(Source: Sean Gilbert via WRTH on Facebook)
The B16 International broadcasting schedules update file is now available for free download from www.wrth.com – click on the ‘latest PDF updates’ link and follow the instructions. The file details the latest frequency and station changes from both international and clandestine/target broadcasters. We hope you find this file a useful accompaniment to the printed WRTH.
Droitwich transmitting station (Source: Wikipedia)
Our post yesterday regarding the Shipping Forecast reminded me of a story SWLing Post contributor, Dave Porter (G4OYX) once shared. Dave writes:
I worked at the Droitwich Transmitting Station through 1972-1974, the home of the BBC UK Long Wave 1500 m/200 kHz service as it was then.
In the summer of 1973 I was junior member of the engineering team, a 21 year-old Technical Assistant, and manned the control room for the four services from the site, Radio One, 1214 kHz, Radio Two, 200 kHz and Radio Four, 1052 kHz.
It was customary to check the two 200 kW transmitters, T7A and T7B for power balance prior to the Shipping Forecast and I duly went out in the transmitter hall just before the start at 1355.
I noted one was a little down and the other a little high so I pressed what I thought was the raise / lower buttons on the control desk. Unfortunately I had pressed the main on/off buttons instead.
The pair of transmitters came instantly off the air. I could hear on the audio monitoring the announcer starting the broadcast… it takes a while to reinstate the mercury arc rectifiers as the regulators had to run all the way down to zero and then back up to 14 kV.
By the time I had got it back on the air he was just finishing so we had to contact London and arrange a repeat after the 1400 news bulletin… Ooops!
I was much more careful after that when adjusting the transmitters.
The Senior Maintenance Engineer was not best pleased, as he had to write up the shutdown report for London citing “Operational Error” as the cause.
Happy Days…
Dave G4OYX.
That’s a brilliant story, Dave! Thank you so much for sharing. Oh…I’m sure it’s a lot easier to laugh about it now than it was when it happened! 🙂
The Aeoroflex T-1200SRA receiver
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), who writes:
Every once in a while an IFR (Instrument Flight Research, a.k.a. Aeroflex) T-1200SRA comes up for auction, it is a sophisticated receiver covering LF-HF-VHF-UHF with built-in spectrum analyzer.
Some claim these were used by the FCC for surveillance. I can believe that as IFR is a professional manufacturer of commercial radio test equipment. I have their 500A service monitor.
Beautiful receiver, but this one is way overpriced. They usually start around a grand or so with a “Make Offer” contingency. One was sold in December for $481.
Thank you for sharing this, Mario! Knowing the IFR is essentially a piece of test equipment, I’m very curious how it might compare with a similarly-priced tabletop (broadcast) radio.
Post readers: Anyone else own a IFR T-1200SRA?
Like a lot of shortwave radio listeners, since I was a kid, I’ve enjoyed tuning my radio to parts of the world where events are unfolding. There’s something tangible–something that is transportive–when you listen to a news coming directly from the source, on air and originating from halfway across the planet.
I believe, listening to government broadcasters, you get a much better picture of what is actually happening. For example, sometimes the broadcaster devotes the whole news hour to an important event, or (perhaps even more telling!) doesn’t mention anything at all! The Voice of Turkey comes to mind as a recent example.
Yesterday evening, I tuned to Radio Romania International–one of my favorite little international broadcasters.
If you’ve been following the news, you’ll know that there have been six consecutive days of massive protests to stop a Romanian law that would have eased corruption penalties. This is the sort of thing a lot of broadcasters– being the mouthpiece for their current administration or ruling party–would either ignore or bury in their news report.
I was happy to hear that RRI at least featured the protest as their very first news item.
This recording was made on 5,960 kHz starting at 0100 UTC on February 06, 2017. Receiver used was a WinRadio Excalibur with a large horizontal delta loop antenna here in North Carolina. The following recording includes a few minutes of the RRI interval signal. Enjoy:
Audio Player
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mario Filippi (N2HUN), who writes:
This antenna coupler was the companion for the RF-2200, they come up once in a while on eBay. Just some radio memorabilia/trivia to store away in the SWL file of brain hihi.
Thank you, Mario! Until last year or so, I wasn’t aware the RF-220 had a matching coupler. I’m sure radio collectors would jump on one of these in good condition. It’s a lot to pay for a simple coupler, though this seller appears to accept best offers.
The great thing about eBay is if you’re looking for something rare and are willing to pay for it, the world is your oyster.
On the other hand, there’s exactly what Mario implies: many of us find eBay to be an amazing resource for discovering rare radio items, tucking them away in the dark recesses of our radio brains, which then helps us spot them when they pop up at local hamfests, swap meets, yard sales or thrift stores!
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, David (G4EDR), who writes:
Hi Thomas
I know a number of readers to the SWLing Post like to hear the UK Shipping Forecast read on the BBC. It is always transmitted by an announcer with impeccable clarity and authority. I came across the following on YouTube which, if you have not heard it before is quite amusing.
73,
David – G4EDR
https://youtu.be/G9QumF93PpY
‘The Shipping Forecast’ Read by Brian Perkins on YouTube.
That is hilarious, Dave! Thank you for sharing! After listening to Perkins read the forecast, YouTube suggested I also listen a version by Stephen Fry. Here’s it is:
Click here to view/listen on YouTube.
How fun! As I’ve mentioned before, I used to listen to the shipping forecast regularly when I lived in the UK. I really do miss hearing it over the air. State side, my only two options are to stream it via Radio 4 or (better) tune in via the U Twente (or similar European) WebSDR.
Many thanks to Light Coder at HDSDR who notes a recent update to HDSDR:
HDSDR bugfix release 2.76 just went online.
There are also some minor additions.
See http://hdsdr.de/wnew.htmlThink it’s worth to have a look into the keyboard shortcuts:
http://www.hdsdr.de/hdsdr_keyboard_shortcuts.htm
Many thanks! HDSDR is a great (free!) SDR app–happy to hear about this recent update including keyboard shortcuts.