I just noticed that Blinq.com has the RadioShack DX-402 (Sangean ATS-505 re-badge) for $27.09 shipped. If you use the offer code WEEKEND10 it will take an additional 10% off at checkout for a total of $24.62 shipped.
This is an excellent price, even for an open box deal. Last time the price was $27, they sold out of stock rather quickly. Click here to grab one while it’s still available!
On the topic of Radio Australia, Jonathan Marks writes:
“It doesn’t seem like 10 years ago that I sat down with Peter Homfray to discuss the early days of Radio Australia. What a truly fascinating person.”
A Chat with Peter Homfray from Jonathan Marks on Vimeo.
(Source: Inside Story)
We’re sitting on the grass in the village of Matangi on the island of Futuna. This is one of the more isolated communities in Vanuatu, a small group of houses on a small island at the southeastern extreme of the archipelago.
“We rely a lot on Radio Australia when there’s a cyclone coming,” says Miranda, a member of the island’s Community Disaster Committee. “We have no telephone on this side of the island and we often can’t hear Radio Vanuatu.”
As Australia debates budgets, debt and deficits, we rarely hear the views of communities affected by planned cuts. Whether it’s the size of the aid budget or the resourcing of the international services of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, or ABC, our neighbours have little input into decisions that affect their lives.
The latest blow is the planned redundancy of eighty staff from ABC International following the Abbott government’s decision to take Australia Network television away from the ABC. Revoking the $250 million TV contract – with just ninety days’ notice – has had an impact well beyond television. Given the integration of TV, radio and online services within ABC International, the decision affects not only Australia Network but also the other international services providing crucial information to the islands region.
Continue reading at: http://inside.org.au/the-gutting-of-radio-australia/#sthash.4cwXhev9.dpuf
View other posts related to Radio Australia cuts by bookmarking the tag RA Cuts.
Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Anil, for sharing this article regarding the importance and inspiration radio provides to many North Koreans. This comes from our favorite North Korea independent news site, NK News.
Here’s a quote from the article from a North Korean defector known as “Park”:
“I have been listening to the North Korea Reform Radio and other outside radios since 13 years ago,” he said.
Using this homemade radio, Park could access VOA, RFA, NKRR, VOP, RFC and ONK over the past five years.
“Frankly, the ideological education in North Korea is so strong that many people including myself could not believe the content of the outside world radio,” he said of his first experience listening with the device. “I was once certain that this radio signal was sent by someone who was trying to deceive us.
“But this radio played strong role in motivating me to escape North Korea. My friends and I used to regularly listened to NKRR and other radio programs inside the underground hideout.
“Many told me to quit listening to those radio signals and start making money for myself, but with the help of this radio, I finally decided to escape the North.”
Read the full article, including a description and photos of Park’s homemade radio at NK News.
In addition, note that North Korea is the theme of this year’s San Fransisco Hackathon.
To follow other posts about North Korea, please note the tag: North Korea
For your listening pleasure: one hour of Pirate Joe.
My good friend–and SWLing Post reader–Mike Hansgen recently apprised me that WHVW’s Pirate Joe show is being relayed on WBCQ here in North America in the afternoons. Last week I recorded Pirate Joe starting at 3:00 PM (EDT). Propagation was not in our favor, so the signal strength is low, but the program is still enjoyable.
If you’d like more info about Pirate Joe, follow this link.
Click here to download as an MP3, or simply listen via the embedded player below:
Dave Zantow (N9EWO) was a contributing editor to Passport To World Band Radio from 2000-2009. You’ll find a number of in-depth shortwave radio reviews on his site.
I’ve just been notified by Dave Zantow (N9EWO) that he has moved his excellent receiver page to a new home on the web. For many years Dave has been using the free web host Anglefire, but a lack of reliability and invasive ads prompted him to move to a new host via Charter.
Last week we visited Mount Mitchell, the highest elevation in North America east of the Mississippi River.
We enjoyed a leisurely picnic at the mountain’s state park, and since I had a little extra time, I pulled out the Tecsun R1212A I carry in my messenger bag, and tuned to Deutsche Welle. Even though propagation wasn’t superb that day, the little Tecsun did a fine job pulling in a DW service targeting Africa.
My friend the Professor had convinced me to purchase the R1212A as an open-box deal Anon-Co listed several months ago, and I’m glad he did. Not only does it have great shortwave sensitivity, but it has superb AM (medium wave) reception–indeed, it’s one of the best portables I have that can null out unwanted MW signals.
The Tecsun R1212A is no longer produced, but occasionally they pop up on eBay (click here to search for one).
Anyone else have this little portable?