Category Archives: Shortwave Radio

The Bonito Boni Whip goes from strength-to-strength: hardcore DXing in compact package

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Hi there, subscribers to the Oxford Shortwave Log YouTube channel and regular readers of this excellent website will be aware that I have been using a Bonito Boni whip E-field wideband antenna for a couple of months now. You may have seen my previous post here, detailing some excellent initial DX results achieved with the Boni Whip. What makes this antenna so compelling for a DXer such as myself is simply that it’s so light and compact; I can literally take it anywhere. Currently it lives in a small flight case (see above & below) on the back seat of my car, with either my Sony ICF-SW55 or Eton Satellit, a home-brew battery pack (that literally cost pence) and some peripheral bits and pieces; spare batteries, cables etc. I think it’s probably already clear that if you consider the Boni Whip’s performance as a function of portability and price, it’s out there on its own – I’m not aware of another antenna that can match it. Of course, there are H-field antennas, such as the excellent Wellbrook active loops that will effectively reject QRM, if that’s an issue for the user, but at a significant cost delta.

 

Since my last posting, I have continued to use the Boni Whip regularly on my DXpeditions and upload the reception videos to my YouTube channel. I have been nothing but totally impressed with this antenna, to the point that I’ve actually been surprised by the signals I’ve caught and recorded with it. Recent catches include a number of low-power stations from Brazil, including Radio Bandeirantes – Sao Paolo, Radio Voz Missionaria – Camboriu (on the 49 and 31 metre broadcast bands) and Radio Aparecida. Some of these signals are incredibly difficult to hear in Europe at all, let alone well and yet the ultra-compact Boni-Whip running off AA batteries, coupled to the (equally brilliant) Eton Satellit managed it with aplomb. Other catches include Zambia NBC Radio 1 – Lusaka and a signal from Bangladesh Betar that sounded as if the transmitter was 5 miles down the road!

All-in-all, I’m extremely satisfied with the performance of the Bonito Boni Whip and highly recommend it to those DXers requiring a high-performance, compact antenna, for use at home in electrically quiet environments or on any DXpedition. You certainly won’t be disappointed.

Please find embedded reception videos below and text links that will take you to the Oxford Shortwave Log YouTube channel. Thanks for reading/watching/listening and I wish you all great DX.

Click here to watch on YouTube

Click here to watch on YouTube

Click here to watch on YouTube

Click here to watch on YouTube

Click here to watch on YouTube

Click here to watch on YouTube

 

Clint Gouveia is the author of this post and a regular contributor to the SWLing Post. Clint actively publishes videos of his shortwave radio excursions on his YouTube channel: Oxford Shortwave Log. Clint is based in Oxfordshire, England.

RAE Argentina to the World to begin shortwave relay via WRMI

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Many thanks to Adrian Korol, at RAE Argentina to the World, for sharing the following update:

During the time that requires the repair of our shortwave transmitter, we are going to maintain our HF presence both in English and Spanish, via WRMI relay station

It is fundamental for those who love the short wave sharing of this information, as well as the active participation of listeners and DXers through emails and post letters.

Your sound files in mp3 with audio captures or videos on YouTube listening RAE will be welcome at [email protected]

During the time of these experimental transmissions we will answer every reception report we receive from anywhere in the world through a special and numbered QSL card.

From the 2nd of May RAE Argentina to the World returns to the dial.

Remember: Every Friday the DX program, “Actualidad DX .com . AR” is issued

Our programs are available on the web www.rae.com.ar 24 hours a day in all 8 languages, and many of them also in podcast (see iTunes)

We also work with the AudioNow platform in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil.

SCHEDULE ( UTC TIME)

RAE Argentina to the World
Broadcasts on the short waves

SPANISH Monday through Friday 22:00 to 23:00 hs UTC on 5950 Khz , on the 49 m band * Latin American Area
ENGLISH Tuesday through Saturday 01:00 a 02:00 UTC on 9395 Khz, on the 31 m band * USA & CANADA Area

*Via WRMI

ATTENTION
The reception reports of your hearings sent to us by ordinary mail will be confirmed by a SPECIAL and NUMBERED QSL.

RAE Argentina to the World
P.O Box 555
1000 CABA
Buenos Aires
ARGENTINA

Facebook : conexionrae
Twitter: @conexionrae

Post readers: Let’s show RAE we’re listening–! Please send a listener report and/or a recording to the contacts above. I would certainly like one of their special numbered QSL cards!

I’m very happy to hear RAE will have a presence on shortwave via WRMI while they repair their transmitter in Argentina. Kudos to WRMI for partnering with RAE to make this happen!

The RAAF No. 4 Wireless Unit: Never to march, never to be mentioned

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Neil Bolitho, who shares the following story in reply to our post yesterday Australian Codebreakers in WWII. Neil writes:

Never to march, never to be mentioned.

Since the end of the Second World War, many thousands of returned service personnel have marched at Anzac Day services throughout Australia.

My father never marched.

My father served in RAAF No 4 Wireless Unit, Central Bureau.

