Category Archives: Shortwave Radio

Radio Waves: BBC Emergency Service for Gaza, FCC Bolstering Amateur Radio, and Crowdsourcing the Ionosphere

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Radio Waves:  Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio

Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy!

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Andrea Borgnino, Paul, and Dennis Dura for the following tips:

BBC World Service announces Emergency Radio Service for Gaza (BBC Media Centre)

It will provide listeners in Gaza with the latest information and developments as well as safety advice on where to access shelter, food and water supplies

BBC News Arabic has today (1 November) announced an Emergency Radio Service for Gaza in response to the conflict in the region.

The emergency service – Gaza Daily – will broadcast vital news daily to the people of Gaza during this time of urgent need.

It will provide listeners in Gaza with the latest information and developments as well as safety advice on where to access shelter, food and water supplies.

Produced in Cairo and London and broadcast on medium wave, the service will initially run one programme a day at 1500 GMT from Friday 3 November. A second daily update will be broadcast at 0500 GMT from Friday 10 November.

The BBC World Service has a history of responding to emergency situations globally. Most recently, in May 2023 during the conflict in Sudan BBC News Arabic began an emergency radio service. In February 2022, the BBC News Ukraine service began extended TV bulletins following the invasion of the country. The BBC also previously launched a service for Gaza in 2014 following a summer of conflict.

Liliane Landor, Director, BBC World Service, says: “BBC News Arabic are extremely well-placed to offer this vital service for the people of Gaza at a time of greatest need. Their expertise and specialist knowledge of the region alongside the BBC’s reputation as the most trusted news provider, means we can reach civilians in Gaza with the information they need.”

RM3

Notes to editors: The Gaza service will be broadcast on MW 639kHz for morning and evening episodes.

FCC Wants to Bolster Amateur Radio (Radio World)

Commission will vote in November on plan to remove outdated technical restrictions

FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel says the FCC plans to “incentivize innovation and experimentation in the amateur radio bands” by getting rid of outdated restrictions and providing licensees with the flexibility to use modern digital emissions.

The commission at its November meeting is expected to take action on a Report and Order that would eliminate the baud rate limitation and establish a bandwidth limitation in the amateur radio bands below 29.7 MHz.

The order being circulated for tentative consideration by the commission would remove the baud rate limitation — the rate at which the carrier waveform amplitude, frequency and/or phase is varied to transmit information — for data emissions in the amateur radio bands, the FCC says. The current baud rate limits were adopted in 1980.

The order would implement a 2.8 kilohertz bandwidth limitation in place of the baud rate in amateur radio bands. The 2.8 kHz limitation is consistent with the commission’s treatment of other wireless radio services, the FCC says.

The current rules limit the baud rate for high-frequency amateur radioteletype/data transmissions to 300 baud for frequencies below 28 MHz (except in the 60-meter band), and 1200 baud in the 10 meter (28-29.7 MHZ) band. [Continue reading…]

Ham Radios Crowdsourced Ionospheric Science During Eclipse (EOS.org)

Amateur radio operators who study space physics and the upper atmosphere probed the ionosphere’s response to the 2023 annular solar eclipse using shortwave transmissions.

On 14 October, millions of people in North, Central, and South America peered through safety glasses and other viewing aids at the partially obscured Sun. Simultaneously, thousands of folks experienced the annular solar eclipse in a different way: through transmissions sent and received over amateur radios.

Before, during, and after the eclipse, ham radio operators pinged signals off the ionosphere and connected to people hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. The experiment, part of the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI), is gathering hundreds of thousands of those contacts to investigate how the ionosphere responds to the temporary loss of sunlight during an eclipse. [Continue reading…]

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Carlos’ Reception of NOAA Forecast via USCG Radio Station in Chesapeake

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Photo: US Coast Guard

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following video/recording and notes:

Hey Thomas, [Check out] how well the USCG signal arrives from Chesapeak in Porto Alegre, Brazil. It’s a NOAA Pacific NE forecast.

I made this video at 06h36 (09h36 UTC):

[Here is an audio ifile so you can get an idea of the quality of the reception:

That is amazing reception in Brazil, Carlos! Thank you for sharing this! I must say, you really give your XHDATA D-808 a workout! It’s a proper little DX machine!

Halloween is a Pirate Radio Playground!

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Halloween is typically the most active day of the year for shortwave pirates. Spend some time on the HF bands tonight and you’ll easily tune in to numerous stations. Expect pirates to emerge like The Great Pumpkin!

