Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Mark Hirst, who writes:
Thomas,
Episode 4 of Pluribus dropped today (November 21).
It opens with a radio operator methodically tuning across the amateur bands listening for a signal.
Mark
Wow! I’ve been watching Pluribus and wondered how I missed this shot, only to realize that episode 4 just dropped! Thank you for sharing this, Mark. I’m excited to watch it later today.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Jeff McMahon, who notes that he’s just published a new article exploring why the Tecsun PL-660 and PL-680 “twins” aren’t quite twins after all. Jeff compares the two radios in his garage setup and finds that while the PL-660 is more sensitive, the PL-680 has a clear advantage where it really counts outdoors: better audio fidelity without distortion at high volumes.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Richard Cuff, who shares the following news via the Philippine News Agency:
The government’s international service, Radyo Pilipinas World Service (RPWS), is set to resume shortwave broadcasts on 1 December 2025 from the Philippines Transmitting Station in Tinang, Tarlac. The relaunch comes through a new partnership between the Presidential Broadcast Service–Bureau of Broadcast Services and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), which aims to create a global network of volunteer correspondents reporting from Filipino diaspora communities. These broadcasts underscore shortwave radio’s continued value in connecting remote and global audiences—including overseas Filipino workers—with cultural news, heritage programming and first-hand reports from abroad.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Balázs, who shares the following news via Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and the following remarks:
“USAGM notified Congress on November 5, 2025, that it intended to terminate RFE/RL’s Hungarian Service” – perhaps it is just a coincidence that the delegation led by Viktor Orbán arrived in Washington the next day and began their meetings with the Trump administration. (On the RFE/RL HU website, articles have been published on topics that are “uncomfortable” for the current government, and with the emergence of a new opposition party (and increasingly severe economic difficulties), the ruling party’s chances of victory in the upcoming April elections have significantly decreased (first time after 16 years). For this reason, the ruling party (using state resources) is further intensifying its already high level of propaganda activity (in offline media, there is now only one commercial TV channel left that is not under its influence) and is using methods that it has not used before.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report of a recent CGTN broadcast.
Carlos notes:
Japan PM’s Sanae Takaichi considers revising non-nuclear principles, CGTN, 17750 kHz
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report of a recent CGTN broadcast.
Carlos notes:
China-Japan row over Taiwan, CGTN/NHK
by Paul Jamet
Which radio listener hasn’t dreamed of owning a portable multi-band receiver allowing them to explore the widest possible radio spectrum?
For nearly a year now, walkie-talkies have appeared on the market which, beyond the classic VHF–UHF functions, also allow listening and transmitting on CB (27 MHz) as well as listening to LW/MW/SW bands (LSB/USB/CW). The RADTEL RT-860 has won over those who have tested it.
Read here: Dan Reviews the Radel RT-860
The arrival of the Quansheng TK-11 — available in three versions — has caused quite a stir on social networks. Then, almost at the same time, the RADTEL RT-880 and RT-880G (G for GPS) appeared, also sold under other names such as iRadio UV98.
Among all these available models, I chose — as a radio listener, especially when I’m traveling — the RADTEL RT-880G. My choice is explained mainly by its antenna connectors (SMA-Female and SMA-Male), its large color display, its GPS module, its thousand memory channels, and the possibility of simultaneously monitoring three VHF/UHF frequencies. This device is highly customizable, but its user manual would deserve to be much more detailed and explicit.
The RT-880G comes with a “standard” 18 cm antenna for VHF-UHF bands, which is also used for FM station reception. I haven’t yet tested the device on the 27 MHz (CB) band, for which a dedicated antenna is preferable. No antenna is provided for LW/MW/SW listening.
For listening to LW/MW/SW bands, the device is often shown with small donut-type loop antennas (10 cm diameter).
However, for easier transport, I simply chose this small telescopic SMA-Male antenna, 48 cm long (weight: 20 g): to which it is possible to clip a wire antenna, such as the SONY AN-71, which can prove very useful.
I also used an antenna normally intended for CB, the ABBREE 27 MHz telescopic antenna (130 cm), admittedly heavier (weight: 78 g) and bulkier, but which gives very good results for the HF band.
The purpose of this contribution — which concerns only listening — is to arouse curiosity among mobile (or stationary) listeners, to invite those who own this walkie-talkie to come here and share their experience, and to collect your comments. It is therefore not a full review of the RT-880G, but simply an illustration of what it offers for listening to LW/MW/SW bands.
For LW/MW/SW bands, the RT-880G allows you to set the:
Local park where some of the recordings were made.
Here are a few audio files that will help you form an opinion. The recordings were made with a smartphone placed near the receiver. The recordings were made using a smartphone placed near the receiver. The sound quality is quite good, even surprising. Continue reading