Author Archives: Thomas

April 7: Decipher an Enigma encrypted message on 40 meters

(Source: Southgate ARC)

Enigma encrypted message to be sent in 40m

In cooperation with Bletchley Park, the Heinz Nixdorf Museum DLØHNF in Paderborn, Germany is hosting a cipher event on April 7

A Google translation of the DARC post reads:

As with the first event of this kind ten years ago, an encrypted message is sent over radio, to which radio amateurs are invited, to follow them and to play with them. This time, however, the message is not generated with a Lorenz machine, but with an enigma and then transmitted in encrypted telegraphy to 40 m from the club station of the Heinz Nixdorf Mueseum, DLØHNF.

DLØHNF will open radio stations with other stations, which also use historical technology and thus recreate a historical radio network, between the transmissions of various encrypted messages – which are specially approved for this event. DLØDM and DLØAFM are also involved. The activities in Bletchley Park go back to the mathematician Alan Turing, who during the Second World War succeeded in decoding the Enigma coded radio spoofs of the Germans with his Turing machine.

In the Heinz Nixdorf Museum you can watch the happenings from 9 o’clock on the spot. Visitors experience encryption with the Enigma, the Morse as well as a live transmission.

A precise frequency for the transmission of the CW transmission from 9:30 is not known. The museum information is at
http://www.hnf.de/start/date/2017/04/07/cal/event/tx_cal_phpicalendar/
cipher_event_wer_knackt_den_enigma_code.html

Source https://www.darc.de/

AIR launching Phase II of DRM conversion

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All India Radio (AIR) Headquarters in Dehli, India. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

(Source: Radio Mag via Dennis Dura)

AIR Launching DRM Conversion, Phase II

NEW DELHI — All India Radio was recently congratulated by India’s Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shri Venkaiah Naidu for having completed phase I of the national DRM digital radio roll-out in India. Thirty-seven DRM transmitters have been installed by AIR throughout the country, and all are now operational, according to DRM news.

Of the 37 new transmitters, 35 are medium wave and 2 are shortwave transmitters. Both SW transmitters are for international service and are broadcasting in pure DRM. […]

AIR is now in the process of launching phase-II of the DRM project by offering full features and services from these DRM transmitters and further improving service quality. When Phase-II is complete, the full-featured DRM services will be available to the audience and a public information campaign will be initiated to inform the Indian citizens of the completely new and future- oriented DRM radio platform and its many benefits. […]

Phase-III, as presented by AIR, will eventually culminate in the complete transition of radio services to the digital DRM platform, further improving the number and quality of radio services and extra features for the listeners, while also saving tremendous amounts of transmission power every year, according to the same article.

Click here to read the full article via Radio Mag Online.

While it sounds like the broadcasting side of DRM is progressing with AIR domestically, I haven’t read anything recently about affordable DRM receivers being developed for the market in India (other than possibly the Titus II and Gospell GR-216 which, I suppose, could be imported).

Based on messages I’ve received from readers/listeners in India, any new DRM receiver must be very affordable ($40 US or so) if wide adoption is to be expected.

I believe this is an opportunity for a manufacturer like Tecsun to step in and make an affordable DRM portable for the market in India–something with a simple display and controls. Otherwise, this might be another “cart before the horse” situation for DRM. That would be sad.

Titus II at NAB

The least expensive portable DRM receiver on the horizon could be the PantonX Titus II (not yet in production). PantronX has claimed the Titus II will cost “less than $100.”

And speaking of the Titus II, SWLing Post reader, Ed, notes:

pantronX is reportedly going to announce its Titus II Android SDR boombox at NAB April 22-27, which is another indication this radio is for real.

http://www.thebdr.net/hotlinks/mfgr.html

We’ll post updates about the Titus II as they become available. Follow the tag: PantronX Titus II

Dan Robinson: “Voice of America has never been independent”

SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, is the former White House, Congressional and foreign correspondent for the Voice of America.

I’ve just learned that Dan has authored a piece in the Columbia Journalism Review titled “Spare the indignation: Voice of America has never been independent“:

http://www.cjr.org/opinion/broadcasting_board_of_governors_house_trump.php

I encourage you to read his full article and please direct your comments to the original post on the Columbia Journalism Review website.