Here are two things you’ll want to do this Halloween weekend:

HF Underground

hfunderground

Follow real-time pirate radio spots and loggings on the HF Underground discussion forum. If you’ve never tuned to a pirate in the past, these real-time loggings will help you find pirates while they’re on the air and also help you ID them!

Listen!

Listen for pirate radio stations tonight!  Turn on your radio anytime today, but especially around twilight and tune between 6,920 – 6,980 kHz. Pirates broadcast on both AM and SSB; you’re bound to hear a few. If you’re brand new to pirate radio listening, you might read my pirate radio primer by clicking here.

Happy Halloween to all! 

Radio Waves: SWL Contest, Shortwave Modernization Concerns, Still Need AM, and ARRL Asks for Comments on 60M Rulemaking

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Radio Waves:  Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio

Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy!

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Dennis Dura and Wayne Davis for the following tips:

SWL Contest With Nice Prizes Open Worldwide: November 1th – December 31th 2023 (YouTube)

Click here to watch on YouTube.

Hams Worry About Shortwave Proposal (Radio World)

The U.S. Coast Guard also is concerned about petition from the Shortwave Modernization Coalition

Numerous commenters have told the FCC that a proposal to “modernize” the shortwave band is a threat to amateur radio operators in the United States and possibly the end of ham radio as we know it. And hams are just one source of opposition to the idea.

The FCC inquiry was prompted by a request from the Shortwave Modernization Coalition for a rulemaking to amend the Part 90 rules.

SMC believes there is underutilized spectrum in the high-frequency bands. The coalition wants to use 20 kW transmitters for the transmission of time-sensitive data from fixed stations. It wants the FCC to allow these fixed, long-distance, non-voice communications in multiple bands between 2 MHz and 25 MHz.

Ham opponents worry about interference. One also characterized the coalition as being “packed with special interest groups that harbor little interest in shortwave modernization beyond their own needs to getting faster financial market information.”

The commission’s Office of the Managing Director sought comments on its proposal this summer. The petition, RM-11953, drew more than 800 comments. [Continue reading…]

Do we still need AM radio? (Farm Progress)

Automakers say no, but motives are complicated.

Many of us hold fond memories of listening to AM radio in the car. But these days, drivers are just as likely to listen to satellite radio, Spotify, audiobooks or podcasts. Good ole FM radio is still around too. That’s led many people to question if AM, America’s oldest broadcast medium, still has a future?

Not many people noticed when Tesla removed AM from new vehicles a few years ago. Ostensibly, they did so because the frequency interferes with electric vehicles. Never mind that older Teslas previously had functioning AM/FM radios. Or that the Federal Communications Commission has rules to limit electrical interference. Seemingly no one questioned Tesla’s decision.

In the past couple of years, other manufacturers including Ford, Audi, Volvo, BMW and Porche began removing AM receivers from new models or announced plans to do so. This elicited a more passionate response from AM listeners, particularly those in rural areas. For them, the frequency is more than just entertainment. They say it’s a lifeline for those in remote areas who otherwise wouldn’t have access to emergency information. It’s also one of the last places where they can get hyper-local news and entertainment. [Continue reading…]

Letters: AM in Cars, HD in Cars (Radio World)

Readers comment about matters of the dashboard

It’s Just Too Late to Save AM in Cars (Radio World)

It has been with great interest that I’ve read about carmakers dropping AM reception capability in new cars, particularly EVs, and about the introduction of the “AM for Every Vehicle” Act.

The reason most often cited by makers of electric vehicles is interference from on-board systems to AM band reception. The truth is we have ourselves to blame.

The assault on AM band purity predates the popularity of electric vehicles by decades. The onslaught of cheap switching power supplies in consumer electronics, RF noise-producing computers and personal devices, and the absolute lack of any care given to protecting the spectrum are incompatible with AM quality.

For far too long, consumers, manufacturers, the NAB and even the FCC did not fight to protect the band. It seemed nobody cared whether new fluorescent lights (remember those?) caused so much noise that they even affected reception in neighbors’ homes. Nobody took up the fight to keep the band clean and make noise-free AM reception even somewhat possible in high-density housing areas. Nobody seemed appalled at this complete disregard for the usefulness of the band in the future. [Continue reading…]

How to comment on the 60-meter rulemaking (ARRL)

ARRL  The National Association for Amateur Radio® is asking that all radio amateurs urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to continue the existing use of the 60-meter band. A public comment period is open until October 30, 2023. ARRL encourages expressions of support to the FCC for the current 100 W ERP power limit (instead of reducing the power limit to 15 W EIRP) and continuing secondary access to the current channels.

