Category Archives: Shortwave Radio

A photo tour of the 2015 WCARS hamfest

A few weeks ago, on July 25th, I made my way to Waynesville, NC, to the WCARS hamfest. This is a much smaller hamfest than, say, the Shelby Hamfest I recently attended.

In the past, however, I’ve found some real gems among the tables of this small hamfest.

I took a few photos but should note they’re not at all a representation of what was available at the hamfest, rather the things I found of interest (ahem…vintage gear).

This Hallicrafters SX-100 was on one of the first tables I noticed in the main building. I have an SX-99 and have always thought about “upgrading” to an SX-100. The seller was asking $150.

My buddy, Mike (K8RAT) believes the Omni D is one of the best CW rigs ever made. He purchased one–in excellent condition–with matching power supply at a hamfest in Ohio for $200. I believe this one, and another OMNI D at the WCARS hamfest were selling for $300+.

I would have loved a little radio/TV combo like this when I was in middle school. The two inch black and white CRT screen reminds me of the devices everyone carried to open doors and communicate on Space 1999.

I still find the IC-R70 and IC-R71 appealing. Maybe it’s that classic Icom green.

This National NC-173 really caught my attention. The seller had kept this radio in excellent cosmetic condition.

Indeed, the temptation was too much! I purchased the NC-173 and took it home. After turning it on, though, I felt voltage on the chassis (50V, in fact) and no audio. I contacted the seller, who lives locally, and took it to his home work bench. He happily refunded my money and then began looking for the fault. My life has been so hectic, I haven’t gotten back to him yet, but he was holding it for me should I want to purchase again. I may very well go back and purchase it. Hey, if it’s good enough for Thor Heyerdahl, it’s good enough for me!

While none in working order necessarily, these ARCs were being sold for about $25 each. I probably should’ve gotten at least one.

The seller wanted over $700 for this Clansman manpack transceiver and accessories, if memory serves. Someday, I’ll snag one of these.

I did come home with this beautiful 1946 Phillips Model 46-350 with roll-top dial cover. The 46-350 was a very popular model for Phillips after WWII; over 220,000 were produced. Original sales price? $49.95

The seller–an avid antique radio collector–sold this 46-350 to me for $25. I feel like I got a deal, too: the receiver is amazing and the audio is beautiful. The chassis shows wear, but I like that (gives some chronological context–!). The inside is in great shape for a radio that’s almost 70 years old.

This Model 46-350 has become my bedside radio; one my sweet wife didn’t object to at all. When not listening to a local AM station, or one of the night time clear channel stations, I tune to my (very) locally transmitted 1570 kHz which typically relays the UK 1940s Radio Station.

I also brought the following items home from the WCARS hamfest:

a Griffin Powermate USB Controller ($5)
an Ambery IP-P2 remote power switch ($20)
a dozen pair of Anderson Powerpole connectors ($10)
and some assorted coax cables and connectors ($10)

All in all, a good haul! I’ll certainly visit the WCARS hamfest again next year if my schedule allows.

Video: Stephen’s Poldhu Radio Kit

Radio Spaceshuttle International final broadcast tomorrow

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill F., who shares this message from Dick (DJ Spacewalker) at Radio Spaceshuttle International:

Dear listeners,

Special announcement! Wish you all to be ready to listen very last transmission of Radio Spaceshuttle on 13600 kHz Sunday 13th of September 2015 [19:00-20:00 UTC].

Sad goodbye px with…

1. Results of 2015 Radio Spaceshuttle contest
2. Listeners corner- with musical requests
3. Special announcement from Radio Spaceshuttle International
4. Best ever Spaceshuttle music- worth of listening and recording.

This will be your “Once in Lifetime” change to hear Radio Spaceshuttle and sent reception report. Special e-mail QSL is ready to sent to you-you will got yours very soon after this transmission- if getting your report during Sunday- your QSL is on your post during Monday 7th of September.

Also reports wanted to our Herten Box- will be verified with printed QSL.

All older reports are under work for QSLs….

Many thanks for all regular listeners as well to new ones…. It has been so fun with you.

Your letters/reception reports are very welcome to our address in Herten:

Radio Spaceshuttle International
P.O.Box 2702
NL: 6049 ZG Herten
The Netherlands A little fee (2 euros) for return postage (for full
info printed QSLs) is needed!