FCC Approves MF/LF Ham Radio Bands

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(Source: CQ Newsroom & FCC)

Hams in the U.S. will soon have two new bands on which to operate, experiment and contribute to the collective knowledge of “the radio art.” In a Report and Order issued on March 30, the FCC approved creation of secondary amateur allocations at 135.7-137.8 kHz (2200 meters) and 472-479 kHz (630 meters), the first amateur bands with wavelengths above 200 meters since the dawn of radio regulation.

The new bands come with lots of strings attached, since they will be shared with “PLC” systems used by electric utilities to control the nation’s power grid. Hams will be limited to fixed station operation, antennas no higher than 60 meters (196 feet) above ground and radiated power limits of 1 watt effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) on 2200 meters and 5 watts EIRP on 630 meters (1 watt in some parts of Alaska). Plus, operation on these bands will not be allowed within one kilometer of electric transmission lines using PLC and advance notice of all planned operation to the PLC network coordinator will be required.[…]

Continue reading at the CQ Newsroom.

Click here to download the full Report and Order from the FCC (PDF).

Hemingway and a Zenith Tranoceanic?

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In a Twitter exchange yesterday @dean_frey shared the photo above of Ernest Hemingway on Safari in Kenya in 1952.

I believe this may be a Zenith Transcoceanic model H500. Could a Transoceanic expert in the Post community confirm of correct me? Please comment!

I know this: I love Earl Thiesen photos.

Thanks for sharing, Dean!

Check out Dean’s twitter feed for other vintage photos.

The Icom IC-7610 transceiver: a few details emerge

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mike Hansgen (K8RAT), who shares the following post from Icom UK:

The IC-7610 (Source: Icom UK)

Icom Inc. has released more details about the launch of the IC-7610 HF/50MHz SDR Transceiver and its target price. Icom plans to release this high performance HF SDR transceiver around late May with the product being rolled out across the globe in the following months. We expect that the IC-7610 should be available in the UK early Summer with a suggested retail target price of £2,999.99 ex.VAT. Please note that this target price and UK availability may be subject to change.

We expect demand to be huge for this product. Indeed many back orders are already on our system. So if you want to be one of the first customers in the UK to own one of these eagerly awaited radios, please contact your Icom Amateur radio dealer who will be able to put you in their order books.

More about the IC-7610 HF/50 MHz 100 W SDR transceiver

Following on from the technology incorporated into the IC-7300, the IC-7610 adopts the same RF direct sampling system for signal processing. By converting the analogue signal directly to a digital signal and processing it within the FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), it provides improved transmission phase noise and excellent RMDR of 105 dB (at 1 kHz detuning).

The IC-7610 will have two independent receivers, enabling simultaneous reception of two frequencies in different bands/different modes.

The IC-7610 will also feature high-speed, high-resolution performance. The real-time spectrum scope supports different bands and a dual display that can monitor different modes. It will also have a waterfall display function that displays received signals in time sequence. The DIGI-SEL unit will be available to both the main side and the sub side of the receiver. In addition, the IC-7610 adopts a large 7-inch full-colour touch screen panel.

Main features include:

• Further evolved RF direct sampling method.
• Excellent RMDR: 105 dB realized.
• Dual watch function can receive simultaneously in different bands and different modes.
• DIGI-SEL unit that eliminates excessively strong signals is installed in the main and sub of the receiving section.
• High-speed real-time spectrum scope and waterfall display function.
• 7-inch full-colour touch panel, outstanding operation and visibility

As mentioned earlier, demand is going to be enormous for this model, so get into contact with your authorised Icom Amateur radio dealer today.

Click here to read this full post at Icom UK.

Panasonic RF-2200 on ShopGoodwill

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN) who shares a link to this National Panasonic RF-2200 on ShopGoodwill.

The bid is currently $78 and ends this evening. You must be registered with ShopGoodwill and have a PayPal account to place a bid.

Note that I’ve had some very good luck in the past with ShopGoodwill, but buying from them is more akin to buying from a flea market than, say, eBay.

Almost always items are sold as-is, no returns, have mediocre low resolution product photos, and are not properly tested. In the case of this RF-2200, it appears the Goodwill employee turned on the radio and tuned the FM band which worked fine.

If you’re willing to take the risk, though, you can often snag great deals on ShopGoodwill.