Category Archives: News

Radio Deal: Eton Traveller III $48.53 shipped

The Eton Traveller III

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Christian, who shares yet another Eton deal:

Hi Thomas. Thought your readers might like to know that the Eton Traveller III is on sale at Amazon for $48.53 shipped. This isn’t the lowest price I’ve seen for the III but it’s one of the lower ones so certainly a great deal. I have one and think it’s a great little portable set. I appreciate the little door on the front of the radio that protects some of the controls. When I throw it in a bag there’s less worry. Designed for traveling. Recommend!

Thanks, Christian! I agree that the Traveller III is a great little radio. I gave mine to a friend only because I have so many other similar portables. He travels a lot and I knew it would make for a nice companion. It also has brilliant audio for such a small portable. Certainly a great stocking stuffer to consider at this time of year!

Click here to view the Traveller III on Amazon.com (affiliate link).

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Dave’s review of the Icom IC-R75 HF receiver

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who writes:

My Icom IC-R75 review now posted. Being on the market for over 15 years of course they are available on the used market without too much trouble. Yes : Kiwa Electronics (Craig) are still doing the audio modifications.

http://n9ewo.angelfire.com/icr75.html

Thanks for sharing, Dave! The R-75 enjoyed a longer market life than most other tabletop receivers of the past. As you state, there are deals to be found on the used market!

Click here to search eBay and also check QTH.com’s classifieds.

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RCA Transmitter Window Contest: We have a winner!

Click to enlarge

Over the past five weeks, we’ve been promoting our contest to win an authentic Woofferton RCA Transmitter window that has been generously donated by our long-time friend and contributor, Dave Porter (G4OYX).

We are pleased to announce our winner: Kenneth Kopp (AK0A)

Congratulations, Kenneth!

Kenneth correctly answered at least one of the Wooferton Transmitting station questions we’ve posted over the past five weeks. His entry was picked at random.

RCA Window from MI-7330

In case you were wondering, here are the original questions and answers:

Question 1:What was the operating frequency range of the six original RCA 50 kW MI 7330 transmitters?
Answer: 5.9 to 22 MHz

Question 2: What was the BBC code name for the site from the 1944 build to about 1961? Answer: OSE 10 or Overseas Station Extension 10

Question 3: Besides the current HF services from the site what other broadcast services are radiated?
Answer: BBC Hereford and Worcester MF Local Radio on 1584 kHz and Sunshine Radio on 105.9 MHz FM

Question 4: Who is the present owner / operator of the site?
Answer: Encompass Media

Question 5: The Woofferton site straddles two English counties, what are they?
Answer: Herefordshire and Shropshire

Of course, Dave and I looked over all of the entries and accepted any answer variation that was essentially correct.

We had a total of 318 entries from SWLing Post readers–a fantastic turn-out for a contest that often required serious research!

Thank you once again, Dave, for donating this brilliant piece of shortwave broadcasting history! And congratulations, Kenneth–I’m sure that RCA window will look amazing in your radio shack!

Post readers: We’re plotting a number of contests over the next year to celebrate 10 years of the SWLing Post! There will be other amazing prizes involved! Stay tuned!

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From the Shortwave Archive: Radio South Africa (RSA) New Year’s call-in program 1977

Minolta DSC

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Tom Gavaras, who shares the following recording of Radio South Africa which was originally recorded on December 31, 1977 from his home in Plymouth, MN using a Hammarlund HQ-180.

Tom notes:

During the late 1970s, Radio South Africa (RSA) would broadcast a New Years call-in show. This recording is from 1/1/1978 (12/31/1977 in the US). At two minutes into the recording, you can hear the interval signal for RAI (Italy) in the background. I have scoped (edited) the music. Unsure how long RSA carried on this tradition, but heard a similar call-in broadcast the following year on 1/1/1979.

Click here to download this recording.

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Digitech AR-1780 sale and purchasing from the US

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mike, who reminds us that Jaycar has the Digitech AR-1780 on sale until December 26, 2018.

Click here to check out the sale at JayCar online.

Mike also shares the following email he received from Jaycar regarding the purchase of an AR-1780 from the United States:

Thanks for your enquiry.

The product is on special now until Dec 26 2018 at the Australian site.
Please see the following price in AUD for the order.
AR1780 x 1 $89.00 AUD
Standard Air $33.40 AUD
Total $122.40 AUD

But the Australian site is not running for overseas online order.
If you are interested to getting the product, please provide your credit
card payment to proceed the order by email or phone.
You can call our regular phone +61 2 8832 3245 during Australian
business hours to provide your credit card details. The business trading
hours are 8:30am – 5:30pm Mon – Fri. It’s 11:11am Friday here. Our staff
will make this order for you.

You also can place this order directly on our US site. We have put it to
the US market now.
https://www.jaycar.us/compact-world-band-radio-with-ssb/p/AR1780

The price in USD will be as follows.
AR1780 x 1 $94.95 USD
Economy Air $15.00 USD
Total $109.95 USD

The product is dispatched from Australia to the USA, so local customs
duty & taxes may apply. Delivery time estimated about 6-10 business days
via post standard air. You can track it at the post office site.

Regards,
Helen Yang
Customer Service Representative

Thank you for the tip, Mike! Since I’m not a fan of sharing credit card information over email, I would encourage you to make the purchase through JayCar’s US website.

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KiwiSDRs now at the KPH receive site in Point Reyes

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Ruck, who writes:

Please be advised that the Martitime Radio Historical Society has made publicly available Kiwi SDR receivers at the KPH receive site in Point Reyes.  This site was selected for SW reception by Dr. Beverage for RCA around 1930.

You can access the receivers at  radiomarine.org

Bill Ruck
Maintenance
MRHS

Brilliant news, Bill!  Thank you for sharing!

Click here to visit the Point Reyes KiwiSDR optimized for HF reception and this one optimized for LW/MW reception.

Click here to visit the KPH Software Defined Receivers info page.

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SWLing Post Contest Question #5: Our final question for a chance to win a piece of broadcasting history!

RCA Window from MI-7330

Four weeks ago, we announced a new contest to celebrate the SWLing Post‘s 10th Anniversary.

The prize is an amazing piece of broadcast history: a 75 year old round plate glass window that was fitted in the central main door of the RCA senders at the Woofferton, UK, transmitting site in 1943. This prize was generously donated by SWLing Post contributor and friend, Dave Porter (G4OYX).

Please read our original contest post (click here) which describes how you can enter to win.

The original post also contains the first of five contest questions which count as individual entries in the contest.  The second question can be found here, the third question by clicking here and the fourth here.

Today, we present our final question…

Please note: This contest will close on Friday December 14 at 12:00 UTC–you have until then to submit answers to all five questions. The winner will be announced once we verify contact with them.  If you have entered this contest, please check your email this weekend.

If you read the SWLing Post email digest, you will need to view our prize questions on the web to see the embedded form. If the form below does not display, click here to open it in a new window.

We will close all entry forms to responses

Our fifth and final question:

Click here to answer question #1.

Click here to answer question #2.

Click here to answer question #3.

Click here to answer question #4.

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