Category Archives: Shortwave Radio

Mike’s low and high pass filter deals

HDSDR-SDRPlay-RSP-PARISWLing Post contributor, Mike Ladd, is an avid SDR enthusiast and an administrator of the SDRplay Facebook group. Mike contacted me about special pricing he has arranged for low and high pass filters through Rescue Electronics. Mike explains:

These filters retail for $70.00 each. I spoke to the builder. I told him who I was and what I do and got him to make a deal for anyone in the United States with these filters and a direct link to his site. I make zero dollars on this. I always try to give back to the hobby and the community any way possible.

You have 3 choices: a high pass filter, a low pass filter, or a combo package.

These are hand built one at a time by Paul W1VLF with your choice of SO-239 or BNC connections. Full details are below:


High pass filter $55 shipped anywhere in the USA

AM-HP_Filter-600x372

This filter will begin attacking the AM band at 1770 Khz and increase attenuation as frequency decreases.

You can see this in the screen capture of the swept filter below.AM-HP_Filter_Plot2-600x513

160 Meters and above is virtually left untouched, but below that is where the attenuation takes place.

The filter has attenuated 60 db by 960 KHz.

The AM band has some very large signals that can mix in the front end of your. A lot of these spurious frequencies can land in 160 meter band or above.

For instance, I have a big signal at 1080 Khz and another at 770 Khz, add these 2 together and you get a spur that falls at 1850 Khz

Picture this happening at multiple frequencies with multiple mixes and you have a raised noise floor in the 160 Meter band.

The filter is built into a 2″ x 4″ 1.25″ 1/8″ wall aluminum enclosure for excellent RF shielding

Low pass filter $55 shipped anywhere in the USA

AM-2_Filter-600x343

The AM-2 filter has a cutoff at 520 KHz.

AM-2_Filter_Plot2-600x543Then, and without a lot of fanfare it begins the attack on the MW band.

Purchase this filter if you are into NDB, DX’ing, Maritime Mobile, Navetex, FCC Part 5 600 Meter band.

Each filter is handmade and swept in my lab.

The AM -2 Low pass is equipped with BNC connectors.

The filter begins to roll off at 520 Khz and gives an ultimate rejection of around 80 Db.

The filter is built into a 2″ x 4″ 1.25″ 1/8″ wall aluminum enclosure for excellent RF shielding

Combo deal for both $100 shipped anywhere in the USA

AM-2_Filter-600x343 AM-HP_Filter-600x372

Click here to view/purchase via Mike Ladd’s promotional page at Rescue Electronics. 

Many thanks for sharing this Mike! During my presentation at the Winter SWL Fest last week, I spoke about the need for high/low pass filters for listeners who live in the presence of strong broadcasters and interference. Many of the inexpensive SDRs on the market do not have built-in filters and preselectors thus can overload under these conditions.

While filters can be homebrewed or built from kits, these filters seem to be a good deal for a quality shielded and tested product. Thanks for arranging this, Mike!

WBCQ moving from 5,110 to 5,130 kHz

wbcq-logoSWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who hosts a radio show on WBCQ, received the following message from the station yesterday:

The FCC has just informed Allan Weiner that the military needs our 5110 frequency.

So your show on Friday 3/11 (10pm Eastern – midnight) will be broadcast on 9330 and 5130.

WBCQ has been announcing this change on the air. Many thanks to Mike, who shared this video of Allan Weiner making the announcement last night:

Click here to view on YouTube.

DigiDX: a new digital broadcast via Channel 292

DigiDXMany thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Stephen Cooper, who shares the following news about the new DigiDX broadcast:

DigiDX is a 30 minute MFSK32 broadcast covering shortwave and DX news, radio related reviews, schedule information and listeners letters and after a success test broadcast to Europe, a broadcast for North America is planned for 0200 UTC Sunday.

Broadcasting from Channel 292 in Germany on 6070 kHz the time has been chosen to maximise chance of reception on the East Coast of North America and beyond.

The programme features the majority of the broadcast in MFSK32 but around 10 minutes of the broadcast is in the slower Olivia 64-2000 mode to test for resilience against bad propagation to North America and interference on 6070.

The tests to Europe on Channel 292 earlier this week showed good reception and near perfect decodes despite Radio China International and Vatican Radio being on the same frequency during some of the test.

To decode use FlDigi, MultiPSK or the Tivar Android app, just putting your radio next to the PC microphone or phone/tablet is enough to decode the broadcast. If you have decoded the VOA Radiogram before, DigiDX uses the same digital modes.

Please send reception reports and decodes of the text/images in the broadcast to [email protected], an e-QSL will be sent by email and on the next broadcast an e-QSL card will be broadcast over the air in MFSK32 mode as well.

For European listeners the second edition of DigiDX with an include e-QSL card from the last episode will be broadcast on 6070Khz at 1100 UTC. For information on further broadcast times like DigiDX on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/digidx/) or follow on Twitter (https://twitter.com/Digi_Dx)

This is brilliant, Stephen! I’ll attempt to log DigiDX this weekend if conditions are fair!

Max’s Barlow Wadley receiver is a keeper

Barlow-Wadley-FM

In reply to our post about the Barlow Wadley XCR-30, SWLing Post reader, Max Youle, replies:

I have a Barlow Wadley with the FM tuner here in New Zealand. [see photo above]

These fabulous receivers are reasonably common here as many SWLs bought them in the 1970s because of New Zealand’s remote location

My Barlow Wadley has just recently had an alignment and a thorough going over, and will now match my Sony ICF 2010,and Yaseu FRG 8800 for stations received on the shortwave bands, but not so good on the MW band.

I love this radio, and its quirky tuning system. This reminds me of the days of knob twiddling to find those elusive signals, not like the ease of todays digital receivers.

Thanks for your comment, Max. Your Barlow Wadley portable is certainly a keeper! Perhaps someday one will find its way to my radio room!

SDRplay RSP update includes broadcast ID

The SDRplay RSP software defined radio

The SDRplay RSP software defined radio

Many thanks to Jon Hudson at SDRplay who shares the following news:

The latest EXTIO control file (Version 3.8.1) has a very cool new feature for shortwave listeners interested in hunting HF DX stations.

Using the world-wide station list mintained by http://www.eibispace.de/ you can see the name of stations appear in a pop-up window as you select a particular broadcast signal. The details are in the updated EXTIO user guide selectable from the Platforms section or by clicking here.

There’s a video demo here:

Colin’s welcome additions to the shortwave archive

IMG_0135If you’re a subscriber to the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive, you’ve no doubt noted the excellent recordings submitted by Colin Newell (of DXer.ca) the past few weeks.

Colin has been digitizing loads of off-air recordings made in the 1970s and 1980s. His recordings include rare DX, Cold War broadcasters, west coast pirate radio stations, mediumwave DX, and much more.

I encourage you to click here to browse and listen to what Colin has uploaded so far.

Consider subscribing to the shortwave archive so you don’t miss new additions when they’re published!