Click to enlarge image.

To submit a filing of your comments for the FCC’s consideration in the rulemaking process:

Go to the FCC web page for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking’s (NPRM) Docket Number 23-120 at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/docket-detail/23-120.

If you wish to directly enter your comments, select the button labeled SUBMIT AN EXPRESS FILING.

If you are uploading a document that contains your comments, select SUBMIT A STANDARD FILING.

When submitting your comments, be sure the correct proceeding’s docket number, 23-120, is included on the form. Your name and comments will be entered into the official public record of the proceedings and will be viewable by anyone who visits the docket web page.

While radio amateurs are encouraged to include any comments they would like in their submissions, they’re especially encouraged to draw upon their personal experiences using the 60-meter band for public service purposes and for its location between the amateur 80- and 40-meter bands, which is critical to ensuring signal propagation to certain geographic areas during variations in time and the solar cycle.

Some of the main points to comment on for this NPRM are:

  • Urging the FCC to keep the four existing channels allocated to amateur radio on a secondary basis.
  • Urging the FCC to keep the 100 W power limit for the four existing channels and the new 15 kHz subband.

ARRL Public Relations and Outreach Manager Sierra Harrop, W5DX, underscored the importance of commenting, urging members to speak up. “ARRL members make up the strongest voice in matters of amateur radio spectrum defense,” said Harrop. “Your membership and participation in the rulemaking process both ensure ARRL continues to make the difference when our band privileges are threatened. Please join us in effort to protect our 60-meter band privileges.”

Previous coverage:

Comment Deadlines Set on Propose 60-Meter Band Changes
ARRL News | 10/04/2023

ARRL Advocates for Radio Amateurs as FCC Proposes Changes to 60-Meter Band
ARRL News | 4/28/2023

World Radiocommunication Conference Approves Global 60-Meter Allocation
ARRL News | 11/18/2015

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Please consider supporting us via Patreon or our Coffee Fund!

Your support makes articles like this one possible. Thank you!

Who puts the bins out?

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A big hi to all the SWLing Post Community, FastRadioBurst 23 here bringing you news of this week’s Imaginary Stations transmissions. We have two different shows of KBIN, the first on Sunday 29th October 2023 at 2100 hrs UTC on 3975 & 6160 kHz.

A few hours later via the transmitters of WRMI on Monday 30th October we have the second programme. The broadcast is at 0200 UTC on 9395 kHz and then repeated at 0300 UTC on 9455 kHz. We’ve got more recycled radio for you including mixes from some of our Imaginary Stations favourite shows so tune in and catch yourself another great value for money transmission this weekend!

For more information on the shows please email [email protected] and check out our old shows here.

A Transoceanic Saves the Day in “The Earth Dies Screaming”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dennis Dura, who shares a link to the movie “The Earth Dies Screaming“–a sci-fi/horror film from 1964. Dennis notes that a Zenith Transoceanic Saves The Day:

https://youtu.be/RmQBxf9DA9k?si=BxB18Yec0mxw56gx

Click here to view on YouTube.

Please note: This movie was was live on the day of posting this article. Quite often, movies are removed from YouTube channels without warning.

Bill has a shortwave radio double prole mystery from “The Killing Fields”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill (W8LV), who writes:

The TWO shortwave radios from The Killing Fields (1984) !

First Prop: This Shortwave radio is from the movie The Killing Fields (1984) It appears at (about) 1:04:30 in the movie.

I saw this movie on “The Big Screen” when it came out.. And I had a better view of it at that time. While it was indeed thirty nine years ago(!) I THINK that I recall that on the red label, it said: “ITT” as the brand. And you see the “IC” badge as well. Shortwave radio is integral to this scene, and this is the FIRST Shortwave radio shown.

There is a SECOND shortwave radio prop, also integral to a scene, this one at 1:58:30 in the movie. I have no idea what the radio is.

Of Course, neither radio has to actually BE a shortwave radio at all, since they are props! But they are SOME kind of radio…

And NO, I’m not giving away the plot: This is a HIGHLY RECOMMENDED movie for any “newer” SWL/HAM who hasn’t viewed it… After all, almost a couple of generations have gone by!

All the Best!

73 DE W8LV BILL