Tag Archives: Balázs Kovács

Balázs spots a radio in 1993 series “seaQuest DSV”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balázs Kovács, who writes:

Hi Thomas,

I started re-watching one of the sci-fi TV series I watched when I was a kid the seaQuest DSV (1993), it’s interesting how many current topics were in it 30 years ago (environment pollution, artificial meat, VR, AI, drones, etc) and the trivia at the end of the episodes by Bob Ballard from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

In the Season 1 Episode 16 a radio appeared also next to the protagonist played by Roy Scheider, see attached.

with best regards,
Balazs

Wow! Thank you, Balazs. I had completely forgotten about this show. Like you, I did watch a number of episodes back in college. What a great shot of his radio!

Balázs spots radios in “The Last of Us” Episode 1

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balázs Kovács, who writes:

Hi Thomas,

Some radios from the first episode of the new post apocalyptic (video game adaptation) series “The Last of Us”.

with best regards,
Balazs

Great catch! Thank you for sharing this with us, Balázs! These images are pretty dark, but I bet some readers will be able to ID some of those radios in the background!

Balazs spots vintage radios in film and in a Budapest pub!

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balázs Kovács, who writes:

Hi Thomas,

Happy New Year! Some pictures in two topics:

1.) First, a nice Zenith H511 Consoltone (MW) got a few seconds of screen time recently in the fourth episode of the third (final) season of “His Dark Materials” series:

2.) At the end of December in an old pub in Budapest (Helvecia) I ran into some more or less old radios as a part of the eclectic decoration. Since these are partly Eastern European, they may be less well known elsewhere (deep in the basement, so even if they were still functioning, not many radio signals would reach them anymore):

With best regards,
Balazs

Wow! I love those pub radios! I especially love the dial markings on the R 926 A!

Thank you for sharing these images, Balazs!

Klubrádió: Hungarian independent talk radio station leaves the airwaves

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balázs Kovács, who writes:

Hi Thomas,

As it was first announced last September as a possibility now happens: (one of?) the last major independent talk radio station in Hungary, the Klubrádió is forced off the air (92.9 MHz, Budapest region) from Monday (they will continue online).

“With the silencing of Klubrádió, it’s not just my morning commute that will suffer. Europe will have failed to stand up for its most fundamental values.”
A detailed article about the situation at the Independent from a former member of the governing party:
https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/eu-hungary-media-viktor-orban-b1799214.html

“There is a huge propaganda balloon built up by the government and Klubrádió was a little hole, a little piece of truth where the air could escape, so they had to close this little hole in the balloon and so they can construct their own propaganda world which does not reflect the realities of Hungary.”
The latest news in a shorter form at the CNN:
https://edition.cnn.com/2021/02/09/europe/hungary-klubradio-ruling-intl/index.html

“Finally, Ms. Karas says that Klubrádió still has a chance to be on air in case of a successful tender, but then right after this, she symbolically pulled the plug out of the transmitting equipment.”
Latest news release in response to the state from the radio:
https://www.klubradio.hu/adasok/klubradio-news-release-116227

with best regards,
Balazs

Balazs also shared this video which captures the last broadcast of Klubrádió:

Thank you for sharing this Balázs. I’m certain there are other SWLing Post readers in Hungary and throughout Europe who appreciated this independent voice over the air.

To listen to Klubrádió online, check out their website for details.

September radio news items from Hungary

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balazs Kovacs, who shares the following headlines from Hungary:

Some Hungarian radio news from September, FM / online / DAB+

FM: The last independent radio station could be forced off airwaves
https://ipi.media/hungarys-last-independent-radio-station-could-be-forced-off-airwaves/

Online: RFE/RL Relaunches Operations In Hungary
https://www.rferl.org/a/rfe-rl-relaunches-operations-in-hungary-amid-drop-in-media-freedom/30826537.html

DAB+: all DAB+ broadcasts in Hungary ceased (by 5th September)
https://www.worlddab.org/countries/hungary
(remark: it was always only a test broadcast with a few stations and only in Budapest)

A lot going on in Hungary! Thank you, Balazs!

Smithsonian Open Access: Take a deep radio nostalgia dive!

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“Radio owned by Herman and Minnie Roundtree” (Source: Smithsonian Open Access)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balázs Kovács, who shares the following announcement:

[Check out the] Smithsonian Open Access, where you can download, share, and reuse millions of the Smithsonian’s images—right now, without asking. With new platforms and tools, you have easier access to nearly 3 million 2D and 3D digital items from our collections—with many more to come. This includes images and data from across the Smithsonian’s 19 museums, nine research centers, libraries, archives, and the National Zoo.

As Balázs points out, there are hundreds of radio photos in the archive.

What a treasure trove! Since many of us are sheltering at home, it’s the perfect time to take a deep dive into the SOA archive! Thank you for sharing!

Swiss Army Knife FM antenna

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Balázs Kovács, who shares the following video of a Swiss Army knife and tweezers being used as FM antennas:

Click here to view on YouTube.

Thanks for sharing this, Balázs. The video actually makes a good point: it takes so little to make an effective FM antenna to receive local stations. I’ve been with repair technicians when working on radios They’ll often use their precision screwdriver as an antenna to test the receiver before reassembly.

I also carry a couple cheap instrumentation patch cord with alligator clips on both ends to act as a short antenna or antenna extension when needed. Honestly, It’s amazing how often I reach for them!