Shortwave listening and everything radio including reviews, broadcasting, ham radio, field operation, DXing, maker kits, travel, emergency gear, events, and more
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent NHK broadcast and JMA Radiofax.
Carlos notes:
NHK news bulletin about typhoon N° 10 bringing heavy rain to Japan. Listened in the grounds of the Faculty of Humanities of the Juiz de Fora University, Minas Gerais, #Brazil.
Hi it’s FastRadioBurst 23 here letting you know what Imaginary Stations will be bringing to you via the shortwaves this week. On Sunday 1st September 2024 at 0900/1300 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and then at 2000 UTC on 6160 kHz and 3975 kHz we will be presenting Skybird Drive-in Radio via Shortwave Gold. We’ve got the matinee and evening spots booked for you so there’s no need to arrive early. Make yourself a tasty snack (hot dogs, tacos, ice cream, a burger or perhaps some popcorn?) and turn on the shortwave radio. Then imagine you’re in a cadillac, tilt your seat back and enjoy all sorts of cinema related tunes as you would in an outdoor experience (until you’re listening to the radio outdoors). Enjoy the evening’s programme!
Then on Wednesday 4th September 2024 at 0200 UTC on 9395 kHz we’ll be bringing you the Skybird Drive-in Radio experience to all our listeners atWRMI. Do please remember to replace speakers when you leave. Here’s our trailer!
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.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent NHK broadcast warning about the dangers of Typhoon #10.
Carlos notes:
#Japan braces for typhoon n° 10. News from NHK shortwave radio, listened on the grounds of Faculty of Humanities of the Juiz de Fora University, Minas Gerais, #Brazil.
Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio
Welcome to the SWLing Post’sRadio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy!
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Dennis Dura, Kostas, Pete Eaton, Rich Cuff, and Balázs Kovács for the following tips:
SV3ORA’s new YouTube Channel
Many thanks to Kostas (SV3ORA) who shares a link to his new YouTube channel which features some of his radio projects including information about the NR-1 Noise Blanker.
[Abstract] The evolution from traditional tube-based shortwave transmitters to modern systems with Carrier Controlled Modulation represents a significant leap in broadcasting technology. While the old tube transmitters laid the groundwork for global communication, modern advancements have greatly enhanced the efficiency, clarity, and reach of broadcasts. Technologies like CCM modulation, directional curtain array antennnas and modern digitally controlled transmitters are pivotal in today’s communication landscape, ensuring that broadcasters can deliver high-quality audio content across the digital divide and to interested targets more reliably and efficiently, especially across vast distances. This slow shift in technology not only preserves the integrity of the transmitted message but also optimizes the use of energy and bandwidth, setting the stage for further innovations in global broadcasting, energy conservation and sustainability.
Please note: this article is behind a paywall and you will need a subscription to read. We include a link to this article in Radio Waves because of its relevance in radio history.
In 1924, a radio receiver built for the battlefields of World War I tested the idea that humans were not alone in the solar system, heralding a century of searches for extraterrestrial life.
At sunset on a late summer weekend in 1924, crowds flocked to curbside telescopes to behold the advanced alien civilization they believed to be present on the surface of Mars.
“See the wonders of Mars!” an uptown sidewalk astronomer shouted in New York City on Saturday, Aug. 23. “Now is your chance to view the snowcaps and the great canals that are causing so much talk among the scientists. You’ll never have such a chance again in your lifetime.”
During that weekend, Earth and Mars were separated by just 34 million miles, closer than at any other point in a century. Although this orbital alignment, called an opposition, occurs every 26 months, this one was particularly captivating to audiences across continents and inspired some of the first large-scale efforts to detect alien life. [Read this article at the NY Times…]
Pi-Pico Software Defined Radio
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Pete Eaton, who writes:
“A Homebrew Shortwave Receiver can not get much simpler than this:”
A couple of years ago, I built a basic yet capable radio receiver using a Pi Pico, and while I originally designed a custom PCB for it, this time I’m building an even simpler and cheaper version that can be built on a breadboard using (mostly) through-hole components.
