Last minute changes to special PCJ broadcast to Europe

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pcj(Source: Keith Perron via Richard Langley)

At the last minute we had to make a frequency change for our special broadcasts to Europe.

The time will remain the same: 0900 to 1000UTC

But we will not be using 17825 khz.

The new frequency is 11580 khz.

Nothing else has changed.

As a reminder, here’s the weekly schedule:

Time: 0900 to 1000 UTC

November 14th – Say It With Music
November 21st – Call it Ukraine
November 28th – Rockin’ with Raoul
December 5th – Classics with David Monson
December 12th – Special Jazz For The Asking
December 19th – European radio during WW2 (documentary)
December 26th – Special listeners programs

Richard points out that PCJ has switched their transmitter site from Trinco to WRMI; because of this, listeners in North America might also be able to hear the programs.

HDTV via an SDRplay RSP

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tvpic2

Check this out: a tutorial on decoding ATSC HDTV via the SDRPlay RSP software defined receiver.

(Source: coolsdrstuff.blogspot.com)

One of the main reasons I got the SDRPlay RSP was its wide bandwidth. It can show up to 8 MHz of spectrum at once. I figured it should be able to watch TV. Turns out it can, but it’s only designed to receive DVB-T.

Unfortunately, they only use that in Europe and a few other places. In North America we use ATSC.

In this article I will show how to use it to watch ATSC.

Click here to read the full tutorial…

This is one of the things I love about SDRs: in many ways, their applications are only limited by your imagination.

Click here to read our review of the SDRplay RSP.

A timeline of radio in the UK

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Crosley-Dial

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Daniel, who shares a link to this article on the BT website:

From Marconi and the transistor radio to DAB: the history of radio in the UK

93 years ago this week, the BBC made its first radio broadcast. We look back at some of the most significant events in radio’s history.

On November 14, 1922 the British Broadcasting Company began its first radio broadcast. Since then the radio landscape has changed dramatically.

Radio is still an incredibly popular medium. According to Ofcom’s 2015 Communications Market Report, nine in ten UK adults listen to the radio each week. We listen for an average of 21.4 hours a week, but the way we do this has changed.

Families had to huddle around the radio in the 1930s, but now we can listen to the radio anywhere, anytime using our smartphones. We look at some of the most significant milestones of British radio over the last 93 years[…]

Click here to read through the entire article and timeline at BT.com.

Not all Degen DE1103 eBay listings are the new DSP vesion

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de1103-dsp

Many thanks to SWLing Post reader, Eric Weatherall, who writes:

I’ve been interested by news of the updated DSP version of the Degen DE1103.

I just saw an eBay auction for a used DE1103 which listed “DSP” in the title. But I looked at a photo of the product and it showed the labeling of the original product. If you look at the bottom left of the unit, the older radios have two lines of product description printed in black, and the newer radios have one line.

Based on photos I found online, here is the old product’s description (which applies to both the Degen and Kaito versions)

“PLL FM STEREO/SW MW LW DUAL CONVERSION SYNTHESIZED WORLD RECEIVER”

And here is the new product’s description.

“FM STEREO/SW MW LW DIGITAL WORLD RECEIVER”

I thought this would be useful for anyone wishing to buy the new DSP version of this radio where a photo of the actual unit is shown.

Eric has a good point–many times on eBay, sellers simply copy descriptions from previous or existing listings. You my find a used DE1103 listed as a unit with DSP. It’s best to confirm the version with the seller before purchasing. To my knowledge, only the 2015 version of the Degen DE1103 has DSP.

New kit by NM0S: the 4S-Tuner/Antenna Coupler

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4stuner_panelDave Cripe (NM0S) has designed yet another QRP kit for the 4 State QRP Group: the 4S-Tuner/Antenna Coupler.

Description (per Four State QRP Group):

This excellent random wire antenna tuner is the classic T-Match design which is known for wide matching range and smooth operation. Dave has added a nice wrinkle – the SWR indicator employs TWO leds, not the normally seen single red LED. A green one indicates output power with a red one indicating reflected power. The beauty of this arrangement is that the operator sees the output power peaking as the SWR goes down, just like a power meter with dual meters – very intuitive. This makes tuning easier and leaves no doubt that it’s tuned for maximum power output. For a high SWR the red LED is at full brightness and the green LED is off. At 2:1 both are at equal brilliance. At 1:1 the green is full on and the red is off. The small size is perfect for portable operations. Add this dandy little tuner to your portable ops go bag, or use it at home. It’s equally at home on a picnic table, in a tent or camper, as well as on the operating desk in your shack.

Specifications and Design Features

  • Wide tuning range: 80 meters thru 10 meters. Tested on EFHW and 100′ wire.
  • Maximum Power Throughput: tested at 10 Watts.
  • Low loss large toroid
  • Twelve taps for small inductance step selection.
  • Low insertion loss when matched.
  • Enclosure Size: 3″x3″x2″.
  • Pittsburg Construction.

Shipped price is $51.00 (US), $55.00 (Canada), $60.00 (Outside US/Canada).

Dave Cripe designs excellent kits for the ham radio community; they’re easy to build, fun and functional.  If this kit is as popular as his past kits, the first run will most likely sell out in short order.

 Click here to check out the 4S-Tuner/Antenna Coupler at the Four State QRP Group website.