Category Archives: Web Radio

A Comprehensive Review of the Choyong LC100 Receiver

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The LC100’s screen with the radio in standby mode.

by John Figliozzi

Until the Choyong LC90 was introduced in 2023, there were no radios on the market that simultaneously offered both shortwave and Internet streaming in one unit. Even three years later, Choyong remains the only “smart radio” manufacturer in the world. Now it has introduced an upgraded model – the LC100.

Bottom Line

This LC100 is attractively designed with a wide variety of features and tools. Like the LC90, it is solidly constructed and has a substantial feel in one’s hands.

The LC100 emits superior, even game-changing, audio — especially for a mid-size portable in a plastic enclosure. Its triple speaker design and the company’s refusal to attach a tilt support bale to the back of the radio lest audio response be even minimally compromised speaks to the effort that has gone into producing the radio’s stellar audio quality.

Wi-Fi Internet streaming and FM radio performance are flawless with quick Internet connections and stream buffering along with instantaneous access to FM stations selected.

The LC100 represents a substantial evolution of the LC90. But while much effort has been expended in achieving better SNR in the AM spectrum, it remains a difficult challenge, the enormity of which likely explains why no other radio manufacturer has yet to take on this task.

Nonetheless, inclusion of longwave (LW), medium wave (MW), shortwave (SW) and single side band (SSB) with Wi-Fi Internet streaming and FM radio in one construct – as well as some innovative features never offered before in any radio – remains a fascinating project. The LC100 will be especially attractive to consumers who value radio’s content and appreciate hearing all of it in a portable capable of excellent quality high-fidelity sound.

Review Methodology

Choyong provided me with an LC100 from regular stock. I tested the radio’s performance in all respects for about three weeks.

This LC100 was compared to the previous LC90, the Sangean ATS-909X2 currently on the market (the performance with which Choyong claims its LC100 favorably compares, especially on shortwave), two similarly sized legacy discontinued but acknowledged high-quality portable multiband radios — the Panasonic RF-B65 and Grundig YB-400 — and a more contemporary but recently discontinued Eton Executive Satellit.

I also monitored the many interesting and informative reviews of the LC100 posted on YouTube by various purchasers and analysts.

My observations and results of these tests and comparisons follow based entirely on this one sample with the presumption that its performance represents that of all LC100 units sold to consumers by Choyong.

Corporate Background

Established in 2009, Shenzhen Chaoyuan Technology Co., Ltd. is a small to medium sized enterprise of less than 500 workers operating out of a modest factory in Guangdong, China. It originally designed circuit boards, software, and audio hardware for major global headphone and speaker brands, but now specializes in advanced hybrid internet radios, multi-band receivers, and other network-connected communication devices.

It launched Choyong Radio, a consumer electronics and audio engineering brand, in late 2023 to focus, as described by Google Assistant, “on bridging traditional analog broadcast bands (FM, AM/MW, SW, SSB) with modern cellular and internet connectivity, incorporating Wi-Fi, 4G SIM/eSIM support, Bluetooth, and AI-assisted search functions (like ChatGPT-integrated voice commands) into portable radio receivers.”

The Radio

The LC100 is a paperback book-sized portable radio powered by two replaceable rechargeable 2500mAh Type 18650 lithium-ion batteries working in tandem for a total of 5000mAh. A Type-C charging cable attached to a 5V-2A (5-volt, 2 ampere) block and plugged into a normal wall outlet restores the batteries after up to about 50 hours of use, depending on volume, screen use, and reception mode. Full recharge takes about 2-3 hours depending on level of depletion.

The radio is shipped in an attractive black solid protective box with gold colored trim containing the radio, charging cord, small paper “user manual,” and a detachable carry loop. It’s available in two color case options – dark grey and silver. The unit I received is dark grey.

According to Choyong, “The goal of the LC100 is simple: to combine the spirit of traditional radio with the capabilities of a modern internet audio device.” It carries hybrid analog and digital features that are intended to add and improve on those provided in the LC90.

