Category Archives: News

Building the Ozark Patrol regenerative receiver kit

Last week, I received the Ozark Patrol regenerative receiver kit that I had only ordered a few days prior. I was so eager to get started on the build, that I read the instructions, lined a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and began placing the parts on the board within an hour of bringing the package home from the post office!

This was my first time building a “Pittsburg” type kit, where through hole components are surface-mounted on soldering pads. It’s a brilliant technique which is very forgiving if the kit builder accidentally mounts the wrong part or mounts a component with the incorrect orientation.

I had hoped to have the kit finished the following day, but other priorities took precedence: I’ve been preparing for my presentation tomorrow at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, preparing a shortwave radio buyer’s guide for the November issue of The Spectrum Monitor magazine, and putting together the results of the Virtual Radio Challenge II (which will be published early next week). Fortunately, I love doing this stuff in my spare time!

I’m eager to pick the Ozark back up early next week and finish the build. It’s become somewhat of a dangling carrot–a reward for finishing other projects in advance. I can’t wait to hear this simple regen receiver come to life!

VOA Reduced TV to China during Hong Kong protests

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The website BBG Watch recently posted a guest commentary from an anonymous VOA reporter regarding the loss of VOA Weishi TV during the Hong Kong protests. Here is an excerpt from BBG Watch:

“On Monday, September 29, the loyal viewers of Voice of America (VOA) “Weishi,” the VOA Mandarin TV program, were surprised to see their TV screen turned into a blue graphic during some hours when the original program previously aired was repeated. In the place of the professionally produced VOA TV broadcast, audiences received radio signals from Radio Free Asia (RFA).

Audience surveys, although underestimating the viewership because many Chinese are reluctant to share sensitive and potentially dangerous information with strangers, show that the popularity of the 2-year-old VOA “Weishi” is growing by leaps and bounds in China. Some of its segments, including “History’s Mysteries,” “Pro&Con” and “Issues and Opinions,” already also attract many millions of viewers on YouTube. The management’s decision to take away some of the repeat hours from the “Weishi” programs will be devastating to VOA’s Mandarin broadcasting. Meanwhile, it will not help RFA, since very few people listen to radio via TV. If they do, there are existing channels leased by the International Broadcasting Bureau (IBB) to broadcast radio programs via satellite to China and Tibet. IBB reports to the Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the federal agency and the bipartisan Board in charge of all U.S. taxpayer-supported media for audiences abroad.”

Read the full commentary on the BBG Watch website.

I listened to China Radio International a few times during the peak of the protests and–no surprise–there was absolutely no mention or even hint of an uprising. Indeed, China has been actively blocking international TV news outlets like CNN and social media sites like Instagram.

China is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world in terms of press freedoms–175th out of a possible 180 countries on the 2014 World Press Freedoms Index.

FM Radio: saving lives in Burkina Faso

Radio Exterior de España to end shortwave broadcasts on October 15, 2014

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SWLing Post reader, David, writes:

“I just wanted to let you know that REE has published a communication in its webpage, regarding the end of their SW broadcasts. The definitive cutoff will happen on October 15, 2014 at 0000 LT here in Spain, which is 2200 UTC.
REE will continue, though, and will be accessible through the Internet and also via satellite. Here in Spain they will also be available locally via the TDT/DVB-T system for regular TV broadcast (multiplexes, into which digital TV signals are combined, are also used to carry digital audio data for “radio” stations that therefore can broadcast using this system as well).

Here’s the link to the original REE article (in Spanish): http://www.rtve.es/radio/20141003/radio-exterior-espana-suprime-emision-onda-corta/1021661.shtml

And the [machine] English translation by Google: https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=ca&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rtve.es%2Fradio%2F20141003%2Fradio-exterior-espana-suprime-emision-onda-corta%2F1021661.shtml&edit-text=&act=url

Many thanks, David, for the update!

David reports that he will attempt to record the last days of REE broadcasts. I will also make recordings and we will post all of them on the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive. Indeed, I would ask anyone who can capture the last broadcast to please do so and share your recordings with us.

UPDATE: Note that REE announced a return of their shortwave service in December 2014. Click here to read the update. Shortly thereafter, REE posted their new broadcast schedule–click here to view.

Final Day! Virtual Radio Challenge II

Chrome Remote Desktop: another application choice

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In response to my post about SWLing in a hospital waiting room via TeamViewer, Stephen Cooper comments:

“Google Chrome Remote Desktop also works well for this.

[Click here to download]

Allows me to listen to my Elad when I am in work. Although it doesn’t transfer sound on Android (not sure about iPad) which isnt that good if you haven’t got a PC/Mac to use to login to home.”

Thanks for the suggestion, Stephen!

Shortwave listening in a hospital lobby

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This morning, at 6:00 am, I had to take a friend to the hospital for a scheduled (minor) operation.

The hospital waiting room is spartan for a projected three hour wait, but the complimentary wi-fi Internet is quite speedy. I had planned to catch up on a movie or two via Netflix, but the hospital blocks video streaming.

Fortunately, I just noticed that the hospital does not block TeamViewer–my remote PC application of choice.

Remote listening

I just logged into my home PC and launched both the Elad FDM-S2 and WinRadio Excabur SDR applications–fortunately, I discovered that the Excalibur was hooked up to an external antenna.

Not only does TeamViewer allow me to control a software defined radio, but it actually streams the receiver audio from my PC. With my inexpensive in-ear Sony headphones, the sound isolation and audio fidelity are quite good for a compressed audio stream. Indeed, other than a one second delay in response, the user experience is nearly as good as being home.

I should note that I could also use the TeamViewer app on my iPhone, but 4G reception in the hospital is very poor and controlling an SDR from a small touch screen is less than desirable (though works in a pinch–no pun intended).

I’m currently tuned and listening to Radio Australia, Radio Mali and the Voice of Korea.

The 31 meter band seems to be wide open at this morning. At this point, I don’t think I care if my friend’s out-patient procedure takes a while longer!