Monthly Archives: July 2024

Pacific Odyssey Review

Many thanks to Rose Auburn who reached out to share her review of our friend and fellow DXer Ralph Perry’s book, Pacific Odyssey: The Curious Case of Lew 2.0, originally posted on Rose’s review website:

Pacific Odyssey: The Curious Case of Lew 2.0

By Chet Nairene

5*

Thirty-six-year-old tech wizard, Lew Clarke is about to ascend to god-like status at the corporate behemoth he has worked for since leaving Harvard. Accolades, and more importantly to Lew, eye-watering levels of financial recompense are raining down on him.  But when a minor, forgotten issue floats shockingly to the surface, Lew’s gold-plated, superficial existence implodes.

After licking his wounds, Lew embarks on a new business venture, importing highly intricate, bespoke wooden garden ornaments directly from the supplier, Lotus Creations, in the tiny kingdom of Amazia, Southeast Asia.  Money and the good times roll abundantly again. Until a trickle of strange complaints becomes a deluge and Lew is left with no option but to seek out the mysterious retailer from the even more mysterious Amazia…

Pacific Odyssey definitely ranks as one of my favorite novels so far in 2024.  I read Nairene’s earlier novel, Pacific Dash, last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. However, with Pacific Odyssey, Nairene has shifted up into fifth gear. It’s a highly imaginative and unusual book that I found almost impossible to put down.

From the opening couple of paragraphs, the novel instantly hooks the reader. Confident, breezy, and intriguing, it crackles with comic energy and is deceptively well-written. It would have been easy for Nairene’s depiction of Lew, and his employer, the corporate IT titan, Mega, to have fallen into stereotype.

And, while Nairene does tip the reader a knowing wink for some elements, it’s done with clever subtlety and wry, observational humor, a tone that continues throughout the novel.

The structure and ethos of Mega is not only horribly credible but incredibly well-conceived.  When Lew is put out to pasture at Mega’s global call center in Weehawken, Nairene depicts the place with hellish accuracy.

Although the novel is relatively long, it’s fast-moving with wave after wave of itchy foreboding. None more so than when Lew discovers Lotus Creations. However, underneath the suspense and possible chicanery, a faint sub-textual and thought-provoking commentary emerges as Lew and best friend, Sal, navigate the differences between the East and West cultural mores.

These distinctions prove profound, although Nairene keeps the reader guessing about the Amazians. As the novel gathers pace, a compelling mystery begins to unfold at its heart.

Nonetheless, on the surface at least, Part Two also resembles the finest of travel memoirs, certainly reminiscent of Paul Theroux’s rail journeys. As Lew travels from the capital of Amazia, Ruangbang, up to Biti, a deeply rural backwater, it’s excellent stuff. Kafka-esque, funny, immensely authentic, and never becomes far-fetched even as the reader is hurtled into a surreal rabbit hole.

Lew encounters hurdle after hurdle until assistance appears in the form of Boo, an Amazian who speaks English. The advent of Boo changes the novel a touch, it becomes a little more serious, and also rather spiritual both in terms of the narrative and Lew’s trajectory.

This esoteric turn is enhanced by Nong, Boo’s cousin. She reminded me of Fiona Lo in Nairene’s previous book and, at times, seemed underdeveloped, although her enigmatic countenance and reason for it, form the basis of the narrative’s outcome.

Pacific Odyssey is richly descriptive, vivid, sensory, and full of whip-smart, nimble dialogue, especially between Lew and Sal, whose exchanges are warm and amusingly natural. All of Nairene’s characters from Harry at Mega to Wongrat at the Miracle Royal Pagoda Hotel are wonderfully convincing and step from the page.

Pacific Odyssey is a literary thrill ride. Darkly funny and thought-provoking, it’s written with consummate verve and captivating vibrancy that never fails to entertain. Highly recommended.

Click here to purchase Pacific Odyssey on Amazon.com

[Note: This is an Amazon affiliate link that supports the SWLing Post at no cost to you.]

Click here to check out Rose’s other book reviews.

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Dan asks: “What is your longest DX?”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Greenall, who writes:

What is your longest DX (from transmitter to receiver)?

Assuming we are limiting the discussion to planet Earth, Perth, Australia would be represent one of the farthest land based locations to hear at 18145 km or 11275 miles as the crow flies from my receiving post in southern Ontario, Canada.

That would mean the ABC outlet that I received on 9610 kHz in the early 1970’s is the winner for me. Not far behind, however, would be tiny Amsterdam Island (part of the TAAF, Terres Australes et Antarctiques Francaises) in the Indian Ocean at 18031 km or 11204 miles. I was able to log marine radio FJY4 on 8690 kHz CW on a number of occasions and even managed to extract a PFC QSL direct from the station in 1973.

There are a number of distance calculators for this on the internet, such as Free Map Tools at
https://www.freemaptools.com/how-far-is-it-between.htm

Of course, the longest DX may not necessarily be the best. CKZN running 300 watts on 6160 kHz from St. John’s, Newfoundland from right here in Canada was harder to hear than the ABC in Perth, Australia!