Able to receive and play Internet streamed, FM, LW, MW and SW radio, the LC100 also has AM SSB capability, access to podcasts and the ability to record, store and playback content on SIM and TF cards as well as play content from other sources through the LC100’s speaker via Bluetooth.

It provides multiple means of finding and storing any of over 50,000 radio stations and thousands of podcasts streaming on the Internet, including by voice requests using ChatGPT which responds promptly and accurately. Choyong also has a web page where owners can create an account and use or organize many of the radio’s features.

Finally, a firmware update (version 1.1) released on September 15 added an adjustable squelch to reduce noise when tuning and access to a company-maintained archive that can playback numerous stored historical broadcasts and recordings stretching back a century.

Choyong makes these claims for the LC100:

  • A large 3.5-inch high-resolution color display. (2.4 inch on LC90.)
  • Improved FM/LW/MW/SW reception over the LC90.
  • “Advanced SSB features for radio enthusiasts”, including a manual SSB frequency calibration function.
  • An upgrade to Wi-Fi 6 producing “a faster and more stable Internet radio experience”
  • A redesigned sound system with bass and treble adjustment that “compared with the LC90, provides approximately 10Hz deeper low-frequency extension, delivering a fuller and richer sound.”
  • More powerful Internet radio & AI features
  • AI searches stations, podcasts and music via a ChatGPT voice interface with the user.
  • A redesigned standby screen display that shows the time in analog and digital form, the local current outside temperature, humidity and weather with the day’s predicted high/low temperatures, sunrise/sunset times, date, day of week, battery and Wi-Fi strength levels.

I made these further notations:

  • Internet access via Wi-Fi connection.
  • eSIM capability providing cellular Wi-Fi service as an adjunct to home Wi-Fi service.
  • AM (LW, MW, SW, SSB) and FM reception.
  • SIM card and TF card slots to permit recording, storage, and playback of preferred content.
  • Bluetooth reception and playback capability.
  • SIM card and TF card content (music and speech) capability.
  • Separate treble and bass controls.
  • ChatGPT incorporated to permit voice selection of streaming content and general Internet-sourced information.
  • Adjustable backlight time and brightness settings.
  • Podcast preferred language setting.
  • An “Auto Play” option that returns to the last Internet station selected when the radio is powered on.
  • FM tuning step selection (50, 100, 200 kHz).
  • LW/MW tuning step selection (9/10 kHz).
  • FM ATS (automatic tuning system) sensitivity setting (very high, high, balanced, low, very low).
  • MW/SW ATS sensitivity setting (same as above).
  • AM Squelch setting (1-10).
  • USB offset recalibration.
  • LSB offset recalibration.
  • Temperature unit display selection (Celsius or Fahrenheit).
  • Firmware version information (with upgrades over Wi-Fi when made available).
  • On the display screen and using the multifunction tuning knob, the user can select from:
  • 7 bandwidths on MW/SW (6, 4, 3, 2.5, 2, 1.8, 1 kHz.)
  • 6 bandwidths on SSB (0.5, 1, 1.2, 2.2, 3, 4 kHz.)
  • 6 bandwidths on FM listed as (56, 107, 158, 209, 260, 311 KHz.) or Auto (radio select)

This is the display screen as it looks when listening to MW. The graph on the left uses a fluctuating green bar to show the station signal’s relative SNR. The number at the top of the graph also fluctuates showing signal strength. Elsewhere, the screen indicates Wi-Fi signal strength, local time in 24 hr. format, battery level, bandwidth, the (indoor ferrite) antenna in use, MW mode, whether & in what place the station is in memory and the frequency tuned. In this case, it was to CFZM 740 Toronto, 300 air miles west of my location, and using a Select-a-Tenna to maximize reception. The LC100’s display has a similar appearance when the radio is in LW, SW, SSB or FM mode.

Assessment

This is a sophisticated, multifaceted instrument that challenges the traditional definitions and parameters of radio. It possesses vast capabilities not resident in any other such unit – LW, MW, FM, SW, Internet, music, recording, playback, history, Internet-based information seeking, ChatGPT.

