Category Archives: SWLers

Christian’s reception of Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel

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RadioNacionalArcángelSanGabriel

On Wednesday, I received the following tweet from SWLing Post reader, Christian Diemoz, in Italy:


You can listen to Christian’s recording via Box.com.

If you’re not familiar, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel is located on Esperanza Base in Antarctica. Here’s a bit more info from Wikipedia (and translated from Spanish into English via Google Translate):

“LRA36 Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel (also known as Radio San Gabriel or San Gabriel Archangel Radio) is a radio station broadcasting on 15476 kHz on shortwave and 97.6 MHz for FM,  from Esperanza Base, Antarctica Argentina. Radio National Archangel Gabriel is the southernmost international radio station and the first to broadcast from the Antarctic.

The radio station was founded on October 20 of 1979 and is operated by the staff of the Argentine Army located on the base.

In its beginnings, Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel broadcast on 6030 kHz shortwave and operated with a power of 1 kilowatt .”

Since conditions have been favorable out of South America recently, I’ll attempt to hear Radio Nacional Arcángel San Gabriel’s 10 Kw signal as well.  Thanks for the inspiration, Christian!

You can follow Christian on Twitter: @Chris_Diemoz

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Paul Litwinovich’s Vintage Radio series

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SX-99-Dial

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Richard Cuff, for pointing out a brilliant series of articles called Vintage Radio by WSHU Chief Engineer, Paul Litwinovich.

Here are links to each article written thus far in the Vintage Radio series. If you would like to start at the beginning of the series, go to the bottom of the list first, then work your way up:

1-RadioListening

Paul Litwinovich is a shortwave listener, amateur radio operator and holds a commercial FCC license as well; here’s his bio, taken from the WSHU website:

“Paul caught the radio bug as a child. By age 12, he had taught himself the basics of vacuum tube theory.  He began repairing old, discarded radio sets, the kind that we now call vintage sets.  He loved listening, too, to local programs, DJs who picked their own music, talk shows designed to inform, not shock the listener.  But his favorite listening was to short wave radio, with its magic of music and programming from all around the world.

Hobby led to career.  Paul was a design engineer and engineering manager in the broadcast industry  for 14 years before coming to WSHU in 1990.  He holds an FCC commercial radio license, and an extra class Amateur radio license. And, oh yes, he’s still restoring and collecting vintage radio sets, for more than 45 years now, and counting.”

I’ve been in touch with Paul who tells me that an upcoming article will focus on one of my favorite WWII era receivers, the BC-348.

I can’t wait to read it!

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How Tudor enjoys Radio Australia

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Romania_Countryside

In response to my recent Radio Australia post, SWLing Post reader, Tudor Vedeanu comments:

“I’ve also enjoyed listening to music on Radio Australia lately. “Saturday Night Country” is currently my favorite show on SW. Here is a recording I made during the weekend:
http://youtu.be/CHv1hu2OVH8“

“And indeed Triple J is very good too. I discovered some nice music from talented people I’ve never heard about in my part of the world.”

Tudor, it appears you (and your pup!) live in a very beautiful part of the world. The Romanian countryside certainly makes for a scenic radio listening backdrop. I, too, am a big fan of Saturday Night Country–great stuff!

Many thanks for sharing!

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How shortwaves keep you young…

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Remember our recent posts about Dave Richard’s homebrew regenerative receiver?

If so, you can imagine the laugh I had yesterday when I viewed this latest creation by the infamous Jeff Murray (K1NSS):

AA7EEbyK1NSS

“Short Wave & Prosper”–? I have to agree!  And I’m completely in tune with Jeff’s sense of humor. If you are, too, be sure to bookmark Dashtoons for more radio fun and whimsy. (Better yet, get Jeff to design your own QSL card!)

As for Dave, follow his blog for the latest on his many homebrew activities (that continue even when his pets are interfering).

Major thanks to Dave for the brilliant write-up about Ears to Our World’s HumanaLight kit. [Want one? Get yours now at Universal Radio, and support ETOW’s mission.]

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Radio is dead? Not according to Mullins

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Garth Mullins

Garth Mullins

Garth Mullins is an SWL and a radio geek:  yes, he’s one of us.

What’s more, Mullins believes that radio is now experiencing a renaissance.  Listen to his brilliant documentary, End of the Dial, which was recently re-broadcast on the CBC program Ideas with Paul Kennedy. Best 54 minutes you’ve ever spent.

Be sure to check out Garth’s website: http://www.garthmullins.com/

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Dave’s late night listening session

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My good buddy, Dave Richards (AA7EE), recently shared this message with his friends, many of whom do not know a lot about shortwave radio (yet):

“I’m waking up very slowly this morning – was up until 4:30am listening to the 49 meter shortwave band on a new receiver I’m building, dubbed “The Sproutie Regen” after my cat Sprout. “Regen” is short for regenerative, which refers to the type of circuit used in this receiver – it was developed by Howard Armstrong in 1915 and is 100 year-old old technology. Most of the parts are fairly new, with the exception of the tuning dial, which was made by a company from Massachusetts, called “National” – it’s probably around 50 – 70 years old, and the tuning capacitor, which is around 50 years old but had never been used. It was “new” in it’s box.

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It’s not finished yet – will look a bit more spiffy when it’s done, but these are what its bones look like. 49M was fascinating last night. I heard an American propaganda station broadcasting to North Korea (The Voice Of Hope), and being jammed by the DPRK, an American propaganda station broadcasting to Cuba (Radio Marti), a very low power broadcaster from Canada, as well as Radio Habana Cuba, Radio Australia broadcast in Pidgin, Radio China International, as well as the Chinese domestic radio service (which Mao Tse Tung wanted all citizens to listen to), and a host of other broadcasters from all over. It was a fascinating cornucopia of signals from our very diverse world – and all on a receiver I built myself using 100 year-old technology.

I had trouble sitting in front of the desk because Jingles the blind kitty had curled up on the circular cushion on the chair and was happily sleeping. I somehow managed to squeeze myself in next to her and she is still napping here on the cushion next to me.

JinglesThe BlindKittie

Dave’s cat, Jingles, in his shack.

I love these late night sessions. It’s just me, a cup of coffee, a shortwave receiver to listen to far-off lands, and a lovely little furry creature slumbering next to me. Perfect. As some people in this part of the San Francisco Bay Area might say, ‘my natural vibrations are perfectly aligned with the planets and receiving much abundance.’

As for me, I’m just having a good time, thank you.”

Like it, too?  Follow Dave, Jingles, Sprout, and all of his homebrew adventures via his excellent radio blog.

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Ken’s favorite QSL card

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W7LR-KenCarrRegarding memorable QSL cards, SWLing Post reader, Ken Carr comments:

“I received my favorite QSL card many years ago as a result of a random contact. I was just starting out in ham radio when I logged a QSO [contact] with a ham from Montana. I was thrilled because I knew how sparsely populated the state was. I once lived there for 8 weeks while studying at the biological station on Flathead Lake.

The very friendly and helpful ham from Montana was Bob Leo, W7LR. I promptly sent him a card and soon thereafter received one from Bob. Years later I was reading an article in QST. It was about a massive Dxpedition of 1947 sponsored in part by Hallicrafters. Hams from all over the country competed for the two coveted positions on what was called the Gatti Expedition. One of the hams chosen was Bob Leo!”

A photo of the card superimposed on the QST article along with more details are found on my Flickr site: http://bit.ly/1sxnL06“

Thanks so much for sharing this memory, Ken!

Readers: you can follow Ken on his blog, KE1RI – A New England Ham.

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