The Tecsun PL-680 is now available on eBay via my favorite Hong Kong-based seller, Anon-Co. Pricing is currently $105.99 + $18.00 shipping to UK/US, $29.00 shipping to everyone else.
Tecsun PL-680 now available on eBay
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Author Archives: Thomas
Disaster DX audio podcast
Many thanks to Mehmet Burk of ReliefAnalysis.com for sharing the following about his new podcast:
Disaster DX is a new audio series from ReliefAnalysis.com that looks at emerging disasters through the lens of humanitarian broadcasting.
Episode 1 focuses on the impacts of Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, and how shortwave radio is a vital medium that will be here to stay.
Disaster DX pays special attention to situations where humanitarian crises create their own “digital divides” that radio helps to bridge. The podcast will be available on iTUNES shortly, but in the meantime listeners can sign up via e-mail on the site.
Link: http://www.reliefanalysis.com/2015/04/humanitarian-broadcasting-revives-in.html
This is great news, Mehmet. I’ll be listening!
Radio Casablanca QSL card
I’m very pleased to have just received a QSL card for the Radio Casablanca broadcast I heard last week.
If you missed the show, click here to listen to my off air recording. This recording was also uploaded to the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive; if you subscribe to the archive as a podcast, you can automatically download all of the archive recordings as they are published. The archive is also available via TuneIn radio.
Many thanks, Rick Blaine, for the excellent QSL card!
Shipping Forecast tribute
Many thanks to @realmarkfahey who shares this tribute to the Shipping Forecast via Twitter:
For anyone who's ever fallen under the hypnotic spell of The Shipping Forecast, a short tribute to its charm: http://t.co/BtGzby8fRE #R4in4
— BBC Radio 4 (@BBCRadio4) April 24, 2015
If the embedded tweet above does not appear, click this link to listen via the web.
Shortwave Radio Recordings: Radio Romania International
Screen capture of the Elad FDM-S2 recording RRI’s interval signal
For your listening pleasure: one full hour of Radio Romania International‘s English language service.
This recording was made on April 23 at 00:00 UTC on 9730 kHz. I used my Elad FDM-S2 software defined receiver to make this recording.
As you can see from the screenshot of the Elad spectrum display above, Radio Romania International’s signal was quite strong. Earlier in the day, the FDM-S2 could also easily hear the RRI English service on 11,700 kHz, which was much weaker at my location here in the eastern US.
Click here to download the recording as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
Urban go-kit
My good pal David Korchin (K2WNW) posted the above photo in his Facebook feed yesterday, simply titled, “Today’s carry.”
David is very much a kindred spirit; like me, he is constantly tweaking his go-gear. He works in New York City and likes to have his essentials with him there––radio included, of course. Since he’s a professional photographer, he never leaves home without the Lumix GF1 + Leica 20MM, very nice gear. Since he’s a ham and an avid ARES guy, he carries a Motorola XPR7550 UHF transceiver. And since he’s a radio listener, he carries the CC Pocket AM/FM radio.
True, he doesn’t have a shortwave radio in this kit, but he certainly takes his shortwave with him when traveling any further afield. Indeed, we once did some field work in Belize for ETOW and enjoyed a great SWLing session with the our Grundig G series receivers. Made for great comparison.
What’s in your kit?
Someday soon, I’ll take some photos of the kit that accompanies me most everywhere I go. In the meantime, we’d love to know what’s in your go-kit! If you have one, take a photo and add a few brief notes describing everything in it. I’ll post it here on the SWLing Post!
PS: For those who want to know, here’s David’s description of the above, in his own words:
“CLOCKWISE: Motorola XPR7550 UHF transceiver; Lumix GF1 + Leica 20MM; Moleskin folio notebook; Lamy Safari fountain pen; vintage Zippo lighter; Mercator lock blade penknife; CCrane Pocket radio; Sony El Cheapo™ earbuds; Luminox ANU Watch; iPhone; CENTER handmade leather card case from YXE, because Canada.”
Brilliant…! Thanks, DK!
LeBlanc to crack down on pirates
Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Bill Patalon, who writes:
FCC’s LeBlanc wants to really crack down on Pirates …. And the “C” goes after the SW buccaneers as well as those on the commercial BCBs …
http://www.radioworld.com/article/leblanc%E2%80%99s-goal-is-no-pirates/275622%20
While the FCC is busy sabre-rattling, they should also think about ways to diversify the broadcast airwaves legally. There is a significant entry barrier for any would-be broadcaster on the FM and AM bands.
In fact, a quick glance at the procedures to apply for a new AM or FM station licence on the FCC website is discouraging: as of today, they are not accepting applications for new stations. And the FCC wonders why there are so many pirates?
Thanks again for the link, Bill.