From this reviewer’s experience, the LC100 offers all the significant performance improvements over the LC90 the company claims, in addition to new and innovative features not offered in the LC90 or any other radio. Continue reading →

Radio Waves: Radio Prague Support, AirDrift, and AM Radio Mandate Faces Congressional Clock

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Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio

Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy!

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors David Iurescia and Aaron Hughes for the following tips:

Your support means the world to Radio Prague International (Radio Prague International)

All of us here at RPI would like to thank our listeners for the wave of support and solidarity you showed in response to news of the threat of closure earlier this year. Without you, our broadcasts could not fulfil their most important mission: building a bridge between Czechia and the world.

To highlight the strong bond that has survived and grown over the 90 years of our existence, we are publishing excerpts from some of the many letters, emails and audio messages we received.

[Continue reading…]

AirDrift Internet Radio Browser (Airdrift)

SWLing Post contributor, Aaron Hughes (author of AirDrift) writes:

Air Drift is internet radio the way it used to be: open the page, pick a station, and it plays. There’s no account, no app, and no signup. If you don’t know what you want, press Drift. It spins a globe, hunts through the dial, and lands you on a random live station somewhere in the world.

There are about 50,000 stations from the Radio Browser directory, and you can browse by country, genre, or a 3D globe. It’s made for people who just want to turn on the radio: quick, easy and simple.

[Check it out here!]

Can the AM Radio Car Mandate Beat the Congressional Clock? (Radio World)

As the U.S. Senate adjourns until after the November midterm elections, a familiar concern for backers of the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act has surfaced: Will time run out?

The next step for the legislation, as we’ve covered, is for it to move through the Senate. There was palpable momentum after the bill cleared the house in September. And previously, Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) secured filibuster-proof majority with 61 senators supporting it.

[The] bill has to reach the Senate floor for a vote first, and there’s a scant few days left in this current congressional cycle. The 2023 version failed to pass in the Senate after efforts that December fell short.

[Continue reading…]

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Radio World: The World Is at Your Mouse Click

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Fred Waterer who shares this article from Radio World that takes a closer look at how online SDR networks have transformed shortwave listening. Even for those of us who regularly use Web SDRs, it’s an interesting perspective on how these global receiver networks continue to evolve and expand the reach of radio in the 21st century.

Click here to read the full article at Radio World.

KiwiSDR: Root access through project developer’s backdoor

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Franco (K4VZ) , who writes:

Just a quick note to let you and the SWLing post readers know about the news of a backdoor in the KiwiSDR software that for years “gave root to project developer”.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/07/for-years-a-backdoor-in-popular-kiwisdr-product-gave-root-to-project-developer/

For years, a backdoor in popular KiwiSDR product gave root to project developer

Users are rattled after learning their devices and networks were exposed.

KiwiSDR is hardware that uses a software-defined radio to monitor transmissions in a local area and stream them over the Internet. A largely hobbyist base of users does all kinds of cool things with the playing-card-sized devices. For instance, a user in Manhattan could connect one to the Internet so that people in Madrid, Spain, or Sydney, Australia, could listen to AM radio broadcasts, CB radio conversations, or even watch lightning storms in Manhattan.

On Wednesday, users learned that for years, their devices had been equipped with a backdoor that allowed the KiwiSDR creator—and possibly others—to log in to the devices with administrative system rights. The remote admin could then make configuration changes and access data not just for the KiwiSDR but in many cases to the Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone Black, or other computing devices the SDR hardware is connected to.

A big trust problem

Signs of the backdoor in the KiwiSDR date back to at least 2017. The backdoor was recently removed with no mention of the removal under unclear circumstances. But despite the removal, users remain rattled since the devices run as root on whatever computing device they’re connected to and can often access other devices on the same network.

