Category Archives: Radios

Listening to beHAVior Night on the Elecraft KX3 QRP transceiver

Last year, I reviewed the Elecraft KX3 transceiver as a fantastic radio to consider if you’re an amateur radio operator who also happens to love SWLing.

Tonight, I used my KX3 to tune in one of my favorite weekly programs: beHAVior Night, a shortwave radio show, relayed by WBCQ, which showcases music from the first four decades of the 20th Century.

What’s so pleasant about the KX3 is the robust AM audio it delivers, even though its AM filtering is limited to a maximum of 4.2 kHz in width. That’s a very narrow width, by SWLing standards, but the audio sounds wider.

Listen for yourself: click here to download a recording of beHAVior Night made with the Elecraft KX3 (via my Zoom H2N digital recorder) or simply listen via the embedded player below:

The ShouYu SY-DP-330: a retro, x-bass shortwave radio

5 Replies

The Professor recently sent me a link to the ShouYu SY-DP-330–stating it must be the “big brother” of the ShouYu SY-X5. Indeed it is! The DP-330 sports all of the features found in the SY-X5. It is very large in comparison, though, and runs on four D batteries. The DP-330 even comes with a remote control–most likely for the built-in MP3 player.

On a side note, the DP-330 is in the only shortwave radio advert I’ve ever seen that also features a giant mega-mechanical monster robot. Classy!

Do any readers have the DP-330? Please share your comments.

Video: Build a radio in less than one minute

1 Reply

(Source: Southgate ARC)

“Due to the numerous requests from his Build-a-radio-in-5-minutes, radio amateur Tommy Helgevold OZ4KID decided to make a better video with explanations on how to make a radio like this

He also decided to beat his old challenge as well…

…so without further ado, I present to you – How to build a radio in less than 1 minute, can you build it?

There’s even a schematic in the end of the video + an animated version of the entire breadboard setup.

Thanks for watching, & enjoy.

Watch Build a radio in less than 1 minute”

Click here to view on YouTube.

While less detailed, you can also view OZ4KID’s DIY Radio in less than 5 minutes by clicking here or viewing via the embedded video below:

WAMU Metro Connection visits the Mid-Atlantic Antique Radio Club

Video: Ken operates his Hallicrafter S-120 for the first time

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In response to our last post regarding Hallicrafters’ promotional 45 RPM record, Ken Carr comments:

“I got the entire promotional kit for the [Hallicrafters] S120 when I was a kid. My parents even bought the radio for me. I still have everything, including the record. How could you not want to get into SWL after listening to it?

My dad took an 8mm film of me using the new radio. I have since digitized it.”

Ken then kindly shared his video (which can also be viewed on YouTube):

Thanks for sharing, Ken! This stuff is priceless.

The Tecsun ICR-110 packs AM/FM and digital recording/playback

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In a comment, SWLing Post reader Owl mentions:

“Tecsun has just released ICR-110 which is as BIG as the PL-880 and seems to have the same speaker too.”

The ICR-110 can be found on eBay–click here to search. At $46.00 US shipped, I’m very tempted to purchase it. Though it lacks shortwave, it appears that it can record AM (MW) and FM broadcast stations in either MP3 or WAV formats. While I’ve yet to find a radio that can make a digital recording with acceptable fidelity (the CC Witness Plus being a notable exception) I would like to think the engineers at Tecsun have nailed it.

I have a friend who has recently purchased the ICR-110, and am looking forward to his review! (hint, hint)

Anon-Co selling Tecsun PL-880 deluxe set

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SWLing Post reader, Paul, writes:

“Check out this PL-880 set from Anon-Co on eBay.. Looks like it includes an AN-03L SW antenna and ICR-100 FM/MP3 player/recorder amongst other things.”