Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent NHK broadcast.
Carlos notes:
Part of NHK news bulletin about heavy rains in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. Listened via shortwave in Brazil.
XHDATA D-808 on a 5” × 9” neoprene pad.
By Bob Colegrove
Am I being too picky? Are the buttons on some newer portable radios hard to press? I’ve read many reviews and watched as many videos, but haven’t encountered many complaints about this. Perhaps it’s an age-related affliction.
The most succinct description of the problem was expressed in the review of the Tecsun PL-660 way back in the 2012 edition of the WRTH. In referring to the buttons, “All are in our view rather too small for comfort and have breakout forces which are out of all proportion to their size; the combination of this with excessively long travel and weak tactile feedback does not give much pleasure to the user.” The problem has only gotten worse with some newer portable radios.
I see two problems here. First, too much pressure is required; what the WRTH called “breakout force.” Designers may say, “that’s so you won’t accidentally turn the radio on and run down the battery.” Well, I reply, “isn’t that what the ubiquitous lock button is for? They all have one.”
If you’ve ever taken one of these radios apart, you’ve likely seen a pliable membrane between the buttons and the switches or traces on the PC board. This provides some spring action necessary to return the buttons to the upright position. Couldn’t this be thinner or more elastic?
Second, some radios have flat buttons that don’t protrude very far above the case. By the time the fleshy part of your finger bottoms out on the surface of the case, still more pressure and button travel is required to activate the function. Couldn’t the buttons be slightly higher?
The result, if you operate the radio on a desk or table and apply the requisite walnut-cracking pressure on a button, the radio might well rocket off its foundation.
A partial solution without violating the integrity of the radio is a stable foundation. In today’s euphemistic world the term counterpoise is use when referring to what we used to simply call an electrical ground. It seems some sort of mechanical counterpoise would be useful to better anchor a portable radio for operation.
Neoprene is a synthetic rubber developed by a DuPont scientist in 1930. It is tougher than natural rubber and relatively impervious to solvents. This stuff is virtually skidproof. There are perhaps other materials suitable for this application, which is simply to get the radio to stand its ground while you operate it. After some thought and experimentation, I bought a 1/16”-thick neoprene pad. A 12” × 12” pad is more than enough. Mine came from https://amzn.to/3XsmQDe [Note Affiliate link supports the SWLing Post]. I cut this into three smaller pads as follows:
7” × 12” for a Sony ICF-2010, which has nice easy-touch buttons and really doesn’t need a pad except to anchor the radio in place.
5” × 9” for a Tecsun PL-990 and many other similar size radios.
3” × 5”, the scrap piece can be used for a C.Crane Skywave, which already has nice raised buttons; a Tecsun PL-330, which needs a pad most of all; and an XHDATA D-220, which doesn’t even have buttons.
A Tecsun PL-330 lying flat covers a 3” × 5” pad. But that’s OK.
There are a couple of alternatives:
It’s probably apparent that neoprene will adhere best to a smooth surface such as glass or Formica. However, I have tested it on a cloth-covered, memory foam chair cushion, and it works just fine. Pressing down the material will make it adhere to a surface even more. I would estimate that a lateral force of at least 10 or 15 pounds is required to make a small radio break loose from three or four points of contact with the material.
Besides holding the radio in place while you operate it, much like a large table radio, neoprene offers the radio some cosmetic protection against abrasion from rough surfaces. However, the material is so sticky it will pick up every bit of dust or dirt. This can somewhat compromise its adherence requiring an occasional rinse in water.
Admittedly, the neoprene pad isn’t going to be very useful while you’re sitting in a beach chair using the radio in the handheld posture. However, in the shack, a suitable pad has a purpose.
XHDATA D-220 sans buttons on a 3” × 5” pad.
In the case of buttons which are too low, some additional help is desired. On the Tecsun PL-330, I glued plastic caps on top of the STEP and ETM buttons, which raises them about 1/16” and helps considerably. I am still looking for some transparent material to use as caps on the numbered buttons.
STEP and ETM buttons with caps on a Tecsun PL-330.
Further validated suggestions are solicited.
FastRadioBurst 23 here with news of what the Imaginary Stations crew are up to. This Sunday coming on 22nd September 2024 there’s another episode of Skybird Radio International via the services of Shortwave Gold.
The show which features an across the board selection from around this musical globe of ours will be broadcast at 0900/1300 hrs UTC on 6160 kHz and then at 2000 UTC on 6160 kHz and 3975 kHz. Expect all sorts in a international musical mix up including the above musical gem.
Next Wednesday 25th September 2024 at 0200 UTC on 9395 kHz via WRMI there’s an episode of Radio Ace. If you love all things radio-related you’ll Radio Ace!
We now have a Patreon page for our regular listeners here. Monthly memberships are available for exclusive audio and zines.
For more information on all our shows, please send to [email protected] and check out our old shows at our Mixcloud page here.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent CGTN/CRI broadcast.
Carlos notes:
Part of CGTN Radio news bulletin about typhoon Bebinca approaching China. Listened via shortwave in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Frank SWL (F14368), who writes:
I’ve written three articles about the next contest project in January 2025, a list of our sponsors for 2024, and a list of listeners who worked this contest 2024. Check them out here:
https://icomjapan.blogspot.com/
Frank also shared the following banner for the 2025 contest:
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent NHK broadcast.
Carlos notes:
Sounds like old news…but it’s not!
Part of NHK news bulletin about typhoon nr. 14 approaching Japan. Listened via shortwave in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares his radio log art of a recent Voice of Vietnam broadcast.
Carlos notes:
Excerpt from the news bulletin of the “Voice of Vietnam” radio on Typhoon Yagi, September 11, 2024.
Click here to view on YouTube.
(Original in Spanish and translation for English follows)
“…En la reunión del Gobierno sobre la elaboración de leyes, celebrada este miércoles, el primer ministro Pham Minh Chinh pidió a los ministerios, ramas y localidades que movilicen a todo el sistema político para actuar y adoptar todas las medidas necesarias para responder y superar las consecuencias, especialmente las inundaciones y deslizamientos de tierra provocados por el tifón Yagi.
También invitó a redoblar los esfuerzos para buscar soluciones, por todos los medios fluviales, terrestres y aéreos, para acceder y satisfacer las necesidades básicas de las zonas aisladas, con alimentos, bebidas, agua y medicinas.
Según el Departamento de Manejo de Diques y Prevención y Control de Desastres Naturales (Ministerio de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural), debido al impacto del tifón Yagi y las inundaciones posteriores a esta tormenta, hasta la una y media del 11 de septiembre se registraron 296 personas muertas o desaparecidas.
Mientras tanto, la comunidad vietnamita en el extranjero también ofrece apoyo activo a sus compatriotas en el país. La Embajada de Vietnam y asociaciones vietnamitas en Japón lanzaron ayer una campaña para recaudar donaciones de apoyo a las personas afectadas por el tifón Yagi…”
“…El presidente venezolano, Nicolás Maduro, expresó su solidaridad con el Gobierno y el pueblo de Vietnam ante los graves daños humanos y materiales provocados por el súper tifón Yagi, y envió su más sentido pésame a los familiares de las víctimas de la catástrofe natural. En declaraciones al canal Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), el ministro del Poder Popular para las Relaciones Exteriores de Venezuela, Yván Gil Pinto, transmitió el mensaje del presidente Maduro al Gobierno y pueblo vietnamitas, enfatizando que su país seguirá monitoreando los acontecimientos tras el paso del tifón y está dispuesta a apoyar la nación indochina para superar las consecuencias provocadas por Yagi…”
“…Por otra parte, la Dirección Nacional de los Comités de Defensa de la Revolución de Cuba (CDR) mostró su confianza en que con el esfuerzo de todo el pueblo Vietnam se recuperará de los daños causados por el tifón Yagi. En el mensaje de condolencias dirigido al presidente del Frente de la Patria de Vietnam, Do Van Chien, la mayor organización de masas cubana expresó su profundo pesar ante la pérdida de vidas humanas y daños materiales provocados por esta catástrofe meteorológica en el norte vietnamita. A través de su misiva, los CDR transmitieron sus más sentidas condolencias al pueblo y Gobierno de ese país hermano, así como a los familiares y allegados de las víctimas. El mensaje reafirmó la solidaridad y hermandad del pueblo cubano con el pueblo vietnamita.
Hasta el momento, Yagi dejó tras su paso un saldo de más de 140 víctimas mortales y otros 59 desaparecidos en Vietnam, además dañó miles de hectáreas de cultivos y árboles e infraestructuras en varias localidades…”
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“…At the Government meeting on lawmaking held on Wednesday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh called on ministries, branches and localities to mobilize the entire political system to act and take all necessary measures to respond to and overcome the consequences, especially the floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi.
He also called on them to redouble efforts to find solutions, by all river, land and air means, to access and meet the basic needs of isolated areas, with food, drinks, water and medicine.
According to the Department of Dike Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), due to the impact of Typhoon Yagi and the floods following this storm, 296 people had died as of 1:30 a.m. on September 11 or missing.
Meanwhile, the Vietnamese community abroad is also actively supporting their compatriots at home. The Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese associations in Japan launched a campaign yesterday to collect donations to support those affected by Typhoon Yagi…”
“…Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro expressed his solidarity with the Government and people of Vietnam in the face of the serious human and material damage caused by Super Typhoon Yagi, and sent his deepest condolences to the families of the victims of the natural disaster. In statements to the Venezuelan Television channel (VTV), the Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Relations of Venezuela, Yván Gil Pinto, transmitted the message of President Maduro to the Vietnamese Government and people, emphasizing that his country will continue to monitor the events after the passage of the typhoon and is willing to support the Indochinese nation to overcome the consequences caused by Yagi…”
“…On the other hand, the National Directorate of the Committees for the Defense of the Cuban Revolution (CDR) expressed its confidence that with the effort of all the people Vietnam will recover from the damage caused by typhoon Yagi. In the message of condolences addressed to the president of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, Do Van Chien, the largest Cuban mass organization expressed its deep regret at the loss of human lives and material damage caused by this meteorological catastrophe in northern Vietnam. Through its letter, the CDR transmitted its most heartfelt condolences to the people and Government of that sister country, as well as to the families and friends of the victims. The message reaffirmed the solidarity and brotherhood of the Cuban people with the Vietnamese people.
So far, Yagi has left behind a balance of more than 140 fatalities and another 59 missing in Vietnam, in addition to damaging thousands of hectares of crops and trees and infrastructure in several localities…”