“It’s a big trust problem,” a user with the handle xssfox told me. “I was completely unaware that there was a backdoor, and it’s hugely disappointing to see the developer adding backdoors in and actively using them without consent.” [Click here to continue reading the full article…]

Thank you for sharing this, Franco (and many other readers who’ve recently shared this article.

I’ve always been a big fan of the KiwiSDR network and the receiver so, of course, this is disappointing news. It sounds as if there’s no evidence the developer did anything nefarious through this root access backdoor, but they were also well aware it existed. That is, without question, a huge security issue.

The KiwiSDR developer comments here on the SWLing Post so my hope is that, perhaps, they can shed some light on this story in our comments section.

TuneIn ruling may lead to a more restrictive future for UK smart speaker and Internet radio users

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David, who writes:

I live in the UK and, like many of your readers and contributors, one of the aspects of the radio hobby I enjoy is ‘content DXing’. As of yesterday [September 9, 2020], all of the US-based classical music stations and even some European news outlets are no longer available through TuneIn.

This appears to be because of a court ruling which identifies TuneIn as a ‘broadcaster & communicator’ rather than – as TuneIn itself claims – an indexer of available stations.

I’m assuming Direct Streams from each station are still available but I can’t help but worry that station aggregators might also be in the firing line at some stage.

Thank you for sharing this, David.

Implications Beyond TuneIn?

At first blush, one might think this ruling only applies to TuneIn users, but it certainly sets the stage for further law suits since TuneIn isn’t the only “audio guide service” accessible in the UK.

Check out this article David shared from November 2019 when the ruling originally took place:

In 2017, Sony and Warner sued US-based radio service TuneIn, claiming the company infringed its copyrights in the UK. A judgment handed down today by the High Court states that while TuneIn does not offer content itself, the provision of hyperlinks to content not officially licensed in the UK constitutes a communication to the public and is therefore infringement.

TuneIn is one of the most prominent and recognizable providers of radio content in the world.

Available for free or on a premium basis, the service offers access to well over 100,000 radio stations and millions of podcasts. It doesn’t provide this content itself but acts as an indexer (“audio guide service”, according to TuneIn) for those looking to access third-party streams.

In 2017 it emerged that Sony Music UK and Warner Music UK had sued the US-based company in the UK, claiming that since many of the TuneIn-indexed stations are unlicensed to play music in the region, linking to them amounts to infringement of the labels’ copyrights.

Today, the High Court of England Wales handed down its decision and it doesn’t look good for TuneIn. The judgment begins by stating the opposing positions of the labels and TuneIn, which are particularly familiar in these types of disputes concerning hyperlinking.

“The claimants say that a finding for the defendant will fatally undermine copyright. The defendant says that a finding for the claimants will break the internet,” Justice Birss writes.

The labels argued that TuneIn needs a license, an assertion “strongly disputed” by TuneIn. The company argued that it does not “store any music, and merely provides users of TuneIn Radio with hyperlinks to works which have already been made freely available on the internet without any geographic or other restriction.”

In other words, TuneIn presents itself as not unlike Google search but instead of indexing websites, it indexes and links to radio streams. However, Justice Birss declared the service to be “much more than that”, in part due to its curation and search features.

“I find therefore that the activity of TuneIn does amount to an act of communication of the relevant works; and also that that act of communication is to a ‘public’, in the sense of being to an indeterminate and fairly large number of persons,” he writes.[…]

Indeed, this is essentially what all station aggregators do: they index, curate, and make streaming audio content readily available via Internet media devices like WiFi Radios.

While most WiFi radio station aggregators don’t have the app and web browser-based following and popularity of TuneIn, they do offer the “curation and search features” which lead Justice Birss to side with Sony and Warner.

