn’t know it at the time, our little talk re-ignited my interest in EME.

Bill and I have kept in touch over the years and only last week, after talking EME a bit more via email, I realized it was time I start my own little QRP EME station.

One thing that pushed me to commit to EME is the fact that both of my daughters are studying for their Technician licenses at present. Both are into all things astronomy and space, so I thought it might be rather fun to give them a chance to play radio off the moon with their Tech licenses!

Like Bill, I plan to take time assembling my QRP EME station. I would like to have all of the components together by December and perhaps start building things like a long yagi and some sort of antenna support by next spring.

I’m facing a big learning curve here. Other than what I learned on my ham radio license prep, I know little to nothing about signals north of 30 MHz!

But that’s the thing about radio in general: I love learning new skills and exploring the world just a little outside my comfort zone!

I’m already putting out feelers for a good transceiver (thinking a used Yaesu FT-897 or FT-100D).

Yaesu FT-897 via Universal Radio

How committed am I? A QRP EME station has been officially added to my Social DX bucket list. That’s pretty darn serious!

Post readers: Any EME enthusiasts in our community?  If so, please comment with any suggestions you may have as I dive deeper into the world of moon bounce!

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