Category Archives: Shortwave Radio

Dan spots an extremely rare HRO-600 on eBay

SWLing Post contributor, Dan Robinson, writes:

Wow . . . a huge, amazing rarity…this is perhaps the rarest of radios, the HRO-600.

It is almost never seen on the used market and when it is, it is usually in non-operational condition. In its day it was quite advanced, though now, a Tecsun could run rings around it, and it uses NIXIE tubes…good luck obtaining those…anyway for anyone who has never seen one in this condition, and for everybody, here it is…

Click here to view on eBay.

Wow–I thought that receiver might sit on eBay for a while, but it sold for $3,895 US only moments after Dan spotted it.

Assuming this listing will eventually disappear from eBay, I downloaded a few more photos:

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I really enjoy tips like this from Dan. While rare radios like the HRO 600 are well beyond my budget, it’s so much fun to learn about them. Indeed, I had no idea HRO made a receiver that used Nixie tubes!

What is a Nixie tube you ask? Per Wikipedia:

“A Nixie tube, or cold cathode display, is an electronic device for displaying numerals or other information using glow discharge.

The glass tube contains a wire-mesh anode and multiple cathodes, shaped like numerals or other symbols. Applying power to one cathode surrounds it with an orange glow discharge. The tube is filled with a gas at low pressure, usually mostly neon and often a little mercury or argon, in a Penning mixture.

Although it resembles a vacuum tube in appearance, its operation does not depend on thermionic emission of electrons from a heated cathode. It is therefore called a cold-cathode tube (a form of gas-filled tube), or a variant of neon lamp. Such tubes rarely exceed 40 °C (104 °F) even under the most severe of operating conditions in a room at ambient temperature. Vacuum fluorescent displays from the same era use completely different technology—they have a heated cathode together with a control grid and shaped phosphor anodes; Nixies have no heater or control grid, typically a single anode, and shaped bare metal cathodes.”

As Dan states, Nixie tubes can be very difficult to source these days. I’m sure the radio collector that purchased this HRO 600 is well aware.

Update: While I don’t know what Nixie tubes the HRO-600 takes, Leeds Radio, has a substantial collection of Nixie tubes at reasonable prices. Click here to browse through the collection. Leeds, by the way, is a fantastic resource for pretty much any sort of tube/valve you may need. Check out this piece on Leeds Radio from WNYC.

I hope someone uploads a video of the HRO-600 in operation; I’ve never seen one in action.

Dan, thanks again for sharing your eBay finds!

Share a photo of your shack or listening post for a chance to win a Grundig G2

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The listening post and ham radio shack of Giuseppe Morlè (IZ0GZW) from Ponza Island, Italy.

[UPDATE: We have a winner! If you didn’t win, fear not! Follow this link for future contests.]

Want to share your shack or listening post with the world on the SWLing Post? Want a chance to win a Grundig G2? If so, keep reading…!

This month, we’ll be collecting photos of our readers’ listening posts, radio shacks or favorite listening spot. And we don’t care if your listening post or shack is filled with gear or consists only of one radio in a public park; we’re just glad you’re listening, and we’d love to see how.

The fact is, I’ve always been interested to learn what sorts of receivers, transceivers, and accessories our readers––many of whom are also shortwave listeners and/or ham radio operators––have in their shacks or use at their favorite listening spots. After some consideration, the notion to show other readers how we listen became the basis for a fun contest. Fred Osterman at Universal Radio championed the idea, offering his encouragement in the form of a prize.

In exchange for a photo of your favorite listening post, along with a brief description of your equipment––see details below––you’ll be entered for a chance to win a Grundig G2 portable radio/recorder and player by random selection.

Again, many thanks to our good friends at Universal Radio, who will kindly make this excellent prize available to anyone in the world. That’s right; excepting applicable import taxes or duties, for which you’re responsible, Universal will ship your prize to you for free, no matter where you live!

This contest is open to everyone, save Universal Radio employees, their families, and those of us here at the Post.

How to enter…

Simply send an email to [email protected] that includes:

a photo of your listening post or shack,
your name, as you’d like it to appear in the SWLing Post,
your call sign (if applicable),
your shipping address, and
a brief description of your favorite shack gear as seen in your photo. You, too, can make an appearance in this photo if you like.

Again, the winner will be chosen at random, which means that everyone will have an equal chance of winning. By submitting an entry, you’re consenting to have your name and photo posted on the SWLing Post; after all, that’s the idea. Of course, your information stays with us and will never be sold or used for any purpose other than this contest.

Your entry must be submitted by November 1, 2015…Can’t wait to see (and share with our readers) how you’re listening!

Alternative sites for Dayton Hamvention proposed

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Yesterday, the Dayton Daily News published an article about the problems with the aging Hara Arena, home of the Dayton Hamvention.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

Fears about Hamvention leaving town because of Hara Arena’s economic struggles has local officials scrambling to propose alternative sites for the economy-boosting event.

Hamvention, the world’s largest gathering of amateur radio enthusiasts, injects millions of dollars into the local economy each year. It has been held at Hara Arena since 1964.

But the arena has struggled financially, and an Iowa-based consultant firm recently asked the city of Trotwood to buy the venue, which Trotwood officials declined. The venue’s owner says the arena is on better financial footing today.

A series of emails obtained by this newspaper through public records requests show that local officials fear Hamvention could pack up and move out of the region and highlight their efforts to keep the event in the Dayton region.

The Dayton/Montgomery County Convention & Visitors Bureau has worked with city of Dayton staff on a Plan B to ensure the event remains in the county if it needs to relocate, said Jacquelyn Powell, the bureau’s president and CEO.

“I want to make it clear that this isn’t the first year that we’ve looked at Plan B options,” she said. “There have been other years where we’ve had this conversation as well.”

The Hamvention board has no intentions of leaving Hara Arena, said Jim Tiderman, general chairman of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, which hosts the event.

“We do not have any plans whatsoever for relocating,” Tiderman said.

News of Hamvention’s possible relocation was mentioned in an email dated July 7 that was obtained by this newspaper through a public records request.

Continue reading at the Dayton Daily News…

As mentioned in the article, the thought of the Hamvention leaving Hara is not a new one. The Arena leaves much to be desired cosmetically and even functionally–it’s an old venue that requires a sizable investment to maintain.

The Hamvention flea market is, without a doubt, my favorite part of the event.

Earlier this year, I spoke to a long-time DARA representative who assured me that the club wants to keep the Hamvention at Hara for obvious reasons. He did admit, though, that they’ve always had a “Plan B” and even “Plan C” in place, should Hara close its doors.

He mentioned that, each year, Hamvention attendees urge DARA to find a new home, but the fact is Hara is not only the largest venue around, but is the only one on one level. With an aging ham radio population, accessibility becomes a higher priority every year. Those using scooters and wheelchairs would find it frustrating to compete for elevators and lifts in multi-level venues.

As the Dayton Daily News notes, one alternative would be to have two separate locations: one for the inside exhibits and one for the flea market. Selfishly, since I host an inside exhibit table, I appreciate the fact that the flea market is within easy walking distance. It would upset me if they decided to split the venues.

The fact is, no decision has been made yet. DARA still plans to host the 2016 Hamvention at Hara Arena and has no intention of moving anytime soon. That is, as long as the owners of Hara Arena can keep it afloat.

TASS: An Arduino-based antenna switch

Craig Seager’s review of the Dansk RX4000 receiver

Shortwave Radio Recordings: RCI, BBC, VOA circa 1979 & 1981

National RF 75-NS-3 receiver kit

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National RF, of California, has introduced a new “semi-kit” receiver: the RF 75-NS-3. Here’s an excerpt from the product description page of the National RF website:

National RF’s 75-NS-3 receiver is a complete super-hetrodyne mini high frequency receiver, designed specifically for the short-wave listener, electronics enthusiast or radio amateur, who wants to use their hands and build a radio. The receiver is offered as a semi-kit in which the electronic assembly is loaded and functionally tested at the National RF facility. The customer must then go to the grocery store (yes…the grocery store!), procure a can of [Spam] lunch meat, eat it or give it to the dog, and then proceed to drill and paint the can, in order for it to become the receiver’s enclosure! […] Detailed drilling instructions and final assembly instructions are provided as part of the kit. All other parts required for completion of the receiver are provided as well. Recognizing that the finished assembly looked somewhat like the fabled Collins receiver of the ‘60s, the 75S-3, (particularly when the can is painted a light gray) National RF engineers dubbed it (with tongue firmly planted in cheek, of course) the 75-NS-3! Although we have had fun packaging this receiver in a lunch meat can, it is nothing to turn your nose at! Its performance and portability will surprise you, and it is an ideal radio to bring with you on any trip!

The receiver architecture is that of a single conversion super-hetrodyne receiver, that is capable of receiving AM, SSB, or CW. The receiver incorporates a dual gate FET as an RF amplifier with manual peaking and gain controls. A ceramic filter is used in the IF section with a front panel switch that controls a broad or narrow IF response. Other front panel controls include audio drive, BFO setting, and a band switch for the HF bands. The 75-NS-3 has internal receive frequency coils that are switched at the front and rear panels. The frequency range of the receiver, over three band set positions, is 3.5 through 12 MHz. This allows reception of several international short-wave bands, the 80, 60, 40, and 30 meter amateur radio bands, and of course, WWV time and frequency standard stations at 5 and 10 MHz.

For those who simply want a lower cost receiver to monitor the shortwave frequencies, National RF offers two variants of the original receiver: the 75-NS-1 and the 75-NS-2. Both are based on the design and circuit of the 75-NS-3, but do not have the band switching and frequency range of the 75-NS-3 receiver. The 75-NS-1 covers between 3 and 6 MHz, including the 80 and 60 meter amateur band. The 75-NS-2 covers between 6 and 12 MHz, including the 40 and 30 meter amateur bands. Both units have the fixed ceramic resonator band width set for about 6 KHz. And, of course, they are both designed to fit in the tasty potted meat can!! All other specifications presented apply to both of these models as well.

Pricing of the 75-NS-x versions:

Type 75-NS-1 Mini HF Receiver Semi-kit (covers 3 to 6 MHz) $189.95
Type 75-NS-2 Mini HF Receiver Semi-kit (6 to 12 MHz) $189.95
Type 75-NS-3 Mini HF Receiver Semi-kit (band switched from 3.5 through 12 MHz in three switched positions) $269.95
Shipping and Handling to within the US $10.00 each

Click here to view on the National RF website.