I’m not sure if propagation will favor me here in eastern North America, so I’m hoping an SWLing Post reader or SRAA contributor can make an off-air recording of the show. (Hint, hint!)

Special DRM broadcast to Europe

Shortwave Radio Recordings: Radio Biafra

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Last week, I received a tip from SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson: Radio Biafra, a new clandestine station, was audible on 15,560 kHz via the Universite Twente Web SDR.

Despite miserable propagation conditions, I tuned my receiver to 15,560 kHz and was surprised to hear a weak signal from Radio Biafra, here in North Carolina. I recorded a few minutes before conditions changed and Biafra’s signal began to fade.

This was the first time I had logged Radio Biafra, so I was amazed to have copy clear enough to understand.

Wikipedia has a short entry for Radio Biafra:

Radio Biafra also known as Voice of Biafra, is a radio station that was originally founded by the government of the Republic of Biafra but is currently operated by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Believed to have had its first transmission before the Nigeria-Biafra war, the radio station was instrumental in the broadcast of speeches and propaganda by Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to the people of the Republic of Biafra.

[…]Radio Biafra currently transmits via the internet and shortwave broadcast targeted majorly around Eastern Nigeria. Radio Biafra claims to be broadcasting the ideology of Biafra –”Freedom of the Biafra people”.

[…]Radio Biafra has been met with mixed reactions. While some critics have criticized the station for “inciting war” through its programmes and “preaching hate messages” against Nigeria which it refers to as a “zoo”, an editor for Sahara Reporters wrote in defence of the radio station after he compared Radio Biafra with the British Broadcasting Corporation Hausa service.

On 14 July 2015, it was reported in the media that the radio station had been jammed because it did not have a broadcast license from the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission. However, the radio station in a swift reaction labelled such claims as “lies” and went on to release its new frequency details to the public.

To put this in perspective, the Wikipedia entry for Radio Biafra is rather new, having only been created in August, 2015.

The following recording was made using my WinRadio Excalibur hooked up to a large skyloop antenna:

This two hour recording, by Dan Robinson, was made via the Universite Twente Web SDR in the Netherlands:

Post Readers: Have you logged Radio Biafra in your part of the world?

Elad FDM-S2 on sale $499 US

The vital role of radio in North Korea

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Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Ulis, who recently shared a link to this story in the DailyNK.

Here’s an excerpt:

In the case of loudspeaker broadcasts, which roiled the North, eventually leading to artillery fire, it can only be heard 25km into the North from the demilitarized zone, but in the case of radio broadcasts, many North Koreans can gain access, which is why it’s believed to a play a larger role in psychological warfare.

“After listening to the radio, I naturally found myself comparing things with the reality in North Korea,” Chae Ga Yeon (50), a North Korean defector who used to enjoy tuning into radio broadcasts, told Daily NK on Wednesday. “Having learned about things that are different from state propaganda, I took on a more critical way of thinking toward the state, and I started to realize Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are not gods as the state claims. They started to look like average human beings,” she said.

“People who have tuned into broadcasts like these don’t keep the information to themselves. They share it with others,” Chae explained. “This makes other people listen in on the broadcasts as well, and they start being more critical against the state that is blocking out the information.”

Kim Seong Yeob (45) is another escapee who also tuned into these broadcasts. “North Korean broadcasts are not interesting since all they do is focus on idolization, so I enjoyed listening to South Korean broadcasts since they would share different news stories and air radio dramas as well,” Kim said. “Then I came to open my eyes to the false propaganda and developed this desire to learn more about society in North Korea and study it,” he recalled.[…]

Experts believe these broadcasts can expedite change in people’s awareness in North Korea. Given that state dominance over information is the control mechanism used over North Koreans, they believe information from outside can deal a severe blow to the North Korean system.

Click here to read the full article at the DailyNK…

Daily NK and Unification Media Group will post a series of nine articles on the effects of broadcasts to North Korea. Check the DailyNK website for updates.

As we mentioned in a previous post, the BBC has announced plans to broadcast to North Korea in the near future via shortwave. Bloomberg Business reports, however, that these broadcasts may never happen due to the potential for political backlash.

To follow all of our North Korea posts, bookmark this tag.