Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report of a recent Radio Mitre broadcast.
Carlos notes:
Hurricane Melissa, Radio Mitre 790 kHz AM (AR), Rádio da UFRGS 1080 kHz AM (BR)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Paul Jamet, who shares the following message:
Hello Thomas,
The future of RSI is uncertain!
Read: https://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/2025/10/radio-slovakia-internationals-future.html
I spoke on the phone with RSI’s French service, and during the program “Entre Nous – Courrier des auditeurs” on Sunday, October 26, 2025, the presenters asked listeners to respond and write to the Director General of STVR, Ms. Martina Flašíková.
Here is a text I wrote to inform people about the plan to shut down RSI – Radio Slovakia International by the end of 2025 and, above all, to support this station: https://rsi.stvr.sk/
I do invite all RSI listeners around the world to write to:
Support for Radio Slovakia International: Let’s not silence a precious voice of Slovakia
I was deeply saddened to learn about the planned closure of Radio Slovakia International (RSI). As a loyal listener for more than thirty years,
I wish to express my strong attachment to this radio station and to emphasize its vital role in promoting the culture, history, and vitality of Slovakia throughout the world.
Since its creation, RSI has managed to project an open-minded, thoughtful, and respectful voice, contributing to international understanding and enhancing
Slovakia’s global image. In my view, RSI is much more than a radio station — it is a true instrument of soft power, a cultural ambassador that strengthens the positive perception of the Slovak Republic.
Over the years, RSI’s team has built an authentic human connection with its listeners — one based on respect, loyalty, and friendship.
This international community is an invaluable intangible asset that deserves to be preserved, not dismantled.
While I fully understand the budgetary challenges faced by public broadcasters, I am convinced that other solutions exist: modernizing broadcast formats, strengthening online presence, and expanding cooperation with cultural and diplomatic institutions. Closing RSI would mean extinguishing a remarkable showcase of Slovakia and depriving the country of a respected and credible international voice.
I sincerely hope that the Slovak authorities will recognize the enduring value of this unique media and find ways to keep this wonderful radio adventure alive.
Paul Jamet – French service listener for over 30 years
L’Isle-Adam – France, October 27, 2025
Of course, everyone is free to personalize their own message of support based on their relationship with RSI.
Thank you and have a nice day. Best regards.
Paul JAMET
Radio Club du Perche.
Greetings all SWLing Post community, here’s what Imaginary Stations crew will sending up into the atmosphere next week. There’ll be another telephone tribute via shortwaveradio.de called Skybird Telegraph & Telephone Co. 2 on Saturday 1st November 2025 at 1200 hrs UTC and then again on Sunday 2nd November 2025 at 1000/1400/2200 hrs UTC on 3975 kHz and 6160 kHz.
Expect all sort of phone related tunes, an interview with a telephone answering machine, a report about the furthest tin can telephone call ever, dialing tones from all around the world and the all-time top 10 of missed calls, all subject to availability of course and if there’s any snow on those telegraph wires.
Fab fact: By the way do you know why the telephone is sometimes known as “The blower”? Early telephone handsets and local exchange apparatus used to produce audible “blowing” noises (clicks and hums and the suction-like sound of magneto generators). Wonderful!
Get connected and tune in for more telegraph and telephone madness!
On Wednesday 5th November 2025 at 0300 UTC via WRMI we bring you another KBIN. The show is some recycled radio including mixes from some of our Imaginary Stations favourite shows so tune in and catch yourself another great value for money transmission.
More on Skybird Telegraph & Telephone Co. below:
For more information on all our shows, please write to us at [email protected] and check out our old shows at our Mixcloud page here.
FastRadioBurst23
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report of a recent NOAA broadcast.
Carlos notes:
Hurricane Melissa, NOAA HF Voice Broadcast via USCG Chesapeake VA, 13089 kHz USB
Click here to view on YouTube.
The radiofax of destruction: Hurricane Melissa approaching Jamaica.
NOAA Surface Analysis, NW Atlantic. USCG Boston, Mass.
9110 kHz, Oct 27, 22h15 UTC
Received in Porto Alegre, Brazil
Xhdata D808 receiver, telescopic antenna.
Voice of Hope antenna farm (Source: Voice of Hope Africa)
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Dan Greenall, who writes:
Hi Thomas
I just heard on the latest program of Wavescan that the Voice of Hope Africa from Lusaka, Zambia is now off the air. It has been a few months since I heard them on a KiwiSDR from that area so I guess that explains why. Too bad since there are so few African broadcasters remaining.
Listen to their podcast here: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/wavescan
Here are a couple recordings of the station I made back on January 6 of this year on 4965 kHz using a Kiwi located on Reunion Island:
73
Dan Greenall, Ontario, Canada
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Mario Filippi, who shares the following review:
by Mario Filippi
I purchased one of these tiny radios several months ago. It’s my daily go-to AM broadcast band radio. So far, it performs excellently on AM. Using the rotatable ferrite antenna, I’ve received stations as far away as Chicago and Detroit at night. FM broadcast band capability is also excellent in my experience for such a small radio. As for SW, the only luck I’ve had is with powerful broadcasters when the Raddy’s telescoping antenna is connected to an outdoor ham antenna. It receives local NOAA WX as good as any other radio I’ve owned.
Raddy 750 Plus
The case is all metal, feels nice and hefty in the hand. A shade under a half-pound in weight. 3 3/4 inches high (approx. 9 cm) with attached rotatable antenna. The speaker size is exceptional for such a small radio and the audio’s very acceptable to the ear. The speaker grill can be used to tune the radio manually by the way. The fit and finish are excellent. Has a rechargeable battery with included USB charging cord. Excellently-written 25-page owner’s manual in English.
?I use the Raddy app to control the radio. You can opt not to use it though. You’ll definitely need to read the manual then, due to the plethora of options.
Raddy’s SmartPhone App Works Great
All said, since I bought this radio mainly for daily AM broadcast reception and occasionally checking NOAA weather, I’m very pleased. Price is very reasonable, mine was under $40 at the time.
Wonder if anyone else has one of these radios and what their opinion is? Thanks for reading and 73’s.
You can purchase the Raddy RF750 on Amazon.com or at Radioddity.com (affiliate links).
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Mark Hirst, who writes:
This gem arrived in the charity shop where I volunteer yesterday, a radio made in the USSR (Minsk) in around 1975.
It was in fantastic external condition, although after checking it out discovered that the band changing control on the right hand side had been disconnected.
I suspect something went wrong with the very mechanical way it switched frequencies (shown in the video below), which rotated individual circuit boards into play.
Somebody seems to have opened it up, set it permanently on VHF, and then disconnected the control to prevent any further changes.
It was evidently sold in the UK as it has BBC radio stations on the dial and I even found a UK service manual for it.
I was tempted for a while, but I’m learning these days that this sort of thing just ends up as clutter.
Hard to believe that only five years after this electro-mechanical radio was made, Sony would release the ICF-2001 !
Mark
Manual:
https://archive.org/download/Trader_ASTRAD_B205/b205_text.pdf
Radio Museum:
https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/minsk_radi_astrad_f8_tr17_b205f8tr17.html#
YouTube – Astrad “Mikado” F8-TR17-B205:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osDxKNdun98