Author Archives: Thomas

Sudan: a “failure to block Radio Dabanga”

(Source: Radio Dabanga via Andy Sennitt)

The Sudanese Minister of Information has admitted that attempts by the Sudanese government to prevent broadcasts by Radio Dabanga have failed.

Minister Ahmed Bilal was speaking in the Council of States on Tuesday. He pointed out the need “to create a number of radio stations to attract listeners and compete with Radio Dabanga, which incites the people”.

The Minister was facing harsh criticism of the State media from Members including Abdul Jabbar Abdul Karim. Karim accused the state media of not highlighting the facts and lacking integrity and credibility, acknowledging that Radio Dabanga and the Alrakubh website are the most popular news sources for citizens.

[…]Radio Dabanga broadcasts to Sudan from neighbouring countries via shortwave. The Sudanese censors have tried repeatedly to jam the signal, to little avail.

In May, a report to the Sudanese parliament acknowledged that that the majority of the people in Darfur and Kordofan prefer Radio Dabanga to any national broadcasting station.

MP Abdallah Ali Masar, former Media Minister, and currently chairman of the Transport Committee, commented by saying that his wife listens to Radio Dabanga “day and night. Every day, when I come home, I find her listening to Radio Dabanga.”

Read the full article on Radio Dabanga’s website.

[Bravo, Radio Dabanga!]

Holiday Sale: Pixel Shielded Magnetic Loop RF PRO-1B

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Doug Talely, from Pixel Antennas, writes:

We are running a Holiday Special on our highly regarded RF PRO-1B Shielded magnetic loop antenna system, between now and the end of December.

The normal price for this antenna system is $499.99 but during this sale the price has been reduced by $50.00. There is (as of today) a mail-in rebate form now posted on our web site that is available to anyone who purchases. Here is a link to the site and the offer:

https://pixel-antennas.com/?page_id=31

Many thanks for sharing this offer, Doug!

Name that dial!

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Yesterday, I acquired another antique radio (yes, a “boat anchor”) for my modest collection of vintage receivers. I took a quick close-up photo of its backlit dial (above).

For fun, I’m curious if any SWLing Post readers can name the radio sporting this dial? If you want to give it a go, please comment below.

Echo Charlie (EC) Pirate Radio

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Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, “The Captain,” who recently sent a message regarding “EC Pirates”–an aspect of the pirate radio/free-bander scene I’ve never covered here on the Post. I asked him to explain a bit more about EC Pirates:

“Echo Charlie [Pirates] are a bit like amateur radio operators in that they don’t play music, they talk all around the world mostly around the 45 metre band using the calling frequency 6,670 kHz, but they do have other band plans too, usually just under the amateur radio band plans. They are pirates as they are not licensed for those bands: freebanders if you like.

Here is the band plan they follow:

86/85m 3430-3500 kHz
calling 3470 LSB

45m 6530-6700 kHz
calling 6670 LSB

29m 10400 kHz USB

21m 13900-14000 kHz
calling 13970 USB

21m South America
Calling 13555 kHz USB

16m 18010-18050 kHz
calling 18030 USB

14m 20900-20980 kHz
calling 20930 USB

EC started many years ago after World War II [when surplus] military equipment was up for sale. Guys bought the units up and used them on AM mode but slowly switched over to SSB over time. No one is really sure why its called Echo Charlie but they think its because this old equipment had EC on the casing or something like that. I’m still reading up on the history of it all.”

“The Captain” has also created an online forum for EC Pirates and various radio topics. It requires (free) registration to post and read: http://ecpradioforum.forumotion.com/

Dave recommends the CCrane “Witness Plus” AC Adapter

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Many thanks to Dave Zantow who shares the following:

CCrane “Witness Plus” AC Adapter Review Now Posted :
The CCrane 5 volt USB-mini REGULATED AC power adapter (for the Witness +) is perfect for use with OTHER USB radios and has a 900ma MAX current rating.

Works with either Tecsun or Degen with the mini-USB plug (and the GRE PSR-800 too). Pin 4 is + and is truly 100% analog and extremely clean . It does NOT use switching electronics AND OR a switching regulator.

My mini-review is now posted and can be found on the “dead bottom” of the Sangean ATS-909X / Tecsun PL-660 / Tecsun PL-880 review page.

Thanks, Dave! Finding a proper regulated power supply is not easy these days. I’m very happy to hear this C.Crane model gets your approval!

Global 24 special broadcast to Asia on December 7

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Many thanks to Keith Perron at PCJ Media for sharing the following info:

“On December 7, 2014 from 1500 to 1558 UTC [updated – 19 Nov 2014], PCJ Radio International will broadcast a special program produced by Global Radio 24 for listeners in Asia. The frequency will be 13,720 kHz.”

CountyComm GP5/SSB: videos and photos

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Many thanks to Nick at CountyComm who recently sent me a short video he made of a prototype GP5/SSB in action:

Nick also shared a few close-ups of the GP5/SSB:

Additionally, many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Mike McShan, for sharing this video overview of the CountyComm GP5/SSB that Universal Radio recently posted: