SDRplay RSP: now $149 or £99

7 Replies

SDR-PLay-RSP

I just received the following tweet from @SDRplay:

We’ve been able to reduce the SDRplay RSP price to $149 or £99 (approx €149 ) + tax/shipping. See

I’ve just started reviewing the SDRplay RSP for the June 2015 issue of The Spectrum Monitor Magazine. Preliminary impressions of this SDR are quite positive–especially for a receiver in this price class. At $149 US, the SDRplay RSP is now less expensive that the Funcube Dongle Pro+. Indeed, the RSP is even less expensive than portables like the Tecsun PL-880 and Sangean ATS-909X.

Over the next two months (as I get to know the RSP better) I will post the occasional broadcast recording using the SDRplay RSP with HDSDR and SDR#.

Missing Cities Mix

Leave a reply

Aircraft-Jet-Boeing-VOLMET

Regular SWLing Post readers may recall a peculiar VOLMET recording I published in 2013 where all of the regional aviation weather was noted as “missing.”

My buddy, David Goren–you know, the fellow behind the Shortwave Shindig and Shortwaveology–gave me the original tip for that VOLMET broadcast.

David recently posted a new mix on Soundcloud. David’s description reads:

“So, a year or two ago Ryan Stively made an instrumental piece called Missing Cities and around the same time I recorded a chunk of shortwave sound that I called Missing Cities. When making some pieces for the recent Shortwave Shindig 2015 broadcast I decided the twain should meet.”

Readers: follow all of David’s shortwave mixes by bookmarking his website, Shortwaveology.net.

Shortwave Radio Recordings: Australia Bureau Of Meteorology

4 Replies

Australia-BureauOfMeteorologyThis morning, I re-discovered a recording I made in the early morning hours of January 25, 2015 on 6,230 kHz SSB: the Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s marine weather radio service.

This was actually a new station for me and, no doubt, decent DX (though I’m sure the broadcast is quite audible when conditions are favorable). While I prefer old-school recorded voice for shipping forecasts, this nonetheless has a catchy cadence.

Click here to download the audio as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:

Zenith R520A/URR Transoceanic Radio on eBay

2 Replies

Zenith-Transoceanic

Since I’m a complete sucker for Signal Corps radios, my buddy David Korchin (K2WNW), thought it would be a great idea to tempt me with this recent listing on eBay: a rare Zenith R520A/URR.

Let’s be fair. It’s gorgeous. 

And I would like to know the full story behind this radio.

Fortunately, the reserve is $1200 US–high enough that I know I need not bid.

For Zenith folks, though, this would make a handsome addition to their collection.

Click here to view on eBay. I’ve also pasted the full description below.

Very curious if this radio will make its reserve price.

Description of Zenith R520A/URR:

“Up for auction is a rare Zenith Transoceanic R520A/URR. It comes with the Zenith headphones that plug into the rear of the chassis.

It was restored electronically replacing capacitors, resistors, and tubes that needed to be replaced. All tubes are NOS.

It comes with the Zenith headphones that plug into the rear of the chassis. It also comes with a modern battery holder that has been placed into the green battery box that I painted up to look a little more authentic.

It plays wonderfully on all bands with amazing sensitivity on the shortwave bands. Broadcast band can receive stations as far as 750 miles away. Antenna is straight and extends fully. The wave magnet antenna has the metal post that allows it to be placing into the handle so you can rotate it for best reception.

The chassis is extra clean and has all the tube shields.

This has the original cord with a NOS plug with new fuses incorporated.

Both fuse boxes on the back door have been filed with NOS fuses.

Has the manual that came with it and many specs that I printed out for this radio.

The exterior is very clean and the brass was polished and then sprayed with gloss clear coat so it cannot tarnish in the future. Knob inserts are new solid brass that were polished and sprayed as well. The I.D. Tag is an exact reproduction of an original tag.

All the feet are original and in excellent shape.

The cabinet has all the original military markings and are in excellent condition.

Runs wonderfully on AC or DC. I have always run it on batteries.

I have shipped quite a few of these transoceanics and the average cost for the lower 48 states is around 49.00 shipped via USPS Priority Mail.

My reserve is set at 1200.00. If it doesn’t reach this amount, I will keep the radio in my collection.”

Click here to view this item, along with several detailed photos, on eBay.

Yet another incoming CME

2 Replies
Screen capture via Spaceweather.com

Screen capture via Spaceweather.com

Many thanks to my good friend Mike Hansgen (K8RAT) who notes that another CME may affect the HF bands tomorrow. Spaceweather.com has posted an update:

“GREEN SKIES FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY? Yesterday, a CME billowed away from the sun’s western limb: SOHO movie. The massive cloud could deliver a glancing blow to our planet’s magnetic field on March 17th, filling Arctic skies with green auroras just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of geomagnetic storms on March 17th, increasing to 60% on March 18th as Earth passes through the CME’s turbulent wake.

The incoming CME was propelled into space by sunspot AR2297. During the early hours of March 15th, the sunspot’s magnetic canopy erupted in tandem with a nearby magnetic filament.[…]

[Read more at Spaceweather.com…]

NOAA notes that there is a 50% chance this CME will cause geomagnetic storms, thus potential for unsettled HF band conditions.