Author Archives: Thomas

AirSpy YouLoop passive magnetic loop antenna now shipping

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Michael Agner (KA3JJZ), who notes that AirSpy  now has the YouLoop passive mag loop antenna posted on their retail websites.  You can grab one for $30 – $35 US, depending on your location. That’s a fantastic deal in my book.

Click here to check out the YouLoop at Airspy.com.

Click here to check out the YouLoop at Airspy.US ($29.95 + shipping).

Click here to search for other AirSpy distributors.

Note that the YouLoop only works well with high dynamic range SDRs and receivers like the AirSpy HF+ Discovery.

Smithsonian Open Access: Take a deep radio nostalgia dive!

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“Radio owned by Herman and Minnie Roundtree” (Source: Smithsonian Open Access)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balázs Kovács, who shares the following announcement:

[Check out the] Smithsonian Open Access, where you can download, share, and reuse millions of the Smithsonian’s images—right now, without asking. With new platforms and tools, you have easier access to nearly 3 million 2D and 3D digital items from our collections—with many more to come. This includes images and data from across the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives, and the National Zoo.

As Balázs points out, there are hundreds of radio photos in the archive.

What a treasure trove! Since many of us are sheltering at home, it’s the perfect time to take a deep dive into the SOA archive!  Thank you for sharing!

Guest Post: “Radio. Now is your time to shine.”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Fred Waterer, who shares this message from his friend, Jarrad Brooke:

Radio. Now is your time to shine.

As more and more mass gatherings are cancelled and outdoor entertainment is cancelled – more and more people will turn to other forms of media for entertainment. Netflix and streaming are the obvious choices – but I believe even Free to Air TV and yes -radio will get a free kick as well.

I’m not talking about those in isolation or quarantine – as that is obviously an extremely small portion (or hopefully!) a small portion of our potential audience. I’m talking just the general population who feel they need somewhere to go, tune out, escape and be entertained… seeing as they have no where in groups outdoors to do it anymore.

Radio – now more than ever, needs to make sure they use this free kick of audience to their advantage to make sure they become loyal and stay. Everything that goes to air right now needs to be to the highest quality – every song, announcer break, commercial and element needs to fit now more than ever.

Radio did such a great job in the bush fire emergency. Now build on that and maximise it even more. You never know, you could be a listeners emergency today in needing them needing an escape from reality for a while.

Special Notice and Update from the International Radio Report

Many thanks to Sheldon Harvey who writes with an update from the International Radio Report:

When we received notice that CKUT was closing the office and studio due to the COVID-19 crisis, we originally decided to go on hiatus. However, after discussing the situation, and the ability of CKUT to air pre-recorded programming during the shutdown, Gilles came up with a plan to test out a system for us to be able to pre-record a show. Gilles and I will be recording a new edition of the program using Skype between our two homes tomorrow afternoon. Gilles will be recording the Skype link-up, editing it and then forwarding the recording to CKUT. The plan will be to have it aired in its usual time slot, at 10:30 Eastern; 1430 UTC on Sunday morning. This will be a test. If all goes well, then we should be able to continue to provide a new program each week during the shutdown.

Please tune in on Sunday on CKUT 90.3 FM in Montreal, or online at www.ckut.ca

Sheldon Harvey.

La radio per l’Italia: A special Friday broadcast over the RAI Radio network

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Many thanks to an SWLing Post contributor in Italy who notes that Friday, March 16, 2020 at 11:00 local, (10:00 UTC)  RAI will broadcast a special program across their entire network. The transmission will start with the Italian national anthem.

The announcement below was translated by Google in English. You can find the original announcement in Italian on this page.

ROME, 16/03/2020 – United for Italy. It is the meaning of the operation that all radios are organizing for Friday 20 March at 11.00 am. Rai Radio, together with all the other Italian radios, will broadcast the anthem of Mameli and three songs of the national musical heritage. Almost one hundred years after the first radio program of 6 October 1924, for the first time ever in the history of our country, all Italian and national radio stations will unite for an unprecedented common broadcasting initiative. All the radios of the group will be for Rai Radio: Rai Radio 1, Rai Radio 2, Rai Radio 3, Rai Isoradio, thanks to the availability of the directors Luca Mazzà, Paola Marchesini, Marino Sinibaldi and Danilo Scarrone. In addition, the following will also join the initiative: Gr Parlamento, Rai Radio 1 Sport, Rai Radio 2 Indie, Rai Radio 3 Classica,

“Participating in this initiative is a duty but also a clear testimony of our role as a public service – comments Roberto Sergio, director of Rai Radio -. Rai Radio strongly wants to make Italy’s voice heard, fighting this battle and supporting all Italians. The directors of the four main channels immediately joined the proposal, and as a group I am proud to be able to start the operation. In these days, Rai Radio colleagues are doing a commendable job, almost all in smart working from home, others in the studios, all with great enthusiasm and a sense of belonging. At a time like this I feel all my colleagues proactive and ready to do. Proposals for new programs are coming, some are starting. A true testimony of unity by all channels, generalists and specialists “.

Click here to view the announcement and listen to this special broadcast.