Author Archives: Thomas

Bob’s 1968 Radio Tirana QSL Card

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Bob Colegrove, who writes:

Kudos to Don Moore for his excellently crafted article on Albanian radio.

[…]Perhaps some might be interested to see a 1968 QSL from R.
Tirana.

Regards,

Bob Colegrove

Thank you for sharing this excellent Radio Tirana QSL card, Bob!

Perfect Gift or Holiday Read: Tales of a Vagabond DXer by Don Moore

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Last week, I had the pleasure of posting the latest installment of Don Moore’s “Photo Album” series on the SWLing Post. Don has contributed numerous Photo Album travelogues over the past two years, offering readers a rich blend of history, culture, and radio-related adventures. This latest series focuses on Albania, with Part One posted last week and Part Two set to publish this coming Sunday.

It was while working on these articles that I was reminded of how much I enjoyed Don’s book, Tales of a Vagabond DXer.

If you’re a fan of radio or travel—or ideally both—this book is a must-read. Don masterfully weaves his experiences as a DXer with his extraordinary adventures in Latin America, where he visited over 150 radio stations. Beyond the technical and radio-related aspects, his storytelling captures the vibrant and often unexpected encounters that come with exploring remote regions.

Tales of a Vagabond DXer isn’t just a book for radio enthusiasts; it’s a compelling travelogue that anyone who loves the thrill of discovering new places will appreciate. If you’re still looking for a unique gift this holiday season, I highly recommend adding it to your list!

Tales of a Vagabond DXer is available from Amazon.com in trade-sized paperback for $12.99 or Kindle eBook for $4.99, or for equivalent prices in local currencies on non-US Amazon stores.

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3t98tZt

Kindle: https://amzn.to/47O3Nak

Note: the Amazon Affiliate links above not only support author Don Moore, but Amazon shares a small percentage of the final sale with the SWLing Post as well.

The BBC World Service covers the Morse Code championships in Tunisia

Morse code: Ready to transmit

The Documentary Podcast

At the world Morse Code championships in Tunisia, competitors must battle to be the fastest and most accurate at sending and receiving Morse code.

Click here to read the full description and listen at the BBC World Service.

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of CGTN (December 8, 2024)

Bonus

Kyodo’s Breaking News radiofax: “Assad regime collapses; Syrian opposition forces take control of capital”. Received in Porto Alegre,Dec 8, 2024, 10h20 UTC, 16970 kHz.

Notes:
– Syria government falls, rebels declare end to Assad family’s rule
– Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say
– S. Korea Pres. Yoon to step aside before resigning: party head
– South Korean police considering overseas travel ban on President Yoon over martial law
– Police in India clash with farmers during protest march over minimum price demand for crops
– Japanese actress Miho Nakayama’s death ruled accident while bathing

Compact Antenna, Big Results: Giuseppe’s DICA 2 Redesign

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

Dear Thomas and Friends of the SWLing Post,

I am Giuseppe Morlè, IZ0GZW, writing to you from Formia, in central Italy, on the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Do you remember the DICA 2 antenna? It was a small, shortened antenna with three ferrite cores inside, capable of tuning across all shortwave bands. Unfortunately, it no longer exists in its original form.

I have completely reworked the windings to enable the ferrites to also function for medium wave (MW) reception. Now, the antenna features:
• 35 turns for medium waves,
• 4 turns for shortwaves, and
• the same variable capacitor of over 1000 pF remains in use.

For medium waves, the antenna works wonderfully by induction. You simply place the ferrite core near the tube and turn the variable capacitor to achieve perfect tuning across the entire MW range.

I was genuinely amazed by its performance on shortwaves. Despite its small size, the antenna provides excellent gain, especially when a ground cable is connected to the variable capacitor’s casing.

I conducted several tests on my balcony. Initially, I thought the random ground wire simply improved the rotor’s tuning capability, but I discovered the antenna works equally well even when placed on a metal surface.

During a recent outing to Monte Orlando Park in Gaeta, I observed how the ground cable significantly enhanced both the signal strength and audio modulation. You can see this in my latest video, where I received Australian operators Greg and Grant on 20 meters with excellent signals.

The antenna’s two windings are separated and connected to the stator and rotor of the variable capacitor. On one end of the shortwave winding (the 4 turns), I’ve added a crocodile clip that can be attached or detached to switch between shortwave and medium wave operation. All of this functionality is achieved with a single variable capacitor.

I will soon share videos demonstrating all of these details and performances.

Thank you, Thomas, for your incredible activations—I follow them regularly on your channel, and they are a constant source of inspiration for me.

Greetings to you and all the Friends of SWLing Post!

73,
Giuseppe Morlè, IZ0GZW