Category Archives: AM

Improving audio fidelity with JBL C2PS monitor speakers

Last year at the W4DXCC conference in Sevierville, Tennessee, I spent some quality time with Bob Heil (K9EID). Bob is the mastermind behind Heil Sound as well as the host of HamNation, a show devoted to all aspects of amateur radio––yet this job description only scratches the surface of Bob’s fascinating career.

Bob Heil (K9EID, left) and yours truly (right) at the 2014 W4DXX conference in Sevierville, TN

One thing is for sure, however: there are few people in the radio industry who truly understand audio as profoundly as Bob Heil, so when he announced that he would host a forum at the W4DXCC to assist amateur radio operators in improving their received (and transmitted) audio, we were all ears, and signed right up.

Early in the forum, Bob described a set of self-powered and relatively affordable JBL monitor speakers that he highly recommended for amateur radio use. Everyone in the room noted the model number of the speakers, myself included. So imagine my dismay after the convention when I simply couldn’t find my notes…

Thankfully, my buddy Gary Wise (W8EEY) recently jogged my memory. Gary purchased a set of JBL monitors and matching wall-mount brackets from Amazon, and has them hooked up to his Flex Radio FLEX-6700 SDR. Gary tells me he’s very pleased with the set-up. Here are the links:

Bob also suggests adding a small mixer to system, something like this Behringer Xenyx 802 or the XENYX502 (both of which are on my current wishlist).

Bob invited me to speak on HamNation about shortwave radio. I may take him up on the offer…well, as soon as I overcome my videophobia, that is. At any rate, if you’ve not seen it, HamNation is certainly worth checking out. And in all things radio, Bob Heil’s is a name to know; click here to visit Heil Sound.

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WRTH A15 update

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(Source: WRTH Facebook group via Sean Gilbert)

***ANNOUNCEMENT***

WRTH has released their A15 International Radio & COTB schedules file. The A15 schedules file is available for free download (whilst donations are appreciated, they are by no means mandatory).

Use the following link, and click on “International Updates”:

www.wrth.com/_shop/?page_id=444

This file is in PDF format and you will need a PDF viewing program (such as the free Adobe Acrobat Reader) in order to open this file. The pdf id 2.3MB in size and contains 78 pages, consisting of: Summer (A season) 2015 LW/MW & SW schedules for International broadcasters and Clandestine & Other Targeted (COTB) Broadcasts; International DRM broadcasts; a ‘By Frequency’ listing of the broadcasters; Selected language broadcasts (English, French, German, Spanish and Portuguese); and finally a list of sites used in the schedules, together with name, location, co-ordinates and type (LW/MW &/or SW).
Despite the doom and gloom surrounding shortwave and international broadcasting, please be assured there is still a lot to listen to, broadcast in many, many languages to all parts of the world. There are even new SW stations popping up from time to time. There are at least 6 new entries in this file, that have come on air since WRTH2015 was published. That has to be encouraging!

If you haven’t already got your copy of WRTH2015, you can still order on-line direct from our website or from Amazon.com (At last Amazon seems to have sorted out whatever issue they had, which caused unacceptable delays and annoyance for our valued readership). Using the A schedules together with the printed WRTH gives you powerful tools to help you get the most from your listening.

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American Radio History site adds Monitoring Times issues

Bayrischer Rundfunk to shut down four MW transmitters end of September 2015

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Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Alexander (DL4NO), who writes:

“Today I found a message that Bayrischer Rundfunk will shut down its four MW transmitters at the end of September:

http://www.br.de/unternehmen/inhalt/technik/mittelwelle-abschaltung-radio-100.html

The two higher-powered transmitters (Munich 100 kW, Nürnberg 20 kW) are on 801 kHz. The two smaller transmitters (Würzburg and Hof, both in the northern part of Bavaria) are on 729 kHz. The message also says that the BR is intensively updating its DAB+ transmitter net.

Personally I see positive and negative aspects: the 100 kW transmitter is about 15 km from here. Ist field strength tests the large-signal capabilities of my active receiving antenna. The negative aspects should be obvious.”

This is a very good point Alexander. When I listen to clear channel MW stations here in the evenings, I often wonder what it must be like for radio listeners nd amateur radio operators living in close proximity.

Many thanks for relaying the message about Bayrischer Rundfunk.

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Shipping Forecast tribute

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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.

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Urban go-kit

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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!

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LeBlanc to crack down on pirates

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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.

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