Chip shortage likely to cause low Tecsun inventory

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I received a message from a reader recently regarding the Tecsun PL-330. They pointed out that Tecsun listed the PL-330 as “Discontinued” but I’ve confirmed that this is not the case. This is simply a poor translation/word choice.

The PL-330 is still very much in production, however I also learned the global chip shortage is hitting Tecsun (and most other radio manufactures) quite hard right now.

I checked with Anna at Anon-Co and she confirmed that they still have inventory of the PL-330 and other Tecsun models, but the chip shortage will almost certainly affect radio availability once her existing inventory is depleted.

I’m not sure any of us would be surprised to learn this because the chip shortage is having impact across multiple industries and modern DSP shortwave receivers are very chip-dependent.

I follow economic news pretty closely and most experts agree that the chip shortage may create issues for the next year or even two. Indeed, there’s even a shortage of “chips to make chips.”

No worries and no need to panic, though, as we’ll get through this. I would suggest not waiting to bite the bullet if you’ve been planning to purchase a new DSP-based portable radio in the nearish future.

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Alexander shares a few photos and notes from Hamradio 2022 in Friedrichshafen

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alexander (DL4NO), who shares the following photos and notes from Friedrichshafen:

First Hamradio After Two Years

Alexander (DL4NO)

Finally the biggest amateur radio event in Europe happened again: Last weekend hams from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, GB and more gathered in Friedrichshafen. The location is quite attractive, in Germany but near Austria and Switzerland. I could not get any numbers yet. But the event was quite a bit smaller than in 2017 when I was there the last time.

As every year amateur radio societies from Europe and the ARRL had booths. The most remarkable was from the Austrian OeVSV with their own stage. They had their own, quite interesting lectures. For example Austrian Hams have used the geostationary satellite QO-100 for LoRa experiments. They are quite active with LoRa as this technology allows to transmit data quite slowly, but quite far and with a minimum of power. Their project is called MeshCom. Continue reading →

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Giuseppe’s latest homemade ferrite antenna for MW and SW

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Giuseppe Morlè (IZ0GZW), who writes:

Dear friends,

I’m Giuseppe Morlè from Formia, central Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea.

I want to share with you my latest ferrite antenna for listening; it is composed of 3 ferrites of 20 cm each in a tube for electrical systems with 2 separate windings, one for medium waves and one for short waves, 40 turns for medium waves, 4 turns for short waves. I use a 750 pf variable to tune the 2 windings and a switch is used to eliminate a winding. Since there is only one variable, if you listen to the medium waves I interrupt the winding of the shorts.

On shortwaves it is preferable to place the system on an iron railing which, due to inductive effect, behaves like a really long wire antenna.

For the mediumwaves it is enough to bring the receiver close to the ferrites and also in this case, the induction will have its effect with an excellent increase in signal and modulation.

The range of this portable antenna is:

- - 520 to 1800 kHz
  - 3.500 to 18.000 MHz

Here’s a video from my Youtube channel where I explain how it works:

I had previously built a similar antenna but with 12 cm ferrites–very portable.

Thank you for your attention and I wish you good listening.

73. Giuseppe Morlè iz0gzw.

This is brilliant, Giuseppe! I love how you never stop building and experimenting with various antenna designs! Thank you for sharing this with us!

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New and Special Programs From Radio Angela

FM World reports that RAI will end mediumwave broadcasts later this year

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Pedro Andrade, who shares the following article. Note that the following excerpt has been translated by Google from Italian to English. Click here for the original in Italian at FM-World.it:

On 11 September 2022 Rai radio broadcasts in medium wave will cease (FM World)

Before the end of the summer, Rai will end radio broadcasts in medium wave .

[…]The news, already anticipated in recent months by sector magazines such as Italradio , is made known by the Easy Web section of Rai .

Everything comes from the audio description for the blind, available for some programs in the second audio track of the TV channel concerned, but also in medium wave on Rai Radio1 .

With regard to this latter service, the site (accessible by clicking HERE) specifies that “from 11 September 2022, due to the termination of Rai radio broadcasts in medium wave modulation, the audio descriptions of television programs for the blind will be available only on dedicated audio of digital terrestrial television.

The regular Rai radio programs , therefore, will continue in FM , DAB + , web and app .

Thanks for the tip, Pedro.

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Voice of Korea via Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM)?

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Jamet, who writes:

Hi Thomas,

Several listeners have posted videos on YouTube about receiving broadcasts of “The Voice of Korea” on 6140 kHz DRM – Digital Radio Mondiale.

One video in particular caught my attention, from Indian listeners in the Kerala region:

Indeed, these headphones use a Chinese receiver, the G-226 from GOSPELL which is also sold by TECSUN in Australia: https://www.tecsunradios.com.au/store/product/tecsun-drm-radio/

So, you can see how this receiver works.

All this has aroused my curiosity! And yesterday, Friday 17 June 2022, at 20:00 UTC I connected to several kiwi SDRs in the Pacific area. The DRKP signal could be picked up almost 8,000 km from the transmitter site near Pyong-Yang.

Here attached a screenshot and an audio file recorded with a kiwi SDR located a few kilometres away near Perth, Australia – Distance according to Google Maps, about 7960 km

The signal is encoded in AAC and not xHE AAC

[Audio: Note that the audio level jumps several times, so don’t turn up the volume too high.]

Who is this program for? According to Indian radio listeners, probably to the North Korean fleet in the Pacific. To be continued.

Have a nice weekend. Yours sincerely

Paul JAMET

I would have never guessed VOK would broadcast in DRM. Very interesting indeed. Perhaps we’ll learn more about this with time or someone can confirm whether or not this is actually VOK. Thank you for sharing this, Paul!

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RTI Transmission Test from Tamsui on Saturday, July 2, 2022

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David Iurescia (LW4DAF), who shares the following notice from RTI’s French language service. Note that the following article was translated into English by Google. Click here for the version français.

Direct broadcast from RTI’s Tamsui station

This year, the French service offers direct broadcasting from RTI’s Tamsui station to France and Europe.

Frequency and times of the test phase

A test broadcast will take place on four different frequencies on Saturday, July 2, in 10-minute increments, as follows:

-Frequency 11995 kHz (Angle 325 degrees)?17:00-17:10 UT and 17:30-17:40 UT.

-Frequency 9545 kHz (Angle 315 degrees)?19:00-19:10 UT.

-Frequency 7240 kHz (Angle 315 degrees)?19:20-19:30 UT.

-Frequency 7250 kHz (Angle 315 degrees)?19:40-19:50 UT

Depending on the results obtained and your feedback on these broadcast frequencies, the two best results will be selected for the direct broadcast in August.

Live Stream Schedules

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in August, at 5:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. UT and 7:00-8:00 p.m. UT.

A special QSL card is being printed for any listening reports received as part of this summer 2022 direct broadcast from the French service (test phase and official broadcast). Thank you for your support!

The direct broadcast of the German service will take place in July (test phase on June 25).

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