Author Archives: Thomas

Mike’s expanding collection of SDRplay tutorial videos

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Besides making great receivers, one of the things I love about SDRplay is their focus on providing user documentation and tutorials. We’ve mentioned before that SDRplay’s Mike Ladd (KD2KOG) actively creates tutorial videos exploring a number of SDRplay topics. To date, he’s produced over 20 videos–!

If you own an SDRplay product, I’d strongly recommend checking out Mike’s video list even if you feel you’re already a pro user. The videos are easy to follow and are chock-full of SDRuno tips and tricks.

I’ve pasted the latest links to the Mike’s videos below but I would encourage you to check the SDRplay YouTube channel (link below) and this page for the latest episodes as they are regularly updated.

From the SDRplay Ham Guides page:

As SDRplay RSPs get used for more and more receiver applications, we felt we didn’t want to lose sight of the large number of people who love short wave listening and HF ham radio, so we have created “Ham Guides” as a place where we focus on providing tuition and help for all aspects of receiving radio signals at 30MHz and below. This includes set up and use of SDRuno, and tips and techniques on key related topics such as decoding, propagation and antennas.

The SDRplay Ham Guides YouTube channel can be found here, at  www.youtube.com/c/SDRplayHamGuides 

SDRplay Ham Guides complements the main SDRplay YouTube channel and all the documentation available via https://www.sdrplay.com/downloads/and the searchable resources in our Applications and Support Catalogue: https://www.sdrplay.com/apps-catalogue/

If you have ideas for what you’d like to see more of, then add your comments to the videos or email me at mike.ladd@sdrplay.com

  1. This is the first video of many to follow. Showing basic operation of SDRuno using a RSP1a SDR.https://youtu.be/ngv60EWiJ3U
  2. Minimum requirements for running SDRuno.https://youtu.be/Rn3tuiIOvmM
  3. Virtual audio cable basics in SDRuno.https://youtu.be/ZF86cK5vukY
  4. Shaping the sound of shortwave broadcast stations using SDRuno.https://youtu.be/smvfCGx6zO8
  5. Using SDRuno’s built in software notch filters.https://youtu.be/5K92dG2sedw
  6. SDRuno basics, MultiPSKhttps://youtu.be/tnqfJhsvGFA
  7. SDRuno basics, Import the free EiBi HF databasehttps://youtu.be/ZJlfxaudaNI
  8. SDRuno basics, The EX CONTROL panel part 1.https://youtu.be/1XdBqXcyuzw
  9. SDRuno basics, The EX CONTROL panel part 2.https://youtu.be/H0RJVy4u5Ro
  10. SDRuno basics, My HF frequency lists part 1.https://youtu.be/KiNjsvKHVeU
  11. SDRuno basics, My HF frequency lists part 2.https://youtu.be/Rx3B-6h_CIw
  12. SDRuno basic, Decoding WEFAX using Black Cat HF Weather Fax decoder.https://youtu.be/juTdBpTDVp0
  13. SDRuno basics, Removing wide band noise.https://youtu.be/_GtozskwFAY
  14. SDRuno basics, CSV user list browser.https://youtu.be/1vu5fAjdRHw
  15. SDRuno basics, RSPduo, dual tuner mode, listening and decoding signalshttps://youtu.be/1vu5fAjdRHw
  16. SDRuno basic, VRX-Virtual receivershttps://youtu.be/ndUPm6Nccb8
  17. Why I chose a loop.https://youtu.be/XesvzZG-Mi8
  18. SDRuno basics, decoding CTCSS/DCS toneshttps://youtu.be/PM3WOMF7_eM
  19. SDRplay user support options and resourceshttps://youtu.be/nXnrBaoKKjs
  20. RSRduo with dual W6LVP loops Part 1https://youtu.be/w5SrDtUxhQU
  21. RSRduo with dual W6LVP loops Part 2https://youtu.be/ikUymHFkCcY

Adid spots a Racal receiver in an episode of “White Gold”

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

I just watched first episode of Netflix’s “White Gold” when out of the blue I saw that rack.

The rack has no significance in that scene (that dates to the 1980’s) may be because it was cut much shorter than in the original script.

The Radio set in the rack looks off, I think it’s a Racal RA17.

Yes, indeed, I believe that’s a Racal RA17 in the rack! Thanks for sharing, Adi!

The Sangean PR-D17: An AM/FM stereo radio designed for those who are visually impaired

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Doug Hunsinger, who notes that Universal Radio is now shipping the Sangean PR-D17.

The PR-D17 has a unique design to make operation easier for those who are visually impaired. Per Universal Radio:

It has high-contrast, large yellow rotary tuning and volume control knobs, preset buttons with raised symbols to aid in identification and thoughtful voice prompts of all controls that announce all functions in English or Spanish.

It has a large and easy-to-read backlit LCD display that highlights RDS information, frequency, signal strength, battery status and alarm symbols. It has a 200 mm ferrite AM antenna for the best possible AM reception. The controls are very easy to use and you get 5 presets for AM and 5 for FM. And you can auto scan stations. The RDS technology can display station name, call sign, song title or other transmitted information, plus it can set the clock automatically. There is a stereo mono switch. There is a built in clock timer with sleep function and humane wake up system to buzzer or radio. The left side of the radio has an auxiliary input and a stereo earphone jack. The perfect solution for the radio enthusiast who is visually impaired.

Click here to check out the Sangean PR-D17 at Universal Radio.

