Ted inherits two vintage receivers and a 1959 UK Receiving License

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ted Lampert, who writes:

I was given some old radios belonging to a family member who passed a few years back.

A couple of them really sweet, a Philco 46-420, and a Philips B3X82U (see photo above).

Included was an envelope with some papers in it. One was the instruction booklet for the Phillips B3X82U, in multiple languages:

Another was a receiving license.

Without outing him too much, the original owner did government work and was stationed overseas quite a bit. The license looks like it was good for 1960, and I’m guessing you went to the post office to get it. It references the wireless telegraphy laws 1952 & 1955. Have you seen one of these before and do you know much about these receiving licenses?

The Philips is the radio I believe would have been probably what he got this license for since it says Philips at the top of it.

[…]Anyway, going through stuff recently, saw the license and started wondering about it.

Keep up the good work, seeing almost daily new articles on your site played a big part in keeping me inspired to get my own license, not a receiving one, but an amateur. Got general on the first try back in the fall of last year!

First of all, congratulations on snagging your General license last year!  Well done!

Both the Philips and Philco are gorgeous receivers! What treasures! Ted, you had mentioned elsewhere in your message that you plan to recap them and I’m very pleased to hear this.

Like you, I was not aware of that receiving licenses were issued in the UK at the time. Perhaps this was implemented during or after WWII and was simply a requirement during the Cold War?

My hope is that a knowledgeable SWLing Post reader can shed some light on the Receiving License. Please comment with details!


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Mystery Radio: Can you help Ray ID this solid-state radio from the film “Ford v Ferrari”–?

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Ray Robinson, who writes:

Hi, Thomas. In the 2019 movie Ford v. Ferrari, a battered old shortwave radio is used in California to listen to commentary on the 1966 Le Mans race from France.

I’ve attached a few stills from the movie (which I highly recommend, by the way). Might any of your subscribers know the model of the radio?

Post Readers: Please comment with links if you can ID the make and model of this radio. It looks very familiar, but then again the design is similar to so many other models of the era. Ray, I look forward to checking out the film, too!

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Kanwar recommends the analog Torgoen T9 GMT watch

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Kanwar Sandhu, who writes:

I want to share some information, which may be interesting for SWLers.

It’s the Torgoen T9 GMT watch.

It has a Swiss GMT movement manufactured by Ronda that allows to set the GMT hand to a different time zone, which in the case of a professional pilot would be the Greenwich Mean Time or GMT.

This ability makes it a perfect fit for the shortwave listener.

Thanks for sharing, Kanwar. I love analog watches, but rarely wear them these days because I like tracking my activity levels (my current watch is the Garmin Instinct recommended by my friend Sébastien (VA2SLW).

Analog watches, however, appeal to me much more than digital watches. I do like the design of the T9 watch face and the GMT hand. (Although I bet our friend Jeff over at the Herculodge blog would argue it’s not nearly beefy enough!)

I checked prices and it appears the Torgoen T9 is widely available (with different colors/bands) for about $140 – $190 US.  Reviews seem mixed. At least, on Amazon, some models have a very positive review thread while others less so.

Retailers:

I could easily become a watch collector if I had the funds to do so. For now, that’s not a rabbit hole I’m willing to venture down because my radio passion pretty much consumes all “fun” money! Oh but I can admire from a distance–!

Post readers: Any other recommendations of analog GMT watches? Do you have the T9? Please comment!

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Panasonic RD-9820 Antenna Coupler Operating Instructions

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Bill Hemphill (WD9EQD), who shares a PDF copy of the Panasonic RD-9820 Antenna Coupler we recently mentioned in a post. He notes that he can’t remember how he found this manual, but thought he’d share it.

Click here to download the RD-9820 manual as a PDF.

Thanks, Bill!

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Radio Northern Europe International update and May 2020 broadcast schedule

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Roseanna, who shares the following announcement from Radio Northern Europe International:

Hello everyone,

Last broadcast was pretty successful with many wonderful reception reports and some people sending in decodes of the stereo which is amazing to hear!

A reminder to go to https://rnei.org/stereo/ to learn how to decode the stereo, it is real stereo over a mono shortwave transmitter!

RNEI show 4 is half dedicated to Eurovision entries so the first half of the show is an entery from each Nordic country and after that we take a trip to some Faroese and Irish traditional musics before ending with our favourite Eurovision entry from this year and the final song containing the MFSK 32!

TIAMS has made another 30 minute express music show for after our broadcast for you to enjoy!

Click here to continue reading the announcement and view the full RNEI schedule.

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New Shortwave Program via WRMI: Alt Universe Top 40

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Troy Riedel, who shares the following announcement:

New Program: ALT UNIVERSE TOP 40

Written and produced by Indie Rock veteran John McMullan of The Trend, Alt Universe Top 40 is a genre-hopping weekly radio countdown that combines real-life chart achievements with “good-hearted adjustments that time and taste demand.”

With each hour-long show, the listener learns a few tidbits about familiar songs, and is gently introduced to music that SHOULD be familiar. In John’s world, The Beatles are still the “toppermost of the poppermost,” but, not far behind the Fab Four are deserving underground rock acts such as Good Question, Fools Face, and a number of other bands that turned in amazing records that were not exactly commercially successful.

Each show begins with a song that, at some point, was perched at number forty on one of the three major American charts, or in England or Australia. As the countdown continues, the musical selections include a song that should have made the Top 20, but did not; a single that charted at #11 in real life; a “should have been” Top 10; a Number 9, number 9, number 9…; something that is “modern and great” and should have reached number 8; a Little Slice of Heaven at Number 7; and the rest of the countdown filled out with bonus hits, a 3 from “Way Downtown,” and a Hall of Perfection Track.

Having designed the program specifically for Shortwave, McMullan draws inspiration from a variety of sources. He composed the opening fanfare and vocal jingles throughout the show by changing the lyrics to the chorus of the Trend classic he wrote in 1982, “Mama Thought You Were a Nice Girl.” The stories are usually trivia for chart nerds, but, with his music days never too far from his mind, McMullan throws in personal memories from time to time. There are AM hits, FM album hits, and jazz & blues selections that are only heard these days on public radio. Give Alt Universe Top 40 a listen, and you will certainly, as he says each week, “Keep on smiling through the static!”

You can hear Alt Universe Top 40 Saturdays at 10 pm Eastern Time (currently 0200 UTC Sunday) on 9455 kHz, and Sundays at 9 pm Eastern Time (currently 0100 UTC Monday) on 9395 kHz.

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Radio Emma Toc World Service updated schedule for May 2020


Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jim Salmon–with Radio Emma Toc World Service–who shares the following updated shortwave radio schedule for May 2020:

Jim notes:

Happy listening! If you are outside the transmitter coverage areas, why not listen via the broadcasters’ online services. Website details for the above stations are listed on our own website here – www.emmatoc.org/worldserviceschedule

If you don’t have access to receivers & aerials you can try using an online SDR receiver – ve3sun.com/KiwiSDR – experience the enjoyment of tuning around shortwave from worldwide locations online – it’s almost real!

We are happy to issue eQSLs for reception reports sent to – [email protected] – & will gladly include for online reports. If using an online SDR, please give us the SDR location.

Finally if any stations wish to relay our programme a download link is available on our website. Please advise us of times & dates for our schedule.

Thank you!

Jim Salmon – Radio Emma Toc

Many thanks for the update, Jim! Brilliant job making the Radio Emma Toc WS broadcasts widely available!

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