Category Archives: News

(Source: HFCC via Larry W)

International Radio for Disaster Relief (IRDR)

Humanitarian Aspects of HFCC Activities

From its infancy since 1920s shortwave radio has been associated with its potential of being a communication tool in emergencies. This use of shortwave radio is still very much present among amateur radio enthusiasts for example, who discovered its long distance properties early in the twentieth century. Amateur radio provides a means of communication on shortwaves and other frequencies “when all else fails”. This role of amateur radio is well recognised, valued and appreciated both by the public and by the world institutions managing and regulating the use of the radio spectrum.

In contrast the huge technical potential of international shortwave broadcasting that operates transmitter facilities tens, or hundred times, more powerful than those of amateur radio, remains almost unused in emergencies. At the moment when local and even regional communication and information networks are needed most, they are destroyed or overloaded and the population suffers from an information blackout. Shortwave radio is capable of remaining the only source of information.

Although the life-saving role of radio broadcasting is widely recognised by the public, and confirmed by surveys conducted after the recent disasters – and even acknowledged by world leaders – no concrete projects have been ever designed and no regulatory framework has been developed.

That is why the HFCC – International Broadcasting Delivery in co-operation with the Arab States and Asia-Pacific broadcasting unions are working on an International Radio for Disaster Relief (IRDR) project that is based on the system of online co-ordination of frequencies managed by the HFCC in accordance with International Radio Regulations.

The HFCC is aware of the humanitarian aspects of international broadcasting. It pointed out in 2012 – as the UNESCO partner for the preparation of the World Radio Day – that terrestrial shortwave radio in particular is still considered as a powerful communication and information tool during emergency situations. Read more >>

Receivers are inexpensive and require no access fees. Shortwave radio is important for people living in remote and isolated regions of the world. It reaches across the digital divide to the most disadvantaged and marginalised societies. This is also in keeping with the Declaration and Action Plan of the World Summit on the Information Society.

The annual edition of the World Disasters Report of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) issued in October 2013 stressed again that with only 6 percent of people in low-income countries using the internet in 2011 the digital divide is still stark, and access to low cost media technology is really the key.

The HFCC is a strong advocate for incorporating terrestrial broadcasting permanently on the disaster risk reduction agendas of the ITU and other UN agencies and institutions. It submitted two documents for the ITU-R Working Party 6A November 2013 meeting:

HFCC – The Importance of Terrestrial radio in International Broadcasting
HFCC – The International Radio for Disaster Relief Project

Both documents are annexes in Section 8 of the ITU-R Study Group 6 Report BT.2266 “Broadcasting for public warning, disaster mitigation and relief”. The report can be downloaded via this link.

A workshop was held during the November 2013 meeting addressing these issues. The web site of the Emergency Broadcasting Workshop can be accessed here. The web site also contains copies of all the presentations that were made at the workshop, and a Video interview with Christoph Dosch, Chairman of ITU-R Study Group 6 (Broadcasting service)

The HFCC has applied for membership in the CDAC (Communicating with Disaster Affected Communities) Network in keeping with the conclusion of the debate on emergency communication during the Bratislava B13 Conference. Read more >>

The HFCC is staying in touch with the Information and Communication Sector of the UNESCO agency on the preparation of the World Radio Days that are celebrated each year on February 13th.

Humanitarian aspects of terrestrial broadcasting were also on the agenda of the Global Kuala Lumpur conference in January 2014. Read Opening Remarks.

Click here to view this information on the HFCC website.

Radio Deal: 20% off CountyComm GP5-SSB (3rd Gen)

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul, who writes:

I got an email from Countycomm this morning saying that the GP5-SSB is 20% off, making it $71.99.

I thought some of your readers might like to know.

Keep up your great website!

Many thanks for the tip, Paul! That is a good deal for the GP5-SSB.

Click here to view on the CountyComm website.

SDR Spectrum to Radio: Can someone please make this device?

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The venerable RF switch box from the 1970s/80s allowed game consoles and computers to use analog TVs as monitors.

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I actively record and index radio spectrum recordings via my various software defined receivers. Indeed, I have at least 50 TB of SDR spectrum recordings at the moment–and that number is growing!

I was just chatting with SWLing Post contributor, Mark Fahey, and a familiar topic came up: the idea of an RF switch box for radios.

The concept is a piece of hardware that re-modulates–converts digital spectrum data from a digital storage device back to analog RF– and injects a signal into a real tabletop radio.

As Mark described:

“This is just like early computers and Atari-like games consoles did to allow the “computer” to display on a lounge room TV. The games console tricked the TV into thinking it was tuned to a TV station on “Channel 1 (or whatever the console outputted the video to).”

Radio time travel machine!

How cool would it be to take a spectrum recording from 2008, play it through your Hallicrafters SX-100, Kenwood R-1000 or Alinco DX-R8T, and tune through the 31 meter band? You’d receive Radio Australia, Radio Bulgaria, Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Radio Canada International, Voice of Russia and many other broadcasters that are no longer on the air. Indeed, there’s a strong possibility you might uncover DX you didn’t catch when the recording was first made.

I’m enough of a radio geek to know that I would thoroughly enjoy travelling back in time once in a while with a classic radio.

