SWLing Post reader, Mehmet Burk, has just published information about the upcoming international disaster test on shortwave radio, coordinated by the High Frequency Coordination Commission (HFCC) for the International Radio for Disaster Relief project.
Mehmet has details of this June 4 – 5 international radio event on his website: Relief Analysis Radio.
As World Radio Day approaches, writer Mehmet Burk (founder of ReliefAnalysis.com) considers the importance of shortwave radio, especially in terms of disaster relief.
Burke posted the article, Why The Humanitarian Community Should Shape The Future Of Shortwave on Interaction.org. Here’s a quote:
“In the 1980s and 1990s, shortwave radio was an audio version of today’s internet. Almost every nation on earth broadcast a shortwave signal and vital humanitarian news and local depictions of current events could literally be heard half a world away. The Internet did to shortwave broadcasting market much like what it did to print newspapers.[…]
But radio remains the most wide-reaching media platform in the world today. In areas like Africa and the Pacific, it is the dominant form of communication. Like no other form of media, radio can bridge the digital divide and literacy divide in regions across the globe. Radio receivers can be made to be inexpensive, ruggedized, and indispensable in a disaster or humanitarian situation. In the future, shortwave receivers may even simply be stand-alone microchips we can activate using our smartphones and tablets.”
I’m honored that Burk reached out and even quoted me in this article.
Click here to read: Why The Humanitarian Community Should Shape The Future Of Shortwave.
Many thanks to Mehmet Burk for considering radio’s importance in the wake of disaster and honoring World Radio Day 2014!
Like much of North America, we’re currently experiencing record low temperatures and strong winds here at our mountain home. This morning, I woke to no power and no Internet. My iPhone still works though, hence the ability to publish this post.
But no power is really no problem when it comes to SWLing. Indeed, for those living in urban areas, power outages represent temporary refuge from all of those electronic noises (RFI) that plague daily listening.
I’ve spent the morning SWLing with my CommRadio CR-1. The beauty of the CR-1 is that it can operate for hours on its internal battery and can also be charged/powered via USB or anything from a 6V to 18v DC power source. I’m currently charging the CR-1’s battery from our solar-powered battery bank. It makes me realize that the CR-1 is an ideal, top-shelf radio for off-grid DXing.
Additionally, I received my 2014 WRTH yesterday in the post. The WRTH is always a welcome delivery, but this morning was even more appreciated since it requires no power source whatsoever to work!
No power? No worries! With a WRTH and CommRadio CR-1 combo, I’m a happy listener!
While the Tecsun GR-168 is my current pick amongst self-powered shortwave radios, performance is only mediocre compared with a proper, hobby-grade receiver with SSB.
What’s the best system for off-grid living? From time to time, I’m asked this question in the “comments” section of the website or via email. Recently it came up again, and I thought it might make sense to answer it here, and also open it for discussion.
Specifically, SWLing Post reader, Phil, writes:
“[H]i, I am looking for a SW radio that can be used in an off-grid location (rechargeable/ wind-up/ 12 volt DC/ or solar powered), that can pick up a wide range of English speaking stations from here in SW Spain, fantastic audio quality, in the £100-200 price range, and can pick up ham etc transmissions in an emergency (with SSB?). I know NOTHING about SW, so the CCRadio-SW looked about right, except it doesn’t have SSB. Any other suggestions?
Our little solar cottage, where The SWLing Post is often produced from the sun’s energy
Phil, I’m glad you asked. I may be uniquely qualified to answer this question, as I live in and work from a solar house that is off-grid at least some of the time, and I run a charitable non-profit, Ears To Our World (ETOW), that uses shortwave radio for educational purposes. ETOW works in schools, homes, and entire communities that are very often extremely remote, and, by default, off-grid.
So, you have a number of great options to choose from–and whatever options I overlook, our fellow SWLing Post readers will surely supply.
As the ability to receive SSB signals is important to you (and I agree), all of these options will take this requirement into account. You’ll notice that I’m not elaborating on crank/wind-up radios; while there are many of these on the market, none include SSB as an option. Fewer and fewer even include shortwave radio as an option. With that said, my current pick is the Tecsun GR-168 (photo above). Another to consider is the EU/Asian version of the Eton Rover (US versions lack SW, but feature NOAA frequencies).
