Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Frans Goddijn, who shares the photo above of what he calls his “FM Antenna Budget Christmas Tree.” I love it, Frans! Thanks for sharing!
Frans’ FM Antenna Christmas Tree
4 Replies
Tag Archives: Christmas
“Alfons and the Magic Christmas Tree” read by Clayton Howard on HCJB DX Patry Line in December 1974
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul Rawdon, who shares the following:
[This is] a recording of a story featured on HCJB’s DX Party Line hosted by Clayton Howard. As far as I remember it was recorded in December 1974. It’s a short story from SPEEDX about the reception of Tristan Da Cunha and St Helena.
SPEEDX ran from 1971 until a declining membership forced its closure in 1995 archived copies of its monthly bulletin can be found here: https://worldradiohistory.com/Speedx.htm
Happy Christmas.
Wow! What a timely contribution! Thank you, Paul and Merry Christmas!
From the Archives: Yes, there is a shortwave…!
Note: Jeff Murray and I posted at Christmas in 2014–I thought it would be fun to dig it out of the archives once again. Enjoy!
Dear Editor—
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no shortwave. Uncle DX Dash! says, “If you see it on the SWLing Post, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a shortwave?
Virginia E. Layer
330 Independence Ave., S.W.
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a digital age. They do not believe what can’t be heard or seen on their smart phone. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by Google. They seek credit cards, not QSL cards.
Yes, Virginia, there is a shortwave. It exists as certainly as sound and circuits and tubes exist, and you know that these abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no shortwave! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no heterodynes, no band openings, no propagation to make tolerable this existence. It would be a world without London Calling.
Not believe in shortwave! You might as well not believe in the ionosphere. You might get your papa to hire men to listen to all of the wi-fi radios of the world, but even if you did not hear shortwave, what would that prove? The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see ground waves dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can casually conceive or imagine all the wonders there are heard and unheard in the listening world. For that, you must wear headphones.
No shortwave! Thank goodness! It lives, and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, shortwave will continue to make glad the hearts of listeners.
Happy Holidays from your friends at Dashtoons and the SWLing Post!
With apologies to The New York Sun. Our tongue-in-cheek editorial borrows from the timeless classic, “Is There a Santa Claus?” printed in the September 21, 1897, issue of The New York Sun. Click here to read the original.
KSKO Christmas Special via WRMI Dec 24, 2020 starting at 2300UTC
I’ve just heard from SWLing Post contributor, Paul Walker, who now works at KSKO in McGrath, Alaska. He’s paid to broadcast KSKO 89.5’s special 2 hour all-Christmas music show on shortwave via WRMI’s 100,000 Watt 5950 kHz transmitter in Okechobee, Florida. The broadcast will take place from 2300 UTC on Thurs. Dec 24th to 0100UTC Fri. Dec. 25th (6-8PM EST). Paul mentioned that he’s doing this for fun and to share a little Christmas cheer from Alaska.
Thanks, Paul, and Merry Christmas!
Radio Northern Europe International’s Christmas Special Schedule
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Roseanna, with Radio Northern Europe International who shares the following announcement:
Hei all,
After lots of work and careful song selection we have completed our Christmas special show for 2020 and we hope you get to hear it and love it!
Musical Features:
- Some Norwegian cheese to open the show
- Some really nice Christmas songs from artists like Eivør, Zophia, Saara Aalto
- A wonderful song by My & Mats featuring loads of lovely stereo seperation (in Comb Stereo on Shortwave – Give yourself a bigger treat and set up shortwave stereo!)
Data Features:
- PSK500R playlist with shortened comments in the final song of the show
- HamDRM (Easypal or WinDRM decoder) 7Zip file with a HTML animation along with the full playlist tirelessly coded by Daz!
- Comb Stereo – This is something you’ll really want to be using on this show for sure!!
Being a special the broadcast times are abnormal so here is a table to know when to hear it!
Reminder: Christmas on-air event to honor Radio Luxembourg
Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Alexander (DL4NO), who writes:
For a very long time Radio Luxembourg was *the* pop music radio in Europe, especially in Germany and GB. At a time when Germany only had its public radio system, the Radio Luxembourg was the one and only. But this is history.
At Christmas, several German shortwave broadcasters, organized by Radio DARC, will transmit on 6070 kHz in memoriam of Radio Luxembourg from Vienna. See the attached flyer [above].
Excellent! Thank you for the heads-up, Alexander!
Los Altos History Museum features “Ham for the Holidays”
(Source: Southgate ARC)
The Los Altos History Museum serves up “Ham for the Holidays: Amateur Radio Operators, Then and Now,” a historical perspective on how radio hobbyists help keep neighborhoods safe during disasters, in an exhibit appearing in the J. Gilbert Smith House through January 5, 2020.
They say: Tis the season for giving thanks, and around the holidays we are especially grateful for our local amateur radio operators. Known as “hams,” these volunteers help keep our community safe throughout the year at regular public events and during times of crisis. In this exhibit, learn more about the history of hams and how a fun hobby can also keep our neighborhoods prepared and resilient.
The exhibit is free to the public, and open Thursday-Sundays, noon-4pm
https://www.losaltoshistory.org/exhibits/ham-for-the-holidays/
Los Altos History Museum, 51 S. South San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA, USA