Category Archives: Shortwave Radio

The National HRO-5TA1: Parting is such sweet sorrow…

As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m in the process of selling and giving away radio gear that I no longer use or that’s been sitting on the workbench way too long.

This is an easier process when it involves modern gear, as I have comparatively little attachment to radios I could go out and purchase once again, should I feel so moved. The only modern portables I keep, regardless, are those I must have on hand for comparison testing and reviews. And, yes, I do have a number of favorites I never intend to sell.

But when it comes to vintage gear? Letting go is hard to do.

A few years ago, I acquired a bunch of vintage gear and accessories from a friend whose father was a radio operator in WWII. Since then, I’ve been selling this equipment and giving the proceeds to our non-profit (ETOW). I’ve also donated a lot of equipment to the Hickory Aviation Museum in North Carolina––I’m a member, and have been piecing together an AN/ARC-8 system for permanent display (only now lacking a good BC-348).

The only receiver I kept for myself was a National HRO-5TA1. It’s totally original and has likely not been operated since the late 1940s.

In a sense, this is the radio equivalent of a “barn find.”

I love the HRO dial and the overall aesthetics of this vintage set. It absolutely shouts “1940s” radio––! These sets were initially manufactured during WWII under some large orders. Indeed, the “H.R.O.” acronym is said to be the National internal designation of the series…meaning, “Hellva Rush Order.” There were many variations of the National HRO; mine was the 1946 “5TA1.”

The HRO-5TA1 uses coils to change bands. My HRO has the full set of coils and even the coil box. To change coils, you simply pull out (unplug) the coil from the front of the receiver and plug in a new one.

The power supply is self-contained and connects to the HRP-5TA1 via a four conductor plug.

The back panel of the receiver couldn’t be more simple.

Inside, it’s impressively clean for its age; check this out:

If you can’t tell, letting this one go is going to be one of the toughest I’ve experienced. Parting will, indeed, be sweet sorrow. I must give someone else an opportunity to put this girl on the air, else it will sit here for many more years before I have an opportunity to do the necessary upgrades to make her airworthy again (needs at least recapping).

This weekend, my buddy, Vlado (N3CZ) and I will reserve a couple of tables at the Greenwood, SC hamfest. Unless I sell the HRO-5TA1 beforehand, you’ll find it on my table there!

On that note, readers, please comment if you have a suggestion what I should charge for this set. You can also comment if you think I’m crazy for selling it. It’s not going to be easy!

60th Anniversary of RAE Argentina To The World

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Many thanks to Adrian Korol, Director of RAE Argentina, who shares the following :

2018 is the 60th Anniversary of RAE Argentina to the World

We are celebrating all along the year.

This week RAE moves to a new and functional desk office with access from the main hall to the entrance of Radio Nacional building in the historic address of Maipu 555, Buenos Aires.

Next, we are going to inaugurate a modern radio studio.

We are optimistic in being able to celebrate these 60 years with a new short wave transmitter from the General Pacheco plant in Buenos Aires.

Also, in March, new shows and content will be over the air from Buenos Aires, on shortwaves and digital environments.

Obviously, there will be contests, a new website, SPECIAL QSL and much more.

Thank you, Adrian! Sounds like RAE will have many positive developments this year. Excellent!

Note that RAE have also recently announced their new shortwave schedule via WRMI.

Radio Deals: Eton Satellit and Orphan CC Skywave

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Chris Frietas, who writes:

Hey Thomas, if anyone is looking for a new Eton Satellit radio…RadioWorld.ca is having a huge sale on new ones. They’re roughly $112-115 US:

Click here to view on eBay.

Thanks for the tip, Chris! Happy to see RadioWorld still have this sale available! At time of posting, eBay claims they’re 74% sold.

Original CC Skywave

Additionally, I just received an e-flyer from C. Crane. They’re having an inventory reduction sale which includes some “Orphaned” CC Skywave units.

C. Crane orphaned radios are typically open box units that have been checked over carefully by C. Crane technicians and carry a full warranty. I’ve purchased their orphaned products in the past and would hesitate to jump on this deal if I didn’t already have the original CC Skywave.

Click here to view at C. Crane.

RAE: Announcement and Updated schedule from WRMI

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Many thanks to Adrian Korol, Director of RAE Argentina, who shares the following broadcast schedule update via WRMI as of January 8, 2018:

March 1-3 , 2018: Join us for the 31st (!!!) NASWA Winter SWL Fest!

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David Goren (left) and Richard Cuff (right) during the Shindig live broadcast at the Winter SWL Fest.