I wanted to build a very minimal (but useful) design that I could use as a platform for experiments, tweaks and upgrades.
If you are interested in the original design or want to find out more about the technical details you can find all the info here. Most of the technical details are the same, so I will focus on the new features and improvements here. [Click here to continue reading…]
Move is in line with letting its Marianas shortwave transmitters go dark
The U.S. Agency for Global Media has informed the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands’ Department of Public Lands that it will terminate its long-term lease on Aguiguan Point.
Aguiguan Point is home to the Saipan portion of the Robert E. Kamosa Transmitting Station, which the agency confirmed last week was being shuttered. The shortwave site has been used since the mid-1990s to beam Voice of America and Radio Free Asia broadcasts across the Pacific.
According to a report in the Saipan Tribune, Department of Public Lands Secretary Teresita Santos confirmed that USAGM had informed the department it would not seek renewal of the lease, but no timeline for terminating the lease was provided. Santos was quoted as saying that once the lease is terminated, the department would issue a request for proposals for the site. [Continue reading…]
The Justice Department unsealed a criminal complaint charging Hungarian national Bence Horvath with violations of U.S. export controls targeting Russia, including by conspiring with others to illegally export U.S.-origin radio communications technology to Russian government end users without a license. Horvath is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA). He was arrested on arrival at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California, on Aug. 23.
“As alleged, the defendant attempted to purchase military-grade radios for Russian entities using a multinational procurement chain to evade law enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department remains committed to disrupting and holding accountable criminal networks that continue to fuel Russian aggression abroad and threaten our collective security.”
“Targeting illicit global procurement networks that operate in the shadows to equip the Russian government is of the highest priority to BIS,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “As Horvath’s arrest demonstrates, it doesn’t matter where in the world you operate – when the United States believes your conduct violates our export laws, we take action.” [Continue reading…]
The Anon site has a good description of the S2200X as well as its specifications and also has some cool photos showing the dual battery options of 4 x D cells and 2 x 18650 LiPo batteries.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Steffen Schultz, who writes:
Hello Thomas,
As a regular reader of your blog, I was fascinated by the reports on the XHDATA D-220[affiliate link] and ordered a black one. I was not disappointed. Of course it’s not a DXing machine, but finally we have a device wich reaches the reception quality of the old pocket radios again I used to carry around in my childhood. I still have a Philips D1220 from the 80s, which is even less sensitive than the XHDATA D-220.
This reminded me of my early radio days, when I would try to use the simplest methods to manipulate analog radios to do things that were not intended by the manufacturer. For example, by moving the band selector switch to an intermediate position, it was possible to get some radios to receive frequencies outside the intended range. Of course, I couldn’t resist and experimented with the D-220. It takes a bit of patience and sensitivity, but the radio really does hold some secrets.
Medium wave reception with the telescopic antenna
When I was listening to a weak station on medium wave and slowly moved the switch to short wave, the medium wave station got louder for a moment before the slide switch clicked into the correct position. In fact, the radio seems to switch to the telescopic antenna when you move the band selector a little toward short wave. A finger test on the antenna confirmed my suspicion. I also tried connecting a long wire, but that was counterproductive with all the men-made noise inside my house. Extended shortwave reception
A similar trick can be used to change the shortwave frequencies. If you slightly move the band selector from the shortwave position towards medium wave, the receiver switches to a different shortwave frequency range, covering between about 3000 and 7000 kHz. Now I was able to receive shortwave radio from Germany on 3975 kHz without any problems, and of course South Korea via England on 3955 kHz was no problem either.
I have not yet found out if the two FM bands can also be manipulated in this way, an intermediate position of the band selector seems to have no effect here. Perhaps one of the readers has discovered something?
73 and best regards
Steffen
Wittstock/Germany
Thank you for sharing these D-220 tips/hacks, Steffen!
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And a Radiofax from Kyodo News reporting 6 people dead and more than 100 injured due to the typhoon.