UK Sonos Users Affected

David also points out complaints from Sonos users in the UK who have been directly affected by the TuneIn ruling. One Sonos owner commented:

Dear Sonos: can you see the enormity of the damage that’s been inflicted to your product? A major feature of the product has been devalued – at least for UK customers. Internet radio is 90% of what I use Sonos for; 80% of my listening is non-UK. Stopped working overnight. And you seem to be just as surprised as I am. How come you didn’t see this coming? You send me an email whenever you have something new to sell. Why didn’t you send me an email to warn me that this predictable event was going to hit me? You don’t seem to have a mitigation plan. You don’t have a how-to-workaround or this-is-what-we-are-doing-to-fix-it article in an prominent place on your web site.

Note that it’s not only TuneIn that’s now broken but also Sonos Radio. “Sonos Radio is an Internet radio service, exclusively available on Sonos. It features 60,000 radio stations from around the world”, it says on the tin. No it doesn’t anymore. They are still all there but they don’t work when you click on them.

From Sonos’s vantage point, TuneIn may be a separate entity. But that’s irrelevant from my point of view. I want the functionality that the product promises.

OK there may be some workarounds. I’m sure I’ll find them. But the fact remains that a major feature of the product no longer “just works”. It can still be “made to work”, but that takes a certain level of cyber-literacy.

I’m willing to bet UK users of other streaming media devices and smart speakers–especially devices from companies who aren’t in the business of directly streaming copyrighted music–will eventually have a smaller selection of international content.

Is there a work around?

Surely. But it could require heavy use of a VPN or similar service to trick TuneIn, Sonos, or other Internet devices into believing they’re physically located outside the UK. This may only be a temporary fix, however. Both Netflix and Amazon Video streaming services, for example, began effectively blocking most of the major VPNs a few years ago.

Have you been affected?

To be clear: I’m no expert in streaming media law, so what I’ve presented here are the basics and user reports. These are my own opinions and assumptions about where this ruling could lead.

If you live in the UK and have been directly affected by this ruling, we’d appreciate your comments.

Radio Waves: Pack Thanks Interim Leaders, KE4ZXW Moves to Virginia Tech, WWV and WWVH Still Matter, and A New WebSDR in Iceland

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Radio Waves:  Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio

Because I keep my ear to the waves, as well as receive many tips from others who do the same, I find myself privy to radio-related stories that might interest SWLing Post readers.  To that end: Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy!

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors Tony, Dan Robinson, Michael Bird for the following tips:

USAGM CEO Michael Pack thanks interim heads of agency’s five broadcasting networks (USAGM)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) Chief Executive Officer Michael Pack thanked officials who will serve in an interim capacity as the heads of the agency’s two federal organizations and its three public service grantee broadcasting networks.

  • Elez Biberaj, who has led Voice of America (VOA)’s Eurasia Division since 2006, will serve as VOA’s Acting Director.
  • Jeffrey Scott Shapiro, previously Senior Advisor at Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB), will serve as OCB’s Acting Director and Principal Deputy Director.
  • Parameswaran Ponnudurai, who has been Vice President of Programming at Radio Free Asia (RFA) since 2014, will serve as RFA’s Acting President.
  • Kelley Sullivan, who has been a Vice President at Middle East Broadcasting Networks (MBN) since 2006, will serve as MBN’s Acting President.
  • Daisy Sindelar, who has been with RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty (RFE/RL) for nearly two decades, will serve as RFE/RL’s Acting President.

CEO Pack sent, in part, the following message to staff:

“The experience of these talented men and women, their knowledge of the networks, and their commitment to the standards of journalism will allow us to launch into the next exciting chapter of our agency. Dr. Biberaj, Mr. Shapiro, Mr. Ponnudurai, Ms. Sullivan, and Ms. Sindelar will serve critical roles in allowing our networks to become higher performing and to more effectively serve our audiences. For their willingness to step up and help lead this effort, I am deeply appreciative. I am excited to serve alongside them as well as with all of you.”

Virginia Air & Space Center Ends Relationship with Ham Radio (ARRL News)

Virginia Air & Space Center (VASC) Executive Director and CEO Robert Griesmer has advised that the Center’s amateur radio station exhibit will be discontinued, effective July 1, when the Center, in Hampton, Virginia, reopens. VASC is the official visitor center for NASA’s Langley, Virginia, facility. The KE4ZXW display station was shut down on March 13. It was to be out of the VASC by June 30. A main feature of the exhibit was the ability to communicate with amateur radio satellites and with the International Space Station.

