Category Archives: Accessories

RF919 Bonus Antenna

I received a message yesterday from Raddy Marketing that they are offering a bonus antenna for the RF919 radio which will be shipped with future orders.

Here is the note they sent:

“All previous RF919 orders from our website or Amazon are eligible to request the new antenna. Customers can contact our customer service at [email protected] and provide their order number to receive it.”

I do not have any details about the new antenna, but wanted to post the info so folks who have purchased the radio as indicated above can receive the offer from Raddy.

Robert K4PKM

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Kostas presents the NR-1 Noise Blanker!

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Kostas (SV3ORA), for sharing the following post which originally appeared on his website:

Update June 1, 2024: Kostas is not currently selling the NR-1 as a product but has, instead, made the entire project open and available for everyone to build their own. You may contact him for more information.

The NR-1, a revolutionary noise blanker that works directly on the antenna!

I designed my own noise blanker because:

- I was tired of that HF noise that could not be beaten otherwise.
- I wanted to remove it before it gets into my transceiver.
- I could not install a separate “noise” antenna/coaxial for diversity.
- I wanted to remove noise interference from any direction.

NR-1 is a revolutionary Noise Blanker which is the result of two-years of development and extensive testing by Kostas sv3ora.

NR-1 works directly at the antenna. This has significant advantages over the classic noise blankers which work at the intermediate stages of the receivers. It does not require a second “noise” antenna for its operation.

Furthermore, it is not based on cutting-off of amplifiers, unlike common noise blankers
do.

Because of these, the NR-1 is superior, compared tocommon internal Noise blankers of radios:

- NR-1 removes noise before it even reaches the receiver. Thus, the front-end RF
  stages of the receiver are unaffected by noise, unlike a common noise blanker
  which removes the noise after it has first passed through the internal circuits
  of the receiver.
- NR-1 removes high-level, high-repetition-rate noises that common noise blankers
  usually cannot cope with.
- NR-1 is not affected by strong near-by signals. Instead, common noise blankers
  perform poorly when there are strong near-by signals and they distort the signal of the station we want to listen.
- NR-1 can be used by many radios. Because it is an external device, it can be
  connected to various radios/receivers without the need to modify them.
- NR-1 has a built-in 8-band preselector and helps eliminate intermodulation (birdies)
  caused by strong local medium and shortwave stations, on RF direct sampling
  radios (eg IC-7300). The preselector is relatively wideband and does not affect
  the sensitivity or the waterfall spectrum in the amateur radio bands.
- NR-1 has built-in variable gain preamplifier and variable attenuator. Preamplification is
  particularly useful in the high frequency bands, where some radios have limited
  sensitivity. Variable attenuation helps to reduce band noise for more
  comfortable listening to mid/high strength stations.

Comparison of the NR-1 with other noise removal systems (eg. QRM eliminator, X-phase etc):

- NR-1 does not require a second (noise) antenna/coaxial-line to operate. Unlike QRM
  eliminators, NR-1 does not require an additional “noise” antenna and
  therefore no second coaxial cable out of the shack. The main transmit and
  receive antenna you are already using is sufficient.
- NR-1 is easy to set up. In contrast, QRM eliminators require systematic testing of
  various noise antennas in different locations to perform satisfactorily.
- NR-1 removes noise from every direction simultaneously. In contrast, QRM
  eliminators, depending on the noise antenna setup and their configuration,
  remove noise from one direction only each time. If the noise originates or
  “travels” through cables and reaches the antenna from different
  directions, QRM eliminators do not perform well.
- NR-1 removes more than one noise source simultaneously because its principle of
  operation is not related to the phase of the noise.
- NR-1 does not require constant adjustment. Once set for one band, it usually does not need to be reset. In contrast, QRM eliminators require resetting every few tens of KHz or so.

Kostas has documented all the details of the NR-1 for his own future reference in his page.

He has also created some YOUTUBE videos as demonstrations of the operation and the effectiveness of this antenna noise blanker.

