Monthly Archives: November 2022

Carlos’ Shortwave Art and recording of the Voice of Korea (November 24, 2022)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent Voice of Korea broadcast.

Carlos’ goal is to vividly illustrate the broadcaster’s message in his own unique artistic style and is not a reflection of his own beliefs or those of the SWLing Post. His objective is for his artwork to add historical context and put a visual with the news, reporting, and/or–as is often the case–propaganda:

Carlos notes:

Part of Voice of Korea’s news bulletin, broadcasted in English from Kujang, DPRK, and listened in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Shortwave frequency of 12015 kHz.

Press statement of Kim Yo Jong, Deputy Department Director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea stating, among other things, that “they (South Korea govt) are the ‘faithful dog’ and stooge of the United States” and “a stray dog gnawing at a bone given by the United States.”

Click here to view/listen on YouTube.

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Some select Black Friday Deals for 2022

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[Note: This info. is also posted on our sister site, QRPer.com.]

The very affordable, tiny, and retro Raddy RF750 is on sale for $34.39. We have never tested it, but it receives mostly positive reviews.

I’ve been trying to avoid looking at sales this week because I don’t really need anything. That said, I’ve had a few pieces of gear on my mind that I’ve been wanting to review/evaluate and Black Friday has made a few of them more accessible.

Nanuk Waterproof Cases

If you’re not familiar with Nanuk, they produce a wide variety of waterproof cases in Canada. They’re essentially Canada’s version of the Pelican case.

I’ve been eyeing their Nanuk 903 which is actually a very compact case–something similar in size to the Pelican 1060 and the Evergreen 56.

Nanuk, DX Engineering, and Amazon all have their Nanuk cases on sale today. I picked up a Nanuk 903 that I hope to use with one of my ultra-compact field radios (perhaps the Penntek TR-35).

Prices vary, but Amazon seems to have the lowest. I just purchased a blue Nanuk 903 with pick foam for $28.00 shipped (affiliate link). Other colors may cost a few dollars more, but they’re all exceptional deals (I picked the least expensive color).

CP Gear Tactical

I believe it was Rod (VA3ON) who first introduced me to this Canada-based pack manufacturer.

I’ve had their their Aircrew/Pubs Bag with Padded Tablet Pocket on my wish list since the Ham Radio Workbench podcast episode where we talked about backpacks and pouches. CP Gear Tactical manufactures a wide variety of gear primarily for the Canadian military market. Everything is made either in Canada (NB) or the US (or both), thus prices are much higher than mass produced gear.

I’m hoping their Aircrew bag might fit my 2nd Yaesu FT-817ND which is now outfitted with the TPA-817 pack frame I purchased from a reader. If it doesn’t, I still have many other uses in mind.

Everything in their store is 20% off today if you use the coupon code BKFRIDAY20.

The pack, shipped to my address in the US was $92.60 CAD.

Yaesu FT-891

I noticed that Gigaparts and Ham Radio Outlet has the venerable Yaesu FT-891 on sale for $599.95 US. That’s a brilliant deal.

Last year, I came so close to buying the FT-891 for $629 during a Black Friday sale. I decided against it at the last moment because I know I tend to reach for my lightweight QRP field radios that can provide me a few hours of radio fun on a 3Ah battery. Even at QRP output levels, the FT-891 needs a larger capacity battery.

That said, if you’re looking for a new 100W radio for the shack or field? The FT-891 is a solid choice. The ‘891 is also an excellent general coverage radio for shortwave radio listening.

Radioddity

Radioddity always has deep discounts on Black Friday. This year, they have a store-wide 15% off sale with a coupon code.

Radioddity is a great place to purchase Xiegu Products. They are a sponsor of QRPer.com.

SDRplay RSPdx

SDRplay manufactures affordable, high-performance SDR receivers in the UK. They are currently offering their RSPdx for £130/€156/$169.95. Click here for details and click here for my review of the RSPdx. The RSPdx is a choice radio for mediumwave and low band work. That said, the frequency range is exceptionally wide. This and the RSPduo are my favorites from SDRplay. Note that SDRplay is a sponsor of the SWLing Post.

Airspy

Another SDR and radio accessory manufacturer, Airspy, is offering 20% off of all of their products. I consider their HF+ Discovery SDR to be one of the best sub-$200 SDRs for the HF bands–check out these posts and reviews on the SWLing Post.