Additionally, this device would make it much easier for museums to create kiosks where visitors could tune through recordings of, say, important events in history.

Can it be done?

I know the technology is out there. In fact, if you’ve ever been to a large hamfest where Icom, Yaesu or Kenwood have a number of their transceivers “on the air”–so customers can try out transceiver features–they are using a device called a “radio time machine.”

Icom uses recorded IF instead of live antenna input so customers can experience “contest conditions” while evaluating a radio.

The Radio Time Machine injects recorded analog RF, from a HiFi VCR, into the antenna ports of a vendor’s various transceivers. The recordings are typically of a ham radio band during a contest–that way, the customer can get a sense of how well the rig would perform under crowded band conditions.

These devices have limitations: while their bandwidth is ample to tune through the CW or phone portion of a ham band, it’s much too narrow for most broadcast bands. They’re also fed the recording from an analog HiFi VCR.

The device Mark and I dream of would convert digital spectrum files–from a WinRadio, Perseus, Elad, SDRplay, Airspy or other SDR–into analog RF any radio with an external antenna port could tune.

SWLing Post readers: you’re a diverse and knowledgeable community–please comment if you know what it would take to develop such a device and how it could be done. Is this a dream or could it become reality?

From the Shortwave Archives: Radio RSA reviews the Sony ICF-2001

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I’ve mentioned many times before what a joy it is to curate the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive (SRAA). Sometimes I’m sent recordings that evoke a flood of memories. SRAA contributor, Tom Laskowski, just submitted another such recording.

Tom included the following notes with his Radio RSA – Voice of South Africa recording:

Every Saturday night during the early 1980s [in South Bend, Indiana] I would regularly tune to 9580 kHz at 0200 to listen to Radio RSA (Channel Africa as it is now known) to hear DX Corner, their regular DX program.

This episode from March 14, 1982 was a look at a brand new hot radio, the Sony ICF-2001.

The audio isn’t great but should be listenable. I think this was recorded using my new Realistic DX-302. Enjoy:

Audio Player

00:00

Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.

Click here to download this recording as an MP3.

Thank you, Tom! I think Radio RSA did an admirable job reviewing the ICF-2001!

Post Readers: You can listen to more archived shortwave recordings at the SRAA website, or by subscribing to the audio feed via iTunes. You can also listen to the archive on TuneIn radio.

Radio Romania International: 2017-2018 Winter Broadcast Frequencies

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who shares the RRI 2017-2018 Winter Broadcast Frequencies (effective 29/10/2017 to 24/3/2018):

You can also listen to RRI’s English language programming live over the internet using the same SW broadcast schedule given above. All you need to do is go to the “RRI Live!” section in the top-right of our website, choose channel “2” for English and then select your desired audio format (WMA, MP3 or ACC).

Listen to English language programming on demand via the RRI website
RRI broadcasts in English are also available for listening on demand via our website. The “On Demand” feature is located immediately below the “RRI Live!” section in the top-right of the RRI homepage. To listen again to a programme all you need to do is select the date of broadcast from the drop-down list and then click the desired programme. Our programmes become available for listening on demand two hours after the original broadcast.

RRI and social media

RRI can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo, Dailymotion, Google+, Flickr, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Tumblr, SoundCloud and Instagram.

RRI via mobile phone in the US and on TuneIn

Did you know that if you’re in the US you can also listen to RRI broadcasts on your mobile phone? Our English language programmes are available both live and on demand via the following AudioNow “call-to-listen” phone number: 716.274.2526. Calling this number incurs no extra charge above the equivalent of a standard US mobile phone call.
Our programs are also available on TuneIn (Radio Romania International 1)

Click here to view on RRI’s website.

Radio Deal: Digitech AR-1780 $99 AUD/$119 NZD via Jaycar

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[UPDATE: Click here to read our full review of the Digitech AR-1780.]

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Wesley, who notes:

For those in Australia, the Jaycar in Bondi Junction is currently selling the Digitech AR-1780 for AUD$99. I suspect the other locations are offering the same price.

I picked one up – pretty happy with it so far! Really excited that it contains several filter bandwidths, which should help with receiving weather fax and SITOR signals.

UPDATE: SWLing Post reader, Davo notes:

It’s on special in NZ too: NZ$119 saving of $30

https://www.jaycar.co.nz/pocket-world-radio-with-ssb/p/AR1780

Thank you for the tips! Yes, indeed, I would purchase the AR-1780 for $99 AUD in a heartbeat. It’s certainly a great value at that price (roughly $77 US). I don’t think Jaycar ships internationally, so this sale may only apply to those living in Australia and New Zealand.

I can’t tell via the Jaycar site how long this sale may last. If you live in Australia or NZ and have been considering the AR-1780, I would jump on this deal. It’s a decent little portable. Besides visiting a Jaycar location, you can also place your order online.

Click here to view this deal at Jaycar Australia and here for Jaycar New Zealand.

Those of us outside of Australia/NZ can always purchase via the eBay seller I used–though the total price with shipping will set you back about $134 US.

Click here to read some of our Digitech AR-1780 posts. Also, note that on November 1 2017, I will publish a full review of the AR-1780 here on the SWLing Post.