Randy Grigg, WB4KZI, of the VASC Amateur Radio Group said the station’s equipment would be relocated. “Thanks to all who have supported KE4ZXW during the last 25 years, especially the volunteer operators who manned the station during that time,” Grigg said. “To the many visitors we have met and school groups that have stopped by and talked with us about ham radio, communications, satellites, and STEM Program related subjects, thank you!”

On June 30, it was announced that the Virginia Tech Amateur Radio Association (K4KDJ) in Blacksburg will be the new host for the KE4ZXW Amateur Radio Demonstration. — Thanks to Randy Grigg, WB4KZI, and Ed Gibbs, KW4GF[…]

Why WWV and WWVH Still Matter (Radio World)

Last year was one of both celebration and uncertainty for WWV, the station adjacent to Fort Collins, Colo., that transmits automated time broadcasts on the shortwave bands.

On the plus side, it marked the 100th year of WWV’s call letters, making the site, operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, one of the world’s oldest continually operating radio stations.

On the negative side, WWV and its sister time station WWVH in Hawaii nearly missed this centennial. That’s because NIST’s original 2019 budget called for shutting down the pair, along with WWVB, the longwave code station co-located next to WWV, as a cost-saving move.

Fortunately, these cuts never happened, and WWV, WWVH and WWVB seem likely to keep broadcasting the most accurate time from NIST’s atomic clocks, at least for the immediate future. (No further cuts have been threatened.)[…]

Another Shortwave WebSDR operational in Iceland (Southgate ARC)

On June 27, a new KiwiSDR web software defined radio became operational in Iceland

A translation of the IRA post reads:

The new receiver is located in Bláfjöll at an altitude of 690 meters. It has for the first time used, a horizontal dipole for 80 and 40 meters.

The KiwiSDR receiver operates from 10 kHz up to 30 MHz. You can listen to AM, FM, SSB and CW transmissions and select a bandwidth suitable for each formulation. Up to eight users can be logged into the recipient at the same time.

Ari Þórólfur Jóhannesson TF1A was responsible for the installation of the device today, which is owned by Georg Kulp, TF3GZ.
Bláfjöll: http://blafjoll.utvarp.com/

The other two receivers that are active are located at Bjargtångar in Vesturbyggð, Iceland’s westernmost plains and the outermost point of Látrabjarg and at Raufarhöfn. Listen at:
Bjargtångar: http://bjarg.utvarp.com/
Raufarhöfn: http://raufarhofn.utvarp.com/

The IRA Board thanks Ara and Georg for their valuable contributions. This is an important addition for radio amateurs who are experimenting in these frequency bands, as well as listeners and anyone interested in the spread of radio waves.

Source IRA https://tinyurl.com/IcelandIRA

KiwiSDR Network
http://kiwisdr.com/public/

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Radio Garden: An addictive way to scan online radio stations

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors David and Monti who share a link to Radio Garden, a new web-based interface for exploring online radio stations across the globe.

[…]Radio Garden, which launched today, is a similar concept—a way to know humanity through its sounds, through its music. It’s an interactive map that lets you tune into any one of thousands of radio stations all over the world in real time. Exploring the site is both immersive and a bit disorienting—it offers the sense of lurking near Earth as an outsider. In an instant, you can click to any dot on the map and hear what’s playing on the radio there, from Miami to Lahore to Berlin to Sulaymaniyah and beyond.

The project, created for the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision by the interactive design firms Studio Puckey and Moniker, was built using an open-source WebGL globe that draws from thousands of radio stations—terrestrial and online-only streams—overlaid with Bing satellite imagery.

The result is the best kind of internet rabbit hole: Engrossing, perspective shifting, provocative, and delightful. […]

Read the full article at The Atlantic.

Click here to use Radio Garden.