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Replacement power supplies for WJ-8711A/HF-1000A series receivers

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Photo by Paolo Viappiani

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dean Bianco, who writes:

Inspired by Chuck Yarbrough ‘s YouTube video, I ordered one of the newly-manufactured replacement power supplies for the WJ-8711A/HF-1000A series from WJ Systems, a new company run by noted WJ master technician Stephen Pappin. For those of us who own one (or more) of the dozen or so variants of these now-classic early DSP receivers, these new PS’s can provide an extension of their useful lifespans. These units are direct substitutions for the flawed Condor switching supplies, the Achilles heel of an otherwise fine general coverage radio. Nearly all of the original Condors have lived past their useful, in-spec lifespans and have become (or soon to become) malfunctioning ticking time bombs that will summarily go off the rails (pun intended) and spike all kinds of nasty voltages that will destroy your pricey beauty forever. While admittedly there are other inevitable EOL issues endemic to the 87xx series, e.g., expired time-keeping battery RAM and aging encoders making it harder to find spare parts, a well-cared for receiver can enjoy a much-welcomed rejuvenation and keep the grim reaper of radios at bay for a while!

The official website for WJ Systems is: www.wj-systems.com

Chuck Yarbrough’s YouTube videos demonstrating the installation and testing of the new power supply:

Part 1 of 2:

Part 2 of 2

Thanks!

Dean

Thank you for sharing this, Dean! This is a brilliant upgrade for an iconic receiver!

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Bob Reviews the Model L87 Digital Voice Recorder

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bob Colegrove, who shares the following guest post:

The Model L87 Voice Recorder

Reviewed by Bob Colegrove

L87 Voice Recorder (Source: Amazon)

Introduction

Whenever I read a radio product review, the author invariably says whether the device has a line-out port. This seems to say a lot about the importance attached to this feature by a great number of our fellow radio enthusiasts. Besides audio recording, the port can be used for computer processing of facsimile and teletype signals. For basic recording, it seems to boil down to three purposes:

to provide a permanent archive of some things we have heard,
to replay portions of a weak signal to determine its identity, or
to share our catches with fellow enthusiasts.

There was a time before cassettes (BC) when I used a mini reel-to-reel tape deck to record radio broadcasts. This was not much bigger than a cigar box. It used 3-inch magnetic tape reels. There was no capstan. The take-up and supply reels rotated at constant speeds to provide tape motion for recording and rewinding. Thus, the tape would gradually accelerate past the heads as the diameter of the take-up reel increased. Consequently, a recorded tape did not travel at a constant speed and could only be played on the original recorder. I never used it much, and when it stopped working, I never bothered to replace it.

This winter I seem to be focused once again on medium wave DXing, and I began to think a recorder would be useful to help identify stations. I couldn’t get much of a consensus as to what recorders other hobbyists were using, so I went on the Internet to explore the market. Long story short, I wound up with an unbranded voice recorder. Neither the hardware nor the manual gives much of a clue as to who made it. The state of today’s small electronics market is replete with anonymous items. Anyway, the price was reasonable, and I have it.

There are probably a dozen or more equally capable recorders currently available, including those from Sony. So, this is not a model versus model comparison, but rather an enumeration of salient features of the Model L87 Voice Recorder and a conclusion as to its usefulness as an accessory for radio listening.

My recorder is marketed by Amazon [affiliate link] under the brand name of “G” (http://gtoptc.com/). It has 8 GB of system storage and 64 GB on a removable SD (TF) card. If you Google “L87 Voice Recorder” you will see that Amazon, Walmart, and eBay sell, what are by all appearances, identical recorders with greater or lesser system memory and different size SD cards. Some include an external microphone.

Description

To say the voice recording industry has come a long way since my reel-to-reel experience is an understatement. Digital media, miniaturization, and functionality pretty much sum up the improvements.

This device is billed as a voice recorder. It is intended to be used in dictation or brought into a classroom, conference, or other meeting to gather an audible transcription of the proceedings. Attaching it to the line-out jack of a radio is not an application that is listed in the promotional literature. So, in selecting a device a radio enthusiast must be assured that line-in capability is available.

