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If you own a GE Superadio I or Superadio II and you would like an expert to restore and/or replace the capacitors, you’re in luck!
Chuck Rippel (K8HU) has announced that he will start repairing and restoring GE Superadios for anyone interested. In the past, he’s done this on a case-by-case basis when time allowed, but he has stocked up on top-shelf components and cleared off his workbench to bring Superadios back to life.
Chuck asks that you contact him via email if you would like your Superadio recapped or repaired.
You can reach Chuck at:
A note about the Superadio III
As mentioned above, Chuck only works on the SRI and SRII models.
Chuck notes that the issue with repairing SRIIIs is: “[working with] the tuning mechanism and putting it back together so it works and the dial is in reasonable calibration. If the dial cord comes off, it’s terrible to tray and re-install so, I stay away from model III’s.“
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who shares the following article that was originally published in the Radio Club du Perche Newsletter.
Note that Paul also includes information about the new XHDATA D-109 and an XHDATA sale in the addendum of his article!
Let’s discover the XHDATA D-219
by Paul JAMET
A truly incredible performance/price ratio
A year ago, many people wondered if it was wise to resume short wave broadcasts to Russia and Ukraine (CIRAF Zone 29). Although a century old, this technology is still widely used around the world. Moreover, the world market for Short Wave receivers is apparently doing well because new models are regularly arriving on the market, in particular ultra-portable DSP receivers with surprising performance. As proof, the latest XHDATA model: the D-219, marketed since November 2022. This is a very easy-to-use receiver, with a vintage look and a needle dial, which is available in gray or silver, for less than $7 (excluding shipping and batteries) on the XHDATA company website.
The D-219 is a “Full DSP” receiver which allows it to be very sensitive and power efficient. It is powered by two AA/R6 rechargeable batteries or by the mains (batteries and 220/5.0 volt adapter not supplied). A small multilingual manual – including French – is provided.
From my point of view, the most important innovation – on a DSP receiver of this price – is the possibility of precise tuning when searching for stations with a pointer dial; there is absolutely no play, which allows perfect and stable tuning to the desired frequency. This receiver has a 3.5 mm jack, a rear stand and a hand strap. The 7-core telescopic antenna is about 55 cm long and provides good reception of FM and SW stations. The sound quality is very good for this 150g receiver (without batteries)! It has two FM bands (87-108 and 64-87 MHz), the AM band (Medium Waves) from 522 to 1620 kHz and nine SW bands from 4750 to 22000 kHz. See photo above.
For a SWL, it’s a real pleasure to explore the 9 Short Wave bands. For instance, I have already easily tuned to international stations several thousand kilometers away only with the telescopic antenna, such as RFA – Radio Free Asia – broadcasting from Agignan Point and Tinian Island in the Pacific Ocean.
Note: A 23-foot wire antenna was clipped onto the whip antenna recordings made by placing my smartphone near the speaker of the receiver.
QSLs
I received two QSLs (Year of the Rabbit) sent by RFA. See attached images below. These QSL confirm my reception reports (recordings made with the XHDATA D-219 and sent to RFA)
Summary
In conclusion, the XHDATA D-219 is really very easy to use. I can only recommend it to anyone who wants to start exploring the wide world of shortwave with a receiver that offers a truly amazing performance/price ratio!
Paul JAMET
NB: DSP technology – Digital Signal Processing – allows, among other things, to reduce noise and limit distortion; it is perfectly adapted to the processing of radio signals.
Addendum: XHDATA sale and new D-109
1.) The RADIWOW web site is no longer updated and will be closed soon
30% discount on D-808 (65$) and R-108 (37.80$) for instance, till Feb, 16th.
In celebration of the upcoming World Radio Day 2023, our friend David Goren has produced another amazing World Wide Waves episode with Maria Margaronis presenting. You can listen live, but the audio will also be linked to The Documentary website once it has aired:
(Image source: BBC World Service, The Documentary)
The Documentary
For World Radio Day, we celebrate four vibrant community radio stations on four continents, tuning in to their sounds, their music, and their missions. Northern Malawi’s Rumphi FM supports the Tumbuka tribe while giving young women a space to speak out against early marriage and for education.
From Budapest, Radio Dikh broadcasts “about the Roma, but not just for the Roma,” presenting Romany culture in its own distinctive voice.
In Nunavik, Northern Quebec, Inuit radio beams Inuktitut music and talk to 14 remote villages, helping to keep an ancient language and threatened tradition alive.
And in civil-war-torn Myanmar, brave journalists risk their lives to resist the military dictatorship with news and views sent out from portable transmitters, sometimes under fire.
A new ultra-low-power method of communication at first glance seems to violate the laws of physics. It is possible to wirelessly transmit information simply by opening and closing a switch that connects a resistor to an antenna. No need to send power to the antenna.
Our system, combined with techniques for harvesting energy from the environment, could lead to all manner of devices that transmit data, including tiny sensors and implanted medical devices, without needing batteries or other power sources. These include sensors for smart agriculture, electronics implanted in the body that never need battery changes, better contactless credit cards and maybe even new ways for satellites to communicate.
Apart from the energy needed to flip the switch, no other energy is needed to transmit the information. In our case, the switch is a transistor, an electrically controlled switch with no moving parts that consumes a minuscule amount of power. [Continue reading…]
It’s about paid subscriptions — to the manufacturer, not the radio station
Apps for everything from optional equipment to entertainment is a big attraction for auto manufacturers.
For AM or even FM radio in cars, the solution could be worse than the problem: When manufacturers stop including radio as an in-console function, the workarounds make radio less local and face unimaginable competition, but what will roll out next is even more concerning.
The straight scoop
AM interference in electric vehicles, leaving radio out of the entertainment center, making radio more difficult to access — these are the real problems that the radio industry now faces.
Fact: Electromagnetic fields generated in non-gasoline engines make AM virtually unlistenable, spurring manufacturers to leave it out.
FM is more resistant to electromagnetic fields so for the present it survives.
Ford’s popular F-150 Lightning, Tesla, Volvo, Porsche and Audi have removed AM from their electric cars.
Tesla will sell consumers an app to get radio or satellite radio for a rental fee through internet delivery that gets around the electromagnetic interference. [Continue reading…]
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 broadcast content:
Carlos notes:
Part of Voice of Korea news bulletin, broadcasted in Spanish via shortwave and listened in Porto Alegre, describing the huge military parade that took place in Pyongyang, celebrating the 75th founding anniversary of armed forces.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Zanotti (HB9ASQ), who has, at my request, shared a video recording of a presentation he gave to the Fairlawn ARC last year.
This is part one. Part two will soon be released and we’ll post it on the SWLing Post as well! Thank you, Bob! Enjoy:
Hi all shortwave community, Fastradioburst23 here letting you know about the 45th Parallel Midwinter Broadcast this Sunday 12th February 2023 courtesy of the Imaginary Stations crew. It’s on 9395 kHz at 2300 hrs UTC via WRMI. There will be a good bit of circular latitude fun and some fine forty fives played throughout the show. We’d love you to join us!
Spread the radio love
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