Following are the options I would suggest for you–or for anyone looking to add a solar-powered radio system to their off-grid set-up.
The Tecsun PL-660
Option 1: Portable radio
Most of the good portable radios on the market use AA batteries and can run quite a long time on a set. I would recommend purchasing the Tecsun PL-660, Sangean ATS-909X, or the Sony ICF-SW7600GR. The PL-660 is possibly the best choice for ease of use and overall value; it’s an impressive little radio, and has good audio fidelity for the size.
Since these radios operate from AA batteries, I would simply purchase a 12V AA battery charger, if you have 12 volts DC available.
A PowerFilm Solar AA charger unfolded and charging on left, folded panel on right.
The other option would be to purchase a solar AA battery charger. I’ve tested a lot of these, and the best I’ve found are made by PowerFilm Solar here in the USA. What I like about these solar chargers is that they can charge either two or four batteries at a time––the panel folds out and has enough wattage to charge depleted cells within a few hours of sunlight exposure. Folded up, they’re small enough (a little larger than a wallet) to be used for travel.
I have used PowerFilm’s solar chargers extensively and they continue to impress. Note, however, that they are not waterproof––you cannot leave them outside in rainy conditions.
This radio/panel combo can be purchased for under $250 US (£155/185 EUR).
Option 2: Tabletop receiver
The CommRadio CR-1
If you have access to 12 volts DC in your home or cabin, and you’re less concerned about portability, then a tabletop receiver might fit your price range and will offer you better performance, when coupled with a reasonable outdoor wire antenna.
You would want to find a tabletop receiver that could run on 12-13.8 volts DC. Many amateur radio-class communications receivers will do this. I would recommend one of the following:
The Alinco DX-R8T tabletop shortwave receiver
One side note: It’s possible–depending on the type you use–that your home’s solar charge controller(s) could inject a lot of noise into your daytime shortwave radio listening. My charge controller does this, but I can turn it off and, if it becomes too much of a problem, actually modify it to do charging with less switching.
The Elecraft KX3 general coverage Transceiver (Click to enlarge)
Option 3: Get your amateur radio ticket and a transceiver
This option is identical to option 2, other than instead of buying a receiver, you buy a transceiver. I’m talking about becoming a licensed amateur radio operator or “ham.” Living where you do, and being a bit of a preparation guru, I can assure you that a ham radio license is a true asset and can keep you connected with the world when everything else fails or when you want to chat with a friend 3,000 miles away.
It’s well beyond the scope of my advice here to cover amateur radio–it’s a vast and multi-faceted hobby–but as a ham (callsign K4SWL–and, formerly, M0CYI in the UK) I can tell you that becoming one is a decision you’re not likely to regret.
A brochure of the original IC-735. These can be easily found used for $300-350 US (220-260 EUR).
If you’re licensed, you can purchase a general coverage ham radio transceiver and not only be able to use the rig for ham radio purposes, but also for all aspects of shortwave radio listening. I spent many years using the (now very affordable) Icom IC-735 as my shortwave receiver. Though I have dedicated receivers at home, I now use the Elecraft KX3 for ham radio and receiving on the go. I recently posted a review of the KX3 that can better explain in detail.
Phil, since you’re from the UK, consider contacting the RSGB and asking about becoming a ham in Spain (or getting licensed in the UK and getting a Spanish call sign). If you lived in the US, I’d advise you contact the ARRL, or in Canada the RAC. Most countries, however, have a support organization for amateur radio–the IARU can help guide you.
More options?
I’m sure SWLing Post readers may also have suggestions for off-grid SWLing–please check this post’s comments.
Readers: be sure to check out Phil’s website about simple, off-grid living in southern Spain. Phil, thanks for the question!
Jeffrey Fritz (WB1AAL) contacted me with details about his SDR (Software Defined Radio) “Go Kit” and has kindly allowed me to post it.
Jeff writes:
As a reader of the SWLing blog, I know that you are very interested in SDR. And you probably know that a “Go Kit” is a portable ham radio system in a case that can be moved at a moment’s notice and set up at another moment’s notice virtually anywhere.
I have a VHF Go Kit made up for emergency events. It is complete with waterproof carrying case, Aden PCS-7000H two-meter transceiver, a Kenwood VHF tuner, a Kenwood SW-100 VHF SWR bridge and two antennas (a 2-meter J-pole made out of twin lead and a two meter mag mount.) But what if there is a need to monitor the HF bands during the same event?