Amazon portable radio deals

I noticed that Amazon.com does have a wide variety of shortwave portables in their Black Friday sale. Click here to search through the ones listed in the Black Friday promotion (affiliate link).

Ham radio retailers with Black Friday deals

Here’s a list of ham radio retailers who have Black Friday sales today. If you’ve been looking for an item in particular, you might compare prices between these stores:

DX Engineering (US)
Gigaparts (US)
HamRadio Outlet (US)
ML&S (UK)
Radio World (Canada)
Radioddity (Global)
Waters and Stanton (UK)

Spot any other great deals? Share them in the comments section!

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Don’t look into the oil-wheel projector lamp for too long

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Hi SWLing post community and bargain hunters everywhere, Fastradioburst23 here letting you know of The second episode of Shortwave Garage Sale from the Imaginary Stations crew.

On Sunday 27th November 2022 from 2300 utc on 9395 kHz we will be opening the up and over door yet again to reveal the second part of our Garage and Psyche special. Tune in and enjoy some wild sounds and visuals.

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SDRplay Special RSPdx holiday promotion

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SDRplay RSPdx SDR

(Source: SDRplay)

SDRplay Special RSPdx holiday promotion

At SDRplay, we recognise that times are very tough for a lot of people. In view of the economic pressures that people are facing, we want to lend a helping hand by offering the very popular RSPdx at a special low price for this holiday buying season. After discussions with our dealer network, from Black Friday until the 31^st December, we (along with participating dealers) plan to offer the RSPdx at a holiday discounted suggested retail price of £130/€156/$169.95 plus shipping and any applicable taxes. This represents a substantial discount of more than one fifth when compared to the normal retail price.

Starting midnight EST, Thursday November 24th visit https://www.sdrplay.com/purchasehome/ to purchase an RSPdx at the special price or contact your local SDRplay dealer for more details. Please also note that stocks are limited and this offer will certainly end on the 31^st December and prices will revert to normal commercial levels thereafter.

This is a great opportunity to get the RSPdx as a gift for a newcomer or a returning radio enthusiast at a price which won’t be repeated, as our suppliers are already increasing their prices for the new year.

Prices shown are prices offered when buying direct from SDRplay. Shipping and taxes are extra. SDRplay ships from the UK to most countries in the world. However some countries will require import duty to be paid on top.
SDRplay dealers who usually include free shipping will adjust the prices accordingly
Check with your local dealer to see if they are participating.
Links to both the SDRplay direct purchasing page and our list of authorised resellers can be found here

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Thanksgiving: A great time for family, friends, food, and pirate radio!

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Here in the States, we’re celebrating Thanksgiving today. It’s my favorite holiday because it’s all about giving thanks and spending time with friends. family, and eating some amazing food.

Another great thing about Thanksgiving is it also equates to a long extended weekend for many who have full-time careers. That includes, of course, shortwave radio pirates! Anytime there’s a holiday, pirates are more likely to hit the air.

Hang around the pirate radio watering holes (including 6,800 – 6,990 kHz) and you just might log a few new stations! Do you live outside North America? Try using a KiwiSDR in the US or Canada to hunt pirates. It’s believed that the majority of pirate radio stations are located in the Northeast, so you should choose a KiwiSDR location with that in mind. If you’re new to pirate radio listening, check out our tutorial. Also, look for spots on the amazing HF Underground board.

Thank you…

Speaking of giving thanks, thank you dear readers for making the SWLing Post such a welcoming community to radio enthusiasts of all stripes. The SWLing Post is a true labor of love, and it’s an honor to serve it up to you!

I’d especially like to thank our Patrons, Producers, Executive Producers and Coffee Fund contributors. Your financial support helps keep this a dynamic radio space over the long haul!

You all make this a terrific place for everything radio!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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AWA Presentation: A History of British Broadcasting

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BBC World Service – Bush House

The Antique Wireless Association/Museum recently posted another excellent presentation on YouTube; this time taking a look at the history of British Broadcasting. Here’s the description followed by the video:

Radio broadcasting in the UK followed a much different path than it did in the US, and there’s more to the story than the BBC. Tim Barrett tells the whole story in this history of British Broadcasting.

Click here to watch on YouTube.

If you enjoyed this presentation, consider becoming a member of the Antique Wireless Association at: https://www.antiquewireless.org/homepage/membership/

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Carlos’ Shortwave Art and recording of NHK World (November 22, 2022)

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent NHK World broadcast.

Carols notes: