Using Adobe on Android to read The Spectrum Monitor magazine

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Hemphill, who writes:

I was very happy to see your post about The Spectrum Monitor magazine. Like you, I am a big fan of it and have subscribed for several years and have purchased the archived years.

Usually, I am not a fan of digital magazines. They either are in special formats requiring special programs or even special versions of Acrobat. Like you, I was happy to see that it is in standard PDF format.

But that still brought up a problem. With my eyesight, I need to zoom in on the page to read it, even when using a 10” tablet and definitely if using a smaller screen such as my phone. Normally it means panning around the page, reading column one down and then going back to the top of the page to read the second or third column.

But there is some good news that many people may not be aware of. The Acrobat Reader app on the Android system allows for a mode called “Reading Mode”. What reading mode does is stack the columns up into a single column thus allowing for reading straight down – no more scrolling back to the top of the next column. And you can tap on the screen to enlarge the text and the text will reformat in a larger font to fit the margins of the screen.

I took some screen shots of TSM using Adobe Reader on my Android phone.

On the left is the complete page, on the right I have tapped on the page and while it enlarged it, I now need to scroll around to read it:

Following screen shot shows the “View Setting” Settings and “Page-by-Page” is the default setting.

What you want do is change this to “Reading Mode”:

Once you have selected “Reading Mode” you will find that the columns are now stacked vertically and you can read my just scrolling down. No more going back to the top for the next column. Also, taping on the text will enlarge it and reflow it to fit the device screen.

Left screen shot is after selecting “Reading Mode” and right is after tapping the screen to enlarge the text:

With Reading Mode, I find I can even read TSM on my Cell Phone Screen as well as my tablets.

Note: Reading Mode only works with PDF’s that have been created with this is mind. It obviously won’t work with PDF’s created from scans.

Unfortunately, while there is a “Read Mode” in Acrobat Reader DC for Windows, it does not stack the columns like the Android version does. I’m not sure if the Acrobat Reader for iPhone works the same way as Android.

Hope this is of help to others.

73
Bill Hemphill
WD9EQD
Smithville, NJ

Thank you so much, Bill, for sharing your tip! You make a really good point, too, that PDF publications give you the flexibility to change text size and adjust layout through Adobe Reader so that it’s quite easy to read even on a small device. I’m also a huge fan of PDF documents and wish other radio publications would consider adopting the PDF format instead of replying on proprietary readers and apps.

Click here to check out The Spectrum Monitor magazine.

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FTIOM & UBMP, May 10-16

Spectres of Shortwave: Amanda Dawn Christie’s film about RCI Sackville now streaming

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IMPORTANT UPDATE – Amanda Dawn Christie notes:

“Unfortunately [this video] was never supposed to be public – it was an accident on my part. The film will be viewable soon though, for seven days. May 26 to June 1. It is being hosted by a gallery in Montreal. That upload was only a test for them, and should never have been public. I was in a hurry, trying to get it uploaded before I packed my hard drives before I moved and I guess I didn’t check all the settings. Sorry about that. I appreciate the enthusiasm though.”

SWLing Post friend and filmmaker, Amanda Dawn Christie, has just uploaded a version of her film Spectres of Shortwave to Vimeo where it can be viewed free of charge:

Click here to watch on Vimeo.

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Finding local Emergency Alert Stations in the US

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), who shares the following guest post:

Emergency Alert Stations: A great source of local information

by Mario Filippi

During the pandemic a source of local information for residents in certain areas of the country can be found on Emergency Advisory Radio stations that dot the country and provide 24/7 information pertinent to a community. Not all communities have these stations, which can be found from 1610 – 1710 kHz and operate at varying power outputs.