Every year, I look forward to the only event I know that brings together both my avid interest in radio and my loyal radio-listening friends: the Winter SWL Fest. This is the one place where, among the 125-plus attendees, you can talk freely about all aspects of the shortwave hobby without any need of explanation as to why you find radio so fascinating. As a result, over the course of the eight years I’ve attended the ‘Fest, it has begun to feel less like a technical hobbyists convention and more like a (most enjoyable) family reunion.

The DoubleTree hotel where the Winter SWL Fest is held. Notice anything unique about the top floor of this hotel?

This year, the Winter SWL Fest is celebrating its 31st (!!!) Anniversary. For the second year in a row, the ‘Fest organizers have added an extra day to the convention making it a special three day event.

Here’s the description from the Winter SWL Fest website:

The Winter SWL Fest is a conference of radio hobbyists of all stripes, from DC to daylight. Every year scores of hobbyists descend on the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania suburbs for a weekend of camaraderie. The Fest is sponsored by NASWA, the North American Shortwave Association, but it covers much more than just shortwave; mediumwave (AM), scanning, satellite TV, and pirate broadcasting are among the other topics that the Fest covers. Whether you’ve been to every Fest (all 30, starting with the first year at the fabled Pink & Purple Room of the Fiesta Motor Inn) or this year’s will be your first, you’re sure to find a welcome from your fellow hobbyists.

Again in 2018, the 31st Annual (!!) Winter SWL Fest will have three days of sessions where you can learn about the latest developments in the radio listening hobbies, but there’s so much more going on. There’s a silent auction that takes place, where you’re bound to find something of interest. There’s the Hospitality Suite, where attendees partake of tuning oil and other treats and engage in spirited conversations. There is the closing Banquet, with after-dinner remarks by a luminary from the field, often one of the many broadcasters who attend the Fest, followed by the raffle, where you could win one or more of the dozens of prizes, ranging from pens from stations up to top-notch communications receivers. And of course, the infamous midnight ride of Pancho Villa that closes things out every year.

Early registration fees are available through the month of January, as an incentive to register early. We strongly urge you to do so as fees will increase for those registering January 27th and later.

Hotel Registration: The Doubletree Guest Suites offers a special $109 rate (single or double) that includes a full breakfast buffet. Reservations may be made by phone at +1-610-834-8300 or 800-222-8733 or online here; click on Special Rates and enter the group code NAS. If at all possible, please reserve hotel rooms using our group code, so we can maintain proper credit and keep costs down.

Fest Registration: A paper reservation form may be downloaded here; you may also register online via PayPal here.

Your hosts, Richard Cuff and John Figliozzi, work throughout the year to ensure that attendees have a great time over the weekend, and by all accounts, they succeed stunningly. How else could this event have lasted for 31 years (egad) and draw people from around the world to southeastern Pennsylvania? Won’t you join us?

If you can make a pilgrimage to Plymouth Meeting, PA, please do so. I think you’ll enjoy the diversity of programs and people who attend. I’ll be there along with a number of regular SWLing Post contributors. It’s a great time to exchange stories and ideas in person.

I always leave the Winter SWL Fest energized about a new aspect of our radio hobby. I think you will too.

Click here to register for the Winter SWL Fest online.

XHDATA D-808 modification to allow an external mediumwave antenna

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Rolf Snijder, who writes:

I have added an external antenna capability for mediumwave on the XHData D-808.

Simply add a 27 pF capacitor on the backside of the PCB on C10 to the the ferrite antenna.

The mod causes no loss on FM or shortwave!

I also replaced the Ferrite antenna with a bigger one so I now have more performance on MW!

Longwave is not good in my radio, even with an external antenna, it is not performing well.

Thanks once again, Rolf! I must assume that the Digitech AR-1780 could be modified in the same way as the radios appear to be near identical. Perhaps someone can verify this at some point!

SSB Reception Examples with the XHDATA D-808 Portable Receiver

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In my earlier article on this receiver, I shared reception videos of three weak medium wave stations and a single shortwave outlet, all demonstrated in AM mode.

These two videos are of reception in SSB. The first example is true SSB reception–in lower side band on the 40m amateur band, while tuning a local on-the-air ham radio classifieds broadcast:

The next video demonstrates “ECSS” reception (tuning an AM mode signal in SSB). In this example I use a strong station so the audio quality and fine tuning accuracy of the XHDATA receiver can be clearly heard. Typically, ECSS is used by SWLs and DXers for AM mode stations that suffer from adjacent channel interference on one side or the other.