Author Archives: Robert Gulley

Solar Ham Website News

A website I have used (and supported) regularly for the last 18 years is currently off-line, taking, according to the site’s founder, “an extended break” for the foreseeable future. The SolarHam.com site, operated by Kevin Gibeau, VE3EN, has been an amazing resource for solar weather news for amateur radio folks, astronomers, and, I suspect, hobbyists and professionals from many fields.

I, like many others, will miss the site, and wish Kevin well, and look for his (hopefully soon!) return.

Here is the note posted today on the Solar Ham Space Weather Website:

After 19 years SolarHam will be taking an extended break. The current world events and life in general has made me want to refocus my attention on what matters most, my daughter, my family and my health. Thank you all for the support over the past two decades, I really cannot thank you enough. Space Weather will always remain a passion of mine, but as of right now my heart is not fully committed and that is not fair to you my followers. I hope to return once I feel well enough. Sorry for the sudden departure and I hope you understand.
Kevin (SolarHam).

Robert, K4PKM

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The Radioddity CBL-561

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The Radioddity CBL-561 is an antenna designed to work with the Radioddity QT80 10M radio (of course it can work with other radios as well), covering a range of 25 to 30 MHz. It is an extremely solid antenna, with an extensible section easily adjustable for different bands and frequencies. Frankly, I was quite impressed with how well designed the antenna is, and I suspect it could withstand just about any knocks or elements while mounted to a car or other metallic platform suitable for antennas.

There are various mounting methods available as typical for mobile antennas, but given the size, weight, and rigidity of the antenna, either a solid clamping-type mount, or one of the triangular/delta type mounts like the Radioddity M916 with its broader base area, would be my recommendation.

This type of mount provides more surface area to hold the antenna in place

The antenna has a PL-259 connector, which requires your mount to have a S0-239 female connection, or adapted to a different size mount/coax connection. Again, I would recommend keeping connections as straight forward as possible, as adapters can add line loss, but more importantly, weaken the connection chain.

From the Manufacturer:

Compatible with:
10 Meter Radio
Radioddity QT40, Radioddity QT60, Radioddity QT80, and all other brand’s 10 meter radios.

CB Radio
Radioddity CS-47, Radioddity CB-27 Pro, Radioddity CB-500, Radioddity CB-900 Pro, and all other brand’s CB radios.

Specifications:
Frequency Band: 25-30MHz
SWR: ~1.3:1
Maximum Power: 500W (PEP)
Connector: PL-259
Whip Length: Adjustable
Material: Aluminum Alloy

Works with
1. Radioddity M916 Antenna Base (recommended)
2. Radioddity RA-M5 Antenna Base

What’s in the box?
1 x The bottom section of the antenna (fixed length of 44.5 cm/17.5 in)
1 x The middle section of the antenna (fixed length of 32 cm/12.6 in)
1 x The top section of the antenna (variable active length between 26.8 cm/10.6 in and 72 cm/28.3 in)
1 x 2mm Allen-key

———————————

Adjusting the antenna

Adjusting the antenna is very simple. The provided Allen key is all that is needed. The top section of the antenna is adjustable between ~10.5″ and ~28″, based on the frequencies you wish to cover. If you plan on using the antenna for different bands, you might want to mark the antenna with some paint after determining the best height for each band, so as to quickly make the adjustments.

The chart below gives suggested starting points for various frequencies. As each mounting situation is different, you will want to start with these numbers and then make adjustments as needed. For those who may not have done this type of adjustment before, I recommend making very small changes until you get a feel for how much difference an adjustment makes, otherwise you may end up “chasing your tail” as the saying goes.

This Length Chart based on frequency can be used as a starting point

You will want some form of an SWR meter to check the antenna match. If your radio has one built-in, that may be sufficient for getting it close. If you have access to a stand-alone meter, your readings will likely be more precise. I used an MFJ-269c for my readings, but any basic SWR meter capable of covering the ranges you need will be sufficient.

Another useful suggestion is to try different placements to see where you get the best readings. If mounting to an automobile trunk lid, for example, you might be surprised to realize you often only have two connection points to the trunk and the rest of the car body, namely the trunk lid hinges (as most trunks have rubber insulation around the seam to prevent water leakage).