Doug notes that he may purchase the PR-D17 and share a review here on the SWLing Post. He is especially interested in how it might compare with similar voice prompt radio models.

Post readers: If you’re visually impaired, what radio models do you prefer? PLease share your thoughts and comments by clicking here.

Alan Turing: “New face of the Bank of England’s £50 note”

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(Source: Bank of England)

Many thanks to a number of SWLing Post readers who sent a link to this piece from the BBC News:

Computer pioneer and codebreaker Alan Turing will feature on the new design of the Bank of England’s £50 note.

He is celebrated for his code-cracking work that proved vital to the Allies in World War Two.

The £50 note will be the last of the Bank of England collection to switch from paper to polymer when it enters circulation by the end of 2021.

[…]”Alan Turing was an outstanding mathematician whose work has had an enormous impact on how we live today,” said Bank of England governor Mark Carney.

“As the father of computer science and artificial intelligence, as well as a war hero, Alan Turing’s contributions were far-ranging and path breaking. Turing is a giant on whose shoulders so many now stand.”[…]

Click here for the full article at BBC News.

Apollo 11 at 50 years: Those who made landing on the moon a reality

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I’ve always said that the key to success is to surround yourself with amazing people.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate in this life to do that very thing–and certainly one of those amazing people is my friend, George Knudsen (W4GCK).

You see, besides being a ham, devoted radio enthusiast, and all around good guy, fifty years ago George was an integral part of putting Apollo 11 on the moon. George’s team was responsible for Apollo 11’s second stage.

The S-II second stage is moved into position for mating with the S-IC first stage. (Source: NASA)

Our local ABC affiliate, WLOS, featured George today:


Click here to view the video on WLOS.

Every time I’m around George, I pick his brain about the Apollo 11 days–his inside stories fascinate me. One thing that always sticks in my mind is the Esprit De Corps his team and everyone–literally everyone from the astronauts to the maintenance crew–on the mission experienced.

They had an outrageous goal and an outrageous timeline, yet they still managed to make it happen.

If you’d like to learn more about George, I’d highly recommend listening to his in-depth interview on the excellent omega tau podcast.

Here’s a description:

George Knudsen started working in 1958 on the Redstone missile, and moved on to working on the Atlas ICBM. Later he worked on the Saturn 5 launch vehicle, where he was responsible for the fuel tanks. He was on the launch team at Cape Canaveral for various Apollo missions. In this episode [we] talk with George about his work in this fascinating period of science and engineering history.

Audio Player

Click here to listen via the omega tau site.

omega tau, hosted by Markus Völter, covers a wide variety of topics from engineering and science. It’s one of my favorite podcasts, so I would encourage you to not only listen to this episode, but subscribe to the podcast.

Please comment with your Apollo 11 stories!

Apollo 11 and all of the missions leading up to and following it involved thousands upon thousands of skilled workers and stakeholders. Please comment if you or someone in your life played a role in any of these missions.

Do you remember Apollo 11? What was it like for you that amazing day?

Please comment!

Do you enjoy the SWLing Post?

Please consider supporting us via Patreon or our Coffee Fund!

Your support makes articles like this one possible. Thank you!

Amazon Prime Day(s) 2019

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Today and tomorrow (July 15 and 16) Amazon.com carries on an annual tradition of offering deep discounts and flash sales for their Prime members–they call it Prime Day.

In all honesty, I’m not the biggest fan of Amazon Prime Day because when I check out the deals–and some of them are pretty impressive–I end up making a lot of impulse purchases. (Anyone else do this?)

With that said, each year Prime Day seems to include more and more items. I did a quick search this morning for “shortwave” and found at least one radio I’d recommend (the Retekess HR11S emergency radio which is a great little radio to tuck away in your emergency provisions). It’s no DX machine, but it’s a capable little flashlight radio.

 

There are also a number of other radios in the Prime Day lineup.

If you’re a Prime member, you might give a quick browse of some of the deals. Again, I rarely make large purchases myself, but it’s a great time to find deep discounts on station accessories.

Here are a few searches you might try:

I’m planning to purchase a couple of surge protectors, a 2TB hard drive, and 16 rechargeable AA batteries.

Of course, the links above all have the SWLing Post affiliate code, which means it supports the SWLing Post (at no cost to you) when you make a purchase via the Amazon links provided. It really does help the site, but please never feel an obligation to use these links. We never create posts only for the sake of creating more affiliate links–sites like that really annoy me–we simply implement these links when you suggest a product, sale, or if Amazon is a viable option for a purchase. I struggled to publish this particular post because it’s so heavy on the Amazon links, but while browsing the Prime Deals this morning, I realize there are a number of ones that might appeal to readers and if purchases are being made anyway, it’s an effortless way to support the Post.  Thanks for understanding!

Covert shortwave transmitters smuggled into trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann

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

I ran across this fascinating historical article about how the Associated Press and the New York Daily News each smuggled a covert shortwave radio transmitter into the 1935 courtroom trial of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, who was charged with kidnapping and murdering the young son of Charles Lindbergh.

http://www.rfcafe.com/references/short-wave-craft/short-waves-hauptmann-trial-short-wave-craft-june-1935.htm

Neither news organization knew of the other’s covert transmitter, and crossed signals led to erroneous news of the verdict being reported.

Wow! What a fascinating bit of history, Ed! I bet those briefcase transmitters were heavy!