Also, there is a matter of compatibility. The L87 voice recorder works very well with the Eton Elite Executive, Tecsun PL-880, Sony ICF-SW7600GR and Grundig Satellit 800. The recorder was tested on a Sony ICF-2010 and did not work. Apparently, the 2010s were designed to operate with older recorders having high-impedance microphone inputs.

Specifics

Memory – built-in system 8 GB, plus an included 64-GB SD (TF) card, 72 GB total. This we are told will produce 3,343 hours of recording at 32 kbps.
Battery – 500 mAh rechargeable lithium ion, having up to 13 hours continuous recording at 512 kbps, and 24 hours of playback with earphones.
File formats – Recording: WAV or MP3; or it can act as a player for any uploaded MP3, WAV, FLAC, APE, OGG, or WMA file.
Recording bit rates – for WAV: 512, 768, 1024, or 1536 kbps; for MP3: 32, 64, 128, or 192 kbps.
Gain settings – seven.
Voice activation – auto recording begins once the sound reaches a settable decibel level and stops when there is no sound. Probably of minimal use for the radio monitoring purpose.
File management – files are named with a time stamp (year, month, day, hour, seconds).
Optional password protection.
A-B repeat function – a portion of recording can be blocked for repetition. The A and B start-stop points do not alter the file and disappear when the file is closed.
Physical – dimensions: 4.13 inches long × 1.06 inches wide, × 0.39 inch thick; weight: 2.8 ounces.
Numerous other recording settings, including those for noise reduction.
First available – April 26, 2022.
Website – https://gtoptc.com/.

Experience

Being quite small, ergonomics is a consideration, and may take some practice. As I am right-handed, I unexpectedly realized that I grabbed this little device in my left hand, like a cell phone. That leaves my right hand free to press buttons, but I also tend to operate the controls with my left hand. Like many small travel radios, many buttons are dual purpose, and one must get used to short presses, long presses, and correct button sequences.

As an example of complexity, a change in volume requires a quick press of the VOL button, then repeated presses of the up/down buttons to arrive at the desired level. Fast forward and rewind are somewhat problematic. A short press of either button will quit the file you are listening to and queue up the preceding or next file, while a long press will incrementally rewind or fast forward the file you are listening to.

As it is marketed, this is a “voice recorder.” It provides a line-in capability, but you will have to supply your own stereo patch cord. Once programmed to line-in, you will not have to reset it when making follow-on recordings. Although it comes with an internal speaker, you can also swap out the patch cord with earphones for playback without changing any settings. Just to try it out, I used the built-in microphones to record a radio at normal volume. While the recording was acceptable, it was prone to any noise produced in the room or pressing recorder buttons.

L87 Buttons and Ports (Source: L87 Voice Recorder Instruction Manual)

Battery and storage capacity will not likely be a problem, as this device will continue to operate for many hours when properly prepared for use.

The device records in stereo, which likely doubles the file size for our purpose of generally needing only monaural recording. I have not found a way to change it. On the other hand, I recorded some classical music content from a local stereo FM station and connected the recorder to a nice set of shelf speakers for playback. The sound quality of the MP3 file at 128 kbps was excellent, at least to my ears.

The display is quite small, but very sharp and colorful showing essential information such as file name, time, file format, bit rate, and volume setting.

File management is neither intuitive nor very versatile. I could not find a way to create new folders or move files using the recorder. Connecting the recorder to the computer, I could create new folders which were recognized in the recorder’s folder function, but the display would indicate an incompatible format when I tried to save a new file to the computer-created folders. The recorder would however play prerecorded files transferred to the new folder by the computer. Lesson: just stick with the basic file functionality and save the manipulations for the computer.

The recorder comes with a USB-C cable which is used to recharge the battery and transfer files to or from a computer. Or, if the included SD card is used for storage, it can be removed and used on the computer for file transfer.

As a retired technical writer, I tend to be quite critical of user manuals that come with appliances and electronic gear. This one is only fair – no better or worse than most others I have come across recently. We’re not just talking picky grammar issues here. Some explanations are entirely missing, for example how to properly set the recorder input gain.