If you do a search on the Internet for antenna grounding on automobiles, you can find out some interesting ways to increase the effectiveness of any antenna mounted to an automobile which can make use of a much greater surface area. Some solutions are quite clever!!

Conclusion

This is a great time to be working the upper amateur bands, and by extension, the CB band. This antenna should serve you well for those tasks, and should last a good long time! I doubt you could find a more solidly built antenna.

(For my review of the Radioddity QT80 10-meter radio click here.)

73, Robert K4PKM

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A Second Solar Max Peak?

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SOLAR MAX — IS A SECOND PEAK COMING? Last October, NOAA and NASA announced that Solar Max has arrived. Only half the sun got the memo. The majority of solar activity has been happening in just one of the sun’s hemispheres–the south. The solar superstorm of May 10, 2024, for instance, was caused by a monster southern sunspot.

It makes you wonder, is the other half of Solar Max still coming? This plot of hemispheric sunspot numbers from SILSO provides some context:

Here we see all seven solar cycles of the Space Age, punctuated by current Solar Cycle 25 on the far right. The most recent cycles are double peaked, with northern sunspots (green) and southern sunspots (red) reaching their own Solar Max ~two years apart. This isn’t big news. Researchers have long known that the two hemispheres of the sun are slightly out of sync. The north vs. south delay is called the “Gnevyshev gap.”

This composite image of last year’s sunspots shows how dominant the southern hemisphere has been:

For forecasters of the solar cycle, this raises an interesting possibility: Maybe the northern peak is still coming. Indeed, there are signs in February 2025 that the pendulum is swinging. This month’s sunspots have been more evenly distributed between the two hemispheres, a sign that activity may be shifting north.

On the other hand, the northern peak might have already occured [sic]. Take another look at the first plot. There is a puny northern peak near the beginning of Solar Cycle 25. Perhaps that was it. (Indeed, that would jibe with the north-first, south-second order of recent double peaks.)

This discussion focuses attention on the north-south balance of sunspots. A northern shift in the months ahead could herald a second peak and another year or two of excellent auroras before Solar Cycle 25 finally peters out. Stay tuned!

Published by Spaceweather.com

Posted by Robert Gulley, K4PKM

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SIHUADON R-108 Bonus Coupon Extended

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Hi Folks,

Just a quick update on the additional 20% coupon offered by XHDATA on the SIHUADON R-108 – it has been extended until the 13th of February 2025. I received a note this evening and wanted to share the news immediately. Here are the links to the American Amazon listings for the Black or Gray versions:

“I wanted to share some exciting news regarding our recent collaboration on the SIHUADON R108 promotion. Due to the enthusiastic support from our customers, we have decided to extend the promotion period.

We’d like to provide you with a stackable 20% discount code.
Here are the exclusive discount codes:

R108 (Black & Gray): 20R108forSWL

Effective time:

From 2025-2-6 To 2025-2-13 11:59?Pacific Standard Time?

Product links:

R108:
– Black: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XVVCP9L
– Gray: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HCYYW88

———————————————————————————

As a reminder, this coupon is in addition to the 10% coupon already on Amazon, making the radio ~$45 (if your state requires tax) or less.

Thanks to XHDATA for extending the extra coupon deadline available only to SWLing Blog readers!

Update by Robert Gulley K4PKM

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SIHUADON R-108 – A Truly Portable Radio

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By Robert Gulley K4PKM

The SIHUADON R-108 is a compact, inexpensive and capable radio with many features radio hobbyists have come to expect. While I no longer have one of my earliest AM transistor radios, it is comparable in size, but not much else!! Being a radio “old-timer”, I never cease to be amazed at what can be fit into a jacket pocket these days!

For those who have seen, or own, a CCrane Skywave, the radios at first blush look very similar. Size and weight are almost identical. While they are indeed quite similar, they also have some significant differences, and so I will simply say even if you already own one or the other, having both in your radio arsenal can be easily justified given the prices involved.

With all of that as preface, the usual disclaimer applies – I was asked by XHDATA to review the SIHUADON R-108 with the complete understanding that I give fair and honest reviews, good or bad. Like all radios, the R-108 has a few nits I will pick at, but the short answer to the question of value and capabilities is: this is an excellent portable/travel radio which works great in the arm chair, as well as on the road or in far off locations.

We will start with the usual specifications according to the manufacturer:

Frequency Range:

FM: 64 ~ 108 MHz
- Russia: 64 ~ 108 MHz
- Japan: 76 ~ 108MHz
- EU, USA:87.5 ~ 108MHz
SW: 1711 ~ 29999 kHz
MW: 522~ 1620 kHz
- USA: 520-1710kHz
LW: 150 ~ 450kHz
AIR: 118-137MHz

Features

Speaker: 5W / 4Ohm
Earphone Jack: 35mm,Stereo type
500 Memories
Power supply : USB 5V/250mA external adaptor (not included), BL-5C battery
External Antenna Connection

Unit Size:

120(L)×70(W)×30(H)mm
Weight: ~190g (Battery not included)

Package includes:

1 x SIHUADON R-108 Radio
1 x USB charge cable
1 x BL-5C lithium battery
External Wire Antenna
1 x User Manual

Ergonomics

The R-108 has very good ergonomics for its size – even with rather large fingers the controls are easy to operate. There are a few multi-purpose buttons but these do not get in the way of typical operation, as most of them are designed to be used in the secondary function while the radio is off, such as setting the FM starting frequency for different parts of the world, or setting the MW bandwidth setting or clock function.

Tuning Dial, USB-C Connector, and Volume wheel

Tuning knob changes between Fast, Slow, and Stop with a press.

One feature I particularly like is the multifunction tuning knob. Rotating the knob does as one would expect in changing frequencies, and pushing the knob in switches between fast and slow tuning depending on the band. But a third option is “Stop”, which locks on to the frequency such that turning the knob will not change the current frequency. For a portable radio one is likely to be holding in the hands often, I find this a nice feature.

Direct keyboard entry is always a useful feature, one which I use quite regularly. With the R-108 you simply press the Frequency button and enter in the frequency based on the band – LW, MW, etc. There is no need to press a separate “enter” key when finished, as the frequency setting is complete with the last digit press.

The radio features a robust 19-inch telescoping antenna, and while any antenna is able to be bent or broken if enough force is applied, this antenna should easily last the life of the radio if handled reasonably. The screen is bright and easy to read, and the radio features a flip out stand on the back and a replaceable battery.

Bright Screen and External Antenna Jack

There is also an external antenna jack for the included wire antenna, and one could certainly build a longer wire antenna or adapt an existing external antenna with the appropriate plug. I only tested the included wire antenna and did not find that it overloaded the front-end of the radio, but the performance of the wire antenna was less than desirable (see Cons below). However, your mileage may vary, as they say, whether due to location or by using a different external antenna.

One of the more obvious design intentions for this radio is an appeal to a world-wide audience, as evidenced both by the variable FM frequency range options and the inclusion of the LW band. Depending on your location, the time of year, and listening conditions, this can be a nice addition. I cannot speak to the effectiveness of this radio’s implementation of the band in that there are few longwave signals I have been able to receive on my desktop radios, even with external long-wire antennas at my current location.

Bandwidth tuning is variable for SW/LW/MW/AIR with options of 6, 4, 3, 2 and 1 kHz.

In testing the radio’s reception, I have compared it with the CCRANE SKYWAVE and it’s larger sibling, the XHDATA D-808, with some interesting results. On shortwave bands and FM I have found the three radios to be basically comparable in reception. Now, this deserves a bit of a deeper dive into performance. I say basically comparable because there are some differences in the SW reception.

The SIHUADON R-108 and the CCRANE are very similar, but the XHDATA D-808, even though it has a larger antenna (7-inches longer), did not receive signals as well as the R-108. There are likely two reasons for this. First, the most likely overall is a bit of a difference in design sensitivity. But what was more noticeable, and the secondary reason for the difference in reception, was the interference factor. The D-808 was simply more susceptible to electrical interference. There were several birdies present on portions of the SW bands which were not present on either of the two smaller radios.

This also brings up another interesting find: the audio out of the R-108 was noticeably better than the CCRANE or the D-808, even with the D-808’s larger speaker. This was a nice surprise as listening to MW and SW was much more pleasant to the ear. When connected to headphones the stereo audio quality was pretty much the same between the three units as one would expect.

