KMRT in 2023

Frans purchases the Hurricane AM Modulator

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Frans Goddijn, who writes:

I bought the Hurricane AM Modulator.

Here in my living room the hum was considerable even though I had an EARTH connection. So what I did was use a coax cable made of two different ends of coax cable, just the isolated kernel of both taped close together so the signal is transmitted on one, received on the other without the wires touching. One end in the antenna OUT of the transmitter, the other end in antenna IN of the receiver.

Now I can wirelessly send music from my laptop or telephone to the Hurricane and ‘receive’ it on the radio of my preference.

The HUM obviously does not originate from the Hurricane.

Click here to view on YouTube.

Best regards!

Frans

Click here to check out the Hurricane AM transmitter on eBay.

Thank you for sharing this, Frans. The Hurricane sounds amazing via that gorgeous Hammarlund SP-600!

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Ultralight DXing while traveling in Ireland

AWA Video: HCJB “High in the Andes”

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Mark (AE2EA), who writes:

Good Morning Thomas,

The Antique Wireless Museum has just released a video of a presentation
by AWA member Rich Place about his time working at HCJB, The Voice of
the Andes. I thought your SWLing members might be interested.

Click here to view on YouTube.

AWA member and RF engineer Rich Place, WB2JLR, made multiple trips to
Ecuador to work at the HCJB transmitter and he relates his experiences
with some of the unique challenges associated with operating a high
power shortwave transmitter at a high, dry elevation, in a remote
location near Quito Ecuador.

73, Mark ~ AE2EA

Thank you for the tip, Mark!

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W9IMS: Indy 500 Special Event Details

Indy 500 Special Event: The Greatest Spectacle in Radio!

By Brian D. Smith, W9IND

Like the race cars that made Indy famous, your opportunity for another W9IMS QSL card is coming around again. This time it’s the venerable Indianapolis 500 that will take center stage from now through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, May 28 (0359 UTC Monday, May 29).

This is the second of three special events conducted by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Amateur Radio Club in 2023, and if you managed to catch W9IMS during the first race – the IndyCar Grand Prix – you’re still on track to earn a 2023 Checkered Flag Award. The colorful certificate is presented to any ham or SWL who snares all three W9IMS special events in a given year.

Regardless of whether you can still take the Checkered Flag, you’re eligible for a special QSL card with every race. Both the cards and the certificate feature new images each year.

Tips on finding W9IMS:

Check DX Summit (www.dxsummit.fi) for spots listing the current frequency or frequencies of W9IMS. You can customize your search by typing “W9IMS” in the box at upper right.
Go to the W9IMS web page (www.w9ims.org) and look for the heading, “2023 Operating Schedule.” Click on the Indianapolis 500 link, which opens into a weeklong schedule of individual operators and their reserved time slots. Although operators often get on the air at unscheduled times, your odds of bagging the station improve significantly during hours with a listed op.
Prime operating time on weeknights is 6 to 10 p.m. Indy time (2200-0200 UTC). That’s also your most likely shot at finding W9IMS activate on two bands – generally 20 and 40 meters. Preferred frequencies are 14.245 and 7.245 MHz, but it’s possible that the station will move to other bands if propagation warrants.
Remember that the published schedule could be shortened by adverse circumstances, such as noisy band conditions, local thunderstorms or a lack of calling stations. Don’t wait till the final hour to look for W9IMS!
If you work W9IMS for the first two races, keep in mind that the third and final race of the year – the NASCAR 200 at the Brickyard – doesn’t take place until Aug. 7-13. But it’s worth the wait!

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Reach Beyond Australia: Tom notes excellent reception and Jeff White interview

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, TomL, who writes:

Propagation is very good. Reach Beyond Australia is now picked up with regularity from my noisy Northern Illinois Condominium. I find it fascinating to hear the different 15-minute language programs, including indigenous music, in Hindi, Tamil, different Burmese dialects, etc. Of course, since it is a Christian broadcaster, the music and teachings are about Jesus as Lord. However, all of the programs are authentically created inside the target country and uploaded to the Western Australian computer server in order to be broadcast. Here is a link on archive.org where I spliced 2 mornings of (mostly) music:

Also, it just so happens this week that Jeff White, hosting the popular WaveScan radio program, interviewed the CEO of Reach Beyond Australia, Dale Stagg, who explains the origins and continued mission of Reach Beyond Global as a continuation of HCJB’s shortwave radio vision established in 1931.

Enjoy!
TomL

Thank you for sharing this, Tom!

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Radio Waves: Czech Radio Coin, Philips Reproduction, Radio Restoration, Turning Radio Around, Titanic SOS, and Ford Decides to Keep AM

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Radio Waves: Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio

Welcome to the SWLing Post’s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio. Enjoy!

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors David Iurescia, Christopher Brennen, Doug Katz, Dennis Dura, Jon Langley, and Mark Pascoe for the following tips:

Czech National Bank issues special coin to commemorate 100 years of Czech Radio (Czech Radio)

A special CZK 200 silver coin has been issued by the Czech National Bank to mark the 100th anniversary of Czech Radio. The coin’s design features images related to the history of the radio’s first broadcasts.

It was way back in 1923, specifically on May 18 at 8:15pm in the evening, that Czechoslovak Radio began broadcasting from what was a Scouts’ tent in Prague’s Kbely district. Czechoslovakia thus became only the second country in Europe to establish regular broadcasting. At first these were only hour-long broadcasts, but soon they grew into longer and more varied segments that even included broadcasting in English and Esperanto as early as 1924.

The popularity, size and resources of the country’s radio grew rapidly from that point onwards and Czechoslovak Radio would go on to also play important roles in the country’s history by providing vital information to its citizens during the 1945 uprising against Nazi occupation forces and the 1968 Invasion of Czechoslovakia.

No wonder then that the centenary the country’s public broadcaster is being celebrated in great style. Czech Radio itself has prepared a variety of events and shows commemorating the anniversary this year – and especially this week. Meanwhile, the Czech Post has issued special stamps marking the occasion.

Now, the Czech National Bank has joined in, by issuing its own special CZK 200 silver coin. On one side, it features pictures of a radio microphone, transmission masts and of the historic broadcasting facility in Kbely. The other side of the coin shows the tent from which the first broadcast was made and the logo of Czechoslovak Radio. The design is the work of academic sculptor Marie Šeborová, who has already created several commemorative coins and medals in the past. Continue reading →

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