File Processing

A few years ago, I used an open-source audio file processing program called Audacity to digitize our collection of vinyl and tapes. Such applications serve as a quick way to process or edit the recorder files, for example, trimming the files to a desired size or normalizing their amplitude.

Conclusion

In retrospect, there are some things I should have recorded off the radio back in the ‘60s and ‘70s. But the fact that I’ve enjoyed the radio hobby without a recorder all these years probably does not qualify it as essential equipment in my radio shack. Useful? Yes. If you are interested in recording from your radio, and are a frequent traveler, these recorders are convenient, requiring very little space in the bag. Because of its small size, hand dexterity and attentive thought processes must be developed to use it effectively. This recorder has amazing capability, is well constructed, and appears to work as intended.

The Model L87 Voice Recorder on Amazon.com (Note: This affiliate link supports the SWLing Post at no cost to you.)

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Checking out CCrane’s Solo Earbud

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By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM

The marketing email from CCrane intrigued me. “The cable is Kevlar™ reinforced for maximum durability” it said. The product in question was the “CC Buds Solo In-Ear Single Earbud for Radio, Audio Books and Podcasts.”

Sadly, many of the headphones and earbuds that I have owned and liked had to be tossed out because of a breakage somewhere along the cable. As a result, a more durable cable sounded like a great idea.

After checking out the Solo Earbud on CCrane’s website I decided to buy one. I was in the very act of pulling the trigger on the purchase when I noticed the deal: buy two, get one free. Well, heck, I thought, why not?

I revised my order, clicked the button, and a few days later three solo earbuds arrive.

We’ll get to how well the solo earbud works in just a moment, but I can almost guess what you’re thinking right now: “Listen with one ear? Why?”

There are a bunch of times when listening with just one ear is the best strategy. For example, when you are out and about or engaged in some sports activity and want to be situationally aware of what is going on around you. Or when you are listening at home and you want to be able to hear things going on in the household (for example, dinner is ready . . . don’t want to miss that! . . . or someone in the house needs something). Well, you get the idea.

The Solo Earbud is small and well-made. It has a four-foot cable with a clothing clip that terminates in a stereo to mono 3.5 mm plug. According the C.Crane, the audio is tuned for “superior voice quality.” I liked the sound it delivered from my shortwave radios, scanners, and even audio books and I found it helped me to pick out faint signals. In addition, I found that using a Solo Earbud was less entangling with smoother operation than using just one earbud from a stereo pair of wired earbuds . . . that unused dangling earbud seems to always get in the way or get caught on things.

The Solo Earbud comes with three silicone and three compressible foam covers – sized small, medium and large. After a little experimentation, I found one that fit my ear very comfortably. The Earbud even comes with a small drawstring bag for storing the Earbud when not in use.

I have saved perhaps the coolest use for last. Frequently I rise well before dawn to monitor the airwaves. With a pair of Solo Earbuds, I can plug one into a scanner and another Earbud into a shortwave radio. With one Earbud in each ear – voila! – I can cruise the HF bands and monitor a scanner without interrupting the peace of the early morning household.

Bottom line: I found the CCrane Solo Earbud to be a useful and worthy piece of gear for general listening or DXing.

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Checking out BHI’s HP-1 and NCH headphones for DXing

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By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM

As an oldster with a bit of hearing deficit, I am a big fan of anything that helps me to hear better when I am trying to tease out hard-to-hear signals, whether medium wave broadcast, shortwave broadcast, or single-sideband signals on the HF ham bands.

Toward that end, headphones help a lot. They deliver the audio signal directly into the ear canal while reducing distraction from external sounds. I had some inexpensive headphones from a big-box store, but I wondered if there were headphones that would be better suited for DXing.

So I contacted the folks at BHI to see if they had any headphones that would help with medium wave DXing. BHI is the British company that manufactures really effective noise cancelling products.

In response, the folks at BHI sent me their HP-1 Wired Stereo Headphones and their . . . NCH Active Noise Cancelling headphones . . . free of charge.