This R-108, branded under “RADIWOW R-108”, was reviewed by Thomas a while back and exhibited some birdies on the MW band. This seems to have been corrected in my copy of the radio, but would be worth checking into to make sure if purchasing a new unit.

As a side note, the radio was also included in the excellent 2021 Ultralight Radio Shootout by Gary DeBock.

Replaceable Battery and Kick Stand

The radio has an ATS function which works quite well. The basic operation is like most radios with this feature in terms of scanning, but using the stored stations is not always easy with some radios, involving multiple button presses, “pages” or menu settings.

In the case of the R-108, once stations have been scanned on a particular band using the long press of the ATS key, selecting them becomes quite simple. For example, with the FM band selected, a press of the VM/VF key switches you from standard frequency tuning to your presets. This is indicated both by a change in the display to show the current preset selected, as well as a double beep, convenient for those who might be visually impaired. When in Preset mode you can tune the presets manually with the tuning knob, or make use of the U/D arrows to either fine tune or manually tune through the band. A long press on either the up or down arrows starts a scan of the preset stations, pausing for 5 seconds on each stored station for that band. Stopping the scan is done by pressing once again on the up or down arrows.

Below are a list of Pros and Cons, as well as my final thoughts on the radio.

Pros:

USB-C connector

Strong Antenna

External antenna jack

Bright backlit display

LW band inclusion

Superior Audio as compared to other portables of its size (and even larger)

Good battery life and convenient charging connection, replaceable battery

ATS function implemented well

Price

Cons:

Soft muting is present and the recovery time is a bit longer than most radios I have used

No WX band (For a travel radio in the U.S. this is a feature that will be missed)

External Antenna created more noise on SW signals with no boost in sensitivity for weak stations, and stronger stations were made less strong due to induced noise

Conclusion

As we so often say, no radio is perfect, and no radio will please everyone, or even fit everyone’s needs. I do not travel much, so a small portable radio that can be packed easily and not add a lot of weight to my luggage is not as important to me as it is to, say, our venerable leader Thomas, who travels a lot and loves a good compact radio.

I however do like to sit in my recliner and listen to AM DX, Shortwave, and the occasional classical music FM station or local AM station. I think Jock and I have a lot in common that way. For serious Amateur DX, Utility and serious DXing of almost any sort, I rely on my desktop radios and tie in my radios to my computer and external antennas. But I often like to just relax with a radio, and this is a great radio with which to do just that.

I have already mentioned the excellent audio which makes listening more enjoyable on all modes, and the ergonomics fit me quite well. The sensitivity of the radio is quite good, the range of reception band options is impressive, and the memory station tuning is a breeze.

What is most impressive in some ways is the price for which such excellent features may be found.

And speaking of price, XHDATA has offered a special coupon offer for a limited time for SWLing Blog readers:

From XHDATA: We’d like to provide you with a stackable 20% discount code.
Here are the exclusive discount codes:

R108 (Black & Gray): 20R108forSWL

Effective time: From 2025-2-6 To 2025-2-9 Pacific Standard Time

R108:
– Black: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XVVCP9L
– Gray: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08HCYYW88

I have tested the codes and they are working for Amazon America purchases. Stackable means in addition to the 10% coupon offered on the Amazon site, you can add the above code during the checkout process to get an additional 20% off, making the price with tax ~$45! This code is for SWLing Blog readers only!

(Follow the tag Radiwow R-108 for additional posts.)

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Flying Into the Sun

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On Christmas Eve the Parker Solar Probe is going to enter the Sun’s atmosphere for the first time to study Solar Wind. For radio hobbists of all ilks, this will hopefully help us understand more about the origins of Solar Wind, and thereby help us understand more fully the effects this has on radio signals (and other space weather issues).

The following is an exerpt from an article on ARS Technica by Eric Berger

Almost no one ever writes about the Parker Solar Probe anymore.

Sure, the spacecraft got some attention when it launched. It is, after all, the fastest moving object that humans have ever built. At its maximum speed, goosed by the gravitational pull of the Sun, the probe reaches a velocity of 430,000 miles per hour, or more than one-sixth of 1 percent the speed of light. That kind of speed would get you from New York City to Tokyo in less than a minute.

And the Parker Solar Probe also has the distinction of being the first NASA spacecraft named after a living person. At the time of its launch, in August 2018, physicist Eugene Parker was 91 years old.

But in the six years since the probe has been zipping through outer space and flying by the Sun? Not so much. Let’s face it, the astrophysical properties of the Sun and its complicated structure are not something that most people think about on a daily basis.

However, the smallish probe—it masses less than a metric ton, and its scientific payload is only about 110 pounds (50 kg)—is about to make its star turn. Quite literally. On Christmas Eve, the Parker Solar Probe will make its closest approach yet to the Sun. It will come within just 3.8 million miles (6.1 million km) of the solar surface, flying into the solar atmosphere for the first time.

Read the whole article here

Posted by Robert Gulley K4PKM

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XHDATA D-808: Another User’s Review (and discount codes)

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By Robert Gulley

I admit to being hesitant to review this radio when XHDATA contacted me, as our own armchair portable radio guru, Jock, had written an excellent review of the radio back in June of this year, and because the radio has been out for some time (6 or 7 years, I believe). After a time, I decided my take on the radio, like any other, would be just another facet in considering its place in the radio world at large, or possibly on your radio shelf, and hence this review.

Lightweight and a Sturdy Antenna

As Jock mentioned in relation to other lightweight DX machines, this radio is indeed light, yet sturdy, and very easily portable. Unlike many small radios, care has been taken to make the antenna solid and tall. This means it can pull in a lot of signals safely (unless, like me, you are comparing it side-by-side with three other radios and find yourself having antenna sword fights as you move radios around, but I digress. Fortunately, nothing bad happened to any of the radios!). When sitting on a table, the built-in stand is stable, and allows pressing buttons solidly with one hand – the radio does not slide around or threaten to be knocked over in the process. That might seem like a minor thing, but many stands are less than reliable in this regard.

Operating the Radio

While I would prefer a slightly larger offset to the buttons from the surface of the radio, this did not cause much of an issue whether hand-held or on its stand. There were a few times when I thought I had pressed a button sufficiently but no response, but a second, harder press worked, so I just needed to take that into account when tuning in frequencies using the keypad, or when changing modes, etc.

The radio has a number of functions, clearly labeled, including operations performed when the radio is off, labeled in orange. Other orange labels indicate secondary or sub functions when the radio is on, such as the “Meter” function which, when in SW mode, cycles through the shortwave bands.

A small but useful feature I really appreciate related to this is the meter identification displayed along with the frequency as you cycle through the shortwave bands. For some reason I have a hard time remembering which set of frequencies is represented by which SW meter band. Perhaps with this radio I can finally get them firmly entrenched into my old brain!

The Fine Tune dial works especially well with a broad range of adjustment depending on the mode.

Another operating feature that I found very useful is the Fine Tuning dial on the side of the radio. This works as one would expect in Shortwave and SSB mode, allowing for slight adjustments to bring in a voice or CW signal in the amateur bands, but also allows one to off-tune from the standard receive frequency when a signal is being interfered with or picking up static etc.

This is nothing particularly new, but what is impressive to me is that it works for MW signals as well. Being able to go from 700 kHz to 701 or 702 kHz, for example, sometimes allows for a more intelligible signal, particularly at night when there can be multiple stations coming in on the same frequency.

On more than one occasion this was useful, especially since this means one does not have to change the tuning rate to make an adjustment. Your main tuning stays at the 9 or 10k you have set, and when you move the main tuning dial, it jumps to the next proper frequency. In this example, 701kHz becomes 800kHz with the next turn of the main tuning dial or up arrow,

Listening

The audio is good for its size due to the large speaker, and the multitude of filter options in the radio for every mode (except FM) allow you to tailor the audio to what you prefer, or what will allow you to mostly, or totally, eliminate interference from strong nearby stations. For those who like to listen to amateur radio bands, the filter capability is even more useful, particularly since it goes down to 500 Hz, great for listening to Morse code!

The number of filters is amazing given the price point of this radio, and it begs the question, if XHDATA can do this, why can’t other companies do this too? This is a big selling point for the radio in my book.