Now that I own a Flex-1500 SDR transceiver, the Softrock Ensemble SDR receiver that I bought a while ago has become somewhat redundant. It is still a serviceable radio and works fine, but it can’t hold a candle to the amazing Flex-1500. While I could turn it into a panadapter or sell it on eBay, eHam, etc., I had a better idea.
To monitor the HF ham bands, I could use something like my Grundig G3 shortwave radio in my Go Kit. While it is portable, battery operated and will tune LSB and USB, listening to SSB or even CW in an emergency situation with the G3 can be a bit of a chore. (Think of the old boat anchors with their main tuning and fine tuning band spread dials, but now make both dials tiny and you’ll get the idea.) Instead, why not build a 12-volt battery supply with common, easy to obtain batteries? I could connect it to the Softrock Ensemble and then via a USB audio interface to a battery powered laptop. Add a pair of headphones and we are in business.
That is just what I’ve done.
I’ve attached some photos of my most recent project–done this past weekend actually. [Check out photos above and below] It’s an SDR Go Kit. One of the attached photos shows the laptop and the Softrock Ensemble SDR receiving 40-meter band SSB while entirely being operated on battery power. There is no power switch. You simply pull the DC jack out of the Softrock Ensemble SDR radio when it isn’t in use. Simple as it gets! The other photo shows the battery pack built into a (ahem!) Preparation H Pad holder pack. (Now, I am not saying who used this!)
Ah but what will battery life be like with 8 C cells in series driving the receiver? It’s too soon to say because I just put it together an hour ago. But here’s a guess:
The Softrock Ensemble draws 18 mA at 12.6 volts (my measurement.) An Alkaline ‘C’ battery can supply up to 8,000 mAh, so doing some math and assuming fresh batteries, the battery pack should run the radio for roughly 400 hours. (Hopefully my math is correct!) If so, then I think that the laptop batteries will give out long before the life span of the C Cell is reached!
73,
Jeff, WB1AAL
Jeff, this is an excellent use for the Softrock Ensemble. I imagine it will run for a very long time drawing only 18 mA. I have a “Go Kit” for QRP ham radio purposes and one for SWLing during travels. You’ve inspired me to piece together a proper receiver “Go Kit” to be used in case of emergencies.
Readers: If you have a project, like Jeff, that you’d like to share on the SWLing Post, feel free to contact me with details!
Self-powered radios can be your link to your community and to the world in the wake of a hurricane or other natural disasters.
I don’t know of many people living in eastern North America who aren’t a little nervous about what Hurricane Sandy could bring in the next few days. Several models point to some pretty severe weather and predict power outages in the wake of storm surge, high winds and rising water levels.
Of course, it’s difficult to prepare this close to a weather event as supplies are typically low and demand is high. We radio enthusiasts are well aware of the importance of radio supplies, but there’s so much more to include to have preparedness basics in place.
Sandy may or may not pan out to be a memorable weather event, but we can take this opportunity as a reminder to be prepared.
No matter where you live, spend some time preparing for natural disasters or interruptions to public utilities. We have several helpful posts on the SWLing Post which can help you with this very thing. If you do nothing else, make sure you at least read this post and this post.
Here’s a full list of relevant posts from our archives:
At time of this posting, I’m listening to the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on 14,325 kHz. HWN net control is receiving weather reports as Hurricane Isaac hits Louisiana with 80 mph winds–dumping torrential rain on the area and causing widespread flooding.
Although Isaac is “only” a Category One hurricane, I suspect damage will exceed similar storms from the past, as the flood waters are rapidly rising, already forcing some people into attics and onto rooftops.
Tuning In
If you have a shortwave radio, even a portable, that can tune in SSB (or Single-Side Band), you can listen to or participate in the Hurricane Watch Net.
In a previous post–almost exactly one year ago when Hurricane Irene was threatening islands and States in the Gulf of Mexico–I described how to listen to the HWN.
Below, is a short audio clip of the Hurricane Watch Net this morning, which includes a few reports and a check-in from the National Hurricane Center’s own ham radio station:
(If you find this kind of thing exciting, or you’re into weather tracking and would like to become more involved in disaster communications, consider becoming a ham radio operator.)