Who can top this distance? What is your longest DX? Please comment!

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From the Isle of Music and Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot Schedules for July 2024

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Tilford, who shares the following update:

1. From the Isle of Music, July 2024

On July 13, 2024, we will feature music from the winning album in the Tradicional Variado category (“Danzoneando: En vivo desde Matanzas” by Orquesta Failde) of Cubadisco 2024
Times & Frequencies are:
1700-1800 UTC 9670 kHz with beam E-F towards South Asia
1900-2000 UTC 3955 & 6070 kHz (omnidirectional for Europe and beyond)
2300-2400 UTC 3955 kHz (omnidirectional for Europe and beyond)
All transmissions from Channel 292, Rohrbach, Germany

2. Uncle Bill’s Melting Pot, July 20, 2024

On July 20, 2024, we will feature various multiethnic music that blends musical styles from different cultures
Times & Frequencies (note new schedule) are:
1700-1800 UTC 9670 kHz with beam E-F towards South Asia
1900-2000 UTC 3955 & 6070 kHz (omnidirectional for Europe and beyond)
2300-2400 UTC 3955 kHz (omnidirectional for Europe and beyond)
All transmissions from Channel 292, Rohrbach, Germany

For both programs, even if you are listening on a remote websdr rather than a radio, we will still acknowledge reception reports with an eQSL IF:
1. The entire program is listened to and reported
2. which web SDR is clearly specified (that will be mentioned on the eQSL)
Shorter reports will be acknowledged with a brief note of thanks.

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Radio Waves: Switzerland to End Analog Radio, AM For Every Vehicle Act, AM v Safety, and Electromechanical Radio Transmitters

Radio Waves:  Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio

Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy!

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Paul and Dennis Dura for the following tips:


Switzerland to end 2024 with an analog FM broadcast-killing bang (The Register)

Time to upgrade that receiver if you’re one of the few Swiss that still don’t have one able to receive DAB+ signals

Swiss radio listeners will soon have to toss out their old sets, as the country plans to end analog FM broadcasting on December 31, 2024, in favor of a total conversion to digital.

The move has been a long time coming in Switzerland, which has largely already transitioned to Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB+, an evolution of standard DAB that was designed to address early issues). More than 99 percent of the country have access to a DAB+-compatible receiver and fewer than 10 percent of radio signals in the country still being broadcasted in analog FM, according to the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. [Continue reading…]

AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act to Receive Minor Technical Update (Radio World)

There will be no substantive changes to the legislation

A bill in the House of Representatives that would mandate AM capability in new vehicles is about to be revised, according to a person familiar with the developments.

New information indicates that one of the original co-sponsors of the bill, Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), plans to introduce an amendment to the bill (H.R. 8449). Changes would only include minor technical updates.

The planned amendment to the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act comes on the heels of last week’s last-minute cancellation of a planned vote by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which could have advanced the legislation to the full House for a vote. [Continue reading…]

Would AM Mandate Force Carmakers to Scrap Safety Features?

Opponents play up the possibility that carmakers would have to choose

If Congress requires AM radio in new cars, vehicle manufacturers might have to drop safety features instead.

That’s the message from opponents of the proposed law in Congress. A guest commentary published by Automotive News restates the key points that opponents have been making since the legislation was introduced; but their blunt emphasis on a possible tradeoff with important safety features seems notable.

“To accommodate analog AM radio as a primary design requirement, certain carmakers may need to scrap advanced safety features, with engineers having to prioritize outdated technology over current or future safety innovations,” they wrote. [Continue reading…]

Did you know that 100 years ago there were electromechanical radio transmitters?

Many thanks to Paul who shared a link to this Mastodon thread discussing the technology behind the SAQ/Grimeton broadcast station: https://mastodon.social/@tubetime/110970146022678448

Here’s is a video (we’ve posted in the past) that gives even more detail about the design and operation:


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On the beach

Hi it’s FastRadioBurst 23 from Imaginary Stations here letting you know of a couple of our summertime end of pier entertainment specials this coming week.

On Sunday 7th July 2024 at 0900/1300 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and then at 2000 UTC on 6160 kHz and 3975 kHz we’ll be bringing you COOL 2. Expect entertainment of the summer vacation kind over the seaside pier PA, there’ll be songs about of sea and surfing, towels saved on sunloungers and even holiday tips about dodging the deck chair attendant by pretending you’re fast asleep. We’ll be checking the weather forecast a week beforehand and will be crossing our fingers that the sun will shine come broadcast time. So roll out the beach blanket, blow up that beach ball and get yourself comfy and tune into COOL 2.

Then via WRMI on Wednesday 10th July 2024 at 0200 UTC on 9395 kHz we’ll be bringing you  our debut show of COOL which was broadcast to Europe last week. Tune in and enjoy the summer of shortwave vibes.

We now have a Patreon page for our regular listeners here. Monthly memberships are available for exclusive audio and zines.

For more information on all our shows, please send  to [email protected] and check out our old shows at our Mixcloud page here.

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