Central Bureau was under the direct command of General Douglas MacArthur, and was set up to detect, record, and translate all messages transmitted by Japanese forces in the Pacific.

Central Bureau was headquartered in Brisbane, but its Wireless Units worked in the field, moving forward with MacArthur, constantly intercepting and deciphering enemy messages.

As the war progressed, the units became so efficient in their work that they were monitoring all enemy radio traffic, and in fact frequently knew the Japanese intentions before the messages reached their intended destination.

The Wireless Units served throughout the Pacific islands providing vital information about enemy strengths and positions.

RAAF No 4 Wireless Unit was formed as a highly mobile unit, and served at Hollandia, Morotai, Labuan Island, and at Luzon, Philippines.

The U.S. High Command highly praised the Wireless Units of Central Bureau, stating that their work effectively shortened the War in the Pacific by at least two years.

At the end of the war, Central Bureau was dismantled. All personnel signed a lifetime secrecy order to not speak of their wartime activities.

No promotions applied. No evidence of their Central Bureau service was recorded, including overseas service. No medals were struck.

Family members, including children, were not told in any detail, of their father’s war experience.

It was only in the late 1990’s that the Australian government allowed information to be released.

In the early 1960’s, my father mysteriously went on an unexplained visit to Brisbane.
It was not until over thirty years later that I found out that he attended a twenty-year anniversary of his unit’s graduation.

I write this on behalf of the children and grandchildren of those Central Bureau personnel that served diligently and efficiently when called upon, and who, when the job was done, quietly went home. They are our heroes.

Indeed. Thank you so much, Neil, for taking the time to share your father’s story. We’re honored to post it here.

If you’re interested in WWII signal intelligence, here are a few fascinating posts from our archive:

Requiem For Radio: Amanda Dawn Christie’s performance piece honoring RCI Sackville

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(Source: Amanda Dawn Christie via Twitter)

(Source: CBC News)

Moncton artist bringing back sounds of former Sackville Radio-Canada towers

A Moncton artist has brought back to life the sounds of the 13 CBC Radio-Canada International shortwave towers that once stood in Sackville, N.B. on the Tantramar Marsh.

“It’s kind of like you’re conjuring ghosts of radio towers,” explained the artist Amanda Dawn Christie on Shift N.B.

Requiem For Radio: Full Quiet Flutter

The experimental sound art project Requiem For Radio: Full Quiet Flutter involves a scale model of the original towers, but a large model — about 16-metres wide, six-metres deep and five-metres tall.

Christie said the towers have red lights resembling the originals. They are made from pipes with four copper pads on each tower.

She added that when someone touches one of the copper pads, a wireless signal is sent to a computer, which then sends a sound file back to that tower of the actual, recorded sound the original tower made when it was operational. The sound is transmitted through a speaker on the model tower.

[…]But the model towers are more than something to be gazed upon and admired. They are musical instruments that Christie and two other musicians will be playing at one-hour performances on May 26 and 27 at the Aberdeen Cultural Centre in Moncton. The performances will also be broadcast on radio stations in Moncton, Montreal and New York.[…]

Continue reading at CBC News…

Video: Icom IC-R8600 sync detector in action

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dave Zantow (N9EWO), who shares the following:

For your listening pleasure. Here is the best video yet showing the Icom IC-R8600’s Sync Detector in use.

Sounds like Icom “finally” got the Sync Detector performance right with the R8600. Appears to greatly reduce fading distortion, where as with the expensive IC-R9500 it does not help much with fading distortion (if at all).

Click here to view on YouTube.

Good news indeed !!

I agree, Dave. This is most promising indeed!

I look forward to checking out the IC-R8600 at the Dayton Hamvention this year.

2017 Winter SWL Fest: Selected forum recordings

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The DoubleTree hotel where the Winter SWL Fest is held. (Note the mag loop antenna on the top floor!)

This year, at the Winter SWL Fest, representatives from the Wave Farm recorded a number of Fest forums and events. Many thanks to David Goren who recently shared a link to these recordings on the Wave Farm’s website. For convenience, I’ve pasted a list of the recordings below which link directly to the Wavefarm archive:

“Turn Your Radio On” performed live at the 2017 Shortwave Shindig: Mar 4, 2017
Performed by Saul Brody

Pirate Radio in Continental Europe – A Personal View: Mar 4, 2017
Presented by Andy Walker ?+ Chris Ise

Shortwave Shindig Part I: Mar 4, 2017
Hosted by David Goren

Pirate Radio Year in Review?: Mar 3, 2017
Presented by ?George Zeller

Farewell to the BBG: What’s Ahead for U.S. International Media and the VOA?? : Mar 3, 2017
Presented by Dan Robinson?

Radio 101 Part II: Mar 2, 2017
Presented by Charles Hargove.

Radio 101 — The Past, Present and Future of Radio for Newbies and Significant Others of Radio Geeks: Mar 2, 2017
Presented by Charles Hargrove

Radio on the Road: Mar 2, 2017
Presented by Janice Laws + Steve Karlock

SDR on the Cheap: Mar 2, 2017
Presented by Dan Srebnick

SWL Winter Fest memories: Mar 2, 2017