BHI describes the HP-1 Wired Stereo Headphones as “Comfortable Folding dynamic stereo headphones for Radio Communications,” and, in my view, they are just that. I found the HP-1 to be highly useful for medium wave and shortwave DXing. To my ear, they sound like they are biased toward high frequencies, with lower bass response than on the headphones I bought from the big-box store years ago. Because of the lower bass response, I find it easier to tease out faint signals on the airwaves, and the ear cups are comfortable for long-term listening. The cable is 1.9 m long and is terminated with an integral 3.5mm stereo jack plug. The HP-1 headphones are supplied with a 1/4″ stereo to 3.5mm stereo adapter.

The NCH Active Noise Cancelling headphones are a bit of a different beast: they are NOT designed to cancel noise on the broadcast signal you are listening to. Instead, they are designed to reduce external noise. According to the BHI website:

“The bhi NCH active noise cancelling headphones (ANC) do not work like our other DSP noise cancelling products but effectively reduce external ambient background noise enabling you to concentrate more and enjoy your listening experience when listening in a noisy environment. The over-ear style NCH headphones also give good passive audio isolation from external noise.”

These headphones are powered an AAA battery. There is a switch to turn the noise-cancellation circuity on and off, and there is an LED that lights when the unit is activated. The NCH headphones have a 1.25m detachable cable with 3.5mm jack plug (both ends).

So I tried out the NCH headphones while mowing the lawn with a gasoline-powered lawnmower and listening to an audio book on my digital recorder. Bottom line: they really work to significantly reduce (but not totally eliminate) an external noise source and make the listening experience more pleasant. And when they are not turned on, they work really well as ordinary headphones for DXing. Like the HP-1 headphones, they are comfortable and biased toward high frequency.

In the end, I found both these headphones worked well for their intended purpose, and I am happy to recommend them.

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Announcing DXtreme Monitor Log 14!

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and supporter, Bob Raymond with DXtreme who shares the following product announcement:

Product Announcement

DXtreme Monitor Log 14™

DXtreme Software™ has released a new version of its popular logging program for radio and TV monitoring enthusiasts: DXtreme Monitor Log 14. Its familiar, uncluttered, industry-standard Windows® interface lets listeners and DXers log the stations they’ve heard using features that enhance their monitoring enjoyment.

New Features in Version 14

Signal Modes, Transmission Modes, Grid Square Tracking

We added a Signal Modes field to let users specify the signal mode their receiver is tuned to (for example, AM, CW, FM, LSB, USB, RTTY, etc.) plus a Transmission Modes field to let users specify the transmission mode the station is transmitting (for example, CW, FAX, FT8, HFDL, MIL-STD-188-141A, SSB, STANAG 4285, etc.). And we added Signal and Transmission Mode modules to let users maintain tables of signal and transmission modes.
We added a Transmission Mode Details box to allow users to type free-form information about the transmission mode received, such as baud rate, bandwidth, etc. (for example, 1200bps/L). New Log Variables enable users to share Signal, Transmission, and Detail mode information so readers (and users) can reproduce the monitoring environment and log (or relog) the stations. Here are two examples: “1200bps/L STANAG 4285 crypto tfc on USB” and “MIL-188-110A/B continuous mode idle on LSB.”
We added support for tracking Maidenhead grid squares, which is useful when monitoring/logging stations not located in traditional countries, like aircraft and ships operating in international airspace and waters. Grid squares are calculated from specified latitudes and longitudes. Both Performance and Stations reports let you track grids. Search functions let you find log entries for viewing or editing based on their grid squares.

Verification By Improv Imaging

Similar to the legacy Verification By Audio feature, where the presence of an audio file in a log entry designates the station as “Verified By Audio,” we added a Verification By Improv Imaging feature which counts the station as “Verified By Improv Image” if the Shows ID check box on the Improv Imaging tab is selected, indicating the presence of an ID on the window of a captured digital software application (such as PC-HFDL). Performance, Stations, and Log Entries reports let you track verifications by traditional QSLs, presence of Audio files, and presence of Improv Images for which the Shows ID check box is selected.

