Author Archives: Thomas

KHP: An over-the-air cryptographic challenge on January 20, 2024

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul (KW1L), who writes:

The Maritime Radio Historical Society, in cooperation with our good friends at the Cipher History Museum, present a unique, over-the-air cryptographic challenge.

https://www.radiomarine.org/mrhs-events

On January 20 2024, KPH will transmit a coded message consisting of 5-digit groups. The message will be encrypted using typical Cold War numbers station cryptographic procedures. All KPH listeners are invited to try their hand at receiving and decrypting the message. Certificates will be awarded to those who successful decode the message. Additionally, a special certificate will be awarded to the first person to decode it.

Click here for details.

Thank you, Paul!

Update from SWLing Post HQ

50 Replies

Hello, Friends,

A quick update:

My mother passed away on Sunday afternoon after a long battle with cancer. The past few weeks have been hectic and fully devoted to my mother’s Hospice care. The next two week are devoted to being with family and caring for my father-in-law who is currently in the hospital.

I haven’t been checking email or comments regularly and will not for the next week or so, hence the delay in reply some of you have noticed.

With the help of some of our contributors, we will still have posts published, but fewer than normal.

Please understand if I don’t have time to reply to your emails. I receive 40-50 from readers daily, so the backlog will be more than I can handle even after I’m back “on the air.”

Also, thank you so much for your kind thoughts and messages. Those of you who follow by other radio blog, QRPer.com, knew that my mom was in Hospice care as I mentioned this in a recent field report.

I’ll be back soon and thank you so much for understanding.

Best,

Thomas (K4SWL)

Pyongyang Radio appears to have halted broadcasting

12 Replies

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dennis Dura, who shares the following article from The Korea Herald:

N. Korea halts radio station known for sending coded messages to spies in Seoul (The Korea Herald)

North Korea is pressing ahead with measures to disband its inter-Korean organizations, apparently stopping a radio station previously used to send encrypted messages to its spies in South Korea.

As of Saturday, the North appears to have stopped broadcasting the state-run Pyongyang Radio and cut off access to its website.

The latest move comes after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered “readjusting and reforming” its organizations in charge of inter-Korean affairs during a key Workers’ Party meeting last month amid growing cross-border tensions.

Pyongyang Radio is known for broadcasting a series of mysterious numbers, presumed to be coded messages, giving directions to its agents operating in South Korea.

The North resumed such broadcasts in 2016 after suspending them in 2000, when the two Koreas held their first historic summit. [Continue reading…]

Results of the 2023 SWL Contest

New Series About Gibraltar Broadcasting History

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An aerial view of Gibraltar. Photo by Adam Cli.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Tracy Wood, who writes about a new series featuring Gibraltar’s broadcasting history. Tracy writes:

Edition #1 launched last night celebrating 60 years of the founding of GBC.

The series’ title holds special meaning…

“Recordándote” was the name of GBC’s cross-border radio show sending family messages during the era when Franco had closed “la frontera” between Spain and Gibraltar.

https://www.gbc.gi/tv/programmes/recordandote-gbc-story-1533

Tracy

Thank you, Tracy!

IDF radio station on Mediumwave

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Adid, who writes:

Hi Thomas,

Due to the current war in Israel, GLZ the IDF radio station will relay it’s FM content to 1287Khz and 945Khz on MW.

Here is the official report

https://www.gov.il/en/departments/news/04012024_2

Regards, Adi

Thank you, Adi.

Video: Giuseppe explains wiring/construction of DICA Homebrew Antenna

1 Reply

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Giuseppe Morlè, who writes:

Dear Thomas and SWLingPost Friends,

I’m Giuseppe Morlè iz0gzw,

Many friends have asked for the DICA wiring diagram after my recent post and demonstration.

I’m not a technician but a simple passionate listener and qrp’er… I made this video with a drawing that I hope will be useful to understand the details and how it works…

[Please note that this video is in Italian, but you can use YouTube Closed Captioning; it can even translate the subtitles into English or any other language.]

Thank you all.
Giuseppe iz0gzw.