Author’s Yaesu FRG-100 tuned to EAS station

For example, a station I regularly hear is WRBX655 about 12 miles away in Franklin Township, NJ operating on 1630 kHz : https://www.franklintwpnj.org/Home/Components/News/News/6384/1130?cftype=News

At the moment it is broadcasting information on COVID-19 from the Center for Disease Control. Every EAS station has a call sign and wattage generally is from about 10 – 50 watts. However some stations do not necessarily announce their call signs so you can check theradiosource at: http://www.theradiosource.com/resources/stations-alert.htm

Now some of these stations are part of the HAR (Highway Advisory System) that broadcast on major roadways and usually have prominent road signs announcing where to tune your car’s AM radio for latest traffic conditions. These stations were also termed TIS (Traveler’s Information Stations) at one time and were the precursors of HAR. However, over the years the FCC allowed more leeway on what information could be broadcast and as a result these EAS stations appeared in communities and even state parks.

You can look up the locations of these stations to ascertain if one serves your community but the best way is to tune regularly from 1610 – 1710 kHz. The optimal time to listen is during daylight hours as propagation changes greatly after dark and you’ll hear commercial AM radio stations coming in and overpowering most EAS. As for range, I’ve heard HAR stations as far away as 40 miles depending on ground wave conditions which can vary greatly. QSB is common. Many of these stations will rebroadcast NWS weather information when no pertinent emergencies exist and that is another way to spot them. Some highway stations I’ve heard will begin each broadcast loop with a tone, they’re all different in their approach.

Attached [at the top of the page] is a picture of the author’s Yaesu FRG-100 tuned to WRBX655 from Franklin Township, New Jersey. For an antenna I’ve used a 31 foot vertical and a loop and success will depend on using an outdoor antenna but when away from the home QTH, I’ve heard many of these stations while traveling on the roadways of America, They’re a good break casual AM radio listening. Give it a try.

Thank you, Mario! I must admit that when I travel, I often hunt down EAS transmitters via my car’s AM radio. Besides being a good source of local information, I do know some DXers who’ve identified and logged an impressive number of distant stations when conditions were ideal.

If you live outside the US, do you have similar networks for local information? Please comment!

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BBC: “How amateur radio is connecting people during lockdown”

Pete seeks rechargeable battery pack options for his Wellbrook loop antenna

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Paul Walker’s battery-powered Wellbrook antenna in remote Alaska.

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Pete Jernakoff, who writes:

[…]I’m hopeful that one of your readers might be able to suggest a solution to my problem.

I have an older Wellbrook Communications active loop antenna that is powered by a 12 v AC-to-DC, center pin negative, plug-in power supply (Stancor AC Adapter, was supplied with the antenna).

I’d like to power the antenna from a rechargeable battery in order to make the antenna portable and to eliminate any noise that might be emanating from said power supply (which, as an aside, runs very warm when in operation).

My problem is that I cannot find any rechargeable batteries (lithium ion preferred) with a center pin negative output. All of the ones that I can find online have center pin positive outputs (such as the TalentCell 12V/6000mAh rechargeable battery that I’ve purchased to power my other, more recently produced, Wellbrook Communications active loop antenna whose amp needs a center pin *positive* input).

Thanks in advance for consideration of my request. Btw, love your blog! I’ve been an avid reader of it for quite some time now.

Post readers: If you have any suggestions for Pete, please comment with any relevant links to help him make the purchase. I’m guessing Pete isn’t interested in re-soldering a coaxial plug for negative tip polarity at this point.

By the way, I used a photo of Paul Walker’s Wellbrook at the top of this post because I recall that when he lived in Alaska, he powered his Wellbrook loop with a rechargeable pack (and during the winter, I also recall he struggled to keep it warm enough to provide power for any length of time!). Perhaps Paul can comment.

I’m so glad you enjoy the SWLing Post, Pete!

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NBC Logos throughout the years

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A member of the Old Time Radio Lovers group recently shared the image above that includes all of NBC’s logos dating back to 1926. Some of these are truly iconic.

Of course, versions of the rainbow peacock have been used most of my lifetime, so they’re immediately identifiable. I also like the NBC “snake” logo used between 1959-1975.

But if I had to pick my favorite, it would be the 1942 logo.

How about you? What is your favorite logo? Please comment!

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