Schedule Checker Monitoring Advice and Tuning

When Schedule Checker advises users to monitor a station for a new or verified Country, it does so now for the Class (SWBC, Ute, Ham, etc.) and QSL Type (Verified By QSL, Audio, or Improv Image) selected in Properties. The foreground and background colors that indicate the Schedule Checker’s monitoring advice can be defined by users in Properties. The colors appear in an upgraded legend on the Schedule Checker.
Users can now tune their radios to the schedule item’s signal mode and frequency by selecting the desired signal mode in the Signal Mode list box and double-clicking the schedule item.

Solar Indices Enhancements

Acquisition of current solar indices has been improved on the Monitor Log and Schedule Checker windows. • Editing of solar indices has been added to the Monitor Log window for when NOAA is down.
We restored historic solar indices adjustments based on date and time changes made on the Monitor Log window provided users have downloaded historic solar indices from the NOAA FTP site into the Solar subfolder. An interface is provided on the Edit menu of the Monitor Log window for this FTP activity.

For more information about New Features, click https://www.dxtreme.com/monitorlog_whatsnew.htm.

Standard Features

Logging Stations

Monitor Log 14 lets users log all kinds of stations: radio, television, broadcast, utility, Amateur Radio, military, etc. across the radio spectrum.

Finding Stations to Monitor

The Schedule Checker lets users import schedules from Aoki, EiBi, and FCC AM web sites and display broadcast schedule data according to the filter criteria they specify. Users can filter schedule information by band, frequency, station, country, time of day, language, and more. EiBi schedules also include utility stations.

For each schedule item, Schedule Checker queries the Monitor Log 14 database to let users know – through user-defined, foreground and background display colors – whether they need to monitor a station for a brand new or verified country. The colors appear in a legend on the Schedule Checker window. When Schedule Checker advises users to monitor a station for a new or verified Country, it does so for the Class (SWBC, Ute, Ham, etc.) and QSL Type (Verified By QSL, Audio, or Improv Image) selected in Properties.

Reporting Reception

Users can create customized paper and e-mail reception reports for sending to stations plus log entry data shares for reporting catches to clubs and magazines. Using the Script Editor window, users can create and edit scripts that format reception reports, eReports, and shares to their liking. The software prompts users to select the script they want to use. Dozens of scripts come with Monitor Log 14. Users can also send eQSL requests to hams automatically via the popular https://www.eqsl.cc site and update their databases with downloaded eQSL.cc Inbox records.

Imaging

Improv Imaging lets users associate ad hoc images with log entries using Capture, Scan, and Clipboard functions. Captures of stations received on digital applications, waterfall displays, facsimile and Amateur TV pictures are popular. The Improv Imaging tab and Application let users view images anytime, and an Improv Image Explorer lets them peruse their entire collection and display associated log entries. A QSL Imaging facility functions the same as Improv Imaging for associating QSLs.

Other Features

Rig Control — Retrieves the frequency and mode from supported radios and permits tuning from the Schedule Checker and Direct Tune. Rig control is provided through integration with Afreet Omni-Rig (http://www.dxatlas.com) and CAT for SDR applications like SDR Console (https://www.sdr-radio.com) and SDRuno (https://www.sdrplay.com).
Audio Archiving — Lets users maintain an audio archive of stations heard.
Reporting and Searching — Produces Performance, Stations, and Log Entry reports that track the performance and progress of the user’s monitoring station and provides criteria-based log entry searches.
Documentation — Context-sensitive Procedural Help, Field Help, and Microhelp are accessible on every window to provide instructions quickly. Installation Instructions and a Getting Started Guide also included.

Supported Operating Systems, Pricing, Contact Information

DXtreme Monitor Log 14 runs in 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft® Windows® 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista® XP. Retails for $94.99 USD for Internet distribution (discounted pricing for upgrades available). Product support by Internet e-mail. For more info, visit (https://www.dxtreme.com) or write [email protected].

SWLing Post readers should note that DXtreme was one of our first company supporters. Their ad revenue helps bring the SWLing Post to you daily. Thanks, DXtreme!

Click here to check out DXtreme Monitor Log 11.

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