As I mentioned earlier, I compared three other radios to the D-808, a Sony 7600GR, a Sangean 909X2, and a C.Crane Skywave. The results were both predictable and surprising. Predictable in that the Sangean with the larger speaker had better audio, the Sony with SSB sync that actually works (unlike many models that try and fail!) was a bit clearer most of the time on SSB, and the Skywave was weaker in strength due partly, at least, to the smaller antenna, and lesser audio due to the smaller speaker.

What was unpredictable was when the D-808 pulled in stations better than the Sangean or Sony – not often, but some times. Similarly, the D-808 would sometimes hear two MW broadcast stations when the other three would only hear one. All three were used at times with a Tecsun AM loop antenna to boost MW signals, as well as with their bare ferrite antennas. Most of the time the MW signals were pretty even, but sometimes the D-808 won out.

While I have yet to own the perfect radio, and I have owned a lot of radios, this radio does what it promises, and does it well. As I note below, there are pros and cons and quirks to every radio, and what may be a quirk or a con to me may not be to others.

PROs, CONs, and Quirks

PROs

Excellent sensitivity on FM (good telescopic antenna) and AM (internal ferrite antenna excellent given the size of the radio)
Includes the AIR band, SSB with USB and LSB, and LW
6 filters for SW, 7 for MW/LW, and 6 for Air (WOW!)
Fine Tuning Dial works in all modes to help reception
Tuning Dial can be adjusted for Fast or Slow tuning steps, and can be set to STOP to lock in a station so that if the dial is accidently nudged, the station will not get changed.
Direct Keypad entry of frequencies
Feature rich for an (almost) ultralight radio
External antenna jack
Long-lasting battery
Reset Button to go back to square one if needed

CONs

While I do not mind soft muting, this radio does make a “chuffing” sound in certain modes when tuning manually (but not when finding stations with ATS). That’s not a deal-breaker for me, but it will be to some, I know. This is likely due to the AGC “attacking” the audio as it returns from the soft muting.
Minor Nit: While the battery life is good with the rechargeable battery included, I always prefer AA-sized batteries for their almost universal availability.
Memory access is limited, not by the number of memories, but by an easy way to tune through them. Memory Pages should link seamlessly for scanning purposes, but this is not an uncommon CON with many other radios.

Quirks

Setting the Sleep Timer to “On” actually turns it off. Really.
Sometimes if the Clock adjustment is set to Auto, an FM radio station that broadcasts RDS time and date info might reset the time to something different, such as when hearing a station from a different time zone. I prefer to set the clock manually to my local time (or more likely, to UTC time) just to keep it consistent, and that option is available for this radio.
I have noticed when another radio is near, when changing the frequency manually, in addition to the chuffing noise of the D-808, the other radio will make a popping sound with each change. This is not likely to be an issue in normal operation, but if comparing two radios, or listening to two different radios at the same time, you will likely hear it.
The alarm time set shows on the main display when the radio is turned off, regardless of whether the alarm is set to go off or not. This was very confusing to me at first, as I expected the display to go off when the alarm was not set to go off.

Wrap-up

This is a neat little radio that, as they say, punches above its weight class. It can fit in a jacket pocket easily, it’s lightweight, it has features which not many other portables have, or have as fully, and the audio is quite good for its size.

This is indeed an armchair receiver, but with the addition of a MW loop antenna, or a longwire plugged in for shortwave/amateur or LW/MW bands, there are many more opportunities for bagging distant stations.

There are enough features to make it quite usable for travelling, but not so many bells and whistles that operation becomes cumbersome. And with keypad entry for when you want immediate gratification, there’s no long minutes or hours of tuning manually to get to the frequencies you want.

I believe the radio comes in at a good price point, ticks most boxes a user would want for a radio in this class, and has a track record of good reliability after a number of years on the market.

________________________________________________________________________________________

As with the D-220 promotion specifically for SWLing readers, below are links and codes to save a bit of green (or is that plastic now?!).

XHDATA D-808 Homepage

Discount Information (from XHDATA)

Regarding the pricing details for the XHDATA D808 radio, the original price of the D808 is $108. Currently, it’s part of Amazon’s Black Friday promotion, offering a 20% discount.

Additionally, we’d like to provide you with a stackable 5% discount code, making the final price approximately $5 lower than the special Black Friday price.

(ed. Note: includes free delivery in the states when purchased through Amazon U.S.)

Here are the exclusive discount codes: