STF Radio International just shared the following digital announcement. Yes, you’ll need to decode this message from SoundCloud with an application like FLDigi:
STF also mentioned that a text version of this announcement with follow in the next few days (but surely it’s more fun to decode the digital version!).
You should make the time to decode STF Radio International broadcasts if at all possible. Their QSL cards are some of the best in the business.
My good buddy, Dave Richards (AA7EE), has just posted videos of his home-brew regenerative receiver–nicknamed “The Sproutie.” [You may recall an earlier post about this very receiver.]
Below, you’ll find a video where Dave tunes in broadcasters with The Sproutie–she certainly has ears!
Dave, that’s a simple, beautiful little radio you’ve built there. I love the HRO knob–form and function at its best.
Readers: be sure to check out Dave’s full post about the Sproutie along with another video. If you haven’t yet, bookmark Dave’s blog–it’s a good one!
SWLing Post reader, Daniel, writes:
“Hello Thomas: Attached is the latest QSL I received from Deutsche Welle – it is from their Kigali transmitter site.
Sent report via internet and received QSL in a few weeks:”
Thanks for sharing this, Daniel. I love the front of this DW QSL card–all of those gorgeous vintage tabletop radios!
Regarding the performance of the RadioShack Model 2000669 portable radio, SWLing Post reader, Mike, comments:
I picked one up today, and overall, I’m impressed. It does have complete coverage from 2.5 to 26.1 MHz as advertised, and overall, it has very good sensitivity and adjacent channel rejection for a small portable (in fact, the best I’ve heard from such). Sure sounds like some sort of DSP filter is involved. Reception is at least as good as my old Grundig Mini 300 and much, much better than a Degen DE22. Clipping an external long-wire antenna did not cause overloading (I was very surprised by this). AM BCB reception is actually quite decent: I was able to listen to several distant stations that were only 10 kHz from local ones. Audio is OK but not great, and the case does not stand up stably. I guess you can’t expect too much from a $30 radio. No case or earbuds are included.
By the way, if you go to a local Radio Shack store, be sure you get the internet price. We have two stores near my house; both had the radio marked as $39.99 instead of the $27.99 online sale price. The guys at the first store said “sorry, we can’t change the sticker price.” No sale. So, I went to the other store. When I pointed out the web price to the young women helping me there, she said, “this isn’t right” and called her manager over who overrode the store price with the cheaper one.
So, who makes this radio? Good question. The back of the case says “Custom manufactured in China for Radio Shack Corporation.” Maybe Tecsun?
Sounds like this may be a great portable for the glove compartment of a car, or to keep in your backpack/briefcase.
Thanks, Mike, and please share any other comments about this radio as you use it.
SWLing Post reader, Paul, points out this RadioShack model 2000669 portable radio and asks, “Is this a new RadioShack shortwave radio?”
Very good question! Though I haven’t been inside a RadioShack in a couple of months, I’ve never noticed this portable on their shelves. In fact, I don’t even recognize the form factor as a re-badged Tecsun or Degen.
Has anyone purchased the model 2000669 from RadioShack?
My good buddy, Mike (K8RAT), has informed me that the price of the silver Tecsun PL-660 has dropped to $101.18 (shipped) via Amazon.com. As Mike comments, this is a great value.
Global 24 writes:
0000 UTC on November 22 running for 24 hours we will be testing on 9465. Let us know if you can hear it and how well you can hear it.
Please send eception reports to: [email protected]